WEBVTT - "The Comedy Saved Me: Rich Vos Edition" 0:00:02.320 --> 0:00:03.400 Comedy Saved Me. 0:00:03.600 --> 0:00:07.320 If you're going to use drugs and alcohol, you know, 0:00:07.800 --> 0:00:10.639 oh it makes me more creative. That's a little shit. 0:00:10.720 --> 0:00:16.360 Shut up, you know you're just the disease of alcoholism 0:00:16.400 --> 0:00:21.279 and drug addiction will tell you anything to keep you active. 0:00:21.480 --> 0:00:24.040 Welcome back to Comedy Saved Me, the podcast where we 0:00:24.079 --> 0:00:26.599 dive deep into the healing power of laughter and the 0:00:26.640 --> 0:00:30.040 stories of comics who have turned pain into punchlines. I'm 0:00:30.040 --> 0:00:33.519 your host, Lynn Hoffman, and today today's guest is a 0:00:33.520 --> 0:00:35.879 true legend in the world of stand up. He is 0:00:35.920 --> 0:00:41.280 a comedians, comedian, a podcasting pioneer, and a man who's 0:00:41.360 --> 0:00:45.600 wit is literally as quick as his comebacks. He's so fast, 0:00:45.680 --> 0:00:46.920 I don't know how I'm going to be able to 0:00:47.159 --> 0:00:51.360 keep up with him. You've seen him on Last Comic Standing, 0:00:51.600 --> 0:00:55.280 def Comedy Jam, and Comedy Central, among others. He's the 0:00:55.320 --> 0:00:59.520 co host of the brutally honest and always hilarious My 0:00:59.640 --> 0:01:02.760 Wife Hates Me podcast, and he's been making audience his 0:01:02.840 --> 0:01:05.400 laugh for over four decades. But he doesn't even look 0:01:05.440 --> 0:01:08.920 it that old. But behind the razor sharp jokes and 0:01:09.000 --> 0:01:14.680 legendary roast battles, Rich Voss has a powerful story of resilience, recovery, 0:01:14.959 --> 0:01:17.960 and the redemptive force of comedy. And today we're going 0:01:18.000 --> 0:01:21.080 to talk about how comedy became his lifeline, the highs 0:01:21.120 --> 0:01:23.280 and loads of his journey, and what it really takes 0:01:23.319 --> 0:01:26.319 to survive and thrive in this business. So sit back, 0:01:26.680 --> 0:01:29.160 get ready to laugh, and maybe even you know, cheer 0:01:29.240 --> 0:01:32.280 up a little bit, grab the tissues as we welcome 0:01:32.480 --> 0:01:36.080 the one and only Rich Voss to Comedy Saved Me. 0:01:37.080 --> 0:01:39.760 Hi, Hi you for me. I have to make a 0:01:39.760 --> 0:01:42.000 couple of corrections on the intro s ry, let me 0:01:42.040 --> 0:01:45.639 get a pen. Okay, First of all, last comic Standing 0:01:45.760 --> 0:01:49.800 was twenty five years ago. Let it go, okay, Imy 0:01:49.880 --> 0:01:52.280 Central is the thing in the past. No one does 0:01:52.320 --> 0:01:58.080 it anymore, so newer credits recently was Shart on the 0:01:58.160 --> 0:02:03.720 Joe Rogan podcast, a regular on The Godfelt Show, as 0:02:03.760 --> 0:02:08.800 a new special on Amazon called Rich Loss Anonymous doesn't 0:02:08.800 --> 0:02:12.720 do the podcast anymore. That's done after eleven years, thank god. 0:02:13.440 --> 0:02:17.520 And what else that's good for now? But last comic 0:02:18.480 --> 0:02:22.639 I'm gonna help you because he seems so nice. Thanks, 0:02:23.360 --> 0:02:27.800 get rid of Comedy Central for anybody. Okay, that's my 0:02:27.919 --> 0:02:33.919 mailman did Comedy Central. That's almost an insult when people 0:02:34.160 --> 0:02:38.600 recognize when they say Comedy Central because they're done, last 0:02:38.600 --> 0:02:41.560 comic standing done. Don't use that for anybody, Okay, and 0:02:43.200 --> 0:02:46.079 you know, I guess we're good from there. And I'm 0:02:46.120 --> 0:02:48.960 not being mean. I'm just trying to help from the beginning. 0:02:49.320 --> 0:02:51.880 No, but you should. I mean, first of all, Rogan huge, 0:02:52.280 --> 0:02:55.720 and second of all, I saw you recently on Got Felt, 0:02:55.720 --> 0:02:57.600 so I know. I mean, then that's the number one 0:02:57.600 --> 0:03:00.920 show at late night, So you're absolutely right, and I 0:03:00.960 --> 0:03:03.480 stand corrected. I can't believe I even left that out 0:03:03.520 --> 0:03:03.960 to begin with. 0:03:04.080 --> 0:03:08.160 I'm so sorry, Sorry you made a mistake or ever, 0:03:08.320 --> 0:03:11.280 I just have to update my bio. It's also my mistake. 0:03:11.760 --> 0:03:13.560 But that's all right. We're of a certain age because 0:03:13.639 --> 0:03:15.560 I used to work on a channel that's no more 0:03:15.639 --> 0:03:18.720 as well called VH one, So if that's still even 0:03:18.760 --> 0:03:20.520 out there, no one even knows what that used to be. 0:03:21.240 --> 0:03:23.760 What are you like? Thirty two thirty two years old? 0:03:23.919 --> 0:03:29.200 No double fives? In July fifty five, Get downie here. Yeah, 0:03:29.360 --> 0:03:31.360 didn't you do a little bit of opening Anthony for 0:03:31.360 --> 0:03:31.760 a while? 0:03:32.720 --> 0:03:35.040 It did it for years? Yeah, So I. 0:03:35.000 --> 0:03:37.200 Was working in morning radio at the same time you 0:03:37.280 --> 0:03:42.120 were no Where and building Boston and New York. 0:03:43.440 --> 0:03:46.280 Boston. Who are the guys I doing Boston? Chuckh or 0:03:46.280 --> 0:03:48.000 and Rich or something. 0:03:47.680 --> 0:03:50.040 Or this is going back a bit, but it was 0:03:50.160 --> 0:03:50.920 John Lander. 0:03:51.880 --> 0:03:54.960 I did that show there. Yeah, then the other guy 0:03:55.000 --> 0:03:58.600 went to jail and he Died's that touch on? Rich 0:03:59.080 --> 0:04:03.800 Mark Correno? Oh yes, yes, yep from Boston. I'm a 0:04:03.800 --> 0:04:05.200 big fan of Boston. Good. 0:04:06.360 --> 0:04:09.920 Did I just go up in your like good check 0:04:09.960 --> 0:04:10.800 off listed. 0:04:11.800 --> 0:04:13.800 The second I saw you, you went up in my 0:04:14.280 --> 0:04:17.960 Oh I buy you a better house? Oh? 0:04:18.120 --> 0:04:18.560 Thanks? 0:04:21.279 --> 0:04:24.440 Get you out into berks here? So whatever they call them, No. 0:04:24.480 --> 0:04:26.760 I love it here, believe me. I'm I'm very happy 0:04:26.760 --> 0:04:27.240 to be here. 0:04:27.839 --> 0:04:29.280 Is that your studio down there? 0:04:29.480 --> 0:04:31.320 Wait for people? Yeah? Do you see your name in 0:04:31.360 --> 0:04:32.600 the big screen over there? 0:04:33.080 --> 0:04:34.920 Yeah? But like, why do you have all those seats? 0:04:34.960 --> 0:04:36.000 You have that many people? 0:04:36.520 --> 0:04:40.120 Well, occasionally I have had guests, but mainly when we 0:04:40.200 --> 0:04:43.760 don't in studio. But when we don't have guests, we 0:04:43.880 --> 0:04:45.960 like to have like little parties in here. And so 0:04:46.560 --> 0:04:50.560 that's the game night table. Wow, we have family. 0:04:50.279 --> 0:04:53.640 And party game night. That's you know when you're getting older, 0:04:53.680 --> 0:04:56.760 when you have game night. Yeah, that's when you're done. 0:04:56.960 --> 0:04:59.920 That's when you go, all right, we're stuck together. 0:05:01.080 --> 0:05:01.800 What are we going to do? 0:05:02.880 --> 0:05:03.400 Game night? 0:05:05.600 --> 0:05:07.760 Well, it's that or pickle fest. 0:05:08.120 --> 0:05:12.279 Well, or you can become swingers and then explore other 0:05:12.360 --> 0:05:16.120 options around the area. I don't know. I've never done it, 0:05:16.160 --> 0:05:19.560 but I just figured that's an auction. I've never done it. 0:05:21.240 --> 0:05:23.159 All right, Well, i'll let you know if we start, 0:05:23.760 --> 0:05:26.640 if we look into that, I will tell you. Wait, 0:05:26.680 --> 0:05:27.440 I get a call Rich. 0:05:28.320 --> 0:05:30.720 I'm kind of creepy. I shouldn't have said that. That's 0:05:30.760 --> 0:05:33.200 all right, you know, I'm just looking out for you 0:05:33.360 --> 0:05:34.960 and whoever. 0:05:34.839 --> 0:05:37.480 Well you're you're I appreciate that a lot. 0:05:37.560 --> 0:05:39.719 You need to know. What do you mean? Am I 0:05:39.800 --> 0:05:42.159 coming off mean? I hope I'm not mean. When I 0:05:42.240 --> 0:05:44.480 told you different credits. 0:05:44.160 --> 0:05:47.080 No, because they're all relevant. I feel I'm going to 0:05:47.160 --> 0:05:50.440 redo the intro based on what you told me, and 0:05:50.480 --> 0:05:52.560 I'll make sure that we edit that in because it's 0:05:52.600 --> 0:05:55.599 way better. I mean, you can't. It's obvious that you've 0:05:55.640 --> 0:05:59.520 had an illustrious career, but it's far beyond what we mentioned. 0:06:00.279 --> 0:06:01.880 And no, you didn't come off as mean at all. 0:06:02.640 --> 0:06:03.240 I tried to. 0:06:03.480 --> 0:06:05.640 All Right, Well, I want to ask you a question 0:06:06.120 --> 0:06:08.479 or two or three, But I want to start, I 0:06:08.520 --> 0:06:10.880 really do want to start off with your roots and 0:06:10.920 --> 0:06:13.520 sort of your inspirations. What first drew you to stand 0:06:13.600 --> 0:06:16.520 up comedy back in what was the eighties? And who 0:06:16.520 --> 0:06:18.600 were some of your biggest influences? 0:06:19.680 --> 0:06:24.720 What drew me because I failed at everything else? You know, 0:06:25.000 --> 0:06:27.880 as a kid, you know, maybe nine years old in 0:06:28.000 --> 0:06:30.640 fourth grade, I used to come home and listen to 0:06:30.640 --> 0:06:35.080 this comedy album Von Meeterer. He did the impressions of 0:06:35.160 --> 0:06:38.760 John Kennedy and Bobby Kennedy. The album was called First Family. 0:06:39.560 --> 0:06:43.120 His career was over after the Kennedy each were assassinated. 0:06:43.320 --> 0:06:47.000 I went from Park Avenue to park bench. I mean, 0:06:47.080 --> 0:06:51.360 he was the hottest comic then just done. I mean 0:06:51.520 --> 0:06:54.599 nobody wanted to, you know, hear him do impressions of 0:06:55.440 --> 0:06:59.719 two people they loved that were assassinated. Right home from school, 0:06:59.760 --> 0:07:04.000 listen to that album every day in fourth grade, nine 0:07:04.080 --> 0:07:07.479 years old, and then later on in life, just realize 0:07:07.520 --> 0:07:11.120 you're just covering the pain of your parents' divorce and 0:07:11.160 --> 0:07:15.080 your father never being there, and you know, how do 0:07:15.120 --> 0:07:17.600 I deal with this as a fourth grader coming home 0:07:18.720 --> 0:07:22.880 to a cleaning lady or that my mother couldn't afford 0:07:23.560 --> 0:07:26.560 kind of a babysitter, clean and pertect. You know, we 0:07:26.760 --> 0:07:31.360 chased everyone away, my brother, my sister, and I because 0:07:31.400 --> 0:07:34.280 none of them, you know, we're all just angry young 0:07:34.400 --> 0:07:39.160 kids that we're just mean. So I come home and then, 0:07:39.320 --> 0:07:42.960 you know, throughout life you would listen to comedy. Next 0:07:42.960 --> 0:07:45.120 thing you know here I. 0:07:45.080 --> 0:07:48.280 Am, well, Jed's a millionaire, you said. Next thing, you know, 0:07:48.280 --> 0:07:49.280 I couldn't help myself. 0:07:49.800 --> 0:07:53.640 I wish, I wish. I I'm getting clothed. If I 0:07:53.640 --> 0:07:57.360 if I sold everything, including my sneakers, I'd get close. 0:07:57.480 --> 0:08:01.960 But right, you know, in life you have to realize 0:08:02.880 --> 0:08:05.280 what you know. You look at people. I look at 0:08:05.320 --> 0:08:13.440 people in my business selling out arenas multi millionaires, you know, 0:08:14.120 --> 0:08:19.440 TV specials, Netflix, Amazon, and then I have to think, 0:08:19.480 --> 0:08:24.520 in life, I have enough. I already have enough, you know. 0:08:24.640 --> 0:08:29.680 And once you can almost get comfortable with having enough, 0:08:30.200 --> 0:08:40.400 whether it be family, friends, materialistic goods, sobriety, whatever you have. 0:08:41.640 --> 0:08:44.680 Once you realize this enough, you don't have to fight anymore. 0:08:45.040 --> 0:08:47.640 So I'm close to that. I'm pretty close to knowing 0:08:47.960 --> 0:08:50.360 I have enough. Does that make sense? 0:08:50.559 --> 0:08:54.320 Yes? Absolutely? I feel like whatever is enough, whatever your 0:08:54.840 --> 0:08:59.520 version of enough is that should be good for you, 0:08:59.559 --> 0:09:01.040 whatever it is, whether it's do you want to be 0:09:01.080 --> 0:09:02.920 a billionaire or you just want to live a peaceful 0:09:02.960 --> 0:09:05.080 life somewhere in the mountains and you know, work out 0:09:05.120 --> 0:09:07.199 of a barn or in your bedroom. 0:09:07.200 --> 0:09:12.200 In your case, my wife's bedroom is so much nicer, 0:09:12.480 --> 0:09:14.680 but she has two rooms in her bedroom. 0:09:14.880 --> 0:09:16.079 You have separate bedrooms. 0:09:16.760 --> 0:09:20.000 Well, I come in late and snore, and we have 0:09:20.040 --> 0:09:24.480 a big house, and it's so much easier, you know, 0:09:24.960 --> 0:09:27.600 instead of her waking me up every night on your snoring. 0:09:28.440 --> 0:09:29.719 You know, I understand that. 0:09:30.080 --> 0:09:32.800 Well, it's not like we touched each other. So what 0:09:32.800 --> 0:09:33.240 the fuck? 0:09:35.160 --> 0:09:38.120 Oh my gosh, you've cited when you were growing up 0:09:38.160 --> 0:09:42.520 classics from the Ed Sullivan Show as some of your influences. 0:09:42.559 --> 0:09:46.040 What did you learn from some of those early legends 0:09:46.040 --> 0:09:48.400 that you still use today in your in your act? 0:09:48.880 --> 0:09:54.760 Can you remember, No, I remember, I remember when I 0:09:54.800 --> 0:09:58.440 would watch Ed Sullivan and see like Alan King or 0:10:00.000 --> 0:10:01.960 I can't even remember. I would stay with my father 0:10:02.040 --> 0:10:04.880 because that was one of the nights or weekends he 0:10:04.920 --> 0:10:09.480 would come home. So what I remember is that and 0:10:10.320 --> 0:10:14.160 watching the comic. You know, but then after you get older, 0:10:14.240 --> 0:10:19.719 you know he's gone, right, married or whatever, and then 0:10:19.760 --> 0:10:24.600 you just grow up, you know, listening to prior Eddie Murphy, 0:10:25.480 --> 0:10:29.840 those were I guess the two comics I listened to mostly, 0:10:30.320 --> 0:10:34.080 as you know, probably in my twenties, you know, and 0:10:34.120 --> 0:10:36.920 then I when I started a comedy, there was my favorites. 0:10:36.960 --> 0:10:40.000 But I you know, I was horrible. When I started comedy, 0:10:40.000 --> 0:10:42.880 I was still partying and getting high and doing drugs. 0:10:43.240 --> 0:10:45.400 So I think I did that for like two years 0:10:45.440 --> 0:10:51.600 and then went to put myself in rehab. And I've 0:10:51.600 --> 0:10:55.680 been sober ever since thirty nine years, so probably my 0:10:55.800 --> 0:10:59.679 first two years or three years was horrible. I was 0:10:59.720 --> 0:11:03.240 just whatever, doing whatever I could to get money to 0:11:03.280 --> 0:11:06.600 get high, you know. And then I get out of 0:11:06.679 --> 0:11:11.600 rehab and when my life starts coming together at some point, 0:11:11.800 --> 0:11:15.120 you know, it doesn't happen overnight. But I'm not doing 0:11:15.160 --> 0:11:18.400 what I was doing. I mean, you know, I was 0:11:18.400 --> 0:11:21.920 a wild man or a wild guy or person or 0:11:22.240 --> 0:11:26.080 kiss nuts, you know, and comedy was a quick fix 0:11:26.200 --> 0:11:28.480 where you'd get your money that night and you could 0:11:28.520 --> 0:11:31.280 go out and party and get high that night, you 0:11:31.320 --> 0:11:33.280 know what I mean. Like it was I didn't have 0:11:33.320 --> 0:11:39.240 to wait till Friday get my paid check. Corp Saturday, Thursday. 0:11:39.600 --> 0:11:41.880 You know, I do a getting on Tuesday, get paid. 0:11:41.960 --> 0:11:45.719 Next thing. You know, I'm in New York buying drugs. 0:11:46.240 --> 0:11:50.640 So eventually that caught up to me and boom, and 0:11:50.800 --> 0:11:55.560 now I have three daughters, three grandkids, another kid on 0:11:55.640 --> 0:12:00.640 the way. There's six people on this planet because I 0:12:00.679 --> 0:12:03.680 don't get higher day at a time, because I would 0:12:03.720 --> 0:12:07.360 have never met my wife or ex wife. You know 0:12:07.559 --> 0:12:09.959 how the world works, I mean how things work in 0:12:10.040 --> 0:12:15.840 mysterious ways. Yeah, you know your past. You know it's 0:12:16.160 --> 0:12:20.160 I guess planned out through whatever. You know, You're You're 0:12:20.200 --> 0:12:22.240 where you are when you're supposed to be there. But 0:12:22.360 --> 0:12:26.040 if I never if I was still partying, I wouldn't 0:12:26.040 --> 0:12:28.600 have married these people, and it wouldn't be my daughters 0:12:28.640 --> 0:12:32.160 or grandkids. You know what I'm saying. Absolutely, it's kind 0:12:32.160 --> 0:12:35.200 of it's kind of weird. You know when when somebody 0:12:35.240 --> 0:12:40.600 has a miscarriage or something happens, then they get pregnant 0:12:40.679 --> 0:12:44.679 maybe seven months later, then you have those kids. Well, 0:12:44.720 --> 0:12:48.559 those kids will never been here if that person didn't 0:12:48.559 --> 0:12:51.000 have that miscarriage. Do you see what I'm saying. 0:12:51.200 --> 0:12:53.160 Oh, yeah, there's definitely a higher power. 0:12:53.920 --> 0:12:57.640 It would it would be a whole different whatever outcome 0:12:57.720 --> 0:13:01.080 in life. So it's kind of like when you have 0:13:01.200 --> 0:13:01.760 game night. 0:13:04.080 --> 0:13:05.720 I just want to go on record that that's only 0:13:05.720 --> 0:13:08.760 happened a couple of times with family. It just looks 0:13:08.840 --> 0:13:11.040 nice with four chairs and yeah, I like, I'm all 0:13:11.080 --> 0:13:12.319 the director's chairs, so why not. 0:13:12.400 --> 0:13:13.960 Right, it looks good. 0:13:14.160 --> 0:13:18.480 Thanks. I do believe everything happens for a reason one 0:13:18.520 --> 0:13:22.079 hundred percent. And you know, I wouldn't be here if 0:13:22.120 --> 0:13:24.319 my life didn't go the way that it went either, 0:13:24.400 --> 0:13:26.880 And I never would have expected to be here talking 0:13:26.880 --> 0:13:30.720 to you, you know, on a on a zoom, getting 0:13:30.760 --> 0:13:33.839 to interview some of the most the biggest legends in 0:13:34.640 --> 0:13:38.840 comedy and music. But obviously whatever I did to get 0:13:38.880 --> 0:13:43.040 here got me here. So I agree with you one 0:13:43.080 --> 0:13:46.240 hundred percent. Plus, there's there's definitely something larger than all 0:13:46.280 --> 0:13:50.360 of us at the Helm. There's got to be, So I. 0:13:50.320 --> 0:13:53.560 Agree with the biggest musician or that one your favorite 0:13:53.880 --> 0:13:58.520 at you like, I'm sure radio you know you did 0:13:59.080 --> 0:14:02.000 your worked with a lot of musicians. I guess yes. 0:14:02.720 --> 0:14:04.840 On this podcast, have you had musicians? 0:14:05.240 --> 0:14:08.160 Yeah? I have another podcast called Music Saved Me, so 0:14:08.200 --> 0:14:12.280 we have musicians on and people in the music industry. 0:14:12.200 --> 0:14:14.640 Any famous people a few. 0:14:15.040 --> 0:14:21.280 Yeah, we've had on Jelly Roll and Wainona and Pat 0:14:21.640 --> 0:14:25.640 Monahan of Train and I just had on Oh gosh, 0:14:25.680 --> 0:14:28.600 there's so many of them. We've probably have done well. 0:14:28.640 --> 0:14:30.920 I don't even know how many we've done, but a lot. 0:14:31.000 --> 0:14:33.760 I mean, it's been about two years, but we are 0:14:33.880 --> 0:14:37.400 number one in the music interview category on Apple Podcasts. 0:14:37.400 --> 0:14:38.240 So that's kind of cool. 0:14:38.760 --> 0:14:39.520 Get out of here. 0:14:39.640 --> 0:14:42.440 I say we because the incredible guy that you met 0:14:42.440 --> 0:14:46.880 when we first started chatting, Buzz, we've been We've known 0:14:46.880 --> 0:14:50.600 each other for pretty much thirty years. He was what 0:14:50.600 --> 0:14:53.280 do I say, the C suite in radio in Boston, 0:14:53.360 --> 0:14:56.040 but also came up as an on air personality in 0:14:56.080 --> 0:14:56.520 New York. 0:14:57.520 --> 0:14:59.200 I don't think his real name is Buzz. 0:15:00.320 --> 0:15:02.400 I think it might. Well, we have to ask him 0:15:02.400 --> 0:15:05.440 when he comes back on. Oh no, I think that's 0:15:05.440 --> 0:15:06.480 a good radio name though. 0:15:06.520 --> 0:15:10.000 Right I think he's on the LAMB. Might be on 0:15:10.080 --> 0:15:10.560 the Lamb. 0:15:12.600 --> 0:15:15.360 You'll be right back with more of the Comedy Saved 0:15:15.360 --> 0:15:24.280 Me Podcast. Welcome back to the Comedy Saved Me Podcast. 0:15:25.760 --> 0:15:26.120 Listen. 0:15:26.320 --> 0:15:27.800 I have to talk to you about this because I 0:15:27.840 --> 0:15:29.680 read this about you and I was like, wow, this 0:15:29.760 --> 0:15:33.480 is kind of cool. You sort of broke some barriers 0:15:33.640 --> 0:15:36.200 in your career, so you don't seem to give yourself 0:15:36.280 --> 0:15:38.480 enough credit about that part of it. But back in 0:15:38.560 --> 0:15:43.720 ninety five, you actually became the first white comedian on 0:15:43.800 --> 0:15:47.000 the def Comedy Jam, which I watched all the time. 0:15:47.120 --> 0:15:50.160 How did that opportunity come in and what was running 0:15:50.160 --> 0:15:52.600 through your mind? I want to know right before you 0:15:52.640 --> 0:15:55.320 took the stage, if you can remember, I don't know. 0:15:55.360 --> 0:15:57.680 I mean, it was nerve wracking, no one's ever do 0:15:57.840 --> 0:15:59.720 you know a lot of pressure. 0:16:00.160 --> 0:16:01.400 Yeah. 0:16:01.640 --> 0:16:05.200 Look, I had two daughters. I had to work to 0:16:05.400 --> 0:16:09.680 whatever clubs I could, whether it was typical white rooms 0:16:09.800 --> 0:16:13.920 or urban rooms or mixed rooms, whatever it took, I did. 0:16:14.920 --> 0:16:18.400 And then I did you know, some of the urban shows. 0:16:19.000 --> 0:16:21.800 It was easy for them to pick me to do 0:16:21.880 --> 0:16:25.240 it because they knew who I was deep bookers and 0:16:26.400 --> 0:16:30.920 people running the show. But it was very, very very 0:16:30.960 --> 0:16:34.560 nerve wracking, very scary because you know I was. They 0:16:34.640 --> 0:16:37.800 taped five nights a week in New York, the whole 0:16:37.880 --> 0:16:41.440 season a tape. You know, I was the fifth night, 0:16:42.360 --> 0:16:46.760 second show, second to last, So I heard of everybody 0:16:46.800 --> 0:16:51.240 in town doing well, not doing well. You know, people 0:16:51.280 --> 0:16:53.960 that were still in town came to watch the taping. 0:16:54.600 --> 0:16:58.200 That year, they had a bunch of different hosts every episode, 0:16:58.320 --> 0:17:03.440 Chris Rock, Dave Chappelle, My guy was Steve Harvey. They 0:17:03.480 --> 0:17:06.880 had a different host so some of the hosts were 0:17:06.920 --> 0:17:10.760 still in town Jamie Fox and I knew everyone. But 0:17:10.840 --> 0:17:13.280 when there's a lot of them in the audience and 0:17:13.320 --> 0:17:17.360 it's the last show, oh my god, of the tapings 0:17:17.480 --> 0:17:21.960 all week and I'm second to last, there's a lot 0:17:22.000 --> 0:17:26.879 of built up pressure, and black comics are mad that 0:17:26.960 --> 0:17:29.040 I was doing it and they weren't doing it. Some 0:17:29.119 --> 0:17:31.840 of them white comics were like, well, you gotta be 0:17:31.960 --> 0:17:35.359 good because you're the first. It was. It was a 0:17:35.520 --> 0:17:38.320 lot of pressure. It was very and then the clothes 0:17:38.400 --> 0:17:43.520 I wore. There they go Russell Simmons, whose show it was, 0:17:43.600 --> 0:17:46.800 wants you to wear his clothing line. So they got 0:17:46.840 --> 0:17:51.200 me in fat Farm clothing, which is an urban clothing line, 0:17:51.200 --> 0:17:53.800 and I walk out. I mean, I look back on it, 0:17:54.800 --> 0:17:57.560 I mean, this is what thirty years ago. I mean 0:17:57.640 --> 0:18:00.959 I was, and I pandered more to the audience I 0:18:01.000 --> 0:18:04.199 was working to back then, but that's what I knew 0:18:05.119 --> 0:18:09.560 thirty years ago, So I mean it's kind of cool. 0:18:09.600 --> 0:18:12.840 I mean, I've done so many weird things. You know. 0:18:12.920 --> 0:18:17.080 I hosted Woodstock ninety nine, one of the stages. 0:18:17.200 --> 0:18:18.720 You know, when it was on fire. 0:18:19.440 --> 0:18:22.000 Yeah, I wasn't on that stage. I was on another one, 0:18:22.480 --> 0:18:25.360 a big one, the West stage. That was the East stage. 0:18:25.520 --> 0:18:28.920 You know. I roasted Trump in a rows years ago, 0:18:31.119 --> 0:18:34.239 you know things. I did a show once outside the 0:18:34.359 --> 0:18:37.919 Washington Monument. It was a stage and it was a 0:18:37.960 --> 0:18:43.879 drug awareness event and Cheryl well, what's his name from 0:18:44.320 --> 0:18:50.119 Arrowsmith was the lead, the main guy, Steven Tyler. He 0:18:50.280 --> 0:18:53.280 wasn't doing Arrowsmith songs. He was doing like I don't know, 0:18:53.400 --> 0:18:57.199 countries or whatever other songs he does. Cheryl Crow was 0:18:57.240 --> 0:19:01.479 on it, the spand the Fray or whatever. Yeah, and 0:19:01.800 --> 0:19:05.160 like I don't know, and all these local bands, and 0:19:05.240 --> 0:19:08.439 it's outside the Washington Mountain. There's fifteen thousand people, and 0:19:08.480 --> 0:19:12.440 I'm hosting and on big screens, you know. So I've 0:19:12.480 --> 0:19:17.280 had so many cool different things happen. You know. Two 0:19:17.400 --> 0:19:21.560 years ago, I did the four shows on Burke Chisier's tour, 0:19:22.119 --> 0:19:27.520 the Opie and Anthony tour, you know, hosting these big events, 0:19:27.920 --> 0:19:32.880 you know, and and every time you still walk out 0:19:32.960 --> 0:19:36.760 nervous as hell, I bet, you know, there's certain clubs 0:19:36.760 --> 0:19:40.520 I get nervous at just for the first ten seconds. 0:19:40.640 --> 0:19:40.879 You know. 0:19:41.040 --> 0:19:42.560 Well, once you know that you've got them in the 0:19:42.560 --> 0:19:45.960 palm of your hand and they're they're laughing, does that 0:19:46.080 --> 0:19:49.280 sort of take all of that away, and and then you're. 0:19:49.200 --> 0:19:51.960 Sort of you come out and get a lap. You know. 0:19:52.600 --> 0:19:56.280 I'm hosting in a couple of weeks we do this 0:19:56.359 --> 0:20:00.800 benefit for Patrise O'Neill's family. This is the twelfth year 0:20:01.520 --> 0:20:05.040 I'm hosting it. I host it every year, Billy Burgh 0:20:05.080 --> 0:20:08.479 closes it. And every year I walk out going, oh, 0:20:08.520 --> 0:20:11.240 I got to do something different in the last twelve years, 0:20:11.240 --> 0:20:14.720 and it's nerve wracking. And then you walk out and 0:20:14.760 --> 0:20:17.480 you go, oh shit, I've already done this eleven times. 0:20:17.600 --> 0:20:20.600 I mean, but in your head, I was going, oh, 0:20:20.720 --> 0:20:23.439 this is the one I fall apart on or you know, 0:20:23.680 --> 0:20:27.000 I don't know, yeah, you know it's and if you 0:20:27.320 --> 0:20:32.359 say you walk out totally a nightmare, everybody forgets the 0:20:32.440 --> 0:20:35.240 other eleven shows you did great at. 0:20:35.280 --> 0:20:37.800 Right, because you're only as good as your last show, so. 0:20:38.119 --> 0:20:41.119 We remember that one. Yep, every year I walk out 0:20:41.200 --> 0:20:45.119 with such anxiety, you know, and whatever, Wow, it always 0:20:45.119 --> 0:20:46.920 walks out. Everything always works out. 0:20:47.200 --> 0:20:49.840 But I always thought that about comedians. You know, with musicians, 0:20:49.920 --> 0:20:51.880 it's easy. You know, everyone knows the songs, they're ready 0:20:51.880 --> 0:20:54.160 to sing along, you've got them right at the beginning. 0:20:54.520 --> 0:20:57.800 But comedians, you have to reinvent yourself almost every single 0:20:57.840 --> 0:21:00.879 time you take the stage, unless it's you know, an 0:21:00.880 --> 0:21:03.919 audience of people that listen to your comedy album and 0:21:03.960 --> 0:21:05.040 they know what word for word. 0:21:05.520 --> 0:21:08.520 Yeah, they don't want to see you know. You go 0:21:08.600 --> 0:21:11.040 to see the Rolling Stones, you know, you want to hear. 0:21:11.160 --> 0:21:15.679 Gimme shelter, you want to hear, you know, whatever I 0:21:15.720 --> 0:21:17.480 say to their own stones. That's how old I am. 0:21:18.560 --> 0:21:20.800 Who would you go with the Rolling Stones? Are the Beatles? 0:21:20.840 --> 0:21:21.600 If you have to pick. 0:21:21.960 --> 0:21:24.880 If I had to pick, oh gosh, well I've seen 0:21:24.880 --> 0:21:26.879 the Stones, so I have to go with the Beatles. 0:21:27.200 --> 0:21:30.040 Okay, you saw the Stones. 0:21:30.160 --> 0:21:33.679 The Voodoo Lounge kickoff at Foxboro Stadium. I think it 0:21:33.720 --> 0:21:35.200 was like somewhere in the nineties. 0:21:35.840 --> 0:21:37.600 Oh that's good. You saw them when they were they 0:21:37.600 --> 0:21:38.200 could walk. 0:21:38.560 --> 0:21:42.359 Yeah, So listen. You've been a mainstay in comedy for, 0:21:42.520 --> 0:21:44.520 like I hate to say it, forty years. 0:21:44.760 --> 0:21:45.800 Yeah. 0:21:45.840 --> 0:21:48.920 How do you keep your material fresh and relevant? Because 0:21:49.000 --> 0:21:53.120 the world is changing exponentially faster than you know, even 0:21:53.240 --> 0:21:54.240 just ten years ago. 0:21:54.880 --> 0:21:57.600 Well, I mean you try to keep writing stuff, like 0:21:57.800 --> 0:22:01.560 you know coming up when I mean, I am seven albums? 0:22:01.960 --> 0:22:04.399 Do I need an A an eighth album? Do I 0:22:04.560 --> 0:22:07.280 just coast? Do I do the best of? And I 0:22:07.280 --> 0:22:09.400 could do an hour or show of just crowd work 0:22:09.440 --> 0:22:13.640 without doing material if I wanted to, So I add stuff. 0:22:13.760 --> 0:22:16.080 He had stuff, And I mean, I'm working on an 0:22:16.119 --> 0:22:21.240 eighth shorter album of crowd work. Like my wife fifteen 0:22:21.280 --> 0:22:23.159 years ago said, oh, you got to do a crowd 0:22:23.160 --> 0:22:27.160 work DVD or CD. I got that's too easy. Now 0:22:27.200 --> 0:22:31.160 everybody's making careers out of doing crowd work on which 0:22:31.200 --> 0:22:34.640 I was doing for twenty twenty five years. And I'm 0:22:34.640 --> 0:22:37.760 not saying I'm the best. There's very, very great crowd 0:22:37.800 --> 0:22:42.240 work comics, you know, Big Jay and Bobby Kelly, Bonnie 0:22:42.320 --> 0:22:45.199