Uncommon Convos

Erik Maitland is here to talk about everyone’s favorite subject: the weather. Erik shares his experience as a meteorologist.

Coach Acie Earl stops by to talk about playing for the Hawkeyes, the NBA, and playing overseas, as well as his post-player career as a coach.

Brad Nye stops by to tell us some stories from his days helping out Van Halen, building his own music career, and his own experience as a movie writer and podcast host.

Matt Garard talks about his career in theater, working in standup and improv comedy, and his current stint with Thunder Bulge in this weeks podcast episode. 

Summary

Matt Garard talks about his career in theater, working in standup and improv comedy, and his current stint with Thunder Bulge in this weeks podcast episode. 

In This Episode

• When and why Matt started to perform
• Why Matt turned down a scholarship for theater
• Matt’s work with Comedy Sports
• Working in a murder mystery show
• Winning The World Comedy Championships
• The difference between standup comedy and improv
• How to handle hecklers while doing comedy
• How Matt got into teaching Junior Theater classes
• Working in long-form improv in Chicago
• Learning at Second City Conservatory with improv legends
  • Gilda’s Club, a cancer support organization named after Gilda Radner, an American comedian who got her start in Second City and eventually went on to star on SNL, ensures that people impacted by cancer have the knowledge and community that they need. If you’d like to support Gilda’s Club, you can donate here: https://www.gildasclubchicago.org/donate
• Touring with Mission Improvable and working in edutainment
• How to get out of not having professional headshots
• Playing clean vs. going blue
• Working shows behind-the-scenes to learn that end of the business
• Working with Thunder Bulge to promote body positivity and comedy
• Thunder Bulge on the Gong Show
• Auditioning for America’s Got Talent
• Getting kicked out of a bridal convention
• Doing virtual events during the pandemic
• Shout out to Lance Bass, and getting Thunder Bulge to perform at Rage
• Starting Rose Entertainment group while doing shows and planning a wedding
• Matt’s comedic and theatric heroes that propelled his career
• Matt’s best advice to aspiring actors and comedians
• Check out Matt’s show: https://thunderbulge.com

Dennis VanDerGinst talks to Dr. Rich Blundell about the interconnection between nature and creativity as well as many other interesting topics.

Dr. Marissa Pei (Pay) is certainly a renaissance woman in the same was as Oprah. She is an organizational psychologist who has consulted with and assisted businesses improve in a wide variety of ways over the past 30 years.

Art Bell, original pitchman for The Comedy Channel from HBO (which later became Comedy Central) stops by the podcast to talk about working in the entertainment industry, his lessons in competition, and how to get through a battle of the titans.

Brian McFayden stops by to talk about working in the entertainment industry, the time he met Robin Williams, and the worst job he’s ever had.

In This Episode

• Brian’s eulogy as read by Dennis
• Why you’re always out of a job in the entertainment business
• How COVID got Brian off the movie set and back into radio
• When Brian worked for a President and a Vice President
• Where to Dennis and Brian lie on the political spectrum
• Working with Current Television under Al Gore
• What it was like growing up in Omaha with television dreams
• Why Brian become know as Alter Boy in his circles
• The weird transition from radio DJ to MTV
• Getting recognized in public
• Being friends with Mandy Moore and other leading ladies Brian hung out with
• The time that Brian met Robin Williams at the Tribeca Film Festival
• The time that Dennis met Robin Williams at an airport
• A short talk about depression in the entertainment industry
• Brian’s favorite thing to do in the entertainment industry
• Brian does impressions of Matthew McConaughey, Johnny Carson, and Casey Kasem
• Why Brian won’t do stand-up comedy
• When Brian met Simon Cowell and got the job hosting Cupid
• Looking for America’s worst singer for Superstar USA and why Brian regrets it
• Getting fired from hosting Beauty and the Geek
• A little bit about Brian’s son and what it’s like to be a dad
• Brian’s tips on how to succeed in the entertainment industry and how to deal with failure
• The best and worst experience Brian has had
• Brian’s favorite decade of music
• What’s next for Brian McFayden

https://www.vlaw.com/uncommon-convos-the-brian-mcfayden-interview/

Pat Miletich stops by the Uncommon Convos podcast today to talk about winning championships in UFC and boxing, early days of the sport, his coaching gym, family life, and aliens.

In This Episode

• Pat’s career starting as a wrestler and a football player
• From kickboxing titles to mixed martial arts
• Going to college with one of the American Pickers
• How a Rivertown and farmer mentality helps in developing fighting skills
• Becoming a welterweight champion in UFC
• Giving up the chance at retaining a title to help a trainee
• What made Pat walk away from the UFC
• Getting shut out to be a coach on a season of Tough
• The benefit of being an early UFC champion to help become a great trainer in a young sport
• Why Pat sold his successful UFC training gym and retired from coaching
• What life is all about according to Pat
• Pat’s views on law enforcement and their relationship with society
• What Pat thinks about mainstream media and the “End Game”
• Why citizens need to “Wake up” according to Pat
• How Pat got into investigating and questioning common rhetoric
• Why Pat defines himself as an “equal opportunity offender”
• How MMA has helped Pat see all people as equal
• Why Pat was at the January 6 riot at the capitol
• How Pat believes the media isn’t informed, and the reason anchors just read what’s on the prompter
• Pat’s thoughts on the Covid-19 vaccine and its validity
• Weaponized viruses and why Pat thinks it’s all an “end game”
• Theories of space, aliens, and artificial intelligence
• Similarities between the careers of Pat and Dale Ruplinger
• When Pat met Mike Tyson in the locker room
• Would Pat consider going into politics?
• Why Pat fought Michael Nunn last summer
• Pat talks about the importance of the getting the nutrients our body needs