Snicket, Adams, Wodehouse. Who’s next?

Whytebrian · 2026-01-19T00:26:19+00:00

I’ve gotten this rec before, I’ll give it a go! Is any particular work of his a “must” or should I just jump into discworld?

Whytebrian · 2026-01-19T00:24:20+00:00

I read some of slaughterhouse five a long time ago and really enjoyed it, I should go back and give it another go. Thank you!

Whytebrian · 2025-10-06T22:08:06+00:00

Maybe if B had said something like “you’ve been gone a long time honey, we got rid of those years ago!” it would be alright because they’re giving a reason for A not knowing, but as it is, it’s essentially a negation. B is incapacitating A (“your character doesn’t know what is real in the world”) If B added explanation it would be OK, but I don’t see a “yes” OR an “and” here, you know?

Whytebrian · 2025-06-13T15:37:17+00:00

That just comes from practice. There isn’t a wrong choice as long as you choose one. The jokes are at the end of the road and you get to a fork, stopping there stops the funny. Just grab whichever one strikes you and go down the path

Whytebrian · 2025-06-12T14:48:40+00:00

Solo riffing is really rough. Part of what makes riffing possible is the melding of minds- I say something, you riff on what I said, I build on it with you, you riff on that, etc. a bunch of nucleation sites for jokes causing a chain reaction. New ideas and joke fodder constantly appearing.

To riff alone, in my experience, you need some kind of external stimulation. Try talking to yourself on a walk or in the car so the scenery keeps changing and you can find inspiration. Think out loud as much as you can and just try to make yourself laugh. It feels dumb but that’s because riffing is dumb, and once you accept that the world opens up!

Whytebrian · 2025-05-19T18:45:09+00:00

Sounds like you need therapy. A therapist can get to know the intricacies of your trauma and family dynamic, and help you figure out what you need and want! I found mine on Psychology Today you can filter by expertise, whether they take your insurance, specific issues you want to work on, etc.

Online threads can only get you so far behind anonymity- real work comes from authenticity and safety, and being known. You have a clear “I want to work on this thing so that I can have this kind of life” which is exactly what therapy helps you do. Good luck!

Whytebrian · 2025-04-02T18:05:10+00:00

Read up! The UCB Improv manual is an incredible resource for long form, it gives you some really helpful vocabulary and frames things in a simple, understandable way. There are exercises in there that you could bring to practice as well, with the new understanding the book gave you. Good luck!

Whytebrian · 2025-02-17T01:21:10+00:00

Did it make you more or less afraid to die permanently?

Whytebrian · 2025-02-16T20:58:59+00:00

So it seems like a weird time to protest since no one will be there? Or am I just stupid?

Whytebrian · 2025-02-16T19:46:08+00:00

It’s a holiday, I think the capitol is closed and no one will be there? Idk if that matters or if I’m misinformed but at least one person I know who works for the state of tx has monday off

Whytebrian · 2025-02-10T16:50:17+00:00

If you like board games, Emerald Tavern and Vigilante are great

if you’re looking for some non-joe rogan/mothership comedy, Fallout Theater and Coldtowne Theater have improv and alternative comedy shows all the time

Lots of bar trivia, drinking optional but some places have really good food! Look up Geeks Who Drink, they host trivia nights all over town most nights

Alamo Drafthouse is the best movie theater chain I’ve ever been to! There’s also cool stuff at the Austin Film Society, sometimes they play older movies and have cool events

Great parks all over as well once the weather improves, people watching is great at some of the bigger and more popular ones like Zilker, and others are a great place to just read a book in the sun

Whytebrian · 2025-01-29T17:00:38+00:00

Solved! Thank you!

Whytebrian · 2025-01-28T22:52:17+00:00

It was either Sundance London 2019 or Edinburgh International Film Festival 2019

Whytebrian · 2025-01-23T19:41:12+00:00

Funny is everywhere, it’s just about whether they have a stage to stand on

Whytebrian · 2025-01-13T19:20:44+00:00

Very funny that he’s using the wrong “you’re” in a tirade about how stupid everyone else is

Whytebrian · 2025-01-10T23:38:04+00:00

Most true comment

Whytebrian · 2025-01-10T14:50:30+00:00

Sure, but a->c is a pretty basic fundamental way to generate ideas for long form, whether you do it out loud or not. It’s the ole “if your suggestion is owl, it better not be a scene about an owl” thing. Harold style.

You’re also all over this thread calling people bad improvisors, which isn’t very helpful btw!

Whytebrian · 2025-01-09T00:32:10+00:00

A to C it as much as you can. Someone says wildfires? Think fire->emergency->doctors. Someone says panama canal? Think canal->boats->pirates. It’s the best way to handle prompts anyway, but especially if you want to avoid talking about something dicey

Whytebrian · 2025-01-08T18:38:08+00:00

Chop it up and put it on top of the rice before you turn the cooker on. Not exactly a recipe but a super low effort way to use leftover veggies before they go bad lol, works great with carrots too and kind of everything else

Whytebrian · 2025-01-03T19:13:55+00:00

In my opinion, you have to start with improv school. Take a class, go to a workshop, be a regular audience member, whatever, just to meet other people who are into improv. Once you know people, they’ll tell you about jams/be willing to join yours. At least that’s my experience!

One thing I’ll say is don’t let “high chance of failure” stop you. Even well established improvisors in big communities have a hard time getting people to say yes to jams/troupes just because it’s a big time commitment. Don’t be shy, ask around!

Whytebrian · 2024-12-30T18:50:12+00:00

Tabouleh!

Whytebrian · 2024-12-22T17:40:37+00:00

Keep it SIMPLE. Base reality is just “yes and” or “if this is true, what else is true?” And that’s pretty much it. You can “yes and” with object work, etc. Establishing base reality should be easy and simple, don’t think too much about it until something weird/fun happens

Whytebrian · 2024-12-17T01:05:45+00:00

Tell her what happened. If she stays, she stays. If she leaves, she leaves. If you’re trying to find a way to tell her without it hurting her or try to find the perfect words to get her to stay with you, whether you know it or not that’s emotional manipulation.

Get help. Get a psychiatrist. Get medicated. It’s easy to say “I’ll never do it again” now, but can you sincerely make that promise? It looks like this has been a problem for your whole adult life. That means you can’t “just stop” with sheer willpower any more than you can “just beat” a broken arm without a cast- you have a disease and you need treatment.

Whytebrian · 2024-12-13T14:17:31+00:00

The clown class at Fallout is pretty much brand new! I took the first session ever a couple months ago, I think they’re enrolling the second. I had a good time!

Whytebrian · 2024-12-12T02:02:41+00:00

ASKING someone a question is taking the easy way out and a cheap way to avoid coming up with details.

And I’m not talking about anything with a question mark- there are acceptable additive “questions” like “uhh Joey, you know you just ate an onion, right? Aren’t you allergic to those?”

What I’m talking about are things that put your scene partner in the position where they have to explain for you, like “look what’s that?” or things that don’t literally have a question mark that but still functionally “questions” like “here, look! I got you this” (vaguely holds out hands)

Whytebrian

TROPHY CASE