Dropout’s Crowd Control Forces Brennan Lee Mulligan to Ditch “Big Words” — Hilarious, Awkward Results
Dropout TV has premiered Crowd Control, a series-length take on the Game Changer episode of the same name. The show asks stand-up comics to improvise bits about audience members whose T-shirts give prompts, and the first episode features Bob the Drag Queen, Leah Rudick, and Dimension 20 DM Brennan Lee Mulligan. Host and Dropout writer-performer Jacquis Neal also adds a recurring segment called “Torture the Comic.”
- The show expands the Game Changer format into a full series and stars Bob the Drag Queen, Leah Rudick, and Brennan Lee Mulligan.
- The premiere introduced a “Torture the Comic” bit that gives each performer a constraint designed to limit their style.
- Mulligan’s restriction—no “big words” or references—shaped much of the episode’s dynamic.
Format and premise
Crowd Control asks comedians to improvise around short prompts written on audience members’ T-shirts. Each person’s shirt gives the comics a clear hook, and the show is structured to keep interactions fast and varied. In addition, the program includes challenge segments that alter how each comic can perform, which changes the usual rhythm of a live improv set.
The premiere and the new challenge
The first episode follows the Game Changer formula, but it adds the recurring segment Neal calls “Torture the Comic.” In that part, Neal assigns constraints that specifically target a performer’s usual strengths. As a result, the comics must adapt on the fly while still trying to get laughs.
Mulligan’s restriction
In the premiere, Mulligan was told not to use “a single big word whatsoever.” The restriction was applied broadly: producers and Neal ruled out not only polysyllabic words, but many everyday words that would normally allow for a back-and-forth with audience members. He was also forbidden from making historical or literary references.
During the segment, the audience and Neal called out Mulligan for using “what’s” (instead of “what is”), and for saying words the crew considered too complex, such as “strange” and “sick.” Mulligan adapted by speaking in a guttural, caveman-like voice and using very short phrases. At one point he said, “Me no like!”
How that played out
The constraint meant Mulligan often limited himself to single-syllable reactions, which changed how he could interrogate audience stories. For example, he offered brief praise to one audience member who built a medieval tavern for D&D by saying, “Tight! Cool guy.”
Earlier in the same episode, Mulligan used more of his signature references in a different interaction, responding to a comment about learning Elvish with, “Oooh! Quenya or Sindarin ?” He also corrected Bob about the term for a hat-maker, noting that a hat-maker is a milliner, not a haberdasher—details that underscore why the no-big-words rule was a significant limit on his usual approach.
Other performers and bits
Bob performed under a whisper rule—only speaking quietly and without using hands—and still managed extended material before breaking into laughter. Meanwhile, Rudick was asked to perform “as if you were just publicly canceled,” and she leaned into that instruction by adopting a belligerent, defensive tone and saying things like “Am I not allowed to say that?”
Notable audience moments
The episode featured a wide mix of audience members with unusual hooks, which provided material across the night. For example, one participant identified as Xandiloquence Bizarre and wore a homemade hat made from pressed, dried cucumbers. The cucumber hat is sold in a similar form on Amazon.
For viewers who want to see moments from the episode online, Dropout has clips and promotional uploads tied to the show’s rollout.
Schedule and availability
New episodes of Crowd Control air on Dropout TV on Mondays. The show continues the Game Changer spirit while trying new constraints; therefore, future episodes may vary how much the challenges help or hinder each performer’s ability to work with audience material.
