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

Hello, Friends! Episode 86 of The Messed-Up to Set-Ups podcast is now live. Yayuh! In this one, I sit down with the hilarious Dwayne White, whose story is fascinating and work ethic is inspiring. We get into his incredible journey from military life to the comedy stage, his ambitious quest to perform in all 50 states, and the rewarding experience of teaching comedy to veterans overseas. Dwayne sha...

Hey, Friends! It’s Welcome to Episode 85 of The Messed-Up to Set-Ups Podcast! In this episode, I'm joined by the hilarious and insightful Jason Hedden. Here in Part 2 of our conversation, we get out into deep waters of joke writing and stand-up comedy. We explore the creative process behind crafting jokes, share some personal stories, and brainstorm on-the-spot joke ideas. From hiring Spiderman fo...

Hey, Friends! Michael Halcomb here and, in this episode of “Messed-Up to Set-Ups,” I sit down with the multi-talented Jason Hedden. This dude’s pretty amazing! For Part 1 of our chat, we dive headfirst into his fascinating journey from the academy to theater to stand-up comedy and explore the unique challenges and rewards of each. Jason shares his insights on overcoming stage fright, the importanc...

Hiya, Friends! It’s Episode 83 of The Messed-Up To Set-Ups Podcast. And in this episode, I (Michael Halcomb) sit down again with comedian Danny Johnson. We get deep into the art of spontaneous joke-making and explore, in a very hands-on way, the creative process behind crafting jokes on the fly. We share hilarious anecdotes and insights into the world of comedy. Danny brings an original joke and w...

Hey, Friends! It’s time for Episode 82 of The Messed-Up to Set-Ups Podcast! I’m stoked to have comedian Danny Johnson join me. Here in Part 1 of this 2-part interview, we get into his incredible journey from writing jokes in grade school to making it on Comedy Central. Danny shares his unique writing process and offers truly invaluable advice for aspiring comedians. Whether you’re a comedy fan or...

Friends, it’s Episode #81 of the Messed-Up to Set-Ups podcast! In this one, I welcome back the absolutely hilarious comedian, David Kaye, for part two of our conversation. We get into the art of joke writing/crafting, and talk about how life’s messed-up moments can fuel comedy. David also shares a bit about how his quest for approval shaped his comedic voice. We also brainstorm new material, riff...

Hi, Friends! It’s episode 80 of the Messed-Up to Set-Ups podcast. In this one, I sit down with the multi-talented comedian David Kaye, who has not only made a name for himself in the world of stand-up but has also raised over three-and-a-half million dollars through his unique comedy fundraisers. We dive into his journey from starting out at the Funny Bone in Pittsburgh to becoming a comedy club j...

Hey, Friends! It’s episode 79 of the “Messed-Up to Set-Ups” podcast and we’re inching closer and closer to 100. In this one, I’m thrilled to welcome back comedian Scott Bedgood for Part 2 of our super fun conversation. And you can listen in or watch as we wade deeper into Scott’s comedic process and explore the origins of and work on one of his jokes. And, as usual, we tackle some spontaneous joke...

Hey Friends, it’s episode 78 of the “Messed-Up to Set-Ups” podcast. In this episode, I sit down with the hilarious and insightful comedian, Scott Bedgood. Join us as Scott shares his journey from Dallas to Chattanooga, revealing some of his greatest challenges and triumphs in stand-up. Here we also get into his unique approach to comedy, the art of storytelling, and the importance of embracing fea...

Hiya, Friends! It’s Episode 77 of “The Messed-Up to Set-Ups Podcast,” and in this one I’m thrilled to welcome back the hilarious John Floyd. This time, we’re diving into the art of spontaneous joke creation. Join us as we explore the comedic process by workshopping one of John’s jokes then make up punchlines on the fly. Along the way, we also share some personal stories. Whether it’s the frustrati...

Friends, it’s Episode 76 of “The Messed-Up to Set-Ups Podcast.” In this episode, I have the pleasure of chatting with the incredibly talented, NC-based comedian. John Floyd. From opening for legends like Chris Rock and Dave Chappelle to performing on cruise ships and clubs across the country, John’s journey is nothing short of fascinating. We dive into his beginnings, sparked by a dare!!!, and exp...

In this episode of “Messed-Up to Set-Ups,” I sit down with comedian Travis Lincoln for part two of our hilarious chat. We get into the world of joke writing and workshopping, and share some great laughs and insights along the way. Travis opens up about his comedic journey and the unexpected challenges of living with a Chihuahua that he just can’t stand. This episode is packed with real humor and r...

Hey, Friends! Episode #74 of The Messed-Up to Set-Ups Podcast is here! In this episode I chat with fellow comedian Travis “T Link” Lincoln, who shares about his journey into comedy and his influential work with homeless veterans. Based in Columbia, South Carolina, his comedic side shines as he talks about his initial hesitation to perform stand-up and his eventual dive into the comedy scene throug...

In this episode, #73 of the Messed-Up to Set-Ups podcast, I sit down again with an absolutely hilarious comedian: Lon Kieffer. We take a big dive back into the world of stand-up comedy and explore the art of joke crafting, share stories from the stage, and workshop some new material together. Lon’s jokes and insights are as enlightening as they are entertaining. So, whether you’re a fan of comedy,...

Hi All. It’s Episode #72 of The Messed-Up to Set-Ups Podcast. In this episode, I sit down with Lon Kieffer. This dude…he’s fun. And he’s funny. Lon’s a seasoned comedian and I get to ask him all sorts of questions about his unique journey from nursing to the comedy stage. We dive head-first into the challenges and triumphs of stand-up. We also get into what it means to be authentic in a world that...

Hi Friends! We’re back with Episode #71 of the “Messed-Up to Set-ups” Podcast. Once again, I’m thrilled to have Tim Conniff on. This time, we dive into the art of joke writing. We explore the creative process behind turning everyday observations into laugh-out-loud moments. We discuss everything from wet handshakes to unexpected punchlines. We also share our experiences and insights on what makes...

Hi Friends! In this episode of the Messed-Up To Set-Ups podcast (#70), I sit down with fellow comedian Tim Conniff to explore his fascinating journey, which includes stand-up comedy in both corporate settings and comedy clubs. We get into the challenges and triumphs of working clean, the importance of getting stage time, and how Toastmasters played a pivotal role in his development as a comedian....

Hi Friends, Michael Halcomb here with Episode #69 of The Messed-Up to Set-Ups Podcast. I’m thrilled to have comedian Todd Probus back with me. In this episode, we dive into the art of joke writing, share stories from our own experiences, and explore the creative process behind crafting a great punchline. From unexpected breakfast adventures to Disney World memories, we connect the dots between hum...

Hi Friends! Episode #68 of the Messed-Up to Set-Ups Podcast is now live. In this episode, I sit down with comedian and pastor Todd Probus. We dive into his fascinating journey of starting stand-up comedy in college, moving to L.A., leaving stand-up, then finding his way back to it later in adulthood. In addition, Todd shares his experiences of performing clean comedy, the challenges of balancing m...

In Episode #67 of the Messed-Up to Set-Ups Podcast, I’m back with the hilarious Oscar P.! In this one, we don’t merely get into the art of joke-making, we actually make jokes, too. From all sorts of spontaneous riffs, to exploring the quirks of Memphis, we share great laughs and touch on some awesome insights into the world of comedy. So yeah, join us as we brainstorm punchlines, roast headlines,...

In this episode of the Messed-Up to Set-Ups Podcast (#66), I sit down with Oscar P, a comedian who…wait for it…has NEVER written a joke . Yes, you read that right . In Part 1 of our chat, Oscar, who’s a Memphis-based comedian, shares his unique journey into the world of stand-up. From venting at the barbershop, where it all started, to facing the toughest crowds in Memphis, his story is as funny a...

Hey, Friends! It’s time for Episode 65 of “The Messed-Up to Set-Ups” podcast! Once again, I’m thrilled to have Louisville-based comedian Big Jake Hovis back with us, sharing his comedic genius and some hilarious on-the-spot jokes. In this episode, we pull back the curtain on joke writing as Jake brings an original joke and we workshop it. After that, we spend some time making up jokes on the spot...

Hi Friends, it’s Episode #64 of “The Messed-Up to Set-Ups” podcast. In this episode, I sit down with Louisville’s funniest comedian, Big Jake Hovis, to explore his incredible journey from improv to stand-up comedy. We get into his experiences, the benefits of improv, and how he became a four-time winner of Louisville’s Funniest Person. Join us for Part 1 of the discussion here, where you’re bound...

In this episode, which is #63 of the Messed-Up to Set-Ups podcast, I team up again with fellow comedian Mike Lukas to explore the magic that happens when comedians collaborate. Mike brings an original joke that we edit and try to punch up, we make jokes together on the spot, and we share insights and techniques that elevate our comedy. Join us as we break down the art of joke writing, experiment w...

In episode #62 of the “Messed Up the Setups” podcast, I sit down with the multi-talented Mike Lukas. He’s a comedian, author, and improv artist among other things. We dive into his comedy journey, get into the art of joke writing, and discuss the importance of finding your unique comedy lens. Mike shares some killer insights from his books and his experiences on stage. For anyone interested in the...