Starting Standup in Maine with David Walton

Casey Watson is one of the fastest rising comedians in Maine. In 4 short years he has gone from open mic newbie to featuring for many big comics including Ari Shaffir and Big Jay Oakerson. He performs regularly at the Empire Comedy Club in Portland Maine. 

Casey stopped by my house and we hit record. We talked about joke writing, clam digging as a day job, and how important it is to find a woman who won't dump you aft...

Sometimes doing nothing tells you where you need to go. A frank episode about putting comedy on pause while pursuing acting opportunities, featuring audition stories, a serendipitous mentor discovery, and why Maine's comedy scene deserves more attention. 

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David begins the day filled with confidence and hope as he preps for his 20th open mic. By nightfall these positive emotions have transformed into face melting shame, but the warrior in him transmutes humiliation into strength and resilience. A hero's journey, all same day.

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Caleb Sherman is a comedian and has worked for almost a decade at the Empire Comedy Club in Portland, Maine, where he's become something of an accidental anthropologist of the open mic scene. 

In this conversation, we explore the strange and beautiful world of amateur comedy, what it actually means to "find your voice," and why the grind of showing up night after night might not be such a grind after all. 

From philoso...

The episode provides a fascinating glimpse into the creative process, showing how raw life experiences transform into structured comedy bits through careful crafting and refinement. David's vulnerability and willingness to expose his inner conflicts offer both entertainment and insight into the therapeutic potential of stand-up comedy.

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From getting fired on Wall Street to becoming social media's favorite country club satirist - Walker Ward (aka Walksauce42_) joins us to break down how he built a massive social media comedy empire by perfectly capturing the chaos of Rivian waitlists, golden retriever mishaps on private jets, and emergency board meetings about white jean violations. A hilarious deep dive into content creation, character work, and why you shoul...

In this 14th episode David Walton shares updates from his comedy writing camp in New York City, including watching Dave Chappelle perform at the Comedy Cellar. He announces exciting changes for the podcast, including plans to feature more interviews focusing on comedians' origin stories. David also reflects on his own comedy journey, the craft of storytelling, and teases an upcoming interview with a rising social media star. 

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A comedian's job is to be funny - even when their hometown is on fire. In this raw episode, David copes with the LA fires by sharing a recent stand-up set about his emotionally reserved father, complete with generational observations about hugging, shame, and yes, bathroom mishaps. It's a love letter to both LA and David's dad.

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David talks about being dumb and honest.

Also he:
• Examines Norm Macdonald’s approach to comedy and authenticity 
• Shares personal anecdotes involving aptitude tests and self-awareness 
• Discusses key comedic attitudes and emotional honesty 
• Explores the role of AI in shaping comedic content 
• Questions the ethics of using technology in creative fields 
• Considers the impact of fame on mental...