Performance Revue

In these outtakes from Amy Sumpter's episode, we discuss the duplicitous toilets of Manhattan, working a day job, dating as a comedian, and a lot more.   Timestamps: 01:00 – Dissecting Comedy at Open Mics 01:28 – “I love a good poop joke, but…” 01:58 – The Legend of Kyle Parris Mentions of Doc Martins, Dad Jeans, Elbow Patches, ‘The Room’, Vaudeville 03:45 – Selling the Hell Out of a Dad Joke 04:38 – New York and L.A. 05:00 – The Toilets of New York 05:52 – Moving to Chicago to Wait Tables 07:38 – Reflect on Your Decade 08:19 – “If you want me, come and get me. You fly me out” 09:35 – No Shame in Having a Day Job 11:07 – I Do Not Run Las Locas Comedy (Janice Rodriguez Does) Mentions of 2002, Frosted Tips, Anal Beads, Janice Rodriguez, Vanilla Ice 13:28 – Entitled White Women at Open Mics 14:36 – “Everyone feels this ownership of what is funny” Mentions of George Carlin, Checking Your Privilege, Last Comic Standing 16:50 – Absorbing Positive Messages Before a Performance 17:54 – Rachel McCartney is a Genius 18:20 – Relatable Material? 20:40 – She’s Crafty 20:58 – “So, you’re famous, right?” 21:44 – Building Women Up Mentions of The Kates, Public Speaking 23:00 – Wisdom vs. Age Mentions of Non-Binary, Gender Norms, Feminism, Patriarchy 24:36 – The Weird Dating Cycle Redux 25:37 – Sex and Self-Respect 26:15 – You Deserve a Sexy, Famous Gentleman Mentions of Jason Momoa, Idris Elba, #metoo, ‘Luther’, ‘Cats’, The Rocky Horror Picture Show 27:45 – I Spill Water on Myself 28:25 – Brittany Meyer’s ‘Cats’ Story 28:50 – A Kid Keeps Farting During ‘Beauty and the Beast’ 29:38 – Gym Momentum 30:15 – Hair vs. No Hair Mention of Winslow Dumaine 30:46 – Wait, You Found Love? 32:25 – I Don’t Want to be Objectified 33:00 – Tips for Going on a Date with a Comedian 33:40 – Kelsie Huff Kicks Ass Mentions of Marilee, Laugh Factory, Robin Williams, St. Patrick’s Day, Zanies, Scott Duff 34:32 – “Scott Duff is magic”

Co-founder of The Kates on Broadway and acclaimed Chicago comedy vet Amy Sumpter goes over her amazing 2019 set at Strip Joker in this season 3 finale! We discuss making space for women in stand-up (and in the world), the time her breast ended up in an old lady's mouth on the subway, and what not to do when your gynecologist shows up to a pelvic exam dressed as a pirate. Timestamps: 01:00 – Set from Strip Joker 14:00 – “I come from a pretty funny family” Mentions of 7th Grade, Mean Girls, High School, Medieval Times, Jewel Osco, Bennigan’s 16:35 – “I want to be the weirdo; I want to be the character actor” Mentions of College, Chicago, Second City 17:45 – “…And that’s where I met Kelsie Huff” Mentions of Kelsie Huff, The Kates, Bear (The Nephew), Columbia College, Second City Conservatory 18:55 – The Kates Origin Story Mentions of Frankie J’s on Broadway, Methadone Clinics, One-Woman Shows, ‘Huffs’, Tragedy Plus Time, ‘Enough is Enough’ Webseries 21:40 – “Chicago is very small” 22:25 – “Whenever I have issues [with someone], it’s usually a white dude” (SPOILER ALERT) 22:55 – “I have been getting onstage since I was twelve” 23:21 – “Open mics just make me want to quit comedy” 24:37 – “Talk about what you know” 24:54 – “Don’t try to emulate your favorite comics” Mentions of Eddie Murphy, Lilly Tomlin, Amy Schumer 25:30 – Bad Sitcom Writing vs. ‘The Office’ 26:10 – Amy’s First Open Mic Story Mentions of Chicago Trolley, Corona Beer, Withered Lady-Boners, Eric Estrada, ‘Chips’, The Comedy Hole of Shame 32:02 – Moving to Chicago vs. LA 32:42 – ‘The Kates’ Begins Mentions of Female Representation, Edgewater, Kate The Great’s Book Emporium, The Book Cellar, Facebook, Feminism 35:11 – Getting into the Set 35:13 – The High Kick Mentions of Cartwheels, Counseling, Therapy, Macho Man Randy Savage 36:57 – Underwear Covered in Pubic Hair Mentions of Gen-X, Shaving, Litmus Test 37:54 – 3-Year Old Nephew, Bear, Trying to Swear Mentions of Child Psychology, Teaching, Testing Limits 40:11 – The L-Cup and “You’re Welcome!” Mentions of Strip Joker, Specialty Bras, Motifs, X-Treme Commercials, Body Positivity, Believe Women 43:40 – Midwestern Politeness 44:20 – The Subway Incident Mentions of Rebirth, Mid-Life Crisis, Hindsight, Turkey Dogs 46:27 – Mom Is Taller Than Dad 48:30 – The Tom Green Digression Mention of ‘The Tom Green Show’ Season 1, Episode 9: ‘Parent Statues’ Season 2, Episode 11: ‘Best of Special’ Mention of Drew Barrymore 50:20 – “I’m not a virgin and that’s sad” Mentions of Pound Town, Self Esteem 52:11 – “Why do some people just get to live in Pound Town?” Mentions of Hot Privilege, Serial Monogamy, Relationship Baggage, Chemistry 54:57 – The Gynocologist Mentions of Halloween, Speculums, Tinder, Salvatore Dali, Empowered Vaginas 57:10 – Revealing The Pasty 59:58 – Reviewing the Set 1:01:21 – “I don’t necessarily believe in ‘suffer for your art’” 1:01:45 – Advice for Aspiring Comedians 1:03:18 – Where Can We Find You? Podcast: ‘Shaped’ She’s Crafty: Chicago’s All-Female Beastie Boys Tribute Band The Kates @ The Book Cellar Upcoming Comedy Album 1:04:28 – Final Words  

In these outtakes from Brittani Ferguson's episode, we discuss the queer coding within 80's and 90's action films, 'Little House on the Prairie', and, of course, the 'X-Files'. Timestamps: 00:00 – “The Burbs” 00:48 – Del Close and Sharna Mentions of Second City, Improv, Todd Barry, Steven Wright, Mu 02:18 – All 80’s and 90’s Action Films Were Softcore Gay Porn Mentions of Tom Cruise, Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Chuck Norris, Dolph Lundgren 03:16 – “I published an essay in college about all action films as gay romcoms” 04:32 – Telling Inside Jokes Onstage 04:56 – The Kyle Parris Story Mentions of Jerry Seinfeld, Trigger Warning Open Mic 06:47 – “Generally people around the age of thirty just seem to be kind of sad” 07:08 – “Nobody got their porn from Tumblr” 07:38 – Little House on the Prairie Mentions of Twitter, Doc Baker, Kevin Hagen, Charles Landon, Winger 09:36 – A Sexual Awakening to the X-Files Mentions of Divorce, Halloween References to The X-Files Season 2, Episode 7: ‘3’ (1994) 12:50 – “What do you call fans of Gillian Anderson? Lesbians” 13:28 – What Happens in Florida Laundry Rooms

In the Before Times of Yore, comedian and cast member of The Lincoln Lodge, Brittani Ferguson stopped by to discuss her interesting set at Strip Joker. We have a fascinating conversation about her military upbringing, reciting Mel Brooks films as a child, the context of the words "gay" and "queer," her childhood (and current) obsession with Gillian Anderson, and a lot more. Timestamps: 01:00 – Opening Set @ Strip Joker 13:45 – ‘History of the World: Part I’ Mentions of Madeline Khan, Mel Brooks, Gregory Hines, Premature Ejaculation 16:33 – Moving to Chicago 17:10 – A Military Kid Mentions of K-Pop, Abu Dhabi, Da Burbs 18:50 – Improv Classes at Second City 19:13 – “I wish you were a diversity candidate” 19:55 – “They will forgive any crime that anyone commits” Mentions of Cults, Scientology, Del Close, iO, Sharna, Object Work 21:25 – “Stop playing” 21:55 – “You need to go do stand-up” 22:20 – Kelsie Huff and Fem Comique Mentions of Alex Cumin, The Kates University, Robin Williams, The Laugh Factory 25:01 – “A lucky idiot” Mentions of The Lincoln Lodge, Strip Joker, Bobby’s World 27:13 – Getting into the Set Mentions of Le Aboav, Strip Joker, Sigmund Freud 28:32 – The Graveyard at Clark & Irving Mentions of Murphy’s Irish Pub, Yelp, Bucktown, Uber, HP Lovecraft, The King In Yellow 31:33 – Gay vs. Queer Mentions of LGBTQ, Safe Spaces, Homophobia 34:49 – ‘Top Gun’ The topic of homoeroticism in action films is addressed in the outtakes episode 35:26 – All Comics Are Recently Single Mentions of April Fools Day, Valentine’s Day, Vitamin B12, Celiac Disease 39:17 – Gay Christmas Mentions of Pride, Gay Pride Parade, ‘Will & Grace’ 40:29 – Hosting Your Own Straight Pride Parade Mentions of Quentin Tarintino, Inside Jokes 41:16 – A 90’s Kid is a Sad Adult Mentions of Tumblr, Adderall, Antidepressants, Millennials, iPads 43:32 – The Need to be Validated 43:47 – “I’ve already met all the people I want to meet” Mentions of Introverts, Extroverts, The Kinsey Scale 45:10 – “I don’t know what a healthy, intimate relationship looks like” Mentions of Therapy, Alcoholism, Negative Reinforcement 47:38 – Old-Timey Doctor Mentions of Kristen Toomey, ‘Little House on the Prairie’, Doc, Plague Doctors, Morphine, Vibrators, Leeches, Country Clubs, Twitter 50:07 – Factory-Made Lesbian Mentions of Bob Dylan, Lilith Fair, Christian Slater 51:13 – An Incredible Gillian Anderson Fetish Mentions of ‘The X-Files’, Italy, ‘Friends’, ‘Everybody Loves Raymond’, ‘Seventh Heaven’, David Duchovny, Keanu Reeves, Coding, Katatonia, ‘Mulder and Scully’, ‘The Bad Touch’, The Bloodhound Gang 55:32 – “I would put on ‘The X-Files’ instead of music to f*ck a guy” Mention of Masking 56:30 – The Cheerleader Circle Jerk Mentions of Being Closeted, Male Cheerleaders, Gymnastics, Korea, ‘Bring It On’, Gillian Anderson 1:01:33 – Set Review 1:03:43 – Advice for Aspiring Comedians 1:05:33 – Where Can We Find You? The Lincoln Lodge Instagram: @BJJFerguson 1:06:23 – Parting Words  

In these outtakes from Spencer Blair's episode, we discuss the unceremonious closing of Uptown Underground, how he used to cheat audience members into the Chill As Fuck show at Second City, the time I learned about secondary sex mattresses, gay dating app etiquette, and more.    

In the Before Times of Yore, podcaster/producer/comic Spencer Blair chats about his mostly-improvised hosting set at Strip Joker. We discuss his improv background, how he got into hosting/producing shows all over Chicago, the internal dynamics of Strip Joker, and being terrifyingly confident onstage, all before we dive into the set. Spencer can be found on the podcasts 'Desks & Dayjobs' as well as 'Please Make This', and is currently a co-producer of Strip Joker.   Timestamps:   01:00 – Hosting Set @ Strip Joker Mentions of Martin Felshman, Rachel Relman, ‘A Dog’s Journey’, Lexipro 10:36 – “When did you realize comedy was a thing you could do?” Mentions of Comedy Sportz, Imposter Syndrome 12:33 – “Maybe you should stop trying so hard” Mentions of Scott Duff, Le Aboav 14:03 – The Funny Friend 15:05 – “I went to a small, Christian university” Mentions of Orange County, Improv Groups; Improvcivable, Improv Shmimprov, Disney Cruises, The Walt Disney Corporation 17:30 – “Doing the Chicago thing” Mentions of iO, Second City 18:41 – “I’ve never consistently mic’ed” Mentions of Hobart Thompson, The Chill As Fuck Show, Droday, Dewayne Perkins, Michelle Wolfe, Brooklyn Nine-Nine 21:25 – Stand-Up vs. Improv Mentions of The Improvised Shakespeare Company, Second City 23:10 –The Chill As Fuck Show and Strip Joker Mentions of Brittany Meyer, Le Aboav, Strip Joker Deluxe, Scott Duff, Uptown Underground, That Dude Jeff, Sunny Grissom 27:57 – “The trick is being terrifyingly confident onstage” 29:09 – “The Scientific Method, but applied to humor” Mentions of Samantha Berkman, Kink-Shaming 30:54 – Getting into the Set 30:55 – Ad Libs 31:22 – “Are you as horny as I am?” Mentions of Body Positivity, Sex Positivity 32:10 – “I don’t write comedy down” Mentions of Tad Walters, Kirkwood 34:00 – “Everybody’s gay dad” 34:58 – Seasonal Depression Mentions of Lexapro, SSRI, Edging 38:29 – “A hot guy and his boyfriend” 40:37 – Coming Down from Lexapro Mention of Grindr, Christmas 43:18 – Gay Dating Apps 44:00 – Crying at a Movie Poster Mention of Johnny Rockets, ‘Homeward Bound’ 48:30 – Losing the Audience 50:10 – The Oppressor in the Safe Space 52:16 – “Two white guys unpacking it on a podcast” Mention of Casey Larwood 521:54 – Self Awareness 53:23 – Spencer Shaved His Legs 54:27 – Wrapping It Up 57:25 – “I’m definitely more comfortable with queer comedy” 59:40 – Advice for Aspiring Comedians 1:00:25 – “The reason we do open mics is to see, meet, and network with people” 1:02:49 – Asshole with Great Jokes

Trigger Warning: Personal Story of Sexual Assault In these outtakes from Jamie Shriner Biddle's episode, we discuss the tragedy that is Louie CK at length, which prompts Jamie to reveal that she is a survivor. We also discuss the wounds of conservatism, the life of Valerie Solanas, Ellen Degeneres and her relationship with George W. Bush, and a whole lot more. This is the longest and heaviest outtakes episode to date.   Time Stamps:   01:30 – Punching Down Mentions of Louie CK [I understand that part of Louis Szekely’s family is from Mexico, but he presents as white, and is coded as such] 03:13 – Coming Back From Being Cancelled 04:39 – “Everyone is the hero of their own story” 04:49 – “I don’t think that [Louie CK] was righteously masturbating in front of those women” 05:23 – The Tragedy of Louie / His Lost Chance For Redemption References to the bootleg recording of Louie’s comeback set at The Comedy Cellar on August 26, 2018 09:31 – Louie Becomes the Villain 11:06 – “I have been… Raped” 11:30 – “His material is no longer relatable to me” Mentions of TED Talks, Twitter, Westboro Baptist Church 14:03 – Liberal Karma vs. Conservatism 16:20 – Speaking as a Survivor of Sexual Assault Discussion of non-consensual sex as a “kink” 19:30 – “I see the best in people, to a fault” 20:36 – Presenting as Queer Mentions of Bisexuality, Ethical Non-Monogamy, Alfred Kinsey, The Kinsey Scale, Dave Chappelle, LGBTQIA 23:30 – “I am will to forgive [Chappelle]… You’re just old, baby” 24:35 – “You are not as ‘Other’ as I am” Mentions of ‘Wife Material’, Straight-Passing Privilege, Mom Energy 26:25 – ‘Valerie Solanas; The Woman Who Shot Andy Warhol: The Musical’ Mentions of Andy Warhol, ‘SCUM Manifesto’, ‘Up Your Ass’, Paranoid Schizophrenia [I amateurishly call it Narcissistic Personality Disorder], Sex Work, Feminist Caricatures, Ted Cruz, Fred Rogers, Caitlin Cash, ‘The Holy Trinity of Wholesomeness’, Steve Irwin, Bob Ross, Ellen DeGeneres 33:12 – Ellen DeGeneres is a Tarnished Icon Mentions of George W. Bush, Cowardly Conservatives, Christianity, Gay Rights 36:45 – “He [George W. Bush] is a coward” 37:05 – Awkward Family Gatherings 40:35 – “People change, things change over time” Mentions of Jeb Bush, The Bush Dynasty 41:34 – Back to Comedy Mentions of Star Trek, Captain Picard 42:15 – Rapping About Cows 42:30 – “Being hard as fuck about a silly thing is the only way white people can get away with [rapping]” Mentions of Eminem, 75th and Prairie, Cultural Appropriation, The Velvet Lounge, Doc Love, Kendrick Lamar, Young Thug, RuPaul 45:31 – Writing and Performing Musical Comedy Mentions of Hair Metal, Folk Punk, Adam Sandler, HHannah Gatsby 48:55 – Skylar Higley and Political Discourse Mention of Nick Ogle 50:39 – “This got serious…” References to Astrology  

In the Before Times of Yore (2019), actor/singer/composer/comedian Jamie Shriner Biddle breaks down her hosting set at 'Naughty Thoughts', her monthly Laugh Factory show. This set includes her original song 'In My Butt', the story of her sexy cat costume, some crowd work, and a parable about unprotected sex. We discuss how she went from writing musicals to performing stand-up, her international marriage, how to make music funny, and a lot more before digging into the set. Jamie has written and performed the musicals 'Little Miss' and 'Wife Material'. She is currently working on a musical about the life of Valerie Solanas (known for shooting Andy Warhol). Watch the performance here: https://youtu.be/z--uwtDjJxM Time Stamps:   01:00 – Naughty Thoughts Opening Set @ The Laugh Factory 11:29 – “I wrote a one-woman musical” Mentions of Musical Theater, Cabaret, ‘Little Miss’, Bulimia, ‘The Marvelous Ms. Maisel’, Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Master’s Degree, Dougie Irvine 13:30 – Moving Back to Chicago Mentions of the 2016 Election, Elope, Immigration, Spousal Visa, Long-Distance Relationship 16:19 – ‘Wife Material’ Exploration of the words “Wife” and “Slut” Mentions of The Shithole, Dan Wilcop, Zach Bartz, Kevin Garrity, [NOTE: Shithole shows have also been produced on stages, such as the Revolution Brewery], Zanies, Laugh Factory, The Young Hustle Show, Nick Ogle 20:07 – “Just go to a mic” Mentions of ‘Kill All The Men’, ‘In My Butt’, Adam Sandler, Bo Burnham, Dave Chappelle 22:29 – Punching Up vs. Punching Down Mentions of Ben Shapiro, Steven Crowder, Louis CK 23:33 – Yet Another Discussion About Louie C.K. Mention of Shady Babies 26:00 – Writing ‘Wife Material’ Mentions of Sex Positivity, Sexual Assault, The Prop Theater, #metoo Movement, Underscore, Feminism, Bisexuality, Shaming, Mike Birbiglia 30:50 – “Queerscapades” Mentions of Fear of Rejection, Bi-phobia 32:02 – A Stand-Up Career in Reverse 32:32 – How to Make Music Funny Mentions of Marvin Gaye, Motown, Jake DeWard 33:40 – Getting into the Set 33:48 – Technical Difficulties Onstage Mentions of Rebecca Gibson, Boston, Massholes, Powerpoint Presentations, Spiraling Down 36:18 – ‘In My Butt’ 37:02 – Crowd Work Mentions of Halloween, Improv, Drew Lauren, Alexa 37:24 – Sexy Halloween Costumes    Mentions of Astrology, Leos, Ed Towns 39:04 – “If I go onstage and look hot, it’s difficult to like me” Mentions of Las Vegas, Brittany Meyer, Matt Brown, Marc Levalle 41:04 - Back to Sexy Halloween Costumes 42:26 – “People get mad when women dress a certain way to get something” 43:18 – More Crowd Work Mentions of LaPorte, Indiana, Texas, @Northbar, Shady Babies, Laugh Factory 45:10 – Learning a New Venue 45:22 – Hearing Impaired Mentions of Peanuts, Charlie Brown, Lip Reading, Glasgow, Medical Negligence, ENT Doctor, ASL 49:20 – Producing and Hosting Naughty Thoughts Mentions of Correy Boyd-Bell, Keenan Thompson, Monique 52:50 – The Broken Condom Mentions of IUD, One-Night Stands, Amy Schumer, Joe McMahon, Marty DeRosa, Tim McLaughlin 57:49 – Advice for Aspiring Comedians; “Create your own opportunities” 59:44 – Comedy Scene Cliques, Friends, and Advice Mentions of Joey Villagomez, Joe Kilgallon  1:02:10 – Where Can We Find You and Final Words Instagram: @jamieshrinerbiddle Shady Babies, @Northbar Naughty Thoughts, Laugh Factory The ‘Wife Material’ Album, available on all streaming platforms

In these outtakes from Devin Middleton's episode, we talk about the various reactions of Star wars fans to his set, accountability in the stand-up comedy scene, how the Walt Disney Corporation is destroying public domain, the X-Men comics, and a discussion of queer coding in the Dragonball Z series leads to the foundation of his next project.   Timestamps:   01:45 – “How many times have you done this bit?” 01:45 – “How many times have you done this bit?” 03:05 –Recording ‘The Haggard Unicorn’ 03:45 – “What inspired you to do an analysis of the Star Wars movies?” Mentions of Artisan Culture Club, ‘The Wire’, Patton Oswalt 05:51 – “The Sith and Jedi are street gangs” Mentions of Crips, Bloods, The Walt Disney Corporation 07:46 – Star Wars fans Mentions of Stephen Colbert, JRR Tolkien, ‘The Silmarillion’ 08:58 – Lando is *the* Black Person in the Original Trilogy 09:48 – “One person told me that seeing this piece changed the way they thought of doing comedy” 10:16 – “This could be a sketch” 11:15 – “Comedians should have some solidarity” / “We’re used to being burned” Mentions of Bill Cosby, Louie CK, Sexism, “All Lives Matter” 12:56 – Real-Time Accountability in the Comedy Scene 14:51 – The Duality of Stand-Up Comedians 16:05 – The Walt Disney Corporation Has Destroyed Public Domain Mentions of Mickey Mouse, Sherlock Holmes, Death of the Author, The Mandalorian 18:00 – The X-Men Franchise Mentions of Marvel, Fox, Marvel Comics, Public Domain, The Fast and The Furious 19:42 – “If I may make a suggestion… Dragon Ball Z” Mentions of Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball GT, Dragon Ball Super, ‘The Invisible Man’ by Ralph Ellison, Netflix, Manga 21:38 – Queer Characters in Dragon Ball Z Mentions of Freeza, Buu, 17 22:25 – “Every black character is actually a green character” 23:31 – How Capitalism Abuses Manga Authors Mention of Akira Toriyama [implied], Japan, Netflix 24:45 – James Earl Jones Narrates ‘The Bible’ Mention of Barnes & Noble

Devin Middleton engages in a socially-distanced interview about his opening set during KJ Whitehead's 'The Haggard Unicorn' album recording in January 2020. Devin summarizes the first nine films in the Star Wars franchise in about nine minutes through a socially-conscious lens. He uses this framework as a way to critique the franchise's white-washing of the pop-culture science fiction landscape, as well as it's clumsy handling of the topic of slavery. Devin is a musician who releases albums under the stage name Debonair Status. His most recent release, 'Black Genderfluid Depression Jamz, Vol. 563' is available now.   Time Stamps:   01:10 – Opening Set from KJ Whitehead’s Haggard Unicorn Mentions of Mo Less, Star Wars, The Collaboraction Theatre Company 10:31 – “I moved to Chicago in 2015…” Mentions of Improv, Sketch Comedy, The Sound of Music, ‘My Favorite Things’, Juicy J 14:32 – “I’ve never thought of myself as a comedian” Mentions of iO, Second City, ‘Who’s Line Is It Anyway?’ 16:49 – Exposure is a Scam Reference to ‘Quitting Comedy Clubs’ from ‘What Alive People Do’, by Jamie Kilstein I do not support or endorse Jamie Kilstein in any way https://jezebel.com/progressive-performer-jamie-kilstein-ousted-from-citize-1792945836 18:15 – Introvert Tendencies 19:35 – Music Production Background(s) Mentions of George Carlin, Richard Pryor 21:25 – Moving Mention of Notre Dame, Fort Wayne, Indiana, Aurora, Illinois 22:35 – “Do you consider [this] stand-up?” Mentions of Alt Comedy, Libertarians, Brother Nature, Napkins 24:39 – “My comedy is lazy” 25:08 – “I always want to make being thoughtful cool” Discussion of the term “Social Justice Warrior” Mentions of Black Lives Matter, Alt-Right Trolls, Common Sense Gun Laws, Police Reform, Philando Castile, Being Edgy, Labels, KJ Whitehead, Trans Comedians 32:08 – “Getting into your set” 32:35 – Shock Humor vs. “Edgy” Mentions of ‘The Prestige’, Dave Chappelle 34:03 – Why Was Dave Chappelle’s Audience Laughing? Mentions of The Chappelle show, Ashy Larry, ‘8:46’, Netflix, Louie CK 37:28 – Getting into the Set (For Real This Time) Mentions of Patton Oswalt, ‘Parks and Rec’ 38:03 – Breaking the Fourth Wall 39:15 – Reviewing Star Wars Episodes VI through IX Mentions of J.J. Abrams, Rain Johnson, Nostalgia 43:50 – Conceptualizing the Bit Mentions of David Simon, George Floyd, COVID-19, Dated References 45:45 – Racial Bias in Star Wars (and America) Mentions of George Lucas, John Boyega, Plot Twists, Daisy Ridley 49:00 – The Walt Disney Corporation Kowtows to Twitter 49:20 – Murder is Just a Phase 50:10 – The Lion King is a Better Movie, “Anakin is black!” Mention of James Earl Jones 52:46 – “The Sith and Jedi are street gangs” 53:31 – “Leia is sold into slavery, but it doesn’t matter” 54:06 – Darth Vader Keeps Forgetting That He Loves His Son 55:23 – “Han Solo is a fuckboy” Mention of ‘Solo: A Star Wars Story’, Ellis Island 56:53 – “The ‘Dragonball Z’ set is coming” Discussion of which is in Devin’s Outtakes episode 57:26 – Evaluating the Set 58:24 – Social Media, “Everything is @Debonairstatus” 59:00 – Final Words

In these outtakes from the Rodescu Hopkins episode, we divulge many personal tales from the Trigger Warning Open Mic (these stories include Rodescu's first time hosting and a man who tried to sell him a fiefdom in Africa), and we cap it off with the full report of his would-be business dealings with Cards Against Humanity.   Timestamps: 01:20 – My Kyle Parris Impression at Trigger Warning Mention of Marc Levalle 3:00 – Rodescu’s First Time Hosting Trigger Warning Mentions of Jeff Steinberger, Abortion 06:33 – One More Trigger Warning Story Mentions of Sonal Aggarwal, Kendrick Lamar, ‘To Pimp A Butterfly’, ‘Barney & Friends’ 08:54 – “That guy tried to convince me to be a dictator once” 11:06 – “That guy caught me up in a Nike store” 11:45 – “All those reps don’t matter when 400 pounds of dude grabs you by the shoulder” Mentions of Josh Johnson, The Attic, Ed Towns, New York 13:01 – The Trigger Warning Documentary Series [In Progress] 15:25 – The Cards Against Humanity Story Mentions of Adrienne Brandyburg, ‘Dude That’s Not What I Meant’ Podcast

Rodescu Hopkins engages in a socially-distanced interview about his set at We Still Like You in the before times of July 2019. his stories include peeing in a crowded car during Wrestlemania, getting caught stealing from Whole Foods, and discovering his dead father's porn collection. Rodescu runs The Trigger Warning Open Mic with his co-host Ed Towns, which has been described as "Stand-Up Boot Camp," and is currently studying film full-time.   Time Stamps:   01:00 – Set from ‘We Still Like You’ 11:55 – “When did you realize comedy was a thing you could do?” Mention of Kim Wayans, ‘The Hero’s Journey’ 15:20 – “I was definitely ready to run” 15:58 – My first time performing stand-up [Jeremy Arroyo] Mentions of No Shame Theater, Steven Wright 17:30 – Starting out in Cleveland Mention of Bela Dubby  19:30 – Trigger Warning Open Mic, or “boot camp for comedians” 22:36 – The Drop “Cave,” Explained 24:45 – “A corporate party showed up” Mentions of The Hollywood Grill, Marc Levalle 27:05 – Trying to Move to New York 28:25 – Moving to Chicago Addison, Wrigley, Bob King, Mike Robinson, Schuba’s, Justin Golak, Jeff Steinberger, Cole’s Bar, Ed Towns 31:02 – Ed Towns: Teddy Bear, “We’re trying to crush souls” 33:10 – Getting into the Set 34:33 – “Problematic” 36:00 – “Now that we’re going steady, I think I’m ready for you to see my act” 37:40 – “You can’t fight the wave” Mentions of Seinfeld, ‘The Dark Knight’, Gotham City 39:40 – Cards Against Humanity Mentions of Sexual Harassment, Gaslighting, General Douchebaggery https://www.vox.com/2020/6/26/21301488/cards-against-humanity-allegations-ironic-humor-racism https://www.polygon.com/2020/6/23/21300435/cards-against-humanity-max-temkin-report https://www.businessinsider.com/cards-against-humanity-ceo-max-temkin-resigns-racism-sexism-allegations-2020-6 41:15 – Peeing in a White Girl’s Car Mentions of Miami, Wrestlemania, South Beach, The Clevelander Bar, Bud Light, Ashy Larry, Strip Clubs, The N-Word, Power Moves, ‘Insecure’, Issa Rae 49:33 – Stealing from Whole Foods Mentions of Dragon Fruit, Alpha Brain, Joe Rogan, Amazon, Walter White, Breaking Bad, Heisenberg 52:45 – “Is that sense of shame powerful?” 55:35 – Part I. Finding Your Dead Father’s Porn Collection 58:15 – Part II. Your Dead Father Was A Sugar Daddy 1:02:33 – Part III. Your Dead Father Was A Pillar of the Community Mentions of Alcoholics Anonymous, Samantha Berkman 1:06:00 – Reviewing the Set 1:09:47 – Current Projects and Final Words Rovaughn Hill, Muay Thai Summer, Revenge of the Muay Thai, Trigger Warning Shorts, Brandon Kieffer, Ty Riggs, @triggerwarningcomedy, @ahollywoodjoint, @thehollywoodhopkins, Details, Kobe Bryant, Sonal Aggarwal

Timestamps 02:00 – What have you been doing since the pandemic started? Origami, Yoga, Star Trek, Reading, Weed 02:58 – Sending Packets to Late Night Shows Mentions of SNL 03:41 – Pitching Ideas in the Writer’s Room vs. Performing a Stand-Up Set 04:00 – “If you can pitch, but can’t write, you’re still useful” 06:01 – “A good producer will cut a good joke just because it doesn’t fit in the show” 07:05 – “Conan’s people are smart as shit” Mention of Masturbating Bear, Triumph the Insult Dog 08:48 – “I’ve got a political science degree” Mentions of Ed Towns 09:40 – “[Ed Towns] thinks I’m a hack” 10:39 – “How many pounds ago did you buy it [the speedo]?” Mentions of Miami, Seattle, Cubans 12:25 – “A lot of good music is from Olympia” Mentions of NOFX, Nirvana, Aberdeen, Portland, Oregon 12:55 – A Brief Summary of the Northwest Mentions of Uwajimaya, Kurt Cobain, Heroin 16:36 – Chicago vs. Seattle Restaurants Mentions of Thai, Bhutanese, Japanese, Vietnamese Cuisine Bourgeois Restaurants Mentioned: Alinea, Schwa, Elizabeth Mention of Badass, Enterprising Chef: Iliana Regan 20:43 – The Impromptu Hobo Tasting Menu Sketch Mentions of Chase Bank, Escape Rooms 23:11 – The Origin of the Fez Mentions of Shriners, Turkey 23:51 – “A lot of cool shit doesn’t happen to me” 24:26 – “I don’t like political jokes” 25:22 – From Maz Jobrani to Bill Hicks Mentions of ‘Better Off Ted’, Persians, Russel Peters, ‘Crazy Rich Asians’, Doug Stanhope, Doug Benson, Bill Hicks

Sohrab Forouzesh engages in a socially-distanced performance review on a set from Strip Joker in 2019. He performed this set wearing a speedo, sunglasses, pasties, a fez, and nothing else. Sohrab is a comedian, producer, and writer. You may recognize him from The Love Below comedy show, or his work on Group Therapy and 'Hello, It's Hobert!' Find out more about Sohrab on his website sohrabisbrown.com Time Stamps:   01:00 – Strip Joker Set 16:04 – Early Influences (ugh, including Seinfeld) Mentions of Jerry Seinfeld, The Simpsons, Comedy Central, Mitch Hedberg, Jim Gaffigan, Dane Cook, Carlos Mencia, George Carlin, Richard Pryor, Paula Poundstone, Maria Bamford, Marc Maron, Patton Oswalt 18:51 – Starting Stand-up in College Mentions of Dave Chappelle, The Chappelle Show, Nick Swardson, Michigan, The Michigan State Theater 22:50 – Academic Troubles 33:28 – Quitting Comedy in Chicago (and getting back in) Mentions of Facebook, New York, cliques 26:12 – “When you first move here [Chicago], it’s intimidating” 27:25 – “You’re being defensive because it’s difficult to accept a compliment” 28:53 – “I have to drag myself to mics” Mention of Winslow Dumaine 30:03 – The Science of Stand-Up Mentions of Mitch Hedberg, Steven Wright, Andrew Dice Clay 31:30 – “Your goal should be to do as many mics as possible until you don’t have to do them anymore” 34:35 – “Host your own show. That’s the best advice I was ever given” Mention of ‘The Love Below’ comedy show, Hannibal Burress, Cole’s Bar 36:53 – Getting into the set 36:58 – The Speedo 37:55 – “I wasn’t even born here” 38:12 – The Fez 38:28 – “My mom is the most badass person I know” Mentions of Marxism, Persians, Iraq, Prison Gangs, Unions, Unionizing, Government Oppression 40:26 – “Jared Kush-ner” Mentions of Marijuana, Jared Kushner 41:29 – “White people” and crowdwork Mentions of Zanies, Zookeepers, Trader Joe’s, Word Economy 46:46 – “You’re bad at racism” Mentions of Indiana, The N-Word, Michigan 48: 35 – “Don’t call Amish people ‘Farm Jews’” Mentions of Fundamentalism, Robin Williams, ‘Live on Broadway’ 50:20 – “Amish people are just cute fundamentalists” 50:34 – “If I was a terrorist, I would have screwed everything up on September 8th” 51:57 – The greatest gift you can give a comedian is material 53:29 – [Factual Error: There were no dinosaurs during the Paleolithic Era] 53:45 – Folding the Flag 53:54 – The Pasties Mentions of Strip Joker, Burlesque 54:32 – “I need more fat friends” 55:35 – Reading the Room 56:29 – “No exit strategy” 56:55 – “Wares, silks, and spices” and “Please, my friend, buddy, come on…” Discussion of reclaiming Middle Eastern stereotypes Mentions of Nintendo Switch, Mario, Mexican Twitter, Sombreros, Best Buy, Amazon, Code Switching, 9/11 1:01:30 – Advertisements in Pornography 1:01:43 – Big Dick Pills Mention of ‘Big D”k Pills’ track from the album ‘Shiny Happy Jihad’ by Joe Rogan Joe Rogan promotes alt-right and neo-nazi figureheads, while feigning ignorance of their darker motives. I don’t care if he once hosted Bernie Sanders and Neil DeGrasse Tyson on his show. He consistently gives fascist wing-nuts (Alex Jones, Ben Shapiro, Jordan Peterson, Gavin McInnis, and Stephen Molyneux to name just a few) a platform on the biggest podcast in the world. I do not support, endorse, or respect Joe Rogan’s flawed logic and terrible opinions. And I certainly don’t respect the way he sidesteps any criticism by saying “I’m just a stupid comedian.” [End Footnote/Rant] Mentions of NACA, Insecurity, Punching Down 1:04:20 – “Middle Eastern people can’t lose their temper at airports” 1:04:57 – “I want to hire a white Sherpa” Mentions of the film ‘Sherpa’, Instragram 1:05:58 – “One titty out on an airplane” Mentions of Mardi Gras, Breast Feeding 1:07:24 – The Set Revue Instagram: @Sohrabisbrown, Youtube Channel 1:09:25 – Final Words

Winslow Dumaine reveals the myriad of projects he has undertaken during the pandemic, from organizing, donating, and protesting, to taking another deep dive back into his ever-growing Tarot Restless universe. Winslow is a writer, artist, comedian, and merch wizard. You may recognize him from opening for Kyle Kinane, his Tarot Restless project, or art featured on his website. His new Kickstarter launches soon. Check it out here, when it's available. Time Stamps: 01:07 – Useless advice on getting booked Mentions of Kyle Kinane, ‘Trampoline in a Ditch’ 02:30 – A goth and a metalhead discuss Marilyn Manson’s album ‘We Are Chaos’ Mentions of ‘The Pale Emperor’, ‘Heaven Upside Down’, ‘God’s Gonna Cut You Down’, ‘The Golden Age of Grotesque’, ‘Eat Me, Drink Me’, ‘Antichrist Superstar’, ‘Portrait of an American Family’ 05:40 – “He’s a hair’s breadth away from being actually cancelled” 06:04 – “Is the ‘Trump Effect’ actually the Marilyn Manson Effect?” Mentions of Donald Trump, Richard Nixon, Barry Goldwater, Ronald Regan, Mike Pence, The Nuremberg Trials, Pink Floyd 08:12 – “Mike Pence is irrelevant” Mentions of Kenosha’s Sheriff, Steve Bannon, Darth Vader, World of Warcraft, Nebraska, Incels, Game of Thrones 11:39 – How fascists infiltrate nerd sub-cultures Mentions of My Little Pony, ‘The Road’ 14:04 – “When I was a kid, I was obsessed with the apocalypse” Mentions of ‘The Stand’, ‘Swan Song’, Patton Oswalt 15:03 – A brief history of the Tarot Restless Universe Mentions of India Weston, Alternate Reality Games, ‘Restless’, Tarot decks, Dark Souls, Silent Hill 21:28 – “…And you’re also a comedian” 22:14 – The Lost Summer of Winslow 24:03 – Protesting and other civic duties Mentions of George Floyd, Brave Space Alliance, ‘It Could Happen Here’, ‘Behind The Bastards’, Robert Evans, Black Lives Matter 26:07 – “Not doomsday prepping…” Mention of suicide, Jon Torres, Don’t Tell Comedy 27:33 – Violent Social Justice Fantasies 28:00 – End-times currency 30:38 – Naked Cowboy Summer 32:31 – Awkward, aggressive flirting Mentions of depression, low self-esteem, Incels, Social Justice Warlocks 35:20 – Scrutinizing online receipts and how to apologize Mentions of Twitter, Facebook 37:27 – “We live in a world that demands constant apology and gives no forgiveness” 40:31 – “People see your crimes, but they don’t see you doing the time” 41:13 – How to apologize on Twitter; James Gunn edition Mentions of Twitter, Cancel Culture, Disney, ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’, Louis CK 43:44 – Silly thirst traps Mention of Le Aboav, Instagram 44:49 – I was the fat kid Mentions of Seattle, Miami, 9/11 45:59 – Winslow was the skinny kid Mentions of Anorexia, Self-Loathing 49:04 – “When I started lifting weights, heavy” 49:47 – Working through depression 52:10 – “How has your approach to social media changed?” 53:05 – “Gatorade Should Be Thicker” 53:45 – Mayor of Silent Hill 55:09 – Gatorade Should Be Thicker, explained Mentions of Google, Twitter, Jim Gaffigan, “Who Is John Galt?”, Cole’s Bar, Hannibal Burress, Kyle Kinane, Dave Ross, National Geographic, and old memes: “pee is stored in the balls,” throwing car batteries in the lake 59:49 – Success is not overnight 60:55 – Water bottles labelled “CUM!” Mentions of The Onion, Facebook, C2E2 1:04:19 – “Judge ask me if I regret I name my son Barp…” 1:06:12 – Media Diet Mentions of BLM, don’t read ‘White Fragility’, ‘White Rage’, The Goon Show, The Firesign Theater, Monty Python, John Cleese, ‘So, Anyway’, Peter Sellers, Spike Milligan, The Simpsons, The Beatles, ‘Chernobyl’, Marilyn Manson, Black Metal, ‘Behind The Bastards’, ‘Worst Year Ever, ‘The Dollop’ 1:11:06 – I pitch ‘The Wire’ to Winslow Mentions of ‘Fight Club’, David Simon, HBO, ‘Homicide: Life on the Street’, ‘True Detective’, HP Lovecraft, Silent Hill 1:15:44 – “Where does comedy go from here?” Mentions of John McCombs, ‘Breaking Into Business’, Brooks Wheelan 1:19:05 – My son Barp, Redux 1:20:04 – Final Words

Sabeen Sadiq updates us on her life during the lockdown and takes a stab at the question 'Where Does Comedy Go From Here?' Sabeen is an actress, producer, and stand-up comic. You may recognize her from the series 'Code Switched', her commercial work, or her time on the 'Wallah, She's Funny' comedy tour.   Time Stamps: 01:30 – “I’m a skincare addict” 01:45 – “I didn’t have the funding until the pandemic relief” 02:06 – Dermatologists on Tik Tok 02:23 – “You’re THIRTY?!” 02:36 – ‘Sex and the City’ 02:49 – Online backlash against female creators Mentions of ‘Twilight’, ‘Sex and the City’, and ‘Insecure’ 04:40 – Cancelled schedule due to COVID Couldn’t go on tour, had to stop nannying for money, moved back to parent’s house “am I in heaven?”, going to therapy for some human connection, solo auditions, making family run lines with her Mentions of Stuart Talent and the ‘Wallah, She’s Funny Tour’ 07:39 – The Lottery Commercial 09:08 - The ‘Wallah, She’s Funny’ Tour Mentions of Atheer Yacoub, Zainab Johnson, Yasmin Elhady 10:40 – The gradual COVID performance shutdown Mention of Strip Joker 11:29 – “Um…What’s your job?” Mention of Hope Littwin 12:51 – Corporate gigs on Zoom Mention of Pat Treuer, Treuer Laughs LLC, Ali Sultan 15:32 – Audience members throwing on tags without heckling Mentions of Instagram Live, ‘Buns and Bits’ 17:56 – Socially-distanced live shows Mentions of Zanies, Josh Johnson 20:35 – Trying to find the funny in COVID times 22:01 – Jim Gaffigan’s Twitter Tirade 24:55 – “Everyone’s cracking a little bit, and it’s coming out in weird ways” 25:45 – Self-taping auditions when you live with your parents 26:50 – What is the entertainer’s role right now? How have you been helping? Mentions of the crisis in Yemen, Dr. Sylvia Chan, Harvard University, Islam 29:34 – “You’re doing the work” 31:45 – Internalized Capitalism vs. COVID Lockdown Mentions of FOMO, Anxiety, Zion National Park 38:53 – [This bit was stolen from Rachel Feinstein] 39:26 – Meghana Indurti and the Inadvertent Social Media Cleanse 40:44 – Does social media have any utility? 43:12 – Media Diet Mentions of Jillian Ebanks, Netflix, ‘The West Wing’ 44:10 – “I have gotten into… Anime” Mentions of ‘Your Name’, ‘Howl’s Moving Castle’, Hayao Miyazaki, Shonen, Dragon Ball, ‘Spirited Away’ 46:58 – ‘American Horror Story’ Mentions of ‘The Haunting of Hill House’, ‘Jurassic Park’ 47:27 – Losing hours to relationship coaches on Tik Tok 51:20 – ‘Space Force’ We agree the show needs more weight, higher stakes. Needs to go darker Sabeen loved the monkey in space 54:08 – “I left and I don’t know why” 55:08 – I pitch ‘Watchmen’ to Sabeen 56:12 – Sabeen stans for ‘Baskets’ Mentions of Louie Anderson, Zach Galifianakis, Hulu 59:28 – Maria Bamford’s ‘Weakness is the Brand’ 1:01:57 – “Where does comedy go from here?” Mention of Laugh Factory 1:03:15 – “There was never just one path into comedy” 1:03:55 – “It was so nice meeting you” (our version of “Aloha”)

The first installment of Performance Revue's 'Where Does Comedy Go From Here?' is a conversation/interview/check-in with Jillian Ebanks. Jillian is a comedian, actor, a Bob Curry fellow, a co-producer of B.A.P.S., and a brilliant black woman just trying to survive during a global pandemic in a regressive country. Jillian's waxing video is now on YouTube! Give it a look: https://youtu.be/-_0sikMMaZQ. Time Stamps: 01:20 - Recap of Previous Episode Begins Mention of Drake 01:55 – “I’ve toned down my love of rappers” 02:16 – “I’m trying not to idolize celebrity” Mentions of Lizzo, Beyonce, Megan Thee Stallion 02:52 – “I think celebrity is dangerous” 03:00 – Recapping the “Drake Rant” 04:01 – Recommending ‘Unlocked’ by Denzel Curry and Kenny Beats Mention of Tiana Taylor 05:14 – Harry Potter and the Curse of the TERF Author Mentions of J.K. Rowling 08:03 – Lauryn Hill, ‘Doo Wop (That Thing)’ is a slut-shaming song Mention of ‘Friday Night Lights’ 09:42 – Kanye West is a mental landmine in my randomized playlists Mention of Kim Kardashian 12:20 – “I host weekly support meetings for people who have given up their favorite rapper” Mention of ‘Rami’ 13:58 – The Covid Waxing Video Inspired by waxing her face during a Zoom call. Improvised performance 17:20 – “Covid Chic” 19:43 – Chicago Winters 21:17 – Will all performances be online? Mention of BAPS 23:31 – “I got invited to do a stand-up show in a back yard” 24:38 – “Broadway is closed until January” 25:14 – COVID Begins; the impact on gigs and jobs 27:25 – The governmental response, or lack thereof Mention of Bob Curry Fellowship 30:40 – How has COVID changed your comedy? 32:21 – “I haven’t been able to find anything funny about Corona Virus, itself” 33:13 – Impact of the George Floyd protests 33:45 – “Even white people are protesting now” 34:14 – “I’ve never watched any footage. Ever.” Mentions of Philando Castile, Eric Garner 36:30 – “Being black in America was hard enough” 38:05 – Mention of Colorism 38:30 – Mentions of Trayvon Martin, Sandra Bland 39:25 – “Where does comedy go from here?” 40:48 – “We are living in farce” 41:51 – “I write from a source of insecurity” 43:53 – Sidebar on Marxism 44:43 – Fuck Starbucks 44:57 – Internalized Capitalism 46:37 – “I was up for a promotion and I didn’t want it” 48:26 – “I feel like I wasted this stay-at-home order” Mention of Pro Tools 50:00 – Jillian has a hard time accepting compliments Life During Quarantine 50:34 – Dating during quarantine 51:49 – Intimacy (or lack thereof) during COVID 53:10 – Addressing priorities and FOMO 54:00 – Roommates and companionship 56:30 – The creative process 57:10 – Jillian accepts the compliment 57:40 – Pay people a living wage (unions are good) Jillian talks about working out of a theater in DC 59:28 – “This is the most money I’ve ever had, and it’s because I’m on unemployment. That’s not fun for me” 1:01:28 – “This feels like 2008 all over again” 1:02:10 – My biggest investing win 1:03:30 – How industries and jobs are changing 1:05:06 – “We have no national guidance” 1:05:44 – “I’m not a sharp enough satirist to satirize what’s going on right now” The Banana Republicans sketch 1:06:52 – Political false equivalency, “Why are we appeasing racists?” 1:08:30 – Mitch McConnell can die 1:08:36 – Media Diet 1:09:35 – Jillian Recommends HBO’s ‘Watchmen’ and ‘Gentefied’ 1:09:55 – We review ‘Veep’ Neither of us liked it, but we respect the effort by the talent involved 1:11:31 – Jillian’s criteria for consuming quarantine media 1:12:16 – For the record, ‘Insecure’ is an amazing show 1:12:25 – Jillian recommends ‘Rami’, ‘Snowpiercer’, ‘I May Destroy You’, and ‘Killing Eve’ 1:14:35 – Jillian does not recommend ‘Ozark’ 1:14:45 – I recommend ‘The West Wing’ Stark contrast between the show and the Trump administration 1:15:49 – “It’s hard to watch newer shows right now” 1:16:02 – Jillian enthusiastically recommends ‘Hamilton’ Mention of Daveed Diggs 1:16:48 – We both recommend ‘Blindspotting’, ‘Black Panther’, and ‘Into The Spiderverse’ Mention of Spike Lee’s ‘Da 5 Bloods’ 1:18:10 – We both recommend ‘Always Be My Maybe’ 1:18:53 - Jillian pitches me on ‘The Lovebirds’ 1:20:17 – I pitch Jillian on ‘The Witcher’ Mention of ‘Game of Thrones’ 1:21:30 – No black main character in ‘The Witcher’ (Mimi Ndiweni as Fringilla Vigo notwithstanding) 1:21:54 – “Storse material” 1:22:28 – Jillian recommends the new ‘Charmed’ reboot 1:23:07 – First impressions of ‘Space Force' Something is missing from the show, even though it has a lot of talent involved Show is trying too hard. Too much going on. Mentions of ‘The Office’, Steve Carrell, ‘High Fidelity’, Tawny Newsome, Lisa Kudrow, Zoey Kravitz 1:27:23 – Jillian can’t stop watching ‘Hamilton’ 1:27:56 – I stan for ‘Hedwig and the Angry Inch’ 1:28:20 - Jillian stans for ‘Hamilton’ 1:30:48 – “I love fantasy, I just don’t feel represented in fantasy” Mention of Disney, Avengers, ‘Endgame’ 1:34:29 – Disney corporation constantly changes laws on public domain Factual Error: Ron DeSantis is the Governor of Florida, not Rick Scott. I confused one anthropomorphic sack of turds for another. Mentions of Disney World, Disney Land, Michael Eisner, Rick Scott, Stacy Abrams, Andrew Gillam, Beto O’Rourke, Lori Lightfoot 1:36:40 – Possible futures for media production and live performance Mentions of ‘Euphoria’, Zendaya, John David Washington, Leslie Odom Jr., ‘The Winter Soilder’ 1:39:04 – “All the things we want, we can have. We just don’t want to wait for them” 1:39:40 – Final Thoughts Recommendations for ‘Pose’ and ‘Disclosure’

A short primer for Performance Revue's 3rd season. The first 3 episodes will revolve around the question "Where does comedy go from here?" Featuring Jillian Ebanks, Sabeen Sadiq, and Winslow Dumaine. Episodes 4-6 are socially distanced interviews featuring Sohrab Forouzesh, Rodescu Hopkins, and Devin Middleton. The last 4 episodes were recorded in the Before Times with Jamie Shriner-Biddle, Spencer Blair, Brittani Ferguson, and Amy Sumpter.

The ever-hilarious Marilee discusses Tiffany Haddish, auditioning for 'Empire', creating a fantasy draft for potential husbands, plans for her future wedding, and more!

Season 2 is going out in style with the amazing Marilee! Marilee Pheniece Dale-Williams, colloquially known as Marilee, can take any premise and push it well beyond anyone’s comfort zone. All with an irreverent, biting, anti-patriarchal edge.   View the performance: https://youtu.be/Xu4qeYNew8s   View the performance with commentary:   https://youtu.be/uBqLC44s2a4

Carly talks at length about Kyle Kinane’s comedy, we discuss exploring open mics, talk smack about comedian Tyler Snodgrass, get personal about hair loss, and finish up on bad bosses.

Today, we're featuring the brilliant Carly Ballerini! Carly is a touring comedian who stays extremely active in the Chicago comedy scene. She is a producer of ‘The Gimmie Show’, Space, and the local gem ‘Ladylike’ at café Mustache. Her style of comedy is a deeply-vulnerable storytelling, often reflecting on moments from her childhood. Carly is an excels at guiding an audience, getting them onboard for each premise, and establishing punchlines you didn’t even know were getting set up.   View the performance here: https://youtu.be/pbYGuO0VRYk   View the performance with commentary: https://youtu.be/O8Lwec1MeeI

Whitney Chitwood talks about about the existential crisis that is ‘The Room’, puzzles over a yard glass, and tells a story about Strip Joker that leads into a discussion about proper dildo etiquette.

Today, we’re cracking up with Whitney Chitwood! Her delivery onstage seems quite effortless and off-the-cuff, but much in the vein of influential performers like Robin Williams, many of the punchlines you’ll hear are meticulously crafted. The trick is that each bit is modular, and their placement within any given set can be improvised, while the punchlines remain largely the same. This style of comedy is quite difficult to master, and requires extreme skill in joke crafting. We discuss growing up with musical theater, how to take on a heckler, the worst first open mic story ever told, and more!   Watch the performance: https://youtu.be/_o9cYGGE1JQ   Watch the performance with commentary: https://youtu.be/wvskuK6rtWU

In these outtakes from Megan Brennan's episode, we both discuss our issues with weight and obsession with appearance, Megan reveals some dark moments from her childhood and why escapism became necessary, talks about the most assertive Ohio lesbian she has ever met, and I share an anecdote about the closest I ever came to being poly.

Today, we're diving in with Megan Brennan! It’s often been said that the best comedians, such as Robin Willams, Richard Pryor, or Maria Bamford, maintain a child-like perspective which allows them to tap into lines of logic that are less obvious to normal adults. This playful persona easily lends itself to comedy. Megan takes this concept of play literally, as she applies elements of improv into her personal stories. We discuss growing up with her family, her small army of imaginary friends, coming out as a lesbian to herself in the shower, and more.   Watch the performance: https://youtu.be/Kr_5e6QHCKY   Watch the performance with commentary: https://youtu.be/nbEWwOmPmGM

Outtakes for Skyler Higley’s episode of Performance Revue. The outtakes are where we feature conversational cul de sacs that didn’t quite fit into the main episode, and snippets that were cut for time, all with a decidedly less polished, and more podcast-y tone. In this pile of outtakes, Skyler discuss growing up with social media, evolving, evaluating your sense of humor (i.e. how to retract terrible things posted on Twitter), we weigh in on both sides of Kevin Hart’s recent controversy, the original concept for these outtakes episodes, and more.

  Today we’re diving deep with Skyler Higley! A former Mormon turned comedian, Skyler is now one of the producers for The Young Hustle Show at Laugh Factory Chicago. His humor mixes social awareness with subjective personal introspection, specifically focusing on the odd racism experienced in his own upbringing. In a dawning era of “woke” comedy, Skyler’s approach fits like a glove.   Watch the performance here: https://youtu.be/eqTZPGMqsiU Watch the performance with commentary: https://youtu.be/r9FBJQphNNE

Welcome to the outtakes for Casey Larwood’s episode of Performance Revue. The Outtakes series is where we feature conversational cul-de-sacs and bits cut for time from the original episode, with a less polished, more podcast-y tone.   In this collection of outtakes from the main episode, Casey reveals her initial thoughts about the show, her take on Louie CK, a Facebook trend that took off in the comedy scene, and I dish out a few personal stories as well.

Today we’re cracking the shell of Casey Larwood! Casey is an unapologetic feminist, using her sharp wit to shine a light on women’s issues. Her greatest strength, and best material, comes from a complete, meticulous self-inventory which gives her comedy a fourth-wall breaking edge that few can match.   Watch the performance here: https://youtu.be/uxVHY8erGgk   Watch the performance with commentary: https://youtu.be/ZD6q_wnrX_E

Welcome to the outtakes for Deanna Ortiz’s episode of Performance Revue. The Outtakes series is where we feature conversational cul-de-sacs and bits cut for time from the original episode, with a less polished, more podcast-y tone.   In this collection of outtakes from the main episode, Deanna reveals her final acid trip, the time she unleashed on a heckler, the full "brain noodle" story, and more.

Today we're sitting down with Deanna Ortiz! Deanna started miming Dane Cook in middle school, and now is a cast member on the Lincoln Lodge, which is the longest-running independent comedy showcase in the United States. A lot happened in between those two points, in which Deanna cultivated a casual delivery for her quick-witted, hybrid comedy style. One part observational, one part confessional short stories with tight punchlines.   Watch the performance: https://youtu.be/eoRErpPaBfs   Watch the performance with commentary: https://youtu.be/UI-moLas1aM

Welcome to the outtakes for KJ Whitehead’s episode of Performance Revue. The Outtakes series is where we feature conversational cul-de-sacs and bits cut for time from the original episode, with a less polished, more podcast-y tone.   In this collection of outtakes from the main episode, KJ reveals her coming out story, switching from football to theater in high school, the misappropriation of George Carlin, knowing famous people, and more.

Today, we're sitting down with KJ Whitehead! KJ is a transfeminine comedian, and a person of color, which gives her a viewpoint often not expressed in a stand-up comedy show. Her monthly showcase, ‘Outside Amy Schumer,’ also regularly features comedic voices from Chicago’s LGBTQ community. In this set alone, she explores everyday street harassment, public restrooms, and dealing with the musings of small children, who are customarily taught gender as a simple binary.   View the performance: https://youtu.be/e50p6TgQn44   View the performance with commentary: https://youtu.be/U1MIJsZ2wfI

Welcome to the outtakes for Adam Kwaselow’s episode of Performance Revue. The Outtakes series is where we feature conversational cul-de-sacs and bits cut for time from the original episode, with a less poished, more podcast-y tone.     Being open and honest is a very hard thing to pull off onstage, because once you expose yourself like that, it’s hard to know when to pull it back and get the laugh. I invited Adam on the show because I’m fascinated with the way he balances on that tightrope.   That said, these outtakes are very silly. We dive into subjects like ICP, Bill Mahr, and terrible moves such as “Evil Bong’, ‘The Gingerdead Man’, and ‘Avatar’, but you might be intrigued by with Adam has to say on those subjects…

Today, we dig into the creative process of Adam Kwaselow!   Adam wanted to perform as a stand-up comedian since the age of nine, finding it to be a refuge from tragic family events happening around him. Since then, his comedic voice has evolved many times, resulting in his being surprisingly adept in a wide swath of comedy styles. In this set, which has a specific theme of loss, he seamlessly switches from observational comedy to surrealism, all while peppering in silly juvenile references and misdirection.   Watch the performance here: https://youtu.be/RAV-p-4pplA   Watch the performance with live commentary here: https://youtu.be/WKj2J71j_8c

Welcome to the Outtakes for Sabeen Sadiq’s episode of Performance Revue. This is bonus content, featuring parts of the main interview cut for time, conversational cul-de-sacs, and some behind-the-scenes peeks, with a decidedly more podcast-y tone.   The episode bounces around a lot, kicking off in the middle of a conversation about problematic popular comedians, which quickly drifts into candy. From there, we discuss some of our favorite comedians, such as Jackie Kashian and Sonal Aggarwal, her lack of "bougee", and at the end, I included part of our chat before the interview.

  This week, we're featuring a set and conversation with Sabeen Sadiq! Sabeen is a young, Muslim comedian on the rise in Chicago, continuing the trail blazed by comics like Mona Aburmishan and Azhar Usman, but her biggest influences come from Maria Bamford’s quirky, odd flair, and Jackie Kashian’s delivery.   Watch the performance here: https://youtu.be/zMlUcMMvyhg Watch the performance with commentary here: https://youtu.be/8nqB15iGhaU

Welcome to the Outtakes for Winslow Dumaine’s episode of Performance Revue. This is bonus content, featuring parts of the main interview cut for time and some behind-the-scenes peeks, with a decidedly more podcast-y tone. Here we discuss the stigma of mental illness, Kanye West, and using tarot as a "vehicle for pain."

It's finally time to reveal the creative process of Winslow Dumaine!   Winslow possesses a unique comedic style, dancing between self deprecation and self loathing. He sites influences such as Kyle Kinane and Rory Scovel, while also drawing influence from HP Lovecraft and the Dark Souls universe. This concoction drives his humor to brilliant extremes that I can only compare to musical genres like Death Metal and Noise Music. He is also the creator of The Tarot Restless, which is a tarot card set based in an entirely original universe that deals with themes of trauma, loss, and desolation. Fun stuff.   Watch the performance here: https://youtu.be/A0tQIUq7-qU   Watch the live performance commentary here: https://youtu.be/ieoZrqPjUw8

Welcome to Scott Duff's Outtakes episode on Performance Revue! While the main episodes are polished and cohesive, this is a new segment that is going to have a more informal, podcasty tone, with some behind-the-scenes anecdotes. So, with that in mind: This interview lasted about 2 hours, which meant some topics were cut short for time. Here, we discuss the dynamics of a post-show "comedy hang," the idea of an audience relinquishing power to a comedian, and how to work up a stage persona.  

Today we're talking to comedian, producer, and radio personality, Scott Duff! Scott is the host of ‘Out Chicago’ on WCPT 820, a professional actor, and a producer of ‘The Kiki’, which is an ongoing queer comedy show. Being out and proud, he uses comedy as a vehicle to expose as many audience members as possible to both the joy, and the trials, of embracing gay culture.   Watch the performance here: https://youtu.be/kcFZJsBEsrU   Watch the performance with commentary: https://youtu.be/KNnGe0bStfA

Today we're talking to blogger and New York comic, Lindsay Lucido! Lindsay is a comedian who has successfully turned her lifelong struggles with depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder into a subversive style of stand-up. Her popular blog, ‘I’m Not Ok Cupid’ brilliantly details her adventures, and misadventures, in dating.   Check out Lindsay's blog here: http://www.chicagonow.com/im-not-ok-cupid/   View the performance here: https://youtu.be/d--hqCxGCJg View the performance with commentary here: https://youtu.be/P5wT8HqKC-A  

Welcome to Kristen Toomey's Outtakes episode on Performance Revue! While the main episodes are polished and cohesive, this is a new segment that is going to have a more informal, podcasty tone, with some behind-the-scenes anecdotes. So, with that in mind: Kristen discusses aging, popping back into the Chicago stand-up scene, the risk (and joy) of telling jokes in the moment, and the time she almost quit comedy altogether! Very little small talk here.

Season 2 continues with Kristen Toomey! Kristen is a founder of the local landmark show Hoo HA comedy, and recently came off of a tour with Chris Redd. She is a rising star who has been influencing and supporting local female and female-identifying comedians for years. Her frank style, charming onstage presence, and impossibly quick wit have won her many fans over the years.     Check out video of the performance here: https://youtu.be/ZtBqEvcvgkE Check out the live commentary video here: https://youtu.be/J2Rpheb4jQk

Welcome to the first Outtakes episode of Performance Revue! While the main episodes are polished and cohesive, this is a new segment that is going to have a more informal, podcasty tone, with some behind-the-scenes anecdotes. So, with that in mind:   These clips are parts of our 2-hour-plus conversation that hit the cutting room floor. Mostly long versions of shortened answers and some conversational cul-de-sacs. We get into the gradual evolution of his Freakshow and Tell show, and a wide variety of Thom’s influences such as Nicola Tesla, Penn & Teller, Spaulding Grey, the Grand Ol’ Oprey, and regional comedians like Hamburger, Killer Beaz, Earthquake, and Larry The Cable Guy.

We're kicking off Season 2 with Thom Britton! Thom is a veteran performer, juggler, science nerd, and fire-eater. He is also an old-school carnival performer who is featured in theaters all over the country with his two current shows ‘Freakshow and Tell’ and ‘The Séance’. His tireless work ethic, unusual background, and eclectic collection of passions translate to the stage as a truly novel, and subversive experience. Watch the live performance here: https://youtu.be/s6fnVKFULEU Watch our livestream commentary video here: https://youtu.be/tXXksv-pbKI  

It's the Season 1 review of Performance Revue! Today, we are flipping the script on the show’s established format. My writing partner of 4 years, Huck Poe, listened to the entire first season, all 15 episodes, in a one week period. I then invited him on the show to review it using my own outline of questions. His first response was, and I quote, “This wouldn’t be a Robert Littwin production if it weren’t at least slightly masturbatory.” Huck has never been hesitant to call me out for anything, which is something I value in a friendship, and is essential in a creative partner.  

It’s the Season 1 finale! Today we are talking to Collin Bullock, Ariana Freeman, Ryan Croft, and Dan Muller. These four comedians, plus drummer Will Gingrich, make up Chicago comedy band Titty Citty. Their style ranges from political satire to just plain silliness, and is mostly presented in a simple punk/pop aesthetic. This interview highlights a first on the show: displaying group dynamics in the creative process (even if it is rather silly). View the performance here: https://youtu.be/3sYvrweobwc View the performance with commentary here: https://youtu.be/O4xVjaMkRUQ

It's the penultimate episode of the season!   Today we are taking a spiritual journey through a multilingual stand-up comedy set with Sonal Aggarwal. Sonal is a world traveler, a polyglot, a fire dancer, a healer, and one of the funniest people I have ever met.   She is a producer on the long-running show ‘Congrats on Your Success’, which was featured in the Netflix show ‘Easy’, and just wrapped a run of her one-woman show ‘The Alchemy of Bliss’ at Steppenwolf theater.   She regularly features at venues such as Second City, The Hideout, and The Annoyance, as well as Las Locas, where this hosting set is was recorded.   Watch the performance here:   https://youtu.be/Cl7coc0cPrE   Watch the performance with commentary here:   https://youtu.be/8fniQAqctzw

It's the penultimate episode of the season! Today we are taking a spiritual journey through a multilingual stand-up comedy set with Sonal Aggarwal. Sonal is a world traveler, a polyglot, a fire dancer, a healer, and one of the funniest people I have ever met. She is a producer on the long-running show ‘Congrats on Your Success’, which was featured in the Netflix show ‘Easy’, and just wrapped a run of her one-woman show ‘The Alchemy of Bliss’ at Steppenwolf theater. She regularly features at venues such as Second City, The Hideout, and The Annoyance, as well as Las Locas, where this hosting set is was recorded. This is a 2-part episode.   Watch the performance here:   https://youtu.be/Cl7coc0cPrE   Watch the performance with commentary here:   https://youtu.be/8fniQAqctzw