#improv olympic

[improvturd]

The Harold: A Visual Breakdown

[beginningspod]

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It's time for Beginnings, the podcast where writer and performer Andy Beckerman talks to the comedians, writers, filmmakers and musicians he admires about their earliest creative experiences and the numerous ways in which a creative life can unfold.

On today's episode I talk to writer and performer Amber Ruffin. Originally from Omaha, Nebraska, Amber began her comedy career studying at iO in Chicago. From there she moved to Amsterdam, where she performed with Boom Chicago all over Europe, eventually ending up at the Second City Mainstage back in the States. In 2014, she became a writer on Late Night with Seth Meyers - the first black, female writer in late night history - and she often performs on the show, most notably in the recurring segment "Jokes Seth Can't Tell".

I'm on Twitter here and you can get the show with:

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[improvturd]

IO & The Harold

[billchott]

Brainne Edge refs – Photo credit Sean Mason

CSz Shield

Tammy Munroe, Bill Chott represent LA – Photo by Brainne Edge

It’s Thanksgiving week, and so I thought it’s a good time to post each weekday about something I’m grateful for. Well, if you follow me on social media you see my posts about my Comedy Sportz shows all the time. So it should come as no surprise that my day one Gratitude post is about Comedy Sportz.

I joined Comedy Sportz in Chicago in 1993…a looooong time ago. I made friends then that are still very much a part of my life now. When I moved to New York to do the Dana Carvey show, I moved my entire life there for a show that only lasted seven weeks on the air. It was an amazing time working with some of my all time comedy idols. If you’d like to learn more about it, you can watch the documentary Too Funny To Fail on Hulu.

When the show ended abruptly, I had nothing to do but improv. Luckily, I had some friends who had just moved to New York to shake up the improv scene. Some of them were my Chicago friends in the Upright Citizen’s Brigade and the others were the New York Comedy Sportz team. I really enjoyed playing with the Upright Citizen’s Brigade, but for me, there is nothing like the adrenaline rush of a Comedy Sportz show.

I had met the New York team a few years ago when the Chicago team competed in an improv match in Montreal at the Just for Laughs festival. They welcomed me like family,  and I played with them almost every week when I lived in New York.

When I moved to LA, I was surrounded by friends from Chicago doing iO (formerly Improv Olympic). I didn’t know many of the players in LA’s Comedy Sportz and so I drifted away from Comedy Sportz. It wasn’t until two years ago that I decided to put on the red and blue uniform and hop back into Comedy Sportz and I haven’t looked back since.

I had an amazing time playing in the World Championship this summer on the LA team, and I have a blast in every practice, show and fun outing with my Comedy Sportz family. The biggest reason that Comedy Sportz is where I’m starting the week of Gratitude posts is because Gratitude is one of our key values.

Our values are: Collaboration, Inspiration, Gratitude, Diversity and Fun. Not many other improv theaters and schools lead with values. I’m thankful to have these shared goals with my CSz brothers and sisters. I’m thankful that I do shows that you can bring your whole family to. I’m thankful that I’m supported in everything I do on that stage.

I’m even performing this Friday in the 8pm show if you’d like to come and see what it’s all about. Visit CSzla.com for tickets.

So there you have it: Day One – I am grateful for Comedy Sportz.

Week of Gratitude – Day One It's Thanksgiving week, and so I thought it's a good time to post each weekday about something I'm grateful for.

[masterchatmag]

A COMEDY LESSON FROM TEACHERS STARS KATIE O'BRIEN & KATY COLLOTON

A COMEDY LESSON FROM TEACHERS STARS KATIE O’BRIEN & KATY COLLOTON

In honor of Teacher Appreciation Day, we wanted to express our gratitude for two of the funniest “teachers” on TV.  Katie O’Brien and Katy Colloton play Ms. Bennigan and Ms. Snap on TV Land’s hit comedy, Teachers—the show they co-star, co-write, and co-created with their comedy group The Katydids. The women have given viewers two glorious seasons of Teachers hilarity with a third on its way.  As…

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[improvturd]

Jazz Freddy

[improvturd]

THE FAMILY

[masterchatmag]

SCOT ARMSTRONG: ROLLING WITH THE PUNCH LINES

SCOT ARMSTRONG: ROLLING WITH THE PUNCH LINES

Everyone finds success in different places.  For Scot Armstrong, it appeared when he teamed up with Todd Phillips for their hit comedy Road Trip.  He paid his dues, was prepared when opportunity knocked, and subsequently has been able to achieve longevity in a business obsessed with the next new thing.  Now, Armstrong is the creator and showrunner of Showtime’s Dice and producing project upon…

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