WDEK Podcast Ep. 62: Maeve Higgins, Hari Kondabolu and Camille Harris - August 28, 2018 →

We Don't Even Know Ep. 62 live at Red Room hosted by Shonali Bhowmik and guest co-host comedian Greg Johnson with special guests comedian Maeve Higgins, comedian Hari Kondabolu and musician Camille Harris. Get It Off Your Chest with our audience member Maggy Adeleye.  

Special guest co-host comedian Greg Johnson joins Shonali to host Ep. 62 of WDEK Live at Red Room while Christian Felix is away on the hottest night of the year so far.  Greg, Shonali and Christian met while working on a huge case at a Manhattan law firm which is why the word "chron" makes them giddy.   Greg was our Ep. 17 guest 5 years ago on 9/10/13. Greg Johnson's #1 is the first stand-up comedy album to be released by Little Lamb Recordings, Shonali's label. 

Our first guest is comedian, author and actress Maeve Higgins.  Maeve first impressed Shonali with her sparkly sandals but Maeve's undeniable wit and intelligence are what sealed the deal in their friendship.  We discuss Maeve's new book Maeve In America along with worldly topics like vagina extensions, M&M world, mental illness, Irish America and the seduction of being white.

Comedian Hari Kondabolu FINALLY is a guest on WDEK live.  The discussion starts out light regarding signing autographs and wet t-shirt contests and things get serious when Shonali confesses she was a prom queen and mathlete in high school.  Hari has a new Netflix special out called Warn Your Relatives and TruTV documentary The Problem With Apu.  Most importantly, Hari and Shonali both have brilliant mothers.   

Our audience member Maggy Adeleye joins us for our Get It Off Your Chest segment.  We discuss using the word "sweetie", saying you are "color-blind" and being asked to be co-host for WDEK on a day when the heat index is 99 degrees in NYC.

Our final guest is Camille Harris!  She is a musician, writer, teacher, comedian and actress.  Camille came to NYC as a former prom queen and international baccalaureate. Prom queens unite! She wrote a musical called Muffin Man and has been recently working on a children's album called Silly Jazz with Camille.  She is not on social media. Impressive, right? Camille performs two songs in the Red Room, Trying Something New and Baby On The Subway.

Also Shonali has a band called Tigers and Monkeys which has a new album coming out on Sept. 17, 2018.  It is called Saturday Destroyer.  Tigers and Monkeys will be the musical guest on the September 18th WDEK Live show.

 

 

Direct download: WDEK_Ep._62_.mp3
Category:general, comedy, good+times -- posted at: 2:44pm EDT

WDEK Podcast Ep. 61: Sunita Mani, Myka Fox & Shannon Wright - July 24, 2018 →

Guest co-host Jordan Clifford joins Shonali for Episode 61 while Christian Felix is in Singapore doing who knows what. Jordan helps Shonali analyze her disgusting dream. Our first guest is actress, dancer, comedian Sunita Mani. Shonali and Sunita are family friends. Jordan and Sunita were in the same crew together in college at Emerson College. Jordan tried to make Sunita cry once. We discuss Sunita's success as an actress (Mr. Robot, GLOW) and if it has gone to her head. Look for Sunita in No Activity. Out of nowhere, a podcast protestor interrupts our show! Our second guest is comedian, writer & producer Myka Fox. Myka just celebrated her birthday and Shonali forces Myka to tell a depressing story about a specific past birthday. Find out whether Myka ever had an ex-boyfriend help her move? Myka has the best Twitter account & you must follow her. Check out Myka's Friday night weekly show at the Cobra Club called Live From Outer Space. Sidenote: Have you seen the PBS documentary on Maya Angelou? It's on Netflix now. Ep. 61 Get It Off Your Chest is with audience member Ricky Trabucco. We have some good ones: airplane boarding eagerness, people with clipboards & purchasing lottery tickets. Our final guest is musician Shannon Wright. Shannon is a guitarist, pianist, singer-songwriter and her performances are raw, emotional, breathtaking and powerful all at one moment. Shonali & Shannon are long time friends who just discovered they both sold ice cream and were accused of stealing as adolescents. Shannon is shy. Shannon is a prolific artist who is starting work on her 11th solo album. She is adored by the likes of Jordan Clifford, Steve Albini, Yann Tiersen and recently composed the music for French director Guillaume Nicloux's To The Ends Of The World. Listen to Shannon Wright perform Avalanche live at We Don't Even Know.

WDEK Podcast Ep. 60: Ahna Tessler, Jon Glaser and Rebecca Vigil - June 26, 2018 →

We celebrate our 60th episode of We Don't Even Know with special guests comedian and family documentary photographer Ahna Tessler; comedian, writer, actor and director Jon Glaser; and improv musician and comedian Rebecca Vigil.  Shonali & Christian applaud the  awesome audience in attendance at WDEK Live for getting out of the fetal position and making it to the show while the news cycle continues to kick all of our asses.  Our first guest of the night is comedian, actress and photographer Ahna Tessler.  She is also a mother and we all agree doesn't get enough attention these days.  We told her she could swear as much as she wanted during the taping.  Ahna's longtime comedy partner Lauren Engle was in attendance at the show.  They are legends. Ahna has made so many fantastic videos which she calls 'dumb' but we call hysterical.  There was a little controversy surrounding Ahna's breastfeeding video.  Check out Ahna's beautiful family photography. She is humble and doesn't brag about it bc she is a woman. 

Photo by Daria Huxley

Our next guest, Jon Glaser is a comedian, actor, writer and star of Jon Glaser Loves Gear and also the Adult Swim show Neon Joe, Werewolf Hunter. Jon is a powerhouse in the comedy world.  As you expected, Jon has lots of gear.  We get the low low low low down on how Jon came up with the idea for the show Neon Joe, Werewolf Hunter.  It's so dumb.  We love it.  Shonali and Jon used to jam together and after you hear Jon's new summertime hit tune you will understand why they are ready to take the show on the road.

During #GetItOffYourChest with audience member Michael McMenamin, we learn that you must make sure the washing machine is fully drained before putting in your clothes.  Christian uses the words 'fecal air.' Gross. Shonali's rants about unnecessarily expensive fashion choices. 

Our final guest of the evening is improv musician and actress Rebecca Vigil .  Rebecca went to 13 different schools and still sings about love.  She's remarkable for many reasons, but we are super impressed with her big winnings while on a game show. Two of our lucky audience members, Sergio Douglas and Maggy Adeleye were interviewed by Rebecca on stage and then ....well listen to see what happened, will you?

Direct download: WDEK_Ep._60_.mp3
Category:general, comedy, good+times -- posted at: 3:14pm EDT

WDEK Podcast Ep. 59: Emily Flake, H Jon Benjamin & Rob Townsend - May 29, 2018 →

Welcome to our 59th Episode of WDEK Podcast. Justin the intern starts the live show on a Tuesday night at the Red Room in NYC! Christian just returned from father's retirement party in Chicago. Shonali just returned from Nashville where she kept up with the news about a racist crazy tv star and her tweets. What's it like to have your creative work rejected in person to your face over and over? 

We ask our first guest that question. She is cartoonist, illustrator, writer and performer Emily Flake.  She has "cobbled" together a living as a cartoonist for a long time now. She's come a long way from being an ad sales person for alt weekly New York Blade to becoming a successful cartoonist who has had hundreds of her works featured in the New Yorker.  She's written a book about parenting called Mama Tried. She's a parent who refreshingly doesn't think being a parent is the MOST awesome thing in the world. How cool is that? Look out for her upcoming YA (Young Adult) book she's working on now, a fictional fanzine from 1992.

Our second guest is H. Jon Benjamin, a comedian, actor and writer probably most famous for his work as the voice of Bob in Bob's Burgers and the voice of Archer in Archer.  Benjamin as Shonali calls him (they are old friends) used to host a comedy show in the East Village called Midnight Pajama Jam. It was the best. JB's written a book that just came out called Failure is An Option: An Attempted Memoir.  Shonali's been listening to the audiobook and loves it.  She is intrigued by Jon Benjamin's love for disco, roller skating and disco balls.  Jon explains what the main take away from his book is in two words.

We Get It Off Our Chest with illustrator musician Marcellus Hall who refuses to rap with us.

Our final guest is musician, singer, songwriter Rob Townsend.  Rob is originally from Spartanburg, SC.  He's also a part time sailing instructor and may be the only gay sailing captain on the Hudson. We like the idea of a gay sailboat. We discuss the difficulty of selling music during an era where everyone gets their music free.  Rob moved to NYC from Austin, TX where he was in a folk band.  His music has changed drastically.  He is humble and self deprecating but we think he's awesome. He sings an original song called Clatskanie and a Randy Newman tune called Short People! Welcome to our new sound engineer Ezana Million! ENJOY!!! Photo by Daria Huxley.

Direct download: WDEK_Chapters_Ep._59.mp3
Category:general, comedy, good+times -- posted at: 12:14pm EDT

WDEK Podcast Ep. 58: Sanjit De Silva, Alison Leiby & Graham Norwood - April 3, 2018

Episode 58 was taped on April 3, 2018 - the 50th Anniversary of MLK's" I've Been to the Mountaintop" final speech.  Shonali & Christian have been traveling.  When was the last time you stayed in a hostel.  Our first guest is actor, writer & director Sanjit De Silva who recently closed out a run at New York Theater Workshop starring in the play An Ordinary Muslim written by Hammaad Chaudry.  After working for 15 years as an actor, the play was his first time to be in a majority brown people cast. We talk breaking our parents hearts and the glamorous life of a working actor. Pat Alvarado joins us for our Get It Off Your Chest segment or does he? Our second guest is comedian & writer Alison Leiby.  Alison wrote for Comedy Central's The President Show and currently writes for Jordan Klepper's The Opposition. Find out what Alison thinks about Christian's solar system shirt.  She shares her recent dealings with Twitter trolls and how a near death experience led her to comedy. Alison has great advice for up and coming female comedians.  Our impromptu Get It Off Your Chest guest Tim Ewing also has words for Christian's shirt. Our final guest is musician Graham Norwood. Graham, who is legally blind, started to focus on his own solo project only two years ago after spending 15 years working on the music of other artists.  Outside of music, Graham is the Director for the Foundation and Corporate Relations for the Partnership for The Homeless.  Wow! Graham sings two songs for us including Collapses to Zero and Lazarus Avenue.  

Direct download: WDEK_Ep._58.mp3
Category:general, comedy, good+times -- posted at: 12:13am EDT

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WDEK Podcast Ep. 57: Melena Ryzik, Emily Wells & Danielle Gray - February 8, 2018 →

While we've been mourning the close of our former WDEK podcast home, the HiFi Bar we are excited to host our first show of 2018 at Caveat, a new speakeasy space in LES which showcases "intelligent nightlife." Yeah, we know what you are thinking.  Let us be delusional for a little while, will you? Christian and Shonali discuss good (not so good depending on who you are talking to) times had at the MLK tribute at BAM, the NYC Women's march and Barry's Bootcamp. Below is the pic we shared of Christian from the Women's March during the show.  Our first guest is New York Times reporter Melena Ryzik.  Melena is a bad ass NYC bicylist.  Find out why she had to get fingerless gloves.  Melena is a journalist at the forefront of covering the MeToo movement and sexual harassment in the entertainment world (Louis CK, Russell Simmons.)  We get into it.  Christian says he wants to listen .... let's see how long. 

Our second guest is a Russian Hacker* Eugeny Smith who happened to be in our audience during the show just as Shonali suspected.  He not only confesses to reading Shonali's emails but he reads them to the world. So embarrassing.  

Our third guest is multi instrumentalist, composer, producer, visual artist Emily Wells.  Emily's work is stunning.  She describes growing up with a Music Minister father, building a world around her during her performance, choreographer Pina Bausch and her love of what she does. Purchase Emily's music asap!  Emily performs two songs for us at the end of the show. 

Uta Seibicke joins us for Get It Off Your Chest!  Man of The Woods, adults charmed by their young children's bathroom breaks, and the subway are our topics of conversation.

Our last guest is Danielle Gray, former Obama Cabinet Secretary and Senior Adviser to President Obama. Kudos to her for making it to the show on what was for her a very tough night (listen to Ep to find out why.)  Danielle tells us what is was like for her working at the White House. She also gives us some insight as to how during this past year she stays focused on causes she believes in and stays a good distance from social media.  Have you heard of 3 Card Monte? Danielle a real New Yorker knows what it is.  

WDEK Podcast Ep. 56: Mike Stuto, Jennie Reilly Romer & Chaney Sims - Oct. 24, 2017

Episode 56 is a momentous occasion, with the news that HiFi will close at the end of October 2017, this is the last time we will tape our show in our beloved home space.  Currently we are looking for another home and expect to return to a new space live in front of an audience in January of 2018. Christian & Shonali open the show with quality conversation about bunions, butts and adult day care. Our first guest is lawyer, environmental activist and national carryout bag expert Jennie Reilly Romer.  After helping San Francisco and Los Angeles enact laws on plastic bag policy, Jennie moved to New York with the mission of doing the same thing here.  She came really close!  Jennie explains why these thin plastic bags are so problematic, what we can do to help (plasticbaglaws.org); who is lobbying against the policy and how Christian did the wrong thing by putting the plastic bags in the recycling bin.  We salute Jennie on her work and look forward to her to running for New York City Council! Go Jennie.   With the news that HiFi will close at the end of October, we are excited celebrate the man who created this safe haven for indie rock n roll bands in the mid 90's, East Village neighbors in the 2000's  and podcasters and comedians in the late 2010's.  Here is a special interview with the owner of HiFi (formerly the legendary East Village rock club Brownies) Mike Stuto.  Find out about Mike's time as a club owner who had do idea what he was doing. There were good times (David Bowie, Debbie Harry, Mel Brooks) and bad (Sugar Ray, Milemarker) but Mike has always managed to this day to bring together a community that is heavily indebted to him for giving them a space to create, learn, unite, celebrate and collaborate.   After listening quiz: What band made Mike want to work in rock n' roll?  Our final guest is Grammy nominated singer and storyteller Chaney Sims.  Like Mike, Chaney is a native New Yorker and the East Village was her playground.  She is the daughter of a great blues musician, Bill Sims Jr. with whom she performs with in the Grammy Nominated Heritage Blues Orchestra.  Her recent solo performance of songs written from her Haiku 365 project at Joe's Pub was with a string orchestral accompaniment by Root Stock Republic.  The performance will be released as a live album recording soon. Listen to Chaney blow you away with her performances of Leadbelly's Go Down, Old Hannah and Nina Simone's C-Line Woman.  Have a great rest of the year and until our next show, do yourself a favor and binge on the many earlier episodes of We Don't Even Know.   

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WDEK Podcast Ep. 55: Catie Lazarus, George Gordon & Lori Scacco

Welcome back Christian! The news today bummed us out to no end so we had to talk about it.  Christian went to Haiti and all he brought back was the Missing Key Story.

Our first guest is comedian, writer and Employee of the Month talk show host Catie Lazarus.  Catie is an expert on germs in the gym. Christian is one on airplane germs.  Catie grew up in DC with a Public Policy White House advisor father and a peace activist brother. Find out how a doctoral student becomes the “funniest resident of NYC.”  Shonali and leftovers don’t go well together.

Comedian George Gordon is from Virginia. He currently supports his comedy by bartending. What makes a great bar patron? Comedian Doug Stanhope changed George’s life. He’s good at doing a “tight five.”

#GetItOffYourChest is back with audience member and former WDEK guest Alan Yaspan! Our last guest is musician Lori Scacco.  Lori and Shonali are old friends who both started their music careers in Atlanta, Georgia. Lori currently has many musical ongoing projects including her own music which she calls “highly orchestrated computer music” and her collaborations such as Storms.  She recently composed music for the Joyce Theater Ballet Festival for dancer Gemma Bonds.  We discuss creative identity, Atlanta, family and the legendary Clermont Lounge.  Lori has an upcoming live show in October. You must go! We play an excerpt from the ballet called The Giving and the first song on her full length Storms album called Wolves and Bells. 

Check out the Latest Episode of We Don’t Even Know!

WDEK Podcast Ep. 53: Becky Yamomoto, Mars Ganito and Mike DuClos - June 27, 2017

We return from our two month break after our WDEK Variety Fest with a Sizzling Summer Show - SSS show - BAM! Is it still considered alliteration if the words start with the same letter although letter doesnt have the same sound - Sss vs sh? Will you look that up for us?  While Christian is away, our special guest host this month is a longtime friend of WDEK; the multi talented (musician, illustrator and writer) Mr. Marcellus Hall! Our first guest is comedian, writer & actress Becky Yamomoto.  Find out how she got to NYC and created a successful career here as a standup & actress although her Mom and Dad never go to her shows.  Her web series Uninspired is one of Shonali’s favorites.

Shonali performs a new song yet to be released called The Dream Is Still Alive with Marcellus on harmonica.  Our second guest is Mars Ganito, guitar player, singer and one of the leaders of the punk pop indie band Aye Nako. We talk about life on the road, growing up in Arkansas within a large family and his love of country music. Mars has described his band’s music as “sad songs about being queer, trans and black,” however we don’t find them so sad. They make us happy.  Reminiscent of the best of early indie rock bands like Superchunk, Helium & Pavement; their sound is ragged, raw and dissonant but also catchy, fresh and original.  Special guest co-host Marcellus Hall performs one of his new tunes called Our Devices.

WDEK’s last guest is Mike DuClos, a brilliant musician who has performed with lots of great bands and musicians   Listen and learn about tourbus etiquette and performing with Joan Baez and Dire Straits.  Mike is what we call a professional musician. He’s even played on Broadway before.  He hated that.  He’s a great storyteller who is known in most circles as being a “wise ass.”  He agrees.  Listen and decide for yourself.  Thanks to all of you who support us and listen to our show.  We have t-shirts for some of you lucky fools! Email us! And lastly Listen to Aye Nako’s Spare Me!

Check out the Latest Episode of We Don’t Even Know!

WDEK Variety Fest - Duane Harriott interviews Alfa Anderson

Our first ever We Don’t Even Know Variety Fest held on April 23, 2017 at DCTV in downtown Manhattan was a smashing success! To all of you who were able to attend - we love you and because of you we are certain to do it all over again next year.  Although we won’t be able to share all of the performances via our podcast format from that day, we are honored to share with you our dear friend, a living music encyclopedia, WFMU’s Duane (Train) Harriott and his interview with soul and dance music icon, one of the original lead vocalists of Chic, the legendary Alfa Anderson.  

Duane explains his spiritual connection to disco and introduces us to the amazing Alfa Anderson.  Alfa talks about coming to New York City from Augusta, Georgia as a young woman seeking a teaching job until the moment she realized she could actually make a living as a singer.   Does the name Luther Vandross ring a bell? “Big” Luther and Alfa used to hang out on a park bench near W. 72nd Street before they became famous! Alfa explains to us how to be “Haughty!”  Duane talks about the music of Chic, how it changed his life and plays another one of his favorite Chic songs including At Last I’m Free.  You will also hear about Alfa’s songwriting process for her brand new solo release, From My Heart and thank goodness she could not resist singing along with her new song titled “When Luther Sings.” Alfa is  truly a magical spirit and we were so humbled by her presence.  We hope you enjoy hearing her as much as we did.  Check out Alfa’s website and her Facebook page here.  Be sure to join us in attendance at Alfa’s upcoming show at Joe’s Pub on 7/7/17 at 7:30pm!  We will see you there.  Special note - this was recorded in a cavernous room & you may hear the sounds of a creaking door throughout the interview.  Probably spirits who just had to join us in the room for the interview perhaps?

Check out the Latest Episode of We Don’t Even Know!

WDEK Podcast Ep. 51: Colin Buckingham, Selena Coppock & M. Lamar - March 27, 2017

Returning from Hawaii to a blizzard has Shonali feeling down.  Leave it to Christian to come up with a story about his jacket to cheer her up.

The Get Out of A Funk episode starts out with special guest actor & performer Colin Buckingham.  Shonali is impressed with Colin’s stage combat skills which he has had to use in real life. Do you know what a “half nelson” is?  If you want to fight a drunk person “take out their knees.”  Colin has a achondroplasia which is a form of dwarfism. We discuss labels, entitlement, empathy and privilege.  In addition to acting professionally on film and tv, Colin has recently joined the cast of Sleep No More.  He is also in a new tv show which he can’t tell us anything about.  Look for him in Black Magic for White Boys at Tribeca Film Festival pilot series.

Our second guest is comedian, writer, actress Selena Coppock.  Selena has a popular twitter feed @NYTvows which makes fun of what she calls the “wedding industrial complex."  She has written a book and she is currently on a television show called Red Oaks on Amazon, but she is yet to release a comedy album.  Well that is until now!  Selena has plans is tape her first live comedy album very soon.  Make sure you are there!

Our last guest is musician & artist M. Lamar.  Lamar opens with a performance of "They Took You From Me” from his latest releast “Funeral Doom Spiritual.”  Originally from Alabama, Lamar has lived as a musician in New York City for the past 10 years.  He is a fan of metal music and classical music and has coined himself “Negro gothic devil worshipping free black man in the blues tradition.”   Find out why and what his mom thinks about that. Lamar comments on how current moments speak to so many other moments of the past, be it police brutality today or being on a slave ship.   Lamar recently performed at National Sawdust in Brooklyn.  The New York Times wrote about it.  Check it out. Christian and Shonali are proud to announce their very first all day We Don’t Even Know Variety Fest to happen Sunday April 23 at DCTV, 87 Lafayette Street. Make plans now to join us and our amazing lineup! 

Check out the Latest Episode of We Don’t Even Know!

WDEK Podcast Ep. 50: Negin Farsad, Mike Recine & Beth Wawerna - Feb. 28, 2017

We celebrate our 50th Episode of WDEK on Mardi Gras with party horns, beads and great guests.  Shonali shares a feel good story about a NYC cabbie. Christian gives us his take on rules for shushing at the movie theater.  We have new WDEK T-Shirts for sale at the show and now online.

Our first guest is a comedian, writer, filmmaker, author, Ted Fellow…the list goes on and on, Negin Farsad.  She made a film which came out in 2014 called The Muslims Are Coming which follows a group of Muslim American comedians as they visit towns all over the US to combat Islamophobia. Turns out it can be exhausting combatting Islamophobia.  She also met Bono and turns out they have something in common.  Negin has a political roundtable podcast called Fake the Nation and wrote a book called How to Make White People Laugh. She is an inspiration.

We play a special WDEK 50th Ep trivia game with our WDEK regular audience member Isabel Restrepo.  Somehow Isabel wins a WDEK t-shirt without passing the quiz.  Our second guest is comedian and writer Mike Recine. Out of the gate Shonali brings up Mike’s side hustle, Recine Brothers Pasta Sauce and wants a jar of sauce.  We are sorry to hear Mike’s grandmother just passed away. Mike is originally from Jersey and the 2016 presidential win threw Mike off his comedy course. He’s been rethinking his views on his people, the working class. “Tastykakes” & “WaWa” are mentioned.  Look for Mike performing stand-up live all over the country or check out Mike’s Comedy Central half hour on Hulu or his Conan guest spots online right now. #GetItOffYourChest features our audience member Stacey Mills who talks about reactions to her camouflage jacket.  Shonali requests being polite to loved ones.  Christian reiterates his shushing policy.  

Our last guest is musician Beth Wawerna of the band Bird of Youth. She and Shonali share a connection to Atlanta and a love of The Rock*A*Teens and The Replacements.  All of which their influences can be heard in her music. A former music journalist, Beth now plays in a band comprised of multi-talented musicians.  They have released two full lengths, Defender and Get Off. She plays two songs, one called Glory Knows and the other titled Dad. Thanks to all who celebrated our 50th Ep with us!  Remember to save the date, April 23rd for our first ever all day WDEK Fest at DCTV in downtown Manhattan.  

Check out the Latest Episode of We Don’t Even Know!

Ep. 49: Amber Tamblyn, Damien Lemon & Ani Cordero

Happy New Year All! Christian and Shonali have brand new haircuts and new resolutions.  A familiar audience member has lots to say about our resolutions.

Our first guest is actress, writer, poet and director Amber Tamblyn.  She comes to us with a Guinness in hand and a baby bump. We discuss her busy schedule this past year which includes a 50+ city tour promoting her own poetry book Dark Sparkler about the lives & deaths of child star actresses.  She toured along with her husband comedian David Cross and they got along perfectly on the road.  Amber is also just finishing up a film festival circuit for the upcoming April release of a film which she wrote and directed, Paint It Black, based on the Janet Fitch novel. Wonder Woman Amber is also currently enjoying writing her first novel while expecting her first baby.

Our second guest is comedian and writer Damien Lemon.  You may have seen him on Guy Code or as the host of TruTv’s Comedy Knockout but he has been performing standup for 11 years.  He knew he was funny when he was 9 years old.  He was influenced by Eddie Murphy, tours lots and always gets the racist report when going to new cities and clubs.  Christian brings up Damien’s visit to The Breakfast Club.  He brings up shellfish.  For 2017, Damien says "trust your gut!“  We #GetItOffOurChest with comedian LeRonn McGowan.  Christian and LeRonn don’t like to talk.

Our last guest is musician, singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Ani Cordero.  Ani grew up splitting her time between San Juan, Puerto Rico and Atlanta, Georgia. Growing up in a family of musicians, Ani has been playing music since she was a kid. She has performed as the drummer of Os Mutantes while also leading her own band Cordero. She is active in promoting social justice & worries about the erosion of civil liberties. Ani released her last album Recordar, an album of Latin American songs of love and protest music and is now about to release her newest album Quierido Mundo,a new album of her own political protest and love songs this coming February 2017.  Check her out singing two songs live in our sh Me Tumba and Choferito 

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Ep. 48: John Roberts Jr. & Eleanor Friedberger - Nov. 29, 2016

It’s a rainy night in NYC, only a few weeks after the election and our mood has taken a turn for the “what the hell happened?"  Christian does in fact return to the show after a two month absence.  He brings us stories regarding cologne and Shonali shares her important scientific findings as to why the election turned out the way it did.  Christian and Shonali been longtime fans of both of our Ep. 49 guests!

Our first guest is comedian, John Roberts Jr. who is gay (don’t worry - he’s out) and an Emmy nominated voice actor for the character Linda Belcher on the show "Bob’s Burgers.” But before that, did you see him on YouTube in one of our all time favorite videos The Christmas Tree. We are so happy John is back from the West Coast where he smoked too much pot and now resides only an hour away from NYC with his two cute dogs, Yoko and Iggy. He’s also back to cooking at home with his mom. Love ya for it John! As we head towards our 50th episode in February and our upcoming WDEK All Day Fest on February 18th, we are looking towards sharing more with you about a youth homeless shelter called The Covenant House.

Listen to Alan Weinroth explain in more detail what this organization does for kids in need. Shonali sings the Neil Young song, “Don’t Let It Bring You Down” and she screws up the lyrics a little. Audience member Anthony Cangelosi joins us on stage for #GetItOffYourChest.  We are currently searching for therapy for him.

Our final guest is musician Eleanor Friedberger (solo performer, member of Fiery Furnaces, & Shonali’s fashion icon.) Her hair is the best! She has been on tour for the past year in support of her latest album “New View” - including playing in Tel Aviv on our election day and Rome the day after. Shonali insists it takes a lot of work to be the leader of a touring band.  Fortunately Eleanor now has her own room when she tours. We are excited to hear Eleanor play “Your Word” and “Sweetest Girl” for us.  Til we meet again - next show is January 3rd, 2017 at HiFiNYC. 

Check out the Latest Episode of We Don’t Even Know!

Ep. 47: Jeffrey Joseph, Amanda Duarte, Tyson Meade & Nimesh Patel - Oct. 25, 2016

Comedian Nimesh Patel fills and special guest co-host for our spooky October 2016 edition of We Don’t Even Know. How Indian do you believe Shonali and Nimesh are? They wonder if anyone really cares.

Their first guest is comedian, actor, writer and teacher Jeffrey Joseph. What does he not do? We find out why he left a successful career in comedy to destress himself for ten years and what made him come back. Besides performing standup regularly, he teaches playwriting to youth and knows qi gong, a Chinese energy cultivation exercise. He also went to India before Nimesh ever did. What does that say about Nimesh?  Shonali and Jeffrey are chicken pox nose scar twins. Shonali has some frightening news for you.  Sorry to bum you out.

Our second guest is Amanda Duarte, a writer, performer, comedian and is responsible (along with her new friend - NYTimes writer, Jessica Bennet who created the art) for starting the viral sensation #PussyGrabsBack.  Sales proceeds of her PGB shirts on spreadshirt.com go to the Rape and Incest Network.  Amanda is not scared of ghosts, but she does share what she is scared of.  Go see her monthly show Dead Darlings at Judson Memorial Church. Today’s #GetItOffYourChest guest is former WDEK episode 13 guest and Shonali’s former personal trainer, Reno Villacis.

Here from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, our special musical guest is a musician, painter and writer named Tyson Meade.  Tyson and Shonali have infectious laughs that could get on Nimesh’ nerves.  Tyson has a similar story to Jeffrey Joseph’s, in that he quit music for 10 years and has recently rediscovered himself as a musician.  In his early years as a musician, he influenced artists like Kurt Cobain, Wayne Coyne of the Flaming Lips and Billy Corgan.  In between those years and now, Meade ran a boarding school in China and taught electricians to learn English in Saudi Arabia. He rediscovered music while helping a prodigal violin player student in China.   The end result is a new solo album to be released by him in February, and one released last year titled “Tomorrow In Progress.”  Enjoy him hear singing "Tiniest of Guys" and “She’s Gone Mad.”  Enjoy and next month Christian will return for our November episode. 

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Ep. 46: Tessa Hersh, Adam Wade, Yazan Fahmawi and Jordan Clifford - Sept. 27, 2016

While Christian is away, Jordan Clifford, comedian, producer, actor is our special guest co-host on Episode 46 of We Don’t Even Know.  Jordan Shonali and Jordan are in need of new outgoing voice mail messages. Jordan has the look - he has a beard.

Our first guest is performer, teacher, writer, singer, actress, comedian Tessa Hersh, who along with all of her creative endeavors is currently happily teaching teachers.  Our intern Justin Hall shares a highlight from his father’s experience as a teacher. Tessa explains sometimes a teacher must tell a child "you can’t masturbate here.“  Tessa performs regularly at the UCB Theater and has her own web series on Refinery 29’s Riot YouTube channel. Check out her Truth Fairy series where she drops truth bombs on Riot which we love - the Baby Shower Rebellion Musical resonates particularly with Shonali.   Jordan is never ready for a fist bump.

Our second guest is Adam Wade, the world champion (that’s what we call it - he’s a 20 time winner) of the Moth Storytelling Radio show and also from New Hampshire. He too is a writer, comedian, actor, teacher AND he co-starred in Sardines Out of A Can with Shonali. Adam was on Girls and Lena Dunham instructed him to be meaner.   Adam’s mom tracks his geographical location with her phone.  Our studio audience practices Adam's Tony Robbins influenced motivational advice. Turns out #DestinationSlice is not an effective dating technique.  Our audience member Walter Patrishan joins us on stage for #GetItOffYourChest.  Find out why the salad assembly line stresses Jordan out, impolite germaphobes bother Shonali and wrapping things unnecessarily in plastic gets to Walter.

Our last guest of the night is musician Yazan Fahmawi, a singer, guitarist, and songwriter from New York, who plays a blend of rural country blues, folk, and psychedelia.  He went to the UN School and describes it as utopian.  His secret to finding his unique sound and voice (literally) was sitting with a recorder and getting freaky.  Yazan is a lifer, when it comes to being an artist.  He shares his astute and insightful take on art, life and happiness and believes "Everybody’s a weirdo!” We agree and are so appreciative of his brand of weirdness.  Yazan performs three of his song gems on our show - Tell Me Baby, I Wanted More of You, and Hahaha!  Enjoy!  And also so nice to meet Fontikady Sivion from Brukina Faso.  

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Ep. 45: Christy Karacas, Jodie Wasserman and Ted Leo

Christian and Shonali talk beach time in NYC, Buddha and getting waxed.  Our first guest on Ep. 45 is animator, creator and director of Adult Swim's Superjail, Christy Karacas.  Christy jumps right in on waxing and how the new normal in art is trying to be weird.  #NothingIsEdgy Christy was a student at RISD and now teaches there.

Ted Leo, Shonali Bhowmik, Christian Felix, Jodie Wasserman, Colin Buckingham, Christy Karacas, photo by Daria Huxley

Christian and Shonali talk beach time in NYC, Buddha and getting waxed.  Our first guest on Ep. 45 is animator, creator and director of Adult Swim’s Superjail, Christy Karacas.  Christy jumps right in on waxing and how the new normal in art is trying to be weird.  #NothingIsEdgy Christy was a student at RISD and now teaches there.  It’s expensive now and kids are mellow.  Christian & Shonali chime in regarding the DNC convention. Christian appreciates our first lady, Michelle Obama and how she brought up the fact that the White House was built by slaves.  Amen. There are dog chew toys of the presidential candidates.  Christy saw them. Christy is currently working on a new pilot for Adult Swim called BallMasterz.  We welcome Colin Buckingham to the stage to join us for a round of #GETITOFFOFYOURCHEST  - This time as usual, there is some blowback from Christian to Shonali and vice versa regarding their GIOYC,  but for the most part Christian drums up some big support for his anti #SANDALSandSOCKS stance. Christian and Shonali both approve of Colin’s #GIOYC which have to do with transportation and giving directions.  Our second guest is comedian Jodie Wasserman. She is all about #REALTALK. If Danny Cohen, her best friend, was straight, she and he would be married by now.  Jodie loves to clean and feel productive.  She also has a thing with a bearded man.  #Don'tJudge  Our final guest is the one and only, musician Ted Leo.  We talk the NYC blackout, covering your feet, his duo called The Both with Aimee Mann and the release of his forthcoming album.  Do you know what it’s like playing Madison Square Garden? Ted Leo does!   Ted Leo plays three tunes for us.  The High Party and two unreleased tunes;  The Little Smug Supper Club and The Future (is Learning to Wait Around for Things you Didn’t Know you Wanted to Wait for)!  Enjoy! 

Special note to our  upcoming attendees - we will not have an August show. Next show is Sept. 27, 2016.    

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Ep. 44: Amber Tozer, Cole Escola, and Brad Lauretti of This Frontier Needs Heroes

Christian & Shonali quickly admit to things they never have before in their newest segment called Admissions.

The show is packed and hot, literally due to the fact that it is late June but also the lineup is yet again hawt with first guest comedian, performer, actor, writer Cole Escola in his summer wear: white denim cutoffs. Cole talks with us about growing up in rural Clatskanie, Oregon surrounded by a prison of trees,  following a boyfriend to NYC, getting a tv series at a very young age, and his favorite catcalling moments. Check out his video Mom Commercial and die.

We invite our WDEK friend Isabel Restrepo to Get It Off Her Chest and boy did she ever.  WDEK’s second guest of the night is comedian, writer and storyteller Amber Tozer who just published her memoir Sober Stick Figure, a book chronicling her life as an alcoholic and her eventual recovery all told with the help of childlike stick figures.  For the most part her family has been supportive of her TMI book, but then there's Aunt Pam.  Amber admits drinking is so fun but then it took a turn for her.  Amber says she can become irritable and grouchy but Shonali can not imagine it.  Shonali has to Get It Off Her Chest with a story about a recent bullying incident at a birthday party.

Our last guest is Brad Lauretti, frontman of This Frontier Needs Heroes. Brad a former Brooklynite now lives in Jacksonville, Florida where he was inspired to start the Stetson Kennedy Songwriter Residency in Beluthahatchee Park, a place where both Woody Guthrie and Stetson Kennedy would spend time writing.  Brad calls himself an artistic refugee with regard to his move from NYC to Jacksonville.  He did not experience much culture shock moving to the south and claims that the south has changed dramatically since he was kid visiting his relatives in South Carolina.  He noted he met an Italian person working in an Italian restaurant.  Brad’s music is beautiful and haunting.  His newest album coming out soon is called Real Job.  He sang three new tunes for our wonderful audience, Freemarket Music, I Love Immigration, and Don’t Let the Dreamers Die.  Listen and be amazed.  

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EP. 43 - Kim Barker, Sasheer Zamata & Holly Miranda - May 31, 2016

We catch up with Christian who auditioned to become a hand model & Shonali who returned from her honeymoon in Peru. Their new segment GET IT OFF YOUR CHEST is now open to audience members.  Please share your rants with us on stage at the next show. We will rap right along with you. Highlights of Ep. 43 include Christian’s first time receiving a mani-pedi and Shonali’s new fluency in Spanish.

WDEK’s first guest is journalist, NY Times reporter and author of the Taliban Shuffle, Kim Barker.  Kim shares her need to write a dark comedy about war after being the bureau chief for the Chicago Tribune in South Asia.  The movie version of her book, became Whiskey Tango Foxtrot starring Tina Fey.  Kim grew up wanting to be a superhero but settled for being a journalist.  Find out about bruised peaches, her 18 points twitter rant and her love of writing New York stories, “a wonderful big awesome corrupt place.” WDEK’s long time sound engineer Stephen Kurpis is leaving but not without giving us his famous secret marinara sauce recipe. One secret - do not use Extra Virgin Olive Oil (see below).  Thank you Stephen.

Comedian, actress and SNL cast member Sasheer Zamata talks duvets with Christian and Shonali. They are hard work.  Our conversation with Sasheer covers SNL, celebrity, Larry Wilmore’s use of the N-word and what it’s like to be confused with other funny black women. Also, watch out for Sasheer’s mom who may very well become one of the newest cast members of SNL.

Our musical guest is Holly Miranda, also a former Tennessean who was given speech therapy to lose her accent when she moved to Detroit.  Holly who has been playing music since she was 16, very poignantly explains she “had a life” when she took five years off between her latest album and her previous one.  We talk Joshua Tree, Ayahuasca, and song writing. Between Christian, Shonali & Holly they have written at least 3 fan letters - find out to whom by listening to this special episode of We Don’t Even Know. What a treat to hear Holly Miranda perform three beautiful songs for us.  We melt.  Please follow us on Tumblr, Twitter and Facebook.  We will meet again on Episode 43!

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