Chris Duffy—comedian, writer, and host of the TED podcast How to Be a Better Human—joins to discuss how humor shaped his path from teaching and improv to podcasting and television. Together, they explore why laughing more isn’t about being funny, but about attention, vulnerability, and connection, and how humor helps us stay human.

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Learn more about our flagship conference happening this April at attend.ted.com/podcast

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“When was the last time you did something you didn’t do yesterday?” asks journalist and explorer Alex Hutchinson. Alex joins Chris to examine whether the desire to explore is baked into our genes, how he intentionally tries to get lost in his neighborhood, and what he learns from following his curiosity.

Featured guest

• Follow Alex Hutchinson on Instagram and at alexhutchinson.net/
• Buy The Explorer’s Gene by Alex Hutchinson

Connect with the team

• Follow Chris on Instagram and at chrisduffycomedy.com
• Buy Chris’ book, Humor Me 
• Watch How to Be a Better Human videos on YouTube at TEDAudioCollective
• Follow TED on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Learn more about our flagship conference happening this April at attend.ted.com/podcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What is consciousness? Humans and animals have it, but do plants have sentience? These are the questions journalist Michael Pollan studies. Michael is the author of ten books on the relationship between food, consciousness, and psychedelics. Michael joins Chris to discuss why humans ruminate, how people should get comfortable with boredom, and whether we can really trust our own memories?

Featured guest

• Follow Michael Pollan on Instagram and at michaelpollan.com/

Connect with the team

• Follow Chris on Instagram and at chrisduffycomedy.com
• Buy Chris’ book, Humor Me 
• Watch How to Be a Better Human videos on YouTube at TEDAudioCollective
• Follow TED on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Learn more about our flagship conference happening this April at attend.ted.com/podcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“Optimism is not what exists in a vacuum on your best day, but how you're pulling through for yourself on your worst days,” says actress Yara Shahidi. Yara is known for her sitcoms Black-ish and its spinoff Grown-ish. She shares what she learned from creating a “Hard Yes” list, why she chose to attend Harvard after acting, and why she thinks anyone can find their highest order if they pay attention.

Featured guest

• Follow Yara Shahidi on Instagram and at yarashahidi.com/
• Listen to The Optimist Project podcast

Connect with the team

• Follow Chris on Instagram and at chrisduffycomedy.com
• Buy Chris’ book, Humor Me 
• Watch How to Be a Better Human videos on YouTube at TEDAudioCollective
• Follow TED on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Learn more about our flagship conference happening this April at attend.ted.com/podcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“Optimism is not what exists in a vacuum on your best day, but how you're pulling through for yourself on your worst days,” says actress Yara Shahidi. Yara is known for her sitcoms Black-ish and its spinoff Grown-ish. She shares what she learned from creating a “Hard Yes” list, why she chose to attend Harvard after acting, and why she thinks anyone can find their highest order if they pay attention.

Featured guest

• Follow Yara Shahidi on Instagram and at yarashahidi.com/
• Listen to The Optimist Project podcast

Connect with the team

• Follow Chris on Instagram and at chrisduffycomedy.com
• Buy Chris’ book, Humor Me 
• Watch How to Be a Better Human videos on YouTube at TEDAudioCollective
• Follow TED on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Learn more about our flagship conference happening this April at attend.ted.com/podcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Levine is the author of Bloomberg’s “Money Stuff” newsletter where he writes about Wall Street and finances. Matt joins Chris to break down common money questions such as what exactly is commodity trading? How do AI companies make money? How do companies balance ethics and virtues with increasing profits for shareholders? They also discuss how Matt uses comedy and humor to make complicated money topics accessible.

Featured guest

• Follow Matt Levine at mattlevine.co/work
• Subscribe to Bloomberg's Money Stuff newsletter

Connect with the team

• Follow Chris on Instagram and at chrisduffycomedy.com
• Buy Chris’ book, Humor Me 
• Watch How to Be a Better Human videos on YouTube at TEDAudioCollective
• Follow TED on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Learn more about our flagship conference happening this April at attend.ted.com/podcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If we accept that work-life balance is a necessity, then why are stress and burnout still increasing? Guy Winch is a psychologist and was the first guest ever on the How to Be a Better Human podcast. Guy returns to the show six years later to share strategies on how to stop indulging in unhealthy ruminations, start identifying harmful triggers, and why it’s necessary to change your perspective and view problems as solvable.

Featured guest

• Follow Guy Winch on Instagram, LinkedIn, and at guywinch.com/
• Buy Mind Over Grind by Guy Winch

Connect with the team

• Follow Chris on Instagram and at chrisduffycomedy.com
• Buy Chris’ book, Humor Me 
• Watch How to Be a Better Human videos on YouTube at TEDAudioCollective
• Follow TED on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Learn more about our flagship conference happening this April at attend.ted.com/podcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you could switch places with someone and peek into their mind, who would you pick? For journalist Courtney Martin, she chose her aging dad with advanced dementia. Courtney joins Chris to talk about her deep desire to understand her father’s experiences, what it’s like to witness a loved one's health decline, and why it’s important to practice asking for help. This is a perfect episode to listen to if you’re taking care of a loved one (or know someone who is) and want practical ways to be kinder to caregivers.

Featured guest

• Follow Courtney Martin on Instagram, LinkedIn, Substack, and at courtneyemartin.com/

Connect with the team

• Follow Chris on Instagram and at chrisduffycomedy.com
• Buy Chris’ book, Humor Me 
• Watch How to Be a Better Human videos on YouTube at TEDAudioCollective
• Follow TED on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Learn more about our flagship conference happening this April at attend.ted.com/podcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Many of us tend to prioritize our romantic and familial relationships over friendships — and that could be harming our wellbeing and health. In this special episode from our friends at A Slight Change of Plans, cognitive behavioral scientist and bestselling author Dr. Maya Shankar looks at how friendships expand our sense of self. Maya is joined by psychologist Dr. Marisa Franco, who offers research-based strategies to make new friends and deepen our existing friendships, including helpful concepts like mutuality and the mere-exposure effect. Marisa and Maya also discuss how to stay friends through big life changes, why fighting could make your friendship stronger, and how to break up with a friend with clarity and kindness.

On A Slight Change of Plans, Maya explores how we experience change and provides strategies we can use to better navigate moments of upheaval. Find A Slight Change of Plans wherever you get podcasts.

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Learn more about our flagship conference happening this April at attend.ted.com/podcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Love coach Francesca Hogi is dedicated to helping daters find “lasting love in the midst of a broken dating culture.” In this episode, Francesca shares her approach to analyzing romantic patterns and feeling more empowered in your love life. From discussing romantic manifestations to reflecting on bell hooks’ claim that humans are unskilled at love, Chris and Francesca talk about the ways you can be more open to finding love.

Featured guest

• Follow Francesca Hogi on Instagram, LinkedIn, and at francescahogi.com/
• Buy How to Find True Love by Francesca Hogi

Connect with the team

• Follow Chris on Instagram and at chrisduffycomedy.com
• Buy Chris’ book, Humor Me 
• Watch How to Be a Better Human videos on YouTube at TEDAudioCollective
• Follow TED on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Learn more about our flagship conference happening this April at attend.ted.com/podcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.