Episode #578
Peter McGraw
Books mentioned
The Humor Code
Mentioned by Joe Rogan (host) · at 00:00:31
Amazon (opens in a new tab; affiliate link) Source: Official episode description (podcast RSS) · Transcript (podscripts.co)
The Quran
Mentioned by Peter McGraw · at 02:01:10
Amazon (opens in a new tab; affiliate link) Source: Transcript (podscripts.co)
Timestamps are segment start times from the podscripts.co transcript of the audio release (includes ad reads), so they may differ from the video by a few minutes.
Peter McGraw, a University of Colorado professor and co-author of The Humor Code, joins to discuss the psychology behind comedy. The conversation explores humor's evolutionary and social roles, the mechanics of live stand-up, and how comedians refine their craft through feedback and experience. They also address comedy controversies, free speech, and whether humor can be deliberately improved.
What they talked about
- The Humor Code book and global expedition
- Benign violation theory of humor
- Comedy club environment and low ceilings
- Minority perspectives in comedy
- Jerry Seinfeld vs. Sarah Silverman strategies
- Danish Muhammad cartoons controversy
- Punching up vs. punching down debate
- Measuring and improving comedic ability
Data last updated · Report a mistake · How it works: mentions are pulled from public transcripts and episode descriptions, partly with AI-assisted extraction, so details and timestamps can be off.