Check Your Brain

Dave Thomas has spent the last five decades in the entertainment industry, first gracing the stage with Godspell and Second City to becoming a writer and featured player on SCTV. His stardom "took off" after being paired with Rick Moranis in the Great White North sketches, leading to albums, a movie, and even a statue.   Dave has continued writing over the years on television, and has now made his...

If you listened to the Dave Parker podcast, FantasyDraftHelp.com's Rick Morris and Tony Mazur went over the best players who are not in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Conversely, on this show, they discussed who should have their plaques removed from Cooperstown.   Follow Tony on his various social media platforms: Twitter - @TonyMazur Instagram - @tmaze25   Be sure to subscribe to Tony's Patreon. $5...

Dave Parker made seven all-star teams, picked up three Gold Gloves, won two batting titles and two World Series, and took home the 1978 MVP award. So why is the Cobra not in the Baseball Hall of Fame? He penned an autobiography called The Cobra, and he talked to Check Your Brain's Tony Mazur about his storied career.   As an added bonus, Rick Morris from FantasyDraftHelp.com joined the podcast to...

Matt Rosenberg is a former cab driver-turned-writer, and he is the author of the book What Next, Chicago? Notes of a Pissed-Off Native Son. He chats with Check Your Brain's Tony Mazur about the downfall of the Windy City, from the politics to pop culture, from the failing courts to the school systems.   Matt's book can be purchased here.   Follow Tony on his various social media platforms: Twitter...

Kyle Rittenhouse was found not guilty in the Kenosha shootings from August 2020. The corporate press got much of, if not all, of the story wrong from the beginning, causing a cognitive dissonance to erupt in the public square. Many have compared this case to Nicholas Sandmann and Covington Catholic, in that what was first reported was entirely inaccurate, and the Sandmann family sought payment for...

Adam Nutter is a comedian and podcaster, host of The Porcupine and Cult of Us podcasts. He joined Check Your Brain's Tony Mazur for a spirited discussion on the Libertarian Party being controlled opposition, the Covid insanity, and the loss of freedoms by the day.   Follow Tony on his various social media platforms: Twitter - @TonyMazur Instagram - @tmaze25   Be sure to subscribe to Tony's Patreon...

Peter Navarro is an economist, author, and former senior White House official during the Trump Administration, and he has a new book out called In Trump Time: A Journal of America's Plague Year. In it, he documents in real time the moments that led up to the COVID-19 pandemic, which include his first meeting with Dr. Anthony Fauci, which turned sour in a hurry.   In Trump Time is available now on...

Shawn Boyd is a comedian, actor, and podcaster, and each year he puts together a Suicide Prevention Fundraiser at the Funny Stop Comedy Club in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, on Monday November 8th.   Shawn and Check Your Brain's Tony Mazur talk about what led to him starting this benefit, how trauma and tragedy can turn into dark comedy, the Dave Chappelle controversy, and how comedy is being policed by s...

As a teenager, Cathy Rudolph adored Paul Lynde, from his appearances on sitcoms like Bewitched to his "center square" hijinks on Hollywood Squares. But for as silly as he was, Paul had demons, and they came out when he would drink. He also struggled with his sexuality in the more taboo days of the 1970s, and had a sad ending to his life in 1982.   In those final few years, Cathy got to know Paul a...

Tanking is not a new trend in pro sports, but it certainly has seen it happen in waves. From the "Trust the Process" 76ers to the race for Zion Williamson, the NBA has seen their sharing of teams tanking for draft spots in the last decade.     Jake Fischer is a writer for Bleacher Report, and he is the author of Built to Lose: How the NBA's Tanking Era Changed the League Forever. He joined Check Y...

How much do you know about the 30th President of the United States, Calvin Coolidge? Unless you're a history buff or lean conservative, probably not much. But there is some great literature out about his impact on the country during the prosperous and "roaring" 1920s.       Amity Shlaes is on the board of trustees with the Calvin Coolidge Presidential Foundation, and in 2013, she authored the book...

Joe Raiola is a comedy writer and satirist, producer of an Annual John Lennon Tribute, and standup comic. He is probably most known for his work in Mad Magazine's editorial department, where he spent 33 years with the magazine, eventually becoming senior editor.     Joe joined Tony Mazur and the Check Your Brain podcast to reminisce over his Mad tenure, his relationship with founder Bill Gaines, t...

Do you have what it takes to become a Navy SEAL? Not many do. In fact, very, very few possess not only the physical makeup of a SEAL, but the mental aspect, as well.     Scott McEwen helped co-write the #1 New York Times Best Selling book American Sniper with Chris Kyle, and he is out with a new book called Hell Week & Beyond: The Making of a Navy SEAL.     Scott and Tony Mazur from the Check Your...

Ryan Lang is a radio news anchor in Akron, Ohio, and he just recently celebrated two years of sobriety. He's also a new father, a fiancee, and a die-hard fan of the band Phish.     Ryan chatted with Check Your Brain's Tony Mazur about his long-time struggles with alcohol, dating back to high school when he lost his mother to breast cancer. He takes the "one day at a time" approach when it comes to...

Nick Sandmann and the Covington Catholic students saw their lives change forever in January 2019 when images of them "smirking" at a Native American Vietnam War veteran went viral, even though there was much, much more to the story.     The mainstream media, celebrities, politicians, and other verified people jumped on this story, accusing the students of racism. Steve Oldfield is the director of...

Bassem Youssef may not be a household name in the United States, but in Egypt, he was the biggest thing since Ful Medames. A Daily Show-like figure, Youssef used satire to question the authoritarian government in Egypt and was arrested during the period of strife for his comedy. He chatted with Check Your Brain's Tony Mazur about how the Middle East and the West deal with political and social sati...

With all of the streaming options available in 2021, why do many still spend their Sundays watching The Golden Girls on basic cable? What is it about this show that ended nearly 30 years ago where people of all ages, races, and sexualities come together and still laugh? Jim Colucci is a writer and author, and back in 2016, he penned a book called Golden Girls Forever, a comprehensive look at the w...

Yale Law PhD candidate Sarah Braasch led a fairly interesting life prior to May 2018, but her world turned upside down when she called the non-emergency police on someone sleeping in a common area without a card key, which means he did not live in that dormitory. This turned into a massive scandal at Yale, and Sarah was labeled a racist for calling the cops over the crime of "napping while black."...

Aaron Berg is a comedian, actor, and one half of the duo that makes up In Hot Water, which is heard Monday-Thursday afternoons on Compound Media.   Aaron is bringing his co-host Geno Bisconte, as well as his Compound co-workers Pat Dixon, Bobby Tamburro, Larry Beyah, and of course Anthony Cumia to the Funny Stop in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio on August 19-21. Comedians of the Compound also has dates in L...

No matter what some major-city mayors may say, crime rates are rising rapidly. Everything from petty crime to homicide numbers have been going up the last few years, and why is that?   Paul Viollis may have some answers. He heads up Viollis Group International after spending several decades in law enforcement. He talked to Check Your Brain's Tony Mazur about how far departments have ventured since...

Don Jamieson is a nationally-touring comedian and host of That Jamiseon Show, which airs Tuesdays on Compound Media.   Check Your Brian's Tony Mazur talks to Don about a variety of things, from how the pandemic and closing of comedy clubs slightly altered his material, how they first met, opening for Andrew Dice Clay, performing at rock festivals, terrible comedy gigs, and some great Otto & George...

Tom Leopold has been a major name in the comedy industry the last half century, even though most of his work was behind the scenes in the writer's room. From the National Lampoon Radio Hour to writing for Cheers and Seinfeld, Tom has worked with and befriended everyone from Steve Allen to Chevy Chase, Harry Shearer to Jonathan Katz, Paul Shaffer to Gilbert Gottfried. The list goes on and on.   Tom...

J.D. Vance joined the national conversation in 2016 with his book, Hillbilly Elegy, which chronicled his small-town life in Middletown, Ohio. He eventually joined the Marines, went to Yale Law, and became a venture capitalist.   After all these years, he has returned to Ohio and is now running for Rob Portman's seat in the senate. He chatted with Tony Mazur about life in a small town, how his port...

Michele Traina is an actor and comedian who rather than sulk after a divorce with her ex-husband, turned it into a one-woman show.   She joined Tony Mazur and the Check Your Brian podcast to talk about her process in doing a deeply personal stage show about her life, how the pandemic may have changed her style and material, and the world of dating in the present day.   Michele is very active on In...

For several decades, baseball cards were a key staple in a young man's life. Some cherished their Henry Aaron rookie cards and kept them in mint condition, while others clipped their Mario Mendoza card onto his bicycle's spokes.   Author and science professor Brad Balukjian took his obsession a step further: he snagged a wax pack of baseball cards, chewed (and promptly spit out) the bubblegum, and...