Malik Whitfield

This week I'm joined by Malik Whitfield, a staple of the Atlanta improv and comedy community, and one of my favorite people to watch grow on stage. Malik moved to Atlanta chasing stand-up and ended up falling headfirst into improv along the way — and I loved getting to trace that whole journey with him.

We talk about what pulled him toward the collaboration of improv over the loneliness of writing stand-up, and how the community welcomed him in a way that made him want to stay. He gets honest about the drives home in silence, the moment he realized he was actually good at this, and how much a few kind words from mentors like Madeline meant early on. We dig into setting goals, that magic Black Star set at IO Fest in Chicago, the real value of conservatory reps, and the grind of producing shows when everyone's already stretched thin.

We also get into something I think about a lot: how you give and receive feedback in a subjective art form, why every team should just get a coach, and what a healthier coaching culture could look like here in Atlanta. And Malik closes out the Hot Seat with some genuinely great advice for new improvisers about thinking past the joke.

It's a warm, funny, wide-ranging conversation with someone I deeply admire. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Transcript

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Introduction

Joel 0:02

Hey everybody, thanks for tuning in to another episode of the Joy of Improv Podcast with me, Joel Camargo. This week we have an incredible episode with an incredible guest, Malik Whitfield. Malik is a staple of the Atlanta improv and comedy community. He has so many great perspectives to offer in this episode. We talk about moving to Atlanta to pursue his stand-up comedy journey, but falling in love with improv along the way. We talk about the process of joining and creating teams as well as all the amazing teams that Malik is a part of. We talk about the differences between receiving feedback as an athlete versus as an improviser. We talk about how improv relates to writing sketch comedy and so, so much more. Now here's my conversation with Malik Whitfield. On my couch today is Malik Whitfield. Yo. Yeah. No, that was perfect. You said you come in whenever you want to come in. Cool. You just talk. Go ahead. Say hello. Say hi again. Yo. There you go. Got another one in there. Uh Malik's here, and we are ready to talk about improv and hear about Malik's journey to improv. Malik is someone who I feel like did we start around the same time, improv in general? Probably. Yeah. It was a little after pan pandemic, like 2021-ish or late 2020. For sure 2022. I started. Okay. Um, I don't know exactly when. Yeah, I took my level one in early 2021. It was like January or whatever. Gotcha. Yeah, yeah. Um, but started, yeah. Um, wait, was it that? I I yeah, if I remember correctly. Um oh wait, no, that was pretty deep in the pandemic, actually. 2020. Oh, maybe it was late 2021 then. Yeah, when I started at roll call. Yep. When things started slowly opening up. Um, because I remember being very eager. I remember, I remember pandemic was rough, and I remember being very eager. I was one of those people that were like jumping, scratching to get outside. Please, please. Even everyone was like, it's still out there, it's real. I'm like, I know, but I'm lonely. Oh, put a mask on. I want to put a mask on, I want to do something. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. Uh-huh. So around that time. Oh, so that makes sense. Maybe it was around the same time. Uh, because your class with Madeline was her first.

Malik 2:22

Yeah, I think so. Um disciples of Madeline.

Joel 2:24

Yes. Because I decided disciples are part of the church of Madeline. Yep. She's she's gonna hate that. She's gonna hate that. It's fun for us, though. Everyone else will like it. Um, so it was around the same time, and I loved over the last um few years seeing watching you grow as a performer, your confidence on stage. Holy, holy crap. Really? Incredible. Incredible. If you haven't listened to the Madeline's episode where we talk about you actually uh very positively, thanks, yeah, dude. Yeah, wholeheartedly likewise, dude. Um so tell us, we want to know how you found improv.

How Malik Found Improv

Malik 3:09

Yeah, so I moved to Atlanta to do more stand-up. You know, I took a class at the punchline for uh in 2021, January 2021, and I was doing it. I've still never done stand-up like regularly, but I was doing it bi-weekly or whatever the heck. Uh heck, hell. You could curse, you could curse.

Joel 3:27

Uh yeah, well, yeah, I guess either of those don't matter.

Malik 3:30

Yeah, you can say hell or heck. Um and I was doing that some and people were like, you should do improv because it make you like uh helps your stage presidents more confidence on on stage and just like it'll get you better at comedy. I was like, sweet. And I think maybe Malik told me about Madeline's classes, or maybe someone else did. But I found her uh and took her classes in January 22, and I immediately was like, Alright, this is fun as hell, you know. Like I think I saw in college, I did football on track and stuff, but like there was like uh I think they did an improv. I went to like one, it was like called cabaret, and I think they did improv during the show. I forget exactly what it was, but I was like, this is fun. They they're having good ass time in college as well. In college, yeah. I only saw it once, and but you know, I was in the sports, so I didn't have time for much else. Uh what was the question? This is just your journey. Yeah, this is just your yeah, yeah.

Joel 4:24

This is meant to be a long answer.

Malik 4:25

This is meant to be this is yeah. I was like, wait, wait, where would we go? So the journey, yeah. I started that, and like I've always been, you know, I did the sports and everything, so like the collaboration of improv made me fall in love with it. Whereas stand-up, I like the classes because in class we'd write together, and like, or like teammates or classmates outside of class ride together and stuff, and that was really fun. But then when I started to die or to try to do more stand-up, I was writing by myself and I was like, oh, this is kind of hard, it's kind of lonely and all everything. And I realized this with improv, I like all I had to do was go to class and go to a gym or whatever. No preparation needed, no preparation needed, exactly. I mean, you should go to classes to get better at it, sure, sure, sure, sure. So that people invite you to play with them in teams and stuff like that so that people want to so people like you.

Finding Community: Jams vs. Open Mics

Joel 5:11

People like you on stage. People might like you off stage if you're not.

Malik 5:15

Exactly. And like I had been going, I wasn't super frequent at mics and stuff, but like one of the differences with improv for me, like immediately, I was like, I went to like maybe like two or three jams, and then Martin invited me to his birthday party. I was like, oh hell yeah. And I thought I was like, wait, I haven't been invited to a party with like Stan of Certainly. I don't know. Oh, okay. So that cut out to you. Yeah, yeah. I was like, holy shit, this is immediately. I mean, like Malik hit me up, like Sam, Tom. I did have friends, and I don't want to brag on the whole community, but I I hear you. Maybe I wasn't cool enough or funny enough, but I was immediately like, all right, this is I'm more accepted here. I or I feel I just felt better overall going to a jam um than a mic because it was because of the you know collaboration and sure fucking up on stage with people, making people laugh together, or like bombing together. So I loved all that and like team sport, team sport, exactly. Now, have was there times early on where I like left the jam and drove home in silence like an open mic, you know? Like I was like, that wasn't my best word. Like, oh dude, I feel damn that sucked. But like, yeah, so that's that's been my dream with improv. A long ass answer. Got into it to get better at stand-up, realized I liked improv more. Also, just kind of lazy, you know. Just kind of lazy, kind of lazy because like us with we say with improv, like you go to class and you show up and you make it up. Stand up is like, all right, I go to class and I go to mic, now I gotta work on it more. I gotta listen to the feedback, I gotta listen to the recording of the set or the show and everything. And like, I just I I'm not good at that yet. I've made it a habit.

Rediscovering Creativity in Adulthood

Joel 6:48

So we're we're out of college. So you did you do anything creative in college or high school? So no theater, no nothing. No nothing.

Malik 6:54

Dude, you remember in conservatory when like uh I think it was a musical theater. Someone asked, oh, one of the instructors was like, Who's got a theater back on? Literally all 15 of y'all, and it's just me. And I was like, Yep.

Joel 7:07

Okay, actually, this is fantastic because so far you're the first guest that hasn't I feel like that hasn't done it in like middle school or high school. Nothing, which is I think such a beautiful new perspective because I also I did music I did a half-hearted musical theater in high school. And what I what I mean by that is like I was also an athlete. Oh yeah, so I I couldn't fully commit to to theater. Gotcha. Um, so I also have to had found it again in adulthood. So I'm also just now finding this spark and this fire of creativity in adulthood, of silliness and improv, which uh also is a beautiful story too.

Malik 7:51

Yeah, I mean with all the friends, like we're all in our 30s or whatever, some at some point in that, and like a lot of homies are like, Yeah, I'm just doing the things I liked as a kid now. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I have more money and time and energy or whatever. But like I'm just getting back into the things that I liked, or I had a curiosity in. And so comedy was something I had a curiosity in for a long time. Like, I think Chappelle's show, the Wayne Brady episode, was the first time I remember like laughing hard at something. Like, you know what I mean? Like a belly laugh in my room, like uh Comedy Central, and you know, I wasn't allowed to watch this, but you know, it snuck that in. But like from then on, I was like, alright, comedy is mad cool. Like, I I enjoy watching this and like watching to spell like stand-up and stuff like that, and uh Richard Pryor, and like when college ended, I was like, I need something else to do. And I knew I wanted to try stand-up for a minute, and I just didn't have the courage to do it. Um I went to like one open mic in the Boise area, saw a bunch of people bomb, and I was like, I can at least do that. But I didn't write the jokes, I didn't show up, and then so I had to do the take to class uh 2021. And this was Boise, Idaho. Boise, yeah, that area. Yeah, I I'd never really I guess I never actually lived in Boise, like I lived like Caldwell in Meridian, but like it's all it's like the Metro Central. But yeah.

Joel 9:16

Uh so what about okay, so no theater specifically growing up, but was there anything else creative growing up?

Malik 9:22

I did uh band in middle school, Alto Sacks, and then um had a guitar for a little bit, but that's that's off and on. So but yeah, my dad is m musician and or drummer, musician, and so um so you had some creative outlet, some creative outlet, yeah. And my parents really uh I got lucky because they pretty much encouraged anything I wanted to do. Like for a while it was soccer, and then it was like uh the saxophone, and I was like, all right, I want to do sports, and they're like, All right, go ahead.

Joel 9:53

Yeah, absolutely go ahead, dude. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So you found comedy. So out of college, you're like, okay, I want to do comedy stuff. You went stand-up first, yeah, and then someone recommended to do improv to feel more confident on stage. You did. And so after Madeline's class, you took improv. So then what helped you stay in the scene and like what of what's their journey from there? Your journey of growing through improv.

Staying in the Scene & Improv as a Comedy Tool

Malik 10:14

Yeah, um, what helped me stay in the scene? That's a good question. The people, you know, it was always a good hang. And uh Hey, well done, Atlanta. Well done. Great job. ATL. Um dude, what happened? I think someone told me that a scout had been like at like an office hours or like something at Dad's garage back in the day, and like someone got like signed because of it. Like some kind of talent. I think it was Fong. Like an agent. Yeah, and some guy can I say their name? Yeah, sure. All right, you might blink it, bleep it out, but no, no, no, we can say each other's names. I I think it was Fong or something. I I can't quite remember, but they were like, oh, they was at they were at a jam at dad's or or whatever the heck, and then uh and Fong is another uh comedian in the scene.

Joel 10:59

Yes, improviser or stand-up comedian, also like playwright now, writing musicals, oh god damn doing a bunch of stuff.

Malik 11:06

One man show, yeah. Um and then I learned that like all like most of the SNL casts had been improvisers, along with you know, it's like some stand-up and stuff like that. So I was like, oh okay, if I want to like try, I mean you know, SNL's not the goal, but I was like, if I want. I just realized it was a skill to have if you want to be a solid comedian that can like also like get on TV or like you know, act and stuff like that, like Will Farrell, improviser and all that stuff. So just having that tool tool belt, yeah. And I think I'm I think I just realized I was uh good at it. So I'm like, all right, I'm gonna keep doing this. Yeah.

Realizing You're Actually Good at This

Joel 11:41

Ooh, let's talk about I want to hear about that. When did you realize you were good at it?

Malik 11:46

Damn, that's a good question.

Joel 11:48

Because you told you you already shared you had nights driving home in silence sometimes, right? So there must have been a moment or time frame, a window where you were like, Oh, I am getting good at this. I'm good at this.

Malik 12:00

Um Madeline told me. Yeah, I guess. I maybe I shouldn't say that. Well, like I know, I think verbal affirmation from a from a from a teacher or mentor, I think, is a yes, is a solid frame of reference. Yeah, I think that's that's valid. And like playing around in class too. I was like, oh, I'm having a lot of fun with this. So I I feel good, like you know, you get laughter. Yeah, all right, I'm doing stuff, people are laughing, that must be good.

Joel 12:26

And when you're when you're having fun in the scene, and you just said what you were having fun doing it. Yes, and I feel like that's a turning point too, because sometimes when you're starting out, it's so stressful. Yeah, you're constantly in your head. Um, for a lot of people, you're just kind of like processing, like barely listening, the stage lights are on, the audience is there at a jam or whatever. Exactly. You're right, yeah. And at some point you get over that hump and you can start to have fun. Exactly. And actually more present.

Malik 12:50

You're like, oh, people are enjoying this, so yeah, I should keep doing it. And like a couple other people said something, and like I I think I've like gone to a couple jams, and like uh people invited me to you know guess in their like you know, independent shows and stuff like that. So I was like, all right, that that must be a sign of something, right? Yeah, like so and I kept doing. I wanted to do I did her continuous class and then uh hopped in at dad's garage. Yeah, Avery was cool too. Uh I think I was at a jam, and like Avery was like, yo, uh dad's has like um what's it called? Scholarships for like minorities, so you should she should apply. Yeah, yeah. And I was like, oh shit, that's cool. Yeah, so yeah, things like that, like Brad, like you know, people friends now, but at that point, I was like, I look up to these people. I still do, obviously, but I was like, oh fuck, that's cool.

Words of Encouragement & Growing Pains

Joel 13:40

Like I I don't know, self-validation is great, but also it's nice to have other people say, and it sounded like other people were um giving you kind words of encouragement and telling you, like, hey, keep going. Keep going, exactly. Yeah, keep doing it. So that's shout out to them. Shout out to hey, shout out to friends, mentors, yep, uplifting the community. Yeah, those words of encouragement are so important. They are so important, yeah. Um, to keep going because the the growth, the growth pains can be tough. Unreal. Yeah, it can be tough. Being bad at something new. Being bad at something new, exactly.

Malik 14:18

Happens for anything, anything or not even being bad or just being mid, like because the things you're good at now, you've probably done them for so long that you don't remember not being good at them. But it's like, oh, it's a new thing, and I'm not the best right now, I'm gonna quit. Yeah, but like seeing like shows at Daz Garage, seeing six kids, Malin's group, and like uh road trip in its early days and stuff like that. Uh two bears, yeah. Sorry for any other cool shows that I didn't mention, but like like whoa, this is cool. Like, this is all made up right now. Yeah, the inspiration from the other team. Exactly. The shows in the in the community. And I saw what was it? Um Invasion Christmas Carol, I think was the first I saw it for the first time, and I think Madeline was in it, and she told like the class, like, hey, minus come like come check it out. And I was like, you know what? That was my first time, I think, seeing a live what you call it, a play? Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Joel 15:19

Yeah, that's a that's a play.

Malik 15:20

At least as an adult, when I and I was my mind, I was bewildered, you know what I mean? Yeah, and so I was like, I want to do that. That's cool. Yeah, so those are those are some of the motivations for sure.

Joel 15:30

Yeah, and that's a unique one because it is a play, it's in half improv, half improv, half scripted, which is uh such a unique blend uh of the art forms of theater art forms. Pretty mad I forgot the word play just now.

Malik 15:43

Yeah.

Day Jobs, AI, and the Resurgence of Improv

Joel 15:45

The brain's on the brains on E dog. Oh man. Yeah, after a workday, yeah. I had to uh just for the listeners, I had to squeeze Malik in after a full workday. Malik worked too, yeah. Yeah, I I did I did I taught kids' camps today. Oh, yeah. Um from 8 15 to 3. And Malik get did his day job. He's coding, he's he's hardcore coding, coding stuff. It's all AI now. Oh, don't say that. My bad. It is all uh well, you know what? While we're on it, adjacent to improv, um even with the rise of AI stuff, I feel like people are gonna be yearning for some physical entertainment, some of improv for theater, for play, some tangible stuff. And there's there's been a resurgence of improv with dropout and like Ben Schwartz touring improv shows selling out stages. Thousands of seats around the world, Ben Schwartz going to other countries too. Like are you kidding me? Yeah, yeah. Yeah, so there's like a resurgence of of improv and comedy and like just creativity com in comedy. Like, we need it now more than ever. Yeah, like it's you know, we need to keep spreading joy and laughter.

Malik 16:59

I'm I'm for it. Like, I don't know the lore of improv that much. I'm still pretty new and I don't I haven't read that much about it, but like I I don't know. It seems like it's huge or like at its high point in consumption.

Joel 17:14

Uh maybe not at the peak, but I'm saying it seems like it's like, yeah, I I I guess I don't know the the what the peak because even in may what may be called the golden years in Chicago, New York, LA, yeah, there's so many new ways to consume it digitally, right? The dropout, like if we're watching now improv on a streaming network on our phones and tablets and screens, yeah. That probably means there's more people consuming improv.

Malik 17:42

Yeah, people are willing to invest in it to produce a show, that means it's probably returning some value. So what I think that's cool as hell. Um it gets memed a lot, but it's okay. What gets memed a lot? Improv, you know?

Joel 17:55

Oh, yeah, like when it gets when it gets shit on, like but honestly, sometimes you're so they're so good and they're accurate. You're like, I go. Oh my god.

Malik 18:05

But that's you know that's uh what amateur or that's that's just in the art form. Like if you go to an open mic that's music, you're gonna see some ass, you go to open mic at stand-up, you're gonna see some bad, you go to a jam, you know. Um it's made up though.

Joel 18:18

Every art form has their like little tropes, yeah. There's little tropes, yeah, that you can rag on. Yep. Um, so okay, you're you're you're you have the realization that okay, I'm good at this. You're getting pulled into other people's shows. How do you continue um growing and learning? Like what's your what's your path?

Setting Short-Term and Long-Term Goals

Malik 18:38

Ooh, like what's next? Or yeah, how um Blackground's been great. Uh finding new I um what is my path?

Joel 18:47

Well tell tell the people tell the people what Blackground is.

Malik 18:50

Oh, the all black uh all African Americans. Sorry. Shout out Maggot. All African Americans.

Joel 18:57

Oh, and Sam. Sure.

Malik 19:01

Uh at Dad's Garage. Um I guess new goals. It was like, all right, I like conservatory was a great goal. And like when it came back in 2023 was like the next year, that was the year after I started doing improv. So I was like, oh, okay, that's something tangible that I can go and that can kind of affirm me as being good, or like it's just a goal to have, you know, like if you're working out a lot, your bench press is 225 pounds, like I want to get to 235. That was considered for me. That was yeah, 235. That was 235, thank you. Yeah. Um, so yeah, uh, I was like, all right, I want to try to I want to try to make background now. And then uh maybe a further down the road might be the ensemble at that or something like, or like, oh I'm not saying I want to move, but if I were to move, like, oh, can I get on UCB or can I if I move to Chicago, can I I oh in Second City, so like stuff like that.

Joel 19:57

And I don't know if that's the best answer, but uh well, what it sounds like to me, what I'm processing is like having set goals, having like both short-term, short-term goals, and maybe some long-term like a mix of both. Yeah.

Malik 20:12

Because like the goals I had early on were like do more characters, uh, be more present, be more tangible, or uh be wait, listen more, or stuff like that. But that's not as tangible if you don't have like a you know a coach that's watching you all the time.

Joel 20:28

Yeah, for someone to be to for someone to tell you be like, hey, you were way more present. You were way more present. Yeah, we especially when we're all our own worst critic. Exactly. Which I think is good. I think it's good that you're your biggest. But we gotta control that voice sometimes too. That voice can be mean in our heads sometimes too. Yeah.

Malik 20:47

Um but yeah, so go setting the the short-term and long-term goals. Setting short-term and long-term goals. And I know that like, you know, when um SNL came here a couple years ago for the character stuff, the character showcase. Solo sketch stuff, like, I mean, that's that was unreal. Because I had moved from Idaho and you know, in 2021, or yeah, and I was like, I want to try to do comedy, see if I can make it in comedy. My goal like making it in comedy has like changed for me for sure now. Like I most of the stuff I am I'm doing because I want to, I guess. Like I like doing it, so I'm just gonna keep doing it. The stuff that the creativity stuff is like, the creative stuff, or you're even like yeah, the other hobbies, like uh, I don't know. I don't do as much anymore, but like MMA or stuff like that. Like guitar, it's like I'm doing it because I like doing it. Of course, I think everyone would love to be big for it, you know, whatever thing they're doing, but it's like I like I like doing it, and my day job pays me enough and I get enough, you know, time off to pursue it. So um what it was I say. Oh, with but SNL coming here, I was like, holy shit, it's this close, really. And you know, the folks who got sitting up there to audition more. And the like the stand-ups here, like shout out Mando, like Daniel Delano, like Tamar, and all these doing big things. And so that's also a motivator to keep going. And like your peers success, uh, people who maybe out are outside of your you know immediate circle of success, and like, alright, that's that's cool. Might as well keep keep grinding, because why not? Like, you know, some shit might pop off or it might not. And by the way, I'm enjoying doing it and I'm making like pretty good connections, and like it's oftentimes for me more fun than uh sitting at home. So yeah.

Joel 22:42

I mean, I love the thought of like, hey, you you keep going because you can either make it or you just like be happy and just chill and not make it and still like be having fun. Exactly. Sounds sounds like a simplification of that.

Malik 22:58

It's like the I don't know if you've heard the quote, it's like uh you can quit or you can keep going, both hurt. I kind of want to flip that on his head. It's like you can quit or keep going, both might still be fun, though.

Joel 23:08

Yeah, still still might be fun.

Malik 23:10

Yeah, no, or you can keep going and not make it, or you can keep going and make it. Both might still be fun. I don't know. That's that's my yeah, yeah.

Joel 23:16

Whatever you're making and making it is motivational quotes. Yeah, new fucking platitudes. Yeah. Um, but did you have like a moment? Uh whether it was in class, um I'm curious if it was in college when you saw that that group, that you were like, Oh, I I love doing this. A scene or a moment, a class or a show. Where I thought yeah, where you felt that were like, oh, in it, watch it in it or watching it. In it. Oh, I

Chicago IO Fest & the Black Star Set

Joel 23:45

guess either.

Malik 23:45

I guess either. Oh man, Chicago last year. Yeah.

Joel 23:50

Did you think I was gonna say that? No, I didn't say that. I didn't.

Malik 23:54

Dude. IOFest. IOFest, yeah. Everyone crushed. Yeah, everyone crushed. Black Star had like at that point our best set yet.

Joel 24:03

I think it truly was. Thank you. Yeah, it truly dude. Y'all crushed it. Y'all crushed it in Chicago, uh, full room. Oh man. It was magic.

Malik 24:15

I'm getting goosebumps right now, I'm just thinking about it, honestly. Like, I think I remember you know, you do shows sometimes, you're like, oh, I remember what happened. After that, I was like, I remember every part of this. You know, I remember every in the we luckily if someone filmed that set for us too, and I get to rewatch it and everything, and obviously, you know, Claw, the casting director for Second City being there and being like, that was awesome. Come in, come to the show tomorrow. Like that was surreal.

Joel 24:47

Yeah, and for and for listeners, for a little more context, uh, last year at Chicago's I.O. Fest at IO Theater, a few um Atlanta teams got in. Oh yeah. Um, Malik's on a team, Black Star and I and my the team I was on, Measure Island, um, musical improv team. We were there and we all like got Airbnbs nearby each other, and we were just like going to watch improv all weekend at this festival. And oh man, it was just like such a blast, and it felt like this set, the Black Star set, like what's I guess I was watching uh Avatar earlier today. Oh, yeah, it's like everyone entered like Avatar mode, you know, like was just glowing and shining, and we just fucking Kora and Kyoshi. Yeah, everyone was just shredding it, it was just like such a level of presence and listening and callbacks, like everything was hitting. And then the second city person, what it was like who it was second city. What was their role? I think she was a casting director there. Casting director at Second City was in the audience and invited them to perform at Second City the the following night. Performing was a complete surprise. Oh, just invited you to go at first to the sketch show, and then they asked you to play.

Malik 26:05

The chaos theory of everything, which will I will say was one of the funniest live comedy like shows I've ever seen in my life. Wow. We were dying. And that was a sketch, the sketch review? It was a sketch show. Okay. Yeah, yeah. I was like, and that's I'm not trying to kiss a ass or anything, but oh yeah, I think that's all I think of that. We're like, this that was holy shit.

Joel 26:24

That was I think I think at this point, now I think nowadays that's like their bread and butter now. Chaos theory of everything, or just like the sketch in general. Oh, okay. Just a sketch over there.

unknown 26:32

Yeah.

Joel 26:32

So yeah, I.

Malik 26:47

You know, people that did not know us at all, you know, in a new city. And yeah, we all just clicked and it was, it was, it was so fun. Um, I wonder if I can think of one that's in the city where I do it 99% of the time. Um let's see. Oh, dude, the conservatory show, the

The Conservatory Grad Show & the Value of Reps

Malik 27:05

grad show.

Joel 27:05

Yeah, which one?

Malik 27:06

Uh the final one. The final one. Yeah, yeah. I guess grad show or whatever. Yeah, what the showcase is. That was awesome. Um, yeah, the games that um cool creative, yes. That was so fun. That was so fun, and then both long form narratives directed by Zach and everything. And like, I think we got like a standing ovation or whatever. Yeah, it was a great show. It was a lot of fun. Anna Bruno Reilly afterwards, she was like, that was a really good.

Joel 27:36

I was like, Oh, alright, I'll take your word for it. I I loved our class, I loved our class. Um, yeah, just like through the ups and downs of that that program and that year, just like oh well, just criticisms aside, because it's a new program for Dad's Garage, so they're like still fleshing out what the curriculum is and like how to run it. Yeah, you know, the conservatory program. Um, but like I loved our group and just getting like solid reps every week with the same group, the same committed group, yep, was so valuable, yep, was so good.

Malik 28:09

That's what I keep telling people. Like, we're like, what'd you learn from the conservatory now? I was like, the best thing was just the reps. That's it. The reps with the folks. That's what I say the same thing.

Joel 28:17

People were like, What was conservative? Just like all these bright-eyed new improvisers, like, well, what's conservatory like? Yeah, what did you like? Five things, mind that and then I'm like, I didn't really learn that much. But the reps are the reps. Yeah, but you can't do a YouTube video. Just watch it in less time. True.

Malik 28:40

For a lot cheaper, yeah, uh, and scandal and stuff like that.

Joel 28:43

But yeah, I guess I guess the dad specific stuff is fun, yeah. But then like you learn the dad specific stuff, and then like when do you use it? Yeah, when you use it when you're with with dads at dad's. Um the but the reps, the reps, reps, reps were so good.

Malik 29:02

Reps with like feedback from folks that have been doing it for a while. Yeah. So yeah. And the homies made new friends.

Joel 29:12

Oh, new friends, truly, yeah, truly still hang out with a lot of conservatory folks. Um, those are some friendships and bonds that kind of just like man, we're forged through just like fun times, fun memories and shows.

Malik 29:29

Bombing exercises on a Sunday. Yeah, yeah. Like, I do not know how to do that. Yeah, this is tough.

Joel 29:37

Yeah, there were there were some tough, there were some tough days. There were some tough days, or sitting together through those days where we don't do any exercises. Oh my gosh, from seven to nine thirty. Oh my god.

Malik 29:46

You want to just listen to all this, listen to us talk for a little bit and go to work tomorrow?

Joel 29:50

Yeah. So uh, so great. I loved our group. So conservatory. So out of conservatory, um, what do what do you what do you got some

From Improv to Solo Sketch

Joel 30:02

goals now?

Malik 30:02

Blackground was a goal. Um, the solo sketch was a goal to have some pretty good solo sketch stuff. And I think a lot of it will come through improv as well.

Joel 30:12

Oh, yeah, like the more you do improv, the more inspiration for solo sketch stuff comes out. I mean, that's what the better I can write it, I guess. Yeah, if that makes sense. That's what the sketch classes at Dad's Garage teach too. It's like improv to sketch at first, it's the level one is learning, like the improv to sketch process. Yeah. So yeah, and I've seen some, I've seen some sets. Sometimes that jams, there's a gem in there in a in it. Oh shit, that could be a false sketch. Well, what is each scene?

Malik 30:40

In a montage, but a sketch. Yeah, you know, right? It's an imprint often has like, you know, whatever the beats, a callback, maybe, and everything, and like and uh and a button, like a premise. Oh, that's the first thing that made people laugh. Yeah, that's our thing. Let's heighten that a good three, four, five, whatever times, and then maybe throw a little wrench in it, and then we'll cut it off.

Joel 31:00

Yeah, I mean your road trip, the road trip last night actually. Um, I don't know when this one's gonna air this episode, but last night we just had a huge road trip. Madeline had uh had a road trip with Josh Rubin from Dropout. Shout out. Shout out to Shout out Josh Rubin. Oh, yeah, so you haven't finished it. Madeline and Josh Rubin and everyone else that performed. Such a great show. Thanks. Such a great show. Um, and you saying that like each scene is essentially a sketch. There were so many great scenes last night that you're right. I'm just like, oh, that could have been a sketch, could have been a sketch, like fleshed out, like that's a solid sketch.

Malik 31:39

I think that's how um, if I remember correctly, like as in our second city, like uh like Steve Correll and all those folks were there, like a lot of their solid sketches that they put in their sketch shows were from improv shows or like bands or whatever. Like that was great, let's uh do that again. Uh change some things up. Uh here's what worked, here's what didn't. So uh the next thing with improv for me is to use these skills that I've learned or honed or whatever and create things that last. Yeah. You know, improv, it like each show, that's it. Yeah, and even when it's recorded, it's gone. Even when it's recorded, sometimes you can't capture the magic of it because the beauty of like a Keenan Peel sketch show or an H Bell sketch show is like anything on TV, it's multiple camera angles, you know, production value and stuff like literally production value, but you don't really have that as much with improv. So it does it does it's not always as great as it would be if you just like alright, take two, take three, take three, let's have a medium shot here, whatever, you know. So like I I the next step is using these comedic skills, improv and the connections and friends I've made, uh, and to make like stuff that lasts, maybe some social media content, yeah, stuff that lasts. Something that lasts. Hell yeah.

Joining and Building Teams: Black Star & Scheme

Joel 32:59

Um you are telling me the process of being on like the improv teams you're you're on. The process? Yeah, because you eventually you were on basement party. Yeah, yeah. And then now Black Star, was there anything else? Uh scheme comedy? Scheme is new.

Malik 33:16

Scheme's new, very new. Yeah. Dude, I feel like I better not be forgetting something. I'd be messed up if I know. I think that's it. I think that's it. Black Star. I'm on Blackground too. I but we talked about it. And Blackground, yeah. Yeah, but that's not an independent team.

Joel 33:28

That's not an independent team. Yeah. So the process of that. How they got together and like how what's it like being on a team? How does it yeah? Um, so Black Star is actually mad funny.

Malik 33:39

Um it's like Jay Wara and I think Malik had started it. And like Jay had to ask me, he said, Yo, you want to be on it? And at the time it was like a year and a half into improv or whatever. And I there was a couple other teams, uh, The Frogs and something else. The frogs are buried in, but yeah, very god. But it was like that and like the dynamic house team and stuff. Oh wow, I completely didn't even bring up the house team, but dynamic house team that was added to the list. That too. Um and I was like, yeah, I got a lot of improv teams I'm on right now, bro. Sorry, like I'm trying to do other stuff. Or I for Black Star. Yeah, for like and then I saw uh him and Malik did open for uh I guess yeah, it was two bears, and it was just two of them for 15 minutes, and they crushed, and I was like, Alright, bro, let me on the black star.

Joel 34:30

Well, yeah, sometimes that's what it is.

Malik 34:32

It's like, oh wait, we got close or whatever the fuck, you know. Oh, wait, this looks fun, yeah. Exactly that. Well, it's you know, you only have so much time.

Joel 34:39

So yes, I mean that's another struggle too, is like juggling all the time between all the commitments you want to do.

Malik 34:46

Exactly. And Black Star started, I think it was TC. Um, and like he got hit up like me, Fiona, Cole Nowaki, actually, obviously uh Fiona and Cole dipped at some point, and then or pretty early on, and then uh yeah, and then uh JT, um, and then he's like, yo, I got Avery to join. I was like, I was like, from the on time or dads? I was like, does he have better shit to do? Play with a bunch of rookies, yeah. I'm kidding. But like, I was like, alright, cool. So yeah, and then scheme was um Cecil had hit me up. He's like, yo, dad's doing a BYOT. This was like last fall or something like that. Uh do you want to come play with uh my homie Kesson, Turner, and uh Cosmo wasn't on at the time, and I was like, Yeah, why not? Like, yeah, 15 minutes on a Wednesday Tuesday at dad's, and it was really fun. And from the moment I sat down with like Cecil Kesson and uh Turner right before the show, we were all just chopping it up mad, you know. It was like just good banter, silly, silly time. So I was like, all right, this is pretty cool. And then we get on stage, do well too. I'm like, all right, love to be around these guys more. And then they're like, let's produce a show, and let's also do like music and you know, maybe some sketch, and like just not only improv. The variety show. The variety show. I was like, that's perfect. Because I and they're like, let's do social cont social media content too. So I was like, all right, this is it. Oh, that's exactly what I was looking for. Yeah, so I didn't know about the social media content aspect. We're filming some sketches. Cool, we're filming. I don't know. Do you call them sketches? I guess. Yeah, I think they think they are, yeah, yeah. They they are. Yeah, so I'm excited for that.

Joel 36:32

Um, whoa, nice. Yeah, and what a great group. I mean, when you talk about vibes, right?

Malik 36:37

Like fun vibes. People keep saying that. I'm like, you guys haven't seen shit yet. You guys haven't seen Scheme yet.

Joel 36:43

Oh, we haven't seen Scheme, but we've hung out with Scheme when they're not performing, and they're a good time. Appreciate it. Yeah, scheme's a great time. Yeah, I know they're all wrong. Yeah, everyone's so so great and funny and unique. Um, everyone brings such a like unique sense of humor, and then like the chemistry of it all.

Malik 37:02

Yeah, pretty uh like because it actually Turner and I were talking the other day. I was like, You remember meeting at the after a jam? I was like, Oh yeah, I saw you and you crushed, and I was about to leave, and I was like, Oh, I gotta say something to her. I gotta say, Yup, you're mad funny. But she had gone to the bathroom, and I was like, ow. No, I gotta wait. So I waited. In the bathroom. I was like, oh yeah, hey, great job. See you later. Yeah, you waited just to pay the compliment. Probably shouldn't have done that off. Probably shouldn't say it in a podcast too. Whatever, we're having a lot of fun. No, yeah, we're having fun.

Joel 37:38

That's the honest truth. Yeah, that's yeah, that's what happened. And now we all know about that experience. It's like, all right, I gotta do something. That's sweet. I like we said about encouraging words before, right? Sure. How important that is? So, not a big deal. Thanks. You want you wanted to get that off your chest and pay that compliment to that person. Yes. But hey, that was great. You did you perform well? That was what and I wasn't right outside the bath.

Malik 37:59

I was in the butt, all right. I see what yeah, okay. I just wanted to. That's a good clarification. Thanks for adding that, yeah. I was thanks for adding that. Two feet next to the door.

Joel 38:08

Oh, I'm just waiting on somebody. Yeah, yeah. Um, yeah. So so scheme, Black Star, Bassin Party, the Frogs, R. P. The Frogs, R.A.P. But the the current teams right now are what?

Malik 38:20

Oh, I forgot to say Follow's name. Following is also in Basin Party and Sonya. Yeah, and that's that's oh, Sonya's new problem with having saying people's names instead of you're like, oh, I don't wanna if I forget one of them, okay. Yeah, for sure.

Joel 38:34

I mean, I think it's such a natural thing in podcasts. Okay, cool. I've listened to enough podcast episodes where people are naming people and then they're like, Oh, I'm gonna forget. This exact conversation happens all the time in podcasts. Right on. Um yeah, but so uh so I saw Sonya got added as the newest member, right? Hell yeah. Hell yeah.

Malik 38:52

Sonia's great, great person, great hang, very funny. Yeah, you've only done one show with her so far, or two so far, but who does the producing? That's it, exactly. It was Kim, and then Kim got mad busy, and so no one else took up the mantle. So now we've we've not I don't think we've produced a show in like two years. We've just been asked. That happens. That happens.

The Grind of Producing Shows

Joel 39:13

I mean, that's what Measure Allen's going through right now, too. Just like no one has the bandwidth to produce a show. Was it Shayna that we had a team? Okay, it was me, Shayna, and Fiona. Oof. So it was three people splitting the work. It used to be like booking, marketing, communication, uh rehearsal schedule. It was all that, all that product boring stuff.

Malik 39:35

Mad boring, mad TV is an annoying.

Joel 39:37

Yeah, put you back. And then slowly people started dropping. Fiona got had conflicts to deal with. Um direct the stuff and whatnot. Yeah, other creative stuff. So Stephen then was me and Shayna for a while, and then Shayna moved. And that was just me, and then it was rough. And I, you know, called a team meeting. I was like, yo, I can't do this. Like, I it needs to be. I can't be predic I can't be the sole person. Right, right, right. It's just like I'm having trouble. Like, I'm doing like music class stuff. I'm trying to like build this business. Yep. I quit my job, I need money. Exactly. Exactly. Um, and then I was like, well, can anyone else you know have the bandwidth to produce? And no one did. So we're like, okay, no, no, no problem. Like, we'll produce a hiatus. A little hiatus, no big deal. Um, and it happens. Yep, it happens. Start on hiatus. Um, but we do have a show coming up. Shout out. When when where? August. Oh this episode will be out. Actually, so it will be plug, it will be inappropriate plug. Um, it's it's Sunday, August 23rd, I think. Nice 7 p.m. Red Light Um Red Light Cafe. Throw it on the mic. Oh, because uh Shana's coming back, right? I think Shana's flying back in. Yes. And that's also Sam's going away. Ah, I knew there was it's a Sam's going because Sam's moving.

Malik 41:03

Dude, just opened up my calendar. Farewell show for Sam. I already had it in there. You already had it in there. Someone told you about it already.

Joel 41:11

There you go. I'm just gonna add it. I love that. Yeah, so so that's Sam's going away because he's moving to Chicago. Darn. So that was a that was a key change slot. Um key change, he plays piano. Yeah, yeah. So we had to call a key change. We actually had to literally do a key change, switch it to Measure Island. We're like, fuck that, we're gonna do a Measure Island and have Sam perform one more time with Measure Island before he moves. Um producing shows, man.

Malik 41:41

Yeah, I've still not done it, and I don't know that I will, to be honest.

Joel 41:46

I mean, it takes a specific skill set, and not everyone has it or wants it, right? I don't want to produce.

Malik 41:53

I would love to I'll do everything up to production. Yeah, you know what I mean? I'll help you out. Everything up to we gotta produce a show.

Joel 42:00

Like, all right, I'm out of here. Yeah, it's tough. No thanks. Producing's tough, and especially in Atlanta. Um, I feel like because if you don't produce, you don't do play. Yeah, you don't play. Um, so you gotta unless you're like pulled into rotating cash shows, you know. Yep. Um, but that's something I'm talking to a few people in the community about getting together like some information, some guidance on how to produce a show. And eventually we'll get like a little free PDF downloadable on the link tree. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Just to like and post it. That's nice.

Malik 42:36

So people can just download and like have some guidance on how to produce a show. Because it is is I'm guessing it's more than just posting on Instagram.

Joel 42:44

Oh yeah. I mean, I mean, if we if we're talking about from the beginning of it, right? It's even like the cons the concept of the show. What are we doing? What kind of show do we want to put on? Who's gonna be on it? Who's gonna be on it? What's the format? Yeah, what's the run of show? Like, how do we want to the show to be? Yep, how what's the suggestion? Like, because even that's strategic if you want a successful show. Honestly, yeah, yeah. Um and yeah, read then reaching out to venues, what venues you know are available for scheduling, and then reaching out to venues, possibly negotiating with venues, coordinating with the team on schedule. There's just like hours, guys. Yeah, please text back when we were in the group. Please just just acknowledge that you've read this event. Like, please, dog. Yeah. And just like I love all the friendly nudges in different teams and shows. Like, hey, y'all, just a friendly reminder. Please. And I could whenever one gets posted, I can hear, I hear the voice in my head. There's like, please, I'm begging you, please respond. I'm begging you, man. Uh, it's tough. Everyone's so busy. Everyone's busy. Well, not only is everyone Everyone busy, but everyone's also just like, I feel like stressed and dealing with life and personal stuff. Um, and so and totally valid for people to just want to like, I just want to play. I just want to show up and play. I just want to show up and play. I don't want to do any of the hard stuff. I don't even want to text you back. Don't talk to me. Yeah, I don't want to text you back. I just want to play. Tell me when to show up and do improv.

Malik 44:20

Thursday at 8 o'clock. Yeah. I will be there at 7 30 for call time or whatever.

Joel 44:23

Uh and totally valid. Totally valid. I get that.

Malik 44:27

Um and a lot of people are like, that's not all they're doing is improv, you know. Yes, exactly. People got over that problem. Pretty pretty heavy. Like JT does his music, Malik does a lot of other like um you know screenwriting stuff like that. Like TC's, I don't want to say, yeah, people are doing other stuff, other stuff. Other stuff. So it's like I the the cool part about improv is that is that you just show up. And so and so when you're asking me to do other stuff for it, it's like, yo, come on, man. What are you talking about? Well, I don't even want to read these four sentences, you know what I mean?

Joel 45:04

Yeah, that that's true. Because if um that that's true up to up to an extent. Because if the show, if the format you've all agreed in each with each other, yeah, it's like, let's just show up and have fun. Yeah, yeah. Cool, you can do that. We don't need rehearsal. Cool. But if you're talking about a show that's you want is it's a vision of yours that is gonna elevate improv in the community, yeah, a unique show that you want to make sure it's executed properly and well, and it's a good show for the audience. We want this to be a full ass production. Yeah, you need some rehearsals, you gotta scroll to some rehearsals and figure it out and talk about it, even just like some Zoom meetings or whatever, right?

Malik 45:42

Let's get some FaceTime and just just literally just talk to each other about what's going on. But yeah, I mean when you got a bunch of people that are doing a bunch of stuff, it is hard to it's hard, yeah.

Joel 45:54

And at the same time, you want everyone to pursue their stuff. Oh, for sure. You want I yeah, we want everyone to pursue their their creative endeavors. Yep. Um, do you like jams?

Jams and Getting Reps In

Malik 46:07

Hell yeah. Shout out to Onward Jam that uh uh Brett passed down to Joseph, me, Margot, and Nathan. And then we all of us are now no longer hosting it.

Joel 46:18

Yeah, but now there's a new group. It just keeps getting past it. It just keeps getting past that exactly. Um now it's Will, Austin, Davy, Rachel. Davy's part of it? Davy hosts? Oh, maybe not. Okay. Maybe I missed it.

Malik 46:32

Yeah. It was like a pseudo-legendary, like in Pokemon, you know. Oh, okay. Did you play Pokemon? I did. Okay. I'm playing uh Leaf Green right now. On the Switch? The re-release. Nice.

Joel 46:42

Is it my homie tells me it's pretty good? It's the same. It's it's the same. I bought it and I was like, why did I do this? Why did I do this? It's $15 though, right? I could have just downloaded a ROM and played on my phone. For free? Yeah. Um it's the same. It's the same.

Malik 46:57

Yeah, my boy Bam was like, yo, you gotta get fire red or leaf green, bro. You gotta get it.

Joel 47:02

I was like, I mean, it's I mean, it's fun because it looks better, maybe a little bit. Yeah, a little bit, a little nostalgia. A little just nostalgia or just reminiscing or whatever. Yeah, it's still the childhood days. Still Pokemon. Would you also before that? Let's see. Jams.

Malik 47:17

Oh yeah, yeah. I've not been or Oh yeah, Onward. Yeah, stopped hosting Onward or stopped helping host Onward. And since then, I've I've been back what maybe two or three times when there's like a show, like I'm in a road trip or something like that, and I want to get a rep in or something. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah. You know, beforehand, so just knock the rest off and or just community or all that stuff. And um, I've not done a dad jam since maybe at some point last year. Just started like taking like uh acting classes or whatever, and something that just took up the time on Tuesdays. But actually, you know what's so funny? I think you know, Cosmos and Scheme, right? And when I met them, dude, I'm pretty sure it was after a jam at dad's where I I did all it was okay. Yeah, you know what I mean? Sure. And that's how I felt during it, afterwards.

Nerves, "Okay" Scenes & Honest Feedback

Joel 48:06

And yeah, you're in the middle of it, and you're like, This is okay. In the middle of the scene, you're like talking your C party and in your head you're like, This is an okay scene. Literally This is fine. This is the little dog meme, the dog drinking coffee, and everything's on fire. Like this is fine.

Malik 48:23

This is fine. This is fine. Yeah. I'm gonna say this before I forget. Yeah. There's been like two times, like once or twice, a bit like at a jam or like in a scene, and it hasn't like hasn't been going well. And my knees almost gave out on me. Wow. What a weird reaction, right? What a weird like nervous.

Joel 48:41

Because that's like a physical reaction of like, is it was it stress in the moment or anxiety?

Malik 48:45

Anxiety, yeah, all that stuff. And I'm like, because it was it was like it wasn't going that well. And I was like, you know, pretty new. This was like maybe 2022, 2023. Yeah, yeah. But yeah. And now, like, if it happens, like my left hand will go numb. It's so weird.

Joel 49:01

Start to sweat a little bit. Wow, I don't know if you have any nervous, weird nerves. I mean, I I'm a I'm a big sweater. I sweat anyway. I run hot, so like, especially if I got on stage and this under the stage lights, I am drippy. I just I I'm a drippy boy. I just be dripping. Um why did I bring that up? We were talking about jams, and then how you oh you you were in the Cosma. Yes. And you were in a scene, and you were like, This is okay.

Malik 49:32

This is okay. Cosmo wasn't in the scene, but I think it was like I was at the jam, it was like five of us talking. I don't know who else was there, but Cosmos was like, Cosmo was like, You did great, you did great. Came to me like, you alright.

Joel 49:47

The honesty. The honesty. Like, you alright?

Malik 49:52

And but that's like we're cooler now, but like at that time it was at most acquaintance. Yeah.

Joel 49:59

And I was like, you're exactly right. That's why, honestly, that's why she's incredible. That's why she's an incredible person. Yeah. Cause the the no filter and just like completely honest and authentic, unapologetically, um, themselves. And it wasn't rude. Yeah. You know, it wasn't well, I guess I didn't perceive it as rude.

Malik 50:17

I'm sure someone could someone could have perceived it as rude as rude. But yeah, yeah, yeah. But I mean, that's art though. It's like, yeah, you did, and it's but it's also like, I don't know, you did sports and stuff, right? So you're in the you've been in the film room or whatever, yep. Like, and it's like you, the coaches, and the whole team, and they're replaying like your mistake, and they're just saying what you did wrong. Now, some some coaches are assholes about it, some are nicer, but it's like it's like, hey dude, you let them inside and you shouldn't have, like, you gave up your inside leverage and you shouldn't have, and now we now they score attached out and we lost. Damn. But you know, like, yeah, but that's sometimes how you have to give feedback for stuff like art or like notes. Maybe not necessarily I don't know that you can do that. We've been around anyone who ruined a whole show by doing a move, but you know, it's like like I don't know. Do you does measure line do that? Sometimes you guys debrief

Giving Notes & Why You Should Get a Coach

Malik 51:12

or something like that.

Joel 51:12

We debrief typically not night of a show. Yeah, we literally um typically like have uh time to decompress. Yeah, yeah. And like, and then like we'll circle back and do and you typically we used to do that rehearsal. Gotcha. Talk about the last show. Gotcha.

Malik 51:26

Do you guys find find it hard sometimes? Oh, yeah. Like this move was not it was hard to understand, or it kind of didn't really raise anything.

Joel 51:36

A lot of defensiveness, a lot of defensive comes up, and um it's hard to give each other notes as a team. For sure. Which is why we eventually brought on a coach, which helped a ton. There you go. Highly recommend any teams out there, third party, unbiased, just someone who's there just looking to for the success of the team that you hire and pay to do that for you. Um because noting each other is tough. It is tough. I we never found a really successful way to do it. Really? No anonymous, like you write it down. No, maybe a good anonymous. No, no, no, no. Um, because our approach was like just give honest notes out loud to each other. Gotcha. Right? In front in uh transparency, like we all hear it and see it or whatever, and then can give feedback. Um was our approach. And it worked okay sometimes, but just it just didn't feel good, even like to communicate like, hey, that move, like I it didn't click, like I didn't understand that, or like, hey, I felt this way, I didn't feel supported in this. It's hard, it's vulnerable to communicate. It is. I mean, that's and then also hard when it's not received well. Exactly. So, y'all, just get a coach. All that to say, get a coach.

Malik 52:48

Let alleviate yourself of the responsibility.

Joel 52:51

Just hire a coach, it's worth it for the longevity and health of your team. Of your team.

Malik 52:59

Um I've not I think, yeah, we got Brett once to coach us with Black Slide, but it was because me and Malik were doing a two pro. So we're like, that's because of coaching, because Brett does that. Yeah. Um, I haven't really had that much outside coaching. Basement party, we've had a couple times where at least once where like a show was filmed and then we all watched it together and I talked about, you know. Um and I think it's I'm pretty sure it went pretty well. But yeah, yeah. It's hard. It's uh especially when it's subjective. You know what I mean? That's comedy. Oh, sure. That's comedy. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's subjective. Like sports and stuff, it's like you got beat because of this. Yes. You know, it's straight physics, or like you, or you you did the wrong, you did the wrong play objectively because we told you to run a post, you ran a curl.

Joel 53:46

You know, that's that makes it harder when it's subjective. Yeah, right. Because you're just communicating. I felt this way about this thing, and someone else can just be like, Well, I didn't feel that way. I thought about it this other way. It's like, well, okay, well, well, sorry. Let's move on. I'm moving on now. Yep, yeah, it's tough. It's tough. What are you gonna do? Get a coach. That's what you're gonna do.

Malik 54:12

Easy, easy, easy,

Coaching Culture

Malik 54:14

easy.

Joel 54:14

Yeah. Well, actually, I mean, that's something that Atlanta doesn't have is a big coaching um environment. All the other major cities, LA, Chicago, New York, do they really all have huge every team has a coach. Damn. Every team has a coach. And sometimes the theaters facilitate in getting a coach for a team or really? Yeah. All right. Because there's something in the major cities what they do um I don't want to speak for every theater. I just from the like forums and like uh improv Reddit, I know that a lot of theaters still do what's called team dues. And this is uh like paying paying in to be on a team that performs at the theater. And this can be this could range just depending on the theater and team, $20 a month, $50 a month, whatever the whatever the cost is for each player on a team. I like it. That money goes to pay the coach that helps you get better. And you play you play for the theater. You're on the house team for the theater, you know, so there's no like paying to rent the venue or whatever. But some some indie teams do that too to pay the rent for venues, to pay for a coach. Um, so all that stuff. And especially if you want to be on a committed team, it's another way to do okay. If you're paying 50 bucks a month to be on this team, you're probably gonna go to rehearsal. You're probably gonna respond to messages, probably gonna respond more. Um get to rehearsal and yeah.

Malik 55:51

I didn't know that. That's uh okay.

Joel 55:54

Yeah, we don't we don't have that here at Atlanta at the uh at the moment. Um yeah, if I had if I had a musical improv school, like a physical location, I would want to do house teams at some point. Is that a part of the is that a goal? That's a goal. No, that's a goal, but physical space is tough. Finding a physical space is expensive and and tough. Yeah, um, so that's just like dream right now, just like long-term dream. Nice. Any rich people out there? Anyway, any rich people out there with family musical improv classes.

Malik 56:26

That'd be cool. You would buy a little spot for us, you know what I'm saying?

Joel 56:29

Um, but if I did, I'd want to do house teams. Yeah. And I would do a short, I would introduce a short dudes thing because I would produce the shows for the house teams. I would help with marketing. Uh they could show up for rehearsal and to play. I'm producing the show. You show up to the show, you don't have to worry about booking. They're gonna let something out of the money that it pays. Yeah, exactly. The cost you're that you're paying goes to stuff. Yes, it's not just money. Yeah, it's not just give me the money. It's um, and I feel like with that, if theater did that more here, I feel like we'd see more teams too. Because there'd be less barrier. We're talking about producing how hard it is. Reduce all the friction, reduce the friction, as much friction as you can.

Malik 57:10

Yeah, yeah. All right, we got we have the team, we're paying 50 bucks. Yeah, that's what we need to do. And get people big enough for people to come to our shows and tell them to come to our shows.

Joel 57:19

Yep. So just a thought, just a little daydream, but that's just a long-term, long-term goal. I just want to get my students on stage more too. Just want to get more musical improv in the city. Gotcha.

Malik 57:31

This is musical jam tonight, right? Yeah. Yeah. After this podcast. Not when this podcast comes out, but yeah, not when the yeah. If you listen to this, whenever you listen to it. Yeah, whenever you listen to it. It may not be an improvement. Just know that the musical is. Oh, yeah.

Joel 57:43

You should know that tonight is not your tonight. This is our tonight in this moment. In this moment of the podcast. It could be a musical jam when you're listening to it.

Malik 57:52

It could be, but it is not. Holy shit. But it's not for sure. It could be, but we don't know. We don't know.

Joel 57:58

To save ourselves from maybe I should plan the release of this episode for a future musical improv jam. Shit, maybe you should. Tonight. Okay. We didn't do we didn't do much musical, but just based on this last like 30 seconds, maybe maybe. Um, yeah, I'm hosting a musical improv jam tonight at Dad's Garage. Shut up. What's up? Uh sign up start at seven. Jam's at eight, though. We got we got time. We're gonna we're gonna wrap up shortly. I'm gonna ask you a few um what we call your hot seat questions. You're gonna enter the hot seat. Honestly, hell yeah. And then there's a little jingle

Hot Seat!!

Joel 58:29

that goes with the hot seat section. Oh shit. Hot seat with Malik. Sorry, I hit the yeah, I might gotta do it again. Yeah, but yeah, yeah. Hot seed with Malik.

Malik 58:42

Hell yeah. Cool. Um terrible time for me to Yeah, no, go ahead.

Joel 58:48

Go ahead. Bang on the table. Um I was trying to express myself. I was trying to like snap, like give you a little backup. Yeah, I just fucked it up. All good. Um okay, classic. Um, Malik, do you have any go-to physicality and miming when you go when you go into a scene? Ooh, like a go-to like uh character or whatever? Oh, well, go to character. First physical miming, but that's the next question, though. Is a go-to character, yeah.

Malik 59:13

It's probably pretty classic, but I like a like uh you know crooked, you know, hunched over older person. Okay.

Joel 59:20

Oh, I have seen you do see so many times. That's one of your go-to's is a hunched over it. And you've gotten so good at it. You've got I've it's just been getting better and better, your hunched over old guy. Yeah. Um but what about your yeah, your do you have a favorite like miming? Like if you're in a scene.

Malik 59:42

Object work, yeah, yeah. I'm terrible at it. You're very good at it. It's it's fun to I'm uh No, I do not. Because I'm bad at it. I guess I I don't like it. I don't take my time with it. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Even like talking. I talk too fast.

Joel 59:57

So and so it's fast, too. It's fast. It's fast and sloppy, probably. Exactly. Like I'm gonna be.

Malik 1:00:10

Yeah. I will say I do think I did a pretty good job of the object work uh at that show at the red light, the big dog festival. Yeah. When I was like, let me get a hot pocket as I was getting broken.

Joel 1:00:20

Oh yes!

Malik 1:00:22

Yes, in the moment, I was like, this is a pretty good object work. That was really that was

Advice for New Improvisers

Malik 1:00:26

good.

Joel 1:00:26

Appreciate it. That was good, appreciate it. Uh that was a great scene, also, by the way. That was one of my favorites of the night. That was fantastic. Thank you. Shout out Maria. Um, shout out Maria. Um, okay, so physicality. And then the last hot seat question is right here on my notes. Go to my remark. Oh, uh, what advice would you give for new improvisers just joining the scene? Damn. I'm taking my time with it. Yeah, take your time. Yeah, we'll edit out the pod.

Malik 1:01:07

Thank you so much.

Joel 1:01:09

What advice? Well, Matt will edit out. Matt will edit out the pod. I won't.

Malik 1:01:15

This is something I still struggle with, but having a want in the scene or before I get in before I get on stage, before I join the scene. What what what are you wanting to do other than the joke itself? Yeah. Because this oh dude. The first time I ever did like long form, long form was uh I think Drew's show called Elevator Pitch, where he does like a full improvised two-act play. And as I was walking over up to it, and you know, this is still with my first year doing improv, I see mom and dad, Hannah and Anna, right? Oh yeah, right outside the theater, and I was like, I was nervous. I was like, yo, you guys do long form, and you guys are incredible. Well, those are also two people that were like whose feedback I really I mean mentality. Um I was like, what should I not do for this like first time doing long form? They're like, don't go out there with a joke as a character, like don't do a joke immediately. And the first thing I did was a joke. Wow. I was a parrot, and I was like, and I had to be that for the play because that's who my character was.

Joel 1:02:28

That's the choice you made.

Malik 1:02:29

That's the choice I made, and then like 10 or 15 minutes later, I was like, I'm not doing I'm saying just like I'm not talking like that anymore. Yeah.

Joel 1:02:37

And it was not well received. Because you have to drop it, because you made that choice, and you're like, oh shit, I gotta be this pair that doesn't talk for the show. Yes, because it was narrative, right? Yes, it was narrative.

Malik 1:02:48

Yes. Uh so I guess for new improvisers, I'd say think past the joke you're trying to make. Oh yeah.

Joel 1:02:55

That's a beautiful start. And you know, for new improvisers, that's tough sometimes. Because we a lot of new improvisers come in and they're like, Oh, this is comedy, I'm supposed to be funny. Yeah, and then they're forcing jokes a lot of the time.

Malik 1:03:06

And when you're forcing a joke, it's yeah, it's not that funny. Yeah. And let it come out naturally. Yeah. The cliche thing is have fun, but I do agree with it. But it's like, what comes first? The audience enjoying your the the show or the fun you're having on stage. It's like a chicken for egg thing, yeah. Oh, yeah. So many times, yo, that show was so fun. We were all having so much fun out there. It was like, yeah, because the I mean, we did something that was well received by the audience and we kept doing it. I think if we went ahead and had fun and it wasn't well received by the audience, it wouldn't be that fun. You know what I mean?

Joel 1:03:38

Like I th I think so too. You know, I think that makes sense because if you're having fun on stage, yeah, if you're on the same page, you're connected with your scene partners and you're having a blast, nine times out of ten, that audience is also having fun. Nine times they are also enjoying it. There's a high probability that audience is also having fun. I think maybe that's the way to for the to fight against that gray zone or whatever.

Malik 1:03:58

Yeah, yeah. Um because so many people I've hear I've heard so many times it's like, ah, I've done shows or whatever, or we were having fun, but the audience wasn't really feeling it, which can happen, but I've not done I've that's never happened for me.

Joel 1:04:09

I don't I haven't felt that either where I had fun because I feel like I can always feel the sucks. Yeah, I feel like we're like, wait, this isn't hitting. This set's not, you know. And sometimes the the whole team after a show will be like, all right, well, we did a show. We did we did it. Congrats, we got another one in. You want to get you wanna go to get some food? We gotta rep in. That was it.

Malik 1:04:31

It happens. You know, we're gonna bomb again at some point, we're gonna have a mid-show, but yeah, so I would say, yeah, think past the joke you're trying to make because that's a problem that you used to have or still have sometimes. And also, if you realize if you recognize someone made a joke and you you you're free to swipe the scene because you it's helping everyone out, it's helping everyone out of like, oh, I mean, I guess you don't really know what everyone was intending, but you know, some buttons you come in as a little walk on or whatever, blah blah. It's like, all right, that was the thing, please cut it, because that's probably what they were intending.

Joel 1:05:06

Like that was the intention. That was the joke. That could be the button. That was the button, swipe it.

Malik 1:05:10

Yep, yeah, but to save yourself, think past the joke you're trying to make. Yeah, I love that one. Thanks. Yeah, and you can self-swipe if you want.

Joel 1:05:20

Don't do it all the time. Don't do it all the time, yeah. If you're if you're in a bad situation and you need to get out of it, you could yes, also, but always protect yourself, just protect yourself.

Malik 1:05:28

Actually, yeah, go for it. That's something I realized I used to do a lot was I go in and make a joke, and then I'd self-swipe. And Cole Wazworth called me out, call me out on it.

Joel 1:05:37

Uh he would, of course. Uh we probably told you like because you're copping out kind of thing, or like you're escaping. Something like that, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. He's like, Yeah. Because I will say it is a valuable skill to sit in it for a moment, a bad rough scene. See if you can get out of it. Sometimes you can. Sometimes you can. Sometimes you can't. Sometimes you can save it. It's like a it might be a rough 30 seconds or something. It'd be a rough second. And then you find it. Yep. Yeah, sometimes that happens, but if it takes too long, someone else. That's what the people on the side are supposed to be doing, too. Please save us. Yeah, to save you guys. Um, anything else on your your mind or heart that you want to share with the uh Atlanta Improv community? Thanks for doing this, man. Appreciate this rocks. Yeah, this is cool. Love you. I love you

Closing Thoughts & Gratitude

Joel 1:06:22

too, man.

Malik 1:06:22

I love you, team Malik. I love you very much. Love the listeners. Um shout out to Atlanta Improv, honestly. Uh changed my life in a super positive way. Madeline Evans for sure. Church of Madeline Evans.

Joel 1:06:35

Church of Madeline Evans.

Malik 1:06:38

Shout out to a lot of my senseis, Avery, you, Brett. Um sorry if I'm forgetting anyone else, but those are for the the early days folks were for sure. I was like, yeah, I'm I'm uh forever better because of y'all. Yeah. Shout out to Conservatory, shout out to Dynamic House team, shout out Blackstar, yeah. Shout out Basic Party, shout out Steam. I'm just shouting out R.I.P. Frogs. Shout out IOFest, shout out uh shit, hold up. Second City.

Joel 1:07:06

Shout out UCB Festival. Shout out SNL. Shout out SNL, shout out Pistol Spam.

Malik 1:07:10

Let's see, uh shout out uh what was uh Allison's team with like Alex and uh uh Anna and stuff like that. Oh with Alex and Anna? And JT and Ricky. R I B R I B Ricky, I love you.

unknown 1:07:28

Oh my god.

Joel 1:07:29

Oh, I forgot on the television.

Malik 1:07:30

What is her name? Oh no.

Joel 1:07:32

It's okay, but shout out to them.

Malik 1:07:35

Shout out that team for sure. Uh I'm sure I'm forgetting something, but shout out to you, listener. Shout out to my parents. Oh, beautiful! Shout out to my my siblings. Yeah. Shout out uh to any anyone I've ever loved or love.

Joel 1:07:50

It's a weird ending. No? I don't think so. I think it's a very loving ending. I don't think it's a weird ending. Now you made it weird. Now you made it weird because you said it's weird. How can you were just having the most loving ending of all the podcasts? You're just like, uh, shout out, shout out, shout out here. Love you. So thankful, so grateful. And then I think you're like, that was weird. Insecurity. What? Yeah, right, right, right. Uh no, that was great. That's beautiful. That's beautiful. So much gratefulness that you're expressing and love for the community and people. Um, I love that. Um, this community is fantastic, and I'm so grateful and honored and privileged to have you a part of it. Thanks, man.

Malik 1:08:29

Likewise. You making this and cementing some of these conversations is gonna like it has, and it will continue to hold a great place in folks' heart. Especially I think so too. Especially folks that are gonna get it, like getting into improv, you know, like we like, yeah, yeah.

Joel 1:08:44

Yeah, I think there's so like we just said, there's so many beautiful people here. And I love an improv podcast I've listened to for years, and I hear all these stars and all these other cities celebrities. Is it improv is that? What no, not even that. Oh, okay. Oh, oh that, oh, uh, yes, also um, and some other interview ones um based improv stuff. Um and I just I want to hear Atlanta folks. Uh you know, I want to hear Atlanta folks on there. There's so much talent here. There's so much talent here, and the improv scene is growing. Get them out there. Yeah, get them out there.

Malik 1:09:18

Oh, yeah, it is growing. Invest heavily in this podcast right now.

Joel 1:09:23

If you're wealthy, invest. Invest in improv. No, I mean I mean in this podcast. In this podcast, that too. Before it goes public, you know. Oh, we're gonna go. Yeah, oh yeah, before we IPO.

Malik 1:09:35

Yeah, before we IPO, yeah, you're gonna invest heavily in this because the the listener can be a good thing. We're going to Wall Street sometime.

Joel 1:09:41

Yeah, we're gonna we're going to Wall Street because that's what podcasts do. That's what that's what they do. That's very common for podcasts. We're gonna be able to be a public entity, the opposite of uh the JRE.

unknown 1:09:50

Yeah.

Joel 1:09:50

Uh well Malik, thank you so much. Thank you very much. Thanks for being here. Uh, and thank you everyone for listening to another episode of the Joy of Improv Podcast. I've been Joel Camargo. I've been Malik Whitfield. Thank you. See you on the next one. Bye. Goodbye. I I we're not cutting that list of the voice. We're not cutting it. Damn it. That's staying in there. See everybody. I want to say thank you to Matt Isaacs. Thank you so much, Matt, for editing these episodes. Matt is a talented and kind member of the Atlanta Improv community. If anyone out there has any audio editing or song mixing needs, please reach out to me at joel at the joyoffimprov.com. I'll connect you with Matt and get you on your way to getting some clean, fresh audio. If you are enjoying the podcast and you want to support and keep this podcast going, you can support in one of two ways. You can leave a five-star review. And if you do, please leave an improv topic that you want us to discuss or perhaps a question for a future guest. Another way to support the podcast is to give a monetary contribution on our Ko-Fi page. Anything helps, a dollar, five dollars does not matter. Anything helps in keeping the podcast going. You can find the link to contribute in our Instagram or in the link in the episode description. Thank you so so much for listening. It means so much that you're here. See you next time and scene.