Garage Monologues with Jay Swanson

Creating a Comedy Show in French (ft. Tamer Kattan) 03.08.2026 38min

Garage Monologues: Season 4, A Season of Transition Episode 1: Creating a Comedy Show in French (ft. Tamer Kattan)Welcome back to Season 4 of Garage Monologues. After a brief hiatus, the podcast returns, and we're trying something new: instead of standalone episodes, this entire season follows three friends through major life transitions in real time.All of it takes place in Paris, tracking the parallel journeys of three people making bold changes: Tamer, an established American comedian starting over from scratch to build an entirely new stand-up show in French; Paul, a comedian who just wrapped his world comedy tour and is now taking on a very different kind of tour: training to run all six World Marathon Majors in the year he turns 40; and Jane, a former banker turned cooking school founder, now launching a new tech venture at Station F. Of course, we'll be following Jay's journey as he continues to embark on his new projects. In this premiere episode (the last one recorded in Jay's current apartment setup) Tamer Kattan joins Jay Swanson to talk about his path from New York to Berlin to Paris.Where to Listen, Follow, and Subscribe:Listen & Subscribe: Hit follow/subscribe on Spotify or Apple Podcasts so you don't miss an episode as we follow these transitions across the season.Find Garage Monologues:Instagram: @garagemonologuesTikTok:@garage.monologuesFacebook: @GarageMonologuesYouTube: @garagemonologuesWebsite: www.garagemonologues.comFind Jay Swanson:Instagram: @jayswansonTikTok: @jay.swansonYouTube: @jayswansonFacebook: @jay.swanson.parisWebsite: www.jayswanson.meFind Tamer Kattan:Instagram: @tamerkat and @tamerkattanenfrancaisWebsite: www.tamerkattan.comParis in My Pocket: Planning a trip to Paris? Check out our travel recommendations at www.parismypocket.com.Unlock 550+ vetted recommendations for food, drink, and entertainment. No tourist traps!Upgrade to Guide Plus for curated itineraries, including routes for book lovers and single-day walks through Le Marais and Montmartre.Host: Jay Swanson Production assistance: Mollie Laylin and Emily GuernseyEditing: Joshua Guernsey ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

The missing TEDx Talk 09.11.2023 52min

I may have given a TEDx Talk last weekend, and it might never see the light of day...Although we CAN fix that.Thanks for all your support in making this show! To support my creative projects of all stripes (but mostly YouTube videos) be sure to jump in with us over at https://patreon.com/jayswanson ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

My Dad Tries Mystery Grocery Store Cheese 26.10.2023 58min

In this long-overdue episode, my dad has to try mystery cheese from the grocery store because no one has the missing cheeses from my list (and the rest are closed). It's been one of those weeks 😂Thanks for all your support in making this show! To support my creative projects of all stripes (but mostly YouTube videos) be sure to jump in with us over at https://patreon.com/jayswanson ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things 12.10.2023 33min

Sunshine on Cooper is definitely high on this list, but in this episode I talk about a handful of practical things I've been doing to affect my mood, improve my days, and help me get out of the rut that I fell into for a few weeks there. I hope they're helpful =)Thanks for all your support in making this show! To support my creative projects of all stripes (but mostly YouTube videos) be sure to jump in with us over at https://patreon.com/jayswanson ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Despite Being Great, The Last Two Weeks Have Sucked 28.09.2023 34min

They can't all be highs, but what do you do when your best weeks somehow feel like the worst? I hit some real walls this last month, especially in the last couple of weeks, and I haven't had a good chance to share about why. At the same time, there are so many great things happening and so much to be grateful for. Life is downright confusing sometimes.For me it serves as a good reminder that life is hard, no matter who you are. If nothing else, I hope that it sharpens my empathy for those around me. AND, spoiler alert, as usual, Garage Monologuing about it all helped feel me quite a bit better. So thanks for listening!Thanks for all your support in making this show! To support my creative projects of all stripes (but mostly YouTube videos) be sure to jump in with us over at https://patreon.com/jayswanson ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Overcoming Imposter Syndrome with Mark Shrime 14.09.2023 1h 12min

I've known Mark Shrime for almost 13 years. He's a surgeon, author, and American Ninja Warrior. Grab a copy of his book here: https://amzn.to/3n5Ijn3 And enjoy our conversation as we dive into the struggles of impostor syndrome, living abroad, and doing our best to share what we love with the people we love.The cheese list, for those who'd like to try and follow along:Brie de MelunCancoillotteChabichou du PoitouEmmental français est-centralGruyèreMâconnaisPélardonPicodonRaclette de SavoieRocamadourTome des Bauges [fr]Trou du CruThanks for all your support in making this show! To support my creative projects of all stripes (but mostly YouTube videos) be sure to jump in with us over at https://patreon.com/jayswanson ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Puxan on What it Means to be French 31.08.2023 1h 4min

Puxan sits down to try some delicious cheese with me, wax lyrical on what it means to be French, and discuss our place in the world. Enjoy!https://instagram.com/puxanphoto for all his photographic skillsAnd thank you so much for listening! You can support the show and get future episodes in real time at https://patreon.com/jayswanson ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Good News Future Citizens! 17.08.2023 41min

I've got good news! Fresh off the presses (or out of the post, rather). The Road to Citizenship continues, as do updates around the 2023 guide and coming of the app. Thanks for listening! You can support the show and all my work by becoming a Patron at https://patreon.com/jayswanson ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Building Friendships Abroad with Matt Jordan 03.08.2023 57min

Matt Jordan is a great friend I've had the pleasure of knowing for the last few years, with whom I just returned from a five day trip to Lapland (Finland) with a group of ten friends to celebrate his birthday. We had a blast, and our conversation about Matt's road to French citizenship led us to the importance of friendship, the challenges of making them (particularly in France), and the ways in which we might suggest anyone struggling to make friends abroad go about it.Check out Matt's latest project and get your trivia on with Learn to Quiz over on Instagram: https://instagram.com/learntoquiz and be sure to let him know who sent ya ;DThanks as always for listening! You can support my channel and be a part of this journey towards Frenchness by becoming a Patron at https://patreon.com/jayswansonHere are the cheeses we tried and the order we tried them in. Emily got them from a seasonal shop, so there was no goat cheese (apparently goat is highly seasonal?) but there are a lot of classics in here. Enjoy!Beaufort d'EteEmmental de SavoieCantal fermier affineBleu du Vercours-SassenageMorbierLagulole reserveLivarotReblouchon fermierChaourceFourme d'AmbertSaint-Nectaire fermierMunster ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

French Citizenship Application and Paris App Updates 20.07.2023 38min

This is the week I get my citizenship application in, if all goes well, and there's a lot of momentum building behind the Paris app too! Keep your eyes and ears peeled for early access to the app, hopefully in the next few months (Spring 2023) and cross your fingers that my application is accepted by the French government without too much hassle =DSupport the show and all my work at https://patreon.com/jayswanson ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Emily and the Road to Citizenship 06.07.2023 1h 11min

It's time to start my road to French citizenship! Today's guest is Emily Guernesy, the newest addition to my team, who shares her very recent experience taking the French citizenship interview. We also try 13 French cheeses as we chat, in my quest to try every protected French cheese.If you're enjoying these episodes and would like the podcast to continue, be sure to support it over on https://patreon.com/jayswanson and let me know that you're listening!Check out Emily's theater company at www.compagnieclapotis.com And give them a follow over at https://www.instagram.com/cie.clapotis/ ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

On Leaving the Church 25.05.2023 1h

As promised, the longer more linear story of how I was raised in the church and why I eventually left it. If you want to hear these podcasts as they drop in real time, become a Patron and jump into the member's only feed at https://patreon.com/jayswanson - you'll find the instructions in your welcome message. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Nathaniel Drew on Quitting YouTube 11.05.2023 56min

Nathaniel Drew talks about the ever-evolving nature of creating, YouTube, podcasts, and where he hopes to go from here.If you want to hear these podcasts as they drop in real time, become a Patron and jump into the member's only feed at https://patreon.com/jayswanson - you'll find the instructions in your welcome message. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Thanksgiving Extravaganza! 03.05.2023 33min

It's a Thanksgiving Extravaganza! Which means it's time to look back on the year and be thankful. What are you thankful for? Spoiler: I'm thankful for YOU. Thanks for listening <3Want to listen to me go on about how thankful I am ON Thanksgiving next time? Head to https://patreon.com/jayswanson right now, become a Patron, and you'll have access to my members-only feed where these episodes are posted in real time. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Kate on Dating French Men and Working for Me 17.04.2023 1h 5min

Ever wondered what it's like to date French men, or work for an American man in France? Kate has you covered. We covered a lot of ground in this episode and there's plenty more we could have gotten into, but time is short when old friends are afoot.I hope you enjoy this chat with Kate: Sender of Stickers!Want to listen to these podcasts fresh out of the oven and without ads or interruptions? Become a Patron today at https://patreon.com/jayswanson and get access to all of my most recent podcast episodes as soon as they drop! Including an entire season's worth that has yet to get posted publicly. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

The Story Behind The Game - Secret Project Number Two 30.03.2023 41min

The behind-the-scenes of Secret Project Number Two - about a decade in the making. I've been working on an app to make your next trip to Paris even easier and filled with more fun. Now to see if we can make it work for real.This episode dives into the origins of "The Game" from a few years ago, the process I've been going through so far to get an app into the world, and the dangerous turns it's taken along the way. Thankfully we've made it through and are all good at the moment. This one is a monologue, but I'm sure we'll dive in with some friends who have been involved in upcoming episodes.https://jayswanson.mehttps://parisinmypocket.comGet these episodes in real time as they come out on the members only feed at https://patreon.com/jayswanson ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

I Haven't Told You Everything 16.03.2023 31min

I got a severe dressing down for my lack of depth and the total lack of story in my last few vlogs from a close friend and trusted advisor, and I think it helped things click. Dorian and Ashley both called me out for being boring recently, and they both had excellent cases. Part of that is a lack of story structure in my videos - something that's an issue related directly to my fears in sharing my full self in my videos, something I've been struggling with for some time now.I'm committed to figuring this out. The first step is opening up about the fears behind the struggle.Listen to these episodes as they drop by joining my Patreon at https://patreon.com/jayswanson ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

On Becoming French - With Jess Jeacle 08.03.2023 1h 4min

Jess shares her experience in gaining French citizenship, and we both talk at length about the pros and cons of living in France and settling in for the long haul in Paris. Jess has been a friend basically since I moved to Paris, has worked with me a little, and knows me very well, so her insights were a lot of fun to glean in this episode. I hope you enjoy it!Head to https://patreon.com/jayswanson to become a member and get these podcasts right when they go live (with an entire season's worth of podcast episodes just waiting for you to catch up on)! ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Saying No to Better Say Yes 17.02.2023 29min

How taking breaks, saying no, and focusing on healthy priorities is having real, tangible results.Among the many, many lessons I've learned and managed to start applying, saying no more often has been one of the hardest but one that brings about the most benefit - because it means when I say yes, it's yes to what I want. Or at least to what's best.https://garagemonologues.com ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

The Story Behind Kill the Swimmers 02.02.2023 39min

The story behind Kill the Swimmers - and plenty TMI from the experience and everything you never knew you wanted to know about male birth control.