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Tom Rhodes Smart Camp — Comedy
Tom Rhodes Smart Camp

About Smart Camp podcast
Tom Rhodes Smart Camp is a festival of ideas, knowledge, stories, books, and adventures. I have been a comedian for more than 40 years, traveling the world to perform comedy. Whenever I can, I will share my adventures with you on this podcast. Together with my creative partner and best friend, Ashna, we ‘re offering a blend of wisdom, humor, and heart.

Tom
I have been a comedian for more than 40 years. I travel the world, performing comedy. Exploring diverse cultures and connecting with people from all walks of life while doing comedy is at the heart of my journey. Whenever I can, I’ll share my adventures and a global perspective with you on this podcast.

Ashna
Ashna, Dutch artist, photographer, and my ex-wife, is my best friend and she’s an essential part of the Rhodesies production team. We’ve traveled the world together for 8 years. With her background in cognitive psychology and her passion for philosophy and the arts, Ashna shares her unique European perspective.

Copyright: © 2011 Tom Rhodes

Latest Episodes:

293 Read Seneca! May 07, 2019

Show notes

"So let us face up to the blows of circumstance and be aware that whatever happens is never as serious as rumor makes it out to be." Get to know the life and words of Seneca! TRR Smart Camp #293!

In celebration of little bitches everywhere I'm highlighting Seneca because his thoughts were immortal and they should live in your brain.

He was a contradiction because in his own life he failed to live up to his own teachings but his works may have inspired the birth of the essay and modern psychology. Here is a little taste of the narcotic that is Seneca:

"So let us face up to the blows of circumstance and be aware that whatever happens is never as serious as rumor makes it out to be."

"A setback has often cleared the way for greater prosperity. Many things have fallen only to rise to more exalted heights."

"What you must do, then, is mend your ways and get rid of the burden you're carrying. Keep your cravings within safe limits. Scour every trace of evil from your personality.

"If you want to enjoy your travel, you must make your traveling companion a healthy one."

Everyone should read Seneca!

Start with the book 'Letters From A Stoic' and before you dive in give this episode of Smart Camp a listen to learn about this extraordinary man and his thought provoking words that still resonate today.

Hooray for humanity!

292 Joyous Free Spirit with Jon Stringer Apr 30, 2019

Show notes

Jon Stringer is a lovable human and a top quality comedian!

When I was young many older comedians I admired helped me up along the way and I'll never forget them for that because their endorsements opened doors for me that allowed me to thrive in a very competitive business.

In the pay it forward tradition I want the comedy world and the regular human world to know about Jon Stringer. I met Jon in his hometown of Austin, Texas several years ago and have worked with him many times since and he always leaves me feeling uplifted and proud to be a member of the human race because of his joyous bitter free spirit. His attitude towards stand up comedy is one that embraces the gift of being able to do this and that we have the privilege to hone our skill of trying to get better at it each and every day that we are alive. He is the exact opposite of the bitter turd comedian who is miserable and takes cheap shots at other humans. Jon's approach to comedy is the same that he approaches in life and that is that we are here to uplift humanity and that is why I enjoy being his friend so much and why I love to see him perform.

With his lovely wife Joanna they are burning up the American highways living an adventure that few people ever get to experience. It reminds me of the days Ashna and I had no home and traveled every inch of America in search of jokes, art, photography and laughter.

He is someone I am proud to call a friend, someone comedy lovers should follow, someone festivals and comedy clubs should have on their rosters, someone who is valuable in the art of making life a happy experience for all and that is why it is my pleasure to present to you now the one and only Jon Stringer!

291 Insatiable Curiosity with Jim Gaffigan Apr 16, 2019

Show notes

Insatiable Curiosity with Jim Gaffigan on episode 291 Tom Rhodes Radio Smart Camp! >

Jim Gaffigan and I both have an insatiable curiosity to travel and educate ourselves through world travel. As a comedian your experiences fuel your material and when you are forced out of your comfort zone is when you are exposed to new ideas. Jim is fresh off the plane from Asia, so we talk about Asian history, Europe, Russia, self censorship, cultural sensitivities and where in Manhattan you can find the best world cuisine that the city has to offer.

We also answer the big question of when is it appropriate for a straight white male performer to advance transgender issues and the sad missed opportunities of movies that don't address this issue. Here is a man that I respect as a comedian, am inspired by as a human being and find a comrade in the quest that we are both trying to season our souls with the flavor that only world travel can give you.

Sometimes we feel like circus animals, sometimes we feel like super heroes blessed with the power to cheer up humanity with gift of laughter and that is why I love the one and only Jim Gaffigan!

www.patreon.com/tomrhodesradiosmartcamp

290 Improving Humanity with W. Kamau Bell Apr 09, 2019

Show notes

W. Kamau Bell has the most important show on television where he examines race in America and in this episode he tells me how close we are to Civil war and what to expect. I've know Kamau since my old San Francisco days and he is a great old friend that I can cover the current most important questions with him like, will rich white people be in charge forever? How does the electoral college system relate to slavery? Why do Supreme court justices get to keep that job for life?

Will I ever get a stamp commemoration for blocking my brother Dave on facebook?

Kamau is a good friend for me to vent my frustrations to right now and getting to talk to him after both of my brothers have declared war on me and want to hold me accountable for all the actions of the left. I'm proud that I told mat brother Dave, "What you call the liberal gay agenda I call the teachings of Christ."

To be compassionate and caring to others the way Jesus taught us to be.

If you are going to a church that preaches war and enemies you are going to the wrong church. "The money is in fear, not love."

Professional politicians are more interesting in keeping their jobs than they are in protecting democracy. Should Brett Kavanaugh breaking down and crying like a baby disqualify him from ever being considered a serious decision maker of laws and when we stop laughing about that?

We recorded this conversation right across the street from CNN in Kamau's hotel room and we talk about the Trump wake up call making some true believers in journalism step up their game at CNN. We talk about the episode of Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations where Kamau filmed an episode in Kenya with Bourdain right before he died. Bourdain is a god to me and Kamau generously tells us the best advice Bourdain gave him about filming for television. If anyone at CNN or anywhere else had any sense in their head they would give Tom Rhodes his own epic world travel comedy show.

The New Zealand mosque shooting is fresh pain in the world where slaughters at synagogues, churches, elementary schools are never enough for everyone to yell "Enough! Stop the senseless slaughter of innocents"

Even in the pursuit of making television Kamau tells me, "You should show respect to all religions." Your actions in the world should show what kind of person you are. Everyone should watch the film 'Starman.'

"You humans are at your best when you are working together during tragedies."

Do as much as you can, while you can to make the world a better place.

Make the world a better place by listening to W. Kamau Bell and and improve humanity and you can do the same afterwards by going to www.donorchoose.org

289 In Praise of Ari Shaffir Apr 02, 2019

Show notes

Ari was already one of my favorite human beings on the planet to hang out with and then he went above and beyond giving me the gift that would truly improve my life. Ari is the one who is responsible for getting Delta airlines to restore my Diamond medallion status. For this I will be forever grateful and his dear listeners who rallied to his call to help saved me from a year of baggage fees and zone 3 boarding. Then there was that magical moment on my last day in Jerusalem with my mother when we ran into Ari and his brother at the most sacred place in Christianity. In this episode we talk about how to avoid getting kidnapped in East Timor, what are the best motorcycle adventures to take in the world, dreams of Mongolia, Romania, Eastern Europe and where to find the best pastrami or pizza in New York City. You can only judge people whether they are friends or family by if they give you energy or drain energy out of you. Because of my friendship with Ari my life has been overflowing with goodness and that is why today I am in praise of Ari Shaffir! Shalom amigo and pass the pastrami! www.patreon.com/tomrhodesradiosmartcamp

288 Titillating Colossus with Rick Tittle Mar 29, 2019

Show notes

Every year when I do San Francisco I appear on Rick Tittle's sports radio talk show and I love it because we talk about everything but sports.

He is a voracious reader like I am and I love to free form riff talk and share important knowledge with each other. Now I turn the microphone on him to squeeze the answers out of him and ninja joust with our collective intelligence. Learn now how WW I changed the world, who invented the modern game of soccer and what is most important to know about San Francisco. We gab it up joyously until the parking meter runs out and Rick has to run off to move his car. That is life in San Francisco and this is a human I love talking to when time allows. There is more to life than sports and I can't tell you how much time I save by not giving a shit about sports. Now it is my pleasure to present to you now the one and only Rick Tittle!

287 Magnetic Soul Alliance with Lou Angelwolf Mar 20, 2019

Show notes

In this episode I rejoice in the glory of a Florida back porch with my oldest best friend in life Lou Angelwolf. On his back porch in Palm Harbor, Florida we discuss the secret language of trees, evolution, reincarnation, UFOs, and how the responsibility of paying rent keeps us from following our creative instincts. On this first day of Spring I am being healed by the joy of having deep meaningful conversation with one of my guest lifelong friends. The bad news is that seeking revenge will kill you but the good news is that "we create order out of chaos naturally."

According to my buddy Lou the three things that control us and keep us hypnotized are: "Climate controlled environment, easy access to food and cars with shiny wheels." So much wisdom and strange new ideas always abound when I get to recharge my batteries with a good warm loving visit with my brother Lou. Spring is upon us and the world is full of new possibilities. Don't get chewed up by the system and fill your head with ideas worth knowing and reasons to be cheerful. Hooray for humanity!

286 Delta Diamond Rhodes Mar 16, 2019

Show notes

Today started out so shitty for me. First I woke up to a text message from a woman in Florida who I was ready to pledge my alliance to telling me that she was dropping the Guillotine on the neck of our beginning relationship which hurt my feelings greatly. And she let me know that I am a self centered narcissist but I knew that already because that is the kind of person that it takes to do stand up comedy and put out a podcast. So as shitty as my day began it got progressively better in everyday starting with Pam Worthington bring me an egg McMuffin. I've sworn off junk food but on shitty days you are allowed to spike your cholesterol. I think it says that in the bible in Leviticus.

In case you've missed the saga, I went on Ari Shaffir's podcast 'Skeptic Tank' a few days ago and I was ragging on Delta for downgrading me. It takes 125,000 miles flown and spending $15,000 to reach Diamond status which is Delta's highest level of frequent flyer. In 2018 I flew 155,621 miles and spent $13,000. Not many people have traveled as much as me and I'm proud to say that Delta is my airline, but they downgraded me. Ari said that he felt Delta would do the right thing if enough people tweeting at Delta to do the right thing. In the past 48 hours hundreds of people have been tweeting to Delta. Then about an hour ago I got a call from Delta airlines. Guess what happened next… I rarely use twitter because it seems like a vacuum of hate and frustration but after today I saw that twitter can be used for good. Now I wish in life it was just that easy for a wrong to be corrected but I'm pretty sure that woman that I liked doesn't even use twitter. And yes please let it be known that I am a self centered narcissist, how else could anybody get things done if they weren't? Shalom amigos & fly Delta!

285 The Joy of Suffering Mar 05, 2019

Show notes

At any one time there are more people who are suffering than there are who are happy, many more people who are heartbroken than there are who are in love.

Apparently the dark sad days I'm living have increased my fans and friendships. This week I learned how because I am hurting and going through troubles that makes it possible for more people to relate to me and get closer to me. Electronic messages and things said to my face confirm that some people I know are happy that I'm emotionally in the toilet these days because now I belong to the majority of humans who grapple with life. This is when I discovered the joy of suffering. Because so many people have told me they feel for me in my suffering. Brian Holtzman at the Comedy Store told me "When you were happy and in love I couldn't relate to you but now that you are divorced and miserable I think we can be friends now." Hilarious! The Comedy Store was hit by a tsunami when all of our friend Brody Stevens killed himself this past week. I saw him two nights before he killed himself and he told me that he was sorry that I was having some trouble right now. That beautiful human being was worried about me. I wish I had more perceptive but that is how we all feel who are at the Comedy Store. Hug your people. Heal for your people. Mental illness is real! Take care of your people. In this episode I praise Don Neto for saying that "I love people more than money." I read to you a curious piece of wisdom called 'Loving each other in joy' which my mother mailed to me in the 1990s. I just found the Xerox pages of it and the contents are worth buttering your skull with. People in poor countries and people with disabilities laugh more and enjoy life more than most of us. Hear the story of the perfectly happy burn victim woman I saw on the streets of London on her victory walk and then rejoice in the story of the hummingbird that got caught inside my apartment and what I had to do to get this fucker to trust me so that I could save it's life. Throw out the aspirin and giggle away despair! Butter your skull with TRR Smart Camp # 285!

284 Tommy X Feb 13, 2019

Show notes

Shalom Amigos y Amigas! After spending this year mostly by myself in my apartment I have found light in the eyes of the Mexican cops who wanted to squeeze me for money in Tulum and in the dead cat of an Uber driver. Most importantly it was the words from my listeners and people who care that has gotten me through these cold winter days of the nuclear break up. These have not been my best days but if pain makes the best comedy then I am about to become a very funny mother trucker. I'm happy to present to you now the one and only ME!

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