Troubled Men Podcast

To celebrate the 50th episode, the Men invite the fellow creature of the night and New Orleans superstar to trace his steps from the suburban wasteland, to Harvard, to the '80's street scene of Alphabet City and back again. He's been famous since before anyone knew who he was. Topics include a practice parade, a Rite-Aid illness, a TV composer correction, Rik's bands, a Voodoo pregnancy, a high school hack, a hard lesson, running for your life, an impersonal trainer, Coney Island High, a culinary career, Hal Blaine, the Captain, bathroom confusions, Dark Lounge jokes, a pardon list, life plans, emergency smokes, tattoo history, a movie role, delicate terminology, a new ministry, a solid defense, time changes, tax prep, road tricks, and much more. Subscribe, review, and rate on iTunes, Google, Spotify, etc. Like on Facebook, share with friends, and spread the Troubled word. Music by Styler/Coman

The sublime and mysterious cellist checks into the Ring Room in the sweet spot between Ash Wednesday and the Ides of March. The Belgian transplant has a Europian flair and a Renaissance sensibility. Tonight all that goes out the window. Topics include Lent, gluttony, a garbage parade tragedy, road dangers, the pancreas, familial teasing, Singapore, monkeys, a first cello teacher, quitting, a cultural breakdown, WWII memories, a traditional ceremony, party soup, Others' Day, collaborators, dynamics, poise, a celebrity encounter, awards shows, marching cellos, a bulk purchase, cigarettes, paying dues, playing dates, and much more. Subscribe, review, and rate on iTunes, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform. Follow the podcast on Facebook, share with friends, and spread the word. Intro music by Styler/Coman Outro music: "Vautour" from Helen Gillet's latest record, "Helkiase".

As Mardi Gras reaches a fever pitch, the Men cool it down with the illustrator and instructor as he talks about his long road from tiny Empire, La., to art school in New York City and beyond. Topics include a near miss, laundry history, a mea culpa, childhood, art school, post-Katrina paintings, Giuliani time, a gallery show, the St. Claude corridor, a Facebook joke, art criticism, social sensitivity, questionable throws, ladders and tarps, parade etiquette, a Zulu protest, a trigger-happy mayor, a criminal massage, words of advice, and much more. Subscribe, review, and rate on iTunes, Spotify, Google Play or other platforms. Like, follow, and share on Facebook and spread the Troubled word. Music: Styler/Coman

The best-selling author, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, and white whale of the podcast finally shows his face, and the Troubled Men haul him into the Ring Room. Chris is always very forthcoming, and tonight is no different. Topics include an earthquake prediction, a work joke, secret rules, driving issues, Mannix, MeTV, tricks of the journalism trade, podcast production, sensitive boys, prep school alumni, the DKE fraternity mayhem, newspaper editing, Krewe du Vieux, the death of satire, public admissions, the post- Katrina era and the Chris Rose phenomenon, treatment models, talk therapy, and much more. Subscribe, review, and rate the podcast on iTunes or your favorite platform. Like the Facebook page, share with friends, and spread the Troubled word. Theme music by Styler/Coman

It's Valentine's Day everywhere else, but it's a dateless night in the Ring Room. The Troubled Men do a postpartum analysis of the previous episode that almost didn't see the light of day. Topics include Hallmark holidays, being alone, a missing ID, a lock thief, fast food mayhem, episode #45 aftermath, the Rock 'n' Roll marathon, tough gigs, vehicle troubles, a recording triumph, a judge on trial, teens on alert, sauna talk, Virginia and the Zulu exception, a mother's college try, the Tao of Steve, summer camps, vaping hazards, favorite cigarettes of yesteryear, and much more. Subscribe, review, and rate on iTunes, Spotify, or your favorite platform. Like, follow, and share with friends and spread the Troubled word. Music: Styler/Coman

The poet-warrior, artist, performer, activist, and founder of Taco Truck Theater pulls into the Ring Room and delivers the flavor. It gets a little spicy, and by the end, he wants Manny deported. Topics include an angry dog, a boycott bit, civic civility, the Cone of Uncertainty, restrooms, an award-winning doc, a question from Jude, DMT, performance influence, arrests, cocktail choices, a cultural question, amnesia, a screening, U.S. appetites, regrets, healing, Vida in New Orleans, shutdown repercussions, targeting the New Deal, St. Roch, brutal truth, Lenny Bruce, No Guac T-shirts, and more. Subscribe, review, and rate on podcast platforms including Apple and Spotify. Follow the Facebook page, share with friends, and spread the Troubled word. Intro music:Styler/Coman

The Troubled Men bring the Happy Talk Band singer and owner of Siberia Lounge into the warmth of the Ring Room. The workers control the means of production, but they have no five-year plan. There's not even a five-minute plan. Topics include therapy, discounts, a hot streak, foley artists, theater of the mind, an Alaskan adventure, a road trip to New Orleans, a last straw, Arizona justice, Luke's job history, the Bye Byewater, elementary school volunteering, Valentine's candy, Pacino impressions, horse lovers, a flute mishap, a bad bike ride, genealogy, Road House revisited, true crime, James At 15, A Family Affair, a shoplifting case, the Superbowl, and much more. Subscribe, review, and rate on podcast platforms, now including Spotify. Like on social media, share with friends, and spread the Troubled word. Intro music; Styler/Coman Outro music: It's Too Late To Die Young by Luke Spurr Allen

The Troubled Men are put on the defensive as the New Orleans Chess Master in the red beret launches a blitzkrieg opening in the Ring Room. Hope is not a strategy, but it may be all they have left. Topics include a daughter's photos, Guinness World Records, life-changing events, parenting tips, Chuck Barris, Grace Slick, the Five Americans hit records, luck in life, the Iguanas' 9 Volt Heart, band alchemy, Francis Ford Coppola and the Godfather miracle, chess as salvation, playing Bobby Fischer, saying yes, prison games, Magnus Carlsen, Paul Morphy's petite advantages, organized labor, hotel suicides, Janis Joplin stories, Beatles messages, a Boy Scout guide, getting hacked, a state refuge, the Rolling Stones, media successes, the power of focus, K&D Video, Rod Steiger in the Pawnbroker, wacky emails, good hair, and much more. Subscribe, review, and rate on Apple Podcasts or your favorite platform. Follow on Facebook, share with friends, and spread the Troubled word. Intro music: Styler/Coman Music cl

Back in the trenches, the Troubled Men summon renaissance man DC Harbold to the Ring Room for a full debriefing. The leader of Clockwork Elvis and owner of More Fun Comics spins tales of past campaigns as they nurse their wounds and resolve to soldier on. Topics include a low bid, a bad bet, a career change, a nickname explained, collectors and OCD, burlesque vs. stripping, wasp nest therapy, the Golden Girls, Mary Tyler Moore, a royal wreck, a first girlfriend, Wilmington, bus ride detox, click bait, local comedy, an abduction story, Ray the mailman, neighborhood creeps, a tragic turn, customer complaints, dope etiquette, Doctor a' Go-Go, a planned escape, and much more. Subscribe, review, and review on Apple Podcasts or your favorite platform. Like the Facebook page, share with friends, and spread the Troubled word.

The Tony Award-winning actor takes his chances with the Troubled Men. It gets a little punchy in the Ring Room, and a warning is issued following a clash of heads. The charm offensive is in full swing. Topics include a job opening, a New York sound check, king cake, origins and identity, musical theater explained, Road House, a not-so-secret membership, an untimely tribute, a Kennedy Center gig, a lost phone, John "Papa" Gros, an Arizona mystery, a monkey joke, the Golden Globes, religious identity, high praise from Sondheim, the confidence of incompetence, an idiotic exchange, story development, a sense of humor, collaborative art, a drop-in, horse trading with God, a dropout, mistaken identity, Fun Home, and much more. Subscribe, review, and rate on Apple Podcasts. Like the Facebook page, share with friends, and spread the word.

The Troubled Men report to the Ring Room to recap the holidays and stare down the barrel of the new year. Things could be better. Topics include painkillers, a doctor visit, rehearsals, a video shoot, presents, parties, "the talk", local podcasts, Super Dave, The Odd Couple, a meth test, local crime, an app idea, Taco Bell, a McDonald's beatdown, resolutions, a severed brake line, added charges, leftovers, beans and rice, a parking ticket, Tivoli Place, a birthday party, the aging process, the Leaving Las Vegas strategy, a re-gift, troubled quotes, and much more. Subscribe, review, and rate on iTunes. Like the Facebook page, share with friends, and spread the word.

The Troubled Men collect themselves for the final sit-down of the year. They invite the veteran film director and writer to the Safe House for a good working over. Topics include Blue Velvet, post Xmas activities, video booth dynamics, small world connections, Rip Taylor, film self education, Ann Arbor, Repo Man, Fox Harris, Harry Dean Stanton, going method, Rocky, scratchers, Bobby Peru, The Ice Storm, Joan Allen, rejiggered priorities, holiday haze, a letter to Santa, traffic cameras, a bachelor party, horse burgers, a wedding dilemma, the Lasties, the TV, a real victim, a good leaving alone, Career, a new membership, a secret card game, and much more. Subscribe, review, and rate on iTunes. Share with friends and spread the word.

It was Alex's birthday, so René invited long time drummer Doug Garrison and fellow bandleader "Johnny" Jay Beninati for a special episode. They took a free associative journey through the memory labyrinth of Alex's time in New Orleans, on the road, and beyond. Topics include his arrival in town, Stanley and the Undesirables, the Panther Burns reconstituted, personal resolve, unearthing discarded artifacts, pearls of wisdom, the Clash tour, the 688 Club, the fractured aesthetic, the Asplundh tree crew, hanging at the carriage house, the Scores at Papa Joe's, meeting Manson, the trio taking N.Y.C., finding Doug at the Eggleston opening, Feudalist Tarts and serf music, touring and the kindness of strangers, the '73 Buick LeSabre, the Road Gang, transcendental greatness, dark humor, astrology, a final encounter, the RoundUp jukebox, a European tour heist, recording, and much more. Subscribe, review, and rate on iTunes. Share with friends and spread the Troubled word.

The singer/songwriter/producer and guitar tone scientist recounts his years fronting the Killer Bees, his solo career, and his many other collaborations. He talks about being mistaken for Santa Claus, but there's no confusion about which list the Troubled Men are on. René's mic goes out early on, and he becomes the ghost of Christmas past. Act of God? Perhaps. Fortunately, there's plenty of Manny and Papa Mali to cover the spread. Topics include nerve damage, holiday destinations, a stage name explained, zebra smuggling, street safety, the declining murder rate, touring the U.S., a second screening, the 7 Walkers, the Dead, a first trip, Too Free Stooges at Club Lingerie, D. H. Peligro, Louis Elovitz, Fishbone, Tony and Pete Rugalo, Joe Osborn, the Wrecking Crew, a deer poacher, Bonnie & Clyde, The Getaway, mistaken identity, DNA kits, a reading requirement, deathbed defiance, and much more. Subscribe, review, and rate on iTunes. Follow and like the page on Facebook. Share with friends and spread the wo

The Men square off in the Ring Room for a long overdue double dose of uncut Trouble. The head movement is impressive, but someone still winds up walking into a stiff jab. Topics include Downtown Abbey, Jumanji, pulling a googly, a kink uncovered, the Green Book film, award season, adult book stores, the L.A. Free Press, Eleanor Clift, prison porn, a license plate recall, harassing the natives, a New Mexican passport, a Bush holiday, Ghost Town Venice, Tim Green, condiment problems, anthemic gunplay, a workplace tutorial, a wife campaigns, a Black Friday rampage, a Santa Claus revelation, separation of church and state, and much more. Subscribe, review, and rate on iTunes. Share and spread the Troubled word.

Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back. Dreams come true as the intrepid filmmaker finds his way into the mysterious Ring Room to discuss his new feature, "Laundry Day." It all comes out in the wash. Topics include Thanksgiving at the track, an inspirational effort, family fireworks, Randy's path to the movie biz, "Burning Annie" plot and production, the studio game, Checkpoint aversion, the making of "Laundry Day," the New Orleans ethic, the rising cost of living, a guest joke, American Girl dolls, the Four Freshmen, laundry bars, Giving Tuesday, a girlfriend, latent citizenship, blowing bridges, the Grand Coulee Dam, and much more. Subscribe, review, and rate in iTunes. Share with friends and spread the word.

Racing season has begun, and the Troubled Men are chomping at the bit. They go all in with the veteran Rolling Stone, Crawdaddy, and Offbeat writer, author, sports journalist, and horse racing handicapper for the hot tips on everything from Dylan and Bob Marley to picking a horse by scent. It smells like another winner. Topics include vaccinations, the McRib, shower cap fashion, airport curlers, John's career path to New Orleans, losing the war on Christmas, CBGB, a blindfolded interview, Lennon behaving badly, the Atlantic City Pop Festival, Doug Sahm, being embedded with the Who, Canter's Deli and the Kibitz Room, Marty and Elayne at the Dresden, the Bill Haley biography, Bohemian Rhapsody, Live Aid, MTV, Tom Petty, Danny Fields, Keith Richards, the Stones at Jazz Fest, the Fairgrounds, Altamont, Watkins Glen, and much more. Subscribe, review, and Rate on Apple Podcasts. Share and spread the word.

It's cold outside, but the Troubled Men are sweating it out in the Ring Room. They are joined by the writer/director of the new film fest hit, "The True Don Quixote." No strangers to self-delusion, the Men can relate to this tale on a personal level. Topics include a webcam girl, a mystery unraveled, cabin fever, a funeral who's who, a white whale, holy water, Chris' journey from architect to screenwriter, the notebook game, immigrant labor, a gay tax, a mandatory haircut, vintage tile, the DMV, S&WB oversight, a naked intruder, home security, gun play, a Zen hillbilly, epic indy film production with Trey Burvant, scoring with Jay Weigel and John Fohl, the Raiders collapse, and much more. Subscribe, review, and rate on Apple Podcasts.

The Troubled Men fall back into the Ring Room with Debra Howell, medical illustrator, photographic manipulator, and municipal agitator. What profits a man to gain an hour and lose his mind? Time will tell. Topics include 1980s memories, Birmingham Mexicans, an unsoundman, a Dia De Los Muertos second line, Manny's stern warning, a shocking loss, dual identity, icons attacked, community activism, a land grab, a millage grab, Air B&B trouble, a mac & cheese fest, notes from a guest, modern miracles, clerical admissions, artistic parameters, the caravan to Canada, what's wrong with René, and much more. Subscribe, review, and rate on Apple Podcasts.

Armistice Day is within sight as former military photographer and indy filmmaker Renso Amariz enters the free fire zone of the Ring Room to toast the shell shocked Troubled Men. Reparations will be required. Topics include Manny's birthday month, a video shoot, the "Bird" synopsis, aerial submarine hunting, the 6th Fleet, "The Local 504," cocktail looseys, a robot brothel, a strip club story, pitching shorts, "My Life In Dirty Movies," writing advice, a mockumentary, acting, inertia, guerrilla filmmaking, phone phobia, new underwear, and much more. Subscribe, review, and rate on Apple Podcasts.