If you haven’t heard by now, last week, after 108 years, the Chicago Cubs finally won a World Series title. Pretty incredible, especially for me who has been a Cubs fan my whole life.

But if you have been reading this blog with any sort of regularity, you know that a celebration of any kind doesn’t come easy for me, and this one was no exception.

As I stood in the kitchen with my wife, Lauren, nervously listening to the radio as Cubs legendary broadcaster Pat Hughes made the last call of the World Series, I jumped up and down with joy. But in less than two minutes, I was already replaying the moves the Cubs’ manager Joe Maddon had made during the game. Moves that I did not understand. Moves that I thought were mistakes. What the fuck was wrong with me? Why couldn’t I be excited? They won, something they had not done since 1908.

That did not matter. My head took over. Why did he pull his starting pitcher so early? Why did he pull his middle reliever so early? Why did he put his closer in so early after the guy had pitched a ton of innings the night before?

It was as if I was ignoring the results. They won the World Fucking Series. The real question is why couldn’t I enjoy it?

The simple answer is this is what I do.

I do this in my life and certainly in my performing, especially if a show has gone well. Instead of feeling excited, or even joy, after a good scene or a good show, I would rather pick it apart, replacing excitement with my drug of choice: shame.

I did this again last Sunday night at Second City where John Hildreth and I were celebrating our five-year anniversary of our show, Jimmy and Johnnie. A pretty big accomplishment. So big that after the show we had a little party to celebrate.

But, you know me, I’m not good at celebrating and feeling joy. Instead, I need to find some shame so I can medicate those feelings. So, during the show I did a character that was not very PC by today’s improv standards. The young audience gasped a couple of times, and I got the hit of shame that I needed. Surprisingly, during the show, I was able to let it go as we moved on to the next scene, knowing I would have plenty of time to pulverize myself about it afterwards, which is just what I did. Despite the fact that it was a good show overall, I used this character choice to beat myself up by replaying it in my head for the next 48 hours.

I often have guests on Improv Nerd who say they don’t analyze or even remember what they did after they improvise a scene. I am not sure if that’s really true or if all of these guests are lying to me. If they actually don’t analyze their scenes after a show, I am impressed. I not only remember every moment, especially the bad ones, but I like to beat myself up about all the moves I think I should have made or not made.

And that is excatly what I did when the Cubs won the World Series. I went right into picking-it-apart mode so I wouldn’t have to feel the excitement or the joy of them winning. Instead I decided to bask in the shame, like a bath of cold, dirty water.

We think as improvisers it’s our duty to dissect every move we make after a show or class, because we think it will make us better. But sometimes it just makes us miserable. I am not saying don’t ever analyze your scenes; that would be unrealistic. Instead, just try to do less of it. Since I obviously I don't know how to do less of it, I would love your help. In the comments portion below, can you tell me how you celebrate your successes without dissecting them to death? Thanks.

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Kevin Allison is the creator and host of the hugely popular storytelling podcast RISK! He was also a member of the sketch comedy group The State on MTV in the '90s. We talked to Kevin about what he learned from working with such a large sketch group, how he eventually found his comedic voice, and practical tips on to how to craft a story to be on RISK!

Here’s something I see often in my improv classes: Two students will improvise an incredible scene, get tons of laughs, play real and grounded characters, and then when it’s over, they rush off stage and get back to their chairs as quickly as possible, as if they are in the witness protection program. The thought of basking in the glory of their success is too vulnerable.

I get it, we're complicated. As actors, we are dying to be seen, but at the same time, we are uncomfortable being seen, especially if someone is going to hand out kudos.

I know this has been very true for me. My whole life I wanted to get attention. I was funny, always making people laugh. But at the same time, I felt like I was a burden. As a kid, if went over to a friend’s house and they offered me something to eat or drink, I would lie and say I was fine. In high school, if I locked myself out of my parents’ house late at night, I would rather crawl through a window than ring the doorbell and wake them up. When I started taking improv classes, I never wanted my parents and non-improv friends to come to any of my shows because I felt like I was bothering them, because deep down I felt I was a bother. (God, I hope do not pass this on to my daughter).

My way of dealing with this was to become invisible. My senior year, I refused to be seen and did not get my picture taken for the yearbook. Instead, my name was listed at the back of the book as an invisible senior. It was as if I never existed. I wanted to be seen, I wanted to be noticed, but I was terrified.

So believe me, I get it when my students want to run off stage after kicking ass in a scene so they won’t have to hang around to get some positive feedback. If they’re like me, the message in their heads is “I don’t want to take up any more time from the teacher and the rest of the students,” or “I don’t want to be selfish,” or “I don’t want to be a stage hog.” All of these messages are really saying “I am a burden.”

So, if you are like me and think you are burden or a bother, I want to encourage you to practice not feeling like one. Take up a little more space in your improv classes. Take a risk and be the first person to get out there in exercises and scenes and see how it feels. Do the same in your rehearsals and shows. Yep, you are going feel uncomfortable, and that is the sign you are headed in the right direction. Let me know how it goes.

End the year right! Sign up for the Intro to the Art of Slow Comedy Workshop on Dec. 30. Only $79 if you register by Dec. 15!

As you know, a little over three months ago, Lauren and I had our first child, a beautiful baby girl named Betsy Jane Carrane. Being a parent is the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. I am a glad I did not know how hard this would be or I wouldn't have done it. Lauren feels the same way.

Here are some of the things I have learned in the first three months of being a dad.

1. You will learn how to really smile.
2. You will question why you've been teaching people how to create fake objects out of the air.
3. When she takes a long nap, you will miss her.
4. You will grieve and forget your old life.
5. 9 p.m. becomes the new midnight.
6. You won't have as much time to isolate and have suicidal thoughts.
7. You cannot believe people have more than one kid.
8. You will wish there was a store that sold sleep.
9. You will be judgmental of other parents to make you feel good about what you are doing.
10. You will start spelling words out in front of them, like S-E-X, F-U-C-K and T-R-U-M-P.
11. There are times when she cries so uncontrollably that you will feel like wrapping her up in a dirty beach towel and dropping her off at the fire station. But there are other times, like when she smiles first thing in the morning when she wakes up, that you feel so much joy you will want to drop yourself off at the fire station.
12. One of the parents will be "pro" letting them cry in the crib the other will be against.
13. You'll get excited when she farts.
14. Babies ‘R’ Us is a vortex.
15. Every device that rocks her to sleep has a warning label saying it’s dangerous for them to sleep in.

    Are you looking to take your improv to the next level? Sign up for Jimmy's Art of Slow Comedy Level 2 class, starting Nov. 2 (you do not need to have taken Level 1 to sign up). The Early Bird Deadline ends Oct. 19!

Kicking a member out of your improv group is something nobody wants to do. Most groups avoid it because improvisers hate confrontation. But sometimes it has to happen, and if you do have to let someone go, remember what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. So here are some tips to help prevent you from having to kick a bad apple out of your improv group as well some tips for showing someone the door.

1. Hire a Coach
   In a perfect world, when you first form an improv group you should pay (yes, with actual money) a director/coach, and as a group, you should authorize them to make all artistic and casting decisions. Then, with the group’s authorization, the coach can then be the hired gun to make the tough decisions about who should and should not be in the group.If you didn’t get a coach when you first started, it’s not too late to hire someone. When you hire someone, express your concerns about the person that you are having problems with, and ask them to work with the group for a minimum of several weeks so they can evaluate the situation and give you an outside opinion on what is going on and what actions need to be taken.
2. Set Expectations
   Once you’ve formed an improv group, get everyone together and agree on your expectations for the group. What will the time commitment be? How many rehearsals do you plan to have? Are they going to be mandatory? What is the vision for the style of the show? It’s important these things are agreed upon, because then the group can hold members accountable later.Let’s say, a few months after you start playing together, there is an issue with a member showing up late for rehearsals. If they group has agreed that everyone is expected to be no more than 15 minutes late to rehearsals, then there can be consequences. That means you can talk to the person about something real versus just kicking them out because the person is a jerk on stage, though that may be an issue as well.Again, if you didn’t set expectations when you first started, again, do it now. Set a meeting time and get all of your expectations out on the table. Don’t be surprised that when the group sets expectations, it may correct some of the issues you are having with the person, or the person may leave on their own. Commitment will do that.

3. Have Monthly Business Meetings
   The other thing improvisers hate beside confrontation is discussing the day-to-day business of the group. When you start your own independent improv group, it’s like you’re starting a business or a family. To have a functioning group, you have to make time to discuss things that can’t be addressed in an improv rehearsal. Set aside at least 30 minutes at the end of a rehearsal once a month to talk business and check in with the group. This allows for open communication where more dicey things can be addressed. This will hopefully cut down on the phone calls and texts about the “problem” person in the group, and hopefully, it will give the group the chance to deal with the issue before you have to say goodbye to them. And, if you do have to fire their ass, you have created a format to do it.
4. Confront the Person In a Group Setting
   If you’ve tried the three points above and you still feel you have to kick someone out of your improv group, call a meeting of the whole group to confront the situation. Everyone needs to be there. Everyone. Sometimes just speaking the unspeakable can correct some of the issues. If you are working with a coach, ask the coach if he or she would be willing to be at the meeting. This may seem scary, but know that you are actually doing the person a favor by telling them how you feel.I know it will be hard to believe, but when I was in my late 20s and early 30s, other people in my groups confronted me on some stuff, and though it was  uncomfortable, it made me better and I wish they would have told me sooner.

5. Stay Away from Blame
   When addressing the person, stay away from blame and instead speak in “I statements.” You can say things such as "I experience you as being a bully or steam rolling in our scenes," or "I experience you not agreeing in scenes," or "I experience you dominating the warm-up or playing angry in every scene."Stay away from defending your point of view or getting into a he-said she-said situation. Let people air their issues with no judgement or without trying to fix them. I was in a group once where we confronted a member because of his type of play and overall attitude. It was difficult, but we stayed on point and tried not to make it personal. Our next show was great, and then the person decided to quit a month later.
6. You Don't Have to Make a Decision at the Meeting
   If you are like me, you probably let your resentments against the person build and build until when you finally call for the meeting, you want the person gone immediately. Instead, think of the meeting as a fact-finding mission. After the meeting, it may be clear to the group that this person has to go, or maybe the person will hear what you have to say and be willing to change. The group has to decide that if they want to give them a second chance. If you’re not sure about kicking them out, take time to think about it and call another meeting.
7. Learn From It
   You’re not going to want to hear this, but the group has a part in this situation. Most likely, the group’s part is that everyone is afraid of confrontation, which is another word for good old-fashioned codependence. Whatever the reasons are, dealing with the situation head-on gives the group the opportunity to become stronger. Once a problem person is gone, think about what the group can do going forward to prevent this from happening again. (See the first three points I just laid out in this blog.)

Want to take your improv to the next level? Sign up for Jimmy Carrane's Art of Slow Comedy Level 2 class, starting Nov. 2. (You don't have to have taken Level 1 to participate). Only $259 if you register by Oct. 19. Sign up today!

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Stacey Smith is the founder of the Chicago Musical Improv Festival, as well as an amazing improviser and teacher. Jimmy talk to her at this year's festival at iO Chicago about how the hard times starting out in improv in Chicago, what she loves about doing musical improv and how she's able to do so many projects.

Tonight is the 2016 Emmy Awards. It's a big night for the television industry, and it's also a big night for the improv community. When I was looking at the list of nominees the other day, I couldn't believe how many improvisers were nominated in all categories -- acting, writing, and directing. Here is our unofficial tabulation of improvisers who are nominated this year. If we've left anyone off of this list, please let us know.

And good luck to all of tonight's nominees!

1. Bob Odenkirk -- Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, "Better Call Saul"
2. Thomas Middleditch -- Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, "Silicon Valley"
3. Will Forte -- Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, "Last Man on Earth"
4. Julia Louis-Dreyfus -- Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series, "Veep"
5. Ellie Kemper -- Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series, "The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt"
6. Keegan-Michael Key -- Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, "Key & Peele"
7. Matt Walsh -- Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, "Veep"
8. Kate McKinnon -- Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, "Saturday Night Live"
9. Jane Lynch -- Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program, "Hollywood Game Night"
10. Jill Soloway -- Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series, "Transparent"
11. Rob Delaney -- Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series, "Catastrophe"
12. Tami Sagher  -- Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series, "Inside Amy Schumer"
13. Rebecca Drysdale --  Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series, "Key & Peele"
14. Colton Dunn -- Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series, "Key & Peele"
15. Ian Roberts -- Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series, "Key & Peele"
16. Rich Talarico -- Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series, "Key & Peele"
17. Jordan Peele -- Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series, "Key & Peele"
18. Seth Myers -- Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series, "Saturday Night Live"
19. Katie Rich -- Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series, "Saturday Night Live"
20. Tim Robinson -- Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series, "Saturday Night Live"
21. Mikey Day -- Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series, "Saturday Night Live"
22. Tina Fey -- Best Guest Actress in a Comedy Series, "Saturday Night Live"
23. Amy Poehler -- Best Guest Actress in a Comedy Series, "Saturday Night Live"
24. Melissa McCarthy -- Best Guest Actress in a Comedy Series, "Saturday Night Live"

What still excites me about improv after all these years? I get this question a lot. And the answer may surprise you. It is the teaching. I love teaching. I love teaching improv even more than doing shows or the podcast Improv Nerd.

And this will blow your mind coming from Mr. Self-Hatred and Self-Loather himself, I am great at it. In fact, I am a terrific improv teacher and I keep getting better. I have put more time and energy into becoming a better improv teacher than becoming a better performer, which is how I have become so incredible at it. (Now even I am getting uncomfortable). I think the fact that I can admit that I think I’m good at it is quite an accomplishment. Let's move on.

There are so many things I love about teaching improv, but one of the biggest ones is being able to create a sense of community for people. I love taking a group of strangers — it doesn’t matter if it’s a three-hour, one-day workshop in Omaha or a six-week class in Chicago — and creating a place where students feel safe taking risks, being vulnerable and making lots of mistakes. At the end, the students will say they feel "bonded" or "really close to one another." That is community. And that is the thing that brings me so much pride and joy as an improv teacher.

I cannot think of a better gift to give people than a sense of belonging. You cannot have group mind without it. You cannot build trust without it. Support does not exist without it. Having a sense of community is what attracted me to this crazy art form in the first place as lost teenager more than 30 years ago, and it’s why it’s so hard to leave. Community is the number one reason improvisers do improv in the first place and they are not even aware of it. Why else would you choose an art form that relies on other people?

The biggest compliment you can give me besides “You are the best improv teacher” is to tell me that you made friends in my classes and workshops and you stay in touch with them.

In the years since I started doing improv, I have seen it grow up from being a local thing that was unique to Chicago to a global thing that’s done across the world. But despite how widespread improv has become, the thing that’s as still true today as it was when I started out is that everyone is striving for that sense of acceptance and that feeling of belonging.

I know as read this, you might have been kicked off a Harold team or never made one or auditioned for shows and never got cast and you feel that you never became part of the community that you wanted. But the beautiful thing about the size of improv today is that people are creating their own communities. Smaller sub-communities. Musical improv is its own community, and inside that community are even more sub-communities.

Nothing makes me more proud than when my students create their own shows or start their own groups or find a theater that they call home. And I can’t think of anything better than if they start coaching and teaching and take what they have learned from me to bring even more people that sense of community around the world.

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TJ Miller, a hilarious stand-up and star of HBO's Silicon Valley, sits down with Jimmy at The Annoyance Theater in Chicago to talk about why physicality is important in comedy, how he developed his great work ethic and his unique approach to acting and auditioning.

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Bob Dassie is a legendary improviser and teacher. He performs with his wife, Stephanie Weir, in Weirdass, and has also been improvising with the group Dasariski for 17 years. We talk to him about his incredible work ethic, he philosophy on getting better and making the positive choice in a scene.