Inside of You with Michael Rosenbaum - Comedian ADAM RAY: Pushing it Down

Episode Date: August 30, 2022

Comedian Adam Ray (Young Rock) joins us this week for an awesome episode full of equal parts (1) vulnerability talking about his troubled past and (2) comedic relief that’ll make you laugh. Adam talks about how he got the role of Vince McMahon in Young Rock and how a bit on Instagram led to his unique friendship with The Rock. We also talk about when crowd work can go wrong, the reason Adam pursued a career in comedy, and his Gemini tendencies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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And I hope you do listen to the show. Or maybe they just skip through all the parts that I talk. Maybe. You know, people like to skip through stuff. It's a very complex method of avoidance. Mm-hmm. Wouldn't recommend it. You still going to therapy?

Uh-huh. Still enjoying it? Uh-huh. Still helping you? I think so. Yeah. I think so, too. I think, man, I've still been having the anxiety and the exhaustion and stuff.

And, you know, I think at times it's getting a little better, but I'm still, you know, optimistic and still trying to figure it out. That's all you can do. So if you're struggling with anxiety, you know, get help. There's always, there's always help out there, you know. Be good to yourself, first and foremost. I mean, know that people deal with it. You're not alone.

That's for sure. also thanks for listening to the podcast thank you for making our podcast you know your your your uh your podcast for the week um you know this is a guy a very funny comedian actor adam ray and if you don't know him that's fine but you're going to learn a lot you're going to learn something about people that you don't know so i really appreciate those that don't look at and say adam ray i don't know adam ray so i'm not going to listen or so and so I'm not going to listen. I really appreciate you guys listening and supporting each podcast, and it means a lot.

If you want to follow us on social, it's at Inside of You podcast on Instagram and Twitter. Facebook, Instagram and Facebook and at Inside of You pod on the Twitter. If you want to join Patreon and support the podcast, we need you more than ever. Go to patreon.com slash inside of you and become a patron. Support the podcast. I'll message you as soon as I can. Thank you. It's really me.

I do send these messages. And there's all different top tiers. Some of the top tiers, all the top tiers get their names shouted out at the end of every episode. So I just really appreciate you guys for listening. And there's so many podcasts and, you know, that's all I'll say about that. You know, I've been to do a lot of cons. I want to thank everybody for seeing me in Raleigh and in Boston and in Australia and Illinois. It was a lot.

It was, you know, it was very exhausting. But it was awesome to see so many people doing the Smallville Nights and seeing patrons and getting to meet some patrons. that I hadn't met before, and I just really appreciate it. And that's all I'll say about that. Also, if you want to go to the inside of you online store, we've got tons of stuff like Smallville Lexmus scripts signed by me, inside you glasses and mugs and tumblers and other autographed pictures from me, lunch boxes, smallville lunch boxes, go to the inside of you online store,

get you something nice, get you sell something nice. And also, the album, Sunspin, My band, Sunspin, our new album's coming out soon. So keep going on Sunspin.com to check out when it's available. You can see a bunch of merch there and you can book us for a Zoom. You can book us for a show. Sunspin.com. Without further ado, this is a very funny man.

I had a good time interviewing him. He had a lot of, he's very animated impressions, a cool story. And he was a delight to have on the episode, a good energy. I think you're going to really enjoy this one. Let's get inside of. Adam Ray. It's my point of view. You're listening to Inside of You with Michael Rosenbaum.

Inside of You with Michael Rosenbaum was not recorded in front of a live studio audience. Did you ever see the movie Kids, by the way? Oh, that made me throw up. Go put those heads on, those cans. Put those heads on. Kids was a movie that... Before Euphoria. It was startling.

It was a startling. I remember he had AIDS and he was like kind of passing on and like, I don't even Yeah. I have no legs was a song. I think that someone sang who didn't have legs. Really? Yeah. In the movie.

It was a musical. It wasn't. But there was a kid that sang a song in a wheelchair about not having legs at a party. I don't remember that. I remember when someone showed that to me. I think it was sixth or seventh grade. And I'm growing up in Lake Forest Park, Washington, baby. I work at the local Albertsons.

I've got, you know, the girl in the service. Deli is trying to, you know, give me hand jobs in exchange for, you know, uh, credibility. Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, because she's 26. I'm 17. She offered you hand jobs for credibility. Well, no, I just, I say that. What I mean by that is I was younger at the grocery store. Right. She was older. I think she dug the idea of being with a younger dude. And I didn't know what the fuck I was doing. You hadn't had sex by that point. How old? How old were you? 17. 17. Yeah, I didn't have sex until I was like 18 years old that was about yeah i think 19 with my not by choice high school girlfriend not by choice really well yeah i think you want to have sex care as a matter fella yeah but i was the shortest

kid in my high school i was nerdy i was i didn't i you know short i knew actually you weren't short no i take that back well uh there was a kid named bob bergstrom i'll say his full name he uh it's a great dude used to wear overalls with no shirt and crush the woman uh sexual woman sorry it's early He would crush the woman I was trying to think I don't want to say crush the He would crush the The sex

The sex game of sex Really? He would play a lot A game that I didn't know much about Now was it truly Only just your call Or do you think like There are other factors

Other than make short-mergrey I don't think I started puberty till late So I had no hair on the genitalia Girls want that No they don't No they don't But they want to know you can get it Do you know I've talked about this Ryan

You know I've talked about this But like we play sometimes what is it called shirts and skins and if I was a skin I'd say I'll take the zero I'm not I can't play and I'm put to me and I remember Mike Curry

I've talked about this Mike Curry had the hairiest armpits and I was so jealous I used to pray for armpit hair and I had no he's like Rosenbaum why don't you have armpit hair you're you're 16 years old and I'm like I'm a swimmer

and he's like what I'm like you know it's aerodynamics I knew I was smart enough to know about swimmers so I used that but it wasn't really that's a great excuse I was I didn't have any hair armpit hair you were hairy I envied you yeah I started shaving I think a sixth grade summer I was in Arizona my dad and stepmom and he brought in a razor and he's like I think you're gonna need need this and I was like oh now you want to be in my life

by the way that's an incredible Indiana Jones statue you like the Indiana Jones statue it's unbelievable this is a magnet like it's so it's kind of heavy it's like the what do you call this the the the baby Buddha wasn't the baby Buddha from major league Joe boo no I don't know what that is. It's just, but anyway, it's what Indiana Jones gets. Am I sitting where Mark Paul Gossler sat? Or did you do that? Yeah, he was sitting right where you sat. No, he was on Zoom. He was on Zoom. He was on Zoom. I mean, look, you've had a lot of fantastic people on your podcast. So of you on your podcast. But that one was very cool to me. Really? Why is it that you got a crush on Mark Paul? No. Crush a big crush on Kelly Kapowski. Oh, yeah, yeah. And Brad

and I, when Brad Williams was doing about last night with me, we went to her house and, had Tiffany Amber on and that was that was a real treat but Mark Paul come on man didn't get cooler than that when you were growing up really you were saved by the bell fan you watched it hey man the college years I mean everybody did I didn't watch the college years though well then yeah if you didn't watch the college years and you didn't see Mike Golick be the RA for their dorm floor and you didn't see fucking the Hawaiian style movie with with Mr. Carosi and Leah Remini Scientology no did you Ryan no no all right let's shift gears just shift him hey by the way you grew up in seattle yeah were you

a only child no uh was my mom sister and dad and i then folks split then mom and a sister and i and sister went away my mom calls me one day and she goes hey um can you have a kirk's mom i was staying in my buddy's place uh drop you off your sister and her boyfriend uh took all your clothes and all your money and a bunch of my money and some of our shit and took the van and they're gone And I was like, yeah, I'll get a ride. And so come back home and then they were just on their way to AZ and then ended up, she went to a girl school right from Oregon where they ran out of gas and for about three years. And so it was just mom and I pretty much through high school.

Was that tough not having like a father figure around there? Because then you don't know any different probably. You know what? Then in retrospect, what do you think? I've thought about this. I still have not done therapy. Have you not done anything? therapy i went twice when they split my mom made me go to a marriage counselor and the guy was like

he had a little plastic hoop and uh a basketball yeah and i would always come in and shoot because i'm a big basketball guy and i would shoot and and for probably the whole hour and then like sit down for the last five minutes and he'd be like so uh are you feeling any better when i go no no you guys see you next week and he just wouldn't push me and then one day i remember went in and i shot and uh bounced off the rim he just fucking one arm grabbed the offensive rebound and goes we're gonna talk today no more shooting hoops until we talk and i was like oh tim allen style he was serious yeah and i sat down and i still barely opened up and i was just like who the fuck are you man what kind of questions he asked is how old are you as a kid he asked me like this was probably i was nine so 91

Nine years old. What do you ask a nine-year-old kids? He asked me questions like, who do you want your mom to bang next? Without saying bang. I'm joking. No, he would say, who would you like your mom to be with? Where did he touch you? No, he would go, what would he say?

Like what, just very generic. I think the idea of talking to someone that I had no, like, no connection to. I'm like, bro, there's already a lot to unpack here. And I think this is partly into why I'm a comedian and why I've probably not, and dealt with it in pieces as I've gotten older, but I just go, it is what it is. Like, dad's moving on. I want mom to be happy.

I really have no control over this. I'm gonna kind of just like, it's easier just to push it down and press on than it is to like, I was like, I'm a kid. I had some awareness of like, I don't want to have to like go through all this. So let me just go, what is it?

Going to dad's got two houses now. Is that kind of how it is? You're like, how do I get through this? Yeah. Let's just get through it. Glass of full. Don't address it. Dude, yes.

Don't address it. yes so and uh and i don't think it's like hurt me i definitely you say that with pause for sure with incidents i definitely looking back go i'm i wouldn't want it any other way because my mom crushed it single mom four jobs her and i became best friends and enemies because it was like i'm in this formidable time is that the right word formidable that could be as good influential impressionable time sure is impressionable isn't you're talking to me i'm like general english and shit so there's a time where words i did take a word power course dude covid made you forget words give me your best word your biggest word throw it at me the word that just

came to mind was conundrum after that bucaki after that uh super califragi look at listic it's see fuck even that i can't finish put that one out you don't have that one if you say it round enough you always have to close it what is it the how the song go super califragilistic is bialadocious even know the sound of it is something quite atrocious. Trocious. If you say it loud enough, you'll always sound precocious. Super God, love I to listen. It gets me out of dogs.

Do you remember that, Ryan? Cute the cartoon dance. And then fucking Dick Van Dyke comes in doing the stepball change. Dick Van Dyke. I got a good Dick Van Dyke for you, a joke after this, after the podcast. I'm surprised, though, that you were, how old are you? 39. 39 years old.

And you have not ever. I'm not surprised. I don't want to tell everybody there. I can't believe you're not in therapy. Hey, have I been told to go? Yeah. By who? Girlfriends.

girlfriends my sixth grade girlfriend no yeah uh a lot of um yeah my mom and not even for i think there's been times when i've probably gotten angry about stuff that it wasn't about and then people like my mom or whatever go it's it's not about that it's about that so go deal with that and and again it's just like i know a lot of comedians that do it um you are you also a member of the therapeutic tribe yeah yeah oh yeah and swear by it, I'm sure, right? Yeah, so as Ryan, Ryan started not that long ago. Well, we know Ryan's therapy. I came in and this guy looked like he was getting ready to lay down and got. He's ready to lay down. He thought you were therapist. Yeah, he thought

I was a couch. Ryan, but it's working, right? Yeah. I mean, yeah, it comes out my eyes. I get it. You're a sweet kid. And I get, I get gentle therapy, like, it worked for me vibes from you, are women always trying to fix you? Or vice versa. No, I'm always, I became a, so it was just mom and I growing up and then sister came back and I was the peer mediator at like eight before my sister actually bounced when I was in middle school I was peer mediator so it was like at eight and nine like mom and sister would be just and I would like go in separately and calm them down and bring them together like crazy so always a fixer people please are just wanting things to be cool again just wanting to make it okay too that's why I loved actually didn't love the school

whatever, but all the aspects of school and being social and being involved in plays and sports and so much because that was a distraction, man. Once I got home, it was like, oh, man, that was this heavy cloud of like just what's happening, you know, and my mom being sad and sister being, you know, just a little wild and taking my mom down and then dad fucking up shit and then just trying to figure it out. So school was like, man, I don't have to think about any of that right now. So you like school. I mean, I liked the, I like going to, and then once I started to become a funny kid. When was that?

When was funny? By sixth grade. Six grade. So I was the fat kid getting teased a lot. Fat, you were overweight. Yeah, man. Like when you say, when you say fat, you mean fat or you mean just a little overweight. So take Lizzo and add 12 pounds.

Who's Lizzo? Come on. Who's Lizzo? Come on. Really? Yeah. The, um, the music artist. I don't know it.

I'm stuck in the 70s and 80s. It's fine. Lizzo, huh? Well, uh, Guys, sorry about this. No, it's fine. Not you. I'm sorry to my audience for not knowing Lizzo.

Nobody should be surprised that a guy with an Indiana Jones statue doesn't know who Lizzo is. Thank you. You're also fine, by the way. There's so many artists, I don't know. Yeah. She just is, she had a moment enough to where you go. All right, I can't ignore understanding who this person is for a little bit. Okay.

But you like her. A big presence. You like her music. Not even that. Just using the example of someone who's a little larger than, She was a little larger, I don't know, but she's, okay, so you were happy. She's probably pushing two and a half bills. Okay.

I said, add 12 pounds of that. That was a joke. So that's you, that you were a big kid. Big kid. To where, like, when I went on a diet at the sixth grade party and they had all these snacks around, teachers would go, Ray, you're reaching for vegetables, but there's pizza right there. Just fucking, no shame.

Teachers being like, hey, you fat fuck, why are you going for the veggies? We know you want to just motorboat that pepperoni. terrible and I was like yeah you know just Pete doesn't sound good just trying to make a joke let me ask you though let me ask you where were you did you think that the weight issue happened when your dad left yikes dude probably okay I'm just throwing that out you these are things you learn therapy yeah of course but also I know that and that's not worth going to break that like I know that I was bumming and that's probably why I started doing that comfort food all that bullshit and then i just had enough and i was like and my grandpa would even say you know you can't

wear sweatpants at your bar mitzvah sounds like me which was like such a great passive way of being like hey chunky legs you know you fucking got chicken breasts for tits and chicken thighs for legs and i was like all right man and so uh people really harassed you though they laid it in i used to do a joke about that was like i didn't know as a fat kid until i got signs from people like i was such a happy go lucky kid so until like a dad was like hey you got time for a teddy fuck after you finish that pop-tart like that would be the way that would joke that would be the way that I go oh man I have maybe I should make a change because I get so and most of my friends wouldn't say anything or care because they didn't but then some kids are cruel and they

use it to to get at you and so finally started losing weight and just dropped it like that because I was so how old six grade to seventh grade probably lost 40 to 50 pounds and uh which was changed your life oh yeah and but again I was So when I was the fat kid, I started making people laugh, and I was the funny kid now. So that's why I started chasing that. It came easy. I was doing impressions of friends and teachers. We'd prank call this girl that we all had a crush on as a guy, friend of ours that she had a crush on.

I'd pretend to be him. No, I'm sorry, I'd pretend to be her to him. So I'd do the girl voice and call him as her. Just, yeah, diabolical. But just like all sorts of that type of shit where I was like, oh, look how good I'm making people feel. versus how awful I was being made feel to feel. It was just that, so, hey, man, didn't need therapy to figure that out. I was like, oh, cool, I'm going to keep doing that because it feels good.

And it feels good for me, and I'm making people happy. Inside of you is brought to you by Quince. I love Quince, Ryan. I've told you this before. I got this awesome $60 cashmere sweater. I wear it religiously. You can get all sorts of amazing. amazing clothing for such reasonable prices.

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Go to Bombas.com and use code audio for 20% off your first purchase. That's B-O-M-B-A-S.com and use code audio at checkout. When do you feel sad? How often do you get sad? Because look, I've seen, like, you have such a body of work. Like you've done, I mean, Pam and Tommy, Hacks, Young Rock, Curb Your Enthusiasm, R Us Development, Ballers, Silicon Valley. I mean, Rick and Morty, workaholics, the list goes on and on.

You've done so much work. And I'm like, okay, he's got a stand-up comedy tour. Tour. I mean, like, all these things. going on with you. And I always think, but what's what's going on behind? What happens when he gets home when he's alone? What happens? I think about that with a lot of people because I think about that with myself. I'm like making everybody laugh. I'm the center of attention. I'll look at him. I'm having a party. I'm going to the beach. And then I get home and I go, why am I miserable?

Totally. Are you that? No, but I definitely have, I mean, all I know about being a Gemini is that you got two sides, right? So, and I'm not too astrological aside from that. But I do have a not life of the party switch but like the performing ability and to be able to hang and like last night went to uh see uh my buddy dana carvey and spade do a live pod with sandler and then went to the comedy store and who was doing a live podcast Dana carvey and spade and they were on they were on the stage yeah and they had samler come on at the well turn it was for two hours it was incredible man just seeing these guys their homies and legends just mix it up was like really cool and sam are you just how often you get to see him out and about live for longer than a talk

show appearance it was very cool man and talking about real shit real shit and it was just awesome they were just you can tell being buddies and having camaraderie really really matters and uh and then went and did a spot and i was just like on cloud uh nine nine the whole uh night and with a couple buddies my fiance and we're just having a good time and then and then yeah like definitely you get home there is that like drop in energy and adrenaline that you just kind of but I I um you address it you're aware of it yeah I also just do a good job I think and this is probably something I innately did when I was younger which which was try to make sure I'm so busy like knowing that I had this to look forward to was got me juiced for going to bed and getting up so like and when I have things

like that, I don't, I can't bum. Like, I got. But there's something to be said about that, though, because don't you have to learn how to be alone? Don't you have to learn how to not be busy? Oh, I have learned how to be alone. I mean, I was alone for, I mean, until I met my fiance, I mean, that whole time from, you know, I probably five. And also being a comic, you are always alone. I mean, it's like, and being single and just be, I mean, it's such a solo adventure. In this business, you're alone. And so I, I think the business for better for worse has made me, thicker skin, all the rejection and the, look, there's been times, yeah, for sure that I've been very low from probably a mixture of like family stuff, which has just been a lot of, and then

the business where you're just like, man, like, I just need a W in one of these departments to like pick me out of it. And not to say that that makes you stronger, but I mean, look, I definitely wish no kid to ever get teased for anything. kids are cruel that stuff really sticks you know what that's like oh yeah and especially with the weight stuff like i even see one of my nieces now she's actually in the past few months gone through a little bit of a gross per but she was starting to get it and man that just ate at me and made me so sad to where i was like i'm gonna fly up there and beat the fuck out of a nine year old and i'm and there's no there's no stop of me and the guy the delta desk is like i advise against that you got that far

i'm a medley member you know what that means i could do anything i can do anything and so uh and you you have to back me up. And so, but then again, like the tease, like, again, I am who I am. The amount of empathy and compassion I have for people, how I'm such a people person, why I love doing crowdwork on stage, why I talk to everybody. And I'm, you know, probably have more, you know, I'm nice to everybody at the comedy clubs. And that probably comes from a place, if we're going to do some therapy. Yeah, yeah, yeah, we can't.

Just not wanting anyone to feel bad because of, you know, the times when I go oh I that was awful and and having buddies even at that age that's I think what put it over the edge is when you go there's kids at school that might tease you it but then when you have buddies that like start to jump on the train and you're like oh I thought you were like not about that but no one's immune to like fucking being cool or saying something to pick themselves up you know with the crowd yeah with the cool people hey I'm part of that and no judgment but but yeah so that's and my My fiance is the same way. She, you know, had a not great, you know, family environment in some regards. And so she's so like, I just want to keep it 100 and positive as much as possible. But same thing. Like we both, you know, life gets you into a dark time. But we just, we're good about like picking each other up and being like, yo, count the, count the blessings versus what you don't have, which is what this business. You can probably attest to that.

as well, where you're like, when can you adjust your mind to like, to really think, what's going on? What have I stacked on in the last couple of years versus what have I not adjust? And it's such an easier said than done way of thinking, but. But being insatiable is not always good. Yeah. It's not good at all. I think if you're always expecting, like, I need more. I got to have more.

I got to. And you realize, but that's not making you happy. And it hasn't made you happy. Success hasn't made me happy. It's been a temporary happy. It's more, uh, you know, I always say it's like the colander, you know, it's like, you know, it just goes right through like, you know, water goes right through the column. Yeah.

It's like, it's ephemeral. It lasts minutes. Yeah. You're like, oh my God. I'm great. I'm really great. Uh, okay, wait, when can I be great again? I've got to prove myself again.

I've got to do this again. Yeah. And then you guys, you're like, what am I chasing? And I, you know, for me, I think that it's like, you know, hey, love, love, memories, relationships, connections. Those are the most important things in the world. And so that's what, you know, I'm working on that more. But like, you know, it's, you know, for somebody who, I didn't have it growing up when I was going through. It. The it factor? Well, I was, you know, dysfunctional family like many people. I've talked about it. But like I didn't feel loved. I didn't feel like I, you know, and so I looked

for it elsewhere. And all of a sudden I was the funny guy. And I was like, oh, I'll make everybody laugh. And then, you know, my friends, their parents would be my surrogate parents. you know i would make them laugh and i'd stay weeks over their house wow um and then i was the funny and i think at that point as a small boy i realized you're going to be accepted if you're funny if you're just being the funny guy and don't be your boring stupid ignorant self that's how i thought and i went through that for years up till through all my success make people laugh be good be on you're great you're great and eventually you just go wow i'm fucking tired yeah and i don't know Who the fuck I am.

Yeah. And that just gets old and you got to, I don't want to be 90 and go, what was I doing it for? Who was I doing this fucking shit for? That's a good impression of you at 90, by the way. I don't think I'll be alive at 90, but thank you. I think you will. You think so? Yeah, and that voice sounds like a guy that takes care of himself.

Because 90, 90 should be a little bit more like that. I don't know. My grandfather, he was 92 when he passed away and he was like, Mike, you know, you shouldn't fart all the time. Great. Shouldn't fart? Yeah, I always fart. he doesn't like that you fart

well he'd say you know you're gonna do that and you're not gonna know you did it awesome but then I'll be like you grandpa with his face on it you're gonna do it not know you did it farts what did I do whoever smelled it dealt it yeah exactly uh yeah that man man okay well you're preaching to the choir

because yeah I think me with this full head of steam of like let's just fucking push it down worry about it later make people happy feel good that's a better, easier, more fun path. Yeah. And then, but to my detriment, it probably, you know, it's allowed me to not figure out who I am on and offstage quicker, right?

Right. Because I was like, well, let's not be that guy that you are. Let's be. But also, again, on the flip side, I feel like I'm, I am who I am because of all that shit, right? because of like the the being bullied and and the folks thing and and seeing my mom and dad's like just how tumultuous that was and uh and wanting to be on top of that and just have a a glass at full approach i am well i am because of all that so i can't there's no part of me that really wants to that would say would i be this if they fucking figured it out and kept their

marriage together and stayed in love right probably not you know maybe not maybe not because maybe i was true i became someone because of you know through uh their relationship and what was happening around me you become your own person but you're a product of your own environment yes right so there is that dysfunction that you don't even know is there that's just lingering waiting to get out here and there and it gets out sometimes you do things and you act out and you're like oh that guy came from a fucked up place totally yeah and there's people in your life that hopefully like point that out and go oh you did that because of that but you don't know that yet because you haven't gone it there yeah yeah you'll learn that but you know

what also i have to say i wouldn't get so caught up in therapy and all these things it's not like you know everybody i think i do believe that everybody should you know see therapy at sure you know have therapy at some point just kind of evaluate have someone objective talking to them but like you know i mean too much of anything's probably not good for you right you don't want to get you know because what you're doing is working for you is it not i think so i also just feel like i i i I don't ever like to stew on stuff for too long. So the times I have gotten lowered down, I allow myself to feel that for sure,

but not feel bad for myself. And I always, if I, I feel like I'm making a meal out of it. If I am going to therapy, if I'm doing something like that to really expand, I've gotten good at, and not just like suppressing, but like sitting back, feeling it,

taking it in, and then knowing, and allowing myself, to feel that so much so that I'm like I don't want to feel like this again so what are you going to do differently that led you to this right was it you let yourself stew on some jobs you didn't get or a job you did and you weren't pumped about or some things with some friends bullshit or some family stuff like what you know be in more control of that so that we don't get to this spot again right so I think I've always been good about just like breaking it down

for myself and going like why you like this and not feeling bad and being you know able to to pick myself out of it and i take pride in that well i think you're like i honestly think you're a great guy you're one of those guys when i see it like harlan's house oh yeah man harlan williams or i see out i'm like he's just a you're just a you're just like i'm putting on uh no i always just like adam's adam's adam's adam is just a good guy he wants to have a laugh he wants to have a moment totally he's not he's not i'm always present he doesn't have ulterior motives he's just trying to be in the be in the moment yeah man have as much have as many goofs and good times as possible.

And, like, that's what's cool about our business is, like, you can really surround yourself with people that, like, oh, yeah, that's all. Like, I mean, as soon as I came in here, I was just like, fuck, dude, it's rules. You're like fucking rules, man. I see that, I think people see my, like, they'll come in and see my house. They'll see all the things I have and they're happy. You've got all these things.

Well, no, that's not what I thought. I definitely was like, I know, there's something going on here, but. too many puppets too many puppets too many and if anything there's not enough puppets by the way no it's it's a it's a i like that you take uh pride and an interest and celebrating the cool shit you've gotten to do that's yeah because we don't do that enough in any uh facet of life but i mean come on man like you built a very cool thing for yourself and like you got like a bunch of cool baseballs up there i'd love to like know all about I mean, you've got some fucking...

You just got a nice variety of stuff that's all because of what you did. Yeah. And sometimes I should sit back and look at it and go, these are cool things. This is a good thing. If you're not, you definitely should. Yeah.

And I'm, again, preaching to the choir, but like, yeah, we don't... We're, you know, too much... This business doesn't... There's no course to be like, every now and then fucking look in, you know, look in the rear view mirror and see where you came from.

It's just like because... Exactly. It's conditioned us to be like, what's next? It's why they go up to people who've just won the Super Bowl and go fucking, can you guys do it again? And you're like, hey, man, just did it. Let me fucking sit in that for a minute and go to Disney World or Panera, wherever, you know, the pageants are paid for it. You know, you'll do all these things and then, you know, somebody will make you feel like shit.

My agent has a propensity for making me feel like shit inadvertently. He will just go, dude, this is it. This is it. This is the part. I don't want to go somewhere for eight months in the middle of nowhere and do this. And I feel guilty. And I'm like, I'm thinking about more about what he wants, as opposed to what I want. And, you know, there comes a time in your life when you have to just go, I want to do what makes

me happy, which fulfills me. Because if you just keep doing what other people expect you to do and you're, oh, you're, you're Adam Ray, you're supposed to do this. This is what you're, let's keep on this. And you're just, I mean, you do things because you love them. Oh, yeah. You don't have, you, you say no? Yeah, I've gotten better at it.

Like, even, and I mean, you know, if I want to go, stand-up's been great for that because it's like a friend's birthday thing or whatever that I like the people, but I'm like, I'd rather go do a show. I'd rather. And there's part of that that's like, I'd rather work. And so I'm not waste a day or an opportunity, but it's also all fun. Somebody just asked me the other day because I'm on, you know, I was just in, Madison, Wisconsin for a weekend, then drove to Milwaukee on Thursday through Saturday was

Madison, then drove to Milwaukee because they just opened an improv there, so I did a night there. So you just ran a car and go from city to city. I've never done that. Did it this time because my agent was like, do you want to, I can add on this after the weekend. It's close. And I was like, yeah, I want to do that new club. And then drove to Chicago after the show to fly out of Chicago. And that was really fun.

And now coming up, I'm going to New York because my mom's going to be out there for a bit. and I want to kick it with her. And I was supposed to go to North Carolina, but the show I'm shooting dates moved. So North Carolina had to be canceled, but I'm going to go to New York to kick with mom because she's going to be out there with some homies. And my mom's just getting older.

And I was like, let's go, you'll stay with a homie and hang with her in New York and just be around her. And I'll go from there to Atlanta. And then I'm going to stay in Atlanta for a few days because some people from Young Rock are going to be down there. So I'm going to stay with them and then go from there to Kentucky. I'm going to rent a car and drive five hours to Kentucky. Jesus. You have the energy to do all that? Yeah. And I'm like, oh, that sounds like a lot, but that sounds awesome. And nothing sounds awesome. Nothing sounds awesome. And I know. I have buddies that are musicians that are like, you have so many opportunities to lay flat and you don't. And I'm not judging you for that, but whoa. And I'm like, yeah, man. Because I also love it. And it's also being a comedian, you conditioned. You have to live a life worth writing about. I also, though, like, I've never been to Kentucky. I'd love to drive into Kentucky. That sounds like a cool thing.

With no kids, you know, and a zest for it right now, I want to take advantage of that. Yeah. And, and I used to always be like, fuck, I can't ever leave L.A. I don't want to miss out and everything. So if I am in a space where I'm like, oh, yeah, go do that. Like, then I want to do that. I mean, shit, when I opened for my buddy, Joey Mack and the new kids on the block and their concert cruise, that sounded bonkers.

Awesome. I'm going to go on the cruise and open for them because, and I had, I missed a couple, you know, opportunities because of it but I was like that fucking sounds like something I'll never do if I don't do it now just to say you do it you ever you ever get nervous about no one's showing up to your gigs

do you ever think about that no why because all the places I'm playing are good places they're built in places that are that bring in oh comedy on state where just in Madison is a like staple of so you know people are going to be there not even because of you

regardless of be there yes yes clubs are good at that and the rooms I'm playing are rooms that just aren't top of that. But now also it's, and that's why I'm also doing so much of the road now because of the last few years being a nice little boost on a handful of front. So more people are coming out because of that. So I want to... A handful of what? Like a lot of people always come out from all my Adam Carolla appearances from my pod growing, all the shows in the last few, whatever years. Now my listeners will come... A thousand percent, man. Go go to this guy. God bless you, man. Like, yeah, Adamraycombe.com for tour dates. Where's my tour date? Adamray.com.

Adamraycom. At Adamraycom. Yeah. Make sure we know that. Do you have a, what's your demo of listeners? Do you know? You know, it's kind of split. It's kind of split right down the middle.

It's like, I don't know, what is the demographic? It's like, uh, rabbis. 26 to 455. Perfect. Yeah, it's all in there. It's a good mix. I have to look, but, or maybe that's my Instagram. Like when you'll do a live show, who's coming out?

I want to do a live show. I've never done one. Mike. Because I fear that. no one's going to be there oh man not the case also just stack it up with some homies man really get harland joel maybe me if you want to fucking you know so do my podcast on the road and have a couple of intros oh man a thousand percent you're so good do it lot oh dude yeah get the fuck out of here what are you just nervous to do it or what thought about it i had two

bookings in austin texas and then the covid happened i had two full sold out places but i have my guess was zach levi and we were going to do it and then it sold out. I mean, then it got COVID, then COVID happened. Had you sold tickets yet for it? Yeah, it sold out. That's what I'm saying, dude. But that was because of Zach Levi, not me. But maybe a little bit of both. See, that's how I think. But here's, that's what's fucked up about me. It is. I go, it's because of Zach, not me. No one wants me. No, I have to have somebody there. I know. You're not doing the first time show. It's, you've established your pot. It's a, it's a part of the fun in people's life. But you know, but you do need a big guess for the live stuff because you do want

people because you don't want to run the risk of it being a small uh you know gathering so so that's the right move but right they're coming because they want to yeah dude no it's both allow yourself to to know that it's both you know i'm gonna i'm gonna do it i think a live we should we should do a live one ryan sure i think that would be a blast bro you don't even have i mean we'll get bryce to fly in we'll do one maybe you'll have welling as the guest here in california we'll do like dude there's so many venues you could even do it at the fucking main room of the comedy store and, and just go, all right, I got to get 350 people in there. Or hotel cafe, I mean, dude, there's so many spots, you know, where you can go,

all right, do I want to do like a 50 seat? And then you just kind of prepare and you just shoot the shit and you do what I'm doing like this. You do this. Obviously, you got people. So you're like, oh, maybe there's a little bit more showiness, but not really. Last night was Spade and Sandler and, yeah, they're all, uh, but also you had John Mullaney at the forum and Chappelle at the Hollywood Bowl.

did you hear he got attacked on stage yeah i saw that crazy huh how do you feel about all that um because you know do you think do you think it has anything to do with that will smith uh oh yeah you do you think that people have that they feel like they have the privilege now i don't think it's gonna i saw somebody post on facebook here we go chappelle attack like i'm like my right man i that's uh you're going too far with it i think i don't think it's going to be as crazy as people think I think it definitely gave the same way that, you know, some of the outlandish things that Trump would get on TV and say gave a voice to people that think like that to go, oh, cool.

I can just start walking into Burger Kings and being like, there aren't any Jews here, are there? Like, you know what I'm saying? Like it gave, it's given people a reason to go like, oh, yeah, if I don't like something, but I don't think it's going to be, you know. Yeah, I don't want to get all political. I just was wondering how, you know, you get kind of like. It sucks.

It definitely, but I've always felt that way. It's weird to just be up there in like most comedy clubs and venues, like, they got security, but like no one's really thinking you're taking care of people that might be too sauced up or that are just, you know, a distraction and not in terms of like someone's going to rush the stage. And again, it does happen, but like I've rarely seen. I mean, there's a kid up in Seattle, I know that got hit at an open mic with a guy he with a bat. And I mean, dude, he was like a half a centimeter away from. like just that being a rap and he had all these skull and brain surgeries and now he's living a great life and and not doing stand up anymore still doing it not as much but yeah but like just at an open mic like a guy he wouldn't let on his show came back the following week because the guy was

like awful and always be drunk and was like just are you being rude to people and so he said you can't comes a guy came anyway and hit him with the bat in his head yeah and that type of shit makes me go oh yeah there's nothing to stop and this guy last night like how do he get through there's always there's also so much going on putting yourself out do you ever feel like that because you're always you're always like people were heckling you and you're always you know free free balling just going out there and just rocking off the cuff off the cuff and you say shit do you ever worry about oh this guy just said that too he looks a little pissed maybe and I'll comment on that during the show to the guy if that if I truly feel like it's but then like that just happened in irvine a few

weeks ago and then there was this big guy named gustavo that I was having some fun with and so then it became a thing of like Gustav was got my back if this guy tries to pull some shit but but but but then I always try to kill it with kindness and make sure that I'm not ever and that's the thing about my crowd work that I don't like that I learned from our boy harland was uh a to listen and be uh to not be a dick about it and like hit the hit him and hug him thing you know what I'm saying where it's like we all got to fuck with people so get a little that but then like you know bring it and be like I'm just fucking around, you know. Harlan is the, he says the, I mean, he is the king of random shit.

Oh, yeah. I just, there's only one of, no, there's only one Harlem Williams. I mean, he's like, sir, have you ever made love to a dairy queen, uh, blizzard on a hot Saturday night? Uh, no, well, you're not living, or you will. Yeah. Yeah, he just says these random things. Man, ma'am, if you could look away, I'm doing a show, please. Yeah, sir, I don't like your fucking eyes.

Can you go to sleep? I don't like your eyes. Did he ever say that? I don't like your eyes. Do I open for him for about a year and a half? And I just saw him just do some like phenomenal shit, man, that was like next level. And it just made me go, oh, I got to, I want to do that. I want to get good.

And he was just like, you got to listen. You got to trust to build a moment, gather some info. And then just about doing it, getting reps of like trusting yourself to think of the funny thing and then say it. And then not, you know, I'm saying? Because when I would first start doing crowd work, I wouldn't listen. So I'd be, you know, talking like this. and then like, oh, where you're from or what, you know, how long have you guys been together?

And then I'd be like, shit, 20 seconds went by and there were no laughs. I'm thinking of that, not listening to what they're just saying. So then they stopped talking and I'm like, yeah, you guys look like, you're not going to make it. You know, you just say something to panic, to fill in the time. And then you're like, and everyone's like, all right, fuck,

that was weird. So you learn, have you ever... Got to sit in the silence. How long did you bomb? How many times have you bombed? I mean, how many times have you rose and bombed? Come on in your life. how many nice a lot uh oh yeah getting going i mean look i did plays you know all through high school

in college so i was always comfy on stage and that's just the riding so um so uh yeah i mean yeah probably once you're getting up there you go i you know in the sets are six seven eight minutes you're like i can get laughs throughout this but yeah am i going to crush for eight minutes no that takes a minute to be fucking great but then I went and did this random comedy festival in Calgary somehow, like when I was three years in. And I remember having like a string of good shows. And I was like, all right, fuck, here we go.

And then getting a little too ahead of myself and then coming back to L.A. And being like, oh, no, that was just, that was just out there. And like, for whatever reason, like, that was. Then translate. Yeah. And, uh, but that you get better. I always say, too. It's like, you know, you always want to get off stage with a positive and a negative.

I immediately try to not beat myself up over it, which I, you know, do a lot but i so i drove all right what was what was great here that was cool and what's something to work on not even like good and bad but what's something to work on what could i my fiance always gives me shit about that because i'll literally get home and go oh man i should have said that in that moment set for that joke or when this crowdwork thing happened i was like what uh she said that she's like the moment's over it's done yeah she's like stop doing that i go no no no i'm not upset or beating myself up this is how i also like it like process reviewing the game tape you know i'm saying but it's like i see because i record my sets and and sometimes i listen and sometimes

i don't but if i can immediately just you know i have a weird way to if i'm saying that i like oh i could have said that okay okay cool i can like somehow uh pocket that for the next time um and not even to say that exact thing the next time it's just muscle memory too of like getting my brain to go because i like that when i do a full hour and change show it's like i plant seeds I used to see Patrice O'Neill do this when I saw him live where he would do his brilliant act and then he would plant these seeds of crowdwork and then tie them all together by the end of the show

and that's what I have started doing in the last few years and that's awesome and it's really fun and yeah. How did you get into like doing impressions? Like you know, you're on Jay Leno on Pam and Tommy. Right. You know, then you're doing Dr. Phil. You're doing all these things. Playing Vince McMahon on Young Rock?

Vince McMahon on Young Rock. I mean, were these something, as a young kid, you were doing impressions? Oh, yeah. Like, what were your top impressions? As a kid, well, I remember I went to this like Jesus Christ water sports camp with my spit tank. I was the only Jew there, which the guy tried to convert me to. It was my buddies from high school. They were in a church group, and they took a summer, it was a camp for like 10 days.

It was water sports camp. So from 7 a.m. to like 4. was like on the beach jet skiing fucking boobs and brilliant and just and and uh boats and just basketball just fun right the sun water sports and then come back dinner and then we all break off into groups and i'd always be like yeah call us go back to the tent and i was like no come come hang with the group you know and so then i'd sit in the group and he'd take me off to the side a few times ago so are you are you tied to are you tied to judy

And I go, yeah, I got a bar mitzvah, you know, so I'm pretty, I'm pretty doubting at this point. But I did, I did, too, but I just did it for the money. Yeah. Did you really? I mean, I didn't. I was, you know, no, I mean, I was bar mitzah, but I'm not religious at all. I don't, you know, I mean, yeah, I'm very reformed. But go ahead.

And so I'm like, yeah, man, it is where it is. I think it's, you know, I'm just here for the good times. I'm circumcised, man. I'm not going anywhere. Dude, I had to show to him to prove it. and um and then i was like uh i was like uh well let me go to the i'll sit down and like participate did that then they had a talent show this is what i'm building too so they had a talent show and i came up with this idea for my buddies where i would do all these voices and they would like

lip sync all these things so i basically wrote our whole sketch and it was me doing the voice i did at that time were ready i did a bill clinton i did a kermit the frog i did a mike tyson i did a Schwarzenegger and Cosby and Splinter from Ninja Turtles. Wow. By the way, put all those guys in a fucking reality show house

and see who comes out on top. That's amazing. So it'd be like, you know, it'd be like, you know, you know, and then Grimmert to Frog and then Bill Clinton, you know, and then Mike Typhi, you know, and then Bill Cosby will come through with, hey, Kirby, go to sleep, you know.

And then, yeah. Some people loved it. Aid it up. They were like, this Jews got it. That's what probably triggered you. Like, I got to do stand-up. I got to stuff like that. But again, it was all for shits and giggles.

But it was like to, but it was a fun thing to, they all looked to me being like, hey, funny friend, like, what should we do for the skit? And I just was like, hell yeah. I was like. And so I wrote a whole thing and we, you know, everybody had a script. And then, so that was cool. And then doing impressions of teachers and friends at school. And then.

Like, did you audition for Jay Leno for? Yeah. so my agent hit me up and said do you have a j leno and i was like i'd done a couple of videos uh as him uh did you have to audition yeah so did you get dressed up i uh no but i sent a video that i had where a friend did like a pretty decent chin and makeup so they could see a little bit of that because i saw the one that recently you posted with uh it's you talking to david letterman oh yeah it looks like both of you you're leno and let he's letterman oh bro that's incredible that's incredible if you go on his instagram what you're at um adam

comedy right but jeff richards who was on s&l mad tv does an amazing letterman and a slew of other incredible impressions and he does this now thing for his podcast where he has people come on and he does an impression and then they do one or he interviews like he he interviewed bill burrows louie anderson but he he does the deep fake like when we they recorded on some program and the guy spends time to really do it i didn't realize how good it was going to look yeah it looks fucking incredible. Yeah. Like, yeah, it looks like it's Leno and Letterman. And so yeah, that was cool. How do you,

how are you directed as someone who's doing an impression of, you're playing Jay Leno? Yeah. I mean, how does, what does the director say to you? Uh, could you give a little or did you just let him do your thing? They, yeah, they definitely did like say, I think they had me toned down some of the some of the Lispy stuff, right?

You know, not as much Lisp, you know? Right. And, uh, which he does have in pockets. Like, I ran into them at flappers. We were on a show together about, I don't two, three weeks ago. I've done flappers. Come on, man. We've all done flappers.

And my mom goes, you gotta tell him that you play him. I was like, he doesn't give a shit. And I'm walking down the back of the kitchen to the green room. And he just turns and he looks at me and goes, oh, it's the guy who played me on TV. And I was like, oh, you watch it? I go, I'll quit and move back to Seattle if you hated. He goes, no, no, I heard it was good.

I haven't watched him myself. But I heard it was grounded. I heard it was a big cartoonie. I heard what's good. That's really good. It's really good. And so then I was like, all right, cool. and then uh but then yeah he goes he goes he goes he goes he goes he goes the chin was a little too big

i thought the chin was and they started just laughing and i was like i thought it was actually could could have been bigger and uh i want you to teach me how to do that you teach me how to the chin was too big it's the kind of belift like that's good yeah yeah i can teach yeah i mean it's i don't i mean yeah i don't know i just have a good ear yeah i think that's yeah and i don't even consider myself an impressionist but more of i guess a you know i feel like i've always been able to do voices but but um maybe a mimic real yeah just having a good ear because there's some where i i know certain impressionists that are on us know that are like man i listen i study i work on ones too i find when i go i want to get good at that for me it's like if i try it and it's in

the wheelhouse then i can just do it yeah like i did adr for robert dion junior for a couple movies and i just go and when it came through i was like i've never tried to do that and i tried and i was like okay cool i can kind of do like a decent one you know what is you how does you talk So we're sitting here on, so R.D.J. here. So Iron Man 1, Iron Man 2. There's obviously more moves I've done, heart and souls. Chocolate I auditioned for it, but Johnny Depp got it. But, you know, karma, she's shit in his bed.

Well, we don't know. It tastes like human shit. I didn't eat it, but I heard he did. So anyway, so we're here on inside of you or inside with you. Are we inside of, we're inside together, the house that Rosenbaum built. It's a very nice house. A lot of puppets. Not enough puppets, someone would say.

But, um. Brilliant. Yeah. But I love it. Yeah. Do you just torment your fiancé with these impressions? No, no, no. Do you not do your sketch, your sketch, your stand-up special?

Do you ever try to, like, you never run lines with her? You never do you think. I probably said, yeah, I think I've probably said, like, it's usually after a show if I'm on the road and she's not with me and I'll tell her a certain moment that happened and she thinks it's funny. Or she hears me editing clips or something and she'll laugh. But she's also a great supporter of, she loves it. I mean, she's now in voiceover animation casting. And when she moved out here, she was just working the restaurant game and crushing that. and and uh and then started just get more and more around the business and then she got into script

supervising and she was being uh scripty on sets and then she started working in production and love that and then uh now she's doing this but she comes to show i mean you know it came last night and uh to the show and then she um no sorry and then she um uh she just loves it she loves being around it and she loves and she also knows my show's always different And she, you know, will even, like, she's really funny herself. So she'll, like, say, she'll, like, you know, not tell me tags, but she'll think of funny stuff and, and add on to it, you know. I see these videos.

But not like Gavagan's wife who, like, writes his shit. Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's another level. That's another level. Yeah. But I noticed, like, on your Instagram, it's like, you're friends with The Rock, your friends with Dana Carvey. And I'm like, what?

I'm like, how many people have it go, hey, could you get Dana Carvey on my podcast? Oh, yeah, a lot of people, right? You're like, yeah, yeah. I think I did. Did you really? Probably. Why would I want David Carvey? I'm like, David Carney.

Yikes. Well. Why wouldn't I want David Carney? I'm much too. Well, if I'm being perfectly honest, David Carney would do it. He would? And he would actually help you get Dana probably better than I could. David Carney would.

That was amazing. That was just you'd be nervous, though, for the idea of him even being on. David Carney would be, I would be nervous. I would be a little nervous. Who is David Carney? I don't know. David Carney. Fill out his backstory.

story. People think he's tied to the Carney hot dog. He's a former English teacher. Okay. Um, out of Hoboken. He hates turn ons include, uh, not telling any Nathan's hot dog stories. Yep. Or jokes. Connie. Carney. It's Carney. Carnie. David Carney. Turnoffs include people that, uh, don't know how to use your versus your or you are. Ooh. Do you ever mess that up by accident and feel stupid? Oh, I did it on a post here a day and some, uh, girl hit me up and go. hate to be this person, but it's this. And I was like, you know what? I actually take pride and yes, so fuck, thank you, but also. I've done it with typing really fast. And I was saying you're like, oh, yours apostrophe. Got to do it.

It says a lot. It's your apostrophe, R.E. Sorry, I'm an idiot. I judge when someone sends it through. If they don't know it right, I just type fast. I don't even think about things. Well, maybe I should think about things. Clean it up before David Carney comes on.

How did you become, I mean, you're such a likable guy. I mean, and you're funny, but like the rock. Yeah. You're friends with him. Yeah. You're friends with the fucking rock. How did your friendship with the rock happen?

So during COVID, I was like, I, once things shut down, I was like, oh, we're not going anywhere for a minute. I'm talking to a handful of comics that are like very bummed as I was. We're like, oh, man. And there's some talk of like, is stand up even going to come back? I mean, truly, there was no sign of even the business coming back. It was like, is that the end of TV and movies? All these people were trying to do these, like, Zoom shit.

shows, some stand-up shows, but then like Zoom TV shows, where it was just, and I was like, fuck. I mean, it was such a high level of uncertainty. And I was like, well, I got to control what I can control, which is trying to, you know, for myself, my own sanity, trying to create and put up more content, do dumb little videos. I had a friend maybe these like little braces. I would do these old characters. And then I did some puppet stuff, made some songs. And then I was like, I'm just going to try to be thinking more in terms of like just putting up funny stuff. So I see a post, a headline that Gwyneth Paltrow was selling candles that smell like her vagina, right? Through her company called Goop, Rye, right?

Yeah. Bri, you with me on that one? Yeah. And so they sold out in like 10 minutes, like these candles that smell like her vagina. And I was like, whoa. And then I was like, well, who's the male equivalent to that? And who would like sell like ball scented candles? So I was like, oh, you know, I posted the thing.

And then I just was like, and I never tagged the people, but I tagged the rock. And I was like, you know, yeah. Hey, your move, man, like fucking, they're going to sell those, like, you know, equality. Like, you got to sell the bulk. Get on that. Hit up Yankee doodle cano company, whatever. And then I start, just as a joke. And it was really just the whole post also just being like, wow, like, look, like how funny the world we live in where she made those and they sold out and people want them.

It just, that was to me, the bulk of it was like, this is crazy. Like, life is crazy. And he responded to you. And so I started getting all these messages being like, how do you know the rock? And I was like, oh, everybody knows rock. And then I look at the post, and he had commented on it. Like, brother, I've been trying to get, you know, boss in the candles going, but I keep burning my dick on the wax or something, like,

and then something else. And then he just made a joke. And then he followed me. And then we just started keeping in touch. And then he sent me a couple of voice notes saying he'd been following my stuff and keep at it. We'll have some taramano when things resume and life gets back to normal. And then I got the audition for Vince McMahon. man. And I was like, I don't know if this came from you, but, you know, thanks, man.

Show looks dope. Very cool that they're, you know, you're doing this on your story and and how things came to be. And then I went out with a buddy mine to Chappelle's summer camp in Ohio, where he lives in Yellow Springs. And I get a, and I had been, that point been joking about, I went on like Spade Show and a few other podcasts and I was, had this running bit of like The Rocks ghosting me because I left him my number in the, in the Instagram thing. And I And then I just hadn't heard from him for like five months. So I was just like, yeah, they're actually, we had this friendship, but now he's throwing it all away and just whatever.

It was a fun, like, thing to joke about. And then I just got a text that says, hey, it's DJ, The Rock, in parentheses, let me know when you get on the phone. And I had been joking about this, so I thought one of my buddies was fuck with me. Wait, he wants to call him? Yeah. Were you nervous? Yeah, but I also didn't think it was him because I was just like, again,

I've been joking about this. So a buddy of mine is texting me from a number that's, I don't know, saying, you know what I'm saying? Right. So then I get a voice. voicemail from the next day and then I call him and he goes give me your best Vince McMahon impression and I did and I was taking a poo at the time and uh I don't know why that was relevant but it just adds to the that's where you are that's where I was trying to paint the picture and then got it and then

and then we talked like that that's really funny that's good I like that yeah yeah it was and then we just chat it for like two hours about everything about sports about comedy about single mom life about family stuff, about sports, about wrestling, crowdwork and how he, you know, loves these clips I post because he's like, that was my favorite part of doing it in the ring was like breaking the fourth wall and going off script. He's like, not everybody could do it. And I love to do it. And we started really diving in on that aspect of performing. And it was like, we've been friends for 30 years. And I was like, man, I should record that whole conversation, put it out as a podcast. And then I even asked him at one point, I go, why haven't you done? I was like, you got to do stand up. We got to do like a

Young Rock, you know, tour. And he was like, I could just come out. And he's like, but I want to, he's like, everyone's got to write jokes to me. They're just like, the worst. I want to come out and just bomb. I was like, well, yeah, because if you bomb, you can just pull his shirt down a little, show a little nip, everyone will go crazy. And you always have a way to save the joke.

Sure. And then he's like, and he's got a comics brain, too. He's real quick, filthy, but like articulate and, and has like a real respect for the craft, but like a real connection to it, which is why he, he loves performing because he's like the wrestling, which I didn't. realize. I watched a decent amount of wrestling growing up, but now have obviously gone back to really, you know, insert myself in that world. And man, like, the showmanship level at a certain time was like bonkers. I didn't really appreciate as a kid, like, how much to create these

characters. But then, like, the commitment level is like pretty high. But anyway, so then we just, he's just been cool, man. I love that. What a great story, man. We don't talk, you know, every week. It's cool. He acknowledged you, he likes you, he thinks you have mutual respect for each other. He sent me a video just last night of him just taking a video of one of the episodes coming up. It was a big scene where Vince is basically telling the guy Uli who plays the oldest rock that he's about changing his name and about going to Madison Square Garden and doing WrestleMania for the first time. And he sent me a clip of that and then just said like, great job, brother and blah, blah. And he's so it's like he'll, you know, that's cool.

And knowing that I feel like I What a guy. I like him so much more now. I'm going to follow him. That was amazing. This is called shit talking with Adam Ray. These are my patrons who I love dearly. Keep the show running.

Go to patreon.com slash inside of you. I'll write you message after. I love you. Thanks for supporting the show. Rapid fire. You're going to answer these questions. Here we go. You ready for this?

Leanne, really love the show Young Rock. What was it like working with the Rock himself as he as kind as he seems to do. be you just kind of talked about just kind of broke it down but got to go visit him on the set of black adam in Atlanta and uh I just reposted this video he did a little uh fun video uh with me where I was talking to his cardboard cut out I just saw that yeah on your Instagram yeah yeah uh but sweet heart of a guy and like what I think is cool is uh no when people say like hey let me know if you got any questions or whatever to like to talk about you know Vince or the part of the show like

every time I've said like you got five minutes he fucking makes time and that's another thing where you go you have no time because you're doing everything how does he do it i don't know i don't have any time for and i have all the time yeah don't know Michelle k ah sizz ask him if he has ever had a joke stolen and how he handled it oh yeah it wasn't that same guy who stole all those jack shepherd no yeah man i'll say it dachs stole your show and i'll say it because i love dax he's a good guy I did too. And I would love to rip it up on his pot at some point. And I would definitely bring this up because I feel like he's the type of guy that would vibe on it.

So I used to do this bit, this Folgers coffee bit, right? It's a joke that a lot of my comrades I've come up with like attached to me in their knowledge of like when we started because it was like I would open and close with it. I wouldn't. But I would always, whether there was a five minute set or a 10 minute set or 20 minutes set, I was doing it. where it was this dumb joke where I would go, you know, talking about the misleading slogans and advertising. And I go, you know, so it's commercial for Folgers Coffee. And, you know, the best part of waking up is foragers in your cup. And I go, eh, is it? You know, to me that slogans me, the best part of waking up is not dying in your sleep. And then I'll get a big laugh.

And then I'll go, ugh. Yeah. And then a couple other stupid lines after that. And I was at the improv. And Dax was starting to maybe pop around Like he was doing stand-up Like you see some of these guys do, yeah I was doing too, yeah And so we're like, oh, he's doing comedy And then somebody said, Oh, he's maybe just working out some stories

For Conan that he's doing tomorrow. So I'm like, oh, even cooler I get to fucking watch him do that And then I'll watch Conan tomorrow and see what he works out. So I go on before him, do some stuff, I had a pimp my ride joke that crushed. And then the Folger's bad.

and I close with that and I get off and I walk by and I was like man so nice to meet you and he goes dude great job he was that forger bit so funny I go thanks man cut to him watching conan the next night and out of nowhere with no context dax does the foragers bit and I go whoa were you pissed yeah and then I also just was like and my buddy was like we're watching and he just goes holy shit and he goes flattering right I go I don't know what I feel right now but also because it was the first time I had that happened and I was what three no four years no 2010 yeah maybe three four years in and uh I was like clearly I'm not going to do anything about it because he's like what am I and also and my buddy's like maybe just didn't know and we kept trying

to find these ways to like massage it and make it better but it was like no you saw me do it probably was like who's that guy exactly nobody knows I'm doing the couch tomorrow that's a funny thing I want to say it. Although, you know, you think about that. I'm not defending anybody, but I'm just saying, you know, you hear a funny joke and you're like, oh, my God, that's such funny. And you want to tell everybody else that joke. You always go and tell that joke, but.

Great. Now, that version of the story works. If you go, if he looks in the camera and goes, this comedian last night, Adam Ray said that, man, was it funny? And I just wanted to tell you guys here, too, right? I hear you. Yeah. I hear you.

But when you pass it off, when you pass it off as your own, then you go, oof. But, uh, do you still use that joke? No. Oh, but also. Yeah, but I credit Dachshepard now. But I, no, I, I also, no, no heart feelings, no judgment because you're just like, man, I don't know, you fucking, just like, I got to get something on. I got to be funny. But at that time, I guess it was more really the idea of just like my first taste of like, oh, man, write more personal shit.

Write more jokes about playing Wolverine at Universal Studios and having a single mom and having a fucking, you know, white rapper brother-in-law, you know, named Derte. more stuff that's um that's that's that's like that people can't take do you know what I'm saying yeah that's really what the lesson was uh and again just trying to have that that glass half full thing it was like all right that that sucked but um but what now what adjust that being said I love you Dex you're hilarious and your pod's great and um and hey man if you fuck you but fuck you know uh Raj what's the worst heckler you've had to deal with at a show and how did you handle him uh I had a woman threw a wine glass at me whoa come on i was in passel robles she kicked out of course yeah

thank you i passa robles wine country they did not have comedy up there my buddy used to live up there he ran a little show upstairs their brewery they packed in about 300 people i'm doing all these jokes about playing wolverine at universal studios and uh that was my life at the time so i just had 20 minutes on theme park shit and uh and i'm looking down in between jokes and she had said something earlier there was a little off color and just annoying and drunk and obnoxious and I said she at one point she goes you just come give me a kiss and I was like should I let her give me a kiss and I was like yeah so I went over there and she like licked the side of my face and then I made some you know dumb joke about being like oh man I don't know you could get HPV and herpes and fucking blah blah and one you know

lick how many licks is it take to get to the top of cougar mount or something I said and and uh and then she and I walk back to the little stage and I'm looking down thinking of the next joke and laughs of dying down and I'm just like I just see my peripheral vision just this and then I just see that like from this side and so quickly that I didn't even have time to process it I didn't have time to like you know and it was just I just went like that did you the base of the wine glass hits my palm and it's just sweaty enough and hot whatever to where like part of the glass like hit and stuck almost in the webbing of my hand to where all I had to do was just wrap around the base of the glass kid you not we'll call Brett Riley right now

he's confirmed it for me before on a podcast where I catch it out of midair and then I slowly turned to my hand and I go ah and everybody goes nuts and I walked over and I set it down on her table and I said I told you I'm Wolverine bitch don't fuck with me and people went nuts and then they kicked her out and then I got smoked out by this couple in the back of their fucking Subaru that had two doors and they got into a big fight and I just stayed in the back and I tried to like slip out behind them because I got into a big fight and I was like can you guys let me out like this is getting pretty heated and i'm very high and i don't want to be back here and so like i pushed the girl seat up and like slithered out and then uh and then went back

and then the woman was outside the hotel where we were staying and she like like was so drunk and was yelling at me and was just like you embarrassed me in front of my friends and i was like you threw a wine glass at me and i caught it and then they kicked you out and uh and then i uh good lord and i fell asleep in the shower fully clothed a couple times and then I threw a Marie calendar's chicken pop pie at the window and broke it. Jesus Christ, what a night. Yeah. By the way, do you do even, weird question, but do you even talk to your dad? Oh, yeah. You do? Oh, yeah, all the time. I mean, I'm, once I got to college and he started reaching out and was like, I was like, I'd rather have a relationship with him than not. So he supports you. He. Oh, yeah, full on like all about it.

Watches everything. Yeah, it sends me, I rewatch this again on YouTube. I rew, you know, always yeah and my sister's got a little different take on things you know so but i again i'm just like i mean i've been there for him in more ways than one his wife passed uh right uh during uh covid and so he's been by himself now so i try to hit him up every day with not uh if not a text of face time just to you're always the one you're always the one reaching out you're always the one making everybody happy you're still that one at him totally that's a good quality i have that quality I believe and I uh you can take it advantage of exhausting but but you know you feel like you know you're doing good some good things what's the alternative to not do it and let him just like and go

fucking I mean look yeah there's times let someone else do it my fiancee has learned of some of the things of how like you know poorly treated my mom was and how sad she was and that makes and for how much of a gangster my mom is makes uh me and offensive when she brings up I'm like yeah that sucks And she's like, how do you look at him and not or just treat him as well as you do after all that? I'm like, because at this point, what's the fuck is 78? Like, I'm like, really going to hold on to that and like. It probably be worse for you if you did hold on to it. Yeah.

And there was a time where he had his gnarly surgery about a year and a half ago and he was in the hospital. And things were a little complicated. And he wasn't sure how it was going to turn out. And I went up there again and for a couple days in Oregon and stay with him. And my mom, FaceTime me. and they don't really talk at all. It's all through, like, us, like, how are you doing? Say how to this, or they see each other on Facebook.

And so they FaceTime for the first time in probably, I don't know, 10 years. And it was a crazy moment. Like, and then my dad, like, just broke down and said, like, I'm sorry to her. Wow. It was crazy. That would never happen with my family. Really? That's crazy.

Yeah, that's awesome, but it never happened. We can get into my family another time. Part two. This has been awesome, dude. I love having you on. Do we cover everything? Oh, my God. But you just have.

come back on. Okay. You know? A treat. Been wanting to come on for a long time, man. Yeah, you're a... I got to do you. You have one?

Yes. Tell everybody about your podcast. About last night, podcast. Find it on YouTube, iTunes. Pete Holmes' episode just dropped today. Sandra Bullock's been on Bill Burr, Michael Rosenbaum, Jason Drulow. I haven't been on. Yeah, you have.

Oh, yeah. That was a long time ago, though. Yeah. I need to be on again. A year before COVID. Yeah. Yeah. Over at the, um, there's a studio that was high up.

It was where the, the hobbits are. Lord of the Rings. the guys like hobbits my friends why don't i but not dom dom monahan it's it's up on floor 20 yeah on vine yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah cooler studio now over on melrose really two minutes from here yeah across who books your guests me yeah i book my guests too yeah it's hard oh my i had chevy chase uh on because his daughter i love to have chubby chase his daughter plays keyboard at the comedy store and she's a comic and she helped facilitate that sandra i just don't get from me melissa good lord son yeah uh we have to have more conversations with adam here help me out i can get you my i can get

you my i can get you david carney david carny david carny oh yeah i said dan carny i think that's a real old dan who is your dream guest though um has anyone ever asked you that gary oldman wow kana reeves who i worked with wow wow you work with kiano on what yeah um on the movie called sweet november and i played a transvestite and he was always so wonderful to me he's like whoa you look great i don't like i don't like I'm like, dude, thanks, man. He's like, I go, you want to give me a hug? It's like, not really.

You know, but I called him Kian, too. I was like, hi Kian, too. Good morning. So funny. He was great. I'll show you some pictures. Bro, that's a pod. I would fucking put up.

And I'm close on getting him. My friend Dan's really close friends with him. Let's go. And I'm like, Dan, just tell him we did a movie together. We were so cool. It's not Dan Carney, is it? It's not David. David Carney.

All right. I love you so much. I love you. Thanks for having. Thank you for allowing me to be inside of you today. You were, it was gentle and exactly what I expected. Good. I like that.

There you have it. Thank you, Adam, for coming on the podcast. I appreciate it. I'm going to just give myself a quick pick of the nose. And yeah, thanks for coming on the podcast. That was a lot of fun talking to him. Some guests, when I'm talking to them, time goes very slowly. And other guests, it goes fast because he had something to say.

And I like when people talk. That makes my job a lot of years. easier yeah when they don't talk i have to get things out of them but um we still got some stuff out of adam ray so thank you um thank you for again for listening to the podcast thank you for supporting if you didn't know get go of the inside of you online store to get cool merch sunspin.com to check out when our album's coming out and uh to buy merch and to zoom with us and um follow us on our handles at inside of you podcast on instagram and facebook at inside of you pod on the twitter um i guess that's really yet the patron of course go to patreon.com slash inside of you to support the podcast we need you

we need you um and i want to thank jason melkin for his awesome editing ryan tea is my co-host here who's there's just the engineer slash co-host slash guns and roses slash slash slash and um of course bryce couldn't do it without you buddy uh my producer bryce really puts it all together and makes it easy for this guy to be able to handle all this stuff you really help me out and uh that's about what it is making life as easy as you can making Bryce makes things easier for me you make things easier for me jason it's like it's a team man i honestly i don't know what i would do i would just be like all right i guess i quit i don't know what the hell to do what am i supposed to do we got a good unit we got a good um we figured it out you have a good unit i do have a good unit he looks into the

the camera. Oh man. Now it's time for the patron shoutouts. Give me the drum roll. Here we go. Nancy D. Leah S. Sarah V. Little Lisa, Lisea, Yukiko, Jill E. Brian H. Nico P. By the way, thank you for sticking around. I know we have a new Talkville podcast. And a lot of people are joining patron. And it means the world to me that a lot of people are joining patron for Talkville and inside of you. It's just miraculous. And I hope you don't leave inside of you. And, um, and, means the world to me and also make sure you listen to talkville or watch talkville it's a really fun rewatch podcast you could start we're only in episode 11 so you guys can catch up easily or just start out with the episode that's about to air here we go robert b jason w did i say nico p i think i did

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