We were lucky to catch up with T Shirt Toss recently and have shared our conversation below.

T Shirt Toss, appreciate you joining us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

People search high and low, for decades to find “their people” — people who share their point of view, sensibilities, tastes, work ethic, ambitions. We did it. It feels like we struck magic. Every time we meet to write, rehearse or talk shop, we take a beat to relish in the magic of our collaboration. We’re having fun with our best friends, selling out shows in a city where there are a kajillion shows every night. How lucky is that?

It’s not all luck, though. We’ve worked incredibly hard to foster this creative collective. We’ve met through different performance spaces: The Groundlings, UCB, Chad Damiani’s Clown Intensive. We’re from all over: New York, Texas, Argentina, North Carolina, Mississippi. Those are all different U.S. states, but one. Mississippi. That’s a river.

T Shirt Toss, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

We put up an original comedy variety show almost every month to sold out audiences in LA. Our shows include stand-up, sketch, clown, improv — y’know the whole shabang.

We’re different from your standard sketch show in that we don’t subscribe to one comedy mold or school of thought. We like to be subversive, break form, and most importantly be stupid. The through line for all of our material is that its personal — we take the edict “write what you know” to heart.

If it makes us laugh, we put it in the show. Simple as that. We don’t discriminate: a bit, a character, a behavior, a runner, a feeling, a song — if we find it funny, we wanna share that laughter with our audience.

Can you share your view on NFTs? (Note: this is for education/entertainment purposes only, readers should not construe this as advice)

We were very surprised to learn that non-fungible tokens have nothing to do with fungus coins. Cordycep quarters or truffle pennies are unfortunately not considered worthy of the blockchain hype. As a group, we think that is a mistake.

Our motto is: mushrooms should be a viable digital currency used universally. Say it with us!

We’re sorry, but FUNGIble tokens, and not a single spore is involved? C’mon folks. Words matter.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

We come from our separate institutions with their own supposed separate “success” tracks. What does that even mean, though? It’s showbiz baby — there’s no corpo ladder to climb.

Growing up we’re told to be successful you must do X, Y and Z. As a generation, we’re learning that that’s bull sh*t (censored for the faint of heart). T SHIRT TOSS isn’t waiting for the yellow brick road to see the wizard. We are the wizard. And the bricks. And Toto. And the Wicked Witch of the West (we all agree she’d be our hall pass — that’s another motto of ours: WWW = hottie).

Are our parents proud of us? Next question.

How are we? Geez. Calm it with the gotchya journalism.

Are we proud as all hell of T SHIRT TOSS? We’re as proud of TST as it is nonsensical there are no mushrooms involved in NFTs.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @t.shirt.toss
• Other: See below for a list of our members + their insta handles:

  Alanna Bayarin @alannasocialmedia
  Dave Stolz @davestolz
  Andres Simonian @andressimonian
  Jack Olstad @dont_sleep_on_jackie_o
  Emma Factor @emmaf_actor
  Clay Watson @claywatzon
  Hannah Beth @hannahcomedy
  Elise Howard @fellhooklineandsinger
  Brian Tichnell @briantichnell

  Upcoming shows:
  Monday, October 28th @ 8:30pm at UCB Annex (1925 North Bronson Avenue)
  ticket link – forthcoming

  Friday, November 1st @7:30 at The Lyric Hyperion (2106 Hyperion Ave)
  ticket link – https://www.eventbrite.com/e/t-shirt-toss-presents-the-69th-annual-candy-corn-toss-tickets-1041538418447?utm_experiment=test_share_listing&aff=ebdsshios

Image Credits

Please credit photographer James Bernal @jamesbernalphoto

jamesbernal.com