Tom Rhodes Radio Smart Camp

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

Rafinha Bastos is the Lenny Bruce of Brazil and he has the court orders to prove it. He has been sued and had his life threatened over jokes he has made in Brazil. His hard hitting, head cracking jokes earned him the titled of most influential person on twitter in 2011, Barrack Obama was number two. He is a film and television star in Brazil but he loves stand up comedy above all else, which is why he now living in Los Angeles and bringing his comedy thunderbolts to American stages. I am happy to now call this man my friend even though he thinks all Americans have the same color lips as is the color of their skin. This is a mystifying to me as is the fact that Americans spell Brazil with a z and Brasilians spell Brasil with an s. Some things in life will remain a great mystery but great comedy rises to the top and that is why it is my pleasure to present to you now the one and only Rafinha Bastos!   * Become our patron and receive podcast goodies! www.patreon.com/tomrhodesradiosmartcamp   * Buy my newest dou

Let the soothing words of Malcolm X fuel your summer party. Going on a road trip? Sitting by the fire in the Mongolian country side or just strolling the hot streets of London, let my summer mix put a bounce in your step. Using my vinyl records, CDs and cassette tapes I put together for you this joyful array of head cracking numbers for your peak summer pleasure. Happy summer and joy be upon you!   * Become our patron and receive podcast goodies! www.patreon.com/tomrhodesradiosmartcamp   * Sign up for a conversation with Tom! www.patreon.com/tomrhodesradiosmartcamp   * Buy my newest double album All Hail Laughter www.tomrhodes.net

Greg Behrendt shot to notoriety when he co-wrote the book 'He's Just Not That Into You' and now he is about to release a book he co-wrote with his wife called 'How To Keep Your Marriage From Sucking.' He is an old friend of mine from back in my San Francisco days and he has advice for you on how not to let poison into your relationships. We could all use a refresher course in how to make love lives best. Snuggle up with a pillow and get cozy with the words of improving your life.     * Become our patron and receive podcast goodies! www.patreon.com/tomrhodesradiosmartcamp   * Sign up for a conversation with Tom! www.patreon.com/tomrhodesradiosmartcamp   * Buy my newest double album All Hail Laughter www.tomrhodes.net

"All of us can take fright, but it requires greatness of soul to laugh at the moment when not merely life, but humanity itself is endangered."   In my ongoing celebration of all things France I am reading a book called 'The Banquet Years' by Roger Shattuck. It is about the origins of the avant-garde in France from 1885 - World War I. From this book I regal you with the story of Henri Rousseau and the ridicule he faced while keeping his childlike innocence intact. Then our July fireworks reach their crescendo with the spectacular story of Alfred Jarry and his groundbreaking play Ubu Roi that created a scandalous riot when it premiered at Theatre L'Oeuvre in Paris in 1896. Alfred Jarry was the precursor to the Dada art movement, surrealism and the Theater Of The Absurd. Learn all about this man who rode his bicycle around Paris with a rifle over his shoulder, two pistols in his belt and tried to make his life a living hallucination.   I talk about the triumph of France at the World Cup and how they did what Nap

Hannah Gadsby has set the comedy the comedy world on fire. If you have not seen her new Netflix special Nannette you need to do so immediately. It is one of the most powerful comedy specials ever made and I think it will be a game changer in that it will inspire comedians to be more truthful and revealing about themselves. This episode is actually a repeat and it is well worth reposting. Hannah and I recorded this conversation in 2014 when we were doing the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2014. I loved the show she did that year because it was all about art and art history, which is what makes her special Nannette so brilliant, the way she weaves in her art history knowledge. Hannah is a comedy artist who has achieved a magnificent triumph in being able to be honest about the pain she has experienced and chop the head off of our common notions of what comedy is. Aside from being a powerful storyteller she is a lovable, warm and funny human being. Enjoy this conversation we had and watch Nannette on Netflix repea

Happy Birthday America! In this episode I talk about my obsession with the World Cup in Russia and all of the human drama and heroic stories that you should be aware of in the world's greatest sports spectacle. I also tell you about the many great experiences I discovered in Philadelphia and how that city is very much like Paris in terms of attitude. This past weekend I got to perform in Philadelphia and it was my first time there since I busted my head open there 4 years ago and became sober. Philadelphia changed the world! The racism of the a Starbucks manager in Philadelphia is what made Starbucks change their corporate policy to that no one has to buy anything when we go to Starbucks. Because of a racist incident that happened at a Philadelphia Starbucks we are all free to loiter there or hold meetings without spending a dime. And you don't want to see what will happen if you don't give me that bathroom key. I love Philadelphia because they hate everyone and everyone is equal because of that. Shalom Amigo

In this episode you will learn how the first game of football was originally played by the ancient Mayans and how the Captain of the losing team would be executed. In Europe the first games of football were evolved from bored soldiers kicking around the severed heads of their dead opponents. There are so many fascinating elements to the beautiful game but none more important than how the game of football cured racism in Brazil.  Happy World Cup 2018! Enjoy!   TRR Smart Camp goodies: * Receive podcast goodies! www.patreon.com/tomrhodesradiosmartcamp * Chat with Tom! www.patreon.com/tomrhodesradiosmartcamp * Buy my newest double album All Hail Laughter (2017) www.tomrhodes.net 

Prepare to have your brains busted out by the powerful words of Charles Bukowski! Bukowski invented a poetic language free of literary pretense by writing about the hard scramble life he grappled with daily. His life and poetry was about the low life bars of Los Angeles, whores, drunks, bums and betting on horses at the race track. Mingled with the hard truths of his existence were also some of the most tender and thoughtful insights on human struggle and our desire for love and acceptance. His bitterness had humor and his drudgery produced thoughtful meditations on the beauty of hard working people, broken down bums and pathetic alcoholics and street fighters. He was a man of a different age and his works remain timeless. In this episode I pull down his books from my private collection and read to you excerpts from the following books that lit my brain and made me his fan for life: War All The Time, Love Is A Dog From Hell, It Catches My Heart In Its Hands, The Last Night Of The Earth Poems, Burning In Water