Punching Up with Sean Conroy

Sean Conroy
  • 5.0 (12)
  • Comedy
  • Updated Weekly

I'm Sean. I'm a comedian and a writer. I've written TV for over twenty years, and comedianed for way longer than that- stand-up, sketch, improv, one-person shows, podcasts... If you want to learn to write a sitcom pilot, I'm gonna share some of the insights I wish I had when I was starting (maybe even all). I'm also gonna talk to lots of writers about career paths, comedy, and writing habits. We're gonna talk extensively about the craft of television writing, and of comedy writing in general. Performing, too. And the art! Comedy is an art! Check out the show. See you there.

  1. 5d ago

    Why Forrest Macneil Couldn’t Be a Psychopath (with Andy Daly)

    How do you make a character likable when they’re doing terrible things? Just ask Andy Daly! Actor, comedian and writer Andy Daly (Review, Eastbound & Down, Silicon Valley) goes deep on the chaos of the Hollywood development process, and on his own comedy process. We dissect the origin story of Comedy Central’s Review, and the creative note from debate champion and director Jeff Blitz that saved Forrest Macneil from being a "psychopath." We also talk improv (we’ve done it together a few times), a failed pitch we did involving an autographed photo of O.J. Simpson, why Andy avoids traditional stand-up (but not completely), and why one might want a bound volume of one's unproduced scripts. Andy gives me a lot of great insights into writing comedy, creative integrity, and how to deal with fussy executive vice presidents named Dan Blithers. Support Andy: Check out his incredible work and subscriber content at patreon.com/andydaly and follow him on Instagram @TVsAndyDaly. Subscribe to Punching Up so you never miss an episode, and feel free to leave me a 5-star review, just to goose the algorithm(which we should all be doing all the time).

    1h 5m

  2. May 26

    The "Second Draft" of Life: Notes from the Universe and New Beginnings

    Welcome to Season 2 of Punching Up with Sean Conroy! I'm Sean, and just so you know, this episode gets pretty intensely personal. I'm a TV writer and comedian, and because of some stuff that's gone in my real life recently I've decided to try treating my life like a script. I'm gonna be 60 in a little more than a year, and I'm trying to change some things, both physically and creatively. I even gave myself a deadline- writers love deadlines! (Listen and find out when mine is). Take a listen to why the "s****y first draft" is a writer’s secret weapon, the difference between pure data and moral failure, and why it is never too late to write your own second draft. 📝 WORK WITH ME THIS SUMMER:Want to finish your sitcom pilot by midsummer? Sign up for my upcoming 6-week Sitcom Pilot Writing Workshop starting late June. Space is strictly limited: https://www.seanconroy.com/classes

    23 min

  3. Apr 13

    Decoding Your Sitcom Pilot's DNA: Shortcut To A Better Script

    There's a lot of stuff I think about now when I'm starting to figure out how to write a TV pilot script that I would have liked to know when I started out, if somebody was like "hey here are some screenwriting tips for beginners." And writing that script doesn't mean developing a TV series, but it feels like that is something you have to have in the back of your mind when you start, or at least it's something that helps. What is the show gonna be like after the pilot? I was watching trailers for a couple of shows (Mad Men, Reservation Dogs, Deadwood, etc.) and it gave me an idea (honestly, a stroke of genius) for what some people might find a helpful writing exercise. Give it a shot and let me know what you think.

    10 min

  4. Apr 7

    Creative Discipline: Why Showing Up is 90% of the Battle

    I've been working on my creative process lately, struggling with overcoming perfectionism and writing consistency, and I feel like I'm kind of winning. A little. Discipline is to creatives as ice cream is to lactose intolerants, but these days I've somehow acquired (ulp) (at least temporarily) some creative discipline. WIth the help of my trusty yellow legal pad and my Sanford uni-Ball 207, and my knowledge of cursive writing, I'm getting some done. See if you can relate on this episode of Punching Up with Sean Conroy.

    9 min

  5. Mar 31

    Writing 4 Pilots a Year: Ed Herro on Overcoming Creative Fear

    In this episode I talk to Ed Herro, who wrote for (among other things) Jeff and Some Aliens and American Housewife. Most recently he co-created and co- ran The Sticky for Amazon Prime. In this showrunner interview, we get into a lot: the importance of sitcom pilot writing when you're starting and as you continue in writing for television, some great ideas on writers' room etiquette when you're starting out, and when you've been there a while, and lots of other fantastic gleaned-from-experience TV writing tips. Ed even gets into some thoughts on how to pitch a TV show. He recommends a couple of great books on writing, some of the classics like On Writing, and Save the Cat, and Bird by Bird. This one is a gold mine for aspiring writers (and me)z.

    1h 4m

  6. Mar 23

    3 Easy (?) Things You Can Do To Get Better At Writing Sitcoms

    One thing I've always struggled with as a writer is "paralysis by analysis"- maybe if I read THIS book or follow THIS method or use THIS structure I'll get it right, and everything will be easy. So in this episode I talk about some of the things I've done that have helped me get better at writing, and also specifically helped me get better at writing sitcoms. For example, you know how every sitcom nowadays makes fun of improv comedy for being dorky? Well, guess what's one of the most useful things I did when I was learning? Check out the episode, rate and review, all that podcasting stuff.

    17 min

  7. Trailer

    Trailer 1: Punching Up With Sean Conroy

    TV writer and comedian Sean Conroy and his guests talk about how to write a great sitcom pilot, how to have a career in comedy, how to develop good habits as a writer, and his struggles with all of those things. He gives the advice he wishes he'd gotten earlier on, and gets advice from guests that he hopes it's not too late for. If you're a fan of comedy, this show is for you.

    1 min

  8. Mar 16

    Did They Steal My Script? The Idea Is King, But Execution is Everything

    Have you ever seen a movie trailer and thought, "That’s my idea!"? This week, Sean Conroy shares a devastating morning spent on Twitter discovering a project that mirrored his current screenplay beat-for-beat. He talks about an old project he co-wrote that collided with a Tim Allen movie, the famous Art Buchwald vs. Paramount case and why it matters (and why it doesn't), and some incredibly useful wisdom (at least in this case) from Steve Jobs (the guy from Apple). It’s a masterclass in creative persistence, the myth of stolen ideas, and why execution always wins. Don't forget, your unique "Polar Bear Pappy" perspective is irreplaceable (so don't worry about mailing a copy of your scipt to yourself).

    35 min
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Trailer

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About

I'm Sean. I'm a comedian and a writer. I've written TV for over twenty years, and comedianed for way longer than that- stand-up, sketch, improv, one-person shows, podcasts... If you want to learn to write a sitcom pilot, I'm gonna share some of the insights I wish I had when I was starting (maybe even all). I'm also gonna talk to lots of writers about career paths, comedy, and writing habits. We're gonna talk extensively about the craft of television writing, and of comedy writing in general. Performing, too. And the art! Comedy is an art! Check out the show. See you there.

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