The Big F.U.

Sean Patton is one of my all time favorite comedians. He currently stars on FX’s hit show English teacher. As a standup, he’s performed at the Melbourne Comedy Festival in 2011 and 2018, Just for Laughs in Chicago and Toronto, along with many other incredible festivals. He's recorded sets on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, Conan, Comedy Central's Live at Gotham and The Half Hour. He's featured on At Midnight and This Week at the Comedy Cellar. He's also released a number of records including "Scuttlebutt," "King Scorpio," and "Number One."

On this episode, Sean shares invaluable advice on what it really takes to be a top stand up, starting from New York City and working his way around the globe. Sean and I start off shooting the shit about his knife collection before discussing traveling through Asia and across the globe as a stand-up comedian. Sean shares his philosophy on writing jokes and his own journey to finding his voice as a stand-up.

Sean is one hell of a man, and this one hell of an episode. Enjoy!

This podcast was made using Descript. Descript is a one-stop-software to transcribe, edit, record, collaborate and share your videos and podcasts. It makes the editing process a breeze. I edit video to the transcript rather than the timeline, collaborate with my guests on drafts of the interview, and easily make clips that I share to social media. If you’re interested in making videos of any kind, I highly recommend checking out Descript.

you can find a link to the Descript app in the show notes.

Here’s my Descript affiliate link: https://www.descript.com/?lmref=G4aahw

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This set was recorded live at the Purple Cup Productions fundraiser in Los Angeles on Sunday, March 24, 2024. 

If you'd like to donate to Purple Cup Productions, you can venmo @max-kliman. 

You can find me on instagram @erica.cantor. 

Please enjoy!

This podcast was made using Descript. Descript is a one-stop-software to transcribe, edit, record, collaborate and share your videos and podcasts. I edit video to the transcript rather than the timeline, collaborate with my guests on drafts of the interview, and easily make clips that I share to social media. If you’re interested in making videos of any kind, I highly recommend checking out Descript.

Here’s my Descript affiliate link: https://www.descript.com/?lmref=G4aahw

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Alex McAtee is a producer at Point Grey Pictures, founded by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg. She’s known for Pam + Tommy, Back Monday, an American Pickle, Long Shot, The Disaster Artist, Sausage Party, and The Interview.

On this episode, we talk about her windy road to becoming a movie producer through getting kicked out of school and fired. As one of the only female producers at Point Grey, Alex has made it her mission to create more opportunities and representation for women in film.

Throughout the interview, Alex references the movies, shows, and comedians below. It’s an awesome list I highly recommend checking out.

• Reality Bites
• Jason Lee in Kevin Smith movies
• The Showbiz Show by David Spade
• Growing Up
• The Christopher Guess movies
• Adam Sandler and Chris Farley (early stuff)
• Coming to America
• The Jerk
• Austin Powers
• Romy and Michelle’s
• Simpsons
• King of the Hill
• Toxic Avenger
• Tim and Eric
• Tim and Eric Absolut Vodka commercials with Zach Galifanikis
• Eric Andre
• Wednesday
• Diablo Cody - Whip Smart and Young Adult

This podcast was made using Descript. Descript is a one-stop-software to transcribe, edit, record, collaborate and share your videos and podcasts. It makes the editing process a breeze. I edit video to the transcript rather than the timeline, collaborate with my guests on drafts of the interview, and easily make clips that I share to social media. If you’re interested in making videos of any kind, I highly recommend checking out Descript.

Here’s my Descript affiliate link: https://www.descript.com/?lmref=G4aahw

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Ellen Harrold is a stand-up comedian originally from New Jersey. She studied marketing at University of Colorado Boulder before pursuing comedy full-time in New York City. She’s now based in Los Angeles, where she created and continues to host Abbot Kidding, the premier comedy show on Abbot Kinney Boulevard. She’s produced and been featured on Don’t Tell Comedy. She’s opened for Maria Bamford, Irene Tu, and Steph Tolev, who’s hands down my favorite comedian right now, so I personally think that’s the coolest thing ever. Her writing has been published in The Weekly Humorist and StandUpNy.

Ellen and I talk about how she applied her marketing background to identify opportunities to create successful comedy shows. 

You can find Ellen on instagram @EllenHarrrold or her website ellenharrold.com. And, you can purchase tickets to Abbot Kidding at Roosterfish in Venice, CA here!

Please enjoy!

In this interview, JD and I discuss applying an athlete’s mindset to his artistic approach, overcoming fear to come out as an artist, and his motivation to write his latest novel Darling, You’re Not Alone, which deals with the very heavy topic of gun violence in America. JD has the unique ability to discuss heartbreaking issues with sincerity and optimism. JD has given me incredible advice on how to be a better writer in the past, so I’m excited to share his voice with all of you.

You can find him on his website jdwritesbooks.com or on instagram @JD_Slajchert. And his two books Darling, You’re Not Alone and Moonflower are both available for purchase on Amazon.

If this episode moved you, please consider donating to Sandy Hook Promise and Everytown.

I sit down with stand-up comedian Orion Levine to discuss his rise to international stardom. And, spoiler alert, it feels a lot like being on a boat even when you're not.

Orion Levine is a stand up comedian from the Bay Area, currently based out of Los Angeles. Orion has appeared on the Late Late Show with James Corden, was named a New Face at the Just for Laughs Comedy Festival in 2022, appeared at New York Comedy Festival, and was a finalist at the San Francisco International Comedy Competition in 2021. Now he performs all over the country. (And, on international waters!)

Follow Orion on instagram @orion.levine and check out if Orion is performing in your city on his website orionlevine.com

I sit down with Kylie Vincent, who took her one woman show The Bird Show on the road for a year before playing at Fringe Festival. She's a stand-up comedian and solo show artist, making waves for young women in comedy. We discuss her time on the road, living in her car, producing her show, regulating mental health, and overcoming gender inequality in an industry run by old white dudes. 

Follow Kylie on instagram @kylievincentthefirst and check out The Bird Show, which will be available on a new streaming platform soon! 

I sit down with Tal Rabinowitz, Founder and CEO of the Den Meditation and former TV Executive, to discuss shifting into alignment, overcoming fear of making shifts, how to start a business, and what she did as a TV Executive in comedy. 

I highly recommend checking out The Den Meditation. You can also find Tal on her podcast Den Talks and on her website, guidedbytal.com

Welcome to the Big F.U. I'm your host Erica Cantor. This is a show all about fucking up and failing up. I'll be interviewing comedians, artists, entrepreneurs, and generally speaking, people I find interesting about the early portions of their careers to learn how they made this whole entertainment bizness mumbo jumbo work for them. Here's an episode where you can get to know me and why I made this show. 

For this