The Business of Comedy Podcast

10/10/2022

Host Tom Simes sits down with Casey Currier and Hillary Hutson. They're the owners of Mic Drop Comedy in San Diego. Casey is the fomer manager of Stand Up Live and the Tempe Improv and Hillary is the producer of the Big Pine Comedy Festival. They discuss how things are going after opening 5 months ago.

Host Tom Simes sits down with Casey Currier and Hillary Hutson. They're the owners of Mic Drop Comedy in San Diego. Casey is the fomer manager of Stand Up Live and the Tempe Improv and Hillary is the producer of the Big Pine Comedy Festival. They discuss how things are going after opening 5 months a...

05/09/2022

Host Tom Simes sits down with Matt Komen. Matt is a partner and talent booker for Stand Up Live, CB Live and the Tempe Improv in Arizona, and the Improvs in Dania Beach, Miami and Palm Beach in Florida. The wide-ranging conversation covers booking, the differences between big clubs with big name acts versus smaller clubs, the challenges of running a club and filling seats, and the need for comedians to use social media to break through and create fans.

Host Tom Simes sits down with Matt Komen. Matt is a partner and talent booker for Stand Up Live, CB Live and the Tempe Improv in Arizona, and the Improvs in Dania Beach, Miami and Palm Beach in Florida. The wide-ranging conversation covers booking, the differences between big clubs with big name act...

25/07/2022

Episode #46 Booking Emails

Host Tom Simes breaks format a bit to discuss booking emails. We hear from Danielle Alfano from the The Comedy Catch, Jenny Canfield from Laughs Unlimited Comedy Club and Lounge, Dustin Kaufman from the The Comedy Club of Kansas City, Hillary Hutson from Mic Drop Comedy, and Barry Neal of Entertainment Max.

https://thebusinessofcomedy.libsyn.com/046-booking-emails

Host Tom Simes breaks format a bit to discuss booking emails. We hear from Danielle Alfano from the Comedy Catch, Jenny Canfield from Laughs Unlimited, Dustin Kaufman from the Comedy Club of Kansas City, Hillary Hutson from Mic Drop Comedy, and Barry Neal of Entertainment Max.

31/10/2021

Episode 45 with Jann Karam

Host Tom Simes chats with actor/comedian/writer Jann Karam about her appearance on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson and on 'Seinfeld' playing Jerry's girlfriend Sandi in the season 6 episode 'The Switch'.

Jann Karam - Comedian

Host Tom Simes chats with actor/comedian/writer Jann Karam about her appearance on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson and on 'Seinfeld' playing Jerry's girlfriend Sandi in the season 6 episode 'The Switch'.

19/10/2021

The Business of Comedy with Tom Simes : 044 Susan Thompson

Susan Thompson

Host Tom Simes talks to Susan Thompson about booking comedians. Susan is the support talent booker for the House of Comedy in Vancouver, BC and is responsible for talent networking/coordinating for William Hirsch Entertainment.

10/10/2021

The Business of Comedy with Tom Simes : 043 Jack Assadourian Jr

Jack Assadourian

Host Tom Simes talks with comedian Jack Assadourian Jr. Jack's parents own the HaHa Comedy Club in North Hollywood. Jack talks about his experience growing up in the business and deciding to becoming a comedian.

04/10/2021

The Business of Comedy with Tom Simes : 042 Thai Rivera

Host Tom Simes sits down with comedian Thai Rivera about how his outspokenness on social media impacts his career.

27/09/2021

The Business of Comedy with Tom Simes : 041 Dave Burleigh

Dave Burleigh

Host Tom Simes chats with comedian/impressionist Dave Burleigh about impressions and his experience on America's Got Talent.

20/09/2021

The Business of Comedy with Tom Simes : 040 Byron Kennedy

Byron Kennedy

Host Tom Simes sits down with comedian Byron Kennedy to learn about the inner workings of his record/development deal.

13/09/2021

The Business of Comedy with Tom Simes : 039 Willie Barcena / Quinn Dahle

Host Tom Simes sits down with comedians Willie Barcena and Quinn Dahle to discuss green room etiquette.

06/09/2021

The Business of Comedy with Tom Simes : 038 Jackie Kashian

Host Tom Simes sits down with comedian Jackie Kashian to discuss the opportunities and the economics of streaming your stand up online.

01/09/2021

The Business of Comedy with Tom Simes : 037 Craig Gass

Craig Gass

Host Tom Simes sits down with comedian/impressionist/actor Craig Gass for a free-wheeling conversation about impressions and stories about his time on The Howard Stern Show, The Family Guy and all sorts of adventures.

23/08/2021

The Business of Comedy with Tom Simes : 036

Host Tom Simes talks to Kirsten Alvarado Valkingburg about her career as a producer in the comedy business, comedy for television and how comedy has changed over the years.

16/08/2021

The Business of Comedy with Tom Simes : The Business of Comedy Update

A quick update on the status of the podcast

16/08/2021

The Business of Comedy with Tom Simes : 035 Brian Kiley

Host Tom Simes sits down with writer/comedian Brian Kiley about his long career writing for Conan O'Brien

18/05/2020

The Business of Comedy with Tom Simes : 034 Dan Schlissel

Host Tom Simes talks to Dan Schlissel, owner of Stand Up! Records about the the comedy album business.

11/05/2020

The Business of Comedy with Tom Simes : 033 Brent Weiss

Host Tom Simes talks to Brent Weiss from Facet Wealth about financial management and planning for freelancers and gig economy workers.

04/05/2020

The Business of Comedy with Tom Simes : 032 Jill Kimmel / Stu Golfman

Host Tom Simes talks to comedian Jill Kimmel about the pros and cons of having a famous sibling in the industry. Then we chat with agent Stu Golfman about what agents do and when you need one.

27/04/2020

The Business of Comedy with Tom Simes : 031 Brian Regan

Host Tom Simes talks with comedian Brian Regan about the transition from comedy clubs to theaters, building a fan base solely on his stand up, and performing after a long break.

20/04/2020

The Business of Comedy with Tom Simes : Jeff Schimmel

Host Tom Simes talks to writer/producer Jeff Schimmel about his time at In Living Color and Mind of Mencia and we also hear his hilarious stories of working with the great Rodney Dangerfield.

13/04/2020

I discuss the history of stand up with legendary comedian Ritch Shydner this week!

http://thebusinessofcomedy.libsyn.com/029-ritch-shydner

Host Tom Simes talks to legendary comedian Ritch Shydner about the history of stand up and what the business was like when he started in the late 1970s.

06/04/2020

Episode 028 with Steve Hofstetter

Great chat, thanks Steve Hofstetter!

http://thebusinessofcomedy.libsyn.com/028-steve-hofstetter

27/01/2020

The Business of Comedy with Tom Simes : 018 Cyndi Nelson Sherwood

Host Tom Simes joins Cyndi Nelson Sherwood to chat about booking. Cyndi is the former general manager of Zanies Comedy Club and is currently the general manager of Brad Garret's Comedy Club in Las Vegas.

20/01/2020

The Business of Comedy with Tom Simes : 017 Eric O'Shea

Host Tom Simes talks to comedian Eric O'Shea about college gigs, having a video go viral, and his experience on America's Got Talent

13/01/2020

The Business of Comedy with Tom Simes : 016 Dennis Regan/Sari Beliak

Host Tom Simes chats with comedian Dennis Regan to discuss his time as a writer on the TV show "King of Queens". Then we hear from comedian Sari Beliak about her experience working at the satirical magazine The Onion.

06/01/2020

The Business of Comedy with Tom Simes : 015 Jamie Kilstein

Host Tom Simes discusses politics in stand up with comedian/writer Jamie Kilstein.

30/12/2019

The Business of Comedy with Tom Simes : 014 Harry Basil / JC Anderson

Host Tom Simes sits down with comedy veteran and Las Vegas Laugh Factory booker Harry Basil about booking and performing in Las Vegas followed by a conversation with comedian/producer/booker JC Anderson.

23/12/2019

The Business of Comedy with Tom Simes : 013 Todd Glass

Host Tom Simes talk to comedian Todd Glass about all the minute details that make a great environment for a comedy show.

16/12/2019

The Business of Comedy with Tom Simes : 012 Butch Bradley

Host Tom Simes sits down with comedian Butch Bradley to talk about his negative experience being involved in the ownership of a comedy club and what it's like having a residency gig in Las Vegas.

11/12/2019

09/12/2019

The Business of Comedy with Tom Simes : 011 Andy Steinberg

Host Tom Simes discusses the economics of featuring on the road with comedian Andy Steinberg.

02/12/2019

The Business of Comedy with Tom Simes : 010 Gary Cannon

Host Tom Simes discusses audience warmup on Conan with Gary Cannon.

25/11/2019

The Business of Comedy with Tom Simes : 009 Michael Longfellow/Jimmy Brogan

Host Tom Simes sits down with Michael Longfellow to chat about the experience of landing a spot on Conan so early in his career. Followed by a conversation with comedy veteran Jimmy Brogan about his time as a writer on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

18/11/2019

The Business of Comedy with Tom Simes episode #8 with Mark Cordes

Host Tom Simes chats with comedian Mark Cordes about corporate comedy.

11/11/2019

The Business of Comedy with Tom Simes #7 with Rick Bronson

Host Tom Simes sits down with comedian/club owner Rick Bronson to discuss the challenges of owning multiple clubs.

04/11/2019

The Business of Comedy with Tom Simes : 006 Don Barnhart

Host Tom Simes discusses booking with comedian/producer/club owner Don Barnhart.

28/10/2019

The Business of Comedy with Tom Simes : 005 Bob Kubota

Host Tom Simes talks to Bob Kubota about performing comedy overseas on military tours.

21/10/2019

The Business of Comedy with Tom Simes : 004 Eddie Brill

Host Tom Simes sits down with Eddie Brill. Comedian, former club owner, and former talent coordinator for the Late Show with David Letterman. They discuss the experience of getting booked to perform stand up on the show.