Dr. Lisa Gives A Sh*t

Nick Viagas is very talented comedian. You can hear me say in the beginning of this session that he is handsome, which he is. He also stutters a bit. That combo of funny, attractive and vulnerability (a stutterer!) makes him appealing to the ladies. It seems he doesn't have to try too hard to get their attention and truthfully, they mostly take the initiative with Nick. Nick enjoys this of course! but he has reservations. Is he spending time (euphemism, you know what I mean) with them because it's what he wants or is it more that he's just not turning it down? Nick talks about his childhood and his family (challenging) and where he is now. He is extremely forthcoming and if I wanted to I could make this summary into lascivious clickbait but I have too much integrity for that! Damnit! Anyway, Nick is very articulate and self-aware with a great heart. You can learn a lot about how men see women from this session and maybe even a sexual health session. I know I did! See Nick perform! Feb. 15, 7pm https://www.sec

Yoshi Sakai is a super talented artist who is showing at my gallery, @Dog_House_Gallery for funny artists at The Brooklyn Comedy Collective. She was here all week and we sort of worked together since I have to manage working with the BCC inside of their busy space. So it was super cool to have gotten to know her and her work process before she came on the show. Yoshie is the first artist in her family and also (first) second generation. Yoshie trained as a professur in great and Latin, but at 30 took a turn and discovered art. Yoshie is very self-effacing, but in my fake-shrink opinion—I think shes self-effacing mostly because she cant quite grasp how successful she is at something so unusual and personal. I also think her humility is part of the secret sauce which makes her work so good. See Yoshie's work and more HERE Follow Yoshie on Instagram: @yoshie_sakai_studio Yoshie's Artist Statement: I create characters that respond and negotiate contemporary social issues of cultural identity, gender roles, and fa

I had the great fortune of meeting Claire at an open mic in Bushwick. After they called my name she came up to me and asked me if I knew her parents. I did. Claire Pelllegrino has known of me since she was born because I am a leading character in her parent's, Jean Galton and Ron Pellegrino's origin story. I was really close to her mother bacaue we both worked for the same difficult boss at our first jobs in advertising. And I met her Dad while I was working at other agency freelance. I dated him for about 6 months. And as Claire already knows, they met at an apartment party I had. Ron and I had broken up by then and were good friends, and as was Jean and I, even though we were no longer working together. It seems like Jean and Ron were a case of love at first sight. And in my very own home. And as I tell Claire-he traumatized me once on a date for not letting me to get off a bus in New Jersey to the bathroom. Looking back I'm glad he dissuaded me—we'd still be wandering around NJ. Even tho I had nothing to d

Aamir Ashad is a stand up comedian who moved to New York from Rochester a year ago to pursue comedy. he's smart, funny and with a good work ethic, he is making great progress in reaching his goals. When I met Aamir at an open mic a few months ago I invited him on to discuss arranged marriage, as that is how his parents met. We have a deep discussion about Aamirs view of arranged marriage as well as his own thoughts about dating and sex. Aamir is Muslim, 22 years old and has very set ideas about women, staying pure and marriage. As Dr. Lisa, I tell him he sounds like he might be repressing some important feelings that would help his personal growth. He then lays an unexpected bombshell on me which changes our whole understanding of the discussion right there and then. (Go to timestamp 51:23) Conflict ensues, but we finish as mutually respected friends. Follow @aamirdoesstandup

Sarah and I met at an open mic and then bumped into each other again on the street in Buswick. Sarah is a objectively beautiful and sexy. Dr. Lisa is curious as to what it would be like to be so attractive, grounded and self-possessed, which is her idealize version of what she would have dreamed to be like at that age-20-30s. In turn Sarah sees Lisa as a role model—someone who makes being older ok, fun even. Dr. Lisa is pleasantly surprised to find Sarah to be so pragmatic and intentional about her life goals for someone who seems as fun as Sarah. Sarah is the real role model here. Follow Sarah on Instagram + TikTok @sarahbarnitt

Stephanie is an accomplished poet. She was not brought up to be a creative person, but that's who she was all along. I think she had some pretty cool experiences along the way! Check out her book #InternetBoyfriend @stephanie.athena Poet, novelist, aesthete. https://stephanievalente.com/  Stephanie Athena Valente lives in Brooklyn, NY. Her published works include Hotel Ghost, waiting for the end of the world, Little Fang, and Spell Work (Bottlecap Press & Giallo). Featured writing includes Witch Craft Magazine, Maudlin House, and Hobart. She is the associate editor at Yes, Poetry. Sometimes, she feels human. stephanievalente.com Stephanie Valente - Internet Girlfriend 56k dial-up. Ouija boards. Crushes. Internet Girlfriend explores the intersection of the internet, the occult, and sexuality. These poems mirror the abyss: divination, webcamming, myth, instant messages, queerness, witchcraft—all in the name of trying to feel something. Praise for Internet Girlfriend Stephanie Valente’s Internet Girlfriend o

Peter and his girlfriend have been together for 6 years, living together for 1/2 that time. Peter's really happy in the relationship, but doenst need to have anything change. Peter's girlfriend wants to buy an apartment with him. IS co-home ownership a red herring for a ring? Props to Peter he was open minded and willing to talk which I don’t necessarily take for granted in males.  Peter is an excellent artist! Check out his work HERE: https://www.peterschenck.com/ Follow him HERE @pbschenck

Comedian Matt Ruby and I agree there is a lot Non—Trump voters missed (myself included) about how society views a large group of men. It's not simple, especially since we are all in our info silos. Matt put out a great substack opinion piece on this topic. Even discussing this shit nowadays is risky, but necessary for all of us to understand these issues. I was inspired to listen to this Joe Rogan episode after our chat and it was further illuminating. We MUST UNDERSTAND the other people! Btw: Did you also know that Matt Ruby is an AWESOME COMEDIAN?? HERE'S PROOF More Matt Here: https://www.mattrubycomedy.com/ @mattrubycomedy/ The substack we discussed here: https://mattruby.substack.com/p/incessantly-calling-men-toxic-is Incessantly calling men toxic is a bad way to get their votes How to win 'em over: Less dunking, more persuading. It’s my fault. As ambassador of the elites, I take full responsibility for this defeat.First off, let’s admit it: He’s the greatest con man ever. The first time around, people m

I don't get the chance to meet people like Franklin Rossman often enough. Someone who had found a big part of his life of sharing his art to improve young people's lives who are too often overlooked by public education. Franklin shares a fascinating story of growing up and the role music played in his life which led him to the role of Regional Director, New York for Guitars Over Guns. Check out Franklin's music HERE @franklinrossman @guitarsoverguns Franklin Rossman Bio: Growing up, Franklin Rossman always knew one thing—he was going to make his mark in Hip-Hop! As a kid, the Brooklyn, New York native soaked up all of the culture and sounds around him. JAY-Z, the Notorious B.I.G. and Nas helped to inspire Franklin’s musical tastes and aspirations. With that, Franklin began creating, and his first works were a series of mixtapes under the stage name, The Incomparable Shakespeare. Franklin established himself as a talented lyricist early on with appearances on Sirius XM’s Sway In The Morning, Showoff Radio wit

Max and Guillaume are two musicians from Massachusetts who work for Metro Art Collective, an organization hosting a variety of artistic events dedicated to showcasing underground local talent. As well as making their own music, they revel in the opportunity to meet and build relationships with the local artistic community. Gulliame is a fellow RFB host-hes only 24 and hes been doing his show since April. He does his radio show with his cohost Max Randall. who today, unfortunately, had to work. Even though I've benn aware of his show,and met Max, this is the first time I've met Guillaume in person. He is studying to be an actual credentialed psychotherapist at the New School. He also has 2 part time jobs, one as a student crisis councelor and one as a substance- abuse councelor. He seems to have had a decent chilhood with some discussion around his father being a high-achieving workaholic. Guillame talks about his dad's influence in reference to how much Guillame values his relationships. At the end of the day

I met Elija Meshnick briefly at an open mic. We vibed instantly so I invited them on the show. They're a comedian, also pretty well-adjusted but still has some issues around popularity from being compared to her gregarious fraternal twin. They have ADHD issues—do they have it or not? Does a diagnosis matter? We were able to drill down and get a lot done while still having a blast! @elijah.mesh unyielding force of good (silly)

Tim Seeberger s his music. As founder/frontman of PopMusic his band is gatherering heat and opportunities. As he has transitioned from a devoted Christian to a devoted queer musician who is also Christian, Tim has experienced a lot of identity adjustments, starting in a new way when he went away to college. He has a good relationship with his family, lots of friends and above all, his music will always ground him. There’s still some work to do on intimacy but he’s only 27. Also, on a personal level—I really like this music. It has a genuine uncynical authenticity just like Tim. Listen to PMFD on Spotify Watch their Another Screen video Another Screen by Pop Music Fever Dream, from their new EP, "Songs For Emotion." Starring T. Seeberger, Carmen Castillo, Domenico Bancroft, and Nicole Harwayne Directed by T. Seeberger Produced by T. Seeberger, Carmen Castillo Cinematography/Vfx by Sam Blieden (Instagram: @s.r.b) Edited by Sam Blieden, T. Seeberger Acting Coaching by Carmen Castillo Special thanks to @TheFilm

Justin Linville is a talented actor and improviser. He’s on a star improv team at the Brooklyn Comedy Collective where he works as the director of the BCC Dog House location. Justin seems to really enjoy growing up in his family and was encouraged to do what he chose to, so in fact, he’s actually pretty well adjusted. I think his being an “air force brat” and moving around a lot every few years made him a pretty chill guy — his secret weapon is his ability to handle hectic situations productively, which he did as Chris Gethard’s assistant for years as well as playing John Mulaney’s assistant on TV in “Crashing.” He’s been in a bunch of tv shows and movies too. As he’s young, he is deliberating his future…. Also WATCH Bob Denver: Gilligan's Island: https://www.justwatch.com/us/tv-show/gilligans-island https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilligan%27s_Island The Many Loves of Dobie Gilllis: https://www.justwatch.com/us/tv-show/the-many-loves-of-dobie-gillis https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Many_Loves_of_Dobie_Gilli

This is the 3rd time I've had Lana on my show and we rocked it. Lana is a brilliant rapidly rising comedian whose doing the hard work it takes to get to where she is—performing at The Comedy Cellar and having her own special (shot—coming out soon) on DryBar comedy . We start talking about Lana's relationship with her mother and I suggest doing a "role-play" where I act as her mother and she says what she wishes she could say to her. I think we surprised ourselves on what came out of this. I know this sounds like a teaser, but it is seriously hard to describe. Absurd, hilarious and VERY REAL. Check out Lana at these spots:@drybarcomedy SPECIAL @amazonprime @nycomedyfest @comedycellarusa HEADLINING Peckville, PA 9/28; VA 11/1 ; MD 11/16 & lots more tba Instagram @lanasiebel Hear Lana talk about being a refugee from Ukraine to American at 7 years old. how she built her comedy career, her husband and now 11-year old son (destined for comedy, I think) on our previous episodes here: DLG277 Lana Siebel is a rar

Why doesn't Shawn Wickens like to talk on the phone? Is it a reaction to his mother's phone behavior, an avoidance issue, or is it that he just doesn't like talking on the phone? He knows he's not good at it and he feels that some folks wish he was better at staying in touch. We have a deep dive exploration and by the end of the show we have come up with some satisfying results. More about Shawn HERE Follow Shawn HERE

I met Keenan Steiner after seeing him perform at a comedy show. I can enthusiastically attest to his talents—he is HILARIOUS. Keenan is a super high energy, driven, professional comedian who is charming, out-going, social and dating. He’s always busy, but maybe he needs to slow down and settle in when he is ready. Time marches on, he’s in his 30’s now, so, when does he really focus on this aspect of his life? As we unpack this issue, we uncover a tool that Keenan can develop and rely on to make this journey feel safe and easier. Find out more about Keenan Steiner and where to see him perform HERE. Follow him HERE.

I’ve admired Dave Zackin’s work on Instagram for years, so when I opened a very small gallery at the Bushwick Comedy Collective to bring funny art to comedians, I was THRILLED when Zackin said yes. His show opens at The Dog House Gallery at The Brooklyn Comedy Collective, Friday,137 Montrose Ave., Friday, Sept.13, 6-9pm. It will be up through Oct. 21, 2024. I was curious about Dave. His work is literally the funniest work I see on Instagram, plus he sells everything he makes, yet he works on his own, not interested in expanding his practice into a gallery/art world situation as many artists would aspire too. I learn a lot from Dave in this session. A lot about how he came to do what he does, which involves a completely original practice of repurposing other people’s rejected pottery in the pottery studio. Dave’s life has balance, a job he loves, his art-making that he loves and most of all his wife and 7-year-old son. Dave turns out to be a great example of simply how to live. We also discuss this wonderful f

This is my 7th episode with radio show host, Ben Louis—one every year, since 2018. For listeners who don’t know about Ben Louis, he started his career in radio right here at Radio Free Brooklyn in 2018 and found his calling. It was exciting for me, Dr. Lisa, to see someone like Ben with all the talent, hard work, drive and ambition to pursue his dream and he’s been taking me along for the ride. This year, specifically the last few months have been pivotal for Ben. He got a promotion, raise and HIS OWN SIRIUSXM SHOW, Sundays 5pm + midnight on channel 47, Sunday Mimosa, which has about 3 million listeners. Getting this show puts Ben squarely in an industry position as a taste-maker in R+B music. He is sent to festivals, he’s interviewed Patti Labelle, but he’s the same old guy, just a little more grown. Ben has truly realized some goals and is now in the position of maximizing his opportunities, so no time to sleep. As always Ben is growing and inspiring. At this point, it seems his mission is bigger than him.

This is the sixth year in a row that Ben Louis has been my first guest of the year. I absolutely love starting the year this way. Ben is a beacon of positivity. Five years ago, when I first met Ben, he was an intern at Radio Free Brooklyn. We all knew he was on his way to big things. I think it's taken more patience and hard work than he could have originally imagined, but today I think Ben is pinching himself thinking, "Is this my life?" and it's poised to get even better. Ben is working with his radio heroes and interviewing celebrities like Vivica A. Fox, Chaka Khan, Babyface and so many more. Also Ben has just had a one-year anniversary of living with his girlfriend, Scarlet, and it's going great-fun to hear about too! If you go back to the first episode in 2018, the very beginning of Ben's radio career, you can hear Ben has just fallen in love with radio and it's disrupting his life—his girlfriend had just dumped him—if only Ben could have looked into the future at that moment— More about Ben @benlouisra

I tried to get #GenevieveGagnard to admit that she is driven by her anger and resentment from being brought up in a mized race family, but I was way off base. It turns out that it just made her curious and inspired to find out more about different sides of her personity which is what inspires the wide range of characters she creates in her work. Also-her mother is great at finding and collecting cool shit which she can use as much of as she likes. My advice to her is to be friendly to shy guys because they don't realize she's shy too, since it's quite hidden in her. http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2016/01/07/fashion/genevieve-gaignard-a-photographer-collagist-and-installation-artist/s/20120107Genevieve-slide-QBQU.html?_r=1