This week on Kill the Small Talk, Alex sits down with comedian, actor, and host Mark Ellis for a deep dive into stand-up, comedy specials, movie trivia, and surviving the LA grind.

With 23+ years in comedy, Mark shares stories from grinding open mics at The Comedy Store to headlining clubs across the country — including upcoming shows at Brad Garrett's Comedy Club in Las Vegas.

They break down:

• The chaos of filming his first special Dog Stepfather during Star Wars Celebration weekend

• Working with Bill Burr’s All Things Comedy & 800 Pound Gorilla

• Why your “Super Bowl moment” doesn’t always feel like fireworks

• The evolution of comedy specials in the social media era

• Crowd work clips vs. full-hour specials • Playing senior homes (and why clean comedy matters)

• Death gigs, weird venues, and trusting your gut

• The discipline of creating your own opportunities

Mark also talks about his long-running appearances on the legendary Heidi and Frank Show on KLOS, how Movie Trivia Schmoedown exploded to 350 million views, and what it takes to sustain a 20+ year comedy career.

Plus — rapid fire movie trivia, senior home sets, comedy producer horror stories, and why sometimes your post-special celebration is just cold deep dish pizza and golf highlights.

If you’re a comic, creative, or chasing anything long-term, this episode is about longevity, adapting to change, and staying in love with the craft.

🎥 Watch the full episode: Kill the Small Talk YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@KillTheSmallTalk

🎙 Recorded & Produced by Command Creative Studios: https://www.commandcreativestudios.com

Follow Mark Ellis:

Instagram: @markellislive

Website: https://www.markellislive.live

New episodes drop every Wednesday. Don’t forget to Like, Follow, and Subscribe.

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