The Funny Muscle Podcast

Developing bits, Doing the small things, and Dry Bar Specials with "The Dented Can" Dobie Maxwell

Stopping by the Funny Muscle Podcast is “The Dented Can” Dobie Maxwell. He is a comedian, actor, radio personality, comedy instructor, comedy writer and author.  His passion for comedy and mentoring is quickly apparent.  We chat about how he earned his set on the Late Late Show, his comedy lens, joke development, his recent Dry Bar Special, and doing the small things---outside the jokes----that can help your career as a comic.  Dobie also gives us some lessons on comedy from an unexpected source: pro wrestling.

Chatting with the "Bad" Boy of Comedy: Tom Clark

The "Bad" Boy of Comedy from Wisconsin Tom Clark joins the Funny Muscle Podcast to talk about:
    * What’s it like to do a set on Conan
    *Tips of doing clean comedy (especially in Utah)
    *How he added vulnerability to his comedy persona
    *Advice he learned from doing New Faces in the Montreal Comedy Festival
Tom has appeared on Conan, Netflix, Comedy Central, HBO, NBC, ABC, FOX, and CBS. He starred in two comedy specials in the same year, "Outraged" on Amazon Prime & "I'm a Rescue" on Dry Bar Comedy.   Tom (@TomClarkComedy) helps Mike (@mlukas1111) and Chris (@econ_comic) analyze play-by-play parts of his comedy specials. The clips are interspersed into the podcast.

What a Weak Premise Lacks

A comedian starts a joke by making an interesting assertion. The audience wonders, “How will they ever prove that to us with their unique take?" Mike and Chris talk about the tactics to make that happen as they break down some pro comic bits and teach how to write jokes with "premise intrigue." Like play-by-play sports analysts, they also freeze frame and diagram comic material (Louis C.K, Bill Burr, Tom Papa) by pointing out the humor blueprint elements and heightening devices those pros used to get their laughs.

In the Writers Room at Key and Peele: Chatting with Rich Talarico

I spill my drink, and my friend says, “Ya done messed up Ay-Ay-Ron!”  My friend is quoting the viral Key and Peele sketch: The Substitute Teacher. In this episode of the Funny Muscle Podcast, we got to chat with the writer who came up with that sketch: Rich Talarico. He’s a Peabody Award-winning writer/producer with four Emmy and four WGA Award nominations, as well as an improviser, comedy teacher and stand-up comedian. We get to learn about sketch writing, the importance of writing for a specific comedy persona, what it’s like to be in the writing room on SNL and Key and Peele. He’s written for Jay Leno and has a great Carson impression. He’s also in one of the most memorable root beer commercials. 

How to Get Booked as a New Comedian

In an effort to show how a comedian's brain instantly "blows up" a situation to notice the funny, Chris and Mike practice some improv drills at the beginning of the episode. This might send you Googling, "What are Tiddleywinks?" Then Mike tells some stories from the beginning of his comedy career to teach the tips and tactics on how a new comedian can get their first booking. 

Advice from Two Veteran Comedians: Part 2 with Adam Bloom

In part 2 of the conversation with Adam Bloom (@adambloomcomedy) we get deeper into the pedagogical side of comedy and go deeper into Adam’s book: Finding Your Comic Genius: An in-depth guide to the art of stand-up comedy.” Mike (@mlukas1111) and Chris (@econ_comic) also learn about Adam’s thoughts on comedy in the US compared to the UK, how rap and rhythm impacts comedy, and writing exercises new comedians can use to generate more material.

Finding Your Comic Genius with Adam Bloom

Mike (@mlukas1111) and Chris (@econ_comic) chat with British comedian, writer, and author of “Finding Your Comic Genius: An in-depth guide to the art of stand-up comedy” Adam Bloom.  In part 1 of the conversation with Adam (@adambloomcomedy), we chat about the self-publishing process, Adam’s first gig, and how his comedy persona has evolved since that first gig. We also hear about Adam’s process on generating new material and adding “toppers.” In the same way a veteran comic’s brain works out new material out loud, you can see Adam’s brain in action, as we chat, working out the perfect wording on advice for new comedians. His book is filled with this great advice.

Handling Hecklers: "Buff your head for a nickel!"

“Buff your head for a nickel!” might not be a heckle you’re likely to get, but it is for Mike Lukas.  And he knows how to handle it masterfully. We hear all about that funny anecdote in this episode of the Funny Muscle Podcast.  Mike (@mlukas1111) arms Chris’s comedy tool belt with tools and tactics to deal with hecklers. And the lessons aren’t just for comics. These crowd-shepherding skills work in all types of situations (work presentations, weddings speeches, parole board hearings).  If you’re enjoying the material and learning from it, consider writing us a review! 

Things I Learned in the First Year of Comedy I Didn't Know at the Start

Fact checking comedy is often a fool's errand. (Well sir, I checked, and the phrase "a bushy bushy blonde hairdo, surfin' USA" does not in fact appear in the Declaration of Independence.) But sometimes it's needed. Like now. Chris (@econ_comic) and Mike (@mlukas1111) workshop a premise at the end of the episode about the famous Everest-climbing quote "because it's there," which Mike mistakenly attributed to Davy Crockett. (Kidding). We thought it was Edmund Hillary, when in fact it was George Mallory who said it. In this episode, as one of Mike's pupils, Chris reflects on what he's learned in his first year doing comedy. You can find the article at Funnymuscle.com.

Warming Up a Cold Crowd

Forty years ago, the emcee of a comedy show would likely have been the most experienced comedian, who didn’t need any help capturing an audience.  Today’s model, however, has a newer comic playing that role. So being skilled at warming up a cold crowd is an important skill for a new comic.  Mike walks us through some tactics on how to get an audience’s attention before springing jokes on them.  The best advice might be to think of warming up a crowd like foreplay.