Tom and D

Strap in—this episode of Tom and D we bring you the untold ride of Kenny Passarelli. The legendary bassist who tore up stages with Joe Walsh, Elton John, Stephen Stills, Hall & Oates, and more. From the chaos of sudden fame to taking lots of LSD—and wild nights with famed Cheech Marin & Tommy Chong—Kenny takes us deep into the raw, unfiltered heart of his rock ’n’ roll life.

Emmy-winning producer and reality TV trailblazer Tom Shelly (yep, one of the original Survivor masterminds) joins us to spill stories from the wild early days—like directing America’s Most Wanted, watching the Survivor crew accidentally torture starving contestants by coming back from lunch smelling like cheeseburgers, and dealing with actual bags of cocaine washing up on set. Plus, surprise twist: Tom’s a fellow Hoosier who even went to the same high school as D. Small world, big stories.

BEN KRONBERG – COMEDIAN

Since blowing minds at the HBO Aspen Comedy Festival, Ben Kronberg has racked up credits on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Last Call with Carson Daly, and Comedy Central’s John Oliver’s New York Stand-Up Show. He’s also a staple at SXSW and has graced stages at the Vancouver and Boston Comedy Festivals. On screen, he’s popped up in many TV and web series but Ben’s career highlight is getting a personal “F*** you” from Roseanne—comedy’s version of a being knighted.

Sleep-hypnotherapist Jessica Porter slips into Tom and D’s studio with one mission: to put you to sleep. Luckily, she does it on the Sleep Magic podcast and Sleepiest app — not during this episode. The world-renowned “sandman in sneakers” reveals how she lulls people across the globe — including one of our own hosts — into blissful slumber, shares her magic methods, and explains why Tom now snoozes like a baby. She’s a master of the art of nodding off, but this chat will keep you wide-eyed, grinning, and very much awake.

On this episode of The Tom and D Podcast, Deren sits down with longtime friend and legendary hyperrealist artist Monte Moore—known for his stunning work with Star Wars, Marvel, and some of the most iconic pinups in the game (plus much, much MOORE).

Monte dives into his world of high-impact illustration, sharing how he built a powerhouse career, attracted major clients, and cultivated a devoted fanbase—one brushstroke at a time.

This week on The Tom and D Podcast, we sit down with the legendary Todd Thicke—executive producer, head writer, and chaos coordinator behind America’s Funniest Home Videos—aka the show that turned groin injuries and backyard disasters into primetime gold. (His pilot script is literally in the Smithsonian, because nothing says “American history” like a toddler knocking over grandma.)

Todd takes us behind the curtain of the AFV empire, sharing unforgettable stories of his late brother, Alan Thicke—TV’s most iconic dad with a voice smoother than a sax solo—and the brilliantly unfiltered Bob Saget, who brought dad jokes and chaos energy to living rooms long before TikTok.

Oh, and did we mention Todd’s Canadian? He does. Repeatedly. Usually with an apology. He also casually drops that he’s friends with Wayne Gretzky, and yes—he’s Robin Thicke’s uncle— Blurred Lines heartthrob. Which makes this the most accidentally star-studded episode we’ve done.

Also: his favorite AFV moment? Let’s just say it involves an ugly dog, Todd’s pic, and deep, personal trauma. (Kidding… sort of.)

Tune in. Laugh. Come for the nutshots. Stay for the nostalgia. Leave questioning how that many people got hit in the face with a rake.

Angelo reflects on his recent film shot in Bloomington, his near-failed attempt at writing Hoosiers, his first unforgettable first meeting with legendary Indiana University basketball coach Bob Knight, and a surprising call he received in 1987 from a reporter. The question? Whether he’d be attending that year’s Academy Awards—where Hoosiers was nominated for two Oscars—or staying home to watch IU face UNLV in the Final Four.

On this episode of Tom and D, Deren welcomes his friend and casting legend Craig Campobasso—a McDonald’s-commercial kid turned Emmy-nominated casting director, filmmaker, and cosmic storyteller.

Craig’s career kicked off at 15, working on films like Dune and Total Recall, and casting hits like Picket Fences and Amazing Stories. A spiritual awakening at 26 launched his writing path, leading to The Autobiography of an ExtraTerrestrial Saga and the award-winning short film Stranger at the Pentagon.

He’s since become a go-to voice in UFO circles, with best-selling books like The Extraterrestrial Species Almanac and appearances on Ancient Aliens and Coast to Coast AM. His latest? A 2025 documentary based on the Almanac—and yes, it’s out of this world.

In this episode of Tom and D., D introduces the incredibly talented Scott Buckwald, whose credits include Dead to Me, The Old Man, Mad Men, Queen of the South, Paul Blart: Mall Cop, and dozens more.

Scott dives into some wild behind-the-scenes antics and shares a few of his favorite Hollywood moments—including the unforgettable birth of his son, Theo, during the filming of Baby Geniuses, and the surreal sight of Kathleen Turner cradling the newborn between takes.

As a seasoned armorer, Scott also offers a sobering look into what went wrong on the set of Rust.

Recording from Kansas City, Deren is forced to wrap things up early due to a massive storm and a tornado warning—but not before Scott promises to come back for more stories and laughs in a future episode.

EP 6: Chris Edell – 7 Marathons, 7 Days, 7 Continents

In this episode, Tom and D sit down with Tom's guest-- his stepbrother, entrepreneur and 2025 World Marathoner, Chris Edell—a man who ran seven marathons in seven days across seven continents.

After a year of intense training, mental fortitude, and pushing through a foot injury, Chris completed one of the toughest endurance challenges on Earth. He ran 26.2 miles every day for seven days in Antarctica, South Africa, Australia, the UAE, Spain, Brazil, and the United States—a total of over 183 miles in just one week.

An incredible story that will inspire while also making you laugh.