Sep 12, 2012
Ringing in with Episode 35, Succotash is beginning to feel like a show (to me, anyway), even if our format keeps sliding around a bit. Maybe that's the nature of this beast. This epi is a real hybrid - half clips, half interview - and it's also the "lots of background noise" episode. I put it together while vacationing in Honolulu and my tracks as festooned with the lapping surf of the Pacific Ocean right outside the window. Coupled with the coffee house environment that special guest Sammy Wegent and I have going on in the background of our interview, I have no right to take anyone down for audio roughage in their clips - this episode, anyway.
Sammy is the brains behind Everybody's A Comedian, the web series that is currently "airing" its sixth and final episode on YouTube this week. He's a fascinating guy who I first met when we were brought together a few years ago to put together an improv training program at the San Francisco Comedy College. Actor, stand-up, improvisor, writer...Sammy is a multi-threat talent and he pulled everything together to create the first season of EAC.
The series is roughly based on his own life in San Francisco as a struggling stand-up comedian. Featuring Samy in the lead role, the episodes also show off a number of comedy faces familiar to San Francisco audiences - Kevin Avery, Bob Brindley, Joe Tobin, Allison Page, Yuri Baranovsky, Sal Calanni...and yours truly. (Check out Episode 2...)
In our interview, Sammy gets into the background that led him down the paths of acting and comedy, as well as how he found his way to San Francisco. Once he hit the City By The Bay, the seeds for EAC began planting themselves and he talk about how they coalesced into the semi-fictional series that concludes this week.
As far as this episode's clips go, here's the rundown:
Here's
The Thing
Alec Baldwin kicked off his own podcast last year and, as you
might imagine, he can probably pretty much have whomever he wants
as a guest. I’m actually reviewing this episode, in which Alec
talks to SNL and Portlandia’s Fred Armisen, on
This Week In Comedy Podcasts over on Splitsider.com this
week, so be sure to check that out. In our clip, Armisen talks
about the transition point he went through from drummer to
comedian.
Get Into
Character
Blasting out of Grand Rapids and hosted by Tommy and
Chubby, I don’t know too much more about these guys, but
they’re 22 episodes in and taking this podcast thing seriously. And
if Angus Doodle, from the Royal & Doodle podcast
likes ‘em, that’s good enough for me!
Soda Pop Talk
Soda Pop Talk with Dan and Nolan just started
popping up on my radar the past few months when I started seeing
their tweets. They sent in the clip and this blurb about their
show: We are just two normal guys with much to say about
nothing...and anything. Sometimes we go over the line only to
realize that there's still further to go. Soda Pop Talk is a
show that is about variety - not just soda pop. Able to span
current topics to drunken antics of family to UFOs to fecal matter
to meaning of life philosophical debates...okay, not so much the
latter, but you get the
idea.
The Half Scoop
Here's a "new to me" podcast, this time from Down Under, joining
Australian podcasts The DHead Factor and The Rigid
Fist as those being featuring on Succotash. Featuring
co-hosts Bryce McKeon, Corben Mitchell, and
Stephen Denham, each week they sit down and talk about
anything and everything including time travel, films and
Batman.
Way Too Hip
LyonHart and Labrat go live every Monday from 7 to 9 PM,
East Coast time, then you can catch WTH as a podcast the rest of
the week. We haven't checked in with them for a while, so the clip
they sent us is a glimpse in a recent screwed-up evening in the
life of the hapless Labrat.
Burst O' Durst
We sign off as per usual with comedian Will Durst reporting
in, this episode in the aftermath of the Democratic National
Convention. Don't forget to follow Will on Twitter
@WillDurst!
Last item this week: I wanted to mention a fond and regretful adieu to The Gee & Jay Show as well as The Pissed Off Man Show, both out Belfast, Ireland, and both mostly out of the mind of Gavin Maxwell. He and Jay have been plugging along in the largely thankless podcast world for a couple of years and they've had enough.. Their shows were breaths of fresh Irish air in a world of soundalike "shootin' the shit" style shows but, for now, they've shut down operations. Gavin sounds off on his blog about the reasons why he's tossing in the towel, so click on the link and give it a read. (Good luck, boys! Come on back anytime!)
UPDATE:
Happened to be up late tonight and saw Gavin's tweet that there was
an additional Pissed Off Man show that suddenly posted on
SoundCloud...it seems if he can find the will (aka money), he'll
find a way to keep going. Check it
out.
There's Epi35 in a nutshell for you. If you'd like to write me, that's at Marc@SuccotashShow.com and, if you're a comedy podcaster and want to submit a clip, we like 3 to 5 minute ones in MP3 format, which can be sent along to clips@SuccotashShow.com.
Until next time, please pass the Succotash!
— Marc Hershon