Inside of You with Michael Rosenbaum - JIM GAFFIGAN: Handling Humiliation, Letterman Validation, Anxiety on Stage, & Fulfillment in Acting

Episode Date: February 21, 2023

Jim Gaffigan (Linoleum, I’m Too Lazy) joins us this week to share his journey as a creative - evolving from a realization that he may never be successful, to becoming a household name as a stand up comic during the Comedy Central heyday, and eventually pursuing indie roles as an actor to satisfy his need for creative fulfillment. Jim talks about his experience growing up as an outsider in middle America and how he had to battle anxiety and stage fright early on in his career doing standup. We also talk about the idea of handling rejection, how he weighs new opportunities in light of his wife’s health, and the empty success of living up to someone else’s expectations. Thank you to our sponsors: ❤️ Betterhelp: https://betterhelp.com/inside 🧠 Qualia Mind: https://neurohacker.com/iou 🟠 Discover: https://discvr.co/3Cnb1V8 🧼 Dove Men Plus Care __________________________________________________ 💖 Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/insideofyou 👕 Inside Of You Merch: https://store.insideofyoupodcast.com/ __________________________________________________ Watch or listen to more episodes! 📺 https://www.insideofyoupodcast.com/show __________________________________________________ Follow us online! 📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/insideofyoupodcast/ 🤣 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@insideofyou_podcast 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/insideofyoupodcast/ 🐦 Twitter: https://twitter.com/insideofyoupod 🌐 Website: https://www.insideofyoupodcast.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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You're listening to Inside of You with Michael Rosenbaum. Welcome, everyone. Thank you for listening. Thank you for taking the time. And we're all have a busy schedule. So the fact that you're listening to this podcast is it makes me happy. There's so many podcasts out there, Ryan. So many.

Thanks, COVID. Yeah. COVID hit and everybody, every celebrity decided to get a podcast. You had it first. We all know. Well, you know, at least my loyal listeners have. stuck by me and i appreciate that my lovely patrons um keep the show going patreon.com slash insidey if you want to become a patron uh there's tons of perks they send you boxes of merch and

little notes and there's tons of stuff and go to the inside of you online store if you like and get some cool merch some small bill stuff there's ship keys sign lexmus script signed all that but more importantly Ryan's breaking shit um but uh the inside of your handles ryan what are they at inside of you pod on twitter at inside of you podcast on instagram and facebook that's right right so please uh support the podcast write a review subscribe um these things are really important keep the podcast going if you're here for jim gaffigan hopefully you'll like it enough to give us another shot it's more about talking to people real people real conversations and uh understanding human nature mental health all that along with career and just real stuff we try to keep it real here

on this podcast so um also just a reminder that um tom and i will be doing a lot of cons this year as of now. So make sure you look at our schedule or keep track at the Michael Rosenbaum on Instagram and at Michael Rosenbaum on Twitter because we'll be posting about different things. We have, what you might call it, Atlanta, March 4th and 5th. We're doing a small little night. So if you're near Atlanta, you want to come see the show and some autographs and pictures and have a great time with us. We'd love to have you. And my band, Sunspin. Go to Sunspin.com for merch. also sun spin on Spotify or anywhere you hear your music our new album never is what it is out there we're really proud of it I hope hopefully you'll give it a listen I really think you're going to

like it so let me know what you think and we do a lot of performances at stage it so there's that Ryan what are you doing you're busy this here you're here did a lot of podcasts this week both of them yeah doing the talkville podcast doing this podcast it's um you know it's funny you're there's a couple of my celebrity friends that are actually calling me about like hey could maybe we do a podcast under your umbrella like uh you know like maybe i know you know a lot of it i'm like i don't i'll talk to bryce about that stuff i was thinking about it'd be kind of cool if like you know we sort of like started producing other podcasts on the side hiring different people to do those things you know um and just you know help them sort of navigate and what you

you're supposed to do what you can do how you can get people to listen and you know what makes it appealing and the equipment you need and the commitment you need i think the number one thing people don't realize is the commitment you you you're making commitment not only to this project but to your to your listeners you can't just go oh i'll do on when i feel like it no they'll go away they want somebody they could hear every week that might give them a little insight into something and um or have good conversation so i i think think that they don't realize there's a lot of work that goes with it. A lot of these actors are like, you know, I'm doing a movie and this and you know, I'm going to do a little podcast on the

side. Well, you better commit to it because listeners will not stick around if you don't. So there you go. Great guest today. I know you love this guy. I like him. He's a great guy. He's a great conversation, great storyteller, great comedian. He's had a lot of specials. He's got this new movie Linolium, which I thought was really cool. And, you know, I said this in the interview to him, but he there's something really interesting about him as a character and when I watched him play this role Cameron from this movie of the Linolium I was I was like really impressed like this is I could definitely see him I wouldn't be shocked they're like in a nomination for Academy Award go I mean sometime down the line because I think he has that ability and passion he does a lot of things and

I think you're going to really enjoy this one and we talk about about everything so get your pants on let's get inside of Jim Gaffigan it's my point of you you're listening to inside of you with Michael Rosenbaum inside of you inside of you inside of you with Michael Rosenbaum I mean yeah we both had that show on TV land very similar outcomes you left the show and i got canceled so similar well what i don't even know what is yeah that was tv land was going to i mean it was kind of stream like before they thought that it's like when viacom thought they had a shot right yeah that's exactly right oh my they were in complete denial they're like we're viacom we had Nickelodeon and then

MTV. We can do anything. And then it didn't work out. I remember they called me and they said, hey, we like your show. It's just, it's not right for us. And I'm like, well, it's the end of this. We just finished our second season. You're just figuring that out now. All right.

Okay. Well, that's the way it rolls. Yeah. I mean, by the way, we're in a very, I mean, I don't want to sound naive, but it's, I mean, I feel like television or traditional television cable or whatever is in a weird place. now too, right? Mm-hmm. I mean, think about the, the power that AMC had.

Oh, yeah. They were, they were pushing out really quality shows, and they were the Walking Dead, and they were like the HBO of yesteryear. Yeah. Mad Men, they had that, you know, they just, you know, everything they touched was gold. And now it's like, but I don't know. Now, now I feel like this, I, I, I really wish I, understood it but i'm not that interested i just want to like i just want to act so i'm kind of like

just when can i do that well you do that too much i think i'm looking at your stuff and i'm just like holy it's just like i remember i was telling your publicist uh that i remember we were doing like carson daily 15 years ago and you were doing stand-up and i was a guest and i just remember i remember saying you i go is anyone watching you're like well yeah maybe be by the way if uh if one of those late night show if today's late night shows had the ratings that carson had then yeah they'd be huge now yeah because there's so many streaming platforms and it's great for but to me it's like i go to a i go to a restaurant tell me how you feel about this i go to a restaurant and i like chicken steak i like not i don't want tons of stuff

like a you know like the old uh what's the deli the famous deli green not greenblatt's the uh the the bowling alley was in studio city jerry's deli but they had this huge menu and it just confused me and so i feel like somebody's have you seen this show i'm like uh no have you have you seen this show it's on uh tulu too lu i don't i don't know what to watch yeah there is i i mean we are i mean this might not be interesting but we are obviously paying for apple plus or whatever yeah and we have it on our our uh on our screens, but like when I travel, I'm watching things on my iPad. I don't have Apple TV on my iPad.

So when I watch shows, like I loved Fleischman's in trouble, which is on some streaming platform that I have. But like I don't have, I don't have Apple TV on my iPad. So I haven't seen Severance. And I haven't downloaded and I haven't done the Paramount Plus. So, like, there are certain things I haven't seen. Yeah. There's a lot of things.

So it's probably good for actors because there's more shows out there to audition for. But then you can start thinking, well, what's the platform I have the best chance of actually being seen on? And by the way, which brings us back to the TV land thing. The problem with TV land is at that point, I remember encountering this. People were like, I've never watched TV land. So I'm never going to go. and find that channel.

Right. Whereas it used to be, I think there was somebody that said that the reason that today's show was so successful initially is because people had watched the Tonight Show and they turned off their TV. And when they turned it back on, it was on NBC. And so they were watching the Today Show. Right. Isn't that amazing?

It's amazing. So like habit is a really important thing. Do you like it? Do you like all these options? Do you like all these streaming? How do you feel about it? No, I think I did a tweet where I was like they should gather all of the streaming platforms together and call them cable.

You know what I mean? It's just because there's so many. I usually go, I hear about something and I go, oh, I have to. So I subscribe. I watch the show and then I cancel. That's smart. That's the only thing I want to watch. It costs me $9.99.

Look, you know what's crazy about this? I've known you for a long time. I think we've known each other. We've been the same circle. I love Michael Ian Black. You put him in all your things. And we're mutual friends with Jason Patrick. He's a very close friend of mine, which I'll talk in a minute.

But I started like why, because everybody I think knows you for the most part as being this hugely successful author and stand-up comedian. You know, that's what, you know, funny guy. He's this. And I started going through shit and my engineer here, Ryan, and I was just like, and I watched Lenoli. And I was just, I was my job. dropped. I'm like, you know, he goes, maybe this is why they always say comedians are the best actors, dramatic actors. Because I watched a trailer, which I now have to see of being frank, which looks hilarious. But like, Linolium, I don't even recognize you. And it took me forever to go,

is that, is he playing that guy too? No, he's got a different voice. He looks completely different. I was baffled by it. Oh, well, thanks. Yes. Well, you know, this is the perception industry, right? And And so I, you know, and I'm sure that like you were forever trying to like not be Lex Luther, right? So you're, you know, the perception thing is there is, uh, so like, look, I like stand up comedy. I mean, I love stand up comedy. I love comedy and all that.

But like, for me, it's about what's creatively fulfilling. And so, um, the more complex a role, usually in an indie, you. usually in a drama is more fulfilling acting. And so I'd rather do that than, you know, I mean, I'd have fun on a, uh, working on a comedy, you know, but it's not as fulfilling probably as playing, uh, you know, a guy who believes in snake healing, you know, I did this movie, Them That Follow that, that, you know, like that's, you know, like there's kind of the, the minutia of, dramatic roles that are it's uh it's more fulfilling i think yeah you know i mean comedy's fun but like

uh and maybe because i get to do stand up that i don't feel the need to kind of um go go into that thing but it's you know so i'm perceived as a comedian and then i've ever whenever i do a movie and then there's press afterwards it's it's always like people don't realize that i've been doing dramas for a while because none of them are that successful. So it's like, but it's all right. It's, you know, there's got to be a narrative to everything. Yeah. I think they do it's, I said to Ryan, I said, there's no debt I could totally see you getting

nominated for an Oscar sometime. I just genuinely not because I'm not blowing smoke. It's just because I just don't, when people see it, it's like you're, you're just so different, which is great. The juxtaposition of seeing you doing comedy and being the funny guy and very personal. and then playing this quirky character from a little place in Ohio and so you know and look linoleum is screening right now at the palm springs international fest it was in south by southwest it's one awards tony chalube the whole cast is great um it's it's it's just weird i was talking your publicist

again i was like you know it's touching it's mysterious it's thought provoking uh at the end it brought me to tears for some reason because i don't want to say anything but like the old man with the you know I don't want to give it away, but like, just the whole thing. And then putting it together, I was like, did I get this right? Is this what I, this is what I, my interpretation was. And she was like, yeah, that's, that's right. And I came, gave myself a pat on the back. But it deals with issues of identity and memory and achievement, but deals with hope as

sad as it can be at times. And, uh, you know, I just, I really, and I watched it this morning, dude, and getting me to watch anything. Yeah. I'm talking like, so I was like, I really urge people to go see Linolium when it comes out and selected theaters. And whenever, do you have any. ideal when that's going to be here right now. We'll just post that show. I think it's in

end of February. Right. But it's it's it's it's linoleum is unique in other things that I've, from other things that I've worked with that it is one of those movies that like the last 10 minutes people, you know, people often cry because it's like you're caught off guard. But also it's one of, you know, creative people we love discussing and you don't want to agree with everyone, but like, it's great because it's one of those movies that presents questions and people take different things. Some people say it's about ambition. Some people say it's about memory. Some people say, I think it's like a love story. I think it's like, you know, we go through life and particularly creative people. I think we're like, you know, we're caught

in like, okay, you know, if I can just get this job, if I can if I can achieve this thing, And you know, and you and I, we both had some success and eventually you have to kind of evaluate what is the measure of success. Is it creative fulfillment? Is it obviously it's human relationships? You know what I mean? Like so like if you're in a successful relationship and it doesn't even matter of that relationship ends. Like that's pretty that's in some ways, that's pretty fantastic. Right. Like the ups and downs and. the the grief of of that relationship is really a major accomplishment. I don't know. It's weird because you don't want to give anything away. Right. But people have different takeaways. And some people think it's about, you know, parental and kid relationships and what our parents

expect from us. But I love how the character of Cameron, he has this dream that is, you know, really for like actors and creative people you know he wants to be an astronaut but like being and wanting to be an actor or a comedian is not that far off from being an astronaut like people think you're crazy yeah you're like i want to be an astronaut you know saying i want to be an actor you know are you from indiana i i was going to say you're from in yeah you grew up in it you were born in no no you grew up in indiana i i grew up in indiana from the ages of eight on so yes and i always used to I never was able to go out.

I wasn't popular. So I used to watch SNL. And I used to memorize all the sketches and share them with my family. So I know that's what you did growing up in Indiana too. Yeah. And so like if you're from, you know, if you're in Indiana and, you know, it's changed, you know. But like when I was growing up, if I told people I wanted to be an actor, be like, are you out of your mind? Oh, yeah.

It would be the equivalent of saying I want to be an astronaut. Yeah. So. but I love movies that ask that have that leave you with some questions you know what I mean? And I loved acting in

a movie where you don't want to tip anything. You don't want, you know how you read the script, but you're like we want to play long ball. You know what I mean? And it was so great working with Ray Seahorn because we knew where it was going, but we also So out of respect for their relationship, we didn't want, you know, even though they're going

through a relationship crisis, we didn't want it to be where they, you know, like the comedic thing would just be like, they hate each other, but they don't. Do you know what I mean? Right. It's. It's always playing the opposite. It's always playing against that. Like they always say if you have to cry in the scene. Well, humans, as humans, we try to do everything we cannot to cry. Yeah. So it's not tipping the hat. You're exactly right. It's far more interesting and believable and there's a better

payoff when you don't. And that's also hard. It's got to be, you know, the actors have to know that, but also the direction. Colin. Colin. Colin. Yeah. Yeah. So I just, I really thoroughly enjoyed it and I really want people to see Linolium because it's, and not only

just see you, I really thought like the casting everything from the daughter to the boyfriend to the to the other character that you play to the old man i couldn't in a way i think he steals the show without almost saying anything his eyes yeah those eyes are just i want to cry every time i look at him it's just this sweet man and this this history of what he wanted in life and the things that he loved and his memory and i'm not gonna we're giving it away god they were tipping our heads well it's like also how about tony shaloolew oh my god yeah tony shaloolew it's like when you see him in the first scene and

And then the second scene, you're like, oh, my God. And that's where, I mean, I'm sure, you know, you know, as an actor, like, there's these people you work with. And I did this indie, there's so many moments where I think, all right, I'm going to break through. Like, there's going to be this conveyor belt. I'll get led into this room and I'll just get be handed acting roles. And this was like 2004.

And I did this movie with Tony where he played. a work psychiatrist and he was so amazing and i remember thinking oh man if i could work with people like tony shaloup again but like i don't know if i don't know if you've ever worked with him no but he's one of those like when he he does this yes and you're uncomfortable yeah he thinks of every single moment 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. Look, cooler temps are rolling in. And as always, Quince is where I'm turning for fall staples that actually last. From

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Don't wait. Download the Rocket Money app today and tell them you heard about them from my show inside of you with Michael Rosenbaum. Rocket Money. And you didn't play that over the topic. I was waiting for you to push it too much. Like it could become really comedic. But he's like reaching his finger to you and you're a little uncomfortable.

Like, I don't want to be touched without saying it. It was just enough. You know what I mean? Yeah. Yeah. No, it's fun. But I love, I mean, I just, I just want, I want an opportunity to do more types of, to do more types of roles like Linolium. Yeah.

Like I want to, I don't, you know, it's like we've also kicked around for a while. I also, I love the fact that I, you know, when we had those shows on TV land, when I, it was so important for me to have an opportunity to be the executive producer and my wife and I wrote all these things. it was so important for me to have that experience because now I know exactly when you're like an EP and you have to deal with some of the headaches, it's so important to be that good soldier to be the person that you want to, you know, because as you know in the acting world, there's people that are like good people, but they're a pain in the ass. Do you know what I mean? Like our friends, we have friends that we're like every time you're working.

with them. You're like, really, this is how you're going to behave? Do you know, and so, like, you want to be the partner. You know, I describe it as the good soldier. You know, the one that pitches an idea, you know, comes with ideas. But like, if they don't take the idea, it's not the end of the world. Yeah. You know what I mean? Like, it's that it's like you're, it's like, it's like these film sets are like, you're on a kibbutz. You know what I mean? Yeah. You want to be on the kibbutz. Yeah. Absolutely. Maybe because I can do the stand-up. where I have absolute control over everything that I do relish these opportunities to be on the kibbutz. Yeah, and there's more of a respect, I think, too, when you become, I think it's learned.

It's not something that you just are born with. I think through experience, you realize people want to be around people that are malleable, that are just a cooperative that will listen to other ideas that aren't so egocentric. And I think there's a lot that comes with that. But, you know, I've definitely learned like being an EP means it's not about just your idea. You know, you have got to listen to other people's ideas and sometimes give in and not be a pain in the ass and sort of know when to say, you know, um, I do want to, I want to get into a little bit of your life because we talk a lot about mental health on this show and like dealing with life and death and, and, and anxiety and a depression and things that I've dealt with and other

guests have dealt with. And, um, but before that, you know, Jason Patrick, who we all love, great actor. When I said, you work with Jim. Say, give me something. Yeah. And he said, when we did that championship season on Broadway that his father late father jason miller wrote you and jason had a pre-show routine asking what it was oh that's so funny well it was to take uh i mean jason patrick let me have set this up to people that don't know you know all right so i'm in my 50s are you in your 50s yeah there is something about um there's a last message of guys in their 50s, and let me see if I articulate, articulate this, that are liberal, open-minded, but they also have kind of this rat, they have the last remnants of the rat pack

and of like guyish stuff and kind of, but we, you know, like, you have to understand that championship season, which was my first play. Not even my first Broadway play. It was my first play. And it was a play that I had read. I was pretty much self-educated. I studied finance in college. And then I graduated and I essentially started to read.

I mean, I had a minor in English, but I educated myself on theater. And, you know, I studied Meisner and all that. And I love that championship season. And it really is this analysis of mass. masculinity and the 70s and kind of race and kind of, I mean, it's a really important play. Yeah. And it was, but our ritual to answer the question is before the, before we would do the play, we would have a shot of Jameson, which is such a Jason Patrick thing.

And I remember thinking, I don't want to do this. I don't want to do this. But, like, if you've seen the player, you read the play, there is like this, there's this. And, you know, like, it's been confused because there's a toxic masculinity that we're dealing with today. But there is also something about this masculine, because, by the way, in that play was Jason Patrick, Kiefer Sutherland, Ryan Cox, Chris Knoth, and me. So I was the biggest pussy of all of them. And by the way, I was a college. edge athlete. You know what I mean? So it's like, and, and these guys had all achieved incredible

success. Now, I would say that Brian Cox is probably more famous now. Yes. Than he was then. But he was, I think he had won an Olivia Award by the time. Well regarded. Well regarded. Yeah. And so it was so interesting because there was, there was five egos, an incredible play. the playwright's son was in the play. It was on Broadway. And when we would go out and we would start the play, you have to understand this is after 24 was.

So like 24 was still in people's memory. And Kiefer Sutherland was the biggest star. It was packed crowds. Yeah, packed crowds. It was also when Chris Knoth, Mr. Big was still, I mean, gigantic. And I would say after every single play, every single night, we went out for a drink. And often it would end up being a mess. So we drank like we were in college. We drank like those guys drank in the play every night. So some of it is like anyone, I mean, it's great,

but it's also one of those things where people may not realize this. It's like, you know, actors find the character within themselves, but there's a morphing into you become some of that character and the community becomes that character, becomes their characters. And it was, it was so interesting because there's also something of, I don't think that, you know, it was the beginning, you know, it was I guess 11 years ago because I have a son because my wife was pregnant every, and came to every performance too. During that, it was the beginning of, you know, there's been different ways of political correctness. But like, there is, like, the N-word set in this play, all these things.

But, like, the audience was fine with it. But the critical, even though this play had won the Pulitzer Prize, it was shocking. So it was shocking in that people couldn't get beyond some of the language. And so it was, we were. so knee-deep in it in understanding that this was the language that was used in small town Pennsylvania, the, you know, the anti-Semitic references. It was used, it was much more of a reflection of their insecurities than being, portraying them as racist or anti-Semitic. But I think that the audience and the audience today would not be able to separate that right do you

what i'm saying so it's it's really interesting and uh it was so fascinating because you think of like the the the stardom that these guys had tasted oh yeah and the stardom that and the theme that brought people to the odd brought people to the show i think that it was almost a disservice to the play yeah yeah that's my two sets yeah you know yeah i understand that um i know you know he was very close obviously because his father had written it and you know it was an award winning play and it was just like i mean there were expectations and of course and when those expectations don't aren't met it's sort of like anything less than you know is a is a considered a failure but i think that it was great as from what i heard and it was just short-lived

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You know, Jason also said briefly that you and your wife, Jeannie, were two of the biggest supporters in winning his son Gus back. You headlined a stand up for Gus, event that raised awareness and really started the movement to get his son back, deep spiritual support, and that they love Gus and that he loves you. That's all safe. Yeah. No, I mean, it is, I mean, you know, you know, there's so many, you know, parental alienation. And by the way, at that benefit, there were a lot of people there of different, you know, there's people that, you know, they get divorced and they enter a same-sex relationship and the other. parent is like then you're out you know what I mean it's the parental alienation thing it it mainly affects fathers but it can affect everyone right and it is to witness your friend going through

this and to see the cruelty of it oh my god is uh is pretty staggering so jason is really uh and his relationship with his son is a miracle but it's you know it's like it's a crisis on you know unlike being the victim of war or like a physical assault yeah he's devastated he you know pretty much lost everything to get his son back he gambled everything and gave away it all for his son yes yes and he and by the way the jason i know today versus the jason then i mean when we say he gave up everything. It's not just monetary. It's, I mean, Jason Patrick was the type of person who, if he was working on a project and he didn't believe in the art of it, he would bail. And now he's in a position where he's working on projects that he would probably yell at someone

for pitching the idea. Absolutely. You know what I mean? Absolutely. And that is the journey. And I think that is actually the beauty of the humility of being a parent is that you go through hell. I mean, Jason went through a different type of hell, but you go through a process that is so, it's, and I understand why people don't have kids. You know what I mean? It's just like, it's, you know, it's also, but like, look, why go into a relationship? Why fall in love when someone's going to get their feelings hurt? people are going to die you know it's like but you got to live a full rich life yeah that's true

i'm still working out i'm still single i live alone i have a dog jim i'll figure it out but this is not about me it's about you what was it's a journey what was childhood like for you i mean did you did you come from a uh a good family were you uh were you happy as a kid i know that at five you said i want to be an actor but like uh what was it like growing up as a as a little jim it was i I mean, I can tell, you know, the long story, the short story. You know what I mean? I was the youngest of six kids. My father was the first one in its family to go to college. We were many generations, coal miners. You know, I would say alcoholism and depressions kind of littered throughout my family. But I was raised to seek. security. And security was wearing a potent tie to work. And so I was a pretty compliant kid. Like I thought, okay, I'll do that. You know, this is what you're supposed to do. I'll study finance. And I hated it. Right. But I thought once I got paid, I'll like it. And then so I think that

I was, you know, I played sports, but I think I did it because my brothers did it. You know what I mean? I think that I really didn't kind of figure out or ask myself what I wanted to be until my very early 20s. You know, it was, I was my, I had a job as a litigation consultant in Tampa. And I remember I had a little micro because I had written an episode of Miami Vice. I was, you know, I didn't sell it or anything. I wrote. Oh, okay.

All right. And so I, but I always had dreams, but I didn't know, even when I was five, I didn't know anyone in the entertainment industry. Like I, in my town, there was, you know, the marching band. But I didn't know, like, were you, you were in indie, right? I was in a small town in Southern Indiana, Newburgh, or Evansville, which was borderline, almost Henderson, Kentucky. Oh, my God.

Wow. That is. That's down there. Yeah. And so like I was, because like there was no newscaster, Northwest Indiana is very much the stepchild to Chicago. And Indiana in itself has a very strange identity, as you know. And so, but I think all those things made me who I am. You know what I mean?

I was born in Illinois, moved to kind of Rust Belt. Indiana, then eventually moved to kind of more on the edge of Ross Belt and farmland. So there is something where I feel familiar in white suburbs, kind of ethnic Ross Belt and farmland things. Yeah. But like when I was a kid, I wanted to be a farmer. Wow. You know, were you popular?

Were you? I was, I mean, I think that I, I mean, middle school was a disaster. We had moved. Right. And it was, I went, but high school, I went to a very small high school. So I got very lucky. And, but I played sports. I was a decent athlete, but, I mean, incredible anxiety.

Like, I now know, because I have kids now, you know, you know, definitely some huge anxiety, some undiagnosed learning disabilities, but an incredible drive. I was also kind of a goofy looking kid. I was the whitest kid in an all-white community. Nothing compared to the African-American experience, obviously. But, like, I was definitely an outsider. I was always an outsider. Yeah.

What kind of anxiety? Like, how was it just, could you not function? Was it hard? Was it always? Was it just always present? It was in middle school. If I talked in middle school, I would blush and turn bright red enough where the teacher would point it out and say,

I remember I had a teacher pointed out and she'd go, see how his face is read in anyone else. That would be an indication that he is sick or having a seizure. What? You know, like, yeah, I mean, it was you know, like there was definitely

some bullying that happened from kids or adults, but I think I also, like, that's when I kind of latched on to comedy was when we moved then, but I had an older brother who was pretty good at sports, so I kind of hung in on sports. But I would say, you know, the reason I started doing stand-up, when I moved to New York,

I got a job in advertising as an account guy. And the guy who, and in those settings, I would get really nervous and flustered when I would speak. And so someone suggested I take improv. And so I took improv to deal with some of this public speaking anxiety, and then someone dared me to do standard, but I always wanted to do it. But again, I didn't know anyone that did it. And I didn't think it was a realistic thing. And so then when I finally, then I took kind of like a stand-up seminar, it was just, you know, and I fell in love with it. But like, I had stage fright issues, I would say for the first 10 years of my career. Like, yeah. I'm terrified. Yeah, I know, I know what that's like. Is it something that you eventually got on pills to help you meds?

Or was it something that you just eventually grew out of and just forced your way out of anxiety or how did you do it? I think some of it was, I think some of it was just sheer experience of forcing myself to go on stage. But I think some of it was I grew out of it. I don't think that I think it would have helped if I had medication. It would have helped a lot. But, and then I also, I think I did a lot of, you know, therapy. I was in group therapy in my 20s. And I did some work on my stuff. You know, my mother died in my early 20s.

So, like, that's really what prompted me to not just be compliant and do what I was told to do. Right. It was like when she died, the injustice of her death, she was 50. I was like, well, then, you know, I don't know what I'm, you know, supposed to do. So that's when I started, you know, I did the improv class. Then I started doing stand up and I would do stand up. And then I did acting classes after work and stand up after that. And that was this.

And I did that for like four or five years. I mean, I was definitely, I kept my day job for a long time. But I definitely resigned myself to be the uncle that lives in a tiny apartment. Because I had no success whatsoever. I thought that I was good. But all my peers, all my friends were, they were getting sets on Conan or Letterman. And I was not. Like, they would just leave the room when I would go on because they had seen me when I was really bad.

So they were like, he's not good. So did you want to quit? Were the moments you wanted to quit? I didn't want to quit. I just, I had to come to the realization that I was not going to have a normal success. Wendy's most important deal of the day has a fresh lineup. Pick any two breakfast items for $4. New four-piece French toast sticks, bacon or sausage wrap, biscuit or English muffin sandwiches, small hot coffee, and more.

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So I was like, all right, I'm just going to be this weird guy who does stand up. Like, I would do stand up at like poetry readings and stuff like that. I was like, this is what I'm going to do. I'm going to be, I'm going to have a day job and I'm going to do stand up at night. That's, that's not the end of the world. or I'm, and so, you know, once I became comfortable with, I was like, and it's weird because I feel like when I got to, you know, like the big lie, you know, like there's so many moments in my career where I feel like it's that scene in the Wizard of Oz where I think, you know,

you see behind the curtain and it's like, oh, this is, this is bullshit. You know what I mean? Like, so like when I finally got on Letterman, you know, being a guy from. Indiana. It was a huge deal. He was a big influence comedically that I remember and my brother was there and I remember thinking, well, what do I do now? Like, it wasn't like my all this ambition and then I adjusted in learning that it was about fulfillment, but then I didn't have anything else in my life, right? And so the ambition kind of, so there's always, I mean, that's even kind of goes. So like that lets us.

of seeking creative fulfillment as corny as it sounds is really an important thing for me. So even when I'm working on an indie that, like, when we're doing Linolium, we don't even know if we're going to be able to finish it. But I was like, it's fun to play this character, right? That's more fulfilling than being in a big, broad comedy where it's fun to do it, but it's, there's not, it's not that fulfilling. Does that make sense? Yeah, you like to be challenged.

You like to be in the moment. You like to, I mean, it just sounds like, you know, I've asked this question, but like some people, when I ask them, do you just love acting? What would you do without acting? And they're like, oh, no, no, that's all I want to do. That's all I love. And some people want to do it because they want fame or they just do it for money. And I obviously watching you, you could see that you do it because you were already making a lot of money. And you were still doing these little indie movies and still are because you love the craft.

You love pushing yourself. And especially, you know, so that that's what I see. Yeah. And by the way, I mean, there is something and actors all, there's something about, I remember making fun, because I've always done, I've always done indies and or I've aspired to get in them. And I remember the first couple ones I worked on, there were these guys, you know, a man and a woman. And they would talk about they're like, the big thing is like, they're like,

I just wanted to do community theater. I just, that's all I wanted to do was community. And I'm like, I don't want to be dishonest here. It's like, I mean, some of it is I have a family, so I can't really do community theater. But like, I also like that indies, there's a beginning and an act. Do you know what I mean? Like, I love, you know, I love doing interesting roles. But I also, I mean, I like the fact that this is Linola.

Williams went to South by Southwest, and I've had other films at Sundance. I'm not, you know, like there is some ego in that, but like some of it is there is something about the fulfillment of a role, but I don't, I'm not saying like, you know what, I just need to be in, you know, rural Michigan doing Shakespeare. Like, I'm not saying that. Do you know what I mean? Oh, I know. I know.

Yeah, I say the same thing. I say, look, I want to do this, how much they pay me. I like to know how much they're paying me. Is there money involved? Can we, can we make, I'd like to pay for my home, my mortgage, my mother, for Christ sakes. Yeah. Have you ever, how do you deal with rejection?

How, what's the, and also what's the lowest you've been? You remember a time period where you hit the lowest and how did you deal with that? Oh my gosh. There's been, I mean, I've had some pretty humiliating moments. Yeah. I mean, rejection is, there is a, uh, There's so much rejection in the entertainment industry. It's you either develop calluses or, I mean, there is a psychological impact that I think that

people might not realize. Like, I have a good friend of mine who passed away. And he was, he went to an Ivy League school. He went to an Ivy League law school. He is, he got a scholarship to a special high. school, he was a home run hitter. And after, and he did stand up and he had a TV show and he had all this success. But the reality is, is with all that success that he had had through his life, the amount of rejection that he dealt with after, you know, like the show was canceled, the agent dumped him,

you know, all this stuff. I don't think he could process it. And he eventually got into drugs and he died. And the reason I bring that up is that, you know, it's not an appetite for failure or humiliation, but you have to have, it's a pretty tall task. These, these created people that are paid to take things personally, to respond emotionally and authentically. They also have to process all this humiliation. So when someone, you know, like Kanye West is a bad example, when some actor loses their shit, I'm like, yeah, that's what they're supposed to do. You know what I mean? But so it's that maturity of dealing with loss and disappointment that makes someone exceptional.

You know, like, Tom Hanks seems like a pretty amazing guy. But there's also how he's processed the humiliation we haven't seen is really impressive, right? Yeah. And so, but yeah, I would say. the lowest point, I mean, I remember there was, there was a point where, so in the comedy club world, again, this is when I was like, all my friends were, you know, getting on Conan, getting these measuring points that seemed to exist in the stand-up world. And I was getting nothing. And I was not working at some fan, at the preeminent club, because I was a low energy kind of observation.

guy that like did not kind of stylistically their reverence wasn't appealing it wasn't working at one in the morning right so I would work I worked at this club I think it's gone danger fields yeah and I would do a half hour set and it was brutal it was a total tourist trap they used to just get people in there they'd overcharge them and people would be angry and so it would be sometimes you'd be performing for 10 people in this huge room and It's kind of hard to understand now, but they're, so like sometimes the audience would be angry. So you deal with these hecklers. And so I dealt with this heckler.

And it was probably a party of five. And I was doing commercials, but I was, again, stand up and acting. I wasn't getting real acting roles and I wasn't getting stand up. And I dealt with these hecklers. The waiters were rude. The bartender was nice, but there was just this one waiter that was kind of a jerk. And I dealt with these hecklers and they walked out. And then I got off stage and the waiters like, they walked out on their check.

You have to pay their check. And I was kind of in like, so then I had to pay for these people that were total jerks to me. I had to pay for their tab. And I remember thinking, this is like a level of humiliation that, I mean, it was on top of all this other stuff that had been, you know, just I couldn't get an agent. I was making this agency tons of money in commercials, but I couldn't get an agent. And I didn't know that I could have left and gone to another agency and said, hey, I want to get, you know, some of it is, but it just looked very dark. And I was like, what am I doing?

And I remember that was a pretty low point when I was just taking the subway home. It was just humiliation. Like, I'm literally losing money after doing this for. for eight years, you know what I mean? So there was definitely those low points. You could have easily walked away. A lot of people would have said, okay, enough's enough. I'm going to think about my dad. I'm going to get a suit and tie. I'm going to go get a job. I'm not going to do this anymore. I'm not going to suffer. I remember those walks too. I remember, I remember those walks thinking, remember this walk, you know, while you're walking and you're just staring at a light

for five minutes. And you're just like not really there, but you're there. It's almost. this numbing feeling of what am i doing what am i going to do i'm it's scary i don't you know it's uh yeah yeah we know like insanity is repeatedly doing something and expecting a different outcome right right right right like you're like with the reality of oh i'm insane so that was you know i definitely i mean everyone my family thought i was crazy but like i was like now i I'm like, oh, I am crazy. You know what I mean? And it was also, you know, I was very driven.

It was not, I was kind of, you know, you work hard, you get results. None of that was showing. And by the way, that is not, you know, understanding the entertainment industry is, is really a pointless adventure, right? Because it's fluid, you know, like even like when Kanye says these horrible things about the entertainment industry it's like there's no grand conspiracy do you i mean it's just unfair do you i mean yeah it's just people doing there's no one out to get anyone you're i mean it's like come on yeah when was the moment you said holy shit was it was it was it the letterman

finally being on letterman was it you know your first special was it your first book you know what was the what was that moment where you thought you fucking did it jim you fucking went against the grain you did it your own way here you are and you said hey and you could appreciate what you had done and really um kind of just said nice job i mean there was uh there was a couple moments it's i mean letterman was like i remember thing okay i can because you know what in that era and and as an actor or a comedian when you would tell people you're an actor or a comedian they'd be like have you been on anything and if you had nothing to say they would look at you like oh and so i knew once i did letterman i had won that argument so i was a real comedian that that was a measuring stick

there was my personal measuring stick and the measuring stick that i encountered like people used to be like you should go on the tonight show it's like it's not like i haven't thought of it but i would say that there's moments where i mean i'm sure it's the same for you like there's moments where i also i don't whenever you think you got to figure it out you don't you're i mean it's so but i would say that there are moments where i'm like oh wow this is nice like for me i felt like you know i mean i even feel like when david tell told me he thought i was funny like that's a huge thing that was a long time ago too wasn't it yeah and then like doing dr cats i was like oh that's actually a show i want to watch yeah and but i think there was also um you know when

i was it's so funny because like i uh i was doing stand up and I had had different managers and, you know, like, there's no rules for, like, managing a career. I remember I was talking to Ed Helms about this. He's like, there's no internship on how to deal with, like, oh, you're, and it's not about money. It's about like, oh, here's what you should do because there's no, no one's had the exact same experience. But there's, there's a moment where I remember I was touring. doing stand-up. Again, I had a lot of, you know, I had done Welcome to New York. I had done the Allen show. I had, you know, like the acting, the stand, the sitcom acting thing,

it's weird because like the, again, it's like what happens in my life? I feel like this is a therapy session. What happens in my life is I have to learn things over and over again. And so one of the things I constantly fall into the trap of is getting caught up in other people's expectations. Yeah. So in my parents' expectations, nothing malicious, but they're like success is wearing a coat and tie. So I spent up until my 20s, success is wearing a coat and tie.

I'm going to do that. I'm going to wear a coat and tie. That's how you get happy, right? And so the whole thing is, is when I did letterman and then I got, well, Welcome to New York. And then I got on Ellen, the Ellen second show. I was doing the sitcom route. And then I was on that 70 show and Ed.

I reoccurred on Ed. And I remember thinking like even, you know, that 70 show was so big at the time. But I remember thinking, well, this isn't that fun. Like I've had like, you know, hear me out. So it's like the four camera sitcom experience was. not that fun from an acting like I had other acting experiences in indies or in other things where I was like why is the acting on sitcoms why isn't that as fun as the other thing but so then I was like oh it's television I don't want to do television so then I was like

I'm not doing television and so then I did that championship season and I thought But I learned, and some of it was Kiefer was like, you need to be in charge of your own show. That's the thing. And so then my wife and I did the Jim Gaffigan show. And it was, it was great. It's a lot of work, like an enormous amount of work. And so I said, all right, what I like is acting, but I like dealing with complex characters where I like being part of a team.

I don't want to be in charge of the team. I want to be, I want to, you know, like the whole director or executive producer thing, that's a lot. I mean, I don't have the energy for that. Yeah. And so, but I like being a partner. And so I eventually learned, oh, yeah, it's these, these indies, the films, they have a beginning at an end. There's a collaborative thing. You know, the smaller they are, the more community it is.

You know what I mean? and that you're all kind of there for the right reasons. And so, but like other people's expectations, that's where I keep getting, that's where I fall down. It's like, oh, yeah, you know, you should want to be in a Marvel movie? I'm like, should I? Maybe I should. Do I want to be in a Marvel?

And it's, and by the way, there's, I don't have anything against those movies. But I do know that doing Linolium or American Dreamer or some of these other indies, it is fun you know what i mean i think because it's more challenging i don't even know how i started on this it's all right we'll cut it all out no i'm kidding it was great it makes perfect sense listen this is called shit talking with jim gaff again uh these are my top tier patrons they get to ask it's rapid fire you just ask to answer the questions you have a lot of insight i like this it's digging in kind of seeing what makes you tick and how you've i like the journey i love this shit this is what the the listeners like miss kela sue what has been your biggest help balancing

in a successful career, marriage, and five kids, and being a producing partner with your wife, which most people would probably be divorced if they were producing and writing partners. Yeah. Well, what I would say is that, you know, the joke is that I do it very poorly, but I would say that it's a constant evaluation.

And it's, you know, it's like you also have to understand. It's like my wife is was kind of is my writing partner, right? So, but like when she has a brain tumor or she's writing a book or we're dealing with essentially five kids that are like teenagers, it's like how much writing should even be the priority. You know what I mean? Or should I, you know, relish the access that I get to or that I do? But it is, I would say the answer to that.

It's a constant evaluation every three months. I mean, it's ongoing. My wife's like, you know, every script I, you know, she reads everything that I'm going to do. And she'll be like, this is not worth it. This is not worth it. And I'll be like, all right. You know what I mean? It's, it's a partnership.

And she's usually right. Yeah, you don't seem like some. It's always good to have someone like that in your life, whether it's a friend, your wife, someone who can say, fuck off, Jim. Someone who could say, Jim, this is not what you want to do. Jim, just be that voice of reason. because if not, we're like, again, we want to fulfill our agent's expectations and make them happy. Okay, okay. You tend to do that. That's what we do. We want to make people happy. I don't ever see you as someone who snaps. Are you someone that can really be scary when you do snap?

Can you just be like intense and be like, no, we're not doing that? Oh, yeah. No, I can be a dick. You can be a dick. Yeah. Totally. No, I mean, I, yeah. I mean, it's. Yeah, it's, it's, you know, there's, there's the, I mean, I almost want to go back to the, the, you know, to the previous question because like, here, let me ask, let me answer it this way. Okay. What you have to understand is also when my wife had her brain tumor, there was an expectation that I was done with touring. I was done with acting. My life, you know, I was going to be the single father of five children. I was. I wasn't going to outsource it. So when she made it through, there was, oh, my gosh, I can do this, a greater appreciation for stand-up and acting. But the answer is still the same. It's still every three months or every project, is this worth being away?

You know what I mean? Or that's what, like even shows in L.A., I've never done, you know, I turned down all shows, like TV shows in L.A. And, you know, I know you've spent time in Vancouver. I did Peter Pan in Vancouver for four months during the pandemic where I leave. And so, like, but that's Disney. And my wife was like, yeah, that's Disney. You're going to do that.

But like, would I go up there and do a show for four months? I don't know. I don't think I would. Right. You know what I mean? Yeah. little lisa what's your most prize possession and why that's a tough question i don't know how you answer that one yeah that's that's really hard price possession i don't know i think um i i just feel

so grateful that um that i have different creative outlets because i love acting but if i relied solely on acting for creative fulfillment i would lose my mind because you don't get to do it enough and you're beholden to, again, it's not malicious, too many factors. You know what I mean? Yeah. You're like, I want that role. No. No, you don't get it.

Whereas in stand-up, I can write something, try it that night. CBS Sunday commentaries, I get a little fulfillment out of that, you know, I get the fulfillment from that, you know, it's nice. When's your next tour? I'm always touring, kind of always going on. I'm I'm taping a special in uh Tampa in mid February um what will that air on what's what streaming platform will that be on I think Netflix I you know it's with going back to our initial conversation I don't know where these streamers are you know I mean

it's like you know um you know this will be my 10th comedy special I don't know I mean I didn't know that I would do one comedy special, but, uh, it is also really fun and rewarding that process. Yeah, I mean, you do all these things. It's like, you know, you're the voice of Van Helsing and Hotel Transylvania. And like, these are cool things that I've always wanted to do and people always, because you do a lot of voice and you write books and you, is it something that you get, do you just get bored and go, eh, I want to try something different. Oh, I'll be successful as an author. I got bored. I'm going to be, because you do so many things and you're successful at them. it's sort of like, you know, what can't you do?

Or is there something you want to do that you haven't tapped it? What would you do? What else would you want to do? I mean, there is, I just think that like directing that that's too much. That's too much work. It's a lot. I mean, I do, I did want to write a book. But I think it's, again, that's, I don't want to get caught up in other people's expectations.

I just want to, that creative fulfillment. I want to, I mean, I definitely would love to play a variety of different characters. You know what I mean? Like, I want to, you know, there's all these voices in my head. I want them to have life. And they will. They will. They absolutely will.

Look, we're going to finish this. But like, you know, a few years ago, you were the most popular comic on Pandora with 647 million spins. I don't even know how that's possible. dude uh that it's remarkable and you have millions of followers uh you were the 25 funniest people on twitter you're like one of the top comics every year you're hilarious you stick to your guns you do you know a lot of people will go to dirty comedy and very uh you know you stick to what you do and you don't stray and that to me is incredible on its own because even back then when things

weren't going the way you wanted i'm sure you thought well maybe i should i need a few more F bombs in here, you know? Yeah, no, it's like, it's, yeah, I mean, authenticity, a personal authenticity, not is, it's, you know, it takes a while for people to, you know, know, know themselves. You know what I mean? And it's ongoing. That's what's also so amazing about stand-up is, you know, you're learning more about yourself and you're also, I mean, this stuff, this special and this tour, I'm,

much more sarcastic and probably darker, you know, than I have been. But, but that's what's also, I think, so fun about stand-up is the relationship you have with an audience. It is a friendship and you have to challenge. What we love about conversations with friends is that it's never the same conversation. You know what I mean? Yeah. Do you ever on stage while you're doing a special doing stand-up really crack yourself up? Like, because it's, routine you know the routine but does something ever get you where you just can't stop laughing not can't stop laughing but there is something about and i would say there are what's so there there's a lot of moments on stage particularly when you're developing a topic or a joke

where words come out of your mouth that you didn't plan on right you know i mean where and some of that it's like the audience should get a writing credit really you know i mean it's it's kind of like it kind of comes out that's why uh you know it is so fun and so rewarding there is just lightning strike and sometimes it's a tag sometimes it's which is just like a joke a line after a joke but there's you know there is some kind of stuff that happens on stage so it is written but it's there's a lot of moments in that written that just came out you still get nervous yeah i think not as not as dramatically nervous as i used to be but yeah if i wasn't a little nervous i'd be in trouble and some of it is because i'm always working on new stuff you know there's an unspoken

agreement that if people are coming to a show of stand-up that it's new material so right yeah uh linoleum is the movie. I watched this movie at 8 this morning and freaking loved it. If you haven't seen Jim Gaffigan in a dramatic role and he's done some dramatic roles, you're going to be just blown away by this. I really am proud of you. I'm happy for you. I love that you're doing what you do, what you love. And, uh, you know, you're a family man and you've stuck to your guns and you deserve all the success, man. So linoleum, it's, are you going to the Palm Springs? Is that where you're at now? I'm here right now. Yeah. And have you already screened it? No, tonight. Are you nervous? No, I mean, we've had it at a couple festivals. People like it. It's, uh, yeah, so it's,

it's exciting. I love it. It's touching. It's mysterious, thought provoking. You guys are going to love this. Look for it. And at Jim Gaffigan, is that your handle? Yes. Yes. Follow this man, watch his specials, read his books, and Linolium is awesome. Thanks for finally coming on, man. I really had a good time with you. I'm glad this worked out. Thank you so much. All right. Take care of Jim.

Take care. See you. Bye. Grocery shopping. Choching. Ordering food. Cha Ching. Filling up on gas?

Cha-ching. Commuting. Chaching. Using streaming services. With your RBC Ion Plus visa, earn three times the Avion points on groceries, gas, dining, and more. Cha-ching. Then, redeem your points on.

gift cards from over 200 brands your idea of rewarding happens here conditions apply visit rbc.com slash ion cards well there you go and he's been around for a while it's crazy how big he's gotten yeah and he doesn't do the dirty stuff as a comedian i don't mean like a size as person but yeah right right yeah he's but uh no he's huge and uh just by being himself and he's um garnered a following and he's able to do these cool movies yeah it's a cool life i think this is a cool life and he's doing it all he's you know between writing and producing and um acting and the comedy and having a family he's like you know you always say how do these people navigate how do they sort of balance and i'm sure it's not easy at all and i look around i'm like how do i even function doing one thing but uh hey

i appreciate you guys listening and again uh if you want to join patreon to sports the podcast patron.com slash inside of you. I would love if you joined and I will respond to you eventually on there and you'll definitely become a somebody don't know. We give shoutouts to patrons and what else. Head over to the inside of you online store to get some awesome merch, autograph merch, ship keys, Lexmus scripts, lunch boxes and a bunch of other cool stuff like tumblers and whatnot. I've given most of my free shit to Ryan. And so, I have enough tumblers. Yeah, you have enough tumblers.

I think you have a tumbler from, I mean, yeah, you do. That's really it. I just want to give the shoutouts to these top tier patrons. And just want to tell you, I appreciate you listening. And hopefully you'll be back next week. We're going to try and bring the great guests to you doing my best. And hopefully you are. So here we go.

Nancy D. Leah S. Sarah V. Little Lisa, Ukeko, Jill E. Brian H. Nico P. Robert B.

Jason W. Sophie M. Kristen K. Rosh. She Joshua. D. Jennifer N. Stacey L. Jamal F. Janelle. B. Mike E. L. Dunsoprema. 99 more. Santiago. M. Chad W. Lian P. Jan N. J. M. M. M. P. Madie S. Belinda N. Dave H. Sheila. Sheila. G. Brad D. Brad D. Brad D. T. Ray. A. T. T. Tom. T. T. T. L. T. T. T. L. L. Big Stevie. Angel. M. Mary Ann and C. Corey K. Dev.

Nexon. Michelle A. Jeremy. C. Brandy D. Camille. Yes. Correct. Joni B. Joey M. Eugenian. Leah. Corey. Heather L. Jake B. Megan T. Angel F. Mel. C. S. Orlando. C. Correct. Caroline R. Christine S. Eric H. Shane R. M. S. S. S. H. S. R. M. Zadouichi 77. Andreas. Andreas N.

Oracle, Karina N, Amanda R, Jen B, Kevin E, Stephanie K, Jorel, Billy S, Jammin, Jay, Leanne J, Luna, Cindy E, Mike F, Stone H, Miss S, Brian L, Katie B, Aaron B, Aaron R, Erin R, Kennell L, House of Joe L, Meredith, I, and Charlene C. Those are the top tier patrons, I can't do it without you. And we just did a um live youtube with all the patrons and it was great and i played music and we talked and it was they asked me questions and that's another perk and i have to do a big you know i have to do with my talk to your patrons again soon is a um a zoom with all of them oh so sometimes they do that and it's fun so it's a good time um that's about it ryan you got anything uh not today no no no well that's it really yeah we had a great guest today that we interviewed it wasn't the one that aired obviously

jim gaffigan was great they've all been good honestly the all the recent ones yeah i think they're they're good i just hope people tune in even if they don't know the person or care about the person i mean if you hate the person i think you should listen anyway because you might like them after there's one coming up that i'm looking forward to that we both got a lot out of if you could think of guy or girl uh a female person richly cook that was good there's a lot of them yeah there's a lot I don't want to say it because we'll give it away. All right. We're excited.

We love you from the Hollywood Hills in Hollywood, California. I am Michael Rosenbaum. I am Ryan Deh is here at the Hollywood Hills. We love you guys. Please be good to yourselves. And we'll see you next week. Hi, I'm Joe Sal C. Hi, host of the stacking Benjamin's podcast.

Today, we're going to talk about what if you came across $50,000. What would you do? Put it into a tax advantage. retirement account. The mortgage. That's what we do. Make a down payment on a home. Something nice. Buying a vehicle. A separate bucket for this edition that we're adding. $50,000. I'll buy a new podcast. You'll buy new friends. And we're done. Thanks for playing everybody. We're out of here. Stacky Benjamin's follow and listen on your favorite platform.