This episode is about Joe Bates’ long, strange relationship with stand-up, why he stopped chasing it, and how improv became a healthier creative/social outlet. The strongest spine is: stand-up gives you freedom, identity, ego, and pain; improv gives you structure, community, and relief. The episode also becomes a funny inside-baseball conversation about comedy clubs, open mics, delusion, social media comics, bad stand-up, character work, and the Denver scene.

Follow Joe on instagram @joebatescomedy

In this episode of In on the Bit, Christie Buchele sits down with Matt to talk through what’s actually happening on stage when a set works—and when it doesn’t. What starts around bombing turns into a more honest conversation about control, reading the room, and how much of comedy is just reacting in real time instead of trying to force something to land.

They get into the difference between missing a joke and losing the audience, how comics learn to adjust on the fly, and why some of the best moments come from things not going according to plan. It’s a look at the part of comedy you don’t see from the crowd—the constant recalibration, the instincts you build, and the reality that getting better isn’t about avoiding failure, it’s about knowing what to do with it.

In this episode of In on the Bit, Christie Buchele and Cass get into the difference between collaboration and competition in comedy through improv and stand-up. What starts as just talking about styles turns into something bigger about how people actually show up on stage and around each other. Improv is about trust and building something together in the moment, while stand-up can feel more like you are trying to win the room and earn their attention.

As they talk through starting out, finding community, and being in the Denver scene, it becomes less about comedy and more about how those mindsets shape how you think about yourself and other people. From bombing to feedback to making friends and figuring out what actually matters, it keeps coming back to the same idea. At some point, you have to decide: are you trying to compete for the moment, or trust you can create it with someone else?

Follow Cass Jacoby on Instagram -

@caaaaaaasssssssSSS

See Perform Live at Rise Comedy

The Feng Shui of Comedy: Finding Your Space in the Scene

In this episode of In on the Bit, Christie Buchele and Catherine Cerise take a simple idea from the stage and expand it into the entire Denver comedy scene. Because comedy isn’t just about comics. It’s about balance. You need audiences who actually show up and laugh, producers who build the rooms, and people with business minds who help everything grow.

On stage, it’s all about energy, placement, and how you move through the room. Catherine describes bombing like feng shui. When a comedian feels settled and at ease in the space, the room shifts with them. The audience relaxes, the energy evens out, and suddenly things start to click. It’s not just about the jokes. It’s about alignment.

This conversation explores how that same idea applies beyond the stage. Finding your place in comedy isn’t just about getting on the mic. It’s about recognizing where you fit in the ecosystem and stepping into the spaces that help it thrive.

On this episode of In On the Bit, Christie chats with her most terrified student ever — Jene Suplee — about how she turned fear into fuel. They discuss how their comedy is impacted by their mental health, and how Jene conquered stage fright to now serve as the main MC for the sold-out Nightmare on Stripstreet show in Denver. Meanwhile, Christie reflects on not landing that same gig (the student becomes the teacher) and her tips for handling rejection. Together, they explore the pros and cons of starting a comedy career early versus later in life.

Follow Jene on Instagram @jenesupleecomedy, and catch Nightmare on Stripstreet in Denver through the end of October.

In the very first episode of In on the Bit: A Rise Comedy Podcast, get to know your alternating hosts, Christie Buchele and Josh Nicols. They dive into how they each found their way into comedy, what drew them to teaching, and why they felt it was time to start this podcast.