Philosophy vs. Improv

Nessa teaches philosophy at Lone Star Community College and writes on the philosophy of humor. We’ve amazingly never had an episode specifically about this, so we thought we should get this on the table before we wrap our season (and Bill’s regular participation) and reach 100 episodes. We go through the main theories (superiority, incongruity/surprise, unconscious triggering, i.e. funny because it’s true on some level we don’t necessarily want to admit). Then Nessa (fictionally) becomes our podcast format consultant. Is there room for pugilism in philosophy? Is King of the Hill too real? Is the hilarity of a joke 90% in its delivery and details? We wrap up by considering the appeal of various stand-up comedians. Here’s the Dana Carvey clip by Colbert that Nessa refers to about Waiters Nauseated by Food. The image here is swiped from Instagram. As long-time readers here know, I try to find child drawings relevant to the title/topic, and have more or less despaired in finding good ones, so I am tentatively planning to shift strategies for the new season (as I’ve already done for some recent episodes). This one was a result of an image search for “child’s drawing comedian,” and I found this Instagram and misread it as being by the child, as opposed to being apparently a comedian’s self-portrait “with random marks by my son.” But given that it displays the drawing competence of a child (as would be anything I would personally attempt), it stays! Hear more PvI. Support the podcast! You can choose to watch this on YouTube:

Recorded back in June, posting now as we near the end of our season and Bill’s tenure on the show, this episode now bleeds with dramatic irony. Mark and Bill discuss how to give a good speech, AI in academics, and we have a tear-stained visit to Empty Street. Though the Everything is Alive improv podcast has featured many an inanimate object, we do not believe a literal douche is among them, so you might want to reach out to them and suggest that. Hear more PvI. Support the podcast! Watch it on unedited video, if you’d prefer.

LA comedienne and Second City faculty member Mary (whom you no doubt already met in the Prelude to this episode), joins us to act out a pet sitting job interview, talk about sharing our public spaces with animals, and finally return to Empty Street to see if we can get some animal action going in the convenient mart/Taco Bell/Subway. In the post-game (which we’re including on this public episode because we’re so nice), we talk about Bill’s new academic studies and Mark’s upcoming Gen Con trip. (If you’re going to be at Gen Con Indy and want to connect, email me; maybe we can organize a lunch for anyone interested.) Yes, the fish peep dome is a real thing. Hear more PvI. Support the podcast! Sponsors: Don’t wait until the next bite—protect your home with Bzigo. Go to bzigo.com/discountBUZZ10 to save 10% off. Go to surfshark.com/improv or use code IMPROV at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN! You can choose to watch this on video.

What do you do when Bill doesn’t show up to the recording? You record for a bit anyway and get to know the guest! Meet Mary. Here’s her website.

Mark Schiff is a legendary stand-up (watch him on Carson) who currently podcasts with friend-of-PEL and philosophy enthusiast, Daniel Lobell (check out his YouTube channel) as We Think It’s Funny. These gents join Mark and Bill to talk about stand-up vs. improv (hear our prior treatment of the topic), comedy LPs, waterless urinals, bad press, the path to enlightenment, and how to get rid of syphilis. We run a scene on hiring entertainment for the company party, and engage in some riffs that can only be called improv. If you want an ep. of WTIF to start with, Mark mentions Brian Regan. The image here is the horrific Zoom background I used for the call. Hear more PvI. Support the podcast! Sponsor: Go to surfshark.com/improv or use code IMPROV at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN! You can choose to watch this on video.

Khafiz Kerimov (philosophy guy) and Nicholas Bellinson (literature guy) both teach at (and co-commute to) St. John’s College in Annapolis, and they channeled the educational style of that school into a new podcast called Invasive Thoughts. They join Mark and Bill to talk about various educational technologies, teacher-student relations, circle-drawing competitions, the passivity of thinking, and using quotations to say what you just want to say to people directly. As Nietzsche often said, “Thanks for listening to Philosophy vs. Improv!” The image here of a child the apparently COULD do the chalk-skipping-line trick is from a sales site, and though it sure looks like a blackboard, it is not. Hear more PvI. Support the podcast! Sponsors: Go to surfshark.com/improv or use code IMPROV at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN! Don’t wait until the next bite—protect your home with Bzigo. Go to bzigo.com/discountBUZZ10 to save 10% off. You can choose to watch this via unedited video to see all of our blackboard antics:

Kolby is the founder/editor of After Dinner Conversations, which curates short stories about philosophy. He’s also been a “producer” of improv shows. We talk about what makes a story philosophical, Kolby tells some stories, and we run some scenes about teleporter shenanigans and guidance counseling. Finally, Kolby (fictionally) makes an INDECENT PROPOSAL to the podcast. In the post-game, Bill and Mark reflect on the episode and talk a bit more about job selection and the sunk cost fallacy. Hear more PvI. Support the podcast! Sponsor: Go to surfshark.com/improv or use code IMPROV at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN! You can choose to watch this on unedited video:

Shannon the philosopher and Audrey the poet are Seattle improv buddies that form a duo called Closer to Clarity that uses improv to answer audience members’ big life questions (BLQs). Through these guests and their BLQs, philosophy and poetry face off and mind meld and do-si-do as we play through two wacky corporate office scenes and return once again to Empty Street for an attempted gas station poetry open mic. Follow their antics at @up_improv_seattle. Audrey’s poetry Insta is @passengerpoet. Read about Audrey’s current favorite poet Mary Oliver. The child’s poetry image here was swiped from pinterest. Watch this episode via unedited video. Hear more PvI. Support the podcast!

Greg teaches philosophy (and is Interim Provost) at Ashland, loves Xenophon, and runs a podcast. We reflect on the dangers of radon and other “natural” things. How might one of our government agencies become more natural, and would we want that? Are fart jokes the most naturally funny kind? Then, Greg the trucker visits Empty Street and embezzles dead mules. Listen to The Partially Examined Life’s Cratylus episode about “natural language.” Listen to Greg on his podcast talking about Xenophon and Xenophon’s Socrates. Bill was thrust from the final portion of the call, so Mark and Greg engage in some philosophy podcast shop talk. He returns for the Post-Game after Greg’s departure (actually, it was the next day) to reflect on the episode and specifically identify the naturalistic fallacy. You can choose to watch this on YouTube. The pants-dropping postman image was swiped from here. Hear more PvI. Support the podcast! Check out other Evergreen Podcast offerings.

Mark and Bill are joined by the actor/improviser who directs Camp Improv Utopia and is involved in managing improv spaces such as Denver’s Rise Comedy. We talk about the notion of community, with a scene about the neighborhood watch and a return to Empty Street to deal seriously in a public-service-announcement/after-school special sort of way with the issue of buying liquor underage. How does one foster a supportive improv community? Can we develop a community of returning Empty Street cast members? You can choose to watch this discussion on unedited video. In the post-game, Mark and Bill talk briefly about people who can’t sympathize beyond their immediate circle. The image was snatched from here. Hear more PvI. Support the podcast! Check out other Evergreen Podcast offerings.