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mark124

Socialpathic Media

January 26, 2026 by mark124

I swear to God it’s not social media, it’s sociopathic media. They tell us it’s a place to connect, but I didn’t realize how many absolute assholes were waiting in the lobby with name tags and two followers. I used to believe we’d evolved past the animals : we’ve got thumbs, Wi-Fi, and entire careers based solely on leisure. I don’t hunt, gather, or protect anyone. I tell jokes. That’s my contribution to the tribe. As artists, we put ourselves out there, vulnerable on purpose, hoping to make people laugh or think or feel a little less alone. I always thought that made us better, more evolved. Then I read the comments. Nothing original. Same recycled bile, different usernames. At that point you realize we didn’t evolve : we just gave the cavemen keyboards and called it progress.

How does putting yourself out there online change the way you experience connection: or does it feel like we’re all just yelling in the bears cave?

Self Help?

January 25, 2026 by mark124

My AI wellness app chirped this morning: “Today, practice mindful breathing and set Growth Goals for your family.”

Fantastic.
Meanwhile, I’m already out of breath from rescuing a LEGO from the toilet and mediating a hostage-level screen-time negotiation with a 10-year-old who has suddenly discovered constitutional law, maritime rights, and the phrase “that’s not fair” as a legal doctrine.
My Growth Goal?
Survive breakfast without anyone bleeding or crying. And yes, that absolutely includes me.

These apps think parenting is like assembling IKEA furniture—with all the pieces included, clear instructions, no mystery bolts, and a friendly Scandinavian voice assuring you this should only take 12 minutes? No warning label that says “Step 7: Your child will emotionally collapse because the banana broke.”
Also.
Try doing it while sprinting to the dog before an “accident”, maintaining a calm smile, and reassuring your wife you’ve “got everything under control,”.
Has an app ever met a dad in the wild? Not the Instagram dad with the matching outfits and artisanal pancakes doing a dance while cooking in a showroom kitchen. I mean the real one. The coffee-stained, emotionally supportive, quietly panicked dad who’s been awake since 5:12 a.m. because someone had a dream about sharks, even though we live nowhere near water.

Tell me—what’s your latest “wellness” tip versus reality moment at home? Because if mindful breathing actually worked, I wouldn’t be standing alone in the bathroom, whisper-counting to ten like it’s a sacred monastery.

Self Help?

January 23, 2026 by mark124

The latest buzzwords in my feed are energy management and digital detoxes. Meanwhile, comedians like me are managing energy by pouring something brown into a plastic cup at 1 a.m. in a green room that smells like regret and stale weed, staring at a phone like it owes me money.
We’re not chasing micro-joys. We’re negotiating with them. Applause, a decent laugh, maybe a slice of pizza that’s been sitting under fluorescent lights long enough to develop 5min. That’s the win. That’s the night.
Turns out, you can’t really charge your aura when the only apps you use are Maps, Notes, and Doom Scroll. Late-night performances are where wellness goes to die. Your “bedtime routine” is finding your hotel room in the dark, wondering how your life choices led to a king-size bed and a mini-bar.
I love the idea of zen. I just keep meeting it in places that serve whiskey in short glasses and cut the jukebox at last call. There’s something beautifully unbalanced about trying to be mindful while living on stage, road miles, and the quiet fear that the clip you just posted will either make your career or be ignored entirely.
So who else is out here trying to balance inner peace with outer chaos and a drink that burns a little? Drop your survival tips. Or your confessions. I’ll be in the green room, staring at my phone, waiting for validation like it’s a bartender who should know my name.

Self Help?

January 21, 2026 by mark124

They say “Rise and grind!” I took it seriously. Now I’m climbing a mountain of coffee at 6am, searching for motivation at the summit and hoping there is an easy way down. If greatness is waiting at the top, someone please deliver donuts (and good ones, not that cake bullshit). Pretty sure “grind” wasn’t meant to involve an actual caffeine overdose. Next time, just send the motivational meme—my ambition’s strong, but my follow-through isn’t. #RiseAndGrind #DadLife #fauxtavation

Self Help?

January 19, 2026 by mark124

“The early bird catches the worm… but the second mouse gets the cheese.”

What does that even mean? Get there early, but don’t do shit once you’re there? I’m doing self-help right, right? Happy Monday! #MotivationMonday#CoffeeFirst#DeepThoughtsNotRequired

Self Help?

January 18, 2026 by mark124

Online, people say you should practice “radical self-awareness”: know your purpose, your passions, maybe even your blood type. Meanwhile, as a dad, husband, and comedian, I wake up every day with my only real question being, “What city am I in, and where’s the coffee?” Bonus points if I remember my actual hotel room number and don’t call the crowd by the wrong town. Maybe my most self-aware moment is realizing confusion is my brand.

A buddy saw me wandering the lobby of a hotel in Maine and asked if I was remaking Down and Out in Portland. Accurate.

I’ve had a sinus thing for the last two weeks and I’ve been in five cities all over the country (bad routing), and it’s starting to feel like a fever dream. Just me, my scarf, and a bottle of NyQuil wandering America—like On the Road, but sadder, quieter, and with an earlier bedtime.

Now I’ve been home for two whole days, the sinus thing is finally clearing up, and I’m starting to feel human again. Which is great, because naturally… it’s just in time to pack a bag, forget where I put my keys, and head back out on the road.

Self Help?

January 16, 2026 by mark124

Why does sleep need a TED Talk now? Last night I tried to optimize with a sleep tracker, memory foam pillow, and a bedtime affirmation. Ended up staring at the ceiling doing mental math with my REM cycles and wondering if I should set an alarm for water breaks. Am I losing my Religion. Wellness trends got me turning napping into a competitive sport. Can we just get back to passing out from Jamieson shots like regular human?

Grocery Trap

January 14, 2026 by mark124

Stuff by the grocery store register is like a psychological booby-trap for adults? I walked in for eggs, milk, and chicken broth, and suddenly I’m standing there holding a rubber chicken, a kombucha-flavored energy drink that promises “mental clarity,” and three packs of gum, because apparently I believe my future breath deserves the best.

How about a glow-in-the-dark stress ball and a novelty lighter with a Steelers logo? I say yes! Treat yourself, and call it what it really is:

Mindful self-indulgence.
A tiny emotional support purchase.
Wreckless adoption of useless happiness

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