348: Laura Merli and Belly Slappin' Fun
Broccoli and Ice Cream with Myq Kaplan
Release Date: 08/25/2024
Broccoli and Ice Cream with Myq Kaplan
Liz Glazer! Comedian! Actor! Friend! Delight! More! Enjoy her everywhere including here! And this is only the first half of our 375th episode numerical gala extravaganza! For the second half, subscribe via Apple Podcasts OR merely PS Bonus news for folks in MA!: in Cambridge MA is the first comedy club I ever performed at. I'll be returning to headline it on June 14, 2025, AND there now exists a coupon code (“myq”) which will give folks $10 off of any purchases over $40 at the Comedy Studio. You can use this on tickets to my show OR for any shows at the club this year! It helps...
info_outlineBroccoli and Ice Cream with Myq Kaplan
Maria Decotis! Comedian! Actor! Writer! Friend! Delight! More! Maria has been featured in , , , , , , , and for her and her work has been shared by several celebrities including Ben Stiller, Stephen Colbert, , , , and . She opened for ! She earned a BFA in Acting from Boston University, studied Commedia dell'Arte in Italy, and trained in advanced Improv and Character at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater. Her subsequent original comedy videos have garnered millions of views...
info_outlineBroccoli and Ice Cream with Myq Kaplan
Gregory Lay! Actor! Writer! Filmmaker! Producer! Friend! Delight! More! About "Greg in LA": "Greg in L.A." originally began as a series on Instagram, where it quickly garnered a dedicated following thanks to its relatable humor and authentic storytelling. The creators, Sean Daniel Cunningham and Gregory Lay, captured the ups and downs of modern life in a way that resonated with viewers, leading to organic growth across social media. It was during this rise that the founders of 800 Pound Gorilla Media discovered the series, captivated by its charm and potential. Recognizing the...
info_outlineBroccoli and Ice Cream with Myq Kaplan
Comedian! Actor! Cancer survivor! Friend! Delight! More! She is @BeckyBraunstein on every social media platform that matters. You can see her animated history comedy series on YouTube or TikTok. She can be seen on Shrill on Hulu and Chad on TBS. AND you can listen to her have a wonderful conversation on THIS VERY PODCAST! And that's not all... this is only the first HALF of our conversation (what!). For part two, subscribe via Apple Podcasts OR simply Enjoy! Thank you!
info_outlineBroccoli and Ice Cream with Myq Kaplan
Andrew Heaton! Author! Podcaster! Comedian! Delight! Friend! His new book is . His podcast is His conversation with me on THIS podcast is a lot of fun! Please enjoy! PS This is only the first HALF of our chat. For part two, subscribe via Apple Podcasts OR simply
info_outlineBroccoli and Ice Cream with Myq Kaplan
Andrea Jones-Rooy! Comedian! Scientist! Podcaster! Circus performer! Friend! Delight! More! Want more information? Well, you've come to the right place: ABOUT ANDREA JONES-ROOY Ph.D.: Andrea Jones-Rooy is a unique voice who combines science with comedy to empower audiences of any education level to utilize data and tools accessible to all. AJR helps people learn to cut through the noise, better understand our world, and emboldens them to act. AJR holds a Ph.D. in political science from the University of Michigan. Formerly a professor of data science at NYU and a quantitative researcher at...
info_outlineBroccoli and Ice Cream with Myq Kaplan
Allen Strickland Williams! Comedian! Friend! Delight! More! ABOUT THE NEW ALBUM: A proper debut, Ran Through is a culmination of ASW’s stand-up since he started, up to the night he recorded. The album is filled with absurd, dark one-liners as well as well-structured pieces about the celestial bodies that hang in the sky above, his Florida roots, relationships, dating and being single, parenting (or lack thereof), vasectomies and guns. But ASW absolutely excels at crass jokes about sex, drugs, and residual trauma - the kind of jokes that you can’t help but laugh at while also relating to it...
info_outlineBroccoli and Ice Cream with Myq Kaplan
Mel Stephens! Writer! Director! Comedian! More! : Melissa Stephens (@melmstephens on social media) is a comedian, writer, and director from the Peach State, and has dual citizenship in the UK. Melissa wrote on staff of Brett Goldstein & William Bridges’ AMC anthology series SOULMATES, now streaming on Amazon Prime (Mel wrote ep 5). She is currently developing a dark comedy series with AMC Studios and UK based Two Brothers Productions, as well as penning a pilot for eOne and Mark Gordon based on her one-hour comedy special “Homebrew.” She is a founding member of IAMA Theatre...
info_outlineBroccoli and Ice Cream with Myq Kaplan
Max Gross! Comedian! Friend! Delight! Max is nice and you can follow him on all social media platforms @maxgotjokes! Also you can listen to him have a nice conversation with me right here! Enjoy! PS This is only the first HALF of our chat! For the second half, subscribe via Apple Podcasts OR merely
info_outlineBroccoli and Ice Cream with Myq Kaplan
Beth Stelling! Comedian! Writer! Friend! Delight! More! Beth is a STELLAR comedic talent. See her use her talents Follow her (@bethstelling) on socials! Listen to her in THIS VERY PODCAST CONVERSATION! And this is only the first HALF of our chat. For part two, subscribe via Apple Podcasts OR simply
info_outlineLaura Merli! Comedian! Delight! Human with a new standup special out now!
ABOUT THE NEW SPECIAL WHICH IS ALSO HER DEBUT SPECIAL, "BELLY SLAPPIN' FUN!"
After cutting her teeth for 8 years in the indie comedy scene, Brooklyn comedy-favorite Laura Merli has amassed over 2 million likes on TikTok. Laura specializes in set-up/punch-line jokes and one-liners rather than storytelling, in the vein of her influences Mitch Hedberg and Maria Bamford, although Laura adds her own distinctive and unique flavor. This style lets her cover A LOT of ground: drugs, sex, family/childhood, her ADHD/autism, and her dog. While the jokes emanate from a wide array of departure points, the humor centers around the awkwardness and absurdity of being alive. Laura’s delivery is distinctive as well - people describe her voice as deadpan but she promises she is being very expressive!
Since childhood Merli has been enamored with acting and writing. Although to Merli, improv initially seemed like “paying to embarrass yourself”, she finally followed the lead of some friends and tried classes at ImprovAsylum. She had a great experience and ended up obsessed, but was still wanting the ability to write before stepping onto the stage. Realizing this pointed toward stand-up, Laura got her start at a friend’s variety show called “What Else You Gonna Do Wednesday Night” and never looked back!
Merli has taken her art and career in her own hands, refining her material all around NYC, and on the road via The Awkward Route Tour with fellow stand up Freddy G (Sirius XM, NPR). With comedy well-suited to the TikTok format, Belly Slappin’ Fun is eagerly anticipated by her large online following who, along with fans-to-be will get their dose of Belly Slappin’ Fun on July 18!
ABOUT LAURA MERLI:
Laura Merli is an NYC-based standup, actress, and writer. She amassed over 2 million likes on TikTok, was “passed” at New York Comedy Club, has headlined the “Don't Tell” and “Modelface” comedy shows, and appeared at the New York Comedy festival as well as the Women in Comedy Festival. Every third Thursday, she hosts the Good Girl stand up show at Friends & Lovers, one of the hottest alt-comedy spots in Brooklyn. She has performed at top-tier venues across the city including The Bell House, Littlefield, Caveat, and more.
As someone who didn’t start comedy until their late 20s, Laura has held a wide variety of odd jobs including cashier, ebay store photographer, project manager, zombie in an escape room, business analyst, and carnival worker (her grandparents family business). She has since written for and acted on sketch house teams at the PIT and Improv Boston as well as Reductress, The Hard Times, and McSweeney’s. Merli has hosted/written/produced videos for the female-focused humor brand Cheezcake.
ABOUT THIS PODCAST!:
You can listen to it! We had a great chat! You can have a great listen!
And this is only the first HALF of our conversation!
For part two, subscribe via Apple Podcasts OR just head on over here to Patreon!