The great folks at the Nerdy Show podcast are featuring my book in their next book club episode. Hear them kick it off in the current episode 59 where they also talk about Philip Jose Farmer's Riverworld series. I think the book after mine is Ready Player One. So I'm in good company! This is a great freewheeling, far-ranging, fun-loving podcast and I'm proud to be a part of it. If you haven't heard of it yet gird your ear-loins for hours of listening pleasure. I also enjoy their many sister podcasts especially their music podcast The Real Congregation. Here's one of the hosts, Cap Blackard, on Orlando Weekly. I want to steal his glasses and wear them as my own.
Speaking of podcasts you've probably heard of WTF w/ Marc Maron, haven't you? Of course you have. Well, a lot of you just listen to the comedians you know or admire and I want to tell you you are making a big mistake! Some of the best episodes are the ones with the lesser knowns, the slightly troubled, the lonely, the angry. Here are my absolute three favorites:
Fred Stoller: He is so hyper sensitive, self conscious, self effacing, socially awkward, and second guessing that instantly relate to him yet at the same time feel better about myself that I don't have it as bad as him. Imagine the most socially awkward and self conscious person you can imagine, multiply it times ten, and now watch Fred Stoller make that person you imagined look like George Clooney. He is also endearing and funny. He is also the voice of Rusty the Wrench on Handy Manny. Among topics discussed is the concept of uninvited rejection: where you are invited to join something and when you do you are then rejected.
Matt Graham: Scrabble champion and comedian. He has a fast, intimidating, and searing intelligence that when not being funny he tragically uses to create fantastic illusions about his life to hide simple truths from himself. Which we all do on some level. Smart, funny, troubled, but luckily he appears to be doing better now.
Paul Gilmartin: He was the host of Dinner and a Movie and is seething with resentments towards Marc Maron and inner demons that he sold out his edgy comedic desires to host Dinner and a Movie. A good listen for anyone who ever worries they sold out. EDIT: Paul Gilmartin does a podcast where he interviews various folks about their psychological issues and it is fantastic. It is called The Mental Illness Happy Hour. I just listened to the always funny Paul F. Tompkins one and yes he's on a ton of podcasts but I still learned a lot of new stuff about him.
I guess my three picks say a lot about me. On some level it's schadenfreude but on another level I relate to these individuals. My inner demons and their inner demons would all be good friends. There should be a word for both delighting in the misery of others while simultaneously commiserating. So get on that, Germans!