Tom Rhodes Smart Camp - TopPodcast.com

View Top 200 Chart

Back to Rankings Page

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:

John Cooper Clarke 2 May 15, 2015

Show notes

On the road with John Cooper Clarke from Los Angeles to Las Vegas.

End song: The Girl On Death Row - Duane Eddy/ Lee Hazlewood

Book Review: Dillinger's Wild Ride by Elliott J. Gorn May 05, 2015

Show notes

Rhodesies Smartcamp Book Review: Dillinger's Wild Ride by Elliott J. Gorn (book review)

Endsong: Billy Grammer - The Ballad Of John Dillinger 1968

Mom's Movie Review Club Apr 27, 2015

Show notes

As a member of the Screen Actors Guild I get viewing copies of each film that is nominated for Academy Awards every Oscar season. It is one of the perks I most enjoy about being a member of SAG. However, because of my busy touring schedule I was unable to watch the movies before the actual Academy Awards happened.

Recently when I was home visiting my Mother I caught up on all of the movies I had missed with my Mom and my wife Ashna. I thought it would be funny to get my Mom's opinion on all of these movies since my Mom is a conservative Christian Republican with a much different world view than my own. We watched 3 movies at home and then sat down after each one and reviewed them. The 4th movie we watched was nominated for best foreign film and was playing at the Enzian theater in Maitland, Florida. The Enzian is the premiere independent art house theater of Orlando where I have watched movies throughout the years with my family and is one of my favorite places in my hometown of the Orlando area. The 4 movies that we watched and talk about in this episode are: Cake Boyhood Birdman Wild Tales End Song: Tupac Shakur Dear Mama This episode was recorded in Oviedo, Florida

John Rhodes 2 Apr 17, 2015

Show notes

John Rhodes is my big brother and although we disagree on everything politically I love him very much and he is one of the greatest heroes I have ever had in my life and that is why it is my pleasure to present to you now the one and only John Rhodes!

This episode was recorded in Claremont, Florida. End song: One Fine Morning by Callahan

Coach Howard Mabie Apr 08, 2015

Show notes

Howard Mabie was my Varsity baseball coach at Oviedo high school and he was one of the most influential people I had during my young life. Coach Mabie had a way of inspiring people and bringing out the best that they had to offer. He is a top quality human being who had a major impact on many lives in his coaching career and he was an integral part of what made Oviedo, Florida such a golden place of memories back in the time period when it was still a charming citrus village. He was not only funny, good natured and made young minds feel valuable but he was also a damn good Science teacher. In today's world with so much perversion, larceny and corruption in our school systems a man like Howard Mabie is hard to come by and that is why I am celebrating him here. Throughout my life whenever there has been a situation where I got to play baseball or softball I am still to this day a deadly hitter and that is because of the skills that he taught me. The wisdom and philosophy in baseball that he taught me I have quoted and applied to my life ever since. "You should never be trying to hit a homer, a homer should be the accident of a line drive." He is retired from teaching and coaching now but the lives that he touched still continue to do great things out in the world and that is why it is my pleasure to present to you now the one and only Coach Howard Mabie! End Song: John Fogerty Centerfield This episode was recorded in Oviedo, Florida.

Nick Doody Apr 03, 2015

Show notes

I first met Nick Doody in Meribel, France when we were both performing at the Altitude festival together. Since then I have worked with him many times in London and Edinburgh. He is a striver and an achiever because he is not lazy and is always trying to bust out new material which I always find inspiring. I like his style and his intelligence that he brings to the stage and most importantly in the course of our friendship we never chit chat about insignificant things but always dig deep into each others brains where the best thoughts live. I have always said that London was the key to getting into the world wide circuits for me but what keeps pulling me back there other than some of the best audiences this planet has to offer is the countless genius comedian friends I have there of which I include Nick without hesitation. I often like to see comedians as gun fighters because of the fearlessness with which they have to stare down threatening beasts. I've seen him tame wild beasts and make them purr by rubbing their bellies with intelligent thoughts and that is why it is my pleasure to present to you now the one and only Nick Doody! End Song: Bob Dylan Caribbean Wind Recorded in London England

Karl Spain Mar 27, 2015

Show notes

Karl Spain is one of the most naturally funny human beings I have met in all my years as a stand up comedian. If you are unfamiliar with his presence on this earth than his wit and charm of this conversation will make you a fan of his for life.

He never fails to make me laugh hard gut tightening laughter and that is why it is my pleasure to present to you now the one and only Karl Spain! This episode was recorded in Galway, Ireland.

Eleanor Tiernan 2 Mar 18, 2015

Show notes

I have been a fan of Eleanor Tiernan since I first worked with her in Dublin many years ago. Since then I have worked with her in London, Chicago and Edinburgh and my strong feelings about her brilliant comedy only gets reconfirmed every time I see her perform.

This past October 2014 I worked with her again in Galway at the Galway International comedy festival. She was doing a shot called the 'National Therapy Project' in which she gives the entire country of Ireland and the entire race of Irish people a therapy session so that they can forgive themselves for past guilt and real or imagined transgressions that have been inflicted upon them.

I loved this show but as I stated earlier I am biased because I love her and think this concept for a show was as joyous of a ride ride as you will ever experience in a comedy or theater festival performance. Even as I type these words her star power is increasing to its brightest wattage and if you are a fan of great comedy and don't know who Eleanor is then you will be pleased to get to know her further here now and see why I am such a believer in her and her comedy.

In honor of St. Patrick's Day it is my pleasure to present to you now the one and only Eleanor Tiernan!

This episode was recorded in Galway, Ireland. October 2014.

Jesse Joyce Mar 12, 2015

Show notes

Jesse Joyce is a supreme bad ass when it comes to writing, creating and producing head crunching comedy thunder. I first met Jesse when we both performed on Dave Attell's Comedy Underground show for Comedy Central. Jesse not only performed on that show but he was also the main writer for Dave who helped him shape his monologues for that show. I next saw and worked with Jesse when I did @midnight for Comedy Central. Jesse is one of the main writers for @midnight and his comedy writing talents are in great demand. In this conversation we talk about the joys and benefits of not drinking and the many great comedians who have perished or risen above dying by the sword of booze. It is my pleasure to present to you now the one and only Jesse Joyce!

End song: The Rolling Stones - Winter

Recorded in Venice Beach, Ca. September 2014.

Andy Andrist Mar 06, 2015

Show notes

When I think of Andy Andrist I am reminded of a Bob Dylan quote "Never give anyone a hard time because you don't know what they have been through or what burden they may be carrying."

I met Andy at one of Doug Stanhope's desert parties and admittedly Andy was whacked out of his skull on psychedelic mushrooms at the time.

We recount this story in this conversation because I was greatly annoyed by Andy at the time. Now looking back it is very comical as to why he was annoying me but that is the thing with drugs, while you are on them you have no idea of the amount of people that you are irritating.

Since then I have gotten to know Andy much better and the incredible life journey he has been on and what it took for him to heal from the heinous experiences of his childhood.

Andy is one of the best friends of Doug Stanhope and it was Doug who was instrumental in helping Andy confront the man who had committed the heinous acts against him that rob him of his childhood innocence. I have come to know Andy very well in the years since we first met and he is the kind of comedian that I love to be around because his is not always "on" and when he does say something funny, it from out of nowhere and is always sharply a direct hit.

Last year in Las Vegas, he and I were on Doug Stanhope's podcast when someone mentioned that hippies don't go to Las Vegas. Andy said "That is because you can't gamble with vibes." That line still cracks me up.

This episode was recorded last summer when I had a week off between shows in San Francisco and Portland. Ashna and I took a leisurely drive up the California coast into Oregon to enjoy the great Northwest. We stopped off in Eugene. Oregon where Andy lives and he stopped by our hotel to say hello and record this conversation. Eugene, Oregon is a lovable enclave of intellectual learning and is one of the most livable places in America. As for the guest of this episode, you will rarely find a person with more strength of mind, strength of character and who can cut your heart out with a precisely placed funny line and that is why it is my pleasure to present to you now the one and only Andy Andrist!

Intro song: Cutting Room (Hot Pants) – Oceanliners

Stand-up clip: Andy Andrist's HBO 'Down and Dirty' set, May '08

End song: Bright Eyes – Lua

Recorded in Eugene, Oregon. July 2014.

Related Podcasts