Jimmy & Sarah on the Sunset Strip

It's a family affair for wife, mother of two, full-time comic, actor and writer Camille Solari. She's brilliantly incorporated her children into her hit TV series Charlie, and when she travels the world as a standup, the brood comes to her. Camille shares juicy stories of comedy in the age of #MeToo, and how it's changing the world for the better.

Emmy nominee Gary Robinson is a quiet, unassuming guy who, once on stage, surprises audiences with a barrage of edgy, hilarious one-liners and self-deprecating asides. In this conversation, Gary talks about his love of comedy, finding your voice, and his work directing Amazon Prime comedy special Wok of Shame.

You may recognize Iris Almario from that one show, which one again? Jane the Virgin? Code Black? NCIS? Nobodies? Yes, all of those. However, Iris is more than a working actor in Hollywood, she's also the co-founder of WUFAW, Women United for Animal Welfare and has succeeded with saving the lives of thousands of animals including her charming dog Koko.

There's a reason why Frank Castillo is creating a buzz in the comedy community. He's a paid regular at the Comedy Store, a Roast Battle champ, and he's about to drop a new album. In this chat, Frank talks about his journey from casino sketch writer to comedy-club headliner, and where the path might take him next.

The moment Mike E. Winfield takes the stage — brash and confident, with a dazzling and infectious smile — the crowd knows they're in for a fun ride. In this frank and honest conversation, Mike E. talks about his journey through standup comedy, building a fan base and creating opportunities for himself. And he shares about life with his older wife and stepson, a story which forms the core of his new Amazon special Stepman, available August 23rd on Amazon Prime.

When you're born with the last name Rickles... well, let's just say there are certain expectations. In the case of Mindy Rickles, however, she embraced the challenge and chose to embark on her own career in standup comedy. In this delightful interview, Mindy talks about her singular childhood, and the gifts and the obstacles of carrying her famous father's name. 

C-Tru has always striven to help people and make a difference. Before becoming a rapper, singer, and songwriter, this living embodiment of the melting pot - born Carlo Ferrer Santos, he's Filipino, Chinese and Spanish - was a med student at UC Davis and worked for a Bio-tech company. But then he started turning heads in major music competitions. Now, after making his mark in the European music scene, C-Tru has brought his artistry back to the States, collaborating with icons such as Snoop Dogg and DMX. 

While Dan O'Shannon has had a career most writers can only dream of, he humbly attributes his success to luck. This Ohio native dropped out of college to pursue standup comedy, parlaying that early validation into writing and producing such hit shows as Cheers, Frasier, and Modern Family, and winning a staggering six Emmys in the process. Dan has also authored bestsellers The Adventures of Mrs. Jesus and What are you Laughing At? A Comprehensive Guide to the Comedic Event.  Listen and Enjoy.

Kirk Smith is a comedian with a message. A doting father raising an autistic son, Kirk has not only shared his heartwarming story on some of the biggest stages in the country, but also in the best-selling Rice Krispies with Ketchup and his popular podcast Autastic.

As a mother of eight, Christine Fekete often has trouble getting a word in edgewise, so perhaps it's no surprise that this naturally funny lady has turned to a milieu where she can claim seven to ten minutes of your undivided attention - standup comedy. New to the community, this former missionary is already booking some of the biggest venues in Los Angeles. You'll love hearing her story. 

As a US Military veteran and Purple Heart recipient, Thom Tran knew firsthand the horrors of PTSD. And as a standup comic, he knew how humor can help people cope with tragedy. So he founded the Gls of Comedy Tour, and now travels the world helping soldiers find the funny.

To call Jay Dyer a polyglot would be an understatement. It's not just that this veteran TV writer has worked in a variety of media and genres - comedy, drama, broadcast, cable, animated, live-action, single-camera, multi-camera. But now he's also writing shows in Spanish, and adding musical theatre to his resumé. Tune in for a lively and engaging conversation.

On his climb to the top, J.F. Harris may have had an assist from friends Whitney Cummings and Joel McHale, but that doesn't mean he didn't pay his share of dues. In this candid interview, J.F. talks about his years on the New York comedy circuit, going from being small in NY to big in LA, his appearances in comedy festivals all over the world, and his upcoming debut on Bill Burr Presents. 

Stick Mexican, Argentine, and Jewish in a blender and you either get a spicy neurotic beverage or the brilliantly funny comic/writer/filmmaker Daniel Weingarten. In this rollicking and informative chat, Daniel talks about how his exotic roots gave rise to an inimitable comic persona, his formula for successful viral videos, the secrets of submitting to indie film festivals, and the importance of growing your fanbase. 

The pitch: College student parlays internship on a hit TV show into staff job, wins EMMY, then extends that run for another nine years. Fame, fortune, romance - all the makings of a feel-good summer hit. But that's not all there is to the story for Nick Wootton and his first job on NYPD Blue. In this fascinating interview, Nick shares about the pitfalls of early success, and how he steered his Porsche out of a deserted cornfield and back onto the right road.

Whether it's slingling jokes in some of LA's toughest comedy rooms, or slinging gourmet tea blends at her tea room Hi SocieTEA, Katie Cazorla is a model of intelligence, drive, and hilarity. In this conversation, Katie talks about moving between standup, reality TV and entrepreneurship, shares the source of her drive and ambition, and kills with a spot-on Drew Barrymore impression. 

Like her uncle Mickey Mantle, Kelly Mantle has always striven to hit it out of the park. One might suspect that a family of athletes might be taken aback by a child whose talents ran to theatre and music rather than hitting the long ball, and was gender-fluid before the term even existed, but with their unfailing love and support, Kelly has thrived. This intimate convo tackles finding your comedic voice, usage of pronouns and everything in between. 

Syd Straw's sweet, soulful voice has resonated through the last 30 years of American music, from her acclaimed solo work, to her own bands Bitchface and The Golden Palominos (featuring R.E.M.'s Michael Stipe), to her collaborations and guest appearances with everyone from Pat Benatar to Rickie Lee Jones to Wilco. She's also a familiar voice in the world of comedy, having recurred on Nickelodeon's The Adventures of Pete and Pete, and anyone who's seen her live knows that Syd's between-song patter is easily as funny as any standup. So this is an episode you won't want to miss, especially since it features two in-studio acoustic performances. This episode is dedicated to the memory of Syd's friend Gary Stewart, a towering figure in the L.A. music community and beyond.

It would appear Michael Yo had an easy time transitioning from entertainment-news correspondent to working standup. After all, he was already a household name from his appearances on E! News Daily and Extra, and comedy clubs were ready to welcome him with open arms. However, it was Chelsea Handler who advised Michael to skip the shortcuts and put in the hard work. That he did- and currently posting his new show for the Fox network, talks about developing his smart, family-friendly brand of comedy.

With eight seasons on Lifetime's "Little Women," her own clothing line, and an acclaimed line of L'Tonya Renee wines, Tonya Banks has truly earned the nickname "Li'l Boss." In this engaging conversation, Tonya talks about overcoming bullying in her childhood, and how the support of a loving family helped sustain her through tough times.

Actor/comedians Erin Michele Soto and Greg Baldwin stop by The Comedy Store between sets to talk about the challenges of balancing a daytime life on set with a nighttime life angling for standup spots. Tune in for insights on honing your craft, creating opportunities for yourself, and maintaining your sanity in these two hyper competitive worlds.

Darrell Hammond is a comedy icon: 14 seasons on Saturday Night Live (not counting his current gig as announcer), more appearances than any other cast member, and impersonations of over 100 celebrities, including more than the constitutionally allotted two terms as Bill Clinton. In this unmissable conversation, Darrell talks about his relationship with Trump, the press, and the harrowing story which inspired his New York Times bestseller "God, If You're Not Up There, I'm F*cked."

Mike Falzone was simply searching for a platform to promote his music when he had stumbled upon something called YouTube. Now, millions of views and hundreds of thousands of subscribers later, Mike reflects on the happenstance of being one of the frontiers of the social media movement. Musician first, standup comic second, and now maybe vise-versa plus YouTube star, Mike keeps it real in the dungeon of The Comedy Store and shares some great stories and advice of success with Jimmy and Sarah.

The first rule of improvisational comedy is to AGREE, and not only did Kiff VandenHeuvel nail down the rule, but he also added AND to actor, director, renowned voiceover artist, teacher, podcaster, husband and father! In this fun conversation, Kiff reiterates the rules of comedy and how it's shaped his career and life.

It would appear that John Pirruccello has always been a working actor. Currently starring as Detective Loach on HBO's hit show Barry, and a slew of hit shows before, John also had an impressive run as a commercial and voice-over artist. But in this compelling chat, John talks about the lull between gigs, what he's learned from his iconic co-stars, and how Transcendental Meditation has helped balance family and career.

Jen Mann, New York Times best selling author of People I Want to Punch in the Throat, writes from experience. Full time mom, wife, viral blogger, and author of numerous immensely popular books flies in from Kansas to share the secrets of her super powers of doing it all.

Born in Palo Alto to Silicon Valley tech-exec parents, Alessandra Torresani came out of the womb singing and dancing and hasn't stopped since. In this dishy chat, Alessandra - occasionally interrupted by yips from her Instagram-famous dog PeeWee - shares stories of her star turns on hit shows like Caprica, The Big Bang Theory, and dance comedy Step Sisters.

Trevor Wallace may appear to be an overnight YouTube sensation, but this hardworking, ambitious, graduate of filmmaking has earned his current buzz in the social media spotlight. Trevor talks about how paying his dues in the standup open-mic days has helped to prepare his career on stage, and in front of the camera.

Quinn Cummings and Sara Benincasa are friends, acclaimed writers and recovering standup comics. Quinn is a former child actor who won a Golden Globe (and was nominated for an Academy Award) at age 11 for The Goodbye Girl. Sara has published five books and routinely tears it up on Twitter. In this rollicking conversation, Quinn talks about the moment during an argument with her mother when she knew she was destined to be a comedy writer, while Sara shares how she parlayed her struggle with agoraphobia into a best-selling book, Agorafabulous.

Since his first job was working at a coal mine in his native Alabama, perhaps it wasn't that much of a jump for Rocky Dale Davis to compete on a reality show called Redneck Island. But to go from there to a successful standup career...? In this conversation, Rocky talks about how the mentorship of the late Raphie May helped him ascend to one-man TV specials and headline gigs at some of the top comedy clubs in the nation.

Hollywood is full of actor-slash-comics, actor-slash-writers, actor-slash-Uber drivers...but how many actors do you know who are actor-slash-registered nurse? In this interview, actor-slash-nurse-slash-transgender-individual Angel Qinan talks about how her role in the award-winning documentary Act Like A Woman opened the hearts of her fellow Filipinos. 

In his former life as a pastor turned motivational speaker, Keith Yackey often spoke before thousands of people - so why was he so petrified to try standup comedy? Gregarious and hilarious, with infectious energy and a fierce drive to succeed, Keith will have you ready to take on the world after you listen to this interview.

If a rich and varied life gives an actor a rich palette to draw from, Theo Marshall more than fills the bill - from a blue-collar upbringing in Chicago, to working for the Peace Corps in Ghana, to marriage and fatherhood, to his latest creative endeavor: playing a hard-bitten detective in Patty Jenkins' upcoming I Am the Night.

You might know Bill Dawes for his standup-comedy persona - breakdancing, mudslinging, relentlessly physical - but what might surprise you is Bill's life of the mind: He's a classically-trained actor with Stanislavsky-honed chops and an aerospace engineering degree from Princeton. He's articulate, he's well-read, he's method as hell, and he's got a million great stories, some of which you'll hear on today's pod.

The Greek philosopher Aristotle was renowned as a student of Plato and the teacher of Alexander the Great. Aristotle Athiras has been a student of comedy as long as he can remember, and parlayed that knowledge into a thriving career as a performer and director. On the eve of the release of his Comedy Central special GOATFACE, Aristotle drops some serious knowledge on Jimmy and Sarah.

Although anyone who has seen the Wayne's World movies will instantly recognize Dan Bell as Neil, entertainment mavens recognize him as one of LA's premier casting directors. In this chat, Dan talks about his acting career, his son's band Love Ghost, his passion for helping the homeless, and what compelled him to leave acting for casting.

The life of a road comic can be alternately lonely, frustrating and exhilarating, and Shang has seen his share of each. This veteran comic never hesitates to tackle issues of race and equality, nor is he afraid to be political. Yet he's always careful to balance his work life with his family life.

It takes a special kind of talent to turn your darkest hour into a tight ten-minute standup set, and in comedy venues across the country, Amy Dresner spent years doing just that. In this hilarious and compelling conversation, the author of best-selling memoir My Fair Junkie recounts her journey from 90210 girl-gone-wild to standup comic to one of our foremost essayists on addiction and recovery.

Like the characters who populate her books, Mandy Jackson-Beverly has led many lives. In this episode, the author of the best-selling Creative Series of fantasy novels weaves spellbinding tales of her early days working as a costume designer and stylist for David Bowie, Madonna and Tina Turner, and the unexpected path which led her to her current writing career.

With a grandfather, father, and three uncles as professional wrestlers, Chavo Guerrero Jr. couldn't be blamed for feeling like he had something to prove. However, not only has Chavo staked his own first place in the wrestling pantheon, he's also parlayed his skills into a thriving Hollywood career on shows like Netflix's GLOW. Chavo also proves himself a muscular conversationalist, as he talks with Jimmy and Sarah about everything from checking your ego at the canvas's edge, to how to perform his signature crotch-on-chin head-scissor.

We live in a world where an enterprising young man can find fame on YouTube, and if the road seems somewhat mysterious, let Stevie Emerson illuminate it for you. Stevie set out to have a good time and entertain his friends, and less than four years later he's averaging 1.5 million views per video. In this fascinating conversation, Stevie talks about the importance of creative control, how sketch comedy has helped his standup, and how he keeps the focus on fun at all costs.

You've seen Candice Thompson on Jimmy Fallon's Tonight Show, you've heard her on Joe Rogan's podcast, and you've watched her at The Comedy Store, but there's a reason her own podcast is called The Struggle. In this penetrating conversation, Candice talks about spirituality, keeping it real, and the challenge of stepping out of her shell.

Eight years into Dean Delray's career, he's opened for Bill Burr and been name-checked by Joe Rogan - with spectacular results - yet still doesn't consider himself a headliner. In this engrossing interview, you'll hear Dean's unique take on the journeyman comic's journey as he couch-surfs across America, sleeps on floors, and sacrifices relationships on the alter of standup. It's a talk you won't want to miss.

Executive-turned-producer Mindy Schultheis has a unique perspective on creating and growing hit TV shows, so if you care about how the sitcom sausage is made, this is an episode you won't want to miss. Mindy talks with Jimmy and Sarah about the art of showrunning, talent-spotting at comedy festivals like Aspen and Montreal, how comics find their voices, tips on dressing your daughter for school, how spitting is the key to wine-tasting, and more. Yes, Minday also owns a successful vineyard. Tune in.

Dylan Brody doesn't need to dress to impress - his passel of comedy albums, award-winning plays, novels, one-man shows and standup sets does the job for him. In this erudite and hilarious conversation, Dylan shares everything from his breaking-in story to his sleeping-on-the-roof-of-the-Comedy-Store story.

In the fable of the Ant and the Grasshopper, the Ant is the wise one who prepares for winter while the Grasshopper is out partying. The standup named ANT has done his share of both.  In this engaging interview, ANT talks about overcoming depression, finding the funny inside tragedy, his recipe for crowd work, and the role of confidence in a comedian's success.

Allisyn Ashley Arm has boundless energy and limitless curiousity which can't just come from coffee... can they? You might know her as the deeply strange Heather on NBC's A.P. Bio, or from her breakout role on Disney's So Random. But she's also a cinematograher, trapeze artist, painter, scuba diver, YouTube sensation and roller-derby maven. And in her spare time - what spare time?? - she zens out with baby goats. Join Jimmy and Sarah for a lively chat with a woman you'll yearn to befriend and/or emulate.

If you only know London Brown as the infamous Reggie on HBO's Ballers, you might be surpirsed that the man behind the role is such a charming, thoughtful actor. In this provocative conversation, London walks us through his journey from comedy-fest champ to drama-series  standout. Why did his college roommate swipe all his best clothes? What type of woman does he date? All these questions and more are answered, with some of London's peerless impersonations along the way.

Chris Standring has come a long way since rocking the toy guitar at the tender age of two! This British jazz guitarist has topped the billboard charts numerous times and is as upbeat and soulful as his hit singles! Chris stops by The Comedy Store with his two sweathearts, Benedetto Bambino archtop electric guitar, and girlfriend actress-model Iris Almario! Chris talks about his journey, his effervescent new album Sunlight, and plays 2010 Billboard contemporary jazz track of year, Bossa Blue.

Are you experienced? Have you experienced the Jamie Kennedy experience? This scooter-riding, roller-skating Philly boy is at his happiest when headlining as many comedy shows as he can squeeze into a single evening. Jamie entertains and inspires as he recounts the path from his first Blockbuster commercial to the blockbuster Scream, and all the crazy adventures that followed.

There are far more than 13 Reasons Why the young actress Anne Winters is Hollywood's newest It Girl. This Dallas native seemed to emerge from nowhere when she won an EMMY Award for her performance in Zac & Mia, but it was actually the culmination of years of hard work and sacrifice ... including missing her prom. Anne recounts her acting journey with a little help from her beau, Taylor.