Comedy Masterclass

That's a wrap! What happens next?

Hey everybody, Danielle here. 
I'm at challenge complete for creating 52 episodes of Comedy Masterclass. 
What happens next?
As always, you're welcome to contact me here:
https://comedymasterclass.com
https://twitter.com/daniellekrage
https://www.instagram.com/dekrage

Becky Holmes (Author of Keanu Reeves is Not in Love With You)

Danielle Krage interviews Becky Holmes, author of 'Keanu Reeves is Not in Love with You'. Becky is also the creator of and voice behind the massively popular Twitter/X account @deathtospinach. Here she shares insights into how and why she uses humour to expose online fraudsters. Plus, what has helped her publish and promote her book.
 
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Background
02:19 The Concept and Execution of 'Keanu Reeves is not in love with you'
06:08 Bringing Silly to the Nastiness
08:01 The Power of Humour in Diffusing Difficult Topics
10:16 The Widespread Impact of Online Fraud
12:43 The Publication Process: Lengthy and Challenging
15:15 Finding an Agent: Networking and Building Relationships
23:22 Using Humour to Handle Criticism
26:44 Tips for Confident Public Speaking
34:44 The Benefits of a PR Background
39:18 Future Plans as a Writer
 
You can find out more about Becky Holmes’ work here:
Becky’s book (wherever you buy your books) – Keanu Reeves is Not in Love With You:  The Murky World of Online Romance Fraud
https://x.com/deathtospinach
https://www.instagram.com/deathtospinach
 
You can find the transcript at:
https://comedymasterclass.com
 
And Danielle’s socials here:
https://twitter.com/daniellekrage
https://www.instagram.com/dekrage

Heidi Vanderlee (A guide to PR for comedy creators)

Danielle Krage interviews Heidi Vanderlee, founder of Positive Jam – a public relations firm specialising in comedy, podcasting, film, live entertainment, and social justice. Heidi has worked in entertainment and PR for more than a decade; in this conversation, she shares insights that will benefit comedy writers and creators.
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction to Heidi Van Der Lee and Positive Jam
03:00 The Importance of Relationship Building in PR
06:08 Common Mistakes in PR
08:53 Timelines and Planning Ahead in PR
12:50 Positive Jam's Focus on Traditional Media
15:23 Including PR in the Creation Process
20:09 The Changing Media Landscape
22:31 Positive Developments in the Media Industry
25:26 Authenticity and Ideals in Creative Work
30:20 Catching Attention and the No Press is Bad Press Concept
33:44 Balancing Attention-Grabbing and Authenticity
35:35 Trusting Your PR Professional
You can find out more about Heidi and Positive Jam here:
www.positivejampr.com
https://x.com/positivejampr
https://www.instagram.com/positivejampr
 
You can find the transcript at:
https://comedymasterclass.com
 
And Danielle’s socials here:
https://twitter.com/daniellekrage
https://www.instagram.com/dekrage

Kate Willett (Combining comedy and personal politics)

Danielle Krage interviews Kate Willett. Kate is a comedian, actress and writer who has appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and Netflix’s Comedy Lineup. 
Kate has also toured with Margaret Cho, featured with comedians like Maria Bamford, and has written jokes for Beavis and Butthead.
In this conversation, Kate shares insights from making her recent comedy special, Loopholes, and her Audible Original, Dirtbag Anthropology.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Background
01:19 Dirtbag Anthropology: Exploring Positive Masculinity
05:03 Balancing Personal and Comedic Truths
06:19 Feminism and Personal Politics in Comedy
08:14 The Evolving Definition of Feminism
10:59 The Process of Creating an Audible Original
13:47 Filming a Comedy Special
15:14 Writing and Developing Material
19:04 Observations from Touring with Renowned Comedians
20:21 Dealing with Online Pushback
22:14 Recommendations for Comedy to Watch
23:10 Writing Jokes for Beavis and Butthead
25:06 Being Brave in Expressing Political Stances
26:33 Adapting to the Changing Comedy Industry
27:53 Future Projects: Another Book, One-Person Show, and New Podcast
28:23 Prompt for Listeners
29:39 Where to find out more about Kate’s work
https://www.katewillett.com
https://www.instagram.com/kate.willett
 
You can find the transcript at:
https://comedymasterclass.com
 
And Danielle’s socials here:
https://twitter.com/daniellekrage
https://www.instagram.com/dekrage

52 episodes of Comedy Masterclass (Behind the scenes and what I've learned)

In this episode, Danielle celebrates completing 52 episodes of Comedy Masterclass and is joined by her husband, Jeremiah, as a surprise guest host. They discuss the motivation behind creating the podcast and Danielle’s own thoughts and approaches to comedy.
Note from Danielle: There are 3 more fabulous guests in this season, so listen out. :)
Chapters:
00:00 The Motivation Behind Comedy Masterclass
06:10 Exploring Different Comedy Styles and Formats
09:06 The Influence of Media Consumption on Comedy
11:36 Applying Comedy Techniques to Writing
23:55 Using Comedy to Address the Darkness in Life
26:22 Challenging Gender Roles in Comedy with Female Protagonists
32:59 Overcoming Challenges in the Publishing Industry with Drive and Passion
37:44 Expanding Creativity Through Learning from Different Comedy Forms
 
You can find the transcript at:
https://comedymasterclass.com
And Danielle website here:  https://daniellekrage.com
Danielle’s Stash: https://daniellekrage.com/stash
https://twitter.com/daniellekrage
https://www.instagram.com/dekrage
 
You can find Jeremiah here: https://jeremiahkrage.com
 
Episodes mentioned:
Chris Head: https://comedymasterclass.com/podcast/2-chris-head-comedy-tools-and-frameworks/
Stuart Laws: https://comedymasterclass.com/podcast/7-stuart-laws-surreality-satire-and-stand-up/
John Truby: https://comedymasterclass.com/podcast/14-john-truby-story-code-and-beats/
Andrew Kaufman: https://comedymasterclass.com/podcast/13-andrew-kaufman-allegory-and-absurdity/
Zanandi Botes: https://comedymasterclass.com/podcast/30-zanandi-botes-comedy-horror-for-halloween/
Ray Bradbury: https://comedymasterclass.com/podcast/44-writing-advice-from-my-favourite-ghost-ray-bradbury/

Kay Stonham (Creating and sustaining a career as a comedy writer )

Danielle Krage interviews Kay Stonham. Kay is a comedy writer-performer who has worked extensively across TV, film, theatre and radio. For example, she has written 10 original series for Radio 4, including Robin and Wendy’s Wet Weekend, and Bad Salsa.
She’s also the Co-Founder of Female Pilot Club , which was founded to amplify women’s voices and give women writers the chance to prove their jokes and characters in the room – as seen in their sold-out read-throughs of comedy pilot scripts to audiences of writers, producers and comedy lovers.
In this conversation, Kay shares really practical insights and advice for writers wanting to create and sustain a career in writing comedy.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Background
02:25 Selecting Scripts for Live Performances
04:45 Developing Scripts for Showcases
07:09 Pitfalls in Script Submissions
09:58 Script Consultancy and Considerations
16:21 Misconceptions about the Production Process
24:54 Sustaining a Creative Career
29:29 PhD Research on Comedy Writing and Identity
39:55 Upcoming Projects and Female Pilot Club
 
You can find out more about Kay Stonham and her work here:
Kay’s website: https://kaystonham.com
Kay’s agent: https://mmbcreative.com/clients/kay-stonham/
Kay’s Audible Series: https://www.audible.co.uk/search?searchAuthor=Kay+Stonham
Female Pilot Club: https://www.femalepilotclub.co.uk/
Female Pilot Club Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/female-pilot-club/id1598357325
The previous episode with Chelsea and Emily from Female Pilot Club is here:  https://youtu.be/sFXuYQN2cPw
Previous guest, Lucy Lumsden (Yellow Door Productions) was a judge and sponsor of the live showcase we referenced (along with sponsors Imagine Talent). You can find Lucy’s episode here: https://youtu.be/axiGW8iqMkc
You can find the transcript at:
https://comedymasterclass.com
And Danielle’s socials here:
https://twitter.com/daniellekrage
https://www.instagram.com/dekrage

Alana Schramm (Unlocking Creativity and Motivation for Writers)

Danielle Krage interviews Alana Schramm. Alana is a coach who works with the subconscious, the nervous system and emotions, in a way that is really practical, playful, and relevant to creativity. This conversation is a frank and fun dive into what blocks us and what motivates us effectively.
 
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Alana Schramm and her work
01:27 Negative emotions and creativity
06:20 Embracing imperfection in writing
10:57 Changing the relationship with yourself for creative flow
13:38 Transitioning from high-energy activities to writing
26:23 The Importance of Making Space and Tending to Our Capacity
27:35 Embracing the Present and Enjoying Life
30:08 Exploring the Power of the Subconscious Mind
32:16 Using Emotions as a Portal to the Subconscious
38:07 The Role of Self-Compassion in the Creative Process
43:24 Celebrating Ourselves: The Key to Motivation and Growth
47:00 Conclusion and Where to Find More Information
 
You can find Alana here:
https://www.alanaschramm.com
https://www.instagram.com/alana.schramm
 
You can find the transcript at:
https://comedymasterclass.com
 
And Danielle’s socials here:
https://twitter.com/daniellekrage
https://www.instagram.com/dekrage

Professor Neil Martin (The Psychology of Comedy)

Danielle Krage interviews Neil Martin, Honorary Professor of Psychology at Regent's University London. Neil is the author of The Psychology of Comedy, and in this conversation he introduces and dissects some of the key research and theories in the field of laughter, humour and comedy.
 
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Neil's Background in Comedy
03:24 The Neglect of Comedy in Psychological Research
06:44 Gallows Humour as a Coping Mechanism
08:31 Exploring the Humour Styles Questionnaire
23:11 The Timelessness of Comedy
24:27 The Influence of Laughter on Enjoyment
28:18 Humour in Learning
29:16 Sex Differences in Comedy
34:36 Comedy and Mental Well-being
41:18 Exploring Different Mediums of Comedy
44:01 The Influence of Sensory Experiences on Comedy
 
You can find Neil (including his contact email) here:
https://twitter.com/ThatNeilMartin
Neil's Deadpan piece: https://www.the-fence.com/well-theyre-not-laughing-now
 
You can find the transcript at:
https://comedymasterclass.com
 
And Danielle’s socials here:
https://twitter.com/daniellekrage
https://www.instagram.com/dekrage

Lana Schwartz (Build Your Own Romantic Comedy)

Danielle Krage interviews writer Lana Schwartz, whose interactive book ‘Build Your Own Romantic Comedy: Pick Your Plot, Meet Your Man and Direct Your Happily Ever After’ was named one of Vulture’s Best Comedy Books of the Year.
Lana has also written for The New Yorker, and is a contributor to The Onion. In this interview she shares her obsession for romcoms and the craft of comedy.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Background
08:57 Favourite romcoms. Beats and tropes.
23:37 Building a Career in Comedy Writing
33:28 Crafting Humour: Specificity, Heightening, and Economy of Words
37:51 Upcoming Romcom Book and where to find Lana
 
You can find Lana Schwartz here:
https://www.instagram.com/characteractresslanaschwartz
https://twitter.com/_lanabelle
https://www.lanalikebanana.com
https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Build-Your-Own-Romantic-Comedy/Lana-Schwartz/Gifts-for-Movie-TV-Lovers/9781646040056
 
You can find the transcript at:
https://comedymasterclass.com
 
And Danielle’s socials here:
https://twitter.com/daniellekrage
https://www.instagram.com/dekrage

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