This week I'm joined by Malik Whitfield, a staple of the Atlanta improv and comedy community, and one of my favorite people to watch grow on stage. Malik moved to Atlanta chasing stand-up and ended up falling headfirst into improv along the way — and I loved getting to trace that whole journey with him.

We talk about what pulled him toward the collaboration of improv over the loneliness of writing stand-up, and how the community welcomed him in a way that made him want to stay. He gets honest about the drives home in silence, the moment he realized he was actually good at this, and how much a few kind words from mentors like Madeline meant early on. We dig into setting goals, that magic Black Star set at IO Fest in Chicago, the real value of conservatory reps, and the grind of producing shows when everyone's already stretched thin.

We also get into something I think about a lot: how you give and receive feedback in a subjective art form, why every team should just get a coach, and what a healthier coaching culture could look like here in Atlanta. And Malik closes out the Hot Seat with some genuinely great advice for new improvisers about thinking past the joke.

It's a warm, funny, wide-ranging conversation with someone I deeply admire. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

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Host: Joel Camargo - Insta - @joelc1225
Audio Editor: Matt Issacs - Insta - @mattisaacs20