No Suggestion with Ralf Jean-Pierre is a weekly improv comedy chat show on Radio Free Brooklyn. Each week Ralf will have an engaged, compelling conversation with a respected improv comedian, from NYC, or abroad. These personal compelling, wide-ranging conversations will erupt without warning, into spontaneous improv scenes based on any interesting topic or idea Ralf and his guest land upon. This collision of engaged conversation and silly, spontaneous improvised sketches make for an hour of hilarious breathtaking entertainment every week on No Suggestion with Ralf Jean-Pierre.
WE'RE BACK! After a 3 month summer haitus, your beloved #NoSuggestionPod is back! This week we have actor, producer, freestyle-rapper, husband, father, sketch, improv, and stand-up comedian, Boris Khaykin (@theborisk) ! Co-host Christopher Morucci (@christophermorucci) and I have a fun, fast-paced convo with Boris this week at Radio Free Brooklyn Studios, about everything from Little Shop of Horrors, to the USSR, to UCB in the 2010's, to how having a baby changed Boris' approach to stand-up, and more! We also get some incredibly silly improv comedy scenes in, including a scene about sports team confused about not only the sport they play, but also the fact that their fans seem to only enjoy when they lose. I've wanted Boris on the show for a long time, I admire his attitude and work-ethic, and I'm so glad his episode was our first one back. I've got so many plans for this third year of No Suggestion: An Improv Comedy Talk Show, and I'm thankful to all of you for taking this journey with us as a we chart a map through the NYC improv comedy scene. You can learn more about Ralf, his comedy, his music (as Precious Gorgeous), his acting, his teaching, this podcast, find full episodes of this podcast, and more at preciousgorgeous.com!
Our last episode before a little hiatus for the summer, we're so glad to end this season of #NoSuggestionPod with a big bang! This week's guest is the exuberant, vivacious, bold, and bright actor, teacher, and improv comedian, Kim Alu (@alu_who)! Co-host Aston Hollins (@astonhollins) and I hanker down for a good ol' chat sesh with Kim and we end up chatting about her being nearly Illuminati, how Cream Ridge, New Jersey got its name, tall tales, the rise and fall of Julia Fox, Kim's deep passion for improv comedy, and we share our real feelings about Dallas, TX. In this episode we also charge full speed into a bunch of improv scenes that turned out to be super fun and super funny, including a scene about a group of depleted teachers desperately grasping for inspiration and motivation to teach. This episode was exhilarating and it was such a pure joy to get to know Kim. We know you'll get as much of a kick out of her as we did! If you enjoy this episode please rate, and subscribe, and go back through our previous 91 episodes, there's plenty more where this came from! You can learn more about Ralf, his comedy, his music (as Precious Gorgeous), his acting, his teaching, this podcast, find full episodes of this podcast, and more at preciousgorgeous.com!
A beautiful hang on #NoSuggestionPod this week with actor, improv comedian, and NYC native, Zivon Toplin (@mbz_worldwide). Co-host Jake Joseph (@f00lish_b0y) and I embrace an wonky start to the podcast as we tuck into Radio Free Brooklyn for a roaming convo with Zivon. We chat about the seedy hotel next door to the studio, favorite improv moves, the cult following of our favorite team the great Centralia, improvising like an artist, being in love with New York, and how Zivon was inspired by the great Wayne Brady. In this episode we also immediately get into a ton of hilarious improv scenes, including a trippy scene about two shy young men avoiding their prom night. Zivon is such a thoughtful man and also such an infectious performer. This episode is a treat. We really hope you enjoy it. And if you enjoy this episode please rate, subscribe, and tell a friend! You can learn more about Ralf, his comedy, his music (as Precious Gorgeous), his acting, his teaching, this podcast, find full episodes of this podcast, and more at preciousgorgeous.com!
It's huge thrill for #NoSuggestionPod to have my illustrious homie on, actor, teacher, dancer, director, producer, filmmaker, clown and improv comedian, Ketchikan's own, Tallie Medel (@talliemedel)! Co-host Aston Hollins (@astonhollins) makes her triumphant return this week as we chat with Tallie in Radio Free Brooklyn studios about how I was sure she was Jewish and she isn't, going to concerts and festivals, leaving Alaska to go to Emerson college in Boston, why studying Theater Education over joining an acting conservatory was ultimately the right move for her, the inception of the beloved dance trio Tallie is part of, Cocoon Central Dance Team (@cocooncentraldanceteam), the clown program she's spearheading at Brooklyn Comedy Collective (@comedybrooklyn), and Tallie shares the experience of being in the all-encompassing runaway-train known as Everything Everywhere All At Once. Amidst this groovy, winding conversation we also got some trippy, giddy improv scenes in, including scene about a brassy new CIA agent at orientation their first day on the job. This episode was a fever-dream and it was a dream to have Tallie on. She's really making some cool things happen in NYC and teaching all over the country and it was so rad to get to talk to her about it. Enjoy this episode! And if you do, please write a rating for this podcast, subscribe, and tell a friend how funny we are! You can learn more about Ralf, his comedy, his music (as Precious Gorgeous), his acting, his teaching, this podcast, find full episodes of this podcast, and more at preciousgorgeous.com!
So much fun getting to know the luminous actor, teacher, filmmaker, content creator, script writer, sketch and improv Liz Coin (@lizcoin) on #NoSuggestionPod this week! Co-host Jake Joseph (@f00lish_b0y) and I had great fun hanging with Liz for an hour at Radio Free Brooklyn studios (@radiofreebk) and learning about Greece, Iowa, coming up in the Chicago improv scene, and how it compares to the New York scene, her love of Viola Spolin, the Improvolution (@improvolutionnyc) theater, her one-woman show, and more! It's a wide ranging and fun chat! We also really have some super silly, diverse, and hilarious improv scenes in this episode, including a scene about an extremely bohemian and laid-back heart surgeon. Liz is full of energy, point of view, and passion! This was a really dope episode! We can't wait for you to get to know Liz! And if you enjoy this episode, please subscribe and leave a review! They really help us! You can learn more about Ralf, his comedy, his music (as Precious Gorgeous), his acting, his teaching, this podcast, find full episodes of this podcast, and more at preciousgorgeous.com!
This episode of #NoSuggestionPod is good good good good good time! Second time guest Kalynn Chambers (@kalynnchambers) came back through with her hilarious homie Alex Sanchez (@alboogieeee) for a wild hang with me and guest co-host Christopher Morucci (@christophermorucci) at Radio Free Brooklyn studios (@radiofreebk)! We chat with them about their college jobs, chancellors, Kaitlin Clark, the distinctions between Inwood/Washington Heights/Harlem, stress and relaxation, bubble baths, and mindfulness. We also get in a lot of crazy super funny improv scenes including a scene that takes us perplexing job interview at Citibank. This episode was like a little party in the studio, Alex and Kaylnn brought so much fun and energy with them! I really can't wait for you guys to grab a beverage and come wild out with us. You can learn more about Ralf, his comedy, his music (as Precious Gorgeous), his acting, his teaching, this podcast, find full episodes of this podcast, and more at preciousgorgeous.com!
Delighted and thrilled to have the lovely teacher, actor, mom, and improv comedian, Irene Carroll (@andsceneirene) on #NoSuggestionPod this week. I've been pursuing Irene to come on the podcast for a long time because she's so sweet and so fun, and because I'm always so in awe of people who are parents who are very involved with raising their family, who still find ways to make time for their interests and creativity. Co-host Jake Joseph (@f00lish_b0y) and I have a wonderful time hanging with Irene and chatting about everything from Barbenheiming, to children's radio, to practicing for your first kiss, to jingles, KidProv, and as a bonus treat, Irene was friends with the people who founded Radio Free Brooklyn, the station we record this podcast from, and she tells us all about that and by extension the story of Collective Unconscious and the Bowery Poetry Club and the early 2000's NYC Art Star scene! It's a moment in the history of NYC culture I am so fascinated by so I am so geeked by this! We also get in some awesome and silly improv scenes including a scene about an actor at a comic book convention who takes his role as Ant Man very seriously. Irene is so sweet, and has so many cool stories from relentlessly pursuing a life of creativity and adventure, it was a joy to have her on. We know you'll dig this episode! You can learn more about Ralf, his comedy, his music (as Precious Gorgeous), his acting, his teaching, this podcast, find full episodes of this podcast, and more at preciousgorgeous.com!
What chaotic, fun time hanging with actor, writer, educator, and improv comedian Shayna Nash (@shaynash131) on #NoSuggestionPod this week! Guest Co-host Christopher Morucci (@christophermorucci) and I had such a giggly silly good time getting to know Shayna, and we got to gab with her about the time she got arrested, how her first improv shows in NYC were ones I used to help produce at Tiny Cupboard, how she moved to NYC for a teaching job, her dad being a secret investigator, country ham, the parent-pick-up incident that drove her to comedy, and more! And in the midst of all that, the three of us manage to get into some into some insane and insanely funny improv scenes, including a scene about some an incredibly intense granny bingo game. This is a really playful and fun episode, we know you'll enjoy it. If you do please rate, subscribe, and tell a friend about No Suggestion: An Improv Comedy Talk Show! You can learn more about Ralf, his comedy, his music (as Precious Gorgeous), his acting, his teaching, this podcast, find full episodes of this podcast, and more at preciousgorgeous.com! Â
This week on #NoSuggestionPod we hang with payroll manager, middle child, actor, karaoke enthusiast, and improv comedian, Matty Tuzynski (@mall_kitty_). Co-host Jake Joseph (@f00lish_b0y) and I have a great time getting to know Matty who is thoughtful, insightful, philosophical, and fun-loving! We chat about Matty's upbringing in rural Pennsylvania, his move to New York, the magic of Quincy Jones, intimacy in improv, Jim Carrey, working at a hostel, and our mutual appreciation of Steve Ling. We also get a big chunk of funny improv scenes in including a scene about a pair of buddies who are monopolizing the photo-booth at the mall. Matty brought so much bright, curious energy, and stunning wisdom to our hour with him, I know you'll enjoy this episode. You can learn more about Ralf, his comedy, his music (as Precious Gorgeous), his acting, his teaching, this podcast, find full episodes of this podcast, and more at preciousgorgeous.com!
This week on #NoSuggestionPod we welcome the bright, chipper, and endearing actor, voiceover artist, and improv comedian, Josh Hurley (@joshhurley)! Co-host Aston Hollins (@astonhollins) and got to really wind through a vast array of topics in this lovely and nostalgic conversation with Josh, where we reminisce about many of our childhood favorites, like the movies Clue, Young Frankenstein, Akira, Wayne's World, and particularly Robin Williams classics Hook and Mrs. Doubtfire, as well as fond memories of TV shows like Carol Burnett Show, and Golden Girls. We also talk about the nature of art, the tensions between generations, getting locked out of Tik-Tok, we have a serious debate about the central ideas in the films Barbie and Poor Things, and more! We also have an abundance of hilarious and surreal improv scenes in this episode, including a scene that follows an intense interrogation around a suspected candy jar thief on Easter weekend. This episode is so dynamic, silly, thoughtful, nostalgic, sweet, and full of comedy. It's a quite unexpected gem! We know you'll enjoy Josh, give this episode a listen! And if you enjoy it, please rate, subscribe, and tell a friend! You can learn more about Ralf, his comedy, his music (as Precious Gorgeous), his acting, his teaching, this podcast, find full episodes of this podcast, and more at preciousgorgeous.com!
On this special episode of #NoSuggestionPod we welcome the queen of herself herself, straight outta the Swizz alps, actor, comedian, singer, seeker of answers, life, and ecstasy, and clown, the Big Lady, AKA, Miriam Maissen (@biglady.mir.i.am)! Co-host Jake Joseph (@f00lish_b0y) and I got to have a magical and splendorous time with Miriam at Radio Free Brooklyn Studios chatting with her about her adventures to move to America, her marriage to clown and to jazz, searching for answers in the mountains, what improv teaches us, the lessons Miriam learned from an excessively overdue library book, the year she spent studying with the most renowned living clown teacher, Phillippe Gaullier, and more! We also find some of the most beautifully loony improv scenes in this episode, including a scene about a man with amnesia discovering that he might be a father. Thus episode is so gentle, so whimsical, and so fun of stories of adventure and imagination, it really is one of my favorites. Miriam is one of a kind, and so funny. We really think you'll enjoy this episode. Give it a listen! You can learn more about Ralf, his comedy, his music (as Precious Gorgeous), his acting, his teaching, this podcast, find full episodes of this podcast, and more at preciousgorgeous.com!
A momentous episode of #NoSuggestionPod, where we have our first real married improv couple! This we co-host Aston Hollins (@astonhollins) and I welcome film/television/stage and voice over actors, producers, writers, and improv and sketch comedians, David Carl (@davidcarlactor) and Katie Hartman (@khartsucks)! This episode we really get to know Katie and David's epic stories and chat with them about their incredible musical comedy show, David and Katie get Remarried, they talk about creating the show 10 years ago when they met all while never realizing they'd eventually start dating and get married, we talk about the performance art class Aston and Katie took together in college, the nudity of cabaret, the heydays of a certain era improv, bringer shows, facing rejection, and more! Not only is the conversation so jam packed and fascinating, we also make some screwball, nutso improv scenes happen, including scene about a nervous magician about to make his debut on the Jimmy Fallon show. I'm so thankful to have had David and Katie on, they've been dream guests for me since this podcast started. To learn more about their live show, which will have another New York run this year, visit davidandkatiegetremarried.com. We barely had enough time to get through everything there was to talk about, this episode is jam packed! Give it a listen! You can learn more about Ralf, his comedy, his music (as Precious Gorgeous), his acting, his teaching, this podcast, find full episodes of this podcast, and more at preciousgorgeous.com!
So grateful that one of the perks of hosting #NoSuggestionPod is sometimes I get to meet awesome NYC comedians I've never met before, like this week's guest, comedy writer, actor, filmmaker, sound engineer, Appalachian, and stand-up and improv comedian, Max Carney (@maxcarney)! Co-host Jake Joseph (@f00lish_b0y) brought Max to the show at Radio Free Brooklyn studios this week and it was so cool getting to meet and know Max and getting to do some really fun improv together. Me, Jake, and Max got to chat this week about growing up in Stewart, Ohio, in Appalachia, the first day of deer season being a holiday there, growing up in a house that was haunted, how he got started in comedy, the long-standing, mostly one-sided, bitter feud between stand-up and improv, and more! We also had some wild and funny improv scenes this week, including a scene about a schoolyard bully who is really having some digestive issues. I'm thrilled we could have Max on, he's so interesting and interested, and really has a passion for comedy. Please enjoy this episode, and if you do, please rate, subscribe, comment, and tell a friend! You can learn more about Ralf, his comedy, his music (as Precious Gorgeous), his acting, his teaching, this podcast, find full episodes of this podcast, and more at preciousgorgeous.com!
This week on #NoSuggestionPod we have one of the chillest, awesomest dudes in the improv scene, actor, engineer, rapper-musician, and improv comedian, Anthony Yong Brophy (@anthonybroph). Co-host Aston Hollins (@astonhollins) and I had a fun time hanging with Brophy we chat about the wonder of what we might look when we get old, how to wear jewelry, allergies, having a terrible time in Germany, his wonderful trip to Korea where he was taken in by strangers, cooking being meditative, being an electrical engineer, and nervous ticks. We also get a scene in about a group of youths dealing with anxiety in a mall food court. This episode was so easy and fun to record and it was a pleasure to hang out with Brophy. Ya'll enjoy this episode. You can learn more about Ralf, his comedy, his music (as Precious Gorgeous), his acting, his teaching, this podcast, find full episodes of this podcast, and more at preciousgorgeous.com!
This week on #NoSuggestionPod, we are visited at Radio Free Brooklyn studios by a being of pure sweetness and light, actor, clown, film set electrician, spiritual seeker, clown and improv comedian, Kevin Karpinski (@playwelltogether33)! Co-host Jake Joseph (@f00lish_b0y) and I got to have a nice hang with the gentle soul that is Kevin and we got to chat about all kinds of things like what the most formative years of ones life actually are, how Kevin made films as a kid, we get to hear about when Kevin lived in Minneapolis and made forbidden eye contact with Prince, what he did when he realized he wasn't going to become a great film auteur, how he moved to NYC, what it was like to work in television production during the great streaming boom, and the importance of breathing. During this serene hang we do slip into some mischievous and funny little improv scenes, including a scene about a pair of young high school boys who have a meltdown attempting to talk to their crush. Kevin has been through a transformative journey of growth through comedy and we're privileged to get some of his story this week. This episode is sweet, odd, and inspiring. Kevin is also really funny. We had a ton of fun this week, we can't wait for you to hear this episode. And if you enjoy the episode, please rate, subscribe, and tell a friend. Help No Suggestion podcast grow! You can learn more about Ralf, his comedy, his music (as Precious Gorgeous), his acting, his teaching, this podcast, find full episodes of this podcast, and more at preciousgorgeous.com!
So excited to share this exciting and absurd episode of #NoSuggestionPod with this week's guest, actor, clown, teacher, humanitarian, content creator, and improv comedian, the powerful Riley Soloner (@rileysoloner)! Guest co-host Christopher Morucci (@christophermorucci) and I run the gamut with Riley, learning about his epic journey, starting as a youth resisting his bohemian, hippie parents encouragement to attend the legendary summer Camp Winnarainbow, going back every year for more than a decade, working with the real Patch Adams, charitable clown trips, diving into the NYC improv scene at the UCB, his pandemic era Twitch show Googy Mornings, wide vs deep reach, meeting his wife as a result of part of the legendary Chris Gethard show, and much more more. In the midst of unspooling this epic tale, we really manage to get some really funny improv scenes in, including a deranged scene about a bodybuilder doing a hunger-strike at his gym. We loved recording this episode so much. Riley is so fun, and also so full of life, and sharp. We can't wait for you to hear this episode! If you enjoy it please rate, and subscribe, and tell a friend! You can learn more about Ralf, his comedy, his music (as Precious Gorgeous), his acting, his teaching, this podcast, find full episodes of this podcast, and more at preciousgorgeous.com!
Honored to have actor, producer, Italian-American, clown and stand-up comedian Lauren LoGiudice (@laurenlogi), on #NoSuggestionPod this week! Co-host Aston Hollins (@astonhollins) and I got to hang with her at Radio Free Brooklyn studios and chat about how she started doing and selling out shows in Little Italy, traditionalism vs progress, calling out people on their shit, studying with clown guru Philippe Gaulier, integrating clown into stand-up, Misfit Comedy, and Lauren had some really insightful and inspiring things to say about marketing and growing your audience, and more! We get some improv in, including a scene about a student being super honest about not studying and not caring about history class. We learn a ton with Lauren, we laugh, and we chill! This is a super fun episode with a really brilliant comedian! Check it out!
Such an honor and privilege to have 1/3 of one of the best improv teams in the city, Branded Silk (@brandedsilk), on #NoSuggestionPod, actress, singer, producer, and improv comedian, Onyi Okoli (@onyiokoli)! Jake Joseph (@f00lish_b0y) and I had such a wonderful time with Onyi at Radio Free Brooklyn studios chatting about being a raw vegan, forbidden stories of being a property manager, how being a comedian and having a day job affects your circadian rhythm, the culture shock of moving from predominately black Baltimore to go to USC for theater and how that led Onyi to produce and direct shows for black students while there, growing up with a Nigerian dad and an African American mom, and more! We also got some wildly ridiculous improv scenes this week, including a scene about an unassuming parking lot attendant trying to validate the parking of a very sexually charged pair on a first date. I laughed so hard recording this episode, ya'll! So grateful to finally get Onyi on the show. I've been trying to get her to come on for more than a year, but she's so sought after as a performer and a teacher at Brooklyn Comedy Collective (@comedybrooklyn). I have to say though, this episode is worth the wait. Follow Onyi and pull up to BCC to check out Branded Silk. And if you enjoy this episode, please rate and subscribe, and tell a friend! You can learn more about Ralf, his comedy, his music (as Precious Gorgeous), his acting, his teaching, this podcast, find full episodes of this podcast, and more at preciousgorgeous.com!
This episode of #NoSuggestionPod was a post-punk rager as we chopped it up with actor, comedian, singer-songwriter, band-leader of Gustaf (@gustaf_nyc), Lydia Gammill (@l_y_d_i_a_gammill)! Co-host Aston Hollins (@astonhollins) and I went full romper room chatting with Lydia about being raised on Conan O'Brien, the fact that not everyone laughs every day, finishing things, whether personal art has to be biographical, taking her time to finish her first Gustaf record, sauntering through ancient ruins, our relationship to confidence, and Gustaf's upcoming spring tour. We had a ball, especially in our uproarious improv scenes, including a scene about a very nervous school principal on their first day of work. Lydia and I started in the NYC improv scene together more than a decade ago and I'm so proud of how she's taken her infectious, deranged genius to make beautiful music with her band Gustaf. It was an honor to finally get to have her on and catch up and spaz out. This is such a delightful episode, we're glad to share it with you. If you enjoy it, please rate, subscribe, and share it with someone else! We appreciate you! And if you want learn more about me, this podcast, my music, hire me to coach your improv team or anything else, find me at preciousgorgeous.com!
Had a lovely hang with comedy writer, producer, nanny, actress, and comedian Slaney Rose Jordan (@slaneyrose) on #NoSuggestionPod this week. Co-host Jake Joseph (@f00lish_b0y) had a good time chatting with Slaney about her namesake, Michael Jordan, Apolo Anton Ohno, competition, growing up in Maine, her inheriting the role of producer of NYC comedy staple, Old School Sketch Show (@oldschoolsketchshow), and her love of Tom Waits. We also get get a bunch of fun improv scenes in including a scene about a down on her luck actress doing her one-woman show at a bar. This is such a chill, warm, easy-going episode. It was really nice getting to know Slaney. She has a lot of passion for art and comedy, I know you'l enjoy this episode. Please give it a listen, and then rate and subscribe. Thank you!
Thrilled to start 2024 with this episode! This week's guests are actor, teacher, philosopher, cannabis advocate, and comedian Shawn Wickens (@timetravelingstoned), back for the third time, and explorer and musician Zarif (@spaceroyz). Co-host Aston Hollins (@astonhollins) and I had such a deeply enjoyable hang at Radio Free Brooklyn studios with these two na'er do-wells. The four of us talked about Interstellar vs The Martian, the lazy bohemian lifestyle, Jane Goodall, Jamiroquai vs Aphex Twin, Zarif describes his style of music which he calls "Ocean music", Shawn gives his definition of jazz, Aston shares about her end of the year blues, and we all sing Prince's Seven together. As if all these good natured hijinks weren't enough, we still managed to get into plenty super silly improv scenes including a scene about a very relaxed and laidback crew of space explorers. This episode really delighted me, and I'm so thankful it's our first episode of the year. Shawn and I have known each other nearly a decade and we have worked a lot with Zarif, I couldn't have thought of a better set of guests to kick the year off with. Thank you to all of you who listen to the podcast and enjoy it. Starting off on this note I feel excited about what this year will bring about for the podcast. I appreciate you being on this journey with us. Enjoy this episode!
What a beautiful, luxurious, elegant salon we had with on #NoSuggestionPod this week with playwright, LGBTQ activist, actress, and comedian, Meg (@phallicmother)! Co-host Jake Joseph (@f00lish_b0y) and I got to spend a lovely hour at Radio Free Brooklyn studios hanging with my old friend Meg this week, and we got to chat about the deeper meaning of mock duck, God's vibe, high value platform shoes, accessibility vs inaccessibility in art, how transitioning affected Meg's approach to art, and how hilarious trans life can be. Amidst all this regalia we also got in some super funny improv scenes, including a scene where a team of homicide detectives on a grieve how tragically plain and boring their suspect is. It was so nice to spend time with my friend Meg, hear about the exciting things she's up to, the things that are important to her life right now, and laugh together about how absurd it all is. We had such a nice time and we think you will too. Please rate this podcast and subscribe! We appreciate you!
This week's episode of #NoSuggestionPod is a free-for-all! We had a wild, delightfully unhinged time with our guests, clown comedy duo Shoshana Rubin-Mann (@shoshanashoshanashoshanashosha) and Riley Stanzione (@rileystanz)! Me and co-host Aston Hollins (@astonhollins) have our work cut out for us trying to tame this wild pair as we gab about topics as far ranging as sounds, popsicle binges at the Celebration Barn, the liberation offered in musical improv, Mr. Bean, Shoshana's failed turtle neck protest. The show is so action packed with music, Shoshana's numb toes are saved by Rileys lined crocs, and the duo tell us about their upcoming show at the Magnet Theater on January 12th, Shoshana and Riley's Laundromat! As if this episode isn't kooky enough, we also get in a gaggle of silly improv scenes starting with a scene about a spaceship captain desperate for moment to complete his vital daily captain's log. This episode was truly so much fun, and recording it flew by, even though there was an actual blackout in he middle of it. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did. If you do, please rate this episode, subscribe to No Suggestion, and tell a friend! Thank you!
So lovely to get to shoot the breeze, and play with actor, screenwriter, singer, teacher, and improv comedian Katy Berry (@katyberrycomedy) this week on #NoSuggestionPod! Co-host Jake Joseph (@f00lish_b0y) and I got in a really solid hang with Katy at Radio Free Brooklyn Studios where we really got to know Katy, and all about her adventuresome story. We chat with Katy about clown being so hot right now in NYC, improv comedians as in the writer's room, trusting your instincts, manifesting, death putting life into perspective, her conflicted feelings about Long Island, owning a house and being in a serious relationship in her early twenties and dying inside, her upcoming holiday spectacular with her fiancé, and past No Suggestion guest Adrian Frimpong (@frimmydotcom) Dec 16th at Brooklyn Comedy Collective (@comedybrooklyn), and we hear the amazing story of both Katy and her mom starting new lives at parallel times. We also get some robust and funny improv scenes, including a scene where someone finally confronts Neil deGrasse Tyson and makes him answer the big questions.Katy is just so bold, generous, positive and open about her life, it was a thrill to get to know her. Katy is so in demand as a performer, a producer, and a teacher, we feel so lucky to have had her on, and her episode doesn't disappoint! Check it out! And please rate and subscribe! We appreciate you!
What a lively, lovely, vulnerable conversation we had with actor, clown, and comedian Sloan Brettholtz (@foreverasloan) on this week's episode of #NoSuggestionPod! Co-host Aston Hollins (@astonhollins) and really enjoyed having Sloan up at Radio Free Brooklyn Studios to chat about everything from there being a time and place for matzah, her family's fascinating religious spin moves, finding love, creative ways to navigate dyslexia, we do a harsh appraisal of dramatic improv, and Sloan tells us about her upcoming full length comedy show, starring her clown Officer Scott, January 27th at Brooklyn Art Haus. We also get a handful of really funny improv scenes in, including a scene about an illicit exchange with a Cuban dealer in a well-furnished alleyway. Sloan shared who she is and all her vulnerability with such exuberance and generosity. So thankful for her candor and delightfulness. We're really proud of this episode. Please give it a spin, and if you enjoy it, please rate, subscribe and tell a friend!
We really had a treat this week on #NoSuggestionPod welcoming back a favorite guest of mine, educator and improv comedian Hannah Marias (@hannah_marias) with her boyfriend, first-time guest, music director, musician, actor, and improv comedian, Adrien Pellerin (@adrienpellerin)! Had such at Radio Free Brooklyn Studios blast with my first improv couple on the show! In this spicy chat we talk about Tom Cruise' teeth, Rube Goldberg, Adrien being from Atlanta and the son of a professional tap dancer, Hannah and Adrien tell me how they got together, and we have an extended exploration of the wetness of international superstar, The Rock. We also get tons of ridiculous and hilarious improv scenes in, including a scene featuring a disgruntled concert pianist sick of people not appreciating THE CRAFT. This episode is sassy, delightful, and charming. Please enjoy our fun little party, Adrien and Hannah really cut loose in this episode. And if you had fun, please rate, subscribe, and tell a friend. Learn more about your host, me, Ralf Jean-Pierre, rapper-songwriter/actor/comedian/professor here at preciousgorgeous.com.
#NoSuggestionPod continues its Aaron streak this week! Check out this bonus episode!
This week we had a member of one the funniest indie improv teams in the city, Branded Silk (@brandedsilk), actor, rapper, musician, comedy writer, stand-up and improv comedian, the elusive Aaron LaRoche (@hersheylickings)! I've been trying to get the members of Branded Silk on this podcast for a long time, and Aaron is the first one I managed to get. Aaron is such a smooth, thoughtful, laidback, brilliant cat, and this session at Radio Free Brooklyn Studios, did not disappoint. Jake Joseph (@f00lish_b0y) and I had a great time chatting with Aaron about how his team Branded Silk came together, how doo rags are used, growing up in North Hampton, self-sabotage, Rizz, Aaron talks about what it's like to have been with one therapist for more than a decade, the name Topanga, each wave of NYC hipsters. We also really get some of my favorite scenes we've ever had on this show in today, including a hilarious scene about a harried and frantic NASA engineer and his much more relaxed colleagues. We were so honored to have Aaron on. This is such a fun episode, we hope you enjoy it! Please rate, subscribe and share with your friends!
Such a pleasure to have my friend, and former indie improv team teammate, actor, sketch and improv comedian Matt Hammond (@matthammondyo) on #NoSuggestionPod this week! Co-host Jake Joseph (@f00lish_b0y) was on board for me and Matt's catch up session, up in Radio Free Brooklyn studios, as I hadn't seen Matt since before the pandemic. In the before the pandemic times Matt and I were on an indie improv team together called The Hand-Me-Downs that was one of my most formative moments as a comedian. In this episode catching up with Matt we chat about being hopeful about getting older, our appreciation of Steve Martin's memoir, the power of music to help you feel less alone, and more. It's a warm, thoughtful, and charming chat. We also get loads of funny improv scenes in, including a scene about a mysterious, brooding student who distracts an entire high school basketball game with his compelling moodiness. Was such a treat to get to catch up with my friend, Matt. I think you'll dig the vibe of this episode. If you enjoy it, please rate this podcast and subscribe. Thank you, we appreciate you!
Actor, filmmaker, stand-up, and improv comedian Tom Achilles (@tomachilles) brought such a chill, fun-loving vibe to #NoSuggestionPod this week. This episode is such a smooth, easy, low-key hang between me, Tom, and guest co-host Aston Hollins (@astonhollins) down at ol' Radio Free Brooklyn Studios (@radiofreebk). We end up chatting about space movies, stress management, Tom moving back in with his folks for a bit during the pandemic, David Goggins, dealing with rejection, our love of Batman, and more. We actually end up getting a ton of fun improv scenes in this episode, including a very lively and dizzyingly fast auction! I really love the casual laid back vibe of this episode, it contrasts well with how many looney improv scenes end up happening. Follow Tom, and check out his stand up special Guillotine! He's got such refreshingly bizarre, ecstatic, and surreal energy to his comedy, which belies his incredible kindness and gentleness. And please, if you dig this episode, please rate, subscribe to this pod, and share it with your friends! Appreciate you!
We had a party on #NoSuggestionPod with the vivacious, and mischievous, actor, singer, and improv comedian Murph Baker (@murphbaker)! Co-host Jake Joseph (@f00lish_b0y) and I had a ball with Murph up at Radio Free Brooklyn Studios (@radiofreebk)! We chatted with Murph about what in the heck an incorporated township is, what improv taught Murph about life, Big Foot being an attention whore, moving to New York in the pandemic, Murph's prolific indie improv team Pietown (@pietown.nyc), her aversion to musical improv, the secret of her freckles, and more! We also just got in some wonky, wacky, and super funny improv scenes, including a scene about an astonishingly incorrigible construction worker. Murph is such a bright fun spirit, and a hilarious comedian, we're so glad we got to have her on to get to know her! We know you'll love her as much as we do. Give this episode a listen, and please rate subscribe, and tell your friends!
(Uploaded the wrong episode so this is a repost with the correct episode. Sorry!) We were blessed this week to have the angel of positivity that is actor, stage combat choreographer, essayist, mental health advocate, improv comedian, and all around good-egg, Michael Serpe (@badcaseofserpes) on #NoSuggestionPod this week! We chat with Michael about toiling in the community theater mines as a youth, the difference between something therapeutic and therapy, how much humans crave story, looking for connection in the world as a young introvert, serious high-school method acting, how Michael got into choreographing stage combat, and the reason he punched a friend one time. Co-host Jake Joseph (@f00lish_b0y) and I were so charmed by Michael's kind and optimistic POV, heart for community, particularly the community that makes You Are Not Alone (@youarenotalonecomedy), the monthly mental health monthly comedy show Michael has been making with his friends and performing in at the Magnet for nearly a decade. We also squeezed in some more silly than normal improv scenes, including a scene about some cocky youths waiting an exorbitant amount of time for their turn on the playground basketball court. Super proud of this episode and that we got to hang with Michael, he is such a bright spirit. Check this episode out, and if you like it, please rate and subscribe to our podcast on your podcast app, and tell a friend about our little comedy podcast, No Suggestion; An Improv Comedy Talk Show. Appreciate you!
A great honor to have actor, teacher, father, stand-up and improv comedian, Matt Higgins (@matthigginsnyc) on #NoSuggestionPod this week. Matt is part of the legendary team, the team I consider the greatest improv team on Earth, Centralia (@centralia_improv). Centralia is the inspiration for the name of this podcast, because famously they do not take a suggestion from the audience. Matt is the second member of Centralia we've had on this podcast. Guest co-host Aston Hollins (@astonhollins) and I had a great time hanging with him at Radio Free Brooklyn Studios! We chatted with Matt about his growing up in Philly, how Matt got started in comedy, NYC in the 1990's, zodiacs, Steve Winwood and more! And for sure we got a bunch of funny improv comedy scenes in, including a scene about a rowdy, contentious beach party. It was a real honor and delight to have Matt on the show. We just know you'll be delighted by this episode. If you are, please rate and subscribe to this podcast. Thank you!
Had a ball this week on #NoSuggestionPod with our guest, the effervescent whirlwind of fun that is actor, athlete, and improv comedian, Julia Schroeder (@juliaeschroeder). Guest co-host Aston Hollins (@astonhollins) and I had a giddy, ugly time chatting with Julia about everything from the fraternal order of improv comedians, to her one-person character show, Changing Room, to her participation in our peer improv podcast, Sounds Funny Radio (@soundsfunnyradio), to our appreciation of PacSun. We also got some crazy improv comedy scenes in, including a scene about a group of scientists dealing with losing an important, irreplaceable specimen! This episode was a really good time, with positive vibes. We hope you enjoy getting to know Julia as much as we did! If you enjoy this episode please, rate and subscribe! We appreciate you!
A playful and freewheeling hang with actor, PBS animation writing fellow, jazz musician, open-mic host, comedian, and quintessential Leo, Dejen Tesfagiorgis (@dejen45) on #NoSuggestionPod this week! Guest co-host Geoff Grimwood (@grimwoooo) and I spend a breezy hour getting to know this renaissance man at Radio Free Brooklyn Studios (@radiofreebk), and we chat about the harrowing fallout of recently losing his phone, being a producer at the BRIC, how public access programming works, growing up as a biracial child in Madison, Wisconsin, the perils of buying a CO-OP in NYC, his PBS Fellowship, and more! Throughout the show we not only get in some really fun and funny improv scenes, but Dejen treats us to no less than three celebrity impressions! This is such a fun episode, I hope you has as good a time getting to know Dejen as we did! Please rate and subscribe, and tell a friend! We appreciate you!
My North Coast (@northcoastnyc) teammate, one of the most beloved improvisors in the NYC scene, actor, poet, administrative director, freestyle rapper, teacher, and improv comedian Billy Soco (@bsoco) is our guest this week on #NoSuggestionPod. Co-host Jake Joseph (@f00lish_b0y) and I had such a good time with Billy at Radio Free Brooklyn (@radiofreebk) Studios hanging with Billy. I immediately accosted him about his mysteriousness, and that led to such a freewheeling, adventurous, engaged conversation. We talked with Billy about spoken-word poetry, introversion vs extroversion, journaling, Dave Coulier, his day-job as a healthcare administrator, what draws him to art, and hurricane season. We also get tons of improv comedy scenes in this episode, including a sweet and ridiculous scene about the faculty running a high school talent show getting mixed-up and turned-around trying to make a shy student comfortable enough to come out and perform. Billy is so interesting, fun, and easy to talk to. We really enjoyed recording this one. If you enjoy this episode, please rate and subscribe and share this podcast with your friends. We are really very proud of it.
Had such a chill hang at Radio Free Brooklyn (@radiofreebk) Studios this week with actor, singer, marathoner, and improv comedian Claire Shiell (@claireshiell). Guest co-host Aston Hollins (@astonhollins) and I sat down and just shot the breeze with Claire for an hour and we had such a fun time! We chatted about the last time we each cried, getting cut from theater school, training for ultra-marathons, acting cubes, and we challenge one another to look the coolest and most unbothered. It was just us gals gabbing it up for an hour and it was such a blast! We also got some super funny improv scenes in, including a scene about an unsettlingly cool job interviewee. Claire is one of the city's most prolific improvisors, playing regularly at places like The PIT (@thepitnyc), the Armory (@thearmorycomedy), and Young Ethel's (@youngethels), so it's a real honor to have her on. We sure hope you relish this episode! If you enjoy this episode please rate and subscribe, and tell a friend!
So blessed to have my old friend, comedian, actor, teacher, filmmaker, poet, and dad, Chris Roberti (@chrisroberti) up to the Radio Free Brooklyn Studios (@radiofreebk) to be our guest this week on #NoSuggestionPod. Co-host Jake Joseph (@f00lish_b0y) and I left with our brains, and our hearts, all a-tingle, because Chris is so brimming life-affirming philosophy and sweetness. We chatted with Chris about how he'd just met Spider-Man, seeing his first child be born, cherishing being absolutely destroyed by his children, his mortifying introduction to acting in the eighth grade, the time he was fired as a college RA and then exiled, about what he teaches to his acting and improv students at the Barrow Group (@thebarrowgroup), how comedy has helped him develop as a person and more. And we really got silly in our improv scenes this week, including a deranged scene about a fascist school teacher slowly losing control of his precocious grade school class. Chris is just so peaceful, and thoughtful, insightful, and easy to talk to. It was a joy to have him on, and I know you'll all enjoy getting to know him. Dig into this episode, and please rate and subscribe. And share with a friend if you enjoyed it!
Thrilled to have our guest the illustrious, formidable, and sparkling actor, content creator, and comedian, Kate Owens (@kate__owens) up to Radio Free Brooklyn Studios (@radiofreebk)! Co-host Jake Joseph (@f00lish_b0y) and I had a blast getting to know Kate. We had a deep, fun, sincere chat about everything from therapy, to approaches to drinking water, to discipline around ice cream, to satire. Kate told us about her family, what it was like to grow up in Sauquoit, NY, her amazing solo clown show, Cooking with Kathryn, and her upcoming Broadway debut with Melissa Etheridge! Don't think for a second that we didn't get tons surreal and hilarious improv comedy in this episode! Kate is so brilliantly, funny and we were lucky enough to get a ton of scenes in with her, including a scene about a mother struggling to deal with her desperately dumb child. This episode was so much fun, we really hope you enjoy it. If you do please rate and subscribe, and tell a friend!
After a month off, No Suggestion is back with a special episode. We're in Radio Free Brooklyn studios with a very special guest, half-Jewish, half-Puerto Rican, only child of the Bronx and Spanish Harlem, Morty Saperstein (Elke Reid, @elketv). Co-host Jake Joseph (@f00lish_b0y) and I have a good time chatting with Morty the actor Leon, schooling, dating advice, the Illuminati, Conga drums, Courtney Cox, dance the Lizzo controversy, and hope. It's a sweet and simple conversation and I hope you guys enjoy it, and enjoy Morty. Please rate, subscribe and share with your friends.
An honor to have our guest, actor, comedian, teacher, and managing director of Brooklyn Comedy Collective (@comedybrooklyn), Julian Hernandez (@joobliander) on the No Suggestion this week! Guest co-host Jake Joseph (@f00lish_b0y) were mesmerized this week in Radio Free Brooklyn (@radiofreebk) studios this week getting to know Julian, and chatting everything from about his background in comedy and his experience at the UCB, boundaries in the workplace, the definition of clown, his one person show Jooby, stand-up comedy being theater, and more. This is my favorite kind of chat because it's delicate and profound, despite how silly and off-the-wall it is at times. We also get really giggly and silly in our improv scenes this week, particularly in a scene where two improv students pitch an improv show that's just a room filled with snakes to an exasperated theater manager. This is a dope, thoughtful, surreal episode, and it was a surreal honor and experience to have the great Julian Hernandez on #NoSuggestionPod. If you enjoy this episode as much as we enjoyed making it, please rate, subscribe, and share with friend.
This week I was honored to have comedian, actor, teacher, twin, and child of a kindergarten teacher, Christine Pineiro (@christinepineiro) up to Radio Free Brooklyn (@radiofreebk) studios! She's one of my favorite improv comedians in the city, and has been a dream guest for a while. Christine and I had a lovely chat about everything from going to an all-girls Catholic school vendettas in the Bronx, to an in-depth examination of the acting merits of Harrison Ford, to a fondness for the browns and greens of the 70's, to diversity in the improv community, and more! And if you think we didn't get a ton of side-splitting (and touching) improv comedy scenes in, you're wrong! We got some great scenes in this episode, including a scene about a dazzling dandy who happens to be a fine school janitor. Christine is so charming, and delightful, and funny, I know you'll love this episode of No Suggestion! Follow her and check her out on the Baldwins, and Sounds Funny Radio (@soundsfunnyradio)! If you do enjoy this episode please rate and subscribe where-ever you listen to podcasts, and please tell a friend about #NoSuggestionPod!
Took a minute for me to get myself together this episode, as I was running a bit late, but once I did, man, we had a big party in the studio with our special guest, actor, dancer, improv comedian, and serial game-show host, Christopher Morrucci (@christophermorucci)! Guest co-host Jake Joseph (@f00lish_b0y) and I had a ball at Radio Free Brooklyn studios chatting with Christopher about, experiences in boy scouts, Billings, Montana, Missoula Children's Theater, mountain lions, how dance saved Christopher's life, and what the opposite of spiraling is. We also got some really silly, fanciful, and giddy improv scenes, including a scene about young cherub eager to leave his tiny hometown, a town which is famous for its apple butter, but only in the next town. This convo was a delight! Please give this episode a listen, and if you enjoy it please rate, subscribe, and share it with a friend! And remember that episodes broadcast live every Thursday night on Radio Free Brooklyn (@@radiofreebk) at 11pm ET.
50th episode! That means we've been doing this show almost a year! Honored to celebrate our 50th by having Scott Richey (@harveymilkshake) and Joel Straley (@joelstraleyunofficial) on together. Both are fixtures in the NYC indie improv and comedy scenes, and they often play together as an improv duo called Duh! along with a host of other side projects each are involved in. They brought such bright, buoyant energy to the show, as we chatting about seeing a job interview as an improv scene, what we are supposed to be doing with our lives, being an improv lifer, and more! We also get some hilarious improv scenes in, including a scene about a job applicant who can't help but be irresistible and seductive. If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, subscribe, and tell a friend!
Excited to have my North Coast teammate on the No Suggestion pod with me, actor, rapper, teacher, podcaster, comedian, and mogul, Stephanie Rae (@wordnerdsteph)! I really got to know a lot about Stephanie on this podcast during our lovely chat. Stephanie and I chat about not being good at self-promotion, her podcast, New Blerd Order (@newblerdorder), having written several novels and her plan to get them published, siblings and best friends, why Batman sucks, and being a perfectionist. And don't doubt for a second that we got into some funny improv scenes! We did plenty, including a snappy informercial for a family-run full service beauty-salon. I feel like I gained so much perspective in this convo! Please enjoy this convo with Stephanie Rae! And if you do, please rate, subscribe, and tell a friend! I really need your support to help this podcast grow. It's really a labor of love for me.
This is a special episode of No Suggestion! This week we brought on my friend, actor, musician, and comedian, Aston Hollins (@astonhollins) to break her nearly 10 year hiatus from improv! Aston was one of my favorite house team members at the People's Improv Theater in the early 2010's, and this week she came on to jump back in the saddle. Guest co-host, Jake Joseph (@f00lish_b0y), and I had a blast with Aston. We chatted about Aston taking a break from improv, and taking acting classes. we also chatted about our feelings about summer, the power of affirmations, our relationship to hope, comedy as anthropology, and more! And through all of that, man we sure got into some screwy and hilarious improv scenes, including scene about vocalist in too much emotional distress to deliver performance at a recording studio session. This episode was a joy and thrill to record, and I hope you dig it. If you do, please rate, and subscribe to No Suggestion: An Improv Comedy Talk Show, and tell a friend!
Guest co-host Will Purpura (@willpurpura) and I had such a ball hanging with copywriter, martial-artist, actor, and improv comedian, AnneMarie Cullen (@bklyncullie)! AnneMarie chats with us about her career, changing careers, our dating experiences, and more! Plus we get some super deep, squirrelly, intense, and silly improv scenes in, including a group of drunk friends loudly confessing secrets to one another at the company Christmas party. AnneMarie was a really lovely and fun guest, and had so many cool stories. Please tune in and enjoy this episode! And if you dig it please rate and subscribe!
We at #NoSuggestionPod were so excited to have actor, teacher, improv comedian, sound engineer, and founder of Sounds Funny Radio podcast, James Quesada (@jamesqyou), on the podcast this week! I've been so excited about Sounds Funny Radio, and been geeking out over their hilarious IG reels featuring some of NYC's best improv comedians! They are so funny, so guest co-host Will Purpura (@willpurpura) and I were excited to have James up to Radio Free Brooklyn Studios to hang with us! We chat about James' native Detroit, we spend some time appreciating Tim Meadows, the evergreen quality of the Ninja Turtles, we discuss our philosophies on the modern improv scene and improv comedy podcasting, the parallels between improv and clown, we give book recommendations, and more! We also get some hilarious and silly improv scenes in, including the dives deep into very particular procedure of three detectives on a crime scene. This was such a lively and fun episode, and we really enjoyed getting to know James. Check him out and subscribe to Sounds Funny Radio podcast (@soundsfunnyradio). And please rate, subscribe to, and share to No Suggestion: An Improv Comedy Talk Show if you enjoyed this episode! We love you!
Honored to have one of my favorite people in the city, stand up and improv comedian, actor, teacher, sage, and father, David Rey Martinez (@davidreymartinez) on No Suggestion. Me and this week's guest co-host, comedian Will Purpura (@willpurpura) were stoked to have David up to Radio Free Brooklyn Studios to kick it and do some improv. And kick it we did! We chatted about James Earl Jones not being in the Darth Vader suit, flirtatious older women, we hear stories about David's powerful Jamaican grandmother, the 20 disciplines of comedy, a perilous misadventure with a bean burrito and more. In the amidst all this we did manage to get into some spicy and hilarious improv scenes, including a scene about a guy who doesn't quite fit in struggling to make friends in a new neighborhood. I really loved recording this episode and I think you'll enjoy listening to it and laugh a lot. Please rate and subscribe to this podcast, and share it with a friend!
Had such a vulnerable, open, honest, and wildly funny chat with our guest Adrian Frimpong at Radio Free Brooklyn Studio's to this week! Guest co-host Pedro Lee and I really had fun getting to know Adrian, we learned about his Texas roots, and his interesting family dynamic, and the idea of how hard you can go at your dreams and career in NYC. In the midst of that we chatted about all kinds of interesting topics including Chris Tucker's acting career, footwear, and we also got a ton of super silly improv scenes in, including a scene about a bank teller who suspects his college of actually having been the person who'd just robbed the bank. If you have as much fun listening to this episode as much as we had recording it, please rate and subscribe to No Suggestion!
What I kooky time we had this past Thursday night (11pm ET, every week, broadcasting live) at Radio Free Brooklyn Studios with actor and improv comedian April Sickler (@asickler)! Guest co-host Shawn Wickens (@shwickens) and I embarked down a winding whimsical convo with April that touches on Black Mirror vs Twilight Zone, the movie AIR, how a podcast is supposed to run, possible lines of dialogue that might've been in Ant Man 3, the legacy of South Park, how to make more audience participation in improv, and we try to come up with spoof of Avatar. And for sure we got some wild, loopy improv scenes in, including one in a dysfunctional, resentment filled doctor's office. This is a weird, spacey, kooky hang. Come party with us! And please rate and subscribe if you like this!