Amanda Reed got the acting bug at age 14 when her mom enrolled her in community theater. She never looked back. By 23, Amanda had performed in over 450 live performances. She has already worked with such names as Neil Patrick Harris, Greg Kinnear, Sam Raimi, Emmy Rossum, Simon Baker and Dermut Mulroney. Hear her standout audition and on-set experie…

When Craig Brockie was in his twenties he had crippling anxiety, a depleted immune system and chronic neck and back pain. On a fact-finding mission, Craig sought out health solutions for himself and found a huge reservoir of answers that has manifested in his new book “Ultimate Health: Break Free from Your Health Issues and Live Your Best Life. Cra…

Bon Jovi’s new documentary “Thank You, Goodnight” just debuted on Hulu in the #1 spot and fellow Bon Jovi fan Jennifer Farrell is joining Evan to break it all down. Of course, they also reminisced about their fan club memories and the time they crossed paths with Jon Bon Jovi. Hear about the time Evan ran on a treadmill next to Jon and then the tim…

Katy Grimes is the editor-in-chief of the California Globe and she always has a lot to write about. Focused on politics, Katy and Evan break down the woes of California while talking through prop 47 (addressing retail theft), homelessness, abortion, and more. Plus, what does the future hold for Governor Gavin Newsom? And what about Adam Schiff vs S…

Derrick T Lewis does it all: actor, host, ring announcer, media personality, singer and big wrestling fan! Hear about all his successes from how he started ring announcing to his current deal with The Bleav Network. Also, last year Derrick was part of Wheel of Fortune’s WWE Week. He has also been to a ton of WWE shows including landing last minute …

Let’s not sugarcoat it: Nick Smith is a movie producer in Hollywood! As VP of Production for Paperclip Limited, his latest project is a feature length nostalgic young adult comedy SNACK SHACK. Think Superbad meets Fast Times at Ridgemont High! Hear its origin story and how the distribution quickly came together. Also, what got him into film? What’s…

Evan returns from his unintentional hiatus to interview another fellow Facebook friend. This time it’s Jessica Petraccione and we’re celebrating the 40th anniversary of Bon Jovi. Evan and Jessica discuss favorite Jovi memories and then go rapid fire through every Bon Jovi album. What were their favorite tracks on each album? Which tracks were under…

Dr. Shannon Kroner has been working with special needs families since 2001. She is also the Executive Director of Freedom Of Religion – United Solutions (FOR-US), building an interfaith coalition of religious leaders who have united to protect the religious freedom of vaccine choice, helping thousands of Americans obtain religious vaccine exemption…

Sarah Nicole Nadler is a money coach for entrepreneurs as a licensed financial advisor, author and philanthropist. So as Socially Awkward’s first entrepreneur-based Facebook friend, Evan gets Sarah to break down how to approach money. Where does she put her extra money? How do millionaires still end up short on cash? Later, Sarah talks about her fa…

Nicola Cheung met Evan initially when he performed at Landmark College in Vermont back in 2012. Since then Nicola went back to China through the pandemic, but recently returned to the United States living in Connecticut. What made her come back? How is she getting around without knowing how to drive? Then later, Evan delves deep into Nicola’s uniqu…

It’s been roughly a month since Wheel of Fortune’s WWE Week and Evan is talking to the champion contestant Grant Salzano. Grant won over $50,000 in cash and WWE-themed prizes over two shows in addition to the grand prize of tickets to Wrestlemania, Smackdown, the Hall of Fame and a Front-Row VIP experience for Monday Night Raw. Evan and Grant reliv…

It’s Wheel of Fortune’s WWE Week and Evan has Wheel contestants on to recap and preview their appearances. Tracina Jones from Tampa partnered with Drew McIntyre. What did they talk about? How has her week been since going viral due to her incorrect ball-centric guess. Tracina is joining by Ben Clark who is about to partner with Big E. How did they …

Palmer Davis dances hard, kicks high and can pull off a one-woman show. She also recently defeated breast cancer and was sharing her journey over social media. Hear how she emerged victorious and what she creatively has in store for the world. For more on Palmer, learn about The Palmer Dance Experience at palmerdance.com. In honor of Palmer’s appea…

In their first ever conversation, Evan interviews Matt Duron, someone he hoped would get him a gig at his college (Thiel) back in 2007. Unfortunately, 15 years later, Evan has still not played Thiel but he is still friends with Matt. Hear about Matt’s writing exploits, potential books in the works and his reaction to the pilot of the new Quantum Le…

Chris Daniel is running for Harris County District Clerk in Texas. Actually, re-running. Hear what his first stint was like, what a district clerk actually does and how people have been telling him how much they miss his district clerk-ness. And did you know more people have voted for Chris than for the governor of Utah? It’s more midterm magic wit…

Kristina Irwin is running for State Senator in California’s District 24, a premiere zone that includes such communities at Santa Monica, Malibu, West Hollywood and many others. After setting an LA County record with over 6,200 write-in votes in the primary, this a mother of three, immigrant, small business owner and child advocate is out to upset i…

Ernie Elwood (aka Elijah Beers) and Evan first met when Evan performed for Theta Chi Fraternity at Central Missouri State several years ago. But now it is Ernie who has taken the stage as an independent wrestler. What is his gimmick? Why the name Ernie Elwood? Where does he see himself ending up professionally? We hear about all that plus his big m…

Ryan Kugler is a jack-of-all-trades, and perhaps even the director of Creed and the new Space Jam. (Oh that’s Ryan Coogler.) But really, hear about how this Ryan became a pro in VHS distribution but then reinvented himself in the liquidation business. He also has a side hustle where he puts on a variety of races. Plus, his family was recently out o…

Evan returns with a double episode! First, Actress Elisabeth Donaldson talks about being a full-time artist in Nashville, Tennessee and how it’s different from being an actress in LA. (3:50) Plus the story of how she got Evan and his wife into SAG at the same time, going Fi-Core, navigating the pandemic and whether she’s interacted with other Elisa…

Lori Broslovsky is a Jersey girl who stops by to talk about her favorite band: Bon Jovi. Lori and Evan do a deep dive into everything Bon Jovi! They recap the reaction to their latest tour, lament the continued absence of Richie Sambora, and give their favorite non-mainstream Bon Jovi songs. Plus, they share their experiences meeting the band and h…

Jim Meskimen is a talented mix of acting, voiceovers, impressions and general artistry. He is also approaching 300 credits on IMDB thanks to appearances on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Gas Lit, Apollo 13 and such commercials as Geico and KFC! Jim is now sharing his wealth of knowledge with a new online course called The Working …

Tiffany Meldal-Johnsen, recently relocated to Vashon Island in Washington State, joins Evan to discuss everything TV and movies from past to present. Tiffany and Evan rattle through The Gary Shandling Show, Golden Girls, Seinfeld, Friends, Ted Lasso, Curb Your Enthusiasm and so much more. Which shows were Tiffany’s favorites? Which were she never a…

Mark Meuser is a constitutional law attorney and native Californian who is running for US Senate in 2022. How is the campaign trail? Why did he chose the US Senate race? What are his thoughts on election integrity? All this and even some fitness talk. And don’t worry, Evan was still awkward. Jump to your preferred topic: (times are approximate) 3:2…

Eric James Madden is a fellow Theta Chi who went to and advises the chapter at Ball State University… while also working full-time for a DIFFERENT fraternity! Is he a mole? A double-agent? One thing he definitely is is a graphic design and media wizard. Hear about those endeavors plus issues facing fraternities and sororities today. Plus, Evan reca…

Max Bonilla is a 17-year-old activist from Sacramento. Max talks about how the pandemic made him more aware of California state laws and the legislature in general. Although not old enough to vote or run for office, Max shares his insight on questionable laws the state has passed or is planning to pass. Then he and Evan run through state lawmakers …

Judea Johnson is a renaissance woman that advocates for medical freedom and loves to travel! Recently relocated from California to Florida, Judea explains her move, how natural childbirth led her to the world of v—ines, and is she an anti-vaxxer? Judea answers and weighs in on lockdowns, mandates and whether other members of the black community vie…

Brandon Hurley is an American Youtuber who to his Vietnamese audience is known as Phuc Map. Hear how Brandon went from America to Vietnam and grew to be a well-known TV personality. Also, hear all the things Brandon can teach, plus Vietnam’s dealings with the pandemic. Brandon is also a fellow Theta Chi brother who initially met Evan in 2006 when E…

Jeff Shipley is a state representative from Iowa, and somehow he’s Evan’s Facebook friend. Jeff discusses his nihilistic political origins, his experience as a stand-up comedian, selling solar panels and sauerkraut before holding office, and an update on Iowa in the era of Covid. Jeff then goes into how he beat out Phil Miller for office by a mere …

The title is not a typo: In a Socially Awkward first (and probably last), Evan interviews two Facebook friends with the same name!! Welcome Kerri-Ann Wallace & Kerri-Ann Wallace! What are each of their connections to Beverly Hills 90210? Which Kerri-Ann Wallace is from Riverdale? (And does she watch Riverdale?) Which Kerri-Ann is on sabbatical? Whi…

Jessica Amal is an actress, writer and producer who actually cast Evan in his first student film when he moved to LA! After reminiscing about the film, they then get into Jessica’s public battle with lung cancer and how she’s been able to stay strong. She also talks about how she met her husband and then she and Evan watch back the film during the …

Kristi Slager initially met Evan at Beverly Hills Playhouse and over a decade later she’s on Socially Awkward! Did you know at Notre Dame that Joe Montana was the backup to her dad!? Kristi takes us from driving cross-country to Los Angeles to navigating teaching during the pandemic. Plus, she and Evan discuss TV shows young and old. How would they…

Owen Alabado is an actor, comedian, singer, dancer, martial artist – in other words, a Renaissance man. Hear how this Wisconsin native was drawn to theater, moved to Los Angeles and is currently kicking butt back in Wisconsin. He also talks about his comedy and he and Evan retrace their steps on how they met. (2:40) Then, returning to the podcast f…

Orrin Heatlie is the lead proponent of RecallGavin2020​ and, thanks to over 2,000,000 Californians, he is about to be part of only the second recall initiative to qualify in the history of California. How did this get done? Who is the primary driving force behind the recall? As Gavin Newsom claims, is this a “republican recall” (of ‘anti-vaxxers,’ …

Taryn Kristal is the founder of The Resolvancy – a divorce strategy and coaching firm, but to Evan she is the girl into whose locker he slipped a Peanuts card in the sixth grade. Now 3o years later, Evan gets her and her boyfriend at the time’s reaction. Taryn also discusses the power of music, her favorite musical acts and vocalists, her Rie & Ryn…

Cooper Shaw is an actress in SAG/AFTRA and Actors Equity who first met Evan when he edited her first demo reel in Brooklyn. Now about a decade later they have their first conversation as Cooper has too migrated to Los Angeles. How has she dealt with life in LA during Covid? She talks all about teaching people accents and impressions online, solo da…

Ruvane aka Ruvane Kurland is a full-time musician who has traveled the majority of the country until Covid. In their first conversation, Ruvane and Evan discuss how they became Facebook friends, performing pre and post-Covid and the wonderful world of acoustic rock and audio looping. Ruvane also talks life in Ohio, favorite musicians and all the in…

Andrew Mikkelson plans to leave Facebook at the end of the month so Evan interviews his fellow Theta Chi Fraternity brother before his departure. Andrew talks about life in college at NJIT, how he found his way to the Navy and then to being a field service electrician who one night was needed to turn on all of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He’s making Russel…

Kevin Kiley was reelected to the State Assembly with the highest vote total for a Republican in California history. He is also the only 100 percent citizen-backed California Legislator, refusing all funding from the Special Interests that spent millions electing Gavin Newsom. After defeating the CA governor in court in October to stymie his one-man…

Erica Sandberg is a standout freelance writer in San Francisco who contributes to 12-15 publications at a time! Having met Evan when she interviewed him during his political run, Erica reconnects to discuss the state of California, the job-killing law AB 5 and an open letter she wrote to San Francisco restaurants to whom Mayor London Breed has turn…

Anthony Zenkus is a tireless advocate for the welfare of children, families and communities. Working in the field of family violence, relationship violence, sexual assault and child poverty, he has trained thousands of professionals and community members across the country on how to better recognize, prevent and respond to abuse and neglect. Some o…

Michaele Walker is the President of Lawful America, a group educates and empowers the Tribes and people via the Constitution and various human rights statutes. Her group advocates against child trafficking and other injustices! Her efforts have caused such a stir that she lives most of her life off the grid, has not seen her family in over a year a…

Evan talks with Mike Netter, one of the lead organizers of RecallGavin2020.com and one of his newest Facebook friends. Who is the primary driving force behind this recall? What does Gavin Newsom have in common with Gray Davis, who was recalled in 2003 (and led to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger)? How does a recall work? Is the governor also socially…

Angie Brice and Evan overlapped at Tufts University for two years, never met, yet somehow they’re Facebook friends. In their first conversation ever, hear them try to solve that mystery and then discuss her post-Tufts travels, her Hairoine product line and how she ended up working at the United Nations in Switzerland! Also, Angie goes in-depth abou…

Following Evan’s last episode, which created over 360 comments on a Theta Chi Facebook group thread, another Theta Chi and Evan’s newest Facebook friend, Joey Longo, wanted to come on to react to that thread and so much more. Joey and Evan cover how they may or may not have met, current events, Covid, the election, Theta Chi and his chapter at Radf…

Alex Jimenez is the Director of Design at Prager University, but he and Evan first met at UCLA when Alex hired Evan to perform at a Theta Chi philanthropy event. Now newly married and fully adulting, Alex breaks down the rise in censorship of conservative viewpoints on social media and his pursuit of evolving ‘conservation design.’ Also, what email…

Radio J met Evan back on Long Island when they were both doing the local open mics. With a background in radio, Radio J is now in Florida networking with local acts and putting out his own podcast: Going Boom. Radio J and Evan talk about their Long Island days and throw in some wrestling talk and whether they would see live music in the era of Covi…

Ethan Ullman is a comedian and comedy show producer. Speaking for the first time since they joined forces at a comedy show at RPI (Troy, NY), Ethan tells Evan about his new Weird Al Yankovic podcast, aptly titled Dave & Ethan’s 2000″ Weird Al Podcast. Evan also reveals playing a fundraiser to raise money for Weird Al’s star on the Hollywood Walk of…

Spike Cohen is Evan’s newest Facebook friend, but just as important he is the Libertarian Party’s candidate for Vice President of the United States of America. How did the process work? Where does he stand on the critical issues facing America in this election year? Answering questions from the “Jo Jorgensen/Spike Cohen For President/VP 2020” Faceb…

Jill Noelle and Evan have their first extended conversion as they try to pinpoint how they became Facebook friends. Once they do, they dig into life in California, working during the Coronavirus, best SNL skits, and Evan’s new ‘clothing line’ The Covid Collection, of which Jill is a frequent customer. Then Jill offers an adept assessment of the cur…

Vote for (Mark) Pedro! He’s not running for office, but he has seen Napoleon Dynamite several times. Evan interviews one of his former interns who happens to be in Canada. How has Canada been during Covid-19? Mark fills you in, plus some other chit-chat. SUBSCRIBE to SOCIALLY AWKWARD, and support the podcast for as little as $1/month by going to pa…