Into The Mud Podcast

Grief sucks. Period. But, grief stacked on top of a complicated relationship with the deceased can be even more devastating. On this week’s episode, stand-up comedian, Mehran Khaghani, embraces his dark sense of humor as well as his deep well of compassion in the wake of losing his both mother AND mother-in-law in the span of three months. 

Bio: Mehran Khaghani is a stand up comedian, emcee and actor living in New York City. His stand up has been featured on NBC, Comedy Central and IFC and he performs regularly at the world famous Comedy Cellar. His acting credits include HBO’s High Maintenance, Search Party and an off-Broadway run in Steven Soderbergh’s The Fears.

Mehran's Social Media: @TheMehran

Follow along at @IntoTheMudPodcast on all platforms!
For the visual version, follow along on YouTube!

Your Hosts: Alex Kumin (@Alex.Kumin) and Drew King (@DrewKingNYC). 

Contributing Editors: Manthan Baldha, Sarah Webb (@SWAudioPost) and Drew King.

Filmed and recorded at @TheMalin in New York City.

www.IntoTheMudPodcast.com

You know what is equally inspiring and horrible? Being a beginner! On today's episode, Drew and Alex Get a little meta and a lot muddy about the painful learning curves of creating a podcast, as well as the challenges of embracing a "beginner's mindset" later on in life. 

Bio: Alex is a New York based comedian by way of Chicago and Boston whose bold and whip smart standup delights crowds across the US. Credits: The Comedy Cellar, New York Comedy Club, NBC’s "That Clip Show: Holiday Edition”, 2021 season of Comedy Central Standup Featuring.

Bio: Originally from Massachusetts, Drew is a Broadway dancer, actor and writer living in New York City. Credits: Broadway’s “Tootsie” and “On the 20th Century”, "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”, Ryan Murphy’s “Feud: Capote VS The Swans”, The Tony Awards, Good Morning America, The Today Show, and the 2021 Met Gala.

Follow along at @IntoTheMudPodcast on all platforms!
For the visual version, follow along on YouTube!

Your Hosts: Alex Kumin (@Alex.Kumin) and Drew King (@DrewKingNYC). 

Contributing Editors: Manthan Baldha, Sarah Webb (@SWAudioPost) and Drew King.

Filmed and recorded at @TheMalin in New York City.

www.IntoTheMudPodcast.com

"Age isn't a number, it's an attitude". This adage surrounding aging can apply to many chapters of life, but on this episode of Into the Mud, Drew and Alex sit down with Broadway finance director, Floyd Sklaver, to talk about his fears and anxieties (as well as hopes and desires) bubbling up with his impending retirement. 

Bio: Floyd has been the Director of Finance with RCI Theatricals for eight years and an accountant for over twenty. With a BS in economics and an MFA from Columbia University’s Theater Management program, he careered from career to career before finding a very happy home at RCI. 

In Portland, OR, where he and his husband lived for 25 years, he started and grew a Fastsigns™ store that was ranked #1 for Customer Service nationwide; he bought apartment buildings and converted them to condos; and he ran a successful bookkeeping business for many years.

During his spare time, Floyd indulges his other passion, which is visual art, by leading tours as a docent at the Whitney Museum of American Art and teaching art history via teleconference to home bound seniors.

Follow along at @IntoTheMudPodcast on all platforms!
For the visual version, follow along on YouTube!

Your Hosts: Alex Kumin (@Alex.Kumin) and Drew King (@DrewKingNYC). 

Contributing Editors: Manthan Baldha, Sarah Webb (@SWAudioPost) and Drew King.

Filmed and recorded at @TheMalin in New York City.

www.IntoTheMudPodcast.com

Social media is a double-edged sword: it blinds us with comparison, but sometimes, it functions as a powerful tool for connection and awareness. On this week of Into the Mud, stand-up comedian and writer, Carly Kane, opens up about this exact duality; specifically, how it brought to light her recent OCD diagnosis (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder). The cons of social media as they weigh against mental health are not to be taken lightly, but, is there a silver lining in there somewhere? 

Bio: Carly Kane is a New York City based stand-up comedian and producer. She has been featured on the WOW network and Funny or Die Lab. Her shows have been written up in The Chicago Tribune and LA Times. 

You can see Carly on House of Laughs presented by Wow Plus and she runs the monthly standup show "Cherry" at the Sultan Room in New York City.

Carly’s Social Media: @iCarlyKane

Follow along at @IntoTheMudPodcast on all platforms!
For the visual version, follow along on YouTube!

Your Hosts: Alex Kumin (@Alex.Kumin) and Drew King (@DrewKingNYC). 

Contributing Editors: Manthan Baldha, Sarah Webb (@SWAudioPost) and Drew King.

Filmed and recorded at @TheMalin in New York City.

www.IntoTheMudPodcast.com

On today's episode, Drew and Alex dive deep into the pain and agony of addiction as well as the gifts of recovery with Broadway actor, Alex Puette.

Sobriety is an incredibly challenging path; Drew and Alex are still sitting in deep admiration of Alex's recovery from crystal meth. There is no "one-size-fits-all" solution to addiction; so, join Alex and Drew as they delve into this inspiring story. Into the Mud celebrates Alex's daily commitment to his health and sobriety, offering a sensitive and respectful look at what redefining sobriety means to him.

Bio: Born and raised in a small town in Ohio, Alex made his way to New York to pursue his dream of being a professional actor. He can currently be seen on Broadway in Hadestown, a show he has been honored to be a part of for the last two years.

Other selected credits include the national tours of Legally Blonde and Young Frankenstein, the international tour of West Side Story, and several principal roles at renowned regional theaters across the country. Before moving to New York, Alex received his BFA in Musical Theater from the University of Michigan.

He lives on the Upper West Side with his husband, sweet pup, Archie, and about 200 houseplants.
 
Alex's Social Media: @APuette
Alex's Website: https://www.alexpuette.com/

Follow along at @IntoTheMudPodcast on all platforms!
For the visual version, follow along on YouTube!

Your Hosts: Alex Kumin (@Alex.Kumin) and Drew King (@DrewKingNYC). 

Contributing Editors: Manthan Baldha, Sarah Webb (@SWAudioPost) and Drew King.

Filmed and recorded at @TheMalin in New York City.

www.IntoTheMudPodcast.com

You know what’s really muddy? Breakups. On Episode 7 of Into the Mud, boxer and personal trainer, Sydney Miller, dives into the grungy swamp of saying goodbye to a “situationship”. We have all been hung up on someone that no longer aligns with our values and goals, but how do you find the strength to say goodbye? And, how do you navigate the messy “breakup” waters that follow soon after? Tune in to hear what Sydney has to say. 

Bio: Sydney Rose Miller was born and raised in New York City. She began her career as a high school English teacher before transitioning to full-time fitness. Over the past eight years, she has lived and coached in various locations around the world. 

As a lifelong athlete, boxer, and certified personal trainer and nutrition coach, Sydney uses boxing as a tool to reconnect with her body, tap into her inner strength, and clear the path to her personal truth. Her mission is to provide her clients with a sense of safety and courage while helping them strengthen both their bodies and minds.
 
Sydney's Social Media: @SydFit212
Sydney's Website: www.SBoxTraining.com

Follow along at @IntoTheMudPodcast on all platforms!
For the visual version, follow along on YouTube!

Your Hosts: Alex Kumin (@Alex.Kumin) and Drew King (@DrewKingNYC). 

Contributing Editors: Manthan Baldha, Sarah Webb (@SWAudioPost) and Drew King.

Filmed and recorded at @TheMalin in New York City.

www.IntoTheMudPodcast.com

Do you ever find yourself comparing your life to others? The “comparison monster” rears its ugly head every so often, and it can be a real struggle to keep it in check. Fortunately, you are not alone. In this episode of “Into the Mud”, Drew and Alex dive deep into the discomfort and muddiness of comparison. 

Bio: Alex is a New York based comedian by way of Chicago and Boston whose bold and whip smart standup delights crowds across the US. Credits: The Comedy Cellar, New York Comedy Club, NBC’s "That Clip Show: Holiday Edition”, 2021 season of Comedy Central Standup Featuring.

Bio: Originally from Massachusetts, Drew is a Broadway dancer, actor and writer living in New York City. Credits: Broadway’s “Tootsie” and “On the 20th Century”, "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”, Ryan Murphy’s “Feud: Capote VS The Swans”, The Tony Awards, Good Morning America, The Today Show, and the 2021 Met Gala.

Follow along at @IntoTheMudPodcast on all platforms!
For the visual version, follow along on YouTube!

Your Hosts: Alex Kumin (@Alex.Kumin) and Drew King (@DrewKingNYC). 

Contributing Editors: Manthan Baldha, Sarah Webb (@SWAudioPost) and Drew King.

Filmed and recorded at @TheMalin in New York City.

www.IntoTheMudPodcast.com

"Authenticity" is such a  buzzword these days, but in this episode of Into the Mud, you will see why Drew and Alex wanted to tackle that very topic with the super talented Broadway dancer and choreographer, Richard Riaz Yoder. Richard shares their journey of transitioning from a celebrated dancer to choreographer, delving into the muddy challenges of staying true to their authentic artistry amidst the rigid norms of commercial theater. Tune in for an inspiring discussion on navigating the messy, yet transformative, spaces of transition within the arts. 

Bio: Richard is an award-winning tap dancer, performer, and veteran of 6 Broadway shows. Yoder most recently served as Associate Choreographer for the new Broadway musical, Lempicka, at the Longacre Theatre. They have been seen on Broadway in White Christmas, On the Twentieth Century, Shuffle Along…and all that followed, Hello, Dolly!, My Fair Lady, and most recently in Some Like It Hot at the Shubert Theater. 

Richard has worked with nearly every Broadway tap choreographer, including Savion Glover, Randy Skinner, Chris Gattelli, Maurice Hines, and Casey Nicholaw. Drawing on their long history in music theatre and performing arts, Richard has broadened horizons to include choreography, teaching, and solo performing. A quote Richard lives by is, “Joy is your original energy and when you follow it you feel alive. Always follow joy and the rest will follow.” 
 
Richard's Social Media: @RichardRiaz

Follow along at @IntoTheMudPodcast on all platforms!
For the visual version, follow along on YouTube!

Your Hosts: Alex Kumin (@Alex.Kumin) and Drew King (@DrewKingNYC). 

Contributing Editors: Manthan Baldha, Sarah Webb (@SWAudioPost) and Drew King.

Filmed and recorded at @TheMalin in New York City.

www.IntoTheMudPodcast.com

On Episode 4, Drew and Alex sit down with filmmaker and actress, Shayla Benoit, to get muddy about her harrowing and courageous recovery from Stage 4 lymphoma and papillary thyroid cancer. Shayla’s vulnerability and generosity shine through in this inspiring story that is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit.
 
Bio: Shayla Benoit is a filmmaker and performer who loves to create in a variety of mediums.

Shayla is the President and Founder of Shady Theatrics, an innovative film production company that has produced multiple works for an array of organizations including The Tony Awards, The Actors’ Equity Foundation, The Juilliard School, The Miami Dolphins, and multiple Broadway productions. 

Additionally, she has appeared at Radio City Music Hall, 54 Below, and in regional theaters across the country. Shayla can also be seen and heard on television, film, and radio. 
 
Shayla’s Social Media: @ShaylaBenoit

Follow along at @IntoTheMudPodcast on all platforms!
For the visual version, follow along on YouTube!

Your Hosts: Alex Kumin (@Alex.Kumin) and Drew King (@DrewKingNYC). 

Contributing Editors: Manthan Baldha, Sarah Webb (@SWAudioPost) and Drew King.

Filmed and recorded at @TheMalin in New York City.

www.IntoTheMudPodcast.com

With great waves of creativity come great waves of burnout; sometimes the fountain just runs dry. During this episode of "Into the Mud", actress Sasheer Zamata opens up about the muddiness of burnout that accompanies a freelance creative lifestyle. 

Bio: Sasheer Zamata is a comedian, actress and writer who can be seen on ABC's Home Economics, Hulu's Woke, Comedy Central's Robbie, the horror comedy film Spree, and Lionsgate's romantic comedy, The Weekend. She was a cast member on Saturday Night Live for four seasons, and has appeared on This American Life and Late Night with Stephen Colbert. Her stand up special, Pizza Mind, is available to stream online and she is one half of the weekly podcast, Best Friends, with her best friend, Nicole Byer.

Sasheer's Social Media: @TheSheerTruth

Follow along at @IntoTheMudPodcast on all platforms!
For the visual version, follow along on YouTube!

Your Hosts: Alex Kumin (@Alex.Kumin) and Drew King (@DrewKingNYC). 

Contributing Editors: Manthan Baldha, Sarah Webb (@SWAudioPost) and Drew King.

Filmed and recorded at @TheMalin in New York City.

www.IntoTheMudPodcast.com