Funny People Talking

Marc Raco and co-hosts Danielle Beckmann and Dresden Engle interview entertainers, influencers, icons, innovators, and incredible people who have one thing in common: they are funny! Episodes feature improv games, the latest and funniest news, plus unusual food and dead-pan delivery zingers from Elsie the Producer. From celebrity star stories to Star Trek references, “Funny People Talking” delivers a whole universe of things to laugh at and with. 2021 Bronze Winner for New Zealand Podcast Awards “Best International Podcast” 2019, 2020, and 2021 finalist for People’s Choice Podcast Awards “Best Comedy Podcast”  

The #1 Donald Trump Impersonator in the World, John Di Domenico, talks with "American Enough" podcast host Vikrum Aiyeron about how comedy, satire, and late night TV is dividing, uniting, and trolling America. John is an American, Emmy Nominated, Actor, Writer, Comedian and Impersonator, he performs many different characters and is best known for his award-winning Donald Trump impersonation. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The most guests ever! Dresden has a flat tire and Elsie is MIA, so it's just Marc with SNL Scholarship Recipients Alexi Bolden, Gabriela Castillo, Kaili Turner & Morgan Van Dyne as they share their stories and their views on comedy; how and why they originally decided to apply for the scholarship, how they felt when they got the call, and what they think separated them from some 1,300 applicants; why honesty and openness mattered; hopes and goals for their lives and careers moving forward, as well as dream collaborators, and a challenge from Marc. Plus, a round of the new improv game Specific Arguments brings arguments amongst a thieving cashier with a bad-breath coworker, an unqualified pilot, and big rig driving buddies. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How a lost wallet led to the Fifth Dimension turning into an overnight sensation, a round of the improv game Guppy Tank has contestants pitch unusual ideas to a panel of investors: a skippy lippy whippy exercise device, and something to help even the whitest and honkiest among us pop and lock with style and ease, MouthMedia Network intern Darcy workshops some of her jokes, and comedian, writer, and award winning art critic Christina Catherine Martinez joins the show and graces us with her unusual comedic sense. She shares some of her philosophy behind her work as both an artist and art critic, and discusses how she loves art that is both accessible to the masses, and referential for the real “art-heads”. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Small ex-Chasidic queer Jewish stand-up comedian and Emmy Award-winning writer Robby Hoffman reveals her comedy journey, how even as a financial auditor, it was always a part of who she was as a person. And Robby leads a crucial and enlightening discussion about the past, present and future roles of women in comedy, and the still-present stereotype that women aren’t as funny as men. Also joining the show this week is MouthMedia Network Intern Alexi Bolden, recently named one of four Saturday Night Live scholars, and will be granted an audition for the upcoming cast of SNL. The gang also discusses too much cauliflower, cactus candy in a condom wrapper, and a round of the improv game of The Meh News covers live news stories on cat vomit in an overcrowded AirBNB and a Times Square sandwich board full of errors. Robby was just named one of Vulture's Top Comedians to Watch in 2020, one of Comedy Central's UP NEXT comedians, and on Conan O’Brien’s Comics to Watch list. She has performed numerous times at the Montreal Just for Laughs festival and was a headliner for the New York Comedy Festival. In 2019, she recorded her first one-hour stand up special for Just for Laughs, "I’m Nervous" in Toronto, available on CraveTV. Robby is also a notable TV writer, having written on The Chris Gethard Show (TruTV), Workin' Moms (Netflix), and Baroness Von Sketch Show (IFC). In 2019, Robby won a Daytime Emmy Award for her writing work on Odd Squad (PBS). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A harrowing tale of freezing waiting six hours for a COVID vaccine, lion headphones, Rhyming the Headlines with Elsie covers a baby thug makeover and creepy imaginary friends, and a round of the favorite improv game Audible brings scheduling conflicts at the zoo and romance on the high wire. And, veteran stand-up comedian and comedy teacher Chris Murphy joins the show and shares some of his experiences working in the field for over 25 years, brings us into his journey with cancer, and how that has affected his comedy, and a moment of epiphany in which he became aware of how grateful he was to have devoted his life to something he loves and cares about so much. Plus, Chris shares some of his method for developing jokes, and how he records how well certain jokes hit with different demographics. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The gang's back with Season 3! Dresden possibly has green hair, and shares some very personal experiences with Covid-19 from the perspective of her and her family, Elsie debuts a new Yum or Yuck with a kind of taro reading, Dresden reveals a moment involving Eddie Money and an unfortunate gigantic bag of weed, and a round of the hilarious improv game Mish Mosh Mix doesn't go well for everyone (though Dresden sings about the similarities and differences between the moon, giraffes, and hippos, and Elsie gives her best Vanilla Ice impression). Plus, musicians and boyfriends Matt Aument and John Coons tell the story of how they began collaborating and writing their particular brand of twisted, classy musical comedy, share a song, and reveal how they met - a meet-cute that would make Nora Ephron jealous. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How the desire to share life’s realities as women in dating, sex, and more turned into a real growing business as podcasters with Girls Gotta Eat… Ashley Hesseltine (standup comedian, writer, and founder of @brosbeingbasic + @fashiondads_) and Rayna Greenberg (writer, photographer, founder of @onehungryjew) host the popular podcast “Girls Gotta Eat”, with millions of downloads. While much has changed since then, in this 2018 sit-down with Marc they shared why they started the podcast, how it has developed to such hit, why they integrated live shows so early in the journey, why they never expected the show to take on a life of its own, thinking about the podcast as a real startup business, their then-impending live show tour, and much more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Always funny, Maija DiGiorgio is a comedian, filmmaker who in her first year doing stand-up took the comedy world by storm taping five national TV appearances, receiving a standing ovation at NBC’s Live from the Apollo, and performing at the HBO Aspen Comedy Festival. Her hour show IncogNegro was part of the summer series at the prestigious Here theater in SOHO. Maija had recently filmed her Dry Bar Special which is available now and already receiving rave reviews. She is in the process of recording her first comedy album with 800 PoundGorilla Records. In this classic episode of "Monkey Radio with Marc", Maija joins Marc and co-host Ben Rose for a trip around her journey and how she thinks about humor, we pay a story-telling improv game with her, Ben shares a peek into his wacky world, and Marc laments on illegal cycling. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Award-winning visual artist, commercial photographer and producer of independent motion pictures Miles Maker, known for his cinematic visual style that is honest and intimate, emotive and kinetic, timeless and iconic, is featured in the classic episode of Monkey Radio with Marc with co-host Ben Rose. This is also the first appearance of the improv game "What If?". See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As we time travel into this episode of "Monkey Radio with Marc", Marc and co-host Ben Rose record on-location at Baconery and are joined by six-time Tony nominee Beguelin. His works include Disney’s Aladdin (Tony Award nomination for Best Book and Best Original Score, Drama Desk Award Nomination for Best Book and Outstanding Lyrics), The Prom (Tony Award nomination for Best Book and Best Original Score, Drama Desk Award Nomination for Best Book and Outstanding Lyrics) and The Wedding Singer (Tony Award nomination for Best Book and Best Original Score, Drama Desk Award nomination for Outstanding Lyrics). He also wrote the lyrics for the Broadway musical Elf, which broke several box office records. Plus an improv game and Elsie shares a special Baconery-inspired End of Show Food. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As we time travel into this episode of "Monkey Radio with Marc", Marc and co-host Ben Rose are joined by improv comedian and actor Brad Sherwood of "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" fame. Plus a round of "If I Were In Charge of the World" and Elsie brings a fun End of Show Food. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Elsie has mobile mistletoe, Marc pitches inventions to battle noisy neighbors, another round of Headline Poetry with Elsie covers a German pilot’s strange activities, a baby Thai elephant, and a Russian cat, a round of "What If: Political Edition" uncovers will campaign strategies. Plus, lawyer-turned-artist/activist Tootsie Warhol shares his journey that led from working in civil rights law, to a meeting with Trump and his covert recording, which then sparked a career as a full time Trump-impersonating performance artist. He discusses the role of humor in his art, and how to strike a balance between making a meaningful political statement and appealing to the funny bone. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A real-life When Harry Met Sally Christmas tree moment, a PR Tip on using the right words, Elsie's Headline-Inspired Poetry, Dresden has a special light and one-upping one another with a new improv game "With All Due Respect". Plus, guest Darlene Liebman talks about her amazing business Creative Humans (a platform that matches up brands with video professionals), shares her process of vetting prospective creatives, and the sweet spot of finding highly talented individuals before they’ve gotten so expensive they’re not cost effective anymore. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dresden is stuck in a Frozen room thanks to a COVID scare, why rocker Eddie Money was better than Google, a scandalous musical press conference, move review prognostication, and theories about being ghosted by a busker. Canadian music correspondent, blogger, radio host and former director of media relations at eOne Music Canada Eric Alper (who also runs music public relations company That Eric Alper and host of the SiriusXM show “That Eric Alper”) joins the fun and shares insights on publicity, stories about infamous musicians, insights on the transformation of music and entertainment, how his path started, and why Monty Python has been such an inspiration. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Elsie has streamers, amazing dairy-free ice cream from Casper's called Jolly Llama in a special installment of Yum or Yuck, a dispute between Hollywood legends, improv game Guppy Tank features mushroom-motivated exercise, a key killer, and more. Nathan Russell, UCB comedian and founder of Hammond Hill Media (a full service creative studio and production company founded by former executives at the Upright Citizens Brigade (UCB), with an approach is deeply rooted in improvisational comedy) joins to share more about the company along with his insights on comedy and integrating improv. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A real life GI Joe, a Beach Boys memory, being the "Kool Aid" house, escalator etiquette, annoying TikTok dances, throwing cold butter on hot pancakes, Elsie's surprising advice, and what we would all do if we were in charge of the world! Plus Colin McIntosh, the founder of Sheets & Giggles (a sustainability-focused, mission driven bedsheet company), joins to share his incredible mission, entrepreneurial journey, what the company is doing to change the world, and how he approaches humor with the company ethos and in stand-up comedy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're thankful, and have invited special friends to drop by. Marc's friend and former co-host John Locke guest-hosts, and a few surprise guests drop in. Plus a super special hard-to-find Thanksgiving tasting from Elsie, a blast from the past, and a super hilarious round of the improv game "What If?" Happy Thanksgiving everyone! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Emotional stories of election results celebration, Dresden's eyebrows are woven like lace, a round of Yum or Yuck with tasty Lekkco Belgian dark chocolate spreads, and a round of the improv comedy game Redirection, in which direction changes mid-scene and a day at the zoo turns unexpectedly dark. Founder Rory Hughes joins from Ireland and discusses his company BOOM, Broadway Official Online Masterclass, which is a platform created for the pandemic to provide work in the form of teaching to Broadway performers and artists, and stories of being starstruck working with some of the Broadway performers working with BOOM. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Elsie hilariously gives her own take on real headlines, Arnold Schwarzenegger gets into unexpected situations in a revisited improv game favorite, Dresden recalls an under-appreciated Ken Burns-related April Fools joke, cast mysteries, and why the US might be Canada's downstairs neighbor with a meth lab. Plus, big-deal stand-up comedian Debra DiGiovanni shares career highlights from Conan to Last Comic Standing, making Canadians laugh why just being true to herself is key to her success, the person who is her barometer of funny, and the joke that she keeps telling whether or not it gets a laugh. (Recorded the day after the 2020 US Election). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.