Welcoming Steven Lolli to the podcast this week. Steven is a big personality and a very strong comedian who after 20 years is headlining around the country and really starting to create some heat. He performed on NETFLIX IS A JOKE last summer on the same bill as Whitney Cummings, Nikki Glaser with Howie Mandel and Arsenio headlining. He has a starring role in “Last Chance” a Film opening in 2025. As a writer he has worked for Katt Williams, Eddie Pepitone and was a regular on Eddie’s podcast. He will be headlining Jimmy Kimmels Comedy Club in Las Vegas on Feb. 21 & 22. Shows at 730 and 930. Please welcome to the mics: Steven LOLLI 🎙️🤣🤣

Phil Tagliaferri bounced onto the stage of the Emerald Princess this past October while the wife and I were celebrating our second honeymoon// empty nest vaca.

This was a fourteen day cruise and the first one we had gone on without friends, relatives or castaways so we were determined to see every comedy show and as many of the large shows as we could fit in.

Phil who wisely whittled his last name down to TAG, ( after countless teachers, coaches and cruise directors had no doubt been butchering it for years) hit the stage in great voice, energy and a take no prisoners delivery.

The wife and I both liked him immediately and saw not only his early show but his later, more spicy show as well. I'm proud to say that of the few comics I passed my card to, he was the first to respond and the first to come on my podcast.

There are a large number of comics and entertainers that hail from New Jersey, The Boss, Eddie ( lives there) Dave Attell, Jeff Ross, Artie Lange and one could easily add Phil to this list.

Entering comedy during the 80's BOOM, he was a working club comic within two years and quickly added a Showtime stand up Comedy credit and many writing credits early on. He eventually landed Evening at the Improv, Star Search, and at least one Tonight Show with Jay Leno as well as writing for Norm Macdonald for two seasons of "Weekend Update!"

It was really fun talking with Phil as he regales a very busy career on the road, in Major Casinos, a Muti-year contract working for the MGM-Disney studios in Florida as well as close to twenty years as a top tier Cruise ship comedian.

Next up, Phil will throw down anchor in New York City and start calling out markers for TV and Movie writing gigs as well as performing on all the top stages in the Big Apple.

Please welcome to the mics this week: PHIL TAG

David started out as a deejay but as is often the case it took only a dare from friends for him to try out comedy and take second place on his very first try.

Born and raised in Dubuque,Iowa, David was on his way to the west coast when he stopped in Colorado on advice from his brothers and that has been his homeland and home base in comedy ever since.

He is a member of the 35 plus year club in stand up. He has always enjoyed and loved the driving and scenery of being a road comic. After years of doing carpentry and furniture making as a hobby he switched to photography and you can see the pictures yourself on his social media pages and his photos are award winners and now make up his annual calendar selections.

Please enjoy the experiences and stories shared this week as we welcome David Testroet to our mics.

Comedienne Linda Markus Smith came to national attention during the pandemic when she started her Zoom podcast "Comics Spot."

Most comics weren't working much, if at all, so her timing was perfect. She had no agenda other than to just interview comics and hear their stories.

She had only started her comedy career maybe five years prior to the Pandemic so she was a newbie and relative unknown, which was also a plus for her because comics far and wide were not intimidated or suspect of someone who greeted you with a smile, a laugh and charming demeanor.

So here we are close to five years later and she has amassed well over one thousand ( that's correct 1000) ZOOM PODCASTS for COMICS SPOT and shows no signs of slowing down.

On my podcast ( I was a little intimidated by interviewing the Queen of podcasting) she tells of her early days in Portland and going into the Army and being stationed in Germany and her working life which her longest employment was in banking.

She really found her niche when she started in stand up comedy close to ten years ago, and has made her bones in Las Vegas and only recently decided to return to her place of birth and take on The Big Apple. please welcome to the mics : Linda Markus Smith .

Steve Klasky grew up in Los Angeles and remembers using his early school years as his first stage for entertaining his peers. Always looking for laughs and vying for the attention from the fairer sex, he found theater and drama in high school and became his high school’s most celebrated actor.

In College, beyond simply acting, he also took to learning the technical and theater production sides of the business. Before long he was a union stagehand working on Carol Burnett, Julie Andrews and other television programs. As with most artists, Steve became bored quickly and left a secure job with the Art Department at Rockwell and started a period where he became a beat poet, bartender, magician and working pro and decorated member of the Magic Castle.

As time went on and he found himself married with child, an opportunity came up for him to teach acting and comedy and soon after the Academy of Comedy was born. Steve has been a mensch to me and all my comedy brethren from the first years we met and started working for him and his many comedy rooms, venues and clubs. The only person who ever had a bad thing to say about him is spoken of toward the end of the podcast. Please welcome to our mics, Steve Klasky

Scott Shimamoto the oldest of three boys was raised in the San Gabriel Valley and unlike many comedians he was a happy, energetic and industrious kid.

Always a funny kid he did what he could as a smaller lad to keep his classmates and friends laughing as opposed to giving beat downs. His natural friendliness was his best anti-fight kryptonite as he said the fighting part was never much of a problem in his life.

From his earliest jobs at places like McDonalds , he was a go getter and learned the value of a hard work ethic and cooperating with employees and bosses so that everyone came out ahead.

A long time businessman involved in mortgage loan companies and real estate, he started getting on stage later that some but that hasn't stifled his progress or enthusiasm. Scott's material and delivery aided by his natural sales acumen has made him a sought after act for testimonials, benefits, fundraisers and the local comedy club circuits in Los Angeles. I even learned he has an entire history with rap music and music writing and production. I will share some of his original songs on the link.

Please help me welcome the always up tempo, multi faceted comic and entertainer to our mics today: Scott Shimamoto

Mark Cordes originally, from the midwest, had made a good living in real estate with Coldwell Banker and one night he took the dare to go up at a comedy open mic night.

He caught the bug immediately and within a short time he let his realtor license lapse and told his guys he was burning the boats and they replied that he could always come back if he wanted to..... that was over 35 years ago and he has not only made a living in comedy but done it on his own terms.

Mark's up tempo personality and cheerful demeanor combined with his natural skill for sales were the perfect ingredients for a man to switch careers at thirty years of age. Many comics start out young before they have had much life experience whereas there have also been more than people realize who don't get into comedy until they've lived a little and frankly I think they become better comedians because of that. There are always exceptions but the comics who are great enough to come right out of the gate would never have made it in any other job anyway.

Mark's quick success got him bookings with the major road clubs with folks like George Lopez, Davis Spade and others giving him high marks to club owners and national comedy chains. When the clubs faltered a little in the nineties he naturally added corporate comedy to his resume and eventually made his way onto the premiere cruise lines like Royal Caribbean, which have served him well, and he works as much as he wants to even though he is at the age where he could slow down if and when he wants to.

Mark's own creation and brand show is titled " THE SPOUSE WHISPERER!" and he performs that show all around the country and the world for whatever club, convention or corporate sponsor wants a show specifically for their audience.

If was really fun to catch up with Mark after working with him in Portland over thirty years ago. He is just a wealth of information and any comic young or old would do well listening to his road tales and sage advice. Some great Norm MacDonald stories in here as well as Jimmy Fallon and others.

Please welcome to the mics, the always funny and entertaining...Mark Cordes.

Chris Lewis started out his show biz career as a child actor which he describes in the podcast. He was even a contestant on a famous kids show which is even more interesting given the career trajectory of the once popular host.

Chris has been continuing to audition and act in commercials and indie films while also making a name for himself in the L.A. stand up comedy circuit.

Once listening to Chris I'm sure you'll agree that his charming personality, youthful demeanor and quick wit are all ingredients that will help ensure he will continue to entertain audiences and make a name for himself in stand up comedy!