WELCOME TO GONZO FAME! ENJOY THE RIDE!

Interviewed & Written by David Gavri

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INTERVIEW #59: Comedian Neal Brennan: Co-Creator of Chappelle’s Show

Finding your most unique self; Latest update on his friendship with Dave Chappelle

“I just wasn’t winning as an up-tempo comedian. I felt like I kept running into a brick wall. 3 Mics in some ways was kind of making my liabilities with strengths. I figured, “Just let me do the show that only I can do…”

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INTERVIEW #58: Comedian Marc Maron of the WTF podcast, Netflix, Comedy Central

The long road to becoming relevant; turning failure into success

“By the time I started the podcast, I was broke and desperate. A woman divorced me, all my money was gone, and I was about to lose my house. My stand up couldn’t sell tickets, I was out of options. That podcast was born out of desperation…”

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INTERVIEW #57: Broken Lizard of Super Troopers, Club Dread, Beerfest, Super Troopers 2

Transforming their Hollywood success into a stand up comedy routine

“We enjoy telling funny stories about making those movies. But we also make a conscious effort to do a healthy mix of the movie stuff, as well as pure stand up…”

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INTERVIEW #56: Comedian Jeff Ross of the Comedy Central roasts

Mastering the art of roasting audiences in a professional manner

“You want people to leave the show going, “That was really fun!” Ya know? I don’t want to hurt people. I want to bring people together…”

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INTERVIEW #55: Quadruple Platinum comedian Ralphie May of Netflix (R.I.P.)

Rising above negativity; why comedians should never apologize; being a family man

“Don’t rush yourself. Quit tryin to be an overnight success. Take the time to study the art and master the craft. Get away from the negative people in your life. Concentrate on stayin positive…”

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INTERVIEW #54: Maria Tornberg, the “Hot German Girl” from Super Troopers

Lessons on overcoming struggle; pushing through painful situations to reach your dreams

“I’ve gone through a lot of pain in my life, and I always look at it as, ‘This is the part of my story when…’ That was my way of getting through it. It’s all about the journey. Life is a journey and a struggle.”

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INTERVIEW #53: Poker Pro Greg Raymer, 2004 World Series of Poker Main Event Champion

His brief career in stand up comedy; fighting off a robbery at gunpoint at the Bellagio

“While staring at this gun pointed at me, in a split second, what went through my mind was, ‘I’ve seen their faces, so now they’re going to rob me AND kill me.’ I figured if I cooperate with them, it’s highly likely that I’m dead at the end of it all. So, I decided to not cooperate…”

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INTERVIEW #52: Comedian Ben Bailey, the host of Cash Cab

Behind the scenes of Cash Cab; the evolution of a performer

“Out of the seventy-something jobs I’ve had in my life—and I did manual labor—I did roofing, I poured concrete, I did carpentry, I dug ditches… [laughs] Doing Cash Cab was THE MOST DIFFICULT and physically exhausting job I’ve ever had to do…”

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INTERVIEW #51: Comedian Doug Stanhope of Comedy Central’s This Is Not Happening

Inside Doug Stanhope’s entourage; getting roasted by Stanhope during this interview

“Because written interviews is THE thing! Instead of listening to a podcast, people prefer to READ it! [everybody laughs] Will people be able to read my studder?? [more laughs]”

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INTERVIEW #50: Comedian Big Jay Oakerson from Comedy Central’s This Is Not Happening

From gentleman’s club bouncer to professional crowd work comedian
“I open the door for heckling, so I’m very understanding as long as there’s no hatred. I try to stay mellow because as long as you’re comfortable, the crowd follows whoever’s most comfortable…”

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INTERVIEW #49: Poker Pro Jonathan Little, World Poker Tour Season VI Player of the Year

Improving your poker skills through study and hard work

“I got into poker in college. At the time, I was making about $20,000 a month which was ridiculous. Because I was going to college to find a job for $40,000 a year…”

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INTERVIEW #48: Comedian Hannibal Burress of Comedy Central

Comedy Q&A; favorite comedic influences; advice on improvement

“I don’t think I was the one that people thought would be a comedian—but I was funny with my friends. So alotta people were surprised when they found out I was doin stand up…”

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INTERVIEW #47: Comedian Pablo Francisco of Comedy Central, Mad-TV

Handling rejection; overcoming struggle; reinventing yourself

“I asked the owner of the Tempe Improv, “What does it take to work for you?” He said, “Gimme six minutes, clean.” So I went up and gave him a clean six minutes. But he didn’t like it. When I asked him what the problem was, he said, “Butt-nuggets are not the Improv, Mr. Francisco. Call me in three years.” I was SO disappointed…”

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INTERVIEW #46: Actor/Comedian Tommy Davidson of In Living Color, Juwanna Mann, Mad-TV

Dealing with fame & success; how to overcome pain & struggle; working with Tupac

“Whenever there’s something to be had, something of value, you’re not gonna be able to get it just by walkin’ in on the first day. You can’t just be like, “Hey, I wanna be an NFL player!” If you are playing for the NFL, you went through test after test after test. And when you’re finally there, you are equipped with just what you need to compete at the highest level…”

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INTERVIEW #45: Actor/Writer Dave Foley from News Radio & Kids in the Hall

Mastering the writing process and constructing comedy for television and film 

“It’s really useful to study what you love—really intensely study it and understand everything about what they did and how they did it. And THEN, totally just throw it away…”

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INTERVIEW #44: Poker Tells Expert Zachary Elwood of Reading Poker Tells

Improving your poker skills by understanding tells

“Players today are more aware their behvaior at the poker table. Compared to long ago, players might have been joking around, drinking, laughing, etc. Whereas nowadays, players are more still and serious. At the highest level, if you find a tell, it can be very valuable…”

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INTERVIEW #43: Comedian/Actress Luenell from Borat

Touring with Katt Williams; when to quit your day job to pursue your dreams

“Most overnight successes take about twenty years. [bursts out laughing] That’s the timeline…”

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INTERVIEW #42: ‘Fluffy & Friends’, the comedians on tour with Gabriel Iglesias

How to be more savvy to the business side of comedy

“Don’t crave respect. It’s all about putting asses in seats. That’s what it comes down to. Your respect comes from how many tickets you sold that night…”

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INTERVIEW #41: Actor/Comedian Maz Jobrani from Friday After Next

Defining success in entertainment; balancing a family; professionalism

“The moment I decided to go after my dreams, and do it full time, a hundred percent, I considered myself successful…”

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INTERVIEW #40: Comedian Chris Redd of Comedy Central & Saturday Night Live

Goal-setting & putting in the work

“Do it quicker than somebody else.” If somebody did something in 5 years, I wanna be able to do it in 4. Always work harder than the person around you. Always be true to yourself.”

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INTERVIEW #39: Comedian Duncan Trussell of the Duncan Trussell Family Hour podcast

The ability to blossom through rejection; living in the moment; Joe Rogan & psychedelics

“In all true endeavors worth taking, you must leave the comfort of the village, and journey down the crazy, weird road into the dark forest that stands in between you and where you wanna be. The journey always ends well if you pursue it hard enough. It has to…”

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INTERVIEW #38: Comedian Kyle Kinane of Comedy Central

Handling pressure and working against friction

“If you love it enough to do it for free forever, then you’re on the right track. If you think it’s going to pay you back with fame and fortune, and that’s your motivation, then quit now and get the fuck out of the way…”

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INTERVIEW #37: Comedian Ali Siddiq of Comedy Central’s This Is Not Happening

Understanding show business; touring with D.L. Hughley; from prison to television

“It’s a business based on business—and likability—and accountability. You are literally in a business where the funniest person will not be the most successful…”

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INTERVIEW #36: Comedian Sean Rouse of Insomniac with Dave Attell (R.I.P)

Having a career with a dirty act; most memorable gig

“Focus on the craft, not the party. And don’t listen to other people. Do whatever the fuck you wanna do…”

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INTERVIEW #35: Comedian Carlos Mencia of Comedy Central’s Mind of Mencia

Addressing the negativity from the infamous joke-stealing accusations

“I will never have a relationship, friendship of any kind—and not see jokes. EVERY, SINGLE, THING I do…that I see and experience—can be my next really great bit. And so, I don’t get to be a normal person. That’s the curse of a comedian…”

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INTERVIEW #34: Porn-star-turned-comedian, Alia Janine

Similarities & differences between the lives of porn stars & comedians

“Porn stars express themselves sexually, and comedians express themselves through jokes…”

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INTERVIEW #33: Comedian Chris Porter of Netflix & Last Comic Standing

Advice on finding your voice; being clean VS being a dirty comic; touring with Mitch Hedberg

“You always THINK you found your voice. And you don’t realize you found it until you actually find it—and then you’re like, “Oh! I was an idiot for 7 years! Now, I have a lot of people to apologize to…”

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INTERVIEW #32: Comedian Sean Patton of Comedy Central’s This Is Not Happening

Handling hecklers; comedy pet peeves; focusing on the journey

“Comedians focus on killing, and I don’t think that’s the goal. I think the goal is being funny. Those are different things. You can have a donkey take a dump on a clown on stage—that’s gonna kill. People will lose their minds over that! But it takes a REAL comedian to be FUNNY…”

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INTERVIEW #31: Comedian Dwayne Kennedy of Showtime, Seinfeld

What it was like working on the set of Seinfeld

It was the episode where Elaine goes, “Maybe the dingo ate yo baby!” [laughs]

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INTERVIEW #30: Comedian Michael Palascak of Conan, The Tonight Show, Comedy Central

Perfecting the art of crafting a stand up comedy routine for television

“You get an applause break when you’ve found a way to be so close to yourself on stage that the audience is really connected to what you’re doing. The sooner people embrace that “thing” that makes you special, the sooner you will find your own success…”

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INTERVIEW #29: The Chicago Laugh Factory

How to be a Laugh Factory regular; the show booking process

“Command the stage. Honestly, your jokes matter, but when you’re seasoned and you’re good on stage, you can talk about ANYTHING. If you’re good enough, all of that will show…”

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INTERVIEW #28: Poker Player/Comedian C.J. Sullivan, WSOP & Comedy Central

How to stay disciplined when surrounded by vices

“Alcohol and gambling is VERY bad ‘cause sometimes you’ll do REALLY well on it and WIN, and now you think it’s good! But it’s like people thinkin’ they’re better drivers when they’re drunk. It’s like, “NO! You just didn’t die or get pulled over…”

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INTERVIEW #27: International comedian Azhar Usman, opener for Dave Chappelle

‘Dot-Com’ entrepreneur to world-touring comedian; getting mentored by Dave Chappelle

“Seinfeld calls stand up comedy ‘The great journey into the self’. You have to have the courage to get on stage and say what you REALLY think and believe, while making it funny…”

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INTERVIEW #26: Actor/Comedian Gary Owen of Think Like a Man, House of Payne

Winning “Funniest Black Comedian”; applying military work ethic to show business

“You gotta get up early in the morning—whether it’s to do radio, TV, or catch a flight… And alotta people don’t see that side of the job. In the end, this is a job. You wanna keep your job. And keep professionalism…”

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INTERVIEW #25: Comedian Nick Guerra of Gabriel Iglesias’ Stand Up Revolution

Nick’s 8 golden rules to success

“If ONE person in the room thinks you’re an asshole, there are nine others who also think it. You don’t want that. Put your ego away. Anybody who comes into this game real cocky, but has no credibility will be looked at as the cocky guy with NO credibility…”

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INTERVIEW #24: Comedian Josh Johnson of Comedy Central & Netflix

Learning to not just work hard but also work smart

“People give hanging out a hard time, but it shows that you care, that you’re here, that you’re present. The people are just as important as the work. As much as I respect someone who’s out every night or who’s writing insane amounts, I also respect someone who can hit me up personally…”

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INTERVIEW #23: Comedian John Caparulo of Vince Vaughn’s Wild West Comedy Tour

Embracing the journey; finding your inner meaning through comedy

“Comedy is a constant quest to try and find yourself—find out who you really are. It’s a quest to just always get better. Care about the art, and everything else falls into place. You hafta love it—cuz it doesn’t love you back for a very long time…”

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INTERVIEW #22: Comedian Sammy Obeid of Last Comic Standing, Conan

Completing 1,001 days in a row of stand up; turning down a job at Google for comedy

“I went through a breakup, which really brought a lot of extra stress. It countered everything I was doing. There’s always the question, “How many days of comedy can you do with a significant other?” And the answer is 647 days…”

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INTERVIEW #21: The Whiskey Brothers of The Whiskey Brothers podcast

Favorite types of whiskey; wild ‘n wacky whiskey tales

“All I remember is finding Sam in a ditch rollin’ around in the mud. Rob disappeared, but we find out he made it to the hotel room to throw up, crack his head on the toilet, and pass out on the floor. But at 9 o’clock the next morning we all had breakfast together. [everyone laughs]”

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INTERVIEW #20: Magician Michael Grandinetti from Masters of Illusion

Transforming a childhood passion into a sustainable living“In my most challenging trick, I’m chained at my wrists, my waist, and my ankles. On both sides of me are walls of foot-long razor-sharp, steel spikes. The spikes are connected to an hourglass. When that hourglass runs out, the spikes release and fly towards me at 50mph. The spikes are set on fire—AND I’m covered in gasoline…”

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INTERVIEW #19: Ashley Byrd of The Hollywood Laugh Factory

What it takes to be a Laugh Factory comedian

“It’s never too late to follow your dreams, even if you think it is. It’s never too late to change your path in life. Don’t do what you think you’re supposed to be doing, do what you want to do. Do what makes you happy…”

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INTERVIEW #18: Comedian Cash Levy of the Cashing In with T.J. Miller podcast

Inside the life of a corporate comedian

“It’s not easy when people say discouraging things about you because you aren’t super famous. But, what other job do people thank you afterwards and tell you that you made them feel better about their day? It’s still a pretty cool job on that level,..”

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INTERVIEW #17: Musician Ali Spagnola, creator of The Power Hour drinking album

The ups and downs of being a ‘drinking games’ recording artist

“The goal was to create a physical object that people would desire. And what better way to do it than to drink out of my album! So the idea of putting the album into a Shot-Glass-USB-drive was born…”

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INTERVIEW #16: Comedian Paul Virzi of the ‘Bill Burr Presents’ comedy tour

Taken under the wing of Bill Burr; how to be a family man and balance a comedy career

“One thing I’ve learned is that you can’t be stopped when you’re undeniable. When you’re UNDENIABLY funny, even when they don’t like you, they have to respect you. That’s the point you want to get to…”

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INTERVIEW #15: Comedian Joe Bartnick of the ‘Bill Burr Presents’ comedy tour

How to network; choosing the right friends; touring advice from Bill Burr & Mitch Hedberg

“What I’ve found is that the GREATEST are the NICEST. ‘Cause they have nothing to sweat. They not fearing you. It’s only the people who are worried about their place and their rank, those are the dicks…”

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INTERVIEW #14: Comedian Yannis Pappas of MTV & Comedy Central

Keys to maintaining longevity in show business; getting struck by lightning

“This is the dream life that everybody wants. Think about how hard that is to attain. It is THE ABSOLUTE DREAM LIFE! So of course it will come with a cost and a price…”

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INTERVIEW #13: Comedian Nore Davis of MTV, Comedy Central, & HBO

Learning from touring with Tracy Morgan; advice on how to turn your hobby into a business

“Never get comfortable. Joan Rivers never felt accomplished—she was 81 and kept going! Always aim higher. The only person standing in your way is yourself. That’s the person you have to be better than.”

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INTERVIEW #12: Comedian Joe Matarese of America’s Got Talent

The dark side of America’s Got Talent; advice from touring with Artie Lange

“The producer warned me, “Be ready, the judges will be tough on you. They’re not gonna laugh.” And I didn’t believe it! If I was the judge of that contest and you make me laugh, I’m gonna laugh! I’m not gonna TRY to give you a blank stare…”

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INTERVIEW #11: Comedian Chris Lamberth of The Mundane Festival podcast

Instilling the type of work ethic that creates art

“You are ALWAYS preparing yourself for the next big thing. When they call your number, can you be excellent? Can you strive for that?”

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INTERVIEW #10: Comedian Sheng Weng of Comedy Central

Learning the craft of comedy

“Find inspiration from all kinds of comedians—even the ones you don’t like. Find inspiration from others, but stay true to yourself…”

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INTERVIEW #9: Comedian J.F. Harris of the Just For Laughs & New York Comedy festivals

How to deal with writer’s block; being a road comic; staying sober in comedy

“For me, I started to do well once I began to not care so much about finding my voice, but rather just being the best version of myself…”

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INTERVIEW #8: Comedian/Actor Ronnie Ray of the Q&A with Ronnie Ray podcast

The only comedian to be on both Playboy-TV & Nickelodeon

“I was on a shows for Playboy-TV called Totally Busted, which was like Punk’d but with nudity. [laughs] It was the best job I had on TV…”

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INTERVIEW #7: Comedian Juan Villareal of BET’s Comic View

Inside the harsh realities of show business; being a family man

“Nobody owes you anything in this game. You gotta work for everything you get. Alotta comics don’t realize that it’s called “Show BUSINESS”. So you gotta take care of both your show and your business…”

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INTERVIEW #6: Comedian Shawn Harris from BET’s Comic View

Mastering the BET audition; keys to being a road comic; the art of networking

“These scouts look for timing, for hesitation—alotta pauses mean you’re thinking, which means you don’t really have it down. They look for a lot of eye contact with the crowd. Some comedians just look straight at the back wall…”

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INTERVIEW #5: Comedian Andy Huggins of America’s Got Talent

How to earn respect from your peers

“The older comics aren’t usually friendly to the younger comics—in the beginning. But over the course of time, after you prove that you’re serious and GOOD, then the veterans become more friendly…”

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INTERVIEW #4: Comedian Rob Mungle of The Whiskey Brothers

Perfecting the craft of building a comedy act

“You wanna be a headliner? Burn the fuckin’ stage down with your performance. Those who come up after you should hafta bring hammer ‘n nails to rebuild the stage. If you act like a headliner, you will be a headliner…”

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INTERVIEW #3: Comedian Slade Ham of The Whiskey Brothers

What it means to be a professional

“Stephen Pressfield says, “Do the work.” It’s that simple. The grind every day pays off. My office at home sees me every single morning whether I want to be there or not…”

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INTERVIEW #2: Comedian Steve Flye of BET’s Comic View

Keys to consistency & longevity in show business

“Ain’t no shortcuts in this game. Gotta have A LOT of patience. You’re in this for the long haul. Gotta stay on your grind…”

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INTERVIEW #1: Comedian John Wessling of The Whiskey Brothers

Stories about the first time doing comedy; Advice for aspiring comics

“What I enjoy most about performing is the pure physical endorphin-laced rush of going up on stage. It’s like time slows down, like you’re in the matrix, or in a video game. You are in full control of yourself and the crowd…”