I'm a Rescue

Steph talks with guest Mollie Heckerling. Mollie is a stand-up, singer, writer, actress, and puppeteer. She also is the daughter of Amy Heckerling, writer and director of “Clueless” and the “Look Who’s Talking” franchise. Mollie is an open book and talks about growing up with a famous mom and finding out as a teenager that her biological dad is a famous comedian and director, cause you know Hollywood is going to Hollywood.  Mollie is extremely charismatic and being a comedy genius is literally in her DNA.

I have decided to interview several of the Tom Clarks I've met along the way in my comedy career and we start with tech savvy Tom Clark. This Tom Clark grew up in the Northeast and migrated to Silicon Valley for a career in tech. He embarked on a side project as a brewery owner which lasted for five years and currently resides in San Jose.  Tom and I talk how we met, the art of being Tom Clark and who is the worst Tom Clark in history. 

START OF SEASON 3!!! Julie Kidd, comedian, mom, and creator of Funniest Housewives chats with Steph about her new book, “The Funniest Housewives – When Laughter and Inspiration Collide." They discuss Julie's start in comedy in the early 90's and the continued drive she has to help female stand-ups in a heavily male dominated industry.

Judith Beay talks to Tom about growing up in the foster care system in Milwaukee. Eventually she met Tom's mom, Eileen, who matched her with a family. Judith talks how this stability gave her confidence moving forward as she pursued her degree and her career.

Steph interviews an ex-MLMer, Kevin Reyes. Kevin was recruited by the multi-level marketing company, People Helping People (PHP) at a mall in 2019. Kevin tells us who they're told to target, insight into manipulation tactics by the people at the top of the pyramid, and how they're using the pandemic to sell their MLM to those most vulnerable.

Iggy Samaniego is an up and coming comedian based out of El Paso, Texas. I met Iggy in Tucson a few years ago and we bonded over life in Juarez. Iggy talks about his mom escaping a "messed up" situation in Juarez for a better life in El Paso.  Iggy struggled with the gang life in his early teens but eventually found his way out and built a life for himself in El Paso.  He talks about how he got into the gang life and how his mom motivated him to get out of it.  

One of the most influential people in my comedy career and life is my brother Tim Clark. He actually first took a comedy class and as I've always done I followed in his footsteps. I guess the only difference is I kept going and he became a successful business man. My brother has traveled the world for his job and in 1998 in Sao Paolo, Brazil he was carjacked at gun point, thrown into the trunk of his car, and forced to withdraw money from various ATMs around the city.  On this episode he tells the whole story of the almost 10 hour ordeal and how he made it out alive.  

Ivan Leon is a creative-art director, dancer, photographer, writer, actor, and entrepreneur. Leon's strong work ethic and charisma is the reason his new company, iiEntertainment is already a hot commodity in the industry. iiEntertainment specializes in visuals, live performance and photography with musicians and fashion brands. Leon talks about how growing up in Harlem influenced his all inclusive art and business. You will fall in love with Leon's free spirit charm!

Tom and Steph talk about watching Thomas Middleditch and Ben Schwartz, a hilarious improvisational duo, who have a 3 episode series on Netflix that is all made up on the spot.  Tom talks about his own background in improv with both ComedySportz in Milwaukee and the Dead Alewives. We also talk about ComedySportz founder Dick Chudnow and how his vision helped create an improv scene in Milwaukee and around the country. Steph talks of her experiences doing improv at UCB and the recent fall of UCB and its theaters in NYC closing down.  Steph feels improv could be the next big thing in comedy and the shows that we've done around Los Angeles. We discuss if improv as an industry could take off and if opportunities for improvisors  will increase with this new Netflix show.  

After nearly month off Tom and Steph talk about what they've been up to since the pandemic hit.  Steph has given up drinking and talks about how she's coping. Tom talks about how he's been working on the audio for a new stand up album to be released in the next couple of weeks. They talk how they're dealing with each other and surviving the monotony of life during the pandemic. 

Steven Briggs is one of the best young comedians out there with a wide range of abilities from acting to writing to stand up to directing, he can really do it all! We talk a lot about Steven's childhood where he was quite the troublemaker. At an early age he learned to make counterfeit money and often got into fights, which ultimately forced his parents to send him to military school--where he got into more fights.  Steven has some amazing stories about his family and his mother even joins us on the podcast. She talks about fighting off the Clairemont Killer in the early 1990s and saving Steven and his brother.  This episode is a great example of overcoming the odds to achieve success and Steven really paints a great picture with these outrageous, but true stories. 

On Episode 26 and our final episode of 2019, comedian Andy Hendrickson along with his wife Linda join Tom and Steph on our first couple's podcast!  Linda tells her story of how she went from Algeria to Paris to Connecticut and finally arriving in Los Angeles in 2014.  Interestingly enough Andy also made a whirlwind journey to LA, starting his stand up career in Atlanta moving to Virginia then New York and finally arriving in LA in 2014...just like Linda. You see where I'm going with this...it's like "Harry Met Sally," but different and French.  Linda tells the story of meeting Andy for the first time. Andy talks behind the scene stuff on Letterman and dealing with anxiety and lyme disease. Tom and Andy also talk about their first meeting performing on a plywood stage over a stairwell in Rockford, IL. Linda also has a great podcast available on Anchor called "Excuse My Frenchy" and a line of skin care products she'll soon be launching.  Check out Andy's website at: www.andyhendrickson.com Our first couple interview and we had a blast! 

You may know Ari Stidham from his role on CBS's Scorpion, but it all started when he was a kid growing up in the Westlake area (just outside of LA.)  After struggling in school early on, he went the independent study route, finishing school at 16.  He worked with the improv group, ComedySportz and through that landed his first role on ABC Family's "Huge."  This is a great listen as Ari goes through his audition for the role on CBS's  Scorpion to the sudden fame that went with it and the disappointment after it's cancellation.   He also talks his current projects and he has a cool poster of Danny Devito in his house.

You may know Mark Valley from the soap opera Days of Our Lives, Boston Legal and Human Target, but he's also a U.S. Army Veteran.  He talks about his career in the army. His first acting gig opposite Sir Anthony Hopkins and teaching him to throw a football (true story.) He also talks about his latest project Zburg. A web-series shot entirely in his hometown of Ogdensburg, NY with a cast made up of local actors.  We also get into his role in Zero Dark Thirty and that sinking feeling when you know you're going to be cut out of a movie.  There's no BS with Mark and he's a completely open book on this podcast. 

Steph sits down with Nicole Blaine to talk about how she has helped connect comedians with industry thru the various programs she runs at Westside Comedy Theater in Santa Monica.  She also talks shooting her own independent film with her husband and her own comedy career.  

Chris Flail tells his tale of traveling from Pennsylvania to Oklahoma to California and how he eventually discovered his love of comedy.  One of Chris's first gigs was working with Tom at a casino in Delano, CA and Chris's story of that is a definite must listen. They also discuss how Chris has built one of the most successful rooms in Central California and how he's helping comedians there build their stage time. 

Growing up the son or daughter of a celebrity isn't easy especially when that celebrity is comedy royalty. Such is the case with Camilla Cleese and her dad, John Cleese, of Monty Python fame.  Camilla opens up on this one talking about sitting in on her Dad's writing sessions during "A Fish Called Wanda", being a talented equestrian, her struggle with substance abuse, and how she's blazing her own trail in comedy.  

Mary Gallagher is a very talented actress, writer, comedian and also from Tom's hometown of Milwaukee. Tom and Steph talk with Mary about growing up in Wisconsin. Moving to LA and the nerve wracking audition for "Friends."  We also talk about her stand up comedy and how she went from bombing opening for Pauly Shore in the early 90s to appearing on Stephen Colbert in 2018. Mary will also be appearing on the upcoming Netflix prank show called "Prank Encounters" with "Stranger Things" actor Gaten Matarazzo.  This was a really inspiring podcast. Check it out!

Tom and Steph talk with Kyle about his start in comedy and his rise to fame as a stand up on both Comedy Central and Netflix.  We also discuss his arrival to  LA in the early 2000s and living with Tom for 2 weeks and apparently, unbeknownst to Tom, being a terrible roommate.  We talk about the comedians of Chicago past and future.  I may have also mentioned that Dan Harmon once kicked me at a party.  A lot of fun catching up with Kyle, one of the best comedians out there! Check him out!

For this episode we actually got questions from you the listener to ask my Dad (Art Clark.) The questions ranged from his experiences in WW2 to what's his favorite cut of meat.  My Dad was a great sport throughout all this and I think you'll really enjoy what he has to say. At 93 years old I think he has a great perspective on life and shares a bit of that advice with you.

Jeff Johnson is a very funny comedian, who I first met at JR's Comedy Club in Valencia, CA. It was actually the back room of a Marie Callendar's and Jeff was the host. Jeff developed his act there and is now traveling across the country doing stand up. He recently finished in the top 5 in The World Series of Comedy. Jeff talks about the struggle to get better as a stand up, starting his own production company, leaving the Mormon religion and finding out who his real dad was.  Jeff was very open about everything and the story of his finding his dad and actually going to meet him is a must listen. 

Dennis Gubbins is an actor/writer/comedian.  He has appeared in over 100 commercials and we discuss every single one of them...just kidding, but we do discuss how he got the gig "handing a puppy over a bush. "  We also discuss the acting and auditioning process in general. Then we get deep and discuss his work on "Enjoy It" with Brody Stevens and the fun and challenges of working with Brody.  ENJOY IT!

On this episode of the I'm A Rescue Podcast Steph and I interview Steven Slater.  Steven achieved international fame after becoming fed up with one too many rude customers while serving as a flight attendant on Jet Blue Airlines. We learn the real story about what happened and all the trouble that came with that fame.  His struggle with drugs and alcohol, the TV offers, losing his mother, and his house.  But we also learn how he's battling back.  Really great, inspiring episode from a very resilient guy. 

This week we interview Kimia Behpoornia. Kimia is one of the stars of the ensemble comedy Abby's on NBC and will soon be appearing in Brie Larson's Unicorn Store (Netflix on April 5th).  We talk to Kimia about her high school years building robots and doing improv, how she lost her manager because she gave her too much information, and losing one of her first big roles and how she handled it.  Kimia is definitely someone you're going to be hearing big things about...so why not learn how it all started.