Succotash Epi6 w/Special Guest Rick Overton!

When I first started Succotash back in April, I figured it would be just little' ol' me and a pile o' podcast clips. But comedy friends keep popping up and it just seems right to make room for them on the show whenever there's a chance. Episode 6 is no exception, as standup/improvisor/actor extraordinaire Rick Overton was in town to play with Mark Pitta (guest co-host of Epi5 of Succotash) & Friends at the 142 Throckmorton Theater in Mill Valley, CA.

Not only is Rick an act bordering on legend status amongst his peers (and a goodly number of civilians as well), but he's a longtime friend of yours truly and was happy to kick back in his hotel room before the show and chat it up about his life and times behind and around the microphone stand. This will be a treat for the comedy nerds out there, as well as those who will doubtless recognize him from his many guest starring roles in film and on TV.

A second treat we have for you in this epi is an actual song, Business End, by our music director Scott Carvey. I've gotten a number of comments about Scott's excellent theme for our show — here's a chance to hear him strut his stuff without me walking all over his notes.

AND we have clips, too! Comedy podcast clips from near and far, picked fresh and played for your amusement. This week Succotash samples:

• Mike And Tom Eat Snacks

Michael Ian Black and Tom Cavanagh welcome their first guest to the snack table: Late Night with David Letterman executive producer Rob Burnett.

• Radio Rubber Room

Dan Anderson, Derrick Vara, and Chris Manzelli open their live music & sketch comedy studio up to hip hop artist Black Liquid.

• The Sal & Angelo Podcast

San Francisco comedians Sal Calanni and Angelo Lorenzetti bring in guest Tony Camin, a comedian who started in San Francisco but is based now out of New York.

• Sklarbro Country

Featuring comedians Jason Sklar and Randy Sklar, their podcast is heavily sports-influenced and pretty damned funny. (And, if it wasn't for the fact they sometimes finish each other's sentences, you'd never know that they're not just brothers but identical twin brothers.)

We're a little light on clips this week, but we more than make up for it with the Rick Overton interview. But there was even more interview than we had show for - so expect to see uploaded soon a special Succotash Epi 6.5 which will be the Overton interview in its entirety!

I want to thank the Friends o' Succotash who have been tweeting us up on Twitter (we're @SuccotashShow), Liking us on Facebook, and rating us on iTunes! We've also been getting suggestions to check out more comedy podcasts we've never heard of before, so look for new blood in the coming episodes.

For now, though, kick back, download and enjoy!

Pass the Succotash,

Marc Hershon

Succotash Epi5 with Guest Co-host Mark Pitta!

Although there was an episode in between this one and Epi3, featuring guest co-host Dana Carvey, I felt we couldn't have another edition of Succotash, the Comedy Podcast Podcast, without getting funny comedian, show producer and longtime friend Mark Pitta into the studio. Part of the reason is that he's a fledgling podcaster just like me and he's also damned funny. The other reason part was because Dana and I had a bit of fun at his expense during the show and it only seemed right to have him to show there were no hard feelings and so everyone would know that the hazing was just a goof.

Mea culpa accomplished.

Mark brought in several clips from podcasts he's heard and likes, so not only did we get a little insight into the man who created and runs the 6+ years-old Mark Pitta & Friends at the 142 Throckmorton Theatre in Mill Valley, California, but it's fun to see who makes a good solid laughmaker laugh...and why.

This epi also marks the debut of a Burst o' Durst — specially-tailored clips featuring the insightful witful musings of top-flight political comedian and friend-of-Succotash Will Durst. Our friend will be supplying the show with his comedic splashdowns for a long time to come.

One thing I neglected to do (it seems I'm always forgetting something) was to tag all of the clips with where to go to get some more of the same. Sorry about that, podcasters! You should know by know that most of the p'casts can be had through iTunes, but it's fun to check out the websites of these funny folks, too, in order to find out more about them, when they have live appearances scheduled, and more. Not to worry - I've included those sites in this blog piece. Just click on the show titles below to be whisked there in an instant!

Here's what's cooking on Succotash this time around...

• After Hours with Mark Pitta

Mark chats with comedy legend Mort Sahl.

• The David Feldman Comedy Podcast

David Mamet discovers he's a Conservative...and is rewriting accordingly.

• Will Durst on Medicare & Weinergate

• Jay & Silent Bob Get Old

Kevin Smith and Jason Mewes on hearing that Osama Bin Laden was killed.

• The Joe Rogan Experience (3:37)

Joe and guest Al Madrigal talk about dealing with an audience that more tuned into technology than the show.

• This Week with Larry Miller

Larry talks about how little he knew about sex and women.

• FitzDog Radio with Greg Fitzsimmons

Greg plays a game called Talk Your Way Out of It with his staff.

• Comedy Bang Bang

Scott Aukerman's guest, John Mulaney, is a writer for SNL. He talks about the Stephan character and Law & Order.

For those listeners who may be fans of our regular sponsor, Henderson's Pants, we have a new spot in this epi featuring, for the first time, the Henderson's Pants Sketch Players. And thanks to our musical director Scott Carvey for supplying some spiffy new "incidental music" which you can hear behind our chatter during this edition of Succotash. (And I promise that, next time, we're going to feature an actual song from Mr. Carvey's repertoire!) 

Joe Paulino and his Studio P ("The Home of The Hit!") deserves recognition for, once again, making the show sound so very pro and bringing it in at exactly one hour. To the second. Kudos!

We're going to start dipping into the ol' emailbag next epi, so if you've got comments or suggestions for podcasts we should give a listen to, send 'em along to marc@SuccotashShow.com. And if you're a potential sponsor looking for a smart new way to catch the attention of today's idea demographic, we'd be happy to talk to you about throwing a few nickels our way. Drop us a line and let's make something happen!

We'll probably get a "Donate" button up on the site soon, for any nice listeners who want to help us keep this train rolling. But, even if you don't spend a dime for all of our hard-spent time, please jump up to iTunes and give us a rating. Maybe even shave off a friendly comment like kindly listener Ed Wallick did (Thanks, Ed!)

That's about it. Don't forget to pass the Succotash!

Cheers,
Marc

Succotash In The News

This article appeared in the May 25, 2011, edition of the Half Moon Bay Review weekly newspaper:

Succotash Goes Hollywood!

Chillpak Hollywood Hour, that is. In Epi4 of Succotash, my special guests this show are Dean Haglund and Phil Leirness, hosts of the podcast which just marked its fourth year on the web. And, I should mention, a model of consistency, having gotten up every week of those 4 years.

I got a chance to catch up with D & P on the occasion of the US premiere of The Truth Is Out There, a documentary delving into conspiracy theories of every stripe. (I favorably reviewed TTIOT on Huffington Post a couple of months ago.) Shortly before the movie got underway at the Retro Dome in San Jose, California, I was able to sit down with the two — Dean serves as the host for the movie, which Phil was the moviemaker who shot, chopped and shopped the film — in their hotel room.

The interview, featured on Succotash this episode, is interspersed with half dozen podcast clips, including:

• How Did This Get Made?

  Featuring guest Adam Pally

• Doug Loves Movies

  Doug Benson with guest Paul F. Tompkins

• The Adam Carolla Show

  With guest Albert Brooks

• The Titus Podcast

  Christopher Titus' Armageddon Update

• The Glory Hole

  With guest Samm Levine

• Professor Blastoff

  Tig, Kyle & David talk about the Afterlife

Of the clips in this episode, I was especially delighted to get to hear Albert Brooks, a comic mind that tends to stay way too far off the radar, as a guest with Adam Carolla. Maybe one has to be a comic nerd to truly appreciate that some of today's comedy podcasts — like The Adam Carolla Show, WTF with Marc Maron and Greg Fitzsimmons' FitzDog Radio — are likely the only places you're going to find lengthy, in-depth interviews with some of the best comedians of all time.

We're starting to get more clips submitted by you comedy podcasters out there but keep 'em coming! (Since you know your show better than I do, chances are that the 3-5 minute snippet you send me will be more representative of what you do that I'll be able to find...) And for you podcast listeners out there, let us know of your favorite we haven't featured yet! Send any and all emails to marc@SuccotashShow.com.

Until next, please pass the Succotash!

Cheers,

Marc Hershon

Succotash Epi 3 w/Guest Co-Host Dana Carvey

A bit of a delay to get to this, Succotash Epi3, but I was waiting for our guest co-host to clear enough of his schedule to join me in the studio. Since Dana Carvey was going to be the show's first guest, I wanted it to try to get it right. And I think we did!

He had a bit of a time crunch, so this epi's a little light on the podcast commentary in favor of time spent with Dana in the studio. Nonetheless, we manage to get in as many comedy podcast snippets as we have in the two previous episodes. Check out what we've got in store for you this time...

• After Hours with Mark Pitta

• Delicious Mediocrity

• The Longshot Podcast

• The Green Room with Sean Green

• Ham Radio with Brett Hamil

• What Duvet Said

• Chillpak Hollywood Hour

• David Feldman Comedy Show

• Waking From The American Dream with Kelly Carlin

• WTF with Marc Maron

Dana is just the first guest we have in mind for Succotash - stay tuned for upcoming episodes where we'll feature both interviews and guest co-hosting stints from your favorite comedian and/or podcasters!

As I've mentioned before, there are a TON of comedy podcasts out there, so if you ARE a podcaster or a listener who would like to recommend we feature one of your faves, please email me directly at marc@SuccotashShow.com with information about the podcast you're thinking about.

Until next time, please pass the Succotash!

Cheers,

Marc Hershon

Succotash Is Switching Homes!

Ahoy there, friends and listeners! Thanks for your loyal attention to the early beginnings of Succotash, the Comedy Podcast Podcast. Just wanted you to know that I've swapped home sites for the blog (which is where some of you have been listening to the shows, rather than downloading from iTunes...)

Reasons? Mostly better control, more storage and cooler options as the show expands.

The switcheroo won't (or shouldn't) affect iTunes subscribers. But THIS version of the blog on Blogger will no longer be supported. In fact, if you try to use our main URL to get here, you'll end up being whisked to the new home site. Which is were I invite you to hang your eyes and ears from now on.

Because this site will soon cease to exist.

Do it! Hop over to http://SuccotashShow.com

See you there.

And don't forget to pass the Succotash!

Cheers,

Marc Hershon
Host/Executive Producer

In The Meantime...

There's been a slight break between Succotash Episodes 2 and 3 but, never fear, we ARE in pre-production. Just a eensy delay due to actual paying work. But we appreciate the mentions, tweets and Facebook comments about the show. We've also been receiving snippets from comedy podcasts that would like us to take a look at them (Thanks, Sean Green of The Green Room! We'll be hearing from your clip on the upcoming episode of Succotash!)

If you're curious to find out more about host Marc Hershon (aka "me"), we urge you to click on over to Comedy A-Go-Go, where Dave Nelson is featuring his interview with yours truly from just after our debut episode. (The embedded link goes to Dave's website, but you can subscribe to Comedy A-Go-Go via iTunes as well.)

TEASER: In addition to The Green Room, on the upcoming epi3 of Succotash, we're going to be giving a listen to What Duvet Said with Jason Duplissea and Rob Cell, The Longshot Podcast, and we might even give a cut from Doug Stanhope's new album, Oslo, Burning The Bridge To Nowhere, a listen.