Bingel's Smorgasbord

On this episode, we welcome up and coming puppeteer Skorpio Smith! Skorpio has only been puppeteering for 9 months, but his expertise would make you believe he's been doing this for years!

We talk about the biggest misconceptions of puppetry and tips on being authentic on social media and public performance. Plus, we emphasize the value of the global puppetry community, especially from the UK and Australia.

Plus, you'll see lots of puppets, mainly to demonstrate improv skills, vocal technique and the physical demand of bringing characters to life.

It's a whole lesson in the artistry and technicalities of puppetry on this episode of Bingel's Smorgasbord!

On this episode, we welcome Frankie Sartori! Frankie's a daycare teacher!

We talk a lot about VHS tapes, Disney Sing Along Songs and meeting puppeteer Noel MacNeal! Plus, you'll also learn about Frankie's original job trajectory before he became a teacher, it may surprise you! And speaking of teaching, you'll also hear Frankie tell stories about helping children reach milestones that they never did before, and how rewarding it is, not just for the child, but for the teacher as well.

You'll learn about the Big Bad Wolf's real name, along with other fun facts that Frankie knows!

Plus, Frankie talks about mental health and the biggest, easiest misconception of mental health.

You've seen the crew separately! Now see them together!

To officially conclude our Meet the Crew series, we've invited everyone! We've brought back Andi Cohen, Matt Hammer & Gary Roof Jr., plus we welcome our dear friend, puppeteer, artist and content creator Alix Arrigo!

This conversation goes all sorts of routes, including: favorite (semi-appropriate) quotes, a deep dive into pitcher Jacob Misiorowski’s high-velocity pitches (and his recent complete game shutout), judging markers and regional names for food, specifically how "Long Johns" in the Midwest are called "donut sticks" in other areas! Matt Bingel also shares anecdotes about his brother Michael, known for giving "yes or no" answers (mainly yes, 97% of the time). Also, Matt shows off a handmade birthday card that Alix made (yes, handmade) and you'll get to meet Matt's main puppet, Marty Monster, and Alix's main puppet, Terrance!

FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM

The Smorsgasbord Page: https://www.instagram.com/bingelssmorgasbord/

Alix's page: https://www.instagram.com/alixthequeenfluffy314/

We conclude our Meet The Crew series on this episode as we welcome Gary Roof Jr.! Gary is our comic relief! On this episode, we discuss the Cubs winning it all in 2016, from Gary's perspective, and how Matt Hammer and Gary met in person! Plus, you'll also hear about Matt's twin brother and his fixations. Finally, you'll hear some of Gary's favorite things he's said out of the blue, including wanting to go to West Africa solely to pet a giraffe!

And you'll also hear our pitch for an elderly baseball league. Why? We still don't know.

Continuing with our Meet The Crew series, we welcome Matt Hammer, co-manager!

On this episode, we discuss a smorgasbord (quite literally) of sports, TV history, and behind the scenes stories.

Chicago Cubs Lore: We discuss how thrilling it was to finally see the Chicago Cubs win it all in 2016 after 108 years, plus a look back at the close call that was the 1984 season.

The Mets' historical losing streak: A breakdown of the New York Mets', truly, mind-boggling 12-game losing streak (Sorry Mets fans, we were just as baffled as you)

The Return of NBC Sports: Our thoughts on NBC Sports returning to baseball and basketball coverage, including the return of John Tesh's iconic 1990 theme, "Roundball Rock."

Survivor Mania: A deep dive into the cultural phenomenon of Survivor, from the staggering 51 million viewers who tuned into the Season 1 finale in August of 2000, to a modern debate: How well would the show survive if it moved solely to streaming?

Behind the Scenes: Matt Hammer turns the tables and asks Matt about his twin brother and what they like to do together!

There's lot of tracks to go through on this episode of Bingel's Smörgåsbord, just listen and dive right in!

On this episode, we kick off our "Meet the Crew" series! We welcome Andi Cohen, who is a Production Manager for the podcast!

You'll hear all about their vision for the podcast, and you'll also learn about Chiari malformation, Dissociative Identity Disorder, plus you'll hear the true story of how Andi and their friend got lost and accidentally found their group again! Finally, hear the wild question that Andi has for Matt! You'll know all about Matt & Andi's vibe as part of the Meet The Crew series!

Welcome to the Smorgasbord, come on in and grab a seat! On this premiere episode, our host, Matt Bingel, introduces himself and the vision for his podcast as a space for open conversation and storytelling where guests can discuss their professional path and career as well as whatever they want to talk about! Matt explains that the podcast will feature both entertainment industry pros and "regular people" to highlight the variety inherent in life, hence the Smorgasbord vibe.

Plus, Matt shares his personal history, including his background in accounting, his love for classic game shows, and his deep connection to the puppetry community.