There It Is

We talked to stand-up comedian and actor, Dave Merheje! Jason met Dave many years ago because they both performed on a stand-up show together called The Most Races Show on Earth. After talking about that show, Dave talks about starting comedy in college in his home town in Windsor, his process for learning the structure of comedy, how he got his acting gigs in "Ramy" and "Sometimes I Think About Dying" and what filming those projects were like, what grinding it out early on taught him about finding himself to find his voice, and much more! "Sometimes I Think About Dying": sometimesithinkaboutdying.oscilloscope.net His Special, "Miseducation of a F***boi": youtube.com/watch?v=MgZhon09OB8 Dave's LinkTree: linktr.ee/davemerheje Instagram: @DaveMerheje, @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrPics  Twitter: @DaveMerheje, @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrJokes  Facebook: @ThereItIsPod  Subscribe to our comedy newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/e22defd4dee2/thereitis

We got to talk to improviser, writer, and filmmaker, Anatasha Blakely! Anatasha and Jason dive right into a thrilling conversation which incidentally is one of our most inspiring we've ever had on the podcast. Anatasha talks about the artistic life she wants to achieve, the wisdom of Rick Rubin and Bruce Lee, the marriage of playfulness and joy with vulnerability in improv, being brave and taking chances in her performances, how she got into films like Predator despite being in a Mormon household, her film work, and much more. Check out her film work at www.darklingfilms.com Watch her film, Inch Thick, Knee Deep, here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywv4BxCGiF4 Instagram: @anatashablakely, @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrPics  Twitter: @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrJokes  Facebook: @ThereItIsPod  Subscribe to our comedy newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/e22defd4dee2/thereitis

We talk to Canada-based stand-up, Amy Bugg! Jason caught Amy while she was on the road in California at the Bergamot Comedy Fest! Amy and Jason have a fun chat about how Amy got started in comedy, doing jokes that weren't true to who she is before finding her voice, how comics can present their POV, her day job in accounting and some tax tips, work-life balance, what it took to produce her own special, and what her lifestyle on the road is like. Amy's YouTube: youtube.com/channel/UCttizq2ptbTjkvUHpGweOqg Twitter: @Amy_Bugg, @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrJokes  Instagram: @AmyBuggie, @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrPics  Facebook: @ThereItIsPod  Subscribe to our comedy newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/e22defd4dee2/thereitis

Inspired to do another bracket we decided to pit actor families against each other. All the actor families (minus several we eliminated) and this is the bracket! Jason is joined by the Bridal Party of the Show to talk all that pop about actor families and more! We've got Best Man of the Show, Trey, Groomsman of the Show, Rob, and Fiancée of the Show, Justina, here to nerd out on who their favorite actor families are. It's a fun chat on a deceptively hard bracket to fill out! (Note: after recording we added the Gyllenhaals, Streep/Gummers, and Fannings to the bracket who were left out due to an unforgiveable oversight and therefore are not in the discussion) Get the bracket here: www.thereitispod.com/post/pop-talk-actor-families-bracket Twitter: @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrJokes  Instagram: @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrPics  Facebook: @ThereItIsPod  Subscribe to our comedy newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/e22defd4dee2/thereitis

As a means of celebrating, we're sharing snippets of Jason's bachelor party weekend! Previous guests and podcast regulars make appearances. Is it an episode to inspire? ...Maybe? It might inspire you to focus on the fun of friends and family coming together and not the debauchery usually associated with bachelor parties. Look, no one got arrested. No one murdered anyone. It was nothing at all like The Hangover. You can enjoy a relatively quiet weekend in the woods with your groomsmen eating donuts and barbecue, watching the NCAA tournament, and doing the Last Dab. Twitter: @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrJokes  Instagram: @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrPics  Facebook: @ThereItIsPod  Subscribe to our comedy newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/e22defd4dee2/thereitis

We have a great chat with filmmaker, writer, and actor, Anjali Nath! Anjali is an up-and-comer in the truest sense. She's done so much already and it's super impressive. She's written, directed, and starred in short films and she's even created music for them. We talk to her time at Northwestern, doing theater, her eye for filmmaking, the approach she takes to developing her work, how she developed the music for her pieces, and much more! She is definitely one to watch! https://www.theplastichouse.com vimeo.com/anjalinath Twitter: @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrJokes  Instagram: @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrPics  Facebook: @ThereItIsPod  Subscribe to our comedy newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/e22defd4dee2/thereitis

We have the "Of the Show" Bridal Party here to talk all that POP about this year's Oscars! Jason is joined by Groomsman of the Show, Rob, Best Man of the Show, Trey, and Fiancée of the show, Justina, to talk about their least and most favorite moments of this year's Oscars telecast and the biggest surprises from the night. It's a fun chat that includes the tears, the laughs, and the love for Messi! You are Kenough. Twitter: @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrJokes  Instagram: @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrPics  Facebook: @ThereItIsPod  Subscribe to our comedy newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/e22defd4dee2/thereitis

We got to have this great and insightful talk with comedy writer, Jon Gutierrez! Jason became familiar with Jon many years ago in the oddest place...a Facebook group for aspiring writers. They talked about those early days of trying to get a writing job for a late night show, coming up during the early heydays of UCB and taking more classes than any student in theater history, all the wild things he got to do there like wrestling with Donald Glover, writing for @Midnight and Mystery Science Theater 3000, his philosophy on writing, and much more! https://jongutierrez.substack.com Twitter: @Dasgoot1, @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrJokes  Instagram: @Dasgoot1, @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrPics  Facebook: @ThereItIsPod  Subscribe to our comedy newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/e22defd4dee2/thereitis

We talk to performer, writer, and instructor, Patrick Rowland, in this fantastic episode! Patrick ran the whole gamut of improv and sketch in Chicago. He talks about how he got bit by the improv bug, how he managed his shyness while pursuing comedy, studying and performing at esteemed theaters like iO, Second City, and the Annoyance, how he started writing, his all Black sketch troupe 3 Peat, his popular sketch show Barack All Night, and after gushing over Amber Ruffin he tells Jason about how he got to work for her on The Amer Ruffin Show. You may even hear a couple President Barack Obama impressions. It's a fun chat, but it also serves as a reminder to keep pushing forward in your comedy journey. http://patrickrowland.net Twitter: @PatrickRowland3, @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrJokes  Instagram: @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrPics  Facebook: @ThereItIsPod  Subscribe to our comedy newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/e22defd4dee2/thereitis

In this episode we talk to actor, playwright, and theatre co-director, Sam Hood Adrain. This is a lively chat about the theatre and pursuing a life in the arts! Sam talks to Jason about submitting to grants, being a stand-in which includes a wild story about working on the series Daredevil, the entertainment business, odd jobs he worked, having one line over 5 years on Search Party, playwrighting, co-founding the theatre company What Will the Neighbors Say?, and more! It's an informative and fun chat that anyone who wants to get ahead in theatre and entertainment could learn from. https://www.wwtns.org Instagram: @samhoodadrain, @wwtnstheatre, @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrPics  Twitter: @samhoodadrain, @wwtnstheatre, @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrJokes  Facebook: @ThereItIsPod  Subscribe to our comedy newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/e22defd4dee2/thereitis

Improv extraordinaire Brian James O'Connell makes his 4th appearance again. Going for the podcast's 5-timers club, BOC returns to talk all things art and improv with Jason. After catching up we hear a little more insight into Brian's early time in improv and his approach, why he thinks of him less of a teacher and more of a librarian, his All Improv guide which is a beast that he keeps updating for you (for you), makes some excellent comparisons to music, whether there's concern for improv becoming homogenized, the state of improv, this awesome "Rust Belt" tour he's going on, and much more! Always a great chat with BOC! Brian's YouTube: youtube.com/@therealbrianjamesoconnell Twitter: @b3OC, @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrJokes  Instagram: @b3OC, @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrPics  Facebook: @ThereItIsPod  Subscribe to our comedy newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/e22defd4dee2/thereitis

We talk to husband and wife duo, Lindsay and Manus Clancy! Lindsay and Manus talk with Jason about Alchemy Comedy in Greenville, SC (where the 3 of them met), how the two met at Clemson University, how they got into improv and comedy, what it's like moving to New York to pursue comedy and how busy they got, not being able to see and do everything, why they've changed up the kind of comedy they are investing in, their approach to improv, and much more! Instagram: @LindsayLClancy, @CoolGuy.Biz, @FormerChildMedia, @LeeHallTheImprovTeam, @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrPics  Twitter: @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrJokes  Facebook: @ThereItIsPod  Subscribe to our comedy newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/e22defd4dee2/thereitis

In this episode, we provide valuable insights on promoting diversity and inclusion in your comedy scene! We're not judging anyone's current position, but hoping to inspire! While coordinating the diversity scholarship at the Magnet Theater, Jason thought it would be good to share practical suggestions for growing the community you are trying to foster. Keep in mind that each comedy scene is unique, so feel free to adapt and implement these ideas that resonate with you for the betterment of your community! Got your back! Jerome Foundation: jeromefdn.org/announcing-re-tool-racial-equity-panel-process For Magic Mind go to https://www.magicmind.com/JANthereitis Use code THEREITIS20 for an additional discount! Twitter: @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrJokes  Instagram: @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrPics  Facebook: @ThereItIsPod  Subscribe to our comedy newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/e22defd4dee2/thereitis

Improviser Jason Underwood makes an official return to the podcast! Jason Underwood is an old pal of ours who has appeared on the podcast before in episodes like the Charleston Comedy Festival. The two Jasons talk about how they met on the set of a mysterious never-to-be-seen student film, how they got into improv, how they started with Alchemy, writing a one act play in 24 hours, their proposal stories, and more! They both share love for brackets so they do a fun one at the end. Give it a listen! Laughing Stock: laughingstockimprov.weebly.com Alchemy Comedy: alchemycomedy.com Twitter: @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrJokes  Instagram: @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrPics  Facebook: @ThereItIsPod  Subscribe to our comedy newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/e22defd4dee2/thereitis

The "Of the Show" gang is here to talk all that POP! Brother/Best Man of the Show, Trey, Best Friend/Groomsman of the Show, Rob, and Fiancée of the Show, Justina, join Jason to discuss what's going on in pop culture right now. This episode's popics include the box office of Aquaman 2 and Wonka, Jimmy Kimmel's beef with Aaron Rodgers, the Golden Globe winners, who we thought would win at the Emmys, and we discuss Jo Koy's performance hosting the Golden Globes (to finally put that topic to rest). It's a fun chat! For Magic Mind go to https://www.magicmind.com/JANthereitis  Use code THEREITIS20 for an additional discount! Twitter: @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrJokes  Instagram: @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrPics  Facebook: @ThereItIsPod  Subscribe to our comedy newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/e22defd4dee2/thereitis

We talked to Dallas, TX improviser, Christen Nutter! Jason randomly met Christen at the Magnet Theater on a trip from Dallas and was checking out the comedy scene in NYC. She talks with Jason about what she picked up on seeing so many shows across various New York theaters and clubs, hanging out at Comedy Cellar, what made her want to start the improv collective SALLAD in Dallas, the interesting and brilliant way she got people involved in it. They have a great chat delving into the early part of the improv journey which she is currently in. It's a discussion as big as Texas! http://salladcomedy.com https://youtube.com/@SALLADCOMEDY Instagram: @salladcomedy, @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrPics  Facebook: @salladcomedy, @ThereItIsPod  Twitter: @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrJokes  For Magic Mind go to https://www.magicmind.com/JANthereitis and use code THEREITIS20 for an additional discount. Subscribe to our comedy newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/e22defd4dee2/thereitis

In this special New Year's episode where we dive into the power of acceptance and setting realistic goals for the coming year. It's high time we break free from the fallacy of traditional resolutions and focus on what truly matters for personal growth. Jason explores the importance of accepting your current circumstances, whether it's your career, skill level, or life situation. Acceptance is not about settling; it's about gaining a clear understanding of where you are, allowing you to navigate towards where you want to be. Drawing on examples from entertainment legends like Steve Martin, George Clooney, and Jason Bateman, the episode highlights how acknowledging your current position can be a strategic advantage. Happy New Year! thenewhappy.com/blog/the-power-of-acceptance magicmind.com/JANthereitis and use code THEREITIS20 Twitter: @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrJokes  Instagram: @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrPics  Facebook: @ThereItIsPod  Subscribe to our comedy newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/e22defd4dee2/thereiti

We have a festive chat with Brother of the Show, Trey, and Fiancée of the Show, Justina, where we make a case for why some hotly contested "Non-Traditional Christmas movies" are, in fact, Christmas movies. We also share a quote from friend of the show, Brian James O'Connell, that helps put the debates to bed (of snow?) and have a jolly ol' time doing it! Merry Christmas! Twitter: @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrJokes  Instagram: @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrPics  Facebook: @ThereItIsPod  Subscribe to our comedy newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/e22defd4dee2/thereitis

As a performer, having intimacy with your audience can be a huge step forward to having great shows. There are a few steps to having intimacy, though. And no, before you say it, intimacy is not just how close you are in proximity to the audience because a movie or TV show can have intimate moments with an audience. It really comes down to how open you're being in your performances and material. Jason talks about this subject in this mini episode we hope inspires you. Need to focus? Try Magic Mind and use code THEREITIS20: https://www.magicmind.com/thereitis Twitter: @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrJokes  Instagram: @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrPics  Facebook: @ThereItIsPod  Subscribe to our comedy newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/e22defd4dee2/thereitis

You are starting out on a new improv team and you're super excited! Now you have to pick a team name and maybe even a song to walk out to. That should be fun and it is! But sometimes, picking a team name and a team song can surprisingly harder than you thought it could possibly be. It is both as simple as you think and as sneakily time-consuming and argument-filled. Avoid all of that with these simple tips to get you on the right track and keep things light and fun! Try Magic Mind and use code THEREITIS20: https://www.magicmind.com/thereitis Twitter: @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrJokes  Instagram: @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrPics  Facebook: @ThereItIsPod  Subscribe to our comedy newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/e22defd4dee2/thereitis