Podcasts about stand up comedy

Godfrey is joined by Chef Shawnae Dixon, Akeem Woods, Eva Evans & Dante Nero to discuss Black American history, life as a celebrity chef & so much more! Legendary Comedian Godfrey is LIVE from New York, and joins some of his best friends in stand up comedy, Hip-Hop and Hollywood to talk current events, pop culture, race issues, movies, music, TV and Kung Fu. We got endless impressions, a white producer, random videos Godfrey found on the internet and so much more! We're not reinventing the wheel, we're just talking 'ish twice a week... with GODFREY on In Godfrey We Trust.Original Air Date: 07.15.25-------------------------------SUPPORT OUR SPONSORShttps://yokratom.com and get a $60 KILOCall American Financing today to find out how customers are saving an avg of $800/mo. 866-889-1776 or visit http://www.AmericanFinancing.net/Godfrey NMLS 182334, nmlsconsumeraccess.org-------------------------------

Geoff has started his journey to be a sauce guy, Kevin drags Geoff along for his first Benihana experience and Shuddy Boy may have used his brand new car to cause some serious damage.

Three dudes from the Mekong Delta walk into a podcast booth...C O M E S E E H A C K C I T Y C O M E D Y TicketsF O L L O W U Shttps://www.instagram.com/asiannotasianpodhttps://www.instagram.com/nicepantsbrohttps://www.instagram.com/jennyarimoto/P A T R E O Nhttps://www.patreon.com/asiannotasianpod P A R T N E R S -Check out friend of the pod John's cabin on Airbnb! https://www.airbnb.com/slink/penXRFgl - Helix Sleep Mattress: visit helixsleep.com/asian - Nutrafol: www.nutrafol.com (Promo code: Asian) This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/ASIAN and get on your way to being your best self.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

If you're in your twenties then listen to this.Your 20s are all about embracing mistakes, growth, and becoming the person you're meant to be. In today's short episode, I'm sharing 20 things your 20s are too short for—like staying in toxic relationships, letting others define your worth, and holding back from living your best life. Plus, stick around for a powerful manifesting mantra at the end to help you shape the future you desire.

Welcome to our Monthly Zodiac Bonus Episode, dropping the third week of every month! This July, we're giving you the ultimate guide to making a Leo man obsessed with YOU.Get ready to discover:

Taste of "Opie Funny AF" podcast.  SUBSCRIBE to "Opie Funny AF" for more episodes!Leonard's 50 Years at McDonalds: HILARIOUS Opie & Anthony w/ Patrice O'NealDive into a classic moment from the Opie and Anthony Show featuring comedy legend Patrice O'Neal! In this unforgettable segment, the crew calls a McDonald's to congratulate Leonard on his 50 years of service, only to hilariously prank him with a fake firing. The mix of Patrice's sharp wit, the hosts' outrageous antics, and Leonard's heartfelt responses make this a must-listen for comedy fans. Laugh, cringe, and enjoy the chaos! Subscribe for more classic radio moments! 

When Rhys Darby (Flight of the Conchords, Our Flag Means Death) started to notice the way AI had sunk its teeth into Hollywood, he decided to speak up. In his new stand-up show, “The Legend Returns,” the New Zealand actor and comedian sets out to prove that robots could never do what he's doing live on stage. Rhys joins Tom Power to tell us what's been on his mind when it comes to AI in the arts, plus, how he got his start on “Flight of the Conchords.”

Send us a textRomas gets his fake tooth in Mexico for a fraction of the US cost. Ducharme likes chocolate martinis made by Romas's girlfriend.  ALs 1 Pod is a comedy podcast hosted by stand-up comedians Al Ducharme and Al Romas. Originally titled Talking Dicks Comedy Podcast, the show is a spinoff from their web series The Two Dicks, which features two inept 1950s detectives. The podcast blends observational humor, personal anecdotes, and satirical commentary, often revisiting classic episodes from their archives. With over 330 episodes, it offers a mix of new content and “vault” episodes, providing listeners with a variety of comedic material.  You can listen to 2 ALs 1 Pod on platforms like Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Buzzsprout. For additional content, including video episodes and behind-the-scenes material, visit their Patreon page. https:/patreon.com/2als1pod https://www.instagram.com/thetalkingdickscomedypodcast/ https://twitter.com/DicksTwo https://www.facebook.com/thetwodicks https://www.facebook.com/The-Talking-Dicks-Comedy-Podcast-107101331446404  Support the show

Godfrey is joined by Chef Shawnae Dixon to discuss Staten Island's Black history, the legacy of Sandy Ground, slavery in New York, and the world-famous Shawnae's House restaurant with Akeem Woods, Eva Evans & Dante Nero.Legendary Comedian Godfrey is LIVE from New York, and joins some of his best friends in stand up comedy, Hip-Hop and Hollywood to talk current events, pop culture, race issues, movies, music, TV and Kung Fu. We got endless impressions, a white producer, random videos Godfrey found on the internet and so much more! We're not reinventing the wheel, we're just talking 'ish twice a week... with GODFREY on In Godfrey We Trust.Original Air Date: 07.15 .25-------------------------------

Send us a textFun interview with standup comic, Producer, Author, and Teacher of this amazing art form. Mike Lukas shares it all on this interview, so Listen and Learn about this business we call "Show" (and standup comedy).Mike Lukas has built a multifaceted career in comedy, transitioning from a corporate job at AT&T to gracing the stages of Florida's vibrant comedy scene. Known for his versatility, Lukas expanded his reach by co-hosting a radio show and later delving into writing, crafting successful works that highlight his comedic insight. Taking a hiatus to focus on family, he recently reemerged as a performer and instructor at the Dallas Comedy Club, showcasing his enduring passion for the craft. Grateful for his diverse opportunities, Lukas remains enthusiastic about his current projects, constantly adapting and inspiring others with his humor and experience.(00:00:54) "Versatile Comedy Journey of Mike Lukas"(00:09:46) Diverse Opportunities in Comedy Industry Transformation(00:12:09) Multifaceted Skills of Stand Up Comedians(00:18:32) Tailoring Comedy Acts for Diverse Audiences(00:25:13) Adapting Pathways: Evolution in Comedy Careers(00:26:33) "Developing Comedy Material with the Humor Blueprint"Support the show www.StandupComedyPodcastNetwork.com Free APP on all Apple & Android phones....check it out, podcast, jokes, blogs, and More!"NEW" Video Podcast: Tag Team Talent Podcast on Spotify & YouTube My suggestions for stuff I purchase on Amazon, Ck them out! Ice tea: https://amzn.to/4miicDu Portable Mics: https://amzn.to/3Faqix2 RODE Recording Board: https://amzn.to/3YIpEO2 Apple Watch: https://amzn.to/4kiZIRu Podcast Quality List: https://www.millionpodcasts.com/heritage-podcasts/ Please Write a Review: in-depth walk-through for leaving a review.Interested in Standup Comedy? Check out my books on Amazon..."20 Questions Answered about Being a Standup Comic""Be a Standup Comic...or just look like one"

Today we cover more current events including boomers, Trumpism, stand ups & woke, cringe core music - We will also look at the recent crypto news. I will be speaking at this conference! Get tickets here https://southernorthodox.org/conferences/3rd-annual-conference/ Send Superchats at any time here: https://streamlabs.com/jaydyer/tip Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnt7Iy8GlmdPwy_Tzyx93bA/join PRE-Order New Book Available in Sept here: https://jaysanalysis.com/product/esoteric-hollywood-3-sex-cults-apocalypse-in-films/ Get started with Bitcoin here: https://www.swanbitcoin.com/jaydyer/ The New Philosophy Course is here: https://marketplace.autonomyagora.com/philosophy101 Set up recurring Choq subscription with the discount code JAY44LIFE for 44% off now https://choq.com Lore coffee is here: https://www.patristicfaith.com/coffee/ Subscribe to my site here: https://jaysanalysis.com/membership-account/membership-levels/ Follow me on R0kfin here: https://rokfin.com/jaydyer Music by Amid the Ruins 1453 https://www.youtube.com/@amidtheruinsOVERHAUL Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnt7Iy8GlmdPwy_Tzyx93bA/join Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnt7Iy8GlmdPwy_Tzyx93bA/join #comedy #trump #podcastBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/jay-sanalysis--1423846/support.

On another hilarious and splendiferous episode of No Need for Apologies, we've got comedian, writer and Roast Battle OG Mike Lawrence in the turtle lair! From TMNT toy nostalgia to Love Island trauma, nothing is off limits. Dave and Derek dive into wild stories about interracial childhoods, parenting Black kids, Vegas casinos, and the brutal world of comedy roasts. Mike breaks down writing for Love Island and why stand-up has turned into a marketing game. Oh! Don't miss another classic NNFA game at the end

Na'im Ali & Xia Anderson from "True Dat" join the show, and today we talk about Conor McGregor's unsolicited messages to Azealia Banks, Elmo's twitter getting hacked, we discuss true crime with a core values twist... All This and More, ONLY on The Most Offensive Podcast on Earth, The LEGION OF SKANKS!!!Original Air Date: 07/15/25---------------------------------------Comedians Big Jay Oakerson, Luis J. Gomez, & Dave Smith host The Most Offensive Podcast on Earth: LIVE from The Stand Comedy Club in New York City!--------------------SUPPORT OUR SPONSORSGo to YoKratom.com - home of the $60 kilo!Visit to https://BodyBrainCoffee.com and use code LOS15 for 15% off!Visit https://www.HIMS.com/SKANKS for your personalized ED treatment options.Go to https://Lucy.co/LEGION and use code LEGION for 20% OFF!---------------

Godfrey talks with The Punisher, Eva Evans and Vishnu Vaka about Dave Chapelles comments on DJ Khaled, Kendrick killin in Germany and so much more!Legendary Comedian Godfrey is LIVE from New York, and joins some of his best friends in stand up comedy, Hip-Hop and Hollywood to talk current events, pop culture, race issues, movies, music, TV and Kung Fu. We got endless impressions, a white producer, random videos Godfrey found on the internet and so much more! We're not reinventing the wheel, we're just talking 'ish twice a week... with GODFREY on In Godfrey We Trust.Original Air Date: 07.08 .25-------------------------------SUPPORT OUR SPONSORShttps://yokratom.com and get a $60 KILOCall American Financing today to find out how customers are saving an avg of $800/mo. 866-889-1776 or visit http://www.AmericanFinancing.net/Godfrey NMLS 182334, nmlsconsumeraccess.org-------------------------------

Send us a textOriginally titled Talking Dicks Comedy Podcast, the show is a spinoff from their web series The Two Dicks, which features two inept 1950s detectives. The podcast blends observational humor, personal anecdotes, and satirical commentary, often revisiting classic episodes from their archives. With over 330 episodes, it offers a mix of new content and “vault” episodes, providing listeners with a variety of comedic material. You can listen to 2 ALs 1 Pod on platforms like Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Buzzsprout. For additional content, including video episodes and behind-the-scenes material, visit their Patreon page. https:/patreon.com/2als1podhttps://www.instagram.com/thetalkingdickscomedypodcast/https://twitter.com/DicksTwohttps://www.facebook.com/thetwodickshttps://www.facebook.com/The-Talking-Dicks-Comedy-Podcast-107101331446404Support the show

By day Matt Winning works on climate policy. By night, he's turning scientific data into jokes. Fusing razor-sharp research with dry Scottish wit, Matt uses stand-up to make the climate crisis feel less distant, more human, and a lot harder to ignore.

This week's edition of Copeland's Corner, Brian is joined by Carlos Alazraqui, Brian Malow, and Tom Sawyer to discuss recent political events and controversies. The panel focuses on the ongoing revelations surrounding Jeffrey Epstein and their impact on Donald Trump and his supporters. Other topics include Trump's reactions to media coverage, his supporters burning MAGA hats, and the broader implications of the Epstein files. The discussion also touches on empathy in politics, the impact of Trump's tariffs, ICE detentions, and the future of the Republican and Democratic parties. #JeffreyEpstein #DonaldTrump #MAGA #TrumpsTariffs #ICEDetentions #TheRepublicanParty #TheDemocraticParty#CopelandsCorner #BrianCopeland #CarlosAlazraqui #BrianMalow #TomSawyer--Connect with our Guests...Carlos Alazraqui - CarlosAlazraqui.com Brian Malow - ScienceComedian.comTom Sawyer - TomSawyerVoices.com --For more from Brian...Visit his website: www.BrianCopeland.comFollow on Social Media: Instagram - @CopelandsCorner & @BrianCopieEmail: BrianCopelandShow@Gmail.com --Copeland's Corner is Created, Hosted, & Executive Produced by Brian Copeland. This Show is Recorded & Mixed by Charlene Goto with Go-To Productions. Visit Go-To Productions for all your Podcast & Media needs.Our Booking Producer is Tom Sawyer. For any show inquiries, please email CopelandsCornerPodcast@gmail.com

Comedians Mark Bailey and Mike Miller talk funny about more thoughts on prison reality TV shows and how it can get you killed, how undercover boss is a fake show, how facebook is a stalker's dream, spacial awareness and emotional awareness between men and women, sofa white knight syndrom, hate listen podcasts, and funny people who will not go on stage.  Brought to you by Nagoyaradio.comNagoyacomedy.com, and stand up comic Mark Bailey.

Sarah and Mary share their thoughts on Trainwreck: The Real Project X, Sharpie's as lipliner, TikTok's antipasto salad-gate, and more.Join us on Patreon  for more of the Inner Sanctum with Sarah and Mary: big a** burrito challenge, who should go on your honeymoon, family vacation stressors - and more. Subscribe, Follow, Like, and Review, Wherever you get your podcasts.Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, & Facebook. Get RUMP Merch here:https://areyoumypodcast.bigcartel.com/ Visit HelloFresh.com/mypodcast10fm for ten free meals with a free item for life.Visit Rula.com/mypodcast to connect with quality therapists and mental health experts who specialize in you.Visit oneskin.co and use code MYPODCAST for 15% off.Visit functionhealth.com/mypodcast to learn more about Function Health. sarahcolonna.commaryradzinski.com    Sarah's merchMary's merch © 2020-2022 Are You My Podcast?

This week on the show, Jackie (@jackiekashian) explores the space between stretching the truth and lying on stage. She bravely decides to err on the side of not claiming to be a hero of 9/11. Plus, it's time for Laurie's birthday (@anylaurie16)! That means it is also almost Jackie's birthday! Happy birthday to Us and anyone else born in this particular part of the year. Subscribe to the podcast, and give it a 5-star rating and review to help the show move up the charts. Video for the episodes is on The Jackie and Laurie YouTube channel! Comic of the Week: Jill Turnbow @jill_turnbow This episode is supported in part by Falmouth University's Comedy Writing MA, the only dedicated comedy writing master's on the market. Search ‘Falmouth online' for more information!https://www.falmouth.ac.uk/study/online/postgraduate/comedy-writing  Become a MaxFun Member for benefits and other great pods:https://href.li/?https://maximumfun.org/donate Join our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JackieandLaurie Watch the episodes and subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/@Jackie_Kashian See Laurie on tour: https://lauriekilmartin.com/tour-dates See Jackie on tour: https://jackiekashian.com/tour-dates Watch 'Lauries special “Cis Woke Grief ”Slut on YouTube:https://bit.ly/3zWwgPA Watch Laurie's special “Cis Woke Grief ”Slut on Amazon Prime: https://amzn.to/3NpHlMo Watch 'Jackies special “Looking Back” on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZfwWvgMT70 Follow Laurie on social media: @anylaurie16 Follow Jackie on social media: @jackiekashian Recorded and Produced by Kyle Clark : @kyleclarkisrad  Become a member at maximumfun.org/join.

Send us a textOn this unique Bonus Show, comic Jerry Seinfeld shares his comedy material about pets...Dogs trying to understand money and a crazy parakeet. Recorded Live back in 1981, Jerry was as funny then as he is now...Loads of Laughs!Jerry Seinfeld, a legendary figure in the world of stand-up comedy, began his illustrious career in the bustling comedy clubs of New York City during the late 70s and early 80s. Known for his exceptional ability to extract humor from everyday situations, Seinfeld has built a reputation as a master of observational comedy, drawing laughter from the absurdities of routine life, whether it's taking a dog to a fast food restaurant or recalling the quirks of his childhood home. His timeless humor, characterized by its relatability and wit, continues to resonate with audiences across generations, showcasing that great comedy is truly timeless. Through his storytelling and comedic observations, Seinfeld captivates listeners with a fresh yet familiar perspective, proving that humor can always be found in the simplest of moments.(00:00:04) "Relatable Comedy Sets: Famous and Rising Stars"(00:01:15) "Everyday Humor in Jerry Seinfeld's Comedy"Support the show www.StandupComedyPodcastNetwork.com Free APP on all Apple & Android phones....check it out, podcast, jokes, blogs, and More!"NEW" Video Podcast: Tag Team Talent Podcast on Spotify & YouTube My suggestions for stuff I purchase on Amazon, Ck them out! Ice tea: https://amzn.to/4miicDu Portable Mics: https://amzn.to/3Faqix2 RODE Recording Board: https://amzn.to/3YIpEO2 Apple Watch: https://amzn.to/4kiZIRu Podcast Quality List: https://www.millionpodcasts.com/heritage-podcasts/ Please Write a Review: in-depth walk-through for leaving a review.Interested in Standup Comedy? Check out my books on Amazon..."20 Questions Answered about Being a Standup Comic""Be a Standup Comic...or just look like one"

Podcast-favorite Dean Gonzalez is back! Dean opens the show by sharing his initial impressions of doing comedy on cruise ships. The boys move on to discuss the latest Jeffrey Epstein conspiracy theory news. They shift gears and touch base on their comedy career goals. Super-producer Mike Nell gets the guys talking about adults-only resorts and how weird those type of vacations can get. This leads to a random conversation about the super wealthy and buying private islands. Dean shares a story about the homeless guy living outside of his Hollywood apartment building. Randy asks Dean about his views on immigration which leads to a little debate on deportations. Dean talks a bit about the random terrible jobs he had before getting into comedy. The fellas close the show with the news - A study shows that the smell of donuts is a turn-on for men, the average American man spends $2,300 a year on dates, and quitting your job is better for your health than quitting smoking.    00:00 Intro 00:30 Cruise Ship Secrets 11:00 Jeffrey Epstein Update 15:00 Comedy Career Goals 23:00 Adults Only Vacations 29:00 Buying Private Islands 40:00 Hollywood Homeless 46:00 Deportation Debate 51:00 Terrible Jobs 55:00 Dealing Drugs 1:00:00 Weekly News Update   Outro: “Funk Doctor” by Gee Dubs   Social Media: Instagram: @randyvalerio @readysetblowpodcast Twitter: @randytvalerio @readysetblowpodcast TikTok: @randyvaleriocomedy @readysetblowpod YouTube:   @randyvaleriocomedy   @readysetblowpodcast     #comedypodcast #comedy #podcast #news #advice #standup #standupcomedy #comedian #jokes #politics #relationships #dating #cruise #carnivalcruise #cruiseship #cruises  #jeffreyepstein #epstein #epsteinlist #epsteincase #epsteinisland #epsteinlist #epsteinfiles  #conspiracytheory #conspiracy #career #careergoals #vacation #adult  #adultsonly #privateisland #realestate #wealthy #rich #billionaire #hollywood #homeless #homelessness #immigration #deportation #massdeportations #badjobs #jobs #terriblejobs #donut #turnon #datingadvice #datingtips #quityourjob #quitting #health #healthy #ai #onlyfans

This week, we continue this murderous tale, with our killer, continuing his reign of terror. He's very busy, murdering a friend of his, who had rejected his previous advances. Why? Because no one showed up to his party. He also hits the road, robbing, raping, and killing his way up & down the highway. Police catch a huge break, and they start to keep an eye on Randy, sitting outside his house. Will they close in, before he's able to kill even more, or destroy any more evidence??   Throw a Valentine's Day party, and get murderously when no one shows up, be very upset when police take your athletic tape, during a search, and cower inside your house, burning evidence, while police cars watch, from the outside with Randall "The I-5 Killer" Woodfield - Part 4!!   Check us out, every Tuesday! We will continue to bring you the biggest idiots in sports history!!   Hosted by James Pietragallo & Jimmie Whisman   Donate at... patreon.com/crimeinsports or with paypal.com using our email: crimeinsports@gmail.com Get all the CIS, STM & YSO merch at crimeinsports.threadless.com   Go to shutupandgivememurder.com for all things CIS, STM & YSO!!   Contact us on... instagram.com/smalltownmurder facebook.com/crimeinsports crimeinsports@gmail.com

In Episode 376 of Airey Bros Radio, we're joined by Brad Upton, a former high school teacher and track & field coach who's been grinding the stand-up comedy circuit for over 35 years. Brad shares the steady evolution of his career—from coaching sprinters and teaching high school, to opening for Joan Rivers and Jeff Foxworthy, to finding unexpected viral success online in his 60s with more than 250 million views. This isn't a story about overnight fame—it's about doing the work, sticking around, and letting your voice find its audience.

You are in for a real treat on this episode. My guest this time is Greg Schwem. Greg is a corporate comedian. What is a corporate comedian? You probably can imagine that his work has to do with corporations, and you would be right. Greg will explain much better than I can. Mr. Schwem began his career as a TV journalist but eventually decided to take up what he really wanted to do, be a comedian. The story of how he evolved is quite fascinating by any standard. Greg has done comedy professionally since 1989. He speaks today mostly to corporate audiences. He will tell us how he does his work. It is quite interesting to hear how he has learned to relate to his audiences. As you will discover as Greg and I talk, we often work in the same way to learn about our audiences and thus how we get to relate to them. Greg has written three books. His latest one is entitled “Turning Gut Punches into Punch Lines: A Comedian's Journey Through Cancer, Divorce and Other Hilarious Stuff”. As Greg says, “Don't worry, it's not one of those whiny, ‘woe is me,' self- serving books. Instead, it's a hilarious account of me living the words I've been preaching to my audiences: You can always find humor in every situation, even the tough ones. Greg offers many interesting observations as he discusses his career and how he works. I think we all can find significant lessons we can use from his remarks. About the Guest: Hi! I'm Greg Schwem. a Chicago-based business humor speaker and MC who HuffPost calls “Your boss's favorite comedian.” I've traveled the world providing clean, customized laughs to clients such as Microsoft, IBM, McDonald's and even the CIA. I also write the bi-weekly Humor Hotel column for the Chicago Tribune syndicate. I believe every corporate event needs humor. As I often tell clients, “When times are good, people want to laugh. When times are bad, people need to laugh.” One Fortune 500 client summed things up perfectly, saying “You were fantastic and just what everybody needed during these times.” In September 2024 I released my third and most personal book, Turning Gut Punches into Punch Lines: A Comedian's Journey Through Cancer, Divorce and Other Hilarious Stuff. Don't worry, it's not one of those whiny, “woe is me,” self-serving books. Instead, it's a hilarious account of me living the words I've been preaching to my audiences: You can always find humor in every situation, even the tough ones. You can pick up a copy at Amazon or select book stores. Ways to connect with Greg: Website: www.gregschwem.com YouTube: www.youtube.com/gregschwem LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/gregschwem Instagram: www.instagram.com/gregschwem X: www.x.com/gregschwem About the Host: Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog. Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children's Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog Awards. https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/ accessiBe Links https://accessibe.com/ https://www.youtube.com/c/accessiBe https://www.linkedin.com/company/accessibe/mycompany/ https://www.facebook.com/accessibe/ Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below! Subscribe to the podcast If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can subscribe in your favorite podcast app. You can also support our podcast through our tip jar https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/unstoppable-mindset . Leave us an Apple Podcasts review Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts. Transcription Notes: Michael Hingson ** 00:00 Access Cast and accessiBe Initiative presents Unstoppable Mindset. The podcast where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet. Hi, I'm Michael Hingson, Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe and the author of the number one New York Times bestselling book, Thunder dog, the story of a blind man, his guide dog and the triumph of trust. Thanks for joining me on my podcast as we explore our own blinding fears of inclusion unacceptance and our resistance to change. We will discover the idea that no matter the situation, or the people we encounter, our own fears, and prejudices often are our strongest barriers to moving forward. The unstoppable mindset podcast is sponsored by accessiBe, that's a c c e s s i capital B e. Visit www.accessibe.com to learn how you can make your website accessible for persons with disabilities. And to help make the internet fully inclusive by the year 2025. Glad you dropped by we're happy to meet you and to have you here with us.   Michael Hingson ** 01:16 Hi everyone, and welcome to unstoppable mindset. Today we are going to definitely have some fun. I'll tell you about our guests in a moment, but first, I want to tell you about me. That'll take an hour or so. I am Michael Hingson, your host, and you're listening to unstoppable mindset where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet. And I don't know, we may get inclusion or diversity into this, but our guest is Greg Schwem. Greg used to be a TV reporter, now he's a comedian, not sure which is funnier, but given some of the reporters I've seen on TV, they really should go into tonight club business. But anyway, Greg, I want to welcome you to unstoppable mindset. We're really glad you're here. I really appreciate you being here and taking the time   Greg Schwem ** 02:04 Well, Michael, it is an honor to be included on your show. I'm really looking forward to the next hour of conversation. I   Speaker 1 ** 02:10 told Greg a little while ago, one of my major life ambitions that I never got to do was to go to a Don Rickles concert and sit in the front row so that hopefully he would pick on me, so that I could say, Yeah, I saw you once on TV, and I haven't been able to see since. What do you think of that? You hockey puck, but I never got to do it. So very disappointed. But everybody has bucket list moments, everybody has, but they don't get around to I'm sorry. Yeah, I know. Well, the other one is, I love to pick on Mike Wallace. I did a radio show for six years opposite him in 60 minutes, and I always love to say that Wallace really had criminal tendencies, because he started out being an announcer in radio and he announced things like The Green Hornet and the Sky King and other shows where they had a lot of criminals. So I just figured he had to be associated with criminals somewhere in his life. Of course, everybody picked on him, and he had broad shoulders. And I again, I regret I never got to to meet him, which is sort of disappointing. But I did get to meet Peter Falk. That was kind of fun.   Greg Schwem ** 03:15 Mike Wallace to Peter Falk. Nice transition there. I know.   Michael Hingson ** 03:21 Well I am really glad you're with us. So why don't we start? We'll start with the serious part. Why don't you tell us, kind of about the early Greg schwim and growing up and all that sort of stuff, just to set the stage, as it were,   Greg Schwem ** 03:34 how far back you want to go? You want to go back to Little League, or you want to   Speaker 1 ** 03:37 just, oh, start at the beginning, a long time ago, right? I was a   Greg Schwem ** 03:41 very strange child. No, I you. You obviously introduced me as a as a comedian, and that is my full time job. And you also said that I was a former journalist, and that is my professional career. Yes, I went from, as I always like to say, I went from depressing people all day long, to making them laugh. And that's, that's kind of what I did. I always did want to be I majored in Journalism at Northwestern University, good journalism school. Originally, I always wanted to be a television reporter. That was as a professional career I was, I dabbled in comedy. Started when I was 16. That is the first time I ever got on stage at my school, my high school, and then at a comedy club. I was there one of the first comedy clubs in Chicago, a place called the comedy cottage. It was in the suburb of beautiful, beautiful suburb of Rosemont, Illinois, and they were one of the very, very first full time comedy clubs in the nation. And as a 16 year old kid, I actually got on stage and did five minutes here and five minutes there. And thought I was, I was hot stuff, but I never, ever thought I would do it for a living. I thought comedy would always be just a hobby. And I. Especially when I went to college, and I thought, okay, Northwestern is pretty good school, pretty expensive school. I should actually use my degree. And I did. I moved down to Florida, wrote for a newspaper called The Palm Beach post, which, don't let that title fool you. It's Palm Beach was a very small segment of of the area that it was, that it served, but I did comedy on the side, and just because I moved down there, I didn't know anybody, so I hung out at comedy clubs just to have something to do. And little by little, comedy in the late 80s, it exploded. Exploded. There were suddenly clubs popping up everywhere, and you were starting to get to know guys that were doing these clubs and were starting to get recognition for just being comedians. And one of them opened up a very, very good Club opened up about 10 minutes from my apartment in West Palm Beach, and I hung out there and started to get more stage time, and eventually started to realize at the same time that I was getting better as a comedian, I was becoming more disillusioned as a journalist in terms of what my bosses wanted me to report on and the tone they wanted me to use. And I just decided that I would I would just never be able to live with myself if I didn't try it, if I didn't take the the plunge into comedy, and that's what I did in 1989 and I've been doing it ever since. And my career has gone in multiple directions, as I think it needs to. If you're going to be in show business and sustain a career in show business, you have to wear a lot of different hats, which I feel like I've done.   Michael Hingson ** 06:40 So tell me more about that. What does that mean exactly?   Greg Schwem ** 06:43 Well, I mean, I started out as a what you would pretty much if somebody said, If you heard somebody say, I'm a comedian, they would envision some guy that just went to comedy clubs all the time, and that's what I did. I was just a guy that traveled by car all over the Midwest and the Southeast primarily, and did comedy clubs, but I quickly realized that was kind of a going nowhere way to attack it, to do comedy unless you were incredibly lucky, because there were so many guys doing it and so many clubs, and I just didn't see a future in it, and I felt like I had to separate myself from the pack a little bit. And I was living in Chicago, which is where I'm from, and still, still exist. Still reside in Chicago, and I started to get involved with a company that did live trade show presentations. So if you've ever been on a trade show floor and you see people, they're mostly actors and actresses that wear a headset and deliver a spiel, a pitch, like every, every twice an hour, about some company, some new product, and so forth. And I did that, and I started to write material about what I was seeing on trade show floors and putting it into my stand up act, stuff about business, stuff about technology, because I was Hawking a lot of new computers and things like that. This was the mid 90s when technology was exploding, and I started to put this into my stand up act. And then I'd have people come up to me afterwards and say, hey, you know those jokes you did about computers and tech support, if you could come down to our office, you know, we're having a golf tournament, we're having a Christmas party, we would love to hear that material. And little by little, I started transitioning my act into doing shows for the corporate market. I hooked up with a corporate agent, or the corporate agent heard about me, and started to open a lot of doors for me in terms of working for very large corporations, and that's pretty much what I've been doing. I stopped working clubs, and I transitioned, instead of being a comedian, I became a corporate humor speaker. And that's what I do, primarily to this day, is to speak at business conferences. Just kind of get people to loosen up, get them to laugh about what they do all day without without making it sound like I'm belittling what they do. And also when I'm not doing that, I work about eight to 10 weeks a year on cruise ships, performing for cruise audiences. So that's a nice getaway.   Speaker 1 ** 09:18 It's interesting since I mentioned Don Rickles earlier, years ago, I saw an interview that he did with Donahue, and one of the things that Don Rickles said, and after he said it, I thought about it. He said, I really don't want to pick on anyone who's going to be offended by me picking on them. He said, I try to watch really carefully, so that if it looks like somebody's getting offended, I'll leave them alone, because that's not what this is all about. It isn't about abusing people. It's about trying to get people to have fun, and if somebody's offended, I don't want to to pick on them, and I've heard a number of albums and other things with him and just. Noticed that that was really true. He wouldn't pick on someone unless they could take it and had a lot of fun with it. And I thought that was absolutely interesting, because that certainly wasn't, of course, the rep that he had and no, but it was   Greg Schwem ** 10:16 true. It is, and it doesn't take long to see as a as a comedian, when you're looking at an audience member and you're talking to them, it, you can tell very quickly, Are they enjoying this? Are they enjoying being the center of attention? A lot of people are, or are they uncomfortable with it? Now, I don't know that going in. I mean, I you know, of course. And again, that's a very small portion of my show is to talk to the audience, but it is something particularly today. I think audiences want to be more involved. I think they enjoy you talk you. Some of these, the new comedians in their 20s and 30s and so forth. Them, some of them are doing nothing, but what they call crowd work. So they're just doing 45 minutes of talking to the audience, which can be good and can be rough too, because you're working without a net. But I'm happy to give an audience a little bit of that. But I also have a lot of stuff that I want to say too. I mean, I work very hard coming up with material and and refining it, and I want to talk about what's going on in my life, too. So I don't want the audience to be the entire show, right?   Speaker 1 ** 11:26 And and they shouldn't be, because it isn't about that. But at the same time, it is nice to involve them. I find that as a keynote and public speaker, I find that true as well, though, is that audiences do like to be involved. And I do some things right at the outset of most talks to involve people, and also in involving them. I want to get them to last so that I start to draw them in, because later, when I tell the September 11 story, which isn't really a humorous thing. Directly,   Greg Schwem ** 12:04 i know i Good luck. I'm spinning 911 to make it I don't think I've ever heard anybody say, by the way, I was trapped in a building. Stick with me. It's kind of cute. It's got a funny ending. And   Speaker 1 ** 12:20 that's right, and it is hard I can, I can say humorous things along the way in telling the story, but, sure, right, but, but clearly it's not a story that, in of itself, is humorous. But what I realized over the years, and it's really dawned on me in the last four or five years is we now have a whole generation of people who have absolutely no memory of September 11 because they were children or they weren't even born yet. And I believe that my job is to not only talk about it, but literally to draw them into the building and have them walk down the stairs with me, and I have to be descriptive in a very positive way, so that they really are part of what's going on. And the reality is that I do hear people or people come up and say, we were with you when you were going down the stairs. And I think that's my job, because the reality is that we've got to get people to understand there are lessons to be learned from September 11, right? And the only real way to do that is to attract the audience and bring them in. And I think probably mostly, I'm in a better position to do that than most people, because I'm kind of a curious soul, being blind and all that, but it allows me to to draw them in and and it's fun to do that, actually. And I, and   Greg Schwem ** 13:52 I gotta believe, I mean, obviously I wasn't there, Michael, but I gotta believe there were moments of humor in people, a bunch of people going down the stairs. Sure, me, you put people get it's like, it's like when a bunch of people are in an elevator together, you know, I mean, there's I, when I look around and I try to find something humorous in a crowded and it's probably the same thing now, obviously it, you know, you got out in time. But I and, you know, don't that's the hotel phone, which I just hung up so but I think that I can totally see where you're going from, where, if you're if you're talking to people who have no recollection of this, have no memory where you're basically educating them on the whole event. I think you then you have the opportunity to tell the story in whatever way you see fit. And I think that however you choose to do it is there's no wrong way to do it, I guess is what I'm trying to get at.   Speaker 1 ** 14:55 Well, yeah, I think the wrong way is to be two. Graphic and morbid and morbid, but one of the things that I talk about, for example, is that a colleague of mine who was with me, David Frank, at about the 50th floor, suddenly said, Mike, we're going to die. We're not going to make it out of here. And as as I tell the audience, typically, I as as you heard my introduction at the beginning, I have a secondary teaching credential. And one of the things that you probably don't know about teachers is that there's a secret course that every teacher takes called Voice 101, how to yell at students and and so what I tell people is that when David said that, I just said in my best teacher voice, stop it, David, if Roselle and I can go down these stairs, so can you. And he told me later that that brought him out of his funk, and he ended up walking a floor below me and shouting up to me everything he saw. And it was just mainly, everything is clear, like I'm on floor 48 he's on 47/47 floor. Everything is good here, and what I have done for the past several years in telling that part of the story is to say David, in reality, probably did more to keep people calm and focused as we went down the stairs than anyone else, because anyone within the sound of his voice heard someone who was focused and sounded okay. You know, hey, I'm on the 44th floor. This is where the Port Authority cafeteria is not stopping. And it it helps people understand that we all had to do what we could to keep everyone from not panicking. And it almost happened a few times that people did, but we worked at it. But the i The idea is that it helps draw people in, and I think that's so important to do for my particular story is to draw them in and have them walk down the stairs with me, which is what I do, absolutely, yeah, yeah. Now I'm curious about something that keeps coming up. I hear it every so often, public speaker, Speaker experts and people who are supposedly the great gurus of public speaking say you shouldn't really start out with a joke. And I've heard that so often, and I'm going give me a break. Well, I think, I think it depends, yeah, I think   Greg Schwem ** 17:33 there's two schools of thought to that. I think if you're going to start out with a joke, it better be a really good one, or something that you either has been battle tested, because if it doesn't work now, you, you know, if you're hoping for a big laugh, now you're saying, Well, you're a comedian, what do you do? You know, I mean, I, I even, I just sort of work my way into it a little bit. Yeah, and I'm a comedian, so, and, you know, it's funny, Michael, I will get, I will get. I've had CEOs before say to me, Hey, you know, I've got to give this presentation next week. Give me a joke I can tell to everybody. And I always decline. I always it's like, I don't need that kind of pressure. And it's like, I can, I can, I can tell you a funny joke, but,   Michael Hingson ** 18:22 but you telling the   Greg Schwem ** 18:23 work? Yeah, deliver it. You know, I can't deliver it for you. Yeah? And I think that's what I also, you know, on that note, I've never been a big fan of Stand Up Comedy classes, and you see them all popping up all over the place. Now, a lot of comedy clubs will have them, and usually the you take the class, and the carrot at the end is you get to do five minutes at a comedy club right now, if that is your goal, if you're somebody who always like, Gosh, I wonder what it would like be like to stand up on stage and and be a comedian for five minutes. That's something I really like to try. By all means, take the class, all right. But if you think that you're going to take this class and you're going to emerge a much funnier person, like all of a sudden you you weren't funny, but now you are, don't take the class, yeah? And I think, sadly, I think that a lot of people sign up for these classes thinking the latter, thinking that they will all of a sudden become, you know, a comedian. And it doesn't work that way. I'm sorry you cannot teach unfunny people to be funny. Yeah, some of us have the gift of it, and some of us don't. Some of us are really good with our hands, and just know how to build stuff and how to look at things and say, I can do that. And some of us, myself included, definitely do not. You know, I think you can teach people to be more comfortable, more comfortable in front of an audience and. Correct. I think that is definitely a teachable thing, but I don't think that you can teach people to be funnier   Speaker 1 ** 20:10 and funnier, and I agree with that. I tend to be amazed when I keep hearing that one of the top fears in our world is getting up in front of an audience and talking with them, because people really don't understand that audiences, whatever you're doing, want you to succeed, and they're not against you, but we have just conditioned ourselves collectively that speaking is something to be afraid of?   Greg Schwem ** 20:41 Yes, I think, though it's, I'm sure, that fear, though, of getting up in front of people has only probably been exacerbated and been made more intense because now everybody in the audience has a cell phone and to and to be looking out at people and to see them on their phones. Yeah, you're and yet, you prepped all day long. You've been nervous. You've been you probably didn't sleep the night before. If you're one of these people who are afraid of speaking in public, yeah, and then to see people on their phones. You know, it used to bother me. It doesn't anymore, because it's just the society we live in. I just, I wish, I wish people could put their phones down and just enjoy laughing for 45 minutes. But unfortunately, our society can't do that anymore, so I just hope that I can get most of them to stop looking at it.   Speaker 1 ** 21:32 I don't make any comments about it at the beginning, but I have, on a number of occasions, been delivering a speech, and I hear a cell phone ring, and I'll stop and go, Hello. And I don't know for sure what the person with the cell phone does, but by the same token, you know they really shouldn't be on their phone and and it works out, okay, nobody's ever complained about it. And when I just say hello, or I'll go Hello, you don't say, you know, and things like that, but, but I don't, I don't prolong it. I'll just go back to what I was talking about. But I remember, when I lived in New Jersey, Sandy Duncan was Peter Pan in New York. One night she was flying over the audience, and there was somebody on his cell phone, and she happened to be going near him, and she just kicked the phone out of his hand. And I think that's one of the things that started Broadway in saying, if you have a cell phone, turn it off. And those are the announcements that you hear at the beginning of any Broadway performance today.   Greg Schwem ** 22:39 Unfortunately, people don't abide by that. I know you're still hearing cell phones go off, yeah, you know, in Broadway productions at the opera or wherever, so people just can't and there you go. There that just shows you're fighting a losing battle.   Speaker 1 ** 22:53 Yeah, it's just one of those things, and you got to cope with it.   Greg Schwem ** 22:58 What on that note, though, there was, I will say, if I can interrupt real quick, there was one show I did where nobody had their phone. It was a few years ago. I spoke at the CIA. I spoke for some employees of the CIA. And this might, this might freak people out, because you think, how is it that America's covert intelligence agency, you think they would be on their phones all the time. No, if you work there, you cannot have your phone on you. And so I had an audience of about 300 people who I had their total attention because there was no other way to they had no choice but to listen to me, and it was wonderful. It was just a great show, and I it was just so refreshing. Yeah,   Speaker 1 ** 23:52 and mostly I don't hear cell phones, but they do come up from time to time. And if they do, then you know it happens. Now my one of my favorite stories is I once spoke in Maryland at the Department of Defense, which anybody who knows anything knows that's the National Security Agency, but they call it the Department of Defense, as if we don't know. And my favorite story is that I had, at the time, a micro cassette recorder, and it died that morning before I traveled to Fort Meade, and I forgot to just throw it away, and it was in my briefcase. So I got to the fort, they searched, apparently, didn't find it, but on the way out, someone found it. They had to get a bird Colonel to come to decide what to do with it. I said, throw it away. And they said, No, we can't do that. It's yours. And they they decided it didn't work, and they let me take it and I threw it away. But it was so, so funny to to be at the fort and see everybody running around crazy. See, what do we do with this micro cassette recorder? This guy's been here for an hour. Yeah. So it's it. You know, all sorts of things happen. What do you think about you know, there's a lot of discussion about comedians who use a lot of foul language in their shows, and then there are those who don't, and people seem to like the shock value of that.   Greg Schwem ** 25:25 Yeah, I'm very old school in that. I guess my short answer is, No, I've never, ever been one of those comedians. Ever I do a clean show, I actually learned my lesson very early on. I think I think that I think comedians tend to swear because when they first start out, out of nerves, because I will tell you that profanity does get laughter. And I've always said, if you want to, if you want to experiment on that, have a comedian write a joke, and let's say he's got two shows that night. Let's say he's got an eight o'clock show and a 10 o'clock show. So let's say he does the joke in the eight o'clock and it's, you know, the cadence is bumper, bump up, bump up, bump up, punch line. Okay, now let's and let's see how that plays. Now let's now he does the 10 o'clock show and it's bumper, bump up, bump up F and Okay, yeah, I pretty much guarantee you the 10 o'clock show will get a bigger laugh. Okay? Because he's sort of, it's like the audience is programmed like, oh, okay, we're supposed to laugh at that now. And I think a lot of comedians think, Aha, I have just discovered how to be successful as a comedian. I will just insert the F word in front of every punch line, and you can kind of tell what comedians do that and what comedians I mean. I am fine with foul language, but have some jokes in there too. Don't make them. Don't make the foul word, the joke, the joke, right? And I can say another thing nobody has ever said to me, I cannot hire you because you're too clean. I've never gotten that. And all the years I've been doing this, and I know there's lots of comedians who who do work blue, who have said, you know, who have been turned down for that very reason. So I believe, if you're a comedian, the only way to get better is to work any place that will have you. Yeah, and you can't, so you might as well work clean so you can work any place that will have you, as opposed to being turned away.   Speaker 1 ** 27:30 Well, and I, and I know what, what happened to him and all that, but at the same time, I grew up listening to Bill Cosby and the fact that he was always clean. And, yeah, I understand everything that happened, but you can't deny and you can't forget so many years of humor and all the things that that he brought to the world, and the joy he brought to the world in so many ways.   Greg Schwem ** 27:57 Oh, yeah, no, I agree. I agree. And he Yeah, he worked everywhere. Jay Leno is another one. I mean, Jay Leno is kind of on the same wavelength as me, as far as don't let the profanity become the joke. You know, Eddie Murphy was, you know, was very foul. Richard Pryor, extremely foul. I but they also, prior, especially, had very intelligent material. I mean, you can tell and then if you want to insert your F bombs and so forth, that's fine, but at least show me that you're trying. At least show me that you came in with material in addition to the   Speaker 1 ** 28:36 foul language. The only thing I really have to say about all that is it? Jay Leno should just stay away from cars, but that's another story.   Greg Schwem ** 28:43 Oh, yeah, it's starting to   Greg Schwem ** 28:47 look that way. Yeah, it   Michael Hingson ** 28:49 was. It was fun for a while, Jay, but yeah, there's just two. It's like, Harrison Ford and plains. Yeah, same concept. At some point you're like, this isn't working out. Now I submit that living here in Victorville and just being out on the streets and being driven around and all that, I am firmly convinced, given the way most people drive here, that the bigoted DMV should let me have a license, because I am sure I can drive as well as most of the clowns around here. Yeah, so when they drive, I have no doubt. Oh, gosh. Well, you know, you switched from being a TV journalist and so on to to comedy. Was it a hard choice? Was it really difficult to do, or did it just seem like this is the time and this is the right thing to do. I was   Greg Schwem ** 29:41 both, you know, it was hard, because I really did enjoy my job and I liked, I liked being a TV news reporter. I liked, I liked a job that was different every day once you got in there, because you didn't know what they were going to send you out to do. Yes, you had. To get up and go to work every day and so forth. So there's a little bit of, you know, there's a little bit of the mundane, just like there is in any job, but once you were there, I liked, just never known what the day would bring, right? And and I, I think if I'd stayed with it, I think I think I could have gone pretty far, particularly now, because the now it's more people on TV are becoming more entertainers news people are becoming, yeah, they are. A lot of would be, want to be comedians and so forth. And I don't particularly think that's appropriate, but I agree. But so it was hard to leave, but it gets back to what I said earlier. At some point, you got to say, I was seeing comedians making money, and I was thinking, gosh, you know, if they're making money at this I I'm not hilarious, but I know I'm funnier than that guy. Yeah, I'm funnier than her, so why not? And I was young, and I was single, and I thought, if I if I don't try it now, I never will. And, and I'll bet there's just some hilarious people out there, yeah, who who didn't ever, who just were afraid   Michael Hingson ** 31:14 to take that chance, and they wouldn't take the leap, yeah,   Greg Schwem ** 31:16 right. And now they're probably kicking themselves, and I'm sure maybe they're very successful at what they do, but they're always going to say, what if, if I only done this? I don't ever, I don't, ever, I never, ever wanted to say that. Yeah,   Speaker 1 ** 31:31 well, and there's, there's something to be said for being brave and stepping out and doing something that you don't expect, or that you didn't expect, or that you weren't sure how it was going to go, but if you don't try, then you're never going to know just how, how much you could really accomplish and how much you can really do. And I think that the creative people, whatever they're being creative about, are the people who do step out and are willing to take a chance.   Greg Schwem ** 31:59 Yeah, yeah. And I told my kids that too. You know, it's just like, if it's something that you're passionate about, do it. Just try it. If it doesn't work out, then at least you can say I tried   Speaker 1 ** 32:09 it and and if it doesn't work out, then you can decide, what do I need to do to figure out why it didn't work out, or is it just not me? I want   Greg Schwem ** 32:18 to keep going? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.   Speaker 1 ** 32:21 So what is the difference between being a nightclub comedian and a corporate comedian? Because they are somewhat different. I think I know the answer. But what would you say that the differences between them? I think   Greg Schwem ** 32:33 the biggest thing is the audiences. I think when you when you are a nightclub comedian, you are working in front of people who are there to be entertained. Yeah, they, they paid money for that. That's what they're expecting. They, they, at some point during the day, they said, Hey, let's, let's go laugh tonight. That's what we really want to do when you're working in front of a corporate audiences. That's not necessarily the case. They are there. I primarily do business conferences and, you know, association meetings and so forth. And I'm just one cog in the wheel of a whole day's worth of meetings are, for the most part, very dry and boring, maybe certainly necessary educational. They're learning how to do their job better or something. And then you have a guy like me come in, and people aren't always ready to laugh, yeah, despite the fact that they probably need to, but they just they're not always in that mindset. And also the time of day. I mean, I do a lot of shows at nine in the morning. I do shows after lunch, right before lunch. I actually do very few shows in the evening, believe it or not. And so then you you have to, you kind of have to, in the while you're doing your act or your presentation or your speech, as I call it, you kind of have to let them know that it is okay. What you're doing is okay, and they should be okay with laughing. They shouldn't be looking around the whole time wondering if other people are laughing. You know, can I, can I? Can I tell you a quick story about how I drive that point home. Why not? Yeah, it's, I'll condense it into like five minutes. I mentioned that I worked on that I work on cruise ships occasionally, and I one night I was performing, and it was the first night of the cruise. And if anybody's ever been on a cruise, note, the first night, first night entertainers don't like the first night because people are tired. You know, they're they're a little edgy because they've been traveling all day. They're they're confused because they're not really sure where they're going on a ship. And the ones that have got it figured out usually over serve themselves because they're on vacation. So you put all that, so I'm doing my show on the first. Night, and it's going very well. And about five, six minutes in, I do a joke. Everybody laughs. Everybody shuts up. And from the back of the room in total darkness, I hear hat just like that. And I'm like, All right, you know, probably over served. So the rule of comedy is that everybody gets like. I was like, I'll let it go once, yeah. So I just kind of looked off in that direction, didn't say anything. Kept going with my active going with my act. About 10 minutes later, same thing happens. I tell a joke. Everybody laughs. Everybody shuts up. Hat now I'm like, Okay, I have got to, I've got to address the elephant in the room. So I think I just made some comment, like, you know, I didn't know Roseanne Barr was on this cruise, you know, because that was like the sound of the Yeah. Okay, everybody laugh. Nothing happened about five minutes later. It happens a third time. And now I'm just like, this is gonna stop. I'm going to put a stop to this. And I just fired off. I can't remember, like, three just like, hey man, you know you're you're just a little behind everybody else in this show and probably in life too, that, you know, things like that, and it never happened again. So I'm like, okay, mission accomplished on my part. Comedians love it when we can shut up somebody like that. Anyway. Show's over, I am out doing a meet and greet. Some guy comes up to me and he goes, hey, hey, you know that kid you were making fun of is mentally handicapped. And now, of course, I don't know this, but out of the corner of my eye, I see from the other exit a man pushing a son, his son in a wheelchair out of the showroom. And I'm just like, Oh, what have I done? And yeah. And of course, when you're on a cruise, you're you're on a cruise. When you're a cruise ship entertainer, you have to live with your audience. So I couldn't hide. I spent like the next three days, and it seemed like wherever I was, the man and his son in the wheelchair were nearby. And finally, on the fourth day, I think was, I was waiting for an elevator. Again, 3500 people on this ship, okay, I'm waiting for an elevator. The elevator door opens. Guess who are the only two people the elevator, the man and his son. And I can't really say I'll wait for the next one. So I get on, and I said to this the father, I said, I just want you to know I had no idea. You know, I'm so sorry. I can't see back there, this kind of thing. And the dad looks at me. He puts his hand up to stop me, and he points to me, and he goes, I thought you were hysterical. And it was, not only was it relief, but it kind of, it's sort of a lesson that if you think something is funny, you should laugh at it. Yeah. And I think sometimes in corporate America, my point in this. I think sometimes when you do these corporate shows, I think that audience members forget that. I think very busy looking around to see if their immediate boss thinks it's funny, and eventually everybody's looking at the CEO to see if they're like, you know, I think if you're doing it that way, if that's the way you're you're approaching humor. You're doing yourself a disservice, if right, stopping yourself from laughing at something that you think is funny.   Speaker 1 ** 38:09 I do think that that all too often the problem with meetings is that we as a as a country, we in corporations, don't do meetings, right anyway, for example, early on, I heard someone at a convention of the National Federation of the Blind say he was the new executive director of the American Foundation for the Blind, and he said, I have instituted a policy, no Braille, no meetings. And what that was all about was to say, if you're going to have a meeting, you need to make sure that all the documentation is accessible to those who aren't going to read the print. I take it further and say you shouldn't be giving out documentation during the meeting. And you can use the excuse, well, I got to get the latest numbers and all that. And my point is, you shouldn't be giving out documentation at a meeting, because the meeting is for people to communicate and interact with each other. And if you're giving out papers and so on, what are people going to do? They're going to read that, and they're not going to listen to the speakers. They're not going to listen to the other people. And we do so many things like that, we've gotten into a habit of doing things that become so predictable, but also make meetings very boring, because who wants to look at the papers where you can be listening to people who have a lot more constructive and interesting things to say anyway?   Greg Schwem ** 39:36 Yeah, yeah. I think, I think COVID definitely changed, some for the some for the better and some for the worse. I think that a lot of things that were done at meetings COVID and made us realize a lot of that stuff could be done virtually, that you didn't have to just have everybody sit and listen to people over and over and over again.   Speaker 1 ** 39:58 But unless you're Donald Trump. Up. Yeah, that's another story.   Greg Schwem ** 40:02 Yes, exactly another podcast episode. But, yeah, I do think also that. I think COVID changed audiences. I think, you know, we talked a little bit earlier about crowd work, right, and audiences wanting to be more involved. I think COVID precipitated that, because, if you think about it, Michael, for two and a half years during COVID, our sole source of entertainment was our phone, right? Which meant that we were in charge of the entertainment experience. You don't like something, swipe left, scroll down, scroll, scroll, scroll, find something else. You know, that kind of thing. I'm not I'm not entertained in the next four or five seconds. So I'm going to do this. And I think when live entertainment returned, audiences kind of had to be retrained a little bit, where they had to learn to sit and listen and wait for the entertainment to come to them. And granted, it might not happen immediately. It might not happen in the first five seconds, but you have to just give give people like me a chance. It will come to you. It will happen, but it might not be on your timetable,   Speaker 1 ** 41:13 right? Well, and I think that is all too true for me. I didn't find didn't find COVID to be a great inconvenience, because I don't look at the screen anyway, right? So in a sense, for me, COVID wasn't that much of a change, other than not being in an office or not being physically at a meeting, and so I was listening to the meeting on the computer, and that has its nuances. Like you don't necessarily get the same information about how everyone around you is reacting, but, but it didn't bother me, I think, nearly as much as it did everyone else who has to look at everyone. Of course, I have no problems picking on all those people as well, because what I point out is that that disabilities has to be redefined, because every one of you guys has your own disability. You're light dependent, and you don't do well when there's dark, when, when the dark shows up and and we now have an environment where Thomas Edison invented the electric light bulb, and we've spent the last 147 years doing everything we can to make sure that light is pretty ubiquitous, but it doesn't change a thing when suddenly the power goes out and you don't have immediate access to light. So that's as much a disability as us light, independent people who don't   Greg Schwem ** 42:36 care about that, right? Right? I hear, I agree, but it is but   Speaker 1 ** 42:41 it is interesting and and it is also important that we all understand each other and are willing to tolerate the fact that there are differences in people, and we need to recognize that with whatever we're doing.   42:53 Yeah, I agree.   Speaker 1 ** 42:57 What do you think about so today, we have obviously a really fractured environment and fractured country, and everyone's got their own opinions, and nobody wants to talk about anything, especially politics wise. How do you think that's all affecting comedy and what you get to do and what other people are doing?   Greg Schwem ** 43:18 Well, I think Pete, I think there's, there's multiple answers to that question too. I think, I think it makes people nervous, wondering what the minute a comedian on stage brings up politics, the minute he starts talking about a politician, whether it's our president, whether it's somebody else, you can sense a tension in the room a little bit, and it's, it's, I mean, it's funny. I, one of my best friends in comedy, got to open for another comedian at Carnegie Hall a couple of years ago, and I went to see him, and I'm sitting way up in the top, and he is just crushing it. And then at one point he he brought up, he decided to do an impression of Mitch McConnell, which he does very well. However, the minute he said, Mitch McConnell, I you could just sense this is Carnegie freaking Hall, and after the show, you know, he and I always like to dissect each other's shows. That's what comedians do. And I just said to him, I go. Why did you decide to insert Mitch McConnell in there? And I, and I didn't say it like, you moron, that was stupid, yeah, but I was genuinely curious. And he just goes, well, I just really like doing that bit, and I like doing that voice and so forth, but, and it's not like the show crashed and burned afterwards. No, he did the joke, and then he got out of it, and he went on to other stuff, and it was fine, but I think that people are just so on their guard now, yeah, and, and that's why, you know, you know Jay Leno always said he was an equal opportunity offender. I think you will do better with politics if you really want. Insert politics into your act. I think he would be better making fun of both sides. Yeah, it's true. Yeah. And I think too often comedians now use the the stage as kind of a Bully, bully pulpit, like I have microphone and you don't. I am now going to give you my take on Donald Trump or the Democrats or whatever, and I've always said, talk about anything you want on stage, but just remember, you're at a comedy club. People came to laugh. So is there a joke in here? Yeah, or are you just ranting because you gotta be careful. You have to get this off your chest, and your way is right. It's, it's, you know, I hate to say it, but that's, that's why podcast, no offense, Michael, yours, is not like this. But I think one of the reasons podcasters have gotten so popular is a lot of people, just a lot of podcast hosts see a podcast is a chance to just rant about whatever's on their mind. And it's amazing to me how many podcast hosts that are hosted by comedians have a second guy have a sidekick to basically laugh and agree with whatever that person says. I think Joe Rogan is a classic example, and he's one of the most popular ones. But, and I don't quite understand that, because you know, if you're a comedian, you you made the choice to work solo, right? So why do you need somebody else with you?   Speaker 1 ** 46:33 I'm I'm fairly close to Leno. My remark is a little bit different. I'm not so much an equal opportunity offender as I am an equal opportunity abuser. I'll pick on both sides if politics comes into it at all, and it's and it's fun, and I remember when George W Bush was leaving the White House, Letterman said, Now we're not going to have anybody to joke about anymore. And everyone loved it. But still, I recognize that in the world today, people don't want to hear anything else. Don't confuse me with the facts or any of that, and it's so unfortunate, but it is the way it is, and so it's wiser to stay away from a lot of that, unless you can really break through the barrier,   Greg Schwem ** 47:21 I think so. And I also think that people, one thing you have to remember, I think, is when people come to a comedy show, they are coming to be entertained. Yeah, they are coming to kind of escape from the gloom and doom that unfortunately permeates our world right now. You know? I mean, I've always said that if you, if you walked up to a comedy club on a Saturday night, and let's say there were 50 people waiting outside, waiting to get in, and you asked all 50 of them, what do you hope happens tonight? Or or, Why are you here? All right, I think from all 50 you would get I would just like to laugh, yeah, I don't think one of them is going to say, you know, I really hope that my opinions on what's happening in the Middle East get challenged right now, but he's a comedian. No one is going to say that. No, no. It's like, I hope I get into it with the comedian on stage, because he thinks this way about a woman's right to choose, and I think the other way. And I really, really hope that he and I will get into an argument about to the middle of the   Speaker 1 ** 48:37 show. Yeah, yeah. That's not why people come?   Greg Schwem ** 48:40 No, it's not. And I, unfortunately, I think again, I think that there's a lot of comedians that don't understand that. Yeah, again, talk about whatever you want on stage, but just remember that your your surroundings, you if you build yourself as a comedian,   48:56 make it funny. Yeah, be funny.   Speaker 1 ** 49:00 Well, and nowadays, especially for for you, for me and so on, we're we're growing older and and I think you point out audiences are getting younger. How do you deal with that?   Greg Schwem ** 49:12 Well, what I try to do is I a couple of things. I try to talk as much as I can about topics that are relevant to a younger generation. Ai being one, I, one of the things I do in my my show is I say, oh, you know, I I really wasn't sure how to start off. And when you're confused these days, you you turn to answer your questions. You turn to chat GPT, and I've actually written, you know, said to chat GPT, you know, I'm doing a show tonight for a group of construction workers who work in the Midwest. It's a $350 million company, and it says, try to be very specific. Give me a funny opening line. And of course, chat GPT always comes up with some. Something kind of stupid, which I then relate to the audience, and they love that, you know, they love that concept. So I think there's, obviously, there's a lot of material that you can do on generational differences, but I, I will say I am very, very aware that my audience is, for the most part, younger than me now, unless I want to spend the rest of my career doing you know, over 55 communities, not that they're not great laughers, but I also think there's a real challenge in being older than your audience and still being able to make them laugh. But I think you have to remember, like you said, there's there's people now that don't remember 911 that have no concept of it, yeah, so don't be doing references from, say, the 1980s or the early 1990s and then come off stage and go, Man, nobody that didn't hit at all. No one, no one. They're stupid. They don't get it. Well, no, they, they, it sounds they don't get it. It's just that they weren't around. They weren't around, right? So that's on you.   Speaker 1 ** 51:01 One of the things that you know people ask me is if I will do virtual events, and I'll do virtual events, but I also tell people, the reason I prefer to do in person events is that I can sense what the audience is doing, how they're reacting and what they feel. If I'm in a room speaking to people, and I don't have that same sense if I'm doing something virtually, agreed same way. Now for me, at the same time, I've been doing this now for 23 years, so I have a pretty good idea in general, how to interact with an audience, to draw them in, even in a virtual environment, but I still tend to be a little bit more careful about it, and it's just kind of the way it is, you know, and you and you learn to deal with it well for you, have you ever had writer's block, and how did you deal with it?   Greg Schwem ** 51:57 Yes, I have had writer's block. I don't I can't think of a single comedian who's never had writer's block, and if they say they haven't, I think they're lying when I have writer's block, the best way for me to deal with this and just so you know, I'm not the kind of comedian that can go that can sit down and write jokes. I can write stories. I've written three books, but I can't sit down and just be funny for an hour all by myself. I need interaction. I need communication. And I think when I have writer's block, I tend to go out and try and meet strangers and can engage them in conversation and find out what's going on with them. I mean, you mentioned about dealing with the younger audience. I am a big believer right now in talking to people who are half my age. I like doing that in social settings, because I just, I'm curious. I'm curious as to how they think. I'm curious as to, you know, how they spend money, how they save money, how what their hopes and dreams are for the future, what that kind of thing, and that's the kind of stuff that then I'll take back and try and write material about. And I think that, I think it's fun for me, and it's really fun to meet somebody who I'll give you a great example just last night. Last night, I was I there's a there's a bar that I have that's about 10 a stone's throw from my condo, and I love to stop in there and and every now and then, sometimes I'll sit there and I won't meet anybody, and sometimes different. So there was a guy, I'd say he's probably in his early 30s, sitting too over, and he was reading, which I find intriguing, that people come to a bar and read, yeah, people do it, I mean. And I just said to him, I go, and he was getting ready to pay his bill, and I just said, if you don't mind me asking, What are you reading? And he's like, Oh, it's by Ezra Klein. And I go, you know, I've listened to Ezra Klein before. And he goes, Yeah, you know? He says, I'm a big fan. And debt to debt to dad. Next thing, you know, we're just, we're just riffing back and forth. And I ended up staying. He put it this way, Michael, it took him a very long time to pay his bill because we had a conversation, and it was just such a pleasure to to people like that, and I think that, and it's a hard thing. It's a hard thing for me to do, because I think people are on their guard, a little bit like, why is this guy who's twice my age talking to me at a bar? That's that seems a little weird. And I would get that. I can see that. But as I mentioned in my latest book, I don't mean because I don't a whole chapter to this, and I I say in the book, I don't mean you any harm. I'm not trying to hit on you, or I'm not creepy old guy at the bar. I am genuinely interested in your story. And. In your life, and and I just, I want to be the least interesting guy in the room, and that's kind of how I go about my writing, too. Is just you, you drive the story. And even though I'm the comedian, I'll just fill in the gaps and make them funny.   Speaker 1 ** 55:15 Well, I know that I have often been invited to speak at places, and I wondered, What am I going to say to this particular audience? How am I going to deal with them? They're they're different than what I'm used to. What I found, I guess you could call that writer's block, but what I found is, if I can go early and interact with them, even if I'm the very first speaker, if I can interact with them beforehand, or if there are other people speaking before me, invariably, I will hear things that will allow me to be able to move on and give a relevant presentation specifically to that group, which is what it's really all about. And so I'm with you, and I appreciate it, and it's good to get to the point where you don't worry about the block, but rather you look at ways to move forward and interact with people and make it fun, right,   Greg Schwem ** 56:13 right? And I do think people, I think COVID, took that away from us a little bit, yeah, obviously, but I but, and I do think people missed that. I think that people, once you get them talking, are more inclined to not think that you're you have ulterior motives. I think people do enjoy putting their phones down a little bit, but it's, it's kind of a two way street when I, when I do meet people, if it's if it's only me asking the questions, eventually I'm going to get tired of that. Yeah, I think there's a, there has to be a reciprocity thing a little bit. And one thing I find is, is with the Gen Z's and maybe millennials. They're not, they're not as good at that as I think they could be. They're more they're they're happy to talk about themselves, but they're not really good at saying so what do you do for a living? Or what you know, tell me about you. And I mean, that's how you learn about other people. Yeah,   Speaker 1 ** 57:19 tell me about your your latest book, Turning gut punches into punchlines. That's a interesting title, yeah, well, the more   Greg Schwem ** 57:26 interesting is the subtitle. So it's turning gut punches into punch punch lines, A Comedian's journey through cancer, divorce and other hilarious stuff.   Speaker 1 ** 57:35 No, like you haven't done anything in the world. Okay, right? So   Greg Schwem ** 57:38 other than that, how was the play, Mrs. Lincoln. Yeah, exactly. See, now you get that reference. I don't know if I could use that on stage, but anyway, depend on your audience. But yeah, they're like, What's he talking   Speaker 1 ** 57:50 who's Lincoln? And I've been to Ford theater too, so that's okay, yes, as have I. So it was much later than, than, well, than Lincoln, but that's okay.   Greg Schwem ** 57:58 You're not that old, right? No. Well, okay, so as the title, as the title implies, I did have sort of a double, double gut punch, it just in the last two years. So I, I got divorced late in life, after 29 years of marriage. And while that was going on, I got a colon cancer diagnosis and and at this end, I was dealing with all this while also continuing work as a humor speaker, okay, as a comedian. And I just decided I got it. First of all, I got a very clean bill of health. I'm cancer free. I am finally divorced so and I, I started to think, I wonder if there's some humor in this. I I would, I would, you know, Michael, I've been on stage for like, 25 years telling people that, you know, you can find something funny to laugh at. You can find humor in any situation. It's kind of like what you're talking about all the people going down the stairs in the building in the world trade center. All right, if you look around enough, you know, maybe there's something funny, and I've been preaching that, but I never really had to live that until now. And I thought, you know, maybe there's something here. Maybe I can this is my chance now to embrace new experiences. It was kind of when I got divorced, when you've been married half your life and all of a sudden you get divorced, everything's new to you, yeah, you're, you're, you're living alone, you you're doing things that your spouse did, oh, so many years. And you're having to do those, and you're having to make new friends, yeah, and all of that, I think, is very humorous. So the more I saw a book in there that I started writing before the cancer diagnosis, and I thought was there enough here? Just like, okay, a guy at 60 years old gets divorced now what's going to happen to him? The diagnosis? Kind. Made it just added another wrinkle to the book, because now I have to deal with this, and I have to find another subject to to make light of a little bit. So the book is not a memoir, you know, I don't start it off. And, you know, when I was seven, you know, I played, you know, I was, I went to this school night. It's not that. It's more just about reinvention and just seeing that you can be happy later in life, even though you have to kind of rewrite your your story a little   Speaker 1 ** 1:00:33 bit. And I would assume, and I would assume, you bring some of that into your ACT every so   Greg Schwem ** 1:00:38 very much. So yeah, I created a whole new speech called Turning gut punches into punchlines. And I some of the stuff that I, that I did, but, you know, there's a chapter in the book about, I about gig work, actually three chapters I, you know, I went to work for Amazon during the Christmas holiday rush, just scanning packages. I wanted to see what that was like. I drove for Uber I which I did for a while. And to tell you the truth, I miss it. I ended up selling my car, but I miss it because of the what we just talked about. It was a great way to communicate with people. It was a great way to talk to people, find out about them, be the least interesting person in the car, anyway. And there's a chapter about dating and online dating, which I had not had to do in 30 years. There's a lot of humor in that. I went to therapy. I'd never gone to therapy before. I wrote a chapter about that. So I think people really respond to this book, because they I think they see a lot of themselves in it. You know, lots of people have been divorced. There's lots of cancer survivors out there, and there's lots of people who just suddenly have hit a speed bump in their life, and they're not really sure how to deal with it, right? And my way, this book is just about deal with it through laughter. And I'm the perfect example.   Speaker 1 ** 1:01:56 I hear you, Oh, I I know, and I've been through the same sort of thing as you not a divorce, but my wife and I were married for 40 years, and she passed away in November of 2022 after 40 years of marriage. And as I tell people, as I tell people, I got to be really careful, because she's monitoring me from somewhere, and if I misbehave, I'm going to hear about it, so I got to be a good kid, and I don't even chase the women so. But I also point out that none of them have been chasing me either, so I guess I just do what we got to do. But the reality is, I think there are always ways to find some sort of a connection with other people, and then, of course, that's what what you do. It's all about creating a connection, creating a relationship, even if it's only for a couple of hours or an hour or 45 minutes, but, but you do it, which is what it's all about?   Greg Schwem ** 1:02:49 Yeah, exactly. And I think the funniest stuff is real life experience. Oh, absolutely, you know. And if people can see themselves in in what I've written, then I've done my job as a writer.   Speaker 1 ** 1:03:03 So do you have any plans to retire?   Greg Schwem ** 1:03:06 Never. I mean, good for you retire from what   1:03:09 I know right, making fun of people   Greg Schwem ** 1:03:12 and making them laugh. I mean, I don't know what I would do with myself, and even if I there's always going to be I don't care how technology, technologically advanced our society gets. People will always want and need to laugh. Yeah, they're always going to want to do that. And if they're want, if they're wanting to do that, then I will find, I will find a way to get to them. And that's why I, as I said, That's why, like working on cruise ships has become, like a new, sort of a new avenue for me to make people laugh. And so, yeah, I don't I there's, there's no way. I don't know what else I would do with   Speaker 1 ** 1:03:53 myself, well and from my perspective, as long as I can inspire people, yes, I can make people think a little bit and feel better about themselves. I'm going to do it right. And, and, and I do. And I wrote a book during COVID that was published last August called Live like a guide dog. And it's all about helping people learn to control fear. And I use lessons I learned from eight guide dogs and my wife service dog to do that. My wife was in a wheelchair her whole life. Great marriage. She read, I pushed worked out well, but, but the but the but the bottom line is that dogs can teach us so many lessons, and there's so much that we can learn from them. So I'm grateful that I had the opportunity to create this book and and get it out there. And I think that again, as long as I can continue to inspire people, I'm going to do it. Because   Greg Schwem ** 1:04:47 why wouldn't you? Why wouldn't I exactly right? Yeah, yeah. So,   Speaker 1 ** 1:04:51 I mean, I think if I, if I stopped, I think my wife would beat up on me, so I gotta be nice exactly. She's monitoring from somewhere

It's an absolute pleasure to have today's guest on the podcast! Dan Brodribb has years of stage experience and is one of my personal favourite comedians.  What I love about Dan does not stop at the stage though, he is one of the deepest thinkers and most insightful people I have met in the comedy world.  He always tries his best to be a positive force in a negative industry.  He is constantly pushing himself to be better and to work on different aspects of his comedy game in a way I have seen no other comic do.  He puts comics half his age to shame in terms of work ethic, integrity and all out funny! If you enjoy this podcast we also did another one a few years back that is just as great.Go give Dan a follow on instagram @danbrodribb and check out a show of his soon!

Send us a textRomas is in slow motion for most of the pod.Ducharme leaves for. a few minutes to do number two.https:/patreon.com/2als1podhttps://www.instagram.com/thetalkingdickscomedypodcast/https://twitter.com/DicksTwohttps://www.facebook.com/thetwodickshttps://www.facebook.com/The-Talking-Dicks-Comedy-Podcast-107101331446404Support the show

Send us a textIn this week's episode, Lance and Jacklyn share stories from their summer staycation and their trip to Weeki Wachee Spring, how to the legendary mermaids.  Lance delves into the history and significance of the Florida landmark and Jacklyn shares everything she learned about the Mermaids, who they are how they are able to perform such amazing stunts.Stay tuned for the Treasure Chest to find out more about what they are reading, doing, watching, and making.Enjoy and send us a message or leave a review if you enjoy this topic or the podcast.

Send us a textLois Bromfield and Yakov Smirnoff, both renowned figures in the comedy world, offer unique and engaging perspectives on the art of stand-up performances. Bromfield, known for her creativity and audience engagement, emphasizes the importance of diversity in comedic backgrounds, exemplified through her introduction of Smirnoff's Russian origins during their shows. Her signature bit, "Sorority Girls From Hell," which captivated audiences and was even adapted by HBO, highlights her ability to connect humorously with a wide range of spectators. Meanwhile, Smirnoff's comedy underscores the universal nature of humor, as he contrasts the freedom of American comedic expression with the restrictions faced by comedians in Russia, adding depth to his performances through his immigrant experience and insights on cultural differences.(00:00:04) 1983 New Year's Eve Comedy Extravaganza(00:04:11) "Sorority Girls From Hell" Comedy Transition(00:10:54) Navigating Dating: The Fear of Imperfection(00:15:26) Melodic Influence on Shopper's Impulse Purchases(00:23:30) Yakov Smirnoff's Comedy Triumphs at Laughs Unlimited(00:24:36) "Comedic Contrasts: Russian Censorship vs American Freedom"(00:26:16) Political Tensions and International Comedy Jokes(00:39:20) Cultural Observations Through Comedy: Underwear PreferencesSupport the show www.StandupComedyPodcastNetwork.com Free APP on all Apple & Android phones....check it out, podcast, jokes, blogs, and More!"NEW" Video Podcast: Tag Team Talent Podcast on Spotify & YouTube My suggestions for stuff I purchase on Amazon, Ck them out! Ice tea: https://amzn.to/4miicDu Portable Mics: https://amzn.to/3Faqix2 RODE Recording Board: https://amzn.to/3YIpEO2 Apple Watch: https://amzn.to/4kiZIRu Podcast Quality List: https://www.millionpodcasts.com/heritage-podcasts/ Please Write a Review: in-depth walk-through for leaving a review.Interested in Standup Comedy? Check out my books on Amazon..."20 Questions Answered about Being a Standup Comic""Be a Standup Comic...or just look like one"

Jenn and Doug dive into how social media shapes global perceptions of Japan—both the good and the misleading. From viral content to common myths, they explore what's real, what's exaggerated, and why it matters.------ About the Krewe ------The Krewe of Japan Podcast is a weekly episodic podcast sponsored by the Japan Society of New Orleans. Check them out every Friday afternoon around noon CST on Apple, Google, Spotify, Amazon, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts.  Want to share your experiences with the Krewe? Or perhaps you have ideas for episodes, feedback, comments, or questions? Let the Krewe know by e-mail at kreweofjapanpodcast@gmail.com or on social media (Twitter: @kreweofjapan, Instagram: @kreweofjapanpodcast, Facebook: Krewe of Japan Podcast Page, TikTok: @kreweofjapanpodcast, LinkedIn: Krewe of Japan LinkedIn Page, Blue Sky Social: @kreweofjapan.bsky.social, Threads: @kreweofjapanpodcast & the Krewe of Japan Youtube Channel). Until next time, enjoy!------ Support the Krewe! Offer Links for Affiliates ------Use the referral links below & our promo code from the episode!Support your favorite NFL Team AND podcast! Shop NFLShop to gear up for football season!Zencastr Offer Link - Use my special link to save 30% off your 1st month of any Zencastr paid plan! ------ JSNO Upcoming Events ------Tickets to Kanpai on the Bayou JSNO Event CalendarJoin JSNO Today!

Stand-Up Comedy, Courage and Change with Alexey TimbulWhy public speaking feels terrifying... and telling a joke can be even worse.What makes us open up when we try to be funny?Is there a formula for funny?How comedy is shifting with culture, platforms, and politics.Funny Women the rise, resilience, and voice of women in comedy.Comedy and the Brain, how laughter reshapes your neural pathways and boosts mental health.https://www.instagram.com/standupcomedyvalenciaallaboutyoupodcast@yahoo.comhttps://www.youtube.com/@allaboutyoupodcast2505

Godfrey talks with The Punisher about the Diddy Verdict, Vishnu educates the gang on Indian culture and so much more!Legendary Comedian Godfrey is LIVE from New York, and joins some of his best friends in stand up comedy, Hip-Hop and Hollywood to talk current events, pop culture, race issues, movies, music, TV and Kung Fu. We got endless impressions, a white producer, random videos Godfrey found on the internet and so much more! We're not reinventing the wheel, we're just talking 'ish twice a week... with GODFREY on In Godfrey We Trust.Original Air Date: 07.08.25-------------------------------

This week on another splendiferous episode of NNFA, we've got Reg Thomas and Jeff Baldinger in the turtle lair

Comedians Robert Kelly & Ian Fidance join Big Jay Oakerson, Luis J. Gomez, and Dave Smith to discuss women getting stuck, rank the looks of the top ten WNBA players, and send intern Jake out on the street for some post 4th of July shenanigans. All This and More, ONLY on The Most Offensive Podcast on Earth, The LEGION OF SKANKS!!! Original Air Date: 07/08/25Support our sponsors!Go to YoKratom.com - home of the $60 kilo!Visit to BodyBrainCoffee.com and use code LOS15 for 15% off!Visit Heavys.com and use code LEGION for $45 off!Check out Ridge.com/LOS10 for 10% off!Head to SheathUnderwear.com and use promo code SKANKS20 for 20% off your order!---------------

Send us a textWe're the 2 ALS 1 Pod podcast now. Formally the Talking Dicks Comedy Podcast which is a spinoff from the web series The Two Dicks.Al Ducharme and Al Romas are two ventran stand-up comedians with decades of performing live stand-up comedy shows around the world. We have a bunch of past podcast that sit under lock and key and every Friday we release one just for you. We use to be called the Talking Dicks Comedy Podcast but now we 2 ALs 1 Pod. Enjoy. 2 ALs 1 Pod is a comedy podcast hosted by stand-up comedians Al Ducharme and Al Romas. Originally titled Talking Dicks Comedy Podcast, the show is a spinoff from their web series The Two Dicks, which features two inept 1950s detectives. The podcast blends observational humor, personal anecdotes, and satirical commentary, often revisiting classic episodes from their archives. With over 330 episodes, it offers a mix of new content and “vault” episodes, providing listeners with a variety of comedic material.  You can listen to 2 ALs 1 Pod on platforms like Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Buzzsprout. For additional content, including video episodes and behind-the-scenes material, visit their Patreon page. https:/patreon.com/2als1podhttps://www.instagram.com/thetalkingdickscomedypodcast/https://twitter.com/DicksTwohttps://www.facebook.com/thetwodickshttps://www.facebook.com/The-Talking-Dicks-Comedy-Podcast-107101331446404Support the show

Send us a textLegendary comedian, actor, and writer George Wallace is making his highly anticipated return to St. Louis this weekend for a two-night run at Helium Comedy Club, July 11–12, 2025, with shows at 7:00 PM and 9:15 PM on Friday, and 7:00 PM and 9:30 PM on Saturday. With ticket prices ranging from $41 for general admission to $61 for front row seating, fans are guaranteed an unforgettable night of comedy from one of the most iconic voices in stand-up. George Wallace whose lightning-fast wit, observational brilliance, and unforgettable storytelling have made him one of comedy's most respected figures. Known affectionately as “The New Mr. Vegas,” Wallace enjoyed more than a decade of success headlining his own show in Las Vegas—an unprecedented run that solidified his status as one of the greats in stand-up entertainment.Unlike any other show on the strip, Wallace's performances were interactive, heartfelt, and wildly generous—audiences could walk away with everything from diamond necklaces to tropical cruises, gourmet dinners, and even a new car. His spontaneous audience interactions and “anything can happen” attitude became his signature.Now, Wallace is stepping into a new chapter with Prime Video's upcoming comedy series Clean Slate, where he stars alongside Laverne Cox. The half-hour show—produced by Sony Pictures Television and developed by the late, great Norman Lear—was greenlit on Lear's 100th birthday and stands as a historic final project from the legendary TV pioneer. In Clean Slate, Wallace plays Henry Slate, a traditional, outspoken Alabama car wash owner whose world is turned upside down when his long-estranged child returns home—not as the son he remembers, but as Desiree Slate (Cox), a proud and resilient trans woman. The series explores themes of family, growth, and acceptance, all with Wallace's signature blend of humor and heart.Don't miss your chance to see a true comedy legend LIVE in St. Louis at Helium Comedy Club on July 11–12, 2025. No two shows are ever the same, and with Wallace, one thing is certain—you'll be laughing long after the curtain closes.http://www.betterhelp.com/TheBarnThis episode is sponsored by www.betterhelp.com/TheBarn and brought to you as always by The Barn Media Group. YOUTUBE https://www.youtube.com/@TheBarnPodcastNetwork SPOTIFY https://open.spotify.com/show/09neXeCS8I0U8OZJroUGd4?si=2f9b8dfa5d2c4504 APPLE https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1625411141 I HEART RADIO https://www.iheart.com/podcast/97160034/ AMAZON https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7aff7d00-c41b-4154-94cf-221a808e3595/the-barn

This week, in Mountain City, Tennessee, a wild story unfolds when local people begin talking bad about each other on social media. This escalates to the point that death threats are flying around between a young lady's family, and her former group of friends. In the end, two people are horribly killed, and it looks like the CIA may even be involved. But when the tru stroy comes out, it's a giant mess, full of lies, deception, and brutal murder!!   Along the way, we find out that the age of consent in Tennessee is 18, that the CIA doesn't usually get involved in the social media battles between friend groups, and that electronic communication never dies!!   New episodes every Wednesday & Friday nights!!   Donate at patreon.com/crimeinsports or go to paypal.com and use our email: crimeinsports@gmail.com Go to shutupandgivememurder.com for all things SMall Town Murder, Crime In Sports & Your Stupid Opinions!   Follow us on... instagram.com/smalltownmurder facebook.com/smalltownpod   Also, check out James & Jimmie's other shows, Crime In Sports & Your Stupid Opinions on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you liten to podcasts!!

Ring ring… hellllllo? It's your big sis Violetta coming to your rescue!Hi besties!! It's the second week of the month, and you know what that means: a brand new episode of Ask Violetta. But today, we're doing things a little differently... We're answering just one question. But not just any question—the one that haunts your group chat at 2am:“What if they're your soulmate… but the timing's off?”You swear they're the one. Your twin flame. Your human dopamine hit. Every text gives you fanny flutters. But fate? She's a petty little b*tch. Wrong place. Wrong time. Right person. It's a tale as old as time… so what the hell do you do??? Listen to this episode obviously!So if that's you, hit play. If it's your bestie, hit send. Because someone in your group chat needs to hear this before it's too late.By the end of this episode, you'll know exactly what to do. And if that means letting go? I've got you boo, with 9 steps to detach like the hot unbothered queen you were always meant to be.P.S. Don't forget... the right people are timeless.

Podcast-favorite Jeff Zenisek is back! The two goons open the show talking about fun t-shirt ideas. Randy asks Jeff more about his time working at Hollywood Video back in the day. The fellas move on talking about gaming and how video games are supposed to be an escape from reality, not a mirror of it. Jeff talks about how stupid writing Yelp reviews and his hatred of anything “artisanal”, especially ice-cream. Randy checks in and sees if Jeff is up on the current political news. Switching gears, Randy decides to ask Jeff some of the basic questions on the US citizenship test. Jeff talks about his hatred of fireworks. The boys close with the news - Drinking dark liquor increases the chance of having a one-night stand you won't remember, and women with daddy issues are more sexually active.    Outro: “Funk Doctor” by Gee Dubs   Social Media:  Instagram: @randyvalerio @readysetblowpodcast Twitter: @randytvalerio @readysetblowpodcast TikTok: @randyvaleriocomedy @readysetblowpod YouTube:   @randyvaleriocomedy   @readysetblowpodcast    #comedypodcast #comedy #podcast #news #advice #standup #standupcomedy #comedian #jokes #politics #relationships #dating #drinkingbuddies #daddyissues #fireworks #hollywoodvideo #vhs #dvd #gaming #videogames #gta #gta5 #gta6 #icecream #politicalnews #bbb #immigration #ice #latinas #citizenship #datingadvice

Sarah and Mary share their thoughts on Netflix's America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders and Trainwreck: The Cult of American Apparel.Join us on Patreon  for more of the Inner Sanctum with Sarah and Mary: teacher accused of boozing and calling her students little sh*ts, Jennifer Aniston scams, vow of silence summer - and more. Subscribe, Follow, Like, and Review, Wherever you get your podcasts.Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, & Facebook. Get RUMP Merch here:https://areyoumypodcast.bigcartel.com/ Visit HelloFresh.com/mypodcast10fm for ten free meals with a free item for life.Visit viia.co/mypodcast and use code MYPODCAST for 15% off and get a free gift.Visit mintmobile.com/mypodcast to get your summer savings and and shop premium wireless plans.Visit functionhealth.com/mypodcast between July 7th and July 11th for 160+ lab tests for $365. sarahcolonna.commaryradzinski.com    Sarah's merchMary's merch © 2020-2022 Are You My Podcast?

Godfrey talks with Kam Patterson about his sucess early in his comedy career, more about the Diddy case with The Punisher and so much more!Legendary Comedian Godfrey is LIVE from New York, and joins some of his best friends in stand up comedy, Hip-Hop and Hollywood to talk current events, pop culture, race issues, movies, music, TV and Kung Fu. We got endless impressions, a white producer, random videos Godfrey found on the internet and so much more! We're not reinventing the wheel, we're just talking 'ish twice a week... with GODFREY on In Godfrey We Trust.Original Air Date: 07.04.25-------------------------------SUPPORT OUR SPONSORShttps://yokratom.com and get a $60 KILOCall American Financing today to find out how customers are saving an avg of $800/mo. 866-889-1776 or visit http://www.AmericanFinancing.net/Godfrey NMLS 182334, nmlsconsumeraccess.org-------------------------------

This week on the Jackie and Laurie Show, Jackie (@jackiekashian) demands an apology from the bottom of Laurie's non existent heart! Laurie (anylaurie16) does not want to live in a world where yellow watermelon are the norm. Plus, a deconstruction of “the Kyle lean” that silently occurs before breaks. Subscribe to the podcast, and give it a 5-star rating and review to help the show move up the charts. Video for the episodes is on The Jackie and Laurie YouTube channel! Comic of the Week: Anjelica Scannura @scanooch Become a MaxFun Member for benefits and other great pods:https://href.li/?https://maximumfun.org/donate Join our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JackieandLaurie Watch the episodes and subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/@Jackie_Kashian See Laurie on tour: https://lauriekilmartin.com/tour-dates See Jackie on tour: https://jackiekashian.com/tour-dates Watch 'Lauries special “Cis Woke Grief ”Slut on YouTube:https://bit.ly/3zWwgPA Watch Laurie's special “Cis Woke Grief ”Slut on Amazon Prime: https://amzn.to/3NpHlMo Watch 'Jackies special “Looking Back” on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZfwWvgMT70 Follow Laurie on social media: @anylaurie16 Follow Jackie on social media: @jackiekashian Recorded and Produced by Kyle Clark : @kyleclarkisrad   Become a member at maximumfun.org/join.

Why are we so f*cking mean to ourselves?This week, we're diving deep into that nonstop voice in your head that tells you you're not good enough, smart enough, hot enough, just... not enough. You'll find out why it exists, how it got there, and how to finally shut it the hell up.We're talking:· The real science behind your inner critic (yes, it's a thing - it's called the Default Mode Network)· Why comparing yourself to everyone on the internet is literally frying your brain (hi, Social Comparison Theory)· How to mentally separate from that toxic inner voice (Cognitive Diffusion, b*tch)· And how to give yourself the kind of love you're always chasing from other people (Radical Self-Compassion...look it up, it's life-changing)By the end of this, you're going to understand that being hard on yourself isn't some personality trait - it's a survival habit you can unlearn. And we're doing it together, one savage thought at a time.This episode is science, sass, and self-respect. Let's go.Wanna listen to this episode AD FREE?? Go to my ad free subscription at - almostadulting.supercast.comToday's episode is brought to you by:Nutrafol - Nutrafol is offering my listeners $10 off your first month's subscription and free shipping when you go to Nutrafol and enter the promo code ADULTING.SIMPLY POP - Sip on the juicy side of life. Find out where you can try Simply Pop at cokeurl.com/simplyPOP !Feeld Dating - Download Feeld now on the App Store or Google Play and discover if you're into relationship anarchySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It's a car episode. Jenny talks about some recent friendship drama. Mic talks about some weird stuff on his feet. It's a car episode.It's a car episode. Jenny talks about some recent friendship drama. Mic talks about some weird stuff on his feet. It's a car episode.C O M E S E E H A C K C I T Y C O M E D Y TicketsF O L L O W U Shttps://www.instagram.com/asiannotasianpodhttps://www.instagram.com/nicepantsbrohttps://www.instagram.com/jennyarimoto/P A T R E O Nhttps://www.patreon.com/asiannotasianpod P A R T N E R S -Check out friend of the pod John's cabin on Airbnb! https://www.airbnb.com/slink/penXRFgl - Helix Sleep Mattress: visit helixsleep.com/asian - Nutrafol: www.nutrafol.com (Promo code: Asian) This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/ASIAN and get on your way to being your best self.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

George Perez Stories EP394 brings in the heat with legendary comedian Edwin San Juan joining George Perez, Johnny Roque, and Side Dick Eddie for a nonstop, unfiltered ride through ICE checkpoints, strip club pink eye, Sammy Sosa bleaching, and the Dodgers' fake love for Raza. Edwin shares war stories from touring the Asian comedy circuit and drops one of the most jaw-dropping (and cancelable?) puns in podcast history

George Perez Stories EP392 is straight chaos in the best way. George Perez, Johnny Roque, and 3 Plates Tommy dive deep into everything from escape room conspiracies and childhood lies, to dry humping disasters and ICE raid comedy takes that'll make your abuelita gasp.

Tom travels to Jenkintown, Pennsylvania, to visit friend and fellow reinvention expert Brian Balthazar — former HGTV executive, Today Show producer, stand-up comic, and co-host of Human vs. Hamster on Max. They talk about launching Kathie Lee & Hoda, Brian's unexpected pivot from TV exec to napkin entrepreneur, and how midlife “menopause” (for men) is real. This episode is full of unexpected career turns, heartfelt confessions, and the kind of laughs that come from two friends who have seen behind the curtain of fame... and lived to tell about it.

Godfrey talks with "The Punisher" about his new book, testifying at the Diddy trial, his relationship with Cassie and so much more with Dante Nero.Legendary Comedian Godfrey is LIVE from New York, and joins some of his best friends in stand up comedy, Hip-Hop and Hollywood to talk current events, pop culture, race issues, movies, music, TV and Kung Fu. We got endless impressions, a white producer, random videos Godfrey found on the internet and so much more! We're not reinventing the wheel, we're just talking 'ish twice a week... with GODFREY on In Godfrey We Trust.Original Air Date: 07.01.25-------------------------------

Chris Stanley, Chris Faga, & Zac Amico join Big Jay Oakerson & Luis J. Gomez to discuss a possible incident that Luis had at a hotel, and celebrate the downfall of Liver King while consuming his diet. All This and More, ONLY on The Most Offensive Podcast on Earth, The LEGION OF SKANKS!!! Original Air Date: 07/01/25Support our sponsors! Go to YoKratom.com - home of the $60 kilo!Check out Ridge.com/LOS10 for up to 40% off!Visit BruntWorkwear.com/Legion and use promo code LEGION for $10 off!Go to ChubbiesShorts.com/LEGION and use code LEGION for 20% off your order!Head to Sheath.com and use promo code SKANKS20 for 20% off your order!---------------