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Scott Adsit played Pete on NBC's 30 Rock for seven seasons and is an alumni of The Second City, where he was part of the ground-breaking show "Pinata Full of Bees." In this episode, which celebrated Improv Nerd's 5-year anniversary and was recorded at The Chicago Podcast Festival, Scott talks about meeting Paul McCartney, why […]

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Jane Lynch is best known as Sue Sylvester on Glee and for her work with Christopher Guest in Best in Show and A Mighty Wind. She got her start in comedy at The Annoyance Theater and Second City. Jimmy sits down with her to talk about how she started out in Chicago in the '90s, […]

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Ryan Archibald is an improviser, teacher and director. He has performed with The Second City touring company and on a resident stage in Las Vegas. He is a member of 3033 and was part of the group People of Earth at iO Chicago. Jimmy talks to him about the three things he likes to start […]

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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 […]

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Jon Glaser is a writer, actor and producer whose new show, Jon Loves Gear, premiers on TruTV on Oct. 26. He has written for Conan and Inside Amy Schummer and has acted in Trainwreck, Girls, and Parks and Recreation. Jimmy talks to him about starting out in improv in the '90s, his approach to comedy […]

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Laura Kraft is a comedic writer and actress, an iO Chicago and Second City alum and former staff writer for the Colbert Report. Jimmy talks to her about how improv helps her write for television, how she seems to find herself in the right place at the right time, and lessons she's learned from her […]

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Abby McEnany was recently voted Improviser of The Year at iO Chicago, where she improvises regularly with Virgin Daiquiri. She is also a member of Sirens, performs with The Improv All-Stars at Second City and is known for her one-person shows. Abby talks to Jimmy about how a private person can do a revealing one-person […]

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Rashida Olayiwola is a Chicago native who has performed at iO Chicago, The Annoyance and Second City. She was also the recipient of the NBC Universal Bob Curry Fellowship at Second City, and she recently left for LA to be part of the CBS Diversity Showcase and workshop. Jimmy talks to her about how she […]

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Micah Philbrook is one of Chicago's most thoughtful and innovative improvisers and teachers.  He teaches at The Second City Training Center, he's a founder of pH Productions, and he performs in the Tim and Micah Project.  Jimmy sat down to talk to him about joining a cult-like improv group when he first moved to Chicago, the importance […]

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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 […]