My Friends, The Comedians

MFTC Ep. 18: Jacob Marscola Likes Talking To Funny People

The Season 1 Finale of MFTC is finally here! Please, have a seat, and let me tell you a tale of one man who decided the world needed just ONE MORE podcast about comedy. From writing standup material for a 4th grade talent show all the way to listening to friends talk about comedy, I'll take you through my comedy journey and what doing the first season of this show has been like. Thank you again for listening, and please, keep laughing if it's funny! Follow MFTC on IG @myfriendsthecomedians And listen to Season 1 of "My Friends, The Comedians" wherever you find your podcasts!

MFTC Ep. 17: Nate DiFulvio Talks A LOT About Robert Moses

It's the penultimate episode of MFTC S1, and I've brought you all quite the treat. Nate DiFulvio joins me to discuss his comedy journey, but not before recommending me horrible mashups and talking about our (then) upcoming graduation. Nate has been someone I've known since day one at Villanova and I think it's amazing that we both made out having still stuck with Ridiculum. As a comedian, he's known for his outlandish characters and specific niche references. If I had to choose one word to describe a scene with Nate it would be "unpredictable", and I've loved being in scenes with him for that reason. Though our paths in comedy may not cross often in the future, I look forward to hearing from Nate when he finally manages to add just one more lane to the highways. Follow Nate on Instagram @nate.difulvio And listen to "My Friends, The Comedians" wherever you find your podcasts!

MFTC Ep. 16: Crackin' Eggs With Giana Abbas

In this episode, Giana Abbas and I discussed the performance behind school presentations, knowing your audience very personally, and the butterfly effect that eventually led to the birth of Johnny Hot Dog. Giana, in her own right, is a master of characters, and you'll find that she'll never admit or acknowledge this very real truth. Ever so humble, Giana made her way through Ridiculum and inspired comedians (including myself) to go for the fun things! If there is one thing truthful about Giana it's that she is always looking for what will make an audience laugh, making her one of my favorite performers to have stepped foot in Ridiculum. Enjoy this tangent-filled "comedy examination" of my friend Giana, the comedian who loves keeping improv weird. Follow Giana on Instagram @giana_abbas And listen to "My Friends, The Comedians" wherever you find your podcasts!

MFTC Ep. 15: Dr. John-Paul Spiro Diagnoses Involuntary Laughter

Well, folks, after fourteen episodes of hearing almost nothing but Ridiculum nostalgia, you FINALLY get to hear from someone who was NOT in the club. My former professor, Dr. John-Paul Spiro, spent the greater part of his youth watching SNL and telling jokes at school. As he grew, he performed in a sketch group at Vassar College, meeting various comedy personalities and learning a lot about the industry. Moving from his sketch group in college, he pivoted to teaching and got his PhD in English. He now teaches the students of Villanova, and spends one hour a week every fall teaching a stand-up comedy class. Picking his academic brain on the nuances and psychology of comedy has always been, and will always prove to be, a fascinating and worth-while endeavor. Just listen for yourself. JP did not have any socials to plug, but he requested that the listeners of this show know about a Peace and Justice course he is teaching in the Spring of '26 at Villanova:"PJ 4000 - Comedy and Justice" And listen to "My Friends, The Comedians" wherever you find your podcasts!

MFTC Ep. 14: Justin Groel Was Nearly Killed By A Shoe

In recording this episode I was given the gift of talking with one of my best friends and closest collaborators: Justin Groel. Working with Justin throughout college was nothing short of educational, enriching, and straight up fun. Justin is a director, writer, filmmaker, editor, and (of course) a comedian. Not one of those aspirations or roles works without the others when it comes to Justin, and we get deep into how and why that is. Additionally, this conversation really opened my eyes to the experience him and I shared with our friends being in a comedy club. After 70 minutes of conversation about supporting your teammates and attempted shoe assassinations, I'm nothing short of grateful for my time doing comedy with Mr. Groel. Follow Justin on Instagram @Justin_g013 And listen to "My Friends, The Comedians" wherever you find your podcasts!