Episode 14: ‘FUN’erals: How Robin Phoenix Johnson Incorporates Laughter Into Planning Your Last Laugh

Laughter has been a common way for people to cope and deal with difficult and intense situations in their lives. Humor helps us not take ourselves too seriously in the middle of a serious situation.

So in this episode, our essential question asks, “Is humor a way to help you cope with the planning process?”

Joining us today to answer this question is Robin Phoenix Johnson, retired Lieutenant Colonel. She served in the U.S. Army for over twenty years before transitioning into the entertainment industry as a comedian. As she pursued her passion, she recognized the lack of community for military-affiliated comedians, so she founded the Best Medicine Brigade. After two decades of hearing about how difficult military life and war is, she knew that people needed to hear the funny stories of the military. Then she realized that comedy can be a therapy to heal the mind, so she started HEAL*ARIOUS, a therapeutic humor program as a proactive approach to using humor as a cognitive behavioral theory tool for reframing negative thought patterns.

As someone who has faced death and came out stronger and with more appreciation for life, she knows how precious life is, and how important humor is to helping us live the best life.

How does humor in the face of death change the way we live our lives?
Humor makes us so much more optimistic about the outcomes of our situations. After all, it is difficult to stay depressed if you’re laughing. That’s why it’s so important to be able to reframe your thoughts and find something else to focus on. And sometimes, laughing is the only way to do this.

How do near-death experiences change your perception of life?
An encounter with death allows you to realize how much you haven’t done, how much you want to say, and what else you need to do. It is a second chance in life. It makes you pursue the things you want to, and live the life you want, without concern for what others might say.

How do you balance humor and sensitivity when discussing end-of-life issues?
Robin’s answer to this question? “I don’t.” She recognizes that there is a part in all of us that enjoys the dark humor, the jokes that almost cross a line. And when you’ve come so close to death, you get to make the jokes and develop the humor that no one can say anything about. You realize how much people appreciate honesty, and how much they want to be treated as just another person, especially if they’re in a difficult situation or going through something tough.

So in any particularly difficult or painful situation, look for what is weird, hard, scary, or stupid. There’s a joke to be said there.

Additional Resources:
Best Medicine Brigade
HEAL*ARIOUS

Connect with Robin:
Instagram
TIkTok