Breaking Bread with Tom Papa - Episode 193 - Ryan Hamilton #2

Episode Date: February 6, 2024

Tom and Ryan take a deep dive into the intricacies of a comedian's life, including the challenges of maintaining a healthy lifestyle amidst the demands of touring. The conversation touches on dietary choices, the impact of certain foods on mood and performance, and the struggle to find balance in a constantly moving career.They also explore the peculiarities of travel and performance schedules, shedding light on the personal sacrifices and adjustments comedians make to deliver their best on stage. About Ryan: Ryan recently released his first stand-up special. The one-hour Netflix original Happy Face follows a wealth of television appearances and a non-stop headlining tour. Armed with the unique perspective of growing up in rural Idaho to become a favorite in the New York stand-up comedy scene, he’s one-of-a-kind. He’s been named one of Rolling Stone’s Five Comics to Watch, and recent appearances include The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Conan, and opening spots for Jerry Seinfeld as well as Gad Elmaleh at Carnegie Hall. Ryan is endearing stand-up lovers, and his future is bright. About Tom: Tom Papa, a celebrated stand-up comedian with over 20 years in the industry, has made significant strides in film, television, radio, podcasts, and live performances. Notably, he's a regular on "The Joe Rogan Experience" and various late-night TV shows. Papa's literary skills are evident in his books “We’re All In This Together” and "You’re Doing Great!: And Other Reasons To Stay Alive," a collection of essays, and "Your Dad Stole My Rake: And Other Family Dilemmas," a comedic look at family life. His latest stand-up specials are “Tom Papa: What A Day!” and "Tom Papa: You’re Doing Great!" on Netflix. Beyond comedy, Papa's engagements extend to hosting "What A Joke With Papa And Fortune" on SiriusXM and appearing on NPR's "Wait, Wait Don’t Tell Me." His love for baking led to hosting the Food Network series "Baked." As an actor, he's worked with notable figures like Rob Zombie and Steven Soderbergh and has appeared in several films and TV shows, including the HBO film "Behind the Candelabra." Additionally, Papa has contributed as a writer to projects like "Bee Movie" and various TV series. Residing in Los Angeles with his family, Papa continues to balance his professional life with personal interests like baking. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Papa. Hey. Don't you know? Hey, it's also a show. I came out of the hotel this morning, and Jose is a friend of mine who works at the door. I said, what did you have for breakfast? And he said, I just had some coffee and some oatmeal. I said, how are you keeping it healthy? I said, I'm thinking croissant. He was like, oh my God, that's so much better. Yeah, it just sounds good.

Cressant is exciting. I know. Yeah. I saw Gaffigan did my radio show last night. Okay. It was skinny Gaffigan. Yeah? Yeah.

Good for him. He had all these jokes about doing Mungaro. It's like the Ozempic, but the Mungaro. Oh, I don't know Mungaro. It's like an Ozempic. Okay. One of those things that just... I've got to talk to him because...

it takes away your craving for food. Yeah, that's how it works, right? You just eat less because you don't want to eat. You don't want to eat. And then you think, well, why don't I just do that in my everyday life? Those drugs are all about, really for diabetics, it's all about leveling out your blood sugar. So, like, if we just say, well, then I just won't eat, then I don't need the shot in my gut. I just won't eat.

But then your blood sugar crashes and you're dizzy and you need food. Right. This levels you out. Oh. And you don't have a craving of any sort, really, from what I've learned, is that they think it's going to solve, like, drug addiction. Right. Some of these drugs could be used for, like, a greater thing than just, like, let's get everybody skinny and looking good. I know.

Well, even the looking good is, like, it's really supposed to. Yeah. I mean, I have a friend that went on it, and his blood pressure is great now. It just dropped his weight. So his cholesterol's down, his blood pressure is down, all that stuff's down. But you also have no joy in your life. But if you don't have cravings, then are you missing the... That's my question.

Right. Yeah. If you don't have cravings, you know that you're missing joy. Jim is the perfect person to ask these questions. He wrote whole books on food. Yeah. Wow. He's had years of comedy on his love affair with food.

Wow, yeah. So is it over? Did they break up? Why is he taking this drug? I don't know. Maybe it's for health. Maybe it's for... Just to be skinnier?

I don't know. Interesting. I know. What's the side effect? Why wouldn't you take these drugs? There's something going on. Oh, something's going to come out. There's no free lunch here, which is probably the wrong analogy.

case. We don't want free lunch. We want no lunch. Yeah, there's, I don't know. I mean, you know, people keep saying that like it's going to wolf while we'll see. Yeah. Something's going to come out. Right.

But these drugs have been around for a while. Yeah. For diabetics. For diabetic. It's just when marginally. Right. Chubby people. Right.

in show business got wind of it. And they decided, wait a minute, I could just do this. And isn't it amazing, though? It really shows you like it's just how much you're putting in your body. Yeah. You know, they say like, well, it should accompany lifestyle change and you should exercise and blah, blah, blah, but at its core, you really don't have to do any of that. And the weight just comes off because it's just about putting stuff into your body. Yeah, and we're kind of a product of our environment where we're just living in this world where this is what you eat.

And it's not good for us a lot of times, most of the time. When you think about the options we have in our environment, it's insane. Yes. Like if you lived in a little village, in a cottage, like outside of town, you know what I mean? Yeah. There's no gigantic supermarket with six. thousand cereals. Yeah. And tons of rotisserie chickens and salamis. And it's just, and that's one store. Yeah. That's one stop along your ride home. Yeah. Then the neon lights of Taco Bell and

McDonald's and then your fine wines and your nicer restaurant. I mean, it's, it's crazy. Crazy. I've been thinking about, I have a line in my act about how I tried to give up sugar and you can't. Because it's just everywhere. We've put sugar and everything. But I also say, I do think it's easier to eat healthy than any time in the history of mankind, really. Uh-huh. Because we have all the access and we also have all the information. So it's like, if you want it, it's there.

It hasn't always been there for everybody. Right. No. You know, I mean, maybe there weren't processed foods and different things like that. But we don't have to eat. We have the healthy stuff. Right. And we have the information. Yes.

And I don't know if there's ever been more access to the healthy stuff. It's easy to get it. You just go to the store and get it. Yeah. And the information we know. Right. It's like nobody needs to tell us again. Like, I go to the store.

I know what I'm supposed to eat. Yeah. But so it's never been easier. But at the same time, we just look at it and go, not interested. No, thank you. Like, don't call us. We're not ready yet for this kind of response. I get it. I get it.

So it's a weird time because it also is like people were probably healthier before we had all this access. But, you know, I guess. You ever heard the moment in the store where you're like, if I don't, anything I'm getting in this store is going in my body. Yeah. Like I was looking at lettuce and I was like, which one of these? I was like, that doesn't matter. And I was like, well, it kind of does. Yeah.

Whichever one I pick is going inside of me. Yeah. Within days. Yeah. All of this is going to be a part of my being. Right. But there's an emotional component to it too. So you're like, all right, so if it's going in my body, it should all be the best stuff that will make me feel the best.

But feeling the best is kind of a moving target. Right. It's like I could feel the best, like, energetic and feel a little lighter. Or I could feel less sad by plowing this whole row of Oreos into my body. Yeah. You're coming with me, Oreos. Right. You've got a job to do, too.

Right. The lettuce is doing their part. But the Oreo, oof, it's got a real important job, too. When I'm sitting there in the cold in the winter. and no one's in the house and I'm feeling a little down and I didn't get that job and I'm missing my mom and dad. Get to work, Oreos.

Yeah, yeah. Like this croissant. I just took a bite of this croissant. Yeah. This is my first bite and I'm already happier. You can probably tell him my voice on the podcast. I've jumped up a couple levels. If I'm crunching into an apple, I don't know if I'm feeling that happy.

Right. But the Oriole will stab you in the back eventually. Yes, good point. I mean, yeah. He'll make you feel okay about missing your family for about five minutes. Yeah. And then you go, what have I done? Then you crash.

Yeah, you feel it. And then not only are you lonely, you feel guilty for being a fatty fat. Right. O'OOOs are not your friend. Damn you, Oreos. And I remember when I went through a vegan phase. Really? Yeah.

I was a vegetarian for a bit for like a year or two. Really? I did not know that Yeah, because I had this one I ate buffalo wings with my friend and the bone kind of splintered in my mouth and there was like a vein and I was like, this is disgusting

and then that next morning I was living on the Upper East Side and I walked up to like 2nd Avenue and it was a hot summer day and there was stacked boxes of chicken and going into a Chinese restaurant. They were just like stacked on the sidewalk.

Wow. Just waiting. They hadn't moved them. They moved them from the truck, but they were not inside yet. Yeah. And they're just bleeding. Oh, my. Sweating, bleeding.

Wow. On to the sidewalk right after my buffalo wing incident, I was like, I'm going to give this a break. Yeah. I think I'm going to stop this for a bit. Yeah. And I did. Yeah.

And one of the things you find out, and then I was like, well, what about one step further? What about vegan? And, you know, all the benefits, you know, we've seen all the documentaries. We know that, like, there are real benefits to all of that. And one of the things you find out is that Oregos are vegan. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Vegan.

So healthy. Yeah. Guess who shows up. You doing vegan? Who's your friend? I know. It sucks. right?

We got to turn down all this stuff. You don't have to turn down me. Begans, yeah, Oreos are tricky. I'm not leaving you, baby. Hot dog took off. Lettuce is still there. Lettuce is there.

Lettis is hanging. He's hanging. I think a salad, like if you want to clean up your eating. Yeah. Like the other night, Cynthia and I were, it was Sunday night, and I normally cook on Sundays.

and I don't know what had happened. I think we had eaten a lot the day before. Anyway, I was like, how about just a salad and some broccoli tonight? She's like, yes, that's perfect. And it's pretty filling. A lot of flavors happening, a lot of things popping off. And so much better. Like, so light.

Yeah. By the end of the night, like, you know, you're watching a movie. You're not, like, falling asleep. Yeah, you just feel better. You do feel better. I know. I know. it's like, what else is there to eat?

Like, you go out and you're like, I guess it's just salad. That's the only thing to eat. Every time people are. Salads are a good solve. Yeah. They are. But you ever go to a place and they put the calories of their salads? Yeah.

Some salads are cheating. Oh, yeah. Yeah. You are. This is not a, really? Salad? You're calling this a salad. Yeah, this is the problem with our society.

Just because you chopped up the bacon. Yeah. I made it smaller. Yeah. And put it in. I have some O-Zem-PIC bits on the top of my salad. But if you walk through life, now that's really the question that I have for all of these people that are doing it. You walk through life.

Like, do you not miss it? Like, there was a story out at Thanksgiving of what all the people on OZEMPIC were going to do to stimulate a desire to eat Thanksgiving dinner. Oh, yeah. Because you're rolling into the big eating holiday with no desire for food. Right. So they is like, how do I, how do I hack my not wanting celebrate with food? Right. Wild.

Yeah, that is wild. Because it's good to have, I mean, it's just meant to be, you know, occasionally, but our society makes it accessible constantly. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Last night I knew when I had my coming to pop a show More than how's the show going to go More than will the acts be on time Will the music be good

Will we be putting on a good performance? I know where you're going, yeah I'm thinking Am I going to have the nachos when it's over? That's all we're ever thinking I know Just like what's after the show? Yeah, what's my little?

little reward. Yeah, the reward. And it's like, well, it's out of my hands. Yeah. Because Dave Hill's going to want to go over and Morgan James and they haven't seen them in a while. Right. I can't sit there and not have a martini. I expect me to have a martini. Right. And I really, Judy Gold screams if I don't bring out nachos. I got to get them nachos. And then cut to the end of the night. There's no chips left on the plate. And I'm, and I'm, I'm using my fingers as chips to get the cheese off the bottom of the plate. Yeah. Moderation is the key, I guess, but it's difficult. I don't know.

You've always been thin, though. I can start to put on if I'm not careful. Really? Yeah. I am very sensitive to whatever I put in my body I've learned about. Like, even when I was a kid, my parents took me off sugar. had a dramatic effect on just the way I interacted with the world. What do you mean?

Like, I was very anxious and, you know, had lots of anxiety. What age? And I think I was like, you know, 8, 10. Uh-huh. And a little worry wart. Yeah. And my, my, my, uh, and it had emotional outbursts, I think, you know. And my parents took me off sugar.

it made a dramatic effect on me. And it just kind of stuck with me my whole life. I'm like, okay, this is something that affects me. I don't know why. Yeah. But it just does. Sugar particularly. So.

Powerful. Yeah. It really is powerful. Yeah. No, it's like, it's, it is powerful. And we forget because it's so easily accessible. We put it in everything. Everything.

It's like, you know, if cocaine was in every, would we really think, you know, cocaine is cocaine? I don't know. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. A hundred percent. Yeah. The impact of stuff is, I mean, when you, like, when we perform, the power of a two drink minimum and comedy clubs. Yeah. Two drinks. Yeah. That is a lot. Yeah. That's a lot. Yeah. The difference between one drink and two drinks is huge. Right. Which is why it's great to. go on later in the show. I had a set at the cell the other night and I went as like towards the end. They were so loose. Yeah. So loose. It was like, whoa,

I came out of there thinking, wow, I'm really, I really know my, I'm really good at this. They're trashed. They've turned into a room of toddlers. Yeah. The two drink minimum also protects you at the show though, because any more than that, and it's, you know, you're in trouble. It should be two, to drink maximum.

Two drink. Minimum and maximum. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That'd be perfect. I really feel like, I mean, there was a time, like I can't have one, I won't have one beer and go on stage.

Right. No alcohol. Right. It's just slightly different. It has an impact. It's, you are not you in, in that moment. moment. Right. You know, there's definitely that thing. But, you know, and it's also, I'm working on this joke that your mood is, your mood when people are trying to figure out if you're depressed

and stuff just to your point is like, sometimes it's literally just what you ate a couple hours before. Yeah, for sure. Yeah, no. You can completely change your mood. For some reason, dark chocolate makes me anxious. Yeah. It makes me a little speedy. Yeah. And not like a coffee fun kind of way. It kind of, it makes me like a little worried, speedy, anxious. I get that. Yeah. Yeah. I love dark chocolate. It's delicious. But I know, and I take even just a little square. I know the next hour I'm going to be a little weird. Yeah. And that's one little thing. You think that that's not. You know? Yeah. But I mean, think about it as I'm holding it up my hand. It's like, think about the size of a pill. The pill is like that. Yeah. And that could send you to La La La Land.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know. These compounds are powerful. Yeah. I know. We're learning more and more about it as it's crazy. I do think we're thinking about it a lot more as a society, our mood and what affects us. I don't know. I've been working out with a trainer for like a year now. Three times a week. Just strength training, just not cardiovascular stuff. Nice. So like when you're doing curls, he's standing right next to you? Yeah. Like right in your face? Like making eye contact with you? Yeah, basically. What does he say? You can do it. Three. Four. Five. Good job. You know, no, he's great, but it's, it's, I think. Does you have a nickname for you? No. No. Let's go, Rye, man. Come on, Rye. He, he, he's like very pragmatic and very, like, not like, like, like, let's get huge. It's like, let's get functional, which is what I need. I have all these

injuries and stuff like that. But just going through that, I think it's had a bigger effect on my mood and stability than anything. For real. Yeah. Just strength training, not cardiovascular stuff. Yeah. Just like lifting heavy things. I do get huffing and puffing, but it's like, I don't know, there's some sort of thing about your body building muscle, putting. on month you feel better feel stronger I don't know I don't know what it is but I sleep better you do yeah yeah and it makes you think about your diet

a lot more because you have to put a you have to eat the right stuff to build the month right so it's like you're constantly like I don't want to pay this guy and show up for this thing and then not eat the right thing yeah it's just this compounding thing you get one thing going and then everything else kind of falls we had Matt Wilper's from Peloton sitting right in your seat. Oh, I saw that. I saw some clips of that. Yeah. He's so great. And the biggest thing I took away, just lesson wise about your health was just what you said. It's the stuff in between. It's like if you have this great workout, then if you do

all the wrong things, you're starting off. Right. Back where you do it. But if you do the right things, you're getting better and increasing your strength and increasing your health. Yeah. So why do these shitty things in between? Yes. So you're going to plateau. You're never getting anywhere. You're always biting the results of the workout. Right. It was a great lesson. That's interesting. Yeah. Yeah. That's why being a comedian is, it's, you go on the road and everything falls apart. It's so hard. It's so hard. Like, literally, I'm wearing my running shoes. Yes. Which is big for me. Yeah.

Because, you know, I'm a fashion plate. I walk through the airport. I think everybody's expecting me to wear some good shoes. So I wear my running shoes because I'm ready for action. To squeeze a workout in, you know, I'm doing these podcasts. I'm doing my radio show. I did the show last night. I'm literally trying to find an hour to go do the thing is rough on the road.

Yeah. And tomorrow I'm getting picked up at 6.30. Oh, my gosh. and you're tired. Yeah, you just, it's, it is, it's not healthy. But at least putting the shoes on makes me, like, it's, I'm conscious of it. I'm going to try it. Like, today I'm like, all right, between three and five, I have a shot.

Yeah, that stuff works. Anything you can do to make it easier. Yeah. Just lay it out in the morning. So when you wake up, oh, there's my gym close. I guess I'm going to go to the gym, whatever it is. Do you ever think how insane it is that we travel as much as we do? And I mean, I know there's, you know, a lot of people travel, but you're alone a lot.

Yeah. What's been hitting me about the weirdness of it. And as I look at my schedule of like when I'm doing stuff, it's like, I had a moment where I was like, do I need to land in, okay, so I can leave it this time and I can be home. Do I need to land in Lexington, Kentucky at midnight? and then walk to my rental car in the cold, dark, who knows what bad guys are filled in that place, and then find my way to the days in. Yeah. And then who knows what that parking, who's staying in.

Oh, yeah. You know what I mean? Like all that part of it, for some reason, maybe because I'm getting older and don't have as many muscles. but I'm a little more conscious of kind of how crazy it is. Yeah, it is crazy. To be flying, to be completely solo. I'm like, when you're young, you just kind of think, oh, just get there at midnight, I'll get my car, and I'll get my car.

I'm like, I'm not saying the world is totally filled with bad guys, but let's cut down on the possibility of running into them when you're completely alone. Sure. And there's nobody in the booth. Yeah. That hurts. Yeah. You know what I mean?

Yeah. Have you ever stop and think about that? Oh, yeah. I think about it like, well, also, you're supposed to be in bed. Like, what do I do? Like, you know, that's what I always think. I'm like, okay, I can get up at 6.30 and land at 3. Or I can get up at 9.30 and land at 6.

So I get up at 9.30 and land at 6 because I'm homeless, but it's like I'm sleeping when I'm supposed to sleep, hopefully. Yeah. You know? Yeah. It's impossible to juggle all these things. But yeah, it's better to be safe than to be in danger. But, you know, like, it's, it's unusual.

I guess the point is that it's, it's, we do it on a weekly basis. Right. You're constantly, like, people will fly somewhere and go to a rental car place and go to a hotel. And then they're like, whof, this was the year we went. went to Lexington. You know what I mean? Yeah. Whenever I, whenever there's like a mess in front of you with security, it's like,

these people, we're all, I always in my head, I'm like, come on, get it together. They're like, what the hell? I've never, they haven't been there in years. I know. It's been years since they've had to anybody yelling at them at TSA. Yeah. And it's just, you're used to. It's like, come on, get it together.

Oh, yeah. People, I know. This is a big deal. It is true. I had a driver pick me up in Baltimore. He said he's been on an airplane once. He's 49. Wow.

He said he was on it once. Yeah. He went to, he had a connecting flight in Dallas, Fort Worth, and he'll never do it again. Connected in Dallas or fly? Yeah, fly. Fly. Yeah, he's done. He's got family in Florida.

And he's like, I'm driving that. Wow. Yeah. He was like, that is not, whoof. Yeah. I'm like, once. Isn't it? I did it two times today.

You ever go to like a corporate event or something and it's their big event. This is their whole thing. They've been working on this for eight months. They started planning it the day after last year's. And you show up and everything's a crisis and emergency. It's like, okay, heavy and big and we're like, you're like, Yeah, I did this yesterday. You know, I do this tomorrow.

It's not the big, but it is the perception of the, if that's your world, then it's elevated. Yeah, oh my God. Yeah. We've got to get through this. Once you get on stage, it's over for me. I finally have a drink. Yeah, that's true.

It's so important. I always have, I have to do it today. I have to have a call with a group that I'm going to perform for. Uh-huh. And for years, I would tell my agent, like, I'll be there. Do I have to make the call? Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know.

They're paying you. Yeah. It's a big deal. Yeah. They're concerned. I know. I call it the feel better call. They make them feel better call.

Yeah, yeah. Right. Just one last thing they have to worry about. Yeah. He gets it. Yes. He's not going to say something disgusting sexually in front of our chairman of the board. Yeah.

It's just do it. Just make the call. Right. That's the other thing, too, when you are there, you can't rip apart. Your job is to make fun of some of the things, you know, the guy before you or whatever, you know, just have a little bit of relation to call out some stuff that's there. Right. You cannot rip apart this whole thing and be like, well, you get an award and you get to go home.

Yeah, this award is their whole year. They've been working to get up on that stage all year long. They don't need you walking in there and be like, nice trophy, asshole. You know what I mean? Yeah, yeah. That's a good way to put it. But you do need to have the conversation with, it's part of the job, I guess. It's like, let's make everybody happy.

Yes. And I'm glad. I'm grateful when they put in all that work. I understand. I just can sense the anxiety. And I know it's going to be fine because it's always fine because I do it. Yeah. It's going to be fine.

I had a great moment. Did I ever tell you my John Prine story? No, I love, really? You have a John Prine story? I have a John Prine story. Oh, my gosh. I'm ready. Oh, the best.

So we are doing live from here, Permanium Companion, in New Orleans. Okay. And John Prine is on the show. Uh-huh. And, I mean, just a legend. I mean, just a legend. This is a couple of years before he passed. And Roy Scovo was on the show.

Wow. And he was with me during rehearsal, and he hadn't, he wasn't familiar with John. And Roy is standing next to sit. And we get to watch him rehearse. Wow. We get to watch John Prine rehearsing, just breaking into stuff. And then stopping, all the beautiful. stuff.

Yeah. This is even better than, not better than a performance, but pretty great. Another unique performance. And at one point, Rory said to me, how do I go from not knowing who this person is to them making me cry in 30 seconds? Like that powerful, right? So what a gift. So anyway, we go to rehearsal.

It's at like 4, 3.30, something like that, probably 3. and the show's going to be at seven. Do the rehearsal, do the whole thing, and we break in the hotel's nearby. So I don't introduce myself to them. You know, it's too, this is too monumental. Right. I'm not going to ruin this with my awkward attempt it.

Yeah. I'm just going to chill out. Yeah. So I get in the elevator at the hotel to take a little break and he walks in with his manager and some other guy, his little team. Yeah. And they're saying to him, John, they want you back there at five. And he's like, five.

When am I, when's the show starting? They said, well, show starts at seven and you'll probably be on around 745. And he said, and they want me there at five? Yeah. He said, how about we show up at seven? and see what these people look like nervous. Wow. I love that.

Is that amazing? That's amazing. He knows he's going to do a great job. Yeah. He's going to be there. Everything's going to be fine. It's just like you said. Everything's going to be just fine.

Yeah. Let's see how they act. When they start to worry. Right. It's the best. It's, I've been. thinking about this a lot actually because this last weekend I I keep being late for sound check and not because I don't want to do sound check or whatever but it's just I'm tired and the sound check

is so early because after you do the math backwards it's like doors are an hour before the show yeah the crew has their own schedule yeah they they schedule like for whatever reason you know artist arrival, it takes me 15 minutes to put my bag down or whatever. Yeah. Before I do soundche. So it's like your arrival time is like, you know, three hours before you go on stage or something. Yeah. And after you fly in the morning, you know, you're like, and then you're like, you can't check into the hotel for half an hour.

Your room's not ready. You know, so it's like, and then you got to get some food in your body. And then it's like two, and you're like, I need to sleep because I got up at four. And so you got like three hours. And they're like, I'm just not doing that, you know? Yeah. And then they keep calling my manager who calls me is like, where are you? And I think, my thinking, I've been trying to balance this out.

Because when it's just you on the road, it's like, no one's going to do the sound check for you. Right. But I also think there's a point where it's starting to affect the show, just my energy level. A hundred percent. You know? Yeah. So it's like maybe the best thing for the show is for me to forfeit the sound check because what's really going to happen? I mean, there's going to be some light things that I'm not particular to.

Yeah. You know, it's like sacrifice a few of those things that I'm probably the only person who even notices. Yeah. And I do think it can make the show better. but my energy levels from 75 to 87 or whatever, you know? I know. Especially the second one, like you do the Friday, then the Saturday one. Yeah.

Like, because you go, like the first one, you can get in a night before and you can rest up, but that's that next one. Yeah. By time you get up, get to the next city. Right. You have, that's all I think about is, how much time do I have in the, that afternoon in the hotel by myself before I've got to go to sound check. That's all you're thinking. It's all you want. Yeah. If I can, I'd rather get up early. Yeah. Get to the hotel and get into that

room and have like an afternoon. But sometimes it doesn't work out that way. Right. And you, you're rolling at three. Yeah. And sound checks at 5.30. Right. It is rough. It's rough. Now here's the thing. If you get to the point where you can have a, a tour manager with you. This is your goal. Yeah. Our goal. Right. The tour manager does the sound check. Right.

Yeah. They go and tell them, okay, they play the music. Yeah, of course. That's the most annoying thing too is when you go to the sound check and ours is so simple. Just play the music. Yeah. And they screw it up every time. Every time. All you have to do is play the music. Hear my introduction for the opening act and then play the music again. music's going on, the wrong song's going. I know.

It's just like, I'm like, is it too easy? Did I make it too easy? Why did you make me get them out of my room at 5.30? Yeah, right. And then screw it all up. Right. Yeah. Yeah.

It's ridiculous. It is. It is ridiculous. But I'm going to think of John Pride now during sound check, I think. I mean, it almost makes me think, make the show as simple as possible so you don't have to do it. Right. I mean, I try to do that. I don't know. Isn't it weird? It's like, I always go like, because I, like, here's an example. Like, the stage wash is always from one end of the stage to the other end of the stage is brightly lit. And it's like, I'm going to occupy seven feet on either side of the microphone. So we have 15 feet on either side of me that is lit, that's,

like distracting. So let's bring it in. So let's take, you know, I don't know lighting terms, but I'm always like, focus and they can always make it look better. But I have to tell them to do that. They just won't think that way. Yeah. Because they're doing a bunch of shows. I've got the lights at a new iPad and I can look what I can do. Yeah. Or I don't, they're like, you know, the show yesterday wanted whatever they wanted. But it is ridiculous. And sometimes you go in and the staff is on top of it. Yeah. Love their jobs. They're ready to go.

Other ones you go in, they're like, all right, who's this guy? Yeah, yeah. And they've been doing a thousand shows and they couldn't give a shit. Right. Kira and I were in St. Louis. These people were mean from hello. Right. It could not have acted like we were more unimportant.

Yeah. Like, we are the show. and we're like Screw us for asking to hear how the mic sounds Are you want to do that And then you're like And then you tell them Play the music at doors

It goes to 710 Then the show starts And then I'm going to do voice of God And bring out the thing Bring out the act And then he'll bring me She'll bring me out And when they look at you like

Got it Got it Don't got it Don't got it. Don't got it You can have that shit attitude. You can act like I'm being anal and overly concerned if you nail it. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

If I give you three instructions and you screw them up, screw you. You don't get to have that attitude. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, we get it. Yeah. Your cues. You just screwed all of them up. There's three and you didn't nail one of them.

Do you have a light on the state or a clock? I have a clock, yeah. I like to have a clock. I love the clock. I find that that's the thing. Every time I go, I have to go, do you have a clock? And they go, we have a clock. Well, no problem.

We'll set it up. I go back to the green room. Everything's done. I walk on stage. I would say 50% of the time, no clock. And just to be clear to our listeners, these theaters that we go into, they're doing cats. Yeah, yeah. They're doing West Side Street.

This is one jerk off with a microphone. It could not be more simple. You're going to start at 7.10. I thought I was going to get out of here by 9. You know, it really drives them crazy is I signed books at the end. Yeah. Oof. Oh, they don't love that.

Oh, they want to go home. Yeah. Another hour, 20. Right. Sometimes longer than the show. Yeah, yeah. Signing books. Yeah.

I really don't like you after that. Yeah. This is why the tour manager. It's important. Right? It would be really nice. You watch what Kevin does with Jerry out on the road? I know.

It's just... It makes everything. He's like military. Yeah. He's in there like two in the afternoon for the first Skype. He gets in the day before. He's doing all that stuff. Which is, that's what it takes, really.

It's really what it takes. To do it right. Yeah. You telling these people what to do in that, half hour before doors. It doesn't sink in. Yeah. And look, you know, we all get information and I get it. I don't care if you screw up if you're trying. Right. It's the attitude of like, you ain't shit and then you screw up. But you're right. I mean, think about how much time he goes there the night before. Yeah. Then he's in there early in the day. Like right after lunch, when you go for

your little nap, he's there. Right. It's not a complicated show. Yeah. But he has to do all that work to make sure that they get it right yeah takes a yeah it makes a difference but but then you got to pay a tour manager yeah that's a whole different level i mean to get to that point yeah i can't it's not that far well i'm still not you know paying an opener to go on the road with me how do you do you don't have an opening i mean i'll i'll i mostly get local people oh really yeah just reach out and yeah find people or and i know people and i know people and a lot of markets. I mean, I'm generally pretty happy with them, but to fly somebody out is a cost. It's a lot. It is a lot. I know. What about, what about, you ever do it just on your own in

evening with? I have. I do that. I don't mind doing it. I find that when I suggested people get nervous. Like it's not going to be enough? Yeah, they're like, well, what do you mean? And it's like, It's, you know. Yeah. It's fine. Yeah. I think it's... I think sometimes the audience...

Yeah. It's like, we came to see you. Oh, yeah. Who's this guy? Right. Yeah. I mean, we've all been that guy, too. You're out there on stage going,

I know you're waiting for the other guy. Yeah. But, I mean, it's a cool and an aspect of... They don't know who my opening act is, and now they're a fan of my opening act. Yeah. And, you know, in that opening act, would one day be the act.

Yeah. You know, that's a cool thing. Yeah. And you have someone to hang with. But there is something cool. Paula Poundstone just goes out by herself. I know. We've talked about that. We have. Yeah. Yeah. And she does like two hours. Wow. And, you know, it's good. It's a... Yeah.

I saw Sedaris. Yeah. Over the holidays. Oh, wow. And it was really cool because I haven't walked into a theater and sat down and watched it. Yeah. Yeah. Right.

Maybe ever. Right. Right. Since Cosby and Carnegie all in 20 years ago. Wow. So it was really interesting to watch it. Yeah. Because it gives you perspective on, you, you have this feeling, I'm sure, of, is this enough?

Yeah. Is this enough of a show? I know. You all came out and sat down. I was thinking about it the other night. I was watching Colin doing his act at the underground, whatever the upstairs of the underground is. And I'm looking at these people and they're all sitting in there. Yeah. In these little tables, ordering their drink with their date, getting some French fries,

settling in to watch this show. And I'm like, it's just going to be Nick for 10 minutes and then Colin for an hour and 20, hour 10, an hour and a half these people that they've done something. Like, you know what I mean? Yeah. Yeah. In a way, it seems too small, but it's not too small. No. I know what you mean. I think about it constantly. And I've come to the point where I think, I think the audience knows when you're elevating your performance. And that's enough. You know what I mean? If you're giving them 100%, it's obvious. Right. And they know it. And then it feels like enough. Right. If you're out there, phoning it in. Right. You know, being lazy, not taking this particular show serious for whatever reason, then maybe it's not enough, I think. Right, right, right.

I mean, they're still grateful and maybe they don't know all the nuances and shades of difference, but... Yeah. I think when you're performing at your peak 100%, nobody's walking out of there going, oh, I wish there were more lights or music. Right. You know? Yeah, yeah. No, that was the thing watching Sedaris. It was like, he's just reading.

Yeah. I'm talking a little in between. Right. But it was like an hour and 20 or so. Yeah. We parked and walked in and sat in this theater and it's just a guy up there doing his thing. But when it was over, it was like, yeah, we got to see this special person who we love. Yeah.

Fill our head with some cool thoughts and some great laughs. Yeah. It was like, that was good. It was, it kind of calmed me down with my own performance. And he's reading new stuff too, right? So you're getting something extra that you wouldn't. Yeah, well, it's pretty brilliant. Yeah.

He's like editing as he's going along. Yeah. He's using this audience for finally stuff. Oh, cool. So you're seeing some process and stuff in there that's really interesting. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, what a gift as a writer to be actually of human beings weigh in.

Right. I mean, it happens with us with our art. act, but for your books. Yeah. It's like to have the audience weigh in and tell you, oh, why then that kind of, wow. It was great and then that kind of sagged. Right. Why?

Oh, going and edit. Now your piece is great. Interesting. I wonder if that's part of the reason why he does it. I'm sure it probably is. But that's rare for a writer. He's unique that way. Yeah.

I don't know anyone else who does it. Yeah. What a, he's really carved out a crazy niche. Yeah. It's insane, too. He signs before the show. He's sitting out there. Really?

It's like a mini bookstore because he's got so much material. Right. He's like set up like a trade show booth. Right. And the line is out the door. Right. And he signs for an hour before the show. Wow.

Does the show, walks off back to his spot and continues signing. Wow. That way he can get to everybody, I guess. Gets to everybody. But he's just doing one show, I assume. And also the energy dump is not what you are expending on. stage. Right. Yeah. It's a different thing. Right. You're not walking, you know. Yeah, that would be. He walks off. It's still pretty fresh. Yeah. You walk off. It's like, you know, when I do those signings after my shows,

just at the end, like, people come up and they're like, how are you still standing? Yeah. He's like, sometimes I'm like, I don't know. Right. Yeah. Yeah. That stuff takes more energy than the show sometimes to do it before. Make the show suffer, I think, a little bit for me. It's also weird. seeing your audience before you get up there. Yeah, I know. I know, that is always weird. You ever walk through the front of the theater late? And everybody's like, and you just feel like, now I'm just a guy who's going to walk on stage.

They know what I'm dressed like already. Yeah. There is something to it, though. You're getting me thinking, like, it kind of is cool to bring like a local comic on. but it's a little bit of a roll of the dice. I mean, it's kind of nice. Like, I'm in St. Louis, and I'm giving this St. Louis kid a chance to perform for you all. Yeah, right.

Cedaris actually came out and came out first and said, I'd like to shine a light on this other author. And I brought along this guy, and he came out. Oh, cool. And then they came back out. That'd be a weird stand-up comedy move for you to come out and be like, like, hey, I'm going to have Barney from St. Louis come out and tell you. I've done that before. You have?

Yeah. Does it work? I did it when I did like my bigger shows in Salt Lake. Yeah, I think it's fine. It's a little weird. But I also like to introduce the act offstage. Do you do that? I do.

The voice. Yeah, yeah. It's a bit like that. It's just you're on stage instead of. But I feel like it's good for the show for them to hear my voice first. and it helps the opener. Yes. Put him in a good place.

But I think not seeing you builds anticipation. Yeah, maybe that's true too. Yeah. Of like they're still excited to see you. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. You're making me think I'm paying my openers too.

I hate to take jobs from openers. I mean, I would like to bring them. I'm not selling a lot of tickets. It depends on the show, too. Like if it's a big show, then I'll bring somebody. Yeah. But a lot of these theaters are just, I'm kind of. have,

my tickets are just okay. They're not great. Right. So it's like, I don't know, it's hard to justify the cost if you just look at it. If you sell,

yeah, if you're selling a lot and you're making more money than you're, yeah, the anticipated deal. Right. And it makes a lot more sense.

Yeah. But I do find that going through it, I've like kind of developed a little like circuit of these guys, you know, and I kind of like,

okay, I know he's in a general area. Right. That's driveable. Right. And I get to know, like, so sometimes it's the first time I've ever worked with them, but often I've worked with them before. Yeah.

Yeah. I know. I try and keep it regional. Yeah. That's, yeah. Even if you're flying somebody, it's like to fly across the country to do 15 minutes. It's kind of crazy. It's kind of insane.

Yeah. Yeah. I fly Abraham Lincoln out. That's my assistant. And, uh, did you say? say Abraham Lincoln? Yeah, I've renamed him, Abraham Lincoln. Oh, your assistant. Why? I think it's funny that when he contacts the buildings and stuff, these people have to deal with Abraham Lincoln. Oh, so that's like his name in the emails and everything? Yeah.

So every conversation they have to be, is your name really? Just like this. He gets excited when he's because he's out there selling the merch, selling the books before the show. He's like, a couple people asked I was Abraham Lincoln. Wait, so you're bringing an opener and an assistant on the road? Yeah. Wow. But I, but you're doing very well, Tom. But I think I'm bleeding money.

I think, but the, like for Abraham to come, it's, I don't, I'm not looking at the selling the books as a way to make money. Yeah. It's really to relate to the audience. Yeah. Yeah. And especially the first time through all of these places. Yeah.

It's, you know, it's just building up that rapport and it's fun to see how you really get, it's such a gift. Like, you hear these stories of people. We drove six hours to see this show tonight. Yeah. We flew in. It's our anniversary. We saw you with Jerry back in 12 years ago. Wow.

You get to hear all of this stuff. It's so great. Yeah, that's nice. It really is. and if we if we sell the books I didn't kind of think of it this way until recently but

that kind of covers his expense for being there and helping out of it. Yeah, that's a good way to look at it. You know what I mean? It's like it's not about making money off of this stuff. It's going to cover the travel for for Abraham Lincoln. Yeah.

It's very excited for Abraham Lincoln to fly. If I can only get his legal ID transferred. So when he goes to the TSA is Abraham Lincoln. That would be the ultimate. Wow. Working for Tompapa must be a lot of fun until it's not. Yeah, until it's not.

Until you're making mistakes the way the lighting guy was. Just do your job. What's the most of hard? No, Abraham's great. He does a lot. He does too much, actually. Because he's Abraham Lincoln, I think he's able to do everything. Because he's such a presidential figure. Really, yeah. And he brings factions together easily. He saved the nation. Yeah, yeah. So I'm like, he can sell the books and respond to this email. What was the name of the guy who assassinated Abraham Lincoln? John Wilkes Booth.

Oh, yeah. That should be, if you ever get another assistant, you should name him John Wilkes Booth. Maybe that's what I'll do with the local opener. I'll be like, look, I'm going to give you 10 minutes on my show. Really? Yes, but you have to come out as John Wilkes Booth. All three names, or it doesn't work.

Yeah. Do you drink coffee? I don't. Is that a holdover from growing up? I just, yeah, I guess so. I never started and now I think it kind of like the sugar. I think it has an adverse effect.

Like it makes me very nervous. Maybe it's just because I don't have a tolerance for it. But even like, I've always been like that. Even like caffeinated soda, I just am like, I can't handle it. Can't do it. Yeah. I love coffee.

And this is really a coffee like. If you love coffee, this is like the time to be alive because there's so much great coffee. That's what I hear. Being done by in so many places. Yeah. Right, Max? Like you go to that all those weird little Pennsylvania towns we were talking about. Yeah.

Right? You'll you'll stroll into Potsville or wherever. Yeah. There's always a tiny little coffee place. Yeah. There's always like a gourmet coffee shop out of someone's house. Isn't it amazing? People roasting their own beans and it's like, we live in an amazing time.

It's like I feel like foods like that too now where you go into any town, like almost any town, there's like, okay, there's this one place and it's really pretty good. Yeah. You know? I know. When I first started going to Cleveland, it was. Yeah, Cleveland's a great example. I know. Yeah.

And now there's like, you get ready to eat hot dogs. Yeah. That's all we got. Hot dogs and salamis. And then, you know, 20 years later. Yeah. It's like around hilarities, like gourmet chef. and vegan places and Asian places.

It's just like it completely transformed. I know. It really is amazing. Nick at hilarities really. I feel like every time I go to Cleveland, I was like, he made all this happen. It was like he put that club right there and was like, we're going to do this. I know. I know.

There's a bowling alley next to it. Yeah, they're putting in another hotel. Yeah, it really is true. Oh, you just reminded me that I think it's their 40th anniversary. Is it? Good for them. I know. Wow.

Is that nuts? They're the best. Yeah. 40 years. Wow. So I love coffee. But when I'm on the road and you're in those, doing all that travel, I'm starting to realize why in the 70s, people in show business did a lot of cocaine. Oh, do you think that was because there wasn't good coffee around?

I don't think the coffee's strong enough to get me through some of these. weekends. I'm like, I'm sleeping right, I'm eating right, I'm doing, I'm exercising, I'm walking around with my running shoes, I'm down in coffee. It's like a, like one little meager jolt. It's going to get me through this set. I need cocaine. Isn't that crazy that it's just like it was, it, I wasn't around it, but it seems like it was just so commonplace at a time. It's seems like all of show business ran on it from the 70s, 80s. And athletics and like everything. Everything.

These are superhuman endeavors. Yeah. You need more than we've got. I remember when I did the All-Star game for Major League Baseball, they did the Celebrity All-Star softball game. Yeah. So you got to play with all of these real guys. And we were sitting in the lunchroom, you know, just sitting there like,

awkwardly in a uniform next to Bernie Williams. And these pitchers were talking about how in the old days they used to put, oh, I forget what it was, not methamphetamines, something like speed. Yeah. They would put it, the guy said he would put it in the coffee. Oh, yeah. So the rest of the team was alert when he was playing. Oh, the team didn't know.

Yeah, the team didn't know. And everyone was just like, you saw the ball coming. It was like a volleyball. And they were like, yeah, man, we did that all the time. Wow. Yeah. Is that wild? It's wild.

Yeah. So I'm not saying we should be on drugs all the time, but I need something. If we're going to do sound check, then I guess, you know, what do they want from us? Yeah, 100%. Yeah. It's a lot. It is. It's a lot.

Yeah. You're doing a lot. I'm always amazed. You do so many shows back and forth, the podcast. Not more than you. I think maybe now you do more than me, yeah. Oh, yeah. Well, the other jobs in addition to it.

Oh, yeah. But shows, too. Yeah. But it's great. I mean, it is the best job. nothing else to you know we complain about it but that's part of the fun of the job as we get to complain about like oh yeah it's so fun to complain about this job 100% Colin was very funny when I was watching a set like the other night he was talking about everybody

working towards like being positive and he goes I'd like negativity and it really was like yeah you can't in this job you can't be completely grateful in zen that would kill everything you've got to be annoyed you've got to be upset there's a healthy amount of annoyance yeah what is that called

yeah yeah that's funny you gotta have a little negativity in there you can't be completely oh at peace what good comic is going to be completely at peace that is kind of a false thing a false expectation we put on everybody anyway.

Yeah. Like this minute to minute analysis of your feelings that you've got to be completely blissed out and happy and grateful all the time. You know what I mean? Yeah, yeah, right. Every time you open Instagram is like somebody else instructing you on how to be grateful in this moment.

It's like, that is a, that's a lie. Yeah. It's a lie. Yeah, you can't be that way all the time, nor should you. And nor should you be paying attention to it. Yeah. All that.

You know what I mean? Right. How am I feeling this moment? Shut up. Do something. You're not busy enough if you're just sitting around thinking about how am I feeling at this moment. If you're hustling and working your ass off, you're not thinking it. Am I feeling I'm tired?

I'm exhausted. Stuff's still coming down the line. Let's go. Four more hours. No, you're sitting alone on your couch with your cat. How am I feeling? I think I could be happier. You're not busy enough.

Yeah, you sit there long enough. You're going to start to feel bad. Yeah. You sit there alone with your thoughts. There's nothing more dangerous. There's nothing more dangerous. When you see, like, really, when I had kids, I realized why my father would be like, what are you doing?

Get up. Get out there. Yeah. He used to tell us to go pick up sticks. in the woods behind our house. Really? Go pick up sticks. What?

Yeah. How's this getting us anywhere? Yeah. It was just keeping you busy. Yeah, yeah. It was making you work. Yeah, that's good. Yeah.

Yeah, that's good. It's just, what are you going to watch your kid just sit on a beanbag chair and sullen in their thoughts, with their uneducated brain, just feeling? That's not going to get you anywhere. They're uneducated brain. Yeah. Figuring out how all this works.

Yeah. But the being alone part of it, I think that if you're around people, I think you're energized by people. But you've got to be careful with this job. I think a lot of that is being alone rather than just being not busy. You know what I mean? What do you mean? That's the danger? Yeah.

When you're alone. Yeah. I think a lot of this stuff that we see, this kind of like, elevation. your mood, be conscious of all this stuff. It's because we're too isolated, I think, becoming more isolated. Maybe I'm human beings or comedians? I've really turned this into my therapy session. Comedians and human beings.

But our line of work particularly is that way. Let's stick with what we know. Yeah. Is what? Very isolating. It is. Very isolating. so much so that you like you kind of have to make an effort to be to put yourself in situations where you're surrounding yourself with people that you you know can make you feel good you're making the case for the opening act yeah true yeah i think that's a big part of the opening act yeah it's a big yeah when i was the opening act i knew clearly that my job is to be entertaining in the down moments yes for sure yeah don't you can't be walking around

I'm like, I don't like it here. Your job is to have fun and keep it going. Yeah, be supportive and happy. That is the thing. You're exactly right. Yeah. When I went through a period of just going out on stage by myself. And it is kind of fun.

I like that aspect of the night. But you do kind of, you're not even, you know, we're not partying. We're not, you know, we're just seeing each other sometimes backstage. age. But you're right. Like, that's, you do kind of need that. You need something. I mean, you can find it different ways, but it's like, I don't know. Yeah. But, yeah. You need something.

You do end up being alone in your room just kind of staring sometimes. Yeah. Yeah. Because you're like, it's so weird. It is so strange. Because you don't know what else to do. Sometimes I just linger at the theater for a minute. I'm way too, you know, like, grateful to the crew at the end. I'm like, thanks, guys. Thank you so much. Okay, see you. Okay, I'm just going to go out this door and never see you guys again ever in my life.

All right. I'll see you. I know. The crowd's out there waiting in the front, but you're like, I can't go out there, really? We'd take an hour if I went out there. I know. Well, I have to say, though.

The book thing sounds great. Yeah. And even you could just do it as... I used... Yeah. ...to take pictures with people. Yeah. And not charge them.

Yeah. Just go... I do think that that... That gives your little mission out on the road, which I kind of appreciate now more than ever. Yeah. Of how... It makes you feel like what I'm... what you're doing is worthwhile because these people are really taking a lot of time out of their life

and digesting all your stuff and you have to hear the stories. And it's like, okay, this isn't just me getting that joke about my dog to work. Yeah. You know what I mean? It has a little more connection for you. So when you go back to your room, you feel a little better than it. You feel a little better. Yeah, it does make you feel a little better. Yeah. But they're very, they're nice, but they're very kind of like, not for lack of a better word, shallow relationship. Not like, you just don't get any depth with those people, unfortunately. It'd be nice, but you can't. Yeah.

So, I don't know. It's nice to have someone around that you kind of know a little bit or whatever. Well, you know, another way to do it, which I know some very successful comedians have done, is you bring an opener and you don't pay them anything. You pay them like $100. and you just kind of, it's kind of abusive. And I know people that sold huge places, huge, many more tickets than we're selling.

And they would pay their guys like nothing. Yeah. Just for the opportunity. Yeah. If you can wrap your head around being that guy. I don't know. Then you get friends who have quiet disdain for you, but you have someone to talk to in the green room.

I think even just, A phone call almost isn't, if you have someone solid that you're like, I can talk to this person after the show. Right. I think that's pretty good, too. Yeah, that's good. Yeah. Well, we should do that more often. We should.

I think I call you more than you call me. I, probably. And that only means two more times. Yeah. We text a lot. You do call me once in a while. I'm always, I always light up when I see the phone. I think, you know, I'm a guy who.

that is like, I'm available because it's just me. Right. I'm just out there. It's just me. That's how I feel. You got like family obligations. I don't. You got all sorts of stuff.

Which doesn't mean I shouldn't call you, but it means that if we're going to talk on the phone, if you call me, it's more likely that I'm available. When I will be driving, it's always, most of the time it's when I'm driving between gigs. Yeah. Long stretches in the planes. Yes. Like the beginning of Fargo or something. That's when you think of me.

And I'm daydreaming about comedy. And I'm like, let me check in with Ryan. And yeah, I'm pretty much you've picked up every time. Yeah. My wife has never picked up one phone call on the first go. What? Are you serious? It's a running joke with the kids.

Really? Mom doesn't pick up her phone. We don't know what it is. Not just across the board. Across the board. I don't think she's looking at it and saying, no, she just doesn't pick it up. doesn't hear it, I have no idea what's going on. But you, every single time you pick up.

Half through the first ring. Hello? Hello? Yeah. Where have you been? Yeah, but there is something, you know, you learn a ton of lessons from Seinfeld. Yeah. Just on how to, you know, he's the scientist of all this stuff.

But he would always, I was always, I always clocked how he would talk to, George Wallace. Oh yeah. His best friend, comedian, friend. He would talk to him in the morning sometimes. Yeah. Before breakfast. Yeah.

Sometimes he would talk to him in the green room. Right. He had his slots. Yes. Where he would check in. Yes. Like, where are you at? Right.

That kind of thing. Yeah. And, you know, as he's, he always figures things out that we're running around through the mud trying. I know. Yeah. Just watch what he does. That's what I do most of them.

There's a value. There's a value to that call. So I could be your George Wallace. Okay. Yeah. Give it a try. All right. And if I don't pick up...

I'll try back. It's because I'm just busy. Yeah. Well, this was great. This was so fun. I know. Thank you. I mean, I hope it was interesting.

I never know if people are like, do they want to know about openers and sound checks? But... Yeah, probably. I hope so. I think they probably... If you look at the YouTube analytics on this one, I'm going to say it probably spiked at croissant. Oh, no.

That was so early. I don't even know if we got that on tape. Now, if you want, this is a chocolate croissant. Oh, my gosh. You just said how chocolate and sugar bothers you. Yeah. And that's a lemon cake. It's so good.

This croissant's amazing. Excuse me. Well, thanks, Ryan. Well, this is really fun. I appreciate it. I'm sorry I wasn't more entertaining after Cresson. Where can the people see all of your stuff? You're going to be Ryanhamilton's.coms?

Ryan Hamilton Live.com. Nice. For all my tour dates. Beautiful. And on your social medias. Yeah. Ryan Hamilton on Instagram. Where are you going the next couple weeks?

Let's see. I got Dayton and then I got Royal Oak, Michigan. Nice. Las Vegas. What am I missing? you've got to go I know it depends on your routing

and what's when you get in but Andy Fury and I when we did Royal Oak Michigan Okay You got to look up the Waffle House The Waffle Max Are you good with the internet?

Yeah what is it Look up in Royal Oak Michigan Waffle House I think it's It's called like the world's best Waffles it's like this little place

or pancake house look up pancake house I have the best waffle place or is it pancakes what if you were what's that what's that

what's that yeah it's this place it's yellow and black pancakes Royal Oak Michigan oh there's uh there's always house of pancake

no Royal Oak or maybe any original pancake house? Yes. Right? That's the name of it.

Yeah. The original house of pancakes? Original pancake house. Original pancake house. I'm telling you, the best breakfast I've had in 15 years. Really? Insane. Really?

Insane. So good. It's nothing fancy. It's pretty big, pretty busy. Andy and I were the only wife. people in there, which made it so much cooler. Like the after church crowd. Yeah.

Just lovely people. Wow. I mean, Andy and I talk about, like, when are we going to get close to that place again? Really? Because we only had a sliver of the menu. And it was the best pancakes of my life. Wow. So good.

Okay. Yeah. It's great to know. If it's going to cut down on your time in the whole. hotel before the sound check, it's going to be worth it. All right. That's a good one. And you're not going to feel disgusting either.

It's not going to be like bad pancake. All right. In your gut. This is heaven. Heaven. Wow. Yeah. Okay.

I'll look it up. For all our listeners, just look at Ryan's schedule and meet him there. He'll be there a couple hours before the show. You're the best, Ryan. Thanks, Tom. You're the best. Appreciate it. Max.