American Prankster

About American Prankster

There aren’t very many original Beatniks left on planet earth and as of this writing, Wavy Gravy is one of the last original Beatnik poets standing. But Wavy isn’t just an original Beatnik poet - he's also a improv comedy trailblazer and international comedic activist who’s antics included running a pig for president. This series travels from Wavy’s childhood to the Gaslight Café Beatnik years to San Francisco where the convergence of psychedelic and comedy history collided, steering Wavy to Hollywood where his comedy career soared, propelling him to the famed Acid Tests and the birth of his Hog Farm commune, bringing Wavy to the Woodstock Peace and Music Festival’s stage enshrining him as a global symbol for peace, love and Rock’n’Roll. Wavy’s historic and hilarious adventures include his involvement in countless cultural watershed moments in American history… like the fabrication of snapping for applause, the introduction of granola to hippies and in fact, the actual creation of the ethos of the hippie. American Prankster is a chronological deep dive with Wavy, unfolding never-before-heard stories about his life that even he had forgotten until interviews with Rainbow Valentine from Disorganized Crime: Smuggler’s Daughter, retrieved them. Stories about Wavy’s psychedelic shenanigans with countless icons like: Lenny Bruce, Groucho Marx, BB King, Janis Joplin, Tiny Tim, Del Close, Ken Kesey, Neal Cassady, Margo St. James, Thelonius Monk, Bob Dylan, Ram Dass, Albert Einstein, Peter, Paul & Mary, Marlene Dietrich, Severin Darden, Joan Baez, Martha Graham, Alice Cooper, David Crosby, Jackson Brown, Abbie Hoffman, Bob Weir, Mama Cass, John Coltrane, Grace Slick, Jerry Garcia, Paul Krassner, Bill Graham, Tim Harden, Robin Williams, Viola Spolin, Pink Floyd and many more. Guests on this series include members of the Hog Farm, the Merry Pranksters, Grateful Dead Family, KMPX, The Committee, the Family Dog, the Medicine Ball Caravan, the Yippies and other counter culture institutions. Produced by Rainbow Valentine Studios, www.rainbowvalentine.com

Publisher

Rainbow Valentine

Category

history · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

Yes

First episode

31 Mar 2022

Latest episode

26 Apr 2025

Latest episodes

15 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   26 Apr 2025

   Trailer for Psychedelic Women: Conversations with the Women of the Counterculture

   Host Rainbow Valentine previews "Psychedelic Women," exploring untold stories of women who shaped the 1960s American counterculture through sex, drugs, and rock'n'roll; this is an interview.

2. 

   5 May 2023

   Bonus Ep 02: Wavy and his Celebrity Friends

   Wavy Gravy recounts stories of his celebrity friends like Robin Williams and Joan Baez, and shares anecdotes about psychedelic adventures and LSD distribution in this interview episode.

3. 

   9 Dec 2022

   Bonus Ep 01: World Peace Through Smoking Jell-O

   Beatnik icon Wavy Gravy shares stories about comedy, Gilda Radner, and his experiences with High Times magazine founder in a conversation with Producer Rainbow Valentine.

4. 

   15 Jul 2022

   American Prankster 11: The Labyrinth

   Comedian Wavy Gravy reveals his master plan of the universe and hated childhood nickname, discussing Camp Winnarainbow, Seva, and the Grateful Dead with guests Jordan Romney, Jahanarah Romney, Casper Vandermei, Taliah Sykes, and Dr. Larry Brilliant.

5. 

   17 Jun 2022

   American Prankster 10: Too Weird to Arrest

   Wavy Gravy recounts his theatrical political activism, including running Pigasus for president and promoting Nobody for President, alongside Jordan Gravy, Casper Vandermei, Jahanarah Romney, and Susie Barsotti in this interview episode.

6. 

   27 May 2022

   American Prankster 09: The Psychedelic Silk Road

   Hog Farmers, Jahanarah Romney, Dorje Bond, and Dr. Larry Brilliant recount their psychedelic adventures traveling from Europe to the Himalayas, offering aid and encountering unique cultural experiences in this interview.

7. 

   20 May 2022

   American Prankster 08: Woodstock on Wheels

   Wavy Gravy recounts his transition from comedian to humanitarian, detailing experiences at festivals like Texas Pop Fest and Altamont, plus relationships with musicians such as Jerry Garcia, in this interview episode featuring Raechel Donohue, Dr. Larry Brilliant, Jahanarah Romney and Dorje Bond.

8. 

   13 May 2022

   American Prankster 07: The Woodstock Unicorn

   Hugh Romney and the Hog Farm commune shape the Woodstock festival and shift American perceptions of hippies, influencing festival culture and popularizing hippie symbols like granola and tie-dye; Lisa Law, Jahanarah Romney, Laura Foster Corbin, Erica Miller, and Jean Nichols provide commentary.

9. 

   6 May 2022

   American Prankster 06: Hog Farm High-Jinks

   Wavy Gravy recounts the origins of the Hog Farm commune, its theatrical parties, and collaboration with Abbie Hoffman, featuring insights from Adrian Marin, Dorje Bond, Laura Foster Corbin, and Jahanarah Romney in this interview episode.

10. 

    29 Apr 2022

    American Prankster 05: Can You Pass the Acid Test?

    Comedian Hugh Romney, also known as Wavy Gravy, recounts his experiences with Lenny Bruce, Del Close, and Ken Kesey, including the infamous Acid Tests and early psychedelic shows, alongside Sunshine Kesey, Denise Kaufman, Laura Foster Corbin, and Dennis McNally.

11. 

    22 Apr 2022

    American Prankster 04: Goon King Brothers Dimensional Creamo

    Hugh Romney, also known as Wavy Gravy, recounts comedic and psychedelic experiences from San Francisco's transformative mid-1960s counter-culture scene, including stories about John Brent, DMT, and a secret society; this is an interview episode.

12. 

    15 Apr 2022

    American Prankster 03: Only Love - The Beatnik Poet

    Hugh Romney recounts his early career as a Beatnik poet comedian in Greenwich Village, sharing anecdotes about his interactions with Bob Dylan and other notable figures; this is an interview with historian Dennis McNally.

13. 

    8 Apr 2022

    American Prankster 02: Baby Wavy the Bebop Boy

    Wavy the Bebop Boy recounts his childhood, musical obsessions, army experiences, and college adventures with marijuana, Martha Graham, and beatnik jazz, shaping his early pranksterism; Dr. Larry Brilliant and historian Dennis McNally contribute to the discussion in this interview.

14. 

    1 Apr 2022

    American Prankster 01: More Than an Ice Cream

    This episode introduces listeners to Wavy Gravy, a Beatnik poet and activist, exploring his life from the Gaslight Café to Woodstock and his impact on counterculture.

15. 

    31 Mar 2022

    American Prankster: The Trailer

    Beatnik Wavy Gravy recounts his life as a comedy pioneer, hippie icon, and activist, sharing stories with host Rainbow Valentine about counterculture history and using humor as a weapon in this interview.

Who has been a guest on American Prankster

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Wavy Gravy
• Jordan Romney
• Jahanarah Romney
• Casper Vandermei
• Taliah Sykes

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.9 / 5

69 ratings

Spotify

4.6 / 5

33 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 31 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

43

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

51

Contact American Prankster

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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