# Where's "Who's Line is it Anyway?"?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-whos-line-is-it-anyway/160218>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [March 10, 2003, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-whos-line-is-it-anyway/160218 "2003-03-10T03:52:52Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Roadfood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9fc348/32.png) [@Roadfood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roadfood)\
**Post date:** [March 11, 2003, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-whos-line-is-it-anyway/160218/21 "2003-03-11T19:39:02Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Stinkpalm \*  
> \*\*And don’t even try to convince me that these guys are going up there cold everytime. My gut tells me that they are at least made aware of the big skits ahead of time, at least the themes.  
> \*\*

I’m sorry, I’m going to try to convince you anyway. I took an improv class a few years ago, and I can attest that everything in that class was done cold, none of the students were made aware of anything beforehand. And yet they came up with some damned funny stuff.

Some people just are gifted with very quick, witty minds (the other thing I learned from that class is that I am NOT one of those people ☹ ). And, as others have stated on this thread already, there are some general techniques that can be learned, and practicing improv also gives you a better “automatic” sense of what’s likely to be funny.

So I have no trouble believing that the performers are not briefed in any way, but it’s also very clear (as others have also already stated) that the stuff that’s not done from audience suggestions are clearly skewed to a particular performer’s strengths.

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**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\
**Post date:** [March 11, 2003, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-whos-line-is-it-anyway/160218/22 "2003-03-11T20:23:40Z")

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How do I know _Whose Line_ isn’t scripted (isn’t **all** scripted, anyway)?

Three words: Magnetic Carol Channing.

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**Author:** ![The\_Great\_Zamboni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@The\_Great\_Zamboni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Great_Zamboni)\
**Post date:** [March 12, 2003, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-whos-line-is-it-anyway/160218/23 "2003-03-12T01:17:26Z")

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_Originally posted by_ **Guanolad**

> [@](#):
>
> Whose.
> 
> Whose. Whose. Whose. Whose. Whose. Whose. Whose. Whose. Whose. Whose. Whose.
> 
> Whose. Whose. Whose. Whose.
> 
> Whose.

You’re right, I spelled it wrong. I know how, I just didn’t look hard enough. :smack:

Now back to the topic. [sarcasm]Oh, wait everyone went off the topic. Silly me. [/sarcasm]

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**Author:** ![NE\_Texan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e99b99/32.png) [@NE\_Texan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NE_Texan)\
**Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-whos-line-is-it-anyway/160218/24 "2003-03-14T22:22:50Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by stolichnaya \*  
> \*\*…Threads From A Hat \*\*

Just for you, **stolichnaya** :

[This thread.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=169703)

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