Sweet Home Wherever

Phil Micallef, Englishman in Prague, speaks to Carmine Rodi, a very talented stand-up comedian from the southern Italian city of Napoli, who has lived in Prague for five years.  In a very enjoyable conversation, Carmine discussed topics such as: the north/south divide in Italy, Diego Maradona’s Napoli years, how a warm-hearted Mediterranean native adapts to life in the ever-so slightly less warmer Slavic climes, and, of course, he mentioned his biggest hate of all, which is a certain pizza topping that he simply cannot abide. Follow Carmine’s Facebook page – search for ‘Carmine Rodi Standup Comedian’ (@carminestandup). To find out more about English-language comedy shows going on in Prague, and other places nearby, search for Comedy Prague and Velvet Comedy on Facebook and Instagram. Follow Sweet Home Wherever on our Facebook page and on Instagram @sweethomepodcast Email us: sweethomepodcast@gmail.com Big thanks to Benny Curtis for help with coming up with ideas and for the fetching logo design.

Phil Micallef, Englishman in Prague, speaks to Tori Burton, a very talented English stand up comedian who’s lived in Prague for several years.  Tori comes from the town of Bedford, which is just to the north of London, so she discussed all the various delights of said town and how she finds life here in the Czech capital.  The majority of this episode though was spent talking about the year Tori spent working as a stripper in London before making the move to Prague.  She gave a fascinating insight into the ups and downs of this job, which will help you look beyond the massive taboo label that society all too often plasters onto this profession.  It was a great chat, full of wonderful banter, as well as a guest appearance from Tori’s loveable mutt, Miguel, who did his very best to mount Phil during the recording.  Ever the professional, however, Phil powered on and here are the results.  Enjoy! Check out Tori’s own podcast, On The Shitter With Tori Burton, available on all the usual places. To find out more about English-language comedy shows going on in Prague, and other places nearby, search for Comedy Prague and Velvet Comedy on Facebook and Instagram. Follow Sweet Home Wherever on our Facebook page and on Instagram @sweethomepodcast Email us: sweethomepodcast@gmail.com Big thanks to Benny Curtis for help with coming up with ideas and for the fetching logo design.

Phil Micallef, Englishman in Prague, speaks to Luke Ryan, an Irish comedian from Dublin, who has lived in Prague for almost 10 years.  Luke is the founder of Comedy Prague, which he set up in 2013 in order to start building up an English-language stand up comedy scene here in the Czech capital.  Seven years down the road, and the scene is now stronger than ever with several Comedy Prague shows taking place every week with a fine roster of international comedic talent.  Phil moved to Prague not too long after Luke did and the two of them have been very good friends since and shared a good old chinwag in this episode of Sweet Home Wherever, a chinwag that consisted of topics such as: the great things Ireland has done for the world; Luke’s hometown of Dublin; Luke’s never-ending battles with the Czech language; and, of course, the main thing that builds bridges between Britain and Ireland, Father Ted.  Also, running.  Luke likes running.  And Making memes about running. To find out more about English-language comedy shows going on in Prague, and other places nearby, search for Comedy Prague and Velvet Comedy on Facebook and Instagram. Follow Sweet Home Wherever on our Facebook page and on Instagram @sweethomepodcast Email us: sweethomepodcast@gmail.com Big thanks to Benny Curtis for help with coming up with ideas and for the fetching logo design.

Phil Micallef, Englishman in Prague, speaks to Lucy Ingram, a Czech comedian who lives in London.  There’s very much a cultural exchange, role reversal kind of thing going on in this week’s episode as an Englishman living in the Czech Republic talks to a Czech living in England.  Lucy, who’s lived in London for the past 12 years, spoke to Phil about various things including English ignorance of European geography, Czech names, funny Czech traditions and Czech medical advice (spoiler: it’s booze-related). Lucy runs a comedy night in London twice a month called the Ministry of Comedy.  It takes place at the Nell of Old Drury in Convent Garden on the first Monday of each month and the Savoy Tap on Savoy Street on the second Monday of each month.  To find out more about English-language comedy shows going on in Prague, and other places nearby, search for Comedy Prague and Velvet Comedy on Facebook and Instagram. Follow Sweet Home Wherever on our Facebook page and on Instagram @sweethomepodcast Email us: sweethomepodcast@gmail.com Big thanks to Benny Curtis for help with coming up with ideas and for the fetching logo design.

Phil Micallef, Englishman in Prague, speaks to Sean Reardon, a Prague-based comedian from the great state of New Jersey, USA.  Sean is American through birth, Irish through descent, Mexican through marriage, Czech through current residency, and international through…well, everything else we’ve just mentioned.  He discussed with Phil, amongst other things, the similarities between New Jersey and Phil’s English home county of Essex, New Jersey’s strong international flavour, what Europeans think of Americans, what it was like being an American living in Mexico at the same that Trump got elected, and why us European folk should all take it easy and stop slagging off the many American folk who don’t have passports (it was a point extremely well-made!).  Listen right to the end for a special musical treat that perfectly fuses New Jersey with Essex. To check out when Sean is performing comedy, find his Facebook page, Sean Reardon Comedy (@SeanCReardon). To find out more about English-language comedy in general that’s happening in Prague and other places nearby, search for Comedy Prague and Velvet Comedy on Facebook and Instagram. Follow Sweet Home Wherever on our Facebook page and on Instagram @sweethomepodcast Email us: sweethomepodcast@gmail.com Big thanks to Benny Curtis for help with coming up with ideas and for the fetching logo design.

Phil Micallef, Englishman in Prague, speaks to a fellow Essex man living in the lovely Czech capital, Russell Adam Webb.  Russell discussed the perception the rest of the UK has of us Essex folk, as well as the perception Europeans have of us Brits.  In a very frank and funny conversation, Russell gave a fascinating explanation about why he used to vote for the Conservative Party, but decided to stop doing so in last year’s UK General Election.  Most importantly though, he explained very clearly and concisely what a greasy spoon is (here on Sweet Home Wherever, we feel it is our duty to educate our international listeners about various cultural customs and traditions from around the world, and a greasy spoon is indeed a prime example of British culture at its finest). This episode is going out the day before Britain leaves the EU and dives headfirst into oblivion.  However, this episode showcases two British lads, who despite both coming from a part of England that voted overwhelmingly in favour of Brexit, are very proud to be living in the very centre of Europe and enjoying everything this wonderful continent has to offer.  Check out Russell’s Facebook Page, The Prague Geezer, on which he gives plenty of tips and recommendations on things to do in Prague. Follow Comedy Prague and Velvet Comedy on Facebook and Instagram for more details about English language comedy shows in Prague, featuring your host Phil Micallef and many of his Sweet Home Wherever guests. Follow Sweet Home Wherever on our Facebook page and on Instagram @sweethomepodcast Email us: sweethomepodcast@gmail.com Big thanks to Benny Curtis for help with coming up with ideas and for the fetching logo design.

Phil Micallef, Englishman in Prague, keeps it local this week as he speaks to Kristýna Haklová, a Czech stand-up comedian and founder and owner of the comedy promotions brand Velvet Comedy.  She discussed all the key Czech-related issues, such as what Czechs really think of foreigners, what foreigners really think of Czechs, what everyday life was like for her older relatives under Communism, Bill Clinton and former Czech president Václav Havel’s beer-fuelled 90’s bromance and, most importantly, why the age-old stereotypical cliché of Czechs being terrible at customer service, while not strictly being untrue, is certainly unfair!  Kristýna’s 6-month old kitten, Archie, also dropped in (literally, onto the audio recorder) to say „Ahoj!” (yes non-Czechs – that really is how the Czechs use speech marks – mad innit!). Kristýna grew up in the town of Beroun, just to the west of Prague, and has also lived in New Zealand for a couple of years.  As founder, owner, and all-round empress of Velvet Comedy, she has put on many a wonderful comedy show in Prague and other parts of the Czech Republic over the last few years, featuring well-known touring comedians, such as Judah Friedlander, Todd Barry and Norman Lovett, to name just a few.  She also works tirelessly to give opportunities for skill-honing to local Prague-based comedians, such as everyone else who has been on this podcast so far, including me (sorry, I lapsed into the more familiar first person there – Phil will now quietly slip back to the more professional-looking third person form).   Follow Velvet Comedy on Facebook and Instagram for more details about all the wonderful English comedy shows Kristýna is putting on.  Also follow Comedy Prague for details on more fun comedy shenanigans in this most joyous of cities. Follow Sweet Home Wherever on our Facebook page and on Instagram and Twitter @sweethomepodcast Email us: sweethomepodcast@gmail.com Big thanks to Benny Curtis for help with coming up with ideas and for the fetching logo design.

Quick update from host Phil Micallef about a slight change to this week's Sweet Home Wherever episode.  Plus, if you behave yourself and listen to the end, you will be rewarded with three delightful jokes, straight out of the Sweet Home Jokebook.

Phil Micallef, Englishman in Prague, speaks to another Phil, Prague-based American comedian Phil Varney. Phil (Phil Varney that is) was raised as a Mormon in Utah in a very Mormon-heavy community.  However, he has since left the Mormon church and for the past year and a half or so has found a brand new lease of life in Prague, a city in which, it's fair to say, the Mormon influence isn't quite as strong as where he grew up (Joseph Smith famously couldn't stand Pilsner-style beer...probably).  He discussed what it was like to leave the Mormon religion he grew up in and why he did so, as well as plenty of other interesting topics, such as how Americans are perceived these days by Europeans, how to spot American tourists in Prague, how a drunken group of British lads in Prague inadvertently helped him fulfil a lifelong goal (or fantasy - you decide) and, most importantly, who his top 3 Phils of all time are. Follow Comedy Prague and Velvet Comedy on Facebook and Instagram for more details about English language comedy shows in Prague, featuring both of the Phils on this episode, as well as a whole host of other wonderful comedic talent. Follow Sweet Home Wherever on our Facebook page and on Instagram and Twitter @sweethomepodcast Email us: sweethomepodcast@gmail.com Big thanks to Benny Curtis for help with coming up with ideas and for the fetching logo design.

Phil Micallef, Englishman living in Prague, speaks to Serbian stand up comedian, and fellow Prague resident, Katarina Puskarov.  Katarina discussed subjects such as Serbian/Balkan stereotypes, her childhood growing up in a country at war, how Americans reacted to her when she lived in the USA for a year at the age of only 17, how great Spain is, how great Balkan baked goods are, and how great The Wire is.   Check out Katarina's website with more details about her comedy: www.katarinapuskarov.com Also follow Comedy Prague and Velvet Comedy on Facebook and Instagram for more details about comedy shows in Prague.   Follow Sweet Home Wherever on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @sweethomepodcast Email us: sweethomepodcast@gmail.com   Big thanks to Benny Curtis for help with coming up with ideas and for the fetching logo design.

In this first episode, host Phil Micallef, speaks to Scottish comedian, and fellow Brit-living-in-Prague, Grant Gallacher about life in Scotland and the wondrous tribulations one encounters when adapting to life in a foreign land.   Big thanks to Benny Curtis for help in coming up with ideas for this podcast, as well as designing the fetching logo.