Unlonely with Dr. Jody Carrington - See the People, Pivot the Plan: Joe Dombrowski

Episode Date: December 7, 2023

Joe Dombrowski (aka Mr.D) took the world by storm in 2017 with a viral April Fools’ Day spelling test prank that landed him multiple appearances on the Ellen DeGeneres show. Don't get it twisted though! It takes at least 20 years to be an overnight sensation! Joe has been doing stand up comedy since he was eight years old in his third grade talent show. He's never stopped! Since Joe’s rise to fame, he has been traveling the globe with his stand-up comedy which often highlights his crazy life as an elementary school teacher. When he’s not getting creative on screens and stages, Joe spends his time in Seattle, Washington producing his podcast “Social Studies” where he recaps absolutely insane stories from teachers all over the world.In this episode Dr. Jody has some fun with Joey D. These friends have a candid conversation about his life and journey into teaching, then comedy and how really seeing people has made him incredible at his craft. https://mrdtimes3.com/https://www.instagram.com/mrdtimes3/https://www.facebook.com/mrdtimes3/https://www.twitter.com/mrdtimes3/https://www.youtube.com/c/mrdtimes3https://www.tiktok.com/@mrdtimes3https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwnBAHtc1D0 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Find your push. Find your power. Peloton. Visit Peloton at one you need, whenever you need it. Find your push. Find your power. Peloton. Visit Peloton at onepeloton.ca. Let's start here, where I think the answer begins for everything and everybody. In the place of acknowledgement. Indigenous peoples in this country have taught me the most about what acknowledgement truly means. So everything that I've created for you happened here on Treaty 7 land, which is now known as the center part of the province of Alberta. It is home to the Blackfoot Confederacy, made up of the Siksika, the Kainai, the Pikani, the Tatina First Nation, the Stony Nakota First Nation, and the Métis Nation Region

Three. It is always my honor, my privilege mostly, to raise my babies on this land where so much sacrifice was made, and to build a community, invite a community in, talk about hard things, as we together learn and unlearn about the most important things, that we were never meant to do any of this alone. All right, humans. Welcome in. Welcome back. Today, listen, this journey into podcasting,

when I dreamed about having a podcast, I was like, who would be the most phenomenal inaugural Voyager mate. Yes. On this journey. Okay. And I only had one hero in my mind. And ladies and gentlemen, humans of all sizes and ages, we got Joe Dombrowski here, AKA Mr. D, who took the world by storm in 2017

with a viral April Fool's Day spelling test prank that landed him multiple appearances, multiple appearances on the Ellen DeGeneres show, which is really a spark in where we are now. So don't get it twisted, though. It takes at least 20 years to be an overnight sensation. You've said that many times. Joe has been doing stand-up comedy since he was eight years old in his third grade talent show, and he has never looked back.

Now, since Joe's rise to fame, he's been traveling the globe with his stand-up comedy, which often highlights his crazy life as an elementary school teacher, as a up-and-coming husband, and all the things that go along with everything like that. And when he's not getting creative on screens and stages, Joe spends his time in Seattle, Washington, producing his podcast, Show Show Studies. You should actually rename that. It's a tongue twister.

Where he recaps absolutely insane stories from teachers all over the world. And you also do many more things now, which we're going to talk about today. And I just want to say this is the hugest honor for me to sit in the opposite chair of you because you have been instrumental in making me believe that I could do great things. And so to you, I say, welcome my friend. Oh my God. Am dr jody carrington you are mine you are my brené brown you are the wind beneath my wings you are which is really do you know what is really fucking dumb about that song if you put wind beneath wings that fucking bird would crash so that is a dumb song but anyway tell you something about that yeah go ahead well first of all are you an ally who sings that song? Bette Midler. Hesitation.

Literally. No, I was just. Going to gay hell. I knew. There was hesitation. Did you know that Bette Midler is such an ally that she used to perform in bathhouses to the gays? What? Yeah, she did.

She used to just like pop up in the bathhouse and be like, now we're going to do a little boogie woogie bugle boy. Oh, I would love that. Yeah, I was like that. Progressive. I would like to pop up in the bathhouse and be like, now we're going to do a little boogie woogie bugle boy. Oh, I would love that. Yeah, I was like that. I would like to pop up in bathhouses. In the 90s and like the height of the... Really? Yeah, like she was not scared. She was like, I'm going to do it for the gays.

That Midler did. Now you know. This podcast is about where you came from. I know to the core of me, and you and I have talked about this many times, that we're all way more alike than we are different. And maybe most importantly, the difference between empathy and judgment often lies in understanding where another comes from. So tell me, Joe Dombrowski, where would we start with you? Where do you come from?

This is a great, this is a great question. So I am originally from Detroit, Michigan, born in Detroit, Michigan, raised in the outskirts and small, small family of three. I'm an only child. Shocking. And I have a very like outgoing, boisterous, alive family family which i think sparks like what who i am today because my family was in like built on jokes and joking right and even though um even at a very very young age i was exposed to comedy specifically stand-up really, yes. I remember too like we went to Disney World for New Year's one

year and there was a stand-up showcase and my parents were like, let's go. And it was all these up-and-coming people who you probably not heard of and we saw a yet-to-be-discovered Kathy Griffin perform. Stop. Yeah, yeah.

And I vividly say what you want about her, whatever, but like. I can see how you feel that. Yeah. It's in your bones for sure. Yeah. It's crazy to have that experience and like be a standup now because you,

I can see it. I can see exactly, I can see what she looked like. I can see what she was wearing, how young she was, the jokes that she was doing, which is much different from the jokes that she eventually was famous for okay you know which was cool to see the level evolution of a comedian there and then like we we went and then saw more comedians that day and was just like crazy and constantly inundated with humor joking around messing pranks. And then when I went to say that that was my life

journey, squish squash, it was yeah, squish squash. Fran said no. Because their whole thing, and say what you want, their whole thing was like, we don't want him to be a starving artist.

Right? And whatever, some people have a hard time with that We don't want him to be a starving artist. Fair. Right? Yeah. So and just whatever. Some people have a hard time with that term. Fuck them. It's real. Yeah. And they didn't want that for me.

So they were like, look, you can pursue this comedy entertainment dream with a degree behind it in something else. So if it doesn't work out, you can fall back and like, not just be, you know, love it, love it as a parent. Good idea. So you don't have to start an only fans.

It's pretty much what they're saying. Right. They were ahead of their time. Good job. Mom and dad. Progress. Yeah. So,

so then it was a journey of like, what do I like? What do I like to do? And I did like working with kids. And I, what I really liked was the creativity of elementary school because an elementary school teacher if i took like an intro to teaching class in that university went to central michigan university which is in the middle of a cornfield um which i know you know

a lot about because you're from old alberta and which is why is that funny fucker first of all i love it i love it oh you guys i can't wait to come to Olds for harvest time. And eat some corn. Do you guys have a fair or a festival? What's it called? Like all the fairs in the United States have like the Peach Fest or the Squash Parade. What's Old? Oldstober Fest.

And tell me about it. Oh, the beer. The rodeo. Joe, I could, the beer. The rodeo. Joe, I could get you. Not the rodeo. You compete against Calgary and you have your own? How would you even? You don't.

Right. But it's a big deal. I can't wait. You could try to maybe get on a sheep or maybe you could do some. You could not get on a sheep. Yes, you can as a young sheep? As a youngster. You would be too long. But anyway,

stop distracting me on my own show. What? Back to the point. Back to the point, okay. But I also feel like you as a child. Circle back. Thank you for noticing. Was very,

like you were very creative. Like if I see that early Eminem picture of you where you dyed your hair blonde, if we could insert that photo, make a note of that. Because I think there was a lot of you being amazing. Like that one image that I've seen of you over and over again really makes me think about like how greatness was happening. With my mohawk. Yes. Yeah. Define extrovert. You look up extrovert and it's just a picture of me. Yes.

So here was the thing. Definitely was seeking out attention at all costs all the time. Shout out to my third grade teacher too, who taught me. She saw a spark in me that I wanted to be funny all the time. But she also recognized that it was too much, but I had skill. So I remember specifically her teaching me about like time and place. And if you're funny all the time, no one will take you serious. I remember that. Wow. What was her name? Miss Battlemente. And I remember that I I remember. And what she did was I was so riddled with ADHD and not I was never a overly bright student, like average, sometimes above average, but not excelling by any means. to learn in my own way. So when other students were like writing their written book reports or whatever it was, she allowed me to perform it in front of the whole class. Yeah. Okay. So full stop when you're acknowledged, you rise. And I know that you have to experience to give it away.

And I mean, fast forward, we're going to get to this part of your story, but you are maybe one of the best people at that. Allowing people to feel seen in your presence is one of the things that I don't even think you understand your power. And when I watched you last night on stage, when I listened to people who love you, like Richie, who opened for you last night, everybody who I've ever met in your presence or who introduced me to you would say, he makes you feel so important. And I love that story about Miss Belamonte because you have to experience that in order to be able to give that away. And I know your mom, I mean, knowing your parents, right? Like that is so critically important, but your parents can only do so much in this process. It is like those moments as a grade

three-er that you remember that I want to talk about so much because it's like, do not underestimate how fucking important that becomes. And you knew in that moment, huh? Okay. This is too much maybe in some situations, but like, do not squash my light. And this is the thing. So eventually spoiler alert, people who don't know me and we'll get into this. I eventually became a teacher and served in elementary settings for 10 years anyway. And it was inspired by her a lot. I've never heard her name before. Here was the thing is I always tell teachers because with the root of my comedy being embedded

in like working with kids and teaching, I get, you know, just like you, I speak to a lot of conventions and conferences and districts, you know. And the one thing that I always say is I hate, hate, hate when districts make their teachers teach the curriculum verbatim. Like, as it's written, you shall teach it as a script. And I think that that's such, do we swear? We don't swear. You've done many times. Already? Yeah. Oh, well, sorry. Fuck it, it's written, you shall teach it as a script. And I think that that's such, do we swear? We don't swear.

You've done many times. Already? Yeah. Oh, well, sorry. It's fine. I think that that's bullshit because you, that curriculum was designed and tested with a specific group of learners from one specific area of the world.

And now we're pumping this curriculum out and we're telling teachers all over that this will work for your kids. And that's setting them up for failure because your kids are different than yours are different than yours are different than yours and they learn different. So I tell teachers, look at a curriculum like a skeleton and it's your job to put the meat on the bones. And what the meat on the bones is, is those are the little tips and tricks and things that you know will work for this particular kid, you know? And Joey, as you say that, like I think about that in the human race. So like you and I talked about this last night.

So we speak on many, many stages. I have one set of slides that I basically go back to every time when whether I'm speaking to police officers or firefighters or funeral directors or teachers or parents or hockey coaches. Because there is a human element to human services professions. And teachers are probably one of the most important, not probably, one of, if not the most important profession on the planet. You spend more waking hours with kids than their primary parents, their caregivers do. And your ability to give them things far beyond the curriculum. The curriculum is the least of our fucking concerns, period. Full stop. Right, right, right, right. Like you don't learn

anything. Like I cannot tell you. I got a PhD. I cannot tell you specifically about a curriculum, any piece of the curriculum that I learned in. I mean, I was in school for fucking 25 years. I don't remember nothing. I remember the relationships. I remember the fuck ups. I remember the forgivenesses. I remember the times where somebody would pull me inside and be like, amazing, Joe, but you, you, you cannot take over in this situation. And I would be hurt and cry and they were okay. Got it. I'm back in. Right. And I love that about that story. It's so true. And when you say that that's true in comedy. Yeah. Right. Like you can do a joke, but your ability to relate to people

is second to none, Joey. Right. Like your ability to sort of pick out and somebody in a crowd and go with that. Like how do you think you're just good at that? Or do you think that is a skill that that you can develop that people can get? Circling it back. I think it really comes down to what happened to me in third grade too. Like what did you say earlier? You just said something that struck me. When you're recognized, you rise.

What is it? When you acknowledge, you rise. It's my signature move. And in my book that, of course, you've read many times, Feeling Seen, it's an entire chapter. Right. So here's the thing. Fine. Here's the thing. It's true when you acknowledge

you rise. And I think what Ms. Badalamenti did for me is she acknowledged my differences as a learner and used the curriculum as a skeleton. And the meat on the bones for me was allowing me to use performance to show my understanding of the curriculum. So in turn, what that did for me is that allowed me to recognize my students and therefore individuals, period, as unique individuals with individual tics, tricks, all of it, right? So when I'm on stage and I'm doing crowd work and I'm pointing out all these people, you not only are talking to this person and extracting information and thinking about what I'm going to say about what you're saying, I also have to feel this person out.

Like, are they comfortable with this? How far can I take this with them? Are they laughing? Are they enjoying? What is it? What's their body posture right now? Are they nervous? Are they sweating?

Are they trying to deflect it onto somebody else? And if they are, is this a type of person who's going to allow me to go deeper with them to get the funny out and then be okay with it? Or is this going to break them to the point that they will no longer come to a comedy show, period? You just described my career as a therapist. I tell people this all the time. Comedy and teaching and therapy are literally the same thing.

You have fractions of seconds to diagnose a situation and act based on instinct and what is it? Professional understanding. Yeah. That ability to interact with people is you've just described the single most important thing that this, that the world needs to be well. And in the middle of a mental health crisis, what has happening more than anything, people are like, is it the guns? Is it the lack of resources? It is it? No, it is the single the thing that you just described, the ability to read another human being, to be brave enough to step in and even address another human being and wonder about them. And yeah, and the less skilled we get at that, the less seenamontes in their life or the privilege of having parents who, no matter what, will navigate the highs and lows with you.

Exactly. Like, I just think, OK, to me, 18 years old, about to go into college. And my parents are telling me you're not going to be a professional performer without a degree. So now I'm in this place of, well, what do I choose? What do I do? Right. And I remember the feel, the positive feelings of elementary school, the positive feelings of these teachers who allowed me to be myself. And it clicked on me. Elementary school is having your own PBS show every day and live, right? And I'm, and I'm, that's me. And I was like, right. So then I was like, let's study.

Let's see. Took a few intro classes, loving it. A few more loving it it now i'm like excelling excelling and then what sealed the deal was an elementary literature class and when so when you're doing your language arts and elementary studies they break it up in all these different categories that you have to take like you have to take like a writing course to learn about how the writing development of a child works, reading courses, but you also have to take performance classes to practice being an engaging reader yourself to instill that in kids. Girl, game fucking over. You were the teacher's pet.

She was asking me, the professor was asking me to come back semester after semester after semester to perform my final project for her current students to show them how it's done. I was like, baby, I fucking got this. I got this. And that is and that's why I'll never say people are like, oh, but you always wanted to be comedian, right? So you didn't really like teaching. No, no, no.

I loved it, which is why my career in comedy worked so much because when I made the pivot to talk about teaching, that shined through. Right, right. Yeah, you can't fake that. No. Hey, everyone. We all know how draining cold and flu season can be. Waiting rooms, missed appointments, and that worry about whether a fever is something serious. But there is a better way. Maple gives you access to Canadian doctors and nurse practitioners in minutes, right from your phone. Get the medical care you need, including prescriptions when appropriate, 24-7 without leaving home.

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How old were you? Of the womb? Gay closet? Is that a thing? Yeah. I mean, it was like progressional, progressive baby steps. You say as a teacher, you have a very strong inclination about who's gay and who isn't. Or you make sort of like, oh, come on.

Right. Or who has a little like rainbow in them. Right. You don't know what it is, but there's something. That's just how it is. Coming out, you never actually stop. You're always coming out. And it doesn't matter how obvious you think a person is or not based off of like what you see immediately, you never stop coming out. So then there's like first step first is coming out to yourself. Okay. And then

you come out to like those who are closest to you in a lot of cases, usually like a friend. And then you're coming out to people and then you're coming out and blah, blah, blah. You're always coming out. Right. When I was in college, there was talks like very openly and publicly from the professors saying like, don't if you're gay, don't talk about it, push it down, whatever. So then like getting my first job, you know, now I'm like shy, whatever. I get to come up to a couple employees. Maybe if you feel comfortable with that, it's maybe a couple of parents start to get curious and you have to decide, is this safe? Is this not like coming out? Like to to say, when did you come out? It's like, well, which time? Oh, I love that. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Thank

you for that. Yeah. So you step into this. Job as a teacher, you love it. And you do something one day that like, would you still describe the spelling test as the thing that was pivotal? Like, I know everybody describes that for you as, or maybe that's what I've seen. You know, people say like, oh, it was the Ellen. Can you tell me a little bit about how that happened? What that was like? Do you think you'd be where you are today without that video? I have a lot of self-confidence in myself and I think I would have gotten here eventually in a much, much, much slower climb for sure. And then break that down even further. I think if it was just the video and not Ellen, even slower, but still happening. But like this was, I do really believe that like individuals have destiny and this is mine. Yes. I really do.

I do too. So that video was very critical. And it's so funny because people are always like, it was an accident. Like you posted this funny video and now like it went viral. And the best part about me reflecting on this is, just recap for everybody. I did a spelling test prank to my fourth grade class. All the words were made up. They were having panic attacks.

And then I told them it was April Fool's. It's just a funny video. Go watch it. We'll link it in the show notes. I posted that video at historically the worst time to post a video. I posted it on my personal Facebook page. No hashtags, barely. I don't even know if I put a caption, anything like that. And I remember making a very conscious decision. Before you post something on Facebook at the time,

it asks if you want it to be public or private because I was a teacher. My whole Facebook page was private, but it asked me if I wanted to make this video public or private. And I clicked public very consciously because I knew this video had legs to stand on. Like I knew this video was, had potential. So I was like, just let's see what happens and boom wake up with 20 million views that is wild that is wild and so then just somebody from ellen show found it connected to you you talk about your experiences because you were back three times twice twice and both of them amazing amazing amazing Experiences and like some direction though about like be a teacher. You're not here to be a comedian.

Is that correct? Yes, yes, yes. They did definitely say that. They were like we're painting this out as your wholesome teacher. And this was a mistake. And it just happened. Oh, my God. And then specifically I remember them saying to me,

we know you're a comedian. This isn't your last comic standing audition. Don't make it about you. You're never going to be funnier than Ellen, so don't try. If she hits you a joke, don't ping it back. I was like, baby, I'm just here to have a good time and be myself. I go, people are going to fucking love me. And how do you feel

about those yeah i do feel about what about those interviews or i do feel good about the interviews now i was scared as shit because they also told me first of all i asked if ellen was gonna like come back and say hi before filming and they were like nope you're gonna meet her for the first time on stage we really want to see that authentic, real first interaction. And I was like, I understand. And I was like, can you relay a message for me since we're just going to be on camera the whole time? I just want to thank her for having me and also for being such a strong advocate. I remember when Ellen came out and it was that magazine cover, I'm gay. And like being gay but never saying that yet and reading the word and identifying it to a person who's comfortable with that word as their identifier.

And I was like telling the producers, like, just can you tell her from me? And they're like, I think that would come better if it was from you. But they go, just so you know, you might not have this opportunity to tell her. Because this is how it's going to work. You're going to go on stage, lights, camera action, and then you're going to cut to commercial breaks. And she's working. This is her job. So it might get hard for her. She might have to get up and brush her teeth or fix her hair or fix her makeup or get a cup of coffee, whatever it is. She's working. So she might just get up and walk away when the cameras are off.

So we don't know what's going to happen. but if you have an opportunity, go for it. So I go on stage, we're sitting there, we're chit chatting, blah, blah, blah. And I'm like, okay, everything's going great. And then they cut to the first commercial break and I'm fully expecting her to just walk away. And she instead turns to me and she goes, I heard you're a comedian. And I'm like oh am i supposed to talk about this i don't i don't know so it's just like yes and she goes well i watched some of your stuff and i want you to know i think you're very funny and i'm like i'm like thank you so much and i just said it but i you know i really like teaching is what I was trying to say. She goes, no, I don't think you understand.

She goes, you're very funny. You need to do something with that. And I'm like about to shit myself. And boom, cameras go back on. I know. And I'm like, if you watch the clip back, you can see it. I'm like, what? What just happened?

Stop, stop, stop. Okay. Two things in that story as you were talking about that made me think about the fact that Stop, stop, stop. Okay. Two things in that story is, as you were talking about that made me think about the fact that never again, the theme of this episode is like never underestimate your power in so many ways, because I often think about people saying, and you get this way more than me, obviously, but people saying like, you have no idea how much you meant to me. You, I read your stuff. I saw your show. I read your content. I read the book. Like you changed my life. You saved my life, all of those kinds of things. And you know, you never even met me,

meet them. And I think about you looking at that magazine cover as somebody who just then needed that affirmation, or you saw yourself in that, like that sort of representation idea. And, and then even in that moment for her to be able to say those words, again, similar to Miss Belamonte, if we look over the stream of our life, it is, I think the best part of therapy is to be able to pull apart those moments that were defining moments. Right. And oftentimes, you know, for her, um, that was just a slight of, you know, and I, and I believe she said it and meant it. Oh, I a hundred percent believe she meant it. And obviously. But there was a few people that made you great. Is there anybody that didn't make you great?

When you think about those defining moments in your world. You know, I think that's a loaded question. I think that there were definitely people who were trying to dim my shine and trying to not make me great. But in turn, I feel like adversity makes you greater. Tell me about that. I just, you know, so many times, like I going back to college, people saying like, you can't be gay and you can't be a teacher or even people saying like, oh, your act in comedy is too gay. You got to whatever. And like internalizing those words and internalizing those feelings and breaking against the mold and being received even better just kind of allows you

to overcome that. And when people try for me, it's true for me. I know it's not true for all people, but when people try to push me down and push me in a box, I break out and I, I always end up on top. I'm just, I just, I'm better because of it. You know, kind of. And I think it's like those defining moments, right? When I think about, you know, where would you say, you know, was the hardest transition so far? You know, if I think about what's brought you here. 100% leaving my job.

Well, leaving my full-time teaching job was so, so, so hard. And I had a boss who I didn't really ever see eye to eye with them, but they did say something to me that I thought was so. I don't know if the word is kind, but you put a put a label on this interaction. I don't know what the word is. So I, as most teachers are, striving for perfection, trying to be your absolute best, giving it 100% your all, everything, right? Yeah. And that's me. And then at the same time, my comedy career is picking up. I'm gone out of the classroom a lot.

Right. I'm leaving every Friday, catching a plane, doing shows, being back on Sunday night for work on Monday, sometimes flying in on red eyes, going straight from the airport to work to just like start. You know what I mean? And that's happening time and time and time and time again. I get my evaluations for the end of the school year and they're not bad, but they're not great. And I'm always striving for like top A marks. And I challenged my principal on this and I was like, I actually think I am doing my best, right? I am giving you highly effective work. I'm, you know, and she said to me,

I'm just going to keep it to you real, okay? You, are you a great teacher? She goes, nope. I think right now you're good. She goes, are you a great comedian she goes i don't know your act because i haven't seen it seen it yet but i think you're probably good not great i think you're probably good and she goes i don't think you're gonna be great at either of these things until you give it 100 of your your time. And followed up by saying, and if we break that down further, one of these things is always going to be here for you. You're always going to have the

degree. And one of these things, you have to hit the nail while it's hot in order to see where it's going to go. And I think you know what you need to do to be successful. And I said to her, am I fired? And she goes, you're not fired, but I think you've been given a gift. What a gift she just gave you. I think you've been given a gift and I think you need, I think you have a choice to make on what you want to be great at. And I was like, holy fuck. And I quit the next week. Not only did I quit the next week, I did something so bad. I have the scarlet letter in teaching for sure. I actually, because I knew I was quitting, I took a very great, first of all, scary to go from this profession where you have a consistent paycheck, although little, week after month, month after month after month, you're always going to have money really like you just, you know, checks there into this new profession where it's like you get paid versus based off of how much you're working. You're not working, you're not getting paid. So I had an opportunity for a very good paying job that happened to be on the last day of school. And I

was teaching fifth grade, which means they're now going into middle school. It's their last day of elementary school period. And I didn't have any sick days or personal days left and i quit and didn't go to that last day of school teaching to take that comedy job to get paid so that i can have the money to fall back on and i have no regrets about it at all really at all wow at all yeah because At all. Wow. At all. Yeah. Because I think too sad. I'll be honest. Didn't like that class at all anyway. But Jodi, teachers won't say this publicly. Oh.

But it's true. You don't like them all. You don't like them all. Okay. That class was riddled with sadness. And I actually, the following year, I read Kids These these days and i pulled over on the side of the road texting you crying crying because i needed i needed the book kids these days a year earlier than when i yeah got it you needed to do what you needed to do for you because it was killing you

and you i mean i i love i love that but i do not that class, but I have had other classes of kids who I've had over the years who are now like 22, 23 years old, and they're writing me saying, you always told us to reach our dreams and work hard and dream big, and you're doing it now in real time, and it's amazing to see that happen. And I do believe one day that class will be like, it wasn't us. Like he was doing him, and that's fine. I love it one day that class will be like, it wasn't us like he was doing

him. And that's fine. I love it. I love it. So now what? Oh, now what's gonna happen? Biggest dreams, biggest fears. But where are we at in this chapter? I am carving out my career and I'm critically looking at what I want my career to look like, sound like, feel like. And I think I'm going to go a little bit of a different path than most comedians. So, as you know, I'm getting married next year. Yeah, you are. And I really and I hope I do have ambitions of having a family of my own and i really see my career pivoting from this teacher comedy into a dad gay dad that struggle that awkwardness because there's already so much that's happened

with it with like all that and i see myself being more like family oriented in my work but if i'm ever going to be a dad like I am going to be with my fucking kids. And this job of comedy is demanding. You're gone a lot, but I am determined to make it work in a way where like, I'm not, I'm not going to be an absent father. Like even when I walked in here,

I was like, Oh, I have kids. They'll definitely come to the fantasy land hotel. They'll fucking love this. You know what I mean? And just like being involved and having them see these places with me and being very conscious of my tour schedule and when it happens and how it happens and carving out my own destiny

to thrive in this business because I want two very ambitious goals and I will have them. Yeah. Yeah, you will. Because if you tell yourself you're not going to do it, you won't. Right. Right. And what are they? I definitely want a them. Yeah. Yeah, you will. Because if you tell yourself you're not going to do it, you won't. Right, right. And what are they? I definitely want a family, a beautiful family

with my partner Morgan and I want to be a very successful, highly sought after stand-up comic. Done. I guess. Huh?

Or am I going to make it happen? Well, it will happen. It will. And I think I've loved to be in, I mean, I've come to so many of your shows. We've met Fortune Feimster together. I've watched you change, I think, evolve. It's been such a gift for me.

And I think so many people who love you. I mean, I'm one of millions. But I think that it has just been such a gift to watch you evolve and to watch you really understand this concept of you can't tell people how to be great. You have to show them. Yeah. Yeah. Right. Yes. That's really who you are. And, and I guess, you know, my last question for you is really, and I, I always, this is a hard question for most people and I, and I don't think it will be for you, but do you know the muffin man, the muffin man, the muffin man, do you know he lives on drury lane i heard we're just giving out his address on here sorry mother man do you know how great you are

is it bad if i say yes i'm so sorry i rupaul says nothing rPaul says, if you don't love yourself, how the hell are you going to love anybody else? Can I have an amen? And like, I don't think I'm the, I don't think I'm the beacon of fucking greatness in anywhere, but I think I'm doing big things and I have big drives and big ambitions and I'm not going to let anybody tell me no.

And I think that that's a great quality and I'm proud to own that quality in myself. I love that about you, but do you know the influence that you have on people? Oh, that means a lot. Thank you so much. I don't know how to answer. I mean, do I know the influence I have on people? I mean, I think that I've been, I don't, I've been given an opportunity to impact lives. And I think I recognize the magnitude of that type of power. And I recognize that that's rare to have. And I recognize that I have it and I'm grateful for it. Does that answer? Yeah, it does. And I think that's a beautiful thing that I always want. When I think about you, I think about watching Richie with you last night or listening to your ability to truly see people.

It is a gift. Yeah. And you are funny and you are great and you are all of those things. But that is the thing I love the most about you is that you really get that in people. So that's the thing that makes me just so proud of you. And I can't wait to watch all of the things which um is can we talk about the Canadian tour real quick we can I we're currently I can't say when it's going to happen but we are currently building a full-blown Canadian tour so like within the next year which in the next year it'll be it'll

start in Vancouver and make it all the way over to Halifax and I'll just be booping west to east hitting all these cities and it's going to be called the Joe Dombrowski tour. Oh my gosh. And we got to get Justin Trudeau. We got it. Justin, Justin 10 for if you're listening Big Daddy you really need to make multiple

appearances. I feel like but I'm worried that if he comes that some people won't but I feel like I feel like, but I'm worried that if he comes that some people won't, but I feel like, I feel like there'd be therapy in real time. Yeah. Like my Edmonton ticket sales will plummet, but Toronto might do really well. I think many people would love to see you. I think that would be amazing. Oh my God. Listen from the bottom of my soul. Thank you for doing this for me. Thank you for being the inaugural guest on the Everyone Comes From Somewhere podcast. And anything you want to leave this amazing community with? I have my first ever comedy special coming out.

We haven't announced where it's going to be yet, but it's called Don't Eat the Crayons. And you can stay tuned on all my social medias at Mr. D times three and my websites, Mr. D times three.com. If you want to come see a live show, come see a live show. It'll change your life. We'll put everything in the show notes. Uh, Joy Dombrowski, I love you. Thank you for being amazing. Thanks for having me. Ah, I can't wait. This is the first of many, I hope. And you amazing humans, um, stay tuned because we're just getting started around here and I can't wait for you to jump in to guess

equally as amazing as my friend Joey D. Take care of each other and I will see you back here soon I'm a registered clinical psychologist here in beautiful Alberta, Canada. The content created and produced in this show is not intended as specific therapeutic advice. The intention of this podcast is to provide information, resources, some education, and hopefully a little hope. The Everyone Comes From Somewhere podcast by me, Dr. Jodi Carrington,

is produced by Brian Seaver, Taylor McGillivray, and the amazing Jeremy Saunders at Snack Labs. Our executive producer is the one and only, my Marty Piller. Our marketing strategist is Caitlin Beneteau. And our PR big shooters are Des Veneau and Barry Cohen. Our agent, the 007 guy, is Jeff Lowness from the Talent Bureau. And my emotional support during the taping of these credits was and is and will always be my son, Asher Grant.