Don't Sit in the Front!

Don't Sit in the Front!

By James HillmerComedyComedy Interviews
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Don't Sit in the Front! episodes

  • Ep 37 - State of the Pod
    It's just me! :O  I wanted to slow things down and mix up content a bit. I updated a bit on plans for the podcast as I wait a little longer for more people to be vaccinated and try to do more in-person interviews. In this episode I talked about not quite feeling up to going to see outdoor standup yet, some specials I watched recorded in the pandemic, and talked about an academic article defining standup comedy's social function at the height of the '80s comedy boom. I'm hoping to catch up with some past guests to talk about their first stage time back at it as outdoor shows have picked up quite a bit here in Los Angeles. 
    The book I ordered and hope to talk more about by Kliph Nesteroff is We Had a Little Real Estate Problem: The Unheralded Story of Native Americans & Comedy (https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/We-Had-a-Little-Real-Estate-Problem/Kliph-Nesteroff/9781982103033)
    Thanks for listening! 
    1. Always punch up 
    2. Keep swinging
    3. Get vaccinated and shame stupid comedians for using their gigantic platform to spread ignorance of science and lack of empathy for the society that built them.
    43 min
  • Ep 36 - Rivers Langley

    I talked to standup comic and host of The Goods From the Woods podcast, Rivers Langley! (@riverslangley). We nerded out hard. This was a long one. Rivers talked about comedy in Alabama, running shows in Los Angeles, and doing the "Corona Diaries" episodes documenting dissent into quarantine madness.  We also talked about Kyle Kinane's "The Death of the Party." 

    Rivers is also a commentator for Wrestling Pro Wrestling, a spectacular display of wrestling madness live from the Burbank Moose Lodge and on Youtube: 

    https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGazEwauaUSWmai8b9SMZlw 


    1. Always punch up

    2. Keep swinging 

    2 hr 17 min
  • Ep 35 - Julian Fernandez

    This was a lot of fun! I talked with standup comic, impressionist, and voice actor Julian Fernandez (@julianfcomedy). I talked with them about standup, their gift of manipulating their voice, and how they approach writing material incorporating all that into their set. They have a new podcast  starting next week (Genderless Wanderer), so stay tuned for that! 

    1 hr 26 min
  • Ep 34 - Hysterical (2021) with Casey Gates Frey

    This week I watched the new documentary, Hysterical (Dir: Andrea Nevins, 2021; FX/Hulu) and talked about it with return guest, Casey Gates Frey (@caseygates). The documentary is an awesome look at some history of women standup comics and issues facing women in comedy still today. I highly recommend it for standup fans. 

     You can find Casey's comedic short film, Crystal on her Vimeo page at http://www.vimeo.com/ladybrainfilms. 

    Reach out to the show at @dontsitinthefront (IG) and @dont_sit (Twitter) and let me know more documentaries and books about standup I should check out. 

    1. Always punch up

    2. Keep swinging 

    55 min
  • Ep 33 - Notes From the Bathroom Line w/ Amy Solomon
    This week I talked to Amy Solomon (@amybethsol) about her collection of essays, humor, cartoons and all kinds of funny goodness from women comedians. It's called Notes From the Bathroom Line: Humor, Art, and Low-Grade Panic from 150 of the Funniest Women in Comedy. You can find it at https://www.notesfromthebathroomline.com/book  Amy has had a lifelong love of Gilda Radner so we also talked about the documentary Love, Gilda. 
    Please like, subscribe and review. You can reach out to the show at @dontsitinthefront on Instagram, @dont_sit on Twitter, or [email protected]. 
    1. Always punch up
    2. Keep swinging
    48 min
  • Ep 32 - Keith Carey
    I nerded out about standup at Keith Carey (@keithtellsjokes). Keith has a podcast called This is Not a Show (IG: @thisisnotashowpod; Twt: @notashowpod). He's also got an album "Forever Nap" you can get on vinyl and streaming: https://keithcarey.bandcamp.com/album/forever-nap
    The Korean punk band we mentioned is called Drinking Boys and Girls Choir: https://band-dbgc.bandcamp.com/
    @drinking_boys_and_girls_choir
    Hope everyone is doing well and getting vaccinated when possible!
    50 min
  • Ep 31 - Rhea "RB" Butcher

    I got to talk with Rhea "RB" Butcher (@rheabutcher) about their new album, Pull Yourself Up by Your Bootleg. They're hands down one of my favorite comics and I'm glad I got to talk to them about comedy and what it looks like as we are hopefully coming out of this rough time for it. 

    Check out their album everywhere music is available or grab an enamel pin with a download card at A Special Thing Records (@aspecialthingrecords) https://astrecords.com/pages/rhea-butcher 

    Album on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/6DFenun5S2Ck90CVmhSRH9?si=Dtm4cU8sQ5-6qA3JRNIRTw

    I address it at the top of the episode, but we recorded this before the awful news coming out of Atlanta this week. We cannot equivocate about white supremacist terror and the rising wave of anti-Asian violence. We must protect our Asian community members. I'll shout out the Georgia Chapter of Asian Americans Advancing Justice and their donation page: https://actionnetwork.org/fundraising/support-georgias-asian-american-community/

    Please keep each other safe. 

    1 hr 10 min
  • Ep 30 - Kyle Ayers

    This week I talked with Kyle Ayers about his album, Happiness which you can find anywhere you find music OR pick it up as a vinyl LP at kyleayers.com. It was my favorite standup album of 2020 and reminds us why we miss live standup. Kyle also has his podcast, Never Seen It. Check both out. 

    Kyle Ayers, Happiness on Spotify:

    https://open.spotify.com/album/2ZIMMqTUZv9v8H6agXSNpG?si=Qvttwz93QLK60w_ZTyUAew&nd=1

    Kyle's Conan set: 

    https://youtu.be/9K5z_kYd6Sg 


    1. Always punch up

    2. Keep swinging 

    1 hr 1 min
  • Ep 29 - Angie Stocker

    This week I talked with Angie Stocker! (@highlyangie) She’s a comic who has an Etsy shop centered around weed culture, Highly Crafty (@gethighlycrafty) She also has a series of Youtube videos doing crafts while high with other comics. She’s done comedy in New York and LA and is also an awesome mom! We had a great conversation!

    Highly Crafty Youtube Channel: 

    https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuffyNndWuZm4VlvGyrhwKw

    1. Always punch up
    2. Keep swinging
      3. 1 hr 1 min
    3. Ep 28 - Punchline (1988) w/ Holly Anabel Brown and Brad Lewandowski

      This week I watched the 1988 Sally Field and Tom Hanks vehicle, Punchline, an interesting time capsule of the 80s comedy boom. I'm joined by returning guest, Holly Anabel Brown (@hollybrowncomedy) and one of her Well Actually (@wellactually pod) cohosts, Brad Lewandowski (@braddoesntgram). Check out their wonderful podcast as well as Holly's business making custom shoes and clothing: @hellohollygoods. Holly also has her standup shows and dates updated at https://www.hollyanabelbrown.com/ 

      This was really fun! 


      1. Always punch up 

      2. Keep swinging

      1 hr 17 min

    About Don't Sit in the Front!

    From the publisher's feed

    Don't Sit in the Front! is a podcast about the love of standup comedy, alternative comedy, and keeping it all alive through a difficult time. Host James Hillmer (@jdhillmer) interviews comedians, writers, and general fans of standup about their favorite comedians and personal connection to this unique art form we love so much!