TED Talk Update and Getting Roasted by YouTube

They say not to read the comments but I always do. Plus recs for Pepe Mujica's philosophy, Natasha Rothwell's new show, and Zahra Hirji on climate and health.

My TED Talk “How to find laughter anywhere” is out now! Thank you to everyone who has already watched it and sent me nice messages or notes. I really appreciate it!

It’s wild that more than 350,000 people have watched the talk in less than a week. I don’t think anything else I’ve ever done has gotten to that many people in such a short amount of time.

I also really appreciate the people who pointed out that this photo they used as the cover image makes it look like I am demanding that you find laughter. I need YOU to FIND LAUGHTER NOW!!!

TED put the talk up on their website on Monday and then it went live on YouTube on Wednesday, which, as one of the YouTube commenters immediately pointed out, was perhaps not the ideal date to publish a talk about laughter.

TED warned me ahead of time that that “commenters on YouTube don't always abide by TED's commitment to respectful discourse.” LOL. I love that extremely professional way of saying “people online sometimes say things that will haunt your dreams for the rest of your life.”

Luckily for me, as a comedian and a former teacher, I am already very well-versed in getting roasted by strangers and/or children. But I have to say, I’ve been very pleasantly surprised at how nice people have been about the talk. Even this guy:

I love that he came around by the end. “he is right with what he is saying”

If you haven’t watched the talk yet, here’s the link again. If you want to share it with people, that would definitely still be helpful! Whether that’s on social media (if you’re active on reddit, for example, I don’t think it’s been posted many places there) or directly sharing it with friends/coworkers/your entire LinkedIn network, all support is very much appreciated.

My projects and upcoming events:

LIVE IN NYC: Wrong Answers Only at Symphony Space - THIS THURSDAY! September 19th at 7 p.m. A comedy show all about cyber security featuring a Barnard data privacy / security expert, me, and comedians Ziwe, Wyatt Cenac, and Michael Cruz Kayne. DO NOT MISS THIS SHOW IF YOU ARE IN NYC! Details and tickets here

PODCAST: How to Be a Better Human (TED/PRX) - Aziz Abu Sarah is an entrepreneur, a writer, and a Palestinian peace activist. In this episode he shared how he works to advance peace, justice, and reconciliation. Aziz talks about why he believes that nuanced conversations (and allowing room for mistakes) is crucial to dialogue on heated issues and how, despite the violence and suffering he’s seen (and experienced) in his lifetime, he remains committed to a better way forward. Listen here (or wherever you get your podcasts)

This week’s list

GREAT:

With the U.S. presidential election dominating headlines, I sometimes forget that, in other countries, leaders talk and behave differently. For example, this profile of Uruguay’s former president, Pepe Mujica, who championed democracy and “shunned his nation’s presidential palace to live in a tiny tin-roof home with his wife and three-legged dog.” It’s an incredible story and interview with a man at the end of his life, thinking about what it means to be a leader and what principles should guide us. It’s also the only time I’ve seen a presidential profile include the detail that he once “befriended a frog.” How to Be Truly Free: Lessons From a Philosopher President

FUNNY:

Natasha Rothwell is as good as it gets. She’s so so so funny on shows like The White Lotus and Insecure. In person, she’s the nicest and most normal and down-to-earth. Now, after years of effort, she finally has a show of her own. It’s called How to Die Alone and the first four episodes start streaming on Hulu this weekend. I can’t wait to watch. As part of the press tour, Natasha Rothwell stopped by Colbert to talk about her career and why she loves airports.

(Bonus: How to Die Alone also features the writing of comedy genius Kristen Bartlett, another person I can’t recommend highly enough).

INTERESTING:

My friend Zahra Hirji has been diligently reporting climate stories for years. She consistently writes about issues that affect us all, are hugely important, and receive far too little attention. It can be hard to find new ways to tell stories about climate change, when it seems like many people are firmly committed to not listening or engaging. Zahra is always pushing back against that apathy and finding new ways to make the relevant facts feel as urgent as they are. I though this piece, in particular, was beautifully done. An interview on how and why we need to protect our kids’ health today. A Pediatrician Wrote the Book on How Climate Change Is Making Kids Sick

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That's it for this week. Thanks for reading! Please share Bright Spots with anyone you think might enjoy it.

I am called daffy like duffy duck,

Chris Duffy

This has been Bright Spots, a newsletter.

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…wait, who are you?

I'm Chris Duffy, a comedian, TV writer, podcast host, and both a former fifth grade teacher and a former fifth grade student. I’m currently writing a nonfiction book about humor for Doubleday.