There’s good reason the saying, ’laughter is the best medicine’ exists. It’s because the natural link between comedy and mental health is very real. Many people with mental health issues turn their lived experience into positive, inspiring and often comical stories and important lessons for us all. Some even wind up making audiences laugh for a living — including award-winning comedian Big Daddy Tazz who paid a special visit to RRC in February 2013 at the Make Laughs! comedy show.

With a fantastic lineup of local comedians, Big Daddy Tazz as the show’s headliner and Ace Burpee as the emcee, this comedy show at RRC’s Exchange District Campus was an absolute hit! Not only did students have a great time but the event helped to increase mental health awareness on campus through Big Daddy Tazz’s performance that had the audience laughing one minute and emotional the next as he opened up about his personal struggles with Attention Deficit Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, depression and suicide.

If you missed the show last year, you may get another chance to laugh it up! Planning is underway for mental health events held on campus during the 2014/15 academic year. Keep checking our events page for updates!