This is the inside story of how, in a moment of sheer desperation, the White House turned to a viral comedy sketch to save the Affordable Care Act—and how Brad Jenkins made it happen.

Brad was the architect behind one of the boldest Hail Marys in modern political history. A former campaign strategist turned culture whisperer, he helped convince President Obama to get roasted by Zach Galifianakis on Between Two Ferns—a move that reached 30 million people and spiked healthcare.gov signups by 40% overnight.

You probably know the sketch. You probably don’t know it may have saved the ACA. That’s not a punchline. That’s cold, hard strategy.

But Brad’s story isn’t just about one viral win. It’s about the psychology of persuasion. What it takes to disarm people enough to hear you. And why humor works when other tools fail.

In this episode, we get into:

✅ How Brad and his team calculated the risk—and why it worked
✅ What it takes to reach people who’ve tuned out or stopped caring
✅ How humor works as stealth persuasion—defusing tension and earning trust

And in this week’s How-To, I get into:

→ Why humor lowers defenses, builds trust, and boosts recall
 → The 3 psychological tools behind powerful humor
 → When to use each one—and how to avoid misfire

This one left me thinking about what we risk, what we reach for—and how sometimes the smartest thing you can do is make someone laugh first.

If you’ve ever felt like no one’s listening, this episode is a masterclass in breaking through.

— Molly