Podcast Summary: "The Art of the Improv Alley-Oop" with Ben Schwartz

Podcast: Pablo Torre Finds Out
Host: Pablo Torre
Guest: Ben Schwartz
Date: October 5, 2023

Overview

In this lively episode, Pablo Torre sits down with acclaimed comedian and improv master Ben Schwartz for a deep dive into the world of long-form improvisation. Using their shared love of basketball as a metaphor, the pair explore how improv is akin to sports—requiring teamwork, trust, and a willingness to take risks. Along the way, they swap stories of successes, failures, collecting NFT basketball highlights, and the art of listening. The conversation is playful, insightful, and packed with personal anecdotes, making improv accessible—even riveting—to sports fans and comedy novices alike.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Ben Schwartz: From Sonic to Improv Superstar

• Pablo introduces Ben Schwartz, referencing his well-known roles on Apple TV’s "The Afterparty," voice work as Sonic the Hedgehog, and Parks & Rec’s Jean-Ralphio, but highlights that what most impresses him is Ben’s live improv skills.
  • “The thing he loves doing and does as well as anyone I've ever seen is what you might have actual nightmares about…Ben Schwartz loves running out onto a stage in front of thousands upon thousands of people with nothing prepared, nothing scripted.” (01:56)

2. NBA Top Shot & the NFT Fiasco

• Pablo and Ben reminisce about their shared obsession with NBA Top Shot, the digital trading card/NFT craze of 2021.
  • Ben recalls: “So I buy a Mile Bridges card for whatever and immediately lose $100. Immediately.” (03:45)
• They discuss the collapse of NFT values: 95% of holders’ collections now worth $0. They bring in Amir Blumenfeld, their Top Shot acquaintance, for comic relief as he reveals—while on the toilet—that he’s made (facetious) “close to eight figures” in Top Shot.
  • Pablo: “It’s sort of a metaphor for Top Shot.” (06:43)
• The conversation highlights digital fads' volatility, the thrill of collecting, and the challenge of withdrawal:
  • Ben: “I just always stayed even. I didn't want to lose money on it. So…I'm trying to get back and it is near impossible to get it back.” (07:26)
  • Ben: “The only thing NFT-ish that I'm invested in is Top Shot.” (07:26)

3. The Roots and Evolution of Ben’s Improv Journey

• Ben describes starting at UCB (Upright Citizens Brigade), working his way up from intern to performer, and idolizing improv icons.
  • “I was an intern at ASCAT. I used to hand out tickets and do the garbage to afford classes.” (12:26)
• He explains the difference between short-form (like "Whose Line Is It Anyway?") and long-form improv—his specialty, where shows are crafted from a single audience suggestion.
  • “We make up an entire hour-long show based off the conversation that we have with the audience member. There are no quick games…if we're doing it well, then it feels like it's written, like a play.” (13:13)
• Ben reflects on being the first improv group to headline Radio City Music Hall:
  • “Cut to literally a week and a half ago, we sold out Radio City, the first ever long form improv group...to headline that theater ever.” (14:03)

4. Improv as Team Sport: Basketball as a Metaphor

• Pablo draws parallels between sports dynamics and improv ensembles.
  • “There's, I think, unlike anything else in entertainment…improv has qualities that remind me of sports in ways that nothing else in comedy does.” (17:39)
• Ben shares his approach to assembling improv teams:
  • “I'm looking for a point guard. I'm looking for a power forward...In improv, I'm always trying to make the person opposite me look better. That's my goal.” (17:57)
  • On ego and teamwork: “The best improvisers, the ones that I love the most, are the ones that can share the ball...Everybody on stage with me is undeniably funny… but for me, they have to be really good at exactly finishing alley-oop.” (19:27)
  • On “Kobe Bryant” in improv: “If you have someone who only wants to score, the magic in the show itself wouldn't be as exciting because we're not all doing it together.” (20:21)

5. Notable Anecdotes

• Blake Griffin as Standout Improviser:
  • “The best performer in Snow Pants was Blake Griffin. He did it three times and he was unbelievable at long form improv…Zach Woods…was like, it's not fair that he can be so good at basketball and do our nerdy thing too.” (22:11)
• Ben’s Stand-Up Flop:
  • On trying stand-up: “My first two jokes bombed. Not one person laughed…to fail by yourself was really sad.” (16:41)

6. The Art of Listening and “Yes, And”

• Pablo notes Ben’s superpower is active listening and building a narrative from chaos.
• Ben discusses the crucial improv rule of “yes, and”—accepting and building on your scene partner’s offers:
  • “Saying yes to it and adding to it gives us a place to go and build the scene together. Saying no to an idea stops it and makes your partner feel stupid.” (26:49)
• They riff on how these improv skills inform life and sports television debates:
  • Pablo: “Every time you do a sports debate on television…it’s, am I going to say ‘no’ and we’re going to now hash it out, or am I saying ‘yes’ and going off on a riff to a place that feels…like, now we’re just making jokes that build on each other?” (27:25)

7. Dangers, Bombs, and Recovering from Failure

• Ben describes the feeling when improv “bombs”:
  • “If you have a scene that's going poorly…you're just, like, trying to find anything to make anybody laugh or care…and you're trying to find any button to get out of it.” (30:58)
• On public failure and learning self-compassion:
  • “Sometimes we're not good at self-scouting in the moment...I will notice something that is off and I will let it infect everything…You're probably too mean to yourself.” (34:50)

8. Improv’s Future and Long-Form Comedy’s Legacy

• Ben discusses the open-ended nature of his improv career—recording shows for possible podcast/Patreon releases, not having a set “end game,” and marveling at how long audiences will keep coming:
  • “There isn't a thing. Maybe I'll do some…Ben Schwartz and Friends…I've been slowly recording all the audio of all my tour shows…But I don't have any video. I don't have an end game yet. I have some ideas, but I don't have an end game.” (36:23)
  • Joking about shelf life: “How old can I be till it's not cool for me to be, like, a wizard jerking off a dragon on stage?” (37:27)

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On Metaphors:
  • Pablo: “It’s sort of a metaphor for Top Shot, the toilet [Amir] was sitting upon.” (06:43)
• On improv teamwork:
  • Ben: “In improv, I'm always trying to make the person opposite me look better. That's my goal.” (17:57)
• On the danger of improv:
  • Ben: “There is danger. There is great danger. You don't have a script…there is no net.” (30:11)
• On the future:
  • Ben: “What you are concerned about at the very end here, Ben Schwartz, is that your improv career is a lot like NBA Top Shot. You did it. You brought it all back together.” (37:45)
• On the value of listening:
  • Ben: “Listening is the biggest thing. You have to listen and you have to be okay with…if I have the best initiation in the world, I'll let it go because this person started, and I want to say yes to whatever they're saying.” (24:37)

Important Segment Timestamps

• Opening NBA Top Shot stories: 02:50–09:37
• On improv’s nature and Ben’s journey: 12:12–16:14
• Sports-improv metaphors & ego/teamwork: 17:39–21:33
• Blake Griffin as improviser: 21:49–23:08
• Breakdown of “yes, and” with example: 25:44–26:49
• Discussion on public failure & self-critique: 34:19–35:40
• Improv’s future and final reflection: 36:23–37:45
• Feel-good outro/improv theme song: 39:19–39:57

Conclusion

This freewheeling episode turns the arcane art of improv into an electrifying, relatable conversation about risk, teamwork, and joy. Pablo Torre and Ben Schwartz showcase not only how improv works but why its lessons matter beyond the stage—on TV, in sports, and in daily life. Their comedic chemistry, shared humility about failure, and respect for listening make this a title episode for both comedy fans and anyone interested in creative process or collaboration.

For more:

• Check out Ben Schwartz’s work with "Middleditch & Schwartz" on Netflix and his tour "Ben Schwartz and Friends."
• Follow Pablo Torre on Twitter/X and Instagram (@pablofindsout).