Tom Rhodes Radio Smart Camp

One of the bright new young stars of the comedy world is the nephew of Bill Hicks. I could not have enjoyed more watching him perform and talking extensively as a friend and that is why it is a pleasure to present you now the one and only Ryan Hicks! NY State Of Mind by NAS    

Stefan Pop is one of the bright new stars of the Dutch comedy scene. He also books the international acts for Toomler, the best comedy club in the Netherlands. In this conversation we talk about the Malaysian airliner full of Dutch people that was shot down over the Ukraine and how soon is too soon to make jokes after a tragedy. Recorded in the back garden of an Amsterdam South home on a perfectly gorgeous summer day. It is my pleasure to present to you now the one and only Stefan Pop! End Song: REM Orange Crush This episode was recorded in Amsterdam

Hooray for humanity! From the legendary Kids In The Halls comedy sketch group it is my pleasure to present to you the one and only comedic genius of Kevin McDonald!   End Song:  The Cure  Love Cats Recorded in Winnipeg, Canada

Pulitzer prize winning author Gilbert King is a library of congress of civil rights knowledge and in this episode he brings an avalanche of powerful knowledge nuggets. I have been friends with him since I did my first open mic night on February 4, 1984 and that is why it is my pleasure to present to you now the one and only Gilbert King!   End Song: Big Black Cadillac Blues - Lightnin' Hopkins       This episode was recorded in Howey In The Hills, Florida

Ron White is one of my favorite comedians and it is for very personal reasons that I am his fan. I started out on the Southern circuits of the United States just as Ron White did and I knew about him years before the rest of the world did because we were doing the same gigs.    I think what I like the most about Ron is I know how hard he worked to get where he is today and it gives me hope that it is possible for older hard working comedians to bust the lid off of show business and "make it."   When I watch him perform it is like watching your favorite team play who wins every time because he always delivers the goods. I love hearing him talk about his private jet and when I hear him do so I think to myself "Damn right brother, you deserve your own private jet."    Through the small world of comedy and the mutual friends we have I got to record this conversation with Ron last month in Las Vegas. I got to watch him from the back stage area of The Mirage casino destroy a sold out house, then I waited patiently

In celebration of America's birthday I have talked to people I consider to be great Americans talking about the rapid changes happening in the United States today. It is my pleasure to present to you now comedian Scott Capurro, Pulitzer price winner Gilbert King and my big brother John Rhodes!     YouTube clip 1: Watch Obama's phone call to same-sex marriage plaintiff   YouTube clip 2 & 3: President Obama delivers Eulogy – FULL VIDEO (C-SPAN)     End Song: Super Bad - James Brown   This episode was recorded in the USA  

Sam Coleman is currently the editor of Esquire magazine for Malaysia. I met him when I lived in Amsterdam where he was at that time the editor of ExPatriots magazine and he did a cover story on me when I had the late night talk show there. He is filled with valuable knowledge, he is a man of style, he has a kind golden heart and he is one of the truest friends I have ever had in this life. We have so much shared history together, I love him like a brother and that is why it is my pleasure to present to you now the one and only Sam Coleman!   This episode was recorded in Kuala Lumpur Endsong: Zina - Babylone    

This episode was recorded in Beijing. Tony Chou is a Beijing based comedian who does comedy in both Mandarin Chinese and English. If that alone was not enough to qualify him as a Beijing badass he is also an on air financial advisor/commentator for thew state run China news channel CCTV. He has become a good friend I respect that strong developments he has made as a comedian and a performer. In this conversation we talk about the rapid change that has taken place in Chinese society and how money is the religion of China. "I would rather cry in a BMW than laugh on a bike." It is my pleasure to present to you now the one and only Tony Chou!   End song:   Don Gibson    Sea Of Heartbreak 

This episode was recorded on the road   Driving from Los Angeles to San Francisco with the one and only legendary Dr. John Cooper Clarke.   Audio cameo: Some Cunt Used The N Word - John Cooper Clarke   Song: Cocksucker Blues - Rolling Stones   Song: The Spaniard Who Blighted My Life - Al Jolson and Bing Crosby Endsong: Pirate Love - Johnny Thunders    

This episode was recorded On The Road Driving from Las Vegas to Los Angeles I continue my chat with legendary punk rock poet Dr. John Cooper Clarke!   Audio Cameo: Alan Ginsberg Reading Howl Audio Cameo: Robert De Niro in Taxi Driver   End Song:  Little Richard   "The Girl Can't Help It"                                                                                                  

  On the road with John Cooper Clarke from Los Angeles to Las Vegas. End song: The Girl On Death Row - Duane Eddy/ Lee Hazlewood  

Rhodesies Smartcamp Book Review: Dillinger's Wild Ride by Elliott J. Gorn (book review) Endsong: Billy Grammer - The Ballad Of John Dillinger 1968 

As a member of the Screen Actors Guild I get viewing copies of each film that is nominated for Academy Awards every Oscar season. It is one of the perks I most enjoy about being a member of SAG. However, because of my busy touring schedule I was unable to watch the movies before the actual Academy Awards happened. Recently when I was home visiting my Mother I caught up on all of the movies I had missed with my Mom and my wife Ashna. I thought it would be funny to get my Mom's opinion on all of these movies since my Mom is a conservative Christian Republican with a much different world view than my own. We watched 3 movies at home and then sat down after each one and reviewed them. The 4th movie we watched was nominated for best foreign film and was playing at the Enzian theater in Maitland, Florida. The Enzian is the premiere independent art house theater of Orlando where I have watched movies throughout the years with my family and is one of my favorite places in my hometown of the Orlando area. The 4 movies

John Rhodes is my big brother and although we disagree on everything politically I love him very much and he is one of the greatest heroes I have ever had in my life and that is why it is my pleasure to present to you now the one and only John Rhodes!   This episode was recorded in Claremont, Florida. End song: One Fine Morning by Callahan  

Howard Mabie was my Varsity baseball coach at Oviedo high school and he was one of the most influential people I had during my young life. Coach Mabie had a way of inspiring people and bringing out the best that they had to offer. He is a top quality human being who had a major impact on many lives in his coaching career and he was an integral part of what made Oviedo, Florida such a golden place of memories back in the time period when it was still a charming citrus village. He was not only funny, good natured and made young minds feel valuable but he was also a damn good Science teacher. In today's world with so much perversion, larceny and corruption in our school systems a man like Howard Mabie is hard to come by and that is why I am celebrating him here. Throughout my life whenever there has been a situation where I got to play baseball or softball I am still to this day a deadly hitter and that is because of the skills that he taught me. The wisdom and philosophy in baseball that he taught me I have quo

I first met Nick Doody in Meribel, France when we were both performing at the Altitude festival together. Since then I have worked with him many times in London and Edinburgh. He is a striver and an achiever because he is not lazy and is always trying to bust out new material which I always find inspiring. I like his style and his intelligence that he brings to the stage and most importantly in the course of our friendship we never chit chat about insignificant things but always dig deep into each others brains where the best thoughts live. I have always said that London was the key to getting into the world wide circuits for me but what keeps pulling me back there other than some of the best audiences this planet has to offer is the countless genius comedian friends I have there of which I include Nick without hesitation. I often like to see comedians as gun fighters because of the fearlessness with which they have to stare down threatening beasts. I've seen him tame wild beasts and make them purr by rubbing

Karl Spain is one of the most naturally funny human beings I have met in all my years as a stand up comedian. If you are unfamiliar with his presence on this earth than his wit and charm of this conversation will make you a fan of his for life. He never fails to make me laugh hard gut tightening laughter and that is why it is my pleasure to present to you now the one and only Karl Spain!   This episode was recorded in Galway, Ireland.

I have been a fan of Eleanor Tiernan since I first worked with her in Dublin many years ago. Since then I have worked with her in London, Chicago and Edinburgh and my strong feelings about her brilliant comedy only gets reconfirmed every time I see her perform.    This past October 2014 I worked with her again in Galway at the Galway International comedy festival. She was doing a shot called the 'National Therapy Project' in which she gives the entire country of Ireland and the entire race of Irish people a therapy session so that they can forgive themselves for past guilt and real or imagined transgressions that have been inflicted upon them.    I loved this show but as I stated earlier I am biased because I love her and think this concept for a show was as joyous of a ride ride as you will ever experience in a comedy or theater festival performance. Even as I type these words her star power is increasing to its brightest wattage and if you are a fan of great comedy and don't know who Eleanor is then you wil

Jesse Joyce is a supreme bad ass when it comes to writing, creating and producing head crunching comedy thunder. I first met Jesse when we both performed on Dave Attell's Comedy Underground show for Comedy Central. Jesse not only performed on that show but he was also the main writer for Dave who helped him shape his monologues for that show. I next saw and worked with Jesse when I did @midnight for Comedy Central. Jesse is one of the main writers for @midnight and his comedy writing talents are in great demand. In this conversation we talk about the joys and benefits of not drinking and the many great comedians who have perished or risen above dying by the sword of booze. It is my pleasure to present to you now the one and only Jesse Joyce!   End song: The Rolling Stones - Winter Recorded in Venice Beach, Ca. September 2014.

When I think of Andy Andrist I am reminded of a Bob Dylan quote "Never give anyone a hard time because you don't know what they have been through or what burden they may be carrying."   I met Andy at one of Doug Stanhope's desert parties and admittedly Andy was whacked out of his skull on psychedelic mushrooms at the time.    We recount this story in this conversation because I was greatly annoyed by Andy at the time. Now looking back it is very comical as to why he was annoying me but that is the thing with drugs, while you are on them you have no idea of the amount of people that you are irritating.    Since then I have gotten to know Andy much better and the incredible life journey he has been on and what it took for him to heal from the heinous experiences of his childhood.    Andy is one of the best friends of Doug Stanhope and it was Doug who was instrumental in helping Andy confront the man who had committed the heinous acts against him that rob him of his childhood innocence. I have come to know Andy