NEIGHBORS

Laughter yoga leader appears on Oprah

Jeffrey Briar, founder of the Laguna Laughter Club, was recently flown to Chicago to appear on the Oprah Winfrey television show.

“I was very proud to represent Laguna Beach and Laughter Clubs on this acclaimed TV show,” Briar said. “The Laughter Exercise system allows anyone to become free of stress in a matter of minutes. We don’t need to feel good first, or even have a sense of humor, in order to laugh.”

The Laguna Laughter Club celebrated its two-year anniversary on June 21.

Briar was certified in the technique in Switzerland in 2005 and founded the Laguna Laughter Club in June that year. He estimates 6,750 people have participated in laughter sessions on Main Beach in the two years since its inception.

Shortly after the Oprah appearance, Briar traveled to Europe to participate in a number of laughter-related events.

“The celebration of World Laughter Day on May 6 was definitely a highlight,” Briar said. “Four hundred and fifty people were laughing together hysterically at an exposition in Paris.”

He went on to assist in presentations for medical groups, the opening of a new laughter club in Graz, Austria, and to participate in laughter seminars and workshops in Budapest, Munich, Vienna, Florence, Siena, Zurich, Geneva, and Paris.

Now back in Laguna, Briar is celebrating the two-year anniversary of the local Laughter Club.

“Ours was the first club in the world outside of India to meet seven days per week.”