Scott Shapiro came from Chicago to attend Arizona State University.
He now lives in Downtown Phoenix.
And he wouldn’t have it any other way.
Shapiro, an inhabitant of The Artisan Lofts on Central, loves the excitement of his “adult dorm” neighbors and their enthusiasm towards the downtown area. “When a new restaurant opens anywhere near downtown, all my neighbors know about it…and they care,” he said.
Shapiro also loves the diversity. “We have young couples, gay couples, retired empty nesters, and young, single professionals. We all seem to co-exist pretty well.”
Known as “Shappy” on Phoenix’s KMLE morning radio show, Shapiro worked with radio host David Pratt for eight years. He loved the country music listeners for their warmth and generosity but found the audience a little too family oriented for his edgy style and sense of humor.
“At KMLE it was my job to basically tell the jokes. Which was an awesome job, but I would like to just be myself and talk the same way that I talk to my friends and be totally honest about everything that happens in my life,” Shapiro said.
Shapiro currently produces Stupid Podcasts for Smart People. A podcast is a free downloadable video or audio series, similar to a TV or radio program. The show is created with his two closest friends, Thomas Bewick and Zameer Baber. “We all met while attending ASU ten years ago…I’ve wanted to work with them as long as I can remember, but in commercial radio, that was always an impossibility,” he said.
The lack of restrictions is what makes the podcasts truly enjoyable for Shapiro. “We talk about everything from what really happened in the Superdome after Hurricane Katrina to what really happened at the party I threw last weekend.” Their audience consists of educated, young, urban people with a sense of humor according to Shapiro.
Stupid Podcasts for Smart People can be downloaded for free from iTunes.
Shapiro is also a passionate stand-up comic. He does shows in Scottsdale and Tempe at venues such as the Scottsdale Comedy Spot, the Hidden House and Tempe Improv. While there are not many venues in Phoenix, “It just isn’t something people here think to do. Young people go to the bars, and old people go to the movies,” Shapiro said.
You can find Shapiro hanging out with his friends at many of the local bars. His favorites include Phoenix’s SideBar and The Rose and Crown.
