Being Funny in Milwaukee

With an audio podcastcalled “Host and Guest,” a monthly improv show at the Alchemist Theatre and arecent book release, Rick Katschkeseems like he would need to be older than 24. But this funny youngster isalready deepening his niche in the Milwaukeecomedy scene. What started as a joke quickly exploded into a full-blown dreamcome true.

Howdid you get started in the biz?

Basically, I had done apodcast with a friend of mine, and it was just sort of two guys joking around.I wanted to do something more than that, so I looked up decent portable audiorecorders. A friend of mine is D.A. Wallach, who is in the band Chester French,and I did my inaugural episode with him. Then from there it was just pitchingto different people like, “Hey, I’ve had this Rolling Stone-featured musician on the show.” The one who reallyopened the door for me was a comedian named Jimmy Pardo. He’s very wellconnected. The key was D.A. Wallach and Jimmy Pardo.

Whatmakes Rick tick?

When it comes toperformers or people that do shows, I’m very specific with my tastes. I’m quickto judge those that might not be that funny but think they are. I really have apassion for obscure things. My favorite group is Trip Shakespeare from theearly ’90s, my favorite comedian would have to be Jimmy Pardo and my favoritecult film is Can’t Stop the Music.Those are just some of the many obscure things.

Whohas been your favorite or most memorable guest?

I would say that JohnMunson and Dan Wilson, both of the bands Semisonic and Trip Shakespeare, havebeen two of my favorite guests. Just because, if you had told me when I was 13years old I would not only meet them but have them talk to me for an extensiveperiod of time, it would have blown my mind. I just picture my young self beingso happy I’ve reached this point.

Howdid you transition from audio to print? Tell me about your book.

I have an extensivebackground in improvisational theater. I’ve been doing it for over 10 years.When you do improv, you go up there with nothing. So I thought, “God, why don’tI take that approach to writing a book.” I set a goal of 45 days, 50 days, andI set a goal of five pages a day. I had no outline, nothing like that. Thestory evolved naturally. It’s like a hybrid of a novel, and essay elements areweaved in. Some of the dialogue was written as if it’s a play. It’s sort oflike a mishmash of all these things. I think it’s a really strongrepresentative of who I am as an individual. It’s called Mark Sanders’ Tangential September and can be purchased onLulu.com.