The Funny Muscle Podcast
This podcast aims to help listeners become funnier by breaking down how professional comedians craft their best laughs. Hosted by comedian turned author Mike Lukas and cohost Chris Stiffler, an economics professor and open mic-er, it applies the game plan and concepts from the Funny Muscle Book series. The show provides insight into how original and funny jokes are constructed.
Episodes
Mike Fixes Chris’s Five Minutes
In this episode of the Funny Muscle Podcast, Mike goes full comedy coach on Chris’s five-minute set. Over the course of an hour, they take the set apart joke by joke and build it back stronger by turning punchlines into heightened scenes, brainstorming better triplets, and throwing different heightening devices at a series of bait-and-switch jokes from Chris’s story about the perils of DIY bike as
Mick Napier: Improv Hacks for Stand-Up Comics
Why is it that the harder you try to be funny, the less funny you become? Like your analytical brain hijacks your comedy brain? That voice that starts judging every idea before it's finished can keep you from ever reaching the loose, playful, creative state.
We bring on a professional to help with that: legendary Chicago improv teacher, actor and director Mick Napier, one of Mike's former instruct
Be Likable Then They'll Laugh with Michael Palascak
On this episode of Funny Muscle Pod, we're joined by comedian Michael Palascak, whose credits include Conan, The Tonight Show, Last Comic Standing, and his hit YouTube special He's Friendly. We discuss earning an audience's trust, finding your authentic voice, and lessons from late-night TV, improv, and nearly a quarter century doing stand-up.
A Post-Bomb Recovery Plan
What do you do after a bomb? This week, Mike breaks down the difference between a joke bombing, an open mic bombing, and a full-scale set meltdown in front of a real audience, sharing the lessons he's learned from all three. We talk about the productive and unproductive ways to dwell on failure, how long you should let it bother you, and when it's time to stop sulking, start analyzing, get blue-pr
So You Want to be a Comedy Club Host?
Fresh off a weekend hosting at the Dallas Comedy Club, Mike breaks down the hidden skills required to become a great comedy club host. Surprisingly, being funny is only part of the job. We talk about reading crowds, managing energy, supporting the headliner, and why professionalism matters more than comics think. If you’ve ever wondered why some hilarious comics never get hosting work while others
We Serve Only Bait and Switch
In this episode of the Funny Muscle Podcast, Mike and Chris break down the comedy of Anthony Jeselnik—a comic who, on paper, “shouldn’t work” by our own rules. While we’ve been preaching the power of stacking multiple heightening devices, Jeselnik leans almost entirely on bait-and-switch… and still absolutely crushes. The fellows dissect several of Jeselnik’s bits to show how his exceptional writi
Blue Printing One Comic's Multiple Humor Heightening Devices
In this episode of the Funny Muscle Podcast, Mike and Chris break down the deceptively simple comedy of Nate Bargatze by Humor Blue-Printing several of Nate’s best bits. The fellows dig into the subtle setup mechanics, hidden assumptions, quiet misdirections, and extra humor tools Bargatze layers underneath his laid-back delivery to make his punchlines land so hard without ever sounding like he’s
Comedy Coaching and Bit Blueprinting
In this episode of the Funny Muscle Podcast, Mike jumps into comedy teacher mode and workshops several of Chris’s developing bits, helping tighten setups, sharpen punchlines, and uncover the hidden comedic engines underneath the material. Then the fellows break down clips and jokes from professional comics, reverse-engineering the premise structures, emotions, and humor-heightening devices that tu
Producing a Comedy Special with Michael Pasvar
Dallas comedian Michael Pasvar joins the fellows to break down his new comedy special Blended Feathers (now on YouTube). The special is a perfect case study in the Funny Muscle methodology—built on a clear, consistent comedy lens that carries through every bit.
We dive into the process of producing a special, shaping material to fit your persona, and the role vulnerability plays in making jokes hi
Humor Blueprint Homework
In this episode of Funny Muscle Pod, Mike assigns Chris a deceptively simple task: break down five professional stand-up bits using the full Humor Blueprint—subject, premise, setup, misdirection, norm, punchline—and layer in the humor heightening tools from Mike Lukas’s books. Together, they walk through the answers, revealing the hidden structure behind great jokes, how comics stack multiple tech
Misdirection (Improving Your Set-Ups)
On this episode of FMP, we break down how professional comedians use misdirection to make punchlines hit harder: like highlighting a safe, obvious detail so the audience locks onto the wrong assumption. We look at the exact moment a comic gets the audience leaning one way—through connector words, tone, body language, and subtle framing—then pulls the rug with a completely different meaning. If you
Traditional Stand-up vs Straight Act Out Comedy
On this episode of Funny Muscle Pod, we break down how professional comedians build laughs using the Funny Muscle Humor Blueprint and why the structure of stand-up is quietly evolving. We dig into the difference between traditional joke writing (setup, misdirection, punchline) and the more modern move where comics skip the setup entirely and jump straight into act-outs, often improvisationally. If
Enhance Your Bits with Emotion (How the Pros Do It)
In this episode, Mike goes into full Comedy Teacher Mode, the kind of mode where you half expect a pop quiz. We break down how to transform a topic into a real premise by adding emotion---the missing ingredient that makes audiences care before they laugh. Then we run pro comics’ bits through the Humor Blueprint, dissecting how they get laughs, identifying the humor heightening devices at work, and
Diagramming Humor Heightening Devices
In this episode of The Funny Muscle Pod, we diagram pro comics’ bits by circling the underlying structure, then highlighting the specific techniques—what we call Humor Heightening Devices—that pack the laughs in. You’ll hear how the pros stack half a dozen devices inside a single stretch: bait-and-switch, contrast, cut-to, negative-to-positive, act-outs, tags, and more.
Think of it like watching s
The Road to Headlining with CAIN
Dallas comedian CAIN, fresh off winning the 2025 Pervis Wilson Funniest Stand-Up in Dallas Competition, returns to the FMP to discuss the mysterious and lightly regulated sport of comedy competitions. In this episode, CAIN walks us through his third year in comedy, including the high-stakes strategic dilemma faced by every comic in a competition: Do you burn your best jokes early to survive the f
What Comics can Borrow from Improv with Brittany Taylor
Brittany Taylor---Improv Guru and Instructor---- joins Mike and Chris to yes-and their brains into shape with a crash course in all things improv: the formulas, the frameworks, and the wonderfully weird archetypes (pirates vs. ninjas).
Brittany breaks down what happens when people try improv for the first time—those classic beginner pitfalls like freezing, plot-dumping, apologizing, or trying to “
Moving the Pen with Sean O’Brien
We sit down with St. Louis comic Sean O’Brien who has opened for legends like Bill Burr, Norm Macdonald, and Nikki Glaser.
Sean got his start bartending at the St. Louis Funny Bone, where he met Mike Lukas — and, in true full-circle fashion, Mike’s show ended up becoming Sean’s very first paid gig.
In this episode, Sean breaks down his writing process, including his daily habit of “moving the pen”
Crowd Work with Michael Halcomb
This pod’s guest is Michael Halcomb — a professor, pastor, comedian, and podcaster from North Carolina, proving once and for all that the best way to handle hecklers is with a sermon, a syllabus, and a punchline.
Chris asks Michael and Mike about their jointly-authored article “10 Ways to Upgrade Your Crowd Work” — covering how to turn audience chaos into comedy, why professors secretly make great
Two Hours of Funny, Every. Single. Day. With Pete Schwaba
In this episode of The Funny Muscle Podcast, we welcome Pete Schwaba — veteran comedian, screenwriter, actor, and radio host — to prove that comedy isn’t just about punchlines; it’s about endurance, caffeine, and creative chaos. Pete shares war stories from the road, how writing a two-hour daily radio show feels like prepping a stand-up set that never ends, and why curveballs and misdirection are
How Comics Think While You Laugh (Inside the Comic's Brain)
Ever wonder what a stand-up is really doing onstage while you’re laughing? This episode breaks down the invisible gears turning inside a comic’s brain — the quick rewrites, subtle pauses, and instinctive callbacks that make a joke feel alive in the room. Mike and Chris explore how great comics read an audience in real time and adjust every beat to create something unrepeatable — a shared moment th
What Makes an ‘Unlikely Scenario’ Funny? (And Why Comics Love It)
“You never see…” — it’s one of comedy’s favorite springboards into the ridiculous. In this episode of The Funny Muscle Podcast, Mike and Chris grab the metaphorical coach’s playbook and diagram how pros turn that setup into laugh-out-loud gold. Along the way, they break down three humor heightening devices — Uncommon Worlds, Unlikely Scenarios, and Incongruity — showing how comics bend reality, co
Comic Timing with Tim Alexander
You’d think comedians would be the ones giving lessons on timing. But this week, we flipped the snare. Our guest is Tim Alexander, the legendary drummer for Blue Man Group and Primus, who joins the Funny Muscle Pod to teach us about timing. Turns out, drummers and comedians share the same secret weapon: the pause. The space between the beats, or between the setups and punchlines, is where the tens
Hook, Line, and Punchline: The Science of Bait and Switch
Think you saw the punchline coming? Good comics make sure you don’t. In this Funny Muscle Pod, Mike and Chris break down bait and switch — the move where you’re sure you know the joke’s ending, then wind up face-down in a completely different punchline. We analyze the tape of the Naked Gun’s deadpan reveals, Dave Barry’s elegant sentence swerves, and stand-up jokes from comedians Tom Cotter, Jon S
Hacking a Small Crowd
Not every room will be packed—sometimes you’re on stage for fewer people than your car’s backseat can handle. In the latest episode of the Funny Muscle Pod, Mike shares battle-tested tips for how to turn a modest crowd into a memorable performance, like boost your pace and go local. We also learn how to say what they’re thinking—lightly. If your audience is thinking, “Is this crowd supposed to be
The "Excellent Choice" Effect: Stand-up Techniques for Public Speaking
Why do we feel so good when a waiter says “excellent choice” after we order the salmon instead of the flank steak?
Mike and Chris break down the psychology behind that little dopamine hit and show you how to use the same principle to level up your comedy, corporate communication, public speaking, and even your skills as a great emcee. They also dig into the respective articles they wrote for Findi
Feel Something, Say Something: Turning Topics Into Premises Using Emotions
On this episode of Funny Muscle, the team tackles one of the most important — and often overlooked by new comics — steps in joke creation: assigning an emotion to a topic. Because “air travel” isn’t funny. But your deep personal betrayal by a TSA muffin confiscation? That’s a premise. They look at how pros use an emotional POV to instantly transform a generic idea into a living, breathing premise
Hour A Day to Write Comedy? 12 Comics' Advice (part 2)
In this episode, we cornered a dozen comedians—some voluntarily—and asked:
“If you had one hour a day to train your comedy off-stage, what would you do?” There’s a wide range of answers. One practices in front of a mirror. One writes down everything that irritates them until they become punchlines. One looks up 20 facts about a topic. And yes—several review their sets like it’s game tape, pausing
Work to the Top of Your Intelligence with Jimmy Shubert
Nationally touring comedian, actor, and verbal hurricane Jimmy Shubert stops by the Funny Muscle Pod to talk about his legendary career, offer some top-shelf joke-writing advice, and reveal his secret weapon: the “20 Facts, 20 Jokes” method. Basically, he starts with facts and then writes jokes about them. That’s it. That’s the system. And it works, because he's Jimmy Freakin’ Shubert.
Described b
The Business Side of Stand-Up
Here at the Funny Muscle Pod, we chat a lot about the skills in crafting jokes, but in this episode, we take a hard turn to the business side of comedy. And although the business of stand-up is as glamorous as a motel continental breakfast, it’s needed. We grill Mike, a seasoned touring comedian, on crucial survival skills, such as how to avoid burnout on the road (step one: don’t live entirely on
Marketing Your Comedy Brand with David Uribe
How do you market your comedy brand? How do you get more likes, shares, and followers without resorting to bribery or adopting an emotional support ferret for viral content?
The biggest comics know the secrets of online marketing—like how to trick the algorithm into showing your jokes to more than just your mom and that one guy from high school.
To help us crack the code, we invited David Uribe—ma
Comedy Competitions with Kenny Lee
Join us on the Funny Muscle Pod as we sit down with Kenny Lee, winner of the 2024 Purvis Wilson Funniest Stand-Up in Dallas Competition. Known for his sharp, cunning comedy, Kenny (@KennyLee270) takes us behind the scenes of his joke-writing process, shares how he developed his comedic persona, and talks about the power of working clean. Plus, he breaks down the strategy behind competing in stand-
Not Giving Up on a Bit with CAIN
In this episode of the Funny Muscle Pod, we sit down with rising Dallas comic CAIN (@funnycain_) to talk comedy, persistence, and the art of refining bits. He shares valuable advice on not giving up on jokes, reworking material, and navigating the Dallas open mic scene. Plus, CAIN reveals how he draws inspiration from professional wrestling and magic to elevate his act. Don't miss this insightful
Punch Lines and Cruise Ships with Brad Tassell
Comedian and author Brad Tassell joins the Funny Muscle Podcast to talk about joke writing, performing comedy on cruise ships, and how the comedy scene today compares to the 90s. As the creator and co-host of the Virtual Comedy Show, Brad brings years of experience and insight into crafting punchlines—sharing advice that’s simple yet often overlooked.
Find the Funny and Never be Annoyed: Payton Payne
What better person to teach us how to do your first year of comedy more efficiently than someone who recently did her first year of comedy very efficiently. Payton Payne, a Dallas comic, joins the Funny Muscle Pod to teach us how she uses stage time to craft jokes, and how, when you constantly are looking for ways to make things funny, typically annoying instances no longer bother you.
Get Better at Comedy Faster with Paul Varghese
Paul Varghese is a comedian and actor who appeared on the reality show Last Comic Standing 2. He’s toured with Joan Rivers and Gabriel Iglesias. He has been doing stand-up since 2001 and lives in Dallas Texas, so Mike (also in Dallas) had some questions about the local scene. We talk a lot about comedy writing, what it’s like being a comic of Indian descent, and the evolution of comedy over the p
Being Yourself on Stage with Dwayne Kennedy
In this episode we chat with Dwayne Kennedy, a stand-up comedian, actor and writer. Dwayne has also written for The Arsenio Hall Show and The Orlando Jones Show. He has played roles in such classic series as Seinfeld, Martin, 227, and Amen. Having done comedy for more than 3 decades, Dwayne is in the unique position to talk about the state of comedy today. His advice on “being yourself” on stage
Blue Man Comedy with Jeffrey Nicholas Brown
The Funny Muscle Podcast welcomes our first Blue Man in this episode. Which is challenging since the Blue Man Group doesn't talk. Fortunately, this Blue Man is also Nickelodeon Famous. Jeffrey Nicholas Brown is most known for his role as "Jake Hart" on Nickelodeon's Henry Danger. (So, he can talk and does so during the interview) Jeffrey also does stand-up. His advice about getting laughs without
Million Words Writing Challenge
Chris travels to Dallas for this one. He joins Mike's comedy office hours on Wednesday at the Dallas Comedy Club to workshop material with students. They talk about crafting comedy bits in a group setting. They also chat about Mike's journey to improve his writing using a challenge: The Ice Bucket Writing Challenge which involves writing Hemingway-like prose or taking an ice bath. (Kidding! Though
Comedy as a Booker, Teacher, Mom and Comic: Magen King
The Funny Muscle Podcast chats with a comedian, a storyteller, an award-winning radio host, a mom and a comedy teacher in this episode. And they are all the same person: Magen King. She was a finalist in the World Series of Comedy and a finalist for three consecutive years in the Funniest Comic in Texas. She teaches at the Dallas Comedy Club. We talk about booking talent in the Dallas area, her
Comedy Song Writing with Tim Cavanagh
The Funny Muscle welcomes to the podcast its first guitar. And accompanying that guitar is comedian and songwriter Tim Cavanagh, who has been in the comedy business for almost four decades. His first CD, “Sounds Like Fun!” was released in 1997. Tim tells us how he credits deadlines and his weekly segment called “The One Minute Song” on “The Bob & Tom Show” for his ability to create laughs. T
Creating Distinct Voices with Darren McStay
To improve their character voices, Mike and Chris chat with actor, musician, filmmaker and voice coach Darren McStay whose Youtube channel “Improve Your Voice” has millions of downloads.
Darren teaches warm up techniques, why it’s important to commit to a character and tips on sticking with that character.
Maybe the best advice Darren teaches during the episode is how to use physicality and body-
Turning Topics into Premises
"Cats" is a topic, but it's not until you say something like "Cats bother me as an economist." have you transformed your material into a premise.
In this episode we make that distinction.
We also learn how Mike's comedy teaching classes in Dallas are coming alone.
And we talk about Mike's aha moment during improv training.
Listen to this episode if you're unclear how to morph a topic into a premi
An Hour a Day to Write Jokes? Here's What the Pros Do (Advice from 12 Comedians)
We asked each of our last 12 comedy pro guests what they'd tell new comedians to do if they had an hour a day to write jokes. Here's a compilation of their best advice.
Lenny Schmidt
Nathan Timmel
Steph Clark
Kevin Rogers
Dan Bakkedahl
Dan Carlson
Doby Maxwell
Tom Clark
Dr. Caleb Warren
Jake Vevera
Rich Talarico
Adam Bloom
*** If you enjoy the podcast, be sure to give us a share, like, and follo
Comedy Drills and Comedy Specials with Jake Vevera
New York comedian and co-host of the podcast “Idiots on Parade” Jake Vevera (@jakevevera) stops by the Funny Muscle Podcast to talk about his upcoming comedy special, which is about to be released on YouTube.
Jake is full of advice for new comedians like his three-sentence joke writing drill and his advice on stage time.
Find out why Jake also tells new comics to pretend that their audience does
Comedy on Cruises with Lenny Schmidt
Lenny Schmidt stops by the Funny Muscle Podcast to teach us about the logistics of planning comedy material for 5 nights in a row on a cruise ship (hint: you got to keep track of your call-back jokes).
Lenny, who has been doing comedy since the 1980s, also studied improv in Chicago. You may recognize Lenny in movies like “Joe Dirt” and “The Ugly Truth”, and TV shows; “Castle”, “True Blood”, “Big L
Corporate Gigs and Comedy for the Troops with Nathan Timmel
Headlining comedian, author, and host of the podcast “Idiots on Parade” Nathan Timmel invades the Funny Muscle Podcast to talk about the current state of comedy, to tell us tricks for doing corporate gigs, and to tell us stories about performing for troops overseas.
As always, we get his advice on writing and creating new material for new comics.
You can find his latest comedy special “Unapologet
Writing Comedy Monologues with Ben Alper
We learn about writing monologue jokes with Ben Alper who has written jokes for several decades and has seen them performed by the likes of Jay Leno and Dave Letterman.
We discuss his recently published book: Live from the Beginning of Time: Late Night Comedy Monologues Through the Ages.
The book imagines if there were late-night talk show hosts during things like the discovery of fire and the
Mike's first set in 10 years and Book 3 Flexing Your Funny Muscle
On the same week that Mike released the third book in the Funny Muscle series, he did something he hasn’t done in 10 years: he strolled on stage and performed a 5-minute set.
We talk all about it in this episode.
We also dust off the Humor Blueprint to diagram a few pro comics’ bits to give the listener practice identifying joke structure, humor heightening devices, and misdirection.
And we debu
Booking Talent with Dan Carlson
Comedian, Director of the Chicago Comedy Festival, and former General Manager of Zanies Comedy Club in Rosemont, Dan Carlson, stops by the Funny Muscle Podcast.
Dan teaches us how to capture a booker’s attention in the first minute of a set, how the finances between the comic and club work, and when to know if you are ready to jump from opener to middle to headliner.
*** If you enjoy the podcast,
An Academic Look at Why Things are Funny: Benign Violation Theory with Dr. Caleb Warren
Dr. Caleb Warren joins the podcast to give Mike and Chris an academic and research-based look at why things are funny using a framework known as the “Benign Violation Theory.”
Dr. Warren is a professor in the Marketing Department at the University of Arizona and one of the authors of a paper called “Benign violations: Making immoral behavior funny.”
His particular areas of research focus on what m
The Comic and Booker's Advice with Steph Clark
We chat with comedian Steph Clark who is also the owner of Funny Girl Events.
So, we get advice from a comic's perspective as well as a booker.
We learn some dos and don'ts of impressing a comedy booker, what it's like to be married to a comedian, and regional differences in comedy as Steph performs frequently in the LA area and the Midwest.
*** If you enjoy the podcast, be sure to give us a share
Restarting Stand-up; Copywriting and Comedy with Kevin Rogers
New comics will appreciate the advice from touring comedian Kevin Rogers, who took 12 years off to build a family and business, who then had to turn his comedy creation machine back on to create 20 minutes of new material in a new generation with a whole new comedy lens.
Kevin Rogers is a comedian, business guru, and author who helps businesses write the words that hook customers and boost sales.
Improv in Acting with Dan Bakkedahl (aka Congressman Roger Furlong)
Actor and improvisational comedian Dan Bakkedahl stops by the podcast to chat about acting, improv, auditioning for roles, starting out in Chicago, and heightening comedy scenes.
Dan is known for his role on the sitcom Life in Pieces, as Congressman Roger Furlong on the series VEEP, and as Steven Nugent in the series Legit.
He also worked as a correspondent on three seasons of The Daily Show with
Developing bits, Doing the small things, and Dry Bar Specials with "The Dented Can" Dobie Maxwell
Stopping by the Funny Muscle Podcast is “The Dented Can” Dobie Maxwell.
He is a comedian, actor, radio personality, comedy instructor, comedy writer and author.
His passion for comedy and mentoring is quickly apparent.
We chat about how he earned his set on the Late Late Show, his comedy lens, joke development, his recent Dry Bar Special, and doing the small things---outside the jokes----that ca
Chatting with the "Bad" Boy of Comedy: Tom Clark
The "Bad" Boy of Comedy from Wisconsin Tom Clark joins the Funny Muscle Podcast to talk about:
* What’s it like to do a set on Conan
*Tips of doing clean comedy (especially in Utah)
*How he added vulnerability to his comedy persona
*Advice he learned from doing New Faces in the Montreal Comedy Festival
Tom has appeared on Conan, Netflix, Comedy Central, HBO, NBC, ABC, FOX, and CBS.
What a Weak Premise Lacks
A comedian starts a joke by making an interesting assertion.
The audience wonders, “How will they ever prove that to us with their unique take?"
Mike and Chris talk about the tactics to make that happen as they break down some pro comic bits and teach how to write jokes with "premise intrigue."
Like play-by-play sports analysts, they also freeze frame and diagram comic material (Louis C.K, Bill Bu
In the Writers Room at Key and Peele: Chatting with Rich Talarico
I spill my drink, and my friend says, “Ya done messed up Ay-Ay-Ron!”
My friend is quoting the viral Key and Peele sketch: The Substitute Teacher.
In this episode of the Funny Muscle Podcast, we got to chat with the writer who came up with that sketch: Rich Talarico. He’s a Peabody Award-winning writer/producer with four Emmy and four WGA Award nominations, as well as an improviser, comedy teacher
How to Get Booked as a New Comedian
In an effort to show how a comedian's brain instantly "blows up" a situation to notice the funny, Chris and Mike practice some improv drills at the beginning of the episode.
This might send you Googling, "What are Tiddleywinks?"
Then Mike tells some stories from the beginning of his comedy career to teach the tips and tactics on how a new comedian can get their first booking.
*** If you enjoy the
Advice from Two Veteran Comedians: Part 2 with Adam Bloom
In part 2 of the conversation with Adam Bloom (@adambloomcomedy) we get deeper into the pedagogical side of comedy and go deeper into Adam’s book: Finding Your Comic Genius: An in-depth guide to the art of stand-up comedy.”
Mike (@mlukas1111) and Chris (@econ_comic) also learn about Adam’s thoughts on comedy in the US compared to the UK, how rap and rhythm impacts comedy, and writing exercises new
Finding Your Comic Genius with Adam Bloom
Mike (@mlukas1111) and Chris (@econ_comic) chat with British comedian, writer, and author of “Finding Your Comic Genius: An in-depth guide to the art of stand-up comedy” Adam Bloom.
In part 1 of the conversation with Adam (@adambloomcomedy), we chat about the self-publishing process, Adam’s first gig, and how his comedy persona has evolved since that first gig.
We also hear about Adam’s process o
Handling Hecklers: "Buff your head for a nickel!"
“Buff your head for a nickel!” might not be a heckle you’re likely to get, but it is for Mike Lukas.
And he knows how to handle it masterfully.
We hear all about that funny anecdote in this episode of the Funny Muscle Podcast. Mike (@mlukas1111) arms Chris’s comedy tool belt with tools and tactics to deal with hecklers.
And the lessons aren’t just for comics.
These crowd-shepherding skills work
Things I Learned in the First Year of Comedy I Didn't Know at the Start
Fact checking comedy is often a fool's errand.
(Well sir, I checked, and the phrase "a bushy bushy blonde hairdo, surfin' USA" does not in fact appear in the Declaration of Independence.)
But sometimes it's needed. Like now. Chris (@econ_comic) and Mike (@mlukas1111) workshop a premise at the end of the episode about the famous Everest-climbing quote "because it's there," which Mike mistakenly att
Warming Up a Cold Crowd
Forty years ago, the emcee of a comedy show would likely have been the most experienced comedian, who didn’t need any help capturing an audience.
Today’s model, however, has a newer comic playing that role.
So being skilled at warming up a cold crowd is an important skill for a new comic.
Mike walks us through some tactics on how to get an audience’s attention before springing jokes on them.
Th
Mistakes a New Comic Makes
You’ve probably envisioned yourself performing in a crowded room, but what about a completely empty one?
We get to hear about one of Mike’s successful auditions that took place in front of no one.
He admits he got the gig not because he was the funniest, but because he used some tactics that a new comic often overlooks.
We talk about those tactics (mic etiquette, eye contact and respecting your
10 Things a New Standup Comic Needs to Do
Does your outfit support your comedic persona? Wait! Have you even developed your unique persona? Do you have a set list? Do your jokes have misdirection? How do open mics even work? How do veteran comics deal with nerves before a performance? Mike (@mlukas1111) and Chris (@econ_comic) answer these questions and more in this episode of the Funny Muscle Podcast while giving learners a top 10 check
Heightening Bits with Sound Effects and by Overstating the Obvious
What does a golf club sound like being thrown across the course?
We learn how Mike (@mlukas1111) made the frustrated golfer come alive with the humor heightening device sound effects.
We also introduce "overstating the obvious" (wherein you emphasize the glaringly apparent, obviously) and "made up institutions" while discussing truth in comedy.
Chris (@econ_comic) learns how to not turn your audi
Expanding Your Bits with These Devices: Anthropomorphize, Contrast, Cut Back To
Mike (@mlukas1111) and Chris (@econ_comic) talk about 3 more humor heightening devices in this episode: anthropomorphize, contrast, and cut back to.
We listen to and learn about Mike’s talking alarm clock while we learn why it’s not enough to give something a voice, you must give it an attitude/opinion as well.
We also learn how contrasts work with a bit about asking for the directions in New Yo
Bait and Switch, Cut Forward To, Funny Specifics (Deep Dive into Humor Heightening)
In the previous episode Mike threw a bunch of humor heightening devices at Chris’s Plane PDA bit to show how to transform a 20 second joke into a 2-3 minute bit, but they never gave a full explanation of each heightening device.
In this episode, Mike (@mlukas1111) and Chris (@econ_comic) take a deep dive into 3 specific heightening devices (bait and switch, cut forward to, and funny specifics) whi
How to Heighten Your Bits
Mike sees it all the time at open mics: a new comic does a good bit but leaves it under-developed.
That 20 second joke could turn into 3 great minutes of material if the open mic-er would learn to use what Mike has dubbed the “humor heightening devices.”
In this episode, Chris (@econ_comic) brings a fresh joke idea to Mike (@mlukas1111) who then runs it through the humor heightening devices to
The Humor Blueprint
Misdirection is at the heart of getting laughs.
That’s one piece of advice often overlooked by fledgling comics.
In this episode, Mike (@mlukas1111) teaches how comics can use misdirection to their advantage.
He does so with a tool/template he’s dubbed the Humor Blueprint.
Mike teaches the Humor Blueprint, then Chris (@econ_comic) runs some famous bits through the Blueprint as practice.
*** If yo
The Comedy Lens
Why is understanding your Comedy Lens a critical first step to learning how to do standup comedy?
What’s your unique take? What’s your persona?
The comedy lens gives you a port hole through which to view the world.
This helps in narrowing your focus when writing material.
A clear comedy lens also increases the chances that your audience will remember you.
The discussion concludes with some tak
Recommended
Pintastic® Pinterest Podcast
Learn 50 English Phrases While You Sleep | Everyday English Phrases & Vocabulary
The Daily
The Joe Rogan Experience
World News Tonight with David Muir
Talk About Talk - Executive & Leadership Communication Skills
This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von
Stand In The Circle
Conspiracy Files with Paige Carter
Learn English B1 with Daily News | English Listening Practice
Bad Friends
The Swerve Podcast: Obscure Topics | Conspiracy Theories
