In this powerful and deeply personal episode of Put Your Funny Where Your Mouth Is, Vince Carone opens up about his years-long battle with gambling addiction. From childhood trips to Las Vegas to high-stakes blackjack tables as an adult, Vince walks us through the early seeds of his obsession, the thrill of the win, and the crushing weight of the loss.

Alongside co-host Dobie Maxwell, the duo balances heartfelt honesty with humor, showing how addiction can take hold when you least expect it—and how it weaves its way into careers, relationships, and identity. Vince shares vivid stories, from winning $13,500 at a Vegas table to giving half of it back in the same night, revealing how the illusion of control fuels the cycle.

Key Points Discussed:

• • How Vince’s family trips to Vegas and childhood games planted the early seeds of gambling

• • The emotional highs of winning—and the psychological spiral of chasing losses

  • Why addiction often hides behind “fun” until it takes over

  • The role of control, ego, and rationalization in fueling the behavior

• • The moment Vince started to realize he had a problem—and the early steps toward recovery

  
  

  This is part one of a two-part series where laughter, vulnerability, and life collide. Whether you’ve battled demons of your own or just want a peek behind the curtain, this conversation reminds us that every high has a cost—and that help is always possible.

  
  

  Leave us a comment with your thoughts or your story.

In this episode of Put Your Funny Where Your Mouth Is, Vince Carone walks us through one of the most humbling and revealing moments of his career: flying to Nashville for a Monday night new material show—just to audition at a club in the same chain he already headlines in Chicago. It’s a story of emails ignored, nerves rising, and the quiet power of networking that speaks louder than a setlist.

Joined by Dobie Maxwell, the two comics unpack the true cost of being funny for a living—why the grind never stops, what’s changed in comedy booking, and how professionalism, perseverance, and likability matter more than ever. From being vouched for in a greenroom to mentoring the next generation, this episode reminds us that the real climb in comedy isn’t always the one audiences see.

Key Points Discussed:

• Why Vince had to “audition” at Zanies Nashville despite headlining elsewhere
• How networking and humility created a cascade of support before he even stepped on stage
• Dobie’s origin story with Dale Jones—and why a small favor changed a comic’s life
• The evolution of the comedy business: then vs. now
• Why “funny enough” isn’t enough anymore—and what matters more
• The role of sales, social skills, and likability in the modern comedy scene
• How mentorship works in both directions—when a 24-year-old comic helps a 42-year-old vet

In this episode of Put Your Funny Where Your Mouth Is, Vince Carone sits down just one week after recording his brand-new comedy special, It’s Not All Peaches, at Brad Garrett’s Club in Las Vegas.

With the lights off, the cameras packed up, and the adrenaline wearing off, Vince reflects on the whirlwind leading up to the special—and what happens once the big moment is over. Joined by Dobie Maxwell, the two break down the emotional whiplash of finishing a major creative project.

They get honest about the vulnerability of performing personal material, the temptation to immediately pick everything apart, and why letting go of perfection might be the real win.

Key Points Discussed:

• What Vince felt walking off stage after filming the special
• The mental come-down after a massive creative high
• The pressure of doing "perfect shows" all week before the recording
• Why the final performance still surprised him

• • How artists process big milestones—and what's next after the tape stops rolling

  
  

  Whether you're a performer, speaker, or anyone who’s ever put everything into a big moment, this episode is your backstage pass to what comes after the standing ovation.

In this episode of Put Your Funny Where Your Mouth Is, Vince Carone and Dobie Maxwell tackle one of the trickiest parts of stand-up: how to truly connect with an audience.

From mismatched energy to misread rooms, the duo shares lessons from decades of performing in every type of venue imaginable. They unpack how comics can lose a crowd in the first 30 seconds—or win them for the full hour—and why reading the room is more important than reading your setlist.

Key Points Discussed:

• How to match your energy to the room without faking it

• Why the first 15 seconds on stage can make or break you

• The difference between pushing material and building trust

• • When (and how) to shift gears mid-set if the crowd isn’t biting
  • Why some comics bomb even when their material is solid

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  If you’ve ever been on stage and felt the crowd slipping away—or just want to know how pros adapt on the fly—this episode is your guide to making that critical audience connection.

  #PutYourFunnyPodcast #StandUpComedy #ComedyCraft #ReadingTheRoom #VinceCarone #DobieMaxwell #CrowdConnection #ComedyAdvice

In this episode of Put Your Funny Where Your Mouth Is, Vince Carone pulls back the curtain on his process for building a brand-new hour of comedy—leading up to his 2025 special at Brad Garrett’s Comedy Club in Las Vegas.

Joined by Dobie Maxwell, the duo breaks down what it takes to craft an hour that’s not just funny, but worthy of recording. From cutting crowd favorites to structuring callbacks to figuring out what tone defines your next chapter, this is a raw, behind-the-scenes look at what goes into making something great.

Key Points Discussed:

• How Vince is deciding what doesn’t make the special—and why

• The challenge of building a through-line that holds 60 minutes together

• Why you can kill in clubs but still not be ready to record

• • The personal toll of chasing something bigger than a set
  • How callbacks, tone, structure, and theme create lasting impact

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  Whether you’re a comic prepping your own special or a fan who wants to know what really goes into it, this episode offers a rare and real look at the art behind the hour.
  #ComedySpecial #VinceCarone #DobieMaxwell #PutYourFunnyPodcast #StandUpCraft #ComedyProcess #BehindTheScenes #BuildingAnHour #LasVegasComedy #StandUpComedy

In this episode of Put Your Funny Where Your Mouth Is, Vince Carone and Dobie Maxwell pull back the curtain on how they’re building a stand-up comedy class that’s actually worth taking—for the students and the audience.

Together, they reveal the thinking behind their new course structure, why they created it, who it’s for, and how they’re using decades of experience to guide first-timers toward writing and performing a solid five-minute set.

From class content to pricing, video packages to student red flags, this episode is a roadmap for any comic thinking about teaching—or taking—a class that sets people up for success (and not just self-delusion).

Key Points Discussed:

• • Why many comedy classes miss the mark—and how to fix them

• • The 4-week class + graduation show structure Vince and Dobie use

  • How to teach confidence and craft—without crushing originality

  • Why not every student should pass—and how to set real expectations

• • How they price, package, and protect the integrity of their course

  
  

  Whether you’re an aspiring comic, a working comedian thinking of teaching, or just someone fascinated by how stand-up works behind the scenes—this episode gives you the real deal on building comedy from the ground up.

  Listen on all major platforms
  📺 Watch full episodes on YouTube
  #ComedyPodcast #PutYourFunnyPodcast #StandUpClass #ComedyEducation #HowToBeFunny #ComedyTraining #VinceCarone #DobieMaxwell #ComedianLife

In this episode of Put Your Funny Where Your Mouth Is, Vince Carone and Dobie Maxwell become your comedy Mythbusters—tearing down the most stubborn beliefs about stand-up with honesty, grit, and a lot of laughs.

From the myth that "hecklers make you stronger" to the idea that "if you're funny with friends, you'll kill on stage," they expose what’s real, what’s romanticized, and what will actually make you better.

Vince opens up about his early days working free gigs at a roadhouse basement. Dobie reflects on his time as a ball boy for the Milwaukee Bucks—and how it indirectly led to a paid Christmas gig for a future billionaire. There are twists, truth bombs, and one unforgettable story about OJ getting arrested in Vegas while Vince was vacationing with his mom.

Key Points Discussed:

• Why bombing can help—but only if you want to get better
• Why crowd work is not cheating—but isn’t the full act either
• Why being funny off-stage doesn’t mean you’re ready for the mic
• Whether comics really need to move to New York or LA
• The truth about clean vs. dirty comedy—and how to own your lane
• Why “the funniest comics get booked” might be the biggest myth of all

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  This episode is packed with truth, laughter, and hard-earned lessons. Whether you’re an aspiring comic, a working pro, or just a fan of what really happens behind the curtain—this one’s for you.
  #PutYourFunnyPodcast #ComedyTruths #ComedyMyths #StandUpReality #HowToBeFunny

In this episode of Put Your Funny Where Your Mouth Is, Vince Carone and Dobie Maxwell tackle one of the trickiest parts of a comedian’s career: private shows.

From fundraisers and corporate parties to birthday gigs at Dave & Buster’s, they break down what makes private shows a whole different beast—and how to avoid the biggest mistakes comics make when taking them.

You’ll hear wild personal stories (like Vince getting booked for a mostly non-English-speaking audience and Dobie accidentally roasting a boss into a near fistfight), as well as a treasure trove of hard-earned advice on what to charge, how to prep, and how to survive the gig once you're in it.

Key Points Discussed:

• What questions to ask before you ever say yes to a private gig

• How to price your value without underselling yourself—or the industry

• Why roasting the boss can go sideways fast (and how to handle it with tact)

• • How to control the energy, introductions, and logistics of the room
  • When to say no—and how to refer gigs with good karma

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  Whether you're just starting out or you’ve done 500 of these, this episode is loaded with advice you’ll actually use. And if you’ve ever asked “should I take this gig?”—this one’s for you.