Who knew that Western New York was a hotbed for smooth jazz in the 80's? Rob and Jim certainly didn't, but that's not all, Rob may have unearthed the earliest recorded rap from Upstate NY. They chart the unlikely course of fusion jazz through Upstate New York and dig into Spyro Gyra, Chuck Mangione, and Cabo Frio.

Jim is headlining the Crooked Mouth Comedy Festival in Endicott, NY on September 21st, get your tickets ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Check out Jim's comedy album: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Upstate Understandings⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Also check out Rob's album: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠NY Sticky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

And check out the comedy special Rob directed: ⁠⁠Husky Boy - Chris Calogero

This week Rob and Jim look at one of the companies and industries that helped put Binghamton, NY on the map. Sit back and light one up as we get into a tale of industry, innovation and spite statues.

Jim is headlining the Crooked Mouth Comedy Festival in Endicott, NY on September 21st, get your tickets ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Check out Jim's comedy album: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Upstate Understandings⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Also check out Rob's album: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠NY Sticky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

And check out the comedy special Rob directed: ⁠Husky Boy - Chris Calogero

We're getting salty this week as we look at the perennial potato dish from Syracuse, NY: salted potatoes. From the old Syracuse salt vats to the dinner plates of many an upstater, Jim and Rob get to the bottom of what makes these taters so tasty.

Jim is headlining the Crooked Mouth Comedy Festival in Endicott, NY on September 21st, get your tickets ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Check out Jim's comedy album: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Upstate Understandings⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Also check out Rob's album: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠NY Sticky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

And check out the comedy special Rob directed: Husky Boy - Chris Calogero

This week Jim and Rob survey a variety of utopian societies that cropped up across Upstate New York in the 1800's and quickly find that these communities were anything but perfect.



Jim is headlining the Crooked Mouth Comedy Festival in Endicott, NY on September 21st, get your tickets ⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Check out Jim's comedy album: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Upstate Understandings⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Also check out Rob's album: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠NY Sticky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

This week Jim and Rob give an overview of what makes the Finger Lakes region such a beautiful and unique part of Upstate, NY. What are you waiting for, the slim watery digits of the Finger Lakes beckon you forth to listen to this episode!



Jim is headlining the Crooked Mouth Comedy Festival in Endicott, NY on September 21st, get your tickets ⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠.

Check out Jim's comedy album: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Upstate Understandings⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Also check out Rob's album: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠NY Sticky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

This is the second punch in our one-two combo of episodes that dive into the history of Boxing in Upstate NY. This week we're taking a trip to Canastota, NY to talk about the International Boxing Hall of Fame. Float like a butterfly and listen to this episode like bee baybeee!

⁠Watch Understanding Upstate: The Documentary ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠



Jim is headlining the Crooked Mouth Comedy Festival in Endicott, NY on September 21st, get your tickets ⁠⁠here⁠⁠.

Check out Jim's comedy album: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Upstate Understandings⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Also check out Rob's album: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠NY Sticky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

This week we're sticking around in Catskill, NY to talk about the man that trained guided a young Mike Tyson and the gym and home that he and his lifelong partner built for would be prize fighters all the way up in the Catskills.

Watch Understanding Upstate: The Documentary ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠



Jim is headlining the Crooked Mouth Comedy Festival in Endicott, NY on September 21st, get your tickets ⁠here⁠.

Check out Jim's comedy album: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Upstate Understandings⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Also check out Rob's album: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠NY Sticky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Last week we talked all about snakes, and this week we talk about seemingly every other animal known to man as we discuss the rise and fall of the Catskill Game Farm. Jim and Rob get into how the United States' largest and oldest private zoo shuttered its doors, attracted the ire of fashion designer Marc Ecko, and became an AirBnb. It's as wild as it sounds so tap in and get started!

Watch Understanding Upstate: The Documentary ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠



Jim is headlining the Crooked Mouth Comedy Festival in Endicott, NY on September 21st, get your tickets here.

Check out Jim's comedy album: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Upstate Understandings⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Also check out Rob's album: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠NY Sticky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

This week we get into Rochester's very real folk hero, Rattlesnake Pete, and I can't stress it enough: this episode has it all. We got the Hard Cider Gang, the magnificent Erie Canal, the lovely writing of Arch Merril, dinner with snakes, snakes for dinner, and a whole lot more! ⁠⁠⁠

Watch Understanding Upstate: The Documentary ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠



Check out Jim's comedy album: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Upstate Understandings⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Also check out Rob's album: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠NY Sticky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

We get into the rise and fall of one of the most widely read cartoonists, creator of the comic strip B.C. and Endicott, NY's own: Johnny Hart. The rise and fall of of Johnny's career as the unofficial cartoon laureate of Broom County is a wild one so buckle up.

⁠⁠Watch Understanding Upstate: The Documentary ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠



Check out Jim's comedy album: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Upstate Understandings⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Also check out Rob's album: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠NY Sticky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠