Not Skinny But Not Fat - ALEX EDELMAN IS JUST FOR EVERYONE

Episode Date: May 7, 2024

From working in sports to trying out standup to selling out his one man Broadway show- Alex Edelman has made it. His hilarious show JUST FOR US gained massive momentum and adoration from audiences and is now streaming on MAX. We discuss his Jewish upbringing, his start in comedy, and how he got to the stage. Produced by Dear MediaThis episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct, or indirect financial interest in products, or services referred to in this episode.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The following podcast is a dear media production. I'm Ariel Laurie, host of the Blond Files podcast, where every Wednesday I cover all things wellness. After nearly dying from addiction, almost nine years ago, I have been on a mission to live my best, most fulfilled life, and I'm sharing everything with you from how to achieve optimal health and well-being to the best beauty tips and even cosmetic procedures. I cover it all with raw, candid conversations with the industry's top experts and inspirational guests. Make sure to subscribe to the show so you never miss an episode. This is Amanda Hirsch from the Not Skinny But Not Fat podcast.

You might know me from Not Skinny Bonafut on Instagram, where I spend my time talking about reality TV, celebrities, everything happening, and pop culture. I also talk to some of our favorites. celebs and reality TV stars. We talk about what's going on. Tune in every Tuesday and just feel like you're talking a shit with your best friends in your living room. Hi, guys. On today's podcast, I have a stand-up comedian who literally blew me away because he managed

to get his own one, man show on Broadway that was just selling out show after show. Everyone's obsessed with it. I went to see it because I was influenced by the masses. And it was so good. Just for us, his show is called. It's Alex Adelman is on the show today. He's also going to receive a special Tony Award for Just for us. So he's really freaking killing it. And I hope you enjoy our convo. I want you to present yourself as in your full OG name. David Yosef Shimon Ben-Lazir-Ruban, Alexander, Alevi-E Adelman, or, like, a different one. No, that one.

Oh, yeah, sick. But do it slower. David, Yaisa, Shimon, Ben, Al-A-Ruban, Alexander. Al-Lazar. Wait. Okay, wait. As somebody who speaks Hebrew, I want to say it, like, the Hebrew way. It's so my name.

David Ben-Josef. Wow. It's, like, so weird to hear my name back to me, but absolutely not. No, God. David, I'm going to tell you how my grandfather would talk to. Okay, fine. But slow. David, Yisif Shimon.

David Yosef Shimon Oh my God That's not my name I feel like that singer From the mid-2000s That's not my name That's not my name They call me David

Okay They call me Shimon But yeah David Ben Yosef Fine David Yosef Shimon Ben Elizar Ben Elizar

Because your dad is Eliza So you're You know everyone called him Olazer growing up Because my You know Eleazar Ruvain Wow now I'm lost

Alexander that's my that's my that's my English name's my size name so you chose that one out of the whole lineup yeah but by the way that's like my full Hebrew name that's the thing that my grandparents would yell at me when they were like you know like that we got the show about it's like my grandmother had this job it's not in your it's not in your passport I would need a six page passport yeah but sometimes people are like is that your real name and I'm like yes and no like is your Hebrew but by the way not to be serious about this thing for a second which is like a joke to me like it's in and within the in within the show it's a joke within the special if you're referring to it like don't worry we'll get to it i know but like a larger question is like what do you

consider to be like because for a while when i was younger my real identity was sort of like like a kid who went to like a lobovitch day school and then went to like for like kindergarten and pre-k and then moved to like a yeshiva day school and so like my orthodox life up into a certain point was like the defining world that i lived in so like if someone asked me how do you you feel? I was like, I feel like a Devid Yosef. And sometimes when like, and like after a certain age, how do I feel? I felt like an Alexander David, you know, element. So like, because they were probably calling you David, all that big name. Well, eventually they started calling me Alex because I went to a Yeshiva Day school. So they were like a million Davids. And so they were like Alex and I was

like, yeah, that sounds pretty good. Yeah. And then my brother is Aiton Ben Yaman and Austin's just Schmuel. So it's like, wait, AJ, your brother, who's the Olympian. Yeah, AJ's Aiton Bainaman. Aten Banyaman. That's his Jewish name. Yes, but I switched it in the special because for some reason I thought it would be like a weird violation of privacy to give out my brother's like, I don't know, that's a strange, it's a strange thing. Really? Yeah, yeah. That's an interesting

anecdote. We have boundaries around like what is and isn't like, like, I've always felt very averse to like talking about like my spiritual life publicly and also like my sexuality publicly. Like it's always like to me, maybe it's because of how I was raised. I was always like, always like those are private and now i'm like changing things like a little bit when you say spirituality you don't you mean in the religious sense yeah but also how i feel about like death and also how i feel about like you know things that i guess an english person or like a anglophone

would call karma or things like that like i've always been like a little bit now i want to know how you feel about death and karma oh so we go to jewish heaven which is christian hell okay so jewish heaven is the same as... Oh, yeah. Jewish heaven is the same as Christian hell because Jews get to be among like the country club Christians they always want to be a part of

and Christians have to hang out with Jews. So that's exactly how it is. There is a Jewish heaven and it is Christian hell. So it's a country club outside of Cleveland. That is, that's Jewish, Jewish heaven. I wanted to ask you, we started, before we started the podcast,

you did use British slang with me. Yes. Chuffed. Chuffed. You said you're chuffed. He's thrilled. That's cute. I'm chuffed.

You're chuffed. I love that. And then I was like, wait, you did work for the BBC. Do you still work for the BBC? No. I had a radio show with them for like six years and it was wonderful, but the radio show is about young people. And someone I was like, guys, I'm like 34 years old. It's time to like call it quits. And they're like, you're still young for us. And I'm like, that's, I hosted a radio show for the BBC. Talking about, yeah, about young people. Like hosting a radio, a BBC radio show about young people is like hosting a North Korean TV show about democracy. Like, There is, it is such a, like, old audience, but it was actually really nice because, like...

But you give older soul, like, you're 30, what, four or five? I just turned 35. 35. But you do have, like, an older soul vibe to you. What does that, what does that mean? Oh, you're judging. You're judging. I'm not judging.

I'm just, like, curious about that because usually when people are like, ah, she's an old soul. What they mean is, like, she doesn't know how to use a dishwasher? No. I mean, like, okay, you know the actor, Jake Johnson? Yeah. He's funny. He was a new girl. Yeah.

He's fantastic. So he said something to me that was, I thought was really funny and I related to it on some level that he was like, think of me now. That's how I was like born. Do you know what I mean? Like with the same attitude towards life and like, you know what I mean? I was a weird kid. But I've also changed a lot.

Like I was so weird. And I'm still like so weird. You think you're weird? Oh my God. Yeah. Like in what way? I require an. hour and a half of explanation on television to sort of like have people get me and it doesn't

it's not always enough how am I weird like I have weird things that like I care a lot about like I said and like and also like feel very private on and then there are things that like I don't really care about when in terms of like I'll answer sort of most like topical questions about like like if you ask me like how I feel about like some XYZ current event thing like I don't feel touchy about telling you how I feel about it. But like, you know, if someone said to me like, hey, where are we as a culture artistically or something like that? I mean, like, I don't

know. That's not for me to, like, I have real. Also, like, I have weird hobbies. Like, I love pottery and like. Cute. And like I. Have you ever done the ghost scene with somebody? No, because actually it's not pottery. Well, it actually is, it's just not good for the pots. It's like, not

an efficient throwing motion. Imagine you start dating someone and they're like so dying to do this fandom. and you're like, it's actually not good for the pot. Yeah, it's actually not like a very efficient way to throw. It's just like you're both in each other's way. Like, it's not actually helpful. Like, it really is, gets in the way of a sort of like a more tech-tile.

Well, it's never helpful. Like, even in those scenes when guys, like, come behind the girl to help, like, bowl or bad. It's never help. Or pool. Pool is never, like, billiards. Like, whenever you see a guy, like, showing girl billiards, I was like, don't do that. Just, like, tell her, like, straighten her elbow and, like, and, like, and not tuck her chin. And there you go.

Like, what's this? Don't rub your penis on her backside. I mean, there is a lot of that with every couple's activity, by the way. We're just like any partner thing wherever. Like, it usually is not good for the activity, right? Like the partner thing elbows out the activity pretty hard. It's like, oh, let's go on a hot air balloon thing together.

Or let's go hiking together. Let's do an escape room. And then like, doing an escape room is the, it is the first thing you escape is, your relationship. Like that is the first thing that happens. Do you like escape rooms? I fucking love us. I'm sorry to curse. I actually wait. I've heard people curse in this podcast. Yeah, curse. Yeah. I fucking love escape rooms. I'm sure you've been seeing this everywhere. This is the mascara going viral right now. You know, when things go viral, they go viral for a reason. L'Oreal Paris Lash Paradise Mascara is it. And I just want to tell you like, yes, I know there are a lot of like

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and free shipping, which is an incredible deal. This offer is for new and existing customers. Again, go to dreamlandb babyco.com. The code is not skinny. You're going to get 20% off and free shipping. I don't mean to make like assumptions or stereotype you, but you work for the Dodgers and the Red Sox. Yes. Is that the vibe you think you give is like a sports dude? I think I think I'm like I can speak to sports dudes. Yeah.

But again, that's another way that we are like, I love baseball and sports, but for like the poetry of the game. So when you talk about a guy who like doesn't fit in in a sports bar, like I was in a sports bar once and so we're like with a friend of mine and we're watching the major. baseball playoffs and they care about like you want to I care I care enough but he was like God I'm really hoping the brewers can do it this year and I was like you know I was like it just feels nice to sort of see like

a combination of an urban environment in an agrarian environment he was like what and I was like well they square it's like a square and a circle at the same time it's such an overlap different types of sacred geometries and he was like do you think that's like very relatable to like the five people's sitting around this table.

And I was like, well, maybe not, but it should be interesting. Like, it's actually like a spiritual communal activity. Like, right? Baseball is sort of like an American religion. Everyone's facing the same way. There's a rising and falling like the ocean or breathing or sex. And he was like, what are you talking about? So like, I love baseball, but I think I love it in a way that's like not generally.

I'm just a little, I'm just a little more thoughtful than everybody knows. Wait, so how did you work for both these teams? That's actually, that's actually really nice. It's a nice story. Like a nice part of my life. Like when I was 13. this woman named Colleen, who's a big part of my life. We sort of like, I was rollerblading around Fenway Park.

Like, I did love baseball. Like, I cared a lot about baseball. And I used to rollerblades because it used to be socially accessible for children. And I think rollerblades have fallen out of favor. They're too dangerous and too dorky for anybody, right? Like, you saw someone on rollerblade. No, I know. We rollerbladed, our generation rollerbladed.

I loved it. Yeah. It was perfect. It was so fun. And you could get, like, really good at it. I was really good. You were really good. I'm like still an embarrassing amount of good at rollerblading.

Would you roll a blade now? A thousand percent. If it was feasible, now I use the city bikes, which is sort of like the same thing. Wait, so you rollerbladed around Fenway. That way, I ran to this woman, Collie, and she took me on a tour of the park and sort of on this tour. I met this guy named Larry Lukino, who was the president of the Red Sox. And he thought I was like amusing. And he gave me a job.

I'm sorry. He passed away last week. So it's like a really, not weird crazy timing. Oh, it's okay. I'm going to his funeral tomorrow in Boston. It's like pretty. But yeah, this guy who is like. much older than me. And by the way,

worth the Google, like a really interesting fascinating guy. Larry Lukino, this like Italian from Pittsburgh. He was like, look at this like funny little Jew. And he had said something to him and he laughed at me and he looked at Colleen and he pointed and he's like, can we keep this guy? And so they kept me around. I worked to the Red Sox from like 2003.

First I wrote the kid's newsletter. How old were you? I was like 13. I was like 13, 14 years old. I wrote the kid's newsletter. That's like a dream job for a kid that loves baseball now. Believable. It was so cool. It was like amazing. By the way, I'm now as an adult, like running into some of the people that I like ran into as a kid. Like I did the Tonight Show the other night. And I had a picture of me interviewing Jimmy Fallon from the premiere fever pitch, which they filmed when I was a kid. And so we're working with the Red Sox. Wild. I feel very weird about that timeline. Why? They filmed fever pitch with Jim very more. While I was a child. That's wild. I remember that movie like it was yesterday. Pretty good movie. Very good movie. Very good movie.

I really like it. I mean, Jimmy Fallon should have acted more. I mean, I think he's done pretty well for himself in terms of like talk show hosts. No, yeah. But you're right.

Like, by the way, taxi also underrated. Not sure if you've seen taxi. No. Wait, the OG taxi. No, the Andy Kaufman series

from the 70s. Yeah, he's great in that. He's so good in the Andy Kaufman, Jim Brooks. Wait. The Queen Latipa. It's ringing a bell.

Yeah, it's like a little, it's like a comedy. It's like sort of an action comedy. It's like pretty fun. So you cross paths with Jimmy Fallon when you were working at the at the Red Sox because he at 13 when you're not legally even supposed to work. I'm like 15 years old. By the way, at some point I was like, am I legally allowed to work here? And they went, we feel like we could we could actually have a lot of problems if we asked that question. Were you getting paid?

Yes, I was getting paid. That is wild. I was getting paid. But that's also like a dream. It sounds like the way you ask the actors like, how did you start? And they're like, I was discovered. Like you literally were at Fenway. the Red Sox gave you a job. Boston was a great place to, you know, I hate to sound a little like, in my day, like a little conservative here,

but like it does feel like we have a slightly different America that kids grow up in now versus how it was, you know, 20 years ago, obviously, which is, which should be evident, but like my parents,

they just sort of let me just go wherever I want it and do whatever I want. And my father, sometimes I leave the house to my dad, be like, try not to get killed. And I was like, sure, about, like, that was my... Right, and we didn't have a phone.

Like, you couldn't actually... I had a phone with snake on it. I thought it was a cool. Remember those, like, those, like, T-9 phones? But I don't even know if you had it then. No, I don't think I did. I don't think I had a cell phone until, but like, I'd call from the landline at the Red Sox.

I'd call my parents landline and be like, you can pick me up. My dad be like, it's, it's midnight. It's like, I know. But it was so cool. I had all these great memories. I was, I was there when they won the World Series in 2004, not not, not at that game. that game was in St. Louis, but I was there. I was at the game in Colorado when they won the World Series in 2007. I flew back from Yeshiva and Israel to go. But like amongst my life and

in mid my life, I was like, I had a hand in at the Red Sox. And then I made it kind of a dumb mistake. I took a job at the Dodgers, which wasn't very good. From the Red Sox? Oh yeah. I thought it was going to be like a young baseball hot shot. It sounds like it. I like had a whole like plan. I was going to like, you know. Wait, so what age did you start working with the Dodgers? I guess it was the end of it was the beginning of 2008 everyone a bunch of people left after the 2007 world series including my boss a guy named charles steinberg who's a wonderful like throughout high school you were working at this at the oh yeah i would go to i would go to fenway during breaks in classes wow or i would go to which was my my place like my school is like 15 minutes away from i'd rollerblade

down there i'd bike down there i'd take the tea for sometimes a combination it'd be quicker i'd like rollerblade to the tea station get on the tea go down to fenway i'm trying to picture you were You were you in a Yamika then? Oh, yeah. Full, full, bud. Yeah, there was a guy there who I actually had a bit of a, who I'm not crazy about, but he called me Yamaka boy. Mm.

And after a while, you know what? Did you have the Tizzi-Ot and everything? Yeah, of course. Really? I think I tucked him in sometimes, but yeah. Yeah. I wore the Tzzi. I was like a full.

So what age did you wear the T-T's in Yamaica until? Until I got to NYU. I think I stopped doing it, NYU. And you know what? Sometimes I wish I hadn't because, but I was sick of meeting people where they like, shake my hand and I'd be like hey like they look at the yarmulika first and it kind of kind of ignore me it put me on the back foot a little bit like you didn't want that to be like a it was too like revealing kind of right away yeah it felt a little it felt a little exposing but sometimes

I wear it in my private life sometimes really where I'm walking around like what does the tete symbolize really I never really know I used to know this and now I'm not confident in my answer I remember with the to he let's somewhat, the blue. Yeah. The blue, the one blue string, but yeah, oh gosh. Did your parents care when you stop wearing it? I don't know. I don't know. I think my parents are pretty like live and let live. They're very, uh, also the thing is, with due respect, whenever anyone asks me how my parents feel about like my profession, my Judaism, I'm always like, you know, I'm like a 35 year old man now, right? Like, so I see where like, are your parents okay with this? And I'm like, no, but I'm talking about then. Not now. I don't remember, but you know what? I

think it did matter to them. But also like, you know, it's, I have like great respect for people that like live. My cousin Steve works at Warner Brothers and he's like, he works on the business side. He wears a yarmicats. He'd see it every day. And like it's a real like. Well, now it's like hashtag brave. It's a credit to it's a credit to Judaism. People love this guy. He's like a really sweet man and he plays, you know, sometimes I would like when I was working on the Dodgers, I'd drive over to the lot to play basketball with him. Wait, the Dodgers are. Excuse my sports. So you moved to L.A. at some point? Yeah, I moved to L.A. planning on not going to college. And then one day my boss.

After high school. I spent a year in Israel. And then after high school. After high school. Yeah. And Shiva in like a sort of like rabbinical seminary. And and then I spent some time in, uh, did you like living in Israel? Yeah. It was, I mean, it was a fraught time as it, as it, as it seems to always be. But like, there was a attack at a school near where I studied called Marikas Harav. And we knew a to the kids and it was like a and that was like pretty jarring but it was it grew up it was good and someone had opened up a comedy club there and so like started to get a little more interested in comedy a place called off the wall get it wait but you yes but you because like when I think of visiting Israel or people that study abroad in Israel or like me that I live there

for years it's like fun people don't know this often if they haven't visited they don't know that It's like Tel Aviv is like a cool European city vibe. Beautiful people, beaches, pubs, going out, fun. But that isn't the vibe when you're at Yeshiva. And not in Jerusalem. Not in Jerusalem. At Yashiva, all men, like you weren't going out. No, but we, but like I was going out a little bit.

It was like drinking for the first time. I was like in a part of Jerusalem called Katamon. That was like, that was not like, I had friends who were in like Beechemesh or Ramat Bechemish, which is like. Bechemish, yeah. which is like outside of the whole thing and by the way like you know obviously my feelings about is real like more complicated now than they were then because i'm an adult and like a lot's a lot's happened but like you know there is a real i really like that comedy club because it was

very mixed like you know still there i don't think so i think the guy who runs it who's a lovely man runs comedy night still around but when i went back to check i i think it was gone wait i want another progression so like high school yeshiva then dodger high school Yeshiva Dodgers in the summers and occasionally flying back for like key events

like big meetings or like big like flying back from where NYU by then I was like going to NYU you were going to NYU yeah but I was still like I was kind of part time at the Dodgers

like we had the world baseball classic I flew back for the WC why were we calling it a mistake before you know this guy who bought the team his wife hired a bunch of Red Sox employees because they were from Boston. And then they got a very public divorce.

And all those employees got fired pretty much, with the exception of like one or two really great people who are still there, I think, actually. And it kind of like jaded me against like, I didn't really want to work in baseball anymore. Like I didn't really want to work on like, once you see how the sausage is made, it can be like a little, it can be like a little dicey.

It's funny that some people say sausage and some people say sauce. What? Oh, no one says sauce. Once you see how the sauce gets made? That's so bad about sauce. It's like crushed tomato. and, like, water. Wait, oh, my God.

I've been saying sauce. No, it's sausage, because sausages are disgusting. You know what goes into a sausage. It's like a bunch of, like, rat parts. Like hot dogs. Yeah. Yeah. No one says sauce.

What are you talking about? Did you know what sauce? Do you know what sausage? Don't you lie to me. You knew? But wait, is it sauce or sausage? Oh, my God. Oh, my God.

I literally wrote sauce to somebody, like, important the other day. By the way, you can get away with it. It's like a nice, like, narrative. But do you think they thought I was dumb? No, I'm sure they thought you were being artistic. You can say, like, you can do a little spin on a cliche. Jersey. What are you talking about?

We're in New York. Oh, no. But sauce makes sense to Alex, because in a sauce, you never know how it's made. Could be tomato sauce. Could have sugar. Could have salt. Okay. It's okay if you say, like, if you say a deer caught in a search light, but that's not

the cliche. The cliche is a deer getting caught in the headlights. You're like, well, do you probably get pretty scared if it gets caught in a search light. You're like, yeah, but that's not the same thing. It's like, my whole life has changed. Yeah, but in a very minor way and for the better. Yeah, but like, you know? Really?

That's all it takes to blow your mind? Do you know that the... No, I mean, yeah. I've been confidently throwing that out there. No, you... Confidently just today I said, yeah. I mean, isn't there flip the switch? I think I said flip the script today.

switch or script? You can flip the script. Okay. You can also flip it. Think about it. Flip the switch. Okay. Flipping the script means that something that's that previously wasn't happening is now happening. Flipping the switch means that a thing that is supposed

to naturally happen happens once you do the active instigator. So like I don't know that maybe this is like an Israeli thing. It is. I think it's like a little. I grew up I actually, it's a very hilarious Baldwin of me, but I grew up like really mixed, like back and forth.

I'm actually a walking Hillary Baldwin. I think she can walk. But she can't have the receipts of like, you know, she's like, I summered there. I'm like, no, I lived there for seven years. Hillary Baldwin have an Israel connection? You don't know about the Hilary Baldwin scandal?

I have. There's a scandal. What is your pop culture knowledge, Mr. Hilaria Baldwin in 2020, while the pandemic was happening, was discovered to be a fake Spanish person, married to Alec Baldwin, speaking in a Spanish accent, only to find out that she's from Boston, excuse me, you should have a connection. Well, now I like her. Very Anglo-Saxon, all those things, but pretending to be Spanish that doesn't know how to say cucumber. It was a whole thing. How does she say cucumber? She was like, I don't know how to say cucumber. She's like, how you say

cucumber. That's what she said. You know what? She has a million children. And so when you have a million children. Maybe you're like, I'm Spanish for this one. Yeah. Wait, I'm interested because in your special, you talk about... Yeah, can we talk about my special? We've gotten to a million bits of obscure. I'm sorry, I'm being an ungenerous.

You are. So you talk in your special about a neighbor in L.A. So you live in L.A. I split time, but I'm here a lot more. Yeah, in New York more than L.A. I mean, I accepted long ago that being comedian when necessitate just like having to travel like way more than I was comfortable with. That has been the life. Like I basically my primary residence is like a blue Samsonite. But like I'm always on

the road. I'm like in Providence this weekend. I'm in Bloomington the next week and I'm at, I'm in LA at Netflix is a joke the weekend after. Like I am like constantly on the move, which is which is okay. But it'd be nice to like settle down at some point maybe halfway between the two in Lawrence, Kansas and just like, you know. Where do you see yourself more though, L.A. or New York? I guess New York is more representative of my personality. I would say so. Oh, well, thanks. You're welcome.

I mean, I like it. You're welcome. I like, yeah. New York is more representative of personality, but in L.A., there are like good things to like about L.A. Whenever anyone's like, I hate L.A. Yeah. It's a better personality trait than hating New York.

Right. But like, I don't know. It's a very. Oh, you hate New York. Yeah, not a vibe. Sometimes people are like, I hate New York City, which I actually get, but it's just like, okay, well, then don't come. It's not cool, though.

To be honest, it's not cool. It's a very tough. We have earthquakes now and eclipses. I know. We have earthquake. The fact that we had an earthquake. So how did you get into comedy? Was it in Israel that it started sparking your answers?

I saw a really big comedy show in Boston when I was a teenager. And that really sparked an interest. This guy Dennis Lurie does a show every year called comics come home. And so he's like one of probably the most iconic comedians ever to come out of Boston. Yeah, it might be probably up there. And he puts on this comedy show with other, iconic Boston comedians. And I went to see it because there was a sports connection. I was interested in sports and I walked out a comedy fan. So like love Dennis Lurie. And yeah, when I was

in Israel, there were like five comedians who spoke English in the whole country. So I was like doing open mics by then and like two months in they're like, do 45 minutes. And I was like, and so I think that started. But my comedy career didn't like really sort of find footing until like after college. I went to England and did a solo show there and like found a little bit more purchase that way. So how did England like discover you? Like do they get you more? There's a huge festival there called the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. It's like the biggest arts festival on the planet. Like in years when they don't have the Olympics or the World Cup, it's like easily the biggest ticket selling event in the world. And there are like 3,800 shows a day. And because of like some

crazy circumstance, my first show won the Edinburgh Comedy Award, which is like a very rare award for an American to be able to get and it was like the luckiest and craziest thing that's ever happened to me and I was able to like support myself as a comedian after that and so you stayed after winning I stayed also I met someone there who was who lived in London and she was well actually no she's married now with more children but she was a single mother at the time so like she wasn't coming back with me to is she a comedian oh yeah brilliant comedian her name's Catherine Ryan she's absolutely spectacular at the time when you started dating she had a one daughter of violet who is is, like, funniest person right now.

And, like, yeah, we dated for a couple of years. Going back and forth, it was, like, pretty hard because I was, like, we were long distance sometimes, like, New York to London and then L.A. to London, which is really difficult, but, like, total doll of a person. And I would, I would, like, live in her house and, you know, East London for a while. It's very nice.

So then you come back to New York, and then you're like, that's it. I'm a... They went back to L.A., actually. Like, you knew that comedy was now your career. Comedy was my career from like, after I won that award in 2014, I have never not worked as a comedian since then. I went back to the Red Sox for a few months after they had the marathon bombing. By the time I left the Red Sox, I had progressed to like writing speeches and like press releases. And so me and my boss and this recently departed guy, Larry Lukino,

we would, I sort of helped with the first baseball game back after the marathon bombing, the public address speech. And in Boston, that was, like a really cool thing and it was really it felt like like something significant to be a part of and then we won the World Series that year which was really amazing and so like I thought that was a nice thing to leave baseball on yeah like I still occasionally like help out like an old colleague asks with calls with a question or something but like yeah I've been pretty much comedy comedy comedy comedy it's also like so much fun it's like the most interesting thing in the world to me so I wrote a couple TV shows in L.A and then TV shows writing it got

canceled in like 2017 started writing the show and then like middle of next year that started to like started writing just for us it so in 2017 you started writing it yeah wow that's wild we're in 2024 I know but the sort of event that it's based on didn't happen for until a bunch of months after I started writing it but like yeah just for us has changed quite a bit I wasn't even Jewish in the first iteration of just for us I'm like a devout member of the nation of Islam so like very very very unusual wait so the event that it's based on joking obviously right like you clock that as a joke. I want him to be like, oh, this guy loves Louis Farrakhan and on the pod. So, because I was just thinking of the timing. Like, you started writing in 2017. We're in

24. Yeah. You were one man showing on Broadway. That was 2023. Yeah. Amazing. It took a long time to get there and also like. So you must be like crazy appreciating this moment. Now the special is out on max yeah by the time this comes out it's out everyone can watch it it's been really nuts in the reception for the we launched the special the beginning of the week and the reception has been like really warm and and sweet and but it's been a like the run hasn't been perfect those six years there were some really heartbreaking things that happened some really like we had some bummers but like but yeah for the most part it's been this like incredible transformative thing and the story at the center of it is like I went to this meeting of white nationalists in Queens and I sat there

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Also, you guys, pause this right now. And please, please, do me a favor and go rate and review the podcast wherever you listen. It's super helpful. appreciate you love yeah your show that i went to see i think the last new york one because i felt immense peer pressure like i wasn't even at that point go like i wasn't in a cultured part of my life where i was like going to broadway you know but i kept hearing about the show and this guy that got a one-man show on fucking broadway he's a comedian and i knew of you because i had met you and i was like i need to see this so i literally came to your last

New York one and felt like I needed it was like one of those FOMO things like I need to see this thing that everybody's talking about and I was just like I know it can be like condescending and say proud but it's like

you're like wow I don't know him but this is so huge like even to get to that place well now it's like on max even bigger more of the world can see it but how did you how did it get to even that kind of stage well Sarah Jessica Parker

really Sarah doesn't get Barker put it on her Instagram when it was down to well I mean I'm simplifying honestly that's nice though to give credit oh like a totally like the show owes so much to so many people it literally like someone's like Alex this special thanks is comical like in the HBO special there are like six like pages of special thanks and like all those people helped which is bananas and like Sarah just Parker in there actually don't know that she is but I said on the tonight show that I like owe her a favor because genuinely what happened was anyway the like we did it in

2018 for a while then I took some time off to write on TV show for like a year and a half and then Mike Barbiglia was like himself a pretty great solo show comedian he he heard about it and berbiglia was like why don't I see if it's any good we'll put up for one night like on Broadway off Broadway and we put up for one night off Broadway and for big yeah was like B plus I was like B plus, like the only good thing I've ever done. And Brickley, I was like, you need it cut 20 minutes and add 40 minutes. And like, so we did a UK tour that was like truncated by COVID. And then in 2021, we finally went up.

And it's sort of like, you went up off Broadway. Off Broadway, a place called the Cherry Lane. Like, and it was, it did, it did pretty good. I was starting to get some like, get some momentum. And then Omnichron happened. And we shut down. But when we came back, the New York Times said a nice thing about that. And then SJP came and she.

and she put on her Instagram and after that it was like I know it's like a silly thing to be like this person put it on her Instagram and then it went like yeah but it it was like it after that it was a it was a no one could get a ticket for a while it was like a it was a we moved theaters like three times so how do you go because I this is literal but not everybody knows like how do you get from off Broadway to Broadway first of all it's literal right it's also literal Like off Broadway is not on Broadway And also none of the theaters are on Broadway Right, none of the theaters are on Broadway

They're around Broadway They're in like one zip code around Times Square One very confusing and hard to navigate Zip Code around And like a really awful place to try to get to Oh my God, Times Square The beating heart of the creative scene in New York City, right? The M&M store is the you know

But it is okay So what happened was What had happened was we had this nice run in New York And then we had a nice run in D.C. And then, like, Jenny Gersten, who is a Broadway producer, saw it. And a couple of Broadway people had, like, asked about bringing it to Broadway, but it didn't, none of the, none of their plans seemed very, like, not just good, but like, they were like, we charge just much a ticket. And I was like, I want to charge people, like, a bazillion dollars a ticket to see, like, a one-man show. Like, I want, like, it should still be priced, like, a comedy.

And then, like, Jenny and this woman, Rachel Sussman and these two producers named Greg and Emily, like, they came with, like, a really thoughtful. coherent plan and I was doing the show in London and they flew over to chat about it and then I was like okay let's do this and then like a bunch of people helped like we had a really bad the guy who directed the show was involved and if you were at the last show you know this yeah it's like pretty right you got choked up about him yeah the guy who directed all my solo shows the one that won that award a bunch of years ago this show his name was adam brace and adam was my like closest friend for like 11 years and then like right before he started on Broadway Adam passed away he was like 43 random like a sudden death yeah and sorry oh was just the worst and but you know what

not to be cliche like a lot of people with heavy air quotes here like stepped up like all my friends started to like show up and like make sure I had like was like eating and like and then like all these different Broadway people started like coming out of the woodwork to like politely offer help and like and then audiences started like telling people I don't know how much I had to do with Adam but like very like it felt like a nice communal moment where everyone was like doing this thing and also our producers were like very thoughtful conscientious his family flew over for opening which like tore me apart was also like the nicest thing but like yeah so somebody else stepped in instead of him they got him Alex Timbers I didn't want another director so Alex is like

credited as a creative consultant but like the truth is he directed the special and did like a crazy amazing job it looks so good and like and also like gave a couple of like really important notes like not to be too technical for you know your audience but like with these things once it's written like the thing that makes it go from like okay to like something worth seeing is like the notes and directions that you get from people oh yeah totally so like even the comedy legends that came like when billy crystal came he gave it like really amazing note. And like when Seinfeld came, he gave a note. Did you ask them or do they? Oh, yeah. I had to like pull it out of. Oh, yeah, yeah. And also

Billy Crystal's like weirdly very humble about like, you know, the comedy that he does. And so I was like, can you give me a note. He's like, ah, no, no, no. And I can see that he like maybe had something. And he was like, please, now I enjoyed the show. It's okay. And then two days later got a call from Alan Zweibel, who's like a writer who's a friend of his and like a, in his own right, like a legendary comedy writer. Alan's why bell was like, Billy has a note if you want to hear it. I was like, please. I'm like desperate for it. And he went switch from one of these handheld mics to one of these headset mics. Right. And that change a show complete. Like without that, I don't think the show would go to Broadway or even be like appropriate to. Oh yeah. Like I got so many little like push. The word solo show was like such a misnomer. Like a million different people made this happen. And as you point out, not all of them are even thanked in this like. As you point out, as JP got what's it called? I should have to keep her. She should get 10% of everything for the rest of my life. But does it? Did it? Did you ever think of it as a Broadway show? Because like we're so, it's so like, you know, what we know of Broadway. Why are you looking at me like that? You think I thought my little, you think I thought my little show that started in a pub above a shoe store in 2018. It was a Broadway show. No, I had no idea. You know what was happening. I was like in full denial. But most standups, it's like, yeah, it's a special or they're touring the country like you said in different. But this became a Broadway show. I'm like. it's crazy. I'm the biggest fan of comedians. Like, genuinely, I think you put me up against,

like, I am such a fanboy. Like, part of this is all, like, an exercise to meet, like, Mel Brooks. Yeah. Like, all this is still, I met a mischief. But, like, all of this is just, like, one kid's, like, comedy fantasy. Yeah. And, like, it's got real, like, it's got real make-a-wish vibes. No, it doesn't. And I mean, like, I love doing it. But, yeah, I don't know that there are, and what All I'm saying is I know a lot about comedy because I'm a fanboy. And there aren't a ton of comedians who are lucky enough to get to do their show on Broadway. So like, no, never thought it could happen. Are you feeling like imposter syndrome over here?

Crazy. Really? That's what it feels like. Well, like, here's the thing. But take a moment. Like, it's you. When every night on Broadway, there was one moment in the show where I would think to myself, like, you're doing your solo show on Broadway.

You're doing a thing you wrote in like a backhouse in L.A. in 2017. on Broadway. You're doing this thing that you did in basements and pubs and we had a show like July of 2018. It was a preview for Edinburgh and it was during the World Cup. I thought about this for the first time the other day and like it was during the World Cup. It was in England and England was playing Croatia. I think it was July 12th or July 21st. Thank you for. That'sifying. Yeah. But like an audience member in the middle there were like 12 audience members in the middle of of this show, this audience member raised her hand and was like, excuse me, we take a break for the game? And I was like, yeah, like, let's take a break. I was like, well, everyone

come back if we like take a break for the game. And the whole audience was like, yeah. And one guy was like, I'm watching it on my phone right now. You know, like it's so like we took a break, went to like a pub across the street, watched the game and then came back, finished the gig, and then took a picture on stage together. And so like, all these like nice, all I'm saying is that like, The Broadway thing is so nice. That's like the most special thing. But also like this is another horrible cliche. Like the journey to get there had like a lot of joy in it.

Maybe I'm feeling that a little more keenly because the guy who was a part of the journey who I love so much is not around anymore. Right. But like, but truly I've just like, it's like I've imposter syndrome about myself. But also I worked really hard with lots of other really hard, really smart, funny people to like make this thing. And I'm so proud of the product. And like the pro it's the.

product the story is the star like it's the product that has sort of carried it from stage to stage it has a some ideas have like good momentum and and people that will help you direct them in the right way like sort of what for people that don't know just for us is about your experience as a jew in a room full of neo-nazis this is a true story yes with some embellishments maybe along the way oh yeah absolutely but this happened you went to this meeting of neo-nazis after going down like a twitter hole of neo-nazis Yeah. I mean, it's a obviously like I take comedy flourishes like pretty seriously. Like it's an important part of like doing the job. Like once I was arguing with my director about like a detail on the show and it's like it's true. And he went, shame it isn't funny. I was like, okay. But like yeah.

So the first, so the first goal is always to like be entertaining, which is why I'm always like very serious to like point out like it's not journalism. Someone's like, well, when they said this and I was like, I don't remember if they said that. I'm trying like very hard to energy. retain people. And also, I've told this story 500 times. And that was like six years ago. Right. I'm not going to remember what I have for breakfast today. Like I'm not going to, I'm not going to have like, it's the same way about your childhood when you like are told the story. Like, oh, you threw up in the back of the car when you were six. And then like you add things to it and it becomes like a whole thing. I have so many stories that like I'm fascinated by the stories that we like

tell ourselves. Like it might be a big part of the next show. And in fact, I think probably will be. but like I have stories that I would like remember vivid and perfect and cannot possibly be real. Like I remember like a family vacation of Puerto Rico. My family was like, we never went to Puerto Rico. And I was like, no, I remember going to Puerto Rico and there was like a parakeet and butterfinger BBs and like, no, like none of those things are real. I know that it is wild. And I was like, maybe I saw like a commercial for Corona when I was like six or seven.

I have two like these memories like I have one where I'm like, remember we are on vacation and a dog was chasing me around the pool and they're like, no. Like, where did I get that? That's so weird. There's a little bit of that in Just for us, which is probably my favorite, like, craft part of the show. Like, we talk about our family having Christmas for Ruanju,

who had nowhere to go for the holiday. We gave her Christmas. The story is frustratingly true. Like, I almost feel like I haven't done my job. And you have the picture. We have the picture. And also it was fact checked by, like, it was fact checked by someone for publication.

And we found, like, a couple of things we couldn't confirm. But, like, obviously, our jokes like, they're going to say. Why was it so important to fact. check this one because it was airing on like public radio when they air on public radio like like when it's it was on this american life and so this american life like does their job and make sure that you don't like you know lie to the american public because that's like it's an important part of their storytelling or at least talk about the narrative framework that you're offering it in and so like there's a part in the show where I go I remember this it's not true

or I remember this my father says it never happened it's the single clearest memory from my yeah at so one point like i remember a j saying this a j never said that this is what a j said and by the way there's comedy in those differences which i love so much but like yeah i think a comedian's job is always to like

make it better curate like add an artistic thing to it like it's a but what your friend points out to you which is so true is that the essence of white privilege is being able to walk into a room full of wannabe neo nazi confident you will emerge on skates yes i i i

I voiced that in a slightly more concise way for comedy. But yes, it is. No, no, it's good. But that's a thousand percent true. And by the way, you guys, I saw this show, like I said, on Broadway. It was so good. I took my mom. I was like, you deserve.

You know, when you buy two tickets or something and you're like, who deserves to come with me? And the last show, by the way, it was like really special. I'm so glad that I made it before it was. It was such a, like, oh, God. But it's such a good story. Do you feel like, because this is obviously not meant just. for Jews not this is meant for Jews and non-Jews are non-Jews going to get all the nuances like

are they going to miss anything I mean they have so far yeah like I think there's one joke that I think is a little niche but like I kind of skate right by it right I remember you do that I'm like and you're like you might not be Jewish enough to get this or like I actually no I don't even say that that joke I explain I go my brother's in a Israeli Olympian winter Olympian I go I used to, I called him the Frozen Chosen for like four years. Right. And then I go, and then my mom was like, stop calling him that. And then I go, and this might be too Jewish for some of you, but I switched over to

shul runnings. Right, right. And shul means synagogue and Yiddish. But I explain that to the audience immediately afterwards, right? Because it's like important. But also audiences are like pretty bright generally. Yeah. Like audiences are.

And by the way, it is a, it is a question, which is like completely not even just a fair question, but maybe an essential question, right? But like, I have never heard Chris Rock ask like, well, will non-black audiences get this joke? Because, like, there is a universality in pretty much every experience. Like, my big factory wedding is not just for Greek people, but it's unmistakably Greek. Right. And so, like, I've always thought that even the thing that you sort of bring up about the white privilege of walking into that room, but like whiteness is in the eye of the beholder, right?

Like, I can walk into that room, but that's one of the few rooms where I am unquestionably not perceived as white. Right. And so, like, there's a really interesting, like, tension there. And I love that tension. But, like, you know, that tension is sort of a little foreign to, like, American audiences. Yeah. We love binaries. We love, like, black, white, rich, poor, powerful, not powerful, cool, uncool, hero, villain.

And so, like, Jews existing between the binaries of, like, white non-white is, like, really fascinating, really true to me and, like, really tricky. So, like, that's why I thought this story had, like, some weight that might make it useful inflection point to, like, have those conversations while also, like, giving a ton of jokes to people because I don't like comedy. It's not funny. Well, you guys, it's out on Max. You can watch it now. I want to know, aside from Billy Crystal, who else gave you advice? Rabiglia gave me a ton of advice, like, Mike Rabiglia, who's, like, sort of probably the unquestioned master of the American solo show gave, like, a load of advice. Seinfeld gave good advice. Steve Martin gave me, like, a line

for the show. Just so good. Can you tell us what it was? No, I can. It's contextual. Oh, okay. it makes sense. I feel like that up. But if you're wondering whether or not to watch a show, it is co-written by Steve Martin. So now you know. I wrote the whole show except for one line, but Steve Martin wrote the other line,

so he gets credit it. But in Phil Rosenthal, who does somebody feed Phil, Phil, Phil Cayman offered advice. And also, like, a ton of my friends, like my friend Danny Jalas and my friend John Renzki

and my friend Nickalas, like a whole bunch of, like, young comedians, Chloe Eifshin, who's not a comedian, but is like a really good pal of mine. Like, they all have, like,

offered wisdom, which is like a really nice thing. that, like, Seinfeld is at your show? It's freaky. It's freaky. Like, is it hard to, like, do you feel more nervous that night? Yeah. Yeah. I'd be lying to you. But, you know, the funny thing is you do a couple jokes. You'd rather not know, maybe that he's there. Well, you know, because you come into work and everyone's weird. You're like, what's going on? And they're like, Seinfeld's here. And you're like, of course he is.

Today is going to, you do the show like this. You're like, you look over him. But I remember when Seinfeld was there, I kept thinking to myself, like, how did it? anyone ever shoot Abe Lincoln? Because the whole audience was like watching Seinfeld. And part of me was like, when Lincoln was there, wasn't everyone like, what is Lincoln thinking is Lincoln? Does Lincoln like that? Is Lincoln? Does Lincoln think that's funny? Oh, no, Lincoln. Oh no. Wait, so you tried not to look at him. I tried not to look at him, but it was, it was still like 2022 and people wearing masks. So I couldn't see his face, which was really useful. But I saw Billy Crystal's hat going up and down, which was nice. So he was nodding a lot. It's like a Billy Crystal likes it.

And then I heard Jerry's laugh once or twice and I was like, well, that's good. I mean, like, it is truly. And everyone's laughing. I mean, it's such a funny show. And I watched a little bit of it. Not that I needed a refresher, but before our interview, I was like, let me watch it again, like on TV this time. Because I was there if you didn't catch that. And it's like, it's actually like watching Seinfeld because it's like, I saw it.

But it's not like I'm like, oh, this isn't funny again. Like, it's funny again. You know what I mean? I mean, I love, that's, by the way, that's. what narrative does for you genuinely like you tell a story to people that's an interesting story that they're interested in and more importantly have opinions about yeah and like can have good conversations about they will listen so that they like find new things in the story so they can have more conversations about it so like the story we always said that the story is the star

and it truly is like a big part of like making the show better because i say i started writing the show in 2017 yeah it's true like i wrote this show before that story happened which is wild to think which is while the thing about and like after a while it had all these distractions and like a lot of jokes that didn't quite belong so like for big leaglia's big note was like can you clear like 20 minutes of stuff that and i was like well it gets a lot of laughs and he's like who cares it's like not germane to the story that you're trying to tell like the subtext that you're trying to communicate and so like the stories they're all belong in the same sort of like they all sort of like hang together and like and also i love it there's like a closure to it like that that that's That thing is like, I feel like it gives you chills at the end that it all comes together. The button at the end, the narrative closure was like the thing that made me think like, this is a story. This is a thing that's like a really, I love that part. And I also think audiences deserve a magic trick.

Yeah. Like narratively, that's a little bit of a magic trick. But I've always, I've always liked that when I go see a show and the comedian or the or the performer or the actor is like, here you go. Yeah. Something, something to take home of the doggy bag. Yeah. And so, like, wanted to give that to people. And, like, again, had a lot of help, though, setting it up and making it more effective and

clearing away some brush around it and making it sing. So, like, had a ton of people. It's so good. It's so good, Alec. You should be really proud. And everybody should watch it out on Max. There are two things that literally stayed with me that I was cracking up when I was rewatching it was the, you never know.

Oh, yeah, yeah. And can you believe it? Oh, my God. I mean, they're just such good moments. Everybody watch just for us out on Max. A quick pop culture. quiz before you go. Oh my God, please. I was like, am I not getting my

pop culture quiz? Shut up. No, you're going to get a pop culture quiz, especially because you're terrible at it. So, I've decided. Okay. Okay. Fine. Let's see. Name three pregnant celebrities currently. You?

No, I know. Oh, wait. Am I not supposed to tell people? Oh, God, I'm so sorry. Three pregnant celebrities currently. Well, guessing Hilaria Baldwin is always a good idea. That's a good guess, no. No. Okay, let me think about this.

Three Prego celebs. You don't have one. You know what? I'm working here. Okay. Okay, I'll ask you the next question while you're thinking. My face, I just got to look at my face while I was thinking. My thinking my thinking is really.

Here, the next question, while you're thinking, you better have one. What's the name of Taylor Swift's new album that's going to drop? The Tortured Poet Society? Nice. When is it dropping? Is it June or July? I don't know. Maybe it's August, August 12th or something.

If you look at something 13th, she loved the number 13. August 13, July 13, I don't know, but it's the summer. Okay, which reality star is on Broadway right now? Are they in Chicago? Yeah. Her. They always put Roxy in Chicago. Yeah, she's Roxy and Jay.

Oh, was that just a guess? No. That was a left pocket guess. It's always, no, they always put a reality star as Roxy in Chicago. Yeah. It's always like, Omarosa is Roxy in Chicago. Who is it? Wait, is that the last reality TV show you watch?

No, you think I watched the apprentice? You think when I was an unemployed young person, I watched a show where they fired unemployed young people? But I feel like we watched it. No, that was the best part of being unemployed was no one ever fired you. And he took that from us even. So like, I'm not who wait. I'm actually curious.

Who is it? Who's the? Ariana Maddox. She's from Vanderpump Rules. I don't know. She was involved in Scandabal. You've heard of it. I remember Scandval.

Okay, good. A pregnant celebrity? Emma Stone? No. And you're friends with her. You know she's not pregnant. Or is she? Jesus Christ.

I need, hold on. No, I don't know. Who's pregnant? Jenna Dewan. Gena Dewan is pregnant? Stobey Waterhouse just gave birth. That's right. I knew that.

Hillary Duff, Ashley Tisdale, Vanessa Hudgens. Wow, you know all of these things? What are you? What are you hiding in a gynecologist office? Jesus Christ. You're OBGYN to the stars? I don't know who's pregnant. Are you kidding?

It's not something I go around asking people. Excuse me. Are you pregnant? I'm sorry. Oh, I'm sorry. I know it's a premiere. Suki Waterhouse just had a baby with Robert Pattinson.

Yeah. I've improved. I'm not saying Patterson anymore, but I'm still signing Patterson on all my checks though. So, oh, wait, what else? What else do you got? No, that's it.

You gave me two questions? I gave you three. I gave you three. Taylor Swift's new album, reality star on Broadway and pregnant celib. Do you want to just throw one off off the goddamn cuff instead of a... What?

What do we want? No, we don't. No, I don't want. Bravo. I used to, I like, I like Andy Cohen's show on Bravo, but sometimes I watch it and don't know who anybody is. I know. I feel like sometimes he's not sure either. He'll be like, I'll be like, who is this person? Who's this bartender? You should be a bartender. No, I will never be a bartender. I want to do the show. I will not barter. Yeah, you're right. You're right. It's below you. It's absolutely, it's not below me. There are really great people that bartend, but I am not fun like that. Like I am like a different kind of fun. I need to watch something in critique. No. I will. I will wait wait important are you coming out with a podcast uh yes but it's not announced okay that's not announced but you're working on new material work on new material i'm i'm touring a little bit i'm writing stuff i'm acting a little bit i'm in that seinfeld movie unfrosted oh with amy schumer yeah yeah i don't call her amy schumer but yes i love amy schumer amy schumer is with amy schumer oh my god that's so

cool i mean i've known her forever but still like you know we're not another person she's the person and I wrote the sauce too. Oh my God, she's so judging. Now I have to think what she wrote back because she probably was judging and I didn't catch the joke. Anyway, Alex, thank you so much for coming on. Everybody, go watch just for us on Max.

It's out now. Follow Alex everywhere. He says Twitter is dying, but he's really active there. I'm really active on Instagram. I'm more of an Instagram now. Really? You're very Tweety. I like Instagram.

He's active on Instagram, everybody. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you guys so much for listening to this episode of Not Skinny, but Not Fats. Follow me on Instagram at Not skinny, but not fat. Subscribe to the podcast

so you don't miss any episodes. Rate the podcast that you love so much on Apple Podcasts and write a little review. If you tell me you did, I'll give you a big virtual smoocheroo. Thank you guys so much for listening, and I'll see you next Tuesday. Please note that this episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services.

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