Punchlines and People Skills: What Comedy Can Teach You About Engagement- with Sai Ramachandran

Mind Blend

What do you do when your audience is all different?

Even the best jokes won’t be funny everywhere - it’s all down to who you’re talking to. It’s situational! What does your audience know? What does your audience resonate with?

In this episode, I am joined by Sai Ramachandran to explore the unlikely but compelling journey from coding to comedy. Sai shares how growing up in a small town in India, earning a master's in computer science, and starting his career at Goldman Sachs all paved a very different path from where he eventually found his voice: on the comedy stage.

But this episode isn’t just about changing careers. It’s about using humor to connect, challenge norms, and navigate complex emotions.

Together, they explore:

• The journey from logic-driven tech work to the unpredictable world of stand-up

• What comedy teaches him about reading a room, adjusting in real time, and staying present

• Why humor is one of the last things AI can replicate (at least not yet) and what that reveals about our humanity

• How cultural background deeply influences what we find funny and why some jokes only land in the right context

• The role of tension in storytelling—and how embracing uncertainty leads to better punchlines and better perspective

Sai also shares how he reads his maddeningly diverse audience in India, what makes a joke work (or flop), and how being a comedian is, in many ways, a masterclass in communication.

Whether you're a creative, a coder, or someone navigating big changes, this episode is packed with insight, warmth, and wit—and a reminder that sometimes the best way to face serious things is to laugh.

About Sai Ramachandran

Sai is a software engineer who decided to give it all up to make it in the field of comedy. An engineer at heart, he decided to understand comedy from first principles, and eventually wrote a book Humor Science: When Your Success Depends On Being Funny And Engaging which explains humor from the ground up.

As a side hustle, he also trains executives on humor to help them be more interesting, engaging, and empathetic in their professional interactions.

You can connect with Sai on

https://linktr.ee/sai.humor.scientist

LinkedIn: sai-ramachandran

Instagram: abeysai

YouTube: abeysai-yt

Watch his sketch: My Name is Bald. James Bald.

Mind Blend is all about real experiences and meaningful conversations—through sharing these insights, I hope to inspire and empower you as you navigate your unique journey.

I’d also love to hear from you! What resonated with you today? What topics or guests should we feature next? Let’s keep the conversation going—connect with me on LinkedIn @⁠karenkchong⁠ and @⁠Mind-Blend⁠

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Until next time, stay curious, keep exploring, and let’s continue to blend our minds and discover what’s possible.