A Comic’s Last Stand

In the final episode of A Comic's Last Stand, Pete discusses why he's ending the podcast now, what he's learned doing comedy over the last fifteen years, and what he plans to do next. Thanks for listening everybody. Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpHEELxlFnrj9Pls6L5VAkefCT_N92zem Follow Pete here: https://www.youtube.com/user/PeteBladel https://www.instagram.com/petebladel/ https://www.tiktok.com/@petebladel https://twitter.com/petebladel https://www.facebook.com/petebladelcomedy/ https://www.threads.net/@petebladel

"Muggsy McGeever" is a former stand-up comedian and author of the recently released short story collection "Ham Sandwiches." In this episode, Muggsy and Pete discuss their time performing stand-up together in DC and New York, Muggsy's decision to ultimately quit performing stand-up comedy, and the creative freedom and fulfillment he's found through writing. Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpHEELxlFnrj9Pls6L5VAkefCT_N92zem Buy "Ham Sandwiches: A Collection of Absurd Short Fiction" https://a.co/d/77WXGiZ Visit Muggsy's website: https://muggsymcgeever.com/ Follow Pete here: https://www.youtube.com/user/PeteBladel https://www.instagram.com/petebladel/ https://www.tiktok.com/@petebladel https://twitter.com/petebladel https://www.facebook.com/petebladelcomedy/ https://www.threads.net/@petebladel

Lauren Hope Krass is a New York based comedian who, until recently, has primarily made her live performing for colleges and cruise ships. In this episode of "A Comic's Last Stand", Lauren and Pete discuss their shared appreciation for John Mayer, Lauren's experiences in the college and cruise ship circuits, and touch on a thrilling new opportunity that has emerged in her comedy career. Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpHEELxlFnrj9Pls6L5VAkefCT_N92zem Listen to Diet Starts Tomorrow: https://open.spotify.com/show/6Toc1ywCP3DYoD8POg51kG?si=57edbde39c0845f6 Visit Lauren's website: https://www.laurenhopekrass.com/ Follow Lauren here: https://www.youtube.com/@laurenhopekrass6226 https://www.instagram.com/laurenhopekrass https://www.x.com/laurenkrass Follow Pete here: https://www.youtube.com/user/PeteBladel https://www.instagram.com/petebladel/ https://www.tiktok.com/@petebladel https://twitter.com/petebladel https://www.facebook.com/petebladelcomedy/ https://www.threads.net/@petebladel

Emily Walsh is a comedian and storyteller who recently completed a one month run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. In this episode of "A Comic's Last Stand", Emily discusses the process of starting comedy in her 30s, the highs and lows of her Fringe experience, and what she would do differently if she went back. Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpHEELxlFnrj9Pls6L5VAkefCT_N92zem Listen to Emily's podcasts: Alone At Lunch Yeet The Rich Visit Emily's website: https://www.emilywalshcomic.com/ Follow Emily here: https://www.youtube.com/@thefunnywalsh https://www.instagram.com/thefunnywalsh https://www.tiktok.com/@thefunnywalsh https://www.facebook.com/emilywalshcomic/ https://www.x.com/thefunnywalsh https://www.threads.com/@thefunnywalsh Follow Pete here: https://www.youtube.com/user/PeteBladel https://www.instagram.com/petebladel/ https://www.tiktok.com/@petebladel https://twitter.com/petebladel https://www.facebook.com/petebladelcomedy/ https://www.threads.net/@petebladel

Jeff Simmermon is a comedian and storyteller who has been featured on "The Moth" and "This American Life." In this episode, Jeff discusses his journey into the worlds of storytelling and comedy, reflects on his corporate career in PR, and shares the origin of his upcoming one-man show, "Care Giver." Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpHEELxlFnrj9Pls6L5VAkefCT_N92zem Buy tickets to Jeff's show on Sunday, 9/24: https://qedastoria.com/products/care-giver Visit Jeff's website: http://www.jeffsimmermon.com/ Follow Jeff here: https://www.youtube.com/@andiamnotlying https://www.instagram.com/jeff.simmermon https://www.tiktok.com/@jeffsimmermon https://www.facebook.com/jeffsimmermoncomedy Follow Pete here: https://www.youtube.com/user/PeteBladel https://www.instagram.com/petebladel/ https://www.tiktok.com/@petebladel https://twitter.com/petebladel https://www.facebook.com/petebladelcomedy/ https://www.threads.net/@petebladel

Gus Tate is a New York City comedian whose first special, Top Gus, is now available on YouTube. In this episode of "A Comic's Last Stand", Gus shares with Pete how he began his stand-up career in China, the influence of fatherhood on his comedy, and the evolution of his expectations over time. Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpHEELxlFnrj9Pls6L5VAkefCT_N92zem Watch Gus's special: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQcfCB6ZpYw Pre-order Gus's album: https://lnk.dmsmusic.co/gustate_topgus Follow Gus here: https://www.youtube.com/@gustate https://www.instagram.com/gustate/ https://www.tiktok.com/@gustate https://www.twitter.com/gustate https://www.threads.net/@gustate https://www.facebook.com/gustatecomedy Follow Pete here: https://www.youtube.com/user/PeteBladel https://www.instagram.com/petebladel/ https://www.tiktok.com/@petebladel https://twitter.com/petebladel https://www.facebook.com/petebladelcomedy/ https://www.threads.net/@petebladel

Jared Freid is a New York based comedian whose recent Netflix special, 37 And Single, premiered in the Netflix Top Ten. In this episode of A Comic's Last Stand, Jared tells Pete how his experience selling life insurance laid the groundwork for his comedy career, delves into his shift in mindset since his special's release, and shares how comedy has impacted his dating life. Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpHEELxlFnrj9Pls6L5VAkefCT_N92zem See Jared on tour: https://jaredfreid.com/live-shows/ Watch Jared's Netflix special: https://www.netflix.com/title/81712329 Follow Jared here: https://www.youtube.com/@jaredfreid https://www.instagram.com/jaredfreid/ https://twitter.com/jtrain56 https://www.tiktok.com/@wizardofha https://www.facebook.com/jaredfreid/ https://www.threads.net/@jaredfreid Follow Pete here: https://www.youtube.com/user/PeteBladel https://www.instagram.com/petebladel/ https://www.tiktok.com/@petebladel https://twitter.com/petebladel https://www.facebook.com/petebladelcomedy/ https://www.threads.net/@petebladel

Brian Parise is a stand-up comedian and writer who has performed at the Montreal Just For Laughs Festival and written for Last Week Tonight with John Oliver and Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj. In this episode, Brian talks about hiding his early comedy pursuits from friends and coworkers, the moment he landed his first late-night writing position and subsequently quit his day job, and the freedom he's discovered by managing his expectations. Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpHEELxlFnrj9Pls6L5VAkefCT_N92zem Visit Brian's website: https://www.brianparise.com/ Listen to Brian's album: https://www.brianparise.com/new-album-out Follow Brian here: https://www.instagram.com/parisecomedy/ https://www.tiktok.com/@parisecomedy Buy tickets to see Brian on my monthly show "You Should Post That": https://qedastoria.com/products/you-should-post-that?event=2023-09-07T21:00:00 Follow Pete here: https://www.youtube.com/user/PeteBladel https://www.instagram.com/petebladel/ https://www.tiktok.com/@petebladel https://twitter.com/petebladel https://www.facebook.com/petebladelcomedy/ https://www.threads.net/@petebladel

Peter Muth is a comedian and musician, and notably, the only new friend Pete Bladel has made in his 30s. In this episode of A Comic's Last Stand, Peter (Muth) discusses with Pete (Bladel) his initial hesitation about starting stand-up, his journey to overcome result-oriented thinking and begin posting videos online, as well as his path to health and a deeper desire for more in life. Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpHEELxlFnrj9Pls6L5VAkefCT_N92zem Follow But How Are The Chairs? https://www.instagram.com/buthowarethechairs/ https://www.tiktok.com/@buthowarethechairs Listen to "The Tallest Guy In Jail": https://open.spotify.com/album/43nWE3Qp2uRhw78OSDyR0N?si=xOKXmdzzTVOBHdzvuLx6Ew Follow Peter Muth here: https://www.youtube.com/@petermuth8722 https://twitter.com/tweetermuth https://www.instagram.com/petermuth/ https://www.tiktok.com/@petermuth Follow Pete Bladel here: https://www.youtube.com/user/PeteBladel https://www.instagram.com/petebladel/ https://www.tiktok.com/@petebladel https://twitter.com/petebladel https://www.facebook.com/petebladelcomedy/ https://www.threads.net/@petebladel

Adam Muller holds multiple graduate degrees from MIT and spent many years working on Wall Street...until he gave it all up to pursue stand-up comedy full time. In this episode of A Comic's Last Stand, Adam tells Pete the how and why of his transition from finance to stand-up, shares the ways his work ethic serves him in comedy, and provides his perspective on "burning material" by sharing it online. Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpHEELxlFnrj9Pls6L5VAkefCT_N92zem Visit Adam's website: https://www.adammullercomedy.com/ Watch Adam's special: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izozAiRcS_o Buy tickets to Adam's next special recording: 7:00pm - https://www.westsidecomedyclub.com/events/adam-muller-taping 9:00pm - https://www.westsidecomedyclub.com/events/adam-muller-taping-2023-06-211212534661 Follow Adam here: https://www.youtube.com/c/AdamMullerComedy https://twitter.com/Adam_Muller https://www.instagram.com/adam.muller https://www.tiktok.com/@adam.muller https://www.facebook.com/AdamMullerComedy/ https://www.threads.net/@adam.muller Follow Pete here: https://www.youtube.com/user/PeteBladel https://www.instagram.com/petebladel/ https://www.tiktok.com/@petebladel https://twitter.com/petebladel https://www.facebook.com/petebladelcomedy/ https://www.threads.net/@petebladel

Liz Miele is a New York comedian who began performing stand-up at the age of 16. In this episode of A Comic's Last Stand, Liz (along with her cats Ghost and Lunchbox) joins the podcast to talk about the low point she experienced ten years into comedy, how she utilized marketing and social media to take control of her career, and the importance of staying grounded in your creative goals. Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpHEELxlFnrj9Pls6L5VAkefCT_N92zem Visit Liz's website: https://lizmiele.com/ Watch Liz's latest special: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWbqA94Qsi0 Buy Liz's book Why Cats Are Assholes: https://www.amazon.com/Why-Cats-are-Assholes-Miele/dp/1510756221 Follow Liz here: https://www.youtube.com/user/LizMiele https://twitter.com/lizmiele https://www.instagram.com/lizmiele/ https://www.tiktok.com/@lizmiele https://www.facebook.com/lizmielecomedy https://www.threads.net/@lizmiele Follow Pete here: https://www.youtube.com/user/PeteBladel https://www.instagram.com/petebladel/ https://www.tiktok.com/@petebladel https://twitter.com/petebladel https://www.facebook.com/petebladelcomedy/ https://www.threads.net/@petebladel

A. Natasha Joukovsky is the author of the novel The Portrait of a Mirror and the writer behind the Substack Quite Useless. In this episode of A Comic's Last Stand, Natasha shares how she compartmentalizes her career as a novelist and as a management consultant, relays the details of her "DIY Summer Residency" as she works on her second novel, and discusses the concept she describes as "Fame's Inflection Point." Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpHEELxlFnrj9Pls6L5VAkefCT_N92zem Purchase The Portrait of a Mirror: https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-portrait-of-a-mirror-a-natasha-joukovsky/15048906?ean=9781419752179 Subscribe to Natasha's Substack: https://joukovsky.substack.com/ Visit Natasha's website: https://natashajoukovsky.com/home/ Follow Natasha here: https://www.instagram.com/joukovsky/ https://www.threads.net/@joukovsky Follow Pete here: https://www.youtube.com/user/PeteBladel https://www.instagram.com/petebladel/ https://www.tiktok.com/@petebladel https://twitter.com/petebladel https://www.facebook.com/petebladelcomedy/

J.P. McDade is a stand-up comedian and comedy writer who has appeared on Comedy Central's Roast Battle and at the Montreal Just For Laughs Comedy Festival. In this episode of A Comic's Last Stand, J.P. discusses hiding his comedy career from coworkers and bosses, the difficulties of earning a living through comedy writing, and the nuances of performing as an opening act on a national theater tour. Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpHEELxlFnrj9Pls6L5VAkefCT_N92zem Follow J.P. here: https://www.youtube.com/@jpmcdade2571 https://twitter.com/jp_mcdade https://www.instagram.com/mcdadebaby/ https://www.threads.net/@mcdadebaby Follow Pete here: https://www.youtube.com/user/PeteBladel https://www.instagram.com/petebladel/ https://www.tiktok.com/@petebladel https://twitter.com/petebladel https://www.facebook.com/petebladelcomedy/

In the first remote episode of A Comic's Last Stand, Pete is joined by Evan Valentine, a former comedian and current writer for Comicbook.com. Evan tells Pete how he made the transition from stand-up comedy to his dream job of "writing about nerd stuff." He also recounts what made him decide to quit stand-up for good and shares his take on what's wrong with the movie industry today. Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpHEELxlFnrj9Pls6L5VAkefCT_N92zem Read Evan's articles: https://comicbook.com/author/EvanValentine/ Follow Evan here: https://twitter.com/evcomedy https://www.instagram.com/sassquatch64/ https://www.threads.net/@sassquatch64 Follow Pete here: https://www.youtube.com/user/PeteBladel https://www.instagram.com/petebladel/ https://www.tiktok.com/@petebladel https://twitter.com/petebladel https://www.facebook.com/petebladelcomedy/

Ami Kozak is a comedian, musician, podcaster and content creator. After studying at Berklee College of Music, Ami embarked on a fruitful career, composing music for ads, film and TV, and releasing records with his band Distant Cousins. He always had an interest in comedy, and over the past few years, has harnessed the power of social media to gain a large online following. In this episode of A Comic's Last Stand, Ami talks to Pete about his path through two different art forms, the most effective ways to build your network, and how creative constraints can help someone generate their best work. Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpHEELxlFnrj9Pls6L5VAkefCT_N92zem Listen to Ami's podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@buckleuppod https://open.spotify.com/show/6geoUKSTVsEL2sMQ63pkSN https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/buckle-up/id1589871008 Follow Ami's band, Distant Cousins: https://www.instagram.com/distantcousinsofficial/ https://www.youtube.com/@DistantCousins Follow Ami here: https://www.instagram.com/amikozak_official/ https://www.tiktok.com/@aj_comedy https://www.youtube.com/@aj-comedy https://twitter.com/amikozak https://www.threads.net/@amikozak_official Follow Pete here: https://www.youtube.com/user/PeteBladel https://www.instagram.com/petebladel/ https://www.tiktok.com/@petebladel https://twitter.com/petebladel https://www.facebook.com/petebladelcomedy/

Lafayette Wright is another one of Pete's oldest friends in comedy. After performing together for years in Washington, DC, Pete and Lafayette both moved to New York City in 2012. Lafayette vividly shares his near-homelessness experience in New York, his return to DC to steady his career, and his reservations about the growing influence of technology in comedy. Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpHEELxlFnrj9Pls6L5VAkefCT_N92zem Follow Lafayette (And his comic book) here: https://www.instagram.com/lafayette247/ https://www.instagram.com/swordsxsundresses/ Follow Pete here: https://www.youtube.com/user/PeteBladel https://www.instagram.com/petebladel/ https://www.tiktok.com/@petebladel https://twitter.com/petebladel https://www.facebook.com/petebladelcomedy/

Jeremy Pinsly is a New York City comedian who was in a situation similar to Pete - Struggling for stage time, searching for opportunities, and worrying about his future in comedy...until he decided to start a monthly stand-up show in his apartment. In this episode of A Comic's Last Stand, Jeremy talks to Pete about the story behind his apartment show, what he's working on now, and how playing tennis has helped his comedy career. Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpHEELxlFnrj9Pls6L5VAkefCT_N92zem Visit Jeremy's website: https://www.jeremypinsly.com/ Follow Jeremy here: https://www.youtube.com/@jpinsly1 https://www.instagram.com/jeremypinsly https://www.tiktok.com/@jerbearpinsly https://twitter.com/jerbearpinsly https://www.facebook.com/jpinsly1 Follow Pete here: https://www.youtube.com/user/PeteBladel https://www.instagram.com/petebladel/ https://www.tiktok.com/@petebladel https://twitter.com/petebladel https://www.facebook.com/petebladelcomedy/

In March of 2020, comedian Eric Neumann had 1,700 Instagram followers and no TikTok account. As it stands today, he has 101k Instagram followers, over 400k on TikTok, and a robust touring schedule. Eric talks to Pete about how he grew his following throughout the pandemic, what it took for him to finally quit his day job, and how he's learned to take a break when it's needed. Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpHEELxlFnrj9Pls6L5VAkefCT_N92zem See Eric on tour: https://www.ericneumanncomedy.com/ Follow Eric here: https://www.youtube.com/@EricNeumannComedy https://www.instagram.com/imericneumann https://www.tiktok.com/@imericneumann https://twitter.com/eneum https://www.facebook.com/ericthegreatest Follow Pete here: https://www.youtube.com/user/PeteBladel https://www.instagram.com/petebladel/ https://www.tiktok.com/@petebladel https://twitter.com/petebladel https://www.facebook.com/petebladelcomedy/

Pete is joined by Courtney Fearrington, one of his oldest friends in comedy. Starting their careers in Washington, DC, they've known each other and have been performing on shows together for over 14 years. Courtney and Pete talk through their last decade plus of friendship, frustrations, and failures, with a few major wins and realizations along the way. Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpHEELxlFnrj9Pls6L5VAkefCT_N92zem Buy tickets to see Courtney hosting "The Empire Strips Back" all Summer. Don't worry (Or I'm sorry), Courtney keeps his clothes on during the show: https://theempirestripsback.com/new-york/?utm_source=partner&utm_medium=website_10815&utm_campaign=127357_nyc&thm=373 Visit Courtney's website: https://www.bigccomedy.com/ Follow Courtney here: https://www.instagram.com/bigccomedy https://www.tiktok.com/@bigccomedy https://twitter.com/bigccomedy https://www.youtube.com/@Bigccomedy521 https://www.facebook.com/CourtneyComedy Follow Pete here: https://www.youtube.com/user/PeteBladel https://www.instagram.com/petebladel/ https://www.tiktok.com/@petebladel https://twitter.com/petebladel https://www.facebook.com/petebladelcomedy/

In this episode of A Comic's Last Stand, Pete sits down with comedian and actor Ashley Austin Morris, who most recently appeared in Hulu's "Fleishman Is In Trouble" and Peacock's "Poker Face." Deeply grounded in her Christian beliefs, Ashley shares how her faith guides her career trajectory and personal life. She also explores the struggles she's faced with her faith over the years and discusses how she maintains gratitude while pursuing new opportunities in the entertainment industry. Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpHEELxlFnrj9Pls6L5VAkefCT_N92zem Watch Ashley's special: https://youtu.be/-2AUTLOOvFo Visit Ashley's website: https://ashleyaustinmorriscomedy.com/ Follow Ashley here: https://www.instagram.com/ashaustinmorris https://www.tiktok.com/@ashaustinmorris https://www.youtube.com/@ashaustinmorris Follow Pete here: https://www.youtube.com/user/PeteBladel https://www.instagram.com/petebladel/ https://www.tiktok.com/@petebladel https://twitter.com/petebladel https://www.facebook.com/petebladelcomedy/