Prequel Episode 14: Owen Smith

This episode of Prequel brings your the wonderful NYC comic Jono Zalay.  Neel & Tushar were able to sit down to talk about his childhood.  He started life and standup in San Diego. In 2006 he moved to Boston where he became a staple at New England comedy clubs, all while earning his Doctorate in Neuroscience. Since 2008 he has been invited to perform in over 20 comedy festivals, winning all of them in the “most fun” category he made up. Jono now lives in New York City where he has been featured in Time Out New York and Comedy Central’s ‘Up Next’ talent search. His informed background brings a perspective to stand-up comedy unequaled by almost any PhD in Neuroscience. Please follow him on twitter @JonoZalay and enjoy the show!

Matt Knudsen is a LA based comedian and actor.  Neel & Tushar sat with Matt to discuss being raised in the midwest by a traveling pastor.  Hawaii and was quickly whisked away to grow up in the unforgiving cold of the Midwest.  After finishing school in California, he started his life at sea as a merchant marine, sailing to various ports in Europe, Africa, the Americas, Japan, Korea and China.  After almost 5 years, Matt began performing stand-up comedy at clubs in Los Angeles and New York.  As a stand up, Matt has performed at the Just For Laughs Festival in Montreal where he was named a “Best of the Fest,” as well as Conan, The Late Late Show and Last Call. His critically acclaimed albums, The Comedy Stylings of Matt Knudsen and American are top downloads on iTunes and heard regularly on Sirius/XM radio.  Please follow him on twitter @mattknudsen and enjoy the episode!

Guy Branum is an actor, comedian, and writer that can be seen as a regular panelist on "Chelsea Lately" on the E! network.  Neel and Tushar were able to sit with Guy to discuss his pre-comedy life which included growing up near an almond farm in rural Northern California.  We learn that Guy is a late bloomer in many aspects of his life including starting comedy and coming out of the closet after becoming a professional lawyer.  Honest, vulnerable and hilarious - this conversation is great for many reasons.  Watch his live stand up and follow Guy on twitter @guybranum.  Enjoy the episode!

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Veteran Stand up Comedian, Podcast Host (The Todd Glass Show), Actor, Writer, and a newly published Author, Todd Glass sits down with Prequel hosts Neel Nanda and Tushar Singh to discuss his life before comedy.  Todd shares vivid stories of his 3 brothers and his fathers shoe business. Todd also shares his experiences growing up in Philadelphia and keeping to himself that he is gay.  He tells us stories about the friends he was comfortable talking to about his sexuality and the times he had to avoid the subject all together. Todd ends the podcast by telling us about his first time telling jokes on stage after he backed out the week before. Todd has appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Late Night With Conan O' Brien, Louie, Tosh.0 and filmed his Comedy Central Presents in 2001. Todd currently hosts The Todd Glass Show on the Nerdist Network. Todd just released his first book, The Todd Glass Situation, which is an honest memoir about his last 30 years of comedy and his personal search for acceptance. Follow Todd Glass on twitter @ToddGlass and pick up a copy of The Todd Glass Situation. 

Comedian Nate Bargatze sat down with Neel & Tushar for this week's Prequel.  He discussed his childhood including growing up in Tennesse with a father as a magician & clown.  Exposed to stand up early, Nate shared with us the events that led to him moving to Chicago and ultimately NYC to become one of best working comics around. He won both the New York and Boston Comedy Festivals in the same year.  You may have caught him on the Tonight Show as well as the Clean Cut Comedy Tour.  Nate's best selling album "Yelled at by a Clown" held onto the Billboard Top Ten Comedy Charts for two weeks.  Please check out his live performances by visiting his website www.natebargatze.com and following him on twitter @natebargatze.  Enjoy!

Author, columnist, and comedian Steve Hofstetter sits down with hosts Neel Nanda and Tushar Singh to talk about his childhood.  Steve discussing growing up poor and Jewish in New York. He also tells a story about joining and falling in love with Improv at age 12 because of a crush. Steve has appeared ESPN's Quite Frankly, where Stephen A. Smith yelled at him for three minutes. Hofstetter has also appeared on CBS' "Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson," Showtime's "White Boyz in the Hood," VH1's "Countdown," Sundance's "On the Road in America," and ABC's "Barbara Walter's Special." Follow @stevehofstetter and please see him live. 

Hilarious Comedian (Last Comic Standing, Conan), Writer (FX), and Psychology Major Aparna Nancherla sits down hosts Neel Nanda and Tushar Singh to talk about her life before she started comedy. She begins by telling the story of her parents arranged marriage and their journey to America. She discusses being a "loner", "spacing out", and taking a public speaking class when she was 11 where she wrote a speech about improving Bollywood Movies. Listen to her story up until her first time on stage at a Best Western. Follow her on twitter @aparnapkin and YouTube her Conan appearance, it's easily one of the best.

Hosts Neel Nanda and Tushar Singh sit down with hilarious comedian, actor and podcast host Chris Fairbanks to explore his childhood. Chris talks about growing up in Montana and knowing that he wanted to be an artist at an early age.  Chris talks about getting into skateboarding, drawing, and putting a lot of his effort into the things he wanted.  He walks us through his first stand up comedy set in Texas. Watch Chris Fairbanks's Conan appearance and follow him on twitter @chrisfairbanks 

For this week's Prequel we got to sit down with the very talented muscial comedian Kris Rubio.  Born in the Philippines, Kris Rubio started stand-up comedy in high school and always strived to be comically different. After performing traditional stand-up for many years he enterted the world of writing comedy music where he found his calling. This episode is filled with stories of his pre performance life, including strange religious practices in his mother country as well as an amazing first kiss story.  Please follow him on twitter @krisrubio and visit his website for his live tour dates www.KrisRubio.com.  

Enjoy the episode & don't forget to subscribe today!

Comedian and actor Danny Jolles sits down with us to talk about everything before his first time stepping on stage.  Danny shares the delightful story of how his parents met as actors working on the same live production.  He also shared a traumatic story of his house burning down and talks to us about discovering comedy through Improv. Please see Danny perform and follow him on twitter @Dannyjolles . Also watch and subscribe to his sketch group Sasquatch on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhB1-6USbxI  . Download and subscribe on Itunes :https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/prequel-podcast/id704984238?mt=2