Matt Braunger brings a conversational voice of the everyman to the mic while embodying a style that lampoons topics as airy as pet owls and as lurid as dragon blow jobs. With a background in theater, the 35 year-old’s comedic capacity developed through years of improvisation in the Chicago comedy scene. While most recognizable for his work on the fi nal season of MADtv, which included an over the top Weight Watchers parody commercial, Braugner’s stand up has been featured on television landmarks such as The Tonight Show and The Late Show. Braugner’s success has also landed him a radio show and a guest spot on the Showtime series The United States of Tara. The Travesty had an opportunity to talk with the busy Braugner about life on the road, behind the scenes of MADtv, and what the future holds for him.

Of all the voices that Maria Bamford is known for, the most important ones just might be the voices inside of her head. Maria has used her anxiety and dysfunctional personality to her advantage, and has emerged as one of the most successful and well-known comedians in the business. She is the one of the stars of the hilarious fi lm The Comedians of Comedy, and has appeared in many popular television shows and movies, as well as lending her voice for animated hit series such as Hey Arnold! and CatDog. The Texas Travesty sat down with Maria to talk about dark humor, becoming a department store star, and allowing your pet dogs to set your schedule.

Lawrence Kasdan is the man behind some of the greatest movies of the 20th-century. He got his start by writing Raiders of the Lost Ark for Steven Spielberg and followed that up with a couple of sci-fi movies called The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi—maybe you’ve heard of them. Since then, Kasdan has written and directed more than ten movies Above all, Kasdan's career is marked by his passion for movies and moviemaking. The Travesty sat down with him to talk about writing, movies, and inventing the man known as Indiana Jones.