The Peoples Improv Theater

A new series of monthly posts on the art of teaching improv, written by members of the teaching staff of The People’s Improv Theater.  

Hear more from Patrick on this week’s episode of The PITcast, available on iTunes!

And don’t miss a chance to see Patrick perform live with McCann and McCartney at NYC Improv Fest, Saturday, March 19th at 6pm at The PIT Loft!

When I was a younger improviser I was constantly beating myself up. I was only as good as my last show and it was all very much about me, myself and I. The first few years my only default question was set at “how did I do?” not what “how did we do?” It was the very common, tired, old, self-obsessed performer/ actor/ comedian thing. After shows in bed at night sleep would be held back by thoughts like “That was great when I did that. I can’t believe they didn’t get it.” or “ I can’t believe I made that joke instead of this way funnier joke I’m thinking of right now!” and, the always popular (we all have it) “ THAT GUY got more laughs then me??? Fuck THAT GUY!” The days of wine and roses were filled with the former but it is only now that I have learned to smell the latter.

Improv is terrifying. Making stuff up out of nothing is as scary as it gets. Doing it in front of people that have paid to see you do it well that could be considered torture in some countries. So why do I do it? At first I was like you in that when I saw a really good group play together at the top of their intelligence I thought almost immediately that not only that I wanted to do it but that I could do it. Of course, those groups make it look so easy. Over time, they have developed a great respect for an art form that takes training and practice. 

After taking classes with some great teachers and working with some great players I still struggled with the occasional very-human-but-unfortunately-not-very-helpful-for-a-performer feeling of being stuck in my head. That’s when I decided to ACT fearless to me. “Pretend like I just didn’t give a fuck” was the technical term. I was that guy for a long time that seemed fearless. I was the guy that would take off all his clothes, say the awkward thing, revel in the audience squirming in their seats while I told them they were bovine, spineless creatures that lived in a country that was lying to them and they were lying to themselves etc. etc. etc. These are the things I did to get out of my head and find my voice in the beginning. 

Now I’m not saying any of it was a completely awful thing. In fact from what I see we could use a little more of that in the grind them out scene of comedy today. What did happen though is I got BURNT out. It’s one of the many things I try and pass along to my student’s. If you make it all about yourself and what you really want to say you will burn out. If you think this improv thing is in anyway all about you, you will burn out. Worse, you’ll blame the art form and its “limitations” when in fact the art form is limitless. 

Improv is about the other people up there with you. That’s the key to getting out of your head. Making the other person look good. Finding the game together and playing it. Exploring and heightening with your scene partner. Listening, behaving, initiating. Always be teachable. These are the things that I constantly remind myself of and improv is more exciting to me than it was when I first did it 20 years ago.

I’m not saying don’t have a strong point of view. I’m not saying you shouldn’t pat yourself on the back once in a while. I’m not saying that you won’t be the narcissistic actor/actress cliché sometimes I’m saying you don’t have to be. You have a choice. You want more edge in your improv comedy, trust me, you’ll meet like-minded individuals and you all can create your own thing. Until then, the way things are these days, an improviser can do six different shows with six different groups in five different days. It’s more important than ever to be easy to work with not by kissing ass but by bringing an openness and joy to every group that lets you play with them. Just be grateful that, hey look there’s another person on stage with you that’s totally willing to make stuff up. That’s all you have to do to get out of your head.

A new series of monthly posts on the art of teaching improv, written by members of the teaching staff of The People’s Improv Theater.  

Hear more from Pete on this week’s episode of The PITcast, available on iTunes!

The best thing about teaching improv is I get to watch people grow.  The person a student is on the first day of class is different than the person they’ve become on the last day. My class goes from a group of strangers who are cautious and unsure of their abilities or how to use them, to a group of peers who respect and support each other’s choices with enthusiasm and fearlessness. 

Improv can be scary - as a teacher I just try to help people get out of their own way, to stop judging the stuff they are doing and just have fun! I try to remember what it was like when I was in their shoes. I had Kurt Braunohler as my level one teacher.  He was and still is very inspiring. I wanted to try and be as good as a teacher as him, to help a group of strangers form a bond the way he did. I am still friends with a bunch of my classmates from my level one class, which I took almost ten years ago. I still do improv with one of them - Mauricio Bermudez - as much as possible. 

I get to witness people really having amazing moments together, here is an example of what I mean. A girl in class shares a true monologue about her being the first girl wrestler in her high school. The first scene after a guy points to a girl on the side lines to join him in the scene, she steps out and the guy motions for her lay down, and he props himself over her. She gets a weirded out look on her face, like oh where is this going?! He then says "is this weird for you because I'm a girl and I just beat you in wrestling." The look of joy that appears on her face...the whole class starts laughing. I get to witness trust being made, bonds being formed. Sometimes just for one scene, but often it's more than that. I love Improv and I am honored to be a part of someone else's discovery of this art form. 

Through exercise and activities, they grow wild and free and learn to trust and agree in a world that would rather say no and keep strangers at a distance. I’ve seen people fall in love, become friends, or just start a new adventure. An improv class is a random gathering of humans that can sometimes never be separated again. 

It is an honor to be apart of something that you believe in. I believe in the power of people and with the right support it is amazing to watch a graduation show that melds minds. The audience of the graduation show often gets blown away, because friends and loved ones get to see the person they thought they knew make something out of nothing. They see that person do something so scary and yet they’re having so much fun doing it. 

Through teaching improv I get to watch people become who they can be. I get to watch them learn a new way to grow from laughter and support.

Follow Pete on Twitter and listen to him weekly on The Comic Book Club podcast on The Nerdist network, recorded live every Tuesday at The PIT Loft.

Start saying “Yes, And” in your life! Sign up for a class:

This is the second in a new series of monthly posts on the art of teaching improv, written by members of the teaching staff of The People’s Improv Theater.  

Hear more from Erick on this week’s episode of The PITcast, available on iTunes!

This story is important for two reasons. I'll tell you both after.

My girlfriend and I went to New Orleans two years ago on vacation. We were excited to escape from NYC; auditions, survival jobs, performing, etc. That first night away felt like a dream. New Orleans was warm and beautiful and lit up. We walked and talked and didn't mention our careers or our creative footprint. It was our first artistic reprieve in years, and we were determined to take a break from our lives in NYC. Then we drank, googled "New Orleans Improv" and went to a jam.

She was studying with UCB at the time and wanted to do a Harold. I said that when we arrive there would be book written by a person who started the theater, and we'll do whatever chapter one says cause that's what people will know. She strongly disagreed, we made fun of each other, made a cute couple bet, and arrived at the theater/moment of truth.

Reason 1: I was 100% right (It doesn't happen often so I savor the flavor) 

Reason 2: It confirms that improv doesn't have to look like anything.

If improv doesn't have to look like anything, then we can allow it to be what it already is. Before you begin, you're scene has already happened. We're not inventing new things, we're discovering what already exists. A focus on discovery starts with eye contact, breath, and silence. Once we're primed with those, we're ready to listen and react. We're ready to improvise.

The alternative to discovery is invention. If you're an improviser, you're familiar. The entire improv community is in a toxic on-and-off six year relationship with invention: looking at the ground, proper nouns that mean nothing to you, filling silence with indifference.

"[Looking at the ground] Hi...Dad...thanks for coming to my....pig factory...in...New Brunswick...my girlfriend...Sally... has Legionnaire's Disease...which I have...also I'm gay."

Break up with Invention. You deserve better. Invention’s leather jacket is hot but there's no love there. Now that you’re free, ask Discovery out for dinner. You'll laugh together. You'll build a life together. You'll have communicative and explorative sex; you're both yes and-ers.

Our hang-ups towards discovery-based comedic improvised theater usually comes from our insecurities, or our pre-conceived notions of what this art-form is. I believe in getting out of our own way. Sometimes it takes a while, but it's never too late to start.

Photo by Joel Isaac Ramírez, SVA

I remember my first discovery on stage. I was improvising with my friend Lewis and he gestured for me to sit on his lap. Once I did, he began to read a children's book. Lewis had a baby girl at home. In that moment, even though it was me on stage, Lewis was with his daughter. And even though it was Lewis on stage, I was with my mother. And even though they were sitting in chairs at The PIT, the audience was with someone else too. A current of love ran through the room and everyone stopped to feel it. 

I'd been performing for 3 years at that point and the nice way to categorize my style was high energy and talkative. The not so nice: steam-rolling, trying to hard, afraid. That was the first real scene I ever did. I don't think I spoke a word. A couple people have come up to me since then and asked if I remember a scene a few years ago at the old PIT where someone read to me on stage. 

"Do I remember?" The answer is simple. "How could I forget?"

Follow Erick on Twitter and Facebook.

Start saying “Yes, And” in your life! Sign up for a class:

This is the first in a new series of monthly posts on the art of teaching improv, written by members of the teaching staff of The People’s Improv Theater.

I went on a first date a few months ago. In the midst of a nice chat in Prospect Park over bagel sandwiches and coffee, I asked my date: what did he do for a living? He replied that he was a consultant who advises on how to best help Syrian refugees.

“Wow,” I stuttered. “That’s incredible. Your job is important. It really matters.”

“And, what do you do?” he dutifully reciprocated. “Something equally impressive, I’m sure.”

“Um. I’m a comedian.”

This is the not first time I have doubted the worthiness of my career. There have been many moments; many conversations over the years where I’ve said similar words out loud in conversation and cringed. “Oh, cool? You’re providing shelter and food to all homeless people? I do goofy make-em-ups.”

The more heartbreak this world has seen over the past year, however, the more I’ve seen comedians participate in making a difference. The big names are usually the first ones to participate in  a fundraiser where they perform and raise money for folks in need.  (Hurricane Katrina comes to mind.) And lately, especially through Social Media, I can’t tell you the number of well-known comedians I’ve seen bringing awareness to social issues such as women’s reproductive health and the #BlacklivesMatter movement.

Of course, not all of us have that kind of pull. We’re not all hit up to do nationally broadcast fundraisers for millions of people. But, you know what we can do? Make people laugh. Make people smile. We can give hope and a little bit of joy to people when they really, truly need it. Sure - it may not sound like much… but that’s just the start.

There is something about comedy that brings people together: I think it’s the AND.

Once I moved from performing into a teaching role, I started to feel more and more empowered. As someone who has been improvising since the age of 11, I took for granted the skills improv had provided me. Yes, conversation was easy for me. Yes, I looked people in the eyes when they were talking to me. I was great at interviewing. I also traveled quite a bit.

“Oh man, I wish I could travel like you do… but I never have the time. How do you do it?”

“I just say yes… and I just do.”

The number of times I’ve applied the improv concept of “Yes, and” to my life is immeasurable. In addition - the past few years have been a lesson in learning to “Follow the Fear,” as improv legend Del Close advised. Let me explain.

“Yes, and” in improv: The Yes means I hear you. Let’s agree. The “and” moves the conversation forward. We are told to say “Yes, and” instead of “No” in our scenework and, in doing so, we create building blocks with our language.

“Follow the Fear” in improv: Go towards the scary thing - it will lead to the best and most surprisingly rewarding moments.

I’ve taught these concepts to children and adults of all ages over the years. “Follow the Fear” is something I have certainly applied to my own life many times. Five years ago, I asked myself: Are you afraid to move to NYC and kick your career up to the next level? Yes. I am afraid. Then, follow that fear. Fear is a pointing emotion: it points us towards what we need to see and gives us the direction in which to walk.

This past summer, I was a having a conversation with a close friend, Nicole, about what I do. Sure, she knows that I’m an improviser - and that I put on funny shows. And, she knows I teach. But what lessons I teach exactly was never something she thought to ask. As a teacher herself of special needs children, the idea of “Yes, And” was enlightening for Nicole - so much so, that she decided to make “Yes, And” the theme of her students’ year.

We spoke about how her students usually approach situations. In a classroom setting - it often starts with what the other kids are doing wrong.

He’s doing this!

That kid is being too loud! She took the book I wanted!

You also hear a lot of, “No.”

Being the great teacher Nicole is, she took my quick improv lesson to heart and posted this on her classroom chalkboard: Things I can control vs. Things I can’t control.

Nicole’s students are starting to notice how often they say “No.” She has been steering them towards “Yes” instead. More than that, she has applied “Yes And” in her own way… getting her students to act:

“Yes I want _____, And this is how I can get it.”

She is taking the “Yes, And” concept and teaching her students that they are in control of his or her actions - and only their own. You can’t control what other people do, but you can say yes to what you yourself want or need and you can then figure out the steps to get there.

How about that? From our “goofy make-em-ups,” children are learning how to be leaders! How to make their own success. We are giving them the tools to create their own path and it feels amazing.

No, I am not trained to help save Syrian refugees. I’ll leave that to the kind man I ate bagels with in the park. But, I am getting people to Yes in their lives. I’m getting people to take chances and take control. And that’s an accomplishment I can call my own.

Originally posted on www.theraeroshow.com. Reprinted with permission.  

Follow Rachel on Twitter and Facebook.

Start saying “Yes, And” in your life! Sign up for a class: 

SOLOCOM 2015 is just days away! The PIT recently caught up with SOLOCOM producer / powerhouse Peter Michael Marino (Desperately Seeking the Exit, Late with Lance) to get his take on why this festival celebrating the individual has exploded in popularity over its short three-year history. 

PIT: What inspired SOLOCOM? 

PMM: SOLOCOM was created to give solo performers the opportunity to stretch their muscles and create personal new work that focused on the funny. With only 8 weeks to create the show, it gives writer/performers a hard deadline - which results in results. There are many excellent solo show festivals in NYC and across the country, but there seemed to be a vacancy for brand new solo comedy shows. 

PIT: The festival is now in its third year. How has the fest evolved and what excites you about this year's fest? 

PMM: The festival has evolved from 60 shows to 120 shows, and there are more non-locals in the festival this year than any other year. I'm excited about so many show ideas, plus the addition of two more venues - the PIT Loft and the PIT Attic...which is home to a number of "immersive" shows that run 20-30 minutes, happening several times in an hour. I'm excited for the energy of the weekend, but mostly excited to launch these shows and see where they go in the future.

PIT: Why should people support solo performance? 

PMM: The best solo shows move and entertain the audience the way a play with a full cast would. I'm not sure your typical theater-going audience knows this. Yes, it takes balls to hold an audience's attention all by your lonesome. I mean, it's the most intimate form of theater. Just the performer and a tale to tell or character to share; and the audience. It's not so much about supporting solo performance as it is trusting that you can be just as entertained and moved by a solo performer as you can with a full cast. Often, audiences are more entertained and moved by one person!

PIT: What is the role of the solo show in the larger comedy and theater communities? 

PMM: Solo shows come in all shapes and sizes and they've been evolving so much over the years as more people use social media to share entertainment about themselves. Stand-ups are doing more storytelling. Storytellers are doing more traditional solo shows. With a solo show, you are creating your own work. Your own role - suited to YOU. Solo shows open the door for other opportunities with festivals and such. It's much more affordable to tour a one-person show than a play. And solo performers really are on their own for so much of the time...it teaches you how to be your own producer, booker, hustler.

  PIT: How do solo shows benefit the performer? And the audience?

PMM: Empowerment and connection. Many solo shows are born out of a moment of truth. Something unusual or unexpected that happened in someone's life that they somehow recovered from. Something that they feel driven to share. I'm not a fan of "therapy shows" which many people lump solo shows into. Like, there's some form of catharsis for the writer/performer who's sharing their story. I think the catharsis should happen in the writing of the show, not the performance. It has to be about all of us. Somehow, the creator has to find the universality. The best ones are cathartic for the audience, who unexpectedly learn something about themselves from hearing another person's story. And if one person's story can affect others in shared space, that can only be good for the world.

SOLOCOM 2015 is a 3-day festival in NYC takes place in 2.5 spaces at The Peoples Improv Theater in the Flatiron District and at the new PIT LOFT in Chelsea from November 20-22. Full schedule, tickets, and fest passes* are available here: https://thepit-nyc.com/festivals/solocom

This is Churchill. He belongs to PITizen Giancarlo Osaben of #OKPresident. Churchill is a 3 & 1/2 year old King Charles Cavalier Spaniel, but we’re just going to refer to him as King of Cuteness. His other nicknames include Chu-Chi & The Choochster. 

Churchill is so good looking, he could have been a show dog. But he wasn’t interested in fame or money, and he’s perfectly content as a couch potato.

Although he loves couches, when people are around he’d happily take a lap nap. 

The cutest thing he does other than everything is snorting when he gets excited. He also snores very loudly when he is in a deep sleep, but you can’t really get mad bc LOOK AT HIM.

His favorite activities include peeing & pooping (naturally), & eating cat food which is never a good idea. 

He also enjoys playing in the show LOL REMEMBER SNOW??

He has some cat friends. His catourage consists of Sambucca (his best frenemy), Spooky, & Dimple. They really know how to party. 

Another one of Churchill’s hobbies includes hoarding flip-flops. He hides them under the couch and the bed. He does not like it when you take them back. 

He’s also a collector of sticks. 

In his past life he might have been a shark. But we’re glad he’s not cause he’s way cuter as a dog in a shark costume. 

Another great thing about Churchill. He is a good friend. The best friend. And will be there for you when you need a cuddle. 

Even when he has his own drama going on.

Churchill, you really are the King of Cuteness. No matter what your hair looks like.

If you need him, you can find him here on the Internet, or in bed probably. Just waiting for someone to cuddle with. 

We’re coming towards the end, so just gonna drop this off right here. Churchill, as a puppy. 

My favorite part of this job is documenting the greatness that happens on our stages, for the rest of the world to see. I don’t know how to dougie, but I do know how to live tweet. Here are some helpful hints so y’all can join in on the fun. 

1. Use a hashtag: If I’m tweeting a Super Free show I always do #SFM or #SFW. If there is room, I also like to hashtag the team name (if they don’t have a team twitter handle). For example: 

2. Tweet TO the performers. Or to thepitnyc! If you know you’re going to be live tweeting, it’s a good idea to know who is on the team and to make sure you’re following them before you start. That way you’re not searching while you’re trying to live tweet & watch the show. It’s almost like a mini script. Part of the reason I live tweet is because half the time performers drop these gems & completely forget that they even said it. It’s kind of like a high light reel, so you want to make sure you know who the players are. That’s as close to a sports reference as I can get. Here are some examples:

3. TAKE PICTURES: -Quotes are great, but pictures are an even more effective way of showing what’s happening on stage. -Also, tweets w/ images get 5x more engagement (I LOOKED IT UP)

The key is taking pictures of the scene as soon as it starts. Don’t wait until you get the perfect quote, because oftentimes someone else will enter or the actors start moving around, and then you’ve lost the moment.

4. SO MUCH IS HAPPENING. How do I know what to tweet? 

Sometimes you hear a line that KILLS. It’s kind of like the slow clap. You just know. 

But sometimes you don’t know. So, before you tweet something, ask yourself, does this make sense to someone who isn’t watching the show? If the answer is no, don’t tweet it. 

5. Justify Yo Tweet: It’s a balance between being too vague and being too specific. In other words, it’s not interesting to anyone to just say something like “Great scene happening!” That is too vague. 

Think of it like a sketch. Except instead of justifying the sketch or character’s behavior, you’re justifying the tweet. If I had just tweeted “fluffernutter fo life” in the tweet below it wouldn’t make sense to anyone. But when you know it’s a grown man’s hamster, it's funny. (I mean, if you’re into hamster humor)

Here’s another example: The line “does anyone else want to walk through a door?” doesn’t mean anything to anyone who isn’t watching this scene. But if you know it’s a scene with two brothers from Leeds, it’s enough specificity to give people a gist of what’s going on. 

If something unusual happens in the space or with the audience, it’s also usually worth tweeting. Like when someone in the audience sneezes so loud it edits the scene. Rae Ro and I tweeted this at the exact same time. 

6. Don’t over-tweet. I’ve made this mistake. (And lost followers). I got them back eventually, BUT IT’S NOT WORTH THE EMOTIONAL ROLLER COASTER. Ok that might be a little extreme. But you do want to be mindful. Otherwise you’ll start clogging people’s feeds & they’ll be all like

If its a 30 minute improv set, I try to keep it to 3-4 tweets maximum. 

7. How do you tweet AND pay attention at the same time? I’ll be honest, it’s kind of a mind f*ck. It requires a lot of multi-tasking and shifting focus because you need to be listening to what’s going on as much as the improvisers are. You need to know the character names, relationships, & what’s happening in the scene, if you’re going to be tweeting about what’s happening. The more details are in your brain, the more you have to tweet about. But it’s also important to pay attention to what you’re tweeting. Just be mindful and check in with yourself. If you’re stuck on crafting a tweet & you realize you’re missing what’s going on or if you just can’t figure out what to say, just save it as a draft and tweet it later. 

I’ll be live tweeting #SFM tonight, so join me. 

SEE YOU ON THE INTERNET! #YOUGOTTHIS. 

IT’S BACK IT’S BACK IT’S BACK. And this time, WE HAVE A CAT! This week’s #Petizen belongs to Rory Scholl who you can see performing on Mondays at 10 with Lightning Round & Fridays at 7PM with Royals! But let’s talk animals.

Valentino broke into Pitizens’ Jeff & Rachel Scherer’s apartment and needed a permanent home. Rory & his girlfriend Kristen swept him up and took him from BK to Queens. Now they are living happily ever after. 

Valentino has become quite a local celebrity. He has appeared on the Humans of Astoria website and frequently gets recognized while talking walks around the hood. 

Judy the pun was RIGHT THERE we had no choice. 

Valentino’s hobbies include sleeping on various objects, watching bird videos on Youtube, and collecting mice toys. Here he is unwinding after a long day of sleeping. 

In his defense, he does work very hard at his job where he is a bouncer. 

Did I mention he also rides a motorcycle? Yea, do not mess.

Ok that one didn’t do it for Judy either. 

Remember when we mentioned his hobbies and walking wasn’t included in that? This explains it. 

He’d much rather be here. 

Omg u guys I think all these puns broke Judy! 

Back to Valentino though. He’s pretty much a Supercat. So hide you kids, hide yo curtains. 

And like most cats, he has to be in the mood for you. 

But when he is, it’s pretty f*cking adorable. 

Lesson #1: Your waiter or waitress is a human being. If you stop talking, you might notice, they are right in front of your face. #LookBeforeYouYelp 

Your waitress should not have to play peek-a-boo to get your attention. 

Lesson #2: Your menu is the bible of the restaurant. Before asking what they have, try consulting the list of things they have that is currently right in front of you. 

Do you have soups? What about apps? Beers? Believe it or not, menus list all of this information. It’s pretty phenomenal. #ReadTheMenu 

Lesson #3: When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. When your waitress gives you lemons, JUST TAKE THEM YOU PSYCHOPATH. 

“Can they be sliced thinner and then scooped out like a pumpkin? And then can you carve a face into that part?” 

No mam. No we cannot. 

Lesson #4: Free refills is not an excuse to consume an Olympic sized swimming pool full of soda. 

Perhaps you should switch over to seltzer water. It’s still fun. And fizzy. 

Lesson #5: You still have to tip, even if you have a fancy French accent. 

And please don’t ask this question:

Click here to watch all the episodes now PITtv: http://bit.ly/1LOCbSq

We didn’t want to overwhelm you with 10 videos at once. But we also didn’t want you to miss out on the rest of these amazing videos that made the list. Here are 5 more to distract you from what you’re already procrastinating if you’re reading this!

1. SHORT: A short film-Cowboy Hotel @CowboyHotel 

“Who takes time outs in street ball?”

And if you’re ever wondering what the GREATEST comeback ever is, it’s “YOU’RE NOT MOM!”

2) It’s A Freelance Life (Annie Parody)-Garlic Jackson @GarlicJackson

“Interviews we never see. Interviews? What’s that? Who’s he?” 

“No one wants a resume for a job you worked 3 days.” 

#TOOREAL 

3) That Is Offensive-Damn Family Comedy @DamnFamily

“Can you not say bullshit? Our family has been in the cattle and manure business since the 1820′s. We are known throughout the state for our quality bullshit and our honesty.”

4) #SNACK-SRSLY @srslytheshow 

“OMG that is SO ratchet, like who do you think you are? The new potato?”

“We’re just being bitchy cause we’re hungry.”

5) Dress Like A Pedophile-@poproulette 

#Clickfest has come and gone, but these videos will live forever on the INTERNET! Here are 10 must see’s. 

1) Meet Your First Black Girlfriend-Akilah Hughes @AkilahObviously 

“I’d like to watch ‘The Help’, ‘Django Unchained’, or ‘12 Years A Slave With You’, but if you’re going to make sex weird because of it, I don’t want to.”

2) Westerojans: A Condom of Ice and Fire (Game Of Thrones Parody) -The Shorts Show @TheShortsShow 

“What’s cooler than being cool? ICE COLD (dicks)” 

3) UNCUT Mentos Ad-HANK Comedy @HANKcomedy 

Remember that guy from the Mentos commercial who sits down on the bench and gets wet paint on his suit? Turns out that was the best part of his day...

4. Beatles-Girl - The Otter Boys @OtterBoysComedy 

Weed + The Beatles=You’re welcome.

5.  “Alone” Trailer-Low Budget Sketch Show 

"Not even trying to be funny.”

This week’s #Petizen belongs to Joe Galan of FUCT. His name is Zeppo and he is a 3 1/2 year old chihuahua mix. 

He is smart, stubborn, but also sometimes scared of the world, which is understandable. But let’s get back to Zeppo. 

He is the happiest when he can cuddle up on the couch for hours uninterrupted. And by couch I mean anyone or anything he can sleep on. 

Do be warned though, he does NOT like to be woken up. 

His breed tends to tear, so he often has streaks down his face at all times as if he’s been crying. 

He’s pretty good at laying on your lap and making it so that you never ever want to get up. 

For real though, how do you leave the house when this is the last thing you see? 

This week’s #PETIZEN is a WITTLE WABBIT named WEDNESDAY. Sorry, I skipped a week so I’m allowed to overdo it a little bit. 

Wednesday belongs to Josh Krebs (Gas Station Horror & self-described maniac). Wednesday and Josh are partners in crime. She is the brains/beauty behind all of his schemes, most of which involve bananas and apples. 

She is named after Wednesday Addams due to her awesome black fur and general “I don’t give a damn” attitude. 

Some of her favorite things include hiding out under coffee tables and pretending she is part of the furniture, tossing paper towel rolls, and Josh’s shoelaces.

She dislikes the vacuum. 

When she isn’t climbing on stacks of old plays while simultaneously trying to eat them...

She likes to chill out and watch some Key & Peele.

She’s also a bit of a fashionista. In the spring she rocks the occasional flower between her ears.

And in the winter she makes the cold her bitch with her sweet knit cap. 

Being adorable is a full time job. That’s why she needs plenty of rest. 

This week we have a very special staff #PETIZEN. Mostly because she belongs to our head of Video Production, Jorja Hudson. But also, because I have always had an affinity for Dachshunds. I've never owned one, because growing up my dad was allergic to any dog other than poodle, so I've had to live vicariously through others.

And by affinity I mean a borderline creepy obsession. Yes, that magazine says "It's a WEINERFUL world." And YES, that is a Dachshund Ice Cube Tray which I ordered specifically from SkyMall. 

I think it's because I'm 4'11, so when I see a Dachshund walking around with its tiny little legs working overtime to keep up, I'm just like "Ugh, I get you."So when I found out Jorja owned one of these things. I was all like: 

Anyway, get comfy, cause Pillow is a bundle of cuteness you are going to want to curl up with FOREVER. 

Her full name is Pillow Wiggles Candy Floss Hudson. 

THAT. FACE. 

She is 2 years old and leaves in London. Yes, she's British. So not only is she adorable, but she is sophisticated. 

She can be really mischievous and stubborn at times. 

But mostly, she is just sweet and loving. 

Her favorite thing to do is burrow under blankets and sleep like that for hours. 

Which is great because you could watch her sleep for hours and never get tired of it. (That was one of the creepier sentences I've written in quite some time)

She likes to sleep upside down. 

Or in a tiny little ball that I just want to scoop up and snuggle with. 

She has one blue eye and one brown eye. And it makes her even more beautiful. 

WHAT IS SHE A MODEL? 

She likes to eat blueberries and ice cubes. And one time she ate an entire sock.

She gets along well with others. Even cats. 

But she's always down to celebrate with humans too. 

Red is really her color. 

We hope you enjoyed this week's dose of cuteness. I'll leave you on this. Again. 

You may want to sit down for this one. Bobby Flay is 5 years old. He is a toy poodle. AND HE COULD MELT SATAN'S HEART. 

He belongs to my dear friend Anna Roisman, who is his girlfriend. However, when she went away for a week, I got to be his side piece. 

These pictures are a collection of the pictures I took during my #BobbyFlaycation, as well as the best of Anna's instagram: @annaroseroisman. 

The first few days I made a lot of these...

And sometimes I'd just find myself staring at him for like 20 minutes at a time. Was it creepy? Slightly. BUT YOU TRY LOOKING AWAY WHEN THIS IS ON YOUR COUCH. 

When he came into the office he was always extremely professional. And he gives great career advice.

 He's a great desk dog. But he's an even better lap dog. I'd just like to draw attention to his SOUL PATCH. 

But he's very humble. When you tell him how handsome he is he's all like:

One thing about Bobby Flay, he LOVES his sleep. And when he doesn't get it, he's pretty obvious about it. 

If he's awake when you get home, he runs to the door. But a lot of the time, you catch him mid-nap and he just stares at you like

Here he is in full REM cycle.

He's always down to party. Sometimes a little too hard. 

And he's always down for a good old fashioned Netflix binge. Except he likes to make the decisions. 

Sorry for that.

He's also always down for a good heart to heart. 

Don't be fooled by his dashing looks. He does have a bit of a nerdy side. Here he is chillin with Yoda & R2D2.

But he's definitely a fashion influencer. He single handedly brought back the color green. 

And he kills it in shades. 

Or in a rain coat. Which he wasn't SUPER pumped about. 

Or a bandana, which he is very visibly not pumped about. 

After a whole week together, I actually cried when I dropped him off. And now I lay awake at night with this image in my head. 

If this hasn't killed you yet, here he is as a puppy.