WDEK Ep. 100: Marcellus Hall An Artist in New York City - 2/22/22

WE DID IT! We created 100 Episodes - which mean we stuck together for 100 months celebrating people from all walks of life, the comedy found in our lives and world, the amazing art created by those in our community and the voices of a wide array of inspirational people.  We are proud and we are not shy about saying we are excited about what is yet to come. 

We open with the WDEK crew in different cities: Shonali in DC, Christian in Palm Springs and Justin in Brooklyn.   Christian reveals his first "Daddy" t-shirt.   When we look back over our 100 Episodes, we give shout outs to the many performers who delivered brilliant character performances throughout the years including (but not limited to): Alan Yaspan who played the Russian Hacker; Theo Koppel who played WDEK Dance Choreographer; Becky Chicoine who played Rhonda The Dog Trainer; Roy Koshy who played NXIVM cult leader Keith Raniere; Jordan Clifford who played the Grumpy Holiday Guy; Nat Towsen who played the Podcast Protestor; Matt Hunziker who played Mitch The Enthusiasm Coach; and Matt Little who played Gary the (Bad) Vampire.  

Offical poster for Marcellus Hall an Artist in New York City - illustration by Marcellus Hall

In this celebratory episode, we celebrate the work and career of our long time friend, illustrator and musician Marcellus Hall. Our own Justin The Intern aka Justin Joseph Hall was the director via his Fourwind Films and worked with Marcellus in creating a documentary series titled Marcellus Hall An Artist in New York City.  For the first time we presented a virtual screening of a documentary and later interviewed and had a Q&A with the artist himself.

Listen and enjoy!  We discuss the artistic interplay that Marcellus brings together in his music and illustrations, his approach to life not just music, his reaction to the pandemic as an artist and what's on the horizon for Marcellus including his upcoming Leestavall recording session - for which you should pre-order now! 

Marcellus Hall's vibrant illustrations can be found throughout well-known periodicals and books including The New Yorker, The Atlantic, Time, and The Cow Loves Cookies (Simon & Schuster 2010). Also an indie musician with his bands Railroad Jerk (Matador Records), White Hassle (Glacial Pace Records), and his solo project, he starts his career in New York City and falls deeply in love with it, intoxicated by its never-ending inspirations and possibilities. He’s recorded the city as well as the ups and downs of his personal life for years through his art and music, which are featured seamlessly throughout episodes. This award winning short series documents his creative journey from being seven-years-old drawing pictures to a successful working artist, and all the stages in between.

Thanks to all of you for supporting us over the years!  Here's to 100 more Episodes together! For more info on how to view the documentary Marcellus Hall An Artist In New York City sign up for the Fourwind Films Newsletter !

WDEK Podcast Ep. 75: Trish Tillman, Clare O'Kane, Gary the Vampire, Lauren Maul - 10/29/2019

We are 75 Episodes old as of of tonight, October 29, 2019.  Our guest co-host is choreographer, teacher, tennis fanatic and trivia master Joe Celej. Joe joins Shonali Bhowmik to discuss all things horrific.  Joe and Shonali are joined by guests artist Trish Tillman, comedian Clare O'Kane, Gary The Vampire and performer, musician, comic Lauren Maul.  

Trish Tillman is a visual artist who lives currently in NYC and in one of Oscar Wilde's former residences.  We discuss the plight of an artist - working all alone for hours on end and not talking to anyone; having multiple jobs to supplement your income as an artist and making art as a child in Washington, DC.  Shonali is convinced Trish's sculptures are influenced by the art residency she did in India in terms of the colors, decorations, materials and simple forms she uses. We discuss Bollywood horror films, slackers & Trish's solo show opening at Aysa Geisberg Gallery in Chelsea on Thursday Nov.7.  Go to her opening party from 6-8pm to see her gorgeous work up close! 

Picture by Daria Huxley

Thomas Kelsey joins us from the audience to play the game, Name That Mystery Candy!  We blindfold him and find out how many candies he named correctly after Joe inserts the candy into Thomas Mouth. Congrats to Thomas who won some seriously wonderful gifts! 

Clare O'Kane is a comedian from San Jose, California. We discuss opening for the emo punk band Jawbox, being a newlywed, DNA testing and how she's changed as a comedian in the past 9 years.  Make sure to check out her comedy album, Let It Be and her work as a writer on the second season of Shrill. Be on the lookout for Clare in a comedy club near you! 

Gary The Vampire (aka comedian Matt Little) makes a surprise appearance at WDEK.  He's really loud and was born in the 1600's before NYC became edgy.  He quickly let us know, he's not into Halloween and we commiserate with him.  Did you know that Vampires wear jean jackets?  

Our final guest of the night is performer, creator, musician, comic and all around do everything artist Lauren Maul. She calls herself a good witch and hosts her own show called Gathering of the Coven during the full moon. She fills us in on her latest project, an album of love songs which come from her recent agreement with her husband to have an open marriage.  It turns out initially it wasn't easy for Lauren's husband to go along with Lauren's request, but a year later accommodated for her.  Lauren performs two original songs in the Red Room live, 1) With A Witch and 2) All Her Things. We hope you enjoy. 

Direct download: WDEK_Ep._75_-_October_29_2019.mp3

WDEK Election Day Special Ep. 86 - Part 1: Marcellus Hall, David Cross, Jon Glaser, Matt Arnold & Cocoon Central Dance Team - 11/3/20

WDEK Election Day Special: Please Vote America was a special episode with comedy, music, guest pop ins from across the country, videos and chat all in place. Our guests include John Early, Tash Neal, Chelsea White, Kendra Cunningham, David Cross, Cocoon Central Dance Team, Jon Glaser, Marcellus Hall, Tommy Do, Katie Compa, Negin Farsad, Nimesh Patel, Katie Compa, Eric Slovin, Tyson Meade, Marcellus Hall, Maggy Adeleye, Brad Lauretti, Emmrose, Matt Arnold and more!  We celebrate voting!

In Part 1 of 4, our guests include Marcellus Hall, Jon Glaser, Matt Arnold, Cocoon Central Dance Team & David Cross.  Our first guest is musician, illustrator Marcellus Hall joins us performing a brand new tune off his forthcoming album called The Kitchen Sink Blues. 

Comedian Jon Glaser appears in his most amazing Detroit Pistons attire. We divert our thoughts on voting to discuss #urbanwildlife and Jon leaves us with #moreproof of why Christian's fears of squirrels are warranted. 

Matt Arnold of The Iowa Idea Podcast joined us from Iowa, duh. He gave us the lowdown on Iowa demographics and voting patterns.  He also is our first guest to own a laminate WDEK press pass. Check out his friend Andre Wright's #HumanizeMyHoodie movement/

Cocoon Central Dance Team (Sunita Mani, Eleanore Pienta, Tallie Medel) shared their talents with us via video! For those of you who would like to SEE these wunderkinds in action - check out our video of the show at 45:37 on Facebook and 45:29 on YouTube!

Our next guest is comedian, actor, writer David Cross. He takes a break from his hat modelling side hustle gig to talk to us about all things including Covid19 travel, voting, James Patterson vs Rob Pattinson, makeup skills, skincare & pondering with us on just WTH are Trump voters thinking.  

David along with us thank all of you who have been working as first responders, voting workers, volunteering to get out the vote, and those of you who voted! Looks like 2021 may be looking up for us!  Stay tuned for parts 2-4!  

WDEK Election Day Special Ep. 86 - Part 1: Marcellus Hall, David Cross, Jon Glaser, Matt Arnold & Cocoon Central Dance Team - 11/3/20

WDEK Podcast Ep. 78: JD Samson, Matt Wayne, Chelsea White, Tash Neal & Grace Ludmila - 2/25/2020

At a time when the breaking news includes the coronavirus pandemic, Barney's shutting it doors, Harvey Weinstein sentenced to jail; We Don't Even Know Ep. 78, February 2020 starts out with even more important breaking news. Shonali & Christian completed the Whole 30 without cheating and Christian Felix has gotten lasik surgery! Most importantly they have another fantastic show with great guests along with real people sitting in a room communing together in real time. 

First guests include former guests who found love on We Don't Even Know: Chelsea White and Tash Neal.  Find out what chicken tenders and gas have to do with being in love! Super personal questions are asked and answered by this beautiful twosome who unexpectedly hit it off during the July 2019 live recording of WDEK.   We discuss cat enthusiasm bonding and having to be on the DL when it comes to being in love in NYC. 

Shonali gifts Christian with an "therworldly fragrances for earthbound souls” called the Tower by The Phoenix and The Fool. She's "full of love."

Comedian Matt Wayne comes to WDEK married but ringless. He's starting a ringless movement.  Shonali won't have it.  Until now, Christian and Shonali have never met a former line-cook and park ranger from Buffalo turned NYC comedian.  Matt shares his deep love for NYC and Christian talks elaborate fare evasion. See Matt Wayne and Doug Smith's new comedy show, Cancel Commission at the Stand starting March 21.

Mia Juhng joins Christian and Shonali for #GetItOffYourChest.  Topics include the need for lasik surgery support, food sharing parameters and gym membership recruitment tactics.

Our final conversation is with with musician, visual artist, teacher & activist JD Samson!  JD tells us about her time at Sarah Lawrence as a student, how she stumbled into music (Le Tigre) and her surprising struggle with being on stage and dealing with panic attacks.  Christian and Shonali are inspired by JD's activism which centers around sincerity.  Songs discussed are Tres Bien (Le Tigre) and Making Art (Men).  JD is now a teacher at Clive Davis Institute for Recorded Music (NYU Tisch) and is excited to help propel her students into the industry.  JD's superstar student Grace Ludmila performs two songs live at Red Room, Special and The Director.

WDEK Podcast Ep. 78: JD Samson, Matt Wayne, Chelsea White, Tash Neal & Grace Ludmila - 2/25/2020

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

We Don't Even Know - Ep. 34: Eugene Mirman, Mima McMillan and Mike Denny - July 21, 2015 →

Happy Heatwave everyone! New York City is so adorable in the summer time.

Our first guest in comedian Eugene Mirman. Old friends, Shonali and Eugene, share their road stories from their rock n' roll comedy tour a decade ago. Eugene explains how a polka dotted scarf and moustache can cause trouble. Check out Eugene's new Netflix Special.

Our second guest is artist Karmimadeebora "Mima" McMillan. Mima is a Taurus like Shonali. She recently moved to NYC from NC via Boston. Mima's personality is just like her art, colorful, exuberant and bright! We talk Punky Brewster and the Black Panther coloring book. Mima is currently street artist Swoon's business manager. You can check out Mima's art which is currently on display at Fringe Salon.

Our final guest is comedian Mike Denny. Mike just got off of Tinder because it didn't feel right. Christian asks about Mike's tattoo. Mike spent his high school years exclusively on a skateboard. Christian knows a little skateboard lingo and that's about it. Do you know the 5 P's. Mike does. Mike hosts a the Monday night hit comedy show Broken Comedy, at Bar Matchless along with perfect attendance Nimesh Patel (former WDEK guest) and Michael Che. See you there!

We Don't Even Know - Ep. 32: Todd Perlmutter, Lisa DeLarios and Adam Schatz - April 28th, 2015 →

Shonali returns from New Orleans where she overate and went to a lingerie store for the first time. Christian just started seeing a nutritionist. Now they both understand the importance of taking proper measurements.

This episode's first guest is musician, former Blue Man Group creative director and Pianos owner, Todd Perlmutter. His first gig as a voice over artist was for a horse byproduct. Todd has been successful for a long time but there was a time when he hit rock bottom. Chicken was involved. He played drums for MC Shan before Yo MTV Raps was a thing. Todd is a brilliant drummer and producer who currently plays in a surf band and a tuba duo. Be on the lookout for his new theatrical production company producing a Western philharmonic project. Any can can dancers out there?

Our second guest Lisa Delarios is a stand up comedian from Texas. She moves back and forth from Texas to NYC often. Although she has lots of big time comedy credits, Shonali wants to talk about Texas comedy credits. Lisa was voted 3rd Funniest Person in Austin, TX twice where she says there were only two comedy clubs. Lisa works for ASPCA and has five pets and two roommates. She has a big heart.

Our last guest is musician Adam Schatz. He plays in a number of musical projects, most notably his own band Landlady and the band Man Man. Adam's parents are cool folks who play in an electric country band covering artists like Gram Parsons and the Byrds. How cool is that? Adam performs two songs for us including Driving in California and The Fourth of July or is it J-U-L-Y You Ain't Got No Alibi? You will have to listen to find out. Oh and here is the video Christian talks about earlier in the show.

Ep. 32: Todd Perlmutter, Lisa DeLarios and Adam Schatz - April 28th, 2015

We Don't Even Know - Episode 21 - Pete Miser - January 21, 2014 →

Happy New Year to all our WDEK listeners. Things are off to a good start in the WDEK studios with Christian and Shonali both getting sick over the holidays. We are having a snow storm right now. Christian talks about story hijackers and Justin lends us his thoughts. Parents think they are better drivers than their kids and that's a fact. Shonali's mom sends Christian a special FB message. Subway sightings include a dancer at Union Square platform and a man with a carryon and a tennis racquet.

Our special guest is Pete Miser, the legendary front man of Five Fingers of Funk from Portland, OR and a rapper who has released 4 full length albums of his own, while helming the board at his own Ho House studios in Tribeca. He's worked closely with Dido and Imani Coppola and is always making new music. Pete comes bearing gifts. This one is especially for Christian and his former thigh chafing issues (as heard on Ep. 4). Pete was a B-boy who started to rap at age 16. He will fill you in on what's happening in hip hop today, and what's not. Did you see the Indian dancing boy star on India's Got TAlent? Are musicians sellouts for putting their music in commercials? Shonali is reading the Miles Davis Autobiography. Sounds are a singular experience. You can hear them by just reading about them. Pete makes his world debut of Hands Up 3.3 on We Don't Even Know! Put your HANDS UP!!!!!

Episode 21: Pete Miser - January 21, 2014

Episode 11 - Marcellus Hall - March 1, 2013 →

Well, well, well, if it hasn't been over a month since our last show. Shonali took off to India with her parents for an entire month. Christian has been working out at the gym. Needless to say, we are happy to be back with our very first WDEK illustrator/musical guest, Marcellus Hall. Shonali shares India traveling tips such as taking your Cipro, drinking bottled water, and making friends with mosquitos. Christian has great disdain for subway aromas and drunk passengers on planes. Is alcohol a truth serum, that is the question? Marcellus knows a crazy friend who uses unusual expletives when he is intoxicated. Christian challenges Shonali's goat meat appreciation. Have you heard of the Harlem Shake? Marcellus Hall, an illustrator for The New Yorker, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, children's books, and his parent's 50th Wedding Anniversary invitation has an awesome website. His music, writings, and artwork are featured there. Shonali has been a fan of his for a very long time. Marcellus was the leader of Railroad Jerk, White Hassle and currently is the leader of Marcellus Hall and the Hostages. He is preparing to do a kickstarter campaign for a new release. WDEK was lucky enough to have Marcellus perform two songs live in the studio, He's No Longer With Us and Soulmate. Hey, did you catch that surprise last tune, a salute to WDEK's Shonali and Christian? Marcellus named the area in Manhattan in which he lives Tribedel. He will be famous for that.

Episode 11: Marcellus Hall - March 1, 2013