Tank Top Talks w/ Matt Braunger

Paul Walter Hauser is a great actor, a hilarious guy, and a kind, humble man. You might know him from “I, Tonya,” “Blackbird,” or “Richard Jewell,” but did you know he’s also a pro wrestler? Yep. We got into acting, being with someone again after a breakup (we have similar relationship stories), and he even taught me a lesson on being better to myself (using scripture, no less). A Hollywood giant and a true gent. Throw on a tank for this King and listen in!

Just like frosted Lucky Charms are magicially delicious, Jamel Johnson is instantly hilarious. I’ve known him for a little while, but it wasn’t until the Toledano Street Festival in New Orleans that I became a rabid fan. All weekend the comedians were onstage and off, drinking and hanging out, but I made a point to see all of Jamel’s sets after seeing his first one. He’s basically that guy that rolls onstage and becomes the funniest guy in the room, with the vibe of a guy who just showed up to the party and everybody is psyched. Just a no-brainer to have on the show. If you like to laugh, and have a free hour for enjoyable listening, throw on a tank top and throw on this episode.Chapters1:00 - Tank Talk2:00 - Bill Cosby5:00 - Jamel’s Comedy Style 7:00 - New Orleans9:00 - Crawfish13:00 - Clowning and strippers 16:00 - Strip club ATMs 20:00 - Eating in the dark22:00 - Smelly Food on planes25:00 - Spacial slurs 27:00 - Tiny hotels 28:00 - Starting Comedy 32:00 - DC Comedy Scene 36:00 - Getting jacked 38:00 - D’Angelo40:00 - Celebrities Getting Laid47:00 - Feminine Sex Appeal50:00 - 1920’s Secret Gays 53:00 - Secret Gay Conservatives

When I moved into the house my wife and I bought in 2018, Michael was one of the first neighbors I met and I was immediately glad I did. Everybody should have a talented, kind, black, gay, kind, hilarious neighbor with a husband and two kids like I do. This episode was so amazing and special because I learned so much about a guy who lives just down the block from me. For example, I knew he played Audrey 2 from Little Shop of Horrors, but didn’t know he did it on Broadway (!!). I also didn’t know how he and his husband Hutch met(a story both beautiful and absolutely insane). Throw on your favorite Golden Girls tank top and take a listen!

I’ve had a lot of comedians on Tank Top Talks, but I don’t think I’ve had any who did the DIY thing as well as Shapel. Sure, we all work at getting the word out about ourselves, but Shapel A) stays on the road, and B) his online stuff is so well curated and uniquely him. I love his backstory as a cheerleader (he can still f-ing backflip, which is insane to me), how he got over his “crazy days” as a partier, and how focused he is while still being hilarious. Note: Watch this ep on YouTube so you can see Shapel shoot looks at Max when he says something funny. Dude loves an audience! Strap on a tank and throw on this ep. So fun. 

Everybody loves Will Sasso, including me. First, as a massive fan (like everybody), and second, as a friend. He mentored me through my Mad TV days (what days there were), and I’ve had the honor of auditioning against him many, many times (I’ve yet to win, not surprising). Anyway, he’s a new dad and a great guy and Kenny Rogers’ Jackass is the funniest sketch of all time. Throw on a tank top and listen to us yap!0:00 - Tank Top Check 3:00- MADtv6:00 - bola ball 9:00 - Making Vines 12:00 - social media woes 16:00 - Doing impressions 20:00 - Hacky Cosby**26:00 - Standup v Character30:00 - Standup Guts 35:00 - Testing for Sitcoms39:90 - Losing Weight 42:00 - old madtv photos***45:00 - Chris Farley50:00 - Audition Nightmares 54:00 - Cool Guys Suck 1:00:00 - Kenny Rogers Jackass 1:09:00 - Acting Drunk

Jessica Boudreaux is probably best known for being the lead guitarist and singer of the seminal rock band Summer Cannibals, but she’s also a cancer survivor, producer, and old friend of mine to boot. Originally from Louisiana, Jessica founded SC in my hometown of Portland, Oregon, later moving to LA to do her own thing as a producer. She now produces music for herself and other musicians and she made time to come on my pod. This ep is a little more introspective than the others, but that made it great. Throw on your most artistic tank, and enjoy. 

Here at Tank Top Talks, we’ve had some real big laughs, but I don’t think we’ve ever had one like the “Winconsinbly” one. Laura Peek is one of my favorite comics working today, a hell of a nice person, and a dear friend. There is a part of this podcast where Laura, myself, and podcast engineer Max all were legit crying from laughter. You should go see Laura but also, if you want a good laugh, listen to this episode. Tanks!

You may know Fumi Abe from the Tonight Show, the Late Show, or as a writer on Seth McFarlane's Ted, but I know him for his incredible bravery. He showed up to record this week with no tank top in hand, and accepted the challenge of wearing my clearly-too-big Santa Cruz tank top for 58 minutes and 31 seconds. We covered a lot of ground – the strong connection between racism and tank tops, New York vs. Los Angeles, Kyle Rittenhouse, the financial realities of the Italian Renaissance period – honestly no stone was left unturned. Throw on your favorite sleeveless upper-garment and tune into this week's ep of Tank Top Talks! Chapters 0:00 - Intro1:00 - Tank Top Math6:00-7 - Matt’s ulterior motive 8:00 - Racist Tank Tops 10:00 - Matt Rife 13:00 - NY v LA 16:00 - Getting Jacked 18:00 - Being Short 20:00 - Kyle Rittenhouse 22:00 - Insecurity is Loud28:30 - Professional Competition 30:00 - Bad Behavior 35:00 - putting tank tops on racists37:00 - Agents & Managers 40:00 - State of the Biz 43:00 - Rich Guy Benefactors45:00 - Medicis 50:00 - Standup Grind 54:00 - Finding Your Voice