Gabe Hudson interviews the writer about how he uses techniques from improv, stand-up comedy, and acting to write his humorous and vulnerable essays on Substack
This was a great interview! But full disclosure, I have some biases here. When I was on Twitter, I followed Gabe because he was one of the very best things about being on Twitter. Alex is a friend and a member of my writing group, and also the kind of writer who inspires me to push myself just a little harder. And also, Gabe asked BOTH (are true) of my questions! So yeah... BIASED.
BUT... I still think everyone who has a heart, or who wants to have a heart, and everyone who writes with heart, or who wants to write with more heart, and everyone who reads stuff because it has heart, should listen to this interview. Basically, IT'S FOR EVERYONE. You'll laugh, you'll learn, you'll feel. What's not to love? Give it a listen, people!
Great podcast, Gabe. I was really intrigued by Alex's levels of honesty; the stuff he's comfortable with being honest about, the stuff he knows he's not comfortable being honest about and then the stuff he doesn't even know he is not being honest about. Lots to play with there.
Gahhhh I love the standup parallel! Up way past my bedtime reading this but can’t wait to listen in the morning over coffee. Alex is the best. You, Gabe, are the best. Both are true.
I was gonna start listening to this podcast but my bladder was full and my coffee cup empty and experience tells me it is not a good combination when pressing play on a substacking standup comedian so you can’t see me do this and time on the internet shifts all over the place, but right now at this moment I am typing this, it is now and now being defined as 2023-09-22 06:44:13 I am on my back deck in the dark... ok, now I’m gonna go empty one and refill the other, take a deep breath, maybe walk my dog, grab a thing of random carbs and sugar and ease into this thing....
what a revealing entertaining collab! brings out the best in both of you (something not hard as it seems to be in abundance in both of your interests, introspection, humor and curiosity in general)
Alex garbles the name of his favorite Vonnegut book be curious to know what it is... if you agree with "by their friends you shall know them" the mentions of Anne Kadet, Michael Estrin, and Heather Havrilesky says it all and yeah Alex that piece you wrote about addiction was so raw but no doubt necessary and took courage also the fact you have been on strike for far longer than all those other "wannabees" haha
This was a fun conversation that left me wanting for me. Gabe moves things along effortlessly, and Alex's remarks on being true to yourself in your writing and how to bring elements of stand-up and improv to writing to create his style were very insightful. I'm not as free as Alex is in terms of letting go and putting myself out there in my writing, but it's certainly something to aspire to.
Why Alex Dobrenko can't stop telling the truth
This was a great interview! But full disclosure, I have some biases here. When I was on Twitter, I followed Gabe because he was one of the very best things about being on Twitter. Alex is a friend and a member of my writing group, and also the kind of writer who inspires me to push myself just a little harder. And also, Gabe asked BOTH (are true) of my questions! So yeah... BIASED.
BUT... I still think everyone who has a heart, or who wants to have a heart, and everyone who writes with heart, or who wants to write with more heart, and everyone who reads stuff because it has heart, should listen to this interview. Basically, IT'S FOR EVERYONE. You'll laugh, you'll learn, you'll feel. What's not to love? Give it a listen, people!
Great podcast, Gabe. I was really intrigued by Alex's levels of honesty; the stuff he's comfortable with being honest about, the stuff he knows he's not comfortable being honest about and then the stuff he doesn't even know he is not being honest about. Lots to play with there.
Gahhhh I love the standup parallel! Up way past my bedtime reading this but can’t wait to listen in the morning over coffee. Alex is the best. You, Gabe, are the best. Both are true.
I was gonna start listening to this podcast but my bladder was full and my coffee cup empty and experience tells me it is not a good combination when pressing play on a substacking standup comedian so you can’t see me do this and time on the internet shifts all over the place, but right now at this moment I am typing this, it is now and now being defined as 2023-09-22 06:44:13 I am on my back deck in the dark... ok, now I’m gonna go empty one and refill the other, take a deep breath, maybe walk my dog, grab a thing of random carbs and sugar and ease into this thing....
what a revealing entertaining collab! brings out the best in both of you (something not hard as it seems to be in abundance in both of your interests, introspection, humor and curiosity in general)
Alex garbles the name of his favorite Vonnegut book be curious to know what it is... if you agree with "by their friends you shall know them" the mentions of Anne Kadet, Michael Estrin, and Heather Havrilesky says it all and yeah Alex that piece you wrote about addiction was so raw but no doubt necessary and took courage also the fact you have been on strike for far longer than all those other "wannabees" haha
This was a fun conversation that left me wanting for me. Gabe moves things along effortlessly, and Alex's remarks on being true to yourself in your writing and how to bring elements of stand-up and improv to writing to create his style were very insightful. I'm not as free as Alex is in terms of letting go and putting myself out there in my writing, but it's certainly something to aspire to.
Go Alex!!
Alex is so great and I can't wait to listen the podcast. Thanks for the shoutout Alex!!!
How far