Dear Betsy,

This is your Daddy. I know you are too young to read this, but I wanted to write this because your Daddy needs a blog this week and I love writing about you.

I pretty much love you, except for last Sunday when you were really whiney.

It was one of those days where I was like, "I am done being your Dad."

And after Daddy told Mommy and his therapist, guess what?

The next day Daddy fell in love with you all over again.

I am afraid that is how things go with your Dad.

If you have not figured it out yet, your Daddy's crazy.

Anyways, I wanted to thank you for being my daughter.

I know it's only been a little over 18 months since you were born, but my life has changed.

I am less angry, I think.

I am actually happier, which is weird to say. Your Dad can be pretty much a downer, but you know that already.

I feel more fulfilled and less obsessed with being famous.

You have given me more purpose.

And I don't think I could ever love something as much as you.

You have shown me how to be more silly.

To play more.

On stage and in life.

Your Daddy can be real serious about most things.

Your Daddy can be pretty joyless, too.

That is why we had you in the first place, Betsy, to bring more joy into our lives.

And it seems to be working.

You became Winnie the Pooh to Daddy's Eeyore.

And at this point, I wanted to tell you that we are glad that we had you.

I love you.

Your Daddy had a Daddy a long time ago in far and distant land.

And your Daddy's Daddy had hard time expressing his feelings and saying “I love you” to your Daddy when your Daddy was growing up.

And as your Daddy, Betsy, I am going to try to not make the same mistake that my Daddy made. I can guarantee I will make others, and from time to time to I may even forget this one, too.

But for today, I want to say, “Betsy, I love you.”

I love you very much.

Thank you for being my daughter.

Love,
Eeyore

Want to try a new approach to improv? Check out Jimmy's next Intro to the Art of Slow Comedy One-Day Workshop on Feb. 10. Perfect for both actors or improvisers. Early Bird pricing ends Jan. 27!

I know by now some of you have already come up with your New Year’s resolutions. Had I made any this year, I would have broke them already. They never seem to work for me. If resolutions work for you, God Bless, keep it up. I am envious of you.

Of course, I would like to make some changes in my life, but knowing my somewhat fragile personality, declaring them as resolution just puts way too much pressure on myself and seems to set me up to fail, which is something I would like to avoid.

Luckily, I have found other ways to change. How change has typically worked for me in the past is that I have to be in so much pain with my behavior that I bottom out on it. Like a drug addict or alcoholic, when I’m at my bottom, I realize that this behavior is making my life a mess, and then I can then become humble enough to ask the Universe to take it away. The hardest part with this method is The Universe works on its own schedule, so even though I keep asking to stop doing certain behaviors, it takes own sweet time to actually make me stop. But when it comes through, the changes are lasting.

Here are some current things that I would like to change in 2018. l know you have heard me talk about these over the years, but I hope that this is really the year that I am able to do things differently so I will have a whole new list of things I would like to change in 2019. Here we go!

  1. Have More Gratitude
    Comedy/improv/show business -- whatever you want to call it that we are in -- can put me in state of “I am not getting enough.” It can be hard to be happy with where I’m at, especially when I see people going higher on the comedy food chain. If you struggle with this too, one thing that I’ve found that helps me get out of this mindset is to take a couple of minutes out of my day to either make a list of thing I am grateful for or to simply spend a few minutes appreciate what I do have in my life: a great daughter and wife and career. It makes me appreciate what I do have and opens the door to get even more.
  1. Be Less Judgmental
    God this is hard for me, but I am seeing that it gets in the way of my joy, my relationships and my success, to name a few. For me, being judgmental is a reflex. If I am scared, I judge. If I feel shame, I judge. If I feel happy or something great happens, I judge, so I medicate myself from feeling any sort of joy. I used to think since I was in comedy being judgmental was an asset, but I was wrong. It is hell. I have been talking about this one of years, I am ready to have it removed like a cancerous tumor.
  2. Create More
    Some of the happiest times in my life have been when I was using my creativity, such as when I’m working on a show. Any show, like a new one-person show, a sketch show, or an improv show. Some of those shows did really well, and others not so well, but 80 percent of the time I loved the process. What usually ruins it for me is the expectations that I put on it that it better be a hit or it’s going take me to stardom. Just writing this I see how idiotic this all sounds. In 2018, I have a one-person show that I would like the courage to put up with that I just need the courage to put up with no expectations.
  3. Play more
    I want to have more fun in my life, I really do. I have no clue how to do this, so I am putting it out there.
  4. Spend 64% Less Time on Social Media
    Do you remember the good old days of Facebook when people would post a photo of a giant pancake at some diner in Wisconsin? When you got excited to "be friended" by an old friend from high school? When you weren't checking your feed every 10 minutes on your phone? Don't get me wrong, there are still some great things about Facebook, but for the most part, it has become an addiction for me. I have the same relationship with Facebook that I have had with food, booze and internet porn. I convince myself I’m only going on Facebook for a couple of minutes to make myself feel better and two hours later I feel worse.

 

Do you have any behaviors that you would like to change in 2018? Please feel free to include them in the comments portion below. Thanks for reading.

Are you a therapist or mental health professional? Improve your relationship with your clients using improv! Sign up for Jimmy's Improv for Therapists Workshop on Jan. 28.

Sam Wasson is the author of the new book, Improv Nation: How We Made A Great American Art. Jimmy talks to Sam about the history of improv, from beginning of improv with The Compass Players to Del Close and The Harold, Bill Murray, the Chicago improv scene in the '90s and more. If you want to know more about improv's history, don't miss this episode.

We are about to start a new year very shorty, and before we get there, I wanted to share with you my 10 wishes for you in 2018.

  1. To not take yourself so seriously. Being able to make fun of yourself is sign you have a real sense of humor.
  2. To not care as much about what other people think of you.
  3. To continue to learn by failing.
  4. To not measure your success by what you are getting or not getting, but how much you are improving.
  5. To ask for help when you are stuck, in a slump or discouraged.
  6. To not hold back on stage, or with compliments to your fellow performers.
  7. To know that if you want to get good at this you will need patience. Years of patience.
  8. To know that the best class you can take is having a bad show. And I hope you have many best classes.
  9. To not get too cocky when you have that great show. Once you think you have all the answers you stop learning, and when that happens, you stop getting better. You die and your improv follows.
  10. And most importantly to enjoy the journey. That is where you are right now, and if you can do that with enthusiasm, opportunities will come to you that you never expected.

Have a great 2018. I will talk to you next year. (I never get tired of that joke).

Want to start your 2018 off right? Sign up for Jimmy's Art of Slow Comedy Level 1 Class, starting Jan. 10!

This past year was a big year for me personally and professionally, and when I was not running around trying to catch Betsy as she learned how to walk, I actually had some time to watch some TV shows and movies, read some non-improv-related books, catch some live shows and perform myself.

That being said, here are some of favorite things in entertainment of 2017, in no particular order.

My Favorite TV Show – Veep (HBO)

You cannot find a better comedy on TV right now than Veep, and with the state of politics in this country, this is definitely the show is to watch. Yes, it can be dark and cynical, but you’ll love the characters, as awful as they can be to each other. This show is so well written, acted, and directed, and it has a great cast. It’s hard for any actor or improviser not to watch this show and wish they were in it. I do.

Also, I cannot think of a better example of an ensemble comedy on television. Julia Louis Dreyfus is outstanding, and after watching almost six seasons, it is no surprise to me that each year she wins an Emmy for her performance. Selena Meyer in 2020! She couldn't do any worse.

My Favorite Movie -- Lady Bird

This was not a particular great year for movies but one that sticks out for me from 2017 is Lady Bird. Written and directed by Greta Gerwig, this coming-of-age film explores the relationship between a teenage girl (Saoirse Ronan) and her mother (Laurie Metcalf). Watching Lady Bird deal with her parents, as painful as it is, makes this movie so relatable to all of us who grew up with complicated relationships with our parents. It is such an original script and has everything I love in coming-of-age movies: disappointment, sadness, awkwardness and humor.

My Favorite Improv Group -- Moonsharks

I love supporting the indy improv scene in Chicago. Groups like Sand and shows like The Shit Hole are inspiring and take me back to the excitement I felt when I was starting out. This year, the group that blew me away was Moonsharks. I caught them by accident when I went to watch a group I was coaching perform. They played grounded and they emotionally reacted to each other in the scene. They edited the scenes with seamless transformations. When they needed to be silly, or to vary the energy, they did it with abandon and everyone jumped in. They had incredible chemistry — the type you get only by enjoying playing with each other for a long time.

My Favorite Improv Nerd Episode – Rachel Dratch

In April, I was so lucky to get to interview Rachel Dratch as part of the Chicago Improv Festival. We played to a sold-out crowd of over 300 people at The Second City Main Stage. Ever have one of those shows where everything goes right and you feel like it’s a dream? This was one of them. Rachel was so honest and open in the interview and improvising with her was so easy, like I had remembered when we performed together in a couple of groups back in the '90s.

I joked at the top of show that my goal when I started out in improv in my 20s was to be on Main Stage. I just didn’t think it would take 30 years to get there and only last an hour.

And it was worth it. Listen for yourself.

 

My Favorite Book -- The Chicago Cubs: Story of a Curse

I read a shitload of self-help and improv books, but one book I read for pure enjoyment was Rich Cohen's superb book on the Cubs: The Chicago Cubs: Story of a Curse. What makes Cohen one of my favorite writers is he can take a subject like the history of a losing franchise and weave in his own personal story of being a life-long suffering Cubs fan. He writes in such a honest way that you can feel his heartbreak growing up doomed as Cubs fan, as I did, and his joy when they finally win the World Series in 2016. Other books by Cohen that I also love are Lake Effect and Sweet and Low.

My Favorite You Tube Video That I Show Betsy -- Little Snowflake (Super Simple Songs)

Betsy is over this video, called "Little Snowflake" by Super Simple Songs, but her Dad is not. She has moved on to Frozen and Aladdin, but that doesn't stop me from showing it to her on my iPhone. I love it because it has a very simple, yet catchy song that gets stuck in your head. The kid who sings the song kills me, especially when he pronounce the word “little” as "lee-del."

But why I like this little 3-minute video so much is the sad and lonely quality of the snowman. I can relate to him; I am the snowman. It ends with a touch of hope, and unlike most videos for toddlers, this one doesn't hit you over the head. It lets your imagination decide what really happens. I dare you to watch this 10 times and not get this tune stuck in your head for forever.

My Favorite Performance – Storytelling at Louder Than a Mom

I am hard on my performances. I am a self-hating perfectionist who has used performing to validate myself my whole life. Doesn't matter if it’s an improv show or solo piece. I rarely feel good about my performances. Except this one.

I had wanted to tell this story for a while, but I had so much shame I could not bring myself to put it up on stage. I had fear of what my family would think. But I did it anyway, and I told the story about how my family try to prevent me from speaking at my Dad's funeral.

I had gotten a lot of help from Lauren and my friend, Gary Rudoren, but I was still terrified. Ten minutes before I went up I was convinced it was not funny. I was wrong. The audience was with me from the first a couple of seconds until the end. It was one of my best performances ever. You be the judge.

Want to start of 2018 right? Sign up for Jimmy's Art of Slow Comedy Level 1 class, to learn a unique approach to improv! The Early Bird deadline ends Dec. 27.

To the older people starting out in improv: You belong. This is for you.

If you are an older person and you are just starting out doing improv, stand-up, storytelling or acting, I want to say to you are in the right place.

You did not wait too long.

You are not wasting your time.

You belong.

We need you.

I know that is not what you think.

I know that is not how society thinks.

But you are wrong.

Society is wrong.

I am right on this.

Trust me.

I am old.

I am so old I don't need to lie to you.

We have been told improv, stand-up, storytelling, and acting is all a young person’s game.

That is bullshit.

Ok, maybe in Hollywood that might be true.

Are you going to be hired by Saturday Night Live? I don't know.

Look, at Leslie Jones. She was hired by SNL when she was 47 years old.

So who knows.

Are you going get a Netflix special?

I don't know this either. So please stop asking.

This is what I do know.

I know there is an audience for you.

I know that there is a place for you.

I know there people who want to work with you.

You have a lot to say because you have been around a long time.

You have seen things change.

You have changed.

And we want to hear those changes in your voice.

We want to hear from you in any form you want to express it.

In improv, in stand-up, storytelling, acting, interpretive dance or any other type of performance art that I am forgetting here. I am old.

We want to hear it! (Let's move on, I am getting worked up.)

The reality is we need you more than ever.

The world is crazy, if you haven’t noticed.

So, we need your life experience, your success and your disappointments. We need your patience, your wisdom and maturity.

We need you in classes, and in shows, in open mics, in story nights, in plays and performances.

As a teacher of improv, I love it when I have a good balance of young and older students in my classes and workshops.

It always makes it a lot of fun.

The young people give the older people permission to play with abandon. The older people give the younger people permission to not care so much what people think.

They are grounded.

They have been through it. They are over it.

Those classes can be inspiring because we have so much life experience to choose from.

If you feel lost now, or feel like you haven’t found your people, know they are out there.

Yes, we have to look a little harder sometimes and ask around, but trust me, they’re out there.

And if, for whatever reason, you can't find your people, then find some like-minded people to create something together, a show, an open mic night, a play.

Because you belong.

Looking to study with a veteran improv teacher? Sign up for Jimmy's Two-Person Scene Tune-Up on Dec. 30, or for his Art of Slow Comedy Level 1 class starting Jan. 10!

Mark Sutton is an improv teacher and a founding member of The Annoyance Theater, where he was part of the cast that created Co-ed Prison Sluts. He has toured around the country with Joe Bill doing Bassprov. We talk to him about the early days of The Annoyance, why the first 15 seconds of an improv scene is so key, and the importance of vulnerability and making an emotional connection.

Looking for something to get an improviser this holiday season besides a Chipotle gift card or a 12-pack of beer? Well, how about something to read, like a book? Every year, I put together a list of my favorite books from the previous year, and this year is no exception.

Whether you are planning to give one of these to a special improviser in your life or asking Santa to bring one to you, I am sure you will find them helpful. I know I did. And as special bonus this year, I went with a little variety so hopefully there is something on this list for everyone.

  1. Improv Nation: How We Made A Great American Art
    by Sam Wasson
    If you been improivsing for a couple of years, isn't about time you learned the history of this crazy art form you been doing? In this giant volume of a book, Wasson gives us a complete history of improvisation starting with Viola Spolin and The Compass Players in Chicago to the creation of Second City, The Groundlings, UCB and Saturday Night Live. We meet the personalities, the improvisers who kept influencing the next generation of comedians in all the mediums: people like Mike Nichols, Del Close, Amy Poehler, Tina Fey, and Judd Apatow. This was such a fascinating read, I couldn’t put it down, and being an Improv Nerd like myself, I learned ton of new stuff. As an improviser, I hope reading this book inspires you, like it did me, to realize that we are part of such big cool thing that just keeps growing and growing.
  2. Mindset: The New Psychology of Success: How We Can Learn To Fulfill Our Potential
    By Carol S. DweckThis is must read for any improviser who struggles with wanting to thrown in the towel after a bad show or getting complacent after a series of successful shows. This book is about the thing that separate the good improvisers from the great ones: the ability to keep learning and not letting the setbacks get in your way. Dweck believes people have one of two mindsets: "the fixed mindset" or the “growth mindset.” When you have a fixed mindset, you are afraid to be challenged or fail, and when you do. When you have a fixed mindset, you look at success as an extension of your self-worth, so when you succeed you are worthy if you fail you are a piece of shit. This kind of pressure destroys improvisers.When you have a growth mindset, you embrace learning and want to continue challenging yourselves, even if that mean you may fail, so you can get better. With this mindset, you believe that what matters is the effort you put forth, not the results.

    The good news is according to Dweck, we can all learn to have a growth mindset. As improvisers we are in the business of making mistakes. That is the only way we can improve. Accepting those mistakes is the hard part. This books helps us embrace a new mindset that can make us the kind of improviser we always wanted to be.

  1. How To Be The Greatest Improviser On Earth
    By Will HinesI wanted to include one how-to improv book this year, and the one I chose is UCB's Will Hines’ terrific book “How To Be The Greatest Improvisers On Earth.” Will is a thoughtful teacher and excellent writer, who has taught and performed at The UCB since 2000. He is extremely thorough in his book, where he talks about the more practical nuts and bolts of scene work and specific long forms, as well as the realities of working with difficult people and keeping your head on straight in a sometimes very competitive art form. His improv exercises at the end of each chapter are easy to follow and so incredibly helpful. I have used some of his exercises myself in class and they have worked like a charm -- not always an easy task when lifting them from a book. I cannot recommend this book enough, regardless what method of improv you are learning or which theater you are studying at right now. It definitely will make you The Greatest Improviser On Earth.
  1. Presence: Bringing Your Boldest Self to Your Biggest Challenges
    By Amy CuddyAmy Cuddy's superb, often dense book is inspired by her Ted talk that went viral. The book’s premise is simple, and that is how our body language says a lot of about ourselves without us even opening our mouth. Backed by extensive research, this book explains that by adjusting our posture and body language, we can project a stronger presence in our lives and on stage. The most helpful part of her book was the "wonder woman poses," which is when you raise your hands above your head like you are crossing the finish line. I use them before shows, teaching classes or auditions, when I want to project a powerful presence.
  1. Sick In The Head: Conversations About Life and Comedy‎
    By Judd ApatowI love getting in the heads of creative people, especially comedians, and find out how they think. Before he became a successful writer and director of films such as 40 Year-Old Virgin and Knocked Up, Judd Apatow was a comedy nerd who had interviewed tons of other comedians. Parts of this book are very funny because he's interviewing people who are very funny, but it is also candid and insightful. He talks to comedy legends from all different generations, from Mel Brooks to Jerry Seinfeld, Jon Stewart, Roseanne Barr, Harold Ramis, Chris Rock and Lena Dunham.

    This holiday season, give yourself the gift of improv! Sign up for Jimmy's Two-Person Scene Tune-Up on Dec. 30, or his Art of Slow Comedy Level 1 class, starting Jan. 10.

Happy Thanksgiving, improvisers! All week long, I have been looking forward to today. When it comes to holidays, Thanksgiving is definitely my favorite on the list. It’s pure. It’s simple. I’m going to go out on a limb and say it is the best holiday of all time. How is that?

My wife Lauren, on the other hand, thinks Thanksgiving is "boring" and "overrated." "It's basically just dinner," she says. I beg to differ. Get this? Her favorite holiday is Halloween, not for the candy but for the costumes. She likes dressing up.

Anyways, here are my top 6 reasons for why she is wrong and why Thanksgiving is the best holiday of all time.

  1. It’s all about the food
    I love food, and Thanksgiving is all about food and eating the food. These days I’m on a very strict food plan because I’m a recovering compulsive over-eater, so I can’t indulge in the stuffing, pie… and more stuffing and more pie that makes this holiday great. But don't get me wrong, I still love buying food, making food and vicariously enjoy watching other people stuff their face until they can’t buckle their pants. It’s like watching a beautiful Porsche that I can’t drive myself.
  1. There are no presents
    Thanksgiving is gloriously stress-free because you don’t have to worry about buying anyone any presents. I have had many bad experiences with buying presents, and nothing stresses me out more than running around a few weeks before Christmas buying presents under pressure. It takes all of the fun out of what is supposed to be the most selfless of all holidays. I’m not opposed to getting presents, mind you, but having a holiday where you don’t have to get or give presents seems pretty good to me.
  1. It’s only one day
    Actually, Thanksgiving only lasts about three hours tops if you’re lucky. It's not a whole season like Christmas or entire month like Halloween or St. Patrick's Day are now. Thanksgiving is not self-indulgent. It’s fast and to the point. The way the Pilgrims intended it to be.
  1. It's the least commercial
    There are no Thanksgiving decorations, no songs, no special candy, and thank God there are no spokespersons for this holiday. There's no Santa or Easter Bunny or Uncle Sam who tells us every Memorial Day the great deals we can get on a mattress. In that tradition, Thanksgiving has somehow managed to remain pure, especially because it is totally sandwiched between two of the biggest commercial holidays: Halloween and Christmas.
  1. It is an inside holiday
    It’s true that there are other holidays that are low-key, only last one day, and are pretty much all about the food, namely Memorial Day, Fourth of July, and Labor Day. But for those three holidays, you have to be outside, which I can’t stand. I don’t like to be hot, I don’t like bugs, or sweating, or exercise, or nature in general. But by November here in the Midwest it’s cold, which means you are forced to stay inside to celebrate, and that means sitting on the couch, they way the Pilgrims intended it to be.
  1. It’s all about gratitude
    I can be a pretty cynical person, and it’s easy for me to focus on what is going wrong in my life. So it’s awesome that we have one day a year that is set aside to focus on being grateful for what we do have in our lives that is going right. And no matter how curmudgeonly I feel when I start out the day, once I spend time thinking about what I am grateful for, I always feel better.

Do you love Thanksgiving? I’d love to hear your reasons below. And I hope you all have a very happy and healthy holiday!

This holiday season, give yourself the gift of better improv! Join Jimmy for his Two-Person Scene Tune-Up on Dec. 30. Only $79 if you register by Dec. 14!

As an improviser, there's nothing worse than being in the middle of a scene and calling your scene partner by the wrong character name. Or saying that you are in Paris when it was already established you are in California. Ouch.

To be a good improviser, you need to not only listen to the last thing that was said, but you also need to improve your memory to keep all of the details of every scene straight -- something I've struggled with a lot over the years.

In this week's blog, I asked Katy Schutte -- an improviser from England and author of the new book, "The Improvisers Way: A Longform Workbook" -- to share her thoughts on how you can sharpen your memory so you can be an even better improviser.

***

Some improv students that worry their memories are not good enough to practice longform. They are concerned that character names, beats and all manner of details will fall out of their heads. The thing is, I also have a shitty memory. Yesterday I spent about four hours trying to remember the type of wool my sweater was made from. So how can I remember character names, beats, games, where things are on stage and make callbacks?

People who compete in memory competitions don’t necessarily have a greater capacity for remembering everyday things, they have just learned a lot of techniques in order to function in that context. Here are a few of my tips for how to improve your memory so you can have an awesome show on stage.

Names

Remembering names during a scene is the first and hardest memory trial in improv. I kind of buried my head in the sand about that for many years, but now I enjoy the challenge.

Here are a few ways that I’ve found useful:

Lists

Card-counters and memory nerds use visuals to remember specifics (as above). If you have a list of ten things to remember, try visualizing something that you associate with each item. This can work great for beats in a Harold. My students did a Harold show last night. The first beat was broadly about “driving,” so I pictured a car; the second was about languages so I pictured someone saying “baguette” in a speech bubble; the third was about “smugness” so I pictured a smug facial expression. I can easily remember the beats today. The games, character names, and settings all come along with those one-word beat titles.

Spaces

Use your own familiar living and working spaces as a template for improvised settings. If you’re in a bedroom on stage and you need to define a sock drawer, put it exactly where it would be in your bedroom. That’s less to think about. Equally, if you’re in a spaceship, there’s no reason you shouldn’t put stuff in the same relative places as you would at home. Instead of putting a cup in the right hand cupboard, stick your astronaut water bag and straw to the wall in the same place.

Active Remembering
Merely deciding that you will retain more information is a great way to get better. Much like active listening, active remembering means that you are consciously applying yourself to taking in more information.

Start small and add more and more information, just like beginning with short runs in order to build up to a marathon. Here are a few ways to start:

…and so on until you can play and retain all this without having to think about it too much.

In case you’re wondering... my sweater was made of Marino.

If you enjoyed this article, take a look at Katy Schutte’s improv book, shows, classes and podcasts here: katyschutte.co.uk

 

Want to give yourself a gift this holiday season? Sign up for Jimmy's Two-Person Scene Tune-Up, happening Dec. 30! Only $79 if you register by Dec. 14.