Wallis Brown
Comedy Wham Presents
Read the article at Episode #391 Wallis Brown talks with Valerie Lopez about Her one-woman My Three Stooges Fanfiction show ahead of its Austin Sketch Fest run. Performing that fanfiction at 6:30am for Del Close Marathon crowds in New York City. Juggling standup, improv, and songwriting as a Story Wrangler adapting 3rd graders' stories at the Paramount Theater. Turning 25, finding focus, and building a packed rotation across Switchblade, Unhinged, Candy Necklace, and Doghouse. Recorded June 2026 at Fallout Theater Podcast Studio Wallis can be seen and heard: Where it Hides hosted...
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2026 Austin Sketch Fest with Rebecca East and Ashley Ellis
Comedy Wham Presents
Read the article at Episode #390 Executive Producers of 2026 Austin Sketch Fest, Rebecca East and Ashley Ellis talk with Valerie Lopez about: Austin Sketch Fest's 2026 expansion to two full weekends and what it took to pull it off Headliners Shitty Mozart, Assssketch, Aly Dixon, and SNL's Austin-grown Andrew Dismukes A stacked lineup of 35 acts including local favorites, out-of-towners, and a few surprises Badges, tickets, volunteer spots, and why you should lock in your plans now before shows sell out Recorded June 2026 at Fallout Theater Follow Austin Sketch Fest Website...
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Joey Smith
Comedy Wham Presents
Read the article at Episode #389 Joey Smith talks with Valerie Lopez about Growing up on pawn shop comedy DVDs and the life-changing loss that pushed him to the mic Balancing a full-time corporate job with touring the country for Jeremiah Watkins His legendary mattress return bit and why audiences keep confessing their own retail scams after the show Why getting that first laugh within three seconds is the hardest note he's ever been given — and why it's exactly right Recorded May 2026 at Fallout Theater Podcast Studio Follow Joey YouTube - Instagram - Joey can be...
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Gretchen Dietz
Comedy Wham Presents
Read the article at Episode #388 Gretchen Dietz talks with Valerie Lopez about: Trading her PhD for a notebook and a bar open mic with zero last-name confidence Divorcing her inner perfectionist and learning to love the beautiful mess of live comedy How moving to Austin blew up her small map and recalibrated everything she thought she knew Building a real comedy career on thank-you notes, strong material, and staying unapologetically herself Recorded May 2026 at Fallout Theater Podcast Studio Follow Gretchen Linktree - TikTok - YouTube - Instagram - Facebook - Gretchen can...
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Yakov Smirnoff
Comedy Wham Presents
Read the article at Episode #387 2026 Moontower Comedy Festival Series Our favorite time of year as we bring you voices from Moontower Comedy Festival before, during, and after the festival! Legendary comedian Yakov Smirnoff talks with Valerie Lopez about Leaving the USSR in 1977 and building a legendary comedy career through sheer luck and timing. How his iconic "What a country!" persona helped humanize Russians for Americans during Cold War tensions. Earning a PhD in Psychology and studying laughter's powerful role in relationships and marriage. Performing at Moontower...
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Cathy Ladman
Comedy Wham Presents
Read the article at Episode #386 2026 Moontower Comedy Festival Series Our favorite time of year as we bring you voices from Moontower Comedy Festival before, during, and after the festival! Cathy Ladman talks with Valerie Lopez about Walking through fear for 45 years and why courageous best describes her past The golden and gritty days of the 80s New York comedy scene and her legendary peers Navigating Hollywood as a woman, from sexist bookers to a TV Guide critic she outlasted Coaching comics, booking Bill Hader's new film, and why she is absolutely not done yet ...
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Mia Jackson
Comedy Wham Presents
Read the article at Episode #385 2026 Moontower Comedy Festival Series Our favorite time of year as we bring you voices from Moontower Comedy Festival before, during, and after the festival! Mia Jackson talks with Valerie Lopez about How a room full of strangers at an open mic launched her comedy career Getting fired from her day job and landing on TV the very next week The Popeyes biscuit incident that accidentally became her most beloved bit Writing for award shows, optioning a pilot, and headlining after her Comedy Central special Recorded April 2026 during...
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Jeremiah Watkins, Volume 9
Comedy Wham Presents
Read the article at Episode #384 2026 Moontower Comedy Festival Series Our favorite time of year as we bring you voices from Moontower Comedy Festival before, during, and after the festival! Jeremiah Watkins (Volume 9) talks with Valerie Lopez about Writing and directing his first feature film based on the Trailer Tales podcast universe. His upcoming special Crazy Pizza and navigating a very oversaturated distribution market. Losing beloved Comedy Store comedian Alex Duong and what his legacy meant to the community. A life-changing deal that collapsed overnight and why he still...
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Fast Ronald
Comedy Wham Presents
Read the article at Episode #383 2026 Moontower Comedy Festival Series Our favorite time of year as we bring you voices from Moontower Comedy Festival before, during, and after the festival! We bring you another Austin resident making his Moontower debut! Fast Ronald talks with Valerie Lopez about His layered background — culinary school and LA open mics — all feeds directly into his deeply personal comedy style Nearly quitting stand-up before a pandemic-era deep dive into storytelling helped him unlock his natural deadpan voice His debut special Flex Your Head, filmed at The...
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2026 Moontower Comedy Festival Picks by Tracey Schulz, Sam Peirce, and Valerie Lopez
Comedy Wham Presents
Read the article at Episode #382 2026 Moontower Comedy Festival Series Our favorite time of year as we bring you voices from Moontower Comedy Festival before, during, and after the festival! Tracey Schultz and Sam Peirce talk with Valerie Lopez about Tracey's unbridled excitement at seeing Yakov Smirnoff on this year's lineup Sam's viewing schedule finally making way to join the Stamptown fan club Valerie's excitement that Fallout Theater is getting to host a whole slate of shows Legendary headliner shows: Albert Brooks, Yakov Smirnoff, and Marc Maron The Stamptown...
info_outlineRead the article at comedywham.com
Episode #365
- His Tampa comedy roots
- The inevitable move to Austin
- The importance of perspective
Recorded October 2025 at Fallout Theater Podcast Studio
Follow Rafael
- YouTube - youtube.com/@theworstguys99
- Instagram - @rafaelcruzcomedy
- Facebook - facebook.com/rafcruz6
Rafael can be seen and heard:
- Performing at East Austin Comedy Club and all around Austin