The Joe Reis Show Evan Wimpey - On Being a Data Comedian, a Bayesian, and Other Priors
Feb 6, 2025
Evan Wimpey, a professional comedian and data scientist at PyMC Labs, hilariously navigates the crossover of comedy and Bayesian analytics. He shares anecdotes from his journey, blending humor with insights about statistical inference. The conversation reveals how comedy can lighten the intensity of the tech world, especially the amusing dynamics of roasting engineers. Wimpey talks about the unique trials of performing for data-savvy audiences and how laughter fosters community within the data landscape.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Accidental Comedian
- Evan Wimpey stumbled into comedy after telling a statistics joke at a conference.
- This earned him $50 and the title of "professional statistics comedian".
Bayesian Analytics Explained
- Bayesian analytics is a statistical approach emphasizing uncertainty measurement.
- It uses distributional estimates instead of point estimates and requires explicit assumptions.
Comedy Improves Communication
- Try stand-up comedy or improv to improve communication skills.
- Performing helps engage audiences and tell captivating stories.