Comic's Book Club
Sound smart at parties! I read the books so you don't have to!
Comedian and food writer Danny Palumbo comes on to talk about Blood, Bones, and Butter, a chef memoir by Gabrielle Hamilton. Having a hard time working hard outside of being in a restaurant, 80's style Italian American dining, stealing from restaurants, not wanting any one thing to be your entire thing, Gabrielle's weird marriage, unfortunate falling outs, the lure of marrying into an Italian family when you come from a broken home, trying to kill a chicken, celeb chef culture.
Rebecca and comedian and meditation teacher Laura House talk about Gail Honeyman's delight of a novel, Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine. Not only do they talk about the book most of the episode, they do not spoil it AT ALL, as they feel very strongly about people listening (that's you!) actually reading this one. Yes, usually Rebecca reads the book so you don't have to but this one, you really want to. Swear on Tesco.
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Buy Laura's Album Mouth Punch!
Rebecca and comedian Chanel Ali discuss Antoine De Saint-Exupery's classic The Little Prince. Both ladies have read the book multiple times and so they talk about what each lesson has meant to them at different junctures, how the little prince has helped them navigate the landscape of their lives.
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Rebecca and fellow witch/ motivational comedian Jenn Lederer to discuss what it means to be a modern witch after reading the book Witch by Lisa Lister. They cover the first spell they ever cast, the fear of self-identifying as a witch, and the simple fact that all women are witches, some of us just know it.
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Rebecca discusses the book Risk! with it's creator, the comedian and storyteller AND author, Kevin Allison. Risk began as a podcast, and is all about telling the stories you thought you couldn't, which is pretty much each story Rebecca has ever told on stage. They talk about process, and also, the wonderful 90's sketch show The State.
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We've planned to read the book Breaking Out by Lydia Preston as an excuse to talk about our shared love of pimple popping discovered at a comedy show we were both on at the Grisly Pear on MacDougal st in Greenwich Village. We discover that we don't know that much about each other beyond our shared obsession, which has a name, trichotillomania. Fun!
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Rebecca and fellow comedian (and Heeb) Jodie Wasserman discuss the Pulitzer Prize winning graphic novel Maus by Art Spiegelman.The novel was a retelling of the author's father's Holocaust survival story so the conversation starts there, but continues on to Israel, Judaism, Comedy, and the shopping in South Brooklyn's Russian neighborhoods. It had been a long time since Rebecca got to have a long talk with another single Jewish female and this was just the most fun, though, paradoxically, this was the darkest book(s) covered yet. Stephen King novels are creepy, but Hitler was real.
Rebecca and comedian / creator of the web series "Hand Jobs" Chris Crespo discuss the insanely long IT by Stephen King. This book is 1100 goddamn paperback pages. It is also masterful. We discuss all sorts of monsters, faith, and how books can help you escape your life.
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Rebecca and comedian Wendi Starling discuss The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz, while catching up after not seeing each other for about a year. We are all into this self-help shit. This is my sound guy's favorite episode. Enjoy!
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Rebecca and comedian Alex Babbit discuss Paulo Coehlo's book The Alchemmist, which Rebecca hadn't read in almost 20 years. Personal legends, Miley Cyrus, the fact that there's a book for everyone, the desert, and destiny. Trudging the road to happy destiny. Also, feminism.
Rebecca and comedian Andrew Schiavone discuss Kurt Vonnegut's most famous work, Slaughterhouse Five. We talk about the book through the lens of feminism, Kurt's issues with his mother, how Rebecca is disinterested by any war that doesn't include dragons, and World War Two stuff.
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Rebecca and comedian Giulio Gallorotti discuss tennis star Rafael Nadal's autobiography Rafa. They also discuss playing tennis, teaching tennis, New England, and remembered how they met, five years ago, when Rebecca came in from CT to do his show Fat Baby, on which she was booked by someone who wasn't a producer of the show. MMild chaos ensued. Enjoy.
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Rebecca and close friend comedian Jonas Barnes discuss Nic Sheff's addiction memoir Tweak, their own drug usage, looking for someone to relapse with, how Jonas was drug collateral as a baby, how meth makes you look British, and stories that are not over when a book ends.
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Are you knowing what you are wanting? It is good to come together for the power of co-creating...
Rebecca and comedian Jon Laster discuss Abraham Hicks (the group of spirits that Esther Hicks channeled during her life) life-changing book the Law of Attraction. Jon discloses that he writes out a gratitude list every single day. His career is on fire, so it seems to be working.
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Rebecca and comedian Neko White discuss the 5th Harry Potter book, The Order of the Phoenix, how evil is relative, their lives 'back in the day,' and people from your high school/rehab/wizarding class dying.
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Rebecca sits down with fellow comic Dave Sirus to discuss the one of the best works of political satire you've never heard of; "Why Not Me?" by Al Franken. The book, written in the 90's, is somehow less absurd that our current political climate. That's our punishment for progress.
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For the fourth episode Rebecca sits down with NY Observer columnist (and former figure skater) Jasmine Lobe to discuss a classic yet almost forgotten novel about university life, Stoner by John Williams. The New Yorker calls it, "The Greatest American Novel you've never heard of. Rebecca thought it was just okay.
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And read this excellent column by Jasmine:
Rebecca and comedian Ray Gootz discuss Stephen King's Carrie and get sidetracked about school shooters.
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Rebecca Rush and TedX speaker William Beteet discuss relationships, enlightenment, and why it's more satisfying to play to play than to play to win, after reading the book Finite and Infinite Games by James Carse. Also, his ex is finite.
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Quora: William Beteet, Rebecca Rush
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For the very first episode of Comic's Book Club Podcast, Rebecca Rush sits down with fellow comic and self-proclaimed HP nerd Dan Lamorte to discuss the 4th book, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.
*This is a podcast about a children's book. FOR ADULTS*
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Author and TV writer Amanda Rosenberg comes on to discuss her sparkling and vulnerable book of essays, That's Mental. We discuss finding what works for you, seeing how your experience can benefit others, what it's like to be a person without substance abuse disorder in a rehab and what it's like to be a person without mental illness in a psych ward.
Twitter: @AmandaRosenberg
Molly & Rebecca interview author Gwen Goodkin on her short story collection A Place Remote. Writing from the perspective of the opposite sex is freeing, putting work down and coming back to it, people react worst to the truth they know that they aren't willing to admit, learning through writing more than anything else. Our job as writers is to do our stories justice. Writing as ritual. Midwesterners don't like waste.
Ron Huett of Best American Essays 2020 comes on to discuss his essay "Cosmic Latte." We discuss getting more confident in your own authority over your own writing, people not staying in their zone on the ethics and morality of race, you can't always tell someone's race or ethnicity by the way they look, getting good news in the middle of a depressing work zoom call, the geography of race perception. Molly & Ron bond over having both worked at Borders.
Join Molly & Rebecca as they cover the books that meant the most to them in a year where the joy of disappearing into a book meant more than ever. Categories: Best thing you learned, book that made you forget it was 2020, book that surprised you the most, best audio book, best non fiction, favorite reread, funniest, short story, pleasure read, and MORE!
Comedian (America's Got Talent) Alex Hooper has Molly & Rebecca read The Art of Asking by Amanda Palmer. Begging vs asking, trying to sell merch after a show, building a fan base vs building community, asking people to volunteer to play with you, performing for free, and the journey of getting over your own bullshit. Scarcity mindset around performing. Molly is a HUGE fan of Amanda Palmer. Also, America's Got Talent can totally afford to pay.
In the pod's second and Molly's first crossover episode (last one was with Fuckbois of Lit) we join forces with the Heaving Bosom podcast to read The Devil of Downtown by Joanna Shupe, in which a wealthy New Yorker who wants to use her priviledge for good meets a dapper crime boss and romance ensues. Molly hosts alone, which works because only one of the HB hosts was able to be there as well. An introduction to to the wonder of romance! Rebecca stopped reading over seven times to jerk off. Also, the shame of early podcast eps!
Author, actress, and comedian Arden Myrin joins Molly & Rebecca to discuss her newly released memoir-in-essays, Little Miss Little Compton. Myrin describes the book as, "Little girl from quirky small town family with stars in her eyes moves to the big city and makes good while learning how to be a human on earth. Also, personal safety, grief, and more.
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We sit down with author Meg Elison to discuss her most recent work, a YA novel called Find Layla, in which our protagonist, Layla, puts a video on social media that goes viral and dismantles her life as she knows it. We also discuss the poverty cycle, when caretakers fail, bullying, and Meg gives some great writing tips.
Pirates! Witches! Mermaids! Girls kissing! Maggie Takouda-Hall joins Molly & Rebecca to discuss her fantasy YA novel The Mermaid, The Witch, and The Sea. We recommend this book for adults, too! It's an entire world you can disappear into, with gorgeous storytelling and the exploration of the stories we tell ourselves, with our characters on the hero's quest to find out who they truly are, and what really matters to them. Writing process, world building, stealing mannerisms from people in your life for your characters. Also, white people are actually pink.
Comedian Christine Meehan-Burg joins Rebecca & new cohost Molly Sanchez to discuss Delia Owen's Where the Crawdads Sing, a coming of age novel wrapped in a murder mystery, set in the 1950's south. We love the marsh, explorations of loneliness, but are tired of seeing stories in which women discover themselves through men. It's a book you just eat up! New segment! Who would we cast in this movie?
Join Rebecca and author Amy Spalding as they discuss Amy's most recent novel, We Used To Be Friends. The evolution of YA literature. Covering the new experiences and big feelings of adolescence and the pressure that puts on storytelling. There are no sad songs or support for best friend breakups. Stories w/ two POV's. Writing backwards and forwards at the same time - knowing the end of a story can make sad moments happier and happy moments sadder.
The delightful Tod Goldberg talks about his first of a series of gangster novels, Gangsterland, where our protagonist Sal Cupertino, a mafia hit man in Chicago, is forced to move to Vegas and become a mafia rabbi. Also, working for the mob as a teen at the pool at a Palm Springs resort. If you had to kill a guy, taking a short story and turning it into three substantial novels & organized crime vs organized religion. Gangsterland is a comic crime novel with serious overtones, and a very compelling read. Tod is still owed $167 by a man named Tan Man.
Comedian Mo Vida comes on to discuss Ali Wong's memoir in letters, Dear Girls. Doing stand up as a daughter of immigrant parents, show outfits,the beauty of stand up is that there's always work to do, bringing weird food to school.
A Jewish woman, a Black woman, a Vietnamese woman and a Mexican woman walk onto a podcast, to talk about Robin DiAngelo's book White Fragility on why white people have such a hard time talking about race ESPECIALLY when it comes to receiving feedback when they say or do something racially insensitive or hurtful. The most important episode.
Join Molly Sanchez & Rebecca revisit a book that scared Molly so much as a child she thought about it once a month for the rest of her life, Sweet Valley High Book 13. Intrigue, rich people, kidnapping, classism, sexual innuendos between siblings, leukemia, this book has it all! Also, death books for kids, you either die an Elizabeth or live long enough to become a Jessica, & a very vanilla kidnapping. Become a Molly Fanchez!
Fellow Connecticutian Laura Manasewich joins Rebecca to discuss Retta's debut memoir, So Close To Being The Shit Y'all Don't Even Know. Wanting to be good at Twitter, talking yourself out of trying, Yale's Science of Wellbeing course, your life isn't over if you stop being in entertainment, not giving a shit in a very enviable way.
Mike Drucker, head writer for Full Frontal W/ Samantha Bee, joins Rebecca to discuss the first pop culture phenomenon, Young Werther, a romantic tragedy written in 18th century Europe. Killing yourself because of romance being seen as very romantic, being a huge try hard, trying to "act deep" your way into a relationship, and when an entire culture forms around a book. Preachers gave sermons against this book! Also, idiot confidence, and Mike is doing fine in quarantine.
Rebecca's favorite author Laurie Notaro comes on to discuss her final book, a historical novel about female aviatrixes who were much better at flying than Amelia Earhardt. Also tips for writing humor essays, publishing is brutal, and musings on what social change will be sparked by COVID.
*Episode recorded in mid-May*
Musician Ceschi Ramos joins Rebecca to discuss On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous, a letter from a Vietnamese American poet to his illiterate mother set in Connecticut, where both of them are also from. Working class Connecticut, the sacrifices we make for beauty, is destruction necessary for art, G.I. Johns, deathbeds, living in a state where the best minds are sucked up by NYC or Boston, 2 pm gunshots, and, opiate addiction, and flowers off the side of the highway
n the first episode with more than one guest, screenwriter Dan Ewen (Playing With Fire) and illustrator Thomas Richner (The Simpsons) discuss their spoof on The Giving Tree, The Taking Tree. Witness the bromance between two extremely talented gentlemen who met in a small liberal arts in Ohio. For every 50 things that you do, one percolates, so keep going. Also check out their series BARN, Baby Animals Ranting the News on YouTube which was born of being dismayed by the news every day.
University of Montevallo writing professor and Iowa Short Fiction Award Winning author Ashley Wurzbacher joins Rebecca to discuss her debut story collection, Happy Like This, and gives a few writing prompts for those looking to write during quar. Feeling like your process is wrong, planning stories, the dynamic self, giving yourself permission to invest time, energy, and emotion into writing something, when your story is smarter than you are.
Buy the book from an independent bookseller!
Follow her on Insta: @doctorbacher
Guy Branum joins Rebecca via zoom to discuss his sparkling Memoir in Essays at the beginning of quar. Guys life, pop culture, and the issues that thread through them. Gay men's voices and what defines them, parts of California nobody thinks about, being a fat gay man in West Hollywood, fun open mics, and the true magic of stand up is how debased you are by the art form along the way.
Author/Actress/Comedian Christie Nicholls Nitrouer joins Rebecca via Skype to discuss her debut memoir-in-essays. Independant publishing, Hollywood dreams, nobody is every going to work harder for you than you, sending an empty Uber to pick up your dog, what's the point of even trying, HEY! I'm OK! & being really great at nicknames.
Comedian Kelly McInerney joins Rebecca via Zoom to discuss Tiffany Haddish's memoir in essays. Joking abut guys you're dating, being a clown at kids parties, bringing a cat to a bat mitzvah, lessons in failure, plateaus, shitting your pants at work, learning to have fun on stage. In a new segment, Kelly reads a portion of the book.
Venmo: @RR639
Author and comedian Sara Benincasa comes on via Skype to discuss her first book, Agorafabulous: Dispatches From My Bedroom. Only you can tell your stories, recovery, foster cats, when writing makes you feel the entire range of emotions, long-form storytelling, torture and torment equating holiness, wanting to be a writer since you're a little kid, sharks in swimming pools, peeing in bowls, and the place where hyper vigilance meets delusion.
Comedian Kelsey Lane comes on to talk about I'm Dying Up Here: Heartbreak and High Times in Stand-up by William Knoedelseder. Also, the business of comedy in LA past and current, opening for bands, camaraderie in comedy, stand-up comedy's golden era, the transition from being on stage to being alone, representation, negotiating gigs on your own. Rebecca says "like" too many times & talks too much and does not do this on the episodes she records during the apocalypse.
Comedian Austin Train comes on to discuss Philip K. Dick's novel Valis. Sometimes the most appropriate response to reality is to go insane, having more empathy towards others than yourself, transcending for a moment then getting thrown back into human drama, masochism as a way to take control of your suffering.
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Comedian Tess Barker comes on to discuss Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishigiro. We use memory to construct our identitites. We replay our past so much it becomes our future. Blind allegiance to your lot in life. It's harder to watch someone else suffer than suffer yourself. Sex is a survival mechanism. Having a creative outlet makes you human.
Comedian and Historical Roast writer Alex Duong comes on to discuss Steve Martin's memoir Born Standing Up. People with supportive parents aren't good at comedy, clapter, selflessness comes with a cost, writing, issues w/ your same sex parent creates a comic, starting a family before you know who you are.
@SteveMartinToGo
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Billy Anderson of the wildly successful Gateway Show comes on to talk about Tucker Fucking Max! Everyone in the early 2000's was an edgelord, hacky bad behavior, books that don't hold up, self congratulatory memoirs, how do you remember being such an asshole BUT you were in a blackout, turning being horrible into a successful business as a ghostwriter. Both Rebecca and Billy enjoyed this book when it came out and hated it this read. And that my friends? Is growth!
@BillyTellsJokes
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Pete Jackson, visiting from the UK, comes on to discuss his BBC comedy series Love in Recovery recently made available in the states via Audible. Becoming the person you never thought you'd be, facing the world and the mess you've made of it, annoying people into giving you a chance, taking extraordinary steps because when you're sober there's no pretending that you're happy.
@PeteJackson79
@ComicsBookClub
Comedian, writer, and Roast Battle legend Pat Barker comes on to discuss Murder Rap by Greg Kading, a book about the Biggie Smalls and Tupac Shakur murders written by the lead investigator on the case after he retired. Books by people that aren't writers, the simplest explanation is probably the most logical one, how do you think you're going to murder and get away with it, the higher the street #, the worse the area. Torture chamber haunted houses.
Brian Moses, comedian and Roast Battle host, comes on to discuss his favorite book, Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison. Tulsa Race Riots, Generational Trauma, Black Wall Street, Electro Shock Therapy, how much it costs to get your wisdom teeth out in Tijiuana, Black Panthers, Black Communists, Invisibility, Vegetarian Chopped Liver. Why isn't this book taught in schools? Read it.
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Emily Browning comes by to talk about the Sex & Love Addicts Anonymous book. The 70's, this fellowship wouldn't exist if these guys had followed the suggestions of AA, why is the guy addicted to grabbing butts on the street not in jail, feeling like you owe sex, what sex sobriety looks like, getting drunk & fucking losers, needing a niche group to feel a part of something, being open about masturbation. Comics don't know how to talk to each other. Thank you, goodnight!
Comedian Zoltan Kaszas comes on to to discuss the third Bukowski book covered by the podcast, Post Office. The risk of deciding to quit your safe job and go be a writer, Edinburgh Comedy Festival, waiting tables, sucking at every job, learning how to take revenge at a restaurant, society's relationship w/ death, cat conventions, Instagram cats, Bukowski's humanity.
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Valley Jesus Ryan Talmo comes by to discuss the novella Shopgirl by Steve Martin. Also, being given wrong addresses to parties in the hills on purpose, being ditched, big spenders at open mics, hatred everywhere, earthquakes, beating cancer, and having nothing to lose.
Buy his album "My Lymphoma"
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Comedian Kim McVicar joins to discuss the podcast's first book about writing stand up, Mastering Stand Up by Stephen Rosenfield, whom she flew to NYC to meet, and also took a week class of his. Crowd work, road stories, do you think you ever finish therapy? The math of comedy, slowing down on stage, and bein' a real sad cookie.
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Comedian & journalist Molly Mulshine visited from sunny London for this episode, recorded last spring. She & Rebecca discuss Stephen King's On Writing. Also screenwriting, writers who write about writing, stand up in the UK, being inappropriate in the UK, the difficulty of having to use the loo in NYC & London. Being hated for being an American, what's funny to brits, hidden bathrooms. The apps.
Next Vulnerability Show Nov 5 @ El Cid Sunset, 8 pm, Tix $5 in advance via Eventbrite OR Venmo @RR639
Rebecca goes to the valley to join one of her favorite comics, Jackie Kashian, and talk about the fantasy novel Anvil of the World by Kage Baker. Before they record this episode, they do an episode of Jackie's podcast Dork Forest and talk about hippy dippy shit Rebecca loves. They discuss fantasy as a genre, different tropes, Jackie's writing project, big renfair, and when an author is so good they can make things work that usually don't. The truth in fiction.
Matt Rasamoto, producer of Eddie Pepitone's podcast Peptalks and #1 fan of this podcast, joins Rebecca to discuss Bukowski's last book, Pulp, a satire of the genre. They discuss all the other episodes, who Matt's favorite and least favorite guests were, how many times Rebecca has actually talked about her marriage on the pod, and whatever was going on the week they recorded, about a month prior to publication. Also, dogs.
@DrPunchman
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Josh Edelman comes on to discuss Bukowski's literary romp, the humping, pumping, hard drinking Women. Rebecca surprisingly likes it. They talk about the book a lot. Also, Josh used to be a magician. Bringer shows, being compared to people, Bukowski, Bukowski, Bukowski. This is the first of 3 Bukowski books covered for the podcast.
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Corie Johnson comes on to discuss Roxane Gay's memoir Hunger. Also, gastric bypass surgery, ignoring your body, dissociation, borderline personality disorder, gastric bypass, weight loss boarding school, the valley is far from everything, getting off hard drugs is a bitch. Childhood trauma, disordered eating, astrology, and, as always, comedy!
Mike Glazer joins Rebecca to talk about the original bad boy of cheffing, Marco Pierre White. Putting in the work, Thailand, favorite dishes to cook and eat, the vibrational scale of emotions, non traditional meats, being banned from the Next Door app. This is episode 50! Nico is very active throughout the episode.
Jessa Reed comes on to discuss Tufti the Priestess by Vadim Zeland. Reality transsurfing, the two cup method, the fifth dimension, manifesting, downloads, the collective, how difficult this summer has been astrologically, tarot, the in between, honoring your pain, and the energy exchange between us all. This episode fucking rocks.
Get a reading by Jessa & listen to her podcasts!
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Lynn Maleh comes back on to discuss Amy Hempel's first new book in over a decade, Sing To It. Spending too much time on social media, married men, abortion, murder, dating the same man with a different face, do writers even know what they mean? Wishing you didn't need attention, dog shelters, feeling seen. The girls read a few of the very short stories aloud.
@HeyLynnMolly
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https://www.eventbrite.com/e/vulnerability-a-comedy-show-tickets-65867801367
Heather Marulli comes on to discuss Anthony Bourdain's Kitchen Confidential and all things Bourdain. Also, TM, similarities btw comedians & chefs, amusement parks, shark attacks, mercury retrograde. Heather brings her own podcasting crystal.
Rebecca drives to an undisclosed location in Arizona to talk to Doug Stanhope about his last book while he works on his next project. Turning over an act, writing, not writing, deadlines, whipits, mental health,and the road.
Steve Hernandez comes on to discuss The Sarah Book by Scott McClanahan which they don't get to the end. The gendering of grossness, Luis J. Gomez, Louis C.K., alcoholism, marriage, people getting cancelled, trauma, outrage, Skankfest, and then the book.
Comedian Maggie Maye comes by to discuss the podcast's first YA Novel. Serial killers, dick pics, ecstasy, death, plans to handle their dog's deaths, being a certain type of hot, how to get out of the trunk of a car, how to break zip ties, laughing too loud. Rebecca had coffee and talks too much again.
Comedian Bronston Jones comes on to discuss the novel A Confederacy of Dunces, a picaresque novel set in New Orleans that was published eleven years after the author's suicide. Rebecca has some trouble with the main character reminding of an ex-boyfriend, but they talk about the book a lot. Now including a brief synopsis by the guest for those who haven't read the book before listening to the episode, which is probably most of you. It's an incredible book about horrible people. Rebecca also discusses her deep disdain for chewing gum. Oh, also. The book won a Pulitzer.
This episode was recorded in a car in Dallas! Hannah O'Brian of Almost a Comic productions chooses the novella The Fox by D.H. Lawrence, a woke story about gender politics at the turn of the 20th century. The masculine & feminine in all of us, intimacy, possession, not knowing you're gay, life on a farm, being lost, not knowing who you are, suicide, and how much the world has changed in 101 years.
In this episode, comic Harry Moroz drops in to talk about the book Less. And we talk about it less, than possibly any book yet. But they do talk about Twitter stalkers, how white people age faster, why you can't ride a camel between the humps, bombing so hard in an article of clothing that you can't wear it again, being a terrible gay, jobs that they've been fired from and why, and peeing in a Pringles can while yelling at someone about Hitler in France.
This episode was recorded twice, once in the West Village, once in the East. The first time it was too wild to release - and this one might be too. Billy Procida of the Manwhore Podcast comes on to discuss polyamory, gangbangs (lesbian, geriatric, and organizing) safe words, sex parties, caning, kink, communication, why you should never text part of a couple outside of the group text, a love poem written to him at 15, and that one time he and Rebecca got drunk and hooked up.
On this episode, Steven Lolli of Peptalks W/ Eddie Pepitone comes on to talk about one of the few books he's ever read, Catcher in the Rye.
Nobody ate sushi in Florida in the 90's, behind the scenes podcast goss, "that" kind of student. What's the point of lusting after someone if you don't whack off to them, unrequited love, peeing often, fashion giraffes, 11 hours in a Taco Bell, fashion giraffes. Liars and why they lie. When your ex apologizes to you and you don't care anymore. All slurs are offensive to someone. Having sex w/ people you don't want to. Trying to get love from someone who can't love you. Getting sexually aroused by shitty people.
Rebecca doesn't always give the facial expression men want. Steven tells the listeners to kill themselves.
I LOVE this episode. Comic's Book Club joins forces with Fuckbois of Literature to discuss The Great American Fuckboi, Dean Moriarty of On The Road. And pretty much every other character in the book, too. It's Rebecca's favorite book and Emily hates it. Crying at the last paragraph, an Ode to America, being from Connecticut, the guy on heroin has his shit together, did Hitler make meth? Fuckboi stories, past life memories, how Emily met her husband (it's real sweet)
Stephanie Risely, author, screenwriter, hypnotherapist and past life regression therapist joins Rebecca to discuss her memoir. The book is about the relationship she had with her husband after he died - which opened her up to channeling other guides and led her to the work she does today. Make peace with the past and forgive entirely, things aren't easy, but you can do them, the Russians bought up Hollywood, die making a difference, running from people that killed you in a past life, and most importantly, that shit has to happen to you so you can write about it.
Tom Whalen takes a break from his Roast Battle winning streak to discuss Julie Seabaugh's book about the history of Roast Battle - and the Comedy Store - Ringside at Roast Battle. He and Rebecca talk a lot of shit on this episode. Trauma makes you psychic, prepping an entrance, sucking a dick for a Gameboy, if you don't like me, fuck you, moving a guy's stomach to fuck, gogo dancing, brothels, illegal abortions, the dark history of the store's location, and that time Sam Kinison brought a gun to the patio. Tom rubs Nico's foot and he stretches his neck in a way he never has before.
Amber Tozer stops by while visiting LA from England to discuss her hilarious sobriety memoir Sober Stick Figure. Being a bad communicator, alcoholism can be really funny, not letting shit go, being a pee bomber, living in the woods of England, Nico's varied behaviors during podcast recording, recovery, feeling like you're in the middle of a riddle talking to an English person, family relationships growing in sobriety, showing up yelling, Amber's storytelling show Storyyellers: May 1st 7:30 pm @OhMyRibs on Santa Monica Blvd, featuring podcast guest @LauraHouse & many more. $5.
Anna B. David, owner of Light Hustle Publishing and author of 8 (!) books, including the NYT bestselling novel Party Girl, comes on to discuss her latest book, How To Become Successful By F*cking Up Your Life, a collection of hilarious and poignant essays that were written over the span of 15 years. Dating in recovery, thinking you deserve to be happy at all times, checking your phone before you meditate, depression, mindfucks, being unsponsorable, dealing with uncomfortable feelings, equanimity.
Selena Coppock, a comedian, storyteller, and author of the book The New Rules for Blondes comes by to discuss her book and much more. Robyn, candles, Taco Bell, the subtext of things, 2008 financial crisis, Hillary, Trump, skin care, hygge, Obama being a family friend, bouncing your rent check to get your roots touched up, blond culture, stealing your purse back from a mugger on a bicycle in Boston, the patriarchy, publishing, Palm Springs, Costa Rica, The Bachelor, Frederic Fekkai, and this editor gig Rebecca didn't get in college that she's still bitter about.
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Seen better days - Album
Eva comes on to discuss her debut memoir, how to be loved, a gorgeous and artfully crafted book. Memoirs with narrative arcs, working a program of recovery, Sedona, self-talk, therapy, validation, mold, brain surgery, book tours, codependence, breakups, talking to the dead, and owning your shit. Also, humility is not humiliation. Rebecca explains 3 times how she found the book.
Rebecca is joined by comedian, writer, and actor Tyler Fischer - and their little dogs too! They talk about The Body Keeps The Score, childhood trauma, 12 step programs, becoming an adult, learning how to stand up for yourself, emotional incest, EMDR, spirituality, emotional support dogs, therapy, worrying that your Dad will give you AIDS, and having a Mom that screams the N word at you. Is this a podcast episode or a therapy session? Email ComicsBookClub@gmail.com and let us know.
Comedian (JFL), USC professor (!), and Best American Short Stories 2018 writer Amy Silverberg comes on to discuss the coming of age novel The Virgins by Pamela Erens. Love triangles, unrequited love, a time before AIDS or iPhones, Lorrie Moore, dating a sober, prep schools and more. Amy learns more about Rebecca than she probably wanted to.
Comedian and Monster Jam host John Saponaro chooses the book The Ravenmaster by Chris Skaife. Ravens, The tower of London, visiting London, road life, comedy, ghosts, San Francisco's Omega cucks, and why Rebecca is banned from AirBnB.
Comedian Kristen Lundberg comes on with the book I Hate Everyone Starting With Me by Joan Rivers. This book is unbelievably un-PC so if you get offended easily (I'm talking to YOU San Francisco) don't listen. Find out why Kristen got kicked off Etsy, wonderfully terrible alternative state mottoes, and many things that Joan hates. In an ironic twist, there is a special discount code for the Salem Style Etsy Store exlusively for CBC listeners.
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Rebecca and comedian Al Bahmani discuss The Bobbed Haired Bandit: A Story of Crime and Celebrity in 1920s New York by Stephen Duncombe and Andrew Mattson. Celia Cooney's four months of holding up Brooklyn deli's and almost the National Biscuit Company (while pregnant!) while her husband Ed drove the getaway car(s). It's expensive to be poor, the rise of women, Celia looks like a gremlin, being born in a basement, buying things on credit, Florida is nasty, there's no middle class left, infamy, and, oddly, the AIDS crisis.
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Rebecca and Amber Nelson, a fellow NYC bred comic now living in LA, discuss the novel A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith. The book is set in turn of the century Williamsburg, and the women chatting about it haven't seen each other since NYC, so there is much to talk about - how people's suicide attempts affect their commutes, trustafarians, LA's youth obsessed culture, cleanliness, and above all, the power of perseverance.
ENJOY!
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Do cubicles give you nut cancer? You won't find out on this episode, but you will listen to Rebecca and comedian and adult coloring book author Trevor Smith talk about the way better book than the movie Ready Player One. Do we live too much in our phones? (spoiler alert, yes) a dystopian future that's only a few steps from our current reality ,virtual reality, and, above all, love of the game.
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Buy his book:
This Won't Help: The Anxiety Inducing Coloring Book
Also, me:
Rebecca and comedian Lynn Maleh discuss the gorgeous book of short stories Reasons to Live by Amy Hempel. They talk earthquakes, how much we can give of ourselves, going as far as the heart can go, having dead comics on the pod and also Jane Austen, and use Rebecca's pendulum to great success.
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This episode covers the fascinating true crime story about the Golden State Killer, I'll Be Gone In The Dark by Michelle McNamara. The book was completed post-humously, and it is through Michelle's dedication to catching the killer and her ideas of how to do so that they finally did - last spring. Andrew Manning (AKA Young Andrew) a comic that Rebecca started with back in Connecticut, comes on and shares unique insight about the book. They talk about sociopaths, and psychopaths, the 70's, serial killers (this one and others) the daughters, wife, and cat of the killer, and inevitably, Rebecca's ex-boyfriends. This is the last episode recorded in the West Village, the day before Rebecca moved to West Hollywood.
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Rebecca sits down with her favorite comic on earth, Eddie Pepitone, to discuss The Tropic of Cancer. Rebecca gets very excited and talks fast. They cover the struggle to be an artist, transcending the shit, corporate America, making fun of people before you know they're dead, alcoholism, postmates, Paris, waiting tables in Manhattan, being an autodidact, having no plan B, and comedy!
Eddie will be taping his next special Feb 16 at the Dynasty Typewriter in LA.
Get tickets here: Eddie Pepitone New Special Taping!
Follow! @EddiePepitone
Listen to Eddie's Podcast: Pep Talks
Also me: @RebeccaRush639
*****THIS IS A VERY SPECIAL EPISODE*****
Last summer, when Rebecca was on her way to Bali, she met a woman in a grocery store who had an addiction memoir about to be released. That memoir was My Fair Junkie, and it's one of the most raw, real, disturbing, hilarious, and well-written book that exists on the subject. That woman, Amy Dresner, later hooked Rebecca up with her writing job @ TheFix.com,.
More importantly, the rigorous honesty of this book, the fact that after all this insanity, Amy has achieved long term sobriety today, planted those seeds in Rebecca that maybe she could do it to.
Today, both women are sober. Last night Rebecca stood in a circle of women and sang happy birthday to Amy as she celebrated six continuous sobriety.
Buy the book!
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Let auld acquaintance be forgot by listening to Rebecca and comedian Jay Light talk about a gorgeous novel about the passage of time, A Visit From The Good Squad by Jennifer Egan. They talk about Joshua Tree, how LA shouldn't be here, slab cities, self-care, and surprise! sobriety.
This is the last episode of the first season of Comic's Book Club. To everyone who's tuned in for the early days of this pod, thank you. I love you. Happy New Year.
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