The Downside with Gianmarco Soresi - #82 Your Baby is Not Perfect with Tina Friml

Episode Date: May 3, 2022

Comedian Tina Friml joins to discuss why your baby is not perfect, how to psychologically torment your high school bullies, figuring out an opening joke to address being disabled, making your stand-up tv debut in your parents garage, telling your friends they need to start wearing deodorant, getting a shoutout on a famous podcast but the host can’t remember your name, and briefly being dead but not remembering if there’s a hereafter. You can watch full video of this episode HERE! Follow Tina Friml on Instagram and Twitter Get tickets to see Tina in a city near you Follow Gianmarco Soresi on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, & YouTube Subscribe to Gianmarco Soresi's email & texting lists Check out Gianmarco Soresi's monthly show in NYC (first Sunday of every month) Get tickets to see Gianmarco Soresi in a city near you Watch or listen to Gianmarco Soresi's special "Shelf Life" on Amazon & on Spotify Follow Russell Daniels on Twitter & Instagram E-mail the show at [e-mail] Produced by Paige Asachika & Gianmarco Soresi Video edited by Spencer Sileo Special Thanks Tovah Silbermann Part of the Authentic Podcast Network Original music by Douglas Goodhart Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Right. Welcome to the downside. My name is Joe Marcus Araizi. I'm here with my co-host Russell Daniels. Russell Daniels. How are you doing, Russell? I'm good. How are you? You had a weekend without the wife. Weekend without the wife. So you were, you're, you're, you're, you. What are you going to say? I was trying to say something about being the no more cum inside you. Just a lot of jerking off oh yeah i'm sorry we have we have a guest what an inappropriate way to speak what a way to start we're joined by a stand-up comedian writer performer or performer tina frimmel hi how are you tina i'm good I'm okay There you go That's the mood

This is the downside One, two, three Downside Downside You're listening to The Downside The Downside With Gianmarco Cerezi

We're happy to have you I apologize for my Co-host behavior Starting off the podcast Yeah, yeah, yeah Reckless So sorry Reckless So sorry Reckless

This is a very exciting time My sister Younger sister She's a dancer She was in Coachella last night I saw the pictures Big booking Like on stage

On stage Yeah not in the Who was she dancing with? She was dancing Her name's Carol G You could have said anyone and i would have been like never heard of it yeah anyone that could tell love carol love her well she's she's a spanish singer i don't know i don't know what kind of music it was strange because about halfway though

halfway through she started singing uh shakira oh and i was like it's like you can just do that on the stage and then she did the Macarena. She sang the Macarena and I watched my sister who's been dancing for 15 years do the Macarena.

And I'm like, and like, my sister went to Vegas. They built a state, a practice stage in Vegas and they're all just doing the Macarena. What time was the,

you watched the live stream of it? Watched the live stream. It was, I think it was probably like 8.30. It was that cool. She got the good slot where like the sun's going down. Oh, nice. As you're performing.

Nice. And it was like nothing too crazy dance wise. You know, like it wasn't like a WAP level sex dance. Like in terms of like, there was some thrusting and sexuality. But then they did this move since we're recording where like she flipped all the dancers like flipped over and they went like this and like

with two fingers in their two fingers and you know where something about it was so I was with Tova and we were both like whoa Jesus Christ so it was very graphic the fingers are what. So it was very graphic.

You know, we went, yeah, the fingers are what matters. If it was like an open palm, whole hand, okay. Yeah, yeah. But like, whoa. This was, and that's always been the case like with dance. I mean, you see, dance is partially, it's like it's about sex. It's about like your body and you see my sister was a dancer

when she was young and so you know they have these five year old girls doing these dances where like the moves are about their hips and their things

and one time we saw my sister as a final dress rehearsal for something and she like crawled across the stage with her legs dragging and then she said

my stepdad her dad was in the audience and she was like hi dad and it was the funniest shit oh my god um I think I mentioned on this we I used to take a hip hop class with my sister where I was like

truly awful yeah but her teacher's name was Carly so they all got jackets they went by C unit oh and how old were you when this was happening but their hair was so long So they all got jackets. They went by C unit. Oh. And I don't know if you can see where this is going. How old were you when this was happening? But their hair was so long that every once in a while it would cover up the eye. Oh, that's so funny.

And all these girls would be dancing and it just said cunt on every single one of their backs. And it was at that age where like no one could really say it. Yeah, how old were you? I was probably like 15. She was probably like 8 or 9. Were you the only male in the hip-hop class? Yeah. And I was the only one of that age.

Did you have a jacket that said cunt? No, I don't think I made the team. I just did this one dance. If I could find it, it was humiliating. That would have been iconic, though. Just like, I think with that jacket, like, just cunt. Yeah. Yeah.

Did you ever dance? Were you ever a dancer oh okay so kind of like back in um high school i did the whole like interpretive elective kind of like dance yeah like like um top pie actually i think she had to be 75. And I grew up in Vermont, right? Yeah. So, like, definite, definite hippie. Um, and she had this whole choreographed dance. And I got, oh, by the way, I was, like, 13, 14. Weighed about two pounds at the time. Uh-huh. And so i was the one that got picked up and like

and like fountain it was they were trying to make like a human fountain kind of hoisted me up and and um at the time it was before i knew the the magic of deodorant so sure i am i was uh that girl that like um and and they're throwing you away just oh god as far away as they could. I was just, God, and it was actually a guy that, like, at the time, in that certain semester, like, I had a crush on him. And so looking back, it's mortifying just. Sure. When did you find out about deodorant? Before today, right? Probably, like, two years, two and a half years after that.

Who told you? Who's the one that said like, girl, you stink? It was actually a friend of mine. That's a good friend. I know. That's a good friend. That's not an easy thing to do. We have a friend who had a story about telling someone that they smelled bad.

What did they do? And, well, basically, this person was, like, you know, had no idea. And finally, our friend was just, like, sat them down and said, like, you need to wear real deodorant. You really smell bad. And he said his life turned around after that. Like, this is from our friend he gets a raise like he met someone he got married like like had a normal life after that but um but that's just very funny had a normal life i well i've i think i've said it once before where i think i had some

some bo and i would use like the axe type stuff like like spray. Oh yeah. And I had a friend, I guess I had a freshman year of college. I had bad body odor sometimes. And my roommate, uh, Connor Moore, he was too scared to tell me. So he used to Febreze my clothes. Oh man.

As, as if that would do the trick, just like adding some, some Febreze to, to all my clothes just throughout my whole closet. I'd be like, why are all my shirts damp? Yeah. But that was his solution.

And I don't know what happened. I think I realized on my own after that. And I'm very self-conscious about it. I'd be mortified. Yeah. But your friend, how did your friend tell you? The way that she told me was because I had her over at my house all the time to sleep over. because I had her over at my house all the time to sleep over.

And one day she just casually said, oh, you know, every time I come in your room, it really smells like you. Oh. I thought she was going to transfer it to the room. But she brought it right back to you. Oh, wow. Every time I come in your room it's really so much like you I was so oblivious

and so naive I was like oh thank you that makes sense it's my room and like I was like oh is that a good thing and she's like no oh god rip off the bandaid is that a good thing? And she's like, no. Oh, God.

Yeah, like rip off the band-aid. Like, that's when I gained consciousness in life. Do you wonder, do you, like, I always wonder, do parents not, like, did your parents, did you start doing, wearing deodorant? Like, what happened after that? And then your parents were like Oh you do smell better Cause I feel like it's partially the role of the parent

To like intervene Maybe although my mom and dad They're the best Yes and They are also very passive They're very Non-confrontational So they're not

The kind of people that would do that. They kind of just let it be and like, she'll find out. The same way that no one ever told me that I have an alcoholic gene. These are very passive parents. Yeah, you'll figure this out well i never joke about it because um i i joke that someone somewhere was just like oh yeah i just get out there into the world like go off into college and just weird things start happening she'll figure it out but um who has it which like which parent like it's kind of loose i guess the term alcoholic gene but like um it was not so much my

parents at all i think thankfully i got very lucky but my grandparents um and it was just kind of like deep, deep in the roots, I guess. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And I got very, very fortunate. I got dealt a very good hand in that both of my parents saw how it affects their relatives and their parents. So they don't drink? their parents and they're so they did they don't drink well my dad does they did but they were they kind of kept it like yeah on tap yeah um which again like just thank god like i i'm so lucky that they just had yeah had the control to do that sure yeah but uh it's still like like i know that when i began drinking in freshman year of college i got i got like the minute that i did it for the first time

i was like oh my god this exists and what was it was it do like the taste, or is it just that the feeling is so seductive? Yeah, well, I remember the first time I ever got drunk was Halloween weekend of freshman year. And I felt like I was dreaming. It was, to this day, the best drunk I've ever had. The best I've ever felt. Halloween fresh for you. Yeah. What was your costume?

This is really bad. It was a sexy Steve from Blue's Clues. Oh. At least that's more inventive than like sexy cat, sexy buddy. Yeah. Yeah.

Sexy childhood TV show star. Yeah. Well, I, I had this, um, uh, like a strapless dress.

I had like the, the green, like green, dark green stripes. Yeah. And I just happened to have it. I got it at like a thrift shop and, uh, that perfect. And so. I got it at a thrift shop. And it's not perfect.

And so I got a face paint. I did the whole blues clues. I put a paw print on my face and on my chest. Yeah. And you were wasted too. I like a kid seeing that and going like, what happened to. Oh gosh. There are actually still pictures that I cherish now.

Because they're blurry and it's me in that dress just sprinting down a bike path. Just like... Probably the fastest I've ever run. And I was running because we were late for a Rocky Horror Picture Show production on my campus. And I just was the worst case scenario ever. So I was running. Did you throw up? Not that time.

And I should have because then I think it would have deterred me. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But the first time I got off kind of like scot-free. Sure. Um, and then I remember like it hit right away. Like, like the next day I, I hadn't thought that, oh my God, that was the best night I think I've ever had. And alcohol was just the best thing ever. And I never, I didn't know the consequence.

I didn't know what a hangover felt like. And I just started to be like like oh my god i can drink at anything yeah and i began to be like well if i can drink on uh friday why not like a wednesday it was immediate 11 p.m why not 11 a.m it was it was um really kind of out of character for me because i've never really been um a kind of deviant um person or well you just didn't drink until college that's late what was your first drunk not till later in high school I'd say like junior senior year

and it was hard in a small town to get it like truly like I remember one time one of the first times I got it we were like driving into the deep woods and meeting someone and I remember me and my friends I think we spent like $40 for like a six pack.

Do you know what I mean? Like we were- Like someone bought it for you. It was, yeah. But someone older bought it and then like- Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's a mean price. We each had like two beers each, you know, and that was it.

But it was like, we spent so much. So it wasn't, it was harder to get in a small town my first was my dad i found a like old i think it was scotch and my dad never really drank but he had this cabinet liquor decades old and i took uh one shot and i think that i found a shot glass and then i it was alone and i walked in like a line to see if i felt it and i took a second shot i think i took three and i've definitely felt something. Yeah. And then the next day I was really into frappuccinos from Starbucks,

like the caramel frappuccino. This was like a new thing. And I was, I was eating them all the time and I, I got it. And then my dad, we went driving and I had to throw up. We pulled over to the side of the road,

but I threw up so bad that I could never have frappuccinos again. Like it automatically connected to that. Oh God. And, uh to the side of the road, but I threw up so bad that I could never have Frappuccinos again. Like it automatically connected to that. Oh, God. And so I knew right away. I knew right away and I didn't like it. I don't like feeling that way. A hangover is enough to deter me. Yeah.

Yeah. From now you like to drink. I do. Yeah. What's the difference between you and alcoholic? Did you ever worry? Do you ever get scared i definitely yeah i definitely have phases where i am conscious of like okay like you're not gonna you have to like have a healthier sort of thing because it's hard because sometimes if you're having like a like you're you know you

go you definitely go through phases but like sometimes you're like oh like like for instance this week i'm like oh it's my birthday oh i have this show oh and then you're like that's a slippery slope of like then there's like three or four nights where you're and then you're like right oh and then usually when i recognize that i'm like yeah i'm technically on a bender not like i'm not drinking during the day or anything like that. But there's a thing where you're like, I am conscious of it. And it does run in my family too. But the problem would be if I had it, I'd be pretty high functioning and not getting crazy mean or having outbursts or things like that. So I evaluate it and try to keep it to a controlled thing.

And I feel like I do a pretty good job of that. I just don't. I'm not drawn to it. I came up with a rule pretty quick with comedy clubs where it was just like, I'm not going to use this drink ticket every time. Yeah. But it was more like I didn't want a beer.

It was more about calories, frankly. Yeah. More about calories. And then now I headline on the road. And it's nice to have a beer when you're doing an hour. But then it's like, well, if you have a beer for the first show and the second show, I get a little slurrier. I start saying slurs like every single joke. It's just like I start slipping up on a couple words here and there.

And I go like, I don't like that. So now I try to keep to one. Or I'll have like half a beer for the first show and then a fresh beer, half that for the second show in a day. Yeah. A lot of waste. In a weird way, and I know this is the polar opposite of what a lot of people go through, But when I got into comedy right after college, it alleviated that concern that I was drinking too much.

Because you're like, wow, I'm really responsible. You see her everywhere else, yeah. Yeah, because every time I went, I was no longer ever going out to just hang out. I was going out to just hang out. I was going, like, to perform. And the other thing that I should know is, thankfully, even though, like, I got really into it, but I quickly, like, after maybe half a year, the morality cut up, and I kind of thought, wait, this is bad. To be drinking. Yeah, yeah. And I quickly kind of got a hold of it.

And, like, I still drink now, but it's far, far less. And I think that's in part to do with age, but also just, well, I know, like, a lot of people, they say that they're just addicted in their personality no matter what. kind of um focused on like on my routine and how i did what the cross on all this stuff and that became a bit more of an addiction yeah yeah yeah i mean thankfully it was never an actual addiction for me. It was just kind of like, and I may be blowing this a bit out of proportion. I think that a lot of people, like, when they discover drinking, they have a similar thing. Like, oh my God, this is awesome. And then they kind of like tone it down yeah um but uh yeah i i definitely the older that i feel like with every year the older that i get the less and less i have to um keep track of how much

I'm drinking like oh well I had three tonight so maybe not tomorrow maybe the next day I'll have two whatever you're like I had nine tonight and so far four and a half

no but it is a thing I do because then I'll be like oh i'm not gonna really drink for a few weeks and like because it is it it's never been like an out of control thing but like there's times where i'm like i don't feel yeah yeah i feel like like like not because of actions or things but you're like i feel gross you know like if you have a few nights in a row where you're like you're like having a thing and then you're like oh god like this is not a um but i do have a it is a it's interesting thing because it's a

definitely part of my life i enjoy it like i like good food i like good drink it's like a you know yeah it's like i just like i don't like the taste very much oh yeah and it's a nice deterrent yeah it's a nice deterrent like scotch or whiskey yeah sometimes I want to be that guy when I feel sad

yeah I feel the same way about pot I just don't have like I know I'd love for you I don't have a to do more pot a relationship to it

so you grew up in Vermont I did so tell me I don't know a lot about Vermont what's shitty about it oh oh man well I mean there's so much good about Vermont,

but there's not a whole lot happening. We literally sell T-shirts that say what happens in Vermont, stays in Vermont, but nothing really ever happens. And it's true. What a sad shirt. Yeah, but people take pride in that like locals i know people that that live there and they wear that shirt like all the time hell yeah and um i know i i just uh that i i always knew that i was a a mature and I loved to get out and do things and meet people and see things and that part. Like, I know that right after college when I began to really get out of Vermont because I grew up and then also went to college in Vermont so it was very much a big kind of bubble and then going to um my first uh you know big city like I went out to London a bunch. I went to Australia to study abroad. And just having not only just the things you can do out there, but just the vast kind of variety of people out there and um like i always say that um i mean you hear the term melting pot um but but i think

what i love is not only the melting pot of race and ethnicity and religion and that kind of thing but just generally like personalities and stories and in vermont there um there is definitely a type yeah yeah and it's not everyone certainly um but but there is like i uh the older that got in Vermont, the more that I struggled to feel like I belonged there. And just, I don't know, well, because I got really into things like fashion and things like performing and comedy and and um i don't know just really glitzy kind of things that you could only find in like in new york yeah and as opposed to like maple syrup or something i'm kind of like hiking Yeah But hiking is great But I know that you know I was

I couldn't really get into hiking It was like a habit Yeah People love it Yeah And of course like snowboarding Yeah And skiing

I did it a bit But I could never kind of It wasn't like my thing I could never kind of, it wasn't like my thing. I could never. I don't have balance. I went on the bunny hill once. I thought a bunny hill meant like from the top of the ceiling to the floor. And it was like, it felt like a mountain.

It felt like Mount Everest to me. It's the scariest shit I've ever done. None of it. And then someone died recently. An actor died. There was an actor a long time ago, a famous actress. All the time. They hit their head.

And I'm like, I don't know. That's not how I want to go. The Amacians wife died that way. Yeah, and then some trash actor now. Was it Sonny? Yeah, Sonny Bono. Yeah, I don't want to. I'm not famous yet. I need to be famous

first before I do that. Yeah, no, I don't like any of that sort of thing. You know? Yeah, yeah, yeah. We're inside. Yeah. Yeah. We're drinking hot coffee.

I like sitting by a fire. Sure. You know? Who doesn't like sitting by a fire? This episode is brought to you by A Real Pain. From Searchlight Pictures comes one of the buzziest films at Sundance Film Festival, A Real Pain. Written, directed, too basic. See a real pain only automatically sent to your matches.

Then sit back and let your matches start the chat. Download Bumble and try it for yourself. So I watched your Drew Barrymore set. Oh my gosh. That was so cool. Yeah, that was. Did you ever see any of that? It's called Banana Mores.

No. Where Drew Barrymore, she pretended like she was, who started the comedy store? What's her name? Mitzi Short. Mitzi Short, yeah. And she's like, she's like, ah, Banana Mores. Ah, look at this talent. Drew, Drew Barrymore.

It's quite a watch, but you recorded it at home. At home in my garage. Oh, that's cool. Yeah. it at home at home in my garage oh yeah yeah it was it was actually the it sounds awful but it was the best thing i've ever done like just being in vermont around my dad's tools um and like paint buckets and and um and they add the laugh track after the fact. Oh, yeah. Do they send you anything to record with, or you just have your iPhone? Yeah, so I got this huge kit from Anaheim, California or something. And, you know, they fax it, so the truck backs in,

and they just dump this gigantic, like a base-sized thing. And, yeah, it came with, like, a backdrop and a whole camera set up and lighting and the whole shebang. And the thing is that you have to set up all yourself. Yeah. thing is that you have to say up all yourself yeah yeah um and thankfully they had uh a tech guy and a producer zooming in um which they were just above and beyond awesome and so sweet and really really helpful but the problem was that um i was out in my garage which had like barely wi-fi and so they kept on like breaking out like in and out yeah um and then there was a thing with the mic like the mic wouldn't work right um and they were watching you do it when you were recording it oh yeah oh yeah that's stressful that's so stressful because it's just silence yeah you have to like hit these

punch lines in a way that makes sense yeah with like a laugh track yeah and did you have like a family member like in the garage with you like or no just you and the producer via Zoom. My mom and dad at one point were, like, standing to the side just kind of watching me because we were trying to troubleshoot this whole mic thing. And we could not get it, and I was trying not to kind of freak out. I was maintaining a little bit composure but you know you're working with producers out in LA and here I am in Vermont and they're cutting out.

And my mom and dad were kind of on the side and at one point they were trying to to almost sign language to me like can we help like what what can we do and and just only at the at that very moment they couldn't really do um anything so um uh and I was trying to kind of communicate, don't worry, I got this, all the while I'm trying to talk to this guy. So they were there for immense moral support. And then kind of while I filmed, it was just me, me and the producer. I mean, that's good.

You have a good relation with your parents. I would rather die than have my parents be anywhere near a vicinity of me doing stand-up. If they signed me, I'd be like, oh, this is my... Oh, my gosh. I would not be, like, anywhere... I mean, my parents are just the greatest parents. I got very, very fortunate in that they were so supportive. And even in crazy, crazy situations like this,

they could never prepare for it. like this that they could never prepare for like having you know a daughter trying to shoot this professional thing all the while i know nothing about technology and um and even just them being there being like concerned about me it's it's like um I don't know I no it's good it's good you're the first person on this show to have a good relationship with their parents and that's a new record you should feel proud

and I was very curious because you know with all the stand up clips you have online like you right out the gate at the very beginning of your sets you address being disabled yeah and like when you how when did you start stand-up like like was that the first thing you had to figure out because the whole thing is you go in front of strangers yeah oh yeah And so I began comedy about five years ago. And at first, I really wanted to kind of talk about normal things,

be just kind of a normal comic. And I know that the first open mic that I ever did, I talked about, like, coffee and dating and fairies and all this stuff. And you had people there who knew you, I assume? No. Oh, you were up cold. I went cold. Granted, I also had

no microphone skills. Sure. I was way down almost by my waist and no one could hear me yeah anyway but um uh i i kind of bombed but then after a while i was compelled to take um a stand-up comedy class in vermont in vermont vermont at the Club. That's where they have the peak comedy classes in Vermont. Yeah. People travel from all over the world.

It was like a six-week class. Yeah. Co-taught by the co-owner, Nathan Hertzwick, and also Kendall Farrell. Uh-huh. I know Kendall. Yes. A New York comic here. I know Kettle. Yes, a New York comic here.

And it was like a six-week class. And basically the end goal is come up with five minutes and then do it in front of all your friends and family. And they'll love it no matter how funny it is. And that was kind of like a, I thought, okay, if I do this, it will 100% tell me whether or not I'm good at this.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. And in that class, I think it was the second week I got up there, and I had a whole five minutes of like rough something. But right at the top I did say like, oh, before I say anything, I'm Tina and I'm disabled. But don't worry, you're going to be okay. I'm disabled, but don't worry, you're going to be okay.

And the whole classroom just kind of erupted. Yeah. And there's really sharp kind of laughter, like zero to 100. And that was kind of the first time that ever really happened to me. time of that ever really happened to me and that quickly kind of sporadically told me that oh geez okay i really have to like address the the big elephant in the room yeah um but then the other thing is once i began talking about it before i got into comedy for the first you know two decades of my life I I never talked about it because I was in denial of it I when I was younger I thought well if I never talk about it it will just go away yeah i'll grow out of it it will be very much not not a thing and um and then i um and then after a while when when i knew that that would not be the

case um and when social things really did when was was it hardest? Was there a time when it was like high school the hardest time of just dealing with the way people treated you or perceptions? Yeah. Well, definitely when my sophomore year in college was the first time I entered a public high school i see um and before that i was in very small private schools where everyone knew everyone and there was virtually kind of no bullying um at least on like the surface level yeah yeah sure um and so but but then going um i i really for some reason at the time was really compelled to get the the the genuine high school experience and so it

convinced my my mom and dad to kind of like allow me to go to the public high school yeah and um and i immediately got kind of confronted with bullies um people they just no holding back they would just say whatever and laugh at me and kind of um use me as leverage to be cool yeah that's brutal yeah oh yeah it was really like sudden and and uh like at lunch or the class like mainly in the hall yeah mainly like literally just minding my business, walking along. And there was this certain friend group. They just loved me. They just loved to laugh at me and kind of like they would comment on just, I mean, it was kind of like the passive, you know, hi, Tina.

And I would say hi back. And then they would instantly break out into laughter. Oh, my God. You know how it sounded. And unfortunately, I mean, that was like, ugh. Like, okay. I mean that was like ugh but then

on the bus on the school bus I feel like a lot of people don't talk about this but a lot of bullying happens on the bus sure you're stuck in this one space no teachers around

exactly you're stuck in this tube with no supervision ages all over the place yeah there's like little kids older kids it's a nightmare yeah and um and i uh that's when they got i got like extra kind of deep jabbing, and they would ask, oh, have you ever been kissed? And trying to get me to ask people out. It became not just, oh, you're disabled,

but, hey, you're disabled and like no one likes you and all this stuff did you just sit and take it did you ever like say something back oh I said something back what did you say well no it's like cause at the time

it was actually the two main people that were bullies were a couple a guy and a gal and and so i would often kind of like analyze uh their relationship and and like i would kind of get get in their head about what would you say well just i i know that like you're like you guys have kissed but you felt nothing well at one point and and you know at the time i had no uh grasp on like actual relationship dynamic so so i just kind of knew what i knew from movies and and so I would tell the guy like oh she's whipping you she's like um because I think one time maybe I saw her say some command to him like oh go get my book and I tried to latch on to that.

And I would, this is so high school. You could do anything. You could stab him as far as I'm concerned, and I'd be like, yeah, fair, fair. I would draw, because I was actually really into drawing at the time. And I drew a whip. really into drawing at the time and i drew like a whip and i'm like a little piece of paper that like kept on sticking in his locker being like oh my god that's so fucking funny you're whipped oh wow oh my god and i actually got the funniest part about that is I actually, I did it enough times that I got really good at drawing whips.

Like, like real, like really detailed drawings. and like and and at first i didn't think that they knew that it was me but then after a while i would i would um you'd put a kiss on the paper yeah you start signing it everything was like um this is actually deriving up like conjugal d memories but but after a while and I kind of realized they didn't know who was doing it and then um whenever I would kind of walk by and they would say something snarky or like or uh passive aggressive like hey Tina you got a date this weekend? And I would just like very quietly under my breath be like Oh my God.

I love these people. They just like break down at home. They like it ends with a murder suicide. They find them hanging by whips. I know. Do they end up together?

Are they still together? No. Do you know? Do you know where they are? I do, actually. Do you ever send them a whip now on Facebook? Just send them a whip emoji? One of them actually turned out to be,

I mean, at the end of the day, we're all 14, you know, so at the end of the day, we're all 14, you know, so at the end of the day, I kind of gave them the benefit of the doubt. And actually, one of the gals in that group, she came to my show, which I didn't know about, but she somehow got wind of it. And brought her friends in. And at first, like, I'm sure you're thinking, like, oh, God. Like, really, her really committing to the bit. Like, I thought they were all coming to, like, yeah. Oh, my God. And I saw them there and um but they were genuinely there to like

have a good time and um and um i i didn't really talk to her that much after but she seemed Like a real person. Yeah. And it was really odd, though. Like, I didn't know how to react. Do you wish that, like, because I feel like we live more in a culture now of, like, teachers would step in. I don't know. It depends on what school you go to. Like, I went to a private high school. So when I would see things like mean girls, I'd be like, that's foreign to me. Like, I went to a private high school, so when I would see things like mean girls, I would be like, that's foreign to me.

Like, this world of cruelty. Think of all the times, though, that you're, like, just people aren't seeing it. Like, just like, you know what I mean? Sure, sure. You are unsupervised. But this is brutal. No, I know.

I'm not defending it. I'm just saying, like, it's surprising how often, even in a setting like that where there's that many adults around, where you find yourself alone and not, like, with no one to see that kind of thing. But, yeah. But the conversation has come far in bullying. in a very rural part of the state, which has a lot of farm families and that kind of thing. I'm kind of not from that kind of very farm, rural kind of thing.

We just happen to live in the district and I'm not I'm not sure like um well this is definitely a generalization in itself but I I looking back I kind of always wondered if the reason that that the bullying was so bad at that particular high school because the next year I went to the neighboring district high school and had the best time. Did you leave because of your experience? Yeah. You did? Okay. And I went to the next and no issue at all.

Yeah, sure. And I kind of wonder, like, looking back with a little bit more of a like an empathetic lens i kind of wonder if um just kids that kind of grew up in a more rural family oriented uh upbringing they they just didn't really yet know the whole world. And so, I mean, even bigger than me and what happened to me, the basic vibe in the whole school was do not be different. Yes. At all. Like, they all dress the same.

Like, jeans and, like, a gray sweatshirt. Oh, yeah. Very kind of, the worst thing that you could ever be would be different in some way. Yeah. And I kind of wondered if, well, it's just unfortunate placement that I just happened to be there. Yeah. unfortunate placement that i just happened to be there yeah yeah so then when you so then you did this comedy you had this discovery in class where you were like oh i have to address this for for people like to or else they're thinking or they're wondering or they're waiting for something to be

said yeah yeah do you have do you have any other opening lines um well definitely the the kind of you're going to be okay joke was like the the reigning supreme of like ways to crack the ice yeah um and uh but but then i kind of then i i have a little bit more of different ways that I can then go about it. Recently, I've actually been saying in my set that, you know, a lot of people think that I suffer from cerebral palsy. But I don't. I live with cerebral palsy. But I suffer from people. That's cerebral palsy, but I suffer from people. That's great.

Yeah, that's fantastic. And then that can kind of lead into, like, this whole bit that I can do about things that people have said to me about it, like in high school or like now. like in high school, like now. But, you know, I definitely kind of, my end goal, like the more that I get into comedy and the more that I want to begin to talk about other things and devote my time to being able to talk about other things. I'm being able to talk about just other things. But I'm constantly trying to find that kind of reach over. Which is a comedy.

It's like the blessing and curse where America's Got Talent would probably be like, Yes, please! But they want you to talk about it right out the gate. And it's good in the sense of... Was there a comedian? Are there any other comics super successful that have cerebral palsy? There is Josh Blue. Josh Blue, who won America's Got Talent, got second on it.

He actually won last comic standing. Won last comic standing. Yeah. And then was on America's Got Talent. I think so. He's doing so well. I saw him have, he had a post about being on America's Got Talent in the finals and someone He's doing so well. I saw him have, he had a post about being on America's Got Talent

in the finals and someone commented, hey Josh, you already won one competition. This is for new comics. And, but that's, he's,

I mean, I hear he's fantastic. Oh yeah. I still have to listen to his albums. Well, I actually saw him one time live at JFL.

Oh yeah? Like a showcase. This was when you did JFL that year? I think the year before I did. The year before. Like I said, I'm from Vermont, which is only about an hour and a half south of Montreal.

Oh, I didn't know that. So actually part of what kind of got me into comedy was, you know, like going to Montreal and checking it out and going and seeing the whole festival. But, yeah, I think in 2018, me and my parents went to see that show. And he was right in the middle. And he just killed. Yeah.

It was so fun. the middle and he just killed yeah it was so fun and like you know i i'd seen clips on youtube and i i i was looking forward to seeing him live but like not really expecting to just like fall out of my chair because i thought that i had seen it yeah but but i was like it was just so funny um so he that definitely inspired me i think that you really propelled me like yeah that was the first time that that i really thought oh this kind of narrative could fit in a in a much bigger kind of array of comedy it's not like its own for sure own thing like like america's got talent um is great but it is also under that lens of inspiration and the human story, basically. I know that after seeing Josh at JFL, I really kind of thought, oh, this really could be

like comedy, comedy. Yeah, yeah, this really could be comedy. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Do you feel like the New York scene has been, I guess if you ask any comedian, has the scene been kind to you? They'd all say no. I can't think of too many comedians that'd be like, yeah, no complaints.

Yeah, yeah. Definitely, I feel like as far as being a disabled comic, I personally don't feel like I've been deterred. Sure. Like, I don't feel, except for the very, like, certain kind of scenario where I happen to be out and about, hanging out at, like, a club or something, and I'm trying to kind of co-mingle with other comics, but I'm not on that night, and I kind of, I don't really know anyone there, and I kind of have to go up and say,

oh, hey, guys, yeah, I'm actually a comic, too. Sure. And you can definitely get the vibe of, like, sure. You know? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Even I was once at the Green Room in New York Comedy Club about a year ago, and, like, a woman walked in and went, and I wasn't past her or anything, and she was, like, really crowded in here today.

And I was, like, oh, my God, I'm never leaving the house again. wasn't past or anything and she was like really crowded in here today and i was like oh my god i'm never leaving the house again oh it feels devastated oh who was it just kidding i don't i i don't even remember i don't remember uh she's a nobody uh but but yeah it's just it's it's such a cruel it's just a cruel scene and i imagine I imagine there's assholes out there who run comedy clubs who would be shitty about it. Or who would go like, no. You know, thankfully, thus far on the record, I have not had anything really bad said directly to me about it about that's why you're not on this that there's why you're not whatever um but but like I definitely have the thought has crossed my mind in terms of getting into comedy and you know like I would love to

be passed at clubs be able to perform regularly at certain clubs around Manhattan and there is that kind of wondering of like okay like i wonder if i'm a fit like if they think it could be a fit yeah yeah um because that's the other thing that you kind of like struggle with is not wanting to be kind of like a like a novelty or like a token kind of look is there any part though where like I think about like the college circuit or touring where some comics are like well I gotta figure out my hook

or my thing to get out there I know people who you know it's like well I'm a teacher and that's their brand is I'm a school teacher so it's like there's some degree of, oh, well, you got to have a gimmick. You know that song from Gypsy?

Where it's like, you got to have a gimmick and it's like, well, fuck, if this is the way to get in, why not? You know, like I spend all my time, like when I walk on stage, what is my thing on theater kit or something like that? So it just feels like it must be like a push and pull of it's just like if a college says you know what we want to have you because you're disabled and you're a comedian and it'll be people will find the show fascinating

like that's not inherently a bad thing yeah yeah exactly and in that case I'm very lucky that that like I just that's what I was going to say are you appreciating how fucking lucky you are and yeah I am I am appreciating because yeah like I always said that

comedy was kind of the perfect hole that I fell into accidentally because in my opinion comedy was the only way that i felt like i personally felt like me being disabled could be okay. Yes. And could actually be a strength. Sure. In a way. And I think there's something, I mean, this may be all art forms, I guess, but with comedy, it's the jokes.

I mean, people appreciate jokes no matter what. Yeah. They appreciate great jokes and like i think it can you know even if even when comics get get things for whatever reason they get the thing if the jokes are good people respect that people respect josh blue comics talk about i've heard so many comics talk about josh blue is just like a killer just like a murderer and like it's just, there's something nice that can supersede all the things. And who cares how you get where you get? We all get everywhere for a myriad of reasons that are whatever, but then the comedy can

shine through. Yeah. Yeah, exactly. Even a comic I didn't like, even a comic who wouldn't like, or even an older comic who I think was hacky, if they said a good joke, I'd be like,'s a that was a good joke i mean yeah and that's kind of cool do you ever get the thing where like you're at like an open mic or a set and a comic that a joke that's so like so good so technically good that you don't even laugh you just audibly say That that's a good a good joke. I was listening back to my set from last night. I know exactly what you mean

That really happened to me An open mic of all things a guy and I won't repeat the joke for his sake but he did a joke that was very timely but also very very clever and very like you had no

it came out of nowhere who was he? oh boy oh boy that's the comedian's chair It came out of nowhere. Who was he? Oh, boy. Oh, boy. Yeah, yeah, there you go. That's the comedian's chair. No, no, I don't think.

I know I was trying to. Oh, bleep it out. Yeah, get his name in post. I think. Got to book this guy. Book this guy. Headline your club. It might have been Misha. Misha something. Misha Han? Maybe. uh gotta book this guy book this guy headline your club um misha han maybe he is long he's long hair oh no okay i was gonna put a facebook says hey we gave you a shout out on the podcast no name and yeah well yeah um i'm very i apologize to this guy

Yeah, well, yeah. I apologize to this guy. However, this is, I feel, if you're listening, I feel your pain. It would be shocking if he was listening. It would be amazing. I'd be so flattered. One time, maybe two years ago, a guy, a friend of mine, mentioned to me, like, A friend of mine mentioned to me, like, hey, you were just mentioned on, oh my gosh. By the way, I'm so bad at names.

Yeah, a big one. Laurie Kilburn's one? No, it was the crashing. Pete Holmes? Pete Holmes. Oh, you made it weird. Yeah, you made it weird. Thank you. I could see the cover. Yeah, yeah. Oh, you made it weird. Yeah, you made it weird. Thank you.

I could see the cover. You made it weird. A friend of mine said, oh, by the way, you were mentioned on You Made It Weird. And I'm like, what? And I went back and lo and behold, I was, but they could not remember my name. No. Who said it?

Pete Holmes, because Pete was kind enough to host our New Faces showcase. And he was just amazing and the best host and really got the crowd going. And, yeah, it was not very long after that that he was chatting away. And I think they were also talking about generally disability and different in comedy. Yeah. You mentioned, like, oh, there was this gal that just did New Face. She was... Crazy. Killing it.

I had that recently. Someone sent it to me. Bert Kreischer had his podcast when Corinne Fisher was on. And Bert started talking about this pedophile joke that someone had shown him. And Corinne, who knows me, was like, oh, are you thinking Gian Marcos Scorsese?

And that's the shoutout I got. I was like, God, so close. So close. You wish you were not saying Scorsese. And I immediately wrote Bert on every app I had, like, hey, it was me. I'm the pedophile guy. Yeah, yeah.

I actually did the same. I made a small attempt to try and shout out and be like hey it was me thanks for the shout out next episode can you say it and spell it and my handle is this yeah

I don't know if you ever saw it but even just like even that was just like in my head that was so rent-free. Like, oh, I gotta shut up. All right, well, let's move on to our next segment. This has got to stop.

This has got to stop. This has got to stop. You okay? Your head? Oh, I was just, like, kind of dancing with the sound effect. Yeah. Good, good. I know that when I've listened to this podcast before, that part always makes me jump.

Oh, yeah? Yeah. Like, just... This has got to stop. I'll always be having a coffee and hand and being... Well, this has got to stop the sound cue being so alarming. Do you have a this has got to stop for us? I do.

Alarming. Do you have a This Has Got to Stop for us? I do. So, and this is very much based on my own personal experience, but I really don't like when people, they had a baby, they were newborn, and they're announcing it on Facebook or Instagram, and they're, like, introducing Michael Gerard, whatever, into the world. I like you remember the baby's name,

but not the comedian you were shouting out before. And they're like, he's, you know, nine pounds, two ounces, and he's perfect. Perfect. parents to an auntie, and he's perfect, perfect, and they always, they always like to say, well, it gets into, like, a bigger thing that I don't like how I, I've always kind of thought that a lot of parents, they'll have babies, and they won't fully kind of consider that they will eventually be like grown like children and then teenagers and then adults they're always kind of

like like obsessing over the baby phase of it and um and i i think because like well the i i always get a little bit of a personal irk when they mention he's perfect he's healthy he's all this stuff um and admittedly, that very much is bitterness because I did not have a very lovely birth. It was very traumatic. The birth was traumatic? Yeah. That's how I got this one. Is it during the birth? Yeah.

So basically what happened was that I was withheld from oxygen for remarkably, I think, 20 minutes. Outside the womb? In the womb? Oh, great question. So basically what happened was I have an older brother, and he was born via C-section. Got it. And when I was in labor, I accidentally, accidentally, I punched out the old C-section scar. So I was still in my mom, but not in the womb.

Oh, my God. I was still in my mom, but not in the womb. Oh, my God. I was swimming. So during the delivery, you're moving. You were going to be delivered vaginally? Is that the thing? I guess. And then as this is happening, you're thrashing? I guess.

I'm like, I guess I'm not really a patient. I didn't know the scars that fragile that a baby could launch it open. A rocky bumbo. He's very impressive. I'm not a very patient person. That's what the doctor said. Wow, what a right hook on this. I always say that I was maybe perhaps the reincarnation of an 18 year old boy because

um I thought that the vagina would be higher no but um yeah I'm not sure what what they thought was going to originally happen but um going to originally happen, but I just kind of tore my way out and I was still in mom, but I didn't have any oxygen, so they had to, I mean, the doctor actually, he was at home in here. He actually, it's a funny story, he got in his car and he sped to the hospital and the cop was on his tail trying to pull him over. Fucking cops, man. And he obviously, thankfully, didn't stop and had a nurse come out and tell the cop what was happening.

So shout out to nurses. You think a doctor would have a special siren of just like, you gotta stop? Yeah, like don't. Yeah, yeah. That's a brave fucking doctor. If a cop was chasing me down to get out of a car and then go into the building, even though they're like, stop. Woo.

I know. I know. It's just chaos. And that's the thing. It's like, I was causing chaos in the hospital and I was causing chaos on the streets. Yeah. Like, this was like a town wide event that I was coming into the world. But, yeah, so basically they bought a miracle and bought just the doctor that I had,

and I think modern medicine. I was revived kind of, like, after 20 minutes of not being able to breathe. When you say revived, were you technically dead? Yes. Wow. Yeah, I know. I wish I could remember it so I could be kind of like that person that says, I know what happened.

Here's the secret You could be You just tell people I could be That you saw whatever you say you saw I could say anything And who's gonna say No you're wrong

Who's gonna have the chutzpah to do that What's the most fucked up thing you could say That it is on the other side You know what I mean like I mean you could really fuck with people's things. It'd be like the ultimate prank. Yeah. It's just like Jesus jerking off.

Why is that where you're from? I was going to think about something about being pro-choice. I was going to think that's what was revealed. You saw all the other dead babies, and they were like, we're actually happier here. We're happier here. See, but that's nice, though, we're actually happier here. We're happier here. See, but that's nice though that they have a place. Yeah, for sure. That's a nice

thing. They're all hanging out with each other. Yeah. So, that's amazing. That's amazing. It's just crazy the idea of just like, well, you can be dead. Yeah. And then you can be alive.

I mean, the one thing i will say unfortunately i do not know what happens after death however i sorry um yeah it's a bummer russell and i could really use some comforting about death we are we are preoccupied with it to a satisfactory. However, like, what I do know is, um, because I've always, um, I'm not natural to this show, perhaps. I have also always been, like, an optimistic

person and just generally um, naturally kind of been really excited about life, even in hard times, and wanted all this. And I kind of think that that's because I'm living in, like, the bonus round. And I'm kind of like, this wasn't 100% guaranteed, supposed to happen so every I feel like everything every kind of milestone that I hit or every small thing that happens in life that happens to everyone at some

time I just get like I've always gotten unnaturally excited about it. And whenever I make a new friend, I'm so excited. And whenever I go on a date, I'm so excited. And just, I don't know, I've always kind of wondered if there was this unconscious kind of gratitude that got from a tiny part of me kind of being like, this wasn't 100% supposed to happen. Yeah. And what? I said, you see? Oh, that I should be positive?

You could be a little more positive. I'm saying... But these fucking parents... So something about the language of it's just like this, like saying it's perfect as opposed to being like, we had a baby, it's incredible. Oh, yeah. That we had a baby.

Yeah, yeah. Yeah, the perfect healthy thing. It's an unconscious thing, but it is weird. Yeah, so kind of going back to the point, I think there is obviously some individual bitterness I have, but I think beyond that, it's kind of like none of us are perfect. And we're all going to either... Okay, this is the cynical part.

Okay, this is the cynical part. We're all going to develop some kind of negative thing that we have to battle with. Whether it be a mental illness or a health illness or a tragedy that happened. Something that will make us very much imperfect. So I always kind of win at like, right now, they're perfect. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, you're saying it's a failure. I do.

I would do like, we welcomed our son Kyle into the world. Sadly, he's a school shooter. But we're going to enjoy the first 12 years as hard as we can. Yeah. Before he goes off to jail. I don't like when they. I don't like when they

so early on to pretend that there's parent characteristics that they're like, she was late just like her mommy. You know what I mean? And she's stubborn already like her daddy.

And it's like a two-year-old blob of two-day-old blob of like you're like two day old it's just like a no that's not no characteristics i've become very cognizant especially as they talk about this don't say gay bill and stuff about the way that we put these uh heteronormative like oh he's a little lady killer i know look at all his girlfriends yeah because you're like what is what is this why? Why can't they just be their children? They love going, he's such a boy. And you're like, just because he's dirty.

They're like, oh, he's covered in dirt. He's such a boy. It's a hero of me. Like, oh, little Johnny. What a fuck boy, then. He's the fuck boy of kindergarten for sure. Let's go to our final segment you better count

your blessings I like that yeah that's a smooth one I have one my mom and dad came to town and it was my mom's birthday and we had a really nice weekend with them and my mom's birthday and we had a really nice weekend with them. And my mom, I'm thankful.

She just, it was her birthday, so I'm thankful for her. But I, she made me laugh last night. She, she, my brother was just joking about our mom finds a way to like tell you like a wildly sad story. Like, like in every conversation, like, you know, how parents do that sometimes. But like not intentional, like that's how parents do that sometimes but like not intentional like that's not really her vibe but she somehow does it and i was laughing so hard last night because she called and we were just talking normally about about fun things and then at the very end she goes she goes we literally said bye and then we're about to hang up and she goes oh do you have two minutes for a really sad story and like that's how she phrased it oh do you have two minutes for a really sad story and like that's how she phrased it

oh do you have two minutes for a really sad story and I was like yeah like okay you know it did it was one of those things where I woke up today I was like I wish I didn't know that story like I don't I could have said no I didn't need to know that story.

But I'm thankful for my mom. She makes me laugh. Shout out to Russell's mom. I like your mom. Did I thank... I don't know what my blessing was last week, but I'll double down in case I'm doing it again. I met Tova's family.

Tova's family was all fantastic I got taken care of in Memphis and yeah it's very very sweet yeah

it's good to meet your parents did you actually end up going to Graceland we did go to Graceland so okay I'm so glad you brought that up because I did want to say

so Graceland this is Elvis' home yes this this it's so it's such a squeaky clean version of Elvis that it's not that fun because it's like, first they show you this eight minute documentary where they just, it's just like Elvis succeeded, succeeded, succeeded, and then he died. And you're like, oh, how'd he die at 44? Any drugs involved?

There was not one picture of him when he was- Older and fatter. Fat. Yeah. Not one picture of him overweight. Every picture of him at like his sexiest. And it was so, it was just such an insane way to,

and obviously they're doing it because they're selling merch like crazy. So they're not going to mention when he married a 14 year old. Oh yeah So they're not going to mention when he married a 14-year-old. They're not going to mention drugs. They had this one thing. He liked collecting guns. Elvis was definitely a guy.

Maybe he didn't own a Klan robe, but he had some friends in the Klan for sure. And this is just allegedly. And there was this thing. He had a portable siren that he would put on his car and he would if someone was speeding that said he would uh he would pull them over and he would like give them a lecture about why they should not be speeding and like like pretend he was a police officer and then sign an autograph picture for them no which like i think it's worse than i think it's horrible.

I think it's worse than being a police officer is people who, like, what do you call that? When you, like, role play. But, like, you know. You're a citizen. But you're, like, you're cosplaying. You're cosplaying cops. It's very weird and sad. I just imagine, like, you jump the turnstile.

Someone tackles you to the floor. And you look up. And there's Beyonce in an NYPD outfit and she's like, don't do this. And signs an autograph. I mean, to be fair, I would be okay with that. That would be fun. That would be a good story. But that's a psychopath.

No, it's crazy. It's more like they shared the story. Like Elvis did this thing sometimes and I'm like, you mean a crazy thing? Maybe he did it one time for like for like and the doctor was like I'm trying to go to the hospital there's been an emergency and Elvis is like let me give you an autograph first yes

yeah they pull over and Elvis is like hey who can I make it out to meanwhile I'm dead like you want to make it out to the baby um so uh yes so Graceland and also I'm dead. Like. You want to make it up to the baby? So, yes. So, Graceland.

And also, this would be the most thing that Tova's parents paid for it because it was like $75. Oh, God. For a tour of someone's house. Oh, no, no. And there's a certain degree, like, where you're just like, we're just looking at a rich person's house. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Like, I asked Tova, I was like, what celebrity would you, like, want to do this to that you'd just like, we're just looking at a rich person's house. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Like, I asked Tova, I was like, what celebrity would you, like, want to do this to?

That you'd be like, I'll pay $75 to walk around their house. Yeah. And we couldn't really think of one. Yeah. I said John Mulaney. Oh. Like, yeah. I'm sure with Saka, it'd be like, here's his bedroom.

Yeah. Like, living it'd be kind of, well, I know that in LA they have those star line tours. Yeah. That are so weird. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And like, how is that legal? It's crazy. But also with Elvis, you couldn't go upstairs.

They're like, Elvis didn't let guests upstairs, so we're not going to let you either. And I'm like, for $75, I want to take a shit on the toilet. He died. Yeah. That's the bonus feature I want. Yeah. Like, that would be cool. shit on the toilet he died in. Yeah. That's the bonus feature I want. Yeah. Like, that would be cool.

That would be cool. I would do that. Yeah. I don't like those tours. I would want to, like, go into the kitchen and, like, I don't know, cut a pepper with his knife or something. Sure. A little more interactive. Be him.

Be him. Also, I can't help but think, especially with someone like Elvis, like, they show you these couches, and I like mike thing i'm like i wonder how much fucking went on on this couch this is the most famous star but we how much time did he live and live in that house that long did he i don't know yeah who the fuck knows you know it's like it's one of those things where it's but i'd rather see like a dirty couch and them being like that's that's all then they turn on a black light yeah

yeah that's interesting that's a human being to me yeah and yeah it's like they cannot win

either way because if they like were to sanitize everything that's not very fun you know keep it as

but at the same time yeah like you never know if there was a tour guide in her 40s and she was like yes I married Elvis

in the 50s and you're like oh my god what no you were a baby a baby do you have a blessing

to close us out yeah so um I really love um when like um the like music music streaming things like Spotify and others, they have the essential curated playlists for every artist that you could ever want to get into.

And they've curated a playlist of this is how. Like this is how. Like listen to these tracks. It's like any artist, you're like, this is the name of the artist. Oh, I see, I see. They do the essential tracks. Yeah. Oh, I see.

But you can tell that it's not just like a randomized playlist of all their hits. It's like a curated, like, I mean, there are hits, but like, oh, this. And then if you like that, then that. And if you get through that, then these. And like, it works. Like, you slowly get into the artist yeah yeah and then um and then like if if if you get through that and you listen to that for like a month then they they have like like a part two of that check this out because i check this out because I need more music in my life.

I need to expand. I'm like stagnated for a long time. What you should do on Spotify too, if you know artists that you like, you can go down and you can see what other people like related. So you can be like other artists that are somewhat related and then you can go down a rabbit hole of like finding other things that way too or do the discover weekly or yeah yeah actually my mom

you know is so into that and she her music tastes like so much better than mine at this point like she knows all the new Harry Styles pop hits. And I don't. Like, and she learned it from me. Yeah. Like, the Discover New on private. Discover Weekly. Yeah.

Yep. Okay, so is there anything you want to plug? This is coming out May 3rd. May 3rd. Ooh. Hmm. this is coming out may 3rd may 3rd well just um that all in may i i i'm excited to say that i'll be in a couple festivals great fantastic i'll be uh at limestone comedy festival awesome um in uh bloomington, Indiana. Great.

And that's mid-May. And then for two days at the end of May, I'll be in Rhode Island at the Rogue Island Comedy Festival. What day is? I'm there Sunday. Oh, man. I think I'm there Saturday and Friday. Okay, cool. I'll be there all weekend. I think Tova's coming with me.

Tova's her manager. I'll be at a big party. For me, we just had our monthly show, The Silver Lining. If you weren't there, go fuck yourself. No, please come to the next one, which will be May, June 5th

is the next Silver Lining. Again, that's 8 p.m. at Sesh Comedy Club. This is the first Sunday of every month. I do an hour with two comedians, breaking it up to give you a little break. And if it gets big enough, Russell has sworn on his life that we will do a live podcast before the show. So keep supporting it. Find the link to sign up for my email list or my text list in the description of the episode i am coming this thursday to dallas then i'll be in houston

that weekend weekend after that i'll be helium st louis and then i think i take a weekend off and then i'm a comics mohegan sun and then the rogue island comedy festival and remember if you're listening and you go i don't live in these places you know someone who lives there so fucking tell them yeah uh i felt meaner than i meant it but you gotta fucking pick it up i mean dear god really mean you know what's like i just did that college gig in wisconsin where there were two people in the audience i know i saw that i've never flown that far i've done small shows i've done shows for one person. I've never taken two separate flights and taken an Uber and rented a hotel for a show that small.

Their tickets, based on what I was getting paid for that college, their tickets were $850 each. And I told them, I said, you could have gone backstage at a Beyonce concert. You could have had Beyonce tackle you to the floor and give you a ticket for Jumping the Turnstile for this amount of money.

Is there an Uncle Function show? Yes, Saturday, May 14th, Asylum NYC. We have a special guest, Moses Storm. Moses Storm, who's going to be on our podcast, too? Yeah, and it's going to be a fun show. Well, I don't know yet, but it'll be fun. All right, well, that was that. And if you have a baby, even if you think they're perfect. They're not.

They're not. They're not. This is the downside. One, two, three. Downside. Downside. Downside you you you you you