Artist

Joan Myers Brown: The Mother of Philadelphia Dance

January 20, 2020 Artist, Entertainment, History 36:20

Joan Myers Brown is a Philadelphia icon. She has done more for the world of dance in Philadelphia than anyone and she’s our guest on this episode.

Ms. Brown was born in Southwest Philly during the 1930’s. She’s a self-proclaimed “Woodland Avenue Girl.” A high school gym teacher saw her natural talent for dance and encouraged her to take dance lessons. She wanted to be a ballet dancer, but none of the ballet schools at the time took Black students.

Ms. Brown ended up working as a touring nightclub dancer performing with the likes of Pearl Bailey, Duke Ellington, Nat King Cole, and Sammy Davis, Jr. and talks about how segregation impacted her life back then in the 1950’s.  

In 1960, Ms. Brown decided to open her own dance school to provide black students the opportunity still not available to them at traditional ballet schools.  Ten years later, in 1970, when Ms. Brown noticed her students weren’t getting positions in dance companies or productions, she started her own dance company, which is now known as Philadanco!

60 years later, Ms. Brown is still teaching children the fundamentals of dance and her dance company,   Philadanco!, is revered around the world having toured dozens of countries, performing in front of sold out crowds.

Ms. Brown has won countless awards, including three honorary doctorates, a Master of African American Choreography medal from the Kennedy Center, a 2019 Bessie Award for Lifetime Achievement in Dance, and the 2012 National Medal of Arts presented to her by President Barack Obama.

President Barack Obama has said of Ms. Brown: Joan Myers Brown has made] an artistic haven for African-American dancers and choreographers to innovate, create and share their unique visions with the national and global dance communities.”

LINKS:

PHILADANCO!: www/Facebook/Instagram/Twitter

Anthony Moore: West Philly Comedian Making it in NYC

January 10, 2020 Artist, Comedy, Entertainment 41:00

Anthony Moore has been doing comedy for less than a decade, but his resume is better than plenty of veterans on the Philly comedy scene. The St Joe’s graduate has appeared on Kevin Hart’s show Hart of the City, become a regular at the Comedy Cellar, and traveled throughout Europe entertaining the armed forces. 

The interview was interesting and wide ranging. Anthony is from West Philly but moved to New York in 2015. He talked a bit about how different the comedy crowds are in the two cities: “New York taught me to be more universal. The crowds here (Philly) might be a little more tougher, but I know how to relate so well because I know the crowd is either gonna be from Philly, Jersey, or Delaware. Where in New York, I don’t know where they gonna be from…when I’m in the City I might be performing for a family from Texas that’s sitting next to a family from South Africa. So that just made me step it up a lot, just figuring out how to relate to all of these different cultures.”  
 
Anthony has performed with some of the biggest names in comedy, guys such as Kevin Hart, Louis CK, and Aziz Ansari. He talked about the experience of having to come on after a major star. “I remember the first time I had to follow Kev, and I was like terrified. But then, going up, that was like one of the best sets I’ve ever had. Because the crowd energy was just so high.” 
 
He talked about what he misses in Philly, how Instagram stars have changed the comedy game, and how he bombed at Fergie’s the night before his taping of a Kevin Hart special. 
 
We had a lot of fun with this one. Anthony is a laid back and fun dude to hang out with, and I think anyone listening to this will quickly jump on the Anthony Moore bandwagon. Shout out to New Wave for being such a great place to record the show. Thank you for listening. We’ve got some great guests lined up for 2020, and we’d love to hear more from you guys: who do you want us to sit down with? What do you want more or less of on the show? And what Philly Blunt questions do you want us to ask? We’ll be sure to give you a shout out if we use any of your questions. And be sure to review and rate us on itunes. It’s a big help for our ratings and rankings. Cheers!  
 
LINKS:
ANTHONY MOORE: www/Instagram/Facebook/Twitter
 
NEW WAVE CAFE: www/Facebook/Twitter

Rich Medina: Philly’s World Renown DJ & Producer

November 27, 2019 Artist, Entertainment, Music 49:55
Working a lucrative but soul-sucking corporate job in Philadelphia in the mid-90s, Rich Medina knew he wanted more from his life. He had been moonlighting as a DJ, and decided to go all in. It was a risky proposition. But it was one that ultimately paid off, as 25 years later is one of the most beloved DJs on the planet, playing everywhere from Miami to Melbourne. 
 
In the late 1990s, Medina and Cosmo Baker started a regular party called The Remedy. In the early 2000s, Rich began hosting The Open in NYC with Q-Tip. He also began introducing audiences to Fela Kuti, the father of Afrobeat music. His Jump n Funk parties, starting in 2001, soon took him to Atlanta, LA, and San Francisco. Word of his skill and just as importantly the fun he brought to the dance floor spread, and he is now a true globetrotter, playing shows in cities like Tokyo, Amsterdam, and London. 
 
But he’s not limited to DJing. He also has begun work as a professor at Lincoln University, he’s on the advisory board to Cornell’s renowned hip-hop collection, and he’ll be teaching a class at the Barnes Foundation next spring. He’s also well respected as a spoken word artist and as a writer, having contributed articles to magazines such as the Fader and Complex Magazine.
 
He talked to us about his early days in Philly in the corporate world (“A job with a Fortune 500 company was like handcuffs”), the motto for life he learned by playing basketball (“Put the rock in the hole or sit the fuck down. That’s everything.”) and his family heritage (“I’m mixed up with slave blood and native blood. I’m a real American.”) 
 
Not surprising when speaking to such a Renaissance Man, this is a varied and far reaching interview, from hoops to religion to race to politics. You’ll learn about Afrobeat, what it’s like to travel in Europe as an American in the Trump era, and whether he has to play different songs to get the crowd moving in Philly than he plays in Miami. 
 
Hope you enjoy the latest interview. Thanks as always for listening, and if you could do us a solid and rate us on itunes, we would be much obliged. Enjoy!
 
LINKS:
Rich Medina: Instagram/Twitter

Alexandra Cutler-Fetkewicz: Culture and Coolness with the Strings Diva

September 11, 2019 Artist, Business, Entertainment 40:59

This episode we bring you a little culture and coolness. Alexandra Cutler-Fetkewicz was a bit of a child prodigy on the violin. She landed at the prestigious Eastman School of Music in Rochester where she eventually earned a Masters degree. A drunk driver almost ended her career. Ironically, it was a grandchild of the founder of the Eastman School of music that struck her. Doctors told her she’d never play professionally again and to find a new career. They were wrong.

Alexandra went on to a successful violin career playing with the likes of Brandford Marsalis, Elvis Costello, Jill Scott, Peter Gabriel, Earth, Wind, & Fire, Harry Connick Jr., Rod Stewart, Julie Andrews, Styx, The Who, and more.

She currently holds a tenured position in the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia and she is also Founder and CEO of Philly Music Labs, which specializes in connecting high-quality, genre-crossing musicians to new audiences and other like-minded musicians and artists.

We discuss her musical inspirations and how to make Classical Music and the Orchestra more accessible to a larger audience. She also educates us on the values of classical musical instruments, which we had no idea could reach upwards of $250,000.

We recorded this episode at Front Street Cafe in Fishtown. Front Street is a favorite of Alexandra’s because of the food and their support of the local arts scene.

LINKS:
Alexandra Cutler-Fetkewicz
Philly Music Lab
Front Street Cafe

Marissa the Total Stranger: California, Comedy, and Camming,

June 17, 2019 Artist, Comedy 34:40

This episode is quite unique. We were set up to record on the third floor at The Raven Lounge on Sansom Street. Our guest never showed. Just as we were about to call it a night, in walked a woman who said they double-booked the third floor and she was there to take some photographs. Basically, she was kicking us out.

We asked her if she wanted to be on a podcast. She asked when. We said now. She said okay. It was as if the universe sent her to us to save our asses.

None of us knew her or had ever heard of her. We knew nothing about her other than she was a photographer. Johnny started to do a Google search, but we quickly decided it would be much more interesting to go in completely cold.

Everything you hear is exactly as the interview happened. It’s unedited, except for the addition of our traditional transition beats, so you can listen as everything unfolded just as we did.

Her name is Marissa. She’s originally from the Fox Chase area of Philly. She’s a former stand-up comedian and she’s has had quite a few interesting jobs, including Wawa and camming, one of which may have led to the most outrageous story ever told on The Philly Blunt. You wouldn’t believe it if we didn’t capture the audio as proof.

Thanks to Raven Lounge for giving us a space to tell these great stories of interesting Philadelphians.

LINKS:
The Raven Lounge: Facebook/Instagram
Marissa’s Photography: Facebook/Instagram

Ursula Rucker: Philly’s Reigning Queen of Poetry

April 29, 2019 Artist, Entertainment, Music 40:19

She’s performed with The Roots. She has recorded five albums. She’s a 2018 Pew Fellowship Award-winner. She’s Philly’s Queen of Poetry and don’t dare call her a “Spoken Word Artist”. She is Ursula Rucker.

Ursula Rucker was born and raised in Philly by parents she referred to as “Nicetown Gangster meets South Philly girl” in the 1950’s. She has lived in Germantown, Mt. Airy, Northern Liberties, West Philly and possesses a deep love for Philly and is not ashamed to show it.

Ursula was a pivotal player in the early 1990’s Philly music scene. Silk City was the hub for this burgeoning scene that included Rich Medina, King Britt, and The Roots. Her career-changing moment came when The Roots asked Ursula for a last-minute poem called The Unlocking, about a woman coming out on the other side of a gang-bang victoriously. She shares the impact this poem had on her poetry and the freedom she found from censoring herself going forward.

Ursula shared the struggles her parents faced being a mixed-race couple in 1950’s Philadelphia, her writing process, the beauty of Germantown, her fears of offending her family through her work, and her fear of crowd-surfing. She also speaks passionately about the work she is doing in Kensington to help people heal through art and open mic nights.

She also gave us one of the ultimate Philly Blunt segments where she slams a quote by Robert Frost after Johnny asked her what he admitted was an “impossible question to answer.”

We recorded this episode at Uncle Bobbie’s Coffee and Books in Germantown, which is owned by Marc Lamont Hill. Uncle Bobbie’s also serves as a community hub designed for sharing, building, learning, laughing, debating, and eating. 

Links:

Ursula Rucker: www/FB/Twitter/Instagram

Uncle Bobbie’s Coffee & Books: www/FB/Twitter/Instagram

Lillian DiPiazza: Inside the Grueling World of a Pennsylvania Ballet Dancer

March 4, 2019 Artist, Entertainment 31:29

Ballerinas, according to the NY Times, may be the hardest working people in show business. In an effort to gain insight into the intimidating and grueling world of ballet, The Philly Blunt sat down Lillian DiPiazza, a world-class ballerina and a Principal dancer with the Pennsylvania Ballet, located here in center city.

Lillian, or Lilly as she prefers, has been with the Pennsylvania Ballet since 2008. She was born in Silver Springs, MD and trained with the Miami City Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, and the School of American Ballet. In 2008, she auditioned for the Pennsylvania Ballet with almost 200 other dancers. She was the only one offered a position. 

Lilly spoke candidly about the physical and emotional toll the training dancing takes on the body. Much like professional athletes, the conditioning and recovery is vitally important.

Lilly shared a story of a dancing with a bleeding partner, studying Urban Studies at Penn, and how Clorox Handi Wipes are her choice of padding for the uncomfortable pointe shoes. 

We also asked her a handful of user submitted questions and, of course, The Philly Blunt segment.

Lilly met with us at Grace Tavern, where she’ll sometimes grab a burger and beer after a late performance. 

LINKS:

Pennsylvania Ballet: www/Twitter/Facebook/Instagram
Lillian DiPiazza: Instagram
Grace Tavern: www/Twitter/Facebook/Instagram

The Legendary Wid: Comedy, Collecting, and Culture

December 11, 2018 Artist, Entertainment 37:24

He played with Robin Williams, worked with Jonathan Winters, and got high with rock legend Donovan. He’s the The Wid and he just may be the most legendary and widely-respected comedian to have ever called Philadelphia home. 

He’s not the wealthiest and he can’t pack Lincoln Financial field, but he’s helped pave the way for countless aspiring Philadelphia comedians. He also happens to be addicted to flea markets and has amassed a collection of items that is housed in multiple storage containers around town, most of which end up in his show at some point. 

The Wid is a master of prop comedy. While prop comedy was once revered during the Vaudeville days, the likes of Carrot Top and Gallagher have cheapened the art form to the point that most consider this form of comedy the bottom of the comedic hierarchy.

The Legendary Wid, however, is one glaring exception.

The Wid is respected nationwide among comic circles. He’s performed with
some of the greatest comedic minds over the past 35 years. More importantly,
Wid has been giving back to the Philly comedic community for the past thirty
years running amateur/open mic nights, teaching classes, and individually
helping aspiring comics hone their craft.

Wid sat down with us at Milkboy South Street for Episode 09 of The Philly
Blunt podcast. We talked about his early days as a diorama artist with pieces
in museums and how hitchhiking across town ended up giving him his Wid moniker?

He’s a collector of all things. Every Wid performance leaves the stage
covered with hundreds of items many would consider junk or trash. Not Wid. He
can make a pun for almost any item and he may owe it all to a high school
teacher that hit him with a pun that got the Wid hooked immediately.

We discuss that moment, the difficulty of being a comedian in today’s ultra
PC culture, Jay Leno being a dick, getting Donovan high, the heartbeat of
Philadelphia, and if he thinks about how life may have been different had he
gotten the big Hollywood break.

The Legendary Wid is a Philly treasure, a brilliant comedian, and a great
interview.

LINKS:

The Legendary Wid: Facebook

Milkboy: url/Facebook/Twitter

Timaree Leigh: Philly’s Sexuality Queen talks Polyamory, Burlesque, and more.

November 26, 2018 Artist, Authors, Entertainment, Writers 37:17

Timaree is Philly’s sex expert. When she’s not educating, talking, or writing about sex, she’s dancing throughout Philly at various burlesque events. She is Philly’s reigning queen of sexuality. 

Growing up in Western Nebraska, Timaree always knew she wanted to live in a big city, and she landed in Philly after discovering that nearby Widener had a world class sexuality program. She received her PhD in Human Sexuality from Widener, then began her insanely busy professional career: she works as a sex therapist, podcaster, writer, and a fitness instructor. 

She spoke with us about knowing early in her life that she was queer, and how that affected her career and her lifestyle. She also talked about being polyamorous, and whether or not it’s difficult to juggle multiple relationships at once. 

Timaree gives the key for those in long-term monogamous relationships and discusses the difficulties when orgasms are constantly the end goal in sexual play. We discuss the weirdness of Philly, Gritty, and burlesque etiquette for guys in attendance.

Ever hear of skin hunger? Neither did we, but Timaree educated us on the topic. This has to be heard.

We recorded at Frankie Bradley’s and with good reason: before it became Bradley’s the venue was the home Sisters, and was where Timaree started her burlesque career. And Bradley’s is a place where she still hosts several of her many monthly shows. She talked to us a bit about the history of burlesque, what separates it from stripping, and how it’s changed in Philly over the past decade. 

We want to thank Franky Bradley’s for having us, and Timaree for taking time out of her busy schedule to sit down with us. We think the result is a damn good interview.

LINKS:
Dr. Timaree Leigh: Facebook/Instagram/Twitter/Web

Franky Bradley’s: Facebook/Twitter/Instagram/Web