Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: I think a lot of people. I mean, I don't want to speak for other people, but I do think, you know, people say, like, oh, the work speaks for itself. And I do agree. I think, like, good work rises to the top, but I also think, like, or, like, really good work rises to the top. I think good work, if not given the time and space and attention and care put towards cultivating that or organizing that or like, marketing it, producing it, all of those things that can get lost really easily.
[00:00:36] Speaker B: Welcome to the 5050 podcast, where we've made it our mission to nurture and empower the next generation of industry talent. Through this podcast, we expand the reach of the 5050 film festival by giving an exclusive peek behind the curtain into the creative and business sides of the entertainment industry. We sit down with folks from all corners of the biz, garnering educational insight into process, production, and execution. This week, we chat with Bebe Katzenas, a tour de force in the LA standup scene. You can see her monthly at Nico's Wine Bar in Atwater Village.
Linda with Johnny Marks. Enjoy the episode.
But I chose to replicate on stage the scene where he kills Jared Leto's character in American Psycho, where he goes, you like Huey Lewis in the news. And then he starts playing Huey Lewis in the news. And then.
[00:01:33] Speaker C: Dude, I remember this.
[00:01:34] Speaker B: Absolutely decimates him. Yeah.
[00:01:37] Speaker A: Wait, Luke, you remember this in the movie or you remember?
[00:01:40] Speaker C: No, no. Why didn't I? We. We go way back, Bibi.
[00:01:43] Speaker B: We went to high school and kindergarten together.
[00:01:45] Speaker A: This is amazing and something I'm just learning now.
[00:01:48] Speaker C: You know, you've known each other for 20 years.
[00:01:53] Speaker B: Way too long, honestly. 20 years?
[00:01:57] Speaker C: No.
[00:01:57] Speaker A: So, like, diapers? Basically, yeah.
[00:02:00] Speaker C: I mean, oh, yeah, because Wyatt was wearing diapers in high school, but I guess.
[00:02:05] Speaker B: All right, I'm gonna log off. I think I quit.
[00:02:09] Speaker A: I won't make you guys, like, reveal your age on the pod or anything, but it's just making an assumption.
[00:02:15] Speaker C: No, but I'm. Wait, Wyatt, how old are you? Because I'm 14.
[00:02:19] Speaker B: Okay, let's get into it. Bibi, welcome to the podcast.
You have been a part of the 5050 community and circling the community for a very long time in different ways. You're obviously good friends with Johnny Marks, who you have a monthly show with at.
What's the wine bar called? At.
[00:02:39] Speaker A: It's called Nico's Wine Bar. And it's a wine bar. Yeah, it's a little confusing because there's, like, the wine bar and then the venue is called Baby Batista, which is why it's sometimes, like, where is it? But, yes, all in the same place.
It's a hoot and a half. At least I think so.
[00:02:57] Speaker B: Yes.
And Johnny has said such great things about you, so we wanted to get you on the podcast, and we want to, you know, support whatever you're into and just, like, get to know you more, because I think you're a very talented person from what I've seen.
And we want to really dissect the Linda performance because on a serious level, I haven't seen a lot of sketch comedy incorporated into standup shows.
I think those two communities are pretty separate in a lot of cases.
And I'm curious what sort of community you identify with and what the. What the sort of drive behind putting that sort of, like, sketch format into a comedy show was. I know that's a lot, but, you know, some intro about Linda would be great.
[00:03:51] Speaker A: Yeah, totally. Well, to take it.
So to take it back to college, I basically.
I feel like the way that I fell in love with comedy was through improv, which at my college was very separate from sketch. Like, there was overlap, but it was sort of like, at least in the improv troupe that I was a part of, there was no. Like, we weren't also doing sketch that was separate. And so those two worlds, like, in the thing that you're saying. I totally agree. Like, those two worlds felt very separate to me when I was learning how to do comedy and getting introduced to it and all of those things.
And then my senior year, and this is really where, like, Johnny and I connected and sort of, like, found each other creatively. We did a standup class together, which it's, like, also just insane that they offered that. Like, I'm like, what a gift. Like, it was also, like, I don't know if you can.
Whether or not you can teach stand up is not the. Is not. Is not none of my business. It got.
[00:04:54] Speaker B: It got you going with it, you know, Totally.
[00:04:56] Speaker A: And it was a time and place to, like, show up and try to do it.
And that's where Johnny and I met. But again, that was all very separate from improv and sketch. But I knew that I was like, I like stand up, I like improv. I haven't done sketch, but I'm a writer and, like, aspire to write comedy. So I. I always knew, like, sketch or. Or like, whatever that really means, like, I was interested in.
And then I think there is something about, like, stand up in la, like, post grad, where I've had to kind of. I've Wondered how, because I'm an actor first, or at least I feel that way. Like playing characters to me is so much more fun than playing myself. But stand up I like for very different reasons. And so John and Johnny is also like an incredible actor and is interested in acting. So we kind of talk. Talked a lot about how can we, like, is there a way to incorporate characters in this? Like, because that is a thing that we love doing and, and we're so comfortable doing. And so it just evolved kind of naturally. Like, we actually never like formally called that Cold Open where we do those two Linda characters a sketch, but it just sort of like evolved into that where we. Yes, it was like ended up being a written thing where we're playing characters, but it was just sort of a normal evolution of the fact that like, that we wanted a vehicle for a part of like our creativity that wasn't being satisfied by just stand up, you know.
[00:06:38] Speaker C: Wyatt and I were talking about your short untitled improv project, which is in the first 50 50, the inaugural Sketch Festival. Way back in the day, TBT, Wyatt and I were talking about it and he like immediately was like, oh, right, that was the one about this. And like, it was such a memorable one.
[00:06:56] Speaker B: I vividly remember as. As being a first time audience member at 50 50. I vividly remember it because I think it's like, to be honest, for me, it's the thing that I have wanted to make for so long, you know, And I was like, well, they did it.
They beat me to it before I could make it. You know, I think it was. It's such a ripe culture to.
To satire, you know.
Do you want to give us a little explanation of what it was just for the listener?
[00:07:26] Speaker A: Yeah. So it was what screened at 5050 was the pilot of a web series that I had essentially written the whole season of or like done a season pitch of about this ailing college improv troupe who has sort of decided that they're going to reclaim their former glory. And former glory is like, you know, what, what the fuck does former glory mean to like a college improv troupe? Right? But they used to be this like the improv troupe on campus with all these alumni and that's sort of fallen by the wayside.
And this, this girl, the character that I play, sort of, there's a vacuum of leadership. Like their current director is like unable to lead the team and she's decided she's otherwise aimless and has decided that like, this is the thing, she's going to find purpose and going to focus on, and that they are going to, like, win this comedy festival at the end of the year. And so she decides they're going to get serious.
And it is a mockumentary, and it's a mockumentary that's. And the camera is sort of its own character in that it's being filmed by the college, like, the university TV station.
So they're sort of, like, they also need a subject and sort of. They're ailing in their own way and are trying to stay relevant. And so, like, they both together to, like, document this.
[00:08:54] Speaker B: These two. These two organizations that are both in trouble, just trying to support each other.
[00:09:01] Speaker A: Exactly, exactly.
[00:09:03] Speaker C: Are you still in contact with that cast? Because I remember being, like, blown away by. Obviously not. I don't say, like, just. Just more so. The. The unique characters and those unique voices.
And I would, like. I don't think there was a miss on the screen regarding, you know, casting. Like, were you in an improv group at the time? And, like, those were your friends and, like, that was as simple as that. Or was this, like, a whole cast? That audition thing that, like, okay, let's find some interesting looking, but also hilarious, like, checking all the boxes.
[00:09:36] Speaker A: Yeah, no, I got pretty spoiled in that. Like, I mean, I. I basically wrote my improv troupe, like, and that's all the people you saw on screen, like, they're not playing themselves, but they're playing because we were in rehearsals for, let's see, like, honestly, like, six hours a week.
So we. We're spend. And we're also, like. We were. We were and still are, like, very, very close. So we're spending all this time together.
And so I understood, like, their strengths, their weaknesses, the things that they're really good at, the things that I love to watch them do, what makes them really funny.
And so when I was writing it, I was like, I have this incredible, incredible group of people that I have, like, such an inherent trust in. And I want to, like, we're so good at creating. Creating something from nothing on stage. I want to, like, use them to create, like, I have something. Let's create something this way.
Let's create, like, create something sort of scripted with a sort of unscripted quality to it. So I.
Once I knew that everyone wanted to be involved, that's when I sort of figured out the relationships. And the pilot, it's interesting, was a lot about sort of exploring, like, I wrote their sort of characters and their quirks, and then it was about, like, them taking that running with it and exploring the different relationships. Like, there was so much that came out in filming the pilot that, like, two people really liked each other and like, maybe there was a romantic arc over the season that I hadn't already written, but it was like, oh, it's. I'm like in the edit looking like, oh, that's totally. That is like, that's gonna be the season.
[00:11:17] Speaker C: Were you like, on. During production.
Sorry to cut you off.
[00:11:20] Speaker A: Were you.
[00:11:21] Speaker C: Were you very much like improv forward or was it like, this is like you said something scripted with the intent to make it feel unscripted.
[00:11:33] Speaker A: So the pilot, because we ended up filming, we filmed three episodes, two of which are done and the third was sort of like, I'll edit at some point. So. So TBD on that. But the first was very exploratory. Like, it was a lot of, let's just improvise some scenes, let's do some warm ups. Because I knew, I think I had a really clear vision in my head of what that pilot looked like. And it was going to be very montage style with those intercut with those interviews. And so there were some scripted moments I did want to hit of like a moment of failure or like a moment where they come together or a moment that, like, where someone does a. A thing like this. Like, I had, I had some beats I wanted to hit where we like, see some of those relationships, see the way they work as a group. But it was a lot of. Let's just goof off in the structure of like, yeah, like do a scene, but they'll come together. They start at odds, they come together by the end.
[00:12:37] Speaker B: You know, that's so, that's so interesting because it came off so unscripted and so natural. I think, like, it's almost like you leaned into like this sort of like, expressionist quality of like it's not full plot, but you're like, okay, let's have something that'll make the audience feel like they're more far apart than they ever were. You know, so let's put that there in between a funny moment of them playing a crazy improv game and then we have a talking head about maybe that person's feeling about a specific relationship or whatever.
[00:13:09] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:13:10] Speaker B: So was. Was the first episode, like, I'm hearing that it was a little like, less scripted than. Than what. What you would think.
[00:13:18] Speaker A: Yeah, Yeah, I knew that I. I sort of found it in the edit. Like, I knew what.
Yeah, like I was saying, I knew what moments I wanted to be in there, but it was a lot of when we were actually filming it, we weren't like, I had sort of like my shot list or my. The stuff that I wanted to get and made sure to get, but also my dp.
He was in the improv troupe as well, so he's like playing that character of like the TV station, the head of the TV station. But he was also.
I trust him so implicitly, like technically, but also comedically. So he was like, okay, what if. He's like, wait, what if they were over here doing this? And I was like, great, that's perfect. Because I was also acting in it at the same time. So there was definitely a toggle between, like, which I had never done before. There was a toggle between trying to keep my directorial eye, but also wanting to make sure I get everything but be in the moment. And so he's someone I really relied on in terms of that. But I really did find what it became in the edit and the two episodes after which were much more scripted, but the first was really like, let's see, let's throw everything at the wall. And in the edit, I found what stuck and what made me laugh. What. What made sense.
[00:14:36] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:14:38] Speaker C: What. What's the intent with those two episodes? Are you. Are you still interested in. Is there a spark there still?
[00:14:45] Speaker A: Definitely. I think so. I think it is. I'm sure you guys get this. Like, it's. It feels so much more accessible or it felt so much more accessible in college to make things with your friends because everyone is like, everyone lives right there, five mile radius. Or you can walk to every. Like, you can walk to each other's house.
And so it.
And some of those people, like, are no longer in the state or at least like, for the time being or have moved home or are still in college. Like, we're all at very different places.
I would love a world in which we. We pick it back up or we make it in another way. Or it's like, you know, less scrappy, more structured. Like, we're gonna make the rest of the season.
I think the.
Those episodes are nice to have to sort of like, one, I just learned a lot from doing them. But two, as a. As a thing to be able to show people, like, this is kind of my voice. This is kind of like the stuff I'm interested. The things I like making. Here's my work that isn't just like a demo reel or a script, you know, it's a literal, like, thing.
[00:15:55] Speaker B: It's also like a document of a specific point in your life, you know, And I think. I think there's something so unique about, like, college improv troupe culture. And there's even a lot of people our age who are, you know, at this point, a couple years out of college who still are close with their improv troupe or feel such a connection to it, you know? Do you still feel connected to that sort of culture? Like what? Like, I know people who are, like, still touring with their college improv troupe.
So do you feel connected to that culture? And what was it like being in that culture for you? Because it's such a unique thing.
[00:16:36] Speaker A: I mean, I knew I was like, I need to make something about this because this is so unique, and it's life or death when you're in it. But it's literally like, it's like, so not deep at all. And we were just. We're deciding. It's so important.
I mean, and it's like, it's your life, so of course it's.
[00:16:57] Speaker B: Yeah, it's like, more important than any class or anything. It's like, you'll do anything for the improv troupe. Yeah.
[00:17:03] Speaker A: And I was just so interested, too, in, like, the politics of the different troop, which I didn't really explore in this, in. In that episode, but it was implied.
[00:17:12] Speaker B: That there are other troops, you know, because. Because it's a troop that used to be on top, you know, with like, the famous alumni and all that. And now it's just kind of this, like, underfunded troupe that's just like, not a lot of. Maybe not a lot of people go to the show. So it's a cool arc. Was it based on real life a little bit, or was that just a dramatic lens?
[00:17:31] Speaker A: Totally. I mean, I wouldn't say that, like, that's what our troupe was. I think we're pretty great. No, no, but it definitely was like, the troupes each had their own sort of personalities and reputations, and that always, like, ebbs and flows, you know, depending on, like, where are you perform, how often are you performing, what's your venue? Like, all of the nitty gritty things that, like, give the troupe texture.
That was just so vivid to me when I was a part of it, that I was like, this is so like. And anyone who's ever done, like, a group activity or a team sport or whatever, or, like, been in a friend group understands what this feels like.
And, like, improv is just something that's hyper specific and true to me that I was like, I know that, like, I can write this, I can show this, but it, like, exists everywhere.
Yeah, And I'm still very, very close to all of those. I mean, to many of those people. I live with one of them. They're three of the others live walkable to me, which is actually crazy. Like, that's not the case in LA at all. But, like, we are still very close. I still improvise with a lot of them. I'm in, like, an indie improv troupe that does shows every once in a while with a lot of those people and, like, alumni of the group. So it. It really is like, it's that, like, that's my Trojan family is. Is like that group.
[00:18:52] Speaker C: What. What have you learned from improv that you've applied? Obviously, you're still very much deep in it, but in your. In your improv career thus far, like, what is. What is something you've applied to, whether it's writing or directing or acting or just anything creatively or just in everyday life?
[00:19:11] Speaker A: Yeah, I mean, it.
I think it. Improv is like, it's going to sound so corny, but is, like, the best teacher I've ever had.
The things I've learned about, like, not being precious with your choices or with a thing like letting it going on stage and failing in front of people and, like, being bold, making choices, letting it crash and burn or not crash and burn and then forgetting about it, like, not worrying about it. Because sometimes it's like, yes, there's something to learn by, like, a thing you did on stage that didn't work, but sometimes it's like that just didn't work and you just have to continue to try.
Yeah, I think not being precious, taking risks and, like, safety in those risks with a group of people, like, it's made me realize how much more collaborative I am than anything else. Like, I love, like, I feel that way with Johnny. Like, making something with him and doing a show with him, like, is so much more gratifying than if I was just doing that show alone. I just have so much more fun doing it, and it's so much more fun to share with, like, share that success or that failure with someone.
I also think the type of improv that we did specifically in college was narrative, long form. So essentially we would get the title of a movie that doesn't exist and a genre, and then we would improvise that movie.
So there was just so much.
I. I just got to practice telling.
[00:20:56] Speaker B: Stories, like, in front of an audience, too.
[00:21:00] Speaker A: In front of an audience, because they.
[00:21:02] Speaker B: Tell you what's good and what isn't working. You know, it's like, immediate gratification of what works and what doesn't. So you're discovering things in the moment.
[00:21:10] Speaker A: Totally. And I also just feel like in that way too, like, story structure gets into your bones when you do it that often. I at least hope it does. Like, I think I implicitly understand so much more about telling stories than I used to because I got to do it once a week for four years. You know, like, it's.
That in itself is just like such a gift. And getting on stage, like, that really is, I think, post grad, the thing that I really had to adjust to and recalibrate. Like, oh, I'm just not, like, I'm not getting the reps in like, I used to. Like, reps are so important to feel prepared, to feel capable, to also just, like, do the thing you love. But it's something I really took for granted while I was at college. Like, how.
How valuable that is and how much you miss it when you're out of it.
[00:21:58] Speaker C: Do you love the getting those reps on stage, in the spotlight or more behind the camera, directing or, I mean.
[00:22:06] Speaker A: Performing is like, I think of the three. My first love, I think. And then probably writing and then probably directing is where they stack up. But. But I do get a lot of, like, satisfaction from the sort of producerial and directorial elements of Linda with Johnny. Like, there is something really fun about getting into the weeds of how are we booking this lineup and what's the order here and what makes the best kind of show the best kind of show and flow as smoothly as possible. Because we've just been a part of. And no shade to anyone, but, like, we've just been a part of so many poorly produced shows. Absolutely. That we were just like, we.
No matter what it is, we want to make it a good experience for the performers and for the audience. Like, we just want a good show.
[00:23:01] Speaker B: I think that is so interesting, crafting a show and booking guests and things like that. I want to take a pause on that for a second because I do think there was a lot of interesting stuff you were saying specifically about collaboration.
And I think there are a lot of people out there in college or wherever or outside of college, in this industry or not, who would hear that and be like, well, it's just so easy for her. She's just the type of person who collaborates and knows how to intrinsically work with people.
And I'm curious about what that actually looks like for you.
Let's give an example of crafting the Linda. The Linda character with Johnny. And crafting that sort of opener, what does that actually look like when you're. When you're with him in whatever space and you're talking about, oh, I have an idea for this. And then he goes, ooh, that would be great, but maybe we could punch it up this way. Like, what is. What does that actually look like in real life? And what are the most enjoyable parts of that process?
[00:24:05] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah. Oh, that's such a great question. I feel like.
So it always starts from a place of excitement. Like, Johnny and I were just so, like, tickled to figure out what that opener looked like and what these Linda's looked like.
And honestly, like, I was okay.
I was in the car listening to music, and the song Groove is in the Heart came on and I was like, I love this song. And it's like, it's like a four minute song, but, like, the song goes on for like two minutes and then it sounds like it's ending for another two minutes. Like, it keeps sounding like it's ending. And I was like, this is hilarious. Like, this is so clowny. I love. I was like, I want to do something with this. I sent him a voice memo immediately. I was like, I think we have to, like, incorporate this into the show in some way. Like, I'm just feeling inspired by this. Let's talk about it. And then I brought that to him. And then he was like, I love this idea. Like, let's. Let's be in character. Let's do this. Maybe it's a dance. Maybe they're also singing. And then it sort of just naturally evolved. And like, we just kept bringing ideas we were excited about to each other. And then honestly, like, I have to give Johnny so much, like, all the credit for the choreography. Like, oh, my God. He also. I had no idea he had a background in dance at all, but he is, like, a legitimate dance background.
[00:25:31] Speaker B: Crazy.
[00:25:32] Speaker A: And he, he like choreographed the whole thing. We learned it together. We would, like, get together multiple times a week, rehearsing it, practicing it on our own. And. And it became like, yeah, just this naturally evolving thing where we. Because we have this baseline level of trust with each other, which has been cultivated over years. Like, I. I think it'd be a lot harder to do with someone I didn't know as well or didn't trust as well. Like, it would look very different, but it was just coming together and having a space where we could, like, feel free and open to explore good ideas, bad ideas. Like, any idea was.
Was welcome.
And then it just became like, we were. It was just like, oh, this is so funny. Let's just follow this funny thing. Like, we just kept making each other laugh, I think, is what happened.
Like, and those are the ideas that stuck, basically, yeah.
[00:26:31] Speaker C: Did it ever get to the point where you both looked at each other and said, this isn't funny and we should think about cutting it? Or is it always the entire time, like, this is so funny? Oh, my gosh.
[00:26:43] Speaker A: We always thought it was really funny, but we were like, is it too long?
Is it gonna land? Like, we sort of. Because we didn't try it in front of an audience until the show, so we didn't know. We didn't know if any of it was gonna work, but we knew that it made us laugh. I think there were also moments that we had to clarify about, like, what's the funny thing here?
Because there's so much. There's so many. Just different directions it could have gone in where, like, whether it's, we think the song keeps ending or the relationship between the two of them, like, maybe one is outshining the other, or this, like, all these different colors and dynamics that we can turn the volume up or down on. So we had to really clarify in this dance and in this opening for this show, what makes this funny and what do we want to lean into.
[00:27:33] Speaker B: That'S so important for sketch writing? Right. Simplicity. Luke and I talk about that all the time.
You think by adding more jokes, you would be helping the sketch, but it's actually much better if you just stick to.
Okay, this is the thing. And we're going to keep pumping it up every time. And from my perspective, it was.
You did lean into the song. It seems like it's going to end and then keeps going. And the Lindas are getting more and more tired, and they have to keep dancing because they always think the song is over and they're breathing very heavily by the end. Like, I think that was. It was so funny. And I think you picked the right choice because it worked out really well. Was that so satisfying that people liked it and. And got it?
[00:28:16] Speaker A: It was so much fun. Like, it was just like, oh, this is why we do it. Like, it's so much fun to be able to, like, share it with people and laugh with people and. And. And have them. Like, it's just, like, shared fun, you know?
That's what I think. That's what I loved most about it.
[00:28:33] Speaker B: Yeah, I could tell that you guys were so comfortable with each other, and there was so much support there, too, because guaranteed, if One of you was up there doing it. Like, it would have been funny, but maybe you probably wouldn't have been up there doing it because you need the other person to affirm that, yes, we're gonna do this together, and if we're gonna fail, we're gonna fail together, you know?
[00:28:55] Speaker A: Exactly. Exactly.
[00:28:56] Speaker B: I could tell that you just had such great. There was so much care there on stage with each other too. And you were so comfortable doing those dances and it was just. It was like a testament to friendship. If anything, it was pretty cool.
[00:29:09] Speaker A: Oh, thanks. Yeah, I really feel that way with Johnny. Like, we. Everything I do, I think is done with so much like, mutual respect and admiration for each other.
So I'm glad that that came through because we just, we just have so much fun together.
[00:29:24] Speaker C: Yeah, it absolutely does. And like, as you said it briefly, and I want to dig into it more regarding the genesis of the actual idea. And I can't believe that you and Johnny have only known each other for.
[00:29:36] Speaker B: Like a of years.
[00:29:36] Speaker A: Couple.
[00:29:36] Speaker C: Couple or a few years.
I honestly thought you guys like at least three siblings. Yeah. Something. Honestly cousins.
[00:29:44] Speaker A: That's my brother.
[00:29:45] Speaker C: Yeah, your brother. Something.
[00:29:48] Speaker A: It.
[00:29:48] Speaker C: The you. You mentioned, like, you and Johnny been a part of so many shows where like, people just like throw lineups together and there's no sense of flow and like, no, no real intent to like even think about it and which, I mean, coming from the live event side of things, I can obviously talk about with the festival, but like, it does take time and like a lot of like actual thinking and going to certain events and feeling things out and thinking about the audience and what they're feeling at certain points of the night and how to keep them intrigued and involved and like, you guys did a fantastic job of that. I know I told you guys after, but like, White and I both were blown away by the show.
But yeah, I want to talk about or ask about the genesis, the idea, like who went to who? Or like, was this just coffee and was like, I'm. I want to do something or was like, I had this terrible stand up show and enough is enough.
What was the. What was that first kind of conversation?
[00:30:46] Speaker A: Yeah, well, so Johnny and I have sort of been doing stand up side by side since we graduated. And so we've both had our own experience, some together, some separate, of just being a part of some crazy shows, some great shows, some awful shows. Like every, every spectrum and color of thing you could be a part of. We've been a part of. And mics too. And so we Knew that we always wanted to create something that wasn't any of those things, whether that was a mic or was a show. So at the beginning of this year, we were like, let's focus on something. And originally it was a mic. We're like, we'll do a mic. And it was still going to be Linda. It wasn't going to be. We didn't necessarily come up with the idea with the intent of playing those characters at all. It was just like, oh, this would be a fun way to market it. It would be like, you know, come to Linda's, everyone's welcome. Like, we just also, like, loved the sound of, like, oh, are you going to Linda? Like, so good. Like, people talking about the.
[00:31:49] Speaker B: Is it Linda or Linda's?
[00:31:51] Speaker A: Linda. Linda. Singular. Linda. A comedy show.
[00:31:55] Speaker B: Yes.
[00:31:56] Speaker A: Yeah. So we were just like.
So originally it was a mic. We were trying to pitch to venues, and then an opportunity came up where basically the booker from Nico's had some slots for a monthly show, and we were like, okay, I guess maybe. Maybe it's a show like this. Do we feel ready? Are we sure this is the thing? And we were kind of like, I guess we. We will never know until we try.
And so we just. We just got those dates and decided it was a show and that we would adapt it. Like, adapt that mic pitch to a show.
[00:32:33] Speaker C: How much time did you have? What. What was that first date? Was it like you had, like, a month? You have a week. You had three months. You had a year. What was. What was the timeline?
[00:32:40] Speaker A: I think we got our dates in early February, I think. Okay. So we had, like, about a month to.
Or like mid.
Mid to late January, early February. So we had a month to figure out, like, what the show looked like, book our people, do our own sets, sort of figure out what that. Or wait. Yes. Figure out what that looked like.
[00:33:03] Speaker B: Yes. So you had a month of. Of crafting the Linda character, basically.
Whilst also, were you. Was that the time when you were rehearsing and dancing and everything?
[00:33:14] Speaker A: Yes. I'm realizing now it was probably like 2ish months. But, yeah, that was when we. Once we got those dates, we, like, hit the ground running in terms of. Let's get some meetings on the calendar. Let's figure out. We did a photo shoot because we really wanted to make sure we had good marketing material, because Johnny and I know marketing is everything, and we're still trying to navigate what that looks like for us. But we were just like, we want good, quality images we can stand behind. It's not just like a poster that's thrown together.
[00:33:44] Speaker B: It's like there are so many crazy looking stand up poster. Like it's like the worst, like cropped headshots around, like just a chaotic background. Like it is, it is important and it does make people believe that, oh, this is like a legit thing. I'm going to.
[00:34:01] Speaker A: Yeah, I think, and I think a lot of people, I mean, I don't want to speak for other people but I do think, you know, people say like, oh, the work speaks for itself. And I do agree. I think like if something's funny and if someone like, good work rises to the top. But I also think like, or like really good work rises to the top. I think good work, if not given the time and space and attention and care put towards cultivating that or organizing that or like marketing it, producing it, all of those things that can get lost really easily.
[00:34:40] Speaker B: I want to talk about booking too, because are there official ways to book? Is it very informal? What does that look like and what does it look like in conjunction to rehearsing the Linda character at the same time and being in touch with the venue and trying to recruit people to come? Like, there are so many elements of it. So what does booking look like in conjunction to everything else?
[00:35:06] Speaker A: Yeah, so basically I guess the first step is sort of like, thankfully like the venue is so awesome and accommodating and, and really like there's not much juggling with them we need to do other than like securing our dates and making sure we're sort of like on those event brights, figuring out who's bought tickets, how many seats do we have left, like communicating with them about that.
But yeah, once we have our dates and once, once we got our, you know, our next dates, we then sort of our first conversations were about who do we really, who are we really excited about, who's our dream lineup? And then sort of like the, the first show ended up that we had basically a, that we had a headliner of sorts, Sam Taggart, he got more time. And so we were thinking about if we want to follow that same format, who's our headliner for this show? And we started in mind with like, okay, say this is the person we get who might work really well on that show. Who are people we know who might be more available or more accessible at this time. Like what are relationships we just made or formed that would make this timing really right?
[00:36:24] Speaker C: As in you start, you start with the headliner and then reverse engineer around that person.
[00:36:31] Speaker A: That's what we did in this case. Yeah, but I don't know that that'll necessarily be the case. Always we've talked about maybe there's no headliner and everyone just gets 10 minutes or, or it's still everyone get, gets eight minutes. But maybe we add an extra two comics who are more developmental, like Johnny and I, who like, are maybe friends who, you know, don't have seven to eight minutes but have a really strong five who we want to throw in there. So thankfully there's a lot of flexibility.
[00:37:00] Speaker C: What is the pitch? And it's funny, Wyatt, I had like your exact questions written down too, because I'm super interested in this side as well of like, what it really takes to throw a show like this. And like, what, what is the pitch? I mean, when it comes to, again, building off of Wyatt's question of like booking talent and like, okay, you get your headliner or first of all, how do you even get your headliner?
[00:37:20] Speaker B: Yeah, are you DMing people?
[00:37:22] Speaker C: Are you emailing their agent? Like, are they represented? Are you going to comedy clubs? You know these people?
[00:37:28] Speaker A: So it's funny. So it's all of those things. The headliner for our first show was a dm. I sent him a DM and he was like, great, I'm in. What was the pitch?
[00:37:37] Speaker C: What was the pitch? Because obviously there's so many shows and it's like, why am I going to choose this one to go to?
[00:37:44] Speaker A: I mean, so we're just sort of like, hi, this is like BB Instagram.
This is Linda. Like it's a stand up show full of wine, wigs and comedy. Like, we would love to have you do X number of minutes.
We offer, we pay our comics because we believe, like that's important, especially our headliners. Like, it's, it's not a lot, but it's like, you know, we, it's something.
[00:38:09] Speaker B: To make it more official and an obligation.
[00:38:11] Speaker A: Absolutely, absolutely. That too. Because I, I, we haven't had this experience yet, but I know friends who've booked people on shows and there's no incentive while the show's happening. They just don't show up.
[00:38:24] Speaker B: It's really important monetarily. It's some sort of, even if it doesn't mean much, it's just something to bind them to it. I find really helpful.
[00:38:31] Speaker C: What is something for the audience back home that is not too familiar with rates and at this level at least, like, what is, you obviously don't have to say what you're paying these people, but like, what is like a usual rate for something like this, I mean.
[00:38:46] Speaker A: I think it really depends because we're.
We're like a self produced indie show.
We in this case, like took because Nico's the venue, the venue takes a cut and then we're left with the rest. And we in this case, for the first show, just split it amongst all the comics so everyone got the same amount.
And that was like, I'll just say, I mean, that ended up being like about $30. Yeah.
Which is not a lot, but it's like, you know, it's. It's.
[00:39:18] Speaker B: It's something, it's. It's something more than nothing.
[00:39:20] Speaker A: Yeah, it's more than nothing. And really, like, I mean, I. There are very few shows I've done where I've gotten paid and that's part of like just my experience level, but also like the getting on stage is its own value.
Um, so yeah, you're saying like the, the monetary, the monetary thing binds people, hopefully, or is an incentive. And then we also wanted to really prioritize getting good quality footage and having photos taken.
So, like some of that money from the first show that we made and that Johnny and I have just like saved for the show is going towards high quality video and high quality photos. Because that's, I mean, I mean, I'm sure you guys know, like, clips are everything.
So if we can offer our comics, like, you are also getting a lot of great content that you can use on your social media, on your TikTok, on whatever it is. Like, we have really good, like, it won't just be iPhone footage.
[00:40:17] Speaker B: Yeah, it's in house filming. Like, you don't have to, because oftentimes as a stand up, to my knowledge, you have to be emailing with the venue of like, hey, like, did you, was there a videographer there? Like, can I have the footage from them? Or you like, go and set up your own phone on the side of the stage. Like, it's, it's kind of ragtag in that sense. And I feel like to be like, we have professional, you know, videographers there, we're gonna streamline this process. We'll have clips made for you. Like, it takes a lot of the work out of their hands, which is really nice.
[00:40:48] Speaker A: Yeah. And in that way, like, Johnny and I really just wanted to create the show that we wanted to be a part of because we would love to walk into a show where we didn't have to worry about, are we getting footage?
Do I need to put my tripod on the side of the stage?
Do I also Do I need to be responsible for bringing people for filling seats? And it is awesome when the comics promote the show, but it's our job to get the soul.
Get the show sold and seats filled.
Yeah. And so in the case of the first show, yeah, the headliner we DMed, a couple others we DMed. But for the vast majority, besides the headliner and maybe one other comic, everyone else we knew either, like Karon we knew from school, from college, and then Faith, Johnny and I had both seen or done shows with Ananya we did shows with. So a lot of these people are either our peers or people we've just DMed or like. But. But it's interesting. This month's show, we are. We got our headliner by reaching out to her agent, and that's how that worked. And then we actually had someone, an agent reach out to us for Milan Patel, who we. Who I've already seen and loved. And because he's a part of the scene, and his agent was like, he's running some stuff for a show. Would you mind putting it on? Putting him on. And we were like, cool course. Like, awesome. Like that. We. We would have already loved to book him. And now this, like, takes the pressure off of us to, like, find another person for our lineup. And he also just fit really well. He happened to. To fit really well. Like, I think if it wasn't a good fit, like, you know, if.
If it's like, you know, Shane Gillis is trying to get on our show.
[00:42:35] Speaker B: Like, he's, you know, not fully on brand with.
[00:42:39] Speaker A: Right, exactly. It's like, I mean, he's not an.
[00:42:42] Speaker B: Honor for him to want to.
[00:42:44] Speaker A: Exactly.
[00:42:45] Speaker B: But.
[00:42:45] Speaker A: But no. Yeah. We never put someone on that we wouldn't really want on Linda, but it just happened to work out that he fit really well with the rest of the lineup.
[00:42:55] Speaker B: How would you just.
Well, I.
I want to ask the question. Oh, no.
[00:43:05] Speaker C: Nope. Quiet. It's your turn.
[00:43:07] Speaker B: Fine.
[00:43:07] Speaker C: No, I'll go. So the.
[00:43:09] Speaker B: No, I'll go.
[00:43:11] Speaker C: No, I'll go.
[00:43:12] Speaker A: I'll go.
[00:43:12] Speaker C: Okay. Yeah. Bibi, you ask. You ask Wyatt a question, and I'll answer it.
I was obviously.
[00:43:21] Speaker B: Okay, I.
I forgot. No, I.
That's. It's an interesting thing because I know Luke curates the film selection very strategically with the festival.
In terms of the vibe. In terms of. This is the first thing. And we're going to end with this. And how do we want the audience to feel throughout? Are you thinking about that with your.
With your Linda? In terms of.
First of all, what's the general vibe of all the comics. Like, what's the reason why you're not going to have a Shane Gillis in there or someone who is cut from a different comedic cloth. And secondly, are you thinking about like the start to finish experience of the, of the audience member?
[00:44:07] Speaker A: Absolutely. Oh yeah, absolutely. I mean, generally, I think we really prioritize giving opportunities to people who, you know, aren't. Like there. There are just so many shows that are saturated with. And not to generalize, but like just straight white dude comedians and like, we are just interested in like comedy that. From other, from other places and comedy that is also like not punching down. Like, we don't want, like, we don't want anyone who's like sexist, racist, homophobic, any of those things. And it's not like they're. Thankfully, that's not hard. Like, there are so many incredible alt comedians that we've gotten to meet and see. Like, like it's never going to be a problem filling the show. Thank God. Like, that's a. It's like, I'm so lucky I get to say that. Um, there are just so many funny people in LA doing uplifting comedy. That's great.
Um, so, so definitely that in terms of looking for people. But yeah, there's absolutely time and thought put into the lineup and the structure of the lineup, especially because we do such a high energy, cold, open and like, we'll continue to do that in shows that we want to make sure whoever's up first still feels like taken care of. And we didn't just like, that was something that was actually really interesting at the first show we came off stage, Faith came on and for a moment there I turned to Johnny and I was like, did we just set her up for failure? Because we just brought the energy up so high and now here she is just like talking.
[00:45:48] Speaker B: It's a crazy thing to follow any sort of Linda appearance because Linda is the most high energy character character ever. Very strong personality with a very complicated backstory, you know, so it's definitely tough. But I thought it worked out well. Right?
[00:46:07] Speaker A: I thought so too. And we, I know we had talked about that before and we just knew like, Faith is such a great opener and takes her time but like won't feel worried or thrown by any of that.
She also just makes us laugh so hard. So we knew like, she, she fits Linda well. She will be a great opener. But especially after that experience, we learned, okay, let's make sure whoever opens feels taken care of, but also like, will ride that energy because there are some more like, deadpan people who are just great or, like, sort of perform at a lower frequency. And that's just their style who, like, we love that, but maybe they're not the person who follows us, you know, and also thinking about where we go in the lineup. Cause Johnny and I know no matter what the energy's like in the show, we can bring it up or down. We can tune the frequency to what we need it to be to keep that train on the tracks, so slotting us in places where that might be needed. Or we can, you know, like. Like, sort of, like, do it, like, gauge the temperature of the room and act accordingly. That's also been interesting to, like, find where we fit in that way.
[00:47:31] Speaker C: Are you planning on collaborating with these comedians that you put on.
On in. In future projects? Whether that's on the writing side of things, or you're directing or making more sketches or web series or in the future features, that kind of thing? Like, are you. Are you thinking about that, or is it more of just like, let's put a show together that's going to be really entertaining? I'm not even thinking about staying in touch or that whole thing.
[00:48:02] Speaker A: No, I think there's definitely.
There's definitely that intent there. I mean, I think the show acts as just such a great vehicle to get to meet people in the context of, like, I like your work, you like mine, like, and getting to see each other as peers as opposed to, like, you know, fans. Because some of these people I am just, like, such big fans of, so it's cool to be able to meet them in that context.
And also just, like, that's a way that I've made friends with a lot of comedians, like, being on the same show as them. So there definitely is that intent. And, like, it's interesting. Like, everyone. It's so interconnected. Like, for example, like, one of the comics on our lineup next month, Danica Lyle, she runs a mic that I went to yesterday. And so it's just great to, like, be in that ecosystem and continue to, like.
It's like, we think she's so funny, so we want to book her on our show. Maybe when she does a show, she'll think of us for that. So there's always that sort of thinking.
[00:49:09] Speaker B: Of, like, help each other out totally.
[00:49:11] Speaker A: And reciprocity, I think, is a really implicit, or at least I found to be very implicit in the standup community, which I think is actually like.
Like, it's kind of surprising, but really great. Like, sort of, you Scratch my back, I'll scratch yours.
Like a mutual respect generally, at least from like, good faith comedians, you know.
[00:49:35] Speaker C: How does one pitch a mic to a venue?
[00:49:39] Speaker A: I do think there's something about, like, there are some mics in LA that are hourly mics, which basically means, like, and if anyone's a comic, they know the venues. Like, the venues that exist and run on, like, there's a. There's a slotted and you can sign up from two to three, three to four, four to five, five to six, like, and you Venmo five bucks and you sign your name up and you can go up and like. Part of how they make their money is getting people to come to their mics and selling snacks or drinks at those.
At those mics. But that's primarily like comedy club venues.
And there's usually a certain vibe to those that I necessarily love.
But then like, Nico's has a lot of mics and I think it's really worked for them. And at least this is a thing that Johnny and I wrote about when we were pitching to venues. Like, this is an opportunity to bring people into your space to have them spend money there.
And oftentimes, like, every mic I've been to at Nico's is free.
I went to a mic yesterday at the Elysian that was free. Like, I think the best mics in Los Angeles are, are free and are at venues where comedy is already happening.
Like, it's interesting those hourly mics.
I've been to shows there and I don't necessarily love doing comedy at those venues. Like, those venues aren't necessarily putting on the shows that I like going to, but I love going to stuff at Nico's. I love going to stuff at the Elysian. I love, you know.
Yeah. So I think mics are an opportunity to bring people together and spend money there. And so there's an incentive for the venue to like, bring a new audience in and have them, you know, spend money. But yeah, yeah.
[00:51:31] Speaker B: What do you think of. I mean, even in your, in your answers, you mentioned just the differences between clubs and more so like theater spaces and the alt scene you're referencing, as opposed to the quote unquote, mainstream scene, which, I mean, in my life I feel like the alt scene is mainstream. Like, I'm not going to the Comedy Store, going to like, a lot of the quote unquote, more regular places. What do you think of, like, that division? And like, do you have any sort of like, unique take on it or like, I don't know, like, irks Me a little bit, just because I feel like you're all doing the same thing. You know, you're all putting your hours in, you're all putting your reps in, you're all trying to find the funniest thing and putting so much work into this craft. That's so. That. That's so incredible. But, like, what is. What is your experience working with the other side and acknowledging the other side and things like that and. And the sort of implicit division in the. In the comedy scene?
[00:52:31] Speaker A: Yeah, no, you're so right. And I totally agree. Like, the alt scene is mainstream to me. Like, that is always where I want to be and always where I laugh the most and have the most fun.
I think it's really interesting. I feel like there is. It's maybe emblematic of a larger thing that's happening in comedy more generally, like, not just in la, about this, like, division between, like, club comics who've been doing this for a long time who think, like, oh, you can't say.
You can't say anything anymore. And I. I just think that's so fundamentally not true. I think you.
[00:53:11] Speaker B: I mean, Right. The anti. The anti woke crew.
[00:53:15] Speaker A: Exactly, exactly. It's like, no, you. You can't. You couldn't say that because it wasn't funny.
Like, because it wasn't funny and it wasn't true and wasn't your experience. Like, it. You couldn't say that because it was just racist, not because it was not funny, you know?
Yeah. So I think it's interesting. I think I personally, like, hey, I would never pass up an opportunity to perform at the Comedy Store, but that's just, like, not even in my, like, goals really. Like, I don't. I don't. I don't work towards that at all. I think shows that are happening at, like, the Largo or Dynasty Typewriter, like, the people going up there, the. The Marc Marins, the Cape Berlance, Like.
Like, that is so much more interesting and exciting to me.
[00:54:10] Speaker B: Yeah, there's. There's.
[00:54:11] Speaker A: There.
[00:54:11] Speaker B: You know, there is crossover, right, Because Marin is, like, at the store at the. All the time and, like, they're.
[00:54:17] Speaker A: Or like Robin Hoffman, like, exactly. Yeah.
[00:54:20] Speaker B: She was the other person I was gonna mention. Like, there are some people also, if you, like, think about Chris Fleming, who I'm a huge fan of, like, he. He came up in a very traditional Boston comedy environment, and he, like, hung with all those guys. And then, of course, he just became this amazing, you know, transcendent personality. But, like, I think there are those crossovers and it's interesting to think about those crossovers because there's. I think there's merit in the traditional path, you know, but there's also such problems with that path and the personalities that come with it, you know, so it's. It's an interesting. It's. It's just an interesting dichotomy to discuss, I find.
[00:55:01] Speaker A: Yeah. And I think also, like, what I'm trying to do, at least, or hoping to do is, like, take the traditional, like, mindset, but do it in spaces that I want to be in.
Like, I'm not. Not going to my. Like, there's that, like, old comedy, like, old guard feeling about, like, you should be going to Mike's every night and doing your set and, like, hanging with the comics, going from mic to mic to mic, to show to show to show. And, like, I have ambition about what I do. Like, so much ambition about what I do. I just don't want to be doing it at places where, for people. I'm not trying to make laugh. Like, that is. The thing is, like, I'm doing a very unique thing, and I want to appeal to a lot of people, but I also, like, know that I don't. Or that, like, when I do a set about my birth control in front of a room full of men, no one's laughing because no one has birth control, which I have. That has happened to me more times. Times than I can count.
But. Yeah, so I think keeping that ambition with the thing I'm trying to do, but doing it in places on the east side or, like, in, like, queer and female groups and just. Just places where.
Places full of people that I.
Who. Who they're for, you know?
[00:56:22] Speaker B: Yeah, it's. It's interesting. It's definitely interesting because you want.
I don't know, it's like, are you.
This is. This is, like, a weird thought, but, like, are you then, like, taking part in the division, you know, by just playing to, like, your audience, you know? And I obviously mean that very respectfully, but it's just, like, a thing to think about, you know?
[00:56:45] Speaker A: Totally. Totally. And I, like, I would never. I don't think I'd turn down opportunities to be in those spaces.
[00:56:52] Speaker B: Totally.
[00:56:53] Speaker A: I just. At least in terms of finding my voice, that was the thing I was really navigating postgrad of. Like, where do. Where does this feel good? Where does this feel fun? Because this shouldn't only, like, should be challenging, but it shouldn't. I should enjoy.
[00:57:08] Speaker B: You should be torturing yourself. And, like. Yeah, you should. You Should. That's the most important part of finding your audience, you know, and finding the people who are going to respond to you, because there's plenty of them, you know?
[00:57:18] Speaker A: Totally. And I also noticed, I think, when I wasn't, like, I would take the same set and it, like, would get very few laughs at a certain place and get so many more laughs at a different place because the audience were so vastly different. I noticed when I spent more times at the places that were not filled with my audience or comics that I found funny, I noticed a tendency to want to play to them because, of course, you want to make people laugh. But I was like, am I. Like, I don't want to lose sight of what I think is funny and who I want to. Who I'm inspired by, who makes me laugh, as opposed to just trying to, like, pander to people I don't actually think are very funny or, like, who I. Who I'm not inspired by. So it's just really interesting trying to navigate that. Yeah.
[00:58:09] Speaker C: I mean, stand up is hard enough as it is, obviously.
And I feel like a lot of comics fall into, like you said, the old guard way of, like, I'm supposed to do an open mic every single night. So I'm gonna go and do open mics every single night. And, like, all the while just bombing after bombing and, like, building up this, like, almost false sense of, like.
I don't know. I almost think that that might be the reason. There are so many comics, at least that I've seen, that seems so out of touch with, like, the present moment. And, like, they're so. Just, like, almost jaded, you know, salty.
[00:58:50] Speaker B: About other people's success.
[00:58:52] Speaker C: Sure. But it's like they're. They're clearly doing the bit they've been doing, but it's just like, there's. There's a. There's a disconnect, you know? And, like, at Linda, like, the comics that were there, there wasn't one where I was like, this person isn't having a great or not one of these comics is not having a fantastic time, like, actually enjoying themselves. And that was something I wanted to talk about, too, was the actual audience and, like, who those people were, because that was such a warm and inviting audience. And, like, as you said, like, there are so many shows you go to, and, like, the audience is so cold, and it's Los Angeles, and, like, that's too common, unfortunately, because people are too cool to laugh or whatever it is. And it's like, how did you kind of curate a space Maybe it was through the marketing or the venue selection, but, like, how did you put that group together? Was it just all your friends? And I was like, hey, friends, come out.
You know, and how. How will you keep making sure that, like, that that crowd is that same vibe?
[01:00:02] Speaker A: Yeah. Well, I mean, it definitely was a lot of our friends, especially for the first show, which was awesome. Which is great for a first show. Like, we want exactly what you said. A warm audience who's, like, has the context for us and wants to see us succeed and is, like, primed to be excited for that.
Thankfully, the venue is so.
There's so many things that are so great about the venue, and one of those things is the amount of seats. There's about 4, 45, 50 seats in the theater, which I think is a really approachable amount because the space makes it feel like I would so much rather do comedy in a small, dark space where everyone's close together as opposed to a big theater and trying to fill more seats. But, like, that laughter is contagious. And I just know that to be true in that when that house is full, it's electric.
It's just great.
And so there were a lot of people who thankfully wanted to come last time and weren't able to, which is great to know. Hopefully they can make one of the next ones.
And also Johnny and I have. And hopefully this continues, but have prided ourselves on wanting to have new sets every month so that if people come every month, they will see new material from us. There will be a new cold open, we'll do a new five, and they'll see new comics. So, like, it's an entirely different show every time.
[01:01:33] Speaker C: That's so fun.
That's amazing.
[01:01:35] Speaker A: Yeah. Thank you. I.
Cause otherwise, like, what are we doing? You know, like, we really want to prioritize the audience experience at a thing like that, because that makes people want to be a part of it.
[01:01:48] Speaker B: Yeah, it's about that spirit of pushing yourself and wanting to constantly be trying stuff out. And it's really what we talked about in the beginning of the conversation. Improv and learning how to fail and learning to try stuff, new stuff that's new, but at the. At the same time facilitating a safe environment in which you feel like it's okay to fail, and an environment that feels warm. And, you know, you have Johnny there and you have your friends who showed up the first time, and maybe if half of them show up the next time, and then it's half new people, that's like. That's a huge Win. You know, it's like, I feel like it's about constantly pushing yourself to create a really curated show and experience. And I, I see a lot of foresight in that. So really, really good work. It's. It's very exciting thinking, thinking about all the possibilities of, of Linda in the future. But I also want to talk about Bibi's future. You know, like, what, what do you think? You know, whether it's Linda oriented or outside of Linda, like, what do you think is, is next for you in the performing space, Writing space, directing space, the sort of post college area? Because Luke and I know that it's a, It's a tough scene to navigate. So do you have any sort of futuristic things that you're, you're interested in?
[01:03:06] Speaker A: Yeah, I, I mean, I.
It's funny, if you had told me when I graduated that I would be like two years out, really like deep in the standup world and doing that and producing a show, I, I think I'd be really surprised. Like, I love it and have fallen even more, like, deeply in love with it. But it started out as just an opportunity to be on stage and perform because I missed that so much when I graduated.
Yeah. So I mean it really.
I think like, the aspirations I have fall under the umbrella of comedy in whatever that looks like, and it definitely means standup and continuing that. But I also love performing as like, not myself. Like, again with the Linda thing. Like, character acting and doing characters is so.
Performing characters is so inherent to what I love and writing as well. So I think there's like, thankfully in comedy there's a natural fusion between all of those things and that's sort of understood that like, a lot of people, like, are multi hyphenates and that's sort of the expectation.
So continuing to do that, I think like the Blue sky dream is I would love to be in the writer's room of a TV show that I also get to act on. Like, that would be the dream.
And I think, like, more immediately, Johnny and I have written a series, a season of a web series that we would love to make together. And that's like sort of us playing in heightened versions of ourselves, but it's still like, totally not us.
And that would be awesome to make. And. And we had plans to make that. And then this sort of like this opportunity came up and we were like, well, let's run with this.
But I think that's true of that idea of running with it has been the thread since I graduated of like, whatever, like, I Interested in so many things.
Writing, performing, in different aspects of that. Like theater, too, as well. That's a whole area of my life that we didn't talk about today. And, like, we didn't need to.
But, like, live theater, that isn't just comedy is something I'm very interested in and spend a lot of time working in, but I think I've just sort of followed whatever followed my curiosity and followed the thing that is saying yes to me, if that makes sense. The thing that's giving me feedback of, like, we like you doing this. You like this. We also like you.
[01:05:44] Speaker B: I love that. Well, what I will say is that when Johnny was on this podcast a couple months ago, he said that one of his goals was to host a monthly show and have a specific comedian on it who I know is going to be booked on your show.
[01:06:03] Speaker A: So I think I know who you're talking about.
[01:06:05] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah, this. Or I guess it's in the process, but we're all crossing our fingers. But ideally, this is a space where you can come on and say that sort of thing and that will happen, you know, so ideally we can have you back on in a year, a couple years, however long it takes. And you'll be on that show and in that writer's room and acting on that show, too. So I. I really think it'll happen for you.
[01:06:30] Speaker A: Thank you, guys. Thank you so much for having me. This has been so much fun.
[01:06:33] Speaker C: Thanks, baby.
[01:06:35] Speaker A: Thank you guys for coming and for having me and for.
For being curious and chatting.
[01:06:55] Speaker C: Did you learn something? I'm like your mom. Did you learn something in this episode? I hope so. Or not. That's okay. Thanks for hanging. Make sure you follow us at the 5050 Fest on Instagram and give us five stars, because. Why not? Why not subscribe? Why not?
Why not? Okay, bye.
