A laughing matter

Canadian Albert Nerenberg is a filmmaker, actor and self-described laughologist. He talked to us about the science of laughter and explained why a YouTube video of a laughing baby has gone viral.

By now I’m sure you have seen the Youtube video of Baby Micah laughing while his dad rips up a job rejection letter. Beyond the cuteness factor – why do we find this so funny?

The baby is a great laugher and laughter is contagious. Laughter is a natural stress reliever and baby and father are laughing about things that usually cause adults a lot of stress, rejection and credit card bills.

The fact the baby finds the rejection letter hilarious is funny, because it’s probably painful for the Dad. The fact that the baby thinks credit card statements are funny, probably brings joy to many, and reminds us not to take things, even bills or rejection, too seriously.

The effect is to cause Dad or anyone who watches it to lighten up, which is one of the positive effects of laughter. The baby is also a tremendous laugher.

The video reminds us what really matters in life, having fun and being with the people you love — and not so much your credit card statements or your job situation.

Is there a science behind this?

The science behind why this works is particularly amazing. There is some Australian research that suggests when people laugh, they have a switch in brain dominance.

We normally live in our pre-frontal cortex, the part of our brain, that allows to imagine the future and remember the past. This part of the brain deals a lot with details, such as bills, and our worries about the future.

When we laugh really hard, we switch over to the limbic part of our brain, which has no concept of time. So bills and money worries stop meaning anything.

This may explain why if you go to a good comedy show, or you laugh at this video, you feel a weight lifting off your shoulders. Because the silly world of bills and jobs has disappeared, at least temporarily.

You have done a documentary about laughter, and you are a strong proponent for laughter therapy. What is that, and how can we use laughter to improve our everyday lives?

This video is a perfect example of laughter therapy. Although the science is still unproven, laughing has been shown to lower blood pressure. relieve stress as well as produce a relaxing effect. Laughter therapy, where people practice laughing really hard for several minutes at a time, is being used currently to help people cope with cancer, ALS and even drug addiction.

But the reality is that many of us have such busy stressful lives, that we forget to laugh. In fact, there is some evidence that being stressed out will make you anti-laughter. The great thing about this video is this would make even the grumpiest person laugh. You would have to be dead not to laugh at this — or the president of a credit card company.

Do you find Charlie Sheen’s latest antics funny?

Actually, yes I do. But I am a little ashamed to say so, as I believe he is also in danger due to obvious addiction issues. But he is an example of politically incorrect funny. Some things like the zaniness of Charlie Sheen are just funny.

My next laughter film is about the world’s first formal Laughter Championship held in Montreal last fall.

My next serious film is about the science of boredom which is a whole other story.

I’m on my way next week, to the California Ultimate Laughing Championships, an idea that began here in Canada.

I’m hoping that Charlie Sheen might attend.

For more information on Albert Nerenberg and laughology, click here.