The Funny Muscle Podcast

Mike's first set in 10 years and Book 3 Flexing Your Funny Muscle

On the same week that Mike released the third book in the Funny Muscle series, he did something he hasn’t done in 10 years: he strolled on stage and performed a 5-minute set.
We talk all about it in this episode. 
We also dust off the Humor Blueprint to diagram a few pro comics’ bits to give the listener practice identifying joke structure, humor heightening devices, and misdirection. 
And we debut our Humor Blueprint jingle.
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Booking Talent with Dan Carlson

Comedian, Director of the Chicago Comedy Festival, and former General Manager of Zanies Comedy Club in Rosemont, Dan Carlson, stops by the Funny Muscle Podcast.
Dan teaches us how to capture a booker’s attention in the first minute of a set, how the finances between the comic and club work, and when to know if you are ready to jump from opener to middle to headliner.
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An Academic Look at Why Things are Funny: Benign Violation Theory with Dr. Caleb Warren

Dr. Caleb Warren joins the podcast to give Mike and Chris an academic and research-based look at why things are funny using a framework known as the “Benign Violation Theory.”
Dr. Warren is a professor in the Marketing Department at the University of Arizona and one of the authors of a paper called “Benign violations: Making immoral behavior funny.”
His particular areas of research focus on what makes things funny, what makes things cool, and what helps people reach their goals.
We put his humor theory to the test chatting about tinkling, roasts, and comedy crowds. 
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The Comic and Booker's Advice with Steph Clark

We chat with comedian Steph Clark who is also the owner of Funny Girl Events.
So, we get advice from a comic's perspective as well as a booker.
We learn some dos and don'ts of impressing a comedy booker, what it's like to be married to a comedian, and regional differences in comedy as Steph performs frequently in the LA area and the Midwest.
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Restarting Stand-up; Copywriting and Comedy with Kevin Rogers

New comics will appreciate the advice from touring comedian Kevin Rogers, who took 12 years off to build a family and business, who then had to turn his comedy creation machine back on to create 20 minutes of new material in a new generation with a whole new comedy lens.
Kevin Rogers is a comedian, business guru, and author who helps businesses write the words that hook customers and boost sales.
Kevin steps into Funny Muscle world to teach us how the skills of stand-up comedy augment the art of copywriting and vice versa.
We also break down his new material and how he crafted it---the clips are interspersed throughout the interview. 
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Improv in Acting with Dan Bakkedahl (aka Congressman Roger Furlong)

Actor and improvisational comedian Dan Bakkedahl stops by the podcast to chat about acting, improv, auditioning for roles, starting out in Chicago, and heightening comedy scenes.
Dan is known for his role on the sitcom Life in Pieces, as Congressman Roger Furlong on the series VEEP, and as Steven Nugent in the series Legit. 
He also worked as a correspondent on three seasons of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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. 
*** If you enjoy the podcast, be sure to give us a share, like, and follow! Thanks :)