Bucket List item 1... Check !

You can't make this sh*t up! "Inside Jokes" has been a blast! I absolutely love the time with comics in studio and even the prep time before hand. I pour over bio's, comic websites, and youtube videos of the comics. Anything I can find, and I love it! Its a great way to lighten the load of my health reality. About a week before I launched the show in November, I found out the cancer came back for the third time. But it didn't mean I wasnt' going to go on with the show! I knew more than ever, I needed to do the show. I needed to distract myself and stay busy. My new treatments involve being part of a clinical trial. But first I had to see if I qualified. I went through every test imagineable in November from CT, MRI, bone scan, you name it. All the while ensuring I have everything prepared for each weeks' show. I'm not looking for hero cookies, I'm just saying that anything can happen and you simply can't make this stuff up.

In this time, I was also asked from an old radio friend , Nadia Cerelli to perform at a fundraiser for a little boy named Alessandro. The little cutie desperately needed spinal surgery and needed to go US bound to have it done which meant big bucks. The fundraiser would occur Nov 20 and performers included new comics from Humber College Comedy program, Jack Dani and Frank Spadone. I had a blast. It was so much fun. The MC was old radio friend and Nadia's partner, Elvira Caria. We all had so much fun and I had a good show. I was nervous because I don't do much stage time and that could hurt a set. I had been on stage once in Sept and once in Aug to a small group so this 700 person show was going to be tricky. My pal and producer of Inside Jokes, Vince Tedesco, was backstage with me as I prepared but it didn't feel right. At the last minute, I abandoned the set and went with new material and...it worked! I felt more comfortable, relaxed and it must have translated to the audience. One of the organizers said they wanted me longer on stage! What a rush. I was thrilled because in the audience were family and friends who have seen me in the past who told me this was my best show. I 'm so grateful they all came out, my sister Palma, my bro Dom and wife Lisa, and my sisters' friends; my hometown Italian pals, Nadia, Gabe, Daniella and their group; my old friend Mariela, with Lisa, Sandra, Rose, Mel, my nephew Eric and wife Wes, my old radio friend Peter and his girlfriend, my cousin Rosanna and her group. My old friend Elvira Muffolini, brought me to get my hair and make up done and drove me to the gig. I love them all, and I needed the support. My friend Romina Monaco was there too and I enjoyed most of the show along side her laughing our heads off. Its one thing to perform , its another to also enjoy the show yourself. And to see the chops on Jack Dani and of course Frank Spadone. Jack was a blast. He also happens to be an accomplished classical pianist. OMG he's incredible. And Frank, the comic that eluded me for many years! I heard about him coming on the scene back when I was performing in the 90s' and somehow I never met him! Romina's husband is Tony Monaco and we worked together at a dance station back then and I recall Tony talking about Frank Spadone the comic. And finally I saw him perform live. What a talent. He owned the room. Due to some changes that night, Jack and Frank improvised and it was a testament to true talent. These guys made it happen. Frank went up for a repeat performance and he should have just thrown the mic like Joey Bats because he rocked the place. I instantly wanted to book him for my "Inside Jokes". As with all my guests, I ask them to bring comic friends to be on the show because there's greater chemistry and it lends itself to a better discussion on air. Frank asked Angelo Tsarouchas. I opened for Angelo back in the 90s at a corporate gig. This was going to be perfect. The guys were booked for December 15 show recording to air Dec20 at 8pm.

I love " Inside Jokes" and everything its about. My goal is to provide a platform for comics to do what they do best, share opinions and entertain. I want to encourage listeners to go see live comedy and make it an option for their entertainment choices. I hope this show develops and along with it , many comics' careers. Sometimes people just need a voice. For 20 years, I've been pitching radio program directors to have comedy on radio. Most say it would never work. Now of course, there is a broadcaster in Canada airing stand up on radio. But there is still no show on terrestrial radio that provides comics a voice to promote themselves and their projects. I'm so proud of the incredible line up of talent on Inside Jokes thus far which includes major contributers to comedy in Canada and the US. These include Tim Steeves, Dini Dimakos, Andrew Johnson, friend and mentor Maggie Cassella, Shannon McDonough and writer of ' Miss Congeniality', Katie Ford; Kyle Hickey, Travis Turner and Pete White; friend Peter Anthony, Matt OBrien, Casey Corbin, Julia Hladkowicz, Steph Tolev, Mike Rita, Matt O'Briend, Casey Corbin, Peter Anthony, Laura Robinson, creator of Balderdash and Celebrity Name Game along with Richard Gerritts and creator of Game of Things, Tom Quinn. And of course, Frank Spadone and Angelo Tsarouchas. Good times with lots more to come.

I'm out of my skin that Frank and Angelo are having me open for them January 24, 2016 at Flato Markham Theatre! Its about a 500 seat theatre. I have performed in front of 3000 at Richoh but that was a fundraiser which means the audience was there other to see comedy. Now , this is the big time! And with big comics!

This is an absolute thrill and I know, this is the stuff that keeps me at optimum health. I 've been reading Radical Remissions by Kelly A Turner, a New York Times best seller, about cancer patients that are in advanced stages of cancer and by doing a variety of things (other than just conventional treatments, and sometimes instead of conventional), go into compelte remission. The book talks about when we feel emotions of love, joy, happiness, the glands in our brains release a surge of healing hormones into our bloodstreams including serotonins, relaxin, oxtocin, dopamine, and endorphins. These hormones instantlyl communicate with the cells in our bodies to do things like

-lower blood pressure, heart rate, cortison (stress hormone)

-improve blood circulation

-deepen our breathing, which brings more oxtocin to the cell

-digest our food more slowly, which helps body absorb more nutrients

-increase white and red blood cell actrivity with helps the immune system

increase the natural killer cell activity which helps the immune system to fight cancer

-clear out infections

-scan for cancer and remove any cancer cells

And all that for the low, low price of .......joy, happiness and love!

Radical Remissions also states, that all these amazing changes have been documented in clinical studies in which researachers count the number of immune cells before and after showing them a comedy video and laughter has even been shown to increase the number of immune cells of people undergoing chemotherapy. This past summer when I went through chemo the second time, I would watch comedy video on youtube from the recliner while they pumped chemo through the IV for over 2hours. You know chemo is ugly when the nurses administering are wearing hasmat suits! WTF

I have read in the past how joy and happiness releases positive healing hormones which is why I launched Comic Rx on my home page and featured at the end of every "Inside Jokes". Laughter is a natural healer, and its free! It truly does have healing qualities. Another part of the book discusses a patient who was a busy businessman and abandoned his cello playing over the years. When given only a little time to live, he went back to the cello , amongst other changes and is alive many many years later.

Sooooo, for me comedy is not only my passion but the number one defense against cancer. I'm trying to convert my cells from fight or flight to healing , as they can't do both. And that goes for all of you too. We live in a society where our cells are constantly in fight or flight through our jobs, relationships, driving, and combined with excessive sugar, smoking and drinking, no wonder cancer is so prevalent.

Having Frank and Angelo on the show were a coming home party for me. We all started at the same time in comedy, but I abandoned it so I could get married and have kids. I'm glad I did, but I wish I didn't abandon comedy. I saw those guys, along with Russell Peters and others of that time go on to big things and I always thought what could have been. And now is my chance. The excitement surrounding this gig is most definitely releasing all those good hormones required for good health. I have to go now. My treatment at Princess Margaret is today. The clinical trial continues. Please send me your most positive thoughts. Giggles and Jiggles, Sandra

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