This Might Help with Matt Braunger

Mightys, we have reached the end. After two years and 100 episodes of Might Have Help-ing, I’ve decided to bring the pod to an end. And you know what? I didn’t tell my guest Will Sasso! Why? Because he would have surely cried. Will is an old friend and someone I’ve always looked up to comedically/performance-wise. He’s also one of those notoriously kind guys you hear about here and there in this Biz-buzzy town, so he was (and is) the ideal final guest. We went long on this one, not because it’s the last episode, but because it was so damn fun. I could talk to Will for hours and hours until he politely but firmly asks me to get off his porch (he lives near me). Listen, enjoy, and thanks for the memories. I sincerely can’t thank everyone who listened, enjoyed, and especially called in, enough. Stay positive, friends, and let’s listen to each other’s problems. It really, really might help.

Call Matt and ask a question 323-763-0228

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This episode I got not one, but two guests who need no introduction. You know Patton from his legendary stand-up-that-led-to-other-insanely-cool-stuff career, and Meredith from her rise from child star to voice and screen actress and writer. What a get! Though Patton and I go way back, I’d only met Meredith once, so this was two of my favorite kinds of shows (in one!): 1) Catching up with an old friend, and 2) Learning about a person I find interesting but don’t know that well. Score! We talked marriage, parenthood, the crazy business of show, offensiveness, and so much more. The calls were epic, we laughed, we did not cry. This episode has it all! Enjoy, my Mightys

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Scott Wampler is a writer/podcaster/superfan-made-good who I first became aware of on Twitter, the best place to make friends in the world. A funny, self-effacing, yet scathing critic of cinema and fan of low art, the two of us hit it off immediately when I came on his podcast. That podcast? The mega-popular “The Kingcast,” based entirely around the works of Stephen King. On each episode, the guest chooses one of Mr. King’s works to discuss. I’m very proud that I got to talk about the movie Creepshow, one of the best (and most fun) horror movies of all time, when my time came. Scott and I talked about post-covid lockdown life, being true to your mental health by giving yourself space, and (most importantly) canned bread. Yep! You read that right. We had a fun, fun time and you will too. Thanks, Mightys!

Call Matt and ask a question 323-763-0228

New episodes arrive every Thursday via The Laugh Button.

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Lately, you might have heard of something called the Drop Challenge. People taking a sexy look towards the camera, then dropping to a “hot squat” (my term) slowly towards the ground. Heck, the cast of SNL did it recently. Well, it was created by today’s guest Atsuko Okatsuka, a gifted, engaging comedian and friend of mine. Atsuko is somebody who comes across as eternally happy and optimistic, but she’s had her share of trauma and strife, both personal and familial. She’s made a series of dance videos online that involve her husband and grandmother, often in public places. If you haven’t seen them, look them up now if you like delightful things. She was a blast to have on, and gave incredible advice to the callers. Check it out, as we drop it. Thanks, Mightys!

Call Matt and ask a question 323-763-0228

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Jonah is an old friend from when I first moved to Los Angeles. I’ll never forget driving us both to a brutally shitty show WAY far away from where either of us lived. We both had good sets, mostly because the situation was so insane. For example: The stage was a small wooden box with carpeting stapled to it (!). After sharing such a stage, we had no choice to become lifelong friends. Since then he’s gone on to co-host and produce “The Meltdown” on Comedy Central and has been the new host of “Mystery Science Theater 3000” for a few years now. He even had the sense to stop doing stand-up comedy (or, as I would put it, he graduated lol). I’ve been meaning to have him on for a minute and this episode did not disappoint. In fact, after we taped it, we texted each other throughout the day about how we kept thinking of it. Listen and see why!

Call Matt and ask a question 323-763-0228

New episodes arrive every Thursday via The Laugh Button.

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Brian Simpson is a comic I love/hate to follow at my home club, The Comedy Store. He’s deadpan, hilarious, writes great jokes, and is fearless in what he says. I’m MAYBE two or three of those things, so going up after him makes me work (always a good thing for your growth, sometimes not the most fun at the time). We didn’t know each other, but I knew I had to get him on the show. The timing was perfect, as he’s recently gotten a lot of well-earned shine, appearing on Netflix’s “The Stand-Ups” to rave reviews. Brian was a perfect guest for TMH, because he brought a wealth of experience. He was in the army, was homeless for a time, and now makes his living as a stand-up comedian and writer. That, my friends, is what you call perspective! We had a lot of fun on this one, and I learned a lot about my new friend Brian. Thanks, Mightys!

Call Matt and ask a question 323-763-0228

New episodes arrive every Thursday via The Laugh Button.

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If the bars of Eastern Los Angeles could talk, the tales they would tell of me and the two Kyles (Buchanan and Kinane). Kinane, as you might know, and I moved to LA from Chicago together. Back in the early 2000s, we bounced around drinking our way through LA with writer Kyle Buchanan. It was a fun, fun time. Kyle B and I haven’t talked much since, but he’s become quite the success, becoming the head columnist for The Projectionist at The New York Times. He’s got a new book out about the stone cold classic “Fury Road” called “Blood, Sweat, and Chrome” that I’m reading now, and absolutely loving. You should get it if you like cool stuff. It was an absolute blast catching up with Kyle and answering advice for strangers. Listen now!

Call Matt and ask a question 323-763-0228

New episodes arrive every Thursday via The Laugh Button.

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Beth Lapides gave a stage to pretty much any comic you’ve ever liked from the alt-comedy scene in Los Angeles. Patton Oswalt, Dana Gould, Janeane Garafalo, the list goes on and on. Her show Un-Cabaret was, and is, legendary for letting unique artists explore their perspectives in front of a rapt audience. I’ve even done it! It’s spectacular. Beth is also a performer herself, as well as a writer and teacher. She’s even got a new audiobook out now called “You Need to Decide.” We got into things on this episode, Mightys! The insight was huge, but so were the laughs. Listen and enjoy, because I sure did.

Call Matt and ask a question 323-763-0228

New episodes arrive every Thursday via The Laugh Button.

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Ricky Velez is one of the funniest comedians out there, and he’s only, like, 32? He’s written on a ton of shows, is currently on a tour headlining all the best hard-for-a-comic-to-break-into comedy clubs, and most recently opened for Hasan Minaj at Radio City Music Hall (!!). He’s also married with a three-year-old boy who, he tells me, is hilarious. On top of that, though he smokes weed, he’s quit drinking. Ricky is a NYC fixture. Though, after his wife was attacked on the street, they decamped to Miami after a while. We talked about various subjects, and he brought his sardonic wit to that conversation and the great calls we got this week (Thanks, Mightys!). Listen and see how wrong we might have been.

Call Matt and ask a question 323-763-0228

New episodes arrive every Thursday via The Laugh Button.

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We got another solo episode, Mightys. As the longtime listeners (Mightys, You) know, these pop up here and there because, well, they’re fun. Typically, I like to have a partner on to whack the ping-pong ball with, but occasionally I like to do it myself. I’m about to get back on the road soon, which means I’ll be doing exactly that, but onstage. Doing eps like this one helps keep me on my feet, so thanks for your indulgence. However, this will be no chore! We’ve got fun, gags, and amazing calls. Listen, judge my solo advice, call me an idiot (or not), and enjoy!

Call Matt and ask a question 323-763-0228

New episodes arrive every Thursday via The Laugh Button.

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