1 00:00:00,480 --> 00:00:01,240 Speaker 1: Taking a walk. 2 00:00:01,360 --> 00:00:05,760 Speaker 2: Well, laughter is the unexpected breath that you take that 3 00:00:05,840 --> 00:00:07,600 Speaker 2: you didn't know you were going to take, that ensures 4 00:00:07,640 --> 00:00:10,000 Speaker 2: the next moment of life. So laughter is like this 5 00:00:10,200 --> 00:00:13,320 Speaker 2: hit of oxygen that we all need all the time. 6 00:00:13,880 --> 00:00:17,480 Speaker 2: But it disrupts your normal breathing pattern and it makes 7 00:00:17,480 --> 00:00:21,480 Speaker 2: you breathe deeper and harder. And if you're laughing a lot, 8 00:00:21,880 --> 00:00:24,720 Speaker 2: it's a really life affirming gesture. That's why you know, 9 00:00:24,800 --> 00:00:28,440 Speaker 2: people all you know always say it's like laughter is 10 00:00:28,480 --> 00:00:32,000 Speaker 2: the best medicine. It's true, it actually is medicine. 11 00:00:32,080 --> 00:00:35,080 Speaker 3: Welcome to the Taken a Walk Podcast with your host, 12 00:00:35,159 --> 00:00:38,360 Speaker 3: Buzz Night. If you like this podcast, please check out 13 00:00:38,400 --> 00:00:43,199 Speaker 3: our companion podcast called Music Save Me, hosted by Lynn Hoffman. 14 00:00:43,159 --> 00:00:45,760 Speaker 1: Where she delves into the healing power of music. 15 00:00:46,320 --> 00:00:46,680 Speaker 4: Today. 16 00:00:46,920 --> 00:00:50,159 Speaker 3: On Taking a Walk, Buzz is joined by the incomparable 17 00:00:50,240 --> 00:00:55,320 Speaker 3: Margaret Choe. She's a trailblazing comedian, actor, musician, and activist 18 00:00:55,680 --> 00:00:59,440 Speaker 3: known for her sharp wit and fearless approach to tackling issues. 19 00:01:00,040 --> 00:01:03,840 Speaker 3: It has been willing audiences for over four decades. She 20 00:01:03,920 --> 00:01:07,760 Speaker 3: has new music out called Lucky Gift. She continues to 21 00:01:07,760 --> 00:01:12,000 Speaker 3: tour the country. Here's Buss with Margaret Choe on taking a. 22 00:01:11,959 --> 00:01:16,279 Speaker 4: Walk Margaret Choe, welcome to take it a walk. 23 00:01:16,680 --> 00:01:17,120 Speaker 2: Thank you. 24 00:01:17,959 --> 00:01:20,640 Speaker 4: So, since the podcast is called take out a Walk, 25 00:01:20,680 --> 00:01:23,080 Speaker 4: I wanted to ask you to start. If you could 26 00:01:23,120 --> 00:01:28,600 Speaker 4: take a walk with someone living or dead, who would 27 00:01:28,600 --> 00:01:30,320 Speaker 4: it be and where would you take a walk with them? 28 00:01:31,160 --> 00:01:34,880 Speaker 2: I would like to take a walk with Nancy Kuan. 29 00:01:35,120 --> 00:01:39,520 Speaker 2: She's living still, she's quite old. I believe she's probably 30 00:01:39,600 --> 00:01:44,840 Speaker 2: close to ninety, if not ninety. I love her. I'd 31 00:01:44,880 --> 00:01:46,760 Speaker 2: love to take a walk around my neighborhood if she 32 00:01:46,760 --> 00:01:48,840 Speaker 2: would like to, or her neighborhood, if she would like 33 00:01:48,880 --> 00:01:50,280 Speaker 2: to just hang out. 34 00:01:51,000 --> 00:01:52,360 Speaker 4: Just casual conversation. 35 00:01:52,560 --> 00:01:55,280 Speaker 2: Right, Yeah, I think she's got a lot to say. 36 00:01:55,320 --> 00:02:01,080 Speaker 2: She's got great legs. She is a true pioneer an 37 00:02:01,120 --> 00:02:06,280 Speaker 2: Asian American cinema and art and entertainment, and she's everything. 38 00:02:06,400 --> 00:02:11,480 Speaker 2: She's a singer, dancer, actress, model. 39 00:02:12,240 --> 00:02:15,639 Speaker 4: Icon, multifaceted, just like you. 40 00:02:16,320 --> 00:02:18,720 Speaker 2: Yes, so I'd love to take a walk with her. 41 00:02:18,840 --> 00:02:23,480 Speaker 4: That's awesome. Congrats on your new music, Lucky Gift. It's 42 00:02:23,520 --> 00:02:26,160 Speaker 4: been a long time since we heard from you with 43 00:02:26,280 --> 00:02:29,200 Speaker 4: music about is it eight years almost? 44 00:02:29,639 --> 00:02:33,160 Speaker 2: Yes? Yes, so I'm really glad to put it out. 45 00:02:33,360 --> 00:02:35,680 Speaker 4: Tell me how this came together and who some of 46 00:02:35,720 --> 00:02:39,160 Speaker 4: the collaborators are with you on this project. 47 00:02:40,000 --> 00:02:42,840 Speaker 2: Well, this album I've been working on actually for the 48 00:02:42,919 --> 00:02:47,520 Speaker 2: last ten years, eleven years. Some of the songs were 49 00:02:47,560 --> 00:02:51,480 Speaker 2: written with Roger Roscha from Four Non Blondes. He is 50 00:02:51,520 --> 00:02:58,040 Speaker 2: a wonderful songwriter in a musical genius, and he and 51 00:02:58,080 --> 00:03:00,680 Speaker 2: I wrote about half of the song of the record 52 00:03:01,200 --> 00:03:05,880 Speaker 2: when I was working with him on my B Robin project, 53 00:03:05,880 --> 00:03:11,200 Speaker 2: which was outreach for those experiencing homelessness in San Francisco 54 00:03:11,520 --> 00:03:14,359 Speaker 2: in twenty fourteen. So a lot of the songs were 55 00:03:14,360 --> 00:03:17,639 Speaker 2: written out on the street with a band. We were 56 00:03:17,760 --> 00:03:21,200 Speaker 2: stealing electricity and playing in these encampments and also giving 57 00:03:21,200 --> 00:03:25,280 Speaker 2: out food and much needed supplies. And it was sort 58 00:03:25,320 --> 00:03:28,000 Speaker 2: of a tribute to Robin Williams. He was a big 59 00:03:28,040 --> 00:03:30,600 Speaker 2: advocate for the homeless with comic relief, which I got 60 00:03:30,600 --> 00:03:34,079 Speaker 2: to do for many years, and so it was a 61 00:03:34,160 --> 00:03:38,120 Speaker 2: nice way to honor his passing, but also a creative 62 00:03:38,320 --> 00:03:41,000 Speaker 2: journey for me and Roger to write a number of 63 00:03:41,000 --> 00:03:43,920 Speaker 2: these songs, including funny Man, which is all about Robin Williams. 64 00:03:44,000 --> 00:03:48,200 Speaker 2: And so it was singing out on the street, blowing 65 00:03:48,200 --> 00:03:53,640 Speaker 2: out my voice, stealing electricity. But we also had violin players, 66 00:03:53,640 --> 00:03:56,400 Speaker 2: and we had horns, we had saxophone players. We had 67 00:03:56,480 --> 00:04:00,640 Speaker 2: like a huge bands because everybody wanted to play with 68 00:04:00,680 --> 00:04:04,000 Speaker 2: these people, and so it was a great way to write. 69 00:04:04,080 --> 00:04:05,880 Speaker 2: But so half of the songs come from that. The 70 00:04:05,920 --> 00:04:10,160 Speaker 2: other half come from me just writing over time and 71 00:04:10,880 --> 00:04:15,720 Speaker 2: fitting writing songs in when I was doing other things, 72 00:04:15,760 --> 00:04:18,080 Speaker 2: like you know, making movies and TV shows and doing 73 00:04:18,080 --> 00:04:22,799 Speaker 2: stand up comedy. So and then I collaborated with Garrison Starr, 74 00:04:22,839 --> 00:04:25,200 Speaker 2: who's somebody I I've been working with on all of 75 00:04:25,200 --> 00:04:29,719 Speaker 2: my records. She's an amazing singer, songwriter and an incredible producer, 76 00:04:29,760 --> 00:04:32,080 Speaker 2: and so she produced the other half of the tracks 77 00:04:32,080 --> 00:04:32,599 Speaker 2: on the record. 78 00:04:33,800 --> 00:04:37,400 Speaker 4: So tell me how your creative process differs, if at all, 79 00:04:38,160 --> 00:04:41,799 Speaker 4: between your stand up creation and your music creation. 80 00:04:43,600 --> 00:04:48,640 Speaker 2: I think it's well, it's usually when I'm approaching dant 81 00:04:48,720 --> 00:04:52,360 Speaker 2: up comedy, like I'll try to think of, oh, I 82 00:04:52,400 --> 00:04:54,440 Speaker 2: have to write a joke about that, and I'll like 83 00:04:54,560 --> 00:04:57,400 Speaker 2: work on something and then I'll present it later that 84 00:04:57,520 --> 00:05:00,560 Speaker 2: day at a stand up comedy show. So it's very immediate. 85 00:05:01,400 --> 00:05:04,680 Speaker 2: With music, I think, oh, I should write a song 86 00:05:04,720 --> 00:05:08,200 Speaker 2: about that, or or I will be fiddling around on 87 00:05:08,240 --> 00:05:11,200 Speaker 2: an instrument and I'll say, oh, that actually works, and 88 00:05:11,520 --> 00:05:14,880 Speaker 2: maybe I can create this into something and it'll usually 89 00:05:14,960 --> 00:05:18,200 Speaker 2: come that way, and then I don't present it for 90 00:05:18,240 --> 00:05:20,400 Speaker 2: a long time, like nobody really hears it or sees 91 00:05:20,440 --> 00:05:23,920 Speaker 2: it until I'm ready to record it or so it's 92 00:05:23,960 --> 00:05:27,880 Speaker 2: almost something that like, uh, is isolated for a while. 93 00:05:28,000 --> 00:05:29,920 Speaker 2: I mean, in general, my writing process is like that 94 00:05:30,000 --> 00:05:32,640 Speaker 2: with Roger. With the b Robin project, it was a 95 00:05:32,680 --> 00:05:35,000 Speaker 2: little bit different because we were like writing songs and 96 00:05:35,040 --> 00:05:36,919 Speaker 2: then like taking them out on the street, so it 97 00:05:37,000 --> 00:05:40,560 Speaker 2: was fast. But this one was like some of the 98 00:05:40,600 --> 00:05:42,039 Speaker 2: other songs, it was a little bit of a slower 99 00:05:42,040 --> 00:05:43,760 Speaker 2: process where people didn't see them for a little while. 100 00:05:43,880 --> 00:05:48,839 Speaker 2: So but yeah, it's very different because it I think 101 00:05:48,920 --> 00:05:53,359 Speaker 2: stand up comedy is so much of a dialogue with 102 00:05:53,839 --> 00:05:56,279 Speaker 2: your audience because they have to laugh to fill in 103 00:05:56,279 --> 00:05:59,040 Speaker 2: the other part of the joke or to complete the joke. 104 00:05:59,720 --> 00:06:01,760 Speaker 2: Where songs, say, can exist on their own. 105 00:06:03,040 --> 00:06:05,120 Speaker 4: Is it fair to say both sides of the equation 106 00:06:05,320 --> 00:06:09,359 Speaker 4: stand up comedy and creating music are not only a 107 00:06:09,360 --> 00:06:13,920 Speaker 4: way to you know, express love for things and the 108 00:06:13,920 --> 00:06:17,800 Speaker 4: beauty around, but also a way to kind of get 109 00:06:17,800 --> 00:06:19,400 Speaker 4: some of the pain out as well. 110 00:06:20,839 --> 00:06:26,479 Speaker 2: Yes, absolutely, And to say things that are unsayable, or 111 00:06:26,520 --> 00:06:32,520 Speaker 2: to be a solution to a problem, you know, or 112 00:06:32,600 --> 00:06:35,680 Speaker 2: to communicate things that you really can't communicate in any 113 00:06:35,720 --> 00:06:39,919 Speaker 2: other way. Also to give people a vessel and the 114 00:06:39,920 --> 00:06:42,279 Speaker 2: way that they can communicate something that they can like 115 00:06:43,760 --> 00:06:48,520 Speaker 2: reield a relationship with because oftentimes music it's the way 116 00:06:48,560 --> 00:06:51,560 Speaker 2: that what it's written for isn't what it's listened for. 117 00:06:52,080 --> 00:06:54,839 Speaker 2: You know. People have all sorts of attachments to songs 118 00:06:55,120 --> 00:06:58,240 Speaker 2: that are outside of the hands of the songwriter, which 119 00:06:58,279 --> 00:07:01,719 Speaker 2: I love too, because then people can interpret and put 120 00:07:01,760 --> 00:07:04,120 Speaker 2: on the meaning that they want to put on the song. 121 00:07:04,960 --> 00:07:08,160 Speaker 4: You play this instrument I've never heard of before. It's 122 00:07:08,720 --> 00:07:13,080 Speaker 4: the mandolin sort of double neck guitar, otherwise known as 123 00:07:13,160 --> 00:07:17,280 Speaker 4: the mandatar. Did you create the mandatar? 124 00:07:18,440 --> 00:07:23,200 Speaker 2: No, The mandatar comes from Bruin, which is a legendary 125 00:07:23,240 --> 00:07:28,960 Speaker 2: guitar start in Nashville, and it was a luthier who 126 00:07:29,040 --> 00:07:32,840 Speaker 2: passed away and his widow sold all the guitars that 127 00:07:32,920 --> 00:07:34,920 Speaker 2: he made to the store. So this is one of 128 00:07:34,920 --> 00:07:37,520 Speaker 2: the ones, and I've never seen anything like it. It's 129 00:07:37,560 --> 00:07:40,880 Speaker 2: a one neck as a mandolin and one neck as 130 00:07:40,920 --> 00:07:44,560 Speaker 2: a guitar, and the way that I wrote Lucky Gift, 131 00:07:44,600 --> 00:07:47,120 Speaker 2: which is the title track of the record, is I 132 00:07:47,240 --> 00:07:50,480 Speaker 2: used both at the same time as opposed to playing 133 00:07:50,480 --> 00:07:53,040 Speaker 2: them separately. I played them together like one long strum 134 00:07:54,080 --> 00:07:56,800 Speaker 2: and it actually worked. The way that it was tuned 135 00:07:57,080 --> 00:07:58,920 Speaker 2: worked and it worked in the body of the song 136 00:07:58,920 --> 00:08:00,920 Speaker 2: and it was pretty incredible. So I was so excited. 137 00:08:01,160 --> 00:08:04,120 Speaker 2: So most of the songs, the kind of acoustic side, 138 00:08:05,440 --> 00:08:10,000 Speaker 2: the more sort of country ish flavored songs are those 139 00:08:10,040 --> 00:08:13,320 Speaker 2: songs that I wrote with Garrison are from the Mando. 140 00:08:13,160 --> 00:08:15,560 Speaker 4: Tar And how long did it take you to learn 141 00:08:15,600 --> 00:08:16,280 Speaker 4: the man guitar? 142 00:08:17,560 --> 00:08:21,880 Speaker 2: Well, I already played guitar, so anything anything that has 143 00:08:22,200 --> 00:08:24,679 Speaker 2: fight a guitar feel, I can work my way around. 144 00:08:25,160 --> 00:08:29,160 Speaker 2: I am a multi instrumentalist, but I'm not good. So 145 00:08:29,240 --> 00:08:33,040 Speaker 2: I'm like, I can't play everything but not well. But 146 00:08:33,080 --> 00:08:36,120 Speaker 2: I can play everything enough where I can write and 147 00:08:36,520 --> 00:08:39,240 Speaker 2: show somebody else who can play well, and then I 148 00:08:39,280 --> 00:08:41,800 Speaker 2: can sing. I will get to the point one day 149 00:08:41,840 --> 00:08:44,240 Speaker 2: where I can play and sing at the same time. Well, 150 00:08:44,559 --> 00:08:46,880 Speaker 2: I can't do either well if I'm doing it at 151 00:08:46,880 --> 00:08:48,760 Speaker 2: the same time, so I like to just focus on 152 00:08:48,800 --> 00:08:54,760 Speaker 2: the singing. But I'm my writing is working it out 153 00:08:54,800 --> 00:09:01,280 Speaker 2: on these idiosyncratic instruments. I love idiosyncratic instruments, things that 154 00:09:01,320 --> 00:09:04,760 Speaker 2: are just made by luthiers or whoever. So I have 155 00:09:04,840 --> 00:09:09,840 Speaker 2: a number of like kind of weird misfit toys of 156 00:09:10,000 --> 00:09:11,400 Speaker 2: instruments that I like to write the. 157 00:09:11,440 --> 00:09:14,560 Speaker 4: Land of Missmit Toys. I love it. Yes, who are 158 00:09:14,600 --> 00:09:18,640 Speaker 4: some of the players that you particularly admire? And then 159 00:09:18,720 --> 00:09:22,760 Speaker 4: who are some of the particular songwriters that you most admire? 160 00:09:24,440 --> 00:09:32,480 Speaker 2: Well, I think of the old time would be Bobby Gentry. 161 00:09:32,600 --> 00:09:37,920 Speaker 2: You know that she was just such a force, What 162 00:09:38,000 --> 00:09:41,520 Speaker 2: an amazing songwriter, what an amazing singer, and also what 163 00:09:41,559 --> 00:09:44,520 Speaker 2: a great beauty. You know, She's somebody who I would 164 00:09:44,559 --> 00:09:46,800 Speaker 2: love to take a walk with as well. Still alive 165 00:09:47,240 --> 00:09:52,320 Speaker 2: out there, but just decided to walk away from entertainment 166 00:09:52,400 --> 00:09:56,000 Speaker 2: and is sort of, you know, out there, where is 167 00:09:56,120 --> 00:09:59,400 Speaker 2: Bobby Gentry? We're not sure? Another great songwriter asked that 168 00:09:59,520 --> 00:10:03,040 Speaker 2: question in her song Jill Sobule, one of my favorites, 169 00:10:03,400 --> 00:10:06,040 Speaker 2: also ask where is Bobby Gentry? We all want to know? 170 00:10:07,480 --> 00:10:08,360 Speaker 3: She was, uh. 171 00:10:09,840 --> 00:10:15,320 Speaker 2: Truly one of one one of my absolute favorites. And 172 00:10:15,440 --> 00:10:18,600 Speaker 2: of course Dolly Parton in the same vein you know, 173 00:10:18,640 --> 00:10:21,720 Speaker 2: what a what a beauty, what a singer, what a songwriter, 174 00:10:21,800 --> 00:10:26,040 Speaker 2: what an icon? You know? So many modern people. I 175 00:10:26,040 --> 00:10:30,520 Speaker 2: would say Chapel Rowan. I absolutely adore her. I love 176 00:10:30,600 --> 00:10:33,199 Speaker 2: the way that her songs have such drama, that there 177 00:10:33,240 --> 00:10:37,000 Speaker 2: are you start one place and then you end someplace 178 00:10:37,080 --> 00:10:41,760 Speaker 2: totally different, and I I'm really in all of that 179 00:10:41,880 --> 00:10:48,640 Speaker 2: where somebody can take chords and song structure and bring 180 00:10:48,720 --> 00:10:50,720 Speaker 2: it to life and in a way that is so 181 00:10:51,720 --> 00:10:56,080 Speaker 2: bombastic and exciting and new but old. I love I 182 00:10:56,080 --> 00:10:57,360 Speaker 2: love her, And. 183 00:10:57,320 --> 00:11:00,680 Speaker 4: There's a theme there as far as your taste. You 184 00:11:00,880 --> 00:11:04,640 Speaker 4: like those that just like you are, you know, don't 185 00:11:04,679 --> 00:11:09,440 Speaker 4: apologize for anything you've done and you're saying and creating. 186 00:11:09,800 --> 00:11:13,080 Speaker 4: You just have that force behind everything that you do. 187 00:11:14,679 --> 00:11:19,400 Speaker 4: Who instilled that in you, that unapologetic attitude, I don't know. 188 00:11:19,640 --> 00:11:21,800 Speaker 2: I mean maybe it was something that I'm just you 189 00:11:21,840 --> 00:11:23,520 Speaker 2: sort of fake it till you make it like you 190 00:11:23,559 --> 00:11:25,840 Speaker 2: just don't. You don't even know if it's right. You 191 00:11:25,880 --> 00:11:28,760 Speaker 2: just do it like you. I think, you just put 192 00:11:28,800 --> 00:11:30,880 Speaker 2: it out there. And that's kind of the way stand 193 00:11:30,960 --> 00:11:32,800 Speaker 2: up comedy is. You kind of have to put it 194 00:11:32,840 --> 00:11:35,040 Speaker 2: out there to even know if it's going to work, 195 00:11:35,160 --> 00:11:39,400 Speaker 2: and you have to be confident in your idea in 196 00:11:39,520 --> 00:11:43,600 Speaker 2: order to make an audience believe it. So you sort 197 00:11:43,640 --> 00:11:46,040 Speaker 2: of have to be a salesman for yourself as well. 198 00:11:47,320 --> 00:11:50,360 Speaker 2: And I think I learned that through comedy, but you know, 199 00:11:50,400 --> 00:11:55,080 Speaker 2: it wasn't ever something that I was entirely confident about. 200 00:11:55,160 --> 00:11:57,480 Speaker 2: You just have to fake it till you make it. 201 00:11:57,520 --> 00:11:59,760 Speaker 4: That's it a little trial and error too. 202 00:12:00,679 --> 00:12:02,319 Speaker 2: Yeah, always, always yes. 203 00:12:02,760 --> 00:12:08,000 Speaker 4: And as a musician, what do you feel like you've 204 00:12:08,040 --> 00:12:11,120 Speaker 4: most learned over the last year of your work. 205 00:12:12,760 --> 00:12:19,280 Speaker 2: I think that it's songs are really magic, like they 206 00:12:19,360 --> 00:12:22,240 Speaker 2: come out of thin air and that you don't really 207 00:12:22,400 --> 00:12:25,240 Speaker 2: know like and you'll be presented with all sorts of 208 00:12:25,400 --> 00:12:28,680 Speaker 2: entry points, you know, sometimes in the part of a dream, 209 00:12:28,800 --> 00:12:32,360 Speaker 2: I'll dream something and then I'll it'll it'll come into 210 00:12:32,559 --> 00:12:34,240 Speaker 2: being in like part of a song, you know, and 211 00:12:34,280 --> 00:12:39,280 Speaker 2: then you uh will figure things out, like it's just there. 212 00:12:39,360 --> 00:12:44,520 Speaker 2: It's so interesting and how it's like a magical stream 213 00:12:44,520 --> 00:12:46,800 Speaker 2: and then you kind of dip in and it's right there. 214 00:12:46,880 --> 00:12:49,760 Speaker 2: But if you don't dip in, it's it's gonna go 215 00:12:49,840 --> 00:12:52,600 Speaker 2: by you. So I think of what I've learned is 216 00:12:52,640 --> 00:12:54,920 Speaker 2: you've got it when you get like the sort of a 217 00:12:55,000 --> 00:12:56,640 Speaker 2: thread of something you've got to go and get the 218 00:12:56,679 --> 00:13:00,520 Speaker 2: whole cloth. Is you. You can build the whole cloth 219 00:13:00,559 --> 00:13:03,560 Speaker 2: from that, but it's about going to get it, and. 220 00:13:03,480 --> 00:13:08,120 Speaker 4: It seems like it's an ongoing process of strengthening the muscles, 221 00:13:08,160 --> 00:13:08,920 Speaker 4: if you will. 222 00:13:09,640 --> 00:13:12,640 Speaker 2: Yes, yes, which I have very much in joke writing. 223 00:13:12,679 --> 00:13:16,280 Speaker 2: So every day the first thing I do before I 224 00:13:16,320 --> 00:13:18,200 Speaker 2: get out of bed is I write a joke. And 225 00:13:18,240 --> 00:13:20,720 Speaker 2: it doesn't have to be funny, and it doesn't have 226 00:13:20,800 --> 00:13:24,640 Speaker 2: to be a whole joke, but I have to. That's 227 00:13:24,679 --> 00:13:28,040 Speaker 2: the first thing that I do as a comedian is 228 00:13:28,080 --> 00:13:33,640 Speaker 2: I make sure I have at least one formed an 229 00:13:33,920 --> 00:13:36,320 Speaker 2: idea that's going to be a joke later, or that 230 00:13:36,440 --> 00:13:38,599 Speaker 2: is already fully formed joke, or that came out of 231 00:13:38,600 --> 00:13:40,440 Speaker 2: a dream, whatever. It's the first thing I do every day. 232 00:13:40,559 --> 00:13:43,240 Speaker 2: I don't have that with songwriting, and I really should, 233 00:13:43,760 --> 00:13:47,720 Speaker 2: because that's the way to grow as a songwriter. I 234 00:13:47,800 --> 00:13:49,800 Speaker 2: used to be in a group of songwriters where we 235 00:13:49,840 --> 00:13:53,240 Speaker 2: would send each other songs daily that you would actually 236 00:13:53,320 --> 00:13:55,079 Speaker 2: have to write a snippet of a song every day, 237 00:13:55,080 --> 00:13:59,400 Speaker 2: and that was really helpful. But I don't have that 238 00:13:59,480 --> 00:14:02,040 Speaker 2: right now. I think, yeah, so in the next year, 239 00:14:02,200 --> 00:14:04,600 Speaker 2: I don't really do with resolutions. But that's probably something 240 00:14:04,600 --> 00:14:07,520 Speaker 2: I would like to do as a songwriters too. Again, 241 00:14:08,280 --> 00:14:11,000 Speaker 2: reinforce the practice of one thing a day in the morning. 242 00:14:11,440 --> 00:14:12,840 Speaker 4: I gather you don't sit. 243 00:14:12,679 --> 00:14:18,240 Speaker 2: Idle, no, but I also love to lay around. 244 00:14:20,560 --> 00:14:23,680 Speaker 4: But I'm thinking if you're laying around still, you're noodling, 245 00:14:23,840 --> 00:14:27,040 Speaker 4: you're you know, you're thinking of it the next you know, 246 00:14:27,200 --> 00:14:30,240 Speaker 4: joke or maybe a song that just ran through your 247 00:14:30,280 --> 00:14:33,040 Speaker 4: head that you know made an impact on you or something. 248 00:14:33,080 --> 00:14:36,360 Speaker 4: So I think I have a feeling you're always there's 249 00:14:36,360 --> 00:14:37,920 Speaker 4: always something going on up there. 250 00:14:37,800 --> 00:14:41,680 Speaker 2: Margaret, Yeah, I think so I'll try to fight off dementia. 251 00:14:42,680 --> 00:14:44,640 Speaker 2: You know, I'm trying to make sure that like it 252 00:14:44,720 --> 00:14:48,480 Speaker 2: still works, all those things still work. And yeah, yeah, 253 00:14:48,560 --> 00:14:52,760 Speaker 2: to me, it's creating is is is fun, It's it's 254 00:14:52,920 --> 00:14:55,320 Speaker 2: a way to keep your mind alive, and it's just 255 00:14:55,440 --> 00:14:59,080 Speaker 2: enjoyable to me. So I I just I really love it. 256 00:14:59,120 --> 00:15:02,240 Speaker 2: I love to buy instruments as well, so you know, 257 00:15:03,760 --> 00:15:05,800 Speaker 2: for me, it's fun to play around with the different 258 00:15:05,800 --> 00:15:10,240 Speaker 2: ways sound is made, all different kinds of things. I've 259 00:15:10,240 --> 00:15:13,400 Speaker 2: gotten really into synthesizers lately, so that's sort of a 260 00:15:13,440 --> 00:15:15,960 Speaker 2: newer passion. But yeah, I love it. 261 00:15:16,560 --> 00:15:18,720 Speaker 1: We'll be right back with more of the Taking a 262 00:15:18,760 --> 00:15:26,960 Speaker 1: Walk podcast. Welcome back to the Taking a Walk Podcast. 263 00:15:28,000 --> 00:15:33,160 Speaker 4: I just encountered this woman named Sierra Hall. Are you 264 00:15:33,240 --> 00:15:38,920 Speaker 4: familiar with her? She's a mandolin player extraordinaire and you know, 265 00:15:39,000 --> 00:15:42,920 Speaker 4: comes really mostly out of bluegrass, which is made up 266 00:15:42,960 --> 00:15:48,680 Speaker 4: of so much improvisation. I'm thinking, once again, as a 267 00:15:48,760 --> 00:15:54,360 Speaker 4: comedian who's been so masterful at improvisation, you're probably pretty 268 00:15:54,360 --> 00:15:57,040 Speaker 4: good on the fly musically improvising as well. 269 00:15:58,520 --> 00:16:01,040 Speaker 2: So I mean, I think that it goes to you 270 00:16:01,080 --> 00:16:04,480 Speaker 2: sort of like know what's going to happen. Like with music, 271 00:16:04,520 --> 00:16:07,960 Speaker 2: you kind of have an idea, and then if you 272 00:16:08,000 --> 00:16:10,560 Speaker 2: can follow the sort of chord progression and bring it 273 00:16:10,640 --> 00:16:13,560 Speaker 2: back a measure, bring it back a measure, then you 274 00:16:13,560 --> 00:16:15,440 Speaker 2: could probably figure it out. I don't know if I 275 00:16:15,480 --> 00:16:19,480 Speaker 2: could compete with the great jazz improvisers or even the 276 00:16:19,480 --> 00:16:21,880 Speaker 2: best of the bluegrass. Bluegrass is just phenomenal to me. 277 00:16:21,920 --> 00:16:24,480 Speaker 2: It's like calculus, Like it's like how do they even 278 00:16:25,320 --> 00:16:28,200 Speaker 2: do that? Like it's it's a musicianship, but it's also 279 00:16:28,400 --> 00:16:32,160 Speaker 2: soul and it's it's it's not phenomenal, but yeah, I 280 00:16:32,200 --> 00:16:34,640 Speaker 2: think I can improve a little bit well. 281 00:16:34,720 --> 00:16:38,280 Speaker 4: I mean, I bet a musician would say watching your 282 00:16:38,520 --> 00:16:42,240 Speaker 4: art on stage as a comedian that they're just wowed by, 283 00:16:42,720 --> 00:16:46,240 Speaker 4: you know, the ease, how you make it look so easy, which, yeah, 284 00:16:46,600 --> 00:16:48,800 Speaker 4: it is not easy, I'm quite sure. 285 00:16:49,520 --> 00:16:55,960 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's interesting how comedians have such a We're always 286 00:16:55,960 --> 00:16:58,880 Speaker 2: in awe of musicians, and musicians are always in awe 287 00:16:59,480 --> 00:17:01,920 Speaker 2: of can medians, and we just want to switch places, 288 00:17:01,960 --> 00:17:03,760 Speaker 2: which I get to do every once and again. 289 00:17:04,520 --> 00:17:06,640 Speaker 4: And as I think about music and as I think 290 00:17:06,680 --> 00:17:13,760 Speaker 4: about comedy, I believe both have true healing powers. We 291 00:17:14,080 --> 00:17:18,640 Speaker 4: actually produce this music podcast called Music Save Me, which 292 00:17:18,680 --> 00:17:20,879 Speaker 4: is about sort of the healing power of music. But 293 00:17:21,800 --> 00:17:25,639 Speaker 4: can you equate in your mind how music has healing 294 00:17:25,720 --> 00:17:30,360 Speaker 4: powers and comedy and laughter has healing powers as well, 295 00:17:30,400 --> 00:17:31,920 Speaker 4: because I certainly think it does. 296 00:17:33,200 --> 00:17:37,080 Speaker 2: It does well. Laughter is the unexpected breath that you 297 00:17:37,160 --> 00:17:39,440 Speaker 2: take that you didn't know you were going to take, 298 00:17:39,480 --> 00:17:42,240 Speaker 2: that ensures the next moment of life. So laughter is 299 00:17:42,280 --> 00:17:45,400 Speaker 2: like this hit of oxygen that we all need all 300 00:17:45,400 --> 00:17:49,639 Speaker 2: the time, but it disrupts your normal breathing pattern and 301 00:17:49,680 --> 00:17:52,960 Speaker 2: it makes you breathe deeper and harder. And if you're 302 00:17:53,040 --> 00:17:56,560 Speaker 2: laughing a lot, it's a really life affirming gesture. That's 303 00:17:56,640 --> 00:18:00,399 Speaker 2: why you know. People all you know always says like 304 00:18:00,480 --> 00:18:04,800 Speaker 2: laughter is the best medicine. It's true, it actually is medicine. 305 00:18:04,920 --> 00:18:08,640 Speaker 2: And sound. I think, well, like cats. I'm surrounded by 306 00:18:08,640 --> 00:18:12,320 Speaker 2: cats right now. They're all purring, and a cat's purr 307 00:18:13,160 --> 00:18:17,800 Speaker 2: heals bones like this, the sound frequency heals, the heal 308 00:18:17,880 --> 00:18:21,959 Speaker 2: helps the cat heal. He'll help you hail. So you know, 309 00:18:22,240 --> 00:18:26,120 Speaker 2: it makes absolute sense that music will do the same thing. 310 00:18:26,200 --> 00:18:29,000 Speaker 2: It's the same frequencies using to sort of mend your 311 00:18:29,040 --> 00:18:32,200 Speaker 2: bones and your body and your mind. And I mean, 312 00:18:32,240 --> 00:18:36,399 Speaker 2: I always love having music around. It just makes me 313 00:18:36,440 --> 00:18:39,520 Speaker 2: feel better. It makes me feel great, actually, like it's 314 00:18:39,600 --> 00:18:43,520 Speaker 2: just a wonderful thing to have all different kinds of 315 00:18:43,600 --> 00:18:45,720 Speaker 2: music and all different ways to listen. And so I 316 00:18:46,440 --> 00:18:49,960 Speaker 2: agree it's a very healing they're both very healing modalities 317 00:18:50,119 --> 00:18:50,920 Speaker 2: different ways. 318 00:18:51,600 --> 00:18:55,359 Speaker 4: So the cats love your music. Question is how about Lucia, 319 00:18:55,480 --> 00:18:58,959 Speaker 4: your lovely dog. Does Lucia love your music? 320 00:19:00,080 --> 00:19:04,000 Speaker 2: Loves it? She loves singing. One of my cats really 321 00:19:04,040 --> 00:19:08,360 Speaker 2: loves singing. She always if they're singing, she'll always come 322 00:19:08,400 --> 00:19:10,080 Speaker 2: in and she wants to be a part of it. 323 00:19:10,840 --> 00:19:13,320 Speaker 2: She wants to singing to happen like right in her 324 00:19:14,280 --> 00:19:16,440 Speaker 2: like around her body, because I think she likes the vibration. 325 00:19:16,800 --> 00:19:19,919 Speaker 2: Luccia just loves to be in the studio. She loves 326 00:19:20,119 --> 00:19:23,040 Speaker 2: just to be around musicians, and she loves people. And 327 00:19:23,080 --> 00:19:27,360 Speaker 2: she's always really like happy around any kind of musician. 328 00:19:27,480 --> 00:19:28,280 Speaker 2: She loves it. 329 00:19:28,920 --> 00:19:32,000 Speaker 4: Oh, that's so cool. So you got a tour, Well, 330 00:19:32,000 --> 00:19:34,239 Speaker 4: you're always on tour in some ways, So you have 331 00:19:34,280 --> 00:19:37,200 Speaker 4: a tour that will be rolling out through a bunch 332 00:19:37,200 --> 00:19:40,760 Speaker 4: of cities. I know you're doing a Boston date and 333 00:19:41,160 --> 00:19:44,840 Speaker 4: Connecticut date and all through you know, the East Coast. Certainly, 334 00:19:45,440 --> 00:19:48,399 Speaker 4: will people get a taste on this tour of both 335 00:19:48,600 --> 00:19:49,960 Speaker 4: music and stand. 336 00:19:49,720 --> 00:19:52,800 Speaker 2: Up, Well, it's hard to mix it. It's hard to 337 00:19:52,800 --> 00:19:54,320 Speaker 2: f I'm like, I'm trying to this is a stand 338 00:19:54,400 --> 00:19:58,919 Speaker 2: up comedy show that I'm touring with. Maybe you know, 339 00:19:59,000 --> 00:20:01,359 Speaker 2: I haven't really thought of, but yeah, like I wonder, like, 340 00:20:01,520 --> 00:20:05,239 Speaker 2: is it possible to tour both? Maybe? I know that 341 00:20:05,240 --> 00:20:08,040 Speaker 2: there are a couple of like music shows coming up 342 00:20:08,280 --> 00:20:11,800 Speaker 2: in around the release of the record. I'm doing a 343 00:20:12,000 --> 00:20:15,040 Speaker 2: musical like a show at Largo, which I do a 344 00:20:15,040 --> 00:20:17,640 Speaker 2: lot of comedy at in at Los Angeles, and it's 345 00:20:17,640 --> 00:20:20,760 Speaker 2: a very Famous Music Club, so I'd be doing that 346 00:20:20,920 --> 00:20:22,520 Speaker 2: as a music show. And then I'm doing a music 347 00:20:22,600 --> 00:20:26,440 Speaker 2: show at the Grammy Museum on April first, so those 348 00:20:26,520 --> 00:20:32,560 Speaker 2: are specifically music shows. And then you know, I wonder 349 00:20:32,800 --> 00:20:36,200 Speaker 2: like maybe maybe it will happen, Maybe there will be 350 00:20:36,320 --> 00:20:38,040 Speaker 2: a crossover, just a. 351 00:20:38,080 --> 00:20:40,960 Speaker 4: Touch, right, just maybe. Yes. I mean, you know, easy 352 00:20:41,000 --> 00:20:43,320 Speaker 4: for me to say, I'm not the one executing it. 353 00:20:43,480 --> 00:20:46,719 Speaker 2: So yeah, well I think it should happen. I mean, 354 00:20:46,760 --> 00:20:48,399 Speaker 2: I think that there should be a little bit of 355 00:20:48,480 --> 00:20:49,359 Speaker 2: crossover for both. 356 00:20:50,119 --> 00:20:53,359 Speaker 4: I love that. Tell me about the beginnings of your 357 00:20:53,920 --> 00:20:59,359 Speaker 4: comedy career. You started out, obviously at a young age. 358 00:20:59,359 --> 00:21:01,840 Speaker 4: I think six teen as a stand up. 359 00:21:03,400 --> 00:21:06,919 Speaker 2: Yes, well, my earliest shows were I was fourteen, but 360 00:21:07,320 --> 00:21:11,200 Speaker 2: I started like to be like professional, like at sixteen, 361 00:21:11,240 --> 00:21:15,119 Speaker 2: seventeen eighteen. I was making a living by the age 362 00:21:15,119 --> 00:21:20,240 Speaker 2: of eighteen, so, which is pretty good. You know, it's 363 00:21:20,240 --> 00:21:22,600 Speaker 2: still in the nineteen eighties, and you know, like I 364 00:21:22,680 --> 00:21:25,240 Speaker 2: was doing okay, which is like amazing, and I was 365 00:21:25,240 --> 00:21:28,199 Speaker 2: like doing doing television and stuff. You know. I was 366 00:21:28,240 --> 00:21:32,560 Speaker 2: on shows like Evening at the Improv and MTV's half 367 00:21:32,640 --> 00:21:35,440 Speaker 2: hour Comedy Hour and all sorts of I was on 368 00:21:35,560 --> 00:21:40,560 Speaker 2: a show with Bob Hope, the Bob Hope's Comedy Special 369 00:21:40,680 --> 00:21:42,960 Speaker 2: that he would do every year as the young Comedian 370 00:21:43,080 --> 00:21:47,760 Speaker 2: special that he would host. And so I was doing 371 00:21:47,800 --> 00:21:52,040 Speaker 2: comedy very young, and I just knew that was my life, 372 00:21:52,080 --> 00:21:54,280 Speaker 2: Like I just knew that's what I wanted to do, 373 00:21:55,000 --> 00:22:01,800 Speaker 2: and it just was my biggest passion since I was 374 00:22:01,840 --> 00:22:05,119 Speaker 2: about eight years old. So i knew that I would 375 00:22:05,560 --> 00:22:07,760 Speaker 2: do it, and I'm grateful that I still get to 376 00:22:07,760 --> 00:22:10,640 Speaker 2: do it. I just turned fifty six, and I really 377 00:22:10,640 --> 00:22:14,560 Speaker 2: love it. You know. It's a life that I I'm 378 00:22:14,560 --> 00:22:17,159 Speaker 2: so grateful to have lived. And I still have a 379 00:22:17,160 --> 00:22:18,800 Speaker 2: lot to do. You know, I still I do a 380 00:22:18,840 --> 00:22:21,919 Speaker 2: show every day pretty much of some kind. I'll do 381 00:22:21,960 --> 00:22:26,199 Speaker 2: one later today, and you know, for me, it's just 382 00:22:27,280 --> 00:22:31,040 Speaker 2: it's a lifelong passion and as. 383 00:22:31,119 --> 00:22:35,560 Speaker 4: As it is taking its shape over the years. How 384 00:22:36,040 --> 00:22:39,719 Speaker 4: have you made living on the road, as you know, 385 00:22:40,000 --> 00:22:41,080 Speaker 4: easy as possible. 386 00:22:42,320 --> 00:22:46,760 Speaker 2: Well, I have like a set way that I do, 387 00:22:46,960 --> 00:22:49,159 Speaker 2: like my the way that I pack. I have a 388 00:22:49,240 --> 00:22:51,800 Speaker 2: life in my suitcase that never actually comes out of 389 00:22:51,800 --> 00:22:55,840 Speaker 2: my suitcase. So like my road clothes never touched my 390 00:22:56,040 --> 00:22:59,960 Speaker 2: home clothes. I've like my whole life. It's very specific, 391 00:23:00,480 --> 00:23:06,439 Speaker 2: but I travel less nowadays. Oddly, I've been traveling less 392 00:23:06,520 --> 00:23:10,879 Speaker 2: since the pandemic because I've just found I want to 393 00:23:10,920 --> 00:23:16,560 Speaker 2: stay home more and also I'm pursuing more acting and 394 00:23:17,440 --> 00:23:19,840 Speaker 2: that is a little bit of different vibe as well, 395 00:23:19,920 --> 00:23:23,359 Speaker 2: so which requires travel, but it's a little different. So 396 00:23:23,880 --> 00:23:27,480 Speaker 2: but yeah, I've been on the road for so long 397 00:23:28,000 --> 00:23:30,399 Speaker 2: that it's weird to take time off. The pandemic was 398 00:23:30,440 --> 00:23:33,480 Speaker 2: the first time that I actually stopped traveling for about 399 00:23:33,520 --> 00:23:36,200 Speaker 2: thirty five years, and it was just such a revelation 400 00:23:36,280 --> 00:23:38,800 Speaker 2: to finally just be home. I really love being at home. 401 00:23:39,720 --> 00:23:43,840 Speaker 4: In talking to so many musicians over the last year, 402 00:23:44,080 --> 00:23:47,199 Speaker 4: and in particular about their you know, going out on 403 00:23:47,240 --> 00:23:50,679 Speaker 4: the road and how the pandemic obviously changed everything and 404 00:23:50,720 --> 00:23:55,520 Speaker 4: really you know, stifled all that. It feels like for 405 00:23:55,560 --> 00:23:57,680 Speaker 4: so many of them, it was like cutting off their 406 00:23:57,760 --> 00:24:01,440 Speaker 4: their right arm, not being you know, able to connect 407 00:24:01,440 --> 00:24:05,720 Speaker 4: with their fans and play in front of people. I'm 408 00:24:05,760 --> 00:24:08,240 Speaker 4: sure you could identify with that vibe. 409 00:24:09,280 --> 00:24:13,159 Speaker 2: Yeah, I was like, who who are we without that? 410 00:24:13,880 --> 00:24:17,960 Speaker 2: Who are we without traveling and touring and playing out 411 00:24:18,080 --> 00:24:20,960 Speaker 2: like you know, living out of a suitcase every night? 412 00:24:21,000 --> 00:24:24,040 Speaker 2: You know, Like I was, I had like a crisis 413 00:24:25,200 --> 00:24:29,280 Speaker 2: like try, like a real crisis of conscience, like who 414 00:24:29,320 --> 00:24:31,600 Speaker 2: are we even without this part of ourselves? And then 415 00:24:31,600 --> 00:24:35,719 Speaker 2: I realized that I'm actually a homebody, but I actually 416 00:24:35,720 --> 00:24:38,480 Speaker 2: really love being at home, and I'd never even known that, 417 00:24:38,640 --> 00:24:41,159 Speaker 2: which is so weird because I'd never been home for 418 00:24:41,200 --> 00:24:43,639 Speaker 2: more than a few days for thirty five years. And 419 00:24:43,720 --> 00:24:48,280 Speaker 2: so now when I approach touring, it's very different. I mean, 420 00:24:48,320 --> 00:24:50,680 Speaker 2: I still tour a lot, but it's a very different 421 00:24:51,920 --> 00:24:54,159 Speaker 2: kind of a way of going about it. Like I 422 00:24:54,160 --> 00:24:56,480 Speaker 2: don't go out for months at a time. It's just 423 00:24:56,960 --> 00:25:00,359 Speaker 2: like much more controlled, which I feel more comfortable doing. 424 00:25:01,440 --> 00:25:05,040 Speaker 4: You've been You talked earlier about your advocacy that was 425 00:25:05,280 --> 00:25:10,920 Speaker 4: influenced certainly by your friend Robin Williams, but in general, 426 00:25:10,960 --> 00:25:15,600 Speaker 4: advocacy has been important to you. Can you talk in 427 00:25:15,680 --> 00:25:18,720 Speaker 4: some other detail about some important causes. 428 00:25:19,119 --> 00:25:23,320 Speaker 2: Well, working in different things. I worked a lot on 429 00:25:23,359 --> 00:25:26,760 Speaker 2: the Kamala Harris campaign, and I really wanted her to 430 00:25:26,800 --> 00:25:29,439 Speaker 2: be president, and I really thought she was going to 431 00:25:29,440 --> 00:25:36,560 Speaker 2: be president. Now that is of course different. There's a 432 00:25:36,600 --> 00:25:38,520 Speaker 2: lot to do still, you know, there's a lot to 433 00:25:39,600 --> 00:25:44,560 Speaker 2: work around, especially protecting rights for gay people, for trans people. 434 00:25:44,880 --> 00:25:48,600 Speaker 2: Trans people in particular, that's a huge issue for me, 435 00:25:48,800 --> 00:25:51,600 Speaker 2: Like I want to be able to protect the trans community, 436 00:25:51,680 --> 00:25:57,000 Speaker 2: that gender not conforming, gender fluid, non binary people, Like 437 00:25:57,080 --> 00:26:01,719 Speaker 2: it's such a crisis now that we're dealing with. So 438 00:26:01,760 --> 00:26:06,199 Speaker 2: it's very I mean, you know, it's a very treacherous 439 00:26:06,280 --> 00:26:09,879 Speaker 2: time kind of trying to figure out how do we 440 00:26:09,920 --> 00:26:14,000 Speaker 2: combat these ideas of Project twenty twenty five or you know, 441 00:26:14,000 --> 00:26:17,040 Speaker 2: we're trying to protect women's rights, trying to protect trans rights. 442 00:26:17,440 --> 00:26:20,879 Speaker 2: I'm very adamant about doing that. So that's where I 443 00:26:20,880 --> 00:26:24,679 Speaker 2: think a lot of advocacy is going to be placed 444 00:26:24,760 --> 00:26:28,280 Speaker 2: in the near future, at least in the next four years. 445 00:26:28,960 --> 00:26:32,240 Speaker 4: You feel over the last few years that there's a 446 00:26:32,280 --> 00:26:35,520 Speaker 4: certain amount of the population that completely lost their sense 447 00:26:35,560 --> 00:26:36,080 Speaker 4: of humor. 448 00:26:37,200 --> 00:26:44,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, people get so defensive about these ideas of what 449 00:26:44,119 --> 00:26:48,280 Speaker 2: they want to protect and these ideas of protecting gender 450 00:26:48,600 --> 00:26:52,119 Speaker 2: or protecting like the sanctity of gender, which I think 451 00:26:52,200 --> 00:26:54,760 Speaker 2: is such a ridiculous thing, And to me, that's very humorous. 452 00:26:54,800 --> 00:26:57,119 Speaker 2: It's like a really ridiculous thing I'm trying to protect 453 00:26:57,440 --> 00:27:02,240 Speaker 2: or trying to protect these gives of like families or children, 454 00:27:02,320 --> 00:27:05,080 Speaker 2: trying to protect children, which is like I get that 455 00:27:05,080 --> 00:27:09,320 Speaker 2: that's kind of a noble notion. But what's harming children 456 00:27:09,400 --> 00:27:12,800 Speaker 2: is not drag queens. You know, drag queens are there's 457 00:27:12,880 --> 00:27:14,880 Speaker 2: nothing that they have nothing to do with children. Really, 458 00:27:14,920 --> 00:27:18,320 Speaker 2: it's not even a thing. You know. Maybe there's like 459 00:27:18,400 --> 00:27:21,320 Speaker 2: drag queens story r but that's just very innocent, beautiful 460 00:27:21,320 --> 00:27:24,280 Speaker 2: and fun. It's like clowns. It's like, when you really 461 00:27:24,320 --> 00:27:27,840 Speaker 2: look at them as clowns, it doesn't have that sort 462 00:27:27,880 --> 00:27:34,240 Speaker 2: of negating effect. But somehow drag there's a there's a weird, 463 00:27:34,320 --> 00:27:36,359 Speaker 2: sinister element that people want to put on it that 464 00:27:36,440 --> 00:27:40,320 Speaker 2: doesn't make sense to me. But yeah, it's very humorless. 465 00:27:41,320 --> 00:27:44,960 Speaker 4: So when you think of comedians coming up the ranks 466 00:27:46,000 --> 00:27:49,879 Speaker 4: and you think of musicians coming up the ranks, is 467 00:27:49,880 --> 00:27:52,280 Speaker 4: it the same set of advice that you would give 468 00:27:52,359 --> 00:27:56,200 Speaker 4: to both if they were looking to be steered and 469 00:27:56,280 --> 00:27:57,720 Speaker 4: mentored the right way? 470 00:27:58,840 --> 00:28:00,679 Speaker 2: Yeah? I think so. I mean, I think it's like 471 00:28:00,760 --> 00:28:04,760 Speaker 2: the same. It's just to like really understand that your 472 00:28:04,840 --> 00:28:07,160 Speaker 2: voice is the most precious thing and that you should 473 00:28:07,160 --> 00:28:12,680 Speaker 2: put your opinion of your art above others, above all else. Really, 474 00:28:12,760 --> 00:28:15,960 Speaker 2: and you haven't figured out what you're doing. You figure 475 00:28:16,000 --> 00:28:20,560 Speaker 2: it out, you know, but it's it's pretty much the same, 476 00:28:20,600 --> 00:28:23,479 Speaker 2: because I think what happens is when art meets commerce. 477 00:28:23,520 --> 00:28:26,000 Speaker 2: Commerce is always going to try to change you to 478 00:28:26,200 --> 00:28:28,680 Speaker 2: make you fit into what they're buying. But in truth, 479 00:28:28,800 --> 00:28:32,280 Speaker 2: you know you're you're in charge. So I would always 480 00:28:32,280 --> 00:28:36,640 Speaker 2: give like younger artists, that advice is like your voices, 481 00:28:36,720 --> 00:28:39,200 Speaker 2: that the should be, the loudest should be, that the 482 00:28:39,240 --> 00:28:40,760 Speaker 2: strongest should be the most important. 483 00:28:41,920 --> 00:28:45,640 Speaker 4: Is there a particular moment in your career that stands 484 00:28:45,760 --> 00:28:49,200 Speaker 4: that one moment that stands out that you feel was 485 00:28:49,960 --> 00:28:52,080 Speaker 4: pivotal towards where you are now? 486 00:28:53,280 --> 00:28:57,840 Speaker 2: I think I think it was when I was a 487 00:28:57,920 --> 00:29:02,320 Speaker 2: really young kid and I was doing comedy, and I 488 00:29:02,360 --> 00:29:06,360 Speaker 2: had a theater teacher who would always impress upon me like, 489 00:29:06,400 --> 00:29:09,960 Speaker 2: you can do anything, You're good at everything, so do everything. 490 00:29:10,400 --> 00:29:13,640 Speaker 2: And that really stuck with me. So it gave me 491 00:29:13,760 --> 00:29:18,840 Speaker 2: this permission to pursue all different facets of entertainment and 492 00:29:19,640 --> 00:29:21,960 Speaker 2: to really feel like it was okay for me to 493 00:29:21,960 --> 00:29:24,800 Speaker 2: do that because she kind of gave me that mode 494 00:29:24,840 --> 00:29:25,520 Speaker 2: of confidence. 495 00:29:26,400 --> 00:29:28,720 Speaker 4: So what else do you want to pursue creatively that 496 00:29:28,800 --> 00:29:31,840 Speaker 4: you haven't pursued. You've got so many things on your plate, 497 00:29:31,920 --> 00:29:34,440 Speaker 4: but there must be other things that you have a 498 00:29:34,560 --> 00:29:35,440 Speaker 4: creative itch for. 499 00:29:36,480 --> 00:29:39,080 Speaker 2: Well, I mean, I still want to be a better musician, 500 00:29:39,200 --> 00:29:41,640 Speaker 2: Like I want to be a better songwriter. I want 501 00:29:41,680 --> 00:29:43,600 Speaker 2: to be a better singer, like I want to actually 502 00:29:43,640 --> 00:29:45,200 Speaker 2: like work on what I have, Like what I have 503 00:29:45,440 --> 00:29:49,320 Speaker 2: is good, Like I'm doing good. But I know that 504 00:29:49,440 --> 00:29:52,520 Speaker 2: if I actually did the vocal warm ups, which I've 505 00:29:52,560 --> 00:29:55,200 Speaker 2: been told to do by so many teachers, if I 506 00:29:55,200 --> 00:29:57,440 Speaker 2: actually did all of the scales, if I did my scales, 507 00:29:57,480 --> 00:30:01,240 Speaker 2: I'd be so good, Like I wanted do the basics, 508 00:30:01,280 --> 00:30:03,360 Speaker 2: Like I really need to go back to the basics 509 00:30:03,360 --> 00:30:06,080 Speaker 2: because I've been in like comedy for so long and 510 00:30:06,120 --> 00:30:07,920 Speaker 2: I kind of take so much for granted as a 511 00:30:07,960 --> 00:30:09,720 Speaker 2: comedian that I feel like I never have to go 512 00:30:09,760 --> 00:30:12,320 Speaker 2: back to like basics there, But with music, I really 513 00:30:12,320 --> 00:30:14,200 Speaker 2: want to. So yeah, I do want to get better 514 00:30:14,480 --> 00:30:19,480 Speaker 2: at the musicianship. I need to drink more water like singers. 515 00:30:19,600 --> 00:30:23,080 Speaker 2: It's it's so weird because like you're the instrument, so 516 00:30:23,200 --> 00:30:26,800 Speaker 2: it's it's hard to for me to actually think about 517 00:30:27,080 --> 00:30:31,640 Speaker 2: treating my body with more respect in that regard, like 518 00:30:31,720 --> 00:30:34,160 Speaker 2: I'm actually the instrument. I actually need to be put 519 00:30:34,160 --> 00:30:36,760 Speaker 2: in a case like I need to actually be you know, 520 00:30:37,000 --> 00:30:42,520 Speaker 2: like dusted off and restrung. So I think I need 521 00:30:42,560 --> 00:30:42,840 Speaker 2: to do. 522 00:30:42,880 --> 00:30:46,400 Speaker 4: That restrung zipped up but put in a a as 523 00:30:46,480 --> 00:30:48,040 Speaker 4: long as you can breathe. 524 00:30:48,280 --> 00:30:50,959 Speaker 2: Yes, absolutely, Like I just need to put a new 525 00:30:51,000 --> 00:30:54,000 Speaker 2: bridge in every now and again. I really do, like 526 00:30:54,840 --> 00:30:58,160 Speaker 2: need to work with like the idea that I'm the instrument, 527 00:30:58,200 --> 00:31:02,360 Speaker 2: which I never regarded, so I have to do that more. 528 00:31:03,040 --> 00:31:05,040 Speaker 4: Margaret Chow, it's so great to talk to you on 529 00:31:05,200 --> 00:31:08,440 Speaker 4: Taking a Walk. Thank you for this, congratulations on the music. 530 00:31:08,480 --> 00:31:12,120 Speaker 4: I'm so excited for you, and thanks for all you 531 00:31:12,280 --> 00:31:15,600 Speaker 4: give us, for your advocacy and from putting a smile 532 00:31:15,640 --> 00:31:18,320 Speaker 4: on our face and making us think and making us 533 00:31:18,440 --> 00:31:20,520 Speaker 4: dancing around with the music. This is awesome. 534 00:31:21,120 --> 00:31:21,520 Speaker 2: Thank you. 535 00:31:23,040 --> 00:31:25,480 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening to this episode of the Taking a 536 00:31:25,520 --> 00:31:29,400 Speaker 1: Walk podcast. Share this and other episodes with your friends 537 00:31:29,520 --> 00:31:33,000 Speaker 1: and follow us so you never miss an episode. Taking 538 00:31:33,040 --> 00:31:36,920 Speaker 1: a Walk is available on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, 539 00:31:37,160 --> 00:31:39,440 Speaker 1: and wherever you get your podcasts.