Conversations with Ross

This episode of Conversations with Ross features actor and improv comedian, Colin Mochrie.  Colin offered some behind-the-scenes stories on Whose Line Is It Anyway, and his new show Drew Carey’s Improv-A-Ganza.  He also spoke about trying to do scripted work after being known as an improviser, breaking in, and his worst audition experience.  Colin chimed in on the long from vs short form improv debate, and also spoke about being a working actor who doesn’t live in L.A.

I hope you listen to and enjoy our conversation.  This interview is also available to download for free on iTunes.

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Below are some highlights from the interview:

Ross Carey- Inside the improv community there is always a debate between long form and short form improv.  Do you get any grief from the hardcore long from improvisers about not doing true improv?

Colin Mochrie- Oh sure, of course I do. I think when anything is a success you tend to open yourself up for ridicule or criticism.  There really wasn’t anything I could say back to these people.  No one ever claimed that Whose Line was the end all and be all of improvising.  It was more of an introduction to the masses.  Because it was on television so everything had to be fast and shticky, compared to working on stage when you can take time to build a character and scene and make things more theatrical.  On television you just don’t have that time.  I can’t say one is more important than the other, they both have their importance in the world of improv.

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Ross Carey- How do North American audiences differ from those in the U.K.?

Colin Mochrie – In North America you get a lot of pop culture suggestions or stuff currently in the news.  In Britain you ask for something and could get anything.  I asked for a moment in history once and got “Charles the II’s abdication speech.”   Which, I’m not really that familiar with, but it makes you work.  They are so knowledgeable about history and the other countries around them over there that I find you get more varied suggestions than you do here in North America.

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Colin Mochrie is an actor and comedian currently starring in Drew Carey’s Improv-A-Ganza on GSN.

You can follow Ross and Colin on Twitter @Rosscarey and @Colinmochrie

To listen to the entire interview click the player above or download episode 40 of the Conversations with Ross podcast on iTunes.

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