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Tom Rhodes Smart Camp


Tom Rhodes Smart Camp is a festival of ideas, knowledge, stories, books & adventures. 

I have been a comedian for more than 39 years. I travel the world doing comedy. 
Whenever I can I will share my adventures with you on this Tom Rhodes Smart Camp podcast.

My amazing creative partner and ex-wife Ashna is my best friend. We are a mom & pop business and with her help I will putting out these episodes with all the wisdom I have gained in my life and telling you all of my greatest adventures while traveling the world. 

Thank you for your generosity and for joining the Rhodesies club. You are in my heart forever!

Oct 17, 2014

This episode was recorded in Los Angeles.

Eddie Pepitone is the darling of the underground comedy scene of Los Angeles. For an older man without a full head of hair to kick so much ass in the city where youth and beauty reigns eternal he must be respected for what he has accomplished.

His comedy style is the man yelling to the people who are in the house that is one fire but they cannot see that the house is on fire. He is the angry heckler in the crowd in the crowd who makes perfect sense. He comes from an emotional place as a comedian, he attacks the stage with how he feels. What fuels him now is what is happening in the United States with corporations destroying people. 

Anyone who thinks American comedians never talk about anything substantial have never seen Eddie perform. In this conversation Eddie and I talk about how you stay aware of what is happening in the world while remaining sane. Like George Carlin, Eddie Pepitone is an example of how an older man can do his best work in comedy and continue as he ages because he has experienced more in life. 

The documentary 'Bitter Buddha' that was about Eddie's life was a huge success. Acting roles continue to role in because he is such a unique funny character who brings his soul and experience to every project he takes part in. A veteran of two Edinburgh Fringe festivals, who I caught up with in Los Angeles just a few weeks after this year's festival. The show he performed this year was entitled 'Rest In Peace America' in which he celebrates the downfall of America and gives him a vent to steam about life in America today. 

He loves the modern comfort's of today's technology but thinks it is an exercise in futility with us amusing ourselves to death. He believes entertainers live for fame and affirmation but says if you are not centered at your core the entertainment business will crush you like a bug. 

We talk about Hollywood conspiracies, Obama's ineffectual presidency, the lack of gun control in the United States, best New York City film achievements, the collapse of the world economy and the best sources of information. He tells me his best ideas come to him when his brain calms down and he has personal break throughs. 

In this chat we talk about digesting information and ideas in order to spit out everlasting gobstobbers of thoughts. He is a man that I adore, respect and he makes me laugh out loud very hard. 

It is my pleasure to present to you now the one and only Eddie Pepitone!

Intro song: Cutting Room (Hot Pants) – Oceanliners

Stand-up clip from YouTube: Dealing With Hard Times - Eddie Pepitone

Stand-up clip from YouTube: Eddie Pepitone "Let's Order In"

Audio cameo: Eddie's dog Charlotte

End song: Randy Newman – Let’s Drop The Big One Now

Recorded at Eddie’s apartment in Los Angeles, September 2014