97: Laughter Heals

Laughter heals wounds. Especially, emotional wounds. Some of the deepest wounds stem from the feeling that you are an outsider, a person who does not belong. Today’s guest, Hal Eisen, is a charming, handsome, loving, funny human being. He is a gift for making people laugh and feel really good. It’s a double edged gift. You laugh at his wicked sense of humor; and you laugh at his laugh. Yes, Hal has a contagious laugh. He is an actor and a designer. He tells us in the podcast that his theatre friends have asked him not to let them know when he is in the audience of a play they are in. Why? Because, if it is a comedy, and they don’t hear Hal’s laugh, they will be disappointed. If it is a drama, and they hear his laugh, they will be disappointed. That’s what you call a lose, lose situation. You will be moved by the journey Hall takes you on in this interview. You’ll discover how and why laughter became his powerful survival tool. I’ll guess that most of us have at some time in our lives felt unwanted, cast aside, not knowing where we belong. That is scary and painful. The feeling of being an outsider has triggered many suicides. Hal is no stranger to the outsider’s pain.  You’ll love the way he used laughter to heal his wounds. You’ll be inspired by the way Hal gradually changed his story and his life. He was considered the ugly duckling in high school. He was humiliated and abused. That phase of his life was the before portrait that contrasts strongly with the after portrait of a good looking, creative, sharp man about town. You will also learn about the empowering “it get’s better” campaign that helps people reclaim their dignity and saves lives. It’s interesting that Hal is passionate about his design work with his partner, Andrew, in the Bottecchia Artistic Group. They specialize in residential and commercial makeovers. Sounds like writing a new story over and over again. This is the kind of story we all need to hear. We are enriched by the feelings it awakens in us. We are uplifted by the gift of laughter that heals wounds. BOOKS IN THIS PODCAST Not My Father’s Son: A Memoir by Alan Cumming The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod HAL’S FAVORITE QUOTE “This above all: to thine own self be true, And it must follow, as the night the day, Thou canst not then be false to any man.” – Spoken by Polonius in William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet,” – Act I – Scene 3 CONTACT HAL [email protected]