JH

executive producer of 30 rock John riggi on creativity episode 116

Executive Producer of 30 Rock John Riggi on Creativity

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by

Judi Holler
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Executive Producer of 30 Rock John Riggi is here to talk creativity and it’s a high vibe conversation.  30 Rock’s John Riggi shares the deets on all things comedy, from his humble beginnings growing up LGBT+ in the midwest, to how he found comedy and eventually produced one of the greatest comedic sitcoms of our age. He and Judi chat about improv versus stand-up, how comedy and sadness are two sides of the same coin, and what tips he has for those looking to get motivated in their own lives. 

Today on Yes, And:

  •  How loss sparked John’s creativity 
  • Why stand-up comedy and improv are similar yet different
  • Where John finds inspiration 
  • The truth about comedy
  • John answers my questions about working on 30 Rock

Top 4 Quotes:

  1. In improv, the biggest thing to ask yourself is: Are you open to doing it?  Are you willing to just go out there and say, “Let’s try this”,to your fear at the moment and to the fact that you don’t think you have anything to say?  Can you say “Yes, And” to all of it?
  2. When writing, I like to see if I can put a really funny moment right up against sadness, and see if I can get away with keeping them both alive in the same little test tube.
  3. A trip around the sun is a big distance, and yet, it’s a tiny distance. Because we’re here for a second. It feels like forever, yet it’s not forever. So I just try to enjoy things because everything is going to keep moving along this timeline, so I just try to remember that.
  4. We have lost track of what comedy used to be able to do for a society that was well-informed enough to understand we were using those jokes to point out a behavior that was unacceptable. 

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This show is produced by Soulfire Productions