- [Hannah Gelb] You know what Anne Lamott says?
[Hannah Hart] What, what does she say?
- [Hannah Gelb] "Laughter is carbonated holiness."
- [Second Woman] Oh my God.
- [First Woman] Yes, laughter!
It's healing, it's the best!
- [Second Woman] It's the best!
- [First Woman] It's wonderful,
and effects on you and your body
that you're not even aware of.
- [Hannah Hart] Exactly, for instance ...
- [Hannah Gelb] laughter is believed to be
beneficial to patients, because it
reduces anxiety and stress, renders pain manageable,
and bolsters the immune system.
It reduces stress hormones, and increase endorphins.
That's like, fricken, you know?
- [Hannah Hart] That's amazing!
- [Hannah Hart] Which is probably why it is now
a therapeutic practice: laughter therapy.
- [Hannah Gelb] Oh my God, this is like,
the best day of my life, no joke.
- [Hannah Hart] I know, okay, I did some research
about how laughter therapy works,
and so I'm gonna run, like, a mini-class right now.
- [Hannah Gelb] (gasp) okay.
- [Hannah Hart] Okay, so if you're driving, don't do this.
But if you're not driving, maybe do it.
- [Hannah Gelb] (gasp)
- [Hannah Hart] You know?
- [Hannah Gelb] Yeah!
- [Hannah Hart] Okay, so the first phase
is to get in the zone.
So we're gonna do some laughter therapy right now.
There are 10 different laughs we are going to practice,
but to do those laughs, we have to get in the zone
as I said moments ago.
So, the beginning starts with phase 1,
which is called "tapping."
So to begin to exercise, we have to do something
that actually I do in therapy a lot,
but I do it when I ... it's kind of about getting present.
So for me, it's a tapping practice, and my therapist does it
when I'm, let's say, in an elevated state,
we're talking about a difficult subject.
It's kind of a way of grounding you back into your body.
Take your fingertips and tap them on the top of your head.
You know, firmly, okay?
And then, you're gonna tap the front of your head, okay?
- [Hannah Gelb] Okay I just want everyone
to know that I'm doing this ...
- [Hannah Hart] We're all doing it, we're tapping.
- [Hannah Gelb] I feel really silly.
- [Hannah Hart] I don't, I feel fricken' great. (laughter)
- And then you're gonna tap the
side of your head, your temples, okay?
And I'm assume that during laughter therapy,
and now we're moving on to the front, of, like, your cheeks.
I'm assuming this is to help people get present
in a group of other people.
- [Hannah Gelb] And maybe remember
what their face feels like.
- [Hannah Hart] Yeah, and then you tap your chin, you know?
And then you're gonna tap your collarbone.
You guys hear that? Alright great.
- [Hannah Gelb] Sounds like a rainstorm in here.
- [Hannah Hart] And then you're gonna tap
your wrists together, either side.
And so it's gonna ground you just back into your body.
But I'm pretty much in my body.
So, tapping is a really good way
of getting present in your body.
So if you're doing a laughing practice,
that is, I guess, what people tell you to do.
The next thing is you're going to do
some breathing exercises.
So basically, (inhales) we're going to take (exhales)
a deep breath in, and I want everyone to follow along.
And then we're going to release it, okay?
So, here we go, everybody exhale out (exhale).
- [Hannah Gelb] Are we doing,
"in through the nose, out through the mouth?"
- [Hannah Hart] Yeah, but we're gonna do it
in a series of four, cause that's my favorite
kind of breathing exercise.
Okay, so, everybody, and you can do this if you're driving,
you can do it.
Okay, here we go, so, (exhales)
(music stops) be free of breath (exhales) (laughter)
Okay, now you're gonna breathe in for 4 seconds, okay
(inhale) (soothing harp music)
You're gonna hold for 4 seconds; 2 ... 3 ... 4...
And out for 4 seconds (exhales),
And hold for 4 seconds; 2 ... 3 ... 4 ...
And in for 4 seconds (inhales)
... and hold
and out (exhales) ...
and hold ...
I think you do that as many times as you want,
I do it all the time. (harp music stops)
- [Hannah Gelb] Dude, I'm so impressed.
- [Hannah Hart] Again, this is not something I created,
at all, it is a breathing exercise,
I love that practice, I do it throughout the day, everyday.
(upbeat music) Here's what we're gonna do:
we have 7 different types of laughter
we're gonna try and do together,
and this is literally what it says,
this is what it said to do on the website
to conduct a laughter therapy session.
So we're gonna start with number one: hearty laughter.
Spread the arms up, pointed to the sky,
with head tilted back, or with chin raised (laughter).
- [Hannah Gelb] Direct your laughter to come straight
from your heart ... oh, okay, I mean ...
- [Hannah Hart] Arms can be brought down as needed, so ...
- [Hannah Gelb] (laughs) okay, good.
- [Hannah Hart] Do you wanna go first, or simultaneously?
- [Hannah Gelb] Let's do simultaneously.
- [Hannah Hart] Okay, I have my arms up, ready?
So, 3-2-1, we're gonna hearty laugh, okay?
3 ... 2 ... 1 ... (forced hearty laughter)
(forced hearty laughter) ha-ha-ha-ha! Avast!
- [Hannah Gelb] (genuine laughter) oh my God, okay.
- [Hannah Hart] Okay, we're moving on, number two!
- [Hannah Gelb] My arms are still up, though!
- [Hannah Hart] You put your arms down.
Imitate someone else's voice you think is funny.
So do a laugh in the style of another person's laugh.
- [Hannah Gelb] Ohh, okay.
- [Hannah Hart] I choose Hannah Gelb.
- [Hannah Gelb] (laughs) Oh, God, I'm so excited.
- [Second Woman] Okay, ready?
Okay, here's my imitation of your laugh.
(clears throat) (imitates Hannah Gelb's laugh)
- [Hannah Gelb] That was amazing!
- [Hannah Hart] Oh, no, it wasn't that good.
- [Hannah Gelb] That was amazing.
I really wish you guys could see
Hannah Hart's face right now.
It was awesome, yeah!
I'll do Hannah Hart.
- [Hannah Hart] What do I sound like when I laugh?
- [Hannah Gelb] (imitates Hannah Hart's laugh)
- [Hannah Hart] (laughs) Oh shit, you're right. (laughter)
Dude, laughter therapy is the best!
- [Hannah Gelb] It's the best!
- [Hannah Hart] Yeah, okay, next!
The next laugh we're onto is: embarrassing scenario.
Recall an embarrassing incident ...
- [Hannah Gelb] Okay, this is like
Monday through Sunday, for me.
Okay, I wanna read this one, okay?
Number 5: embarrassing scenario ...
Recall an embarrassing incident,
retell it, laughing at the end,
or throughout, hysterically out of embarrassment
or nervousness ... I ... that's kinda
just how I operate all the time.
There was this time in college, when I was
on a very packed bus in Santa Cruz
with just students, and I was sitting next to this guy,
and he was kinda hitting on me,
and I was like, so not into it,
and I was having a party at my house that night,
and I was like "oh, God, what if I
accidentally told him about the party?" (laughter)
And it was just packed with students
for some reason, not that loud.
Like, everyone was kinda in that like,
we're all sardines, like not talking to each other.
And okay, it got to this point
where he asked me for my number, and I said ...
"I don't know it?" (laughter)
It's true, this is a real story! (laughter)
And I just imagine, I just ...
I made everyone's day on that bus,
they're probably still telling that story right now
to their friends, they're like
"this one fuckin' time, this girl on this bus,
she's like 'yeah, I don't know my number,
I can't tell it to you, I have to go
underneath the crust of the earth and talk to
magi the star to get my number
and I can't tell it to you,' oh my God."
- [Hannah Hart] That's really good.
- [Hannah Gelb] Oh God, that poor guy!
- [Hannah Hart] That's good, I like it,
I like it, I like it!
Let's move on to "dyslexic laughter"
- [Hannah Gelb] Dyslexic laughter.
Swing both hands gently from side to side,
chanting "ho ho" (laughs)
- [Hannah Hart] "Ha ha ha," which engages
both right ... left and right brains, so swing arms ...
- [Hannah Gelb] Oh because it's like your language ...
- [Hannah Hart] From side to side ...
Oopsies (laughter) swing arms from side to side, gently ...
What does it mean, "side to side?"
- [Hannah Gelb] I don't know ...
- [Hannah Hart] Swing both hands, gently ...
Like this? Maybe like this?
I'm flapping, I'm like, wings.
- [Hannah Gelb] I was thinking more like (laughs)
- [Hannah Hart] Hannah's doing a ... Egyptian ...
... dance kinda thing, I'm flapping like wings.
- [Hannah Gelb] You're like "Fly Away Home" right now.
- [Hannah Hart] I'm fly away home.
- [Hannah Gelb] That movie with Anna Paquin from like 1992.
- [Hannah Hart] Yeah, and you're the, what's it called
the Bangles, who did that song?
♪ Walk like an Egyptian ♪
- [Hannah Gelb] Yeah, that's Bangles.
- [Hannah Hart] Yep, right.
It says, specifically, chanting ... okay? So...
- [Both] Ho-ho-ha-ha-ha (laughter) ho-ho-ha-ha-ha
ho-ho-ha-ha-ha (laughter)
- [Hannah Hart] Wait, you have to make eye contact,
that's a big part of laughter therapy.
Ho-ho-ha-ha-ha
- [Both] Ho-ho-ha-ha-ha (laughter) ho-ho-ha-ha-ha
- [Hannah Gelb] Ho-hooooooo
- [Hannah Hart] Okay, (music stops)
no sound laughing, silent laughter.
Well this is gonna work really well for our podcast.
- [Both] (laughter)
- [Hannah Hart] We can skip it, okay, next!
- [Hannah Gelb] Okay, okay, yeah, we don't ...
I feel like we went over that when we did your laughter.
- [Hannah Hart] Na ... thank you ... uh, nasal laughing.
- [Hannah Gelb] Okay, I can try that.
- [Hannah Hart] Yeah, give it a go.
Make eye contact with me.
- [Hannah Gelb] (nasal laughter)
- [Hannah Hart] (laughs) Fuck. (laughter)
What tiny evil creature lives inside your body?
- [Hannah Gelb] I honestly was just
thinking of Severus Snape.
- [Hannah Hart] Does he laugh?
- [Hannah Gelb] He's nasal.
- [Hannah Hart] Okay, here's my nasal laughter, ready?
Prepare to be all uncomfortable (nasally laugh)
- [Hannah Gelb] (uncontrollable laughter)
- [Hannah Hart] (laughs) I did not expect ... any of that.
This next one creeps me out, read it.
- [Hannah Gelb] Celebration laughter.
Share any tiny incident that is worth celebrating
with the group, and start laughing in enjoyment.
- [Hannah Hart] That creeps me out.
You know why I'm creeped out?
Laughing in enjoyment?
Like, does this seem ... here, Hannah, how 'bout this ...
(clears throat) I'm so happy,
we recorded two episodes today! (forced laugh)
- [Hannah Gelb] (forced celebratory laugh)
Oh, God, that's "Stepford Wives" sounding.
- [Hannah Hart] It is, right?
Laughter in enjoy ... nobody
is laughing in enjoyment ... (forced laugh) oh my God!
No, you know when you do laugh in enjoyment?
When you almost get hit by a car, and then you don't.
- [Hannah Gelb] (laughter) what?
- [Hannah Hart] You know when you're driving,
and you're like "whoa, that was a close one! Haha!'
- [Hannah Gelb] Oh, my God, oh, yeah!
Oh, and have you ever laughed
in a situation where it's completely inappropriate?
- [Hannah Hart] Yeah, like 90% of the time.
- [Hannah Gelb] Oh, I wanna ... I wanna say this one.
- [Hannah Hart] Okay, say it.
- [Hannah Gelb] Okay, haha-haha ... silly laughter!
Helps us identify and confront our personal limitations
and uneasiness in acting and appearing silly.
Act like you did as a child, and observe
whether it is enjoyable and comfortable to you.
Explore the absurd, the ridiculous,
and the unbelievable.
Okay, whatever, I'm just gonna laugh
in a really silly manner
- [Hannah Hart] Okay, I'm ready for that, yeah.
Give me a silly laugh, give me a silly laugh.
- [Hannah Gelb] Okay, oh no, now the pressure's on.
- [Hannah Hart] I'm ready.
- [Hannah Gelb] (silly laugh) hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo
- [Hannah Hart] Yeah, I'm gonna give you
a little silly laugh, ready?
Here's a silly one, ready? Comin' atcha. Fast.
Ready? (exhale) okay, here it comes. HA!
- [Hannah Gelb] (laughs)
- [Hannah Hart] Gotcha.
- [Hannah Gelb] That one really took me by surprise.
- [Hannah Hart] I know, I know.
I said comin' atcha, fast.
- [Hannah Gelb] Dude, that was awesome.
- [Hannah Hart] I told you!
- [Hannah Gelb] It's great.
- [Hannah Hart] And the last, but not least!
Number 10: Swinging laughter!
- [Hannah Gelb] Wait, didn't we already do that?
- [Hannah Hart] No, bro, this laugh
has a lot of playfulness.
All the members move outward by 2 meters
to widen the circle, well we're not doing that,
yeah, I'm not gettin'up.
On instruction from the anchor person, "quoi"
people move forward by making a prolonged sound
of "aieee, aieee, aieeeeeee,"
simultaneously raising the hands,
the ... hands?
- [Hannah Gelb] Okay, at this point
it sounds like we're in a cult.
- [Hannah Hart] And they all burst into laughter
while meeting at the center waving their hands.
- [Hannah Gelb] And then Xenu comes down,
and takes us to the planet of eternal bliss.
- [Hannah Hart] Perfect for me!
After the bout of laughter,
they move back to their original position.
The second time they come back forward saying,
"Owooooo" and burst into laughter.
Oh, so, I bet they go through the vowels.
Okay, let's do this, we'll put our hands in the air ...
And we're just gonna go, and we'll do "aieeee"
and then we'll back up, and we'll go "owoooo"
and then we'll see how long we can do it.
... before Xenu comes (alien sound effect).
- [Hannah Gelb] What if we ...
What if we decide on different vowels after,
like what if I go to "E," "I" and you go to "U?"
- [Hannah Hart] Okay, what about ... (clears throat)
Hannah, what's the order of the vowels?
- [Hannah Gelb] (laughter) I mean, typically,
A-E-I-O-U, sometimes Y.
- [Hannah Hart] You know, do whatever vowel you like.
Okay, I'm ready, 3 ... 2 ... 1 ...
- [Both] Owooooo (laughter)
- [Hannah Gelb] What the fuck! (laughter)
That was a good start, though.
- [Hannah Hart] You know, I don't ever
wanna do that last one again!
- [Hannah Gelb] No, that felt terrible! (laughter)
- [Hannah Hart] Thank you guys so much for listening!
Please be sure to rate, review, and subscribe
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