Laughter! Everybody loves it – everybody does it. Laughter is the passion of our authors. But how does one manage to make someone laugh? In this PassionWeek article you will be made to laugh and learn how laughter can help even in very difficult situations.

There are laughter researchers who, among other things, explore facial expressions while laughing. But girls and young women often hide them. The female photographer Maud Fernhout is particularly committed to the laughter of women. “I have observed that some women do not dare to laugh freely. They often giggle quietly, gurgle into themselves or hold their hands in front of their mouths while laughing,” she says. In her opinion, women should laugh loudly, warmly, with their mouths open and show a lot of teeth – like this they are most beautiful. Our authors have the passion to make others laugh and show you how this can be achieved.

Maria Clara Groppler addresses things on stage that others don’t dare to do and makes people laugh.

Making people laugh, in a highly professional manner, on stage. That’s what Maria Clara Groppler (20) does. She moved from Berlin to Cologne to live her dream. Her main field is stand-up comedy. “I stand on stage, tell stories about my life and try to make people laugh with my stories. The emphasis is on trying out. It doesn’t always work.

The profession does not only include “to stand on stage”, this is the result of many hours preparatory work. The least on stage is spontaneous. I write my jokes and learn to perform them, test the jokes on “Open Mics” (test stages) and try to improve them, until the joke is so good that ideally it works in front of any audience. Additionally, I also like social media a lot. I shoot sketches, make funny pictures and interact with my fans. That is all part of the Stand-up Comedienne’s job.

The first time I stood on a stand-up comedy stage was when I was 17.

When I was 17, I came across one of those open mics by accident. For me it was so incredibly funny and cool and from then on, I wanted to be a part of this scene and make people laugh. I had my first contact with the art form “Stand-up Comedy” in Berlin. In Berlin there is a great alternative comedy scene with so-called “Open Mics”. Anyone can go on stage and perform. From the bloody beginner to the full professional who works on new programs.

In the meantime, I have developed a repertoire of jokes that works well in most cases. However, there is always an audience that doesn’t react to my style of comedy. Often it is an older audience, so you must try to adapt.

My hope is to encourage other women to stand-up.

I tell a lot of jokes about myself. I think you should not always take everything too seriously and laugh about yourself. I just love the job and I am happy when I can make other people laugh with my stories. My hope is also to encourage other women to stand up. We definitely need more diversity in the German comedy landscape,” says Maria Clara.

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Photos: Christian Schneider / Nico Stank / Joshua Boeddinghaus / Christan Hasselbusch

As Pimpi the clinic clown, Pia works miracles big and small.

Two to three times per week Pia (29 years old) from Cologne visits hospitals, retirement home and hospices dressed up as clinic clown Pimpi and spends time with their play partners for two to three hours in different locations. Pia is an actress and tells us about this special role of the heart: “Pimpi comes from the heartland, a land where one can only listen with the heart, because only in this way one can really understand and listen! Pimpi wears her heart to make sure that listening works properly! She likes hearts most, that is why her costume is decorated with hearts from top to bottom. “Exactly this is the core of our work: to give love, empathy and joy – in a playful way!”

In pain and grief, it helps to see the world with children’s eyes and to enjoy everyday things.

“I have always been a very cheerful and positive person and love to laugh and I am, of course, benefiting from the profession of clinic clown. The clown sees the world with children’s eyes, loves to fool around and is happy about everyday things. For him everything is new and special, so he often does not come out of amazement anymore. Especially as a clinic clown, I often experience difficult situations, which are affected by grief and pain. I have to be particularly sensitive to the patients and pick them up where they stand.”

Actually, we are made to laugh – Antonia and Alina are special mentors

“There is hardly a meeting where Samiya and I don’t make each other laugh or at least giggle. Children laugh so much more than adults and it is a joy for me every week to experience this childlike naivety. Samiya’s cheerfulness is refreshingly contagious and puts a smile on my face for a long time even after the meetings. Maybe some of you know the motivation trainer Vera Birkenbihl, who explains: “If you laugh for only ten seconds, happiness hormones are released – and you feel better”.

Laughter makes you happy

„I see something you do not see and that is… green!” I notice there is quite a lot of green here and start guessing. “The treetop? The overgrown roof? The meadow in the distance?”. “No, no, no!” says Samiya and grins mischievously. We are a bit out of breath when we reach the top of the 72-meter-high church tower. So many steps and ladders, pretty high everything, in between the question: do we manage to overcome one’s weaker self? And then above all one thing: pride and joy to have mastered this challenge together. The church tower rewards us with a breath-taking view over the surrounding area. “Can I see Sri Lanka from here?” asks Samiya. I explain to her that even the mountains on the horizon still belong to Lower Saxony. “Of course, I cannot see Sri Lanka then!” Samiya states and we Both laugh from the bottom of their hearts,” Antonia tells us in an interview.

Antonia (22 years old) from Göttingen is Balu and Samiya is Mogli – both take part in the sponsorship program “Balu und du”. “Balu und Du” not only helps the Moglis to find their way into a self-determined, self-confident and respectful life with others. “Also, me as Balu I am enriched by our weekly meetings: Samiya tells me about her culture, about her habits. I learn to handle a seven-year-old child, learn what questions play a role at this age. You have much responsibility. The great thing about it is to grow into this role,” says Antonia.

Alina doesn’t just think outside the box

“It is not only the Moglis who profit from the time with their Balu. I enjoy being part of the project because the meetings with Mogli are fun and I experience the world for a few hours a week with children’s eyes, play, tobe and be creative with the Mogli – a welcome balance to the sometimes monotonous everyday life at university. My Mogli and his family come from Syria. The contact with the Mogli family allows me to look further than the end of my nose and I learn a lot about a culture previously foreign to me,” reports Alina (22 years old) from Rostock.

You can join in too

“Basically, any primary school child between the ages of 6 and 11 can become a Mogli. In the first step, the child is suggested by teachers, social workers or parents if they think it needs support. By giving Balu his Mogli time and attention on a regular basis, slumbering interests and talents can be awakened and specifically promoted in the child. If, for example, Mogli is a fan of outer space, Balu and Mogli can look together in the library for books, visit a planetarium or make a small model of the solar system. The special thing about this project is that there is no syllabus, i.e. no regulations as to what goals should be achieved with the Mogli or how exactly the meetings should be organized,” says Alina.

Antonia’s #girlsforgirls tip

“Sit down with your neighbour’s child, your brothers and sisters, your nieces and nephews and play and laugh with them about banal things. Laughter frees and makes you happy. And: Get engaged in the project “Balu und Du”. The joy that is brought to you by your Mogli cannot be expressed in words. And also your Mogli will hopefully profit from your encounters all his life.”

Sweepstakes: We raffle 3x the book “Kann man mal machen” by Mirella aka Mirellativegal

From the beauty track to comedy and serious topics. Mirella is very successful with its YouTube and Instagram channel and makes over half a million subscribers laugh. “I also love to make a fool of myself and people celebrate that I can make fun of myself, Mirella says in an interview with PULS.

What makes you laugh? Write it down in the comments and you’ll be in the raffle.

You can participate until Thursday 31.10.2019 – 16:00 o’clock. The winner will then be randomly selected and contacted by message. Thumbs are crossed. Participation is possible from the age of 14, legal recourse is excluded.

Tell us about your funniest situation! What really makes you laugh? Do you have a good joke in store?

By the way: May 5th is World Laughter Day 🙂

*This article contains uncommissioned advertising.