Speak the Truth Anyway: Kathy Lette and the Courage to Laugh Through Fear

In this week’s Action episode of Why’d You Think You Could Do That?, host Sam Penny takes inspiration from one of the sharpest minds in modern feminism — Kathy Lette — the woman who turned outrage into comedy, sexism into satire, and shame into storytelling.

At just 17, Kathy co-wrote Puberty Blues, a book so raw and real it was banned from schools — but instead of backing down, she doubled down, using wit as her weapon and laughter as her form of protest. Across her career, she’s proved that humour can dismantle hypocrisy faster than fury ever could.

This episode is your invitation to take that same fearless approach and apply it in your own life. Because bravery doesn’t just happen in the extremes — it happens in everyday conversations, in workplaces, boardrooms, and dinner tables where the easy thing would be to stay silent.

Sam challenges you to complete one sentence:

“One thing I will do to make a difference…”

Maybe it’s calling out a double standard. Maybe it’s sharing your true opinion in a meeting. Or maybe it’s finally admitting what you really want. Whatever it is, say it — with honesty, with kindness, and, if you can, with humour.

Because as Kathy reminds us, laughter doesn’t diminish truth; it makes it digestible. It opens hearts that anger closes. And when you use it with courage, it turns confrontation into connection.

This is your week to speak up anyway — to say the thing that scares you most, to turn your own fear into fuel, and to be part of a ripple effect that starts with one brave conversation.

“The most powerful thing you can do this week isn’t to be perfect — it’s to be real.”

Tune in, take the challenge, and discover why sometimes, bravery doesn’t roar — it giggles, it winks, and it writes a banned book.

Creators and Guests

Host

Sam Penny

Sam Penny is an adventurer, entrepreneur, and keynote speaker who lives by the mantra “Say YES! to the Impossible.” From swimming the English Channel in winter to building and selling multi-million-dollar companies, Sam thrives on pushing boundaries in both business and life. As host of Why’d You Think You Could Do That?, he sits down with ordinary people who have done extraordinary things, uncovering the mindset, resilience, and bold decisions that made it possible — and showing listeners why their own impossible is closer than they think.

What is Why'd You Think You Could Do That??

They’ve swum oceans, scaled mountains, launched empires, and shattered expectations. But before they did any of it, someone, maybe even themselves, thought: “You can’t do that.”

Hosted by Sam Penny, Why’d You Think You Could Do That? dives into the minds of people who said “screw it” and went for it anyway. From adventurers and elite athletes to wildcard entrepreneurs and creative renegades, each episode unpacks the one question they all have in common:

“Why'd you think you could do that?”

If you’re wired for more, haunted by big ideas, or just sick of playing it safe, this is your show.

Sam Penny (00:00)
I'm Sam Penny and this is Why Do Think You Could Do That? This week we've heard from one of the most daring, disarming and downright brilliant voices in modern feminism. It's Kathy Lette She's the woman who turned outrage into comedy, sexism into satire and shame into storytelling. At 17 she co-wrote Puberty Blues, a book so raw it got banned in schools and branded obscene. But instead of backing down, she doubled down using humour to make a point.

and laughter to make it stick. And she hasn't stopped since. Across her career, Kathy's work has done something rare. It's made feminism funny without ever watering it down.

She's shown that wit isn't weakness, it's a weapon, and that laughter at its sharpest can cut through hypocrisy faster than any argument ever could. So today, we're going to channel that same spirit and take action on it. It's easy to think bravery only belongs to people who climb mountains, run marathons, or sail solo across oceans. But Kathy reminds us that some of the greatest acts of courage happen in conversations.

in boardrooms, classrooms, family dinners and coffee breaks. Bravery is saying the thing that needs to be said when it would be easier to stay quiet. It's telling the truth with kindness and conviction, even when your voice shakes. It's choosing to laugh in the face of fear instead of shrinking away from it. Kathy's entire career has been about making that choice again and again. Every book she's joke she's told,

Every story she shared has been an act of rebellion wrapped in She's proof that humor isn't about avoiding the hard stuff. It's about how we survive the hard stuff. And that's where your challenge begins. This week, I want you to find one way, just one, to speak the truth anyway. It might be in your workplace. It might be with your partner. It might be something you've avoided saying to yourself. But here's how you'll do it. Take a breath.

and complete this sentence. One thing I will do to make a difference. Maybe it's one thing I'll do to make a difference is call out a double standard when I see it. Or one thing I will do to make a difference is share my real opinion in that next meeting. Or even one thing I will do to make a difference is write that story I've been too scared to tell. Whatever it is, make it personal, make it small and make it real because

Real change doesn't start with a megaphone. It starts with a moment. You see, Kathy didn't set out to become a feminist icon. She just refused to lie. she refused to play along with a culture that mocked dismissed or silenced women. And she did it with a grin. Her approach. It was so disarming. She'd tell a joke, get the laugh and then slip in the truth behind it.

because once people laugh, their defences drop. And that's when real change begins. So if you're wondering how to speak your truth this week, borrow Kathy's formula. First up, use wit, not wrath. Laughter opens hearts that anger closes. And the second is to say it anyway. Don't wait until you're fearless. That day will never come. And the third is aim to connect, not to convert.

The goal isn't to win, it's to be heard and to help others feel seen. And that's what Kathy's done for decades. And the ripple effect of her courage can be felt across generations of women who now speak right and live unapologetically because she did first. Over the next seven days, your challenge is to speak one truth, just one. It doesn't have to be a grand statement or a viral post.

It might be saying, I disagree, when silence would have been easier. It might be telling a friend something real instead of something polite. It might even be standing in front of the mirror and admitting what you really want. When you do it, notice what happens. The fear won't disappear, but you'll feel it lose its grip. that's bravery in real time.

And here's a trick straight from Kathy's If you can add humor, do. Humor doesn't diminish truth. It makes it digestible. It turns confrontation into conversation. So try it. The world needs more people who can tell the truth with a smile. And look, Kathy once said, women are each other's human wonder bras. They're uplifting, supportive, and make each other look bigger and better.

So let's be that for each other. Let's lift each other up by telling the truth, not to hurt, but to heal. Let's be the ones who make honesty contagious because the most powerful thing you can do this week isn't to be perfect, it's to be real. So one last time, say it with me. One thing I will do to make a difference. Say it, mean it, then go and do it. I'm Sam Penny and this has been, Why Do You Think You Could Do That?

If this episode has made you laugh, think or stand a little taller, share it with someone who needs to find their spark. And remember, bravery doesn't always rule. Sometimes it giggles, it winks and writes a book that gets banned. Until next time, keep saying yes to the impossible.