Improv Nerd With Jimmy Carrane

For this special compilation episode we have put together some of our favorite moments from our guests talking about a red hot topic -- diversity in comedy. Listen to Key & Peele, Chris Redd, Puntam Patel, Ali Farahnakian, and Edgar Blackmon talk about how they discuss race in comedy, avoid stereotypes and more.

The Defiant Thomas Brothers (Paul Thomas and Seth Thomas) is a brilliant two-person sketch group out of Chicago. After splitting up 9 years ago, they have gotten back together and now have an open run at The Second City Training Center. Jimmy sat down with them at this year's Chicago's Skectchfest and talked to them about getting back together, how audiences have changed, and race in comedy. You are going to love this episode!

Mick Napier is the founder and artistic director of the acclaimed Annoyance Theater in Chicago, an artistic consultant at Second City and the author of the new book, Behind The Scenes: Improvising Long Form. Jimmy sat down with him to talk about some of the concepts in the book such as giving yourself permission to be funny, how to appeal to a non-improv audience and how to get in the right frame of mind when improvising.

Shana Merlin is the owner and founder of Merlin Works in Austin, TX. She is a well-respected improviser and teacher with quite a following. In this lively episode recorded at the Institution Theater in Austin, Jimmy talks to her about starting to teach improv when she was only 22, her take on making mistakes in improv, and how having a baby can affect the business of running an improv theater.

Asaf Ronen is the educational director at The Institution Theater in Austin, TX, and author of Directing Improv. He has been involved in improv since 1990 and has improvised and taught all over the world. In this episode, which was recorded at The Institution Theater, Jimmy talks to him about growing up as a latch-key kid, why he moved from New York to Austin, and how teaching improv helps with depression.

Geoffrey Baer is a popular host, producer and writer at Chicago's public television station, WTTW. In this interview, Jimmy talks to Geoffrey about his theater background, teaching improvisation at the Players Workshop of the Second City, and his grandmother's prediction for his career.

Matt Higbee is well-respected teacher and improviser at iO-Chicago with a huge following. He talks to Jimmy about the hard part of being on the Harold Commission, which decides which teams get to play and which teams are broken up; being bounced around and cut from teams when he started out; and why it's important to study one method of improvisation at a time.

Join Jimmy and his trusted staff -- Producer Dan Schiffmacher, Director Sam Bowers and Head of the Interns Lauren Carrane -- as they sit down to discuss their favorite episodes of Improv Nerd from the past year.

Adam McKay is a writer and director of such comedies as Anchorman, Taladaga Nights, Step Brothers and more. He has just released his latest film, The Big Short. Jimmy sat down and talked to him about improvising in Chicago back in the '90s, what he learned from being head writer on SNL, and how improvises when he directs his films.

Colt Cabana is an internationally known professional wrestler and host of the super popular podcast The Art of Wrestling. Jimmy talks to Colt about his improv and comedy back ground, the comparison between wrestling and improv, and the importance of promoting yourself.