WHY?
THE WORLD LAUGHING CHAMPIONSHIP
Laughing Championships are contests of contagious laughter where competitors go head to head and the most contagious laugher wins. The goal of the championships is simple. To create more contagious laughter in the world and to elevate the pursuit of joy and happiness.
Laughter connects people, improves health and promotes happiness. Laughter competitions are hilarious affairs where laughing together is the main goal despite the competition. However, the sporting nature of the craft elevates the laughter. Because the most contagious laughter wins, competitors must channel joy, levity and a spirit of release to win.
Laughter is a human universal, so it makes sense to bring together the world to laugh together.
Although competitors must laugh on the spot there are many techniques to arrive at authentic laughter, including Laughter Yoga, Laughercize and others.
A number of live Laughter Championships have been held around the world, including The American, French, Czech, Canadian Irish and Slovenian Laughing Championships.
Oddly the Pandemic has made it easier to hold laughter championships as the costs of bringing together contestants has been dramatically reduced by Zoom.
World Laughing Champs: Origins
The concept of Laughter Championships was developed by filmmaker and Laughologist Albert Nerenberg. While attending a mixed martial arts fight he saw violent opponents break into involuntary fits of laughter. He researched the science behind why human confrontation either leads to violence or laughter and play. The story was featured in the French Language documentary Rire Extreme
“If punching people in the face can be a sport, then why not create a sport about elevating human joy?”
Contestants compete in a series of laughter challenges, including the Diabolical Laugh, Belly Laugh and the Snort Laugh, until one contestant is left standing, or laughing.
“This is a dark time for many people with the pandemic raging,” said Nerenberg. “This is a safe way to spread contagious joy and happiness despite it all.”