On the Cusp

Ben Greene interviews one of the members of the UCB House Improv Team JV, Paul Welsh. Paul is an actor/writer/improviser who has appeared on TV shows like Key and Peele, Children’s Hospital, and Broad City. He has written shows like “Paul Welsh Goes to a TED Conference” and “Men in Paintings: A Night at the Crisp Family Hall of Portraits.” In Ben’s interview with Paul, you’ll get to hear him talk about how sassy he was in elementary school, how many hours he’s put in tutoring high schoolers for the SAT, and how he almost humiliated himself in front of Megan Mullally.

Ben Greene interviews one of the stars of the TBS show, Clipped, Betsy Sodaro. Betsy is an actor/writer/improviser who has appeared on TV shows like Animal Practice, Kroll Show, and Big Time in Hollywood Florida. She is also a member of the UCB House Improv Team, Bangarang and the UCB Maude Team, Nephew. In Ben’s interview with Betsy, you’ll get to hear her talk about why she chose a career in comedy over soccer, working on the Backdraft ride at Universal Studios, and what it was like when she found out she had been cast on the NBC show Animal Practice.

Ben Greene interviews one of the stars of MTV’s Girl Code, Nicole Byer. Nicole is an actor/writer/improviser who has appeared on TV shows like 30 Rock, The Birthday Boys, and Chelsea Lately. She is also a member of the UCB Maude Team New Money and the UCB House Improv Team Search History. In Ben’s interview with Nicole, you’ll get to hear her talk about how hard her dad tried to get her to love math, how little she got out of acting school, and what it was like to audition for Girl Code.

Ben Greene interviews Peter Harmon, the author of “The Happenstances at the Yellow County Community Swim and Racquet Club the Summer Before Last.” Peter is an author/screenwriter/producer who currently works as a story producer for the TV show, Celebrity Wife Swap. Peter has written a number of produced screenplays including Johnson Family Christmas Dinner, Nora’s Hair Salon 3, and Love in Tokyo. In Ben’s interview with Peter, you’ll get to hear him talk about the time he got a couple of black eyes in college, how he was able to get Steve Holt from Arrested Development to be in his student film, and what inspired him to write his first young adult novel.

Ben Greene interviews one of the writers from the TV show Newsreaders, Tim Neenan. Tim is a writer/actor/improviser who has been writing for UCB LA’s Maude night since December, 2011 (as a member of New Money). In addition to Newsreaders, Tim has written for shows like Filthy Sexy Teen$ and The Onion News Network. In Ben’s interview with Tim, you’ll get to hear him talk about the time he spent working in a plastic bag factory when he first moved to Los Angeles, why he never wants to settle when it comes to jokes, and how he got his first professional writing jobs.

Ben Greene interviews one of the members of the UCB Harold Team DunkTank, Jessica McKenna. Jessica is a writer/actor/improviser who has been performing on UCB LA’s Harold night since 2012 and as a member of the UCB Maude team New Money since 2011. As an actress, Jessica has appeared in shows like Riot, The Goldbergs, and Comedy Bang! Bang! Jessica is also one of the founders of the musical sketch group, The Zach and The Jess. In Ben’s interview with Jess, you’ll get to hear her talk about how she was inspired by The Little Rascals as a child, what the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre has meant to her, and what it was like to do improv on the TV series Riot on Fox.

Ben Greene interviews one of members of the UCB House Team Search History, Marcy Jarreau. Marcy is an actor/writer/improviser who has been performing on UCB’s Harold night since 2007. As an actress, Marcy has appeared in movies like The To Do List and TV shows like Comedy Bang! Bang! As a writer, Marcy has co-written shows like Girl Camp the Musical and Newsadoozies. In Ben’s interview with Marcy, you’ll get to hear her talk about how sassy she was as a baby, how she withstood multiple snowpocalypses in New York, and what it was like to be a part of the online reality show Project Improviser.

Ben Greene interviews one of the stars of the upcoming Starz Network series Blunt Talk, Mary Holland. Mary is an actor/improviser who has been performing on UCB LA’s Harold night (JV) and Maude night (New Money) since 2011. As an actress, Mary has appeared in shows like Parks and Recreation, Comedy Bang! Bang!, and Silicon Valley. Mary is also a rotating member of the UCB show ASSSSCAT. In Ben’s interview with Mary, you’ll get to hear her talk about her childhood passion for ninja games, her lowest moments as a dog walker, and why she recently bought crystals.

Ben Greene interviews one of the writers from the TV show Comedy Bang! Bang!, Lauren McGuire. Lauren is a writer who has been writing for UCB LA’s Maude night since December, 2011 (as a member of New Money). In addition to Comedy Bang! Bang! Lauren has written a number of sketches for Wits Radio, a nationally distributed radio program on NPR. In Ben’s interview with Lauren, you’ll get to hear her talk about her favorite dirty joke when she was a kid, why she passionately hates Steve Urkel, and getting the opportunity to write sketches for Maria Bamford.

Ben Greene interviews a member of the UCB Harold Team Cardinal Redbird (and his fiancée), Madeline Walter. Madeline is a writer/actor/improviser who has been performing on UCB LA’s Harold night since 2009 and as a member of the UCB Maude team Bonafide since 2011. As an actress, Madeline has appeared in shows like The Birthday Boys, Children’s Hospital, and Garfunkel and Oates. Madeline is also a member of a UCB Digital Writer’s Room. In Ben’s interview with Madeline, you’ll get to hear about a traumatic experience involving a sand-filled frog in middle school, how close she came to being a lawyer instead of an actress, and about her first memories of meeting her future husband (me).