1 00:00:02,600 --> 00:00:03,520 Speaker 1: Comedy Saved Me. 2 00:00:03,640 --> 00:00:08,039 Speaker 2: Well, laughter is the unexpected breath that you take that 3 00:00:08,119 --> 00:00:09,879 Speaker 2: you didn't know you were going to take, that ensures 4 00:00:09,920 --> 00:00:12,239 Speaker 2: the next moment of life. So laughter is like this 5 00:00:12,440 --> 00:00:15,600 Speaker 2: hit of oxygen that we all need all the time. 6 00:00:16,160 --> 00:00:19,720 Speaker 2: But it disrupts your normal breathing pattern and it makes 7 00:00:19,760 --> 00:00:23,720 Speaker 2: you breathe deeper and harder. And if you're laughing a lot, 8 00:00:24,160 --> 00:00:26,960 Speaker 2: it's a really life affirming gesture. That's why you know, 9 00:00:27,080 --> 00:00:30,120 Speaker 2: people all you know always. 10 00:00:29,720 --> 00:00:32,239 Speaker 3: Says like laughter is the best medicine. It's true, it 11 00:00:32,280 --> 00:00:34,599 Speaker 3: actually is medicine. 12 00:00:34,840 --> 00:00:38,120 Speaker 1: Hey there, amln Hoffman, and welcome to Comedy Saved Me, 13 00:00:38,360 --> 00:00:41,320 Speaker 1: the podcast where we shine a bright light on the 14 00:00:41,360 --> 00:00:44,360 Speaker 1: incredible power of laughter. Now, from time to time we 15 00:00:44,520 --> 00:00:46,920 Speaker 1: like to turn you on to other great podcasts that'll 16 00:00:47,000 --> 00:00:49,040 Speaker 1: keep you smiling. And today I got a good one 17 00:00:49,080 --> 00:00:52,000 Speaker 1: for you. It's from our companion podcast, Taking a Walk, 18 00:00:52,120 --> 00:00:54,880 Speaker 1: hosted by the one and only Buzz Night. And in 19 00:00:54,920 --> 00:00:59,960 Speaker 1: this episode, Buzz chats with the hilarious musician comedian total 20 00:01:00,280 --> 00:01:04,000 Speaker 1: like con Margaret Choe. Her stories are wonderful, they'll make 21 00:01:04,040 --> 00:01:06,560 Speaker 1: you laugh, they'll lift your spirits. Buzz is such a 22 00:01:06,560 --> 00:01:09,240 Speaker 1: great host. You're going to enjoy every second of it. 23 00:01:09,280 --> 00:01:11,919 Speaker 1: So go check it out right now, grab it on Spotify, 24 00:01:12,080 --> 00:01:15,800 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Keep smiling 25 00:01:15,959 --> 00:01:18,520 Speaker 1: and we'll see you next time. Right here on Comedy 26 00:01:18,560 --> 00:01:19,000 Speaker 1: Saved Me. 27 00:01:20,840 --> 00:01:23,679 Speaker 4: Taking a Walk, Margaret Chow, welcome to take it a walk. 28 00:01:24,080 --> 00:01:24,520 Speaker 3: Thank you. 29 00:01:25,360 --> 00:01:28,000 Speaker 5: So, since the podcast is called take out a Walk, 30 00:01:28,040 --> 00:01:29,760 Speaker 5: I wanted to ask you to start. 31 00:01:29,959 --> 00:01:31,640 Speaker 4: If you could take a walk. 32 00:01:31,319 --> 00:01:36,080 Speaker 5: With the with someone living or dead, who would it 33 00:01:36,080 --> 00:01:37,720 Speaker 5: be and where would you take a walk with them? 34 00:01:38,560 --> 00:01:42,279 Speaker 2: I would like to take a walk with Nancy Kwan. 35 00:01:42,520 --> 00:01:45,640 Speaker 3: She's living st She's quite old. 36 00:01:45,880 --> 00:01:49,560 Speaker 2: I believe she's probably close to ninety, if not ninety. 37 00:01:50,600 --> 00:01:53,320 Speaker 2: I love her. I'd love to take a walk around 38 00:01:53,360 --> 00:01:55,640 Speaker 2: my neighborhood if she would like to, or her neighborhood, 39 00:01:55,680 --> 00:01:57,640 Speaker 2: if she would like to just hang out. 40 00:01:58,360 --> 00:02:01,440 Speaker 4: Just casual conversation, right, Yeah. 41 00:02:01,400 --> 00:02:03,080 Speaker 2: I think she's got a lot to say. She's got 42 00:02:03,080 --> 00:02:09,400 Speaker 2: great legs. She is a true pioneer in Asian American 43 00:02:09,720 --> 00:02:18,840 Speaker 2: cinema and art and entertainment, and she's everything. She's a singer, dancer, actress, model. 44 00:02:19,639 --> 00:02:22,920 Speaker 4: Icon, multifaceted just like you. 45 00:02:23,680 --> 00:02:26,079 Speaker 2: Yes, so I'd love to take a walk with her. 46 00:02:26,240 --> 00:02:30,280 Speaker 4: That's awesome. Congrats on your new music, Lucky Gift. 47 00:02:30,680 --> 00:02:33,240 Speaker 5: It's been a long time since we heard from you 48 00:02:33,400 --> 00:02:36,040 Speaker 5: with music about is it eight years? 49 00:02:36,080 --> 00:02:36,560 Speaker 4: Almost? 50 00:02:37,040 --> 00:02:40,519 Speaker 2: Yes? Yes, So I'm really glad to put it out. 51 00:02:40,760 --> 00:02:43,080 Speaker 5: Tell me how this came together and who some of 52 00:02:43,080 --> 00:02:46,880 Speaker 5: the collaborators are with you on this project. 53 00:02:47,400 --> 00:02:50,200 Speaker 2: Well, this album I've been working on actually for the 54 00:02:50,280 --> 00:02:54,919 Speaker 2: last ten years, eleven years. Some of the songs were 55 00:02:54,919 --> 00:02:58,839 Speaker 2: written with Roger Rosha from Four Non Blondes. He is 56 00:02:58,880 --> 00:03:05,400 Speaker 2: a wonderful songwriter in a musical genius, and he and 57 00:03:05,480 --> 00:03:08,040 Speaker 2: I wrote about half of the songs of the record 58 00:03:08,560 --> 00:03:13,680 Speaker 2: when I was working with him on my B Robin project. 59 00:03:13,280 --> 00:03:16,080 Speaker 3: Which was outreach for. 60 00:03:15,919 --> 00:03:20,720 Speaker 2: Those experiencing homelessness in San Francisco in twenty fourteen. So 61 00:03:20,840 --> 00:03:22,960 Speaker 2: a lot of the songs were written out on the 62 00:03:22,960 --> 00:03:26,880 Speaker 2: street with a band. We were stealing electricity and playing 63 00:03:26,880 --> 00:03:30,040 Speaker 2: in these encampments and also giving out food and much 64 00:03:30,080 --> 00:03:33,400 Speaker 2: needed supplies. And it was sort of a tribute to 65 00:03:33,639 --> 00:03:36,560 Speaker 2: Robin Williams. He was a big advocate for the homeless 66 00:03:36,560 --> 00:03:40,040 Speaker 2: with comic relief, which I got to do for many years, 67 00:03:40,080 --> 00:03:43,240 Speaker 2: and so it was a nice way to honor his passing, 68 00:03:43,880 --> 00:03:47,600 Speaker 2: but also a creative journey for me and Roger to 69 00:03:47,640 --> 00:03:50,040 Speaker 2: write a number of these songs, including funny Man, which 70 00:03:50,080 --> 00:03:53,960 Speaker 2: is all about Robin Williams. And so it was singing 71 00:03:53,960 --> 00:03:57,320 Speaker 2: out on the street, blowing out my voice, stealing electricity. 72 00:03:57,600 --> 00:04:02,240 Speaker 2: But we also had a violin players, and we had horns, 73 00:04:02,240 --> 00:04:05,640 Speaker 2: we had saxophone players. We had like a huge bands 74 00:04:06,120 --> 00:04:10,120 Speaker 2: because everybody wanted to play with these people, and so 75 00:04:10,200 --> 00:04:12,040 Speaker 2: it was a great way to write. But so half 76 00:04:12,040 --> 00:04:14,240 Speaker 2: of the songs come from that. The other half come 77 00:04:14,280 --> 00:04:19,560 Speaker 2: from me just writing over time and fitting writing songs 78 00:04:19,560 --> 00:04:23,560 Speaker 2: in when I was doing other things, like you know, 79 00:04:23,600 --> 00:04:26,240 Speaker 2: making movies and TV shows and doing stand up comedy. 80 00:04:26,480 --> 00:04:30,800 Speaker 2: So and then I collaborated with Garrison Starr, who's somebody 81 00:04:30,880 --> 00:04:33,200 Speaker 2: i I've been working with on all of my records. 82 00:04:33,760 --> 00:04:37,200 Speaker 2: She's an amazing singer, songwriter and an incredible producer, and 83 00:04:37,240 --> 00:04:39,520 Speaker 2: so she produced the other half of the tracks on 84 00:04:39,560 --> 00:04:39,920 Speaker 2: the record. 85 00:04:41,200 --> 00:04:44,760 Speaker 5: So tell me how your creative process differs, if at all, 86 00:04:45,520 --> 00:04:49,200 Speaker 5: between your your stand up creation and your music creation. 87 00:04:50,960 --> 00:04:56,039 Speaker 2: I think it's well, it's usually when I'm approaching dant 88 00:04:56,120 --> 00:04:59,680 Speaker 2: up comedy, like I'll try to think of, oh, I 89 00:04:59,720 --> 00:05:01,840 Speaker 2: have to write a joke about that, and I'll like 90 00:05:01,960 --> 00:05:04,800 Speaker 2: work on something and then I'll present it later that 91 00:05:04,880 --> 00:05:07,960 Speaker 2: day at a stand up comedy show. So it's very immediate. 92 00:05:08,800 --> 00:05:12,040 Speaker 2: With music, I think, oh, I should write a song 93 00:05:12,120 --> 00:05:15,560 Speaker 2: about that, or or I will be fiddling around on 94 00:05:15,640 --> 00:05:18,560 Speaker 2: an instrument and I'll say, oh, that actually works and 95 00:05:18,880 --> 00:05:22,200 Speaker 2: maybe I can create this into something, and it'll usually 96 00:05:22,360 --> 00:05:25,599 Speaker 2: come that way, and then I don't present it for 97 00:05:25,640 --> 00:05:27,760 Speaker 2: a long time, like nobody really hears it or sees 98 00:05:27,800 --> 00:05:31,320 Speaker 2: it until I'm ready to record it or so it's 99 00:05:31,320 --> 00:05:35,240 Speaker 2: almost something that like, uh, is isolated for a while. 100 00:05:35,360 --> 00:05:37,320 Speaker 2: I mean, in general, my writing process is like that 101 00:05:37,360 --> 00:05:40,040 Speaker 2: with Roger. With the b Robin Project, it was a 102 00:05:40,040 --> 00:05:42,400 Speaker 2: little bit different because we were like writing songs and 103 00:05:42,400 --> 00:05:44,279 Speaker 2: then like taking them out on the street, so it 104 00:05:44,360 --> 00:05:45,120 Speaker 2: was fast. 105 00:05:45,240 --> 00:05:48,720 Speaker 3: But this one was like some of the other songs. 106 00:05:48,440 --> 00:05:49,880 Speaker 2: It was a little bit of a slower process where 107 00:05:49,880 --> 00:05:52,440 Speaker 2: people didn't see them for a little while. So but yeah, 108 00:05:52,440 --> 00:05:57,120 Speaker 2: it's very different because it I think stand up comedy 109 00:05:57,560 --> 00:06:02,440 Speaker 2: is so much of a dialogue with your audience because 110 00:06:02,440 --> 00:06:04,280 Speaker 2: they have to laugh to fill in the other part 111 00:06:04,400 --> 00:06:07,800 Speaker 2: of the joke or to complete the joke. Where songs 112 00:06:07,839 --> 00:06:09,400 Speaker 2: say can exist on their own. 113 00:06:10,400 --> 00:06:12,520 Speaker 4: Is it fair to say both sides of the equation. 114 00:06:12,680 --> 00:06:16,719 Speaker 5: Stand up comedy and creating music are not only a 115 00:06:16,760 --> 00:06:21,279 Speaker 5: way to you know, express love for things and the 116 00:06:21,320 --> 00:06:25,159 Speaker 5: beauty around, but also a way to kind of get 117 00:06:25,200 --> 00:06:26,480 Speaker 5: some of the pain out as well. 118 00:06:28,200 --> 00:06:33,839 Speaker 2: Yes, absolutely, and to say things that are unsayable or 119 00:06:33,920 --> 00:06:39,880 Speaker 2: to be a solution to a problem, you know, or 120 00:06:39,960 --> 00:06:43,520 Speaker 2: to communicate things that you really can't communicate any other way. 121 00:06:44,240 --> 00:06:47,080 Speaker 3: Also to give people a vessel. 122 00:06:46,880 --> 00:06:49,120 Speaker 2: And the way that they can communicate something that they 123 00:06:49,160 --> 00:06:55,680 Speaker 2: can like bield a relationship with, because oftentimes music the 124 00:06:55,720 --> 00:06:58,960 Speaker 2: way that what it's written for isn't what it's listened for. 125 00:06:59,440 --> 00:06:59,599 Speaker 5: You know. 126 00:06:59,640 --> 00:07:03,360 Speaker 2: People have all sorts of attachments to songs that are 127 00:07:03,400 --> 00:07:06,240 Speaker 2: outside of the hands of the songwriter, which I love too, 128 00:07:06,680 --> 00:07:10,040 Speaker 2: because then people can interpret and put on the meaning 129 00:07:10,080 --> 00:07:11,480 Speaker 2: that they want to put on the song. 130 00:07:12,320 --> 00:07:15,080 Speaker 5: You play this instrument that I've never heard of before. 131 00:07:15,320 --> 00:07:20,240 Speaker 5: It's the mandolin sort of double neck guitar, otherwise known 132 00:07:20,280 --> 00:07:21,680 Speaker 5: as the mandaitar. 133 00:07:22,920 --> 00:07:24,640 Speaker 4: Did you create the mandatar? 134 00:07:25,800 --> 00:07:30,600 Speaker 2: No, The mandatar comes from Bruin, which is a legendary 135 00:07:30,600 --> 00:07:32,800 Speaker 2: guitar start in Nashville. 136 00:07:32,200 --> 00:07:32,920 Speaker 3: And it was. 137 00:07:34,360 --> 00:07:39,560 Speaker 2: A luthier who passed away and his widow sold all 138 00:07:39,600 --> 00:07:40,560 Speaker 2: the guitars. 139 00:07:40,160 --> 00:07:41,560 Speaker 3: That he made to the store. 140 00:07:41,600 --> 00:07:43,600 Speaker 2: So this is one of the ones, and I've never 141 00:07:43,640 --> 00:07:47,440 Speaker 2: seen anything like it. It's one neck is a mandolin 142 00:07:47,520 --> 00:07:50,840 Speaker 2: and one neck as a guitar. And the way that 143 00:07:50,920 --> 00:07:53,160 Speaker 2: I wrote Lucky Giff, which is the title track of 144 00:07:53,200 --> 00:07:56,200 Speaker 2: the record, is I used both at the same time, 145 00:07:57,000 --> 00:07:59,120 Speaker 2: as opposed to playing them separately. I played them together 146 00:07:59,160 --> 00:08:01,800 Speaker 2: like one long strum and. 147 00:08:01,760 --> 00:08:02,800 Speaker 3: It actually worked. 148 00:08:02,840 --> 00:08:05,480 Speaker 2: The way that it was tuned worked and it worked 149 00:08:05,480 --> 00:08:07,360 Speaker 2: in the body of the song and it was pretty incredible. 150 00:08:07,400 --> 00:08:08,320 Speaker 3: So I was so excited. 151 00:08:08,520 --> 00:08:11,400 Speaker 2: So most of the songs, the kind of acoustic side, 152 00:08:12,800 --> 00:08:17,400 Speaker 2: the more sort of country ish flavored songs are those 153 00:08:17,440 --> 00:08:20,760 Speaker 2: songs that I wrote with Garrison are from the mando. 154 00:08:20,560 --> 00:08:22,960 Speaker 4: Tar And how long did it take you to learn 155 00:08:23,000 --> 00:08:23,640 Speaker 4: the man guitar? 156 00:08:24,960 --> 00:08:29,240 Speaker 2: Well, I already played guitar, So anything anything that has 157 00:08:29,600 --> 00:08:32,040 Speaker 2: fight a guitar feel, I can work my way around. 158 00:08:32,520 --> 00:08:36,520 Speaker 2: I am a multi instrumentalist, but I'm not good. So 159 00:08:36,640 --> 00:08:40,400 Speaker 2: I'm like, I can't play everything, but not well. But 160 00:08:40,480 --> 00:08:43,480 Speaker 2: I can play everything enough where I can write and 161 00:08:43,920 --> 00:08:46,640 Speaker 2: show somebody else who can play well, and then I 162 00:08:46,679 --> 00:08:47,160 Speaker 2: can sing. 163 00:08:47,320 --> 00:08:48,400 Speaker 3: I will get to the. 164 00:08:48,360 --> 00:08:50,440 Speaker 2: Point one day where I can play and sing at 165 00:08:50,480 --> 00:08:53,600 Speaker 2: the same time. Well, I can't do either well if 166 00:08:53,640 --> 00:08:55,240 Speaker 2: I'm doing it at the same time. So I like 167 00:08:55,320 --> 00:08:59,720 Speaker 2: to just focus on the singing. But I'm my writing 168 00:08:59,840 --> 00:09:04,679 Speaker 2: is is working it out on these idiosyncratic instruments. I 169 00:09:04,720 --> 00:09:08,719 Speaker 2: love idiosyncratic, odd instruments, things that. 170 00:09:08,679 --> 00:09:11,200 Speaker 3: Are just made by luthiers or whoever. 171 00:09:11,840 --> 00:09:14,760 Speaker 2: So I have a number of like kind of weird, 172 00:09:16,200 --> 00:09:19,320 Speaker 2: misfit toys of instruments that I like to write The Land. 173 00:09:19,080 --> 00:09:20,920 Speaker 4: Of Missmit Toys. I love it. 174 00:09:21,040 --> 00:09:25,359 Speaker 5: Yes, who are some of the players that you particularly admire? 175 00:09:25,640 --> 00:09:29,080 Speaker 5: And then who are some of the particular songwriters that 176 00:09:29,160 --> 00:09:30,120 Speaker 5: you most admire? 177 00:09:31,840 --> 00:09:33,720 Speaker 3: Well, I think. 178 00:09:36,200 --> 00:09:40,240 Speaker 2: Of the old time would be Bobby Gentry. You know 179 00:09:40,520 --> 00:09:46,720 Speaker 2: that she was just such a force, What an amazing songwriter, 180 00:09:46,800 --> 00:09:49,679 Speaker 2: what an amazing singer, and also what a great beauty. 181 00:09:50,440 --> 00:09:52,319 Speaker 2: You know, She's somebody who I would love to take 182 00:09:52,320 --> 00:09:55,360 Speaker 2: a walk with as well. Still alive out there, but 183 00:09:55,520 --> 00:10:01,320 Speaker 2: just decided to walk away from entertainment and is sort of, 184 00:10:01,840 --> 00:10:04,880 Speaker 2: you know, out there, where is Bobby Gentry? We're not sure? 185 00:10:05,160 --> 00:10:09,199 Speaker 2: Another great songwriter asked that question in her song Jill. 186 00:10:09,040 --> 00:10:09,880 Speaker 3: Sobule, one of. 187 00:10:09,840 --> 00:10:12,600 Speaker 2: My favorites, also asked, where is Bobby Gentry? 188 00:10:12,679 --> 00:10:13,439 Speaker 3: We all want to know. 189 00:10:14,880 --> 00:10:15,400 Speaker 5: She was. 190 00:10:17,240 --> 00:10:22,720 Speaker 2: Truly one of one, one of my absolute favorites, and 191 00:10:22,840 --> 00:10:26,000 Speaker 2: of course Dolly Parton in the same vein you know, 192 00:10:26,040 --> 00:10:29,240 Speaker 2: what a beauty, what a singer, what a songwriter, what 193 00:10:29,320 --> 00:10:33,680 Speaker 2: an icon? You know, so many modern people, I would 194 00:10:33,720 --> 00:10:34,640 Speaker 2: say Chapel Roan. 195 00:10:34,960 --> 00:10:37,040 Speaker 3: I absolutely adore her. 196 00:10:37,200 --> 00:10:40,040 Speaker 2: I love the way that her songs have such drama, 197 00:10:40,240 --> 00:10:43,600 Speaker 2: that there are you start one place and then you 198 00:10:43,720 --> 00:10:48,920 Speaker 2: end someplace totally different, And I'm really in awe of 199 00:10:49,000 --> 00:10:53,959 Speaker 2: that where somebody can take chords and song structure and 200 00:10:55,800 --> 00:10:57,920 Speaker 2: bring it to life and in a way that is 201 00:10:58,000 --> 00:11:02,480 Speaker 2: so bombastic and exciting and new but old. 202 00:11:02,880 --> 00:11:05,120 Speaker 3: I love I love her, And there's. 203 00:11:04,960 --> 00:11:08,320 Speaker 5: A theme there as far as your taste. You like 204 00:11:08,960 --> 00:11:12,839 Speaker 5: those that just like you are, you know, don't apologize 205 00:11:12,880 --> 00:11:17,320 Speaker 5: for anything you've done and you're saying and creating. You 206 00:11:17,400 --> 00:11:22,240 Speaker 5: just have that force behind everything that you do. Who 207 00:11:22,320 --> 00:11:26,560 Speaker 5: instilled that in you, that unapologetic attitude, I. 208 00:11:26,520 --> 00:11:28,719 Speaker 2: Don't know, I mean maybe it was something that I'm 209 00:11:28,920 --> 00:11:30,560 Speaker 2: just you sort of fake it till you make it 210 00:11:30,640 --> 00:11:31,320 Speaker 2: like you just don't. 211 00:11:31,360 --> 00:11:32,720 Speaker 3: You don't even know if it's. 212 00:11:32,679 --> 00:11:35,760 Speaker 2: Right, You just do it like you I think you 213 00:11:35,840 --> 00:11:37,839 Speaker 2: just put it out there, and that's kind of the 214 00:11:37,840 --> 00:11:39,040 Speaker 2: way stand up comedy is. 215 00:11:39,080 --> 00:11:40,920 Speaker 3: You kind of have to put it out there. 216 00:11:40,840 --> 00:11:43,640 Speaker 2: To even know if it's going to work, and you 217 00:11:43,720 --> 00:11:47,320 Speaker 2: have to be confident in your idea in order to 218 00:11:47,880 --> 00:11:51,280 Speaker 2: make an audience believe it. So you sort of have 219 00:11:51,360 --> 00:11:55,360 Speaker 2: to be a salesman for yourself as well. And I 220 00:11:55,360 --> 00:11:57,920 Speaker 2: think I learned that through comedy, but you know, it 221 00:11:57,960 --> 00:12:02,440 Speaker 2: wasn't ever something that I was entirely confident about. 222 00:12:02,559 --> 00:12:04,840 Speaker 3: You just have to fake it till you make it. 223 00:12:04,920 --> 00:12:07,160 Speaker 4: That's it a little trial and error too. 224 00:12:08,040 --> 00:12:09,720 Speaker 3: Yeah, always, always yes. 225 00:12:10,120 --> 00:12:15,400 Speaker 5: And as a musician, what do you feel like you've 226 00:12:15,440 --> 00:12:18,480 Speaker 5: most learned over the last year of your work. 227 00:12:20,160 --> 00:12:26,680 Speaker 2: I think that it's songs are really magic, like they 228 00:12:26,760 --> 00:12:29,840 Speaker 2: come out of thin air and that you don't really know, 229 00:12:30,160 --> 00:12:33,640 Speaker 2: like and you'll be presented with all sorts of entry points, 230 00:12:34,160 --> 00:12:36,440 Speaker 2: you know, sometimes in the part of a dream, I'll 231 00:12:36,520 --> 00:12:40,199 Speaker 2: dream something and then I'll it'll it'll come into being 232 00:12:40,240 --> 00:12:41,839 Speaker 2: in like part of a song, you know, and then 233 00:12:42,440 --> 00:12:46,640 Speaker 2: you uh will figure things out, like it's just there. 234 00:12:46,760 --> 00:12:51,880 Speaker 2: It's so interesting and how it's like a magical stream, 235 00:12:51,920 --> 00:12:54,199 Speaker 2: and then you kind of dip in and it's right there, 236 00:12:54,240 --> 00:12:57,160 Speaker 2: but if you don't dip in, it's it's gonna go 237 00:12:57,240 --> 00:12:59,960 Speaker 2: by you. So I think of what I've learned is 238 00:13:00,080 --> 00:13:02,200 Speaker 2: you've got it when you get like the sort of 239 00:13:02,200 --> 00:13:03,960 Speaker 2: a thread of something, you've got to go and get 240 00:13:03,960 --> 00:13:07,880 Speaker 2: the whole cloth. Is you can build the whole cloth 241 00:13:07,920 --> 00:13:10,320 Speaker 2: from that. But it's about going to get. 242 00:13:10,200 --> 00:13:12,839 Speaker 5: It, and it seems like it's an ongoing process of 243 00:13:13,200 --> 00:13:16,280 Speaker 5: strengthening the muscles, if you will. 244 00:13:17,040 --> 00:13:20,000 Speaker 3: Yes, yes, which I have very much in joke writing. 245 00:13:20,080 --> 00:13:23,680 Speaker 2: So every day the first thing I do before I 246 00:13:23,679 --> 00:13:25,560 Speaker 2: get out of bed is I write a joke. And 247 00:13:25,600 --> 00:13:28,319 Speaker 2: it doesn't have to be funny, and it doesn't have to. 248 00:13:28,280 --> 00:13:31,319 Speaker 3: Be a whole joke, but I have to. 249 00:13:31,760 --> 00:13:35,240 Speaker 2: That's the first thing that I do as a comedian 250 00:13:35,360 --> 00:13:39,600 Speaker 2: is I make sure I have at least one formed 251 00:13:40,880 --> 00:13:43,560 Speaker 2: an idea that's going to be a joke later, or 252 00:13:43,600 --> 00:13:45,920 Speaker 2: that is already fully formed joke, or that came out 253 00:13:45,920 --> 00:13:46,560 Speaker 2: of a dream, whatever. 254 00:13:46,559 --> 00:13:47,840 Speaker 3: It's the first thing I do every day. 255 00:13:47,920 --> 00:13:50,600 Speaker 2: I don't have that with songwriting, and I really should, 256 00:13:51,120 --> 00:13:55,120 Speaker 2: because that's the way to grow as a songwriter. I 257 00:13:55,200 --> 00:13:57,200 Speaker 2: used to be in a group of songwriters where we 258 00:13:57,200 --> 00:14:00,800 Speaker 2: would send each other songs daily. You would actually have 259 00:14:00,840 --> 00:14:02,560 Speaker 2: to write a snippet of a song every day, and 260 00:14:02,600 --> 00:14:03,520 Speaker 2: that was really. 261 00:14:04,760 --> 00:14:08,320 Speaker 3: Helpful. But I don't have that right now, and I think, yeah, 262 00:14:08,360 --> 00:14:09,440 Speaker 3: so in the next year. 263 00:14:09,559 --> 00:14:11,960 Speaker 2: I don't really do with resolutions, but that's probably something 264 00:14:12,000 --> 00:14:13,600 Speaker 2: I would like to do as a songwriter, is to 265 00:14:14,520 --> 00:14:17,920 Speaker 2: again reinforce the practice of one thing a day in 266 00:14:17,960 --> 00:14:18,400 Speaker 2: the morning. 267 00:14:18,840 --> 00:14:20,680 Speaker 4: I gather you don't sit idle. 268 00:14:21,760 --> 00:14:25,640 Speaker 3: No, but I also love to lay around. 269 00:14:27,920 --> 00:14:31,640 Speaker 4: But I'm thinking if you're laying around still, you're noodling. 270 00:14:31,240 --> 00:14:34,400 Speaker 5: You're you know, you're thinking of it the next you know, 271 00:14:34,600 --> 00:14:37,600 Speaker 5: joke or maybe a song that just ran through your 272 00:14:37,640 --> 00:14:38,600 Speaker 5: head that you. 273 00:14:38,560 --> 00:14:40,440 Speaker 4: Know made an impact on you or something. 274 00:14:40,480 --> 00:14:43,720 Speaker 5: So I think I have a feeling you're always there's 275 00:14:43,720 --> 00:14:45,360 Speaker 5: always something going on up there. 276 00:14:45,160 --> 00:14:47,240 Speaker 3: Margaret, Yeah, I think. 277 00:14:47,280 --> 00:14:50,680 Speaker 2: So I'll try to fight off dementia, you know, I'm 278 00:14:50,680 --> 00:14:53,040 Speaker 2: trying to make sure that like it still works, all 279 00:14:53,080 --> 00:14:57,000 Speaker 2: those things still work. And yeah, yeah, to me, it's creating. 280 00:14:57,120 --> 00:15:00,960 Speaker 2: Is is is fun, It's it's a way to keep 281 00:15:00,960 --> 00:15:03,520 Speaker 2: your mind alive, and it's just enjoyable to me. 282 00:15:04,160 --> 00:15:06,480 Speaker 3: So I just I really love it. 283 00:15:06,520 --> 00:15:09,600 Speaker 2: I love to buy instruments as well, so you know, 284 00:15:11,120 --> 00:15:13,200 Speaker 2: for me, it's fun to play around with the different 285 00:15:13,200 --> 00:15:17,600 Speaker 2: ways sound is made, all different kinds of things. I've 286 00:15:17,640 --> 00:15:20,760 Speaker 2: gotten really into synthesizers lately, so that's sort of a 287 00:15:20,840 --> 00:15:22,120 Speaker 2: newer passion. 288 00:15:22,240 --> 00:15:23,320 Speaker 3: But yeah, I love it. 289 00:15:23,920 --> 00:15:26,080 Speaker 6: We'll be right back with more of the Taking a 290 00:15:26,120 --> 00:15:34,359 Speaker 6: Walk podcast. Welcome back to the Taking a Walk Podcast. 291 00:15:35,400 --> 00:15:40,560 Speaker 5: I just encountered this woman named Sierra Hall. Are you 292 00:15:40,600 --> 00:15:46,280 Speaker 5: familiar with her? She's a mandolin player extraordinaire, and you know, 293 00:15:46,360 --> 00:15:50,320 Speaker 5: comes really mostly out of bluegrass, which is made up 294 00:15:50,320 --> 00:15:56,040 Speaker 5: of so much improvisation. I'm thinking, once again, as a 295 00:15:56,120 --> 00:16:01,760 Speaker 5: comedian who's been so masterful at improvisation, you're probably pretty 296 00:16:01,760 --> 00:16:05,320 Speaker 5: good on the fly musically improvising as well. 297 00:16:05,920 --> 00:16:08,400 Speaker 2: So I mean, I think that it goes to you 298 00:16:08,480 --> 00:16:10,600 Speaker 2: sort of like know what's. 299 00:16:10,360 --> 00:16:11,080 Speaker 3: Going to happen. 300 00:16:11,200 --> 00:16:13,720 Speaker 2: Like with music, you kind of have an idea, and 301 00:16:13,760 --> 00:16:17,440 Speaker 2: then if you can follow the sort of chord progression 302 00:16:17,440 --> 00:16:20,680 Speaker 2: and bring it back a measure, bring it back a measure, 303 00:16:20,720 --> 00:16:22,600 Speaker 2: then you could probably figure it out. I don't know 304 00:16:22,640 --> 00:16:26,480 Speaker 2: if I could compete with the great jazz improvisers or 305 00:16:26,560 --> 00:16:29,000 Speaker 2: even the best of the bluegrass. Bluegrass is just phenomenal 306 00:16:29,040 --> 00:16:31,480 Speaker 2: to me. It's like calculus, like it's like, how. 307 00:16:31,320 --> 00:16:33,120 Speaker 3: Do they even do that? 308 00:16:33,360 --> 00:16:36,320 Speaker 2: Like it's it's a musicianship, but it's also soul, and 309 00:16:36,360 --> 00:16:38,440 Speaker 2: it's it's not phenomenal. 310 00:16:38,880 --> 00:16:40,960 Speaker 3: But yeah, I think I can improve a little bit. 311 00:16:41,760 --> 00:16:42,000 Speaker 4: Well. 312 00:16:42,080 --> 00:16:45,640 Speaker 5: I mean, I bet a musician would say watching your 313 00:16:45,920 --> 00:16:49,600 Speaker 5: art on stage as a comedian that they're just wowed by, 314 00:16:50,120 --> 00:16:52,760 Speaker 5: you know, the ease, how you make it look so easy, 315 00:16:52,840 --> 00:16:56,160 Speaker 5: which yeah, it is not easy, I'm quite sure. 316 00:16:56,920 --> 00:17:03,280 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's interesting how comedians have such a We're always 317 00:17:03,320 --> 00:17:06,280 Speaker 2: in awe of musicians, and musicians are always in awe 318 00:17:06,880 --> 00:17:09,600 Speaker 2: of comedians, and we just want to switch places, which 319 00:17:09,800 --> 00:17:11,120 Speaker 2: I get to do every once and again. 320 00:17:11,880 --> 00:17:14,040 Speaker 5: And as I think about music and as I think 321 00:17:14,040 --> 00:17:21,159 Speaker 5: about comedy, I believe both have true healing powers. We 322 00:17:21,480 --> 00:17:26,000 Speaker 5: actually produce this music podcast called Music Save Me, which 323 00:17:26,040 --> 00:17:28,240 Speaker 5: is about sort of the healing power of music. But 324 00:17:29,160 --> 00:17:33,040 Speaker 5: can you equate in your mind how music has healing 325 00:17:33,119 --> 00:17:37,720 Speaker 5: powers and comedy and laughter has healing powers as well, 326 00:17:37,760 --> 00:17:39,320 Speaker 5: because I certainly think it does. 327 00:17:40,560 --> 00:17:41,440 Speaker 3: It does well. 328 00:17:41,560 --> 00:17:45,840 Speaker 2: Laughter is the unexpected breath that you take that you 329 00:17:45,840 --> 00:17:47,679 Speaker 2: didn't know you were going to take, that ensures the 330 00:17:47,720 --> 00:17:50,320 Speaker 2: next moment of life. So laughter is like this hit 331 00:17:50,400 --> 00:17:53,919 Speaker 2: of oxygen that we all need all the time. But 332 00:17:54,480 --> 00:17:57,520 Speaker 2: it disrupts your normal breathing pattern and it makes you 333 00:17:57,560 --> 00:18:01,280 Speaker 2: breathe deeper and harder. And if you're laughing a lot, 334 00:18:01,800 --> 00:18:04,639 Speaker 2: it's a really life affirming gesture. That's why you know, 335 00:18:04,720 --> 00:18:08,440 Speaker 2: people all you know always things like laughter is the 336 00:18:08,520 --> 00:18:13,080 Speaker 2: best medicine. It's true, it actually is medicine. And sound. 337 00:18:13,640 --> 00:18:16,760 Speaker 2: I think, well, like cats. I'm surrounded by cats right now. 338 00:18:16,960 --> 00:18:21,960 Speaker 2: They're all purring, and a cat's purr heals bones like this, 339 00:18:22,119 --> 00:18:24,280 Speaker 2: the sound frequency heals. 340 00:18:24,720 --> 00:18:27,280 Speaker 3: The heal, helps the cat heal. He'll help you hail. 341 00:18:27,800 --> 00:18:32,720 Speaker 2: So you know, it makes absolute sense that music will 342 00:18:32,760 --> 00:18:35,320 Speaker 2: do the same thing. It's the same frequencies using to 343 00:18:35,400 --> 00:18:38,440 Speaker 2: sort of mend your bones and your body and your mind. 344 00:18:38,640 --> 00:18:43,159 Speaker 2: And I mean, I always love having music around. It 345 00:18:43,240 --> 00:18:46,480 Speaker 2: just makes me feel better. It makes me feel great, actually, 346 00:18:46,560 --> 00:18:50,480 Speaker 2: like it's just a wonderful thing to have all different 347 00:18:50,560 --> 00:18:52,840 Speaker 2: kinds of music and all different ways to listen. And 348 00:18:52,880 --> 00:18:56,240 Speaker 2: so I agree it's a very healing they're both very 349 00:18:56,240 --> 00:18:58,280 Speaker 2: healing modalities different ways. 350 00:18:59,000 --> 00:19:01,760 Speaker 5: So the cats love your music, The question is how 351 00:19:01,760 --> 00:19:04,600 Speaker 5: about Lucia, your lovely dog. 352 00:19:04,680 --> 00:19:06,320 Speaker 4: Does Lucia love your music? 353 00:19:07,119 --> 00:19:07,920 Speaker 3: She loves it? 354 00:19:08,080 --> 00:19:12,360 Speaker 2: She loves singing. One of my cats really loves singing. 355 00:19:12,840 --> 00:19:16,199 Speaker 2: She always if they're singing, she'll always come in and 356 00:19:16,240 --> 00:19:18,640 Speaker 2: she wants to be a part of it. She wants 357 00:19:18,640 --> 00:19:22,080 Speaker 2: to singing to happen like right in her like around 358 00:19:22,119 --> 00:19:24,640 Speaker 2: her body, because I think she likes the vibration. Lucia 359 00:19:24,840 --> 00:19:27,600 Speaker 2: just loves to be in the studio. She loves just 360 00:19:27,640 --> 00:19:31,200 Speaker 2: to be around musicians. She loves people, and she's always 361 00:19:31,280 --> 00:19:34,720 Speaker 2: really like happy around any kind of musician. 362 00:19:34,880 --> 00:19:35,640 Speaker 3: She loves it. 363 00:19:36,320 --> 00:19:37,240 Speaker 4: Oh, that's so cool. 364 00:19:38,280 --> 00:19:40,280 Speaker 5: So you got a tour, Well, you're always on tour 365 00:19:40,359 --> 00:19:43,000 Speaker 5: in some ways, So you have a tour that will 366 00:19:43,000 --> 00:19:45,600 Speaker 5: be rolling out through a bunch of cities. I know 367 00:19:45,640 --> 00:19:50,000 Speaker 5: you're doing Boston date and Connecticut date and all through 368 00:19:50,520 --> 00:19:53,760 Speaker 5: you know, the East Coast. Certainly, will people get a 369 00:19:53,840 --> 00:19:57,320 Speaker 5: taste on this tour of both music and stand. 370 00:19:57,080 --> 00:20:00,000 Speaker 3: Up, Well, it's hard to mix it. It's hard. 371 00:20:00,440 --> 00:20:01,879 Speaker 2: I'm like, I'm trying to this is a stand up 372 00:20:01,880 --> 00:20:06,479 Speaker 2: comedy show that I'm touring with. Maybe, you know, I 373 00:20:06,520 --> 00:20:08,760 Speaker 2: haven't really thought about that yet, Like I wonder, like 374 00:20:08,880 --> 00:20:12,600 Speaker 2: is it possible to tour both? Maybe I know that 375 00:20:12,640 --> 00:20:15,440 Speaker 2: there are a couple of like music shows coming up 376 00:20:15,640 --> 00:20:19,280 Speaker 2: in around the release of the record, I'm doing a 377 00:20:19,400 --> 00:20:22,399 Speaker 2: musical like a show at Largo, which I do a 378 00:20:22,440 --> 00:20:25,000 Speaker 2: lot of comedy at in at Los Angeles, and it's 379 00:20:25,000 --> 00:20:28,120 Speaker 2: a very famous music club, so I'd be doing that 380 00:20:28,320 --> 00:20:29,960 Speaker 2: as a music show. And then I'm doing a music 381 00:20:29,960 --> 00:20:33,840 Speaker 2: show at the Grammy Museum on April first, so those 382 00:20:33,880 --> 00:20:40,280 Speaker 2: are specifically music shows. And then you know, I wonder like, 383 00:20:40,520 --> 00:20:45,280 Speaker 2: maybe maybe it will happen, maybe there will be a crossover, just. 384 00:20:45,240 --> 00:20:47,359 Speaker 4: A touch, right, just maybe. Yes. 385 00:20:47,400 --> 00:20:49,240 Speaker 5: I mean, you know, easy for me to say, I'm 386 00:20:49,240 --> 00:20:51,200 Speaker 5: not the one executing. 387 00:20:50,600 --> 00:20:54,120 Speaker 2: It, so yeah, well I think it should happen. I mean, 388 00:20:54,119 --> 00:20:55,800 Speaker 2: I think that there should be a little bit of 389 00:20:55,840 --> 00:20:56,760 Speaker 2: crossover for both. 390 00:20:57,480 --> 00:20:58,080 Speaker 4: I love that. 391 00:20:58,960 --> 00:21:02,320 Speaker 5: Tell me about the beginning of your comedy career. You 392 00:21:02,440 --> 00:21:07,679 Speaker 5: started out, obviously at a young age. I think sixteen 393 00:21:08,320 --> 00:21:09,359 Speaker 5: as a stand up. 394 00:21:10,760 --> 00:21:14,280 Speaker 2: Yes, well, my earliest shows were I was fourteen, but 395 00:21:14,720 --> 00:21:18,560 Speaker 2: I started like to be like professional, like at sixteen 396 00:21:18,640 --> 00:21:22,440 Speaker 2: seventeen eighteen. I was making a living by the age 397 00:21:22,520 --> 00:21:27,600 Speaker 2: of eighteen, so, which is pretty good. You know, it's 398 00:21:27,640 --> 00:21:29,959 Speaker 2: still in the nineteen eighties, and you know, like I 399 00:21:30,040 --> 00:21:32,600 Speaker 2: was doing okay, which is like amazing, and I was 400 00:21:32,600 --> 00:21:34,199 Speaker 2: like doing doing television and stuff. 401 00:21:34,720 --> 00:21:34,919 Speaker 3: You know. 402 00:21:35,359 --> 00:21:37,480 Speaker 2: I was on shows like Evening at the Improv and 403 00:21:39,240 --> 00:21:42,639 Speaker 2: MTV's half hour Comedy Hour and all sorts of I 404 00:21:42,680 --> 00:21:46,560 Speaker 2: was on a show with Bob Hope, had the Bob 405 00:21:46,600 --> 00:21:49,479 Speaker 2: Hope's Comedy Special that he would do every year as 406 00:21:49,480 --> 00:21:50,840 Speaker 2: the young Comedian. 407 00:21:50,440 --> 00:21:55,160 Speaker 3: Special that he would host. And so I was doing 408 00:21:55,160 --> 00:21:59,400 Speaker 3: comedy very young, and I just knew that was my life. 409 00:21:59,440 --> 00:22:01,680 Speaker 2: Like I just knew that's what I wanted to do, 410 00:22:02,400 --> 00:22:09,159 Speaker 2: and it just was my biggest passion since I was 411 00:22:09,200 --> 00:22:12,480 Speaker 2: about eight years old. So I knew that I would 412 00:22:12,920 --> 00:22:15,159 Speaker 2: do it, and I'm grateful that I still get to 413 00:22:15,160 --> 00:22:15,320 Speaker 2: do it. 414 00:22:15,359 --> 00:22:16,680 Speaker 3: I just turned fifty six, and. 415 00:22:16,600 --> 00:22:18,320 Speaker 2: I really love it. 416 00:22:18,359 --> 00:22:20,240 Speaker 3: You know. It's a life that. 417 00:22:20,240 --> 00:22:24,320 Speaker 2: I I'm so grateful to have lived. And I still 418 00:22:24,359 --> 00:22:25,919 Speaker 2: have a lot to do, you know. I still I 419 00:22:25,960 --> 00:22:28,560 Speaker 2: do a show every day pretty much of some kind. 420 00:22:29,000 --> 00:22:33,080 Speaker 2: I'll do one later today, and you know, for me, 421 00:22:33,160 --> 00:22:36,480 Speaker 2: it's just it's a lifelong passion. 422 00:22:37,400 --> 00:22:41,479 Speaker 5: And as as it has taken its shape over the years, 423 00:22:42,640 --> 00:22:47,080 Speaker 5: how have you made living on the road, as you know, 424 00:22:47,400 --> 00:22:48,440 Speaker 5: easy as possible. 425 00:22:49,720 --> 00:22:54,160 Speaker 2: Well, I have like a set way that I do, 426 00:22:54,320 --> 00:22:56,560 Speaker 2: like my the way that I pack. I have a 427 00:22:56,640 --> 00:22:59,159 Speaker 2: life in my suitcase that never actually comes out of 428 00:22:59,200 --> 00:23:04,360 Speaker 2: my suitcase, Like my road clothes never touched my home clothes. 429 00:23:04,720 --> 00:23:08,199 Speaker 3: I've like my whole life. It's very specific. But I. 430 00:23:10,119 --> 00:23:14,400 Speaker 2: Travel less nowadays. Oddly, I've been traveling less since the 431 00:23:14,400 --> 00:23:18,840 Speaker 2: pandemic because I've just found I want to stay home 432 00:23:18,880 --> 00:23:25,320 Speaker 2: more and also I'm pursuing more acting and that is 433 00:23:25,400 --> 00:23:27,760 Speaker 2: a little bit of different vibe as well, so which 434 00:23:27,920 --> 00:23:31,640 Speaker 2: requires travel, but it's a little different. So but yeah, 435 00:23:31,680 --> 00:23:35,760 Speaker 2: I've been on the road for so long that it's 436 00:23:35,800 --> 00:23:38,160 Speaker 2: weird to take time off. The pandemic was the first 437 00:23:38,160 --> 00:23:41,760 Speaker 2: time that I actually stopped traveling for about thirty five years, 438 00:23:41,800 --> 00:23:44,040 Speaker 2: and it was just such a revelation. 439 00:23:43,680 --> 00:23:46,200 Speaker 3: To finally just be home. I really love being at home. 440 00:23:47,080 --> 00:23:51,200 Speaker 5: In talking to so many musicians over the last year, 441 00:23:51,440 --> 00:23:54,600 Speaker 5: and in particular about their you know, going out on 442 00:23:54,640 --> 00:23:58,040 Speaker 5: the road and how the pandemic obviously changed everything and 443 00:23:58,119 --> 00:24:02,879 Speaker 5: really you know stifled all that. It feels like for 444 00:24:02,960 --> 00:24:05,040 Speaker 5: so many of them it was like cutting off their 445 00:24:05,119 --> 00:24:08,800 Speaker 5: their right arm, not being you know, able to connect 446 00:24:08,840 --> 00:24:11,840 Speaker 5: with their fans and play in front of people. 447 00:24:12,920 --> 00:24:16,440 Speaker 4: I'm sure you could identify with that vibe. 448 00:24:16,680 --> 00:24:20,560 Speaker 3: Yeah, I was like who who are we without that? 449 00:24:21,240 --> 00:24:25,560 Speaker 2: Who are we without traveling and touring and playing out like, 450 00:24:26,000 --> 00:24:28,600 Speaker 2: you know, living out of a suitcase every night, you know, 451 00:24:28,680 --> 00:24:33,240 Speaker 2: Like I was, I had like a crisis, like try, 452 00:24:33,320 --> 00:24:37,000 Speaker 2: like a real crisis of conscience, like who are we 453 00:24:37,240 --> 00:24:39,399 Speaker 2: even without this part of ourselves? And then I realized 454 00:24:39,440 --> 00:24:43,600 Speaker 2: that I'm actually a homebody, that I actually really love 455 00:24:43,680 --> 00:24:46,240 Speaker 2: being at home, and I'd never even known that, which 456 00:24:46,280 --> 00:24:48,760 Speaker 2: is so weird because I'd never been home for more 457 00:24:48,760 --> 00:24:51,159 Speaker 2: than a few days for thirty five years. And so 458 00:24:52,000 --> 00:24:55,639 Speaker 2: now when I approach touring, it's very different. I mean, 459 00:24:55,680 --> 00:24:58,040 Speaker 2: I still tour a lot, but it's a very different 460 00:24:59,320 --> 00:25:01,760 Speaker 2: kind of way of going about it. Like I don't 461 00:25:01,760 --> 00:25:04,439 Speaker 2: go out for months at a time. It's just like 462 00:25:04,920 --> 00:25:07,760 Speaker 2: much more controlled, which I feel more comfortable doing. 463 00:25:08,840 --> 00:25:13,240 Speaker 5: You've been talked earlier about your advocacy. That was influenced 464 00:25:13,240 --> 00:25:18,959 Speaker 5: certainly by your friend Robin Williams, but in general, advocacy 465 00:25:19,000 --> 00:25:23,240 Speaker 5: has been important to you. Can you talk in some 466 00:25:23,280 --> 00:25:25,520 Speaker 5: other detail about some important. 467 00:25:25,040 --> 00:25:30,600 Speaker 2: Causes well, Working in different things, I worked a lot 468 00:25:30,640 --> 00:25:34,000 Speaker 2: on the Kamala Harris campaign, and I really wanted her 469 00:25:34,040 --> 00:25:36,679 Speaker 2: to be president, and I really thought she was going 470 00:25:36,760 --> 00:25:37,400 Speaker 2: to be president. 471 00:25:37,560 --> 00:25:44,320 Speaker 3: Now that is of course different. There's a lot to 472 00:25:44,359 --> 00:25:45,119 Speaker 3: do still. 473 00:25:44,920 --> 00:25:48,920 Speaker 2: You know, there's a lot to work around, especially protecting 474 00:25:49,000 --> 00:25:51,959 Speaker 2: rights for gay people, for trans people. 475 00:25:52,240 --> 00:25:52,960 Speaker 3: Trans people in. 476 00:25:52,920 --> 00:25:56,840 Speaker 2: Particular, that's a huge issue for me, Like I want 477 00:25:56,840 --> 00:26:00,399 Speaker 2: to be able to protect the trans community, that gender 478 00:26:00,440 --> 00:26:04,800 Speaker 2: non conforming, gender fluid, non binary people, Like, it's such 479 00:26:04,840 --> 00:26:11,480 Speaker 2: a crisis now that we're dealing with. So it's very 480 00:26:11,760 --> 00:26:16,000 Speaker 2: I mean, you know, it's a very treacherous time kind 481 00:26:16,040 --> 00:26:18,640 Speaker 2: of trying to figure out how do we combat these 482 00:26:18,680 --> 00:26:21,560 Speaker 2: ideas of Project twenty twenty five, where you know, we're 483 00:26:21,560 --> 00:26:24,400 Speaker 2: trying to protect women's rights, trying to protect trans rights. 484 00:26:24,800 --> 00:26:28,240 Speaker 2: I'm very adamant about doing that. So that's where I 485 00:26:28,240 --> 00:26:32,080 Speaker 2: think a lot of advocacy is going to be placed 486 00:26:32,160 --> 00:26:35,480 Speaker 2: in the near future, at least in the next four years. 487 00:26:36,320 --> 00:26:39,639 Speaker 5: You feel over the last few years that there's a 488 00:26:39,680 --> 00:26:42,920 Speaker 5: certain amount of the population that completely lost their sense 489 00:26:42,920 --> 00:26:43,439 Speaker 5: of humor. 490 00:26:44,600 --> 00:26:45,760 Speaker 3: Yeah, people get so. 491 00:26:47,240 --> 00:26:52,240 Speaker 2: Defensive about these ideas of what they want to protect 492 00:26:52,280 --> 00:26:58,119 Speaker 2: and these ideas of protecting gender or protecting like the 493 00:26:58,200 --> 00:27:00,760 Speaker 2: sanctity of gender, which I think is such a ridiculous thing, 494 00:27:00,800 --> 00:27:02,800 Speaker 2: and to me that's very humorous. It's like a really 495 00:27:02,880 --> 00:27:06,920 Speaker 2: ridiculous thing I'm trying to protect or trying to protect 496 00:27:06,960 --> 00:27:10,679 Speaker 2: these ideas of like families or children, trying to protect children, 497 00:27:10,720 --> 00:27:13,240 Speaker 2: which is like, I get that that's kind of a 498 00:27:13,720 --> 00:27:17,639 Speaker 2: noble notion, but what's harming children is not drag queens. 499 00:27:17,920 --> 00:27:20,919 Speaker 2: You know, drag queens are there's nothing that they have 500 00:27:20,920 --> 00:27:24,640 Speaker 2: nothing to do with children. Really, it's not even a thing. 501 00:27:24,800 --> 00:27:26,840 Speaker 2: You know, maybe there's like drag queens story rr, but 502 00:27:26,880 --> 00:27:30,399 Speaker 2: that's just very innocent, beautiful and fun. It's like clowns. 503 00:27:30,480 --> 00:27:34,040 Speaker 2: It's like, when you really look at them as clowns, 504 00:27:33,840 --> 00:27:37,400 Speaker 2: it doesn't have that sort of negating effect. But somehow 505 00:27:38,080 --> 00:27:42,800 Speaker 2: drag there's a there's a weird, sinister element that people 506 00:27:42,840 --> 00:27:45,000 Speaker 2: want to put on it that doesn't make sense to me. 507 00:27:46,280 --> 00:27:47,679 Speaker 2: But yeah, it's very humorless. 508 00:27:48,720 --> 00:27:49,320 Speaker 4: So when you. 509 00:27:49,280 --> 00:27:54,000 Speaker 5: Think of comedians coming up the ranks and you think 510 00:27:54,000 --> 00:27:57,840 Speaker 5: of musicians coming up the ranks, is it the same 511 00:27:57,880 --> 00:28:01,119 Speaker 5: set of advice that you would give too if they 512 00:28:01,119 --> 00:28:05,119 Speaker 5: were looking to be steered and mentored the right way? 513 00:28:06,200 --> 00:28:06,919 Speaker 3: Yeah? I think so. 514 00:28:07,119 --> 00:28:08,959 Speaker 2: I mean, I think it's like the same. It's just 515 00:28:09,000 --> 00:28:13,120 Speaker 2: to like really understand that your voice is the most 516 00:28:13,160 --> 00:28:15,960 Speaker 2: precious thing and that you should put your opinion of your. 517 00:28:15,880 --> 00:28:19,400 Speaker 3: Art above others, above all else. 518 00:28:19,680 --> 00:28:22,960 Speaker 2: Really, and you haven't figured out what you're doing, You 519 00:28:23,040 --> 00:28:27,520 Speaker 2: figure it out, you know, but it's it's pretty much 520 00:28:27,560 --> 00:28:30,160 Speaker 2: the same because I think what happens is when art 521 00:28:30,200 --> 00:28:32,440 Speaker 2: meets commerce. Commerce is always going to try to change 522 00:28:32,440 --> 00:28:35,280 Speaker 2: you to make you fit into what they're buying. 523 00:28:35,480 --> 00:28:38,880 Speaker 3: But in truth, you know you're you're in charge. So 524 00:28:39,040 --> 00:28:40,080 Speaker 3: I would always give. 525 00:28:40,360 --> 00:28:44,160 Speaker 2: Like younger artists, that advice is like your voices, that 526 00:28:44,400 --> 00:28:47,040 Speaker 2: the should be, the loudest should be, that the strongest 527 00:28:47,080 --> 00:28:48,560 Speaker 2: should be the most important. 528 00:28:49,280 --> 00:28:53,000 Speaker 5: Is there a particular moment in your career that stands 529 00:28:53,160 --> 00:28:56,600 Speaker 5: that one moment that stands out that you feel was 530 00:28:57,360 --> 00:28:59,480 Speaker 5: pivotal towards where you are now? 531 00:29:00,680 --> 00:29:01,560 Speaker 3: I think. 532 00:29:03,640 --> 00:29:06,000 Speaker 2: I think it was when I was a really young 533 00:29:06,120 --> 00:29:10,240 Speaker 2: kid and I was doing comedy and I had a 534 00:29:10,280 --> 00:29:13,880 Speaker 2: theater teacher who would always impress upon me like, you 535 00:29:13,920 --> 00:29:17,360 Speaker 2: can do anything, You're good at everything, so do everything. 536 00:29:17,800 --> 00:29:21,040 Speaker 2: And that really stuck with me. So it gave me 537 00:29:21,120 --> 00:29:26,200 Speaker 2: this permission to pursue all different facets of entertainment and 538 00:29:27,040 --> 00:29:29,320 Speaker 2: to really feel like it was okay for me to 539 00:29:29,360 --> 00:29:32,200 Speaker 2: do that because she kind of gave me that mode 540 00:29:32,200 --> 00:29:32,880 Speaker 2: of confidence. 541 00:29:33,800 --> 00:29:36,120 Speaker 5: So what else do you want to pursue creatively that 542 00:29:36,200 --> 00:29:39,240 Speaker 5: you haven't pursued. You've got so many things on your plate, 543 00:29:39,320 --> 00:29:41,800 Speaker 5: but there must be other things that you have a 544 00:29:41,920 --> 00:29:42,720 Speaker 5: creativitch for. 545 00:29:43,840 --> 00:29:46,480 Speaker 2: Well, I mean, I still want to be a better musician, 546 00:29:46,600 --> 00:29:49,040 Speaker 2: Like I want to be a better songwriter. I want 547 00:29:49,040 --> 00:29:51,000 Speaker 2: to be a better singer, Like I want to actually 548 00:29:51,040 --> 00:29:52,600 Speaker 2: like work on what I have. Like what I have 549 00:29:52,840 --> 00:29:56,760 Speaker 2: is good, Like I'm doing good, but I know that 550 00:29:56,800 --> 00:29:59,800 Speaker 2: if I actually did the vocal warm ups, which I've 551 00:29:59,800 --> 00:30:02,479 Speaker 2: been I told to do by so many teachers, if 552 00:30:02,480 --> 00:30:04,280 Speaker 2: I actually did all of the scales, if I did 553 00:30:04,280 --> 00:30:07,400 Speaker 2: my scales, I'd be so good. Like I want to 554 00:30:07,440 --> 00:30:10,000 Speaker 2: do the basics, Like I really need to go back 555 00:30:10,000 --> 00:30:12,840 Speaker 2: to the basics because I been in like comedy for 556 00:30:12,880 --> 00:30:14,640 Speaker 2: so long and I kind of take so much for 557 00:30:14,680 --> 00:30:16,800 Speaker 2: granted as a comedian that I feel like I never 558 00:30:16,840 --> 00:30:19,280 Speaker 2: have to go back to like basics there, But with music, 559 00:30:19,320 --> 00:30:21,080 Speaker 2: I really want to. So yeah, I do want to 560 00:30:21,080 --> 00:30:25,400 Speaker 2: get better at the musicianship. I need to drink more 561 00:30:25,480 --> 00:30:29,200 Speaker 2: water like singers. It's it's so weird because like you're 562 00:30:29,240 --> 00:30:33,000 Speaker 2: the instrument, so it's it's hard for me to actually 563 00:30:33,520 --> 00:30:38,360 Speaker 2: think about treating my body with more respect in that 564 00:30:38,440 --> 00:30:41,280 Speaker 2: regard like I'm actually the instrument. I actually need to 565 00:30:41,280 --> 00:30:43,200 Speaker 2: be put in a case like I need to actually be, 566 00:30:43,920 --> 00:30:47,600 Speaker 2: you know, like dusted off and restrung. 567 00:30:47,960 --> 00:30:50,240 Speaker 3: So I think I need to do. 568 00:30:50,280 --> 00:30:54,120 Speaker 5: That restrung, zipped up, but put in as long as 569 00:30:54,120 --> 00:30:55,440 Speaker 5: you can breathe. 570 00:30:55,680 --> 00:30:58,320 Speaker 2: Yes, absolutely, like I just need to put a new 571 00:30:58,360 --> 00:30:59,960 Speaker 2: bridge in every now and again. 572 00:31:00,040 --> 00:31:01,280 Speaker 3: And I really do. 573 00:31:02,200 --> 00:31:05,560 Speaker 2: Need to work with like the idea that I'm the instrument, 574 00:31:05,600 --> 00:31:09,760 Speaker 2: which I never regarded, so I have to do that more. 575 00:31:10,440 --> 00:31:12,440 Speaker 5: Margaret Show, It's so great to talk to you on 576 00:31:12,560 --> 00:31:15,800 Speaker 5: Taking a Walk. Thank you for this, congratulations on the music. 577 00:31:15,840 --> 00:31:19,200 Speaker 5: I'm so excited for you, and thanks for all you 578 00:31:19,680 --> 00:31:22,960 Speaker 5: give us, for your advocacy and from putting a smile 579 00:31:23,040 --> 00:31:25,720 Speaker 5: on our face and making us think and making us 580 00:31:25,800 --> 00:31:27,080 Speaker 5: danceing around with the music. 581 00:31:27,160 --> 00:31:27,920 Speaker 4: This is awesome. 582 00:31:28,480 --> 00:31:28,920 Speaker 3: Thank you. 583 00:31:30,400 --> 00:31:32,880 Speaker 6: Thanks for listening to this episode of the Taking a 584 00:31:32,920 --> 00:31:36,800 Speaker 6: Walk podcast. Share this and other episodes with your friends 585 00:31:36,880 --> 00:31:40,400 Speaker 6: and follow us so you never miss an episode. Taking 586 00:31:40,400 --> 00:31:44,320 Speaker 6: a Walk is available on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, 587 00:31:44,520 --> 00:31:46,800 Speaker 6: and wherever you get your podcasts.