Behind The Bits with Scott Curtis

Scott Curtis

Every week, Scott Curtis talks serious with comedians about their craft. Were they inspired by Dave Chappelle or George Carlin, Paula Poundstone or Iliza Shlesinger? How do they write their comedy sets? Which jokes work and which one's failed? How do you find your comedic voice? Which comedy clubs are the best? We hit these topics and more every week so that you and I can learn from the professional comedians who have blazed the trail for us.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Our Editor's Take

How do comedians come up with their best jokes? That's the simple concept of the Behind The Bits with Scott Curtis podcast. It is a respectful look at top comedians, their inspirations, and how they work.

Scott Curtis started his standup career late—decades late. He did his first standup set at age 50. (Curtis calls himself a "late bloomer.") He also made podcasts as a hobby. With the Behind The Bits with Scott Curtis podcast, he combines his interviewing skills with his interest in comedy. The host also hopes to learn from the best to become better at standup comedy.

The Behind the Bits with Scott Curtis podcast title is about the guests' comedy bits. But the show talks about more than the jokes. Curtis started the show on a high note in 2020. Tom Dreesen, known as "the man who made Frank Sinatra laugh," was his first guest.

Curtis conducts hour-long interviews in the podcast. He asks his guests about their lives, their influences, and how they got interested in comedy. The comedians can be funny or serious, or both at the same time. They'll tell funny stories about their first shows or their worst moments.

One example of laughing to keep from crying was when Curtis interviewed Rita Rudner. Curtis asks probing but respectful questions. The comedian talks about her terrible childhood, with her mother dying young. Rudner's father, who she describes as "lazy," remarried, and the new wife didn't want her around. So Rudner had to leave home at age 15. Yet she was able to build a great life and find both fame and happiness. Rudner tells Curtis about getting comedy advice from Jerry Seinfeld. The comedy legend said he treated writing jokes as a job and sat down two hours daily to do so.

Other standup comedy guests on the podcast include James Inman and Zack Lyman. Comedy writer Stephen Winer, who wrote for National Lampoon and Late Night with David Letterman, tells his own comedy stories. Aspiring comedians, as well as listeners looking for a laugh, may enjoy this podcast.

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Episodes

Episode 145: Cody Webb
Apr 4 2023
Episode 145: Cody Webb
Cody Webb is a Portland-based standup comedian and content creator with 178,000 followers and 8 million likes on his TikTok channel. In the conversation, Cody discussed how he started taking stand up more seriously after he graduated and then COVID hit, inspiring him to look for a way to entertain himself through content creation. He explained that there is a difference between his stand up comedy and his TikTok content, as stand up generally has more time to develop a joke, whereas with TikTok, you have to grab the attention of viewers immediately and keep that energy.Cody is doing a great job in keeping creative and using his TikTok fame to build a stand-up comedy following. Our “Is This Anything” session was a great joke writing session. I think I liked Cody’s a little more than mine but we both decided our jokes were worth a try on stage. Check out Cody’s Socials Here:https://www.tiktok.com/@thefakecodywebbhttps://www.instagram.com/therealcodywebb/?hl=enhttps://www.tiktok.com/@therealcodywebb?lang=enI’m putting out exclusive content on the Behind the Bits YouTube channel. It will also be the only place you can watch my interview live. Subscribe and click the bell so you see the new stuff when it comes out!https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNUjeIoKbJ38GvUx-pM_rmQHere’s my latest blog “Easy Passive Income For Comedians & Other People Who Need Money”https://www.thebtbpc.com/blog/easy-passive-income-for-comedians-other-people-who-need-money/If you'd like to support the show and get some cool perks, check out our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/btbpc Look for new stuff for Patrons soon! Head over to the Behind the Bits website for extra content:https://www.thebtbpc.com/Get on our mailing list for news about future guests and more great content:https://www.thebtbpc.com/p/mailing-list/      Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 144: Ben Webb
Mar 21 2023
Episode 144: Ben Webb
Ben Webb is a triple threat; performing stand-up comedy, acting, & improv. His mission of spreading Joy On Purpose is a reflection of his desire to make everyone he encounters feel loved and valuable. He spreads his Joy On Purpose through his in-person performances as well as the short videos he shares on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, & Facebook. Ben stays true to his faith and yet sends a message we can all relate to in his social media presence.Ben & I Talked About:-     Putting the high & low times of life on social media -     Creating content for the masses in order to reach the few who will be moved by the message-     Consistency builds audience over timeCheck out Ben’s Social Medi here:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZhcHjqQ_jr-GDCtXBmTEzAhttps://www.instagram.com/benwebb_joyonpurpose/?hl=enhttps://www.tiktok.com/@joyonpurposecomedyI’m putting out exclusive content on the Behind the Bits YouTube channel. It will also be the only place you can watch my interview live. Subscribe and click the bell so you see the new stuff when it comes out!https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNUjeIoKbJ38GvUx-pM_rmQHere’s my latest blog “Easy Passive Income For Comedians & Other People Who Need Money”https://www.thebtbpc.com/blog/easy-passive-income-for-comedians-other-people-who-need-money/If you'd like to support the show and get some cool perks, check out our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/btbpc Look for new stuff for Patrons soon! Head over to the Behind the Bits website for extra content:https://www.thebtbpc.com/Get on our mailing list for news about future guests and more great content:https://www.thebtbpc.com/p/mailing-list/   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 143: Matt Ruby
Mar 7 2023
Episode 143: Matt Ruby
Matt Ruby is a comedian, writer, and filmmaker from New York City. His comedy has been filmed by Comedy Central, MTV, NBC/Seeso, and FOX. He hosts the podcast Kind of a Lot with Matt Ruby. In his latest special, Substance, he performs 4 sets on 4 nights, 1 high, 1 drunk, 1 sober, and 1 on shrooms. His previous special, Feels Like Matt Ruby (“funny" according to the NY Times) is also available on YouTube. His two albums, Feels Like Matt Ruby and Hot Flashes, are in regular rotation on Sirius and went top 10 on the iTunes Comedy charts. He's also been featured on CNN, The Huffington Post, New York magazine, Time Out, and many more. Misguided Meditation is his one-man show about mindfulness, psychedelics, therapy, and death. He's a regular at the legendary Comedy Cellar and co-produces Hot Soup there (Tuesdays), one of NYC’s longest running independently produced comedy shows, and Good Eggs (Wednesdays) at NY Comedy Club. He’s also a writer-for-hire, co-author of the NY Times bestseller REWORK, and former frontman of the indie rock band Plastics Hi-Fi. Matt & I Talked About:-     His newsletter called “Rubesletter” available on Substack-     The idea behind his special “Substance” available on YouTube-     Overthinking your set vs being in the moment-     How he was drawn to stand-up comedy after moving to New YorkCheck out Matt’s website here:https://www.mattrubycomedy.com/Check Matt’s great special “Substance” Here:https://youtu.be/2Ak5CQSVVvIHere’s my latest blog “Easy Passive Income For Comedians & Other People Who Need Money”https://www.thebtbpc.com/blog/easy-passive-income-for-comedians-other-people-who-need-money/If you'd like to support the show and get some cool perks, check out our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/btbpc Look for new stuff for Patrons soon! Head over to the Behind the Bits website for extra content:https://www.thebtbpc.com/Get on our mailing list for news about future guests and more great content:https://www.thebtbpc.com/p/mailing-list/      Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 140: Nathan Macintosh
Feb 7 2023
Episode 140: Nathan Macintosh
Energetic, loud, and always funny, Nathan Macintosh is a comedian and writer living in New York. Most recently writing and filming the second season of ‘Trapped’ on Bell, Nathan has also been seen on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on NBC, The Late Show With Stephen Colbert on CBS, Conan on TBS, his own half hour special shown on The Comedy Network/CTV, and multiple Just For Laughs Galas.His debut album I Wasn't Talking was featured in Ex!aim Magazine's ‘Top Ten Hilariously Good Comedy Moments’ and his second, ‘To The Point’, was highly reviewed as well. He can be heard regularly on Sirius Satellite Radio and CBC's radios 'The Debaters'. ‘Macintosh’s stage presence is explosive…’ - Exc!aim"Brilliant Stand Up Comedy" - Glenn Sumi, NOW TorontoNathan & I talked about:-     Being compelled to be a comedian-     Writing on stage vs memorizing bits-     How Nathan released his special “Money Never Wakes” direct to YouTube-     The importance of networking for comedians Join over 40K people in watching Nathan’s special “Money Never Wakes” here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQd7kHYiNsQ&t=40sCheck out Nathan’s Website Here:http://nathanmacintosh.com/Here’s my latest blog “Easy Passive Income For Comedians & Other People Who Need Money”https://www.thebtbpc.com/blog/easy-passive-income-for-comedians-other-people-who-need-money/If you'd like to support the show and get some cool perks, check out our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/btbpc Look for new stuff for Patrons soon! Head over to the Behind the Bits website for extra content:https://www.thebtbpc.com/Get on our mailing list for news about future guests and more great content:https://www.thebtbpc.com/p/mailing-list/      Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 139: Niko Lukoff
Jan 31 2023
Episode 139: Niko Lukoff
Niko Lukoff recently appeared on tour with Bill Burr thanks to a Twitter conversation, a testament to his phrase it doesn't hurt to ask. Nico created the Facebook group Displaced Comedians during the pandemic when comedy clubs were shut down, and it quickly became a hub for over 10,000 comedians to get booked on online shows. Scott was an early adopter of the group, but he didn't interact much. Nico explains that the group not only provided a platform for comedians to connect, but it created connections and friendships that still stand today. Nico believes that taking time to relax and enjoy things like the Eventbrite show with Judah Friedlander is the perfect Sunday afternoon activity. Niko had just started doing stand up comedy seven months before the pandemic hit, having done around 30 live open mics while traveling for their job in sales. He had never done comedy in his home comedy scene in Idaho, so the pandemic provided the perfect opportunity to pursue it. Niko noticed that one of the comedians they had met, Carol Freeman, was doing a Zoom open mic, so they decided to check it out. Niko was then introduced to Rachel Rothenberg, a great comic from Salt Lake City, who was doing a Zoom open mic with 25-30 comics. Niko talked about how they first got into virtual comedy, which was by watching other people do sets in their living rooms and cars. After seeing Carol do her set, Niko decided to figure out how to do a set of their own, despite not having the proper equipment. They used their laptop's camera and picked an angle of their garage to show to the viewers. Niko then joined various Facebook groups for various comedy scenes and did sets in different cities such as Portland and Seattle. They figured out how to utilize virtual comedy while they were in the midst of the pandemic, which was an unknown at the time. The conversation focuses on how Niko created an online platform to organize open mics during the pandemic. He noticed that many people were doing Zoom open mics, but there was no central hub for information about them. He created a Facebook group and a Google Sheets list to provide this information, including the time, location, hosts, and sign up process. He also wanted the group to be a community, so he invited anyone interested to join. This platform has been a valuable resource for comedians and fans of comedy alike in the absence of live shows.Follow Niko &  see where he is performing here:https://linktr.ee/LaughYourLukoffHere’s my latest blog “Easy Passive Income For Comedians & Other People Who Need Money”https://www.thebtbpc.com/blog/easy-passive-income-for-comedians-other-people-who-need-money/If you'd like to support the show and get some cool perks, check out our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/btbpc Look for new stuff for Patrons soon! Head over to the Behind the Bits website for extra content:https://www.thebtbpc.com/Get on our mailing list for news about future guests and more great content:https://www.thebtbpc.com/p/mailing-list/      Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 137: Matthew Tate
Jan 17 2023
Episode 137: Matthew Tate
St. Louis-born and Huntsville, AL-raised, Matthew Tate is a veteran of the lauded HSV Comedy scene and a producer of the long-running Homegrown Comedy and TGIM Comedy showcases. A former improv and musician, Tate found his passion in standup comedy in 2012, and quickly began producing local shows as well as touring on the road. His debut standup comedy album, "I Drink, Therefore I Am", was released in 2016, with a follow-up, "Game Set Trashed", which debuted at #1 on Amazon's Top-Seller list. His EP-length single about dealing with isolation in a global pandemic, titled "The Happiness Illusion", was released later that year, followed by a fourth release, "It Only Hurts When I Exist", in June of 2022. Matthew has performed on the Wild West Comedy Festival, and has been featured in No'Ala Magazine, al.com, and The Montgomery Advertiser, as well as the series "Punching Below the Bible Belt"Matthew & I talked about:-     Creating a comedy scene that creates room for diversity & support for the comedians in the scene -     Creating a new hour of comedy after releasing an album-     Weird thoughts that keep me from wanting to perform-     Passing the torch of hosting shows so that Matthew can be free to travel more -     Establishing Huntsville as a comedy scene vs a destination between scenes Check Out Matthew’s Comedy Albums on Spotify Here:https://open.spotify.com/artist/2ZkYnZ1y3A91JYuZLCIXbu?si=qgjsOwLFTHS7xUPcGrrHrgCheck Out Matthew’s 9-Year Running Showcase Home Grown Comedy Here:https://homegrowncomedyhsv.com/Here’s my latest blog “Easy Passive Income For Comedians & Other People Who Need Money”https://www.thebtbpc.com/blog/easy-passive-income-for-comedians-other-people-who-need-money/If you'd like to support the show and get some cool perks, check out our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/btbpc Look for new stuff for Patrons soon! Head over to the Behind the Bits website for extra content:https://www.thebtbpc.com/Get on our mailing list for news about future guests and more great content:https://www.thebtbpc.com/p/mailing-list/      Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 136: Mat Alano-Martin
Jan 10 2023
Episode 136: Mat Alano-Martin
Mat Alano-Martin has spent the last 13 years on the road telling jokes and sharing stories all across America. He has appeared at comedy clubs, theaters, punk rock dives, redneck roadhouses, casinos, colleges, living rooms and everywhere in between. Alano-Martin’s albums “Profiled as Such,” “Blood Mouth” and “Midnight Nachos” can be heard in regular rotation on Sirius/XM’s comedy channels and he has appeared several times on the nationally syndicated The Bob & Tom Show and once on Laughs on Hulu. His first comedy special “Tango in Philly” will be out later this year. He has worked with such notable acts as Patton Oswalt, Tig Notaro, Maria Bamford and Chris Gethard and has performed at several festivals and prominent showcases across the country and beyond including: – 208 Comedy Festival – Boise, ID– 10,000 Laughs – Minneapolis, MN– Altercation Comedy Festival – Austin, TX– Beast Village Comedy Festival – Des Moines, IA– Bird City Comedy Festival – Phoenix, AZ– The Black Box Comedy Festival – Atlanta, GA– Cleveland Comedy Festival – Cleveland, OH– Cloudtop Comedy Festival – Sante Fe, NM– Comcast’s “Look Who’s Laughing Now” – Indianapolis, IN– Comedians You Should Know – Chicago, IL– The Fest – Gainesville, FL– Finger Lakes Comedy Festival – Ithaca, NY– Fountain City Comedy Festival – Kansas City, MO– Fresh Out – Los Angeles, CA– Gilda’s LaughFest – Grand Rapids, MI– Green Gravel Comedy Festival – Iowa City, IA– High Plains Comedy Festival – Denver, CO– Hong Kong International Comedy Festival – Hong Kong, China– Hopkins Comedy Festival – Hopkins, MN– Hot Tub with Kurt and Kristen – Los Angeles, CA– If You Build It – New York, NY– The Indy Fringe Festival – Indianapolis, IN– Laugh in a Box Festival – Cincinnati, OH– Laughing Devil Comedy Festival – New York City, NY– Laughing Skull Comedy Festival – Atlanta, GA– Let’s Fest – Fort Wayne, IN– Limestone Comedy Festival – Bloomington, IN– Live From Outer Space – New York, NY– Lookout Comedy Festival – Chattanooga, TN– Milwaukee Comedy Festival – Milwaukee, WI– Parlour Car – Chicago, IL– Pittsburgh Comedy Festival – Pittsburgh, PA– Red Clay Comedy Festival – Atlanta, GA– Sacramento Comedy Festival – Sacramento, CA– The World Series of Comedy – Chicago, IL He is also the co-founder of the Limestone Comedy Festival and his jokes have been used for the Frank and Funny greeting card line.Mat & I talked about:-     Handling drunk people while on stage-     Getting to a place in stand-up where you feel authentic on stage-     Making The Limestone Comedy Festival in Bloomington, IN happen-     What it takes to go full-time into stand-up-     The greatness of The Comedy Attic, in Bloomington, INCheck Out Mat’s YouTube Special filmed for Helium Comedy Club here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAHGnXaep4Y&t=21sListen to Mat & Dwight Just Might here:https://matanddwight.podbean.com/Here’s my latest blog “Easy Passive Income For Comedians & Other People Who Need Money”https://www.thebtbpc.com/blog/easy-passive-income-for-comedians-other-people-who-need-money/If you'd like to support the show and get some cool perks, check out our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/btbpc Look for new stuff for Patrons soon! Head over to the Behind the Bits website for extra content:https://www.thebtbpc.com/Get on our mailing list for news about future guests and more great content:https://www.thebtbpc.com/p/mailing-list/      Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 135: Rita Rudner
Dec 27 2022
Episode 135: Rita Rudner
A house-filling favorite in Las Vegas since she opened as one of the hottest tickets in town in June 2000, Rudner is known for her epigrammatic one-liners. Over the course of a multi-year run she sold almost two million tickets, grossed over a hundred million dollars and become the longest-running solo female comedy show in the history of Las Vegas. She was named Las Vegas’s Comedian of The Year nine years in a row and in 2006 received The Nevada Ballet’s Woman Of The Year Award. In October 2017 she was given the Casino Entertainment Legend Award.Rita’s first solo HBO special, Rita Rudner’s One Night Stand, was nominated for several awards, as was her eponymous English BBC television show that later appeared in the USA on A&E. Rudner’s two one-hour specials for HBO, Born to Be Mild and Married Without Children, were ratings standouts and she performed all over the country, filling Carnegie Hall in New York three times. In 2008 Rita Rudner: Live From Las Vegas was PBS’s first ever stand-up comedy special.Rita Rudner has written five books; her bestselling non-fiction titles, Naked Beneath My Clothes, Rita Rudner’s Guide to Men and I Still Have It…I Just Can’t Remember Where I Put It, plus the novels Tickled Pink and Turning the Tables. The audio version of Naked Beneath My Clothes received a Grammy nomination. Her autobiography, My Life in Dog Years is available on Rita’s website and on Amazon. Rudner is a frequent collaborator with her writer/producer husband of thirty years, Martin Bergman. The couple’s first produced film script was Peter’s Friends. The film, starring Emma Thompson, Hugh Laurie, Kenneth Branagh, Imelda Staunton, Stephen Fry, and Rita, won the Evening Standard Peter Sellers Award for Best British Film and was nominated for the Goya Award for Best European Film of 1994. The script was nominated for a WGA Best Screenplay Award and Rita won Best Supporting Actress at the American Comedy Awards.The couple’s second film project, a TV movie called A Weekend In The Country, starred Rita, Jack Lemmon, Dudley Moore, Richard Lewis, Christine Lahti, Betty White and Faith Ford.Bergman and Rudner’s last film, Thanks, premiered at the 2011 Palm Springs International Film Festival, won several awards on the film festival circuit and was bought by and frequently aired on Showtime. In 2003, Rudner launched from Las Vegas her first syndicated daily TV show, Ask Rita, which featured a panel of celebrities lightheartedly attempting to solve personal problems submitted by members of the public; it ran for two years. For her work on the show, American Women In Radio and Television awarded Rudner a Gracie Allen Award for Best Program Host. Rita helped write the 2001 and 2003 Oscar shows with Steve Martin and the 2002 Oscar broadcast with Whoopi Goldberg. Rita Rudner moved to New York at the age of fifteen to become a dancer on Broadway. She appeared in several shows, including the original productions of Follies and Mack and Mabel. It was while in Annie on Broadway that she began exploring the comedy clubs of Manhattan. In the early ‘80s, Rudner took a full-time leap from chorus lines to punch lines and was soon a regular guest on both Late Night With David Letterman and The Tonight Show. In 2009, Rita, Bette Midler and Sheryl Crow joined forces to perform a fundraiser for President Obama and the Democratic leader of the Senate, Harry Reid.In 2012, Rita and Martin wrote and performed The Rita Rudner Show for BBC radio in London. Rita also appeared in the Showtime comedy special Rita Rudner and Three Potential Ex-Husbands.In June 2016 Rita was invited and honored to speak about her career and technique in comedy at Cambridge University, England. In 2017 she was invited by Oprah Winfrey to appear on a cruise to Alaska that Oprah did in partnership with Holland America.In 2018, Rita’s tenth TV special was released – A Tale Of Two Dresses. The special also featured Rita and Martin’s singer/songwriter daughter Molly Bergman.Check Out rita’s Website here:https://www.ritarudner.com/Here’s my latest blog “Easy Passive Income For Comedians & Other People Who Need Money”https://www.thebtbpc.com/blog/easy-passive-income-for-comedians-other-people-who-need-money/If you'd like to support the show and get some cool perks, check out our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/btbpc Look for new stuff for Patrons soon! Head over to the Behind the Bits website for extra content:https://www.thebtbpc.com/Get on our mailing list for news about future guests and more great content:https://www.thebtbpc.com/p/mailing-list/      Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 134: Ginny Hogan
Dec 20 2022
Episode 134: Ginny Hogan
Ginny Hogan is an NYC-based writer and stand up comic. She's a contributor for The New Yorker, The Atlantic, The Cut, The New York Times, Cosmopolitan, The Observer, McSweeney's, and Vulture, and she's written sketches for Comedy Central . Forbes profiled her as a rising satire star, and she was on Paste's list of top humorists. She now touring with her one-woman stand-up show, I Finished My 20s and All I Got Was This Stupid Sobriety.In 2022, Chronicle Books published Ginny's second humor collection I'M MORE DATEABLE THAN A PLATE OF REFRIED BEANS. Excerpts have been featured in the New Yorker, Bustle, and the Cut, and it was named a top Vulture humor book of 2022.In 2021, Ginny wrote YES WE MUSTARD, an Audible Original scripted comedy about a corrupt condiments tech startup. It was selected for their Best of 2021 list, and was rated their #1 comedy in 2021.Ginny & I talked about:·       Her start in stand-up comedy and how it started her satire writing·       How she got published in high profile publications like The Atlantic and The New Yorker·       The state of TwitterCheck Out Ginny’s Website here:http://www.ginnyhogancomedy.com/Get a “I’m More Dateable Than a Plate of Refried Beans” Here:https://www.amazon.com/More-Dateable-Plate-Refried-Beans-ebook/dp/B09XP5Y7RN/ref=sr_1_1?crid=32PXJJRZECXZH&keywords=ginny+hogan&qid=1671487832&sprefix=ginny+hogan%2Caps%2C117&sr=8-1Here’s my latest blog “Easy Passive Income For Comedians & Other People Who Need Money”https://www.thebtbpc.com/blog/easy-passive-income-for-comedians-other-people-who-need-money/If you'd like to support the show and get some cool perks, check out our Patreon page:https://www.patreon.com/btbpcLook for new stuff for Patrons soon!Head over to the Behind the Bits website for extra content:https://www.thebtbpc.com/Get on our mailing list for news about future guests and more great content:https://www.thebtbpc.com/p/mailing-list/  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 133: Sam Tallent
Dec 13 2022
Episode 133: Sam Tallent
Known for whip-quick wit and rollicking improvisations, Sam Tallent is one of the sharpest, most original rising talents in comedy today. For the last 10 years, he has performed at least 45 weekends annually across America, Canada and France. Called "the absurd voice of a surreal generation" by the Denver Post, Sam is beloved by fans of contemporary comedy. He was a New Face at the 2019 Just for Laughs Montreal Comedy Festival, he won his battle on Comedy Central's Roast Battle, hosted the Denver episode of VICELAND's Flophouse and appeared on the Chris Gerhard Show to impress a girl. His critically acclaimed debut novel Running the Light - heralded as the “definitive novel about stand up comedy” (Marc Maron, WTF) - was published by Too Big to Fail Press in 2020 and his short fiction has been published on VICE.com and in BIRDY magazine. He lives in Colorado with his wife and his dog. Sam & I talked about:·       Writing “Running the Light” & the response he got from the comedy community·       Performing for a diverse audience and making them all laugh·       Social media·       Doing crowd work without a netCheck Out Sam’s Website here:https://www.samtallent.com/Get a signed copy of “Running the Light” here:https://www.samtallent.com/book/signed-copy-of-running-the-lightHere’s my latest blog “Easy Passive Income For Comedians & Other People Who Need Money”https://www.thebtbpc.com/blog/easy-passive-income-for-comedians-other-people-who-need-money/If you'd like to support the show and get some cool perks, check out our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/btbpc Look for new stuff for Patrons soon! Head over to the Behind the Bits website for extra content:https://www.thebtbpc.com/Get on our mailing list for news about future guests and more great content:https://www.thebtbpc.com/p/mailing-list/      Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 132: Ryan Singer
Dec 6 2022
Episode 132: Ryan Singer
Ryan Singer is a comic’s comic who electrifies mainstream audiences with material that is both uncompromising and unpretentious. Halloween weekend of 2022, his special THE SUPERNATURAL premiered, the 1st comedy special filmed in a haunted school. He’s also been seen on IFC, ScFy and has released 4 full-length comedy albums: FREE LOVE (2018), IMMORTAL FOR NOW (2015), COMEDY WONDER TOWN (2012) and HOW TO GET HIGH WITHOUT DRUGS (2010), 3 of which were chosen as a Top Comedy Album of the Year. He is the creator and host of the popular ME & PARANORMAL YOU, the twice-weekly mindcast (podcast) in which he has in-depth interviews with paranormal investigators, experiencers and members of secret societies. Selected by LA Weekly as one of “10 LA Comics to Watch”, mentioned in NY Magazine as a “Comic to Watch,” was listed in Rolling Stone Magazine as “Comedian Who Should Be Big,” is a frequent guest on the WTF Podcast w/Marc Maron and the Bob & Tom Show, and his joke “United Snacks of America” has nearly 11 million listens on Pandora.Ryan & I talked about:·       His growth in stand-up over his 20-year career·       How he writes·       Skirting around the perceived rules of stand-up comedy·       Changing hearts & minds by poking fun at your own ideologyCheck Out Ryan’s Website here:https://www.ryansingercomedy.com/Check out Ryan’s special “The Supernatural” here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfhwtjer5uY&t=1sHere’s my latest blog “Easy Passive Income For Comedians & Other People Who Need Money”https://www.thebtbpc.com/blog/easy-passive-income-for-comedians-other-people-who-need-money/If you'd like to support the show and get some cool perks, check out our Patreon page:https://www.patreon.com/btbpcLook for new stuff for Patrons soon!Head over to the Behind the Bits website for extra content:https://www.thebtbpc.com/Get on our mailing list for news about future guests and more great content:https://www.thebtbpc.com/p/mailing-list/      Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 131: Nick Leydorf
Nov 29 2022
Episode 131: Nick Leydorf
Nick Leydorf is a fun-loving, Michigan comedian with a quick wit and a third nipple. When he’s not on stage, you can find Nick in his office being a lawyer, paying off his student loans. Described as “funny, adorable, and non-threatening” by one writer, Nick talks about his unrelatable profession in such a relatable way that audiences can’t help but laugh. So far, Nick has performed in festivals around the country including Cleveland Comedy Festival, Crossroads Comedy Festival, Gilda’s LaughFest, the Detroit Comedy Festival, the Savage Henry Comedy Festival, Big Time Garbage Festival, What a Joke Comedy Festival, Stoop Fest and the Elsie Dairy Festival. Okay, the last one was because Whitesnake had to cancel.Nick is also the co-host of the comedy/law podcast “Free Consultation” and just recorded his first album to be released later this year.Nick & I talked about:·       Self-producing his first comedy album ·       Writing from personal experience ·       Using social media for exposure·       Not being afraid to fail Check Out Nick’s Website here:https://comedianat.lawHere’s my latest blog “Easy Passive Income For Comedians & Other People Who Need Money”https://www.thebtbpc.com/blog/easy-passive-income-for-comedians-other-people-who-need-money/If you'd like to support the show and get some cool perks, check out our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/btbpc Look for new stuff for Patrons soon! Head over to the Behind the Bits website for extra content:https://www.thebtbpc.com/Get on our mailing list for news about future guests and more great content:https://www.thebtbpc.com/p/mailing-list/      Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 130: Paul Douglas Moomjean
Nov 8 2022
Episode 130: Paul Douglas Moomjean
Paul Moomjean is a stand up comedian, actor, and writer living in Los Angeles. He has worked for Nickelodeon, Viacom, and been on Laughs on Fox. Before starting stand up, Paul was a teacher and college professor. Curently he resides in the San Fernando Valley, his hometown. Paul recorded a comedy special for VidAngel in 2017 and his album "Guys Like You and Me" was released in 2018. Paul recorded a popular Drybar special that is available on YouTube called “It’s Hard Being Fat in Los Angeles” and has since dropped a lot of the weight he talked about in that special. Paul also teaches comedy classes at Flapper’s Comedy Club in Los Angeles.Paul & I talked about:·       Moving from teaching to comedy·       A 5 minute set vs a 20 minute set vs a 45 minute set and why some jokes fit into only certain length sets·       How teaching makes you a better comedian·       Showing vulnerability on stageCheck Out Paul’s Drybar Special here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TyzwsGnmg00&t=1305sHere’s my latest blog “Easy Passive Income For Comedians & Other People Who Need Money”https://www.thebtbpc.com/blog/easy-passive-income-for-comedians-other-people-who-need-money/If you'd like to support the show and get some cool perks, check out our Patreon page:https://www.patreon.com/btbpcLook for new stuff for Patrons soon!Head over to the Behind the Bits website for extra content:https://www.thebtbpc.com/Get on our mailing list for news about future guests and more great content:https://www.thebtbpc.com/p/mailing-list/      Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 129: Scott Dikkers
Nov 1 2022
Episode 129: Scott Dikkers
Scott Dikkers performs, writes, and animates the new weekly TV show, Scott Dikkers Around, available ad-free wherever you get podcasts.His long career in comedy began with his syndicated comic strip, Jim's Journal, which led to a New York Times bestselling book collection. After that, he founded the world’s first humor website, TheOnion.com. He’s served as The Onion’s owner and editor-in-chief, on and off, for much of the last 30 years.Scott's work has won a Peabody award, the Thurber Prize for American Humor, and dozens of Webby Awards. In addition, he earned the #43 spot on Time magazine’s list of the Top 50 “Cyber Elite” alongside such iconic figures as Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, and George Lucas.Scott shares his humor-writing secrets in the best-selling How to Write Funny book series. The latest addition is How to Write Funny Characters. He mentors comedians and comedy writers via a series of online classes he developed through the Second City Training Center in Chicago. He offers workshops, live writers' rooms, and free resources for comedy writers through the How to Write Funny website.In his spare time, Scott is an accomplished voice actor who’s performed in many national commercials, video games and animated cartoons, including Saturday Night Live’s “TV Funhouse.” He’s also written and directed several award-winning short films, two feature films, Spaceman, and Bad Meat, and several novels. His latest is The Joke at the End of the World.Scott & I talked about:·       Comedy is a marketing game·       Blue Ocean vs Red Ocean strategy in stand-up·       Meta Humor·       Finding your own style vs going with current trends Check Out Scott’s website here:https://scottdikkers.com/Here’s my latest blog “Easy Passive Income For Comedians & Other People Who Need Money”https://www.thebtbpc.com/blog/easy-passive-income-for-comedians-other-people-who-need-money/If you'd like to support the show and get some cool perks, check out our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/btbpc Look for new stuff for Patrons soon! Head over to the Behind the Bits website for extra content:https://www.thebtbpc.com/Get on our mailing list for news about future guests and more great content:https://www.thebtbpc.com/p/mailing-list/  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 127: Johnny Taylor Jr
Oct 18 2022
Episode 127: Johnny Taylor Jr
Johnny Taylor started performing comedy at age 33. His storytelling style that explores some of his darker and weirder moments in life keep the audience laughing and gasping at the same time. Johnny frequently tours with Brian Posehn and has two albums out on the Stand Up! Live label “Tangled Up In Plaid” & “Bummin’ With The Devil” are available for purchase or streaming wherever you get your comedy albums. Johnny writes for The Hard Times online magazine and is the host of The Hard Talk with Johnny Taylor on their podcast network. Johnny and I talked about:-     His writing technique -     We broke down his “Grapes” bit-     If you’re not having fun your first year of stand-up, you should probably quit -     Moving to longer sets before you’re ready and how it makes you ready Check Out The Hard Talk Here:https://open.spotify.com/show/0Lo0VG26tDoZb0rtqmVJ80?si=67c7158521b44f7dHere’s the first set we talked about:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hwNoMotQ24Here’s Johnny’s early set we discussed:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQOEyH0qHcMHere’s my latest blog “Easy Passive Income For Comedians & Other People Who Need Money”https://www.thebtbpc.com/blog/easy-passive-income-for-comedians-other-people-who-need-money/If you'd like to support the show and get some cool perks, check out our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/btbpc Look for new stuff for Patrons soon! Head over to the Behind the Bits website for extra content:https://www.thebtbpc.com/Get on our mailing list for news about future guests and more great content:https://www.thebtbpc.com/p/mailing-list/  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.