Messed-Up To Set-Ups - A MichaelHalcomb.Live Podcast

Hello, Friend! In this episode of Messed-Up to Set-Ups, I’m back in the lab with Queen Aaliyah. In this one, we spend most of our time doing what comedians do best: Turning absurd real-life problems into something hilarious and relatable. Aaliyah brings some true stories about a job interview and a crazy dating mishap, and we workshop them together to turn them into jokes. Live and in real time, w...

Hello, Friend! It’s episode 131 of the Messed-Up to Set-Ups, I sit down with the absolutely brilliant and hilarious Queen Aaliyah Ford. Our conversation is jam-packed with comedy wisdom, clean humor, real-life stories, and shared laughs as we talk about the grind of stand-up, the power of collaboration, and what it takes to keep growing without losing your voice. We get into Queen Aaliyah’s name,...

Hello, Friend! In this episode of Messed-Up to Set-Ups, I’m back in the lab with Phillip Anthony for a hilarious, insightful, and surprisingly practical conversation about comedy and growth but all as we workshop some jokes together. Along the way Phillip also shares some hard-earned wisdom on failing well, staying professional, learning from veteran comedians, and building a career with a busines...

Hello, Friend! In this episode of Messed-Up to Set-Ups, I sit down with comedian Phillip Anthony for a conversation that’s equal parts hilarious, intelligent, and encouraging as we dig into his journey from the Bronx to Massachusetts, the wild moment that accidentally launched his comedy path, and the hard-earned lessons that helped him build real momentum on stage. We talk about finding your voic...

Hello, Friend! In this episode of Messed-Up to Set-Ups, I’m joined once again by comedian Joel Brill. This is Part 2 of our conversation, and we do what comedians love most: Take messy real-life frustrations and turn them into laughs with live joke-workshopping and quick riffing. We build some momentum by digging into technology that seems to hate us, autocorrect disasters, Siri and Alexa behaving...

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Hello, Friend! In this episode of the “Messed-Up to Set-Ups” podcast, I sit down with the “Loveable Curmudgeon,” comedian Joel Brill, and step into his comedy world. We chat about everything from his early inspirations to the art of storytelling. We get into the challenges of balancing family life with a comedy career and why, sometimes, a decade-and-a-half hiatus might be necessary. Joel also sha...

Hello, Friend! In this episode of the “Messed-Up to Set-Ups” podcast, I chat with the super kind and absolutely hilarious Bonnie Works Gardner. We workshop some jokes in real time, talk about how she creates song parodies to share personal stories, and do some on-the-spot riffing on headlines and cliches. We also discuss Bonnie’s take on clean comedy and her knack for turning life’s messed-up mome...

Hello, Friend! Welcome to Episode 125 of the “Messed-Up to Set-Ups” podcast. In this one, I sit down with the incredibly talented and funny Bonnie Works Gardner. We get into her comedy journey, discuss her unique knack for crafting hilarious song parodies, and the personal stories that fuel her humor. Bonnie also shares insights on clean comedy, the open mic scene, and even her first-hand take on...

Hello, Friend! In this episode of “Messed-Up to Set-Ups,” I continue my chat with the hilarious Dr. Terry Lindvall about everything from holy mocking to the humor of Jesus. We get into the art of satire, the great cussing debate, and even share some laugh-out-loud stories from church history. After checking this out, you may leave with a new perspective on comedy and faith. Tune in! And…before you...

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Hello, Friend! In this episode of “Messed-Up to Set-Ups,” I chat with the hilarious Dr. Terry Lindvall about the surprising humor hidden in the Bible, church history, and the life of Jesus. We also get into Terry’s unique career path, his many books, and his connections to Hollywood. While we discuss the comedic twists in Genesis, we also dive into Dr. Lindvall’s book, God Mocks , which is what le...

Hello, Friend! In this episode of “Messed-Up to Set-Ups,” I chat with humorist and economist, Chris Stiffler, about his unique journey from in the world of comedy. We share helpful insights that inspire growth in humor writing and momentum for stand-up. We explore the art of writing long articles, the power of specificity, and how to find creativity in unexpected places. Whether you’re seeking lau...

Hello, Friend! In this episode of “Messed-Up to Set-Ups,” I chat with the brilliant and hilarious Christopher Stiffler. We get into just about everything, from the unpredictable weather to the art of teaching economics with humor. We dive into his journey from a high school quipster to a humor columnist, explore the influence of comedic legends like Dave Barry, and try to work a fun rhetorical dev...

Hello, Friend! It’s episode 120 of the “Messed-Up to Set-Ups” podcast. In part 2 of my chat with comedian Hal Wilson, we get into his journey from thinking he was a gangster to embracing stand-up comedy. We dive into hilarious stories from the 90s, explore the concept of emotional truth in comedy, and even create some jokes on the spot. Hal shares his unique perspective on suburban life and the un...

Hello, Friend! It’s episode 119 of the “Messed-Up to Set-Ups” podcast. In this episode, I chat with the hilarious Hal Wilson about his journey from teaching to tackling the comedy stage. We dive into his first open mic in Hollywood, the art of clean comedy, and the unexpected challenges of crowd work. Hal also shares his comedic influences and offers advice for aspiring comedians. Plus, we explore...

Hello, Friend! In this episode of “Messed-Up to Set-Ups,” I chat once again with comedian Yoshee So. This episode’s all about the craft of joke writing. We pull back the curtain, show you our process, and share some laugh-out-loud stories about HOA presidency. Plus, we discuss the levels of friendship and the privilege paradox. This is a fun episode full of insights and laughs. Tune in! Alright…be...

Hello, Friend! In this episode of “Messed-Up to Set-Ups,” I dive into the hilarious world of friendship hierarchies with Atlanta-based comedian, Yoshee So. We get into his comedy journey, his writing process, and some advice for other comedians. We also get into the comedic levels of friendship, from the casual “water their plants” kinda buddy to the ultimate “ride-or-die” partner who knows all yo...

Hello, Friend! In this episode of the “Messed-Up to Set-Ups” podcast, I, Michael Halcomb, dive back into the world of Southern humor with the hilarious comedy duo Austin & Leb (although, mostly just Leb, due to Austin’s nuisance of an internet connection - please ignore a couple parts where his lagging audio causing a little audio friction). We explore the quirks of Southern mamas and papas, and t...

Hello, Friend. If you missed The Joke Writer’s Lab live stream #4 today, you can watch it again at your leisure. In this session, I take a random, half-formed idea and turn it into a fully structured story bit using what I call “The W Method,” showing in real time how a simple premise about buying and trying to sell/trade in a car can evolve into something funny. I also offer insight into a powerf...

Hello, Friend! In this episode of the “Messed-Up to Set-Ups” podcast, I, Michael Halcomb, sit down with the hilarious, Tennessee-based comedy duo Austin & Leb. We get into their journey from church skits to tours, to sharing insights on improv, to crowd work, to the art of keeping audiences engaged. We also discuss their viral Facebook Live moment and how they turn pure chaos into comedy gold. (I...

NOTE : As of this episode, I’m no longer posting my podcasts on YouTube as I’ll be using that platform only for comedy clips and YT Shorts. Going forward, podcast episodes will be found at MichaelHalcomb. Live/Podcast , but also available on Spotify , Apple Podcasts , and most other dedicated podcast platforms. Hello, Friend! In this episode of “Messed-Up to Set-Ups",” I sit down again with Herb K...

Hello, Friend! It’s Episode #113 of the “Messed-Up to Set-Ups” podcast. In this one, I with NC-based comedian, Herb Kay, who states that AI is revolutionizing his joke writing. Herb also shares his journey from a fifth-grade joke writer to stepping on stage. In addition, we get into the importance of timing and crowd work, and Here shares some of the unexpected ways he thinks AI can mimic or even...

Hello, Friends! In this episode of “Messed-Up to Set-Ups” podcast, I team up once again with comedian Phil “Grampy” Ketron. We explore “The Art of Escalation” and dive headfirst into the comedic chaos of everyday life, from automated 911 calls to FaceTime fiascos. We also reveal how to turn life’s absurdities, such as these, into comedy gold. Discover some of our techniques for crafting jokes, the...

Hello, Friends. Welcome to episode 110 of the “Messed-Up to Set-Ups” podcast. In this episode, I chat with Phil “Grampy” Ketron about the art of character comedy and the power of branding. We also get into how Phil's “Grampy” persona evolved from a simple idea into a strategic market positioning tool that he uses to help keep his act fresh and memorable. We share insights into niche audiences, dis...