Catching Up With Comedians

Rich Stein
  • 5.0 (3)
  • COMEDY INTERVIEWS

Rich Stein, a long time standup comic, took a few years off the road to teach high school, get married, and have a kid. Now, retired from teaching, he is back on stages and reconnecting with old friends and trying to Catch up with Comedians. Plenty of funny stories, anecdotes and tributes to the greats both famous and infamous!

  1. 5D AGO

    Stand up Comic / Producer Linda Marcus Smith joins host Rich Stein

    Linda Marcus Smith joins me this week for her second appearance on the podcast.  Linda gained much notoriety during the pandemic when she interviewed not less than 1000 comedians for her podcast "The Comics Spot." Since the end of the pandemic, Linda has worked tirelessly rising up the ranks in the Las Vegas Comedy Clubs and Casinos.   Just over a year ago she decided to make the move back to her native homeland, New York City. Linda has worked very hard over the past year to build up her Comedy Chops in the many Comedy Clubs of the New York "Tri-State Area." Linda, as a proud army veteran is very passionate about raising awareness for all military personnel as well as veterans who may be in need of helping out or lifting up. To this point, as part of her Comedy Journey, she is very passionate about booking her own shows for military audiences as well as booking Comedy Shows where Military veterans and their families may benefit from the money raised from these shows. We also draw attention to the shows, dates and places that Linda will be performing at and producing over the next year. We will announce those locations and dates at the beginning and the end of this podcast. Thank you for listening and please welcome my special guest:  Linda Marcus Smith.

    32 min

  2. FEB 1

    Comedian Dan Rosenberg joins host Rich Stein

    Welcome Dan Rosenberg to the podcast . In 1992, Dan moved to Los Angeles to start a stand-up career at age 22.    He sold cars in the daytime and did stand up at night. When the Northridge earthquake hit in 1994,  he took that as a sign to leave LA while he could still catch a plane that had an accessible runway.   He moved back to Pennsylvania to coach basketball and  after that he ended up teaching Comedy traffic school in Orlando, Florida, which basically jump started his return to stand-up comedy .   A born salesman, and entrepreneur,  Dan started his own company, called “humor vision” where he went to, and performed at The “Just For Laughs” premiere comedy showcase in Montreal for seven years in a row.   In 2001 he saw Rick Springfield at the Universal Amphitheater and thought,( he’d be perfect for my sitcom!)   This is a story of how dogged determination, hard work and seeking out the right people can actually lead to dreams coming true.   Not only did he get Rick Springfield to star in his movie , but it has now won awards at multiple film festivals and Dan is now a full-time standup and working on his third hour long special for streaming on television   Welcome Dan Rosenberg

    1h 6m

  3. JAN 18

    Comedian, Producer David Uhlfelder joins host Rich Stein

    My guest today is David Uhlfelder who was raised in Colorado and started his comedy career when he was barely 20 years of age and pursuing an engineering degree at Cal State University, San Luis Obispo. He earned his degree and has been working as a comedian for eight years now and without the assistance of a day job. To understand how you could visit: https://www.daviduhlfelder.com/    as well as  https://www.cal comedy underground.com/  Not only can you see his credits and comedy history but you can also peruse the locations where he produces comedy shows at myriad locations from San Diego to San Luis Obispo. David goes on the road as much as possible where he works as a Feature act and has been starting to Headline shows as well. Please welcome to my podcast this up and coming Comedian, Producer and Showrunner;  David Uhlfelder!

    1h 1m

  4. JAN 5

    Comedienne, Writer, Actress Brenda Pontiff joins host Rich Stein

    My guest today is Comedian, writer, actress: Brenda Pontiff. A Texas, Gal, born and raised in Bay City. She was in the second generation of comics who started at Houston's Comix Annex  which began the famed careers of Sam Kinison, Bill Hicks and the Texas Outlaws. One of these Outlaws has had a rebirth of late:  Andy Huggins, of AGT fame. Brenda worked with Andy many years ago and now is opening for him at select clubs on the West Coast. Brenda, who refers to herself as a TEX-A-CORNIAN, proud of her Texas roots and moved to California in 1993, just four years after starting her stand-up career. Before stand up, she had worked for many years after college as an actress doing Cabaret shows while getting her masters. She also was an executive for Deloitte and Ernst & Young selling professional services. When Brenda‘s Mother became ill in the mid 2000's she returned to Texas to help her family navigate Mom‘s Health. While in Texas, she developed and grew her own consulting business and still has that business today while she pursues her comedy career as well. Please help me welcome a woman who is helping to establish a high mark in comedy for not only women but anyone who takes the stage and the microphone: Brenda Pontiff

    1h 6m

  5. 12/20/2025

    Comedian Bob Zany joins host Rich Stein

    I am proud to Welcome Comedian Bob Zany on my # 50 Podcast today.   Born, Robert Tetrault in West Covina, California; the family later moved to the Sherman Oaks, Van Nuys section of the San Fernando Valley. With two older brothers and one younger sister, Bob was Ensconced well into middle child status, but the family unit was close and parents very supportive of their brood.   Bob Zany started out in Comedy at the tender young age of 15 on none other than "The Gong Show" starring Chuck Barris  The Gods of showbiz smiled down upon young Bob that day as he was not given the GONG but rather he was paid $125.98 as a "specialty act!"  In addition to that, he also gained a membership into AFTRA (the union) and was awarded a waffle iron as his take-home prize. From that point on Bob was in show biz and he worked tirelessly from booking his own shows to working at the Ice House and wherever else he could get on stages before reaching  the age of 18 Among Bob’s many credits are: Seven appearances on A&E’s AN EVENING AT THE IMPROV STAR SEARCH POLITICALLY INCORRECT with BILL MAHER WORKING WITH RODNEY DANGERFIELD FOR TWO YEARS and filming a special with RODNEY! Television series appeared on: ROSEANNE THE DREW CAREY SHOW THE TONIGHT SHOW with JAY LENO COMICS UNLEASHED   FILMS: JOE DIRT  THE INFORMANT   (Matt Damon’s attorney) DOCS: I AM COMIC CLOSE BUT NO CIGAR One of Bob’s personal victories and a turning point in his career was auditioning with scores of other comedian at The Improv, in 1991 to perform on the JERRY LEWIS LABOR DAY WEEKEND TELETHON FOR MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY.   As Bob was a throwback to the Comedians of Jerry's era, if he auditioned well, he was sure to score the show.  Once again his years of experience and dedication paid off as Jerry Lewis loved him and he performed on the telethon from 1991 until “ they fired the other guy” as Bob always said.   So close to twenty years on the TELETHON and once he became part of "JERRY'S FAMILY as ED MCMAHON called it, Bob Performed on the Last Twelve years as a CO-HOST during the overnights which were the prime time Comedy Slots!   A true comedy legend at this point, having tread  the boards for 48 of his 63 years, Bob has gotten to rub elbows and work with the likes of Milton Berle, Jan Murray, Red Buttons, Rodney Dangerfield and Steve Martin. Additionally he has worked with Norm McDonald, Jim Carrey, Jordan Brady and Ritch Shydner, just to name a few of the modern era.  After all this success, his most current special for the Dry Bar Comedy Channel has 10 million views on YouTube and over 40 (that’s FOUR O) million views on all social media, making Bob Zany one of the top 10 comedians for all the comics who have been seen on the "Dry Bar" specials. A fitting benchmark for a man who has been working hard at his craft for close to 50 years. Please help me Welcome, "The Most Sarcastic Comedian 0f All Time":  Mr. BOB ZANY!

    51 min

  6. 12/06/2025

    Comic/Film Animator Gene Hamm joins host Rich Stein

    Today, joining me for his second visit is Gene Hamm;  a writer- producer and Animation Film Maker.   Gene has been working in animation for over 40 years… …….starting out with Hanna-Barbera where he was a model maker and then onto  Prema Vision as the in house free lancer with the iconic "Art CLOKEY" who created Gumby, Pokey and so many other Beloved childhood characters using stop action editing.            In the ensuing years he worked for the likes of Disney// Sega video games,           Walter Lantz, Tex Avery  and has also been teaching young people animation at              the Academy of Art for over 15 years.              Last year he joined me to talk about his animated film titled Hell TOUPEE ,                    which WON film awards, and has been playing on Roku and other platforms!     Today he is here to talk about his brand new 77 minute long animated  feature that’s been playing on Roku and Roku.com Titled "THE DREAM HAT!" This is a film that could really be a big hit among the HIGHLY COVETED children’s market and up into teens and young parents. It’s a HIGH ENERGY//  OUTSTANDING  film with a great message About love//hope and redemption!   Please Welcome back////my special guest/// The Professor of Animation: GEEEEEEEEEEENE. HAAAAAAAAAAAMMM!

    58 min

  7. 11/23/2025

    Comedian Wyatt Cote joins host Rich Stein

    Welcome to the show today, Wyatt Cote. Wyatt had figured out very young that he was a water child. He loved the ocean and by six years old, he was starting to surf the inside breaks in Long Beach and Huntington Beach. He loved the beach vibe and has been a surfer ever since. Though he attended the University of Hawaii as his father wanted him to pursue a professional career, Wyatt decided early on the collegiate life was not for him and against his father‘s wishes he quit school and decided to start doing something he really loved, which was stand-up comedy. At the tender young age of 19 years old, he started going to Open Mic. nights in Los Angeles. While his early attempts were hit and miss, he put everything he had into stand-up comedy, going out to clubs night after night and grinding out his material and  within a fairly short time he started to see and feel that he could really make a go at this stand up comedy life. Now here he is eleven years later, barely thirty years old and those early dues he paid are really bearing fruit. He generally features or headlines comedy clubs all across the country as well as performing at the Comedy and Magic Club in Hermosa Beach, which is the Crown Jewel of Clubs where only the top comedians perform. In addition to that he won First Place in World Series of Comedy Competition in Las Vegas in 2021. Help me, Welcome a guy who is really going places in Comedy and someone who a lot of comedians both young and old could learn something from, Wyatt Cote.

    51 min

  8. 11/09/2025

    Comedian Max Dolcelli joins host Rich Stein

    Max Dolcelli is a man who has had to claw and fight for anything he ever had in life.  Born in Liguria, Italy the first son of a ship builder, he lost his father when he was but five years old but under him were a 3 year old sister and a baby brother. Life got immediately harder as mom couldn’t raise three young children without a job so Max and his sister went into a catholic orphange and mother moved in with Grandma with her infant and they would put one foot In front  of the other to cope with the loss of the husband, father and breadwinner.  Fortunately for Max and his little sister after six months they were rescued from a torturous place where Max was made to kneel bare legged on rice for hours and his sister left bruised and both were psychologically scarred.  Mama Angela would marry Papa Jimmy a year later and he took the entire family to America by way of New York Harbor.  It was no longer Ellis Island but for these native Italians who could not speak English, it was kind of a 1959 Ellis Island revisited.  Plus Papa Jimmy was a black man and that would also make their assimilation less fluid.  Max’s journey to comedy was a long one ( as he was barely six when he landed in New York) and many kids gripe about when their family moved and they had to switch schools a few times. Max said his tough childhood made him tougher and he learned how to fight to defend himself and he learned how to get laughs to disarm his combatants altogether. Max took the stage at the New York Catch A Rising Star and through sheer guts and strength he did well enough on his first shot that the club owner told him to keep coming back that he could get regular stage time. Like many comics who I have had on my show, his desire was so great that he rose through the ranks of opener to headliner very quickly.  He worked hard at his craft and has never really stopped over the course of forty plus years. He has been working the cruise ship circuit since 1989 which in Cruise years alone is a career and then some. Max still loves getting on stage and that is the most important asset in any comic over 70 who still chooses to perform.  I guarantee if you listen to this just to hear his Sam Kinison story alone you won’t be disappointed.  But there is so much more to Max than just the Sam story. He has had a long and successful career and has made and kept many friends along the way Ladies and Gentleman please welcome Max Dolcelli to the podcast…

    1h 8m
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Rich Stein, a long time standup comic, took a few years off the road to teach high school, get married, and have a kid. Now, retired from teaching, he is back on stages and reconnecting with old friends and trying to Catch up with Comedians. Plenty of funny stories, anecdotes and tributes to the greats both famous and infamous!

Information

  • Creator
    Rich Stein
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    54
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2024 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Catching Up With Comedians