Messed-Up To Set-Ups - A MichaelHalcomb.Live Podcast - Podcasts

26:37

How To Fix A Joke WITHOUT Changing The Words

Messed-Up To Set-Ups - A MichaelHalcomb.Live Podcast ·

2026/09/28

Hello, Friend! In this solo episode of the “Messed-Up to Set-Ups” podcast, I’m digging into the concept of “timing” or, more specifically, “comedic timing.” I talk about why a joke that isn’t landing may just need a different pause, rather than a rewrite. Using a scholarly study, I’ll look at how rhythm, audience expectations, surprise, and timing shape the way people respond to a punchline. Connected to this, I’ll also share practical ways to experiment with pause length and delivery, so you can

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34:46

How To Turn Your Name Into A Full Bit

Messed-Up To Set-Ups - A MichaelHalcomb.Live Podcast ·

2026/09/26

Hello, Friend! In Episode 151 of Messed-Up to Set-Ups, I’m back in the lab with comedian and producer Chris Tester. This time, we’re seeing how much comedy we can squeeze out of something as ordinary as a person’s name. We workshop name jokes, experiment with different angles, and explore how a single idea can grow into an entire stand-up routine. Along the way, we talk about internet troubles, crowd work, a strange church interaction, and the ridiculous things that happen when ordinary

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35:09

How To Make A Good Joke Even Better

Messed-Up To Set-Ups - A MichaelHalcomb.Live Podcast ·

2026/09/22

Hello, Friend! I’ve made it to Episode 150 of the “Messed-Up to Set-Ups” podcast. How cool is that?!?! In this episode, I sit down with comedian Chris Tester for a hilarious and surprisingly practical conversation about turning everyday frustrations into stand-up material, surviving bombing, connecting with an audience, and finding momentum when your comedy feels stuck. We talk about audience interaction and get into the creative process behind building a stronger comedy set without losing what

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31:46

How to Turn a Good Premise Into a Better Joke

Messed-Up To Set-Ups - A MichaelHalcomb.Live Podcast ·

2026/09/11

Hello, Friend! In Episode 149 of Messed-Up to Set-Ups, I’m back in the lab with comedian Casey Peruski. In Part 2 of our chat, we do a live joke-workshopping session. Casey brings in premises about his daughter’s punishment for perfect attendance, his son being asked to provide proof that he was sick, the unexpected costs of high school basketball, and the impossible challenge of disciplining a millionaire college athlete. We look for stronger angles, sharper tags, surprising comparisons, and

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27:50

What Comedians Need To Get Booked Besides Being Funny

Messed-Up To Set-Ups - A MichaelHalcomb.Live Podcast ·

2026/09/07

Hello, Friend! In Episode 148 of Messed-Up to Set-Ups, I’m in the lab with Florida-based comedian, producer, and Dry Bar Comedy performer Casey Peruski. Casey talks about how he went from a first terrifying open mic to producing comedy shows at the Sunrise Theatre for fifteen years, working with major comedians, and building a comedy career while raising a family. We talk about the lessons he’s learned as a comedian and booker, including what producers look for, and why being funny is only part of

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25:20

Is Being Messed-Up Our Advantage Over A.I.?

Messed-Up To Set-Ups - A MichaelHalcomb.Live Podcast ·

2026/09/05

Hello, Friend! In Episode 146 of Messed-Up to Set-Ups, I’m back in the lab with comedian and humor researcher Von Sprecken. We dive back into the psychology of comedy, mental health, confidence, failure, and what it really takes to survive and succeed onstage. We also talk about the dark side of comedy, the strange role of delusion in creative work, how pre-show nerves can become a superpower, why every comedian needs reliable pivots and saves, and how cognitive reframing can help us handle setbacks

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33:53

The Hidden Psychology of Jokes

Messed-Up To Set-Ups - A MichaelHalcomb.Live Podcast ·

2026/08/31

Why does a joke actually work? That’s a much more complicated question than it initially appears. I recently sat down with comedian and humor researcher Von Sprecken, and what began as a conversation about stand-up quickly became an exploration of psychology, memory, emotion, trauma, cognitive reframing, and what happens when an audience encounters a punchline. It’s exactly the kind of conversation I love because it moves beyond simply asking whether something is funny and starts asking what’s

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51:01

Unshakable Commitment

Messed-Up To Set-Ups - A MichaelHalcomb.Live Podcast ·

2026/08/26

Hello, Friend! In this episode of The Wide Net Podcast, we talk about superpowers that would actually be terrible in real life, laugh through some of the wildest Key and Peele-style college football names you’ve ever heard, and dig into the real difference between watching church online and actually being in church. We also share honest stories about family life, teaching, distraction, and the kind of everyday moments that remind us how much we all need grace. Then we close with a powerful devotion

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34:34

How Far Can You Push a Joke?

Messed-Up To Set-Ups - A MichaelHalcomb.Live Podcast ·

2026/08/24

Hello, Friend! In this episode of Messed-Up to Set-Ups, I’m back with Brad Brauser for a live joke-writing session that gets deep into therapy bits, self-trolling, and the weird little voice in your head that can turn a rough day into a laugh. We also dig into a hilariously overinflated Arby’s bit that keeps spiraling into catering chaos, billboard-sized disappointment, false hope, and one of the funniest fast-food takedowns you’ll hear today. If you love comedy that’s honest, smart, clean, and

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32:02

Tips For Producing Shows In A Small Market

Messed-Up To Set-Ups - A MichaelHalcomb.Live Podcast ·

2026/08/21

Hello, Friend! In this episode of Messed-Up to Set-Ups, I’m get to hang out with comedian Brad Brauser. This is a super fun, honest, and practical conversation about comedy, joke writing, and the little messes that turn into real laughs. We talk about how Brad got started, why he keeps a daily writing habit, how self-deprecating humor can become a powerful tool, and what it’s like building momentum as both a performer and producer in a smaller market. If you love clean comedy, smart banter, and

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26:35

Emotional Hangovers After A Bad Set

Messed-Up To Set-Ups - A MichaelHalcomb.Live Podcast ·

2026/08/18

Hello, Friend! In this episode of Messed-Up to Set-Ups, I’m joined again by Shannon Sullivan, and we get into some of the most practical and eye-opening conversations I’ve had lately about comedy, mindset, and momentum. Shannon brings her perspective as a nurse and holistic nurse coach to a discussion about why comedians think the way they do, how to handle the emotional hangover after a bad set, and why so much of growth comes down to learning how to stop making every moment mean something bigger

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23:39

What Bombing Does to a Comedian's Brain

Messed-Up To Set-Ups - A MichaelHalcomb.Live Podcast ·

2026/08/14

Hello, Friend! In this episode of Messed-Up to Set-Ups, I’m joined by Shannon Sullivan, a nurse and holistic nurse coach. So, why would I have a nurse on my comedy podcast? Well, she’s an aspiring comedian but, even more than that, she’s interested in the psychology of comedy. So, right from the start we get into the overlap between comedy, mindset, and how comedians can stay grounded when life gets messy. We talk about Shannon’s background, how she moved from traditional nursing into a more

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24:44

Tips For Finishing Jokes That Feel Stuck

Messed-Up To Set-Ups - A MichaelHalcomb.Live Podcast ·

2026/08/10

Hello, Friend! In this episode of Messed-Up to Set-Ups, Bassil Kamas is back in the lab! This time, we dig into something every joke writer eventually deals with: What do we do when we know there’s something funny in a premise but we just can’t seem to finish the joke? We work through several of Bassil’s bits in real time, including one about a school fire in Lodi and a wildly dark suicide-hotline premise. Along the way, we explore the gap between expectation and reality, exaggeration, escalation,

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23:10

The Value of Producing & Performing

Messed-Up To Set-Ups - A MichaelHalcomb.Live Podcast ·

2026/08/08

Hello, Friend! In this episode of Messed-Up to Set-Ups, I chat with comedian Bassil Kamas about the value of getting in on both sides of a comedy show: Performing and Producing. We get into what comedians can learn from creating opportunities instead of only waiting for them, how producing changes the way we understand audiences and other performers, and why both experiences can make us better comedians. Along the way, we also get into his journey from Iraq to California, explore why the gap between

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28:36

Deep Joke Surgery with 2 Comedians

Messed-Up To Set-Ups - A MichaelHalcomb.Live Podcast ·

2026/08/03

In this episode 139 of Messed-Up to Set-Ups, Paula Jane Newman is back in the lab with me for Part 3 of our chat. In this one, we pull back the curtain once again on the joke writing process. We take rough jokes and premises apart, test punchlines, tighten wording, debate tags, and slowly shape ideas into jokes that might actually work or, at the least, work better. If you've ever wanted to see how comedians think through a joke or a bit instead of just performing the finished version, this episode

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21:56

Fixing Jokes That Kinda Work

Messed-Up To Set-Ups - A MichaelHalcomb.Live Podcast ·

2026/07/31

Hello, Friend! In Episode 138 of Messed-Up to Set-Ups, I’m back with Paula Jane Newman for Part 2 of our conversation, and this one is all about shaping jokes in real time, finding the funny in British-to-American misunderstandings, and turning awkward ideas into stronger punchlines. We workshop everything from Bridgerton and Ted Lasso to auctions, accents, body image, and cultural power dynamics. And somehow…somehow it all keeps circling back to comedy that feels honest and clever and deeply human

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34:36

Pain, Healing, & Stand-Up Comedy

Messed-Up To Set-Ups - A MichaelHalcomb.Live Podcast ·

2026/07/27

Hello, Friend! Welcome to Episode 137 of Messed-Up to Set-Ups! In this first part of three (something that’s never happened on the podcast before!), I kick off my conversation with the absolutely hilarious Paula Jane Newman. We start by diving into her comedy origin story which is pretty fascinating. We get into her journey from England to the United States and discuss the unlikely path that led her into stand-up, acting, and wellness-focused humor. Along the way, Paula opens up about the pain,

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33:51

Comedians Workshopping Jokes Live

Messed-Up To Set-Ups - A MichaelHalcomb.Live Podcast ·

2026/07/24

Hello, Friend! In this episode of Messed-Up to Set-Ups, I sit down again with comedian Chris Crawford for a hilarious live joke-workshopping session. In this one, we build, punch up, and reshape ideas in real time. We get into names, wordplay, farts, potlucks, and a nice little bit that keeps getting sharper as we go. If you love clean comedy, joke construction, and seeing how a premise goes from rough idea to something actually usable, this one is packed with laughs and practical takeaways

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24:09

Finding Your Voice & Building Your Brand

Messed-Up To Set-Ups - A MichaelHalcomb.Live Podcast ·

2026/07/20

Hello, Friend! In this episode of Messed-Up to Set-Ups, I sit down with Texas-based comedian, Chris Crawford, for a funny, thoughtful conversation about clean comedy, finding your voice, and building momentum without compromising who you are. We talk about his military background, how he accidentally got pulled into stand-up, why he chose to go fully clean, and what it takes to build a comedy career in the right rooms with the right people. Tune in!Along the same lines, let me just say that, if

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38:38

Behind The Scenes - 2 Comedians Writing Jokes

Messed-Up To Set-Ups - A MichaelHalcomb.Live Podcast ·

2026/07/14

Hello, Friend! In this episode of Messed-Up To Set-Ups, comedian Demoine Kinney is back in the lab. This episode feels like something of a masterclass in blending stand-up comedy with real-life grit. We workshop some jokes about Demoine running for office and going up against a local cheesecake lady and the strangest funeral services you’ve ever heard of (he owns a funeral home business). From battling self-doubt to working new content, Demoine, who’s also the only comedian I know that brings a

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Messed-Up To Set-Ups - A MichaelHalcomb.Live Podcast

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