Hey gang, the RIOT LA Alternative Comedy Festival is a little more than a week away. Squee! The lineup is truly overwhelming as a whole but it’s time to play favorites. Which betrothed powerhouse combines all the excitement of video gaming with heaps of comedic spice in their wildly popuar podcast? Kumail Nanjiani and Emily Gordon of THE INDOOR KIDS, of course! We were honored to pelt one of the members of this controller saavy duo (who is both a comedy producer and esteemed writer), Emily Gordon, with our questions about the Indoor Kids’ RIOT LA appearance Sunday, January 18th. You’ll be more than a little interested in what she has to spew. Pew, pew, enjoy!
COMEDY CAKE: What is your process for preparing for a live show versus a recorded one?
EMILY GORDON: Our live shows have a bit more of a spectacle to them than our regular podcasts- we do more interactive bits that get the audience involved, and usually I try to not dress like a 4th grader on the way to the gym.
CAKE: Tell us a little bit about the guests you will be having at the RIOT LA Indoor Kids show this January?
EMILY: We have two great guests: Pat Cassels, who is a member of the College Humor family and makes us laugh incredibly hard when he does the show, and Troy Baker. Troy is literally the leading man of video games right now- he is the lead voice or voice and motion capture performance in games like Far Cry 4, Shadow of Mordor, Last of Us, Bioshock: Infinite, Tales from the Borderlands, etc. Plus he’s a dreamboat and very funny.
CAKE: What shows are you hoping to check out at the festival?
EMILY: The TV Guidance Counselor Podcast! I love the conceit behind that show and want to see it live!
CAKE: If the RIOT LA fest were a video game what would be it’s greatest attributes?
EMILY: It’s an open sandbox of comedy goodness, where you don’t have to follow a specific storyline- you can do anything!
CAKE: What do you find the most appealing about comedy festivals in general?
EMILY: Comedy festivals are a great time to hang out with the comics you love to be around in a different city. Since this one is taking place in LA, I’m excited to go to slightly different bars and restaurants in LA with comics I love.
CAKE: Do you think podcasts will continue to be as popular as they have been the past few years?
EMILY: I don’t think this juggernaut can be stopped.
CAKE: What video games were you given or bought for yourself during the holidays (that may have not been mentioned on the podcast)?
EMILY: God, there are so many games right now, it’s a bit insane. We didn’t get around to TellTale’s Game of Thrones game until quite recently, and it’s really fantastic. They found a way to make the story compelling in the universe without being too name droppy- “Oh look, is that Tyrion I see way over there?”
CAKE: What video game titles are you looking forward to in 2015?
EMILY: Evolve, which we played at a con last year and really loved. I love co-op in person games, which are slowly dying, and this one is a fun way for four players to take on a fifth player, who is a monster. Great friendship dynamics there. Also I’m excited about the Legend of Zelda game coming to the Wii U.
CAKE: What can we expect from the Indoor Kids in 2015 both within and outside the podcast?
EMILY: Lots more celebrating of games as a way to bring us together, give us an outlet for our weird emotions, and make us pump our fists.
CAKE: Cake or fudge, which is best and why?
EMILY: I’m gonna go fudge, just because it’s rarely offered.
Mentions: Snatch your Indoor Kids @RiotLA show tickets or RIOT LA Weekend Passes this minute! Listen to the Indoor Kids podcast religiously HERE.