Improv Obsession - Conversations About Improvising Better

Kid Grift is on the show. THE WHOLE KID GRIFT. Mike Carlson, Anthony Gioe, Matt Newell, Zach Reino, Richie Root, Jason Sheridan, Marissa Strickland and Erin Whitehead. This episode is packed with people. These guys are so sweet and you instantly get why they're such an awesome team because they really love each other… And I love them. Subscribe. Rate. Comment. Enjoy! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

RENE GUBE is on the show! You know him from the stunning UCBLA Harold Team, John Velvet. You also know him as one of the charismatic hosts of Room 101. Rene sits down and talks with me a bit about playing things real in scenes, and working to the best of your ability. We also talk a bit about how it would definitely be funny to slap Lilan Bowden. After all that we go on to the heavier stuff, people being dismissive of improv and the fact that it can and does lead you to wonderful things in life. This episodes less technical, less heady, but more heartful. And isn't that what it's all about? Rate, subscribe, comment, ENJOY! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Craig Cackowski is on the show! You know him as the improv guru from iO West. We talk about character, and the idea that I never understood, playing yourself as a character! He talks about how doing improv right will deliver comedy. I admit (once again) that I'm judgmental and Craig gives me some advice how to work through that. What a know it all. We also eat pastries during the show! Subscribe! Rate! Comment! ENJOY!!! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Zach Reino who you know from Kid Grift, and his rapping improv team Murdercliff is on the show. We talk about the importance of loving your team. The challenges and fun of joining harold night. Most of all though, Zach lets me know how much he hates Bangarang, so they better watch their back. Also, be excellent to each other. Subscribe. Rate. Comment. Enjoy. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Steve Szlaga is here! You know him from UCBLA Harold team Scandal! He and I talk about the one thing you listen to this podcast for, Running! Seriously we talk about running for a little bit. But then we talk about the one school in Los Angeles I know nothing about, Groundlings. And we talk about the importance of specifics and commitment, and listening and all the things that you’re supposed to do in improv. Also, find out if I ask Steve the tough, controversial questions I’m known for. Subscribe, Rate, Comment, Enjoy. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Here's a brief Perl of Wisdom from our last guest Dan Oster. He highly recommends the Mick Napier book, Improvise: Scene from the Inside Out. Subscribe. Rate. Comment. Enjoy. Thanks for listening guys. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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DAN OSTER is on the show. He’s the first guest I’ve ever had who’s not mostly a UCB performer. He’s a coach and a player over at The Improv Space in Westwood. He was a player at Boom Chicago and had a stint on MadTV. We talk a lot about organic improv, finding ways to connect at the top of scenes, and the light and dark of game. Also, his group Lost Moon Radio won Top of the Fringe for the Hollywood Fringe Festival. Oh man, I hope this episode gets a bunch of crazy feedback too. Subscribe. Rate. Comment. Enjoy. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re back! This episode is with Jonny Svarzbein, you know him from UCBLA’s Rough Cut, and he co-hosts The 11th Hour show and Tuesday Night Thunder. We talk about the indie LA improv scene. Jonny also talks a bit about what a good cagematch is. And between us we sit and argue about premise improv for damn near forever. Rate. Subscribe. Comment. Enjoy. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tara Copeland stops by my room and we make LOVE...ly conversation about improv. We talk about loving improv, loving our teammates, loving our scene, loving in scenes, making love in scenes. Tara encourages everyone to just do musical improv and she also tries to help get me a sponsor for the show. Rate. Subscribe. Comment. Enjoy. Love. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alex Fernie is the guest this week. He’s one third of the Cagematch juggernaut Convoy. He’s also a member of one of the early UCBLA harold teams Sentimental Lady. Fernie talks about the specifics of specificity, like that one can never be too specific in a scene, and using specifics as gifts. We also talk about using the top of your intelligence as effectively as possible. You guys are gonna love this episode. Rate, Subscribe, comment, enjoy. Happy improvising. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Billy Merritt is on the show! You know him from The Smokes, The Soundtrack, and The Swarm. He’s also one of the hosts of the UCBLA Podcast, HOLLYWEIRD! I spend a lot of this episode talking about the Merritts (get it?) of form. Billy also tells me not to sell out my scenes and frankly just gives some great improv advice. Subscribe, rate, comment, enjoy. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Casey Feigh is on the show! Casey’s the one of the hosts of Crashbar Improv, he’s a Harold Team performer on John Velvet, he’s a hip hop Improviser on Hip Hop Penguin, and he’s the co-host of the UCBLA Podcast. We talk a little bit about participating in improv jams, about the awesomeness that is the harold. Casey also talks to me a little bit about his new team that is performing the Documentary and he breaks down why you’re gonna want to be at the LA Indie Improv Festival. Also, someone called in with a question about smoking weed, so everyone wins. Subscribe, rate, comment, enjoy. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Matt Besser, Member of the Upright Citizens Brigade, Assscat, Improv4Humans, Freak Dance is on the show. Matt and I break down a few improv terms, talk a little bit about Del Close, have a long weird pause. He also tells me why I shouldn’t listen to Improv 4 Humans like I do... Shit. Go see Freak Dance. Subscribe, rate, comment, enjoy. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SUZI BARRETT is on the show! You know her from Sentimental Lady, Boom Chicago, and Rough Cut. She fucks me up with super great improv advice. She talks about the Pretty Flower form. She talks about the topic of lady improv. She makes me come up with actual questions. She can’t help with my insurance rates. She also gives what may be the single best Perl of Wisdom yet. Subscribe, rate, comment, enjoy. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Guest Josh Simpson and his guest Brooke Ashley Anderson are on the podcast. You know josh from his UCB LA Harold teams Flap Jackson and The Great War, The Twitter Show, and a bunch of other indie awesomeness. We talk at length about Flap Jackson, even though Josh didn’t really wanna talk about it. Also how practicing and doing shows gets the FEELING of doing scenes in your bones, bad or good. Josh talks a bit about how game is simply an agreement. Also, it gets pretty contentious over Netflix. Subscribe, rate, comment, enjoy. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Betsy Sodaro from Bangarang, and a bunch of other improv awesomeness talks to me! We cover the all important topic, “Woman in Improv.” The importance of just believing in YOUR funny. We talk about how improv is a great way to get to know people and socialize. I also confess that I’m afraid of her daily double teammate, Toni Charline. Seriously guys. I’m afraid of her. Subscribe. Rate. Comment. Enjoy. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nick Mandernach from John Velvet and Room 101’s host team Shakedown is on the show! After me stumbling over how to pronounce his name, we have an amazing conversation about how our college experiences weren’t as fun as our comedy and UCB experiences. We talk a bit about trusting the technique of improv even when it doesn’t go well. Nick also tells me some of his pet peeves as a host of an independent show. Also improvising in character. Wow, we covered a lot of improv stuff, this show is amazing... Oh, also, Butt Thursdays. Subscribe. Rate. Comment. Enjoy. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

THE DC Pierson is here on my podcast. He’s currently on Shitty Jobs, the infamous improv show at UCB LA. DC tells me he’s proud to be on a “weird” team and how he feels they’ve earned the right to be weird. Also, he tells me WHY you listen to your partner, and it weirdly shifts my perspective on listening. Thanks, DC. Also I make DC talk about Barenaked Ladies. It’s not as sexy as you think. Subscribe. Rate. Comment. Enjoy. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joe Wengert improvisor on The Smokes, Rueben Williams, Rueben Starship, and a ton of other improv amazingness is on the show. Joe’s also the Academic Supervisor of UCB LA. He talks to me about the importance of bonding as an improv team. He shares a bit about making time to have a non-comedy life. Also Joe dances the Mummers Dance for me and you didn’t get to see it. Subscribe. Rate. Comment. Enjoy. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Improviser Greg Tuculescu comes on the podcast and throws down the gauntlet, claiming to be the person who’s taken the most classes. You know him from a number of UCB New York teams including The Law Firm, Fwand, Only in LA, and of course the movie Bridesmaids. Greg also tells me why one should never be a professor, oh and he gives some improv tips. Subscribe, rate, comment, enjoy. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week I pack up the podcast and go to Camp Hollywood to talk to Colton Dunn of Rough Cut and Boom Chicago. He tells me a little bit about the early days of UCB New York, his motivation to move to Amsterdam and the benefits of performing at Boom Chicago. Colton also shares that MADtv was wrong in not hiring him the first time around. Best of all, Colton makes a special offer to Improv Obsession Podcast listeners (Covered in the first 2 minutes). Subscribe, rate, comment, enjoy. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Eugene Cordero from The Smokes, Diamond Lion, and Reuben Starship comes on the podcast and tells me about the duality of his improv style. He hooks me up with advice on how to let yourself off the hook. Then he indulges my far too many questions and tells me about how Muay Thai relates to improv and how he was critiqued on the Improv Resource Center Message Boards for being a terrible improvisor. Subscribe, Rate, Comment. Thanks for listening. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This weeks guest, Monika Smith (Coming Clean, Rough Cut, McSmith, 58008) confuses me with a bunch of Canadian stuff, Bear vs Bayer, University vs College. AND since she’s the first woman on the podcast I talk to her about what it’s like to be a woman improvisor, and I’m pretty sure I come off like a terrible male. She’s the best cause she indulges my multiple failures as a host. Hope you enjoy. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mano Agapion is one of the newest Upright Citizens Brigade Los Angeles performers on the brand new Harold team, Winslow. He talks with me about the path he took on his way to becoming a performer. Next we chat about the surreal feeling that comes with doing a first show as a member of a UCB house team. Finally we rap on what the future looks like from his perspective as a brand new UCB performer. Go see how Winslow grows during their run at UCB, also, check out Mano’s website, he seriously needs more IMDB credits. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode I go 20 minutes without introducing my guest Allan McLeod (Arts and Athletics, A Kiss From Daddy, The Twitter Show). Allan talks about the legacy he wants to leave behind, an appreciation for the different bathrooms in Los Angeles theaters and then we reminisce about a girl who almost flashed us over Chatroulette. I promise that we talk about improv stuff too. ENJOY. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hiarious improvisor Alex Berg comes on and talks all kinds of cool stuff. Did you know his three man improv team Convoy has never had a coach? You know him from his UCB Los Angeles teams Convoy and Sentimental Lady. You may have also read his Tumblr where he improvises with Cleverbot, Berg and Bot. ALSO, New intro music by Crystal Friedman. Hope you enjoy. Ok love you, bye. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Here’s the PREMIERE episode of the Improv Obsession Podcast. I talk with Dominic Dierkes who you know from Derrick Comedy, and their awesome feature film Mystery Team. You can see him do improv every Sunday at 11:00 PM at UCBLA with his team Shitty Jobs. And, you can also go to a recording of his podcast, The Anytime Show, to get updates on that and other general hilarity, check out his twitter at @DominicDierkes. Don’t forget to watch Allen Gregory, which Dierkes is now a staff writer for. I got to see a screening of the pilot of Allen Gregory before it aired and it was awesome. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices