Jeff Dwoskin, Stand-up Comic to Successful Podcaster- 2nd Interview Show #270

Jeff Dwoskin, a seasoned stand-up comic turned podcaster, has made a significant mark with his show, Classic Conversations, where he dives deep into the world of celebrities and behind-the-scenes interviews. Known for his engaging and nostalgic style, Jeff brings a fresh perspective by emphasizing the invaluable connections and guidance he has received to access these unique conversations. He particularly treasures dialogues with individuals who have quietly shaped the entertainment industry, providing listeners with insights that often go unnoticed by the general public. By featuring a diverse array of guests, from iconic figures like Sharon Glass to influential yet lesser-known industry professionals, Jeff aims to illuminate the broad spectrum of stories that have contributed to the beloved entertainment landscape.

(00:01:34) Celebrity Collaborations in Stand-up Comedy Career

(00:05:52) "Pandemic Pivot to Podcasting Success"

(00:15:54) Navigating Dynamics as a Podcast Producer

(00:20:43) Enhancing Podcast Interviews Through Active Listening

(00:25:57) "Exploring Stories of Showbiz Icons"

Transcript

R. Scott Edwards: 0:04

This is another episode of Stand Up Comedy. Your host and emcee celebrating 40 plus years on the fringe of show business stories, interviews and comedy sets from the famous and not so famous. Here's your host and emcee, Scott Edwards. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to the podcast. I have another fun interview for you. This gentleman has been on the show before. He's a longtime stand up comic and lately a a very successful podcaster. We're going to talk a little bit about everything, but let's welcome him to the show. Jeff Twaskin. Jeff, welcome back to the podcast. Man, you are just hot, hot, hot in the podcast world. How are you doing?

Jeff Dwoskin: 0:52

I'm doing good. I'm doing good. Impressed with your on demand sound effects. Nice.

R. Scott Edwards: 0:58

Well, let's give a foundation. You were doing stand up comedy for. Was there. Are you still getting out on stage or was that just a section of your life? Catch me up.

Jeff Dwoskin: 1:09

It was more than a section up until the pandemic. And then I sort of. We all stopped and then I didn't come back when the clubs were like, okay, we're starting again. Because I was like, remember there was that time where everyone's like, it's over. And then two months later it was like, it's not over, right?

R. Scott Edwards: 1:31

Yeah. They were not really sure what they were doing.

Jeff Dwoskin: 1:34

So I had a feeling it wasn't over. So I'm like, no. And then I missed a year, right. Because they booked everyone out. And then somehow when everything opened up again, there were 500 other comedians like, all right, all right, I guess we won't be doing that. So I actually just started doing it again, the couple clubs that I'll work at. And so that was fun. It was fun to get back on stage.

R. Scott Edwards: 2:02

Yeah, I bet it was after that kind of break. Well, for the audience's update, you did do a lot of comedy and clubs. You did some festivals. You actually were an award winning comic. You got some recognition on stage as a stand up comic. So you had a good career going. It's kind of disappointing that Covid kind of put an end to it, but I'm happy to hear that you're kind of pushing yourself and getting back out there. There's nothing like the adrenaline feel of making a bunch of strangers laugh and keeping your skills honed by getting on stage. Wouldn't you agree?

Jeff Dwoskin: 2:42

Yeah, there's nothing like being on stage. It was, you know, as I progressed through the weekend, you know, and it sort of all became On Demand internalized again. It was all internalized. But you know, when you're doing it weekend after weekend after weekend, it's almost like. It's just. It's, you know, it's just there. Right. So by the end, I was like. I had some good. Some good heat going. And so it was. It was a lot of fun. So I definitely miss it.

R. Scott Edwards: 3:11

Yeah. And I imagine you got a chance to not only work some interesting gigs, but with some fun people. Anything stand out as really fun locations or gigs and. Or maybe celebrities you got a chance to work with?

Jeff Dwoskin: 3:26

I got to work with Dave Coulier. He was a lot of fun. I've worked with Bobby Collins a couple times. I worked with Gilbert Gottfried. I worked with George Wallace, Kevin Pollock.

R. Scott Edwards: 3:38

Some real solid. Yeah, these are all good. Yeah, these are all good, solid talents. And most of whom had worked for me at my clubs. What about locations? I mean, were you one of those guys? I know you did some festivals and some competitions. Did you do any specialty shows, concerts, cruise lines? Was there anything that kind of stood out that was extra fun for you?

Jeff Dwoskin: 4:05

I never did a lot of that stuff, unfortunately. I mean, I've done. I did something like. One of my favorite moments was the palace of Auburn Hills before they tore it down, which would be the equivalent of anyone's local stadium where they have concerts or basketball games or hockey games. You know, like that size, comp. That size.

R. Scott Edwards: 4:28

An arena type setting.

Jeff Dwoskin: 4:30

An arena. Some may call it an arena. So. Yes. And so I opened for Brad Sherwood and Colin Mochrie, the two guys from. Two of the guys from Whose line is it Anyway? And so, I mean, it was easily the biggest crowd I'd ever worked in front of. At least wasn't the whole same. The whole auditorium, but it was like at least 1500 folks there. And the coolest part was that was cool. But then the cooler part was when Colin and Brad came out, they called one of my jokes back into their routine and I just like sat there and go, that was the coolest thing ever. One, because that means they listened to. But it was like, I don't know, I just thought that was so cool.

R. Scott Edwards: 5:18

That would be very cool to hear your material being repeated by celebrity funny people like that. That would really validate your writing skills and performance. When somebody like that does a callback on your material and getting a chance to do that size of show and audience with celebrities like that, I can easily understand how that was a highlight. Now, after many years of doing stand up comedy, the pandemic came along and you transitioned and how did you kind of find yourself in podcasting.

Jeff Dwoskin: 5:52

It was because of the. It was actually five years ago that I released my first episodes, which would have been right in the middle of the pandemic. Right. You know, May 2020. Right. So the pandemic was kind of just started. Everyone's at home. No one knows what's going on. And I had tried to start a podcast previously. And by tried, I mean I bought the stuff and never did anything. So then all of a sudden, I'm like, oh, I've got time and I'm home. And so I finally did it. I was on a friend of mine's podcast about the Bob and Sale show. I was like, why aren't I doing this? I got everything. So I just started. You know, I put out three episodes, and, yeah, that was it. I mean, it's. I haven't missed a week yet. Got a lot of podcast episodes that never even released that I get to sometimes. And then, yeah, just. It's been crazy. You know, the list of people I've been able to talk to I find to be quite impressive, you know, just because it was, like, something I've always wanted to do. So it was a good bucket listing for me. Just to clarify that statement, my podcast is Classic Conversations with Jeff Dwoskin. So I talk to pop culture icons, and I like to say they were really famous when they were famous. They put it in context.

R. Scott Edwards: 7:14

Well, before you get to that, I'm going to interrupt just a second, Jeff, because I want to ask a question and kind of restate for the audience. It is so true, especially during the COVID years, that a lot of people thought about doing a podcast. They maybe started a podcast. They had that kind of rough start. Go, start, go. So what you experienced was very natural and normal for what was happening in those times. What I'm really impressed with is what you're about to explain in that once you got Classic Conversations, the podcast going, you dipped into a niche that was being touched on here and there, but you really focused on it, and that was TV celebrities and icons from different generations. And I love how you said they were famous when they were famous. That's a great explanation. Did you have an agent or somebody help you connect with these people or what got you into that line of celebrities?

Jeff Dwoskin: 8:21

I started out, it was sort of like just all of a sudden learning the ropes, right? So people talk about gatekeeping, and so it's like, I was lucky enough that some people opened the gate and I was able to kind of see it. Brett Allen. I saw the podcaster the Brett Allen show. And he did a presentation, and he had talked to celebrities, and he explained how he did it. And so I just followed that model. And then, you know, it worked. And then somebody early on before that had introduced me to a few directly through them, you know, so it was. That was first my understanding that, oh, these people will talk to me, right? Never occurred to me. They would talk to me. And then with Brett's guidance, I was able to kind of do that on my own or, you know, in a combination. Nobody does anything on their own, right? So it's like, I do a lot of my own. I've got friends like Paul Lander who, you know, know a lot of people, and they send that. He sends them my way. And what it ends up being is a nice and eclectic group of people that I've been able to talk to. And a large number of them I never would have thought of in a million years because I didn't even know they existed, you know, because a lot of the folks that I talk to that are actually really, really some of the more interesting interviews that I've done are the ones that were kind of behind the scenes, you know, the ones that, you know, maybe wrote the episode that, you know about. But, you know, they have a whole different story. And they created these other shows, you know, a whole bunch of different stories like that. You know, there's the obvious ones, like Sharon Glass. Oh, she was Cagney and Lacey. Or people from the Love Boat, or Burt Ward from Robin, you know, Robin from Batman. And so some of those are obvious. You look at them, you go, oh, okay, Visually, I know exactly who that person is. But then there's a lot of people. I could put up an entire screen of people. You'd be like, I have no idea who those people are. And I'd say, you don't know who they are, but they shaped just as much of what you watched growing up than anyone you think you know. And so, you know, those, to me, are the most interesting. So when people tap into those interviews, then they end up looking at the other ones as well. Because my whole philosophy was always, people may not know everyone I talk to, but perhaps if they see the level of conversation that I have and knowing that it's something that is of interest to me, and if it's then of interest to them because they're listening, that they'll trust me and listen to the folks that aren't the obvious names that they would recognize just by seeing them.

R. Scott Edwards: 11:04

Well, it is so incredible. And I appreciate you explaining that and thanks to Brett Allen to kind of showing you the path. But it's a lot like when I started in comedy and opened my clubs. I didn't know anybody and I met Dave Coulier. Well, then he introduced me to Bob Saget, who introduced me to George Wallace, who introduced me to Jerry Seinfeld, introduced me to Gary Shandling. And it becomes who you know and who they know and the word spreads. And in your case, you were able to reach technical people and writers and backstage co performers of the stars, you know, the co stars of the shows and then, of course, the stars. It's funny, on my podcast, when I'm doing comics, I call it the interviews of the famous and not so famous because a lot of the guys I talked to were very successful road comics, but no one's ever heard of them. Right. And then you have your Tom Dreesens or Yakov Smirnoff or Bob Saget, who everybody knows, but a lot of the people that entertain in comedy were standup comics that did a lot of TV or maybe did some movies or some writing, but nobody would know their name. And what I think is great about classic conversations and everybody should go out and look for that podcast. It really is eclectic in that you touch on all these different areas and yet they all are nostalgic characters or the supporters of our past, wouldn't you say?

Jeff Dwoskin: 12:45

Yeah, absolutely.

R. Scott Edwards: 12:47

I mean, it's kind of like. It's kind of like an art collector that likes collecting a certain artist or certain type of art. In your podcast, your niche is that you're talking to the people that really created the entertainment we grew up on. And I think that that's not only great nostalgia and brings back great memories, but, but a great way to connect with a large audience. And you've had huge success, so congrats.

Jeff Dwoskin: 13:16

Oh, thank you so much. I appreciate that. There's always room for more success. So if everyone listening wants to go check it out, that'd be awesome.

R. Scott Edwards: 13:26

Well, you were talking about some of the people you mentioned, a couple of the celebrities or famous people that used to be famous. Was there anybody that was, you know, a big star and kind of made you nervous or somebody that you didn't realize, you know, how important they were to a show or situation. What were some of the standout interviews and conversations you've had on Classic conversations?

Jeff Dwoskin: 13:53

You know, I, I don't. I don't necessarily get nervous when I'm talking to the person, but so a couple funny stories. So, like, I Can sit down like once we connect. I'm the host, so I feel that's my role and there's my guest and we're kind of meeting there for a very specific reason. They're there for an interview so I can have that interview and I can have fun with them and joke around with them and do all that. Where I find it awkward is. And this is only happened a few times but like I get a phone call and my caller ID says Robert Klein. Comedian Robert Klein, famous Canadian Robert Klein calling me to set up the interview. His manager at Switch Manager as he found my email. So he called me hey Dwaskin. And I'm like. But all of a sudden I'm like, I don't know how to talk to Robert Klein. Just as me, you know what I mean? This is friggin Robert Klein, you know what I mean?

R. Scott Edwards: 14:53

Oh, that's great.

Jeff Dwoskin: 14:55

You know what I'm saying? So like, I'm like, I'm not gonna interview him, you know what I mean? So it's like, you know, right there. And so yeah, so that's, that's funny. I. So yeah, so there's, there's that. It's, you know, most of the conversations I have is usually something that comes out. There's ones like I talked to John Glaser and he was Jeremy Jam on Parks and Rec, but I hadn't seen Parks and Rec yet. I was familiar with his other stuff. And then I watched Parks and Rec. I'm like, ah, God, I wish I had could interview him again. You know what I mean?

R. Scott Edwards: 15:31

It leads to more conversation, right?

Jeff Dwoskin: 15:34

Yeah. Carole Baskin was actually a delight to talk to. Tiger King. You know, it's funny, like Anson Williams, Potsy from Happy Days. Thanks for having me on your podcast. I always get it always makes me feel weary. Other than the famous person's thanking me for say no, thank you. Thank you.

R. Scott Edwards: 15:54

I'm going to interject something interesting that I think you're experiencing in that you have always been the entertainer. You're used to bringing your talent and a show to an audience. And all of a sudden as a podcaster, you're now the director, producer. And that puts you in a whole different dynamic. And just as a retrospect, I've always been a producer, not a performer. So I've had thousands of hours of stage time hosting my shows, my television shows and my concerts. But I never looked at myself as an entertainer. I was the producer. And as the producer, these entertainers, whether they were famous like Seinfeld and Saget and Coulier and Carvey and those guys, they were working for me. I was paying them. There was a different dynamic. So I was very comfortable telling them what to do or having expectations. And what's interesting is now that you have Classic Conversations, which is clearly a successful podcast, you're now in that role of producer. And so when you get a call from Robert Klein, you're still Jeff Dwoskin, the normal guy, or maybe the fellow peer comic, but he's calling you with the idea that you're producing this podcast. What do you want me to do? Right. It's a different dynamic. And you made that shift recently in becoming a podcaster. Do you kind of understand what I'm saying? Does that make sense?

Jeff Dwoskin: 17:34

Yes, actually. That makes a lot of sense. That's a good way to think about it. Yeah.

R. Scott Edwards: 17:39

Yeah.

Jeff Dwoskin: 17:39

Because it's a different dynamic on me.

R. Scott Edwards: 17:43

Right.

Jeff Dwoskin: 17:44

Hi, Jesse Watkins. Hi, Robert Klein. How are you? I'm a big fan.

R. Scott Edwards: 17:48

Right, right. He thought he was talking to the producer director of this podcast, not a fellow comic. Different dynamic. I just thought I'd point that out because it is interesting.

Jeff Dwoskin: 18:00

No, I like that.

R. Scott Edwards: 18:02

But you.

Jeff Dwoskin: 18:02

My favorite part of the Robert Klein interview was that he called me Dwoskin. He's like, dwoskin. Yeah. Most people would say Jeff, but I love that he called me by my last name. I don't know why it felt so personal.

R. Scott Edwards: 18:16

Well, it's endearing. It's like something you would call your friend. Right. Instead of Mr. Dwoskin or Jeff, which is a little more casual. Calling you Dwoskin is. I think it's a honorary way of showing the closeness that you built, the bond you built during that interview, that he felt comfortable enough to do that. And that shows your ability as a podcast host. And that's something we haven't talked about. We should touch on briefly. It is not just anybody that could be a good podcast host. In fact, if you're used to being the entertainer and talking to an audience, when you become a podcast host and you're having a conversation with the famous and not so famous, it is, again, a different dynamic that you have really done well with. Have you realized that?

Jeff Dwoskin: 19:12

I mean, I've been told that. Yeah, I don't. It's just kind of me. But, like, it's funny because sometimes I. Everyone's like, you're a really good interviewer. You don't interrupt. You don't. You know? And I'm like. And I believe in that. And I think that's. It's all Great. But the funny thing is, so I use Zoom, right? Which anyone listening, don't judge me, but, like, that's what I use. And I use Zoom mostly because when I talk to celebrities that they can handle Zoom, right? And it's also, I find to be the most forgiving when somebody doesn't have a microphone and headphones, okay? Whereas some of the other better recording platforms, if you don't, you need a headphone. You know what I mean? Like, you need it. And so because of that situation, I learned early on, I can't talk when someone else is talking because it'll cause ducking and it'll screw up the sound. And so I just shut up. And by doing that, they kept talking, and so they would tell they really good things. And there was no ego of me getting in the way because in disrupting the conversation and ending something that would or wouldn't have come out because I was just listening and they were feeling heard and they kept talking. And so it was sort of like, now I just do that. I do that regardless now. But, like. But that's kind of like how I accidentally learned to be a good listener.

R. Scott Edwards: 20:43

Well, it's funny because you're kind of blaming it on Zoom and the technology forced you to do that, but it's so true that as a podcast host or in any conversation, it's all about listening. In fact, I come from a past of sales, and one of the keys to being a good salesman is listening to the client, to the customer, so that you can understand their needs, so you can fulfill those needs and make a sale. So I get into podcasting, and I brought that ability to basically shut up and listen. And the reason I put it that way is that I'm doing a talk for Alex over at Podmatch, and the title is Shut up and Listen. Because if you're going to be any sort of podcast host, you have to let your guest have the ability to finish a thought. And by being quiet, it allows them to extrapolate and you get more, deeper information. Wouldn't you agree?

Jeff Dwoskin: 21:46

Oh, yeah, 100%. 100%. Yeah. It's. It's sort of like interrupting is the equivalent of the way I describe it is when you, you know, like when you're at a party and you're having a really great conversation with somebody, or there's a few of you and you have this amazing conversation going on, and then someone says, oh, we should go sit down at that table. Just opened up. And then you go and you sit down, and the whole Rhythm of that conversation is gone.

R. Scott Edwards: 22:13

That's a great analogy. Yeah.

Jeff Dwoskin: 22:15

That, to me is what happens every time you interrupt someone. It's. You lose whatever was going to come back. They're not going to go back and finish that thought, especially if they were teetering of whether they should have said it or not. And so by disrupting, I mean, sometimes I'll edit and I'll go, ah, you know, like, I didn't even realize that I, I may have thought they were done. So I go, say something, you know what I mean? And so, so, yeah, yeah. Well, early on when I would talk to comics, I had to say, look, if I don't laugh out loud at what you're saying, it's not because I don't think you're funny. I would tell them that up front because I did, because I didn't do that first. Because of that reason. If I laughed, it would screw up their audio. You know what I'm saying? So, and then, and I. And the reason I'm not one of those people, that if the audio screwed up, I will release it. I won't. I'll cut out a whole section. So I try not to, because I don't think the listener wants to hear. You know what I mean? You know, Anyway, that's just me, though.

R. Scott Edwards: 23:15

No, no, no. I mean, you're a successful podcaster. You've put together classic conversations, which is doing really well. And the reason it's doing well, really well, is that you're getting interesting, niche nostalgic type guests. Plus, you're a good listener, so thus a good host. And you've learned some of the important keys to quality podcasting, which is shut up and listen. So there's no apologies necessary. You, it sounds like almost by accident, have found that path to successful podcasting and you're putting it to work with your podcast, Classic Conversations. If you've noticed, I'm trying to get it into the show as much as I can.

Jeff Dwoskin: 23:58

I appreciate that.

R. Scott Edwards: 24:00

Well, Jeff, I appreciate you coming back on my podcast and sharing some of your background and interest in entertainment and nostalgic type entertainers and the people behind the shows and life that we grew up with, but also as a successful podcaster, explaining what's important to being good at your job. And I really appreciate you coming back on my show.

Jeff Dwoskin: 24:29

I appreciate you having me back on your show. Thank you. You have a great show as well. I know I get caught up in you telling me how great my show is, but you have a great show.

R. Scott Edwards: 24:40

Don't worry about it. The people listening like my show, and that's all that matters to me. Hey, Jeff, I wish you continued success before I let you go. Anything exciting? Any good guests coming up? Anything you want to plug and by the way, and share the best way to find your podcast. I'm sorry, let's get that in there, too.

Jeff Dwoskin: 25:00

The best way to find my podcast is jeffisfunny.com or search classic conversations with Jeff or with Jeff Dewoskin on one of the social platforms. The reason I say put my name in there is there's a podcast called Classical Conversations, and for some reason, if they write Classic Conversations, it goes. Did you mean classical? I'm like, no, I didn't mean classical. That's an entirely different word. You know, I mean, just have some letters.

R. Scott Edwards: 25:30

A little frustrating, right?

Jeff Dwoskin: 25:32

Yeah. It's like, no, that is not my podcast. And so, yeah, and then I broke.

R. Scott Edwards: 25:37

Your rule and I interrupted. And now go ahead and share some of the exciting guests you have coming up or something project that maybe you have going.

Jeff Dwoskin: 25:47

Oh, when's this going to air?

R. Scott Edwards: 25:50

Probably in the fall. It's going to be, I think, in September. October.

Jeff Dwoskin: 25:57

Well, the Greece. This will happen by the time you're hearing this. You can go listen to it. Grease anniversary of the movie Grease coming out. So I have Barry Pearl, who is duty, one of the T birds, will be on the show. That was cool. Doing yet another Twilight Zone episode with one of my favorite authors who wrote the Twilight Zone Companion, which is one of the books I've had for decades. So that was. That was a fun one for me. So a lot of good stuff.

R. Scott Edwards: 26:25

Oh, that's great. And it does sound like. So you kind of think theme some of your shows. So if, you know, if there's an anniversary or something coming up, you'll try to reach out to somebody connected to that show or event.

Jeff Dwoskin: 26:37

I wish I was that smart. I sometimes just happen, you know, I've never found it to be helpful. You know what I mean? So it's like. But it's not bad. You know what I mean? It's like if, like, for example, like, oh, I have Amber. I have somebody from the T birds that I interviewed. Oh, Greece is coming up in three weeks or four weeks. Oh, then for sure. You know what I mean?

R. Scott Edwards: 27:01

Yeah.

Jeff Dwoskin: 27:02

Why. Why not do that? You know, that makes perfect sense. Okay.

R. Scott Edwards: 27:07

Well, it is. Timing is everything, Right. So if you can hit those moments, it's very special. Well, ladies and gentlemen, I try.

Jeff Dwoskin: 27:16

Yeah, okay. Sorry.

R. Scott Edwards: 27:17

No, go ahead.

Jeff Dwoskin: 27:19

I tried to create a spreadsheet once of like every milestone. But like, okay, Burt Ward, okay, when did Batman release? When's his birthday? And try to have a whole database of all that for all my guests so that I could rerun stuff or not on social kind of promote. But then I was like, no one cares.

R. Scott Edwards: 27:43

That really is. What it comes down to is these are our own little shows. We find our audience and really nobody cares.

Jeff Dwoskin: 27:53

Well, I mean, anyone who wants to hear a Burt Ward thing is not going to suddenly do a Jessica. You know what I mean? So anyway, you can cut all that up. Go ahead, close the show. Close the show.

R. Scott Edwards: 28:05

Well, ladies and gentlemen, it's been such a pleasure having Jeff Dwoskin on the show again. He is not only a successful standup comic who is getting back out on the boards, so I'm happy to hear that. But he has this amazing podcast, classic Conversations. But if you want to learn more and connect with him, go to jeffisfunny.com that is jeffisfunny.com and be sure to check out all the great work. Jeff, thanks for being on the podcast.

Jeff Dwoskin: 28:35

Thank you, sir. I appreciate you very much.

R. Scott Edwards: 28:38

Ladies and gentlemen, we'll be back next week with some great stand up comedy. The thanks for listening. Bye. We hope you enjoyed this episode of Stand Up Comedy. Your host and emcee. For information on the show merchandise and our sponsors or to send comments to Scott, visit our website at www.standupyourhost nmc.com. look for more episodes soon and enjoy the world of stand up comedy. Visit a comedy showroom near.