The Three Questions with Andy Richter - Ron Funches Returns

Episode Date: April 28, 2026

Comedian and actor Ron Funches joins Andy Richter to discuss shooting the reality competition series, "The Traitors," the insights he's gained from his recent autism diagnosis, re-prioritizing stand-up comedy, his continued love for professional wrestling, and much more.  The Andy Richter Call-In Show RETURNS next week! Do you want to talk to Andy live on SiriusXM’s Conan O’Brien Radio? Tell us your favorite dinner party story (about anything!) or ask a question - leave a voicemail at 855-266-2604 or fill out our Google Form at BIT.LY/CALLANDYRICHTER. Listen to "The Andy Richter Call-In Show" every Wednesday at 1pm Pacific on SiriusXM's Conan O'Brien Channel. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Welcome back to the three questions. I'm your host, Andy Richter, and today I'm talking to stand-up comedian and actor. A guy really love Ron Funches. We've known each other for years, and he's been on this show before. But I thought it'd be fun to catch up since a lot has happened in his life since then, including his appearance on season four of Traders. He's performing stand-up around the country right now, and you can visit Ron Funches.com for tickets to see him in a city near you. Here's my conversation with Ron Funches. Hello, Ron. Hello, Andy. Thank you for coming back. You've done this podcast before. I did one. So technically six questions. Yes.

They're the same questions. Oh. They're not, but I mean, you know what? I've kind of given up on that whole. You don't like that? You just needed a hook to get people on board. Yeah, you know, it had to be something to start it out. And now it's just like just the talking.

Yeah, it's mid-season pilot change. We don't even need the hook anymore. Yeah, yeah. The concept was proven and now we've moved on. I love that. And to just, now it's just, that's way better than saying that it failed. That's way, way better.

Blabin with Andy Richter, that wouldn't count as. I love that title. Blabin. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. I wear that shirt. I see it. All right.

I got to talk to Sirius XM. Get a new logo. This is industrial. We want to just blabbing. Yeah. Blabbing. Yeah. What you want to blab about?

You? Okay. You were just on my radio show, on the calling show. Yeah. Thank you for doing that. That was fun. Oh, it's fun. One of the people on the calling show, just DM me on Instagram,

talk about pro wrestling, the steak binder guy. Oh, really? Mm-hmm. Wow. Yeah. Oh, nice. Yeah. Just chat about pro wrestling?

Yeah, he's crossing over. Do you still go to a lot of live? wrestling shows? On occasion. Not as many as I used to. I used to go to quite a few. Then I got too close to wrestling. And then you realize that, you know, similar to many other industries, you're like, oh, some real bad people here.

And so then you back off again to where I'm like, oh, I can enjoy it a bit more. You mean like you got like they started to want to be in your life too much? I mean, I wrestled. And then people wanted me to do more matches and they want me to go to places where I'm like, I don't think that's going to be conducive. or fun for me, or even looking out for me. And then even when I had my match,

I feel like if I had hurt myself, I won't say they would have been happy, but I don't think they would have been upset. Oh, really? Yeah, I think they would have been like, cool content. Oh, yeah, yeah. Yeah.

And do you also think, too, that, like, I always feel like when people from outside of wrestling get and do a wrestling arc or whatever the fuck you want to call it, that there has to, to be some part of the wrestlers that want to fuck them up. Like just to show them, you know, like whatever that, you know, and the guy that slapped John Stossel.

Yeah. You know, like, like they want to show them like, oh, you think this is fun and fun, you want to dabble? How about you? I break your spine. Yeah, I'm trying to remember who that was. I feel. Yeah, Dr. D.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, they're not really like that as much anymore. Now you go in there and slap them. I saw Wayne Brady get picked. up and thrown around Oh really?

I was at. Yeah. Yeah. Freddie Prince was, was smacking a guy. Yeah. Like, they let everybody get involved.

I think, I think it must just be that they're like, they're used to, they, there's more respect for it or something. It's more legitimate now. And they enjoy more success. So it's not like,

they're not looked as carnies and, you know, like, oh, they're fit. You know, and also, too, the whole is it fake thing. Nobody gives a shit about that anymore. Well,

I mean, it's in similar, like comedy, right? Like, for me, like, I love it. I love wrestling and I loved it for a long time. And so before I even never did a match, I trained for like a year. So. Oh, really? Yeah, I went to school and went to like real three hour classes at this place called Santino Brothers, which is like a well-known respected school. It's so much so that I was like, I don't want to do this anymore. It is too much. Oh, yeah, I know. I could know. I mean, it sounds like fun. And I used to, when I was younger, I used to do, you know, Pratt Folley kind of stuff and could do, you know, you.

me and fucking around with friends, you know, like do wrestling kind of stuff. Yeah, backyard style. Yeah, those flat bag bumps and stuff. But like, that notion of like getting and practicing with like guys, like, I just hear stories about how mean they are. Yes, I'm over pretty mean.

They're so mean, you know. One of my trainers was real mean to me. Yeah. He got arrested for beating up his boyfriend. He did. Oh, wow. And so then I was like, I knew you were a jerk. Maybe he was, maybe, maybe he was flirting.

I mean, that's just, who's on side I'm on. I'm on the boyfriend side. I get it. His love language. He was being mean to you. Yeah, I used to, I used to love wrestling too, but I just had, I kind of like lost track. You know, it's fine.

You go in and out. I mean, I just like it. I like going to events. I'm friends with, now, you know, I'm friends with. Tony Chavani, who's the name I imagine, you know. I do know. And so that's pretty cool to me, you know, because I was like, I've been watching you as a little kid, and then

now his daughter is a fan of mine. And so we've done this thing, like, basically anytime I'm in a town near her, he'll be like, give me tickets to go, so my daughter can come see you, and then if I'm in an AEW town, they're like, you can come do a show. So it's real fun

in that regard. I just don't like it when people who don't have a respect for, I think, like, anything, like if you don't like, comedy or anything when people just come in and think it's just fun and silly and don't show respect for it yeah yeah people have a problem with that or at least i would yeah yeah my friend my friend tommy blatchett who was a conan writer i know yeah he worked for vince for a while so i like i got to there was a i think it was a royal rumble and i joined i got to judge a uh a bikini contest Yes, when May Young was in it.

How beautiful. Yeah, yeah. And I think, but I don't even remember the bit very much. But the one thing I remember is that we were ringside. And there was, there's the guy that is the security next to the ring. Like, he's the guy that keeps, make sure that no fans try to get into the ring. And he's more terrifying than the wrestlers. Like he just is really, and he told me, he came to me.

said, I know you're coming to do a bit, but you stay there. I'll come and get you. Do not come over the barricade until I come get you because he's basically saying, I'm like a dog and I will be triggered by your presence to attack. Sort of the subtext. Yeah, my peripheral vision, which you'll see an image. And you do see it. That's the thing.

And you don't see it very often, but I mean, if you watch wrestling for a while, you will occasionally see a fan getting into the ring. and everyone drops everything to just kick the shit out. Yeah, it's fun. And it's such like a, oh, this is a, this is a form of communication. This is letting everyone know, this is what happens if you do this. So don't do this, you know. Yeah, and it's fun because it's like, I hate him and he hates me, but if you come and he

will both. We will both just beat the shit out of you quickly. And it, and it's always like the couple of times that I've seen it, it's the look of shock horror on the fan's face is always like, wait, what do you do? Oh, I saw one that was amazing. I was at the Hall of Fame, sitting behind Stephanie McMahon,

because one of my best friends is a wrestler named X-Poc, and he was going into the Hall of Fame. And so I was there as a guest, and I was a broad lady with me as well, and I had taken a small amount of shrooms. And it was having a good time. Sure. a Hall of Fame amount of troops.

And Brett Hart was on the mic getting ready to talk about a thing. And then a guy tries to come and tackle Brett Hart. And then it's just full of wrestlers. It's not just like, you know, everybody's there. And Brett Hart is like all their heroes. And so they just beat the shit out of this guy. He's like bloody. And I'm like watching.

But I'm just like, wait, what is this part of the show? That's insane. And it's not a wrestling show. It's like an award show. Yeah. Holy shit. It was really fun. What a maniac.

Yeah. Well, anyway, to end the story is that somebody, a producer, comes and says, come on, it's time for you to get in there. Come on, come on, come on. And I was like, yeah, but that guy told me that I shouldn't. And he went, no, come on, come on, come on. And so I went and came in and he's like, get up into the ring. And I start climbing the ring. And I see the security guy snap his neck towards me and go like.

And I was like, he told me. Like, just like, please, he told me. I would not have. And he's like, okay, all right, fine, you know. Yeah, he's right. Yeah, he had to let it go. It was over his head at that point. I also got to once Tommy and I went down to, I think it was Arrowhead Pond.

Is that what it's called down there in Orange County? Honda Center. Yeah. Yeah, but we went down to a WWE show and, um, Stone Cole was wrestling Chris Jericho. And they got wet, as they say. They got bloody. And afterwards, they both were standing there.

I thought that's when they do angel does. No, no, no. That's a different thing. Okay. That's what training day. I don't even know. That's what they said, right? What's that?

On training day. I didn't know you get wet. Really? Yeah. Oh, right, right. Oh, I was forgetting that. Lingo. It's okay.

I'm scared of drug lingo. You look like that. But anyway, it was just fun to be talking to both of them still bloody, like after they had just beat the shit out of each other and they're just chatting and like, hey, good to see you. What's up? Yeah, psychopaths. I love it.

Yeah. Or like the old stories of wrestlers that were, you know, bitter enemies being caught in a car with cocaine together. Yeah. They were just driving from one gig to the other. That's one of my favorite story is when Rob Van Dam and Sabu got caught with a bunch of weed and pills. And Rob Van Dam was the WWE champion at that time. And Sabu was just a regular mid-quarter, even though he was a legend of the ECW times. Rest in peace, he died recently.

And so Sabu was like, let me take the, let me take it. Like, you know, it's my stuff. It's all my stuff. And Rob Van Dam wouldn't let him, even though he, because he knew if he did, They were going to fire Sabu. Right. But he could take more heat because he was the champ. Right.

But they took the title from him. Oh, wow. Yeah. If you like deep conversations over freshly baked bread and who doesn't, then breaking bread with Tom Papa is for you. It's a weekly podcast hosted by comedian, author, actor, and writer and all-around good guy Tom Papa. Each week, Tom hosts a guest to talk about making food, creating art, and everything in between. I was on recently.

And I had a great time. I love Tom so much. If you're looking for great interviews, belly laughs, and enough food content to fill your plate, try Breaking Bread with Tom Papa. Check out Breaking Bread on YouTube, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts. Can't you tell my loves it grows? You recently, and we talked about this too, because you and I both have recently been through our unscripted television arcs, as they call it, because I did Dancing with the Stars.

And then you did traitors. The traitors. And that, it's been, I mean, it's a big deal, isn't it? It seems like it. Yeah. Yeah. Did you, did you enjoy it, first of all? What part of it?

Come out the other end of it. Mostly happy you did it? I'm very happy I did it. Absolutely. Because I learned so much about myself. I got great feedback from people who learn more about me. I think a lot of times the way I am and even my voice, the fact that people saw me usually acting or on stage, they thought it was an act. They thought that it wasn't really me.

And so to go on a place where they're like, this is you 24-7, and they can see me and they can see me angry, they can see me upset. They can all different versions of me. I think allowed people to be like, oh, wait, he's not pretending. This is who he is. Although there is, you do have a serious voice that's very different than your stage voice. You think so? I absolutely do. Okay.

Yeah, you do. That's you and you and Jeff Dye both say that. Oh, really? Who's Jeff Dye? I love that. Let's just move along from that. Okay. All right.

Sorry, Jeff Dye. I don't know who you are. Hell yeah. I'll look it up. But, yeah, no, because you have a, like, when you were serious, when you were being, and really, like, being earnest and kind of with an edge of like a little pissed off too like there is because there is a softness to the way that you speak usually and it's and that's 98% of my uh interaction with you and we've known each other for years there's a there's a softness to you and there's not when you mean it

then there's a there's like business wrong yeah you know yeah oh yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah I agree. There's a part. Yeah, it's a point where I'm like, okay, wait, I got to be a little more flexible sometimes. Yeah. But there is, yeah, there's a me of like, no, I'm, this is it and we've reached a point. Yeah, yeah, for sure. Okay, I accept that. Yeah. Yeah. But I mean, it's, I don't, I'm, you know, you're not like peewee Herman or anything. But, you know, you definitely are bobcat go twice. Yeah. Yeah. There's, you know, there's, but I mean, that's, I think everybody's kind of. Well, there's a rhythm then trying to get into. Yeah. weird if I was just like, I mean, you see some comedians do that. And I'm just like, just go back to your writing job, you know, if you're not going to have any type of stage present, drink something, you know. So I agree with that.

There's a rhythm that I try to speak with that, that I try not to carry with at home. Yeah. Because that's just a difference for that, for sure. And also, you don't, like around the house, you're not going to be doing your stage guy. No. That wouldn't go.

No, no. I've gone to do enough therapy not to do that. Well, money well spent. Yeah, truly. Well, how did it start? Like, how did the beginning of traders? Is that they asked me to go on the third season? At the time, I was going through my divorce.

And so I was feeling not very into either accusing people or being accused or betrayal or any type of that stuff. So I was like, no, that's just not going to work right now for me. And so in the meantime, I watched some episodes and getting more acquainted with it. And so how, like, interesting the game was. And in some ways, it pumped my ego to see, like, some of these other people who had quit or, like, oh, I can't handle this. And I was like, it's a game. It's a silly game. Yeah, sure, it sucks to be accused.

I hate being accused. I knew that right away. I was like, I got to leave the part of me that just hates being falsely accused at home. You knew that ahead of time. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And, but then you go there and you're just like, oh, wow, like, it's so intense and so, like, 24-7 and it feels so, like, personal and real all the time. And so you feel like everybody has a plan that they get punched in the mouth, you know? I thought I was going to be like, oh, I'll figure this out.

It'll be fun and silly and easy. And then you get there, you're like, I don't have any idea. Yeah, yeah. What's going on? I know. I know who any of these people are. and they don't seem to like me. I'm constantly like when I watch it with my wife being like,

who's that? What it? Now, where are they from? You know, and it's, you know, it's usually like housewife or survivor or whatever.

But, you know, and then there's, you know, comedians and. Yeah, no, and I knew,

like, I knew Kristen Kish was a chef and I knew, um, of, uh, I knew of Tara and Johnny just from being of that. A, you know, grew up. Yeah, watching the Olympics.

Yeah. So that's easy to, like, you know, gain some respect for them. So, and I just kind of was like, oh, I don't need to know everybody. And that's just, I think my general behavior, A, it helped me understand and get this diagnosis. And B, I was like, oh, like, I guess it's just different from where people where I'm like, I don't care what you do, but I don't mean it in a disrespectful way. Yeah. I just mean it.

And I just want to get to know you as a person. Right. I don't care what your job is whatsoever. I have friends that are music who don't, who are just regular people. You know, to me, it's just like, who are you? Yeah. And then with this game, I'm like, if I know more about you, then I'm going to be like, I have preconceived notions.

Right. So I was just like, oh, okay, like we just come in. We play this game and find murderers. And then we, you know, chill out and relax in between. But I didn't know. It was like, you know, high school. Were you like, I got to become, you know, friends with the most popular people and the housewives are all the crew.

and if you don't know them, they're like real pissed off that you don't know who they are. Are they really? Or they're real mad about if you don't know who they are. Jesus Christ. And it's just like, I just don't watch that show. Yeah. That's just not my show. Yeah.

I'm never in that whole like, don't you know who I am? Yeah. It's always the mid-range, you know? Like you deal with, I've met legends. I met like amazing people and it can be some of the sweetest, kindest people who love seeing new talent, love having something that like reignites their like love of art or comedy. And then you meet these people who are like in the mid who just want to stay on TV. Yeah.

And we'll say anything and do anything. Yeah, yeah. Have these high egos. But I think it also comes from like this knowledge of like I don't really have a thing. Yeah, yeah. So I need to like feel big. Right, right. Because other people will see that I don't really do anything.

And I think too, like the component of it that's, that's interesting. is that those people, like you got comedy and, you know, Johnny, we're, you know, has ice skating. So it's like you have things. But for the, and you could tell from some of these people, they were like, I need this money. Like that, that prize money. I mean, everybody can use that amount of money. Of course. But, but that money for them, that's like, that's probably, they're looking at that as like, this is my year right here.

Yeah. I need to make this money. It's part of the paycheck. Yeah. Because that's what they do and they don't do anything else really. Yeah. Yeah. But yeah,

I think a lot of those were just like the actual gamers from the big brother and stuff. But I don't think, I think they just played better and wanted to win and have fun. Like I think the people who I didn't get along with the most, it wasn't necessarily about like winning or getting the money for them. It was about being on TV the most and winning. TV and being like the most popular person so they can get commercials. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Do you, what's the beginning of it? Like, do you just get on a plane for Scotland and? You pack up so much stuff. You got to pack so many clothes because they don't know how many outfits you're going get through. And that was one thing I knew from watching that I didn't want to back up. I was like, I'm going to go to Turkey, get this hair transplant before I go. I'm going to go pop through, go see my girl, and we're going to have fun.

And then I'm going to go do this. But I got to. I bring a bunch of clothes because I knew that people judge you off with that. And they don't dress you at all? No. Oh, wow. No, I mean, no, that's not to say that that's not, that's incorrect. They have a lady there.

They have a huge costing department for 20, for dealing with 24 people. But it's mostly like for when you're doing the missions and doing that type of stuff. Like, and I imagine, yeah, they have some outfits like if you didn't bring anything for the ball or stuff. They can, they can help you out for sure. Yeah. But they were very much like, you bring your stuff. You bring your stuff. You do your hair.

You do your makeup. Like, you do all that stuff, you know, so. Yeah, because I've always wondered, like, because, you know, it's breakfast time and a lot of the women have two or three hours. Two or three hours. You don't know what was under Morris hat. But I bet you. Yeah. Oh, yeah.

No, because I, that's, I've wondered about that. And also, too, the thing that I. I mean, I think people know this now. You don't sleep at the cat. Who says that? I mean, there used to be that. But, I mean, it's like you're at the airport hotel and like in Inverness or something, isn't it? I mean, yeah, I mean, it's, but what I would say is that, like, I think that's very small part of, like, any of, you spend so much time there.

Yeah. You were literally there, like, 18 hours a day. Oh, Jesus. And so that time, like, in the hotel, you just either. blindfolded or you're just literally you're like really blindfolded yeah and you're sequestered and you don't have your phone you don't have access to any of the internet like you're just in like uh how do you jerk all right yeah jesus i had to go back you know what i had to do is try to go back and because you do have like Netflix that's the only thing that let get you i had to go back and try to remember

old movies that i like the sex scenes that i like because heaven forbid you you go on your imagination. Yeah, but I mean, as you were there for a while, I'm like, give me something to look at. You know? Well, like, do you, is there, there's no meeting of anybody until you get to Scotland. Mm-hmm. Is there or no? No.

Yeah. At least for me, I imagine maybe for Tara and Johnny, maybe they probably do. Well, sure. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But, I mean, but so you just get there. Do you have, have you met anybody or is it? No, you just get there. And then you get there.

And then you get ready, you get dressed, they grab you, they blindfold you, they put you into a place, they put you into those land rovers. And then that's the first time you meet someone is when on camera where they're like, you're all three riding together to the castle. Right. The first time you meet someone. Do you get in blindfolded into the car blindfolded and then take your blindfold off? With them or by myself? With them? No, with them.

Then, like, you, they, you all drive separately blindfolded. Uh-huh. And then you meet up and then they're like, you reveal everybody meets these other. I see. But you're just your group of people. So it would be like, it was for me, like me, Natalie and I think Johnny. Uh-huh. Yeah.

Wow. And then, uh, is it like awkward immediately? Or is it like? Yeah. Well, I mean, for me, yeah, because I'm pretty intuitive and been around a lot of people. So I can immediately be like, oh, people are like sizing me up and trying to figure out like if they know me or what they know me from or stuff like that. And the fact that most of them were like, I don't know this guy at all, but also wouldn't ask, you know.

And so I could just feel like for me it was a little awkward. And I'm just not very big good in groups. Like I'm very much like one-on-one better at meeting people and just be like, I don't get to know you. I can show you my charm a little bit more about myself. In big groups, I'm a lot shyer. So for me, yeah, pretty awkward on the start. And then there's like fire and people in mass. So, yeah, it's a little creepy too.

You're like, what is this? Yeah. It's not like they go, places, we're about to do it. Like, you just get there and they're like, the fires are going and the mass people are there and stuff. And so that was one of my goals. The thing was just start to try to make friends with them and make them laugh. The mass people? Yeah, yeah.

Oh, that's, I'm right there with you. Yeah, they were four of them carrying me in the cage. And so I was just like, I go, guys, I'm so sorry. I know I'm heavy right now. Do they ever say anything? They broke a couple times. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, but they got to be careful.

Yeah. You know, Alan's eunuchs. Well, I want to get back to the hair plug thing because I saw just in this, it was like that you were in the shedding phase. What does that mean? Oh, you don't know much about hair transplants. Wow, you're lucky. I know.

I am pretty lucky. I'm holding on to my hair pretty good. I know. Yeah, so. when you go get a transplant, they take the hair from the sides of your head, and then they put it. Oh, it's really filled in.

Nice. It's coming in. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And so for the, when you go and get it, you have the start and you have all this fuzz and it looks cute. And you were like, ooh, it's going to look good. And then a week later, or about three weeks later, that falls out.

And then the surrounding areas that have been affected by the fact that they've been poking your head so much, that falls out. too. So you look even balder than you were at the main time. I didn't know that before going on television. You fucked that up. Yeah. No, I mean, I really, I knew

I was going to go in looking baldy, but I was like, well, either, I mean, I've been, you know, using fibers or having, like, a piece and stuff. And I didn't. And I was like, I can't do that on this. And so either I look like I need a hair transplant or I come in looking like I just had a hair transplant. And then, you know, I was like, I had a hair transplant and then

myself was just like oh this is like you know the art of war like I'll come in looking older and balder and stuff they'll think I'm weaker they won't think I'm looking at it like that and then I'm like oh so then later I'm like well that was another sign I was autistic as fuck

which why what do you mean because I'm just hyper focused on this way no part of me is like you're going on in one of the biggest shows of your life maybe try to look your best. Instead, I'm like, no, if I look weaker, they're shitty. They'll underestimate me.

That's literally what my thinking was. Did you have like some kind of plan? Because I don't even know, like what, I don't know how you like plan for sniffing out traitors, you know what I mean? I didn't really have a plan. I mean, mostly I was like, well, either I'm going to be a trader and that'll be interesting and different for me. Yeah. And then once I was like faithful, then it was just to me, I was just like, oh, okay.

Like, that seems simple. Like, I just tell the truth, help everybody in these missions, look for people who are showing inconsistencies and what they say. And that's probably the game. Yeah. But I didn't realize that when you're dealing with like housewives and reality show people, they just be lying and be shitty. Even if they're faithful or not. Really? Yeah.

A lot. where it's like, I'm like, no, I know you heard me say that or you heard that. I heard you say that. And so then I would have them lie, hear them lying, I'm like, oh, a traitor. Da-da-da-da-da-da-da-a-dra. I'm like, no, not a traitor at all. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Just like lying.

Just love lying. Just into it. Gotta do what you're good at. Can't you tell my loves it grow? Did it, like, were you found that, like, you were trying to approach some of people and they just were not having it. They just kind of like treated you like, who the fuck are you and why should I?

Yeah, a bit of that. And then just a bit of like, I didn't like them either. Like, you know, you meet a group of people and then you hear I just, I'm observant and they were just very materialistic. You know, they weren't funny, which is like a big thing for me. Yeah. And so the fact that they weren't funny and that they were very much just always talking about business or always talking about what this is going to do for them or this

that yada yada yada so like immediately i kind of like withdrew and i think they felt that yeah and so then in turn they were more like fuck this guy you know yeah i think i think that that comes off like because i have had that in like in my not so much like you know in my grown up life but like i would when i like had a job waiting tables at a restaurant and i i will go into a situation like that just kind of keep my head low, don't really, you know, just kind of get a sense of the lay of the land. And it's, you know what I mean? At that point, I was, I was like in film school and doing, you know, artsy comedy kind of shit. And like, this is a suburban Mexican restaurant, you know, like, it's not my crowd.

So, but I mean, I'm, you know, I was nice and polite, but after I was working, and I had this in a couple situations where after I worked there a while, heard from, like, especially, like the career waitresses, they're like, we thought you were, you know, stuck up. Yeah. You know, and that you were judging us and that you look down your nose at us. And I was like, no, I just, you know, just try not to make waves and just fit in and, you know, ease myself in here until I found my place, you know, but I'm not going to come in trying to, you know, charm everyone. Yeah, because, yeah, that's a lot for me because, I mean, to me it would have been phony to try to come in and be like, yeah. Yeah, hell yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. I love you guys. I love you, house lies. Yeah, it just reads so phony to me. So I was just like, oh, like, just be clear. Just be like, oh, you know, I wouldn't hang out with you guys, but like, let's solve this mystery. Yeah, yeah.

You could probably have kept that part. But I wouldn't hang out with you guys. But by then, it was readable on both ends. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It wasn't to me like any news. I was just like addressing it. I was like, this seems like a popularity contest. It seems like we're not playing to play.

We're playing for friends. And, you know, I've been on enough sets. I know, like, yeah, sure, we're going to get to know each other here. And then I'm never going to see most of you, you know? And I've been in that in situations where when I didn't know that, it hurt my feelings. Yeah. You know, like one of my favorite people in the world is Danny Pudy. I love that dude.

Like, I loved working with him on the show called Powerless. Same type of guy. Just love comedy. Love being a dad. Funny, smart, easy to work with. I got up every day, excited to go see him and go hang out with him. And then when that show got canceled, I was like, brother, I know. I'm just not going to see you.

And that sucks because I really like you. Yeah. And I really consider you a friend. But I know how this works. You have your family. You're going to get another job. I'm going to go get another job. I have my family.

We're just not going to see him. And we saw each other for like a little big coming on a birthday party. party acting thing and then as it goes you you drift if i see him i will hug him and stuff but it's like i'm not going to pretend i'm not like to me that's just so funny and i was and and i think that's also they could read because they'd be like oh i love you guys and i just be like oh you love each other are you really you know good all they say on your couch right right and yeah and also you know like the bond of the housewives like what the fuck yeah yeah for real You know, yeah.

It's like, you know, the bond of Toyota dealers. Yeah, exactly. You know, you're just, yeah, anyway. You kill each other for an OZMPIC commercial. What do you do? What do you do when you're not, like, I always wonder, like, where do they keep you? And especially, like, you know, like when you see somebody brought in to, you know, getting murdered, like, where are you all stowed during those times?

And when you're done and after they, you know, you obviously break so that they can go up to the turret and decide who's going to get murdered. And they can't let you all go back to the hotel during that time. What are you all doing? No, you're saying you don't know. You don't know nothing. And that's what's fun about this show. But I want to know. Is that people watch all this and they're like, oh, it'll be easier or this or that.

And it's like, yeah. No, like, you have no idea what's going on. You're just playing the game. Yeah. And things change. Like you go in for breakfast, there'd be these paintings on the wall. And you could tell by the painting sometimes, like, maybe what the mission was going to be. You go in for breakfast.

You don't hear a single thing. And then these giant freaking paintings would have changed. And new things will be in the house. And things have moved around. And I think it's just the way that they rotate people around. Like, you're coming in for breakfast. You don't know if you're going to die or not. You just think you're coming in for breakfast.

And then I think at one point, They take one person, they're like, no, we're going, we're going this way. And then you, that's when you find out you're dead. I don't know because I didn't die. Right, right. Banished. So that's my assumption. Yeah.

And then the rest of it is like you like, you are there. Like when I was leaving and shooting my promos and getting stuff to get out, like, they were still in the castle doing stuff downstairs. It's just like they are a top-notch production. Yeah, yeah. It's like a Disney level imaginering. type of stuff that that production is doing. It's pretty amazing. Now, you know, you mentioned it that and, and I mean, and you've talked about it.

I first saw you talking about it in clips from your act, like you were talking about it on stage, that you were, people were saying that guy's autistic and that you, and that you made you go like, well, maybe I am. And then you went, was it, was it people online? Were there people during, in the production that we're saying? this to you? No, no one in production was saying it. Or I mean like cast members. No, no. I mean

the thing with the cast was either like, um, A, and other people have caught on this and some people who reached out to me made me feel really good that like, it's it was kind of like this public microcosm of things that have happened in my regular life where I've been like,

I think it's one of the reasons why I normally work as an independent person and do stand up is that if I've been in group situations, even though I think I'm coming across one way. People have often been like, oh, you know, you're going to be here. He's just weird and quiet. Like, oh, he's just like, he hates it here.

He hates all of us. And there were people who I did not like for sure. And that was probably a good half of the people. So that is a good amount. But there were people who I did like. And even they were like, oh, are you even having fun here? Are you even? And I'm like, I'm fully invested.

I'm happy. I'm gung-ho. I don't like that person. But, like, I'm happy. to be here, you know? Yeah, yeah. And so to have those type of misunderstandings and like, I'm just a big believer in like, I can't go, I wasn't going to leave that going to go, fuck everybody, everybody sucks.

Like, I was like, there had to be some type of misunderstanding on both ends for me to have a situation where I'm like, oh, we just feel like we, I didn't get along with just about anybody, you know? And so that was a part of it where I was just like, I don't feel like I felt like I was clear and direct. and people kept talking to me like I wasn't clear and direct. And so that was confusing to me. And in the meantime, other things had happened,

like one of my friends that got diagnosed with autism, who I am very close with and seemed like we have a similar wavelength and get along very well and easily. Yeah. And so that was kind of like, huh. And then my girlfriend, I'm pretty sure is undiagnosed autistic as well. But it was the thing that I just thought because of my own son's diagnosis. Yeah, yeah.

And she'd be like, that this happened or like, oh, I didn't really talk that much until I was five. And I was like, baby, oh, you're, you're on the spectrum. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And so you have. Now get over here. Yeah. And not the first autistic girl. There are some autistic batties out there.

That's for sure. And I'm one of them. And so it was something that was been. hovering around and my own son, I had autism. And so I had actually started getting tested a little bit before the show started airing. But it was just something that was keeping private until it came out and the show was coming out. And it started off where people were just like, who's this? We're a creepy guy.

And then it was more and more of like, no, I see what this is. I know I've been through this. I've had my family that has gone through this. So, like, people were looking at you and thinking that you were representing. Yeah. Wow. Yeah. And that to me has been the one of the most beautiful parts is that of people being like, oh, that was a nice representation of what it's like to be autistic in a workplace where other people expect you all to be type A and gung-ho and woo-hoo. And you're not capable of that. And you don't small talk like that. Yeah, yeah. And it's just something that like has informed me, getting the diagnosis for me has just been helpful in understanding a lot of different parts. of my history and my comedy as well to like there's been times where I'm like why can't I output as many jokes as other comedians or and why can't I like like I can't write a joke about like some trans joke like that doesn't come out of my like to me unless I'm actually truly interested

I can't write about it yeah it doesn't like it doesn't work you think you think other comedians are writing jokes about? They don't get a shit about? Absolutely. Oh, okay. 100%. I think they're writing jokes that I think their zeitgey that will work and that will help them get picked up and that are in the way the culture seems to be shifting.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Absolutely. I don't think people mostly, I don't think people, I think 80% of the people don't give a shit about a trans person, what bathroom they use. But they'll say it because they know that's what's going on right now. I've seen it. I've seen, you know, I've been new coming for 20 years. Same cycle was going on before.

whether it was like in the 90s were talking about Mexican and blacks. And then after 9-11, talking about Muslims. And then after that, just talking about kale. Kale was a big topic for a while. And then autism, because they couldn't say the R word anymore. So they were like, boom, let's just say autistic for the R word. And then now what I love was where comedy's getting, where most comedians are like, I'm autistic.

That's progress. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, it is. I'm always amazed, too, like comedians. I mean, because I don't, you know, I'm not a stand-up and I'm not around stand-ups frequently. So it isn't, it's interesting to me to hear that because I just am like, and when I see like a shitty stand-up on TV or are there clips, you know, and I'm always just amazed, you're just doing, you're just trying to do something that you saw somebody else do better. Yeah.

You know. Yeah. that, like, you're trying to... Most of that Kill Tony crew, right? Yeah. There are people who are good at that type of humor, and because... Only because everybody talks shit about Kill Tony,

I would like to be the one person who likes to point out that what I like about that program is that they have gone out of their way to showcase and highlight people who are disabled and who normally would not be considered as, like, traditional road comics and stuff and have given them careers. And I, as a person who, even before finding out, I had autism, you know, a big life in that world, I think that's awesome.

And I think that's amazing. But also at the same time, I don't, anything that becomes overly popular or like counterculture to like, oh, we're super cool. Then everybody starts copying that, you know, and you see that whenever I go to Austin or wherever, it's just like half of these comics are just pretending to be him, you know? And it's just like, that works for him because that's him. Right, right. You got to be you. Yeah. I just am like, don't you, don't you want to like, isn't there a part of you kind of

thinks of yourself as an artist? You know what I mean? Like, like it, because I just don't, it's like it's, there's too much of a slog of being a comedian to not, you know, to just do it to copy people and to just get like empty laughs. I just don't understand. Like you wouldn't, well, you don't want to put yourself into it. You know, you want to figure out who you are and, and what you're supposed to say. That's always, it's amazing.

Well, I think that's a beautiful thing for you to say. And that's a great indicator that you are an artist because you can't see outside of that. I don't know why you do it otherwise. I agree with you. Yeah, yeah. Like, well, that's why when I was pushing carts up a hill at a grocery store or working at the bank call center, like, it wasn't like, I never was like, I'm going to do comedy to get rich and famous.

It was like, I love comedy. I want to do it. It feels good. And still to this day, like, my, the way I try to frame my career is to have the most freedom. Like, I don't want to, like, get into a position. I mean, like, now it sucks because I have to, like, work so much to just make sure, try to rebuild my coffers and stuff after my divorce. But even I like hustling, so that's not a problem.

But I do wish I could go back to being like, I don't want to do that. And I'm working hard at that. And to me, at least I'm taking that hit in my early. early or I guess, yeah, still early 40s, instead of in my early 50s. Yeah, yeah. So, like, to me, I'm just a valuable lesson. Hopefully I'll be able to rebuild and get better beyond where I was and learn not to, you know, put myself in that position.

Not to get married again. Yeah. Do you think you'll never get married again? Most likely not. It doesn't seem like a good idea. Who gets married three times? Yeah. And then it works out well, you know?

That doesn't seem good. Yeah, yeah. I'm just learning to really except myself. I think the diagnosis has helped with that. And I just like- Yeah, I was going to say, do you think the diagnosis will help you in the future, like not marry the wrong person? I think so.

Yeah, yeah. Absolutely. Yeah. Because it's allowed me to be like, oh, I'm, I'm naive. I will believe. I will, like, and so some things I just check, or even sometimes where I get overly emotional about work or like a thing that sometimes I go, oh, you're autistic, man.

You're overthinking this thing. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Relax a little bit. Nobody is not out against you. Just the meeting will get rescheduled. Right, right, right. And having that has been helpful instead of me just going, oh, you're just being weird.

Why are you being weird? Right. You know, it's nice to have something to label it. Having a son with autism, who you knew early on that he had autism, did that never made you think like you didn't see things in him. No, it's so funny. I mean, I did, and that's what's so funny now is you have that denial in yourself or you can't see yourself, but you see other. And I remember to this because my mom was the first person to ever bring up that she thought he could be autistic when he was about a year and a half too.

And I just remember me going, no, he's just, he's just different. He's just weird like me. Oh, wow. Wow. And then she go, mm-hmm. No, because she doesn't, she didn't think I was autistic. Yeah, yeah. When I went to go get it, she was like, no, you're not.

You're not. And then when I told her I was, she was like, no, you picked that up in L.A. You didn't have that. You're just trying to be fashionable. You're just getting in on a trend. Oh, that's hilarious. Yeah, even having my jokes where I talked about, like,

being a dad of a kid with autism was, like, taking care of someone who's done too many shrooms while you, yourself, are on a moderate amount of shrooms. And now it hits me so hard where I'm like, oh, I'm on the shrooms. Yeah, yeah. I was a true too. How did he feel when he...

He didn't give a shit. Oh, really? The fucker. That wasn't so funny. Everybody was like, oh, what beautiful bond. You're just going to be so beautiful. You're father and son. Bonner together.

Oh, Ben and Jerry Stiller. Bonner and the girl. They're both autistic. And he didn't care? I was like, hey, yes what? He was autistic. He was like, yeah. And they go, you already know?

He's like, yeah. And then literally he just walked away. Wow. And that was the end of that conversation. I love how unimpressed kids are. Yeah. With your, it's, I honestly, I swear to it, it's the best. Yeah.

Like, imagine if your kid, I can't even, like, your kids worshipped you. Jesus Christ. Yeah. It's terrible. Get off of me. Then when you die, they're fucked up forever. Yeah. Yeah.

No. Yeah. You got it. They can't care that much about you because you're going to die. Yeah. I'm a firm. Yeah, yeah. You've got to prepare them, letting them know that I will not be.

Right. I want you to be able to withstand the trauma. Yeah. The fact that I'm gone. Parenting, like, I do think it's like you're always working towards your own obsolescence. You always are like everything you do is to make you not necessary anymore, you know. At least that's why I neglect them so much. because they need to learn.

Daddy will not be here even if he's here. If daddy's here, he's still not here. What does it, what does a diagnosis entail? Oh, one of the reasons I wanted to go get diagnosed. And it's difficult. A, I was lucky that I make money. And so I was able to go do this for a lot of people. They have to wait on a wait list for months to years.

And where do you go? Like, is it? Zoom for me. Oh, really? Yeah. You get done on Zoom, which was very interesting because one of the reasons why I wanted to go get a diagnosis, although I do believe that self-diagnosis is valid. You always got a preface in this day and age.

You sure do. Is that, you know, my son was diagnosed when he was very young. And back then, 20 years ago, like, he had to go, we had to take him to a children's hospital. They had to draw blood, which he did not want done. So they had four nurses hold him down. Oh, yeah. They drew blood, very traumatic experience. That was young Andy Richter getting a shot.

Ooh. Had to hold me down. It was terrible. Yeah. And then they asked you a bunch of probing questions about what your kid can and cannot do that suddenly breaks you down inside and realizes it makes you realize that things might be more than you ever imagine. And so I going through that for him, I was like, oh, I need to, I can't. can't just be peer reviewed. I need to go get this diagnosis. And it was just a lovely Asian lady who named Crystal, who just asked me a bunch of questions about my life, starting off with physical things and like things that maybe I noticed when I was a kid, developmental things, you know, things that questions that I would ask my mom and stuff like that. And then they just kind of moved on into more like career stuff, dating. Just, just, you know, just general life stuff until she can get a full. assessment of you. And then for me,

she was like, we should probably tackle on one more a week for ADHD. And so we did. And then, yeah, and then she was like, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. She was like, I mean, Prima, we were both like after week one, we're like, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah. You used to have a full

aversion to Walmart because of the fluorescent lights and you couldn't go into them and would freak have freakouts. That's, that's, yeah. I was like, That's not normal. Yeah, yeah, yeah. That is, I mean, because, yeah, that's like, oh, yeah. Those lights are terrible.

That's like, I don't even know that. I mean, I know stuff about autism, but like, I don't know that. I'm not an expert, but like, oh, yeah, fucked up by fluorescent lights. Yeah, yeah, yeah, that sounds like, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Just in, you know, two years. My job is masking. My whole, you know, I've had lots of help with it throughout the years. So, and I think that's one other positive is that has helped me. unmasked bit more, which is wild to me because I was like, I didn't even think I was until I got diagnosed. And then I was like, oh, I feel it. Do you, was there a party that was like, I don't want to hear this. I don't want to know this. I hope this isn't the case. No, I mean, I really couldn't because that would be very disrespectful

to my son, you know. So I think immediately I, um, part of me was like, I mean, when people were saying I was online because it was more based as insults, it was more like, hmm, that's rude. Or are you guys being like that? And then when it was based as compliments, that's where it really shook me.

Yeah, yeah. What shook you in a bad way? No, in a good way. Yeah, I would think. Yeah, in a good way. I mean, in both ways, and mostly in the fact that, like, I think if I had having the choice,

I don't think I would have had my diagnosis. this is be so public. Yeah. Have it be off of, going off of a reality show, you know, I think I would have rather have chosen to form my own way of letting people know if I, when and if I chose to.

Yeah. However, I think that's one of the fun parts of about life. You don't always get to choose those type of things. No, you don't. And the response I've gotten has been extremely, um, positive. And I think in turns,

it's helped me, um, one thing that's, Like before I was like, oh, it was just a caregiver and I was an ally. And now I'm like, oh, I'm on the team. I'm in the team. I'm like, I'm swimming in the water. And now having that team has like kind of like sharpened me a little bit and

my defense of the autism community. And also just I think in some of the ways I want to build my comedy, I think I want to write more material and more pitches and shows and ideas that speak directly to that community. as opposed to just apparently my comedy has always been very autism-coded but I just thought they all knew that I had a son that had autism

but then they'd come to my show and they tell me like no I thought like literally most of my show with people like oh that thought you knew already we thought you already knew your comedy is autistic as fuck that's why we like you you

you said do you think that if you because you said you kind of had already been dabbling and testing and diagnosis before you got on the show. If you hadn't done traders. No, not before I got on the show. No,

after taping and then you got six months. Oh, I see, I see. Oh, yeah, so it did not occur to you like that you might be. Wow. Nope. Wow. Yeah. No, but I mean because, no, I don't.

Look, I can be a little rude. No, I mean, it's just because to have it make so much sense. Yeah, yeah. When it hits you and when you do get it, like that there, you hadn't, do you think you were just in denial? Probably, yeah. I mean, I think that happens, you know,

how I get in a bad relationship and stay in on for a bit, you know? Yeah. Life, that's how everybody is. You get in denial for a while, you go, no, this is good. And then you go like, oh, wait, oh, oh, okay. Oh, I am autism, you know. Yeah, yeah. That's life.

Everybody learns about themselves in time. I feel like it's a blessing for me to learn now. I wish what I would have liked to learn earlier, would it could have helped me in other situations, probably. But I know now. Yeah, you can't. Yeah, things happen, you know, it is kind of like things happen when they're supposed to happen. But I mean, I feel that and I believe that. But I also like my answer to that.

It's like, well, yeah, what the fuck else you're going to do? Yeah. No time machine, you know, you just got a fucking deal. It's like. But you look, I could have been like, no, these people are wrong or fuck all these people in the cast. you know, and say it in denial about it. But I think the best thing you can do is just be open to change and open to learning about yourself, you know. Yeah.

Gave me much more material. Yeah. That's a positive. Oh, absolutely. I mean, I imagine, like, for you as somebody that's got to work from a personal basis, this is. Yeah. There's a fucking hour there for sure, if not another. Working it out.

Yeah, yeah. Getting peer reviewed into an autism diagnosis by going on a reality show. Yeah, yeah. Hell as old as time. Yeah. I can write jokes about that. Yeah, yeah. Do you find yourself diagnosing other people now?

Oh, I've been diagnosing people for a decade. Oh, really? Because of my son. I diagnosed Rick Glassman and to him getting an autism diagnosis. And now he has a very successful podcast. Yeah, yeah. He sure does. Yeah.

I think I can take the credit for that. Of course. And, yeah, a few other friends. Yeah, you know, just from being around it. I have been able to see other people, but, you know, sometimes you don't see yourself. Yeah. Is there, is there like treatment that you have now? Like, do you, is there any kind of, well, first of all, it's got to change, are you in therapy still? And it's got to change that. A little bit, but not terribly too much. Really? Yeah. What was your therapist's reaction?

She was like, well, you're definitely high functioning. Well, thank you. That's their exact reaction. That sounds like ass covering too. Well, you're high functioning. Yeah, probably. Yeah, she's like, I should have seen it. Oops.

But mostly, you know, because I talked about maybe not just for the autism, but maybe I was like, do you think I need to get medication for the ADHD or anything of that nature? And she was just like, well, it feels like you've found ways to cope and you found things that work for you already. everybody with AD you do that yeah I mean I got ADD

and you just there's coping mechanisms that you figure out you know yeah you smoke a lot of weeds so much weed and so she was like none of these have been the detriment you have a handle on everything that you're doing I wouldn't she's like I wouldn't let this diagnosis switch up anything

yeah I wouldn't introduce amphetamine yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah whatever yeah no Robert F Kennedy wants me to do I'm not doing it And you have, I mean, and you're, you're a worker, you know, like your output is good. Like, you know, you don't see me as somebody that has a hard time. No, it just helped me understand more about how I work, what works best for me. And the not, I think sometimes I'd have more shame about it.

Yeah. In fact that, like, oh, just like to say, for a full example, the way I write, not necessarily my jokes, but when I write projects or shows. I usually write with a writing partner and like I have the hardest time with a blank page like a blank page for me daunting and terrible so what I tend to do is like I'm like the idea guy where I'll be like

what about this we'll do this with that we'll bounce off each other and then I go okay Gabe did you do a pass of that and then he'll do a pass of that and then me being able to see it written out then allows me to be like okay no this goes here this goes here

oh I can paint like I always say like you're the constructor, you do construction, I do painting. Yeah, yeah. You know, like both make the house look amazing. I relate to that a thousand percent. But I'm not going to go over here and put the walls together. Yeah. Like I paint, I rearrange.

I do that. But like if you ask me to build the house, it's going to look terrible. Right, right, right. Because I don't know where to start. Exactly. And I used to have a lot of shame about that. Yeah. I'm like, why can't I do that?

I know other people who can do that. I know other people who can do it. I had writing, you know, I took writing jobs. And then. That I think the lesson that, like the only sketches that I've ever made air that I wrote were about me. Oh, really? Because of the stuff I care about and about voices, a voice that I could maintain. Wow.

I went for the Kroll Show and I wrote some fun stuff. And mostly through the help of Gabe Lehman, he was my roommate and carried me on that show. But like, anything that like I enjoy, I just could not get my, I could not put myself in someone else's voice. Yeah. Like, it was so difficult for me. Like, everything sounds like me. And at first again, I'd be like, oh, why can't I do this? This is what you're supposed to do. But then I learned this is what my asset is. My asset is that I'm really good at being me. Yeah. And I'm really okay with that. And I love being me and me and me is unique and different. And so the best things that I've done have showcased that. Like I don't do great at like blending in and just like being in the castle. or just being like, I'm one of the gay, and like, that's just not me. Yeah. Do you think the diagnosis, like,

I mean, it just sounds like it's like a huge step in self-acceptance, you know, like that there is like, you know, like, you know, you've evolved and you're, you know, you're a grown up, so you have gotten to a point where you're comfortable with who you are and like you just said and how you are. But it does seem like this is just an. extra step into being like, yeah, you know, there's a reason that I have a hard time talking in somebody else's voice. Yeah, yeah, reason for that. Reason why I don't do small talk very well. And just to be okay with that and be like, hey, I just don't do this. This isn't me. I'm not going

to pretend to do it just to make other people happy. Yeah. And I think before it wasn't even in my dating, you know, because I was like, I don't drink. I don't go to bars. So like, I would just still do it because that's what you're supposed to do. And it took a little time. trying to be like, oh, I just, if that's who you are, we're probably just not going to be a match. So, like, now my always thing has been like, you want to go mini golfing. And if you don't want to go mini golfing,

we're probably not a match. Yeah, yeah. I like mini golfing a lot. Can I hit you with a folding chair? Yeah. Can I put you through a table? Yeah, that's one of the things. You go to a wrestling show with me.

Yeah. Yeah. If you can't, it's just not going to work out. Do you see, Has the diagnosis, like, are you happier now than you were before? Yeah. Yeah. I don't know.

I think I've just been happier the last couple years in general. Yeah. Just really getting, I think for a few years I got away from me. And I know I always like divorced, but I just want to, for my space, I think I got super into, like, just trying to be on as many shows as I, like, just trying to be on as many shows as, like, I just want to. be on as many shows as I could. I think I were like, I want to be on every single network. And so I would try things and I would do projects that I didn't even necessarily. I mean, you know, we all do this.

We're like, I don't relate to this project, but the money's good and they're offering to me. So I'm taking it. There's nothing wrong with getting a check. Yeah. And but I think I was doing it so much that I was not having fun anymore. And I was getting used to that. And I wasn't caring about my numbers at my live shows because I was making money. I'm like, ah, this is my part.

part-time job. I'm doing a lot of acting. I'm doing the thing. I'm in commercials. I'm doing this. Yeah. And then, you know, when I'm at my divorce, I had my money thing, and I have to really start caring about my numbers again and caring about promoting my shows. Instead of it being a detriment, it's something I start to really like. And like, I just love doing stand-up and focusing more on the art of things and getting back to what I love to do, which is like just being around my performance, doing sketches with my friends, turning my home basically, until like a production studio where we make sketches every month. We do a live variety show at the improv lab that has like, I have a live band. We do like a sketch. I mean, basically it's a love letter to growing up watching Conan. So. Oh, wow. And it's a show I do, you know, at the improv now. And that in turn feeds our sketch writing. And then we go and picture shows. And it's like all this stuff that I love doing. And none of it is panned out too well financially currently. But it's all like amazing. And what I. enjoy and now to be back to that instead of being like oh i'm going back on the cbs lot doing a show

where everybody wants to go home at five and nobody wants to improvise yeah you know um i much prefer this but i had to figure that out and find that and so i think i've just been a lot happier from being myself i know um even though like i have less money now than i did a couple years ago i know what makes me happier now and i have a smaller circle like that i have a smaller circle like literally as long as I can pay for Pilates, Jiu-Jitsu, go to a wrestling show, go to a concert, and do stand-up, I don't really need to need much else. Yeah, yeah.

That's good. You figured it out a year in your early 40s. Yeah, right? Pretty good. That's really pretty fucking good. And I got a vasectomy so I can't remiss it up, you know? All right. Yeah, I'm learning.

Nice. I'm learning. You got that beautiful head of hair. Yeah, it's going to be next year. You go, oh, you should see you next year. You're going to get like a big link pro. I don't have just full braids next year when you see me. You had braids when I first met you.

Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Get back to that. Well, thank you so much for coming in and talking about this stuff. Yeah, I'm glad we did. It was fun. I like doing the race. radio show, but I prefer talking about me.

Yeah, I know. Oh, I know. Everybody knows, Ron. Yeah. Yeah. It's my whole career. Look, if you're going to hang out with Ron, you better be a fan of Ron. Because it's what you're going to hear about.

That's not true. I know I'm teasing you. I got, here you got, you're Howard on the Apple TV comedy series Lute. Yeah. It's on for three seasons. Yes, that's right. That's good. That's got to be a fun show.

to work on. It is. Yeah. Full of amazing people. My Rudo, great boss. And then we get some amazing guest stars. So, yeah, love it. And tickets for your stand-up shows are available on Ron Funches.com. Come see me. Yeah, come see him. He's very, very funny. Well, I love you, Ron, and it's been so great knowing you all these years. And again, I really thank you for coming in and Same. I love it for you. I know you don't really talk about it as much, but to see, to watch your rebound over the last few years of where you, and not even think, but there were time before where you were very cranky all the time.

No, I know. Very cranky. I know. And then now, like, not cranky. No. Now it seems like you really loving what you got going on. Yeah. You got a beautiful family that you built.

And, and not only that, you were a reminder to me that, like, people do. love talent and kindness and they just had to be reminded when they saw you on dancing with the stars about how much that they love you. Thank you. And to see that, it was very beautiful for me. And again, that's why I was trying to come see it live, but then all your dates are when I'm on the road because I got to make money. I know. I know.

I want to dance at your house just solo. You do not know how bad I want to do shrooms and come see that show. All right. I'll see what I can do. All right, I'll be back next week with more of the three questions, although this wasn't three questions. Just, you know, one. All right, bye. The three questions with Andy Richter is a team Coco production.

It is produced by Sean Doherty and engineered by Rich Garcia. Additional engineering support by Eduardo Perez and Joanna Samuel. Executive produced by Nick Leow, Adam Sacks, and Jeff Ross. Talent booking by Paula Davis, Gina Batista, with assistance from Maddie Ogden. Research by Alyssa Graal. Don't forget to rate and review and subscribe to the three questions with Andy Richter wherever you get your podcasts. And do you have a favorite question you always like to ask people?

Let us know in the review section. Can't you tell my loves are growing? Can't you feel it ain't it showin? Oh, you must be a knowing. This has been a Team Coco production.