Mr. Check It Out! is the half pint with the gigantic boom box on his shoulder. Comedian Angel’s Cuban/Puerto Rican heritage and penchant for sporting mini-skirts not withstanding, this manic human laugh factory is rather difficult to describe. Comedian Angel Salazar has not only launched a successful career as a comedian, but also an established actor. Comedian Angel Salazar has appeared in such noteworthy films. As, Scarface, Punchline, and Carlito’s Way. He headlines across the country at The Comedy Store, The Dunes Hotel, Catch a Rising Star and The Stress Factory. Listen in as he stops by to visit his long time friend Vinnie Brand to talk about swimming to the United States from Cuba when he was 14, his time working with Pacino in Scarface and his close ties to Vinnie's late mother.... "Check It Out!"
Vinnie's The Proving Ground Podcast
Vinnie Brand with special guest Angel Salazar
Vinnie Brand with Special Guest Tommy Davidson
Another "rock star" of the comedy industry stops by for a chat with Vinnie. Tommy Davidson’s exceptional range – stand-up comedy and acting to versatile music ability – have earned him a reputation as an extraordinary performer. Best known as one of the original stars of the hit television show In Living Color, Tommy’s visibility increased rapidly and he became widely known for his innovative talent.
Now listen in as Vinnie and Tommy talk shop and and get into some heavy lifting on the subject of race in Hollywood.
Vinnie Brand with special guest Mitch Fatel
Vinnie Brand and Mitch Fatel have known each other a long time...something like 15 years...listen in as Vinnie finds out a few little things about Mitch that he didn't know...oh such as...what it's like to work for Howard Stern, what it's like to swing with his wife, what it's like to have a three some with strippers and what it's like to achieve rapid fire hard ons like your 15 again. Good stuff people.
Vinnie Brand with Special Guest Sebastian Maniscalco
Up and coming comedy rock star Sebastian Maniscalco takes time from his busy schedule headlining across the country to sit down with host Vinnie Brand on this weeks Proving Ground Podcast.
From his days as a waiter at the Four Seasons in Beverly Hills to his time as one of four comedians, handpicked by Vince Vaughn to be on his Wild West Comedy Tour, listen in as Sebastian talks about how his penchant for people watching and a life growing up in a Italian family in Chicago, has provided enough material for a lifetime in this business he loves. Oh and Vinnie serves FREE cookies to the audience!
The Proving Ground is a weekly, 1 hour interview podcast, hosted by comedian and owner of the Stress Factory comedy club, Vinnie Brand. Recorded in front of a live audience every Thursday, Vinnie takes you ”back stage”, as he digs into the processes, motives, hopes and dreams of today's comedy rock stars.
Vinnie Brand with guest Kevin Meaney
In a world of few absolutes, this is one: KEVIN MEANEY was born to entertain. From his earliest days as a singing altar boy at Mass, he's gone on to achieve mass appeal for his singular brand of comedy that includes acting out stories, musical flights of fancy and telling tales on the family.
KEVIN MEANEY has been one of the country's most popular standup comedians for more than 25 years.
From his early years doing standup comedy in San Francisco and Boston to his first HBO special in 1986 and his debut appearance on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson where he was invited by Johnny to join the guest panel. He has appeared on every major talk show, and now he joins Vinnie Brand LIVE on stage at the Stress Factory for another amazing episode of, The Proving Ground.
Big pants people, enjoy!
Vinnie Brand with Special Guest Bret Ernst
Born in NJ and relocatong to south Florida at an early age, childhood found Bret moving from town to town and school to school,landing him in and out of trouble. Bret eventually graduated from Plantation High School and went on to college at C.W. Post, where he played football and graduated with honors.
Being the "new kid" in town constantly, Bret had to literally "fight or flight" to survive as an adolescent. This ability to adapt and overcome at a young age is what gave him the fearlessness to get on stage without any inhibitions, once there he never looked back.
He is now a sought after top headliner in the industry having been in feature films with Vince Vaughn and as a recurring character on the Showtime series Weeds. Listen in as Vinnie Brand interviews this very funny, comedy rock star and find out all the details of how he “came up” and continues to be a success.
The Proving Ground is a weekly, 1 hour interview podcast, hosted by comedian and owner of the Stress Factory comedy club, Vinnie Brand. Recorded in front of a live audience every Thursday, Vinnie takes you ”back stage”, as he digs into the processes, motives, hopes and dreams of today's comedy rock stars.
Vinnie Brand with Special Guest Robert Kelly
Want to know what makes comedian Robert Kelly tick?
This week on The Proving Ground we get to meet comedian Robert Kelly. During his candid discussion with Vinnie we find out how Robert first landed on stage as a comic and what keeps him there. From his beginnings in the Boston comedy scene, coming up in a "freshman" class with names like Bill Burr, Dane Cook and Patrice Oneal, we find out how he got his first laugh, what it made him feel like, and how that laugh let him know instantly that it was time to shelve that silly idea about becoming an art teacher. After all, he was only using art to get laid.
The Proving Ground is a weekly, 1 hour interview podcast, hosted by comedian and owner of the Stress Factory comedy club, Vinnie Brand. Recorded in front of a live audience every Thursday, Vinnie takes you ”back stage”, as he digs into the processes, motives, hopes and dreams of today's comedy rock stars.
