DL: You earned your Masters in Physical Therapy from Mount Saint Mary's College and you credit your "infamous" commencement speech as your first stand up performance, do you feel as if laughter really is the best medicine?
LH: At the time I gave that speech, I was not yet tuned into the power of laughter. Actually, if you told me then I was going to be a comedian, I would have asked you what were you smoking!
I was nominated to give that speech by my class because apparently I would make all my presentations funny- no matter what I was talking about. Since most commencement speeches are notoriously long and boring I was trying not to be the "we'd like to thank the faculty… blah blah blah" type. It was only after I had been a working as a burnt out physical therapist and started doing comedy that the power of laughter started to present itself. I would leave my job drained emotionally, mentally, physically maybe ever spiritually of everything I had to give, barely even able to walk to my car from shear exhaustion, and I would go to do an open mic, because I have a terrible case of the protestant work ethic—if I said I was going to be there, I would! Even though I was exhausted.
And the most magical thing happened—someone would make me laugh and then I would make other people laugh and I would end up leaving at midnight feeling better than I did at 7 in the evening. This happened over and over again so I became intrigued with the effects of laughter.
Laughter studies became a pet project of mine. There is a tremendous amount of research about the benefits of laughter on every aspect and system in your body, physical, mental and social. Is it the best medicine? Well maybe not the best, but it is pretty amazing. However, I want my dentist using Novocain, not telling me knock knock jokes.
DL: You also have a PhD in Physical Therapy from Boston University, how did the two universities differ in your opinion?
LH: It is like comparing apples and oranges. Mount Saint Mary's is a tiny school compared to Boston University. Both great schools, but very different. When I was attending 'The Mount' it was about becoming a physical therapist. Since I was already an experienced therapist when I attended 'BU', the focus was on research, lots and lots of research.
My dissertation was very personal to me. It was on the healing aspects of laughter, with the main focus on caretaker stress and burnout. I want to try to help prevent or alleviate the effects this devastating problem.
DL: Most comedians are starving for attention for one reason or another. Other than your speech, what turned you on to stand up comedy?
LH: As I stated before, becoming a stand up comedy was nothing I ever planned. Honestly, comedy chose me, I did not choose it. People who have had this type of experience in their life understand, people who have not, think I am crazy. Which I am quite sure I am, but in a mostly good way.
Every New Year instead of making a resolution I will not keep, since I have never been able to stop drinking, eating or swearing—I decide to try something new.
All through college I waited tables, at first as a way to get over my shyness and then it turned out I'm really good at it. Plus I went to college forever so I needed the cash to pay for life. All my regular customers told me I was funny and I just blew them off " yeah yeah yeah, what do you want?" Then my classmates in graduate school thought I was funny. My husband thought I was funny and now as a physical therapist my patients think I am funny. So odd really, cause I never thought I was funny. So I flipped a coin 10 years ago on New Years Eve, if heads came up I was going to take a stand up class, if it was tails-- sailing lessons.
Heads came up—obviously. I expected to take the stand up class (shout out to Jeff Jena, he was a great teacher) do the showcase and move on with my life. But comedy had plans for me! I am still in the process of figuring it all out. I can tell you honestly that comedy has made the most profound positive impact in my life, nothing I ever expected or could have even imagined. And it saved physical therapy career.
DL: Your website has all kinds of information about you and yes, we looked at the press kit. Do you recommend the press kit for up and coming comedians?
LH: If you are trying to get gigs, you need something people can look at that says something about what you have been up to. Press kits are just a resume really. How you want to 'sell' yourself to bookers can be as unique as the person/comic might be. My PR person put together my press kit, and to be honest, it's a little boring.
DL: You've been on a number of television shows, radio shows and films, what was your best experience in those areas?
LH: My best experience to date just happened. I was on Stand Up in Stilettos for TV Guide Network. Super fun shoot, amazing audience and my own make up artist—who was a miracle worker!
Honesty, all the shows I have been on have been a great experience. I have nothing but love for everyone who has put me on his or her podcast, radio show, TV show or film. I am grateful.
DL: Competitions, do you think they are Good or Bad?
LH: Both. The bad first:
Contests can make comics even more neurotic than we already are. Sadly, I have seen some very ugly behavior from some contestants. And for the most part, no matter how hard the producers of the contest try, someone one or many are going to get screwed in some way.
The good part is people love contests, so they show up to watch. Having an audience is good. You can network with other funny people, which is a blast as long as they are not crying cause they lost, or trying to stab you in the back some way so you will lose.
I have done many contests. I have won, lost, got a lucky break and have been screwed. Because there are 100 little things that can put some at an advantage or disadvantage. The people watching have no idea or even care about such things, they just came to laugh.
I now have a very Zen like approach to contests. I do the best I can, entertain the nice people who came to watch comedy and resign myself from the outcome. Judging comedy is like judging a beauty pageant. All 50 girls are lovely. Who is the prettiest is subjective based on the bias and ideals of the 3-5 judges. Judging comedy is the same thing. Not winning does not mean you are not funny. If I made the audience laugh, I have won, regardless.
DL: "I didn't mean to be a virgin in the 80's!" and "Medical Meltdowns" are a couple of the things you talk about on stage and are extremely hilarious, do you get asked a lot: "Where do you come up with this stuff?"
LH: Yes. Inspiration is everywhere.
The 80s show had been percolating in my brain for a decade when I finally had the gumption to write and produce the show. It was a much bigger task than I ever would have imagined. Its like deciding to buy new curtains for the kitchen and then remodeling the whole house. The 80s show was based on having my heart broken very badly like a John Hughes film in my late teens. Comedy is tragedy plus time, true in the case of this show, with a killer 80s sound track.
The Medical Meltdowns is based on the hilarious events that take place when people seek medical treatment. There is a lot of comedy to be mined from trying to be of service to the ill and afflicted.
DL: When asked by up and coming comedians for advice, what advice do you give them?
LH: Write all the time and get on stage as much as possible.
Only a very small discouraging percentage of what you write/think is funny will be funny to an audience. And there is no way of knowing what will work until you say it out loud in front of a lot of people. The audience will let you know what is funny; they are a fair and decisive judge.
And there is no way to get funnier without being on stage to hone your skills.
DL: Do you feel as if the comedy world has given women a hard time, as in "Most women aren't funny" etc. etc...?
LH: Yes, but I say this with a bit of hesitation. I have seen, heard and have been victim to this way of thinking. But I really don't like to make excuses for or buy into anything so negative. Women can be funny, men can be unfunny, making a blanket statement about an entire gender is small minded. I don't view myself as a female comedian. I think of myself simply as a comedian.
DL: Were you inspired by any comedians before you started?
LH: Oh my yes. I'm still inspired by comedians, the famous and not famous (yet). Comedians are a brilliant bunch of courageous lunatics. And I mean this as a high compliment. Bill Cosby's chocolate cake for breakfast is a classic! And I adore Eddie Izzard.
DL: Who would you like to work with if you get the opportunity?
LH: Everyone! Truly everyone. But with that said Eddie Izzard is my comedy hero. I'm a fan of Jim Jeffries, Bill Cosby, Louis CK and Tina Fey—This list could go on and on.
DL: Have you had any "interesting" fan interactions?
LH: Ah yes. Most recently I have acquired an 82-year-old stalker. I'm always grateful for an attentive fan, but he has moved into creepy. I'll just say it has become very awkward.
DL: Every comic has a best/worst time on stage, what was your best/worst time?
LH: Thankfully, I've had a lot of great experiences on stage and few nightmares. The best is always when you and the entire audience are in sync, like a puppet master, pull a string and they will laugh. It is a wonderfully powerful feeling and truly a gem when it happens.
I'm leery of doing comedy on boats or any trapped environment. I once had a corporate gig that went terrible wrong. I got fired from the big boss 15 minutes into 30 minute set for saying the word 'bitch'. All hell broke loose. I was stuck for 3 hours with these people with no place to run or hide. It was awful.
DL: Laura, you've been awesome! Be sure to check out Laura's website www.laurahayden.com and tell'er I sent ya :)
Stay tuned to find out who made The Dean's List!
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