Yes But Why Podcast

This week on Yes But Why, we talk to stand-up comedian and political comedy writer, John Poveromo.

John Poveromo is a Brooklyn-born, Jersey-raised stand-up comic who exudes the perfect blend of self-deprecation and optimism. John is a dynamic and engaging performer who uses comedy to make sense of himself and the world around him. As open and honest onstage as he was in this interview, John’s charm gives him the ability to connect with every audience every time.

John can be heard on Sirius XM Radio; he has performed at the Jersey City, Baltimore, Salem, Boston, and New York Comedy Festivals; and, he currently has a short film that he wrote and stars in called, “Duppet,” streaming on Amazon Prime.

John has been featured in the New York Times and the Asbury Park Press.
John has written for a variety of shows, including ESPN’s Sports Nation, Current TV’s Viewpoint with John Fugelsang, Joy Behar’s Say Anything on HLN, The Independents, and CNN Newsroom. He recently wrote a piece for Newsweek about his experience as a politically charged standup comedian in Trump’s America.

In our conversation, John and I talk about the comedians he connected with as a kid: Jackie Mason, Richard Jenny, and Robin Williams. We talk about comedy’s connection to current events and we discuss The Daily Show’s effect on that. John talks about his path to figuring out standup, from taking classes in NYC to googling comedy clubs and asking them if they had a spot in the lineup. John has known what he wanted to do since 6th grade and he tried anything and everything to get there. Before the pandemic, John had been on the road for 15 years. We talk about the effect of covid on the forward motion of his career and we discuss the new exciting projects John is working on.

Support John Poveromo by checking out his standup clips on his website. Also, you can watch his short film, “Duppet,” streaming on Amazon Prime.



Yes But Why Podcast is a proud member of the HC Universal Network family of podcasts. Visit us at HCUniversalNetwork.com to join in on the fun.

This episode of Yes But Why podcast is sponsored by audible - get your FREE audiobook download and your 30 day free trial at http://www.audibletrial.com/YESBUTWHY.

This episode of Yes But Why is also sponsored by PodcastCadet.com. Swing on by PodcastCadet.com to get help for all your podcasting needs! Go to PodcastCadet.com and put in offer code YBY20 to get 20% off your first consultation!

This week on Yes But Why, we talk to improviser and arts educator, Sarah Mikayla Brown.

Sarah Mikayla Brown is a performer, educator and producer based in Lafayette, Louisiana. She is an ensemble member of Silverbacks Improv Theatre, RagTag, and The Family Dinner (Baton Rouge). She is a graduate from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and the improvisation program at the Annoyance Theatre in Chicago. Brown co-founded and produced the Chicago Fringe Festival, which went on to have an adventurous 10-year run. She also recently took up performing stand-up comedy.

In our conversation, Sarah and I talk about the avant garde theater we did in our twenties. Sarah told me about her experience creating the original work "Cajun Face," with Lian Cheramie, and how she loves exploring her own Cajun culture in her art. We chat about creative experimentation, building community, and teaching the next generation of artists.

Support Sarah Mikayla Brown by following her on Instagram and by following her improv group on Facebook.

You can also check out Sarah’s upcoming events:
•December 18th - Family Dinner Spoof Night - Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - Manship Theatre, Baton Rouge, 7:30pm - https://www.manshiptheatre.org/show/spoof-night-with-harry-potter-the-chamber-of-secrets
•December 21st - Silverbacks Improv Theatre - 9th Annual Holiday Show - streaming on Facebook at 7pm - www.silverbacksimprov.com

Yes But Why Podcast is a proud member of the HC Universal Network family of podcasts. Visit us at HCUniversalNetwork.com to join in on the fun.

This episode of Yes But Why podcast is sponsored by audible - get your FREE audiobook download and your 30 day free trial at http://www.audibletrial.com/YESBUTWHY.

This episode of Yes But Why is also sponsored by PodcastCadet.com. Swing on by PodcastCadet.com to get help for all your podcasting needs! Go to PodcastCadet.com and put in offer code YBY20 to get 20% off your first consultation!

This week on Yes But Why, we talk to theater artist and comedy writer, Aaron Garrett.

Aaron Garrett is a writer and lighting designer by inclination (and a producer/director/actor by necessity) based in Houston, Texas. He has a passion for pushing the cultural boundaries of sketch comedy and in 2012 founded Be Kind To Strangers, currently Houston's longest running sketch comedy troupe. In 2014 he founded the semi-improvised Magical Lying Hour which (when possible) travels frequently in the U.S. and beyond. In 2017 he merged his projects into Pronoia Theater, which now focuses on original scripted and improv comedy.

In our conversation, Aaron and I get into a heated discussion about improv and sketch. He has strong opinions and we talk it all out. Challenge is the theme of this episode. Aaron likes to be challenged. I oblige.

Aaron shares some great stories about the theater community at his alma mater, Rice University. We talk about college and the opportunities we had.

Alongside past guest Steven M. Saltsman, Aaron now runs the Pronoia Theater. We talk about writing and directing and all the little details that go into running a theater that you don’t think about. This was a great discussion. Very spirited.

Support Aaron by watching his improv show, Magical Lying Hour, online (and maybe soon in person). Check out Aaron and Steven’s collaboration, the online sitcom, Space Train. New episode coming soon! And don’t forget to check out Aaron’s podcast, Presidential Death Match. Great stuff! Enjoy!

Yes But Why Podcast is a proud member of the HC Universal Network family of podcasts. Visit us at HCUniversalNetwork.com to join in on the fun.

This episode of Yes But Why podcast is sponsored by audible - get your FREE audiobook download and your 30 day free trial at http://www.audibletrial.com/YESBUTWHY.

This episode of Yes But Why is also sponsored by PodcastCadet.com. Swing on by PodcastCadet.com to get help for all your podcasting needs! Go to PodcastCadet.com and put in offer code YBY20 to get 20% off your first consultation!

This week on Yes But Why, we talk to Austin based actress and voiceover artist, Danu Uribe.

Danu Uribe is an Emmy-nominated, full-time voice-over and on-camera talent for commercials, video games, film, animation, motion capture, corporate training, and eLearning projects. Danu has twenty years of audio and video studio experience.

Danu earned her B.A. in Drama from Texas Woman’s University, received her introduction to comedy performing with the critically acclaimed, multimedia sketch comedy troupe, The Latino Comedy Project, and then, completed studies in Writing and Improvisational Comedy at the historic Second City Training Center in Chicago.

In our conversation, Danu talks about 4 years of touring the world with the live-action graphic novel show, The Intergalactic Nemesis. She talks about what a toll touring can take and yet how happy she is to have been able to do that before covid.

I really loved the part where she told me about when The Intergalactic Nemesis was featured on CONAN. It was so wild that she got to perform with Conan O’Brien!

In our chat, we talk about Danu’s natural inclination toward entertaining. Danu tells me all about the path she has found in voice-over work and how much she enjoys the creative collaborations she has found in that industry.


Danu also loves acting in film and TV and she is just SO DARN GOOD at it. Unlike many of my other guests on this podcast, I have gotten to see Danu perform onstage many times and she is always wonderful to watch! This is likely due to her dedication to her craft. Listen in as she talks about the work she has put in (and continues to do) to make sure she brings her best to the table. Danu is a hard worker and a kind soul and we had so much fun catching up.

And you know what? Danu can be heard all over the country voicing brands such as Staples, Lowe's, Burlington Coat Factory, World Market and many more.
Listen for her while you are Christmas shopping!

Support Danu by watching her act on TV and in movies! Danu can be heard as the character “Toth” in the animated series, “Nomad of Nowhere" streaming on Amazon (added it to my list CHECK). Danu can also be seen in the feature film, "Call Me Brother" in live and virtual theaters now (dying to see that CHECK).


Yes But Why Podcast is a proud member of the HC Universal Network family of podcasts. Visit us at HCUniversalNetwork.com to join in on the fun.

This episode of Yes But Why podcast is sponsored by audible - get your FREE audiobook download and your 30 day free trial at http://www.audibletrial.com/YESBUTWHY.

This episode of Yes But Why is also sponsored by PodcastCadet.com. Swing on by PodcastCadet.com to get help for all your podcasting needs! Go to PodcastCadet.com and put in offer code YBY20 to get 20% off your first consultation!

This week on Yes But Why, we talk to Italy-based improviser and educator, Leah Dawson.

Leah Dawson is an elementary school teacher at an international school in Italy. Leah is also an active member of the improv scene at Teatribù in Milan. We connected on an international improv Facebook group. Leah weaves improv games into her daily lessons to keep her students engaged and we bonded when she advised me on an improv class I was teaching for elementary aged children. It was great to talk to Leah about how she got involved in improv and how it has helped her to be a better teacher.

In our conversation, Leah tells me how space camp got her out of US public schools and into an Italian international school. Leah tells the story of the chance meeting at brunch that inspired her interest in theater. And Leah regales me with quite a few funny tales about how she is still using improv to help her with speaking Italian!

Support Leah by taking an impro class with her. She has a unique perspective that will help you get better at your craft! Leah will be offering an impro in English class. Anyone interested should email [email protected] !

Yes But Why Podcast is a proud member of the HC Universal Network family of podcasts. Visit us at HCUniversalNetwork.com to join in on the fun.

This episode of Yes But Why podcast is sponsored by audible - get your FREE audiobook download and your 30 day free trial at http://www.audibletrial.com/YESBUTWHY.

This episode of Yes But Why is also sponsored by PodcastCadet.com. Swing on by PodcastCadet.com to get help for all your podcasting needs! Go to PodcastCadet.com and put in offer code YBY20 to get 20% off your first consultation!

This week on Yes But Why, we talk to actress and podcaster, Ivy Meehan.

Native Texan Ivy Meehan has always found her way to performing on a stage, even when there were no theaters anywhere to be found. Even when she was going to college on a golf scholarship and getting a degree in Entertainment and Sport Promotion, she somehow convinced the business school she was attending to produce a musical every spring.

And yet, most of the stories Ivy tells me in our conversation have to do with fear. Ivy, like all of us, was afraid to do something that wasn’t so stable. But still she found her way to the theater. She got internships at theaters doing marketing and PR. She became a wedding DJ. But what she really wanted to do was act. Maybe in films, maybe onstage but definitely in front of people. Ivy and I talk about how hard it can be to get out of your own way.

Ivy and I talk about wanting to be performers but how fear can really hold you back. Ivy tells me about every job she had that was theater adjacent before she finally bit the bullet and became an actor.

When she moved to Austin, Ivy connected with TurtleDove Films and
worked with Elena Weinberg and Duncan Coe on the #ATown web series and then on the feature film, A Room Full of Nothing. Turns out, Ivy’s pretty good at acting. She even very recently won “Best Performance” at the 2020 Fort Myers Beach International Film Festival for her role in A Room Full of Nothing.

Support Ivy Meehan now by watching her in A Room Full of Nothing, available now on Amazon. You should also check out “Local,” her podcast that features deep conversations with small, local business owners about their origins, journeys, struggles, and triumphs.

Yes But Why Podcast is a proud member of the HC Universal Network family of podcasts. Visit us at HCUniversalNetwork.com to join in on the fun.

This episode of Yes But Why podcast is sponsored by audible - get your FREE audiobook download and your 30 day free trial at http://www.audibletrial.com/YESBUTWHY.

This episode of Yes But Why is also sponsored by PodcastCadet.com. Swing on by PodcastCadet.com to get help for all your podcasting needs! Go to PodcastCadet.com and put in offer code YBY20 to get 20% off your first consultation!

This week on Yes But Why, our interview is with standup comedian, Alex Velluto.

Alex Velluto is a standup comedian, based out of Utah.

With millions of online views, he has performed in the top comedy clubs across the country in over 60 cities as a member of the Dry Bar Comedy Tour. Dry Bar Comedy produced his debut comedy special, “Alex Velluto: Spurious,” available now on Amazon.

Alex was a finalist in the prestigious Boston Comedy Festival, was named “Best of Fest” at the Golden Spike Comedy Festival and was the winner of the Finger Lakes Comedy Festival in Ithaca, NY.

Alex shares his love of John Mulaney and Jerry Seinfeld. Alex tells the story of going to see Seinfeld perform comedy. Wow! I’m so jealous!

In our conversation, we talk about the ups and downs of figuring out how to be a comedian and all the weird advice he got along the way. Alex tells stories of his comedy community at Salt Lake City’s WiseGuys Comedy club. Tune in for great advice about marketing yourself!

Support Alex Velluto by watching his current comedy special on Youtube, “Alex Velluto Presents: Alex Velluto!” You can also get more fun Alex content by checking out his podcast, Free Lunch with Alex Velluto.

Yes But Why Podcast is a proud member of the HC Universal Network family of podcasts. Visit us at HCUniversalNetwork.com to join in on the fun.

This episode of Yes But Why podcast is sponsored by audible - get your FREE audiobook download and your 30 day free trial at http://www.audibletrial.com/YESBUTWHY.

This episode of Yes But Why is also sponsored by PodcastCadet.com. Swing on by PodcastCadet.com to get help for all your podcasting needs! Go to PodcastCadet.com and put in offer code YBY20 to get 20% off your first consultation!

This week on Yes But Why, we talk to world renowned performer and improv teacher, Joe Bill.

Joe Bill has been a performer and teacher at iO Chicago for more than 30 years; he was one of the co-founders of Annoyance Theater; and, he was an Artistic Associate for The Chicago Improv Festival for the entirety of its existence. He has been an Internationally Touring Teacher, Performer and director for more than 20 years and acts as an Artistic Adviser for a number of Improvisation and Comedy Theaters all over the world. He has taught at pretty much every major improv/impro Festival in the U.S. & Canada in the last 30 years.

In our conversation, we talk about where we find inspiration and Joe shares an anecdote from his childhood about his musician cousin, Katherine. He talks about going on tour for a year with Up With People and what an amazing experience that was.

We talk about family drama and the need to escape. We talk about the community of misfits in Chicago where Joe finally found his artistic home.

We chat about Joe’s love of traveling the world to discuss improv. Joe shares sage advice for teachers hoping to tour like he does. We talk about connecting with your students and caring deeply about the service you are providing.

Joe’s a funny guy and we have quite a few laughs (including a couple dark covid jokes…too soon?)

Support Joe Bill by hiring him to teach you! You can also check out his podcast, Not Therapy that he cohosts with YBY past guest, Balasree Viswanathan.

Yes But Why Podcast is a proud member of the HC Universal Network family of podcasts. Visit us at HCUniversalNetwork.com to join in on the fun.

This episode of Yes But Why podcast is sponsored by audible - get your FREE audiobook download and your 30 day free trial at http://www.audibletrial.com/YESBUTWHY.

This episode of Yes But Why is also sponsored by PodcastCadet.com. Swing on by PodcastCadet.com to get help for all your podcasting needs! Go to PodcastCadet.com and put in offer code YBY20 to get 20% off your first consultation!

This week on Yes But Why, we talk to improviser, J Villanueva.

J Villanueva is an improviser and educator from the city of Manila in The Philippines. J teaches Disaster Readiness and Earth Sciences to high school students. Alongside his students, he started “Schrodinger’s Act,” the first High School improv club that his school has ever had.

J has been performing improv for 25 years, even before he knew what organized improv was. Now J teaches and performs improv all over the world. J runs online jams every Tuesdays and teaches improv with Manila’s Clutch Inc. Improv Group. J also regularly performs online improv shows with Mesa, Arizona’s National Comedy Theatre Phoenix.

In our conversation, we talk about the pushback we get for choosing to do art in our lives. J and I chat about how inspired we are by the global improv community for their efforts to stay connected with online shows.

J tells me the story of the accident that got him back into theater after college, and the subsequent performance superpower that he developed. J talks about all the different styles of improv he has experienced in The Philippines and abroad.

Support J. Villanueva by watching him perform!
Upcoming Online Improv Shows:
--#FOUND show directed by Jessica Arjet and Adrian Glaze Gwarzález at The Free Fringe Virtual produced the Hideout Theatre (in AUSTIN!) on October 29, 2020 at 9:30 pm (CDT)
https://www.hideouttheatre.com/shows/thefreefringe/?event_id=12849
--Fringeprov 2020: Undas The Way Aha, Aha I Like It with Jorge of the Mountain in the J & J Amazing Duo and with Super Efficient – Festival runs from October 31, 2020 at 7pm (GMT+8) to November 1, 2020 at 7am (GMT+8) https://ticket2me.net/e/32174
--Queen City Comedy’s Global Gab on November 3, 2020 at 10 AM (EDT) https://www.facebook.com/queencitycomedycharlotte/photos/a.1949234335304298/2939649612929427/

Yes But Why Podcast is a proud member of the HC Universal Network family of podcasts. Visit us at HCUniversalNetwork.com to join in on the fun.

This episode of Yes But Why podcast is sponsored by audible - get your FREE audiobook download and your 30 day free trial at http://www.audibletrial.com/YESBUTWHY.

This episode of Yes But Why is also sponsored by PodcastCadet.com. Swing on by PodcastCadet.com to get help for all your podcasting needs! Go to PodcastCadet.com and put in offer code YBY20 to get 20% off your first consultation!

This week on Yes But Why, we talk to Chicago-based actor, arts educator and casting director, Nik Whitcomb.

Nik Whitcomb is a nimble theatrical Renaissance man. Nik has had a varied and successful career in entertainment, working as an actor, a director, an arts educator, a podcast host, an arts administrator, an online content creator and a casting director. Recently Nik was recognized for his hard work in the world of entertainment when he was named a "Theatre Worker You Should Know" by American Theatre Magazine. Nik is also the creator and host of the new online multi-platform talk show "THE COME UP with Nik Whitcomb."

In our conversation, Nik shares stories of growing up doing theater in Omaha at the Rose Theater. Nik tells me about his experiences working at theaters in Minneapolis and Chicago and the differences in his experiences in either city.

We talk about covid’s effect on the theater/film scene in Chicago. We have a couple of hilarious rabbit hole discussions, one of which is about JFK and harkens back to Nik’s 8th grade government class. It. Gets. Weird.

Nik and I talk about our theories on teaching actors how to create space and how to evoke emotion. Nik provides some really important advice on how to pick gigs and make connections; and he gives great insight on auditioning.

Support Nik Whitcomb by listening to his podcast, "THE COME UP with Nik Whitcomb." Also, check out the upcoming Playbill Virtual Play Festival and look out for Nik’s show, OUR TIME, a 10-min adaptation of OUR TOWN made specifically for the digital space.

You can also book Nik to be your acting coach or website designer. He can also prepare you for an upcoming audition. He knows everything about everything! Book Nik Whitcomb now!

Yes But Why Podcast is a proud member of the HC Universal Network family of podcasts. Visit us at HCUniversalNetwork.com to join in on the fun.

This episode of Yes But Why podcast is sponsored by audible - get your FREE audiobook download and your 30 day free trial at http://www.audibletrial.com/YESBUTWHY.

This episode of Yes But Why is also sponsored by PodcastCadet.com. Swing on by PodcastCadet.com to get help for all your podcasting needs! Go to PodcastCadet.com and put in offer code YBY20 to get 20% off your first consultation!