🎙️ Shut Up, Gail – Season Finale: "Yes, And Your Way to World Domination"
Guest: Jay Sukow
Host: Gail Shepherd (Not Like Cher, but kinda like Cher)

Improv legend Jay Sukow drops into Gail's virtual lair to talk shop, shout affirmations, mispronounce "spatula," and accidentally invent the word "fyrk." If you've ever wondered whether failure is your superpower, or if you should microwave fish at work (spoiler: don't), this episode is your new religion.

Get ready for:

🎭 The Renaissance of Improv: Jay reflects on the early days of doing scenes with 12 nerds in a rec center and how improv went from "misfit hobby" to "mandatory corporate training."

📉 Failing Spectacularly: Why bombing is beautiful, and how to embrace every weird moment like you meant to do it all along.

🧠 Tools Not Rules: The improv mantra that might save your life—or at least your next Zoom meeting.

🔥 Rapid-Fire Madness: Gail grills Jay on late-night shows, Beastie Boys, Brave Spaces, and… boardroom jams vs. Chicago dive bars.

💥 Plus:

-Improv for four-year-olds and vintage performers
-Side-mouth Cher impression
-A surprise Shakespeare reference (because Gail has a degree)
-"Shut Up, Gail" yelled with emotionally intelligent rage
-Winslow the British assistant (who definitely ghosted Jay)

🎧 Best Lines:

• "You're in control of your character. Stop acting like your character owns you."

• "We don't need rules. We need a fyrk."

• "Failure is the gift. The comedy is in the mess."

🛑 WARNING: This episode contains high-level improv geekery, joy, and at least two sincere metaphors involving bunting.

Be sure to come back on Janaury 8th for the Season Two kick off.

If you want to yell at Gail, please email us at TheBITComedyNetwork@gmail.com

"The BIT Spotlight" is part of The BIT Comedy Network.
Visit www.BITComedyNetwork.com to listen to our other podcasts or apply to join the ensemble.

CAST
Gail: Hill Kane
Himself: Jay Sukow

"The BIT Spotlight" and "Shut Up Gail" are part of The BIT Comedy Network.

Host, Producer, Director, Editor, Art, Co-Creator: Hill Kane
Show Runner, Co-Creator: Billy Merritt
Co-Creator: Paul Vato

Production Assistance, Audio Production, & Graphic Art by Raising Kane Media + Marketing.

Hosting Platform: Libsyn.com

"The BIT," "The BIT Comedy Network," and "Shut Up Gail" are Trademarks owned by Billy Merritt.

©2025 Billy Merritt - All Rights Reserved
Send inquiries + notices + requests: TheBitComedyNetwork@gmail.com

Have a question for the fine theatre folks at the Regency Theatre?
Please e-mail us at backstageattheregency@gmail.com

Follow us on Instagram at @backstageregency
Follow BIT Comedy Network on Instagram at @bitcomedynetwork and Facebook @BITComedyNetwork.

"The BIT Spotlight" is part of The BIT Comedy Network.

Created, produced, and edited by Luke Bovard
Graphics/Art by Raising Kane Media + Marketing

Special Thanks: Billy Merritt

MUSIC:
* Showtime - Cabaret - Revue by Julius H.
* It's Showtime by VictorvanTast
Music provided by PixaBay (a Royalty Free Platform)

Hosting Platform: Libsyn.com

"The BIT," "The BIT Comedy Network," "The BIT Spotlight," and "Backstage at The Regency" are Trademarks owned by Billy Merritt.

© 2025 Billy Merritt - All Rights Reserved

Inquiries + Notices + Requests: TheBitComedyNetwork@gmail.com

🎙️ SHUT UP GAIL – Ep. 9: "From Cult to Carnival" with Paul Omarr
This is the ninth installment of Bit Behind the Scenes (a.k.a. Shut Up Gail).

Listen, follow, rate, and share... PLEASE and THANK YOU!

This month, Gail heads to Oslo for a deeply human (and surprisingly funny) conversation with Paul — a Norwegian comedian, scholar, and improv performer whose journey from cult survivor to carnival-level creative proves that humor and healing can share the same stage.

From growing up in a strict congregation to discovering freedom in the unpredictable world of improv, Paul turns personal history into powerful storytelling — with warmth, self-awareness, and the occasional spreadsheet.

🧠 In This Episode:
✨ How growing up in a "cult" shaped Paul's understanding of language, leadership, and laughter
🎭 Why improv became his portal to autonomy and self-expression
🧩 Navigating neurodivergence and sensory challenges in the performance world
🎤 What it's like to host a festival, research your teams, and still find time for brisket jokes
🥨 The link between critical thinking, character work, and sauerkraut

💬 Quotable Moments:

"I already freed myself before improv — but improv freed me even more."
"Critical thinking is important … but once I'm on stage, I just see whatever the universe gives me."
"Oh shut up Gail, you're amazing."

🇳🇴 Bonus Bits:
🕯️ How Paul channels past trauma into empathetic comedy
🧠 The science of decoding neurotypicals — one scene at a time
🍖 Brisket, sauerkraut, and other cross-cultural improv food groups

Be sure to come back on the 8th of each month for a new "snack-sized" episode of SHUT UP GAIL.

Next month, Gail ends her first season with a kickass interview with the one and only, JAY SUKOW!!!!

If you want to yell at Gail, please email us at TheBITComedyNetwork@gmail.com

"The BIT Spotlight" is part of The BIT Comedy Network.
Visit www.BITComedyNetwork.com to listen to our other podcasts or apply to join the ensemble.

CAST
Gail: Hill Kane
Himself: Paul from Oslo

"The BIT Spotlight" and "Shut Up Gail" are part of The BIT Comedy Network.

Host, Producer, Director, Editor, Art, Co-Creator: Hill Kane
Show Runner, Co-Creator: Billy Merritt
Co-Creator: Paul Vato

Production Assistance, Audio Production, & Graphic Art by Raising Kane Media + Marketing.

Hosting Platform: Libsyn.com

"The BIT," "The BIT Comedy Network," and "Shut Up Gail" are Trademarks owned by Billy Merritt.

©2025 Billy Merritt - All Rights Reserved
Send inquiries + notices + requests: TheBitComedyNetwork@gmail.com