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We talked to LA-based stand-up, Jared Kassebaum! Jared tells Jason about starting stand-up in Indianapolis/Purdue and how the Midwest’s close-knit circuit (Louisville, Cincinnati, Columbus, Detroit, Chicago, etc.) helps comics develop with varied audiences and longer sets. Jared contrasts LA/New York show formats with self-produced road runs as the main way to build full hours, discusses how social media and niche audiences have reshaped comedy’s economics, and argues comics increasingly must find their own audience rather than rely on the old “get good and get discovered” model. Jared also shares how cruise work has trained him to play broad rooms, how he's experimenting with utilizing his love of reading and contemplative spirituality for his comedy, and much more! Go to JaredKassebaum.com for more on his work and to be on the lookout for his new book show: That Goes Hard! Instagram: @KassTheBomb, @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrPics  Facebook: ThereItIsPod  Threads: @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrPics Subscribe to our comedy newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/e22defd4dee2/thereitis

Jason reunites with Alchemy Comedy Theater founders Harrison Brookie, Jason Underwood, Meg Schutz, and Ben Burris to celebrate the Greenville, South Carolina theater’s 15-year anniversary and recap the alumni-heavy weekend, including former performers and teams getting in on the fun. They reflect on initial conversations about starting Alchemy, self-coaching dynamics, early plans for a training center and curriculum, and the importance of doing good shows, professionalism, and low overhead - shout out, Coffee Underground. They discuss theater longevity, leadership stability, Greenville’s audience, company growth, and share advice for starting a theater, plus bits and more! AlchemyComedy.com Instagram: @AlchemyComedy, @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrPics  Facebook: @AlchemyComedy, @ThereItIsPod  Threads: @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrPics Subscribe to our comedy newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/e22defd4dee2/thereitis

Writer Una LaMarche joins us to talk about her path from Wesleyan film studies to editing (New York Observer) to freelance humor (McSweeney's, Allure) writing, her creative process, how she uses comic essays to process life, and her reflexive over-apologizing (including saying sorry after being lightly hit by a car). Influenced by Fran Lebowitz and David Sedaris, she published five books in four years, including the essay collection "Unabrow," rooted in her childhood nickname, and how she is developing it for TV after taking a pitching class. She reflects on success, self-promotion discomfort, and how the funniest work often comes from honest, vulnerable, painful experiences. https://www.unalamarche.com Instagram: @UnaLaMarche, @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrPics  Threads: @UnaLaMarche, @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrPics Facebook: @ThereItIsPod  Subscribe to our comedy newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/e22defd4dee2/thereitis

Jason, Rob, and Trey (the “Of the Show” fellas) open with bits and then discuss the HBO series Lanterns, avoiding spoilers for the latest episode while reacting to the season so far. They praise the cast, especially Kyle Chandler as a jaded Hal Jordan and Aaron Pierre as John Stewart, but admittedly nitpick accents, ages, and a few dialogue choices, while acknowledging the show’s strong impact and online attention. The group then makes EMMY predictions across drama and comedy categories and debating contenders like The Pitt, Pluribus, Hacks, Widow’s Bay, and Shrinking, while joking about their usual nonsense. Instagram: @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrPics  Threads: @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrPics Facebook: @ThereItIsPod  Subscribe to our comedy newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/e22defd4dee2/thereitis

Jason shares some quick tips on how to focus on tasks when you're struggling with managing your mental load. Whether various tasks are on your mind or emotional stressors are bogging you down, we have some advice from the Mayo Clinic on how to manage the distractions so you can focus on creating. Instagram: @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrPics  Threads: @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrPics Facebook: @ThereItIsPod  Subscribe to our comedy newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/e22defd4dee2/thereitis

We talk to comedian, Katie Novotny! Jason talks with Katie about her comedy path from Chicago’s Second City and iO to making a web series that led a talent agent to encourage her to try stand-up. Katie describes initially feeling shut out of improv house teams, learning to love stand-up through festivals and road gigs, and how regional “bubbles” affect what material lands. She explains why she released a cohesive 35-minute special rather than stretching to an hour, and discusses authenticity versus algorithm-driven content and tech/data decision-making in entertainment. They close with practical touring advice. It's a fun and informative chat! https://www.katienovotny.com Katie's Special: Son of Your Dreams Instagram: @KatieNovotny, @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrPics  Threads: @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrPics Facebook: @ThereItIsPod  Subscribe to our comedy newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/e22defd4dee2/thereitis

Evan Harris, Dear Friend of the Podcast, is back to talk about spending the last year acting in many short films to build experience and a reel and about what led to stand-up being on the back burner while doing more sketch and character work. She also discusses producing her LA show “Town Hall,” where comics pitch bringing back bygone things, along with the logistical stress of booking, last-minute drops, and production mishaps. They discuss professionalism and being “big-timed,” and talk about LA comedy culture, no-hustle softball, improv at The Pack, and improvised plays with tech cues and about DJs not serving what audiences want. It's a fun chat! Instagram: @Mayor_of_Comedy, @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrPics  Twitter: @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrJokes  Facebook: @ThereItIsPod  Subscribe to our comedy newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/e22defd4dee2/thereitis

The "Of the Show Fellas" are back! Jason, Trey (Brother of the Show), and Rob (Best Friend of the show) talk all that pop about what the best sitcoms of all-time are, share what the final box office take Spider-Man: Brand New Day will have, guess who they think will definitely host SNL this season, and, as usual, make a ton of random references. It's a fun, nerdy chat! Instagram: @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrPics  Threads: @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrPics Facebook: @ThereItIsPod  Subscribe to our comedy newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/e22defd4dee2/thereitis

We talk to author, speaker, and creator, Heather E. Schwartz! Jason talks with Heather, creator of Quiet Girl Comedy, about her journey and how a lifelong shyness and stage fright shifted after taking improv classes which led her to her current workshops. She talks about how a musical improv boot camp at ImprovBoston led her to notice that performance energy varies by experience. She shares moving from freelance magazine work into steadier work-for-hire book assignments, including adapting The Muppet Movie into a kid-friendly picture-book version, and writing celebrity and political biographies. Jason and Heather also discuss how non-performers in creative fields can still benefit from public speaking and why she started her new “Tame Your Stage Fright” workshop that offers a self-support strategy for public speaking. Check out Quiet Girl Comedy: www.heathereschwartz.com Heather's Stage Fright Workshop: www.heathereschwartzstudio.com/tameyourstagefright Instagram: @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrPics  Threads: @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrPics Facebook: @ThereItIsPod  Subscribe to our comedy newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/e22defd4dee2/thereitis

We talked to first-generation Cuban American, New York-based filmmaker and actor, Laura Ornella! Jason talks with Laura about discovering comedy through improv before expanding into sketch, character work, and satire. Laura shares how her competitive streak pushed her into new classes at UCB, The PIT, and BCC, and how satire writing helped her see the connection between humor and advertising, eventually leading to copywriting work that supported her creative pursuits. They discuss balancing a day job with nighttime shows, the grind, and how the pandemic fueled a satire boom and inspired her online platform Humor Darling, which she co-ran for six years. Laura also dives into her short films (including Diane De Niro, Fucktown, USA, and After the Drop), her growing focus on directing, auditioning for JFL, and why strong character work (onstage or onscreen), always comes back to story. https://lauraornella.com Instagram: @_LauraOrnella, @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrPics  Threads: @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrPics Facebook: @ThereItIsPod  Subscribe to our comedy newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/e22defd4dee2/thereitis

Jason is joined by Justina, Wife of the Show, to talk a little comedy shop talk about projects! They talk about the struggle that can sometimes come with completing projects, Jason unpacks his psyche behind his personal history with uncompleted projects, and Justina shares the freedom she feels knowing that she can stop doing something if it's not bringing joy. It's an honest chat about how difficult it can be to pursue hobbies and personal goals. Instagram: @EauSnapFragrance, @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrPics  Threads: @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrPics Facebook: @ThereItIsPod  Subscribe to our comedy newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/e22defd4dee2/thereitis

We talked to New York City-based stand-up and musical comedian, Kimberly Dinaro! Jason has a delightful chat with Kimberly about how comedy entered her life through acting school, working at Lush, attending NYU, and her appearance on the Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon in the Instant Songwriters Challenge. Kimberly also discusses the confidence gap between famous people and working artists, how pay-to-play marketing and algorithms make creative careers harder, her commitment to authenticity in her work, what she learns from social media engagement, and she explains why musical comedy works for story and repetition, citing her influences like Tim Minchin and Bo Burnham. They also talk about her goals like making her EP, her band with her sister, and more. It's a super fun chat! www.kimberlydinaro.com Instagram: @KimberlyDinaro, @WomenInBusinessMusical, @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrPics  TikTok: @KimberlyDinaro, @JasonFarrToks Threads: @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrPics Facebook: @ThereItIsPod  Subscribe to our comedy newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/e22defd4dee2/thereitis

We talked to NYC-based improviser and show producer, Delmar Dualeh! Delmar talks with Jason about being raised in Harlem and Charlotte, how reading The Artist’s Way led him to try improv at the Magnet Theater, and how he overcame terrifying class shows. He discusses being known as “funny” since school, doing high school debate, hosting events in college, and stumbling into producing shows in NYC. He talks about his old speed-dating show, The Mingle and the dating-themed show Friends With Benefits (happening biweekly at Three’s Brewing). Delmar also describes building all-Black shows including The Black Convention, connecting with performers via festivals, lessons about auditions, going through his house team being cut, and practical advice for creating and promoting a themed show. Friends with Benefits - Next show is Tuesday, July 21st 7pm at Threes Brewing Greenpoint Instagram: @Delmarfromthegroupchat, @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrPics  Threads: @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrPics Facebook: @ThereItIsPod  Subscribe to our comedy newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/e22defd4dee2/thereitis

We talked to psychic stand-up comedian, Karen Rontowski! We had a fascinating chat with Karen Rontowski, the psychic stand-up! Karen has spent decades as a touring comedian, appearing everywhere from The Late Show with David Letterman to Comedy Central, and she's also a professional tarot reader who blends full stand-up sets with live card readings on stage. She talks with Jason about growing up doing comedy bits as a kid, moving to chase stand-up, and how her psychic path and her comedy career grew up side by side. They dig into real stories from her life as a psychic (including one jaw-dropping one), what people misunderstand about psychics, gut instinct and deja vu, coherence and energy, and why she thinks everyone has a little bit of psychic ability in them. It's a wild, funny, mind-bending conversation, and it ends with Karen pulling cards live and walking Jason through the podcast's first tarot reading. karenrontowski.com Instagram: @Rontowski, @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrPics  TikTok: @Rontowski, @JasonFarrToks Threads: @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrPics Facebook: @KarenRontowski, @ThereItIsPod  Subscribe to our comedy newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/e22defd4dee2/thereitis

We talked to NYC-based actor, improviser, and improv instructor, Ivy Hong! We had a wonderful and long overdue chat with Ivy about her journey from a theater-loving kid in Santa Cruz to speech and debate to navigating the strict expectations at NYU, and eventually finding her creative home in the New York comedy scene. Ivy shares deep insights into the mechanics of performance, the magic of teaching Level 1 students, and working on the web series, "Making Out." It is a beautiful discussion about living authentically, learning when to break the rules, and chasing the "wild abandon" that makes live comedy so special. Check out Making Out on Instagram: www.instagram.com/jana.keaton Tickets to Slow Play: magnettheater.com/show/60746 For more on classes and shows at the Magnet: https://magnettheater.com  Instagram: @IvyOfTheWorld, @MagnetTheater, @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrPics  Facebook: @MagnetTheater, @ThereItIsPod  Threads: @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrPics Subscribe to our comedy newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/e22defd4dee2/thereitis