35. How Improv Makes You Better at Being Human with Annie & Levin O'Connor
From Laugh or Death with Paul Osincup | Humor, Resilience, Humanity · 51:41
Show by Paul Osincup: Keynote Speaker
What can improv comedy teach you about failure, trust, relationships, presence, and becoming a better human? Quite a bit, apparently. This week on Laugh or Death, I'm sitting down with Annie and Levin O'Connor, owners of Last Best Comedy Club in Bozeman, Montana. Between them, they have more than 50 years of experience performing and teaching improv—and they've also built a comedy community that has become incredibly important in my own life. We talk about why improv is basically practice for failing without freaking out, why you shouldn't wait around for the perfect idea, and what happens when you learn to trust that the people around you have your back. We also get into how improv teaches you to read a room, why sometimes the best thing a performer can do is acknowledge that something feels weird, and how those same skills can help with uncomfortable conversations in real life. Then things get surprisingly existential. Annie and Levin explain what it's like to spend decades creating an art form that disappears as soon as the show ends—and why that impermanence can actually teach you to appreciate the moment you're in. Or, as we realize during the conversation: These are the good old days right now. We also talk about why Last Best isn't ultimately just about comedy. It's about creating a place where people can make friends, take risks, be themselves, and belong. In this episode: What improv teaches you about failure Why you shouldn't wait for the perfect idea How "I've got your back" changes collaboration Why Paul returned to improv Can improv make you a better spouse, friend, or parent? How improv builds empathy and awareness Why comedians need to commit to the bit What to do when you lose an audience Why saying the awkward thing out loud often helps Improv and uncomfortable conversations Why the best improv disappears Learning to recognize the "good old days" while you're in them Why live, human comedy still matters Comedy as a tool for community and belonging What Annie, Levin, and Paul are saying "yes" to next Why Paul is finally saying yes to being a comedian 🎙️ Subscribe to Laugh or Death for conversations about comedy, humor, resilience, and practical ways to laugh more and take yourself a little less 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 Episode Minute-By-Minute: 00:00 – Meet Annie & Levin O'Connor of Last Best Comedy 05:00 – Why Their Comedy Club Has No Drink Minimum 06:00 – What Improv Teaches You About Failure 07:00 – Stop Waiting for the Perfect Idea 09:00 – Why Paul Started Doing Improv 12:00 – Does Improv Make You a Better Person… or More Annoying? 14:00 – Anything Can Be Funny If Everyone Plays Along 16:00 – The Empathy Superpower of Improv 20:00 – Your Stage Persona Isn't Your Real Personality 22:00 – Commit to the Bit 25:00 – What to Do When You Lose the Audience 28:00 – Say What's Actually Happening in the Room 30:00 – Why Uncomfortable Conversations Make Life Better 34:00 – The Strange Beauty of an Art Form That Disappears 36:00 – These Are the Good Old Days Right Now 39:00 – The Audience Is Part of the Performance 42:00 – Why Live, Human Comedy Matters 43:00 – Comedy Is Really About Belonging 46:00 – Stop Trying to Force the Funny 47:00 – What Are You Saying Yes To?
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