I'm Alan Olga and this is clear and vivid conversations about connecting and communicating.

If you look at the 20th century and now the 21st century,

it's clear that global popular culture has emerged through improvisation, through jazz, through rock and roll, hip-hop.

So the question is why? And I think the reason is that improv gives the impression that you're a free agent.

You know, if you say yes, I can say and.

You give me a call, I can say and you give me a call I can respond in the moment now right now

now quick and if I can do that then we can find a way toward a sense of agency and a sense of who we are.

That's Randy Fertel.

His new book, Winging It, explores how improv is shaping popular culture, music, art, literature, politics, even

artificial intelligence. You've given a lot of thought to the idea of improv, improvisation, being useful in so many different ways.

And I'm very interested in how improv can be a gateway to good communication, the principles of

improv, how it can lead to spontaneity, mistakes or springboards.

I'm interested to talk with you about the Yes And experience, which is so central to improv.

How would you describe the Yes And experience in theatrical improv?

It boils down to call and response, which really is the center of most artistic

creation. Something happens and you respond to it. Someone says something you

respond to it. I connect everything to improv. I find

improv everywhere and call and response yes and is at the heart of all of it.

Let's say two people are doing a is at the heart of all of it.

Let's say two people are doing a scene on this stage.

How does Yes And work between them?

What would be an example of an exchange of dialogue?

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