Episodes
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You Can't Laugh At Work 20 Ft. Shawn Anderson Of PDQ.com
If you were to make a mockumentary for your company, what would it look like? How would you poke fun at workplace norms, demotivating leaders, and most importantly, yourselves? Many leaders scoff at the idea of getting their teams together to create content rooted in irreverence, but PDQ.com did...
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You Can't Laugh At Work 19 Ft. Rod Reasen Of Springbuk
Even if you're the CEO of a software company that saves lives, a little bit of humor goes a long way as a leader. Inspired by a freak incident involving his daughter, a cancer scare, and Sour Patch Kids, Rod Reasen founded Springbuk, a company that helps other companies prevent disease with data....
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SPECIAL: Callbacks - Live From The 2021 Cleveland Comedy Festival
Welcome to Callbacks, a special episode of You Can't Laugh At That where six previous guests return to the show to prove each others' topics are funny. Each guest was given 24 hours to write a brand new joke about a topic from another episode, proving that there is more than one way to find the...
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Ep. 86 - Politicians Ft. Andrew Rudick
Whether you're on the red team, the blue team, both teams, or you hate the fact that there are teams in the first place, you've got an opinion on politics. And typically, to each person, that opinion is gospel. Yet, a vital role of comedy in society is to challenge the authority of gospel --...
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Ep. 85 - Sports Fans Ft. Jessica Keenan
They unite and divide, distracting from what’s important while being equally important. Sports are integral to the fabric of our society, but there are some fans who take it too far. Comedian Jessica Keenan (HBO, Netflix) joins us to discuss the humor that's built into sports fandom, her...
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You Can't Laugh At Work 18 Ft. Tara Blythe & Darcy Herlihy Of Infotech
Infotech is the rare 40+ year-old tech startup that is not only still open for business, but they're still growing. What is it that makes this company's culture so special? Tara Blythe (VP Of Talent, Strategy, And Communications) and Darcy Herlihy (Communications Specialist) share how InfoTech is…
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You Can't Laugh At Work 17 Ft. Lindsey Groepper Of BLASTmedia
As president of Indiana-based perennial top workplace BLASTmedia, Lindsey Groepper's emphasis on storytelling has set the tone for a culture filled with people who enjoy their work and the people they do it with. Storytelling in comedy is obvious, but it’s an often overlooked aspect of…
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Ep. 84 - Dave Chappelle Ft. John Armstrong
Cleveland comedian and resident Dave Chappelle expert John Armstrong fills in for Steve to break down Chappelle's 5th Netflix special "The Closer" to prove that you CAN laugh at that. Instead of asking the simple binary questions that everyone else is asking like "Is it offensive or not?" "Should...
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This Isn't A New Episode
David wanted to take a moment while on the road and share why this podcast exists and to offer one bit of advice when it comes to taking risks or trying something new: do it - even if it isn't perfect. Before we start a new chapter in this podcast, browse through the 101 episodes we DO have, find…
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You Can't Laugh At Work 16 Ft. Robert Herzog Of ZogSports
A stand-up comedian will often take a pain, stress, or life tragedy, frame it as a setup, and eventually create a punchline that connects with their audience. Robert Herzog, the founder and CEO of ZogSports, isn't a comedian, but LIKE a comedian, he was able to take a massive tragedy, discover…
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Ep. 83 - The Obituaries Ft. Matt Bergman
Washington DC-based comedian Matt Bergman (DryBar, Comedy Central) proves you CAN laugh at the obituaries by framing them in a way that gets the audience to discover the nuance in the things we do and say about people after they die. There is a push and pull between fear and acceptance that…
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Ep. 82 - Insecurities Ft. Chloe Radcliffe
NYC Comedian and Tonight Show writer Chloe Radcliffe proves you CAN laugh at your own insecurities by saying the thing that's on everyone's mind, but is being left unsaid as a way to release the tension. The birthmark on Chloe's face is an obvious distinguishing feature, so she has multiple...
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You Can't Laugh At Work 15 Ft. Ryan Heafy Of 6AM City
6AM City is a media company focused on activating communities through daily email newsletters that aggregate the most positive, impactful local stories. No politics, no murders, no toxicity. And that's exactly the kind of culture that co-founder Ryan Heafy has built (murders at work tend to do a...
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Ep. 81 - Immigrants Ft. Brian Parise
NYC Comedian Brian Parise (JFL, Last Week Tonight, Patriot Act) proves you CAN laugh at immigrants by layering his bit with jokes about his Italian immigrant father, parodying absurd perceptions of immigrants, and discovering the true meaning behind a classic American folk song. We also talk…
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Ep. 80 - Getting COVID A Second Time
After David got COVID a second time and wasn’t in the mood to laugh, he, Steve, and Gheramy ask and attempt to answer the question “How can we get through to those with fixed beliefs on ‘the other side’ when it comes to vaccinations and masks?” and discover that a sense of humor, or thinking like…
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Ep. 79 - White People Ft. Sohrab Forouzesh
When it comes to white people, Chicago comic Sohrab Forouzesh doesn't want to have to keep making jokes, but when there seems to be an eternal fountain of content coming from the same group of people, it's hard to resist. Joking about white people has been a recently touchy topic, whether it's...
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You Can't Laugh At Work 14 Ft. Vinnie Fisher Of Fully Accountable
When you name your company "Fully Accountable," you've given yourself some big expectations to fill, from both clients and employees. Enter Vinnie Fisher, CEO of Fully Accountable, a fast growing outsourced accounting and finance firm based out of Fairlawn, Ohio, who lives up to the name he's…
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Ep. 78 - Sixth City Comedy Festival Special
Our first live recording is in the books, and we featured 3 hilarious comics from DC, Minneapolis, and Detroit respectively. On this episode, Franqi French joins to prove you CAN laugh at white women (mostly the Jens), Alex Avery proves you CAN laugh at one-liners (and self-discovery), and Connor...
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You Can't Laugh At Work 13 Ft. Aleksander Levental Of Feathr
A 4-day workweek. Embracing patience while still being a disruptor. Being openly manipulative to build a great workplace culture. Upon first look, these things feel like they'd be detrimental to a growing company, but at web-based marketing software company Feathr, they're a key cog in the…
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Ep. 77 - Being Late Ft. Sam Evans
Do you run consistently late? Do you hate when other people run consistently late? It's stressful, it's annoying, it's rude, but could it also be... funny? Comedian Sam Evans has a bit on his album, Sweet Baby Boy, that proves when you're running late, you can laugh at that. In this episode…
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You Can't Laugh At Work 12 Ft. Bob Kingery Of Southern Energy Management
Bob Kingery is the CEO and co-founder of Southern Energy Management, a North Carolina-based leader in renewable energy and a certified B-Corp recognized for being a top workplace. Not only is Southern Energy innovative in their technology as they continue their mission of pushing for a cleaner...
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Ep. 76 - David's Rules
For the first time since the beginning of COVID, we didn't have an episode in the chamber ready to go, so we did something different for this episode. Instead of breaking down a bit by a guest and discussing why it's funny, we listen to and exchange notes on one of David's bits he's been working...
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Ep. 75 - Indoctrination Ft. Bill Squire
Cleveland comedian Bill Squire joins the podcast to break down his hilarious bit about baptisms from his new album Bam Bam to prove that you CAN laugh at indoctrination. Though this episode explores what's funny about the religious ceremonies and stories that have indoctrinated (and killed)...
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You Can't Laugh At Work 11 Ft. Travis Terrell Of SoundStripe
Travis Terrell is the CEO and co-founder of Soundstripe, a music licensing company based out of Nashville, where their mission is for the creatives to keep creating. Whether it's the artists making the music Soundstripe sells, or the accounting team crunching numbers, he pushes for a culture that...
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Ep. 74 - The Elderly Ft. Anthony DeVito
Comedian Anthony DeVito has a hilarious bit about his grandmother that takes down a whole generation's bigotry and resistance to change by... calling out the people who call it out? His fresh perspective on the greatest generation, and old people in general, challenges our perceptions on their...
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Ep. 73 - Bad Landlords Ft. Sarah Tollemache
One of the biggest benefits of renting is that when something breaks or goes wrong, someone else fixes it at no cost to you. Meanwhile, one of the biggest detractors of renting is that when something breaks or goes wrong, you're at the mercy of your landlord. Whether they blame you for the…
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Ep. 72 - Systemic Double Standards - Ft. Andre D Thompson
Life is full of contradictions and unfair double standards, and when they're systemically baked into societal constructs, such as policing in black neighborhoods, lack of healthy food in low income areas, etc. they can be extra frustrating. Comedy is about releasing the tension caused by these...
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You Can't Laugh At Work 10 Ft. Victor Bohnert Of Innovatis Group
Today’s guest is Victor Bohnert, CEO of Innovatis Group, an association management company that has leaned into the human side of building a vibrant workplace culture, based around entrepreneurial energy, fun, and hard work. The growth of Innovatis Group can be attributed to Victor's leadership…
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Ep. 71 - Gender Norms Ft. Caitlin Peluffo
As kids, we learn what it means to be a boy or a girl, and when we act in a way that defies those standards - like an individual - it's met with resistance, from being disciplined, to being bullied, to feeling like we're not enough. Comedian Caitlin Peluffo joins the podcast to help us prove that...
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Ep. 70 - The Israel-Palestine Conflict Ft. Sammy Obeid
Wait, you CAN laugh at a violent conflict destabilizing a region, displacing an entire race of people, and uprooting the lives of millions for the better part of a century? Comedian Sammy Obeid (Conan, says yes and proves it with a bit about the Israel-Palestine conflict that went viral earlier...
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You Can't Laugh At Work 9 Ft. Lynda Murdock Of PBS West
Today’s guest is Lynda Murdock, executive director of HR (and fun!) for Professional Billing Services West, a radiology billing company that has leaned into the human side of building a vibrant workplace culture. Lynda is not your typical HR professional, as she has leaned into the fact that she...
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Ep. 69 - Having Your Beliefs Challenged Ft. Neko White
In today's world, where it seems like people either have one opinion or the opposite, any sort of challenge to where we stand is taken as a personal slight, a fireable offense, or downright offensive. We won't get into the science of questioning our own beliefs and values that it provides, but we...
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Ep. 68 - Role Playing Ft. Maddy Smith
Maddy Smith is a NYC comedian who is a featured performer on Wild N Out, a Comic To Watch in the New York Comedy Festival, and wrote for The Comedy Central Roast Of Alec Baldwin, but she also has a hilarious act-out bit about role playing with her boyfriend. And yes, you CAN laugh at that. Comedy...
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Ep. 67 - Food Shame Ft. Jay Welch
Everybody has at least one bad habit they resist or feel shame about, and as a result of that shame, don't feel right laughing about. Not only is it okay to laugh, laughing about our shame can bring about the change we need to put it in the past. Joining this episode of the podcast is NYC…
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Ep. 66 - When Kill Tony Didn't Kill
Our goal as a podcast has been to prove that anything can be made funny, and sometimes we have to point out the times that DON'T work. Comedian and host of the Kill Tony Podcast, Tony Hinchcliffe, found himself in hot water after video surfaced of him using a racial slur and several stereotypes...
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Ep. 65 - Having A Miscarriage Ft. Genevieve Rice
It's a trauma and a whirlwind of emotions that can happen to anybody, but having a miscarriage carries with it a social stigma that must be picked apart and laughed at, and we know just who to bring onto the show to do it. Genevieve Rice of the Bird City Comedy Festival joins us to share her...
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You Can't Laugh At Work 8 Ft. Brenda Hines Of Parks Realty
Today’s guest is Brenda Hines, senior director of professional development for Parks Realty, a Brentwood, TN based company consistently featured on Best Place To Work Lists. What intrigued me about Brenda was her background in improvisational comedy and how that came to play at work, but what I...
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Ep. 64 - High School Ft. Cristian Duran
Cristian Duran (New York Comedy Festival) joins the podcast to talk about our formative years of high school: that awkward, sometimes traumatizing period in our lives where we’re trying to figure ourselves out based on what other people think of us. In many cases, it's easy to look back and laugh...
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Ep. 63 - Indian Stereotypes Ft. Pranav Behari
He's performed in festivals all over the country and he's not in Al Qaeda: comedian and cohost of the Mango Bae podcast Pranav Behari joins us to prove that you CAN laugh at Indian stereotypes, even if the stereotype is misplaced, misinformed, or lazy. In this episode, we talk about: -Why nothing...
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You Can't Laugh At Work 7 Ft. Tammy Rutherford Of Rustici Software
Being an effective leader and being a great comedian, believe it or not, take many of the same skills, and that's why David Horning is setting out to prove that you CAN laugh at work, one leader at a time. Tammy Rutherford is the managing director of Rustici Software. A Franklin, Tennessee-based...
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Ep. 62 - The Bible Ft. Geoffrey Asmus
In the beginning, David Horning and Steve Mers created a podcast to prove that anything can be funny. Then they said "Let there be laughs," and there were laughs, and they saw that it was good. 56 episodes later, former religion major and comedian Geoffrey Asmus (JFL, "Laughs," LOL Network) joins...
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Ep. 61 - Edgy Jokes Ft. Martin Urbano
"You can't say anything anymore!" is a lament repeated by many a seasoned stand-up comedian in a cancel culture-obsessed world, but are they right? On this episode of the podcast, joke-writing savant and eccentrically hilarious Martin Urbano (Kimmel, Comedy Central, Vulture's Comics To Watch)...
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You Can't Laugh At Work 6 Ft. Trent Kocurek Of Airship
Being an effective leader and being a great comedian, believe it or not, take many of the same skills, and that's why David Horning is setting out to prove that you CAN laugh at work, one leader at a time. Trent Kocurek is the co-founder and CEO of Airship, a growing Birmingham, Alabama-based app...
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Ep. 60 - Getting Friend Zoned Ft. Brendan Sagalow
Getting rejected is never easy, and there are any number of ways to deal with it, but referring to it as "getting friend zoned" might be one of the most toxic, self-victimizing ways of doing it. Comedian Brendan Sagalow (Sirius XM, MTV, New York's Funniest finalist) joins the podcast to break…
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Ep. 59 - Corporate Comedy Ft. John Garrett
Corporate comedy can get a bad rap in the club circuit, but just like not all jokes are for all people, not all comedy gigs are for all comedians. Keynote speaker, corporate comedian, author, and podcaster John Garrett joins the podcast to dispel misconceptions about all things corporate, and...
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You Can't Laugh At Work 5 Ft. Reid Carr Of Red Door Interactive
Being an effective leader and being a great comedian, believe it or not, take many of the same skills, and that's why David Horning is setting out to prove that you CAN laugh at work, one leader at a time. Reid Carr is the founder and CEO of Red Door Interactive, a marketing agency in San Diego…
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Ep. 58 - Jewish Jokes Ft. Raanan Hershberg
Racial and religious stereotypes are low-hanging fruit when it comes to comedy, but it doesn't take 8 days to realize there's a better way to address cultural differences in a joke, even if it's your own culture. All it takes is one listen to NYC comedian Raanan Hershberg's perspective on how to...
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Ep. 57 - Being Broke Ft. Carmen Lagala
Times are tough. Millions of people are out of work, the income gap continues to widen, and a worldwide pandemic rages on, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel: comedy is starting to make a comeback, and with it... getting paid with drink tickets and well wishes. Comedian Carmen Lagala...
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You Can't Laugh At Work 4 Ft. Karen Crone Of Paycor
Both stand-up comedy and leadership involve embracing change and connecting with an audience. In this case, the change is COVID-19 and the remote working that comes with it, and the audience is the team at Paycor. Karen Crone is the CHRO of the 2,000 person HR tech company, and is one leader who…
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Ep. 56 - Looking Back At The First 50 Episodes
Now that we have 50 episodes in the bag (not counting the bonus episodes), producer Gheramy Demery joins David and Steve for a look back at what we've learned. We've had 49 hilarious and insightful guests who have helped us fine tune our writing and improve as comedians, so we discuss some of the...
About this show
A podcast by comedians on why and how ANYTHING can be funny when approached with the right intent, perspective, and delivery - no matter how irreverent, offensive, or taboo it is.
Hosted by
David Horning
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