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PODCAST

The Funny Muscle Podcast

Mike Lukas and Chris Stiffler

Guided by the belief that anyone can learn to become funnier once they understand what to practice, the Funny Muscle Podcast aims to break down how pro comics get their best laughs. Comedian turned author Mike Lukas and cohost Chris Stiffler, an economics professor and open mic-er, use the game plan and concepts outlined in the Funny Muscle Book series to give listeners a better idea of how original (and funny) jokes are crafted.

comedy stand-up

All Episodes

01:18:40

Chatting with the Bad Boy of Comedy: Tom Clark

The Funny Muscle Podcast ·

2024/06/13

The Bad Boy (ironic) of Comedy from Wisconsin Tom Clark joins the Funny Muscle Podcast to talk about what’s it like to do a set on Conan, the tips of doing clean comedy (especially in Utah), how he added vulnerability to his comedy persona, and some advice he learned from doing New Faces in the Montreal Comedy Festival. Tom has appeared on Conan, Netflix, Comedy Central, HBO, NBC, ABC, FOX, and CBS. He starred in two comedy specials in the same year, "Outraged" on Amazon Prime & "I'm a Rescue"

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43:48

What a Weak Premise Lacks

The Funny Muscle Podcast ·

2024/06/08

A comedian starts a joke by making an interesting assertion. The audience wonders, “How will they ever prove that to us with their unique take?" Mike and Chris talk about the tactics to make that happen as they break down some pro comic bits and teach how to write jokes with "premise intrigue." Like play-by-play sports analysts, they also freeze frame and diagram comic material (Louis C.K, Bill Burr, Tom Papa) by pointing out the humor blueprint elements and heightening devices those pros used to

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57:25

In the Writers Room at Key and Peele: Chatting with...

The Funny Muscle Podcast ·

2024/05/31

I spill my drink, and my friend says, “Ya done messed up Ay-Ay-Ron!” My friend is quoting the viral Key and Peele sketch: The Substitute Teacher. In this episode of the Funny Muscle Podcast, we got to chat with the writer who came up with that sketch: Rich Talarico. He’s a Peabody Award-winning writer/producer with four Emmy and four WGA Award nominations, as well as an improviser, comedy teacher and stand-up comedian. We get to learn about sketch writing, the importance of writing for a specific

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54:46

How to Get Booked as a New Comedian

The Funny Muscle Podcast ·

2024/05/17

In an effort to show how a comedian's brain instantly "blows up" a situation to notice the funny, Chris and Mike practice some improv drills at the beginning of the episode. This might send you Googling, "What are Tiddleywinks?" Then Mike tells some stories from the beginning of his comedy career to teach the tips and tactics on how a new comedian can get their first booking.

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45:53

Advice from Two Veteran Comedians: Part 2 with Adam...

The Funny Muscle Podcast ·

2024/05/09

In part 2 of the conversation with Adam Bloom (@adambloomcomedy) we get deeper into the pedagogical side of comedy and go deeper into Adam’s book: Finding Your Comic Genius: An in-depth guide to the art of stand-up comedy.” Mike (@mlukas1111) and Chris (@econ_comic) also learn about Adam’s thoughts on comedy in the US compared to the UK, how rap and rhythm impacts comedy, and writing exercises new comedians can use to generate more material.

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54:46

Finding Your Comic Genius with Adam Bloom

The Funny Muscle Podcast ·

2024/05/06

Mike (@mlukas1111) and Chris (@econ_comic) chat with British comedian, writer, and author of “Finding Your Comic Genius: An in-depth guide to the art of stand-up comedy” Adam Bloom. In part 1 of the conversation with Adam (@adambloomcomedy), we chat about the self-publishing process, Adam’s first gig, and how his comedy persona has evolved since that first gig. We also hear about Adam’s process on generating new material and adding “toppers.” In the same way a veteran comic’s brain works out new

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39:27

"Buff your head for a nickel!" Dealing with Hecklers

The Funny Muscle Podcast ·

2024/04/30

“Buff your head for a nickel!” might not be a heckle you’re likely to get, but it is for Mike Lukas. And he knows how to handle it masterfully. We hear all about that funny anecdote in this episode of the Funny Muscle Podcast. Mike (@mlukas1111) arms Chris’s comedy tool belt with tools and tactics to deal with hecklers. And the lessons aren’t just for comics. These crowd-shepherding skills work in all types of situations (work presentations, weddings speeches, parole board hearings). If you’re

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58:38

Things I Learned in the First Year of Comedy I Didn't...

The Funny Muscle Podcast ·

2024/04/22

Fact checking comedy is often a fool's errand. (Well sir, I checked, and the phrase "a bushy bushy blonde hairdo, surfin' USA" does not in fact appear in the Declaration of Independence.) But sometimes it's needed. Like now. Chris (@econ_comic) and Mike (@mlukas1111) workshop a premise at the end of the episode about the famous Everest-climbing quote "because it's there," which Mike mistakenly attributed to Davy Crockett. (Kidding). We thought it was Edmund Hillary, when in fact it was George

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48:07

Warming Up a Cold Crowd

The Funny Muscle Podcast ·

2024/04/15

Forty years ago, the emcee of a comedy show would likely have been the most experienced comedian, who didn’t need any help capturing an audience. Today’s model, however, has a newer comic playing that role. So being skilled at warming up a cold crowd is an important skill for a new comic. Mike walks us through some tactics on how to get an audience’s attention before springing jokes on them. The best advice might be to think of warming up a crowd like foreplay.

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42:54

Mistakes a New Comic Makes

The Funny Muscle Podcast ·

2024/04/08

You’ve probably envisioned yourself performing in a crowded room, but what about a completely empty one? We get to hear about one of Mike’s successful auditions that took place in front of no one. He admits he got the gig not because he was the funniest, but because he used some tactics that a new comic often overlooks. We talk about those tactics (mic etiquette, eye contact and respecting your allotted time) as Mike gives us the top mistakes a new comedian makes.

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39:53

10 Things a New Standup Comic Needs to Do

The Funny Muscle Podcast ·

2024/03/31

Does your outfit support your comedic persona? Wait! Have you even developed your unique persona? Do you have a set list? Do your jokes have misdirection? How do open mics even work? How do veteran comics deal with nerves before a performance? Mike (@mlukas1111) and Chris (@econ_comic) answer these questions and more in this episode of the Funny Muscle Podcast while giving learners a top 10 checklist to prepare for their first 5-minute open mic.

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41:28

Heightening Bits with Sound Effects and by...

The Funny Muscle Podcast ·

2024/03/08

What does a golf club sound like being thrown across the course? We learn how Mike (@mlukas1111) made the frustrated golfer come alive with the humor heightening device sound effects. We also introduce "overstating the obvious" (wherein you emphasize the glaringly apparent, obviously) and "made up institutions" while discussing truth in comedy. Chris (@econ_comic) learns how to not turn your audience away by claiming to have done something you hadn't.

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51:40

Anthropomorphize, Contrast, Cut Back To

The Funny Muscle Podcast ·

2024/02/26

Mike (@mlukas1111) and Chris (@econ_comic) talk about 3 more humor heightening devices in this episode: anthropomorphize, contrast, and cut back to. We listen to and learn about Mike’s talking alarm clock while we learn why it’s not enough to give something a voice, you must give it an attitude/opinion as well. We also learn how contrasts work with a bit about asking for the directions in New York vs. the Midwest. And we cut back to Mike’s first kiss.

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46:47

Bait and Switch, Cut Forward To, Funny Specifics...

The Funny Muscle Podcast ·

2024/02/20

In the previous episode Mike threw a bunch of humor heightening devices at Chris’s Plane PDA bit to show how to transform a 20 second joke into a 2-3 minute bit, but they never gave a full explanation of each heightening device. In this episode, Mike (@mlukas1111) and Chris (@econ_comic) take a deep dive into 3 specific heightening devices (bait and switch, cut forward to, and funny specifics) while dissecting a bit by Wanda Sykes and by pointing out the humor devices in the writing of David

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41:51

Humor Heightening Devices in Action

The Funny Muscle Podcast ·

2024/02/08

Mike sees it all the time at open mics: a new comic does a good bit but leaves it under-developed. That 20 second joke could turn into 3 great minutes of material if the open mic-er would learn to use what Mike has dubbed the “humor heightening devices.” In this episode, Chris (@econ_comic) brings a fresh joke idea to Mike (@mlukas1111) who then runs it through the humor heightening devices to produce more and more material. We see techniques like anthropomorphizing, extension, exaggeration,

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52:48

The Humor Blueprint

The Funny Muscle Podcast ·

2024/02/01

Misdirection is at the heart of getting laughs. That’s one piece of advice often overlooked by fledgling comics. In this episode, Mike (@mlukas1111) teaches how comics can use misdirection to their advantage. He does so with a tool/template he’s dubbed the Humor Blueprint. Mike teaches the Humor Blueprint, then Chris (@econ_comic) runs some famous bits through the Blueprint as practice.

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52:42

The Comedy Lens

The Funny Muscle Podcast ·

2024/01/24

Why is understanding your Comedy Lens a critical first step to learning how to do standup comedy? What’s your unique take? What’s your persona? The comedy lens gives you a port hole through which to view the world. This helps in narrowing your focus when writing material. A clear comedy lens also increases the chances that your audience will remember you. The discussion concludes with some take-away homework for the listener by providing 4 questions to answer to get you started developing your

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