Never become a bitter turd, no matter what happens to you.   For the first time in 37 years I had to cancel show due to illness because I got Covid 19! I am fully vaccinated so I felt bullet proof and hugged way too many people at the shows in Las Vegas last week. Fortunately I was about to perform at Brad Garrett's comedy club in Las Vegas when I found out that I had it. Brad Garrett is one of the most loving & generous people in show business & the glorious humans who work at his club are like family to me. I was allowed to stay at the MGM Grand hotel & quarantine here. The first few days I felt like a truck had run me over & the big jacuzzi tub in the room was a great relief to my body aches. Las Vegas is currently a hot bed for the Delta variant & it got me. Now this is just one more thing that I have survived. In this episode I talk about how the last 8 days of quarantine have been, the beautiful memorial celebrating the life of Carl LaBove that I spoke at that was held at Brad Garrett's comedy club on July 18. I tell you here about the legacy of the bright soul that was Carl LaBove is to never become a bitter turd, no matter what happens to you. I also talk about the influence that Annick Piel had on me, she was the mother of my first adult love story Nathalie & Annick recently passed away in Paris. With my girlfriend sitting beside me we talk about the Westwood Village memorial cemetery where we saw the graves of Rodney Dangerfield and Marilyn Monroe. We also talk about seeing Kool & the Gang at the Hollywood Bowl & seeing Charley Crockett at the Belly Up in Solana Beach. Going to cemetery's remind you to live & so does getting Covid 19. I'm ready to live & bust out of the MGM in Las Vegas & be rejuvenated & healed in the wilderness. The great wide open West stands open before me. I'm ready to breath easy among the mountains. Special thanks to Brad Garrett for paying me this week even though I didn't do any shows. I'm grateful for the people in my life & that is the best thing I learned during this illness. God bless the good hearted true friends! Hollywood be thy name!   patreon.com/tomrhodesradiosmartcamp

Tom Rhodes Radio Smart Camp

344 I Got It!

Comedians are not fixing the world, we are making fun of it.   Bassem Youssef was a successful heart surgeon in Egypt before he left his career in medicine to become the Jon Stuart of the Middle East. His version of The Daily Show became one of the most controversial shows in the history of television. He was arrested, interrogated and had his life seriously threatened as can be seen in the documentary about what he went through called Tickling Giants. Bassem is one of the bravest comedians who ever lived in my opinion and when his life was being threatened by every kind of fanatic every day in Cairo he told me "I never feared for my life, I would fear the reaction on Twitter. If people tell you you are not funny, that is worse than a bullet." "In the history of the world, people have always done atrocities in the name of God, and they always give a justification for it." After leaving Egypt he started doing stand up in Boston and now he is crushing audiences in Los Angeles. See him this weekend June 25 & 26, 2021 @ The Brea Improv. I worked with Bassem a few months ago and I howled with laughter at his excellently written and crafted material. His goal now is to have an hour special on Netflix as a testimony that he could bounce back from what happened to him in his home country. The ability to reinvent yourself is an opportunity that most people don't have. Don't live in the past and don't listen to advice. Make a new friend today and get to know your new favorite comedian Bassem Youssef here on Tom Rhodes Radio Smart Camp! You will become a smiley person just like Bassem after listening to this episode. Joy be upon you and happy summer time 2021!   patreon.com/tomrhodesradiosmartcamp

343 Bassem Youssef

Laughter literally began in our species as a gesture of shared relief at the passing of danger.   The state of California just lifted the restrictions that have been in place for the past 15 months and a big collective sigh of relief along with hardy laughter is ours for now. I celebrated life getting back to normal by seeing the Dodgers at Dodger stadium and it felt so good to gather in a large group of humans again. In this episode I talk about visiting my mom in Florida and the loud Mustang that I rented that was so embarrassing to drive I took it back to the airport to get another car. Because California has so many natural disasters my mom gave me a "Life Straw" and even though I make fun of its concept it just might save my life one day. The three documentaries I recommend you watch in this order are 'The night James Brown saved Boston', 'Soul Power' and "When we were kings'. I talk about how Japan has the longest life expectancy in the world and how in Japan the birth rate is so low that they sell more adult diapers there than they do baby diapers. Also, in Japan black cats are considered good luck. I end this episode with a charming story of why I've held a grudge against the band The Monkees for so long and why now I can finally forgive them. Summer is here and the masks are finally coming off, hooray and hallelujah!   patreon.com/tomrhodesradiosmartcamp

342 Forgiving The Monkees

Peron means bad ass & other things worth knowing. Last week I was contacted by a listener named Big John who wanted to trade me his baseball cards for anything I could think of. I decided to trade him something that I loved greatly for his cards and to introduce him to my favorite tacos in Los Angeles. Enjoy this conversation I had with a new friend and if you are in Los Angeles, head straight to #tacos1986 as often as you can. Joy be upon you and hooray for humanity! patreon.com/tomrhodesradiosmartcamp.com

341 Tacos 1986 with Big John

Life is like a butterfly... One minute you are floating along and then the next... thummppp! Windshield.   This past week two men that I love dearly dropped dead. Gerke Nauta was the director of the first two seasons of the Kevin Masters Late Night show that I did in Amsterdam. He taught me how to be a television host and how to look into the cold black lense of the camera and speak warmly to the people watching at home. Gerke Nauta changed the course of my life when he and Jason Tegelaar chose me to be the star of their show. Another great loss to me was the death of Carl Labove. Before I ever met him he was my hero for his mastery of stand up comedy and then in the course of our friendship he was a never ending source of positive energy and an example of someone who never let hardship rob him of his joy for living or diminish his sparkle in any way. Both of these men are heroes to me in the story of my life and I praise, remember and celebrate them in this episode. I also talk about how I fell in love with the Toronto Blue Jays and why Bo Bichette is the Tom Rhodes of baseball. Furthermore I talk about why you shouldn't feed squirrels salted nuts, how to  solve the homeless crisis in Los Angeles and the most annoying thing that the artist Rembrandt did to his wife. There is new hope for the planet now that summer is arriving and because more people are getting vaccinated it means that it won't be long before we are allowed to gather in groups again to celebrate the best parts of being human. Hooray for humanity and joy be upon you!   Patreon.com/tomrhodesradiosmartcamp Youtube.com/kingofhaha

340 Death Strikes Again

I woke up April 5 at 4:44am to a 4.0 earthquake. Some days the world just tells you to wake up early. The meaning of Easter  is that Jesus rose from the dead and I like that we can use that as inspiration to rise from back from the dead in areas of our own lives. If you have been defeated, beaten down or immobilized for whatever reason in your life you can still rise back up as long as you have breath in your lungs. In this episode I give you rollerskating news and the hummingbird update. I'll teach you why those old knives might not be as bad as you think they are and why driving a Toyota Camry hybrid is so fucking hot. I will tell you about the moment of enlightenment I achieved last week in Las Vegas and explain to you Georgia voting restrictions caused me to purchase the entire Dodgers 2021 season from mlb.com. I will watch every delicious pitch this year as an act of political defiance. For educational purposes I will teach you how to properly use the phrase: "Stand down whitey! This is not the slave market." My most fervent entertainment recommendations goes to the brilliant acting in Pen 15, Promising Young Woman and Sound of Metal. Each of those productions are entertainment glory and you should digest them into your bosom. After I put you to bed with a slice from The Daily Stoic I will tell you my best personal news regarding the pandemic. Spring forward into life.

339 Pray for DMX

A Sapiosexual is someone who is attracted to intelligence. After listening to this episode you will become more intelligent & therefore more attractive to Saposexuals.   After months of not putting out a podcast I am finally joyful enough to record a new episode. This episode is called Mostly Sunny because it is mostly about happy topics. Here I give you the knowledge of the orange Rufous hummingbird that spends its entire life in a constant state of migration. Also you will learn about the snuggly curious facts about sloths to the disturbing pervert tendencies of the Borneo moth. I rejoice in the story of how a movie I once tried to make years ago and the footage that I owned but did not possess for 15 years, a story that once brought me grief, now makes me happy because I am now posting this entire movie one vintage short clip at a time on social media. You will also hear the story of the 12 year old boy in New England who wants to be a comedian and has been seeking my advice.   As Spring arrives with the singing birds informing the farmers it is time to plant their seeds there is so much to be happy about as the warm weather and flowers arrive. In my personal life the update is that my mother is among the people who do not wish to get the vaccine. I think that the right wing media led by Trump and Fox news will be to blame if she falls ill. I also think that the Republican party should be banned as the violent Nazi hate group that it is and that is the not so sunny part of my current episode. I only say that because of my overall love of humanity and because they are now putting my mother's life in danger with their lies and misinformation campaigns. Mom hugs are the answer to all of life's problems so let's all hug our mothers as often as we can while we can. Joy be upon you now and forever!   Go to Patreon.com/tomrhodesradiosmartcamp for goodies

338 Mostly Sunny

The best thing that you can do with bad memories is to pave over them with good ones.   Have you ever had your brain completely fucked by something that you witnessed? It happened to me last week and I now see that I have been misusing the word traumatized my whole life because I was truly traumatized by what I saw. If you have a weak stomach for harsh stories then this episode might not be for you. These are very hard times for a lot of people so I tried to pack a lot of sunshine in this episode as I always do but there is a doozy of a head fuck story coming your way here. My girlfriend experienced this trauma with me and she shares her side of this story with me and how we have been caring for each other since. I also share the philosophy of Seneca and the Stoics, my thoughts on the passing of Diego Maradona, Trump being the biggest snowflake of them all, how to deal with angry pick up trucks in rural areas, what not to do when driving through a blizzard and the mating habits of frogs. There is also the story of how a horse fell in love with me in Oregon and how being among animals can be a powerful healing medicine. The best thing you can do with bad memories is to pave over them with good ones. Hooray for the compassionate and hooray for humanity! 

337 Experiencing Trauma

Not being dead is the number one reason to remain cheerful.   My girlfriend and I fled Portland last month because of the fires and unbreathable air. For the past month we have been in Los Angeles finding the simple things in life like miniature golf, the zoo and the beach to combat the fear, confusion and uncertainty that dominates life at this moment. There are still many reasons to be cheerful and in this episode my girlfriend and I take you on a stroll through some of the recent joys we have experienced in spite of the fact that we had a near death experience while playing in the Pacific ocean. There are so many things that beat you down in life and disturb our fragile little minds so it is essential to be reminded of the good things in life once in a while. So put on your happy pants and let's get giggly with Tom Rhodes Radio Smart Camp. Joy be upon you!

336 Reasons to be cheerful

Let me tell you all about Oregon & why you should be listening to Bootsy Collins & Curtis Mayfield right now. Praise be to the plum wine man! I was playing the Rick James song 'Busting Out' when I crossed the border from California into Oregon. My girlfriend lives in Portland and for the past month we have been going on driving adventures all over Oregon. I had planned on exploring France this year but that got canceled so instead I am enjoying all of the best that there is to see in Oregon. This episode starts in Whale Cove, then on to Ona Beach then back to Portland. I have circled Oregon and I have some stories to share with you. From Crater Lake and Cannon Beach to the Last Blockbuster in Bend and seeing 'The Outsiders' at a drive in movie theater in Newberg I have been squeezing joy out of this last bit of summer. I went to Plush, Oregon just because I loved the name and slept in a grocery store parking lot in Lake View. On the news Portland looks like a lawless hellhole right now but those skirmishes all happen downtown and I have found the best places in this city  to relax with minimal pandemic stress. Let me tell you all about Oregon and why you should be listening to Bootsy Collins and Curtis Mayfield right now. Praise be to the man who makes plum wine and gin! Hooray for humanity! Joy be upon you! Shalom Amigos!

335 Oregon Is My France

Grab some fruit and let me take you to Peru.   Have you eaten a peach lately?  Try eating slices of one while alternating bites with slices of mango. If you can do it while sitting in your underwear in the sun like I did then you are a true champion of summer in my book. In this episode I talk about Willie Nelson's new record 'First Rose Of Spring', George Carlin, The Wrong Missy, Eurovison Song Contest, Mean Girls, Booksmart, John Muir and his use of the word "Sambo", The Portland Riots and the leaf blowers sending back the CS gas to the unmarked federal agents. I also talk about my book that I'm writing and read to you one of the best parts of my Peru chapter. What could be better than that? Hearing all about my best moment while filming for a Travel TV show in Peru on assignment. Let your brain relax and allow my words to take you to Amantani island on Lake Titicaca. I got to experience the sacred ceremony of Pacha Mama (Mother Earth) with the local villagers and I wrote all about it for my book and now your ears. Grab some fruit and let's share this happy summer moment together. If you can listen to this episode with fresh summer fruits while sitting in your underwear in the sun all the better. Enjoy every sunset. Hooray for humanity!

334 Peach Mango Peru

The best thing you can do with bad memories is to pave over them with good ones.   This was my mom's last week in California so after four months of not leaving my neighborhood I rented a car and we blazed up the highway to Sequoia national park. During a life threatening virus outbreak it is good to look at 3,000 year old Sequoia trees and be reminded that the earth survives and life goes on.  We learned what not to do if you are attacked by a bear, cougar or struck by lightning. Our next trip to the Huntington library was a bust and we were turned away for not having reservations. For the 4th of July we drove up to Santa Barbara and discovered this gem of Spanish architecture with a gorgeous beach and vibrant pier. Because the fireworks were canceled we drove back home in time to catch all of the illegal fireworks being shot off that can be seen from my building. Thank God for the criminals of Los Angeles who provided the celebratory entertainment. On our last day today my mom crushed me 237-210 in our Mom and Tom Scrabble championship and she will take home the trophy. I'm thankful that I have spent these past four months with my mom, it is a memory that we will always cherish in that we survived it all together and nothing could make me happier than for my mom to thump me at Scrabble on our last day when it counted most. Her smile as she held up the trophy is a sight that made my heart glow. I will be lonely when she leaves but it is my pleasure to present to you now the one and only Sara Rhodes, my mom! Shalom amigos y amigas and long may you run!

333 Mom's California Adventure

In this bleak and anxious world there is still so much joy and beauty to discover.   My mom and I have successfully completed watching every art and educational program that I have and here and now we will delight you with all of the knowledge that we have just learned. In this episode we talk about Matisse, Picasso, Eugene Delacriox, Toulouse Lautrec, Antonio Guadi, Mother hummingbirds, Birds of Paradise and big cats. Our conversation reaches its crescendo of excitement when we talk about lions, cheetahs, jaguars, pumas, leopards and lynx. Many minds will be blown when you hear about the little known facts of the big cat family and hearts will be warmed when you learn about our favorite trees in my neighborhood, which are the African Tulip tree, the Monterey Cypress tree and the Persian Silk tree. Give your brain a ride on easy street with all of the best knowledge that my mother and I have gathered for you this week. Hooray for moms! Hooray for humanity! And as my mom would say, yay us!

332 Yay Us!

With helicopters circling overhead, I wish you a happy end of slavery day! My mom is a true champion and the current reigning champion of our Scrabble competition. Mother and child is one of the eternal themes of art and that is the theme of my podcast right now as my mother and I search the history of world art to bring you the happiest and most interesting stories we could find for you this week. In this episode we talk about how art made the world, Stonehenge, Persepolis, Alexander the Great, Roman Emperor Augustus and Gilgamesh.  We then take you on a tour of Vatican City and The Louvre before ending with a celebration of the life of Georgia O'Keefe and her scandals that rocked the art world when she was a young artist and another when she was a mature artist. In my never ending search for heroes I'm happy to present you with these words: "A hero can not define himself a hero. A hero is defined by the actions they undergo. A hero is defined by the events that happen to them. The spiritual and moral response is what makes a hero." 

331 Champion Mom

During the rut the males exhibit tough guy behavior in order to attract a mate, me myself I always preferred dancing.   In these frightening uncertain times it is always good to be reminded of the good that humans have done while working together. That is why my mom and I have been watching the PBS docu series 'Great Museums of America'. In this episode we talk about and celebrate the best stories and information we learned from: The Metropolitan Museum of Art The Colorado History Museum The California Surf Museum The Molly Brown House The Gene Autry Museum of Western Heritage The Museum of Modern Art The George Eastman House The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum The Smithsonian Institute The Morris Museum of Art The National Zoo The Franklin Institute The Whale Museum The New York City Fire Department Museum The Henry Ford Museum "Everything is soon to be history, therefore everything is collectable." Strive to be a better human in all that you do. Shalom Amigos y amigas!

330 Pampered Suffering

Tom Rhodes Radio Smart Camp is a festival of ideas, knowledge, stories, books & adventures. I have been a comedian for more than 30 years. I travel the world doing comedy. I almost drowned in Thailand, got maced in Paris and had my own Late Night Talkshow in the Netherlands. Whenever I can I will share my adventures & knowledge nuggets with you on this Tom Rhodes Radio Smart Camp podcast. Become a patron of the podcast and get exclusive goodies! https://www.patreon.com/tomrhodesradiosmartcamp

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Tom Rhodes Radio Smart Camp

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