Comedy – Brianne Larson

From Sioux City to Waukee: this is the Rhinestone Theater

Back in the day, my grandparents used to co-host a variety show with their friends in Sioux City. They’d get together every year or two to put on a night of fun. They would write their acts and practice leading up to the big night where they would compete for the “ham” award—a canned ham that would go to the best act of the night. They called it the Rhine-Stone Theatre, a name combining their last name, Rhinehart, and their co-host’s last name, Stone.

The Ham Award — The Stones (left) and the Rhineharts (right) deliver the “ham” award.

About 10 couples would get together for a supper of lasagna and many laughs. Everyone would arrive on time with little time for chit-chat. They wanted to perform and get the party started.

This is Waukee, IA, USA

My husband and I don’t host a lot of parties with big groups. The last time we went all out was our housewarming party! Like Jerry Gergich, we tend to turn in early after listening to a little Anita Baker.

But recently, we decided it’s time to do something that scares us. We will bring back the Rhinestone Theater (slight changes to spelling) to our basement and just be vulnerable! Comedy, music, drama—it will be fun! Will people show up? Do people even have interest in this sort of thing? What if no one wants to perform? Should we send out paper invitations? Should we prepare a four-course meal for the whole gang?

As Michael Scott said in The Office season 3 episode “Safety Training” as he was preparing to jump off the roof and onto a bouncy castle, “This is about doing, not thinking.”

Similarly for us, and also, very different for us, we knew we just needed to try it. Just do it. But to be honest, a lot of thought went into it. We wanted people to feel comfortable going outside of their comfort zones.

We decorated the basement with halloween lights (hosted in October) and random chairs we rounded up throughout our house. A cooler to hold the beers. A giant bowl for popcorn. And 10 caramel apples for that time of year.

Rhinestone Theater, Waukee, IA — All of the chairs in our house.

It was a good time. We had piano, saxophone, guitar, a dramatic reading and some jokes in our program. Josh and I were so relieved after the party, but also excited about hosting more in the future. The contagious after-effects of the night were delivered the next day via texts asking for the date of the next Rhinestone Theater. Did we just start something? Probably not. But we’ll see.

Bri and Josh playing piano and singing at the Rhinestone Theater — Bri and Josh singing and playing piano perfectly.

Preparing for this event, I couldn’t help but think a lot about my grandparents. They were fun people. I would have wanted to be their friend back in the day. Getting together with friends, writing skits, making costumes, indulging in lasagna. They had some good times.

ASSSSCAT: a night of comedic brilliance

Sitting five rows from center stage at Carnegie Hall, a rush of tingling sensation hits my finger tips as I enthusiastically clap my hands. In walks Amy Poehler, Matt Bessar, Ian Roberts and Matt Walsh. I was beyond excited leading up to this New York City moment, but this is surreal. This is crazy! Real life is giving me the ultimate treat.

And that treat is treated once more when I take a look at the program for the night:

Special guests Rachel Dratch and Horatio Sanz. Guest monologist Tina Fey.

So not only am I seeing the greatest and longest running improv troupe, ASSSSCAT, but I’m being delighted with those guests? GREATEST MOMENT OF MY LIFE. HANDS UP, HANDS DOWN, I DON’T CARE, JUST HANDS CLAPPING SO. VERY. HARD!

Ok, I’ll take it down two notches.

The show was incredible. It was creative and brilliant. So much funny. So much smart. I feel like short sentences here help show my tenor for the night.

Tina created monologues out of a random words and thoughts from the audience. The rest of the bunch improvised their hearts out. I witnessed so much comedic talent in those two hours.

Is it okay to call it a team sport?

What I love about improv is the team behind it. One of my improv worries is being asked to work around a word that I’ve never heard before. Or a topic that I have no knowledge about. There were some of those that night, but the scene didn’t start until everyone was on the same page. They were there for each other. No person was better than the other standing next to him or her. I think improv is the finest example of teamwork out there.

Nothing felt rushed that night. A scene would play out, and it was amazing to watch Amy carefully choose her words, slipping in breaks in the dialogue. Letting her fellow CAT take the lead, or put her in a silly situation, she embraced it all. Tina even joined a few scenes.

A night of pure entertainment. Josh and I got a ice cream cones after the show. I think they were $15. Worth it.

Image via ew.com

I just needed some Wisten Kriig

Sometimes you just gotta hand it to what you know. And what I know, is that Kristen Wiig is the most amazing of all.

Those who know me well know how much idolize Kristen and her abilities. Her characters and voices. Her silliness. Her smarts.

I’ve seen Bridesmaids more than I can even begin to count. I’ve lost track. (Sorry, I’m a fast moving Millennial and I will not be stopped!) In fact, at times I was watching the movie almost continuously. As in, I had the movie downloaded to my phone, tablet and laptop, as well as on blu-ray and DVD. I would watch it at home, waiting for class, at the gym, at the airport… I couldn’t get enough! Slash it was during a time when wireless passwords weren’t as loosey goosey at public places. And Netflix streaming wasn’t quite up to par! But, hold up. IT’S MY FAVORITE MOVIE.

Anyway, last weekend Kristen hosted SNL for the second time. The last time she hosted was in 2013, two years after Bridesmaids came out. And something occurred to me as I sat there and laughed and smiled throughout each sketch.

I’m smiling. No teeth, full force smile. From something I love.

It was good. I mean, I get smiles every day from my dogs, and of course, my Joshy. But, I needed those smiles from Kristen. They were long overdue smiles that I was craving like a chip and dip. I’ve realized, lately, how much I’m using my energy on things that really aren’t making an impact. It might be work, it might be people. It might also be me not doing enough. As my mom always says, “Use your energy for good” and “Don’t waste your energy.” Amy Poehler could not have said it better: “I am tired of being tired and talking about how tired I am.” I feel you, girl.

A Delight

Anyway, watching the SNL cast interact with Kristen is a true delight (the opposite of a crap, for my UX web people out there, wink wink). I could watch Cecily and Kristen argue in southern accents every week. Let’s just make that a recurring QVC sketch, ok? “On QVC on QVC!”

If you’re wasting your energy, get more of whatever is your delight. For me, that’s some Wiig.

Make your own box: Power of Story

At the Sundance film festival this year, there was a fantastic roundtable featuring four comedic trailblazing geniuses. Four people that have minds capable of absolutely amazing creativity and storytelling artistry.

And that is a consistent slam-dunk in my playbook.

The “dream come true” panel consisted of Mindy Kaling, Lena Dunham, Jenji Kohan and Kristen Wiig. Mics were hot as they sat with New Yorker critic Emily Nussbaum to discuss the Power of Story.

(The video is embedded at the end of this post.)

So essentially, a powerhouse lineup ready to answer all sorts of questions about what they do! Really, so good.

Right away, these serious ladies of comedy get into talking about their identities as writers and performers, and how gender complicates how people view their work. Because you know, they’re women.

It’s a double standard that’s not new, but the insights and key experiences you glean from listening to this whole conversation will shape how you approach storytelling and the subject at hand.

Lena starts off by saying, “Talking about being female isn’t in and of itself problematic. Identity is part of what all of us do. But there is a lazy set of questions presented to you by journalists…” She then gets into how journalists typically have a roster of questions for female entertainers, and how she sees that as lazy.

And it really is. Because women really do get those questions that always plug an identifier with the subject. Like in this case writing for a male character or producing a female comedy.

Take Bridesmaids, one of the very best movies on this earth. Kristen Wiig co-wrote and starred in the movie. And it’s usually described as a female comedy. I admit I have referenced the movie that way before. But Kristen mentions that when people talk about other comedies that have men in them, you never hear the identifier of “male comedy.” You just don’t.

“Female comedy” doesn’t really mean anything because it’s not a type of comedy. It’s not a style of comedy. It’s about pointing out the rarity of seeing many women together on-screen, making you laugh, and probably making you question why you’re laughing so much.

As I think about how this double standard transcends to the general working world, I find it relating to women who hold jobs and families getting asked the favorite question of all time: “How do you do it all?”

If I’m ever asked that question, my response shall be: “You know, I just don’t know! Every morning I think about how I’ll divide up my brainpower. Because as a woman, I only have so much to divvy up. Then I down a small coffee, pack in some protein, and begin my day! Ha ha ha. Ok, next question?”

A key takeaway comes from Jenji Kohan early on in the panel. Male or female, it shouldn’t be about gender when you pick your team. She says, “You want to work with whoever is the best at what they’re doing…It would be a bummer to limit yourself.”

Comedy writing has its challenges

Putting aside the fact that the panel does consist of all women, towards the end of the discussion, they talk about the challenge of comedy writing. I really like the takeaways Kristen presents.

She brings up the fact that you can’t please everyone with your comedy writing. With comedy you have two perspectives: your own voice and the audience. Rarely is it as effortless as it seems.

“In being creative, pleasing the audience shouldn’t be your number one goal… No one has your voice.”

Storytelling is an art. And that goes for any kind of storytelling, whether it’s for the laughs or for the raised eyebrows. When you create your own voice, people will respond to your new way of thinking. Don’t try to fit into a box that’s already there. “Make your own box” as Kristen says.

Image via hollywoodreporter.com

Yes Please—thank you very much

Goodness gracious. Was this book lonnnng overdue!

When I heard Yes Please by Amy Poehler was in production, it was a soft “ahhhhh” from the heavens. Bright lights and golden rocking chairs. A book from this beautiful, talented starfish meant more to me than you’ll ever know.

Remember when Tina Fey’s Bossypants made its debut? That was equally monumental. Basically, we all need to remember how #blessed we are to read the writing of such comedy GODS.

Maybe I’m kind of a big Poehler fan.

If you haven’t read it, go buy it immediately. You have one day.

Smart comedy laced with a good person

You learn a lot about Poehler in this book. First off, you learn that she really found writing the book difficult. She wrote emails titled “How Dare You” and “Why Are You Trying To Kill Me?” to her editors.

There is a chapter where Poehler questions whether or not enough people hate her. I’ve never come across anyone asking this question, simply because most people don’t go that angle to judge themselves. And then you have to ponder, why would a person like Amy Poehler ever wonder that?

Even though it’s such an absurd question to ask herself, I think the fact that Poehler actually wonders it makes her an even more likable person. She is extremely transparent with herself. It puts the reader at ease while enjoying this book. If you’re not already a Parks and Recreation or Saturday Night Live fan, reading this book and getting to know Poehler should help you take the easy plunge into those satisfying comedy waters.

She notes her faults and times that she has screwed up in life. The book isn’t just about her achievements. It’s not about bringing to light all the good things she has done in life. Poehler has done a lot of good (and you would know that if you called once in a while). In fact, her achievements are sub-points to her tell-all.

Poehler shares moments from her life that make her incredibly vulnerable. I bet you’ll read a few and want to say, “Yup, that happened to me.” Or, “Holy cow, I did that too! I was really dumb!” It’s those little flaws that deepen the connection with Poehler, and for me, confirm that she is not an overly hated person. And if you hate her, really think about your life choices.

The book is divided into three sections: “Say Whatever You Want,” “Do Whatever You Like,” and “Be Whoever You Are.” Poehler offers her experienced advice on many topics offering many self-help tidbits.

Reading a tell-all style book lets chickens like you and me find similarities with a celebrity. I found a few things in common with Poehler, one of which is being a poor sleeper. Who really can shut off their mind at night, fall asleep, and stay asleep? Who? Who? Owls?

One last thing I love about Poehler is how she speaks of others she works with. There is no better way to put it other than saying she is just a really good person. Seth Meyers writes a chapter of the book. Learning about his relationship with Poehler, along with Fey, was so neat. They all have roots deep in improv. And did you know Poehler dated Matt Bessar? So many goodies!

Hit the line right at the bottom!

You need to read this book as a rite of passage. It has pictures, too.

Golden Globes: January 11, 2015.

Talking it up on Above The Fold Podcast

A guy. A girl. Two microphones. A laptop. Garage Band running on that laptop. Another laptop. Two pairs of headphones. Two glasses of water. Maybe some candies. An electric piano. Smiles because we’re having fun.

ONE BIG DREAM.

So recently Josh and I started a podcast. Together, we chat about our lives and things attractive to young professionals. We made an official announcement by video. Talk about multichannel promotion! What!

What is this podcast all about?

I’m so glad you asked. Let me tell you. It’s called Above The Fold Podcast. Each episode, we discuss a marketing-related topic with some comedy on the side.

Josh and I both work in the advertising world, specifically on websites for clients. He has the angle of web developer, and I have the angle of interactive project manager/SEO strategist. Together we cover a lot of ground!

We both like listening to podcasts, and through analyzing our own conversations, thought it would be neat to start our own. Plus we are pretty funny. Multiple sources have confirmed this for us. We even have a website for the podcast, so you know this is serious stuff.

What have I learned so far from podcasting?

Sound is everything. The first things we bought were microphones. You don’t have to spend thousands of dollars, but you do want to invest in quality. There is also an art of speaking into the microphone correctly.
Recording the podcast can be done right on your laptop. We use Garage Band to record the tracks, then edit in Adobe Audition. By “we” I mean Josh leads the way.
Keeping the conversation flowing takes talent. In normal, non-recorded conversations, you may pause a lot. But when you’re recording yourself, lots of dead air can leave listeners less engaged.
Headphones help you adjust your voice. Plus you also look more legit and B.A.
Guests on the show…that’s the next step!

Would you like to be a guest? Would you like to be our guest? What’s your favorite treat?

Subscribe on iTunes!

And have a great day!

Saturday Night Live has a buddy. And it’s social media.

Saturday Night Live’s 39^th season (2013-2014) was one of fresh talent. Why so fresh? There were a lot of spots to fill. Lots of key players decided to carry-on the season prior (Bill Hader, Fred Armisen and Jason Sudekis) as well as a couple fan favorites settling their leave the season prior to that (Kristen Wiig (!!!) and Andy Samberg).

Now, I know this was a big deal for you. Because those people really enhanced your decision whether or not to tune-in to the program each week. Especially Wiig. She was what they call “uncanny” and “very good.”

Could the show survive without all that talent?! Stay with me here!

Let’s think about how people watch TV today. People today watch a lot of TV, but the actual tube itself may not be the top device of choice.

Consider this: the idea of your TV as the “first screen” and all other screens as “second” or “third” is dead. A report from eMarketer says the first screen is whichever one you are looking at, and then all others fall into succeeding order.

This puts a twist on the idea of our “second screen culture.” Traditionally, or tradigitally, we have viewed smaller screens as the second screen, such as a mobile phone or tablet. But viewing time on those devices keeps going up, and will only continue to increase. So we must change our thought process.

TV shows today need to play nice for the social TV crowd.

A growing population makes their digital identity known by talking about TV content via social media. You could definitely put me in this group. It’s a culture shift that puts those with FOMO (fear of missing out) into a sweat storm. Don’t make me sweat! This means Sunday through Saturday, 2-4-7, people need to know what all the haps are on every single device they own. If these people are true brand advocates, they will share / like / retweet / favorite / +1 / reblog / pin / (man this is exhausting) content they enjoy and want others to experience joy with also. Social currency is a thing and face-to-face just doesn’t cut it anymore!

So for a TV show like SNL that seems to go through a trust barrier at the start of each season, a multi-device, web-friendly video content social strategy is one of those “no question” practices.

Even though it’s the off-season right now, I have to say, I love what Saturday Night Live has been doing on social media for the TV crowd. Let me explain why.

Video content on social media

Saturday Night Live is big just one day of the week: on Saturday night. It’s unlike other primetime shows that air Monday-Friday or on Sundays. Saturday is a unique day. Do you usually have plans Saturday night? Do I usually have plans Saturday night? Here’s my answer: Yeah, sometimes I do.

So if a lot of people aren’t going to tune-in for the live show at 11:30 PM/10:30 CST on the National Broadcasting Company network, SNL has to be on the ball. This means posting videos of their content right away for the Sunday crowd ready to catch-up on what they missed the night before.

SNL does this well, in addition to posting content leading up to the show each week. This is where the social TV audience is going to need their fix in order to keep engagement spirits high.

The show teasers always get me excited, like this one featuring Lena Dunham and Kate McKinnon. Spots like this are very important in order for the audience to connect with SNL throughout the week, not just on Saturday nights. I particularly like SNL’s backstage series. The videos are tailored for the YouTube club we all hold a membership to these days. The backstage videos are put into subcategories like #AskSNL and Follow Friday. I love these vids.

All of this continuous posting of content, and opportunity to share with our beloveds, keeps our undercarriages fired up for Saturday. Without an active social presence for the younger digitally-centered audience, I think SNL would fall flat these days. Each cast member has a backstory, and if you are eager enough to search, you’ll be surprised how funny and smart they are. SNL’s social media strategy lets us see the cast on a deeper level and get to know them as people. We also get to know the writers and producers – jobs that sometimes go unnoticed.

Go follow SNL’s Instagram account

On a final thought, SNL’s Instagram account is quite awesome. My favorite part of following nbcsnl on Instagram is seeing all of the behind-the-scenes photos and videos. Especially the photos of writers’ night and the table read-thrus. The plates of food (and I mean PLATES OF FOOD) on the table during the read-thru are interesting just on their own. Whoever is in charge of ordering all that food is going places in life.

View this post on Instagram

Final read-thru of the season! #SNL

A post shared by Saturday Night Live (@nbcsnl) on May 14, 2014 at 6:05pm PDT

My new life goal is to make my way into that room some day. And stare at the food. And sneak some into my pocket. And maybe tell a joke.

Anyway, SNL – keep up with the videos and behind-the-scenes content. Es muy bueno.

Stop slicing bread. The Maya Rudolph Show is here.

Monday, May 19, 2014, The Maya Rudolph Show premiered on NBC. Of course, critics were indeed very critical of every component of the show, being that it had a lot to live up to from variety shows back in the 70s. Ratings weren’t as great as they could have been, so the question remains whether a variety show is what us Americans really want these days.

Ok. But remember. IT’S MAYA RUDOLPH. THE INCREDIBLY TALENTED MAYA RUDOPLH.

The show captured the corny song and dance numbers, slipped in some funny (and raunchy) jokes, and did what any variety show is meant to do: entertain the audience.

Now I can’t say I am a variety show expert. That was all a bit before my time. However, I understand the variety show flow – and how it’s surely challenging to keep the audience laughing throughout the entire hour.

That’s why Rudolph leading the pack is smart.

Rudolph brings to the variety show years of entertaining experience from her days on SNL. She can sing, dance and improvise. Sean Hayes, Andy Samberg and Fred Armisen joined her on stage—three amigos I was very happy to see. I loved the SNL-esque sketches. I would definitely watch the show just to feel like I’m getting a second dose of SNL on a weekday before 10:30 pm CST. And if you’re a fan of Hayes, then this was having your cake, eating it, and licking the plate.

And don’t forget about Kristen Bell. She delighted us with her voice in a musical number about a sequel for Frozen. Bell was also in a sketch where Rudolph and Armisen had voices like GPS systems. This was perfect.

The Maya Rudolph Show has its work cut out for it. The demo watching this type of programming today likely didn’t get a lot of exposure to variety shows back in the day (me included). There hasn’t been a true variety show success in many years, however plenty of attempts (Wayne Brady, Nick Lachey and Jessica Simpson, and the Osbournes come to mind). And when you put Rudolph, Hayes, Samberg and Armisen together, the bar for funny gets set really high.

But I do think this could work. Jimmy Fallon has been living it up in the late evenings for years now, and in some ways his show is just like a variety show. It’s always featuring goofy sketches and musical numbers. Hollywood Game Night is also just a fun program, where celebrities get together to play games and make us laugh. Being outrageously silly is becoming the new norm of sketch comedy. All on NBC.

I say, let Rudolph find her focus. Let’s get another episode scheduled. I need more. Just imagine what we’re going to get when Kristen Wiig sashays in…

Click to watch the episode.

Image courtesy NBC