7 Years 7 days - Richard Rude7 Years 7 days - Richard Rude
I'm Quitting Alcohol
David Boyle recounts a chaotic improv class where his dark comic instincts repeatedly clash with the teacher’s limits. The story blends raw humour, social discomfort, and reflections on the difference between stand-up and improv, with a nod to the fearless comedy of James Mccann.
7:45•22 May 2026
Thrown to the Wolves at Improv: David Boyle’s Dark Instincts on Display
Episode Overview
- Being late and unprepared can heighten anxiety but also create unexpected growth moments.
- Instinctively going for the darkest joke might work in stand-up but can damage group improv dynamics.
- Improv has boundaries; not every shocking idea helps the scene or the people you’re working with.
- Feeling called out or rejected in a class can still offer useful feedback about how you interact with others.
- Watching skilled, fearless comedians like James Mccann can reset your standards and inspire better work.
“There’s no right or wrong answers in this class… as long as you don’t do or think like him.”
Curious about how others navigate their sobriety journey? This short, punchy episode of *I'm Quitting Alcohol* drops you straight into comedian David Boyle’s wildly awkward improv class – and shows how his offbeat brain doesn’t always fit the group brief. Running late thanks to a delayed train, Boyle walks straight into an exercise mid-flow, no warm-up, no context, and suddenly it’s his turn.
Someone blurts out “Hulk Hogan”, another adds he’s “a podcaster about single dads”, and the new teacher looks at Boyle and says, “go for it.” Still confused, he’s forced to launch into a Hulk Hogan impression on the spot: “Welcome to daddy…” – and it all feels “fucked” from the first second. Things get even messier when he has to create a scenario for a character called “Richard rude”.
His instinctive dark joke – “Richard rude is in jail for exposing himself in front of a school” – gets shut down instantly: “Uh, no. Um, no, we’re not going to do that one, okay?” The teacher then jokes to the class that there are “no right or wrong answers… except David’s answers.” Through the chaos, Boyle reflects on the clash between stand-up and improv.
In stand-up, his habit is to “just say the worst possible thing” and then bury it. In improv, that instinct can derail everyone else. He admits his urge is to “fuck around and fuck it all up,” but he’s genuinely trying to stay on track.
The episode rounds off with him raving about seeing Australian comedian James Mccann, calling him “legitimately one of the best comedians I’ve ever seen” and “fucking fearless on stage.” If you like raw, unfiltered sobriety chat mixed with brutally honest comedy and social awkwardness, this one might hit uncomfortably close to home – in a good way. Ever caught yourself saying the worst possible thing at exactly the wrong time?
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