Episode Overview

Podcast: Armstrong & Getty On Demand
Episode: "Cut the Levity!"
Date: February 5, 2026
Theme:
This episode centers on the concept of levity—specifically, the fascinating science of babies laughing. With cohost Katie recently pregnant, the group explores why babies laugh, the evolutionary and developmental significance of laughter in early childhood, and share personal anecdotes about humor, music, and parenthood.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Meaning of "Cut the Levity" (00:00–03:14)

• Origin Story: The show begins with a humorous anecdote about the phrase "cut the levity," recalled from one host's stern band teacher.
  • "He started, cut the levity. You hear me? Cut the levity. And there wasn't a one of us that had the idea what the word levity meant." (A, 00:25)
• Band Teachers & Motivation: The hosts discuss why band teachers can be so intense—often highly skilled musicians required to instruct less-than-motivated students.
  • "Being surrounded by people that don't care about what you've dedicated your life to would make you angry." (A, 01:46)
  • "It's for many, many people the best option for making a living at the only thing you really care about and are really good at." (B, 01:38)
• Practicing Instruments: Reflecting on youthful reluctance to practice versus adult appreciation.
  • "I practice a musical instrument every single day...But I hated it in high school. I don't know why." (A, 02:23)
  • "The end goal was being reasonably capable at some piece of music you would never listen to willingly." (B, 02:41)

2. The Science and Importance of Babies Laughing (03:14–10:37)

• Introduction to Topic: The conversation shifts to recent scientific interest in why and how babies laugh, referencing a New York Times guest essay.

  • "The evolutionary brilliance of the baby giggle..." (A, 03:50)
  • "There's hardly any research on this at all...there's been this belief that there's lots of research on humor...but they had nothing on babies." (A, 04:16)

• Babies Use Laughter Intentionally:

  • By six months, infants can laugh intentionally to prolong interaction or signal a desire to join in.
    • "By six months, the lab found infants can intentionally produce a laugh." (A, 05:49)
    • "Six month olds will deploy laughter to prolong a game of peekaboo or to signal a desire to join in. Yeah, all these things ring true to me." (A, 05:58)

• Laughter Indicates Cognitive Development:

  • Babies laughing at incongruities (e.g., wearing a spoon as a mustache) shows they have formed ideas of what things are and recognize when those are playfully violated.
    • "When an infant laughs at a dad wearing a spoon as a mustache, it reveals the baby's knowledge about spoons and mustaches as well as about the person wearing it. Which actually is a fairly sophisticated thought if you think about it." (A, 06:34)

• Therapeutic Value of Baby Laughter:

  • Hosts joke about the positivity of baby-laughing videos:
    • "That ought to be part of therapy for people." (B, 07:20)
    • "Why don't I watch a montage of YouTube videos...of babies laughing at various things every morning or afternoon or whenever." (A, 07:23)

3. Personal Stories About Babies’ Humor (07:34–09:26)

• Repeatability of Humor: Babies love repetitive jokes and never tire of their favorite bits.

  • "That's the great thing about babies. You can lean on your best bits. They don't get tired of them." (B, 07:59)
  • "Rarely get heckled by a baby." (A, 08:09)
  • "Baby's got zero appreciation for irony." (B, 08:11)

• Gravity as Comedy: Babies find repeating simple experiments like dropping things hilarious and educational.

  • "The best form of humor for them is discovering gravity." (A, 08:24)

• Learning Through Play: Dropping objects is a vital part of learning, and parents shouldn't rush to correct it.

  • "They're actually...learning a lot for that. So don't leap right to the no, no, no card." (B, 08:41)

4. Milestones and Measuring Infant Humor (09:26–11:44)

• New Milestones: Unlike walking or talking, laughter isn’t typically tracked as a developmental marker, though it can reflect cognitive progress.
  • "Simply laughing is just as important a milestone. And to understand if they're cognitively complex, brain is coming along at the right speed...they've just never measured." (A, 10:29)
• First Jokes: When a baby tries to make others laugh (like pretending to offer food then eating it themselves), it's an important social and cognitive step.
  • "It's when you cross the milestone into you're doing humorous bits...that's also a fantastic milestone." (A, 11:13)

5. Parenting, Humor, and Bonding (11:44–12:21)

• Advice for Parents: Explore and engage with your child's world—talk, read, and share in wonder.

  • "Talk to your baby, read your baby, take your baby for walks, talk to them." (B, 11:50)

• Classic Baby Humor Trick: Physical comedy ("pratfalls") and peekaboo always succeed.

  • "For me, it was peekaboo and physical comedy. That always got the good laughs." (C, 12:10)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote | |---------------|-------------|-----------| | 00:25 | A | "He started, cut the levity. You hear me? Cut the levity. And there wasn't a one of us that had the idea what the word levity meant." | | 01:46 | A | "Being surrounded by people that don't care about what you've dedicated your life to would make you angry." | | 03:50 | A | "The evolutionary brilliance of the baby giggle. It's a guest essay in the New York Times today by somebody who studies this sort of stuff." | | 05:49 | A | "By six months, the lab found infants can intentionally produce a laugh." | | 06:34 | A | "When an infant laughs at a dad wearing a spoon as a mustache, it reveals the baby's knowledge about spoons and mustaches as well as about the person wearing it." | | 07:20 | B | "That ought to be part of therapy for people." | | 07:59 | B | "That's the great thing about babies. You can lean on your best bits. They don't get tired of them." | | 08:24 | A | "The best form of humor for them is discovering gravity." | | 10:29 | A | "Simply laughing is just as important a milestone. And to understand if they're cognitively complex, brain is coming along at the right speed...they've just never measured." | | 11:13 | A | "It's when you cross the milestone into you're doing humorous bits...that's also a fantastic milestone." | | 11:50 | B | "Talk to your baby, read your baby, take your baby for walks, talk to them." |

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:00–03:14: The "cut the levity" story and reflections on music education
• 03:14–07:34: The science and curiosity around baby laughter
• 07:34–09:26: Personal anecdotes about babies’ humor, why repetition is funny, and learning through comedy
• 09:26–11:44: Discussion about laughter as a milestone and its absence from pediatric tracking
• 11:44–12:21: Final thoughts, advice for parents, and classic baby jokes

Takeaways

• Baby laughter is both a delight and a sign of developing cognition.
• Simple acts that induce laughter aren’t just fun—they’re learning opportunities.
• Laughter, often overlooked as a milestone, deserves recognition alongside walking and talking.
• Sharing joy and levity with children builds connection, fosters learning, and can even boost adults’ moods.
• Personal anecdotes from the hosts demonstrate cultural, emotional, and cognitive layers to both humor and parenting.