MOVE - ISSUE 4

MOVE 09.14.12 VOLUME 11 ISSUE 04

THE KEY TO YOUR ENTERTAINMENT

THE WHOLE

+ Q&A WITH HOODIE ALLEN MEET THIS IVY LEAGUE GRAD, RAPPER AND PROBLEMSOLVER EXTRAORDINAIRE. EAT, DRINK AND BE CHILLY RIDICULOUSLY EASY FALL RECIPES TO WHIP UP RIGHT THIS SECOND

The cookies are back in town

FEEDBACK JACKSON FARLEY on The xx's "Coexist"

Less is more In this day and age, the music industry is all about "flashy."

Everything from the way artists dress to the music they make can't just be simple. Everything has to stand out, everything has to be eyecatching and everything has to be head-turning (the good, the bad and the ugly). However, The xx (say it like "the ex-ex") would beg to differ.

Indie pop band The xx has mastered the art of minimalism. When it hit the scene with its debut album xx in 2009, The xx became known for the simplicity it captured both musically and lyrically. xx was the perfect formula of bare-minimum guitar lines and haunting vocals to set the mood on a mellow, rainy Sunday afternoon. The album received huge critical acclaim and became a popular name in the indie pop genre. "Intro," a track off of xx, was even sampled on one of the ever-so-popular Rihanna's songs on her latest CD. Oh, and the album may or may not have gone platinum in the United Kingdom (hint hint, it did ... it's that good).

After releasing xx and then taking a little more than two years off for touring, The xx went back into the studio and started the writing and recording process for its sophomore album, Coexist. In an interview with Rolling Stone, singer Romy Madley Croft talked about how the sound of the new album is "developed" but "doesn't seem like completely a world away."

And developed, it has. Coexist is a beautiful continuation of where The xx left off with xx. Coexist captures many of the same simplistic elements that xx did, but on a whole new level. The xx greatly improved the production quality on Coexist, and overall, the album seems much deeper and more atmospheric. It's clear that The xx explored and experimented more with Coexist because of the larger range of instruments used: steel drums, timpanis and other live percussion instruments are found on the album as well as the use of different styles of drum machines.

Coexist branches out more than xx and creates dynamics that are quite unexpected for such a minimalist album.

The xx is pretty well known for its emotionally-charged ballads with lyrics that drip with heartbreak and sentiment. Many of the songs on its debut album fit that description, and Coexist does share many of those same themes. "Angels" and "Try" are two of the album's strongest ballads; both songs evoke a deep emotional feeling from both the lyrics and the smooth, simple rhythms behind them. The minimalist style is truly showcased in those two songs and gives a pretty accurate representation of The xx's overall sound.

"Reunion" is one of the more experimental songs on the album.

This track incorporates the steel drums, an instrument many would not expect to find in The xx's music. However, it's different in a good way. The instrument provides an interesting break from what listeners would expect, and it compliments the song well. "Chained" and "Sunset" are two of the album's more upbeat tracks with faster riffs and rhythms. These songs aren't necessarily more dynamic than The xx's slower songs but simply provide variety to the album. That's the beauty of Coexist: The xx included the slow ballads its fans were used to, some faster tracks and the implementation of new instruments, whereas xx was, for the most part, musically homogeneous.

To say The xx has gotten better over time would be an understatement. It's awesome to watch an artist take something that it knows works and expound upon it, creating a new level of depth from what it started with. After releasing xx, it was obvious that sound worked for The xx. It would've been easy to simply recreate the same sound for its sophomore album, but thank goodness the band didn't play it safe. The xx took what it did on xx and made it better by adding new elements. And thus, Coexist was created. The xx showed that simple music can still be dynamic ... and when it comes to music, sometimes less is, in fact, more.

Hot Box owner Corey Rimmel and many students alike are relieved to see the popular store reopened. daniel shapiro | senior staff writer You may have had a rough summer trying to satisfy your sweet tooth, at least when it came to getting Hot Box Cookies.

The popular cookie shop closed down over the summer as it moved to its new location two blocks west of its former, smaller location on Broadway.

“I’ve been wanting this to be reopened for sometime now,” MU junior Rod McIntosh says. “It was closed all summer. I was so mad I couldn’t get them.”

Corey Rimmel, the owner of Hot Box, says the move wasn’t necessary, but it was a good business decision.

“The location is better for a variety of reasons,” Rimmel says. “The kitchen is bigger, so we can handle more orders.

At the old location, we were packed. There’s parking, better business neighbors like Jimmy John's, El Rancho and Red Mango. Even though it’s two blocks away, it’s a huge difference.”

A larger kitchen means the cookies can get out the door and into mouths faster.

One noticeable difference between the new location and the old is the lack of box art on the walls. The old location had art drawn on boxes covering almost every inch of the walls, whereas the new one has bare white walls. One Hot Box employee says that would change once they settle down a bit.

While the wait over the summer might have felt intolerable for cookie connoisseurs, some students such as MU senior Charles Collins still recognize the convenience the store provides now that it is reopened.

JILL VONDY | PHOTOGRAPHER

“It’s good for the community, the student body," Collins says. "It’s convenient. They deliver, which is even more convenient.”

Rimmel, meanwhile, is just relieved that the move is over.

“It’s a long process getting the store reopened,” Rimmel says. “I’ve had quite a few things slow us up.”

Rimmel says Hot Box would have loved to have opened at the start of the school year. “We’re open now, so I’m happy.”

When it comes to cookie flavors, Collins and McIntosh weighed in on their picks: “I’d probably say snickerdoodle is my favorite,” Collins says. “I just like the batter they use. It tastes so good.”

McIntosh was much more definitive, saying his favorite by far is cookies & cream.

“It’s just that good,” he says.

As for the owner’s personal preference, his comes down to a little more than taste.

“Cookies & cream -- I love the taste of all the cookies," Rimmel says. "Chocolate is my favorite taste, but cookies & cream is so unique. Everything is made from scratch, we use real butter, Nestlé chocolate chips, real eggs (and) pure vanilla extract.”

Rimmel then went on to describe that although you can find other chocolate chip cookies in town, as far as cookies & cream cookies are concerned, “in Columbia, it’s ours.”

Hot Box's namesake remains the same, though.

“They’re made to order, so customers get them fresh out the oven," Rimmel says.

"And we’ll deliver them.”

Hoodie Allen:

Passionate music maker and #whitegirlproblems solver Hoodie Allen answers questions about his music, his fans, and his (apparently nonexistent) party lifestyle...

Season two brings possibilities for romance, crises and quirkiness

carleigh cavender | reporter Hoodie Allen is Steven Markowitz, an independent American hip-hop and rap artist from New York City. We caught up with Hoodie via email on his Excellent Adventure Tour with G-Eazy, which hits Columbia on Thursday.

MOVE: Where did rap first infiltrate your life?

Hoodie Allen: I think the first rap music I ever heard was some old Nas songs. My first rap CD was Reflection Eternal though.

M: You were a member of AEPi fraternity at the University of Pennsylvania, got a job at Google and then quit it all to become a rapper. So basically, you left one American dream for another. But you were already making serious dough, correct?

HA: No amount of money could make up for the void I would have felt if I wasn't doing music full-time. This is my passion, and it's important to live what you love.

M: When was it apparent that you wanted to legitimately pursue rapping and drop everything?

HA: That had always been my dream, but I think the reaction to You Are Not A Robot in 2009 put the reality back on my radar.

M: Is it important to get that safety net of a degree before you do something as potentially risky as becoming a rap artist?

HA: Everybody is different -- I can only make the decision for what was right for myself. I wanted to be a college graduate, I wanted to get a high level of education, and I am happy that I did.

M: So your fans are like, really, really passionate. Do you have any horror stories as far as interactions with overzealous fans go?

HA: No horror stories -- my fans are amazing and camp out for like eight hours before the show and make me amazing gifts. Nothing about their enthusiasm ever scares me.

M: What’s your creative process like?

andrea gonzales-paul | reporter “There are short girls, tall girls, big girls and small girls, but the best kind of girl is a quirky girl,” SNL cast member Abby Elliot said as she parodied the oh-so-adorable Jess from FOX’s latest hit comedy “New Girl."

Last fall, quirky took America by storm in the form of Zooey Deschanel, who stars as the show's protagonist, Jess. The premise: Jess catches her boyfriend of seven years cheating on her, and she’s forced to find a new place to live. This sparks a series of fortunately cute and slightly awkward events when she finds three male roommates (Nick, Schmidt and Winston) willing to take her in.

Jess is unlike any other character who has ever been on television.

She makes dorky look adorable, hence the reason why every “New Girl” commercial uses the word “adorkable.” Yes, she knits scarves, rocks a lot of polka-dots, has most likely touched glitter in the past 24 hours, bakes cupcakes daily and writes checks with baby farm animals on them. Some even say her big, beautiful eyes make her look like a scared baby. But somehow, her awkwardness is quite endearing.

Despite the fact that Jess dates a few guys every so often, there is always a romantic undertone between her and Nick. I mean, who could resist the girl’s dorky charm? Well, I guess Schmidt could, but only because he’s in love and basically dating Jess’s best friend, Cece. Some would say Cece is Jess’s foil -- she’s a professional model and frequently hangs out with hot guys in hip dance clubs.

In the first season's finale, Nick almost moved in with his ex-girlfriend, Caroline. But don't worry guys, he didn't go through

with it! As far as Schmidt and Cece go, things got a little weird between them. I’m pretty sure we can expect to see these two having a rocky start in season two. Since Cece is a total babe and can’t stay single for more than five minutes, she’ll probably find some other boy toy to occupy her time for a while. Sounds like trouble in Shirtless-ville for Schmidt, but I have faith that the ole flame will be rekindled.

In my heart, I know that Jess and Nick are meant to be. I sure as heck don’t think the writers of the show are going to satisfy my desire to see this

More ‘New Girl,’ please

2 MOV E • 09.14.12

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WHEN: THURSDAY, SEPT. 20 DOORS: 8 P.M., SHOW: 9 P.M. WHERE: THE BLUE NOTE

HA: Just always writing and working with the close friends who love the music we make. There is no secret recipe to it but putting in the time.

M: What song did you have the most fun creating?

HA: "No Faith In Brooklyn" is fun because I got to have Jhameel contribute and bring his vocals to the words in my head, and he just made it amazing.

M: I recently heard someone describe your product as “frat rap.” How do you feel about that? Would you agree with that moniker?

HA: Nope. I am not a partier at all, haha. I can understand frat kids loving my music because it's fun and upbeat. I strive to make people happy, but I hate what that term implies about context of the music.

M: You’re a #whitegirlproblems solver. How many #whitegirlproblems have you solved this week?

HA: If I had a dollar for every white girl problem I solved, I wouldn't need rap money.

M: What’s the most memorable one you’ve solved?

HA: Making all the white girls forget about their exes.

M: There are a lot of sorority girls here, and they’ve got lots of sorority girl probs. Are you exclusively a #whitegirlproblems solver or are you open to solving various groups of female probs? What about GDI probs?

HA: I can adapt to any situation of problem solving -- this is why I went to college.

COURTESY OF DEWEY NICKS

romance flourish too soon though. If America doesn’t see some sort of passionate kiss by the end of season two, it’s time to give up hope and/or write a few angry letters to FOX. I'm also forecasting that Jess is going to experience some kind of dramatic, life-altering event to keep the show interesting. Tune in Sept. 25 to FOX for the season two premiere. I’m certain that the quirky cuteness of Jess has only just begun. After all, she is the one who inspired me to invest in matching pajama sets.

Q&A with Wilco It’s hard not to love Wilco’s humility despite its ever-growing popularity and critical acclaim.

Ever since its 1994 debut A.M., the band has continued to reinvent its experimental rock sound with each subsequent album, most recently on its eighth studio LP, The Whole Love. Although its music evolves, the six-piece outfit keeps its loyal fanbase coming back for more with low-key hooks and lead singer Jeff Tweedy’s signature vocals.

Before visiting The Blue Note for an outdoor show on Ninth Street, Wilco co-founder and bassist John Stirratt chatted with MOVE about new material, upcoming plans and a special translated single.

MOVE: You guys are still touring in support of your new album, The Whole Love.

John Stirratt: We are. I guess the record is coming up on being a year old now, so you know, we just try to stay on the road. We’re such a road band. We’re still really busy but looking to finish on a high note for the year.

M: How has the tour been different from past ones you’ve done?

JS: Personally I like seeing in different areas the bigger venues. Like, we’re doing the Hollywood Bowl in L.A. and we’ve done the Greek Theatre for, you know, 10 years now ... It’s nice to graduate to something else. It feels good. We underplay a lot -- we play smaller venues often, so it’s nice to know that when we go to a place that everyone who wants to come can come. It’s generally not always like that. A lot of people just aren’t able to see us who want to see us.

M: You did The Incredible Shrinking Tour of Chicago earlier this year.

Why did you guys choose to do those shows?

JS: We thought it was a nice idea. We might be a little bit too big for some of the venues physically on stage, but it’s always nice to play places this small, like Lincoln Hall, which is like 700 (capacity) and a tiny stage. It’s good to get on a small stage once in a while and get in touch with being that close to each other.

M: How’s the reaction been to your new material on tour?

JS: It’s really been a positive vibe for the record from the get-go, from release and everything ... People know the lyrics, and they seem to know the material and anticipate it, and it is a lot of fun playing new stuff live. That’s the most fun — the freshest stuff, so it’s naturally the most fun to play.

M: Speaking of new material, you released a Spanish single of “Dawned on Me.” What was the inspiration behind that?

JS: It was just sort of a special single for that market ... Spain has just been so good to us, so Jeff (Tweedy) got a vocal coach or Spanish coach to come in to help get a good translation. We’re going to go over in October before the end of the year. There’s definitely love between Wilco and Spain (laughs).

M: Coming to Columbia, do you guys prepare differently for a collegeaged crowd?

REEL REVIEWS When: Sunday, Sept. 16 Doors: 6 p.m., Show: 7 p.m.

Where: The Blue Note, outside on Ninth Street

COURTESY OF AUSTIN NELSON

JS: Not really. It’s been several years since we’ve been to Columbia.

We’re going to play a lot of the new record and then just try to touch on every record really, and maybe some B-sides. It’s an outdoor show, and in this case it’ll be a Sunday, but people will probably be ready to rock. If we are playing a festival, we’ll generally try to make it a more upbeat, a little more rocking, and with the college age, I imagine it will be a little more uptempo.

M: You guys are finishing this tour in October in Europe. What are you doing afterward?

JS: Different people have projects going on. Jeff has got production with Mavis Staples’s record, the follow-up to the record last year ... Mike (Mikael Jorgensen, lead pianist and keyboardist) has the Pronto record coming out in the fall, and Autumn Defense, me and Patrick (Sansone, multi-instrumentalist), have a record probably in the next year finishing up over the winter ... It’s been a crazy year, so it’s definitely time to take a breather for a little bit, but I’m sure we’ll be getting in again sometime.

JOHN’S RECENTLY PLAYED

“The new Bill Fay record, I have to mention that, it’s got a cover of one of our tunes, ‘Jesus, Etc.’ on it ... I’ve played the song a thousand times, and it makes you think about the song in a different way. It’s almost like hearing the song for the first time.” alex bond | reporter

Fall food or food to fall for?

MOVE IN THE KITCHEN

ryan biek | reporter

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Brown Sugar and Apple Pancakes

Serves 2 3/4 cups flour 1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar 1 tablespoon brown sugar 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

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Unfortunately, when syllabus week ends, so does invincibility to hunger ... and stress ... and books. So put down your study guide and grab a fork. After all, eating is a life skill that needs practice, too.

1/4 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup milk 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 1 egg 1 apple, diced 1 jar of caramel sauce

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Whisk together flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and brown sugar in a large bowl. Separate the egg and whisk the yolk with the milk and butter. Add in the dry mixture and whisk until just combined. A few lumps are ideal.

Whisk in the egg white right before you are ready to cook. This will make the pancakes fluffier.

Heat a large nonstick pan over medium heat. Spray with cooking spray. Ladle 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake.

Sprinkle on apple slices and cook until bubbles form (2 to 3 minutes). Turn over and cook for 45 seconds. Serve pancakes with warmed-up caramel sauce drizzled on top. Whipped cream is optional.

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Better-Than-Box Macaroni and Cheese

1 box of KRAFT Macaroni and Cheese 1/2 cup 2 percent milk 4 tablespoons butter 2 pieces of bacon 1 apple, chopped 1/4 cup red onion, diced

Salted Caramel Apple Pies

Makes 12 little pies 1 premade pie crust 10 ounces premade apple pie filling, chopped

Disappointing, terrible may be ‘The Words’ It’s hard to decide which part of this movie-going experience was more infuriating.

Currently it’s a toss-up between Brian Klugman and Lee Sternthal’s “The Words” itself and the stupid mobile phone commercial that has been playing before the previews in every single movie for the past few months -- the one where the spokesman ties up the guy running the projector and tries to speak directly to the audience, asking us to take our phones out, snap a photo of him and share the photo with our friends. I hated it the first time I saw it, and the second time, and the third time.

But during “The Words,” that commercial hit a new low. He was speaking to a theater filled with barely enough people to count on my own two hands and still have enough fingers free to carry a soda and a small tub of popcorn. It was such a pitiful scene, and it was still several previews until the beginning of the cinematic pile of excrement that was “The Words.”

Imagine, for a second, a simple story about a writer. Now make that story about that same writer talking about his book, which is about himself as a writer. Now make it about a writer who is reading his book about himself, the writer, to a crowd. And in the book, he steals a book from another guy who wrote an incredible book about his own life and then sought out the writer who stole his book so he could re-tell his story to him and then just lets the writer get away with plagiarism. Remember, all of this happens in the book the writer is reading.

That’s the plot of “The Words” in a nutshell. If that stopped making sense at any point, you have just begun to feel the pain this movie will bring you.

Most of your time will be spent wondering why you’re being retold something you’ve already been told by a different character.

Every “a-ha!” moment in the movie has already been hinted to, pointed at and painted with a bull’s-eye. When you’re not doing that, you’ll be wondering why half the movie is spent telling the backstory for The Old Man (Jeremy Irons), which has absolutely nothing to do with the main character, Clay Hammond, (Dennis Quaid) or the character in Quaid’s book, Rory Jansen (Bradley Cooper), other than the fact that it happened to be The Old Man’s story that Rory stole. The gist of that story needed to be included, but it didn’t deserve a 45-minute long exposition from Jeremy Irons that seems to drag on for days and never truly advances the real plot of the story, although whether the plot was actually advanceable or not is debatable.

None of the characters give you any reason to care about what befalls them. Hell, the entire thing is set in a world of autobiographical fiction, aside from the parts where Quaid is standing at his podium and reading his book (which honestly would be the single most poorly written book in history). Quaid‘s actual character can only truly be assessed through the actions of Cooper’s character, which Quaid created to be mostly like himself.

The entire thing is one, big, annoying plot loop, which only leads back to conclusions that could be made from the first few minutes.

Overall, “The Words” gets just one word out of five, and it’s a word I don’t think I’m allowed to put in print. If you’re looking to spend an hour and a half napping or figuring out how to kick yourself in the back of the head for actually choosing to see this movie, it’s totally the movie for you. For any of you nonmasochists, this is definitely a movie to skip. Luckily, if you feel the sudden urge to wander into your local theater this weekend, “The Dark Knight Rises” is still playing in most locations. It’s also a good palate cleanser after seeing “The Words,” for anyone who drunkenly stumbles into the wrong screening.

1 jar caramel sauce Sea salt Nonstick cooking spray 1 mini muffin pan

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Spray muffin pan with cooking spray.

Sprinkle flour on a cutting board and roll the pie crust onto board. Use a wine glass to cut 12 mini pie crusts.

Lay the crusts into the muffin pan and poke holes in each bottom with a fork so they do not bubble. Spoon filling into the crusts and bake until golden (8 to 9 minutes). Remove and cool, then spoon a dab of caramel sauce on each pie. Sprinkle with sea salt and serve. Delicious hot or cold.

1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese 1 teaspoon garlic powder Salt Pepper Olive oil

Cook the bacon over medium heat in olive oil. Sauté the onion in a different pan over medium heat in olive oil until translucent (5 minutes). Follow package instructions for the pasta. After draining pasta, add cheese.

Keep the pot over low heat and allow cheese to start melting.

Add milk, butter and cheese powder from the package. Stir until all is mixed and the ingredients have combined. Mix in garlic powder and season with salt and pepper to taste. Pat the bacon dry and chop. Add to pasta with apples and onions.

JOSH SIPP on one of the worst movies of the year

Only online at

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move.themaneater.com Concert preview: Pearl and the Beard plays Sept. 19 at Mojo's.

Theater review: Columbia Entertainment Company's "Annie" = warm fuzzies abounding.

Fashion: Claire Boston's take on lust-inducing New York Fashion Week.

Fitness: Abbie Wenthe wants you to get off Facebook and hit the gym.

Blogs on music, movies, pop culture and way freaking more.

PHOTOS BY LAUREN KASTNER | SENIOR STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

09.14.12 • MOV E

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A sip of autumn Enough with the pricey pumpkin spice lattes--try these simple but seasonal drinks on your own!

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PHOTOS BY AYANNA POOLE | PHOTOGRAPHER

ayanna poole | reporter

Pick Your Apples

2 cups of apple juice 1 cup of orange juice 1/2 cup of pineapple juice 1 apple, cut into 8 slices 1 plum, cut into 4 slices 1 tablespoon cane sugar 1 tablespoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 teaspoon syrup 1 cup sugar

Sweet, Sour & Sparkly

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1 pack of unsweetened Kool-Aid brand Lemonade 2 cups of apple juice 1/2 cup of sugar 1 tablespoon of brown sugar 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract 1 dash of cinnamon Freshly squeezed lime juice 1/2 cup of whipped cream Topped with your choice of sparkling cider

Autumn Breeze

1 pack of unsweetened Kool-Aid lemonade 1/2 cup of sugar 2 cups of orange juice w/medium pulp 3 orange slices 1 tablespoon of brown sugar 1 dash of cinnamon 3/4 cup of pineapple juice

Sip tips: Blend juice with fruit slices first, and then add seasoning. To inject a little more fun to your drinks, cover the bottom of your cups with caramel, and cut a few apple slices for dipping after your drink.

4 MOV E • 09.14.12

The Sandman: comedy hypnosis at its finest

If you think comedy hypnosis is a complete scam, let The Sandman convince you otherwise with a single swing of the pendulum. sara higginbotham | reporter

He’s traveled across the country, astonishing crowds with his hypnotic skills and bringing to many an experience they literally won't remember. Comedic hypnotist Jesse Conner, dubbed on his website as the “Copperfield of Hypnotists,” will perform his magic Sept. 20 to 22 at the Déjà Vu Comedy Club.

MOVE: So, what is comedic hypnosis exactly?

The Sandman: It’s when hypnotists perform live shows and do stuff to make the audience laugh. I put 10 to 12 audience members on stage and make them do goofy things.

M: What got you interested in it?

S: I started out as a professional musician at 15, and I quit that (on) the night I found out how much money hypnotists made. I was back on the road within two weeks hypnotizing. Hypnosis is a vehicle for the stage, and I like to call myself an entertainer.

M: How did you begin your career?

S: I went out to school in California and studied under Gil Boyne. He was the executive director of the American Council of Hypnotist Examiners. I studied under the top dog in the world at the time.

I attended the Hypnotist Training Institute of Los Angeles, which is closed now. It was a school designed for hypnotherapy. I took a 101 course, learned basic hypnosis and routined a show began touring and performing. Now I’ve been doing it for 38 years.

Hypnotism is a layman’s technique. Anyone can learn it.

M: How was the name “The Sandman” born?

S: One night I was sitting with my kids watching “March of the Wooden Soldiers” ("Babes in Toyland") with Oliver & Hardy. … (There was) one character that looked like a ghost that put people to sleep. That was the day I became The Sandman.

M: How does hypnosis work?

S: When you enter hypnosis, you are fully aware and fully awake. Your body becomes very relaxed. We relax the conscious mind, open up the subconscious and drop in mechanisms.

It’s like when you smell something that brings back a memory — the smell is the mechanism.

It causes the reaction. Everything you see and do is registered in the subconscious mind, no matter how fleeting the action is. The period is so short between the time I present the suggestion and the reaction time that it stays in the forefront of the subconscious. People think that the hypnotist controls the subject — we do not. We present suggestions, and if presented correctly, they become reactions.

M: How do you know if someone is faking it?

S: When you are a hypnotist for a long time, you become aware of the different levels of reaction. I can read the subject on stage and know what suggestion to present based on a combination of reactions. This is how an entertainer keeps the show alive.

M: What should people expect at your show?

S: To laugh at themselves or at their friends.

They’ll see the craziest stuff ever. People come up to me after the show and say things about their friends like, “We know him, and he would have never done something like that!” The thing is, he would if he was given the chance!

Lots of things will happen here when you least expect them to.