I'm A Rescue

Marc Yaffee may have started his comedy career later than most, but he has quickly moved up the comedy ladder with two comedy specials, touring around the world and even shooting a TV pilot. Marc talks being a driver's education instructor prior to starting comedy, being a Native American in comedy and helping to create the Pow Wow Comedy Jam, and the inspiration for his TV pilot. Marc also gets personal talking about learning who his birth parents were later on in life and we also get into all the wonderful projects he's currently working on. You can check those out on his WEBSITE. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/imarescue/support

Steph and Tami Leckie chat all things rescue bulldogs! Tami has been fostering and volunteering for Orange County’s SoCal Bulldog Rescue for over 10 years. She’s found homes and rehabilitated over 100 bulldogs, including our beloved Abigail, who passed away in December at 12 years of age.  After moving to Tennessee, Tami discusses the difference between dog parents in Southern California and The South. And what it’s like bonding with rescue dogs in foster and having to re-home them.  ON A VERY HAPPY NOTE, shortly after this podcast Tami helped us find a French Bulldog rescue named Ruby, who is now in her forever home with us. Click for info on So Cal Bulldog Rescue Follow Ruby on Instagram HERE --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/imarescue/support

As we get back into live performances, virtual comedy shows have been a substitute for comedians to do stand-up comedy.  Erik was one of the first comedians to fully embrace virtual comedy shows. He discusses his personal experience with virtual comedy shows--what works and what doesn't. Is there going to be a balance of virtual and live comedy for awhile or will virtual comedy shows come to an end in the near future? Find out all this and more on this episode! http://erikescobarcomedy.com @erikescobar on Twitter & Instagram --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/imarescue/support

Steph chats with Martha Trusome Smith, creator of Grombre. With nearly 200,000 followers on Instagram, Grombre is a platform for women speaking their truth on their decision to go gray.  What started as an idea has transformed into a movement.  Steph and Martha chat about how gray haired women are perceived in society and how Grombre is challenging the status quo and redefining beauty. GROMBRE --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/imarescue/support

We chat with Rob Snow, co-creator of the nonprofit organization “Stand-up for Downs” and The Improvaneers, the first all Down syndrome improv troupe in the world.  We talk about Rob’s background in comedy. Also, how his son became the inspiration to make a positive change for the Down Syndrome community.  Click here for more info! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/imarescue/support

Tom and Steph talk about watching Thomas Middleditch and Ben Schwartz, a hilarious improvisational duo, who have a 3 episode series on Netflix that is all made up on the spot.  Tom talks about his own background in improv with both ComedySportz in Milwaukee and the Dead Alewives. We also talk about ComedySportz founder Dick Chudnow and how his vision helped create an improv scene in Milwaukee and around the country. Steph talks of her experiences doing improv at UCB and the recent fall of UCB and its theaters in NYC closing down.  Steph feels improv could be the next big thing in comedy and the shows that we've done around Los Angeles. We discuss if improv as an industry could take off and if opportunities for improvisors  will increase with this new Netflix show.   --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/imarescue/support

After nearly month off Tom and Steph talk about what they've been up to since the pandemic hit.  Steph has given up drinking and talks about how she's coping. Tom talks about how he's been working on the audio for a new stand up album to be released in the next couple of weeks. They talk how they're dealing with each other and surviving the monotony of life during the pandemic.  --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/imarescue/support

Steven Briggs is one of the best young comedians out there with a wide range of abilities from acting to writing to stand up to directing, he can really do it all! We talk a lot about Steven's childhood where he was quite the troublemaker. At an early age he learned to make counterfeit money and often got into fights, which ultimately forced his parents to send him to military school--where he got into more fights.  Steven has some amazing stories about his family and his mother even joins us on the podcast. She talks about fighting off the Clairemont Killer in the early 1990s and saving Steven and his brother.  This episode is a great example of overcoming the odds to achieve success and Steven really paints a great picture with these outrageous, but true stories.  --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/imarescue/support

Scott is someone I met in the early 2000s here in LA. A very funny and since retired stand up comedian, Scott has ventured into the world of writing and directing in the last few years.  Scott and I talk about our early stand up days in LA and working out at Westwood Brewing Company with future stars like Maria Bamford, BJ Novak, and Chris Hardwick (just to name a few) and why he ended up leaving stand up. We also talk about his recent web series Fully Formed Adults.  It's about a series of awkward encounters between Gen Xers and Millenials.  We talk about how he shot the project on his own and how he came up with the idea.  We even talk about the movie Repo Man and Courtney Love for good measure. Check it out! The new season of Fully Formed Adults should be released in mid March and you can see me in the season finale doing a "touching" eulogy.  You can check out past episodes here: https://www.fullyformedseries.com --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/imarescue/support

Had a blast talking to Charles about working at Olive Garden when he first moved to Los Angeles.  We also get into his life growing up in Brentwood, New York, which is the complete opposite of Brentwood, California.   Charles talks his athletic career and dealing  with family issues at a young age -- a religious mom & a dad who had a second family. Charles also talks how he overcame all the tough stuff at home to finish high school and go on to college where he created his own major that allowed him to study acting and film making.  We get into his stand up career and his current show in the Los Angeles area at the Write Off Room in Woodland Hills.   --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/imarescue/support

This episode is a doozy! Jason Palmer talks about his journey from Production Assistant to Writer on such shows as Dawson's Creek, The Bernie Mac Show and Everybody Hates Chris.  He talks what it's like making Chris Rock laugh, bullying in the writer's room, and his current gig directing and writing sketches for the NFL on FOX.  We also get into Jason's story on how he got his dog and the shady business of dog breeding.  If that's not enough he talks about how a close friend took him for nearly $50,000 on a business venture scam.  This episode has everything: intrigue, scams and overcoming the odds to make it in LA.  --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/imarescue/support

OUR FIRST EPISODE OF 2020!  SEASON 2! Steph and I are joined by Al Ducharme! Al is a hilarious comedian, who started out in the Boston comedy scene. I had the pleasure of performing with him in 1999 and he absolutely blew me away with his physical comedy, voices and his overall weirdness.  Since then he has traveled the globe performing his unique brand of stand up comedy. Bill Burr is among his fans, so much so that he had him voice Anthony one of the characters on the Netflix animated series "F is For Family."  Al talks about growing up in blue collar Rhode Island, starting comedy in high school and his eventual move to Boston where he turned down an offer to go pick up a young Dave Chappelle.  We also get to hear from Buddy the Dog and Al's wife Bernadette, who was on episode 16 of last season. Check out his web series the Two Dicks HERE! If you wanna meet your new favorite comedian listen to this episode! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/imarescue/support

On Episode 26 and our final episode of 2019, comedian Andy Hendrickson along with his wife Linda join Tom and Steph on our first couple's podcast!  Linda tells her story of how she went from Algeria to Paris to Connecticut and finally arriving in Los Angeles in 2014.  Interestingly enough Andy also made a whirlwind journey to LA, starting his stand up career in Atlanta moving to Virginia then New York and finally arriving in LA in 2014...just like Linda. You see where I'm going with this...it's like "Harry Met Sally," but different and French.  Linda tells the story of meeting Andy for the first time. Andy talks behind the scene stuff on Letterman and dealing with anxiety and lyme disease. Tom and Andy also talk about their first meeting performing on a plywood stage over a stairwell in Rockford, IL. Linda also has a great podcast available on Anchor called "Excuse My Frenchy" and a line of skin care products she'll soon be launching.  Check out Andy's website at: www.andyhendrickson.com O

You may know Ari Stidham from his role on CBS's Scorpion, but it all started when he was a kid growing up in the Westlake area (just outside of LA.)  After struggling in school early on, he went the independent study route, finishing school at 16.  He worked with the improv group, ComedySportz and through that landed his first role on ABC Family's "Huge."  This is a great listen as Ari goes through his audition for the role on CBS's  Scorpion to the sudden fame that went with it and the disappointment after it's cancellation.   He also talks his current projects and he has a cool poster of Danny Devito in his house. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/imarescue/support

You may know Mark Valley from the soap opera Days of Our Lives, Boston Legal and Human Target, but he's also a U.S. Army Veteran.  He talks about his career in the army. His first acting gig opposite Sir Anthony Hopkins and teaching him to throw a football (true story.) He also talks about his latest project Zburg. A web-series shot entirely in his hometown of Ogdensburg, NY with a cast made up of local actors.  We also get into his role in Zero Dark Thirty and that sinking feeling when you know you're going to be cut out of a movie.  There's no BS with Mark and he's a completely open book on this podcast.  --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/imarescue/support

Steph sits down with Nicole Blaine to talk about how she has helped connect comedians with industry thru the various programs she runs at Westside Comedy Theater in Santa Monica.  She also talks shooting her own independent film with her husband and her own comedy career.   --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/imarescue/support

Chris Flail tells his tale of traveling from Pennsylvania to Oklahoma to California and how he eventually discovered his love of comedy.  One of Chris's first gigs was working with Tom at a casino in Delano, CA and Chris's story of that is a definite must listen. They also discuss how Chris has built one of the most successful rooms in Central California and how he's helping comedians there build their stage time.  --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/imarescue/support

Growing up the son or daughter of a celebrity isn't easy especially when that celebrity is comedy royalty. Such is the case with Camilla Cleese and her dad, John Cleese, of Monty Python fame.  Camilla opens up on this one talking about sitting in on her Dad's writing sessions during "A Fish Called Wanda", being a talented equestrian, her struggle with substance abuse, and how she's blazing her own trail in comedy.   --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/imarescue/support

Imagine being only two years into comedy and Rodney Dangerfield asking you to come up with a movie idea for him. That's what happened for Dennis Blair and how he ended up helping to write the movie "Easy Money."  Dennis and I worked together in Reno and we talk about his long illustrious career in comedy. From opening for Rodney to opening for George Carlin, Dennis has worked with some of the best and he shares all of these experiences.  Great insight from someone who's not just an opening act, but a really talented comedian/writer/musician.  Click his name to go to his website: DENNIS BLAIR --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/imarescue/support

Vito Gesualdi is a comedian, actor, and writer who has built a YouTube following of over 160,000 thru his funny and sometimes controversial videos. His most famous/controversial being handing out Pepsi at an ANTIFA/Alt Right rally in Berkeley.  You can watch it HERE!  We talk about his growing up in Amherst, Massachusetts, how he comes up with his ideas, and how he built up his YouTube following.  --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/imarescue/support