Rough Day In Showbiz

Brenda's amusing and informative episode is full of Rough Day In Showbiz stories and an education on how to publish and promote your own booK! She tells a Rough Day In Showbiz story about a demo reel footage situation with a director who initially promised the world but slowly drifted away into oblivion, another about an agent who didn't do their job correctly and cost Brenda a huge audition, plus some highs and lows of self-publishing as well as useful information for a place to begin if you are looking to. Brenda packs no punches in this episode!  Follow Brenda on IG: @BrendaKatePartello Follow Brenda on Twitter: @BrendaKate Host: @JustinSorvillo

Dana Lyn Baron ("Being The Ricardos", "Mank", "Bosch") has arrived! She tells an early Rough Day In Showbiz story about starting out as a teenager working as a dancer in theater and enduring the growing pains of learning how to be a professional. Another about being a bartender at a Broadway theater and having to cope with the onslaught of theatergoers desperate for their alcohol. Another about a side job working as a temp alongside very toxic people. Plus, one about working at producer Scott Rudin's office where she had to take phone calls from people like the head of Paramount and be cautious not to click the wrong button and hang up! This episode is a must-listen for anyone who loves New York, and Dana is a smashing guest!  Follow Dana on IG: @DanaLynBaron Follow Dana on Twitter: @DanaLynBaron Host: @JustinSorvillo

Melanie Thompson is a powerhouse! She creates her own work and has learned so much from braving the trenches of Rough Days In Showbiz. She tells plenty of stories, one about a gross film location where the owner's didn't clean anywhere or anything before the crew arrived (ANYWHERE or ANYTHING), another about a gung-ho but delusional film director who made his cast members "rough it" during the production process with bad hours and close living quarters...only to never come out with the film itself, and another about her early days as an actress where she attended a Craig's List casting call for the promise of an IMDB credit...only to find out there were painful hours and formidable circumstances in store. Justin also tells a Rough Day In Showbiz story about a seemingly unending web series audition process complete with a casting director dressed like Bret Michaels, a snooty/pretentious director, and a very sad bowl of Panera Bread soup to top it all off.   Follow Melanie on IG: @MelanieLeeThompson

The clever Tim drops in to tell Rough Day In Showbiz stories about his first commercial shoot where his hunger as an actor made him show-off and actually get hurt, an intense time in a voiceover booth with a nightmare audition-runner, a strange run-in with an actor he was competing for a role with while delivering their food, and a crowning golden Rough Day In Showbiz story about doing a drunken stand-up set in New York City. You’re gonna love Tim!  Follow Tim on IG: @ColonelTimmy Follow Tim on Twitter: @ColonelTimmy Follow Justin on IG: @JustinSorvillo 

Ashlei rocks! She takes us through a trip of her life living in LA from lows to highs and from side jobs to creative successes. She tells a Rough Day In Showbiz story about a mirror falling on her head during her first commercial shoot, another about working in a haunted hotel and dealing with Karens (both living and dead). Plus one more about working as a massage therapist on a customer who enjoyed getting the knots out a little too much. Ashlei is also a staunch advocate for the BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities and an exceedingly inspirational person. Follow Ashlei on Twitter: @AshleiShyne Follow Ashlei on IG: @AshleiShyne Follow Ashlei's series on IG: @hashtagtmiseries  Follow Justin on IG: @JustinSorvillo

Chef V is in the house! Boss Veronica tells Rough Day In Showbiz stories about dealing with the catch-22's of morning show interviews, chaotic days producing her own content, having to reshoot all the food pictures for her cookbook in two days, the nightmare of a shipping truck breaking down mid-transit, and her encounters with terrible customers leaving negative reviews on Yelp. Veronica also provides excellent nutritional advice and valuable tips for aspiring entrepreneurs. This is a green episode!  Follow Chef V on IG: @ChefVLife 

We have not one guest, but two! Producer Rob Ciano and actor Kazy Tauginas (John Wick, Equalizer 2, Dolemite Is My Name) from the indie-horror, "Shimmer" join the show to share their golden Rough Days In Showbiz stories. Rob tells stories about how dire writer's block can really get, and encountering a giant hornets nest in everyone's way during the first day of shooting "Shimmer". Kazy tells stories about months spent vigorously preparing an extensive fight scene only for the scene to get cut, and showing up to set to produce his short film only to find there was another film crew already there shooting another movie! Follow Rob on IG: @SpinDip25 Follow Kazy on IG: @KazyTauginas Follow Shimmer on IG: @ShimmerTheMovie www.ShimmerTheMovie.com

With over 285 credits on IMDB, Rhoda definitely has stories to tell! She shares a Rough Day In Showbiz story about a cannabis commercial where people were actually smoking, another collection of stories about battling the weather elements while working on film sets, good and bad experiences doing nudity, injuring her arm then having to get into bed with Jason Derulo for a music video, and the time John Krasinski accidentally stepped on her legs. This episode is a whirlwind of Rough Days In Showbiz and pure, uninhibited fun.  Follow Rhoda on IG: @RhodaPell 

Rough Day In Showbiz: Comicbook! This is a special edition of the show featuring the digital comic "Social Studies" and its' creators Mike Virgilio and Adam Gagnon. Mike and Adam discuss their actual real-life inspirations for writing and creating the comic based on their own high school experiences. Justin tells a Rough Day In Showbiz story about a failed romance during the middle school play while Mike and Adam share romantic mishaps from their younger days. Follow Social Studies on IG: @SocialStudiesComic Follow Social Studies on Twitter: @SocialStudiesCB

Hailing from a business background, Chris joined the entertainment business in a later stage of his life and has been thriving ever since! He tells Rough Day In Showbiz stories about straining to analyze casting director's facial expressions early in his career, a snafu where he studied the wrong sides for an audition, and another about having at least 5 auditions in a row for the same film but never knowing what would come of it! He also discusses the challenges and rewards of producing your own work and reveals a few more Rough Day In Showbiz stories about that as well. Chris provides terrific perspective and inspiration for performers and creatives of all ages. Follow Chris on IG: @ChrisGauntActor Follow Chris on Twitter: @ChrisGauntActor

Handsome lad Joshua graces the pod! He tells Rough Day In Showbiz stories about his first time working background on a tv set but not knowing the etiquette, his first one line role on a tv show that he couldn’t get right for 20 takes, a collection of anecdotes and oddities from his time at the Metropolitan Opera, and more! This episode is PACKED with Rough Days In Showbiz. Don’t miss it! Follow Josh on IG: @Josh_Schubart Follow Josh on Twitter: @Josh_Schubart

Felix appears on the pod! He tells Rough Day In Showbiz stories about accidentally calling a drunken audience member on stage to help him perform a trick, sleeping spectators, and the quirks of performing at Hollywood's famous Magic Castle. He also shares his philosophy for why his magic is focused in mentalism rather than other types of magic.  Follow Felix on IG: @FelixJonesMentalist  Follow Felix on Twitter: @FelixMentalist 

Susan (Cobra Kai, Loki, Queering) brings her soothing southern accent to the party and provides lots of beautiful showbiz wisdom. She tells Rough Day In Showbiz stories about getting calls for auditions whilst at the airport about to board a plane, a smelly situation in an audition waiting room, and having to scrub off her dirt make up as well as other quirks of playing her beloved character "homeless Lynn" on the hit show Cobra Kai! Follow Susan on IG: @iamsusangallagher Follow Susan on Twitter: @susanlgallagher

So many stories in this episode with the delightful Kari Nissena! She shares Rough Day In Showbiz stories about escaping her day job to attend a rush last-minute audition and an icky experience when she had to work on set while being sick. Justin shares stories about stealthily recording a voiceover audition while working at his day job and talking way too much in the waiting room before a commercial audition.  Follow Kari on IG: @KariNissena Follow Actor World Mag on Twitter: @ActorWorldMag Visit Kari's Coaching Website: www.ActorTransformation.com

I am honored to have Emmy Award-winning veteran actor Kim Estes (Brooklyn 99, How To Get Away With Murder, This Is Us) come on and join the silliness! He tells classic Rough Day In Showbiz stories about flubbing lines on set, nightmarish commutes through LA trying to get to auditions, and having to say "no" to jobs because he already said "yes" to others. Kim also has golden advice for actors and creative people alike, he is all about giving back and is a tremendously gracious person!  Follow Kim on IG: @TheKimEstes Hosted by Justin Sorvillo (IG: @JustinSorvillo) 

John tells some juicy Rough Day In Showbiz stories! One of them is about casting an actor who never showed up at the literal worst time. The other details his experiences shooting a 45 page web series in only 3 days, losing half of the audio during the shoot, and the lessons he learned during the  process.  Follow John on IG: @JohnJFahey Follow John's Short Film: @TheDoorHolder2020 Follow John's Webseries: @RunawayWithMeWebseries Hosted by Justin Sorvillo (IG: @JustinSorvillo)

The incredible Vico (Transparent, American Horror Story: 1984, Vida) tells us about the taxing challenges of working as a non-binary performer in an industry that is still catching up with the times. They share Rough Day In Showbiz stories about being mis-gendered on a film set even after disclosing their pronouns several times, and spending over a month rehearsing a film where they played a non-binary person, informed everyone of their pronouns the whole time, and STILL got mis-gendered on set. This is a very important episode and I was honored to have Vico come on and unabashedly discuss their struggles as rawly and honestly as they did. I am thankful for them, I whole-heartedly support them, and I admire their bravery. Happy Pride Month!   Follow Vico on IG: @PuertoRicanNinja  Hosted by Justin Sorvillo (@JustinSorvillo) 

Actress Ammie Masterson tells Rough Day In Showbiz stories about not one, but TWO nightmare co-stars she worked with. One of them was a lazy actor who wanted to be treated like Marlon Brando, and the other was a weirdly controlling actor who also turned out to be a genuine slob. In contrast, she also talks about her positive experiences working with Emmy-winning professional actors who are sweet, giving, humble and down to earth.   Follow Ammie on IG: @AmmieMasterson, Follow Actors Grind on IG: @ActorsGrind Hosted by Justin Sorvillo (@JustinSorvillo)

Jake shares Rough Day In Showbiz stories about bending over backwards during a writing internship for a film company that functioned more like a frat house, and working with a self-righteous director at a scammy theater company that put on a preposterous performance. Justin tells a Rough Day In Showbiz story of an early odd student film audition where he had to play a literal wolf in a desert.  Follow Jake on IG: @JakeMatterhorn  Hosted by Justin Sorvillo (@JustinSorvillo) 

Actor Calvin C. Winbush (Grand Theft Auto 5, Whiplash, New Girl) shares stories from early beginnings in acting class to his very first failure audition to how he made it to his thriving career today and shares insightful gems about his journey. Follow Calvin: @CalvinTheii, @CalvinWinbush