There is a concept in improv called “yes and.” When you are out on stage, or practicing, doing improv, rejecting someone’s idea can be jarring for the audience and the performers. For instance, as an improv preformer you go up and say, “here we are, on the moon.” Then another preformer comes up and says, “no no no, were at a mcdonalds.” The problem with the other performer saying, “were not on the moon we are in a McDonald’s” isn’t that McDonald’s is less funny; or that being at a McDonalds in more accurate. The problem is the negative feelings needlessly brought up just because the other performer had a different idea. Then, they decided that their idea was better, or good, based only on the fact that they thought of it.

The negative feelings are just part of it. Obviously, the audience might be a bit confused but it’s improv they can suspend disbelief for a second. The performer might be jarred because they had one idea that got shit canned publicly but it was just a random thought, they can move past it. The problem is when the other preform keeps doing it, right?

"OK we’re at McDonald’s, I’m going to order a coke "

“No, this McDonald’s serves pepsi.”

You get the point.

What “yes and” does is acknowledges someone’s personhood while giving you license to be just as influential. This is called collaboration.

So now, we have two performers, one says, “here we are on the moon” and the other says, “At the McDonalds you won’t shut up about.”

That’s it.

If you wanted to know my ideas for what’s next. This is it.

We collaborate. Until we are all really fucking good at it.