In this episode of Put Your Funny Where Your Mouth Is, Dobie Maxwell takes us inside a full week working the comedy scene in Reno, The Biggest Little City in the World. From smoky casinos to unpredictable crowds, Dobie paints a vivid picture of what life on the road is really like for a veteran comic.

Vince Carone plays the perfect wingman, steering the conversation through tales of travel headaches, room quirks, and the unique energy of Reno’s entertainment crowd. Along the way, the two share laughs, war stories, and nuggets of truth about why comics keep chasing the stage, no matter how far from home it takes them.

Whether you’ve never been to Reno or you’ve got slot machine receipts in your pocket, this episode will make you feel like you’re riding shotgun on the trip.

Key Points Discussed:

• The travel grind and what makes Reno different from other comedy markets
• Dobie’s stories from a week of casino shows
• How audiences in a gambling town can surprise you
• The balancing act between comedy, the road, and downtime
• Why working veteran comics still chase the thrill of the next show

In this episode of Put Your Funny Where Your Mouth Is, Vince Carone and Dobie Maxwell pay tribute to the larger-than-life legend: Hulk Hogan, after news of his passing. But this isn’t just a tribute episode. It’s a heartfelt and hilarious look at how one spandex-wearing, mustache-rocking, catchphrase-slinging icon defined an entire generation’s idea of strength, charisma, and ridiculous entertainment.

Vince opens up about growing up during the peak of Hulkamania—and how his over-the-top energy as a comic today might just trace back to ripping a shirt in front of the mirror as a kid. Dobie brings the old-school lens of wrestling's early days, sharing how Hulk transformed a gritty, niche circuit into global pop culture.

While Hogan’s legacy isn’t without controversy, what he represented to millions of kids in the '80s and '90s, including us, was something bigger than the man himself. In this episode, we celebrate, mourn, and roast our hero with love, gratitude, and just enough absurdity to do the man justice. This one’s for the little Hulkamaniac in all of us.

Key Points Discussed:

• How Hulk Hogan shaped Vince’s childhood identity and performance style
• Dobie’s take on wrestling before it became mainstream
• The impact of Hogan as a cultural icon—not just a wrestler
• How losing a childhood hero hits differently as an adult
• The link between early heroes and comedic persona
• Stories about over-the-top wrestling promos, fan culture, and idol worship
• Why absurdity and greatness often go hand in hand

In this episode of Put Your Funny Where Your Mouth Is, Vince Carone and Dobie Maxwell break down what happens when a comic gets double booked—and pushed to the side. Vince shares a story where he was brought in to a show, only to find himself quietly replaced in the lineup. What followed was a masterclass in ego management, professionalism, and the unspoken rules of comedy hierarchy.

Together, the two comics dissect why these moments sting so hard, what club owners and bookers don’t always say, and how to walk the line between humility and self-worth. It’s a conversation every working comic will understand—and every comedy fan needs to hear.

Key Points Discussed:

• What it feels like to be double-booked without warning

• How ego and expectations clash in real-world bookings
• The unspoken power dynamics of club lineups
• Why comics need to separate business decisions from personal value
• Dobie’s philosophy: the check clears either way
• Vince’s realization: it’s about respect, not just time slots

In this episode of Put Your Funny Where Your Mouth Is, Vince Carone and Dobie Maxwell dive into one of the most frustrating realities of show business: being funny isn’t enough—you have to sell it. From reels to newsletters to shouting into the algorithm void, the guys peel back the curtain on the constant pressure to self-promote, even when you just want to write jokes and hit the stage.

Vince opens up about the emotional toll of being your own marketing department—scripting, editing, posting, and pushing a brand while still trying to create meaningful comedy. Dobie weighs in with his veteran perspective on how things used to work (hint: you had a manager) and how performers now have to do it all themselves—like it or not.

Together, they tackle the uncomfortable truth that if you’re not seen, you’re not booked. But at what cost?

Key Points Discussed:

• Why being funny isn’t enough to succeed anymore
• The exhausting reality of managing your own marketing as a comedian
• The myth of “going viral” and how it poisons expectations
• Why people with less talent often rise faster—if they’re better marketers
• How marketing is often the full-time job behind your side hustle
• Balancing artistic integrity with algorithmic strategy
• What makes someone a brand—and why it’s both a blessing and a burden

In this emotional conclusion to Put Your Funny Where Your Mouth Is: Gambling Addiction Part 2, Vince Carone shares the harrowing next chapter of his battle with gambling—where the highs were higher, the losses were deeper, and the consequences finally caught up.

Picking up where Part 1 left off, Vince opens up about the spiral of deception, desperation, and denial that led him to his personal rock bottom. From secret online poker to five-figure debts, from hiding the truth to finally coming clean, this episode dives into what it really takes to break the cycle of addiction. Co-host Dobie Maxwell walks alongside Vince with heartfelt curiosity and support, offering perspective and hard-hitting questions that help reveal the depth of the struggle.

This isn’t just a story about gambling—it’s about identity, marriage, fatherhood, accountability, and choosing to fight for something more. Whether you’ve faced addiction yourself or know someone who has, Vince’s journey offers both caution and hope.

Key Points Discussed:

• How gambling addiction escalated even after early warning signs

• The moment Vince recognized he’d hit rock bottom—and what made it different this time

• The emotional toll on marriage, family, and self-esteem

• The importance of therapy, Gamblers Anonymous, and accountability

• How Vince rebuilt his life, his comedy, and his identity without gambling

• Why addiction isn’t about money—it’s about control, compulsion, and secrecy

• • The redemptive power of honesty, humility, and humor in healing

  
  

  Leave us a comment and share your questions or story.

In this powerful and deeply personal episode of Put Your Funny Where Your Mouth Is, Vince Carone opens up about his years-long battle with gambling addiction. From childhood trips to Las Vegas to high-stakes blackjack tables as an adult, Vince walks us through the early seeds of his obsession, the thrill of the win, and the crushing weight of the loss.

Alongside co-host Dobie Maxwell, the duo balances heartfelt honesty with humor, showing how addiction can take hold when you least expect it—and how it weaves its way into careers, relationships, and identity. Vince shares vivid stories, from winning $13,500 at a Vegas table to giving half of it back in the same night, revealing how the illusion of control fuels the cycle.

Key Points Discussed:

• • How Vince’s family trips to Vegas and childhood games planted the early seeds of gambling

• • The emotional highs of winning—and the psychological spiral of chasing losses

  • Why addiction often hides behind “fun” until it takes over

  • The role of control, ego, and rationalization in fueling the behavior

• • The moment Vince started to realize he had a problem—and the early steps toward recovery

  
  

  This is part one of a two-part series where laughter, vulnerability, and life collide. Whether you’ve battled demons of your own or just want a peek behind the curtain, this conversation reminds us that every high has a cost—and that help is always possible.

  
  

  Leave us a comment with your thoughts or your story.

In this episode of Put Your Funny Where Your Mouth Is, Vince Carone walks us through one of the most humbling and revealing moments of his career: flying to Nashville for a Monday night new material show—just to audition at a club in the same chain he already headlines in Chicago. It’s a story of emails ignored, nerves rising, and the quiet power of networking that speaks louder than a setlist.

Joined by Dobie Maxwell, the two comics unpack the true cost of being funny for a living—why the grind never stops, what’s changed in comedy booking, and how professionalism, perseverance, and likability matter more than ever. From being vouched for in a greenroom to mentoring the next generation, this episode reminds us that the real climb in comedy isn’t always the one audiences see.

Key Points Discussed:

• Why Vince had to “audition” at Zanies Nashville despite headlining elsewhere
• How networking and humility created a cascade of support before he even stepped on stage
• Dobie’s origin story with Dale Jones—and why a small favor changed a comic’s life
• The evolution of the comedy business: then vs. now
• Why “funny enough” isn’t enough anymore—and what matters more
• The role of sales, social skills, and likability in the modern comedy scene
• How mentorship works in both directions—when a 24-year-old comic helps a 42-year-old vet

In this episode of Put Your Funny Where Your Mouth Is, Vince Carone sits down just one week after recording his brand-new comedy special, It’s Not All Peaches, at Brad Garrett’s Club in Las Vegas.

With the lights off, the cameras packed up, and the adrenaline wearing off, Vince reflects on the whirlwind leading up to the special—and what happens once the big moment is over. Joined by Dobie Maxwell, the two break down the emotional whiplash of finishing a major creative project.

They get honest about the vulnerability of performing personal material, the temptation to immediately pick everything apart, and why letting go of perfection might be the real win.

Key Points Discussed:

• What Vince felt walking off stage after filming the special
• The mental come-down after a massive creative high
• The pressure of doing "perfect shows" all week before the recording
• Why the final performance still surprised him

• • How artists process big milestones—and what's next after the tape stops rolling

  
  

  Whether you're a performer, speaker, or anyone who’s ever put everything into a big moment, this episode is your backstage pass to what comes after the standing ovation.