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We had the pleasure of talking to improviser and instructor, Donna Steele! Jason and Donna crossed paths years ago and the improv gods brought them back together at the Magnet where Jason coaches Donna's house team, Janet. Donna talks with Jason about performing at Coalition Theater in Richmond, VA before going to the WIT in Washington D.C., instructing furloughed government workers, what it was like to move to NYC after getting thoroughly invested at two theaters, her insight on performing improv, puppetry, and more! Listen on Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Google, Spotify, YouTube, and SoundCloud! https://www.donnasteele.com Instagram: @DonnaASteele, @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrPics Twitter: @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrJokes Facebook: @ThereItIsPod Subscribe to our comedy newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/e22defd4dee2/thereitis

Wellness is becoming a top priority in the US. The industry is currently valued at $1.5 trillion, and some survey reports found that around 24% of Americans prioritize spending money to support their well-being. On average, Americans shell out $110 per month on beauty and fitness—most of which goes to vitamins or supplements, haircuts, and skin care. Meanwhile, others put a bigger focus on physical health, spending an average of $30 for monthly gym memberships and fitness facilities. Despite the growing interest in having good health and wellness, the consistent effort it takes to maintain these habits can be hard work. This can be daunting for some, especially when they encounter plateaus or challenges that are difficult to overcome. For some people, facing such hurdles can be so demotivating that they drop their wellness journey altogether. Fortunately, humor is one tool that can motivate you and ease the process of improving your wellness—totally free of charge. Read on to find out how harnessing the power of humor can help with wellness motivation. Photo Source: Pexels How is Using Humor Effective for Wellness? You may have heard the old saying, “Laughter is the best medicine.” As it turns out, humor has powers that can help with your physical, mental, and social health. Here are some of the ways laughter supports your health and motivation for wellness. Physical Power The act of laughing is actually an exercise for your diaphragm, which enables you to take in more oxygenated air and stimulates your lungs. Not only does this relieve stress and physical tension in the muscles, but it can also boost your heart health. When you laugh at something humorous, your cardiac health improves because laughter increases your heart rate and lowers your blood pressure. This can also lower your cortisol levels, which are hormones that can affect your weight and wear down your cardiovascular, metabolic, and immune systems. In this way, laughter can be seen as an antidote to stress and decreases your vulnerability to diseases. With this, you may feel more motivated to continue with exercising and other wellness initiatives. Mental Power Wellness, particularly concerning weight loss, is not a linear path. While it would be easier to have a quick fix to reach your goals, the reality is that you will encounter some setbacks that could potentially affect your ability to lose weight naturally. This can easily lead you to resort to extreme measures like fad diets. As such, it is important to have a sustainable approach to losing weight and consider it a part of your broader wellness journey that goes beyond the numbers on a scale. You’ll want to find healthy foods you love eating and workouts you enjoy versus ones that you think you “should” do. Additionally, you can also find a community with like-minded individuals who can fuel your motivation, keep you on track, and make the overall journey fun. When faced with inevitable setbacks, say a weight plateau or demotivation to continue, you can also use humor to reduce the stress over the numbers on the scale and give yourself a break from worrying. Have a little laugh with friends and give yourself the space to acknowledge hurdles, but also have the confidence to get back on track. More than just a respite from sadness, humor can help process hardships and give you renowned strength to sustain your wellness journey and push on. Social Power When you think of social functions, the party essentials that come to mind might be cutlery, paper towels, or ice for drinks. However, humor is also vital for any gathering or celebration, as it creates bonds and increases intimacy with others. This is because expressions like laughter create more positive communication between people, paving better conversations and finding common things to enjoy together. In a wellness journey, the social power of humor can also help you find your community and support system. Such a like-minded group rooted in something positive, like humor, can hold you accountable and motivate you. As such, sharing a laugh goes beyond the joy of the moment and actually builds lasting relationships with people who can change your life for the better. Post prepared by Prudence Joy Thornton for thereitispod.com

The "Of the Show" gang's all here for a fun Pop Talk about the best actors-turned-directors. Before Jason discusses the best actors-turned directors with Bro of the Show, BFF of the Show, and Fiancée of the show, they chat about who they hope hosts SNL during the upcoming 49th season and how the search for the Daily Show host is playing out. Note: this is not a ranking or a bracket episode. We're just having a little chat about what film actors went on to direct movies particularly well while, as always, having a few laughs. Listen on Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Google, Spotify, YouTube, and SoundCloud! magnettheater.com Twitter: @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrJokes Instagram: @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrPics Facebook: @ThereItIsPod Subscribe to our comedy newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/e22defd4dee2/thereitis

Jordan Carlos is an actor, comedian, and writer you've seen all over the place! When they aren't joking around and talking about Gowanus, Jordan talks with Jason about moving to NYC and getting into comedy, how he got to become "Stephen Colbert's Black friend," his journey into writing for shows like Everything's Trash, First Wives Club and The Drew Barrymore Show, and he shares his novel way of booking commercials. It's a super fun talk. Listen on Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Google, Spotify, YouTube, and SoundCloud! https://www.jordancarloscomic.com TikTok: @JordanCarlosOfficial, @JasonFarrToks Instagram: @JordanCarlosOfficial, @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrPics Twitter: @JordanCarlos, @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrJokes Facebook: @JordanCarlosOfficial, @ThereItIsPod Subscribe to our comedy newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/e22defd4dee2/thereitis

We combed the internet for comedy festivals that have open submissions during the month of October so you don't have to! We have improv, stand-up, sketch and more covered below! Just click the names of the festivals to follow their link! We'll be updating throughout the month as new info comes in so be sure to check back! Stand-Up Halifax Comedy Festival - Deadline Oct. 1st (show dates April 24-28) The Ladies Room Comedy Festival - Extended to Oct. 6th (show dates Nov. 17-19) West End Comedy Festival - Deadline Oct. 15th (show dates Feb. 2-4) Good Karma Mid-Atlantic Comedy Festival - Deadline Oct. 20th (show dates Feb. 23-29) Winnipeg Comedy Festival - Deadline Oct. 31st (show dates Apr. 30 - May 5) Vail Comedy Festival - Early Bird Ends Oct. 31st, overall Feb. 15th (show dates May 24-26) CloudTop Comedy Festival - Deadline Nov. 1st (show dates May 9-11, 2024) SNO Jam Comedy Festival (Their Final One) - Deadline Nov. 15th (show dates Jan. 18-21) NW Black Comedy Festival - Deadline Nov. 24th (show dates Feb. 15-18) P3 Comedy Fest - Early Bird ends Nov. 30th, overall Jan. 10th (show dates May 24-26) Seattle International Comedy Competition - Submissions close when the field is chosen (show dates Nov. 1-26) Black Women in Comedy Laff Fest - Opening after Veterans Day (show dates June 19-23) Alaska B4UDie Festival - Deadline Dec. 1st (show dates Apr. 1-7) Flagship City Comedy Fest - Early Bird ends Dec. 1st, overall Jan. 15th (show dates Apr. 25-28) SLO Comedy Festival - Deadline Jan. 6th (show dates Feb. 22-25) FunnyFest Comedy Festival - Deadline Feb. 1 (show dates May 30-June 9, 2024) Meadowlands Comedy Festival - Deadline end of Feb. (show dates last week of April) Stand-Up/Film The Riot Comedy Festival - Deadline Oct. 31st (show dates Apr. 4-7) Film Chicago Comedy Film Festival - Multiple deadlines, overall Apr. 6th (show date Nov. 9) Feature & Short Film/Pilot/Audio/XR/Video Games Tribeca Festival - (Fest dates June 5-16) Feature and Pilot Early Bird ends Oct. 23rd, overall Jan. 17th Shorts Early Bird ends Nov. 1, overall Feb. 2nd XR & Games Early Bird ends Nov. 27th, overall Feb. 13th Audio Early Bird ends Nov. 27th, overall Feb. 21st Stand-Up/Short Film/Variety Ha Ha Harvest - Deadline Oct. 11th (show dates Nov. 26-28) Fringe Fringe World - Can register up to the festival season (show dates Jan. 19 - Feb. 18) Adelaide Fringe Festival - Check their resources for important info and dates (show dates Feb. 16-March 17) Brighton Fringe - Early Bird Dec. 4th, overall May 1st (show dates May 3 - June 3) Stand-Up/Comedy Act NZ International Comedy Festival - Deadline Oct. 11th (show dates May 5-28) Stand-Up/Storytelling/Music/Performance Art Bergamot Comedy Fest - Regular registration ends Oct. 14, overall Nov. 30th (show dates Apr. 1-6) Stand-Up/Improv/Sketch/Musical Hudson Valley Comedy Festival - Early Bird ends Oct. 31st, deadline late Nov. (show dates Jan. 12-14) Stand-Up/Improv/Sketch/Musical/Variety Perth Comedy Festival - Deadline Dec. 1st (show dates Apr. 24-May21) Stand-Up/Improv/Sketch/Alt Comedy Glasgow International Comedy Festival - Multiple deadlines, overall Feb. 1st (show dates March 13-31st) Stand-Up/Improv/Sketch D.C. Comedy Festival - Deadline Dec. 31st (show dates Apr. 8-13) Baton Rouge Improv Festival - Early Bird ends Jan. 1st (show dates Apr. 24-28) Stand-Up/Improv ComedyFort - Deadline Dec. 15th (show dates March 21-24) Improv Palm Beach Improv Festival - Deadline Oct. 7th (show dates Dec. 15&16) SAVI Fest - Deadline Oct. 12th (show dates Feb. 16&17) Wasatch Improv Festival - Deadline Oct. 15th (show dates Jan. 11-13) Ocean State Improv Festival - Deadline Dec. 31st (show dates June 5-9) SteelStacks Improv Comedy Festival - Deadline Nov. 10th (show dates Jan. 26&27) Happy Valley XL Improv Festival - Deadline Jan. 31st (show dates May 2024) Not Festivals, But Cool! Writer Residency Millay Arts Core Residency - Deadline Oct. 2nd Art Omi Writers Residency - Deadline Oct. 15th Awards Show All the Laughs Comedy Awards - Early Bird ends Feb. 1st To receive reminders for when festival submissions close subscribe to our newsletter which will mention those details and more every Monday! It's also free! Wee! We provide all of this for free, but if you'd like, say thank you with a beer at the link below!

This special Comedy Shop Talk episode launches as an audio and video episode! You can watch the video version on our YouTube. Jason and Justina (Fiancée of the Show) talk a little comedy shop! They chat about the last round of negotiations in the WGA strike (right before they negotiated a tentative deal), the potential impact of the upcoming arrival of Second City to New York City as well as UCB reopening, and about some controversies in the comedy world like the Tonight Show, Russell Brand, and Hasan Minhaj exposés. We primarily discuss the idea of "emotional truths" in comedy. Listen on Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Google, Spotify, and SoundCloud, and watch on YouTube! Twitter: @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrJokes Instagram: @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrPics Facebook: @ThereItIsPod Subscribe to our comedy newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/e22defd4dee2/thereitis Sources: WGA Strike: https://deadline.com/2023/09/writers-strike-deal-wga-studios-1235551531/ Drew Barrymore: https://www.vox.com/culture/2023/9/19/23880858/drew-barrymore-show-writers-strike-backlash-apology Bill Maher: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/comedian-bill-maher-postpones-real-time-show-return-writer-talks-resume-2023-09-18 Tonight Show: https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-features/jimmy-fallon-tonight-show-toxic-work-environment-crying-rooms-nbc-1234819421/ Russell Brand: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/russell-brand-rape-sexual-assault-abuse-allegations-investigation-v5hxdlmb6?utm Hasan Minhaj: https://www.newyorker.com/news/annals-of-communications/hasan-minhajs-emotional-truths

We talk to actress and instructor, Hannah Jane McMurray! Hannah Jane has been seen in projects like WeCrashed, Law & Order: Organized Crime, FBI, and several other commercials, shows, and productions. You have more than likely seen her. She's not only a talented actor, but also is a great teacher working at the Kimball Studios in Manhattan. where she met Jason. She talks about growing up in Los Angeles, coming from a family of actors, having a "That Guy" actor for a dad and his hilarious way of protecting her from the biz, studying at LAMBDA in London and Boston Conservatory, what helps her get ready for auditions, how she got into teaching, and more! Listen on Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Google, Spotify, YouTube, and SoundCloud! https://www.hannahjanemcmurray.com Twitter: @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrJokes Instagram: @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrPics Facebook: @ThereItIsPod Subscribe to our comedy newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/e22defd4dee2/thereitis

Improviser and Author, Greg Tavares, returns to the podcast to candidly reflect on his new book! Greg was an early guest on the podcast and is an old friend. He co-founded Theatre 99 in Charleston, SC and is a brilliant artist. He recently released his new book, "Daddy Issues: How to Stop Worrying and Love Being a Dad." Greg and Jason have a thought-provoking and deeply honest talk. Greg shares his unique journey, from resisting societal norms to embracing fatherhood and becoming a loving dad, his insights on creativity, vulnerability, and the emotional core of comedy which offer a fresh perspective on life's complexities. It's a very interesting chat, as chats with Greg always are! Listen on Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Google, Spotify, YouTube, and SoundCloud! theatre99.com Greg's books are available on his Amazon storefront: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B009BV1JKO Twitter: @Theatre_99, @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrJokes Instagram: @Theatre99, @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrPics Facebook: @ThereItIsPod Subscribe to our comedy newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/e22defd4dee2/thereitis

In this episode we talk to character comedian, sketch writer, and director, Amanda Xeller! Amanda is beloved in the house of There It Is. Infectious, hilarious, and lovable, Amanda performs her unique brand of humor with gusto. We had to talk to her about how she got into comedy and how she makes it. Amanda also talks with Jason about starting out in improv, doing the same Disney+ show (The Big Fib), switching over to character-based and sketch comedy, working with Moxie at the Magnet Theater, how she approaches what she creates, and more. She is a darn delight! Listen on Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Google, Spotify, YouTube, and SoundCloud! www.amandaxeller.com Get tickets to Character Night on Sept. 10th: magnettheater.com/show/tickets Instagram: @wildladypegpegpeg, @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrPics Twitter: @AmandaXeller, @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrJokes Facebook: @ThereItIsPod Subscribe to our comedy newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/e22defd4dee2/thereitis

We combed the internet for comedy festivals that have open submissions during the month of September so you don't have to! We have improv, stand-up, sketch and more covered below! Just click the names of the festivals to follow their link! We'll be updating throughout the month as new info comes in so be sure to check back! Stand-Up Turnpike Comedy Festival - Deadline Sept. 10th (show dates Sept. 25-Oct. 1) The Ladies Room Comedy Festival - Deadline Sept. 15th (show dates Nov. 17-19) Blue Ridge Comedy Festival - Deadline Sept. 30th (show dates Dec. 11-16) SLO Comedy Festival - Early Bird ends Sept. 30th, overall Jan. 6th (show dates Feb. 22-25) Halifax Comedy Festival - Deadline Oct. 1st (show dates April 24-28) West End Comedy Festival - Deadline Oct. 15th (show dates Feb. 2-4) Good Karma Mid-Atlantic Comedy Festival - Deadline Oct. 20th (show dates Feb. 23-29) CloudTop Comedy Festival - Deadline Nov. 1st (show dates May 9-11, 2024) SNO Jam Comedy Festival (Their Final One) - Deadline Nov. 15th (show dates Jan. 18-21) NW Black Comedy Festival - Deadline Nov. 24th (show dates Feb. 15-18) Seattle International Comedy Competition - Submissions close when the field is chosen (show dates Nov. 1-26) FunnyFest Comedy Festival - Deadline Feb. 1 (show dates May 30-June 9, 2024) Meadowlands Comedy Festival - Deadline end of Feb. (show dates last week of April) Feature, Short Film/Music Video/TV SXSW - Regular deadline ends Sept. 19th, overall Oct. 3rd (show dates March 8-16) Atlanta Comedy Film Festival - Deadline Sept. 30th (show date Nov. 12) Stand-Up/Film The Riot Comedy Festival - Deadline extended to Oct. 31st (show dates Apr. 4-7) Stand-Up/Short Film/Variety Ha Ha Harvest - Regular deadline Sept. 21st, overall Oct. 11th (show dates Nov. 26-28) Film Chicago Comedy Film Festival - Multiple deadlines, overall Apr. 6th (show date Nov. 9) Fringe Leicester Comedy Festival - Deadline Sept. 29th (show dates Feb. 7-24) Fringe World - Can register up to the festival season (show dates Jan. 19 - Feb. 18) Adelaide Fringe Festival - Check their resources for important info and dates (show dates Feb. 16-March 17) Stand-Up/Comedy Act NZ International Comedy Festival - Deadline Oct. 11th (show dates May 5-28) Stand-Up/Storytelling/Music/Performance Art Bergamot Comedy Fest - Early Bird ends Sept. 14, overall Nov. 30th (show dates Apr. 1-6) Sketch/Feature, Short, & Animated Film/Music Video/Web Series/TV Pilot LA Comedy FilmFest - Deadline Sept. 22nd (show dates Nov. 2-12) Feature & Short Film/Pilot/Audio/XR/Video Games Tribeca Festival - (fest dates June 5-16) Feature and Pilot Early Bird ends Oct. 23rd, overall Jan. 17th Shorts Early Bird ends Nov. 1, overall Feb. 2nd XR & Games Early Bird ends Nov. 27th, overall Feb. 13th Audio Early Bird ends Nov. 27th, overall Feb. 21st Stand-Up/Improv/Sketch/Musical/Solo/Podcasts/Short Plays & One Acts SF Sketchfest - Deadline Sept. 9th (show dates Jan. 19-Feb. 4) Stand-Up/Improv/Sketch/Anything Comedy Colorado Queer Comedy Festival - Deadline Sept. 10th (show dates Oct. 27 & 28) Stand-Up/Improv ComedyFort - Deadline Dec. 15th (show dates March 21-24) Improv New Zealand Improv Festival - Early Bird ends Sept. 1st, submissions close when spots are filled (show dates Oct. 6-14) Palm Beach Improv Festival - Deadline Oct. 7th (show dates Dec. 15&16) SAVI Fest - Deadline Oct. 12th (show dates Feb. 16-17) Wasatch Improv Festival - Deadline Oct. 15th (show dates Jan. 11-13) Happy Valley XL Improv Festival - Deadline Jan. 31st (show dates May 2024) Not Festivals, But Cool! Writer Residency Hedgebrook Writers In Residence - Deadline Sept. 11th Art Omi Writers Residency - Deadline Oct. 15th Corsicana Artist & Writer Residency - Deadline Sept. 1st Monson Arts Winter Residency - Deadline Sept. 15th ACA Artist in Residence - Deadline Sept. 17th Millay Arts Core Residency - Deadline Oct. 2nd To receive reminders for when festival submissions close subscribe to our newsletter which will mention those details and more every Monday! It's also free! Wee! We provide all of this for free, but if you'd like, say thank you with a beer at the link below!

Brooklyn Comedy Collective Artistic Director and performer, Philip Markle, joined us for a great talk! Philip Markle has performed all over the place! He studied in Chicago at iO, Second City, and also at The Annoyance which had a huge impact on him. He talks about performing improv on a cruise ship, musical theater and improv, Philip Sparkle, getting burned out and stepping away from running an improv theater for a bit, the heart and purpose behind starting the Brooklyn Comedy Collective, and he shares a lot of wisdom on improv! It's a super fun chat and especially a great listen if you feel stuck in your improv journey. Listen on Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Google, Spotify, YouTube, and SoundCloud! http://brooklyncomedy.com Look up Philip Sparkle on Spotify for his musical comedy Instagram: @PhilipSparkle, @ComedyBrooklyn, @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrPics TikTok: @PhilipSparkle, @ComedyBrooklyn, @JasonFarrToks Twitter: @PhilipSparkle, @ComedyBrooklyn, @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrJokes Facebook: @PhilipSparkle, @ThereItIsPod Subscribe to our comedy newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/e22defd4dee2/thereitis

Magnet Theater improviser and instructor, Elana Fishbein, returns to the podcast! The last time Elana was on the podcast she and Elena Skopetos talked about their 2-person show, Sisters Three. This time Elana talks about challenging things she's witnessing while as an improv instructor, improv traps, how to address issues when running a practice, the responsibility of an improviser depending on the form they're doing, as well as many more of her thoughts on improv. It's a really informative chat for improvisers and instructors! Listen on Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Google, Spotify, YouTube, and SoundCloud! Contact her for info on the Improv and Yoga Retreat in Costa Rica: www.ElanaFishbein.com For more on classes and shows at the Magnet: https://magnettheater.com Twitter: @MagnetTheater, @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrJokes Instagram: @MagnetTheater, @ThereItIsPod, @JasonFarrPics Facebook: @MagnetTheater, @ThereItIsPod Subscribe to our comedy newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/e22defd4dee2/thereitis