Tom Rhodes Smart Camp

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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.

Latest Episodes:

Ted Alexandro May 21, 2014

Show notes

This episode was recorded in Minneapolis.

In the future if we are lucky every comedian will be more like Ted Alexandro.

Not only funny but passionate about knowledge and politically active.

I am a fan of Ted Alexandro because whenever I see him perform he is talking about things that matter and putting his unique opinion on world events.

He is the kind of comedian I like the most in that he is the kind of comedian you learn things from, one that makes you see a topic from a different way you hadn't seen.

He studied music and taught music before becoming a comedian and teaching seems to infuse most every act that he commits artistically.

He will forever be enshrined in the comedy history books for starting the movement that led to the New York City comedy clubs to raise the pay for comedians from the paltry 20 dollars a set they had paid for years.

Ted was heavily involved in the Occupy Wall Street movement from the beginning and it is not only a driving force in his life it reflects creatively in his comedy.

He has a web series called Teacher's Lounge that stars many greats of American comedy. Ted is universally loved and respected. He is an exciting performer because anything could happen to him, be it film, television or the mind welding of our video future. I think he and his family should be studied scientifically so that more people can turn out just like him.

It is my pleasure to present to you the one & only Ted Alexandro.

Jackie Kashian May 10, 2014

Show notes

Jackie Kashian is a powerhouse comedian by any way you measure it.

She has a strong sense of humor and slices up topics of mundane living and her own personal rage with ease. Her autobiographical humor has been seen on Comedy Central and countless late night talk shows. She has a popular podcast called 'Dork Forrest' where people talk about their strange obsessions. When I did it we talked about my obsession of going to graves of people I admire. She is perhaps the most requested guest I have had from my listeners asking me to get her on my show. I love her honesty, her work ethic and no matter what form of entertainment she is presenting she always makes me laugh. It is my pleasure to present to you a true American original, Jackie Kashian.

Maz Jobrani May 02, 2014

Show notes

This episode was recorded in Los Angeles.

You may know Maz Jobrani as one of the founding members of The Axis Of Evil Comedy Tour. He has been referred to as the Persian Elvis. He has appeared in countless film and television roles but my favorite incarnation of him is as a stand up comedian. I am a fan of his comedy because it contains the original energy of joy. His brand of comedy is not the slumped shoulders, down on your luck kind. His is a man in love with life and clearly enjoying himself onstage and that is what it is all about. In comedy, just like in real life it's all about having fun and enjoying yourself. I also admire Maz's work ethic. When I am in Los Angeles I always run into him around town doing sets and working on new material. This conversation was recorded in his home where I met his beautiful wife and amazing children. In every form of media these days the negative gets high lighted and too much time is spent glorifying bitter turds. The fact that he is the complete opposite of an unhappy human is why I love him so much. It is my pleasure to present to you now the bright ball of sunshine that is Maz Jobrani!

Joseph Wilson Apr 17, 2014

Show notes

This episode was recorded in London.

I first met Joseph Wilson when I performed at the Comedy Cafe in London in 2013.

We hit if off instantly and unbeknownst to me he became a avid listener of my podcast. I found out he was listening to my podcast 6 months later when he was on vacation in Peru and sent me a video he filmed at the top of Machu Pichu where he recreated and slightly mocked the opening of my podcast where I list all the fabulous places in the world I am going to take the listener. I thought the video was funny and I was very flattered he filmed it in my honor.

This year when I got to London I got to hang out with Joseph a lot and get to know him better and today consider him a good friend. He is well dressed, has a theatrical personality, is an animated story teller and he is fun to be around. He currently holds the distinction of being the only comedian to appear on my podcast whose act I have not seen.

Even though I have stopped drinking I had a great time going out in London with him and discovering new watering holes in the Soho district that he took me to. For me personally any British person who wears top quality embroidered cowboy shirts with sincerity is a diamond geezer in my book.

There are many reasons to love Joseph Wilson, first and foremost is the ease and comfort he can blast out hard core funny in a laid back conversation. It is my pleasure to present to you now, the one and only Joseph Wilson.

Don Ward Apr 11, 2014

Show notes

This episode was recorded in London.

Very often in interviews I have said that getting in with London was the key to me getting in with all of these world wide comedy circuits, specifically me getting in with the Comedy Store. My guest today is Don Ward, the owner of the Comedy Store.

Since its opening in 1979 it has single handedly changed the British comedy scene from tired old pub comedians doing Mother in law jokes to the champions league of powerful original comedy that it is today. It is now an established institution of British comedy because every British comedy legend of the past 30 years has performed there. Don Ward is the visionary who made this work and who has witnessed the development and rise of these now household names, French & Saunders (Absolutely Fabulous), Eddie Izzard, Ben Elton, Jimmy Carr, Harry Hill and on and on.

The first time I ever did a set at the Comedy Store was in 1994. Then again in 1998 which led to me playing there regularly in 1999. In 2000 the Comedy Store started managing me for Europe while I lived in Amsterdam. You could say I had life by the balls back then and I was most certainly spoiled by being under the loving umbrella of the Comedy Store. Don Ward always treated me like a king and I always enjoyed speaking with him about comedy. I love and respect the man dearly. I love him like a relative in fact. Then I fucked up....

I've been working on writing a book the past few years and I will go into more details there because in the story of my life Don Ward and the Comedy Store is an important chapter. The truth of the matter was that I was partying too much in London after shows and I frightened myself enough to decided to take a break on the place for a while when I moved back to the US in 2004.

I should have communicated with Don better about what was going on in my life. I owed him that. I owed him the respect her deserves so I wish I had been more honest with him. Needless to say feelings got hurt and it took me many years to mop up the mess that I had made.

I missed London and all my friends there so I just started going back a few years ago. One of my main reasons to go back was to set things right with Don Ward and apologize to him for me being such a schmuck. Last year when I was in London I went into Don's office and had the heart to heart talk with him. I told him since my Dad and my sister died I now see that the most important thing in life is the relationships you have with people. I told him how important he is to me, how I appreciated him treating me like a king and that I was ashamed and sorry over how I had disappeared on him. He could have rightfully told me to fuck off. Thankfully he welcomed me back to the Comedy Store and told me how that is all water under the bridge now.

This episode is very important to me because it was recorded between shows on Saturday February 22, 2014, the first weekend I have performed there in ten years. This episode is the end of a circle that took me ten years to get around to the other side of because of my mistake.

Never turn your back on the people who give you love and respect.

Don Ward is a living legend in the world of comedy because he has seen it all and presented the greatest comedians the world has every known. One day the British government will put a historical marker in front of the Comedy Store but until then we have the wealth of knowledge living in the museum of Don's mind.

This episode is very important to me because it is with someone I love and respect and that was crucial to my development as a world wide performer. It is my pleasure to present to you now, the one and only Don Ward.

Natalia Tena Apr 02, 2014

Show notes

This episode was recorded in London.

Within the first 5 minutes I met Natalia Tena she was cracking me up and I was teaching her the basic steps of the tango.

I think she is a feminist icon badass woman. She is an amazing actress whose first role was in the Hugh Grant film 'About A Boy'. Since then she has had a sterling career staring in the Harry Potter films and in Game Of Thrones.

Most human beings would die content with those credits but not Natalia Tena!

She is also the lead singer and creative driving force of the band Molotov Jukebox which just released their new album 'Carnival Flower'.

Her parents are from Spain so rhythm is naturally in her DNA, she told me that her aim is for people to go home and make love after her concerts.

Molotov Jukebox has performed all over the world inciting raucous ass wiggling good fun in it's path. Natalia Tena is a fearless shaman who leads the spiritual ritual of music, dancing and laughter at her shows and your life would be enriched to experience them. In the meantime you should purchase 'Carnival Flower' and make it a part of the fabric of your entertainment life. Her acting career continues to excite and she stars in the new independent film '10,000 KM' that is currently winning awards at film festivals all over the world.

Her accomplishments are a part of the pinnacles of modern entertainment but she is one of the most down to earth people you could meet.

As a strong powerful woman she indisputably kicks truck loads of ass but most important to me is that she is wildly hilarious and hanging out with her is like hanging out with a comedian. You will be pleased to have her in your eardrums and to know that she is out there making the world a better place. It is my pleasure to present to you know the one and only Natalia Tena.

Virginia Gilbert Mar 27, 2014

Show notes

This episode was recorded in London.

Virginia Gilbert is an award winning author and filmmaker. She is currently premiering her new film 'A long way from home' which she wrote and directed at film festivals all over the world. This conversation was recorded immediately following her showing of this new film at the Dublin film festival. I met Virginia many years ago when I worked with her husband, Keith Farnan at the Laughter Lounge in Dublin. Since then they have become close friends. I had been friends with Virginia for several years before I found out that her father was acclaimed filmmaker Brian Gilbert who made what I consider the greatest film about Oscar Wilde ever made with Stephen Fry in the lead role. Virginia was a young adult helping her father on the set in Dublin and this experience inspired her to go to Trinity University in Dublin the same as Oscar. In this conversation we talk about the joys and sorrows of the film making process, her secret for inspiration when she is writing and how to embrace the spirit of Oscar Wilde. This episode is the embodiment of girl power because Virginia Gilbert kicks so much ass in her world and inspires me how she takes her creations of books and turns them into films. She is one of my favorite people to mentally joust with and to talk with about everything under the sun. It is my pleasure to present to you now the one and only Virginia Gilbert.

Stephen K Amos Mar 20, 2014

Show notes

This episode was recorded in London.

There have only been a few of my comedy super star friends who when I asked them to appear on my podcast declined and then there is the opposite example of Stephen K Amos who when I asked him said "Of course, how soon can we record?"

I met Stephen about 15 years ago when he was in his early years of being a comedian at the Comedy Store in London. I love everything about this man!

Aside from being one of the kindest souls I've ever met in the business, I love his style of dress, his flow of material as a comedian and the charming sucker punches of his punch lines. He deserves every drop of success he has gotten and I'm genuinely happy for him and his current elevation that he is flying at.

He has done 11 Edinburgh one hour shows and has just come out with a book called 'Finding The Funny'. Currently hosts a show on BBC Radio called 'The Idiots Guide To Life' which I recorded a segment for at Stephen's request.

In this conversation he walks me through the steps he took to become the massive world wide comedy super star that he is today as well the triumphs and tribulations he has experienced in the years since I saw him last. He is one of those people who if I don't see him for years that when I do it's like we never lost a minute in between.

He never fails to make me laugh when we are together and as a comedian he has truck loads of wisdom to share from all of his life experiences. It is my pleasure to present to you the human masterpiece that is Stephen K Amos!

Eve Jackson Mar 13, 2014

Show notes

This episode was recorded in Paris, France.

I first met Eve Jackson in June 2012 when I appeared as a guest on her TV program called 'The Culture Show' which airs on France 24, the English language channel of France. She was a fun and easy interviewer and I liked that she could roll with my answers injecting her wit into the conversation effortlessly. She is the editor and primary journalist for art and culture happenings in Paris. I thought she would be an interesting guest because she knows everything that is happening for art and entertainment in Paris and also because she is usually the one answering the questions. I have stayed in touch with her in the past year and a half and I have enjoyed seeing the clips she has posted of her interviews with artists, musicians and movie stars that have graced her studio. Her journalistic path that led to her current reign at France 24 is an interesting tale and once a year she gets to hit the red carpet to interview all of the film industry people in attendance at the Cannes film festival.

I owe a great deal of respect and gratitude to Eve because of a huge blunder on my part that happened during this recording. She told me about how last year at Cannes she interviewed Woody Allen about his latest film 'Blue Jasmine' and when they got back to the editing studio they realized that her sound man had forgot to hit the record button. I thought to myself "What a boob! Who could screw something up that was that important." Then after an hour of conversation my computer went black because it had run out of energy and the entire recording was lost. My computer said it had 18% left but it went black nonetheless and I was rightfully embarrassed and deflated.

The ever gracious Eve told me not to worry and come back later that night at 8pm to record it again. This is recording number 2 that we did later that night. It cost me 40 Euros each way from my hotel to her home 4 times, 160 Euros total. This is probably the most expensive episode I have ever created but it was worth every Euro cent because I think Eve is that interesting, fun and knowledgable. It is my secret desire to make some type of entertainment talk show with her to be broadcast from Paris to the rest of the English speaking world. Aside from being a magnanimous charismatic human being, she is the kind of generous soul who would give a boob like me a second chance to record with her after screwing up monumentally. She is has an effervescent soul and knows everything there is to know about art, culture and entertainment in Paris today. It is my pleasure to present to you now the one and only Eve Jackson.

Sebastian Marx Mar 06, 2014

Show notes

This episode was recorded in Paris.

I met Sebastian Marx the last time I played in Paris. He has the young hot new scene putting on stand up comedy nights in English and in French.

When I met him I came to see him perform a one hour show in French.

He has lived in France for years and speaks French fluently. I didn't understand a word of the show but I was impressed to see an American speaking French and getting laughs. He is originally from New York with Argentinian parents. There are many reasons for me to love Sebastian Marx because he and I have so many things in common. Being American with a parental Argentinian connection, love of comedy, love of French culture, not afraid to live in Europe, etc.

The upstairs room at the So Gymnase theatre is where I did my shows with Sebastian. It's an intimate cozy room with old couches and a low ceiling which is perfect for comedy. He regularly puts on his New York Comedy Nights show there. The audiences I experienced where multiethnic, multinational and of higher intellect. Also there were lots of French comedians hanging out and making the scene.

Comedy is a brotherhood in many ways because not many people know what it is like to face the fire, to get shit on your face if need be, with the quit respect of fighter pilots. Hanging out with comedians is one of my favorite things in life.

I like what Sebastian Marx is doing in Paris. There is a young hot eager scene there and if you are traveling to Paris and want to do some shows he is the man to know. It's a small room, not a big money maker but worth it in measure of fun and getting your performance orgasm. Sebastian is not only super lovable on stage he is the same sweet guy off the stage too. I had fun running around Paris with him in the communal electric cars of Paris. All over the city there are batches of small electric cars that can be picked up and dropped off using an iPhone app to set it all up. It's cheaper and easier than taking a taxi and being a French citizen he uses that electric car like a master. Enjoying Paris is always best when you experience it with a resident who knows how to get around. Sebastian set up my Paris shows, promoted them and hosted them.

On my show February 4, 2014 which happened to be my 30th anniversary he baked me a cake and has 30 candles on it that he brought out to me at the end of my show. The entire audience sang to me and it was a golden memory of an evening. I think he is funny, smart and lovable and it is my pleasure to present to you the one and only Sebastian Marx.

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