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Open to Suggestion

James Mastraieni and Mike McLendon 12 Episodes Feb 23, 2026

Open to Suggestion is an improv comedy podcast hosted by James Mastraieni and Mike McLendon. Each week, they begin with a single prompt—a word, story, interview, or odd internet find—and use it as the starting point for completely improvised scenes. A rotating cast of comedians joins them, with no scripts or pre-planning. For Backdrop.fm subscribers, the hosts also share improv exercises, games, and shop talk, making the show part performance and part workshop.

Episodes

Legal Advice with Quinn Boyes and Derrick Hackett Feb 23, 2026 3243 Quinn Boyes and Derrick Hackett (of UCB’s Power of Attorney) join James and Mike to explore the world of Reddit’s Legal Advice. Using real posts as inspiration, they turn neighbor disputes, moving-day meltdowns, and paranoid smart-speaker dilemmas into fully improvised scenesPlus, over on backdrop.fm, the four dig into Harold auditions, the "before times" of UCB, and how teams decide which opening

Anthony Bourdain with Drew DiFonzo Marks and Toni Charline Jan 19, 2026 2819 Drew DeFonzo Marks and Toni Charlene join James and Mike for an episode inspired by the words and worldview of Anthony Bourdain. Pulling from his quotes on food, travel, and culture, the group turns observations about meals, missteps abroad, and everyday rituals into a series of scenesspanning disastrous vacations, questionable restaurant etiquette, and the strange intimacy of learning how other p

Bartenders with Hannah Kanengieter and Colin McGurk Jan 5, 2026 4023 Hannah Kanengieter and Colin McGurk join James and Mike for an episode inspired by Bartenders of Reddit—specifically, overheard conversations and late-night bar stories that feel too strange to be true. From suspicious German whisperers and eco-friendly spies to disastrous family introductions and watchmakers with misplaced confidence, the group turns barroom eavesdropping into big, chaotic improv

Sufjan Stevens Songs for Christmas with Lyndsey Frank and Ruha Taslimi Dec 22, 2025 3743 Ruha Taslimi and Lyndsey Frank join James and Mike for a holiday-themed episode inspired by the whimsical and often earnest world of Sufjan Stevens’ five-volume Christmas box set. From there, the group digs into the craft of improv, with a special focus on the art of the edit and how veteran players signal the end of a scene without killing its momentum. Plus, on backdrop.fm, they break down how

Wisconsin with Matt Newell and Dave Theune Dec 15, 2025 3623 Matt Newell and Dave Toy join James and Mike for an episode inspired by a children’s book of Wisconsin facts and symbols. After the scenes, they break down what worked, what didn’t, and how grounding allows absurdity to flourish. Plus, the group digs into playing inanimate objects, when (and when not) to embrace the absurd, and how to balance commitment, point of view, and audience trust to keep e

Interview Etiquette with Suzi Barett and Ryan Rosemberg Dec 8, 2025 2992 Susie Barrett and Ryan Rosenberg (Yes, Also) join James and Mike to try and pull inspiration from a list of celebrity interview tips—the kind of advice that’s equal parts earnest, confusing, and wildly specific. Plus, on backdrop.fm they talk about the slow work of how the best improvisers treat practice like training, and the advantage of boot-camp–style reps . Learn more about your ad choices.

Monologues with Drew DiFonzo Marks and Rachel Van Nes Nov 24, 2025 3498 Drew DiFonzo Marks and Rachel Van Nes join James and Mike for an episode inspired by monologues from none other than Will Hines. Summer jobs, strange bosses, and even stranger side hustles open the door to a world of creep-adjacent movie nights and underground magazine empires. Plus, for Backdrop.fm members, the four dig into how different improv “schools” shape performance—Chicago patterns, UCB

Pattern Game with Andrew Grace and Molly Kiernan Nov 17, 2025 2104 Molly Kiernan and Andrew Grace (of UCB’s Logan) join James and Mike for a deep dive into one of improv’s most iconic—and intimidating—openings: The Pattern Game. Together, they explore how a single word blossoms into a web of associations, characters, and ideas, and what happens when it actually clicks. Plus, for Backdrop.fm members, they deep dive into why the Pattern Game has survived generatio

YouTube with Greg Gallant and Monte Montepare Nov 10, 2025 3293 Greg Gallant (Firsthand, Haunted Hotel, Queen George) and Monte Montepare (The Moth, Ghost) join James and Mike to pull inspiration from the world’s favorite distraction: YouTube. Plus, Backdrop.fm members get more with James, Mike, Greg, and Monte as they talk about what it’s like to perform with someone for the first time, how chemistry actually develops onstage, and the etiquette of improv mas

Am I The A**hole with Nnamdi Ngwe and Monika Smith Nov 3, 2025 2883 Monika Smith and Nnamdi Ngwe join James and Mike for an episode inspired by Reddit’s "Am I the Asshole," where moral dilemmas and petty internet debates spark a whole world of improv. After the scenes, they break down what worked, what didn’t, and how experienced improvisers balance chaos and connection onstage. Plus, on Backdrop.fm they dig into the craft of twoprov: building trust, timing call

Real Estate with Toni Charline and Ryan Meharry Oct 27, 2025 3065 Toni Charlene and Ryan Meharry (of Bangarang) join James and Mike to see if they can turn the driest text on the internet—real estate listings—into improv comedy. After the scenes, they break down what worked, what didn’t, and how veteran improvisers build entire worlds from a single spark. Get more at backdrop.fm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Open to Suggestion (Trailer) Oct 17, 2025 80 Join comedians James Mastraieni and Mike McLendon for Open to Suggestion, the show where they open with an idea, improvise from it, and break down how it all works. Get more at backdrop.fm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Open to Suggestion

Episodes

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