The Slade Ham Experiment

I just returned from another tour for the military, this time in Qatar, Djibouti, Kenya, Egypt, and Niger. Many of these were return trips, and they brought plenty of adventure with them. I'll have a full Slade Runner episode up featuring footage from the trip, but for now, here's a verbal description of what three weeks out in the thick of it consists of.

Special thanks to all the support staff and MWR folks who make these tours possible on the ground. It's a giant machine and I'm grateful they let me on the inside.

You can get a free digital version of my book by signing up for my twice-a-month newsletter full of all sorts of useful stuff: http://www.sladeham.com

Please consider telling a friend if you dig the show.

My guest is Tod Waters, musician, visual artist, and rock n roll clothing designer whose work you can find under Junker Designs. His style is distressed and repurposed, reminding you of the steel and metal, and the grit of the streets here in Houston.

Performers such as Motley Crüe, Poison, Johnny Depp, Robert Rodriguez, Britney Spears, Pink, Shakira, Christina Aguilera, Prince, Steven Tyler, and Alice Cooper have all added Junker Designs to their wardrobe, and you've seen it on screen in Alita Battle Angel, Sin City 2, Magic Mike, Fear the Walking Dead.

We discuss his road to making clothes for the stars, what it's like switching from drawing to clothing to sculpture to film, and most importantly, we talk about how to get the work done and how to tap into that wonderful, mysterious nebula of ideas that we both believe is available anyone willing to show up and do the hard parts.

Junker Designs: http://junkerdesigns.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/junkerdesigns/

You can get a free digital version of my book by signing up for my twice-a-month newsletter full of all sorts of useful stuff: http://www.sladeham.com

Please consider telling a friend if you dig the show.

I return from Japan to the most American welcome imaginable. It's my version of Alexander's Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day (a fantastic children's book if my kid brain remembers anything at all).

At best I might say something useful in the middle of it all, and at worst perhaps you'll recognize a bit of your own recent days.

In a nutshell, I'm petty sometimes, and nothing frustrates me more than the monarchs of tiny kingdoms. Airport cops, grocery store security, and a small town City Council. These people are best avoided at all costs.

You can get a free digital version of my book by signing up for my twice-a-month newsletter full of all sorts of useful stuff: http://www.sladeham.com

Please consider telling a friend if you dig the show.

My guest today is comedian and actor Jason Salmon. He's been the face of NAPA auto parts, and nabbed roles in Orange is the New Black, 30 Rock, as well as the hit game Red Dead Redemption 2 and Comedy Centrals "A Cowboy Explains"

As for comedy, his Dry Bar Special has raked in half a million views, and his new special should be out right about now is available soon. Dig in while I talk to Jason Salmon.

I've avoided the prodding to buy a new phone for the last two years, but sometimes there's no avoiding it. My phone drew its last breath just as I get ready to depart for a series of overseas trips.

T-mobile never ceases to frustrate me, but Marc at the store in 5th Ward made a diving catch to save my day. Join me on a Sunday full of misadventures.

You can get a free digital version of my book by signing up for my twice-a-month newsletter full of all sorts of useful stuff: http://www.sladeham.com

Please consider telling a friend if you dig the show.

I'm going to Japan for most of March. It will be my fifth time visiting the country, but my first as just a tourist. I revisit my previous trips in this episode, recounting some of my favorite experiences both on and off stage, but then I get to what I really came for - why the people of Okinawa live so long.

The island falls into one of five internationally recognized Blue Zones, where people tend to share certain environmental and lifestyle characteristics. I find it fascinating, and continue to look for new ways to incorporate these concepts into my own life.

For more on the Ikiarans, here's the New York Times article I mention in this episode: https://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/28/magazine/the-island-where-people-forget-to-die.html

You can get a free digital version of my book by signing up for my twice-a-month newsletter full of all sorts of useful stuff: http://www.sladeham.com

Please consider telling a friend if you dig the show.

A new niece prompted me to go down a rabbit hole of names, not just in America but around the world. New Zealand ranks up there, but the most egregious offenders are all right here in the good ol' US of A. Elon, Beyonce, and Kanye, of course, but oddly-named children of all sorts come up in this episode.

We all rank our own names as unique, and I can confidently say that I am thrilled I got the one I did.

You can get a free digital version of my book by signing up for my twice-a-month newsletter full of all sorts of useful stuff: http://www.sladeham.com

Please consider telling a friend if you dig the show.

I'm in the process of reintegrating myself into social media and it's forced me to contemplate what "noise" I allow back into my life. The Pareto Principle, or the 80/20 Rule as we call it in the Americas, is an interesting distribution pattern that permeates almost everything we do. I'm using it as I begin plans for my comedy special this year.

I suggest using it to parse through your life and see where the most energy and effort is wasted. Plus, advice on trolls, misinformation, and all around distractions.

You can get a free digital version of my book by signing up for my twice-a-month newsletter full of all sorts of useful stuff: http://www.sladeham.com

Please consider telling a friend if you dig the show.

Welcome to The Slade Ham Experiment! In this episode I get sidetracked by an old episode of Gilligan's Island and examine the multiple errors it makes in Japan's favor. I'm not sure how I got there from the Chinese balloon, but I did. Try some Akira: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akira_Kurosawa

Then, I discuss the current mentality of Iran towards dissidents and how it resembles a small town. Also, the fascinating phenomenon of change blindness and its effects. And finally, I reminisce about an experience at a radio station, as a memory was recently shaken loose for my book. Tune in for an eclectic (and possibly) informative episode!

#gilligansisland #Iran #ChangeBlindness #RadioStation #Podcast

My guest is Dianne Gallagher, host of Rock the Cashbar, a podcast that takes deep dives into your favorite songs and lyrics. More than that she is a comedian from the old Laff Stop days here in Houston, and part of the very unique community that existed then. When I met her, she was Dianne Cupps, but now is the married mother and stay-at-home artist Dianne Gallagher.

We revisit some of those days in this episode, but also talk about how to balance an artistic life with our chaotic regular ones. I imagine this will be especially helpful for any of you who are still holding down civilian jobs while you try to get started. And of course, lots of the usual irreverence. We talk about Prince and The Secret, writing exercises, and Rage Against the Machine.

Please enjoy my conversation with this week's guest, Dianne Gallagher.

Visit Rock the Cashbar: https://www.rockthecashbarpodcast.com/ Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10UMvsoe59o Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0xwZ8u6LWp4u2d8GJXnyZ2?si=MJd3OIBTQnOKtrgnE7RxyA&nd=1

As mentioned in the show, you can get a free digital version by signing up for my twice-a-month newsletter full of all sorts of useful help: http://www.sladeham.com

Many thanks to Chicken running everything you can't see off screen.

Please consider telling a friend if you dig the show.