Beyond the Mic with Sean Dillon

Joe Amodei on "Cold War in Philly: Flyers vs. Russia 1976"

"I made a decision very early on to just let the Flyers tell the story." Welcome Joe Amodei We're joined on the Starline by a guy who's spent forty years deciding which movies get made and how they get sold and never once his own. That changes now. "Cold War in Philly: Flyers vs. Russia 1976" is his first film in the director's chair, and it's out now. We welcome Joe Amodei. Joe, let’s go Beyond the Mic. Every one of these players is going to be gone within a generation or two, and this film is what's left. Is there a question you wish you'd asked one of them, that you didn't realize you'd missed until the interview was already over? You've watched thousands of documentaries as a distributor. What's the cliché you were most afraid of accidentally making with this one and was there a moment in the final cut where you caught yourself doing it anyway? What made this game so special for you? The Rockin' 8: "Cold War in Philly: Flyers vs. Russia 1976" is the film, director Joe Amodei joins us for the Rockin’ 8, 8 random questions, just trust your first instinct. 1. You've been distributing films since the VHS era. What's the one title you distributed that you still feel never got the love it deserved? 2. What was the first Flyers game you ever saw live? 3. How do you actually eat a Reese's cup: nibble around the edge, or one big bite? 4. You're a Turner Classic Movies fan. What's your actual favorite film that plays on TCM? 5. What's your real favorite Bruce Springsteen song? 6. Sunsets or sunrises? 7. Out of everything you've collected across forty years and dozens of films, is there one object that isn’t an award or family member you'd grab first if the house was on fire? 8. You lost a few of these players while you were still making this film. Was there a specific day when you got the call or text and do you remember exactly who had passed? One Big Question: You've spent forty years deciding which movies were worth someone else's time. Is there one thread connecting every film you've ever put your name behind and did making your own tell you what it is? The Wrap: He eats Reese’s cup in one big bite to his wife’s dismay and loves Chaplain’s “City Lights”. He wants you to check out "Cold War in Philly: Flyers vs. Russia 1976," in theaters now... Joe Amodei, thanks for taking the time to talk with us today. And that my friends is a Beyond the Mic Short Cut. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp

Director Andy Billman Found His Dick Allen Film in an Audio Tape Nobody Was Looking For

"What's ironic, Sean, is it's not video, it's audio." Welcome Andy Billman We're joined on the Starline by the director who spent four years turning one baseball injustice into a five-part series, “My Father, Dick Allen”. Two Emmys, a Peabody, and a lifelong Cleveland kid at heart. We welcome Andy Billman. Andy, let's go Beyond the Mic. This started as a one-hour film and became a five-part series over four years. What was the moment you realized one hour wasn't going to hold this story? What was the exact piece of footage, that made you say this isn't just a baseball story, this is the one I have to make next? Working this closely with Dick Allen's own family, specifically his son, changes the shape of a biography. How did that relationship set the boundaries of what you were willing to put on screen? The Rockin' 8: “My Father, Dick Allen” is the series and Andy Billman joins us for the Rockin' 8, 8 random questions, first thought, no pressure. 1. At either Big Met or Little Met, what's the best round you ever put together? 2. Of every 30 for 30 you've cut, which one nearly broke you in the edit bay? 3. Is there one person you wanted for this film and just couldn't land? 4. The one thing you always tell your public speaking students at New Haven? 5. Toughest interview you ever sat across from. Who was it? 6. Best Stuart Scott memory. Go. 7. Time machine, any sports story ever. Which one are you directing? 8. First Cleveland memory. The one that made you fall in love with this city, or broke your heart? The Back Half: “My Father, Dick Allen” is the series and Andy Billman joins us for the Back Half. You've spent your whole career telling other people's hardest stories. What did four years inside Dick Allen's story cost you personally? How has storytelling changed you? What’s the one story you wanted to tell but you can’t. So what is story that you got from your parents? Justice: “My Father, Dick Allen” is the series and Andy Billman joins us Beyond the Mic. You've made films about a city that lost for fifty years and a man who waited fifty years to get in. Why are you drawn to stories about people who have to wait too long for justice? Andy, what's the thing about making this film you almost didn't survive, creatively, emotionally, or logistically? You were a deer in headlights writing for Stuart Scott at 22. What would that version of you think of the guy directing his own five-part series now and all the things you’ve done? Andy, what’s the 1st thing you bought with 1st paycheck from ESPN? Four years is a long time to live inside one man's story. What do you know about your own father, or your own family, that you didn't know before you made this? And how did this change the way you are with your boys? Don Reiber believed in you before you'd done anything to earn it. Who else in your life did that, and did you ever get to tell them it mattered? What’s your thoughts on the media world right now? One Big Question: You spent four years making sure history finally got Dick Allen right. When you look at your own life outside the editing room, who is the person you’re still working to truly understand? The Wrap: “Youngstown Boys” nearly died in the edit bay, Jim Brown was scary and director Andy Billman wants you to see “My Father, Dick Allen”. Andy thanks for taking the time to talk with us today. And that my friends is Beyond the Mic. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp

Tom Provost on Young Washington: Decades as a Ghostwriter, Now a Name on the Poster

"You're going to die and nobody's going to remember you 50 years after that." — Tom Provost Welcome Tom Provost: We’re joined on the Starline by a true Hollywood polymath. Writer, director, actor, teacher, and part time charity CEO. Hollywood’s go to script is in the spotlight now with his film “Young Washington”. We welcome Tom Provost. Tom, let’s go Beyond the Mic. Every version of Washington we've had is the marble statue. What made you want to write him at his most unfinished? He was young, unsure, capable of a mistake that could've ended everything? How has your views of Washington failures changed since researching and writing this? The film has an icy river sequence too dangerous to actually shoot. But a pool in Ireland stretched into a frozen death trap with the assistance of AI. What was it like watching a scene you wrote on paper become something so dangerous that technology had to invent it? What's the one scene in this movie you fought hardest to keep true, even when an easier version could've played safer? The Rockin' 8: Young Washington is the film and Tom Provost joins us for the Rockin' 8. 8 random questions, just trust your first instinct. There is no Pressure. 1. You played Ensign Filie on SeaQuest DSV right as the network was retooling it into the ground. What did that teach a young actor about how Hollywood actually works? 2. A friend of mine once drank 32 oz of blue cheese dressing on a dare. Could you? What’s the secret of your blue cheese? 3. When you're at the movies, what snacks do you buy and if it's popcorn, how do you treat it? 4. If you had to build the perfect menu for a night watching Young Washington, what's on it? 5. Ten years waiting tables: Is there one shift or one table you still think about today? 6. After the fire took 1,832 of your books, what was the one you went looking for first to replace? 7. Is there a smell that means home to you? 8. What's a piece of advice from a parents that didn't actually land until years later? The Impossible Question: If you could hand the script of your own life to a 21-year-old Tom Provost, what's the one scene you’d let him edit? And if he chose to fix it, would you still be the man who made “Young Washington”? The Back Half: Tom Provost from “Young Washington” join us Beyond the Mic. Four years at UT Austin studying English lit, film production, and criticism. How did those years actually prepare you for the life you're living now? You co-wrote “Under Suspicion” decades ago, then years as a script doctor and consultant before your name went back on a poster with “Young Washington”. What made these two projects worth stepping out from behind the curtain for? How have your thoughts on respect changed? This film leaned on AI to build shots too dangerous or expensive to shoot for real. Has working with AI changed how you think about your own process as a writer? There's a line in the film: "The world is often an unfair place, and you must take what it gives you and make it yours." What have you taken from the world and made it yours? Tom, you are a giver, as the founder and CEO of Bags and Grace, how does surviving your own house fire change what you think people actually need when they've lost everything? Teaching: Tom Provost from “Young Washington” join us Beyond the Mic. You teach film making and acting to students who want the career you have. What's the one lesson you didn't actually understand yourself until you'd already failed at it? Who challenges you now? You had early success with a produced, Edgar-nominated screenplay, a directed feature that won festival awards. Then years as a script doctor and consultant, other people's names on the poster. Was there a point you thought your own name might not go back on one? What’s on your list now? Tom, what did you get from your dad that's different from what you got from your mom? When was the last time you lost your temper? One Big Question: Your mother is a historian of the American Revolution. She handed you this country's story before anyone else did. If she watched this film sitting right next to you, what's the one moment you'd most want to see land on her face? So the best vacation was where? Your best memory of family is… The Wrap: He likes milk duds in his popcorn, waited once on Robin Williams and wants you to watch “Young Washington” now. Tom Provost, thanks for taking the time to talk with us today. And that my friends is a Beyond the Mic XL. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp

Josh Turner Watched His Own Record Come Off the Press in Nashville

"...how different my career would have been had Alan Jackson cut Long Black Train." Welcome Josh Turner: We’re joined on the Starline by a man who stood in a Nashville pressing plant and watched the first copy of his own twenty-year-old record come off the line. "Your Man" turns twenty. We welcome Josh Turner. Josh, let's go Beyond the Mic. You were standing right there at United Record Pressing when the first test press came off the line. What did you do with it? Chris Stapleton sent you the demo. You have said you could not hear it for your own record. What was wrong with it? The Rockin' 8: "Your Man," the 20th Anniversary Edition, is the album, and Josh Turner joins us for the Rockin' 8. 8 random questions, just trust your first instinct. There is no Pressure. 1. It's a Small World. Fan, or not? Like ride / song 2. Last Braves game you saw live. Did they win? 3. Best Halloween costume you had growing up? 4. Biggest fish you ever caught in South Carolina? 5. Favorite place to perform BEFORE the Opry? 6. More than twenty students have come through the scholarship fund you and Jennifer started. Who touches your heart still today? 7. What is the one thing in your house right now that came from Hannah? 8. You found his medals and that letter after he was gone. What else of your granddaddy's do you have? Sneaking in a Couple More: If you could meet your 28 year old version of yourself today, what advice would he give you? And would you actually listen? Some artists bury their early records. Why put yours on turquoise vinyl? One Big Question: You almost passed on "Your Man." What does it do to a man to know the biggest thing in his life was something he nearly said no to and how glad are you that you said yes? The Wrap: He last caught a 26 lb Red Drum, cherishes his parents 1st table from Hannah, and wants you to hear "Your Man," the 20th Anniversary Edition, out now. Josh Turner, thanks for taking the time to talk with us today. And that my friends is a Beyond the Mic Short Cut. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp

Robin Christian on Ed Asner, Auschwitz, and Why One Life Is Enough

"Nobody cares about your story, whether you're a writer of books or screenwriting.", Robin Christian Welcome Robin Christian: We're joined on the Starline by a filmmaker who refuses to pick a lane: horror, holiday, musical, true story. The horror-thriller "Below," brings bull sharks to landlocked Illinois. We welcome Robin Christian. Robin, let’s go Beyond the Mic. You've made a bull-shark thriller, a Christmas drama, and a musical, horror. How does your movie making range fit, or does it not fit anywhere on purpose? "Below" was shot nowhere near an ocean. What's the hardest part of pulling off a genre movie like that on an independent budget, project after project? You've proven you can make almost anything. But why? Champaign-Urbana keeps showing up as your home base for shooting. What does that town give you that LA or Canada never could? One Ed Asner’s last movies was with you. How did his presence change you? How did you meet Ed? The Rockin' 8: Filmmaker Robin Christian joins us for the Rockin' 8, 8 random questions, just trust your first instinct. There is no Pressure. 1. C.O.R.N. stands for the Collective Order of Recreational Necrophilanthropists. Who in the hell came up with that name? 2. You worked as a laborer for Habitat for Humanity for over two years. What was the skill from a construction site that you still use on a film set? 3. You married Cathy on November 7, 1987. What's one thing about that day you still remember clearly? 4. You helped out at the Austin Film Festival Writers Conference in 2024. What's one piece of advice you give new screenwriters that you had to unlearn yourself? 5. You went to Urbana High School. What's one class or teacher from there that still shows up in how you work today? 6. Of everything you've made, is there one poster you'd keep on your wall if you could only keep one? 7. What's a habit from your very first film set that you still do today? 8. You've taught Sunday school to teenagers for six years, and you also write and direct movies about death cults and reanimated killers. How do those two things relate? The Back Half: Your screenplay about the Beatles' first promoter, the guy who helped launch them and then missed his own moment, is something your own production company calls a hidden gem. Do you relate to that guy at all? Important you make your own joy, what joy to you now? When was the best memory with your family? Is there a version of your own career Robin where you almost missed your moment? Past and Adversity: How do you go from analytics to illumination to polymers to film making? Filmmaker Robin Christian joins us Beyond the Mic. Robin, how has adversity changed you? One of the stories your company has done was of the Morris Goldner. A story about a teenager who snuck into a concentration camp to photograph what was happening inside, and those photos may have helped confirm what the Allies suspected. What drew you to that story, and how do you direct something that true without it becoming a spectacle? Why do you keep chasing the art itself instead of settling into one format or genre? First musical you saw growing up? Mentor: Who was your mentor who has guided you on this path of film making? Robin, how has your work changed from the films you made when you started to what you're making now? Which directors working today have actually changed how you think about your own craft? What's a rule of film making you had to break to make something you actually believed in? So what's the project that almost didn't get made, the one where you nearly walked away from? Who believed in you before there was any real reason to? Two Big Questions: 1: What's the story: yours, or one you're telling, that fires you up to keep doing this every day? 2: Has a stranger ever told you that one of your movies changed something for them and did you believe them? The Wrap: At his wedding the fire engine wouldn’t start and loves Mrs. Clemens his accounting teacher. He wants you to watch his CORN Horror Trilogy. Robin Christian thanks for taking the time to talk with us today. And that my friends is Beyond the Mic. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp

Daniel Silva on "Ransom", and the Writing Rule He Doesn't Believe Anymore

"If you're a skilled writer, then you can become a 19th century Texan." Daniel Silva Welcome Daniel Silva: We're joined on the Starline by a #1 New York Times bestselling author whose spy hero just went up against Russian drones in “Ransom” We welcome Daniel Silva. Daniel, let’s go Beyond the Mic. Ransom is part kidnap drama, part global thriller, and you've said it's built around one of the most important security issues facing the West right now. What made that the story? After 26 books with the same guy, is there something of you that goes into Gabriel every single time? And has that changed on you over 25 years? What's the 1st rule about writing you believed at 36, publishing your first Gabriel Allon book, that you don't believe anymore today? The Rockin' 8: Ransom is the book and Daniel Silva joins us for the Rockin' 8, 8 random questions, just trust your first instinct. There is no Pressure. 1. Would Gabriel want to own a Banksy, or would he think it's beneath him? 2. You grew up in Merced, California, the son of two schoolteachers. What's one thing a classroom teaches that a newsroom never did? 3. You've done a book tour every July for 25 years. How many pens /sharpies have you actually gone through signing books? 4. After you vote: sticker, or no sticker? 5. What's something you owned before you were a bestselling author that you still can't get rid of? 6. Asking you to pick a favorite bookstore is like asking which twin you love more. Pick anyway. 7. What's the last thing YOU did that actually impressed Jamie? 8. There's a line in the new book Gabriel shook his head slowly, "Didn't they teach you anything at Detective school?" What's the one thing you would want to learn at "Detective School"? One Big Question: You've spent 25 years imagining the world's worst threats before they happen. What's the one you hope you never have to write about, because it actually happened first? The Wrap: He picks up a sticker after voting, went through 8 sharpies at his last event. He wants you to read his book Ransom. Daniel Silva, thanks for taking the time to talk with us today. And that my friends is a Beyond the Mic Short Cut. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp

Scott Spiezio: The One Thing His Father Couldn't Fix

"Find your identity in something that lasts." Welcome Scott Spiezio: We're joined on the Starline by a two time World Series champion who spent his road trips teaching himself guitar in hotel rooms. His memoir “The Hardest Comeback” is out now. We welcome Scott Spiezio. Scott, Let’s go Beyond the Mic. You tell your story from a stage any chance you get. For free, to whoever shows up. What's in the book that most people don't get? Your dad wrote the foreword. He had to sit down and write the opening to a book about the worst years of your life. Years he lived through on the other side of a phone that stopped ringing. How many times did it take for you to read it all the way through? The Rockin' 8: “The Hardest Comeback” is the book, and Scott Spiezio joins us for the Rockin’ 8, 8 random questions, just trust your first instinct. There is no Pressure. You just have 10 words 1. Do you still have the first guitar you ever got? And what was it? 2. Your band was called Sandfrog. First record, Face Down, produced by Morgan Rose out of Sevendust. How does a switch-hitting utility infielder end up in a studio with Sevendust's drummer? 3. Who's the most unlikely person you've ever shared a stage with? 4. You were born six days before your dad played his last professional game. Has he ever told you what that week was like for him? 5. Nettle Creek. What's the biggest thing anybody in your family has pulled out of it? 6. You pack and mailed the autographed books yourself, out of the Morris post office. Do the people at that counter know you by name now? 7. A nine year old walks into your place for a baseball lesson in Morris for the first time. What's the first thing you fix? 8. When was the last time you used your Lifetime Pass for a game? One Big Question: You wrote that "with virtually no anonymity, I refused to open up and be vulnerable. I learned a little, but my mindset wasn't right." How did the first hug from your dad feel after you got sober? The Wrap: He shared a stage with Eddie Money and Dave Mustaine, watched a Northern Pike get caught out of Nettle Creek and wants you to read his book “The Hardest Comeback”. Scott Spiezio, thanks for taking the time to talk with us today. And that my friends is a Beyond the Mic Short Cut. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp

Ryan Weiss host of "Waking Up with Ryan"

"I want my daughter to have that kind of compassion when someone's being mean or rude." Welcome Ryan Weiss: We're joined on the Starline by a father, partner, teacher, podcaster and former Broadway star. His latest project is a daily podcast, “Waking Up with Ryan”. We welcome Ryan Weiss. Ryan, let's go Beyond the Mic. You've said, "It was never about becoming someone new. It was about letting go of who I thought I was." That's a pretty different pitch than most of the wellness world makes right now. Why'd this show need to exist at ten minutes a day, instead of one more long conversation? So, what’s happiness to you now? Sophia Bush, Gerard Butler, LeAnn Rimes are lined up for the long-form side of this. What do you actually want to find out from them, that a magazine profile will never get to? Who is your dream guest that you haven’t booked yet? The Rockin' 8: “Waking Up with Ryan” is the show and Ryan Weiss joins us for the Rockin’ 8, 8 random questions, just trust your first instinct. There is no Pressure. 1. What kind of chickens did you have? 2. When was the last baseball game you attended, and who's your baseball idol? 3. First tattoo was of what, and when did you get it? 4. Favorite yoga pose, and least favorite? 5. Wicked is eight shows a week, no days off for months. What's the one thing about performer stamina that still shows up in how you coach people now? 6. Growing up with two triplet siblings in the clergy, what's one thing about faith or ritual you picked up from them without ever meaning to? 7. You say the same prayer each day, Ryan. When was the first day you said it? 8. One experience you have had in your life that you want your daughter Deia to have too? Sneaking in a Couple More: You've said your deepest healing didn't come from trying to fix yourself, it came once you surrounded yourself with teachers and a community who actually understood your trauma. Who was in that room? What did they understand that you couldn't give yourself yet? Who do you want to heal with “Waking Up with Ryan”? One Big Question: “Waking Up with Ryan” is the show and Ryan Weiss joins us for One Big Question… If self-acceptance is the whole message, what's the part of yourself you're still working on accepting? The Wrap: Siblings became clergy, he became a Broadway dancer, now he's doing the family's actual work without a pulpit and had heritage chickens. He wants you to hear “Waking up with Ryan”. Ryan Weiss, thanks for taking the time to talk with us today. And that my friends is a Beyond the Mic Short Cut. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp

Who's That Girl: Thea Glassman on the Real Story Behind New Girl

"I will be so happy to rewatch, watch this every day to talk to every single director, every single writer, every single cast member." Welcome Thea Glassman: We’re joined on the Starline by an entertainment journalist and author who traced classic TV culture in “Freaks, Gleeks, and Dawson's Creek”. Now, she's turning her lens to Loft 4D with her new book, “Who's That Girl: The Definitive History of New Girl”. We welcome Thea Glassman. Thea, let's go Beyond the Mic. You wrote a Vanity Fair piece in 2018 was about New Girl trying to make things right in its final season. What were you seeing in the show that made you need to writ e that? Liz Meriwether described the New Girl set as a lab — a place where off-the-cuff comedy was created by the cast in the moment or through a long list of alt jokes, additional scripted jokes beyond what was written on the page. What's your favorite joke from that process? Which character did you relate to the most from New Girl? The Rockin' 8: Who's That Girl is the book, and Thea Glassman joins us for the Rockin' 8, 8 random questions, just trust your first instinct. There is no Pressure. 1. You have a dog named Riggins, after Friday Night Lights. What was the first TV show that made you feel like you belonged somewhere? 2. You posted a photo of your 14-year-old self with a Dawson's Creek CD liner. What was that girl looking for in that show? 3. In Freaks, Gleeks, and Dawson's Creek, you wrote about seven shows. Which was your favorite of the seven? Instant Followup : What makes New Girl worth its own book? 4. You baked "heartthrob cupcakes" for people who supported your past books. Is that your actual love language — acts of cupcakes? 5. Prince improvised on New Girl. Favorite Prince song? 6. What's the wildest behind the scenes story in the book: the thing that made you go "how did nobody know this?" 7. If you could rewrite one episode of New Girl, which one and why? 8. You traveled while reporting: mentioned extreme gelato and French covid. What's a moment from writing this book that you'll never forget? Sneaking in One More: What's something you found out about New Girl during reporting that genuinely hurt? You built relationships with the cast while reporting this. Did they tell you different things because they trusted you, versus what they might have told a stranger with a recorder? One Big Question: What part of New Girl's story do you think the show itself got wrong? The Wrap: She loved Dawson’s Creek for the love story, Switzerland for vacation and wants you to read “Who's That Girl: The Definitive History of New Girl”. Thea Glassman thanks for taking the time to talk with us today. And that my friends is a Beyond the Mic Short Cut. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp

James Landry Hébert on Authenticity

"The lines don't matter. The life does." — James Landry Hébert (On the difference between working with Sam Levinson and Taylor Sheridan.) Welcome James Landry Hébert: We’re joined on the Starline by a character actor born in Lafayette went from Brad Pitt's stand-in, to have Sam Levinson write a role specifically for him. Season 3 of “Euphoria” is streaming now on HBO Max. We welcome James Landry Hébert. James, let’s go Beyond the Mic. You said “Harley didn’t show up fully formed, we found him piece by piece.” When you read your first scenes, what did you recognize in that character that told you Sam already knew something true about you? “Euphoria” is so precise, with each frame deliberate. How do you hold onto the looseness, especially in the living room scene, when everything around you is that controlled? How has the way you see acting changed from when you started to now with “Euphoria”? The Rockin' 8: James Landry Hébert joins us Beyond the Mic for the Rockin’ 8, 8 random questions, just trust your first instinct. 1. James, you graduated high school on the rez. What's one thing you knew how to do by graduation that your LSU classmates definitely did not? 2. Before acting you were a horse wrangler and a band manager. Which one prepared you more for Hollywood? 3. Which show or movie doesn’t get the respect you thought it should have? 4. Most Cajun thing you've done in the last month? 5. If the Chitimacha Tribal School had a yearbook superlative for you, what would it have said? 6. When you were a kid on the reservation and you first understood what storytelling was, not as a career, but as something people do to survive... where were you and who was talking? 7. Tarantino, Costner, Sheridan, Levinson: who scared you the most before you walked in, and was it deserved? 8. You've said you want to make a film about being adopted. What's the first scene? Sneaking in a couple more: You spent years in casting before you were acting... watching auditions, seeing what worked and what didn't. How did that change the way you walk into a room now? You've talked about wanting to produce, to connect the dots for people, help others get their stories told. When you think about the stories that aren't getting told yet… what's the one that sits with you? One Big Question: You've spent your whole career making dangerous people human. Finding the heart in the heavy. The Dardens took in a kid from Lafayette who had every reason to go sideways... and gave him a world. When you finally make that film... who are you making it for? The Wrap: The most Cajun thing James has done this month is make his families secret gumbo recipe, managing a band prepared him for Hollywood and wants you to see Euphoria Season 3 streaming now on HBO Max. James Landry Hébert, thanks for taking the time to talk with us today. And that my friends is a Beyond the Mic Short Cut. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp

Billy West on "Voice-A-Versa: Finding My Voice(s) Behind the Mic"

"I'm not worthless, like my father said I was." - Billy West Welcome Billy West: We’re joined on the Starline by a voice-over actor who did his best stuff in the 31st Century. His latest project is his book “Voice-A-Versa: Finding My Voice(s) Behind the Mic”. We welcome Billy West. Billy, let’s go Beyond the Mic. You wrote this book about your own life, and then you had to read it out loud for the audiobook in your real voice, no character, nothing. Forty-five years of voices at your disposal, and you picked the one you never use on the air. Why'd your story need the real you? The book doesn't flinch from a hard childhood. What made this the year to finally put it on paper? "I was totally fearless as a voice-over actor. I would try anything I thought might work. My choices and voices were considered “off the nose” because I didn’t want to offer up character clichés or use the “safe” way out." Where did that fearlessness come from Billy? The Rockin' 8: “Voice-A-Versa: Finding My Voice(s) Behind the Mic” is the book and Billy West it’s time for the Rockin’ 8, 8 random questions, just trust your first instinct. There is no Pressure. 1. You sold guitars in a Harvard Square shop by day and gigged Boston clubs by night. What's the worst guitar you ever talked somebody into buying? 2. Your own X bio calls you a "microphone diaphragm destroyer." What's the take that actually blew one out? 3. Billy. where is your favorite place to think? 4. You had got a room full of guitars, which was your daily driver? 5. In your world: voiceover, animation, radio... who doesn't get the credit they deserve? 6. If someone else had to narrate the story of your life, which actor gets the job? 7. You had a fake ID when you were 20. Do you remember what name was on it? 8. Settling this once and for all: in Supergirl, is it Braille Face or Rivet Face? Sneaking in One More: Your earliest comedy wasn't for a crowd but for your mom, on the hard days, just to pull her out of it. What did a smile from her mean to you now? One Big Question: There's a line in the book: "The past lives in your head because it cannot survive anywhere else." So when did you find peace Billy? The Wrap: He listens to classical music to relax the voices, enjoyed playing a telecaster and wants you to read “Voice-A-Versa: Finding My Voice(s) Behind the Mic”, wherever books are sold. Billy West thanks for taking the time to talk with us today, And that my friends is a Beyond the Mic Short Cut. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp

Leanne Morgan: Why Her Accent Was Never the Problem

"I'm getting death threat and you're getting marriage proposals." — Leanne Morgan Welcome Leanne Morgan We're joined on the Starline by a comedian who spent twenty years working Tennessee living rooms before Hollywood caught on. Now her sitcom is headed into season two and her tour keeps adding shows. “The Time of Our Lives Tour” is on the road now. We welcome Leanne Morgan. Leanne, let’s go Beyond the Mic. Before we talk tour, your daddy cut meat for a living. What do you still do at the grocery store meat case that normal people don't? You could have named this tour anything. "The Time of Our Lives" sounds like a woman making a point. What's your point? What happens in a club or theater that Netflix can't send to somebody's couch? The Rockin' 8: “The Time of Our Lives” tour is on the road, and comedian Leanne Morgan joins us for the Rockin’ 8, 8 random questions, just trust your first instinct. 1. Coffee, tea, or moonshine? 2. What's the go-to road trip snack on that tour bus? 3. Your own bio says you got through University of Tennessee "by the skin of your teeth." Which class almost got you? 4. Last show you binge-watched? 5. Season two's got Lainey Wilson and Tyne Daly walking through your living room. If a season three comes, who's your dream guest? 6. My wife's in the middle of it, so I get to ask. What's the worst thing about perimenopause? Two left, no pressure. 7. Tennessee girl walks off the Ryman stage. What did you do the second you got to the wings? 8. You were a finalist on Nick at Nite's Funniest Mom, and you didn't win. Does not winning it feel sweeter today? The Back Half: Take me to the kitchen in Bean Station, 1996. Three babies. No comedy club within an hour. If that woman could see your life today, would she recognize you? Or would it break her heart how long it took? People call it an overnight rise. It was thirty years. What did the waiting give you that getting famous at 25 never could? Your show's premise is a husband walking out after 33 years. Your real husband stayed. What did Chuck say the first time he read that script? Does Chuck make it through an episode of anything, or is he asleep by the cold open? Women look at you and see themselves. But you fly private now. (no, really?) So aisle, middle or window seat? Who makes YOU laugh? What kind of comedy cracks you open? When's the last time you laughed so hard you couldn't breathe? One Big Question: When it's just you on the porch in Knoxville, sun going down, nobody watching. What's the dream that still hasn't come true for you? Sneakin’ in Couple More: How has your family been strengthened by this journey? You grew up down the road from the Bell Witch. Do you tell the grand kids the story on Halloween? The Wrap: She wants Amy Poehler for season three of her show, not winning feel sweeter today and wants you to see “The Time of Our Lives Tour” and season two of Leanne hits Netflix August 27. Leanne Morgan, thanks for taking the time to talk with us today. And that my friends is Beyond the Mic. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp

Ron Friedman Studied 6,000 Workers to Find Out What the Best Teams Do — the Answer Will Surprise You

What do the writers' room of Succession, ABBA's recording studio, and Michelin-starred kitchens have in common? According to social psychologist Ron Friedman, they all run on the same playbook—and it’s completely counterintuitive. Friedman analyzed over 100,000 data points for his new book, Superteams, and discovered that elite teams aren’t the ones that collaborate the most or put in the longest hours. In this episode of Beyond the Mic, Ron goes past the data to share the messy reality of high performance. He opens up about why academia pushed him out the door, what a former telemarketer who minored in European history learned about himself, and the exact rule that slashes calendar bloat overnight. Plus, stick around for the specific question that had Ron wondering what host Sean Dillon was going to throw at him next. Hit play for a Beyond the Mic Short Cut with Dr. Ron Friedman! This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp

John PayCheck: "Those Weren't My Accomplishments."

"Things don't come easy. It doesn't matter, you know, that who I'm related to, you know, I'm out here in a van driving around." Welcome John PayCheck: We're joined on the Starline by a man who grew up riding buses with one of country music's biggest outlaws. He walked away from music for two decades, fighting fires, flying for the Army, raising a family, and building a completely different life. Now he's back with The Cavalry, a single called "Sons of the Spark" alongside Struggle Jennings. We welcome John PayCheck. John, let's go Beyond the Mic. Tell me about one of your recent adventures. A venue owner canceled a show because he thought you rolled into town like Mötley Crüe with the full band, more than he was expecting. What was your reaction? "Sons of the Spark" brings you together with Struggle Jennings, another guy with a famous last name. Whose idea was it and what made the two of you realize this wasn't just another duet? What was the one unusual topic brought up from that chance meeting? You said growing up wasn't easy for either of you, and you both had your own demons. Was there a moment in that writing process where you surprised yourself with how honest you were willing to be? The Rockin' 8: "Sons of the Spark" is out now and John PayCheck joins us for the Rockin' 8. 8 random questions, 1st instinct, no pressure. 1. What's the last Army/Navy football game you attended? 2. What could you do at 20 that you can't do anymore, onstage or off? 3. What have your daughters taught you about your own music that you didn't expect? 4. John, favorite Texas Hold 'Em hand? 5. Best round of golf you've ever shot? 6. You went from roadie to tour manager before you ever stepped behind the microphone. What's one skill from those years that nobody would guess a singer still needs today? 7. You farmed, too. What's was your best crop growing on your land? 8. Three daughters, three college tours this summer—North Texas, Texas, Texas A&M and Texas State. Which campus surprised you by becoming somebody's favorite? Which one were you quietly hoping they'd pick? The Back Half: We're sneaking in a couple more with John PayCheck Beyond the Mic. You spent twenty years building a life that was music free. At what point did you realize it wasn't just a break anymore but it had become your life? So which song of your dad’s didn’t get the love you that it should have? As your daughters see your work the way you saw your dad’s, what do you hope they take away from this life? Definitely, you've worn a lot of titles: soldier, firefighter, farmer, husband, father. When somebody introduces you today as "John PayCheck," which part of you do you hope they discover before they hear the last name? How has your military service changed you? When you’re not on stage, where do you actually feel the most like yourself? As you fight every day making a living how has your family grounded you? Two Big Questions: You posted that the hits keep coming and you're still fighting. What's the one hit you haven't posted about yet and how have you overcome that problem? You walked away from music and built a life completely outside of it. What does the fans applause mean to you now? The Wrap: John has an acre of lavender growing, struggles with his golf short game, and he’s on the road. "Sons of the Spark" available now. John PayCheck, thanks for taking the time to talk with us today. And that my friends is Beyond the Mic. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp

Kenny Wayne Shepherd on Going Back to the Beginning — and What Thirty Years Actually Changes

"Nobody pushed me to become the musician I am. I did it because I loved it." — Kenny Wayne Shepherd Kenny Wayne Shepherd recorded his debut album at seventeen, drove to Memphis on weekends to track it, and went platinum before he could legally drink. Thirty years later, he went back in with the same guitars, the same amps, and a band that's spent three decades living inside these songs. Ledbetter Heights: The 30th Anniversary Sessions is the result — not a reissue, not a recreation, but a natural evolution of the record that launched one of blues rock's most enduring careers. In this episode, Kenny talks about why he recorded it again (there's a business reason and a real reason — he gives you both), what it was like to finally hear Noah Hunt sing songs Hunt had never recorded before, and how a seven-year-old standing on an amp case in Shreveport watching Stevie Ray Vaughan became the whole story. He also gets into the long creative partnership with Noah Hunt, what it actually takes to keep a band together for nearly thirty years, and why he thinks blues is experiencing another surge right now — and why that surge always happens the same way. Plus: Bobby Rush at ninety-two, Bob Dylan's catering, and the daughter who just graduated valedictorian while her dad was busy making records at her age. Ledbetter Heights: The 30th Anniversary Sessions is out now. Find Kenny Wayne Shepherd at kennywayneShepherd.com . Welcome Kenny Wayne Shepherd: We’re joined on the Starline by a blues-rock guitarist who recorded his debut album at 17, drove to Memphis on weekends to track it, and went Platinum before he could legally drink. Thirty years later he's back with the same songs, same mission, but a different man. “Ledbetter Heights: The 30th Anniversary Sessions” is out now. We welcome Kenny Wayne Shepherd. Kenny, let’s go Beyond the Mic. You went back to your original 1995 rig for these sessions, same guitar, same gear you used to cut the first version. What did it feel like to plug in and be back in that sound after 30 years? This record already existed. It went Platinum. You didn't have to do this. So what's the real reason you re-recorded it? Not the business reason, the one that actually made you go through with it? Noah Hunt has been with you for almost 30 years, and now he's on this record singing songs he never sang before. When you finally heard him on these tracks was there a moment where it just locked in and felt right, or was it more gradual than that? The Rockin' 8: “Ledbetter Heights: The 30th Anniversary Sessions” is the album and Kenny Wayne Shepherd joins us Beyond the Mic for the Rockin’ 8, 8 random questions, just trust your first instinct. There is no Pressure. 1. Your dad had a radio station and backstage access to everything. Is there a show you saw as a kid, before you were playing yourself, that you still think about? (SRV Double Trouble) 2. At 13 you got up onstage with Bryan Lee in New Orleans and stayed up there until 4 A.M.. What did you eat after that or did you pass out? 3. You graduated from Caddo Magnet High School in Shreveport. While you also were recording a debut album and driving to Memphis on weekends to track it. What's the course you could have studied harder back then? (none of that matter, math is never fun) loved art class 4. Your wedding was performed entirely in Latin. Do you actually speak Latin? 5. You've toured with Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones, Aerosmith, Van Halen, Lynyrd Skynyrd. Which one of those bands had the most insane backstage setup? Bob Dylan had the best catering 6. You've said your mission since your first deal was to spread the word about blues musicians who inspired you. Name one who doesn't get nearly enough credit. (bobby rush) 7. You spent 10 days going door-to-door recording blues legends in their homes, juke joints, front porches. What's the smell you still associate with one of those sessions? Exhaust from the bus 8. Which of your six kids is the best guitarist? (doesn’t know) The Back Half: I think about what it meant for your dad to hand you access to that world, and now you're on the other side of it. When one of your kids picks up an instrument, or doesn't, what goes through your head? You didn't have a lead singer, you had Corey Sterling, and then you didn't. Then you found Noah Hunt and he's been with you nearly 30 years. What does it actually take for two people to stay in a creative partnership that long without it going sideways? The blues has always lived at the margins of mainstream culture. You've spent your career pulling it toward the center. Do you think you've actually moved the needle or does it keep sliding back? Your daughter just graduated valedictorian. You were in Memphis cutting a record at her age. When you watch her step into that special moment, does any part of you wonder what direction your life might have gone if you'd taken a different road? One Big Question: You were seven years old. Your dad promoted a festival, and got you backstage. You ended up standing on an amp case, a few feet from Stevie Ray Vaughan, watching the whole show from the side of the stage. You've described it as being completely entranced, like the whole world could have caught fire and you wouldn't have noticed. Your dad put you there. He handed you that moment. Did you ever tell him what that moment meant to you later in life? The Wrap: Bob Dylan had the best catering, passed out after playing with Bryan Lee and wants you the hear “Ledbetter Heights: The 30th Anniversary Sessions”. Kenny Wayne Shepherd, thanks for taking the time to talk with us. And that my friends is Beyond the Mic. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp

Zoie Tannous Almost Went Home. She Didn't. Now She's Starring in Clue.

"It's funny, I'm not saying I did it, but to me, it's we did it like all versions of myself, you know, the girl who thought it'd be easy, the girl who thought she should give up, the girl who, wasn't sure if this was going to pan out...Like all the versions of myself. We did it." — Zoie Tannous Welcome Zoie Tannous: We’re joined on the Starline by an actress who grew up in the valley and went from running operations in health care to chasing a stage light across the country on the national tour of Clue where she plays Yvette. We welcome Zoie Tannous. Zoie, let’s go Beyond the Mic. You’re an LA kid who grew up in the valley and got your BFA from UC Irvine. Moved to New York to follow your dreams. Now that you have your 1st national tour, was there a moment in those five long years in New York where you thought, “this might never happen”? You’ve done musical theater, but Clue is a straight play. Do you ever have to fight the instinct to sing… and if you didn’t, what song would slips out? Portraying Yvette is different from playing Conchita in “Anna in the Tropics” and Cinderella in “Into the Woods”. How does Clue challenge you differently since you aren’t singing? You have a minor in Psychology and Social Behavior. On a tour like this, when does that actually come in handy? Are you the one needing it… or the one giving it on the road? The Rockin' 8: Clue is the show, and Zoie Tannous joins us for the Rockin’ 8, 8 random questions, just trust your first instinct. There is no Pressure. 1. You worked at Nektar Juice Bar. Customer can't decide, soooo what do you make them? 2. Buying a coat is "such a fashion commitment." What's the biggest fashion commitment you've ever made and regretted? 3. What's a song you know every single word to that would genuinely surprise people? 4. What was your first guitar and who gave it to you? 5. IKEA Meatballs, enjoy them at the table or standing at the counter? 6. What's something you were absolutely convinced you were good at, that it turned out you were not? 7. Growing up, what was the one thing your family still teases you about that you secretly love? 8. First thing you bought with your first paycheck from Clue? The Back Half: In the National Tour of Clue star Zoie Tannous joins us for the Back Half. Zoie, what was the first Broadway show you saw live and how did that encourage your love of the theater? When you get into a new city, what’s the first thing you’re looking for, a place, a drink…? What is the one comfort item you bring on the road so you always have a piece of home with you? Zoie Tannous from Clue joins us Beyond the Mic. You and Eleni… same apartment, same jobs and a dream that defined you both. A month apart, you both book national tours. Who got the call first? How did your heart feel when you finally got your call? The Impossible Question: If Eleni called you right now and said "I need you," what would you do? Sneaking in a A Couple More: Where were you when you found out and what did the moment feel like when your dream became reality? Family has supported you, loved you and would follow you to the ends of the earth for this success. When your parents or brother are in the audience watching you how hard is it to keep it together? You talked about a good show, what are the elements in a good show? How does your team, the amazing cast you are with, grown closer the more time you’ve spend on the road together and who are you the closest with? What did five years of running operations teams teach you about performing that acting school didn't? As you take the nightly curtain call, what’s your message to a dreamer who wants to be where you are? Five years from now, you’re booking your dream role. What is it? What’s Zoie’s best chapter? One Big Question: Zoie Tannous from Clue joins us for One Big Question. Zoie, you spent five years being genuinely good at something that wasn't this. Managing teams, hitting goals, building something real. At some point you had to decide: keep building that life or bet on yourself. What made you bet on yourself when the safer version of your life was already working? The Wrap: She wanted to be an artist like Monet, loves meatballs from IKEA and on a mission to bring back planking, Zoie told us if Eleni called and said 'I need you,' she'd be there. Two women. Five years. One month apart... they both said yes to the same dream. That tells you everything you need to know. Zoie Tannous, thanks for taking the time to talk with us today. And that my friends is Beyond the Mic. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp

Kenny Albert on “A Mic for All Seasons”

“You probably always want to have the perfect night. You never do.” Welcome Kenny Albert We’re joined on the Starline by a Sports Emmy Award winning talent. You've heard him, his voice calling every major sport, including hockey at the Olympics for decades. He joined his hall of fame filled family as a broadcaster. He adds author to his resume with a mic for all seasons. We welcome the talented Kenny Albert. Absolutely great. Kenny, let’s go Beyond the Mic. You've been called the most versatile, well-prepared professional communicator of sports. How does that preparation change depending on the sport? “My plan to ski down the beginner's hill somehow I wound up at the top of the black diamond mountain”. How do you appreciate the opportunities from the Skipjacks to the gold medal game of the Olympics today? You've passed your father in calling the top four American major sports within 13, a legendary Dick Stockton at number one, when you were a kid, what moment made you realize this is actually what I want to do rather than just following your dad's path? The Rockin' 8: A mic for all seasons is the book. Kenny Albert joins us for the rocking 8. 8 random questions, just trust your first instinct. There is no Pressure. 1. Best thing about being a girl dad? 2. Last gift your wife gave you other than your children? 3. What's your best memory as a SIGEP? 4. What's the one sporting event you wish you called? 5. Best round of golf you ever shot was how many strokes and where? 6. Last sporting event you saw that you weren't calling. In other words, for fun? 7. Best place to vacation? 8. Why is the March of Dimes such an important charity for you? Sneaking in a Couple More: Let's sneak in a couple more with Kenny Albert Beyond the Mic. Other than because the U S won it, what made calling us Olympic hockey different this year? When you hang up the headset after a game, what tells you it was a good night? You've called thousands of games. Is there a play you saw live where you immediately thought people are going to watch that highlight for the next 50 years? One Big Question: Who's your idol now? The Wrap: His wife made a quilt from his sports t-shirts as a master on the ping pong table. He wants you to read his book, “A Mic for All Seasons”. Kenny Albert, thanks for taking the time to talk with us today. And that my friends is a Beyond the Mic Short Cut. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp

S'mores, Shaved Ice, and the Road to Hadestown with Kaitlyn O'Leary

"I think that's kind of the, comes with the territory of being an actor, is that you kind of move to New York hoping that you'll move away, or book Broadway, one of the two." Welcome Kaitlyn O’Leary: We’re joined on the Starline by an actor, singer and dancer. She does a killer Kourtney Kardashian impression but doesn’t have to depend on it for her latest Broadway project. It’s playing Worker on the national tour of Hadestown. We welcome Kaitlyn O’Leary. Kaitlyn, let’s go Beyond the Mic. The Tony Award Musical is on the road. What makes playing a worker, the chorus of the musical so special for you? How did the musical, which intertwines Gods and mortals, change you? If someone hadn’t seen “Hadestown”, what do you want people to take away from the show? The Rockin' 8: Kaitlyn O’Leary from “Hadestown” joins us for the Rockin’ 8, 8 random questions, answer with the first thing that comes to your mind. There is no pressure. 1. Which Hadestown character would Kourtney Kardashian play and how would she play it? 2. Typical IN and Out order? 3. Last time you enjoyed a beach bonfire? 4. Best flavor for shaved ice? 5. The best breed for a dog is a…? 6. What was the last final you studied for by the San Marcos river? 7. Who was the last person you shared a S’more with? 8. What was the last Lakers game you saw live? The Back Half: How have you grown from when you were the winner of San Diego County Fair’s “Ultimate Triple Threat” to now? What was the Broadway show you saw that made you realize, “THIS is what I need to do forever?” Who influenced you musically growing up? You’ve been supported by your friends, significant others and family. How have they encouraged you as you go from San Diego to Texas State to New York? Hadestown is all about love, doubt, and second chances. Since this is your first national tour, what theme hits closest to home for you right now? Let’s go Deeper Beyond the Mic: There’s something haunting about “Hadestown”. What’s the key moment in the show that still gives you chills every time? What’s something about being in the ensemble that audiences completely misunderstand? When you’re out on the road, what’s the one thing you bring with you so you don’t feel alone? What’s the first thing you seek out when you hit a new city that might shock people? Was there ever a moment during this you thought, “this might not work out”… and who or what pushed you through it? What’s the one key detail in the show that most people miss, but means a lot to you personally? Where were you when you got the news you got the job and who did you tell first? What’s your dream role? Two Childlike Questions: What do you want to tell the child in the audience, who is looking at you with hope and wonder in their eyes about being you when they grow up? If you could sit down with your 8 year old self right now… what would you tell her after everything this tour has taught you? The Wrap: She likes In-N-Out's number two grilled onions and extra spread, and her last campfire was in Maine. Kaitlyn O'Leary, go see her in the national tour of Hadestown. Thanks for taking the time to go Beyond the Mic with us. And that, my friends, is Beyond the Mic. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp

• Transcript

Comedian Brad Williams Talks Fatherhood, Touring, and Finding Joy in Comedy

"Life is hard enough as it is. I'm just trying to be a great father and give her, you know, give her a fighting chance." Welcome Brad Williams: We’re joined on the Starline by an actor, standup comedian, entrepreneur, podcaster and most importantly dad. He’s out on his “Tall Tales Tour”. We welcome the very funny Brad Williams. Brad, let’s go Beyond the Mic. You’ve done it all, acting, creating hot sauce, podcasting. How has laughing and comedy helped you? You’ve been acting, did a little wrestling on the Jericho Cruise. What gives you joy? How do you create your comedy? Is it from the punchline back or setup to the punchline? When you’re out on tour, you let your wife Jasmine take care of everything else. How has the 10+ years together changed the way you laugh, love and enjoy life? The Rockin' 8: Out on his “Tall Tales Tour”, Comedian Brad Williams joins us for the Rockin’ 8, 8 random questions, just trust your first instinct. There is no Pressure. 1. Best ride at Disneyland? 2. Favorite charity to support? 3. Last pro basketball game you enjoyed? 4. Best Halloween costume when you were younger? 5. Describe Carlos Mencia in 10 words or less? 6. Typical Waffle House order? 7. Favorite place to do a show? 8. What’s your favorite joke that someone else told? The Back Half: How has your daughter changed your life and the way you look at comedy? When you’re out on the road, what’s the one thing from home you have to have with you? You’ve launched a podcast with JB Ball, “Heightened Babble”. Why was podcasting important to you and how has it evolved your comedy? Best and worst thing about JB Ball? Who makes you laugh today? Is there someone you’d like to do a set with or for that you haven’t done one yet? What should people expect when they come see you? One Dwarf Question: How do you want people remembering you when your time on the earth is over? Where can people find you online? The Wrap: Loved doing shows at the Comedy Works in Denver, Conan is his idol, and wants you to see him on his “Tall Tales Tour”. Brad Williams thanks for taking the time to talk with us today. And that my friends is Beyond the Mic. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp

Comedian Henry Cho on The Empty Nest Tour

"I love the whole process of writing, fleshing it out, getting on stage, working it out." Welcome Henry Cho We’re joined on the Starline by a comedian seen on “The Tonight Show”, “The Late, Late, Show” and co-creator of “The Henry Cho Show” on Great American Country. He traveling now on The Empty Nest tour. We welcome Henry Cho. Henry, let’s go Beyond the Mic. Clean comedy is currently all the rage. Why did you think that being able to share stories cleanly is so important now? How did your time in Tennessee help shape you as you were the first comedian in 50 years to be inducted into the Grand Ole Opry and an honorary member of Harvard’s National Lampoon? What that mean to you when Vince inducted you? The Rockin' 8: Comedian Henry Cho joins us for the Rockin’ 8, 8 random questions, just trust your first instinct. There is no Pressure. 1. Favorite ride at Dollywood? 2. Best theater you’ve ever worked at that wasn’t the Opry? 3. One chore your wife depends on you to do at home? 4. Last Tennessee football game you went to see in Knoxville? 5. Favorite country music star right now? 6. What’s the one food that you love that people would find strange? 7. Did you ever use a camera with film and what’s the last thing you took using it? 8. What’s your best golf score and where did you shoot it? The Impossible Question: How did John Mulrooney change your life? All families have stories or legends passed down, most being oral narrations with embellishment, told at holidays or family gatherings. What story stands out most from your childhood that you had to share? The Back Half: Why do you love comedy so much? So with so many of heroes who motivates you now? What makes you laugh now? What’s your dream place to play golf? So what part of your game is your strongest? Is there something you have to bring with you on tour from home that just makes you feel comfortable other than your golf clubs? How many joke books have you gone through? What makes touring easy or hard now? Does touring help you with disagreements with your wife? What do you want fans to take away from a night with you? What’s the one story from the road that people wouldn’t believe happened, but it actually did. One Big Question: What would you give up to guarantee Alabama never winning another sporting event vs Tennessee ever again? The Wrap: He has over 90 composition books full of jokes and never ridden anything at Dollywood. He wants you to see The Empty Nest tour. Henry Cho thanks for taking the time to talk with us today. And that my friends is Beyond the Mic. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp