Comedian Tom Ryan joins host Rich Stein

Comedian Tom Ryan joins host Rich Stein

Tom Ryan has been a full-time standup comedian for over thirty years.  He made two appearances on the Late Show with David Letterman and recently performed at  Carnegie Hall. Since  he was about 10 years old, Tom wanted to be a standup comedian. The  first standup comedy he ever heard was from David Brenner and George Carlin.  At  26, he left an insurance job in his hometown of Philadelphia to move to  Florida where he landed a job at a local golf course. The job lasted  only 3 weeks. Ryan  says, “Losing that job was the best thing that ever happened to me  because it forced me to confront exactly what I wanted to do with my life.” He took a job as a doorman at the newly opened Comedy Corner in West Palm Beach. It was the lowest paying but most  valuable job he ever had. It provided him with a complete comedy  education watching acts such as Jerry Seinfeld, Dennis Miller and Bill  Hicks. It  was not long before Tom made his stage debut. Within two years he was  working full time as a comedian. Since then, Tom Ryan has worked  steadily at comedy clubs,  concert venues and corporate functions across the U.S. In addition to  his Letterman appearances, he has also been featured on Showtime,  A&E, Comedy Central and NBC. He has performed as the opening act in  concert for B.B. King, Natalie Cole, Jeff Beck, Earth,  Wind and Fire, Aretha Franklin, Tim Allen, Steven Wright, Brian Regan,  Gary Gulman,  Jerry Seinfeld, and Dennis Miller just to name a few. Tom’s comedy can be heard regularly on Sirius XM radio.   His original style makes it easy for him to write for special events. He regularly headlines corporate events including Citigroup,  HP,  Morgan Stanley and Church and Dwight. Tom  believes that the best comedy comes from the most unlikely sources.  Here is an example from his act: “I was driving around the other day and  my oil light came  on. But that little symbol looks nothing like an oil can. When it first  came on, I  thought well, apparently my car is low on gravy.” BOOK NOW (https://tomryan.com/contact) Please welcome: Tom Ryan...

Filmmaker and Animator Gene Hamm joins host Rich Stein

This is Gene Hamm‘s third visit to my show. He brings a lifetime of art and animation to  his third feature film Entitled:  "Don’t Call Us, We’ll Kill You!"     It will be on the Roku channel. In addition to his work for Disney, Hanna Barbera, and many others, he has also taught animation for over 25 years at the Art Institute in Marin County. He is also promoting his new online  course where he will teach animation from conception to completion.    In this class, Gene will take you through all the components of animation, voices, special effects, storyboards and you will be able to learn by the end of this course everything that it takes to complete your animated film. The course will be available very soon on Animation A2Z.com  Please welcome the always busy and very animated Gene Hamm.

Comedian Andy Huggins joins host Rich Stein

Andy Huggins: Andy Huggins always loved Comedy and has a vivid memory of the sound  the audience made laughing hysterically in a huge movie theater, when he first watched the Marx Brothers in Duck Soup. After graduating from high school in Virginia, he started doing Open Mic nights and telling jokes between the musical acts. He moved to Los Angeles after Johnny Carson kept mentioning that all the wave of new comedians came from The Comedy Store on Sunset Boulevard. After working in LA for a couple of years, some comics he made friends with told him he should move to Houston,Texas to get way more stage time than in Los Angeles. He took their advice. Andy's story is different than most, even Rodney Dangerfield, who broke into Comedy in his 40s! Andy literally made it at age 68 when he brought over 40 years of doing one- liners in front of an international stage. His look and voice along with his integrity, work ethic and love for the craft of Comedy, ensures his third act to be a real barn burner! Ladies and Gents, Andy Huggins

Comedian, Prop Master and Show Runner Joe Dalo joins host Rich Stein

My guest Joe Dalo was born in Philly and raised in South Jersey. He started out like  most comics working open mics and progressed to the real comedy clubs like The Comedy works  and The Comedy Factory Outlet. He also wanted to be an actor and he was in the road company of Toni and Tina‘s wedding. Joe had a building and construction background which gave him another side hustle; He started getting hired on prank and hidden video shows as a builder and prop-master.  Due to his positive demeanor and leadership he worked his way quickly up the crew ladder because he was a guy who had the ability to hire the right people and get things done. He worked for years on Ashton Kutscher‘s show Punk’d and went from  PA to Show Runner and appeared on many episodes. He has also worked on all of the Jackass films in every capacity and personally built the “BIG HAND”  Which  famously slapped everyone big and small. He can also be seen in the upcoming Jackass Five! He is also on a show currently running on Netflix called FOUL PLAY, with Anthony Davis; I saw it on my queue as I was scrolling last night. After all that, his love and desire to do standup comedy still prevails and he is still out there hitting the stages; ladies and gentlemen, please Welcome Comedian, Joe Dalo.

Comic, Producer, Entrepreneur Rhonda Shear joins host Rich Stein

Rhonda Shear grew up as the youngest of four kids in New Orleans. Her Mom Supported her dancing and  modeling while Dad instilled in her the Mind of the Business Model. She left Louisiana with a College Degree from Loyola University, and the Title of Miss Louisiana USA/World/International   She headed west to Los Angeles where she studied acting and started paying her dues. She graduated from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Pasadena and studied with Harvey Lembeck.     She eventually started getting small roles on television shows such as Chips and Dallas.   Her natural ebullience and funny demeanor opened doors for her on comedies like Married with Children, Cheers, Three’s Company and the Dukes of Hazzard.  She was even cast in SPACEBALLS by the legendary Mel Brooks   Many  agents and producers tried to discourage such a pretty and voluptuous young woman from pursuing the historically alpha- male world of stand up comedy however  she followed her own intuition and before long she was working the Comedy Store/ Improv/ Laugh Factory circuit as well as going on the road and working steadily in the Las Vegas Casinos as a stand up comic.   Her big break came when she was hired as the hostess of a show produced by USA Network titled “UP ALL NIGHT!” The show had been running for two years with the female hostess doing the Friday night ( Campy comedy movies) and Gilbert Gottfried hosting the Saturday night ( scary monster movies)  Rhonda was a big hit and she went on to host alongside the great Gilbert for the next eight years ( 8 years on tv and over 450 episodes )   On my podcast Rhonda talks about the 2025-26  Reboot of the Up All Night show and all things in the RHONDAVERSE ; including her own line of Intimate Apparel which she started out selling on QVC / Home Shopping Network; including her signature “AHH  BRA   Rhonda is one of those rare humans who evokes inspiration just through her voice and spirit and her laugh which even having a slight cold during our interview she laughed and carried on like the true pro that she is.   Ladies and Gentleman I am So proud to introduce Comedian, Writer, Producer, Entrepreneur and all around Neat Lady: Rhonda Shear ✌️💕🎙️🎙️🎬