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

Hello, Friend! This week on Messed-Up to Set-Ups, the tables get turned, and I’m the one in the hot seat as Dr. Joe Martin and his college journalism class hijack a classroom and grill me with questions. We cover how I, a guy with five degrees, ended up telling jokes on stage, why my wife got to pick our next big move, and what really separates a Sunday morning congregation from a Saturday night comedy crowd. I also talk about a terrible night on stage, why I’m not scared of bombing, and the hard seasons I’ve had to laugh my way through. I also share the practical stuff I wish I’d known sooner, like why joke writing is a learnable craft and how to keep moving forward when you feel stuck. If you’re someone who loves comedy, wants to get better at what you do, and refuses to plateau, this one’s for you. Tune in!

By the way, one of the things I wish I’d understood much earlier is that joke writing isn’t some mysterious ability you’re either born with or you’re not. There’s actual craft underneath it, and craft can be studied, practiced, tested, and improved. That’s a huge part of why I created my self-paced, online course The Joke Writer’s Lab. If you’re trying to get better at turning ideas into actual jokes instead of waiting around hoping something funny magically appears, come join me and nearly 100 other students working on the craft.

Hello, Friend! It’s episode 157 and I’m back with comedian Von Sprecken. This was a spur-of-the-moment chat that we decided to record where we talk about comedy persona, voice(s), and turning the complicated parts of who you are into material that connects. We get into how Von’s curious outsider perspective became part of his act, and why the best stories often start with something weird, hard, or uncomfortable. I also wrestle with a question close to home: How do I bring my decades of Bible study and the fact that I’m a mess-up onto the stage in a way that’s honest, funny, and humble? Von also shares some great advice about storytelling, evolving as a performer, and finding the heart of a bit instead of forcing a punchline. If you’re working on your comedy, your persona, your voice(s), or simply trying to keep growing without pretending you have it all figured out, this episode of Messed-Up to Set-Ups is for you. Tune in!

By the way, I’ve spent a ridiculous amount of time trying to figure out who I am onstage. The more I work on it, though, the less I think comedy persona is about inventing a character and the more interested I become in noticing what’s already there. That’s why I built the Comedian Persona Finder app. It helps identify some of the recurring patterns, perspectives, tensions, and characteristics that might already be shaping the way you naturally do comedy. Check it out.

Hello, Friend! It’s episode 156 of the Messed-Up To Set-Ups podcast and Garrett McDonald is back in the lab with me. In this one, we spend our time in a comedy-writing session workshopping jokes. We take a handful of rough ideas and see what they might become: A dad confronting his kids about Mario Kart while eating corn on the cob; the intricacies of being in a “fine” relationship; a playful idea about Jesus healing a man; and, a premise about why people can openly say they don’t like kids. Along the way, we talk about testing old jokes in front of an audience, writing fresh material for specific crowds, and the value of letting a joke grow instead of giving up too soon. This episode is a hilarious and honest look at the messy middle of creating. Tune in!

I love finished jokes, but I’m way more fascinated by everything that happens BEFORE they’re finished. That’s where I spend most of my time anyway: Finding angles, trying connections, cutting things, adding things, and occasionally wondering why I thought any of this was funny. That’s also what my self-paced, online course “The Joke Writer’s Lab” is built around. If you want practical methods for taking premises and turning them into actual material, you can join nearly 100 other students and jump into the course anytime.

Hello, Friend! In episode 155 of the “Messed-Up To Set-Ups” podcast, I’m back in the lab with comedian Garrett McDonald. He’s actually my first repeat guest! In Part 1 of our chat, we have a real conversation about getting better without getting stuck in somebody else’s version of how comedy is supposed to work. We talk about the divide between online success and stage time, why “How long have you been doing comedy?” can miss the point, and the small performance changes that help a joke breathe. Garrett shares how his school-counselor perspective is shaping his comedy, what he’s learning about act-outs, and how social media became an unexpected creative outlet. We also get into the highs and lows of the past year, a show with one ticket sold, a corporate gig we did together that turned into complete mayhem, and the surprising ways comedy can help us keep moving through hard seasons. If you’re building a creative life while juggling work, family, and the fear of becoming stagnant, this episode of Messed-Up to Set-Ups is for you. Tune in!

By the way, I’m building my comedy career alongside a full-time job, family, writing, podcasting, producing shows, and all the other stuff that apparently requires me to own a calendar. Because of that, I’m always interested in sustainable progress rather than somebody else’s definition of what a comedy career has to look like. That’s a lot of what I share each week in my FREE, weekly comedy newsletter, The Round-Up. If you’re building your own version of a comedy life and want practical ideas, things I’m learning, experiments I’m trying, and occasional evidence that I have absolutely no idea what I’m doing, subscribe for FREE. When you sign up, I’ll also send you my FREE 17-page Joke Blueprint Playbook.

Hello, Friend! It’s episode #154 of the “Messed-Up To Set-Ups” podcast and I’m back with “Glacier” Ray Lloyd. In this one, we dig deep into the surprising similarities between pro wrestling and stand-up comedy. We get into persona, backstory, and how performers create an illusion the audience wants to believe in. We also talk about the role of emotion and making people feel something, protecting the fan experience, giving a crowd more than they paid for, kayfabe, the danger of chasing cheap laughs at an audience member’s expense, and the value of clean comedy. If you’re working on your craft and striving to make every performance count, you’ll love this episode. Tune in!

And hey, if you’re working on figuring out who you are when you step onto the comedy stage, try my Comedian Persona Explorer app. It’ll help you think through your comedic voice, perspective, and the version of yourself you want audiences to meet. Give it a try and see what you discover about the comedian you’re becoming.

Hello, Friend! In this first half of my conversation with Glacier Ray Lloyd, we travel from his wrestling-loving childhood in Brunswick, Georgia, through college football, WCW, and the nerve-racking leap into stand-up comedy. Ray shares how a couple of wrestling connections changed his path, why the stage scared him in a whole new way, and what finally helped him stop putting the comedy dream on hold. We also talk about building momentum one idea at a time, keeping notes so inspiration doesn’t disappear, and the delightfully wild story behind his wrestling-inspired movie, The Unbreakable Bunch. If you’re working toward something that feels intimidating, or trying to keep growing without losing your love for the journey, I think you’ll enjoy this episode of Messed-Up to Set-Ups. Tune in!

Oh, and hey, if you’re working on figuring out who you are when you step onto the comedy stage, try my Comedian Persona Explorer app. It’ll help you think through your comedic voice, perspective, and the version of yourself you want audiences to meet. Give it a try and see what you discover about the comedian you’re becoming.

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 keep growing as a performer instead of getting stuck repeating the same approach. Whether you’re working on your first open-mic set or refining material you’ve performed for years, I hope these ideas give you something useful to try the next time you take the stage. Tune in!

Got an idea for a joke but can’t figure out where to take it? Grab my FREE Joke Blueprint Playbook and start turning those everyday experiences into material you can actually use onstage.

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 conversations take unexpected turns. If you’ve ever wondered how comedians turn everyday experiences into material, come hang out with us. Tune in!

Got an idea for a joke but can’t figure out where to take it? Grab my FREE Joke Blueprint Playbook and start turning those everyday experiences into material you can actually use onstage.

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 makes it personal. Chris and I also explore how a simple joke can keep evolving, why the best material often comes from ordinary life, and how timing, variation, and persistence help comedians grow. Whether you’re an open-mic comedian, a creative, or someone trying not to become stagnant, this episode of Messed-Up to Set-Ups brings plenty of laughs, honest insights, and encouragement to keep moving forward. Tune in!

Got a joke that’s pretty good but you know could be better? That’s exactly the kind of thing I help comedians work through in my self-paced, online course The Joke Writer’s Lab. Learn how to develop stronger setups, sharpen punchlines, and turn promising ideas into jokes that actually work. Also, check out the FREE companion Facebook Group where you can get feedback from Michael and others on your clean material. Sign up HERE.

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 helpful callbacks. We cover the messy process of writing jokes, bombing, staying true to an idea, and learning why even great comedians have to test material that doesn’t work yet. So, join us for a funny and honest behind-the-scenes look at how comedians find momentum one premise at a time.

Of course, none of this means being funny doesn’t matter. The professionalism might help get me through the door, but I still need jokes that work once I get onstage. If that’s the part of the equation you’re working on right now, download my FREE 17-page Joke Blueprint Playbook. It walks through joke-writing process I use to turn ideas into setups and punchlines, and you can grab your copy for free below.