As I stood backstage and waited for my introduction, all I could think was, “Is this going to work?”
Only a month or so earlier, I had the idea to produce the first science comedy show in Washington, DC (as far as I knew). When I pitched it to our local science writing group as an event, they were supportive but also laughed at just the idea of combining the two fields. How does one make science funny?
Over the next 7 years and counting, I have found and created answers to that question in ways that I would never have imagined. I’ve delivered more than a thousand of stand-up comedy sets, created sketches using science headlines like you might see on Saturday Night Live’s Weekend Update, dressed up and performed jokes as famous scientists, and even delivered jokes to penguins
in Antarctica.
I have discovered that combining science and comedy does work, if done thoughtfully. When successful, science humor can engage, educate, and entertain listeners all at the same time.
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