Improv Nerd With Jimmy Carrane

The Reckoning are one iO Chicago's most legendary Harold teams. In this episode, Charlie McCrackin, Beau Golwitzer, Jake Schneider and Eddie Pina join Jimmy and discuss the secrets of their success and evolution as artists. Then Jimmy joins them for a bit of Reckoning style improv. Don't miss it!

David Koechner returns for a special episode of Improv Nerd recorded live at Columbia College in Chicago. Dave opens up about his approaches to scene work, including his methods for never going into a scene empty handed. He also talks about working on Anchor Man 2 and developing his stand-up act. Please enjoy!

Maribeth Monroe plays Alice on ComedyCentral's Workaholics, is a veteran of The Second City, and will appear in the upcoming HBO series Brink. Maribeth discusses her time at Second City, getting hired on Workaholics, and how she has worked to become a confident, grounded performer. We hope you enjoy this episode as much as we do!

Barry Hite is one of the creators of the popular "I'm A Fan" webseries of NFL fan videos on The Second City Network, performed with the legendary Bullet Lounge at iO Chicago, and is a revered improv teacher. In this episode, he sits down with Jimmy to discuss how he has learned to keep his career fun, learning from Tiina Fey, and why Jimmy should stop using Facebook. Please enjoy!

Actor and comedian Jeff Garlin returns to Improv Nerd for a really fun interview and improv set. Jeff tells Jimmy about how he turns setbacks into comedy, his relationship with Julia Roberts, and how he manages to stay grounded despite his success. We hope you enjoy this show!

Denver Colorado has a thriving improv scene with multiple theaters providing training and performance opportunities for aspiring improvisers. Jimmy sat down with some of the leaders of that community, Justin Franzen of Comedy Voodoo Playhouse, Kerstin Caldwell of YES! Lab, and Eric Farone of Bovine Metropolis Theater. Listen in as they discuss how the Denver scene came to be and the different perspectives a performer can gain from their respective theaters. Then they join forces to improvise together, demonstrating how we all speak the common language of improv. Please enjoy!

Whirled News Tonight is a smart and topical improv show that is a mainstay of iO Chicago, gracing the main stage on Saturday nights for the past 11 years. In this episode, cast members Brook Breit, Padraic Connelly, and Megan O'Neill join Jimmy for a look at how they've been able to keep it hip and fresh for so long. We hope you enjoy this show!

Rebecca Sohn is among the great improvisers and improv teachers in Chicago, having performed legendary shows at both iO and The Annoyance Theater. Ted Tremper is best known for his two award winning web series Shrink and Break-ups. Rebecca and Ted were part of a dramatic improv show called Almost Atlanta that enjoyed successful runs across Chicago, including at The Annoyance Theater and The Steppenwolf Garage. Rebecca and Ted sat down with Jimmy at The Second City to talk about their process in creating Almost Atlanta and their storied careers.

Brian Posen is a beloved figure in the world of Chicago comedy. He is a wildly popular improv teacher for The Secondy City, is the founder and artistic director of the musical sketch troupe The Cupid Players, and is the artistic director of Stage 773 - one of Chicago's hottest new comedy venues. Brian is also the founder of the wildly successful Chicago Sketch Fest, where he sat down with Jimmy to talk about his fears, his triumphs and how improvisation changes lives. We hope you'll love this episode.

Dan Bakkedahl is one of the stars of FX's Legit and HBO's Veep, spent two years as correspondent for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, and is a veteran of The Second City Chicago. Dan joins Jimmy for a frank discussion of his own securities and how they have effected his career, overcoming those securities, and what it takes to be a great improviser. Improv nerds, this is an episode you won't want to miss!

Baby Wants Candy is the legendary musical improv troupe that began in Chicago and has toured the world, featuring notable alumni Seth Meyers, Aidy Bryant, and Jack McBrayer, just to name a few. In this episode, cast members Tim Sniffen and Erica Elam, and band member Kevin Florian, help Jimmy overcome his fear of musical improv. It was a ton of fun and we hope you enjoy listening!

Jamie Campbell was named the best stand-up comic in Chicago by the Chicago Reader in 2013. He's also a gifted improviser who performs regularly at ComedySportz. In this powerful episode, Jamie shares the story of his traumatic childhood and explains how he's been able to mine his experiences for comedy. Listen to Jamie tell his compelling story in this episode of Improv Nerd.

Tawny Newsome is a veteran of The Second City mainstage in Chicago. In 2013, Rolling Stone magazine named her one of ten performers that should be hired by SNL. She's an accomplished actress. She's a talented musician. She's the guest on this week's episode of Improv Nerd!

Rick Bayless is a world renowned chef, winner of the popular competitive cooking show Top Chef, and host of his own show on PBS, Mexico: One Plate At A Time. Rick joins Jimmy in this episode to discuss his love of improvisation, how he first caught the improv bug, and how he uses improv in the kitchen. And this episode features the only opportunity in which Bayless fans will experience him working in (an improvised) kitchen at McDonald's. Thanks for listening!

Jill Bernard is a nationally recognized improv performer and teacher and is one of the founders of HUGE Improv Theater in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Jimmy paid a visit to Minneapolis and sat down with Jill and discussed how she brings joy to the classroom and her performances. Listen in if you'd like to add a little more of that necessary joy to your work.

Michael Palascak is a stand-up comedian who has made multiple television appearances including performances on The Late Show with David Letterman, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Comedy Central's The Half Hour. Michael is also a Chicago trained improviser who still performs in the city. Michael took a break from his busy schedule to sit down with Jimmy to discuss touring with Jimmy Fallon, his stand-up persona and becoming a better actor. Don't miss this episode.

Lyndsay Hailey is a multi-talented actress and comedian who recently located from Chicago to Los Angeles. In Chicago, she performed with The Deltones and Chaos Theory at the legendary iO Chicago where she was also a beloved improv teacher. She also worked for The Second City and performs her own show, The Lyndsay Hailey Variety Hour. In this episode she sits down with Jimmy for a moving discussion about her personal evolution as a performer.

In this year-end episode, Jimmy, Producer Ben Capraro, and Head of Interns Lauren Carrane sit down to discuss their favorite moments of the show in 2013. Listen in as we review moments with Rossy Bryant, Matt Besser, Andy St. Clair, Chris Witaske, John Hartman, Frank Caeti, Edgar Blackmon, Brian Holden and Brett Lyons. We also debut a new segment - Lauren Carrane, Starfucker! Please enjoy and Happy New Year!

Mike Descoteaux is the Chicago-trained Artistic Director of Improv Boston and is a guru of musical improv. In this episode, he and Jimmy discuss the process of improvising on piano and creating an improvised musical. Then they create with one with the amazing cast of Improv Boston. This show is a clinic in musical improv that you won't want to miss.

Brett Lyons is a hometown favorite in Chicago where he performs with the legendary iO team, Deep Schwa. He also tours for The Second City. He sits down with Jimmy to discuss improvising as a full time job and how he learned that his father was in prison. Thanks for listening!