Mark and Jake Try To Make It

00:00 Mark talks big Comedy Show logistics

04:00 More logistics, up lights

06:35 Is it winter in Vail?

08:15 Mud season

11:15 Manor Vail Lodge is beautiful

12:11 Raanan Hershberg special

13:15 Check in process

13:45 Jake in Austin, TX

15:30 Jake meets his match in Little Rock - Lucas Smith

17:35 Wednesday stage time in Arkansas

18:25 Booking a New England run (table scraps)

19:50 An inefficient business (comedy)

20:50 Rozco's Comedy Club

22:30 Jack-butt

23:05 Ryan Long

25:00 Five minute tape ethics

26:55 Editing YouTube shorts

28:20 Recording the audience

30:00 Jake recording open mics strategy

32:00 Nate Bargatze and other successful comic wives

33:27 Fun tripods

34:33 Mark lighting mistake in Frisco, CO

37:15 Mark loves Gypsum, CO

40:00 Dusty Slay

41:20 Jake house show (his house!)

45:10 Mike Hammock

48:00 Comic lineups

49:40 Stage time for show/club owners

51:00 Eddie Ifft & Friends

52:00 Mark is over allocated

53:20 Plymouth Rock sucks

54:20 Costume store going out of business sale

56:00 Sober Drunk Santa dot com

57:25 Jake cold calls nursing homes

58:38 Plugs (Raanan Hershberg - Morbidly Jewish)

Mark Masters and Big Jake Hovis are mostly clean comedians, available for your event, contact us with info below:

Mark Masters

https://www.markmasters.co (contact form)

Big Jake Hovis

https://www.bigjakecomedy.com

Follow https://www.instagram.com/bigjakehovis

https://www.youtube.com/@MarkMastersComedy SUBSCRIBE for more episodes

https://www.patreon.com/markandjake JOIN for exclusive content

This week for Patreon subscribers we cover: Raanan Hershberg, Nursing Home cold calls, Kill Tony, Comedy Seminar, filming post event reviews, musical chairs at mountain hotels, ticket donations, Vail Fire Department, renting hotel space, comedy poster in progress, Steamboat Comedy, gondola comedy, feature privilege, school corporate gig, working out a joke to make it more dumb, mark's body is breaking down, 55+ community

00:00 NYC Comedy Cellar Jon Laster

03:28 Peter Revello and Ryan Hamilton

06:00 NYC is clean

08:00 ALL OUT on Broadway - Jim Gaffigan and Ben Schwartz

11:45 New York Comedy Club (Meka Mo, Rojo Perez)

15:15 Performing in NYC

17:12 Brad Upton in Louisville, KY

28:13 Comedy is a roller coaster

34:20 Comedy competitions

38:45 Denver comedy vibe

42:18 Mark business win and scheduling

45:28 Jake the Roastmaster

49:44 Comedy reviews

52:09 Eddie Ifft New Year's Eve Comedy Works

55:04 YouTube Short "Face Line" goes viral

56:10 Jake's "Bulletin" idea

1:00:18 Patreon plug

1:00:35 Plugs

Mark Masters and Big Jake Hovis are mostly clean comedians, available for your event, contact us with info below:

Mark Masters

https://www.markmasters.co (contact form)

Big Jake Hovis

https://www.bigjakecomedy.com

Follow https://www.instagram.com/bigjakehovis

https://www.youtube.com/@MarkMastersComedy SUBSCRIBE for more episodes

https://www.patreon.com/markandjake JOIN for exclusive content

This week for Patreon subscribers we cover: Corporate pay reveal, Narcotics Anonymous Conference show, Dallas Texas comedy drama, Mike E. Winfield, Racial drama, packed to the gills, Jupiter stupider, 2026 bookings, Monique Marvez, Jake headlining in Michigan, comedy contest headliner

Mark and Jake Try to Make it is your favorite podcast about two comedians trying to make it in comedy.

00:00 Jake gets recruited for MMA

06:00 Wing upgrades?

07:10 Comedy Works New Talent Night

13:32 Mark submits to a festival

15:51 Limestone Comedy Festival is canceled

17:45 Mark NTN cookies

19:36 Mark gets braggadocios

21:35 Mark NTN notes

23:55 Jake submission video review

25:00 Jake is visiting Colorado

25:52 Steve Vanderploeg pyramid scheme

27:38 Stranger Things

32:56 Mark smartest move of the year!

35:32 Mark aggravation of the year

36:39 The dirt on Mark Masters

37:33 Food warning in NYC

40:19 Jake soda flex

41:05 Agree to disagreeable

42:48 CONAN booking error

44:24 Jake dumb move (Ray Lou)

46:24 Physical jokes

47:26 Jake dumb move (driving)

51:15 Movie theater worthy TV finales

53:35 New Year's resolution (teaser)

56:35 Mark 700 seat theater preview

58:32 Hacked by Chinese

59:00 Plugs

Mark Masters and Big Jake Hovis are mostly clean comedians, available for your event, contact us with info below:

Mark Masters

https://www.markmasters.co (contact form)

Big Jake Hovis

https://www.bigjakecomedy.com

Follow https://www.instagram.com/bigjakehovis

https://www.youtube.com/@MarkMastersComedy SUBSCRIBE for more episodes

https://www.patreon.com/markandjake JOIN for exclusive content

This week for Patreon subscribers we cover: Festival reveal, Flyover Comedy Festival, World Series of Comedy 2026, Chinese Hacking screenshare, 2026 slow down year?, review score wonkiness, show gig parlance, comic name reveal, bummer booking inquiries, how many comics on a show, resolutions, another comic name reveal

Mark and Jake Try to Make it is your favorite podcast about two comedians trying to make it in comedy.

00:00 Jake has wings

01:00 Water park head bob

07:45 Price is right on wings

08:06 Update on Georgetown Comedy Show (no power)

09:35 FEMA of laughs

11:42 Jake's Comedy Business idea

13:30 No alcohol comedy

14:37 New Orleans comedy business win

15:47 Mark Masters comedy club

17:10 Comedy Heights in San Diego, CA

18:10 Clean comedy guidelines

21:30 2026 Comedy projects

24:15 Austin Black

24:55 Empire, CO

25:35 250 seater in Denver

26:50 Pleasureville

30:00 Jake gets dental work

32:55 Avatar movie notes

33:35 Surprise corporate for Mark

36:05 Performing on big stage

36:50 Dane Cook child bride

39:30 Mark Masters in Northern Minnesota

41:55 Jake show in Austin, TX

48:45 700 seat theater

50:25 Best food at comedy gig

51:08 New Talent Night at Comedy Works

52:15 Denver Fringe Festival

53:50 Faxing it in

56:05 Patreon teaser

56:44 Plugs

Mark Masters and Big Jake Hovis are mostly clean comedians, available for your event, contact us with info below:

Mark Masters

https://www.markmasters.co (contact form)

Big Jake Hovis

https://www.bigjakecomedy.com

Follow https://www.instagram.com/bigjakehovis

https://www.youtube.com/@MarkMastersComedy SUBSCRIBE for more episodes

https://www.patreon.com/markandjake JOIN for exclusive content

This week for Patreon subscribers we cover: Comedy Works New Talent Night, Five year wait to change joke, Christmas joke, Audiobook gifts, how does Patreon work?, exploring Jake's top line revenue for 2025, Jake's personality test, Mark is a tastemaker on Google Maps, Jake's 2026 Goal, Mark's show running concern, repeat comedy business, Mark says no to a show, Mark's 2026 Goal

Mark and Jake Try to Make it is your favorite podcast about two comedians trying to make it in comedy.

0:00 No power comedy (Georgetown, CO)

06:30 Brandt Tobler's book "Free Roll"

08:20 Mark's Laserdisc collection management

09:10 Christmas movies (Laserdisc)

12:40 A Babe movie surprise (Christmas)

14:30 Jake teaches Mark improv comedy

27:15 Improv people money

29:25 Bad crowd work

30:20 Jake's Big idea about crowd work

32:27 Sklar Brothers

35:28 Crowd work Dry Bar

36:52 Mark and Jake Tour?

38:20 Mark's big idea - Thin Skin

39:50 Don't bet against Mark Masters

41:05 Pete Lee's 80 minute set

42:40 Jay Pharaoh story

46:35 Fiona Cauley sold-out Tuesday

47:30 Corporate gigs

49:30 Jake Funeral story (tight five)

53:20 Senior center comedy (Mark)

57:00 Jake needs to kill time

58:25 Positive roasting

59:00 Mark's Surgery gig

59:20 Plugs

Mark Masters and Big Jake Hovis are mostly clean comedians, available for your event, contact us with info below:

Mark Masters

https://www.markmasters.co (contact form)

Big Jake Hovis

https://www.bigjakecomedy.com

Follow https://www.instagram.com/bigjakehovis

https://www.youtube.com/@MarkMastersComedy SUBSCRIBE for more episodes

https://www.patreon.com/markandjake JOIN for exclusive content

This week for Patreon subscribers we cover: Mark and Jake plan a co-hosted comedy show, Pete Lee spicy stuff, Joke stealers, should you be able to pay for jokes, day time gig money, funeral joke revealed, Georgetown comedy power update, Mark's surgery gig, filming challenges, gig versus show, headliner requirements (Mary Mack)

Mark and Jake Try to Make it is your favorite podcast about two comedians trying to make it in comedy.

00:00 Calzone, a big hot pocket

06:04 Keto Pizza

08:40 World Trade Center 9/11

09:30 Brazzini's in Nashville, Indiana

11:00 Teenage aspiring hijacker

11:25 Holocaust Museum

12:40 Back to Calzones!

15:10 Tell me a joke

16:35 Tell them your favorite street joke

16:50 Mark tells a street joke

17:47 Jake tells a street joke

20:34 Mark tells jokes to rocket scientists

21:05 Corporate comedy secret

23:20 NORAD Cheyenne Mountain

23:55 Jokes for surgeons

24:37 Jake corporate advice

27:15 Don't Tell Comedy

29:00 Mark shares riffs

30:50 Jake tells Jeff Allen story

37:30 How to hold a microphone

41:00 Roastmaster Jake

41:30 Jake tells A Christmas Carol (1 hour)

47:15 Mark hosts New Talent Night at Comedy Works

52:00 Janae Burris crushes

56:45 Comedy Streak gimmick

59:20 Plugs

Mark Masters and Big Jake Hovis are mostly clean comedians, available for your event, contact us with info below:

Mark Masters

https://www.markmasters.co (contact form)

Big Jake Hovis

https://www.bigjakecomedy.com

Follow https://www.instagram.com/bigjakehovis

https://www.youtube.com/@MarkMastersComedy SUBSCRIBE for more episodes

https://www.patreon.com/markandjake JOIN for exclusive content

This week for Patreon subscribers we cover: Secrets of hosting New Talent Night at Comedy Works, Jake shares the hardest part of hosting, Holiday clean at Comedy Works, Jake ranks Louisville comedy clubs, Jake reveals pay for Charles Dickens reading, Mark cashes in on a gamble with corporate talks, Mark and Jake procrastinate, gig categories, A Christmas Carol, Mark gets feedback, overheard grovels, Comedy Works gatekeeping, comics that belly ache, Comedy Works promotions

Mark and Jake Try to Make it is your favorite podcast about two comedians trying to make it in comedy.

00:00 Jake gets screwed

06:00 Mark gets busted

11:25 Is everything meaningless?

12:17 Apollo 13 for dumb people

13:56 Mad at Target

17:38 Jake's Wife price check

19:03 Jake's Wife thrifts

20:45 Mark and Jake try to get on TV game shows

23:55 Mark does a run with Graham Kay

32:35 Comedy show running is a logic puzzle

33:50 Cody at Eagle River Brewing

34:25 Jake Crowd Works

45:35 Derrick Stroup

48:09 Brent Gill

50:44 Ben Roy

56:53 Chris Porter (feature's feature)

1:00:20 Patreon teasers

1:01:25 Plugs

Mark Masters and Big Jake Hovis are mostly clean comedians, available for your event, contact us with info below:

Mark Masters

https://www.markmasters.co (contact form)

Big Jake Hovis

https://www.bigjakecomedy.com

Follow https://www.instagram.com/bigjakehovis

https://www.youtube.com/@MarkMastersComedy SUBSCRIBE for more episodes

https://www.patreon.com/markandjake JOIN for exclusive content

This week for Patreon subscribers we cover: Jake's big booking secret, Mark's 2025 body count (states), Mark's corporate talk money, how to get a five minute tape, Nathan Lund first ever Comedy Works headlining show, medical emergency at a comedy show, Sam Tallent headlines Comedy Works, a joke from Janae Burris, Noah Reynolds and Brody Stevens, Jake gives Mark corporate set-list composition advice

Mark and Jake Try to Make it is your favorite podcast about two comedians trying to make it in comedy.

0:00 PHX dog poop

2:45 Bad holiday jokes

4:30 Jake's brother funny airport story

9:50 Mark runs the light at Comedy Works

14:30 Mark asks for this Comedy Works tape

17:00 Recording audio for comedy sets

17:45 SiriusXM

19:40 Question about money

20:15 Jake goes up at Zanies in Nashville

24:39 Thick Skin at Comedy Works

28:08 Crazy Colorado Springs story (Mark)

30:35 Elementary School businesses

34:45 Show Shoes

35:35 Stranger Things

37:43 HBO Guy

38:36 What to do while driving

41:46 Masterclass (Jake)

46:24 Jake's honest friend at shows

49:45 Chris Rock working on jokes

51:30 Getting up at Zanie's

56:30 Sending a message

56:45 Pay at Zanie's

58:58 In a green room with Nate Bargatze

59:20 Plugs

Mark Masters and Big Jake Hovis are mostly clean comedians, available for your event, contact us with info below:

Mark Masters

https://www.markmasters.co (contact form)

Big Jake Hovis

https://www.bigjakecomedy.com

Follow https://www.instagram.com/bigjakehovis

https://www.youtube.com/@MarkMastersComedy SUBSCRIBE for more episodes

https://www.patreon.com/markandjake JOIN for exclusive content

This week for Patreon subscribers we cover: Green Room with Nate Bargatze, plus Dusty Slay, Jeremiah Watkins crowd work story at Skankfest, Dusty Slay on Tonight Show and stolen jokes, Jake asks Mark about parallel thought joke stealing (Jerry Seinfeld and Orny Adams), Chad Daniels at Comedy Works - Mark's favorite joke, Jokes about the r word, Mike Hammock and Anthony Jesselnik and joke stealing, Mark doesn't get a joke but Jake does right away, and Mark works on Surgeon jokes

Mark and Jake Try to Make it is your favorite podcast about two comedians trying to make it in comedy.

00:00 Jake gets shekels

04:54 Skankfest Comedy Festival

06:33 Beignets and soda

09:00 Airplane drink cups

11:00 Should Jake start a festival / Jake's first tape

12:50 Brad Williams

14:55 Jake does corporate shows

17:20 Comedy in a suit

19:16 Louisville Gala

22:28 Gianmarco Soresi

29:45 Jake Corporate (Mark lost internet)

33:50 Mark is an idiot (scam update)

36:16 Jacket season at TSA

36:50 Power of the common enemy

38:00 Jake event timing

43:22 3E's Comedy Club setlist

45:36 Gianmarco Soresi joke pattern

47:50 Lakewood comedy show story

53:26 Mark is annoyed (chic fit a)

56:29 Sandwich name

59:42 Plugs

Mark Masters and Big Jake Hovis are mostly clean comedians, available for your event, contact us with info below:

Mark Masters

https://www.markmasters.co (contact form)

Big Jake Hovis

https://www.bigjakecomedy.com

Follow https://www.instagram.com/bigjakehovis

https://www.youtube.com/@MarkMastersComedy SUBSCRIBE for more episodes

https://www.patreon.com/markandjake JOIN for exclusive content

This week for Patreon subscribers we cover: How to drop out of a gig, Nathan Lund, Skankfest name dropping, Skankfest secret bathrooms, Jeff Dye and Doug Stanhope, the best joke Jake has ever heard, Harlen Williams, Sam Tallent, Instagram counts, shotgun comedy terms, Sam Jay Shawn Gardini story, update on 18 night run accounting, Oklahoma City Jake money, Mark holiday party pay

Mark and Jake Try to Make it is your favorite podcast about two comedians trying to make it in comedy.

00:00 Scammed buying a Sundae

03:50 Budgeting games

06:10 Jake does another podcast (Pokemon)

10:57 Airport scam

16:57 Travel unlocks the brain

17:30 Jake gets a comedy offer(comedy union)

23:24 Sam Miller rules

24:23 Mark gets good karma

28:00 Jake works with Dale Jones (merch sales)

34:02 Jake asks Mark about merch

38:04 Dale Jones handles hecklers

39:40 Expired protein shakes

41:30 Jake eats too many nuts

44:33 Mark is an idiot (post office)

49:25 Jake talks parades

50:50 Irreverent

53:15 Mark is an idiot (tacos)

55:33 Colorado Springs comedy competition

58:55 Vail Comedy Festival submission tape reviews

1:01:00 Plugs

Mark Masters and Big Jake Hovis are mostly clean comedians, available for your event, contact us with info below:

Mark Masters

https://www.markmasters.co (contact form)

Big Jake Hovis

https://www.bigjakecomedy.com

Follow https://www.instagram.com/bigjakehovis

https://www.youtube.com/@MarkMastersComedy SUBSCRIBE for more episodes

https://www.patreon.com/markandjake JOIN for exclusive content

This week for Patreon subscribers we cover: Airport scam within a scam, Jake 5 show weekend pay, final accounting of Mark's 18 night run, does set length matter?, social media influencer does a comedy show, cancer comedy story, candy cane nightmare, driving into the sun, sleeping in fast food parking lots, opening joke is important, audience needs to like you