Chris Singel

Internet aficionado by day, comedian by night.

Dec 21
“What we admit to liking is as important as what we actually like, and everyone secretly knows this. But the very social networks that offer to keep us connected simply build walls, contributing to a disconnectedness in which any sort of monoculture is impossible. Because of how much time we spend obfuscating ourselves from one another through the digital dressing screens of Facebook, Twitter, et al., we live in a world increasingly fraught with manipulation and interpersonal artifice. We all do it—it’s just that hipsters are among the most overt about this, outwardly and explicitly manipulating their image while few others are bold enough to acknowledge this.” HOLY CRAP THIS IS IT.  EVERYTHING.  Still putting it all together… (via fatmanatee)

Dec 19
Happy Holidays via www.sinfest.net (a great webcomic)

Happy Holidays via www.sinfest.net (a great webcomic)


Dec 17

Wow. 9/11 jokes still too soon? Landline TV says no.


Dec 16

TJ Miller, Buster Bluth, and alcoholism? Yes, please! Thanks juliavickerman:

mattbraunger:

“Successful Alcoholics” trailer!

This is a short film written by Jordan Voight-Roberts and TJ Miller and directed by Jordan. It stars TJ and Lizzie Caplan and features Nick Kroll, Nick Thune, me, Tony Hale, Ryan Ridley, and more!

Enjoy! Whoo!

This looks very appealing to me.


GPOYW (hey tumblr kids, am I cool yet?)

GPOYW (hey tumblr kids, am I cool yet?)


Motorcycle Rocket Launcher. Yup.


How famous do I have to get before I have a chance with at least one of the Olsen twins?


Don’t think too hard about all this. It’s just life.

Don’t think too hard about all this. It’s just life.


Improv Nerds Only

So it sounds like what dangurewitch is trying to say is “Yes, And.”

Ever since I joined a UCB Harold team, I’ve been searching for ways to amplify a sense of discovery and fun in an environment too often full of overthinking and overanalysis. A recent very fun workshop with Anthony King got me thinking, as did my team’s fun show last night, and I wrote up a little personal manifesto of sorts. (If you’re not into improv, this might be boring.)

———

Improv semantics drive me crazy. Pattern. Premise. Heightening. Game. Stakes. Status. Analogous. Plot. These words/concepts exist for a reason, help make for a unified UCB Theatre curriculum, and can be helpful as we learn and grow as improvisers. But what if we decided we’re done lying under the weight of these words, and we put them in a drawer and closed it?

What if improv only had two rules:

1. Make each other right and make big decisions & assumptions until something fun happens.
2. Follow and expand upon that fun thing, fearlessly and without looking back, together.


If you haven’t found something fun, it’s because you’re not making each other right or you’re not making big decisions or assumptions.

If the fun thing starts to become less fun, it’s because you’re not fearlessly expanding upon it together.

I honestly can’t think of one concept in improv’s vast semantic treasure chest that isn’t addressed by this simple philosophy. All the axioms we know and love (“Don’t be coy,” “if that then what else,” “play game not pattern”, etc) are contained within it, but instead it puts “fun” at the center of good improv - right where it should be. All this talk of pattern vs. game, active vs. inactive, unusual thing vs reaction to unusual thing - this stuff is not incorrect. But maybe it also sort of fucking sucks, because it gets you thinking of improv in math terms, and improv isn’t math. Improv is discovery and fun.

Semantics can mean a lot. I don’t know about you guys, but I don’t want to be onstage in front of 150 people thinking “I better react to this unusual thing with a game (not pattern!) move that we can heighten.” That’s valid theory, but it’s not helping me create and discover funny things in the moment. I never used to think that way before someone told me to.

I just want to get up and make you right and make big choices until fun shit happens, and then have fun fearlessly exploring that fun shit. Still doing the same thing, just thinking about it with a simpler and more inherently positive lens that puts the focus back on the reason we do this: joy.

———

I realize this is just a rephrasing of an age-old improv conversation, but I’d still be interested to hear other performers’/students’ thoughts.


Dec 15

Saw Tommy Siegel’s name and paused. Glad I did, this video rocks, thanks ljm:

jennyowenyoungs:

LAST PERSON - The Music Video!!  Starring Bess Rogers, Chris Kuffner, Saul Simon-MacWilliams, Elliot Jacobson, Adam Christgau, Seth Faulk, Allie Moss, Allison Weiss, Tommy Siegel, Rachel Platten, Ian Axel, Chad Vaccarino, and some very attractive Professional Dancers.  Directed by Shervin Lainez + Gail Marowitz.  Edited by Tiffany “Hot Pants” Cho.

Man Jenny, your videos are ALL SO ACE.

(Hi friends!!)


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