Behind The Bits with Scott Curtis

My hometown club is reopening in a new location. The Drop Comedy Club has a new home at the Aloft Hotel in Downtown South Bend, IN. I talked to Heather O’Laughlin & Jim Kliss, two of the partners in at The Drop about the reopening and having the great Stewart Huff kick off opening weekend as their headliner. Comedy clubs and comedians have really suffered this past year and it’s great to see the club where I started my open mic journey coming back to life. Make sure to support The Drop if you’re local and if you’re not, support your local club. The club and the comics really need it.

You can check out The Drop’s new location and get tickets for upcoming shows here:

http://www.thedropcomedyclub.com/index.html

Here’s the BTB Internet Talk Show Twitch Channel I told you about at the top of the episode. Check out all their great shows!

https://www.twitch.tv/drinksjokesnstorytelling

If you'd like to support the show and get some cool perks, check out our Patreon page:

https://www.patreon.com/btbpc

Look for new stuff for Patrons soon!

Head over to the Behind the Bits website for extra content:

https://www.thebtbpc.com/

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One of New York City’s top comedians. Born in Springfield, Massachusetts. Wali was and still is an accomplished drummer. Wali has played in R&B, Pop, Funk and Jazz bands. And he was the youngest to ever join the New England Jazz Society.

After College, Wali was working on being the best Architect New England has ever known. But the calling for show business was too strong. He played in bands, did session work, but that wasn’t enough. He needed more.

Always having a keen sense of humor, his parents urged him to try stand-up comedy. His first time on stage Wali was convinced that he had bombed, but the manager paid him and asked him to come back every week as a featured act. Wali Collins has been going strong ever since. Wali moved to New York City to work on a show for Comedy Central called “Stand-up Stand-up”. He hosted the largest funniest, most varied collection of stand-up comedians in the world.

He also landed small roles in films like the independent feature, "Submission", starring Stanley Tucci and Chris Rock's "Top Five". And in the "cult" classic, “Coyote Ugly”.

Check out Wali in the hit Netflix series, "The Get Down" and Hulu's, "Difficult People".

Wali has appeared in over 50 national and international television commercials.

Wali is one of the most sought after comedians for corporate events. His clean and clever style plus his quick wit awards him to host and or perform for major companies like PepsiCO, Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, GameStop, L'Oréal, Motorola, Verizon and Buick.

Wali's unique talents landed him the opportunity to work with presidents Bush and Obama and first lady, Michelle Obama.

Enjoy Wali's YouTube channel called, "WAIT. WHAT?! with Wali. It's a compilation of videos and photos that are going to make you rethink about the world we live in.

You can check out Wali’s next project here:

https://www.walicollins.com/

Here’s the BTB Internet Talk Show Twitch Channel I told you about at the top of the episode. Check out all their great shows!

https://www.twitch.tv/drinksjokesnstorytelling

If you'd like to support the show and get some cool perks, check out our Patreon page:

https://www.patreon.com/btbpc

Look for new stuff for Patrons soon!

Head over to the Behind the Bits website for extra content:

https://www.thebtbpc.com/

Get on our mailing list for news about future guests and more great content:

https://www.thebtbpc.com/p/mailing-list/

Thank you for listening!

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April thought she had finally found Mr. Right and became engaged after just three dates with the man of her dreams. However, her fiancé became increasingly jealous of her 16 ventriloquist puppets that she uses in her one-woman touring show. In less than a year, he gave her an ultimatum: “It’s either me or your puppets!”

The British tabloid “The Daily Mail” ignited a firestorm of press coverage for April Brucker with a feature story headlined, “Ventriloquist who splashes out £134,000 a year on her 16 PUPPETS that even have their own bedroom dumps her fiancé after he tells her, ‘It’s them or me!’”

The story spread internationally thanks to dozens of foreign newspapers and magazines and went viral on the Web. And then came obsessed suitors from all over the world. Now her dating resume includes stalkers, ex-cons and of course restraining orders. Police sirens often accompany April when she is breaking up with an obsessed suitor.

April isn’t asking for the moon. She doesn’t want a doctor, lawyer, or Native American chieftain. Nope, those are pipe dreams her mother told her to abandon long ago: “Sweetie, just remember people don’t want to break up with you.” April Brucker just wants a dude who can put up with 16 puppet children, a closet full of costumes, boxes of books and comics and her love for non-fiction history documentaries and pretzels. If you can deal with those things, you are Mr. Okay and maybe your one arrest and partial lobotomy just may be okay, too.

April earned her BFA in Acting in 2007 from New York University Tisch School of the Arts and in 2019 was awarded an MFA in Creative Writing/Screenwriting from Antioch University Los Angeles. She has been a volunteer advocate for HIV/AIDS awareness, LGBTQ+ rights, cervical cancer awareness, anti-bullying, domestic violence prevention and body positivity. She has authored "Don't Read My Lips! — America's Foremost Female Ventriloquist Reveals the Secrets of a Successful Vent" (ISBN: 0984208585) and “I Came, I Saw, I Sang: Memoirs of a Singing Telegram Delivery Girl” (ISBN 0741477939), which are available from bookstores and online retailers.

April currently is appearing as the special guest star in "BurlesQ," an all-female review at Alexis Park Resort Las Vegas.

Find out what April is up to here:

http://www.aprilbrucker.tv

Here’s the link for the great BHHCast I talked about in this episode:

https://podcast.bhhcast.com/

Make sure to check out HighBrow Drivel on all the podcast apps and their website:

https://www.highbrowdrivel.com/

Aaron has cerebral palsy and is a professionally-trained personal trainer, as well as a former international basketball player and world champion powerlifter.

If you'd like to support the show and get some cool perks, check out our Patreon page:

https://www.patreon.com/btbpc

Look for new stuff for Patrons soon!

Head over to the Behind the Bits website for extra content:

https://www.thebtbpc.com/

Get on our mailing list for news about future guests and more great content:

https://www.thebtbpc.com/p/mailing-list/

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Aaron Simmonds was a BBC New Comedy Award finalist in 2017. He also won Jewish Comedian Of The Year in the same year. His credits include The Stand Up Sketch Show (ITV2), BBC At The Edinburgh Festivals (BBC Two), The Edinburgh Show (BBC Scotland), BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra’s Unexpected Fluids podcast and Laura Whitmore’s Sunday Session (BBC Radio 5 Live). He’s also been seen and heard on BBC Three and BBC Radio 4 Extra, and has appeared in a BBC Quickie with Brennan Reece and Rosie Jones.

Aaron performed his critically-acclaimed debut show, Disabled Coconut, at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2019. He reached the final of the Amused Moose Comedy Award competition for best show and was nominated for Best Comedy Show in the Broadway World UK Edinburgh Fringe Awards. He also performed a work-in-progress show called, Aaron Simmonds And The Person That He Loves, at the 2018 Edinburgh Fringe. Aaron has performed at the Great Yorkshire Fringe, Bedfringe, Guildford Fringe, Offbeat Festival, Leicester Comedy Festival and Nottingham Comedy Festival as well as at comedy clubs around the UK including The Comedy Store (Manchester), Glee, Just The Tonic, Hilarity Bites and Funhouse Comedy.

Aaron and I talked about his love for comedy from an early age and the differences in British & American comedy among many other things.

Check out booking info for Aaron here:

https://www.andrewroachtalent.com/aaron-simmonds/

Make sure too check out HighBrow Drivel on all the podcast apps and their website:

https://www.highbrowdrivel.com/

Aaron has cerebral palsy and is a professionally-trained personal trainer, as well as a former international basketball player and world champion powerlifter.

If you'd like to support the show and get some cool perks, check out our Patreon page:

https://www.patreon.com/btbpc

Look for new stuff for Patrons soon!

Head over to the Behind the Bits website for extra content:

https://www.thebtbpc.com/

Get on our mailing list for news about future guests and more great content:

https://www.thebtbpc.com/p/mailing-list/

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Corey Ryan Forrester’s love for comedy started when he was a toddler watching Carson (and then Leno) from a blanket on the floor next to his daddy Dale. By 2nd grade, he had already informed his teachers that he was going to be a comedian and didn’t ever consider another profession. At age 16, he worked up the nerve to do his first open mic (lying about his age to be admitted into the club).

Corey spent the next decade hawking jokes in dingy bars and comedy clubs at night then waking up to do random jobs to supplement his income. A house painter, retail associate, motorcycle salesman, urine sample collector, flower delivery boy, hotel maid, college textbook reseller and hay bailer. At one point in his career, he ran a family bakery with his mother where he was considered the “Head Quiche Chef”.

Corey’s stand up blends humor and common sense into a high energy act that is as full of as many silly faces and goofy jokes as it is emotionally driven tangents. Under his PBR hat is a giant head, and under that are surprisingly thought-provoking rants on society, culture, and politics.

Corey & I talked about stand-up comedy which made him very happy. The journey he started when he was 16 writing bits on MySpace and has taken him to an international audience has been quite a ride.

I talked about Live From Detroit The Jeff Dwoskin Show. Make sure you check it out.

https://jeffisfunny.com/

I talked to Robert G Lee about is upcoming comedy class. I’m taking the class and am very excited to learn from Robert. Shoot him and email to [email protected] if you would like more info

If you'd like to support the show and get some cool perks, check out our Patreon page:

https://www.patreon.com/btbpc

Look for new stuff for Patrons soon!

Head over to the Behind the Bits website for extra content:

https://www.thebtbpc.com/

Get on our mailing list for news about future guests and more great content:

https://www.thebtbpc.com/p/mailing-list/

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Ben Sorensen started putting on his own vaudeville style shows in Australia as a teen. He found out his keen sense of humor and natural ability at marketing made him a great all-around entertainer and spokesperson. Ben has found himself emceeing large events, hosting popular trivia shows, and helping businesses market themselves in unique ways. Ben found out about his autism later in life. Now he’s added autism/Asperger’s consulting to consulting toolbox along with social media, conscious kindness, & marketing.

Ben and I talked about marketing yourself, making a plan in order to do what you love as a vocation, and living in the moment. Oh, and coffee!

Check out Ben here:

https://www.bensorensen1.com/

I talked about The Art of Bombing Podcast with Dan Bublitz. It’s on my must-listen list if you want to now more about stand-up. Listen here:

https://www.artofbombingpod.com/

If you’d like a unique way to advertise your product or service or would like to make some money with your podcast, check out Podcorn here:

https://podcorn.com/podcasters/

If you'd like to support the show and get some cool perks, check out our Patreon page:

https://www.patreon.com/btbpc

Look for new stuff for Patrons soon!

Head over to the Behind the Bits website for extra content:

https://www.thebtbpc.com/

Get on our mailing list for news about future guests and more great content:

https://www.thebtbpc.com/p/mailing-list/

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Leighann Lord has been performing comedy in all parts of the globe for 25 years. She also has the distinction of being and actor, author, & keynote speaker. Leighann graduated Magnum Cum Laude from Baruch College with a degree in Creative Writing & Journalism. From there, she chose to pursue a career in stand-up comedy. She has received the NYC Black Comedy Award for “Most Thought-Provoking Black Female Comics” and for two consecutive years, Leighann was Harlem Week’s official comedian. The only other comedian to achieve that honor was Richard Pryor.

You’ve heard Leighann Lord on Sirius Radio, Girls Night Out on Lifetime, & Comedy Central’s Premium Blend.

Get all the info on Lieghann Lord here:

http://www.veryfunnylady.com/

I talked about Quantum Week Podcast at the start of the episode. Chris & his partner, Matt do a great job talking about the top movies, music, & news from a particular week. This is a great show and highly recommended. Check out on all the apps and here:

https://quantum-week.com/

If you'd like to support the show and get some cool perks, check out our Patreon page:

https://www.patreon.com/btbpc

Look for new stuff for Patrons soon!

Head over to the Behind the Bits website for extra content:

https://www.thebtbpc.com/

Get on our mailing list for news about future guests and more great content:

https://www.thebtbpc.com/p/mailing-list/

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Born into a biracial family, Collin quickly realized he had to embrace diversity or go crazy. Choosing the former (the jury’s still out on the crazy part), he learned to make fun of his differences while developing a unique brand of standup. Collin’s humor manages to artfully touch on areas usually considered taboo, letting him cover topics that most are afraid to tackle. His level of skill led to the honor of being selected for TEDxSaltLakeCity 2018 as the expert to speak on comedy.

Since hitting his first open mic at Seattle’s Comedy Underground when he was barely 17, Collin has come a long way. His unique adoption of dark comedy has allowed him to perform across North America and Europe at clubs, colleges, and even a stadium. His humor proves irresistible to audiences, earning him a position as Niantic’s lead live broadcaster for 2016, as well as a nomination as one of Utah’s top comedians, and various other accolades.

Whether talking at the Capitol as a featured speaker at the “Walk of No Shame” against sexual assault, or on the stage at Kingsbury Hall discussing joking about trauma, Collin uses over a decade of experience as a nationally touring standup comedian to make the audience laugh, uplifting and inspiring even when talking about even some of the darkest and most controversial topics.

His current nationally touring comedy show discusses his personal experiences as a sexual assault and suicide survivor in a way that made The Daily Utah Chronicle Say “All of us loved it.”. And the owner of the WIP theater in Chicago highly recommends it saying “Collin’s show is one of the best dark comedy shows you’ll ever see”

Paul & I had a very serious discussion on depression & suicide in the comedy community. Collin was able to give some statistics that are staggering. This episode is important.

Get all the info on Collin Williams here:

https://comiccollin.com/

Check out Collin’s Tedx Talk “How Comedy Can Save Someone’s Life”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VD4p8rZPbdM

Collin talked about Peer Support Space as great resource for people who need mental health assistance:

https://peersupportspace.org/

I talked with Chris Klemmer from Quantum Week Podcast at the start of the episode. Chris & his partner, Matt do a great job talking about the top movies, music, & news from a particular week. This is a great show and highly recommended. Check out on all the apps and here:

https://quantum-week.com/

If you'd like to support the show and get some cool perks, check out our Patreon page:

https://www.patreon.com/btbpc

Look for new stuff for Patrons soon!

Head over to the Behind the Bits website for extra content:

https://www.thebtbpc.com/

Get on our mailing list for news about future guests and more great content:

https://www.thebtbpc.com/p/mailing-list/

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Chicago based Paul Farahvar has continued to delight audiences with his self-deprecating dry humor, centered on being a single son of disappointed middle eastern parents. After becoming a regular at Chicago stand up clubs like Zanies, Comedy Bar and Laugh Factory, Farahvar was given the rare opportunity to host and produce his own monthly (now weekly) called "Drink Date Laugh" about dating and a comedic game show called "Everyone's a Lawyer" both at the World Famous Laugh Factory. He also regularly tours the country as a headliner and opening for national headliners Demetri Martin, Jen Kirkman and Gary Gulman.

Farahvar currently performs regularly at Laugh Factory (Chicago, Las Vegas, Hollywood), Zanies (Chicago, Rosemont, and St. Charles), House of Comedy (Phoenix, Minnesota), Skyline Comedy Club (Wisconsin and Tacoma), Comedy Club on State, Comedy Bar (Chicago) and McCurdys (Florida). He is also the host of the Podcasts SINGLES ONLY! and MAKE US A MIX TAPE (iTunes, Laugh Factory Channel, Sticher) and a guest host on WGN Radio. He played "Karam Haddad" on NBC's "Chicago Med" in 2017.

Paul and I talked about leaving his job as an attorney to pursue comedy full time, the Chicago comedy scene, and inventive ways he made his hosting duties fun and unique.

Check out Paul here:

https://www.paulfcomedy.com/

If you enjoy going to a great, classic play and like podcasts, Standby For Places is a great place to get your fix. Standby For Places is a group of professional actors & directors who produce great plays like “Woyzeck” & “The Importance of Being Earnest” especially for your earbuds. This is like old time radio with classic plays instead of Jack Benny. It’s a good one! Check out Standby For Places on all the apps and here:

https://sites.google.com/standbyforplaces.org/standbyforplaces/home/?fbclid=IwAR30gEPll9VsJLg7Bo7V_4hGIANZiSFVDrmkrdj2Ydaw8AlTAUgo0ZnNJJc

If you'd like to support the show and get some cool perks, check out our Patreon page:

https://www.patreon.com/btbpc

Look for new stuff for Patrons soon!

Head over to the Behind the Bits website for extra content and get on the mailing list while your there

https://www.thebtbpc.com/

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Comedian Gabe Kea's unbridled enthusiasm for entertaining audiences is what truly sets him apart. With a personality as big as his 6'5" frame, Gabe melds well-crafted jokes with his comedic physicality to create an unforgettable show.

Gabe spent his youth living in both the US and Canada and found his love for performing in St. Louis. Currently residing in Cincinnati, OH, Gabe can be found performing at comedy clubs throughout the country. He has been featured in the Limestone Comedy Festival in Bloomington IN, Gilda's Laugh Fest in Grand Rapids MI, and The Laughing Skull Comedy Festival in Atlanta GA. Gabe has shared the spotlight as an opener for Joel McHale, Nikki Glaser, Bert Kreisher, Joey Diaz, Russell Peters, & Dave Chappelle. He is a frequent guest on the nationally syndicated Bob & Tom Show. His debut album “Dumber Than a Fish” is available on iTunes, Spotify, Apple Music, & Amazon. Several tracks from that album can be heard on Raw Dog Comedy, Laugh USA, & Comedy Roundup via Sirius XM radio.

Gabe and I talked about his unique style and his conservative upbringing. We also discussed the work it takes to release and album.

Check out Gabe's website to follow & purchase his album "Dumber Than a Fish"

Gabe Kea

I talked to Tim Beisiegel from Funny Science Fiction Podcast. It's a great show for sci-fi fans.

https://open.spotify.com/show/1dG08hjRnA6YHwHcfCHmmg?si=3tegME1vQmO1V1ToUZNtXw

I talked to Frank Duran from The Warped Shelf Podcast. Check out Galaxy of Geek for all things geek!

https://galaxyofgeek.com/

If you'd like to support the show and get some cool perks, check out our Patreon page:

BTB Patreon

If you like the show, you can follow us on social media! Isn't that great!

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram

And..if you want to see some of my comedy, you can check out my YouTube Channel and heck, maybe subscribe!

BTB YouTube

Please give us a review on Apple Podcasts & Stitcher! It's really easy and helps us get heard!

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