East Side Podcast

I met Rachel about a decade ago in Philadelphia. At that time she was in school for film editing and soon after graduating she moved out to LA and started to make a name for herself. We caught up on her not being able to edit major films at home but instead is editing a new Independent film that was done in Philly not 3 blocks from me and yes yours truly was the sound man for the 2nd and final night of filming Pizza Man, check out the trailer here -----> PIZZAMAN We had a great time and I hope she gets back to her normal routine soon.

I think we all can agree that 2020 has been one hell of a ride so far. Almost every film festival had to shut down due to COVID this year but P.I.F.F. had a contingency plan. A few years back they acquired a Roku channel that allows you on your couch to enjoy the festival in your home if you cannot make it in person. This was a smart move however, it still had it pitfalls. A lot of filmmakers did not want to only stream their work they wanted to fill seats. Ben and I touch on this never before ventured challenge and how they are adapting and what the plan is moving forward. This was recorded prior to the protests.. Also sorry for the low audio on Ben. This was supposed to be my 1st video episode but the camera crapped out at 12mins in so my apologies. I need an assistant..

Mike's new comedy hour is available on YouTube "Rage Against the Routine" . Mike has been locked away in Queens NY since the fun started. Mike has been going strong on his other two podcasts "Irish Goodbye" and "What's the Scenario" with Mike Cannon and Brendan Sagalow. Both are really funny shows and are highly recommended. Mike and I get into some road rage stories and it would seem he and I share the same passion at yelling at everyone else driving because we are the only good drivers on the road. Enjoy

I haven't had a podcast go for this long in a while, maybe because I've been waiting a year to have Dan on as a guest as he is a very busy man. I met Dan 4 years ago during one of his film screenings here in Philadelphia. We clicked immediately because he too is from the beautiful state of Maine. Dan is an award-winning director, producer and editor of documentary film, digital video, and music projects. He stared Dan Collins Media 10 years ago in 2010 and has been very busy since. In 2016 he released one of his best films "From War To Wisdom" . This powerful film looks into the lives of veterans both on and off the battlefield. It takes the viewer on a beautiful and terrible journey, from war to wisdom. This is not an anti-war or pro-war film, it distills the experiences of combat veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars - from the violence of engagement to the challenges faced when coming home - into a mosaic of horror and hope, of tragedy and triumph. You'll ride with them into combat, you'll witness their return to a civilian world that no longer makes sense, and you'll see how they not only survive a war but try to change the world for the better.

Chip joins me for the 5th time on the show and we dive right into quarantine life and how it has affected his stand up. Luckily Chip is also a writer and has become the virtual quiz master for Johnny Goodtimes and is involved in a couple other fun projects you'll hear about during the show. Here is some more detailed background. Chip Chantry is a stand up comedian and television writer. He has written for Crazy Talk, a comedy/talk series for NBC Universal and the syndicated series Whacked Out Sports. He most recently wrote on the NatGeo series Howie Mandel’s Animals Doing Things. Chip was the winner of 2013’s Philly’s Phunniest Contest at Helium Comedy Club, where he was a regular performer. Chip also won the “Funniest Comedian” award in Philadelphia’s annual Comedy Awards in both 2012 and 2014, and was named Best Comedian 2018 by Philadelphia Magazine. Chip is a recurring guest on the Doug Loves Movies and Todd Glass Show Podcasts. Formerly a 4th grade teacher, Chip left the classroom to pursue comedy and writing. He has opened for national headliners such as Dave Chappelle, Bob Saget, and Tig Notaro. In 2012, he released his first live comedy album, ACROSS FROM THE ADONIS. His second album, SWINGERS PARTY, was released in March 2019, where it spent time at #1 on the iTunes comedy charts and is currently in rotation on SiriusXM.

I caught up with Mike through Twitter after watching his new special, Life Begins on YouTube. Now that I am working from home I'm listening to more Podcasts and he and Mike Feeney have a couple shows one called Irish Goodbye and What's the Scenario , both are hilarious. We talk quarantine life and how life will be different after we find the new normal, whatever that may be.

I have been keeping in close contact with my good friend Ricardo who lives in Rome, Italy. As you know Italy was one of the hardest hit countries once the COVID-19 Virus made land fall there. It was good to hear him in good spirits and that he is doing well. One of the coolest updates he gave me is that Ferrari is building respirators for hospitals and giving them away for FREE! Now that's what I call leadership and integrity. These are certainly strange times and we hope everyone is safe and trying to make the most of this time.

Two follow Podcasters get together to talk shit on the industry and we each found out how we got into this crazy world of talk radio. Check out his podcast here PO BOYS As the world is shifting and adapting we will continue to bring you the best content we can. Please stay safe and clean out there. We as a world need to unite now more than ever.

I had been planning this podcast for a few months until Britt and I were able to finally meet up. I wanted to change up locations and decided on an outdoor space. We found ourselves a top of the new trestle garden walk just off 11th and Callowhill. It was a beautiful evening. The sky was sapphire and the air was cool and caressing. After finding our way around a large yoga group we found a great spot that had Liberty 1 and 2 in the background. I discovered Britt through his Instagram page and the beautiful pictures featured on the @phillyunkown page . He started this page as a way of self therapy but soon opened the page for others to "takeover" after a lot of interest. Britt is a community leader and educator. Philadelphia like a lot of cities has a severe opiate addiction and overdose rate. Britt wants to end this epidemic. “My name is Britt. I am from Philadelphia, PA. I moved around a lot with my job. However, one consistent thing is I have always had my fair share of struggles with addiction and mental health since as long as I can remember. Funny how the two, addiction and mental health, always seem to go hand in hand. One disease fueled by another and vice versa. I never experimented with drugs until after high school. And even after that I always just considered myself a recreational drug user and thought I knew my limits. Little did I realize that was far from the truth. I began to share my story of trauma and addictive behaviors and pent up emotions with people. Not just people in my IOP or my life but to an audience on social media that has rallied behind me from all across the world and allow me to be vulnerable to them. They allow me to share my life and my feelings and my journey with them and this is my recovery. I started a non-profit almost three years ago that has a mission to bring advocacy, awareness and cohesion in the communities towards societal issues such as homelessness and to the fatal epidemic of the opioid crisis. I have found my mission. I have taken peace in healing through bringing compassion and harm reduction to those who need it most. I work the front lines to ensure that those who are lost like I was, have a voice and know that they are not alone.

Starting and owning your own company is not an easy feat. You pour your life into it. You're sleeping at the office and ordering dinner for the 100th time. Adam just recently filed for bankruptcy but it could be a blessing in disguise. He now hires contractors to work per project and this massive change has lifted a cloud of stress and anxiety. He is happier and more comfortable at the new work space in N. Philadelphia. Adam and I spoke about adding a VR category for the 2020 Independent Film Festival. He would be a great addition to the PIFF team. ImmersiveXR is breaking into so many industries and is continuing to grow. If you are thinking of a VR project, or your company is exploring a new training or safety training, contact Adam Twersky.

So many laughs were had on this episode. It was great to catch up with "IllZ" and talk shop. The last time we spoke on mic was a couple years ago. A lot has changed for Team Illz. She has always been an advocate and very outspoken for the voiceless. She has recently took on the role of the east coast ambassador of an amazing community of females called Tokeativity. Based in Portland, Oregon, USA, Tokeativity was created by Lisa Snyder and Samantha Montanaro in 2016 with an intention to nurture a safe space for women to connect, learn and create. Whether they are a curious first timer or daily consumer, all women are welcome to join in our community in person or online. Illz is a perfect addition to their team. She is highly motivated, always thinking outside the box and cares a great deal for others. I am honored to know such a strong person. Nothing can nor will stop her. Be on the look out.

On my final night of the 12th annual Philadelphia Independent Film Festival, I got to sit down with the very talented Shannon Murray. Shannon is the lead in the independent film "Rag Doll" She plays an MMA trainer and you guessed it, she's a rag doll. It's pretty amazing that she did all of her own stunts. She has a background in gymnastics and martial arts. She sustained a few minor injuries from the fight scenes but that didn't stop her, it seemed to fuel her even more. Shannon has been involved with many projects as an assistant director. She plans to write and direct her own film one day. Right now Rag Doll is rolling around to the various film festivals throughout the country. Keep your eyes peeled, you may just see Shannon on the big screen. She has an amazing future ahead of her. I'm excited to see what's next.

Friday night at the 12th Annual Philadelphia Film Festival was crazy! The Gershman Y was a packed house. At 630 everyone made their way to the beautiful theater on the 3rd floor. Dead Giveaway was the featured film and to my amazement it was a full house. Once the film was over the crowd love it and it showed. Cut to Saturday morning and I'm sitting with Ian Kimble from Shoestring Gold. Ian Kimble is a Writer, Director, and Producer from Philadelphia, PA. He has been acting in regional theater productions since his teens and began making films in his 20s after spending a year studying in New York City. I had a great time speaking with Ian and we touched on how important it is to fail every once in a while. How it makes you stronger and more adaptive. I hope to work with him in the future and I cannot wait to see what is up is sleeve for the next project. Stay tuned...

(Welcome to the 12th annual Philadelphia Independent Film Festival pt.1/3) This past Thursday night, it was my privilege to attend the second night screening of the Philadelphia Independent Film Festival. Absolution is a short film that packs the punch of a full length feature which sits with the viewer long after its over. The story follows Michael, struggling to overcome feelings of regret and deep remorse over a past traumatic event. With all hope lost, Michael (Gaz Hayden) encounters a woman who inevitably leads him down the path to find comfort in religion. I sat down to chat with Gaz at the festival for a scheduled half hour which ended up being twice as long. We had a great time reminiscing about the films we saw as kids and Gaz's plans for the future. The tireless passion shown by these independent filmmakers has been an eyeopening experience that I encourage everyone to explore and support.

It had been a while since Orion was on the show. 2017 to be exact. At that time he had some amateur fights under his belt fighting for Lost Boys located in Arcata, CA and both he and his brother Louis were dominating the scene in Nor-Cal. One particular fight night both brothers were on the card (nothing new) They have a bit of a rivalry going on, but one out of love. Who can defeat their opponent the quickest? Louis was up...BOOM! 42 seconds in the first round. Orion was next... "I'll beat that" and he did. 1st round knock out 39 seconds. That just happened to be the night Urijah Faber was in the audience watching the fights. He approached both Orion and Louis and offered for them to come down to Sacramento and fight professionally for Team Alpha Male Just one more step closer to the UFC. Since his move Orion has had 3 Pro fights and has won every time. He recently took home a belt from Warrior Games, Wisconsin. He is very disciplined and determined to be the best he can be. Orion is a force to be reckoned with. Most are actually afraid to fight him and for good reason. Orion is constantly challenging himself and the people he trains. This life does not come easy. You have to want it more than the other person staring back at you.

Back with another great Have Podcast Will Travel. I'm on location with professional glass artist Jeremy Levine. He invited me to his laboratory where he and a few other glass manipulators gather to create. He recently embarked on a 2 year journey to create 1000 glass cranes. This stems from his love for origami. So he made a glass crane, took a pic and posted it. In the true fashion of social media someone had to comment "why don't you make 1000" Challenge accepted! 2 years later his journey is complete. Opening night was full of hundreds of people as well as local companies sponsoring the food and libations. The installation will be going for 3 nights in a row 4/19-4/21. Jeremy also mentioned he is keeping it up for appointment only showings through May. Check out some of his other amazing works. You can find him on Instagram @germlion

After a few months of schedule conflicts, I finally got to sit down with Ricky, owner/operator of Alpha Brew Coffee. We had a 6 hour time difference to contend with and it was way past Ricky's bed time. Nonetheless he pulled his shit together and made it happen. What is Alpha Brew Coffee? Is it only for yoked Alpha males? Nope! Alpha Brew Coffee is a Veteran and Law Enforcement-Owned and Operated company focused on bringing high quality coffees that deliver unbeatable performance and health benefits. Our mission: "Is to support our Veterans with proper mental health and adjustment counseling to ensure their success and reduce PTSD-related issues and self-harm." What are Nootropics? You can see the future! Not really but you think you can. Nootropics are supplements, and other substances that may improve cognitive function, particularly executive functions, memory, creativity, or motivation, in healthy individuals. Please do your research, read and learn about nootropics. Find out if they are right for you. Remember, everyone's biology is different. What works for Ricky may not work for me.

Have podcast will travel. I am in the sacred Green Room in the back of Helium Comedy Club in Philadelphia. I almost feel like I shouldn't be back here, and well I was right. They called security and I was escorted out of the building. Shortest podcast ever! Thanks Chip! We had a great time talking about his most recent trip to LA where he was a guest on Doug Loves Movies. He just released his new comedy album, "Swingers Party" Debut at #1 on ITunes charts. His just over hour long set is hilarious. Chip is constantly working on comedy. He is non-stop and even has a podcast where he and his co host jog and cast. It's called Junk Miles From comedy talk to who makes great old fashions in this city. Chip is here to stay.

Have Podcast will travel. On location at Drexel University School of Medicine. I met with Dr. Ramesh and we set up in a conference room next to his laboratory. One of his research interests is Cell death and plasticity after traumatic injury to the mature and immature brain. The spectrum of traumatic brain injuries (TBI) ranges from mild concussions that are treated in the emergency room, to severe head injuries that require acute critical and neurosurgical care. Improved critical and advanced radiological and neurosurgical techniques have led to decreases in mortality rates over the past two decades. However, survivors of brain injuries suffer long-term behavioral problems such as learning deficits, memory dysfunction, psychological and emotional disturbances – functional aspects that affect the quality of life and currently have no therapies. The damage observed after TBI comprises both primary disruption of neural tissue related to the impact, and secondary mechanisms that develop over the weeks to months after the traumatic event. The spectrum of pathologies observed after TBI include focal contusions in the grey matter and diffuse injuries to axons in the white matter. It has been suggested that these pathologies are a consequence of the biomechanics of the impact, i.e., focal injuries occur due to contact forces to the head, while diffuse injuries are a result of non-contact, rotational forces to the brain. Dr. Ramesh and his team have been working on concussions for 15+ years. He spoke about a mechanism that can be worn by an athlete to calculate the impact, send a message wirelessly and can be treated immediately before they arrive at the hospital. This will be the next step in the evolution of the proper treatment for any brain injuries.

Across town Philadelphia , somewhere in Port Richmond. I find myself on the 2nd floor of an artist collective. From 1st floor to the the top, this building is flowing with creative energy. Many different mediums are being used and manipulated in this old factory. I came on location so I could sit down and speak with Jessica Wolfert. She invited me into her laboratory, to see her creations and what she is currently working on now. She found her passion lies in sculpture and glass blowing. One of my favorite pieces was her senior piece (2015). She created an entire bird skeleton out of multi-colored glass. Her new project was actually just featured in HTMagazine Jessica has recently created- Lady Pipes- Lady Pipes are promoting positive female body image. -Finding peace within her comfort zone and body prompted Wolfert to create Lady Pipes, an artistic glass project aimed at rewriting beauty’s narrow narrative.- By Lyneisha Watson A quote from the article: “If we can show the world that beauty is diverse then we can change the way we experience our bodies and the way that we experience life,” Wolfert says. “It’s changing the way that I experience my own body for sure.” Watch out! Jessica is going to explode in this world of glass. Women are the minority in glass blowing. I think Jessica is going to inspire so many girls and women to not be ashamed by their bodies.