killian_martin

This episode did a good job of telling us the challenges that faced the theater (and group) early on and at the moment. Believe me, these are the details and conversations I love to listen to, especially when its a conversation between creative minds I admire. While I found most of this episode's content informative, I think it would be great to hear more about the moments and experiences the group had as individuals that led them all to enter into improv, to meet each other, to form their group, and to decide to take their improv characters into the real world. In the past, interviews with the early members (aside from the Adam McKay episode of WTF) have disappointed me because I have yet to hear what a lot of listeners might be waiting for--the moments when the UCB founders knew that improv would be their creative outlet of choice above all others.

http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2012/12/the-nra-and-the-positive-good-of-maximum-guns/266571/ This article compares the pro-gun argument to the pro-slavery argument in an intriguing way. This is all the more interesting, given how Matt argued that, like guns, slavery was effectively supported by the constitution. Also, kudos to Matt for pointing out that just because something is ingrained in the American culture, it doesn't mean it can't or shouldn't be changed.

This short clip shows a cop shooting himself during a school safety demonstration--which is all the more timely considering the Newtown tragedy, the latest I4H episode, and the NRA's bizarre "School Shield" solution. Watching this clip is all the more nerve-racking because you know that the gun is going to go off, but you don't know when. It is somewhat visual, but the cop's authority is shattered as soon as he shoots himself and tries to play it off.