TanGent Show

Trae Crowder is a nationally touring stand-up comedian who routinely sells 1,000+ tickets in major markets and built a massive online following as the self-described "Liberal Redneck." With millions of views across platforms and a loyal fanbase that packs theaters coast to coast, Trae has become one of the most recognizable political comics working today.

I first shared a stage with Trae in Burbank back in January 2024. I thought I did great. He absolutely crushed. So when he agreed to come over and sit down with me, I was genuinely honored.

In this conversation, we go way beyond viral videos. Trae talks about growing up in rural Tennessee, how he found his political voice without losing his cultural roots, and what it's like being a progressive comic in deeply conservative spaces. We get into audience dynamics, internet fame versus road work, and the responsibility that comes with having a big platform in a divided country.

He's hilarious, sharp, and more thoughtful than people who only know the clips might expect. I've been a fan for a while. After this conversation, I respect him even more.

Listen to Trey's new special "Trash Daddy"

See Trae Crowder on Tour

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Vidya Vox is a singer, songwriter, and global YouTube sensation with millions of subscribers and a fanbase that spans India, the U.S., the U.K., and beyond. Known for her viral East-meets-West mashups and genre-bending originals, Vidya blends Indian classical traditions with contemporary pop in a way that feels both rooted and refreshingly modern. Born in Chennai, raised in Virginia, and musically trained in Mumbai, she represents a truly diasporic sound.

In this episode, we trace her journey from hardcore pre-med studying for the MCAT to quitting it all, moving back to India, living at home, buying a camera on a credit card, and betting on YouTube before that was a safe bet. We talk about building a career with her longtime partner and producer, finding a musical identity between cultures, and what it really takes to headline shows for thousands of fans.

We also get into the bigger question - what does it mean to represent South Asian artists on a global stage? Vidya shares her vision for bringing Indian influences into mainstream pop in a way that is authentic, not tokenized, and why community - not just one breakout star - is the key to breaking through.

And yes, we discuss dream collaborations, fan-girl moments with Bollywood royalty, and what "making it" actually looks like when you're still hungry for more.

Listen to Vidya Vox

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Kumail Nanjiani is an Oscar-nominated writer and Emmy-nominated actor known for The Big Sick, HBO's Silicon Valley, and Marvel's Eternals. He's starred in everything from Only Murders in the Building to Welcome to Chippendales, built a stand-up career that bridges sharp social commentary with deeply personal storytelling, and somehow made the internet collectively argue about his abs.

In this episode, I sit down with Kumail to talk about the long road from open mics in Chicago to writing a film about his own love story that landed at the Oscars. We get into what it actually takes to bet on yourself creatively, how he thinks about ambition versus contentment, and the weird psychological shift that happens when the thing you dreamed about finally happens.

We also talk about identity - Pakistani, immigrant, American - and how those layers have shaped his comedy and career choices. Kumail opens up about therapy, insecurity, reinvention, and why success does not magically fix your brain.

It's thoughtful, self-aware, and very funny. Exactly what you'd expect - and a little more honest than you might.

Pick up Kumail Nanjiani's new merch

Watch Kumail Nanjiani's new special "Night Thoughts"

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Jimmy Dore is a comedian and political commentator with over 1 million YouTube subscribers and the host of The Jimmy Dore Show, one of the most-watched independent progressive news platforms in the country. A former writer for The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and frequent media provocateur, Jimmy has built a massive following by aggressively challenging establishment narratives - on the left and the right - and by refusing to play nice with party orthodoxy.

This episode is different.

Before Jimmy and I ever sit down, I spend roughly 40 minutes explaining why I wanted this conversation in the first place. I've followed American politics for more than three decades, and I felt the need to lay out my thesis - where I think Jimmy is right, where I think he's overzealous, and why I believed it was important to let him speak fully and without interruption. If you'd prefer to jump straight to the interview, you can cue up to 41:39.

When we do get into it, Jimmy does what Jimmy does - he makes bold claims, backs them with his version of the receipts, and challenges me directly. My goal wasn't to "win." It was to understand. And to give you the space to hear him unfiltered and decide for yourself.

Listen to the Jimmy Dore Show Podcast

Watch The Jimmy Dore Show

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Joe Cucci led all North America sales for Procter & Gamble for decades, overseeing massive teams, national retail relationships, and billions in revenue across some of the most recognizable brands in the world. A career P&G leader, he built and scaled sales organizations at the highest level of corporate America and became known for disciplined strategy, people-first leadership, and long-term thinking in high-pressure environments.

Of all the people I know, Joe is the one I admire most in the business world. He's been my mentor for 30 years, and this conversation is packed with the kind of wisdom you only get from decades inside the arena. We talk about what it really takes to lead large teams, how to earn trust in rooms where the stakes are huge, and why listening is the most underrated skill in business. Joe shares lessons on navigating corporate politics, developing talent, and staying grounded while driving serious growth. I can't recommend this one enough.

I sat down with Danny Pudi - actor, comedian, and one of the most beloved ensemble performers of the past decade. You know him as Abed Nadir on Community, as Brad on Apple TV+'s Mythic Quest, and from projects like DuckTales, Powerless, and The Tiger Hunter.

We talk about what it was really like being part of Community - the chemistry around the table, working with Donald Glover, and realizing (much later) just how deeply that show connected with people. Danny opens up about his acting process, why preparation and world-building matter so much to him, and how studying drama helped him stop relying solely on comedy. We also get into fatherhood, balance, learning to say no, walking fast (very fast), and the oddly specific anxiety of parking structures.

It's thoughtful, funny, and quietly profound - a conversation about creativity, kindness, identity, and gently moving through the world while putting out good energy.

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Danny Jolles is a stand-up comedian, actor, and writer you've seen on Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Ramy, Ted, and in sketches with his comedy group Chess Club Comedy, whose work has built a strong online following. He's one of those comics who makes it look effortless - sharp, self-aware, and just uncomfortable enough to be hilarious.

In this episode, Danny and I talk about his move from New York to LA, the culture shock of dating in a city where everyone looks like they're waiting to be cast, and why he chose to keep a framed picture of Jesus in his nearly empty Koreatown apartment. We get into his early years in stand-up, including the brutally honest admission that he wasn't good at first - and how working a mindless but oddly perfect job assembling electronics kits at Adafruit helped him develop material without losing his sanity. We also dive into sketch comedy discipline, killing your own work when it's not good enough, New York vs LA comedy audiences, drinking with no consequences, ghosts in college apartments, and the eternal shame of not having seen The Godfather.

It's a loose, funny, slightly chaotic conversation about starting over, getting better, and figuring out who you actually are on stage - which, as it turns out, is way more interesting than trying to be "cool."

Watch Danny's Special: You Choose: An Interactive Comedy Special

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Support Adafruit, Danny's former employer.

Henry Alford is an acclaimed humorist and writer whose work has appeared in The New Yorker and The New York Times, and whose latest book, I Dream of Joni, landed on the cover of The Washington Post Book Review. I was thrilled to sit down with Henry while he was in the middle of his book tour to talk about writing, creativity, and the strange little moments that stay with us for decades.

We get into Henry's path to becoming a writer, his process for balancing journalism and humor, and why having a deadline can sometimes be the greatest creative gift. We also talk about what it really means to "make it," the emotional highs and lows of a creative life, and why the true reward of doing this work is simply being asked to do it again.

Along the way, we dig into art, memory, vulnerability, and the idea that the best writing often comes from the things we can't quite shake. This was a thoughtful, funny, and deeply human conversation, and I'm excited to share it with you.

Buy Henry's book I Dream of Joni

Read Henry's work on the New York Times

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I sat down with comedian Jeremiah Watkins for a conversation that quickly turned into a deep dive on comedy, commitment, and what actually goes into building a standup career in Los Angeles. We talk a lot about his improvised standup show, Standup on the Spot - how it started, how it's evolved across multiple venues, and why creating comedy with no prepared material is both terrifying and creatively freeing.

We also get into bombing, booking shows, comedy etiquette, and the weird balance between advocating for yourself and letting the work speak for itself. Jeremiah shares what he looks for when booking comics, what drives him crazy, and why commitment onstage matters more than perfection. This one's very much "comics talking to comics," but even if you're just a fan of standup, there's a lot here about creativity, risk, and trusting the process.

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