Breaking Bread with Tom Papa - Episode 328 - Taylor Tomlinson

Episode Date: June 9, 2026

This week friend of the pod Taylor Tomlinson  @taylortomlinsoncomedy  is back to break more bread! She and Tom talk about comedy inspirations, growing up religious, writing bestsellers, and more. Enjoy! Our thanks to: IQ Bar! Text PAPA to 64000 to get 20% off all IQBAR products, plus FREE shipping. Message and data rates may apply. Monarch! Start your free trial and get 50% off your first year of total money clarity using link www.monarch.com/PAPA or code PAPA Butcher Box! As an exclusive offer, new listeners can get their choice between free ribeye or top sirloins for a year or ground beef and bacon for a year, PLUS $20 off when you go to ButcherBox.com/papa Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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free of charge. BetMGM operates pursuant to an operating agreement with Eye Gaming Ontario. It's honestly so nice to have a community where everyone has a podcast. It really is because even if we were to just meet, you know, for dinner, you don't get to ask all these questions. It would be weird to be like, tell me about when God left your life for a minute. Yeah, and there's no guarantee that I'll turn it on. Right.

Like, I'll tell you anything you want to know, but I won't be like, really. Yeah, no, I'm glad you say that. I feel the same way. But I do think comedians are like that. I mean, I think comedians in green rooms do talk to each other like this, don't you think? Yeah. At dinner. Like we're-

There's very little fluff. Which is what's hard about then getting dinner with your friends who are like teachers and lawyers who are like, oh, I don't talk to people like that. Like they'll talk to you like that. But I've been in situations where they're talking about someone we both know or that they know. And I go, well, what are they doing? Like, how's their marriage or whatever? And they're like, well, you can't ask that at a dinner party. You can't go, so how's your marriage?

How are you feeling about it? And where are you guys at? And I go, oh, sorry, I'm just used to comedians. And that's exactly what we do because we're driving from one city to the other and we have three hours to kill. And so, yeah, I need to know which kid's your favorite and which one hates you. It's breaking bread. I baked you this bread today. I know it looks gorgeous.

Yeah. What kind of bread is it? It's a country loaf, sourdough. Oh, my gosh. Yeah. And sourdough is supposed to be like the best for your gut. I know. That's what I keep reading or seeing on Instagram.

Do you just bake whatever you want to bake that day? Or do you think about who's coming on and go, well, you seem like a cranberry walnut. It doesn't change. It doesn't change the ingredients. But you are on my mind when I'm making it. Yeah. You know what I mean? Yeah.

Like I, yeah. Like when you pull taro cards, you kind of focus. energy on the person. Yeah, and I do believe it kind of has some kind of an effect. I do feel, I looked at that bread. I said that bread looks like me. Yeah, that's you. Yeah, that's me right there. Last time you did this podcast, we were in the old studio. Long time ago. I think it was the first iteration of Breaking Bread. Yeah, when was that? It was before you exploded. Was it before my first special? I think so. I think it was, really? I think it was heading into that. Oh, that's wild. Right? Yeah, that was a long time ago then. Because I always think everything was three years ago. I do too. And it wasn't. No, it was all

so long ago. It was so, so long ago. It was so, so ridiculous. I was probably so scared to do it then. I was probably very intimidated. You were, no, you were cool. You weren't feeling well. Probably. There was something, you weren't feeling great, but you showed up. I think it was like raining and you did it. And I was so grateful. I was ill. Just sleeping on the floor of airports going, why do I feel like garbage? Yeah. What could that possibly be about? But man, everything exploded from that point on. And I had to think the podcast was a part of that.

And that's where it all. And that's what did it, honestly. Netflix thinks it's them, but it wasn't. It was this right here. Was it the impact of that first special that really just popped? Yeah. Yeah. 100%.

Yeah. I mean, like, kind of did everything I could have hoped it would do. Yeah. And what was the name of that one? Quarter life crisis. Quarter life crisis. Yeah. But that was crazy.

That came out six years ago now. Yeah. And I remember it came out because it came out in 2020 and you and Fortune also had specials come out like right around the same time. Yeah, that's right. And I heading into the pandemic. Which was kind of, did your rep say something similar of like great time to have something out? This is everybody's at home watching stuff. This pandemic is going to be great for you.

Yeah. There was like like like, well, you know, people are taking chances on all kinds of stuff. Yeah. They're going to watch everything. Yeah. But maybe that is true to some extent. It probably helped a bit. It did ultimately.

For me at least. Yeah. You found your people. They found you. Mine was, you're doing great. Yes. Which was very encouraging of like you can get through things. Yeah.

During the pandemic. Like that really resonated with people. Yeah. And then the book, my book off of it was, you're doing great and other reasons to stay alive. Yes. So that really. It really was like on the nose. Kind of perfect timing.

Yeah. I was going to ask you about that because you've written three books, right? Yeah. So I'm writing a book right now that's coming out in a few months. And I'm terrified. And I've gone back and forth about how panicked I am. Because on the one hand, what I realized like today was when I was younger, I was so scared that I was just good at stand up for my age.

And it took me, you know, 16 years this long to be like, I think I'm good at it now. I think I'm just regular good at it. But for years I was like, oh, I think I'm just good for rage. And I'm worried about that with the book where I'm worried that it'll come out and people will be like, this is so good for a comedian. Or like, or they'll think it's bad. That's also a very real possibility. But I'm scared that people will say, this is pretty good considering she's a clown. You know, like that that's the best I can hope for.

I know. And I wonder if you had any of that writing books or if you were just like, this is just an extension of my standup. I'm just, these are bits. Yeah, no. No, I want to be a writer. Yeah. So you want to be a writer. And yeah, it's like with everything, you vacillate between, you know, I would love to be David Sedaris.

Yes. I might be Dave Barry. Yeah. I may be somewhere in between. You know what I mean? Like, like, yeah, but these are all inspirations of what you. of the best version of what you could be, right? So you're striving to do those things.

And you're going to just be you ultimately. Yeah. And that's okay. So wherever that kind of like, you know, you have your, your motivations and your inspiration and why you work hard and are really trying to be truthful and do all that stuff. And then it'll be what it is. And that's...

Well, and I can't believe, I mean, I don't know specifically who, but I've just heard that a lot of people don't read. their own books in show business. Yes, there's a lot of that. What's the point of that? Yeah, why would you do that? Why would you do that? I mean, I guess if you're a big actor or something, it's just sort of a cash grab.

Right. I'm like the- A million-dollar advance. Yeah, but I'm like, I wanted to do it because I wanted to write it. Yeah, well, you're a great writer. Well, we don't know yet. No, you are. We'll know once the book comes out, because my friends will keep saying that.

I'll go, I'm so nervous and they go, but you're a great writer, and I go, we have no idea if that's true. Yeah, no, we do. I haven't written an essay in years. years, guys. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. But your stand-up is very well written. You're a very good writer. That's nice. Your images, your themes, it's all there. I'm just scared it doesn't translate. To me, it's like, oh, you're a really good joke writer, but I'm like, isn't that kind of just like, oh, you make really good smoothies? It doesn't mean I can like roast a chicken, you know?

Yeah, I know what you're saying, but no. But that's me downplaying jokes and I shouldn't do that because I do hate that there is a lack of respect for stand-up, I feel like, in the business, as opposed to other art forms. Yeah, which I'm thinking until recently. And now a lot of people are like, holy cow, why is stand-up the thing that everybody's going to see all the time now? And also just the steadiest work that there is in Hollywood now. Has it been wild to watch the explosion of stand-up? up because you've been doing this for how many years now? 33.

Yeah. So it's like I can't even, does it just kind of blow your mind? It does in a way. I mean, it's all kind of natural. It's like a slow moving ship rather than, you know. What's really interesting is to sit when I talk to young comics and see their trajectory and what they're trying to do. And there was only one way to do it when I started.

It was like try and get into these clubs, try and get onto those shows, and that was it. And if you got denied, you got denied, and you just had to keep hammering in the same direction. And now the freedom and the ability to be funny in any way and just do it on your phone and just express yourself any way. That's pretty fascinating. Like to watch that change is really nuts. Do you think it's in some ways, do you think it's harder or easier now? because now there's no clear cut path. And back in the day, there was a clear path.

And these are the steps. And this is what you need to do. Yeah, I don't know. What do you think? I don't know. Sometimes. I tend to think it's easier now to be successful and do this for a living. I think it's easier to get to that point.

I do think it's harder to know what to do. Right. Because even when I was starting out, it was like, yeah, you listen to Marin's podcast, and they tell you how to become a comedian. And you go, okay, and I'll do that, and I'll host, and then I'll feature. and these are the rules. Yeah. And now it's like, I mean, the advice I give young comics is like, don't put anything on

the internet right away. And even that, I'm like, oh, am I? Is that like really old out of touch advice? Right. Because you kind of have to, it seems like, as soon as you have a bit that works at all. Yeah. The thing with stand up is it really funny is going to win. Yeah.

Like, was anything ever going to stop Wanda? Right. You know what I mean? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Like, it's impossible. But the book thing is with the whole bestseller marketing of books. Like you have your specials and they're huge and they have, you feel the impact of it. Yeah. You know the numbers. And you know, millions of people and all that kind of stuff. And then you go do a book signing and there's 30 people and you're like, oh boy. And the book shop is like, isn't this great? Yeah. And you're like, I don't know. Is it? Well, and isn't it like kind of a low number to become a bestseller? It's like sort of like you hit a number. number in a certain window of time, but it's not actually as many copies as you would think.

Because I always thought, oh, if you're a New York Times bestseller, you sold a million copies. And I don't think that I kind of don't even understand what makes you qualify. I haven't been on the list. My one was close to being on the list, but I didn't even know what that meant. And then when I talk to people in interviews and whatever, and they're like, I'll tell you how to do it. And they like have like bulk, yeah, they have like bulk buys or do this kind of, like they, they work it. Like they buy it themselves?

They work it. Oh, no, I don't know if they buy it themselves. I have heard of that. I've heard of you can do that. And I was like, what? But to me, that's like, that's like having someone write your book for you. Right. I'm like, how does that feel good?

Yeah, I don't really care. Yeah. Yeah. I respect when people just want to be successful and they don't care how they get it. I know. I go, that looks so nice. That looks relaxing. Oh, my God, if you just didn't care.

Just don't care. Just do whatever you have to. Just whore yourself out. And just do it and be cool with it. Yeah. I know. It's wild. I know it is wild.

I don't have that. I think if there's like an ego meter, like you have to get to a certain threshold where that you're cool with that. Yeah. And we all have it, but you can be a little lower. where that becomes problematic. But to just be someone who's like, I just want to make as much money as possible, as opposed to I would like the respect of my peers.

I mean, so much simpler to just go for the cash than constantly be like going out. I had a weird interaction with someone I respect. Yeah. I remember when I was a kid, like not one rock star would ever put their name on an ad. Like that was really like, I remember like in seventh grade walking around with my friends and hearing like somebody did something. They sold out, man. We don't like that guy. And it was like, you're a little kid in saying that this guy is selling out because he wants a house. But that's the way the rules were.

Like it was you didn't do that. And now it's the goal. Yeah. Like before you even hit, you're on a Subaru commercial. Yeah. You know what I mean? And your fans are so happy for you. Yeah.

If you're on a Super Bowl commercial. Everyone's like, whoa, they did it. And you're like, that's what I got the most texts about. I have not been on a Super Bowl commercial. No. And to be clear, I said Subaru. Yeah. I wasn't aiming even up for that.

And that's closer. And I might get that. But Super Bowl. Yeah. No, it's, I love hearing you say that, though, about the writing of it because it's the same conversation with AI. Yeah. It's, yeah, you could write stuff on AI.

A, I could write a book in 30 seconds. Yeah. You could have a write a book. But that's not why you write a book. You, it's not an assignment that you have to finish. Yeah. It's something, it's an exercise that you want to express. And so that debate really is moot as far as an artist or writer.

And I don't think people want to watch things made by AI. I think people like consuming art that they know another. person made because that's what makes you feel less alone in the world is you see right you see great art and go oh my gosh that's how I feel and somebody else said it which means I'm not the only one but if a computer wrote it then you're like well who I guess they pulled this from a Facebook status that a lot of people had and maybe that like it just doesn't hit the same because I nobody seems to be I mean maybe I'm wrong maybe younger kids are more Like, it's fine, but it doesn't seem like anybody likes it.

I watched the Super Bowl at a friend's house and with his daughter and all of her friends. And they were like 20, I don't know, 27, something like that. And I'm just watching the Super Bowl and watching all the ads and it comes on and I can't tell AI from the other thing. And anytime it was AI or sniffed of AI in the writing or the photography, anything that the whole room was. like, boo, they were all like on it. And they saw the phoniness and we're calling it out. And I was like, oh, maybe this is, this might be something. It gets me sometimes though. I get, sometimes I'll watch a video and halfway through, I'm tearing up at a baby putting on glasses for the first time. And I go to the comments and it's like, this is AI. I know. And I'm like, they got me. They got me.

They got me. You want to know my worst one? Yeah. I got home after. the comedy store late at night and I couldn't fall asleep yet so it was just on my laptop and I looked at YouTube and I watched a 20 minutes story of Keanu Reeves when he showed up at the P. Diddy trial and how when he walked in and Diddy locked eyes with him and there was this big controversy and Diddy and Keanu told this whole story about how he had he got invited to Diddy's house for dinner one on one. And I was like, oh my God. And it was AI, Keanu.

Poor Keanu. The whole thing was AI. 20 minutes. The whole report. Keanu never went to his house. He wasn't in the trial. When did you find out. When they started looping.

It started looping. It started saying things over again. I was like, wait a minute. Oh, no. And I was intrigued. I had to put my phone down to not post about it a couple times in the middle. That's the worst. Oh, no.

That's, those are the tough ones when you see. a news, like a news clip and you go, oh shit. That's happened to me a couple times where I sent it to someone and they go, well, this is AI. And I go, I know, I just wanted to make sure you knew. I was just making sure we all stayed sharp out there. This was a test. Thank you for coming.

I know. Because who would fall for that? It makes me feel good that you fall for it too. Yeah, well, you know, I'm getting up there now. I'm not like young anymore. It's really so bad. Let's talk about your special. Oh, yeah.

It's so funny. How long does it take after a special comes out for you to forget that you put one out? Yeah, I know. Well, yeah, you kind of dust. You try and get behind it. You try and get it behind you pretty quickly. Yeah. Because, like, you've survived the anxiety of breaking that out, right?

I know. And having that come out and everything. Yeah, mine came out February 24th, I think. February. So it's been like, what? four months now? Yeah, yeah. Something like three months.

And couldn't tell you. Yeah. Couldn't tell you one joke. I vaguely remember parts of it. Yeah, I just, I mean, I forget, I feel like almost immediately. And then when people reference stuff, they go, well, you have that one joke. I've had people reference bits from specials. Yeah.

And I go, that's great. And I go, that's from your, and I go, are you sure about that? It happened writing the book a couple times. My editor was like, well, you talk about this in your second special. And I go, I've never shared that with anyone. How dare you? I know. And then I was like, oh, no, you're right.

I did talk about that. I know. Yeah. I literally had to search my, I'm in the middle of my fourth right now. I'm like on a deadline. And I'm like, I think I've told this story. And I had to do a search on my computer to see where I, and it was like in the second book or whatever. And I'm like, I'm going to see if anyone catches me.

I don't. Well, there's also certain things where you're like, I've talked about this before, but I have more to say about it now. Right, right. And jokes are like that too, right? Yeah. Where you're like... Well, that's what's kind of interesting about this special because a lot of times, and I talk about this with Gaffig and a lot, that we tend to put out the same special over and over in a way.

Like, you're moving forward, you're telling new jokes, you're doing stuff, but I'm always going to talk about my family. At some point I'll be talking about being fat or like, like, these things are recurring, right? And but this one was this was more thematic like this was you were really kind of digging into your life in a way that was more thematic. I could see why like having it be over you want to kind of like, okay, I got that out and I'm going to move into new territory now. Yeah. Because this was pretty, this was this was deep stuff. Yeah. This was the result of like a lot of therapy.

And it's funny because when you. watch, I mean, I remember they were trying to, like, write the description on Netflix about the special. And I remember I called my team because I thought AI had written the description. I was like, hey, I think maybe something got put through AI. Like, I don't know what this description is. And I think Netflix was like, oh, we want to make sure people know it's not just about religion. Like, they were trying to make it sound more broad. And I was like, really kind of against that. Because to me, I was like, this special isn't. broad. It's about religion and death and dating, I guess, and like a little bit about the fear of having kids, but like, it is mostly about these subjects and there's so much content out there. I see the, I see the argument for trying to make something as broad as possible and bringing in as many people as possible, but not everything you make is like that. Like, I think it helps to tell people what they're signing up for, especially once you have. multiple specials, multiple books, you know, whatever else.

It's like, okay, this one is for these people. This one's for the people who like these topics. But also, if you're not interested in watching someone talk about deconstructing their faith for 25 minutes, I don't want to trick you into doing it. Right. You know, and maybe that's a mistake on my part. Maybe I should be trying to trick people. But is it, was it for it?

Was it just the story you wanted to tell? Or was it I want to hit these people with this? Like, you know what I mean? No, no, no, it's not like I want to hit these people with it. It was like, this is what I want to talk about right now. This is what I'm going through. This is what I've thought the most about these last couple of years. That's what it felt like.

And a large part of my audience is like me. And so they've gone through similar things. Right. And there are going to be people, I'm sure, who watch the special who haven't been familiar with me before because they're interested in that subject matter. But I know there are also going to be people like with any special who are like, oh, this one wasn't for me. I'll catch the next one. Right.

Or I'll go rewatch the last one. And that's why I try to kind of go back and forth of like my first one was really broad. The second one was darker and more personal. The third one was broad again. And then this one was darker and more personal. Right. And then this next hour I think I'm going to try to like, I don't know, write clean. Like I'm going to like try to just go like I'm going to try to swing back the opposite way just to kind of keep myself.

challenged and engaged. Yeah. You know, just sort of not even like a one for me, one for you kind of a thing, but just to, I think it's good for my brain to kind of go deeper and dig for a couple years. Yeah. And be very vulnerable and share a lot about myself and then kind of swing back the other way and go like, oh, this is more silly. Yeah.

Yeah. No, for real. I mean, what was the, was there a timing of? diving into the subject at this depth about your faith at this eight like did it take that long to kind of have the perspective and the comedic chops to tackle it one thousand percent because you would mention it before but not like this no anytime i mentioned it in other specials it was like i'm so pissed i grew up in church because it fucked me up in all these ways yeah and i think it took there were a lot of things that happened in the last few years and i think most notably like i came

out and I thought my entire family, because my entire family's Christian, I thought my entire family was going to like, I mean, at various points. I mean, I thought once they knew I wasn't a clean comedian, they were all going to leave me and write me off completely. And then they didn't. And then I thought if I came out and my siblings came out, they would all, you know, cut us off completely. And like, of course, you do lose certain people. But not, I think I was so pleasantly surprised. to find that so many of my Christian family members were still very accepting and loving and like met us where we were at and weren't I couldn't lump them in with more like hateful religious people right so it was it was helpful for me to have those relationships stay intact

and find that we could have really difficult conversations and find out that we weren't as misaligned as maybe I thought just because we don't believe the same things about God in the afterlife and, you know, spirituality. So it took a long time. And I also think that me being scared to come out as queer in large part was because I was raised a certain way. And I had, I mean, I had so much stuff to get through just with like the sex before marriage of it all. Like before we even get to being queer, like just even like straight sex was like evil. So like I had to, yeah, I had to like wade through all of that for years before I was even able to like get through that. And so I think finally getting to a place where I felt like I was myself and being totally honest with everybody in my

life and comfortable with who I was and what I believed and how I identified. Like it made it a lot easier for me to speak about growing up religious and certain things that were difficult and harmful for me from a more like nuanced understanding playful place because I think people can tell when you go out on stage and you talk about things that you haven't like fully processed or healed from yet. Yeah. Yeah. And it's it can be some people are really good at it. And then I think sometimes it makes the audience just feel really uncomfortable and like you are just sort of putting them through a therapy session. So I'm always worried about doing that. So I'm always like, okay, I'm going to do jokes about things once I've processed them so that I'm bringing like a

completed thought. Yeah. Yeah, because there is, there is this really nice ability of bringing up almost structurally bringing up something that's pretty heavy and pretty, it's definitely had on your mind for a long time. And then followed up by a really great joke. So, So it's really interesting to see because you do get the whole point across. You don't have to hammer them in with, this is what you should think about this. It's, this is the, we're dealing with this part of it now. And here are the jokes and it seeps in. It's like, it's an interesting, sometimes people can become too preachy. Yeah. I mean, religion, but it, things can be, like, you know, where they tell you too much about it and they tell you how to feel. But when it's,

when it's just really good joke writing around this thing that we kind of set up as this is the header for this, it's much more effective. Yeah. And there's certainly, like, towards the end, there's, like, one part where I think I'm just sort of saying the thing. Like, but I try not to do that throughout. Because to me, it's a comedy special first and foremost. Yeah. But to me, the specials and movies and TV shows and whatever else are the ones. the ones that stick with me are the ones that are very funny, but are also saying something or hitting something for me personally, that have that staying power in a way that maybe just like an hour of jokes

doesn't always. But it also has so much to do with like where you are in your life when you see something. That's right. You know, like there have been shows and movies and specials that I've watched when I was going through a really hard time that just are really important to me because I was going through such a hard time and it distracted me. Yeah, yeah.

And it's not even so much about the subject matter. But yeah, I think this hour, it was, it just, I don't know, this hour was a lot of things for me. Yeah. Because I already kind of said this, but I was worried when I was younger that I was just good at, well, I started when I was a teenager doing stand-up in churches. And so the first couple years I was doing stand-up,

it was like, am I just good because I'm young? and clean. Uh-huh. And am I just good for a church comedian? And then it was like, okay, I'm in the clubs, but am I still just good because I'm young and clean? And then it was like, okay, you're not clean anymore. Are you just good for being young?

Yeah. And it took me up until I was like, you know, until now, until I was like, okay, I think I've, I think I've, I think I've proven, you know, I'm like, okay, this is my fourth special. Yeah. I think maybe I can, I can take a little longer to put out the next one, maybe.

Because I'm also like, I don't know, what am I going to? I thought I'd have like kids by now or something. Yeah. What am I going to talk about? Yeah. But more than, but the part of like never really thinking you're good. Yeah. Is what keeps you working.

I know. It's what keeps you. I'm kind of just comfortable with, it's okay to always think that you, aren't there yet. Yeah. Right? That's honestly you're so right. Yeah. And like really truly believe it. Yeah. Truly believe. But it's a balance right? Because you don't always want to be beating yourself up. No. I'm not worthy of anything. No. I get. No. You don't want to be like so self-deprecating that you're beating your. Yeah. Yeah. No. But to oh, listen, I, you know, you talk to like Colin or whatever and people are and they're not comfortable. Yeah. And they're the most prolific, you know, people out there. I think there's a little,

there always has to be a little bit of that. Yeah, that's true. But then also don't you feel that yes, part of the reason you're so prolific is because you're always trying to get better, but isn't it also just that you love doing it and you kind of don't know how to stop? Yeah. Yeah. Right? Like whenever people ask me, like, what would you do if you had a whole day off? And I'm like, I mean, honestly, a part, I would love to write with like no expectations on me. Like I would love to maybe, you know, do this in the morning and have like a nice little morning. But then for like a few hours in the afternoon, it would be nice to go sit and write somewhere. Exactly. I know. And that's great. That's like the best day. Yeah. Yeah. No, completely. I completely get that.

It's weird when I, uh, it's almost like the more intense, my friends, you included, who had more intense religious involvement when they were young. You know how everybody's trying to figure out when to put smartphones in the hands of children? And they're like, you know, it's a little too early for some of these. Their brains aren't there yet. Let's let them develop. And then we'll give them the smartphone.

And there's lots of debates of when that would be healthy or starting to smoke weed or whatever. It's like, no, these brains have to kind of mature first. the same should be with religion. I completely agree. If you didn't get hammered with it, you could have a, and then get introduced later, you could have a healthy perspective and kind of figure things out and not be damaged. Yeah.

But man, it's such a complicated thing when it's given to you too early. Yeah, and you can form your own opinion on it. Yeah. Without, yeah, because when you're just born into it and you're raised in. in church and with all these ideas rolling around you. And then you go to school and you're told different things. And then it's sort of these competing voices in your life of like at school, they're telling you one thing. And then at home, they're going, you're so stupid, you believe that at school. And at school, they're going, you're so stupid, you believe that at church. And you're

like, okay, well, I don't know. I just feel like an idiot everywhere. Like, I don't know what to believe. So, I mean, in some ways, it prepares you for the internet now. I have no idea what the truth is. But yeah, I completely agree with that. I kind of feel like you should just, you know, not, you should wait until they're like 13 before you're like, all right, now we'll talk about death. Yeah, right, exactly. Yeah, we can give you some kind of perspective on it. Yeah.

I didn't raise my daughter with any religion. She's a wreck. See, and I couldn't even wrap my head around that. When I got to be, when I was doing clubs when I was like, you know, 18 or whatever, it was the first time I was around people every night, all night, you know, regularly that were like, no one even told me about God growing up. You know, like, there are people like, I don't even know what little voice you're referring to in your head. And I'm like, I was told everyone had it.

So what the actual fuck is going on here? And stand up really like, it totally. opened my eyes because I was just, I grew up so sheltered in this world where like everybody was religious in some way and then to get to a place where I'm hanging out in like bars at night with guys in their 40s who are like, I'm an atheist and you're like, huh? What? It's just so crazy. You can say that out loud.

Yeah. Aren't you afraid something's going to happen to you? Yeah. Yeah, it really is interesting. And it's interesting to watch, you know, to watch my. kids because they are great people. They have like this instinct to be kind and they're like they have the lessons got to them somewhere. And now a word from our sponsors. We'd like to thank the good people at IQ Bar for sponsoring today's show. This episode is brought to you by IQ Bar,

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And now back to the show. I was so pissed when I found out atheists could be good people. Yeah. I was furious. You're not atheist. Agnostic? What are you? No, you believe in God.

Yeah. Now he's putting his Christian. I'm going to get you now. Now I can go to work. Now you're prepared. Are you just like, I'll see God later. But it's not like a day to day. thing. It's just like, yeah, no, he's up there. We'll do that later.

I was forcing him to go to church in my middle school Christian phase. Oh, really? Yeah. Yeah. I didn't want to go. Well, because you wanted to go to Christian places. I'm Catholic. You know, you got to go to where you're like, you're building sucks. Yeah, you got to go where it's a little scary. You don't want to just everybody singing, playing guitar. I'm like, no. Are you putting the words up on the screen for you to sing? Yeah, come on. Pull out a dusty book. yeah exactly yeah now i'm gonna come now i'm gonna come get her and it'll be safe

that's so funny uh do when you with the the audience that it seems from the outside like when you first ones came out like there's there's these moments when comics pop where their audience was out there and it wasn't until the special comes out and you're able to reach enough people where that audience feels like, oh, finally, there's a comedian for us. That's like our thing. You know what I mean? Does that make sense? Oh, that's so nice.

Yeah, I see it with you. I see it with Ali or with Sebastian. It's like Leanne, like there's, you, it just kind of happened. It's almost like there's an unserved audience with a great comedian. And it seemed like that with you very much so. Well, I think as far as my age, I think that was true. Yeah, you're 25. And so there weren't.

Your perspective and. There weren't a lot of like 25 year old girls with specials at that time. Really? Yeah. Speaking eloquently about everything that they're going through, that you were going through and they all related to. Yeah. Did you feel that impact? Did you feel like you all of a sudden had an army?

I mean, yeah. Before that special came out, nobody was coming to see me on purpose. I mean, that special came out in March, and the July before that I had my episode on the comedy lineup on Netflix, the 15 minutes that I did. That came out and I felt a little bit of a bump from that where people would come to see me when I was, you know, I was headlining clubs. And so some people were like, oh, we saw that and that was great. Or we've watched that and Conan and your tonight show set. But for the most part, most of the people coming to see me were just like, we just wanted to see comedy tonight. you're here.

Yeah. And so I was just winning people over every weekend. City by city. Yeah. And then the special comes out. Then I'm in quarantine for months. Right. And then by the time I'm back on the road, I'm like, I sold how many tickets?

Like it was overnight. It was crazy. Yeah. And there was nothing, nothing about it felt gradual because of that pandemic time. Right. Right. Yeah. Where you're like, I have no idea what this is. All I can see are my social number.

going up. It's not, it doesn't always translate to to live ticket sales. So yeah, it was really, really crazy. And did you feel like the audience had kind of coalesced like it had a bit more of a vibe to who they were? Yeah, I mean, Dustin, Dustin Nickerson, who is a good friend of who was opening for me at that time, was like, it was funny because quarter life crisis came out and we did that theater tour and then look at you. My second special came out, which was more about like mental health and like grief and stuff came out. And he goes, the difference between the audience on these two tours, he's like, after a quarter life, you had like a lot of girls like wooing.

And like they're on girls nights and bachelorette parties. And he goes, look at you, got rid of all that. And then look at you. He's like, now it's like it's all people that are like you, that are like, you know, kind of introverts and like, you know, dealing with things emotionally. and, you know, who are like more introspective. And I'm like thrilled with my audience. I feel like so incredibly lucky.

I feel like they're so like polite and smart and attentive and sweet. Yeah. And I don't worry about getting like heckled or anything. I worry about talking to someone who doesn't want to be spoken to. Right. That's what I'm worried about on tour. I'm not like, oh, they're going to yell and they're going to get drunk. I'm just worried I'm going to be like, and you, and they're going to, oh, he's don't.

To me. Yeah. So I'm, yeah, I feel like, I feel very, you know, seen by the people who come to see me. Yeah. Yeah. That's great. Yeah. It really felt like that from the outside, too.

Like, it was like, this is a, and it's cool with this one because it felt like, like now they're just going to go with you on this journey. Like, you're going to start talking about whatever, whatever, whatever. Whichever way you go, they're going to kind of, they'll probably be matching it in some way, you know. I know you hope so. But that's sort of, that's been sort of my fear about not feeling sort of stunted in my personal life because I have been so focused on work for so long. And I haven't left any room to really like. Live.

Yeah, no, truly. And it's like I'm really bad at taking time off and I'm really bad at leaving room for things to happen. for me on a personal level and I've gotten better at it in the last year and it's made a huge difference But in a in sort of a fucked up way I've only done that because I could feel myself becoming Sort of one note. I'm like you can't just be a comedy machine forever like people aren't gonna relate to you anymore if you're just like and here's another thing another thing about something I've already said because I haven't done anything new I've just been on tour still.

You know, like, all my favorite comics are like, they got married, they had kids, they, you know, whatever, did Iahuasca? Like they did, they're like, really, you know, experiencing life and not just going from one tour to the other and forcing themselves to create, create. So that's been like a really tough adjustment for me to make in the last year because it is where I get like all of my self-worth from historically. and that's not healthy. Yeah.

Did the TV show kind of help in that way where it kind of got you out of? No, no, got you out of like you weren't just, you weren't putting creatively everything into just another set. Oh, no. I think it was, I think it was the height of me making my entire life work. I was like, oh, I'll go do a different time. But in my head, I went, this is you branching out and this is you. growing and it was it absolutely was and I met so many amazing people and I learned how to work

with other people and be a different thing yeah in this business and and yeah just a complete and total new experience for me and it was very expansive in so many ways yeah but I was only working I was I was filming that show Monday through Wednesday and I was on the road Thursday through Sunday and you know anytime I wasn't on stage on set or or on stage at my shows on the road, I was on vocal rest on a plane. Right. And I was like, oh, I'm never gonna.

Yeah. Like I remember I got dumped at the end of season one. And I was like, well, of course. Of course. Why would anyone be okay with that? I've never. I'm never present. I'm never available.

Like, I've never gonna be. And I was like, I was always sick. I was just, and I was so run down. And I think it was like the end of the, It was sort of the end of my rope where I was like, okay, you can't. Right. You just can't keep doing this at this speed and this way anymore. You have to like take a break and focus on your health for a minute.

Yeah. Oh, that's interesting. The show was good, but I wanted it to be more your show. Really? Mm-hmm. So interesting because people would say that and I took the job because it wasn't, which is what's so interesting about it. Right.

is like, to me, I was excited to host a show that was entirely someone else's vision. I mean, it was a reboot of a show that was created by other people and hosted by other people. And so I was like, I think I was like the last one hired. You know what I mean? Right, right. I was like just this final piece. And so whenever people were like, why isn't it the Taylor Thompson show? I was like, it was never going to be the Taylor Thomas show.

And it's why I was so devastated that they didn't replace me as host because to me what was so magical and amazing about the format of it all, the fact that it was a format driven show. Yeah. Is that you could have plugged so many people in as the host and they would have been amazing. I mean, truly, there was a list of people I had that I'm like, all of these people have done the show, have been panelists on the show. And they could host the hell out of this. And it would be amazing. and I would love to watch that. Yeah, but you made your mark and you, you know,

you're tuning in to see you also. As your friend and your comedy friend, it was cool to see like, oh, she could host a show. Like, you could, if down the road you wanted, like it's proven concept that you have that thing that you at home will lean into and watch. You know what I mean? Well, I wasn't ever trying to prove I was funny on that show.

To me, my job was just to make sure you saw how funny other people were. Like, so, and maybe I should have been more concerned about being funny. There's people listening going, yeah, you could have done a better job being funny yourself. No, you were funny. You were very much yourself, which is a difficult thing in those big giant projects. Right, yeah. A lot of times the personality gets swallowed up by the thing. Well, and that's a testament to just the team that show had and the crew,

and everybody, like, everybody who worked on that show was so amazing and so good at their job. And I, you know, I was so bummed. I just couldn't keep it up. Like, the schedule was just too much for me and I was going through stuff on my own. But like, it was a hard choice. It was the hardest choice I've ever made. Like, the hardest decision I've ever made. How long to take you to make it? I mean, a year. Like, it took for, it took so long and it was. Because you have all these forces that are Yeah, and you feel silly walking away from any sort of opportunity. And it's, it's, it took for, it. it's like objectively like that was a dream job you know like and again that's why i was like if somebody wasn't on the road and they just did this show yeah it's three days a week right

and it like the the number of people with like families and stuff who could have which is you know most late night host right like they have families and they you know do the show on the weekdays and then they have their weekends yeah and i just wasn't that person i wasn't in that place in my life But I was like, man, I don't want this job to go away because it is such an incredible job. When you're in this business and you keep pushing and you keep pushing and you go, I'll take time off when. And once I get this, then I can take a minute. And I mean, before I took that job, I was like, I'm going to take six months off next year. And then that job came up and I was like, okay, well, I can't.

Like you just keep rallying. Yeah, always. Because, you know, stand-ups like that. Stuff comes in and you go, well, I have to do that corporate show. it's so much money. And so, okay, so I really needed to sleep this week, but I'll rally. And so I had just done that for 15 years. Yeah.

And I was like, okay. I guess you can't do that anymore. And then you do finally have like in your sights a month off and you're like, you start to panic. Yes, exactly. And it takes a month to come down from the stress you're addicted to. And I wonder if you feel similarly where it's like you obviously have this incredible touring career and you also, I'm sure.

love being home with your family. So it's like you love everything you're doing. You love everyone you want to be there for, whether it's these people who paid to see you or this family that you have, who love you. But it's like you only have so much time. And there's only so much of you to go around. And then if you are around a lot

and you don't have a lot of other things and you're there all the time and your family doesn't even like you. You know what I mean? It's a balance, right? You've got to be gone just enough. Because there's lots of industries where the people travel all the time

and like, you know, people are successful and working hard. And, you know, when you get on the plane to go tour, you're the one comic on there. Everyone else is going to hustle. Yeah. They're all leaving their families. They're all doing their thing. Everyone's working really, really hard. Yeah.

You know, there is a downside to just being home all the time. Yeah, you're right. And not working really hard and being in everyone else's business and not letting them do their thing. But I guess the difference is like you like your job. You like what you're doing. Yeah. So, like, you want. to be on the road as much as you want to spend time with your kids, I'm sure. And just finding that

balance of like, okay, how do I keep all these balls in the air? How do I keep all the plates spinning? Yeah. When you put it that way, there's really no planning it. You just kind of like field it as it comes. Yeah. And you don't want to get burnt out. I mean, I'm, what's frustrating for me is like, I want to work as much as possible. So when I get burnt out and I have to take time off, I hate that I'm burnt out. It's not that I'm, like, oh my gosh, I hate working and I hate doing this job and I don't want to do it anymore. It's just that I'm like, shit, I like can't. I'm like, my body's giving out.

Yeah. It'd be nice to have time off just as your own choosing. Yes. Not because you can't stand. Yeah. I'm like, oh, this is why people do residencies. Yeah. In Vegas.

So they can like rest and still do what they want. And I like their job. So how do you feel socially now, like being? I feel better. I've been spending Are you in love? I'm not in love working on it

But no I'm not in love But I'm like Finally in a place Where I'm like Okay I can date I can see my I'm really close with all my siblings I have really amazing friends

Yeah And what has been so nice about my job Is like as my friends have spread out And moved all over the place I'm in everybody's city Once a year So I've kept up with people Oh that's nice

But you know like it's hard to make plans with your friends as adults because everybody has lives and families and jobs and being pulled in every direction. And it takes like real, you'd be really intentional about your relationships as an adult. And, you know, my friends outside the business don't have podcasts where you can, you know. For an intense hour. Yeah. Ask all the questions.

You like forget. It's honestly so nice to have a community. where everyone has a podcast. It really is because even if we were to just meet, you know, for dinner. Yeah. You don't get to ask all these questions. It would be weird to be like, tell me about when God left your life for a minute. Yeah.

And there's no guarantee that I'll turn it on. Right. Like, I'll tell you anything you want to know, but I won't be like, really. Yeah. No, I'm glad you say that. I feel the same way. It really is like, no, it's actually like a way to magnify your friendships with these people. Yeah.

Yeah, but I do think comedians are like that. I mean, I think comedians in green rooms do talk to each other like this, don't you think? Yeah. At dinner. Like, there's very little fluff. Which is what's hard about then getting dinner with your friends who are like teachers and lawyers who are like, oh, I don't talk to people like that. Like they'll talk to you like that. But I've been in situations where they're talking about someone we both know or that they know.

And I go, well, what are they doing? Like, how's their marriage or whatever? and they're like, well, you can't ask that at a dinner party. You can't go, so how's your marriage? How are you feeling about it? And where are you guys at? And I go, oh, sorry, I'm just used to comedians. And that's exactly what we do because we're driving from one city to the other and we have three hours to kill.

And so, yeah, I need to know which kid's your favorite and which one hates you at the moment. But the questions we ask each other is they're so inappropriate in polite company. Yeah, it doesn't make you right. Yeah. If you ever get to a point where you have to be like with other people's, other kids' parents. Oh, yeah. That's really, that's when it's the most glaring. Oh, I'm sure.

When you're like at a school function with just regular parents. What's the most inappropriate thing you've asked another parent at a function where you go, oh, that's a comedian question. It's the dark jokes. Yes. It's the dark jokes. It's the, you know, whatever, like making a joke about the. the principal dying or something. And why would you say that?

That's so mean. You know what it? That recoil of like, why would you say that? And you're like, I go to the comedy store. And ultimately just an inappropriate person. Right? When you walk into like a corporate thing and they're all working. This is very important to them. And then you get up and just start taking the stuffing out of everything that they're doing

and saying you're not appropriate. you don't know how to act. Yeah. Yeah, most people aren't walking into social situations trying to like sum everybody up. Some everybody up, you know? And think that they're, for some reason, they should, everyone should listen to them. Yeah. Listen to me.

I know better. Right. Yeah. And the right people find it refreshing. I think certain people are like, wow, you just say it. And then other people are like, are you okay? Because we're at dinner. this is a wedding

where's your family are they my siblings yeah why one of my siblings lives in L.A., another one lives in San Diego and the other one is like between so we're all in Southern California oh that's nice everybody's close enough

yeah it's really nice yeah that's good but you do have to be intentional about it back to what you were saying like with all your friendships and all that it's and the older you get the more the more work it is but do you ever look back in certain relationships, you're like, they love me. They're happy that we see each other.

But if I didn't call, I don't know if I'd ever see them again. Well, yeah. Right? Yeah. That happens a lot. Oh, my gosh. And it's just because the effort. It really is just the effort. And you have to kind of give them grace and realize that everybody's a mess. And it's going to be hard for them to pick up the phone. Yeah. So if you take it on yourself to do it. But a lot of them would just, they would just die on the People reaching out or not reaching out doesn't have anything to do with you as a person. It's what they have to give and what they have going on. And people are, you know, busy and depressed. And they're, you know.

Gets away from them. Yeah. They're struggling at work or they're going through something with their relationship. And, you know, it's just you take turns being that friend, I think. Do you not eat bread? Do I not eat bread? Yeah. Yeah, I try to stay away from it.

It just hit me. I mean, I'm going to get into that. but I'm sorry I drifted off at the end of what you were saying but I would have never said that I would have never come in and gone and I'm not going to eat this by the way I was all of a sudden I was like wait a minute I think you told me at one point you were off bread yeah yeah I try to not do bread but like it's so annoying to be that person I hate it's all right you can be that it's not like it's not like I'll die if I have it but you're tuned in with your health you know it's yeah yeah but I'm not allergic to bread or anything it's just a thing of like we know all right there's no judgment if you're not like you know all right there's no judgment if you're throw that. I would never know. My sibling, my sibling dropped me off and I went, you know, it's great about this podcast. Tom makes you bread. And I go, see, you've got a lot of bread coming at you. And they're so excited. And I, but I'm still going to have some. All right. I'm not going to just be like, and that's yours. I'm sorry. It's for me. Tom was thinking about me when he baked it. Exactly. And you'll taste that. Yeah. Yeah. But it really just all of a sudden, after an hour,

I'm like, wait a minute. I don't think you eat bread. When people come in, does anyone, does anyone, never say like you can keep that I won't even person who one we're not even going to say their name but uh they were oh really okay they were mean no they weren't were they mean about it they were kind of mean about it

they were very dismissive they were very dismissive they were just like I'm not gonna eat that it was more it was more like oh well that's a health yeah for sure I mean no one thinks bread is great for you yeah Are you going to sit you? Oh, don't forget your bread.

I'm not doing that. I'm not doing that. I've been looking around going, I don't see a bag for my bread. Oh, there it is. No, I'm doing an impression of the, of the guest. I'm good. Oh, yeah, that's a bummer. I was like, no, you should be like, I'm so sorry, I just can't. Yeah. And I don't want it to go to waste. I'm totally okay with that. That's what, yeah. See, that's the problem though with comedians is we're also sensitive. And we're all. And we're all. so bad at interacting with other people because we're so just like we'll just say whatever we're thinking so stressful about going to the club or whatever

and then you go oh I'm going to say something and then for three years somebody's going to think I don't like them and in three years I'll do their podcast and they'll go well I always thought you hated me because once you went and I'm like I don't even I probably had diarrhea I was probably scared

yeah you're right So we don't know. Maybe they were like rushing out. They're like, ah, I'm fine. And they were like, I got to go to the bathroom or something. You think that's true? I'm giving people the benefit of the doubt. Yeah.

All right. I only give people the benefit of the doubt now because for years I didn't. And it hurt me more than it hurt them. Yeah. And now I'm like, I'm just going to assume everyone likes me. Yeah. And see how that feels. Or not even likes me, but I'm going to assume everybody has neutral feelings towards me.

Right. And that any weirdness I feel is coming from me. And then when you're right and they don't like you, that's devastating. Right. But if you can just sort of live in denial and go, they got other stuff going on. I know. But I always feel like when you make a pass, my instinct is always to give everybody a pass. So I'm going to cuts you off on the freeway.

Oh, they're probably rushing to save their baby. Something's happening. But I think there's a limit to that. Of course. At a certain point, you're a sap. If you think that everybody's, everybody's just going. through it. But we only see each other every few years. You know what I mean? Like, comedians don't actually see each other that much if you're like out touring. You see everyone, what, once a year at most

on a podcast or like if you are working out in the clubs and you're in town at the same time and you run into someone a lot for a little while. But like, you know, but that's why you feel so close to people is because when you do see each other, you have these like deep, intense long conversations. Yeah, no, that's true. And you go, why know them? Because we shared a rental car once. Are you going to do clubs again in town? Yeah. I'm about to get back into that thing. I'm about to do the book's not quite done yet.

So once that's done, I'm starting like, I think like end of July. What do you mean done? Done writing or done? Like done with like the audio book and everything. Yeah, I think it will, it comes out in September, but it's like, okay, you're done with like the audio book and like, you know, final edits and all that stuff. I think I'm done technically like mid-July. And then once all that's done, I'm going to be like, okay, great.

Now shifting gears back to, like, stand up and go do clubs and then go do the book tour or whatever. Like promoting the book is, do you have any advice for that? No, I haven't really figured it out. Yeah. No, I kind of feel like having it tied to, I mean, go do press and do all that stuff, but I think tying it to our stand up is probably the best way to go. I would do signings at the end of my shows. Oh, interesting.

That kind of thing. Okay. I think that was like the best way to promote it. It's a wonderful thing. I think you're really going to love it. Really? The connection that you have with your audience now in this other way to have people come up two years from now with that book, you know, with bookmarks in. Oh, that's cool.

It's been squished and used and loved. And they ask you, you know, that it's a, you're going to really like it. Oh, that's nice. Do you feel like most people get your audiobook? I don't know. That's a good question. They want to hear the audio book. Yeah, maybe. I don't know. I hope not. Really? Yeah, I like the idea of them having it. Really? Was it hard doing the audiobook?

No, it's like everything in production. Like you show up and do the tapings for your show, it seems like, oh, that's going to be 12 hours. and it's over like that. Oh, really? You know how to mean? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Everything goes quicker when you're all of a sudden doing it. Same thing with the audiobook.

It's like, well, how am I going to get three days of like five hours each? And it just kind of hums. Wow. Okay. That's helpful to hear. Yeah. I'm nervous about it. The worst part about it is that, as you know.

You can't change anything? Yeah. Because every time you open it, you could change something. Yeah. It's never ending. There's always, you're going to always find something. I know. That's what I'm worried about.

Hell on. I'm so scared. It's also just been hard working on something that thousands of people won't. Because, you know, stand up so great. By the time you do a special, you're like, well, thousands of people saw this. Right. And signed off on it. Yeah.

These jokes. Right, right, right. And this is like, okay, about 10 people read this. And they said it was good, so I hope everyone likes it. Yeah. But it's just so completely outside of my comforts. Do you have a title yet? Yeah.

Actually never mind. Actually never mind. That's a good title. Yeah. This is something I genuinely say. Yeah. Because I was like, I don't know what I can write. I was like, I can't write a book.

I don't feel the same way I felt about anything. At any point in my life. And I was like, oh, that's what the book's about. It's everything I've ever changed my mind about, which is everything. A big stance and then actually, never mind. Yeah. And so I do that when I'm talking to people a lot. I go, and then there's this.

And I go, but actually, never mind. Because, and so that's what the child is. That's funny. I like that. Well, it would be nice to have you send some pictures of the bread with your sister eating. Oh, absolutely. I'll send a picture of my sibling eating it. Like, absolutely.

I'm so excited about it. I also was like sourdough. That's probably why I was like, sourdough, that's better for your gut, right? It's me talking myself into it. No, there's no joke. There's a lot of people in my life that can't eat bread and have gluten problems and stuff.

Not full on, you know, stuff, but that, and they eat my bread and they're cool. Was food central when you were growing up? Like at our house, like people cooking? No one in my family could really cook. Oh, no. There was more so just like, it was, there was more of a focus on like, don't eat that. Uh-huh.

And like, you know, just a lot of emphasis on, you know, the way your body looked and stuff. So I think food was central in that way in a more restrictive way, but not like, and this is our famous, what's it called? Right. The unifying thing. Yeah. There's no, like, my grandma makes a few things that we're all like, oh my gosh, that's incredible. We love that. But like, you know, my parents were cooked.

Like nobody was really like passionate about. That's why I'm so impressed by people who bake. I mean, my little sister Dreia will bake and is really good. And like, actually all my siblings can cook a little bit, but I cannot. And I always tell people when I start dating somebody, I go, can you cook? And I like, oh, but I go, I can't at all. I go, for the record, never going to happen with me. So what do you do on a nightly basis?

I mean, I can make like, I can make like salmon. Right. But I'm eating the same thing. every day. I'm eating like eggs and vegetables and like meat and sweet potato. Like that's what I'm eating every day. I'm like hyper fixated on my meals. And then if I want to get crazy, I'll, you know, order something. But I'm like, there's nothing I can do that will impress you. Okay. I'm like, if you want something healthy, I can do that. I can assemble some ingredients. But other than that, I got nothing. I don't have some signature dish. Wish I did. Do you work out all the time?

No, I'm getting back into it now working all the time. I was, truly, my immune system was so bad for a couple years. And so it would be like I would go back to doing strength training and I would get sick. Oh, God. And so for a long time, I wasn't doing strength training. And then in the last six months, I've gotten back into it now. And I'm like, oh my gosh, I feel so much better. But I wish I was someone who was just like, I'm up at six.

And I run. I don't like those people so much. I like a, like we found my sibling and I are seeing a trainer who we love. And she like trains us both at the same time and like switches up the exercise as a bunch so you don't get bored. That's good. And it's like, it's the best. Yeah. Well, I'm excited for this, this little life chapter for you.

Like you've really gone so hard for so long. Yeah. And you deserve to have like, you've done it. Like you've done a lot. And you can feel good about having all these. accomplishments and take a break. But to your point, shouldn't feel comfortable because that's when you get bad. No, you'll be. You gotta stay uncomfortable.

Well, I'm not, I'm not saying you're going to turn into a different human being. You're like, no, you're in no danger of accepting yourself. No, no, you're not going to be content. But you will be, but I, you know, I think it's a common thing in stand-up where you see there's been some guys who were like, I'm retiring. There's no more, I'm quitting my tour. And then they come back. and I look at him and I'm like, you just needed a break.

You just needed a break. You're so right. Yeah, there are countless people who are like, and I guess I just lost it. Yeah. And then they take six months and they're like, I found it. Yeah, I'm back. Hey, guys. So, you know, all of a sudden you see them hawking more tour dates.

You're like, oh, yeah. Oh, okay. They just needed to. It's okay to catch your breath. And people don't realize you've been gone as long as you have, you know? Like the amount of. What is the limit? Yeah, the amount of like,

singers and stuff who will announce a tour and I go another one? Yeah. And it's like, well, Harry Styles took a year off and I'm like, when? You know, like, you just don't even, a normal person doesn't even register that you took a break. What do you think would be too much time? I mean. Say, say unplugging from touring.

Oh, I mean, from touring? I feel like more than a year I couldn't do. Yeah. Right? I can't imagine that. I would think everyone would have forgotten my name. You think if you took a year off of Tor? No, no one would have forgotten.

I mean, as far as people forgetting? Yeah. Like three years? Three years? Yeah. Three years, you take off for three years and come back in the third year and people will show up. Yeah, I mean, you might have, you probably have a drop off. Right.

Because you do have to stay in front of people, but also you don't want people to get sick of you. Yeah. So that's like, that's tough to know. Yeah, it is tough to know. But I think you have to get pretty big for people to get sick of you, right? I would think so. You got to be like a legend or whatever. Yeah, yeah.

There's so many more people who don't know me. Yeah. Yeah. And it's like, some of you can fall off and I'll get some new people. It's okay. You can take turns supporting me. But a year, I don't know. I don't think I'd enjoy myself.

No, no, no. I mean, a year of nothing. I guess I mean, if I took a year off of touring, it would have to be because I was doing something else. Right. It wouldn't be like, oh, I'm going to take a year off of touring just to be home. Right, yeah. I'd have to, like, be writing something else.

Yeah. You know, like the only thing that, I think the only reason I was able to take any time off at all from touring was because I was writing the book. Right, right. But I mean, like, back to your point from before, it's like the most fun you have is your work, which is a very lucky thing. Yeah. It's an enjoyable expression and it's like, you know, so you just have to be careful to not let it get, big and gobble you up. Yeah. Yeah.

Can be a mean lover. Yeah. At the same time. Yeah. Starts becoming abusive. Just being mean to you. Passive aggressive. Yeah. They used to love me so much. Yeah. I gave everything to you. It's not enough. Well, I love you. I'm so happy to see you. Yeah. This was really great. This was really fun. I've been

looking forward to it. Yeah, me too. Me too. We've had a couple people. I was not happy. to see. No, I was coming, I was coming, I was on my way here and I was like, oh man, it's so nice to go into a podcast I'm like not stressed about. Right. I'm just like, oh, it'll be so great to see Tom and catch up. Right. Exactly. Done. Fine. I'm happy. You're the best.