Ryan Niemiller is BLOWING UP! We talk about his America's Got Talent run, how his life has changed and how he maintains balance with work and his relationship. It's a hot one! Despite being born with a disability in both arms, Ryan Niemiller, the self-proclaimed “Cripple Threat of Comedy” shares his views of the world from the perspective of the handicapped. Ryan began his comedy career in Los Angeles, California, and hasn’t looked back since, performing in clubs and colleges across the country. Covering topics such as dating, trying to find employment, and attempting to find acceptance in a world not designed for him, Ryan tackles the issues in a way that makes you think while laughing the entire time. With his quick wit, great timing, and a gimmick that only he can exploit, Ryan hopes to prove to the comedy world that he may be unarmed, but he is dangerous. Follow Ryan Follow Dwight

Katherine Blanford is Blowing Up! Fresh off of her television debut on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Katherine walks us through the process of being booked on the show, the preparation of her set, and the overwhelming response she received from her home base in Atlanta. It's a great chat with an absolutely wonderful comedian and human! Katherine Blanford has brought her human Golden Retriever presence to stages across the country. The Atlanta-based comedian has opened for many top-notchers including Jeff Foxworthy, David Spade, and Ron White. She shares the true confessions of a washed-up Pediatric Waste Management Specialist (a nanny) and war stories from the front lines of brunch. Her humor has taken her to festivals across the nation including Limestone Comedy Festival, Laughing Skull Comedy Festival, 10,000 Laughs, Burning Bridges Festival, and Red Clay Festival. Her debut album, Salt Daddy, was released in June 2022. You can catch her weekly co-hosting her podcast, Cheaties, with fellow ATL comedian, Lace Larrabee. The juicy series follows two comedians interviewing guests about their personal stories of cheating and being cheated on and helping each other heal through laughter. Cheaties has been consecutively ranked in Podcast Magazine’s Hot 50 and continues to climb the charts. You can follow all things  Katherine here - https://linktr.ee/KatherineBlanford You can follow things  Dwight here - https://linktr.ee/Dwight_Simmons

Damon Sumner is Blowing Up! - Check out Damon's debut album "I Know Who I Am" and can preorder it here! Damon Sumner has been bringing laughter to people’s lives even before he held a mic on a stage. He has continued to hone his craft and every time he touches the stage, he delivers hilarious stories about his upbringing, and witty, high-energy observations of everyday life. Since starting standup in Atlanta, Damon has shared the stage with numerous headliners, like Iliza, Brent Morin, Todd Glass, Sarah Tiana, George Wallace, and so many more. He can be seen on The Weather Channel’s “Weather Gone Viral”, EPIX’s “Unprotected Sets, and heard on Sirius XM. He co-hosts the hilarious podcast, “Forth and Ten”, created the YouTube Channel “BETTER DAD” and runs shows all around the ATL. In 2012, Damon toured China for a year and was a part of the team that opened the first full-time mainland comedy club in China, Kungfu Comedy Club. Damon has also performed in illustrious comedy festivals around the U.S. including the Dallas Comedy Festival, Laugh Your Asheville Off Comedy Festival, Out Of Bounds Comedy Festival, Hell Yes Comedy Festival and was a semi-finalist for the American Black Film Festival's Comedy Wings Competition, sponsored by HBO. If you didn’t know, he’s about to become your new, favorite comic. Support the podcast by becoming a Patron at Patreon.com/Dwight Simmons Follow Damon on Instagram Follow Dwight 

Valerie Tosi is Blowin' Up! Dwight talks to Valerie about her new #1 album, Beach Trash and the process of hustling up stage time as the world opened back up last year. They also reminisce over an epic Dairy Queen stop on the way to the Limestone Comedy Festival years ago. Valerie Tosi is a Second City trained actor, writer, voiceover artist, and standup comedian. Before the world fell apart she made her late night debut on Conan, and as an actor, she’s appeared in a viral commercial for Lyft with Kevin Hart and Ice Cube, was featured on ‘The Joel McHale Show’ on Netflix and was a guest on ‘Stan Against Evil’ on IFC. You may recognize Valerie’s voice from her work on scripted podcasts, animation projects, and several ad campaigns, including Google Home Mini. Her pilot, ‘Malltergeist’ was a quarter finalist in the 2021 Nashville Film Festival. As a standup, she tours the country regularly, bringing her delightfully relatable stories to clubs and festivals, including Limestone, Laughing Skull, and Out of Bounds. Between road dates, Valerie produces and hosts The Mermaid Comedy Hour, the longest running all-female comedy show at The Hollywood Improv. She regularly features for Emmy Award-winning comedian Dana Gould and her album "Beach Trash" debuted at #1 on the iTunes comedy charts. When she's not slinging jokes you can find her pumping quarters into the Jurassic Park pinball table while quoting Dennis Nedry. Follow Valerie Tosi Follow Dwight Simmons Support the Blowin Up Podcast

Jasmine Ellis is Blowing Up! Dwight talks to Jasmine about creating opportunities during Covid, maintaining a go-get-it mindset, being in an interracial marriage and the goals she has for her career moving forward. It's a great one! Jasmine Ellis is a Stand Up Comedian, Entertainment Journalist and podcast host from Arlington, Texas. Jasmine tours colleges and clubs nationally and has been featured at over a dozen of the Top comedy festivals including Moontower, 10,000 Laughs,Limestone and Black Girl Giggles.. Her Debut comedy Album Trashbaby went #1 on iTunes and has been featured on the " best comedy album by comedians you haven’t heard of " Playlist on Spotify. Jasmine was honored as a Comedian to watch on the Whohaha women in comedy forum and her comedy special Nobody’s Queen was awarded NPR's Bullseye Comedy album of the year is available to watch now on  Amazon Prime and the Drybar comedy app. Jasmine's Website Support the Podcast Here

Brent Terhune is BLOWING UP! A great chat with extraordinary comedian and viral superstar Brent Terhune. We talk about Brent's social media success, and what it takes to maintain it. As well as his roots in comedy, a deep love for wrestling, and horror movies. Brent also touches on the guilt associated with promoting in-person shows in the time of Covid. You can follow Brent, listen to his podcasts, see his viral videos AND see his tour schedule here: https://bit.ly/3nJOBpP The best way to support the podcast is to subscribe to the Patreon at: Patreon.com/DwightSimmmons Follow Dwight Simmons: https://linktr.ee/Dwight_Simmons

Gwen Sunkel is Blowing Up! One of my favorite people to watch on stage and hang with...We talk about Betty White, getting high at Disney World, recording her album, and staying busy throughout Covid.  Hailing from Indianapolis, Gwen travels all over the country with her wonderfully unique style of Stand-Up. She is a contributing writer for AWF magazine. Gwen has opened for Ben Dela Creme, Iliza Shlesinger, and Ron Jeremy and will be performing in the 2021 Limestone Comedy Festival. She co-hosts a series of comedy shows that have raised over $15,000 for reproductive health groups in the Midwest. Follow Gwen on Twitter and IG @Gwenderwoman Follow Dwight Simmons on Twitter @Unwellspoken Support this show at Patreon.com/DwightSimmons

Mat Alano-Martin is a powerhouse comedian and a wonderfully creative soul. Catching up with him about how he's navigating comedy through Covid, the loss of his mother, and why he got sober several years ago.  Mat Alano-Martin has spent the last 13 years on the road telling jokes and sharing stories all across America. He has appeared at comedy clubs, theaters, punk rock dives, redneck roadhouses, casinos, colleges, living rooms and everywhere in between. Alano-Martin’s albums “Profiled as Such” and “Blood Mouth” can be heard in regular rotation on Sirius/XM’s comedy channels and he has appeared several times on the nationally syndicated The Bob & Tom Show and once on Laughs on FOX. He has worked with such notable acts as Patton Oswalt, Tig Notaro, Maria Bamford and Marc Maron. Be sure to check out his band's new album on Bandcamp: https://beltalowda.bandcamp.com/album/the-days-that-are-given-and-the-ways-we-live-them?fbclid=IwAR0QM-APTKX4pyJQuDnQnBW8wHA8pNUxkU-eelBxwjUYogERu7GezsvLFC4

Reena Calm is an East Coast Jew turned Chicago favorite, became one of the most respected and requested comedians in the Midwest, and is now a nationally touring headliner. Pulling from a lifetime of questionable choices, Reena’s material is autobiographical, silly, and charmingly inappropriate. Living out of a tricked out Prius, this pun-slinger travels the country on her signature #Calmedy tours. She's on a mission to make people laugh in all 50 States (just a few left to go). She's opened for legends like Arsenio Hall, Laurie Kilmartin, and Eddie Pepitone, to name a few. Reena has been a frequent guest on WGN Radio, was on the Doug Loves Movies podcast, and was named Comic of The Week on The Jackie & Laurie Show. Check out her book “Once A Pun A Time…Legend of a Sighs Queen” on Amazon. Reena’s been called "everything comedy should be" by a guy in Wisconsin, “also terrific” by the Chicago Tribune, and “NOT a disappointment” by her mother. She hopes to do a show in your town soon, and would love to sleep in your finest parking lot.

A quick intro to let you know all about Blowing Up!