Meeting Guide
Comedy: Circle Discussion Guide
Overview
Tilted: A Lean In Podcast brings you conversations at the intersection of gender and culture. We dig into topics we’re curious about, highlight inspiring people and stories, and share expert advice to help you make the playing field a little less tilted. Individually or as a group, listen to “The power of humor with comedians Lauren Lapkus & Cameron Esposito” in Season 2 of Tilted (available here). Use the questions below for a group discussion on the themes and ideas shared in the episode.
About this episode
- For many women, “joking around” is something we do when we’re uncomfortable. Humor is a way to deflect an unwanted sexual advance, brush off a sexist comment, or cope with anything else that makes us cringe. But when we wield humor intentionally and unapologetically, it can be much more than a defense mechanism—it can be a tool to take back power. For this episode of Tilted, we asked two outstanding women in comedy— Lauren Lapkus and Cameron Esposito—to tell us all about how they’re doing that, and how we can do it, too.
Check-In
Group activity
5 minutes or less
An icebreaker is a powerful tool to help us become present with one another and ourselves. Use this icebreaker to see how your Circle members currently feel. Go around your Circle and share an update on how you’re feeling using the traffic light colors:
- Green (mostly good)
- Yellow (mixed feelings, unsure, or just OK)
- Red (mostly not doing great)
You can also briefly share why you’re feeling that way if you’d like.
Discussion Questions
Group activity
Approx. 35 minutes
These questions are designed to help you and your Circle members process and discuss the findings of the episode.
As a group, discuss the following questions. Pick one question to start with and move on to the other questions if you have time.
- As Cameron said, “we tend to joke around about things that we are serious about when we're scared.” Can you recall a time when you’ve used humor to gloss over a scary or uncomfortable situation? Do you wish you’d handled it differently? Why or why not?
- What are some of your favorite examples—either from your own life or from media—of people “punching up” effectively? Can you think of a time when you or someone you know made the mistake of “punching down”?
- Both Lauren and Cameron talk about the experience of being the only or one of the only women in a group of men. Have you had that experience? How did it feel, and how was it different from experiences you’ve had with more gender-balanced groups?
One Action
Group activity
Approx. 10 minutes
Come up with a One Action
Individual activity
Approx. 5 minutes
We recommend you close every meeting by committing to a “One Action”—one concrete thing you’re going to do before your next Circle meeting to step outside your comfort zone, practice a new skill, or try something new, based on what you’ve discussed today.
Next time you meet, update your Circle on your One Action (what you did and how it went).
This month, think about an action you can take to use humor or the improv methods (pausing, saying yes, flipping the switch, etc.) shared to challenge stereotypes, highlight issues that matter, and just make it through a tough day.
Take a few minutes and ask everyone to write down their One Action.
Share your One Action with your Circle
Group activity
Approx. 5 minutes
One by one, go around your Circle and and complete the following statement: I commit to [small step] to using humor or the improv methods shared.
Move quickly from member to member, and consider cheering one another on as you go.
Wrap-Up
Group activity
Approx. 10 minutes
Finalize logistics of your next meeting
Group activity
Approx. 5 minutes
Before you break, make sure you have the basics covered for your next meeting, including day and time. Decide what you’re going to do, when you are going to meet next, and who is going to send out ideas. You may also want to talk through what worked—and what didn’t—in today’s meeting so you can brainstorm improvements going forward.
Close on an uplifting note
Group activity
Approx. 5 minutes
Think of one small moment of joy you can plan for this week. Go around your Circle one by one and share what you’ll do. Alternatively, take a few minutes to write down something you’re grateful for—and share it with the group, if you’d like to.
