Laughing Matters

In Part 2 of their special two-part miniseries on Laughing Matters , Steve Cody and Paul Merchan continue their conversation with legendary journalist Jim Hickey, an Edward R. Murrow Award-winning correspondent whose career placed him at the center of some of the most consequential events of the modern era. From the collapse of the Soviet Union and the opening moments of Desert Storm to the harrow...

In Part 1 of a special two-part miniseries on Laughing Matters , Steve Cody and Paul Merchan sit down with legendary journalist Jim Hickey, an Edward R. Murrow Award winner whose career spans some of the most defining global events of the past half-century. From war zones to world leaders, Jim shares what it means to be fortunate to be where you are when history happens., while reflecting on the m...

On this episode of Laughing Matters, Carmella Glover joins Paul Merchan and Steve Cody to tackle one of today’s most loaded topics with intelligence, candor and yes, a sense of humor. As President and CEO of the Diversity Action Alliance, she shares why leaders should not be afraid of clarity, why innovation depends on different perspectives and why silence can sometimes speak louder than words. F...

Entrepreneur, author, professor, podcaster and business humorist David Mammano joins Paul Merchan and Steve Cody on this episode of Laughing Matters to explore why humor and wit can take business culture to the next level. From winning comedy contests in college to advising business leaders on culture, David shares why there is inherent wisdom in bringing fun back to the workplace - and why having...

From FedEx to ITT to the classroom, Tom Martin has built a career on authenticity, wit, and mentorship. Now Executive-in-Residence at The College of Charleston, Tom joins Laughing Matters to share how humor helped him navigate global rebrands, ease the tension during meetings, and inspire the next generation of communicators. Tune in for: The story behind his eponymous mentorship program for up an...

What do laughter and learning have in common? According to Tony D’Angelo, Professor of Practice in Public Relations at Syracuse University’s Newhouse School, they’re both essential to building trust, engagement, and resilience in the classroom and beyond. In this episode of Laughing Matters, Tony shares how humor helps educators connect with students, why civility is in crisis, and how a self-depr...

In this episode of Laughing Matters, recent college graduate Emilia Feltner shares how her generation is shaping the workplace, why leaders should never underestimate the power of a well-timed joke, and what she’s learning as AI reshapes the career ladder. Tune in to learn: Her amazing experience interning in her mother’s native Lithuania What’s new with AI, Gen Z’s entrepreneurial spirit and usin...

In a 24/7 newsroom, pressure is high and the headlines can be serious, but David Gaffen, Editor-in-Charge at Thomson Reuters, believes humor is essential to surviving it all. In this episode of Laughing Matters, David shares how he keeps his team grounded, why smart wordplay still has power, and what it takes to stay sharp in a chaotic media landscape. Tune in for: How gallows humor keeps newsroom...

What do stand-up comedy and marketing have in common? A lot more than you'd think. Just ask Matthew Bryan, Head of Marketing at Resource Capital Funds, part-time comic and full-time Steve Cody’s Nephew™. In this episode of Laughing Matters, Matthew shares how bombing on stage taught him to fail forward, how humor builds creative safety in teams, and the time he accidentally hit Reply All to m...

Can a leader who embraces self-deprecating humor also help grow a company from four employees to 120? Mikayla Hopkins is laughing while she leads marketing at Tracksuit (the word also happens to be what New Zealanders call sweaters). She joins Laughing Matters to share her journey of building a brand from the ground up and finding humor in the process. Among her insights: The unique contrasts betw...

You’re a leader at a global pharmaceutical company and a once-in-a-lifetime worldwide pandemic hits. How do you manage that with bold leadership and resilience - all while maintaining a sense of humor? Sally Susman, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer at Pfizer, shares how she navigated the unprecedented, along with some hilarious stories from her career: The power of admitting you’re wrong and sharin...

When we think of autonomous vehicles, many of us may envision the Terminator, Transformers or some other sci-fi flick. But they’re a reality on our roads today, and having a job in this field can require a unique perspective on humor. Andrew Culhane, Chief Commercial Officer at autonomous trucking company Torc Robotics, joins Laughing Matters to share some of his experiences in nearly two decades...

Thinking of cracking a joke next time you’re in a job interview? Jamie McLaughlin, CEO of recruitment firm Monday Talent, tells Laughing Matters that while this could be a good approach, you should take a step back and make sure you read the room! He also goes into details on:  The importance of the right humor in interviews, especially as most today are virtual Why sarcasm can be a quick way to h...

Join us on this episode of Laughing Matters as we chat with Pat Fitzgibbons, Senior Public Relations Manager at M&T Bank/Wilmington Trust, whose career journey is filled with humor, from newsroom antics to his family’s political legacy in New Jersey. Pat shares: ·       Tips on how to prepare for a career in communications and how to infuse a daily dose of LOL in college  ·       How his fathe...

Life is a highway for most of us, but especially for Jenni Ruiz, the Bronx native who works as a senior marketing manager for trucking software company Transfix . Jenni is our latest Laughing Matters podcast guest, where she talks about why humor is essentially a job prerequisite in trucking & freight, as well as:  ·       Why her first career was tough and the importance of working somewhere...

On today’s episode of Laughing Matters, Brandi Boatner, Manager of digital and advocacy communications at IBM, joins us to talk about how she uses humor as a dynamic public speaker and advocate for her profession. Her insights include: How she linked an IT infrastructure campaign with yoga poses.  How humor can play a role in attracting students from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds into comm...

In this episode of Laughing Matters, Paul Merchan and Steve Cody interview Gloria Rodriguez, the founder and president of Comunicad, a Ruder Finn company, and a pioneer in multicultural communications and advocacy for the Latino community. She shares some of her amazing stories and insights from her career, such as: ●      The time she took clients to Puerto Rico to help support Hurricane Maria re...

Tune in to the latest episode of Laughing Matters, featuring David Dye, President of Let’s Grow Leaders and co-author of “Powerful Phrases for Dealing with Workplace Conflict.” David shares tips on what to do when faced with a workplace conflict, including results from the study he conducted for his book. Among his insights: The difference between productive and destructive conflict and the role o...

Dr. Phillip Gable, Director of the Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Graduate Program and Professor at the University of Delaware, recently joined the Laughing Matters podcast to dissect the intricate world of human emotions and humor with the precision of a brain surgeon but the vulnerability of a stand-up comedian.  Dr. Gable discusses everything from how our emotions impact behavior to the neural...

On today’s episode of Laughing Matters, we welcome our first returning guest, Ken Jacobs, Principal of Jacobs Consulting and Executive Coaching. Ken emphasizes that leadership is about being someone people choose to follow, not just holding a specific title. He discusses the importance of emotional intelligence and the role it plays in leadership, as well as: The difference between coachable and u...

HR & management consultant expert, entrepreneur and keynote speaker Kendra Prospero joins the Laughing Matters Podcast to talk about what business leaders need to do to create the conditions for people to thrive. She discusses the “people's revolution” to transform company cultures and how employers can embrace the change, as well as:  How to invite humor into HR, which is often shamed as...

Author, podcast host, keynote speaker and comedian Kathy Klotz-Guest shares how she helps companies infuse humor into their everyday practices through the tenets of improv and comedy through her company, “Keeping it Human.” Kathy shares her approach while also discussing:  How most organizations need to get out of their own way to bring humor back  Why it’s still a challenge for women to be funny...

Do you think today’s politicians are too scripted? Or maybe they’re a little too comfortable “winging it.” Or maybe they need to go old school and take a page out of President Lincoln’s joke book. Dr. Don Waisanen from Baruch College joins Laughing Matters to discuss the dire need for more humor in political communication today and why some of the presidential candidates can stand to take an impro...

A funny thing happened on the way to the courthouse for Judge Nelson Diaz. In fact, lots of funny things happened on his journey from the inner city to the inner sanctum of Washington, D.C. power politics. From his childhood days playing baseball outside the projects in Harlem to law school in Philadelphia to his time working as HUD General Counsel under President Bill Clinton, Judge Diaz is no st...

Have you ever thought about how humor can play a role in our work in diversity, equity, and inclusion? Award-winning author and college professor Dr. Malcolm Frierson shares how his research on African American history led him to explore stand-up comedy and discusses:  Researching humor as a platform for the civil rights movement and the African American experience  How companies can improve their...