Author: Jwsorvillo@gmail.com

Susan (Cobra Kai, Loki, Queering) provides LOTS of beautiful showbiz wisdom. She tells Rough Day In Showbiz stories about getting calls for auditions whilst at the airport about to board a plane, a smelly situation in an audition waiting room, and shares the quirks of playing her beloved character “homeless on the hit show Cobra Kai!

Follow Susan on IG: @iamsusangallagher

Follow Susan on Twitter: @susanlgallagher

Host: @JustinSorvillo

Holiday cheer is at full volume in this episode as we are joined by versatile actor Peter Xifo. He’s played an assortment of different roles including “ho, ho, ho” Santa himself, many times! Peter tells two Rough Day In Showbiz stories about doing a painstaking amount of work on projects only to find out later he wasn’t in them anymore. He also tells exclusive, distinctive Rough Day In Showbiz stories about playing, the man in the red hat himself, Santa Clause! Keeping his beard white for such an iconic role requires sometimes painful experiences in the post-make-up chair, and filming holiday commercials during the scorching Summer months, dawning a full decked-out Santa costume, certainly takes the cookies. 

Follow Peter on IG: @PeteXifo

www.xifo.net

Host: @JustinSorvillo

Mellinda brings the charm and the stories in this tremendous episode! From her humble beginnings moving to LA from Indiana and starting out doing background work and PA work to becoming a head writer on “The Young and the Restless”, to being a free agent and self-producing her own work, Mellinda’s got a lot to talk about. She tells a Rough Day In Showbiz story about meeting her idol, the creator of “Bob’s Burger’s” and accidentally saying a little too much thus mortifying her, another about her early days working as an office PA for commercials candidly revealing the odd, silly demands of the folks at the top, and a final story about a weird/fun twitter account she made celebrating basketball athlete Duncan Robinson’s arms. If you’re trying to break into screenwriting, Mellinda is the person to listen to for having thrived in such prestigious environments, and for paving her own path to success. 

Follow Mellinda on Twitter: @MellindaK 

Follow Mellinda on IG: Mellindah

Host: @JustinSorvillo 

Brenda’s amusing and informative episode is full of Rough Day In Showbiz stories and an education on how to publish and promote your own booK! She tells a Rough Day In Showbiz story about a demo reel footage situation with a director who initially promised the world but slowly drifted away into oblivion, another about an agent who didn’t do their job correctly and cost Brenda a huge audition, plus some highs and lows of self-publishing as well as useful information for a place to begin if you are looking to. Brenda packs no punches in this episode! 

Follow Brenda on IG: @BrendaKatePartello

Follow Brenda on Twitter: @BrendaKate

Host: @JustinSorvillo

Dana Lyn Baron (“Being The Ricardos”, “Mank”, “Bosch”) has arrived! She tells an early Rough Day In Showbiz story about starting out as a teenager working as a dancer in theater and enduring the growing pains of learning how to be a professional. Another about being a bartender at a Broadway theater and having to cope with the onslaught of theatergoers desperate for their alcohol. Another about a side job working as a temp alongside very toxic people. Plus, one about working at producer Scott Rudin’s office where she had to take phone calls from people like the head of Paramount and make sure not to accidentally hang-up! This episode is a must-listen for anyone who loves New York, and Dana is a smashing guest! 

Follow Dana on IG: @DanaLynBaron

Follow Dana on Twitter: @DanaLynBaron

Host: @JustinSorvillo

Melanie Thompson is a powerhouse! She creates her own work and has learned so much from braving the trenches of Rough Days In Showbiz. She tells plenty of stories, one about a gross film location where the owner’s didn’t clean anywhere or anything before the crew arrived (ANYWHERE or ANYTHING), another about a gung-ho but delusional film director who made his cast members “rough it” during the production process with bad hours and close living quarters…only to never come out with the film itself, and another about her early days as an actress where she attended a Craig’s List casting call for the promise of an IMDB credit…only to find out there were painful hours and formidable circumstances in store. Justin also tells a Rough Day In Showbiz story about a seemingly unending web series audition process complete with a casting director dressed like Bret Michaels, a snooty/pretentious director, and a very sad bowl of Panera Bread soup to top it all off.  

Follow Melanie on IG: @MelanieLeeThompson

The clever Tim drops in to tell Rough Day In Showbiz stories about his first commercial shoot where his hunger as an actor made him show-off and actually get hurt, an intense time in a voiceover booth with a nightmare audition-runner, a strange run-in with an actor he was competing for a role with while delivering their food, and a crowning golden Rough Day In Showbiz story about doing a drunken stand-up set in New York City. You’re gonna love Tim! 

Follow Tim on IG: @ColonelTimmy

Follow Tim on Twitter: @ColonelTimmy

Follow Justin on IG: @JustinSorvillo

Ashlei rocks! She takes us through a trip of her life living in LA from lows to highs and from side jobs to creative successes. She tells a Rough Day In Showbiz story about a mirror falling on her head during her first commercial shoot, another about working in a haunted hotel and dealing with Karens (both living and dead). Plus one more about working as a massage therapist on a customer who enjoyed getting the knots out a little too much. Ashlei is also a staunch advocate for the BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities and an exceedingly inspirational person. 

Follow Ashlei on Twitter: @AshleiShyne

Follow Ashlei on IG: @AshleiShyne

Follow Ashlei’s series on IG: @hashtagtmiseries 

Follow Justin on IG: @JustinSorvillo

Chef V is in the house! Boss Veronica tells Rough Day In Showbiz stories about dealing with the oddities of morning show interviews, chaotic days producing her own content, having to reshoot all the food pictures for her cookbook in two days, the nightmare of a shipping truck breaking down mid-transit, and her encounters with terrible customers leaving negative reviews on Yelp. Veronica also provides excellent nutritional advice and valuable tips for aspiring entrepreneurs. This is a green episode! 

Follow Chef V on IG: @ChefVLife 

We have not one guest, but two! Producer Rob Ciano and actor Kazy Tauginas (John Wick, Equalizer 2, Dolemite Is My Name) from the indie-horror, “Shimmer” join the show to share their golden Rough Days In Showbiz stories. Rob tells stories about how dire writer’s block can really get, and encountering a giant hornets nest in everyone’s way during the first day of shooting “Shimmer”. Kazy tells stories about months spent vigorously preparing an extensive fight scene only for the scene to get cut, and showing up to set to produce his short film only to find there was another film crew already there shooting another movie!

Follow Rob on IG: @SpinDip25

Follow Kazy on IG: @KazyTauginas

Follow Shimmer on IG: @ShimmerTheMovie

www.ShimmerTheMovie.com