So True with Caleb Hearon - Aaron Branch Loves Being Alive

Episode Date: September 10, 2026

Welcome! This week’s guest is the hilarious Aaron Branch! Aaron and Caleb talk their Kansas City roots, Tech N9ne, the concept of outer space and the deep ocean, a harrowing encounter Aaron just had in his home, Zoey 102, and much more! Join our Substack for ad free full episodes, early access to merch, our community chat, and more! https://calebsaysthings.substack.com/ Follow Aaron! @aaronbranchworld Follow the show! @sooootruepod Follow Caleb! @calebsaysthings Produced by Chance Nichols @chanceisloud Visit https://hin.ge/SoTruewithCalebHearon to download Hinge today! Get 40% off select Lola Blankets products at https://Lolablankets.com by using code SOTRUE at checkout. Experience the world’s #1 blanket with Lola Blankets. Download the Bilt app and join the membership for where you live, at https://joinbilt.com/sotrue Shop now at https://Fabletics.com/sotrue to get 70-80% percent off everything when you sign up as a new VIP Right now, buy one pair of glasses and get 20% off any additional pairs at https://WarbyParker.com/SOTRUE #WarbyParker #ad So True with Caleb Hearon is edited and engineered by Nicole Lyons. Our social media manager is Anna Weis. All episodes are filmed in The So Trudio at Legitimate Business World Headquarters in Brooklyn, New York. A Wave series. https://wavesportsandentertainment.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Wave. I go, how do you square this very eastern kind of like carmic reincarnation belief that you have with like your belief in like heaven and Jesus Christ and God? Yeah. And she like takes a sip of her beer and goes, I've never thought about that a day in my life. What's up, dude?

What up, dog? Good to see you. How you in? I'm good. Talk to truth. Now do one with the truth. Well, what you guys missed was I literally just said that I almost canceled. I'm good.

I'm good. I'm good. I'm good. What's going on? I just think that it's, you know, everything is so good, which is great. A lot of cool opportunities are popping up, having fun in life. You told me you're living out of your car? No.

Yeah, yes. Yes. There's just some clothes. There's just some clothes and some dishwear. No, everything is good. So basically, like, I... Well, first of all, this is going to sound sad. So I'm going to say this one first.

My dad had a stroke, I found out. Damn, I'm sorry. It's okay. We have a weird relationship, but also, like, it's still a parent. So it's like, you know what I mean? These are like two things dads are obsessed with, by the way. Having a weird relationship with their kids and having a stroke. And then, like, you being like, oh, I need to drop everything.

Yeah. And, like, do something about it also. But he's doing fantastic, which is great. But then the second thing... thing was, is, like, so basically it was my girlfriend's birthday last weekend, and we did like a staycation thing, which I feel like people don't do in L.A. Maybe that's like a, like a Midwest thing. It's very Midwest. Yeah. In L.A., it's like, let's go to Ohio. Yeah, exactly. So I was like, I want to do a staycation. So we like got a really cool, like, hotel room, when it's like a bar

with like a bunch of her friends. And then my roommate, um, FaceTimed me after we all leave the bar. and there is a man in my kitchen wearing, which is kind of funny, my best friend's production company shirt, but he's wearing our clothes. What? Like socks from like head to toe with like a knife in his hand for protection

and it's just making food. Maybe the knife was for the food. No. No, he was wielding. You would know by the FaceTime. It was like a very much like a... FaceTime. Hold on.

How were we seeing this guy? So basically my roommate came home with a friend and a friend and so they get there and then he's like he was about to go in then thank god she was there yeah because she was like don't do that he for whatever reason in his mind thought that was me yeah i don't know what's the clothes and yeah yeah yeah exactly like why would you assume it would be anyone else and so uh but she stops and she was like we shouldn't go in yeah and then he looks and i guess i guess the guy looked over and was like what are you going to do Well, if you have a knife, not much, brother.

Yeah, and then just went right back to making his mac and cheese. To be fair, that could be what the knife was for. I guess. Either way, good for him, I guess. Wait, so what did we find out? So your roommate doesn't go in. Yes, my roommate doesn't go in. He facetimes me from like a side window in which I get to see what's happening in real time. It's like looking over and like making food at the same time.

It was a lot. So I end up leaving the staycation. Left my girlfriend there and I felt really bad about that. But I left the staycation. I go home. and then all the cops had just arrived, like right when I get there. Good.

And so... Surely they'll make it all better. Yeah. And so they did, no, they didn't actually. If I'm being honest with you, they were super nice, but they basically arrested the man, and then we had to go in.

This guy trashed our place. And he, like, left, like, a bunch of stuff. It was, like, a nasty, like, cheetah blanket with, like, a bunch of hair on it. Like, on my bed, his underwear was everywhere. He was, in fact, having a staycation himself. He was chilling, yeah. He was.

Definitely. Good deal for him. Yeah, good job for him. And so he didn't steal anything. He didn't steal anything. And so in the middle of me trying to assess the situation, the cop was like, hey, I don't want to bother you. But like, aren't you from YouTube? And I was like, this is not the time.

Not now. Not now. This is not the time to be doing that. That's crazy. Yeah. And so it was a homeless individual. We didn't press charges. And I think everyone's mad that we did.

But he didn't steal anything. Yeah You can't be in my house with a knife I don't know I'm as left as the next guy You can't be in my house with a knife It's a boundary for me It's a boundary for me

You can't go in my house with a knife And put your cheetah blanket on my bed It really got me was the fact that he was Boiling water in a skillet Yeah And I think Well he's not been in a kitchen in a minute Yes and I have a soft place in my heart

With people that have schizophrenia And so just a weird thing to say out of context. Do you know that he does? If you're boiling water in a skillet, I mean, what's going on? He might just be really not up on kitchen stuff. That's a really good point as well. It's actually kind of crazy to jump to schizophrenia. To be like, no, he has a different personality inside him that told him skillet is for boiling.

I think it's like he might just really not be up on kitchens based on his situation. Yeah, maybe a little ablest of me. I don't know. So I, yeah, we let him go. And I didn't realize that process. Like he just got out of the cop car and walked away. He did a catch and release. I think I was kind of hoping that maybe like that meant like he fuck with me like now.

He's going to fuck with you. So come back in that house and make some more mac and cheese in the skillet. Yeah. So that was that. So like I don't know. There is like a feeling of like your your safety and like also just kind of like you're like safe space. Just like being like. And I don't know.

It made me feel weird. And so we also had we were taking a trip to New Hampshire the week after. So I was like, I haven't even packed. packed for that trip. That was like a day later. And so I just grabbed a bunch of stuff from my house. And then like I couldn't even assess like the mess. Like I couldn't do anything.

So I just, I literally just got back two nights ago then filmed all day yesterday. And then I'm just now kind of dealing with the situation. Does anyone clean the house yet? Yeah. Thank God. Our landlord did a really good job.

You got like cleaners in there, which was good. Yeah. But yeah. So I'm kind of still like going through my stuff and like, because there's things that cleaners. This now sounds like, me being a dick. There's some things that cleaners

can't touch. And so I was trying to get all of that together also. But everything's good now. And now I'm going to unclean my car when I leave here and it's going to be good. There's no doubt that you should have canceled on this. Yeah, that's fine. I would have supported you so crazy. I'm really, you need to know, you need to know about me that I'm always happy to get canceled on. I know. I know. It means the world. You're awesome for that too. I'm thrilled to be here. I love talking with you. I love talking with you too.

I'm good. Like everything is good. I'm very lucky in that sense also. My mom's also, I'm going to Cabo also next week, so there's just a lot of work I have to do. So I was like, this would be a good thing to do. Plus, we tried to do this in Kansas City and it didn't happen. So I was like, I want to make sure this happens. It's true, because you're a Kansas City legend. I know. I was thinking of you the other day, actually, because you did the, our benefit show last year.

Dude, that was. You were so great on it. I'm still talking to people about that. It's so fun, right? It's so cool knowing what you're doing for that city. I think that I, it's one of those things that I really am like just proud. To one know you. to also know that we had a similar kind of like comedy training background.

But I don't know. I think that what you're doing for the city and also to know there's someone in Kansas City besides Tech 9. Ted! Mr. Nine! Have you met Mr. Aaron? Dude. Aaron Yates yet?

Dude, he told a friend of mine once. We were at the same event. There was a tweet years ago that was very formative to Chance and I that was like, nobody fucks with Tech Nine like white boys from the suburbs of Kansas City. And I was like, it's correct. Yeah. I fucking love Tech Nine. And we met him in an event.

and they, my friend, I don't remember what they said exactly. They're like, uh, Mr. I don't, do I call you Tech Nine or Tech? He was like, Mr. Nine is. He's the man, dude. Tech Nine fucking rips. For anyone who doesn't know, look up Tech Nine's music. He's a Kin City rapper. He's a fucking legend.

He's actually doing so much for the city. I do nothing for the city. I throw a one benefit show that basically just showcases what people are actually doing in the city. But it is so fun to do every year. I love it so. It's our next one's coming up soon. That's so dope. I love it.

It's really fun. And it's so fun to get to bring people in for it. We did it around Thanksgiving in the first couple years, and it was so hard to get people. That lineup, dude, that lineup, like Japanese breakfast? Yeah, she was great, right? Insane. Yeah, Michelle, I love her.

That was one of the coolest things to also just witness and, like, the movement. I forget the organization's name, and I feel really bad about that also. But even who it was for. I mean, I don't know. The entire night was absolutely incredible. And I don't know.

I'm just really proud of you, man. Thanks, dude. And Freedom Affair, who fucking rips. They're awesome. They played last year. They're playing again this year. Yes, yes, yes, yes. They're so good.

And then freaking Taylor Thompson. Dude, Taylor was great. I know. Taylor was so great. I love that girl. I basically texted her and was like, hey, I looked at, because I always look at anybody who has, like, a public calendar.

I check before I ask them anything. I'm like, I don't want to bother you if it's, like, public information that you're busy. And I checked her touring schedule and it said she had like two nights off between, like Milwaukee and Phoenix or something. And I was like, well, fuck. I mean, I'll ask. I'd be nobody deal if she said no. I was like, would you want to spend one of your nights off coming and doing this benefit show for no money?

And she was like, absolutely, I'll be there. That's so sick. And I was like, dude, that's the coolest thing ever. That's so sick. They were fucking rocks. Yeah, the industry, the entertainment industry gets a bad rep, but there are a lot of really good people. Yeah. And I think just like I'm trying to collect all of them like Infinity Stones.

I think you're doing it. Yeah. Seems like you got good people around you. Yeah. I feel really good about like our wave of entertainment, like trying to be less problematic and trying to create good spaces for people. people to have fun and be able to showcase their creativity. It's kind of is really all I'm about as I age into an old man. How old are you?

I'm 30. We're the same age. How old are you in your spirit? I feel like I am 27. But that's because of the pandemic. Yeah. You know, like I do feel like. It took years off of you.

Yeah, I didn't get. I didn't get any experience. Like, I just read and watched like YouTube videos. I feel like maybe I learned more, but I didn't get to experience. So like post that, I don't really feel like a 30 year. I'm 31, actually. and that's sad that I just realized that as well. That's beautiful. That's completely beautiful to be 31.

31 is the perfect age. Until next year when I'm 32. No. But why does 31 feel older than 32? Do you ever get that feeling? There are ages like this where it's like this age feels older than the, like 40 somehow feels younger than 35 to me. Yes. If that makes sense.

It does. There's just something, something happens with the years. Is it an even number? Do even numbers feel younger than odd numbers? Maybe. And also you talking about COVID and just like, watching YouTube videos and reading books is like, don't you find it funny, the people who always want to talk to you the most

about how hard COVID was, they're like never ICU nurses. They're always like people that were gardening. Yeah. Like it was so hard. I couldn't go to dinner. It's like, well, it was hard. A lot of people died. You would have the house, you know?

Well, you have the house. And I'm one of those people, by the way. When it was happening, I was like, this can't happen to me. I got to get out. I'm young. Yeah. It was a very pivotal because we were like our mid-20s. Yeah.

We were our mid-20s were like the time where you would like experience a lot. you would go out, you would meet new people, and then, like, I just got out and was with the same people. Dude, if you ever hear me complaining about COVID, feel free to beat my ass, because I had it good. That's right. Wait, what was your saying? I had just, I had spent the first half of my 20s working shit day jobs that I fucking hated. In Chicago. In Chicago. Where were you working?

Everywhere. I had every job. I worked at a finance firm. I worked at nonprofit. I walked dogs. I did social media. I like everything you could think of. Yeah.

Which is to say I got fired a lot. Which is to say I usually quit right before they could fire me. They'd be like, can we see you on Friday at 4 p.m.? And I'd be like, no, because I quit. You can't see me Friday at 4 p.m. because I quit, bitch. Nice try. But yeah, it was COVID came at this time where, like, I was, I had just stopped working day jobs.

I had just got in my first writer's room. Oh, wow. And so I had moved to L.A. during the very first part of COVID. And then I worked in remote writers rooms for all of COVID. So I was, like, doing my dream, making more money than I'd ever made. Oh, sick. No, I got crazy lucky. And I made new friends because I was in L.A.

And we could do outdoor shit from distance. Yeah. And yeah, it was COVID came at the time. I feel bad for like teenagers. Me too. For me, I was like, I had worked enough and been in the real world just long enough that I was like, a break sounds. Kind of nice.

Kind of good. We kind of got like an intermission. Yeah. It's kind of what I think. We got an intermission. Stretch out a little bit. Yeah. Come back to it.

And like process all the mistakes I made in the previous five years. Now let's come back a better person. Did I? I don't know. I don't know. But at the same time, it, teenagers definitely had it the ones. worse because you didn't get those formative years like those years of like trying to figure out who you are all of that being inside i think it would be really hard if you were 12 to 22 i feel

i feel that's what i feel yeah everyone else except for the people who passed yes r i p chance stop laughing that's not funny chance is laughing at that you see the kind of stuff he gets away with off camera oh my gosh that's crazy stop it it's not i don't like that kind of stuff and people do think he's like a benevolent magnanimous like oh chance is so i love his laugh in the back that's the kind of shit he's doing over there off camera. Yeah, it's giving malevolence. He's not a good guy. Yeah. He's not a good guy. I don't like that. Sorry. Thank you, Chance. That meant

the world, and we accept that, and we welcome you back into the community. Hi, Chance. We welcome you back into the fold. Do you like being alive? What's your take on being alive? You're enjoying it? That's a hard question. I think I... Because I was thinking on the drive over here. I'll give you the context. I was thinking on the drive over here about life was actually

low-key way easier when I didn't care if I lived. Yeah. And now that I'm like, I love being alive. It actually sucks. You have to pay attention to so many things. I like worry about vitamins. That sucks. It does suck. Because I want to live. It does suck. That's crazy. I'm gonna get dark if you really want to get dark. Who gives a fun? I do love being alive. Yeah. But I think I really am realizing that people are the reason why I love being alive. Like I love relationships. I love connecting with people. And I think that that's, when you're an artist, it's very easy to kind of get into your own bubble. But even like with the production that you have,

I'm like, it takes a village, like it takes a team. It's mostly me, but there's people around. But for the past, like, few weeks, I have just been a lot more curious about death. Yeah. So I've just been watching, like, all these really strange videos about, like, what actually happens? Because no one wants to talk about that.

So I'm like, what actually happens when you die? What did you find out? Well, what they say is, is that, you know, your brain does a really good job of allocating which organs need to go first. And then there's just, like, a slow fade in which all of your memories then begin to start plank.

Yeah. And so then that got me in my head and I'm like, am I dying right now? Yeah. Like, is this a memory that's being played in my brain and I'm re-watching that? And then I was like,

I need to stop watching this and I went on a walk. Yeah, one of the biggest things you can do is stop thinking about death and go for a walk. Yeah. That's one of the biggest things to do. Yeah, you got to take a break.

Let me go get a little, nice little matcha. Yeah, get a match about it. Get a matcha. Get a matcha and then I went back to my apartment and then I rewatch the video. But I don't know. There's something about death

that I find both terrifying. But I remember pre-pandemic in 2019, I made a short film with a friend of mine named Kendall. And he had a notification on his phone. I'll never forget this. We were doing one of those 24-hour film festivals. Oh, those are fun, yeah. Yeah, super fun.

And he had a notification on his phone while we were editing said movie. And it said, remember you're going to die. Comes up every day? Yes. And then he took a second. He looked at it and he goes, and then just went right and I was like, what the actual

fuck is this? Not the deep breath. And also who programmed that app? Yeah. I don't, and I am so curious to know if that app, if anyone watching knows that this app exists, I'm so curious to know what it is. But that, I think, is what started my fascination. But I've been scared to fully dive into it.

It's actually helpful, though. I do think, I sometimes am moving through the world and hearing myself and hearing people around me complain about stuff or get pent out of shape about stuff or worry about stuff that I'm like, we all do forget a little too often,

I think, that it's going to end. You get wrapped in the rigmarole. If you knew you were going to die tomorrow, which is like silly because you can't live like that but it's like you simply wouldn't give a fuck about this at all. A thousand percent.

Even if you knew you were going to die in six months. A thousand percent. There's stuff that you'd just be like, fuck, I don't give a fuck. It's like, do I want to spend all of my time watching all of these reality shows on Peacock? Or do I actually want to go outside and actually make something happening?

And when I've realized that it's a little bit of bull I still and I do feel like that is a part of existing like the part that I get to live in a universe in which below deck exists I think is actually kind of cool and kind of magical when you think about the grand scheme of life so I do want to appreciate that yeah but at the same time I also need to appreciate the natural the natural yeah get to earth maybe the earth the earth the earth yeah do you want to explore space not let me tell you something no not even close to it not don't fuck ever. You're not curious a little bit what that would be like? Fuck no. Really? Why? Fuck outer space. And another thing, fuck the ocean.

Why? Do you understand that when, do you, have you ever listened to or read interviews of people who come back from space? And I'm not talking like when they sent Gayle King up there with Lauren Sanchez. I'm talking to people, real astronauts that have really been to outer space. I can't say I have, no. Their interviews are, they come back and they're like, I saw everything for what it was and I can never go back to the way I felt before. I don't need that shit.

Kind of cool, though. Just a little bit. Dude, I can't, I'll have a panic attack. Not right now, I hope. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. But, like, when you really think about... When you really think about how small we are? Yeah, it's wild.

And how little we matter? It's crazy. It doesn't matter. None of this matters. It's crazy. It doesn't matter. There's this thing that comes... That gets searched me all the time online

on, like, Instagram, fucking feed. that's like really cute illustrations actually but it's like in a hundred years all of us will be dead in 200 years everybody that you like anybody your kids or whatever will also be dead and it's like in 300 years nobody will remember your name

or what you did and I think all the time about like whoever the most famous person alive was or the most talented writer or the funniest guy in 1700 something not only do I not know who it was I don't give a fuck extra truth And that's going to happen to us too. It's the truth.

So I'm like, I just am like, do I need to like go outside of the earth, my home, which I love, and see for sure how small we are? Yeah. And how fragile. Don't get me starting to think about asteroids. Because they come around. Anxiety. They do come around. They come close.

I actually just got to see a meteor shower, actually this past weekend. They come around. They come around. And the entire time I was thinking about the man that broke into my house. And I was like, that's not fair. Of course. Because I was like trying to take in the beauty. And that was just like a reoccurring thought.

And I'm like, I can't even enjoy this moment. You got a little bit of PTSD. Yeah, for sure. He was in your space. But anxiety is weird like that. Like there's like weird things that will like trigger my anxiety. It's crazy how that's your thing. Like I have a friend back home named Ben who recently told me and it was I was pretty proud of him for like revealing this to me.

But he told me that his anxiety was. The entire time in high school, his anxiety was his mom was paying us to be his friends. Was she? No. Oh, okay. It's like, like, where did he come up with that? I don't know, but that's why I'm like, that would never give me anxiety. Like, if I knew that my mom was paying my friends, I'm like, let's fucking go.

There's a trust fund. I tried to do a bit with these guys last night. Nicole, Chance and Michelle, we were driving home from dinner. Yeah. And I was like, you know, I was going to do like a bit where I was like playing like, I don't know. Like, I was like, when we're all having fun, I wonder if like you guys are having as much fun as I am or if you're just pretending because you're at work. and I was like gonna try and turn it into some sort of like joke. I got sad.

Well, I didn't get the chance. I didn't get the chance to play because the three of them all immediately were like, oh, Caleb, that's really fucking bleak. Like each, like it was like a little wave. It was like, I didn't get the chance to like play a character or like do this guy. I guess I was going to play like some sort of like CEO guy or something. But literally at first Nicole goes like, oh, that's not. And then chances like, fuck, man, that's so sad.

And then Michelle, in like, quick order was like, oh, that's not really good to hear. Like, dang. And I was like, okay, damn. But let me cook. Let me cook. I thought we could come up with something here. Yeah. I don't worry about that.

I know we're having fun. That is so funny, though. But that's this guy's actual thing. All day. Every day. That's fucked. This is the same exact thing. I didn't, I will say I didn't like the way the reaction felt to me saying that.

Yeah, I know. So I can't imagine what the actual feeling feels like. Or does that mean it's true? That they're all on the payroll and they pretend to have fun with me? I mean, who knows? I don't think. so because none of them are like super nice or talented. So it's like they're not kind enough to do that performance.

And if they were, they don't have the goods to pull it off. You're right. You're right. You're right. The three of them. Okay. The room is silent. They all three had their heads and their hands.

No, no, no. I love them. But yeah, the death stuff comes up a lot at work. Because when they ask for like fair treatment or better hours, I go just remember. Yeah, exactly. You will fucking die. In 100 years, no one will know what time you showed up. for work today. Yeah, so why are we talking about this? So let's just show up. That's what I'm saying.

Yeah, they have it pretty bad, but... But you're kind of killing it right now, though, also. Yeah, I'm happy to, and it's nice to abuse... I'm using my power to abuse these people, and it feels good. But see, this is also making me... I, again, going back to we're super small, this is one thing that gets me, the majority of people, I feel like, not you, but the majority of people in positions of power in a lot of sectors are mentally unwell. One hundred percent. And I, I, I, even like the GM of, like, a basking, rock. Yeah. Almost certainly.

Yeah, it's definitely just too many orders. It's a weird phenomenon that I feel like no one is talking about enough. Yeah. Like any like small business sometimes, like the person at the very, very top. I'm not talking about like the manager. Even if they're just managing like a few stores, they're just mentally unwell. But it's a broken system and it's not putting enough care into how we can mend that. How do we make that better?

Can you not make that better? I don't know. What better? The employee relationship with employer? What better? like being able to alleviate that, what's making you so stressed? Is it the amount of work? Is it also your bills on top

of that mean that you're also experiencing a whole new wave of problems that no one can ever fathom? Like it's just an interesting thing. Does that mean that your human experience should actually be to not achieve? Like it puts you in a weird headspace of us

wondering like what is the point of all of this? Like what is the point of taking on all these different responsibilities and stress? And maybe this is me justifying being lazy. and I have no idea. But why not? Why not be lazy? Yeah.

Or do or don't. I don't know. It doesn't matter. And maybe there's no rules to it and that's just what it is. I think the point is to have fun and love people and be in love and be loved and show love. I think the point is to make this as I really think the point of being alive is to make the experience for some reason. I don't know if there's like a person who wants us to do this or what it is. For some reason, I think the point is to make it as enjoyable as possible.

I think so too. For as many people as possible. not just for yourself. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. To just make it as nice, to have as many pleasant interactions as you can, to just kind of create heaven on earth to the extent that you're able.

Yeah. And that's it. I think that's the point. That's a beautiful sentiment. I hope it's true. I don't know what happens when we die. I don't know if that's going to be good enough. Can you imagine getting to heaven and God's like,

did you get the flag? You're like, oh, there was a flag. There was a flag. I was supposed to capture the flag. Are you kidding me, dude? I was just hanging out. I was being so nice to everybody. I probably could have captured.

Yeah. I could have captured the flag. I didn't know it was there. No one gave me that rule book. Dude. This episode is brought to you by Hinge. Look, dating can be a goddamn nightmare. It can be a daunting and difficult thing to navigate.

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For my hinge profile. For you? Yeah, well, give him a... You know me best. Give him a reflection of me. Oh, wow. Great smile, and he always picks up the check. That's actually, yeah.

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for 70 to 80% off everything as a new VIP. Yeah, I don't know. Whatever with death, it'll happen, I guess. Did you go up religious? Sure. Yeah, we grew up in the Bible. Yeah, I will say I was lucky, though, because my mom, you know what my mom said the other day,

this was really funny. My mom is a really interesting person, just in general. Yeah. I find her so fascinating and brilliant. And she, we weren't lunch the other. other day. And she was like, we were talking about, sometimes we'll go to lunch in Kansas City and we'll just kind of get

into life and like, you know, big questions. And we were talking and keep in mind, we're at a sports bar. Which one? We're at sports bar. Tanner's right there? Oh, I don't have to, I don't have to code with you. You know what the fuck I'm talking about. Yeah, dude.

We were at fucking the peanut. That's awesome. The peanut is sick. Shout to the peanut there. Yeah, right there on Brookside. Yeah, it's right. We were at the peanut by a table of 16, like, finance bros. That's hilarious.

That's a funny. And my mom are cutting it up about, like, faith and what happens when we die. Yeah. And I go, she somehow comes up and she goes, do you ever think that, like, maybe this is your last time on earth? And I go, what do you mean? She goes, well, sometimes I think that we get sent back when we die, we get sent back until we, like, learn whatever lesson we were supposed to learn.

Like, we didn't learn it in our first five lifetimes. Yeah. The sixth lifetime you come back. You're just keep getting sent back until you learn the thing you're supposed to learn. Wow. And I was like, no, I've never really thought about whether or not it's my life. last time. I thought about a lot whether or not it's my first time because I feel that I've been on earth many times before this lifetime. Yeah. I feel so old. I feel so like I've done this.

Old soul for sure. Yeah. And anyway, we're talking about that. And the funny thing is I go, okay, how do you square to my mom? She's Christian. Never been a big church person, never been very like dogmatic. She's always just like, you're supposed to love everybody. Be a good person. My mom's the same And I go, how do you square this like very Eastern kind of like Carmic reincarnation belief that you have? Yeah. With like your belief in like heaven and Jesus Christ and God. Yeah.

And she like takes a sip of her beer and goes, I've never thought about that a day in my life. And can I just say legend? Absolutely. And I was like, what do you mean you never thought about it? Because if you believe in Christianity, you believe that when you die, you either go to heaven or hell. Yeah. You don't have to believe in that,

but that's like the traditional. I was like, that can't be true if you're getting sent back. And she was like, sue me. Yeah. She's like, I don't care. That's cool as fuck.

That is the, you have a cool mom. Legendary shit. It's a cool, cool mom, man. I'm a Christian and a Buddhist. What's next? There's nothing wrong. I think that there's nothing wrong with

and a lot of people be mad about this, but like I treat religion or like belief. It's kind of like a buffet. Yeah. Like, you know what I mean? I'm grabbing a little bit of this. Yeah.

A little bit of that. I'm thinking this one if it looks good. Yeah, just a little bit. Like, what makes me feel good? Like, what fills me up? And I feel like I've kind of have like my own personal belief system. Like, this is fine.

Like, even what you're saying about feeling so connected that you've been here before, there is a weird philosophy, and I don't know the name of it. I don't know it's like a long time ago. But it's this idea that you individually

reincarnate as everybody. What? Yes. And that your role, your role is to literally come back as everyone. So you would take on Michelle's perspective. Also, again, that means you're not getting benefits either.

So you're taking on chances. You're taking on every single person on earth that has lived or ever lived and you live their entire lifetime until you're finished. So that's just like, what the fuck?

And then you're able to... And then you're able to move on to the next phase. So you don't move on until you've lived all 8 billion people's lives. But it's more than 8 billion. It's everyone that's ever lived. But then what about the people after you? You don't have to live like them?

You live like them as well. You're everyone in the history of this simulation of Earth. Which I'm trying to break away from the simulation theory because it was created by Elon Musk. I don't like that kind of stuff. Elon Musk created a theory. He said that at like a press conference. And I remember him saying the simulation thing. And then like everyone in their mom was like, what if we're living in a simulation?

And like at the time it was cool. What if he's an evil fucking moron and that just benefits him? But we didn't know that at the time. I knew it. Do you remember when he was putting? We were also so ADHD right now. I'm with it. I'd have never liked him.

Because in this also, that means you have to live like Elon Musk. So we're taking this on. But there was a time when he was trying to put this, like, put on this whole, like, billionaires are cool. And, like, when I die, I'm also going to be able to give away all of my wealth. So you guys should like me. And, like, in the 2010s, I feel like we were very much like, you know what? Some billionaires are kind of cool. And then that just took a sharp turn at the start of 2020.

You shouldn't get, yeah, you shouldn't get the money in the first place. No. You shouldn't be dispensing it at you. It doesn't make any sense. It doesn't make any sense. You should be, yeah, I. I've never liked that guy. And the fact that they all want to be funny drives me fucking crazy.

Dude, you do not even get me. They're so deep. Carolyn Levitt, that's stupid bitch. Dude, these people are not. She just did an interview where she was like, what's something? They're like, what's something people don't know about you? And she was like, probably just that I'm silly when I'm not at work.

And I'm like, you are not silly, bitch. Shut up. No, you are not fucking silly. You know damn well you are not silly. Your husband is 16,000 years older than you. You work for Hitler. You'd get up there in these, Your facework is horrible.

That's not important with silly, but like, it's just a thing to say. So crazy. Not a billionaire being like, I'm kind of quirky. You are not silly, bitch. I'm not like other girls. You are not silly. You're a fucking, oh my God, you're a foot soldier for the Gestapo. Literally.

Ew. I'm just like goofy. No, you're not. Stop it. Leave that to us. We're silly. No. I'm not even that silly.

Dude, I can't. I know you're not silly. I'm not that silly. No, man. If I was a billionaire, I would be doing the craziest things. I would be true. Truly, I think, so silly. What would you do day one?

Day one of being a billionaire, Brewster's millions type shit. What would do you do? I would do like a statue. But like in a really inconvenient place that would affect other billionaires. You're okay. Like something that is just like so provocative

and like I can't even think of what the exact thing would be but I would just be, I think, messing with others within my immediate group. Sure, you're fucking with the other billionaires. You're in the billionaire group chat sending crazy shit. Yes, if I just accidentally just got a billion dollars, I would be doing that in a second. I think I would just be like messing with them.

I do want a statue of myself. There's nothing wrong with that. When I die, I think just throw a statue of me in Loose Park. Ooh. I saw a statue of Jacob Loose in Loose Park the other day, and I say he can't be the only one who gets a statue. No, right next to it. I don't even know what he did.

Keep it loose. Dude, the amount of memories I have in Loose Park, that's like the first place I ever smoked wheat. Well, no, is it? No, the first place that smoked weed was in Waldo. and then was in Luce Park all the time. Like I don't know if you remember, but like Luce Park was the place.

It's still a place for me. I'm in there. It's so much. But like there was a time period when I was in high school where it was just like hundreds of kids would be there on a Saturday night.

Yeah. And would just be drinking and would just be doing like all this stuff that I just remember being like this, I don't think anything gets better than this. Yeah, it was good. They used to have fun on the plaza too.

Yeah, the plaza too. it's actually kind of not as good anymore which is being sad. Well, it's because they crack down. They don't want teenagers, whatever, I get it. You don't want teenagers like drunk driving at the plaza.

Totally. Fine. Kill the vibe, I guess. I totally get it. That having been said, there's some beautiful memories. I was there for one of those accidental riots on accident.

I think I had literally just left to go to I spy with, who was in that? It was Steve Correll and... Tina Faye. Or no, Muslim. McCarthy. Yes,

whatever, yes. Wasn't it Moshe McCarthy and I spy? No, I think it was from Princess Diaries, so it's

her name Ann Hathaway. Was this the... Was it An Hathaway? Oh, you're not referring to the 2002 version, are you? Steve, no, Steve Karell and Ann Hathaway.

It was just spy, right? Spy, maybe it was just Spy. Not I spy. Drop the eye. Chance, Google, Spy.

Spy 2015 film. This would have been Melissa McCarthy, Jason Statham. Oh, wow. I don't think Steve Krell was in this. Really?

The movie I saw was Steve... You're thinking of couples night. No, you're thinking of Get Smart. Get Smart. Get smart. Get smart. That was the one. So me and my cousin Carl were leaving to go see Get Smart.

Who was in it with Steve Krell, though? In Hathaway. It was not in Hathaway. It has to be in Hathaway. It can't be in Hathaway. It was an adaptation of a 60s TV series. He's replaced, here we go. It was Ann Hathaway.

No! It was. It was Ann! Shout out, girl. I remember that night so perfectly. Went to the McDonald's, because I don't think it was Nuddles & Coe yet. I think it was to the McDonald's. I don't know.

Anyways. Then we went to... Kansas City ass episode. Getting deep on the noodles and co-McDonald's transition. Let's go. So then we went outside and it was just chaos in the streets. People on top of cars, people running the streets, like cops everywhere, like freaking like pepper spraying people.

And we were like, oh, we're in, we just like booked it and just ran. People were like hiding in canoes like in that little lake. Like it was a wild night and I will just never forget that. But I remember being like, this was fun. Dude, I was in Loose Park the other day. Yeah. I've been off weed for a while. Yeah.

Nice. I usually when I'm in there, I'm stoned out of my mind. I'm on a walk. I'm so stone. I'm like on another planet. I've been off weed. Since I got off weed, I've been more emotional. Wow.

And that's not, by the way, I wasn't crazy on weed before. I was only smoking like two or three times a week. For sure. Like, I don't know, but I've been way more emotional. Have your dreams become more vivid? Not that I've noticed, but I'll try to check in. Okay. But I was in Loose Park and I was walking and I was down by the pond.

And I saw, I looked over, it was like sunset. And I looked over and I saw a big, heart made out of flowers, like a huge one, maybe like seven feet tall. Oh wow. And then it had like glowing letters on it that said, will you marry me? And right as I looked over,

I saw a guy getting down on his knee and proposing to his girl. And there's like probably 50 people around in the park, like walking. Everyone has noticed it and turns and starts cheering and clapping. I'm going to cry again. So I immediately start weeping. Oh, what? I immediately sobbing. I'm clapping.

I'm cheering. I'm clapping. I look like shit. I'm like, shit. I'm like, oh. 95 degrees and I'm in workout clothes. I'm like clapping and cheering and then I'm weeping. No one else is crying.

So then I walk past this bench and there's two older people on it. And they see me crying and I shit you not. I look down at them like kind of smiling and crying being like, I'm like we're all part of this moment. I look down at them smiling thing and they'll be crying too and they go. The shade for no reason. They just side-eyed the fuck out of me. That's crazy.

And they were like an old couple. And I was like, what? You're too good to be moved by this. No. Oh, that's in, they're from Lenoxa. They're from Lenoxa. I couldn't believe it. That's insane.

It was extremely hurtful. That is, yeah, because that doesn't feel validating. I was right. I mean, I was right. You are right in that situation. They should have been crying too. They should be. Or at least smiling at me.

It's a beautiful thing that I had, I had the exact opposite thing in Loos Park where I'm like 15 or 16, me and my friend Ben, same do with the anxiety, are literally, it's also funny and hard to think he thinks his mom is. You're at the park of Ben, you're on the clock. Yeah, literally. I'm like, oh, man. Cheate was late last week. we're in and people

they probably still do used to do weddings in Loos Park so it was a huge wedding we got high by I believe the tree was called Tarzan that's what we call it the one that's like right in the middle and the leaves kind of like hangover

so we're by Tarzan Is it the big racist looking one? Probably. One that looks like it's from all the racist movies with the Willows. Yes and it's spelled out all lives matter on the top. Yeah 100%.

Insane. So we are like there's all these people at this wedding and we're blaze out of our mind we walk over and sit in the back row of this wedding. Don't have your wedding in the park. Amazing moment. We see the bride and groom

kiss. They get married and him and I start crying. Hell yeah. Right at the, we're like 15 or 16, we stand up with everyone and we clap. Such a beautiful and amazing moment. Our eyes look like Satan's penis. Yeah. Just red, gnarled.

But no one questioned us being there. Of course not. They're in the park. Yeah, exactly. That's beautiful. That's so beautiful. There's something about fall that makes staying in feel even better. Oh, yeah, that's what my fans need to hear. We hear it's so true. Love to reach for our Lola blanket when it's time to stay in for a night of TV, movies, and more. It's so soft and comfy.

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Somehow things usually get worse before they get better. Apparently, that's how I roll. So bundle up and come along for the bumpy. ride. Stream a new episode of North of North Tuesdays on CBC Gem. Where some see heroes and others see egos. Bloomberg sees the era of billionaire athletes. A fad to some, the future of money to others. We see crypto's trillion-dollar swings. The end of jobs, or the end of human struggle. We see the endless funds fueling the AI hype. While others follow the The noise, we follow the money.

Learn more at Bloomberg.com. Yeah, I was, I feel let down by that couple. I feel that they should have smiled at me. That's not fair. I feel that they should have cried and smiled. I'm sorry, hey, well, hey. Thanks, dude. Of course.

That means everything. God, I wish I was crying right now. I know. Wouldn't you cry the last time? Dude. Whoa, I mean. Not about the knife. No, I actually can't say, well, I, we. probably like about five days ago for a friend that gave me very exciting news.

Oh my God. Yeah. It's their news? Their news. Oh, my God. And it's one of those things too, like knowing, especially like at this point, like, you've just, you have creative friends that are like also not like your best friends and you kind of know what they've been through and you know like what they've overcome.

And like, and so when something like this massive happens, it's one of those things that just like it just makes you just like utterly just start crying because I can just feel like that pain, but you stuck with it. A comic friend? Yeah. Damn. That's crazy. I can't wait to hear the news on the camera.

It's really, really exciting. And I'm very happy, and I don't know. I just love that type of stuff. Yeah. I love that kind of stuff. One of my favorite moments in comedy, it happens every year, is when the S&L announcements start happening.

Wharily. And people, I don't give a fuck about that show or who gets on it, but I do like how much everyone else. Everyone in comedy knows like two, a month or so before the announcement. For sure. For sure.

It's really fun when, people are like, they got a good one. For sure. When it's someone that everyone's like, that person is really funny, they've been working really hard. And I feel that way about, about Cam Patterson.

Yeah. I feel that way about Cam Patterson. Like, I met Cam, like when he was kind of in like the throes of like Kill Tony and stuff. And like I think with anyone from like that platform, I think you have like a certain air. But like the nicest and one of the kindest humans

that I think that I've ever like done shows with, interacted with. And like him getting that just filled me with so much joy. I love, I think Kim is so fun. He's so freaking funny, so naturally talented, and, like, I think his future is so bright. Yeah. And so, like, that really made me happy also. And to also now be in, like, a new environment for him to be able to learn and be able to grow.

Like, I was like, that's really sick. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That's not, like, rooted in Austin, Texas. You know what I mean? Which is not actually, I don't want Kill Tony to be the representation of Austin, Texas.

But you know what I mean. It's not. There's an actually good comedy scene there is. There is. There is. Yeah. Fuck Kill Tony. I can't stand those fucking losers.

Yeah, there was a time when, like, Kill Tony, I, I feel. feel like also, I feel like some of it is like subsided, but there was a time when people were looking at it like, kind of like America's got talent. And so comics were just kind of like, are you going to go do it? And I was like, no, I'm not going to go do it. It's dinner for schmucks. Yeah. He's a, he's a talentless fucking loser. And he gets off on bringing up people that he knows are not, mostly not going to be very good. Yeah. And then we all laugh at them. And isn't it funny that they tried this even though they're not good at it? Not really. Yes. I fucking, that whole crowd of people, I'm so just like, ick. Over it.

I got a bunch of hate messages, kill yourself type shit recently because I said, I told a story about some straight guy at a bar asking me if I was, if I had ever been on Kill Tony. Oh, wow. And I said I'd rather fucking die. And people came after you for that? Oh, yeah, because the Kill Tony crowd, they all have this weird, a lot of these fans of that have this weird, like, belief that they're like some true defenders of comedy or something,

that there's some like last bastion of free speech when they're all actually just a bunch of like ignorant talentless pussies. And low-hanging fruit. That's all they're going for. It doesn't matter what you think of me because I'm an actual comic and you're not. And like I don't, it doesn't matter.

It doesn't matter. You're like a fan of Kill Tony. But yeah, they're in my DMs like, you know. That's crazy. And at the same time, it's like you guys, you have so many other things that you could be doing. So many other things.

And even if they just took a second and just watched the comedy on your page, I think their minds thought that point would also just be blown. It's like, hey, while you're here, why you're here, why don't you just take a second and just peruse. Hey, don't DM me privately to tell myself.

Put it in the comments. Yes. Maybe share it and say, I wish this guy would kill him. Yes. Let's run the numbers up. Any promo is good promo. All press is good press. I'm down with it.

I'm like, whatever you need to do. It's like, let's push each other out, family. Let's build together. Yeah. You hate me? Let that be known. Let people know what you're about. Yes.

Put my stuff out there. That's all it is. It could be a beautiful partnership. Yeah. People aren't community minded like that. It's kind of like what Andrew Tate did. I'm sorry. I'm not going to keep talking.

Didn't he get arrested in Chino's recently? Oh, yes, he did. And his fit, you see his fit he was wearing? He was wearing like gauchos. So freaking funny. He was really, he has the trashest fits of all time. Yeah, but it's gotta be the worst thing about it. No, yeah, I think my...

Kidding. He was wearing caprice. He was wearing caprice. He was wearing capris. He wears these tight-ass shirts and he's like... I'm an alpha male! It's like, dude, you're not. You look like you went to Aunt Taylor.

You look like a manager at Morises. Exactly. It's not good. What are we doing? Yeah, I'm not big on the tape brothers. My hot take You know what? Not into it.

Loki hate sex trafficking, allegedly. Allegedly, just in case. I'm sure they have good lawyers. I hate alleged sex trafficking. It's so, it's like... Ew, Chanches just pulled up the fit. Look at this fucking loser. Insane.

And these are the guys that they're like, I should want to be like him. They're like, you're fat. I'm like, yeah, I would take it over this any day. Have you ever seen me look that trash? Actually, I've looked worse than that. I've never looked bad in that way. No, but it's giving Lindsay Lohan in 06.

It's bad. It's not. It's giving Jamie Lee Curtis as Lindsay Lohan in Freaky Friday. Bitch, you are so busted. Don't you have like a trillion dollars from alleged sex trafficking? Insane. All alleged. Ugh.

That tight-ass shirt, his nasty little sunglasses. You know, man, I find him to be so... He's just so skis, dude. The fact that young men actually look up to guys like this. I think some of it is ironic, though. Like, I had a roommate who would always call him Daddy. Pardon? Yeah.

See, sometimes the gay shit gets so... Yeah, there's the lines get blurred. The ironic gay shit gets so confusing so fast. It's really weird. Because I'm telling you, it starts how it's ironic and then... You don't have to tell me. You just start to a gay shit. I went on that journey.

Wouldn't it be crazy if we stuck another dick? Yeah, you think I wasn't doing ironic gay stuff in the 10th grade? going like, damn, it's crazy. We're all naked at the sleepover right now. Dude, if we jerk off, that'd be hilarious. Yeah, it was a gateway... Gay irony was a gateway drug to getting laid. And it was awesome.

That is so funny. Yeah, it's... Duh, gay irony is like the fucking... Yeah, it's the precursor. It really is. And so now that's, like, a part of the culture also. I don't know. I think people are slowly, like, getting, like, tired of it also.

Because it's, like, it's not right. And it's... It's... It's othering a lot of people. But then what's confusing me is like I have like some gay friends that are also doing it, but I'm like, you can do that. Gay friends that are like using gay friends that are using like the irony of like gay jokes. Yeah. But I'm like, are you like changing because like I'm straight?

But like I don't know. It's confusing. But I'm like, but maybe that's just the culture right now. Everyone's making the jokes. Gay people are the most homophobic people I know. Man. That's reality. And we are allowed to.

Yeah. But it is interesting. You have to wonder if it's for the best. Because then I feel like, am I like too much of an ally Then I'm like, don't talk about yourself like that. You are. I don't want, yes. You're too much of an ally in a beautiful way.

And so I am like sometimes like, but I need to like sit back and I'm just going to listen. And they're just talking so bad about themselves. I'm never talking bad about me. I do think with the queer community we need to be, we need to get back in touch with. Well, I don't, I feel like the tender queer thing kind of took over for a minute. Yeah. I don't think it's the time for that. I think it's the time to have a bit of an edge.

I think it's the time to take a joke. Yeah. I think it's the time to be like, I think we need to toughen up a little bit. Everything got a little too soft for me. Yeah, I can see that too. I don't like, everyone's too soft. Specifically about, I like softness in general, but specifically like the inability to take jokes about ourselves. I'm just like, I don't know.

I think it's kind of more fun to do that. Yeah, for sure. Let's just be into it. And it opens up like the landscape to like kind of, I don't know. It opens up the landscape in my opinion, like equality almost all the way also. I don't know. Well, that's the thing. If you're not joking about people, if there's a group of people you won't joke about,

my feeling is that you don't respect them. Yeah. You think that they're like, you think that they're too, like, dainty or sensitive or stupid to be in on your joke. For sure. That's, I will joke about anybody. I don't think that that's, I don't ever want someone to feel like they can't joke about me.

Yeah. I want to, a joke about me, there are great jokes about me that I love. For sure. Sometimes I see a mean joke about me that is genuinely rooted in mean-spiritedness. A thousand and 20%. Good joke. How do you handle, that's really funny? How do you handle that, though?

Do you feel like I am happy with, like, this, the, the idea of getting like a lot of views on clips or like the idea of getting like a lot of followers, I'm happy that I'm getting that now at the age that I'm at. Yeah. Because I feel like I'm able to like, I don't take anything seriously that I see for the most part on anything. Yeah. And so it doesn't ever really bother me. But I think that if I was probably about 10 years younger, I think that I would be like damn near almost suicidal.

Of course. Yeah. I'm so glad I didn't get success when I wanted it. A thousand percent. I'm glad I got it when I had already kind of made peace with the idea that it might not happen. And it didn't take it for, I'm not somebody who's like I was embattled for you. years. I had a very lucky journey. I'm on a very lucky journey. I love my life. I feel so grateful. But yeah, I'm glad I didn't get success when I first wanted it. The first, like, viral moment, I believe

I saw of yours was the astrology video. Astrology video. You would be like, what time, like, ask your parents. That was the first viral moment that I remember saying. I know, but that was the first one that I was like, that was like, this is one of the, I probably sent to like 10 people. I was like, this is one of the funniest things in the world. Damn, dude, that's so nice. That was Twitter. That was like, yeah, I remember that. I'd been like 2019 or something. Yeah, I remember like, this is really funny. And I'm so happy to see that the way that everything is grown. But you're right, though.

I just feel like so much more grounded in, like, knowing who I am that, like, nothing could really kind of like, I don't know. It doesn't hurt my feelings, I guess. Yeah. You mean comment. Yeah, that's really interesting. Yeah. What, why are you doing all this? What do you want?

What's the big goal? What's the big idea? I think I just want to make good art. Yeah? I think it's really that simple. Like, I think, like, the why that I think that I learned in, like, college, I think is really. just I want to make people laugh. Yeah.

Literally anything else. If I get, if, if someone walked in here right now and was like, Aaron, here's $5 million, you can make one thing. Yeah. What is the thing you would make immediately? I want to do entertainment on a high level. Yeah. But I want to make people laugh on a high level.

Yeah. So like whatever that encompasses. Like right now it's, it's stand up. And also it's definitely like YouTube. And so being able to continue to do that really is just like the mission. There's no like, there's no like, there's no like, you know what I mean? Yeah. You're not like, here's a script.

Yeah. I just want to continue. I just want to continue. doing this and then eventually be able to fund other people to be able to do the same thing. I could definitely see myself like when I'm older having like a management company of sorts or like just kind of like and maybe that's like a production company, but not even like that. Like just to be able to help and being able to build other artists up that might not have the resources. But I think like it's just as simple as I like me people laugh.

It's fun. I love writing. I just like that. Who are your heroes? Who are the people you up to when you were starting? When I was sorry, I think every young black male will say Dave Chappelle. So I think no matter what, that's like square one, like just how that came into my life, I was like in freaking Branson.

Yeah. And not Branson. Was it Branson? Not the Vegas of the Midwest. Yeah. And we're at like a timeshare. And it's like, you know, it was like one of those things where like my mom has to go to like a meeting just to make sure that she can have this entire like nice ass condor for like a week.

And that was fun. But like my cousin like put in like a Dave Chappelle DVD. And watching the Chappelle show, I think, made me be like, this is what I want to do. Like, I want to do this. And then I actually literally, I would have been in middle school. No, I would have been in elementary school

and that happened. And then I got into his stand-up in the seventh grade and I watched killing him softly. And at that point, it was when I was like, I'm going to do this. I actually started like two years later.

Did you first open mic from New York? 16, right? 15, yeah, at Stamper and Sons. Did you ever go to Stamper & Sons? Did you ever go to Stamper and Sons? I believe I went one time. Yeah. I did my first open mic from.

in Kansas City when I was 18 at art bar. Yeah. I miss our bar, man. Dude. That was an era and a half, dude. I bombed in a way that like isn't even understandable. I bombed in a way that like those walls have actually not seen before since. I bombed in a way that I didn't do standup again for like two more years.

Are you serious? Oh, I was like, this is not for you, buddy. Oh, that's crazy. And I still don't think, I mean, I love stand up and I love the, the, the, the, I don't, craft of it and the art of it and I love a lot of jokes that I've written. Yeah. But I still don't think stand-up is my most natural thing. I love-sadual. Your special was really good though.

Thanks, I appreciate it. I love doing it. But I still am like, I have to work harder at stand-up than I have to work at other things. It's not the most natural thing to me. There are people that it's just like, I feel like... They're like right away. They're just like, yeah. It's immediate. Yeah, for sure. And I don't think that's necessarily my vibe.

But I think that's what's cool about right now is like the multi-hyphenate artist. I think it's like a cool concept. I love the idea of being able to like just, to be able to make the art bigger. Like right now, my obsession is soundtracks. So, like, yes, I've been having a fun time with the project that I just released that was, like, it was like 10 episodes,

like a YouTube series, and I had, like, a soundtrack on top of that, and it kind of all connected, but I'm like, that's my shit. Now, we didn't get that many views, but I'm like that, the fact that I'm even in the position to be able to even make those things, like, that is, like, all I want to do. You made the music?

Made the music, yeah. I mean, with, like, other actual, musicians, but that's what I mean, like, writing. I can write a great song, I think. I can write, I think, a good script, and I can write stand-up. But, like, writing is really at its core of, like, what I really, really enjoy doing.

And then I think that everything else kind of, like, adds to that, right? It's like the acting adds to that. The music adds to that. But it all is able for me to be able to use that specific medium in different ways. Yeah. Yeah.

Do you feel like a positive person? I think for the most part, I think that sometimes I feel really negative and then even when I'm being negative everyone's like you're being too nice and I'm like I feel like shit what are you talking about? I just say I feel like you're an extremely positive person

you radiate good energy yeah for sure I think that like yeah I think some of that is like my Midwestern roots like definitely like I come from the product of like flower children like ask like everyone's like gone to the world like be a good person and so I think I try to carry that with me on the flip side of that too

like I can be a dick at the same time but only when it's warranted What's your mom like? You said your mom was like spiritual but in the way that like... Same, same, not the same vibes as your mom, but like my mom would definitely classify herself as a Christian. But like it was never like, although I will say, the church home that I have in Kansas City was dope. Yeah. And anyone that was there at that same exact time will reiterate that same phrasing.

It was actually Emmanuel Cleaver's church. Yeah. It was... Legend. Yeah, legend. Like it was, he is so dope. He has done so many great things for the city. and his family are incredible.

Evans at UCB, I really cherish those moments. But like that environment and that vibe, different from other denominations of Christianity, I just feel like nothing was ever like

forced. And at its core, it was really always about just being a good person. And so I think that I really, as I've gotten older, I'd never feel like there were like strict rules that I've had to adhere to. It's always been like, find yourself within what you've also gotten from that lesson.

And so I think that I'm really happy that I had that experience. Yeah. What made it so different? Like, as you've gone out into the world after that and gone to other churches or seen other churches, like, what do you think was the thing that made your church in Kansas City, like, so different? I think it's just the vibe of, like, just being a good person. The ease of it.

The ease of it. Like, I never felt like anything was ever, like, forced upon me. I never felt like there was, like, any belief that was, like, you have to get this. Like, you have to understand this. And you have to be like this. It was very much like we showed up And it's like, hey, like, you know, this is a A nice little tidbit for you to be able to take away

As you go through your week, and that's really nice. Now, I will say it was hard transitioning for me, And I'm curious if you had the same thing. Because, like, especially coming from, like, what I would consider, like, an insular environment, Chicago was very turbulent for me. And I don't ever feel like I was able to find my footing just simply because it was such a major culture shock.

Does that make sense? And, like, kind of actually, It's so crazy because me and my girlfriend were watching your special, we have a lot in common. And although it wasn't on like the level that I feel like you experienced, my mom is a bit of a hoarding problem also.

So growing up within all of that, I found it, I wasn't processing enough. So Chicago for me in those five years was all about just like processing like what I had been through and what had actually just happened and meeting other people

that have a completely different perspective than what I have. and that was tough, I think, for those, like, few years that I was there. But did you experience anything like that? Or, like, was it a pretty easy, like, an easy transition? My biggest thing like that was, I worked in political organizing. Like, when Chance and I were in college, I was, like, doing political organizing and doing, like, volunteer training and working for senator, the senator in Missouri, Claire McCaskill at the time. You remember?

Shout to Claire. Most centrist Democrat who's ever lived. And I worked, yeah, I worked for a lot of campaigns and did stuff like that. And I found the organizers that I met, the politicians were all centrist. And I had disagreements with them about a lot of things. But I felt like you, in a place like Missouri, you take what you can get. And it's better than the Republicans. Because when the centrist Democrats fell in line, they actually feel now that we have an opportunity to replace them with more radically left people.

Because I think that so much has changed in the last 20 years. But when they fall in line, they fall in line. on the side of abortion being legal and weed being legal and gay people being able to get married. And when the Republicans, even if they are centrist fall in line, they fall in line on the side of all those things not being true. Keeping in mind that both of them ultimately just answered a corporation the whole time. But I was cool with that. But the activists that I knew and the organizers that I knew were some of the most radical

and about it, like people I've ever met to this day. And when I moved to Chicago and started talking to, like, organizers and political, like, people, I was shocked at the laziness and I was shocked at the entitlement and I couldn't believe the I just couldn't believe the what I was hearing. I was like oh we have like a super majority we could do anything. Yeah. We live in Chicago, Illinois. Exactly. We could do anything and you're in the lack of imagination I couldn't believe like there are people there are organizers in southern Missouri that were like straight up like radical Marxist like leftists. That's so wild. Left of me and they believed that we could get shit done there.

That's crazy. But then I moved to Chicago, and there was no political imagination about a better world. There was no political imagination about desegregation of the city or there was no political imagination about, like, redistributing wealth

or like making life better for working people, really at all. In the circles that I was talking in, and I was not in, it's not like I moved there to be an activist. I moved there to be a comedian. There's plenty of places I could have looked that I didn't look.

It's not to say anything about Chicago's activist community. But that would be shocking, though, also just giving the political history of Chicago. Chicago, which is why I'm saying this, Chicago people do not fucking come from me. I don't want to hear it. No, yeah, great.

There are brilliant, amazing, very about it, serious activists in Chicago. Yeah, they definitely are. And I learned so much. I didn't know anything about prison abolition before I moved to Chicago. I learned everything about it in Chicago. There are plenty of very serious activists

that are way smarter than me, way more about it than I am. I'm saying in my circles, which were similar to my circles in Missouri, which were like young artists, I was surprised by the lack of imagination and the laziness. That's wild.

Now, had I been hanging out more in like around you Chicago on the south side like in Hyde Park and things like that I'm sure I would have met more serious activists for sure but all that is to say in my circles it was a little laxidaisical and that was the big shock for me that's really interesting I can't believe this

yeah that's really interesting that's really crazy and I think you're right for me it was exploring outside of the comedy scene and then starting to meet more people that were really about it yeah that's really interesting that's really crazy where'd you go to college

I went to Missouri State. Chance and I went to Missouri State. It's so sick. Met him there, yeah. That's so cool, man. I would call it a double-edged sword, a blessing and a curse, meeting chance. Why do you say that?

You know, there are beautiful things about it, but there are horrible things as well. There are horrible things as well. Like when we lived together in Chicago and he slept walking, would wield a knife. Are you serious? Well, that was one. I did.

Scary bitch. Were you in my house last week? No. I did remind me of Chainsman. It's really wild. I found him. I found him once. We had some unkind neighbors, and I was going to let them know how I felt about it.

And that's all they'll say. In his sleep, crazy. Wait, do you still sleepwalk? Not to my knowledge. I live alone now, so I might. So you might. That's a new thing for me. I've like never, now like being in a relationship for two years, I'm learning.

I recently, I popped up from my sleep, my eyes wide open. And this has been happening a lot. It's just like an example. I said, do you see the portal? No. I'll tell you what you wouldn't be doing if you were dating me. Absolutely not. Absolutely not.

Yeah, I don't know how. There will be no portal. Another night, another night, I was like, look at all these kids. No! Yeah, I'm really putting this girl through hell. And I feel really bad. You wrote her script. No.

Sophie Garage, not to Sophie. She what? Her and Claude wrote the script. Oh, I love that script. And they loved the notes that you gave them. They were so grateful you took the time to do that. I felt, you know, I feel sometimes when I give, when someone asked me to give notes, I always say, are you sure?

Yeah. Because I'm, uh, I don't hold back. I'm like, if I'm giving you notes, I'm gonna give you the real notes. And that script is great.

And I had a lot of notes because I had a lot of thoughts about it. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. My notes are almost like more involved when I actually believe in something. If I read something that's really bad, I just go like, yeah, here's the things I could give you

to make this better. For sure. For sure. But when something actually has so much potential, I'm like, this is what I think. Yeah. I'm just really nice if you just like take the time

even get there like this is great. Yeah. That's so cool. I'm really excited. I'm really excited. She should leave you. That's some scary shit. Floating puppets one time I saw.

No, you did not. Yeah, because that week I was making a children's puppet show, like an adult children's puppet show, and then all I was thinking about was puppets. So I guess I was like sleep talking, but I get up. Sometimes I stand up. But then I only talk to her. I don't talk to anyone.

It's really weird. It's a strange thing. I've got to figure it out. You certainly do. I promise you, if anyone's ever sleeping in my bed and six up, eyes wide open and says, do you see the portal, it'll be the last time they go to sleep in my day. That's crazy.

There's no portals. And frankly, there's no kids. That's nuts. It's really wild. That is crazy. I'm worried about you. That's crazy. Yeah, it's fine though. I had a friend. Well, I actually shouldn't say that. Aaron, tell me what's so true to you. Oh, my gosh. I thought for a long time about this.

Oh, you're one of the first guests to ever do that. Oh, my gosh. did because I have so many opinions that I feel very strongly about. I want to say before I say this, I have said this opinion in front of rooms that some people would only wish to be in. And all of those people probably think less of me now. But I'm standing ten toes on this. The movie Zoe 102 that was released in July of 2023, I believe had had, some of the best cinematography of the year. Now, you might be wondering, why am I pointing this out?

Well, if you remember, Caleb, that was the same summer of Barbenheimer. And I'm willing for anyone to challenge my thought and opinion, one of the most, they took so many risks. They took so many chances, some would say chance, and they made a very, very beautiful piece. and I just believe that it never got the love that it deserved. It was shot so well.

The D.P.'s name is Matthew Rudson. And that man is a young prodigy. And I hope that he is still working in this town because he can, honestly, he can move water. So I didn't see the film. And so I don't have a leg to stand on here. I'm going to watch it. You should.

It's beautiful. I'm going to at least watch enough of it to get a sense of the cinematography. Bro, they did like a birdman thing. where they didn't cut for like three minutes. In Zoe 102? Yes, talk, I'm telling you, there was no reason for them to go this hard, and it just looks just utterly beautiful.

Did you watch Perfect Days? No. Came out the same year. One of my favorite movies of all time. I can't speak on Perfect Days. I can't speak. Here's the assignment. Okay.

You're going to watch Perfect Days by Vendez. Absolutely. And I'm going to watch Zoe 102. Done. And we're going to compare. Okay, I'm so down. We're going to compare notes. I'm so down.

We're going to do that thing that long distance couples do where we press play at the same time. Instead of the same movie, it's these two. Let's talk about it. I'm so deaf. All right, let's do it. I love it. That's crazy.

I've not seen it. I wish I had. Man, that's fucking crazy. You're going to love it. That's a huge swing that you've taken on the podcast. It's the truth. And I was, I'm standing 10 toes on that. Now, just so I'm clear, this is a Zoe 101.

This is a reboot. But it was just a movie. They didn't do a TV show. It's like an hour and a half. The story is flowing. But it's absolutely just, it's, it's, beautiful. Yeah.

It's beautiful. All right, I'm going to look into it. Okay. I'm going to look into it. I'm going to watch perfect days. Zoe 102. Yes. That's so interesting of you to say.

I know. I'm scared. Because if I think the cinematography's ass. You shouldn't be. You're prepared. Just be prepared. I'm prepared. The way they used light.

Like, I'm telling you. It's really insane. It really is insane and no one talked about it. Yeah. But it makes sense, though. I've done research on the DP. And by the way, do not know this man. Yeah.

I have no reason to glaze him as much as I am. But the truth is, is like, he films a lot of commercials. Because I went on his IG, obviously, after I watched the film. And I think that you can see it in the film where, like, there's some commercials, like, a K Jewelers or, like, someone that, like, is trying to show you, like, light or, like, a beautiful product. It shows throughout the entire piece. Yeah. So it's just shot in a really pretty way.

Some of our best directors and DPs come from commercial land. Exactly. A lot of great directors start out doing commercials. Yeah. And their stuff is fantastic. They're just used to, and they're also used to, like, doing super tight stuff with small budgets in a quick turnaround. Like, it's just kind of like, yeah, it's hard work.

And it makes sense. Yeah. So I'm happy that they gave them the opportunity to do that. Hell, you. And I hope to meet you, Matthew, one day if you're watching. Shout out, Matthew, this will get to him. If I've learned anything about this stupid podcast, no matter what gets said on here,

I have had people, I've told stories from my childhood. That's crazy. about someone's third cousin and I'll get a fucking text. It's like, hey, um. That's really wild. The craziest thing, a girl that I work with brought up that I was mentioned on your podcast. So what the fuck is up? I'm like, what the fuck?

It didn't used to be like this, but I promise you, this DP will hear word of this. That's so sick. And I hope you get a reach out from it. I would absolutely love that. Zoe 102. And I hope you get to reach out from the screenwriter as well because a little bit of a stray was caught. No, I love Zoe 101.

It was great. It was great. What about 102? Yeah. Nice. Okay. Aaron, you want to play a game? Let's do it.

All right, cool. I'm going to read you 15 statements. You're going to tell me as quickly as you can if what I just said was true or false. Okay. If you get 10 or more correct, I'm going to give you 50 U.S. dollars. Are you ready?

Let's do it. Hugh Jackman is older than John Stamos. I'm going to say false. It is false. A bushel is 64 pines. I'm going to say true. It is true. Creed, the band, has won exactly one Grammy.

Yeah, I'm going to say true. That is true. The founder of White Castle Burgers was born in 1880. True. That is true. Bishop Mages' high school girls basketball team has won state 26 times. True. False.

What? They haven't? 24. Oh! They're really good. The film Oppenheimer made $1.1 billion. What are the chances? True.

False. What? 983 million. Oh, I started off strong. The Boston Red Sox mascot is Wally the Green Monster. I think he's red. I'm going to say false. It's true.

Wow. The mathematical symbol for division is called a divisible. I'm going to, I'm so, I'm so mad. I'm going to say true. It's false. Dang it. It's an obelisk. D.

Obelisk. Lock in. Lobsters can live to be 100 years old. True. That's true. The Kansas state motto is, to the stars through difficulties. I'm going to say false. I don't, true.

True. It's true. It's like ad asper per asper or something like that. I'm a Missouri. Boy. Shout out, first of all. Shout out for sure. GPS was originally developed for use in hospitals.

True. False, the military. Lake Michigan is the largest great lake. False. It's Lake Superior. Yes. Shakira is 4'11. I'm actually going to say true.

It is true. Yeah. She's small. She's very small. A little tiny. Great performance. The Food Network began broadcasting in 1979. True.

False. 1993. Dang it. Columbia College Chicago's mascot is the Cosmonic. False. It's true. No, it's not. It's true. That's what it says on here. What do you think it is?

No, we don't have a... I think it's like a... It's a... We're the renegades. Chance does get these wrong sometimes. I think we're the renegades. I have news for you. It changed last year. Oh!

Chance! You're a sick fuck. Okay, but he's right. Technically, you are correct. See what I'm saying? Look at the way he's acting right now. Oh, that's crazy. He acts like fucking Jigsaw from the movie... he saw. No, he's so scary.

He's so scary. That's fucked up. That's crazy, man. Give him that and then tell me how many he got. Oh, nine. He got eight if you don't count the cosmos? Yeah. So close.

So close. So close. You were really close. You were really close. You didn't trust your gut on a couple of those. I felt it. I should have just gone with what I, you know what I mean? But I'm going to study you next time I got you.

Yeah, I will. Come back. Stronger. Next time. Better, faster, stronger, harder, et cetera. That's all I can do. Aaron, this was such a delight. This was so much fun.

Do you want to tell people how they can support you where they can find you? When does this come out? We don't know when this comes out. It's such a beautiful and special process that unfolds. I'm probably on the Forehead XXL tour at the time this comes out. So you could go to theforeheadtore.org. com for those tickets. Other than that, Instagram at Aaron Branch World and then TikTok at Branch Boy Comedy.

Hell yeah. Yeah, man. Mark on, dude. Thanks for doing it. Caleb, you're the best. Thank you so much. You're the best.