Bobby Pickles' Podcast

Bobby, along with co-host Adrien de Martini, podcast, on location, from the Carroll Street Building at Medgar Evers College in Brooklyn, NY, with Dr. David Orenstein, Professor of Anthropology at the CUNY system senior college, from which they are podcasting, and his friend and colleague, Dr. Tyson Gill, the author of “Belief in Science and the Science of Belief: A Guidebook for Fact-Based Thinking.” Both are avid “free thinkers” (a soft term for “atheists”), activists and members of the New York City Atheists organization. Full Disclaimer: although the following conversation was conducted on campus in the Carroll Street Building at Medgar Evers College, it is important to note that any beliefs, opinions or statements shared herein are those solely of Bobby Pickles, Adrien de Martini and our guests, doctors David Orenstein and Tyson Gill, and we indemnify and hold harmless Medgar Evers College, and the City University of New York, as a whole, of any or all heretical falsities we promote or proclaim. 

Bobby podcasts, along with co-host Adrien de Martini, on location, from Branded Saloon, located at 603 Vanderbilt Ave, Brooklyn, NY, to cover a monthly musical event called TINTR (This Is Not The Radio). The showcase, which happens on the third Sunday of every month, is organized by soulful singer/songwriter, Lynette Williams, highlighting some her favorite artists, poets and musicians throughout the NYC-area. Bobby, Martini and Lynette discuss a range of topics, from outlaw country and gay pride tattoos to busking and Halloween party pants shitting. We round out this episode with some live music and an interview with Los Angeles rapper, producer and break-dancer, Anacron.

Bobby podcasts, on location, from Jersey City Tattoo Co., located at 253 Newark Ave in downtown Jersey City, with co-owner, Jake Kolatis, guitarist of the New York City hardcore punk band, The Casualties. The two discuss a range of topics, from what it’s like to play on the Warped Tour, to the evolution of punk rock sub-genres (from 1976 or ‘77 to the present), to why the term “squatter punk” is inappropriate nomenclature. They also discuss what it’s like to tour with GWAR and their shared backgrounds in tee shirt making, a characteristic, which Bobby deems “punk rock”. Since tee shirt graphics are truly the “punk rock” of fine art. Also, there’s nothing more “punk” than podcasting!

Bobby podcasts from Balance Hair Salon in downtown Jersey City, while lounging in one of the shop’s large, adjustable chairs, with Carla Anderson, the shop’s proprietor, trimming and styling his hair into his quintessential faux hawk. The two discuss a range of interesting topics, from stripping to styling, from modern art to alien abduction, and even a few stories from one of her screwball regulars, Donald Gallagher. “Imagine CBGB with mousse and shears” - that’s how the New York Times describes Carla and her posse of tatted, tonsorial artists. Ladies and gentlemen, say hello to Carla Anderson, cutter and styler of both male and female hair alike. (Adrien de Martini co-hosts).

Bobby speaks, on location, from Columbus Circle, at the base of the statue of Cristoforo Colombo (which is apparently the literal epicenter of New York City) with Nicole Raymondi, creator of Quotiful, an iPhone app, which integrates meme-making and social media, and provides an outstanding user experience. What’s your favorite quote? Does it motivate you? Does it excite you? Is it tattooed on your rib cage or printed on a tee shirt? Perhaps, if you found the perfect picture to express it, you could create a meme for it. And if you did, you would most certainly use Quotiful to do so.

Bobby speaks, on location, in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, with Joseph Campo, executive producer at Grassroots Films (“The Human Experience”, 2008) and the director of the St. Francis House, a halfway home for troubled young men in search of a new start in life. The two discuss a range of topics, from drug addiction to documentary filmmaking to what it means to be American-Italian and Catholic and, of course, human.  

On this episode, I podcast with stand-up comedian Calise Hawkins from a stoop just down the block from West 4th Street in Greenwich Village, which is (for all you non-New Yorkers) basically the epicenter of stand-up comedy in New York City. Calise had recently been featured on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and was in the process of working on a new set for another show at which point I was finally able to finally pin her down and make her speak with me. It took some finessing. Shadowing her for most of the night, observing how she performed the same set in front of three totally different crowds and how each crowd’s overall personality was different. For instance, the first room was a medium size room and there was a whole table full of drunken girls in the midst of a bachelorette party, the second was a tiny room with hardly anybody there (perhaps six people total, three couples) and the room felt stale and uninviting, but then the third room had a considerably large crowd. After all this, she had some time

Bobby speaks, on location, from a shared office space in the heart of silicon alley, with Alex Genadinik, creator of Problemio, an assortment of quite possibly the most helpful business plan apps ever invented in the history of the universe. The two discuss a range of topics privy to any sensible entrepreneur - from online marketing to fundraising. "What's a 'purple cow'?" you ask. Listen and find out.

Bobby speaks, on location, from William F. Moore Park (Spaghetti Park) in Corona, Queens, with government and corporation procurement specialist, Nelson Nigel. His website, "Head Exposed dot com”, offers a wide range of services that can help even a start-up company succeed big time in the field of procurement (the selling of goods and services to government agencies and major corporations). So if you're an entrepreneur interested in suckling off the teat of corporate America, meet Nelson Nigel. 

Bobby speaks, on location, from the steps of the NYC Public Library (Stephen A. Schwarzman Bldg), with writer, Van Wallach. His new book, "A Kosher Dating Odyssey: One Former Texas Baptist's Quest for a Naughty & Nice Jewish Girl," is the tale of man from a small town in Texas, who was a raised a Southern Baptist despite his parents' Jewishness, and later on decided to explore his own Jewish background and assimilate into the predominantly Jewish Northeast by courting Jewish women. Also the product of a southern upbringing, Bobby feels he can relate to Wallach on some level. They are a couple of scalawags.

Bobby speaks, on location, from a boat anchored off the Coast of Shell Island, a small key situated within the intracoastal waterways of St. Pete, FL. His guest, once again, is lifelong friend and pizza man Tobia Spinelli in part 2 of this 2-part series, which also includes drunken insights from the illustrious Ben Coletti. Their discussion covers a range of touchy topics, from Columbus being a Jew-Dago to New Jersey having better pizza than New York to why Toby feels Ben would be a religious figure if he lived 3,000 years ago. Ben and Tobia try to talk "Rob" into staying in Florida for one more day, but "Bobby" just won't allow it.

Bobby conducts a simulcast (podcasting while broadcasting LIVE), on location at the Loud, Fast and Shi#ty Radio Studios (aka “Disgraceland”) in sunny St. Petersburg, Florida (aka “The Burg”), with Bob Noxious & Ick McWang, hosts of "Loud, Fast and Shi#ty", a radio show/videocast, transmitting each and every Monday night from 8-10PM EST on LoudFastShi#ty.com. The show, which is also offered as a podcast that may be subscribed to on iTunes, airs the best new and upcoming punk rock, hardcore, oi and ska music. They also offer news, reviews, plus they highlight and interview various bands (on this particular episode, their "Band of the Week" is "Slade and the Wasters"). In addition to co-hosting LFS Radio, Bob plays guitar for the popular, Florida punk band, Pig Pen (distinct, in that its members dawn ski masks with protruding pig noses), while Ick is a pizza delivery driver. Calling all punkers and posers alike (if you're sporting a Mohawk, can only play power chords or simply enjoy telling people to go fu#

Bobby banters back and forth incorrigibly, on location, from the dilapidated boat dock at the former Coletti Compound on Madeira Beach, Florida, with a couple of lifelong friends (Brian "Wacky" Wechsler & A. Benjamin Coletti). The three decide to have an impromptu discussion, sharing their shitfaced sentimentality for the high school party house of their youth. This "drunk-cast" continues from the waterfront apartment of Eddie Lugo, a middle-aged Puerto Rican man who harbors similar idiotic attributes to these three amigos. WARNING: EVERYONE YOU ARE ABOUT TO HEAR IS COMPLETELY AND TOTALLY INTOXICATED. Without further adieu, please enjoy the ranting and ravings of Wacky, Crackhead and Rob The Wop.

Bobby speaks, on location, at Spark of the Divine Meditation Center in Vero Beach, Florida, with Mark Anthony, a medium who harbors the innate ability to speak with dead people, plus, he is an attorney; therefore, he possesses great communication skills with the living as well. Mr. Anthony markets himself as the "psychic lawyer" or "psychic attorney" of which he owns both trademarks. A published author who has written on the topics of law and metaphysics, his best selling book, “Never Letting Go,” is about healing grief with help from the Other Side. Is extra sensory perception real? Calling all believers and skeptics alike -- meet Mark Anthony.

Bobby speaks, on location, from a boat, off the coast of Shell Island, which is a small key located within the intracoastal waterways of the city of St. Petersburg, Florida, with Tobia Spinelli, Ben Coletti and a couple of young, naive, barely legal, incorrigible females. Regardless of the distain Bobby holds in his heart in relation to his city of origin, according to Tobia, St. Petersburg has lots of history. From pro wrestlers to baseball icons, many notable athletes have called St. Pete home. And even probably the most notable gangland figure, Al Capone, vacationed there extensively. Calling all notable residents of "The Burg" and their insignificant counterparts - who make Bobby’s opinion of this place true and accurate - meet Tobia Spinelli.

Bobby speaks, on location, at a park bench on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, with Paul Campbell, a British entrepreneur, TV and radio Producer, and kettledrummer (sorry…Timpanist). He is the founder of Amazing, the digital media brand, and the CEO of Amazing Media Group, the umbrella company of amazingtunes.com and Amazing Radio - an ethical mp3 music library website, (unlike those bastards at iTunes), and a national digital radio station broadcasting 100% new music, respectively. Calling all music-lovers, concert-goers, big city straphangers and subway commuters - yea, that's right, I'm talking to you over there, rocking the white earphones or The Beats by Dre headsets- meet Paul Campbell.

Bobby speaks, on location, at the Affinia Shelburne Hotel, in the Murray Hill section of Manhattan, with Peter Hochstein, a self-described “jack-of-all-trades writer (part advertising copywriter/part business journalist/part hired gun author)”. The two discuss Hochstein’s new book, "HEIRESS STRANGLED IN MOLTEN CHOCOLATE AT NAZI SEX ORGY! A MEMOIR.” which is an autobiographical account about Hochstein’s life growing up in Brooklyn with, quote-unquote, "batshit crazy parents". Calling all gonzo journalists, and the filthy swine that consume their yellow rhetoric, meet Peter Hochstein!

On this "National Marijuana Day", April 20th, in the year of our lord, 2013, Bobby speaks with Alexander Portelli, small business owner and mayoral candidate for the city of Albany, NY. The original setting was scheduled to take place at a rally protesting the prohibition of marijuana; however, do to a lackluster turnout, we podcasted from Portelli’s Joe N’ Dough, a cordial, quaint eatery that Portelli owns and operates. They discuss Portelli’s Libertarian views, the two major obstacles Portelli must hurdle (Portelli’s relatively young age and past criminality) and, of course, the legalization of marijuana.

Bobby speaks, on location, with Ben Coletti, Director of Operations at The Thunderbird Beach Resort on Treasure Island, Florida. These two born and bred Floridians discuss growing up on the redneck beaches of Tampa Bay, Canadians, their mutual affinity for Bud Light beer and, of course, the secret to life. At times a flake, always a drunkard, meet Ben Coletti! What’s Your Name? OUTSTANDING!

Bobby speaks with, writer and animator, Leesa Dean about her three fully developed animated series – Chilltown, The Danger Squad and Lele’s Ratchet Advice Show. They discuss her creative journey, from writing and selling television scripts, to teaching herself how to illustrate and animate. The setting is the historic, dimly lit, cozy ambiance of Hungarian Pastry Shop, a Columbia University outpost, where Dean first had the idea to turn her underground comic book into an animated TV show. Adrien De Martini is the co-host.