Psychotropic Substances: Stories about altered states

This week, we present two stories about psychotropic substances, from a study on the impacts of magic mushrooms on cancer surivors to a comedian's spiritual epiphany. Part 1: Actor Gail Thomas is invited to take part in a study testing mushrooms as treatment for depression in cancer survivors. Part 2: Comedian Myq Kaplan has a spiritual epiphany while experimenting with ayahuasca. Gail Thomas has several resumes: writer/actor/teacher/filmmaker/lawyer. She is a Moth StorySLAM winner and has performed with RISK!, Sideshow Goshko, the Liar Show. She teaches for the Story Studio. Voiceover credits include David Letterman, Beavis and Butthead and Angelo Rules. Her short comedy, My BFF, rated 95% funny on Funny or Die and audience favorite at New Filmmakers. As a speechwriter for the Tribeca Film Festival and the Gotham Awards, her words were uttered by Oscar winners and fancy people with great clothes. Gail is currently working on her fashion sense. Myq (Mike) Kaplan is a standup comedian who has appeared on the Tonight Show, Conan, Letterman, James Corden, Seth Meyers, Comedy Central, Last Comic Standing, and America’s Got Talent. He has a half-hour special on Comedy Central, a one-hour standup special on Amazon called “Small, Dork, and Handsome,” and a new Dry Bar special called "Live From The Universe," as well as two podcasts, "The Faucet" and "Broccoli and Ice Cream," and a book of his jokes illustrated by Ramin Nazer called "Heart Brain Art Train." His debut album, “Vegan Mind Meld,” was one of iTunes’ top 10 comedy albums of the year, and his newest album, “A.K.A.,” debuted at #1 and was called “invigoratingly funny” by the NY Times! Thanks for reading this! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices