Episode 146: Joel Walkowski - The Longest Comeback
Joel Walkowski is a comedian and the author of Honolulu Blues, based in New York City.
Instagram and all episodes (https://dashboard.rss.com/podcasts/artists-of-new-york/episodes/2407738/edit/)
(00:00) A burning car and the move to New York
(02:18) Growing up in Detroit and pursuing filmmaking
(05:12) Writing, addiction, and the pursuit of validation
(08:05) Finding belonging in New York's comedy scene
(10:36) Surviving New York through unconventional jobs
(13:14) Getting sued by Major League Baseball
(15:30) Early stand-up and an obsessive creative drive
(18:05) Leaving comedy behind and pursuing an MBA
(20:12) Addiction spirals and the decision to get sober
(23:15) Finding community through SMART Recovery
(26:10) The challenges and rewards of early sobriety
(28:35) Writing Honolulu Blues while caring for his father
(31:30) The Detroit Lions and a shared family obsession
(34:05) Childhood trauma and its lasting effects
(37:15) Growing up with an autistic father
(39:40) The origins of Honolulu Blues
(41:10) Building sustainable writing habits and routines
(44:05) Rediscovering fun without alcohol
(46:15) Using football to discuss men's mental health
(49:00) Grief, gratitude, and celebrating a lifelong dream
(51:30) Advice for anyone struggling with addiction
(53:35) Redefining success through relationships and small victories
23 Oct 2026
Episode 145: Guy Richards Smit - A Perfectly Unrealistic Life
Guy Richards Smit is a performance artist, painter, and singer-songwriter, based in New York City
Instagram and all episodes (https://dashboard.rss.com/podcasts/artists-of-new-york/episodes/2407738/edit/)
(00:00) Growing up in New York City
(02:06) Childhood memories of a dangerous Harlem
(04:18) Freedom and independence in old New York
(06:32) Attending LaGuardia High School and starting a band
(08:05) Playing CBGB at fifteen
(10:24) Performance, movement, and artistic identity
(12:13) Discovering art at an early age
(14:30) Studying painting in Amsterdam
(16:23) Living in Berlin after the wall fell
(18:42) Why New York's cultural diversity matters
(21:02) Discovering humor as an artistic medium
(23:12) Creating characters, bands, and performance art
(25:09) Confidence, rejection, and creative persistence
(27:06) The childhood cartoon that changed everything
(29:32) Pursuing a career at The New Yorker
(32:02) Lessons in perseverance from his mother
(34:02) Developing a daily creative routine
(36:30) How ideas emerge through drawing
(38:13) What The New Yorker changed
(40:04) Raising independent children in New York
(43:09) New artistic projects and opportunities
(45:35) Discovering the world of professional poker
(48:25) Drawing poker players and finding unexpected inspiration
(52:04) Redefining success beyond financial achievement
16 Oct 2026
Episode 144: Pete Muller
Pete Muller is a photographer, visual artist, and the director of the documentary film Bucks Harbor, based in New York City.
(00:00) How COVID brought Pete Muller to New York
(02:16) Growing up with a photojournalist mother
(05:01) How 9/11 sparked an interest in conflict
(07:02) Questioning America's role in the Middle East
(08:23) Beginning a journalism career in Palestine
(12:21) How childhood turmoil shaped his fascination with conflict
(13:28) Understanding the fundamental causes of human conflict
(14:07) A decade documenting conflict across Africa
(17:34) Entering the deadly Ebola epidemic
(22:27) Understanding the dangers of Ebola transmission
(23:45) Why Ebola is a caregiver's disease
(26:39) Witnessing the devastating human toll of Ebola
(28:32) The power and purpose of photojournalism
(30:33) Making a living as a conflict photographer
(34:29) How masculinity and humiliation contribute to violence
(37:27) The origins of the documentary Bucks Harbor
(41:35) Letting a documentary's story emerge naturally
(42:28) Building trust with the people of Bucks Harbor
(46:41) David's transformation and the vulnerability of men
(53:13) Recognizing extraordinary moments through the camera
(58:07) The universal human themes of Bucks Harbor
(60:55) A Maine fishing community from another era
(63:22) Financing a five-year documentary project
(65:43) The challenges of marketing meaningful documentary films
(69:25) Discovering the truth about his biological father
(72:46) Questioning what it means to be a man
(75:09) Redefining success through meaningful creative work
(77:19) The future of storytelling beyond documentary photography
Who has been a guest on Artists of New York
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Ginny Hogan
Julia Edelman
Alise Morales
Jessica Earnshaw
Eviatar Slivnik
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
298
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
8 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
7 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 49 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
59
Social presence
0
YouTube
64
Engagement
32
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