Dystopia Tonight With John Poveromo

Glen Burtnik and John are leaving show business to become farmers and you heard it hear first. Before that though we do a deep dive into Glen's incredible music career, his insight on the business side of things, his current zen approach to life and the sheer joy he has watching John have a breakdown after his internet repeatedly craps out during the interview. Enjoy!!

Judy Gold and I are currently working through a bit of a post pandemic funk in this episode and I think we come through it, just, kinda, sorta, almost, OK! We talk about her new book "Yes, I can say that! When They Come For The Comedians, We Are All In Trouble" and her hilarious podcast "Kill Me Now with Judy Gold." We also cover returning to comedy, the part of the business we wish didn't make it...

Tom Papa is the most effortlessly positive comedian I've ever seen. Nothing is more evident of that than his last special "Tom Papa: You're Doing Great."  Talking to him for an hour on my show was no different. Easy going, and super funny, we talk about his early days in stand-up, hanging with Greg Giraldo and Jim Gaffigan, his love of bread making and calling out faux celeb bread makers, the Jers...

Leave it to Joey Kola to break the record for the longest episode of Dystopia so far! There’s a reason for that Joey Kola is one of the nicest men in show business and he knows EVERYBODY and everybody knows him. Close to three hours doesn’t even remotely cover every thing that made him who he is as a comedian and a person but I think we come close. Give it a listen and enjoy!!

I've loved all my previous guests but as of right now this one takes the cake. Megan Cavanagh is so, so fucking funny and just an absolute pleasure to talk to I didn't want it to end. We cover everything, stories from League of Their Own, For Richer or Poorer, Robin Hood Men In Tights, Friends, Home Improvement, Mel Brooks, Tim Allen, Rosie O'Donnell, Madonna, living in Texas, her Improv career, R...

When I was a kid I wanted to be two things when I grew up. A comedian and a cartoonist. For a very long time I thought cartooning was going to be my main focus and one of my inspirations in that field was Steve Breen. He was living in NJ at the time and working for the Asbury Park Press. A paper my parents got every morning. I'd grab the funny pages and the editorial cartoon before heading to scho...

The Middle Kids' lead singer/songwriter, Hannah Joy joins me to talk about life in Australia, going to High School in Maryland, surviving this pandemic, her new album "Today We're The Greatest", becoming a mom, never performing in Jersey (we're gonna fix that), and lays down some solid life advice for anyone looking to go into music or any kind of art. Enjoy!!

Everclear's lead singer Art Alexakis hangs out with us in one of the most chill interviews I've had so far on the show. He talks candidly about finding out he has MS, his new single Hot Water Test, and goes in depth with our producer Tom Banis, whose wife is also struggling with MS. He also talks about his upcoming Summerland Tour, The NFL Draft, his battle with congress for HR1488, Spam, his miss...

Mike Rowe's a true comedy hero of mine. He started out in stand-up, worked the clubs and the road, and switched gears into writing on some of my favorite TV shows, Futurama being my all time favorite. But besides all that his new book "It's a Funny Thing" is the BEST new book about coming into your own as a comedian, and comedy writer in this crazy business. It reads funny, and is wildly informati...

Loved getting to talk to Cathy Ladman about her stand-up days, who her comedy crew was and still is, how she made her way into acting with some of the greats, how Nichols and May influenced her comedy, and some advice for younger comics coming up today. She also recalls her role in the documentary "The Aristocrats" and retells a great Bob Saget story from the film. Enjoy!!        

Mark and I have zero trouble finding the words to describe the last administration, the past year under lock down, and our complete and utter distaste for how the Dems are and probably will be fucking us for the next four years with a little hope for small progressive leaps sprinkled in. We also talk that 70s show for a bit, Topher Grace, and of course stand-up comedy. With a brief appearance by t...

One of the best parts about doing these interviews is getting to meet people I've admired for years. The other is finding out they're incredibly humble and a blast to talk to. John's been my favorite comic book artist since I was a kid, and that's who I let host the show. We discuss other comic book artists, writers, independent publishing vs the big three, Kickass, the MCU, his dad's influence, t...

Mike Farrell has been fighting for people who cannot fight for themselves long before he was ever famous. In this two part interview we deep dive into his road to activism, both at home and abroad, the causes he's passionate about, personal struggles, growing up as a shy kid, and he even let me dablle in some alien govt conspiracy talk at the end. Thoughtful, intelligent, funny and a true humanita...

Talking with someone who has spent their entire life writing, and creating and doing it successfully will only leave you wanting to know more about them. Which is exactly what it was like getting to speak with Billy Van Zandt. I got the pleasure to speak with him for a little over an hour about how he met his writing partner and best friend Jane Milmore, growing up in NJ, his acting career, writin...

David Champion joins John on the show to talk about touring with his brother as CHAMPS, some road stories, Ana De Armas and 3000 Miles, sibling comradery, guilty music pleasures, pandemic habits and the state of the world. If by the end of this episode all the world's problems aren't solved...don't worry, he's coming back with his bro for round 2! Enjoy!

Bobby is a joy to speak to and one of the best character actors in the business! He talks to John about how he was one of handful of New York guys that moved out west to act, How Joey Pantoliano introduced him to his wife, comparing tough guys in the neighborhood with Robert Duvall, his Mount Rushmore of comics and his upcoming projects! Enjoy!

Rob Bartlett. That's the description. What more does anyone need? He's done it all! Performing in an improv group with Eddie Murphy, touring all over the country doing stand-up, starring on Broadway with Daniel Radcliffe, Nathan Lane, Matthew Broderick, and his own one man show, and working on radio doing impressions on Imus, and acting in literally every show on television...I'm winded just writi...

The great Tommy Chong talks to John about loving house arrest, how he started as a musician working for Berry Gordy, knowing when he was going to marry his wife, being part of a comedy duo and an actor, his Mount Rushmore of smokers and how he’s “not really anything.” Enjoy!

Greg talks about his first band in high school, the Punk scene in Seattle, why he couldn’t live in LA, the Dead Kennedy’s, living with Duff McKagan, his new album release from The Living,  and how he’s not a fart! Enjoy!

Any time spent with a good friend, even when it's virtual, is time well spent. And if that friend is Camilla Cleese you just can't put a price on it. The hour goes by way too fast and the tangents are numerous and the stories about her time spent as a professional horseback rider are funnier than anyone who rode a horse professionally has a right to be. We also got to talk about her Dad's habit of...

Frank and John catch each other up on the joys of being cat owners during quarantine, pandemic deniers, Mystery Science Theatre 3000, Sirius Radio, what a fat piece of shit Chris Christie is, and how a snake oil salesman like Dr Oz got to host Jeopardy. Enjoy!

Dex Carvey talks to John about being an early Twitch pioneer, setting up and producing his Dad’s podcast, how covid caused some weight gain and how Weight Watchers helped him take it off, Standup, corporate gigs and they get into a bunch of fun conspiracy theory talk! Enjoy!

Lead Singer of the Young Dubliners - Keith talks to John about how they got their name, band mates, performing the day before the world shut down, working with some of his favorite bands, Irish politics and his love for comedy. Enjoy!

Eric talks to John about testing material on Instagram, building his fan base, moving to Austin, Texas and how social media is ruining our brains and of course, being Italian. 

Allan talks to John about the “real” Comedy Store, wild nights on the road, his time with Sam Kinison, his lifelong comedy buddy Carl LaBove, writing and producing Arli$$, Roseanne, and doesn’t hold back on some of the comedy greats he loves and hates and everything in between