Advertise on podcast: Standup Comedy "Your Host and MC"

Send us Fan Mail This episode of Standup Comedy “Your Host & MC” features an incredible lineup of three top headlining comedians: Bobby Slayton, John Fox, and James Stephens III. Each brings their own unique style, energy, and years of experience to the stage, delivering a powerhouse showcase of stand-up comedy at its finest. From sharp wit and edgy humor to clever storytelling and classic punchlines, this episode highlights why these performers have earned their place as top-tier headliners. Whether you're a longtime comedy fan or just discovering stand-up, this show is packed with laughs, personality, and unforgettable moments. Tune in for a triple dose of comedy excellence you won’t want to miss! Hosted by: R. Scott Edwards Offer to those listeners interested in standup comedy to get a FREE book I wrote to help people get started. Support the show   www.StandupComedyPodcastNetwork.com Website....check it out, podcast, jokes, blogs, and More! "NEW" Video Podcast: Tag Team Talent Podcast on Spotify & YouTube Interested in Standup Comedy? Check out my books on Amazon and the "BookBaby" Book Store for Discounted copies! "20 Questions Answered about Being a Standup Comic" "Be a Standup Comic...or just look like one"

Send us Fan Mail Bobby Slayton doesn’t ease into a conversation, he comes out swinging. We sit down with the “Pit Bull of Comedy” (coined by Radio's Alex Bennett) and immediately get a master class in the kind of blunt, fast, hard-hitting stand-up that helped define the comedy club boom. From the first minute, Bobby is roasting me, questioning my podcast “listeners,” and somehow making the whole thing feel like the green room after a late Saturday show. We rewind to the Laughs Unlimited era in Sacramento and talk about what made those rooms matter: the layout, the crowd, the emcee’s job, and the fragile relationships between comics and club owners. Bobby digs into loyalty versus opportunity, why contracts changed the Northern California circuit, and what it takes to build a name when you’re living out of hotels. We also get into the big topic hanging over stand-up comedy today: audience sensitivity, political correctness, and whether the Don Rickles style of equal-opportunity insults could break through the same way now. Then the conversation turns to show business beyond the stage, including Bobby’s acting work and a great behind-the-scenes story about landing Family Guy through a phone read when he was sick, exhausted, and ready to pass. To top it off, we share a live Bobby Slayton set recorded at Laughs Unlimited in the mid-80s so you can hear exactly what made him a standout headliner. If you love comedy history, comedy club stories, and honest talk about how the business really works, hit play, subscribe, and leave a review. What do you think changed stand-up the most: the crowds, the culture, or the industry? Offer to those listeners interested in standup comedy to get a FREE book I wrote to help people get started. Support the show   www.StandupComedyPodcastNetwork.com Website....check it out, podcast, jokes, blogs, and More! "NEW" Video Podcast: Tag Team Talent Podcast on Spotify & YouTube Interested in Standup Comedy? Check out my books on Amazon and the "BookBaby" Book Store for Discounted copies! "20 Questions Answered about Being a Standup Comic" "Be a Standup Comic...or just look like one"

Send us Fan Mail Stand-up comedy gets a second engine when you add a melody, because now the punchline can hit… then echo. We’re putting that idea to the test with a high-energy “Stand Up Comedy The Musical” showcase, stitched together from live club performances and packed with comedy songs from the 1980s and 1990s. If you love stand-up history, musical comedy, and the unpredictable feel of a real crowd, this one plays like a time capsule you can laugh along with. We kick things off with Bob Saget turning end-of-month desperation into a song about an empty fridge, expired food, and counting change like it’s treasure. From there, Tim O’Rourke jumps in with a “Footloose” style parody that leans into big nostalgia and bigger cravings, while Yakov Smirnoff brings a piano-backed character piece with “Natasha,” blending romance, exaggeration, and classic club energy. The middle of the show highlights the craft of live performance: Denny Johnston drops quick musical bits and impressions, including a memorable Jimmy Stewart take on the Beatles’ “Blackbird.” Paul Robbins spoofs the long-distance dedication format and flips a famous ballad into something far more disgusting, and we close with a special treat from Dana Carvey and his early band as they ride “Burger Rush” into a rowdy sing-along finale.  If you had fun, subscribe so you don’t miss next week, share this with a friend who loves comedy, and leave a review telling us which musical bit you’d actually sing out loud. Hosted by: R. Scott Edwards Offer to those listeners interested in standup comedy to get a FREE book I wrote to help people get started. Support the show   www.StandupComedyPodcastNetwork.com Website....check it out, podcast, jokes, blogs, and More! "NEW" Video Podcast: Tag Team Talent Podcast on Spotify & YouTube Interested in Standup Comedy? Check out my books on Amazon and the "BookBaby" Book Store for Discounted copies! "20 Questions Answered about Being a Standup Comic" "Be a Standup Comic...or just look like one"

Send us Fan Mail A comedy club can change a city, and it can change a career. We sit down with Emmy Award winners Paul Robbins and Phil Cowan and rewind to the early Laughs Unlimited days in Old Sacramento, when a young room, hungry local comics, and a couple of wildly original radio promos helped build real momentum for stand-up comedy in Northern California. If you love comedy history, comedy club stories, or the behind-the-scenes craft of writing jokes that land, this one is packed with detail. We talk about how two speech team “geeks” turn performance reps into stand-up, then into their one-of-a-kind act, live radio theater, complete with sound effects and scene work in a comedy showroom. That creative swing opens an unexpected door into morning radio at KPOP, and the path keeps unfolding through Y92, big live events, and the kind of listener stunts that only work when the writing is solid and the audience trusts you. From there, the story expands into television, including the Answer Guys on the Discovery Channel and the Emmy wins that came from saying yes to assignments and doing the work even when the schedule got brutal. Along the way we swap classic Laughs Unlimited memories, name the comics who left a mark, and make the case for clean comedy that families can hear in the car without cringing. Subscribe for more stand-up comedy conversations, share this with a friend who misses old-school radio, and leave a review with your favorite comedy club memory. Hosted by: R. Scott Edwards Offer to those listeners interested in standup comedy to get a FREE book I wrote to help people get started. Support the show   www.StandupComedyPodcastNetwork.com Website....check it out, podcast, jokes, blogs, and More! "NEW" Video Podcast: Tag Team Talent Podcast on Spotify & YouTube Interested in Standup Comedy? Check out my books on Amazon and the "BookBaby" Book Store for Discounted copies! "20 Questions Answered about Being a Standup Comic" "Be a Standup Comic...or just look like one"

Send us Fan Mail A good comedy night doesn’t have one “main course” it has a bunch of great bites, back to back, with a host who knows exactly when to move the spotlight. That’s what we’re serving here: a Cornucopia of Comedy sequel built from live stand-up clips, a left-field comedy song, classic impressions, and a high-energy musical closer pulled from the Laughs Unlimited universe. We kick things off with Ronnie Kenny, a true MC’s MC, doing quick jokes about exercise, aging, and the strange logic people use to justify bad habits. From there we jump into a surreal fast-food parody song featuring Carlos Alazrqui (Reno 911), musician Chris Hobbs, and my longtime creative partner Bob Stobener on voiceover, proving that musical comedy can be just as punchy as a stand-up set. Then it’s time for Kevin Pollak, a powerhouse impressionist and actor, with a set that taps into movie fandom and a Star Trek-inspired run of character voices that keeps escalating. We also drop into Laughs in the Park, recorded in front of a massive outdoor crowd, with ventriloquist Jay Johnson bringing that unique puppet-and-performer rhythm that made him a standout. Finally, we close with the theme music written by Robert Aguyo for our Live at Laughs TV days, with Bob Stobener on vocals, ending the show on a bright, classic-variety note. If you love a stand up comedy podcast packed with 80s and 90s comedy, live crowd energy, impressions, ventriloquism, and comedy music, hit subscribe, share this with a friend who needs a laugh, and leave a review so more listeners can find the show. Hosted by. R. Scott Edwards Support the show   www.StandupComedyPodcastNetwork.com Website....check it out, podcast, jokes, blogs, and More! "NEW" Video Podcast: Tag Team Talent Podcast on Spotify & YouTube Interested in Standup Comedy? Check out my books on Amazon and the "BookBaby" Book Store for Discounted copies! "20 Questions Answered about Being a Standup Comic" "Be a Standup Comic...or just look like one"

Send us Fan Mail A comedy career can start in the most unexpected place, and Marc Yaffee proves it. We sit down with Marc, a Native American stand-up comedian who once worked as a DMV driving examiner, then taught traffic school before ever thinking he’d end up headlining clubs, casinos, and events across the country. That strange “day job” origin story turns into a real masterclass on stage presence, writing jokes, and learning how to win over strangers one laugh at a time. We also get honest about what comedy audiences don’t see: the grind of open mic nights, the value of mentors, and why we cared so much about clean comedy at Laughs Unlimited. We talk about originality, why stolen bits kill your momentum, and how professional comics treat the craft like a job. If you’re searching for stand-up comedy tips, how to write a set, or how to structure a comedy show, you’ll hear practical tactics like recording your sets, saving joke ideas, and placing experimental material in the middle while you open strong and close stronger. Then Marc delivers the kind of road stories you can’t make up: telling jokes over an airplane PA, performing for Marines in Iraq, and using commitment and timing to lift a room. We wrap with why clean, flexible comedy is perfect for fundraisers and community events and share a stand-up set from Mark that highlights his sharp perspective and identity-driven humor. If you enjoy behind-the-scenes comedy stories, clean stand-up, and real-world advice from working comics, subscribe, share this episode with a friend, and leave a review so more listeners can find the show. Hosted by: R. Scott Edwards Support the show   www.StandupComedyPodcastNetwork.com Website....check it out, podcast, jokes, blogs, and More! "NEW" Video Podcast: Tag Team Talent Podcast on Spotify & YouTube Interested in Standup Comedy? Check out my books on Amazon and the "BookBaby" Book Store for Discounted copies! "20 Questions Answered about Being a Standup Comic" "Be a Standup Comic...or just look like one"

Send us Fan Mail A local TV stand up comedy show from 1988 doesn’t sound like it should feel fresh, but the moment the crowd comes up you can hear why we loved making Laughs at Laughs Unlimited in Sacramento. I’m Scott Edwards, and I’m bringing one of those original TV tapings over to the podcast as pure audio so you can experience the pacing, the room energy, and the working-comic craft that made comedy clubs the real training ground. We start with club favorite Frank Prinzi firing off tight, offbeat jokes that twist everyday life into something surreal, from food fears to childhood memories and the weird logic of getting older. Then Phil Bauman changes the texture with comedy rap and music-driven bits, bouncing from concert jokes to pop culture riffs in a style you don’t hear on many stand up comedy podcasts today. Mid-show, I pause to set up a vintage TV sketch drop-in: our fake-celebrity character Tony King, played by my partner Bob Stobner with voiceover by Carlos Alazraqui (yes, that Carlos from Reno 911 and a ton of iconic voice work). After that, headliner Tim Bedore closes the night with sharp late-1980s political and televangelist satire, a reminder that the headlines have always been absurd when you look at them the right way. If you love classic stand up, comedy club history, and rare recordings from the Laughs TV series, this one’s a treat. Subscribe, share it with a friend who misses real club comedy, and leave a review. What’s the bit that made you laugh out loud? Hosted by: R. Scott Edwards Offer to those listeners interested in standup comedy to get a FREE book I wrote to help people get started. Support the show   www.StandupComedyPodcastNetwork.com Website....check it out, podcast, jokes, blogs, and More! "NEW" Video Podcast: Tag Team Talent Podcast on Spotify & YouTube Interested in Standup Comedy? Check out my books on Amazon and the "BookBaby" Book Store for Discounted copies! "20 Questions Answered about Being a Standup Comic" "Be a Standup Comic...or just look like one"

Send us Fan Mail Forty years doesn’t happen by accident, especially in live entertainment. Lynn Stobener grabs the host chair and gets Scott Edwards and Bob Stobener talking through the real, unpolished origin story of Laughs Unlimited, one of Sacramento’s defining stand-up comedy clubs. The early days are pure DIY: a tiny budget, borrowed know-how, side hustles that quietly trained them for the chaos of hospitality, and a willingness to figure things out in public. We dig into the moments that shaped the club’s identity, from naming Laughs Unlimited and designing the logo to choosing independence over a comedy chain deal that almost happened. Scott and Bob explain how they learned production the hard way, cutting costs, building shows, and creating opportunities without waiting for credentials. Then we rewind to the Delta Queen basement days, the constant teardown-and-setup grind, and the sudden scramble to move locations when the room was threatened. If you love comedy history, you’ll hear the human side of the 1980s comedy boom: favorites, regular road warriors, and the relationships that brought incredible talent through Sacramento. The stories get wild too, including the infamous “crap book” scrapbook notes and a legendary Robin Williams drop-in that nobody in the room forgets. If Laughs Unlimited or Sacramento comedy means something to you, subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a review so more listeners can find the show. What’s the best stand-up set you’ve ever seen live? Support the show   www.StandupComedyPodcastNetwork.com Website....check it out, podcast, jokes, blogs, and More! "NEW" Video Podcast: Tag Team Talent Podcast on Spotify & YouTube Interested in Standup Comedy? Check out my books on Amazon and the "BookBaby" Book Store for Discounted copies! "20 Questions Answered about Being a Standup Comic" "Be a Standup Comic...or just look like one"

Send us Fan Mail A comedy club opening in a restaurant basement doesn’t sound like the start of history, until you remember what stand-up felt like in 1980: new, hot, and so alive that every seat mattered. We’re celebrating the 40th anniversary of Laughs Unlimited by bringing back our first headliner, George Wallace, and letting him tell the story in his own voice. The memories are specific and vivid, from sold-out crowds in Old Sacramento to the early days of comics who would soon become legends. George breaks down the real work behind a long stand-up comedy career: learning rooms, traveling, building relationships, and staying funny without leaning on easy labels. We talk about the early club circuit, Gary Shandling on the bill, and why treating comics with respect was never “extra” but the whole foundation of a great comedy scene. If you love comedy club history, classic stand-up, and the behind-the-scenes reality of show business, this conversation is packed with it. Then we bring the receipts: an archival George Wallace stand-up set from 1983, featuring the energy, crowd control, and “It’s A Crazy World” era timing that helped make him the Godfather of Comedy. We also catch up on where he’s performing now, including his Las Vegas run, and why evergreen jokes can still hit decades later. If you enjoy it, subscribe to the podcast, share it with a friend who loves stand-up, and leave a rating and review so more people can find these stories. Hosted by: R$. Scott Edwards Support the show   www.StandupComedyPodcastNetwork.com Website....check it out, podcast, jokes, blogs, and More! "NEW" Video Podcast: Tag Team Talent Podcast on Spotify & YouTube Interested in Standup Comedy? Check out my books on Amazon and the "BookBaby" Book Store for Discounted copies! "20 Questions Answered about Being a Standup Comic" "Be a Standup Comic...or just look like one"

Send us Fan Mail Four headliners. A stack of vintage radio promos. One tight 30-minute ride through stand-up comedy and the comedy club culture that built it. We’re mixing it up with what I call a cornucopia of comedy: short sets from Steve Smith, Robert Aguayo, David Crow, and Tom McTigue, broken up with real broadcast audio from the Laughs Unlimited archives. If you’ve ever wondered how a Sacramento comedy club filled seats in the 80s and 90s, the old commercials and promo spots are a time capsule of comedy marketing. You’ll hear how we pitched the room, the policies, the showtimes, and the “come tonight” urgency that radio did so well. On the stand-up side, Steve Smith brings sharp observations with a clean and sober point of view, built from years of performing specialty shows for AA and NA audiences. We also drop in an early morning radio interview with prop comic Bruce Baum that perfectly captures the reality of promotion: headliners doing wake-up calls to move tickets, even when they’d rather be asleep. Then Robert Aguyo adds musical comedy texture, David Crow takes a wild angle on meddling laws, and Tom McTeague closes with storytelling and punchlines that keep escalating. If you love stand up comedy podcasts, comedy history, and behind-the-scenes club stories, hit play, then subscribe, share the episode, and leave a review so more fans can find the show. What was your favorite set or throwback clip? Hosted by: R. Scott Edwards Offer to those listeners interested in standup comedy to get a FREE book I wrote to help people get started. Support the show   www.StandupComedyPodcastNetwork.com Website....check it out, podcast, jokes, blogs, and More! "NEW" Video Podcast: Tag Team Talent Podcast on Spotify & YouTube Interested in Standup Comedy? Check out my books on Amazon and the "BookBaby" Book Store for Discounted copies! "20 Questions Answered about Being a Standup Comic" "Be a Standup Comic...or just look like one"

Send us Fan Mail A nickname you never wanted can become the thing that gets you booked, remembered, and introduced for the rest of your career. We sit down with Bay Area stand-up Larry “Bubbles” Brown to trace how a deadpan, low-key approach cut through a high-energy comedy scene and turned into decades of steady work. If you love stand-up comedy history, comedy club stories, and the behind-the-scenes reality of being a road comic, this one is packed with the kind of details you only get from people who were actually there.  We talk about Larry’s early days at Laughs Unlimited, the specific weeks and lineups he still remembers, and the comics who made the learning curve feel survivable. Larry tells the true story of how Paula Poundstone coined “Bubbles,” why he resisted it, and why it ultimately helped. From there we get into longevity, including Larry’s rare record of returning to the David Letterman show more than two decades after his first appearance, and what it really takes to keep a stand-up career alive year after year.  Then the conversation opens up into classic road-gig chaos: a week in a condo where the Governor of California is literally next door, the strange pressures of constant travel, and even a bomb threat called into a club with the timing aimed right at stage time. We also revisit the San Francisco comedy boom, with stories that include Dana Carvey’s first open mic shock and Robin Williams’ reputation for supporting other comics. After the chat, we roll into a full Larry Bubbles Brown stand-up set with sharp jokes on sex, depression, marriage, aging, and politics.  If you enjoy the show, subscribe, share this episode with a comedy fan, and leave a review so more people can find it. What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever seen at a live show? Hosted by: R. Scott Edwards Support the show   www.StandupComedyPodcastNetwork.com Website....check it out, podcast, jokes, blogs, and More! "NEW" Video Podcast: Tag Team Talent Podcast on Spotify & YouTube Interested in Standup Comedy? Check out my books on Amazon and the "BookBaby" Book Store for Discounted copies! "20 Questions Answered about Being a Standup Comic" "Be a Standup Comic...or just look like one"

Send us Fan Mail A lot of stand-up ages fast. This one doesn’t. We’re dropping you into a full-length Larry Miller set recorded live at Laughs Unlimited in the early 1980s, back when Larry was still “getting his chops” and already sounding like a pro. Before the tape rolls, I share why I’m featuring a single extended set instead of our usual mix: Larry is that rare comic who can take one everyday idea and keep heightening it until it becomes a full story you can’t stop picturing. Larry’s observational comedy starts with phones and the strange little ways technology messes with our heads, from busy signals that last all day to the spooky moment you pick up and someone is already there. Then he turns domestic life into a chain of sharp, relatable snapshots: bathroom timing, the secret panic moves people make, arguing over something as petty as the color of toilet paper, and even a jab at “healthy” sweeteners that feels weirdly timeless. From there, the set opens up into bigger stand-up storytelling about family and growing up. You’ll hear holiday humor about sneaking back into your parents’ house, the late-night magic of mom’s fridge compared to a guy’s refrigerator, a blast of childhood nostalgia, and a brutally funny nightmare where your parents come home early while the party is still raging. The closer becomes an extended skiing disaster that ends with a “real secret” that’s both a perfect punchline and the kind of advice you remember. If you love classic stand-up comedy, comedy club recordings, and the craft of building a story onstage, hit play. Subscribe for more interviews and sets, share this with a friend who needs a laugh, and leave us a review with your favorite Larry Miller moment. Hosted by: R. Scott Edwards Support the show   www.StandupComedyPodcastNetwork.com Website....check it out, podcast, jokes, blogs, and More! "NEW" Video Podcast: Tag Team Talent Podcast on Spotify & YouTube Interested in Standup Comedy? Check out my books on Amazon and the "BookBaby" Book Store for Discounted copies! "20 Questions Answered about Being a Standup Comic" "Be a Standup Comic...or just look like one"

Send us Fan Mail Offer to those listeners interested in standup comedy to get a FREE book I wrote to help people get started. Support the show   www.StandupComedyPodcastNetwork.com Website....check it out, podcast, jokes, blogs, and More! "NEW" Video Podcast: Tag Team Talent Podcast on Spotify & YouTube Interested in Standup Comedy? Check out my books on Amazon and the "BookBaby" Book Store for Discounted copies! "20 Questions Answered about Being a Standup Comic" "Be a Standup Comic...or just look like one"

Send us Fan Mail We sit down with comic magician Ken Garr and trace how a stubborn request for an audition turns into years of close-up magic at the Magic Hat and a long run as one of our most reliable stage acts. We talk shop on timing, crowd work, and why the comedy world helped Ken find his voice faster than the traditional magic scene. • Ken’s first connection to our club and the Magic Hat • The audition story and what makes an act bookable • Working close-up magic for real crowds and real tips • The leap from bar magic to stage comedy after a last-minute slot • Road work in the late 80s and 90s and how careers actually grow • Collaborating with comics like Dave Coulier and learning joke craft • Why breaking the fourth wall makes magic funnier • Remembering hangouts, bowling nights, and the comedy community • Ken’s current work with Cirque De Bohème in Sonoma visit our website at www.standupyourhostandmc.com Hosted by: R. Scott Edwards Offer to those listeners interested in standup comedy to get a FREE book I wrote to help people get started. Support the show   www.StandupComedyPodcastNetwork.com Website....check it out, podcast, jokes, blogs, and More! "NEW" Video Podcast: Tag Team Talent Podcast on Spotify & YouTube Interested in Standup Comedy? Check out my books on Amazon and the "BookBaby" Book Store for Discounted copies! "20 Questions Answered about Being a Standup Comic" "Be a Standup Comic...or just look like one"

Send us Fan Mail On this episode of Standup Comedy “Your Host & MC”, we feature a special appearance by “Uncle Bruce,” the hilarious and heartfelt character connected to comedian Bruce Smirnoff. This episode blends an engaging interview with a live stand-up comedy set, offering both insight and laughter from a seasoned performer. “Uncle Bruce” shares stories, perspectives, and humor shaped by years in comedy and entertainment, while the stand-up performance delivers classic laughs and memorable moments. Fans of Bruce Smirnoff and anyone who enjoys character-driven comedy will appreciate the warmth, wit, and unique voice showcased in this episode. Whether you love traditional stand-up, storytelling comedy, or iconic performers with a rich history in entertainment, this episode delivers a fun and entertaining experience from start to finish. Hosted by: R. Scott Edwards Support the show   www.StandupComedyPodcastNetwork.com Website....check it out, podcast, jokes, blogs, and More! "NEW" Video Podcast: Tag Team Talent Podcast on Spotify & YouTube Interested in Standup Comedy? Check out my books on Amazon and the "BookBaby" Book Store for Discounted copies! "20 Questions Answered about Being a Standup Comic" "Be a Standup Comic...or just look like one"