Host Jon Selig (@jonselig) is joined in his kitchen by Just For Laughs'/Nationally touring stand-up comic Martha Chaves (@TheMarthaChaves)! Martha left Nicaragua during turbulent times, and arrived in Toronto, via Guatemala and Montreal. Stand-up comedy doesn't exist in Nicaragua, but she returned years later to perform at a book launch. Because that's where people go to laugh, right? Comedy clearly ensued...but not for the crowd in attendance. Lesson learned: Making jokes about a Nicaraguan President's wife isn't a wise PR move.

We're then joined by our Nicaragua expert - from New Hampshire! Matthew Karsten's behind travel blog expertvagabond.com. He intended to spend 2 weeks in NICA, and it just kinda stretched to 4 months. He shares thoughts recommendations, and a "brief" tale from his time there! f you go to "pics and videos" on our site, watch Matthew demonstrate receiving nourishment from hardened magma.

This episode is our longest, but it's for good causes. Literally. And it's amazing how things work out some times! Jon is joined by two people he met in Nicaragua, both of whom are making amazing contributions to that country and beyond. Note: we drop the comedy in this portion, but it's the most worthwhile stuff this podcast has discussed. Jen Tynan (and sister Alanna) are co-presidents/founders of The Latitude Project. This not-for-profit delivers transparent, positive change to impoverished areas of Latin America. They fix roofs of homes, filter water, and improve crumbling schools.

DeWitt Foster is also doing good in NICA. He founded The Highplace Foundation to address at-risk women and gaps in Nicaragua's educational system. Jon met both Jen and DeWitt at Maderas Village in Nicaragua. DeWitt was coincidentally in Montreal (!!!) at time of recording. Him joining on this podcast was incredibly meant-to-be!

For more details on both of these amazing causes and how you can donate, please visit ComedyHostel.com.

Why in the name of Borat's wife would three adults pile into a compact Italian car named after an endangered species, drive through the Khazak desert, and spend 5 days at the Russia/Mongol border??? The Mogol Ralley, that's why! Just your average 30-day, cross-continental, intercultural excursion!

Britany Robinson (@BritSeeingStars) curates an adventure-travel blog called "Stars On the Ceiling (www.sotcblog.com)". She took and some friends took part in said Rally, and while it was the experience of a lifetime, she'll never eat another dumpling again!

Host Jon Selig (@jonselig) is joined by the tri-athelete of Montreal's comedy scene, Jason Hatrick (@JasonHatrick)! Jason does stand-up, improv & sketch - repeatedly. The man works hard at making people laugh! Jason's listening skills and Jon's idiocy skills made for an interesting team. Rest assured listeners: Jason will not be travelling with Jon to Mongolia anytime soon.

Episode 7 is our longest and wildest episode yet! Mark Zolo aka "The Naughty Nomad" relishes being abroad, defying death and debauching in Somalia, Syria, Sudan and non-'S' countries too! He and his friends face situations that host Jon Selig (@jonselig), co-host JC Surette, and sane travelers fear. To that we say "to each their own"! Mark has a web series, a book that was among the Amazon's top travel reads, and is one of the best damn storytellers we've come across. He joined us from Dublin for a Guinness-fuelled chat.

JC Surette is one hilarious Acadian. He'll even fill you in on what that means and where he's from. He made the trip up to Jon's not once, but TWICE to help him put this episode together, and for that we should ALL be grateful! JC's headlining Stand-Up at the M on September 12, and can be found makin' funny all over Montreal and other parts of Quebec.

E6 is here!

Host Jon Selig (@jonselig)'s latest co-host is veteran Montreal stand-up comic Karl Knox! He's back on the scene after a break, and he's got stuff to say about the world we live in (does he EVER!). Karl has a background in radio, grew up both all over Canada & abroad, and loves/hates his politics. In a rare moment of real substance on this podcast, he shares his experience of living in apartheid-era South Africa in the late 1960's, and discusses some other favourite places to visit.

Jon & Karl are joined over Skype by recent Los Angeles arrival & stand-up comic "Wild" Bill Dykes (@WildBillDykes)! Bill is a native of New Orleans, but he can serve southern rednecks like Emeril dishes the gumbo! He shares his insights on life in the South (he touches on a bunch of 'em states), the people, bein' a "LIB-url" in the South, and tell's y'all where to go eat and drink in NOLA. Oh, Bill likes/hates talking politics as well. He and Karl are clearly travelomedy podcasting soulmates.

Karl will be performing at Stand-Up at the 'M' on Thursday, August 29, headlined by DeAnne Smith! Visit Comedyhostel.com for the details.

Bill Dykes performs all over LA and the South, among other places. Get ALL his coordinates at: www.billdykes.com.

Jon & Reese meet John & Rease!

Host Jon (@jonselig) is joined at the Brick Wall by Scottish (but based in Toronto) comic John Mostyn! John dishes globe-trotting tales (including his experiences the worst of Thailand!) and how his Scottish heritage led him settle in Toronto. Jon & John are joined by straightforward travel blogger Rease Kirchner (@IndecisiveRease) - aka "The Indecisive Traveller"! The personable Rease chooses NOT to choose! She shares her disdain for her pre-blogging life, bucketlists, aspects of TBEX, and dissects at the downside of dating in Buenos Aires.

Note: Sadly, we couldn't get this podcast out before John performed at Stand-Up at the 'M', but the man destroyed the room!

Find Rease's travel blog at: www.indecisivetraveler.com

Why visit countries when you can just start your own??? If you're road-weary and meglomaniacal, you should check out Gerard Harris' (@gerardharris) show at Just For Laughs' Zoofest "Let's Start A Country"! The loquacious Gerard joins host Jon Selig (@jonselig) to explain steps you can take to do so. Gerard explains why his birthplace of Slough (in the UK) is even worse a place than The Office (UK) led us all to believe, and how Brits end up here in Montreal.

In the 2nd half, sound quality improves as Jon & Gerard are joined by German stand-up comic Felix Henry! Felix adores Montreal! He performs stand-up in English all over Europe. There's only one topic that Jewish hosts like Jon & Gerard can harp on when meeting a German comic like Felix, so we get that out of the way. Felix and Gerard express their mutual love of Dublin's comedy scene, debate Austria's contribution to global culture, and Felix tackles the stereotype that Germans have no sense of humour. Oh, and Hitler's place in the history of "monsters" is debated.

Visit www.Comedyhostel.com to get deets on how you can see "Let's Start a Country" (in Montreal) and get a clip of Felix's stand-up!

Note: Apologies for what can be described as "technical difficulties" but is really just Jon's "ineptitude".

Episode 3 of The Comedy Hostel Podcast is here!

Host Jon Selig (@jonselig) recently attended a conference for travel bloggers. Yes, that's a thing. He met this week's guest actress/travel vlogger Kristen Sarah (@HTGlobe) there. Travel vlogging is also a thing.

Prior to calling Kristen, Montreal stand-up comic Scott Carter (@slashMcDeadly) skateboarded over to join Jon at The Brick Wall to be funny (and sweaty). Scott shares his loathing for his hometown in British Columbia and his feelings on his parents. He also recalls not getting robbed or hurt in Serbia.

Kristen talks about visiting Paraguay at age 18, her travels to India, needing to pee while on a long-bus voyage, and a solution she discovered to resolve the problem. She has a YouTube video you can watch that will explain more about this urinary phenomenon.

Jon's joined at the Brick Wall by local, loquacious stand-up comic Darren Henwood! Darren laments growing up in Hamilton (the Scottish one, not the Canadian one), talks all things Scotland, and costs a bunch of guidebook companies some revenue by doling out heaps of stuff to check out in Montreal. He also tells us about really unique stand-up comedy show he runs called "Lowdown Comedy". Jon demonstrates his ignorance about Bermuda, Scottish league football, and buying fresh pita bread. He's hosting "Stand-Up at the 'M' " on June 20th.

We then connect with our second Australian comedian/writer/actor/world-traveller/all-around awesome dude in as many episodes. This week, it's Jon Bennett! Jon (the host, not the Aussie) & Darren talk to Jon (said Aussie) about his upcoming shows at the Montreal Fringe Festival & Zoofest (part of Just for Laughs!).

Darren hosts "Stand-Up at the 'M' " on the June 20th, and Jon Bennett headlines that same show. Join us then!

Jon’s co-host for CHP’s maiden voyage is Montreal-comic and Youtube provocateur Abdul Butt! Abdul talks stand-up, filming meaningful and meaningless Montreal happenings, and sesame-seeded pizza.
We’re visited by Australian actor/writer/improviser Shane Adamczak. Shane shares thoughts on his move to Montreal, his upcoming show at June’s Montreal Fringe Festival, and his favorite stuff in Montreal.