Follow Your Curiosity

Comedy and Teamwork with Marc Kaye

Marc Kaye calls himself a “restless creative”—a musician, writer, and comedian who loves to tell stories and make people laugh. He also, through his company, VitalConex, uses those skills to help develop the vital connections needed for focused, united teams and creative problem solving. Marc tells me how—and why—he took the leap into stand-up, how his comedy and his writing skills have influenced each other, and how he takes both of those, and his business partner’s therapy background, and creates programs to help teams create a sense of psychological safety that lets them do difficult work from a place of greater unity.

Episode breakdown:

 

00:00 Childhood creativity shapes lifelong passion for creation.
05:37 Piano, writing, science, marketing, stand-up comedy.
07:49 Email to Gary Goldman about Last Comic Standing.
11:48 Got hooked on comedy, performed sporadically. Kids grew.
15:32 Song critique circle provides valuable but diverse feedback.
18:26 Improving character portrayal in writing and comedy.
21:41 An exercise in making unexpected connections.
23:45 Comedy, improv, and creativity in storytelling.
27:23 Adults miss suspending belief in harmless ways.
31:03 Comedy clubs are a past entertainment trend.
34:24 Challenges with DEI initiatives and team building.
36:42 Avoiding the “consultant” label
40:33 Using humor to build real interpersonal connections.
43:12 Identifying strengths and weaknesses through team activity.
46:24 Human experience involves shared emotions and perspectives.
52:26 Humor is crucial in navigating change.
54:38 Finding humor in life is a superpower.

Check out the full show notes at fycuriosity.com, and connect with me and fellow creatives on Substack.

Please leave a review for this episode and in it, tell us about a time when humor made something easier for you. If you enjoyed our conversation, I hope you’ll share it with a friend.

Want more? Here are handy playlists with all my previous interviews with guests in writing and theatre.

CPT #73: Resolutions and Expectations

Setting resolutions can be a recipe for disappointment—or, if you've set appropriate expectations, a recipe for success. I explain the difference in this short episode.

Want more tips? Check out this playlist with all my previous Creative Pep Talks!

Please leave a review, and in it, tell us about a time when lowered expectations made a difference.

Join my free creative community, The Spark! We celebrate each other's creative courage, and I'll be sharing programs for subscribers and listeners there in the coming months.

Professional Fandom with Gary Russell

Gary Russell has done a bit of everything in media, from acting when he was young to writing fanzines to writing for Doctor Who Magazine to working for the BBC to co-founding Big Finish Productions, which produces a variety of audio dramas for various TV series including Doctor Who, The Prisoner, Dark Shadows, and more. Gary and I talk about his journey from one opportunity to the next as a “professional fan,” including how he’s made the decision both to take and to leave various positions, why he’s always run his life on instinct, and why he thinks it’s absolutely vital to be able to admit when you don’t know what you’re doing (even when it means baptism by fire), the value of freelancing—why he wouldn’t have it any other way—and a lot more. I really think you’ll get a lot out of my conversation with Gary Russell, even if you’ve never seen an episode of Doctor Who. 

Episode breakdown:

00:00 Early desire to be a stuntman leads to acting classes/jobs.
08:56 Other kids at school unimpressed by acting jobsl.
11:35 Switching out of acting.
20:34 People are conditioned not to admit ignorance.
26:28 Recognizing natural endings and embracing them rather than holding on too long.
29:40 Facing uncertainty.
33:30 Embrace new experiences, live a fulfilling life.
36:12 Doctor Who fanzines/freelancing lead to running Doctor Who Magazine.
46:23 Input from others shaped Gary’s core philosophy.
50:14 Warriors of the Deep: Script is good, but the execution is fatally flawed.
58:15 Ignore negativity, focus on what's important.
01:04:28 The birth of Big Finish Productions.
01:14:32 Moving to the BBC to work on Doctor Who.
01:23:37 Pension provides security, but Gary will never stop working.
01:27:24 Advice for anyone interested in freelancing.

Check out the full show notes at fycuriosity.com, and connect with me and fellow creatives on Substack.

Please leave a review for this episode and in it, tell us about a time when you took a leap of faith. If you enjoyed our conversation, I hope you’ll share it with a friend.

Want more? Here's a handy playlist with all my previous interviews with guests in Doctor Who.

CPT #72: Listen

It seems like the simplest, most obvious thing, but the fact is, we don't always listen. Changing that could change your life. I'll tell you more in this short episode.

Want more tips? Check out this playlist with all my previous Creative Pep Talks!

Please leave a review, and in it, tell us about a time when listening made a difference.

Join my free creative community, The Spark! We celebrate each other's creative courage, and I'll be sharing programs for subscribers and listeners there in the coming months.

Why You Should Start a Podcast with Jesse Jackson

Serial podcaster Jesse Jackson hosts shows on topics from Doctor Who to Babylon 5 to John Hiatt to Bruce Springsteen. I met Jesse when I appeared on his show, Set Lusting Bruce, where instead of Springsteen, I talked about my deep affection for the Norwegian band a-Ha. I wanted to hear about Jesse’s creative adventures in both fandom and podcasting, and we talk about why you should stop thinking about trying something new and just do it, what we’ve learned from our podcast experiences, and why everyone has a story that deserves to be heard. And there might be a little dishing about Doctor Who in the mix, too.

Episode breakdown:

06:54 Reading as a safe place, friendship, discovery, transition to e-books.
14:07 Nostalgia for old Doctor Who novel experiences.
16:07 All access streaming vs. the element of surprise.
24:39 Jesse’s podcast explores music and creativity, over 1000 episodes.
26:23 Embrace starting something new, let it unfold.
32:51 Prepping podcast guests.
38:21 2015 film "Springsteen and I" inspired Jesse’s podcast.
44:00 Jesse encourages listeners to hear Sarah Gregory’s story.
51:27 Ups and downs of responding to feedback.
57:14 Trying new things is okay, even if difficult.
01:01:28 Follow your own creative voice, seek feedback.
01:08:25 Podcasting Doctor Who.

Check out the full show notes at fycuriosity.com, and connect with me and fellow creatives on Substack.

Please leave a review and in it, tell us how about a time when starting a new creative endeavor made a difference in your life.

Want more? Here are some handy playlists with all my previous interviews with guests in music and Doctor Who.

CPT #71: No Straight Lines

Nothing in life is actually straightforward, including your creative process. I explain in this super-short episode.

Want more tips? Check out this playlist with all my previous Creative Pep Talks!

Please leave a review, and in it, tell us about a time when you were grateful for a detour.

Join my free creative community, The Spark! We celebrate each other's creative courage, and I'll be sharing programs for subscribers and listeners there in the coming months.

CPT #70: Don’t Reject Yourself

Comparison and self-improvement are great ways to reject yourself. I explain why—and what to do instead—in this short episode.

Read the post from Dr. Kelly Flanagan that inspired this pep talk.

My previous pep talk on comparison and self-rejection.

Want more tips? Check out this playlist with all my previous Creative Pep Talks!

Please leave a review, and in it, tell us about a time when self-acceptance made life easier.

Join my free creative community, The Spark! We celebrate each other's creative courage, and I'll be sharing programs for subscribers and listeners there in the coming months.

Witness Underground with Scott Homan and Ryan Sutter

What’s it like to doubt the beliefs of the strict religious community you grew up with? What’s it like to leave? Where do you find the courage and strength to make that choice, and to adapt to your new life? Director Scott Homan and writer and musician Ryan Sutter have lived these questions, and collaborated to tell the story in the new documentary, Witness Underground. The film focuses on Ryan’s love of music and the musical relationships within the Jehovah’s Witness community that sustained him as a teen and gave him a safe place to land when he left. We talk about all these questions and the process of making the film, which is now running a Kickstarter to fund distribution to popular streaming services.

Episode breakdown:

[00:05:16] Scott: Wisconsin arts program shaped career in film.

[00:10:19] Change your environment for personal growth.

[00:14:10] Ryan: Creative kids form band with makeshift instruments.

[00:17:39] Creativity and emotional release through music.

[00:26:17] Other connections transcended religion, influencing change.

[00:30:07] Scott reconnects with Ryan.

[00:32:56] Ryan's wrestling with beliefs through writing, recording music, and live performance = enhanced creative thinking.

[00:40:22] How authoritarian regimes suppress artists.

[00:44:37] "Coming out."

[00:50:51] Seeing life through Ryan's eyes.

[00:57:20] Amazing connection to music; influential, undiscovered collection.

[01:03:08] Ryan: Therapy, new albums, and a goal: move on and heal.

[01:09:26] Music connects people in amazing ways.

[01:15:05] Scott: Filmmaker's struggle with distribution, potential exploitation.

[01:19:24] Kickstarter campaign funding distribution of the film, which has amazing perks including music and written work.

Check out the full show notes at fycuriosity.com, and connect with me and fellow creatives on Substack.

Please leave a review and in it, tell us how your creativity has given you strength when you’ve needed it most.

Want more? Here are some handy playlists with all my previous interviews with guests in music.

CPT #69: Mick Jagger’s Beginner’s Mind

The Rolling Stones have a new album, and Mick Jagger has some great creative advice for us all. I explain in this short episode.

Want more tips? Check out this playlist with all my previous Creative Pep Talks!

You can read the interview with Mick Jagger here.

Join my free creative community, The Spark! We celebrate each other's creative courage, and I'll be sharing programs for subscribers and listeners there in the coming months. https://fycuriosity.substack.com

The Wildly Improbable Ideas of Douglas Adams with Kevin Jon Davies

Director, animator, and author Kevin Jon Davies grew up enthralled by Doctor Who and Spike Milligan’s The Goon Show. When he discovered the original Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy radio show, it seemed like the best of both worlds. Before long, he was doing animation for the TV series. Kevin tells me how he got into animation, how he moved from animation into directing—including directing 30th anniversary documentaries for both Doctor Who and Hitchhiker’s in the same year—and all about the process of writing his new book, 42: The Wildly Improbable Ideas of Douglas Adams. 

Episode breakdown:

[00:07:22] Learning to direct through osmosis on set. Enjoyed being with others in live action. Lucky breaks in animation and directing.

[00:14:58] Early Doctor Who, Spike Milligan's comedy influence.

[00:17:53] Douglas Adams: famous for procrastinating.

[00:24:42] Making 30 Years in the TARDIS.

[00:28:48] The BBC's unfortunate habit of throwing things away.

[00:32:32] The Alchemists of Sound documentary and unsung genius Delia Derbyshire.

[00:39:20] Complex copyright issues for BBC staff artists.

[00:43:06] Following in Douglas Adams's footsteps while researching the new book.

[00:50:31] Adams's an increasing interest in science toward the end of his life.

[00:55:48] Last Chance to See.

[01:03:02] Adams's untimely death, and the continued celebration of his work.

[01:08:05] Readers' sense of connection with Adams's work.

Check out the show notes at fycuriosity.com, and connect with me and fellow creatives on Substack.

Please leave a review and in it, tell us how a childhood influence has stuck with you.

Want more? Here are some handy playlists with all my previous interviews with guests in writing and publishing and Doctor Who.