3 Things: Maggie Smith, Chris Gethard, and Elizabeth Jameson

Happy Saturday! Every week, I send out an email with my upcoming shows, one thing I think is great, one thing that made me laugh, and one thing I found interesting.

Upcoming Shows

EVERYWHERE:
The newest episode of You're the Expert features Dr. Bianca Jones Marlin, a neuroscientist who teaches panelists Josh Gondelman, Ashley Brooke Roberts, and Dylan Marron how our parents' lives affect our brains. Link

You can now pre-order my wife's very funny, interesting, and great book "No Hard Feelings: The Secret Power of Embracing Emotions at Work" Link

NYC:
Sunday, November 18th at 7:00 p.m. at Caveat. It's the final You're the Expert live taping of the year! Featuring Wyatt Cenac, Maeve Higgins, and Dr. Rebecca Brachman. Link

As always, you can find my schedule with all upcoming dates online here.

This week’s list

GREAT:
As I watched the midterm election results this week, I was thinking a lot about realism versus optimism.  I find that sometimes fiction or poetry or comedy can ground me in what's important and remind me of the big picture. It's important to keep imagining the world you want even as you fight to change the world as it is. Maggie Smith's poems have been helping me with that over the last couple days. Especially her poem "Good Bones," which you may have seen before, but is definitely worth revisiting. I also love "Sky" and "Invisible Architecture." You can read Maggie's work and find out more about her on her website: Maggie Smith, Poet 

(Side note: not many poems also have excellent viral comedy videos referencing them, but "Good Bones" does. Gotta love how Evan Kaufman uses her work to get a perfect final joke in the newest episode of his webseries "Dude Turned Dad")


FUNNY:
There is no comedian who has inspired me more than Chris Gethard. He is hilarious and kind and creative, but he also never stops taking big risks. When he started The Chris Gethard Show in a basement theater in NYC, he promised the audience that each week would be memorable. He personally guaranteed that it would either be hilariously good or disastrously bad. They would never accept just okay. Geth's new book is called Lose Welland it's partly essays, partly self-help and inspiration. 

Here's Geth talking about the book and telling a very funny story to Seth Meyers and here's a classic clip from 2013 when The Chris Gethard Show had just hit 100 episodes on public access, before it was picked up to cable and got an actual budget. It's Geth trying to give an earnest, emotional speech while his crew uses speech-jamming technology that makes it impossible for him to talk. (The video is cued up for you to the right spot in the monologue)


INTERESTING:
Elizabeth Jameson is an artist and writer living with multiple sclerosis. She wrote an essay for the NYT about how her condition has led her to find new forms of intimacy with her friends. It's a reminder that in any situation, there are beautiful discoveries and moments of connection. Also, I am very inspired by her idea and down for any friend who needs a partner for a 2-hour pastry eating session.  "Losing Touch, Finding Intimacy" (h/t Sara Mansur). 

Thanks for reading! If you like these emails, please forward to a friend or come say hi at a live show. If you're reading this for the first time (maybe someone forwarded you this email?), you can subscribe here.

Enjoy your weekend!
Chris

3 Things: Darius Clark Monroe, Amber Ruffin, and Larry Krasner

Happy Saturday! Every week, I send out an email with my upcoming shows, one thing I think is great, one thing that made me laugh, and one thing I found interesting.

Upcoming Shows

EVERYWHERE:
Don't forget to vote! You can find your polling place, check your registration, preview your ballot, and get reminders at Vote.org

The newest episode of You're the Expert features Dr. Bianca Jones Marlin, a neuroscientist who studies how the physical structure of children's brains are affected by their parents' lived experiences. Our panelists Josh Gondelman, Ashley Brooke Roberts, and Dylan Marron learn why they are the way they are. Link

Pre-order the very funny, interesting, and great book "No Hard Feelings: The Secret Power of Embracing Emotions at Work" now! It's written by my wife, Mollie. Link

NYC:
Saturday, November 3nd at 9:30 p.m. at the Brick Theater. I'm hoping I'll win over the sharks on Bit Tank tonight. It's a parody of Shark Tank where comedians try to sell jokes for an investment stake and cold hard cash. Link

Sunday, November 18th at 7:00 p.m. at Caveat. It's the final You're the Expert live taping of the year! Featuring Wyatt Cenac, Maeve Higgins, and NYU's Dr. Wendy Suzuki. Link

As always, you can find my schedule with all upcoming dates online here.

This week’s list

GREAT:
Darius Clark Monroe is a documentary filmmaker who looks at structural injustice, activism, and the possibility of redemption. His newest short, Black 14, is about a group of college athletes protesting in 1969. I don't want to give too much away, but it's a reminder that we have been pushing back against injustice in this country for many years and it's a long, slow process. At the same time, Darius' films are not cynical. He clearly believes in the possibility of change, both as individuals and as a society. That level of nuance and masterful storytelling is probably what attracted Spike Lee to be an executive producer of Darius' work. Black 14

(You have to pay to watch it online, but I cannot recommend his feature length doc,Evolution of a Criminal, enough. It's one of the most moving and beautiful films I've ever seen. Here's a link to iTunes but it's also on Google Play and paid YouTube) 


FUNNY:
Amber Ruffin is so funny and charming that she can deliver extremely dark jokes while staying completely likable. A perfect example is this very timely and hilarious song about why you need to vote (and I mean REALLY need to vote). I'm so glad that Seth Meyers sees Amber's comic genius and uses her so frequently on his show. It's only a matter of time before she has a television show of her own. In the meantime: Amber Ruffin Wants You to Vote or Else


INTERESTING:
And last, but not least, a reminder about the power that voting can have (especially for less-covered elected positions). Larry Krasner was an activist and public defender who won an election in Philadelphia and now is the district attorney. District attorneys have incredible power to shape criminal justice in America and decide how and why citizens are charged with crimes. Krasner is using that power to try and transform Philadelphia's office into a more just and equitable system. It's a fascinating and inspiring story and a powerful reminder that our votes really can make a difference. In Philadelphia, a Progressive D.A. Tests The Power— and Learns the Limits— of His Office


Thanks for reading! If you like these emails, please forward to a friend or come say hi at a live show. If you're reading this for the first time (maybe someone forwarded you this email?), you can subscribe here.

Have a great weekend,
Chris

3 Things: Wendy MacNaughton, David Sedaris, and Robin Williams

Happy Saturday! Every week, I send out an email with my upcoming shows, one thing I think is great, one thing that made me laugh, and one thing I found interesting.

Upcoming Shows

EVERYWHERE:
The most recent episode of You're the Expert features Jess Phoenix, a volcanologist. Our panelists Aparna Nancherla, Max Silvestri, and Caitlin Durante learn all about her research on fiery molten rock. Link

My wife Mollie co-wrote a book with Liz Fosslien, an incredibly talented illustrator. It's called "No Hard Feelings: The Secret Power of Embracing Emotions at Work." I'm biased, but I think it is great, funny, and interesting (a true "3 Things" of a book). Available for pre-order now! Link

NYC:
Friday, November 2nd at 10:00 p.m. at Union Hall. I'm telling a story/jokes as part of the Re:Imagine festival on Die Laughing! It's a comedy show that explores mortality, grief, and loss. Read more about it here and get tickets here:  Link

Sunday, November 18th at 7:00 p.m. at Caveat. It's the final You're the Expert live taping of the year! Featuring Hari Kondabolu and two celebrity guests who I'm extremely excited about but can't announce quite yet. Get your tickets now! Link

As always, you can find my schedule with all upcoming dates online here.

This week’s list

GREAT:
Wendy MacNaughton is a "graphic journalist," best-selling author, and the back page columnist for California Sunday Magazine. Her illustrations are beautiful, informative, and most of all, they tell a story. Here's a great video she made for PBS's Brief but Spectacular series about how drawing opens up new stories for her to document. But words really don't do her drawings justice. Check it out for yourself on her website: Wendy MacNaughton


FUNNY:
David Sedaris has been so funny for so long that I sometimes forget what a pleasure it is to read his writing. I recently rediscovered this piece he wrote about getting a Fitbit. He started to walk 25+ miles a day just to please his "robot master" and ended up collecting so much roadside trash that the town he lives in named a garbage truck after him. Stepping Out by David Sedaris


INTERESTING:
I flew cross-country this weekend to be at a friend's wedding and on the plane, I finally got around to watching the Robin Williams documentary Come Inside My Mind. Robin Williams was not only hilarious, he was also remarkably open and vulnerable onstage. But this documentary does a great job of showing the man behind the act. You see his kindness, you see his hard work and meticulousness, and you see the ways in which he sought out quiet and peace in order to sustain the high energy persona that he was known for. It's definitely worth a watch. The full doc is streaming on HBO Go/Now, but here's the trailer: Come Inside My Mind


Thanks for reading! If you like these emails, please forward to a friend or come say hi at a live show. If you're reading this for the first time (maybe someone forwarded you this email?), you can subscribe here.

Take care of yourselves,
Chris