Billy Merritt's (Improv) Spotlight

Guest: Reverend Justice Smythe ( Samples of Sin ) What happens when a reverend starts a podcast dedicated to listening to "sinful music" so you don't have to ? Complications. In this episode, Gail sits down with the very reverend Justice Smythe , chairman of the River Creek Family Values Coalition , minister, moral watchdog, and host of the short-lived podcast  Samples of Sin , where he reviewed m...

Guest: Bo Knox ( Off the Eaten Path ) What if food criticism was less Michelin stars… and more emotional-support gas station? In this episode, Gail sits down with Bo Knox — pilot, podcaster, accidental romantic, and co-host of Off the Eaten Path , a food show dedicated to overlooked restaurants, bowling alley pizza, suspicious strip mall gems, gas station delicacies, and the kind of meals Yelp usu...

Guest: Michael & Jeremy (Steal Your Podcast)  What if your podcast wasn't stolen… it was just aggressively borrowed by two cousin-friends from the MJSY-verse? In this episode, Gail sits down with Michael and Jeremy — lifelong comedy partners, cousin-friends, and the hosts of Michael and Jeremy Steal Your Podcast , which is less a title and more a warning label. Michael and Jeremy's big idea? 👉 So...

Mayor + Mindset  | Running Your House Like a High-Performing Team Guest: Joe LaRussa What if the chaos in your home isn't random… it's just bad leadership ? In this episode, Gail sits down with Joe LaRussa — small-city mayor, leadership coach, and the only person who might look at your household and think, "This needs a mission statement." Joe's big idea? 👉 You already have the skills to run your...

Senior Vitality — Unscripted from The Villages, FL Guest: Mike Roth What happens when a seasoned podcaster builds a show specifically for the active senior community of The Villages, Florida ? You get Villages Vitality: Senior Life Unscripted (formerly known as Open Forum in The Villages),   a weekly podcast hosted by Mike Roth , where thoughtful conversations meet real community issues. In this e...

Ohio Raised. Truth Bomb Fed. Enlightened as Hell. Guest: Freddie Simone (Ohio's own Inlightened Ediot™) What happens when Gail sits down with a comedian who proudly calls herself an Enlightened Idiot —with the E and I intentionally swapped ? You get a conversation that's equal parts stand-up set, philosophy lecture, and spiritual mic drop . Fresh off their PodFest 2026 meet-cute, Gail welcomes Fre...

🎧 SHUT UP GAIL – Episode 11 Play Is Not Optional (with Margo Escott) Play is not a reward. It's not a break. It's not something you "get back to" when life calms down. According to Margo Escott , play is essential — and she's been proving it since the 1970s. In this Season 2 premiere of Shut Up Gail , Gail sits down with Margo Escott: psychotherapist, New Games referee, improv teacher, and lifelo...

🎙️ Shut Up, Gail – Season Finale: "Yes, And Your Way to World Domination" Guest: Jay Sukow Host: Gail Shepherd (Not Like Cher, but kinda like Cher) Improv legend Jay Sukow drops into Gail's virtual lair to talk shop, shout affirmations, mispronounce "spatula," and accidentally invent the word "fyrk." If you've ever wondered whether failure is your superpower, or if you should microwave fish at wor...

In this tenth and season finale episode, Andrew, the technical director of the Regency Theatre is joined by the Regency's resident scenery performer Steckman, fresh off her return from the Great White Way. They are joined again by British actor Kristian Night Lewis to discuss bidets and racing cars, and local lucky actor Jenny Blessed to talk about winning lotteries and stopping wars.   Backstage...

🎙️ SHUT UP GAIL – Ep. 8: "From Cult to Carnival" with Paul Omarr This is the eighth installment of  Bit Behind the Scenes (a.k.a. Shut Up Gail ). Listen, follow, rate, and share... PLEASE and THANK YOU! This month, Gail heads to Oslo for a deeply human (and surprisingly funny) conversation with Paul   — a Norwegian comedian, scholar, and improv performer whose journey from cult survivor to carniva...

In this ninth episode, Andrew, the technical director of the Regency Theatre, is distracted and accidentally leaves the podcast recording equipment on, and the ghosts of the theatre decide to host an episode.   CAST Andrew/Bartholomew  - Luke Bovard Lindsey  -  Thea Marie Thorkildsen Tommy - Hillary Kane Constance - Terry Armstrong Have a question for the fine theatre folks at the Regency Theatre?...

🎙️ SHUT UP GAIL – Ep. 7: "Cats, Clapbacks, and Contrasts" with Thea Marie Thorkildsen This is the fourth installment of the Women of BIT.  Listen, follow, rate, and share... PLEASE and THANK YOU! This month on Bit Behind the Scenes (a.k.a. SHUT UP GAIL) , Gail gets philosophical, improv-sical, and mildly feline-ical with Norwegian multi-hyphenate Thea Marie Thorkildsen —a political scientist turne...

Gail is going to interview as many BIT lady improvisers as she can this summer! Gail forgot to mention she was globe-trotting in August, so... WHOOPSIE!!! No August episode.  This month, it's the third installment of the Women of Bit! Gail interviewed the incredible, DC-dwelling, hilarious, and kind ... AMBER BELLSDALE. Caps locked,baby! Listen, follow, rate, and share... PLEASE and THANK YOU! Be...

In the eighth episode, Andrew, the technical director of the Regency Theatre, ditches his usual format and invites benefactor extraordinaire, Auntie Midge. The theatre is dark during this part of the summer and no one was around. But of course, Aunti Midge insists on dropping off her check in person.    CAST: Andrew - Luke Bovard Auntie Midge - Hill Kane Have a question for the fine theatre folks...

In this seventh episode, Andrew, the technical director of the Regency Theatre, is joined by co-host and legendary lighting designer, Olivier Olivero, where they interview volunteer Janay Littleton about toothbrushes and barista Jake Americano about being a real authentic American.    CAST: Andrew - Luke Bovard Olivier Olivero - Laura Janay Littleton - Amber Jake Americano - Thea   Have a question...

Gail is going to interview as many BIT lady improvisers as she can this summer! To kick things off, Gail puts Peg Davis and Terry Armstrong  in the hot seat(s). Both girls are experienced performers who have lived many lives. BOTH women seemed to enjoy yelling at Gail - Terry maybe too much!? BION, Gail, and today's guests are all over 50. For extra credit, read Billy Merritt's Substack article on...

In this sixth and final episode of Samples of Sin, Rev. Justice Smythe invites his personal trainer, Pete Michelson, to help him review the album Permission to Land by British glam rock band The Darkness. Pete revels in the screamed vulgarities of the album, while Justice recounts that songs like "Stuck in a Rut" encouraged him to confess something to his wife. Pete compliments Justice on his well...

In this sixth episode, Andrew, the technical director of the Regency Theatre, is joined by co-host, father and twitch stream watcher, Rodney, where they interview theatrical director Bertrand Fluffernutter about how living in a cave can help create plays. CAST: Andrew - Luke Bovard Andrew's Dad (Rodney) - Konrad Andrew Bertrand Fluffernutter - Don Slovin Have a question for the fine theatre folks...

FACT: Only 10% of Podcasts make to episode 3. This is Gail's 4th episode! Gail interviews Dr. Luke Bovard, one of the most intelligent and yet playful improvisers on the planet.  Luke was the first BIT Player to launch a Spotlight show on the BIT Comedy Network. Be sure to check out "Backstage at The Regency" if you haven't already. Anywhoodles, Luke's knowledge of Shakespeare, neuron star mergers...

The fifth episode warns listeners not to listen to Velvet Underground's White Light White Heat . Gary Griswold, from River Creek Gas & Charcoal, joins Rev. Justice Smythe to recall that unlike most people who listened to  White Light White Heat , Gary did not start a band -- but he did start a gas grill dealership. Gary and Justice review all six of the album's very sinful tracks, emphasizing the...

In this fifth episode, Andrew, the technical director of the Regency Theatre, is joined by co-host, janitor (and fist bumper) Kjell Inge Ericsson, where they interview potential teenager theatre tech intern Topher Doyle about A-frames and Regency's resident theatre-ghost Constance on knowing Slimer from Ghostbusters.   CAST: Kjell Inge Ericsson - Thea Marie Thorkildsen Topher Doyle - Brent Kohler...

Join Billy Merritt and his global gang of improvisers as he continues his delightfully chaotic journey through the many flavors of longform improv. Today's focus: PRETTY FLOWER — also known as Spokane , or "that thing that's kind of like Lost meets Marty meets at a haunted pie shop." Billy starts by tracing the roots of this character-driven form, developed with the group Sentimental Lady and insp...

Sheeeeeeeee's Baaaaaa-aaaack! This month, Gail interviews one of the two comedians responsible for creating Gail and making her "Podfest" famous. As the story goes, during an improvised podcast set at the late-night Podfest '25 Comedy Showcase, Billy Merritt (Episode 1) and Paul Vato kept yelling at their producer Gail to stop interrupting them and to "shut up." All in character, of course, they a...

For the fourth episode, local soccer hero Graham Truman joins Reverend Smythe to review the Scissor Sisters. Graham lived in the UK, where the Scissor Sisters found fame among the nation's arts and crafts enthusiasts.  Bringing personal experiences to bear on the album, Justice recalls feeling filthy but not exactly gorgeous, while Graham fondly recalls taking his mama out.  Exegesis of the gospel...

Join Billy Merritt and his international bench of students as he expertly (and hilariously) guides them through specific iterations of long form improv. Today's class is ROAD TRIP - a character-based monoscene. Our players will be stuck inside a car* heading to a specific and important destination. Think "graduating members of the University of Fairfield, Connecticut's a cappella choir heading to...