Originally posted 2/23/11, updated 1/7/12.

Remember when comedian Dave Hill came to Philly last February at Connie’s Ric Rac and the March before that at the World Cafe Live during the UsedWigs Live Show and blew the doors off? And remember how much your sides, belly and palms hurt from laughing and high-fiving your pals during Dave’s killer set? Yeah, that was crazy! Well guess what laugh lovers? Dave is coming back to Philly this Thursday, January 12th, at the Tin Angel because he loves this city so god-damned much. UsedWigs pals, ball-busting Nikki Walter and the always elegant Daniel Eastman, will also be performing. A few tickets are still available, get em now.

I asked Dave what are his five favorites things about Philly. Here are the top 5 of the 73 answers he supplied.

1. That really big mural of Dr. J on that one building:

I have never really followed basketball, but I still totally know who Dr. J is and I think it’s really great that there is a seriously large painting of him on the side of a building right there in your town where pretty much anybody can roll up on him any time they want and just say to themselves or whoever else is with them at the moment “Look — there’s Dr. J, the famous basketball player, a man we still talk about to this day. Talk about scoring points — he was great at it.” I also like that Dr. J is dressed in a cool suit in this mural. It’s like he’s just hanging out or something, instead of dressed up in one of his professional basketball outfits. This makes him seem more approachable to me, even though he is two stories high and if a person were ever really that big they could crush you without even thinking about it.

2. This one store I went to:

A couple years ago, I got dim sum (the popular Chinese brunch-like meal) with my friend Maria (who pretty much just bitched about how much she hated Chinese food the whole time. Whatever.) Afterward, we wandered around town and happened upon this one store that sold all sorts of cool stuff. The guy who ran the store told us there was a whorehouse next door, which made us giggle. Anyway, I can’t remember the name of the store, but it had a stuffed hyena in it. Odds are they are out of business by now as the hyena wasn’t for sale and you can’t exactly have a hyena in your store and not expect everyone to want to buy it a whole lot more than anything else you might be selling. Anyway, I did end up buying something else anyway, specifically a DVD of a French movie called “Don’t Deliver Us From Evil,” which is about a couple French schoolgirls who decided to align themselves with Satan instead of listening to the nuns at their school, who are total bitches. As you can probably imagine, that one pretty much writes itself. The nuns lez out, the two Satany girls kill some guy with a log, and they even set themselves on fire at the end. In short, it pretty much has everything. Run, don’t walk, to see this movie.

3. Terry Gross:

I like that Terry Gross, host of the popular “Fresh Air” public radio program, is living right there in your town. I’ve never met Terry (what I call her), but I love the idea that by coming to Philadelphia it suddenly becomes a possibility that I might run into her, cool glasses and all, in her natural habitat. And if that ever happened, I’d probably just say “Hey, Terry. You want to go get a sandwich or something?” Most people probably would have stopped at saying hello. Not me though — I swing for the fences.

4. A low tolerance for bullshit:

Whenever I step off the train and into the train station in Philadelphia (You know —  the one featured in the hit movie “Witness” starring Kelly McGillis in the role of a lifetime and I think she takes her top off at one point) and then out into the streets of Philadelphia, one of the first things I am struck by is how much the people of Philadelphia pretty much have no time for bullshit. I wish I could say the same for the people of Baltimore. Those people are so crazy for bullshit it’s not even funny. Crab cakes at a baseball game? Bullshit. Get over yourselves, Baltimorians. Anyway, that shit and a lot of other shit would never fly in Philly because pretty much everyone there hates bullshit. And I love that they hate bullshit, because I hate bullshit too. When I come to Philadelphia this weekend, I hope to round up a bunch of Philadelphians and just stand around with them while giving the finger to bullshit in all its forms. It’s gonna be pretty great.

5. Non-cheesesteak food options:

A lot of people think cheesesteaks are the only food item available in Philadelphia. This is crazy. I’ve had all sorts of food here and it was delicious. And guess what- none of it was cheesesteaks. In fact, you know what? Fuck cheesesteaks- they are doing fine without me. Another thing is that Questlove lives in Philadelphia. He is a great drummer with great hair, which is great for him and a lot of other people. One time I played a show in Philadelphia with the Walter Schreifels Band at Chuck Treece’s rock club/arts facility place. Questlove was there and I was excited to tell everyone how Questlove was there but then he left. I have other stories. Not about Questlove, but stories in general.

More:

• Keep Twitter Funny: Follow Dave Hill, Todd Barry and Jon Wurster
• Interview with Dave Hill
• @mrdavehill

Thanks to everyone who filled out comment cards after our past few shows. We really appreciate the feedback and we were not surprised at the top two suggestions. Number one was, as expected, “Please shut up!” and the number two most popular recommendation was, “Feed us delicious free cheese and have someone teach us about it while that vivacious Nikki Walter makes fun of you!”

Done and done and done! Join us this Tuesday at the mighty L’etage as we welcome Madame Fromage!

If you knock on her door, you will find a fridge full of whiffy morsels, from Ardrahan to Winnimere, and piles of cheese books on her coffee table.  Madame Fromage loves the beauty of cheese, especially stinkers. She thinks they are as lovely as cherry blossoms, just in a different way. On weekends, she invites friends over for port and Stichelton, and sometimes things get rowdy.

Let’s Do This!!

Tuesday, November 15, 2011 – 8:00pm
L’etage
624 South 6th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19147

Admission: FREE!

RSVP: Let us know if you are coming!

Past Shows!

• UsedWigs Radio Podcast 89: Guest Jon Solomon
• UsedWigs Radio Podcast: Mates of State Interview
• UsedWigs Radio Podcast 88: Brian Seymour
• UsedWigs Radio Podcast 87: Guests Kelly Vrooman and SM Shrake
• UsedWigs Radio Podcast 86: Guests Doogie Horner and Maggie Serota
• UsedWigs Radio Podcast 85: Guests Dave Hill and Nikki Walter

Guest: Jon Solomon has been playing and promoting top-notch indie music for years on the mighty WPRB. He can be heard every Wednesday night from 7:00 – 10:00 pm ET. Listen at wprb.com!

Topics: Pumpkin Chucking, Russ “Fireballer” Starke, Fruit Slingshots, Halloween Superstores, Gig Posters, Jon’s 24-Hour Holiday Radio Show, Lenny & Squiggy, Ric Flair, The Misfits, Big Efforts to See a Band, Merch Tables, Owning a Record Label, Long Songs, Bands Reuniting, Digital Downloads, Jam Bands, Top Scary Movies, Drive-Ins, Bad Date Movies, Benjamin Linus and BBC’s Sherlock!

Teaser: “What’s your noodle song, Jon?”

Audio Note: We used a new audio rig and had a little sound problem, you might need to pump up the volume a bit. Sorry!

Playlist: “Drawn Down the Moon” by Edsel, “Under Heavy Manners” by Dissociates

Play Now: http://www.usedwigs.com/pod/podcast89.mp3

iTunes: Download, Listen and Subscribe

Facebook: JOIN our New Facebook Page! It’s so in your face!

Giveaway: Thanks to our friends at Quirk Books for the super cool “Gig Posters Volume 2″ book by Clay Hayes we gave away to a lucky audience member.

“… promotes the self-sufficiency of those experiencing homelessness by engaging them in running as a means to build confidence, strength and self-esteem… it enables members to move towards self-sufficiency through educational and job training opportunities.”

Tomorrow, July 16th, I will be participating in 20in24 Challenge and I will see how many 8.4-mile laps I can run around Philly’s Schuylkill River Loop in 24 hours (shooting for 5-6 laps). The race I’m doing is called the Lone Ranger, and yes, I will definitely be wearing a mask and holster… but no horse, that would be cheating.

If you help out with a little donation ($5, $10, anything at all) I promise to high-five the Rocky Statue for you every time I run by it. I’d really appreciate the support and so would Back on My Feet.

Thanks! Jeff

DONATE

Breaking News! Super special guests Dave Hill and Nikki Walter will be joining the fun!

8:30pm – June 21st – L’etage – No Cover!

That’s right kids, we’re back in action at Philly’s most fancy crepe-slinging venue L’etage! Starting on Summer’s birthday (June 21st!), we’ll fire up the microphones and the t-shirt cannon at this handsomely-appointed eatery to record our beloved podcast.

We’ll do it once a month. Each show will have super special guests, some who tell jokes, some who sing songs and others that dance with the devil (I have no idea what that means). So please join us and enjoy us, delicious food, both cheap and expensive beer, and maybe the most comfortable seating (since Fred’s Beanbag Chair Lounge) that your ass has ever had the pleasure to plop itself in!

Oh, by the way, this is a very romantic spot, perfect for making out! So bring your lover or brush your teeth in case you meet a lover during the show. Maybe Ed Lover? Or an Easy Lover, Philip Bailey is the co-owner of this joint (lie!).

More:

• @mrdavehill
• @TurboGrandma
• L’etage
• UsedWigs Radio

See ya Tuesday for crepes, cocktails and some fine performances. From Todd:

Join Team UsedWigs as we welcome DC correspondent, SM Shrake, back to the Philadelphia stage to host a very special Holiday installment of StorySlam. I can’t think of a better way to usher out the old year.

Tuesday, December 28, 8:30 – 10:30 PM
L’Etage
624 South 6th St. Philadelphia, PA

What is StorySlam? That’s easy:

Winner of “Best in Philly,” First Person StorySlams are monthly, real-life-storytelling competitions held at World Cafe Live and L’Etage in Philadelphia. Each month’s theme elicits stories that come from the life experiences of Philly’s storytellers. Who are these local tale spinners? Everyone with a story and a little sense of competition is encouraged to participate – that means YOU!

Enjoy this fun interview with Scott Shrake by Natalie Hope McDonald!

Topics: Advent Calendars, Holiday Parties, The Biggest Sammy Hagar Fan in The World, Joe Walsh, Favorite and Least Favorite Christmas Songs, Rather Have a Human Virus or Computer Virus?, Russ’s Moccasins, Anyone Can Play Bass, Shopping with Golems, Robert DeNiro, SNL, The Camera Work of Lawrence Welk and Crepes!

Preview:

• “Wasn’t Bing Crosby racist? Yes, his song was originally called ‘White Power Christmas’”
• “How many hours would it take me to learn bass?”

Playlist: Summer Camp, Freebass, Slow Club and Duvall

Play Now: http://www.usedwigs.com/pod/podcast83.mp3

iTunes: Download, Listen and Subscribe

Podcast Website: www.usedwigsradio.com

Podcast Video: http://www.ustream.tv

Hey Philly, remember last year when that big old Hollywood movie was filming here and we were mildly excited to stalk see Reese Witherspoon, Paul Rudd, Jack Nicholson and that Wilson brothers (Mookie, I believe)? And remember no one really knew what the film was about? Well, sadly, now we know.

It’s about good-looking, bland white people being bland and white. Two guys, one cupcake. Who will she pick? I’m guessing one of them. I don’t think we care. Hopefully Rudd’s reliable humor and Reese’s reliable chin will keep us entertained while we watch and say, “Hey, there’s that swanky place in Philly we never go to” and “Yeah, she is kind of looking more and more like Amy Poehler.”

One thing I know for sure, it won’t be the greatest WitherRudd film ever. Because this exists:

“They’ve got 24 hours to stop a package, prevent a disaster,
and fall in love.”

Spoiler Alert: They did not stop the package and both died before they fell in love. The package contained extra-large, face-eating fire ants.

]]> http://usedwigs.com/how-do-you-know-trailer/feed/ 2 http://usedwigs.com/tompkast/ http://usedwigs.com/tompkast/#comments Mon, 02 Aug 2010 01:41:15 +0000 Jeff http://usedwigs.com/?p=9994 I just listened to "The Pod F. Tompkast" and I'm glad to report it is a funny (better be!) and promising first effort. I'm a big fan of the Philly-born and bred comedian and after years of hearing him politely bust balls and dish on the inner workings of the comedy world on numerous radio shows and podcasts, I was excited to hear what kind of show he would put together.]]>

Paul F. Tompkins, America’s favorite and most frequent comedy podcast guest, now has his very own downloadable pod-based show. I just listened to “The Pod F. Tompkast” and I’m glad to report it is a funny (better be!) and promising first effort. I’m a big fan of the Philly-born and bred comedian and after years of hearing him politely bust balls and dish on the inner workings of the comedy world on numerous radio shows and podcasts, I was excited to hear what kind of show he would put together.

I was picturing a podcast that wears a big bow tie and a bowler and spews old-timey carnival music with lots of bullhorn and funny voices.

Thankfully, it does not do that. (Okay, there are some funny voices.) The Tompkast (love that name) has an intimate late night vibe replete with gentle background ivory tickling and a silky smooth delivery by the host. Tompkins contrasts this coziness with a somewhat creepy electronic voice (Hal 9000ish) guiding you through the show. Nice touch.

The show starts off strong with Tompkins’ free flowing, grammar checking, slightly giddy/slighty sleepy welcome spiel that gives you a good idea of his sense of humor: smart, self-deprecating and confident. It quickly segues into the show’s best segment, a little chat between Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber and rapper/bad actor Ice-T. Little known fact: they’re BFFs. I’m at loss for words to describe just how much I enjoy Tompkins’ less than spot-on impressions (can’t wait for Danny Glover next).

Tompkins has performed these two characters many times, most notably on Comedy-Death-Ray Radio (my favorite comedy cast out there) and the Superego podcast. When I want to sell my friends on comedy podcasts, I immediately point them to the Comedy Death-Ray episode where host Scott Aukerman chats with Ice-T about his new reality show, Crib Death. “It combines my love of flipping houses with my love of blowing things up.” Tompkins’ lisp-filled lewdness is gold.

Back to The Tompkast. Tompkins follows the celeb convo with a taped stage bit from one of his February Largo appearances highlighting the absurdity of the poorly-functioning Google Voice email translator, while funny, it went on a wee bit too long. It was great to hear Tim Meadows make an appearance, though. I love that guy and want to see more of him on the TV.

Tompkins then plays a phone interview with and old friend of his, comedian Jen Kirkman. I’m only familiar with Kirkman from The Best Show on WFMU where she calls in frequently. She usually comes off as a bit scattered or confused. That’s pretty much how this interview went. It’s was pleasant enough but meandering, not enough back and forth. Steering guests off of long tangents is a skill. Guys like Tom Scharpling (Best Show), Scott Auckerman and even Doug Benson make hosting comedy shows and setting up guests seem easy, it’s because of their experience and masterful ability to move the shows along and know when to bail or roll with a bit.

That said, I think Tompkins would do wonderfully with a guest or two in studio where the the conversation would be more natural. I’m sure that’s in the the works for future episodes.

Tompkins ends the cast with a hilariously long segment plugging his upcoming shows, warning against do-it-yourself family dentistry and thanking everyone — and  I’m talking everyone — who helped him launch the show, even the riddle-spewing troll who lives in the alley behind Largo. You can tell he’s having a ball (lots of giggling and talking to himself) and does not want the show to end. Like a late night phone call with your funny drunk pal, you don’t want to hang up either.

Hoping he’ll do another one. Not always the case with much heralded comedian-based podcasts. They take a good bit of work to produce and the hosts get bored easily. We’ll see.

Listen here or on iTunes.

Hi friends, when my pixel-pushing butt is not sitting in front of a computer, it likes to go out for a run and take the rest of me with it. Sometimes I participate in races so I can get the cool t-shirts and the not-so-cool swag bags full of useless trinkets and paper products (that I immediately throw out). Sometimes I join a race to support a good cause. Like now.

I’m trying to raise some funds for Back on My Feet, a great nonprofit that promotes self-sufficiency for the homeless. I’m doing so by running a long race called the 20in24. I’m part of a 5-member team, “The State Chomps,”  that will run a total of 126 miles in 24 hours (25.2 miles per person) and then drink a lot and moan about being sore and old.

Here’s a  little interview the fine folks at Back on My Feet did with me. (If you’re looking for great training tips and inspiration, this probably won’t help.)

Please give $5 if you can or if you donate a sizable chunk of change, I’ll wear one of your company’s shirts to promote your biz during the run! Or a hat, or a stylish halter top or a bear suit… whatever it takes! This is a great cause. Click this link to make an easy online donation:

PLEASE SPONSOR ME

Thanks so much, I really appreciate it!

Jeff