Comedy Masterclass

Suchandrika Chakrabarti and Nerine Skinner (Creating Topical Comedy)

Danielle Krage interviews Suchandrika Chakrabarti and Nerine Skinner.
Suchandrika is a stand-up, who runs the monthly night Good News / Bad News in north London and writes for BBC One's Have I Got News For You. She is taking her second solo show Doomscrolling to Edinburgh Fringe this summer.
Nerine is an actress, comedian, improviser and deviser whose parodies of Liz Truss have gone viral. She was a finalist in the Funny Women Awards for Content Creator and reached the semi-finals of Britain’s Got Talent with comedy cabaret trio, The Dots. She’s currently creating her debut show for the Edinburgh Festival.
 
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Background
03:07 The Joint Project: Liz Truss’ The Traitors
06:20 Balancing Structure and Improvisation
09:21 Finding Inspiration in the News
13:42 Character Comedy: Tips and Experiences
19:59 The Joy of Character Comedy
21:01 Collaboration and Selecting Guests for a Comedy Show
24:38 Navigating Boundaries in Topical Comedy
33:22 Preparing for the Edinburgh Festival
36:27 Creating a Supportive and Inclusive Comedy Environment
 
You can find Suchandrika and Nerine here:
Their joint show - Liz Truss’ The Traitors
https://www.acesandeightssaloonbar.com/events/liz-trusss-the-traitors/
 
Suchandrika:
https://twitter.com/SuchandrikaC
https://www.instagram.com/suchandrika
https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/suchandrika-chakrabarti-doomscrolling
 
Nerine:
https://twitter.com/nerineskinner
https://www.instagram.com/nerineskinner
https://www.youtube.com/@nerineskinner
 
You can find the Lynne Parker Funny Women episode here:
https://youtu.be/q4vB86BGCZY
 
You can find the transcript at:
https://comedymasterclass.com
 
And Danielle’s socials here:
https://twitter.com/daniellekrage
https://www.instagram.com/dekrage
 

End of Season 6

Back with you on May 15th. 

John Derevlany: (Super Narrative - Storytelling Across Platforms)

Danielle Krage interviews writer, creator, and brand builder John Derevlany. John is an award-winning writer, animator, and showrunner who has written or produced hundreds of hours of TV (including for the Jim Henson Company and LEGO). John has also been a game designer, street artist, investigative journalist and played Crackers the Corporate Crime Fighting Chicken for Michael Moore’s TV Nation!
In this episode John shares learnings from his creative career, and how he now thinks about Super Narrative – his approach to planning a story across multiple media platforms.
 
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Background
02:05 Founding a Comedy Newspaper
03:09 Using Comedy as a Defense Mechanism
04:12 Transition to TV Comedy
05:40 Working with National Lampoon
07:25 Creating Crackers, the Corporate Crime Fighting Chicken
08:47 The Power of Reaction Shots in Comedy
09:56 Transition to Animation and Children's Shows
10:38 The Concept of Super Narrative
15:08 Understanding Super Narrative
16:00 Differentiating Super Narrative from Transmedia
24:02 The Need for Innovation in Hollywood
24:49 Adapting and Pivoting in Creative Projects
25:15 Navigating Humour and Broad Appeal
26:04 Considerations for International Audiences
26:34 Keeping Content Broad and Timeless
27:02 Challenges with Technological Advancements
27:49 Creating Characters and Expanding Worlds
28:18 Using AI for Idea Generation
28:57 Simplifying Stories and Layering Content
29:25 Creating a Multitude of Characters
29:58 The Challenges of Naming Characters
30:25 The Role of AI in Joke Generation
31:26 Using AI as a Tool for Creativity
32:09 The Increasing Speed of Content Production
33:21 The Importance of Trying New Things
34:19 The Uncertainty of the Entertainment Industry
35:28 Take Risks and Embrace Ignorance
36:36 Being Playful and Creative in All Aspects
37:35 Finding Inspiration in Comedy and Entertainment
38:16 John's Website and Projects
40:01 The Resurrection of 'Squish'
41:21 Dealing with Fan Obsession
 
You can find more about John’s work here:
https://johnderevlany.com/
Videos - https://johnderevlany.com/video-trailers-episodes/
(Including Squish, Legends of Chima, Crackers the Corporate Crime Fighting Chicken, Uke Til U Puke.)
 
The "Give me a job LEGO” animation
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZznS4Y06_Cc
 
The big, outdoor board game:  https://culverland.johnderevlany.com/
You can find the transcript at:
https://comedymasterclass.com
 
And Danielle’s socials here:
https://twitter.com/daniellekrage
https://www.instagram.com/dekrage
 

Ken Pisani (Writing Comic Novels)

Danielle Krage interviews Ken Pisani. Ken is a screenwriter, TV writer and producer, playwright, comic book author, former cartoonist, and novelist. His novel, AMP’D, was a Thurber prize finalist, and in this episode he takes us behind the scenes of creating this comic work.
 
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Background
01:18 The Concept of AMP’D
05:01 Choosing the Novel Format
06:09 Challenges of Writing Prose
07:36 Writing Without an Outline
08:06 Balancing Comedy and Drama
09:00 Reversing Expectations
11:20 Writing Situational and Visual Comedy
12:09 Emotional Impact of the Novel
13:30 Finding the Balance of Comedy and Drama
19:02 Creating Beleaguered Characters
20:08 The Play and Game of Comedy
21:41 Publishing and Marketing Challenges
22:03 The Challenges of Funny Novels
25:02 Dealing with Failure and Persistence
29:01 The Appeal of Muppets
33:20 The Humour in Comic Books
38:18 Recommendations
You can find out more about Ken’s work here:
https://www.kenpisani.com
https://twitter.com/kpsmartypants
You can find the transcript at:
https://comedymasterclass.com
 
And Danielle’s socials here:
https://twitter.com/daniellekrage
https://www.instagram.com/dekrage
https://bsky.app/profile/daniellekrage.bsky.social
 

Caleb Warren (What Makes Things Funny)

Danielle Krage interviews Caleb Warren, Associate Professor of Marketing at the University of Arizona. Caleb researches and writes about what makes things funny, what makes things cool, and what helps people reach their goals. In this conversation, Caleb shares some of his key findings about humour and how it works.
 
 
00:00 Introduction to Consumer Psychology and Humour
01:20 How Caleb Got into the Study of Humour
04:01 Physical Comedy and Empathy
06:00 Psychological Distance and Humour
07:27 The Role of Absurdity in Comedy
08:21 Psychological Distance and Animation
09:08 The Difference Between Comedy and Serious Settings
09:39 The Flawed Theory of Surprise in Humour
10:40 The Relationship Between Surprise and Humour
11:36 The Benign Violation Experiment
13:19 The Difference Between Humour and Coolness
14:18 Coolness as a Positive Deviation from the Norm
15:10 How Coolness and Humour Overlap
16:00 The Importance of Autonomy and Enjoyment in Goal Pursuit
18:27 The Importance of Product in Marketing
19:54 The Role of Humour in Marketing
20:20 The Benefits of Humour in Enjoyment and Happiness
21:46 How Humour Translates and Changes with Distance
22:44 How Sense of Humour Changes with Age
23:46 The Evolution of Humour and Cultural Norms
26:56 Research on Coolness Across Different Cultures
28:57 The Personality Traits of Cool People
30:06 The Role of Effort in Coolness and Status
32:27 The Tension Between Marketing and Coolness
35:23 The Importance of Being Good vs. Being Cool
36:54 Caleb's Band and Songwriting
 
You can find Caleb here:
Research website: https://www.calebwarrenresearch.com/ TedX talks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jxh-ispLUmA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Z7hkfkCEno Band website: https://bandoftownies.com/
 
You can find the transcript at:
https://comedymasterclass.com
 
And Danielle’s socials here:
https://twitter.com/daniellekrage
https://www.instagram.com/dekrage
https://bsky.app/profile/daniellekrage.bsky.social
 

Eric Maisel (Fearless Creating for Comedy Writers)

Danielle Krage interviews Dr Eric Maisel. Eric is the author of more than 50 books - many focused on creativity and the creative life - including Fearless Creating, Deep Writing, The Power of Daily Practice and The Magic of Sleep Thinking. He also writes the ‘Rethinking Mental Health’ blog for Psychology Today and is a regular contributor to Mad in America.
 
In this conversation, Eric shares insights and practical strategies for writers engaged in a creative process, that by its very nature is likely to include anxiety, doubt and uncertainty.
 
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Background
00:55 The Role of Anxiety in the Creative Process
06:19 Using Breathing and Incantations to Center and Ground
07:36 Accessing Flow State in Small Increments of Time
09:58 The Importance of a Morning Writing Practice
11:54 Harnessing the Power of Sleep Thinking
13:50 Embracing Mistakes and the Doubt in the Creative Process
15:17 Existential Intelligence and the Search for Meaning
25:44 Pushing Back Against Authoritarianism and Mental Health Labels
30:38 Overcoming Self-Censorship and Negative Thoughts
35:56 Strategic Goal Setting and Productivity
38:05 Upcoming Books and Projects
 
Links
https://ericmaisel.com
 
You can find the transcript at:
https://comedymasterclass.com
And Danielle’s socials here:
https://twitter.com/daniellekrage
https://www.instagram.com/dekrage
https://bsky.app/profile/daniellekrage.bsky.social
 

Joanna Penn (Writing the Shadow)

Danielle Krage interviews Joanna Penn. Joanna is an award-nominated New York Times and USA Today bestselling author with more than 40 books across multiple genres – non-fiction and fiction (under J.F.Penn). Joanna is also a podcaster, international speaker, and award-winning creative entrepreneur. This conversation dives into Joanna’s recent book, ‘Writing the Shadow: Turn Your Inner Darkness into Words’.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Background
01:38 Understanding the Shadow
05:11 Embracing Your Weirdness
07:52 Pushing Boundaries in Writing
09:26 Exploring Family and Relationships
11:17 The Shadow in Relationships and Writing
15:09 Continuing Journey of Integration
19:24 Percolating the Shadow into Writing
21:27 Exploring the Shadow in Characters
23:26 The Shadow in Professional Lives
26:11 Tackling Fear and Judgment
27:07 Unpublished Work and Building an Author Platform
29:10 Using Email Lists for Fiction
31:49 Showing Elements of Yourself as a Creator
33:51 Examples of Memorable Characters and Their Shadows
38:12 Where to Find More About Joanna's Work
 
You can find Joanna’s work here:
https://www.thecreativepenn.com/the-creative-penn-podcast-for-authors
https://www.youtube.com/@thecreativepenn
https://jfpenn.com
https://www.thecreativepenn.com/writing-the-shadow
 
You can find the transcript at:
https://comedymasterclass.com
 
And Danielle’s socials here:
https://twitter.com/daniellekrage
https://www.instagram.com/dekrage
https://bsky.app/profile/daniellekrage.bsky.social
 

Rosie Wilby (Using humour to unpack challenging questions)

Danielle Krage interviews Rosie Wilby. Rosie is an award-winning comedian and creator of the global hit podcast and book The Breakup Monologues. She is also the author of ‘Is Monogamy Dead?’ and toured a trilogy of solo shows investigating the psychology of love. In this interview, Rosie shares insights for how we can use humour to unpack challenging questions.
 
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Background
01:04 Using Humour to Explore Love and Relationships
04:08 The Structure and Themes of the Book
05:20 Writing Non-Fiction vs Fiction
06:17 The Ethics of Comedy and Vulnerability
07:42 Navigating Comedy Clubs and Diverse Voices
09:15 Balancing Personal Stories and Boundaries
09:50 Writing During the Pandemic and Self-Care
11:20 Exploring Breakups and Identity
12:17 The Challenges of Diverse Voices in Comedy
13:33 Finding Voice on the Page
14:25 Translating Humour to the Page
15:58 Seeking Out Unusual Experiences for Writing
19:27 Crafting Engaging Scenes and Details
20:40 Listening and Observing
21:27 Structural Formats in Writing
22:24 Writing Dialogue
23:14 Writing Non-Fiction vs Fiction
24:06 Writing Challenges
25:12 Exploring Identity and Relationships
26:11 The Discomfort of Comedy
27:09 Writing Endings
28:17 Using Science in Comedy
29:43 Testing and Organizing Work
31:35 Comedy Recommendations
34:47 Where to find Rosie Wilby’s work
 
You can find Rosie Wilby here:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/1472982282
https://breakupmonologues.wordpress.com
https://twitter.com/rosiewilby
https://www.instagram.com/breakupmonologues
https://www.threads.net/@breakupmonologues
https://www.tiktok.com/@rosiewilbyauthor
 
You can find the transcript at:
https://comedymasterclass.com
 
And Danielle’s socials here:
https://twitter.com/daniellekrage
https://www.instagram.com/dekrage
https://bsky.app/profile/daniellekrage.bsky.social

Ruth Leigh (Writing comic characters)

Danielle Krage interviews novelist Ruth Leigh. They focus on her delightful Isabella M Smugge series, and what it takes to create a comic character that you can develop and sustain across multiple books. Ruth is also the author of the Jane Austen-inspired book A Great Deal of Ingenuity, and The Little Book of Unexpected Poetry.
 
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Background
01:57 Origin Story of Isabella M. Smugge
06:48 Creating a Funny and Complex Character
09:45 Developing a Series and Balancing Character Arcs
11:34 Turning Up the Comedy in the Setting
14:06 Using Conflict to Drive the Story
17:30 The Importance of Setting in Comedy
20:23 Writing Process and Balancing Comedy and Heart
25:23 Favourite Comic Influences
29:43 Prompts and Exercises for Writing Comedy
32:19 Building a Writing Community and Getting Feedback
34:38 The Impact of Reader Feedback
35:27 Real People and Names in the Books
36:47 Overcoming Fear of Events
37:31 Starting Small and Building Confidence
38:58 Finding Comfortable Opportunities
39:06 Where to Find More about Ruth Leigh
Links
https://www.ruthleighwrites.co.uk
https://www.instagram.com/ruthleighwrites
https://twitter.com/Ruthleighwrites
https://www.tiktok.com/@ruthleighwrites
 
You can find the transcript at:
https://comedymasterclass.com
 
And Danielle’s socials here:
https://twitter.com/daniellekrage
https://www.instagram.com/dekrage
https://bsky.app/profile/daniellekrage.bsky.social
 

End of Season 5 (Back with you on March 6th)

Hey lovely listeners. That's the end of Season 5. I'll be back on March 6th with more fabulous Comedy Masterclass guests.