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!

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!

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