Navigating the Comedy Scene with Jeremy Hotz
Release Date: 01/30/2026
Irina Voronina Gets Real About Russia, Hollywood, The Playboy Murders & Comedy
Drinking During Business Hours with Sarah Halstead and Rich Chassler | Where comedy & fine wine meet!
Irina Voronina Gets Real About Russia, Hollywood, The Playboy Murders & Comedy This week on Drinking During Business Hours, Sarah Halstead and Richard Chassler sit down with Irina Voronina for a funny, candid, and surprisingly emotional conversation about her journey from Russia to Milan to Los Angeles, her rise as a Playboy Playmate and working actress, and how stand-up comedy became the next chapter of her life. Along the way, Irina opens up about growing up in Soviet Russia, leaving home at 19, adapting to America, and finding her own authentic voice in comedy instead of becoming a...
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Chef Steve Samson on Rosso Blu, Bologna, Gnocchi, and the Real Cost of Running a Restaurant
Drinking During Business Hours with Sarah Halstead and Rich Chassler | Where comedy & fine wine meet!
Chef Steve Samson on Rosso Blu, Bologna, Gnocchi, and the Real Cost of Running a Restaurant The Italian Food Secret LA Has Been Hiding This week on Drinking During Business Hours, Sarah Halstead and Rich Chassler sit down with Michelin-recognized chef and restaurateur Steve Samson for a rich, hilarious, and deeply personal conversation about Italian food, the restaurant life, and what it really takes to build something lasting in Los Angeles. Steve is the chef and co-owner of Rosso Blu in downtown LA, a Bolognese-inspired restaurant that Rich and Sarah recently visited and could not...
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Apparitions, the FBI and a Bottle of Chardonay with Jennifer M Shaffer
Drinking During Business Hours with Sarah Halstead and Rich Chassler | Where comedy & fine wine meet!
Jennifer M Shaffer Talks Apparitions, the FBI and a Bottle of Chardonay Comedians Sarah J. Halstead and Rich Chassler pop a 2021 Gentleman Farmer 100% Chardonnay and pour it out with Jennifer M. Shaffer internationally recognized intuitive, spiritual medium, medical intuitive, and former stockbroker-turned-triathlete who’s worked with the FBI, U.S. Secret Service, and Dark Web Division. They cover ADHD-approved Chardonnay, 800 bottles stashed in kitchen drawers, the secret to a 30-year marriage, why Jennifer never watches the news, the French Bulldog bedspread that cracked an FBI fentanyl...
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Keith Reza on Comedy, Fame, and Never Giving Up
Drinking During Business Hours with Sarah Halstead and Rich Chassler | Where comedy & fine wine meet!
Keith Reza on Comedy, Fame, and Never Giving Up This week on Drinking During Business Hours, Sarah Halstead and Rich Chassler sit down with comedian, actor, writer, and podcaster Keith Reza for a funny, candid, and inspiring conversation about building a career in comedy, staying persistent in entertainment, and carving out your own voice in a brutally competitive business. With roots in stand-up, a long-running podcast of his own, and years spent learning from the legendary Norm Macdonald, Keith brings the kind of behind-the-scenes perspective comedy fans love. From the grind of live comedy...
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Inside Darren Carter's Laugh Factory Slot 19 Strategy
Drinking During Business Hours with Sarah Halstead and Rich Chassler | Where comedy & fine wine meet!
Inside Darren Carter's Laugh Factory Slot 19 Strategy Comedian Darren Carter joins Sarah Halstead and Rich Chassler for a coffee-fueled masterclass on building a stand-up career in the social media age. Carter pulls back the curtain on nearly four decades of comedy, from his Fresno forensics team days to headlining the Laugh Factory, Comedy Central, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and booking a Showtime special after landing a Miller Beer national commercial as only his third audition. The trio dives into his headshot story (shot by a Fresno photographer who drove a van down to LA to shoot...
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David Leaf on Brian Wilson, SMiLE & The Beach Boys
Drinking During Business Hours with Sarah Halstead and Rich Chassler | Where comedy & fine wine meet!
David Leaf on Brian Wilson, SMiLE & The Beach Boys In this episode of Drinking During Business Hours, Sarah Halstead and Rich Chassler welcome back acclaimed writer, filmmaker, and UCLA professor David Leaf for a funny, wide-ranging, and surprisingly moving conversation about music, storytelling, teaching, and his deeply personal friendship with Brian Wilson. What starts with mocktails and comedy banter turns into a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at Pet Sounds, SMiLE, The Beatles, and what it really means to devote your life to great art.David shares how he moved to Los Angeles...
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Lesley Wolff on Hollywood Casting, Comedy & Acting Careers
Drinking During Business Hours with Sarah Halstead and Rich Chassler | Where comedy & fine wine meet!
Lesley Wolff on Hollywood Casting, Comedy & Acting Careers In this episode of Drinking During Business Hours, Sarah Halstead and Rich Chassler sit down with casting director, producer, teacher, comedian, and actor Lesley Wolff for a fast, funny, insider-heavy conversation about casting, stand-up, commercials, creative survival, and how the entertainment business really works. The episode starts over a Michigan rosé and quickly turns into a candid, hilarious talk about commercial auditions, stage moms, acting insecurity, networking, comedy culture, and why visibility can matter as much as...
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Mateen Stewart Gets Real on Comedy, Rejection & Bigger Doors
Drinking During Business Hours with Sarah Halstead and Rich Chassler | Where comedy & fine wine meet!
Mateen Stewart Gets Real on Comedy, Rejection & Bigger Doors In this episode of Drinking During Business Hours, Sarah Halstead and Rich Chassler welcome comedian, actor, and producer Mateen Stewart for a hilarious and wide-ranging conversation over BuzzBox cocktails. The episode kicks off with sports fandom, Detroit pride, Knicks talk, and the emotional damage of being a lifelong Lions fan before shifting into Mateen’s path through acting, theater, summer camps, and eventually stand-up comedy. As the conversation unfolds, Mateen shares how a simple goal to try three minutes at an open...
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She Did Fallon While Raising Twin Boys?! | Jessica Keenan on Comedy, Motherhood & Chaos
Drinking During Business Hours with Sarah Halstead and Rich Chassler | Where comedy & fine wine meet!
She Did Fallon While Raising Twin Boys?! | Jessica Keenan on Comedy, Motherhood & Chaos In this episode of Drinking During Business Hours, Sarah Halstead and Rich Chassler welcome comedian, writer, actress, mother, and now homeowner Jessica Keenan for a hilarious and refreshingly honest conversation about stand-up comedy, motherhood, ambition, marriage, wine, and trying to keep your identity intact while juggling all of it. The episode opens with a playful conversation about launching the show on YouTube, dealing with comments online, and a passionate breakdown of the featured wine before...
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We Launched Our YouTube Channel | Comedy, Champagne, New York Stories & Married Life
Drinking During Business Hours with Sarah Halstead and Rich Chassler | Where comedy & fine wine meet!
We Launched Our YouTube Channel | Comedy, Champagne, New York Stories & Married Life In this episode of Drinking During Business Hours, Sarah Halstead and Rich Chassler catch up on everything happening behind the scenes from the launch of their new YouTube channel to comedy shows, New York stories, burnout, voting, marriage, taxes, and of course, what they’re drinking. Over a bottle of Andre Delorme Blanc de Blanc, the conversation bounces from hilarious married-host banter into a genuinely interesting deep dive on sparkling wine, including champagne history, aging on the lees, riddling...
info_outlineJoin hosts Sarah J Halstead and Rich Chassler for a hilarious and honest conversation with legendary Canadian comedian Jeremy Hotz! In this episode, Jeremy opens up about living with generalized anxiety disorder while maintaining a successful comedy career, his viral TikTok explosion in Africa, why he travels with his emotional support chihuahua Shaq, and the real story behind his career-defining moments on Letterman and The Tonight Show.
From writing for The Daily Show to starring in the iconic Canadian series "The Newsroom," Jeremy shares behind-the-scenes stories from Speed 2, working with Sandra Bullock, and why comedy competitions don't work. Plus: hilarious tales from the Melrose Gelson's, parking lot muggings at the Improv, and why New York summers are unbearable.
Whether you're a comedy fan, aspiring comedian, or just love authentic conversations about mental health and show business, this episode delivers laughs and real talk in equal measure.
Featured Guest
Jeremy Hotz is an internationally renowned stand-up comedian, actor, and former writer for The Daily Show. Known for his neurotic, observational comedy style, Jeremy has performed on Letterman, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and starred in the critically acclaimed Canadian series "The Newsroom" (which won multiple awards). His film credits include Speed 2: Cruise Control with Sandra Bullock. Despite living with generalized anxiety disorder, Jeremy has built a thriving international comedy career, recently experiencing viral success on TikTok throughout Africa. He tours extensively in Canada and is planning his first-ever African tour. Jeremy never travels without his emotional support chihuahua, Shaq.
Find Jeremy Hotz:
- Official Website: JeremyHotz.com
- TikTok: @JeremyHotz (HUGE following in Africa!)
- Instagram: @JeremyHotz
- Twitter/X: @JeremyHotz
- YouTube: Jeremy Hotz Comedy
Chapters
0:00 - Welcome Back & Recent Updates
2:50 - Introducing Jeremy Hotz
5:00 - Why Beer Instead of Wine
6:30 - Living with Anxiety & Social Situations
9:15 - Meet Shaq: The Emotional Support Chihuahua
12:20 - The Newsroom & Speed 2 Stories
16:45 - Lucky Break: Episode 13 Award Win
19:30 - Starting Stand-Up at 18-19
22:40 - Getting Letterman & Tonight Show
27:15 - Finding Your Comedy Voice
31:20 - New York vs LA Life
36:50 - Comedy Club Stories & Improv Tales
41:30 - Going Viral on TikTok in Africa
45:20 - Auditions & Industry Advice
49:40 - Television Industry Problems
53:15 - Celebrity Stories & Gelson's Tales
56:30 - Upcoming Tour Dates
58:45 - Final Thoughts & Wrap-Up
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