Tough Guy Book Club Week
When I started This Week in Charles Bronson Podcast I thought that I and my talented ,funny friends in the world of stand up comedy would talk Bronson movies, Pop Culture and have a laugh .
I quickly became engrossed in the research of his co stars, directors, producers etc..
What had started out as a Podcast about Charles Bronson films and my fandom of them quickly became a study of pop culture, film, music and TV.
I was obsessed with research, even getting up at 5 am to read and write with pen or pencil the format of the show. I think this gave me a purpose that I felt I needed in my life. I also quickly realized that these things were important to our listeners. They wanted truth along with the laughs, they took this guy Charles Bronson seriously and so did I.
Truth and a sense of humor. Is that not the mark of most of the great comedians? Carlin? Pryor? and I would even go so far as to say its the mark of some of Rock N Roll’s greats The Ramones, Motorhead, The Beastie Boys all mix their truth with a sense of humor.
As we started getting guests, I realized that they had interests and causes that I had never thought about. Jan Gan Boyd for instance wanted to talk briefly about the Stop Asian Hate movement. I grew up in an area where there was historically tension between Blacks and Whites, but the stereotype of Asians was always that they kept to themselves and “behaved”. I learned that I was ignorant in my own thoughts thinking “who would bully Asian people?”. The show now had a responsibility to people, never getting political we had to respect people from all walks of life.
Our silent , yet violent hero with his ultraviolent films was now the springboard for a study in pop culture and people in general. This brought us together with a family of listeners all over the globe.
We were middle class, upper class, male , female, straight, gay, right wing , left wing all coming together for our love of Charles Bronson.
Ok, before this gets too sappy. What’s this got to do with Tough Guy Book Club Week? As I said truth and entertainment, a responsibility to people. These names we love Ed Lauter, Paul Koslo, Antoinette Bower, Jordan Rhodes they’re disappearing fast from the publics conscious. Save for A.I. generated half bullshit videos on social media.
READ A FUCKIN’ BOOK.
This I have learned is my biggest lesson learned since starting this program. It has become my biggest joy to get to know people in and out of the entertainment industry through the pages of a book.
Recent guests who’ve written books you should read include Paul Talbot, Dwayne Epstein, Burt Kearns and Jordan Rhodes (actor Mr. Majestyk, Indian Runner).
Future guests who have written books Lindsey Ireland ( Charlie and Jill’s niece) and Mike Malloy (the original Tough Guy).