Tom Rhodes Radio Smart Camp

This episode was recorded in Burbank, California. Ritch Shydner is a comedian I always looked up to an admired while I was growing up, having watched him on Johnny Carson, David Lettermen and his HBO special. I had known him for years before I ever knew that he was there at El Brookman's in Washington D.C. the night my father took me there to see comedy when I was 12 years old. That night changed my life forever and Ritch remembers some of the details more clearly than I do. The fact that he remembers the night there was a kid (me) in the audience that night makes my love and respect for him hit hyperspace.  He wrote a book called "I Killed" which was a compilation of the greatest comedian road stories of all time. That book remains text book learning for young comedians looking to gain insight on the business of comedy. He writes for Bill Maher and in recent years has been helping turn Bill Maher's book "True Stories" into a screen play. Everytime I run into this man at the clubs he always puts a smile o