The D'Ascenzo Zone

Heather Gallant is an actor and sketch comedy performer best known for her breakout role as Carla on Crave TV’s The Office Movers. She co-created the hilarious sketch troupe Herbeaver, that performed monthly shows for years at Toronto’s iconic Comedy Bar. Heather has also appeared in many other projects including some of your favourite commercials and my webseries Headliners, which you can watch right here on this channel.

TDZ Podcast 006 - Heather GallantIn this episode we talk about:

• Her path from theatre school to sketch comedy to acting

• Her roles on Headliners, the Office Movers and more.

• The realities and camaraderie of working on low-budget Canadian TV

• Auditions, memorizing lines, and overcoming perfectionism

• Finding a comedic voice and navigating different audiences

• Real advice for young performers on taking risks and staying authentic

Follow Heather Gallant:

◼︎Instagram: @heatherisgallant

◼︎Watch her on Headliners here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhwP1Doz8Ho&list=PLr66TOUAOapLHeBOK-8aPN5cu1tqpvint

◼︎And watch her on The Office Movers on Crave TV!

The D'Ascenzo Zone:

◼︎Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCphk_rom3ggaW9qhFlIDrag?sub_confirmation=1

◼︎ If you prefer to listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7FMIr4zzMZMgQhd3SBUYqz?si=vg_AaJS5QdO6cCQffTIFYw

◼︎ Check out my children's book: https://www.amazon.ca/Tiffy-Spiffy-Mr-Michael-DAscenzo/dp/B0CKGVFP72

◼︎Mike's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mikedascenz/?hl=en

◼︎TDZ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedascenzozone/

◼︎Tik Tok: tiktok.com/@thedascenzozone

#podcast #tdz #sketch #comedy #theofficemovers

Merrill Hagan is an American powerhouse writer and producer across TV, film, comics and videogames. His credits include fan favourites from DC, Marvel, Netflix, Adult Swim, Nickelodeon and more. He’s written everything from Teen Titans Go! to Magic School Bus, and helped shape some of the biggest animated series on TV.

In this conversation, we talk about:

◼︎Breaking into the industry, surviving it, and what it actually takes to build a career in animation

◼︎Comics

◼︎Working on shows for Netflix, Marvel, DC & more

◼︎The craft of writing and pitching

◼︎The state of the animation Industry

TDZ Episode 005 - Merrill Hagan

Follow Merrill Hagan

◼︎ Instagram: @merrill_hagan

◼︎https://www.merrillhagan.com

Follow The D'Ascenzo Zone:

◼︎Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCphk_rom3ggaW9qhFlIDrag?sub_confirmation=1

◼︎ Check out my children's book: https://www.amazon.ca/Tiffy-Spiffy-Mr-Michael-DAscenzo/dp/B0CKGVFP72

◼︎Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mikedascenz/?hl=en

◼︎Tik Tok: tiktok.com/@thedascenzozone

Brent and Sarah Nicholls are a husband and wife magic-comedy team who perform all over the world.

TDZ Podcast 004: Brent and Sarah Nicholls

Find & Book Brent & Sarah here: www.brentandsarah.com

The D'Ascenzo Zone:

◼︎Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCphk_rom3ggaW9qhFlIDrag?sub_confirmation=1

◼︎ Check out my children's book: https://www.amazon.ca/Tiffy-Spiffy-Mr-Michael-DAscenzo/dp/B0CKGVFP72

◼︎Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mikedascenz/?hl=en

◼︎Tik Tok: tiktok.com/@thedascenzozone

Shri Hughes is a veteran recruiter and HR professional in the business of scouting and hiring people.In this episode we talked about:

• Spotting Red and Green Flags in Candidates

• Hiring for Cultural Fit and Shared Values

• Crafting Resumes That Actually Get Read

• Cover Letters That Make You Stand Out

• How to Handle Interview Weakness Questions

• Following Up Without Being Annoying

• Salary Negotiation and Transparency in Hiring

• Creative Industry Job Hunting Strategies

TDZ Podcast 003 - Shri Hughes

The D'Ascenzo Zone

◼︎Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCphk_rom3ggaW9qhFlIDrag?sub_confirmation=1

◼︎ Check out my children's book: https://www.amazon.ca/Tiffy-Spiffy-Mr-Michael-DAscenzo/dp/B0CKGVFP72

◼︎Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mikedascenz/?hl=en

◼︎Tik Tok: tiktok.com/@thedascenzozone

#hiring #podcast #work #employment

A 20+ Year veteran of stand-up comedy, Manolis Zontanos breaks down his experience grinding as a comedian. In this conversation we discuss:

◼︎ Getting into stand-up

◼︎ Relationships & Comedy

◼︎ Fostering Friendships in Comedy

◼︎Fans

◼︎ "Making it"

◼︎ The influence of Digital Media on Comedy

◼︎ Similar thinking in jokes

◼︎ Filling your "hole" with comedy

◼︎ Fame

TDZ Podcast 002 - Manolis Zontanos

Watch Manolis' Standup Special "Growing Up Greek" on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2Fy_NmwR2Q&t=1344s

Follow Manolis on IG: @manoliszontanos

The D'Ascenzo Zone:

◼︎Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCphk_rom3ggaW9qhFlIDrag?sub_confirmation=1

◼︎ Check out my children's book: https://www.amazon.ca/Tiffy-Spiffy-Mr-Michael-DAscenzo/dp/B0CKGVFP72

◼︎Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mikedascenz/?hl=en

◼︎Tik Tok: tiktok.com/@thedascenzozone#comedy #podcast

#standupcomedy #podcastshow #tdz #podcast #comedy

Prolific TV writer Steve Skrovan breaks down his experience from doing standup at open mic nights to Emmy Wins and working on some of the world's most famous and beloved shows like Seinfeld, Everybody Loves Raymond and more.

In this conversation we discuss:

• Television Writing and Production

• Writing on Seinfeld

• Handling Rejection

• Adapting "Everybody Loves Raymond" for different cultures

• How real life experiences became iconic episodes

• The difference between an acting problem and a writing problem

• The Evolution of Comedy & Television

TDZ Podcast 001 - Steve Skrovan

0:00 Intro

0:47 Meeting in the Writers' Room

1:54 The Early Days

3:07 Comedy Clubs & New York

5:36 Larry David Launched Steve's Career

7:44 The Comedy Boom & Sitcom Writing

9:08 The Seinfeld "Think Tank"

12:47 Pitching Larry David

17:33 Handling Rejection

19:26 Russian Writer's Room & "Room Bits"

26:14 Adapting Raymond

32:23 Pitching Personal Stories

36:19 Knowing When to Quit

37:09 The 7-Year Theory

39:09 The Raymond Room's Secret

40:24 Acting Problem vs. Writing Problem

44:24 Writing 10 Scripts in Hiatus

46:27 The Raymond Script Process

48:42 Killing Your Darlings

50:06 Network Notes: The Condom Episode

53:26 Could Raymond Be Made Today?

54:40 Sitcom Evolution

56:48 Streaming's Impact

59:28 Advice for Young Writers

1:02:43 Advice to 25-Year-Old Steve

You can follow Steve here:

◼︎Ralph Nader Radio Hour: https://www.youtube.com/c/RalphNaderRadioHour

◼︎Bits & Pieces Substack Blog: https://steveskrovan.substack.com/

The D'Ascenzo Zone:

◼︎Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCphk_rom3ggaW9qhFlIDrag?sub_confirmation=1

◼︎ Check out my children's book: https://www.amazon.ca/Tiffy-Spiffy-Mr-Michael-DAscenzo/dp/B0CKGVFP72

◼︎Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mikedascenz/?hl=en

◼︎Tik Tok: tiktok.com/@dacenzozone

Dr. Margot Lattanzi is a naturopathic doctor who has helped hundreds of people heal the root cause of their health concerns. She has training in fertility, pediatric care, cosmetic acupuncture and more. In today's episode we talk about:

• Naturopathy and Holistic Healthcare

• Exploring Naturopathic Medicine's Appeal

• Challenges in Natural Medicine Research

• Acupuncture

• Hormones and Nervous System Balance

• Anxiety Management and Wellness Strategies

• Sleep Optimization, Caffeine Impact, and Burnout Recovery

TDZ Episode 009 - Dr. Margot Lattanzi, ND

Follow Dr. Margot Lattanzi, ND

IG: @doctormargotndwww.doctormargotnd.com

The D'Ascenzo Zone:

◼︎Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCphk_rom3ggaW9qhFlIDrag?sub_confirmation=1

◼︎ Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7FMIr4zzMZMgQhd3SBUYqz?si=vg_AaJS5QdO6cCQffTIFYw

◼︎ Check out my children's book: https://www.amazon.ca/Tiffy-Spiffy-Mr-Michael-DAscenzo/dp/B0CKGVFP72

◼︎Mike's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mikedascenz/?hl=en

◼︎TDZ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedascenzozone/

◼︎Tik Tok: tiktok.com/@thedascenzozone

#podcast #tdz #health #naturopathy #naturopathie #naturopathicmedicine #wellness #wellnesstips