Prof Frank Chindamo’s Story of Laugh MD and the Power of Bringing Laughter to Hospitals

Designing Successful Startups

Summary

Professor Frank shares his journey from growing up in Queens to working at Saturday Night Live and starting his own company, Laugh MD. He discusses how his love for comedy helped him navigate a tough neighborhood and how he found his passion for film and writing. He also talks about the challenges he faced in the entertainment industry and the inspiration behind Laugh MD, a platform that provides comedy videos for hospitals. LaughMD is a digital health platform that uses comedy to help patients manage pain and reduce stress. The app provides access to a library of comedy content that patients can watch during medical procedures or recovery. The laughter triggers the release of endorphins, serotonin, and dopamine, which lower pain perception and stress levels. LaughMD has conducted studies that show significant reductions in pain and stress among patients who use the app. The company is currently self-funded and is in talks with hospitals and oncology clinics to implement the app in their facilities.

Takeaways

• Professor Frank's love for comedy helped him navigate a tough neighborhood and inspired his career in entertainment.
• He worked at Saturday Night Live as an intern and later as a writer, experiencing the challenges and tensions within the show.
• He started his own company, Laugh MD, which provides comedy videos for hospitals to bring laughter and joy to patients.
• Laugh MD has a team of world-class advisors and is focused on curating funny and uplifting content for healthcare settings. LaughMD is a digital health platform that uses comedy to help patients manage pain and reduce stress.
• The app provides access to a library of comedy content that patients can watch during medical procedures or recovery.
• Laughter triggers the release of endorphins, serotonin, and dopamine, which lower pain perception and stress levels.
• Studies have shown significant reductions in pain and stress among patients who use the LaughMD app.
• The company is currently self-funded and is in talks with hospitals and oncology clinics to implement the app in their facilities.

Sound Bites

"I had more comedy records than music records when I was a kid because I just couldn't get enough of comedy."

"Laughter is the best medicine. Why do they show things that aren't comedy here?"

"Comedy has always been my hobby and maybe I can take a stab at that."

"Of the 24 who watched the half an hour of comedy, I believe it was 8% of them had a second heart attack within six months and of those who did not watch comedy it was around 50%. So the difference was striking just from a half an hour of comedy."

"If you're a doctor or a healthcare person, just write to info at laughMD and we'll send you a copy of the software for free."

"Someday soon they're gonna say, and get some laughs. Laughter's good for you."

Links

LaughMD: https://www.laughmd.com/

Please leave us a review: https://podchaser.com/AdventuresOnTheCanDo

Think Like a Startup Founder (book): https://www.manning.com/books/think-like-a-startup-founder

Jothy’s website: https://jothyrosenberg.com

The Who Says I Can’t Foundation: https://whosaysicant.org

Jothy’s TEDx talk on disabilities: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNtOawXAx5A

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

02:55 Discovering a Love for Comedy

09:05 Working at Saturday Night Live

14:39 The Almost Cancellation of SNL

22:58 Bringing Laughter to Hospitals

26:26 Introduction to LaughMD and the Power of Comedy in Pain Management

27:14 The Potential of Combining Comedy with Other Therapies

28:39 Funding and Expansion Plans for LaughMD

29:56 Implementation of LaughMD in Hospitals and Clinics

30:45 Ease of Use and Accessibility of LaughMD

31:15 The Role of Hospitals in Promoting LaughMD

32:14 Personal Connection: Jothy Rosenberg's Experience with Pain and Comedy

35:35 Exploring Other Activities that Help Occupy the Mind during Pain

36:40 Research Studies on the Effects of Comedy on Pain and Health

37:28 The Importance of Live Comedy and Shared Laughter

40:32 The Role of Grit and Support in Entrepreneurship

43:45 The Vision for LaughMD and the Future of Comedy in Healthcare