The Kristian Harloff Show - Damon Lindelof wanted Helen Mirren to play older Rey in his Star Wars movie?

Episode Date: May 2, 2023

GET TICKETS TO NY LIVE JUNE 23-24 http://www.thekristianharloff.com There is a report going around that Damon Lindelöf was indeed fired from the Star Wars project he was working on. Further details seem to believe that his movie was set 60 years after the events of Rise of Skywalker. He was said to be using his prototype as Helen Mirren for an older version of Ray. This did not go over at LucasFilm and Lindelof was asked to leave and his story did not go further. Was this the good move? The bad move? What do you think? Also, new rumors around the Fantastic Four cast. Super Mario breaks $1 billion.  We are very happy to welcome to the show, Comedian Opie. Kristian and Brett met Opie at Flappers comedy one night and were blown away by how incredible of a comedian he is. We got to sit down with him, and talk about how he got into stand-up comedy, his background, and some of the people that inspired him. Check out this edition of The Big Thing with Kristian Harloff, Brett Sheridan, and special Guest Opie.  #StarWars #Ray #Comedy#FantasticFuer #Marvel. ATHLETIC GREENS: http://www.athleticgreens.com/bigthing SUNDAY: http://www.getsunday.com/bigthing THANK YOU TO CARBON HEALTH: CARBON HEALTH: https://carbonhealth.com/virtual-care/telehealth Check out Opie on Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/opiejokey OUR MERCH STORE IS LIVE: https://www.teepublic.com/stores/the-big-thing-kh-channel?ref_id=27393 FOLLOW KRISTIAN + FIND HIM ON CAMEO https://cameo.com/kristianharloff https://twitter.com/kristianharloff https://facebook.com/harloff https://instagram.com/kristianharloff AMAZON WISHLIST: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1KPH42T0TP0PG?ref=cm_sw_em_r_un_un_djbxgIW5ZQMMg SCHMOEDOWN ARCHIVE CHANNEL: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheMovieTriviaSchmoedownArchives Ask Kristian questions for next time! https://facebook.com/harloff Become a Patreon of the Schmoedown: http://patreon.com/schmoedown OTHER GREAT CONTENT: REVIEWS https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSJdE28YyUT368qY7sfE0nKE4c04CqGvu TV REVIEWS https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSJdE28YyUT1LU-t2Z9AD5UJDiWW4pS_E STAR WARS SHOW https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSJdE28YyUT0XmfpbblkF9PY7uO2qhbN6 THE BIG THING PODCAST https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSJdE28YyUT3KAwbzDsv6mdR-gwUiydQg

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They help with things like COVID, cold, flu testing, antibiotic prescriptions for things like infections, UTIs, STDs. They have primary care services in California and Massachusetts. But if you're new here, thank you, by the way, for stopping by. You should also know that they can help with injuries as well. Most of their locations have imaging or x-ray machines. so they can diagnose strains, sprains, and fractures if you unfortunately become injured. And I know, unfortunately, not everyone will be near one of the 120-plus locations, but they do have virtual urgent care services for states like California, New York, Florida,

and several others. So thank you to Carbon Health. Really, really happy to be working with them. Check out the link in the description. What's going on, everybody? Big thing. Was Helen Mirren the prototype of an Older Ray that Damon Littleoff wanted? Is that why he was cast out because he wanted to do a movie 60 years into the future? That's the rumor. That's the rumor running around right now. You got that.

Other rumors. Looks like apparently Marvel has made an offer to Johnny Storm. Who is it? We'll talk about that as well. Mario's going to cross a billion dollars. That's something to talk about as well. We have an interview with a comedian, I think, is going to be massive. I think he's going to be a massive, massive comedian.

It goes by the name of Opie, myself and Brett Sheridan, had an opportunity to sit down and talk with him and we chat stand-up comedy and more. So it's a shorter show today, but nonetheless it's going to be a fun show, hopefully a knowledgeable show, and an entertaining show for you guys. If you brand new to the channel,

you've never been here before. Well, thank you, first of all, for joining us, but make sure you show a little bit of class and hit that button, trying to get to 100,000. I didn't say you didn't have any class if you don't. I just said that you're showing a little bit more if you do.

Spotify, we're on video, man. So you can check us out there, should you please. We got a live show coming up. That's right. June 23rd, everybody. June 23rd in New York City. We just did our live show in Los Angeles, went off really well. Talk about that in a little bit.

But, ho, ho, ho. June 23rd in Manhattan. June 24th in Stamford, Connecticut. Tickets are on sale at the Christianharlough.com. Streaming also available, but we hope that you're going to join us. It's going to be some great shows. But what we're going to talk about right now is everything that I just mentioned and more. So let's get into it today on this Monday.

It's the big thing. Let's do it. I'm ready. You're ready. Let's go. What's up, everybody? Thanks for joining me. Back on a Monday.

I like shows like this, though. It's like the post-storm shows. Good storm. There's a lot going on the last two weeks. Went to Cinemicon for like a day. Did the ad of the theater for Flash, did the out of the theater for Guardians, had a big Katie Sackoff interview that a lot of people checked out, man.

I found a lot of new people have been finding the show through that interview. So again, it'd be brand new to the channel, and that's how you found us. Welcome, welcome, welcome. So when we were out at doing the live show at Flappers this past week and people were like, hey, I keep seeing the clips from the show going around. And even the interview that we have today with Opie. He was like, it's funny as soon as after I met you guys, I started seeing the clips of the show going around.

So the word's getting out there. So if you're able to spread the word, share some clips, tell people about the big thing. We appreciate it greatly. So we thank you. I'm going to start right away with this story about Damien Lindelof. That's the big one, guys. So this is from ComicbookMovie.com. New details have emerged about Damon Lindelof scrapped plans for his Star Wars movie,

including the fact that it was going to be set six decades after the rise of Skywalker with Helen Mirren eyed for the old Ray. They say there's been a lot of discussions surrounding Damon Lindelof Star Wars movie this past week, especially after the filmmaker was confirmed that he was asked to leave the project. While the version of the movie announced a Star Wars Celebration will be set 15 years after the events of the Rise of Skywalker, we recently found out that Lindelof's movie was set to revolve around an elderly ray. Talking on John Roker's podcast,

the hot mic insider, shared a few more details. He confirmed that Lindelof was indeed fired. He says the story would have taken place six decades after the Skywalker conclusion with Ray training a male and female Jedi. There would have been played by two black leads, though Snyder states that the male actor who has since walked away was not

Yaya Abdul Matine and the biggest bombshell, however, is that rather than bringing Daisy Ridley back and using VFX to make her appear older, Lindelof's casting pick would have been Helen Mirren. She was never in talks for the role, but she was the prototype for what the writer wanted.

Snyder wraps up by saying that the script simply wasn't very good and cast out on Knight's version having much in common with Lindelof. It also sounded like Finn wouldn't have been part of that original vision, though he and Oscar Isaac's Poe-Damaran could return in the upcoming one with Sharmine Abbe Chinoi. Lindelof clearly hoped to jump much further into the galaxy's future, skipping the formation

of the new Jedi order, and taking us to a point where Ray's life is nearing its end, and she's in the midst of trading two Jedi Knights. It would have been an interesting move away from the Skywalker saga, but it's clear now that Lucasfilm has other ideas. Interesting. All right. There's so much to talk about with us in general, right? Um, it's, it's tough.

This is a tough story. Do I believe it? I do. I do believe it. Not only because of Snyder, um, breaking it and talking about it, Snyder's Star Wars peeps have kind of been on point, obviously, with the phelone, scoop and other things. Um, to be completely honest, I, I, I, I kind of heard the same thing, uh, before I even heard from Snyder.

I heard rumblings of, of, of a lot of the same stuff that it was going around and it was totally different people with the same exact story of what Snyder talked about. So I believe this 100%. I believe that there, that she was the prototype of what Lindelof wanted, Helen Mirren, obviously, 60 years into the future, all that stuff, I believe all of it. Now there's another report out there too that Obey Chinoi and Lindelof didn't get along. How true that, that is, I don't know. That I didn't really, that one I didn't hear, but I just kind of heard it kind of going around. A lot of these things kind of match up where it seems, it seems as if, Lindelof was brought in to create a project. They announced, they didn't necessarily

always announce him, but it was, but he came in and he confirmed that he was doing this, this project. And I think, again, Snyder was the one who heard all this first and broke it, that he was working on a project. And so he does. And he comes up with this story, let's say, putting these facts in there, 60 years into the future with an older Ray, with two new people almost doing with the Helen Mirren character, older Ray will say,

older Ray as serving as like the Obi-1 Kenobi of the story. Now, to me, that sounds interesting. That sounds like a way to connect the character through, but not be handcuffed to anything that you did in the trilogy. Because 15 years later, I mean, that's still time away, but it's still connecting enough. 60 years to me is a lot of time to establish what the hell has been going on. I mean, it's significantly more time than, let's say,

between episode three and episode four. I think there was like 19 years or whatever it was. So 60 years would be one of the biggest jumps that you'd have inside of that. that whole timeline and getting away ultimately from the Skywalker's if she is, it's kind of towards the end of her of her run. And having someone, let's let, we don't know if he got Helen Mirren. It's like kind of prototype, but let's say they did get Helen Mirren. I mean, how great would that have been?

I mean, but come on, she's doing Shazam Fury of the Gods and she's done so many other different things. Fasten the Fury. Why wouldn't she have done Star Wars? I think they could have gotten her. but either way the idea of it 60 years later establishing

this whole kind of new era so far attached detached rather from episode 9 I love that idea now do I think that they should have

went in the direction that they're going right now 15 years later not really do I think it makes financial sense I do, and I understand it. And I get why Kathleen Kennedy would get nervous at this, because there's no one attached to it that have sold Star Wars tickets.

And even if you get Helen Mirren, Helen Mirren ain't going to get butts in seats the way Daisy Ridley is. Now, don't give me this whole thing, but it's so divisive the other movies. And I made this point a hundred times over, I'll make it again. I don't like those movies. they all made a billion dollars. I like the Force Awakens fine to just kind of know what happens afterwards. They made a billion dollars each one of them.

But each one made less than the last. They made a billion dollars. They made a billion dollars. Disney needs a billion dollars in their bank account right now. Now does it necessarily guarantee you that with Daisy really? It's going to make a billion dollars. No. But there's less fear as of putting in your first movie

that nobody knows 60 years later with an older array that people have to have. to then say, well, that's not Ray. We can really, why don't we just go get Ray? You know? So I can understand the panic and why a producer and an executive that's trying to make money would make that call. I get it.

And then so, well, then we'll put Finn in there. And then we'll put Po in there. And then we can get Daisy Ridley. I also heard Daisy Ridley kind of came in, not why Lindeloff was there. It was after he was gone. And that was kind of, yes, she was taking meetings, but I heard and she hadn't signed on. I don't think she was supposed to, like she said, she was part of his story. So that makes sense to me.

Now I had heard that, that makes sense. So, you know, when you're looking at that, but creatively, what would I rather have? Lindel lost version, no doubt about it. because it's, but it's more of a risk. There's no doubt about that either, either. But I'd rather to see, like, the reverse Obi-Wan side of it, what the world looks like 60 years after Ray has clearly established a new Jedi order. There's new Jedi kind of run in the shop.

There's no, hopefully, there's no other kind of first order, empire, all that stuff. But 15 years allows you to take the cast that made the billion dollars in each one of those movies, quietly reunite them in cameos and things like that. And it also doesn't, and you can also do it as a one-off if you want to. So on a business side of things, I get it. I understand also why probably Lindelof was canned. Because what happened was he was probably adamant that that's when he wanted to do it.

That's where he wanted to do it. They didn't like his script. And then whether you believe the rumor or not, he didn't know that a bad chinoi was coming in to direct. He just got paired with her. And he was like, well, wait a minute. This is not the same kind of deal that we had. And this is what this does go back to what I do think is bad management inside of

Kathleen Kennedy's part of it. Because this is, we'll establish what you're going to do with the person when you're creating stuff. If it's like, hey, because if you're just going, I just need a script from you. And then that's it. You're going to turn in your script, because this happens all the time too.

Here's an idea. What's your idea? Okay, we'll present the script and then you're out. Okay, that's all I'm doing. You're just paying me to write one draft and then you could re-up me or not. It doesn't seem like that was the case. It seemed like he was being told that this was going to be his Star Wars project,

and he was going to be a little bit more involved than he ultimately was. And then they were like, now we don't like this, forget it. we're bringing in other people now. See you later. That's what it seems like. But I do believe the story 100%, 100%. And it's not as easy to say, oh, this is a terrible decision by Lucasfilm to do this

because creatively that story is more interesting. I think it's more interesting. but I also very much understand that if you're right out the gate with your, or 2019 to 2025 is when this movie's coming out and that's your first movie that you've got coming out since 2019

and Disney's going where's our Star Wars movies? Oh, we got one coming out in 2025. Is it going to make money? Well, we got to do the money ball and we think that if we put these things, things together. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. This is the Kathleen Kennedy that is really good, and people who don't understand as a producer, she's got to come up with the tools to put money in the bank.

You cannot blame solo on her. I think that movie makes significantly more money if it comes out in December of that year. That was Bob Iger's fault, and I love Iger, but it was Iger's fault. All of her movies that she produced, whether you like them or not, and I'm not a big fan of a lot of them. They all made money. Now, do I think that that's the way Lucasfilm should be run? I do not. I think it should be run with movies that can make money plus are creatively satisfying to the fans. But you're looking at the corporate side of things, and on the corporate side of things, if that's the way she's playing ball, she doesn't give a shit if you don't like her. She can give a shit if I think that she's not good at her job. She gives a shit if she's putting a billion dollars in the bank

account, and that's what she's aiming to do. She's not caring if, if, if I, if I, if I, if I, If I give her shit for not being part of a canon, she doesn't care what some nerd is talking about. Oh, good asshole. You can complain about getting not involved, getting invited to a fucking theme park again. I'm going to put a billion dollars into the account, asshole. Fuck off.

I'm going to go make an Indiana Jones movie. And she's got the right to say it. But it doesn't mean I can think she's a good creative executive because it don't. I think she's a good producer. People argue about it all the time. but this is the thing. This is where you can argue,

I think that if anything shows to this woman of how, like, the producer versus the creative exec, the move here to put Daisy Ridley, again, if it's true, which I do think it is, if the move here is to put Daisy Ridley in the movie for a billion dollars, to make a billion dollars, that's the producer that's going to put the pieces together to get that done.

That's what a great producer is if it happens and if she makes that money. Right. The bad creative executive is not taking a chance and saying, hey, let's make this, let's go for. You want to go for an older array?

You want to try to establish a new kind of 1977 lore, Star Wars. Again, with brand new things that are happening that's so many years into the future of everything kind of leaving in the past. Go for it. What can you hit? What are the new philosophies?

What are the new ideals? That's not what she does. Now, the flip side of all of that is that Stephen Knight could come in and do just that inside of this 15-year period. And we'll all have, we'll all be wrong. And she's going to say, oh, yeah, I was always planning to do both. I just don't happen to think that that's the case. Anyway, what say you guys?

What do you think? Do you think that this is a good move? Do you think this is a bad move? Do you think that this is true, false? What say you? Very curious to hear what you think. All right. Next one.

these fantastic four rumors are starting to heat up, if you will, pun intended, I guess. Another fantastic former rumor here, this is from comic book movie. The report is claiming that Marvel Studios has offered the role of Johnny Storm, the human torch, to Paul Meskell. Now, another day, another fantastic four rumor, this time it's not for Sue or Reed Richards. And according to insider Daniel Rickman, recent Academy Award nominee, Paul Miskel for Afterson, has been offered the role of Johnny Storm. They don't know if they're accepted or not, but he's highly in the man, and he's set to play the lead in Ridley Scott's gladiator sequel, which was scheduled to be filming soon.

No cast members have been announced yet for the reboot. Milakunis has been, has recently revealed she knows who's going to appear in the movie, possibly just as invisible woman, so we might get words soon. That's interesting. I don't know how that happened. Adam Driver is said to be in talks to play Mr. Fantastic, and apparently Galacticus and Silver Surfer are. are expected to appear. Matt Shankman is on board on director, yada, yada, yada. Okay, so I don't know enough about Paul Maskell.

I have not yet seen after Sonny here, amazing things about it. But I just think that as this is one of those things, that once you start to get closer and closer to actual casting, more and more of the reports start coming out, like the Adam Driver stuff and Sue Storm and all that. I do think that's going to be Jody Cron. Homer, I do think that it's going to be Adam Driver, and it's very possible now with Meskull that this could be the first three that are cast anyway.

I still am hoping, fingers crossed, that we're getting the Doctor Doom. That is Henry Cavill. Really hoping that. I think that would be such a, such a Johnny Damon goes to the Yankees move by Marvel. I'd love to see it happen. but I don't know if it will. I would love to see it. But I think this is,

again, it's always hard to say whether it's true or false. Do I think that he went in to read? Yeah, I think that there's probably enough possibilities that someone leaked that out, that he went in there, that's getting closer. I think it's very possible. I can't wait to hear,

because I think that once, and Guardians, Volume 3, really really made me realize this, that as much as I love multiverses and all that, too, I'm really looking forward to this. the day when that's over and it's done, and the heavy focus is just on X-Men characters and Fantastic Four. And that's what it really seems like it's going to be.

And I realized also, I think that, you know what it is right now? It's like, you look at like a really popular television show. Like a really popular television show that was like, the biggest ratings getter of all time. And then they tried to do a couple spinoff shows.

And the spinoff shows did okay. They did fine. but it's just not the same as when the main cast was running around until they put together a new main cast. And I think right now we're in spin-off mode of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And I think that even though some of the main cast of the main show, I mean, look, Guardians and Ant-Man,

Ant-Man, I think definitely kind of dropped the ball. I didn't mind the movie. Still didn't mind it, but I can see why so many people didn't like it and the end is a mess. So I understand why I don't know. I don't think they broke even. And I'm not surprised. But Guardians 3 should deliver.

It's a fantastic movie. And I'm not a big Guardian's head, but I love this movie. But they need to do more of this kind of stuff. And I think Fantastic 4 could be a good establishing way to set up new characters of this inside the new phases. And I know that Fantastic 4 is coming inside of, is it Phase 5 or is it Phase 6? It might be Six. Either way, I hope that they're established in 6 and they continue on past the the next two Avengers movies,

and then they really focus in on X-Men films. But we'll see. We'll see how it is. We'll see how it goes. I'm very curious. Last story before we move on to our interview here today. Super Mario Brothers. It has officially smashed past the $1 billion mark after 26 days of release.

As of Sunday, the film has grossed $490 million in North America and $532 million internationally. It's only the fifth film to do since the ninth, excuse me, 2020. The other four being Spider-Man, No Way Home, Top Gun Maverick, Jurassic World Dominion, and Avatar the Way of Water. The film grossed a further 40 million. It's fourth weekend, excuse me, easily beating out Evil Dead Rise in second with 12.2 million. And newcomer, are you there? God, it's me. Margaret was disappointing debut of 6.8 million in third place. Okay. So when it comes down to it, this movie crushed.

whether you liked it or not. I saw it twice. It took my kids to see it. And it's a really fun, really fun movie. I look forward to seeing the second one. But it crushed, and it's a billion-dollar winner. And the next question is, what's going to be the next one? What's the next movie that's going to do it?

Will it be, will Guardians do it? I don't know. I think it's got a shot. I think I said on my, I think it's got a shot. I think I said kind of definitively, yes, when I asked. And I said, thinking about it, too, it's really not that easy. And I think the way that's,

it's trending right now and whether it's past marble stuff, I don't know, I'm not as common. I think that it should. Let me be clear on that. I think that it should make a billion dollars, Guardians. Do I think it will? I don't know anymore. But I hope so. I hope it does.

What else could? Mission Impossible? I don't know. Fast and Furious. I don't know how Fast and Furious does it all the time. Fast and Furious, I never thought Fast and Furious will continue, would do it, but it does it all the damn time. So I can't count that out. I can't talk.

I definitely can't talk, but I can't count. that out either. What do you guys think? What do you think the next billion dollar movie is going to be? What do you think it should be? It should be and let's say would be because I think a lot of movies it should like Dune 2 should be, but it won't be. What do you guys think will be the next billion dollar movie? Flash, will the Flash have a chance to do it?

Maybe. It's a pretty good movie. I want to hear your thoughts. Okay, we're going to switch it up a little bit. We're going to go to an interview that when, When we did, first of all, let me tell you about this. This past Friday, we just did a live event at Flappers Comedy Club. And we did Big Thing Live, but we all did stand-up comedy sets.

I went back up. I did about 20 minutes. Coy was up. Kate, Brett, Winston was up there. And then we did the podcast portion. And we did Sith Council, Capes and Cowls. And Roxy and Brett and Kate came up at the end. Kind of big thing proper.

And we closed it out. And it was a lot of fun. The audience was great. We're glad to be doing it again in New York. But it was so much fun just the packed out crowd doing it. And to get back up there to do stand-up and watching everybody kind of doing, that's always what I wanted to do is the stand-up portion first, have some good laughs lead into the podcast.

And it was that and then some. And it was great to see so many people out there and to do that. And Flappers was amazing. And at one of those shows kind of leading up, I do the Jake Lewis comedy show. And I've been doing it in flappers. I've been kind of working on some stuff there. And while I was going up and doing stuff,

I was there one night with Brett, and Kate was there watching us in the audience. She just came out of his support. And while we were there, I, so we saw a comedian by the name of Opie, and I had never, I hadn't heard of him. I mean, I'm also not as plugged into the scene like I used to be,

but, and I talk about it in the interview itself, so I don't want to kind of repeat what I'm going to say, but I just, this guy really stood out. And I was like, holy, shit man this guy's funny and I was like how how is he not famous ready because he will be and how is he's he's really really good I got I want to talk to this guy

I want to I want to want to get him on the show and I approached him afterwards and when we he was very nice very complimentary on on brett and I's on our set and and we were planning in for him to come in and I had gotten sick and a couple other things happened he wasn't able to come in but he finally came in and he talked to Brett and I and we had a really long conversation about stand-up comedy and in general, and I really want you guys to get to know him and meet him because he's going to be around, man. He's going to be around.

So check it out. This is my interview. Brett and I talk to Opie. I hope you enjoy it. And before we do, I also want to tell you about our two sponsors, both Sunday and Athletic Greens. We are very excited to be talking about our next partner here. I take AG1 by Athletic Greens every day.

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everything uh going and my wife's a big uh she likes to make sure that spring and the flowers and new new stuff's going on with the garden. And we have this lawn care now with Sunday. It makes it very easy and enjoy. It's the days are longer. Flowers are blooming and can spend a lot of time in the yard. And it's really, really good. You can reclaim your weekend, man,

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by getting our sponsors. It helps us. It helps you. Great. All right, look, a couple, it's been now almost like a month, two months. And I did a set at Flappers Comedy Club in Burbank, same place that we do.

We just did the live show for a big thing and where we're going to do the thing for Campia and Alba coming up this Sunday at Flappers. And I do Jake Lewis's show. And Jake had me on the show a couple months ago. and we were we were it was myself and kate and brett were all there and as we were the right before i was supposed to go up there was a comedian that went up and i watched him i said holy shit man like i you got to remember when i'm a stand when i was at the comedy store as a regular kind of going up

every night it's hard and for comedians to watch other comedians not because they don't respect them it's because you just seen a lot of stuff and there's certain things that you watch certain things you're like, okay, I can sit, and I got fucking ADD. I'm moving around all the time at the club and everything too. And at Flappers, I saw this dude, and I just sat down, and I watched the set, and I laughed my fucking balls off, and I watched the whole time and really reminded me of how I felt when I used to watch Sebastian and how when I used to watch Caparillo, and I used to watch those guys, and Steve Simone.

And that's my intro for Opie. What up, Opie? What's up, man? That was a hell of an intro, man. Dude, I'm telling you. I'm telling you, Kate and I... I mean, Sebastian, that's a... Wow.

So, well, Sebastian, I... Like, Sebastian was... Right when I got... I got passed in 2003. Okay. So, Sebastian, he had worked the door and everything, too, but he was just starting to get all... He wasn't working the door at 2003, but he was... He had worked the door, and then he started working, you know, the OR and everything, too,

and he was starting to catch heat back then. Right, right, right. But he's just one of those guys. I would always sit down and watch. And what you did that night, it's just, it's very natural. And it's just, thanks, man. It is. It's just very natural.

And it's, and it's fucking hilarious. But, like, where are you from? I was born in Nigeria. Oh, yeah. Right, right. And I left to America when I was, like, five years old. And I grew up outside of Washington, D.C. in Silver Spring, Maryland. Okay.

All over the area, I grew up in PG County, Howard County, Montgomery County. But, yeah, that's where I. That's why I would really say, like, I became myself. Do you discover comedy and stuff here? Do you discover it when you're young, even younger, you just kind of had that thing? Oh, younger, for sure. I mean, for me, I, Dave Chappelle is, like, my guy. And it still is my guy.

Like, he's also from Soberspring. So, like, when I found that out, I was like, oh, shit, I got to do this. Like, I saw Chappelle show, and it was just instant click. Like, oh, this is comedy. And then I saw killing him softly and he did it in DC at the Howard Theater and I was like, oh wait, we can people can do this. Oh, okay. How do I how do I get into this? So that's that's kind of how I got into this. What's the first club you did? First club I ever did would be the Irvine Improv. Nice. I saw a comedy in Orange County though. You did. Yeah, yeah, even though like I was from the DC area. I saw a comedy Orange County. How's that? It's very different. I saw it. I saw a comedy in Orange County. Yeah, yeah. Even though, like I was from the D. How's that? It's very different. friend. Well, like, I love Orange County.

Yeah. Because that's why I started. It's like a second home to me. We moved over there. I was, I was like 22 years old. And my mom was just like, hey, I want to start over. Can you live with me? Because I was going to move to New York City after I graduated college.

Did you hit the comedy scene? Yeah. Well, I was lying to my mom, like, I was going to go to law school. Right. That was my plan. Right, right. I was like, I'm going to law school. And then it was a lot of law school.

like shortly after my dad had passed and my mom was like hey I want to start over I'm either thinking of moving to Houston or Los Angeles and I was like well if you go to Los Angeles I'll go because in my head I was like there's probably comedy out there you know I'd heard of the comedy store I'd seen a bunch of laugh factory clips on YouTube so I was like I'll probably be it's how dumb I was I was like I get passed at the laugh factory like a week yeah it's like my mom telling me I would marry Sandra Bullock if I came out exactly exactly 100% like I had all these thoughts of like yeah yeah she was like well we're moving to Brea and I was like, all right, that's a bet La Brea.

You know, that's what I was thinking. And it ended up being Braya, California, which is like an hour and a half from here. From L.A. So I was just like, I didn't know until like two weeks before we were leaving. Like my car was already gone. It was like on a truck on a way here. And my mom was like, no, we're moving to Brea, California. Like, and I looked it up on Google Maps.

So you're locked in. Fuck. Dog, are you kidding me? And luckily for me, there's a comedy scene in Orange County. There was a pretty thriving scene at the time. Now it's like whatever, but at the time it was like a scene. It was like I could get up like twice a night and open mics for, you know, a new comic. And not a lot of comics were hitting it hard.

So I got a lot of stage time very quickly. Yeah. See, and what you just said, there's the reason why you are doing what you're doing right now. Because like this is what I try to tell people to. I'm in a point for me. Well, I was doing exactly that. I was going up seven nights a week. I was going up twice a night.

You just, you do the hustle. And you have to. You have to. If that's what you want to do. Once I stopped in like 2010, 2011, I really got into this. And I started doing kind of YouTube. And it's still a big regret of mine. But it's just something that I did.

But I'll say this. Like, if you told me that you weren't like a comic, I would have been like, yo, this man's is like crazy. Because like you came up. Like, not like that ass. Like when I was watching, I was watching you. You both of y'all, I was just like, oh, shit, I'd never seen y'all before. And, like, the bitch you had about your, I don't want to say, you did. But you bet you had about your daughter and the soprano stuff.

I was like, that was, like, funny. Like, I was like, I saw, like, the, like, the everything. So, like, for you to say that you don't do it a lot, I, I just was like, that's surprising to me. Well, it was because it's not, and it wasn't being disingenuous. I just didn't do, I just didn't do it. I don't do it a lot now. Yeah, right, right.

But it's, it's like, right, it is riding a bike, right? And plus the fact that I, and it's not like I stopped and then I wasn't in entertainment, I do this. And by doing, and I think by talking every day and doing this, you still, I use that now. And it's just the thing is, I have two kids. I don't have the ability. Yeah, I don't have the ability to, yeah, I don't have the ability to do it. You're a good father. Yeah, yeah.

But I still, but I'll go and see, but I, dude, I flew to, be careful when you say that. I flew to Vegas for one night to see the flash. So you're a good father But one night You could have stayed in Vegas and never came back It was the most boring fucking Vegas trip of my Really? Yeah, because I went and I go to the I fly out and normally

And you know, I remember, the same time I'm telling you that I'm doing stand-up all the time I had a buddy that was a promoter in Vegas And would fly us out for free and put us up at Cesar's And just come out all the time And I was out every week in Vegas When I was working at Warner Brothers but I was 30 years old and I didn't have any responsibilities.

Yeah. So I go out now, remembering that trip, remembering those trips, I go and I fly in and I'm like, the first thing I do, I missed the whole event, the portion of the, in the morning. So I'm like, whatever. So I go by myself and I have a beer on the strip and I have a fucking rice bowl, a salmon rice bowl, by myself, just eating. And I might as well been in Hawaii on a beach. That's how relaxed I was.

Yeah, yeah. And I'm like, this is fucking amazing. So then I go, I watch the movie, I do my review, the people like, hey, Mark Ellis is like, hey, you wanna come, you wanna go, we're gonna gamble, we're gonna do this, we're gonna do that. You wanna come, I'm like, I'm gonna sleep. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

I went to bed at 10.45, I woke up and got on my plane with no regrets, Opie, I'm telling you that right now. That's honestly, when you're hitting the road, that's honestly the probably the best thing to do. Like I, I'm now starting to tour more. And I've just, like, when I first was like going out or if I would do a festival, I would go out, get drunk, mess around.

Now I'm like right back to my hotel And just like, listen to my set And then Yeah, well, what's what's what you said before? Because I, you can tell that you really want to do this. Like this is your life. You can tell it when you're on stage. Like, this is what you want to do.

Yeah. And it just, it, it oozes out of you, man. I'm telling you. Like, when we saw it, I was like, this is like, and it's one of the reasons I want to get you on now because when you fucking blow up and I text you, you don't fucking blow me off. Because I'm telling you guys, check this cat out, man,

because he is really fucking funny. And he's really good. And his jokes are so smart in the way that he puts things together that there are things that you just, it's what the best comedians do is like, yeah, I was thinking about the other day, but I didn't think about it like that. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, that's the, that's a huge compliment because like nothing makes me feel good or or at least, I think the mark of a good comic makes you go like, man, I wish I wrote that.

100%. Man, I like, Louie just came out with a joint and I saw on YouTube and he has this joke and I'm like, man, I wish I wrote that. I'm so jealous. Right. And like, that just shows you how good he is. considering everything and like I was just like whoa like I need to get to that level and I'm just thirsty to get to that level yeah and it's funny about him too because obviously the shit that he's gone through and everything too but like I always talk about him in the OR I remember one night and it's a story that I that I've always told about comedians in general regardless of what you think about his past yeah yeah I was in the OR one night and this is when he was at the height of his height you know the Louis show was fucking crushing and it was I don't know it was maybe if there were seven people in the OR I would be surprised yeah But it was dead.

And this is when the comedy store is thriving now. Yes. This is like 2004. Wow. Because I know when I first got to Orange County and I would, I came into the comedy store once on a Monday. And it was like four people in the, in the OR. Like no one was there.

You know. And now it's just not, it's just not that club now, but it was then. And they said, I remember them saying to, they were embarrassed because Louis came in to do a set and they go, hey, it's kind of, do you want to, do you still want to go up? And he looked at them like, they were crazy for asking them. Yeah. He was, of course I want to go out. Yeah.

And he performed as if there were 7,000 people in the room. And I was like, that's the thing. Yeah, that's the mental illness. That's the mental, when you're a comic, it's a mental illness. It's like, oh, I have to say this thing. I'm compelled to say this thing. Like, it's why, like, sometimes I'll drive down in Orange County. There'll be like four people.

And they'll be like, sorry. I'm like, sorry for what? Four people are here. That's great. Right. I get to talk to these four people. Yeah. And you're braver than I am.

Give me a whole room of people that know me and like me I think what's great about what you do too is that like I watched and I'm like well it's sound I know you probably have done a lot of the bits before but it sounded like you were coming up with them on the spot and that you were so like

chill in that way that I'm like oh that's where I need to to get to you know and you know because I'm going up in a comer she's only been out here for 30 years I like your shit, man. You're weird as fuck. I love how weird you are.

It's totally awkward and weird and that's what makes it. I love it. Yeah, 100%. Oh, and to be completely honest with you, just to let you know, like, that night I was on mushrooms. So I was just like kind of chilling. But a lot of that stuff was like newer bits that I'm working on and trying to make a bigger chunk. Couldn't tell. Because I'm like really in this new, I'm about to hit 10 years. And I kind of want to like change how my.

approach to things and I want to like kind of get more artful with it and more like I want to say something I want to say something yeah I want to say some stuff yeah I want to like you know put my spin on on on and put my stamp on some stuff well you can and I think that that's why that's why watching you as you were going through that and and I saw you kind of working through that type of stuff as well too because you're like there are things and and it shows the mark of just a good artist that can and it's also it's a personality right because there are some people in general that they may might have a good thing to say they're just either they don't have it or they're not likable, right? It's the truth. It's like somebody walks in a room. You're like, oh, that guy has a lot to say, fuck that guy. He's like, why?

I don't like him. But he was saying good things. Fuck them. Yeah. As opposed to someone, like, like you said, you get up there and you're like, oh, well, let me see what he's talking about. And as you get into these things and there were some, there was some stuff that was like a little, that was, that was edgy.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. But it's, but it's in how you approach it. And this is why I kind of going into another conversation, I guess, around all this, that I remember having on, I think Sean Wayans came into Clyder Live. We were talking to him. Oh, wow. Yeah, we were talking to him about comedy and how, like, at the time, this is like 2018. And it was really, in 2019, it was really when a lot, it was people taking cameras into sets

and taking and putting stuff and trying to do the gotcha moments for comedians and stuff too. And it's, how do you balance it? You know, like, certainly, there's jokes I used to tell in 2003, 2004, that. that I have reworked because I know it won't go over the same way it went back then. So how do you approach that now? Well, I feel like comedians, we're supposed to be massive communicators.

That's like what the job is. It's like we're trying to be, we're trying to communicate in a way so that like the response is laughter. And with the changing audiences and the changing times, I think the mark of a great comedian is like, you look at the audience, you go, okay, I'm trying to communicate my feelings

and how do I get the, to be receptive to that. Right. So there's nothing wrong with changing. There's nothing wrong. Looking back at your old work and being like, oh, this needs to be fixed. This needs to be updated.

Yeah. Like you would be, like, if your phone broke, if your phone stayed the same and never updated and just like was always doing the same thing. Right. It's not a good phone. Right. So you have a flip phone like my mother and my mom.

Yeah, yeah. Exactly. Exactly. So it's like at the end of the day, like I don't think there's anything wrong with updating your work, but as long as you're still staying true to what you're trying to communicate.

That's right. Because it's all about. the feeling. It's all about like your thought and your intention and creating context is the marksman of a great comic. Well, it's also what you just said before. It's true. It's also knowing who you're and what you want to say. Exactly. So like for you as you want to start to kind of have more voice to say something to, for me as I realized too when I was doing, because I took, I mean, I looked and this was and it's stuff that you have to go through as I'm sure you've, you guys have both had very cathartic moments on stage where you realize something about yourself.

And what I realized getting back into it, I give Jake Lewis a lot of credit because Like I had done a set. Ellis was trying to get me back on stage forever. And I just wouldn't do it. And then I got up one night in New York and said, oh, and I kind of caught that bug. And during the pandemic, I started writing a lot. Yes, yes. And I had nowhere to really go to do it.

And I was like, I'm not going to go. I mean, if I went back to the store and started, like, I really, I wouldn't go back to the store unless I was ready to go back to the store. I 100% understand. You know what I mean? So like when a room like Flappers opens up, like with Jake who says, hey, do you want to go up, it gives me enough time to say, all right, this is like a monthly spot to where I can work, do some stuff, get it out there. And I still told myself, yeah, well, I'm a different

comedian now. I'm a different person now going up and doing it, but I still in my head thought I was that 32-year-old kid. And I'm not. And I'm not. And I realized it, too, for a lot of reasons, I got fucking tired up there. That's part one. And part two is I said something along with, all right, who's married? And there was nobody clapped. And I was like, holy shit. That was part of And then the other thing, I was like, these aren't my peers anymore. Oh, yeah. Like, you know, they're your peers. Like, there are my peers.

There weren't my peers. And I was like, you have to, you've got to pivot. Yeah. You've got to say, and that's why, like, you said with the soprano's bit and everything, too, I can, you make that joke to where it can hit to someone like yourself, but it can also hit to the mother of four. Definitely, definitely. And that's kind of, that's just how you're right. Like, I'm a big proponent of going up in different rooms. Yeah.

Because, like, you know, you don't want to just be able to speak. to like an alternative crowd. You want to speak to a crowd that's broad. You want to be able to speak to a crowd that's, you know, an urban room. You want to be able to speak to a crowd of like, like my boy, dumbfounded. He's got this great show in Korea Town,

and it's like all Koreans. But it's great. And it's like when I can connect with those people, I'm like, oh shit, like they fuck what I'm saying. And they know about this experience that I had and it's connection. So for me, I like to go in front of all rooms as much as possible, but I still try to keep my voice.

I still try not to change too much. Sure. So I know that at the very least that this is still authentic with me. Yeah, that's right. So you go up in a lot of different firms. Are you regular? What clubs are we going at? None.

That's fucking crazy. Yeah. That's crazy. How are you, have you showcased? Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Not at the comedy store, but like at the improv, I got passed, but then a new booker came in.

And she's cool. I'm like there, but they don't get me spots. That's crazy. I did some time in New York, and I was like, I was at the cellar. And you're getting a lot of spots. I was getting a lot of spots. but it's just New York so expensive and my mom lives out here.

Right. You know, she's getting older and I want to be around for her. And maybe she'll decide to move to newer. You'll be right there. Yeah. Right. That's the bray of Jersey.

That's nuts, man. You need to get to the store, man. I would love to get to the store. I get in the belly rooms from time and time from independent spots. I've been the o'er. You got to be more. I know.

Like, it's like, yeah. You don't get better unless you're around. murderers. That's how it is. It's like basketball. You got to run with like some people who can like embarrass you, like dunk on you. Because it'll make you better. And yeah, like when I was at the cellar, I had to follow like a tell and I had to follow like

Greer Barnes and they were making me work. Yeah. I was like getting buried night after night after night after night. You have to. But it made me so much better. I could feel myself sparring with people who are who have been in championship fights. Yeah, 100%. And you have to because I remember when I was younger, I was like

I can't remember like there was people, I was at the improv and I remember going and doing this set and they put up, they put up, um, they put up someone really solid performing. Like, oh, why are they doing that? And I remember my friend was like, shut up, pussy and go and do it and do it. And I went up doing really well. Yeah. And I was like, what, you know, it's just the nerves. And then when I was at the, I was at the store, like, Rogan would do an hour, and I would go up after him and I would do fine. You have to, but you'd have to, figure out and you, but you'd have to also watch the sets before you because you have to understand what the crowd is either laughing to. Are they tired after the last set? Do you have to get

them back? Like, what do you have to do? It's like you said, you have to work because you've got to pay attention to what's going on in the room. Yeah, I mean, again, I've been like listening to a lot of, like, comics that I really aspire to be like, and they do this thing that I feel like is like tuning the audience. Yeah. Or not, like, the first couple bits won't necessarily do great, but just, but just letting you know, like, how I joke. Sure. Like, it's like, this is my frequency. Let's just, let me get you all there. But, but. But, just, but. But, just, just, but. But I don't know. But, But that's so hard to do sometimes in L.A. When you only got like 10 minutes.

It's very true. It's very true. And it's one of these things where you have to. And have you been traveling a lot, too? Yeah, I'm starting to hit the road more. I open up from Michael Rappaport on the road. Oh, great. Yeah, he's great.

He's the best. I'm doing Houston. And then I'm starting to headline myself now, too. I'm going to do Denver later next month. Awesome. And last in Seattle. Well, good. Hopefully I'll help you sell some tickets here today.

Because I'm telling you guys, like, don't miss out. on this guy. Like, if you, tell them, where, where are you going to be exactly? So I'm going to be at the Houston Improv next week, Friday, Saturday. It'll be, it'll be, when this airs, it'll be so be this week. Yeah, yeah, yeah, it'll be this week. And then I'm going to be at the Comedy Works South. Great. In Denver, right outside of Denver on the Memorial Day or is it Labor Day? Okay. The 25th or 26th. Got it. That weekend. I should know my day. Yeah. It's new to me. I'm my figuring this all right.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, that's great. And then how did, so how did you get, because we, so Rappaport used to come on to Collider all the time. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And he was one of my favorite, because he's in New York guys, so he's one of my favorite people. I love him. I love Ratt. He fucking kills me when he does those animal videos.

Ma! Kills me. Kills me. Anyway, so how did you get hooked up with Rappaport? It literally was over in December, I think his regular opener couldn't make a spot in San Francisco, so they hit me up, or actually it was like Oakland, Pleasantville in this club called Tommy Tees, which is great.

I love that club. And he, his agent asked my agent, do you have anyone who could open for him? And then my agent was like, this guy's opi and I went through and he liked my good, like my shit. That's great. Yeah, so I mean, I think that's the other thing to be is like when I was looking at, as you're talking about

like the store. So the way it worked for me, do you know, Brett Ernst? Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So Brett's really good body. That's great. So Brett Brett was the reason I got into the store because So when I was, again, this is a long time ago. And Sam Tripoli had just gotten passed like a couple months before I did. Right, right, right. And I was like, I need to get into that freaking club, right?

Because it was one of those, it was just the place I wanted to be. Yeah. And Brett had gotten, had Brett had been in there for a little bit. He said, listen, actually, it's not true. Sam was actually made a couple, actually a couple years before me. Now that I think about it. He got passed like $99,000. And so, you know, I got passed in 2002.

So Brett was like, hey, look, I got a couple, you get recommendations. I'm going to recommend you, but you're working hard, right? I'm like, I've been working. It's like, I see it, like, because I've been, because I started out as just, when I'm, it was like, 22, just screaming and yelling and bouncing off the walls. Right. And I used to start at 100 miles an hour, and I would end at 100.

You was energy. That's all. And my friend Paul DeAngelo was just an incredible comedian. And he was like, you have to start at zero and get to 100. Yeah. And I started to do that. And I worked for the WWE. for like

who were your writer? Yeah. All tight. It was like maybe a month and a half, two months. I was a very attitude air kid.

That's when I worked there. You worked at? So was you doing the DX? That was after. I came in. Oh my God. I was milk truck Kurt Engel stuff.

Oh, for real? I didn't write that. Sorry, I was Brian. Yeah, no, no, Brian,

Brian Gertz wrote that, but I was, that's when I was there. And I came in during that period. Wow, man. Yeah, I'll show you a funny video. I got some questions. Whatever you got.

But, but, But yeah, so when I got back, and I still did this day, it was so funny, so I'm sitting out, I remember I did a show, I got it back from Stanford, and I had just left work in there. Right, right. And there was this show, what was that show

that we did in Santa Monica? You remember the work by the CPK, there was that room that we used to do in Santa Monica? It was improv underground? I think so, I think so. Yeah, I think you're right. It's in like the alleyway underneath. And Ari Shafir and I, were, Ari was in my class,

in the comedy store and everything too. and he and I were talking and we were doing a show and he's like, and I was talking about the W.W.E. And he said, he goes, he's like, I don't know if you should talk about that stuff. Everybody talks about writing at the WWE. And I go, really? He goes, no, no one talks about it.

He said, why aren't you talking about it? And I was like, yeah, and I still, to this day, I've never done anything on stage about the WVE, but I just remember that. But going back to that, Brett was like, hey, look, come work out. And I did. And it's what you just said before, working. And I tell this story at the time,

It's crazy that this happened because they would do this thing on Sunday. They would do, if you were showcasing, you could showcase Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. And if Mitzie was there, she would watch you too. But if not, you can get up. So I started in August of 2002. And I would do like, you start with three and if you get past to six and then you go to 10. So I was doing three and I would go every Sunday, Monday, Tuesday. And she wasn't there for a while.

I was like when she was starting, she was sick, but she was still coming into the club. And so I was going up. And then finally she came in when he's good, give him, let him start doing 10. And I would start doing 10. Wow. Don't pass him yet, but he started doing 10. So there were a couple people that got that.

And I'm not going to call the guy out, but I remember having a conversation with this guy. And he's like, and this was in, I don't know, maybe if this was August, and September, October area. And she wasn't coming in a lot. But I was getting time at the store. And I was hanging out.

And I was there every day. That's where I met Ari and Steve Renazisi and those guys and everything and became buddies with them. And I was hanging out. And I was just going to meet. people and I was getting three spots a week at the comedy store and doing my other spots. And this guy who was showcased and he's leaving and he's like, I'm not doing this spot. I'm like, what are you talking about?

Why not? He's like, she's not going to be here again. She's never here. I go, what's not going to? What's fucking talking about? And then nobody inside of that showcase got past except me. And Ari was like, well, one of the main reasons you also got past because you hang out. There's no doubt about it.

The comics knew who you were and everything too. And I remember my greatest moment in my life. life was Mitsy. You really good when she'd come acting a club and I'm like, I was like, Yoda just spoke to me. Yeah. It was incredible. But, but it's what you said, though, OPEG. You got to put in the work and you got to try. It reminds me of the time how I got past at the seller. Yeah. Where it was like a, it was a cheat code. It wasn't like I, people had heard about me. It was like, Comedy Central was like having some comics they thought were cool. And the, the owner of the seller was just like, okay, I'm going to watch these comics.

And I went up and I don't know why, but this calm just went over me that I never have. Yeah. I just sat down. On stage? I never sit down. Yeah. I just sat down. I just started talking.

And I had like a very buying set. But like I kind of had these pops. Yeah. And I thought I didn't get past because I was like, all right, well, I did fine. I'm like, what did I sit down? Why did I do that? And then I walk into the, there's a restaurant, right, like from the place we audition. So I walk into the restaurant.

I sit down with my boy, Jason, Jason Chenney, hilarious comedy. who also had been passed earlier. And as we walk in, Esty comes in and just walks up to me and she was like, I really liked what you did up there. That's amazing. And I was like, oh my God. And she was like, I saw everyone like staring at me

and she was like, I can't wait to work with you. And so I sat down at one of the booths and I was like, I just get passed. And my boy Jason was like, yeah, you idiot. You got passed. And I was like, oh my God, he was like, you're on fire. And I'm like, that's so cool. It goes, no, literally you're on fire.

and like my the sleeve of my jacket was literally on fire because I just held it over a cable and so I just went third degree burns on his arm as he's talking

who cares who gives a shit it's amazing man well look you gotta figure out I mean how well do you know Mark Ellis at all

no who's Mark Mark is my buddy who I started kind of Shmoz but he's a regular at the comedy store and he's like he's hilarious

I mean he and I and I started Shmoz together I met him at the comedy store right right he's the one that's like he he stayed doing stand up like all the time right right like just about a season of a pro as you're going to get um and he's and he's might be the coolest human being in the world he's just big as heart and everything too i got to introduce you guys because i guess i just don't have the connections at the story that as i used to but like i i got to talk to alice hopefully the ways i don't know the showcase like protocol and stuff too there i know they just passed a bunch

of new people who are really funny like yeah my boy deris benton it just got past uh lower peak just got past. She's hilarious. So like, I understand, like, I'm not like, oh, man, bro. No, no, you don't seem like that at all. Everyone there, I'm like, yo, these are great comics and I get it. Right. I get it. But you just need your opportunity. You need that, you need that seller moment. Exactly. Yeah, exactly. So I just need to like, I also know that I need to hang out more because I'm like, I'm like, I also write for TV sometimes. So like I'm like, sometimes I'm just like off on script for a second. But, um, yeah, I feel like, uh, I definitely, with this strike coming up, I'm like, I'm about to do a bunch of stuff and just keep doing it. Yeah.

Yeah, for sure. Well, good, man. Look, I will call Ellis for sure and introduce you guys, because anything that I can do to see kind of, because it's just one of those things where we're sitting, Kate and I were just talking, and we're just like, yeah, that guy, that guy's got it. So are you going, are you doing Flappers anytime soon? Maybe, maybe not. No, I put in my veils. They haven't, they haven't hit me back. But yeah, I put them on my veils. I know. You want to do my set tonight.

I'll do it. You don't say that to comment. You don't say that too. We'll do like the buddy comic, you know. Yeah, that's right. We finish each other's sandwiches. I did that when I had, I think one of the nights I went up with Jamie Costa. And Jamie was like, hey, do you want, because Jamie obviously does the, like, he becomes Robin Williams.

He doesn't just do an oppression. And he's like, hey, I'm going to be, I'm going to be there. You want to just, because he likes to the way I fire him, like scenarios. A lot of times people would be like, hey, do the Robin Williams thing. Go. Yeah. And it's like, I like, if you didn't know, Robin Williams was actually first. cast and Empire Strikes Back.

Here is Robin as the emperor and then he just goes into the thing. Yeah, and so like he's another one just kind of watching that in that moment and I like doing those bits with him sometimes on stage. But anyway yeah, so watching you and you have your reveals on your, what do you have it in your site

as far as the, or where you're performing or as far as like. If people wanted to go check you out. If people want to go check me out, honestly, right now the best place to find that out is Instagram. Because I'm I was super sloppy with some stuff as far as, like, promoted myself because I'm such a

moment-by-moment person. And I realized that, like, there's a set that came out recently on Don't Tell that, like, did really well. And a bunch of people, like, what are you performing? I'm like, oh, I got to, like, get, like, my stuff together. You got to have tickets ready, yeah. I got tickets ready.

And, like, and I realize that's all me. That's an L on my part. Because I didn't realize it was going to do that. I should have believed in myself more. I guess. But it's also crazy with social media, right? Yeah, it is. It's crazy because, like, we just had,

we had an interview last. week with a friend of Katie Sackoff who was on Mandalorian and she and she and she's Battlestar Galactica and she's she's fantastic and um she's been a friend for a long time but she was she was on and we had a bunch of clipouts that we put on and on TikTok one of the clipouts did like almost two million and on Instagram it did like almost three million and I'm like and people are finding the show that way and I was like I just put the clips out yeah yeah you know you hope but when it happens it's like it is the marking like how do you find the show how do you find this show

how do you find you? It's just part of how you market now. Yeah. Like I literally meet him with someone tomorrow about like my social media and like my websites and just get everything organized and ready to go because I know, especially now that I'm like about to hit stand-up so hard that like there has to be a way for people to find you. Yeah. And so look.

And as much as you hate social. Yeah. I hate it. I don't like. Oh, I got to do it though. It's my favorite thing I learned. I try to respond to people too, but sometimes it's hard. Well, I said this is my favorite comment when I talk to you.

that night, I was like, are you on Twitter? You're like, no, I was like, I love this guy. Yeah, I hate Twitter. I hate it. I use it for a promotion, but if it, like, and I was looking at the stats and like a lot of people find my stuff through Twitter and was like, would you be mad if Twitter went away? No, no. I hope

it goes away. Same. I think it's destroyed society. Same, same, yeah. I think Twitter, Instagram, all them are very bad for people, but if you want to follow me. Yeah, get on there. Opie Jokey. Plug your shit, yeah. At Opie, Jokey, O-P-E-Y jockey.

Yeah, and check them out, man. Because like I said, like, right now, comedy story and these people, if you're not seeing them there now, you're going to be seeing them there. And can I ask you? Can I ask how old you're? I'm 34.

34. Still fucking young. Yeah, really young. In our day, we had to call people to come to show. It's true. You had to spend all day calling up people. Hey, come on out. I need 15, and they're not going to let me go.

Or we'd be barking. Yeah. I used to bark at the Irvon Spectrum. Yeah. Just try to get people to come see me. Oh, nice. Comedy juice. This is why I kick myself up when it comes to the hiatus I took, because from 2012 until

2018, I had a, I mean, I still have a good audience now, but like I was with Collider and AMC, I had a really big audience. Yeah, yeah. And I wasn't doing stand-up. And I didn't do stand-up at all. And I said, I said, this is my stage. This is my stage. And I realized that it was, it was a mistake because at the time, when I was doing stuff, I didn't, I couldn't promote through social.

I couldn't promote through social. I couldn't have people come out. And now, like, we're doing the show at, well, at this time, we have just done the show at Flappers. But it's like, and I hope he did great. Hope he did great. Yeah, we took your spot. Everyone did it. Every day. That was a fun show. Oh, the one we did. Yeah, the one we did. Yeah, it was, it was fun. And I like, I just like that. I don't know. I just like that club. I like that room.

I like flappers, too. It's not like one of the marquee clubs, but I do love going this. there because like they treat you nice and it's like you know it's a really good spot and the parking is amazing parking is so good it's the truth you don't it's like one of the things with the comedy story when he's the brother you are you are you got that king street you got to king street but if you're if you're regular though you're just taking a risk you're basically putting your car through the through the through the ringer yeah it's like it's like my favorite it's like yeah they're gonna some guy who's just stuck i used to get stone when i was working it. And it's like my, I was the, I tell this story often, but it's, it's, I was,

so Rick Ingram, who's a really good friend of mine. And, um, we used to get pretty, pretty hammered, uh, stone when we're working there. But like, I, I, I did something that a lot of people don't do. And I don't know if anybody's ever done it since. Um, I got made a regular and then started working there. Oh, interesting. Because I tried to cheat, I did cheat the system. I would get regular spots and then I would get employee spots. So I would get spots. They probably have changed this because I wouldn't be surprised that they'd call the Harlawful now, but

like I, I would take those spots and then I would get another spot in the same like an hour, two hours later in the OR, then I would get more spots in the belly room that you'd get for employees or then I would get booked on the show. So I would be getting spots like fucking crazy at the store because I did that. But I was the world's

worst employee because who gives a fuck if I got fired? Yeah. And it was like, I remember they had a ladder up there where you changed yawning and it was like this shaky fucking ladder that I don't know how anyone hasn't died. And I remember Dean who was the manager,

it goes, hey, you know, once you change yawning? I go, I can't. He doesn't, why? I'm afraid of heights. And he goes, are you really? I'm like, yeah. And he's like, he goes, yeah, right. But he didn't care.

And then we got along really well. But I was, and I'm telling you, I was the world's worst employee. I should not been working there. Ingram talks about we got stone and then like And he's Harlow They go, where's Harlow?

They go, there he goes And it was, if they knew, they knew what I was doing. But that's what I love about that place is that it just, it feels like there's this looseness to it that lets creativity like just flourish. Yes. Because like all the door guys are getting up. They're really good comics. Even now, like I've been friends would allow the door guys and they're all funny.

They're all rappers. Sebastian was a fucking door guy. I mean, Ari was a door guy. guy like all those tons of it and that's where that's where that's where you get spots and that's where you know like you get hazed and shit but like like anything else it's part of it's part of it and then you and but but it's also you get respect like it's like it's like Sebastian will tell you too Sebastian was was when he started out nobody thought he was gonna be doing what he's doing now yeah and then he just fucking worked he's a workhorse I heard like this story about him where like he was

bill board bill Burr's neighbor I think something I heard something about that and Billber was like He was like, lives right across the hall from him, and Sebastian was like, you do comedy? He's like, yeah, he goes, I think I'm going to try that. Exactly. I don't know. I don't know, because I thought Burr started in Boston. No, Burr started in Boston, but this was like Burr moved to L.A. And Sebastian hadn't even started doing stand-up yet.

Really? I don't know, because I don't remember Burr being on the scene that much during that time. Because I mean, I'm not saying it's not true. This was like in 2000. Maybe this is a story. Maybe it was another comic he was talking about. But I think it was Sebastian. He was like, and he's like, he moved.

He left, L.A., came back, and then Sebastian. He saw Sebastian in the OR just destroyed. He was like, what the? I don't know. Very well could be true. I just, I just remember, I mean, Sebastian, when I got there in 2002, Sebastian was already going up. And Sebastian had been there.

I think Sebastian started working at the store in, like, 98, 99. I thought that Burr was already in Boston. Maybe he came in, was here and then left. Yeah, it went to New York. Very possible. Very possible. But, like, yeah, Sebastian, that's like one of my fucking prize possessions over there. So it was the three of us, me, Ernst, and fucking Sebastian went on the road together.

Like it was, it was, it was, what club is that? And, uh, where the hell is that club? It's like, it's somewhere north. Yeah, Suboba casino. Well, Brett's, Brett's ex-girlfriend used to, we used to book it. And Ingram and I did it together and Sebastian. What? No, that Brett Ernst, not me.

Yeah, no, it's not. Right. You don't even remember. Remember when you headline the, that was crazy? Well, that's craziest thing is I don't even, I don't even think Sebastian headline. Oh, wow. Which is crazy. Yeah.

Oh, wow. You're telling me. You're going to get the. guy is doing the roller scuffs man. Wow, that's a great show. He's the best. I love him.

I love him. Well, look, man, so keep me updated with what you're doing because I want to see for sure. And then I'll talk to, I'm going to talk to Ellis. And then for you guys, check him out on his social.

Check him out where he's going to be. Opie, tell him one more time. So this is the next, you're going to be in Denver? Next week, I'm going to be in Texas. You're in Texas. Okay. And I'm going to do Houston.

and I might do a week in Austin. I'm still figuring that. Okay, so that is, so when this is airing on Monday, so that's this week, guys. So make sure you check him out. And Houston with Michael Rappaport. And Houston with Michael Rapport. So I'm going to put Opie's social in the description,

and I'll even give you a little eye card right there to find him. Thank you so much, dude, for coming in here. No, thanks for having me, man. You guys are fucking cool as shit. Any time. Thanks, me. Yeah, well, definitely. I'm going to hold you to do that.

All right. Actually, I'm really busy. I'm going to be in Houston. Man, old he blew up and let us go. He's gone, he's done. I'm not talking those fucking nerds. All right, guys, thanks again. And let's get back to me talking about other shit.

All right. I love that dude, man. I'm telling you, I think he's, I'm, check him out on Instagram. Let him know you found him from this show. I think he's going to be around. And I think we're going to hear more and more and more about him. And he's opening up for Rappap Report. So you had a chance to check him out.

You're going to be anywhere near where he's going to be. Go see him. And let him know after the show. show you found them on this show um okay that's that's everything guys that was the show today it was a lot of fun i appreciate it i want to see all the comments and again if you're brand new to the show you've just been here for the first time you found us through katie or or you just found us through some of the clipouts thank you show a little will you hit that button get us to a hundred thousand we're working on it thank you once again i i love you all to death you guys are the best and i appreciate you

and we'll see you on the flip side