There’s an old idea that explaining a joke is like dissecting a frog: you come away understanding how it works, but the joke dies in the process. Naturally, I decided that was worth spending an hour on.

Jim Stallions is a Boston-based comedian you may know from the stage, from his TikTok account Great Face for Radio, or from being the guy in the room you can never quite predict. He joined me in the Dale Dorman Radio Studio at Massasoit Community College to talk about what makes people laugh, and why anyone would choose a life of standing in front of strangers and hoping they do.

We get into the origins of his comedy, the anatomy of a joke, and whether any of this can actually be taught. We also talk about bombing and why so much great comedy is built on something that hurts.

This is the radio edition of Curiously, recorded live in the studio.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How Jim got into stand-up and what shaped his comedic sensibility

• What actually makes something funny

• The difference between being funny in life and crafting comedic material

• How to build a stand-up routine

• The jokes he wishes he’d written and the trends he’d happily retire

• Bombing, and why the useful bombs are the ones that change you

• What comedy is for, and why people still drive to a room to laugh with strangers

💡 Learn more about Jim Stallions: https://www.tiktok.com/@greatfaceforradio

💡 Take the podcast survey: www.curiouslypod.com/survey

💡 About Curiously: www.curiouslypod.com

What Actually Makes People Laugh? A Comedian Tells All