117: Down for the Count

Imagine a stage in Chicago where actors are handed a script they've never seen before. The catch? The pages contain the earnest, often hilariously overwrought dialogue and stage directions from actual adult films. Porn Minus Porn captures the unpredictable comedy of this live show, where performers commit fully to the material while deliberately skipping the, well, porn part. What's left is a surreal and sidesplitting examination of the strange narratives and emotional beats that exist just outside the main event. Each episode of this podcast presents a fresh cold reading, showcasing the actors' spontaneous reactions as they navigate awkward professions of love, bizarre plot twists, and intensely specific sound effect cues. Produced by 5th Quarter Media, the recording strips away the expected context, leaving the raw, ridiculous skeleton of a very peculiar genre. It’s a study in absurdity, highlighting how ordinary-and extraordinarily funny-these scripts can sound when delivered with sincere theatrical flair in a room full of laughing strangers. Tune in to hear talented comedians and improvisers tackle the challenge, finding humor not in parody, but in the earnest and deadpan delivery of some of the most unconventional writing you’ll ever encounter. The result is a uniquely clever comedy podcast that celebrates the unexpected art of performance and the sheer weirdness of the source material.