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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:

262 Carrot Top May 15, 2018

Show notes

I have been friends with Carrot Top since 1986 when he first starting coming around to open mic nights in Orlando, Florida.

One of my happiest memories with my Dad was watching Carrot Top's show at the MGM with him and I'll never forget how hard my Dad laughed at him.

Carrot Top's Dad worked at Nasa and grew up in Cocoa Beach which might be where he got his inventive mind for comedy and the gadgets he has created.

I have always loved and respected Scott (Carrot Top) because he is a joke writing machine and in the immortal words of Jim Gaffigan "When I hear people make fun of Carrot Top I feel like they have insulted a family member, because he is a comedian and he is a part of my family."

In this episode we talk about our Central Florida roots, his private jet ride with Jay Leno, his friendships with Vinnie Paul and Axel Rose, meeting presidents, what is was like to kiss Elton John and the endearing words he received from Bill Hicks as well as the joy of getting to know George Carlin.

He also describes in detail what it was like in Las Vegas on the night of the deadliest mass shooting in American history.

That shooting happened right next door to the Luxor where he performs his show nightly. During this recording you can hear in the back ground at times, Las Vegas show girls running back stage for a costume change and the thumping music that they perform to. It is classic Las Vegas American show business in action.

He is one of my oldest friends in comedy and someone I have infinite love and respect for and that is why it is my pleasure to present to you now the one and only Carrot Top!

TRR Smart Camp goodies:

* Receive podcast goodies! www.patreon.com/tomrhodesradiosmartcamp

* Have a one time private skype session with Tom! www.patreon.com/tomrhodesradiosmartcamp

* Buy my newest double album All Hail Laughter (2017) www.tomrhodes.net

* More episodes on www.tomrhodesradio.com

261 Mark Twain World Tour May 09, 2018

Show notes

On October 2, 1866 Mark Twain invented stand up comedy, or as he called it "platform speaking." He did not enjoy "mounting the platform" but by 1895 the famous author of Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn was in debt from bas investments and publicly disgraced due to his bankruptcy. So to pay off his mountain of debts and restore his good name he embarked on a world wide lecture tour.

I just finished reading this wonderful book by Richard Zacks called "Chasing The Last Laugh." It is all about Mark Twain's World Tour and the circumstances that created it. In this episode I read you the highlights and talk about the remarkable moments he experienced as a performer and world traveler. Mark Twain had a nasty temper, his mood swings were hard on those around him and he had the worst sense of business instincts but he also is one of the most quotable humans who ever lived, had a moral sense of injustice and created some of the most loved characters in the history of literature. I enjoyed this book so much I couldn't wait to tell you about it. In this episode I will tell you about the hardships, heartbreaks and the redemptive healing power of laughter that he experienced at the last period of his life. This tribute is also peppered with some of Mark Twain's best lines like "If Christ were here now, there is one thing he would not be - A Christian." Fill your brain with this powerful knowledge now, enjoy!

TRR Smart Camp goodies:

* Receive podcast goodies! www.patreon.com/tomrhodesradiosmartcamp

* Have a one time private skype session with Tom! www.patreon.com/tomrhodesradiosmartcamp

* Buy my newest double album All Hail Laughter (2017) www.tomrhodes.net

* More episodes on www.tomrhodesradio.com

260 Manila with Craig Campbell Apr 24, 2018

Show notes

Craig Campbell is a beautiful lunatic and a comedy legend.

He is from Calgary, Canada but has been living in London for the past 20 years and crushing it. I first met and worked with Craig 20 years ago when I first started going to London and have since performed with him all over the world. Last month we toured in Asia together and this episode was recorded in Manila. In Manila we rode Harley Davidson's and after the show went to a bar that had midget boxing. I told the owner of the club that in the rest of the world we are now calling them "little people" but he said that it was too expensive to change his neon sign. Fresh back from doing our show and watching "little people" boxing Craig and I sat down to record this episode. I have infinite respect for Craig as a comedian and as a human. He is a bad ass manly man but he is not a bully, he is kind and has an innate sense of justice which always shines through in his comedy. I love this man very much and that is why it is my pleasure to present to you now the one and only Craig Campbell!

TRR Smart Camp goodies:

* Receive podcast goodies! www.patreon.com/tomrhodesradiosmartcamp

* Have a one time private skype session with Tom! www.patreon.com/tomrhodesradiosmartcamp

* Buy my newest double album All Hail Laughter (2017) www.tomrhodes.net

* More episodes on www.tomrhodesradio.com

259 Hong Kong Dragon Balls Apr 18, 2018

Show notes

Ashna and I are fresh back from spending a week in Hong Kong.

In this episode we give the history of the opium wars and the origins of the dragon boat festival. We also talk about the highlights of our visit and the best travel tips of for visiting the city. I also give the history of Adidas vs. Puma because I had a front row of Germans who worked for Adidas at my show Saturday night and it is an amazing story everyone should know. As we search for the right amount of dragon balls you make Jasmine tea with, we take you to the highest heights of Hong Kong and rejoice in its glorious history. Mgoy Sai! That means thank you! Sponsored by SimpleContacts.com/TRR > get $30 off!!

TRR Smart Camp goodies:

* Receive podcast goodies! www.patreon.com/tomrhodesradiosmartcamp

* Have a one time private skype session with Tom! www.patreon.com/tomrhodesradiosmartcamp

* Buy my newest double album All Hail Laughter (2017) www.tomrhodes.net

* More episodes on www.tomrhodesradio.com

258 The Sultan of Singapore Apr 11, 2018

Show notes

This episode was recorded in Singapore.

The first time I came to Singapore I hated it because it is so clean and orderly. Now I love it because it is so clean and orderly and that there are no homeless people or street children begging you for money. In this episode I enumerate the many strange and interesting laws that Singapore is famous for. I talk about the midget boxing match I saw in Manila and how I implored the owner to change the sign to little people boxing. For travel tips to Singapore I suggest you not waste your time or money on having a Singapore Sling at Raffles. Do stay at The Sultan hotel near the Sultan mosque and if you truly love yourself you will make your belly happy by eating mutton murtabak. One of the best culinary delights I have discovered in this life and what I would fly to Singapore just to eat is black pepper crab, I salivate just typing the words thinking of it. Two of my favorite Tom Waits are related to Singapore and are played and discussed in this glorious tribute to Lion City. To cap off this excellent time I had in Singapore I was offered free tickets to see Lauryn Hill headline the Sing Jazz festival. I understand that I am getting older but there were some things that were off about Lauryn Hill's performance. I know it is a rarity to see her perform and I was lucky enough to be right in the front to observe every moment of her 90 minute set. There are ways that you can ruin Christmas and there are ways that you can ruin someone's Rolling Stones concert but keeping positive vibrations in your water filled body can help you avoid that. I learned that at the gong bath I went to. "How you gonna win if you ain't right within?" Put on your crab bib and get yourself right with the black pepper love that is all the glorious delights of Singapore! Enjoy!

TRR Smart Camp goodies:

* Receive podcast goodies! www.patreon.com/tomrhodesradiosmartcamp

* Have a one time private skype session with Tom! www.patreon.com/tomrhodesradiosmartcamp

* Buy my newest double album All Hail Laughter (2017) www.tomrhodes.net

* More episodes on www.tomrhodesradio.com

257 Vietnam Motorcycle Adventure Apr 04, 2018

Show notes

I have been dreaming of going on a motorcycle adventure into North Vietnam since the last time I was in Hanoi and heard of the concept.

This was only my fourth time ever driving a motorcycle and I think it will be hard to beat this experience of going the 90 miles round trip journey from Hanoi to the top of Tam Dao Mountain. Yes it was terrifying and yes I felt like a true bad ass with Steve McQueen courage especially after I crashed going up the thin and dusty mountain road. Just as the key to happiness is in lowering your expectations it is equally important to remember that your dreams just might end up killing you if you are not careful. It is a miracle that I was not seriously injured when my motorcycle went sliding out from under me and I was high with joy for hours afterward that I was alive and that I had only lost a swatch of skin off of my elbow. In this episode I recount my journey to the top of the mountain and the dangers one encounters while operating a motorcycle in the countryside of Vietnam and in the city of Hanoi. I'm thrilled to say that I checked this dream off of my lifelong wish list and that so much beauty was captured with my eyeballs and will live on in my memory forever. My life has been unbelievably blessed with magnificent experiences and I'm happy to tell you now in this episode all about my Vietnam motorcycle adventure and my mountain road crash that could have been a lot worse. Viva Vietnam!

TRR Smart Camp goodies:

* Receive podcast goodies! www.patreon.com/tomrhodesradiosmartcamp

* Have a one time private skype session with Tom! www.patreon.com/tomrhodesradiosmartcamp

* Buy my newest double album All Hail Laughter (2017) www.tomrhodes.net

* More episodes on www.tomrhodesradio.com

256 Oversleeping for History Mar 27, 2018

Show notes

I unfortunately missed the March in Las Vegas so I decided to interview two people instead.

TRR Smart Camp goodies:

* Receive podcast goodies! www.patreon.com/tomrhodesradiosmartcamp

* Have a one time private skype session with Tom! www.patreon.com/tomrhodesradiosmartcamp

* Buy my newest double album All Hail Laughter (2017) www.tomrhodes.net

* More episodes on www.tomrhodesradio.com

255 RIP Uncle Bob Mar 21, 2018

Show notes

Uncle Bob is dead.

Getting the news of his death has left me feeling ashamed because I was mean and cruel to him. I had not spoken to Bob in 7 years because I was angry at him for being mean and cruel to my dad. Hate and anger is poison in your life because the person you are holding a grudge against just might drop dead and then your issue with that person will never be resolved. The truth of the matter is that my Uncle Bob was a very important person to me. Had he not done stand up comedy in Washington D.C. in 1978 then my dad would have not taken me to see him and I might not have turned out to be a stand up comedian. After he died I was flooded with good memories of him and I will be forever haunted by the fact that neither one of us reached out to each other to fix the ill feelings that kept us using silence against each other. My Uncle Bob's life was a victory because he found a woman who loved him, he had a successful career and he retired to a lovely farm in Vermont. This episode is a repeat. It was recorded in July 2009 in his back yard just after the sun went down. It was the 2nd podcast I ever posted. We were a little drunk when we recorded this and I only had one microphone that we passed back and forth. It is a happy memory and his advice to me at the end about getting your soul damaged is invaluable. Of the many happy memories I have of him one of them happened while I was visiting him when I was in my 30s. The James Taylor song 'Shower The People' came on the radio and he sang it to me as he hugged me tight. I would give anything to have that moment back now. I wish that he were still alive so that I could tell him "I'm sorry Bob. I love you."

254 Book Roulette Mar 15, 2018

Show notes

Praise be to the written word!

In my living room I have the walls lined with book shelves holding over 2,000 books. This is my life time collecting books and Ashna's lifetime of collecting books joined together. Since living in Los Angeles we have invented a game we like to call "Book Roulette." This game consists of us randomly pulling a book from the shelf, cracking it open and reading a few paragraphs or highlights from that book to each other. It is our nerdy way of plucking riches of the written word for the delight of our brains. It is our way of entertaining ourselves on cold rainy nights like tonight when we recorded this episode. Living among thousands of books means nothing if you are not gaining anything from them. That is why we invented this game and share it only with good friends who come to our place and like to get cozy with inspiration. So brace yourself and get ready for explosions of powerful words from the shelves of Tom and Ashna. You will most certainly be enriched with pearls of words and thoughts that will tingle you to the core of your soul. "I am happy even before I have a reason!" TRR Smart Camp goodies:

* Receive podcast goodies! www.patreon.com/tomrhodesradiosmartcamp

* Have a one time private skype session with Tom! www.patreon.com/tomrhodesradiosmartcamp

* Buy my newest double album All Hail Laughter (2017) www.tomrhodes.net

* More episodes on www.tomrhodesradio.com

253 The Shape of Love Mar 08, 2018

Show notes

This is a warm blast of love deep in the heart of winter!

In this episode Ashna and I talk about the coldest winter we ever experienced. The nasty flu I caught from an albino alligator in Orlando, how the dirty money of big pharmaceutical companies keeps health care costs high for all of us and how human turd Martin Shkreli just got his 2 million dollar Wu Tang album taken away. You will learn why Tampa's Busch Gardens has the most terrifying roller coaster on the planet and why the tide of human goodness is turning now and gives us all a reason to yell "Hooray for humanity!" This is a special time in human history and there are many reasons to remain cheerful that we enumerate here for you now. We also talk about the Oscars for best picture, best actor and best actress. Among the many great things you will learn in this episode is that if you are ever invited to an Oscar party in the Hollywood Hills being hosted by important people you have never met before you should bring a big fat chocolate raspberry cake because everyone is always happy to see someone bringing a big fat chocolate raspberry cake. Get happy now and feel the warm embrace of the shape of love! Smoothie & Smoochie style!

* Become our patron and receive podcast goodies! www.patreon.com/tomrhodesradiosmartcamp

* Buy my newest double album All Hail Laughter (2017) tomrhodes.net

* More episodes on tomrhodesradio.com

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