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Episode #387

2026 Moontower Comedy Festival Series Our favorite time of year as we bring you voices from Moontower Comedy Festival before, during, and after the festival! Legendary comedian Yakov Smirnoff talks with Valerie Lopez about

• Leaving the USSR in 1977 and building a legendary comedy career through sheer luck and timing.
• How his iconic "What a country!" persona helped humanize Russians for Americans during Cold War tensions.
• Earning a PhD in Psychology and studying laughter's powerful role in relationships and marriage.
• Performing at Moontower at 75, eyeing a "Yakov 2.0" era, and a possible Netflix documentary.

Recorded April 2026 during Moontower Comedy Festival from Stephen F. Austin Lounge

Follow Yakov

• Website - yakov.com
• TikTok - @yakov_smirnoff
• YouTube - youtube.com/@YakovSmirnoff
• Instagram - @yakov_smirnoff
• Facebook - facebook.com/Yakov.Smirnoff.Comedian
• X - @Yakov_Smirnoff

Yakov can be seen and heard:

• Clean Comedy Wave Tour
  • May 29-30, 2026 - Kenosha Comedy Club, Kenosha, Wisconsin - Tickets
• Yakov's Theater: Branson, Missouri
• The Comedy Couch Podcast
• Happily Ever Laughter - Comedy Special
• Night Court

Follow @ComedyWham on Instagram, Facebook, Youtube, Twitch, and Tiktok If you'd like to support our independent podcast, check out our Patreon page at: Patreon.com/comedywham . You can also support us on Venmo - just search for ComedyWham.

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Episode #386

2026 Moontower Comedy Festival Series Our favorite time of year as we bring you voices from Moontower Comedy Festival before, during, and after the festival! Cathy Ladman talks with Valerie Lopez about

• Walking through fear for 45 years and why courageous best describes her past
• The golden and gritty days of the 80s New York comedy scene and her legendary peers
• Navigating Hollywood as a woman, from sexist bookers to a TV Guide critic she outlasted
• Coaching comics, booking Bill Hader's new film, and why she is absolutely not done yet

Recorded April 2026 during Moontower Comedy Festival from Stephen F. Austin Lounge

Follow Cathy

• Website - cathyladman.com
• TikTok - @cathyladman
• YouTube - youtube.com/CathyLadman
• Instagram - @cathyladman1
• Facebook - facebook.com/cladman
• X - @CathyLadman

Cathy can be seen and heard:

• I Have No One to Blame But Myself Tour
  • July 11 at Mahaiwe Theatre, Great Barrington, MA Tickets
  • July 30 at Emelin Theatre, Mamaroneck, NY Tickets
• Appearing in Bill Hader's "They Know" movie
• The Tonight Show - 10 times with Jimmy Fallon, Jay Leno, and Johnny Carson
• The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson - 6 times
• "One Night Stand" - HBO Special (1991)
• Curb Your Enthusiasm, How to Get Away with Murder, I'm Dying Up Here, Dr. Katz Professional Therapist
• Writer on "Roseanne" and "Caroline in the City"
• The Three Stoogettes

Follow @ComedyWham on Instagram, Facebook, Youtube, Twitch, and Tiktok If you'd like to support our independent podcast, check out our Patreon page at: Patreon.com/comedywham . You can also support us on Venmo - just search for ComedyWham.

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Episode #385

2026 Moontower Comedy Festival Series Our favorite time of year as we bring you voices from Moontower Comedy Festival before, during, and after the festival! Mia Jackson talks with Valerie Lopez about

• How a room full of strangers at an open mic launched her comedy career
• Getting fired from her day job and landing on TV the very next week
• The Popeyes biscuit incident that accidentally became her most beloved bit
• Writing for award shows, optioning a pilot, and headlining after her Comedy Central special

Recorded April 2026 during Moontower Comedy Festival from Stephen F. Austin Lounge

Follow Mia

• Website - miajackson.com
• Linktree - linktr.ee/miacomedy
• YouTube - youtube.com/miacomedy
• Instagram - @miacomedy
• Facebook - facebook.com/ComedianMiaJackson
• X - @miacomedy

Mia can be seen and heard:

• May 15, 2026, Laurel Athletic Club: Tickets
• Half Hour Special Comedy Central
• Don't Tell Comedy Special
• Nateland Presents: The Showcase Special
• This Week at the Comedy Cellar Special

Follow @ComedyWham on Instagram, Facebook, Youtube, Twitch, and Tiktok If you'd like to support our independent podcast, check out our Patreon page at: Patreon.com/comedywham . You can also support us on Venmo - just search for ComedyWham.

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Episode #384

2026 Moontower Comedy Festival Series

Our favorite time of year as we bring you voices from Moontower Comedy Festival before, during, and after the festival! Jeremiah Watkins (Volume 9) talks with Valerie Lopez about

• Writing and directing his first feature film based on the Trailer Tales podcast universe.
• His upcoming special Crazy Pizza and navigating a very oversaturated distribution market.
• Losing beloved Comedy Store comedian Alex Duong and what his legacy meant to the community.
• A life-changing deal that collapsed overnight and why he still considers himself flush with dessert.

Recorded April 2026 during Moontower Comedy Festival from Stephen F. Austin Lounge

Follow Jeremiah

• Website
  • Jeremiah Watkins - www.JeremiahWatkins.com
  • Thousand Percent - thousand-percent.com
• X - @jeremiahstandup
• Instagram
  • Jeremiah Watkins - @jeremiahstandup
  • Trailer Tales - @trailertalespod
  • Red Fuzzy Rug - @redfuzzyrug
• Facebook - Facebook.com/Jeremiah.Watkins
• Youtube
  • Jeremiah Watkins - Youtube.com/@jeremiahwatkins
  • Stand-up on the Spot - Youtube.com/@standupots
  • Trailer Tales / Scissor Bros - Youtube.com/@TrailerTalesPod or Youtube.com/@ScissorBros
  • Red Fuzzy Rug - Youtube.com/@RedFuzzyRug
  • Jeremiah Wonders - Youtube.com/@JeremiahWonders

Jeremiah can be seen and heard:

• Specials
  • Latest Special: Jeremiah Watkins: Daddy
  • Debut Special: Jeremiah Watkins: Family Reunion (Amazon, Google Play, Apple TV)
• Podcasts (available on Youtube and your favorite podcast player)
  • Trailer Tales
  • The Scissor Bros
  • Jeremiah Wonders
  • The Building Years
• Album - Regan and Watkins (2019)
• Hosted Shows - Stand-up on the Spot at The Comedy Store and around the country
• Previous appearances on our podcast
  • Jeremiah Watkins: "You're the Best" (2017)
  • Jeremiah Watkins Returns, 2018 Moontower Series (2018)
  • The State of Jeremiah Watkins (2019)
  • Checking in With Jeremiah Watkins: From Father to Bros (2021)
  • Jeremiah Watkins: Still the Best (2022)
  • Jeremiah Watkins: It's Daddy Time Again (2023)
  • Jeremiah Watkins Checks In, Volume 7 (2024)
  • Jeremiah Watkins (Volume 8) (2025)

Follow @ComedyWham on Instagram, Facebook, Youtube, Twitch, and Tiktok If you'd like to support our independent podcast, check out our Patreon page at: Patreon.com/comedywham . You can also support us on Venmo - just search for ComedyWham.

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Episode #383

2026 Moontower Comedy Festival Series

Our favorite time of year as we bring you voices from Moontower Comedy Festival before, during, and after the festival! We bring you another Austin resident making his Moontower debut! Fast Ronald talks with Valerie Lopez about

• His layered background — culinary school and LA open mics — all feeds directly into his deeply personal comedy style
• Nearly quitting stand-up before a pandemic-era deep dive into storytelling helped him unlock his natural deadpan voice
• His debut special Flex Your Head, filmed at The Parish in Austin, now streaming on YouTube
• His last-minute entry in the Cap City Comedy Club Funniest Person in Austin contest, almost skipping his performance night, and how that FPIA appearance helped him land his 2026 Moontower Comedy Festival debut.

Recorded March 2026 at Fallout Theater Podcast Studio

Follow Fast Ronald

• Website - whatisfastronald.com
• YouTube - youtube.com/@FastRonaldComedy
• Instagram - @itsfastronald
• Facebook - www.facebook.com/ItsFastRonald

Fast Ronald can be seen and heard:

• Flex Your Head Comedy Special - Watch
• 2026 Moontower Comedy Festival - April 7 – 18, 2026

Follow @ComedyWham on Instagram, Facebook, Youtube, Twitch, and Tiktok If you'd like to support our independent podcast, check out our Patreon page at: Patreon.com/comedywham . You can also support us on Venmo - just search for ComedyWham.

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Episode #382

2026 Moontower Comedy Festival Series Our favorite time of year as we bring you voices from Moontower Comedy Festival before, during, and after the festival! Tracey Schultz and Sam Peirce talk with Valerie Lopez about

• Tracey's unbridled excitement at seeing Yakov Smirnoff on this year's lineup
• Sam's viewing schedule finally making way to join the Stamptown fan club
• Valerie's excitement that Fallout Theater is getting to host a whole slate of shows
• Legendary headliner shows: Albert Brooks, Yakov Smirnoff, and Marc Maron
• The Stamptown Universe: Zach Zucker helms Stamptown and is premiering his comedy special by his alias Jack Tucker.
• Club shows: Favorites like Surrounded, Standup on the Spot, Tag It, GDCJ return
• Locals events: Several first timers to the fest get their glow up, Andy Huggins returns, Dylan Carlino takes over Higbies, and Angelina Martin's Slide in the DMs is ready to shine!
• Grab Bag of shows to catch: Caroline Rhea, Uly Morazan, and Cathy Ladman
• Everyone and everything you MUST see this year!

Recorded March 2026 at Fallout Theater Podcast Studio

2026 Moontower Comedy Festival

Next Dates

• Headliner Shows: April 7th to 18th
• Club Weekend: April 15th to 18th

Web: moontowercomedy.com

• Individual Show Tickets and Badges available

Instagram: @MoontowerComedy

Follow Sam Peirce

• Website - samqpeirce.com
• Linktr.ee - linktr.ee/samqpeirce
• Instagram - @samqpeirce
  • Doghouse - @doghousecomedyatx
• Youtube - youtube.com/@samqpeirce

Sam can be seen and heard:

• Doghouse - 2nd Sundays at Fallout Theater
• Comedy Wham writer

Follow Tracey Schulz

• Website - traceyschulz.com
• Instagram - @tracey.schulz
• Facebook - facebook.com/Tracey.Schulz.FaceBk

Tracey can be seen and heard:

• KOOP Radio - What's New every Wednesday

Follow @ComedyWham on Instagram, Facebook, Youtube, Twitch, and Tiktok If you'd like to support our independent podcast, check out our Patreon page at: Patreon.com/comedywham . You can also support us on Venmo - just search for ComedyWham.

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Episode #381

Austen Silver talks with Valerie Lopez about

• Starting comedy at 30 after 15 years of wanting to, but not knowing how
• Turning Atlanta, a pandemic, and a flooded apartment into unlikely career fuel
• A debut special that blends off-the-wall metaphors with surprisingly sharp philosophical observations
• His biggest opponent at 13 years in — not the audience, but his own negativity

Recorded March 2026 at Fallout Theater Podcast Studio

Follow Austen

• Website - www.austensilver.com
• YouTube - youtube.com/AustenSilver
• Instagram - @austen.silver
• Facebook - facebook.com/AustenSilverComedy

Austen can be seen and heard:

• It Shouldn't Be This Easy Standup Special: Watch
• Southside Comedy - last Thursday of the month, Sound Space at Captain Quack's, 7pm

Follow @ComedyWham on Instagram, Facebook, Youtube, Twitch, and Tiktok If you'd like to support our independent podcast, check out our Patreon page at: Patreon.com/comedywham . You can also support us on Venmo - just search for ComedyWham.

Read the article at comedywham.com

Episode #380

Kat Ellison Williams talks with Valerie Lopez about

• A lifetime of comebacks, from brutal early open mics to overcoming mental health crises
• How improv became a lifeline offering freedom from the perfectionism of standup
• Transitioning and how it reshaped his relationship with performance that turned the stage into a place of authentic self-expression
• His debut special "Daddy's Boy" and the exploration of a loving but complicated father-son dynamic shaped by his transition.

Recorded March 2026 at Fallout Theater Podcast Studio

Follow Kat

• Linktree - linktr.ee/bestkatwilliams
• Instagram - bestkatwilliams

Kat can be seen and heard:

• Comedy Special Taping: Sunday April 19, 2026, 7pm and 8:30pm, Fallout Theater - Tickets
• Candy Necklace - Every other Sunday opening for All Night, All Night, All Night, 7:30pm, ColdTowne Theater
• Mutant Night Sketch team Wet Blanket - Every last Sunday, 6pm, Fallout Theater

Follow @ComedyWham on Instagram, Facebook, Youtube, Twitch, and Tiktok If you'd like to support our independent podcast, check out our Patreon page at: Patreon.com/comedywham . You can also support us on Venmo - just search for ComedyWham.

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Episode #379

Garrett Buss talks with Valerie Lopez about

• Surviving dirt naps, bees masquerading as alarm clocks, and his welcome to Palm Tree City
• Building his new creative home base with his monthly one-man show Daddy Strong Legs, shopping Exploraphoria, and learning the ropes in a new town.
• Celebrating 10 years in comedy, learning the art of discipline, learning names, and pining for brisket

Recorded March 2026

Follow Garrett

• Website - garrettbuss.com
• Instagram - @garrettbussismyname
• Facebook - Facebook.com/GarrettBuss
• TikTok - @garrettbussismyname
• Youtube - youtube.com/@garrettbuss

Garrett can be seen and heard:

• Daddy Strong Legs - 1st Thursdays, 7pm at The Pack Theater: Tickets
• Lance Vibratto: Astronaut Attorney - a live comedy radio show: Listen
  • 5th season just released and 6th and final season coming out later this year
• Exploraphoria - An experimental variety show: Stay tuned!
• "One Last Show with Garrett Buss & Co." - releasing in the coming months
• Previous Comedy Wham appearances:
  • Ep 266 - Garrett Buss is Mr Tuesdays (2023)
  • Ep. 158 - Garrett Buss Likes to Noodle Around (2019)

Follow @ComedyWham on Instagram, Facebook, Youtube, Twitch, and Tiktok If you'd like to support our independent podcast, check out our Patreon page at: Patreon.com/comedywham . You can also support us on Venmo - just search for ComedyWham.

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Episode #378

2026 Moontower Comedy Festival Series

Our favorite time of year as we bring you voices from Moontower Comedy Festival before, during, and after the festival! We kick off with a new Austin resident making his Moontower debut! Caleb Elliott talks with Valerie Lopez about

• From a rural way of life to touring the country
• How his calm nature turned into a superpower to bring laughs
• Becoming an Austin resident and landing Moontower Comedy Festival

Recorded February 2026

Follow Caleb

• Website - calebelliottcomedy.com
• TikTok - @calebelliottcomedy
• YouTube - youtube.com/CalebElliottComedy
• Instagram - @calebelliottcomedy
• Facebook - facebook.com/calebelliottcomedy

Caleb can be seen and heard:

• Diary of a Smooth Black Kid - Dry Bar Comedy Special
• Humorous Interpretation - Sirius XM, Laugh USA
• Standup Nashville, Season 2 - Opry Network
• 2025 Moontower Comedy Festival - April 8-19, 2026

Follow @ComedyWham on Instagram, Facebook, Youtube, Twitch, and Tiktok If you'd like to support our independent podcast, check out our Patreon page at: Patreon.com/comedywham . You can also support us on Venmo - just search for ComedyWham.