Ian Roberts Is Alive
plus Batman Bros Hate Me
This first part is about a video my friend Ian made about his recent cardiac arrest. First, the back story.
Comedian Ian Roberts (head writer of Key & Peele, co-founder of The Upright Citizens Brigade Theater) and I started doing improv together at the start of last year. It was really fun and also really challenging!
The highlights were that Ian loves improv for its own sake, and only wanted to do a show if we rehearsed and used zero “gimmicks” (no hook, no stage banter — just get a suggestion and go). “I want to show improv can work the way I teach it. Full commitment, top of our intelligence,” etc. Craig Cackowski coached us two hours at a time twice a week for several months. I hadn’t rehearsed in over 10 years and was surprised how fun it was.
Ian has ten ideas for every one that I have and sometimes it feels like I’m improvising with a speedboat, being dragged over the surface of the ocean while trying to get up on my water skis.
We played every week for a year. We RARELY had a big audience — usually just 10 improv level 1 students who had been referred to our show by their teachers.
The shows were sometimes really good and sometimes… not! It was humbling and fascinating and really interesting.
In every case, Ian was in good spirits after. He’d laugh if the show went badly. He never noted me, and would often compliment me.
His kids and wife would often go, as would his 90+ year old father.
Full Cardiac Arrest
But that’s not what I’m writing about here!
What I’m writing about is that in October, Ian had a full cardiac arrest.
He was already in the hospital because he felt something was off, so medical staff were on him within a minute. Still, it took 30 minutes to get his heart beating on its own.
For a week or so, it was not clear if he was going to survive. Or if he did, if there would be brain damage.
But then, after a week or so —- he did recover.
He recovered so well that it’s almost funny.
When I saw him again toward the end of October he looked as healthy as I’ve ever seen him.
Since The Last Time We Met, I Died
Of course, Ian wanted to do a comedy video about it.
See, in addition to our improv show Ian and I had been doing a YouTube series called Getting Coffee (directed by Ian’s college friend JB Letchinger). In each of these, Ian presents and insane idea and I basically go “that’s insane.”
So when Ian recovered, we did a batch of these videos. And in the first one Ian discussed his cardiac arrest.
But here’s the thing: there’s almost no jokes. It’s just Ian explaining what happened, how much of a miracle it is that he survived, and how all he can think about since is how much he values his family.
These videos are completely improvised. Ian refuses to tell me anything in advance of what he’s going to say. So I was completely surprised to realize that he was just going to be sincere.
When he started crying, I literally didn’t know what to say.
To anyone who’s interested in what Ian is like —- if you want to see the kind of person who founded the immensely successful UCB Theatre, who was one of the main brains behind Key & Peele and many other shows —- I highly recommend the video “Since The Last Time We Met, I Died.”
Batman Bros Hate Me
In the “real life giving you a good improv scene” department:
A few months ago I was a guest on The Novelizers podcast, a comedy show where (among other things) they pretend to go behind the scenes of iconic films. I pretended to be a make-up artist on The Dark Knight and my bit was that I hated Heath Ledger’s “messy” makeup and had really wanted it to be “neat.”
On December 9, the creators put the above clip on Instagram. Soon, hundreds of Batman fans believed the clip to be real and could not wait to go into the comment section to tell me how stupid I was for not appreciating Heath’s makeup.
"I’m glad you didn’t get your way, the makeup looks great.”
“Thank God Heath overruled you.”
“So... this guy wanted Jared Leto joker.”
They’re particularly mad that I said I refused to watch the film! “Get over yourself, bruh!"
“Haven’t watched the movie? What a beeootch.”
The last thing I say in the video is “The messy make-up makes Heath look INSANE.” And they can’t WAIT to tell me that “that is the point - he’s SUPPOSED to look insane.”
And I’m like, yeah, I know — that’s why this is a comedic take I’m doing.
Many realize it’s a joke and comment that the reason people are fooled is that it’s not funny. “They must have edited out the funny parts” is a pretty common comment.
I actually didn’t think my performance was that funny, but their comments have made it one of the funniest things I’ve ever done!
Nearly two weeks later, there’s still 5-10 comments coming in a day. I’ve been enjoying responding to them in character, saying things like “I respectfully disagree. Heath was a gifted actor, but his performance would have been even stronger if the makeup was kept neat.”
It feels like I’m “winning” the argument because I know it’s fake and they do not. But really I’m trying to LOSE the argument here. I don’t want to be actually convincing! I want to sound like I have my reasons but those reasons are obviously wrong!
Although I am now starting to sympathize with my fake person! Maybe “neat” makeup (not a real term) WOULD have gone over better! After all, there is no other portrayal of The Joker where his makeup is messy. And Heath’s character is the head of a very successful crime ring! He’s obviously thorough and organized! He’d apply his makeup neatly!
Todd Bieber’s SantaCon Video
My friend Todd Biber organized a bunch of filmmakers to document NYC’s dreaded SanatCon a few years ago.
It’s only available until midnight on Christmas Day.
In his words: “The intention was to make a Christmas movie for friends. A background movie. Something on while wrapping gifts, baking cookies, during Christmas gatherings, or late at night after your normal family is asleep. Maybe watched with your cousin after you’ve snuck out to smoke a jay. Ideally loud and on a big screen.”
Plug: WGIS Intensives
WGIS is having intensives several times next year.
last week of Feb, first week of March
last week of April (we are now doing this one!)
last week of July, first week of August
Meant for out-of-towners, you come out for a week to LA (class does NOT provide lodging) for 8 sessions and a show of advanced instruction. They will be $375 for a week of classes.
We now have an application for this camp. It’s this Google form. We’ll reply within 2 weeks(ish) of your applying. We are looking for advanced improvisers.
Apply for the WGIS Intensives | See intensives on the WGIS website
Plugs: More Stuff
The World’s Greatest Improv School: The improv school I run with Jim Woods and Sarah Claspell. We’ve got classes online, in LA and even a few in NYC! You can join our mailing list if you want our weekly announcement of shows.
How to Be The Greatest Improviser On Earth - My improv book, available at Amazon. Kindle or print (also on my web site for more if you don’t want to buy from Amazon). It’s a hodge-podge of advice I wrote in 2016 about doing improv. If you’re short of funds and want a free PDF version just email me and I’ll send it over.
I’m in a few videos on the funny channel I’m Sorry, What? —- including this one about someone who brings a sex swing to a secret Santa and this one about an Uber driver whose daughter has been kidnapped.
What is your next makeup gig?
Really touching re: Ian's cardiac arrest video and funny your makeup artist character responses which remind me of Bob Odenkirk's pithy negative reviews of famous movies e.g. The Godfather "didn't work for me."