An Interview with Dr. Jeffrey Gurian
(Conducted by Joseph Finnegan, editor of digital content at Dentistry Today)
Dr. Jeffrey Gurian has had an extraordinary career spanning both dentistry and comedy, two fields that rarely overlap. He has written for legendary comedians like Rodney Dangerfield, Jerry Lewis and Joan Rivers, and spent 20 years on the Board of The Assoc. For Spirituality and Psychotherapy, while also pioneering STAR Therapy™, a gentle system of talk and touch using music, for pain relief in dentistry, specifically pain from Bruxism. STAR being an acronym for Spiritual, Transformational, Affirmative Resonance Therapy, a technique he used and lectured on, while a Clinical Prof. at NYU in Oral Medicine and Oro-Facial Pain. In this conversation, he shares how he made these worlds intersect, the struggles he faced—including overcoming a severe stutter and enduring bullying in dental school—and how humor and positivity have shaped his life, and became the inspiration to write 8 books.
Making Dentistry and Comedy Intersect
Joseph Finnegan: You’ve had successful careers in both dentistry and comedy. Two very different worlds—how do they connect in your life?
Dr. Jeffrey Gurian: They don’t really connect—I made them connect. Cindy Adams in the New York Post once said she figured out the connection—I make people laugh to see if they have any teeth missing!
From the time I was 12, I wanted to be a dentist. I knew I was too sensitive to be an M.D. and deal with life-and-death situations, and I was already wearing braces, so I thought, I’ll help people look nice, give them a great smile, and make them feel happy. I was already writing comedy at the same time. I could never figure out which I liked best, so somehow, I wound up doing both.
Being Bullied in Dental School
JF: You had a rough time in dental school. Can you talk about that?
JG: I was humiliated on a daily basis. I expected to be welcomed into the profession. It was more like a 4-year fraternity hazing. I was banned from school for three weeks because I grew a mustache and had sideburns. If they saw you with your sideburns, they would have probably had you arrested!
The first day of dental school, the dean made a speech. I’ll never forget it. He said, “We don’t want any free thinkers here. If you want to be a hippie with a guitar, go to dental school in California.” That’s the day I should have left, but I stuck it out, and they made my life miserable for four entire years.
In the third year, when you start working on patients, the two most important departments were Crown and Bridge and Prosthetics. The head of Crown and Bridge had a Confederate flag in his office and a sign that said, “The South Will Rise Again.” He hated me.
The head of Prosthetics could have won a contest for having the shortest hair in the world. They both hated me. They told the women in the clinic not to give me a chair until I shaved my mustache and cut my hair, which was so short already. I refused.
My mother bought me a wig so I could go back to school. When I put the wig on, the C&B professor called me to his office and made me turn in a circle so he could view me from every angle. He didn’t even know it was a wig, and a month later, complained that my hair was getting too long again. It was the same wig. They let me keep the mustache as long as I agreed to wear it turned up like Salvador Dali, so I had to use mustache wax to achieve that goal. I looked like a maniac!
One of my advisors took me into the hallway one day and said, “I want you to know you’re a disgrace to the profession and you should consider dropping out of school.” That’s what they told a 22-year-old kid.
But I would never let them keep me from my goal, and I graduated in the top half of my class—number 54 out of 126. And I went on to have a very successful career.
Many years later, I got an email from the dean of Temple University, Dr. Amid Ismail. He invited me to lunch. I had no connection to the school because of how they treated me, but I agreed to meet with him. He brought another dean, and I thought they were coming to ask for a donation.
At lunch, I started telling my story. Dean Ismail interrupted me and kindly said, “I want you to know those people were racists and anti-Semites. We would never allow that in the school today.” He said, “I know you weren’t the only one, but I know you were treated the worst.”
At the end of lunch, he asked if he could give me a hug. I said, “Absolutely.” We took a picture together. Then he invited me to give a lecture to the students so they could hear what I went through, which turned into a 5-week lecture series on my experience, on Happiness, changing negative thinking to positive thinking, and on STAR Therapy™. Later that year during the holidays, he had me perform a comedy show for the students and faculty. He’s become a dear friend.
It gave me some closure, but some things never go away. They tried to take away my self-esteem and self-confidence, but in the end, I came out on top. And now I get to inspire other dentists and dental students with my story.
Overcoming a Stutter and Helping Others
JF: You also overcame a stutter. What was the turning point?
JG: I started stuttering around six or seven years old. In college, I ran for president of the freshman class, telling myself, “If I win, I won’t have to stutter anymore.” I won—but I still stuttered. It taught me a great lesson, that outside validation in life doesn’t work. It doesn’t matter how many people tell you you’re wonderful and talented, it matters what you think of yourself. That started my journey on curing myself.
I had a great realization: I didn’t stutter when I was alone. That meant that theoretically, there was nothing physically wrong with me—it was something I had created, and I was holding thoughts that were not valid for me.
It took years of work on myself, but I reprogrammed my mind. And now not only don’t I stutter, but you can’t even shut me up! (LOL) You know that Joe from the podcast we did! Now, as an avocation, I work with stutterers worldwide online using my website StopStutteringNowGurian.com.
If someone can speak better when they’re alone, I know I can help them.
Once I realized I was holding thoughts that were not valid for me, which led to my stuttering and other negativity, and that truthfully ALL people are holding non-valid thoughts and emotional pains from the past, which I call “heart wounds,” I decided to use that knowledge to write books that would help people think differently and achieve a state of comfort and Happiness. I always capitalize the H in Happiness because I find it to be such an important word. The books all hit best seller status on Amazon, the first being Healing Your Heart, By Changing Your Mind – A Spiritual and Humorous Approach To Achieving Happiness. This knowledge and change in thinking helped me survive a “widowmaker” heart attack and a hospitalization with Covid Double Pneumonia.
While recovering, I wrote my third Happiness book!
Working With Comedy Legends
JF: You’ve worked with Rodney Dangerfield, Joan Rivers, and Chris Rock, to name just a few. What’s the best lesson you learned from them?
JG: Perseverance. Rodney wasn’t making a living as Jack Roy. Someone suggested Rodney Dangerfield, and that’s what changed his career.
Joan Rivers faced major obstacles as a woman in comedy. She called me one morning at the office, and my nurse said, “Dr. Rivers is on the phone,” so I could leave the patient for a minute. Joan said, “What do you do during the day?” I said, “I work.” She said, “Obviously. What do you do?” I said, “Are you referring to the vicious rumor that I’m a dentist?” She loved that.
And Chris Rock wanted comedy so bad he used to sleep in The Comic Strip club just waiting for a chance to go up on stage. One special night, his idol Eddie Murphy came in and changed his life.
The Phil Hartman Tragedy
JF: You were close with Phil Hartman, the star from SNL. Can you talk about that?
JG: Phil and I became friends when we worked on the Friars Club’s Chevy Chase Roast. My job was to coach the guys from SNL on how to do a roast, as I was the main writer for the Friars Roasts for 12 years, and young comics had never done a roast before.
In 1998, the weekend Phil was killed, he invited me to spend that very weekend with him at his home in Malibu. I even told my mother I was going.
The morning the news broke, my mother called me in a panic. The first report said that two men were found dead in the house. She thought I was one of them. That’s how I found out what happened.
It was a shock. I had been at Phil’s house months earlier. His wife, Brynn, was a complicated person, but no one ever thought she could do what she did. I don’t remember why I didn’t go that weekend. It’s still a mystery to me. I guess I just wasn’t meant to be there.
Laughter as Medicine
JF: How does humor help people handle stress?
JG: Laughter is a healing force. I’m on the board of Laugh MD, which brings comedy to hospitals and to people in recovery. Laughter releases endorphins—the body’s natural painkillers.
I recently hosted a comedy event for NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness). People are really struggling, especially after the last few years. Comedy helps bring people together.
What’s Next?
JF: What’s coming up for you?
JG: I’m speaking at the Oregon Dental Conference in April on “How to Survive a Career in Dentistry Using Positive Thinking and Humor,” and I would love to continue speaking at major dental conferences to my dental peeps! LOL This past July, I had the honor of being the Keynote Speaker for AGD’24 at the Minneapolis Convention Center. If any of you out there are event planners, please feel free to hit me up!!!
I also have two films in pre-production—a romantic comedy and an action film.
But my biggest project is something I can’t fully talk about yet. A production company saw my documentary, Who the F is Jeffrey Gurian? and reached out to me. Now, DL Hughley, one of the original “Kings of Comedy,” has signed on as a producer. It will be called DL Hughley Presents Jeffrey Gurian. If it happens, it’ll be a life-changer. The only thing more important to me than that is my two amazing daughters, Elizabeth and Kathryn, and their little munchkins—Nicky, Lilly, Brookie, Adri, and Tyler—without whom none of this would matter!
JF: That’s incredible. Thanks so much for sharing your story.
JG: My pleasure. I always appreciate it when someone wants to hear what I have to say. It’s a true honor!
Dr. Jeffrey Gurian’s journey is a testament to the power of perseverance, humor, and self-belief. From overcoming personal challenges, including a stutter and adversity in dental school, to carving out a unique career that blends dentistry and comedy, he has continuously defied expectations. His story proves that with the right mindset, obstacles can be transformed into opportunities for growth and success. As he continues to inspire others through his work, lectures, and upcoming projects, Dr. Gurian remains a beacon of positivity and resilience, proving that laughter truly can be the best medicine.
Learn more about Dr. Gurian below:
Who The F* is Jeffrey Gurian on Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/groups/732802/videos/414818932.
Jeffrey’s Books:
- Healing Your Heart, By Changing Your Mind — A Spiritual and Humorous Approach To Achieving Happiness — https://www.amazon.com/dp/0692982515
- Fight The Fear-Overcoming Obstacles That Stand In Your Way — https://www.amazon.com/dp/1735442607
- Facing Adversity – Stories of Courage and Inspiration — https://www.amazon.com/dp/1735442631
Jeffrey’s Website: https://www.comedymatterstv.com.
Find Jeffrey on Instagram: @jeffreygurian. He can also be reached at jeffrey@jeffreygurian.com.
