On this episode of The Marty Show, host Marty Milquetoast sits down with Lavon Chi, the Good Time Guarantee, a Savannah-based burlesque performer bringing the glamour, the good chi, and just the right amount of chaos to the stage. From discovering the magic of burlesque at the Savannah Burlesque Festival to teaching herself costume design, building elaborate acts, and pursuing her aerial performance dreams, Lavon Chi proves that you don't need a fancy degree to make a fabulous entrance. You just need talent, determination, and a willingness to occasionally fall off a stage.

Lavon Chi gets candid about her journey into burlesque, keeping her performer persona separate from her everyday life, and the never-ending quest to feel like a real performer. She also shares her performance horror stories, including mysteriously disappearing music in multiple cities and a dramatic tumble off the stage at Club One. The good news? She recovered, struck a pose, and carried on. The show must go on, even when gravity has other plans.

Marty and Lavon Chi also dish on dream performances, homemade costumes, creative inspiration, and why “It doesn't have to be perfect, it's gotta get done” is a mantra worth taking straight to the dressing room. Plus, find out which performer earns Lavon's admiration, what snack she'd happily meet her end by, why Adventure Time hits harder than expected, and how a tiny dog named Lilo-Pilo became her rock.

And, of course, there's plenty of Halloween Extravaganza excitement! Lavon Chi is preparing a special aerial performance for Marty Milquetoast's Halloween Extravaganza at Victory North in Savannah on October 31. Expect burlesque, drag, comedy, aerial acts, costumes, surprises, and enough fabulous weirdness to make your Halloween plans look painfully ordinary.

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FIND A FAVORITE SPOT IN THIS EPISODE:

00:00 Welcome Back Marty Show

00:37 Halloween Extravaganza Preview

02:00 Sponsors And Ticket Info

03:38 Animal Fact Intro

04:23 Meet Lavont Chi

04:44 Choosing Performer Name

05:45 Finding Burlesque In Savannah

07:29 First Shows And Feeling Real

08:55 Thrill And Life Balance

10:20 Performance Horror Stories

12:16 Performer Shout Out

13:11 Marty Poll Rapid Fire

20:46 Ego Boost And Respect

21:33 Where To Find Lavont

22:00 Aerial Act At Extravaganza

23:07 Marty Praises Lavont

24:17 Final Thanks And Outro

Host Marty Milquetoast plugs the Marty Milquetoast Halloween Extravaganza at Victory North on October 31, promising a variety show with drag, burlesque, juggling, mentalism, comedy, a costume contest, and sponsors Starship Novelties, Savannah Paranormal Museum, and Hair Do Salon.

Guest Will Nunziata, a Savannah-based comedian/improviser/actor from New York, discusses getting into performing through college improv, joining a NYC improv group, and performing with Second City’s short-lived New York program, with his first professional show affected by 9/11. He explains why he keeps performing, balancing it with family life, and wanting to do more plays. Will shares two horror stories: a corporate hedge fund gig that bombed, including a hot-mic slip, and a humiliating cake-slip pratfall.

He shouts out local actor Nathan Houseman, answers “Marty’s Poll” (ice cream/Dairy Queen, dream role Hedwig, quotes, rewatch favorites, moving to Savannah during COVID, losing 30 pounds), recounts a Faye Dunaway encounter, lists credits including The Colbert Show and Red Dead Redemption II, and promotes Ghosted at Tybee Post Theater plus a Halloween-night character monologue for the Extravaganza.

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FIND A FAVORITE SPOT IN THIS EPISODE:

00:00 Halloween Extravaganza Plug

02:28 Meet Will Nunziata

04:18 Revolver Cocktail Chat

04:48 Origins of Performing

06:23 New York Improv Beginnings

08:15 9/11 and First Pro Show

09:46 Making It a Career

11:02 Why He Keeps Performing

12:04 Balancing Kids and Shows

14:47 Performer Horror Stories

20:57 Shout Out Nathan Houseman

24:25 Marty's Poll Begins

26:20 Dream Role Hedwig

27:53 Celebrity Encounters Setup

28:50 Celebrity Panic Moment

30:01 Faye Dunaway Showdown

31:49 The TV Poster Bit

32:42 Favorite Quotes Rapidfire

33:32 Rewatchable Movies Breakdown

35:28 Moving to Savannah and Dad Life

37:28 Joy Pride and Gratitude

38:58 Comedy Career Highlights

42:14 Ego Boost Roast

46:16 Where to Find Will

48:15 Halloween Tease and Wrap

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00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro

00:27 Halloween Show and Sponsors

01:54 Marty’s Bank Misadventure

02:46 Meet Bandora and Operalesque

03:33 Stage Name Origin Story

04:38 Britney to Pageants

07:01 Finding Opera Training

08:43 Burlesque Meets Opera

10:56 Coining Operalesque

12:09 Imposter Syndrome and Big Stages

13:46 Why Performing Hooks You

15:48 Day Job and Voice Care

18:29 Performer Horror Stories

21:50 DJ Debut Gone Wrong

25:07 How DJing Started

25:25 Goth Night DJing

26:26 Savannah Performer Shoutouts

29:39 Snack Talk Favorites

30:37 Dream Roles Wishlist

31:45 Celebrity Encounters

34:23 Mantra Favorite Quote

35:06 Rewatchable Horror Picks

36:00 Beating Stage Fright

37:26 Cats That Bring Joy

38:14 Winning Miss Savannah Goth

40:35 How Goth Found Me

42:47 Gratitude And Support

44:05 Creature Nerd And Music

45:55 Ego Boost Lovefest

47:52 Where To Find Vandora

49:08 Final Thanks Signoff