Episode 142 — LIVE from the Blue Whale Comedy Festival in Tulsa

[JulyDiaz 2797]

Joe Wengert, Betsy Sodaro, and Jon Gabrus expose the truth behind the platypus on today’s improv4humans with Matt Besser LIVE from the Blue Whale Comedy Festival in Tulsa! We’ll also take a peek into Willy Wonka’s idea room, see what 3rd graders would do to hear their teacher’s birthday clown voice, and visit the secret underground McDonald’s where no one feels embarrassed. Make sure to get the UCB Comedy Improv Manual, Matt Besser’s new comedy album at mattbesser.com, and Dragoon’s new album at dragoongalaxy.bandcamp.com! Attention humans, improv4humans with Matt Besser will be LIVE in Montreal July 23-26th at the Just For Laughs Festival featuring John Gemberling, Horatio Sanz, and Zach Woods!

[Joe Lerini 7329]

This is my new favorite episode, Besser! I laughed so hard my face hurt. Every part of this one was hilarious, I couldn't possibly pick one scene for Best Of Vol. 6.

[Shannon 2953]

This episode was way too funny, it took me an extra 30 minutes to listen cause I had to keep pausing and rewinding from laughing too hard... also I listened to the oompa loompa scene twice

 

WITH CAN-DY!

[Corky Kneivel 113]

WENGERT

[Hugg Niceman 107]

This episode was way too funny, it took me an extra 30 minutes to listen cause I had to keep pausing and rewinding from laughing too hard... also I listened to the oompa loompa scene twice

 

WITH CAN-DY!

 

 

Haven't listened yet (saving it for when I get home tonight!) but I'm thrilled to hear there's another oompa loompa scene. The episode with Matt as an oompa loompa at school with Andy Daly ("SLUGWORTH!!") was one of my favorites!

[logorrhean 75]

Jon Gabrus is a close 2nd (behind PFT) for People I Like to Hear Laugh in the Background of Podcasts.

[hypnotizingchickens 1025]

dammit... I live in Texas and could have easily gone to this show, but I found out about it the day it was happening and I had to work. I don't remember seeing a list of improvisers on that day, but Wengert, Sodaro and Gabrus are three of my favorite regulars on the show so now I'm kicking myself even harder.

 

this is going to be a difficult listen, especially if it's really funny.

[Corky Kneivel 113]

Jon Gabrus is a close 2nd (behind PFT) for People I Like to Hear Laugh in the Background of Podcasts.

 

 

Oh man couldn't disagree more. He laughs waaaay too much. Fantastic improvisor, and super funny, but that "laugh several times a sentence" shit annoys me when people in real life do it and it doubly annoys me when a comedian does it. There's not a sentence he gets through without giggling. Several times. And I reallyo like him as a guest as I said he's fantastic at improv, but the laugh - me no likey.

[NIGGERNIGGER DELETE MY ACCOUNT 34]

Jon Gabrus is a close 2nd (behind PFT) for People I Like to Hear Laugh in the Background of Podcasts.

 

So, you might say, PFT ... takes the cake? ^(boss)

 

For me it's Gemberling's hearty giggling.

[CameronMascari 329]

 

So, you might say, PFT ... takes the cake? ^(boss)

 

For me it's Gemberling's hearty giggling.

 

You win.

[Lukas Holmes 2287]

Betsy is just the freaking best. I felt bad for her though, as it felt like she got cutoff quite a few times.

[xoValeriexo 4369]

I'm glad Wengert talked a lot in this episode. When he's on I'm crossing my fingers that he'll be really rude and answer every single question Besser asks. I love 'im.

[Thedge 314]

Very funny

[Thedge 314]

The Oompa Loompa bit was great

[justinmh05 1968]

Betsy is just the freaking best. I felt bad for her though, as it felt like she got cutoff quite a few times.

 

Yeah what was going on there? She kept coming in with good lines that were often ignored or talked over.

[Protoman 117]

Yeah what was going on there? She kept coming in with good lines that were often ignored or talked over.

patriarchy!

[Thedge 314]

 

Yeah what was going on there? She kept coming in with good lines that were often ignored or talked over.

 

It's happened to other comics who have been on the podcast in the past. My theory is that the longer they stick with one scene the more likely it is for someone to say something totally absurd or out of left-field which demands to be followed up and sometimes Matt already has an idea of the direction he wants the sketch to go, so he'll jump straight to the next scene based on the idea he wanted to build on instead of letting the first scene go on too long and risking the sketch having to go in a completely different direction. Of course I could just be reading into it too much. It would be interesting to hear Matts explanation.

 

Has anyone who has seen i4h at a live show know if Matt or whoever it is that initiates a scene signals to the other comics that a scene has begun? There's been a few times during the intros where someone has said something that I thought was the start of a scene but turned out not to be and I was wondering how the comics don't make that same mistake.

[Lukas Holmes 2287]

It's happened to other comics who have been on the podcast in the past. My theory is that the longer they stick with one scene the more likely it is for someone to say something totally absurd or out of left-field which demands to be followed up and sometimes Matt already has an idea of the direction he wants the sketch to go, so he'll jump straight to the next scene based on the idea he wanted to build on instead of letting the first scene go on too long and risking the sketch having to go in a completely different direction. Of course I could just be reading into it too much. It would be interesting to hear Matts explanation.

 

Has anyone who has seen i4h at a live show know if Matt or whoever it is that initiates a scene signals to the other comics that a scene has begun? There's been a few times during the intros where someone has said something that I thought was the start of a scene but turned out not to be and I was wondering how the comics don't make that same mistake.

 

I think that's part of it, but there were moment's were Betsy was flat out talking in a scene as part of the scene and someone just started talking as she was mid-sentence.

[earpanther 451]

Betsy did get cut off numerous times - but I think the reason why it stands out is because she stopped talking every time, or waited until an organic moment came up. Performers are always stepping over each other on the show, and the performer has the choice of whether or not to keep going, get louder, etc. I think Betsy may just be the type of performer who consciously chooses to "cede" the bit to whoever has a strong viewpoint or idea for the scene to go in. I did not get the impression at all that she was being steamrolled, or that it was some kind of personal slight against her.

 

I also find it weird in this case to chastise Gabrus for laughing "too much." He enjoys what he's doing, he's having a good time - it's not like he's on Saturday Night Live and trying not to break the fourth wall. While I do think there's an argument for staying in the sketch to a certain extent, I think laughter is the reason we're listening this to begin with, and to begrudge him the possibility of expressing his own enjoyment of the show is a bit unfair.

[Lukas Holmes 2287]

Betsy did get cut off numerous times - but I think the reason why it stands out is because she stopped talking every time, or waited until an organic moment came up. Performers are always stepping over each other on the show, and the performer has the choice of whether or not to keep going, get louder, etc. I think Betsy may just be the type of performer who consciously chooses to "cede" the bit to whoever has a strong viewpoint or idea for the scene to go in. I did not get the impression at all that she was being steamrolled, or that it was some kind of personal slight against her.

 

I also find it weird in this case to chastise Gabrus for laughing "too much." He enjoys what he's doing, he's having a good time - it's not like he's on Saturday Night Live and trying not to break the fourth wall. While I do think there's an argument for staying in the sketch to a certain extent, I think laughter is the reason we're listening this to begin with, and to begrudge him the possibility of expressing his own enjoyment of the show is a bit unfair.

 

You know what, I think you're right! That was why it was so startling because she kept yielding the right of way. Good observation.

 

Totally agree about Gabrus. I love his laughter. It used to drive me nuts in scenes on SNL when Fallon would laugh and look at the camera because it felt like he was trying to convince us how much 'fun' he was having. With Gabrus he seems to honestly be drinking up life and enjoying every moment of it. I love high laughter because it is so full of joy.

[hypnotizingchickens 1025]

 

You know what, I think you're right! That was why it was so startling because she kept yielding the right of way. Good observation.

 

Totally agree about Gabrus. I love his laughter. It used to drive me nuts in scenes on SNL when Fallon would laugh and look at the camera because it felt like he was trying to convince us how much 'fun' he was having. With Gabrus he seems to honestly be drinking up life and enjoying every moment of it. I love high laughter because it is so full of joy.

 

I used to have the same opinion on that... but listening to Maron's interview with him made me like Fallon and other notorious character-breakers a lot more. apparently Will Ferrell and others on the cast would go out of their way to try to make him laugh in live sketches by going slightly off script or making eye contact. that doesn't necessarily apply to Gabrus, but nowadays I'm much more forgiving about comedians laughing at other people's (or even their own) jokes... as much as I love deadpan comedy, it's still all in good fun.

[Corky Kneivel 113]

My problem with Gabrus isn't a Fallon/breaking type thing or even Paul Rust where he always cracks himself up at how stupid he's being, I'm saying the guy can't even talk normally without laughing. Listen during the suggestion discussions. He's constantly laughing when he talks. It's just a quirk that grates on me. Someone pointed how much they love it and I responded because I felt the complete opposite of it. Betsy and Matt's laughing at the stuff they were doing, breaking and just background laughter, doesn't bother me in the slightest. I'm all for people having fun and celebrating that. It's just, as I said, his manner of communicating by laughing with every word he utters that I think is irritating.

[C.H.U.D. Reinhold 92]

Great episode. I like Gabrus.