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Joining me in the Huddle is the President of the Negro League Baseball Museum, Bob Kendrick. Bob is the man to listen to if you love baseball and its history. Bob's appointment in 2011 marked a celebrated return to the NLBM. The NLBM is the world's only Museum dedicated to preserving and celebrating the rich history of African-American baseball and its profound impact on the social advancement of America. Bob became the Museum's first Director of Marketing in 1998. He was named Vice President of Marketing in 2009 before accepting the post as Executive Director of the National Sports Center for the Disabled-Kansas City. Before his departure, Bob's leadership helped secure more than $15 million in financial support for the NLBM and widespread national acclaim. Kendrick is now responsible for the Museum's day-to-day operations and for developing and implementing strategies to advance the mission of the NLBM. Bob began his association with the NLBM as a volunteer during his 10-year newspaper career with The Kansas City Star as a senior copywriter for The Star's Promotions Department. While he doesn't fashion himself to be a historian, Bob has become one of the leading authorities on the topic of Negro Leagues Baseball history and its connection to issues relating to sports, race and diversity. He has been a contributing writer for "Ebony Magazine" and the National Urban League's "Opportunity Magazine." His volunteer roots in the Kansas City community are deep and passionate. He has served on the boards of various Kansas City-area non-profit organizations and has worked with Kansas City youth for more than 20 years. He remains active in the community and spends a great deal of time in Kansas City classrooms giving motivational talks to area students and sharing the illustrious history of Negro Leagues Baseball with nearly 100 schools, social and civic groups annually.  In 2006, the Greater Kansas City Black Chamber of Commerce awarded him the Mary Lona Diversity Award. He was named "Citizen of the Year" by the Omicron Xi Chapter of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity. In 2009, The Kansas City Globe named Kendrick to the papers' list of "100 Most Influential African-Americans in Greater Kansas City." A native of Crawfordville, Ga., Kendrick received a basketball scholarship to attend Park College (Parkville, Mo.) in 1980, where he earned a B.A. degree in Communications Arts in 1985. 

Joining me in the Huddle this week is Leigh Anne Tuohy. Leigh Anne is the inspirational matriarch of the Tuohy family. While studying at the University of Mississippi, better known as Ole Miss, Leigh Anne met Sean Tuohy, her husband. Both were active and ambitious college students: Leigh Anne was a cheerleader, campus favorite, and an active member of her sorority, Kappa Delta; Sean became a record-breaking SEC basketball champion holds several SEC assist records. A Memphis, Tennessee native, Leigh Anne attended Briarcrest Christian School and graduated from the University of Mississippi with a Bachelor’s of Science in Interior Design. Leigh Anne owns “Flair I,” an interior design firm. Her work has been featured on HGTV and in numerous publications. She has designed for such clients as Peyton Manning, Scottie Pippen, Isaac Bruce, and OJ Mayo and was a member of the design team for Extreme Makeover: Home Edition Season 8 during the 2010-11 season. They are the proud parents of daughter Collins and sons, Michael Oher and Sean, Jr. The chronicle of the Tuohy family’s life, The Blind Side, became a record-breaking Hollywood blockbuster that earned more than $300 million box office and became the number one opening weekend sports film in history. In February 2013, Leigh Anne and the Tuohy family were on the sidelines cheering Michael and the Baltimore Ravens on to his first Super Bowl victory. Through all of their projects, the Tuohy family continues their mission to inspire hope, ignite generosity, and make it happen for the deserving but underserved youth. For more information on Leigh Anne and her and Seans Foundation, please visit her site at https://www.leighannetuohy.com.

Joining me in the Huddle this week is amateur golfer Taylor Funk. Taylor talks to me about traveling on the PGA Tour with his family, his dad is professional golfer Fred Funk. Taylor also talks about how his mom and his journey homeschooled him through high school and college at The University of Texas. Taylor explains how his favorite part so far has been visiting over 25 different countries and being able to play golf all over the world. • 2013 Florida Class 2A Champion• finished tied for ninth with Texas teammate Gavin Hall at the 2014 Porter Cup at Niagara Falls Country Club• finished tied for sixth at the 2014 Trans-Mississippi Championship at Southern Hills CC• finished tied for 12th at the 2014 Terra Cotta Invitational at Naples National Golf Club• finished first at the 2013 Future Collegians World Tour at Inverrary GC• finished first at the 2013 AJGA Ocala-Mario Sports Commission Junior Tournament• finished first at the 2013 Press Thornton Future Masters• finished first at the 2012 Future Collegians World Tour at Sawgrass• finished fifth at the 2011 Future Collegians World Tour at Sawgrass• ranked the No. 42 junior player in the Golfweek/Sagarin Junior rankings at the time of his commitment to Texas

Joining me in the Huddle this week is Senior Baseball Writer at The Athletic,  author of THE INSIDE GAME: Bad Calls, Strange Moves, and What Baseball Behavior Teaches Us About Ourselves, Keith Law. We discuss his childhood and how and why he fell in love with baseball. Keith is a numbers guy, and he thought his life would be in the world of business, but after realizing his passion for data and analytics was really in baseball, he took a job with the Toronto Blue Jays. He then worked at ESPN and eventually became the Senior Baseball Writer at The Athletic.   THE INSIDE GAME shows how the decisions behind baseball—good and bad, big and small— present a new way to appreciate the game’s successes as well as its failures. You can check out Keith and his new book on his Blog Page, http://meadowparty.com/blog/.

Joining me in the Huddle this week is Will Blackmon. He played for several teams in the NFL like I did but had a plan for his transition after the league. Blackmon attended Bishop Hendricken HS in Rhode Island. At Hendricken, Blackmon earned 2001 All-America first-team honors from USA Today, ESPN.com, SuperPrep and PrepStar as a senior. He was named Gatorade Rhode Island Player of the Year after his senior season. He played college football for the Boston College and was drafted in the fourth round of the 2006 draft by the Green Bay Packers. We talked about many aspects of his life but one of the best stories was about when we played against each other in 2008. I was playing for the Vikings and Will was with the Packers. I do have to say that we still won the game despite a few interceptions. Will lost count of how many glasses of wine he consumed that November night in Minneapolis long ago, but he remembers that the name of the restaurant, a steakhouse downtown, was Seven. It was 2008, his third season in the NFL, and Blackmon, then a cornerback and return man with the Packers, was in town to play the Minnesota Vikings. Kickoff was slated for noon the next day, so the Saturday evening activities commenced with dinner among his fellow defensive backs. Charles Woodson, Nick Collins and Tramon Williams were all in attendance around the table. One glass led to another, and dinner led to a walk upstairs to a club, where wine continued to flow. By the time the quartet retired to the team’s hotel, Blackmon’s eyes were glassy but he felt coherent. He awoke the next morning “feeling like garbage,” and considered his rejuvenation options, like an IV, Red Bull or pre-game workout. But at the stadium, his partners in wine looked no worse for the wear. First, Woodson picked off a pass. Then, Williams poached one. Collins took back an interception 59 yards for a touchdown. Finally, Blackmon returned a punt 65 yards for a score. “It’s the craziest thing,” he says. “All four of us played super well that day. Since that day, I didn’t get wasted, but I would have a glass or two while studying my game plan, watch the Saturday night games before bed.” Thank you, Will for joining me in the Huddle and I wish you continued success in the wine business. Go to his website, https://thewinemvp.com and order some incredible wine from Will and let him fill up your wine fridge or cellar. 

Joining me in the huddle this week is the Duo of Steve Buckhantz and Phil Chenier. They have recently started reliving some of the good ol' days on a new podcast they started. On the Road with Buck and Phil is a relaxing trip down memory lane. I would encourage any longtime fan to check it out! Phil and Steve talk to me about growing up and how they fell in love with sports.  Steve was the longtime Washington Wizards play-by-play announcer and a Washington-area sports broadcaster who grew up in Virginia and went to James Madison University. Phil Chenier is a former professional basketball player, a guard in the NBA for ten seasons. Born and raised in Berkeley, California, Chenier graduated from Berkeley High School and played college basketball at the University of California in Berkeley. He was also a television sports broadcaster for the NBA's Washington Wizards. Buckhantz and Chenier were the familiar faces and voices on Bullets and Wizards broadcasts from 1997 until 2017 when NBC Sports Washington announced Chenier would not return as the team's primary in-game analyst, a role he had for 33 years. While Chenier no longer calls games, he contributes to NBCSW's Wizards coverage. Buckhantz did play-by-play for several college basketball games last season and was working as the public address announcer for the XFL's D.C. Defenders when the novel Coronavirus pandemic postponed the season and ultimately caused the league to fold. The friendship they have created over years of broadcasting Wizards games pulled them together again to tell their many stories in their podcast. Being able to interview them together gives us a glimpse into their friendship and the incredible journey they enjoyed.  Thanks, Steve and Phil 

Joining me in this Huddle this week is one of the greatest, if not the greatest, running backs of all-time, Emmitt Smith. We talk about growing up in Florida, humbling experiences in high school, why he chose the University of Florida over Auburn and his accomplishments in the NFL, and his transition to real estate and business. This was an amazing conversation, and I want to thank Emmit for telling us his story.  The Dallas Cowboys were rebuilding when they selected Florida running back Emmitt Smith in the first round of the 1990 draft. After a holdout during all of training camp and preseason of his rookie season, Smith reported to the Cowboys in time for the start of the regular season. He wasted no time proving he would be a huge part of the team's future. Smith rushed for 937 yards and scored 11 touchdowns to earn Offensive Rookie of the Year honors and the first of eight career Pro Bowl nods. He followed that season by rushing for a league-leading 1,563 yards. Smith won four rushing crowns during a five-year span as he added titles in 1992, 1993, and 1995. He also led the NFL in rushing touchdowns three times and contributed 277 pass receptions during that same five-season period. His best year came in 1995 when he recorded career highs for rushing yards (1,773), rushing touchdowns (25), and receptions (62). Not surprisingly, Smith's impact on the team helped nurture the Cowboys back to the top of the NFL. With their star runner leading the way, the Cowboys won three Super Bowls over four seasons from 1992 to 1995. Smith was named first-team All-Pro in each year during that four-year period. In 1993, he was named the NFL's MVP and followed that by earning Most Valuable Player honors in the Cowboys' 30-13 win over the Buffalo Bills in Super Bowl XXVIII. After narrowly missing the 1,000-yard mark as a rookie, Smith embarked on a record run of 11 straight seasons with 1,000 yards rushing. His streak came to an end in Smith's final season in Dallas in 2002 when he missed the 1,000-yard mark by a mere 25 yards. However, that season was highlighted by one particular game against the Seattle Seahawks on Oct. 27, 2002. In that contest, Smith supplanted Walter Payton as the NFL's all-time rushing leader. Smith, who was named to the NFL's All-Decade Team of the 1990s, finished his 226-game career by playing two final seasons with the Arizona Cardinals. He retired with a career total of 18,355 yards and an NFL record 164 rushing touchdowns. He also added 515 receptions for 3,224 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Joining me in the Huddle this week is the Co-Host of Pardon the Interruption on ESPN, Michael Wilbon. We talk about growing up in Chicago and perfecting his craft on the family couch. His time spent at Northwestern and how he landed an internship at The Washington Post.  Michaels love for Chicago sports still runs deep in his veins, but DC is a close second. He loves the Cubs, and when we started talking about some HOFers like, Ernie Banks his face lit up. He, of course, loves Da Bears too, but we push them aside and talk about the days of RFK Stadium and the Washington Football Team. Please, someone, help give them a new name!!!!!! PTI has been running for 20 years thanks to Michael's dynamics pitted against the oft-maligned Tony Kornheiser. They make it a great show because of the push-pull of opinions they have regarding sports. Michael tells us the way PTI started and who made it all happen.  Thank you for joining me on the show Michael! 

Joining me in the Huddle this week is one of my closest friends, Dr. Thom Mayer. Our story goes way back to the early days of my Pro career in Washington D.C. Thom tells how we met at Redskins park and how that day created our longtime friendship.  Thom has also been the Medical Director for the NFL Players Association since 2001. He became director when his good friend, Hall of Famer, Gene Upshaw. Gene was the head of the NFLPA and asked Thom to be Medical Director because the NFLPA did not have one. Thom has used his expertise to define the NFL players' medical leadership.  He is from Anderson, Indiana, and went to Hanover College, where he played linebacker and center. He had a tryout in the NFL but realized he needed to go down a different path. He was accepted to medical school at Duke and completed his residency in Utah, where he met Maureen. Thom and Maureen has 3 kids and 4 grandkids Dr. Mayer is Founder and Chief Executive Officer of BestPractices, Inc., Executive Vice President of EmCare, the Medical Director for the NFL Players Association and Clinical Professor of Emergency Medicine at George Washington University, and a Senior Lecturing Fellow at Duke University. He is one of the most widely-sought speakers on healthcare customer service, trauma, and emergency care, pediatric emergency care, medical leadership, and sports medicine. He has published over 70 peer-reviewed articles, 75 book chapters and has edited or written 12 textbooks on emergency medicine, including Leadership for Great Customer Service: Satisfied Patients, Satisfied Employees, Leadership for Smooth Patient Flow, Hardwiring Flow, and Strauss and Mayer's Emergency Department Leadership: Principles and Applications. Tom Peters, the internationally acclaimed leadership guru, has referred to his work as "gasp-worthy." Dr. Mayer was named the ACEP Outstanding Speaker of the Year in the second year the award was given and has twice been named ACEP's "Over-the-Top" award winner. On September 11, 2001, Dr. Mayer served as one of the Command Physicians at the Pentagon Rescue Operation, coordinating medical assets at the site. The BestPractices physicians at Inova Fairfax Hospital were the first to successfully diagnose and treat inhalational anthrax victims during the fall 2001 anthrax crises. Dr. Mayer has served on the Department of Defense on Defense Science Board Task Forces on Bioterrorism, Homeland Security, and Consequences of Weapons of Mass Destruction. Dr. Mayer also serves as a Medical Director for the Studer Group. 

My teammate joins this week in the Huddle. Ricky Williams is a gentle soul that was misunderstood by many for years in the NFL. After winning the Heisman and every other award while at the University of Texas, the expectations placed on him were unrealistic for many, but not Ricky. He expected to be great, and talking with him about his journey was incredible.  Growing up in San Diego, he became a star on the diamond and the football field. He was drafted by the Phillies and played in their farm system while in college. Although he has a deep love for baseball, he excelled on the football field. While at Texas, he was a two-time All-American and won the Heisman trophy. He loved Texas because he said it felt like a family. Ricky was drafted by New Orleans, who traded all their draft picks that year to move up and get him. New Orleans is the only team in NFL history to draft one player in an NFL draft.  This is why expectations were so high. He lasted 3 years in New Orleans before being traded to Miami. While in Miami, his life's calling was just beginning. He retired, played in the CFL for Toronto, and then played for the Dolphins again. He finished his 11-year career with the Baltimore Ravens.  Ricky was still finding out who he was. He started coaching and became an ESPN analyst for the Longhorn Network. He was in a few reality shows, Celebrity Apprentice and Celebrity Big Brother. Ricky followed his heart to alternative medicine and healing through all of this. He is now an astrologer, owns a wellness company called Real Wellness, and created a new app to use astrology to match people using their astrological signs. He also has his own podcast called Curious Questions, where he interviews his guests about their lives and interest using their astrological signs.  Follow Ricky @williams on Instagram and @rickthelaureate on Twitter. His store: https://realwellnessherbal.com His Website: https://rickywilliams.life Thank you, Ricky!!!!!

Joining me this week is one of the freshest guys on the radio. Zach Gelb is a rising star in Sports radio, and you can find him every weekday on CBS Sports Radio from 6-10 pm EST. Yes, he beat me in our NFL picks this year, and I owe him a Fat Head of myself, but I am still waiting on my steak. Zach's dad Bob has been in the radio business for a long time running the Mike and The Mad Dog show. Bob helped Zach start his first show in their basement when he was eight years old. Zach always knew he wanted to be a sports broadcaster but did play many sports growing up. He retired from playing sports to talking about them in 10th grade, and he has carved an insane path to the top of his industry.  Zach chose Temple over Syracuse and worked hard not on his books but on his studio time. He says that his most significant experience came from being in the studio and learning from real-life experiences. Zach landed his first job in New Jersey out of college at WNJE. He made a few more moves before landing one of the top spots for CBS Sports Radio. 

Joining me in the Huddle this week is Michele Tafoya. Since 2011, she has been a reporter for NBC Sports, primarily as a sideline reporter for NBC Sunday Night Football. We find out that her love for sports came from the passion her dad had for sports, a die-hard San Francisco 49ers fan. Her father Orlando Tafoya grew up in San Francisco and attended many games at Kezar Stadium. Michele describes her parents as compassionate and inspiring role models; she gives them much credit for her success.  By the time Michele was 27, she had earned her Bachelors in Mass Communications from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Masters Degree in Business Administration from the University of Southern California. During her time at graduate school, she really thought about exactly what it was she wanted to do. What she knew was, she loves sports and she loves journalism. She thought if she could marry the two together she would never work a day in her life. There was no shortage of inspiration for her dreams. She admired the works of Lesley Visser and Robin Roberts and felt confident that she could do what they do. She landed her first gig in her professional broadcasting career; she moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota, and started covering games not only for the NFL Vikings but the University of Minnesota women’s basketball team as well. From there she accepted an offer in Charlotte, North Carolina. She was a color analyst for the men’s basketball team for the University of North Carolina; in 1993 she was the first woman to hold that position. As Michele became more recognized she also became more sought after. From 1994 to 1999 she co-hosted "CBS Sports Spectacular". In 1996 she positioned herself as the first woman to call television play-by-play of an NCAA Tournament game. Michele quite frequently works several jobs at a time. She is of course humbly proud of her accomplishments, but she credits hard work and dedication for her success. In the new millennium, Michele spent the next decade with ABC and ESPN, in 2004 she was allowed to report side by side with Al Michaels and John Madden for ABC’s Monday Night Football. By 2011 Michele had earned so much respect she was offered a position of sideline reporter for the most-watched weekly game. She was back with Al Michaels for NBC’s Sunday Night Football. With her outstanding sports personality, she won two Emmys; one in her first year with Sunday Night Football and the second in 2013. And in 2014 Michele won her second Gracie Award for her work on Lifetime again, but with the Sunday Night Football syndicate.

Professional golfer, Fred Funk joins me in the Huddle this week. I talk to Fred about his time growing up in Maryland and how working at the University of Maryland golf course starting at age 10. He was a multi-sport athlete growing up but golf eventually became his passion. He attended the University of Maryland, studied Law Enforcement and was on the golf team. After college, Freds journey to the PGA was not easy but he never gave upon his dream and eventually eatrned his PGA Tour card.   Fred has had such a long and illustrious career that there is to much to write. Here is his PGA Bio.... https://www.pgatour.com/players/player.01381.fred-funk.html     

Joining me in the Huddle this week is an amazing woman, mother, player and coach. Playing hoops on the rough-and-tumble Harlem courts, Brooklyn-bred Nancy Lieberman learned to play a physical, aggressive style of basketball unlike other women of her time. As a 5'10" point guard, Lieberman was taller than many of the guards of her era, and her ability to drive to the hoop, dish out assists, and grab hard-fought rebounds served her well during her stellar career. Lieberman led Old Dominion University to back-to-back AIAW national championships in 1979 and 1980. She was twice named as the Wade Trophy winner - a basketball first. As the nation's top female athlete during those two seasons, Lieberman was the two-time winner of the Broderick Cup as well. Lieberman played professionally in the Women's Professional Basketball League, Women's American Basketball Association, United States Basketball League, Women's National Basketball Association, and with the Washington Generals. Earning WBL MVP honors with the Dallas Diamonds in 1981, she led the team to the 1984 WABA championship. I want to thank Nancy for her honest conversation and all of the incredible stories she shared with us. Her stories about Muhammed Ali, Kobe Bryant, Ice Cube and many others were incredible. It was a hard day for her because it was the anniversary of Kobe's death. They were very close. Thank you Nancy for sharing your special relationship with me and all of our listeners. Please visit http://nancyliebermancharities.org to donate!

He was so influential that he was voted one of the top 100 most influential people in sports and even voted higher than Michael Jordan for a few years. Some of his favorite announcers were John Madden, Jim Nantz, and Bob Costas. Rudy was actually the first in the industry to hire Bob Costas. Rudy was the Director of Operations for the Spirit of St. Louis of the ABA in 1974. He also worked for 3 other Pro Basketball organizations.

Joining us in the Huddle this week is American University Law professor, Jeremi Duru. His journey through life has been influenced by sports and the pursuit of racial equality. Moving from Africa back to the states at age 7, Jeremi realized how sports helped him connect with all the new kids in his school. He also realized his passion to stop racial injustice and inequality at a young age after watching the movie Roots. I think it is amazing how Jeremi has combined these two experiences to find his path in life.  Jeremi is a sports law expert, media commentator, law professor, author and advocate for strengthened solutions around diversity and inclusion. (bio below).  (Note: Jeremi was involved in Jim Rooney’s book project and on content related to The Rooney Rule) As one of the nation’s foremost sports law authorities, Duru teaches in the areas of sports law, civil procedure, and employment discrimination at American University Washington College of Law. His book Advancing the Ball: Race, Reformation, and the Quest for Equal Coaching Opportunity in the NFL examines the NFL’s movement toward increased equality of opportunity for coaches and front office personnel. He is also co-author of Sports Law and Regulation: Cases and Materials and The Business of Sports Agents. You can find out more about Jeremi with this link. https://www.wcl.american.edu/community/faculty/profile/duru/bio    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joining me in the Huddle this week is my former teammate and friend, Matt Birk. He played center and was a Super Bowl Champion with the Baltimore Ravens, a 6-time Pro Bowler and Walter Payton Man of the Year. He had an incredible NFL career and continues his endeavors off the field with his company, https://www.mattbirkandcompany.com Join me in the Huddle with Matt Birk!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this week's episode of Huddle Up With Gus, I give way to my sons Gunnar and Gabe. The boys give us their views on future NFL QB's, playoff predictions, and betting on the NFL. They know the game as well as anyone and love talking shop with anyone who will listen. Gunnar will always listen to you and have a great discussion and Gabe will just rip you apart if you don't agree.  Gunnar just graduated in 2020 from William and Mary and was going to coach at Duquesne until they canceled their season.  Gabe is a Sr. at the University of Delaware and is studying Sport Management. They both went to Central Catholic High School and won a State Championship in football in 2015.   You can follow them on Instagram:  Gunnar---- gunnar_frerotte Gabe------gabe_frerotte  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joining me in the Huddle this week is Top 100 golf instructor Debbie Doniger. Debbie picked up her first set of clubs at the age of seven in Greenwich, Connecticut and became a dedicated student of renowned golf instructor Jim McLean, who has been her mentor for more than 20 years. As a junior and amateur, Debbie won every New York Metropolitan tournament in the area and went on to play at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she captained the golf team both her junior and senior years and led the Tar Heels to an ACC Championship in 1992. She was later inducted into the ACC Hall of Fame.  Selected as one of five college seniors to represent the United States in the World University Golf Championship, Debbie was the only American to medal that year, taking home an individual bronze. After college, she went on to compete on The Futures Tour, The Gold Coast Tour, and then in 1993, The European Tour.  It was very interesting to me that she picked her college around the fact that the coach would not try to change her swing or coach her differently then her current coach, Jim McClean. Her college experience created lasting friendships and shaped her future in golf.  Debbie is a Lead Master Instructor at The Jim McLean Golf School, where she has worked for over 10 years, and Director of Instruction at GlenArbor Golf Club in Bedford, New York. For more on Debbie and how you can reach her please visit her website.  http://www.debbiedoniger.com    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This was an awesome episode. Matt Kazam joins me in the Huddle this week and it is one of the best times I have had on the show. The hour went by way too fast! I think we needed 3 to discuss everything! You got to check out Matt's website, https://theylaughyouwin.com. Matt is bringing laughter back to the workplace. The revolutionary public speaking and humor training program of They Laugh You Win can turn anyone into an extraordinary public speaker. His story about Richard Branson is great and he has worked with many other CEOs who have all seen the value in humor training and teach their employees how to use the tools of stand-up comedy. Matt is a veteran comic who can be seen performing at the nation’s top comedy clubs, casinos, and theatres. He has performed stand-up comedy over 6,000 times in 45 states and 7 countries. Matt has also performed at over 1,000 corporate and private events. He has an amazing ability to work for any crowd, anywhere, any venue. At the age of 10, Matt saw his first comedy show in Las Vegas at the legendary Riviera Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. He knew right then that was what he wanted to do with his life. In 2014 Matt’s boyhood dream was realized and amazingly at the same iconic property where the dream was born, the Riviera. Matt’s one-man comedy show, “40 Is Not The New 20,” was an instant success. Becoming a Las Vegas “must-see” show month after month. He was the last headliner to perform at the Riviera that saw the likes of Frank Sinatra and Elvis rise to fame. Matt’s energetic style, witty observations, and unassuming charm are the driving forces behind his unique and hilarious comedy & learning events.  Growing up in New York City, he started performing shows for family and friends at the age of three, but it wasn’t until graduating college from George Mason University with a degree in finance that Matt finally took the plunge as a full-time stand-up comedian. While in DC he also was an on-air sports personality talking Skins Football and all things sports in DC. He has made television appearances on NBC’s “Last Comic Standing”, Fox’s “Big Red Couch”, Comedy Central’s “Stand-Up Stand-Up”, VH-1’s “Fools For Love”, TLC’s “Two For Vegas”, The Discovery Channel’s “Lux List”, WGN’s “The Bob & Tom Show. He has appeared with Tommy Davidson on the Rascal’s Comedy Club Webcast “Live Caught On The Net”. In addition, Matt’s comedy special, “Stand-Up and Sit-Down with Matt Kazam,” is currently airing on XM Satellite Radio. In addition to these television projects, Matt was a writer for the 2008 “Fox Reality TV Awards” on the Fox Reality Channel. Matt’s 1-man show, “40 Is Not The New 20,” had a residency at the Riviera Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. The hilarious show tackles the subject matter both literally and figuratively. The material explores how much the world has changed in the past 40 years. The show is a mid-life celebration of the knowledge and experience that can only be gained with age. The show is like comfort food for the soul. It puts the notion that 40 is the new 20 on trial and breaks down the concept into categories such as technology, the media, politics, relationships, family, our priorities, and even how much our bodies have changed over the years. Matt walks the audience through specific and general examples on how the 40 is not the new 20 and more importantly why?  All the while, the audience is being thoroughly entertained as well as feeling an overwhelming sense of nostalgia. Everyday topics like marriage, fashion, parenting, work, commuting, bills, and exercise, just to name a few, will be compared and contrasted through the eyes of a 40+-year-old taking a look at today’s 20-year-old young adult.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.