Podcasts about Second City

Attention Wealthy Beatles Fans (TM)! How do you feel about 13 tracks? No, not “of whack”, as Walter Becker might have presented us, while he was still alive anyway. But rather, 13 tracks of unearthed Beatles demos & takes, nearly all of which are pure gems, now available on “Anthology 4”.   Awesome, yes? Now, how do you feel about spending $74 for a deluxe vinyl package (excuse me? SIR?) with 36 tracks of whack. Does it make you feel better to know that you're spending that hard earned cash on 36% “new” material, and; coincidentally, (Beatles) '64% of music you already bought on previous deluxe reissues? Good news, because as the Fat Boys once sang, “Baby you're a rich man, too!”   Look, we like to joke around at the UBP, it's what makes us Apple's only legally/emotionally authorized Beatles podcast (TBD). OF COURSE we're grateful for “new” Beatles goodies we've never heard before. Early takes of “Tell Me Why”! “Every Little Thing!” “In My Life”! Surely, “A4” has been curated for both the die-hard and casual Beatles fan, yes? What's that? Oh you were expecting a “Yes, and?” Well we love improv, too. It's our water, our oxygen, our physical fitness. In fact, improv is what makes us The Second City's only legally/emotionally authorized Beatles podcast (TBD).   So not only do Tony & T.J. begin to deep dish “Anthology 4: Less Faster But Even More Furious”, but they yes and themselves into veritable Don knots over:  

Send us a textThis week on Here's What We Know, Jonathan Kite joins us for a conversation that is equal parts hilarious, heartfelt, and deeply human. You may know him as Oleg from “2 Broke Girls,” but today he pulls the curtain back on the real craft of comedy and the unexpected moments that shaped his journey.We dig into what it takes to build a stand-up set, how crowd work has changed, and why impressions are more than funny voices. Jonathan shares stories from the road, reflections on early influences like Abbott and Costello, and a beautiful moment involving a phone call from a friend he thought he had lost forever.We also talk about the energy it takes to perform at a Jim Carrey level, the kindness behind Tom Hanks's gift of earnestness, and why laughter still feels like one of the most meaningful ways to lift someone's spirit.Tune in and enjoy this warm and wonderfully unexpected ride with Jonathan Kite.In This Episode: • How stand-up comedy evolves with every audience • The art and heart behind great impressions • A life-changing call that arrived at the exact right moment • What Jonathan learned from Robin Williams, Norm Macdonald, and others • Why laughter matters more than everThis episode is sponsored by:Bison Junk Removal (Effortless solution to your junk removal needs!)Bio:Jonathan Kite is a versatile actor, comedian, and master impressionist, famous for his role as Oleg the Ukrainian cook on the hit CBS sitcom 2 Broke Girls.Known for his quick wit and over 250 celebrity impressions, Jonathan has built a diverse career across television, film, voice acting, and stand-up comedy. His notable credits include starring opposite Jamie Foxx in the Netflix series Dad Stop Embarrassing Me and voicing characters in animated films like The Addams Family 2, as well as shows like Family Guy and American Dad.An alumnus of Second City and The Groundlings, he tours nationally with his stand-up and is currently producing his feature screenwriting debut. Jonathan is celebrated as one of today's most versatile comedic talents.Website: https://www.jonathankitecomedy.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jonathankite/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/officialjonathankite/TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@thejonathankiteYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JONATHANKITECOMEDYConnect with Gary: Gary's Website Follow Gary on Instagram Gary's Tiktok Gary's Facebook Watch the episodes on YouTube Advertise on the Podcast Thank you for listening. Let us know what you think about this episode. Leave us a review!

It might be December, but it's wedding season on Charm Scene! Charming guest Carlos Rivera helps us plan the perfect wedding in this week's fully improvised musical, with brooding brides, massive monologues, and aunt-ish ants! Will anyone find love? Find out this week on Charm Scene! Carlos, a rare species of "non-fluent in Spanish" Miami native, has done improv for most of his adult life. Since moving to Chicago in 2016 to pursue comedy, he has successfully graduated from the Annoyance, iO, CiC, Second City's Improv AND Musical Improv Conservatories, and has performed in improv & sketch all around town, and in festivals all across the country. You can currently find him in shows such as Shamilton, Wheel of Improv, Starship Edsel, Comedy Pageant, Swiped, Dinner Detective, & more! After a long week, Carlos likes to wind down by singing some "FERGALISCIOUS" at local karaoke bars around town, or watching his hometown football team the Miami Dolphins fail week after week. Find him on Instagram at "carlosrvra" or at http://allmylinks.com/carlosrvra. Cast: Lily Ludwig, Austin Packard, Carlos Rivera Music Director: Sam Scheidler Drums: Chris Ditton Follow us @CharmScenePod on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, or shoot us a message at CharmScenePod@gmail.com!

Tracklist:1. Flight Facilities - Forever In My Room (Extended Mix)2. Soul Avengerz - Reachin' (Extended Mix) 3. Jaegerossa - Sunshine (House Mix)4. Adelphi Music Factory - 'Studio 64' (Extended Mix) 5. SecondCity, Monty Kiddo & Big Time Charlie - On The Run 2025 (Extended Mix)6. Glen Horsborough & Karmina Dai - Thank You (Original Mix)7. Fond8 - Promises (Extended Mix)8. Zac Samuel - Do This (Extended) 9. Miirabelle, Lizzie Nightingale - Gotta Get Up (Extended Mix)10. Junior Sanchez & DJ Rae - Free Yourself (Mattei & Omich Remix)11. Wh0 vs The Fog - Been A Long Time (Extended Mix)12. South Street Players - Who Keeps Changing Your Mind (Glen Horsborough 2025 Remix)13. Mobin Master - Touch Me (Extended Mix) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of The Jon Gordon Podcast, I sit down with Matthew Tedesco, SVP at Miller Knoll and author of The Business Buffet, the very first official release from Gordon Publishing!  We dig into the real-world leadership and communication skills that business schools leave out.  If you're looking for simple, practical takeaways to elevate your leadership and strengthen your team, this episode is for you. About Matthew, Matthew Tedesco is the author of The Business Buffet: 15 Career Skills They Never Teach—But Everyone Expects You to Know, which distills two decades of global leadership into practical lessons on communication, connection, and culture. He is a senior global business leader, where he has led teams across Asia, North America, and Europe, launched new divisions, and guided organizations through periods of transformation and change. His approach to leadership was shaped not just in the boardroom, but also while studying improv at Second City in New York, where he learned that authentic connection comes from listening and responding—not delivering a script. He also serves as board chair for Global Nomads Group, a nonprofit that expands education and opportunity for youth worldwide. Outside of work, Matthew is a musician (under the name NJMJ), photographer, and lifelong storyteller. He grew up on Long Island in a blue-collar family where hard work and education weren't just values—they were survival. Today, he lives with his wife, teenage son, and their Labradoodle, who has never once respected a conference call when the mailman shows up.   Here's a few additional resources for you… Do you feel called to share your story with the world? Check out Gordon Publishing  Follow me on Instagram: @JonGordon11 Order my new book 'The 7 Commitments of a Great Team' today! Every week, I send out a free Positive Tip newsletter via email. It's advice for your life, work and team. You can sign up now here and catch up on past newsletters. Ready to lead with greater clarity, confidence, and purpose? The Certified Positive Leader Program is for anyone who wants to grow as a leader from the inside out. It's a self-paced experience built around my most impactful leadership principles with tools you can apply right away to improve your mindset, relationships, and results. You'll discover what it really means to lead with positivity… and how to do it every day. Learn more here! Join me for my Day of Development! You'll learn proven strategies to develop confidence, improve your leadership and build a connected and committed team. You'll leave with an action plan to supercharge your growth and results. It's time to Create your Positive Advantage. Get details and sign up here. Do you feel called to do more? Would you like to impact more people as a leader, writer, speaker, coach and trainer? Get Jon Gordon Certified if you want to be mentored by me and my team to teach my proven frameworks principles, and programs for businesses, sports, education, healthcare!

Sydney Kane! Actor! Writer! Singer! Comedian! Her new show is called "Wife Material." ABOUT WIFE MATERIAL:  Sydney Kane was just dumped for not being "wife material." Desperate to figure out what wife material is, Sydney signs up for a drug trial for a magical pill that will help transform her into the perfect wife. The only side effect? Being transported into a dramatic interpretation of her love life: a one hour musical sitcom!  Sydney takes you on a PG-13, (leaning R) journey through the most universal experience there is: falling in love and then falling out and then falling back in. And then regretting it, and telling your friends you're done but then you're not. And then you're on your floor waiting for a text that never comes, so you get over it, and then you meet someone new. And you fall in love. Does this ever end? Will Sydney break out of her toxic dating cycle or stay in this endless loop? They say the only way to get over a break up is by breaking out into song and light choreo, so Sydney is giving that a shot. She's also taking those pills*. One thing is for sure: if Sydney has an audience there is nothing she won't do. See it all play out in Wife Material at Littlefield in Brooklyn December 1 & 2, 2025 and at SF Sketchfest January 25, 2026. *(WIFE MATERIAL IS NOT APPROVED BY THE FDA BUT RFK IS STILL TAKING A LOOK) CREDITS: Written and Performed by: Sydney Kane Producers: Bart Coleman, DTYF Productions Direction: Cassidy Kepp Music Direction and Arrangements: David Dabbon Music Production: Skyler Fortgang WHO: Sydney Kane, NYC-based actor/ comedian WHAT: Encore presentation of her fully sold-out comedic show, Wife Material WHERE: LITTLEFIELD, 635 Sackett St, Brooklyn, NY WHEN: December 1 & 2, 8pm (Ticket Links for listings: Dec 1 - Dec 2) About Sydney Kane:​​ Sydney Kane is an NYC based actor, singer, comedian, writer who has performed everywhere from off-off-off-barely Broadway to the big 9x16 iPhone screen. A graduate of Pace University with a BFA in Musical Theater, she's done improv at UCB and Second City and gained a following on social media for her extremely insightful dating content. With sharp comedic writing and quick witted lyrics, Kane brings a warm and unassuming stage presence, leveling with her audience in a fearless self-depreciating humor but always with a knowing wink from the stance of striking confidence without flinching. People think she is very wise, especially straight men. (follow @sydneymorgankane on all social media.) Sydney and I have a great chat! You can have a great listen! And this is only one HALF of our chat! If you want to hear the other half, subscribe via Apple Podcasts OR click on over here to Patreon!

Dance Anthems is your essential guide to the world of dance! This week with a guest Weekend Vibe Mix from Bingo Players. As heard on Vibe Nation Radio, Fresh 92.7, Impulse Radio and Dance Attack FM.   SECONDCITY, MONTYKIDDO & BIG TIME CHARLIE - ON THE RUN 2025   MORGAN SEATREE - NEVER GONNA STOP Last Week's Hottest Vibe - DIMENSION - GUARDIAN ANGEL (feat Karen Harding)   Hottest Vibe - GORGON CITY & MUKI - MITSUBISHI  KI/KI - WHAT'S A GIRL TO DO IN '25 ANDY C - BELIEVE AGAIN (I Found U) (feat Axwell & Max C)   FAITHLESS - INSOMNIA (Disclosure's 2025 Edit) JOSH BAKER - DR FEEL RIGHT (Malugi Remix)   MALL GRAB - THE WAY I'M FEELING   BBYCLOSE - EGO BL3SS - BAD GIRL ENERGY Anthem of the Week - SUB FOCUS & GRIMES - ENTWINED ERIC PRYDZ - CALL ON ME (HILLS Remix) - bangerrrrr!!!! TIGA x MEDUZA - YOU GONNA WANT ME ATB - 9PM (Til I Come) (James Hype Edit)   FRED AGAIN.., SAMMY VIRJI, REGGIE - TALK OF THE TOWN JAMBACK - POSITIVE   BURNS - THE ANTHEM   STRETCH & VERN - I'M ALIVE (Genix Remix) ARTBAT - DANCE   Club Cut - CHARLOTTE DE WITTE - HYMN     Vibe Dance Chart   #5 - SIDEPIECE - CRY FOR YOU 2025 #4 - MK & CLEMENTINE DOUGLAS - COME FIND ME #3 - SONNY FODERA, D.O.D., POPPY BASKOMB - THINK ABOUT US (K Motionz Remix) #2 - PROSPA - LOVE SONGS (feat Kosmo Kint) #1 - FISH56OCTAGON & ISSEY CROSS - DREAMING (Feelings)   Weekend Vibe Mix - BINGO PLAYERS

FEVERBALL 310 by Ladies On Mars + Special Guest: PLASTIC ROYALE FIRST HOUR: FEVERBALL MIX LADIES ON MARS 01. Teddy Pendergrass - Only You (John Morales M+M Mix) 02. Mark Whites - Give Me Your Love (Wayne Soul Avengerz & Odyssey Inc. Trois Garcon Mix) [Trois Garcon] 03. D.P.V. - Free Bird (Original Mix) 04. Junior Jack - Stupidisco (Joylon Petch) (LOM Edit) 05. Shakedown - At Night (Purple Disco Machine Extended Remix) 06. Baccus - Don't You Know (Extended Mix) 07. Oleg Xaler - I Know 08. Five - If Ya Gettin' Down (Fran Mirabet Nu Disco Remix) 09. Mark James & Pipi Le Oui - I love U (Peewee Ferris Remix) 10. Paul Johnson - Get Get Down (Giovi Bootleg) 11. Ladies On Mars - You Spin Me (Club Mix) 12. Modern Talking - Geronimo's Cadillac (Retro Disco Machine Extended Mix) 13. Ultra Naté - Free (Live Your Life) (B-Sights Remix 2020) 14. Ladies On Mars - If You Want Me (Extended Mix) [Feverball] 15. Redsole - Don't Ask Me (Extended Mix) 16. DE SOFFER - Blue Monday (Extended Mix) 17. Verrush - Sexy Girl 18. Ladies On Mars - Midnight Operator (Extended Mix) [Feverball] 19. Ladies On Mars - Need A Blues Man SECOND HOUR: GUEST MIX PLASTIC ROYALE 01. Change - A Lovers´s Holiday (Jim Burgess Mix) [New Fresh Records] 02. Luke Delite - Summer Party feat. Oma Jali) [I Got Disco] 03. Fatback Band - I Found Lovin´ (Folamour Extended Remix) [Cosmos] 04. Sammy Deuce - Save It (Original Mix) [Soulful Evolution] 05. Ken@Work - Motive8 (Original Mix) [Home Run] 06. Ladies On Mars - My Love Is Your Love (Club Mix) [Boom Zwapp Records] 07. Da Lukas, Stella Brown - Shine Bright Within (Extended Mix) [Groove Culture] 08. Sonic Soul Orchestra - Wake Up feat. Daniel Thomas (Raffa Deepside Remix) [Motive Records] 09.Foremost Poets, Johnny Dangerous - Beside Myself (Dave Lee Cowbell Party Mix) [Z Records] 10. Christian Woodyatt, Retro 75 - Lonely Man [Promo] 11. Jasper Street Co. - Paradise feat. Byron Stingily & Norma Jean (Mark Knight & Michael GrayExtended Mix) [Toolroom Records] 12. Bergwall, Holmapojken - Freak Mode (Extended Mix) [Wreckastow Records] 13. Frederik Hendrik - Het Verleeden [Pomme Frite] 14. Secondcity, Monty Kiddo, Big Time Charlie - On The Run 2025 (Extended Mix) [Altra Moda Music] FOLLOW TO FEVERBALL HERE: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/feverball Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/feverball Soundcloud: https://www.soundcloud.com/feverball Mixcloud: https://www.mixcloud.com/feverball Website: https://www.ladiesonmars.com/feverball FOLLOW TO LADIES ON MARS HERE: Website: https://www.ladiesonmars.com Official Music Store: https://www.ladiesonmars.com/musicstore/ Bandcamp: https://ladiesonmars.bandcamp.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ladiesonmars Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ladiesonmars Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/ladiesonmars Soundcloud: https://www.soundcloud.com/ladiesonmars YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/ladiesonmars FOLLOW TO PLASTIC ROYALE HERE: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/plasticroyale Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/plasticroyale Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/plasticroyale

This episode is FULL! Sydney and Dan get into the importance of funny and engaging videos, catching the wave of the ever-changing algorithm, what makes a comedian, figuring out “how to land the plane,” using comedy “cheat codes,” and the pitfall of making unnecessary changes.Also, authenticity, not being precious, dolls vs. action figures, Dan learns a new word, and Larry wants to know what a “situation ship” is!Sydney KaneSydney Kane is an NYC-based actor, singer, comedian, and writer who has performed everywhere from off-off-off-barely Broadway to the big 9x16 iPhone screen. A graduate of Pace University with a BFA in Musical Theater, she's done improv at UCB and Second City and gained a following on social media for her extremely insightful dating content. With sharp comedic writing and quick-witted lyrics, Kane brings a warm and unassuming stage presence, leveling with her audience in a fearless self-deprecating humor but always with a knowing wink from the stance of striking confidence without flinching. People think she is very wise, especially straight men. (Follow @sydneymorgankane on all social media.)https://www.sydneymorgankane.com/Our SponsorsVisit any of the following sponsors and use promo code "AOBPOD" at checkout to receive:20% off an item at Liqure Gummies: https://liqure.com/15% off an item at Old Glory: https://oldglory.com/20% off an item at Aspire Drinks: https://aspiredrinks.com/Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-art-of-bombing-a-comedy-podcast--5788059/support.Art of Bombing:"Nobody Had a Podcast Called The Art of Bombing" Theme by John Hult https://johnhult.bandcamp.com/album/half-a-life-to-recoverWebsite: https://www.artofbombingpod.com/ Links: https://linktr.ee/artofbombingpodBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-art-of-bombing-a-guide-to-stand-up-comedy--5788059/support.Hosts:Dan Bublitz Jr: http://www.danbublitz.com/ Larry Smith: https://larrysmithcomedy.com/

SCTV's Dave Thomas talks about making bold life choices, growing up in Canada, Shakespeare saving his ass, choosing between big money success as an ad man or being a broke improviser at Second City, becoming head writer on SCTV, Martin Short, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, John Candy, Catherine O'Hara, Eugene Levy, Joe Flaherty, Andrea Martin, Grace Under Fire, running an animation studio, turning to dramas like Bones and The Black List, going to Ukraine, Thailand, Mad Magazine, The McKenzie Brothers, Chester Hope, and how, to make it in Hollywood, you need at least two of these three things, Talent, Drive, & Luck. Bio: David William Thomas was born May 20, 1949, in St. Catharines, Ontario. He is the eldest son of British parents, Moreen Duff Muir (May 4, 1928 – May 18, 2022), a church organist for thirty years originally from Glasgow, Scotland and composer of church music, and John E. Thomas (1926–1996), a medical ethicist from Merthyr Tydfil, Wales who was head of the Philosophy Department at McMaster University, and the author of several books. Dave's younger brother, Ian Thomas, is a Canadian singer-songwriter. The family moved temporarily to Durham, North Carolina, where his father attended Duke University and earned a PhD in philosophy. The family moved back to Dundas, Ontario, in 1961, where Dave attended Dundas District high school, and later graduated with an honours Bachelor of Arts degree in English literature from McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario.[1]  Starting his career as a copywriter at ad agency McCann Erickson in 1974, Thomas became the head writer of the Coca-Cola account in Canada within a year. After watching a Second City stage show in Toronto, and while suffering from self-described "boredom" in his advertising work, he auditioned for the Second City troupe and was chosen as a performer.[2] He was a cast member of the Toronto production of Godspell, along with Victor Garber, Martin Short, Eugene Levy, Gilda Radner, and Andrea Martin.[3] Paul Shaffer was the musical director.[3 He first achieved fame as a cast member of the Canadian TV comedy series SCTV, joining Godspell castmates Levy, Martin and later Short, plus Rick Moranis, John Candy, Harold Ramis, Catherine O'Hara and others. Notable characters on the show include Doug McKenzie of beer-swilling brothers Bob and Doug McKenzie, editorialist Bill Needle, Scottish scone-chef/bluesman Angus Crock, motor-mouthed TV ad announcer Harvey K-Tel, Lowery organist/curio pitchman Tex Boil and the "Cruising Gourmet". Thomas's first film role was in Home to Stay, directed by Delbert Mann, in which Thomas played in a scene with Hollywood legend Henry Fonda. He then wrote, co-directed, and starred in the Bob & Doug McKenzie feature film Strange Brew. Soon after, he wrote for and acted in The New Show, produced by Lorne Michaels during his hiatus from Saturday Night Live. Short-lived, this show featured a powerhouse writing staff including Thomas along with Buck Henry, George Meyer, Jack Handey, Al Franken, Tom Davis, Valri Bromfield and Steve Martin. Thomas tried his hand at network television hour-long shows in 1986 when he wrote and co-executive produced Steel Collar Man for CBS. The pilot was produced but did not go to series. He co-wrote Spies Like Us (1985) with Dan Aykroyd.  In 1988, Thomas wrote another hour long show for CBS, B Men, which was back ordered, but Thomas took a directing job at Paramount, which caused the network to drop the series. He reportedly introduced John Travolta and Kelly Preston while directing them in the Paramount film The Experts.  He wrote for, produced, and starred in The Dave Thomas Comedy Show (1990). In 1991, he starred in the Showtime comedy, Public Enemy #2. In 1992, he tried his hand at reality TV and co-executive produced ABC's America's Funniest People with Vin Di Bona, but left after thirteen weeks to appear in the film Coneheads.  In 1993, he co-starred in ABC's Grace Under Fire with Brett Butler and Tom Poston and continued with the show for 5 seasons. In 1995 Thomas starred in the ABC television film Picture Perfect with Mary Page Keller and Richard Karn. In 1995 Thomas produced a pilot of a game show called Family Challenge for ABC. When ABC did not pick up the series, Thomas sold Family Challenge to the Family Channel, where he produced 144 episodes of the show spread over 2 seasons. In 1996, Thomas played the title role in the Fox television film Mr. Foster's Field Trip aka Kidz in the Wood with Julia Duffy. In 1996, he wrote the book SCTV: Behind the Scenes (McClelland & Stewart, publishers). From 1999–2002, he voiced various roles on the animated series Mission Hill. Thomas co-starred in the Paramount feature Rat Race. As of 2001, Thomas has been the Executive Creative Director of Animax Entertainment, an animation studio based officially in Culver City, California. In 2001–2002 Thomas appeared with Eugene Levy and Martin Short on Short's show Primetime Glick as Bob Hope (an impression he had first developed for SCTV with great success). In 2002, he co-starred with Jason Priestley, Dave Foley, and Ewen Bremner in Fancy Dancing. The next year he played a lead role in Beethoven's 5th. In 2003, he directed a hospital comedy feature film entitled Whitecoats, which he also wrote. As of 2004, Thomas was on the official Advisory Committee for the Comedy program at Humber College, the only such diploma program in the world. In 2004, he and Moranis again worked together voicing Rutt and Tuke, two moose based on the McKenzie Brothers, in Disney's animated feature Brother Bear.[4]  Thomas has had a long career doing voices for animation including Animaniacs, Duckman, CatDog, The Adventures of Tarzan, Justice League and multiple roles on The Simpsons, King of the Hill and Family Guy. In 2005, he had a guest stint as Charlize Theron's "Uncle Trevor" on Fox's Arrested Development. In 2006, he reprised his voice role in Brother Bear 2 and appeared as himself in the feature film The Aristocrats. He began production on ArnoldSpeaks.com, a video blog, as the voice of Arnold Schwarzenegger; Animax Entertainment won an Emmy for a broadband animated series produced for ESPN, Off Mikes.  In 2007, Thomas and Rick Moranis reprised their roles as Bob and Doug McKenzie in a one-hour special, Bob & Doug McKenzie's Two-Four Anniversary, for CBC Television. The show featured cameos from McKenzie celeb fans like Ben Stiller, Dave Foley, Tom Green, Paul Shaffer, Andy Dick, Matt Groening, Barry Pepper, Martin Short, and Geddy Lee. Former Prime Minister of Canada Paul Martin was the host. In 2008, Thomas revived Bob and Doug McKenzie in a new animated series, Bob & Doug. While Thomas reprises the character of Doug in the new series, Moranis chose not to voice the character of Bob, which instead is voiced by Dave Coulier. Moranis is, however, involved in the series as an executive producer.[5]  In November 2009, Thomas received an Honorary Doctor of Letters from his alma mater McMaster University and gave the fall convocation speech. In 2010 Animax continued to produce branded entertainment, advertising and digital shorts for corporations like Disney, Warner Brothers, NBC Universal, and Kodak. In 2011, Thomas's company Animax produced another animated show for MTV entitled Big Box along with numerous Internet shorts such as Life With Dad.[6][7]  In 2012 and 2013 Thomas guest starred in the dramatic shows Perception and Bones as well as comedy shows Comedy Bang! Bang! and How I Met Your Mother. In addition in 2013 Thomas voiced the recurring role of Jeff Foxworthy's father Jesco in the CMT show Bounty Hunters.  Thomas joined the writing staff of the Fox crime drama television series Bones beginning in 2013. Thomas worked for two seasons on Bones, writing several episodes and working on staff as consulting producer for two seasons.[8]  In 2015 Thomas joined the writing staff of NBC's The Blacklist as a consulting producer. In 2020 life-sized statues of Thomas and Rick Moranis as their characters Bob and Doug McKenzie were put in place at the ICE District Sports Arena in Edmonton, Alberta.[9] Also in 2020, the Governor-General of Canada announced that Thomas was being appointed to the Order of Canada,[10] Canada's highest civilian award. In 2021, Thomas and Max Allan Collins teamed to write a sci-fi mystery novel, The Many Lives of Jimmy Leighton.

Kelly Leonard, Vice President, Creative Strategy, Innovation and Business Development at The Second City and host of the “Getting to Yes, And…” podcast, joins John Williams to talk about a podcast he recorded with Dr. James Kimmel about his new book, “The Science of Revenge: Understanding the World’s Deadliest Addiction and How to Overcome It.” Kelly […]

1. Ceri, CICI, Psy Psy Sis - Live Your Life 2. Crusy, Jem Cooke - Good To Go 3. CIOR - SHAKIN' 4. MGMT - Electric Feel (SUBURBIA Edit) 5. Costa UK - Bring It 6. Lance Savali - Ain't No Party 7. Bessey - Controller 8. Odd Mob & OMNOM, HYPERBEAM - Coming Up (It's Dare) 9. James Hype - Behavior 10. Bibiane Z, RAMOS & Krimsonn - Ride Or Die (Krimsonn Club Mix) 11. The Temper Trap - Giving Up Air (Solomun Remix) 12. Wh0 & Junior Sanchez ft Laura Davie - Someone 13. Tom & Collins - Disco Musiq 14. Big Time Charlie, Secondcity, Monty Kiddo - On The Run 2025

Kelly Leonard, Vice President, Creative Strategy, Innovation and Business Development at The Second City and host of the “Getting to Yes, And…” podcast, joins John Williams to talk about a podcast he recorded with Dr. James Kimmel about his new book, “The Science of Revenge: Understanding the World’s Deadliest Addiction and How to Overcome It.” Kelly […]

Kelly Leonard, Vice President, Creative Strategy, Innovation and Business Development at The Second City and host of the “Getting to Yes, And…” podcast, joins John Williams to talk about a podcast he recorded with Dr. James Kimmel about his new book, “The Science of Revenge: Understanding the World’s Deadliest Addiction and How to Overcome It.” Kelly […]

House music at its best! Let Dave Baker take you on a journey of discovery and aural pleasure as he brings you the hottest and freshest funky, deep and tech house releases every week. It's a proper nostalgia fest this week with almost the entire show dominated with oldies brought up to date for 2025. Think Baby D, Mariah Carey, Cher, Lily Allen and more! If you love this mix please take a minute out of your day to comment against the episode 291 instagram post to let others know you're enjoying the show: www.instagram.com/hothousehours/ Tracks released on November 7 unless shown. 1. Let Me Be Your Fantasy (Extended Mix) - Discotron [Tasty Recordings]

Healing Through Laughter: Dave Ebert on Comedy, Faith, and Overcoming Trauma In this episode, Diana rebroadcasts the interview of the late Dave Ebert, who passed away unexpectedly July 2, 2024. He discusses his journey from struggling with depression and contemplating suicide to becoming a renowned improv coach, pastor, and comedian. Dave, who founded Gifts for Glory Ministries, shares his early love for entertaining, the personal struggles he faced, and how faith and comedy became his tools for healing and helping others. He also explores his work with the Salt and Light Coalition, helping survivors of sex trafficking through improv, which aids in their communication skills and self-esteem. The episode delves into the importance of connection, trust, and the transformative power of laughter in overcoming trauma and finding hope. We hope you enjoy hearing Dave's legacy and timeless advice.  You will hear the second interview of Dave and his wife's missionary work next episode. 00:00 Introduction and Sponsor Message 00:47 Meet Your Host, Diana 01:34 Introducing Dave Ebert 02:51 Dave's Childhood and Early Love for Comedy 03:45 Struggles with Family and Faith 07:30 Turning Point: Finding Faith and Purpose 10:57 Battling Depression and Suicidal Thoughts 21:04 The Power of Presence and Support 24:25 A New Beginning in Chicago 26:32 Starting a Faith-Based Improv Team 27:32 Creating Clean Comedy for All Ages 29:10 Using Comedy as a Ministry Tool 31:50 Connecting with Salt and Light Coalition 33:12 Teaching Improv to Trafficking Survivors 36:20 Stories of Transformation Through Improv 44:18 Current Projects and Online Improv Shows 47:16 Offering Support and Contact Information 50:47 Final Thoughts and Podcast Information   Website: https://dswministries.org Subscribe to the podcast: https://dswministries.org/subscribe-to-podcast/ Social media links: Join our Private Wounds of the Faithful FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1603903730020136 Twitter: https://twitter.com/DswMinistries YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxgIpWVQCmjqog0PMK4khDw/playlists Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dswministries/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DSW-Ministries-230135337033879 Keep in touch with me! Email subscribe to get my handpicked list of the best resources for abuse survivors! https://thoughtful-composer-4268.ck.page #abuse #trauma Affiliate links: Our Sponsor: 753 Academy: https://www.753academy.com/ Can't travel to The Holy Land right now? The next best thing is Walking The Bible Lands! Get a free video sample of the Bible lands here! https://www.walkingthebiblelands.com/a/18410/hN8u6LQP An easy way to help my ministry: https://dswministries.org/product/buy-me-a-cup-of-tea/ A donation link: https://dswministries.org/donate/   Dave Ebert  [00:00:00] Special thanks to 7 5 3 Academy for sponsoring this episode. No matter where you are in your fitness and health journey, they've got you covered. They specialize in helping you exceed your health and fitness goals, whether that is losing body fat, gaining muscle, or nutritional coaching to match your fitness levels. They do it all with a written guarantee for results so you don't waste time and money on a program that doesn't exceed your goals. There are martial arts programs. Specialize in anti-bullying programs for kids to combat proven Filipino martial arts. They take a holistic, fun, and innovative approach that simply works. Sign up for your free class now. It's 7 5 3 academy.com. Find the link in the show notes. Welcome to the Wounds of the Faithful Podcast, brought to you by DSW Ministries. Your host is singer songwriter, speaker and domestic violence advocate, [00:01:00] Diana . She is passionate about helping survivors in the church heal from domestic violence and abuse and trauma. This podcast is not a substitute for professional counseling or qualified medical help. Now here is Diana. Hello everyone. Thanks for joining us today. You know, I've been telling you there are many paths and tools for healing and comedy is one of them. I think you'll enjoy our podcast today, friends. Our guest, Dave Ebert is the founder of Gifts for Glory Ministries. Dave is an improv coach, speaker, pastor, actor, and improv performer with his wife Bobby, residing in Chicago, Illinois. Gifts for Glory is ready to provide high quality, clean family friendly entertainment and professional [00:02:00] improv coaching to survivors of sex trafficking. Hey, welcome to the show Dave. Hey, thanks so much for having me. I'm, uh, really looking forward to having our conversation. Your bio is so impressive. I had trouble. Uh, shortening it for the intro. I'm sorry, I, I try to provide enough information, but, uh, I, I could have probably shortened it, but maybe it's because I'm a pastor. I just like to embellish and go on for a long, long period of time. So we're gonna fill in the blanks here and throughout our time together, and I can't wait to hear some good jokes. We will. We'll see what comes up. I'm an improviser, so nothing's ever planned. So if there's a moment of funny, yeah, I just give God the credit and if there's not, it's just, I don't know. We'll see. So tell us about your childhood. Were you always funny or into comedy? I really [00:03:00] was, uh, one of the earliest pictures of me other than, you know, baby pictures, uh, was a old Polaroid of, uh, me flexing, like I was in a bodybuilding contest because we we're at the city pool. There was an actual, like a swimsuit or bodybuilding competition going on on the other side. And my parents and their friends were just there at the pool and I was like, no, they're not gonna get the attention. I'm gonna get the attention. So there's this picture of me flexing my little chubby 2-year-old arms and it was like, I, I love to entertain and I love the attention and trying to, uh, get people an opportunity to laugh. So yeah, pretty much my entire life, um. Uh, I, I just liked it. I enjoyed, and I lived off of people's laughter. Now, did you experience any trauma in your life? There were, um, there wasn't any like one singular event, like a, a massive. You know, tragedy. But my dad was in Vietnam. He was in the [00:04:00] Vietnam War, and he got in contact with that chemical agent Orange that, uh, I've heard about. And, uh, that just ravaged his body. You know, when he hit 30, he was, you know, a healthy, strong 30-year-old guy working in the trades, and he was disabled by the time he was. 37, 38, um, from heart attacks, from just loss of, uh, dexterity in his hands and uh, and losing his ability to even walk. And it was all, uh, just complications and, and complications from the agent Orange. And so we were living in Chicago at that. You know, when I was first born and then when he'd had his third heart attack, we had to move out of the city and get away from the fast pace of Chicago and went down to Virginia where it's a lot slower lifestyle, a little bit easier for him to handle that kind of stress. But over the next 20 or so years as his health failed, there were a lot of conflicts in the home [00:05:00] between he and mom, between he and myself, and, um, so it was. It wasn't a tragic event, it was just this long period of watching my dad lose his ability to do the things that men do, like work with their hands, play with their son, hang out with their son, things like that. And, uh, you're not able to handle that because we really didn't have a strong faith. Base. So there was nothing kind of anchoring us in that storm. Mm-hmm. And so it was over, you know, two decades that, you know, there's just a lot of little traumas. Little fights, uh, big fights and, and things like that. We said we were Christian and we went to church. Um. Uh, fairly regularly, uh, mostly for holidays and potlucks. Uh, but um, we, uh, we said we were Christian, but it kind of [00:06:00] only existed from 11 to 12 on, on Sundays. Uh, we lived decently. We weren't out killing people. We weren't doing drugs and like that, but, um, but we weren't really like practicing. We didn't say, you know, grace at meals. We didn't pray together. We, I don't think I ever saw an either of my parents actually open a Bible. So we were kind of Christians in name only. Um, we had the, the membership card went to the meetings, but we didn't actually do a lot of practicing outside of church. So kinda like Chris and dumb. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Kind of, kind of creases with a little bit more regular attendance because the church I grew up in, uh, or at least as a kid, they had a lot of potlucks. It, it was almost like the one way to guarantee people would come. It was like, yeah, we're gonna have a potluck to celebrate this this weekend. And I love the potlucks because there's always at least five to sometimes six, uh, different varieties of mac and cheese, and that's my favorite. Favorite. Yes. [00:07:00] Yes. Mac and cheese. Yes. Mashed potatoes. Mm-hmm. Mashed potatoes, uh, all sorts of desserts. And, uh, for your, your listeners, they won't know this, but if they see, you know, my headshot or whatnot, I, I'm not a small individual and I will put the blame firmly on that church. Where all the potlucks, oh, they fed me, but not spiritually. Oh. That's funny. So when did you meet the Lord for real? Well, my story's kind of unique or maybe it's not. Um, but for me it depends on what your personal theology is to interpret it. I. Going into my sixth grade year, uh, that, that summer before my sixth grade year, I went to a summer camp and I, uh, went, you know, we had devotions each night at a campfire. And I remember on Thursday night, the day before, the night before we're leaving. [00:08:00] Something at the devotion spoke to me and I said, on my way by myself, said That little sinners prayer of Jesus coming to my heart. I want to make you Lord. Um, and you know, I remember the prayer, I remember walking up that gravel driveway up towards the cabin. And, but like I said, it kind of hinted at there wasn't a lot of discipleship for young believers at my church. So. It was like, oh, I accepted Christ. What does that mean? What do I do with it? And so from that year. For many years after, I never really got truly discipled to understand what it meant to be a Christ follower. And through my depression and the, you know, just some of the choices I made, I kind of walked away from that. So if you believe that you can walk away from salvation, then you could say that I walked away from it. Uh, some believe once saved, always saved. So you can either choose that summer or you can look to, uh, January, 2013 when. Uh, [00:09:00] still wrestling, depression, still looking for purpose in life. I was walking to work, uh, on a Saturday morning and. There were these two kids from a local Bible college out there looking for people to witness to, uh, they had the, uh, tract, which, uh, for anybody that doesn't know tract is a small graphic novel that, uh, kind of tells the gospel story. And, um, so they were out there and there's really no reason for them to be there 'cause it wasn't a very populated area. Um, so there really wouldn't be a lot of people out there on a Saturday morning. So it was obviously a divine appointment. They gave me the track and they offered to pray for me, but I didn't, you know, I kind of blew them off. Said, yeah, I'm a Christian, I'm saved. Yeah, I'm good, but I gotta get to work. But because they were there, they passed out the track and because of a lot of stuff that was leading up to that moment, it was like, okay, God, I'm ready to submit. I'm, I'm ready. So that night I, uh, opened up my, uh, Rick Warren, purpose Driven Life. I started reading [00:10:00] my, uh, dollar General, uh, king James version Bible got all the way through Deuteronomy before. I was like, I need something simpler. Uh, yeah. But, uh, yeah. Um, those two kids, I don't know if I'll ever see them again, at least not in this life, but they were kind of the straw that broke the camel's back to where I made the decision because I was still wrestling with depression and I was literally at this place where I was on top of, I, I described it as I was on a peak of a mountaintop where. I was still considering, you know, taking my life so I could either go left and just take my life and, and end it once and for all, or I could go right and give my life and fully submit to God. And that was kind of the moment that kind of clenched it for me to take that step towards God and really for the first time, pursue a relationship with him. So that was in, uh, January of, uh, 2013. So let's unpack the. Part where you talked about you wanted to end [00:11:00] your life. What happened there? It was a, a culmination of a lot of things. I, I had a lot of dreams and ideals of what life should look like, and this started in, uh, junior high and high school. Um, and then, uh, you know, combine that with, uh, this struggle with my relationship with my dad. Um, you know, not ever quite being good enough because he always had, sometimes these. Surreal expectations and, and when I didn't meet them, I felt like a failure and, you know, just all these different things. Um, it just added up to one night. I remember, um, I was pursuing this, this young lady to date her in high school and you know, for the first time I was like, this might be the one that I actually get her to date me. And then, um. Afternoon, after I talked to her in the morning, I saw her walking, holding hands with somebody else, and that was. [00:12:00] Kind of the straw that broke the camel's back the other way, uh, to where I entered into that depression. And, uh, it just kept getting deeper. The more my dad and I fought, the more my mom and dad fought. You know, it just got deeper and through, um, my junior year, senior year high school, all through college, after college for many years, uh, through my first marriage, you know, just. That voice was always in the back of my head, you're not worthy. Um, no one's gonna truly love you. Um, might as well end the pain now. And so I just, I really wrestled with the idea of suicide. There were times that I was ready to do it, but I cursed myself for being too weak or too afraid to commit. But looking back, it was that, as the Bible calls it, the still small voice. That was, you know, just kind of coaxing me to don't give in just yet. Don't give in just yet. So looking back, obviously God was [00:13:00] there with me the entire time. It's just I didn't realize who that voice was or why I was not able to fully take that next step. It was because God was there trying to yank and pull me back from the edge. Wow. I'm sure a lot of our listeners can relate to, um, the things that you're saying right now about wanting to end it all. Now, did you cover up your depression, your feelings? Did anybody else know about that? I covered it. Um, as I mentioned, I love to entertain people, make people laugh. So it started off very, when I was very young. It was just this pure thing of enjoying the laughter and enjoying giving that gift to people. But when I entered the Depression, it became a defense mechanism where I would keep people from seeing what I was feeling and also try to prevent them from feeling the darkness I felt. If I could do that, if I could make somebody laugh, if I could [00:14:00] entertain somebody, if I could make somebody feel better, then I was able to justify living for the next week or the next day or what have you. And so comedy or making people laugh was where I found my worth and my value. And if I went too far and I offended somebody, if I hurt somebody's feelings, uh, or if I said something that just kind of embarrassed me. It went into the spiral where it was like, see, even the one thing you count on for value you fail at. And so it would spiral me and it was like, man, I just, I need to drive my truck off this cliff, or I need to, um, do this or that other thing to myself just, and I always wanted to leave it as an ac, you know, make it look like it was an accident. Um, whenever I really contemplated, uh, suicide because I didn't want the embarrassment. I didn't want people to judge me and say things about me, and I also didn't want the judgment to follow my [00:15:00] parents or anybody else because I didn't want them to be punished for what I was going through. So I always tried to make it or plan out to look like an accident. Um, one night I in particular, I remember driving home late at night through the mountain roads. It was maybe three or four in the morning, and I just was at this breaking point and I prayed. I said, God, if you don't want me to do this, gimme a sign. Do something. And if you think about Pure Flix movies or a Hallmark movie, you know, you think in that moment, all of a sudden the sky opens and the lights shines, and the angels come down. And, but in that moment, it felt like it got darker. It almost, it felt like, like God actually got quieter. Than, than I felt he had been. And so I got mad and I got angry at God. And I, I think I probably said a few curse words at him and, and said, you know, whatever. And I got mad and I drove [00:16:00] home. But here's the, the thing about it, I drove home. I didn't drive to the left off that cliff and. I, I say that that was a moment where God knew what I needed. It's not conventional, it's not what you would expect, but it's what I needed. 'cause he knew I'd go mad or I would get mad, and he knew that he would have to take some barbs from me in that anger. But it was God laying himself down for me in that moment so that I would go home instead of, you know, take my life. And that's just another thing that I look back on and say, wow, God was there this whole time. Wow. I've never contemplated suicide myself. I've had some really dark times with my, abuse history. Mm-hmm. Now I've had depression before. Mm-hmm. But it wasn't so much that I needed to take medication. Um, it was just this cloud of darkness and like [00:17:00] sitting in a pit. Yeah. That you can't get out of and it's no amount of positive thinking is going to do it. Right. It just took a long time to crawl out of that. These brilliant people, you know, we're talking about comedy and the most brilliant comedian was Robin Williams. Sure. And he was so funny. And, yeah. When he took his own life after battling depression, um, I really mourned his death. 'cause Yeah. Yeah. It, and that's one of the things where it shows that fame, fortune, having everything at, at your fingertips, it's not a substitute for. Anything because you look at Rob Williams, you think about even, you know, they don't classify necessarily as a suicide. You look, but you look at somebody like Chris Farley, uh, John Belushi, um, the lifestyle that those two guys [00:18:00] chose and the way that they treated their bodies was kind of a long term suicide because they did not take care of their bodies. And I'm not talking about being heavy. I'm talking about the drugs, the drinking, the things like the partying. For hours upon hours on end, it was they were trying to fill something in their soul that they couldn't fill. Um, so for, and I don't say these things as judgment. Mm-hmm. I say these things as warnings. Um, heads up. If you see somebody that is trying to fill their life with partying, find the time when they're sober and talk to them. See if there's something going on. Uh, and like you look at somebody like Robin Williams. It's a very hard thing to know how to handle that because you don't know what his family life was like. Did he have somebody in his, in his corner that knew what he is wrestling with and they were just happened to be gone in an, in the instant that he was the weakest? Um, [00:19:00] for me, I think one of the, the biggest things is if you see somebody or know somebody that could potentially be similar to where Robin Williams was at. Pray and ask for God to show you how to reach them, um, and be willing to pursue it. Um, it's, no, no two depressions are the same because no two people are the same. There's no blanket there, a, b, c methodology that's going to, like, if I do these three or four things, I'm gonna pull my friend out of what they're at. Because there's different triggers, there's different experiences, there's different chemical imbalances in the mind. So don't ever feel like a failure if you try to help somebody and you can't see results. Because some people, it takes time, some people it takes the miracle of God flipping a switch and healing whatever chemical imbalance is in the mind. Um, so my advice is always just keep [00:20:00] pursuing, um, because. Eventually there's gonna be a breakthrough it because somebody that's in that mode is going to see that they're not gonna give up and that's going to fly directly in the face of so many of the inner voices or, or the self-talk of, I'm not worth it, nobody's gonna really care. Or I, I'm a burden. But when you're continually pursuing, you are speaking against all that and you're giving evidence against that case. And we all know, especially, uh, as Christians, that those voices are of the enemy. So they're all mm-hmm. Of the king of lies. Yes. And when you can step in and bring the truth and bring the light, the enemy has no footing left. So that's always my advice, is just to keep pursuing him. It's worth it. It's worth being able to pursue somebody and give them [00:21:00] a chance to hope and a chance to fight against the lies of the enemy. Um, I never know what to say to somebody that's struggling with depression. I'm always afraid that I'm gonna say the wrong thing. Right. Um, so those, those suggestions are really, valuable because. I don't wanna push them too far, but I want them to know that I care. So, yeah. And, and here's the thing, and this is something that I, whenever I talk to people, I, I try to take this burden off your shoulders. It's not your job to save them. It's not your job to rescue them. It's your job to be there and let God do the saving. It is not, it's not your job. So whatever words you say, whatever things you say, it's not gonna matter because it's not gonna be really remembered. The mistakes or, or the, the bad choice words or whatever you say that doesn't [00:22:00] work, quote unquote work, it's not gonna matter. What's gonna matter is that person that you're pursuing, that you're fighting for is gonna remember that you were there. They're gonna remember your presence, not so much your words. Now, there'll be some times where God will give you wisdom and they'll remember those words of wisdom, but for the most part, part, they're gonna remember that you were there. Just like when you go to a funeral and you talk to the people that are grieving, uh, whether it's the widow or the widower, or maybe it's, uh, the child that lost their parent, whatever the case may be. They don't remember the words that you said as you go in the line. They remember your face, they remember the, the calming touch on the shoulder, on the hands. They remember that you were there and it was, it is very much the same for somebody that's in the dark pit of, of depression. If you're there constantly showing them love, willing to let them have [00:23:00] what I call verbal diarrhea and just get whatever they're wrestling without. They're gonna remember that you were there and they're gonna remember that, and it's going be that evidence to say, Satan, shut up. Amen. You're not telling the truth. This person is here. They see me as valuable enough to fight through this. So you're lies of I'm not worthy. Nobody loves me, nobody will miss me. Those are lies straight from the pit of hell, and that's where you belong. That's right. Wow. No, that's, that's really helpful comparing it to, um, a funeral. 'cause, uh, I just lost my brother December 5th and, yeah, and some people, they don't know the right things to say and, but you're right. I remember that. They cared about me. But yes. The fact that they took time to say, I'm praying for you, or let us know if there's anything we can do to help you meant a lot. So I appreciate that [00:24:00] advice for sure. Let's switch over something a little funnier. Sure. Okay. Than a funeral. Um, so speaking of Robin Williams, he was a guest on. Whose line is it anyway, and it was my favorite episode ever. And you started a Christian version of that show. Tell me more about that. Absolutely. So when I, uh, rededicated my life to the Lord in January of 2013, I knew that performing and being on stage was my calling. God was going to. Keep me in front of people, keep me entertaining people, but he's changing and he changed the reason why, instead of trying to hide how I felt and hide myself, I was now gonna use comedy as a way to reveal who he is. And I had no real opportunities, uh, in Beckley, West Virginia. Nothing against West Virginia. Uh, [00:25:00] I have a lot of friends back there. I had a lot of great experiences, but it wasn't where God wanted me. And so I was like, so God, where do I go? Do I go to Roanoke, Virginia, which is about three hours west in, uh, west in, in west in Virginia. Excuse me. And, uh, that's where my mom lived. Do I just move in with her and start over? And it was kind of like. You could, but that's not really where you belong. So I kept, like reading Rick Warren's book, I kept reading the Bible and finally in a, in a conversation, my sister, who doesn't really have a relationship with the Lord, but he used her. She said, well, if you want to, you can move up here to Chicago in, in, uh, start over here. And I said, are you sure? 'cause she was going to college at the time and I would be moving in on staying on her couch in her studio apartment. And I was like, are you sure? She's like, yeah, if, if you need. A new, you know, new start. And so six weeks later I left, uh, [00:26:00] West Virginia, everything I could pack in my truck I brought up. And I started completely over in, um, in March of 2013. And it was shortly thereafter, I started pursuing acting opportunities and opportunities to be in front of people. A couple of mo short films I got into, I realized after accepting the part, I shouldn't have done this role. Uh, this will be something that if I ever become famous, will be one of those things that they play to, to tease you when you get like a lifetime achievement award. Oh, yeah. Um, and then through Craigslist I connected with a, a, a guy, um, named Ryan McChesney. And he and I, uh, discussed, you know, doing, uh, movies together or something like that, uh, faith-based, and we said, well, we both like improv. He had gone through the second 30. Second City, Chicago Conservatory. I had, um, done a few classes at Second City, but uh, most of my acting and performing training [00:27:00] came from eight years of, uh, pro wrestling in, uh, West Virginia and Virginia. Um, so we thought, well, what if we started a faith-based improv team? There's nothing like that in Chicago. And we thought that there was almost nothing like that in the rest of the world. So, uh, we decided to start trying to cast and we, uh, brought two more people on. And my church at that time was, uh, very, uh, gracious in allow, allowing us free reign to use a building for rehearsals or anything else we wanted to do. And so we just started, uh. Creating an improv team and for anybody that's not really familiar with improv, uh, uh, Diana, as you mentioned, uh, whose line is it anyway, is kind of the same kind of improv that we do where it's, uh, game base where they'll give us a game with a scenario and certain rules within that game to follow, and the rest we make up. We make up the characters. The dialogue is completely made up. And the idea is not to try to be funny, but just to [00:28:00] try to respond in the moment because that's where the funny's gonna come from, is that just that creative mind that we have. It's going to find things that are funny in our natural reactions. And so what we do is we just create scenarios. It's basically like. A more organized way to play, pretend. Uh, we create characters, voices, points of view. And so we, and we don't do it based on the Bible because we don't want to ever. Get careless and misrepresent the Bible or say something. Oh, okay. That's fair. Uh, we don't wanna ever come across as a Christian improv team that is, uh, disrespecting the Bible. So we just do clean comedy that's accessible for all ages, whether you're five or 105. Um, we want you to be able to come and enjoy and laugh. And, um, we kind of filter it through [00:29:00] Philippians four, eight, whatever's pure and lovely and praiseworthy. If it kind of fits along that, then, uh, then we're good. Um, and we just, um. We go out and use it as a ministry tool. Uh, either we open for a speaker and use laughter as a way to tear down some walls and, and make people comfortable enough that they can hear it. Mm-hmm. Or we just do pure comedy with the love and the joy of Christ and allow our presence and the fact that Christ is coming in with us to somehow reach them on a spiritual level to where they'll either ask us, why are you guys clean? Why don't you curse? Or Why don't you do innuendo or blue? Right. Or they track us down on social media and they're like, oh, they're Christian, and they're funny and they're creative. Maybe God is more than I thought he was. I'm not naturally funny. Um, my husband is, and that's the, the thing [00:30:00] is. You don't have to be funny to be good at improv, you just have to be willing to listen and respond naturally. 'cause most of what's funny in our improv at least, is that people recognize either weird quirks, uh, about themselves or about people that they know or they recognize weird characters that they're like, that's Samantha from work. Oh my gosh. Um, and, and it's that recognition of, of the human experience because. We are so much alike. There we're, we are all more alike than we are different. Mm-hmm. And when we share those experiences, we realize that we're not alone. That we're not this weird thing in the middle of the world that has no connection. When we get a room with people laughing together, even if none of them know each other. They connect, uh, on this really interesting level. When they laugh together, they don't feel alone in that room. And that's why comedy is so important and effective in [00:31:00] speaking and in ministry. If you can get, get them to laugh, there's a wall that comes down to where now they're able to receive, uh, some information or receive the word or receive the message. And, uh, you know, that's what we love to do is to either. Set the ground for, uh, the speaker to bring the word, or to just simply be a light in that room to where there's a question, why, why are they different? And, um, that's what we do now. Uh, we've been, uh, this team has been running since, uh, July of 2013. Um, we've had a lot of changes, a lot of turnover, but the, the mission has always been the same is to just use comedy to bring people closer to God. So you can, definitely use comedy to heal people in their pain. And you got connected with, salt and Light Coalition. So tell us more about that. Sure. Uh, Salton Lake Coalition [00:32:00] is an organization that works with, uh, women who have survived sex trafficking. Um, many of the women that they serve, uh, were sold into trafficking by their parents at a young age. So many of them either have a very short, if. Or maybe a non-existent childhood to, uh, draw from. So they're very stunted in ma many areas as far as emotions, uh, uh, especially the ability now to trust people. And so, and most of them obviously have been hurt. Used and abused by men. Mm-hmm. So the fact that me as a guy was asked to come in and serve the weight of that is not lost on me. But I also see absolutely see benefit because here is a man in a healthy relationship with his wife, who is in a healthy relationship with the Lord, who can come in and bring that. As a model for these women to show that it is possible that [00:33:00] not every single man is a creep that's going to hurt you. Right? So, and I, I value that ability to, and that opportunity to bring that example, uh, to them. And I teach improv as a way to improve their communication because, uh, many of them, like I said, had, are stunted either, um. Educationally, either they were, they had to drop outta school because they were doing what their handlers or pimp or whatever you wanna call 'em, were making them do. And so I go and help them improve communication. Uh. Find and develop their self-esteem. Because when you're learning improv and you're creating stuff together, you're starting to realize, wait, I have a voice. I have something to say, and the things that I say can be valuable, and that only helps to improve the self-esteem. So they start realizing that all the stuff that I've been through in the past is my past and all the work that I'm doing [00:34:00] now to get back on my feet and rebuild my life. I'm worth it because I have something to say. I have something to contribute. So we do that through improv and, and at the end of the day, they get an hour where they can laugh like kids either for the first time or laugh like kids again because. And, and it, I don't say these things to brag on me. Mm-hmm. God put me in this position. There was, there's been several times where the women have, or a couple of the women have come in and you could see that they are literally carrying their world on their back. The burdens are there, the brow was furrowed. The, you could see in their eyes that they're waiting for somebody to say that one word so that they can explode on them. Mm-hmm. And part of what they have to do is they have to participate even if they're not feeling it. So they, they still get in the circle, they still participate in the games, and you can see literally. The, [00:35:00] that facade, crack and fall, you literally see them crack up and within five minutes of participating, the burden is gone. The, the fierceness in their eyes, the the anger or the frustration, or the hurt. It fades away. And they get to forget that and realize that there's hope, that there's something bigger than what they're wrestling with in that moment. And that has been such a huge blessing for me to be a part of that for the last couple of years. And, um, and like I said, it's, it's such a blessing to, to be a man in that position, to kind of be an ambassador, literally an ambassador for Christ, to show that it's okay to. To trust again. And I, and I love doing that. That is incredible. You know, I've had some training in sex trafficking, with Mending the Soul We have a program called Princess Lost. [00:36:00] Princess Found. Oh, okay. And I didn't know anything about sex trafficking before that, or at least I thought I did know. Mm-hmm. I, I thought of what the rest of the world thinks about, you know, prostitutes or sex workers, but it really, that training had opened my eyes. Do you have a story of one of those tough nuts that crack open with your comedy improv class? Yeah. Um. Specific, I can't mention names, obviously. No. Yeah. But, uh, the one lady I think of in particular, she's a single mom. She was, uh, sold by her mom into trafficking, for sex because her mom needed a. She needed a, a fix. And so she gets involved and then she gets traded, bought, and sold. Um, and the thing wa the thing that a lot of people don't realize is [00:37:00] people who are in that life, who are stuck, who are, who are trapped, they're not always stuck in some shady building off in the corner of, of the city, right? They're, they're still out walking around, they're going to the store, but. They're in such a way that they don't think they can escape and they don't know who they can trust. Mm-hmm. They don't know if the person that they're gonna talk to to say, Hey, I need help, is connected to this person that they're, that they're, uh, enslaved by. So they feel like they can't trust anybody. Even though that they're out walking around, they're, they're stuck. And they're also, many times they're forced to take drugs. Yes. So people will dismiss them when they see 'em. Like, oh, she's just a junkie. There are a lot of junkies, but there's also a lot of women and, and some men that are on drugs, either because they're trying to cope with what they're being forced to do, or it's part of what they're required to do in [00:38:00] order to survive. Um, and, and the, the, the pimps know that when they're on drugs and they're high people will dismiss them and won't really give them two looks. So all that to say is this, this young lady, she's, I think she's in her mid twenties now. Mm-hmm. Uh, single mom struggling to get her kids back because in, in the eyes of the court system, she's just a junkie. She, it, it doesn't matter why she was on drugs, it doesn't matter what caused her to be arrested for these different things. All that matters to them is that she, you know, you were high, you were on drugs, you have this in your system, you're not fit to be a mom. So she's trying to rebuild her life, trying to get her kids back and one day, I don't know, I don't know the details 'cause I don't really talk to get to know them much, just because they're trying. You don't wanna protect them. 'cause the fewer people that know the stories, know where they are, where they're [00:39:00] from, the better for them so that they can avoid getting. Found by the people that are looking for them. Mm-hmm. Because when a woman, escapes sex trafficking, that's property in the minds of the people that quote unquote own them. Yes. And they don't like to lose property because they're losing profit. So. You know, I know very little about them. I know their, I know their first name. I know a little bit about their story. Some of their stories come out as, you know, part of the improv, but she's trying to get her life back together. She comes in and she's the one that I always envision when I talk about the cracking up. She came in and I swear, I I, there was a moment where I was worried, it was like, is she gonna fly off on me if I say the wrong thing? 'cause she just looked angry at the world. Mm-hmm. And, uh, fortunately, and obviously they're not gonna leave me in the room alone, so there's a couple of the Salton light [00:40:00] volunteers there just to supervise and to coach and say, Hey, you need to go ahead and get in a circle and, and participate. You know, this is part of the program. And so. She came in, arms are crossed and she's just looking down at the ground. And so I just changed my plan and I opened up with, uh, a warmup that I knew everyone enjoyed. Um, and it's a silly game. It's called Bippity bippity bop. And, and so this game, uh, somebody's in the middle of the circle, they go around the circle and it's, it's a quick response game. I'll look at you and, and if I say Bippity bty bop, you just have to say the word bop before I get to bop. And then there's other layers to that game. So I start the game and say, all right, so we're gonna warm up with bip bippity bop. So I go around the circle and there are a couple times where like, as I'm going around the circle, I look at her like, I'm gonna give her the, you know, [00:41:00] the, the, uh, interaction. But then I go past and then I come back, and then I get her the first time it's like pip bop. She, you know, obviously wasn't ready 'cause she's not. Fully into it. So she goes, all right, un crosses her arms, walks in the circle, starts doing it, and as soon as she starts participating you, that's when it starts cracking up. And she starts laughing and, and having fun. And she became, she was two people. The first five minutes, she was one person. And then once she started to laugh, she was a completely different person. And it's like. God, this is why, this is why I'm here. And again, it's not, Hey, Dave Ebert's wonderful. You know, toot the horns. It's like, God put me in this position to use my testimony, my story to, and my experiences to try to help in the healing process of, of some women that desperately need healing and desperately need to know the love of [00:42:00] Jesus. I love that story. You know, the biggest thing I learned in, in my training that I went through was a lot of these women are in this predicament. At no fault of their own, they were mm-hmm. They were groomed or they were kidnapped, or they were, you know, trafficked by somebody that they trusted. Mm-hmm. Or they should have been able to trust and that these, these ladies and some gentlemen, by the way, are people. Valuable people, loved by God. They're not trash and not somebody that we throw away or toss aside, they are, they are children of God and they need Jesus too. Yeah. And, and these are all people that, and I, I don't like think, or in my heart, I don't believe that Jesus means this. In his language, but he's talking to us in our language when he talks about the least of these. Mm-hmm. Because he loves us and [00:43:00] God loves us equally. And there is no true least in God's kingdom. But I think it's, it's Jesus dumbing down the language so that we would understand. And that's why he is like what you do to the least of these you do to me. So yeah, there are people who. Are out there who are high on their own accord, doing their own thing, that are just throwing their lives away because they think it's fun. But you don't know until you know. So don't, I would just ask, never dismiss somebody because they look like a junkie. Mm-hmm. Or they look like they've made some bad choices. 'cause maybe they have, or maybe they're stuck in a situation. And I would always encourage, if nothing else, pray for them. Mm-hmm. And maybe in that prayer time, God's like, Hey, that that's somebody that needs you. But if you're willing to just dismiss everybody 'cause they look like they're scarred from injections or they, their face is broken out from different [00:44:00] things, if you just dismiss 'em automatically, then you're blocking God from reaching you to tell you, hey, they need your help, and God's just gonna have to find somebody else. And you're gonna miss the blessed opportunity to reach somebody that needs the love of Christ. Amen. What are you up to now? You have any new projects in the works coming down the pike? When you said, what are you up to now? I was gonna say six foot two. Um, yeah. Right now, uh, because of, uh, the global thing that's going on and I'm in Illinois, so. Theaters aren't open. We're not doing much as far as the comedy. Um, you know, so everybody's kind of focusing on their family. One of the things I have been doing is connecting with other Christian improvisers and, uh, we're, uh, doing. Semi, uh, maybe once a month. Uh, comedy shows where we just get together and we've never practiced before. We've never rehearsed, but we're gonna [00:45:00] put out, uh, some shows where people can just watch online, watch us improvise and participate. Uh, those, uh, will broadcast live on my Facebook page, and I'll advertise those that you know about a week in advance once we get people able to commit to a date. Um. And the, our first one that we did, we had somebody from West Virginia, somebody from Arkansas, two people from Texas, and Oh, had one person, uh, from Ohio, I believe. So we had like a conglomerate of people from all over the, the nation coming in. Uh, we've never practiced before, but we did improv and. Improv and Christianity are so much alike because to do good improv and to be a good Christian, quote unquote good Christian, you need humility. You need to be willing to support the other person, and you need to be willing to love the other person so that they're successful. Um, so when you come into an improv stage as a Christian [00:46:00] improviser. I mean, you've got all the tools just built in. And so we go, we perform online, we're willing to support each other and it makes it really fun. Now, the way we do it, we don't have crowd, you know, reaction, but because we're together, we kind of know what's funny and we're like, okay, this is, you know, we can laugh at each other. And, uh, just really a lot of fun. It's nothing like the real improv of being on stage and no. Intimate experience, but it's a good substitute. It, it's a good gap filler until we can get past all of what's going on. Yeah. Saw your, your post on, Christian Creatives are on the same group. Yeah. And I'm gonna see if I can try and watch that. That'll be fun. This has been great. I, I so appreciate you coming on the show today and putting up with the, uh, the Zoom demons earlier, and I know you don't do this for, [00:47:00] reward or pat's on the back, but. From me to you, thank you so much for what you do for the Lord and what you do for these ladies, because you are changing people's lives and making a difference. So thank you very much. Thank you. So tell the folks how they can connect with you if they wanna know more information about your ministry. Sure. Well, I actually have three primary things that I'm involved with. GIF for Glory is the kind of the umbrella over everything. Uh, you can find us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook at gifts, the number four, glory. And uh, that's where my podcast is. That's, uh, kind of the over um. Corp corporate umbrella over, um, my personal, uh, speaking in improv coaching where you can find me at, real Dave Ebert. Um, there's actually another comedian who's also from the Midwest, uh, not a Christian, [00:48:00] uh, who's, his name is, uh, Dave or David Ebert. So, uh, so I beat him to the punch and I took the real Dave Ebert. Oh, glad you mentioned that. Um, which is hilarious. 'cause on Twitter I'll often get tagged in things that. I have nothing to do with Christianity or ministry, and it's like kind of embarrassing. Totally. And so I'll respond and I'll be like, Hey, I think you meant this guy. Um, but uh, thanks so much for the shout out. You don't want the credit for some dirty joke. Right, right. Yeah. I mean, I, I. Unfortunately, before Christ really took over my life there, I did say quite a few dirty jokes, especially in wrestling locking rooms. Um, but uh, that's washed by the blood and forgiven and mm-hmm. Um, but yeah. Uh, so at real, Dave Ebert is how you can find me. And there is one thing I do like to, uh, share on any every interview. Is, um, if there's somebody out there that hears this podcast and you're [00:49:00] somebody that's wrestling with depression or considering suicide, uh, my email box is open to you, uh, 24 hours a day. Uh, it goes directly to my phone, and this is an email address. I'll always keep active. So if in 2035 somebody picks up this podcast, that email will be available barring rapture. Um. Yeah, and I say that tongue in cheek, but, uh, if you're somebody that's wrestling, I really want to hear from you and wanna walk you through it. Uh, my email address is Dave at gifts, the number four glory.com. dave@giftsforglory.com. And, uh, I'm not gonna preach at you. I'm not gonna just copy and paste a bunch of scripture. I just want to hear what your story is and I wanna walk with you through it. I know that. In my depression. For me, I feel like had somebody had that option where I could talk to somebody that didn't know me, that didn't have preconceived ideas, that I'm, I would've been willing to just open up. And I'm [00:50:00] hoping that, uh, even one person, if you need that and you just, and I refer to it earlier, that verbal diarrhea, just like, let let it pour out. Uh, my dad was a military man. I was in wrestling for eight years. There's not a curse word I haven't heard. So if you need to curse in your email, don't feel like, oh, he's a pastor. I gotta edit. No, don't worry about that. Just tell me what you're want. A safe person, uh, yeah, and I wanna be there and I want to help in any way I can. If it's just listening and reading your email and just sending a few words back, that's what I wanna do. So that's open for you for, and if you're somebody that knows somebody that's not able to ask for help, uh, you know, contact me and I'll be happy to, uh, to do what I can. That is so awesome. Thank you so much for, for being a resource for, for the listeners, and I hope those that are listening will take advantage of that opportunity. And I love your podcast. [00:51:00] I listen to your podcast every week and you have some great guests on there. And we seem to agree on a lot of, um, things that I won't mention. I don't talk about politics on the show, but yeah. We seem to be on the same page on a lot of things. So thanks again for, for coming on the show tonight. Thank you so much. You as well. And, uh, I hope that, uh, uh, DSW Ministries takes off in the new year and that, uh, you meet every goal that, you've, that you've set forth. God bless you, Dave. Now I'll put all of his information in the show notes for everybody. You are never a victim when you choose to take action. Remember that friends, so we will see you all next week. God bless. Thank you for listening to the Wounds of the Faithful Podcast. If this episode has been helpful to you, please [00:52:00] hit the subscribe button and tell a friend. You could connect with us at DSW Ministries dot org where you'll find our blog, along with our Facebook, Twitter, and our YouTube channel links. Hope to see you next week.

Join Ryan, Tara, and Travis as they discuss their recent appearance at the legendary Second City alongside Starship Edsel!

From his humble beginnings in sketch comedy with the Toronto branch of Second City, to his rise to fame in SCTV and Hollywood film classics like Planes, Trains and Automobiles, The Great Outdoors, and Uncle Buck, John Candy captivated audiences with his self-deprecating humour, emotional warmth, and gift for improvisation. Now, for the first time since Candy's tragic death, bestselling biographer Paul Myers tells the full story of the man behind the laughs.Drawing on extensive research and exclusive interviews with many of Candy's closest friends and colleagues, including Dan Aykroyd, Chevy Chase, Tom Hanks, Ron Howard, Steve Martin, Catherine O'Hara, Martin Short, and many more, John Candy: A Life in Comedy celebrates the comedian's unparalleled talent, infectious charm, and generosity of spirit. Through ups and downs, successes and failures, and struggles with anxiety and self-doubt, Candy faced the world with a big smile and a warm demeanour that earned him the love and adoration of fans around the world.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/arroe-collins-unplugged-totally-uncut--994165/support.

1. Moonbootica - Vice Man 2. Hatiras - Queen Of Comedy 3. Robin S, MDFC - Because of You (J Nitti Remix) 4. Big Time Charlie, Secondcity, Monty Kiddo - On The Run 5. ANOTR, TEED - Sound Of You 6. Angie Brown, Austin Millz - I'm Gonna Get You 7. DJ Chus, Harry Romero - Celebrate Life 8. Emanuel Satie - Give It All 9. Michel De Hey - Let The Rhythm Hit Em' 10. Jay Vegas - Heat It (2025 Refresh) 11. Michael Grald - Que Pasa 12. Asta & Cavi - Can't Give You Up 13. Davide Messina, Folkness, Esse. - Dub Slap 14. Inafekt - All That You've Dreamed Of

Urbana Radio Show By David Penn Chapter #712 1. Dames Brown - You're The One For Me - Defected Records 2. Roel - Came To That Day - Soulfuric Trax 3. Awen, Daniel Rateuke, D4NYO - Hustler - Kanté 4. Fedde Le Grand x Porno - Music Power - Altra Moda 5. Alison Limerick - Where Love Lives - Sony 6. Capri - Jack That - Jackies Music Records 7. Steven Caretti - Close To Me - Houseklänge 8. Crusy, Jem Cooke - Good To Go - Toolroom Records 9. Secondcity, Monty Kiddo & Big Time Charlie - On The Run 2025 - Altra Moda 10. Piem - Disco Mordisco (Daniel Steinberg Remix) - HouseU Records 11. Costa UK - Shake That - Toolroom Trax 12. KPD - Freddie - Cube Recordings Thanks to all the labels and artist for their music. All tracks selected and mixed by David Penn DJDAVIDPENN.COM FACEBOOK DJDAVIDPENN INSTAGRAM @DJDAVIDPENN INGENIUM BOKINGS EUROPA MUSIC MANAGEMENT Encoded by MUSICZONE PODCAST SERVICES.

We welcome actor John Kapelos, whose unforgettable turns in The Breakfast Club and Sixteen Candles enshrine him as a John Hughes Universe fixture. From Second City to Shermer High, John weighs in on comedy, character & The Hughes legacy.John takes us back to his youth in London, Ontario, Canada, and his first big leap into show business as a member of Second City Chicago, from where he toured for over three years and studied under the mentorship of John Candy: John Kapelos shares his thoughts on the recent Candy documentary and the warmth and sensitivity of the icon who showed him the way.He shares the magic of an electric comedy scene which included Eugene Levy, Martin Short, Dave Thomas and Catherine O'Hara, and how the Chicago and Toronto improv cultures differed. We also get his perspective on the sexism which permeated the comedy scene.We dive into John's transition from stage to screen, his admiration for John Hughes' ability to capture the voices of teenagers, and we get Breakfast Club behind-the-scenes intrigue. How did John manage to enrage Emilio Estevez? And how did he ultimately receive absolution from Martin Sheen on the set of The West Wing? It's all here.And in a thrilling round of IMDB Roulette, we learn why Desperate Housewives was a piece of (cup)cake and how John sustained an injury on the set of Seinfeld, attempting to not crack up at Kramer!In current media--Weezy: Netflix Limited Series,  Death By LightningFritz: Netflix Movie, A House Of DynamitePath Points of Interest:John Kapelos on WikipediaJohn Kapelos on IMDBJohn Kapelos on InstagramJohn Kapelos on FacebookToo Hip for the RoomDeath By LightningA House Of Dynamite

On this episode of Coaching Call, Sifu Rafael welcomes Leanne Linsky, a comedian turned entrepreneur whose journey proves that laughter truly is powerful medicine. As the founder and CEO of Plauzzable, an innovative online comedy club, Leanne is redefining how people connect through humor.Originally from Waukegan, Illinois, Leanne's path has been fueled by curiosity and creativity. She earned her B.S. in Business Management from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and a Master of Innovation and Entrepreneurship from the University of California, Irvine. A certified professional coach (PCC) with the International Coaching Federation, Leanne bridges business insight with human connection.Her comedy roots run deep—she studied at Upright Citizens Brigade, The Second City, IO Chicago, and Magnet Theater, and went on to write, perform, and produce her own critically acclaimed one-woman show. From producing open mics to hosting weekly stand-up events in New York City and California, Leanne has built a legacy of laughter.Now, through Plauzzable, she's on a mission to unite people worldwide—proving that comedy doesn't just entertain, it connects and heals.Sifu Rafael is a master instructor and the founder of Speaking Prowess, where he combines expertise in communication and leadership to help individuals unlock their full potential. As a professional speaker, solutions expert, and executive coach, Sifu Rafael leverages years of experience to guide clients toward their goals with clarity, purpose, and strategic insight. His mission is to make the art of effective communication accessible to all, empowering personal and professional growth. Sifu Rafael's unwavering dedication to improving communication skills has earned him a reputation as a trusted mentor and coach. His vision is clear: to enhance communication worldwide, one individual at a time.This episode is brought to you by Sifu's Mind Body Method, a 90-day lifestyle transformation that blends movement, mindset, nutrition, hydration, fasting, journaling, and faith. Learn more at www.sifurafael.com/smbmWatch this and every episode on YouTube and subscribe at https://www.youtube.com/@sifurafaeltv?sub_confirmation=1

Kelly has a powerful conversation with longtime friend and Second City colleague Tania Richard, whose new book “Black Girl from a White Suburb” looks at race, a life in theatre, loss and finding resilience along the way. “People think actors are good liars. We aren't.” “We believe what we need to get by.”  “There is no other […]

In this episode of TBCY, host Stephen Ibaraki sits down with Meridith Grundei, a Strategic Communication Partner and Experience Director with a remarkable journey from theater and improv to consulting for tech giants like Amazon, AWS, Google, Pfizer, and Panasonic. Meridith opens up about her transformative life inflection points, overcoming shyness through the arts, and harnessing the power of storytelling to help leaders amplify their presence and create authentic connections.From her early experiences as a dancer terrified to use her voice, to becoming a trailblazer in improv and youth theater at Second City, Meridith shares inspiring lessons on personal growth, resilience, and leading with curiosity. Hear how she redesigned her career after personal and family upheavals, ultimately channeling her creative talents into empowering others.If you're looking for guidance on overcoming confidence barriers, finding your authentic voice, or elevating your impact as a leader, this episode is full of actionable insights and heartfelt storytelling.

I had the great pleasure of meeting Jennifer Estin when I signed at the terrific online classes for the Annoyance, Improv Fiend! https://improvfiend.com We chatted about her childhood and how her mother created games that inspired her to pursue acting. Jennifer Estlin has been involved in the entertainment business as an actress and producer since 1986. Following her graduation from Northwestern University's School of Speech in 1987, she traveled to Edinburgh Scotland with the production of André Gregory's Alice! directed by David Schwimmer. Afterward, she spent three months traveling all over Europe until deciding to settle for awhile in Paris, where she earned her living singing on the Parisian Metro for close to a year. ​ Upon returning to Chicago, Jennifer spent several years working in many of Chicago's theatres including The Annoyance, Northlight, and The Body Politic. She toured for two years with Second City's National Touring company and was a company member on a Second City resident stage prior to moving to New York in 1994. There, she continued her career by working in regional theatres around the country, Off-Broadway theatre, film, and television. She returned to Chicago in 2002 to become President, Executive Producer and owner of the Annoyance Theatre, and continues to work on film, television and stage. Jennifer has appeared as recurring characters Judge Cohen on Proven Innocent and Cathy Briscoe on NBC's Law and Order, and also in shows such as Chicago PD, Empire, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Exit 57, and in several national and regional commercials. Her feature film credits include the soon to be released (Fall 2024) Everything Fun You Could Possibly Do in Aledo, Illinois (for which she received Best Actress award at the Star City Film Festlval), The Eyes, iMurders, Chicago Boricua, and Volcano, and the award winning short films A Million Miles Away,(Sundance) and The Cure (Slamdance). ​You can learn more about Jennifer at https://www.jenniferestlin.com ​

Would you be surprised to learn that the top five degrees in demand in the US are in healthcare, technology, engineering, business, and mathematics? Probably not. But as AI is introduced into nearly every facet of the workplace, college admission managers and HR directors are increasingly pointing to the importance of soft skills, the personal attributes and interpersonal abilities that define how you interact with others in the workplace. In the workplace of the future, they say, employers will seek out employees who demonstrate superb communication, teamwork, and problem-solving abilities. Yet, our nation’s best colleges and universities don’t offer degrees in active listening or collaboration, do they? So what is an incoming freshman to do? My two lunch guests,Travis Noote of Boomerang Comedy Club, and Terence Delaine of NO Show Comedy, would say take a class in improv. Or explore stand up. Travis Noote fell in love with comedy in 2013 and became a devotee to improv, a form of live theatre in which the plot, characters, and dialogue are made up spontaneously by the performers at the moment of performance. Travis took improv classes in South Carolina, Atlanta, and Savannah before moving to Baton Rouge to be closer to family. As he’d done in other cities, Travis signed up for and was taking classes at the Latco theatre, which he learned was going to dissolve soon. So, acting a bit on a whim and with a good deal of spontaneity, in 2022 Travis took the reins of the Latco venue and founded The Boomerang Comedy Theater, effectively turning a hobby into a 9-5 job. If you are further in your comedic studies and perhaps pine for larger audiences on the West Coast, then Terence Delaine of NO Show Comedy is your man. No Show is a live production company operating in Los Angeles and Louisiana, hosting a monthly show at Squeaky Pete's in downtown Baton Rouge, as well as frequent shows at The Station. A native of Lake Charles, Terence has degrees in political science and public administration and a full-time job at the United Way. He's been working as a stand up comic for more than a decade. Terence recorded a comedy special album that will soon be released on all streaming sites, including YouTube. Living in Louisiana, when it comes to entertainment we often think of Baton Rouge as playing second fiddle to New Orleans. Well, that's the role people put Chicago in for years, in relation to New York City. But it might be worth pointing out that some of the nation's most famous and memorable comics, like Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi, Steve Carell, Chris Farley, Tina Fey, Bill Murray, Catherine O’Hara, and Joan Rivers got their start at Chicago’s Second City, which recently celebrated 65 years of business. It will be interesting to see who comes out of the Baton Rouge comedy scene in the next 5 or 6 years. Out to Lunch is recorded live over lunch at Mansurs on the Boulevard. You can find photos from this show by Ian Ledo and Miranda Albarez at itsbatonrouge.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“Laughs Underground with Autumn Bruewer” | The Brett Allan Show Episode Summary In this episode of The Brett Allan Show, host Brett Allan sits down with Autumn Bruewer for a hilarious, candid conversation about her rise through the comedy scene — from improv house teams at The Second City and IO West to her TV work on Dear White People and her viral stand-up clips that have racked up millions of views. We dig into how she crafts material that feels personal yet universal, what it's like breaking into Los Angeles as a woman in comedy, and how she approaches live shows differently than social media sets. Autumn also gives a behind-the-scenes look at her upcoming live show in Denver and shares tips for aspiring comedians and fans alike. How Autumn's improvisation training at Second City and IO West shaped her comedic voice. Stories from her guest work on Dear White People and her appearance on the Laugh Factory “Spotlight” series. The transition from viral online clips to headlining stage tours and the differences in energy, audience, and pacing. What audiences can expect from her live show — style, vibe, interaction. A live-show build-up: Autumn's show tomorrow in Denver at the Denver Comedy Underground — with tickets, event details, and why you don't want to miss it. (See below for links.) Guest Bio Autumn Bruewer is a stand-up comedian and actress based in Los Angeles, originally from Cincinnati. She began her career performing improv on house teams at The Second City and IO West. denvercomedyunderground.com+1 She's appeared on the Netflix series Dear White People and features prominently in the Laugh Factory “Spotlight” series. Her stand-up content has gone viral across social media, and she has shared the stage with comedy legends like Jay Leno, Jimmy Pardo and Laurie Kilmartin. denvercomedyunderground.com What: Autumn Bruewer – Live Stand-Up ComedyWhen: November 6, 2025 at 7:30 PM (doors at 6:30 PM) denvercomedyunderground.com+1Where: Denver Comedy Underground, 675 22nd St, Denver, CO 80205 Tickets: Official venue ticket link: Denver Comedy Underground – Autumn Bruewer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

TVC 712.5: Part 2 of a conversation that began last week with Paul Myers, author of John Candy: A Life in Comedy, a heartwarming portrait of the beloved actor, improv comedian, and box office star who, had he lived, would have turned seventy-five on Oct. 31, 2025. Topics this segment include how Candy and his fellow cast members of SCTV all embodied the spirit and philosophy of Second City, a "model society for improv" in which all actors sees themselves as talented peers who could help make each other better; why Dave Thomas and Joe Flaherty are the two linchpins behind the story Paul tells in John Candy: A Life in Comedy; and Candy had an unerring knack for always making choices in comedy that he knew were both real and right. John Candy: A Life in Comedy is available wherever books are sold through House of Anansi Books, as well as Amazon.com.

The music of Carnao Beats is unmistakably a product of his London environment. The tracks he creates are a cut above thenorm: simultaneously bass-heavy and complex, commanding and melodic, with anaptitude for working with vocals that only the most talented of his contemporaries share.His 2012 debut‘H.O.U.S.E' came on Mark Radford's revered Audio Rehab, establishing somewhat of a blueprint for a Carnao Beats record: tough, club-ready beats and percussion paired with a intricately interwoven melodies.This would be the start of a fruitful relationship between label and artist that included the more recent ‘Chords Of Life' and ‘Paint Out TheSun'. The follow up to his debut, ‘Know My Name'–produced in collaboration with AmineEdge & DANCE–was equally impressive, with both tracks now having clocked up hundreds of thousands of plays on YouTube and Soundcloud respectively, establishing Carnao as major new player ont he underground house scene.Carnao's next release, the sublime ‘GoneIn The Morning' featuring Donae'o caught the attention of A-listers MK and Roger Sanchez. Both have been staunch supporter sever since, with Sanchez so enamored with Carnao's music that the two teamed upon ‘Make Me Wonder', a co-production dropping on Stealth. Further labels that have recognized his talents include King Street, CUFF Records and legendary NYC imprint Nurvous, who will release Carnao Beats v Gerry Gonza‘98' later this year.ADJ who cut his teeth in the days of vinyl, Carnao's talents behind the decks are equal to his studio skills, with lauded shows at world-renowned venues along side the likes of Josh Butler, Route94, and Second City further adding to the hype surrounding him. Carnao's latest release is a reworking of Jean Jacques Smoothie's house classic ‘2People' on Sam Divine's cult D-Vine Sounds label: a shining endorsement from without doubt one of London's finest house DJs. Ina crowded marketplace, Carnao Beats has managed to not only make a name for himself, but exceed expectations with every release. As Carnao himself puts it, “as long as you have the right mindset you can express what you like, come up with new ideas and create a new path for yourself”. Long may he continue down that path.

Bob and Rob Grabowski return to The Analysis to talk funny — diving deep into two documentaries that celebrate the architects of laughter: Colin Hanks' “I Like Me” (on John Candy) and Fred Armisen's “Downey Wrote That” (on longtime SNL head writer Jim Downey). From Candy's mix of heart and heartbreak to Downey's sharp political wit, the episode unpacks how these two legends shaped the DNA of modern comedy. Expect reflections on Planes, Trains & Automobiles, the “I like me” speech, improv at Second City, SNL lore, and even Norm Macdonald's Weekend Update rebellion. It's a nostalgic, bittersweet ride through laughter, legacy, and what it means to be funny and human at the same time.

From Planes Trains and Automobiles to Uncle Buck to that unforgettable racquetball scene in Splash John Candy made us laugh till we cried

We're thrilled to welcome Lauren Ash - actor, comedian, musician, and singer-songwriter to The Kelly Alexander Show! Lauren joins us to talk about her debut album “Call Me When You Get This”, featuring standout tracks like Whiplash, Dumpster Fire, and Blow It Up! She opens up about her childhood dream of becoming a recording artist, how she finally made it happen, and how a massive breakup inspired the direction of the album. You'll also hear Lauren share stories about her iconic role as Dina Fox on Superstore, her time with Second City in Toronto and Chicago, and how Kelly Clarkson helped inspire her journey into music. Plus, find out which artist she wants to collaborate with, which boy band group chat she'd love to join, and what never fails to make her smile!  If you love celebrity interviews, music, pop culture, and inspiring creative journeys, hit Subscribe and catch new episodes of The Kelly Alexander Show every week!

Disclosure: We are part of the Amazon Affiliate/LTK Creator programs. We will receive a small commission at no cost if you purchase a book. This post may contain links to purchase books.Pickleball is officially the new hotspot for meet-cutes—and now it's getting the book-romance treatment it deserves.In this episode, I chat with author Ilana Long about how she brought one of the first traditionally published pickleball romances to life. We talk about her creative background in stand-up and Second City improv, why pickleball is the perfect sport for romance lovers, and what it was like narrating her own audiobook. Plus, Ilana shares the cozy, feel-good books she's been reading lately—from Irish small-town romcoms to magical realism with a touch of travel escapism.

Guest host Maria Randazzo is joined by performer Mitchell Fain to dive deep into "Girl Walks into a Bar," the 2012 memoir of "Saturday Night Live" legend Rachel Dratch. They unpack Rachel's journey through Second City to her "30 Rock" casting swap with Jane Krakowski all while enjoying the dating horror stories and symbolic pigs she picked up along the way. Plus: Rachel's surprise path to motherhood at 44 and the psychic moments that make this one of the most magical memoirs we've covered. Join the cookie community: Become a member of the Patreon Follow Maria Randazzo: Instagram @mariafreakin Where to find our guest, Mitchell Fain: Instagram *** Glamorous Trash is all about going high and low at the same time— Glam and Trash. We recap and book club celebrity memoirs, deconstruct pop culture, and sometimes, we cry! If you've ever referenced Mariah Carey in therapy... then this is the podcast for you. Thank you to our sponsors: Quince  - Go to quince.com/glamorous for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns.  Libro.fm - Click here to get 2 audiobooks for the price of 1 with your first month of membership using code TRASH. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

EPISODE DESCRIPTIONRebecca V. Nellis never meant to run a nonprofit. She just never left. Twenty years later, she's still helming Cancer and Careers after a Craigslist maternity-leave temp job turned into a lifelong mission.In this 60-minute doubleheader, we cover everything from theater nerdom and improv rules for surviving bureaucracy, to hanging up on Jon Bon Jovi, to navigating cancer while working—or working while surviving cancer. Same thing.Rebecca's path is part Second City, part Prague hostel, part Upper East Side grant writer, and somehow all of that makes perfect sense. She breaks down how theater kids become nonprofit lifers, how “sample sale feminism” helped shape a cancer rights org, and how you know when the work is finally worth staying for.Also: Cleavon Little. Tap Dance Kid. 42 countries. And one extremely awkward moment involving a room full of women's handbags and one very confused Matthew.If you've ever had to hide your diagnosis to keep a job—or wanted to burn the whole HR system down—this one's for you.RELATED LINKSCancer and CareersRebecca Nellis on LinkedIn2024 Cancer and Careers Research ReportWorking with Cancer Pledge (Publicis)CEW FoundationI'm Not Rappaport – Broadway InfoFEEDBACKLike this episode? Rate and review Out of Patients on your favorite podcast platform. For guest suggestions or sponsorship opportunities, email podcast@matthewzachary.com.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Comedian David Koechner talks about growing up in a big family in a small Missouri town, and developing the need to be heard and seen by taking the attention, the importance of SNL and Monty Python. Deciding to be a performer. Making the move to Chicago, the influence of being Catholic, the fall of old show business, trying to carve out a career in the aftermath. Becoming a stand-up, how we don't own our kids, improv vs drama, feuds, apologies, Adam McCay, Del Close, and the maturity to not spill a milkshake over yourself even if you will get a laugh. Bio:David Michael Koechner on August 24, 1962, in Tipton, Missouri, his parents ran a business manufacturing turkey coops. He has two brothers and three sisters. He studied political science before moving to Chicago to pursue improvisational comedy at ImprovOlympic and Second City.  Koechner was a cast member on Saturday Night Live from 1995–1996, performing in sketches like "Bill Brasky" and "The British Fops". His breakout film role was as Champ Kind in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004), a character he returned to in the 2013 sequel. He also played Todd Packer in 15 episodes of The Office (2005–2013), a role for which Steve Carell recommended him. Koechner has appeared in numerous other films, including Talladega Nights, Thank You for Smoking, Extract, and Waiting..., and received praise for his dramatic role in Cheap Thrills (2014). His television work includes voice roles in American Dad! and recurring parts in shows like Another Period and The Goldbergs. He continues to perform stand-up comedy and tours with "The Office Trivia with 'Todd Packer'".  David performs stand-up around the country and is available for dinner if the food's good. Editing Notes: David does a LOT of shitting on priests and churches and show biz.  I think it gets boring.

Kelly celebrates the release of Anne Libera’s new book on comedy, “Funnier.” They talk in front of a live audience at The Second City.  “Don’t waste your time following gurus.” “We need to value risk.” “True irony is deeper than simple opposition. It is opposition mixed with justice of a sort.”

This time out we salute Craig Robinson, who might well have ended up as your high school music teacher had not the comedy bug bit him hard while in college at Illinois State University. Along with hitting the books, Craig also hit the boards at Second City and doing stand up, eventually moving to Los Angeles where he caught the eye of Jimmy Kimmel's show. As these things do, one thing led to another and Craig has carved out a fine career with guest shots in movies and on tv, a role in the hit sitcom The Office, and more. He also is a fine musician and maintains a couple of musical projects where the music is sweet soul and the comedy is sharp and a little risqué. With that combo we think Craig will be entertaining us for years to come. As always find extra clips below and thanks for sharing our shows! Want more Craig Robinson? Craig's comedy songs usually have a nice romantic intro, then turn a different direction for the payoff as in this clip from the Just for Laughs Comedy Festival in 2008. https://youtu.be/I7BMAWwsMBs?si=CvLfOcPrLhD6ztrg Craig gained mass attention when he took on the role of warehouse foreman Darryl Philbin in The Office. Here are some of his best bits. https://youtu.be/XrHeFFYhd1A?si=jx5UMoY0pobFe2i4 Craig Robinson is a great musical comedian, sometimes with his own band "Nasty Delicious" and sometimes with fellow comic Jerry Minor as in this sensitive ballad. https://youtu.be/pS3WQ-tqntA?si=aEN_ICdKmur1fL2e

From his humble beginnings in sketch comedy with the Toronto branch of Second City, to his rise to fame in SCTV and Hollywood film classics like Planes, Trains and Automobiles, The Great Outdoors, and Uncle Buck, John Candy captivated audiences with his self-deprecating humour, emotional warmth, and gift for improvisation. Now, for the first time since Candy's tragic death, bestselling biographer Paul Myers tells the full story of the man behind the laughs.Drawing on extensive research and exclusive interviews with many of Candy's closest friends and colleagues, including Dan Aykroyd, Chevy Chase, Tom Hanks, Ron Howard, Steve Martin, Catherine O'Hara, Martin Short, and many more, John Candy: A Life in Comedy celebrates the comedian's unparalleled talent, infectious charm, and generosity of spirit. Through ups and downs, successes and failures, and struggles with anxiety and self-doubt, Candy faced the world with a big smile and a warm demeanour that earned him the love and adoration of fans around the world.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/arroe-collins-like-it-s-live--4113802/support.

https://youtu.be/O0ueKBdG0QE Welcome back to Superhumanize, 
the space where we remember the sacred intelligence of being human. Where science meets soul, where consciousness meets curiosity, 
and where we play at the edge of possibility. Today's guest is a man who dances in paradox, a bridge between the form and the formless.
 He has woven beats into ceremonial ecstasy, and guided rooms of souls back into the wild magic of play. Joshua Draper is a multi-dimensional artist, producer, improv alchemist, and musical shapeshifter.
 But more than that, he is a frequency holder for the sacred yes,
that living impulse in us that says:
“I will risk being seen. I will play. I will trust the unknown.” In a world that teaches us to compete, to compare, to perform, Joshua invites us into a different game, one where everyone wins.
 One where laughter is a medicine,
 intuition is a compass, 
and surrender is not defeat,
 but a doorway. So today, we drop the script.
 We follow the thread.
 We grow through play. Episode Highlights 03:00 – Joshua shares his background in improvisation, from studying at Chicago's Second City and Improv Olympic to seeing life itself as one great improv scene.05:00 – The deeper lessons of improv: fearlessness, cooperation, trust, and group listening. How improvisation re-patterns the nervous system toward openness and receptivity.07:15 – Improv as “auric yoga”: training the mind and body to say yes to life instead of contracting in fear or resistance.10:00 – How Joshua structures his workshops: creating safe pods, starting with eye contact and energetic presence before moving into simple, playful exercises.12:00 – The “Five Things” exercise and how saying “Yes!” to each other builds trust, dopamine, and communal flow.13:15 – Presence, sensing, and the power of eye gazing as a form of deep human connection.15:00 – Listening versus sensing: how to perceive what's beneath the words, tuning into gesture, posture, and subtext.16:30 – Intuition and embodiment: Joshua describes the connection between gut and face—the physical pathway of intuition and expression.19:00 – Collaborative play versus competition. How true play is cooperative, not about winning or losing, and how honesty fuels comedy.21:00 – The “healing trap” of constant self-work and how play offers an equally potent path to personal growth and neural rewiring.23:00 – The mythic roots of play: how all ritual and culture began with improvisation, even the naming of the stars.25:30 – A profound healing story: a woman reconnects with her deceased son through an improv exercise.29:00 – Being comfortable with the unknown—why mystery is essential to play,...

#SecondCity alum Brian Hunt of #DadStyleComedy joins us #DWMODpod for #Big6Picks he's a#DieHard #Brocos #Nuggets #Rockies fan and we're talking #WorlsSeries #Dodgers #BlueJays #ohtani #NBA season starts a new game called "That Guy's a football coach?" #DeionSanders future in #Colorado #NFL fixing games and more on #QuickHits #NoWay #KnockItOff #WhatJustHappened #ULMreport #OldeEnglish800 #KuttinLooseNetwork #GordonButterfeld

Dean Richards, entertainment reporter for WGN, joins Wendy Snyder (in for Bob Sirott) to provide the latest news in entertainment. Wendy and Dean talk about George Wendt’s memorial at The Second City and Eric Dane’s new role as an ALS patient. They also share details about tickets for John Mulaney’s set at Wrigley Field, why […]

This special episode delves into the rich maritime legacy of Glasgow's River Clyde, once a global powerhouse of shipbuilding. From the early 19th to the mid-20th century, the Clyde's shipyards were at the forefront of industrial innovation and naval craftsmanship, producing thousands of vessels that left an indelible mark on world history. This prolific output earned Glasgow the prestigious title of the "Second City of the British Empire," a testament to its pivotal role in global trade, warfare, and transportation. Although shipbuilding on the Clyde can be traced back to the 15th century, it was the Industrial Revolution that truly transformed the region into a maritime titan. Key developments such as the deepening of the river and innovating construction techniques enabled the building and launch of much larger ships. These infrastructural advancements, coupled with the era's technological progress, catalyzed a boom in ship production. By the late 1800s, the Clyde was responsible for building an astonishing 20% of the world's ships, a feat that underscores its global significance. The episode not only explores the technical and historical aspects of Clyde shipbuilding but also brings to life the human stories behind the steel. Listeners are treated to tales of iconic ships constructed along the riverbanks—vessels that played crucial roles in shaping the geopolitical and economic landscape of their time. These narratives highlight the ingenuity, resilience, and craftsmanship of the workers who toiled in the shipyards, often in challenging conditions, to produce some of the most renowned ships in maritime history. Adding a deeply personal dimension to the episode is the perspective of a veteran shipyard worker-manager-shipyard owner who began his career at the age of 16 and dedicated over four decades to the industry. His firsthand account offers invaluable insights into the day-to-day realities of life in the yards, the camaraderie among workers, and the pride they took in their contributions to a globally respected industry. His reflections serve as a poignant reminder of the human element at the heart of industrial achievement. For those interested in visualizing this remarkable chapter of Scottish history, you can view some photographs on the Unique Scotland website www.exclusivescottishvisits.co.uk. These images capture both the grandeur of the Clyde's shipbuilding heyday and the remnants of its once-bustling shipyards as they stand today. In essence, this episode is a heartfelt tribute to Glasgow's shipbuilding heritage—a story of innovation, industry, and identity. It celebrates the River Clyde not just as a geographical feature, but as a symbol of Scotland's contribution to the world's maritime legacy. Through historical context, personal testimony, and visual storytelling, the episode paints a vivid picture of a bygone era that continues to resonate in the cultural memory of Glasgow and beyond.

I happen to catch the "I like me" documentary about #JohnCandy on Netflix, directed by Colin Hanks.  It's a wonderful trip down memory lane.  In my case, I studied at Second City in Chicago (took classes for a semester) before I moved to LA.  I joined a group of improv actors in the Harvey Lembeck workshop, but was an avid fan of SCTV during my years at Boston University and beyond. Charles Grodin and I had that in common - he loved Johnny LaRue (John Candy) and all the other characters, and late in life, Chuck would make DVD copies of his favorite bits and send them to his pals. I have a dozen or so.  As a film director I got to meet a bunch of people... and in this interview with John - you'll hear that I don't say the last name of the actors that I'm referring to, because it's more fun if Jennifer gets them accurately. And she does (once I let her know who we're talking to.) I had just watched the documentary, so the people in it are #SteveMartin (who needs to lighten up on the sobriety), #MartyShort (get your heart checked), Dave Thomas, Andrea Martin (who never changes),  Joe Flaherty, #EugeneLevy (the skeptical one) #CatherineOHara (the dreamer he's visited) Harold Ramis... #BillMurray, #DanAykroyd, #JohnBelushi, #TomHanks... I remembered to mention his lovely wife Rosemary and his two children, both whom are very touching in the doc.  (Sorry I didn't mention his brother in case he views this.)  I asked these questions without Jennifer knowing who I was talking about (except she saw Tom Hanks and saw Bill Murray when I said their first names.  That happens.   So this is an extreme yet excellent example of what we've been doing for  every week for over ten years.  See the film HACKING THE AFTERLIFE on Gaia or Amazon prime for examples.  Jennifer doesn't know anything about the doc about John's life, doesn't know anything about John Candy's life - and I made some errors, like giving Harold Ramis credit for directing Stripes which he cowrote (Ivan Reitman directed it) Harold directed him in Caddyshack, National Lampoon's Vacation.  (A movie that John Hughes told me in person he hated the film but clearly he like John in the film).  As noted, I went to high school with John Hughes, and he was pals with my brother, and super close friends with his wife - who was close to both John and Nancy.   My brother was also pals with Bill Murray in high school, and although I didn't say it in the podcast, I'll say it here - Bill Murray gave me - a brother of his high school pal - free tickets to the dress rehearsal at SNL for years.  I mean - for years -I took friends, including Luana Anders to the show.  And once, had the chutzpa to wait to see him after the show, give him a bottle of wine, and introduce him to Luana...  It was funny because he really didn't know me - I was just there to thank him for leaving tickets for "Elvis Martini" for all those years, and I think he was miffed I'd stuck around to thank him. Little did he know that the Luana he met - the very same Luana - is the moderator of our podcast from the flipside. If I was going to point to one show that demonstrates the ability of Jennifer talking to people offstage - it's this one. She works with members of the FBI, NYPD, LAPD on missing person cases, works pro bono a third of her practice, has been doing this for a long time, and indeed, they're making a show about her on Fox as we speak. I've written 13 books about the flipside, I do offer guided meditations, and Jennifer does these "wine and spirits" evenings in Manhattan beach that anyone can attend and isn't expensive, or they can book her directly. She works with members of Steve Jobs and Kobe Bryant's families - and they've given her permission to say so. So sit back, watch her talk to John Candy about all his pals onstage and off, mock Tom Hanks, tease Steve Martin, make fun of Bill Murray's golf game - all of it is not coming from me or Jennifer. I don't know how else to say it - have been filming people talking to their loved ones for over 15 years via hypnotherapy, guided meditation or mediums like Jennifer.  The story never changes. They aren't gone; they just aren't here.  Enjoy. 

Anne Libera, Director of Comedy Studies at The Second City, joins John Williams to discuss her new book, “Funnier.” Anne talks about who the book is for, how people can use comedy better, what you can do to make yourself funnier, the biggest elements of comedy that people don’t think about, her interest in how […]

Anne Libera, Director of Comedy Studies at The Second City, joins John Williams to discuss her new book, “Funnier.” Anne talks about who the book is for, how people can use comedy better, what you can do to make yourself funnier, the biggest elements of comedy that people don’t think about, her interest in how […]

Comedy legend Robert Klein, Carl Ruiz, Sherrod Small 3/30Join Opie for a side-splitting SiriusXM episode featuring comedy icon Robert Klein, where they riff on the legends who shaped stand-up: Lenny Bruce, George Carlin, Richard Pryor, and the controversial Bill Cosby. With Klein's razor-sharp wit and stories from his storied career, they unpack the groundbreaking documentary Robert Klein Still Can't Stop His Leg, premiering on Starz March 31st. From Klein's early days at Second City to his HBO specials and wild Hollywood tales—like sharing a scene with Marilyn Chambers—this episode is a laugh-packed journey through comedy history, cultural shifts, and personal anecdotes. Joined by Klein's son Alli and director Marshall Fine, the conversation sparkles with nostalgia, humor, and unexpected revelations, making it a must-listen for comedy fans and newcomers alike.The final year of my radio journey holds a special place in my heart, made even more poignant by the loss of my cherished friends, Carl Ruiz and Vic Henley. Reflecting on that time, I rediscovered the pure passion and exhilaration that drew me to radio in the first place. Amidst the chaos and challenges, we found endless moments of hilarity and camaraderie. Alongside Carl, Vic, and Sherrod Small, we shared unforgettable experiences both on and off the airwaves, our tight-knit bond shining through every episode. That year also marked Carl Ruiz's meteoric rise to stardom, inspiring me to launch the Opie Radio podcast with him. I'm immensely grateful to Erock, Clubsoda Kenny, Paul, and Louis for joining us on this wild ride. Get ready to dive into the rollercoaster of emotions—the highs, the lows, and the laugh-out-loud moments—that defined my last year in radio. 

In October's quiz episode - inspired by ITV show Tenable - Mat Kendrick puts Dan Rolinson and John Townley's knowledge to the test in a variety of Aston Villa top 10 lists.

GGACP celebrates the 50th anniversary of a Frank favorite, the western-comedy "Hearts of the West," (released October 8, 1975) co-starring GGACP guest Alan Arkin. In this interview from 2020, Alan (joined by Emmy-winning actor Adam Arkin) talks about portraying villains, directing dark comedies, the precision of the Coen brothers and the Cold War politics of “The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming.” Also, Pat McCormick hits the hard stuff, Groucho drops in on Second City, Stephen King praises “Wait Until Dark” and Alan (almost) directs “Blazing Saddles.” PLUS: Captain Kangaroo! The brilliance of “The In-Laws”! Adam “reps” Chuck McCann! Alan records “The Banana Boat Song”! And Adam and Alan choose their favorite Arkin performances! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We love Brian!!!! I loved this conversation so much!!!!! Full disclosure, we kept thinking of things to talk about, so enjoy our many "endings" that turned into other stories LOL Brian Stack played Ted in Article Two, and the jeweler when Ann and Chris go to the jewelery store, BUT he was a writer on Conan for 18 years, he currently writes for Stephen Colbert and I talked his ear off about it all! We discuss his beginnings in Second City in Chicago, how he knew Amy Poehler, and advice for young sketch performers. I ask 800 questions about his Conan characters too and it's so cool to see the inception of it all! We also got some great behind the scenes tidbits about cracking an egg on Amy Poehler's head and how he was glad they used a stunt man! Plus, we discuss New Girl, 30 Rock and more shows he was a guest star on! Brian is the nicest, most grateful person and I am so lucky and honored to have spoken with him about his time in this industry! His gratitude is inspiring and I wish him nothing but the best. Please be sure to check out this compilation of characters, and check out his writing on the Colbert Show!!!!! Brian Stack Supercut:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLumXv6fUZ4Support the showRate and review us on Apple Podcasts!Follow us @parkpalspodcast on Instagram! Or email us at parkpalspodcast@gmail.com