Tom Rhodes Radio Smart Camp

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

Every year when I do San Francisco I appear on Rick Tittle's sports radio talk show and I love it because we talk about everything but sports. He is a voracious reader like I am and I love to free form riff talk and share important knowledge with each other. Now I turn the microphone on him to squeeze the answers out of him and ninja joust with our collective intelligence. Learn now how WW I changed the world, who invented the modern game of soccer and what is most important to know about San Francisco. We gab it up joyously until the parking meter runs out and Rick has to run off to move his car. That is life in San Francisco and this is a human I love talking to when time allows. There is more to life than sports and I can't tell you how much time I save by not giving a shit about sports. Now it is my pleasure to present to you now the one and only Rick Tittle!

In this episode I rejoice in the glory of a Florida back porch with my oldest best friend in life Lou Angelwolf. On his back porch in Palm Harbor, Florida we discuss the secret language of trees, evolution, reincarnation, UFOs, and how the responsibility of paying rent keeps us from following our creative instincts. On this first day of Spring I am being healed by the joy of having deep meaningful conversation with one of my guest lifelong friends. The bad news is that seeking revenge will kill you but the good news is that "we create order out of chaos naturally." According to my buddy Lou the three things that control us and keep us hypnotized are: "Climate controlled environment, easy access to food and cars with shiny wheels." So much wisdom and strange new ideas always abound when I get to recharge my batteries with a good warm loving visit with my brother Lou. Spring is upon us and the world is full of new possibilities. Don't get chewed up by the system and fill your head with ideas worth knowing and r

Today started out so shitty for me. First I woke up to a text message from a woman in Florida who I was ready to pledge my alliance to telling me that she was dropping the Guillotine on the neck of our beginning relationship which hurt my feelings greatly. And she let me know that I am a self centered narcissist but I knew that already because that is the kind of person that it takes to do stand up comedy and put out a podcast. So as shitty as my day began it got progressively better in everyday starting with Pam Worthington bring me an egg McMuffin. I've sworn off junk food but on shitty days you are allowed to spike your cholesterol. I think it says that in the bible in Leviticus.  In case you've missed the saga, I went on Ari Shaffir's podcast 'Skeptic Tank' a few days ago and I was ragging on Delta for downgrading me. It takes 125,000 miles flown and spending $15,000 to reach Diamond status which is Delta's highest level of frequent flyer. In 2018 I flew 155,621 miles and spent $13,000. Not many people ha

At any one time there are more people who are suffering than there are who are happy, many more people who are heartbroken than there are who are in love. Apparently the dark sad days I'm living have increased my fans and friendships. This week I learned how because I am hurting and going through troubles that makes it possible for more people to relate to me and get closer to me. Electronic messages and things said to my face confirm that some people I know are happy that I'm emotionally in the toilet these days because now I belong to the majority of humans who grapple with life.   This is when I discovered the joy of suffering. Because so many people have told me they feel for me in my suffering. Brian Holtzman at the Comedy Store told me "When you were happy and in love I couldn't relate to you but now that you are divorced and miserable I think we can be friends now." Hilarious!   The Comedy Store was hit by a tsunami when all of our friend Brody Stevens killed himself this past week. I saw him two night

Shalom Amigos y Amigas! After spending this year mostly by myself in my apartment I have found light in the eyes of the Mexican cops who wanted to squeeze me for money in Tulum and in the dead cat of an Uber driver. Most importantly it was the words from my listeners and people who care that has gotten me through these cold winter days of the nuclear break up. These have not been my best days but if pain makes the best comedy then I am about to become a very funny mother trucker. I'm happy to present to you now the one and only ME!

My life is falling apart and I am a mess! This year has broken me physically and emotionally. My amazing wife Ashna is divorcing me and I am at a low point in my life. What better time to take my very Christian mother to the holy land to visit Jerusalem! What good is a spiritual pilgrimage unless your life is in the toilet! After a very long break of not putting out episodes because I had nothing to say and was sorting out how I felt about what was happening in my life I am back with a new episode just in time for Christmas. It was a powerful experience to take my Jesus Freak mother to Jerusalem and visit the spot where Jesus was crucified and some of the other most important places in Christianity. My report and feelings about Jerusalem will surprise you and the tense moments we experienced made me grateful for the lack of history we have in the United States. Does extreme religion make you a better person or will it make you murder innocents with a rock? In the words of the fake Jesus I met at the most sacr

If you come to Ireland you must come to Galway, and if you come to Galway you must take Jonathan Hannon's walkinghistory.ie tour. Jonathan Hannon is my favorite kind of human, a knowledgable historian, passionate storyteller. Overflowing with an abundance of knowledge on a variety of topics, but a special in Irish history and culture, Ashna and I were happy to have taken his tour the last time we were here two years ago. Now October cold rain outside Jonathan sit down for a cup of tea and chat in his charming bungalow close to the river. On this day October 26, 2018 it is an historic day in Ireland because they are voting for their president and to decriminalize blasphemy. In recent years Ireland has leap greatly forward in human rights and freedoms while the United States stubbornly drags everyone backwards. Which is why history is so exciting! In this episode we talk about the Romantic period writers Byron and Yeats. Significant events in Irish and human history. Jonathan debunks the lies of mythology I and

Rui Xara put on a comedy festival in Porto just to bring me to Portugal for the first time. He bent over backwards to show me everything that is great about Portugal and now I'm in love with the place. In this episode we talk about all of the glorious things about Portugal and why Porto is a better city than Lisbon. He is a beautiful man and he is now my friend for life, that is why it is my pleasure to present to you now the one and only Rui Xara!

Joe DeRosa is a beast killer of a comedian. He is obsessed with death and destroying the institutions that hold us back from evolving spiritually. He is against anything that impedes our own personal happiness. I love conversing with him and delighting in his view of the world. We crossed paths in Atlanta and sat down for this gab session to enrich your life with wisdom and laughter. Hooray for humanity!   * Become our patron and receive podcast goodies! www.patreon.com/tomrhodesradiosmartcamp   * Sign up for a conversation with Tom! www.patreon.com/tomrhodesradiosmartcamp   * Buy my new albums "All Hail Laughter" & "Clean 18" www.tomrhodes.net www.tomrhodes.net

The reason I first found Jared Logan to be a lovable human was when I saw him onstage talking about the Lincoln assassination. In this episode we talk about the hilarious personality shortcomings of John Wilkes Booth, the man who killed president Lincoln. We also discuss the presidents who lost their lives while in office and the Battle Of Little Big Horn. I feel like Jared Logan is a man like myself, who is full of historical knowledge and that we could record many more episodes of this nature. Being from West Virginia, Jared also has valuable insights on the coal industry and the current presidents promise of reviving the industry. Many knowledge nuggets will be delivered to your brain in this lively conversation I had with Jared. History is just one damned thing after another and discussed with someone like my friend Jared Logan, is always going to be entertaining. Current history is a mess so let's talk about the past. Hooray for history! And hooray for humanity!

This is a bonus episode where I am forced to make a statement about my story concerning Louie Anderson. As it turns out the hard hitting investigative journalism of Jay Cridlin from the Tampa Bay Times newspaper has uncovered the 32 year old story of a young rube from Florida who went to Hollywood for the first time and got his ass squeezed by one of America's most beloved clean comedians. Is this newsworthy or just a cheap shot from an entertainment writer at a family newspaper to create a click bait story that will drive traffic to their website? In this episode I recount, read and emote the correspondence and my personal plea to Jay Cridlin not to punch down at Louie Anderson by bringing my name up to him in his interview. He chose to do so anyway so that it why I am addressing this now in the full glory of emotions that I have experienced from the time of the incident, to now being put on the spot for a comment that was requested by Jay Cridlin from the Tampa Bay Times. I will read to you now both, the fi

When is enough, enough? How many times can you go to the Great Wall of China or to Wrigley Field in one lifetime? How much dirty filthy shit can a country tolerate from their president? How much time away can the wife of a comedian put up with? These any many other big questions are presented as I ponder the cross roads I am at in my life now. Shall I continue traveling the world at the detriment of what it is doing to my marriage? Shall I give up smoking weed and be 100% sober since the weed I fell in love with no longer exists? I say it often but, every warrior eventually needs to move on to wise man. Certain things I will never stop doing, like performing stand up comedy. Making jokes against bullies and totalitarian psychopath presidents is my biological function in life. Dehumanizing anyone ever by a thought from my brain is never my intention. Snowflakes need to stay flakey together. I am away from home far from the one true love of my life. I need a friend. James Hatfield thinks I'm funny. Everyone is

I first came to Mongolia because of Genghis Khan but I returned because of the comedians of Mongolia. There is a very special thing happening at UB Comedy Club and I am proud that I am a part of their history. Not only did I get to sleep in a ger at the 13th century camp site of Genghis Khan but I also go to drink fermented mare's milk and have my teeth whitened for free from the greatest dentist who exists on the planet earth. There is so much I love about the people of Mongolia and it is their generous spirit and loving hearts that will bring me back again. I'm blessed to know so many distant remote lands but the amount of love I have been shown here will always keep Mongolia close in my heart. I guess I feel the most at home among nomadic people but I also feel the most at home with people who have dedicated their lives to stand up comedy. In this episode you will learn why I think Genghis Khan is the most underrated comedian of all time and how the ancient Mongolians gave the world my favorite word in the

Book Roulette is back with the brilliance of Guy de Maupassant! Guy de Maupassant died at the age of 42 stark raving mad in an insane asylum but he left behind the greatest short stories ever written. Maupassant is a writer like no other because he is the ultimate master of the short story form and portrays all facets of human drama, ugliness, glory and comedy that is timeless but each new generation thinks exclusively belongs to them. I recommend if you ever see any of his books in a used book store to buy it because all of stories pack a punch and linger in your brain long after your eyes have passed over his words. In this episode I want to introduce you to to this French writer that I love and the stories I read to you here are: Idyll Doubtful Happiness Julie Romain Femme Fatale With the fragrant orange blossoms of the Mediterranean I welcome you into the wonderful world of Guy de Maupassant!   * Become our patron and receive podcast goodies! www.patreon.com/tomrhodesradiosmartcamp   * Sign up for a conv