Isabel Hagen is a classical violist and standup comedian based in New York City.

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(00:00) Growing Up in an Artistic Family

(02:38) Choosing Music Over Everything

(05:06) Conservatory Dreams and Juilliard Auditions

(08:12) Getting Into Juilliard

(10:07) Realizing Music Wasn't the Future

(12:54) Discovering Stand-Up Comedy

(15:41) First Open Mics and Early Lessons

(18:27) Building a Comedy Career

(21:06) Leaving Music for Stand-Up

(24:11) Supporting Comedy Through Music

(27:01) Earning Opportunities and Growing

(30:14) JFL and The Tonight Show

(33:12) Headlining and Defining Success

(36:07) Staying Hungry as a Comedian

(38:14) Comedy, Shyness, and Observation

(40:42) Favorite Comedians and Venues

(43:01) Defining Success

(44:16) Advice for Modern Comics

Adam Shor is a comedian based in New York City.

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(00:00) Discovering Opera and Moving to New York

(03:12) The Allure and Reality of Opera Life

(06:05) Why Opera Ultimately Didn't Work

(08:48) Leaving Germany and Quitting at 31

(11:42) Identity, Failure, and Family Influence

(14:36) Motivations Required for Artistic Success

(17:25) Performance Anxiety and Vocal Struggles

(20:18) Highs and Lows of an Opera Career

(23:14) Living as a Working Opera Singer

(26:02) Resentment, Jealousy, and Artistic Environments

(29:01) What It Means When Art Doesn't Love You Back

(31:53) Regrets, Teachers, and Overtraining

(34:47) Knowing When It's Time to Quit

(38:12) Depression, Blogging, and Losing Identity

(41:18) First Exposure to Stand-Up Comedy

(44:03) Why Comedy Felt Liberating

(46:42) Early Sets, Bombing, and Learning the Craft

(49:28) Meeting Eyal and Creating Comedy Songs

(52:11) The First Time They Truly Murdered

(54:56) Social Media Growth and Moving to America

(58:02) Understanding the Algorithm and Building Fans

(61:21) Quality Control and Viral Content Strategy

(65:07) Touring, Building Audiences, and Comedy Business

(69:08) Louis C.K., Success, Family, and the Future

Shane Torres is a standup comedian based in New York City.

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(00:00) Moving from Portland to New York

(02:08) Reaching Comedy’s Ceiling in Portland

(04:11) Discovering Stand-Up and Bill Hicks

(07:18) Why Bill Hicks Mattered

(11:02) First Open Mic at Hungry Tiger

(13:48) Early Bombs and Finding Purpose

(16:02) Surviving on Service Jobs

(18:27) Living Cheap in New York

(21:01) Comedy Before Social Media Dominance

(25:05) Fame, Followers, and Premature Success

(28:12) First New York Clubs and Career Goals

(31:22) Getting Passed at The Comedy Cellar

(35:06) Respect, Community, and Recognition

(38:10) Finding Original Angles in Comedy

(42:41) Content Culture Versus Craftsmanship

(47:18) Expertise, Nuance, and Modern Media

(51:06) The Comedian’s Role in Culture

(54:02) Success, Recognition, and What Comes Next