Achilles' Heel with Alex Hooper

"I embrace the panic." - Larry David

Are you ready to freak the fuck out??? Zach Miller (Hemperor's Comedy) started having serious anxiety as a teenager but had no idea what was happening inside his body. We discuss showing up to work in New York on 9/11, dangerous and healthy coping mechanisms,  the difference between being a comic and a producer, and how rediscovering marijuana later in life was the key to calming his overactive brain. 

Zach runs shows all over SoCal so go follow him and check out his incredible productions. 

Follow Zach: @zachmillerdawg

www.thezachmiller.com

"I'm terrified of passive acquiescence. I live in intensity." -Virginia Woolf

Hold onto your butts. Mike Grimm and I have known each other inside and out for over twenty years and we both run off of high-octane jet fuel. We discuss how our friendship started as an attempt to save me from hell, his curiosity for learning new skills, how not to be an actor in LA, building technology from scratch, and how our energies have combined to create an unstoppable force of love, laughter, and fun.

Mike and I have given each other the best parts of ourselves and together we have both become better humans. His willingness to infect other people with his beautiful spirit is an inspiration to everyone. Enjoy it. 

 

Follow Mike: @thismikegrimm

"Its a well-known fact tall people are evil." -Kevin Hart

Look up, everyone! Australian Jill-of-all-Trades Sarah Lawrence (Australia's Next Top Model, The Laugh Factory) looms over me to discuss the thin air she breathes as she towers over 99% of other women. We also broach how to get kicked off of a reality TV show, trying to blend in amongst the crowd, and how one phrase from your parents can lead to years of therapy. 

Sarah is a comedian, DJ, and model. But all she really wants is to be normal in a world where she constantly stands out. 

Follow Sarah:  @thesarahlawrence

"As soon as you trust yourself, you will know how to live." - Goethe

We all have moments where we second-guess our decisions, but what if your entire life was spent worrying about those repercussions. Teresa Lee (Late night with Lilly Singh, New album: We're Still Doing This) joins the virtual space to trade moments of honesty. We discuss what it took to come out as queer, expressing yourself within social boundaries, living with your identical twin, and how trauma therapy will force you to deal with your darkest issues. 

Teresa is a brilliant stand up comedian, writer, and podcaster. Go follow her on all the things.

Follow Teresa: @Teresaleebot

www.teresaleecomedy.com

Album: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1dvXDDWgUOhyTc4xO7Dv7b

"I'm like a fucking old machine. You don't wanna shut me off or I might not start back up again." 

Put on your rainbow space suits and prepare to be transported through a magical wormhole. On episode 100, Lee Reynolds (Desert Hearts, The Most Interesting Man in the World) joins me to expand consciousness and have a brief insight as to how he became the hardest partying grandfather to ever get behind the decks. From his career in BMX to touring the world playing music, satisfying multiple wives and partners, discovering a plethora of mind-altering substances;  and all the while trying to unite the world through a message of love and community. Lee is everything the universe has to offer wrapped up in a beautiful British package. 

We go deep in this one. Honest moments combined with hilarious jokes and revelations. For anyone that has ever wondered what makes this legend tick, your answers are contained within. Go fucking nuts.

Follow Lee: @leereynoldsmusic

www.deserthearts.us

"The world worries more about disability than disabled people do." -Warwick Davis

Prepare to be busted open in every way possible. Crystal Rivers has been in the entertainment industry for over twenty years but the last six have been anything but easy. A litany of medical problems have resulted in  her going from training for olympic level gymnastics to multiple hospital visits and now a wheelchair. We discuss her brutal upbringing, various psychological and drug treatments, how Hollywood is learning about inclusion, and why losing the use of her legs isn't going to stop her from accomplishing her dreams.

This episode is a rollercoaster. We laugh. We cry. We share personal outrage. Crystal regales her life story with courage and openness, revealing details that many of her closest friends don't know. I can't express how impressed I am by this amazing human being. 

Follow Crystal: crystal_rivers_

"Don't let that chip on your shoulder be your only reason for walking erect." - James Thurber

Get your balm ready. Two Roast Battle Champions are about to throw heat. Frank Castillo (Comedy Central, Joe Rogan Experience) is carrying serious emotional weight on his back. Family members treating him like an outsider, being rejected for jobs after one of the biggest moments of his life, and why you have to escape from San Jose.

Frank is a fantastic comedian, friend, and a mediocre husband. Follow him on all the things.

@frankcastillo

@peakdtv

"There is no sunrise so beautiful that it is worth waking me up to see it." -Mindy Kaling

WAKE UP AND BREATHE OR YOU WILL DIE. It's a snoozing good time this week as Pallavi Gunalan (Lovett or Leave it, Facial Recognition Comedy) purposefully opens her throat to break down her complicated relationship with sleep. From bioengineering at Cal Tech and Carnegie Mellon to the dirty comedy streets, Pallavi has associated herself with all sorts of interesting characters. We discuss the relationship between lack of sleep and depression, the need for personal forgiveness, and why carrying vials of AIDS-filled blood in your purse is a recipe for disaster. Ya think???

Pallavi is a brilliant young comedian who can and will do anything she can to make the world a better place for everyone. Selfless, hilarious, and full of heart. I can't wait to see how far she goes.

Follow Pallavi: @pallavigunalan

www.pallavigunalan.com

"Anyone who has struggled with poverty knows how extremely expensive it is to be poor." -James Baldwin

Smoke em' if you got em' cuz my guest this week is no stranger to getting high even while his riches are running low. Ramon Rivas II (HBO, Netflix) is a master of DIY when it comes to comedy, producing, making money, and relationships. We explore the connection between financial and emotional poverty, the importance of giving back to the people and places that made you, and why being quiet can often be perceived as rude, even if you are anything but. 

Ramon is a brilliant comic and a wonderful friend. His insights as to how you can live well on a mediocre budget are inspiring. Now go listen to his albums so he gets that streaming dough!

Follow Ramon: @blazerramon

www.blazerramon.com

"It's nothing personal, but I'm going to kill this guy." -Mike Tyson

She knows it's one of the Four Agreements, but that doesn't stop Sam Jones (Creative Director-Viacom) from letting other people's attitudes and choices infect her life. From her new home in the Catskills, we discuss getting kicked out of private school, the need for diversity in your life, and why cancel culture is the ultimate form of her Achilles' Heel. 

Sam and I have a great flow and a very similar attitude toward life and style. Our chemistry is obvious from the minute we begin. Enjoy it!

Follow Sam: @therealsamjones