Improv Nerd With Jimmy Carrane

Rachael Mason is the Head of Advanced Improvisation at Second City, a phenomenal improviser, and a beloved improv teacher in Chicago. In this episode, Rachael talks about the responsibility women have in creating comedy's future, her new role at Second City, and she and Jimmy perform a scene in the dark like an old timey radio play. Don't miss it!

In this episode, Jimmy talks Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson, creators of the new show, "Broad City," on Comedy Central, about starting out at UCB in New York, setting goals, investing their own money into their careers, and turning their web series into a hit show. Take a listen!

Best known for creating the HBO sketch series Mr. Show ,playing criminal lawyer Saul Goodman on Breaking Bad, and writing the famous ''Matt Foley'' sketch on SNL, Bob Odenkirk is a comedy legend. He took some time out from his busy tour schedule to chat with Jimmy about his many new projects, including his new book, "A Load of Hooey" and his new show Better Call Saul. They also talked about his reputation as a comedy mentor, working at Second City, and growing up with an angry, alcoholic father. Anyone who considers themselves a comedy nerd won't want to miss this episode.

Jack Newell is a writer/producer/actor/director. He is the head of the brand new TV, Film and Digital Department at The Second City Training Center in Chicago. He's a comedy director who uses improvisation in his videos and his two feature length films: Close Quarters and Open Tables. He talks about directing using improvisation, how he gets his projects produced and how improv has taught him to roll with the punches on a film set. This episode is a must for any improviser who want to do their own film,TV and digital shorts.

Stephanie McCullough, musical improv virtuoso, has been the piano player for Music Improv since 1997, on the Second City faculty (music director, teacher, and composer) since 2002, and is the founder of MCL (Musical Comedy Live) in Chicago. Stephanie talked about her mother's depression, her interactions with Wayne Brady, and helped Jimmy overcome his fear/judgement of musical improv. If you don't wanna miss Jimmy's singing voice, don't miss this episode!

Michael Delaney has been a member of the UCB since 1998, where he teaches improv and sketch writing. He’s been part of legendary teams like “The Swarm” and “Stepfathers.” We talked to him about why he thinks so many talented people have come out of the UCB, what the game of the scene means to him and how he has accepted living in pain. Take a listen!

Chris Redd is a comedy triple threat: a hilarious stand-up, a great improviser, and a former member of Second City's e.t.c. cast. In this episode, he talks with Jimmy about the difference between preforming on the Southside and the Northside of Chicago, how comedy taught him to dig deep into himself, and how he changed from almost running with a gang to getting involved in comedy.

Tim Paul is an actor, writer, and director living in Chicago. He's created numerous shows along with The Annoyance Theatre including “Bear Force One,” “An Aerosmith Christmas,” “Fisting: A Period Piece” and more recently his solo shows. He sat down to chat with Jimmy about using life experience in his writing and performing and why he'd never let his parents see one of his shows.

Cameron Esposito is a rising star stand-up comic who started out in Chicago and is now the host of the podcast Put Your Hands Together on Feral Audio (home of Improv Nerd!), and the author of the A.V. Club column “Who In the World Is Carmeron Esposito?” In this episode, she takes a break from her busy touring schedule promoting her second comedy album, “Same Sex Symbol,” to chat with Jimmy about engaging with hecklers, the influence of a religious upbringing, comedy's role in her coming out story, and how five years of professional improv impacted her stand-up. Enjoy!

In this episode, which was recorded at the Improv Festival Oklahoma, Jimmy sits down with Tim Marks who runs Kansas Improv Comedy and heads up the Kansas City Improv Festival. Tim talks about some of the personality issues you have to deal with running an improv theater, losing improvisers to bigger markets, and playing politically incorrect characters. If you are improvising in a smaller market or you are running an improv theater, you are going to love this episode.