CooperTalk

Darren Carter - Episode 179

Steve Cooper talks with comic Darren Carter. Darren, a frequent CooperTalk guest is known as The Party Starter and brings his high energy comedy to clubs, colleges and private events all across the country. He has performed on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Comedy Central, Comics Unleashed, BET's Comic View and recently had his own half hour Showtime special. He was a supporting character in the movie Be Cool and currently co-hosts the very popular Dick and Darren comedy podcast. He also has released two top selling comedy CDs and did his Snoop Dogg impression for the rapper at his family reunion.

Amir Talai - Episode 178

Steve Cooper talks with actor and voice over artist Amir Talai. Amir has appeared on many TV shows including Castle, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Adventures in Home Schooling, Nip/Tuck, Gilmore Girls, Mad Tv and Cold Case to name a few.He played Raza in the movie Harold and Kumar Escape from Guatanamo Bay and has also been in over 50 commercials. He is also the voice of Master Crane in Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness and voiced the same character in the Kung Fu Panda 2 video game and has performed in the stage version of Guys and Dolls at the legendary Hollywood Bowl.

Tom Choi - Episode 177

Steve Cooper talks with actor Tom Choi. Tom, after graduating the University of Washington moved to Los Angeles to pursue his acting career. Since then he has landed roles in various TV shows including The Shield, Las Vegas, CSI:Miami, Bones, Criminal Minds, Franklin & Bash, The Closer, House of Lies, Southland and has a recurring role on A.N.T. Farm. He has also appeared on the big screen in the hits Minority Report and Hall Pass. He attended the LACC School of Cinema and Televison and now adds producing, directing and writing to his credits and also performs stand-up comedy. 

Sheldon Anderson - Episode 176

Steve Cooper talks with comic/actor/writer Sheldon Anderson. Sheldon while growing up in North Dakota had appeared in dozens of local television spots, selling everything from potato chips to hardware by the time he was 12. He is a frequent headliner at The Comedy Store and the Hollywood Improv.  His ability to speak Spanish and his knowledge of the world has combined to form an intelligent, fun and bilingual look at the world we live in.  He has performed for sold out crowds across the country. He continues to appear in numerous national commercials and has been in episodes of The Man Show and Manswers. He can be seen as the cocky and hilarious Venice Beach Officer Art Fierro in the series Smoked and also wrote, produced and stars in the upcoming series Roswell Oswald Conspiracy Theorist.

Kivi Rogers - Episode 175

Steve Cooper talks with comic/writer Kivi Rogers. Kivi won his very first comedy competition and then decided to take comedy serious.. Since then his star has continued to rise. He showcased at the US Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen, Colorado after which he landed a development deal with Castle Rock Entertainment to star in his own sitcom. He has also appeared on The Tonight Show w/Jay Leno. In 1998 he was nominated for comedian of the year at the National Association of Campus Activities (NACA). He's also had guest appearances on such shows as The West Wing, Everybody Loves Raymond, VIP, Diagnosis Murder, and Dharma & Greg to name a few. He also appeared in the Mira Sorvino, Lisa Kudrow feature film Romy and Michelle's High School Reunion, and with Academy award winners Mercedes Ruehl, and Cloris Leachman in The Amati Girls.

Arye Gross - Episode 174

Steve Cooper talks with actor Arye Gross. Arye is best known TV role was on the ABC series Ellen as Adam Green, for the program's first three seasons. He starred in the short-lived series Citizen Baines with James Cromwell and has made numerous guest appearances on a wide variety of TV shows including Diff'rent Strokes, Knight Rider, Six Feet Under, Law & Order: SVU, CSI and The Mentalist to name a few. He's also appeared in many movies such as Soul Man, The Experts, Shaking the Tree and Minority Report. In 1999, Gross acted in and directed The Prince and the Surfer which was his film directorial debut. Currently he has a recurring role on the hit series Castle where he plays M.E. Sidney Perlmutter.

Nate Bargatze - Episode 173

Steve Cooper talks with comic Nate Bargatze. Nate followed his father's footsteps, who was a former clown turned professional magician into the entertainment world. He has had his own Comedy Central Presents special, appeared on Conan four times and made his debut on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon earlier this year. He has been on CMT various times and won both the New York Comedy Festival and Boston Comedy Festival in 2010. He has also written for the Spike Video Game Awards and has performed for the troops in Kuwait and Iraq five times. He recently released an album, Yelled at by a Clown which made it onto the Billboard Top Ten Comedy Charts for two weeks.

Sandy Hackett - Episode 172

Steve Cooper talks with comic/actor/radio host Sandy Hackett. Sandy is the son of comedy legend Buddy Hackett. At the tender age of 11, Sandy made his debut on Rowan& Martin’s Laugh In. At 15, he performed before 3,000 people at New York’s Westbury Music Fair, and then made his debut on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. He honed his comedic skills on stage at the famed Casbar lounge of the Sahara Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. Although known primarily as a comedian, he has had several dramatic roles in the films Jack of Hearts, Lovers & Liars and Ex-Cop. In 1998, he played District Attorney Martin Siegel in the acclaimed PBS series, On Common Ground. He also hosted a one-hour nightly Las Vegas-based TV talk show that was an immediate success and hosted his own weekly radio show, broadcast from Las Vegas and that aired nationally. These days and nights, He is writer, producer, director, and Joey in the production of, The Rat Pack is Back, an award winning nostalgic revue that captures the fun and music originally created in the 1960s by the infamous Rat Pack.

Bill Masters and Steve Skrovan - Episode 171

Steve Cooper talks with comics/writers Bill Masters and Steve Skrovan. The two of them wrote together on Seinfeld. Bill was a fixture in the New York City comedy scenes in the early 80s appearing on VH1, MTV and A&E. He then relocated to Los Angeles where he served as producer or writer on such shows as Grace Under Fire, Murphy Brown, Caroline in the City, Raising Dad and Greetings from Home to name a few. Steve has won two Emmys for Everybody Loves Raymond where he served as Executive Producer and Writer. He has also held the same position for the show Hot In Cleveland, Til' Death and many others. He directed the documentary An Unreasonable Man which is about Ralph Nader. He got his start in comedy where he made many TV appearances in the early 90's. Recently he wrote for the hit show Wendell & Vinnie and the latest film he has directed Fred & Vinnie is available on Netflix.

Troy Patrick Farrell - Episode 170

Steve Cooper talks with drummer Troy Patrick Farrell. Troy a Chicago-land drummer has toured the world 7 times, North America 14 times, performed in nearly 40 countries and Stumped the Trunk on VH1’s That Metal Show. He has played with his heroes and predecessors such as White Lion, Bulletboys, Jani Lane of Warrant, CC DeVille of Poison and most recently Gilby Clarke of Guns n' Roses fame. He has also played with John Corabi, Ugly Kid Joe and jams with a super group Cheap Thrill that includes members of Cinderella.

Justin Rivera - Episode 169

Steve Cooper talks with comic/magician Justin Rivera. Justin started performing magic at the age of 10. He quickly learned his craft and in just a few years he was performing around California and at magic shows in Las Vegas. He eventually added comedy to his repertoire. Since then he is a regular at the Magic Castle in Hollywood, was a judge's favorite on America's Got Talent and has also been on Comedy Central and Playboy TV. He is known as the "comedian's magician" being a comedian trapped inside a magician's body. He performs at comedy clubs, colleges, casinos and corporate events across the country. He has also opened for Jo Koy, Russell Peters and many other top acts.

Jann Karam - Episode 168

Steve Cooper talks with comedian/actor/writer Jann Karam. Jann's numerous T.V. credits include stand-up appearances on Late Show with David Letterman, The Tonight Show and HBO’s Young Comedians Show. In addition to playing one of Jerry’s girlfriend’s on Seinfeld, she has guest-starred on Norm, Mad About You, Politically Incorrect, Dr. Katz and many more. She wrote, directed, and starred in festival-award winning film,Under the Big Muu-Muu, a funny, touching look at mother-daughter relationships. She performs her one-woman showReclining Nude on La Cienega in Los Angeles and around the country. In addition, she’s written a book based on the show–a humorous collection of short stories about life, love and finding a place to lie down.

Max Wasa - Episode 167

Steve Cooper talks with entertainment jack of all trades Max Wasa. Max is a long-time industry professional. She is a classically-trained musician; nationally-recognized children's writer; green product developer; the creative force behind Hopey The Hound Dog, The Delicate Dragonfly, Kid Fuel Beverages; and along with writing partner Carrie Magalski the author of the brand new graphic novel: Inspirit: Cherubs In Training. All of this and also being known as one of the most popular models ever to grace the pages of Playboy Magazine. Her giving heart and unending talent set her apart from most of her contemporaries. Whether being behind the board in the recording studio; on stage in front of 60,000 people with Alice Cooper at Wembly; writing curriculum for advanced music academies; teaching voice lessons; writing for Paw Print Magazine; being the musical director for the documentary film "Seed Of Faith"; or shooting large and small-scale films, Max is an inspiration.

Jonathan Schmock - Episode 166

Steve Cooper talks with actor/writer Jonathan Schmock. Jonathan got his start in the comedy team The Funny Boys whose many TV appearances included HBO's 7th Annual Young Comedians Special. As an actor he gained recognition as the snooty maitre d' in Ferris Buehler's Day Off and has been seen in the shows The Golden Girls, Blossom, My Wife and Kids, Malcolm in the Middle, Arrested Development, Samantha Who, CSI:NY, The Mentalist, The Big Bang Theory and many more. He also has written for television, where he created Sabrina the Teenage Witch and Brotherly Love and has been on the staff of such shows as Dharma & Greg, Real Time with Bill Maher and How to Live with Your Parents (For the Rest of Your Life).

Roger Kabler - Episode 165

Steve Cooper talks with comic/actor Roger Kabler. Roger, also a master impressionist performed on many shows in the 80's including The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The Arsenio Hall Show, Evening at the Improv and Stand-Up Spotlight to name a few. He was also a regular on MTV's Remote Control and the Carol Burnett Show. He was the star of the sitcom Rhythm & Blues and has also been seen on Clueless, Tales from the Crypt and Cybil to name a few. He was the lead in the movie Who the Hell is Bobby Roos and has lended his voice to many animated projects. Recently he was on the reality show The Next Big Thing and was in the movie Not Another Celebrity Movie. He also just illustrated a children's book that his wife wrote called Montague: The Pitbull of Park Avenue.

Sue Costello - Episode 164

Steve Cooper talks with comic/actor Sue Costello. Sue, originally from Boston, has been a fixture on the New York comedy scene for years.  She starred in the self-titled television series, Costello on Fox, where she was also a producer and the co-creator of the show. She has also appeared on television shows such as NYPD Blue and Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn on Comedy Central.  She was a guest host on NBC's Later and has performed on Premium Blend. On the big screen she has been seen in Southie, Once in a Life and The Fighter. In 2004 she made the finals of Last Comic Standing and currently hosts the The Kadoozie Cast and performs her one person show I Wasn't Trying to be Funny on in NYC and LA.

Richard Ruccolo - Episode 163

Steve Cooper talks with actor Richard Ruccolo. Richard starting booking commercials back East when out of High School and eventually ended up being Bruce Willis' body double and stand in for the movie 12 Monkeys. He then moved to Los Angeles and landed guest spots on Beverly Hills 90210 and The X-Files. That lead to being  a co-star of the ABC sitcom Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place. Since then he has appeared on many TV shows including being a regular on Joey and Rita Rocks and has a recurring character on It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.

Mark Valley - Episode 162

Steve Cooper talks to Actor/Comic Mark Valley. Mark is making his second appearance on CooperTalk and has been a fixture on Prime Time TV for years. After graduating West Point he did extra work in Germany. He then moved back to the US and landed a lot of commercials and a part on NBC's Days of our Lives. He then began to star in many TV series including Pasadena, ER, Keen Eddie, Boston Legal, Fringe, Human Target and Murphy's Law. He recently was on ABC's Body of Proof and also had a role in Zero Dark Thirty.

Steve Skrovan - Episode 161

Steve Cooper talks to Writer/Director Steve Skrovan. This is Steve's second appearance on CooperTalk. He has won two Emmys for Everybody Loves Raymond where he served as Executive Producer and Writer. He has also held the same position for the show Hot In Cleveland, Til' Death and many others. He was a Staff Writer on Seinfeld and co-wrote and directed the documentary An Unreasonable Man which is about Ralph Nader. He got his start in comedy where he made many TV appearances in the early 90's. Recently he wrote for the hit show Wendell & Vinnie and the latest film he has directed Fred & Vinnie is available on Netflix.

Alex Skuby - Episode 160

Steve Cooper talks with actor Alex Skuby. Alex left New Jersey to pursue acting in Chicago. He quickly got work, booking a guest star role on Early Edition. After that he appeared on ER, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Chicago Hope to name a few. He eventually ended up as a recurring character on The King of Queens and hasn't looked back. He has been on Without a Trace, House M.D., CSI: Miami, Castle, The Mentalist, Last Man Standing, Southland and many others. He has also been in the Capital One commercials, playing a Viking Lawyer. He recently started a new venture in his career, voice overs and can be heard in campaigns for some very popular products.

Kato Kaelin - Episode 159

Steve Cooper talks with host/actor Kato Kaelin. Kato first appeared in the spotlight during the OJ Simpson Murder Trial and became a well known Pop Culture figure. He has been very involved with reality TV and was a cast member on Celebrity Boot Camp. He also developed the series House Guest and has appeared Sunset Tan, Reality Strikes Back and Gimme My Reality Show. He's ventured into the game show market where he has been a contestant on Russian Roulette, BZZZ and National Lampoon's Strip Poker. As a host he has done radio, co-hosted Eye for an Eye and currently is hosting a show that is being produced by Charlie Sheen.

Robert Romanus - Episode 158

Steve Cooper talks with actor/musician Robert Romanus. Robert is best known for his role of Damone in the movie Fast Times at Ridgemont High. He has also acted in the movies Foxes and The Runaways to name a few. He also is a familiar face to TV where he has appeared on many shows including Fame, The Facts of Life, 21 Jump Street, Booker, Cold Case, Wedding Band and Touch. When not acting, he is an accomplished Musician. His band Poppa's Kitchen performs all over Los Angeles and has recorded 7 albums.

Tony Edwards - Episode 156

Steve Cooper talks with comic/actor Tony Edwards. Tony was in many commercials when he was young and then set his eyes on stand-up comedy. He quickly became the House Emcee at the Improv on Melrose in Hollywood. This led to appearances on the MTV Half Hour Comedy Hour and VH1's Standup Spotlight. Soon after that he got back into acting and has appeared in the movies Starman, Hot Shots! Part Deux and Hollywood Shuffle to name a few. He is also a familiar face to television where some of his credits include Seinfeld, Mad About You, Roseanne, Southland and Private Practice. Besides acting he is a accomplished photographer and an expert on Apple Computers and Burning Man.

Lisa Alvarado - Episode 155

Steve Cooper talks with comic/actor Lisa Alvarado. Lisa got her start doing improv in Chicago and toured with the Player’s Workshop of Second City. She then turned to stand-up which has given her the opportunity to perform all across America as well as several regional Comedy Festivals. She currently performs in the top clubs nationally, colleges, and corporate shows. Lisa’s TV appearances include NBC’s Last Comic Standing, Nick at Nite’s The Search for the Funniest Mom in America 2, SiTv, and Que Loco Comedy Jam to name a few. She also has written, created and stars in the web series The Bitchlorettes and was the host of Mis Video Locos with Paul Rodriguez. She recently released a DVD The Real Latin Queen of Comedy.

Dwayne Perkins - Episode 154

Steve Cooper talks with comic/actor Dwayne Perkins. Dwayne has earned a spot in today's elite class of stand-up comics with several appearances on Comedy Central and on Conan. He has also had a recurring piece on The Jay Leno Show entitled Great White Moments in Black History. He can be seen in the HBO movie The Gristle and has been on The Learning Channel teaching a Seattle fireman a thing or two about comedy on the show Faking It. Dwayne has done several commercials and is part of The Bob & Tom Comedy Tour in addition to headlining colleges and comedy clubs across the country. He currently has a new CD out called Dwayne Perkins To The Rescue

Joe Medeiros - Episode 152

Steve Cooper talks with writer/director Joe Medeiros. Joe is the former Head Writer of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and worked for him from 1988 to 2010. He has also written for the show Steven Schirippa's Hungry. In addition he is a documentary filmmaker. His past films have been Sailing the Star of India, Doors of Florence and Friends of Independence. His current project is an award winning piece about the 1911 theft of the Mona Lisa titled The Missing Piece: Mona Lisa, Her Thief, The True Story which has been taking the Film Festival circuit by storm.

Vicki Wagner - Episode 151

Steve Cooper talks with Comic/Host Vicki Wagner. Vicki was kicked out of the Air Force for being gay she decided that this was a big joke. She has emceed several Pride events across the nation, headlined as far away as Provincetown, MA and Vancouver, BC and has hosted gay events across the country. She also has been featured on the front page of Outlands Magazine, the West Hollywood Independent, The Santa Barbara News Press, The Westsider, Provincetown Magazine, IN Newsweekly out of Boston, the Mayday Press in Denmark, and in She Magazine. She has been on several radio shows, TV talk shows and written a column for the Advocate. Currently she hosts the show  Lesbian Knows Best on YouTube. 

Rose Abdoo - Episode 150

Steve Cooper talks with actor Rose Abdoo. Rose's career began in Chicago, where she performed at various improvisational theaters, including the Improv Institute and four years with The Second City and she went on to develop her own one-woman shows, Who Does She Think She Is? and Get to the Part About Me. Her movie credits include My Best Freind's Wedding, The 40 Year Old Virgin, Good Night and Good Luck, US Marshals and Bad Teacher. She is also a familiar face on TV where she was the co-star of Johnny Bago, has had recurring roles on Gilmore Girls, That's So Raven and Bunheads and has been a guest star on Monk, CSI:NY, Malcolm in the Middle, Two Broke Girls, Psych, Without a Trace and Happy Endings to name a few.

Bruce Fine - Episode 149

Steve Cooper talks with comic/actor Bruce Fine. Bruce has appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, on Comics Unleashed and was a semi-finalist on NBC's Last Comic Standing. His acting roles include Hotel Hell Vacation with Chevy Chase, Love That Girl, King of Queens and My Wife and Kids, along with national commercials for Build-A-Bear, Toyota, Miller Lite, and Direct TV. As a writer/producer he has worked on Wayans Brothers television shows including Thugaboo, My Wife and Kids, The Wayans Brothers and Keenen. He also contributed on their hit movies Little Man, and Scary Movies 1 & 2. As a Comedy Producer on the Wayne Brady Show he was nominated for a 2004 Emmy Award. He currently created, produces and hosts The Laugh Pack which is a Vegas style show starring the best comedians in the world and featuring rat-pack style singers.

Suli McCullough - Episode 148

Steve Cooper talks with Comic/Actor/Writer Suli McCullough. Suli has been a writer on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Lopez Tonight, Saturday Night Live, the BET Awards and The Espy Awards to name a few. However, you probably know him best as Mouse on The Jamie Foxx Show or Crazy Legs (The dude in the wheelchair) in the Wayans Bros. spoof, Don’t be a Menace to South Central while Drinking your Juice in The Hood.  He has also acted in many other projects including Scary Movie 2, The Larry Sanders Show and Seinfeld. As a comic his TV appearances include The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Last Comic Standing and Comedy Central.

Lou Santini - Episode 147

Steve Cooper talks with comic/actor/writer Lou Santini. Lou headlines at clubs across America and his one of the most sought out Corporate Comics around. He has been featured in the New York Post's annual Best Jokes Around segment and recently released his second album Let's get Bloated. His televison appearances include camera time on the Reelz Channel, TBS, TV Guide Network and Oprah Winfrey Network and he has been getting work as a man on the street interviewer and a host. His book How to Go from Wedding Hell to Wedding Bells: Your
Wedding Shouldn't Need a Survival Guide can be found on Amazon. 

Willie Barcena - Episode 146

Steve Cooper talks with comic Willie Barcena. Willie’s talent has garnered him 12 appearances on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” more than any other Latino Comedian in the history of the show. Jay even invited Willie to perform for the troops in Afghanistan. In addition to being a comedy road warrior, Willie has appeared on many TV shows including: Moesha, The Wayans Brothers, and he was chosen to be the host of the popular Si-Tv production Latino Laugh Festival – The Show. He’s also made multiple appearances on tours such as Que Locos, Latino Laugh Festival, Montreal’s Just for Laughs and Crown Royal Latin All Stars Comedy Explosion. Most recently he had his one hour Comedy Central special which was received with rave reviews.

Jimmy Palombi - Episode 145

Steve Cooper talks with actor/comic/writer Jimmy Palombi. Jimmy has done roughly 100 TV commercials and several television shows including Monk, Greek and Strong Medicine. He came to L.A. by way of Chicago where he worked with Second City, Improv Olympic and Annoyance Theatre. He performs a unique style of stand-up at such venues as The Icehouse and the Comedy Store. He has also created several television pilots that are being shopped around, the latest being Hi Road Lo Road.

Jason Resler - Episode 144

Steve Cooper talks with comic Jason Resler. Jason was described by the Sacramento News & Review as, "Sharp, smart material that kept the crowd in hysterics!" He was named among America's Top Working Comedians by Entertainment Business Journal. His comedy album Road Comic contains over 55 minutes of material and recieves regular airplay from Raw Dog Comedy on Sirius/XM Satellite Radio and Comedy Icons on Pandora Radio and TV credits include 2 appearances on Comedy Central's Laugh Riots and 5 appearances on Comedy Time. He is also the self appointed Un-Official Comedian of Major League Baseball and performs Pitching Punchlines, a show all about the sport during Spring Training in Arizona.

Mark Lonow - Episode 143

Steve Cooper talks with actor/club owner/manager Mark Lonow. Mark started his acting in New York City and was in a comedy group with Henry Winkler. He then moved to L.A. and appeared in the TV shows All in the Family, Charlie's Angels, The Rockford Files, Moonlighting, Hill Street Blues, Murphy Brown and many others. Throughout his career he has also been in movies such as Mr. Saturday Night, City Hall, National Security and the Wedding Singer. He is considered an industry leader in the comedy world. He is partners with Budd Friedman of the famous Improvisation comedy club in L.A. and was a key component in building their 20+ clubs across the country and his wife and him manage Lewis Black and Kathleen Madigan. He currently is writing a play for Off Broadway and his daughter created the series How to Live with Your Parents(For the Rest of Your Life), which Brad Garrett's character is based on him.  

Brian Herzlinger - Episode 142

Steve Cooper talks with director/writer/host Brian Herzlinger. Brian's first feature film he directed was the documentary My Date with Drew. He also starred in the movie which earned the Best Feature Film at the HBO: Comedy Arts Festival and received many more awards at film festivals across the country. He has gone on to direct Baby on Board, Brother White, Christmas Angel, which was the GMC network's highest rated movie and Finding Normal. How Sweet It Is which he directed and co-wrote is slated for nation wide release in May. He has also branched over to TV where he recently finished a pilot Paulie which he co-wrote and directed. Not limiting himself to strictly behind the camera work, he was a regular correspondent on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, hosted his own segment on Extra and was the host for the CW's Laugh Factor. 

Phil Hendrie - Episode 141

Steve Cooper talks with radio host/actor Phil Hendrie. Phil hosts his own critically acclaimed radio show, distributed by Talk Radio Network and broadcast out of Los Angeles. On his hugely popular show he provides the story on his character, then people call in wanting to talk to the "character" who is unreal, but callers think they are real. Has been in radio for decades. Comedy greats and celebrities such as Howard Stern, Matt Groening (with musician David Lindley), Harry Shearer, George Carlin, Michael McKean, June Lockhart and Gary Oldman are fans who have come to Hendrie’s studio to watch him do his show. As an actor he has appeared in the series New Girl, Teachers, The Unit, Modern Family and Napolean Dynamite to name a few. He has also appeared in movies including Semi-Pro. As a voice artist some of his credits are King of the Hill, Futurama and Team America: World Police.

Allan Stephan - Episode 140

Steve Cooper talks with comic/writer Allan Stephan. Allan a longtime veteran of the comedy club circuit, has a much deserved reputation as one of the quickest and funniest off-the-cuff comics working today. He has headlined every major club in the country, and for six years played to sold-out casinos and arenas with the notorious Outlaws of Comedy starring comedian Sam Kinison. He's also opened for many famous acts including Harry Belafonte, Tony Bennett, and Smokey Robinson, just to name a few. He turned to writing in the mid-90s and soon became the executive producer on the hit television show Roseanne and served as co-executive producer on HBO's Arli$$. He was nominated for a WGA Award in 2007 for the show he co-created, Assume the Position with Mr. Wuhl on HBO. He currently headlines clubs and is writing and developin pilots.

Rick Izquieta - Episode 139

Steve Cooper talks with comic Rick Izquieta. Rick is one of the fastest growing comedians out there performing at all the big clubs in L.A, Hollywood and cities across the nation. Rick hosts a weekly radio show called Iz Radio Time. He is also known for working as a voice over artist for Black Belt TV and is a regular guest on Playboy Radio en Espanol and you can find his comedy on Sirius Radio. 

Michele Mahone - Episode 138

Steve Cooper talks with gossip girl Michele Mahone. Michele was born in Middle Kentucky and has been fascinated with Celebrities as long as she can remember. Moving to Los Angeles eighteen years ago, she began her Hollywood career as an entertainment industry make-up artist painting some of the most famous faces in the business. A chance encounter brought her to the world of home shopping where she spent several years selling jewelry to U.S. audiences. Little did she know that her on camera experience was preparing her for her roll as a Hollywood gossip girl down under. She reports every Saturday and Sunday from LA for Weekend Today.

Jason Stuart - Episode 137

Steve Cooper talks with comic/actor Jason Stuart. Jason has performed at all of the top comedy clubs & comedy festivals and hundreds of gay events & prides, colleges & universities, and even on Broadway. Since Stuart makes such a strong connection with his audience, he is in high demand by corporate programs with his lecture, Coming Out in Hollywood, on being openly gay in the workplace. Stuart is also well-known for his work as an actor playing gay & straight roles on over forty popular television shows including The Closer, Will & Grace, George Lopez, House, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and Charmed. He is best known playing “Dr. Thomas”, the gay family therapist on My Wife and Kids. He has also acted in the movies Gia, Kindergarten Cop, Vegas Vacation and A Day Without a Mexican to name a few.

Rory Scovel - Episode 136

Steve Cooper talks with Rory Scovel. Rory tours clubs across the country and has appeared on Comedy Central's Live at Gotham, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, John Oliver's New York Standup show, Conan and Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson to name a few. He has also performed at Montreal Just for Laughs in 2009 and 2012 and Chicago Just for Laughs in 2011 as well numerous Comedy festivals throughout the nation. His CD Dilation is a best seller on both iTunes and Amazon.

James P. Connolly - Episode 135

Steve Cooper talks with comic James P. Connolly. James is one of the most played stand-ups on on the Sirius Xm comedy channels and is a regular on the Bob and Tom Radio Show. He has performed on Comedy Central and HBO, has hosted VH1's Movie Obsessions and Live From Here on XM Radio for National Lampoon and has also made multiple trips overseas to entertain our Troops. He currently headlines clubs across the country and his CD The Master Plan has been receiving rave reviews.

John Kassir - Episode 134

Steve Cooper talks with Actor/Comic John Kassir. John is best known for being the voice of the Crypt Keeper on HBO's Tales From The Crypt. He also portrayed Ralph in both the stage version and film adaption of Reefer Madness. He has lent his voice to numerous projects including the shows Tiny Toon Adventures and Rocket Power and the video games Spyro's Adventures and Skylanders: Giants. As a comic he has toured the country and was a grand winner on Star Search. He currently is one of the stars of the movie Jack the Giant Slayer.

Yul Spencer - Episode 133

Steve Cooper talks with comic/actor/writer Yul Spencer. Yul is very recognizable from his appearances on the hit shows The Shield, Malcolm and Eddie and BET's Comic View and the movies Funny FutherMuckers, Two Can Play That Game and Nine Shades of Pleasant. He has also been in many commercials including Absolut Vodka with Ali Larter and his Burger King Steakhouse one made TBS's TV's Funniest Commercials. As a comic he has toured the country and headlined comedy clubs for years and has performed on various programs from Showtime to the Arsenio Hall Show. His one man show Ya Gotta Go Higher was a crowd and critic favorite and he continually performs in plays including Friends and Lovers and most recently SAFE.

Patrick O'Sullivan - Episode 132

Steve Cooper talks with comic/actor Patrick O'Sullivan. Patrick has a recurring role on the new ABC comedy The Neighbors, as well as sidekick to Rob Corddry on ABC's Happy Endings. He was seen in theaters last year in the horror film Smiley and is the creator of the hit stage shows All About Walken: The Impersonators of Christopher Walken and All About Jack (Nicholson) and plays Gary Busey in the wildly popular interactive show Point Break Live! He performs standup and his one man show across the country and has been seen on Comedy Central, Showtime, Fox, and CBS shows. Patrick also produced the first ever stage version of The Shawshank Redemption and a new documentary on Lenny Bruce titled Looking for Lenny. Patrick writes and acts for the booming internet channel Totally Sketch and voices Ronald Reagan on the online cartoon series Dino Yacht Club.

Gary Cannon - Episode 131

Steve Cooper talks with comic Gary Cannon. Gary is one of the most in-demand crowd warm-up comedians in the business. He started with the Late Late Show when Craig Kilborn was host and then stayed on with current host Craig Ferguson. He ended up doing Last Call with Carson Daly when the show moved from New York to L.A. He has also worked on many other big shows including Dancing with the Stars. As a stand-up he has worked wih some amazing talents, including Bob Saget, Dana Carvey, Brian Regan, Norm McDonald and Jim Gaffigan and he play some of the best clubs in the country. He currently gets the audience tuned up on Sullivan and Son and then hits the road with the cast to bring the funny.

Wendy Liebman - Episode 130

Steve Cooper talks with Comic Wendy Liebman. Wendy is a returning CooperTalk guest. Her one hour Showtime special, Taller on TV is currently airing. She also has been on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, The Tonight Show, Late Show with David Letterman, Jimmy Kimmel Live, HBO, Comic Relief, Women of the Night, the movie The Aristocrats and many, many more projects. She is currently writing a one woman show and has secured a top actress to perform it.

Gene Perret - Episode 129

Steve Cooper talks with comedy writer Gene Perret. Gene is known as the guru of comedy writing. He has written for such comedians as Bob Hope, Carol Burnett, Bill Cosby, Phyllis Diller, Tim Conway and many others. He has earned three Emmy Awards for the Carol Burnett Show and wrote for Bob Hope from 1969 until the performer's retirement. His television career includes producing Three's Company, Welcome Back Kotter and The Tim Conway Show. Other credits include Mama's Family, Laugh-In, All in the Family and many others. He has authored 40 books on comedy. One of them, Comedy Writing Step by Step is considered by many to be the textbook on comedy writing. He recently released The Ten Commandments of Comedy.

Dean Delray - Episode 128

Steve Cooper talks with comic Dean Delray. Dean brings his talents to comedy after a successful career in music. A true character, he’s got the tattoos, a motorcycle and a raspy voice to go along with it. Jumping in with both feet, he quickly put his nose to the comedy grindstone and soon was featuring on the road for some of comedy's biggest stars including Chris D’Elia, Bobby Lee and Erik Griffin. He was also in Quentin Tarantino's Hell Ride, where he not only acted but laid a track down for the original soundtrack. He was featured in Ice Cube's The Longshots and Noise Matters and has a very successful podcast called Let There Be Talk. Guest on the show have included Steve Jones of the Sex Pistols, Bill Burr and Jon Bernthal from The Walking Dead.