Scared to Stand-Up: How a drunk driver took him from fear to laughter—and hypnosis! episode artwork

EPISODE · Nov 25, 2025 · 1H 6M

Scared to Stand-Up: How a drunk driver took him from fear to laughter—and hypnosis!

from The Open Booth Podcast · host Matthew R. O. Brown

Hypnotist/comedian Colin Chapman never pictured this life—until a Richmond crash and the look on his wife’s and son’s faces in the hospital changed everything. From photo-studio kid to press secretary to comedy hypnotist, Colin shares how trauma, grit, and laughter rewired his path.📍 Cary & Meadow, Richmond — 37°32'53.3"N 77°27'58.9"WGuest: Colin ChapmanChapters00:00 Welcome + new location00:35 Who is Colin Chapman?01:52 “Comedy Hypnosis is Amazing”02:34 Networking as an introvert03:28 Boxer rescue dog—can dogs be hypnotized?04:04 Kansas roots & Wizard of Oz06:34 Family photo studio (film-era lessons)08:55 One shot vs 500 shots10:00 First job at Bobo’s (hustle)12:45 Politics & campaigns → Capitol Hill press secretary13:32 Bird swarm under the power lines16:05 DC years, met wife, got married → Richmond move17:08 Why Richmond beats DC (stress & pace)22:41 Marriage: don’t sweep issues under the rug24:14 Gratitude over entitlement25:11 Kids update: PhD track & 911 dispatcher29:34 Threat call before a show; detachment & objectivity31:53 Calm under pressure; who can do 911 work34:49 Personality vs choice; faith & fear38:16 Courage vs fear at this intersection39:01 Street setups; spirit-led episode48:29 The crash at Cary & Meadow; TBI & PTSD → recovery53:06 Telling his wife; launching a hypnosis practice59:47 Tailoring comedy; HR “Karens” & free speech01:01:58 Is hypnosis mind control? (short answer: no)01:02:57 How hypnosis works: calm, focus, rapid learning01:04:50 Clinical hypnosis too (in-person/Zoom/products)LinksYouTube show intro: https://youtu.be/g3d_2n2rhWYCreated Photography: https://www.CreatedPhotography.com

Hypnotist/comedian Colin Chapman never pictured this life—until a Richmond crash and the look on his wife’s and son’s faces in the hospital changed everything. From photo-studio kid to press secretary to comedy hypnotist, Colin shares how trauma, grit, and laughter rewired his path.📍 Cary & Meadow, Richmond — 37°32'53.3"N 77°27'58.9"WGuest: Colin ChapmanChapters00:00 Welcome + new location00:35 Who is Colin Chapman?01:52 “Comedy Hypnosis is Amazing”02:34 Networking as an introvert03:28 Boxer rescue dog—can dogs be hypnotized?04:04 Kansas roots & Wizard of Oz06:34 Family photo studio (film-era lessons)08:55 One shot vs 500 shots10:00 First job at Bobo’s (hustle)12:45 Politics & campaigns → Capitol Hill press secretary13:32 Bird swarm under the power lines16:05 DC years, met wife, got married → Richmond move17:08 Why Richmond beats DC (stress & pace)22:41 Marriage: don’t sweep issues under the rug24:14 Gratitude over entitlement25:11 Kids update: PhD track & 911 dispatcher29:34 Threat call before a show; detachment & objectivity31:53 Calm under pressure; who can do 911 work34:49 Personality vs choice; faith & fear38:16 Courage vs fear at this intersection39:01 Street setups; spirit-led episode48:29 The crash at Cary & Meadow; TBI & PTSD → recovery53:06 Telling his wife; launching a hypnosis practice59:47 Tailoring comedy; HR “Karens” & free speech01:01:58 Is hypnosis mind control? (short answer: no)01:02:57 How hypnosis works: calm, focus, rapid learning01:04:50 Clinical hypnosis too (in-person/Zoom/products)LinksYouTube show intro: https://youtu.be/g3d_2n2rhWYCreated Photography: https://www.CreatedPhotography.com

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Scared to Stand-Up: How a drunk driver took him from fear to laughter—and hypnosis!

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This episode is 1 hour and 6 minutes long.

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This episode was published on November 25, 2025.

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Hypnotist/comedian Colin Chapman never pictured this life—until a Richmond crash and the look on his wife’s and son’s faces in the hospital changed everything. From photo-studio kid to press secretary to comedy hypnotist, Colin shares how trauma,...

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