On a very special 300th episode, Rodney Norman sits down in the Scuttlebutt Studio for a wicked fun conversation. You might know him as that hippie on Instagram who interrupts your doom scrolling with daily affirmations delivered with equal parts sincerity and absurdity. Or maybe you’ve caught his stand-up somewhere around the country. Either way, if you’ve ever watched Rodney and wondered what he’s like when he’s not performing, this is the episode for you.

Rodney talks about developing his character, which was partly inspired by his alcoholic grandfather, and why he deliberately takes a different approach from the endless supply of online self-help gurus. He talks about getting recognized in public, why he always makes time for those interactions, and what it’s like having his strange little nuggets of wisdom connect with so many people. And believe it or not, Rodney also served our country in the U.S. Marine Corps. We didn’t see that one coming either.

So kick back, soak up some good vibes with Rodney Norman, and help us celebrate 300 episodes of Scuttlebutt.

About Rodney Norman: Rodney Norman is a nationally touring stand-up comedian, actor, and social media personality known for blending philosophy, motivational wisdom, and wonderfully absurd comedy. His viral videos have built a massive online following through a character who somehow manages to be ridiculous, sincere, and occasionally profound all at once. A veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, Rodney brings a life’s worth of experiences to a comedy style that is entirely his own.

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PJ Thibodeau returns to the studio, and things get weird right out of the gate with funeral plans and taxidermy—two topics that somehow become intertwined. From there, Rick and PJ talk about embracing ADHD, PJ’s liberating approach to getting things done without lists, and their very strong opinions on keeping a calendar. Then PJ gets down to business with some perspective from his years coaching youth basketball: let kids play and have fun, work with coaches instead of against them, manage expectations, and encourage young athletes to play multiple sports rather than specialize too soon.

About PJ Thibodeau: PJ Thibodeau is a veteran New England stand-up comic known for his sharp observations, storytelling, and ability to find the funny in everyday life. Away from the stage, he’s spent years coaching youth sports and working with young athletes and their families. He brings that experience to the conversation with plenty of humor and some genuinely useful perspective.

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Aaron “Tiny” Smith joins Rick to talk about the grind of performing stand-up comedy and the challenge of finding new material at 50. Tiny also looks back at his years as the singer for punk rock band The Thickness and how his time in music compares with life in comedy. Along the way, Rick and Tiny discover they’re both members of the increasingly exclusive no-tattoo club, weigh in on the popularity of video games, and talk about the comedians who have influenced Tiny and still make him laugh.

About Aaron “Tiny” Smith: Tiny is a Boston-based comedian who has performed throughout New England, including comedy clubs and festivals around the region. His stand-up special The Spoons was recorded live at the Midway Cafe in Jamaica Plain. Before comedy, Tiny was the frontman for Boston punk rock band The Thickness.

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Hattrick! Mark Riley is back for the third time! Beyond stand-up, he's host of Chirping Zebras, and a former NHL referee. Normally, you're not supposed to like refs but Mark is the rare exception. He shares hilarious stories from the rink and what it takes to control a hockey game when tempers flare.

On a personal level, we discuss the questionable decisions we all made growing up in the late 1900s. Then we wrap up with a conversation about podcasting, including Mark's show Chirping Zebras, which recently featured Rick's childhood hero, Bruins legend Rick Middleton.

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Stand-up comedian Rich Condon has built a reputation for finding the funny in everyday life, but offstage he's just as passionate about something else: bringing old, forgotten machines back from the dead. In this episode, Rich shares his love of rescuing everything from cars and mopeds to just about anything with an engine. Armed with patience, know-how, and an eye for a bargain, he buys unwanted projects on the cheap, breathes new life into them, and sends them back out into the world—often finding a new home through Facebook Marketplace.

Andrew Della Volpe is a New England stand-up comedian, host of The ADV Show podcast, and a former collegiate catcher whose baseball background still shapes the way he approaches comedy today.

We talk about his meticulous restaurant research before a night out, celebrate his first wedding anniversary with stories from dating through married life, revisit his days behind the plate as a power-hitting catcher, and get his prediction for where the surging Red Sox will finish this season.

We also dive into the discipline it takes to stick with stand-up, how baseball prepared him for the highs and lows of the comedy grind, and wrap things up with Andrew's upcoming appearance at the Hampton Beach Comedy Festival and his own podcast, The ADV Show.

Uncle Yak has spent decades blending comedy and magic into a one-of-a-kind act. On this episode of Stand-Up Scuttlebutt, he talks about what first drew him to magic, dealing with skeptics, and why comedy became an essential part of his performances. Along the way, he leaves Rick completely baffled with impossible card tricks, reveals personal information he seemingly couldn't have known, lights a fire in the studio, and even shares stories from his days performing as a clown.

Mary Beth Collins is a comedian known for her sharp writing, self-deprecating style, and what she proudly describes as being "level 10 awkward." She also claims to be the oldest person living in Boston's Seaport neighborhood who occasionally gets mistaken for Owen Wilson.

In this episode, Mary Beth joins Rick to talk about writing, refining, memorizing, and performing stand-up comedy. They also swap stories about the realities of online dating, living in Massachusetts while constantly traveling, and finding humor in awkward moments.

A well-established Boston comic with years in stand-up, Matt found himself at the center of one of the wildest scenes Boston has seen in a while when 60,000 Scottish fans—better known as the Tartan Army—descended on the city for the World Cup.

Armed with his bagpipes, Scottish heritage, and larger-than-life presence, Matt became a central figure in the celebration, helping strengthen a bond between Boston and Scotland that will last forever! From leading the charge in packed pubs across the city to appearing on Fox Sports alongside Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski, Matt was everywhere. His run even earned him airtime on BBC back in Scotland.

In this episode, Matt breaks down what it was like becoming an unofficial ambassador during Boston’s Scottish takeover, the surreal media attention that followed, and how a stand-up comic ended up becoming a citywide symbol of one unforgettable World Cup moment.

Ajay G is one of the most unique voices in New England comedy—a Boston-based stand-up comic, award-winning storyteller, startup mentor, and tech entrepreneur originally from Mumbai, India. Known for his clean, sharp storytelling style, Ajay has performed on PBS, ABC, NPR, and stages across the U.S., Canada, Singapore, Indonesia, and India. He’s also a multiple-time Moth performer, comedy festival favorite, and somehow balances life as both a comic and a serious business mind.

Ajay talks with Rick about Indian culture, the challenges of assimilating to life in America, and how a colonoscopy may have accidentally launched his stand-up career.

Ajay also shares his unconventional path from dropping out of Harvard University to launching his own social networking platform, which has amassed nearly five million users. Along the way, he tells wild stories about entrepreneurship, reinvention, and betting on yourself.