Eyes on the Ground: Recent Episodes
Slade Ham
Eyes on the Ground is a podcast series focusing on the up-and-coming artist hosted by Slade Ham. A 20 year veteran stand up comedian, Ham has performed in 54 countries on six continents. He’s blended his roots in radio with his passion for the arts, and delivered a deep-dive into the methods of the best creatives in their industries.
Each week features a guest from various disciplines. Comedians, bladesmiths, marketers, directors, and musicians all tell their tips and tricks in fun, story-filled interviews, made even smoother by Ham’s rapport and embellished by an original score from Brian Carrion.
The series is designed to reawaken the sleeping artist inside of us, and to serve as a springboard for artists already on their way. The information is deep and specific, but applicable regardless of medium. These conversations work for the comedian or the author, but also the baker or the entrepreneur. It’s the best artistic lessons from the best at what they do.
In this episode, I am reminded that there is a market for everything. Aside from a lady with a heavy elbow and bad taste in literature, I just returned from a wonderful week telling jokes in the Caribbean. Now I am gearing up for summer, where all my attention is on my new special and book. You want updates? They're all here. Join the Patreon: www.patreon.com/sladeham
The world just keeps getting weirder. Exploding pagers in Lebanon, trees with guns, stupid artificial intelligence, and elephants on your birthday. Somehow we get to all of it. Thanks for dancing inside my head with me for another episode.
My new special is out now: https://youtu.be/3y_zeO7JLD0
You can join my newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/cVECrL
And as always, please consider telling a friend if you dig the show.
I catch up with Candlebox on the road, along with Bush and Jerry Cantrell. This brings up memories of Blockbuster, 80s and 90s movies, plot devices that no longer work, and the way stories change over time.
My new special is out now: https://youtu.be/3y_zeO7JLD0
You can join my newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/cVECrL
And as always, please consider telling a friend if you dig the show.
I wander the labyrinth of customer support on Facebook and YouTube, and I contemplate how long things should take to make. It's ameandering walk through my week, if you're up for it.
My new special is out now: https://youtu.be/3y_zeO7JLD0
You can join my newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/cVECrL
And as always, please consider telling a friend if you dig the show.
I throw some sections of crowd work up from this past week's shows at the Improvs across Texas. I try to narrate what's happening in my head as I do. There's a lot more to talking to the crowd than just making fun of people and asking what they do for a living.
The goal is always to craft a bit, and to bring the chat to some closure so I can get back to the material.
My new special is out now: https://youtu.be/3y_zeO7JLD0
You can join my newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/cVECrL
And as always, please consider telling a friend if you dig the show.
I find a few serendipitous moments in my week, I rant about lobbyists, and I apologize deeply to Karens around the world.
My new special is out now: https://youtu.be/3y_zeO7JLD0
You can join my newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/cVECrL
And as always, please consider telling a friend if you dig the show.
I constantly wonder if we live in a computer simulation. Here is a story from a trip to Africa that, at the time, blew my mind. Now I just chuckle at the interconnected nature of everything, and how we can find patterns and meaning anywhere we choose to.
I do it to myself all the time. I'm 100 episodes in, you'd think I'd have it all figured out by now. Also, a great passage from Nassim Taleb to keep handy during election season.
Please consider subbing? Let's talk about the Olympics, and the Paralympics, and the world, and Canada, and the stuff I did while I was there.
My new special is out now: https://youtu.be/3y_zeO7JLD0
You can join my newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/cVECrL
And as always, please consider telling a friend if you dig the show.
I didn't want to skip another week, so I thought this would be a wonderful time to revisit some past Ontario trips through some old Slade Runner episodes. The podcast should be back should be back to its weekly schedule by August.
Enjoy Canada!
My new special is out now: https://youtu.be/3y_zeO7JLD0
I try to walk through the last month's process on my new book. Making things can get messy and that often the thing that talks us out of doing them. If you're working on something, hopefully this gives you some incentive to push through. Keep swinging.
My new special is out now: https://youtu.be/3y_zeO7JLD0
You can join my newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/cVECrL
And as always, please consider telling a friend if you dig the show.
01:24 We Should Have Nice Things 05:53 The Process
This episode is all questions from the audience. Mistakes, stand-up comedy, artificial intelligence, international destinations, and more!
My new special is out now: https://youtu.be/3y_zeO7JLD0
You can join my newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/cVECrL
And as always, please consider telling a friend if you dig the show.
No, you don't want to be a comedian. I talk about why you don't, plus some viral House of Dragon advertising, and more Texas storms.
My new special is out now: https://youtu.be/3y_zeO7JLD0
You can join my newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/cVECrL
And as always, please consider telling a friend if you dig the show.
00:48 It's Raining, It's Pouring 09:26 Better Get the Word Out 15:33 Put It on a Banner 18:34 It's Like Volleyball
This is what happens if you put me, Spirit Airline, an amped up Uber driver, and some raccoons in a Florida-shaped blender. Also, telepathy.
My new special is out now: https://youtu.be/3y_zeO7JLD0
You can join my newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/cVECrL
And as always, please consider telling a friend if you dig the show.
01:35 Spirit in the Sky 06:10 I Like to Party! 14:44 In the Dark 19:26 I Make Some Sounds
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Let me introduce you to the beach I grew up on, and some first date eavesdropping, and the end of an era. What's next? I dunno.
My new special is out now: https://youtu.be/3y_zeO7JLD0
You can join my newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/cVECrL
And as always, please consider telling a friend if you dig the show.
01:23 Crystal Beach 07:51 First Date Territory 14:17 Endings 19:59 Next
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I spent my birthday in the Appalachian Mountains, wihch reminded me of a trip to Big Bend on the Mexico border. Also, I'm into how to change the game we're playing from a finite one to an infinite one. Plus, my continuing lack of participation and the Roaring Twenties.
My new special is out now: https://youtu.be/3y_zeO7JLD0
You can join my newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/cVECrL
And as always, please consider telling a friend if you dig the show.
01:34 Who's Is the Drugs 10:48 Infinite Games 17:36 I Don't Know 20:33 The Roaring Twenties
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In this episode I talk about measuring success, other people on the road, why SUVs are so prevalent (and dangerous), and what the hell a balloon even is. Pour yourself a water and come ride with me.
My new special is out now: https://youtu.be/3y_zeO7JLD0
You can join my newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/cVECrL
And as always, please consider telling a friend if you dig the show.
01:10 Chop the Wood 11:22 Full of Air & Tied at the Neck 18:39 Forty Inches or Higher 24:18 Mr. Parallel Driver Guy
I admit, Eurovision is a guilty pleasure. In this episode I talk about it, the new ChatGPT updates, and how I am also losing my faith in the existence of Bigfoot. If that didn't have me in enough of a tizzy, I recall a reporter who lied to me recently.
Modern times often recall olden ones and sometimes it's the opposite. I revisit an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation that reminds me of today. Also, more pondering on managing expectations, the man vs bear vs woman debate, and the TV show Alone.
My new special is out now: https://youtu.be/3y_zeO7JLD0
You can join my newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/cVECrL
And as always, please consider telling a friend if you dig the show.
01:15 The Game 07:49 Expectation 15:57 Man vs Bear 19:45 Mmmm, Mouse Soup
I get shadowbanned on TikTok right before this episode. I also talk about leaf blowers, night fishing, and how to be selective with what you give your attention to.
My new special is out now: https://youtu.be/3y_zeO7JLD0
You can join my newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/cVECrL
And as always, please consider telling a friend if you dig the show.
00:58 This Is Not the Same 07:14 You Gotta Pick When 14:14 Hello, Governor 23:01 I'm Glad You're Deaf
This episode is all about the messy middle of things. It's also about leaving space for something better. Also, Goldilocks was a picky little thief. Just settle in and let me guide ya.
My new special is out now: https://youtu.be/3y_zeO7JLD0
You can join my newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/cVECrL
And as always, please consider telling a friend if you dig the show.
00:47 Sides 04:48 In Between 15:16 Does That Make Me Crazy 19:16 Creating a Vacuum
I cover a few recent airport incidents before I veer off into rant territory about the stories we tell ourselves and how true they really are. Also, some thoughts on sharing.
My new special is out now: https://youtu.be/3y_zeO7JLD0
You can join my newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/cVECrL
And as always, please consider telling a friend if you dig the show.
Andrew Youngblood has a new comedy special out called "I'll Tell You This." He's also a Houston guy like myself. In this episode we talk about how he made his special (some of it may surprise you), what makes Houston a good scene, and what it's like to release a special on a huge comic's platform.
There's a lot to learn and laugh along with.
Watch Andrew Youngblood: I'll Tell You This: https://youtu.be/fbglrBVL2Pg
Watch my special: https://youtu.be/3y_zeO7JLD0 Join my newsletter: http://eepurl.com/cVECrL
And as always, please consider telling a friend if you dig the show.
I try to distill what I have learned in the last year down to 20 minutes or so. If you're trying to get something done, it takes a lot of work. It's also worth it most of the time. I hope some of this helps. Now go get in line for my new special!
Signal / Noise comes out April 2
I consider how we don’t think about our global cohabitation situation enough, which leaves me thinking about past roommates. Some of them had hand grenades. Also, watching the animals around me run so frantically makes me want to stand very still in the tall grass. I promise to elaborate before the end.
My new special comes out April 2!
You can join my newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/cVECrL
And as always, please consider telling a friend if you dig the show.
A tea kettle and a bunch of bananas walk into an Indian wedding. There's bound to be a joke in this episode somewhere. I am far too cruel to this fat, Indian rich kid, but I'm working through some things. Also, inflation-proof gorilla food.
My new special comes out April 2, right here. There's a sneak peek at the intro in this ep as well. Make sure you're subbed to catch it!
The Discord is here. Sneak in: https://discord.gg/5cUjnKKf9T
You can join my newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/cVECrL
And as always, please consider telling a friend if you dig the show.
In this episode I get to some audience questions. I'm also fighting through a case of poison ivy, which distracts me. Mainly though, I am vexed by the insane amount of superhero fodder we've been given the last decade.
My special comes out very soon. Make sure you're subbed to catch it!
My guest on this episode is Chingo Bling. Originally a product of the Houston hip-hop scene where he collaboraed with the likes of Paul Wall, Pitbull, & Baby Bash, he pivoted to stand-up and content creation a decade ago. His first special, They Can't Deport Us All, debuted on Netflix.
In this episode we talk about writing material for a new tour, and how to get it ready. Also, Chingo has built a team around him he trusts and we talk about that too. It's a good conversation among friends about how to make things that make you happy.
I apply Stoicism to my attempts to stay ahead of the metaphorical avalanche. I've been fired from every job I can remember, and that's taught me to leave myself multiple outs. Also, what lottery tickets and content creation have in common.
My years of railing against new technology has caught up to me and now all of it is fighting back. This leads me to counsel you to purchase the correct jack for a flat tire. We just can't beat the machines without the right tools.
Plus, how much of the billion-dollar social media machine goes to the people creating the content? Not as much as you'd think.
My guest on this episode is my good buddy Jerry Wayne Longmire. You might recognize him from your social media feed. He boasts just shy of 900K followers across platforms, and has amassed over one billion views of his Shop Talk and Truck & Boot Astrology videos.
In addition to content creation, JW is a hell of a stand up comedian. I highly recommend his hour-long special, The Reckon Yard: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFlnkiafWX4
In this episode we talk about his roots, where ideas come from, interacting with fans, and how to make a life you want to live.
My new stand-up show seems to be exploring the difference in mentality required for survival versus happiness. It's an important distinction. Also, I find myself in a coffee shop and instead of railing against the current state of affairs, I give in. You can only scream into the wind for so long.
The Discord is here. Sneak in: https://discord.gg/KhnYvVCG
You can join my newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/cVECrL
And as always, please consider telling a friend if you dig the show.
I've given up on creative title writing. This ep has some clips from a recent stand up show. It's new. I don't know where it's going yet. But mainly it is fun. Also, a suggestion to watch three movies that tickle my sci-fi/fantasy nerves.
The Discord is here. Sneak in: https://discord.gg/PGArBekm
You can join my newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/cVECrL
I wander down the road back to when I quit smoking. But before that, smoking was an identity. I fought an entire city over a smoking ban. This episode is about dropping identities, I think.
The Discord is here. Sneak in: https://discord.gg/PGArBekm
You can join my newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/cVECrL
And as always, please consider telling a friend if you dig the show.
It's a rambling first entry into 2024. I discuss a few mental strategies I've been exercising lately, plus Zume Pizza, an old acquaintance, and getting jumped for a phone.
You can join my newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/cVECrL
And as always, please consider telling a friend if you dig the show.
This is an honest one. I contemplate how I played 2023 and look at where I am headed in 2024. I am pretty brutal with myself, but I think it's all been worth it. I have a brand new special coming in 2024 and it's really good. I hope you stick around for it! (Hint: A sub will keep you in the loop!)
You can join my newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/cVECrL
And as always, please consider telling a friend if you dig the show.
It the last episode before a brief hiatus. In this ep I strategize on what I would do in a post-apocalyptic world. Hint: it wouldn't be hiding in a room full of canned goods. What are your plans? Could you make it? I also ruminate on wildlife cinematographers and their detached approach to their jobs and relationships, as well as Johnny Rolfe, the most self-reliant man I've never met. I cover a lot of pointless ground in this one. Join me?
I have a brand new special coming in 2024. Please consider telling a friend if you dig the show.
What exactly would happen if Taylor Swift got pregnant? I make predictions. Plus, what horror movie could you survive? I talk about my aversion to them and why I think we like them. Plus, Stephen King.
I have a brand new special coming in 2024. Please consider telling a friend if you dig the show.
Just let me yell, will ya? I don't know how time works, comedy bookers are on my nerves, these DJs won't shut up, and Slow Luis down at the Combat Kroger is having a day.
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I thought I was going to lament the weather and veer off in a totally different direction. Instead I revisit my first real road gig and a trip through New Mexico.
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After a week of watching people on the internet, my frustrations sort of work their way out of me. Influencers, restaurant reviews, and a mandatory call to pick sides to everything, from cell phones to global conflicts. It's exhausting.
I prefer to profess my ignorance in almost every field. I know that among all the other biases I fall prey to, the Dunning-Kruger Effect is one of the biggest. Let's chat.
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This week marked the release of Andy Huggins brand new comedy special, Early Bird Special. How we got there is a story that got it's start over two decades ago, and it is s testament to how doing the right thing can lead to even better things for everyone involved.
Also, I visited Bard College in upstate New York to see Neil Gaiman give a series of lectures on writing. I came back inspired. Hopefully it motivates you just a little as well.
This episode is a total potluck laced with a higher than usual amount of blah. I organize my thoughts around a number of things in this one, plus quotes from Robert Greene and and Android tip. I told ya. Random.
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I wrote a piece earlier in the week covering ten things I wish I'd learned sooner when it comes to comedy. I elaborate on all these, but this is the gist of it:
1 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻’𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗻𝘀 2 𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘂𝗿𝗲 3 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗮 𝗶𝘀, 𝗰𝗵𝘂𝗻𝗸 𝗶𝘁 4 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗮𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗲 5 𝗦𝗮𝘆 𝘆𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗻’𝘁 𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝘆𝗲𝘁 6 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗱𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗱 7 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝘂𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 8 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝘂𝗻𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗻 9 𝗜𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮 𝘇𝗲𝗿𝗼 𝘀𝘂𝗺 𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲 10 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗯𝗼𝗱𝘆
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I spent the week with friends of mine who are all more talented than me. I hung out with Lou, Brad, & Kevin, and it made me revisit the country music of my past. Hint, there isn't much.
Please consider telling a friend if you dig the show.
Somehow birds keep finding me. I rescued a dove on my way to the store, which makes me remember the macaw that I kept for a while. Plus, being alone, being on Alone, and people who are afraid of being alone.
Please consider telling a friend if you dig the show.
My neighborhood features a Combat Kroger where there's never any real food and everyone thinks everyone is stealing. More posh grocery stores are an entirely different experience. I used to work in a grocery store myself way back in the 90s.
I also bring up some television shows that toy with tension to make us avid watchers, namely Alone and Suits. The latter is particularly good at preying on our attention and love of short, bite-sized story nuggets.
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I picked up some surprise sets this weekend alongside Cristela Alonzo at the Houston Improv. Great crowds, and a nice opportunity to finally run some jokes from the special without any pressure. I also caught Oppenheimer, finally! Christopher Nolan is a fantastic storyteller. I try to stay there, and keep most if what I talk about spoiler free.
And like most things do, this sends me down a rabbit hole thinking about how much I truly don't understand about almost everything I encounter.
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I lose it fighting a cockroach, who sent red wasp and fire ant minions before it. Burn the world down, I say. I also revisit a previous line of thinking in order to answer a question, which leads me down a road of vintage video games and what I have learned from them.
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I taped a comedy special this past weekend which, along with a crazy tour schedule this summer, has derailed my weekly schedule. This is a rambly recount of the taping as I get used to flying the Midnight Spaceship on a regular basis again.
You can get a free digital version of my book by signing up for my twice-a-month newsletter full of all sorts of useful stuff: http://www.sladeham.com
Please consider telling a friend if you dig the show.
I try to recall my worst travel experiences from the last two decades. Believe it or not, it's hard. I don't hang on to a lot of the bad ones, and even the ones I do get overwritten with the good from the trip. Nevertheless, it doesn't always go to plan.
Security in Yemen, heartbreak in Australia, Afghanistan floods, dead cats in Canada, and a head wound in Romania... let's revisit my past, shall we?
You can get a free digital version of my book by signing up for my twice-a-month newsletter full of all sorts of useful stuff: http://www.sladeham.com
Please consider telling a friend if you dig the show.
I just got back from touring the new show for two weeks in Canada. I talk about what went wrong at one of the shows, then get sidetracked by my Uber ride home. Momin, my driver, was from Afghanistan. He might have convinced me to permanently add the shemagh (a scarf that is everywhere in the Arab world) to my wardrobe.
Also, I walk myself through my strategies around the special, and how important it is to set the stakes and rules in advance, no matter what game you decide to play.
Strikes are interesting. The writers and actors are all off the clock and I am looking for opportunities. Also, Houston heat sucks and I try out the AeroPress but am not completely convinced.
You can get a free digital version of my book by signing up for my twice-a-month newsletter full of all sorts of useful stuff: http://www.sladeham.com
Please consider telling a friend if you dig the show.
I explain my strategy for choosing a special over TikTok, plus why I won't get on Threads. And if you're trying to figure out the best way to see the world, might I suggest the right pair of glasses?
You can get a free digital version of my book by signing up for my twice-a-month newsletter full of all sorts of useful stuff: http://www.sladeham.com
Please consider telling a friend if you dig the show.
The SCOTUS weighs in on websites, I count down the jobs whose purposes I don't understand, and I discuss how we reduce most things in life to key words or ideas, and then never revisit them. Am I rambling? Maybe, maybe not. Come find out.
You can get a free digital version of my book by signing up for my twice-a-month newsletter full of all sorts of useful stuff: http://www.sladeham.com
Please consider telling a friend if you dig the show.
I just got back from Colorado, which included a road trip through Texas and a stop at Palo Duro Canyon State Park, where I got to help a guy light a fire. Also, Russia has an afternoon coup that ended with all the excitement of a baby shower (read: none). Also also, people seem to be making a lot of submarine jokes lately. I bet I have an opinion. Come hang!
You can get a free digital version of my book by signing up for my twice-a-month newsletter full of all sorts of useful stuff: http://www.sladeham.com
Please consider telling a friend if you dig the show.
I don't mean to vent, but where else would I do it? Let me get that out of my system and then follow me to my Top 5 Favorite Properties that I would like to see done properly. Some are video games, some are 80s cartoons, some are none of the above. That's a lot of somes. Just get in here already.
You can get a free digital version of my book by signing up for my twice-a-month newsletter full of all sorts of useful stuff: http://www.sladeham.com
Please consider telling a friend if you dig the show.
People are all worked up over Matt Rife (mainly bad comedians, tbh). Who is he and why am I completely on his side? Also, I dip into my Top 5 movie soundtracks. I bet yours doesn't make the list. What did I skip? What's your fave? Let's spend a half hour together.
You can get a free digital version of my book by signing up for my twice-a-month newsletter full of all sorts of useful stuff: http://www.sladeham.com
Please consider telling a friend if you dig the show.
I cover the final details of my now-succesful Kickstarter campaign, including why I am making a special this way in the first place. I also get too worked up over what I'm supposed to be focused on vs what other people care about.
And then a fact about movie reviews sends me off on another spiral.
You can get a free digital version of my book by signing up for my twice-a-month newsletter full of all sorts of useful stuff: http://www.sladeham.com
Please consider telling a friend if you dig the show.
It’s a jumbled grab bag of an episode as I go through a number of things that caught my attention this week. I tell you what I learned after discovering a new tea. I talk about the Japanese approach to customer service and hospitality. I talk about why I did not like the new movie, Sisu. Then, a few stories that make me wonder about human accountability, one on a cruise ship and one involving a McDonald’s nugget. Come rage with me. My Kickstarter campaign ends On June 2.
Also, my Kickstarter is live through the end of the month here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sladeham/the-slade-ham-comedy-special-signal-noise
You can get a free digital version of my book by signing up for my twice-a-month newsletter full of all sorts of useful stuff: http://www.sladeham.com
Please consider telling a friend if you dig the show.
I spent my Saturday morning the perfect way: watching cartoons and eating cereal. I get into the specifics of what I watched, but also spin down a road of nostalgia, not just for the shows themselves, but for HOW we used to watch TV and why we're bored by it all now.
Also, my Kickstarter is live through the end of the month here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sladeham/the-slade-ham-comedy-special-signal-noise
Here's my 1984 Saturday Morning playlist :
Snorks: https://tinyurl.com/55jcacdc Superfriends: https://tinyurl.com/2p82cjdh The Smurfs: https://tinyurl.com/msvxya53 Dungeons&Dragons: https://tinyurl.com/2sf6m4yu Scooby Doo: https://tinyurl.com/4fekf9v9 The Littles: https://tinyurl.com/3azr6h76 The Amazing Spider-Man: https://tinyurl.com/mr3rsywt Honorable Mention to Kidd Video: https://tinyurl.com/2p8j4k5d
You can get a free digital version of my book by signing up for my twice-a-month newsletter full of all sorts of useful stuff: http://www.sladeham.com
Please consider telling a friend if you dig the show.
If you're launching a Kickstarter, I cover quite a few of the basics in this episode. There are also tips on how to front load your campaign, what to expect, and how to get started if you've never launched one before.
I'm 70% funded on my current campaign right now. It's my third one. Hopefully what I've picked up helps you get yours off the ground.
You can get a free digital version of my book by signing up for my twice-a-month newsletter full of all sorts of useful stuff: http://www.sladeham.com
Please consider telling a friend if you dig the show.
I had an absurd conversation with a man who was visibly upset about something a beer company did. I tried to explain my current philosophy to him to no avail.
I also explain some of the pitfalls to launching a Kickstarter campaign for a comedy special. I also fight against a marauding brigade of aerialist fruit flies.
You can get a free digital version of my book by signing up for my twice-a-month newsletter full of all sorts of useful stuff: http://www.sladeham.com
Please consider telling a friend if you dig the show.
I just returned from another tour for the military, this time in Qatar, Djibouti, Kenya, Egypt, and Niger. Many of these were return trips, and they brought plenty of adventure with them. I'll have a full Slade Runner episode up featuring footage from the trip, but for now, here's a verbal description of what three weeks out in the thick of it consists of.
Special thanks to all the support staff and MWR folks who make these tours possible on the ground. It's a giant machine and I'm grateful they let me on the inside.
You can get a free digital version of my book by signing up for my twice-a-month newsletter full of all sorts of useful stuff: http://www.sladeham.com
Please consider telling a friend if you dig the show.
My guest is Tod Waters, musician, visual artist, and rock n roll clothing designer whose work you can find under Junker Designs. His style is distressed and repurposed, reminding you of the steel and metal, and the grit of the streets here in Houston.
Performers such as Motley Crüe, Poison, Johnny Depp, Robert Rodriguez, Britney Spears, Pink, Shakira, Christina Aguilera, Prince, Steven Tyler, and Alice Cooper have all added Junker Designs to their wardrobe, and you’ve seen it on screen in Alita Battle Angel, Sin City 2, Magic Mike, Fear the Walking Dead.
We discuss his road to making clothes for the stars, what it’s like switching from drawing to clothing to sculpture to film, and most importantly, we talk about how to get the work done and how to tap into that wonderful, mysterious nebula of ideas that we both believe is available anyone willing to show up and do the hard parts.
Junker Designs: http://junkerdesigns.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/junkerdesigns/
You can get a free digital version of my book by signing up for my twice-a-month newsletter full of all sorts of useful stuff: http://www.sladeham.com
Please consider telling a friend if you dig the show.
I return from Japan to the most American welcome imaginable. It's my version of Alexander's Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day (a fantastic children's book if my kid brain remembers anything at all).
At best I might say something useful in the middle of it all, and at worst perhaps you'll recognize a bit of your own recent days.
In a nutshell, I'm petty sometimes, and nothing frustrates me more than the monarchs of tiny kingdoms. Airport cops, grocery store security, and a small town City Council. These people are best avoided at all costs.
You can get a free digital version of my book by signing up for my twice-a-month newsletter full of all sorts of useful stuff: http://www.sladeham.com
Please consider telling a friend if you dig the show.
My guest today is comedian and actor Jason Salmon. He’s been the face of NAPA auto parts, and nabbed roles in Orange is the New Black, 30 Rock, as well as the hit game Red Dead Redemption 2 and Comedy Centrals “A Cowboy Explains”
As for comedy, his Dry Bar Special has raked in half a million views, and his new special should be out right about now is available soon. Dig in while I talk to Jason Salmon.
I've avoided the prodding to buy a new phone for the last two years, but sometimes there's no avoiding it. My phone drew its last breath just as I get ready to depart for a series of overseas trips.
T-mobile never ceases to frustrate me, but Marc at the store in 5th Ward made a diving catch to save my day. Join me on a Sunday full of misadventures.
You can get a free digital version of my book by signing up for my twice-a-month newsletter full of all sorts of useful stuff: http://www.sladeham.com
Please consider telling a friend if you dig the show.
I'm going to Japan for most of March. It will be my fifth time visiting the country, but my first as just a tourist. I revisit my previous trips in this episode, recounting some of my favorite experiences both on and off stage, but then I get to what I really came for - why the people of Okinawa live so long.
The island falls into one of five internationally recognized Blue Zones, where people tend to share certain environmental and lifestyle characteristics. I find it fascinating, and continue to look for new ways to incorporate these concepts into my own life.
For more on the Ikiarans, here's the New York Times article I mention in this episode: https://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/28/magazine/the-island-where-people-forget-to-die.html
You can get a free digital version of my book by signing up for my twice-a-month newsletter full of all sorts of useful stuff: http://www.sladeham.com
Please consider telling a friend if you dig the show.
A new niece prompted me to go down a rabbit hole of names, not just in America but around the world. New Zealand ranks up there, but the most egregious offenders are all right here in the good ol' US of A. Elon, Beyonce, and Kanye, of course, but oddly-named children of all sorts come up in this episode.
We all rank our own names as unique, and I can confidently say that I am thrilled I got the one I did.
You can get a free digital version of my book by signing up for my twice-a-month newsletter full of all sorts of useful stuff: http://www.sladeham.com
Please consider telling a friend if you dig the show.
I'm in the process of reintegrating myself into social media and it's forced me to contemplate what "noise" I allow back into my life. The Pareto Principle, or the 80/20 Rule as we call it in the Americas, is an interesting distribution pattern that permeates almost everything we do. I'm using it as I begin plans for my comedy special this year.
I suggest using it to parse through your life and see where the most energy and effort is wasted. Plus, advice on trolls, misinformation, and all around distractions.
You can get a free digital version of my book by signing up for my twice-a-month newsletter full of all sorts of useful stuff: http://www.sladeham.com
Please consider telling a friend if you dig the show.
Welcome to The Slade Ham Experiment! In this episode I get sidetracked by an old episode of Gilligan's Island and examine the multiple errors it makes in Japan's favor. I'm not sure how I got there from the Chinese balloon, but I did. Try some Akira: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akira_Kurosawa
Then, I discuss the current mentality of Iran towards dissidents and how it resembles a small town. Also, the fascinating phenomenon of change blindness and its effects. And finally, I reminisce about an experience at a radio station, as a memory was recently shaken loose for my book. Tune in for an eclectic (and possibly) informative episode!
#gilligansisland #Iran #ChangeBlindness #RadioStation #Podcast
My guest is Dianne Gallagher, host of Rock the Cashbar, a podcast that takes deep dives into your favorite songs and lyrics. More than that she is a comedian from the old Laff Stop days here in Houston, and part of the very unique community that existed then. When I met her, she was Dianne Cupps, but now is the married mother and stay-at-home artist Dianne Gallagher.
We revisit some of those days in this episode, but also talk about how to balance an artistic life with our chaotic regular ones. I imagine this will be especially helpful for any of you who are still holding down civilian jobs while you try to get started. And of course, lots of the usual irreverence. We talk about Prince and The Secret, writing exercises, and Rage Against the Machine.
Please enjoy my conversation with this week’s guest, Dianne Gallagher.
Visit Rock the Cashbar: https://www.rockthecashbarpodcast.com/ Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10UMvsoe59o Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0xwZ8u6LWp4u2d8GJXnyZ2?si=MJd3OIBTQnOKtrgnE7RxyA&nd=1
As mentioned in the show, you can get a free digital version by signing up for my twice-a-month newsletter full of all sorts of useful help: http://www.sladeham.com
Many thanks to Chicken running everything you can't see off screen.
Please consider telling a friend if you dig the show.
Paul Oddo and I frequently discuss our current states of affairs - something we've done for years and in multiple countries - and occasionally we record them. In this episode we talk about how to juggle multiple projects and the collision of artificial intelligence and art. As mentioned in the show, you can get a free digital version by signing up for my twice-a-month newsletter full of all sorts of useful help: http://www.sladeham.com Many thanks to Chicken running everything you can't see off screen. Here's more on Paul: Paul Oddo is a stand up comedian and artist living in Austin, TX. He released his debut standup comedy album, “Lost In Thought” and his first book, “Nothing Too Fancy” which he wrote and illustrated. Paul has performed at The Boston Comedy Festival and Competition, which he won in 2012 taking home a prize of $10,000. He has also been featured at SXSW, The Out Of Bounds Comedy Festival, Bridgetown Comedy Festival, NY Comedy Festival. He is a Featured Performer at The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in NYC. He has been seen On “The Late Show With David Letterman”, “AXS Gotham Comedy Live” and “‘Best Of’ AXS Gotham Comedy Live”. He is also an incredible visual artist whose paintings flex ebbing and flowing lines and haunting animal visuals. For more, please visit www.PaulOddo.com Please consider telling a friend if you dig the show.
You can win a copy of my book in this episode. Details inside the ep, but a sub and a comment will get you an entry. I recount a week meandering through the municipal court system, give some input on the importance of gratitude lists, and finish with an excerpt from "Until All the Dragons Are Dead."
If you own it, please leave a review here: https://www.amazon.com/Until-All-Dragons-Are-Dead/dp/0692094652
Or you can get a free digital version by signing up for my twice-a-month newsletter full of all sorts of useful help: http://www.sladeham.com
Please consider telling a friend if you dig the show.
I look back at the best lessons learned in 2022 - a much more productive activity for me in years past than new resolutions. I talk about the people you keep around you, and the rules you might play by. Plus, everything you need to know about the Netflix documentary, The Volcano: Rescue From Whakaari.
Please consider telling a friend if you dig the show.
It's a big question. Servers, bartenders, Uber drivers, pizza delivery, baristas, the donut lady? Where is your personal boundary and what's normal? Plus, a bit of the history and another story where I lose it.
Please consider telling a friend if you dig what I do.
I tackle your questions about writer's block, the international space station, and more, before demonstrating that the shortcut never gets you there faster - especially when it comes to online defensive driving.
Please consider telling a friend if you dig what I do.
I try to break down the personal decisions I made in 2022 in order to maintain my sanity. I think this episode is full of all sorts of actionable advice. Whatever you're up to, whatever you enjoy, I hope you find a way to do more of it in 2023!
I pontificate on my final meal, and then take all my frustrations out on Memphis. Then it's a long and winding road down my radio career as I revisit the way I snuck myself into the industry, how I got fired, and what I did afterwards. It's funny how little decisions alter the trajectory of our lives.
Please consider telling a friend if you dig what I do.
Can't let go of something someone did to you? Is your revenge bone tingling? From the simply petty to downright diabolical, this episode is filled with bears, baseballs, inventions, and a savage, savage Queen.
I recount my time in Ethiopia and my love for their coffee. The coffee region I cannot think of is Sidamo. All the happy notes get played early in this episode, however.
I quickly fall into a rant about a terrible school production of Seussical the Musical. I should learn to be more mature about these things, but this is what I do in lieu of therapy.
Also, rat updates.
I explain my fascination with honey and revisit my fish/rat saga before recounting my appearance at Scarface's birthday party. Then I get into the inevitable rise of augmented reality and Elon Musk's purchase of Twitter, which veers off into a very weird, very Slade-like tangent.
Please consider telling a friend if you dig what I do.
Hello from my Midnight Spaceship!
I begin this episode by revisiting a conversation in a coffee shop. Well, an overheard one that I entered only at the very end. Also, I struggle with the inevitable death of a pet fish and how to properly handle it. Death and I are frequent acquaintances these last few years, but she and I rarely talk about my role in the process. Now I have to come to terms with how to handle my fish situation.
And of course, there's a rat. There's always a rat. How do you handle killing things, or do you?
Please consider telling a friend if you dig what I do.
It's week two on tour in Canada, or the day after to be exact. I come in from the airport, turn on the camera, and burn through a list of people I have lost my tolerance for. I also offer up my suggestion for how to say no. Plus a guy on his speakerphone who may or may not own the Westminster Dog Show. Either way, he's an asshole.
And finally, an outtake from a show in Ottawa where the crowd started out a little tight. Turns out they were just French.
Please consider telling a friend if you dig what I do.
I enjoy conversations with my friends about the maddening nature of making a living as an artist. Jeff Canada is a Texas country artists that I've known since we were both in our early years. In this episode we talk about a lot of the obvious pitfalls of working the road, but we also discuss letting go of our vices, staying true to your voice, and how much difference your work ethic makes.
And it doesn't hurt that Jeff is a big, loud personality. It makes for a very fun interview, and one I think you'll glean something from.
Please consider telling a friend if you dig what I do.
Jeff Canada: http://www.JeffCanada.com
Jeff Canada on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/5mvfuba6
I am on tour in Ontario, Canada through most of October. Autumns here are as beautiful to me as the cherry blossom season in Japan, and I've taken every available opportunity to wander through the changing trees.
Some tips for visiting Toronto, as well as some of my previous favorite Canada memories, as I meander through my favorite differences between our two neighborly countries.
Also, I finally get a joke about spiders in to my show. If you recall back in Episode 15, I pondered the likelihood of us eating any spiders in our sleep at all, despite the popular urban myth. The stage version is at the end of this episode; the original can be found around 9:26 into Episode #15.
Please consider telling a friend if you dig what I do.
I get super into the weeds on how I write comedy, plus I discuss high school art class and how I'd raise kids if I had them.
Please consider telling a friend if you dig what I do.
What begins as a simple glimpse at all the things happening in the world turns into a full-blown side adventure through how I really feel about things like a trillion dollars. Also, we have to stop blaming the rich folks. We did this to us, nobody else. Come laugh about it with me.
I grew up in Beaumont, Texas. I always refer to it as a small town, but the truth is, it isn't. It is a lot of other things, however, and I try to be as truthful as I can. There is love in every terrible thing I say about you, Beaumont. It also prompts a nostalgic look back at my favorite concert I've ever been to. Spoilers: it's Prince.
I break down the Horses of the Apocalypse one by one, and explain how they met their dooms at the hand of America. Also, I'm not quite sure that I know who all the horses are so I toss in an extra one.
I recount my weekend in Fort Worth with good friends Aaron Aryanpur & Ralph Barbosa. A possible spider bite causes me to think about the logic behind the myth that we eat eight spiders a year. Also, Disney announces a reboot of The Neverending Story, prompting a disgusted growl at the entire film industry and a wallowy moment over one of the movie’s saddest scenes. Plus a conspiracy theory and my thoughts on the new Game of Thrones.
Before I get into anything this ep, I need to address some facts about candles and where I am allowed to burn them. Then, upon the Queen's death, I realized I knew nothing at all about the Royal Family. I did a quick search before the show, came up confused about their fame, and proceeded to make an episode about it. You likely know far more than me already, so correct me in the comments as I stumble through this.
It’s question time! I solicited questions and you responded too well. So well, in fact, that I took the whole episode answering them. We cover Stoicism, how to deal with idiots, international desserts, podcasts, and my favorite overseas memory.
For more reading:
Marcus Aurelius “Meditations” - https://tinyurl.com/mr3ca29e
Seneca “Letters from a Stoic” - https://tinyurl.com/4pa2fzf2
Epictetus “Discourses” - https://tinyurl.com/5ydk9h4m
The Daily Stoic: https://dailystoic.com/
Join The Whiskey Brothers Discord: https://discord.gg/HdsE77jd4T
I spent the last week on the road with my good buddy Jerry Wayne Longmire in Louisville, KY. In a break from format, I've peppered the episode with a couple of clips from the shows. You can also hear me walk through my own methods for managing my writing process, and how I sometimes have to jury-rig my dopamine release in order to maintain productivity. And, of course, I find a tangent about people who lack self-awareness.
I return from a trip to Patuxent River, MD, which brings up memories of an old bar in Bahrain. I also take Jerry Wayne Longmire through Washington DC. A chocolate chop in San Francisco has problems with local crime and begin a new program to combat it, and I veer off in to a sidebar about chocolatier extraordinaire, Amoury Guichon. And finally, my brother's parenting skills are off the charts.
As I reflect upon the finger I injured in an altercation with a blanket, I decide to air my feelings on shared beds. Also, the history of the necktie and my feelings on tattoos. Plus, a fact 90% of you definitely didn't know because even I didn't know it until recently. C'mon in. The water's fine.
I get a free avocado and it reminds me how much I love my Mexican neighborhood, Beyonce and Lizzo drop a word from their albums, and I recall a less-than-well-handled situation at an Anime convention. Also, I try to explain my absence from social media in a way that makes sense.
I saved a story to discuss the one part of the story that isn't a story anymore. We do it anyway, so I can yell at journalists. Also, little known facts about expiration dates, a show at a motorcycle rally, and why you shouldn't accept favors from people.
I spend some time talking about what it's like directing a comedy special in Houston. There are also a ton of dead cows in Kansas for some reason, and I find the story hilarious. Plus, why you should never date an Influencer.
Comedian Paul Oddo is a stand up comedian and artist living in Austin, TX. He released his debut standup comedy album, “Lost In Thought” and his first book, “Nothing Too Fancy” which he wrote and illustrated. Paul has performed at The Boston Comedy Festival and Competition, which he won in 2012 taking home a prize of $10,000.
He has also been featured at SXSW, The Out Of Bounds Comedy Festival, Bridgetown Comedy Festival, NY Comedy Festival. He is a Featured Performer at The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in NYC. He has been seen On “The Late Show With David Letterman”, “AXS Gotham Comedy Live” and “‘Best Of’ AXS Gotham Comedy Live”.
He is also an incredible visual artist whose paintings flex ebbing and flowing lines and haunting animal visuals. For more, please visit PaulOddo.com
I'm making a comedy special for a friend and I lead with it. Soon I am venting about tow truck drivers and an old car, call centers, my neighborhood growing up, kids on Fortnite, my current relationship with the PS5, and what happens when we die. Plus I weigh in briefly on whether or not video games cause violence.
More information on the curiosity of Tetris at these links:
https://tinyurl.com/44cvwxsn
https://tinyurl.com/2p9y5xr4
https://tinyurl.com/4rtsbpvx
Louisville Tickets: https://tinyurl.com/nfjfkmc9
Fort Worth Tickets: https://tinyurl.com/4ybujbmu
I have been shame eating to feed my inner fat person. Also, a tangent into my favorite coffee and how to get stuff for free at Starbucks.
I usually rely on summer blockbusters to get me through. I am an unapologetic nerd for all things comic book or sci-fi. Well, not all of them. I do, however, believe that the MCU is mankind's single largest, most impressive art endeavor.
I walk almost every day, sometimes multiple times a day. Neighborhoods are weird things. Mine is no exception. Walking today made me realize how all these yappy dogs have really gotten out of their lane. We beat them. We de-wolfed them or whatever we did. Also, how to survive if a dog decides to chase you.
With my flagship podcast dropping to a reduced schedule over the summer and my tour schedule intentionally light while I finish a film project, I am looking for what's next. I will likely bring guests back, but for now enjoy short, bite-sized servings of my life as I figure it out.
Chingo Bling built a successful hip-hop persona, and a sizeable social media following. He’s collaborated with artists including Mike Jones, Paul Wall, Fat Pat, and Pitbull, and the success of his YouTube channel led him to the stand up stage, which is where I first met him.
It’s important to note that he didn’t come to stand up comedy expecting instant success. I watched him start at the same open mics as everyone else until he got his feet firmly underneath him. The difference was, he had already spent an entire career learning skills that he realized applied to stand up. Deciding to do something new doesn’t mean you have to start at zero.
This is my conversation with Chingo Bling.
Most of stand up comedy works the road. Comedy clubs, cruise ships, military bases, colleges, and corporate gigs. These are the comics who go where the people are. JR Brow is one of those comedians, and one of my favorites.
Appearances on Comedy Central and The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson only solidify the obvious. JR Brow is a rock-solid comedian with the added flair of being able to play the guitar really, really well. If you’re looking for a poster child for the American working stand up comedian, this is it.
It is comedy unfettered by celebrity, and in all the good ways. Nobody in these crowds is giving you a pass because of who you are. You must earn every bit of it, and 30 years fishing those treacherous waters can’t help but teach you some things.
I would like to see what those things are, but first I pick up with JR Brow as we revisit some of our early adventures together.
For more on JR Brow, visit JrBrow.com
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Twitter: twitter.com/sladeham
Instagram: instagram.com/sladeham
Facebook: facebook.com/sladeham
YouTube: youtube.com/sladeham
In stand up comedy there is a lot of talk about finding your voice. The conventional wisdom says it takes 7-10 years, but that’s just to your first voice. Who we are on stage, or as artists in general, changes constantly. I am certainly not any of the previous versions of me anymore.
My guest on this episode has reinvented himself multiple times. Billy D Washington is a stand up comedian, playwright, and musician. He’s been a cop, VH-1 VJ, guest on The Late Late Show, and while multiple appearances on BET and Def Comedy Jam seem to make sense, Billy began his career in the white male dominated landscape of the late 80s and early 90s.
Clubs, colleges, cruise ships, corporate shows, Billy D Washington has now found his way into them all, and that only happens when you are self-aware enough to evolve.
Listen to Billy's new album, The Washington Posts, out now wherever you get your music.
Follow Slade Ham:
Twitter: twitter.com/sladeham
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Facebook: facebook.com/sladeham
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At any given moment there are approximately 100 living bladesmiths as certified by the American Bladesmith Society. My guest on this episode is one of those 100. Jason Knight might be familiar to you if you watched History Channel’s Forged in Fire where he served as a judge on multiple seasons.
Recognizing that his heart was in making cool things rather than just being on television, Jason now owns and operates Knight Forge Studio. His custom pieces are highly sought after, as is his tutelage. All the accolades aside, Jason Knight is incredibly down to earth and, as you’ll see, he bleeds creativity.
I think you’ll instantly see the parallels between bladesmithing and your own endeavors. This is my conversation with ABS Mastersmith Jason Knight.
Michael Duff is multi-talented. As a musician he’s released several albums, both as a solo artist and as the front man for bands like the 90’s rock outfit, Chalk FarM. He now runs Duffweb, a full-service marketing agency that specializes in creatively marrying effective websites with explosive promotion.
There’s a lot to consider when you make the transition from mere artist to functional, professional entity. What’s the difference between you and the people who are living the life you’re trying to? My guess is that they all have addressed the things we’ll get to in this episode.
Sure, we talk among ourselves about how, “You gotta take yourself seriously, or how, “We’re businesses.” But what does any of that mean? I’ll talk to Duff about some of the practical things we can do to start treating ourselves as the proper businesses we should be, as well as strategies for building and maintaining our audience.
For more on Michael Duff, as well as answers to all of your questions about web design and marketing, visit www.DuffWeb.com
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Instagram: instagram.com/sladeham
Facebook: facebook.com/sladeham
YouTube: youtube.com/sladeham
In 2016 I had the privilege to join the cast of the third film in Jordan Brady’s I am Comic trilogy. Jordan is a commercial director now, and he’s a seasoned documentarian, but he’s also directed Hollywood features, hosted MTV game shows, and in a lesser known piece of trivia, is the inventor of the phrase "bow chicka bow wow," which was a signature piece in a very successful stand up comedy career.
The film I’m in, I Am Battle Comic, looks at what it’s like to perform for the United States military overseas. It touts a star studded cast of comedians, much like the previous two films in the trilogy, I Am Road Comic, and the cult classic that started it all, I Am Comic.
I Am Comic features interviews with Phyllis Diller, Jeff Foxworthy, Lewis Black, Tim Allen, as well as a host of known and unknown names at the time, and I can’t recommend it enough as a primer on stand up comedy beyond what you see in a typical Netflix special.
More importantly, Jordan and I have become friends, and his optimistic approach to the world of entertainment is infectious. I sat down with him to find out the stories behind his and how he goes about making things.
You can visit Jordan’s world of commercial directing at www.CommercialDirectingFilmSchool.com
Also, try Jordan’s Oso Delicious Hot Sauce. I personally keep a bottle of each at the house, because the Texan in me loves a little heat. Visit www.OsoDelicious.org, where $1 from every bottle bought, stolen, or broken goes to the National Military Family Association, another organization I care deeply about.
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Facebook: facebook.com/sladeham
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An original member of the famed Texas Outlaw Comics and a recent stand out on America’s Got Talent, Andy is one of the most diligent writer-performers in the game.
Andy has, by far, the longest career of any artist on this season. He began in Virginia in 1977 – that’s basically my entire life - before heading to Los Angeles later that year, a brazen move in an industry that was barely an industry yet.
There’s a lot of history in those forty three years, and a lot of knowledge, so come with us for a lot of technical talk about joke writing and how to break through the tough spots in our processes.
Follow Andy on all things social media @AndyHuggins
Follow Slade Ham:
Twitter: twitter.com/sladeham
Instagram: instagram.com/sladeham
Facebook: facebook.com/sladeham
YouTube: youtube.com/sladeham
If you don’t know Ali Siddiq yet, it’s okay. You will. It’s inevitable. I met Ali a year or two into his career, just a few months before I began stand up myself, and I remember watching him take a standing ovation as a support act for another very successful comedian at he time. It was magic.
What I didn’t know was that I was watching a kid freshly released from prison, before apprearances on BET, HBO, and Comedy Central, on a mission to do something different. Ali was arrestd for dealing drugs while he was still in his teens an served 6 years of a 15 year prison term.
The journey is well documented in his Comedy Central special It’s Bigger Than These Bars, a special that came after he nonchalantly won the network’s Up Next contest in 2013.
And all along the way, he has remained one of the most prolific stand up comedians in a generation. Ali Siddiq and I talk about what inspires him to turn something into comedy.
Watch “It’s Bigger Than These Bars” on Comedy Central, or for Ali’s entire catalogue, visit AliSiddiq.com
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There are a lot of characteristics that can help move us down the line a bit more quickly. There are things like innate talent and charisma, and practiced skills like patience. I’m not sure where grit falls on that list, but Tammy Pescatelli has plenty.
Her story runs from road comic to television regular, most notably including Season 2 of Last Comic Standing and multiple Tonight Show appearances . Her latest special, The Way After School Special, is available now on iTunes.
Tammy and I talk about the stretch of her career following LCS, but it quickly gets to what I love most about her. She’s a purist, and that level of authenticity is what’s worth paying the most attention to. Show business in this case, but anywhere really, is full of distractions. We’ll talk about some of them, but first I pick up with Tammy Pescatelli in the Last Comic Standing days.
Follow Tammy on social media @tammypescatelli
The Way After School Special: https://www.amazon.com/Tammy-Pescatellis-After-School-Special/dp/B082YP2M94
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My guest on this episode is Christopher Titus.
You might recognize him from his roles on television where he co-starred in ABC’s “Big Shots” and helmed the eponymous FOX sitcom, “Titus.” I had the privilege of touring with him a decade ago and was fortunate to observe his process along the way.
He just wrapped production on his 8th stand up comedy special “Chasing Monsters,”and I feel like I need to pause and acknowledge that number because each one consists of 90 minutes of original stand up material.
We cover a lot of ground from confidence and ego, to storytelling, to, most importantly, how to get the things in our heads out.
Get access to all of Titus’s comedy special at ChristopherTitus.com
Follow him on Twitter @TitusNation or Subcribe to The Christopher Titus Podcast
Follow Slade Ham:
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Find Slade's latest book, Until All the Dragons Are Dead, wherever books are sold.
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I like disruptive personalities. Usually when we do something we look at the way everybody else is doing it and then we attempt to replicate that. Sure we put our original flourishes on it, but that’s only in the creative process itself. What about how we present everything?
Steve Hofstetter is a disruptive personality. You know Steve. If you have the internet his “Comedian Owns Heckler” videos have popped up on your timeline at some point. He’s the ginger kid with glasses and sharp wit and well-honed improvisational skills. His YouTube boasts half a million subscribers and he has over a quarter of a billion views on Facebook.
He’s produced TV shows, written a book, and released six comedy specials as well, all while creating a massive, ever-growing catalogue of video content.
Enjoy my conversation with Steve Hofstetter.
For more, follow him on all things social media @SteveHofstetter, or visit his virtual comedy club, NowhereComedyClub.com
Follow Slade Ham:
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Find Slade's latest book, Until All the Dragons Are Dead, wherever books are sold.
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In this episode I’ll talk with mathematician turned comedian, Matthew Broussard. His credits are many from MTV and the late night circuit to various sitcom appearances and a constant slot in Comedy Central’s stable. He’s also frustratingly good looking.
I’d argue that his real success is not the product of luck or looks but of diligently working out how comedy works. I believe that a huge part of what makes comedy work is spontaneity and we certainly get to that. But with stand up specifically, there’s a very technical element. Joke form, structure, and detail are all vital. Stand up is so much more than just getting on stage and saying funny.
I talk with Matthew Broussard about the structure that goes into performance and writing, as well as how we psychologically reconcile our real lives with our personas on stage.
For more on Matthew Broussard follow him @MondayPunday, or see his sculptures at @CockblockGargoyles
Follow Slade Ham:
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YouTube: youtube.com/sladeham
Find Slade's latest book, Until All the Dragons Are Dead, wherever books are sold.
Sign up for Slade's newsletter: sladeham.com/comedy/mailing-list