Ep 252: Matt McCusker

Summary of Ep 252: Matt McCusker

by Sam Morril and Mark Normand

1h 11m•October 6, 2025
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Summary — Ep 252: Matt McCusker

Hosts: Sam Morril & Mark Normand
Guest: Matt McCusker

Overview

This episode is a freewheeling conversation between Sam, Mark, and comedian Matt McCusker. Much of the talk centers on Matt’s recent special (self-produced, shot at the Ontario Improv), the taping weekend in Boulder, his touring/writing process, and making shorter creative projects (YouTube shorts/animation). The episode mixes industry talk (streaming specials, touring logistics) with personal anecdotes, comedy craft insights, and a wide-ranging string of peeves, wrecks, and recommendations.

Key points & main takeaways

  • Matt taped a self-produced special (shot by Tyler Falbo) at the Ontario Improv. He expects it to run roughly 50–55 minutes and it will debut on Netflix on October 7.
  • Taping weekend: Boulder went better than expected — strong early shows, a great crowd vibe, and an overall productive taping experience. He filmed multiple sets across several shows.
  • Production reality: Matt described a head injury on one filming day that required makeup/CGI fixes and made the intro sketch editing more stressful.
  • Touring & preparation: He emphasizes the value of doing focused “new material” nights and cobbling sets together with multiple short shows to create an hour. He and the hosts discuss bombing as part of the process — it’s normal and often necessary for improvement.
  • Platforms & market: Conversation about changes in specials market (Netflix vs Hulu vs selling independently/YouTube). Matt sees options but notes the market is shifting.
  • Side projects: Matt’s doing animated shorts (co-written with Pedro Salinas) and experimenting with puppetry; animation is time-consuming and has had some content/visibility issues on platforms.
  • Performance formats: They discuss the experience of arena/“in the round” shows vs club rooms, crowd dynamics, and how different audiences react to legacy performers vs newer acts.
  • Lifestyle & logistics: Matt spoke about balancing family life, touring frequency (he did 2–3 weekends/month preparing the special), and wanting to scale back someday to fewer cities.

Notable quotes / insights

  • Matt on runtime expectations: “I’m going to say 53. As long as I’m over 50, I’m happy.”
  • On self-producing and options: “You got fucking options, dude. Don’t get hung up on the one hot girl at the bar.”
  • On testing material: do lots of short “new joke” nights and cobble an hour from multiple small runs — bombing is part of the process.
  • On arenas vs clubs: “When you’re in the round … you’re in seven comedy clubs at once” — it can feel easier than a big frontal arena stage.

Topics discussed

  • Matt’s special: filming, editing, injuries, set design, shot location (Ontario Improv), release date (Oct 7 on Netflix).
  • Taping weekend and crowd work: Boulder experience; differences between early/late shows; when audiences clam up during tapings.
  • Comedy craft: writing process, testing new material, bombing, working with other comics (Shane Gillis, etc.), doing arena rounds vs clubs.
  • Media industry: streaming market dynamics (Hulu vs Netflix), YouTube specials/archives, pitching animated projects.
  • Short-form content: producing animated shorts and puppetry, production time/costs, censorship/monetization problems.
  • Personal anecdotes: hiking in Boulder; camping/venue logistics; touring routing concerns; parenting, kids/toys, and household peeves.
  • Recommendations and recs: recent film seen in IMAX/4D (strongly recommended), John Martyn (musician), book "Educated" by Tara Westover, ChiliPad mattress pad, low-THC weed seltzers.
  • Sponsors/ads that run in the episode: Tire Rack, ABC/911 Nashville promo, Café Bustelo, Shopify (these were read during the show).

Action items / recommendations

  • Watch Matt McCusker’s Netflix special (release: October 7). Check his site for tour dates: MattMcCusker.com.
  • If you’re working on long-form sets: run many short “new material” nights, cobble the best parts into longer sets, and expect some bombing — it’s part of the process.
  • Creators considering animation: be prepared for long timelines and repeated revisions; animated shorts can be a calling card but aren’t quick.
  • From the episode recommendations:
    • See the recent theatrical movie they praised (they saw a non-Marvel, story-driven film in IMAX/4D; they felt it’s worth seeing in theaters).
    • Try a ChiliPad if you sleep hot (Matt praised it for keeping his side of the bed cool).
    • Read “Educated” by Tara Westover (memoir rec).
    • Check out music by John Martyn (they referred to an artist they enjoy — listed as John Martin in the convo, but the recommendation is for deep, folk-oriented catalog listening).

Overall vibe

Casual, conversational, and jokey — heavy on stand-up craft talk (taping a special, editing decisions, touring strategy) mixed with off-the-cuff personal stories, pop-culture tangents, and the hosts’ usual riff-heavy humor. Valuable for comics (and fans) who want a candid look at how a special gets produced and how touring/testing material works in practice.

If you want a short checklist:

  • Mark your calendar: Matt’s Netflix special — Oct 7.
  • Visit MattMcCusker.com for tour dates and tickets.
  • For comedians: do new-joke nights, expect to bomb, and iterate quickly.