Hey Riddle Riddle – Patreon Preview #360: "Improv Starters"

Host: Headgum
Release Date: January 30, 2026
Featuring: Adal Rifai, Erin Keif, John Patrick Coan ("JPC")
Summary by ChatGPT

Episode Overview

In this Patreon preview, Adal, Erin, and JPC dive into the world of improv scene-starters, mining a book designed to give improvisers prompts and objectives. The trio riff on the structure and content of the book, poking fun at its ambitious promises ("1,000 scene starters") before launching into their own character-driven comedic scenes. The episode balances meta-commentary about improv, book publishing, and the art of scene work, all delivered with their signature irreverent and playful banter.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Improv Books & "1,000 Scene Starters" (00:02–01:56)

• The crew examines an improv exercise book, noting its division into 'chapters' on various sources for scene inspiration: character conflicts, contrasting situations, prompts, body language, and environments.
  • Adal: “The first half of the book is using character conflicts. … I’ve actually never cracked this book open, which is awesome fun.” (00:13)
• They riff on the idea of '1,000' scene starters:
  • JPC: “1,000 is such a terrible number. Why not go for a collection of 900?” (01:32)
  • The suggestion is that the last 100 of any such list are always filler.

2. Book Quality & Children’s Literature Tangent (01:56–03:39)

• JPC shares his frustration with a “100 Animals” book that pads its content by repeating animals, questioning author integrity.
  • JPC: “The fuckers behind the hundred animals book cheated. … Penguins is in there three times… Hundred animals grow the fuck up.” (02:15)
• Brief discussion comparing types of penguins and the laziness of just repeating prompts.

3. Setting Up the First Improv Scene: Teen-Parent Conflict (04:01–05:47)

• Deciding on a prompt: “A teenager is discussing with their father their intention to go to a party next week.” (04:59)
• The hosts agree to play with hidden objectives, texting secret motivations to Erin and JPC to heighten the improv.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On ambitious writing projects:
  • JPC: “If you promise 1,000 and you get to 900, you say… look, we all know the last hundred weren’t going to be fucking good.” (01:36)
• On repeat content:
  • JPC: “Frogs in there, like six times. Grow up. Hundred animals grow the fuck up.”
• On improviser integrity:
  • Adal: "I hope Philip, Mr. Philip Bernardi, has more integrity than the 100 animals people. It does not reuse goddamn suggestions." (03:13)

[Improv Scene: Teen-Parent Party Negotiation]

Timestamps: 18:20–22:58

• Scene Setup: Erin plays the teen (Debbie); JPC plays the dad. Debbie requests to sleep over at a friend’s house (Heather's, whose father ran off with Debbie’s mom).
• Running Jokes:
  • Dad is distracted, watching baseball and initially unaware of details.
  • The family situation is gloriously convoluted (affairs, restraining orders).
  • The daughter keeps trying to manipulate the situation; the dad keeps missing the point or overcomplicating it.
• Memorable Exchanges:
  • Dad (JPC): “My God, Debbie, it looks fucking immaculate in here. Baked Mac and cheese.” (18:39)
  • Debbie (Erin): “Just kidding. You can do whatever you want.”
  • Dad (JPC): “You caught me—a quarter in the jar, for sure.” (18:51)
  • Dad (JPC): “Heather, Doug's daughter. … They're Catholics, right?” (19:23)
  • Debbie (Erin): “Big drinkers, the Catholics.”
  • Dad (JPC): “That might be a stereotype, right? … Yeah, for sure.”
  • Debbie (Erin): “I thought I would go over and sabotage Mom's relationship through Heather.” (19:39)
  • Dad (JPC): “You're such a— I didn’t know you got a car! ... Oh, you were gonna drive my car?” (21:39)
• Classic "Dad" logic:
  • Dad (JPC): “One thing about men is if we look each other in the eye and we shake hands, everything's fine.” (22:20)
  • Debbie (Erin): “Yeah, I'm sure they have drugs in their house. And alcohol.”
  • Dad (JPC): “You are not going—like, Tylenol? … The stuff that President Trump says gives you autism?” (22:51)
  • Debbie (Erin): “Oh, dad. You’re that kind of dad, huh?” (22:54)

Additional Highlights

The Nature of Improv Starters (Throughout)

• The hosts discuss how objectives in improvised scenes—when secret—heighten tension and comedy.
  • JPC: “I do like having a secret in a scene.” (04:35)

Meta Humour

• Repeated, deadpan asides about the convoluted family situation and JPC's “dad” missing his daughter’s manipulations.
• Layered meta-commentary on improv process: when to follow or ignore the supplied objectives; how conflict and secrets enhance scenes.

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Adal: “The first half of the book is using character conflicts. ... I’ve actually never cracked this book open, which is awesome fun.” (00:13)
• JPC: “1,000 is such a terrible number. Why not go for a collection of 900?” (01:32)
• JPC: “Hundred animals grow the fuck up.” (02:25)
• JPC: “I do like having a secret in a scene.” (04:35)
• Dad (JPC): “My God, Debbie, it looks fucking immaculate in here. Baked Mac and cheese.” (18:39)
• Dad (JPC): “One thing about men is if we look each other in the eye and we shake hands, everything’s fine.” (22:20)
• Debbie (Erin): “Oh, dad. You’re that kind of dad, huh?” (22:54)

Episode Structure & Timestamps

• 00:02–04:00: Book structure, riffing on scene-starters and “1000” as a number.
• 04:01–05:55: Intro to improv objectives, setup for secret-objective roleplay.
• 18:20–22:58: Main improv scene: Teen-parent conflict (Debbie and her dad negotiate a party/sleepover with a tangle of family drama).

Final Thoughts

This episode serves as both a tongue-in-cheek critique of improv education materials and a showcase of the trio’s chemistry, wit, and commitment to character work. Whether poking fun at publishing conventions, satirizing family dynamics, or demonstrating ‘objective-based’ scene building, Adal, Erin, and JPC create a hilarious and insightful improv tutorial that’s as much about the art of comedy as it is about solving riddles.