1 00:00:00,240 --> 00:00:04,600 Speaker 1: Hey, six degrees listeners, Kevin becon here, I got a 2 00:00:04,640 --> 00:00:08,320 Speaker 1: treat for you this episode. This is the one and 3 00:00:08,560 --> 00:00:14,560 Speaker 1: only hilarious Patton oswaldt joins me for a conversation that 4 00:00:14,960 --> 00:00:20,279 Speaker 1: is funny, funny, funny, funny, but also extremely insightful. As 5 00:00:20,440 --> 00:00:23,400 Speaker 1: you probably know, this guy knows how to make you laugh. 6 00:00:23,880 --> 00:00:26,840 Speaker 1: What here is a little teaser. Patton may have ended 7 00:00:26,920 --> 00:00:30,200 Speaker 1: up on a different career path if not for his 8 00:00:30,520 --> 00:00:34,680 Speaker 1: very blunt dad. I think we got to thank them though, 9 00:00:34,720 --> 00:00:38,839 Speaker 1: because you know, the world needs this dude doing his 10 00:00:38,960 --> 00:00:43,120 Speaker 1: comedy thing and it's stick around. Also because we shine 11 00:00:43,159 --> 00:00:48,880 Speaker 1: a spotlight on a grassroots organization doing amazing work supporting 12 00:00:48,920 --> 00:00:51,400 Speaker 1: students throughout the entire year, not just in the back 13 00:00:51,440 --> 00:00:54,760 Speaker 1: to school sessions. Yeah, I haven't really been looking forward 14 00:00:54,840 --> 00:00:57,960 Speaker 1: to this one. I'm a big fan, so lean in. 15 00:00:58,840 --> 00:01:09,840 Speaker 1: I'm glad you're here. Patton Oswald, thank you so much 16 00:01:09,880 --> 00:01:10,800 Speaker 1: for being here with me. 17 00:01:11,640 --> 00:01:13,280 Speaker 2: Ken, thank you fix having me on. 18 00:01:13,400 --> 00:01:16,520 Speaker 1: Man. Hey, you know it's one of those weird like 19 00:01:16,680 --> 00:01:19,360 Speaker 1: I don't know I've are well. Of course, you know, 20 00:01:19,400 --> 00:01:22,000 Speaker 1: I play this dumb game where I try to figure 21 00:01:22,000 --> 00:01:24,119 Speaker 1: out connections between people. But I don't think that our 22 00:01:24,120 --> 00:01:26,400 Speaker 1: paths have crossed as far as I know, I don't 23 00:01:26,400 --> 00:01:28,759 Speaker 1: think we've been in the same thing, which is kind 24 00:01:28,800 --> 00:01:29,480 Speaker 1: of shocking. 25 00:01:30,080 --> 00:01:33,880 Speaker 3: Yeah, it is weird. We've never crossed directly. I'm sure 26 00:01:33,920 --> 00:01:36,959 Speaker 3: there is no more than a two or three person 27 00:01:37,040 --> 00:01:41,360 Speaker 3: gap between you and I. Apparently my wife was telling me. 28 00:01:41,959 --> 00:01:45,080 Speaker 3: My wife, Meredith Salinger, said that she this is back 29 00:01:45,120 --> 00:01:47,200 Speaker 3: in eighty six, so if you don't remember this, don't 30 00:01:47,240 --> 00:01:49,520 Speaker 3: even worry about it. She had just done a movie 31 00:01:49,520 --> 00:01:51,920 Speaker 3: called A Night in the Life at Jimmy Reared, and 32 00:01:52,360 --> 00:01:54,680 Speaker 3: she met you somewhere, either at a dinner or something, 33 00:01:54,680 --> 00:01:57,080 Speaker 3: and you were joking and like, oh, you just did 34 00:01:57,080 --> 00:01:59,240 Speaker 3: that movie with River Phoenix. I'm probably gonna play his 35 00:01:59,320 --> 00:02:00,360 Speaker 3: big brothers day. 36 00:02:00,800 --> 00:02:05,040 Speaker 1: That's probably I mean, I'm sure she's not lying. I mean, 37 00:02:05,040 --> 00:02:07,680 Speaker 1: I'm sure she's not making it up, and that would 38 00:02:07,720 --> 00:02:09,800 Speaker 1: be something that I would have thought of. In fact, 39 00:02:09,840 --> 00:02:11,800 Speaker 1: you know, it's you know, that was such a you know, 40 00:02:11,960 --> 00:02:14,280 Speaker 1: sad thing I was. I loved her. I thought he 41 00:02:14,400 --> 00:02:19,200 Speaker 1: was great and yeah, and definitely you know, when he 42 00:02:19,240 --> 00:02:21,880 Speaker 1: was younger, he definitely, you know, we look like we 43 00:02:21,919 --> 00:02:25,600 Speaker 1: could have been brothers for sure. Absolutely, yes, But the 44 00:02:25,600 --> 00:02:27,520 Speaker 1: fact that you have been I mean, I think you've 45 00:02:27,560 --> 00:02:31,040 Speaker 1: been in like two hundred movies or something like that. 46 00:02:31,520 --> 00:02:34,480 Speaker 1: It's great, it's it just blows my mind, and it 47 00:02:34,560 --> 00:02:36,720 Speaker 1: makes it even even weirder that we haven't been in 48 00:02:36,760 --> 00:02:40,360 Speaker 1: the same thing together. Well, but you know, life is long, 49 00:02:40,560 --> 00:02:42,440 Speaker 1: so we'll we'll get to do that. 50 00:02:43,120 --> 00:02:45,480 Speaker 2: Life is long, and show business is weirdly small, so 51 00:02:45,560 --> 00:02:48,680 Speaker 2: eventually everybody coides with each other. 52 00:02:49,000 --> 00:02:52,040 Speaker 1: Absolutely, absolutely, thank you, thank you so much for being 53 00:02:52,080 --> 00:02:54,640 Speaker 1: here with me. You know, I want to I want 54 00:02:54,639 --> 00:02:56,880 Speaker 1: to first off say, I don't know why I have 55 00:02:57,000 --> 00:03:01,240 Speaker 1: this obsession with this. The people that listening to this podcast. 56 00:03:01,280 --> 00:03:03,200 Speaker 1: I've heard me mention this many times. But how do 57 00:03:03,280 --> 00:03:05,720 Speaker 1: you feel about your name? And can we talk a 58 00:03:05,760 --> 00:03:08,920 Speaker 1: little bit about it? About the genesis of that name. 59 00:03:09,919 --> 00:03:16,480 Speaker 3: Well, Daddy was a marine and he my mom wanted 60 00:03:16,520 --> 00:03:18,239 Speaker 3: to call me either Andy or Chris, and he thought 61 00:03:18,240 --> 00:03:21,320 Speaker 3: those names were kind of bland and forgettable, so he 62 00:03:21,400 --> 00:03:24,919 Speaker 3: proposed Patton as a first name. I haven't met a 63 00:03:24,960 --> 00:03:28,640 Speaker 3: lot of first name patents out there, but weirdly, you know, 64 00:03:28,720 --> 00:03:31,040 Speaker 3: he had been he had done three tours in Vietnam. 65 00:03:31,080 --> 00:03:34,160 Speaker 3: So even though he named me after a World War 66 00:03:34,240 --> 00:03:36,880 Speaker 3: Two general, he was always very vocal about I don't 67 00:03:36,880 --> 00:03:37,680 Speaker 3: want you ever. 68 00:03:37,600 --> 00:03:39,920 Speaker 2: Going to war or joining the military. 69 00:03:40,000 --> 00:03:42,160 Speaker 3: I know because I've seen the worst of it, and 70 00:03:42,200 --> 00:03:44,480 Speaker 3: I do not want that for you. So what I 71 00:03:44,520 --> 00:03:48,120 Speaker 3: went into being a comedian, he could not have been happier. 72 00:03:48,560 --> 00:03:50,760 Speaker 1: Wow, Okay, yeah, that is a very I think that's 73 00:03:50,800 --> 00:03:54,920 Speaker 1: a very unusual, unusual story. I would think. I mean 74 00:03:55,280 --> 00:03:57,840 Speaker 1: because because you know, listen, I often have said, I 75 00:03:58,080 --> 00:04:00,720 Speaker 1: think I've played four Marines in my life. I get 76 00:04:00,760 --> 00:04:02,760 Speaker 1: I get them, I get the marine gigs, and the 77 00:04:02,800 --> 00:04:06,520 Speaker 1: one thing, oh yeah, absolutely sure that I could never 78 00:04:06,600 --> 00:04:09,600 Speaker 1: do is become a marine. I mean, I wouldn't last 79 00:04:09,640 --> 00:04:13,280 Speaker 1: five minutes through any of those you know of boot 80 00:04:13,280 --> 00:04:17,080 Speaker 1: camp or those procedures. But I do know that a 81 00:04:17,120 --> 00:04:20,000 Speaker 1: lot of the Marines that I've I've been with have 82 00:04:20,080 --> 00:04:22,200 Speaker 1: had sort of the opposite reaction, you know, they kind 83 00:04:22,200 --> 00:04:24,520 Speaker 1: of they they want to pass that on to their sons. 84 00:04:24,720 --> 00:04:27,520 Speaker 1: So I'm I'm I'm wow, I'm not surprised, but I 85 00:04:27,520 --> 00:04:29,280 Speaker 1: think it's but I think it's interesting, and I think 86 00:04:29,279 --> 00:04:31,200 Speaker 1: it says a lot about your dad that he's like, no, 87 00:04:31,279 --> 00:04:32,600 Speaker 1: I've seen it and it's not for you. 88 00:04:33,320 --> 00:04:35,960 Speaker 3: I I don't think he was down on the Marines. 89 00:04:36,040 --> 00:04:38,279 Speaker 3: He was down on the idea of us being sent 90 00:04:38,360 --> 00:04:40,920 Speaker 3: to war. You know, he had been doing. He came 91 00:04:40,960 --> 00:04:43,560 Speaker 3: from a I come from a long line of war 92 00:04:43,640 --> 00:04:49,000 Speaker 3: veterans and warriors. So but my dad saw I think 93 00:04:49,080 --> 00:04:51,039 Speaker 3: he saw some really bad stuff during those three years 94 00:04:51,040 --> 00:04:54,040 Speaker 3: and he got shot in the leg. He's still alive, 95 00:04:54,480 --> 00:04:56,680 Speaker 3: but you know, he just saw a lot of really 96 00:04:57,360 --> 00:04:59,600 Speaker 3: dark stuff and he was like, yeah, war is not 97 00:04:59,640 --> 00:05:00,960 Speaker 3: what I I thought it was going to be. 98 00:05:01,279 --> 00:05:03,120 Speaker 1: And did he talk to you about that stuff? 99 00:05:03,600 --> 00:05:05,760 Speaker 3: He talks about it, but he does it in that 100 00:05:05,880 --> 00:05:10,960 Speaker 3: oblique way where it actually the stuff he doesn't talk 101 00:05:11,000 --> 00:05:14,840 Speaker 3: about weirdly speaks louder than the stuff he can talk 102 00:05:14,839 --> 00:05:17,279 Speaker 3: about directly. That the stuff that he that he clearly 103 00:05:17,360 --> 00:05:21,040 Speaker 3: is deflecting from and can't face head on, you can 104 00:05:21,160 --> 00:05:23,120 Speaker 3: infer what it is he's talking about. 105 00:05:23,200 --> 00:05:24,480 Speaker 2: And it's pretty dark. 106 00:05:24,680 --> 00:05:28,040 Speaker 3: So and I've learned to like, what is the point 107 00:05:28,040 --> 00:05:31,320 Speaker 3: in me dredging it up? I think he's so much 108 00:05:31,320 --> 00:05:34,919 Speaker 3: more happy to be with his sons now alive, rather 109 00:05:35,000 --> 00:05:39,440 Speaker 3: than let's go revisit this as he called it one time, 110 00:05:39,480 --> 00:05:45,520 Speaker 3: he just said war is brutal and completely pointless. And again, 111 00:05:45,560 --> 00:05:47,440 Speaker 3: that's a guy that was did three years of it, 112 00:05:47,560 --> 00:05:51,080 Speaker 3: So you know, I kind of that was my way 113 00:05:51,080 --> 00:05:53,359 Speaker 3: of going, Yeah, let's not push too we don't need 114 00:05:53,400 --> 00:05:54,320 Speaker 3: to push too deep here. 115 00:05:54,680 --> 00:05:58,040 Speaker 1: Sure sure, yeah, sure. So you said you have brothers 116 00:05:58,040 --> 00:05:59,600 Speaker 1: and sisters, got. 117 00:05:59,360 --> 00:06:00,479 Speaker 2: A younger other. 118 00:06:01,839 --> 00:06:08,600 Speaker 3: Also very funny, comedy writer, great on threads and online, 119 00:06:08,760 --> 00:06:12,200 Speaker 3: great writer. And also just like he was actually flirting 120 00:06:12,200 --> 00:06:14,919 Speaker 3: with joining the Air Force. My dad was like, listen, 121 00:06:15,240 --> 00:06:17,000 Speaker 3: I love you. You are not. 122 00:06:17,040 --> 00:06:19,720 Speaker 2: Going to do well in the Army. Go do something else. 123 00:06:19,760 --> 00:06:22,480 Speaker 3: And he wasn't saying it like oh you little whip. 124 00:06:22,680 --> 00:06:26,120 Speaker 3: He was just like, I know how your mind works, 125 00:06:26,160 --> 00:06:27,039 Speaker 3: and this ain't for you. 126 00:06:27,560 --> 00:06:30,160 Speaker 1: Uh huh uh huh Yeah. What were what were you were? 127 00:06:30,600 --> 00:06:32,360 Speaker 1: An army brought it? Did you move around a bunch 128 00:06:32,400 --> 00:06:32,960 Speaker 1: of a bunch? 129 00:06:33,040 --> 00:06:34,320 Speaker 2: And yeah, a little. 130 00:06:34,360 --> 00:06:36,320 Speaker 3: We moved on it when we were really really young. 131 00:06:36,400 --> 00:06:39,920 Speaker 3: But then when we got to just before high school. 132 00:06:39,920 --> 00:06:42,560 Speaker 3: And I remember this very clearly because my dad grew 133 00:06:42,640 --> 00:06:45,360 Speaker 3: up his dad was an Air Force pilot and they 134 00:06:45,440 --> 00:06:48,880 Speaker 3: moved constantly. He went to four different high schools. He 135 00:06:49,040 --> 00:06:52,160 Speaker 3: just was and moved all over the world, Morocco and 136 00:06:52,400 --> 00:06:54,760 Speaker 3: Germany and Spain and then all over the United States. 137 00:06:55,040 --> 00:06:58,839 Speaker 3: And he said, as adventurous as that was. I never 138 00:06:58,880 --> 00:07:01,560 Speaker 3: had like a home base. I never was had like 139 00:07:01,600 --> 00:07:04,120 Speaker 3: a place I could build rep or build my roots, 140 00:07:04,560 --> 00:07:06,760 Speaker 3: and I want that for you guys. You know, because 141 00:07:06,800 --> 00:07:08,640 Speaker 3: my dad also really loved sports, and a lot of 142 00:07:08,640 --> 00:07:11,160 Speaker 3: times he would suddenly move to a new town and 143 00:07:11,560 --> 00:07:13,520 Speaker 3: the coach was like, you're doing really good work, but 144 00:07:13,560 --> 00:07:16,560 Speaker 3: this kid's been here since freshman year, and he's like, 145 00:07:16,680 --> 00:07:18,920 Speaker 3: he's you know, it's his time, and I don't know 146 00:07:18,920 --> 00:07:20,920 Speaker 3: what to tell you, you know, So he's like, I 147 00:07:20,960 --> 00:07:21,560 Speaker 3: don't want that. 148 00:07:21,640 --> 00:07:23,640 Speaker 2: So he took a desk. 149 00:07:23,920 --> 00:07:25,480 Speaker 3: He was like a test pilot for a while, and 150 00:07:25,520 --> 00:07:28,280 Speaker 3: then he took a desk job in the Marines in 151 00:07:28,440 --> 00:07:32,160 Speaker 3: DC testing just so that he could. He was like, 152 00:07:32,200 --> 00:07:33,960 Speaker 3: I don't want that experience for you guys. 153 00:07:34,200 --> 00:07:35,800 Speaker 1: So when you say sports, you and your brother were 154 00:07:35,800 --> 00:07:37,560 Speaker 1: playing sports, or your dad was coaching, or. 155 00:07:37,960 --> 00:07:40,480 Speaker 3: My dad my dad played sports in high school. He 156 00:07:40,720 --> 00:07:44,120 Speaker 3: saw very very early that, oh, I have not given 157 00:07:44,200 --> 00:07:49,320 Speaker 3: birth to jocks, given birth to movie nerds and D 158 00:07:49,440 --> 00:07:52,880 Speaker 3: and D players and possible filmmakers. These guys are not 159 00:07:52,920 --> 00:07:55,520 Speaker 3: going to be I mean, I tried every sport. I 160 00:07:55,600 --> 00:07:58,800 Speaker 3: tried football, I tried soccer, I tried baseball. I was 161 00:07:59,480 --> 00:08:02,320 Speaker 3: just absolutely awful in all of them. 162 00:08:02,760 --> 00:08:04,360 Speaker 1: Well we share that, we share that. 163 00:08:04,560 --> 00:08:06,520 Speaker 2: Really did you try them all and they'd just nothing? 164 00:08:06,560 --> 00:08:08,600 Speaker 1: Really well, well I didn't, you know. It's like when 165 00:08:08,640 --> 00:08:10,880 Speaker 1: I say I tried them, we didn't. I didn't really 166 00:08:10,880 --> 00:08:14,240 Speaker 1: go to a high school that had We didn't have 167 00:08:14,240 --> 00:08:15,840 Speaker 1: a foot There was no football. I mean it was 168 00:08:15,880 --> 00:08:18,520 Speaker 1: a kind of an inner city Philadelphia high school, so 169 00:08:18,560 --> 00:08:21,240 Speaker 1: that we didn't have any room to play football. We 170 00:08:21,280 --> 00:08:23,800 Speaker 1: played football on the street, but it was just touch football. 171 00:08:23,920 --> 00:08:26,680 Speaker 1: Or we would play like, you know, half ball, stickball, 172 00:08:26,840 --> 00:08:29,520 Speaker 1: you know, oh yeah, stuff like that, street hockey. But 173 00:08:29,600 --> 00:08:33,640 Speaker 1: I was never really good, never good at any sports. 174 00:08:34,360 --> 00:08:38,600 Speaker 1: I actually feel, you know, kind of lucky that for 175 00:08:38,640 --> 00:08:42,520 Speaker 1: the most part, I haven't been asked to do anything 176 00:08:43,200 --> 00:08:46,600 Speaker 1: that is specifically ball athletic. I mean I've been asked 177 00:08:46,600 --> 00:08:49,280 Speaker 1: to do things and involved you know, movement and dance 178 00:08:49,360 --> 00:08:51,839 Speaker 1: and fighting, yes, you know, all those kinds of things. 179 00:08:52,280 --> 00:08:54,960 Speaker 1: But the one, the one time that I did a 180 00:08:55,000 --> 00:08:58,520 Speaker 1: sports based movie was this pretty forgettable movie called The 181 00:08:58,600 --> 00:09:03,120 Speaker 1: Air up there where I patted it. Yeah, I played 182 00:09:03,160 --> 00:09:06,760 Speaker 1: a trust me when I say it doesn't really hold up. 183 00:09:08,600 --> 00:09:12,040 Speaker 1: I play a guy who goes I'm a recruiter. I 184 00:09:12,080 --> 00:09:16,319 Speaker 1: go to Africa and the great NBA great Bob McAdoo, 185 00:09:17,360 --> 00:09:22,160 Speaker 1: who was was our technical advisor on on that on 186 00:09:22,240 --> 00:09:25,160 Speaker 1: that movie, and you know, was tasked with, you know, 187 00:09:25,679 --> 00:09:28,760 Speaker 1: trying to uh, you know, get everybody to kind of 188 00:09:28,840 --> 00:09:31,880 Speaker 1: choreograph the games and you know, cast the players that 189 00:09:31,960 --> 00:09:33,920 Speaker 1: could play and stuff like that. And he he once 190 00:09:34,160 --> 00:09:36,160 Speaker 1: did an interview and said that one of the hardest 191 00:09:36,160 --> 00:09:37,760 Speaker 1: things he ever had to do in his career was 192 00:09:37,800 --> 00:09:39,920 Speaker 1: make Kevin Bacon look like a basketball player. 193 00:09:40,679 --> 00:09:44,640 Speaker 3: So and make make you look like someone who knew 194 00:09:44,679 --> 00:09:46,920 Speaker 3: how to tell people how to play basketball. 195 00:09:46,440 --> 00:09:49,959 Speaker 1: Like that was the easy part. But there was a 196 00:09:50,000 --> 00:09:52,320 Speaker 1: scene where I come in and actually, you know, save 197 00:09:52,400 --> 00:09:54,760 Speaker 1: the day, you know with my outside shooting, you know. 198 00:09:55,080 --> 00:09:58,679 Speaker 2: So, but that's fantastic. 199 00:09:59,000 --> 00:10:01,480 Speaker 1: Yeah, it was. It was, But you know, listen, I 200 00:10:02,320 --> 00:10:05,640 Speaker 1: think it's really again. I think that I like your 201 00:10:05,720 --> 00:10:09,520 Speaker 1: dad without having met him, for those two reasons, one 202 00:10:09,559 --> 00:10:11,720 Speaker 1: saying you know, I don't want you to go to war, 203 00:10:11,880 --> 00:10:15,280 Speaker 1: and to saying, hey, I see something else in both 204 00:10:15,280 --> 00:10:19,480 Speaker 1: of you. That edit eight you know, football and go 205 00:10:19,520 --> 00:10:21,440 Speaker 1: and do your thing. I mean I think that's I 206 00:10:21,440 --> 00:10:22,480 Speaker 1: think that's fantastic. 207 00:10:22,760 --> 00:10:25,000 Speaker 3: Yeah, And I've actually carried that on because I'm not 208 00:10:25,240 --> 00:10:27,960 Speaker 3: going to be the jock version of a nerd dad 209 00:10:28,000 --> 00:10:30,040 Speaker 3: to my daughter. Like I remember, I showed her Star 210 00:10:30,080 --> 00:10:32,640 Speaker 3: Wars and she was like meh, And I wasn't, like 211 00:10:32,880 --> 00:10:35,559 Speaker 3: you are going to sit down and you're a good wall, 212 00:10:35,840 --> 00:10:37,679 Speaker 3: you know, I said, Oh, I didn't land with her. 213 00:10:37,920 --> 00:10:38,480 Speaker 2: That's fine. 214 00:10:38,520 --> 00:10:41,880 Speaker 3: Like, I'm not gonna force her into something that she's not. 215 00:10:42,080 --> 00:10:44,440 Speaker 3: That's a I think that's a crucial thing that parents 216 00:10:44,480 --> 00:10:47,280 Speaker 3: need to learn and from my dad, and I'm doing 217 00:10:47,280 --> 00:10:47,640 Speaker 3: it now. 218 00:10:48,120 --> 00:10:51,560 Speaker 1: I agree. I totally agree. I don't. I don't try 219 00:10:51,600 --> 00:10:53,600 Speaker 1: to force them into something that they don't that they 220 00:10:53,640 --> 00:10:55,800 Speaker 1: don't want to do, you know, other than you know, 221 00:10:56,040 --> 00:10:59,880 Speaker 1: trying to lead by example, to be a good person 222 00:11:00,040 --> 00:11:03,160 Speaker 1: and you know, try to whatever, have some empathy, but 223 00:11:03,840 --> 00:11:07,640 Speaker 1: try other than that. I mean, I totally agree. Well, 224 00:11:09,120 --> 00:11:12,880 Speaker 1: so you mentioned that you had a great love and 225 00:11:12,920 --> 00:11:15,200 Speaker 1: you mentioned Star Wars with your brother. You and your 226 00:11:15,200 --> 00:11:19,439 Speaker 1: brother were kind of movie nerds. You like to watch. 227 00:11:19,640 --> 00:11:22,320 Speaker 3: I was way more of a movie nerd than my brother. 228 00:11:22,400 --> 00:11:24,480 Speaker 3: He got into movies a little older. He did like 229 00:11:25,240 --> 00:11:29,240 Speaker 3: watching sports, he wasn't big on playing them, even though 230 00:11:29,280 --> 00:11:33,079 Speaker 3: he's very kind of fit and he takes good care 231 00:11:33,120 --> 00:11:35,280 Speaker 3: of himself, but he wasn't into like the team sports up. 232 00:11:35,760 --> 00:11:38,800 Speaker 3: I was just from a very early age, just hooked 233 00:11:38,880 --> 00:11:39,520 Speaker 3: on the whole. 234 00:11:39,600 --> 00:11:39,800 Speaker 1: You know. 235 00:11:40,200 --> 00:11:42,160 Speaker 3: I don't know if you it sounds like you grew 236 00:11:42,200 --> 00:11:45,680 Speaker 3: up in Philly in the seventies, sixties and seventies. Yeah, 237 00:11:45,679 --> 00:11:49,640 Speaker 3: so you probably had your version of the Saturday morning 238 00:11:50,200 --> 00:11:51,160 Speaker 3: horror movie. 239 00:11:50,920 --> 00:11:51,760 Speaker 2: Host that there. 240 00:11:52,360 --> 00:11:53,800 Speaker 3: I said, there was a monster movie and then an 241 00:11:53,800 --> 00:11:57,719 Speaker 3: Abbot Costello movie, totally, and I just devoured all of them. 242 00:11:57,800 --> 00:12:01,160 Speaker 3: And then me too, eight years old, Star Wars came 243 00:12:01,160 --> 00:12:03,040 Speaker 3: out and that was it. It just kicked the side 244 00:12:03,040 --> 00:12:05,520 Speaker 3: of my head in and I was completely, Oh, that's 245 00:12:05,520 --> 00:12:07,439 Speaker 3: what I want to be doing. I want I want 246 00:12:07,440 --> 00:12:08,719 Speaker 3: to get on the other side of that and be 247 00:12:08,800 --> 00:12:10,280 Speaker 3: in that world somehow. 248 00:12:10,360 --> 00:12:13,280 Speaker 1: Right, right, But how does that how does that walk 249 00:12:13,320 --> 00:12:17,560 Speaker 1: its way to comedy? I was or was that not? 250 00:12:17,600 --> 00:12:19,360 Speaker 1: Even the impetus at the jump? 251 00:12:20,480 --> 00:12:21,120 Speaker 2: At the jump? 252 00:12:21,160 --> 00:12:25,040 Speaker 3: It was, well, I wish I had a deeper, more 253 00:12:25,520 --> 00:12:28,600 Speaker 3: artistic story to tell you, but it really did get 254 00:12:28,640 --> 00:12:31,440 Speaker 3: to the point where it was that summer between freshman 255 00:12:31,480 --> 00:12:34,640 Speaker 3: and sophomore year of high school, Well that's the no, no, 256 00:12:34,720 --> 00:12:37,559 Speaker 3: I'm sorry. The summer between freshman and sophomore year of college. 257 00:12:37,559 --> 00:12:39,600 Speaker 3: That was the summer of nineteen eighty eight. I was okay, 258 00:12:39,760 --> 00:12:41,800 Speaker 3: I just completed my first year of college, and that's 259 00:12:41,800 --> 00:12:43,760 Speaker 3: the first time in your life when you really start 260 00:12:43,760 --> 00:12:46,280 Speaker 3: to feel like, I better start figuring out what I'm 261 00:12:46,320 --> 00:12:48,880 Speaker 3: going to do because in three years this is over 262 00:12:48,960 --> 00:12:51,360 Speaker 3: and I'm out in the real world. And I did 263 00:12:51,400 --> 00:12:54,280 Speaker 3: a bunch of different jobs that summer. I did everything. 264 00:12:54,280 --> 00:12:56,600 Speaker 3: I was working at a law firm, and I was 265 00:12:56,760 --> 00:13:00,520 Speaker 3: DJing weddings on weekends and it was just and I 266 00:13:00,559 --> 00:13:03,960 Speaker 3: started doing open mics in DC and that's what stuck. 267 00:13:04,160 --> 00:13:07,920 Speaker 3: It just and I was getting no positive reinforcement. Nobody 268 00:13:08,160 --> 00:13:10,280 Speaker 3: was like what I was doing. But I loved the 269 00:13:10,360 --> 00:13:12,320 Speaker 3: hang and I loved the life, and that's what I 270 00:13:12,360 --> 00:13:15,000 Speaker 3: wanted to be doing. And it just clicked, and I'm like, oh, 271 00:13:15,120 --> 00:13:17,079 Speaker 3: that's what I should be doing. I just I knew it. 272 00:13:17,120 --> 00:13:19,640 Speaker 3: I knew it without being able to really articulate it. 273 00:13:19,640 --> 00:13:20,920 Speaker 3: I knew that's what I should be doing. 274 00:13:21,280 --> 00:13:23,800 Speaker 1: Well, it's so interesting that you say that you love 275 00:13:23,880 --> 00:13:25,520 Speaker 1: the life, and I'll have to tell you why, because 276 00:13:25,720 --> 00:13:30,839 Speaker 1: I I it. When I think about comics, first off, 277 00:13:31,440 --> 00:13:37,040 Speaker 1: I think that dollar for dollar, going to a comedy 278 00:13:37,080 --> 00:13:43,080 Speaker 1: show might be my favorite kind of form of entertainment. 279 00:13:43,120 --> 00:13:45,280 Speaker 1: I absolutely loved movies. I love it. I love to 280 00:13:45,280 --> 00:13:47,560 Speaker 1: go to the theater, Yeah, But when I look at 281 00:13:48,600 --> 00:13:55,079 Speaker 1: what I get from a from a comedy show, a special, 282 00:13:55,559 --> 00:13:58,600 Speaker 1: you know, a single comic special. Oh yes, I'm talking 283 00:13:58,600 --> 00:14:00,480 Speaker 1: about it. You know when people get up do you 284 00:14:00,480 --> 00:14:02,640 Speaker 1: know ten minutes or seven minutes or whatever it is, 285 00:14:03,360 --> 00:14:07,720 Speaker 1: you know you're going to see people do really well 286 00:14:08,200 --> 00:14:10,960 Speaker 1: and do really badly. So there's this kind of like 287 00:14:11,160 --> 00:14:16,600 Speaker 1: electric sort of edge that happens that and and when 288 00:14:16,640 --> 00:14:20,760 Speaker 1: it's when it's really great, as a collective group, you 289 00:14:21,000 --> 00:14:25,360 Speaker 1: all feel this tremendous sense of just you get so 290 00:14:25,560 --> 00:14:28,440 Speaker 1: thrilled to be laughing that hard, and you get so 291 00:14:28,560 --> 00:14:30,760 Speaker 1: thrilled for somebody when they're when they're doing well, and 292 00:14:30,800 --> 00:14:33,720 Speaker 1: you feel so bad when they're not. And whenever you 293 00:14:33,720 --> 00:14:35,400 Speaker 1: go to a comedy show, you're going to see that 294 00:14:35,760 --> 00:14:37,480 Speaker 1: you know, and you're gonna be jokes that are gonna 295 00:14:37,520 --> 00:14:39,360 Speaker 1: land and aren' gonna land, And there's a kind of 296 00:14:39,480 --> 00:14:41,720 Speaker 1: danger to it that I really love. But the thing 297 00:14:41,760 --> 00:14:46,480 Speaker 1: that blows my mind is that you went one day 298 00:14:47,680 --> 00:14:50,760 Speaker 1: having never done this and you just walk up to 299 00:14:50,800 --> 00:14:54,320 Speaker 1: a microphone. Yeah, I mean did you had you had 300 00:14:54,400 --> 00:14:56,840 Speaker 1: you written it down, or had you stood in the 301 00:14:56,880 --> 00:15:00,000 Speaker 1: mirror like what like like like like doing it, or 302 00:15:00,280 --> 00:15:01,800 Speaker 1: I've done it for your friends, or. 303 00:15:02,400 --> 00:15:06,360 Speaker 3: I wrote stuff down on a piece of paper at 304 00:15:06,400 --> 00:15:08,360 Speaker 3: the law firm I was working at and I lost 305 00:15:08,360 --> 00:15:09,880 Speaker 3: that piece of paper. I had that for the longest 306 00:15:09,880 --> 00:15:11,960 Speaker 3: tumm and I don't have it anymore, which is just 307 00:15:12,000 --> 00:15:15,360 Speaker 3: as good, because the material was terrible. I wrote what 308 00:15:15,400 --> 00:15:17,680 Speaker 3: I thought where it sounded like jokes based on what 309 00:15:17,720 --> 00:15:19,960 Speaker 3: I've been watching on TV, on the cable shows and 310 00:15:19,960 --> 00:15:24,960 Speaker 3: stuff like that, and so I just kind of went up, yes, exactly. 311 00:15:25,000 --> 00:15:27,680 Speaker 3: But it was also that classic like I'm so not 312 00:15:27,720 --> 00:15:29,040 Speaker 3: speaking in my own voice. 313 00:15:28,880 --> 00:15:31,920 Speaker 2: Yet I'm not comfortable enough on stage to just go, hey, 314 00:15:31,960 --> 00:15:33,880 Speaker 2: here's what's going on. I was trying to do the 315 00:15:33,960 --> 00:15:36,240 Speaker 2: rhythms of stuff I'd seen on TV. I mean, what's 316 00:15:36,520 --> 00:15:36,720 Speaker 2: you know? 317 00:15:37,280 --> 00:15:41,440 Speaker 3: And so it was almost like stand up karaoke in 318 00:15:41,480 --> 00:15:44,840 Speaker 3: a weird way. And what you realize is, and I'm 319 00:15:44,840 --> 00:15:47,320 Speaker 3: sure you experienced this as an actor too. Starting out, 320 00:15:47,840 --> 00:15:50,240 Speaker 3: one of the first jobs you have to do is 321 00:15:50,280 --> 00:15:53,600 Speaker 3: to get over the fact that going on stage is 322 00:15:53,600 --> 00:15:55,400 Speaker 3: a big deal. You have to get to the point 323 00:15:55,440 --> 00:15:58,360 Speaker 3: where you don't think about that anymore, and that's when 324 00:15:58,360 --> 00:16:01,280 Speaker 3: you can really start to cook. I'm sure the first 325 00:16:01,280 --> 00:16:04,400 Speaker 3: time that you had an acting gig, you're like, Okay, 326 00:16:04,400 --> 00:16:06,840 Speaker 3: where do I put my feet? Where? What do I 327 00:16:06,920 --> 00:16:09,240 Speaker 3: I'm gonna walk in here? Like that has got to 328 00:16:09,240 --> 00:16:12,200 Speaker 3: become second nature and then you can really be present 329 00:16:12,320 --> 00:16:15,000 Speaker 3: in what it makes you're doing, you know. Yeah, So, 330 00:16:15,320 --> 00:16:16,960 Speaker 3: I mean so I had to I had to get 331 00:16:17,000 --> 00:16:18,040 Speaker 3: over that first. 332 00:16:18,600 --> 00:16:19,400 Speaker 2: That took some time. 333 00:16:19,800 --> 00:16:21,600 Speaker 1: And so is it the type of thing where like 334 00:16:21,720 --> 00:16:25,600 Speaker 1: you go and you do one open mic and like 335 00:16:25,960 --> 00:16:28,040 Speaker 1: a couple of things work, and then you try it 336 00:16:28,080 --> 00:16:30,800 Speaker 1: again and a couple more work or or or or 337 00:16:30,880 --> 00:16:32,560 Speaker 1: am I romanticizing it? 338 00:16:32,640 --> 00:16:36,880 Speaker 3: You're romanticizing because I went up and nothing worked, okay, 339 00:16:36,880 --> 00:16:41,400 Speaker 3: But what I loved was the two hours before I 340 00:16:41,520 --> 00:16:44,720 Speaker 3: was able to go on stage, sitting watching the other comedians, 341 00:16:45,000 --> 00:16:48,120 Speaker 3: watching people riffing off of each other, and just that 342 00:16:48,200 --> 00:16:51,760 Speaker 3: whole energy of it. And then you just keep going 343 00:16:51,880 --> 00:16:54,480 Speaker 3: up over and over and it gets a little bit 344 00:16:54,680 --> 00:16:59,760 Speaker 3: better each time, and again you get over the oh 345 00:16:59,760 --> 00:17:01,520 Speaker 3: I got to think about going on stage, and then 346 00:17:01,560 --> 00:17:03,240 Speaker 3: you're more and you can be more real. I mean, 347 00:17:04,119 --> 00:17:06,520 Speaker 3: if you go to comedy shows, I'm sure you've seen 348 00:17:06,600 --> 00:17:09,280 Speaker 3: those nights where someone does a joke and it doesn't 349 00:17:09,359 --> 00:17:11,280 Speaker 3: land and then they make a joke about it not 350 00:17:11,440 --> 00:17:13,640 Speaker 3: landing because they're so present in the moment and that 351 00:17:13,680 --> 00:17:16,280 Speaker 3: gets a laugh. So when you can get to that 352 00:17:16,320 --> 00:17:19,920 Speaker 3: point where you're like, here's this you're so present on stage, 353 00:17:20,400 --> 00:17:22,960 Speaker 3: But that just comes from repetition. And yeah, there's a 354 00:17:23,000 --> 00:17:25,400 Speaker 3: lot of there were a lot of open mics where 355 00:17:25,440 --> 00:17:26,160 Speaker 3: oh boy. 356 00:17:26,480 --> 00:17:28,240 Speaker 2: It was. But you know what, here's what's great. 357 00:17:28,280 --> 00:17:32,359 Speaker 3: When you completely fail, I mean completely turf out. 358 00:17:32,600 --> 00:17:35,080 Speaker 2: There's nothing better than waking up the next day and going, oh, 359 00:17:35,119 --> 00:17:38,399 Speaker 2: the world didn't end. It didn't matter. I could just 360 00:17:38,480 --> 00:17:40,280 Speaker 2: keep doing this over and over and you get over 361 00:17:40,320 --> 00:17:46,160 Speaker 2: that fear. And that's the best. 362 00:17:48,600 --> 00:17:51,880 Speaker 1: I have a buddy who's a comic and you talk 363 00:17:51,920 --> 00:17:56,560 Speaker 1: about the you liked the world and seeing the energy, 364 00:17:56,600 --> 00:18:01,320 Speaker 1: and I really like I would go sometimes with him 365 00:18:02,040 --> 00:18:04,879 Speaker 1: and you know, just kind of hang not not go 366 00:18:05,000 --> 00:18:06,919 Speaker 1: to not necessarily go to the show, but kind of 367 00:18:07,520 --> 00:18:10,480 Speaker 1: what the process was of the hang it and it 368 00:18:10,480 --> 00:18:13,639 Speaker 1: it is really amazing. Well, for one thing, there is 369 00:18:15,080 --> 00:18:18,280 Speaker 1: probably not always and I might be romanticizing this as well, 370 00:18:18,320 --> 00:18:21,600 Speaker 1: but that there's kind of a sense of community. Oh yeah, 371 00:18:21,800 --> 00:18:26,840 Speaker 1: people that are you know at one point, you know, 372 00:18:27,000 --> 00:18:30,960 Speaker 1: everyone is obviously competitive with each other, but also I 373 00:18:31,080 --> 00:18:34,080 Speaker 1: get the sense that that people are also happy when 374 00:18:34,119 --> 00:18:36,879 Speaker 1: somebody else, you know, kind of does well because it 375 00:18:36,920 --> 00:18:39,679 Speaker 1: means that you have a chance of getting far ahead. 376 00:18:40,440 --> 00:18:42,600 Speaker 1: And if somebody nobody's getting paid, that's the other thing 377 00:18:42,640 --> 00:18:45,200 Speaker 1: that's like amazing, No, it's getting paid. 378 00:18:45,600 --> 00:18:48,840 Speaker 3: I did a show two nights ago here in the valley, 379 00:18:49,040 --> 00:18:51,560 Speaker 3: right like five minutes from my house on Ventura, and 380 00:18:52,119 --> 00:18:54,720 Speaker 3: for some reason, I guess they didn't promote it very well. 381 00:18:55,119 --> 00:18:57,399 Speaker 3: A lot of just kind of old people sitting in 382 00:18:57,440 --> 00:19:00,040 Speaker 3: this room that were not really tuned in. And it 383 00:19:00,119 --> 00:19:02,200 Speaker 3: was other friends of mine on the show, and we 384 00:19:02,200 --> 00:19:06,240 Speaker 3: were all the backstage was that weird camaraderie of like 385 00:19:06,800 --> 00:19:10,520 Speaker 3: we are at an AARP conventions and I don't know 386 00:19:10,560 --> 00:19:12,960 Speaker 3: what is happening out there, And that actually made it 387 00:19:13,040 --> 00:19:15,120 Speaker 3: kind of fun that each of us was gonna go 388 00:19:15,160 --> 00:19:17,719 Speaker 3: out and just support the and then you would come 389 00:19:17,720 --> 00:19:18,760 Speaker 3: off stage to nothing. 390 00:19:18,800 --> 00:19:21,320 Speaker 2: This audience was so awful, But then. 391 00:19:21,240 --> 00:19:24,000 Speaker 3: That kind of became the event is watching the comedians 392 00:19:24,359 --> 00:19:26,800 Speaker 3: kind of talk to each other even when they're on stage, 393 00:19:26,840 --> 00:19:29,600 Speaker 3: like hey, Alonso, you were right, this is oh my god, 394 00:19:29,640 --> 00:19:30,400 Speaker 3: what is happening? 395 00:19:30,480 --> 00:19:33,480 Speaker 2: Like that stuff? Then that kind of made it an 396 00:19:33,480 --> 00:19:34,960 Speaker 2: event and I love stuff like that. 397 00:19:35,840 --> 00:19:41,320 Speaker 1: Yeah. Yeah, well now you have done the multiple multiple specials. Yeah, 398 00:19:41,359 --> 00:19:46,119 Speaker 1: and they're they're amazing. And when you do those, how 399 00:19:46,160 --> 00:19:48,000 Speaker 1: does that work? Is that? Is that a Is that 400 00:19:48,080 --> 00:19:51,359 Speaker 1: a routine that you have toured around for a while 401 00:19:51,400 --> 00:19:53,479 Speaker 1: before you actually do a special on it? Is that? 402 00:19:53,560 --> 00:19:53,960 Speaker 1: Is that the way? 403 00:19:54,119 --> 00:19:56,520 Speaker 3: Yeah, you tour with it, you get the hour together 404 00:19:56,720 --> 00:20:00,760 Speaker 3: and then you you know, nowadays, actually because there's so 405 00:20:00,760 --> 00:20:05,200 Speaker 3: many streaming platforms, you go to Netflix or Amazon or 406 00:20:05,280 --> 00:20:08,160 Speaker 3: Hulu or HBO Max or whoever wants to Hey, I've 407 00:20:08,160 --> 00:20:10,960 Speaker 3: got this hour. A lot of times, you know, if 408 00:20:10,960 --> 00:20:14,080 Speaker 3: you're new, you shoot it yourself. You invest a little 409 00:20:14,080 --> 00:20:15,600 Speaker 3: bit of money and shoot it yourself and then see 410 00:20:15,600 --> 00:20:18,560 Speaker 3: who wants to buy it from you and and broadcast it. 411 00:20:18,640 --> 00:20:21,040 Speaker 3: Other times, if you're lucky, if you are enough of 412 00:20:21,040 --> 00:20:23,280 Speaker 3: a name, a platform will go, we'd like to do 413 00:20:23,320 --> 00:20:25,000 Speaker 3: a special with you, and they'll promote it and stuff 414 00:20:25,040 --> 00:20:29,320 Speaker 3: like that. But it is right now, there is that 415 00:20:29,440 --> 00:20:35,120 Speaker 3: kind of nineteen sixties American International Pictures drive in thing 416 00:20:35,160 --> 00:20:37,360 Speaker 3: of like we shot it, who wants to pick it up. 417 00:20:37,320 --> 00:20:37,720 Speaker 2: And buy it? 418 00:20:37,880 --> 00:20:39,480 Speaker 1: Kiddn't know that? 419 00:20:39,640 --> 00:20:41,879 Speaker 2: Oh yeah yeah, because so who finance is it? 420 00:20:41,920 --> 00:20:46,159 Speaker 1: Who actually puts the money up? You get an independent 421 00:20:46,200 --> 00:20:48,680 Speaker 1: investor or the comedian themselves. 422 00:20:48,240 --> 00:20:51,000 Speaker 3: Or get an independent investor the comedian themselves, They go 423 00:20:51,080 --> 00:20:55,159 Speaker 3: to their friends, they do a kickstarter campaign and a 424 00:20:55,160 --> 00:20:58,560 Speaker 3: lot of it. Like, you can really make something kind 425 00:20:58,560 --> 00:21:01,760 Speaker 3: of captivating and and charming if you do do it 426 00:21:01,880 --> 00:21:04,080 Speaker 3: super low budget, and it's like, oh, this isn't a 427 00:21:04,400 --> 00:21:07,800 Speaker 3: rather and there's nothing wrong with these beautiful specials that 428 00:21:07,840 --> 00:21:10,719 Speaker 3: are shot in like Madison Square Garden or you know, 429 00:21:11,440 --> 00:21:14,240 Speaker 3: but there's something about like a. 430 00:21:14,200 --> 00:21:17,040 Speaker 2: Small the corner of a club. 431 00:21:16,800 --> 00:21:19,600 Speaker 3: And it's tightly packed, and you like some of those 432 00:21:19,680 --> 00:21:21,560 Speaker 3: actually can feel way more immediate. 433 00:21:21,720 --> 00:21:21,840 Speaker 4: It. 434 00:21:21,840 --> 00:21:25,440 Speaker 3: It's the difference between like a late Zeppelin album versus 435 00:21:25,480 --> 00:21:28,400 Speaker 3: an early Ramones album. You know, they both have their value, 436 00:21:28,440 --> 00:21:30,840 Speaker 3: but that Ramones album really hits when you hear It's 437 00:21:30,880 --> 00:21:34,000 Speaker 3: like these dudes carried their own equipment and I don't 438 00:21:34,040 --> 00:21:35,800 Speaker 3: think they had more than a day in the studio, 439 00:21:36,160 --> 00:21:39,200 Speaker 3: and this feels really raw and really amazing. 440 00:21:39,600 --> 00:21:42,720 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, yeah, for sure, and I think, I mean, 441 00:21:42,720 --> 00:21:45,840 Speaker 1: how do you feel do you feel that that the 442 00:21:45,920 --> 00:21:49,040 Speaker 1: possibilities of you know, we're just coming out of the strike, 443 00:21:49,160 --> 00:21:53,199 Speaker 1: so it's like, you know, kind of like, you know, 444 00:21:54,520 --> 00:21:57,960 Speaker 1: I almost hesitate to say, hey, streaming is awesome, but 445 00:21:58,560 --> 00:22:00,080 Speaker 1: there's a lot of there's a lot of in a 446 00:22:00,080 --> 00:22:01,600 Speaker 1: lot of ways it is. But I think that for 447 00:22:01,720 --> 00:22:05,000 Speaker 1: comedy it's been really good. I mean, it just seems like, yes, 448 00:22:05,320 --> 00:22:09,280 Speaker 1: so many people are getting so much more exposure to uh, 449 00:22:09,640 --> 00:22:12,960 Speaker 1: to so many more interesting comics. And I think that 450 00:22:13,240 --> 00:22:14,919 Speaker 1: I talk to a lot of people that have just 451 00:22:15,119 --> 00:22:17,880 Speaker 1: watched you know, one one special after another, and I've 452 00:22:17,880 --> 00:22:21,080 Speaker 1: discovered people that I just were not on my radar 453 00:22:21,119 --> 00:22:21,440 Speaker 1: at all. 454 00:22:22,080 --> 00:22:22,840 Speaker 4: It's it. 455 00:22:23,000 --> 00:22:24,320 Speaker 2: There's there's good and bad to it. 456 00:22:24,359 --> 00:22:27,000 Speaker 3: The good thing is, yes, newer voices can get themselves 457 00:22:27,040 --> 00:22:30,960 Speaker 3: seen way easier. They you know, there's there's more production 458 00:22:31,040 --> 00:22:34,800 Speaker 3: and post production ability in this thing than Orson Wells 459 00:22:34,840 --> 00:22:37,240 Speaker 3: had when he did Citizen K. Like that's the level we're. 460 00:22:37,119 --> 00:22:37,720 Speaker 2: At right now. 461 00:22:38,080 --> 00:22:41,320 Speaker 3: But the problem, the only drawback is one of the 462 00:22:41,359 --> 00:22:43,840 Speaker 3: advantages I had coming up in the I started in 463 00:22:43,920 --> 00:22:48,520 Speaker 3: eighty eight was I had my time in the wilderness. 464 00:22:48,600 --> 00:22:51,040 Speaker 3: I had my time getting to work on my craft 465 00:22:51,080 --> 00:22:53,760 Speaker 3: with no one watching me, and I could figure out 466 00:22:53,800 --> 00:22:57,120 Speaker 3: who I was before I made my debut. Now people 467 00:22:57,200 --> 00:23:01,400 Speaker 3: are literally filming and posting their first open mind on TikTok, 468 00:23:01,520 --> 00:23:05,159 Speaker 3: and sometimes early on you can find a voice that 469 00:23:05,280 --> 00:23:08,040 Speaker 3: works for you early on, but then you evolve beyond it. 470 00:23:08,080 --> 00:23:10,640 Speaker 3: But if you establish that that's your voice and that's 471 00:23:10,680 --> 00:23:13,479 Speaker 3: what's getting you to go viral and get a million clicks, 472 00:23:13,520 --> 00:23:16,000 Speaker 3: it's hard sometimes to break out of some of. 473 00:23:15,920 --> 00:23:16,880 Speaker 2: Your first choices. 474 00:23:17,520 --> 00:23:22,679 Speaker 3: And I do wish that there were certain young especially 475 00:23:22,720 --> 00:23:24,600 Speaker 3: young feens coming up there I think are really brilliant. 476 00:23:24,600 --> 00:23:27,000 Speaker 3: But it's like, oh, if you had just stayed in 477 00:23:27,000 --> 00:23:29,640 Speaker 3: the wilderness for one more year, you would have really 478 00:23:30,320 --> 00:23:33,040 Speaker 3: solidified who it is you are, you know what I mean? 479 00:23:33,280 --> 00:23:33,399 Speaker 1: Right? 480 00:23:33,560 --> 00:23:35,240 Speaker 3: But like I wish that for them. I don't wish 481 00:23:35,240 --> 00:23:38,280 Speaker 3: them to be obscure forever. I just want the time 482 00:23:38,280 --> 00:23:40,520 Speaker 3: for them to develop on their own terms and at 483 00:23:40,560 --> 00:23:41,280 Speaker 3: their own pace. 484 00:23:41,960 --> 00:23:44,639 Speaker 1: Right. Well, it's the ten thousand hours thing, right and then. 485 00:23:44,760 --> 00:23:49,360 Speaker 3: You absolutely why were the Beatles so great because they 486 00:23:49,400 --> 00:23:53,320 Speaker 3: did eight hours sets in strip clubs in Germany where 487 00:23:53,359 --> 00:23:56,040 Speaker 3: the audience wanted to murder them, so they learned to 488 00:23:56,080 --> 00:23:57,919 Speaker 3: get really good, really quick. 489 00:23:58,520 --> 00:24:01,040 Speaker 1: Yeah. Yeah. Have you ever have you ever been to 490 00:24:01,160 --> 00:24:06,480 Speaker 1: the Reaper Bomb? No, yeah I have. Yeah. I went 491 00:24:06,560 --> 00:24:10,840 Speaker 1: there actually with my son. We we took a father 492 00:24:11,040 --> 00:24:15,479 Speaker 1: son trip a few years ago. Uh you know he 493 00:24:16,080 --> 00:24:21,359 Speaker 1: my my uh his cousin. His cousin's dad said to me, 494 00:24:21,560 --> 00:24:25,399 Speaker 1: you know, I took a trip with with Whitney. We 495 00:24:25,480 --> 00:24:27,239 Speaker 1: just did like, you know, a father son thing. And 496 00:24:27,280 --> 00:24:30,000 Speaker 1: I was like, man, I want to do that. So 497 00:24:30,080 --> 00:24:32,320 Speaker 1: I asked my son, thinking that he would never say yes, 498 00:24:32,359 --> 00:24:34,040 Speaker 1: and he was like, yeah, sure, I'll go. I was like, 499 00:24:34,280 --> 00:24:35,840 Speaker 1: where do you want to go? And that was one 500 00:24:35,840 --> 00:24:38,800 Speaker 1: of the places he wanted to go, was Homburg. Not 501 00:24:38,800 --> 00:24:41,040 Speaker 1: not specifically to the Reaper Bomb, but just he just 502 00:24:41,080 --> 00:24:44,320 Speaker 1: wanted to get for some reason. I think maybe having 503 00:24:44,840 --> 00:24:47,840 Speaker 1: knowing something about the Beatles in those in those days 504 00:24:47,840 --> 00:24:50,520 Speaker 1: and stuff like that. He's a musician, and uh it was. 505 00:24:50,560 --> 00:24:54,320 Speaker 1: It was interesting. I mean it's still you know, you 506 00:24:54,400 --> 00:25:00,280 Speaker 1: can it still has enough of the the feel that 507 00:25:00,359 --> 00:25:04,760 Speaker 1: you can picture you can kind of fantasize about these 508 00:25:04,800 --> 00:25:09,560 Speaker 1: young dudes being here and playing these you know, crappy 509 00:25:09,600 --> 00:25:11,680 Speaker 1: little clubs and doing eight shows a day. As you've 510 00:25:11,680 --> 00:25:12,560 Speaker 1: pointed out. 511 00:25:12,600 --> 00:25:13,399 Speaker 2: Well, that's okay. 512 00:25:13,480 --> 00:25:15,439 Speaker 3: So you're a musician too when you go into a 513 00:25:15,480 --> 00:25:18,200 Speaker 3: space like that, because as a musician you play all 514 00:25:18,280 --> 00:25:20,720 Speaker 3: different spaces, Graham theaters. 515 00:25:20,359 --> 00:25:21,200 Speaker 2: Smaller clubs. 516 00:25:21,400 --> 00:25:23,320 Speaker 3: When you go into the Reaper Bond, was there also 517 00:25:23,400 --> 00:25:26,960 Speaker 3: that leftover vibe of like, oh, I here's how I 518 00:25:27,000 --> 00:25:29,960 Speaker 3: would have adjusted what it is that I do to 519 00:25:30,040 --> 00:25:32,600 Speaker 3: slay in this room, because sometimes you have to make adjustments, 520 00:25:32,880 --> 00:25:35,320 Speaker 3: oh hundred rooms. So did you get that feeling like, oh, 521 00:25:35,359 --> 00:25:37,320 Speaker 3: this is where the Beatles sound came out of because 522 00:25:37,320 --> 00:25:38,440 Speaker 3: they adjusted to this. 523 00:25:39,920 --> 00:25:42,520 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean that that And yeah, I mean if 524 00:25:42,560 --> 00:25:48,760 Speaker 1: they had grown up, you know, playing in you know, 525 00:25:48,960 --> 00:25:51,760 Speaker 1: concert halls, it would be right, be different. I mean, 526 00:25:51,880 --> 00:25:54,520 Speaker 1: be a different man, for sure. I mean, and I 527 00:25:54,560 --> 00:25:57,399 Speaker 1: think that also. You know, there's a lot of stuff 528 00:25:57,400 --> 00:25:59,240 Speaker 1: I don't want to get too deep in the in 529 00:25:59,320 --> 00:26:01,200 Speaker 1: the into the but there was a lot of stuff. 530 00:26:01,440 --> 00:26:05,879 Speaker 1: For instance, the the how they learned to be able 531 00:26:05,920 --> 00:26:10,720 Speaker 1: to hear each other and to be able to harmonize 532 00:26:11,040 --> 00:26:15,720 Speaker 1: and be that tight in loud clubs with terrible, terrible sound, 533 00:26:15,760 --> 00:26:18,840 Speaker 1: and oh my god, you know they monitors. I mean, 534 00:26:18,880 --> 00:26:21,240 Speaker 1: it's it's it's it's kind of it's kind of remarkable. 535 00:26:22,520 --> 00:26:25,000 Speaker 1: But so I want to ask you one more comedy 536 00:26:25,040 --> 00:26:26,840 Speaker 1: question and then I want to talk about some other stuff. 537 00:26:26,880 --> 00:26:32,600 Speaker 1: But I you know, there's a lot of kind of 538 00:26:32,640 --> 00:26:36,440 Speaker 1: back and forth when it comes to talking about comedy 539 00:26:36,520 --> 00:26:41,719 Speaker 1: and pain and painful experiences which you know, I know 540 00:26:41,800 --> 00:26:46,120 Speaker 1: you have, and and and the use there's a lot 541 00:26:46,119 --> 00:26:51,240 Speaker 1: of talk about the use of UH comedy to help 542 00:26:51,640 --> 00:26:57,119 Speaker 1: other people deal with pain, right, But my question is like, 543 00:26:57,880 --> 00:27:02,040 Speaker 1: how what does it do for you? And is it 544 00:27:02,440 --> 00:27:06,000 Speaker 1: when when you can take something that is UH. And 545 00:27:06,080 --> 00:27:08,919 Speaker 1: by the way, I come to this also thinking about 546 00:27:09,080 --> 00:27:11,480 Speaker 1: the comics that I know, they often seem like they're 547 00:27:12,440 --> 00:27:16,080 Speaker 1: coming a lot of them through difficult times or you know, 548 00:27:16,200 --> 00:27:22,480 Speaker 1: painful experiences, And I wonder if there's a if turning 549 00:27:22,640 --> 00:27:26,679 Speaker 1: something that is UH, you know, tragic or hard in 550 00:27:26,760 --> 00:27:30,560 Speaker 1: one's life and turning it around and making people laugh 551 00:27:31,080 --> 00:27:34,800 Speaker 1: is also has its own level of therapy for you. 552 00:27:35,359 --> 00:27:36,840 Speaker 1: That's That's what I'm curious about it. 553 00:27:37,320 --> 00:27:40,640 Speaker 3: Yes, it absolutely. I mean even before I was doing comedy, 554 00:27:40,800 --> 00:27:45,000 Speaker 3: I was using comedy. Maybe I wasn't necessarily writing it, 555 00:27:45,080 --> 00:27:47,760 Speaker 3: but I was very awkward in middle school, early years 556 00:27:47,760 --> 00:27:49,880 Speaker 3: of high school were kind of awkward. I would turn 557 00:27:49,960 --> 00:27:53,280 Speaker 3: to Monty Python to embrace the absurdity of the world, 558 00:27:53,359 --> 00:27:57,119 Speaker 3: or Richard Pryor and George Carlin to vet my rage, 559 00:27:57,320 --> 00:27:59,800 Speaker 3: and there was all kinds of ways that that was 560 00:27:59,840 --> 00:28:03,159 Speaker 3: a release, much same way as music and movies. I 561 00:28:03,320 --> 00:28:08,439 Speaker 3: just realized that I could, I guess I could emit 562 00:28:08,480 --> 00:28:11,040 Speaker 3: it in a way that could make other people laugh. 563 00:28:11,080 --> 00:28:12,800 Speaker 3: And when you make other people laugh, not only do 564 00:28:12,880 --> 00:28:15,120 Speaker 3: they are like, oh, I'm not the only one going 565 00:28:15,160 --> 00:28:17,880 Speaker 3: through this, but it's this nice little reassurance that, oh, 566 00:28:17,920 --> 00:28:19,400 Speaker 3: I'm not the only one going through this. 567 00:28:19,520 --> 00:28:20,320 Speaker 2: Like we are all. 568 00:28:21,119 --> 00:28:25,040 Speaker 3: We all encounter the kind of weirdness, and I mean, 569 00:28:25,160 --> 00:28:28,600 Speaker 3: life is about loss and that could be really scary, 570 00:28:28,720 --> 00:28:31,240 Speaker 3: but you can't turn away from that. You have to 571 00:28:32,680 --> 00:28:34,600 Speaker 3: somehow embrace it. And one of the ways I guess 572 00:28:34,640 --> 00:28:39,040 Speaker 3: to soften the blow of things being stripped away is 573 00:28:39,080 --> 00:28:42,800 Speaker 3: to make a joke about it. And because I have 574 00:28:42,840 --> 00:28:46,040 Speaker 3: a friend named Todd Glass who says, if you can 575 00:28:46,120 --> 00:28:49,000 Speaker 3: mock it, you can manage it. And I've always believed 576 00:28:49,000 --> 00:28:51,720 Speaker 3: in that, like that is what comedy is. I'm mocking it, 577 00:28:51,920 --> 00:28:55,080 Speaker 3: you know, That's what like if you read something wicked 578 00:28:55,120 --> 00:28:58,480 Speaker 3: This way comes by Ray Bradberry that the devil, the thing. 579 00:28:58,520 --> 00:29:00,680 Speaker 3: The devil cannot stand in that book because people making 580 00:29:00,760 --> 00:29:03,640 Speaker 3: jokes about him. It's like, no, no, I'm scary and 581 00:29:03,680 --> 00:29:05,960 Speaker 3: I'm the one thing you can't make jokes. And then 582 00:29:06,280 --> 00:29:08,400 Speaker 3: when the guy starts making jokes at it, starts to 583 00:29:09,040 --> 00:29:11,080 Speaker 3: lessen his power. And I think that's such a great 584 00:29:11,120 --> 00:29:13,400 Speaker 3: metaphor for the things in your life that are trying 585 00:29:13,440 --> 00:29:15,400 Speaker 3: to get you down. If you start making jokes about him, 586 00:29:15,400 --> 00:29:18,560 Speaker 3: they're like, well he doesn't like then you have you have. 587 00:29:18,520 --> 00:29:19,240 Speaker 2: Power over it. 588 00:29:19,760 --> 00:29:25,160 Speaker 1: Ah yeah yeah, so by so bye bye bye. But 589 00:29:25,720 --> 00:29:28,640 Speaker 1: by making other people laugh at things that are are, 590 00:29:29,200 --> 00:29:31,600 Speaker 1: you know, traditionally thought of as sad or or that 591 00:29:31,680 --> 00:29:34,920 Speaker 1: would normally be thought of his sess, you're you're able 592 00:29:35,000 --> 00:29:41,120 Speaker 1: to just to kind of confront things for yourself. By 593 00:29:41,360 --> 00:29:43,120 Speaker 1: I love that. If you can mock it, that I 594 00:29:43,320 --> 00:29:46,320 Speaker 1: I you can make it, you can manage it. If 595 00:29:46,360 --> 00:29:48,120 Speaker 1: you can mack it, you can manage it. Let me 596 00:29:48,160 --> 00:29:48,560 Speaker 1: write that. 597 00:29:48,600 --> 00:29:52,080 Speaker 2: Down exactly, seriously, write that down, so. 598 00:29:52,280 --> 00:29:57,560 Speaker 1: That but here you are. I mean, it's not just 599 00:29:58,320 --> 00:30:03,240 Speaker 1: you're acting. You're doing a tremendous amount of voice acting. 600 00:30:04,560 --> 00:30:09,520 Speaker 1: Grammy nominations, Emmy nominations. I think you've written a book 601 00:30:09,600 --> 00:30:10,480 Speaker 1: or two couple. 602 00:30:10,360 --> 00:30:11,640 Speaker 2: Written two memoirs. 603 00:30:12,040 --> 00:30:15,880 Speaker 1: Two memoirs. I mean that you are a busy guy. 604 00:30:16,040 --> 00:30:18,720 Speaker 1: Now now have you have you? Do you have a podcast? 605 00:30:19,800 --> 00:30:22,960 Speaker 3: I actually I had a podcast briefly during the pandemic. 606 00:30:23,040 --> 00:30:25,200 Speaker 2: My wife and I did one. But we got to 607 00:30:25,240 --> 00:30:27,760 Speaker 2: the point where it's I mean, doing a podcast, you know, 608 00:30:27,840 --> 00:30:30,200 Speaker 2: it's a lot of work. People think that, oh, you 609 00:30:30,320 --> 00:30:32,080 Speaker 2: just go and you blap. No, there's work. 610 00:30:31,880 --> 00:30:34,840 Speaker 3: Involved in doing the podcast, really, and it was just 611 00:30:34,880 --> 00:30:37,720 Speaker 3: getting to the point where it's like we're fighting a lot, 612 00:30:37,760 --> 00:30:40,440 Speaker 3: Like we're actually fighting on this podcast that was meant 613 00:30:40,520 --> 00:30:40,800 Speaker 3: to do. 614 00:30:41,080 --> 00:30:43,280 Speaker 2: So said, We did tip to two episodes. We're good. 615 00:30:43,360 --> 00:30:46,120 Speaker 3: I mean, I will eventually do a podcast again when 616 00:30:46,120 --> 00:30:48,840 Speaker 3: there's something I really want to connect about, you know, 617 00:30:48,880 --> 00:30:51,560 Speaker 3: like this what you're doing here, this feels very organic 618 00:30:51,600 --> 00:30:52,760 Speaker 3: and very like, oh here's what. 619 00:30:53,120 --> 00:30:55,840 Speaker 2: But I have to wait. You have to wait to 620 00:30:55,920 --> 00:30:57,280 Speaker 2: let that happen organically. 621 00:30:57,480 --> 00:31:00,200 Speaker 1: You know. So that you mentioned you mentioned your wife 622 00:31:00,240 --> 00:31:02,680 Speaker 1: doing a podcast with her. I just had my wife 623 00:31:02,880 --> 00:31:06,320 Speaker 1: as a guest on this podcast. Really was Yeah, which 624 00:31:06,400 --> 00:31:10,400 Speaker 1: was interesting because I don't I don't I don't tend 625 00:31:10,480 --> 00:31:11,240 Speaker 1: to interview her. 626 00:31:12,520 --> 00:31:14,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, it feels like an interrogation. 627 00:31:14,400 --> 00:31:17,880 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's like an interrogation. Uh. And and you know 628 00:31:17,920 --> 00:31:22,720 Speaker 1: what was funny about it is that it was I thought, well, 629 00:31:22,720 --> 00:31:25,120 Speaker 1: this is gonna be kind of goofy and fun. We'll 630 00:31:25,200 --> 00:31:27,040 Speaker 1: just you know. It was actually one of the more 631 00:31:27,120 --> 00:31:30,480 Speaker 1: serious kind of ones that that we I mean, yeah, yeah, 632 00:31:30,600 --> 00:31:33,880 Speaker 1: which was kind of interesting. Plus we were also in 633 00:31:33,920 --> 00:31:36,160 Speaker 1: the same house in different rooms. 634 00:31:36,920 --> 00:31:39,080 Speaker 2: That's how we did it. We Oh my god, we'd 635 00:31:39,120 --> 00:31:40,480 Speaker 2: be in different rooms. 636 00:31:40,840 --> 00:31:44,360 Speaker 3: Yeah, god, yeah, that's hilarious. 637 00:31:44,680 --> 00:31:44,880 Speaker 1: Right. 638 00:31:44,960 --> 00:31:47,720 Speaker 3: But you guys is you guys Instagram videos during the 639 00:31:47,720 --> 00:31:50,480 Speaker 3: strike where you were cut pair of goofballs when you 640 00:31:50,520 --> 00:31:53,840 Speaker 3: were doing Saturday in the Park with Kazoo and you 641 00:31:53,920 --> 00:31:57,840 Speaker 3: have to don't step in. That was like there was 642 00:31:58,160 --> 00:31:59,800 Speaker 3: so much going on in that little clip. 643 00:32:00,240 --> 00:32:03,400 Speaker 1: It was great. Yet you know, we you know, I 644 00:32:03,440 --> 00:32:07,080 Speaker 1: realized about that doing that kind of stuff during the pandemic. 645 00:32:07,120 --> 00:32:10,520 Speaker 1: And the whole Instagram social media thing is that, you know, 646 00:32:10,600 --> 00:32:15,400 Speaker 1: long before social media, I'd love to make little movies. 647 00:32:15,480 --> 00:32:17,680 Speaker 1: I would send them to because you know, I'm on 648 00:32:17,760 --> 00:32:19,960 Speaker 1: the road or she's on the road out of town. 649 00:32:20,040 --> 00:32:22,040 Speaker 1: You know, I would always buy a video camera and 650 00:32:22,080 --> 00:32:25,000 Speaker 1: send little things home to the kids. Or or to her, 651 00:32:25,080 --> 00:32:27,000 Speaker 1: you know that, so that like that's sort of just 652 00:32:27,040 --> 00:32:29,880 Speaker 1: a natural extension that the social media thing of what 653 00:32:29,880 --> 00:32:32,200 Speaker 1: we already do to try to kind of. But it's 654 00:32:32,240 --> 00:32:37,600 Speaker 1: also you know, I got it. I'm a little bit 655 00:32:37,600 --> 00:32:41,280 Speaker 1: of a work a hawk. I gotta stay busy, create something. Yeah, 656 00:32:41,960 --> 00:32:44,800 Speaker 1: And that's what that that that's what we were able 657 00:32:44,880 --> 00:32:46,880 Speaker 1: to do during the pandemic, and it was fun to 658 00:32:46,920 --> 00:32:49,840 Speaker 1: make it. But the reason I bring up having a 659 00:32:49,880 --> 00:32:56,800 Speaker 1: podcast is that I you know, first, yes, you're right, 660 00:32:56,880 --> 00:33:00,800 Speaker 1: it is more work than they tell you. And being 661 00:33:00,840 --> 00:33:03,280 Speaker 1: on the other side of it, you know, having done 662 00:33:03,640 --> 00:33:06,080 Speaker 1: you know, you know, for forty five years I've been 663 00:33:06,240 --> 00:33:08,760 Speaker 1: doing interviews or something like that. To be on the 664 00:33:08,800 --> 00:33:13,000 Speaker 1: other side of it is a completely different thing and 665 00:33:13,080 --> 00:33:15,400 Speaker 1: one that you know, I haven't put in my ten 666 00:33:15,440 --> 00:33:19,840 Speaker 1: thousand hours, but I'm you know, I'm trying. Yeah, you know. 667 00:33:19,920 --> 00:33:22,160 Speaker 1: One of the things that I always think is there's 668 00:33:22,200 --> 00:33:25,240 Speaker 1: certain questions that I get time and time again, and 669 00:33:25,280 --> 00:33:27,080 Speaker 1: I'm like, I'm not going to ask those questions. And 670 00:33:27,120 --> 00:33:29,560 Speaker 1: then here we are and I'm just about to ask 671 00:33:29,640 --> 00:33:33,040 Speaker 1: you the same fucking question that I was hoping, you know, 672 00:33:33,480 --> 00:33:36,680 Speaker 1: never to never to get asked of all these things 673 00:33:36,720 --> 00:33:43,280 Speaker 1: that you do, between writing and comedy and acting and 674 00:33:43,960 --> 00:33:49,320 Speaker 1: voice acting, what is the one that you can't do without. 675 00:33:50,200 --> 00:33:52,080 Speaker 3: I mean, it's the one that brought me to the 676 00:33:52,200 --> 00:33:55,040 Speaker 3: dance at stand up comedy, and I'm not there are 677 00:33:55,160 --> 00:33:57,960 Speaker 3: certain people that do stand up comedy to get out 678 00:33:57,960 --> 00:34:00,400 Speaker 3: of stand up comedy and move to movies and TV shows. 679 00:34:00,720 --> 00:34:04,000 Speaker 3: I do movies and TV shows to keep my visibility 680 00:34:04,080 --> 00:34:05,760 Speaker 3: up there so I can do more stand up. I 681 00:34:05,760 --> 00:34:10,040 Speaker 3: will always do stand up movies and TV. Writing that 682 00:34:10,200 --> 00:34:12,640 Speaker 3: comes and goes, and I'm always grateful when it comes, 683 00:34:12,680 --> 00:34:14,919 Speaker 3: but I will in the end, I'll still be doing 684 00:34:14,960 --> 00:34:17,200 Speaker 3: stand up. It'll always be so I can keep doing 685 00:34:17,280 --> 00:34:17,759 Speaker 3: stand up. 686 00:34:18,440 --> 00:34:21,160 Speaker 2: That's okay, that's my focus. 687 00:34:21,440 --> 00:34:25,000 Speaker 1: That's a great that's a that's a perfect answer. Yeah. 688 00:34:24,560 --> 00:34:31,880 Speaker 1: And do you feel that Is it something that you 689 00:34:32,000 --> 00:34:37,120 Speaker 1: feel you are constantly trying to get better at or 690 00:34:37,200 --> 00:34:39,560 Speaker 1: is it just that you really love doing it and 691 00:34:39,600 --> 00:34:41,360 Speaker 1: you want to keep doing it? Is it? Do you 692 00:34:41,400 --> 00:34:43,680 Speaker 1: walk away from a you know, say, a special. I mean, 693 00:34:43,719 --> 00:34:45,759 Speaker 1: I don't know how many how many specials have you done? 694 00:34:45,800 --> 00:34:48,120 Speaker 2: I mean full like eight at this point. 695 00:34:48,800 --> 00:34:50,800 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, that's that's a that's a true I 696 00:34:50,840 --> 00:34:52,160 Speaker 1: don't think there's a lot of people that have done 697 00:34:52,160 --> 00:34:54,759 Speaker 1: eight specials, have they? I mean, that's a tremendous amount. 698 00:34:54,400 --> 00:34:55,600 Speaker 2: Of it's a lot. 699 00:34:55,880 --> 00:34:56,520 Speaker 1: I mean a lot. 700 00:34:56,840 --> 00:34:59,480 Speaker 3: The thing with the here's any comedian will tell you this, 701 00:34:59,600 --> 00:35:03,160 Speaker 3: And I'm sure you've experienced this as a musician. When 702 00:35:03,200 --> 00:35:06,839 Speaker 3: I record a special, like a week to two weeks after, 703 00:35:07,040 --> 00:35:10,080 Speaker 3: I suddenly think of, oh, if I had cut this 704 00:35:10,120 --> 00:35:11,440 Speaker 3: one part out of the bit, it would have been 705 00:35:11,520 --> 00:35:14,080 Speaker 3: better if I had done this one thing. So I'm 706 00:35:14,120 --> 00:35:16,120 Speaker 3: sure you've laid down an album and then a week 707 00:35:16,200 --> 00:35:20,520 Speaker 3: later you're like if we oh dead like and it 708 00:35:20,600 --> 00:35:21,400 Speaker 3: drives you crazy. 709 00:35:21,520 --> 00:35:22,840 Speaker 1: I don't do it all the time. And you know, 710 00:35:22,920 --> 00:35:25,040 Speaker 1: part of the part of the reason that you realize 711 00:35:25,080 --> 00:35:27,759 Speaker 1: that is because you start playing the songs out yes, 712 00:35:27,880 --> 00:35:29,719 Speaker 1: and then all of a sudden you go, you know, 713 00:35:30,040 --> 00:35:33,720 Speaker 1: this actually should be like two or three bpm faster, 714 00:35:34,000 --> 00:35:36,400 Speaker 1: and then the song grooves like in a way that 715 00:35:36,480 --> 00:35:40,120 Speaker 1: it never did, or you think one hundred percent yeah, 716 00:35:40,160 --> 00:35:43,520 Speaker 1: I mean yeah, I mean it's also I mean, listen, 717 00:35:43,520 --> 00:35:46,520 Speaker 1: I bet that think it applies to acting too. I 718 00:35:47,080 --> 00:35:49,920 Speaker 1: like to say that, you know, I figure out scenes 719 00:35:49,920 --> 00:35:51,279 Speaker 1: when I'm in the van on the way home. 720 00:35:51,520 --> 00:35:54,080 Speaker 2: You know, I go, that's got to drive you crazy. 721 00:35:54,280 --> 00:35:54,560 Speaker 1: It does. 722 00:35:55,320 --> 00:35:58,760 Speaker 2: We're like that, why didn't I own my it totally does? 723 00:35:58,960 --> 00:36:01,600 Speaker 1: It totally does. But that's that's part of the process, 724 00:36:01,640 --> 00:36:04,360 Speaker 1: you know. You can't Oh yeah, yeah, but you apply. 725 00:36:04,440 --> 00:36:07,719 Speaker 3: I mean again, I want to keep doing stand up, yes, 726 00:36:07,719 --> 00:36:09,360 Speaker 3: because I love doing it, And yes, I want to 727 00:36:09,400 --> 00:36:12,319 Speaker 3: get better that there's people coming up that no one 728 00:36:12,320 --> 00:36:15,239 Speaker 3: knows about yet that are amazing, that keep inspiring me. 729 00:36:15,320 --> 00:36:17,880 Speaker 3: I want to keep getting better at what it is 730 00:36:17,920 --> 00:36:20,400 Speaker 3: I do. And what can I talk about that that 731 00:36:20,520 --> 00:36:22,920 Speaker 3: shouldn't be funny that I can make funny? How can 732 00:36:22,960 --> 00:36:25,319 Speaker 3: I what can I get away with? I mean, I 733 00:36:25,400 --> 00:36:29,040 Speaker 3: just I'm a big believer in that. Be wary of 734 00:36:29,080 --> 00:36:32,080 Speaker 3: someone who goes, I've been doing this for thirty years, 735 00:36:32,080 --> 00:36:35,480 Speaker 3: when in actuality, they've done it for one year and 736 00:36:35,480 --> 00:36:38,520 Speaker 3: they repeated that year twenty nine times. Like I want 737 00:36:38,600 --> 00:36:45,360 Speaker 3: to actually do thirty different, constantly growing, evolving years. And 738 00:36:45,400 --> 00:36:47,799 Speaker 3: I'm sure we know people that are like, you've done 739 00:36:47,880 --> 00:36:50,239 Speaker 3: this one year and you kind of repeated that. 740 00:36:51,040 --> 00:36:53,160 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, yeah, you're right, You're absolutely right. 741 00:36:53,200 --> 00:36:55,960 Speaker 3: We've met that kind of person, you know, But especially again, 742 00:36:56,000 --> 00:37:00,280 Speaker 3: I'm a big movie buff you take weird lefts and writes. 743 00:37:00,320 --> 00:37:03,480 Speaker 3: With your acting career, you are always like, oh, this 744 00:37:03,560 --> 00:37:04,239 Speaker 3: might not work. 745 00:37:04,280 --> 00:37:06,799 Speaker 2: I'm gonna do this. Let's see what this does. 746 00:37:06,840 --> 00:37:09,960 Speaker 1: You know what I mean? I for better or for worse? 747 00:37:10,280 --> 00:37:13,239 Speaker 1: That is something that I do. That's it true? 748 00:37:13,280 --> 00:37:14,480 Speaker 2: Hey, same with me. 749 00:37:14,600 --> 00:37:17,120 Speaker 3: There's been times I'm like, I'm gonna try. Oh good 750 00:37:17,239 --> 00:37:18,840 Speaker 3: lord God, why did I sig you for that? 751 00:37:18,960 --> 00:37:19,720 Speaker 1: Yeah? 752 00:37:19,719 --> 00:37:21,320 Speaker 2: But that's what the people makes it exciting. 753 00:37:22,080 --> 00:37:24,880 Speaker 1: Is there anything else that isn't entertainment related that you 754 00:37:24,920 --> 00:37:28,839 Speaker 1: do in your spare time? And are what's your other? 755 00:37:29,080 --> 00:37:31,480 Speaker 1: Or is this all where it gets your relaxation? 756 00:37:31,960 --> 00:37:34,719 Speaker 3: It feels relaxing doing it. It's not that I don't 757 00:37:34,760 --> 00:37:37,200 Speaker 3: have a life. I still hang out with my daughter, 758 00:37:37,320 --> 00:37:40,239 Speaker 3: my wife, I read a lot, I hang out with 759 00:37:40,280 --> 00:37:44,520 Speaker 3: my friends. But it's still it's all revolves around creating stuff. 760 00:37:44,560 --> 00:37:47,479 Speaker 3: To me, it just feels fun. I'm not like, oh God, 761 00:37:47,520 --> 00:37:50,680 Speaker 3: I gotta go do this. It's like, let me relax by. 762 00:37:50,600 --> 00:37:53,400 Speaker 2: Going on stage and doing ten minutes. That is relaxing 763 00:37:53,440 --> 00:37:53,640 Speaker 2: to me. 764 00:38:00,040 --> 00:38:02,880 Speaker 5: If you are inspired by today's episode, please join us 765 00:38:02,880 --> 00:38:05,759 Speaker 5: in supporting six degrees dot org by texting the word 766 00:38:05,880 --> 00:38:10,000 Speaker 5: bacon to seven zero seven zero seven zero. Your gift 767 00:38:10,040 --> 00:38:13,160 Speaker 5: empowers us to continue to produce programs that highlight the 768 00:38:13,239 --> 00:38:16,600 Speaker 5: incredible work of everyday heroes, well also enabling us to 769 00:38:16,600 --> 00:38:19,560 Speaker 5: provide essential resources to those that need it the most. 770 00:38:19,920 --> 00:38:24,560 Speaker 5: Once again, text B A C N to seven zero 771 00:38:24,840 --> 00:38:29,160 Speaker 5: seven zero seven zero or visit SixDegrees dot org to 772 00:38:29,280 --> 00:38:29,759 Speaker 5: learn more. 773 00:38:32,360 --> 00:38:35,040 Speaker 1: You know you also have a I think a lot 774 00:38:35,040 --> 00:38:40,360 Speaker 1: of people have noticed and completely respect your you know, 775 00:38:40,400 --> 00:38:45,239 Speaker 1: your activism and use your platform try a light on 776 00:38:45,480 --> 00:38:49,880 Speaker 1: all kinds of really important things that it just demonstrates 777 00:38:49,880 --> 00:38:55,080 Speaker 1: a lot of compassion and understanding and caring about about 778 00:38:55,080 --> 00:38:59,520 Speaker 1: the world. But where do you think that comes from? 779 00:38:59,640 --> 00:39:03,080 Speaker 2: I mean, I'm still very very aware and very much 780 00:39:03,120 --> 00:39:06,279 Speaker 2: remember everyone that helped me out coming up, all the 781 00:39:06,280 --> 00:39:10,280 Speaker 2: little moments of grace and when someone else like stepped 782 00:39:10,320 --> 00:39:11,960 Speaker 2: up to help me out when they didn't need to. 783 00:39:12,520 --> 00:39:15,840 Speaker 3: You know, I always say, and this is a paraphrase 784 00:39:15,840 --> 00:39:18,200 Speaker 3: of what Roger Ebert always said, I never cry in 785 00:39:18,280 --> 00:39:21,279 Speaker 3: movies when things are sad. What makes me cry is 786 00:39:21,320 --> 00:39:24,160 Speaker 3: when someone decides to step up and help someone else out. 787 00:39:24,239 --> 00:39:27,680 Speaker 3: That is like to me because it happens so rarely 788 00:39:28,239 --> 00:39:31,080 Speaker 3: in our real lives. A lot at least it seems 789 00:39:31,120 --> 00:39:33,200 Speaker 3: to be these days. So when someone's like, no, I'm 790 00:39:33,239 --> 00:39:37,000 Speaker 3: gonna step up and help people out, that always really. 791 00:39:36,840 --> 00:39:38,759 Speaker 2: Lands with me. So why not pass that on? 792 00:39:39,120 --> 00:39:41,839 Speaker 3: If anything, do it for the selfish reason of it 793 00:39:41,880 --> 00:39:43,759 Speaker 3: makes it a better world for me to live in. 794 00:39:44,480 --> 00:39:47,360 Speaker 3: If you're totally self centered, then do it for that reason. 795 00:39:47,680 --> 00:39:52,160 Speaker 3: But I mean, it just feels like you didn't do 796 00:39:52,280 --> 00:39:55,200 Speaker 3: this by yourself. Give a little bit back, Yes, nothing 797 00:39:55,239 --> 00:39:58,279 Speaker 3: wrong with making money and being successful. Give a little 798 00:39:58,280 --> 00:40:00,680 Speaker 3: bit of it back. Just put it back out circulation. 799 00:40:01,160 --> 00:40:02,600 Speaker 3: Why do you want to sit on your pile and 800 00:40:02,640 --> 00:40:05,000 Speaker 3: just stare at it? It doesn't make sense, all right? 801 00:40:05,640 --> 00:40:09,320 Speaker 1: Right, well listen, I think that's a perfect segue to 802 00:40:09,360 --> 00:40:13,920 Speaker 1: bring on Ron Fitzsimmons from Alice's Kids, which is this 803 00:40:14,040 --> 00:40:20,719 Speaker 1: nonprofit that you have, you know, decided to highlight here today. Yes, yes, Ron, 804 00:40:20,960 --> 00:40:23,080 Speaker 1: thank you so much for coming to the show. I 805 00:40:23,120 --> 00:40:25,640 Speaker 1: know that you've met Stacey from six degrees dot org. 806 00:40:26,800 --> 00:40:31,719 Speaker 1: You are based out of Alexandria, correct or somewhere in that. 807 00:40:31,719 --> 00:40:34,640 Speaker 4: Area, Mount Vernon, Techno, Vernon. 808 00:40:34,520 --> 00:40:39,240 Speaker 1: Yeah, right, right, and and and I've read some stuff 809 00:40:39,239 --> 00:40:42,759 Speaker 1: about what Alice's Kids is, But maybe you could just 810 00:40:42,800 --> 00:40:45,880 Speaker 1: give us a give us a you know, a thumbnail 811 00:40:45,920 --> 00:40:48,239 Speaker 1: on on what it is and how you started it 812 00:40:48,280 --> 00:40:50,040 Speaker 1: and where the name comes from. 813 00:40:50,760 --> 00:40:53,440 Speaker 4: Sure well, first of all, Alice was my mother who 814 00:40:53,560 --> 00:40:59,880 Speaker 4: has passed. The idea came basically from my childhood. We 815 00:41:00,080 --> 00:41:02,760 Speaker 4: had a very rough childhood living up in West Islip, 816 00:41:02,840 --> 00:41:07,200 Speaker 4: New York, and my father abandoned us in nineteen sixty three, 817 00:41:07,280 --> 00:41:09,680 Speaker 4: I believe, and we were forced to go on the 818 00:41:09,680 --> 00:41:13,319 Speaker 4: welfare state system up in New York, bringing in two 819 00:41:13,400 --> 00:41:16,759 Speaker 4: hundred dollars a month. My mother wanted to stay in 820 00:41:16,800 --> 00:41:19,120 Speaker 4: the same neighborhood. It was in middle class town. She 821 00:41:19,120 --> 00:41:22,680 Speaker 4: wouldn't move to what was then called the projects, I think, 822 00:41:24,200 --> 00:41:27,239 Speaker 4: and so right away we started to stick out like 823 00:41:27,280 --> 00:41:31,280 Speaker 4: a short thumb. We became the welfare kids in West isslife. 824 00:41:31,320 --> 00:41:31,920 Speaker 2: We would go to. 825 00:41:31,880 --> 00:41:35,640 Speaker 4: School wearing the same shirt every day, not being able 826 00:41:35,680 --> 00:41:41,759 Speaker 4: to participate in field trips things like that. Every once 827 00:41:41,800 --> 00:41:46,239 Speaker 4: in a while my mother would I'm assuming illegally go 828 00:41:46,280 --> 00:41:51,480 Speaker 4: out and pick up a few extra dollars washing clothes, 829 00:41:52,640 --> 00:41:57,640 Speaker 4: ironing clothes, and she'd come home very excited to announce 830 00:41:57,680 --> 00:42:02,200 Speaker 4: that we were going shopping. Forget these these days when 831 00:42:02,239 --> 00:42:04,440 Speaker 4: she would say, let's go to EJ. Corvette's and get 832 00:42:04,440 --> 00:42:08,439 Speaker 4: that baseball blood, or to my sister, let's go get 833 00:42:08,480 --> 00:42:11,880 Speaker 4: I'll ever forget this. Let's go get that new record 834 00:42:11,920 --> 00:42:16,359 Speaker 4: by those kids in England. So it's funny you were 835 00:42:16,360 --> 00:42:21,640 Speaker 4: talking about the Beatles that lifted us, and it made 836 00:42:21,719 --> 00:42:23,719 Speaker 4: us proud. And the next day I couldn't wait to 837 00:42:23,760 --> 00:42:26,840 Speaker 4: go to school with my new Converse sneakers with a 838 00:42:26,960 --> 00:42:31,880 Speaker 4: new Dy Crockett chirp. Jump ahead many years and I 839 00:42:32,000 --> 00:42:37,680 Speaker 4: was between careers or pondering careers, And one day I 840 00:42:37,840 --> 00:42:42,680 Speaker 4: was substitute teaching at Mount Ernan High School and a 841 00:42:42,800 --> 00:42:45,799 Speaker 4: kid was crying in the corner and I asked one 842 00:42:45,800 --> 00:42:48,960 Speaker 4: of her friends what was happening. She said, well, Latrice 843 00:42:49,040 --> 00:42:51,759 Speaker 4: can't go to the prom. And I said oh, and 844 00:42:51,800 --> 00:42:54,120 Speaker 4: she said yeah, she can't afford it. My mother doesn't 845 00:42:54,160 --> 00:42:58,040 Speaker 4: work and she doesn't have the fifty dollars. I went 846 00:42:58,080 --> 00:43:00,640 Speaker 4: down and pay for the ticket. But then I had 847 00:43:00,640 --> 00:43:03,840 Speaker 4: a thought, uh, And I started walking around to teachers 848 00:43:03,840 --> 00:43:06,000 Speaker 4: in the school and I started asking them do you 849 00:43:06,160 --> 00:43:10,520 Speaker 4: pay for things like this all the time? And they said, 850 00:43:10,560 --> 00:43:14,239 Speaker 4: of course, we pay for books, we pay for art supplies, 851 00:43:14,280 --> 00:43:18,600 Speaker 4: we pay for field trips, yearbooks, whatever it is. So 852 00:43:18,719 --> 00:43:22,240 Speaker 4: this start, the thoughts started to evolve about creating charity 853 00:43:22,840 --> 00:43:25,080 Speaker 4: that does that for children. I went to all the 854 00:43:25,080 --> 00:43:28,279 Speaker 4: other charities in the area and I asked them if 855 00:43:28,280 --> 00:43:30,799 Speaker 4: they do things like that, like do you put out 856 00:43:30,920 --> 00:43:36,640 Speaker 4: fifty dollars for a back to school uniform? And they 857 00:43:36,680 --> 00:43:39,000 Speaker 4: all said no. One person said they don't have petty 858 00:43:39,040 --> 00:43:44,800 Speaker 4: cash drawers. So we created Alice's Kids with the thought 859 00:43:44,880 --> 00:43:48,479 Speaker 4: that we would be the petty cash drawer for these 860 00:43:48,600 --> 00:43:53,879 Speaker 4: kids who just needed a little bit of a lift. 861 00:43:54,239 --> 00:43:57,040 Speaker 4: It started off very slow. This was about twelve years ago, 862 00:43:58,000 --> 00:44:02,040 Speaker 4: and the big issue was how do you find the kids? 863 00:44:02,400 --> 00:44:04,439 Speaker 4: Where are these kids who indeed this kind of help. 864 00:44:06,200 --> 00:44:10,080 Speaker 4: So we started to establish a network of teachers in 865 00:44:10,120 --> 00:44:14,960 Speaker 4: the Moulverne area who would refer to us kids that 866 00:44:15,160 --> 00:44:19,399 Speaker 4: needed some help, and we would give them gift cards. 867 00:44:21,480 --> 00:44:26,160 Speaker 4: Everything exploded three years later when a columnist named Teresa 868 00:44:26,280 --> 00:44:29,759 Speaker 4: Vargas of the Washington Post heard about us, and she 869 00:44:29,880 --> 00:44:34,080 Speaker 4: wrote a column and overnight we exploded nationally. 870 00:44:34,520 --> 00:44:39,120 Speaker 1: The media helping out, the media doing something good, positive exactly. 871 00:44:40,200 --> 00:44:42,839 Speaker 4: It's crazy what happened that weekend. I think we raised 872 00:44:42,880 --> 00:44:45,520 Speaker 4: about three hundred thousand dollars our budget at that point 873 00:44:45,600 --> 00:44:50,160 Speaker 4: was about twenty five thousand dollars. Wowow money Cake kept. 874 00:44:51,640 --> 00:44:56,360 Speaker 4: And so immediately we became a national charity because we 875 00:44:56,400 --> 00:45:00,680 Speaker 4: started getting money from across the country and and we 876 00:45:00,719 --> 00:45:06,200 Speaker 4: started getting increase from people in Iowa and Nebraska, teachers 877 00:45:06,200 --> 00:45:09,040 Speaker 4: and social workers saying, hey, can I send you a request? 878 00:45:09,600 --> 00:45:12,880 Speaker 4: M So we started fulfilling them. 879 00:45:13,320 --> 00:45:13,560 Speaker 2: Yeah. 880 00:45:13,600 --> 00:45:17,640 Speaker 4: So that's basically how it started. And shortly thereafter after 881 00:45:17,680 --> 00:45:22,120 Speaker 4: we started, I got an email that said a guy 882 00:45:22,200 --> 00:45:23,840 Speaker 4: named Patton Oswell had. 883 00:45:23,680 --> 00:45:27,239 Speaker 2: Donated that was gonna be my next amount of money. 884 00:45:27,520 --> 00:45:32,000 Speaker 1: Okay, no, it's fine, no, no go, let's hear. Yeah. 885 00:45:32,840 --> 00:45:35,440 Speaker 4: So I was hauling and every time we get a donation, 886 00:45:35,640 --> 00:45:39,879 Speaker 4: I get an email, and I saw a donation from 887 00:45:39,920 --> 00:45:44,959 Speaker 4: Patton Oswell, and I knew the name. I'm going Pat Malls. 888 00:45:45,040 --> 00:45:48,440 Speaker 4: Of course, my age, our first thing is Lee Harvey. 889 00:45:48,480 --> 00:45:51,000 Speaker 4: You think of Lee Harvey for some reason, which I'm 890 00:45:51,040 --> 00:45:55,000 Speaker 4: sure you get that bad. Yeah, but I'm thinking, thinking, think, 891 00:45:55,080 --> 00:45:57,920 Speaker 4: And of course I didn't google it, but I recall 892 00:45:58,040 --> 00:46:01,600 Speaker 4: asking my son, one of my sons. You know Patton Oswald. 893 00:46:01,800 --> 00:46:05,320 Speaker 4: I know that name. He's the voice of Remy in 894 00:46:05,440 --> 00:46:09,439 Speaker 4: Ratiituey he's this, and he's this. So I flipped out. 895 00:46:10,040 --> 00:46:15,600 Speaker 4: I emailed him and thanked him profusely, and much to 896 00:46:15,680 --> 00:46:21,399 Speaker 4: my shock, within like an hour, he responded, and I'm 897 00:46:21,400 --> 00:46:26,239 Speaker 4: going Holy hell, and he said, no problem, man, like 898 00:46:26,280 --> 00:46:28,719 Speaker 4: what you do and then he said the magic word. 899 00:46:28,760 --> 00:46:31,000 Speaker 4: He said, let me know if there's anything else I 900 00:46:31,040 --> 00:46:36,760 Speaker 4: can do. And so we went from there, and because 901 00:46:36,800 --> 00:46:42,240 Speaker 4: of Patton, Steve Carrell learned about us, and so Steve 902 00:46:42,400 --> 00:46:49,040 Speaker 4: is now a big supporter. Eric Roberts, you know, Alan Toodick. 903 00:46:49,239 --> 00:46:51,440 Speaker 4: I mean, we've got a lot of good support out 904 00:46:51,440 --> 00:46:53,800 Speaker 4: there because Pat kind of started that train. 905 00:46:53,920 --> 00:46:58,160 Speaker 1: Though, Patton, what was it about this one or maybe 906 00:46:58,200 --> 00:47:01,760 Speaker 1: it's one of many, many, many causes that you decide 907 00:47:01,760 --> 00:47:04,399 Speaker 1: to support, But was it something specific that you read 908 00:47:04,760 --> 00:47:05,760 Speaker 1: or what was that moment? 909 00:47:05,920 --> 00:47:09,359 Speaker 3: Like, yeah, the thing that really really landed with me. 910 00:47:10,040 --> 00:47:11,959 Speaker 3: And it's something that because I was never really able 911 00:47:12,000 --> 00:47:16,160 Speaker 3: to articulate this, but it's very disturbing how in this 912 00:47:16,280 --> 00:47:18,640 Speaker 3: country and you don't really see this in other countries 913 00:47:18,680 --> 00:47:24,760 Speaker 3: as much. There's there's a weird level of poverty shaming 914 00:47:24,800 --> 00:47:27,040 Speaker 3: that goes on almost we treat poverty like it's some 915 00:47:27,160 --> 00:47:31,280 Speaker 3: kind of infectious disease. That it will you'll somehow catch 916 00:47:31,320 --> 00:47:35,399 Speaker 3: poverty by you know, so you you you point it out, 917 00:47:35,480 --> 00:47:37,160 Speaker 3: you make fun of it to like almost drive it 918 00:47:37,200 --> 00:47:40,960 Speaker 3: away from you. And I think that that causes it 919 00:47:41,040 --> 00:47:43,719 Speaker 3: causes a lot of problems later on in life. I mean, 920 00:47:43,760 --> 00:47:45,920 Speaker 3: I think that it causes a lot of people that 921 00:47:46,360 --> 00:47:49,120 Speaker 3: you see a lot of people now that there's a 922 00:47:49,160 --> 00:47:54,320 Speaker 3: lot of millionaires that I think did experience some poverty 923 00:47:54,360 --> 00:47:58,319 Speaker 3: early on and now are vengeful about it and are about, like, 924 00:47:59,400 --> 00:48:01,920 Speaker 3: I want to get rid of social services because I 925 00:48:02,040 --> 00:48:03,680 Speaker 3: had to use them, and I bet I could have 926 00:48:03,719 --> 00:48:05,760 Speaker 3: made it without him, but I never got the chance. 927 00:48:06,040 --> 00:48:07,400 Speaker 2: So I've got to feel. 928 00:48:07,120 --> 00:48:10,960 Speaker 3: Like they're all trying to erase whatever shame was heaped 929 00:48:10,960 --> 00:48:13,319 Speaker 3: on them by other people. And if we could get 930 00:48:13,760 --> 00:48:16,680 Speaker 3: so this whole idea of doing it anonymously so that 931 00:48:16,719 --> 00:48:21,040 Speaker 3: these kids, so that these kids can have a childhood, 932 00:48:21,480 --> 00:48:24,160 Speaker 3: so they can just have a childhood and some dignity. 933 00:48:24,600 --> 00:48:29,160 Speaker 3: I don't think he realized the astronomical dividends that pays 934 00:48:29,200 --> 00:48:34,240 Speaker 3: off later in terms of just the mental and psychological 935 00:48:34,280 --> 00:48:35,480 Speaker 3: health of the population. 936 00:48:35,719 --> 00:48:39,080 Speaker 2: So that the fact that Ron and his organization were really. 937 00:48:38,960 --> 00:48:42,800 Speaker 3: Able to pinpoint that, and also that Ron faced a 938 00:48:42,840 --> 00:48:44,719 Speaker 3: lot of the stuff that he was just describing that 939 00:48:44,760 --> 00:48:47,040 Speaker 3: he grew up with, and he remembered it. Rather than 940 00:48:47,520 --> 00:48:50,960 Speaker 3: trying to tamp it down or attack it. He was like, no, 941 00:48:51,280 --> 00:48:54,720 Speaker 3: we're going to this happens, and we're going to actually 942 00:48:54,800 --> 00:49:00,000 Speaker 3: fix this problem. And it just the amount of empathy 943 00:49:00,080 --> 00:49:02,040 Speaker 3: and that really struck me. 944 00:49:02,960 --> 00:49:05,919 Speaker 1: Yeah, and it's interesting too because as you point out, 945 00:49:06,320 --> 00:49:08,520 Speaker 1: you know, you could go, you could go in the 946 00:49:08,520 --> 00:49:12,240 Speaker 1: other direction, but clearly ron you you having having taken 947 00:49:12,400 --> 00:49:15,120 Speaker 1: taken that experience of yours. Now I'm actually struck with 948 00:49:15,160 --> 00:49:17,440 Speaker 1: a lot of people that I do connect with, uh 949 00:49:17,840 --> 00:49:21,640 Speaker 1: on the on the on this podcast, who were who 950 00:49:21,719 --> 00:49:24,520 Speaker 1: were involved with those causes and and they do have 951 00:49:24,600 --> 00:49:28,800 Speaker 1: a personal connection like like yours to this thing literally 952 00:49:28,880 --> 00:49:33,080 Speaker 1: being that kid you know, on welfare with a with 953 00:49:33,120 --> 00:49:36,480 Speaker 1: a single mom who just you know, really could use 954 00:49:37,160 --> 00:49:40,319 Speaker 1: a baseball glove or whatever it is. You know, it's 955 00:49:40,360 --> 00:49:43,000 Speaker 1: it's it's amazing that you've taken that and and turned 956 00:49:43,000 --> 00:49:46,640 Speaker 1: it into this this thing. Alice's kids, what would you 957 00:49:46,680 --> 00:49:50,000 Speaker 1: say elaborate that kind of yes, please, please please explain. 958 00:49:51,160 --> 00:49:52,840 Speaker 4: When we were kids, we did get a lot of 959 00:49:52,840 --> 00:49:56,840 Speaker 4: well intentioned charities coming to our doorstep giving those boxes 960 00:49:56,880 --> 00:49:59,839 Speaker 4: of clothes and food and stuff. But honestly, but while 961 00:49:59,840 --> 00:50:03,120 Speaker 4: we appreciate it, it was embarrassing, especially when they take your 962 00:50:03,200 --> 00:50:07,919 Speaker 4: picture and put in the newslettersh Like Patton said, there's 963 00:50:07,920 --> 00:50:12,440 Speaker 4: a lot of shaming. So what we do is we 964 00:50:12,480 --> 00:50:15,160 Speaker 4: get a request from the teacher, let's say in Des Moines, 965 00:50:15,719 --> 00:50:18,640 Speaker 4: asking for us to for a dick Sporting Goods card 966 00:50:18,880 --> 00:50:22,640 Speaker 4: gift card for you know, for shoes, for soccer shoes. 967 00:50:23,440 --> 00:50:25,680 Speaker 4: We get the request and within twenty four hours we 968 00:50:25,760 --> 00:50:29,400 Speaker 4: send a gift card to the teacher. The teacher points 969 00:50:29,440 --> 00:50:34,319 Speaker 4: out the gift card, gives it to the parent. Avery 970 00:50:34,360 --> 00:50:38,800 Speaker 4: can then turn around to the child to say, hey, Johnny, 971 00:50:39,600 --> 00:50:41,719 Speaker 4: let's go to Dick's Sporting Goods this weekend and get 972 00:50:41,760 --> 00:50:45,400 Speaker 4: those soccer cleats or get those sneakers. The kid doesn't know, 973 00:50:45,480 --> 00:50:48,560 Speaker 4: like Patten said, that they're getting charity. Yeah, they look 974 00:50:48,600 --> 00:50:51,319 Speaker 4: at mom and say, oh my gosh, Mom, thanks so much. 975 00:50:52,200 --> 00:50:56,520 Speaker 4: The teacher has a chance to shine. The kid goes shopping. 976 00:50:56,840 --> 00:50:59,279 Speaker 4: You know how many of these kids would never see 977 00:50:59,280 --> 00:51:02,680 Speaker 4: a Dick's Sporting Goods if it wasn't for that gift card. 978 00:51:03,360 --> 00:51:05,960 Speaker 3: So it doesn't interest and the parents get to have 979 00:51:06,040 --> 00:51:09,120 Speaker 3: some dignity, right, Like everyone. 980 00:51:08,760 --> 00:51:12,400 Speaker 2: Wins in this. It's so it just again the payoff 981 00:51:12,480 --> 00:51:13,600 Speaker 2: is exponential. 982 00:51:14,719 --> 00:51:16,759 Speaker 1: What are the types of things that the kids are 983 00:51:16,840 --> 00:51:18,600 Speaker 1: most in need of that you're seeing are most in 984 00:51:18,640 --> 00:51:20,360 Speaker 1: need of these days? Curious about that. 985 00:51:20,960 --> 00:51:24,759 Speaker 4: Well, it's it's clothes. Kids always need clothes. You know, 986 00:51:24,800 --> 00:51:28,799 Speaker 4: there was growing out of clothes. Or we see a 987 00:51:28,800 --> 00:51:31,279 Speaker 4: lot of school uniforms. A lot of schools are requiring 988 00:51:31,360 --> 00:51:34,479 Speaker 4: school uniforms and kids are staying home because they can't 989 00:51:34,520 --> 00:51:40,600 Speaker 4: afford school uniforms. We just got a request the other 990 00:51:40,719 --> 00:51:45,000 Speaker 4: day for a kid who got accepted into a competition 991 00:51:45,160 --> 00:51:49,840 Speaker 4: for future educators, but they required a certain dress mode 992 00:51:50,680 --> 00:51:54,520 Speaker 4: and her power was unemployed and she couldn't afford the 993 00:51:54,640 --> 00:51:58,040 Speaker 4: dress code uniform. So he paid I think it was 994 00:51:58,080 --> 00:52:01,759 Speaker 4: fifty dollars we paid for that uniform. It could be 995 00:52:01,800 --> 00:52:07,000 Speaker 4: a band outfit. Yeah, yesterday it was a girl who's 996 00:52:07,239 --> 00:52:12,319 Speaker 4: growing too quickly and she she's very embarrassed by her 997 00:52:12,440 --> 00:52:16,759 Speaker 4: large chest. When she goes to physical education. She has 998 00:52:16,800 --> 00:52:20,160 Speaker 4: a horrible bra and she's you know, she's very embarrassed 999 00:52:20,160 --> 00:52:22,239 Speaker 4: when she asked to do jumping jacks. This is an 1000 00:52:22,280 --> 00:52:25,759 Speaker 4: actual request that we got we paid for two bras 1001 00:52:26,440 --> 00:52:30,279 Speaker 4: was seventy five dollars. It was nothing to us, but 1002 00:52:31,880 --> 00:52:34,640 Speaker 4: it's a it's a it's a game changer. And you know, 1003 00:52:35,520 --> 00:52:38,520 Speaker 4: people talk about kids want new sneakers and stuff like that. 1004 00:52:39,040 --> 00:52:43,319 Speaker 4: What people don't understand is that these kids who were 1005 00:52:43,360 --> 00:52:47,600 Speaker 4: already stigmatized, they don't they don't want to stand out. 1006 00:52:48,600 --> 00:52:52,280 Speaker 4: They want to blend in. So when they go to school, 1007 00:52:52,280 --> 00:52:55,319 Speaker 4: they're not going around showing off their new shirt necessarily. 1008 00:52:56,200 --> 00:52:58,200 Speaker 4: They just want to blend in. They don't want to 1009 00:52:58,200 --> 00:53:01,600 Speaker 4: be stigmatized by the bully in that school. 1010 00:53:02,960 --> 00:53:07,480 Speaker 3: Yeah, and also you were pointing out these there are 1011 00:53:07,520 --> 00:53:15,160 Speaker 3: some exceptionally talented kids who get opportunities academically athletically, but 1012 00:53:15,440 --> 00:53:18,800 Speaker 3: then that opportunity gets stimy because they can't afford the equipment. 1013 00:53:18,960 --> 00:53:22,600 Speaker 3: They have the ability, and then that ability gets thwarted 1014 00:53:22,640 --> 00:53:24,520 Speaker 3: and nipped in the bud because then they can't afford it. 1015 00:53:24,600 --> 00:53:26,120 Speaker 2: So especially when. 1016 00:53:26,000 --> 00:53:30,759 Speaker 3: Like this person made the national marching band but cannot well, 1017 00:53:31,320 --> 00:53:33,720 Speaker 3: it definitely paid for that stuff because that's a talent 1018 00:53:34,120 --> 00:53:37,680 Speaker 3: that's just going to feed their self esteem and help 1019 00:53:37,719 --> 00:53:40,240 Speaker 3: them see the world. You know, like that those really 1020 00:53:40,280 --> 00:53:41,239 Speaker 3: really land. 1021 00:53:41,520 --> 00:53:46,040 Speaker 1: Yeah, that's amazing that is amazing. Well, Ron, what would 1022 00:53:46,080 --> 00:53:49,800 Speaker 1: you what would be the what would be the best 1023 00:53:49,920 --> 00:53:52,319 Speaker 1: way for I mean, I'm sure that there's a we 1024 00:53:52,360 --> 00:53:55,040 Speaker 1: can talk about where people can go to donate. Is 1025 00:53:55,040 --> 00:53:59,200 Speaker 1: there also opportunities for volunteerism or are you also on 1026 00:53:59,360 --> 00:54:02,719 Speaker 1: the UH website looking for people, because I bet you 1027 00:54:02,719 --> 00:54:05,200 Speaker 1: you're gonna get flooded with people calling and saying I 1028 00:54:05,239 --> 00:54:07,360 Speaker 1: know a kid that needs this, and how can people 1029 00:54:07,440 --> 00:54:10,040 Speaker 1: help out? Give us the This is the call to action? 1030 00:54:10,840 --> 00:54:14,200 Speaker 4: Okay, many ways. Our website is Alice's Kids dot Org. 1031 00:54:15,440 --> 00:54:17,640 Speaker 4: You go to the website and clear as day, there's 1032 00:54:17,680 --> 00:54:21,719 Speaker 4: a donate button. Every dollar that we raise, you know, 1033 00:54:21,840 --> 00:54:25,640 Speaker 4: will go into that one pot. The more money we raised, 1034 00:54:25,920 --> 00:54:27,359 Speaker 4: the more kids we can help. 1035 00:54:27,400 --> 00:54:28,160 Speaker 2: It's that simple. 1036 00:54:28,400 --> 00:54:30,720 Speaker 4: And we've done very well in the past years because 1037 00:54:30,760 --> 00:54:33,680 Speaker 4: of Patten and others. You know, a budget a few 1038 00:54:33,760 --> 00:54:36,320 Speaker 4: years ago was about one hundred and fifty thousand dollars. 1039 00:54:36,360 --> 00:54:40,319 Speaker 4: Now it's one point two million dollars. In fact, I'd 1040 00:54:40,320 --> 00:54:43,279 Speaker 4: have to say that big chunk of that was at 1041 00:54:43,440 --> 00:54:45,920 Speaker 4: one two hundred and fifty thousand dollars for us on 1042 00:54:46,040 --> 00:54:47,520 Speaker 4: Celebrity Jeopardy. 1043 00:54:47,120 --> 00:54:52,759 Speaker 1: Early Awesome, Wow, Wow, Kira just went on Celebrity Jeopardy, Patent. 1044 00:54:52,880 --> 00:54:54,080 Speaker 2: Well what women she did? 1045 00:54:54,520 --> 00:54:57,600 Speaker 1: She did yet it was like just her worst nightmare. 1046 00:54:58,280 --> 00:55:04,839 Speaker 1: She hasn't trying to think anyway. Yeah, she was it hard. 1047 00:55:05,760 --> 00:55:07,799 Speaker 3: It's it is so I don't want to take away 1048 00:55:07,800 --> 00:55:10,520 Speaker 3: from run. It's nerve wracking. And what's the worst part 1049 00:55:10,560 --> 00:55:13,120 Speaker 3: is the easiest questions are the ones that you think 1050 00:55:13,160 --> 00:55:16,239 Speaker 3: twice on because you're like, wait, it cannot be that obvious, 1051 00:55:16,440 --> 00:55:18,480 Speaker 3: and then you freeze up and then someone else gets it. 1052 00:55:18,719 --> 00:55:20,120 Speaker 2: That's what, by the way, crazy. 1053 00:55:20,680 --> 00:55:23,200 Speaker 1: By the way, I think it's great the highlights Celebrity 1054 00:55:23,280 --> 00:55:26,200 Speaker 1: Jeopardy because now we're seeing the where it actually goes 1055 00:55:26,239 --> 00:55:29,239 Speaker 1: and we're talking to the receiver two of this. So 1056 00:55:29,320 --> 00:55:32,640 Speaker 1: when you watch Celebrity Jeopardy ladies and gentlemen and you 1057 00:55:32,719 --> 00:55:37,399 Speaker 1: see Pat and Oswalt sweating it out, you literally know 1058 00:55:37,840 --> 00:55:43,040 Speaker 1: that this is that this is time and possible embarrassment. 1059 00:55:43,120 --> 00:55:45,400 Speaker 1: Well spent, but two hundred and fifty grand that's amazing. 1060 00:55:45,640 --> 00:55:49,680 Speaker 2: Yeah, we were all sweating it out. Yeah. 1061 00:55:48,120 --> 00:55:53,680 Speaker 4: Yeah, and Adam got a commendation from the Virginia House 1062 00:55:53,719 --> 00:55:58,120 Speaker 4: of Delegates. Were doing that because he went to William 1063 00:55:58,160 --> 00:56:02,920 Speaker 4: and Merritta, which I think I sent it to you. Pat, Oh, 1064 00:56:02,960 --> 00:56:03,400 Speaker 4: I have it. 1065 00:56:03,640 --> 00:56:04,560 Speaker 2: Don't think I don't have it. 1066 00:56:05,560 --> 00:56:08,239 Speaker 3: And by the way, you if they go to and 1067 00:56:08,320 --> 00:56:09,879 Speaker 3: I'm just I don't mean to speak for you, Kevin, 1068 00:56:09,920 --> 00:56:12,520 Speaker 3: but if you go to al is it Alice's Kids 1069 00:56:12,560 --> 00:56:15,839 Speaker 3: dot org. Yes, if you go to Alice's Kids dot 1070 00:56:15,960 --> 00:56:19,360 Speaker 3: org and donate because you listen to this podcast, technically 1071 00:56:19,840 --> 00:56:21,640 Speaker 3: you are one degree. 1072 00:56:21,200 --> 00:56:25,280 Speaker 2: Away from Kevin Bacon. Kevin, there, you are now connected 1073 00:56:25,320 --> 00:56:26,240 Speaker 2: to Kevin Bacon. 1074 00:56:26,640 --> 00:56:30,880 Speaker 1: Yes, I'm not I am not above selling degrees of separation. 1075 00:56:31,080 --> 00:56:34,640 Speaker 1: It's for a good cause. If it's for a good cause. 1076 00:56:35,040 --> 00:56:38,040 Speaker 4: Yeah, And Kevin, I want to reiterate that what you 1077 00:56:38,080 --> 00:56:40,840 Speaker 4: do and what Panda it really does have an effect, 1078 00:56:40,960 --> 00:56:43,600 Speaker 4: you know that Teresa Vargas column. Like you said, media 1079 00:56:43,920 --> 00:56:49,000 Speaker 4: really has an impact, particularly when that's why Panda. Hate 1080 00:56:49,000 --> 00:56:52,000 Speaker 4: to say it, but Twitter is so powerful for us. 1081 00:56:52,360 --> 00:56:53,080 Speaker 2: Yeah. 1082 00:56:53,120 --> 00:56:55,279 Speaker 4: And Pat, so I was retweeting our stuff or re 1083 00:56:55,480 --> 00:56:59,000 Speaker 4: exing our stuff. But what you all are doing for 1084 00:56:59,080 --> 00:57:02,920 Speaker 4: other charities, yeah, but particularly it is very very commendable. 1085 00:57:02,960 --> 00:57:05,479 Speaker 1: I appreciate it. Well, what you're doing is very much 1086 00:57:05,960 --> 00:57:09,479 Speaker 1: in line with what we're trying to highlight here, both 1087 00:57:09,520 --> 00:57:11,680 Speaker 1: on this podcast but also at sixty degrees dot org 1088 00:57:11,719 --> 00:57:14,800 Speaker 1: and that you know, we we like the fresh ideas, 1089 00:57:14,840 --> 00:57:16,800 Speaker 1: the cool ideas, you know what I mean, the new 1090 00:57:16,840 --> 00:57:19,680 Speaker 1: things that you just kind of come up with something 1091 00:57:19,720 --> 00:57:21,800 Speaker 1: you see a need and you figure out a way 1092 00:57:22,120 --> 00:57:24,800 Speaker 1: to help in their grassroots organizations. And there's a lot 1093 00:57:24,840 --> 00:57:28,480 Speaker 1: of really really giant charities that are doing great work 1094 00:57:28,520 --> 00:57:31,800 Speaker 1: and have great exposure and have very very lavish, you know, 1095 00:57:32,400 --> 00:57:35,160 Speaker 1: kind of events and stuff like that. But we also 1096 00:57:35,320 --> 00:57:38,000 Speaker 1: want to give a voice in a microphone to people 1097 00:57:38,640 --> 00:57:41,360 Speaker 1: like you Ron who have this you know, this idea 1098 00:57:41,480 --> 00:57:45,520 Speaker 1: and it's it's growing and it's helping kids. And I 1099 00:57:45,640 --> 00:57:47,479 Speaker 1: just want to say thank you and thank you guys 1100 00:57:47,520 --> 00:57:48,680 Speaker 1: so much for being here today. 1101 00:57:49,680 --> 00:57:50,480 Speaker 4: Thank you very much. 1102 00:57:50,560 --> 00:57:54,000 Speaker 2: Yes, thank you seriously. Nice seeing it again, Paton, great, 1103 00:57:54,040 --> 00:57:54,760 Speaker 2: seeing you again. 1104 00:57:54,880 --> 00:57:55,200 Speaker 4: Kevin. 1105 00:57:55,760 --> 00:57:57,840 Speaker 3: I've again don't want to be a movie nerd. Been 1106 00:57:57,880 --> 00:58:01,840 Speaker 3: a fan since Animal House, you all, and one of 1107 00:58:01,840 --> 00:58:05,360 Speaker 3: my favorite of many movies you're in. You're scene in 1108 00:58:05,400 --> 00:58:09,520 Speaker 3: Tremors with Fred Ward when you realize, oh my god, 1109 00:58:09,560 --> 00:58:11,920 Speaker 3: we can't make fun of that guy's lifestyle anymore, the 1110 00:58:12,000 --> 00:58:15,400 Speaker 3: crazy right wing gunnut who actually kills one of the worms, 1111 00:58:15,680 --> 00:58:18,960 Speaker 3: and your look on your face, you look genuinely concerned that, oh, 1112 00:58:19,000 --> 00:58:20,960 Speaker 3: we can't make fun of him anymore, and that was like. 1113 00:58:20,960 --> 00:58:23,360 Speaker 2: A big part of our lives. One of the best 1114 00:58:23,360 --> 00:58:23,960 Speaker 2: line readings. 1115 00:58:23,960 --> 00:58:26,520 Speaker 1: I love that. Thank you, thank you very much. 1116 00:58:26,800 --> 00:58:28,440 Speaker 2: Yep, sorry, I had to run that in there. 1117 00:58:28,600 --> 00:58:31,280 Speaker 1: Sorry, just doing what I can with what I've got. 1118 00:58:31,480 --> 00:58:35,320 Speaker 1: There you mentioning that, all right, fellas, Thank you so 1119 00:58:35,400 --> 00:58:39,480 Speaker 1: much for being here. Hey, thanks for listening to another 1120 00:58:39,480 --> 00:58:42,120 Speaker 1: episode of Six Degrees with Kevin Big. To learn more 1121 00:58:42,160 --> 00:58:45,880 Speaker 1: about Alice's Kids and all the special work that they 1122 00:58:45,880 --> 00:58:48,760 Speaker 1: are up to, all you gotta do is head to 1123 00:58:48,800 --> 00:58:52,680 Speaker 1: their website Alice's Kids dot org. You can find all 1124 00:58:52,720 --> 00:58:55,960 Speaker 1: those links in our show notes listen. If you've been 1125 00:58:56,040 --> 00:59:02,120 Speaker 1: following along all season. I just got to say special 1126 00:59:02,200 --> 00:59:07,000 Speaker 1: thank you for supporting these stories and all the great 1127 00:59:07,040 --> 00:59:10,440 Speaker 1: work that these organizations are doing, just to try to 1128 00:59:10,480 --> 00:59:14,760 Speaker 1: make this world of ours a little brighter. As always, 1129 00:59:15,040 --> 00:59:17,480 Speaker 1: if you like what you hear, you can subscribe to 1130 00:59:17,520 --> 00:59:20,040 Speaker 1: the show. You can tune into the rest of our episodes. 1131 00:59:20,160 --> 00:59:22,880 Speaker 1: Trust me, there're some good ones. You can find Six 1132 00:59:22,920 --> 00:59:28,440 Speaker 1: Degrees with Kevin Bacon on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts or wherever 1133 00:59:28,720 --> 00:59:32,120 Speaker 1: you get your podcasts, and see you next time