Today's guest is Valerie David. Her monologue: "Apartment 3A" by Jeff Daniels.

Valerie David is a solo performance artist, actor, writer, and musician based in New York City. She has authored two internationally-acclaimed one-woman shows that chronicle her journey through cancer, immigration, and self-actualization, titledThe Pink Hulk: One Woman’s Journey to Find the Superhero Within (now in its tenth year) and Baggage From BaghDAD: Becoming My Father’s Daughter. She received the President’s Lifetime Achievement Award: Resilience in Action from the Biden administration for her patient advocacy work. She and Nathaniel became friends when they recognized the muppet vibes in one another at Naked Angels, a theater collective in New York City, and supported one another through a tough winter. This episode acts as a living document, capturing two conversations across the before/after of courage amidst uncertainty, and culminates in a shamanic clown artist rebellion, reaffirming the importance of self-advocacy and showing up for one another. See where Valerie David is performing next at PinkHulkPlay.com.

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Theme song "Comeuppance" and interlude "Flowers in the Wind" written and performed by Growl Honey.

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Jackanoid Paralope produces podcasts at the intersection of creativity, community, and social good. Browse our full catalogue of shows at jackanoidparalope.com and join our Substack community.

Today's guest is Renée-Michele Brunet. Her monologue: "I Think You Think I Love You" by Kelly Younger.

Renée-Michele Brunet and show host Nathaniel Kressen became friends on a cold, cold winter's night shortly after he wound up at Naked Angels, a theater collective in New York City. She's an actress and community builder who dove headfirst into the downtown theater scene when she first arrived in the city – once working 49 days straight and loving it. More recently she's served on the Naked Angels' leadership team including through the COVID-19 pandemic, an experience that underscored the importance of fostering a supportive environment for her fellow theater makers. This conversation touches on the proper way to fold a fitted bedsheet.

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Theme song "Comeuppance," additional music by Growl Honey.

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Jackanoid Paralope produces podcasts at the intersection of creativity, community, and social good. Browse our full catalogue of shows at jackanoidparalope.com and join our Substack community.

To be an actor is a weird, weird thing.

Who chooses a life that demands both radical emotional vulnerability and a thick skin for rejection—where your talent, your choices, and ultimately you are the product?

On I Have Mono, host Nathaniel Kressen sits down with actors, performance artists, and other creative voices for honest conversations about life, the creative process, the performing arts industry, artistic influences, auditions, ambition, failure, community, and the winding path of a life in performance.

Each episode features a monologue chosen by the guest — not simply as a showcase, but as the piece that best represents who they are in this moment.

If you love theater, storytelling, creativity, or hearing artists speak candidly about the work behind the work, I Have Mono offers a front-row seat to the humanity behind the performance.

Follow I Have Mono for conversations that go beyond the stage, and check out its sister podcast That Old Trope to become a Paralopian.

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Theme song "Comeuppance" and additional music by Growl Honey.

Jackanoid Paralope is a mission-driven media company focused on creativity, community, and social good. Browse our full catalogue of shows at jackanoidparalope.com and join our Substack community.

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