The Funniest Part of You is The Part You Think You Should Hide

Mary Gallagher standing inside her North Hollywood studio, the cozy space where she teaches her Brave & Funny workshop.

Yesterday in my Brave & Funny Lab, we stumbled into something that made the whole room crack open: your inner dialogue is hilarious.

Not the polished version of you.

Not the “I’m doing crowd work and trying to look confident” version.

Not the “I’m following all the comedy rules and keeping it upbeat” version.

I mean the real inner voice — the one that whispers the truth behind the performance.

We tried a new exercise: everyone went up to the mic and started working out a premise, doing crowd work, or just talking. Then, after about a minute, they turned around, faced the back wall, and told us what was actually going on in their head.

It was electric.

It was honest.

And it was so funny.

Because here’s the thing: we’re always masking. We’re always presenting the best version of ourselves — or at least trying to. We’re trying to be optimistic, trying to be composed, trying to be “on.” But when you reveal the inner monologue (as long as it’s not hurtful), it’s instantly relatable. Instantly human. Instantly comedic.

I even posted an Instagram reel of myself doing a joke that didn’t land. The moment I turned away from the audience and said, “Oh man, I wish I hadn’t done that joke… I was doing so well up until that one,” the crowd burst out laughing.

Not at the joke — at the truth.

That’s the magic of internal dialogue.

It’s the comedy of honesty.

It’s the laugh that comes from dropping the mask.

So now I have a new exercise in the workshop: Internal Dialogue. And it’s already becoming one of my favorites.

If you want to try it in person, I’m teaching my workshop every weekend in North Hollywood. You’re welcome to join us — just message me for details or visit my website.