So reasoned Katherine Ferrari when she was germinating the idea of an International Laughter Society. But she noticed that the people who were part of her team seemed to get more done and have a better time doing it than their counterparts. We all got along well, had the best time. We got better results faster. Now there have been scientifically documented studies that show that laughter is a decided plus for productivity, but at that time, the idea wasn't popularly acknowledged.
Laughter does belong in the workplace.
But, as recently as 14 years ago, the concept of laughter as a remedy for illness or as an aid to increased productivity at work was still suspect. An organization dedicated exclusively to laughter was long overdue, Ferrari believed, and so she proclaimed the arrival of the International Society of Laughter with herself as president. After much research, she began holding seminars and giving speeches on the subject. Ferrari gave workshops on humor and healing at Good Samaritan Hospital, and the society met there monthly for meetings, drawing between 50 and 100 people for each session. Noted humorists signed up as members, including Bill Cosby, Art Buchwald and Lily Tomlin.