NOTE: If you haven't heard my session with Claudi and his bandmate Bear from May 2017, I highly recommend it! It was only 2 years after he moved from Puerto Rico to NYC. I connected with him when he was playing in the Delancy Street Station. ENJOY! https://traffic.megaphone.fm/RADIO7173962960.mp3

I feel like I should have paid Claudi Love for this session. Her positive vibe transcends our Zoom and I just feel better having been in her presence. Claudi is an artist in every sense of the word—someone who can't stop creating. I love how her sensibility exudes from the decor of the space she's in.

Claudi is the frontwomen from a highly successly NYC band, Pinc Louds. Enjoy and connect with them here and on instagram @pinclouds Listen to their music here:

Here's a quote from Claudi where she expressed her intentions perfectly—from a interview on ADHOC—" I feel more alive when I perform. I don’t know what I’d do if I couldn’t. Recording is all fine and dandy, but there’s nothing like playing live and seeing how people react; making people dance; making real human connections. Even more so in the subway, where people don’t come predisposed to listen to you and you’ve got everything to prove. But both there and in venues, our goal is to bring a little bit of life into people’s lives; to get them out of their brains and feel real feelings. I want to show people that magic is real and that they can make some at home. That’s about it."

We talked about what being a comedian is like right now during the pandemic vs the role of live audiences for a comedian in creative development for a comedian.

Myq was polyamorous for a long time. He is now in a 4 years-long committed relationship. Myq describes the journey of where he began: married young, divorced, then polyamorous for years and how he transitioned to a monogamous relationship with his girlfriend-after they had been living together for a period of time. We discuss how being polyamorous has heightened his awareness of how to have a positive and productive relationship.

Myq's brand new album A.K.A. is FABULOUS!!!! You can get it HERE.

Myq Kaplan is a comedian named Mike Kaplan. He has performed on the Tonight Show, Conan, the Late Show with David Letterman, Late Night with Seth Meyers, the Late Late Show with James Corden, in his own half-hour Comedy Central Presents special, and in his own one-hour special on Netflix and now Amazon, “Small, Dork, and Handsome.” He has been a finalist on Last Comic Standing and recently appeared on America’s Got Talent. His debut album “Vegan Mind Meld” was one of iTunes’ top 10 comedy albums of the year. Listen to Myq's podcast: "Broccolli and Ice Cream" HERE.

I was thrilled to have M Charlene Stevens, founder and Editor-in Chief of Arcade Project as my guest/patient. I've know Charlene for years, introduced originally to her by artist, curator, Christopher Stout. Charlene, if you don't know her is a presence in any room, gallery or museum. She is a meticulously fashionable, gorgeous, tall, woman with a generous and gregarious personality. 

In this session, we dig into what's behind all that, Charlene talks about "imposter syndrome," her relationship with her mother and how it's changed after she passed away. I love hearing the description of Charlene's mother, a real leader in the community and the conflicts Charlene has in processing all that. 

I don't mean this to sound too heavy. Charlene is someone who's always on a path to growth and this is an inspiring story along with the birth of Arcade Project four years ago.

https://www.arcadeprojectzine.com/Arcade Project curates a mix of high and low culture. We focus primarily on visual art while providing a platform for performing artists, pop culture critics, poets, playwrights, bloggers, activists, philosophers, storytellers and more.

This is the first DLG episode at the start of the pandemic. Emily Gallagher is running for state assembly against an old white dude who's been in the job unchallenged since 1973! WHA??? The election is June 23 and there are tons of ways that you can help her get elected without leaving your home! LOOK RIGHT HERE and DONATE HERE

Emily is so inspiring because she is making a huge difference in our world and she is just like anyone else. No special advantages of any sort, she has to work for a living—no background in politics, etc. In this session Emily talks about her interest in letter writing at a young age, dealing with a sexual harassment situation at age 14 and her ability to get results influences her into being who she is today. In a poignant twist, Emily has recently lost her day job due to the pandemic. She takes us through her experience of getting let go over Zoom. We also find out her boyfriend is shy! Such great company on this show with Andrew Epstein who is an invaluable partner in her campaign with his vast experience and smarts. We also have the privilege of being joined by RFB's own Emily Scott, host of Objection To The Rule, who knows a shit ton more about local politics, etc. than I do!

Theresa Buckeheister is one of those people who has so much innate creative capacity that she would be making a mark if she had grown up in Siberia, let alone a small town in Kansas—she would have found her way to NYC! She's from a family that she loves, but is not like her. This was an easy session as Theresa really drew me in, was self-aware and open speaking about how she came to be who she is - a New York Times worthy artistic director of the Brick Theater. With her leadership and accepting spirit, Theresa is a major facilitator/artist of what is special about this town we live in. Also, we both share a strong appreciation of Walter Wlodarczyk and his work capturing and documenting performances of all kinds.

Here's a good description of Theresa from a Greenpointer story: Theresa Buchheister is a successful artist because she is a generous one; through multiple festivals and off-the-beaten-path venues, clandestine locales and dive hives, she has created myriad opportunities for creators of various stripes to express themselves and their craft. How fitting that she should rise to be The Brick’s new Artistic Director. The Brick - btw folks, this is a special, important place if you haven't heard) (579 Metropolitan Avenue) has long been a haven for comediennes, interpreters of classics, and everything in between. Now, Theresa — founder of the lauded and Brooklyn-based Exponential Festival — takes her vast producorial and artistic know-how to Williamsburg’s vital and ever-evolving destination for cutting-edge theatrical experience.

Here's her website again-check it out-she does SO many different things!!!

Well this is a strange session—but on so many levels. First of all, Meryl Meisler was Dylan’s digital art teacher when he was in 7th Grade. They haven’t seen each other in ten years-since school really-and meet up IRL in the studio. Loved seeing them together and hearing in their reflections how they affected each other. Meryl got Dylan into her first film festival as a kid!

The other part of this session is between Dylan and myself, with Meryl taking the shrink role. I had offended Dylan about four years ago when we were on stage together. And that’s all I’m saying. This is the closest I’ve come to crying on the mic though! And with all this going on, we barely got to touch on the fact that Dylan is the current Miss Subways!! https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/08/nyregion/Miss-Subways-NYC.html

Here's some info about Meryl Meisler, an incredible photographer artist. You can see her work and all that stuff here: Her bio is too long for this post but you’ll recognize these places in it: Meisler has received fellowships, grants and residencies from the New York Foundation for the Arts, Light Work, YADDO, The Puffin Foundation, Time Warner, Artists Space, C.E.T.A., the China Institute and the Japan Society. Her work has been exhibited at the Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn Historical Society, Dia Art Foundation, MASS MoCA, Islip Art Museum, Annenberg Space for Photography, the New Museum for Contemporary Art, New-York Historical Society, Steven Kasher Gallery, The Whitney Museum of American Art and in public spaces including Grand Central Terminal, South Street Seaport, Photoville and throughout the NYC subway system. Full bio here.

More about Dylan Mars Greenberg: It’s insane how much great work she’s accomplished and she’s only 22! The most inspiring way to find out about Dylan is from this wonderful documentary by Piano Whitman that I totally recommend: http://nobudge.com/main/woman-from-mars. And here’s a headline from when she was only 19! "How a 19 Yr Old Directed & Sold 6 Feature Films with Dylan Mars Greenberg".

More about his seven feature films and music videos with notable artists on her Wikipedia page here.

Christopher Albert, host of The Junk and Jam Hour, every Monday, 2pm on Radio Free Brooklyn, fills in for me as I am on a boondoggle in Mexico City visiting art fairs such as Zona Maco and Material. In the meantime. Christopher takes on on his own journey exploring mental health.

Armed with an acquired wit and intelligence that was born from the streets of NYC, Christopher Albert, also once an inhabitant of Los Angeles, is set to emerge as one of the funniest, charming, yet eccentric writers and humorists of our day.

Though Christopher has produced content for Fortune 500 companies and small businesses alike, his true talents are rooted in entertainment and comedy. Christopher has had the unique opportunity to study the craft of humor with the best: instructors from the famed Comedy Store and Second City Hollywood, as well as invaluable insight from veteran comedy writers. 

​Christopher’s brutally honest approach to humor is evident in his litany of fearless content. His works include the writing and production of Junk and Jam, absurdly edgy content, satirically animated graphics, and humorous programming – including the Junk and Jam Hour talk-radio broadcast, and Junk and Jam Live cablecast program.

​As a performer, Christopher has been afforded opportunities to share his talents on many stages including the historic Apollo Theater, with appearances on the Rosie O’ Donnell Show, Billboard Music Awards and features on MTV and PBS. He has also performed on and produced an array of successful live comedy showcases, featured alongside many top comedians.

​His collection of humorous writings include his novel, The Kettle Black: The Chronicles of Mia and Rocco, and autobiographical short stories for the series, A Crack Baby’s Bible.

​Writer, producer, performer, humorist and host Christopher Albert is humbled by his life’s experiences, and believes that humor is much more than just a singular tool used to escape the harsh realities of our world, it actually enriches it.

​Lisa Lampanelli fondly referred to him as an ‘anal astronaut’

Ariana Grande’s Dad praised him as a ‘creative professional’

…and Mariah Carey once gave him a disingenuous hug.

Eric Drysdale has climbed a mountain and is now seeking new vistas. It was so interesting to hear how he kinda wound up naturally as a late night television writer, contributing to over 1500 hours of late-night television as a staff writer for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (2000-2005), The Colbert Report (2005-2015), The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (2015-2016) and Full Frontal with Samantha Bee (2016-2019) He also contributed to the Daily Show’s best selling America: The Book, The Colbert Report’s I Am America and So Can You and its sequel America Again. He is the recipient of 14 Primetime Emmy wins and 18 nominations.

With all that, Eric continues to look for new challenges, which is probably why he got to where he is anyway.

Eric is also a serious collector of of amateur 1950s three-dimensional photography was featured in 3D: Double Vision, a survey exhibit at LACMA (Los Angeles County Museum of Art). He also contributed an essay to the exhibition catalog. He continues to share his collection with small groups in his Midcentury Stereopanorama shows, which are often held at The City Reliquary. Eric’s 3D work has been profiled in the New York Times and Atlas Obscura. 

More about Eric and his work HERE.

In this session, we find that Chris Gersbeck is a great guy. His brother is annoying though. Dr. Lisa grills Chris about his less than ideal relationship with his sibling and how Chris's good instincts have led him to follow healing path by forming healthy, working relationships with talented comedians such as Dave Hill, Frank Coniff and Kambri Crews/Christian Finnegan of Q.E.D., who support him.

Chris Gersbeck is a comedian, producer and writer based in Queens, NY. He currently produces and makes regular appearances on comedy podcasts Dave Hill: History Fluffer, Dave Hill’s Podcasting Incident, and So… You’re Canadian with Dave Hill which is on the Maximum Fun network. Chris also produces numerous live comedy events throughout New York City under the banner of Dumb Productions, Inc. and handles publicity for several popular podcasts including RISK! and Keith and The Girl. Along with comedian Frank Conniff (TV’s Frank on Mystery Science Theater 3000), Chris produces Open Riff Night, a show where anyone can riff on clips of awful movies. If you want to strike up a conversation with him, just bring up Star Wars. https://chris-gersbeck.com/

I know Sharilyn pretty well, so when I ask her to explain why someone had referred to me as "intense," she was able to articulate pretty well why without upsetting me too much. We then turn the session to her where we discover that she needs to change to a more emotionally and culturally evolved primary care physician and she talks about her new interest in possibly dating on the internets. We come up with a motivating challenge for her. Soon, hopefully, she'll be back with positive results!

Check out Sharilyn's work here: https://sharilynart.com/

Sharilyn does a lot of important work with Meer Musa and Tim Gowan for Trans-cen-der, their monthly artist review series! https://www.facebook.com/transcenderart