Smash Notes
I Laughed So Hard I Cried

Plays Well with Others

I Laughed So Hard I Cried

On our first episode, we look at how collaboration happens in one of comedy's most storied (and tough) environments — the TV writers' room. It's where the magic happens, but it can also be one of the most brutally competitive places a creative person will ever work. We talk to two writer-comedians, Anne Lane and Wayne Federman, about their experiences…

Notes

  1. What Does Plays Well With Others Say a Healthy Society Is Built on? at 0:30

    The opening of Plays Well with Others says the foundational element of a healthy society is cooperation, not competition. Full answer

  2. What Is the "play Well With Others" Podcast All About at 2:00

    Play well with others is taking an insider look at tools, techniques and realities of collaboration. Full answer

  3. What Is the Concept of "yes, And" That Is Vital to Improve Comedy at 9:04

    "Yes, And" is about creating a forward-momentum, taking whatever the other performer is putting out and building on top of it, always adding information to… Full answer

  4. What Does a TV Writer on Plays Well With Others Say Improv Feels Like? at 9:36

    On Plays Well with Others, a writer describes improv and sketch as putting an idea out, watching it get smashed, and jumping back up to do it again. Full answer

  5. What Is the Cornerstone of Collaboration in Improv Comedy and How Does It Apply to Everyday Life at 9:41

    If you take every flopped joke seriously, you will have a bad day. Full answer

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