65: ​The System for Laughing at the Worst Thing That Ever Happened to You

What if the thing that hurt you can also eventually make you laugh? Macey Isaacs is a nationally touring stand-up comedian who has opened for Chelsea Handler, Tom Segura, and Dusty Slay, and most recently appeared on Kevin Hart's Funny AF on Netflix. And when she walked into one of the biggest opportunities of her career, she chose to tell jokes about having multiple miscarriages. In this episode, Macey and Julie talk about what happens when you stop running away from discomfort and start looking at it long enough to notice something funny. They explore the difference between humor as a coping mechanism and a defense mechanism, why some experiences need distance before they become funny, what years of bombing and rejection can teach you about sitting with discomfort, and why laughing about something painful doesn't mean it didn't hurt. Macey also shares why it took nearly ten years of stand-up to stop waiting for other people to tell her she belonged, how comedy gave her constantly moving brain somewhere better to go, and why sometimes something terrible doesn't need to become a lesson. Sometimes it can just suck. And maybe, eventually, it can also be funny. In this episode: How Macey turned pregnancy loss into comedy Why humor can be both a coping mechanism and a defense mechanism How comedians learn to tolerate discomfort, rejection, and ambiguity Why you don't always need to find meaning in painful experiences What changed when Macey stopped looking for external validation How laughter can make people feel less alone Macey's Comedy Special: https://www.youtube.com/watch?is=cEzs_1ly3d80SRqV&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAcGRvZgJzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA85MzY2MTk3NDMzOTI0NTkAAac73gU0qWAvyP_OVdN1USbkpyd1ku6UyXCCKzRAub35vBPjc_tTOK32CR3_Iw_aem_bnQnIS_w3eIret5OQKd3DQ&v=GxKQJIJyqIs&feature=youtu.be https://www.maceyisaacs.com/ https://www.instagram.com/maceyisaacs/ https://www.instagram.com/thatsourtimepodcast/ Connect with Julie: Website: dallasgirlfriday.com Instagram: @thesystemforeverything