Chris Duffy | from Design Matters

Chris Duffy | from Design Matters

Author: TED April 2, 2026 Duration: 1:22:38

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


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


You might find yourself wondering how small shifts in thinking or action could ripple out into your daily life, and that's precisely the space this How to Be a Better Human podcast occupies. Hosted by Chris Duffy, each episode is built from conversations with a range of insightful guests, including past speakers, who share practical wisdom that goes beyond typical advice. The discussions are grounded in real-world application, focusing on how we can all improve in tangible ways-not through grand gestures, but in the nuances of our interactions at work, within our families, and in our own internal dialogues. This isn't about abstract theory; it's about hearing specific stories and strategies that offer clear takeaways you can actually use. The How to Be a Better Human podcast, from TED, digs into those unexpected corners of life where genuine growth happens, exploring how we show up for others and ourselves with more intention. Listeners will find a thoughtful mix of humor, vulnerability, and sharp insights that challenge conventional self-improvement tropes, making the journey toward being better feel accessible and deeply human.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

How to Be a Better Human
Podcast Episodes
How you can be more creative by taking a long walk (w/ Craig Mod) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:38
What do we gain from a long walk? Craig Mod is a photographer and writer who has done treks and pilgrimages around the world. From the Camino de Santiago to the Old Tōkaidō Road, Craig Mod transforms the simple act of wa…
How you can move forward and learn from the past (w/ Clint Smith) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:20
How do you grapple with national history, legacy, and the stories you tell yourself? Clint Smith is the author of the narrative nonfiction, How the Word is Passed, and the poetry collection, Above Ground. Clint joins Chr…
How to gossip — the right way (w/ Rachelle Hampton) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:53
What makes a story so good you HAVE to tell everyone you know? How do you hook listeners with juicy details and tantalizing conundrums? In this special live episode, recorded at On Air Fest in Brooklyn, Chris is joined b…
How to raise emotionally resilient children (w/ Richard Weissbourd) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:50
Happiness, high achievement, or kindness – which is most important to you in your kids? Which do you think your kids think you care about the most? Richard Weissbourd is a psychologist, the senior lecturer at the Harvard…
How to enjoy poetry — without being a poet (w/ Naisha Randhar) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:54
In honor of National Poetry Month, Chris is speaking with Naisha Randhar. Naisha is the Youth Poet Laureate of Dallas, the author of Roses of Arma, and the youngest guest Chris has ever interviewed — she’s a high school…
What to do when your beliefs are challenged (w/ Tenelle Porter) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:09
Tenelle Porter’s job is to study humility. Specifically, intellectual humility, the idea that we might be wrong or mistaken about some of our beliefs. Tenelle talks with Chris about why she thinks intellectual humility i…