Shows
2026-06-0816 min
The SoCap Improv Comedy PodcastWhy You Need StatusStatus is great in comedy and in real life. You likely use it all the time and don't even know it.It's one of those things that once you see, you see everywhere. Once you understand it, it'll make your life much better.
2026-06-0416 min
Deserts of PlentyWhy Praise Does Not WorkBehaviour, results, performance tend to stay pretty close to the average. An outlying event - either good or bad - happens but, eventually things return to 'normal'. If that event is 'good' praise won't make it continue but if that event is 'bad' yelling seems to work.
2026-05-2809 min
The SoCap Improv Comedy PodcastMy Character Wouldn't Do ThatRemaining open to 'who' your character is, what they stand for, what they love, what they hate, and more, keeps you open and alive to your audience (on stage and in the real world). You can be flexible, surprise yourself, and learn about points of view different from your own.
2026-05-2814 min
Deserts of PlentyQuest Called TribeHuman beings have an inherent bias towards us vs them thinking. Only by being aware of it can we hope to reduce its effect on us.
2026-05-2516 min
The SoCap Improv Comedy PodcastSay Less, SeymourListening as a gateway to presence and reduced self-consciousness.
2026-05-2113 min
Deserts of PlentyWhat's Holding YOU Back?On the eve of my 60th birthday, I have recently discovered what held me back for so many years. Now that I know, how much peace and happiness it has brought me.
2026-05-1807 min
The SoCap Improv Comedy PodcastMistakes? We Don't Need No Stupid MistakesMistakes scare the crap out of us, but they're usually only as bad as you think they are! They have wonderful upsides.
2026-05-1413 minDeserts of PlentyHistory Can't Abide a SmartassIt doesn't matter how good is your idea if you're a jerk.
2026-05-1105 min
The SoCap Improv Comedy PodcastIn The BeginningStarting a scene is one of, if not the most, difficult and critical things in improv. I discuss two of the ways to begin scenes and reveal my favourite!
2026-05-0715 min
The SoCap Improv Comedy PodcastThe First Improv Rule for Life - Control What You Can Control Ep 4 RepostIn this week's episode Ralph talks about one reason everyone should take improv even if they never plan to get on a stage. In improv, you can roleplay different scenarios from your real/imagined life but also practice techniques that will make you a more effective communicator. One of those is ceasing to try to control what you can't control.
2025-08-1312 min
Deserts of PlentyFreedom of Routines"Having a routine frees us from the burden of making choices". That quote by Brianna Wiest really resonates with me so i discuss it here.
2023-10-1210 min
The SoCap Improv Comedy PodcastLetting Go of Self-ConsciousnessFalling in love. Hanging with good friends. Being in a moment. These are all times when we tend to lose ourselves, get over our self-consciousness, and forget about our selfish needs and serve an experience.
2023-10-0915 min
Deserts of PlentyThe Inherent Flaw in Power StructuresThe TDSB, in my opinion, is a flawed institution while the people within it are, by and large, incredibly competent, talented, and caring. What's up with that?
2023-10-0519 min
The SoCap Improv Comedy PodcastAvoid Gaslighting OthersWhether on stage or in life real, try not to gaslights others. In improv, it often leads into the argument trap. In life, it escalates tension, shows others you're not listening, and more. Instead, treat the opinions of others as legitimately theirs and deal with it except in one situation.
2023-10-0220 min
Deserts of PlentyWait! I'm Doing What Now?Twenty years ago a family member prompted me to try something that, at the time, I thought was useless and dumb. Now, I do that thing regularly. How did that happen?
2023-09-2814 min
The SoCap Improv Comedy PodcastPlaying StrangersScenes in which the characters are strangers to each other come with an extra added level of difficulty. For that reason, I encourage improvisers to stay away from them. But, when they do happen to try and figure out what's at stake.
2023-09-2518 min
Deserts of PlentyThe McDonald's Coffee IncidentIn 1994, Stella Liebeck ordered a coffee from a McDonald's drive through. What happened next was a master class in public relations.
2023-09-2112 min
The SoCap Improv Comedy PodcastThe Process SceneHaving a process in a scene will help in a multitude of ways, however, there are also a couple major pitfalls with which to be aware.
2023-09-1824 min
Deserts of PlentyThe Mind as a Sense OrganThe Buddha believed that the mind was a sense organ, similar to the ears or eyes. What the mind sensed was not sounds not images but thought bubbling up from what we would call our subconscious.
2023-09-1415 min
The SoCap Improv Comedy PodcastI Am A....A discussion of the third exercise I use when starting almost every class I teach. I Am A... is a game of patterns in which three people are elements within a certain pattern, category, etc. The more recognizable the pattern and elements, the better it is received.
2023-09-1119 min
Deserts of PlentyChanging and Adopting HabitsJames Clear in his book, Atomic Habits, shows a better way to change our habits. We tend to think motivation comes before change but it's often the other way around. We don't become motivated to change until we see changes.
2023-09-0719 min
The SoCap Improv Comedy PodcastImprov Rule For Life #4 - Be Process OrientedBeing process oriented, or systems based, allows one to make modifications if their goals aren't being realized. Conversely, relying on magical thinking to achieve a desired outcome can leave one at the mercy of a stochastic, unfeeling universe.
2023-09-0420 min
Deserts of PlentyBefore I Comment, Let Me Check Who's ListeningRecently, a friend wanted to offer me her review of a new movie. However, before she felt safe to do so, she had to check to make sure no one was listening. Is this the future we want?
2023-08-3119 min
The SoCap Improv Comedy PodcastIs Mocking Some People Okay or Not Okay - REPEAT Episode 8Improv has changed a lot in the 35 years since I started. One thing is that we are much more sensitive to people different than us and no longer mock people based on generalities about them. However, two areas have escaped that scrutiny and I have no idea why.
2023-08-2811 min
Deserts of PlentyLaw of Unintended Consequences Technology, inventions, changes, choices we make... are all examples where we can rarely know the full impact of them until far into the future.The Birth Control Pill, designed to curb unwanted pregnancies, actually led to more pregnancy. The far-reaching political ramifications of this technology couldn't have even been dreamed of by its inventors.
2023-08-2419 min
The SoCap Improv Comedy PodcastDissonance in ComedyDissonance is a powerful tool that can grab your audiences attention and make them laugh whether that's on stage or at a dinner party.
2023-08-2120 min
Deserts of PlentyRepeat - Antifragility - Gaining from Stressors and DisorderA repeat from earlier in the year.Antifragility is a term coined by Nassim Nicholas Taleb in his book "Antifragile: Things That Gain From Disorder." It refers to a property of systems or organisms that thrive and improve when exposed to stressors, volatility, and uncertainty. Unlike fragile things that break under pressure, antifragile entities become stronger and more resilient over time.The concept of antifragility can be applied to various aspects of human life, including physical fitness, mental health, and career development. By intentionally subjecting ourselves to moderate levels of stress and challenge, we can stimulate the growth of our...
2023-08-1717 min
The SoCap Improv Comedy PodcastThe Actor/Character DualityWhen in scenes, there is the actor and the character the actor/improviser is portraying. Sometimes, their goals are aligned but often they are not.
2023-08-1418 min
Deserts of PlentyNo One Gets Out Alive"In a hundred years we'll all be dead and none of this matters." That statement can fill one with an existential dread but it also has another way to approach it. Ruminating on ones own mortality has an upside.
2023-08-1008 min
The SoCap Improv Comedy PodcastWhy Is This So Boring?There are many reasons a scene, or interaction, may be boring. Here are the top two reasons why scenes can be boring and make you want to gouge out your eyes.
2023-08-0721 min
Deserts of PlentyThe Present MomentRight now, the present moment, is the only time you can DO something. The rest is just thinking.
2023-08-0304 min
The SoCap Improv Comedy PodcastDon't Stop The ActionStopping the action, or business of the scene, is generally destructive for a number of reasons. Even if your character doesn't like what they're doing or being asked to do, finding a justification to let it happen, will usually serve you well.
2023-07-3116 min
Deserts of PlentyWhat Would You Do If You Knew You Couldn't Fail?A thought experiment.... if you knew for certain you wouldn't fail, what would you undertake to do?
2023-07-2804 min
The SoCap Improv Comedy PodcastTry the OppositeIf 'A' is true, the opposite is also, likely, true. Improv allows one an opportunity to role play different options to stimuli thus giving you a chance to 'try the opposite'. Maybe you'll like it better.
2023-07-2415 min
Deserts of PlentyMy Health JourneyTHIS IS NOT ADVICE. A few years ago, I started getting some symptoms that I just assumed were 'due to getting older'. Well, all of those symptoms are gone through, I assume, a combination of eating better, exercising, better sleep, etc. Maybe we don't have to accept things as inevitable?
2023-07-2019 min
The SoCap Improv Comedy PodcastCall People Out on Their ^&$%If someone, or another character, says or does something that doesn't make sense to you - ask them to clarify it.
2023-07-1714 min
Deserts of PlentyIs Tribalism More Powerful than Truth?In 2019, Donald Trump said that Covid came from a lab in Wuhan China, not a wet market. President Trump, as a messenger, meant that several media outlets, as well as people, put that info into the 'nutty conspiracy camp' and even Facebook banned such speculation. Today, it turns out he was likely right. What has that cost been?
2023-07-1313 min
The SoCap Improv Comedy PodcastWhy Do We Laugh?Laughter, especially laughter in your gut, is much more about bonding than appreciating the humour, or cleverness, of a line or situation.
2023-07-1015 min
Deserts of PlentyBe Wary of the Stories We Tell OurselvesStories are very powerful and persist even when they're false. Often, like Procrustes Bed, we'll change events to fit into the story we've concocted. But, how do we know it's true?
2023-07-0613 min
The SoCap Improv Comedy PodcastYes, And...: A Deeper DiveWhat does it mean to 'Yes, and...'? It goes with what we're trying to actually DO when we improvise on stage and in real life.
2023-07-0319 min
Deserts of PlentyTwo Things Can Be True at OnceFire can be good or bad or neutral depending on context. Carbon Dioxide is plant food but it can also pose an existential threat to the planet. Donald Trump can say things that are right! But, so can Joe Biden. In short, two things can be true at once.
2023-06-2916 min
The SoCap Improv Comedy PodcastBe a Benevolent GodAs improvisers/storytellers, we get to create tertiary characters - people, animals, etc - and you will be judged based on how you treat your creations.
2023-06-2614 min
Deserts of PlentyWhy Are There No Essential Carbs?We need to get certain macronutrients in our diet. We need certain amino acids (proteins) and fatty acids. However, there are no essential carbs. Why? Why do human beings get dental caries at a much higher rate than other animals?
2023-06-2220 min
The SoCap Improv Comedy PodcastImprov Rule for Life #3 - Serve the RelationshipPlaying with other human beings requires us to get out of our heads - give up our selfish needs - and serve the interaction/moment/relationship developing between and among us.
2023-06-1916 min
Deserts of PlentyChanging Behaviour or Yelling at People?When we engage with others with whom we disagree, what is/are our actual goals? Are we trying to change behaviour and attitudes OR do we just want to yell at people?
2023-06-1513 min
The SoCap Improv Comedy PodcastCreative Process - Part OneThere are two general ways to create content whether in the format of the improv scene or 'out in the world'. There is a more solo act of invention or writing and the collaborative act of discovery or 'uncovery'. While both have their place, the latter usually leads to richer, more satisfying creations.
2023-06-1220 min
Deserts of PlentyWhat's Up With Body Temperature?The average body temperature of human beings, at least in the US and likely other 'affluent' nations, has dropped over the past 100 or so years. Why? Did you know that?
2023-06-0814 min
The SoCap Improv Comedy PodcastInitiation - How to BeginIt's a good practice to start scenes - or interactions - with something already going on. One way, is to think up a line of dialogue or part of a context however these practices have certain pitfalls. A better choice is to pick something you can play and maintain independent of the situation in which you, or your character, find themselves.
2023-06-0519 min
2023-06-0108 min
The SoCap Improv Comedy PodcastThe Association GameThe Association Game is a great warm up game for groups of 2 to 20. It helps people listen, say yes, get out of their heads, and build community. Not bad.
2023-05-2918 min
Deserts of PlentyThe Big Four for HealthNutrition, Hydration, Sleep, and Motion. These four things are generally agreed upon ways to help you live a healthier, longer life.
2023-05-2520 min
The SoCap Improv Comedy PodcastThe Big YesThe Big Yes, the overaccepting of your scene partner(s) offer, can have so many benefits especially at the start of scenes or interactions with friends and people in the real world.
2023-05-2215 min
Deserts of PlentyOur Scientific Institutions Are Failing UsIn the 1980's an upstart names Barry Marshall proved that peptic ulcers were caused not by stress and spicy food but by bacteria. Despite being laughed at, he proved it, and the best gastric researchers in the world had to accept it. Would Dr. Marshall be rewarded or villified today?
2023-05-1816 min
The SoCap Improv Comedy PodcastThe Argument TrapFalling into the argument trap (aka denial of reality, gaslighting, refusing to engage) is detrimental to improv and the act of playing and discovery with other players. What it is, why it is, and how to avoid it are the subjects of today's episode.
2023-05-1514 min
Deserts of PlentyThe Problem with Hollywood and Why It MattersHollywood's slavish desire for profits has had dire consequences on the soul of the English speaking world who consume their products.
2023-05-1117 min