37. Laughing Through Disability with Comedian Noah Crow

From Laugh or Death with Paul Osincup | Humor, Resilience, Humanity · 37:43

Show by Paul Osincup: Keynote Speaker

What happens when the thing that makes your job harder also becomes part of what makes your comedy unforgettable? This week on Laugh or Death, I'm hanging out with my friend and very funny comedian Noah Crow. Noah has a stutter, which creates a pretty unusual challenge when your chosen profession is…talking into a microphone in front of strangers. Some days his stutter is barely noticeable. Other days it can get bad enough that he has to seriously consider whether he should perform at all. And in one of the strangest twists, there are even nights when he has to exaggerate or fake his own stutter because the jokes he wrote about it won't make sense otherwise. Transcript Transcript We talk about what it's like when audiences laugh before Noah has even told a joke, why people sometimes mistake a stutter for nervousness, and how he learned to use those uncomfortable moments instead of running from them. We also get into the craft of stand-up: finding your closer, writing jokes about the city you're performing in, why crushing your first open mic might actually be terrible for you, and the bizarre path that took Noah from young Shrek to stand-up comedian. But one of my favorite parts of the conversation is when Noah talks about the people with stutters who approach him after shows and tell him that watching him perform makes them feel more comfortable being themselves. One interaction hit him so hard that he found himself crying on the way to work the next day and realizing, "I can't stop now." Transcript We also somehow cover assless European sailor underwear, a Nashville stranger asking Noah for "a dollar or three," and one of the worst possible ways to ask someone what country they're from. So, a normal episode. In this episode: Living and performing with a stutter Why Noah sometimes has to fake his own disability Being laughed at before you've even told the joke Turning uncomfortable audience moments into comedy The comedian who inspired Noah to try stand-up Why Noah started performing at 18 Chasing his mom's laugh How to know when you've found your closing joke Writing location-specific stand-up material What disability representation means when you're actually great at the craft Why people with stutters have approached Noah after shows Comedy, resilience, and learning not to hide Noah's upcoming one-man show, Sprinkler 🎙️ Episode 37: Laughing Through Disability with Comedian Noah Crow Subscribe to Laugh or Death for conversations about comedy, humor, resilience, and getting through being human without taking yourself too seriously. Life is hard. We should laugh harder. Links: FREE GIFT! Download the Fun Over Funny Guide For Leaders! https://www.paulosincup.com/freegift If you enjoyed this episode and want to build your own humor habit, make sure to follow the podcast and share it with someone who could use a little more levity in their life. To learn more about Paul's work, book him for speaking engagements, or explore the science behind humor and resilience, visit: 👉 https://www.paulosincup.com You can also dive deeper into the tools discussed in this episode in Paul's book: 👉 The Humor Habit All Links For Paul: https://stan.store/PaulOsincup Guest Socials & Website: https://www.instagram.com/mrnoahcrow/ Episode Minute-By-Minute: 00:00 – Meet Comedian Noah Crow 01:00 – The Underwear Modeling Story 😂 02:40 – "The Stutter Is Just Part of Your Act, Right?" 04:00 – When Noah Has to Fake His Own Stutter 05:00 – How Much His Stutter Can Change Day to Day 07:00 – The Comedian Who Made Noah Think "I Could Do This" 09:00 – Why People Laugh Before He's Told a Joke 12:00 – Turning Awkward Audience Reactions Into Comedy 13:00 – Noah's Favorite Stuttering Joke 15:00 – How Comedians Know They've Found Their Closer 17:00 – Getting Life Advice From a Stranger in Nashville 19:00 – Why Local Jokes Hit Harder 21:00 – Doing Stand-Up With a Disability 22:00 – Noah's First Open Mic at 18 23:00 – Chasing His Mom's Laugh 26:00 – Why Doing Okay Your First Time Can Be Dangerous 27:00 – The Moment Noah Realized His Comedy Was Helping People 29:00 – Being Great at Stand-Up, Stutter or No Stutter 31:00 – The Worst Possible Way to Ask "Where Are You From?" 😂 32:00 – Has Comedy Made Noah More Resilient? 33:00 – Why People With Stutters Shouldn't Feel Like They Have to Hide 35:00 – When People Think the Stutter Is Fake 37:00 – Noah's One-Man Show: Sprinkler

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