Tom Rhodes Radio Smart Camp

Hooray and hallelujah! This is the first ever live recording of my podcast coming to you from the hipster city of Portland, Oregon! Dante Rusciolelli is the co-founder of the Portland comedy festival and he and I riff like the skilled joke slingers that we are in front of a hot live audience at Harvey's comedy club. Dante and I are kind of related because in the late 1990s he was on a show on the BET network where he played my father's son. That's right! My father was on a BET show in the late 1990s and Dante regales us with those memories and how his comedy career began in the California desert. Dante is someone I knew I would like even before I met him and you will love this conversation and the light he brings to your soul with his musings here. It was a special weekend being a part of this first ever Portland comedy festival and I'm happy that this memory was commemorated and my friendship sealed with the man who invited me there. Like me, Dante seems to be on an upswing in his life and for creating this

Straight out of Mongolia and coming into your ears, brain and heart is Batbileg B! Pioneer and founder of the Mongolian comedy scene is my friend Bata, owner of UB comedy club and superstar of the Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia laugh providers. He is visiting Los Angeles at the moment and stopped by the Rhodes library to record this conversation. We talk about how Genghis Khan's influence still shapes the world, our once in a lifetime special visit to Ghengis Khan's 13th century camp sites and the shaman tents were we picked up our warrior spirits. My time in Mongolia was special and I dream of returning there one day. I first went to Mongolia because of Genghis Khan but it was the comedians of Mongolia who made me return for the second time. Aside from diving deep into history and loving my shows there for the brilliant Mongolian audiences, Bata's mother is a dentist and gave me a full cleaning and whitening while I was there. Free dental work is a very generous gift and that encapsulates how giving and loving the pe

Brian Holtzman is one of my favorite comedians to watch at the Comedy Store in Los Angeles because he appears to be a man on the verge of a nervous break down or a genius shattering hypocrisy in his revolution against stupidity. There are few performers as exciting as this man because of the discomfort he causes the squeamish and his sharply written jokes often make them laugh against their will. He is a comedian who should be more famous than he is and that is why I am highlighting this man on my podcast in hopes of introducing him to people who may not know of this giant on the LA comedy scene. He came over to the Rhodes library to have a lengthy conversation about life and all the bullshit that is so easy to laugh at it you look at it the right way. He is a hard hitting joke master expressing himself beautifully in this world of angst and unease and that is why it is my pleasure to present to you now the one and only Brian Holtzman!

Tony Hinchcliffe grew up in an all black neighborhood in Youngstown, Ohio and it gave him an unshakable confidence that they don't teach you in private schools.   Growing up near real life super hero Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini gave him the world view of an unbreakable bad ass and he is determined to walk the razor's edge of speaking truth in comedy.   We talk about the poor ratty whites who will regret eight years of Trump if the still end up being losers during the white nationalist roar that the Trump presidency is. We talk about the trick of American society being that we chatter about race when we should be paying more attention to class and inequality. Now that our country has been sold out to the Russians we might be seeing those round pointy things that you see on the Kremlin on our white house to accommodate the real master of that domain.   Doing dark and twisted humor is now a crusade because everyone is so touchy about everything. Tony is committed to the big dick rock & roll approach to comedy an

Brad Williams is on a rocket ship that just blasted off to superstardom. His favorite book is 'The Prince' by Niccolo Machiavelli and he tells me how he has navigated his life using this map. In this episode we talk about sad pathetic lonely fuckers who complain about comedy specials, how Andy Dick portrayed little people as caged animals and the future cage that Brad has waiting for him one day. The Richard Nixon list of enemies is something he's not against keeping so I tell him that the opening scene of 'Wild Tales' is the best revenge film ever conceived. Human beings are not evolving, most human beings don't want freedom and democracy. Most humans in history desire power, tyranny and oppression and this surveillance state gangster third world path is full steam ahead. All we can do is make money and put a wall and gate around your house while creating an army of children that you program the thoughts in their heads. In this chat it is revealed that Brad and I both are Capricorns, grew up with Disney magi

People of the earth! Throw down your weapons and rejoice in this excellent conversation I recorded with Brazilian comedy superstar Rafinha Bastos. In the past year Rafi has become one of my best friends. He lives in my building and we often talk comedy, help each other with jokes and go to the clubs together, all in service to our number one love in life, comedy. Now he is moving to New York City so that he can be closer to Brazil for when he has to fly home to his son Tom and continue to follow his dream of making his mark as a stand up comedian in America. In this episode we talk about his favorite things about America, the best jokes he's written here, Bolsonaro letting the Amazon burn, CNN where the house is always on fire and the best advice a father could ever give to his son. Also in this chat is possibly the birth of what will become his next Netflix special. Also revealed is the knowledge nugget that is the connection between Crazy Horse and Nebraska. Great things happen when I gather with this frien

The last of my 3 part series on the life of Lord Byron concludes here with his exile in Switzerland and Italy and his death in Greece. Delight in this dashing dandy's style, his endless carousing with women and his adventurous spirit that eventually led to his death fighting for the independence of the Greeks who weren't willing to fight for it themselves. So many of his heroic moments can be off balanced by the poor choices he made in life. From his Villa Diodati on Lake Geneva where literary history was made to the canals of Venice where he lived every human depravity this episode will take you to his final act of redemption while trying to do good for the people of Greece.   As a boy I lived briefly on Lord Byron road in Wilmington, NC and finally today after spending the summer reading about the life of Lord Byron I have found the answer to why this man would be worthy of having a road named after him in North Carolina. Here I also rejoice and recount the brilliant friendship that Byron had with the poet

In the year 1812 Napoleon was defeated, the waltz was the new hit sensation of aristocratic Europe and Lord Byron became a literary superstar over night and the toast of high society England. He was born a gorgeous full lipped curly headed boy and as a man spent vastly to always be stylishly dressed and fancied himself a dandy. He was born with a club foot that he drag slide when he walked. He was both ashamed and short tempered when it came to the topic of his club foot.  Some historians believe his numerous conquests with women were just an attempt to mask his real attraction to young men. What can be agreed upon by all who studied Byron is that no hole was safe around this guy. His foot might have been lame but there wasn't anything lame about his dick. The married Lady Caroline Lamb had to be dragged out of London because she was acting like a shameless hussy over our poet and disgraced her family name. He reluctantly married Lady Annabella Milbanke who he tortured mentally by being the shittiest most spo

Hooray & hallelujah! For episode 300 the lovable human Cameron Hattan has taken me out to the center of Lake Tahoe on a sail boat. After cruising around the majestic beauty of the lake we parked and went down in the cabin to record this episode. Cameron taught sailing on Lake Tahoe for many years, teaches me what a zephyr is and then he goes to intensely pull lines when our lives were in danger. Sun sparkles on water go perfectly with Native American beliefs in how they read signs from the mountains, the classic Western TV show Bonanza and other California factoids. His worst sailing experience took place on the sea of Cortez in Mexico and mine was in Malaysia between Penang and Langkawi.  You will learn about the sea gypsy people of the world who are raising their kids at sea, how to properly clean out the butthole of a lobster, and how to bring vision aid glasses to Honduras. Find your center with the zen wisdom of the film Captain Ron and the Cheech and Chong film Yellow Beard the pirate. Cameron has b

Bonjour y’all! It was a big week in the news! I am in Paris and experienced the hottest day ever recorded at 109 degrees. I beat the heat by jumping into the fountain at Saint Sulpice and climbing to the top. This week also saw the end of democracy and Donald Trump declaring  the 2020 election to be white people versus everyone else. Other big person news is revealed in this audio postcard from my favorite city in the world. With peach tart breath I give you a quick update on myself and all of the pertinent news in our ever crumbling world. Make America less pea brain fuck witted! Make the world more compassionate and get this sweltering holiday treat within your skull. Joy be Upon you my friends! Patreon.com/tomrhodesradiosmartcamp

Tony Woods is not only one of the most influential comedians ever to grip a microphone he is also one of the most naturally funny human beings you will ever meet in you in your life. This episode needs to other introduction other than in my opinion statues should be erected all over the world to Tony Woods for the amount of laughter he has brought to this suffering globe. No one makes me laugh harder than Tony Woods and he rings my bell multiple times in this conversation. I love this man with all my heart and there is no one better to share Aunt Margie's banana bread with, that is why it is my pleasure to present to you now the one and only Tony Woods!

The life of Lord Byron was more adventurous and debauched than any rock & roll biography you have ever read. In the words of Lady Caroline Lamb, he was "mad, bad and dangerous to know." Get ready for your mind to be blown away by the life of the king of the romantic poets and learn why no hole was safe around this guy!!   When I was 10 years old my family lived in Wilmington, North Carolina in a housing development called King's Grant where all of the streets were named after English writers. My family and I lived on Lord Byron road. Because of this I have always wondered what was so important about this man that he earned a street in North Carolina to be named after him. Through the years I have collected many books on the life of Lord Byron and I brought them with me to England on this last trip. For the past two months I have been reading all about the life of Lord Byron and I'm happy to present to you now this amazing tale that has receded from many people's memories because it is so far in the past.

The legendary punk rock poet John Cooper Clarke returns to TRR Smart Camp! One of the highlights of my trip to the UK was getting to spend the day with JCC at his house and record this conversation at the very table where he writes and is currently writing his memoirs. We discuss the difficulty of writing the story of your life when your life continues to move forward. If anyone has a life story worth retelling it is this man who has tasted the whip of unemployment, been a friend to the China man's night cap, pissed pure gold, operated in the world of degenerate gamblers, the fickleness of fame and the feeling of being an iconic live performer. He's under pressure to finish his memoir before his deadline but he tells me that the defining turning point in his life was when he could start picking out his own clothes and have the style of his own choosing. We talk about  the teacher who introduced the love of poetry into John's life, the 19th century romantic poets, how Poe knew how to drive people mad and how B

In the past 5 years since I worked with Romesh Ranganathan at the Comedy Store in London it has been a joy watching his star rise to where he is now crushing it at the highest levels of the British comedy scene. He was kind enough to take a break from his current TV duties to sit down and record this conversation with me. In this soul and brain enriching episode we talk about his show Judge Romesh where he hands out verdicts of domestic disputes where the punishment is ridicule.  Bringing his mother back to Sri Lanka where her humor is archived forever thanks to the BBC and the show that was made from it. Any man who loves his mom and makes time for a comedy brother is a top quality human in my book. If you already know Romesh you will be elated by his personal stories and if you don't know him yet you will fall in love with him now for the knowledge nuggets he is about to insert into your brain. In this chat he drops potent knowledge like what is the most historically significant event ever to take place in

Beast master Reginald D Hunter has invited me to open for him on his UK theater tour called Facing The Beast. Now after our first week of performing in lovely old English theaters in Devon we sit down to iron out the problems of humanity with the greatest minds ever to assemble in Walthamstow. With Reginald D Hunter, Kash Yusaf, and Pete Johansson I cover, meander and collide with some of the most complex issues humanity faces today. Also this conversation is sauced with the explicit joy of a group of comedian friends just sitting around shooting the shit. "I think I was unconsciously affected by 70's children's television, because they would make you laugh but also teach you something." - Reginald D Hunter Patreon.com/TomRhodesRadioSmartCamp

"So let us face up to the blows of circumstance and be aware that whatever happens is never as serious as rumor makes it out to be." Get to know the life and words of Seneca! TRR Smart Camp #293!  In celebration of little bitches everywhere I'm highlighting Seneca because his thoughts were immortal and they should live in your brain. He was a contradiction because in his own life he failed to live up to his own teachings but his works may have inspired the birth of the essay and modern psychology. Here is a little taste of the narcotic that is Seneca: "So let us face up to the blows of circumstance and be aware that whatever happens is never as serious as rumor makes it out to be." "A setback has often cleared the way for greater prosperity. Many things have fallen only to rise to more exalted heights."  “What you must do, then, is mend your ways and get rid of the burden you're carrying. Keep your cravings within safe limits. Scour every trace of evil from your personality.  “If you want to enjoy your travel

Jon Stringer is a lovable human and a top quality comedian! When I was young many older comedians I admired helped me up along the way and I'll never forget them for that because their endorsements opened doors for me that allowed me to thrive in a very competitive business.   In the pay it forward tradition I want the comedy world and the regular human world to know about Jon Stringer. I met Jon in his hometown of Austin, Texas several years ago and have worked with him many times since and he always leaves me feeling uplifted and proud to be a member of the human race because of his joyous bitter free spirit. His attitude towards stand up comedy is one that embraces the gift of being able to do this and that we have the privilege to hone our skill of trying to get better at it each and every day that we are alive. He is the exact opposite of the bitter turd comedian who is miserable and takes cheap shots at other humans. Jon's approach to comedy is the same that he approaches in life and that is that we are

Insatiable Curiosity with Jim Gaffigan on episode 291 Tom Rhodes Radio Smart Camp! >    Jim Gaffigan and I both have an insatiable curiosity to travel and educate ourselves through world travel. As a comedian your experiences fuel your material and when you are forced out of your comfort zone is when you are exposed to new ideas. Jim is fresh off the plane from Asia, so we talk about Asian history, Europe, Russia, self censorship, cultural sensitivities and where in Manhattan you can find the best world cuisine that the city has to offer. We also answer the big question of when is it appropriate for a straight white male performer to advance transgender issues and the sad missed opportunities of movies that don't address this issue. Here is a man that I respect as a comedian, am inspired by as a human being and find a comrade in the quest that we are both trying to season our souls with the flavor that only world travel can give you. Sometimes we feel like circus animals, sometimes we feel like super heroes b

W. Kamau Bell has the most important show on television where he examines race in America and in this episode he tells me how close we are to Civil war and what to expect. I've know Kamau since my old San Francisco days and he is a great old friend that I can cover the current most important questions with him like, will rich white people be in charge forever? How does the electoral college system relate to slavery? Why do Supreme court justices get to keep that job for life? Will I ever get a stamp commemoration for blocking my brother Dave on facebook? Kamau is a good friend for me to vent my frustrations to right now and getting to talk to him after both of my brothers have declared war on me and want to hold me accountable for all the actions of the left. I'm proud that I told mat brother Dave, "What you call the liberal gay agenda I call the teachings of Christ." To be compassionate and caring to others the way Jesus taught us to be. If you are going to a church that preaches war and enemies you are goin

Ari was already one of my favorite human beings on the planet to hang out with and then he went above and beyond giving me the gift that would truly improve my life.   Ari is the one who is responsible for getting Delta airlines to restore my Diamond medallion status. For this I will be forever grateful and his dear listeners who rallied to his call to help saved me from a year of baggage fees and zone 3 boarding.   Then there was that magical moment on my last day in Jerusalem with my mother when we ran into Ari and his brother at the most sacred place in Christianity. In this episode we talk about how to avoid getting kidnapped in East Timor, what are the best motorcycle adventures to take in the world, dreams of Mongolia, Romania, Eastern Europe and where to find the best pastrami or pizza in New York City.   You can only judge people whether they are friends or family by if they give you energy or drain energy out of you. Because of my friendship with Ari my life has been overflowing with goodness and tha