For the comedian, experiencing a new joke that comes to life is an empowering moment.

All jokes require the comedian to connect with the audience about the issue. It means finding some universal truth and finding the humour in it, simplifying it and refining it so that it works. The moment the audience laughs is when they realise that their experiences aren't unique - that other people go through the same stuff.

Comedians meticulously write and refine their jokes until they seem polished. The reaction awareness comes from reciting the joke dozens of times, similar to when someone describes a story they've told often, and their closest friends think ", oh, this one again."

Although groups and stor...