The Tim Andrews Popcast

This week's guest is Gabe Wardell, a filmmaker, film educator, writer, former executive director in Atlanta's film community, and the longtime producer who helped build the Atlanta 48 Hour Film Project into one of the most competitive cities in the world for the competition. After spending years helping creatives through organizations ranging from the Atlanta Film Festival to Coca-Cola Studios, Gabe is back at the helm for the project's landmark anniversary season, which kicks off June 12–14 and culminates with screenings at the Landmark Midtown Art Cinema.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/48hourfilmproject

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Atlanta48HFP

Website: https://www.48hourfilm.com/atlanta

This week on The Popcast, I'm joined by comedian Derrick Stroup — an Alabama native whose rapid-fire storytelling and Southern observations have made him one of the fastest-rising stand-ups in comedy right now. You’ve seen him on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, touring with comics like Nate Bargatze and Bert Kreischer, and now his brand-new Netflix special Nostalgic is streaming now — filmed at the historic Lyric Theatre in Birmingham and packed with stories about growing up a ‘90s kid in rural Alabama. Derrick also brings his first-ever headlining theater tour, the “Running Hot Tour,” to Atlanta’s Center Stage Theater on May 27th and 28th. Derrick, thanks for coming on, man.

Tickets: https://www.centerstage-atlanta.com/events/derrick-stroup/

PLUS: A preview of my new show, "The Sunday Show" with co-host, George Clark.

Trey Toler has lived enough lives to fill a book – which is exactly what he did. He spent his teens as an unlikely caregiver, navigating medical crises and adult responsibility before most kids had a driver's license. In his twenties, he found his footing on stage as a stand-up comedian, performing regularly at Atlanta's Laughing Skull Lounge and eventually running the shows there, along the way earning the mentorship of Margaret Cho and an internship at Turner Broadcasting's Adult Swim. He traded the mic for a career in media and advertising, where he discovered the same instincts that made him good onstage—reading a room, finding the truth that connects—made him good in recruiting and sales too.

"​​Good Damage is the debut memoir from Trey Toler about the messy, unscripted "after. “ After the illness, the loss, the burnout, and the exhausting performance of recovery.

The story begins with a Southern childhood governed by rules no one explains: sunscreen and flip flops are gay, and umbrellas are for women. Trey comes of age as the boy who could never quite get those rules right, raised in a church where the preacher says homosexual the way you say abomination (slow, careful, like the word itself could spread).

At the heart of the story is his mother—her fierce beauty, her harrowing brain surgery, and her eventual absence. Trey explores the deafening silence that follows when the person who made the world feel safe is gone, and the strange, delayed grief that refuses to arrive—or leave—on schedule."

https://ripples.media/books/good-damage/

Find him on Instagram and TikTok at @Toler_the_Trey and on Substack at @TreyToler1.

Actor Vivian Bang talks about her play Detroit and Rocsi & The Miz talk about the return of American Gladiators.

This episode fires up the grill with the new season of BBQ Brawl, where team captains Bobby Flay, Maneet Chauhan and Brooke Williamson lead elite pitmasters in a battle for the title of Master of ‘Cue. My guest is Atlanta’s own Dakari Akorede — Chicago-born, Atlanta-based, and the pitmaster behind Chicageaux BBQ Company, blending South Side tradition, live-fire discipline and bold flavor. By day he runs multimillion-dollar operations as a senior executive, and off the clock he’s an award-winning barbecue competitor bringing real smoke and no shortcuts to the ranch. Dakari joins me to talk about representing Atlanta on BBQ Brawl.

This week I welcome Marc Provissiero, a longtime entertainment manager and producer, and one of the founding partners of Odenkirk Provissiero Entertainment, where they represent a wide range of film and TV talent. He’s been behind projects like No Hard Feelings, Nobody, and the Hulu series Pen15.

Normal is a 2025 action movie directed by Ben Wheatley and written by Derek Kolstad, who came up with the story along with Bob Odenkirk. Odenkirk also stars in it, alongside Henry Winkler and Lena Headey.

The movie first showed up at the Midnight Madness section of the Toronto International Film Festival on September 7, 2025, and then hit theaters in the U.S. on April 17, 2026 through Magnolia Pictures.

Later on, Greg Russ joins me from NYC to talk sound design, off-Broadway & more.

https://www.normalthemovie.com/

I had a great chat with Kevn Kinney of Drivin n Cryin & artist Anna Jensen about Let’s Go Dancing, a 4 LP project turning Kevn’s songs into paintings, tribute albums, and the single “Mirror Mirror,” from the upcoming Drivin n Cryin album: Crushing Flowers.

Tasty Goody Records

https://www.tastygoodyrecords.com/

Anna Jensen

https://annajensenart.com/home.html

Drivin n Cryin

https://www.drivinncryin.com/

A few years ago one of the coolest performance theaters shut its doors. Relapse Theater closing was a huge loss, but guess what? It's back! Manager & entrepreneur Bob Wood joins me, along with actor & friend, Josh Warren, to talk about the return of Relapse!

This week I spoke with Paige Steadman; Producer, Writer & Performer

The Solidarity Project: A Celebration of Historical Nonviolent Resistance—a festival of short plays that explores pivotal moments in history, from the Civil Rights Movement and Vietnam protests to women’s rights and the fight against voter suppression.

Academy Theatre: March 28–29, April 4–5

Saturdays at 8 PM | Sundays at 3 PM

Town Square Playhouse:

April 17 at 7:30 PM

April 18 at 2:30 PM & 7:30 PM

Free parking at both locations

Tickets: https://linktr.ee/thesolidarityproject

Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/share/1Dp9h9rLTj/

Tod Elmore is the General Manager and Principal Talent Buyer for RCS Productions, where he oversees talent acquisition and production management for concerts, festivals, and major municipal and corporate events throughout the Southeast.

He is currently the driving force behind the 2026 concert season at the Frederick Brown Jr. Amphitheater (“The Fred”) in Peachtree City, Georgia, curating a lineup of 16 acts that includes Rock & Roll Hall of Famers, Grammy winners, classic rock favorites, comedy, country, and family entertainment.

2026 Fred Amphitheater Concert Series

The 2026 summer concert season begins Saturday, April 4 and features 16 total events running through September.

Fans can purchase individual show tickets or buy a Series Ticket Package.

Series Ticket Benefits

Early ticket access

Priority seating

First opportunity to renew for the 2027 season

2025 series ticket holders receive first renewal opportunity

Six concerts are available as part of the Series Ticket Package, though all shows can also be purchased individually.

The season blends classic rock, country, tribute acts, comedy, and family programming, continuing the venue’s reputation as one of the Southeast’s most popular intimate outdoor concert experiences.

2026 Fred Amphitheater Concert Lineup

April

Sat, Apr 4 – Blackberry Smoke + The Band Feel

Sun, Apr 12 – Bill Engvall (An Evening With)

Fri, Apr 17 – Bruce Hornsby (An Evening With)

Sat, Apr 18 – Peppa Pig: My First Concert (No opener)

May

Sat, May 9 – One Vision of Queen featuring Marc Martel (An Evening With)

Fri, May 29 – Josh Turner + Mary Kate Farmer

Sat, May 30 – John Waite + John Cafferty

June

Sat, Jun 6 – Atlanta Rhythm Section + Pure Prairie League + Orleans + Firefall

Sat, Jun 13 – Everclear + Fastball

Sat, Jun 20 – Gladys Knight + Support TBD

Sat, Jun 27 – Bret Michaels + The Metal Pedal Party Band

July

Sat, Jul 11 – Departure (Journey tribute) + Gravity

August

Fri, Aug 7 – Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo + Support TBD

September

Fri, Sep 11 – Face 2 Face (An Evening With)

Sat, Sep 12 – Little Feat (An Evening With)

Sun, Sep 13 – Collective Soul + HeyDreamer