Jennifer McPhee
Northern News Services

Iqaluit (Feb 18/02) - It's a sad fact that many of life's pleasures are bad for your health.

Not so with laughter. Studies show a good laugh reduces stress, stimulates the immune system and lowers blood pressure.

American mind-over-body guru Norman Cousins even claims he beat cancer by watching comedy on television. And in India, members of the "laughing club movement" swear their organized humour groups bring them health and peace.

More superficially, laughing works the stomach muscles, which provides the perfect excuse not to torture yourself with situps.

The idea that laughter is good for the body, mind and soul makes sense to the Yuk Yuk's comedians who performed to a sold-out crowd at the Elks Club in Iqaluit recently.

"It's like a workout," said emcee Shannon Laverty, during a break. "When people are happy, they seem to be able to do more things. Especially in January and February when everybody gets the blues."

But while a good giggle may relax some, making people laugh for a living can have the opposite effect.

The three comics at the Elks Club breezed through their performances, keeping the crowd roaring the whole night. But it's not always the case, said Laverty.

She said comics, faced with the constant threat of rejection before a live audience, have a high suicide rate.

A comic can use the same material on two separate crowds and get totally different responses. When the crowd doesn't laugh: "It feels like an attack on you as a person," she says.

Another comedian at the club, Terry McGurrin, offered up this theory. "Standups have all their eggs in one basket. It's either make it big or live hand to mouth for the rest of your life," he said. "It's the kind of job where you're either invincible or invisible."

But what can really crank up the stress level for comedians are audience members who don't respond well to being singled out and mercilessly made fun of.

"I've had a drink thrown at me," says MuGurrin.

They've also had people walk right onto the stage and threaten them.

Not exactly a recipe for health and peace. However, despite all this, they don't get tired of laughing themselves. "Never, never, never," says Laverty.