groovatoidfunkritis

I'm hesitant to say anything critical and I'm only posting because of how much I love Who Charted, but I'm having a really hard time connecting with the show lately! I'm speculating/assuming that the guest portion was recorded first with the old format, but if that's the case, I wonder if having the guest around warmed them up for twooch afterwards and maybe that's part of the reason why it was so delightful. It used to feel like that energy when you get together with your BFF along with a newer acquaintance, and you LOVE the time you spend with the new person, but as you're chatting, certain things come up like inside jokes and references that the new person doesn't have context for, so you're kind of hoping the new friend leaves first so you have a little bit of private time to dish with your BFF. And the audience could anticipate it and be in on that and it was totally magical. With the new format, it feels more like we're in on a more formal Howard/Kulap hang. Like when you and your BFF are stressed and struggling to make time together and you have to get together every week at a certain time to see each other. That's not a bad thing. You still need and appreciate and love that time together, but it's not always the most interesting/supportive hang, and sometimes you're kind of relieved when a newer third party joins you to liven things up. Does this make any sense? It could also be a chicken/egg thing -- i.e. is it that the format is making things different, or the demands that gave rise to the new format? The old format felt like it built a level of excitement and connection between Howard and Kulap and the audience (or at least that's how I saw it). But, it could also just be that they're both under new demands and the dynamic has shifted. Maybe this is all dumb and obvious, maybe I'm just being a huge change-resistant a-hole. I just hope everything works out!

Scott, I don't know if you might read this, but thank you so much for sharing this episode. My husband and I were talking about how podcasts are so unique in the way that they make you feel so close to the hosts and personalities in a way that no other medium can, and like you're part of some kind of secret society. Your intro really drove that home. We're feeling completely gutted by Harris's passing (listened to old eps and foam corners all weekend), but we also realized how much we feel for you, and how much we appreciate what you do to bring us so many laughs and so much happiness. We were on a major CBB kick around the time we got married and listened to you on the beach and everywhere we went on our honeymoon. About a year later when my father-in-law was sick with terminal cancer, we started really getting into Who Charted and listened to that, CBB and Improv 4 Humans on our very long and frequent drives downstate to spend time with him in the hospital. On one of those trips, my husband had a bad car crash (he's fine) -- CBB and Who Charted gave me something to focus on during the 3+ hour drive to get to him in the emergency room and kept me from completely losing my mind. It's weird how you've been there for us during such important times in our lives, and we want you to know that, for whatever it's worth from a couple of strangers, we're thinking of you and Kulap during this terrible time. Thank you for introducing us to Harris and for everything else you do and the joy you bring us every week.

NEW FAVORITE EPISODE! Lauren's call in character is too amazing. I can't TAKE IT!

This is AMAZING. I just sent an email to my improv group about how this is the voice I hear in my head ALL THE TIME and then I realized the episode title. I got that it was a gag, but I didn't appreciate how completely brilliant it was. THIS IS SO AMAZING!

I love love love when Wild Horses and/or any of its members are on Improv 4 Humans. Also, I know subtle amazing stuff happens all the time on this podcast, but as a relatively new improviser and long-time improv obsessive, it's so impressive to see one improviser know that he can choose to be a teacher who doesn't know his student's last name because one second later Matt will identify him as a new substitute. So for one second you might be like, "wait why doesn't this teacher know his student's last name?" and "why isn't the student offended about that?" but then it all comes together and the reality is confirmed. It's like a text book moment in "make your partner look good" and "if this is true what else is true" and happened as naturally as can be. Not a jokey gamey big laugh moment, but the kind of reflexive, instinctive skill that I (and probably every other new improviser) aspire to. I love this podcast.

I like to live here!

My husband and I made a very spesh trip down from Albany (or, as Scott said that evening, AL-bany) for CBB in NYC. We had to choose between the first and second shows and I was so nervous that we would regret choosing the first show, but NO! We bore witness to the stuff of CBB legends. I'm so glad we were there! Anyway, my point is, wasn't there a YOLO in there somewhere? Solo Polo Yolo? Rollos? I really regret respecting CBB too much to try to bootleg that show. Lesson learned.