The Breakfast Club - INTERVIEW: Bill Burr On Comedy Beginnings, White Privilege, Marrying A Black Woman, Chappelle's Show + More

Episode Date: March 28, 2024

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Morning, everybody. It's DJ Envy. Jess Hilarious, it's in the morning. The Breakfast Club. Morning, everybody. It's DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, Charlamagne Tha God. We are The Breakfast Club. We got a special guest in the building. The fucking legend, man. Bill Burr. Welcome. Hello.

How you feeling? I'm all right. You all right? Yeah. When you hear the word legend, do you just feel old or you feel like I'm accomplished? I don't know what I feel. I never feel like I, you know, this business is. You feel like, you know, any moment, like whatever you got is going to go away.

So I just, I don't pay attention to that stuff. I obviously like it. No, legend doesn't make me feel old. It makes me feel good. But when somebody's like, oh, man, I grew up on your comedy. I started listening to you when I was eight. I'm like, oh, my God. You see comedy yeah i started listening to you when i was eight i'm like oh my god you're seeing they're like you know divorced you're like oh god how old am i so yeah i would say that's the type of stuff makes me feel old i want to i want

to go back a little bit if you don't mind i want to know you know what got bill burn to comedy traumatic childhood Dramatic childhood. Sorry, nobody happy gets into this stuff. And then the delusions of fame get into your head and then you somehow get into it. No, I mean, I definitely liked it when I was growing up. But I got into it by chance where, you know, I'm old, man. So, like, I was watching it in the 70s and 80s. But, like, show business was like, it was a million miles away. It was impossible.

It was not something that you could do. Like, you know, just take out a camera and start filming yourself. Where you grew up? I grew up in Massachusetts. Massachusetts, okay, okay. Suburbs. So I thought, like, you know, you had to be in Hollywood to get into it. Like, I had no idea there was this huge stand-up scene in Massachusetts.

So I was working in a warehouse, and I was working with this guy, and he was into stand-up the way I was, and he was funny as hell. And one night we used to go over to his house, have a couple of beers before we went out, you know, save some money. And we were watching stand-up, and he was going, Bill, we're funnier than these guys. And, you know, he goes, one night I'm going to take a shot at Jack Daniels and go up on stage. And that's when it stopped being on TV.

And it was next to me, and I started thinking like, oh, wait a minute. If he can try it, I can try it. And it still took me another five years to figure it out. I started kind of late. Did you ever feel like you had to wear a dress and suck a cock to get on in Hollywood? Jesus Christ. No. And that whole theory is ridiculous.

Yeah. That that's what's going on out there. That there's more pedophiles in Hollywood than there are in plumbing. It's like. It's a problem. Why plumbing? I don't know. Just like regular jobs.

They're acting like every pedophile in jail created a frigging Star Wars franchise or something. Yeah, it's like, no. They're like, that's what's going on. What's funny is what's going on in Hollywood is going on in most businesses, where it's like there's a lot of people working overtime, not getting paid, not getting credit, and getting pushed down, and people at the top taking more and more but the problem with hollywood is is those idiots stay in hollywood and they look at most of the country like flyover states and then they go on these stupid um you know award shows

and they talk down to them and then that makes them hate them and then they love to see somebody going down the whole thing is it's like traveling is depressing yeah because what you find is everybody really is the same like all of this stuff like you know all these people are evildoers and they're this and that and you go over there and it's just everybody's the same you know everybody you know wants to have money to have a sandwich you want to find love you want to be feel safe that's everybody is like that but then they just they just you know the sociopaths get the dumb people wound up i feel like new york and la have no idea what the rest of the country is actually like if you grew up in new york you grew

up in la you don't know what the real world is like through new yorkers are some of the worst traveled people you're ever gonna meet they. They're hilarious. Everywhere they go, they would go to Guam and be like, oh, I go to Guam. I try to get a bacon, egg, and cheese. And the lady's looking at me like, what are you talking about? This place sucks.

Where are the skyscrapers? That's what cracks me about New Yorkers. It's like the point of traveling is to get something different. They go to L.A. and they try to get a bacon, egg, and cheese. It's like the point of traveling is to get something different like they go to la and they try to get a bacon egg and cheese it's like get a taco what are you doing when in rome right yeah i wouldn't come here and try to get a burrito i've seen mexican foods here i just start laughing it's like no i'm not doing that closest music guy is taco bell that's that's usually what york has

i love that you said that because mexicans all think that white people think Taco Bell is authentic Mexican food. It's like, we're not that dumb. That is crazy. No, that is so dumb. Yeah. I know Olive Garden is not Italian food. Correct.

I understand that they have poured it out. What did Bill Burr want to be before he became a comedian? You just always wanted to do comedy. I was just failing at everything. I did horrible in school. I did good in school until it mattered. It was weird. I did really good right up until eighth grade,

and then once college started paying attention, I don't know. I just, that's, you know, I'm not going to get into it, but that's when all, like, the ass hit the fan with a lot of stuff. So then, yeah, I don't know. I tried construction. I wasn't good at that. Landscaping. I worked in warehouses. I knew I don't know. I tried construction. I wasn't good at that. Landscaping. I worked in warehouses.

I knew I didn't want a boss. And I also knew that I didn't want to go into the same building for more than a year. Because a few times I had jobs for over a year. And there was just something so depressing. Because you were working for somebody else's dream. And it was like a year earlier, I was standing right here. I have not moved anywhere. I'm another year older.

So, yeah. You got me depressed now. I've been here for 15 years. Yeah, but I wasn't sitting in a throne. Okay. I was unloading trucks. This guy's drinking from a chalice. Like, I feel good about this.

My scented candle. Like, I feel good about this. My scented candle. No, I wasn't. We were like unloading trucks and getting hammered and driving drunk stuff you did in the 80s. I mean, that was basically what it was. And I was going part-time to college because I didn't have money to go to college. So I was paying my own way through it. And I had already stayed back in first grade. So I just felt like hopelessly behind until I started hanging out you know with people that

were into comedy and then somehow I found it and uh yeah then I remember doing that and then I was just like all right this is what this is what I'm supposed to do because everything else I was doing I just never felt I always never felt like this is not it I don't feel like these people aren't the same kind of weird that I am you Why do you think you're weird, though? I mean, like, I think we're all, like, messed up a little bit. Why do I think I'm weird? I don't know. If I knew I was weird, I wouldn't be

weird, I think. I think you got a lot of common sense. Whenever I hear you speak, I'm like, this guy is just a common sense human being. Well, I've learned from a lot of failures. Your own or others oh my own okay okay oh and also others well that you know i had a great education when i got in to stand up the big 80s i don't know how old you guys are but the big 85 1978 okay so the the big

80s boom where stand-up comedy clubs exploded and all that and then it just got to the point you could just put like a microphone anywhere and people would show up for comedy. So the quality of it went down. And everybody was doing, well, a lot of people were doing blow, getting paid in cash and a blow and all of that type of stuff. And then it all came crashing down. And then the IRS showed up and everything. And then I started.

Like, I walked in, like, you know, the end of the the party, balloons were on the ground, confetti, everybody passed out. And I saw all these headliners, um, that were getting their wages garnished and they had to talk to the IRS to go do some, you know, funny bone in another state and everything. So my generation kind of learned like, all right, man, you can party this away in about seven, eight crucial years. So, you know, I learned from that. And then, you know, any young comics watching this, your 20s and 30s are difficult because you're struggling. And then also you do that comparison thing.

Like, well, you started the same time I did and you're here and I'm here. So I must be doing something wrong. And then I start hating you for some stupid reason, and then that takes up a lot of energy. And then one day you just basically figure out, like, all right, I'm making the decisions here. I'm doing well or not doing well by what I'm thinking rather than this other stuff. Did you ever want to quit? Once.

No, one time I thought I wasn't going to make it. It was the only time I ever thought it. When was this? You bombed? No. No, I have it all the time. That's just part of this stuff. I was doing the...

I'm not going to say where I was because it's a sad story. I'm going to bum you out. Okay. So I was doing this club that I had just been going to for years and years and years and years and years. Every other year I'd go there. New hour. Going to get them. I'm in with the morning radio guys.

And the same 30 people were showing up. So it was after the late show. And I was sitting there, reeking of smoke because you could smoke all three shows. Smelled like I fought a fire. My eyes were all burning. And I was just looking at the wait staff. And they were lifers. They had been there before.

And they were older. A little bit heavier. And they were counting up their money. And they were lifers they had been there before and they were older a little bit heavier and they were counting up their money and they were smoking their cigarettes and the same amount of people had showed up and that was the first time i i like this thought went in my head like of like wait a minute am i the guy who doesn't make it oh my god the panic of that i went back to the comedy condo and i was just laying in bed trying to turn it around and my brain was just no no you're the guy who's not gonna make it so that was yeah then i got back to new york and it was better you know i came you know after the gig i came back and just like the

energy i had a couple of good sets um you know sunday night at the Boston Comedy Club was a huge, was a huge turning point for me in my career. Probably how I ended up here right now. And that, that would, that would get me to think positive. And you said you never bombed, right? And I, No, I didn't say that. You said you have bombed. No, I'm bombed all the time.

You have, but I don't think you bombed though. I think that people don't know if they should laugh at what you're saying. You know what I mean? Well, maybe now, but no. Oh, my God. I remember bombing so bad one time. There's this comedy club called Mixed Nuts that's now called the Comedy Union. That was the black club, right?

So I went down there, and it's funny. I started doing those rooms because I used to listen to Richard Pryor. So his albums were so live that you could, like, picture the crowd. So I had this idea of what a crowd looked like. It was weird. I'm white as hell. And, like, that was my idea of what a crowd was. So I, you know, ended up doing those rooms along with the white rooms, right?

So I was on stage bombing so bad. Like this right here, silence. And I just remember hearing this woman's voice in the back she just goes i ain't laughed yet about 10 minutes damn and then that was the biggest laugh with the set everybody laughed and then they just started talking amongst themselves and i did not i didn't know how to turn it around it was and there's something it's bad enough bombing in front of your own people but bombing in front of your own people, but bombing in front of another race of people, knowing that you're taking down a bunch of other white comics with you.

Like, cause you represent for all white comics. It's just like, I don't want people to think funny, this corny ass motherfucker. You know, it's not just me. You know, there are others out there. They're funny. Yeah. It was bad. You liked Richard Pryor. What's your favorite Richard Pryor album?

Maybe was it Something I Said. The one I can't say. Half of them have the N-word in it. You're going to get me in trouble. That was a set-up question, I think. I'm lucky I got a good night's sleep. I would have been like, oh, I like that N-word.

I will lucky I got a good night's sleep. I would have been like, oh, I like that M. Words Crazy. I will say I bought his albums because he just looked funny. That was the first one I bought, that M. Words Crazy one. He was pointing like that. He just looked funny. And that's how I bought the first Eddie Murphy. I bought the first Eddie Murphy album because I was like, well, he's also black. He must be funny.

And that was the first one we had the rose in his ear. You see how that works? So you did represent for all white comics because you see one funny black comic. Yeah, yeah. That's how it works. It's almost like I found a genre of music. So I would listen to it. I listened to all of his stuff and I just, there was something about the way he did it,

which I didn't understand it as a kid, but the way he did it, the way he trashed white people, he got you to listen to him and laugh at yourself. Where I think when, by the time Def Jam came around, Crack 80s and all of that, like, where black comedy was, it was like, all right, enough of this, like, sort of pussyfooting around, you know? So then it was more like a different thing. But what I loved about Richard was you rooted for him. You felt like you knew him. It was really insane. And I think he's the greatest of all time, and I think it's even close. During that time, during that era when it seems like that crack time where Def Comedy Jam and the comedy shows,

was it hard for you to book in those black rooms? Was it like, here comes the white comedian again? No. That was the irony. It was hard for them. And you had to, like, vouch for them and everything. And the club owners right in front of me, yeah, you don't do that

Def Jam stuff, do you? You're not like MFN, MFN, talking about, you know, I don't know what I can say on this show. Pussy, yeah, you're not, you're not, oh wait, you said sucking dick don't know what I can say on this show. Pussy. Yeah, you're not. You're not. Oh, wait, you said sucking dick earlier. What am I thinking? I thought I set the tone.

I think that was a personal comment. I don't know. Yeah. So they would literally say that. And that was embarrassing when you'd be standing there going like this. So but what they're they you'd come on. They didn't is they would just go up. Do you think? But what they're – you'd come on – they didn't – they would just say, yeah, go up, do your thing. And I felt like guys like – all those guys that worked for Talent, Drew Frazier.

Oh, yeah. Rob Stapleton. Jerome Kelly. Jerome Kelly. Capone. All the New York Kings. I used to do all of those rooms. And, oh, God, those are all the memories of that one.

I remember Jerome Kelly had a room. Oh room oh god that was a brutal room it was somewhere in like newark in like the 2000s and i remember that i remember this comedian uh was it ros g or something yeah rest her soul she was on stage and she's super loud and she was super loud and they weren't laughing at anything. And she ended his say, she's like, God damn. She's like, I don't know who's coming up next, but he better be funny because you motherfuckers ain't laughing at shit. And then she brought me up. Ladies and gentlemen, Bill Burr.

Did I get a laugh at least? No. Oh, you know what's weird? I went up, had an okay set and I felt like I bombed at anything. And randomly, Chris Webber was there. And he came up, and he told me I was funny. And it was little things like that. I'm like, well, this guy's famous.

This guy's successful. He thinks I'm funny, so I think I'll be all right. Do you change your set when you're doing black rooms versus white rooms? I try not to. Early on, I did. I'd be on stage, and all be all of a sudden I hear myself tagging all my jokes with, you know what I'm saying? And I'd be like, why am I doing that? Why am I doing that? Stop. Stop doing that. But you just would. And then it was an easy way.

There's an easy way to get through those rooms. You can just be like, I'm the white guy and I'm scared. And that's sort of how you do it initially, just to get your feet wet in those rooms. And then basically then it becomes like, now can I actually go up here and talk about what I want to talk about? Wear a Bruins T-shirt, you know, hockey T-shirt, whatever. I started experimenting with that. And I remember Patrice giving me, rest his soul. Patrice O'Neill. Yeah, going like, Bill's trying to do his white shit in these black rooms.

Sometimes it rooms. Sometimes it worked. Sometimes. It all depended on the crowd. It all depended on the crowd. But I felt like it's a weird thing where I feel like it's harder to be a black comic in a black room than it is to be a black comic in a white room and vice versa.

Because you can just play fish out of water. Like, oh wow, this is all different. Gee Louise, you know, I'm all out of water. Like, oh, wow, this is all different. Gee Louise, you know, I'm all nervous up here. Just literally play into the stereotype. That's the easy laugh. I guess a little hack, you know, don't? 100%. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

No, but not early on. I forgive any of it, because you're just trying to survive, because it's like, you know, that's like not something, like white people don't experience being the only you a lot. You know, we just sort of walk in oh more white shit you know and you just live that so to first experience that and that's what's funny when i first started doing those rooms i didn't see black people as individuals i just saw black people and and as i kept doing them and doing them i started to see individuals oh this guy's like my buddy mitch this

guy's like you know and i started to see oh this guy's a good guy this guy's a piece of shit this guy steals jokes this guy's you know and it's like oh this is just like white people i was gonna ask you know back in the day what you named some of those comedians from talent to capone it seems like comedy had a brotherhood like you're all f with each other now it doesn't seem like that especially with cat william throwing missiles at everybody. Was it a brotherhood back then or was it always competition in missiles? No, it always was. It's just you couldn't air your grievances on social media and that type of stuff.

No, there still is like a comrade, especially the people that you start out with. When you go up and you're doing like open mics and stuff it's just one impossible situation after another and you just get thrown into these things and you sort of bond with each other through just you know i mean i did gigs like we don't have a microphone is that going to be a problem we're just going to have you stand here in this hall oh my god no it was just like some of the stuff some of the places and then you would just what kept you going was your friend in the crowd laughing at you watching you trying to figure this situation out um so there's definitely that but you know people focus on the negative or whatever so i mean um generally speaking we we get along.

There's no more difference than other stuff. Now, when you see the black comedians going back and forth with each other, what do you think about that? Do you even look at it as black comedians or do you just look at it as comedians? No, comedians because white comedians are doing it too. Really? Yeah. What's y'all club shay-shay?

What's y'all club shay-shay? Oh, you know, I don't know because I'm old, but, like, there's definitely club station what's your club station oh uh you know i don't know because i'm old but like there's definitely you know i'm an old school guy where i look at all that stuff like that's locker room stuff and if you have a problem with somebody you should go to them and say it that's how i came up and then also like i uh you know this business is difficult i don't need to make it any more difficult there's people i like people maybe i don't like but I don't need to make it any more difficult. There's people I like, people maybe I don't like, but I don't need to walk around like, what good does that do me to do that?

But that's me. So other people do it differently. Have you ever heard that somebody didn't like you for a reason, any particular reason? Yeah, people thought I was a dick. They thought I was like aloof. Because when I first started, they thought I was like, you know, if you're quiet and you're actually doing well, people get in their head and they thought,

oh, he's not talking to me because he doesn't like me. And it wasn't. I was like a mess. I was questioning everything that I had done in the previous five minutes. But some people took it like he's not talking to me because he doesn't think I'm funny. So I definitely had a few of those. And I was also an angry guy, so I probably, yeah.

What were you angry about? Oh, Jesus. Just stuff I don't want to get into. Okay. Stuff that makes you be a comedian. The usual. I have the, you want to talk about hacky? I have all of the hacky background you need

to get into this business. So, you know, I could have had a much simpler life. I think a lot of us, I mean, I deal with, you know, anxiety on a high level. You know what I mean? I think a lot of people do, but I think most people who have a high level of self-awareness really do because we're just aware that we're dealing with something that we're willing to acknowledge and other people aren't yeah i mean every time i think i'm getting sane i i don't know something else happens and like you know like having kids and stuff really

you know it really holds a mirror my daughter said the cutest thing to me the other day. She goes, Dad, can you stop being mad now? And I just bursted out laughing. I was like, yeah, all right, all right. That's cool. But the way I came up, I would never say that to my dad. So I do feel like I've done – what I do like about my kids is they're not afraid of me at all. They treat me like a freaking bouncy house.

So yeah, I've tried to undo some things. Yeah, they're not afraid of you because you're probably raising them with love. At least my dad, he raised me with fear, I believe. He was afraid that I would make the same mistakes he made. Oh, everyone was afraid of that. You were afraid of other people's dads when I was growing up because they could hit you. Yeah.

And they had big cars and and they were always mad, and they were coming home, and you just saw, like, you know, like their wife scampering back into the house, you know, as they were pulling into the driveway. Yeah, men were scary when I was growing up. So I probably overcorrected or whatever, but I'd rather have them coming up this way. Yeah, my kids are loud.

We were not loud. We were loud when Mom was home. When Dad was home, everybody just shut the hell up. And when he left, it was like a stack of bricks off your chest. Wait until your dad got home. Oh, my God. You know what's funny? He actually was a big softie. It turns out that way. My mother was the one that beat us.

Damn. Yeah. out that way. My mother was the one that beat us. Damn. Yeah. Yeah. We deserve it. You said earlier you always feel like things will be taken away from you. Is that something from childhood or is that cancel culture? What do you mean when you say that? No, this is before cancel culture.

Well, because you would see guys like idiots would get a show on the air and then immediately go buy a big house and a car. But back in the day, they would say, you got to wait till the third season so you know that it's rolling. And you would watch guys blow all their money. I watched people get deals up at Montreal and they put it all in the dot-com stock market. I knew that was – I stayed away from that shit. When I was at the comic strip and comedians stopped talking about comedy and they were talking about stocks going like, you know, it's going to split again. It's definitely going to split again.

I'm like, you are a dummy. You're a dummy. I'm a dummy. We should not be talking about this shit. So I didn't put it in. But I saw guys lose all their money that way. There was guys I used to be, you know, looking up like, oh, my God, how do you get to that level?

And then their stuff starts to go like that like this this business is it's not for the uh for the week and you got to save your money um i don't know i'm trying to come with something positive here it's a fun job though it's a fun job this is a callback when you saw those white comics on that level did you say to they sell he sucked a dick to get there Or did he wear a dress to get there? What is that? What is that theory? Where did that stigma come from?

I'm asking you. You brought that up twice. Oh, yeah, because that's the stigma. The stigma is for black comics, you got to wear a dress to get to a certain level. Who did that? Shit. According to Cat Williams, about 20 years ago. Milton Berle.

Milton Berle made a whole career like beat like that comes from robert williams yeah yeah he played mrs doubtfire uh tom hanks was on bosom buddies oh yeah i mean it was just like it was kind of the you know oh we don't have a good idea let's put a guy in a dress that's kind of what it was but um i understand um you know that's just one of those white things where i don't have to look at it like oh they're doing this because they're trying to belittle me because they don't see me as human i don't have to deal with all the stuff you guys got to deal with so like i don't know if it it's how much of that's true how much of its paranoia iia? I mean, I can't speak on that. I have no idea. But like, you know, I don't.

You never wore a dress. Yeah, and that whole sucking a dick thing. Like, it's like. You just sort of. No, you didn't. I said you never wore a dress. He said, no, not that or that whole sucking a dick thing. That's just not my thing.

No, it's more like you create a show. You go in. You pitch it to these people. They somehow take control of it. You lose the creative by credit. They make all the money. You don't. That's the way it usually works.

It's not like you want a TV show, huh? All right. Crawl under my desk. And you better do it good because I got another 40 guys waiting to suck this thing it's like that's just i think a lot of people want it to be that way yeah because it just makes them feel better about their lives and where the fuck they're at but it's just like yeah like most of hollywood is overworked underpaid people not getting credit for some shit that they created and it it happens to everybody It happens at different levels.

And you have to learn how to protect yourself. And nobody teaches you. You just go in there taking punches. And then you go, oh, you know. And that's usually how you learn. Unless there's a comic that kind of takes you under his wing or something and teaches you. Like, look out for this.

They're going to try to do that. Damon Wayans was great at that oh word i've heard that before he was great at that like he barely knew me and he can't you know and he's hey i saw you on tv you're funny man we stand out in front of the cellar he goes what do you got going on and he just stood there damon wayans i couldn't believe it he just stood there and for like 20 minutes he's going uh-huh all right all right this is what they're gonna try to do and he just i was cool i'm like oh my god i know i just did this business was so ruthless but i never forgot that and that was something that i learned it's like all right so if i get somewhere like my job is to tell the younger kids you know how they're gonna try to come in That's how they fuck you.

They don't care about, they can get a hooker anytime they want or whatever the hell they want. They're trying to take your ideas and get the money. They got all kinds of stuff. They have like, you remember back in the day, there was like points on a show, how many points you had. And they literally invented points that didn't mean shit.

So you would be, you got 40 points. I only got 30, but mine means something. Yours don't mean anything. It's the 40 points. I only got 30, but mine means something. Yours don't mean anything. It's the whole thing is, yeah, like here's one for you. It's way harder to prove

somebody stole from you than defamation of character. Figure that one out. So that basically protects the thieves. So when somebody steals from you, I can't then go around town and say this guy stole from me. Stay away from him, blah, blah.

That gets back to him. He can sue me and he can just come up with the phony cost report. Well, this mouse was $30,000, and this was $15,000, and whittle down what he stole, and they get away with it. Pat, that experience. Will it ever be fair? Will there ever be? No, because human beings are completely flawed, and it's God's fault because that's how he makes us. So you need to stop going on Sunday praising him.

You need constructive criticism. Stop it. Jesus Christ. No, I just don't like people freak out when you start making fun of God. All right, Bill Burr, thank you for joining us. I'm down to hear you. I'm down to hear it out. All right, no, it's just

an astoundingly, like, not even dumb, just not having empathy, which is the first level of intelligence. If you can't take yourself out of yourself and look at somebody else, see their situation and hear it, there's just a level of life and living life you're not going to get past. That's true. You're just not going to get past. And also, they've got to stop naming stuff deliberately confusing, like white privilege.

Every white person I knew was like, I didn't grow up rich. That's how we took that shit. I don't know why. I don't know who names this shit. But, like, I didn't know what it meant. I was like, what are you talking about? I grew up in a duplex with fucking squirrels in the wall. What would you call it?

What would I call white privilege? No, that's a good question. I don't know. Being white? I don't know. I don't know. I'm not good at this, like coming up with band names and shit like that. But I didn't like it meant how you moved through the earth, through the world, right?

So one of the things I've been kind of having fun with in the red states is talking about the Klan. And now there's all this stuff you can't do anymore, but you can still join that group. But I go, that's a great example of white privilege. You can still join a terrorist organization as a white person and it's protected under freedom of speech. And they start saying, well, you know, I don't want to do the whole bit because I want to flesh this thing out first. But they sit there and then that's one of the most fun things about doing stand-up is going to a place like that and doing some stuff like that and getting them to hear it and then going to L.A. and kind of...

Is your country falling apart? Feeling tired, depressed, a little bit revolutionary? Consider this. Start your own country. I planted the flag. I just kind of looked out of like, this is mine. I own this. It's surprisingly easy. There are 55 gallons of water for 500 pounds of concrete. Everybody's doing it. I am King Ernest Emmanuel.

I am the Queen of Laudonia. I'm Jackson I, King of Capraburg. I am the Supreme Leader of the Grand Republic of Mentonia. Be part of a great colonial tradition. The Waikana tribe owned country. My forefathers did that themselves. What could go wrong? No country willingly gives up their territory.

I was making a rocket with a black powder, you know, with explosive warhead. Oh my God. What is that? Bullets. Bullets. We need help! We still have the off-road portion to go. Listen to Escape from Zakistan.

And we're losing daylight fast. That's Escape from Z-A-Q-istan on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, guys. I'm Kate Max. You might know me from my popular online series, The Running Interview Show, where I run with celebrities, athletes, entrepreneurs, and more. After those runs, the conversations keep going. That's what my podcast, Post Run High High is all about. It's a chance to sit down with my guests and dive even deeper into their stories, their journeys, and the thoughts that arise once we've hit the pavement together. You know that rush of endorphins you feel after a great workout? Well, that's when the real magic happens. So if you love hearing real, inspiring stories from the people you know, follow, and admire,

join me every week for Post Run High. It's where we take the conversation beyond the run and get into the heart of it all. It's lighthearted, pretty crazy, and very fun. Listen to Post Run High on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. As a kid, I really do remember having these dreams and visions, but you just don't know what is going to come for you. Alicia Keys opens up about conquering doubt, learning to trust herself, and leaning into her dreams. I think a lot of times we are built to doubt the possibilities for ourselves. For self-preservation and protection, it was literally that step by step. And so I discovered that that is how we get where we're going. This increment of small, determined moments.

Alicia shares her wisdom on growth, gratitude, and the power of love. I forgive myself. It's okay. Like, grace. Have grace with yourself. You're trying your best. And you're going to figure out the rhythm of this thing. Alicia Keys, like you've never heard her before.

Listen to On Purpose with Jay Shetty on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey there, my little creeps. It's your favorite ghost host, Teresa. And guess what? Haunting is back, dropping just in time for spooky season. Now I know you've probably been wandering the mortal plane, wondering when I'd be back to fill your ears

with deliciously unsettling stories. Well, wonder no more, because we've got a ghoulishly good lineup ready for you. Let's just say things get a bit extra. We're talking spirits, demons, and the kind of supernatural chaos that'll make your spooky season complete. You know how much I love this time of year. It's the one time I'm actually on trend. So grab your pumpkin spice, dust off that Ouija board, just don't call me unless it's urgent, and tune in

for new episodes every week. Remember, the veils are thin, the stories are spooky, and your favorite ghost host is back and badder than ever. Listen to Haunting on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What's up, y'all? This is Questlove, and I'm here to tell you about a new podcast I've been working on

with the Story Pirates and John Glickman called Historical Records. It's a family-friendly podcast. Yeah, you heard that right. A podcast for all ages. One you can listen to and enjoy with your kids starting on September 27th. I'm going to toss it over to the host of Historical Records, Nimany, to tell you all about it. Make sure you check it out. Hey y'all, Nimany here. I'm the host of a brand new history podcast for kids and families called Historical Records. Historical Records brings history to life through hip-hop.

Each episode is about a different inspiring figure from history. Like this one about Claudette Colvin, a 15-year-old girl in Alabama who refused to give up her seat on the city bus nine whole months before Rosa Parks did the same thing. Check it. And it began with me. Did you know, did you know? I wouldn't give up my seat. Nine months before Rosa, it was Claudette Colvin. Get the kids in your life excited about history by tuning in to historical records because in order to make history you have to make some noise listen to historical records on the iheart radio app apple podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts doing like the same thing because they think

people in hollywood think that you just put a blm sign in the window and that means you know you're like a saint. And it's like you haven't done anything. What you basically did was appeased your sense of responsibility. What are you talking about? I put a sign in the window. I'm on the right side of history. Or my favorite one was white people marching in BLM marches filming themselves for Instagram.

Like, look what a great person I am. So it's just like, I don't know. I don't know. Human beings are interesting. Is there comedy to be found in this year's election? I mean, the joke I've been doing, like this election is like, you know when Hollywood makes a shitty movie? You're like, man, that movie sucked. And then two years later, there's like a sequel. And you're like, they're making another one of these you know when hollywood makes a shitty movie you're like man that movie sucked and then two years later there's like a sequel and you're like

they're making another one of these that's how i look at this i think basically it's not worth the job's not worth the headache and i think that the house and the senate basically voting that you can't prosecute us for insider trading and they're all worth 20 to 40 million dollars and you watch cnn and fox news you know who's supposed to be these journalists just completely leave them alone it's like why do i want that job i can just sit here no one knows who i am other than in my state i can make my 40 million move to another state no one knows who i am you know get a boat some coke and some whores and i'm good right like that's like that's how like they look at it like cnn and fox if i was running shit cnn and fox news would be shut down they are they're

anti-american all they do every day their business is to divide us and um and then who they go after they just go after the reason why comedians have been getting so much shit is because we don't advertise on their their network so we're just soft targets right that's like at the beginning of the pandemic remember that kid who uh he right? That's like at the beginning of the pandemic. Remember that kid who, he hoarded all the hand sanitizer? One of the greatest fucking gambles ever because they were always, SARS is coming and all of this shit.

This kid said, all right, I think this stuff is real. And he had a whole garage full of hand sanitizer and he was upping the price by 100% and seeing, ah, they were just dragging this kid. How could you do that? And then meanwhile, like big pharmaceutical companies,

it's like $460 for a leukemia pill. And that's totally fine. Why is that fine? Because they're making money off them, so they're not going to bite the hand that feeds. So this is the shit that you think about when you're alone a lot on the road, and it eventually makes you go crazy. So I have decided what i i just sort

of like i i don't pay attention to like anything i try not to but then when i do it's like heartbreaking like there's there's a there's a documentary about the ukraine that came out won an oscar and i just saw the trailers i i just to watch the most heartbreaking thing you've ever seen um it's almost like Ignorance is bliss right Like that's what You realize The less you know The happier you are

Yeah Or like I don't know Yeah it's weird It's weird And then dumb people Think they know everything Let me show you how this works

Let me I got it all figured out Yeah So that's what I realized Yeah I don't know shit Does cancel culture Scare you at all?

Does it make you change your set? You see a lot of comedians change their set, change how they talk, change what they talk about. Well, that was something that, like most movements, started with something good, you know, and then was quickly co-opted by people with their own interests, and then it just completely lost its way. But is it good, though? Because medians were usually the ones that didn't think you know like talk about everything make you laugh you know but if there was people no the initial thing that there's these people out there sexually abusing people like that was good to get rid of those people that that wasn't bad but then all

of a sudden it spun into what are you talking about in your act you know i worked with an actor she got she got canceled for an analogy. And it was all politics. The girl on Star Wars. I remember. She didn't want to get the COVID shot. The COVID shot. And then she made some sort of Nazi Germany analogy, right? That'll do it.

Well, no. If it goes against the politics. If she was coming the other way, if she was coming like the other way, then I don't think it doesn't land that way because I got to be honest with you, like Hitler and Nazi analogies in comedy are hacky. It's forever been this guy's the next Hitler,

or blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, or something like that. So, you know, like like i don't know it's so it's it's it's i kind of like didn't really notice it was happening that i was kind of on stage going like oh i just said that what if somebody just takes that clip and i didn't realize i was doing that till i i did uh dave chappelle was doing covid shows and i went there and nobody had a phone. And just the freedom of that, not like I was going to go up and say something ignorant, but just not having to worry about that when they were really kind of coming for people

because I think it's like died down. But it was a while. It just seemed like they had to throw a log on the fire every month, whether they had somebody or not. The wrong Nazi Germany Hitler reference will get you in any era. Look, it depends on your intent. You don't have to prove anything to us today, Bill.

No, no, no. It depends on your intent. I did Nazi jokes when I was in Germany, and they would die and laugh because it was just like... Oh, give us one. Huh? Give us one. What edited it?

What was it? Oh, my goodness. I was just talking about all their accomplishments. I go, you know what's amazing about you guys? You know, all the accomplishments you made, you know, with the automobile, you know, weaponry, audio tape. I just was listing all their accomplishments. I go, and then you just pick one wrong guy, and it all goes to hell.

And I just started talking about. It's true. Yeah, because, and then they filmed it. So they can't refute it. Oh, that was a joke I was doing, yeah. How Germany, they actually have shame for what they did. And it's not because they're better white people. It's because they're oppressed people, one.

They have to acknowledge it. The Nazification, though, that's what that was. It was them having shame for what they did and cleaning everything up. I find neo-Nazis are fascinating to me because they're all like the support the troops people. And they're like neo-Nazis. And it's like, well, you know, the troops were fighting the Nazisis like just how all of that gets blurred after time it's weird nah that one little piece you just said neo-nazis are fascinating to me yeah clip that go on twitter oh yeah there it is you'll have a field day i find them intriguing how big of a deal is it now for a comedian to have a special?

Yeah, I still think it's a – to have a good one. If you have a whatever one, I don't know what it's going to do for you. But I'm old school. I still like – I'm like one of those – you know, guys now in your business, they just make singles and stuff like that. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So it's starting to become that, like have a special, chop it up. That's what the younger kids are doing. I'm still of the, I'm still making albums.

So I don't know if that's stupid or whatever, but that's how I do it. But I'm also of the belief that like, as long as you're doing quality, people are going to come and see you. Yeah, and staying consistent. This feels like a comedy TED talk. These are very in-depth questions.

I just want to know know I'm enjoying it I was performing at Fenway Park that was one of those things that was so big like I don't think I even mentally dealt with it until like two years after I did it 35,000 people yeah something like that I felt like I was in Led Zeppelin

they had a police escort we drove into the thing you know what was good was I was there for a week I got family up there so I always go back in the summer and you got a family up there? family relatives I've lived a lot of lives

I have a family I was a waitress early on in my career we're in a good place now and I was walking around town and people were like, hey, man, good luck on the show, blah, blah. So I kind of felt like the city was behind me, which was another thing to like have to like think about. So, yeah, I went up there. And what I didn't realize is like they've so perfected the sound and the screens and everything. It was just like this giant comedy club.

And it was killing me. People kept going like, just make sure you take it all in. When you're out there, just make sure, you know, you take a moment for yourself. It's like, this is comedy. I can't do that. The second I take a moment for myself, I'm immediately bombing. So what I kept doing was during bigger laughs, was just looking out over home plate where it said Fenway Park. And that was, that just, it was mind-blowing. And, uh, yeah. And that was, that just, it was mind-blowing. And, yeah, and then they let us hang up in right field smoking cigars.

And my family, we used to always get tickets, the blue seats, up in right field. So it was kind of up there. It was really, yeah, that was something. So that was a one-time only. Because they're like, you want to do it again? It's like, no, no, I don't think there's any point to go back. A lot of requests for tickets?

Oh, from people? You know, it wasn't that bad. It wasn't that bad. You know what was nerve-wracking, though, was my high school reunion also was there. No. So they just decided to go to the show and that. And it's just like, that's just like a weird thing where, when I meet people from high school, like I had a really cool class. So like I'm still the person I was and so are they. It's just I'm doing this weird thing.

So that was kind of – I had to block that out a little bit, right? It would be like all those girls you were afraid to talk to. You go back to being like a little Billy redheaded kid in like ninth grade. So I had to like, okay, I got to block this shit out and do my job. You just stunned on him

a little bit? Nah. My time to do that, I blew it and I just accepted. I took the loss and I kept moving forward. I don't do,

I don't go back. No, yeah. No. You married, right? Yeah. To a black woman if I'm not mistaken. Yeah.

How does that happen? How does. Yeah. How does that happen? How does that happen? How does that happen? I'm saying a white guy from Memphis. I watched different strokes growing up, and I had a crush on Janet Jackson. How does that happen? Where did you meet her? First time I met her, I was with her dad, who was booking the Apollo.

So I was doing Showtime at the Apollo and she was standing out back. Oh, she's black black. So I... Standing out back? They never had any light-skinned black people at the Apollo? It was... My wife is gorgeous. She's gorgeous. So that was one thing. But I didn't

really... I came when was coming up the back stairs and someone was getting booed and i just remember thinking like why am i doing this i didn't need to do this this all started with like that patrice shit where he was always you know fucking with you so he was like you have a good set and he would just and then he started talking about talent's room talent will's room around the corner saying like you know there's a bunch of comics over there that 10 times funnier than all you white guys and da-da-da-da-da. And, you know, so it kind of felt like, all right. It's like I just won a championship.

And somebody's saying, oh, there's some guys across the way that could kick your ass. They're not allowed in the league. So it's like, all right, I got to go play them. So I started doing those rooms. And then that led. And then I was thinking, like, well, this would be great. I'll do the black rooms. I'll also do the white rooms.

And then I can get that, draw that crowd that i heard on those richard pryor albums um didn't happen uh but i ended up doing the apollo and uh that's where i met her but i met her again on tough crowd she was doing tough crowd with colin quinn and we kind of hit it off and And I remember I just kept asking around. She just kept being a jerk. And right as I was, typical woman, right? The second I was like, you know what? To hell with her.

To hell with her. Ended up running into her. And then all of a sudden, she was like really nice. And we were hanging out. Oh, my God. This guy was cock blocking me so bad that night. On such an epic level. You don't blame him, obviously.

No, it's because, no, if it'd be, no. What do you mean? I mean, because she's so beautiful that you understand why he would come. No, that's not why he was doing it. Okay, now you don't have all the information. Okay, give me the information. Is, this guy's advocating cock blocking.

It's like, how did you get that chair advocating that shit um no he was doing it because he was miserable in his own relationship so like he saw me like and it was like you know it was like fireworks like we just like i mean love at first sight basically it oh yeah like i've i've only met two people that had had a vibe like her in my life and the first one was a dude that wasn't Apple he was like, just walked in the room and you just knew the person

was coming in the room, she has that vibe so hold on, you gotta clear that up you didn't date the guy no when are black people gonna let go of this homophobia? You always got to check. Like, what are you doing?

I'm for the story. With your manicured eyebrows. Like, I'm fucking going to sit here and act like you're all good over there. Like, you don't swing a leg over the fence every once in a while. You know what I mean? You got fucking sandals on and white socks. You look like you just came from a steam room. Yeah. You got fucking sandals on and white socks. You look like you just came from a steam room. John Travolta?

Yeah. Oh, my God. Go ahead. No, I just mean, like, I always paid attention to energy because my energy was terrible. I was, like, all introverted and blah, blah, blah, blah. So I was fascinated with people that were just free. So that's what I meant. Gotcha, gotcha, gotcha.

Okay. We're going to go back to sucking dick for a show again? This guy's a one-trick pony over here. So we go to, like, hang out, right? No, so we're, like, vibing and everything. And I literally had to say to the dude, he was like a chick. I had to be like, hey, man, sorry I'm not paying attention to you. That's all the fuck he was.

I was just like, you know, I'm hitting it off with him, man. I think this is going all right, right? So the end of the night comes, the end of the stand-up show. He just comes walking over. He goes, so you guys want to go get something to eat, right? Hitting it off with him. I think this is going all right. Right. So the end of the night comes, you know, the stand up show. He just comes walking over. He goes, so you guys want to go get something to eat. Right. And he invites her and everybody.

Now I'm at this fucking table. And there was like, you know, 10 other people there. And he's all the way down the end. And he's still like yelling down shit, trying to interrupt any of my talking to her. I mean, so long ago. I just remember one point the check came and I didn't have any money. So I said, I'll just give me the cash. I'll put it on my card. He's like, oh, he I just remember one point the check came, and I didn't have any money. So I said, just give me the cash. I'll put it on my card. He's like, oh, he's just trying to get the miles.

Like, that's how he was doing it, right? So everybody goes to leave, and now it's just, oh, no, no, no. It was the middle of the dinner, right? Or whatever the fuck we were doing. The cock block dinner, right? And I finally just look at her. I just give up, right? Because he won't shut the fuck up.

And I finally just looked at her. I go, can I he won't shut the fuck up And I finally just looked at her And I go Can I at least split a cab with you home So she does that female thing Why do you want to split a cab with me And I just said fuck it I was just thinking Because I want to kiss you

Right So She put her head down and smiled And I was like I got her Fuck this guy So I let him do all his bullshit Everybody leaves Except for him Me mouth and I was like I gotta fuck this guy so I let him do all his bullshit everybody leaves

except for him me and who's gonna become my future wife and he literally goes he goes Nia he goes where do you live what do you look do you live uptown and she goes yeah I live at I go I live it too he goes you want to split a cab he's trying to leave with her and she goes no I'm taking a ride home I'm riding home with Bill and he's going going like, oh no, but I live up, he was so in his shit. He was so in his shit like he didn't, he just said I'm not going to say his name. She went, so and so I'm splitting a cab with Bill.

And I didn't have to say shit. I just stood there. And then he he left and it was funny. I don't talk to him for four days and he calls me up. He's like, hey, what's going on? I'm like, nothing.

What's up? He's like, so like what? You're not going to, you didn't call me because you thought I was cock blocking you the other night? I'm like, you were. He goes, no, I wasn't. I'm like, why did you bring it up?

That was the end of that friendship. And then you married her. And, you know, I just don't have time. I don't have time for that. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You know what I mean? And plus, it was also kind of teetering anyways, you know? It was obvious, too.

It was like, what? You know, your woman failed the WNBA joke is one of the greatest social commentaries of them. Yeah. Thank you. I mean, I'm just saying yes. I appreciate that. How did you get to that conclusion?

I was watching ESPN and they were blaming they were talking about like female sports, not getting money and stuff like that and all of that. And like he's just being an entertainment. It's like you have to put asses in the seats and that's what brings the money in. So there was a point where you know professional football wasn't doing as well as college football and these guys just kept working in and working until it became like what it was and you know there's more women than there are men so like this is not on us that women's sports or the very least aren't being supported so they're not being supported because you guys aren't showing up so So that was the seed of the bit. And I always forget my material.

I forget how it ended up going. You pointed to what actually is successful that women support. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Reality TV. Yeah, which is a bunch of women yelling at each other. Yeah. And fighting.

Yeah. Throwing juice and drinks and water. Yeah. My wife likes those shows. Have you seen the Texas, the former Texas point of that place where the Steelers now, Cameron Johnson? When the headline says, Steelers sign Bill Burr lookalike?

Oh yeah, I've seen that guy. That's scary. Yeah, I concur. That guy does definitely look like me. Would have been cooler if he was a quarterback. But that shows how popular you are, though. Correct. Oh, yeah, I guess so.

I don't think of any of that shit. Really? Yeah, no. That's the end of you. That's the end of you? You start walking around. I don't know. I actually kind of appreciate people that feel that way about themselves,

and also I don't understand it. When you're standing there, those people do that with their shirt blowing in front of a fan in front of their own audience. That shit is hilarious to me. I don't think you'd go that far, but when you think about your home beginnings. You got the sandals on. I could see you doing that, blowing your hoodie around. I'm just going to do it to you before you do it to me.

How many times have you washed that sweatshirt, by the way? That looks new. Is it? Yeah. That looks like a white guy's sweatshirt. Threw it in with the towels or something to bleach. Oh, it's tie-dye. Yeah.

But when you think about your humble beginnings, then you think about Fenway Park. You got to take that in a little bit. It's like I came a long way, at least. I did. I did. But I'm too afraid to. That's basically what it is. I'm too afraid to look at what I'm doing in situations like that because I need to perform.

So if I get all into the, you know, start thinking of the magnitude of something. I just literally saw Kevin Hart's picture on the door, man. It's one of my favorite people in the business. Yeah, Kevin bought, he used to buy us chairs. And that's why we have him sitting in that chair. Because he bought, for the old studio, he bought all the chairs. He's one of my favorite people. Great guy.

All I do. Our whole relationship is just giving each other shit. I don't think I've ever had an actual conversation. Anyway, yeah, I don't think of stuff like that. So I minimize, minimize, minimize, minimize. So because I had horrible anxiety when I started out. Yeah, so I had to figure out how to get – the only way I could figure out how to get past it

was to look at the stuff that I was doing and act like it wasn't a big deal just a job they come in here they get sitters and pay you know money to come here I come here I make them laugh they leave hopefully they come back and I just sort of reduce it to that and then I don't know then I come on a show like this and you start bringing stuff up and that's when I think that's when I first start thinking about it. I'm getting uncomfortable now. You're ready to go. Just thinking, talking about that shit. That all comes back also comes back to like just like

I don't know this weird low self-esteem and then also like not accepting compliments. I haven't figured that part of me out. Imposter syndrome? Oh, my God. 100%. Yeah, yeah, yeah. 100%.

100%. First time, yeah, I always like, that's the thought that I, every time I get off stage, my thought is, did I make them laugh enough that they're going to come back? And Club Soda Kenny, he reassures me. Club Soda Kenny? Club Soda Kenny is my, Club Soda Kenny? Club Soda Kenny is my... Club Soda Candy?

What did you say? Kenny. Kenny. Oh. See, now I'm suspicious of you. Now you're talking about sweets. I'm just doing it back to you. Club Soda Kenny, legendary.

Former police officer, tour manager, and security guy. He's like, I made a short film with him. Okay. I got to put it up on your website. So he's the guy when I get off stage. He works with Dice. He's worked with everybody. And so he knows.

And he's also, you know, he's a cop, Jersey guy. You know, he talks like this, like straight shooter. He's not going to be like, no, that was a good one. That was good. Blah, good one that was good and then you know if i get the pat on the back i know i i had a good one so um yeah that that is my thought i don't walk off stage you know oh god i'm not going to use that reference it'll start some shit um i don't walk off stage thinking i'm the shit i walk off stage thinking i i hope that was good enough that they come back. Well, that was crazy because I'm literally still starstruck. Remember when I just walked past the room and I was like, oh, shit, Bill Burr.

Bill Burr, how you doing? And he was just looking like, hey, what's up? Like not at all like, oh, yeah, you know I am that guy. You know, it was just real, real cool. And the first time you you made me laugh was um racial drafts uh the Dave Chappelle that you did the comments when it came out but I watched it because I was a big fan of Chappelle's show and then every special that was one of the coolest things yeah first really cool thing that I ever got on where it was like I got to experience – it was like Beatlemania.

And I only did like – most of you listeners are probably like, who the hell were you on that? First of all, I had hair and I only did like four or five steps. He was a commentator. Yeah. So I remember I was at this thing, Bonnaroo. You guys ever heard of Bonnaroo? Yeah. Oh, you have?

All right. Okay, so Bonnaroo is like this sort of, you know, this music festival in Nashville. It was one of the early years of it. It was a lot of jam bands. It was some really, like, earthy, smelly white people sort of out in the field type of thing.

Not a city kid vibe. So it was pretty white. Not country white but damn close. And the lights went down and I was seeing like this band. What the hell were they called? Praxis. Like Brain was on drums. Bernie Ruel. Sort of this offshoot band. And the lights went down

and it was like 10,000 people in this tent. And the lights went down and they were waiting for the band. And I just heard this dude just go, what? And then somebody else on the other side yelled, yeah. And then somebody else yelled,

okay. Dude, I got like goosebumps. And it was like, it was like right when it was, I think it was right after, um, Rick James sketch had already like blown up.

And I, I saw like how big this show was on. I couldn't, I couldn't believe it. And there was like comedians were telling me going, dude, that show you're on is fucking blowing up. I just did a college gig.

And like, say it came on at like 10 o'clock or something like that on comedy central. And their show was at nine 30. Like they would be doing a show trying to do an hour at 10 o'clock like 5 or 10 half the crowd would just get up and leave and he'd be like you know thinking what did I say well we're gonna go watch the Chappelle show I don't know if anything

gets that big again with all of this media but it was like when everybody brings up you know the Rick James one and all of that I will tell you this the Law and Order sketch that I was in, the first cut of that, I think Comedy Central thought was too dark. Oh, my God.

It was like a fucking Oscar-winning movie because it was hilarious. And then it was like when the white dude was in prison in the end, the way they did it it and they cut to Dave laughing on the golf course it wasn't funny it was like this is what you fuckers do to us it was it was like wow Southern Comedy Central like you know we

think there's a different ending bring it a little bit but there was a that was another thing too I remember they used to edit it right up the street from where I was living. And I remember Neil Brennan going, you got to come see this shit. And I got to see the Rick James sketch before anybody else. And I remember laughing my ass off.

And there just became a point I stopped laughing. And I was just like, this is like, I've never seen anything like this in my life yeah so I was probably the the first kind of still like one of the coolest things I got to be on I met Charlie Murphy Charlie Murphy rest in peace rest his soul he's up there too we got him up there

up there in the corner oh man the stories that went with that guy he had oh my god his stories he had endless corner. Oh, yeah. Oh, man. The stories that went with that guy. Yeah. He had... Oh, my God. His stories. He had endless... He told this story one time, and it was all stuff from the 80s. It would be so like, yo, I was at this

party. It was me, Sugar Ray Leonard and Punky Brewster. Right. Like, what party is this? It was just all these, like, 80s icons, right? And he was talking about Sugar Ray Leonard being drunk, talking about how quickly he could throw punches at your ribs and not hit you. And he said that these white guys were letting him do it.

He was drunk and he kept hitting them and they would like fold in half. And he was crying, laughing, telling me. And I was going, why the fuck would they do it? I don't know. That's the nicer one I can tell. The funny thing about Chappelle, when you look at Chappelle, and you rewatch it, you'll see you. You'll see Joe Rogan.

You'll see Neil Brennan. You'll see all of these people who have gone on to be icons of their own right now. Dave gave me one of the greatest pep talks I ever got. I ever got. It's funny because I'm older than Dave, but Dave started so young. I always look at him like an older brother, right? And I was doing some shit at the cellar, you know, and I got off stage and he was sitting on the stairs. Fortunately, I didn't know he was there.

At that point in my career, I would have been intimidated. Somebody that big watching me and i remember him telling me he's like man your your point of view was so dope man and he goes it's gonna but it's gonna take you a lot longer to get there but when you do you're gonna hit hard and i dude i fucking held on to that for like seven years on the road going dave thinks i'm funny dave thinks i'm funny yeah he was right. That's right. Bill fucking Burr, man. Thank you for joining us.

You guys were nice. Everybody got me all nervous. Let's not go why. Let's not go why. You know why. You know why. I gotta be honest with you. I listened to one clip and I shut it off after eight seconds.

You. What clip was it? Somebody said something like, well, you know, sometimes whatever the hell he was talking about. And I just hear you go, why would you do that? I'm like, oh, shit. Is it going to be this? No, because Larry King always says the best question to ask is why. Because people say that.

And I really do be curious. I'm like, well, why? Why is always the best question. Isn't that just your why? Yeah, it's a better why. And I really do be curious. I'm like, well, why? Why is always the best question. Isn't that just your why? That's a better. Yeah, it's a better why. Your why wasn't. That wasn't the read.

Go back and watch some of the other shit. It was like the subtext was, why the fuck would you do that? Well, it's the same thing. Sounds like him. Depends. No, it isn't. Depends what it is. No, it isn't.

But now. I had a good time. Well, thank you. Hey, there's my insecurity. I hope you had me back. You'd love to know that. There's a lot of people I know that hold hold you in very very high regard young comedians older comedians like pete davidson always talks about you all the time ricky gervais like oh yeah pete i remember uh pete was

another guy he had that vibe he was just memorable i met him he was like like like 12 13 years old already as tall as me and i remember years later he started doing staley four years later. He goes, I don't know if you remember. I just remember. I said, Atlantic City. You were standing there with your mom. So, all right. How many times are we going to wrap this up? That's it. All right. Thank you so much. I really appreciate what you said. All right. Thank you.

It's The Breakfast Club. Good morning. Wake that ass up in the morning. The Breakfast Club. Had enough of this country? Ever dreamt about The Breakfast Club. willingly gives up their territory. Oh my God. What is that? Bullets. Listen to Escape from Zaka Stan. That's Escape from Z-A-Q-A-S-T-A-N on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey guys, I'm Kate Max. You might know me from my popular online series,

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