160. Rory Scovel Returns: How To Do 600 Minutes of Improvised Standup

Summary

Podcast Summary: Mike Birbiglia's Working It Out – Episode 160: Rory Scovel Returns: How To Do 600 Minutes of Improvised Standup

In Episode 160 of Mike Birbiglia's Working It Out, released on February 10, 2025, comedian Rory Scovel makes a triumphant return to the show. Host Mike Birbiglia and Rory delve deep into the art of improvisational standup, exploring Rory's ambitious endeavor of performing 600 minutes of improvised comedy over ten consecutive nights. This engaging episode covers a range of topics, from the creative process behind improvised performances to the delicate balance of maintaining a personal life while pursuing a demanding career in comedy.

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1. Rory Scovel’s 600-Minute Improvised Standup

Rory Scovel shares his groundbreaking project: a ten-night residency at Union Hall in Brooklyn, where each 60-minute show was entirely improvised. This ambitious project, aptly named "600 Minutes," challenged Rory to generate fresh material on the fly, pushing the boundaries of traditional standup.

• Rory on the Challenge:
  "It's called 600 minutes because it's 10 shows, 60 minutes each improvised."
  (00:35)

• Mike's Admiration:
  "You're so elastic in that way. You're so quick at it."
  (31:52)

Rory's commitment extended beyond comedy; he integrated his passion for painting into the show by creating a unique painting for each performance. Mike proudly mentions, "He did one painting for each show, and I bought two of them, and it's on my wall. It's gorgeous." (03:47)

---

2. The Creative Process Behind Improvisation

The duo discusses the intricate process of developing comedic material through extensive improvisation. Rory emphasizes the importance of breaking away from habitual themes to discover new comedic avenues.

• Rory on Exploring New Themes:
  "I'm trying to break myself up of instinctually going to some of the same places."
  (05:19)

• Mike Reflects on Volume:
  "You have to basically write six hours of comedy."
  (04:43)

Rory explains how ten shows allow him to delve into minute, relatable topics, avoiding repetition and fostering originality. This method not only generates a wealth of material but also serves as a therapeutic exercise in creativity.

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3. Balancing Work and Personal Life

A significant portion of the conversation centers on balancing the demanding life of a comedian with familial responsibilities. Both Mike and Rory navigate the challenges of being husbands and fathers while maintaining their careers.

• Rory’s Scheduling Struggles:
  "Babe, you have to make the meeting more than 10 minutes."
  (00:26)

• Rory on Family Absence:
  "There isn't a single stage I step onto even slightly questioning if I'm good at this or interesting at this."
  (14:23)

Rory humorously recounts attempts to stay connected with his family through Zoom calls amidst his hectic performance schedule, highlighting the often-overlooked personal sacrifices behind the scenes.

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4. Honesty and Vulnerability in Comedy

The episode delves into how comedians like Rory use honesty and vulnerability to create impactful humor. Both discuss the fine line between being brutally honest and maintaining comedic timing.

• Rory on Honesty on Stage:
  "I'm trying to dig more into vulnerability and say stuff that maybe isn't funny."
  (38:05)

• Mike on Therapeutic Comedy:
  "When you can find out what it is, it can be massive."
  (40:22)

Rory shares personal anecdotes, including dealing with his father's stroke, illustrating how personal hardships can be transformed into compelling comedy. This approach not only enriches their performances but also offers a form of emotional therapy.

---

5. Impact of Family on Comedic Material

The interaction between family life and comedic content is a recurring theme. Both Mike and Rory discuss how their relationships with their children and spouses influence their humor and performance style.

• Mike on Familial Influence:
  "It's all about my relationship with my dad and then my relationship with my daughter."
  (18:25)

• Rory on Conversing with His Daughter:
  "My daughter being like, why are you yelling? I'm being passionate."
  (29:18)

These discussions reveal the intricate ways in which family dynamics shape their comedic narratives, grounding their humor in real-life experiences and interactions.

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6. Performing in Various Venues

Rory and Mike reflect on the differences between performing in intimate comedy clubs versus larger, more formal theaters. Rory expresses a desire to emulate peers like Anthony Jeselnik by performing in prestigious venues, aspiring to elevate his comedic presentations.

• Rory’s Aesthetic Aspirations:
  "I'm wildly jealous of that because it's given me a target of, hey, when you do these improvised shows or when you craft an hour, where are you trying to go?"
  (33:55)

• Mike’s Early Performances:
  "I probably did like six or eight shows, and it was one of those things where those kinds of theaters."
  (34:07)

This exchange underscores the continual growth and ambition common among successful comedians, highlighting the pursuit of new challenges and venues to refine their craft.

---

7. Navigating Dark and Hypothetical Topics

The conversation touches on how Rory uses humor to tackle dark or uncomfortable subjects, transforming them into engaging and relatable comedy.

• Rory on Hypothetical Jokes:
  "What would be better overall, if I die first or if I lose both of them first."
  (41:02)

• Mike on Tension and Release:
  "That's the sweet spot. If everyone can feel the thing in the room at the same time, yes, yes."
  (40:29)

Rory shares specific examples, such as contemplating life-and-death scenarios in his act, demonstrating his ability to inject humor into profound and sensitive topics without losing the audience's engagement.

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8. Developing New Material Through Improvisation

Both comedians emphasize the importance of continuous experimentation and openness to new ideas in developing their routines. Rory discusses how improvisation serves as a foundation for crafting polished material.

• Rory on Building Shows:
  "I'm trying to work on this. I was like, it makes me wonder what would be better overall."
  (41:02)

• Mike on Discovering Comedic Paths:
  "That's great, it's a complex idea. The idea of what is the audience experiencing versus what are you experiencing."
  (36:49)

This segment highlights the iterative nature of comedy writing, where spontaneous interactions and improvisational performances lead to refined, thought-provoking material.

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9. The Therapeutic Aspect of Comedy

The episode underscores how comedy acts as a therapeutic outlet for both performers and audiences. Rory shares how addressing personal grief and loss through humor has been cathartic.

• Rory on Healing Through Comedy:
  "I've never touched this space because it was so sacred. And I think it's finally time to perceive and feel this space differently."
  (38:05)

• Mike on Emotional Release:
  "It's massive. And it's instant therapy."
  (40:22)

This mutual understanding between Mike and Rory underscores the profound connection between humor and emotional healing, showcasing comedy's role in processing personal experiences.

---

10. Conclusion and Mutual Appreciation

As the conversation winds down, both Mike and Rory express deep mutual respect and appreciation for each other's work. They acknowledge the challenges and rewards of their respective comedic journeys, inspiring listeners to appreciate the intricate balance behind crafting and performing comedy.

• Mike’s Appreciation for Rory:
  "Rory, you're amazing. You're an inspiration."
  (47:25)

• Rory’s Admiration for Mike:
  "I'm glad you're doing it. It's now shown me that those exist."
  (33:55)

---

Notable Quotes

• "You're on FaceTime. We schedule Zooms. I'm gonna FaceTime with the family and... Babe, send the link. I want to say goodnight." – Rory Scovel (00:11)

• "I have a life too." – Rory Scovel (00:29)

• "I was like, oh my God, that's the thing that was right." – Mike Birbiglia (05:11)

• "How do you get through to them to come see the product?" – Rory Scovel (15:08)

• "Comedy is my language." – Mike Birbiglia (39:39)

• "I can't keep living in this sadness. And what if... And what could have been." – Rory Scovel (38:12)

---

Final Thoughts

Episode 160 of Working It Out offers a profound exploration of improvisational comedy, personal vulnerability, and the delicate balance between professional aspirations and family life. Rory Scovel's candid discussions provide listeners with an intimate look into the creative challenges and triumphs of standup comedy, making this episode a must-listen for fans and aspiring comedians alike.

Transcript

[A]

Do you have any hacks for the work life balance of being a comic and like a dad and a husband?

[B]

No. I don't even lie. Being here for 12 total nights.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I get on Zoom and I'm like, you're on FaceTime. We schedule Zooms. I'm gonna FaceTime with the family and. Babe, send the link. I want to say goodnight.

[A]

Click Accept. Click Accept.

[B]

Babe, you have to make the meeting more than 10 minutes.

[A]

She didn't click Accept. I sat there for an hour.

[B]

I have a life too.

[A]

It was. It was Doug. It was. It was Tony and hr.

[B]

There's producers and stuff. They're on it too, just doing notes. Why are their screens black?

[A]

There was an extra turn your video. There was an extras coordinator. There was a cinematographer. That is the voice of the great Rory Scoville. Rory's back. Come on. He was on the podcast last year. The moment he left the studio, we go, we gotta do that again. That was so fun. You know, part of it was that I talked to Rory last time he was on the podcast, and if you haven't listened to that one, go back and listen. It's such a good episode. And he talked about how he improvises shows, you know, and so he does these fully improvised shows, and he did some at Union Hall. I saw that it was on the schedule, Union hall, one of my favorite places for comedy in Brooklyn. And I was like, oh, I want to go. And then I want to talk to him about that afterwards. And I asked him and he was into it. And so that's what we're doing today. I'm really, really excited about it, by the way. Thanks, everyone who's coming out to my shows. These are my final shows. I was just in Baltimore at Center Stage. Love that theater. If you, if you live anywhere near Baltimore, support Baltimore Center Stage. Just a great group of people. Great, great theater. This week I'm in West Palm Beach. I'm back at the Kravis Center. Then I'm in Northampton, Massachusetts. Burlington, Vermont. I think most of these are sold out. But then I'm in Los Angeles in March at Largo for my last few shows before I do the Good Life for six shows at the Beacon Theater. You heard me. Six shows at the legendary Beacon Theater in New York City. Get your [e-mail] I love this conversation with Rory Scovilla today. Like I said, he just finished up this residency at the union hall. 10 nights, 10 shows, all fully improvised. It was called 600 minutes for each of these Shows. He did his own painting. He's a painter also. It's just. He's a remarkable artist. He did one painting for each show, and I bought two of them, and it's on my wall. It's gorgeous. Here at the Working It Out Studio. So we talk about that. We talk about just honesty on stage, sometimes being brutally honest, which Rory often is. We talk about work, life, balance, and what that looks like for a comedian. Which is a nice addendum to our severance episode with Ben Stiller and Adam Scott from a couple weeks ago. That was a weird segue, but I'll take it. This is a great talk. I love Rory. Enjoy my conversation with the great Rory Scoville. So that show last night was incredible. It was. Thank you. I'm gonna hold this up for the people watching on YouTube, but at every performance of 600 Minutes with Rory Scoville, which is an improvised show, Rory has for sale paintings that he did that are gorgeous. We got two of them. We almost got six, but then we thought it would be weird. Like, Jen were. Jen and I were like, we want that one, that one, and then that one and that one. And then, like, our who whole house is like, Rory Scoville paintings.

[B]

So you love him.

[A]

So what's your deal with Rory Scoville, anyway?

[B]

We only like his paintings. The shows were horrible.

[A]

But it's. It's so interesting because it's like this. It's. It's. It's called 600 minutes. Because it's 10. Get the math right, Mike. Yeah, 10. 10 shows, 60 minutes each improvised.

[B]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[A]

Never seen anything like it.

[B]

I, I. Yeah. You know, we talked about this kind of last time, that whole. The, the improvising and going up, and I've always wanted to do a run that was, you know, probably a little too many shows. Sean Patton just asked me the other day, he's like, how did you land on 10? And I was like, well, I wanted to do a number that was kind of a little too many. But also, I got to go home at some point. I go. And 10 just felt like the clean number to do for this. Yeah. What's funny?

[A]

Like, someone came up to me, they had opened for me, like, I don't know, 15 years ago, something like that. And they were like, hey, you gave me a piece of advice, like, you know, a decade ago about how to write an hour of comedy. You have to basically write six hours of comedy.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And when you said it to me, I was, like, thinking to myself, this person's crazy. And now I've written my first hour and I'm like, oh my God, that's the thing that was right, right?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

But it's like yours is like times whatever. It's like literally 600 minutes to probably whittle down to like your next hour.

[B]

Yeah, I think so. And I mean, that's not even just this run of 10 shows. I mean, I really got into doing this last year, like more than I ever did before that. Last year, after I put out my special, I was like, well, let's just do a bunch of these improvised shows. Cause I get to mess around. The stakes are low. I think the audience is into it. But also I'll find material.

[A]

And is there a lot of crossover in the material?

[B]

No, I mean, you broad strokes. Sure.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I could get into talking about husband, wife, father, mother, family, the big stroke stuff, which I'm totally fine with. Yeah, I just, if I stumble into it, I try to not go to the same place. But the thing that I'm actively searching for and the reason I like doing 10 of these is cause I'm trying to break myself up of instinctually going to some of the same places. And you start to hit. And it started happening a little bit last night. Cause last night was show six. You start to get into improvised hour six. Yeah. You know, you start to get into minutia where you go, oh, this very minute fucking hyper focused thing is still very relatable. And there's jokes there. It might not be the broader stroke of what I hope to say as an artist, but as guys like us who are like, yeah, I do want to say a lot, but also I'm trying to give you jokes about these weird little things and you, you stumble into them.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Because you're, you're, you kind of get a little tired of the, the usual big broad strokes.

[A]

You did this bit last night that made me so laugh so hard where you're like, if stand up comedians go to space, are they going to lean? Are they going to lean on the microphone? And then you did like the hacky hold the mic, lean on the microphone. And then you're like, it doesn't really make sense with the anti gravity situation.

[B]

This physicality stays here.

[A]

And then you made this really dark statement where you go, by the way, like, if we go to space or another planet, like, this isn't going like what we're doing here in the basement. Yeah, yeah. We're not gonna do stand up comedy up there. Like, you're like, at most we're Gonna bring like one.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

That'll be the one guy. And then you go like. You go like, no one's like, where's the standup comedian for our space travel?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Jenny and I were dying at that. And I was like, well. And of course, the first thing we ask when we go home to me and Jenny were just like, will that stay in.

[B]

Right.

[A]

Will stand up comedian in space stay in the show?

[B]

Yeah. Well, I think what I'm learning with specifically being here and talking about process on a show. About process. I think my next steps will be the not necessarily difficult part, but going, all right now in the zero fun but work way.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I will now go back and listen to 600 minutes.

[A]

It's so much work.

[B]

Jotting down verbatim how I got into a thing that I thought worked.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

In the event that that's how I need to still get into it.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Or if I like that way in. And then from that, then going, all right, well, now what should I have said up there?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

That could have tagged this.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

That I didn't. I gotta say, the. The good and bad of it is that after the show into the night, even today, I've thought of so many other angles where I'm like, I could have stayed. I. I could have done so much more about fork, spoon, knife. That could have been a whole entire act of the battle of those industries. Yeah. But you don't see it till later because you're. My goal is to get to that hyper relaxed place of all those options do appear like the Matrix.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

In real time.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Because you're not desperately hoping this moment is working and you're not desperately hoping you find the next moment. Instead, you're just letting it be exactly as it is. And so your brain floods with ideas.

[A]

I would have the thing because I. Jen said to me on the. My wife said to me on the way home, she goes, would you consider doing that? And I was like, I would. And when I'm watching, I'm like, oh, I want to do this. But then my problem is I'm confessional. And so I'm like, I can't tell everyone everything. I can't just let it fly. And then I say some crazy shit.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And then it's in the universe forever. And then I have this weird secret with a hundred people. Do you ever think about that? Do you ever say some shit where you're like, well, I'm not gonna say that again.

[B]

Yeah, it's. I will say. And one, I think you already are Kind of doing this, I think. I think you start, but I think isn't step one of your shows. It might not be this dramatic level of improvise, but step one of your process of building out your new show whenever you're. You're in that phase is I feel like when you have new jokes, you're in a space of exploring it in a loose way and.

[A]

Yeah, but I. But I. I don't. Yeah, no, you're right. I do it, but I'm. I don't go up with nothing.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

There's something about that. Like, that I would let my brain just kind of like, I would, you know, open the birdhouse door to my brain and be like, hey, look in. Crazy, right.

[B]

I will say the. In these moments, especially if the. It might be different in an. At a show where it's clearly advertised. This is improvised.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

The energy and the dynamic of the show. The energy is different. Yeah. And when you go to a confessional space to say something, the audience is a little bit more giving of their reaction, which basically translate to keep going. I've also done that. Said that thought that it's such a.

[A]

Do you, like, when does it go the worst? Is there a night where you do it and you're like, nope, didn't work.

[B]

You know, I learned this early on the first six of them that I ever did. I think we mentioned this on the last one, but, you know, I charged like five bucks or something. I just assumed I was gonna bomb every show because I was like, how do you do a show when you don't have a show?

[A]

Yeah, yeah.

[B]

But then there was this kind of like a fun energy in the room, and I was more desperate then, because you're coming off the pace of joke telling, and so you've got sort of a predetermined rhythm you can fall into.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

When that rhythm is gone, you just assume everyone wants that rhythm. But what this kind of show has taught me is that no one cares about the predetermined rhythm. Yeah. I mean, a great example is specifically the type of show that you're now doing in the past two or three shows that you've done. It's this education of. Well, yes, there's parts of this show that will have a rhythm that you would say, oh, that was in a comedy club.

[A]

Right.

[B]

But then the next part will not have that rhythm. And also, the dramatic tone of my point is not going to be a joke that I'm telling you. And so these shows kind of made me realize that. That audiences don't need, you know, set up, punch, get to. I need it to be funny every second or I'll just assume this isn't a comedy show. Instead, they're like, talk for five minutes with one big laugh at the end.

[A]

Right.

[B]

And if that laugh is worth it to us, that is the same value as lots of little, you know, jokes.

[A]

Totally. It's. You have this clip because you posted some of them on Instagram. And I feel like I've been trying to convey this for years, but it's so hard to convey. It's like, it's like you don't want to marry someone like me. You know what I mean? Like, you don't want, you don't want to marry a comedian. You think you do.

[B]

We're not fun.

[A]

It seems fun. It's not fun.

[B]

Yeah. Every day is a job. Every day at your job is a presentation for strangers. Yes, it's fucking high.

[A]

Every day. Every day is a presentation for strangers at work. And you know, it's cute when there's 10 people early on in your career and then after a while you're like, oh, only 10 people?

[B]

Yeah, yeah. When you're like five years in, were like, come on, when do you step it up a little bit?

[A]

I wanted to know in terms of like the working it out of conceit of the show. It's like, I wanted to know more about that because, like, genuinely, I'm like, you know, you and I are both married, both have a, we both have a nine and a half year old daughter.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

It was like almost identical lives in different ways. And I'm like, how do you, in a real way, like, how do you balance that? Because I have that thing a lot of times, the exact thing you're describing where you're like, oh, that must be hard to be married to me. But in ways that I don't even understand.

[B]

Yes. Yeah. It is interesting because, you know, we're in a space of creating a product and I am personally in that space of enjoying creating the product and how I do it, but I'm also have been doing it 21 years. I, I, there isn't a single stage I step onto even slightly questioning if I'm good at this or interesting at this.

[A]

Right.

[B]

But I gotta say, like, I'm still at a point where when I announce a show of playing a theater that's like, I don't know, let's say 500 seats, I'm still sweating the palms a little bit going, will we sell 500 seats?

[A]

Yeah, of Course.

[B]

And yet I'm like. And I say to, you know, my reps and stuff all the time, I go, I couldn't be more confident that the product I have built, they will like it. I know they will. But how do you get through to them to, to then come see the product? And I say all that to say that's where I'm at in my career. And that level of stress and anxiety is something that you do carry into your family. And then they sort of have to absorb it. And you're also trying to be like, you know, look, when I started stand up, there was.

[A]

And they love absorbing it.

[B]

And they love, they love when I break it down.

[A]

Can you imagine how fun it would be to absorb what you just described? Exactly, exactly the anxious hum you just described? Wouldn't it be fun to share that with a family?

[B]

It's weird. It's like a weird. I, I wonder, I wonder if it'd be more stressful or less stressful if I actually kind of wasn't good and knew that I wasn't.

[A]

Do you have any hacks for the work life balance of being a comic and like a dad and a husband?

[B]

No, no. I, I. There's a big part of me that wants to, that does wonder fantasizes. What would it be like if I really just fully committed to the road and got out there and I can't fully. Do I, I think I can't fully play right now to the level I think I'm, I'm, I'm capable of getting to.

[A]

Oh, that's I, I Because that's hard.

[B]

And, and I, and I'm okay with that because I don't want to not be home because I know that, let's say I got to a level where, you know, where some, where, where a lot of our friends are, you know, where it's like, hey, without a doubt, I know I'm gonna sell out 40 arenas.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I, I, I and, and this isn't to speak, you know, to their experience. For me, I think what it would take for me to be able to get to that place is a grind that would take all of my attention. I don't think I have the mental.

[A]

Capacity when I see. And I know, you know, I know who you're referencing. Like, like some of our peers, they have Andrew Dice Clay, of course, Andrew Dice Clay and Eddie Murphy in the 70s is who were referenced. Yeah.

[B]

I mean, that is kind of who did start it, though, realistically. Yeah.

[A]

No, but when you look at certain people in their, in Their kind of arena. Kind of like 40 days straight. Whatever.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

First thing I think of is, like, where's the family? When are they gonna see the family? I know they have a family.

[B]

Yeah. I don't even lie being here for 12 total nights.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I get on Zoom, and I'm like, you're on FaceTime. We schedule Zooms. I'm going to FaceTime with the family. And. Babe, send the link. I want to say good night.

[A]

Click accept. Click Accept.

[B]

Babe, you have to make the meeting more than 10 minutes.

[A]

She didn't fucking click Accept. I sat there for an hour.

[B]

Yeah. I have a life, too.

[A]

It was me. It was Doug, it was. It was Tony and HR as producers and stuff.

[B]

They're on it, too, just doing notes. Why are their screens black?

[A]

There was an extra. There was an extras coordinator. There was a cinematographer. We're all fucking there, and my kid.

[B]

My kid won't log on. I didn't think we needed locations. I thought that was a loss.

[A]

My kid's watching Peppa the Pig. But it's funny, we were talking about the parenting thing. It's like. It's like you. You know, you're saying you're doing this thing you're passionate about, but, you know, that's. That's. That's parenting, too, because, you know, my whole show that I'm working on right now, which is called the Good Life that I'm doing at the Beacon in March, is like, it's all about my relationship with my dad and then my relationship with my daughter. It's like, what am I teaching my daughter? What do I learn from my dad? Is how it kind of boils down. It's like.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

It's like there are two things that are significant with my dad, and one of them is, like, how much time I spent with my dad, which I. I kind of wish were more. And then. And then, you know that my dad is. Was doing something he was proud of.

[B]

Right.

[A]

And that's inspiring to me. Like, he was a good doctor. People would come up to me and be like, your dad's a great doctor. You know, all right. You know, I didn't know, but it. In a certain way, that's significant. Like your daughter knowing that your doing something you're super passionate about is important for her to figure out what she's passionate about.

[B]

I agree.

[A]

I think it's show business acting, Nickelodeon.

[B]

TV shows, Honestly, getting that money to pile up. She. I. I do think it is important that. That she sees money in a pile.

[A]

She.

[B]

She loves musical Theater. And I like that. I like that. Mentally, she gets to start in a place of not thinking that becoming a professional entertainer is a Just a dream that you chase, which is, you know, our starting point.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Instead, our kids get to start at a place of going, oh, no, it's wildly possible.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And there's something about that immediately getting to go, oh, it's not a dream. You can actually do it. Here's how you do it.

[A]

They're not Nepo babies. They're Nepo kids.

[B]

I was the. Yeah, they're Nepo kids. And can we leave them alone?

[A]

They're Nepo teenagers.

[B]

Yeah, Nepo teens. But there's something to it. I think it's. It's important for them to see that as an artist, you. You can't. You can't half ass it.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

If you want to create something, I want to actually ask you in terms of process, like, knowing that, like, right now, the show you're doing, it's about your dad and what you said, the theme of, like, your daughter and what you pass on and. And all that. Do you start at that? Like, you've just sat down. I just did the pre show, and I'm starting the next one. I'm gonna do a thing that tells this story. Or do you start finding material and then go, oh, the thing that my brain keeps pulling me to?

[A]

That's what it is.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

All right. It's the second one.

[B]

Yeah. Yeah.

[A]

So it's like. What's funny is every time I do one of these shows, it starts out as, I'm not doing a narrative show again. I'm just doing stuff I think of.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

This is what I'm thinking. This is the funniest thing to me.

[B]

I thought of a narrative show. So I am still doing stuff that I think of. I'm not bailing on what I said. It is stuff I thought of. But that happens to be a narrative show.

[A]

It has an arc, but the arc is very funny, you know? No, like, I definitely. I start with, like, what am I most interested in? And that's what all these cards are whenever people are watching on YouTube and they're like, what are the cards? It's like, they're all just jokes, stories, whatever. And then I figure out, like, you know, most of the cards that are up here, like, won't end up in the show.

[B]

Sure.

[A]

You know, because I'm figuring out, like, oh, this could be this to this, to this, to this, similar to what you were describing with your show. And it's like, Yesterday, for example, I wrote down. I wrote down this card, which is dragonfly twice her size. That's the kind of note I write down, which is.

[B]

I was gonna ask, do you do drugs? Okay.

[A]

Y. This week, I was dropping acid, and then I wrote on this card, dragonfly twice her size. And then I was like, we should film this.

[B]

I was like, mike, how much are you writing the show? How much is the psychedelics writing the show? And then when are you blending them together? No, I. Bro, Originally, it was called the old man is the pool. And then he was like, that's too druggie.

[A]

Well, it's fine. This is like an. This is an abstract. This is an abstract thing this week that I wrote down, but I think could be something that's just like. Which is, like, sucking to Una, like, in the fall, where we're on our deck and she sees, like, a dragonfly. Like, I. I don't know if you have this in your house, but, like, I. If we have a bug in the house, like, I put the cup on it. I'm the. I do the humane.

[B]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[A]

Like, cup on the thing, and then the paper under the thing. Let it live, Let it live, et cetera. And then Una goes the dragonfly. You know, it's, like, afraid of us. Like, we're like, a hundred times the size. I go, yeah, I know. I know.

[B]

And you're like, shut up. The weirdest dad.

[A]

And I'm like, easy, calm down.

[B]

I'm in the middle of something.

[A]

But, like. But, you know, but it was occurring to me, like, oh, like, you know, I'm twice the size of my daughter. My dad was twice the size of me. And, like, so many of these things that were. Perspective of my dad, like, you know, getting angry when I was a kid or this or that. I think so much of it, of my perception was outsized.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

In relation to what it maybe actually was. Like, I may never know what my dad's actual. Like, how he was talking to me or whatever.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And. And I think about that in relation to when you raise a child. It's like, how does this. How is this coming off? How is it. You know what I mean? Like, I have a moment where I, you know, I see a parking ticket. We got a parking ticket. And I'm like, but how come the. That sign says we don't get a parking, but that sign says we do get a parking? And then I'm like, well, how does she take in, like, me be getting mad about the parking, taking all that stuff And I was just. I just wrote down Dragonfly twice her size. But a lot of it has to do. I don't know if you have this with your daughter, but, like, thinking about, like, how is she taking in, like, all, like. Like, when you spend time with her.

[B]

Yeah. I. I think about it all the time of, like, what, you know, when we're just in the car and it's the two of us, and I'll, like, I don't know, complain about traffic or something, and she'll, like, have a question. I'm always like, are you at the age where I can, like, break this down for you? Like, I don't know what to tell you about these bigger questions, because these are the questions I want, and these are the conversations I want to have.

[A]

Right.

[B]

But also, there's a timing to the fragility of your mind and also the. The innocence of you that I would die for. I don't want that. You know, it's. Who knows at what point the innocence will. Will really start to ramp up and fade away as it does for all of us. But it's like, I'm trying to protect it, so I also don't want to be like, well, here's how the world really works.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I have another question for you about.

[A]

Please.

[B]

About process in your show. When you. And if you're like, I've already talked about this on the show forever, you getting into, you know, the map of going, all right, this is the show, and this is the theme. This is what it's going to be. But before that, are you out on the road putting shows together where you're like, where. To your point, you are going up for 60 minutes and you are going. I am telling jokes about things I thought of. And then at some point, you hit a moment where you go. All of these are steering towards this one kind of focus. And not even. You're not even trying to make it do that.

[A]

I did this. You know, Jesse Fox.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Jesse Fox and Seth Meyers did a documentary called Good One based on Jesse's podcast.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Which is. It's on Peacock. And. And it's. And they filmed me, like, two years ago at the beginning of the process of what is now this show. I don't think any of the materials in this show.

[B]

Yeah, yeah. Which is kind of great.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

But they. They interviewed me, and the thing. They were like, do you think. Think that this material will end up being in the show? And I'm like, I don't know. Because I don't know. What will happen in my life, and.

[B]

You don't know where it goes.

[A]

Yeah. And the. What the. The sad thing is, is, like, the stroke happened. My dad's stroke happened. And it was like, as I was kind of coping with that, I was finding some jokes in it, and I was like, oh, well, that maybe that's sort of where this chapter two or act two of this goes, which is. I think the first joke I wrote about is, you know, my dad had a stroke, which is devastating, but it has calmed him down, just like, you know, when I was a kid.

[B]

But this is an act, too. This is when you're, like, kicking into this here. All right. Yeah. Yeah, great.

[A]

When I was a kid, he'd be like, God damn it, I'm eating pretzels. And now he's like, pretzels. I'm like, it's not. It's a little more polite and a lot, you know. You know, some of it's dramatic and some of it's jokes, but it's like, that's. You know, and that is actually. That's one of the things I was talking about, like, what questions my daughter asked me. It's like. Like, there's a point at which she's just like, what's a stroke? And that's when I realized, like, I can't fully explain what a stroke is.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

You know, like. Well, it's like a brain bleed, and then it's where you're. The blood is. You know, we have blood in our brain, and then it's. I'm not sure where, but somewhere. And then it's. And then it's in. And it's one place, and then it goes to another. Another place. I'm not sure where it's from or to. We have blood inside our body all day. In a way, we're bleeding at all times. Maybe you should ask your mom about this or Grandpa Vince, but not this week.

[B]

Yeah. And there's something in there, too, about acknowledging that you've had ample time to look it up.

[A]

No, it's true. No. You know what's amazing, though? I've looked it up. That's actually a good point. I still don't fully get it. My dad's a neurologist.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Like, no, that. That's actually something. I should hang a lantern on the show. It's like, I have looked it up. My dad is a neurologist and has had a stroke, and I still don't fully get what has happened.

[B]

Yeah. Yeah. So I just tell her. It makes people calmer and nicer. Your grandfather now just says pretzels. And we. We know what he wants.

[A]

There's a point at which it was funny. There's a point at which Una said to me recently, she goes, because I. My whole life, I've been like, I'm not gonna yell. My dad yelled as a kid, when I was a kid, and I was like, I'm not gonna yell. And then recently, I was. I. I didn't yell, but I was passionate about something. And she's like, My own is like, dad, why are you yelling? I'm like, that's not yelling.

[B]

I don't think you understand. I'm being passionate right now.

[A]

I go, this is yelling. I go, when I was a kid, my dad would be like. And I did an impression of my dad at the decibel level.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

He'd be like, you know, yeah. He's like, where's my package? You know, whatever the thing is. And then my daughter goes. My daughter goes, well, he doesn't yell like that anymore. And I go, you're doing my act.

[B]

High five.

[A]

Yeah. She got. As Pete Holmes said to me on the podcast recently, she's got her mom's eyes and her dad's act.

[B]

Foreign.

[A]

For Working it out comes from Helix. Helix has been a sponsor of Working it out for a long time. They cater to your every sleeping need. They do mattresses. As you might know, I have a sleep disorder. So I. I'm a pretty good source for mattress recommendations. I'm not a doctor. In fact, I'm a comedian. But I can tell you this is my favorite mattress I have ever owned, and I do. I really do sleep better on it. By the way, Helix does pillows. Let's talk about pillows for a second. The Helix Dream Pillows. Ooh, I love these pillows. They are a plus. They're the kind of perfect pillows that are. Aren't too firm, aren't too soft. I could talk about pillows and mattresses all day, but we got to get back to the podcast. So go to helixsleep.com for Biggs for 20% off site wide, plus two free dream pillows with mattress purchase. That's helixsleep.com Burbigs for 20% off. That's pretty good. Site wide, plus two free dream pillouts with mattress purchase. Helixsleep.com BurbigS it's an unorthodox episode today because you are like a few of our guests. Sometimes people tune into the show and they're like, how come you're not working out a lot of material and the truth is, some of our guests, they don't have. They don't do that, surely. Right. Like, so it's an awkward thing because you're like, well, I don't want to like, bounce a thing off you and then like, it's just a wall and then it just sits there. But with you, I'm like, literally running like five jokes at once because, like, your so elastic in that way. Like, it's. You're so quick at it. So it's an unorthodox episode today. I think we might go to the slow round.

[B]

That's my speed. Right.

[A]

Who are you jealous of?

[B]

Great question. Can I give long answers? Yeah, I'm jealous of, to a degree, the financial element of some of our peers and what they've pulled out of this career. And I. And I want that however I want it. I want it the way you all want it. However, I think the. I have a jealousy, specifically when it comes to shows and venues of Anthony Jeselnik. When I see the theaters he plays, they're all like these beautifully old theaters in all of these cities. And I'm like, I love. You know, I. I've never played an arena. Maybe it is very fun. But when I see him playing those theaters, I'm like, that's the aesthetic that I am jealous of. I can't sell those tickets. But, man, I'm. And it's a good jealousy. It's the jealousy where I go, oh, I'm glad he's doing it. It's now shown me that those exist. And that's a. That's an end point. And so I. I'm jealous of it that I'm not doing it right now. And I'm wildly excited that I've discovered this jealousy because it's given me a target of, hey, when you do these improvised shows or when you craft an hour, where are you trying to go? You know, the residencies that you do here in New York. I'm wildly jealous of that. Like, I want to have a show where I go, yes, and come in and I'm walking out, and here is my show. It is fun to play a comedy club, but we've done it and I'll keep doing it. But what I haven't done is just gone to, you know, this. The place that feels theatrically professional and walked out and said, here is my presentation. Here is my show. So there's. There's jealousy of. Of that. Him. Guys like you like the shows that you're putting together. I'm. I'm like, steering towards that. In my doing these improvised shows, I, too, want to discover some theme that opens my mind to go, oh, this is what I'm trying to say. And I didn't realize it till I said a bunch of other stuff.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

With it. So that's what I'm mean by good. Jealousy. You need to see people. Someone shows you what they're doing, and then you get to go, oh, my God, that's that. I should start going down that road and see where I end.

[A]

I had that a million years ago with. I opened for Lewis Black, David Tell, and Mitch Hedberg.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

In, like, the early.

[B]

I remember this. Yeah.

[A]

And it was. I probably did like six or eight shows, and it was one of those things where those. You know, those kinds of theaters. It's like The Warner in D.C. and the Beacon. Great example in New York, you know, And I was like. And I remember calling my agent and being like, someday I want to play these.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

You know, not as the mc, but the headliner, honestly. Because people listen.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

And I. I've sculpted these jokes and, like, I'm doing better here than I'm doing in clubs, right?

[B]

Yeah. Yeah.

[A]

Because in clubs, they're like, you know, eating like, broccoli poppers or whatever.

[B]

That's. No one's getting broccoli poppers.

[A]

Poppers. Any.

[B]

Any popper.

[A]

2. No, not jalapeno poppers.

[B]

Bring us the okra biscuits and broccoli poppers. The weirdest menu at this comedy club. You know, there was a time, I'm sure you'll remember this. We were at JFL Toronto.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And you were doing. I think it's Sony Theater or something. It was very big. And, you know, you. You had invited me to come out and do, like, 10 to open the show. And it was fun, but it was. It was interesting to step into a space that is very foreign to you. Knowing how to project the energy that you know how to project inside certain size places.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

It is always a lesson. And until you start doing it, you can't learn it.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

You can't write a show until you know what it's like to have to push your energy out further and also be completely blinded by the lights and knowing that your timing is going to adjust because there's more people. And so, in a good way, if you. If you crush a joke, you get to soak up a little bit more than usual. But it also teaches you. You don't know how to fully get all of these people on, like, a thread or a joke. Or a riff. And so that was a big lesson for me. That was stepping out. I remember getting off that stage and being like that. I think that went okay. Yeah, it's the show.

[A]

No, I thought it was great.

[B]

They're here to see Mike.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

But then I sat on the side and was watching you, and I was like, this. I can see the fun in this. Once you learn how to start this. Once you learn how to. Well, my starting point can't be, like, a comedy club. This is not that space. We're in this more professional, formal space. And that. I was like, the moment you walked out and started doing the show, I was like. I had. The moment that you had with those guys is that I watched that and I was like, this. This. I. I want to come back to this festival and I want to do this. I want to be like, here is the show.

[A]

Well, you know, so funny is like. That's a. It's a complex idea. The idea of, like, what is the audience experiencing versus what are you experiencing? And how. How are those things interacting? Like, you had a line last night where you're like, that joke should have done better. That joke should have gotten more. And Jenny and I were talking about. We're like. We're like, it. That joke was great. It actually was. What if. What if referees had a. Had a reversible jacket where the other side was a priest's habit? So stupid. But it was so funny.

[B]

And you were like, but.

[A]

But it was. It's weird because you were like, that should have gotten more. But we were exhausted from laughing at the joke before that we weren't, like, wound up again.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

So sometimes interesting when. When a comedian calls out something and you're like, no, no, we do appreciate it. We don't have the oxygen in our body.

[B]

We gotta stop for a second. Yeah, I love that.

[A]

But it's like, oh, and the other thing you said last night that I loved, which is. Which is you go, my. I did a joke for my wife and daughter, and it, like, bombed with them.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

And I was like. And you were, like, kind of mad at them. I forget what the exact thing is, but I feel like you should do. You should build that out.

[B]

Yeah. They keep coming up in my act more. And also, this is the first time. I mean, the very first show, I kind of stumbled into this, but I said, you know, I'm up there trying to dig more into vulnerability and say stuff that maybe isn't funny. And I talked about, you know, my mother passed away when I was really young. My dad passed away about four and a half years ago. And I kind of told a story that I've been told about them. And I just said it. I didn't say it because I wanted it to be funny. And the moment I said it, instantly, the as. As what often happens with us. Only when I said it, and sad and that vulnerability that I saw the punchline, and I was like, oh. And then I said it and I was like, oh, this is something I've never done before. I've never talked about this personal space in my life.

[A]

Totally.

[B]

And found jokes to it. And like all things, the moment I said it, it was wildly therapeutic for me to go, well, for 44 years, at least with my mom, I. Or 43 years, I've lived in this space of this sadness. And I've never touched this space because it was so sacred. And I think it's finally time to just perceive and feel this space differently. I can't keep living in this sadness. And what if. And what could have been. I have to now go, well, if I want my job, is this. So if I want people to know of her. Yeah, this is how I have to do it.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I have to start.

[A]

Well, this is my language.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Comedy is my language. And then it's. Yeah, it's. Yeah, it's interesting. Like, I have that with even this. The stroke stuff with my dad. It's like I had to essentially go up with, like, not much, but I know, like, well, this is what's closest to my heart.

[B]

Right.

[A]

And I know there's a ton of tension.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

So it's like, okay, if there's tension, there's got to be a release. And sometimes you don't know what the release is until you're on stage.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

And you're like, what about this? What about this? What about this?

[B]

Yeah, yeah.

[A]

Like, a lot of times it's like you swinging a miss on what the release is.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

But when you can find out what.

[B]

It is, it can be massive.

[A]

Yeah, it's massive.

[B]

And it's. And to me, it's like instant therapy.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

You've given your brain a new rewiring, a new path of. And now when I go there, I'll remember this. And that kind of puts a smile on my face.

[A]

And the audience too, by the way. Like, that's the sweet spot. If everyone can feel the thing in the room at the same time, you're like, yes, yes. This is what we intended.

[B]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[A]

Do you have any material you're working on right now that you. That you. You're open to sort of kicking around.

[B]

You know, I. I'm working on one. In that Denver show I stumbled on to just telling the audience, as you do in these improvised shows, you start talking.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And so I would just said that, you know, whenever I have a flight before takeoff, no matter what time it is, unless it's like, insanely early, but I'll FaceTime my wife and daughter and say, like, hey, I've boarded. It's very quick because I hate, like, being on the phone in those kind of situations. So I've got my headphones in. I'm like, hey, I'm on the. I'm on the plane. We're boarded. I love you. I'll give you a call when I get to where I'm going. And then, you know, it's all like, all right, I love you. Have a good flight. Blah, blah. And we hang up. And I told the audience, I was like. I go, I. I think I do that because I assume that if something happens on this flight, they at least got that, which made me then go into how kind of slightly narcissistic that is. And so then my brain, after acknowledging that, you know, your brain starts to shift into, oh, let's talk about this. And I just said to the crowd, and I like this. I'm really trying to work on this. I said to the crowd, I go, it makes me wonder what would be better overall, if I die first or if I lose both of them first. Dead silence. And then I go. I go. Because if they both die, I go, then I live with it. I have to live with it, and I'll get through it. I go. And this is where, you know, our brain really gets going. I said, but if I die first, I'll tell you what, my wife's never gonna laugh again. Like, talking about how miserable their lives would be if they lost me. And it just. It started this whole. It's. I've been fascinated with this topic sentence and knowing that the times I've done it. So that's one time I discovered it. And I've kept it as is how I bring it up to a crowd. It's always dead silent, like, what. What a dark, fucking sick thing. But then I'm trying to tell everybody. The jokes that I get to is, like, if my wife died, I go, it's going to be sad right out of the gate, and my wife and I, or my daughter and I are going to fight immediately. There's going to be a lot of mornings of me saying very loudly, I understand that, but we're running late. What school do you go? That's great, but you know what I mean? Like that.

[A]

But we are running late. What school do you go to?

[B]

That became even higher payoff because we started at this place that. This topic service that had zero smiles even. It was just like, Jesus. But that's a great.

[A]

By the way, that's a great example of what we were talking about earlier of like tension and release.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

It's like you're going to literally the most tense topic hypothetical of the most horrible situation.

[B]

Yeah, yeah.

[A]

And I just think, like, you know, it's almost like you could do a whole show of hypotheticals.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

That are like essentially like, how do I Houdini my way out of this insanely unfunny hypothetical.

[B]

Yes. Yeah.

[A]

Because you have the. You have the unique ability, I think, especially, you know, when I see you last night, it's like, I think you have the ability to make almost anything funny. Anything work. And it's like, it would be fun to do that as an experiment.

[B]

I actually like that. I like that as a concept of. Or like a show approach.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Instead of having some specific theme almost. It almost feels like a bunch of short stories.

[A]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[B]

It is like the stand up version of it. Of.

[A]

It is like a bunch of short stories. Like a bunch of vignettes of if this happened. What else, what else, what else? What else?

[B]

Right.

[A]

And then like essentially like eight different times.

[B]

Yeah, yeah.

[A]

Maybe it wraps up in the end.

[B]

In some way with some thematic close. Yeah, that's. I like that. Hypothetically.

[A]

It's great though. I mean, like, that joke is so funny. And also, you know, I think. I think what it does is like the way that it sneaks up on you is that it's so. The punchline is so every day.

[B]

Yes, yes, exactly.

[A]

You know, the setup is like so dark and like Requiem for a Dream level drama. And then like the punchline is just like, what school do you go to?

[B]

Yeah, I keep. Now that I like. I keep trying to like tag that moment where I'm like, who is your doctor?

[A]

Right.

[B]

And like that question of asking your kid, like any food allergies I need to know about.

[A]

What is your Social Security number?

[B]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Do you know what shots you've had already?

[A]

Can you name some of your friends? Yeah, yeah, yeah. I think it's great.

[B]

So. Yeah, that. That's so. It's not like I'm so. In a way, that is something I Discovered one of those improvised shows.

[A]

Have you ever had a babysitter?

[B]

Yeah. Yeah. Who babysits you? And how often are they willing?

[A]

What are. What's their availability for the next few weeks?

[B]

What are their hours? I'm at the Chuckle Hut in Tuscaloosa. Still doing stand up. I'm still on the road.

[A]

Would they be willing to repost my Instagram story about.

[B]

Ladies and gentlemen, he just lost his wife and he's here for five straight shows.

[A]

So the final thing is we're gonna have her cause. Is there a nonprofit you like to contribute to? Because we'll. We will contribute to them and then link to them in the show notes.

[B]

Right now, with the fires in Los Angeles, I would say there's probably 500 different.

[A]

Yeah, but we gave to two different fire organ firefighter organizations recently that Jimmy Kimmel posted. Because I would actually say that Jimmy Kimmel has been posting great organizations that have been working around the clock on the people who are affected by the fire.

[B]

Right.

[A]

And one of them that he posted was World Central Kitchen.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And so why don't we link to that?

[B]

Perfect.

[A]

And we'll contribute to them. And we'll link to them in the show notes and encourage listeners to contribute as well. Because if you can. Right now, I feel like the people of California are really, really struggling. And whatever we can do to support them, I think will be appreciated. Absolutely. Yeah. It's a hard time. Yeah. Rory, you're amazing. You're an inspiration. People should see your show wherever you are. It's unbelievable.

[B]

Same to you. I appreciate. Appreciate that so much.

[A]

That's gonna do it. For another episode of Working It Out. You can follow Rory Scoville on Instagram at Rory Scoville. You can watch Rory's latest special, Religion, Sex, and a few things in between on Max. You can watch the full video of this episode on our YouTube channel @Mike Birbiglia. And while you're doing that, you could. You could watch the Ben Stiller episode, the David Sedaris episode, the Matt Rogers. I mean, so many good ones on there. Subscribe, because we're just posting more and more. And sign up for the mailing list over on bigs.com be the first to know about my upcoming shows. We love doing this show. Working It Out. Our producers are myself, along with Peter Salamone, Joseph Birbigli and Mabel Lewis. Associate producer, Gary Simons. Sound mix by Shib Saron. Supervising engineer, Kate Balinsky. Special thanks to Jack Antonov and Bleachers for their music. I just Saw Jack on the Grammys. I was watching tv. He was. He looks so beautiful. Special thanks, as always, to my wife, the poet J. Hope Stein, and our daughter Una, who built the original radio fort made of pillows. Without which radio fort of pillows, this podcast wouldn't be so sonically stunning. Thanks most of all to you who are listening. If you're enjoying the show, please rate us and review us on Apple Podcasts. I know it sounds like just some rote thing that I'm saying, but it actually does really help us out. I'll tell you why. At this point, we've made 160 episodes of this show. This today is 160. We've started it in 2020. And there's no paywall. You know, all these other podcasts, you know, these other podcasts have, like, paywalls, and you can't. You want to listen to old episodes, blah, blah, but you can't because it's some company that owns it. They decided to put a paywall up. We don't have a company. It's just like an independent podcast. We just put it up. We put up the podcast ourselves with our bare hands. No paywall. We've had some incredible guests. Hasan, Mina Haj last week, Ronny Chang, Elizabeth Gilbert. So many check out our back catalog for free. No Paywall. And comment on Apple Podcasts. Which one is your favorite? Thanks most of all to you who are listening to this right now. Tell your friends, tell your enemies. Tell your kids. Tell your darn kids. Why not? Maybe your kids or your nieces or your nephews. God, children. Maybe, you know, kids who want to get into the comedy business and they want to start piling up that money. I'm. I'm reading this. I did not write this. I'm laughing that they want to start piling up that money, which my producer Peter wrote. Piling up that money. And you can say, hey, before the piles of monies come along, you might have to work on your craft a little bit. Try this podcast where Mike Birbigli talks to other creatives about the process of writing and performing. No, he hasn't talked to Peppa Pig yet. Thanks, everybody. We're working it out. We'll see you next time.