Live from the Big Apple

Ben Cassil & July Diaz
  • 5.0 (7)
  • IMPROV
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Live From the Big Apple is the unofficial oral history of Big Apple Live, everyone’s favorite TV sketch show (that is definitely not SNL). Former cast members Billy Rockwell (Ben Cassil) and TJ Hunterscap (July Diaz) interview cast members, hosts, and musical guests from Big Apple Live’s 50-year history to hear stories about how sketches were made, Tinseltown gossip, and how much popcorn Bjorn Nigel can actually eat! If you still don’t get what this is, it’s a fully-improvised comedy interview show where comedians play characters and make you laugh, okay?

Episodes

  1. 09/11/2025

    Luke Benson (Tadgh “Sully” O’Sullivan, 3x Cast Member)

    Tadgh “Sully” O’Sullivan (Luke Benson) has good reason to say the third time’s the charm, as he was fired three times as a cast member on Big Apple Live, and the third time it finally stuck. Billy and TJ chat with Sully about some of his catchphrases, such as “Check Please” and “Please Don’t Eat the Santa Sub,” and decide whether or not they will be friends with him after the podcast.  Check out comedian Luke Benson on Instagram @lukeimprov!  Live from the Big Apple is improvised live in front of a studio audience by July Diaz as “TJ Hunterscap” and Ben Cassil as “Billy Rockwell.” You can follow us on instagram @bigapplelive or email us for advice at livefromthebigapple@gmail.com, and check out full video of our episodes on YouTube. Rate and review us wherever you listen, please!

    1h 15m

  2. 08/18/2025

    Ross McCarney (Ciaran Dwyer, Cast Member)

    Ciaran Dwyer (Ross McCarney) came to the show all the way from Ireland with dreams of making a big splash, but despite being fired and rehired twice from Big Apple Live, he never quite found his footing as a performer. Billy and TJ talk about old sketches with Ciaran and try to figure out why he’s had such an unlikely turn as a luxury condo developer, and if buying old orphanages is really as good for the orphans as he claims.  Check out comedian Ross McCarney on instagram @RossMcCarney where he posts about upcoming shows and watch his hilarious videos! Live from the Big Apple is improvised live in front of a studio audience by July Diaz as “TJ Hunterscap” and Ben Cassil as “Billy Rockwell.” You can follow us on instagram @bigapplelive or email us for advice at livefromthebigapple@gmail.com, and check out full video of our episodes on YouTube. Rate and review us wherever you listen, please!

    1h 15m
  3. Janine Hogan (Jazzy the Backup Musician)

    07/30/2025

    Janine Hogan (Jazzy the Backup Musician)

    Jazzy (Janine Hogan) has been with Big Apple Live since the very first episode in the 70’s, but she has never been on camera…intentionally. Jazzy is an understudy for the BAL band, and has had the wild misfortune of never breaking into the actual band, despite several "accidents" happening to other band members. Billy and TJ have fun reminiscing with Jazzy about the old days, how she wants so badly to be on BAL in any capacity, and how her butt ended up accidentally on screen so many times. Along the way, Jazzy improvises theme songs for our segments, cool! Check out comedian Janine Hogan on instagram @j9_Hogan where you can find her upcoming shows, including live looping shows and with the stage show “Mortified.”  Live from the Big Apple is improvised live in front of a studio audience by July Diaz as “TJ Hunterscap” and Ben Cassil as “Billy Rockwell.” You can follow us on instagram @bigapplelive or email us for advice at livefromthebigapple@gmail.com, and check out full video of our episodes on YouTube. Rate and review us wherever you listen, please!

    1h 12m
  4. Dave Theune (Rayclon the Centaur, Cast Member)

    06/30/2025

    Dave Theune (Rayclon the Centaur, Cast Member)

    Rayclon (Dave Theune) was not only the first Cyprian centaur on Big Apple Live, he was also a hilarious cast member responsible for characters like Calvin the Clairvoyant Convenience Store Clerk. Billy and TJ have a great time with Rayclon and talk about his love of his home on Mount Olympus, his troubles adjusting to New York, how his father, Zeus, would light up a room, and of course his current dating life.  Check out comedian Dave Theune on Instagram @davetheune, and watch him as the very funny nurse Keith on the show ‘St. Denis Medical’ on Peacock and NBC.  Live from the Big Apple is improvised live in front of a studio audience by July Diaz as “TJ Hunterscap” and Ben Cassil as “Billy Rockwell.” You can follow us on instagram @bigapplelive or email us for advice at livefromthebigapple@gmail.com, and check out full video of our episodes on YouTube. Rate and review us wherever you listen, please!

    58 min
  5. Tyler Scnhupp (Tommy Tri-Polar, Musician)

    06/23/2025

    Tyler Scnhupp (Tommy Tri-Polar, Musician)

    Tommy Tri-Polar (Tyler Schnupp), the lead singer of the first-ever punk band on Big Apple Live joined Billy and TJ to talk about his band SCHMEAR and their infamous BAL performance that resulted in a life-long ban for them and 14 slam dancers. They also talk about Tommy’s signature of putting a microphone in his jeans, his surprising political views, and his part in the origin of the emo band Dashboard Confessional.  Check out Tyler Schnupp on Instagram at @tylord_sch where he posts about upcoming music and comedy shows, and check out his band Grail 150 on bandcamp!  Live from the Big Apple is improvised live in front of a studio audience by July Diaz as “TJ Hunterscap” and Ben Cassil as “Billy Rockwell.” You can follow us on instagram @bigapplelive or email us for advice at livefromthebigapple@gmail.com, and check out full video of our episodes on YouTube. Rate and review us wherever you listen, please!

    1h 2m
  6. Matt Apodaca (Cobrin Drench, Former Cast Member/Writer)

    06/13/2025

    Matt Apodaca (Cobrin Drench, Former Cast Member/Writer)

    Former Big Apple Live cast member and Weekend Bulletin host Corbin Drench (Matt Apodaca) joins TJ and Billy to talk about his time behind the news desk at BAL, his characters like Trevor the Emo I.T. Guy, seeing Bjorn Nigel in a spooky mask, and of course his hilarious sketch “The Sopranos but in San Diego.” Along the way they talk about how Corbin’s edgy Mickey Mouse material got him in trouble, and how he’s continued to make comedy despite these setbacks.  Check out Matt Apodaca on instagram @mattapodaca and listen to his excellent video game and culture podcast “Get Played” along with his cohosts Heather Anne Campbell and Nick Wiger.  Live from the Big Apple is improvised live in front of a studio audience by July Diaz as “TJ Hunterscap” and Ben Cassil as “Billy Rockwell.” You can follow us on instagram @bigapplelive or email us for advice at livefromthebigapple@gmail.com, and check out video of our episodes on YouTube. Rate and review us wherever you listen, please!

    1h 10m
  7. Isabella Roland (Tanya Burke, Former Cast Member)

    06/04/2025

    Isabella Roland (Tanya Burke, Former Cast Member)

    Former Big Apple Live cast member Tanya Burke (Isabella Roland) joins Billy and TJ to talk about her blockbuster movie success, her philosophy that the audience’s opinions don’t matter, how she got her start at the Chase Bank Sketch program, and her audition in which Bjorn actually LAUGHED! Along the way they remember some of Tanya’s famous characters, from Sassy Cindy the Sassy pharmacist to the Bruce Springsteen Dancer. A truly memorable episode! Check out Isabella Roland on IG @iz_ball where you can keep up with her upcoming improv shows. We also recommend her frequent and hilarious appearances on the comedy streaming service DROPOUT on shows like “Dimension 20,” “Very Important People,” and “Make Some Noise.”  Live from the Big Apple is improvised live in front of a studio audience by July Diaz as “TJ Hunterscap” and Ben Cassil as “Billy Rockwell.” You can follow us on instagram @bigapplelive or email us for advice at livefromthebigapple@gmail.com, and check out video of our episodes on YouTube. Rate and review us wherever you listen, please!

    1h 3m
  8. Zach Olsen & Charlie Mihelich (Ricky Tarper & Jay Vulken, Former Writers/Cast Members)

    05/23/2025

    Zach Olsen & Charlie Mihelich (Ricky Tarper & Jay Vulken, Former Writers/Cast Members)

    Former Big Apple Live cast members and writing team Ricky Tarper (Zach Olsen) and Jay Vulken (Charlie Mihelich) join Billy and TJ to chat about their problematic activism in the “manosphere,” their standup acts, some of their favorite sketches like “Darth Maul at a Club,”  Charlie Mihelich and Zach Olsen have a very entertaining and funny podcast called “Baywatch Watch,” on which July and Ben were both recent guests. Follow Zach @realzacholsen and Charlie @mihelichcopter. Live from the Big Apple is improvised live in front of a studio audience by July Diaz as “TJ Hunterscap” and Ben Cassil as “Billy Rockwell.” You can follow us on instagram @bigapplelive or email us for advice at livefromthebigapple@gmail.com, and check out video of our episodes on YouTube @LFTBApodcast. Rate and review us wherever you listen, please!

    1h 25m
  9. Isabella Escalante (Randy Upmost, Former Cast Member)

    05/14/2025

    Isabella Escalante (Randy Upmost, Former Cast Member)

    Former Big Apple Live cast member Randy Upmost (Isabella Escalante) joins Billy and TJ to chat about his time on the show, his experiences with Marc Maron and Jerry Seinfeld, his thoughts on the news, and his signature catchphrase “crap!” Check out Isabella Escalante’s podcast “Anna and Isabella Do Improv” with Anna Bezhaler, and follow her on instagram @isabellaesc.  Live from the Big Apple is improvised live in front of a studio audience by July Diaz as “TJ” and Ben Cassil as “Billy.” You can follow us on instagram @bigapplelive or email us for advice at livefromthebigapple@gmail.com. Rate and review us wherever you listen, please!

    1h 13m
  10. Billy and TJ's First Episode (with Ben Cassil & July Diaz)

    05/04/2025

    Billy and TJ's First Episode (with Ben Cassil & July Diaz)

    In this very first episode of Live from the Big Apple, hosts Billy Rockwell (Ben Cassil) and TJ Hunterscap (July Diaz) introduce themselves and tell how they ended up on the Big Apple Live sketch show. They also talk a bit about current events and catch up on the funny pages. And finally they give a bit of insight into what they hope this podcast will accomplish and whether or not they like being close to a keyboard. Thanks for checking out LFTBA! You can follow us on instagram @bigapplelive or email us for advice at livefromthebigapple@gmail.com. Rate and review us wherever you listen, please!

    1h 2m
  • 10 Episodes

5
out of 5
7 Ratings

About

Live From the Big Apple is the unofficial oral history of Big Apple Live, everyone’s favorite TV sketch show (that is definitely not SNL). Former cast members Billy Rockwell (Ben Cassil) and TJ Hunterscap (July Diaz) interview cast members, hosts, and musical guests from Big Apple Live’s 50-year history to hear stories about how sketches were made, Tinseltown gossip, and how much popcorn Bjorn Nigel can actually eat! If you still don’t get what this is, it’s a fully-improvised comedy interview show where comedians play characters and make you laugh, okay?

Information

  • Creator
    Ben Cassil & July Diaz
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    10
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Live from the Big Apple