Every year in autumn (which is Australian for fall), hundreds of comedians descend on Melbourne for the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Renowned as one of the top three comedy festivals in the world, the Melbourne International Comedy Festival is Australia’s biggest cultural event, with attendance of over 500,000 and box office takings of close to $11 million last year.
In a country where most people think ‘culture’ is the half-time entertainment at a football game, the Comedy Festival has proved to be resilient and fashionable reminder that Australia has a vibrant cultural realm that is often overlooked.
Since its creation in 1987, Melburnians have embraced the Comedy Festival with vigour, love and a healthy dash of schadenfreude. Why? Because as a community, we love to laugh. We love watching comedians nail an awesome show that leaves the audience in fits of laughter, and in a uniquely Australian way, we also love watching them crash and burn.
But regardless of the source of our laughter, the one thing that always strikes me about the comedy crowds that line Melbourne streets on crisp autumn evenings is just how great everyone looks. Smiles are wide, cheeks are glowing and shoulders are loose. That’s right – our love of comedy actually makes us healthier 
people.
Laughter is credited with numerous health benefits, encompassing everything from mental wellbeing to circulation. So next time you’re considering going out to see a movie, why not go see a comedian instead? Not only will you be supporting artists in your local community, you can also expect the following health benefits:
- Mental Wellbeing. Laughter releases endorphins, meaning it’s physically impossible for your brain to create feelings of anxiousness, anger or sadness when you’re laughing.
- Reduced Tension. Laughter relaxes your entire body, relieving tension and stress and relaxing your muscles for up to 45 minutes.
- A Healthy Heart. Laughter improves the function of blood vessels, which helps protect against heart attacks and other cardiovascular problems.
Special bonus fact: even fake laughter is good for you. Fake laughter gives you 80 per cent of the positive health benefits of real laughter. This is seriously good news if like me, you have a boss who has a seemingly endless collection of dad-jokes, or you’ve ever had to sit in a cubicle next to John Horn.