12 APR 2022 · We had so much fun recording our Cliques episode that we couldn’t fit all the conversations in. Here’s a bonus episode with some extra conversations between Laurie and Brian. Featuring: * A significant but interesting detour about sketch packets * Stand-up in rural communities * Brian’s experience running a comedy festival and attempting to staff outside his friend network * Small market theaters where producers equal friends * Introverts in cliques * A reflection on how our high school experiences show up today, e.g. are we mean? * Indie teams vs house teams * Welcoming significant others at comedy after parties Support AWHOAWC artists and contributors: * Written and recorded by @LaurieBolewitz and @BrianDoesImprov * More from us at https://linktr.ee/humancomedians * Edited by @BrianDoesImprov * Podcast art by josienorton.com * Main theme by Neil Newton

5 APR 2022 · In Money, Laurie and Brian explore the old adage, “There is no money in improv”–its truths and the ways it hides or reinforces inequalities. The episode features a fascinating conversation with Mona Thompson and Shara Tonn, improv performers and teachers who built careers in improv tell their stories, offer practical advice, and play a money-themed game called “National Currency or D&D Monster.” Featuring: * Brian's money journey, making money in his first team, a professional zag, and reflections on privilege * Laurie's money journey, college, overseas head school, self taught improv, returning to the US comedy scene, and reflections on privilege * Brian's interview with Mona and Shara– * Their journey to improv as a full time career * Expanding their training, doing a bit at a time (e.g. trying it for a year) * Their reflections on privilege * Planning and executing a national and an international tour, making their offerings enticing for small market theaters and festivals * Practical advice for folks following in their footsteps * We play "currency or D&D monster" * Follow @msdimprov on Instagram * Laurie and Brian debrief after the interview * Brian mentions this book’s influence on him: https://bookshop.org/books/how-to-be-an-artist-without-losing-your-mind-your-shirt-or-your-creative-compass-a-practical-guide/9781581573671 Support AWHOAWC artists and contributors: * Written and recorded by @LaurieBolewitz and @BrianDoesImprov * More from us at https://linktr.ee/humancomedians * Edited by @andy_sell * Podcast art by josienorton.com * Main theme by Neil Newton Includes sound effects: * Bell, Candle Damper, A (H1) from InspectorJ (https://freesound.org/people/InspectorJ/sounds/411089/) under an Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/) * Bicycle Horn from AntumDeluge (https://freesound.org/people/AntumDeluge/sounds/188039/) under a Creative Commons 0 License (https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)

29 MAR 2022 · In Cliques, Laurie and Brian explore the “in” groups and “out” groups of comedy, the purposes they serve and the impacts they have on new and long-time performers. Featuring: * POP QUIZ on our favorite high school movies * Tear Down the Boys’ Club that Protected Louis C.K. by Guy Branam: https://www.vulture.com/2017/11/tear-down-the-boys-club-that-protected-louis-ck.html * Cliques in various comedy scenes - improv, stand-up, comedy theaters * Late Night with Jimmy Fallopian Tubes: https://www.facebook.com/JimmyFallopianTubes * PLEASE read Laurie’s Birdbox Conan O’Brien sketch: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Eh36k9CRcZck_qp7QrLJqLnrczbK7Xj_/view?usp=drivesdk * How cliques in one sense (who is our audience) affects the sort of comedy that is welcome on stage, which in turn affects who is our audience * Tao Comedy Studio in LA: https://taocomedystudio.com * Laurie and Brian’s initial clique experiences in school, and the defense mechanisms they developed * Laurie and Brian’s specific experiences with, challenges of and triumphs around cliques and community in comedy * T.J. Mannix / LimboLand: https://www.facebook.com/LimboLandMusicalImprov/ * The intersection of welcoming generally and welcoming specifically improvisers from historically marginalized backgrounds Sooo much came up during our conversation that we couldn’t fit it all in! There’s a bonus episode with all that extra content, including: sketch packets, rural stand-up, and introverts in cliques. It will be released next week! Support AWHOAWC artists and contributors: * Written and recorded by Laurie Bolewitz and Brian Gray * More from us at https://linktr.ee/humancomedians * Edited by Brian Gray * Podcast art by Josie Norton * Main theme by Neil Newton

22 MAR 2022 · Laurie and Brian explore what it means to play at the height of your dignity, and whether dignity is a worthy comedic value. Featuring: * Bob Odenkirk on playing to the height of your dignity * Deconstructing “play to the height of your intelligence” * For all the music nerds, here’s more reading on schenkerian analysis: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schenkerian_analysis * Singing in the Rain, “Dignity, Always Dignity,” slapstick and “low brow” humor that requires a lot of training and practice: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SND3v0i9uhE * The Superiority Theory of Comedy: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theories_of_humor#Superiority_theory * Taking away your own dignity by looking down at your character or the audience * When you are anxious, you are more likely to say something sexist or racist * Mr. Rogers was offended at kids’ TV shows featuring people getting hit in the face by pies: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2019/12/what-would-mister-rogers-do/600772/ * “Comedy can either help us work through very difficult things or it can help us take our minds off of very difficult things.” -Laurie Bolewitz * Dignity and the dangers of self-deprecating humor. “When marginalized people are self-deprecating in comedy, it becomes self-abuse.” -Hannah Gadsby * Laughter as a type of physical control, and what it means for white dudes to give up that control to people who don’t look like them Support AWHOAWC artists and contributors: * Written and recorded by Laurie Bolewitz and Brian Gray * More from us at https://linktr.ee/humancomedians * Edited by Andy Sell * Podcast art by Josie Norton * Main theme by Neil Newton

15 MAR 2022 · Hosts Laurie Bolewitz and Brian Gray introduce each other, the show and our Season 1 theme: “Welcome.” Featuring: * INTERVIEW: Each other! * QUIZ: Human or Comedian? * Delightful banter Support AWHOAWC artists and contributors: * Written and recorded by Laurie Bolewitz and Brian Gray * More from us at https://linktr.ee/humancomedians * Edited by Brian Gray * Podcast art by Josie Norton * Main theme by Neil Newton * Additional music: Danse Macabre - Busy Strings by Kevin MacLeod. Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3591-danse-macabre---busy-strings. License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license