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  • 445: Arj Barker and The Mind Field

    445: Arj Barker and The Mind Field
    2026/08/31

    Arj Barker! Comedian! Actor! Friend! Delight! More!

    Arj's new comedy album The Mind Field is out now from Blonde Medicine!

    We have a great talk and you can have a great listen!

    ABOUT ARJ BARKER:

    Barker started his comedy career in the 90s as a dare but quickly dropped out of college to focus on the craft. Through the years he developed his distinct performance style, characterized by heavy sarcasm, absurd logic, and a stage persona that blends unwavering confidence with hilarious ignorance. After 35 years of late-night stand-up sets, acting and writing for the stage and on TV, and headlining shows of all sizes, he remains a beloved, globe-trotting powerhouse in the contemporary comedy landscape.

    On The Mind Field, Arj Barker encourages the audience to reflect on questions insufficiently explored by science: What is consciousness? Is it stored in the brain or is there a bigger reality somewhere beyond our minds? "Having lost my best friend quite suddenly a few years ago, these questions took on more urgency, and this stand up that formed around that." says Arj.

    On the album he also explores equally important topics like meditation, masturbation, and travelling over an hour to eat mediocre pizza. Barker wraps up the album with a song about drinking too much coffee in Australia, which he brings to life with a harmonica, inspiring the audience to sing along.

    MORE ABOUT ARJ BARKER:

    Acclaimed stand-up comedian and actor Arj Barker's early career took shape in San Francisco during the early 90s, where he hosted a regular open-mic night at Café Nuvo. His breakthrough arrived in 1997 when he won the prestigious Perrier Best Newcomer Award at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. He became a frequent fixture on late-night TV, making multiple stand-up appearances on Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Tonight Show, and The Late Show with David Letterman. He has hosted many Comedy Central Presents specials, co-written and starred in the Off-Broadway parody show The Marijuana-Logues in 2004 and joined the cast of the hit HBO sitcom Flight of the Conchords in 2007.

    For decades Barker has been a headline regular and record-breaking ticket seller at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival and the Adelaide Fringe. Now living in Australia, Barker has achieved monumental status as an adopted superstar there. His widespread appeal across Oceania has been bolstered by regular appearances on major Australian television programs such as Thank God You're Here, Rove, and Spicks and Specks. He has released several top-selling comedy albums and live specials, including the ARIA award winning DVD Organic and co-wrote and starred in The Nut Farm in 2024.

    FOR EVEN MORE ABOUT ARJ BARKER... LISTEN TO THE PODCAST!

    PS This is only the first half of our converasation.
    For part two, subscribe via Apple Podcasts OR simply click on over here to Patreon! Enjoy!

    Thank you!​
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    41 分
  • 446: Margreet de Heer and Comic Artistry

    446: Margreet de Heer and Comic Artistry
    2026/09/04

    Margreet de Heer! Artist! Writer! Friend! First Comic Artist Laureate of The Netherlands! Delight! More!

    Check out her Substack here!

    And listen to this podcast conversation we had! It's great! Enjoy!

    PS This is only the first HALF of our conversation!
    For part two, subscribe via Apple Podcasts OR merely click on over here to Patreon!
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    39 分
  • 444: Alaina Bamfield and Untouchable

    444: Alaina Bamfield and Untouchable
    2026/08/23

    Alaina Bamfield! Comedian! Friend! Delight! More!

    Alaina's special "Untouchable" is available on her YouTube here and you can follow her on Instagram here!

    We have a great chat! You can have a great listen!

    And this is only one half of our conversation!
    For the other half, subscribe via Apple Podcasts OR click on over here to Patreon!

    Enjoy!
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    41 分
  • 443: Nato Green and The Darkest Hour

    443: Nato Green and The Darkest Hour
    2026/08/15
    Nato Green! Comedian! Union organizer! Friend! Delight! More! Nato is a hilarious comedian and an old friend and I'm excited to share this conversation with you! (And this is only the first HALF of our conversation. For part two, subscribe via Apple Podcasts OR simply click on over here to Patreon!) Also of course check out his newest hour special, "The Darkest Hour," on YouTube or as audio wherever you get that, for example, from wherever Blonde Medicine suggests you might get it! Trailer Here Now, here are some things that other people have said about Nato: "Nato is funny, smart, thoughtful, goofy and political. As of now, I suffer no consequences for my steadfast belief that Nato is one of the funniest comics in our country, but I would stage a sit-in." -Maria Bamford, Comedian "Righteous and hilarious, Nato is like finding a shot of bourbon at your co-worker's stupid vegan potluck." -Daniel Handler, aka Lemony Snicket "The antichrist" - The Episcopal Archbishop one time "In the latest hour from San Francisco comedian and labor organizer Nato Green, The Darkest Hour, Nato wanted to go beyond jokes about the news to understanding this political moment in history. A solid set of new material that he toured nationally, he carefully and humorously guides the audience through a large conversation about fascism, zionism, transphobia, white supremacy and the political spectrum. The show provides Nato's definitive explanation of American politics using a white board (an homage to a Mort Sahl bit from a 1967 tv show) which illustrates the basic idea that as Nato says, "centrists see their mission as fighting the left instead of fighting fascism, and thereby make way for fascism." This is an hour of work walking through how Nato was more angry at the failure of liberals to stop fascism than at fascists for being fascists. Nato Green is the country's only semi-functional hybrid of standup comedian and union organizer, so it stands to reason that this hour is part comedy special - part study group on how to defeat fascism. In the early phases working the hour on his national tour, The Darkest Hour was well received by countless audience members who told Nato after shows that they were feeling hopeful for the first time since Trump's inauguration. Said Nato, "there is comedy of escapism, but this is whatever is the opposite of that." Nato starred along with W. Kamau Bell and Janine Brito in the streaming series Laughter Against the Machine on Means.tv, the first worker-owned post-capitalist streaming platform. He also appears regularly doing political comedy chat on the podcasts The Bugle and The Bitchuation Room. His second comedy album The Whiteness Album was named a best comedy album on NPR's Bullseye. He appeared in the film Sorry to Bother You and his writing has appeared in the LA Review of Books, the San Francisco Examiner, In These Times, VICE, Huffington Post, and many more. Nato has been named San Francisco's Best Comedian by the SF Bay Guardian, SF Weekly, Huffington Post, SFist, and CBS. Nato wrote for Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell on FX, the show that the New York Times called "five years ahead of its time." He is currently working on his book slated for 2027 release on Haymarket Books which he describes as "a comedy book about union organizing" entitled Your Boss is Lying to You: And Other Life Lessons from the Break Room, the Bargaining Table, and the Picket Line." Now, more praise for Nato Green: "The best kind of comedy, both challenging as well as funny, while highlighting the forces that shape white identity." - Rinku Sen, The Maven "His determined presence has helped keep us honest. The perennial deadpan voice of San Francisco values." - San Francisco Chronicle "Nato is woke but an optimist, brilliant but not callous, and really needs this money to train his daughters for the revolution." –Francesca Fiorentini, Bitchuation Room Host "Nato is like a good litmus test for me because he's so smart. People turn to me for political opinions, and I turn to Nato." - W. Kamau Bell "Nato Green is one of the best political comics in America, and we need him now more than ever." - Guy Branum "The most dangerous comedian alive." -Jeff Chang, author of Who We Be: The Colorization of America "I've always tried to provide the soundtrack to the revolution. Nato Green provides the laugh track." -Boots Riley, director of "I Love Boosters" "A great album to play when you get home from a protest outside Trump Tower." —Jewcy "A densely-packed, culturally sensitive shitshow, which manages to celebrate and eviscerate in equal measure." - Paste Magazine "Punch lines that could potentially get him run out of whatever city he's performing in." — The Rumpus "The best kind of comedy, both challenging as well as funny, while highlighting the forces that shape white identity." - Rinku Sen, The Maven "A personal take on seemingly overwhelming issues that offer up jokes that don't feed ...
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    47 分
  • 442: Kate Nichols and the Intersection of Comedy and Mental Health

    442: Kate Nichols and the Intersection of Comedy and Mental Health
    2026/08/07

    Kate Nichols! Comedian! Therapist! Friend! Delight! More!

    From her website:

    "I tell stories, make people laugh, and help them understand why their nervous system is absolutely not their fault - sometimes all in the same hour."

    "Comedy and mental health look like opposites until you realize they're doing the exact same thing: finding the shared human experience, naming it out loud, and making people feel a little less alone. That's what I hope to do in every room I walk into. No big deal or anything."

    Follow her on IG!

    And listen to our conversation here! It's a fun one! Enjoy!

    PS This podcast episode is only the first HALF of our conversation.
    For the other half, subscribe via Apple Podcasts OR simply click on over here to Patreon!
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    36 分
  • 441: Ron Placone and Anti-Fascist Pasta Night

    441: Ron Placone and Anti-Fascist Pasta Night
    2026/07/31

    Ron Placone! Comedian! Writer! Filmmaker! Friend! Delight! More!

    First, if you're reading this before the end of August 2026, go see Ron in Edinburgh!

    Edinburgh info: Aug 6 - 30, West Port Oracle, 3:45pm. FREE FRINGE
    https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/anti-fascist-pasta-night

    We have a great chat! You can have a great listen!

    About Ron:

    Ron Placone is a comedian/writer/producer/filmmaker seen on Discovery Channel, HBOMax, Hulu, AppleTV, Tubi, CrossTalk, Redacted Tonight, Status Coup News, and more. A joke-slinging vagabond, he's toured nearly everywhere in the US, Australia, Canada, and his solo-show, "Balding is Punk Rock", premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2023 (****). He will be returning to the Edinburgh Fringe in 2026 with his new stand-up show, "Anti-Fascist Pasta Night." His co-headlining tour with Graham Elwood sold out venues in Melbourne, Sacramento, San Francisco, and Miami.

    In 2022, Ron took the dive into production. Since then, he's released the webisode/pilot, Loner, his vertical series, Frank Azurri, premiered in Rome and then was later released on Status Coup News, and his debut feature, Left At Wall, enjoyed sold out screenings in Los Angeles and Pittsburgh, an international screening in London, and is out NOW on a bunch of platforms. Ron recommends watching it on Tubi because it's free there. Bit by the bug, he wrote and produced the stage play, Termination Fee. Termination Fee premiered at the Hollywood Fringe in 2025, it sold out 60% of its run and was nominated for Ink Well Theater's Playwright's Promise Award. Termination Fee is currently in post-production as a feature film.

    He also co-produced the web-comic Lucy & Ron.

    His podcast is called 1000 w/ Ron Placone, where, as he puts it: "Each week I interview somebody who is living a creative, fulfilling life, and doing inspiring work amidst the backdrop of a society in decline. For the freethinkers and those going against the tide."

    Website: http://www.ronplacone.com Podcast: 1000 Podcast Movie: LEFT AT WALL (free on YouTube)
    Substack: ronplacone.substack.com Socials: @RonPlacone on IG and Twitter

    And this is only the first HALF of our chat!
    For part two, subscribe via Apple Podcasts OR merely click on over here to Patreon! Enjoy!
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    38 分
  • 440: Sally Ann Hall and Dead Wife Pretty

    440: Sally Ann Hall and Dead Wife Pretty
    2026/07/23
    Sally Ann Hall Comedian! Writer! Actor! Friend! Delight! More! Her debut comedy special Dead Wife Pretty is out now on Apple TV, Amazon Prime, and many others from Comedy Dynamics. From the press release: "Glamourous high-school drop-out" Sally Ann presents a traditional standup show that butts heads with traditional values. She tells her coming-of-age journey from Alaska to New York City with vulnerable vulgarity and unflinching honesty. Says Sally Ann: "I'm a massive feminist with massive self-esteem issues, as I think many of us are. I'm struggling to shake off my conditioning and make peace with my trauma, like all millennials, so we can be the good little grownups we want to be. I've learned to process that by trauma-dumping on strangers in a silly, borderline-stupid way that's raunchy, but also…endearing? Can I say that? I think I can say that…I'm going to." Sally Ann turns her lifetime of ridiculous lore into a relatable, honest, and hilarious performance. Her experiences in a religious family of origin are sharply juxtaposed with the strange, artistic life she's built with a thespian husband, about which she quips: "Look, it's embarrassing to have found happiness in a heterosexual marriage - but I have always found that the best material is born from my own embarrassment." After dropping out of high school and bumming around Europe she came to New York City to continue bumming around, and ended up a singing bartender in a famous West Village piano bar. But she found her true calling in standup comedy after dating a series of male comedians who made her realize that audacity is often more rewarded than talent. This special is the culmination of a decade of material created through male-dominated open mics, gay piano bars, rowdy clubs, cruise ships, and more than one seance. Sally Ann is thrilled to formally introduce herself to the world with her debut special: "It's not the kind of special you bring home to your parents…unless your parents smoke pot." MORE ABOUT SALLY ANN HALL: New York sensation and Alaskan embarrassment Sally Ann Hall is an award-winning comedian, writer and actor who escaped the Northwest to pursue her dream of disappointing her parents. Sally Ann (who goes by the full Sally Ann) brings a unique blend of elegance and crassness to her comedy, which has been described as "combining adult wit with childlike bladder control". A staple in the New York Comedy scene, she's won three microphone-shaped trophies, two rounds of bedbugs, and one stalker who decided to move on after meeting her in person. Sally Ann was born in Alaska to a "very Alaskan" family, went to high school in deeply conservative Idaho where she ran away from home, tried to make it in Europe, then made her way to New York at 20 years old and never left. Through years of many odd jobs and (some intentionally) failed careers, she climbed through the ranks in film and TV production as well as the service industry. Standup entered her life at the same moment she was offered a promotion to Producer on a famous TV show and a job as a singing bartender at a famous piano bar. Fearing the production position would sideline her new comedy career, she took the singing bartending gig… and has feared it was the biggest mistake of her life ever since. She was the first place winner of the She Devil Comedy Festival, the Laughing Devil Comedy Festival, New York City's One Liner Madness, and was the first comedian in history to be named a Power Woman of the Year by Moves NY Magazine in 2025. She has headlined Carnival and Norwegian cruise ships, was a Caroline's on Broadway 'Breakout Artist', featured in the HBO Women in Comedy Festival, and was named a Comic to Watch in the prestigious New York Comedy Festival. Her live shows have been recommended by the New York Times, TimeOut NY, VICE, and maybe someday, her mom and dad. AND NOW... We have a great chat! You can have a great listen! Enjoy! PS This is only the first HALF of our podcast conversation. For part two, subscribe via Apple Podcasts OR merely click on over here to Patreon!
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    36 分
  • 439: Joseph Scrimshaw and Dead Media

    439: Joseph Scrimshaw and Dead Media
    2026/07/10

    Joseph Scrimshaw! Director! Writer! Comedian! Friend! Delight! More!

    His film "Dead Media" is a horror film about a troubled young woman, her aging hipster uncle, a haunted DVD, and a movie night that won't die.

    You can see the film live as part of a roadshow tour starting in Los Angeles on July 18th, visiting the Pacific Northwest, the East Coast, and the Midwest ending on Aug 18th in Minneapolis.

    Tix and full details:
    https://www.antennareleasing.com/films/deadmedia

    Social media:
    His handle is at @JosephScrimshaw on all the social media (except X) and you can follow Dead Media (the movie) on instagram at @DeadMediaMovie.

    We have a great chat! You can have a great listen!

    And this is only the first HALF of our conversation!
    For part two, subscribe via Apple Podcasts OR simply click on over here to Patreon!
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    47 分