Welcome to the jungle đź’š

I was finally able to visit the Peruvian Amazon during the summer of 2021! I have been following the work being done at Fauna Forever and Amazon Shelter for some time and was super excited to have the opportunity to volunteer. The Amazon Jungle is by far the most intense environment I have ever worked in, but I love a good challenge and look forward to returning.

Fauna Forever is a non-profit in Peru. They conduct various research projects with the goal of preserving the rainforest and wildlife. There are many programs available to interns and volunteers, all of which benefit the region and local communities greatly. I primarily assisted with bat surveys, but also had the opportunity to learn about many other animals during my stay. I worked mainly with biologist Chris Ketola who is absolutely brilliant. Our misfit team was quite spirited and we had a blast exploring the jungle together. Fauna Forever is expanding their survey areas and I can’t wait to work with them again!

Amazon Shelter is dedicated to rescuing and rehabbing wildlife in the Peruvian Amazon. I was amazed at the level of care each animal received and learned so much from the people there. I helped veterinarian Sara Ramirez Escobar with various tasks and even got to assist with a surgery on one of the sloths. Although there are a few animals who will not be able to be released, the vast majority will eventually return to the jungle where they belong. Magali, the founder of Amazon Shelter, is absolutely incredible. You can learn more about her and the valuable work she does here.

 

Found objects.

Adorable little Mesophylla macconnelli.

Beautiful Isabel.

One of many millipedes who joined us one night in the field.

Mischievious Tuki.

Ellie is very young, so she still has her stripes. She is currently the size of a large dog, however, adult tapirs can grow to be 700 pounds! She is a curious little baby and has been doing well since arriving at Amazon Shelter last summer. Ellie loves bathing in her pond, sleeping on banana leaves, and eating tons of greens. Although vital to a healthy ecosystem, tapir populations are declining due to habitat destruction and hunting.

Baby opossums!

While volunteering at Amazon Shelter, one of my regular chores was to feed the birds. My family raised birds while I was growing up, so this task felt very comfortable and familiar. A particular juvenile parrot stood out to me and I looked forward to our time together each day. This adorable creature has had a rough life, yet is still a complete sweetheart with absolute trust in humans. His recovery will take time, but he is in good hands. Like many before him, he will eventually regain his ability to fly and someday be free.

 

The show must go on

This photo was shot on film backstage at one of my first theatre gigs, circa 2002. Being the only one working wardrobe during the Shim Sham Revue taught me so many skills that would serve me throughout my career in live entertainment. The dressing room was the size of a closet and had to fit all six of our talented burlesque dancers, a dashing MC, the larger than life house comedienne, and whomever our featured guest happened to be that evening. The drummer for our live band was backed up right against the curtain where the girls were getting ready, and it wasn’t unusual for there to be a few unfortunate interactions. All of the quick changes were intense and included wigs as well as makeup application, much of which was thick concealer to hide tattoos that would inevitably come off along with the various stripped off costume pieces. The time in between shows was brief and I was often left with only moments to spare before second show’s opening curtain. Suffice it to say, I loved every minute of it.
When I arrived in Vegas and began working large-scale productions, I was amazed by how easy the show tracks were in comparison. My time in that old New Orleans venue challenged me in so many ways and the lessons I learned have served me well throughout the years. The current situation sees countless performers, vendors, and backstage crew missing the call of the stage as we watch our industry be decimated. Many of us are feeling a bit lost right now, but doing everything we can to preserve our craft. The future is uncertain, but be sure of one thing – we can’t wait to entertain you again ❤️

Badass of the skies

 

Photo by Merlin Tuttle.

To celebrate International Bat Appreciation Day, I’d like to introduce you to one of my favorite bats, Antrozous pallidus. Commonly known as the Pallid bat, this species can often be found in desert habitats ranging from Canada to Mexico. They even reside right here in Nevada!

These adorable dynamos are very skilled hunters who eat half of their body weight each night! What’s more fascinating than how much they eat is WHAT they eat. Pallid bats have very large ears and listen for their prey’s footsteps while stalking them on the ground. They typically consume a variety of large insects, but have also been known to eat centipedes, rodents and even lizards. Their claim to fame, however, lies within the fact that they will feast on scorpions since they are immune to their venom. A Pallid Bat wrestling with a scorpion is an incredible sight to behold!

Pallid bats will also go after cardon cactus nectar in a display that is quite entertaining. Since they don’t have long noses or muzzles to aid in their quest, they literally shove their head and torso into night-blooming cactus flowers. This comedic act results in the bat’s fur being covered in pollen, and as they visit more flowers, the pollen is widely dispersed. This mutually beneficial relationship between Pallid bats and the plants they visit makes them highly effective pollinators.

Bats are some of the most vilified and misunderstood animals on the planet. Most of their activity goes unnoticed by humans during the night, yet we all reap the benefits of their contributions to the ecosystem. It takes nothing more than a pursuit of knowledge and an open mind to see what magnificent, valuable creatures they truly are.

Photo by Merlin Tuttle.

Photo by Merlin Tuttle.

Aerial silks and the island life

Photo by Govan Adrian Basson of Totalkaos Photography.

Around this time last year I had the opportunity to travel to Thailand for some aerial workshops. I have always wanted to visit Thailand, and since my weekends already revolve around my aerial training, I figured that it made sense to give it a shot. I love learning, and the three coaches teaching at the event all brought something interesting to the table.

While looking down from the plane upon landing, Thailand appeared completely unreal. The landscape had countless palm trees surrounded by the most beautiful beaches I have ever seen. Upon landing in Phuket, I was even more impressed by the incredible energy of the city. I have always been a bit of an urban explorer, but due to massive flight delays, my time in the city was cut very short. That being said, I did wander for a little while and fell in love with the organized chaos.

Staying at Railay Beach was quite an experience. It was so awesome to check out the local culture on a daily basis and I had fun scouting some pretty fantastic caves. I definitely want to go back and rock climb! One of the coolest parts of my trip was having the opportunity to observe wildlife. There were troops of monkeys everywhere,  and I have enough videos of their antics to last a lifetime! Every night, colonies of flying foxes would fill the sky, their wingspans so large that they looked enormous even when viewed from the ground. Some of my favorite bat species are native to Thailand and I hope to do a bat survey there someday.

To sum it up, my trip had some great moments, but I left Thailand feeling like there was so much more to experience that just didn’t fit with the structure of the event I was attending. I had barely scratched the surface of what that unique country had to offer. Needless to say, I was already planning all of the things I want to do next time around before leaving the airport for my departure flight.

I have discovered that I love sharing the amazing things I see during my travels, albeit sometimes not blogging about it until a year after I get back home! Over the past few weeks I have finally taken my camera off of auto mode and am learning the basic principles of photography. I hope to create some lovely photos during my next adventure!

For those of you who want to follow what I’m up to on a more frequent basis, check out my Instagram profile @rebecca.r.edwards.

XOXO!

I’ve always loved photographing signs when I travel and had a blast exploring Railay Beach. This tattoo shop was quite charming.

One of the many scenes that caught my eye during my brief time in Phuket.

Playing in the mud. Photo by Jen Crane.

I’m only happy when it rains. Photo by Govan Adrian Basson of Totalkaos Photography.

 

As part of a national initiative showcasing contemporary art, Krabi was chosen to exhibit emerging artists in outdoor scenery. Artist Chusak Srikwan utilized Phra Nang cave as the home for his unique sculptures. His concept was based on folklore and inspired by local crafts from Thailand’s southern provinces.

Due to flight delays, I had very little time in Phuket. I did, however, spot some beautiful things near my hotel.

Norman Rockwell moment.

I was thrilled to stumble across this troop of Spectacled Langurs (Trachypithecus obscurus)! These adorable primates are also known as Dusky Leaf Monkeys and can often be seen feeding on fresh leaves, fruits, and flowers. Spectacled Langurs are generally docile and engage in many forms of play. Sadly, they are considered to be near-threatened, primarily due to hunting and habitat loss. Look closely at the monkey on the left and you can see her baby hanging on to her belly!

Island life.

Feeling Batty!

Special thanks to photographer extraordinaire Daniel Whitby for adjusting my camera settings and creating an incredible set! I still can’t believe that I was able to catch an image of this exquisite bat in flight!

In honor of International Bat Appreciation Day, I’m finally posting about my incredible trip to Panama! I have been fascinated by bats ever since I was a child and have dreamed of being able to study them in a real world setting. Last year I became aware of a bat survey being held in Panama and jumped at the chance to attend.

The expedition was being led by none other than Merlin Tuttle, a world famous ecologist who quite literally wrote the book on bats. The trip was co-led by Daniel Hargreaves, an extremely knowledgable conservationist from the U.K. Our team conducted a survey in the Mamoni Valley of Central Panama, a biodiversity hot spot teeming with life. We stayed at the gorgeous Cocobolo Nature Reserve which covers 1,100 acres of lush rainforest.  Over the course of a week, we studied 367 bats, which translated to 46 species.

I cannot begin to express what an amazing experience this was and I look forward to participating in more field work in the future. I also spent a day exploring Panama City before heading out to Cocobolo Nature Reserve and have included images from that location as well. There are a few photos of me taken by others where I was not sure who to credit; my apologies. To learn more about the amazing world of bats, please swing by www.merlintuttle.com!

While visiting Panama, I fell in love with Casco Viejo’s historic buildings.

I spent some quality time with this little Pygmy Fruit-eating Bat (Artibeus phaeotis).

Cocobolo field station.

Nighttime in the cloud forest felt like magic.

This identification guide was an invaluable tool for studying bats in Panama. The species list is very expansive and the devil really is in the details!

Scenic photo from the first night we set up mist nets in the river. This is shortly before I stepped into deeper water, which resulted in my boots becoming completely flooded. This process would repeat for another night or two, and each time, I was amazed that the water could outsmart me so easily. I eventually just accepted my fate and embraced the experience. The jungle is no place for divas!

Look closely and you will spot an adorable White-throated Round-eared Bat (Lophostoma silvicolum). These bats are especially fascinating because they roost inside of termite nests!

The data collected while studying bats is recorded on a processing sheet. This information helps conservationists better understand bats, which aids in protecting them.

This little guy was swimming with us while we were netting in the river one night. Cheers to Alex Shepack for bringing him to the field station so that we could admire him!

Panama City skyline.

Check out this sleeping bat silhouette! Some bat species construct “tents” from leaves by nibbling on them until they fold. Once modified, the leaf can serve as a shelter, which offers protection from harsh elements and predators.

I absolutely loved working outdoors and becoming familiar with the sights, sounds, and hidden mysteries of the rainforest. It’s awesome how alive the jungle becomes at night! I learned so much from the people in my group and will always be grateful to them for their camaraderie, patience, and impeccable instruction.

Look at the ears on this charming Lophostoma silvicolum!

Just your average American family?

I have been focusing so much on aerial and flexibility training over the past couple of years that I have had very little time to work on projects. I knew this would be the case when I closed the Poison Candy shop, however I expected that I would have managed to crank out at least a few masterpieces by now. I have declined pretty much every freelance offer in favor of swinging from the rafters, however I recently signed on for a fun costuming gig.

My friend Christopher Brown is a brilliant actor and an equally talented director. Chris introduced me to the play “HIR” by Taylor Mac over the summer and I instantly fell in love with the script. When Christopher mentioned that he would be directing the play for Cockroach Theatre, I was thrilled to come aboard as the costume designer.

Valerie Carpenter Bernstein and Tim Cummins photographed by Richard Brusky.

Good art is subjective and “HIR” is no exception. I imagine that most people who see the play walk away with a very unique perspective. Mac embraces the concept of “absurd realism”, and “HIR” is no exception. The story is an American comedic tragedy featuring a middle class family trying to navigate the ever changing culture and attempting to establish their place within it. Each character has embarked on a person journey, causing various types of clashes and sometimes disturbing revelations. “HIR” is one of those stories that tricks you into laughing only to leave you feeling like you have been emotionally dropkicked by the time it has concluded. I could theorize about the complex artistry of the production all day, however I will leave you with this great review which does a stellar job of describing the overall narrative.

The script did mention a “massive beauty pageant wig”. This is the result of two combined wigs, 14 ounces of hairspray, and approximately 3 hours of styling.

Most of the smaller shows that I have worked on have centered around glamorous performers flaunting their various attributes. It was a wonderful challenge to take on a production where my characters were more typical in some ways and completely over the top in others. I was also tasked with providing wigs which gave me an opportunity to shake the dust off of my teasing brush and drown myself in hairspray. I had a blast reacquainting myself with glamour makeup and learning how to create a believable, simple false beard. My new friend Stephanie knows every makeup trick in the book and was quick to share her extensive knowledge.

I finally had a chance to watch the show a few nights ago and I am very pleased overall. It was wonderful to sit in the audience and witness their honest reactions. The performers brought their best and I thoroughly enjoyed how Taylor Mac’s characters came alive. Much like my beloved “Hedwig and the Angry Inch”, I plan to see “HIR” performed by as many theatre companies as possible.

“I believe whole-heartedly in craft. I believe craft is essentially a commitment to learning the past, living in the present, and dreaming the culture forward.”  ~Taylor Mac

Brenna Folger and Levi Fackrell photographed by Richard Brusky.

Over the hill

I recently had a birthday. It was the birthday that many people dread. It was the birthday that solidifies being a certified adult, and dare I say, the birthday that many view as signifying the beginning of decline into old age. I turned forty years old on April 2nd.

Bendy birthday Barbie modified by my awesome partner in crime.

Bendy birthday Barbie modified by my awesome partner in crime.

I hadn’t thought much about being “over the hill” until early March. One day I was in flexibility class when it hit me. I looked at my coach and said, “Wow. I’m turning forty in a few weeks.” It was a strange realization and I wasn’t sure what it really meant for me. So many people make a big deal about this one particular birthday and I wondered if I should care more about it. I’m at a point in my life where I truly love myself and am proud of my accomplishments. It’s difficult to stress about such a milestone when you’re in a good place and feel like a badass most of the time. Then something really annoying happened. I ended up injured.

I had made a really bad decision months before. Instead of taking a rest day from training to let some major soreness subside, I chose to pretend that my body was super human. While doing an inversion on the pole, I felt a pain akin to an icepick on my shoulder blade and chalked it up to something that only needed a few days recovery time. Fast forward to two months later when I’m in urgent care getting an x-ray on my ribs because the pain is so intense that I’m on the verge of tears. I was unable to take a full breath and could barely drive my car there, let alone work or train.

I’m embarrassed to admit that my “minor” injury was actually micro tearing of the muscles on my scapula. I sometimes have a difficult time differentiating between discomfort and pain, so training normally for two months just made it worse. My body reached a point where it would no longer cooperate and I ended up laid up for five days in bed. After sitting around for almost a week, I was able to return to work, but not to training as usual. I have spent the past month and a half going to physical therapy three times a week and trying not to lose my mind. My coaches have been very understanding and have tailored my workouts to accommodate me. It’s incredibly frustrating to cut out 80% of your physical activity and there’s always a fear of losing ability. Needless to say, I learned a valuable lesson and don’t ever want to wind up in that situation again.

My birthday landed right in the middle of recovery and all of a sudden I didn’t feel so fabulous. Turning forty was great when I was swinging from the rafters, but not when I was struggling to get my arm over my head or carry anything over five pounds. I was really angry at myself and felt like a complete failure. I began to wonder if the people who have told me that I am too old for aerial were right and I became shrouded in a cloud of negativity and self-doubt.

Joven Desde rules and the video below proves it.

Luckily, I’m surrounded by friends and family who care about me and don’t allow me to wallow in self pity. It was difficult, but I managed to silence the negative thoughts and waited patiently for my body to heal. I began gradually going back to normal activity last week with no pain. I saw my orthopedic specialist today and he is very satisfied with my progress. I had the opportunity to train side by side with my amazing flexibility/aerial coach today and I left the gym this evening feeling like a million bucks.

Now, let me get to the point of this blog. This whole birthday ordeal, topped off with injury drama, has inspired me to address something that I try not to talk too much about. I don’t keep my age a secret, however I don’t broadcast it either. There are so many people who are age obsessed that it becomes the focal point of how they look at others, and eventually, themselves. Older people are often disregarded as being irrelevant and out of touch while young people desperately fear growing old. There is a pervasive thought that certain things must fall by the wayside as one advances in years. I thought I was past that type of thinking until I ended up in a tough spot on my “big birthday”. I hate to admit it, but I became my own worst enemy for a short time.

I was thirty-seven when my dear friend Katherine convinced me to try aerial silks. I felt great when we were together, but was extremely intimidated to go to class on my own. It was very clear to me that I was not taken seriously by others in the various studios where I was training and a few people I knew discouraged me from trying because I was “so old”. Not one to shy away from something I want, I went for it anyway. For six months I struggled, barely showing up to class and feeling like an epic failure when I did. I pretty much stopped going altogether and hated myself for it. Two weeks after turning thirty-eight I began training flexibility and aerial silks with Kristi Toguchi at Aerial Fitness and I haven’t looked back since.

Splits!

Kristi always has my back! Behind the scenes during a recent photo shoot with Shane O’ Neill.

I warned Kristi of my age when we spoke on the phone before my first class. I expected to be turned away, but instead, she told me that she would train me like a performer even if I had no plans to ever become one. I was skeptical, but dragged myself to her class anyway. Imagine my surprise when I found myself part of a community that supports and encourages each other. It has been my commitment to this group of people that keeps me going on the days where I feel like giving up. I would be lying if I said it was easy. Some days I wonder what the hell I am doing when my body reminds me that I’m not a kid anymore. These are the days that I push myself the hardest. These are also the days where I reap the greatest reward.

Most people I train with are considerably younger than me. The person I train with the most is thirteen years old and an adorable force to be reckoned with. It’s not easy keeping up with her, but I have an abundance of determination and enjoy the challenge. She inspires me to be the best version of myself. I consider it my duty to show this young lady what is possible for her when she reaches my age. I want her to remember our time together when people someday tell her to stop being an aerial star and act like a proper, boring grown-up.

Ernestine Shepherd trains like a boss. Watch the video. Trust me.

So there you have it. Here’s the take-away:

1. Don’t be stupid and train when your body needs to rest. Your ego will survive a day off and you aren’t falling off of the motivation wagon by resting when necessary. Being stubborn will only make matters worse when you trade that one rest day for six weeks of it. Plus, it really sucks admitting to an urgent care nurse that you are an obstinate asshole.

2. Don’t sabotage your success. It’s easy to fall into the trap of self-doubt. One of the reasons I share so many photos and videos of my progress on social media is to document my work and hold myself accountable. When you start to feel like your accomplishments amount to peanuts, remember how far you have come. Even better, remember the people who told you that you would never make it. You can spot them easily, sitting on the sidelines of life, silently scolding themselves for shooting down your dream because they are too scared to chase theirs.

3. What’s the truth about turning forty? It’s awesome! I have had an incredible life so far. There have been many ups and downs, but it has been one hell of an adventure! I believed at thirty-three that since I had accomplished my goal of being a fashion designer, all that was left on my bucket list was to travel more. I am happy to say that I was terribly wrong. I am excited to see where I can go with my training as well as my other pursuits. There is so much out there to experience and I am grateful for each day that I’m on this Earth. Is it more difficult to train at forty? You bet your ass it is. Is it worth it? Absolutely.

Don't forget where you began! Progress is gradual. Give yourself credit for your hard work and accomplishments.

Don’t forget where you started! Progress is gradual. Give yourself credit for your hard work and accomplishments.

Pink Poison

I recently had the pleasure of working with the insanely talented Tristan Risk. As you may already know, she is one of my favorite debaucherous darlings and I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to outfit her in something special. I have been wanting to pattern a burlesque bustle skirt for some time, so creating a custom creation for Little Miss Risk made perfect sense.

DSC_6488 copyweb

I also threw  in an exclusive Swarovski bat necklace and the Vegas inspired “Showgirl Flower” hair clip. Tristan added a couple of her own pieces to the ensemble and the result is nothing short of exquisite. I am eternally grateful to Shimona Henry of Pin-Up Perfection Photography for documenting this delightful collaboration. Swing by her site to witness some truly awe inspiring imagery.

DSC_6526 copyweb

 

Wait…what happened to the Poison Candy shop?!?

I’ve been receiving quite a few messages inquiring as to why the shop is closed and would like to apologize for not writing this blog entry sooner.

I’ve been a freelance designer since 2001 and hit all of my entrepreneurial goals shortly after launching my website back in 2006. The next logical step would have been to open a brick and mortar shop and I just couldn’t convince myself that I wanted to go that route. I’ve been an on-call wardrobe technician for a show on the strip for many years and accepted full-time status last year. It’s a great gig and I have a ton of other interests that have been taking me in various directions.

I’ve been studying economics for several years and began training as an aerialist last fall. My aerial coach is also a contortionist, so I have been adding flexibility training to my circus arts repertoire. I’m also in the process of learning many new skills and plan on accepting a few more academic challenges as the opportunities arise. Needless to say, I’m extremely busy and excited for the future!

My website will remain live and I will continue adding photos as I work on new projects and such. Once I tackle a few more goals you can be sure that I’ll be back behind the sewing machine. I still dream up all sorts of fun concepts and can’t bear to leave my ideas unrealized for too long. I originally planned to have the shop open in a small capacity, but keeping up with licensing and taxes is an incredible drain. The state and federal governments require such an insane amount of compliance that it isn’t worth keeping my shop officially open unless I’m going to spend time cultivating it as a viable business. So basically, Poison Candy has shrugged.

For quite some time one aspect of my personality has defined me. I love learning and have so much more to accomplish. Thanks to all of you who have supported Poison Candy over the years! I invite you to follow me on my new adventures 🙂

angel

I asked Ryan Shores 10 questions and this is what happened…(NSFW)

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I’m not really sure how I discovered Ryan Shores. If I had to guess, the most likely scenario is that somewhere between browsing my favorite blogs and Twitter feeds, his unique brand of humor caught my attention. Not only has Ryan kept me laughing, he’s also a fellow horror enthusiast and one Hell of a nice guy 🙂

Ryan Shores is a bit of cult phenomenon. His first appearance on the comedy scene was in 2008 with the debut of his book, “Lotto Scratchers & Tall Cans”. Since then, he has not only qualified for the 2013 World Series of Comedy, but has remained endlessly busy touring and producing the wildly popular show, “The Degenerate Podcast”. If you haven’t already met Ryan Shores, you are in for a treat. So grab a beer, kick up your feet, and let’s go “Cruisin’ with the Tooz”!

1. What are the best and worst parts of being a professional comedian?

The best part of being a comic is finding out which of your feelings and thoughts are shared by everybody, and which ones are specific to just you (aka- “not funny”). The worst part is the 90% of comedy that takes place OFF stage. i.e., finding bookings, traveling alone, killing time all day in a crappy town/motel, getting screwed by promoters, occasionally taking financial hits and for ALL OF THAT – you get 10-25 minutes (longer when you’re headlining) to make that worth it… And some nights it’s not. If you travel to, lets say, Colorado to play a club, and somewhere between the plane landing and arriving at your Ramada, you discover your expenses will be outweighing your pay, and then you spend all day watching whatever is on TBS in the middle of the afternoon, and you’re lonely and bored, and can’t drink (you cant show up to the gig wasted) ….Then you FINALLY get to the club and no one is really into what you’re saying, and some drunk fat guy keeps yelling “SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THE BRONCOS!!!!” – you just say, “ugh, what was the point of tonight this week?” – those are moments of discouragement, that usually require 3 good shows in a row to get canceled out in my own brain.

2. Where do you find inspiration for your jokes?

For me, inspiration comes from walking around, looking around and occasionally getting super irritated. I am not a comic that can just SCHEDULE time to write stuff. I can’t just sit at a table and say “Okay! Time to be funny! What’s funny??? What should I joke about today??!?” – it’s gotta come organically. Something has to happen to, or in front of me, to make me go, “Oh, I think there’s something I can use here!” –

The benefit of that technique is that it requires practically ZERO discipline on my part- but the downside is, if nothing happens for a while, I could go months without a new joke to try.

Ryan 2

3. I’m a big fan of “The Degenerate Podcast”. How would you describe the show?

I guess I’d have to go with “trash talking in an organized fashion” – it’s a low budget show, but I’m proud of it sometimes. Basically, the formula we use when taping, is to talk like no one is listening (to not hold back), but put in the effort as if we had a billion listeners. We drink beer on the show, but no one is allowed to show up so drunk or high that they can’t perform. I can’t stand that. I have been very adamant with the cast since day 1, “Don’t be self conscious, say whatever you want, but show up with your brain working and CARE about whatever it is that you’re saying, no matter how stupid or trivial it is.”

4. Who was your favorite guest on the show?

I think Rob Brouillard from the band “The Strikers” was my favorite guest thus far because we were able to bring him out of his shell a little bit by the end of the episode. Rob’s a very nice guy, and a very well-liked musician, and so he’s very hesitant to say anything negative about ANYONE, and not just on tape! In person too. Which I think is a VERY admirable quality. I wish I had that. But by the end of a 2-hour episode with us, we had him spilling his guts a little bit about a few bands he’d toured with (for better or worse) and a few other things he may have otherwise remained respectfully mum about. It was some of the most fun I’ve had on the show.

5. Finish this sentence: “When I read the things that people say on social media I ___________.”

Sarcastically respond (out loud) “that was the GREATEST story…. I have EVER heard.”

6. What are your other interests besides comedy and drinking?

I’m a big fan of all things horror. I have been since I was 3. I collect horror art and old 1950’s EC horror comics. I also have a large VHS horror collection… Haha.  I also have an interest in sharks. I spend about an hour or two every day researching sharks as a hobby. Their different species, migration patterns (what’s known of them), feeding habits, most common dwelling temperatures, etc… It’s this weird habit I’ve had for years.  I have a large collection of guitars as well, but I’ve kinda neglected them in recent years.

7. If you could ask Charles Bukowski one thing, what would it be?

I’d say, “I loved your work in Black Flag.” (Kidding)  – If I had a chance to meet Charles Bukowski, I’d ask him if his writing was cathartic, or depressing, or both. I’d ask him how often he talked to himself when he was alone, and whether he found himself to be his own best company or if being alone with his own thoughts for too long was difficult at times. And more specifically I’d ask him to compare Los Angeles now to his h        yday, to determine what the MAJOR differences are, besides, iPhones, hashtags and social media “stars” hanging out places.

 8. Which comedians have influenced you?

I always REALLY liked George Carlin and Jerry Seinfeld as a kid. I probably listened to “You’re All Diseased” (Carlin) and “I’m Telling You For The Last Time” (Seinfeld) more times than those comedians rehearsed and performed those routines, however it never made me wanna be a comedian…. The person who inspired me to get into standup was Henry Rollins. When I was in college, I listened to NOTHING BUT Rollins’ spoken word in my free time. I REALLY loved how he called out everyday bullshit, and I REALLY wanted to do that too, but I knew I didn’t have any business doing “spoken word”… When you’re 23 and haven’t done shit in your life, and no one has ever heard of you, nobody is going to want to listen to you tell really long, single-subject stories that may or may not have any value to them… Plus, people that do “spoken word” are typically pretty arrogant and WILDLY untalented – so I chose to start learning how to do traditional standup to accomplish that same goal: make fun and yell about things that annoy me.

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9. I’ve often heard you say “Cruisin’ with the Tooz”. Is this a reference to the book by John Matusdak, or are you just trying to confuse people?

I’M SO GLAD YOU ASKED ME THAT!!! It’s BOTH!!! I really like looking up what happened to random pop culture people that no one thinks about anymore. It’s a hobby like researching sharks for no reason… Anyway, one day, I decided, “I wanna know what ever became of the dude that played Sloth in ‘The Goonies’!!” – which is how I stumbled across John Matuzak (aka “The Tooz”) – that dude was a riot! He got kicked out of the NFL for beating up a coach, made a little noise in Hollywood for a couple years as an extra/bit-part actor then died of a cocaine overdose. But BEFORE HE DID, he published his auto biography, titled “CRUISIN’ WITH THE TOOZ!!!” … For some reason, that title made me crack up so hard that I just started yelling it at the end of my shows with ZERO explanation to the audience and posting it on various social media platforms as like a faux-catch phrase. I never explained why, and people just kind of accepted it as random nonsense. People even started shouting it at shows, having NO IDEA what it meant…. And occasionally, people will get curious and google it, and be even MORE confused! Like, “The guy from the Goonies??? Thats who he keeps randomly referencing??? Why???” – so it’s like a private joke for me (and now you), and also a silent nod to the late, great John Matuzak…. Now someone please add me to his Wikipedia page as a footnote!!!

10. By now my readers are very interested in tracking you down and studying your body of work. Where can they find you? 

www.ryanshores.com

Facebook.com/ryanshores138

Twitter: @ryanshores138

Instagram: Ryan_shores138

Every episode of “The Degenerate Podcast” is available on iTunes for free, with new episodes every Friday (or Saturday if someone fucks up).