The Science & Art of Comedy & Creativity | Tom Segura

My guest is Tom Segura, renowned comedian, writer, actor and director. We discuss the “how-to” of comedy writing and storytelling, and what the science of humor and the creative process reveal about human emotion and memory. We explore why surprise and the act of “saying the unspoken truth” activate the brain’s reward circuits, as well as the subconscious mechanisms that shape our sense of what is funny. The episode also examines the bi-directional influence between comedy and cultural standards. It will interest anyone curious about the science of humor, the art of performance and emotional contagion. Read the episode show notes: https://go.hubermanlab.com/ADV8QSH *Thank you to our sponsors* AG1: ⁠https://drinkag1.com/huberman Maui Nui: ⁠https://mauinuivenison.com/huberman Helix Sleep: ⁠https://helixsleep.com/huberman David Protein: ⁠https://davidprotein.com/huberman Function Health: ⁠https://functionhealth.com/huberman *Follow Huberman Lab* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hubermanlab Threads: https://www.threads.net/@hubermanlab X: https://twitter.com/hubermanlab Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hubermanlab TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hubermanlab LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-huberman Website: https://www.hubermanlab.com Newsletter: https://www.hubermanlab.com/newsletter *Tom Segura* Website: https://tomsegura.com Tour: https://tomsegura.com/tour Your Mom’s House (podcast): https://ymhstudios.com/yourmomshouse 2 Bears, 1 Cave (podcast): https://ymhstudios.com/2bears Tom Talks (podcast): https://ymhstudios.com/tomtalks YMH Studios: https://ymhstudios.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seguratom YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/tomsegura X: https://x.com/tomsegura TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@seguratom Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TomSeguraTour *Timestamps* 00:00:00 Tom Segura 00:01:45 Family, Sports, Running 00:09:35 Sponsors: Maui Nui & Helix Sleep 00:12:37 Ideas, Running, Sleep & Brain, Tools: Exercise for Energy; Phone Outside Room 00:20:16 Capturing Ideas, Cannabis, Storytelling, Experimentation 00:27:28 Ideas & Set List, Performance 00:31:52 Wife, Jokes, Reframing Content; Cancel Culture, Audience Reaction 00:40:56 Jokes, Self & Amusement; Evolution & New Material 00:48:26 Sponsors: AG1 & David Protein 00:51:24 Surprise, Hidden Thoughts; Acting 00:59:02 Voice Impersonation, Kids, Strength Training, Activities 01:05:40 Repeating Jokes; State Changes, Crowds & Energy 01:13:11 Silly Mindset; Audience, Emotional Contagion; Humor & Subconscious Mind 01:27:44 Sponsor: Function 01:29:32 Crowd Work, Comedy Clubs; Original Comedy 01:38:13 Comedy & Social Context; Dark Comedy 01:47:51 Drugs, Overdose, Comedian Deaths, Mental Health; Cynicism, Hope 01:54:21 Audience, Twin Comics; Vulnerability; Stand-Up & Performance 02:01:49 Comedy & Passion, Complaints; Childhood Struggle, Insecurities, Therapy 02:10:53 “Bad Thoughts” Show, Upcoming Projects 02:14:44 Zero-Cost Support, YouTube, Spotify & Apple Follow & Reviews, Sponsors, YouTube Feedback, Protocols Book, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter Disclaimer & Disclosures: https://www.hubermanlab.com/disclaimer

Andrew HubermanhostTom Seguraguest

May 19, 20252h 17mWatch on YouTube ↗

EPISODE INFO

Released: May 19, 2025
Duration: 2h 17m
Channel: Huberman Lab
Watch on YouTube: ▶ Open ↗

EPISODE DESCRIPTION

My guest is Tom Segura, renowned comedian, writer, actor and director. We discuss the “how-to” of comedy writing and storytelling, and what the science of humor and the creative process reveal about human emotion and memory. We explore why surprise and the act of “saying the unspoken truth” activate the brain’s reward circuits, as well as the subconscious mechanisms that shape our sense of what is funny. The episode also examines the bi-directional influence between comedy and cultural standards. It will interest anyone curious about the science of humor, the art of performance and emotional contagion. Read the episode show notes: https://go.hubermanlab.com/ADV8QSH *Thank you to our sponsors* AG1: ⁠https://drinkag1.com/huberman Maui Nui: ⁠https://mauinuivenison.com/huberman Helix Sleep: ⁠https://helixsleep.com/huberman David Protein: ⁠https://davidprotein.com/huberman Function Health: ⁠https://functionhealth.com/huberman *Follow Huberman Lab* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hubermanlab Threads: https://www.threads.net/@hubermanlab X: https://twitter.com/hubermanlab Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hubermanlab TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hubermanlab LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-huberman Website: https://www.hubermanlab.com Newsletter: https://www.hubermanlab.com/newsletter *Tom Segura* Website: https://tomsegura.com Tour: https://tomsegura.com/tour Your Mom’s House (podcast): https://ymhstudios.com/yourmomshouse 2 Bears, 1 Cave (podcast): https://ymhstudios.com/2bears Tom Talks (podcast): https://ymhstudios.com/tomtalks YMH Studios: https://ymhstudios.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seguratom YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/tomsegura X: https://x.com/tomsegura TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@seguratom Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TomSeguraTour *Timestamps* 00:00:00 Tom Segura 00:01:45 Family, Sports, Running 00:09:35 Sponsors: Maui Nui & Helix Sleep 00:12:37 Ideas, Running, Sleep & Brain, Tools: Exercise for Energy; Phone Outside Room 00:20:16 Capturing Ideas, Cannabis, Storytelling, Experimentation 00:27:28 Ideas & Set List, Performance 00:31:52 Wife, Jokes, Reframing Content; Cancel Culture, Audience Reaction 00:40:56 Jokes, Self & Amusement; Evolution & New Material 00:48:26 Sponsors: AG1 & David Protein 00:51:24 Surprise, Hidden Thoughts; Acting 00:59:02 Voice Impersonation, Kids, Strength Training, Activities 01:05:40 Repeating Jokes; State Changes, Crowds & Energy 01:13:11 Silly Mindset; Audience, Emotional Contagion; Humor & Subconscious Mind 01:27:44 Sponsor: Function 01:29:32 Crowd Work, Comedy Clubs; Original Comedy 01:38:13 Comedy & Social Context; Dark Comedy 01:47:51 Drugs, Overdose, Comedian Deaths, Mental Health; Cynicism, Hope 01:54:21 Audience, Twin Comics; Vulnerability; Stand-Up & Performance 02:01:49 Comedy & Passion, Complaints; Childhood Struggle, Insecurities, Therapy 02:10:53 “Bad Thoughts” Show, Upcoming Projects 02:14:44 Zero-Cost Support, YouTube, Spotify & Apple Follow & Reviews, Sponsors, YouTube Feedback, Protocols Book, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter Disclaimer & Disclosures: https://www.hubermanlab.com/disclaimer

SPEAKERS

Andrew Huberman
host
Tom Segura
guest

EPISODE SUMMARY

In this episode of Huberman Lab, featuring Andrew Huberman and Tom Segura, The Science & Art of Comedy & Creativity | Tom Segura explores tom Segura Dissects Comedy, Dark Thoughts, and Creative Brain States Andrew Huberman and comedian Tom Segura explore how neuroscience and psychology intersect with stand-up comedy, creativity, and performance. They connect exercise, arousal, and brain chemistry to creative work, and discuss how state changes before going on stage influence crowd reaction. Segura explains his real writing process, crowd work, and why vulnerability, risk of bombing, and abandoning old material are essential to great stand-up. They also unpack emotional contagion in crowds, the neurobiology of humor, darkness in comedy, and how childhood experiences and insecurity fuel a lifelong obsession with making people laugh.

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