Episode
#327: Aisha Tyler — How to Use Pain, Comedy, and Practice for Creativity
2:26:59
Published: Mon Jul 16 2018
Description
Aisha Tyler (@aishatyler on Twitter, Instagram, and Vimeo) is an award-winning director, actor, comedian, bestselling author, podcaster, and activist. She’s amazing. If you enjoyed my episodes with Brandon Stanton, Debbie Millman, or Adam Robinson, among others, you will love this one.Whether you do any type of creative work, want to be too complex to categorize, or want to overcome rejection and beat the odds, this one has something for you.Aisha voices superspy Lana Kane on F/X's Emmy award-winning animated comedy series Archer, which won four back-to-back Television Critics' Choice Awards. She is a regular on the hit CBS show Criminal Minds, now in its 13th season, for which she has also directed. Aisha continues to host the CW's hit improv show, Whose Line Is It Anyway, and she is launching a line of bottled cocktails she created, Courage + Stone, in Summer of 2018.Aisha was a co-host for seven seasons of CBS's Emmy-winning daytime show The Talk, which she departed in September 2017 to focus more on acting and directing. She is also well-remembered for her character arc on Friends, and she was the first African-American to have a long-standing role on the show. Her feature film debut, the thriller AXIS, premiered 2017, and the won the Outstanding Achievement in Feature Filmmaking award at the 2017 Newport Beach Film Festival, then had a theatrical run at Arclight Hollywood, Landmark NYC and Alamo Drafthouse, Austin, Texas. A San Francisco native, Aisha graduated from Dartmouth College with a degree in Government and Environmental Policy. An avid gamer and passionate advocate (and occasional adversary) of the gaming community, Aisha's voice can be heard in the video games Halo: Reach, Gears of War 3, and Watch Dogs. Aisha is a bourbon and hard rock fan, a snowboarder, and a sci-fi obsessive.Enjoy!This episode is brought to you by Teeter. Inversion therapy, which uses gravity and your own body weight to decompress the spine or relieve pressure on the discs and surrounding nerves, seems to help with a whole slew of conditions. And just as a general maintenance program, it's one of my favorite things to do.Since 1981, more than three million people have put their trust in Teeter inversion tables for relief, and it's the only inversion table brand that's been both safety-certified by Underwriters Laboratories (UL) and registered with the FDA as a class one medical device. For a limited time, my listeners can get the Teeter inversion table with bonus accessories and a free pair of gravity boots — a savings of over $148 — by going to Teeter.com/Tim!This episode is also brought to you by LegalZoom. I've used this service for many of my businesses, as have quite a few of the icons on this podcast such as Automattic CEO Matt Mullenweg of WordPress fame.LegalZoom is a reliable resource that more than a million people have already trusted for everything from setting up wills, proper trademark searches, forming LLCs, setting up non-profits, or finding simple cease-and-desist letter templates.LegalZoom is not a law firm, but it does have a network of independent attorneys available in most states who can give you advice on the best way to get started, provide contract reviews, and otherwise help you run your business with complete transparency and up-front pricing. Check out LegalZoom.com and enter promo code TIM at checkout today for special savings and see how the fine folks there can make life easier for you and your business.***If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than 60 seconds, and it really makes a difference in helping to convince hard-to-get guests. I also love reading the reviews!For show notes and past guests, please visit tim.blog/podcast.Sign up for Tim’s email newsletter (“5-Bullet Friday”) at tim.blog/friday.For transcripts of episodes, go to tim.blog/transcripts.Interested in sponsoring the podcast? Please fill out the form at tim.blog/sponsor.Discover Tim’s books: tim.blog/books.Follow Tim:Twitter: twitter.com/tferriss Instagram: instagram.com/timferrissFacebook: facebook.com/timferriss YouTube: youtube.com/timferrissPast guests on The Tim Ferriss Show include Jerry Seinfeld, Hugh Jackman, Dr. Jane Goodall, LeBron James, Kevin Hart, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Jamie Foxx, Matthew McConaughey, Esther Perel, Elizabeth Gilbert, Terry Crews, Sia, Yuval Noah Harari, Malcolm Gladwell, Madeleine Albright, Cheryl Strayed, Jim Collins, Mary Karr, Maria Popova, Sam Harris, Michael Phelps, Bob Iger, Edward Norton, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Neil Strauss, Ken Burns, Maria Sharapova, Marc Andreessen, Neil Gaiman, Neil de Grasse Tyson, Jocko Willink, Daniel Ek, Kelly Slater, Dr. Peter Attia, Seth Godin, Howard Marks, Dr. Brené Brown, Eric Schmidt, Michael Lewis, Joe Gebbia, Michael Pollan, Dr. Jordan Peterson, Vince Vaughn, Brian Koppelman, Ramit Sethi, Dax Shepard, Tony Robbins, Jim Dethmer, Dan Harris, Ray Dalio, Naval Ravikant, Vitalik Buterin, Elizabeth Lesser, Amanda Palmer, Katie Haun, Sir Richard Branson, Chuck Palahniuk, Arianna Huffington, Reid Hoffman, Bill Burr, Whitney Cummings, Rick Rubin, Dr. Vivek Murthy, Darren Aronofsky, and many more.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Chapters
In this episode, Tim Ferriss talks with Soman Chainani, the author of the School for Good and Evil series, about his journey as a writer, overcoming anxiety, the power of imagination, and the importance of never losing sight of why you create.
00:00 - 00:59 (00:59)
Summary
In this episode, Tim Ferriss talks with Soman Chainani, the author of the School for Good and Evil series, about his journey as a writer, overcoming anxiety, the power of imagination, and the importance of never losing sight of why you create.
Episode#327: Aisha Tyler — How to Use Pain, Comedy, and Practice for Creativity
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
Aisha Tyler, actress, comedian, director, and podcaster, talks about her unique career path and shares her thoughts on balancing a creative life with personal well-being.
00:59 - 08:37 (07:37)
Summary
Aisha Tyler, actress, comedian, director, and podcaster, talks about her unique career path and shares her thoughts on balancing a creative life with personal well-being.
Episode#327: Aisha Tyler — How to Use Pain, Comedy, and Practice for Creativity
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
Aisha Tyler talks about her upbringing, how her parents had to choose between their children when they divorced, and how her father's preternaturally optimistic attitude has shaped her relentless pursuit of the things that are important to her.
08:37 - 18:53 (10:16)
Summary
Aisha Tyler talks about her upbringing, how her parents had to choose between their children when they divorced, and how her father's preternaturally optimistic attitude has shaped her relentless pursuit of the things that are important to her. She discussed her book, Self-Inflicted Wounds, and how it tries to initiate a conversation about risk and failure, highlighting that successful people have also failed many times.
Episode#327: Aisha Tyler — How to Use Pain, Comedy, and Practice for Creativity
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
The speaker reflects on how childhood pain and failure can prepare us for adulthood, where the consequences and circumstances become greater.
18:53 - 26:14 (07:21)
Summary
The speaker reflects on how childhood pain and failure can prepare us for adulthood, where the consequences and circumstances become greater. He believes that engaging with failure when young is similar to wearing a sumo suit at a birthday party where the consequences are low, but eventually, we have to face the real-world consequences of failure as adults.
Episode#327: Aisha Tyler — How to Use Pain, Comedy, and Practice for Creativity
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
The speaker talks about their journey of discovering stand-up comedy and how they initially didn't think of it as a vocation, before ultimately getting involved with improv and sketch comedy while working at a conservation organization.
26:14 - 33:59 (07:45)
Summary
The speaker talks about their journey of discovering stand-up comedy and how they initially didn't think of it as a vocation, before ultimately getting involved with improv and sketch comedy while working at a conservation organization.
Episode#327: Aisha Tyler — How to Use Pain, Comedy, and Practice for Creativity
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
The emergence of comedy clubs and superstar comics in the 70s and 80s led to the proliferation of stand-up comedians, but competition was high and finding stage time was difficult.
33:59 - 41:28 (07:28)
Summary
The emergence of comedy clubs and superstar comics in the 70s and 80s led to the proliferation of stand-up comedians, but competition was high and finding stage time was difficult.
Episode#327: Aisha Tyler — How to Use Pain, Comedy, and Practice for Creativity
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
Comedian Adam Ray discusses the mental fortitude required for stand-up comedy and how he gained his own resilience after a particularly tough set.
41:28 - 50:13 (08:44)
Summary
Comedian Adam Ray discusses the mental fortitude required for stand-up comedy and how he gained his own resilience after a particularly tough set.
Episode#327: Aisha Tyler — How to Use Pain, Comedy, and Practice for Creativity
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
The host discusses the difficulties of dealing with affectionate hecklers in comedy performances and the impact it has on both the performer and the audience.
50:13 - 58:13 (08:00)
Summary
The host discusses the difficulties of dealing with affectionate hecklers in comedy performances and the impact it has on both the performer and the audience. He highlights the unwritten rule that a comic shouldn't turn an audience member against them, but sometimes it's necessary to address the situation negatively.
Episode#327: Aisha Tyler — How to Use Pain, Comedy, and Practice for Creativity
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
The host discusses the importance of writing discipline in comedy with the example of a famous comedian who would stick to a rigorous writing schedule.
58:13 - 1:02:53 (04:39)
Summary
The host discusses the importance of writing discipline in comedy with the example of a famous comedian who would stick to a rigorous writing schedule. While there may not be a fixed methodology for comedy, having a strong understanding of its mathematics can lead to magical results.
Episode#327: Aisha Tyler — How to Use Pain, Comedy, and Practice for Creativity
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
The fear of being judged holds people back from being their true selves and from learning new things.
1:02:53 - 1:12:37 (09:44)
Summary
The fear of being judged holds people back from being their true selves and from learning new things. To overcome this, one should deliberately expose themselves to discomfort by skinning their knees and not being afraid to show imperfections or flaws.
Episode#327: Aisha Tyler — How to Use Pain, Comedy, and Practice for Creativity
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
Authenticity is key when it comes to making meaningful and interesting art.
1:12:38 - 1:18:59 (06:21)
Summary
Authenticity is key when it comes to making meaningful and interesting art. Trying to emulate others or cater to what's popular will result in uninteresting and forgettable work that won't connect with others.
Episode#327: Aisha Tyler — How to Use Pain, Comedy, and Practice for Creativity
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
Busy Philipps talks about her interest in film and how watching movies at a young age piqued her interest in pursuing films.
1:18:59 - 1:25:01 (06:01)
Summary
Busy Philipps talks about her interest in film and how watching movies at a young age piqued her interest in pursuing films. She shares how she transitioned from being a writer to a director and how directing became a medium for her to create stories that could transport audiences.
Episode#327: Aisha Tyler — How to Use Pain, Comedy, and Practice for Creativity
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
The speaker shares advice on how to create content and suggests creating a space dedicated to it as a way to grow in your field.
1:25:01 - 1:32:52 (07:51)
Summary
The speaker shares advice on how to create content and suggests creating a space dedicated to it as a way to grow in your field.
Episode#327: Aisha Tyler — How to Use Pain, Comedy, and Practice for Creativity
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
The key to being radically great is not to focus on what people want, but on doing what is interesting and important to you.
1:32:52 - 1:41:43 (08:50)
Summary
The key to being radically great is not to focus on what people want, but on doing what is interesting and important to you. Innovation and greatness come from passion and personal touch, therefore, do not underestimate the power of an original and unique idea.
Episode#327: Aisha Tyler — How to Use Pain, Comedy, and Practice for Creativity
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
This episode presents the story of Mark Duplass and his experience producing a movie with a small budget and no studio.
1:41:43 - 1:48:40 (06:56)
Summary
This episode presents the story of Mark Duplass and his experience producing a movie with a small budget and no studio. He discusses the challenges of the process, including shooting 65 pages of the script in one day, and how he was able to successfully crowdfund the project.
Episode#327: Aisha Tyler — How to Use Pain, Comedy, and Practice for Creativity
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
The lead actor, screenwriter, and creative executive discusses his coping mechanisms for pathological workaholism and how he tries to turn fun into work effectively to create a work-leisure balance.
1:48:42 - 1:54:50 (06:08)
Summary
The lead actor, screenwriter, and creative executive discusses his coping mechanisms for pathological workaholism and how he tries to turn fun into work effectively to create a work-leisure balance.
Episode#327: Aisha Tyler — How to Use Pain, Comedy, and Practice for Creativity
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
The speaker discusses how exercise can be a stress manager and put you back in touch with your body.
1:54:50 - 2:01:17 (06:26)
Summary
The speaker discusses how exercise can be a stress manager and put you back in touch with your body. They also discuss their favorite fitness equipment, including a concept two ergometer, kettlebells, and battle ropes.
Episode#327: Aisha Tyler — How to Use Pain, Comedy, and Practice for Creativity
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
In this podcast episode, the speaker talks about the importance of knowing your strengths and weaknesses to excel in your own workflow.
2:01:17 - 2:09:11 (07:54)
Summary
In this podcast episode, the speaker talks about the importance of knowing your strengths and weaknesses to excel in your own workflow. He also shares some of his own methods for staying productive, such as streaming TV shows during workouts.
Episode#327: Aisha Tyler — How to Use Pain, Comedy, and Practice for Creativity
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
On this episode, the host recounts his experience making a short film that was never seen by anyone, where it ended up being a series of uncoalesced vignettes about a guy revealing his private parts to strangers.
2:09:12 - 2:13:38 (04:25)
Summary
On this episode, the host recounts his experience making a short film that was never seen by anyone, where it ended up being a series of uncoalesced vignettes about a guy revealing his private parts to strangers.
Episode#327: Aisha Tyler — How to Use Pain, Comedy, and Practice for Creativity
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
Isha Tyler talks about her experience creating and distributing her film 'Axis' with a low budget and in a short amount of time, as well as the strong point of view and visual style of the movie.
2:13:38 - 2:23:45 (10:07)
Summary
Isha Tyler talks about her experience creating and distributing her film 'Axis' with a low budget and in a short amount of time, as well as the strong point of view and visual style of the movie.
Episode#327: Aisha Tyler — How to Use Pain, Comedy, and Practice for Creativity
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
The Teeter is an inversion table designed to use gravity and body weight to decompress the spine and relieve pressure on the discs and surrounding nerves.
2:23:45 - 2:26:47 (03:02)
Summary
The Teeter is an inversion table designed to use gravity and body weight to decompress the spine and relieve pressure on the discs and surrounding nerves. It is a well-known name in the market and is safety certified by underwriters laboratories and registered with the FDA as a class one medical device.