Hey everyone, just letting you know I'm taking a little summer break from the pod. Thank you all so much for listening and supporting. Have a great summer and you'll be hearing new episodes soon.

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This week is a special episode of Starting Out for me. You may not know him for his standup, but the impact he had on me is huge. He actually started the infamous Comedy at Ceili House in Hamilton, it’s Mr. Isi Commisso. Isi is a sensitive, emotional, bloated, Italian male comic - I have no idea why he resonates with me so much…

I know there’s been a lot of nostalgia on this podcast before, but this one takes the cake, as we talk about the horrors of hosting that little, ugly yet beautiful room for many years. There’s so much talk about the Hamilton scene - Gavin, Manolis, Mayce, Pat, Moses, Anthony, Zeus, Jordans, Devin, and so many more. Isi talks about leaving standup to work in dispensaries both before and after legalization, and how COVID really got in the way of his return back to standup. I really loved catching up with my comedy brother. Thanks for listening.   

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My guest this week on Starting Out is a comic 20+ years in the game, and has the unique experience of being a booker at one of the prominent clubs in the country, the-oft talked about Absolute Comedy club here in Toronto, it’s Ryan Maglunob! Ryan talks about starting at 17-years old at a club in Kingston, where not only did his first time go great, he got to perform in front of a comedy club audience every single time he did standup for his first year. Which, if you’ve been listening, is quite a unique way of starting this crazy standup thing. You can check out Ryan’s album “Oh, You Were Good Too” anywhere you listen to comedy, and stay tuned for his forthcoming second album. Thanks for listening. 

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My guest this week on episode #121 of Starting Out  is the first guest I’ve had where I was a guest on their podcast. It’s Brockville-native, now Nepean-dwelling, host of the “Johnny Rogers Podcast”, Mr. Johnny Rogers. I ran into Johnny in Ottawa back in March when I was hosting at Absolute, and we agreed to be guests on each other's pods. I was worried we were competitors, but as you’ll hear, we’re in fact colleagues just bolstering up each other's pods. Check Johnny out @thejohnnyrogers on all socials. Thanks everyone for listening, hope you’re having a nice summer. 

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My guest on Episode #120 of Starting Out is none other than one of the grinders, one of the hardest working comedians, it’s Mississauga’s own, Ricardo Mejias!! Ricardo talks about his two first times on stage, one at Yuk Yuks Toronto, and another where he met past guest Ernie Vicente and other legends from the Mississauga scene. We talk getting advice from Ron Josol, balancing being a graphic designer with standup, and most poignantly, how close he came to quitting comedy this April, before that strange comedy karma came calling and told him it wasn’t time to quit. Ricardo is producing a massive show in Toronto this Sunday, July 2nd at Comedy Bar, featuring past guest Liam Kelly, Marito Lopez, Ron Josol, Ryan Maglunob; Kerri Johnston.  Follow Ricardo at @ricardocomedian. 

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My guest this week on Starting Out actually reached out a couple months back saying he had just finished listening to every single episode of this podcast, like a goddamn true completist. That was such an honour to hear because I remember seeing him do standup before I did it, and I thought he was one of the best I had seen, it’s Richmond Hill native Nicholas Rizzi.  Nick talks about the Humber Comedy Program, not knowing he shouldn’t do other people’s jokes, and initially wanting to steer clear of talking about cerebral palsy before realizing he could find his voice in it. This was a super fun one, and if you have the chance, go see Nick perform.

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My guest this week on Starting Out, all the way from Whitehorse in the goddamn Yukon, it’s Emilie Lefrancois. I met Emilie at Comedy Kapow the first time I ever got to headliner a show, and she was on it and so nervous and in her head, and I tried my best to talk her down, and I think it worked because she went on to have a great set and I could tell she was an incredible writer. As you’ll hear on this podcast, she is so naturally funny, in not her native language which is an intriguing thing she has decided to lean into. If you’re in Whitehorse you likely know Emilie so go see her, and otherwise, give her a follow @emiliele francois2014. 

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I do mostly have Canadian comedians on this show, because that’s who I know, but this week is different. My guest is a guy 21-years into standup, who started in his native Baltimore, it’s Larry XL on Starting Out! I did a week with Larry and Paul Myrehaug about 5 years ago at Absolute Kingston, and knew he’d be a thoughtful guest, so I was excited when I ran into him again and he agreed to come on. Larry XL’s is a club favorite with audiences from Florida to Canada. He’s been a finalist in comedy competitions in Baltimore and neighboring cities like Washington, DC and Philadelphia. Give Larry a follow @comedianlarryXL, and he’s also a musician and you can find his latest release “Autopilot” under the name Scornstar. Thanks for listening.

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Music by @debateson
All episodes here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1632913

Thanks for listening. Especially you...