Gettin' Close with Mike Marbach

After just about two months off the Gettin Close podcast returns! This episode I sit down with Aaron Hertog just two days before he leaves for Los Angeles. Real good chat. Covers all the basic gettin close staples like how he got into comedy, discusses some of the different projects he’s been involved in but also gets into more particular and personal things about people he’s worked with over the years and of course thoughts on friendship. Listen, share, like, tweet, enjoy!

As always, this podcast is sponsored by Audible.com. Head over to AudibleTrial.com/GettinClose and sign up for your FREE 30 day trial which includes a free audiobook download. I get a little something for each sign up, sure, but YOU get knowledge! and knowledge that you don’t even have to read, but just listen to. Do it now!

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In the eleventh episode of the Gettin Close Podcast I sit down with Dangerous Fools! They have become a favorite of mine (and many others) and their shows are not to be missed. Thomas Fowler and Mary Carpenter of two of the most patient players you’ll see and craft a show that (to steal a quote from the podcast) doesn’t go for a laugh, but earns a roar. Mary has been around Philly comedy for a while as was Thomas before he picked up and moved to LA. If you don’t know him, then you’ll probably recognize his face from several commercials. He is in town so they can do their run of shows at Comedysportz this week and they were both kind enough to give me some time to chat. And a what a great chat it was. We talk about their beginnings in improv, as a duo, their general improv philosophies, shortform and longform, premise based shows and much, much more. Listen to the podcast, see the show and I promise you won’t be disappointed in either.

Dangerous Fools at Comedysportz

This podcast is sponsored by Audible.com. For each person that goes to AudibleTrial.com/GettinClose and signs up, not only do you get a FREE 30 day trial AND a free audio book download of your choice, but I get a bit of a kickback. So if you have a few minutes, head on over there and do that for your old pal and the Gettin Close podcast.

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This is the 10th episode! That’s right folks, double digits. You can no longer count the number of podcasts on one hand or foot. And what better way to celebrate our entry into double digits than with an appearance by Nathan Edmondson. Nathan has been a staple in Philly arts for years now. The guy has done a ton of great work in his time in Philly. Just a few improv credits include Rare Bird Show, Half Life, Nick & Nathan, Punchline!, Zao Gao and more. He’s directed PHIT House Team, Mayor Karen since it’s creation. He’s been director of the Terror Behind the Walls for years as well. He also has a production company, Reel 9 Productions, that’s hard at work on projects. The guy has done  and is doing  a lot in this city. He’ll be moving soon to the west coast, but before he does he was kind enough to sit down with me in what became the longest podcast yet. It was the first I really considered editing some conversation out… but didn’t. So, I urge to you listen to it all. Whether you break it up, or listen in one sitting, it’s worth it. Such a great talk about his life, improv philosophies, inner workings of team dynamics, future plans and more. We did take a couple quick breaks, so there will be some odd jumps, but overall it’s a pretty easy flowing conversation. Enjoy it!

This episode also debuts the new sponsor! Audible.com! That’s right we gone pro yo!Thanks to audible.com. If you like what you hear on this podcast and were thinking, “how can I help Mike make a very small amount of money from this, while getting something in return myself?” this is is. Head over to audibletrial.com/gettinclose and sign up for a free, no-risk 30 day trial of the awesome Audible.com service. 30 days! Not only that, but you get a free download! Free book of your choice. And when you do that they shoot me over some bucks. So if you want to help give this podcast a budget- head over to the above address and sign up. If you don’t like it, you cancel. Simple as that. Easy peasy. Audible.com/GettinClose.

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After a short delay between recording to posting, the 9th episode of the Gettin’ Close with Mike Marbach podcast sees the light of day. This was a great talk with a really funny guy, Doogie Horner. Up until this point I had only had short exchanges in passing with him. Then I got to see him feature with Greg Proops when I went to record the episode with him. If you’re in Philly or see that he’s coming to town then be sure to get out to see him. He had me cracking up. Laughing out loud, which for those that know me, know that my laugh isn’t very loud at all.

This is probably the most “stand-uppy” of the different episodes. We talk about the Gettin Close standards such as how he got into comedy, his influences, growing up, etc. Also discuss his writing process, publishing books, jack frost, where he gets ideas, his Ministry of Secret Jokes, performing on national television on America’s Got Talent and lost more. We took a couple breaks in here so you’ll notice some abrupt edits. Other than that this is pretty much in tact. So listen as I get close… with Doogie Horner.

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This 8th episode of the Gettin’ Close podcast is one that’s extra special to me. I mean, they’re all special. I love all of them… but this one holds particular weight because the guy that I talk with, as you’ll hear me say in the intro, comes from a team of people that helped to shape where my life would go. Into improv. And now I’m following him into podcasting too. That person as you know from the title is Greg Proops.

Greg was in town last weekend to perform a few standup sets and record his “Smartest Man in the World” podcast. He was awesome enough to give me about an hour to chat and I think, had he not had to leave to perform, he would have gone on longer. It was a great conversation that talks about how he got into podcasting and why he continues to do it, life as a standup and what’s helped him grow, how he landed his gig on Whose line, improv in general, politics (because that’s one of his big things), Star Wars, baseball and even Deadwood at one point. We were in the green room at Helium, which is just behind the stage, so you’re going to hear a lot of ambiance noise starting about half hour in. That would be Ed McGonagal and Doogie Horner doing really well. So I’m glad we can hear the crowd as much as we do.

Listen to his podcast and also watch Trust Us With Your Life, his new show on ABC that also has some other Whose Line Guys including another favorite, Colin Mochrie. On the right side you’ll see the link to like the brand new (and quite basic) Gettin’ Close with Mike Marbach Page. If you like that you can keep up to date on who’s on the podcast. You can also follow me on the Twitter @MikeMarbach for Gettin Close and any other MikeMarbach.com updates. Now, listen closely, as I get close… to Greg Proops.

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In the 7th episode of the Gettin Close with Mike Marbach podcast I get close with improviser/writer, Rich Talarico. Rich has been improvising for the better part of 20 years having studied in the earlier days of iO with Charna Halpern and Del Close. He currently improvises with Dasariski (along with Robert Dassie and Craig Cackowski). He has also written for such shows at Saturday Night Live, Mad TV, The Tonight Show and currently is a writer on Comedy Central’s hit, Key & Peele. He was recently in town teaching some improv/sketch workshops at the Philly Improv Theater and was kind enough to give me some time to chat. It’s worth a listen for any improvisers/sketch writers out there as he gives thoughts on where things were, are and can go in each discipline. Enjoy now as I get close with Rich Talarico.

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In the 6th episode of the Gettin Close with Mike Marbach podcast, I sit down with improv trio, Beirdo. Beirdo has been performing for about year around Philly and have come to be a favorite among many people. Making up the team is Kevin Petit, Dan Jaquette and Dennis Trafny. Whether it’s their can’t-really-go-too-wrong opening or their absurd scene transitions, people really seem to like these guys. I’m on of them. I coach them and love every second of it. I had them on the podcast discuss the team, but more often than not we got onto other topics. We were also eating and drinking, so you’ll likely hear some bottles being opened and food being chewed- always welcome sounds on quality podcast. It’s a real fun listen and look at that- it’s nearly an hour shorter than the last one! Listen up as I get close… with Beirdo!

Beirdo @ PHIT on 7/6 @ 8:30pm with Iron Lung

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In this episode I sit down with Philly comedian Rob Baniewicz. Rob has been seen around town for years in different projects most notably the sketch duo “Meg & Rob”, “Hatespeech Committee” and “Camp Woods.” You have my complete permission to break up the listening of this one. It’s long. Even by my standards. With that said, it’s absolutely worth listening to the entire conversation. It’s fantastic. We talked about everything and everything and Rob was very open about each topic. Things got a little more heavy at times, but it was all relevant and helped to show how he got to be who he is and why he wants to do what he wants to do. Now listen as I get close… with Rob Baniewicz.

Camp Woods in David Lynch Themed Festival 7/13

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A few weeks ago I sat down with busy N Crowder to discuss life, the ever present shortform-longform talk, the N Crowd, his feelings about Philly improv y mucho mas… then got really busy. It’s here now though! Real interesting chat with a real interesting guy who’s been around the Philly comedy community for a good while. He’s done a lot to help grow improv in Philly, mainly through the N Crowd, which just celebrated it’s 7 year anniversary. This was recorded before auditions were announced, so if you’d like to audition email [email protected] for a time slot. Auditions will be held Saturday, July 14th. Now… listen as I get close with BJ Ellis.

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This is the 3rd episode in the Gettin Close with Mike Marbach podcast. In this episode I journey outside the Philly comedy world and into my childhood by getting close with actor Keith Coogan. Keith was a big child star in the 80’s/90’s starring in such films as Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead, Toy Soldiers, Cousins and Hideout. Though the main reason I wanted to talk to him was because he starred in one of my favorite movies ever- Adventures in Babysitting! It was a great thrill for me to be able to talk with someone whose movies I’ve quoted on an almost daily basis for the better part of 20 years. We talk about everything from how he got into films, what it was like being a child actor, working on different movies, Elizabeth Shue, what he’s up to now, lots of Babysitter questions and a bunch of other things. So sit back and enjoy as I get close with Keith Coogan.

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