The Slade Ham Experiment

A new niece prompted me to go down a rabbit hole of names, not just in America but around the world. New Zealand ranks up there, but the most egregious offenders are all right here in the good ol' US of A.  Elon, Beyonce, and Kanye, of course, but oddly-named children of all sorts come up in this episode. We all rank our own names as unique, and I can confidently say that I am thrilled I got the o...

I'm in the process of reintegrating myself into social media and it's forced me to contemplate what "noise" I allow back into my life.  The Pareto Principle, or the 80/20 Rule as we call it in the Americas, is an interesting distribution pattern that permeates almost everything we do. I'm using it as I begin plans for my comedy special this year. I suggest using it to parse through your life and s...

Welcome to The Slade Ham Experiment! In this episode I get sidetracked by an old episode of Gilligan's Island and examine the multiple errors it makes in Japan's favor. I'm not sure how I got there from the Chinese balloon, but I did. Try some Akira:  https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akira_Kurosawa Then, I discuss the current mentality of Iran towards dissidents and how it resembles a small town. A...

My guest is Dianne Gallagher, host of Rock the Cashbar, a podcast that takes deep dives into your favorite songs and lyrics. More than that she is a comedian from the old Laff Stop days here in Houston, and part of the very unique community that existed then. When I met her, she was Dianne Cupps, but now is the married mother and stay-at-home artist Dianne Gallagher. We revisit some of those days...

Paul Oddo and I frequently discuss our current states of affairs - something we've done for years and in multiple countries - and occasionally we record them. In this episode we talk about how to juggle multiple projects and the collision of artificial intelligence and art. As mentioned in the show, you can get a free digital version by signing up for my twice-a-month newsletter full of all sorts...

You can win a copy of my book in this episode. Details inside the ep, but a sub and a comment will get you an entry. I recount a week meandering through the municipal court system, give some input on the importance of gratitude lists, and finish with an excerpt from "Until All the Dragons Are Dead." If you own it, please leave a review here: https://www.amazon.com/Until-All-Dragons-Are-Dead/dp/069...

I look back at the best lessons learned in 2022 - a much more productive activity for me in years past than new resolutions. I talk about the people you keep around you, and the rules you might play by. Plus, everything you need to know about the Netflix documentary, The Volcano: Rescue From Whakaari. Please consider telling a friend if you dig the show.

It's a big question. Servers, bartenders, Uber drivers, pizza delivery, baristas, the donut lady? Where is your personal boundary and what's normal? Plus, a bit of the history and another story where I lose it. Please consider telling a friend if you dig what I do.

I tackle your questions about writer's block, the international space station, and more, before demonstrating that the shortcut never gets you there faster - especially when it comes to online defensive driving. Please consider telling a friend if you dig what I do.

I try to break down the personal decisions I made in 2022 in order to maintain my sanity. I think this episode is full of all sorts of actionable advice. Whatever you're up to, whatever you enjoy, I hope you find a way to do more of it in 2023!

I pontificate on my final meal, and then take all my frustrations out on Memphis. Then it's a long and winding road down my radio career as I revisit the way I snuck myself into the industry, how I got fired, and what I did afterwards. It's funny how little decisions alter the trajectory of our lives. Please consider telling a friend if you dig what I do.

Can't let go of something someone did to you? Is your revenge bone tingling? From the simply petty to downright diabolical, this episode is filled with bears, baseballs, inventions, and a savage, savage Queen.

I recount my time in Ethiopia and my love for their coffee. The coffee region I cannot think of is Sidamo. All the happy notes get played early in this episode, however. I quickly fall into a rant about a terrible school production of Seussical the Musical. I should learn to be more mature about these things, but this is what I do in lieu of therapy. Also, rat updates.

I explain my fascination with honey and revisit my fish/rat saga before recounting my appearance at Scarface's birthday party. Then I get into the inevitable rise of augmented reality and Elon Musk's purchase of Twitter, which veers off into a very weird, very Slade-like tangent. Please consider telling a friend if you dig what I do.

Hello from my Midnight Spaceship! I begin this episode by revisiting a conversation in a coffee shop. Well, an overheard one that I entered only at the very end. Also, I struggle with the inevitable death of a pet fish and how to properly handle it. Death and I are frequent acquaintances these last few years, but she and I rarely talk about my role in the process. Now I have to come to terms with...

It's week two on tour in Canada, or the day after to be exact. I come in from the airport, turn on the camera, and burn through a list of people I have lost my tolerance for. I also offer up my suggestion for how to say no. Plus a guy on his speakerphone who may or may not own the Westminster Dog Show. Either way, he's an asshole. And finally, an outtake from a show in Ottawa where the crowd start...

I enjoy conversations with my friends about the maddening nature of making a living as an artist. Jeff Canada is a Texas country artists that I've known since we were both in our early years. In this episode we talk about a lot of the obvious pitfalls of working the road, but we also discuss letting go of our vices, staying true to your voice, and how much difference your work ethic makes. And it...

I am on tour in Ontario, Canada through most of October. Autumns here are as beautiful to me as the cherry blossom season in Japan, and I've taken every available opportunity to wander through the changing trees. Some tips for visiting Toronto, as well as some of my previous favorite Canada memories, as I meander through my favorite differences between our two neighborly countries. Also, I finally...

I get super into the weeds on how I write comedy, plus I discuss high school art class and how I'd raise kids if I had them. Please consider telling a friend if you dig what I do.

What begins as a simple glimpse at all the things happening in the world turns into a full-blown side adventure through how I really feel about things like a trillion dollars. Also, we have to stop blaming the rich folks. We did this to us, nobody else. Come laugh about it with me.

I grew up in Beaumont, Texas. I always refer to it as a small town, but the truth is, it isn't. It is a lot of other things, however, and I try to be as truthful as I can. There is love in every terrible thing I say about you, Beaumont. It also prompts a nostalgic look back at my favorite concert I've ever been to. Spoilers: it's Prince.

I break down the Horses of the Apocalypse one by one, and explain how they met their dooms at the hand of America. Also, I'm not quite sure that I know who all the horses are so I toss in an extra one.

I recount my weekend in Fort Worth with good friends Aaron Aryanpur & Ralph Barbosa. A possible spider bite causes me to think about the logic behind the myth that we eat eight spiders a year. Also, Disney announces a reboot of The Neverending Story, prompting a disgusted growl at the entire film industry and a wallowy moment over one of the movie's saddest scenes. Plus a conspiracy theory and my...

Before I get into anything this ep, I need to address some facts about candles and where I am allowed to burn them. Then, upon the Queen's death, I realized I knew nothing at all about the Royal Family. I did a quick search before the show, came up confused about their fame, and proceeded to make an episode about it. You likely know far more than me already, so correct me in the comments as I stum...

It's question time! I solicited questions and you responded too well. So well, in fact, that I took the whole episode answering them. We cover Stoicism, how to deal with idiots, international desserts, podcasts, and my favorite overseas memory. For more reading: Marcus Aurelius "Meditations" - https://tinyurl.com/mr3ca29e Seneca "Letters from a Stoic" - https://tinyurl.com/4pa2fzf2 Epictetus "Disc...