A relaxed stand-up chat about landing headline spots before feeling ready.
Michael Passifar and Duck settle into an easy comic-to-comic conversation about what it means to get headline work before feeling fully ready for it.
The Improv Tx Comedy Network
The Improv Tx Comedy Network
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In their own words
The Improv Tx Comedy Network
As heard by us
Based on 6 episodes we listened to · September 2026
A candid record of how comedians learn the room, recover from failure, and turn experience into stagecraft.
Duck approaches stand-up as a working life rather than a parade of polished sets. Through The Act Out interviews, comedians trace first open mics, difficult rooms, stage nerves, hecklers, writing habits, hosting gigs, and the slow accumulation of usable material.
Why you'd press play
An open mic with only comics in the crowd makes your worst presentation feel almost merciful.
Press play if you want
- to hear why a comic learned to leave room for someone else's line
- to revisit a first open mic where the audience was also comics
Talks about
Best episodes of The Improv Tx Comedy Network
Short reviews from the PlayNext desk, based on the episodes we processed.
A crowd-run singles game becomes a comic's long-running live act.
CJ Sedman Carter's turn on The Act Out is built around how a comic can turn a singles event that did not work into a live game show bit. Duck keeps the talk loose and curious while CJ covers 20 years in comedy, the different names he uses, and the Dallas origin story behind the…
A loose comic chat about timing, names, and turning preschool chaos into stage material.
Doug talks with Vinny Corrales, a DFW comic whose writing gets strong praise right away, and the conversation stays close to how a joke gets built through pacing, silence, and word choice.
A comic with a fast HBO Max break and a strong history streak.
Dave Jay's stop by The Act Out traces a clean arc from open-mic beginnings to an HBO Max spotlight, with the host folding in Ha Festival and names like Steve Trevino and Ralph Barbosa.
A comic-to-comic chat about DFW-to-New York travel, writing groups, and finding a stage voice.
The Act Out settles into the practical side of stand-up, following a comic who has been working across DFW while moving back and forth to New York, with some time also spent in Georgia and Atlanta.
Dry deadpan, first bookings, and the room-by-room grind of getting stage time.
The opening spends a little time on network housekeeping, so it takes a minute to settle, but once Duck brings in David J. Diaz, the episode finds its stride in his dry, deadpan delivery.
A loose comic hang about hosting, hecklers, and staying sharp when the room pushes back.
Duck keeps this one loose and personal, and the comic talk feels built around real stage nerves: getting onstage, getting roasted right back, and using adrenaline as the push before a set.
A comic hustle story with real club detail and a loose, easy hang.
Ed Richards reads as a working comic who knows how to be grateful without making a big speech about it. Duck keeps the conversation on the work behind the laughs, and the best stretch is the one that tracks Richards' momentum on the road, his early impression in the Texas club…
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Episodes
- 1
The Act Out - S05E04 - Dr. Brian King
Hidden gemDr.
·50m·3 clips - 2
The Act Out - S02E08 - Peng Dang
Host Duck interviews comedian Peng Dong about his journey from rural China to the US comedy scene, covering his childhood as a storyteller, early inspirations, challenges with language and racism, and insights into joke writing and performance.
·40m·4 clips - 3
The Act Out - S02E10 - David Diaz
Host Duck interviews comedian David J.
·47m·4 clips - 4
The Act Out - S02E11 - Jaljuda
Host Duck interviews DFW comedian Jal Judah on The Act Out podcast.
·1h 1m·4 clips - 5
The Act Out - S02E06 - Head Richards
Hidden gemEd Richards traces the nickname “Ed” back to childhood, saying his real name is Josh and that even his mother calls him Ed.
·50m·3 clips - 6
The Act Out - S01E25 - Best of Advice for Comedians
Stuck closes Season 1 with a season-end advice reel.
·1h 26m·5 clips - 7
The Act Out - S01E24 - Dean Lewis
Duck introduces Dean Lewis as his sensei and teacher.
·1h 43m·2 clips - 8
The Act Out - S05E05 - Mikey B
Host Doug interviews comedian Mikey B about his eight-year comedy journey, from early influences and open mic struggles to podcasting success and a life-changing health scare.
·38m·3 clips - 9
The Act Out - S02E03 - Cecil Armstrong Aka: Shuckey Duckey
Duck introduces Shucky Ducky as a legend he first saw tear up an open mic at the Arlington Improv.
·56m·4 clips - 10
The Act Out - S01E23 - Dave Jay
Dave Jay sits down with The Act Out.
·40m·1 clip - 11
The Act Out - S01E22 - Michael Pasvar
Duck welcomes Michael Passifar with genuine praise for his podcasting and comedy.
·34m·5 clips - 12
The Act Out - S02E02 - Vinnie Corrales
The Act Out opens with Doug praising Vinny Corrales as one of the strongest writers in DFW.
·40m·1 clip - 13
The Act Out - S02E07 - Cj ”Sedman” Carter
Hidden gemThe Act Out sits down with CJ Sedman Carter, better known as Canada Love.
·38m·3 clips - 14
The Act Out - S02E01 - Emily Grefer
Ducky opens by welcoming Emily Griefer to *The Act Out*.
·41m·3 clips - 15
The Act Out - S02E09 - Crux Crawford
Hidden gemThe transcript contains a long interview on The Act Out with host Doug and guest Crooks Crawford, who says he has been doing stand-up for two years as of June 2023.
·1h 3m - 16
The Act Out - S01E21 - Panda Chacon
Feb 9, 2023·59m - 17
The Act Out - S01E20 - Ryan Perrio
Feb 2, 2023·51m - 18
The Act Out - S01E19 - Shiva Ary
Jan 30, 2023·39m - 19
The Act Out - S01E18 - Komedian KG
Jan 24, 2023·35m - 20
The Act Out - S01E17 - Comedian Q
Jan 21, 2023·34m - 21
Black Dog Retro Arcade Podcast - S01E03 - Light Gun Games
Jan 16, 2023·31m - 22
The Act Out - S01E16 - Comedian Hot Topic
Jan 13, 2023·38m - 23
The Act Out - S01E15 - Alfred Kainga
Jan 9, 2023·35m - 24
The Act Out - S01E14 - Benjamin Defibaugh - Tribe and King
Jan 1, 2023·40m - 25
The Act Out - S01E13 - Paul Jairus
Dec 27, 2022·1h 4m - 26
The Act Out - S01E12 - Chris Hopkins
Dec 24, 2022·46m - 27
Black Dog Retro Arcade Podcast -S01E02 - Resident Evil Playstation
Dec 21, 2022·49m - 28
The Act Out- S01E11 - Joel Runnels Jr
Dec 20, 2022·57m - 29
The Act Out - S01E10 - Derrick Jack
Dec 15, 2022·44m - 30
Black Dog Retro Arcade Podcast -S01E01 - Pac-Man Fever
Dec 11, 2022·31m - 31
The Act Out - S01E09 - Roland Campos
Dec 7, 2022·48m - 32
The Act Out - S01E08 - Ryan Joseph
Dec 2, 2022·32m - 33
The Act Out - S01E07 - Miles Francis
Nov 27, 2022·45m - 34
The Act Out - S01E06 - Angelia Walker
Nov 23, 2022·39m - 35
The Act Out - S01E05 - George Redd Speaks
Nov 20, 2022·37m - 36
Quack n’ Up - S01E01 - CJ Starr
Nov 17, 2022·28m - 37
The Act Out - S01E04 - Lamar Jones
Nov 15, 2022·45m - 38
The Act Out - S01E03 - Algie ”Woody” Linwood
Nov 7, 2022·23m - 39
The Act Out - S01E01 - Dan Danzy
Oct 20, 2022·50m - 40
The Act Out - S01E02 - David Jessup
Oct 20, 2022·42m