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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

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Sand van Roy Feb 27, 2014

Show notes

This episode was recorded in Paris.

I first met Sand Van Roy after my show in Paris in June 2012. Speaking with her I was tickled to find out that she was a huge comedy fan and that he all time favorite comedian is Mitch Hedberg. She was thrilled to hear that I was Mitch Hedberg's friend. She was trying a joke that she had written out on me and I told her that I liked it.

In this conversation recorded earlier this month in Paris I discover that it was that moment that inspired Sand to begin being a comedian one week after I met her. Because of Mitch Hedberg's influence on her she has a style of comedy that is exclusively one liners. What I consider to be the hardest form of comedy that requires a sharp mind and expert precision.

Sand is from Holland and now lives in Paris earning her living as a model. She is the first ever super model comedian that I am aware of. To focus on her good looks instead of her comedy is to sell her short in appreciating her outer shell instead of her brain power to invent sharply funny thoughts and observations. In this episode she tells me about the current comedy scene in Paris that happens in English and French.

This episode was recorded on February 4, 2014, my 30th anniversary of being a comedian. We recorded this just a few hours before my anniversary show which Sand opened up for me on. Aside from talking about comedy she gives me all the insight and juicy trash that goes on in the modeling world. I think she is smart, funny and destined for greatness in the world of comedy.

It is my pleasure to present to you now the one and only Sand Van Roy.

Peter Klashorst Feb 19, 2014

Show notes

This episode was recorded in Amsterdam.

I first met Peter Klashorst ten years ago when he appeared as a guest on my Amsterdam late night talk show. At the time I was told that he was famous for painting naked black women. Having a deep appreciation for dark skinned women I liked the man instantly. His journey as an artist has been epic with a world wide reach.

He lived in Senegal where he was arrested for running a brothel. He said he was only hiring women as models but the authorities wanted to hassle him. From there he moved to Kenya and his feelings about Africa and African people are dear to his heart and he still maintains an art studio there as well as in Amsterdam.

I got to hang out with Peter several times in Amsterdam and he is one of the few humans alive who earns his living solely from painting works of art. Every fiber of his being exudes the thoughts and actions of an artist and it was a joy to see him painting in his studio when I did. As a younger man I always loved Rembrandt and Van Gogh but this is a true living great artist and it is possible that Peter Klashorst is currently the greatest living Dutch artist.

He is now living in Cambodia working on one of the most heart felt acts of his career. For several years he has been painting the portraits of the victims of Pol Pot's genocide against his own people from the photos that were taken of them just before they were executed. Like most great artists Peter doesn't commit himself to anything unless his heart is fully in it and it seems that Cambodia has captured his heart and he will continue to do great work there. He is very open about fucking prostitutes and trouble he has received from living his life passionately as an artist.

This conversation was recorded 4 years ago late at night when Peter and I were drinking multiple beers. This is actually one of the first interviews I did for Tom Rhodes Radio. We talked and recorded for 4 hours and this episode was taken from the first 2 hours before the beverages really kicked in.

I respect Peter Klashorst as a man, as an artist, as a true friend and it would be hard to find anyone who is living their dream of being a true artist with a real powerful vision than him. As he says in this conversation "I want to show how beautiful God created this earth and all of it's inhabitants." I believe that the life and art of his will live on forever because it is timeless. It was made from his pure vision of love and beauty. Aside from his superior art and world encompassing philosophy I think he is very funny.

It is my pleasure to present to you now, the one and only Mr. Peter Klashorst.

Zihni Özdil Feb 13, 2014

Show notes

This episode was recorded in Rotterdam.

It always tickles me to meet intelligent people who attend my shows and are fans of mine. Last month after my show in Rotterdam I met Zihni Özdil and I was so struck by his intelligence, life's work and personable being that I instantly wanted to record an episode of my podcast with him to squeeze out his knowledge for the enjoyment of my listeners.

He is a social historian at Erasmus University in Rotterdam, one of the highest rattiest intellectual universities in all of Europe. He is an expert on the racial history of the Netherlands and the continuing problems that non-Dutch people face here. For those of you who have never been to Holland you will be interested in learning the word "Allochtoon" which means "Dirty foreigner" and is used to describe all non-Dutch people living in this country, even if these people have been born here.

Throughout the world the Netherlands is known as a country of tolerance but put under the microscope it is anything but tolerant to some of its darker skinned residents.

My favorite part of this conversation is when Zihni tells me he wants to be the first Allochtoon prime minister of the Netherlands. It makes me want to gain the right to vote here just so I can cast my vote for him when that day comes. I'm pleased he sat down with me to share his knowledge of the current state of race relations in Holland and what he proposes as the harmonious solution. His answer will surely surprise you.

It is my pleasure to present to you now, the future prime minister of the Netherlands Mr. Zihni Özdil!

Greg Shapiro Feb 07, 2014

Show notes

This episode was recorded at the American hotel in Amsterdam.

Greg Shapiro is one of the nicest people you will ever meet in show business. He is originally from Chicago where he got his earliest improv training and he moved to Amsterdam in 1994 where he became one of the founding members of Boom Chicago, the Mecca of improv comedy in Amsterdam that has launched former members to Saturday Night Live and beyond.

Greg just published a book called 'How to be orange' which is all about the ins and outs of Dutch culture from its most lovable traits to the most odd and hilarious. He knows so much about Dutch culture he is actually referred to as the American Nederlander. He should be an expert on Dutch culture because he has lived in Amsterdam for 20 years, married a supremely wonderful and beautiful Dutch woman who he is raising two children with.

Greg produced my recent theater tour of Holland and this was recorded on the last day of that tour. In this conversation we both share knowledge gained from our lives in Amsterdam. From how Amsterdam has changed since the Pulp Fiction view of it in 1994 to the new life of today and how foreigners might have to pretend to be Dutch to buy weed soon.

He was a joy to tour Holland with and I honestly believe that if his car would have broken down that he would have given me a piggy back ride to make sure that I got to the show. It's my pleasure to present to you the one and only, Mr. Greg Shapiro.

Bob Maclaren Jan 30, 2014

Show notes

This episode was recorded in Amsterdam.

It is ass biting cold outside and miserable rain is expected. I am currently on a theater tour performing around Holland and I'm happy to see good friends who live here that I haven't seen in a while.

One of which is Bob Maclaren. Bob has been living in Amsterdam for 20 years and speaks fluent Dutch. He is from New Zealand and like me he does all the great world wide comedy gigs.

I met Bob when I first moved to Holland. He and I were both considered as the host of a travel program for the Discovery channel and Bob got it which mildly irked me. In today's conversation I find out that Bob was up for the host of the Amsterdam Late Night talk show that I got and he was mildly irked that I got it. It's like when you are young, the people you have issues or competition with usually are the ones who become your closest friends.

I have an infinite amount of respect for Bob because he not only is a naturally funny story teller and comedian, he is also one of the top comedy television writers for Dutch television. He now also is producing television shows that he creates the concepts of. He is currently about to finish filming a series for Dutch television that he created where he takes Dutch comedians of ethnic immigrant backgrounds back to their mother countries to see how that influences them as comedians. I think it is a brilliant concept and it should go world wide if the television Gods keep the universal balance right.

Bob is full of fascinating stories and the world knowledge of traveling the world as a comedian.

It's my pleasure to present to you the one and only Mr. Bob Maclaren.

Jack Boulware Jan 23, 2014

Show notes

This episode was recorded in San Francisco.

Jack Boulware has been one of my best friends in life since I lived in San Francisco in the early 1990s. He has been there for me through thick and thin and through the many ups and downs I have had in my life. Aside from being a true solid friend to me he has also been my intellectual guru who I talk with about comedy, books, movies and life. He is a deep well of knowledge that never fails to fill me up when I need guidance or just a volleying partner to dissect American and world culture with. He is a writer by trade and as such he has had a storied career that by any measurement scale equates him to be a true American bad ass. He was the main features writer for the SF Weekly for 8 years, he has written countless travel pieces for the world's most respected magazines, he has written several books and most notably, he is the cofounder of Litquake, San Francisco's most prestigious literary festival. I'm thankful that such a cyclone of knowledge and Steve McQueen cool is one of my best friends in life and it is my pleasure to present to you now, the one and only Mr. Jack Boulware.

Greg Behrendt Jan 15, 2014

Show notes

This episode was recorded in San Francisco.

Greg Behrendt in my mind is the quintessential San Franciscan. I met Greg when I first moved to San Francisco in 1991 and he is one of the nicest people I have ever met in the entertainment industry. Like most people in the business he has seen his ups and downs but that fact that his comedy contains the original spirit of joy and that he is not bitter makes him a champion. He was a writing consultant for 'Sex in The City' and went on to co write the book 'He's Just Not That Into You' which not only went on to be made into a movie but landed him on the Oprah Winfrey show and resulted in 'The Greg Behrendt Show'. It had been many years since I had seen him and we got to sit down to chat this past week while we were both performing in San Francisco. He is a perfect example of how to navigate a career following your heart instead of setting your clock by what show business thinks you should be doing with yourself. It's my pleasure to present to you the one and only Mr. Greg Behrendt.

Drew Hastings Jan 10, 2014

Show notes

I have known and respected Drew Hastings for over 20 years.

His jokes have always possessed an intelligent cynicism that hit me right in the heart of what I find funny. This conversation was recorded two years ago.

While performing in Cincinnati I heard that Drew was now the mayor of Hillsboro, Ohio and when I finished my shows I stopped off to see him on my way to Chicago. He still performs stand up comedy, in fact his career took off once he left Los Angeles and moved back to his native Ohio. He is the kind of friend I cherish the most, the kind with differing opinions who can make you see things another way without it exploding into an argument. He is also what I would consider the most dangerous kind of politician, the kind who is sincere and genuinely cares about the people he represents. His story is fascinating and one that will probably one day be made into a movie. He is a prime example of the great and powerful things that can happen if you follow your heart and do what you believe in.

It is my pleasure to present to you the one and only Mr. Drew Hastings.

Lizz Winstead Dec 18, 2013

Show notes

This episode was recorded in Brooklyn, New York.

Having co-created the Daily Show and co-founded Air America it is a solid fact that Lizz Winstead has left a permanent mark on American entertainment and the American consciousness. Like most innovators and socially forward thinkers the roots of her tree began in stand up comedy.

I worked with Lizz several times in the early years of my career as her opening act. I was a very young and inexperienced comedian and I loved and respected her from our initial meeting. She was a strong female headliner in a profession that was mostly male dominated. She shared her comedy wisdom with me back then and I have always appreciated the intelligence she brought to any project she put her name on.

In the early years of Comedy Central I appeared on the first version of the Daily Show that Lizz was one of the producers of. I felt like a proud relative seeing Lizz kicking ass in the television world just as hard as she had as a headliner in the stand up comedy world. It had been many years since I had seen her and both of our lives and careers have taken many twists and turns since then.

Today, Lizz can be seen on countless political talk shows commenting on American politics.

I believe it is no easy task for a comedian to move into political activism and stay funny as well as socially relevant but Lizz has done this supremely. Her current passion is defending the reproductive rights of women from law makers who wish to infringe upon this right.

In this episode she refers to herself as a vagina warrior, which makes me smile even as I type the words.

I was excited to see my old friend who I respect greatly. I arrived in Brooklyn on the subway and stepped out into a cold down pour of December rain. At her home I was delighted to find she had just had delivered my favorite pizza, prosciutto and fresh arugula. This woman is magic. Right before we started recording she let me smoke at her window which broke and remained half open with the cold air streaming in. I was thrilled to take a ride through her opinions and thoughts on a wide range of topics and I was secretly pleased she was not angered that I had broken her window. She is someone I have always respected and been cheering for from afar.

She is the one and only comedy crusader that is Lizz Winstead.

Jim Gaffigan Dec 11, 2013

Show notes

This episode was recorded in New York City.

I was in New York last week to film the new Dave Attell series for Comedy Central. At the moment it is called 'Adults Only'. It's an uncensored stand up show that will air sometime next year. I was there the entire week and got to watch every taping. I was on the last episode and thoroughly loved rocking it and can't wait for people to see it. It had been several years since I had been in New York and it was great to do sets around town honing my set for the filming. It was also great to see a few friends that I had not seen in many years. One of my favorite things in the world is to get together with comedians I love and admire and talk about comedy experiences and the nuts and bolts of the business. One of those people is Jim Gaffigan. I believe the last time Jim and I worked together was in London filming a TV show called 'The World Stands Up'. It had been at least ten years since we had seen each other but it was like we hadn't lost a minute between us when we got together. Since the last time I saw Jim he has become pretty massive in the comedy world and I think he deserves every drop of his success. He's such a pleasant funny human being and in general a big, bright, ball of sunshine I enjoyed all the many directions this conversation went into. There is a slight echo in this episode because it was recorded in Jim's office that has a very high vaulted ceiling but the brain candy and knowledge nuggets that come out in this make it worth it. He's a man that I wish I got to laugh it up with more often, he's the one and only Mr. Jim Gaffigan.

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