Breaking Bread with Tom Papa - Episode 333 - Oliver Cooper

Episode Date: June 30, 2026

This week we welcome Oliver Cooper to the table! He and Tom talk all about the film industry, working in comedy, and how success feels. Enjoy! Our thanks to Leesa! Go to leesa.com and use my promo code PAPA for plus $50 off Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I mean, I remember when I first got, when I, after Project X, Todd Phillips, and it was so nice to say this, but I didn't have an agent. Uh-huh. And so he goes, Oliver, all these agents are calling. I remember being in his office. He's like, Oliver, all these agents are calling about you. And he's like, I tell him, you're the guy to get from this movie. You're unlike anything seen in comedy before. He said that.

And I don't believe that, to be honest, but he said that to me. Yeah. And I had the craziest meetings with agents. It was insane. Like, you know, CIA, William Morris, UTA, calling me on my cell phone. The big room. Room with my picture out, like out of entourage. Like room with my picture on it.

What do you want for lunch? Sushi. Sushi platters. I mean, like, these guys, like all the projects you'd be right for it. These guys haven't seen me in one ounce of footage, you know? Nothing. They hadn't seen anything for Projects. They were going, that was how powerful.

Imagine that power. I just like, Tom, tell me about this guy. I'm like, everyone's like, oh. Yeah, they haven't seen anything. Nothing. It's breaking bread. Oliver, so nice to have you here. Thank you.

Thank you for having me. It's awesome. Congratulations on your new film. This is very exciting. I can't wait to talk about it. But for our listeners, they should know that we became pals at Red Oaks. Red Oaks. Red Oaks. You wrote it on it?

I wrote on it. And our good buddy, Greg, Greg Jacobs. The great Greg Jacobs. And Joe. Yep, Joe Genomey. And that was such a good show. It was a really good show. Yeah.

And you were really great in it. Thank you. I was curious, you know, I don't think we've talked about this much, but I was curious what your perspective on that, because you were more behind the scenes. And I was like, I was 24 when I did that show. And it was like, you know, it was like summer camp for me coming in there, you know. Really? How old do you know? 30, it's weird. When you get your 30s, you kind of forget, but I'm 36, 36, 36. And you were 24 with Red Oaks? When we did the, because we did the pilot, and then we did the first season the next year. Right. And then we did the second season the next year, third season the next year. So it was like a four

year period. So I think it was like 24 to 28. Jeez. That went fast. Damn it. I mean, I guess there's no scenario in life where you're like, yeah, that was eight years ago and you're like, yeah, that's about right. Everything's just a complete. What? I know. It's crazy. I mean, I just got married. It's like insane. I'm like, what happened in my life? Well, I have to say, when I was watching Bert, your new film, I was like, I think it has been a while since Red Oaks. I don't know how to take that time. Because in Red Oaks, you were like this young, like little, like, you know, curly-haired pot-smoking, you know, funny friend.

And now you were like a man. You were like got out of prison guy. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, I think that's a little, that makes painting like it's like I was this hardcore guy in the movie. I'm still kind of, I think he's a grown-up wheeler maybe from Red Ours. Yeah, yeah, I would say that. No, Red Oaks was great. It was such a good show.

I thought they did a great job of kind of capturing all of that. Yeah, the youth. Yeah, that was, because it hadn't been, no one was, you know, kind of showcasing that thing that was so dominant in the culture for a long time, like a country club and young people having a great time. Did you, and it was so, I feel like, do you think that show even gets made today? You know? Yeah, I, it should.

Yeah, I mean, it's got, it's got. got a nice cult following, but like, it's, it's funny now. Like, you know, I remember when we did that show was on Amazon and everyone's like, I remember I would tell people, I'm doing an Amazon Prime show. They're like, Amazon. Like, they're like, what the hell is that? Yeah. Yeah. It's like, now you'd be lucky, you know, to be an elite of an Amazon series. I know. That's right. It was, it was transparent. It was the only, I think it was transparent was like the first pilot season they did. And then we were like the second or third. Right. Right. It was so new. I did remember. that kind of thing that the transparent was such a hit and it was so groundbreaking.

Yeah, it's a great show too. And they wanted to kind of, you know, ride that wave and replicate it. And we're doing a show about young people having a great time in a country club. And it was like, can you bend some of these bigger themes? They did that in the second season. They wanted the first season, after the first season, I remember this vaguely. Because obviously I wasn't behind the scenes, but they were like, let's make. the second season a little more dramatic.

Yeah. Like trying to transparent it. Right. Try to transparent it. Yeah. Make it a little heavy and a little issue-based. Which I think, honestly, if I could look back on it, the first season of that show is probably the best season of that show.

And I remember, I can't remember, I remember doing a scene with you where it was in a dentist office. I played the dentist. But I don't remember what season that was. But you were, you had me, I couldn't stop laughing. And I don't even know if you were trying to be. that funny. I just like, there's something about it. I just remember I was like, damn, I'm so unprofessional right now. There's a lot of bit parts of mine where I show up in a lab coat.

I like it. I could see it. A stethasopon or something. I just did this thing for Chris Rock. And the same thing. All of a sudden, I've got a lab coat and a stethoscope. Perfect. It's perfectly. Yeah. It is very bizarre. But you were so, you were so great in it. But I have to say, but it was even before I knew you from Red Oaks that I had seen Project X. Oh, right, right, right. Which was so funny. Really? You liked it?

I loved that movie so much. Yeah. Oh, shit. My daughter's here. She'll come up. She'll testify. We ended up watching it like four times in a row. No shit.

She says that I'm stunned right now. She said that I, she never saw me laugh at a film harder. What was so funny? I'm curious, because it's so like, that film really, like you either loved that movie or you absolutely hate. That movie has like terrible reviews because. Why? Because some people, like, I feel like, like it was funny.

The New York Times gave it this incredible review. But then like the L.A. Times just trashed it like the worst movie of the generation. But it's really held up, honestly. Like, it's crazy. I'll go to Paris and I'll go all over the world, you know, and people recognize me. And almost more so, like in those places. So it's really. Really?

Yeah, it's got this worldwide. audience that's why would L.A. Times Sharguyen passed it over? They called me I'll never forget it was because you know when you're when you're first starting out oh that looks good thank you it's warm oh let me feel it this is warm it just came out of the oven nice that's my daughter Charlotte and Charlotte nice to me tell him how much I love Project X

that's incredible that is insane I wouldn't have expected I don't even know if you knew I was in that movie but I didn't know I think I must have seen it before we're trying to do the math on it on the way over I don't think I knew you probably didn't associate I think Red Oaks was I just seen Project X I mean what was the gap between four four years or so yeah so you probably and I also like I'm always fluctuating my weight so

I was like in that movie I was skinny yeah red oats I'm even fatter yeah maybe I don't know maybe maybe I didn't know you were in it at that point, because I didn't see it in the beginning. I was kind of late to the Project X party. Oh, that's awesome. But, man, as soon as I got in there. Funny enough, but I'll say it here, I mean, I guess I can say it. We're actually, all these years later, have been developing a sequel with Todd Phillips

producing it and we're the original director. And we're trying, it's been this, we have the writer, we have a writer working on it right now. We're like, it's been this thing where I actually made like a video of me kind of playing the character from Project X, but he's like, playing it like, I still am that character. And I want to, and I want to make the sequel myself. And I made this, because that was kind of, you know, it was this meta thing. And we were, you know, we were all kind of playing ourselves in the movie. So I made this video and I, and I went kind of viral on YouTube.

And we got from that kind of got them to re-engage and made this. We're working on it. We're trying to get it made. That would be so kind of an old school thing. Like, they're a little old, he's got a job. It would be a little bit of that where like maybe. my character's like this like old guy and I think it'll be young people and right right yeah it was just so stupid funny yeah it really and your character was so great and just like hustling it just like yelling at

i'm like no this is how we have to do it like you've got to focus that was my first audition i ever went on is it really first audition i had moved out to l.a six months before that and that's how i i was doing stand-up right so i started doing stand-up in high school where uh in ohio so i was doing like you know my senior year in high school. I don't remember how I got into it, but I think I'd seen like an interview with Adam Sandler and he was like, he was like, oh, he started doing stand-up and he was really bad at it. So I was like, oh, well, maybe I could do it then, because you always think when you're, you know, everybody's got to be amazing if you don't, you know, and so I, I, I started doing it in high school, and then I moved out to L.A. and I was just like, I was kind of like this crazy

kid who was just like, oh, I can do, I'm going to be a, I'm going to be a movie star. I'm be a, you know, just, you're not really thinking how difficult it's going to be. But were you had that idea from when you were a little kid? Not. It was really my senior high school. I think I found this thing. And it wasn't that I was like incredible at stay. I think I was pretty good at it for a 17 year old or whatever.

But it was more that I was, I think I found, I loved going with the old men and being in this comedy club and not being allowed to be in there because I was underage. And like I felt like I was like, I felt like I was doing something cool that no one else. in my school was doing. So it felt, it just felt like, oh, I want to do this. Oh, cool. And then when you got your first laughs, and I remember when I did like five, I finally got like five minutes that worked. And at that age, also, it's so easy, you know, you do these dumb jokes.

My mom dropping me off. Yeah, basically. I think my first joke was about how my dad did my circumcision himself. And like, everyone's like, oh, my God. And then I was like, don't worry, he's an eye doctor. But, yeah, so that was like, and then I did, I had jokes about, like, Phoenix Online. I was like, I'm a college student. Everybody, that's like when I started moved out to LA.

I was like, everybody's like, Oliver College, the best four years of your life, the women, the parties. I'm like, yeah, Phoenix Online is nuts. It's like, I'm really doing Phoenix Online. I was like, what am I going to do when I graduate, throw my hat at the ceiling, print off my diploma on my printer? It was like stupid, stupid stuff like that. Yeah. Yeah. But then you decide I'm going to L.A., like right away?

So I went, so I did in high school. I moved, I went to Arizona State because my sister was going there. Uh-huh. I did comedy there. I was like really engaged in that. The improv? The improv I would do open mics sometimes, but it was, that was like a tough one to get on. I was still like doing like gong shows and little dumpy bars and restaurants.

Right. I was really into that and I met like getting in the scene there. And then I, that summer, I was just like, I want to move to. I was going to do New York. And then something happened. My dad was like, why don't you go to live in L.A.? Your aunt's out there. She was like, you know, this flight attendant who lived alone.

She needed some help with her dog. So I was like, all right, I'll do that. I moved to L.A. And I did that. And I do and stand up, like, get all the open mics, comedy store, you know, improv, all the dumpy places. And then I got Project X. And it was just like, I got this audition,

found out through a friend who was in the Mighty Ducks movies. Sean Weiss, he was in the Mighty Ducks movies. He was the only guy that I knew from the stand-up scene that had any experience in the industry. And he basically was like, I found out about this audition in this acting class. And I was like, can you get me an audition? Like, I don't know anybody.

And he, through Judd Apatow got me this audition, like asked for his last favor from anybody and got me the audition and I booked it. Wow. It was like nine auditions. And I'd never, I pulled down my pants down in the first audition. Because I didn't know. I know, like, I thought that that, the character was, like, taking drugs in a bathroom.

Uh-huh. And I thought I was, like, on the shitter in the bathroom. So I was like, oh, I'm going to be ballsy and I'm going to take my pants down. So I had my, like, tidy, whitey underwear on. And I was just doing, like, I was crazy. I didn't know what I was doing. Yeah. Ignorish is probably a gift.

Yeah. Right? Yeah. Just because you were just, yeah, no judgment, no nothing? Nothing. Yeah. That's amazing. And then you got it after?

I got it. Yeah, it was crazy. It was like, I think the first time I went in, I went in for the main character. and they were like, hey, why don't you come back as this other character? We think you'd be more right for this. And it's just like snowballed. It was so fast.

It was like a matter of days I was doing like one audition, next audition, next audition. And then Todd Phillips wanted to meet, you know, read with me. And then it was like, I think I did standup. I did that. He's like, you do standup. And I know at that time as a standup, you're like proud.

You're like, someone's like, Tom, tell us a joke. And you're like, I'm coming to my show. Right. Yeah. And I was like, thought of that. I was like, I'm not going to do standup for this guy in the room. And then I was like, you know what, I'll do a joke. And I told them the Phoenix Online joke a little better than I did probably.

And a little more committed. Yeah. And he was like, that's really funny. And like, Phoenix Online was apparently in at that point. A little bit of a dated joke. It's a bit dated. I don't even know if it's around. And so I did that.

And he laughed and that kind of like loosened me up. And then I did the scene. And got it. It was pretty much from that audition. That was the one, you know. It was really, I just thought as a comedy, just, I just love young, dumb people just going for it. But there was some heart to it. Like that kid who's playing the lead is just, and the heavy kid, the part that I laughed at the most was when the, your chubby friend is getting ready for the party.

And he's on the treadmill trying to lose weight for the party that's going to start in two hours. when he just his dedication like no this is going to work all i have to do is this and i'll be set to go yeah yeah yeah they had him doing all kinds of stuff it's so funny now because he he and i are so friends but he's like he's skinnier than i am now he's like lost all this weight and so he's always giving me shit about being the fat one oh really yeah yeah oh it was really great. And Red Oaks was, was it hard to get Red Oaks? Red Oaks was, yeah, Red Oaks

was actually a good story too because I, so I originally, I remember I was going through that like, all you do this movie Project X and you're feeling like, oh, maybe things are going to happen for me. At that point, too, I was meeting, it was crazy. Like, I didn't, I don't even think I appreciated it now, but I was like meeting with like

heads of studios and stuff. They were like, want to meet with me and I, you know, I'd go there looking like a slump and you know, didn't know what I was doing. I was like, why am I meeting with this guy. And so I auditioned. I was I got an audition for Red Oaks for the main guy for David in the movie in the show. And I was like, I don't think I'm right for this. Like I don't even want to go. Like I keep going on these auditions. I feel like I'm always wrong. So my agent calls and he's like, I, the castor, just come and he might be right for something else. So thankfully

I did that. I went in there and they were like, hey, I think you might be right for Wheeler. And I did it. And that and the audition, the second audition for Wheeler, I was like, trying to play. She kept giving me the reference of Days and Confused, which I love. Yeah. But I think I was doing like this, hey man,

like I'm Wheeler, I'm high, you know, the whole time. And I could feel like it wasn't bad, but it just wasn't, didn't feel right. Yeah.

So that night I went home, and this is before self-tapes. And I went home and I was like, I feel like I got to do this again. I got to do a tape. So I called my brother, who had like a nice camera. So like before you could film this on your iPhone.

And he goes, and he's, I'm like, can you come over and help me film. this audition. He's like, God damn it, dude. I was like, if you come over, I'll buy you a PlayStation. Just come, if I get the part. He's like, come over. So he comes over, films this thing. And I was asking my friend who I lived with that time. I was like, I got to play a stoner. Like, help me, like, I got to find this character. And he's like,

dude, you are a stoner. And he's like, we're like smoking a joint at the time. And so I was like, oh, right, don't do so much. Don't try so much. So I did this tape. I sent it to my agent at the time. It was awesome. And he was like, he sent it to David Gordon Green, who he was friends with. And, like, within a matter of, like, 15 minutes, I got an email back. Like, he's perfect for this. And then, like, two days later, I was reading for David and then kind of the rest of history.

Oh, that's so great. You did such a good job with it. Because he was a lot of moves for him. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It was complicated. You know, he had, like, these ambitions, but he was, yeah. He had heart and. Stoner with a, you know, heart of gold.

Yeah, yeah. It's funny looking back on it now because I was, you know, like a lot of my, bigger successful stuff was early on in my career and it's like you don't know what you're doing like it's like now I'm so much more not to say that I'm incredible now but I feel much more like confident going into a room or going

into a job and and then you know it's it's harder now it's almost harder now to get those gigs yeah it's harder because of just the nature of the business now what's going on or I think your career your career ebbs and flows to like two where it's like you know like uh i just as you get older you

you know i'm like transitioning into you know i'm not playing this i mean i guess i could play a stoner yeah no but wheeler and and the project what was the character for project exs cost costa costa costa or costa no one really knows i say it two different ways in the movie yeah yeah no those guys were a different thing than what you're playing in bert for sure yeah and and like and i've done like in like you know my career has been so all over the place. I mean, I mean, I did Mind Hunter with David Fincher and I played serial killer. So I've been really, I think the one fortunate thing of not, you know, when I was 19, 20 and I did Project X, you know, you're told by all these agents and all these people, you're going to be this huge star because, you know, at that time, Todd Phillips, not, he still is. But at that time, it was like the hangover.

Right. And there was still like, at that point, you could still do a comedy and it could be a huge hit. And you all of a sudden you're Adam Sandler, you know, whatever. So they were telling me that that was going to be my trajectory. Right. And I believed it. Right. It's such a complicated thing when you first show up because there is, I really relate to when you said, you just didn't know what was like when you're going to those meetings.

It was like, you know, you don't even know what you. Who's this schmuck I'm meeting with? Who's this schmuck? And yeah, this is going to happen all the time. I'm going to meet with these people all the time. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And you realize after being around for a while, like how rare that was. Right, right.

To like, to have those moments. What a gift, though, too. Yeah. Like, I actually look at it now. Like, a lot of people are like, oh, like you're like, is your career like falling off or whatever? Like I look at it as like your career is ebbs and flows over time. And I look at it as like a gift that I got to witness the kind of the immediate success to be able to realize that isn't what it's. necessarily about right and to kind of like it made me really want to find out what i want to do for

the long term and like find my voice and find what interests me and and so yeah honestly it was a gift to be able to see this like kind of like i mean i remember when i first got when i after project ex todd phillips and it was so nice to say this but i didn't have an agent uh-huh and so he goes all all over all these agents are calling i remember being his office he's like oliver all these agents are calling about you and he's like I tell him you're the guy to get from this movie you're unlike anything seen in comedy before he said that and I don't believe that to be honest but he said that to me yeah and I had the craziest meetings with agents it was insane like you know CAA William Morris UTA calling me on my cell phone the big room room with my picture on like out of entourage like

room with my picture on it what do you got what do you want for for lunch sushi sushi platters I mean like these guys like all the projects you'd be right for these guys haven't seen me in one ounce of footage. Nothing. They hadn't seen anything for Project X. They were going, that was how powerful. Imagine that powerful. I just like, Tom, tell me about this guy.

I'm like, everyone's like, they haven't seen anything. Nothing. Was it after Hangover? It was, so Hangover had come out and been like this blockbuster. And then he had just made due date, I think. So he hadn't even made Hangover too yet.

Okay. And so, yeah, so it was like he was in the... Right after that. Oh, my God. They were like, who's the next? Zach Alfenakis, like this guy. Right. And they were like, nah.

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So go to patreon.com, breaking bread with Tompapa, and join up. You don't really make something that's meaningful and heartfelt if you're just trying to, you know, skitter around. You're actually, you know, you're making something. And when I watched it, I was...

I appreciate you watching it. Thank you. because, you know, you don't see a lot of... Yeah. Like, there was an era when you would... My friends and I would watch independent films all the time and be like, gee, about that one, and you watch it and it was like something great to it. And that's kind of, you don't see that as often.

So to see this start, just the opening of it, I was like, I just knew I was in that great, cool, independent space. It's a cool movie. It's a really... It's called Burt, and it's coming out, June 16th, actually, it'll be out. digitally, but it's a movie about a friend. Burt Berger is a real friend of mine. I wrote the movie with my friend Joe Burke, who directed it,

and we wrote it around his real life. Was he the inspiration? The whole thing was off of Burke? That's his real life. So, like, he's a 70-year-old... He now lives in the East Coast with his brother because he's got Parkinson's, and that's a part of the movie. But he was a 69-year-old street musician here in L.A.

I knew him for 15 years playing at like the old place in Malibu and different places around town you might see him. And he always had this. This is before he even had Parkinson's. He always had this like insane belief in himself. Yeah. Where he believed that he was going to make it as a musician. Even when you were like, dude, you're 65 years old. Yeah.

You're playing Bob Dylan era songs and like you're like you're insane. You know, like that's the pessimist that we all are, you know. Right. But in his mind, he genuinely, it wasn't an act. He believed he was going to make it. And so Joe and I were always like, how do we make something with this guy so interesting? Corky, funny, like, just positive, upbeat. And so we put him in this short film that we made.

And he was the standout. And he was so funny in this short film. And I was like, we were kind of talked to like, how do we make a movie about like this guy's real life? And like, we talked about different variations. And then it was meeting his real roommate, Steve. Is that his real guy? Real roommate of 10 years. There's a washer and dryer that's, I know people haven't seen the movie, there's a washer and dryer that's in the living room, which is hilarious, but it's also still in the living room.

And it's a big part. Yes, for real. And Steve is like, I go to the house and I meet this guy and I meet and I see their dynamic. And there's like, Steve is like this grumpy old, like hippie slash like military-esque guy. Yeah. And he's so funny, but like not trying to be funny. No. And he's like, you know, take your shoes off.

Don't touch the wall. Don't do this. Shows five minutes. Birds raced in my water. And he's like, you know, it's the whole, that's not schick. That's him. Yeah. And they're.

I know that guy. Like I run into that guy. Right? Those guys that are. Yeah. And they were cool at one point. They were like hippies. And now they're like just, their world is twisted and small.

And they're. He's so smart though. Like the guy is like, like I actually felt there's certain times in life where you, at least for me, I feel. inferior like mentally. I'm like talking to this guy. He just knows everything. He's like a renaissance man. He just knows. He'll talk to you about like he's like you haven't seen that movie. Oh my God. You're like 1925 best movie of the year. No, I didn't see how well. Steve. He's like, you know, it's like that's his vibe. And and their dynamic was so full of like,

you know, like he's yelling at Bert all the time, but also loves Bert. And Bert loves him. And Bert loves him. And There was such a love that there that really was like, I was like, I felt like a fly on the wall when I was there. And then I was like, oh, that's what the movie is. We got to make the fly, you know, the audiences are flying the wall for these guys, this guys, these people's lives. Right. And that's what's interesting. And so I really interesting because it's when I was watching, I mean, they're so real. But they are acting.

Right. And I was like, I was really trying to figure out like, how do you get them to do that performance? Yeah, because, yeah, because, you know, they're acting. They're like doing the thing, but it was so real that it had to be in my mind. That's why I was excited to talk to you about it because it's like, no, these guys, I didn't realize they actually live together. They live together. So everything in the movie is their real life. The part of the movie that's fictionalized is that I play his long last son who shows up out of the blue.

And basically, Bert is like so excited about it and wants me to stay for the week. And so genuine about it. He's so sweet. always wanted a son. And that's the, that's the kind of fictional element of the movie. But everything else, that isn't revolved around my character,

is really his life. And we put, you know, so we outlined the movie. We had every scene figured out, but we basically left the dialogue to be, I wanted their real voices. And we,

you know, Joe is an amazing editor. So there was a lot of, you know, a lot of it was put together in the editing room. But those guys are also the type of, there's certain people, and I've worked with a lot of non-actors

on especially the stuff that I made. I'm fascinated by that kind of style. Yeah. And so a lot of the times when I'm working with non-actors, I try to find people who are so uniquely themselves that they almost don't have the ability to not be themselves. And I think that's, there's some people are just, you meet them in your life.

You're like, I met a guy last night. I did a screening of bird actually. It was this guy at this screening who had, like, his outfit was like, who put this guy's outfit together? He had like a knee brace. He had like short. shorts, like he had like six bags with him.

Like I was like, whoever is his costume designer is incredible. He was just like, and he, his beard was like one side was way longer than the other. Like it was like, the guy was so perfectly not perfect. Yeah.

And so I was like that, I'm like, I'm sure that guy cannot be anything other than that. Right. If you asked him to like play anything other than who he is. Yeah. He can't. And that's why it works with these guys because they're,

yeah, they weren't turning it on. They weren't. And we created a really safe environment. It was a, first of up, we shot that movie for $7,000 in seven days. Wow. Yeah. Yeah.

Nothing. Nothing budget. And we only had a crew of Joe was the second camera operator, the director. And then we had this guy, Daniel Kenji Levin, who was the DP, and a sound guy, Rob. And that's it. That's all crew. And then just actor friends who would come in and do, you know, bit day parts on it. And it is so impressive.

I mean, really when, you know, the independent film. fan in me when I was watching it. That thing of, I'm just good, like you got the feeling watching you and you had a great performance and it was like, it was all just happening. And I was like, the thing I really admire the most is just, I knew without asking you that you wanted to make this thing and you were just going to make this thing. You weren't asking for permission to make it. You were just going to do it.

That's awesome. And that is such a, that's a huge thing. so many people think I'm going to go make a film and never ever get close. I think it was just, it really was Burt, honestly. It was him just being like, there's something about him that I feel like I want the world to see him. And in some way, you know, I don't know how this movie's going to do. I mean, if, you know, people watch it, maybe it catches on. And it's, it has done, we have done already an amazing, we've already made this an amazing feat for a $7,000 movie, won a bunch of film festivals, played all over the country and picked

LA Times did a piece on it. So it's already getting, it's due in some way. But the more that it catches on, the more Bert gets that to realize that dream, which is people know his music. And that's all he ever cared about was that people know his music. And we got four songs that Bert,

original songs that Bert wrote. One of them, I think, is actually, the one by the campfire is actually an incredible song. Incredible. About the years? Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's a beautiful song.

And I like, and so freedom. Yeah, freedom's good. Yeah, that's a good one too. And we're actually doing our composer is doing an album. We're doing like a really limited release. And I'll probably announce it at some point. But we're going to do like an album with the music from the movie and the music from Bert. And put it together and do a little limited edition album.

Man, when he, I mean, it's like it's you from the opening scene, he's singing. I'm not giving away anything away. He's singing at his bagel. shop. Don't give it away, Tom. Come on. And he, he, he, uh, he, uh, spoiler. But as soon as this, and he's an old dude. He's an old looking dude. And, you know, he's got these glasses and, uh, but he's singing this song acoustically, uh, acoustic guitar. And you immediately know who is this guy. Right, right. Because it's, he's hitting emotionally and musically, he's hitting a, a level that, This isn't just someone playing something.

This is, you immediately want to know, like, wait a minute. Right. Who is this guy? Am I supposed to know this guy? Do other people know this guy? Right? It's that kind of a thing. That's awesome, yeah.

I don't think I thought about it quite like that, but that's awesome. I really love that. Because when he's at the campfire, and you're talking about your dreams. Right. And he talks about his dream, which is what you said. Like, he wants everybody to know his music. And he really believes it's going to happen. Yeah.

you believe it. You believe it. And he believes it. And he really does believe it. That's, like, if you meet him for years, he's been telling me that, you know, like, it's, you know, he's been out here. I think he moved out to L.A. in 1974 and, like, sacrificed everything. Yeah.

To live the artist's life, to make music. And, like, he did it. I mean, he did it, you know, but he never, he's not the most, look, I think as someone who comes out here to be an actor or comedian or whatever, you kind of have to have talent obviously or maybe you get really lucky but there also is an element of like you kind of have to be your own like you have to go getter

is the business part business part of it and he just doesn't it's not that he's not a go getter and put himself out he just doesn't know how to do that he just doesn't even have the capability like I can't even send him an email right so like I don't know how is he going to make an album like I can't even get a hold of him him half the time. So it's like there's just that part of him that he didn't have that.

Because his music is really genuinely great. It is. Yeah, it's a, he's, he's in, he's got a lot of soul. A lot of soul. Oh, which is why. And I won't give this away. And I don't know, I don't think we should. Yeah, yeah. Which is why your heart really is breaking for him throughout the, throughout the film. Like he's, you're rooting for him, really. You're rooting for you also in the beginning. Yeah, until you're not. But no, it's a, yeah, it's a, but he has such a sweetness that you really. That's why we made the movie. I don't like, because you, you make a $7,000 movie. It's like, you know, it's, it's, you really are doing so much free work. And you're, I mean, three years of, how long was the shoot? Seven days. Seven days. Seven days. Maya, what are we doing?

Maya, I feel like we've been circling around like, let's just. just go make shit for 10 years. Let's just seven days. I have $7,000. Yeah. I have $7,000. I put up three, I think I put up three or four of my own money and then I called like, I was like,

all right, let me, I'm like, it's not that I couldn't put up seven grand, but I was, I'm so cheap. I was like, let me call my sister for $1,000.

Let me call my. You're fundraising on a $7,000. I got like $300 for my mom. I got like $700 from this person. It was like, there's a version of this where it's just, You can't make We didn't know if it would work.

Yeah. And so yeah, that was that was the vibe. God. Yeah. Amazing. You too, John. Char, you do makeup. Seven grand.

Yeah. Did you get food on the set? Did you feed people? Yeah. And Bert loved the Thai food. He'd be like, it was like, he's like, oh, can we get the tie again? Has he seen it?

Oh, it was one of the best experiences was, seeing the movie with him. So he was living in the East Coast at the time. His Parkinson's has gotten really bad since we made the movie, unfortunately. And so he's living in an assisted living facility. But I flew him out to L.A. And, or not to L.A., to San Jose, where we premiered it. And he goes to the premiere, and I sit next to him.

And we watch a short film. And like, I don't want to, I don't even know the name of the short film. But it was like one of those painful short films that you're sitting through. and I was like, I don't know what this is about. Because they play a short film in front of the movie. And then he's like sitting next to me. He's like, oh, God, I hope ours is as good as that. And so we watched the movie.

And he is crying his eyes out the whole time. He was like, oh, like, and like, you know, I just got like a shibbing out of my head. And he's crying, watching like the scene where he pulls out the family photos. And like, you know, he didn't really know to the extent of what we were making. He knew what we were, he knew like, yeah, he knew what we, like, he knew like the basics of it, but like, he couldn't see it. He couldn't see that we were making this, like, kind of beautiful ode to him. Yeah.

And so seeing it with him was really, really something else. Wow. And then, like, you know, having him do, we did a screening here in L.A. Where David Gordon Green, who's an executive producer on the movie who did Red Oaks, he came, we did it at the, some theater in Wilshire, it was like 400 people sold out. and Bert was in a wheelchair at that time and he came up and he spoke to people and, you know, afterwards at the QA and he's crying and it was like

those moments are... Jeez. What a gift. I felt like I actually, you know, like of all the stuff I've done, like I have things I'm proud of, obviously, but that made me feel like I did something for somebody else. Like, whereas like, you know,

you always want to like feel like you're doing something good for the world in some capacity. Yeah, yeah. Even though half the time I'm doing like a commercial for like snick. Snickers. Wrapping your head around why that's good. Yeah, exactly.

People do get angry. Yeah, people need to eat snickers. I mean, what would you do without it? But I feel like in that moment, I was like, I really feel like we did something good for this guy. Like, what a gift to give this guy a platform for his beautiful life and music. And it kind of makes that dream that he's talking about at the campfire. It makes it a reality.

It makes it a reality. I was walking through the house singing freedom at the end of the night. That's incredible. Oh my God. Because it did this cool thing where I was watching it and then it kicked on and just repeated from the beginning. So I got to see freedom again from the beginning. Yeah, my way to bed.

I'm just singing freedom in the hallway. That's awesome. Oh, my God. Bert would love that. Yeah. But yeah, so that's cool. Good job. That's really fantastic.

Thank you for checking it out and being so supportive of it. Yeah. And what's the next thing you're going to make? Oh, God. Don't ask you that. I'm writing a couple things and I don't know maybe they'll be a little bit bigger than this

but I'm writing a couple things I'm trying to figure out but obviously this has been such a you know doing the press and trying to get this out there because you know a little movie like this you really are the you know

we're the PR I mean I'll give Joe the director more of the credit he's the one doing the heavy lifting but we're doing the PR for this and we're you know we did we've done everything for this there's no like I'm even doing like

I gotta go I gotta deal with like sad contract and stuff. It's like I'm doing all the stuff that I'm horrible at. Yeah. Paperwork. Yeah. Forms. How was David helpful? David was amazing. So what happened with David was, now David and I have

been close since Red Oaks and I love him. He's so great. And he's funny and so great and so supportive and loves indie films. So I sent him like the earliest cut of this movie, like the $7,000 cut that was we had no we didn't, we raised a little bit money for post production, but I

sent it to him and he wrote back like that night like I think you watched it like immediately it was like I feel like you made this for me and then I was like hey would you would you put your name on it help us with like the festivals and you know get it out there and he's like duh and that was it that was it and then he's he helped us get our composer um he's like you this so-and-so's got to do this and then uh and then we he kind did some screen Q&A screenings wow and just uh yeah just I mean just having his name he's the coolest when when we were doing red oak I quickly realized he's not home.

He's got a bag and he's doing this and he's going to do this other film. We're hardest worker ever. He just, yeah. He doesn't like to be home. No, right? He's like, I don't know what the family situation is, but on an artistic level. I mean, I really got the feeling like this guy is no joke. Like he's just taking his suitcase and going.

And if you were to tell him, if he had plans to go to Austin the next day and you told him, no, you got to go to New York and Ottawa first, he would just do it. Yeah, he's just do it. Yeah, he loves to work. He loves to be on set. He loves, he's at home in that environment. And I'm sure, I don't know, did he, he directed episodes that you were acting in? Did he? I can't remember.

No, I don't think so. Okay. He works in this really funny way where he'll do, like, you'll be in the middle of the scene. And he does this to, like, break you of your, you know, the actor of their habits or, like, especially with young actors, I feel like it's good because it loosens you up. But he would basically be like, all right, do this, do that next line in a British accent. And he'd be like, bark. like a dog or like get on your knee like even in the audition process with him i was like he immediately disarms you because you go in there and you're like all right i get my lines down i'm gonna do

this i'm gonna do that that thing's gonna you know you're not supposed to do that but it's hard not to sometimes yeah and he would break you of that he's like get on your knees and crawl around you're like what you know it's like it has nothing to do with the scene and then he would cut it together and be like oh man that's like the best scene i did in the whole show because it's got all these really funny yeah kind of just he's getting those moments and and and and And so I think he actually inspired me to work that way. I mean, even in Bert, like, I like, I'm, I like, even in whatever it is I'm doing, I'm always like breaking my, trying to break myself of the, you know, what I feel like I have to do.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. No, you came off so real in this one. Like, it was, yeah, it was like, you know, I was concerned. I know you, but I was just like, I didn't know you in that. I was just like, I'm just watching this guy.

I was concerned because I was, those guys are. are so charactery. Yeah. And you're like, well, I don't want to be the one guy. You're like, oh, well, there's the actor. Right. That's a good point. And it didn't come close to that.

That's cool. That was my biggest concern. Because I was like, I'm not, you know, I'm not a guy who went to jail and was like, you know. Oh, I totally bought it. Like when those, because as the information starts coming to light, you're like, oh, yeah, this makes sense. Because there was something going on.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Something happening there. Yeah. Who was the, who played your aunt? Katlyn Adams. She's a great, she's actually a very famous acting teacher here in LA. I'd worked with her periodically throughout the years. And, you know, I was actually taking her class at the time.

We were trying to figure out who to play, who was going to play this aunt character. And I saw people on Craigslist. Because I didn't want act, I was really trying to avoid, like, the actory person who was going to also, not that they couldn't come in and do a good job as much as like, I didn't, I wanted someone who was going to be down to play in this. unconventional environment. I didn't want some, what's going on here?

Why? It's a chaos, you know? Yeah. And so I, I thought about it. We were trying to, we had gotten some weird, like,

back page auditions. And I was like, oh, these aren't right. People are crazy. And so I asked her, I was like, would you do this? And she was like,

as long as I don't have to learn any lines. And, and so, and I was like, perfect, because it was an improv-based movie. Yeah. And so she jumped on,

and she was incredible. She's amazing. She's actually, She's an amazing actress in general and just kind of got into the acting teaching. Yeah, she was tough. Like she has, I think Zoe's Eladana is her, like, long time class. She got really, really, really good. Do you study all the time?

No, no. No. Like, clearly not. Like, no, not at all. My acting class thing is like, every once in a while, I'll be like, I feel like I suck. I got to get back into this. And, like, I want to, like, have a fucking craft. Yeah.

And so I go and I do it for, like, two weeks. and I'm like, I don't know if I want to do this. Well, it's so hard because, yeah, I mean, developing the craft while you're doing work while you have gigs. Right. But if you know them gigs for a while, you're like, I got to do something.

I got to do this. And it's, yeah, it's a weird one where it's like, acting is such a weird thing where it's like, I don't know. There's so many, like, you do, I worked with the actors who are, like, incredibly well trained and who are amazing. I've also worked with actors who have no training,

full more training, and are incredible. Yeah. I mean, it's like a weird... What draws you to the non-actor thing when you said that you kind of... It's the interest... It's just like you can't fake...

Like, who would I cast to be Burt? You know what I mean? Yeah, nobody. Nobody could be that uniquely that person. And I think I like, you know, like Sean Baker does a lot of movies like that. And I know our filmmaker Joe was attracted to him too and his movies.

So I think it's something about... And I just started with like my first movie I made was his other little movie. was called Four Dogs that's available like online. But my aunt played that character. That was me about me living with my aunt. I was really just, I think it's maybe this deep desire to get, to be as authentic as possible. And it's like, I think you, you know, my aunt playing herself and I'm playing myself and I play

all of her in that. And like it captures a time in my life where I'm living with my aunt. You made this yourself? I made this in 2012. Really? Yeah, with same guy, same director, same everything. We similar style. I think the movie is really beautiful, but it doesn't have the story maybe that bird has.

Like it's not as well crafted of a screenplay. Okay. Our story. Yeah. But it's same style. Same thing. Same style where it was like a fly on the wall, try to capture authentic, you know, performances. Yeah.

And capture a time in my life. And it also, you know, I was just inspired by those kind of art house movies. Yeah, yeah. Oh, that's so great. Yeah. I don't know if I want to do that. I have also ideas. I'm like, I want to do this.

big broad comedy. I want to do this romantic comedy. Yeah, yeah. You know, or whatever. But it's cool to have that perspective on it because even if you do cross over and sarcasting friends or whatever to do a comedy, that's going to be your motivation. It's going to make it, it's going to

make it less false, more truthful. And I think, you know, it's funny, that's one of the reasons David was a really good person to ask us to be a producer on this was, I don't know if you've seen his first movie, George Washington. He did this movie, it's like, you know, this is probably 90s, late 90s, early

2000s. Beautiful movie, but he's, it's all non-actors and it's all, it's very, it's a movie that today probably, I don't know how well it would do today, but back then I think it won, either one like Sundance or did really well,

one of those big film festivals, maybe it's Berlin. And his first couple movies were truly like, he was the indie darling. And then he kind of has gone into horror and comedy and, and like, you know, he's been all over the place.

So, yeah, he's kind of an inspiration in a lot of ways for me. Not to say that, I don't want to direct movies, but... No? No, I don't think so. I think I like acting and I just... Maybe someday I changed my mind, but I like the acting and I like writing and developing and being a part of it, but I always feel like, oh, that guy's going to be way better than me.

Oh, really? Yeah, because watching my friend even make these movies is like, he knows how to edit, he's so proficient. He just, he understands this stuff and maybe he has... like the patience for it. Right. I don't know if I... There is a different level of,

of work. Right. That those guys, they just, they're kind of like machines. Right, right, right. Yeah, you think it's not,

you think it's just about the vision. But it's literally, yeah. And I like, I like acting as for hire. That's a fun gig always. But I also really enjoy being collaborative. And you get to be more collaborative when you're writing and you're producing,

you're developing and you giving your ideas and your input matters. Were you always a writer? I mean, I guess since I moved to LA and started, you know, I took a writing class and it's hard for me to say that I'm a writer because I've never really like, I sold one thing that I wrote. But you've been writing. That's a whole thing.

You don't have to get paid for it. If you're always writing, I would say you are. I like, I would like to think of myself as a writer or at least having the brain to be a writer. Yeah, yeah. And, um, because you really kind of control your own destiny that way. I feel like you have to. I feel like you have to. Now with the industry,

it's like I feel like you kind of have to create your own stuff. I mean, you're doing it too yourself. I mean, this is your version of writing and you stand up is you have to be a, you're not going to be a good standup if you can't write. No, no kidding. Yeah, I think it's like everybody now, I'm actually really inspired by standups.

Yeah. Because everyone's creating their own destiny right now with the YouTube generation of comedians and like, and podcasts and things like that. Getting cast in things is such a long shot. It's insane. I can't believe I'm still making a career out of it. Yeah.

Are you good at it? Are you good at self-tapping? I think I'm good enough. Yeah, I feel confident in it because I... Who reads with you? My wife. She does? Yeah.

Who does? Do you do it tapes ever? Yeah, it's horrible. It's a nightmare. Do you like doing them or... No, I don't. I don't. I always feel like, I always feel like, you know me.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. You've seen me do things. Right, right. This is what I look like today in case you're worried if I had a stroke or something. Right. I mean, this is me. And then, you know, me in my office. Yeah.

Or on the road doing a self-tape, pretending someone's giving me lines. Right, right. And just doing like a monologue off of it. I'm like, this is horrible. Yeah. So it can be if I'm... I have to change that attitude, though. Sometimes I do it and I hate it.

And then sometimes I'll get it. the zone where I'm like I just got to keep doing it. This is like my day job. Like I'm just doing this one of these things. And every once in a while I'll be like, oh, they'll call you and be like, hey, you, they really like you for this thing. And like they saw that tape. Right.

You're like, you're like, shocked. That's the other part, right? Yeah. When you're doing, you're like, no one's going to see this. Yeah, yeah, yeah, exactly. They're trying to make a deal with so and so. And if they can't make that deal, then maybe they'll start looking at these tapes. Yeah.

And then it'll be like the first tier. And then they'll get to my stupid tape. Yep. But you never know. I mean, it's a dumb way to think. But this is the problem with being extended to. But you have something that you do that, you know, you have multiple things that you do that, you know, can support your lifestyle and you enjoy doing. For me, it's like, I have to do this.

Like, I have to keep doing this. I got to do commercials. Like, I do whatever. I'm going to quote my friend Jerry Seinfeld when he was doing a show. Yeah. And when they would have auditions for parts in the show. Yeah. And he said, and they would have comedians like come in to audition.

And he said, when actors get the opportunity to audition for something, you've made their whole year. When a comedian gets an audition that he has to come in for, you've ruined his whole day. That's awesome. I love that. And it's so true. I was going to watch the game tonight. But you're almost better off sometimes because you can go in there and, be like, I don't give a fuck energy.

Can I swear here? Yeah, yeah. Okay. I don't care. Energy really can do well for you because you go in there. You're so nervous. You're like, I got to book this. I got to pay my rent this month.

It's not a great energy. People are like, what's wrong with this guy? Yeah. But you also don't show up knowing your lines. That's true. Sometimes, like, man, this guy really doesn't care. We want them, you know? Right, exactly.

But it's crazy It's like Yeah I mean There's a weird thing I think as I get older I'm 36 where I'm like God how long Am I gonna be like 60

Being like like like Now I know you are auditioning But you don't have to audition Like for me if I was like 60 And I had to do this audition for like A Pepsi commercial or whatever I'm like no shame You know on anybody who's doing that

It's like I most likely will be doing it But it's tough to It's tough. You're like, man, I don't know if I want to be doing that. That's why ultimately I think my attitude is terrible. No, because it is part of the game. And there are guys and women who are really established people who still have to audition. It's part of the process.

You got to go read. You got to do these things. And to fight that and bring it up. And it's like, no, you should be down with doing it at 60. Let me ask you this. How much of the acting thing. matters to you. Like, does you, like, are, like, if you, if you, if you didn't, hold my God. It's not as important as the stand-up. Yeah, like, do you care to act? Like,

I love it. I, like, I really enjoy it, but I don't really, the answer is, uh, is indicative of how hard I go after it. Right, right, right. And I'll be like, I haven't acted in something in a while. Yeah. Let's make some calls. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. We're stand-up, I'm working on it every day for 30 years. Right, right, right. So that's the answer. Which is amazing. I mean, And I love, I love your stand-up. It's so, it's amazing. I know. It's a,

it's a, no, it's so cool, man. That's such a, yeah. But it is. I mean, that's just the thing that I am. And so, like, all the other stuff was like, it's so cool to be in something. And it's so cool to act with great actors,

and I'd like to do more of it. But it's, it was never like the thing. But I feel like now that, you know, the more stand-up that you get known for your stand-up and this, like, it always, like, that stuff comes. Like,

you know, so many people are... Yeah, then why you make me go make a tape? That's my point. Don't do it. Say, hey, offer only.

Yeah, offer only. But how, how, for those stand-up, I'm curious, like, how, you know,

since it's been so long so I've even done stand-up. It's like, how are you, how do you come up with jokes? Are you writing them? Or do you just go on, like,

hey, had this idea. My wife said this thing. My kid did this thing. Yeah, it's a lot of that. A lot of that. A lot of that. things will, like, drop in off of stuff that's happening in your life or just think stuff that you notice.

Right. And you're just always write down those moments and then see if they turn into something. Right. And then it's rewriting the jokes. Like, after you go on stage and you do it and... Are you still bombing ever? No. Like, when you go on an open...

Once... Or not open mic. Can I go to open mic? When you go to, like, do work out. Yeah, once in a while, something will go wrong, you know? The bombing is... Like, a private event or something in there, like, no one asked for a comedian to be there. It was wonderful.

guy's idea to like it'll be fun if we had we want it to be fun so let's bring someone funny in there was a there was a place there was a place in uh somewhere in the valley i can't remember north hollywood or something and i was doing stand up there it was a it was a bar guys were watching i think it was like friends on tv so there's like friends is going on tv and then there's a comedy show in the corner and it's like it's like the it's like the worst bar it's not like a fucking cool bar. And I did stay up there and I'm doing my like, I'm a college student yeah. It's like, yeah.

No one asked for it. Oh my God. That was like, obviously like you I went home that night and I was like, I don't know if I can. Because you start in Ohio. That's a big part of it. You start in Ohio and everyone's like, oh my God, the kid and he's wearing a suit and he's cute and we like laughing. And then you go to, you know, you go to L.A. and you're doing a bar

at 11 o'clock at night. Yeah. That was tough. Yeah. I mean, I'll do corporate gigs now like or private shows and whatever and they don't go well because nobody asked. Right. And I, not long ago, I thought, you know, a big part of this job is that I will get up there in front of this crowd of people who aren't listening when no one else will. Right.

Like I think I literally just have the ability to not give a shit if this goes great or not. That's amazing. You know what I mean? Because sometimes they create a situation where it's impossible for it to go great. Yeah, yeah. All right. You want me to do a half hour of material while the bar is going and people are drinking and they're having a reunion? Will you do crowd work much?

Yes. Especially at those kind of things. Yeah. Yeah. Because, you know, you walk into a show with all like car salesmen, it's all about them and their life and their ego. Right. And they're there and they're conference to talk about stuff to make more money. Right.

You get up there and start talking about, like, just got married. Yeah, yeah. Who cares? I don't care about you. They want it to be about them. Right. So if you start talking to them, then all of a sudden. Then they're engaged.

Yeah, then they're engaged. If you could be funny that way. It's an amazing art form. I like, I have so, I watch stand up all the time and I have so much respect for it. It's, it's tough. It's like, and you have to really love, love, love. Yeah, you have to really love it. Yeah.

I think that's, but yeah, that's definitely the thing. Yeah. I guess that goes for anything. It's like, well, the most things at least. Do you love acting? I do. Well, there's two parts. I love it.

I think the, I really do love doing it. And when I'm really like doing something I'm passionate about, like working on like, whether that's working with David Fincher on mine hunter or working on bird or working on something that I'm really like, even Red Oaks, like I think I really love the collaborative process and working with friends and people and all that. But I hate the, I hate the auditioning hassle part of it and like not. being constantly unemployed and never knowing if this is your last job like that part it sucks yeah yeah but i also have this thing that is my barometer to keep doing it which is i don't know

what else i could do and i'm not saying that to be like yeah i genuinely don't i i thought i've sat around many of hours and nights wondering what else i could do with my life and i none of it seems remotely appealing. Right. Like, like, I'm thinking of things genuinely. I could be, like, even if I went back to school, it's like, man, sometimes I'm like, I could go be a nurse. I'd be like, you know, good job for like,

I'm like, I don't know. I hate blood. Or like, my mom sold cars and I'm like, if I had to sell a car, I think I would, I think I might kill myself. And so, like, I just, I just go back. All right, well, then just keep making. And that's why I think, that's why I think, like,

I have been able to. able to continue. No, I'm not always doing stuff that I love. Most of the time I'm not, but I've been able to continue making a living doing it because I think I have no other option and I've given myself no other option. That's it. Yeah. There shouldn't be another option. Really, there shouldn't be. There should never be a plan B. Yeah. That's what, that's what I, I think when I first started doing stand-up, I heard that from Eddie Murphy's. Like, you don't have a plan B. Yeah. That's how you, even though, you know, he never, I just watched a document. Did you see the documentary of him on Netflix? Yeah.

he never, I think he auditioned one time. Yeah. Saturday Live and then he never auditioned ever again. Can you imagine the guy is the greatest? Like that there's like, he was so magical though. That's the thing is like sometimes there's people like, like, when I was a kid, maybe I believed like maybe I could be like this special, whatever. Yeah.

And then when the delusion wears off and you guys like, this is who I am. Like even when I'm confident, like, I'm like, at my best. I'm good. But I'm not like amazing. I'm not like, great. I'm not Eddie Murphy. Anything, by the way. But nobody is.

He's so, like, I'm so blown away. Like, it's really. 28 years old is whole, like, his whole career that we, that we idolized is like, up until 28. He wasn't even 30. Like, at 28, I was like, didn't know what I was doing still. Incredible. Incredible.

It's insane. Yeah. It's so cool. Like, he's, he's magical. He really is. No, it's, yeah, otherworldly. I haven't seen the AFI. Oh, I didn't see that yet.

Award thing for him. I want to see that. Yeah. He's always, now though, he's always like, he kind of disappoints when you're like, come on, Eddie. Give us the big stand-up speed.

And he's like, goes up there. He's like, thank you very much. You're like, I remember on Saturday Live, it was like one of like the 40th or something. Yeah, yeah.

And Chris Rock gives him the most insane, like the greatest comedian to ever walk to the earth. In 500 years, no one has ever been funnier. And he's just like, thank you. I know.

I know. And then he broke into like one joke and you're like, it's there. You can see it. It's all still there. When he starts, yeah, when he starts doing the impression,

yeah. I feel like, well, you answer this because as a stand-up, do you think that he could go up at like the comedy store tomorrow and like put it together?

Yeah, I think, yeah. And I wouldn't say that with other people that have gone away and come back, but he's just from outer space.

So I would say, yeah. Yeah. If anyone could. Yeah. I don't think, I think there's probably a little fear, though, on his end. There's got to be, like, a little bit of that, like, Oh, yeah.

I'm never going to live up to that 1988. Yeah, does Michael Jordan want to walk out on a court now? Right, right. He's the greatest of all time, you know, now he's... There was an interview with him talking about shooting a basketball. He shot, like, a basketball at, like, I think he rented some mansion and, like, some golf course or something. And the family who owned the house was, like, my son wants to see you shoot a basketball. And he's like, he's like, I haven't been that nervous.

in like 10 years. It's like, these guys idolize me. If I brick this and he nailed it. Yeah. Yeah, no. I mean, yeah, to come back like that would be insane. Well, you're doing all the right things. I hope so.

I'm trying. I'm trying. I mean, and this film really shows it. Thank you. It really, it's, you're acting and that you put it together and that you could just feel your heart behind it. Thank you. You're a real artist.

Thank you. I appreciate that. It means a lot coming from you. Yeah. And I'm not just saying that because I know you're going to make more stuff. I'm going to watch the next podcast and see if you say the same thing. No, I don't.

I don't. I don't. And I'm not saying it because I know you're going to make stuff and need me to act in it. And I would love to you to act. I just know that I'm off or only. All right.

You don't have the audition for me. That's a guarantee. If you want to be in one of my things, you don't have to have the audition. And likewise. And I baked you this bread this morning. That's amazing. It's funny, the director Joe,

who did Bert, loves this podcast. And he was like, all he cares about is like, he's like, give me some of that bread. Okay, good. Man, we almost forgot it. My wife had to run it over. I was going to have my wife, but she's so busy right now with work. But I was going to have her bake. My wife's an amazing cook, and she makes amazing holla.

Oh, she does. So maybe if I can get her to do it, I'll drop something. All right, very cool. Yeah, yeah. All right. You're the best. Congratulations. Thank you, guys.

Everybody will keep plugging it. Everyone's got to go watch Bert. Yeah, watch Bert. I can give you a link before it even happened. Also, one other thing, we are donating a portion of the proceeds to PCLA, which is a Parkinson's Foundation here in L.A. In honor of Burt and the director, Joe, his father house has Parkinson. So it's going to a good cause. So if you pre-order it or, well, I guess by the time this comes out, it'll already be out.

Do we know where it's out on? It'll be on Apple, Fandango, all the Amazon, all the places you can buy. Oh, that's great. Awesome. All right, yeah. And we'll hit it up on social media and stuff too and let people know. That's awesome. Really, really.

Thank you. Such a great film. That's awesome. Thanks, kid.