Episode 5: Trent McClellan — Laughing Through Identity, Language & Mental Health

In this episode of The Slow Learner, comedian and This Hour Has 22 Minutes cast member Trent McClellan joins Pete Johansson and neuroscientist Dr. Paul Whissell for a funny, thoughtful, and deeply honest exploration of humour, identity, and emotional health.

Trent opens up about growing up as a Black kid in Newfoundland, how comedy became his social lifeline, and the moment The Untethered Soul reshaped his view of success, masculinity, and self-worth. The trio explore how laughter helps us bond, survive awkward situations, and even stay together romantically. They dive into what makes funny people attractive, why some humour styles help and others hurt, and how men's mental health is tied dangerously to productivity and identity.

Dr. Whissell breaks down the neuroscience of humour, the psychology of falling in love, and why learning a second language is harder (but not impossible) after childhood — using Trent’s immersive year in Beijing as a case study. Pete introduces concepts like hedonic adaptation and eudaimonic well-being from positive psychology, and the crew debate cultural progress around gender, comedy, and connection.

🔬 Key Themes:

• Humour as emotional regulation & attraction

• Male identity and vulnerability

• Language learning & neuroplasticity

• Hedonic vs. eudaimonic happiness

• Comedy as a social survival tool

💡 Mentions & References:

• The Untethered Soul by Michael A. Singer

• Paul Bloom’s work on empathy & psychology (Against Empathy)

• Prof. John Vervaeke’s YouTube series The Meaning Crisis

• Implicit Association Test (Harvard Project Implicit)

• Humour styles: affiliative, self-enhancing, aggressive, self-defeating (Martin et al., 2003)

🎤 Watch Trent’s Comedy:
Trent McClellan’s stand-up clips and special can be found on his YouTube channel:
👉 https://www.youtube.com/@TrentMcClellanComedy

OR just WATCH HIS SPECIAL WORRY MUFFINS!

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