Andy Frasco's World Saving Podcast - EP 68: Todd Barry (Comedian)

Episode Date: December 10, 2019

Andy kicks the show off solo-style recapping his weekend in Milwaukee (which is Algonquin for "The Good Land"). On the interview hour we welcome legendary comedian and "Third Conchord," Todd Barry! They exchange notes about life on the road, mutual friends in the comedy world, and Todd's love affair with the drums. Dolav shares his feelings about the LA Lakers. Andy closes the show with his dear friend and lawyer, Scott Long. It's EP 68, yo. Follow us on Instagram @worldsavingpodcast For more information on Andy Frasco, tour dates, the band and the blog, go to: AndyFrasco.com The views discussed on this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of the guests. Check out Andy's new album, "Change Of Pace" on iTunes and Spotify Follow the legendary "Third Conchord" himself, Todd Barry at: www.toddbarry.com Produced by Andy Frasco Joe Angelhow Chris Lorentz Audio mix by Chris Lorentz Featuring: Todd Glass Dolav Cohen Ahri Findling Arno Bakker 

Hey Andy, how you doing buddy? It's Todd Glass. Hey, no big deal or anything like that, of course. I saw you're having Todd Berry on the podcast, so... No, because I know you're doing like... And that's cool. And by the way, that's what I want my friends to hang out. It was like when you had Gary, I know you did Gary's special and you scored it. No, it's just,

it's funny for his special, you scored the whole thing. I couldn't even get, I mean, I shouldn't say, I couldn't get, you know, two of the UN to come to the lab in LA. They'd be like,

oh, I got my girl. But, now you're, I don't know, I think it's good for you and Gary Goldman. but now you're, I don't know. I'm, I'm, I think it's good for you. And, and, and, uh,

Gary Goldman. I'm proud of him and you, but now, Oh, now it's Todd Berry. Like you just go randomly going through, just hanging out at comedy club. And I,

I gotta go. I don't know how to end this bit Alright Another Week Alive people Andy Frasco's World Saving Podcast I'm Andy Frasco

How we doing? How's our heads? How's our hearts? How are dreams? Are we still Fucking shit up? I fucking hope so. Look at this week and be like, you know what?

I'm going to fuck this week. Just go deep in that shit. Fuck fist. Fist. Fist this week. Big old fist. I'm Andy Frasco. I don't know how that makes sense But if you fist fuck this week

I think it's important to fist fuck What's up? I'm in Milwaukee right now A fan asked me to do their wedding About a year ago When I was all fucked up And I'm like, yeah, I'll do it And I'm a man of my word

So here I am, Milwaukee We had a great time We played a club gig last night before the wedding. And I was like, oh, fuck. We never really played in Milwaukee. People showed up fucking wearing Afros and LeBron James Laker jerseys. It was just a fucking fun time. Shout out to Milwaukee.

I've been, you know, just walking the streets in my Laker gear and all these nice Midwestern people are like, well, don't you know Giannis is coming for you, King? I'm like, you guys are so sweet. I was in Denver last week and they're talking mad shit. But respect to Wisconsinians or Wisconsin people. Nice. It's in the cheese, I think. The niceness is in the cheese. But fuck. I was, it's crazy. I was, you know,

I was doing my pre-show ritual where I walk in circles. So I'm like, ah, fuck it. This is the first show in a couple weeks. I had this weird dream the night before. I flew into Milwaukee

two days ago, so Thursday. And I just had this weird dream the night before. I flew into Milwaukee two days ago, so Thursday, and I just had this weird dream that everyone thought I lost it. You know, like I had my, you know, you're losing it for asking, you know that saying, like just couldn't entertain a crowd and I just couldn't do it. And I woke up fucking feeling shitty. I'm like, damn, it's only been two weeks and why am I off? And I feel like a piece of shit.

So I went on a full-on Rocky training mode. I ran like five miles. I made set lists. I was fucking pumped up. And I'm going to show myself that I still fucking got it. And I felt like I rocked milwaukee it was tight but um i was doing my pre and it was like i had obstacles in my way because you know i was just trying to get a grab a beer before the uh for the show so i go across the street to go watch the

bucks game see how uh see hope the bucks just beat the shit out of the clippers and they did so shout out to giannis for that even though the Lakers are going to whoop that ass when we see you next week. So I'm like, all right, I'm going to go in there. And all of a sudden, boom, Frasco fucking pre-party. And they got pumped up. I came in there.

I felt like Bill Murray up in this bitch. And then, so it was like, you know, six o'clock, seven o'clock. I'm like, fucking four shots deep. Right away, 20 minutes, you you know ate a fucking bag of mushrooms and it's only defeated my purpose of training for the show um so i ate like a fat ass gyro to like kind of sober up before the show i was fucking i was a little drunk but um i stopped drinking for a couple hours and then I'm gonna fucking still prove these people

and I thought I gave them a good show so shout out to everyone who got me wasted at the frasca pre-party that I didn't know was happening so that was fucking tight and a shout out to the Bucks for whooping that Clipper ass but it's funny, you know, I was like I was having a little slump

I was like, all right, I'll go in here I was like feeling bad about myself and all of a sudden, boom know, I was like, I was having a little slump. I was like, all right, I'll go in here. I was like feeling bad about myself. And all of a sudden, boom. Right when I became present again, not overthinking in my fucking head, I walk into a party that's celebrating me. And, you know, not to sound narcissistic or anything, but it just pumped me up. And so I got to hang out with my fans and got a lot of podcast fans out there. Shout out to all the podcast fans. It was just a good experience. So thanks for pumping me

up, Milwaukee. But yeah, shout out. We got Todd Berry on the fucking show. Todd Glass, my comedian friend, getting jealous because all these comedians are coming on the show like we're getting Joe D'Apato on the show and me and Gary became pretty close and now we have Todd Berry who is super cool and Todd's getting jealous as you heard that voicemail, that's a real voicemail

so he's getting jealous I love it, it makes me happy but I'm getting jealous too so I miss my friends. But Todd Berry's on the show. I can't wait for you to hear this. It's going to be dope. I'm going to close early. We'll talk with my buddy Scott. He's my lawyer and venture capitalist, very smart dude, owns like 25 companies. He's this brilliant dude and we talk about life so we'll end with that and uh but we're gonna start with mr todd berry so ladies and gentlemen here we go

all right next up on the interview hour we got legendary comedian Todd Berry, killer, killer comedian from New York City. Just a legend. He's been on all, he writes, he does stand up. He did a stand up where he just did crowd work. And that's so hard. And that's so impressive. I can't wait for you to hear this interview. I would have Chris play music, but actually Chris play one of Chris, play one of his stand-ups. Hope you enjoy it. He's a good guy. He's friends with Gary Goldman and Todd Glass, and Todd's getting a little jealous

that I'm interviewing more comedians and shit. Well, tough fucking shit, Todd. You're not the only friend comedian I have. So hope you enjoy Todd Berry, and I will catch you on the tail end. Did a show in South Carolina. Guy came up to me after the show. He's like, hey, man, I got to ask you this question.

So I could already tell by his tone that I didn't want to hear or answer this question. He's like, I got to ask you this question. I was like, what's your question? He's like, can you become a millionaire doing comedy? Gotta ask you that. It's like, why would you have to ask me that? It's as if he's like, hey man, before I go writing a bunch of great jokes, getting a big Hollywood agent to book me on a world tour I gotta know that the payoff's gonna be at least one million dollars

Then I'd be like, I don't know, man First year in the business Maybe 700,000? But I could tell by the question that you're in it for the right reasons This is great, man I'm a musician I normally interview a lot of musicians the question that you're in it for the right reasons. Todd, this is great, man. I'm a musician. I normally interview a lot of musicians, but I just did a Gary Goldman special,

The Great Depression. I wrote all the music for that. Oh, you did? Yeah. Oh, wow. I didn't know that. Yeah, and then Todd Glass is a really close friend of mine. Yeah, I actually listened to your Todd Glass episode. Oh, cool, man. Maybe not the whole episode. It was pretty long. Yeah, we likes it. We like the Todd.

We're yentas up in here. He's a good, he's a talker. But Todd's great. What, what one, what decides you to do comedy? What's,

what was your first comedic moment as a kid growing up? What's actually coming up in a few days will be my 32nd anniversary of my first

open mic night. Well, how'd it go? It actually went really well. It was down in Florida. Did you grow up there? I grew up in New York, then I moved to Florida for like 15-ish years, and then I moved back up here. Why?

My dad was working for a company, the whole company moved to Florida, so. Yeah? Just transferred, so we just moved. What'd you think was funny in Florida? Funny? What were the moments? Like, when you first did your open mic, you're doing it, where was it at? I mean, I didn't do anything really related to where I lived, but, I mean, it was the

late 80s where there was, you know, the comedy boom of the late 80s. I don't know if you've heard. No, what is that about? You don't know? No. It's just when comedy exploded. And I mean, there was a time. Well, like club, like live comedy?

Yeah, there was pretty much before that in the, in the like 70s, there were very few comedy clubs. And then all of a sudden there became this comedy clubs everywhere and one nighters like a bar would have their comedy night on a Thursday. So you could work everywhere. I mean, in Florida, you could work seven weeks straight on the road just in Florida. Really? Kind of like Texas.

What's that? Kind of like Texas. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, so it was that time. So people were very, very excited about comedy and people would just go to a club to see comedy. They didn't necessarily know what the comic was. And so there was open mic nights where you could just call up and go,

I want to try it. Really? Yeah. You could just cold call that? Yeah. This was Florida. This wasn't like New York where there's 10,000 comedians. So you call up and they might put you on the next day or they might put you on the week so were you nervous yeah i was very nervous i just kind of like i used to watch the open mic and i

used to watch go to comedy clubs and used to watch the sort of quote unquote unknown comics on on like the on the talk shows like the tonight Show and Merv Griffin probably. I don't know if you remember him. So there are people like, I was aware of David Letterman before he had any TV show. And I remember seeing Michael Keaton used to do comedy.

So I would see these guys on TV and I never wanted to do comedy. But then I just got this urge to try it. And I called up and uh yeah the rest is the fucking balls though did you know you were funny or like did you like I always I mean I always thought I was pretty funny um but I didn't uh I never thought you know occasionally someone said you should be a comedian and I was like no I don't want to be I mean I was actually in bands I was a drummer.

Yeah, I want to talk about that too. But, that's a hard game, especially when, when you're not very good. You weren't that good of a drummer? No,

not at all. What type of music were you playing? We were sort of playing like, I mean, I was in a few bands, but I guess the one that did the best was this band, The Chant, and it was kind of a

jangly, psychedelic, you know, Rickenbacker 12 string kind of music. Do you ever take psychedelics? No, no, not at all. I mean, it wasn't really that psychedelic but it was more garagey

I would say. Okay, let's go there first. So, what did you love about the drums? I mean, I just thought, I guess, I mean, everyone loves the drums. Doesn't the singer always want to play the drums? I mean, I just thought, I guess, I mean, everyone loves the drums. Like, I feel like, doesn't the singer

always want to play the drums? Fuck yeah. Yeah, I mean, then you get to beat the shit out of something. But I, you know,

I never had, I took lessons, but I never had the, the discipline. And now I see, you know, I see drummers now and just like,

oh my God, it's just, I couldn't imagine doing what they're doing right there. Oh, I bet they do that with your joke. Yeah, they do. They probably do.

It is the thing where I think some people think, yeah, there's people who have jobs that I'm in awe of that would be like, I could never do what you do. What's the preparation like when you're doing a joke? Preparation? Yeah. Gary always talks about

writing it out. He's pretty, yeah, he's pretty, I think he's probably more disciplined than I am. But he has inspired me to try to be a little more methodical. And like next year I'm doing some bigger places and I'm trying to do a good set of jokes that weren't on my last special, which came out in 2017.

So how difficult is that? So like, Gary, how do we talk about this? Do you think comedians should make a special every year? Or do you think that's too over-saturated? I don't think there's any shoulds

because I feel like it's the only, no one tells an author that they should have a book out every year. No one tells a, I mean, bands can go six years without an album. And, you know. But what about this ADD generation?

Yeah, I mean, I think it's a, it's a, you always want to do new stuff because comedy is about surprise. But at the same time, I think that, you know,

if you're doing a special year just to do a special year, then it's probably, you're probably not doing good specials. Yeah. You know what I mean? Yeah, I mean,

same thing with music. Yeah, I mean, you could just say, I wrote a song today, but it might, It'd be shit. It might be a shit song

because you spent five minutes on it or something, but, yeah, so I think there, I obviously, I mean, I don't want to rip people off.

I don't want to be like going out there and doing jokes that I wrote six years ago. Although I can probably do that. And probably lately I've been doing a handful of jokes that are a few years old. And I don't think people care as much as, there's like a vocal minority of some guy will tweet like,

you know, you're ripping me off because I saw one of those jokes. I mean, you know know some people are insane but you gotta not think about them because most other people are enjoying it

yeah how do you not get in your own way when you're writing do you like is it kind of like when I'm making a record I try not to listen to any other music

not get inspired by anything is that the same process for you do you like to be inspired by everything I mean it is a pretty solitary thing

it's not like I'm, I mean, I can't help but be exposed to some comedy because I'm doing it every night. But, yeah,

I mean, it actually, I think it's good to watch other comedy as long as you're not influenced in like a, you know, a shitty stealing way.

But like, it is good to see someone go up there and go, oh, wow, look at, they're talking about this thing that I wouldn't think you could talk about.

Or there's opening with this joke that I'm surprised they would open with. It kind of lets you know what you can maybe open your mind to other experiences you've had that you can write about that you wouldn't think of writing about. I was watching

I performed with that you wouldn't think of writing about? Like, because I was watching, well, I was watching, I performed with Patton Oswalt, and it was Patton, it was Gary, it was Judd. And to see how everyone's watching from the back and laughing at shit that the audience does not laugh about. Do you feel like you over-criticize sets that aren't yours when you're in the audience? I mean, I'm sure I have a different standard than someone who doesn't think about comedy 24 hours a day.

What's your standard? I mean, I just have like, there's comedians, I mean, I'm not going to mention names, but who I think are bad. Talk that shit. No, I'm just kidding. I mean, I could go see a comic and they're terrible or I think they're terrible but the audience is laughing and I don't they don't need to know my opinion and it doesn't

really affect, I try not to get affected by people I mean I can shit talk but not into a microphone. Yeah, that's good. That's being recorded. But I forgot what your original, I mean, yeah, I guess you learn about comedy

and you learn what, you can sort of see how that's sort of been done a million times. So I might, you know, but that might because I know that it's been done a million times and the 20-year-olds in the audience don't know that. Yeah, what about like when you're trying to test out new bits? Like do you do

a lot of shows in the city just to test out stuff yeah i mean like lately um because like i said i'm trying to get a little more prolific i you know i always try to do new stuff at every show you know whether it's a headlining show that i'm being paid fairly well or like tonight i'm going to go to a bar show um and do it and then do a little comedy club a few blocks away from that so i mean i'm gonna the idea is to work on new stuff because if you're just if you just go up there and you do a set that you just just memorize i mean on one hand you want to entertain the people they it's not they don't necessarily want to watch you just flounder and just be like, work your shit out for 25 minutes.

But depending on the show, if it's a bar show and there's 12 people in the audience and they didn't pay to get in, then they're going to have to be the victims. Will you explain that philosophy between... Normally when you're doing these impromptu shows, are they, 10 minutes 20 minutes are they all different

um well I mean the book sets like at the comedy cell are between 10 and 15 minutes for the most part okay so let's go let's go with that

so how much of it is new material and how much is it is stuff that you're like that you're like brand new material and stuff you've been working on let's say for

half a year um I mean I half a year I would consider brand new material oh stuff you've been working on, let's say for half a year? I mean, half a year I would consider brand new material. Oh, yeah? Kind of, for me, yeah. I mean, my goal is even just with a 15-minute set is not to do anything from my special because I feel like if you can't do 15

without dipping into your year-and-a-half-old special. But then if the crowd is not great, and then I might have to, you know, because it's, I mean, you have to sort of get comfortable bombing, which is something I think all comics probably struggle with. But some are, I mean,

there are comics who go out there who are very famous, who will just go in a club and just eat it for 20 minutes because they're working stuff out. And that's... And that's cool? That's, yeah, I mean, yeah.

That's the way to do it, really. What about you? For you? I'm trying to get better at bombing, if that makes sense, which is a weird thing to say. But I just don't want to fall back on the safe. Yeah.

Oh, this joke that fucking kills 90% of the time. Well, like going back to, you want to do prolific stuff. So how are you going to, it's like you have to bomb a couple times to get it. Yeah, yeah, yeah. What was the worst bomb off something you thought was going to kill?

I don't know if I have specific jokes that I can remember that bombed. There's a moment of city. There's times though, this is a general kind of comment, but you can go to a city and a joke works every night in St. Louis

that doesn't work in New York. And no rhyme or reason to why. Does it bum you out? No, it's sort of fascinating to me. About what? The people? Just that audiences, they're such a weird,

I mean, there's times, like last night, I had a really good set. Pretty good set. I should say, really good set. you know,

in the past few days, I've had, at the same place, not as good sets. And you're just like, I'm doing the same thing. What's going on? The other night,

I was like, you know, walking out of there bummed out. And today, I did pretty much the same thing. And they were into it. How do you get out of that funkmed out. And today I did pretty much the same thing and they were into it. But how do you get out of that funk?

Oh, you just go do another show. But I mean, that's, I mean, that is always the risk. And also, um,

you know, like the same, you know, you could do two shows in one night and one is amazing and one is awful. And hopefully the awful one is first and then you can end the night. Yeah. Like, I'm curious about how you create a set because when like how you're flowing let's say i

don't think it's no different than how i create a set from song to song and building arcs and stuff so when you're going through that in your 20 minute or your 15 minutes do you try to take out put the new stuff in the front of the set? I do, yeah. I mean, that's the thing that I try to do and I try to tell people to. And I know, I think Gary doesn't agree with me on this,

but there's a lot of ways to do it. So we don't have to agree on everything. But I think if you can top load your set with the new stuff, because you kind of ride the wave of being introduced and you always know the other stuff that is probably going to work. You have that ready to go, locked and loaded.

So if you can get the new stuff out and it works, then it's very thrilling to as opposed to like, because what you can do sometimes if you try more tried and true stuff at the beginning, I mean, I've done this and I probably will still do this occasionally

but, because then you'll have this drop off where it's like, you're doing this tried and true stuff then you try this new thing and it's like this big dip,

which is fine. You just got to get comfortable with the dips and then you try to build it back up again as opposed to sort of easing into just, and sort of

naturally progressing into a successful set. I don't know if I just said anything right there. No, I totally agree. When you're making a special, do you take notes on what jokes are kind of killing? Oh, yeah, yeah. For the majority of the season? By the time you're making a special, you know which jokes are killing. And then there's always like a few,

like I never have, I'm always, even at this stage in my career, I still, I'm like, do I have enough material to do this show tonight?

Do I have enough material? Like I still, like I always have, I try to always have a clock on stage and I try not to look at it too much, but I just like to pace myself because I still am like I've never been

I don't think I've ever done a special where like I only need to do an hour and I have an hour and a half it's going to be tough cutting out

some great stuff because I just feel like I'm always just making the hour yeah and there's always towards the end of the

for me towards the as the deadline approaches where you're going to do a special the taping date there's like a last you're going to do a special, the taping date, there's like a last minute scramble

to do a little salvage to sort of make some shit happen. Yeah. You have those jokes that are sort of stragglers and you're like, I want to turn these into actual good jokes by. Any jokes where you thought,

hey, this is kind of like low hanging fruit and it killed? Oh yeah. I mean, you can, I mean, I can't, I mean, Ianging fruit and it killed? Oh, yeah. I mean, I can't... I'm not good at quoting myself, but... What was the hardest special for you to make so far in your career?

I mean, I haven't done a ton of them. They've all been pretty good. The thing with specials is that they... You know, it's, a crowd that shows up to a special is probably going to be a supportive crowd. Especially if you,

you know, have a hundred person guest list or something. And, you know, so a third of them will know you or whatever. But,

so, yeah, so I haven't had any, I mean, I'm always nervous, but I've never had one where I was like, oh man, this is,

I mean, I did this crowd work special, which is more. What's that? Oh, you don't know about that I mean, I'm always nervous, but I've never had one where I was like, oh man, this is, I mean, I did this crowd work special, which is more, what's that? Oh, you don't know about that? That's, uh,

it's probably one of the best things I've done. Tell me about it. Well, it's on, it was on Netflix and it was, um, it's on Amazon prime now. I,

I did seven city. Well, I've been doing this a lot, but I, I filmed a seven city tour where I didn't do any material. I just, I just winged it. Shut the fuck up.

I did crowd work. Okay. Uh, Gary, Judah, what's the, Judah does a lot of crowd work. Dude,

he killed, so what is your, what's your philosophy on crowd work? Like, what are you, who are you looking for? What are you trying to do? I,

I'd trade it more like, uh, I mean, I, I try not to just slam people and also I, but you should watch the special. I'm definitely going to.

If you have Amazon, I don't know. But they, I try to, I mean, I want, ideally I like someone who I can make fun of

who's into it because if I sense at all they're bummed out, I don't, I just retreat because I'm not interested in just having a conversation. You know,

because they did come to, no one came there really to talk to me. They came there to be in the audience and I understand that I'm breaking a barrier there.

Yeah. But, I mean, usually those shows are billed as crowd work shows when I do an all crowd work show, but I still, within my shows,

my headlining shows, I try not to do it when I'm doing like 20 minute sets because I I don't like to stir it kind of stirs up the crowd a little bit and no just because it's a different energy if you're insulting people like

or just interacting with actual audience members while you're on stage and I just don't like to create chaos in the room for the person going on after me. That's like comedy etiquette? Yeah, I guess so. I mean, it's not comedy etiquette that everyone follows, but it's my personal comedy etiquette.

Not that I'm going to just rip the room apart. I just don't, I don't know. I try to stick to the jokes when I, but if something happens or if I think of something, but yeah, but. It's exciting. It is, yeah. I try to stick to the jokes. But if something happens or if I think of something. It's exciting. It is, yeah. It's kind of like improv-ing.

It's kind of like doing a 10-minute solo. Yeah, I mean, yeah. The shows are really like... I'm actually more relaxed doing a show where I don't have anything planned. Was that due to laziness or just due to planning? You wanted to do a set like that. Oh, it was something I always kind of did in my act. And then I did a special on Comedy Central.

And I was like, oh, am I going to tour and do these jokes? That's the sort of thing we talked about at the beginning. Just like, oh, can I do these jokes that I did on a special? And I go, why, am I going to tour and do these jokes? That's sort of the thing we talked about at the beginning. Just like, oh, can I do these jokes that I did on a special? And I go,

why don't I do a crowd work tour? And it just kind of popped in my head. And then I was like, oh, why don't I actually do a crowd work tour? So I did it

and then was able to get some money to film it and then that's it. So what's the difference between like, let's say 2000s

specials when you're pitching it to networks to now, let's say comedy, or let's say 2000s specials when you're pitching it to networks to now, let's say comedy, or let's say Netflix or Amazon where you already have to

like kind of fund the project, right? And then pitch it? I mean, my last special, my Netflix special, a production company filmed it and paid for it

and gave me a certain amount of money and then shopped it around and sold it to Netflix. Okay. But then it was presented as a Netflix special. But there are specials that they directly book themselves. Okay.

But this was something they sort of acquired, but it wasn't like something that was seen anywhere else. How long will you tour the material until you feel like you're ready? I don't know. At just some point, I don't have like a time frame,

but I'm definitely, it takes me a long, I'm definitely slower than some comics because I mean my, some comics, you know, like a Bill Burr

or Marin or, you know, some people are just very, they're a little more long-winded than I am and I don't mean that as an insult. I mean like, Bill Burr, you know, some people are just very, they're a little more long-winded than I am and I don't mean that as an insult. I mean, like,

Bill Burr, you know, he could go to the store and something would happen and he can go on stage that night probably and do 10 minutes on it and it'll sound like

he spent all night writing it or whatever. Chappelle too? Yeah, Chappelle. Yeah, yeah. Chappelle's very prolific. Yeah, I like Chappelle. Any of those guys

give you advice on that kind of work? I mean, I've never gotten's very prolific. Yeah, I like Chappelle. Any of those guys give you advice on that kind of work? I mean, I've never gotten either of those two guys. Who's your go-to whenever you're feeling like you're a piece of shit? I mean, I have a handful of comics who I will confide in. Like, you know, who is... I got my old friend Tom Ryan, who's like, he lives in New York now,

but he's one of, I started in Florida with him, so I've known him for 32 years. So we have like a history of open mics. So he's someone I'll talk to, or like a Ted Alexandro, or sometimes probably Goldman I probably talk to. And yeah, I mean. What do they say to get you out of a rut? I've probably talked to. Yeah, I mean.

What do they say to get you out of a rut? I've never actually, I don't think that I've ever, I can't think of a time where I've called up a comic and said I'm in a rut. Who do you go to for that kind of stuff? I don't think I've ever called up. Really? Yeah, I don't think I've ever. I mean, I've had talk, general comedy talk

with all my friends, but. Is it hard to express yourself? I mean, I've had talk, general comedy talk with all my friends, but... Is it hard to express yourself? As you can see, it is. My cat's coming here. He's like, I talk to you. Yeah, it's hard, huh? Because I'm trying to work on this, too, because I live on the road.

I do 250 shows a year. Do you really? Wow. Yeah, so I'm on the road. Do you do all music, or do you do music and really? Wow. Yeah, so I'm on the road. Do you do all music or do you do music and comedy? Music and comedy, but I'm a musician. I grew up in LA. I'm obsessed with comedy

and I'm obsessed with how fucking, how lonely it is touring. Do you travel by yourself? Yeah, yeah, pretty much. So what's that like? It's pretty, I was talking about it yesterday with someone.

You don't bring an opener or nothing? I bring an opener. I brought an opener last weekend in Virginia. I brought someone in. And I usually try to bring an opener. But sometimes you go to a place and you might pick an opener you don't really know. You've sort of auditioned them with a youtube clip or something but you know like i went to hawaii and a few weeks ago and

is you know have you been hawaii yeah it's beautiful and uh the shows were good but it was still like you're kind of like i'm walking around hawaii i'm sitting there in a frozen yogurt shop in hawaii you know what mean? There's a little bit of like, part of me likes the loneliness, but then part of me is like, this is just lonely, it's just lonely. Yeah, like how do you get through those stages of depression? I don't know. I don't know.

Do you go out? Do you have friends on the road now? Yeah, I try not to. One thing I've always tried to avoid is just the sitting in the hotel room. You think that'll get you all angsty? That's just, I mean, I know people who just go on the road and they're like, yeah, I just watch Netflix all day.

And to me, it's like, I don't want to go to a city and not check out the city. I might not do an extensive tour of the place, but I want to see something. Like, no matter what it is there's something to find there's something good to be found in every city and totally or interesting because yeah it's so fascinating because you guys travel by yourself like if I'm having a shitty day do you travel with a band or I got a seven piece band oh so I got guys if I hate one guy I could go to the next yeah I guess that's a double-edged sword because you because you might have people in your face too much yeah and that's the thing too so So there's got to be a balance, right?

Yeah. I mean, I think that's why bands, I mean, that's why it's such a hard thing to keep it together because you're just, you know, seven people in a van, even if they could have been the best friends in the world, are going to not like each other.

Yeah, I mean, it's not even their fault. It's no bad guy necessarily. But yeah, I mean, it gets a little lonely, but I would, I mean, I thought of like, that's why I like doing festivals, because, you know, then you end up, a bunch of your friends are there from all over the country. What's your favorite one?

God, I've done a, I mean, I've done Sasquatch. Oh, that one's killed up in Washington? Yeah, and then they just did their newest festival, which is called Thing Festival, which is Sasquatch are not doing anymore. It's the same people

put on. Yeah, that's one of those things where you're just like, wow, I can't believe I'm part of this. I'm performing in this gorge and it's just beautiful.

I mean, I've done Montreal. I've done a bunch. It's just for last festival and then they have it in Toronto and that's really good. I mean, I've done a lot of festivals Melbourne Comedy Festival

in Australia is great yeah I've done a bunch it is halftime at the Andy Fresco interview hour he's talking shit about the game he's got a weird fucking name. It's Sports with Dolove.

Hello, everybody. Welcome to Dolove Sportscast. This week, we're going to be talking some NBA! Jam Band style. It's NBA Jam Band Fantasy League time, bitch! Yeah, baby! Season is in full swing. We're about six, seven weeks in. We got 16 teams, more than almost 20 guys and girls.

It's a huge fucking league. The group chat never fucking ends. Oh my God. Fucking basketball chatter all day. They're just blowing my phone up. They're addicted. They're fucking dicks. Kaboom!

Jake and Eric's team just jiving. Crushing in first place. Jack Brown from Sophisticfuck is in second place. He's just talking shit. Lil Homie Taz in third place, holding it down. 5-1 record. Respect. Respect.

But me and Tara, we're coming up. Fucking killing it. We beat Andy. That's right, Andy. I took your ass down last week because you are fucking trash. Fuck all the fucking homies. It's all love. It's all love.

But fuck you, Andy. You're fucking stupid Lakers. Be my jazz tonight. God damn you, motherfucker. It's my fucking time to shine because the Jazz are struggling. I need something to look forward to. Fuck all you.

Fuck you, Andy. Fuck every fucking Laker fan out there. You motherfuckers! It's Sports with Dolan! Boom shakalaka! Woo-hoo!

Would you do a residency? Could you do that? Like at a comedy club? Yeah, like a comedy club for a year. Oh, really, Simi? That's my worst nightmare. Yeah? Or what about residency anywhere? I mean, if I could do like, you know, I mean, I kind of do a residency at a lot of the New York clubs because I do, you know, 100 shows a year at them or 200 or whatever. But as far as like I'm at this one theater for, yeah, I mean, I've done that a little bit, like in Melbourne Comedy Festival,

it was about a month, and Edinburgh I've done. You did the French? Yeah. How was that? I've done it twice. It's not, it ain't an easy festival.

It's a little. Yeah, Hannibal did a documentary about the French Festival. Yeah. And like, it's not easy. What, what isn't easy about it?

Well, you just, especially if you've done comedy a while, and then, you know, like, even some of the not that glamorous gigs, you get a hotel room

and might be a courtyard by Marriott or something and it's fine, you know, it's clean and the bed's nice

and there's outlets but then you just go to Edinburgh and you have to find a flat and, I mean, the first time

I had a roommate, people go there who are like very successful and get roommates because they'll lose money if they don't have a roommate.

So it's just great. And there's like, I think there's literally like 1,500 acts. What made you want to do it? Did your agent give it to you? Oh, I mean, Edinburgh was just a,

you know, it's kind of sort of, there's an allure to it. You know, it is a famous festival. And then you do it and then you kind of like, I did it.

I took seven years off between doing it because I think that's how long it took me to recover. But there's also like critics and just shit that you don't usually, you know, there's very few reviews of comedy in the States.

Whereas if I go to London and I do like the Soho Theater, even though it's like 100 seat plays, 130 seat plays, you know, the Times is there, maybe the Evening Standard and you're just like, God. Why do you think that is?

Because they hold American comedy in such high? I think they review all is there, maybe the Evening Standard, and you're just like, God. Why do you think that is? Because they hold American comedy in such high... I think they review all comedy there, but it's just more of a review culture, I guess. And Edinburgh, you know, then there's like the guy who does the real estate listings, they let him review comedy or something. You know, it's just like suddenly they need 100 comedy critics.

So all of these people are like, oh, go watch shows. Okay, you're a comedy critic. And they don't necessarily know what they're talking about. And then you get, and I remember I got very caught up

with reviews and just like waking up and like shaking as I'm looking at the laptop. No shit. Yeah, and then, you know, then a year later,

you're like, why was I so worried about the guy who wrote for like a paper that we give out on the subway or something? Yeah. Why do you think that is?

Why do you think? I think it is probably because I'm not used to it. Yeah. And if someone's writing about you, I mean, I admire someone. There are those people like I don't read any of my reviews. And God bless them. What about for a special? Do you read all those?

I don't get, I don't think my specials have been, I mean, my crowd work tour got reviewed. And, you know, I got a good review on the AV Club. But, my specials haven't gotten tons of reviews.

Yeah. Do you think that's for the better? For your mind? I mean, yeah. I mean, if. I mean, if I knew I was going to get 20 glowing reviews, I'd say,

sure, let's bring on the reviews. But I don't want to be like, every day, like, I mean, I don't know. I guess it's kind of exciting because I have gotten good reviews having said all this. What are the differences

between European crowds and American crowds? I mean, I just did a European tour maybe, I don't know, when did I do it?

Six months ago, eight months ago? How'd it go? It was good. It was really good. Like, I mean, I find,

especially if you get your crowd, you know, if it's not, like, if it's a comedy club where in the States or something, a chain where like

a hundred people got in free because they got an email list or something then that's gonna be dicey perhaps but if you get if you get like a distilled group of your fans then they're there to like you and they like you already so and also the crowds are very I found them very polite and and they were

willing to, because you always, as a comedian, you struggle with the references and things that they might not know. Just the way they say things differently, we say things differently. So you kind of sweat that a little bit. But even then, I found I could just talk them through it.

Just say, hey, do you guys have this store here okay you don't well it's like do you have what kind of store do you have a store that where there's like a pharmacy and they sell shampoo also and then they'll go okay well think of that store while i tell you this joke about cvs okay so it's basically pacing it yeah yeah just kind of like, yeah, just, right, and, and then it's usually fine. They're very happy that you're there, you know? Yeah. What's your dream?

Like, what's like, to feel, for you to feel like your psyche is full on and kill mode, what type of venue, what size theater? Oh,

I mean, Todd's all about that, the lighting in the room. Yeah, yeah, Todd, I actually did a club where Todd was like, I told him how to set the room up.

Tell him you want the room set up the way I did it. So I just go on. I just told my agent. Does that matter in comedy? Yeah, it does. Especially if you, because I've been playing for the past few years, I've been playing a lot of music venues,

just doing one night in a city. And they just, you know, they're sometimes they're just things you need to know about comedy. Like, I mean, sometimes you go to these rock clubs and the stage is nine feet in the air and you're like, I mean, I'll, I can do this, but it's not going to be like being basically on the floor with them. Yeah. So, and there's things like that.

And just like, you know, sometimes you'll show up and the chairs will be 40 feet from the stage get them up front so when a stage is that high do you tell them let's do it on a platform I mean sometimes I can't always or I don't always find out

the ceiling height of the club I'm playing at so sometimes you're just like, all right, I'm going to take a chance with this. But I mean, an ideal comedy club is low ceilings,

you know, low stage for me anyway. I mean, I think a lot of people would agree with that. Like, and I think.

Have you done any stadiums? I've done, I've done some arenas. What was that like? I did Madison Square Garden. I opened for Louis. I mean, I opened for someone. It's very surreal.

I did a few of these oddball festival shows that were like Jones Beach and some other amphitheater. I forgot. Did you bomb? Did you kill? What happened? Oh, I did fine, but it's a different set of...

It's just a different set of, like, you know, these oddball festival ones, they were in arenas and I went on early, like it was still light out. So you kind of just have to, you can't be like,

it's not a thing like, if I do a show and there's a hundred people there, then I don't want cell phones used and anything. But if there's 7,000 people, I'm not going to be like, hey, put that beach ball down.

Hey, quit throwing that frisbee hey you know I mean you're just kind of like alright and you kind of just look around and you play to who's listening and it's kind of a different vibe

is it a lot of talking do you hear a lot of talking in those big old actually you hear less talking in those because they're so far away from you yeah

but and yeah so there's definitely talking going on with people I think when they're when they're outside they're just

they don't feel like they're at a show necessarily. What do you like better? Do you like writing, like screenwriting, or do you like live? Well, I mean, I don't have a real history of being a screenwriter. I have written a screenplay that I'm trying to get going.

What's it about? Oh, I don't want to talk about it. Not to be precious about it. Is that harder though oh yeah it's way harder why explain um

cause like a joke I could you know it's it's it's right there in front of you and you can

it could be a paragraph or two paragraphs and you're like that's it and I know that that's good or that's not good whereas if you're writing

a story you're just like oh man what happened on page 13 that I need to know that's good or that's not good. Whereas if you're writing a story, you're just like, oh man, what happened on page 13 that I need to know about when I'm writing on page 95? And just kind of, it's writing a long story. It's like, I don't know how people write novels. That seems unbelievable to me.

Yeah, like to keep a consistent theme going. Yeah, just to have a, yeah, just to propel it as a story and not just have it be a mess. Yeah. Do you ever... 2019, is it hard to be a comic in 2019 or is that all bullshit?

Oh, you mean you're talking about PC stuff? Anything. Just like how society sees comedians and how people live on the road and stuff. I mean, I think a lot of that is... No, I don't think it's harder to be a comedian. No. No.

That's what Todd says, too, about adapting to the times that we're in. And also, I don't think Todd or I are doing things that are really affected by it. I mean, I'm not doing a bro-y act or a racist act or anything that can even be construed. But I mean, the thing is that with that,

some of that is, I mean, there are people who truly don't understand jokes. And I wish they weren't complaining when they truly don't understand jokes. Do you ever had any openers who totally destroyed your crowd because they were being too bro-y or too...

Yeah, I mean, I have had... That's why I try to, that's why, I mean, I try to almost always bring someone who I know, because that's, Any horror stories? Yeah, I mean, there's just,

Like what? Just, you just get a, you know, I, I mean, I followed a guy in, in,

in Pennsylvania. We'll just say it's in Pennsylvania. And, who they just, the club, the guy just we hired this guy he came

did a guest audition he really killed it and he was dreadful I mean I follow guys who tell like street jokes like you know

what are street jokes street jokes like a guy you know a preacher and a rabbi walk into a bar like jokes that are joke book jokes

like that they didn't write. And then tell them, and then people come and go, you were so much better than the guy who had lined. And just like that kind of shit. I mean, I don't deal with that much anymore because I try to control everything. You screen it.

You try to control. So you are a control freak. I don't like that term, control freak. I don't think I'm a, I mean, I know it's just an expression, but I don't think me choosing my opening acts so I can have a good show makes me a freak. You know't think I'm a... I know it's just an expression, but I don't think me choosing my opening act so I can have a good show makes me a freak. You know what I mean?

But I know it's just an expression. Yeah, so... I think Todd is the same way and Gary is the same way. If you can control from the minute they park until the minute they leave, there's no problem.

That's part of your show. Right, right. So like, fuck that guy with the fucking street jokes. Yeah, yeah. I mean, well, that's the thing

is like if you do, that's what I try to avoid. I mean, also, that's something that happens to you. The more credits you get and the more well-known you get, the more say you have.

Like, there's some people who are just like, yeah, we booked an opener already. They booked the opener without knowing who was going to headline. Then they don't think of matching them in anything. But at the same time, you can also

I found myself following people who are like, I didn't think I'd be able to follow. Just like an actor that does music or something and stuff like that. The audience gets a little more excited about. You ever have to headline someone

and they're opening and it was just straight crush mode and just killing, killing, killing and you ever feel like you lose? Oh, I mean, if I had trouble following someone, is that what you're asking me? Yeah, I'm sure I have.

Yeah, I mean, that can happen. But on one hand, I think anyone can follow anyone. Explain that. Well, I follow people who do big musical acts, who end with a big musical number, which is something I would never want my opening act to do. And then I go up there and I'm like,

oh, this is going to be a disaster. And then they're just on board. If the audience is on board then you really I think you know a better audience doesn't doesn't care who follows who as much as it's less likely that you're gonna get you know blown off the stage I mean that's why I like at the comedy

cellar I love going on after like, Chris Rock drops in. Like, you think, like, I don't want to follow Chris Rock, it's the best.

Why? Because they're just exciting if you just... Do anything. Yeah, you say anything, you reference it at any point,

or, you know, just, yeah, they're pumped, they're just in a good mood, and it's not like, you know,

I wouldn't want to follow them in like, the Beacon Theater or something, but. Do you look for, who do you like, who are the guys you look up to

nowadays? Well, I mean, there's a bunch. do you know Doug Stanhope? Oh, Doug's great. Yeah.

Like, he's the guy, when he comes to town, I'll actually go and see him and sit in the audience. I mean, I don't pay. He gets me in, but let's not go crazy.

But, yeah. What do you like about Doug? He's just fascinating. Like, he just, like, talks about shit like I would never talk about. And just super dark and really, I just feel, you know, he's one of those guys I watch and I go, God, I'm kind of,

what I do is kind of shit compared to what he does. Yeah, he's one of those guys I watch and I go, God, I'm kind of, what I do is kind of shit compared to what he does. Really? Yeah, he's just like, I feel like he really goes for it and I, I don't know.

I don't know that I play it safe but I think my act is a safer, quote unquote, act. Who else? Maria Bamford is great. Do you know Maria?

I just played with her. That was, she was on the Apatow thing too. Yeah, she's unbelievable. Oh my God. She's like, that's like otherworldly kind of talent. She talks a the Apatow thing too. Yeah, she's unbelievable. That's like otherworldly

kind of talent. She talks a lot about her mental health and stuff. Is that a thing in comedies? Mental health and how everyone is afraid to express how they feel and suicidal? I don't know. I think a lot of... I don't know a lot of...

I mean, I know a lot of comics who go to therapy, so I don't know. I think a lot of, I don't know. I don't know a lot of, I mean, I know a lot of comics who go to therapy, so I don't know that we're, I haven't met a lot of comics who like, I would never go to a therapist. Yeah. They're pretty open to doing it. And I think. Why do you think they're pretty more open than musicians?

Oh, or musicians? Oh, they're scared to do it. Um, maybe, I don't know. Maybe because they like,

because it's a talking thing. And, um, I don't know maybe because they like because it's a talking thing and I don't know I mean comedians they have you ever done therapy? yeah yeah do you like it?

yeah for the most part I do sometimes I feel like I'm spinning my wheels but what you don't have to talk about no

but I mean you just go in there and sometimes you feel like I don't have anything today doc and No, no. But I mean, you just go in there and sometimes you feel like, I don't have anything today. Doc. And then... He needs to spend $200. Yeah, yeah.

But I didn't know that musicians weren't open to therapy. I don't know. I guess maybe we were analytical people and we analyze things, so we want help analyzing our own shit. Do you regret anything in your life? Oh, my God.

That's a heavy question. Yeah, I mean, I'm sure I do. I don't know what I'm going to talk about that I regret. Like, do you regret being a comedian? Oh, no. I've got a cat literally

trying to answer it for you. Yeah, answer it, take that one. No, I don't regret being a comedian. No. I mean, I could quit. You feel like you could really quit?

No, I could. I mean, I have the right to quit. No one's forcing me to be a comedian. But, I mean, yeah,

it would be hard to, I don't know what I would do. What would, what's something else you're interested in? I mean, I truly, if I could reinvent myself, I would do. What would something else you're interested in? I mean, I truly, if I could reinvent myself, I would be a good musician. Really?

Yeah, I feel like the ultimate job is like a songwriter to me. Why? Explain that. Because I feel like someone like, you know, someone like an Elvis Costello or something, he can be funny, he can be funny. He could be dead serious. You can do whatever you want. You can play a tour where you're just by yourself.

You could do a tour with an orchestra. I don't know. It just seems like there's a lot more flexibility and more outlets. You don't think you could do that? I guess I could do comedy with an orchestra, but I wouldn't be able to. Fred does it? Fred. Armisen?

Armisen, yeah. He did that whole doc on the drums. Yeah, but I don't know if he tours with a full band. Maybe he does, but some of that is just... Is it logistically hard to tour with a band? Yeah, that would be... Because sometimes I've done shows with music venues with bands, and I've done them by myself, and I sometimes know what I make,

and I'm like, oh man, if I had five people and a guitar tech and a road manager to pay, you know. You'd be pissed. Yeah, I'd be like, oh, this would definitely cut into what I'm making.

Yeah. Whereas I, as opposed to getting everything. That's only, that's kind of the beauty, that's the same thing with me. My dream is to be a solo act and have no responsibility.

Yeah. Just go up there. So you never tour solo? I would love to. You never do though? Never. So your seven piece band does 250 dates a year also?

Yeah. Jesus. Yeah, because I feel like, you know, it's like the same thing when you're stand up. You're by yourself.

Like if I bomb on a joke, I'm like, all right, let's play a fucking song. Right. You have to figure out a way to get the crowd back involved. I mean,

that is the thing about the times that I've played music. It's just, I like, it'd be great to look out at an audience that's looking at you without having to be talking the whole fucking time. Yeah, I bet. Because it's hard to focus on them just enjoying you if you just have to be on your chatter there. Yeah, totally. And especially being present in that moment

where maybe you want to switch it up and play something that the crowds might vibe. All right, one last thing. By the way, thanks for doing this. It really means a lot. If you could tell young Padawan Todd in Florida learning how to be a comedian,

what you know now, what advice would you give him? I mean, just don't worry so much, man. I mean, I guess probably you worry. I mean, I still worry about them. I guess everyone worries about their career,

but I'm trying to think of what I would tell them. What were you worrying about back then? I don't know. I mean, maybe I don't. Maybe I want to retract what I just said. Okay. But I mean, I think I would be also just, I would say chill out a little bit

Like Cause I mean There were probably people Who I was annoying to About what though? Like bookers or something Oh okay But at the same time

Were you booking yourself? And when I first started But that was But you deal with you know Whoever's booking a club Or whatever So it was that kind of situation Um

I mean Any club owners give you advice back then? I heard a lot about the comedy store girl. Mitzi? Mitzi? Yeah, I've never met her. You have anyone like that in your life? I'm trying to think.

I'm sure I've gotten... I mean, I sort of... I think I've been lucky in that I haven't had people. I kind of don't want to've been lucky in that I haven't had people, I don't want to, I kind of don't want to hear someone's fucking dumb opinion, but I'm not saying she didn't have, that she had a dumb opinion. I don't know her,

but I mean, yeah, I never had anyone. I mean, I think some people, I'm trying to think if I've had anyone. I don't know. I've always,

I think what's kept me going is I've always felt that comics like me yeah I mean I'm sure there's plenty that don't but I also feel like there's a good amount

that do and they're the good ones for the most part I mean not cause of that but because do you care more if comedians like you than fans? no I can't say I compare

I care more but I compare I care more but I mean I'm always flattered like uh like where was I just in Richmond Virginia

and like at the end of the night I'm selling my merch or whatever and there's like seven people gather around

like oh we're all comedians we came to see you tonight that's the shit yeah that's really cool that I like

that's what Gary always talks about he's a comedians comedian yeah I mean I like I like comedians what do you talks about. He's a comedian's comedian. Yeah. I mean, I, I like, I like comedians.

What do you like about comedians? I mean, I don't know. I just have a, I mean, just have a soft spot for them just because we're all, we're all in this together. Yeah. Kind of.

And you're kind of basically doing it alone. Yeah. That's kind of like, it's like, kind of like you're like sailors. Yeah. In a boat. It's fucked up.

I appreciate the hell out of you making people laugh while you go through that lonely career, man. It's really honorable. I think you're a fucking good guy. Thank you so much for being on the show. I appreciate you so much, man. Todd, any tour dates?

I got a bunch of tour dates coming up. If you go to ToddBarry.com and click on shows, you can see them and scroll because it's a scrolling thing. So scroll and maybe your city will be there. One last, are you genuinely happy? Genuinely? Oh, God, I don't know. That's a good question.

Maybe not. I might not be. I don't know. But that's too heavy for this topic. We'll talk about that next time. Let's be friends first. Can't drop that. I don't know. But that's too heavy for this topic. We'll talk about that next time. Let's be friends first. Can't drop that. All right, Todd.

Thanks for being on the show, bro. Hey, guys. It's Andy. How we doing? I want you to listen to this song right now by John Craigie. The song's called Manifesto. It's about just doing art for the reasons why we do art. So for all you inspiring comedians, musicians,

dream catchers out there, listen to these lyrics and I think you'll relate with them as much as I do and all my artist friends do. Enjoy. Let's get one thing straight.

Bob Dylan never played here. Joni Mitchell never sang here. Dr. King never preached here This is a new stage This is a new space And even if they had What would it matter anyway? Cause the ghosts of the past Cannot bring me any luck

All that matters is tonight All that matters is tonight And tonight All that matters Is whether or not I suck Cause it doesn't matter I suck. Because it doesn't matter all the hype you heard,

or the fact that you may or may not have heard any hype. It doesn't matter what record label I'm on, or the fact that I may or may not be on a record label at all. It doesn't matter what the papers said. Or the fact that the papers may have been defeated. And it doesn't matter what Twitter said. Because the revolution will not be tweeted. All that matters is right here.

All that matters is right now. All that matters is right now. All that matters is right here. And I might be sleeping on your couch tonight. I'm not sure if they told you yet. I know you want me to be more famous than that. All but fame ain't got nothing to do with it. Because I'd rather sleep on your couch and eat your cookies than sleep alone in some hotel room and not have any cookies at all. I came here to meet you. I came here to meet you. So let's get one thing straight.

Bob Dylan never played here. Leonard Cohen never sang here. Woody Guthrie never preached here. This is a new stage. This is a new scene. And if my generation's gonna make any impact at all there's one thing we need to believe we need to believe that the songs that we write can be better than the songs that were written by the legends of our past we need to believe that the music that we make has the potential

to be better than the music that was made by the legends of our past. Otherwise, what's the point? And I hope it's okay that I said that. I hope the older generation ain't pissed

It's just that I want a summer of love too I want a renaissance I want ours to be the best I know it sounds conceited as hell I know it sounds like blasphemy To say we could be better than the Beatles And Dylan and Beethoven Oh, I'm not saying that it's me

All I'm saying, I'm not saying that it's me. All I'm saying is I'm trying. Me and my friends, we are trying. Every night, we are trying. Thanks for coming and watching me try. I got a special guest. We are actually in Salt Lake City, Utah. I'm on a Laker tour with my buddy Scott Long.

He was my lawyer in Kansas City. We became friends. I call him the rock and roll lawyer because his guy is a businessman, and he's got fucking tats. He's tight as shit. He's the man. Scott, welcome to the show. Scott, how we doing, buddy doing buddy awesome andy great to be here i love the introduction no problem man you wouldn't get a introduction like that in the courtroom i hope uh give it up for scott

fucking log my lawyer no but uh i really want to brought you on the show well because you're the reason why i cleaned up. You and Dave's schools are the reasons why I got off the blow and the hose and stuff for the time being and cleaned me up. But I want to thank you for that, by the way. Oh, you were on your way. We just nudged you. Yeah, I know. I'm working out now.

I'm buff. So thank you, buddy. I want to talk about diversifying your dreams. Because at first, you know, like, why are we having a lawyer on the show? Like, no, I'm not getting arrested, people. We're just going to talk about how, because you started as a lawyer. But now, as I get to know you, I mean, you're pretty much a venture capitalist. Yeah, I'm making a transition from having to uh do the hourly grind

into spending more time just managing some investments in some business that i've gotten involved in so like what about when you're what's that mind state like like do we do we why why do we always feel like we have to put our eggs all in one basket you know it's uh it's a progression i mean you gotta you gotta live in the moment, certainly, but you got to think about the future, too. And everybody preaches now these days, be present. That's wonderful in certain respects, but you can't always live in the present

because if you're going to be around tomorrow, you got to think about that, too. So, I mean, and that just means saving money and investing it and planning for the future did you ever think you were gonna do this like was the long game invest like what you said you have like your you said your tax thing is like 500 pages because you're working in so many different yeah last year i filed returns and i think in 28 different states. Wow. So when you find a good idea, what do you feel? For me, it's about the people.

There are a lot of great ideas out there, but execution is really tough. And you've got to get talented people, people who are smarter than I am, running these businesses so I don't have to work so hard. Yeah, because it's important because when you're investing money Into all these different projects Some of them are going to fuck up Or some of them are going to bomb So like how do you When you're investing your money And you're investing

Let's say your life Or say you have this You made some extra money from your career Or whatever If you can And you're picking the right guys You're putting your investments in all these different portfolios i guess per se when one of them fucks up how do you feel about that well

you're not going to win them all you know the idea is to have enough diversity in your investments so that when when one goes south you got one going north. And the dream is to make money without working, right? And so to do that, you've got to have enough different ideas percolating at the same time that you don't have to rely on one. And if you take a hit, you get up, you dust yourself off, and you move on. Is that life,? That is life. Like what, what's your, what's your philosophy on life? Well, that's a, that's a, that's a long answer, but with regard to what we're talking about here, philosophy in life has got to be, you know, enjoy it, do what you need to do to, uh, to have some time for yourself, surround yourself with positive people, give yourself opportunities to grow and

learn as a person, whether it be through travel or picking up a different language or doing something productive. Don't get in a rut. And everybody does. But when you do, recognize it, change it. Yeah. Well, why do you feel like we have to work so much? Well, people are motivated by different things. People have different level of materialism that is going to satisfy their need for stuff. Yeah. And the more you can reduce that, of course,

the less maintenance your life is going to be. So why do we put all this clutter into our life? Why don't we just go into the stuff that makes us happy and makes us like what we want to do? Why do we fill our life with people that don't inspire us and things that don't inspire us anymore? People that aren't worthy of our admiration? Yeah. Yeah. I mean, that's the culture that we're in now

with social media and all that. Explain that. Well, all the shit that we're exposed to. I mean, you open up Instagram, it looks like everybody has an amazing life. But that's not the case. I mean, they're taking snapshots and they're running it through filters

and they're making shit up and putting it in your face and making you think it's real. I know. And so people try to compete or they try to maintain or they evaluate their own lives critically based on the bullshit that they're seeing through social media.

Do you see yourself doing that sometimes? Not so much. I mean, social media is not a big part of my life. Just in relationships? I used to. You know, I used to. When I was younger, I was competing and I wanted to have the nice car and the nice clothes and the nice house. And I'll tell you, something that was really satisfying to me was selling the big suburban house and moving into a place that was kind of a fifth of the size downtown.

Yeah. And getting rid of all my furniture and all my shit. Your downtown place is a fifth of the size of your suburban place? My first downtown place is a fifth of the size of your suburban place my first downtown holy fuck okay okay big guy um that's it it's it's insane to me that this keeping up with the joneses mentality why it is that them it's is that what's ruining the american dream it sure makes it tougher i mean who are the people that have the most followers on Twitter and Instagram? I mean, the Kardashians. I mean, are they role models? I mean, do people want to

be like them? I mean, I don't, but, uh, there's, uh, millions of people who follow them and, and admire them and keep track of their every move and want to wear what they wear and do what they do. I don't get it either. I mean, it doesn't make any sense to me. When you were a kid, who inspired you? Well, I mean, this is really cliche, but in a lot of respects, my mom did. Yeah? I was raised by a single mom, and she was a really hard worker. She wasn't the perfect mom by any means.

I mean, she had her issues. But we went through some tough times, but she always put food on the table, and she always busted her ass. Did you grow up poor? Yeah, I did. I mean, not poor, poor, not like where's our next meal coming from, but probably upper, lower class in terms of income. And so just watching her put it together, you know, she was inspirational and gave me the work ethic that I have. Do you think work ethic is something you teach?

Or is it something in you? Because we had this conversation about the kids now. Yeah. Why aren't they working as hard? Or are they working as hard? It's just not enough opportunity. Well, there's opportunity out there. It's different.

I think it is tougher to find kids that grew up with a good work ethic. I think the way kids are growing up these days are a little bit sheltered from difficulties of life. I think parents have taken on more of a role as a protector rather than a teacher. And you can only do that for so long because you can't protect your kids from the world forever. You can't protect your kids from the world forever. There's a lot of hard lessons that have to be learned. That's part of life. That's not necessarily bad. It's just part of the life experience. Yeah, because I'm trying to figure out why I work so much. Why am I so addicted?

We were just talking about this right before we recorded this. We fill our time with so much things to do. Is it because we enjoy that? Well, you are a fucking ADD. And the moment you have free time, you find something to do to fill it. Yeah. And so, I mean, that's pressures that you put on yourself. And I think you're driving yourself to succeed.

I mean, you've got so much shit going on. I don't know how you keep everything going. to succeed i mean you've got so much shit going on i don't know how you keep everything going i mean look who's talking mr 32 fucking businesses and shit but i've got help you know i've got help doing this stuff yeah and uh you're running so many of these things on your own yeah and uh that's different i mean traveling on this trip with you you don't have any downtime you don't just sit and relax and And you're always, you're on social media, you're putting something together, you're designing the next poster, the next t-shirt, you're talking to your agents, you know, you just have a hell of a lot going on.

So do you think that's gonna, the demise of me? Do you think I need to slow down? Scott, I mean, you've done this life, life you know not you but you you've worked hard you've overworked do you regret overworking sometimes you know you build your empire so that you get to a point where you can enjoy it when where you can back off time wise and i'm there you know i travel a lot yeah and and i travel a lot for fun too now i'm working i mean how do you detach these days? The only time I've really detached in the last couple of years was in Mongolia. Yeah. When you had no cell phone. Had no choice. What about back when we didn't have a way to connect all the time? Did you,

was it easier to detach like in the nineties and the eighties? Oh, absolutely. It was, you know, but I, my law school graduation present, uh, one of them was a cell phone. One of those big old bag phones. It was. Big old. Yeah, dude. Damn. So, yeah.

So, there hasn't been that many years, you know, and the internet was around a few years later. And so, there wasn't that much time that I had to experience. You know, hell, when I got out of school, people were still smoking cigars in conference rooms and harassing their paralegals and drinking martinis in their offices. Yeah, I mean, it was crazy. And no one said anything. No, I mean, it was just part of it. Yeah.

I mean, I watched that evolution. It was actually pretty cool. Yeah, just to see what people are growing. Do you think it's technology that's making us ADD? Oh, absolutely it is. I mean, there's so so much we can access so much on our phone i mean uh do you think we're smarter because of it or dumber because we're lying it's like it's like uh we're like cyborgs yeah i don't have to know it because it's on my phone i mean

how many phone numbers do you have memorized i i mean fuck i used to, I mean, two? Right. I mean, phone numbers that you memorized in the 90s. Oh, God, I bet I had 20, 30 phone numbers memorized. Jesus Christ. Yeah. So what do you think, so do you think that's it? That technology is making us lazy? I think technology is making us not have to work as hard as we worked in the past, which might be contributing to how do you find people

who work hard? I mean, the work ethic of the past generations is really, it's gone. And not for everybody, of course. What do you mean? Like newer generations work ethic is it's a lot? It's a lot less. It's a lot less. Yeah. And, you know, going out on a limb, I mean, at least my experience is that people aren't as motivated by money as they used to be. And they're more motivated by wanting to have experiences, wanting to have time off. And that's awesome. You know, that's great. Who was it that said greed is good? And that's true to a point. I mean, we want our economy to be strong and we want new ideas to be developed. And there's going to have to be a market or that's going to stop, but that's not going to happen anytime soon. Not in our lifetime. What's the biggest regret you've ever had in your life?

This sounds sappy, but, uh, you know, I've been through a number of, of relationships and I think a lot of them have ended because of me, because of my expectations were unreasonable, you know, and I've been hard on people in my life, trying to get them to live up to the expectations that I set for myself. And that's not fair. Expectations will kill a man. Yeah. And, and you know what, how I want to, what I want to achieve and what I want to make of my life is, is my deal. But trying to impose those same standards on other people isn't fair. And I've done that. And you felt like you've lost good women because of that?

Yeah. And I probably was too hard on my kids at certain points in time. Yeah. Um, and I've tried to rectify that, but, um, how hard is it to fucking be a parent?

Yeah. It's not easy. Yeah. You know, the idea of having kids and popping out people who are going to be like you and be your best friends and want to do what you do. And yeah, that happens. But I think it's pretty rare. And so I had that expectation. What expectation?

Well, that my kids were going to be um you yeah more more like me and you know i was raised without a dad yeah and so my lessons and how to be a father were just kind of on the fly in it yeah i mean i had some i had some role models in my life some good male role models but i didn't have a dad who was a role model yeah and so i had to try to figure that fuck you up no well fuck i don't know you tell me maybe you did but like seriously like i don't know like when i think of role models i think you know like i look at you know sports athletes i look at my parents i look at musicians who are doing full potential. But I wonder if I'm a role model. Well, you are a role model. Anybody who's in the public eye who

people want to see, want to pay to see in particular, I mean, they're a role model. But think about it. I mean, LeBron James, fantastic basketball player. Appears like he has a good family life and that he's a good dad. Now, those are all certain aspects that you can hold him up as a role model. But there are other people out there that maybe they're a talented athlete,

but you don't know what they're like at home. And so, you've got to be careful or just limit what you admire. Yeah, well, limit what you admire. But that's social media. You're over-filtering your stuff with an admiration of who... It's like fake admiration because these guys are all... I think this is a lot of the reason why these days about mental health is happening.

Because they're basing their lives off people's, uh, fake life online. Yeah. There's very little reality out there. I mean, with heck, we were talking about this today,

you know, in Asia, a big trend right now is to have plastic surgery to make your eyes bigger, to look like an anime character. Yeah. I like the filter. I was ina and it's funny there were all sorts of advertisements for plastic surgeons and we happened to walk past a

woman who just was walking out of a plastic surgery office with the bandages all around her head and our driver said yeah that's a place where they uh they change people's appearance to make them look like an anime character it's fucking insane Well, it's the same thing with, like, people getting big titties and boobies and dick implants. Yeah, that's been going on for a long time. Dick implants? I've seen people try to get a bigger dick, dog. Put a balloon in that shit. Well, hell, how many millions of dollars are spent on those pills?

Oh, God. So the Andy Frasco we see on stage, is that the real Andy Frasco? I mean, you tell me. We've been hanging out for four days now. I don't think so. I think, well, yes, it is. Because I'm ADD, dog. And I get all that energy out so I could chill.

If I didn't have that outlet, I'd be a mess. I'd be more anxiety-ridden. I mean, maybe that's it. Maybe find something that releases that tension. Like, even if it's overworking a little bit. But if you love working, it's not working, right? Right. Well, you're super high energy on stage.

Anybody who's seen you knows that. I mean, you're nonstop and you're all over the place. Yeah. And, you know, but you're not that way. You're not frenetic, bouncing off the walls when I'm with you. You know, I see two different Andy Frascos now. You're not faking it on stage. That's just seems to be a huge energy release for you.

Yeah. Has it always been that way? I think so. I think, yeah. Because like when I was a kid i i played five different sports i i would babysit i would babysit i'd be a camp counselor i'd always had to do something i don't know where i got i mean i'm happier when i'm doing stuff so you would use coke to get up for your shows.

Uh-huh. How did you replace it? I wouldn't do it if I didn't like the drug because I didn't like cocaine. I didn't like the shakiness and the tense I had. How did you replace that? I replaced it

with exercise. I replaced it with this podcast. Like, feeling... But I mean, how do you get up? You know, cocaine gives you a rush of energy.

How did you get that rush of energy that you need for a show? Well, it's hard for me now. And you know, that's why people like see me backstage now and they think I'm super sad. I'm just tired. Like, I fucking work so much. I do too much. I'm just tired. Like, I fucking work so much. I do too much.

I do 250 shows a year. I do 50 podcasts a season. And that's every week. And then, like, you see me, I'm making all the merch designs and organizing flights for the band and, you know and running this business. Because that's all, I mean, that's what it takes.

We're in this fucking weird business where no one appreciates the middle class musician. That's fucked up. Yeah, it's a grind. I mean, for every musician that succeeds, how many talented musicians fail? Is that what lawyers do, though? Because there's so many lawyers?

Yeah. Is that anything? Probably. I mean, I don't know that it's brain surgeons. No. There are some professions, engineers, where there are a few of them, and we need them. But God knows the world doesn't need any more lawyers. Fuck.

Yeah. Well, thank you for being a lawyer, Scott. And thanks for just being my buddy and having my back, man. Amen. I appreciate it. It's an honor and a pleasure. Amen. Thanks for being on the show, Scott.

Thanks for having me. Love you, buddy. Well, thank you for listening to Episode 68 of Annie Fresco's World Saving Podcast, produced by Annie Fresco, Joe Angel Howe, and Chris Lawrence. Please subscribe and rate the show on iTunes and Spotify so we can make this a worldwide phenomenon. For info on the show, please head to our Instagram at worldsavingpodcast. For more info on the blog and tour dates, head to anniefresco.com.

Change of pace, available for downloadyafresco.com. Change of pace. Available for download. Or with a good yoga teacher. And this week's guest is comedian Todd Barry. Find him online at toddbarry.com. That's double D, double R. Todd Barry. Our special co-host is Andy's lawyer, Scott Long.

Our show opening song this week is Manifesto, written and performed by John Craigie. And this week's special guests were John Craigie, Dolph Cohen, Todd Glass and Arno Bakker. It has been a great week for some, for me. Things happened, shit went down, emotions came, people stayed, food tasted, places visited, money made and I had some good sleep. For those that didn't have a great week, I can only hope things will look better this coming week,

or the week after. We all know winter, and especially Christmas time, can be hard on you, on your budget, on your self-esteem, on your mood, bringing out loneliness, stress, depression, anxiousness, whatnot. No cheap solutions from me here. Just know I've been there. I feel for you.

Sending you love in your struggles. Take care of one another. One world. Have a safe week.