1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:01,960 Speaker 1: One thing about that episode that bumps me out to 2 00:00:02,040 --> 00:00:05,560 Speaker 1: this day. Okay, for whatever reason, I don't know. Maybe 3 00:00:05,559 --> 00:00:09,840 Speaker 1: it was the Devil, maybe evil demon angel, somebody would 4 00:00:09,840 --> 00:00:12,200 Speaker 1: not let me get the words wall In Paul Pack 5 00:00:12,360 --> 00:00:16,320 Speaker 1: out of my mouth. I couldn't say it. I couldn't 6 00:00:16,320 --> 00:00:18,759 Speaker 1: say it. We're supposed to be on Lake wald In 7 00:00:18,840 --> 00:00:22,200 Speaker 1: Paul Pack. I can say it now as if it's nothing. 8 00:00:22,239 --> 00:00:27,200 Speaker 1: I can say it with ease. That night I maybe 9 00:00:27,200 --> 00:00:29,840 Speaker 1: got it out once or twice correctly, and the rest 10 00:00:29,880 --> 00:00:31,440 Speaker 1: I just couldn't do it. And I remember they were 11 00:00:31,480 --> 00:00:35,559 Speaker 1: looking at me and they were baffled. They were absolutely baffled, 12 00:00:35,600 --> 00:00:38,400 Speaker 1: like what is this guy has a major malfunction? How 13 00:00:38,440 --> 00:00:40,280 Speaker 1: do you can you not say wald In Paul Pack? 14 00:00:41,000 --> 00:00:43,880 Speaker 1: And I can't explain it. It's just one of those 15 00:00:44,040 --> 00:00:46,960 Speaker 1: moments where you're like, I'm so sorry. I wanted to die. 16 00:00:47,040 --> 00:00:49,200 Speaker 1: I wanted to go crawl. I wanted to dive off 17 00:00:49,200 --> 00:00:58,760 Speaker 1: that boat and die. Hey everybody, I'm Rob Riggle. You 18 00:00:58,760 --> 00:01:02,560 Speaker 1: may know me. The office is Captain Jack or the 19 00:01:02,640 --> 00:01:05,639 Speaker 1: Hangover step brothers are. The other guys are dub Dubbert 20 00:01:05,680 --> 00:01:20,080 Speaker 1: two or st I'm sorry. Also, I love Karate. Hello, everybody, 21 00:01:20,120 --> 00:01:24,880 Speaker 1: and welcome to a brand new episode of Off the Beat. 22 00:01:25,319 --> 00:01:28,800 Speaker 1: I am your host, Brian Baumgartner, and as you just heard, 23 00:01:29,160 --> 00:01:34,160 Speaker 1: I am sitting down today with the comedic genius that 24 00:01:34,400 --> 00:01:37,800 Speaker 1: is Rob Riggle. Now, Rob, I don't know if many 25 00:01:37,800 --> 00:01:41,080 Speaker 1: of you know this, Robin's led a double life, and 26 00:01:41,280 --> 00:01:44,520 Speaker 1: I mean that, of course, in a non traitorous way. 27 00:01:44,720 --> 00:01:48,160 Speaker 1: In fact, quite the opposite. Rob served as a US 28 00:01:48,240 --> 00:01:53,960 Speaker 1: Marine for over twenty years, and during that time he 29 00:01:54,160 --> 00:01:59,560 Speaker 1: actually asked to be stationed in New York City. Why because, 30 00:01:59,680 --> 00:02:02,640 Speaker 1: as he was a marine, he wanted to begin his 31 00:02:02,800 --> 00:02:06,640 Speaker 1: career in comedy. You've seen him in tons of your 32 00:02:06,640 --> 00:02:11,760 Speaker 1: favorite shows, from Modern Family to New Girl, Arrested Development, 33 00:02:12,040 --> 00:02:15,600 Speaker 1: He's been on SNL, He's been on The Daily Show. 34 00:02:16,040 --> 00:02:20,280 Speaker 1: But his most iconic role, well, it has to be 35 00:02:20,639 --> 00:02:25,200 Speaker 1: right the skipper to Michael Scott's Gilligan, the captain of 36 00:02:25,200 --> 00:02:28,880 Speaker 1: the Booze Cruise, Captain Jack. So if you'd like to 37 00:02:28,880 --> 00:02:32,240 Speaker 1: feel a little bit like an underachiever, but in the 38 00:02:32,280 --> 00:02:35,320 Speaker 1: best of ways, you are in luck, my friend. You 39 00:02:35,400 --> 00:02:38,400 Speaker 1: can't help feeling that way after this here. He is 40 00:02:39,000 --> 00:02:46,239 Speaker 1: the incredibly hard working and disciplined and hilarious I love him. 41 00:02:46,280 --> 00:02:55,919 Speaker 1: He's a golfer. Rob Wriggle. Everyone, Bubble and Squeak. I 42 00:02:56,200 --> 00:03:03,320 Speaker 1: love it. Bubble squig, Bubble and squeaker. Cookie every month 43 00:03:03,720 --> 00:03:20,680 Speaker 1: left over from the nut people. Hello, Hello, Ryan, Ambassador Wriggle, 44 00:03:21,360 --> 00:03:25,560 Speaker 1: p x G Ambassador Wriggle. That's shrat. I mean, it's 45 00:03:25,600 --> 00:03:30,560 Speaker 1: not a state department title, but it's up there. It's close, 46 00:03:31,320 --> 00:03:35,440 Speaker 1: this close. How's it going, good, Bud? How are you 47 00:03:35,640 --> 00:03:37,960 Speaker 1: nice to see you? I know it's good to see you. 48 00:03:38,040 --> 00:03:41,080 Speaker 1: It's been a few months here now, I know, I know, 49 00:03:42,240 --> 00:03:45,680 Speaker 1: I do. I do run into mutual friends though quite 50 00:03:45,720 --> 00:03:49,200 Speaker 1: a bit. Oh you in uh in Phoenix? Yeah? Out 51 00:03:49,200 --> 00:03:52,160 Speaker 1: of Phoenix. I think I mentioned where's Brian? Why did't 52 00:03:52,160 --> 00:03:53,880 Speaker 1: he had out here? Where's it? What's going on? So? 53 00:03:55,560 --> 00:03:58,160 Speaker 1: I know I was a little busy last week, but 54 00:03:58,560 --> 00:04:01,640 Speaker 1: I would have loved Did you hit the green on sixteen? Briefly? 55 00:04:02,320 --> 00:04:05,040 Speaker 1: I did my my shot with a lot of penash 56 00:04:05,800 --> 00:04:08,240 Speaker 1: and a lot of flair. We had two shots, right, 57 00:04:08,280 --> 00:04:10,160 Speaker 1: you had the one when you're actually playing in the program, 58 00:04:10,200 --> 00:04:13,080 Speaker 1: and then the other one was for charity. So on 59 00:04:13,160 --> 00:04:17,000 Speaker 1: the program portion, I hit it and it starts leaking 60 00:04:17,040 --> 00:04:20,720 Speaker 1: out to the right uh h it's getting worse. It's 61 00:04:20,760 --> 00:04:24,840 Speaker 1: getting way worse. It hits the grandstand, hits it and 62 00:04:25,040 --> 00:04:28,080 Speaker 1: shoots like a hundred miles an hour across the green, 63 00:04:28,560 --> 00:04:31,760 Speaker 1: almost all the way over to the other side. Uh so, no, 64 00:04:31,839 --> 00:04:33,680 Speaker 1: I mean it rolled across the green, So I did 65 00:04:33,720 --> 00:04:37,680 Speaker 1: have there was time on the green. Did you get booed? No? 66 00:04:37,960 --> 00:04:39,800 Speaker 1: I didn't because there was so much flare around because 67 00:04:39,800 --> 00:04:43,479 Speaker 1: it was such a shocking shot. I actually got laughs, 68 00:04:44,320 --> 00:04:46,280 Speaker 1: So I'll take the laughs over the booze. But then 69 00:04:46,320 --> 00:04:47,960 Speaker 1: when I went back for charity, I put it like 70 00:04:48,000 --> 00:04:52,480 Speaker 1: fifteen ft away, So well, there you go. There's nothing 71 00:04:52,520 --> 00:04:56,720 Speaker 1: like that scene, yes, but but sixteen sixteen of Phoenix, 72 00:04:57,000 --> 00:04:59,880 Speaker 1: the whole Phoenix thing is probably one of the most 73 00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:04,360 Speaker 1: electric environments, not only in golf, it's just sports. Right. 74 00:05:04,880 --> 00:05:09,480 Speaker 1: Are we becoming the like Bob Hope and I don't 75 00:05:09,520 --> 00:05:13,240 Speaker 1: know who else of like the celebrity golf circuit now? Yes, 76 00:05:13,400 --> 00:05:16,880 Speaker 1: I hope. I hope there's a generation of rat pack 77 00:05:17,279 --> 00:05:23,440 Speaker 1: esque wandering nomad golfer cock tailors in this world. And 78 00:05:23,480 --> 00:05:25,520 Speaker 1: I hope we're part of it. I hope we're part 79 00:05:25,560 --> 00:05:29,120 Speaker 1: of it too. How good was Bob? Was Bob really 80 00:05:29,160 --> 00:05:31,600 Speaker 1: good or did he just love the game? He loved 81 00:05:31,600 --> 00:05:33,600 Speaker 1: the game. I think, you know, he was probably like 82 00:05:33,720 --> 00:05:37,320 Speaker 1: tenor twelve handicapped, I'm guessing perfect, but but he loved 83 00:05:37,360 --> 00:05:39,520 Speaker 1: the game and was dedicated to it for sure. I 84 00:05:39,600 --> 00:05:42,080 Speaker 1: know he's always going between Palm Springs and l A 85 00:05:42,279 --> 00:05:46,840 Speaker 1: and that's right. Yeah, he loved it. All right. Thank 86 00:05:46,880 --> 00:05:49,240 Speaker 1: you for coming on and talking to me. I want 87 00:05:49,240 --> 00:05:54,520 Speaker 1: to start by going way back. I understand what you 88 00:05:54,560 --> 00:05:58,159 Speaker 1: were born in Kentucky, the birthplace of my father as well, 89 00:05:58,880 --> 00:06:03,200 Speaker 1: but early on moved to Kansas, and Kansas was really 90 00:06:03,240 --> 00:06:06,279 Speaker 1: important to you growing up. What was your experience growing 91 00:06:06,360 --> 00:06:10,120 Speaker 1: up there in Kansas. I couldn't ask for about a childhood. 92 00:06:10,160 --> 00:06:12,839 Speaker 1: I don't think. I was blessed with two loving parents 93 00:06:12,920 --> 00:06:15,800 Speaker 1: and a wonderful sister, so I wouldn't trade a minute 94 00:06:15,800 --> 00:06:18,840 Speaker 1: of it. I lived in suburbia, you know, Overland Park, Kansas, 95 00:06:18,880 --> 00:06:21,960 Speaker 1: which is a nice suburb just outside of Kansas City, 96 00:06:22,200 --> 00:06:26,000 Speaker 1: and uh, football in the fall and basketball in the winter, 97 00:06:26,160 --> 00:06:28,840 Speaker 1: and baseball in spring and going to the pool and 98 00:06:28,920 --> 00:06:31,240 Speaker 1: hanging out with your friends down to the creek in 99 00:06:31,240 --> 00:06:32,839 Speaker 1: the summer. You know, I mean, it was a pretty 100 00:06:32,839 --> 00:06:36,440 Speaker 1: idyllic childhood. So yeah, I loved it. I wouldn't I 101 00:06:36,440 --> 00:06:40,080 Speaker 1: wouldn't trade it for anything. Were you more interested in 102 00:06:40,080 --> 00:06:42,760 Speaker 1: in sports or the arts growing up? Where where was 103 00:06:42,800 --> 00:06:47,480 Speaker 1: your focus as a kid? I was a terrible student. Okay, 104 00:06:47,720 --> 00:06:50,320 Speaker 1: I was a great listener, but I just I got 105 00:06:50,320 --> 00:06:54,240 Speaker 1: bored very easily. So it's self entertained, which probably why 106 00:06:54,279 --> 00:06:57,720 Speaker 1: what we ended up in life in the arts. But athletics, though, 107 00:06:58,279 --> 00:07:00,960 Speaker 1: kind of grounded me and gave me some discipline and 108 00:07:01,040 --> 00:07:03,599 Speaker 1: kind of gave me a little something to hang my 109 00:07:03,680 --> 00:07:07,320 Speaker 1: hat on, to have a little self esteem about. You know, 110 00:07:07,360 --> 00:07:10,239 Speaker 1: when you're not great in the classroom, you want somebody 111 00:07:10,280 --> 00:07:12,560 Speaker 1: to say something nice about you or have something that 112 00:07:12,600 --> 00:07:15,960 Speaker 1: you shine at. And so athletics were a big part 113 00:07:15,960 --> 00:07:18,840 Speaker 1: of my life because I got kudos that way. I 114 00:07:18,880 --> 00:07:23,280 Speaker 1: got recognition, positive recognition, and you know, in the classroom, 115 00:07:23,320 --> 00:07:24,840 Speaker 1: I didn't tell you know I was. I was a 116 00:07:24,880 --> 00:07:27,840 Speaker 1: C and B student. And it wasn't until probably my 117 00:07:27,920 --> 00:07:30,640 Speaker 1: junior senior year in high school that I started to 118 00:07:30,720 --> 00:07:32,880 Speaker 1: kind of apply myself a little more. Takes some of 119 00:07:33,200 --> 00:07:36,200 Speaker 1: the discipline I had in sports and apply it to 120 00:07:36,240 --> 00:07:38,920 Speaker 1: the classroom, and I got a little bit better and 121 00:07:38,920 --> 00:07:40,600 Speaker 1: I got a little more confidence you know. It's one 122 00:07:40,600 --> 00:07:42,800 Speaker 1: of those things too, where somebody tells you when you're 123 00:07:42,840 --> 00:07:46,040 Speaker 1: young that you're no good is something, and that's just it. 124 00:07:46,200 --> 00:07:49,200 Speaker 1: You're labeled that you believe it kind of just say 125 00:07:49,240 --> 00:07:51,600 Speaker 1: well that's the way that is. You don't know any better, 126 00:07:51,640 --> 00:07:53,680 Speaker 1: You don't you don't have the tools to overcome it, 127 00:07:53,800 --> 00:07:55,880 Speaker 1: or say well, actually I challenged that, or I don't 128 00:07:55,920 --> 00:07:58,480 Speaker 1: believe that, or so you go, oh yeah, they say 129 00:07:58,520 --> 00:08:02,920 Speaker 1: I'm a slow reader. That's me. I was a low reader, 130 00:08:03,240 --> 00:08:04,760 Speaker 1: you know. And then I'll go out and try to 131 00:08:04,880 --> 00:08:07,160 Speaker 1: be better at basketball or better at football or whatever 132 00:08:07,200 --> 00:08:10,400 Speaker 1: it was. You know. So athletics was was definitely a 133 00:08:10,440 --> 00:08:14,760 Speaker 1: part of my self esteem, self worth, um and discipline. 134 00:08:15,080 --> 00:08:17,800 Speaker 1: But I also my junior and senior year, I started 135 00:08:17,800 --> 00:08:19,360 Speaker 1: to come out of my shell Moore. I started to 136 00:08:19,400 --> 00:08:23,080 Speaker 1: get more confidence, and so I was on the high 137 00:08:23,120 --> 00:08:26,600 Speaker 1: school radio and television station. We had a thing called 138 00:08:26,640 --> 00:08:30,200 Speaker 1: forensics in my high school, which was like acting and 139 00:08:30,360 --> 00:08:33,439 Speaker 1: improvised acting, and I liked it because you didn't have 140 00:08:33,480 --> 00:08:35,880 Speaker 1: to commit to doing you know, my fair Lady for 141 00:08:35,920 --> 00:08:38,760 Speaker 1: the entire spring or whatever for the big spring production. 142 00:08:38,800 --> 00:08:41,679 Speaker 1: And I couldn't sing to save my life. I still 143 00:08:42,040 --> 00:08:44,559 Speaker 1: I only really nail it when I've had too much 144 00:08:44,559 --> 00:08:47,440 Speaker 1: to drink in it scaraoke night, and then I'm pretty 145 00:08:47,480 --> 00:08:50,440 Speaker 1: and I'm pretty awesome, at least I think so. I 146 00:08:50,440 --> 00:08:52,320 Speaker 1: think I'm pretty awesome, but I could never sing. So 147 00:08:52,920 --> 00:08:56,200 Speaker 1: but the forensics allowed me to try acting and try 148 00:08:56,800 --> 00:08:59,840 Speaker 1: little scene work, and I loved it. I absolutely loved it. 149 00:09:00,000 --> 00:09:02,120 Speaker 1: And then when I got to college, I started again 150 00:09:02,160 --> 00:09:04,720 Speaker 1: to look into theater and film. I ended up becoming 151 00:09:04,720 --> 00:09:07,600 Speaker 1: a theater and film major at the University Kansas, and 152 00:09:07,600 --> 00:09:09,800 Speaker 1: I loved it. I mean, our stories are somewhat similar. 153 00:09:09,920 --> 00:09:14,520 Speaker 1: I was very sports focused early on. I would say 154 00:09:14,640 --> 00:09:18,640 Speaker 1: there was for me a seminal moment between junior and 155 00:09:18,679 --> 00:09:21,000 Speaker 1: senior year of high school where I was, you know, 156 00:09:21,080 --> 00:09:24,480 Speaker 1: sort of dabbling in theater or acting or you know, 157 00:09:24,559 --> 00:09:27,680 Speaker 1: doing shows, where for me there was a real shift 158 00:09:27,720 --> 00:09:30,840 Speaker 1: where I went, oh, no, this is what I want 159 00:09:30,840 --> 00:09:33,600 Speaker 1: to do. I want to be an actor. Did you 160 00:09:33,679 --> 00:09:37,480 Speaker 1: have that moment when you were in Kansas or making 161 00:09:37,480 --> 00:09:40,199 Speaker 1: the decision to study. Was it still just fun or 162 00:09:40,240 --> 00:09:44,240 Speaker 1: a way to to pass college, or or were you like, oh, 163 00:09:44,360 --> 00:09:48,040 Speaker 1: this is what I want. That's so interesting. I thought 164 00:09:48,040 --> 00:09:49,920 Speaker 1: about it, but I haven't really drilled down on it. 165 00:09:49,960 --> 00:09:53,280 Speaker 1: I think it was always there. It was a passion 166 00:09:53,640 --> 00:09:56,319 Speaker 1: that I just didn't believe in. I didn't trust it. 167 00:09:56,360 --> 00:09:58,280 Speaker 1: I didn't think it was possible. So I thought it's 168 00:09:58,280 --> 00:10:02,000 Speaker 1: a waste of time. White Honestly, this is late eighties, 169 00:10:02,040 --> 00:10:06,880 Speaker 1: early nineties in Kansas. You know, there's a whole lifetime 170 00:10:06,960 --> 00:10:10,800 Speaker 1: of conditioning, not from my parents necessarily, but from them 171 00:10:10,840 --> 00:10:14,640 Speaker 1: as well, but from coaches and teachers and peer group 172 00:10:14,920 --> 00:10:18,080 Speaker 1: and other people's parents, and you know, all these people 173 00:10:18,120 --> 00:10:20,680 Speaker 1: that I respected that we're like, oh, you know, we 174 00:10:20,840 --> 00:10:22,880 Speaker 1: love acting. Acting is great, but what are you really 175 00:10:22,880 --> 00:10:25,840 Speaker 1: gonna do? You know, you're gonna obviously have something else, 176 00:10:25,960 --> 00:10:28,320 Speaker 1: and you're not putting all your eggs in the acting basket. 177 00:10:28,480 --> 00:10:31,040 Speaker 1: That's not a plan. It's it's cute, but it's not 178 00:10:31,080 --> 00:10:33,559 Speaker 1: a plan. So what are you really gonna do? It's 179 00:10:33,679 --> 00:10:35,440 Speaker 1: you know, And so I would be like, oh, well, yeah, no, 180 00:10:35,480 --> 00:10:37,040 Speaker 1: of course, yeah, of course I'm not going to just 181 00:10:37,120 --> 00:10:40,000 Speaker 1: do that. I've got other big plans. And but the 182 00:10:40,040 --> 00:10:42,880 Speaker 1: truth was, you know, I was a fan of comedy 183 00:10:43,600 --> 00:10:47,080 Speaker 1: and acting my whole life. I just didn't think it 184 00:10:47,160 --> 00:10:48,880 Speaker 1: was in the cards. You know, I thought the odds, 185 00:10:48,920 --> 00:10:51,800 Speaker 1: I'm I gamble, I know the odds on things right, 186 00:10:51,920 --> 00:10:55,520 Speaker 1: and the odds were like, yeah, chances are the most 187 00:10:55,559 --> 00:10:57,240 Speaker 1: acting I was gonna do is probably be right here 188 00:10:57,280 --> 00:10:59,719 Speaker 1: in Lawrence's Lawrence, Kansas is not gonna go beyond this. 189 00:11:00,480 --> 00:11:02,000 Speaker 1: Uh So, what do I really got to do? Because 190 00:11:02,000 --> 00:11:04,440 Speaker 1: I am going to have to leave the house. Back then, 191 00:11:04,559 --> 00:11:07,319 Speaker 1: you were expected to leave the house at twenty two. 192 00:11:07,400 --> 00:11:09,679 Speaker 1: There was no grace period, you know, once you graduated. 193 00:11:09,880 --> 00:11:12,800 Speaker 1: You know, my dad had the plate breaking ceremony, Break 194 00:11:12,840 --> 00:11:14,960 Speaker 1: the plate and you're on your own, boy, good luck. 195 00:11:15,559 --> 00:11:18,960 Speaker 1: You know. I was expected to start my life and 196 00:11:19,040 --> 00:11:22,200 Speaker 1: so so act. I just never believed it was possible. 197 00:11:22,559 --> 00:11:24,920 Speaker 1: Not because for a little boy from Kansas, none of 198 00:11:24,920 --> 00:11:27,439 Speaker 1: that stuff. I'm just saying. I didn't like the odds. 199 00:11:27,559 --> 00:11:30,679 Speaker 1: I didn't like the odds of it actually happening. So 200 00:11:31,320 --> 00:11:34,839 Speaker 1: I didn't necessarily commit heart and soul to it, which 201 00:11:35,240 --> 00:11:41,280 Speaker 1: I learned that's required, that's required for your dreams at 202 00:11:41,280 --> 00:11:44,640 Speaker 1: a certain points. Yeah, at some point, you're gonna have 203 00:11:44,679 --> 00:11:46,680 Speaker 1: to commit heart and soul. You're gonna have to take 204 00:11:46,679 --> 00:11:49,960 Speaker 1: the leap of faith, You're gonna have to risk it. 205 00:11:50,559 --> 00:11:53,480 Speaker 1: You're gonna have to be so uncomfortable you're gonna have 206 00:11:53,559 --> 00:11:56,520 Speaker 1: to go through a lot of fear and a lot 207 00:11:56,559 --> 00:11:59,160 Speaker 1: of pain and a lot of failure. And nobody wants 208 00:11:59,200 --> 00:12:03,360 Speaker 1: those things. Nobody wants to fear the pain or the failure. 209 00:12:03,880 --> 00:12:06,920 Speaker 1: But that's you know, all the cliches are true. That's 210 00:12:06,920 --> 00:12:08,719 Speaker 1: where your dreams are on the other side of all 211 00:12:08,760 --> 00:12:10,480 Speaker 1: of that stuff. And if you can get through all 212 00:12:10,520 --> 00:12:12,280 Speaker 1: of that stuff, chances are you got a good shot 213 00:12:12,280 --> 00:12:15,160 Speaker 1: at getting your dream. So I didn't believe it. So 214 00:12:15,200 --> 00:12:18,080 Speaker 1: I actually got my pilot's license when I was in college, 215 00:12:18,440 --> 00:12:21,400 Speaker 1: and I got a guaranteed flight contract with the Marine Corps, 216 00:12:21,520 --> 00:12:23,520 Speaker 1: and I was like, all right, I've always wanted to serve, 217 00:12:23,600 --> 00:12:25,160 Speaker 1: So I was like, yeah, this will be great. I'll 218 00:12:25,160 --> 00:12:28,600 Speaker 1: go do some my my time. I'll serve, I'll fly planes. 219 00:12:28,960 --> 00:12:30,719 Speaker 1: You know, I'm twenty two years old, with my hair 220 00:12:30,800 --> 00:12:33,480 Speaker 1: on fire. I got my pilots licesnse, this will be great. 221 00:12:33,679 --> 00:12:35,640 Speaker 1: You know, I'm living my top gun fantasy. This is 222 00:12:35,679 --> 00:12:39,560 Speaker 1: whoo uh. Well, as I got into flight school and 223 00:12:39,679 --> 00:12:42,240 Speaker 1: it was great, it was fun, but the passion wasn't there. 224 00:12:42,280 --> 00:12:44,360 Speaker 1: I didn't have the passion like I go out to 225 00:12:44,400 --> 00:12:46,679 Speaker 1: the bar with guys in my flight class, and they'd 226 00:12:46,679 --> 00:12:48,320 Speaker 1: be talking with their hands. We're like, oh, man, I 227 00:12:48,360 --> 00:12:51,120 Speaker 1: did a breakup with Rendezvousdadana is about thirty seconds off 228 00:12:51,160 --> 00:12:53,160 Speaker 1: and I lost him in the cloud and I must 229 00:12:53,200 --> 00:12:57,280 Speaker 1: to drop two thousand three delevation. And I'm saying, going, yeah, okay, 230 00:12:58,000 --> 00:12:59,719 Speaker 1: that's awesome, but that you know, do we have to 231 00:12:59,720 --> 00:13:01,480 Speaker 1: talk out it now? Because the girls over there, let's 232 00:13:01,480 --> 00:13:03,880 Speaker 1: go talk to them, you know. And so I realized, 233 00:13:03,920 --> 00:13:06,600 Speaker 1: you know, they were passionate, like that's what they're calling 234 00:13:06,720 --> 00:13:10,040 Speaker 1: was they wanted? And I could tell I don't know 235 00:13:10,080 --> 00:13:11,920 Speaker 1: if my passion is where it needs to be. So 236 00:13:11,960 --> 00:13:15,040 Speaker 1: then I actually started doing some very interesting soul searching 237 00:13:15,080 --> 00:13:17,840 Speaker 1: at a very young age. I still didn't asking questions. 238 00:13:17,880 --> 00:13:19,480 Speaker 1: I was like, what do I want? What do I 239 00:13:19,520 --> 00:13:21,560 Speaker 1: really want? What am I passionate about? What I what 240 00:13:21,600 --> 00:13:23,160 Speaker 1: would get me out of bed every day and make 241 00:13:23,200 --> 00:13:25,800 Speaker 1: me run to the door and put up with things 242 00:13:25,800 --> 00:13:27,520 Speaker 1: I wouldn't already put up with? Just what would I do? 243 00:13:27,600 --> 00:13:30,719 Speaker 1: What is it? About? That time I get a call 244 00:13:30,800 --> 00:13:33,520 Speaker 1: from a friend I went to KU with and he 245 00:13:33,559 --> 00:13:36,679 Speaker 1: was up in Chicago doing improv Olympic and Second City 246 00:13:36,679 --> 00:13:39,560 Speaker 1: and all these improv things, and he said, um, hey, 247 00:13:39,600 --> 00:13:43,400 Speaker 1: real well, I'm doing this long form improv up here. 248 00:13:44,000 --> 00:13:46,400 Speaker 1: It's what we did in college, but it has a name. 249 00:13:46,440 --> 00:13:49,640 Speaker 1: It's called improv because we used to do bits. We 250 00:13:49,720 --> 00:13:53,320 Speaker 1: used to do characters, we said, you know, and and 251 00:13:53,360 --> 00:13:55,240 Speaker 1: we would just sit there and riff in the car, 252 00:13:55,440 --> 00:13:57,840 Speaker 1: in our room at a bar where we were. We'd 253 00:13:57,840 --> 00:14:00,760 Speaker 1: actually fall into these root scenes and routines and we 254 00:14:00,920 --> 00:14:03,960 Speaker 1: call them bits or whatever. But we didn't know. We 255 00:14:04,040 --> 00:14:05,600 Speaker 1: just thought we were being funny. We just thought we 256 00:14:05,600 --> 00:14:08,760 Speaker 1: were super funny. He goes, no, it's there's actually structure 257 00:14:08,800 --> 00:14:11,319 Speaker 1: to it and it's a real thing. And he goes, personally, 258 00:14:11,360 --> 00:14:14,160 Speaker 1: I think you would do very very well up here. 259 00:14:14,160 --> 00:14:15,560 Speaker 1: I think you're better than some of the people that 260 00:14:15,600 --> 00:14:18,600 Speaker 1: are up here and they're getting success. And that seed 261 00:14:19,000 --> 00:14:22,840 Speaker 1: planted very firmly in my mind, and it was all 262 00:14:23,080 --> 00:14:26,000 Speaker 1: coming at the right time. When he said that, something 263 00:14:26,000 --> 00:14:29,040 Speaker 1: inside me lit and it made me believe and I 264 00:14:29,120 --> 00:14:31,760 Speaker 1: was willing to bet on myself for the first time, 265 00:14:31,800 --> 00:14:34,080 Speaker 1: I think maybe in my entire life. I mean, I 266 00:14:34,200 --> 00:14:36,520 Speaker 1: bet on our team. And you know, I was always 267 00:14:36,520 --> 00:14:38,040 Speaker 1: good as a team work, but for me to be 268 00:14:38,080 --> 00:14:41,000 Speaker 1: the you know, that never happened. So that was the 269 00:14:41,040 --> 00:14:44,160 Speaker 1: turning point for me where I said, Okay, well I 270 00:14:44,160 --> 00:14:46,120 Speaker 1: looked at my contract and it's like, oh yeah, eight 271 00:14:46,160 --> 00:14:47,720 Speaker 1: years after you pin on your wings and on this 272 00:14:47,840 --> 00:14:50,160 Speaker 1: I was like, oh god, So I had to stop 273 00:14:50,240 --> 00:14:53,880 Speaker 1: flight school become a ground officer because if I didn't 274 00:14:53,920 --> 00:14:56,320 Speaker 1: do that, I would have been a twenty year active 275 00:14:56,400 --> 00:14:58,880 Speaker 1: duty marine flying planes. And that was fine. I would 276 00:14:58,920 --> 00:15:00,400 Speaker 1: had a great life, but it wouldn't I would have 277 00:15:00,440 --> 00:15:03,760 Speaker 1: never tried acting in comedy. And I can live with 278 00:15:03,760 --> 00:15:06,200 Speaker 1: the failure more than I can live without knowing. So 279 00:15:06,560 --> 00:15:11,240 Speaker 1: I switched to the ground side. Shortened my commitment and uh. 280 00:15:11,280 --> 00:15:13,800 Speaker 1: And then then I started finding my way to New 281 00:15:13,840 --> 00:15:16,600 Speaker 1: York City. That was my whole, my path New York. 282 00:15:17,320 --> 00:15:21,920 Speaker 1: So you you were on the path. I never realized 283 00:15:21,920 --> 00:15:26,320 Speaker 1: that would have been twenty years in active military. Yeah, 284 00:15:26,520 --> 00:15:29,000 Speaker 1: and I ended up doing twenty three. Yeah. I did 285 00:15:29,080 --> 00:15:32,480 Speaker 1: plan on that at all. Yeah. I mean, and you 286 00:15:32,640 --> 00:15:41,840 Speaker 1: served overseas. This was the first nine years, right, Liberia, Kosovo, Albania, Afghanistan, yep. Yeah, 287 00:15:41,960 --> 00:15:45,800 Speaker 1: and did several non military tours USO tours as well 288 00:15:45,960 --> 00:15:51,960 Speaker 1: to Iraq and Afghanistan and places like that. That's so incredible. 289 00:15:52,080 --> 00:15:55,920 Speaker 1: We truly owe you so much and I thank you 290 00:15:56,000 --> 00:15:59,640 Speaker 1: as always for your service. I just respect the hell 291 00:15:59,680 --> 00:16:02,680 Speaker 1: out of you for that. Well, you're very kind. While 292 00:16:02,760 --> 00:16:07,920 Speaker 1: you're doing this, you you clearly have already gotten bit 293 00:16:08,280 --> 00:16:12,360 Speaker 1: by the bug and have these plans. Are you doing 294 00:16:12,400 --> 00:16:16,160 Speaker 1: anything while you're in active service in terms of improv 295 00:16:16,360 --> 00:16:20,200 Speaker 1: or shows? Are you what are you doing during that 296 00:16:20,320 --> 00:16:24,840 Speaker 1: time to potentially help prepare you? Yeah, it was very true. 297 00:16:24,880 --> 00:16:26,640 Speaker 1: It was tricky. So when I when I quit flying, 298 00:16:26,680 --> 00:16:30,600 Speaker 1: I was down in um Corpus Christie, Texas, and I 299 00:16:30,640 --> 00:16:33,440 Speaker 1: was about to be shipped back to Pensacola. And that's 300 00:16:33,440 --> 00:16:35,040 Speaker 1: when I made my switch to the ground side. So 301 00:16:35,040 --> 00:16:37,040 Speaker 1: when I switched the ground side, they said, okay, fine. 302 00:16:37,640 --> 00:16:38,960 Speaker 1: They looked at the fact that I had done all 303 00:16:38,960 --> 00:16:42,120 Speaker 1: this radio and television and theater and film stuff and 304 00:16:42,240 --> 00:16:44,480 Speaker 1: in college, so they said, all right, well now you're 305 00:16:44,480 --> 00:16:47,720 Speaker 1: a public affairs officer. So they sent me to Defense 306 00:16:47,760 --> 00:16:51,880 Speaker 1: Information School in Indiana for about four months, and then 307 00:16:51,920 --> 00:16:55,240 Speaker 1: from there they sent me to North Carolina Marine Corps 308 00:16:55,200 --> 00:16:57,760 Speaker 1: Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina, second Maarin Air Wing, 309 00:16:57,840 --> 00:17:01,560 Speaker 1: So I joined. I lived on that base for the 310 00:17:01,600 --> 00:17:05,320 Speaker 1: next three years. And while I was there, I was 311 00:17:05,359 --> 00:17:08,360 Speaker 1: fulfilling my my you know, my contract. There's not much 312 00:17:08,359 --> 00:17:10,760 Speaker 1: to do in eastern North Carolina when you're you know, 313 00:17:12,800 --> 00:17:15,960 Speaker 1: seven years old. So I went to night school. I 314 00:17:16,040 --> 00:17:19,720 Speaker 1: got a master's in public administration, because you know, just 315 00:17:19,800 --> 00:17:22,040 Speaker 1: idle hands with the Devil's workshop. So I just I 316 00:17:22,080 --> 00:17:24,040 Speaker 1: tried to stay busy, you know. I tried to stay 317 00:17:24,119 --> 00:17:26,919 Speaker 1: kept my nights full, trying to prepare myself so that 318 00:17:26,960 --> 00:17:29,960 Speaker 1: when when I was freed up from my service, I 319 00:17:30,000 --> 00:17:32,960 Speaker 1: would be able to go do go do things. So 320 00:17:33,119 --> 00:17:36,040 Speaker 1: the I remember the chief of staff for the second 321 00:17:36,119 --> 00:17:38,199 Speaker 1: Ary in aarrowing I saw that I was, I was 322 00:17:38,200 --> 00:17:40,679 Speaker 1: getting out and I just gotten promoted to captain, and 323 00:17:40,680 --> 00:17:42,159 Speaker 1: he was like, why are you leaving? Why you leave 324 00:17:42,200 --> 00:17:43,600 Speaker 1: with the court, Why are you leaving all this glory? 325 00:17:43,600 --> 00:17:44,880 Speaker 1: You know, why I leave it, all this good stuff. 326 00:17:44,920 --> 00:17:47,840 Speaker 1: I'm like, well, you know, and I didn't. I didn't 327 00:17:47,840 --> 00:17:51,600 Speaker 1: talk much about, well, I'm gonna go be a comedian, 328 00:17:52,040 --> 00:17:53,520 Speaker 1: you know, I want to go be an actor, you know, 329 00:17:53,520 --> 00:17:56,760 Speaker 1: because it was generally frowned upon or laughed at or teased. 330 00:17:57,200 --> 00:17:59,439 Speaker 1: It's all because they just nobody gets it, and I 331 00:17:59,440 --> 00:18:01,879 Speaker 1: don't have time to explain it to everybody. So I 332 00:18:01,920 --> 00:18:03,680 Speaker 1: just didn't talk about I just didn't talk about it 333 00:18:03,760 --> 00:18:05,560 Speaker 1: very much, but I I my intent was to go 334 00:18:05,640 --> 00:18:09,280 Speaker 1: from North Carolina to Chicago. Um, and I was going 335 00:18:09,359 --> 00:18:13,680 Speaker 1: to wait tables and bartend and take classes at Second 336 00:18:13,680 --> 00:18:16,399 Speaker 1: City and improv Olympic. That was that was my That 337 00:18:16,480 --> 00:18:20,639 Speaker 1: was my plan. And uh the chief of staff came 338 00:18:20,680 --> 00:18:22,439 Speaker 1: in and said, and he's like, what would it take 339 00:18:22,480 --> 00:18:24,680 Speaker 1: for you to stay in the Marines? And I said, well, 340 00:18:24,960 --> 00:18:26,959 Speaker 1: you know, so I think I want to try some 341 00:18:27,040 --> 00:18:29,280 Speaker 1: things and I want to go Chicago to do what 342 00:18:29,440 --> 00:18:30,240 Speaker 1: what are you doing? What do you? What are you? 343 00:18:30,280 --> 00:18:31,879 Speaker 1: What are you doing such a secret? I think I 344 00:18:31,920 --> 00:18:33,720 Speaker 1: want to be an actor comedian. He's like, oh god, 345 00:18:34,080 --> 00:18:40,040 Speaker 1: you know, Okay, here we go. So um he said, uh, well, 346 00:18:40,080 --> 00:18:41,360 Speaker 1: what if I can get your orders to New York 347 00:18:41,400 --> 00:18:42,960 Speaker 1: City or Los Angeles. And I said, well, if you 348 00:18:43,000 --> 00:18:44,719 Speaker 1: can give it a new orders to New York Los Angeles, 349 00:18:44,760 --> 00:18:47,920 Speaker 1: I'll I'll extend on active duty. I'll give you three 350 00:18:47,920 --> 00:18:51,600 Speaker 1: more years. And uh he called my bluff. The next day, 351 00:18:51,600 --> 00:18:54,680 Speaker 1: I had orders to New York City, so I said okay, 352 00:18:54,960 --> 00:18:57,480 Speaker 1: So I signed on for three more years. I moved 353 00:18:57,480 --> 00:19:01,399 Speaker 1: to New York City and I was the deputy director 354 00:19:01,480 --> 00:19:04,959 Speaker 1: up there for Public affairs in New York and I 355 00:19:05,000 --> 00:19:08,800 Speaker 1: did Marine Corps stuff from seven to five every day. Uh, 356 00:19:08,840 --> 00:19:11,359 Speaker 1: And then in the evenings, like every other body, I 357 00:19:11,359 --> 00:19:14,480 Speaker 1: went home from work, but instead I went to try 358 00:19:14,560 --> 00:19:16,399 Speaker 1: to do comedy. And when I first got there, I 359 00:19:16,440 --> 00:19:18,199 Speaker 1: didn't know anything. I didn't know what I was doing. 360 00:19:18,240 --> 00:19:20,119 Speaker 1: I didn't know where to start. I didn't have any connections. 361 00:19:20,119 --> 00:19:24,040 Speaker 1: I didn't know anything. Wow. So you you really just 362 00:19:24,200 --> 00:19:27,399 Speaker 1: arrived to New York City on a wing and a prayer. 363 00:19:28,400 --> 00:19:31,000 Speaker 1: How did you get started then in the comedy scene? 364 00:19:31,160 --> 00:19:35,160 Speaker 1: What was your in? So? I remember there was a 365 00:19:35,240 --> 00:19:37,480 Speaker 1: stand up club up in my neighborhood. I lived on 366 00:19:37,520 --> 00:19:40,520 Speaker 1: the Upper east Side, the Comic Strip Live. I think 367 00:19:40,520 --> 00:19:44,199 Speaker 1: Comic Strip Live on eighty three and Second Avenue. I 368 00:19:44,280 --> 00:19:47,199 Speaker 1: walked by it one day because, like I said, I 369 00:19:47,200 --> 00:19:49,960 Speaker 1: didn't know anybody. So literally, when I got to my neighborhood, 370 00:19:50,040 --> 00:19:54,080 Speaker 1: I just started walking in these ever expanding concentric circles. Right. 371 00:19:54,720 --> 00:19:56,359 Speaker 1: I was like, Oh, there's my grocery store. There's a 372 00:19:56,440 --> 00:19:59,760 Speaker 1: very dirty gristiis, I'll shop there, here's my here's a 373 00:19:59,800 --> 00:20:01,720 Speaker 1: law dream Matt. That's where I'll take my clothes because 374 00:20:01,720 --> 00:20:03,520 Speaker 1: I don't have washer and dryer and I found a 375 00:20:03,560 --> 00:20:05,560 Speaker 1: sports bar. I was like, ah, this is a really 376 00:20:05,560 --> 00:20:07,640 Speaker 1: cool sports bar. This is where I watched my sports 377 00:20:07,960 --> 00:20:10,680 Speaker 1: you know, maybe me, maybe meet friends. I mean I knew, 378 00:20:10,800 --> 00:20:13,640 Speaker 1: I knew no one. And I sat down started talking 379 00:20:13,640 --> 00:20:16,600 Speaker 1: to the bartender. He was English. He's, uh, you look 380 00:20:16,680 --> 00:20:19,480 Speaker 1: like you big man, big man. You haven't play any rugby. 381 00:20:19,720 --> 00:20:22,560 Speaker 1: I was like, no, no, you know, I saw played. 382 00:20:22,680 --> 00:20:25,920 Speaker 1: I played American football. This is not all right, Well 383 00:20:26,359 --> 00:20:29,280 Speaker 1: show up here next week and uh, you know, And 384 00:20:29,320 --> 00:20:31,879 Speaker 1: so I started playing rugby. It turns out that sports 385 00:20:31,920 --> 00:20:34,120 Speaker 1: bar was the the rugby bar for the New York 386 00:20:34,200 --> 00:20:36,479 Speaker 1: Rugby Football Club, which is the oldest one in New 387 00:20:36,520 --> 00:20:39,080 Speaker 1: York whever. So is this all of a sudden. I 388 00:20:39,119 --> 00:20:42,600 Speaker 1: found myself on the weekends bartending at this bar, and 389 00:20:42,760 --> 00:20:44,320 Speaker 1: I didn't have a car, so I would show up 390 00:20:44,400 --> 00:20:46,119 Speaker 1: and there's always a couple of guys and everybody just 391 00:20:46,200 --> 00:20:48,720 Speaker 1: dog piling the cars. And we go underneath the tribe 392 00:20:48,720 --> 00:20:52,320 Speaker 1: of Bridge and we practice rugby and I, you know, 393 00:20:52,560 --> 00:20:54,560 Speaker 1: I'm getting smashed and the hell beat out of me, 394 00:20:54,600 --> 00:20:56,159 Speaker 1: and I don't know what I'm doing. I'm tackling with 395 00:20:56,200 --> 00:20:58,480 Speaker 1: my head instead of my shoulders, and so I'm getting 396 00:20:58,520 --> 00:21:01,800 Speaker 1: my bell rung every day. And but I instantly, within 397 00:21:02,040 --> 00:21:04,080 Speaker 1: you know, two weeks of living there, I had all 398 00:21:04,119 --> 00:21:07,280 Speaker 1: these friends and people. They were really nice, and people 399 00:21:07,320 --> 00:21:08,679 Speaker 1: are like, hey, hang out with us, or what are 400 00:21:08,680 --> 00:21:10,040 Speaker 1: you doing tonight? Do you want to have a beer, 401 00:21:10,119 --> 00:21:11,960 Speaker 1: and hey there's a Halloween party. And I was like 402 00:21:11,960 --> 00:21:14,560 Speaker 1: this is amazing, you know, And I was having a blast, 403 00:21:14,560 --> 00:21:16,000 Speaker 1: but I was getting the hell beat out of me 404 00:21:16,680 --> 00:21:18,840 Speaker 1: and I you know, so after about six months of that, 405 00:21:18,920 --> 00:21:22,280 Speaker 1: I realized, Okay, I quit flight school and I moved 406 00:21:22,280 --> 00:21:24,680 Speaker 1: to New York for a reason, and that reason was comedy. 407 00:21:24,720 --> 00:21:26,280 Speaker 1: So let's get to work. And I said that after 408 00:21:26,320 --> 00:21:27,840 Speaker 1: I got my face stepped on one day and I 409 00:21:27,880 --> 00:21:29,600 Speaker 1: was like, this is not good, you know, like I 410 00:21:29,640 --> 00:21:52,560 Speaker 1: need to focus on comedy. So let's get to that. 411 00:21:52,680 --> 00:21:55,200 Speaker 1: Let's get to the comedy. You're in New York, You've 412 00:21:55,280 --> 00:21:59,440 Speaker 1: asked to be stationed there to do comedy. How how 413 00:21:59,480 --> 00:22:02,320 Speaker 1: did you art? So I stopped kind of doing the 414 00:22:02,359 --> 00:22:06,200 Speaker 1: rugby thing, and I found this comedy club which is 415 00:22:06,280 --> 00:22:08,199 Speaker 1: right next door to the rugby bar. That's why I 416 00:22:08,240 --> 00:22:10,360 Speaker 1: found it. And I went in and they said, yeah, 417 00:22:10,359 --> 00:22:14,040 Speaker 1: we teach stand up classes, and the nice guy, you know, 418 00:22:14,200 --> 00:22:18,399 Speaker 1: professional comedian for years, kind of salty, grizzled, you know, 419 00:22:18,560 --> 00:22:21,280 Speaker 1: just over it, over life, over everything. But he's like, yeah, 420 00:22:21,400 --> 00:22:23,080 Speaker 1: sign up, kid, you know, as he slid made a 421 00:22:23,119 --> 00:22:26,800 Speaker 1: clipboard and I went in and I'm thinking my idol 422 00:22:27,080 --> 00:22:29,639 Speaker 1: was Eddie Murphy. And when it comes to stand up, 423 00:22:29,760 --> 00:22:33,880 Speaker 1: Eddie Murphy delirious. I just thought that was the best 424 00:22:33,920 --> 00:22:37,440 Speaker 1: stand up I've ever seen. And his style was storytelling. 425 00:22:37,480 --> 00:22:39,680 Speaker 1: He was a great storyteller. He would tell the story, 426 00:22:40,040 --> 00:22:42,960 Speaker 1: he'd played the characters in the story. He would you know, great, 427 00:22:43,000 --> 00:22:45,160 Speaker 1: he would use sound effects. He he was the most 428 00:22:45,240 --> 00:22:49,240 Speaker 1: dynamic storyteller. I remember being enthralled with him. So I thought, 429 00:22:49,440 --> 00:22:51,760 Speaker 1: that's the kind of stand up I want to do. Well. 430 00:22:52,400 --> 00:22:54,159 Speaker 1: Not at the comic strip Live, my friend. That's not 431 00:22:54,200 --> 00:22:57,120 Speaker 1: what they teach. They teach three jokes per minute. Set 432 00:22:57,200 --> 00:22:59,680 Speaker 1: up punch, set up punch, set up punch, That's how 433 00:22:59,680 --> 00:23:02,320 Speaker 1: we do it. And I was so scared. I'd never 434 00:23:02,359 --> 00:23:05,240 Speaker 1: done any really any public speaking, and I wasn't that 435 00:23:05,280 --> 00:23:08,360 Speaker 1: good at it. And I was I was so afraid. 436 00:23:08,760 --> 00:23:10,919 Speaker 1: I wasn't afraid to fly planes, I wasn't afraid to 437 00:23:11,400 --> 00:23:14,040 Speaker 1: fire machine guns and rocket lawsuits and whatever. But I 438 00:23:14,080 --> 00:23:17,400 Speaker 1: was afraid to speak in front of people or tell 439 00:23:17,400 --> 00:23:21,120 Speaker 1: a joke in front of people, terrified, trembling, pulse out 440 00:23:21,160 --> 00:23:24,000 Speaker 1: my neck. And I remember, like I get up and 441 00:23:24,000 --> 00:23:27,000 Speaker 1: I pitch an idea in class, or he goes, regally, 442 00:23:27,040 --> 00:23:29,040 Speaker 1: you got a joke lest here, and I'd stand up 443 00:23:29,080 --> 00:23:30,879 Speaker 1: and I'd say it, and I would bail on the 444 00:23:30,960 --> 00:23:33,560 Speaker 1: joke because I was so embarrassed that, like, I wouldn't 445 00:23:33,560 --> 00:23:35,399 Speaker 1: even get to the punch, I wouldn't commit to it. 446 00:23:35,440 --> 00:23:37,479 Speaker 1: I would just kind of start talking about it. And 447 00:23:37,960 --> 00:23:40,440 Speaker 1: it's it's almost like Will for All and Stepbrothers and 448 00:23:40,520 --> 00:23:43,280 Speaker 1: he doesn't want to sing, you know, He's like, but 449 00:23:43,480 --> 00:23:45,520 Speaker 1: you know, it's just not right. It's not right. You know. 450 00:23:45,560 --> 00:23:48,480 Speaker 1: The South's the lights off come with that, because it 451 00:23:48,520 --> 00:23:52,000 Speaker 1: was pathetic. It was pathetic. I was so afraid all 452 00:23:52,000 --> 00:23:55,000 Speaker 1: the time. And then finally it was that it's that, okay, 453 00:23:55,119 --> 00:23:57,080 Speaker 1: at the end of the class, you have to do 454 00:23:57,119 --> 00:23:59,600 Speaker 1: your five minutes set oh and all the you also 455 00:23:59,640 --> 00:24:01,880 Speaker 1: need to bring your friends right to buy drinks, which 456 00:24:01,880 --> 00:24:03,359 Speaker 1: I was like, good god, you know, I didn't have 457 00:24:03,359 --> 00:24:05,040 Speaker 1: any friends, and I definitely didn't really want me to 458 00:24:05,080 --> 00:24:08,200 Speaker 1: see me, So I don't think I invited anybody, and 459 00:24:08,200 --> 00:24:10,320 Speaker 1: I think I'm in trouble for it. But I went 460 00:24:10,359 --> 00:24:14,600 Speaker 1: up on stage. I did five minutes. I came off 461 00:24:14,680 --> 00:24:16,919 Speaker 1: the stage. I felt like I had been in some 462 00:24:17,000 --> 00:24:19,800 Speaker 1: sort of trauma, no joke. I felt like it had 463 00:24:19,840 --> 00:24:22,879 Speaker 1: been in a car crash or a fist fight because 464 00:24:22,920 --> 00:24:25,399 Speaker 1: my adrenaline was I've never felt it like that. It 465 00:24:25,440 --> 00:24:27,119 Speaker 1: affected me in such a way that I felt like 466 00:24:27,320 --> 00:24:29,639 Speaker 1: things were delayed, like people were talking to me but 467 00:24:29,680 --> 00:24:31,200 Speaker 1: I wasn't hearing them. It was almost like a state 468 00:24:31,240 --> 00:24:34,280 Speaker 1: of shock. It was that dramatic, which is shocking too. 469 00:24:34,920 --> 00:24:37,240 Speaker 1: But they gave me a videotape and said, oh yeah, hey, regol, 470 00:24:37,280 --> 00:24:39,240 Speaker 1: here's a videotape they tossed to me, and it's like, huh. 471 00:24:39,480 --> 00:24:41,879 Speaker 1: I remember. I took it home and I watched it 472 00:24:41,920 --> 00:24:44,520 Speaker 1: and I started to calm down and I watched myself. 473 00:24:45,119 --> 00:24:48,080 Speaker 1: It wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it was. Uh, 474 00:24:48,119 --> 00:24:50,520 Speaker 1: you know, the crowd reaction, but what to me. I 475 00:24:50,560 --> 00:24:53,640 Speaker 1: couldn't hear them, I couldn't see them. I didn't listen 476 00:24:53,680 --> 00:24:55,480 Speaker 1: to if they were laughing or not. I just powered 477 00:24:55,520 --> 00:24:58,960 Speaker 1: through my three jokes per minute that I hated to me. 478 00:24:59,119 --> 00:25:01,440 Speaker 1: None of them were funny. I hated all my material. 479 00:25:01,520 --> 00:25:04,040 Speaker 1: I hated it. So I got done with that whole experience, 480 00:25:04,040 --> 00:25:05,680 Speaker 1: and I was depressed because I was like, I can't 481 00:25:05,720 --> 00:25:08,840 Speaker 1: believe I gave up flying planes for this. This I 482 00:25:08,880 --> 00:25:11,320 Speaker 1: made the biggest mistake of my life. I mean the 483 00:25:11,359 --> 00:25:14,760 Speaker 1: biggest mistake of my life. And I was so depressed, 484 00:25:14,800 --> 00:25:17,320 Speaker 1: and I remember thinking, why did I do this? What 485 00:25:17,400 --> 00:25:19,920 Speaker 1: was I thinking? And I was really down on myself. 486 00:25:20,000 --> 00:25:24,520 Speaker 1: And a friend of mine suggested, Hey, you know, I 487 00:25:24,560 --> 00:25:26,920 Speaker 1: got a friend who does comedy. He was on Saturday 488 00:25:26,960 --> 00:25:29,560 Speaker 1: Night Live. He's a really nice guy. So I call 489 00:25:29,640 --> 00:25:32,960 Speaker 1: the guy and it's Dave Keckner, who is a wonderful, 490 00:25:33,359 --> 00:25:37,439 Speaker 1: wonderful human being, very gracious. His enthusiasm for life is 491 00:25:37,480 --> 00:25:42,480 Speaker 1: still it's still amazing even today. Yeah. So I called 492 00:25:42,640 --> 00:25:44,720 Speaker 1: up and said, hey, Dave, you don't know me. I'm 493 00:25:44,760 --> 00:25:48,120 Speaker 1: sorry you know this person? Oh yeah, yeah, they told 494 00:25:48,119 --> 00:25:49,800 Speaker 1: me you might be calling. What's going on, big man? 495 00:25:50,440 --> 00:25:52,240 Speaker 1: I was like, well, I think I made a big mistake. 496 00:25:52,280 --> 00:25:54,320 Speaker 1: I tell him my whole story is like, oh, hell, 497 00:25:54,400 --> 00:25:56,040 Speaker 1: you should be doing stand up man, you gotta do it. 498 00:25:56,160 --> 00:25:58,439 Speaker 1: Prov I was like, they don't have it here in 499 00:25:58,440 --> 00:26:00,200 Speaker 1: New York at that time. They didn't all there. It 500 00:26:00,240 --> 00:26:02,320 Speaker 1: was Chicago City limits in New York, which is like 501 00:26:02,359 --> 00:26:08,480 Speaker 1: short form improv, like improv sports games. Yeah, well here's 502 00:26:08,520 --> 00:26:12,280 Speaker 1: an idea from the audience or whatever. Yeah, And so 503 00:26:12,320 --> 00:26:14,040 Speaker 1: I was like, I don't want to do short form. 504 00:26:14,160 --> 00:26:16,040 Speaker 1: I've gone to see their shows and it's just that 505 00:26:16,200 --> 00:26:18,200 Speaker 1: that's even that seems even more stressful than do a 506 00:26:18,320 --> 00:26:20,600 Speaker 1: stand up. And He's like, no, no, no, no, I've 507 00:26:20,640 --> 00:26:22,800 Speaker 1: got some good friends who just moved out here from 508 00:26:22,840 --> 00:26:25,840 Speaker 1: New York from Chicago and they're starting a long form 509 00:26:25,960 --> 00:26:29,000 Speaker 1: improv scene here in New York City. They're the best. 510 00:26:29,160 --> 00:26:30,800 Speaker 1: You're gonna love them. You gotta go see they do 511 00:26:30,840 --> 00:26:34,040 Speaker 1: a Sunday night show. It was the Upright Citizens Brigade. 512 00:26:34,080 --> 00:26:38,520 Speaker 1: It was Amy Poehler, Matt Walsh, Matt Besser, and Ian 513 00:26:38,600 --> 00:26:44,919 Speaker 1: Roberts with their friends Andy Richter, Horatio Sans Rachel Draft, 514 00:26:45,080 --> 00:26:49,840 Speaker 1: Tina Fey, uh My, Brian Stack, you know, Miriam Toland, 515 00:26:50,160 --> 00:26:54,439 Speaker 1: all these, you know, amazing performers and amazing writers. So 516 00:26:54,520 --> 00:26:58,399 Speaker 1: I went down to this rickety little black box theater 517 00:26:58,520 --> 00:27:01,320 Speaker 1: on thirty six West eighteenth Street, I think or whatever. 518 00:27:01,880 --> 00:27:03,960 Speaker 1: It was a nightmare. The stairs should have been condemned 519 00:27:04,040 --> 00:27:07,399 Speaker 1: getting up there was a death trap anyway you go in. 520 00:27:07,600 --> 00:27:09,600 Speaker 1: And I sat down. I had no idea what to expect, 521 00:27:09,640 --> 00:27:12,720 Speaker 1: and I saw the asscat show that they do, and 522 00:27:13,320 --> 00:27:15,680 Speaker 1: I was so shocked that I was like, they're making 523 00:27:15,680 --> 00:27:17,960 Speaker 1: this up as they go along, like it's too funny, 524 00:27:18,000 --> 00:27:21,400 Speaker 1: it's too good. The characters are so specific. My head 525 00:27:21,440 --> 00:27:25,040 Speaker 1: was spinning. So immediately afterward, I went up to Matt 526 00:27:25,080 --> 00:27:28,040 Speaker 1: Walsh and I said, hey, I'm friends with Dave. He was, 527 00:27:28,040 --> 00:27:29,679 Speaker 1: what do you think I go? Where do I sign up? 528 00:27:29,680 --> 00:27:31,080 Speaker 1: Where do I want? I want to do this? This 529 00:27:31,119 --> 00:27:32,720 Speaker 1: is what I want to do. So he's like, okay, 530 00:27:32,720 --> 00:27:35,080 Speaker 1: great man is basically sign right here and I'll take 531 00:27:35,119 --> 00:27:39,440 Speaker 1: the check. I was like, you got it, and so 532 00:27:39,560 --> 00:27:42,399 Speaker 1: that's that's where it started. I started taking classes with 533 00:27:42,440 --> 00:27:47,080 Speaker 1: the u c B. At that time, Amy Walsh, Bester 534 00:27:47,440 --> 00:27:49,640 Speaker 1: and Ian Roberts were the only teachers. There were four 535 00:27:49,680 --> 00:27:52,159 Speaker 1: of them, and they only had three levels. And I 536 00:27:52,200 --> 00:27:54,600 Speaker 1: took all three levels twice so I could have all 537 00:27:54,640 --> 00:27:57,239 Speaker 1: four teachers because they were all so good and they 538 00:27:57,240 --> 00:28:00,119 Speaker 1: all taught different things. And you know, a level was 539 00:28:00,160 --> 00:28:02,760 Speaker 1: only eight weeks, you know, once a week, and so 540 00:28:02,800 --> 00:28:05,760 Speaker 1: I took all those levels. Then I they started doing 541 00:28:05,800 --> 00:28:07,960 Speaker 1: house teams. I got on a house team, and I 542 00:28:07,960 --> 00:28:11,560 Speaker 1: started playing with so many great, wonderful people Owen Burke, 543 00:28:11,680 --> 00:28:16,280 Speaker 1: Paul Sheer, Rob Hubill, Chad Carter, uh Seth Morris, Brian Husky, 544 00:28:16,480 --> 00:28:19,840 Speaker 1: Rob Cordrey. I mean, you know, people that are just 545 00:28:19,920 --> 00:28:22,440 Speaker 1: truly still in the business and still kicking so much. 546 00:28:22,480 --> 00:28:24,840 Speaker 1: But and so I feel so blessed that we all 547 00:28:24,920 --> 00:28:27,160 Speaker 1: kind of came up together. I mean, we we did 548 00:28:27,200 --> 00:28:29,080 Speaker 1: it all, and we did that. I did that for 549 00:28:29,160 --> 00:28:31,760 Speaker 1: seven years. You know, I was teaching classes down there 550 00:28:31,760 --> 00:28:34,399 Speaker 1: on the weekends. I was whatever I had to do 551 00:28:35,320 --> 00:28:37,240 Speaker 1: to be around the theater. I would do lights and 552 00:28:37,280 --> 00:28:39,480 Speaker 1: tech for other people's shows just so I could watch 553 00:28:39,520 --> 00:28:41,520 Speaker 1: their show, so I could get to meet them, because 554 00:28:41,520 --> 00:28:44,480 Speaker 1: I thought they were so awesome or whatever. And I 555 00:28:44,520 --> 00:28:47,040 Speaker 1: felt like I got a masters in sketch writing and 556 00:28:47,160 --> 00:28:49,760 Speaker 1: improv and comedy in general. And you've got the most 557 00:28:49,800 --> 00:28:52,240 Speaker 1: important things stage time. I got a lot of stage 558 00:28:52,240 --> 00:28:54,800 Speaker 1: time down there, which allowed me to make all those 559 00:28:54,880 --> 00:28:57,920 Speaker 1: mistakes that we all make when you're starting out. And 560 00:28:57,960 --> 00:29:00,560 Speaker 1: then so many things happened. I had to go away 561 00:29:00,600 --> 00:29:03,560 Speaker 1: to Kosovo. Then eleven happened, and then I had to 562 00:29:03,560 --> 00:29:07,080 Speaker 1: go away for a year. Then so when two thousand 563 00:29:07,160 --> 00:29:11,440 Speaker 1: four came here because I moved there in to New York, 564 00:29:11,560 --> 00:29:14,000 Speaker 1: and I got on Saturday Live in two thousand four 565 00:29:14,360 --> 00:29:16,400 Speaker 1: and my my Oprah moment, which I'll share with you 566 00:29:16,440 --> 00:29:18,720 Speaker 1: because I'm not gonna ever probably be on Oprah. But 567 00:29:19,160 --> 00:29:22,120 Speaker 1: I when I quit flight school, I was down in 568 00:29:22,160 --> 00:29:25,200 Speaker 1: Corpus Christie, Texas. I wrote in a book, if I 569 00:29:25,240 --> 00:29:26,880 Speaker 1: do this, because I hadn't quit anything in my life 570 00:29:26,920 --> 00:29:28,960 Speaker 1: up to that point, if I do this, uh, it's 571 00:29:28,960 --> 00:29:30,760 Speaker 1: got to count, it's got to matter. So what am 572 00:29:30,760 --> 00:29:32,520 Speaker 1: I going to accomplish? And I wrote down, I'm gonna 573 00:29:32,560 --> 00:29:36,960 Speaker 1: get on Saturday Night Live in Corpus Christie. In Corpus Christie. Now, 574 00:29:37,040 --> 00:29:39,920 Speaker 1: ten years later, almost to the day, I get a 575 00:29:39,920 --> 00:29:42,240 Speaker 1: call from Lawren Michaels asking me to join the cast. 576 00:29:43,080 --> 00:29:47,360 Speaker 1: So it took ten years, but it happened. Well, you know, 577 00:29:48,400 --> 00:29:52,720 Speaker 1: it's so crazy because I recently talked to Dave Keckner 578 00:29:53,400 --> 00:29:56,840 Speaker 1: and he was there in Missouri and that was his 579 00:29:57,320 --> 00:30:00,880 Speaker 1: very specific dream as well, to get on us. And yeah, 580 00:30:00,960 --> 00:30:03,800 Speaker 1: I do you know, when you if you experience it, 581 00:30:03,800 --> 00:30:06,480 Speaker 1: it's hard to deny it. And when I say that, 582 00:30:06,520 --> 00:30:09,600 Speaker 1: I mean the law of attraction and what you focus 583 00:30:09,640 --> 00:30:13,080 Speaker 1: on you tend to get. It's not given. Just because 584 00:30:13,080 --> 00:30:14,520 Speaker 1: you think about it doesn't mean it's gonna happen. You 585 00:30:14,560 --> 00:30:18,000 Speaker 1: gotta meet it halfway. You gotta work, you gotta drive, 586 00:30:18,080 --> 00:30:21,680 Speaker 1: you gotta push, you gotta stay focused. If you experience it, 587 00:30:21,720 --> 00:30:23,480 Speaker 1: you really believe in it. So I do believe that 588 00:30:23,520 --> 00:30:26,320 Speaker 1: it's possible. I do believe it's real. It's so crazy 589 00:30:26,360 --> 00:30:30,320 Speaker 1: to me hearing you talk, because I mean, it's obviously 590 00:30:30,320 --> 00:30:32,320 Speaker 1: it's a part of your makeup, right, I mean, but 591 00:30:32,480 --> 00:30:35,760 Speaker 1: hearing you your dedication, I mean, the part of that 592 00:30:35,800 --> 00:30:40,040 Speaker 1: has to come from your childhood, from your time in 593 00:30:40,080 --> 00:30:44,080 Speaker 1: the Marines. That it's about working hard and staying committed, 594 00:30:44,560 --> 00:30:50,200 Speaker 1: and that is so rare, particularly in our business, or 595 00:30:50,200 --> 00:30:53,120 Speaker 1: at least in the entertainment business, if you will. It's 596 00:30:53,200 --> 00:30:57,680 Speaker 1: also flip and people expect things to be given to 597 00:30:57,720 --> 00:31:00,840 Speaker 1: them because of this thing or that thing, and that 598 00:31:01,000 --> 00:31:05,760 Speaker 1: you showed such amazing resolve and commitment and essentially said, 599 00:31:06,080 --> 00:31:10,080 Speaker 1: I don't even I don't even know what this thing is. 600 00:31:10,320 --> 00:31:12,880 Speaker 1: I hear there's a couple of places in Chicago that 601 00:31:12,880 --> 00:31:18,680 Speaker 1: are good but that you persevered that is amazing. Thanks. Thanks, 602 00:31:18,960 --> 00:31:21,160 Speaker 1: that's very nice. But I think you probably have a 603 00:31:21,240 --> 00:31:24,560 Speaker 1: very similar journey, uh in some in some respect. I mean, 604 00:31:24,640 --> 00:31:28,640 Speaker 1: I think anybody who searches for a life unique or different, 605 00:31:28,720 --> 00:31:32,200 Speaker 1: or especially in the arts, they're going to meet resistance 606 00:31:32,240 --> 00:31:53,760 Speaker 1: for a long time before they even get their opportunity. 607 00:31:55,240 --> 00:31:59,840 Speaker 1: So from UCB, obviously you audition, right, you audition for Lauren, 608 00:31:59,880 --> 00:32:02,680 Speaker 1: You went through that process at that point, did you 609 00:32:02,720 --> 00:32:08,200 Speaker 1: feel confident, had the feeling of of of leaving your 610 00:32:08,240 --> 00:32:10,960 Speaker 1: body had that kind of dissipated and were you more 611 00:32:11,000 --> 00:32:15,000 Speaker 1: confident on stage? Yes, I I didn't have the adrilline rush. 612 00:32:15,040 --> 00:32:16,960 Speaker 1: It wasn't like I just got out of a car accident. 613 00:32:17,360 --> 00:32:22,680 Speaker 1: But the adrenaline was still very intense because after seven 614 00:32:22,800 --> 00:32:26,920 Speaker 1: years of grinding every night every weekend, now this this 615 00:32:27,080 --> 00:32:30,080 Speaker 1: dream that you had had kind of done everything in 616 00:32:30,120 --> 00:32:33,600 Speaker 1: your power to put yourself in a position to happen. Well, 617 00:32:33,600 --> 00:32:36,600 Speaker 1: now it's happening, and it's up to me. Like I 618 00:32:36,600 --> 00:32:38,200 Speaker 1: I could look around the room, but there's only one 619 00:32:38,200 --> 00:32:42,400 Speaker 1: person up here auditioning. So these are these great moments 620 00:32:42,400 --> 00:32:45,760 Speaker 1: in life, These are these wonderful opportunities in life where 621 00:32:45,800 --> 00:32:48,120 Speaker 1: you get to have a gut check, and you get 622 00:32:48,160 --> 00:32:51,000 Speaker 1: to have a conversation with yourself, you know, saying are 623 00:32:51,000 --> 00:32:52,680 Speaker 1: you gonna do it? 're not gonna do it? Why 624 00:32:52,680 --> 00:32:56,560 Speaker 1: did you come here? I have had so many conversations 625 00:32:56,640 --> 00:33:01,760 Speaker 1: with myself out loud that if anybody was filming them, 626 00:33:01,800 --> 00:33:03,760 Speaker 1: I wouldn't look like a crazy person because I do 627 00:33:03,840 --> 00:33:06,920 Speaker 1: it out loud. I actually do it out loud. Usually 628 00:33:06,920 --> 00:33:09,440 Speaker 1: I do it in the privacy of my car, or 629 00:33:09,560 --> 00:33:11,800 Speaker 1: you know, in in in the bathroom or something, or 630 00:33:11,840 --> 00:33:15,480 Speaker 1: the golf course when I'm off in a sandtrap screaming 631 00:33:15,520 --> 00:33:19,560 Speaker 1: at myself. But I remember, this is the summer of 632 00:33:19,600 --> 00:33:23,840 Speaker 1: two thousand four. I had just taught a class at 633 00:33:23,840 --> 00:33:25,640 Speaker 1: the u c B. It was a seven to ten 634 00:33:25,720 --> 00:33:29,560 Speaker 1: pm class. I had worked all day and I got done, 635 00:33:29,560 --> 00:33:30,920 Speaker 1: and all I wanted to do was go home and 636 00:33:30,920 --> 00:33:32,520 Speaker 1: go to bed because I was tired. I was a 637 00:33:32,520 --> 00:33:34,880 Speaker 1: little piste. So I came out of that class and 638 00:33:34,960 --> 00:33:41,160 Speaker 1: I stood on thirty feet and seventh Avenue, and I 639 00:33:41,280 --> 00:33:45,400 Speaker 1: knew SNL auditions were coming up, and I knew I 640 00:33:45,440 --> 00:33:48,720 Speaker 1: was behind. I didn't have it done, but I was tired, 641 00:33:49,320 --> 00:33:52,200 Speaker 1: and I was afraid of you know, all these and 642 00:33:52,240 --> 00:33:56,280 Speaker 1: So I'm literally standing on the corner yelling at myself, 643 00:33:57,160 --> 00:34:01,640 Speaker 1: saying things like what the fun are you doing? People 644 00:34:01,760 --> 00:34:04,200 Speaker 1: walking by me, and I'm going, what the funk are 645 00:34:04,200 --> 00:34:06,800 Speaker 1: you doing? Are you telling me you quit flight school? 646 00:34:06,840 --> 00:34:09,120 Speaker 1: You moved up here, You've been grinding your fucking ass 647 00:34:09,160 --> 00:34:12,399 Speaker 1: off for seven years, and you're just gonna go home 648 00:34:12,400 --> 00:34:14,520 Speaker 1: and go take a nappy nap because you're tired. Be 649 00:34:14,600 --> 00:34:19,080 Speaker 1: motherfucker fucking Marina. Get your ass down to the damp theater. 650 00:34:19,480 --> 00:34:22,880 Speaker 1: Work on a motherfucking character. Literally screaming at myself to 651 00:34:23,040 --> 00:34:24,839 Speaker 1: get the funk down to the theater and do it. 652 00:34:25,320 --> 00:34:28,359 Speaker 1: And I had to have those kinds of conversations and 653 00:34:28,440 --> 00:34:30,520 Speaker 1: it sounds hilarious, but I had to be my own 654 00:34:30,560 --> 00:34:32,920 Speaker 1: drill sergeant. I had to be my own coach. I 655 00:34:32,920 --> 00:34:34,560 Speaker 1: had to be my own kick me in the ask 656 00:34:34,600 --> 00:34:38,240 Speaker 1: guy because nobody was doing that. So I'm literally barking 657 00:34:38,280 --> 00:34:40,080 Speaker 1: at myself to get down there. And the reason I 658 00:34:40,120 --> 00:34:41,840 Speaker 1: didn't want to go down because I was not prepared. 659 00:34:41,880 --> 00:34:44,399 Speaker 1: I did not have any material. So I got down there, 660 00:34:44,560 --> 00:34:47,040 Speaker 1: I signed up. I'm in the green room. So I 661 00:34:47,080 --> 00:34:50,160 Speaker 1: started like throwing out a few thoughts on this character, 662 00:34:50,440 --> 00:34:52,560 Speaker 1: and it was an old characters. It was a far 663 00:34:52,640 --> 00:34:56,600 Speaker 1: too old Jim teacher that is still teaching sex heade 664 00:34:56,640 --> 00:35:00,040 Speaker 1: classes U and has no business doing it right. And 665 00:35:00,120 --> 00:35:02,319 Speaker 1: that's but that was the premise. But that's all I had. 666 00:35:02,719 --> 00:35:05,000 Speaker 1: So then I said, okay, well maybe i'll try. So 667 00:35:05,040 --> 00:35:06,600 Speaker 1: I get out there and I kind of walk out 668 00:35:06,600 --> 00:35:08,520 Speaker 1: there with like a walker or whatever, and I started 669 00:35:08,560 --> 00:35:11,359 Speaker 1: talking about penises and vaginas and it was working because 670 00:35:11,440 --> 00:35:13,319 Speaker 1: I was getting last but I'm improvising the whole thing. 671 00:35:13,360 --> 00:35:15,319 Speaker 1: But I'm trying to remember that work. That worked, and 672 00:35:15,360 --> 00:35:16,880 Speaker 1: it went so well that I went back into the 673 00:35:16,880 --> 00:35:19,000 Speaker 1: green room and there was still time and there weren't 674 00:35:19,080 --> 00:35:20,440 Speaker 1: enough people signed up. So I said, I'm gonna go 675 00:35:20,440 --> 00:35:22,600 Speaker 1: back and doing another character. So I went back out 676 00:35:22,640 --> 00:35:24,799 Speaker 1: and I did a recruiter who wouldn't take no for 677 00:35:24,840 --> 00:35:26,640 Speaker 1: an answer. So I tried to recruit a guy in 678 00:35:26,640 --> 00:35:28,960 Speaker 1: the audience. You know. I was like, hey, young man, 679 00:35:29,000 --> 00:35:30,759 Speaker 1: how are you paying for college? And he's like, I 680 00:35:31,160 --> 00:35:32,840 Speaker 1: don't know, my parents are really you can put the 681 00:35:33,120 --> 00:35:34,920 Speaker 1: burden on your parents. How about your man up? How 682 00:35:34,960 --> 00:35:36,759 Speaker 1: about you don't? It didn't matter. I could come here 683 00:35:36,800 --> 00:35:38,279 Speaker 1: and said, you know, he could say anything to me. 684 00:35:38,320 --> 00:35:40,560 Speaker 1: He said, I'm a double anpt A. That's great. We 685 00:35:40,640 --> 00:35:42,000 Speaker 1: got that all day. We can do that all day. 686 00:35:42,000 --> 00:35:44,680 Speaker 1: I gotta wait with And I went home that night 687 00:35:44,719 --> 00:35:46,759 Speaker 1: like a sucking one thirty or whatever. By the time 688 00:35:46,800 --> 00:35:49,480 Speaker 1: I got home, I was so proud of myself that 689 00:35:49,520 --> 00:35:51,880 Speaker 1: I had gone down there and made progress. So that 690 00:35:51,960 --> 00:35:55,200 Speaker 1: was that was a good moment. But it required me 691 00:35:55,280 --> 00:35:58,439 Speaker 1: being my own coach for sure. That's amazing. Was your 692 00:35:58,520 --> 00:36:03,200 Speaker 1: dream of getting on SNL? Was it everything that you 693 00:36:03,640 --> 00:36:08,400 Speaker 1: had hoped that it would be? Yes, unequivocally yes, it 694 00:36:08,440 --> 00:36:10,680 Speaker 1: was a total dream come true. And I wouldn't trade 695 00:36:10,680 --> 00:36:16,800 Speaker 1: a minute of it. Would I do things differently knowing now, Yes, 696 00:36:17,400 --> 00:36:23,560 Speaker 1: absolutely I would. I I was so green. That was 697 00:36:23,600 --> 00:36:25,600 Speaker 1: the first job I had to show business. I didn't 698 00:36:25,600 --> 00:36:29,760 Speaker 1: know shipped from Shinola. I didn't know anything. I remember 699 00:36:29,800 --> 00:36:34,279 Speaker 1: Amy Poehler was on the show at the time, and 700 00:36:34,400 --> 00:36:37,960 Speaker 1: she's very wise and very very smart and very savvy. 701 00:36:38,160 --> 00:36:41,200 Speaker 1: All I knew was the Marines and work ethic. That's 702 00:36:41,239 --> 00:36:43,840 Speaker 1: really all I brought to the table. And I remember 703 00:36:43,920 --> 00:36:47,120 Speaker 1: Amy pulled me aside, maybe my first or second day, 704 00:36:47,120 --> 00:36:49,279 Speaker 1: and she goes congratulation. She was so happy for me 705 00:36:49,320 --> 00:36:50,799 Speaker 1: because she was one of my teachers. You know, she's 706 00:36:50,960 --> 00:36:53,360 Speaker 1: very happy, and I think I was the first UCB 707 00:36:53,520 --> 00:36:55,560 Speaker 1: student to actually get on the show. So she was 708 00:36:55,600 --> 00:36:58,279 Speaker 1: happy that had gone through all of the classes yea, 709 00:36:58,719 --> 00:37:01,480 Speaker 1: and she was super happy for me, and I was, 710 00:37:01,800 --> 00:37:04,200 Speaker 1: you know, it was my dream come true. And she 711 00:37:04,320 --> 00:37:06,759 Speaker 1: kind of leaned over and said, hey, don't give this 712 00:37:06,800 --> 00:37:11,200 Speaker 1: place too much power. And I remember going, yeah, good, 713 00:37:11,400 --> 00:37:15,320 Speaker 1: got it. I didn't know what that meant, and instead 714 00:37:15,320 --> 00:37:17,239 Speaker 1: of asking for clarity, like what do you mean, I 715 00:37:17,280 --> 00:37:20,160 Speaker 1: just went yeah, yeah, good, good, good call it, good call, 716 00:37:20,280 --> 00:37:25,759 Speaker 1: good call, and yeah, hindsight, now I realized I did. 717 00:37:25,800 --> 00:37:27,759 Speaker 1: I did just that. I got there, and I gave 718 00:37:27,800 --> 00:37:31,560 Speaker 1: that place so much power that I forgot how I 719 00:37:31,600 --> 00:37:36,200 Speaker 1: even got there. I forgot. I looked around. I was like, well, 720 00:37:36,880 --> 00:37:39,000 Speaker 1: I need to write with all the writers so they 721 00:37:39,000 --> 00:37:41,640 Speaker 1: all get to know me. So that's what I did. 722 00:37:41,640 --> 00:37:43,200 Speaker 1: I'd go knock on doors and hey, would you like 723 00:37:43,280 --> 00:37:45,000 Speaker 1: to write a sketch? Would you like to write a sketch? 724 00:37:45,000 --> 00:37:47,040 Speaker 1: Would you like to drisking? So I ended up trying 725 00:37:47,080 --> 00:37:51,080 Speaker 1: to please twenty masters and I please none. And again, 726 00:37:51,080 --> 00:37:53,600 Speaker 1: these are all lessons you learn as you go and 727 00:37:53,680 --> 00:37:56,200 Speaker 1: as you grow. So I'm not beating myself up, and 728 00:37:56,200 --> 00:37:58,600 Speaker 1: I'm not judging myself. I would just do I would 729 00:37:58,600 --> 00:38:01,719 Speaker 1: have done it differently. And you gotta remember too, I 730 00:38:01,800 --> 00:38:04,279 Speaker 1: was the only guy hired that year. You were the 731 00:38:04,320 --> 00:38:07,440 Speaker 1: only new guy. Only new guy. So I talked to 732 00:38:07,600 --> 00:38:11,239 Speaker 1: Will Ferrell about it and he said, uh, well you're 733 00:38:11,280 --> 00:38:16,480 Speaker 1: kind of fucked. Go. I go, what I I don't 734 00:38:16,480 --> 00:38:18,239 Speaker 1: want to hear that. What do you mean? He goes, Listen, 735 00:38:18,280 --> 00:38:19,880 Speaker 1: he goes when I When I came on, the cast 736 00:38:19,920 --> 00:38:22,000 Speaker 1: was only twelve, and I think they hired six of 737 00:38:22,080 --> 00:38:24,160 Speaker 1: us that year. They had to use us. We were 738 00:38:24,160 --> 00:38:26,000 Speaker 1: being we were gonna be in every scene no matter what. 739 00:38:26,680 --> 00:38:29,120 Speaker 1: You're on a cast of fifteen and you're the only 740 00:38:29,160 --> 00:38:31,759 Speaker 1: new guy. And he goes, so you know you're gonna 741 00:38:31,760 --> 00:38:33,880 Speaker 1: have to do your best to try to find a 742 00:38:33,920 --> 00:38:37,440 Speaker 1: way to be seen and heard. And I was like, yeah, yeah, 743 00:38:37,600 --> 00:38:39,080 Speaker 1: you know what I mean. And so it's a matter 744 00:38:39,120 --> 00:38:42,360 Speaker 1: of how do I find a way? And the thing was, 745 00:38:42,400 --> 00:38:45,000 Speaker 1: by anybody's standards, I had a great first year. I 746 00:38:45,040 --> 00:38:48,400 Speaker 1: did you know, I made every show. I had characters 747 00:38:48,400 --> 00:38:50,319 Speaker 1: get on the air. I had sketches that I co 748 00:38:50,400 --> 00:38:53,080 Speaker 1: wrote get on the air. I had I did okay 749 00:38:53,160 --> 00:38:57,200 Speaker 1: for a first year guy flying by himself. People thought 750 00:38:57,200 --> 00:39:00,160 Speaker 1: I had a good year. I thought, I did, Okay, 751 00:38:59,280 --> 00:39:02,520 Speaker 1: you're a great year. It's just making me think of 752 00:39:03,080 --> 00:39:06,279 Speaker 1: It's making me think of squid Game though, right when 753 00:39:06,320 --> 00:39:10,360 Speaker 1: squid Dame says like, okay, everybody find a partner, and 754 00:39:10,480 --> 00:39:13,880 Speaker 1: you look around and you're like, wait, a second fifteen 755 00:39:14,120 --> 00:39:20,680 Speaker 1: is an odd number. Guy, Where am I going? Now? Yeah? No, 756 00:39:20,840 --> 00:39:24,800 Speaker 1: I get it. That's really it is challenging. It's super tricky. 757 00:39:24,840 --> 00:39:28,400 Speaker 1: And so I remember we all left in high spirits 758 00:39:28,480 --> 00:39:31,200 Speaker 1: that season, and I thought, okay, well when I come 759 00:39:31,239 --> 00:39:35,360 Speaker 1: back next year, I'm gonna lose some weight because the 760 00:39:35,400 --> 00:39:37,800 Speaker 1: costume department was very mean to me and they said, 761 00:39:37,880 --> 00:39:40,360 Speaker 1: I would, you know, you gotta lose weight, stop eating? 762 00:39:40,360 --> 00:39:42,440 Speaker 1: They would. I mean they were brutal, you know. So 763 00:39:42,480 --> 00:39:44,959 Speaker 1: I'm trying to lose weight. I'm out there running every 764 00:39:45,000 --> 00:39:47,560 Speaker 1: day and working out over the summer, and I'm doing 765 00:39:47,680 --> 00:39:50,439 Speaker 1: character work and I was trying to grab stage time 766 00:39:50,480 --> 00:39:52,160 Speaker 1: and I was just doing everything I could to come 767 00:39:52,200 --> 00:39:56,239 Speaker 1: back stronger than ever. And I got a call say 768 00:39:56,360 --> 00:39:59,600 Speaker 1: they didn't they didn't want to send me send my contracts. 769 00:39:59,640 --> 00:40:02,520 Speaker 1: So I'm remember I being devastated by that, and I 770 00:40:02,560 --> 00:40:07,280 Speaker 1: gave myself about a fifteen minute pity party. I remember 771 00:40:07,320 --> 00:40:10,200 Speaker 1: just I was scared, I was hurt, I was embarrassed, 772 00:40:10,440 --> 00:40:15,000 Speaker 1: I was all those negative emotions. I wanted to change it. 773 00:40:15,360 --> 00:40:17,120 Speaker 1: Can I call somebody? Is there anything I can do? 774 00:40:17,239 --> 00:40:18,960 Speaker 1: What can we do to undo this? You know, how 775 00:40:19,000 --> 00:40:21,359 Speaker 1: can I fix this? And I think I went through 776 00:40:21,360 --> 00:40:23,839 Speaker 1: all five stages of grief in about fifteen minutes, and 777 00:40:24,880 --> 00:40:26,960 Speaker 1: I accepted the fact that this is, this is what 778 00:40:27,080 --> 00:40:31,520 Speaker 1: it is, and there's it is. It's over. So I said, Okay, well, 779 00:40:31,520 --> 00:40:34,640 Speaker 1: I gotta make a living. So I got back on 780 00:40:34,680 --> 00:40:37,080 Speaker 1: the phone. I called my manager and I said, okay, 781 00:40:37,440 --> 00:40:39,000 Speaker 1: what do we do next? And then Rob Huwill and 782 00:40:39,080 --> 00:40:42,440 Speaker 1: I ended up selling a pilot script NBC. And so 783 00:40:42,520 --> 00:40:44,680 Speaker 1: that's what I worked on that fall of two thousand five, 784 00:40:44,760 --> 00:40:47,080 Speaker 1: and then shortly after that two thousand six, I got 785 00:40:47,120 --> 00:40:49,840 Speaker 1: on The Daily Show. Yeah, but yeah, it was. It 786 00:40:49,960 --> 00:40:52,440 Speaker 1: was a sad, sad, harsh feeling. Did did you ever 787 00:40:52,480 --> 00:40:56,080 Speaker 1: get any closure with SNL or was it just like 788 00:40:56,520 --> 00:40:59,480 Speaker 1: thanks but no thanks. I did talk to one of 789 00:40:59,480 --> 00:41:02,520 Speaker 1: the producer is ken Among, who was really the only 790 00:41:02,520 --> 00:41:06,040 Speaker 1: one who reached out. It's very cold, very cold business. 791 00:41:06,080 --> 00:41:08,120 Speaker 1: I learned a little bit about show business. Again. I 792 00:41:08,160 --> 00:41:10,880 Speaker 1: was so naive. I thought there would be some you know, 793 00:41:11,040 --> 00:41:13,719 Speaker 1: heartfelt handshake and pad on the back from Lauren as 794 00:41:13,760 --> 00:41:18,680 Speaker 1: I exited the building. You know, no, no, it's nothing 795 00:41:18,760 --> 00:41:22,719 Speaker 1: like that. It's it's it's served up very cold. Um. 796 00:41:22,800 --> 00:41:25,080 Speaker 1: But Ken said, listen, Rob, you know you did a 797 00:41:25,080 --> 00:41:28,160 Speaker 1: great job. It wasn't anything you did. You didn't upset anybody. 798 00:41:28,200 --> 00:41:32,520 Speaker 1: You didn't. It was two thousand four, it was carry 799 00:41:32,640 --> 00:41:35,759 Speaker 1: Verse Bush election year, and an election years, SNL gets 800 00:41:35,760 --> 00:41:39,040 Speaker 1: a huge spike in the ratings and for whatever reason, 801 00:41:39,080 --> 00:41:42,680 Speaker 1: people hated that election. No spike in the ratings, and 802 00:41:42,760 --> 00:41:47,080 Speaker 1: so NBC didn't like it, and they demanded that Lauren 803 00:41:47,200 --> 00:41:50,440 Speaker 1: shake up the cast. And so I was last one in, 804 00:41:50,520 --> 00:41:53,600 Speaker 1: first one out. And he said, that's what happened. You 805 00:41:53,640 --> 00:41:56,319 Speaker 1: just got caught up in a bad timing situation. But 806 00:41:56,400 --> 00:41:58,960 Speaker 1: that's okay because the people they did go get I 807 00:41:59,000 --> 00:42:02,960 Speaker 1: love all of them, So congrats. Uh. And then I 808 00:42:03,000 --> 00:42:05,719 Speaker 1: was I was blessed to have John Stewart picked me 809 00:42:05,840 --> 00:42:08,440 Speaker 1: up and make me a correspondent on his show. I 810 00:42:08,480 --> 00:42:10,520 Speaker 1: whish I did for three years and and we won 811 00:42:10,520 --> 00:42:34,560 Speaker 1: the Emmy all three years sn L. Now I'm glad 812 00:42:34,600 --> 00:42:37,279 Speaker 1: you brought up The Daily Show because I wanted to 813 00:42:37,280 --> 00:42:41,120 Speaker 1: talk about that. As you may know, UH, my good 814 00:42:41,160 --> 00:42:43,919 Speaker 1: friend and yours Steve Carrell was on The Daily Show, 815 00:42:43,960 --> 00:42:50,680 Speaker 1: Stephen Colbert, so many incredible comedians, and around the time 816 00:42:50,880 --> 00:42:53,440 Speaker 1: you were on it, it really took off and it 817 00:42:53,840 --> 00:42:59,240 Speaker 1: really became musty TV or in some ways America's news source, 818 00:42:59,640 --> 00:43:02,360 Speaker 1: because even with all the jokes and and stuff, it 819 00:43:02,440 --> 00:43:09,239 Speaker 1: also gave at least an amount of real information and insights. Uh. 820 00:43:09,560 --> 00:43:12,160 Speaker 1: I'm such a huge fan of that show. What was 821 00:43:12,200 --> 00:43:15,640 Speaker 1: that a good experience for you? It was the best? Um. 822 00:43:15,680 --> 00:43:19,560 Speaker 1: I learned so much. And John Stewart is such an 823 00:43:19,600 --> 00:43:24,239 Speaker 1: amazing leader, uh and and very smart man. He really 824 00:43:24,280 --> 00:43:27,000 Speaker 1: sees through a lot of stuff. And he was very 825 00:43:27,360 --> 00:43:30,840 Speaker 1: very gracious with me. He knew I was still great. 826 00:43:31,239 --> 00:43:33,080 Speaker 1: He knew I didn't have much experience in front of 827 00:43:33,080 --> 00:43:36,799 Speaker 1: a camera. I never worked off a teleprompter. That was 828 00:43:36,880 --> 00:43:40,800 Speaker 1: hilarious because I started reading off a telepropter and I'd 829 00:43:40,800 --> 00:43:42,480 Speaker 1: be like I was, I can only get anything out 830 00:43:42,480 --> 00:43:45,000 Speaker 1: because I would get so scared. It's a tense and 831 00:43:45,040 --> 00:43:47,160 Speaker 1: then I would read faster and it would move faster. 832 00:43:47,200 --> 00:43:48,560 Speaker 1: It was like, I can't keep up, and then would 833 00:43:48,600 --> 00:43:52,319 Speaker 1: just explode right, and it's it's they'll read it your pace. 834 00:43:52,320 --> 00:43:53,960 Speaker 1: I'm like, yeah, but they're not. Like I start reading 835 00:43:54,000 --> 00:43:55,640 Speaker 1: and it starts moving and I can't keep up, and 836 00:43:55,640 --> 00:44:00,239 Speaker 1: they're like, don't speed up. Like so quite literally, on 837 00:44:00,400 --> 00:44:04,919 Speaker 1: my lunch breaks, I would get the teleprompter lady because 838 00:44:04,920 --> 00:44:06,440 Speaker 1: she could eat her lunch at her desk and do it, 839 00:44:06,719 --> 00:44:08,799 Speaker 1: and I would get the floor director. We would go 840 00:44:08,880 --> 00:44:11,440 Speaker 1: into the studio and I would throw up old scripts 841 00:44:12,080 --> 00:44:14,920 Speaker 1: and I would just practice and practice and practice on 842 00:44:14,960 --> 00:44:18,400 Speaker 1: that teleprompter. So I got comfortable, you know, looking and 843 00:44:18,480 --> 00:44:20,879 Speaker 1: seeing the font and and letting the words drift by 844 00:44:20,880 --> 00:44:23,920 Speaker 1: and not panicking that I wasn't gonna catch them or whatever. 845 00:44:24,600 --> 00:44:28,279 Speaker 1: And somehow I think John found out about it, and 846 00:44:28,320 --> 00:44:30,800 Speaker 1: I think he liked He appreciated that. He appreciated that 847 00:44:30,840 --> 00:44:33,040 Speaker 1: I cared enough to get better at it because he 848 00:44:33,120 --> 00:44:35,239 Speaker 1: knew I wasn't good at it. And you know the 849 00:44:35,239 --> 00:44:38,680 Speaker 1: way it works over there is you're hired for six months. 850 00:44:39,600 --> 00:44:42,000 Speaker 1: It's not a job, it's it's an audition. Still, it's 851 00:44:42,000 --> 00:44:45,320 Speaker 1: an extended audition. So then I got I passed the 852 00:44:45,360 --> 00:44:48,320 Speaker 1: first six months, so I got myself another six months, 853 00:44:48,320 --> 00:44:51,040 Speaker 1: but that was it, just another six months. So I'm like, ah, 854 00:44:51,080 --> 00:44:53,440 Speaker 1: you know, so I still I can't commit to moving 855 00:44:53,480 --> 00:44:56,280 Speaker 1: a family across the country. I can't commit to because 856 00:44:56,280 --> 00:44:59,120 Speaker 1: it's also basic cable. It's not paying me anything. You know. 857 00:44:59,160 --> 00:45:02,200 Speaker 1: I could barely afford to live in the Craigslist studio apartment, 858 00:45:02,200 --> 00:45:05,120 Speaker 1: which is what I was living in. And then after 859 00:45:05,160 --> 00:45:07,759 Speaker 1: that second six months, I got picked up for one year, 860 00:45:07,880 --> 00:45:09,520 Speaker 1: so I was like whoo, and then I got one 861 00:45:09,600 --> 00:45:12,799 Speaker 1: year extensions after that, you know, but it was never 862 00:45:12,840 --> 00:45:18,000 Speaker 1: any hardcore commitment. However, that time on that show I'll 863 00:45:18,040 --> 00:45:22,120 Speaker 1: be so grateful for because John allowed me to make mistakes, 864 00:45:22,160 --> 00:45:25,560 Speaker 1: to get better, to get stronger, to contribute in the 865 00:45:25,600 --> 00:45:28,920 Speaker 1: writing room. I just learned so much from him, and 866 00:45:29,000 --> 00:45:31,680 Speaker 1: he was so gracious, so I'm all always be a 867 00:45:31,680 --> 00:45:33,640 Speaker 1: fan of his. And then you know, John Oliver and 868 00:45:33,640 --> 00:45:36,799 Speaker 1: I ended up was shared in office and and you 869 00:45:36,840 --> 00:45:39,520 Speaker 1: know what a treat that was because he was a 870 00:45:39,560 --> 00:45:42,920 Speaker 1: geographic he was a bachelor, and I was a geographical bachelor. 871 00:45:43,000 --> 00:45:45,080 Speaker 1: So when I got done with work, I would either 872 00:45:45,120 --> 00:45:48,440 Speaker 1: go back to my studio and grab it Chipotle on 873 00:45:48,440 --> 00:45:51,080 Speaker 1: the way back and then play PlayStation. That's what That's 874 00:45:51,120 --> 00:45:53,440 Speaker 1: how I spend my evenings because it keeps you out 875 00:45:53,440 --> 00:45:55,400 Speaker 1: of trouble and saves money. Anytime you leave your apartment 876 00:45:55,400 --> 00:45:59,239 Speaker 1: in New York City, you're spending money. So I just 877 00:45:59,280 --> 00:46:02,879 Speaker 1: saved money by in that. And and John Oliver same 878 00:46:02,880 --> 00:46:04,879 Speaker 1: boat pretty much. So when we get done with work, 879 00:46:04,880 --> 00:46:07,319 Speaker 1: he'd say, Okay, we're gonna jump in a cab right 880 00:46:07,360 --> 00:46:10,440 Speaker 1: after work and we're gonna hit five mikes tonight and go, 881 00:46:10,520 --> 00:46:12,880 Speaker 1: I don't do stand up, man. I I suck at it. 882 00:46:12,920 --> 00:46:14,680 Speaker 1: I tried it when I got up here. It sucks. 883 00:46:15,200 --> 00:46:16,720 Speaker 1: He goes, no, no, no, we're gonna do it different. 884 00:46:16,719 --> 00:46:19,080 Speaker 1: And so we built a set and in one night 885 00:46:19,800 --> 00:46:24,680 Speaker 1: he helped me build like three solid minutes. I was like, okay, 886 00:46:24,680 --> 00:46:25,880 Speaker 1: so I got three. He goes, all right, we're just 887 00:46:25,880 --> 00:46:28,000 Speaker 1: gonna keep doing this until you have forty five minutes. 888 00:46:28,840 --> 00:46:31,279 Speaker 1: And so we did wow, and then eventually I had 889 00:46:31,280 --> 00:46:33,080 Speaker 1: a stand up set and was able to do stand 890 00:46:33,120 --> 00:46:36,360 Speaker 1: up for about four years, touring around and all because John, 891 00:46:37,160 --> 00:46:39,319 Speaker 1: I think, was bored and was like, you're coming with me. 892 00:46:39,360 --> 00:46:41,160 Speaker 1: I needed someone to I need someone to split cab 893 00:46:41,200 --> 00:46:43,560 Speaker 1: fare with because we're going all over Manhattan and doing 894 00:46:43,560 --> 00:46:47,160 Speaker 1: stand ups. Well, you can thank John, but it's again 895 00:46:47,520 --> 00:46:51,319 Speaker 1: perseverance and hard work. And you know the story of 896 00:46:51,360 --> 00:46:54,120 Speaker 1: you during your lunch hour practicing to get better because 897 00:46:54,120 --> 00:46:57,200 Speaker 1: you knew you had to get better. That's about perseverance 898 00:46:57,200 --> 00:47:02,600 Speaker 1: and hard work. And that's that is something truly well 899 00:47:02,719 --> 00:47:04,600 Speaker 1: to respect the hell out of you for. I mean, 900 00:47:04,680 --> 00:47:08,239 Speaker 1: come on, and now during all of this time, you're 901 00:47:08,280 --> 00:47:13,160 Speaker 1: also you know, starting to do straight acting work. And 902 00:47:13,920 --> 00:47:19,200 Speaker 1: of course I can't not mention Captain jack Uh your 903 00:47:19,280 --> 00:47:24,920 Speaker 1: role of the office coming out to film what was, 904 00:47:25,880 --> 00:47:31,600 Speaker 1: without a doubt, the most difficult film we that we 905 00:47:31,719 --> 00:47:35,800 Speaker 1: had in ten years. There's no question, there's no question 906 00:47:36,239 --> 00:47:40,120 Speaker 1: working from seven pm to like seven am out on 907 00:47:40,160 --> 00:47:42,640 Speaker 1: the water, it was. It was were you aware of 908 00:47:42,680 --> 00:47:46,440 Speaker 1: the office when you got that job? What was your okay? 909 00:47:46,480 --> 00:47:48,719 Speaker 1: So I was. I was very aware of the BBC 910 00:47:49,280 --> 00:47:53,200 Speaker 1: version while I was on snl Uh. You know, we're 911 00:47:53,239 --> 00:47:56,160 Speaker 1: on the writers are on seventeen and the studios down 912 00:47:56,160 --> 00:48:01,520 Speaker 1: on eight and on sixteen. They have a casting directors 913 00:48:01,520 --> 00:48:05,879 Speaker 1: and stuff. I actually auditioned for Michael Scott. I knew this, 914 00:48:07,120 --> 00:48:13,200 Speaker 1: and I auditioned for Dwight and Keckner's role. I forget 915 00:48:13,239 --> 00:48:16,960 Speaker 1: his name, packer. They made the right choice, obviously, but 916 00:48:17,040 --> 00:48:20,640 Speaker 1: I was fresh in their minds because I think I 917 00:48:20,719 --> 00:48:24,640 Speaker 1: did the episode that I did the Booze Cruise before 918 00:48:24,680 --> 00:48:28,319 Speaker 1: I got the Daily Gap between S and L. And 919 00:48:28,320 --> 00:48:30,640 Speaker 1: when I got the Daily Show, that's when I got 920 00:48:30,719 --> 00:48:34,120 Speaker 1: the office role, which I was so happy to get 921 00:48:34,239 --> 00:48:37,120 Speaker 1: and so honored. And for me it was super cool 922 00:48:37,560 --> 00:48:42,320 Speaker 1: because one I love the show is Your Guys second season. 923 00:48:42,360 --> 00:48:45,880 Speaker 1: I think the show's a hit. Everybody knows and everybody's 924 00:48:45,920 --> 00:48:48,120 Speaker 1: loving it, and I was one of them. I was 925 00:48:48,160 --> 00:48:49,359 Speaker 1: like more and more and I get to be part 926 00:48:49,360 --> 00:48:52,280 Speaker 1: of it, which was great. But I'm still so green 927 00:48:52,840 --> 00:48:56,160 Speaker 1: as an actor and as a performer. Being on cameras 928 00:48:56,200 --> 00:48:58,520 Speaker 1: still made me nervous. I'm nervous as hell. And when 929 00:48:58,520 --> 00:49:02,320 Speaker 1: we got out on the water, remember whenna we floated out. Okay, 930 00:49:02,320 --> 00:49:06,040 Speaker 1: between between setups, normally everybody goes back to the trailer, 931 00:49:06,080 --> 00:49:08,320 Speaker 1: they go back to crafty kind of everybody separates against 932 00:49:08,360 --> 00:49:10,640 Speaker 1: their space. There was nowhere to go on that boat. 933 00:49:10,640 --> 00:49:12,440 Speaker 1: When they say, okay, we're setting up for it, moving on, 934 00:49:12,600 --> 00:49:14,759 Speaker 1: it's time for a new shot, they'd go to set up. 935 00:49:14,800 --> 00:49:16,680 Speaker 1: We all just go sit on the dance floor or 936 00:49:16,760 --> 00:49:20,400 Speaker 1: sit in those boots and hang out, yeah, those booths, 937 00:49:20,400 --> 00:49:24,480 Speaker 1: And I remember thinking this is awesome. I just remember 938 00:49:24,600 --> 00:49:27,600 Speaker 1: enjoying the hell out of it, and not even dawning 939 00:49:27,600 --> 00:49:30,960 Speaker 1: on me that we were dust till dawn, um and 940 00:49:31,000 --> 00:49:34,320 Speaker 1: it was draining, and I think, if I'm not mistaken, 941 00:49:34,680 --> 00:49:41,000 Speaker 1: Correll was shooting Evan Almighty and he would literally leave. 942 00:49:41,080 --> 00:49:43,359 Speaker 1: We'd pull back to the to the dock, he would 943 00:49:43,400 --> 00:49:47,520 Speaker 1: get out, get into sedan and drive to film all day. 944 00:49:47,920 --> 00:49:50,320 Speaker 1: And I remember thinking, when's this guy getting his sleep? 945 00:49:50,680 --> 00:49:54,399 Speaker 1: This is insane. And and yet his performance on the boat, 946 00:49:54,480 --> 00:49:57,400 Speaker 1: and I'm sure his performance in the movie fantastic, but 947 00:49:57,440 --> 00:49:59,520 Speaker 1: it was totally fun. One thing about that episode that 948 00:49:59,560 --> 00:50:02,880 Speaker 1: bumps me out to this day. Okay, for whatever reason, 949 00:50:03,080 --> 00:50:05,520 Speaker 1: I don't know, Maybe it was the Devil, maybe evil 950 00:50:05,640 --> 00:50:09,480 Speaker 1: demon angel. Somebody would not let me get the words 951 00:50:09,560 --> 00:50:12,920 Speaker 1: wall in Paul Pack out of my mouth. I couldn't 952 00:50:12,960 --> 00:50:16,480 Speaker 1: say it. I couldn't say it. We're supposed to be 953 00:50:16,520 --> 00:50:18,600 Speaker 1: on Lake waldon Paul Pack. I can say it now 954 00:50:19,560 --> 00:50:22,360 Speaker 1: as if it's nothing. I can say it with ease. 955 00:50:22,960 --> 00:50:27,200 Speaker 1: That night I maybe got it out once or twice correctly, 956 00:50:27,719 --> 00:50:29,160 Speaker 1: and the rest I just couldn't do it. And I 957 00:50:29,160 --> 00:50:32,520 Speaker 1: remember they were looking at me and they were baffled. 958 00:50:32,640 --> 00:50:35,000 Speaker 1: They were absolutely baffled, like what is this guy has 959 00:50:35,040 --> 00:50:37,680 Speaker 1: a major malfunction? How do you can you not say 960 00:50:37,719 --> 00:50:41,520 Speaker 1: wald In Paul Pack? And I can't explain it. It's 961 00:50:41,520 --> 00:50:44,120 Speaker 1: just one of those moments where you're like, I'm so sorry. 962 00:50:44,440 --> 00:50:46,719 Speaker 1: I wanted to die. I wanted to go crawl. I 963 00:50:46,719 --> 00:50:50,000 Speaker 1: wanted to dive off that boat and die. Well, first 964 00:50:50,040 --> 00:50:53,200 Speaker 1: of all, everyone has been there. I have not thought 965 00:50:53,239 --> 00:50:56,560 Speaker 1: about that in years, and you and I see each other, 966 00:50:57,280 --> 00:51:00,200 Speaker 1: I don't know ten times a year after are you 967 00:51:00,280 --> 00:51:04,359 Speaker 1: think I have not ever once I thought of that 968 00:51:04,440 --> 00:51:06,719 Speaker 1: moment until right now. And the second you said it 969 00:51:06,760 --> 00:51:10,680 Speaker 1: I was like, oh, that's right. He couldn't say it. 970 00:51:11,880 --> 00:51:14,759 Speaker 1: I couldn't say it. I couldn't say it right. And 971 00:51:14,840 --> 00:51:17,200 Speaker 1: I know it was so simple, and they were literally 972 00:51:17,200 --> 00:51:18,919 Speaker 1: they were looking at me, go Wall and Paul Pack. 973 00:51:19,160 --> 00:51:22,640 Speaker 1: I go, well, it's just Wall and well while Papa Pack, 974 00:51:24,440 --> 00:51:26,600 Speaker 1: I mean really, there was some synapsis in my brain 975 00:51:26,680 --> 00:51:29,640 Speaker 1: that would not connected. And you know, you know Brian 976 00:51:30,040 --> 00:51:34,360 Speaker 1: as an actor. To drive home, I said every line perfectly. 977 00:51:34,400 --> 00:51:38,120 Speaker 1: I said every word perfectly. I mean, I couldn't have 978 00:51:38,160 --> 00:51:41,920 Speaker 1: been more spot on to drive home. Yeah, Oh that's 979 00:51:41,960 --> 00:51:45,759 Speaker 1: so funny. That is Oh that is amazing. Do you 980 00:51:45,800 --> 00:51:49,680 Speaker 1: get recognized? Do people yelled Captain Jack at you every 981 00:51:49,680 --> 00:51:52,720 Speaker 1: now and then? Yes, yes they do. I was probably 982 00:51:53,920 --> 00:51:58,799 Speaker 1: no joke, probably pounds heavier, so I looked a little 983 00:51:58,840 --> 00:52:04,040 Speaker 1: different then. Interesting that episode, by the way, it was, 984 00:52:04,040 --> 00:52:06,879 Speaker 1: was shared with me or reminded by Kevin Riley actually, 985 00:52:06,880 --> 00:52:08,600 Speaker 1: who was the head of NBC at the time, that 986 00:52:10,080 --> 00:52:14,759 Speaker 1: he would call about the ratings after every night, and 987 00:52:14,840 --> 00:52:17,799 Speaker 1: obviously the Office became a big show for him and 988 00:52:17,840 --> 00:52:20,520 Speaker 1: he kind of staked his reputation on it. And after 989 00:52:20,600 --> 00:52:25,719 Speaker 1: Booze Cruise, the Office didn't just retain the number from 990 00:52:25,840 --> 00:52:28,600 Speaker 1: my Name is Earl, which came before, but actually beat 991 00:52:28,680 --> 00:52:32,600 Speaker 1: it in the ratings. And he said, he said, I 992 00:52:32,640 --> 00:52:36,040 Speaker 1: may have cried. It was like that kind of moment 993 00:52:36,160 --> 00:52:39,640 Speaker 1: for him. Like that episode so significantly the only thing 994 00:52:39,640 --> 00:52:41,680 Speaker 1: that brought other than not being able to say well 995 00:52:41,719 --> 00:52:44,040 Speaker 1: in Paul Pack, which still haunts me. I mean, I 996 00:52:44,080 --> 00:52:47,680 Speaker 1: still feel so bad about that. I was bummed out 997 00:52:47,719 --> 00:52:51,960 Speaker 1: because I knew that once my episode was over, you 998 00:52:51,960 --> 00:52:54,120 Speaker 1: wouldn't see Captain Jack again, and I was like, and 999 00:52:54,160 --> 00:52:55,600 Speaker 1: they're not going to bring me back as some other 1000 00:52:55,680 --> 00:52:58,239 Speaker 1: character because I was wanting to be reoccurring on on 1001 00:52:58,320 --> 00:53:02,120 Speaker 1: the Office, just because it's such an iconic, legendary show. 1002 00:53:02,600 --> 00:53:04,640 Speaker 1: But I won't be greedy. I was very grateful for 1003 00:53:04,680 --> 00:53:07,560 Speaker 1: the opportunity that to be Captain Jack. Well, look, I 1004 00:53:07,560 --> 00:53:11,600 Speaker 1: mean during that time and just setting the Office aside, 1005 00:53:11,760 --> 00:53:15,200 Speaker 1: you were really on had the opportunity to appear on 1006 00:53:15,400 --> 00:53:21,200 Speaker 1: every great show during that time with you know, all 1007 00:53:21,239 --> 00:53:23,080 Speaker 1: due respect to the ones you weren't on, but I 1008 00:53:23,080 --> 00:53:28,200 Speaker 1: mean Arrested Development and thirty Rock and Modern Family and 1009 00:53:28,520 --> 00:53:31,600 Speaker 1: just amazing all of the shows that that that you 1010 00:53:31,640 --> 00:53:33,880 Speaker 1: were on during that time and obviously recurred on a 1011 00:53:33,920 --> 00:53:36,719 Speaker 1: lot of them. Yeah, I was very happy about that, 1012 00:53:36,880 --> 00:53:40,879 Speaker 1: very blessed. But the Office is definitely special. Well, yes 1013 00:53:41,320 --> 00:53:45,440 Speaker 1: it is for me to absolutely it should be. I 1014 00:53:45,440 --> 00:53:47,080 Speaker 1: don't want to take up too much more of your time, 1015 00:53:47,080 --> 00:53:50,120 Speaker 1: but you and I share obviously a love of football. 1016 00:53:50,239 --> 00:53:53,160 Speaker 1: I know you worked at Fox as one of their 1017 00:53:54,160 --> 00:53:59,520 Speaker 1: I don't know what do you call it contributors prognosticate Yes, 1018 00:53:59,640 --> 00:54:04,160 Speaker 1: some the end and a huge Kansas City Chiefs fan. 1019 00:54:04,400 --> 00:54:06,720 Speaker 1: I'm sorry, did you did you watch the Super Bowl 1020 00:54:07,320 --> 00:54:10,560 Speaker 1: or did you say screw it? I watched it. I 1021 00:54:10,600 --> 00:54:13,799 Speaker 1: watched it. I'm I'm a fan of the game. I'm 1022 00:54:13,840 --> 00:54:16,320 Speaker 1: glad they give us a week off from the a 1023 00:54:16,480 --> 00:54:18,840 Speaker 1: f C and NFC championships to the Super Bowl. Allowed 1024 00:54:18,840 --> 00:54:21,840 Speaker 1: me to cool down a little bit. A loved me 1025 00:54:21,920 --> 00:54:24,520 Speaker 1: to walk it off, as they say, you know, this 1026 00:54:24,600 --> 00:54:27,719 Speaker 1: year's playoffs were the greatest playoffs I've seen, maybe in 1027 00:54:27,760 --> 00:54:31,240 Speaker 1: my lifetime. The game before that against Buffalo was probably 1028 00:54:31,320 --> 00:54:34,279 Speaker 1: the single greatest game I've ever seen. And so this 1029 00:54:34,480 --> 00:54:37,160 Speaker 1: playoffs seas were fullest high highs and low lows. And 1030 00:54:37,600 --> 00:54:39,359 Speaker 1: but that's why they play the games, you know, That's 1031 00:54:39,400 --> 00:54:42,440 Speaker 1: what makes it exciting, you know. And and uh, it 1032 00:54:42,480 --> 00:54:45,239 Speaker 1: was it was fun to see such great competition. But yeah, 1033 00:54:45,280 --> 00:54:50,160 Speaker 1: of course, I'm I'll never forgive Cincinnati Cincinnati. Yeah, yeah. 1034 00:54:50,520 --> 00:54:55,000 Speaker 1: Did you root for Cincinnati because they beat you? Or 1035 00:54:55,200 --> 00:54:59,080 Speaker 1: did you root against them because they beat you? You know, 1036 00:54:59,200 --> 00:55:02,359 Speaker 1: it was That's a tough call because there's a couple 1037 00:55:02,400 --> 00:55:04,200 Speaker 1: of schools of thought, because if they go on to 1038 00:55:04,200 --> 00:55:06,200 Speaker 1: win the Super Bowl, they become a team of destiny 1039 00:55:06,239 --> 00:55:08,960 Speaker 1: and it was preordained. So we can live with the 1040 00:55:09,000 --> 00:55:11,319 Speaker 1: loss a little better. You know, they were a team 1041 00:55:11,320 --> 00:55:16,359 Speaker 1: of destiny or do I want vengeance? Um? Tough call 1042 00:55:17,000 --> 00:55:20,000 Speaker 1: because I wanted both, to be honest with you. UM. 1043 00:55:20,040 --> 00:55:22,359 Speaker 1: But I also like, since I'm a cancer, I'm die 1044 00:55:22,360 --> 00:55:25,480 Speaker 1: hard Kansa City, Kansas City top never in question. However, 1045 00:55:25,520 --> 00:55:28,000 Speaker 1: I live in l A. So I don't feel bad 1046 00:55:28,040 --> 00:55:31,279 Speaker 1: about rooting for the Rams because their NFC and it's 1047 00:55:31,280 --> 00:55:33,920 Speaker 1: where I live. So and the same thing with the 1048 00:55:33,960 --> 00:55:37,759 Speaker 1: Dodgers their n L National League and uh, it's where 1049 00:55:37,800 --> 00:55:39,440 Speaker 1: I live. So I can root for those guys as 1050 00:55:39,480 --> 00:55:42,080 Speaker 1: long as you're not playing the Royals or the Chiefs. Now, 1051 00:55:42,080 --> 00:55:44,279 Speaker 1: if you play the roles the Chiefs, obviously they get 1052 00:55:44,280 --> 00:55:47,799 Speaker 1: your trumped. So I don't know. Yeah, I you know, 1053 00:55:48,000 --> 00:55:51,319 Speaker 1: because I as a Packers fan, generally for me, it's 1054 00:55:51,400 --> 00:55:57,080 Speaker 1: vengeance like Seattle or the Niners, I can't root for them. 1055 00:55:57,239 --> 00:56:00,560 Speaker 1: I just I mean, it's just it's an impossibility. I 1056 00:56:00,600 --> 00:56:05,080 Speaker 1: think similarly to you the l A thing. I find 1057 00:56:05,080 --> 00:56:08,240 Speaker 1: the Rams fairly likable, Like I like all of those guys. 1058 00:56:08,480 --> 00:56:11,760 Speaker 1: I think the Stafford story is just a great story. 1059 00:56:12,040 --> 00:56:16,160 Speaker 1: And Cooper Cup and you know you talk about perseverance 1060 00:56:16,440 --> 00:56:21,360 Speaker 1: and determination, I mean that guy, I mean it's just unbelievable. 1061 00:56:22,120 --> 00:56:25,560 Speaker 1: But my dad was from Cincinnati, and no joke robbed. 1062 00:56:25,560 --> 00:56:31,480 Speaker 1: This morning, my sister sent me a photograph my grandmother, 1063 00:56:31,920 --> 00:56:38,240 Speaker 1: who by the way, lived and I always remember her 1064 00:56:38,280 --> 00:56:43,759 Speaker 1: as like dressed impeccably, didn't have a lot of means like, 1065 00:56:44,040 --> 00:56:46,640 Speaker 1: wasn't rich by anything, but just always looked her best. 1066 00:56:47,080 --> 00:56:49,440 Speaker 1: And my sister this morning sent me a photograph and 1067 00:56:49,480 --> 00:56:53,759 Speaker 1: she said this has to have been from because it 1068 00:56:53,880 --> 00:56:57,720 Speaker 1: was my grandmother and my grandfather standing on their porch 1069 00:56:57,880 --> 00:57:02,160 Speaker 1: in Cincinnati, Ohio, and my grandmother is wearing a Cincinnati 1070 00:57:02,200 --> 00:57:07,279 Speaker 1: Bengals sweatshirt. And it must have been that Super Bowl 1071 00:57:07,520 --> 00:57:10,120 Speaker 1: run back that I would have been the only thing 1072 00:57:10,320 --> 00:57:14,359 Speaker 1: that would have made her where a sweatshirt. So I did. 1073 00:57:14,880 --> 00:57:17,160 Speaker 1: I'd like the Rams. I was rooting for the Bengals, 1074 00:57:17,440 --> 00:57:21,560 Speaker 1: have to admit it. I was reading I Love the 1075 00:57:21,760 --> 00:57:23,600 Speaker 1: I love the good game. I liked a good game, 1076 00:57:23,640 --> 00:57:26,280 Speaker 1: and then I think we got a good game. So 1077 00:57:26,600 --> 00:57:29,520 Speaker 1: that's all you can ask for. Well, speaking of good games, 1078 00:57:29,840 --> 00:57:32,680 Speaker 1: first of all, thank you so much for talking to 1079 00:57:32,760 --> 00:57:37,280 Speaker 1: me and sharing so much about your career and your 1080 00:57:37,800 --> 00:57:40,800 Speaker 1: work ethic, which now it'll probably be a problem for 1081 00:57:40,880 --> 00:57:42,959 Speaker 1: me trying to take money from you on the golf course. 1082 00:57:43,040 --> 00:57:46,800 Speaker 1: But I look forward. I look forward to our competition. 1083 00:57:46,880 --> 00:57:50,640 Speaker 1: I will tell you Rob was Rob was a straight underdog. 1084 00:57:50,720 --> 00:57:53,840 Speaker 1: I mean, let's just be honest. Last year in Tahoe, 1085 00:57:54,360 --> 00:57:56,680 Speaker 1: the odds, I don't know what they would have been. 1086 00:57:57,400 --> 00:58:01,040 Speaker 1: He kicked my ass last year and it's so well, 1087 00:58:01,960 --> 00:58:06,000 Speaker 1: and his caddy is teaching me. I'm like where, I how? 1088 00:58:06,080 --> 00:58:10,320 Speaker 1: I mean, this is unbelievable. Put with energy? Put with energy. 1089 00:58:10,560 --> 00:58:13,880 Speaker 1: Next year, I'm gonna come. I'm gonna get you because 1090 00:58:13,920 --> 00:58:17,080 Speaker 1: I'm gonna think about putting with energy. We gotta line 1091 00:58:17,120 --> 00:58:19,000 Speaker 1: up some side action. We did we say we did. 1092 00:58:19,040 --> 00:58:20,680 Speaker 1: We were gonna do it last we didn't get it done. 1093 00:58:20,720 --> 00:58:23,240 Speaker 1: So let's let's figure it out and we'll get the 1094 00:58:23,360 --> 00:58:26,480 Speaker 1: usual cast of characters. Well, now you're the favorite. Now 1095 00:58:26,520 --> 00:58:30,040 Speaker 1: you're the favorite, and I get odds because you you 1096 00:58:30,080 --> 00:58:32,560 Speaker 1: did it to me last year. Oh my god, you 1097 00:58:32,680 --> 00:58:35,160 Speaker 1: played so great last year. Let's let's try to play 1098 00:58:35,200 --> 00:58:38,520 Speaker 1: before that. That's not until absolutely let's do Yeah. Yeah, 1099 00:58:38,520 --> 00:58:40,760 Speaker 1: we got time. Rob. Thank you so much. I really 1100 00:58:40,760 --> 00:58:43,840 Speaker 1: appreciate you coming on and talking to me. I'm so 1101 00:58:43,920 --> 00:58:46,480 Speaker 1: glad you invited me. Thank you. I appreciate. It's good 1102 00:58:46,480 --> 00:58:48,800 Speaker 1: talking to you always. You too, and I'm telling you 1103 00:58:48,840 --> 00:58:52,320 Speaker 1: that persever and stuff. I just I'm so happy for 1104 00:58:52,400 --> 00:58:55,800 Speaker 1: you and proud of you. Sounds weird, but like yeah, 1105 00:58:55,800 --> 00:59:00,000 Speaker 1: I mean you just fucking stuck with it. It's awesome. Well, thanks, buddy, 1106 00:59:00,000 --> 00:59:15,640 Speaker 1: I'm with you. Yeah, same with you. Yeah, Rob Wriggle, 1107 00:59:15,920 --> 00:59:19,600 Speaker 1: Ladies and gentlemen. What a pleasure. Oh, I enjoyed that. 1108 00:59:19,720 --> 00:59:22,520 Speaker 1: Thank you so much for stopping by. Rob. I'll see 1109 00:59:22,560 --> 00:59:26,520 Speaker 1: you very very soon, and thank you to everyone out 1110 00:59:26,520 --> 00:59:29,560 Speaker 1: there listening. Head over to at Off the Beat on 1111 00:59:29,600 --> 00:59:33,920 Speaker 1: Instagram to stay in the know about this podcast and 1112 00:59:34,000 --> 00:59:37,440 Speaker 1: to keep us up to speed on who you would 1113 00:59:37,480 --> 00:59:41,840 Speaker 1: like to hear from. Who should I sit down with next? Well, 1114 00:59:42,280 --> 00:59:47,400 Speaker 1: next week we've already got another spectacular guest. Who could 1115 00:59:47,400 --> 00:59:52,120 Speaker 1: it be? Will he tell us no? Until then, everybody, 1116 00:59:52,560 --> 01:00:04,080 Speaker 1: have a fantastic week. Off the Beat is hosted an 1117 01:00:04,080 --> 01:00:09,320 Speaker 1: executive produced by me Brian Baumgartner, alongside our executive producer Langley. 1118 01:00:09,640 --> 01:00:13,960 Speaker 1: Our producers are Diego Tapia, Liz Hayes, Emily Carr, and 1119 01:00:14,040 --> 01:00:18,320 Speaker 1: Hannah Harris. Our talent producer is Ryan Papa Zachary. Our 1120 01:00:18,440 --> 01:00:22,600 Speaker 1: theme song Bubble and Squeak performed by my great friend 1121 01:00:22,920 --> 01:00:26,600 Speaker 1: Creed Bratton, and the episode was mixed by seth Olandski.