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For this special compilation episode we have put together some of our favorite moments from our guests talking about a red hot topic -- diversity in comedy. Listen to Key & Peele, Chris Redd, Puntam Patel, Ali Farahnakian, and Edgar Blackmon talk about how they discuss race in comedy, avoiding stereotypes and more.

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The Defiant Thomas Brothers (Paul Thomas and Seth Thomas) is a brilliant two-person sketch group out of Chicago. After splitting up 9 years ago, they have gotten back together and now have an open run at The Second City Training Center. Jimmy sat down with The Defiant Thomas Brothers at this year's Chicago's Skectchfest and […]

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Mick Napier is the founder and artistic director of the acclaimed Annoyance Theater in Chicago, an artistic consultant at Second City and the author of the new book, Behind The Scenes: Improvising Long Form. Jimmy sat down with him to talk about some of the concepts in the book such as giving yourself permission to be […]

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Shana Merlin is the owner and founder of Merlin Works in Austin, TX. Shana is a well-respected improviser and teacher with quite a following. In this lively episode recorded at the Institution Theater in Austin, Jimmy talks to Shana about starting to teach improv when she was only 22, her take on making mistakes in improv, […]

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Asaf Ronen is the educational director at The Institution Theater in Austin, TX, and author of "Directing Improv." Asaf has been involved in improv since 1990 and has improvised and taught all over the world. In this episode, which was recorded at The Institution Theater, Jimmy talks to Asaf about growing up as a latch-key kid, why he […]

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Geoffrey Baer is a popular host, producer and writer at Chicago’s public television station, WTTW. In this interview, Jimmy talks to Geoffrey Baer about his theater background, teaching improvisation at the Players Workshop of the Second City, and his grandmother’s prediction for his career.

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Matt Higbee is well-respected teacher and improviser at iO-Chicago with a huge following. He talks to Jimmy about the hard part of being on the Harold Commission, which decides which teams get to play and which teams are broken up; being bounced around and cut from teams when he started out; and why it’s important […]

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Join Jimmy and his trusted staff — producer Dan Schiffmacher, director Sam Bowers and head of the interns Lauren Carrane — as they sit down to discuss their favorite episodes of Improv Nerd from 2015.

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Adam McKay is a writer and director of such comedies as Anchorman, Taladega Nights, Step Brothers and more. He has just released his latest film, The Big Short. Jimmy sat down and talked to him about improvising in Chicago back in the ’90s, what he learned from being head writer on SNL, and how improvises […]

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Colt Cabana is an internationally known professional wrestler and host of the super popular podcast The Art of Wrestling. Jimmy talks to Colt Cabana about his improv and comedy background, the comparison between wrestling and improv, and the importance of promoting yourself.