WTF with Marc Maron Podcast - Episode 1457 - Melissa Villaseñor

Episode Date: July 31, 2023

Melissa Villaseñor spent six seasons on Saturday Night Live and left her mark with a wide array of impressions. It was a road to success she might not have taken had she not gone to The Laugh Factory Comedy Camp when she was fifteen. Melissa and Marc talk about her early days performing and how she reluctantly auditioned for America's Got Talent, a gig that allowed her to quit her job at Forever 21 and pursue a life in comedy. They also talk about Melissa's music, her art, and her inspirations like Maria Bamford and Shel Silverstein. Sign up here for WTF+ to get the full show archives and weekly bonus material! https://plus.acast.com/s/wtf-with-marc-maron-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Be honest. When was the last time you thought about your current business insurance policy? If your existing business insurance policy is renewing on autopilot each year without checking out Zensurance, you're probably spending more than you need. That's why you need to switch to low-cost coverage from Zensurance before your policy renews this year. Zensurance does all the heavy lifting to find a policy, covering only what you need, and policies start at only $19 per month. So if your policy is renewing soon, go to Zensurance and fill out a quote. Zensurance, mind your business.

Death is in our air. This year's most anticipated series, FX's Shogun, only on Disney+. We live and we die. We control nothing beyond that. An epic saga based on the global bestselling novel by James Clavel. To show your true heart is to risk your life. When I die here, you'll never leave Japan alive. FX's Shogun, a new original series, streaming February 27th exclusively on Disney+. 18 plus subscription required. T's and C's apply.

Lock the gates! all right let's do this how are you what the fuckers what the fuck buddies what the fuck nicks what's happening i'm mark maron this is my podcast welcome to it again welcome to it again. Welcome to it again. Here we are every week, Monday and Thursday with a new show. Man, it's been going on since 2009. Still going strong and I'm okay. I look forward to it. I look forward to it. I really do. Always exciting because I think about a lot lately. How are you though? Are you all right? Are you talking to enough people? Are you talking to enough people? Are you making the calls? Are you making the plans? Are you talking to people outside of Zoom or FaceTime? Are you in the world engaging with people emotionally or at least sympathetically or listening to a real person that you can see and hear and smell in front of you? Are you going to group events that, like even church or synagogue or the mosque or whatever,

spiritual retreats, anything, stay connected to the big vibration of human beings, not mediated. I was talking to somebody last night. I don't know about what someone who's relatively isolated by their own doing and doesn't go out much. So what are you left with given the technology? If you're not sitting down and having coffee or eating lunch or getting out of yourself for a second or being received by somebody else, that isn't somebody you see every day necessarily because they can become not unlike a machine as well in terms of how you approach them. them if the repetition is there and the years are there surprises only come with problems which is not a great place to be it's hard but it's not even encouraged anymore i mean geez if you're not getting out and all you're doing is you know your primary social relationship and probably sexual relationship is your phone or your computer or whatever.

I mean, what? There's no end to the amount of garbage and mental manipulation you're making yourself available to. Get out there. Talk to some people. It's exciting. You know what's going to happen? Because there's a whole other person there that you have no control over. You shouldn't anyways. I don't know why I'm saying this. I just think about doing comedy three, four times a week,

getting out there amongst the folks. And then I realized that not many people get out. You get into your system, you get into your circle, you get into your habits, you get into your patterns, you get into repetition. And now all of a sudden you find you're detached and there's some kind of weird robot you walking through the world. Huh? Today on the show, I talked to Melissa via senior. She's a comic that I work at the comedy store. A lot work with her a lot. She was a cast member on SNL. She's an artist. She's a singer.

She's an impressionist. And she's out on a standup tour right now. And I, I'd always see her, but I never had her on. Cause I, I barely had a conversation with her. It was literally one of those things where I'm like, does she have conversations?

And then I'm pleasantly surprised. Of course she does. She's a person. It's weird the kind of things we assume about people and how wrong we can be. Like, obviously, I didn't think she was incapable of having a conversation. I'm just never really kind of a shy person. But we had a very nice conversation. I will be at the Salt Lake City Wise Guys on August 11th and 12th for four shows.

I'm at Helium in St. Louis on September 14th through 16th for five shows. Then I'm at the Las Vegas Wise Guys on September 22nd and 23rd, also four shows. And in October, I'm at Helium in Portland, October 20th and 22nd. I know that two of those shows are already sold out in October. That's encouraging. You can go to WTFpod.com for tickets. I'd like to talk about, for a moment, I went to see the Barbie movie, uh, with Kit and I, I, I was neither here nor there with

it. I knew that I was going to see it because of the expansive, uh, all encompassing cultural phenomenon that it was. I had no expectations. I did not know it was about what it was about. I had no expectations. I did not know it was about what it was about. I knew that it upset Ben Shapiro, which was definitely a good promotion for me. I couldn't understand why some of these small men's rights grifters were using it as a launching point.

I mean, I guess I could understand that without seeing the movie. We're using it as a launching point. I mean, I guess I could understand that without seeing the movie. You know, why not pick something and make it divisive because it already seems to be loaded up that way and see if you can sell mattresses off it or get that money by causing people to get worked up. Get worked up. I'm going to work you up and make you send me some money. Y'all worked up? Send me some money.

Y'all worked up about God? Y'all worked up about trans people? Y'all worked up, send me some money. Y'all worked up about God. Y'all worked up about trans people. Y'all worked up about the ladies. Y'all worked up about Hunter Biden. Send me some fucking money. Because I'm delivering. I'm helping you feel. So, I wanted to see it.

Because I couldn't, I couldn't really understand what, what it could possibly be. That is, is so popular. I mean, I granted, I knew that it,

it seemed primarily for women of all ages. They've all experienced Barbie. There's a nostalgia thing there, but there's also a sort of conceit to the movie that we're in Barbie land and, you know, people are doing cosplay, they're dressing up and, you know, and it, it all seemed, it seemed like a global cultural phenomenon, but I still didn't know what to expect. And I, and I, and I wasn't immersed in, in a lot of what was happening around the movie, or I had no idea what it was about. I liked the actors. We go during the

day on a Friday and the theater is pretty packed. A lot of people dressed up like, like, uh, in, in Barbie colors, a lot of people dressed in Ken colors. And, you know, I, I've never been of that culture of dressing up for movies or for, um, comic books or whatever. I, you know, I, I do do some take on a certain tone that I like, but I wouldn't say it's a character. But anyway, so the movie starts and within minutes, I'm overwhelmed and emotional. I don't even know why. I don't know if it's the colors. I don't know if it's the staging. It did feel like I have that, as I've talked about before, I do have that feeling when I see musicals,

but that's people singing, but there was something so pure and so joyful and so visionary about the thing. And the emotion of it was really kind of right up front. And I just was right away locked in. And the sort of journey one takes with that movie, it fools you a little bit, depending on how you take things in. There is this full conceit that you're in Barbie land and Mattel's involved. So what could really be risky about it? But I guess Bomback and Gerwig who wrote it. I mean, this movie is, is a rare thing.

I'm not sure I've ever seen it. This is a mainstream entertainment product that is, is obviously, um, branded and, and it is made to bring in uh girls of all ages and women but i had no idea what was going to happen in that movie and somewhere in the middle it it really it takes a turn to fairly lucid well thought out cultural satire uh and there's very funny jokes and bits i can't i don't

want to spoil anything but the bottom line of it is it is unashamed and and and and it puts right out front basic feminist ideas in a way that's funny and informative. And the way it skewers men is fucking genius. And a lot of it is hilarious. The fact that any men could take offense by what happens in a Barbie movie means they are small, small men in almost every way, ego-wise, dick-wise, who they are in the world-wise. It's profound that men, to get back to the certain tribalization of pseudo-libertarian men's rights meatheads that they are so sensitive that they can't have their balls busted on at all. That's the one thing they're scared of. They're scared of a surprise dick in a pants and they're surprised of any woman busting their balls, any woman busting their balls, taking the piss out of them,

especially when it's smart. And the spectrum of satire of types of men in this movie, and because Greta is of my ilk, sort of a film head, you know, hipster intellectual type. So I felt fairly well skewered and, and I felt, I thought that felt good. Nothing better than feeling seen and then humbled with humor. But I got, I got, I got excited because man, so many people are going to see this and it really is a Trojan horse and it really is a progressive film and it really is purely feminist in the best ways. And I was just, I thought that Greta Gerwig

pulled off an amazing trick with a beautiful, totally controlled and with total understanding of what she was doing, visionary piece of art that kind of blew up the box office internationally, which is beautiful. Because now all the streamers who are holding all the actors and writers hostage and trying to starve them out

because they think they can make movies with machines at a high clip without really engaging the soul is what they're banking on because they're a bunch of fucking tech nerd cowards who don't get out and talk to people enough aren't out there feeling the feels they're just jerking people around looking at numbers hiding numbers and then trying to crush the creative heart of this business. And Barbie and Oppenheimer gave them a swift kick in their tiny balls. I'm excited for more movies. Obviously, this is really probably a once or twice in a lifetime film, Barbie. But it definitely got people out and it definitely felt good

to be out among them. And, you know, COVID is not a fear for me, really. Minor, but, you know, disease is disease. And when you're with people, sometimes you get diseases. You get less if you don't touch them

or eat their spit or, you know, do the things. But, you know, there's also these, I have a slight fear of mass shooters. But nonetheless, people are going to the movies. So I guess that's my review. And you didn't ask for it, but there you go. So Melissa Villasenor is here.

She's out on tour throughout the summer and the fall. You can find out where if you go to melissaviasenor.com and during this conversation we make reference to NACA conferences and I know that many of you don't know what NACA conferences are

that is the National Association for Campus Activities and they hold these conferences where you audition for all of them across the United States representatives from all of them, to get college gigs. I just want to make that clear before we get into this talk with Melissa Villasenor now. Be honest. When was the last time you thought about your current business insurance policy? If your existing business insurance policy is renewing on autopilot each year without checking out Zensurance, you're probably spending more than you need. That's why you need to switch to low-cost coverage from Zensurance before your policy renews this year. Zensurance does all the

heavy lifting to find a policy, covering only what you need, and policies start at only $19 per month. So if your policy is renewing soon, go to Zensurance and fill out a quote. Zensurance, mind your business. Death is in our air. This year's most anticipated series, FX's Shogun, only on Disney+. We live and we die. We control nothing beyond that.

An epic saga based on the global best-selling novel by James Clavel. To show your true heart is to risk your life. i die here you'll never leave japan alive fx's shogun a new original series streaming february 27th exclusively on disney plus 18 plus subscription required t's and c's apply Good? Yeah, this is nice. Yeah? Man, I'm nervous.

You're nervous? Yeah. I don't know. I've been wanting to do this podcast for a very long time, and I was like, man, I wonder when Mark will ask me. How did I not know you wanted to do it? Because I didn't say anything. I said it in my head.

But we don't, it's not like we talk that much. no, no. At the store, it's always kind of, it's interesting,

the backstage situation. Yeah. There's not a lot of talking. Well, some people talk, but you don't, you don't usually hang out and talk too much.

No, I think I'm usually just talking, like prepping my set in my head. Yeah. And then you run away? Run away, but sometimes lately I've been watching. Hanging out? Hanging out a little bit, yeah.

So the art, though, what did you start out as? You seem to be doing a lot of stuff, Melissa. There's a lot of stuff coming out of the creative force that is you. Well, you know, the beginning was always impressions. No, but like when you were a kid. Oh, as a kid. Yeah, I mean, like you grew up here? Yeah, in Whittier.

Right, in Whittier. Yeah. What's out there? Is that where the carpenters are from? They're from, I think, Norwalk or Downey. Oh, Downey. That's right. Yeah, and my mom used to work at a bank over there, and she would have Karen Carpenter go to the

bank all the time. Wow, the Karen Carpenter story. Yeah. Was she nice? Did your mom say anything other than Karen Carpenter used to come in? I think she said she looked very thin. Poor Karen. Surprise.

Yeah, that's sad. So your mom worked at a bank in Downey? She did when she was a lot younger. Both your folks are from there? My dad's from San Gabriel. Here, San Gabriel Valley, yeah. Oh, wow. You're real LA.

Yeah. But like not showbiz LA. No. Just regular LA. Regular LA. Yeah. It still hasn't hit me, any of it. Really?

Just, I don't know. Well, you're staying with your folks? No, no, no. I have a place. I finally have a place. I thought you, I guess I was listening to your act. I'm like, oh man, she's staying with her grandmother. No, no, no, no, no.

I just hang out with my, I'm pretty close to them. Oh yeah? But. You have sisters, brothers? I have, yeah, I have two brothers and a sister. I'm middle child because my sister, my younger brother and sister, they're twins. Are they identical? No, because they're boy and girl.

Oh, that wouldn't make sense, the identical thing. That would be great, though. That would be cool, huh? I'd like to see that. So you just grew up out there? I have no idea when people, I can kind of picture it if someone grows up in the valley, but it was just regular old childhood. Yeah, it was a good, I mean, I didn't go out a lot. I was always at home.

Like, the four of us, we were always kind of. Really? Scared? Yeah, scared, sheltered. But I went to Catholic school and all-girls school, Ramona Convent in Alhambra, for six years. Oh. So did you grow up really Catholic? I mean, I did some sacraments, you know.

I did the communion and confirmation. Did you believe it? Not really. Little bits of it. But you didn't grow up fearing hell? No, no. But I think I do have some kind of guilt, though, from the Catholic world. Well, I guess it's wired in.

Yeah. Just like everything you do makes you a flawed, horrible person. Yeah. And, well, one time a priest, I went to confession, you know, in the booth. The booth. Or what is it? Yeah, it's a booth. Yeah, I know, but it's just sort of like it's

menacing um yeah nobody's in high school yeah and uh the priest was like when was the last time you went to confession and i was like i don't remember and he goes you're you're a really bad catholic and a bad person and i was like oh i'm not gonna come back i was like what no i'm a good i think i'm a good kid you literally said you were a bad person? Yeah. Did you know the guy? No. You didn't know the priest?

No. Some random. My grandma took me to this church and I didn't, I've never been there. Yeah. Like a confession. Oh, and that did it. That did it. I was like, I don't, I don't think so.

Pushed you out of the entire game. Yeah. And occasionally I'll still go, you know, especially for funerals. Yeah. Which is. Sad. Sad. But I thought, I think the Catholics, they know, especially for funerals. Yeah. Which is sad. Sad. But I think the Catholics, they have a lot going on in the church. It seems to be pretty exciting, a lot of exciting clothing.

Was it Latin or Spanish or what? No, I didn't go to a Spanish once. No Latin either? No. No. Just regular? I feel like it was regular. Yeah.

I always wondered about the Latin. Like, something, like, because I went to, have you ever been to, like, Europe and stuff? Yeah. When I was 19, but I was in, I was a. Like on a thing, a tour. A family trip. I was a brat. Oh, like, I went into churches and stuff and was like, oh, my God.

Yeah. That's why Catholic is, like, oh, my God. Yeah. That's why Catholic is like a lot of stuff. Well, I went to, and I know this is bragging if people want to do this in their life, but I went to the Vatican for Christmas Eve. Really? And the Pope led the mass. It was like three hours. But I wasn't in a place. I was 19, and I was like, I just want to be home with my friends.

Yeah. And my parents were like, this is an honor to get to be here, Melissa. And I was like, I don't want to be here. And, you know, I was not grateful at the moment. And that was in English too? Well, no, he was doing it in different languages. It was English and then it was a few different languages. And I was like, oh man, we're here all night.

Not the proper effect. You didn't feel the honor. I didn't, unfortunately. But Rome's nice, right? Oh, yeah. I need to go back because that was the last time I went. And now I'm in a better place. It's nice to travel and explore.

You don't think you'd go by yourself and go like, Nah, what did I come here for? This is terrible. This is stupid. Look at all these paintings. No, what did I come here for? This is terrible. This is stupid. Look at all these paintings. No, I think I'd like it now. Especially because I'm more into art too. I think as a kid

I didn't care about anything. Are you into art or are you into drawing? Do you like, go look at stuff? I go to a museum. Especially when I go on the road. If I'm alone,

I'll try to find their local museum. Yeah. I do that too. Especially if there's a good one. Yeah, and if there's a cafe in there I'm gonna eat oh that's the whole day

yeah hopefully yeah that and the mall maybe yeah and the one thing you're supposed to see in the town

malls yeah how do you do on the road I mean in terms of like existing well it helps to work out and then I'll take naps that's kind of it.

Is that kind of like code for you work out and then sweep the whole day until you go to your show? Pretty much. Yeah. I want to explore more, but I don't know. It's a lot of energy to talk. Yeah. In five shows? Yeah.

And to do all the impressions and stuff? Yeah. I get exhausted. Yeah? And I smile a lot. Yeah. In five shows? Yeah. And to do all the impressions and stuff? Yeah. I get exhausted. Yeah? And I smile a lot. Yeah. That's another problem. It's like,

it's double time. A lot of joy. You chose the character. I know. Damn it. You chose to be, you know, endearing and entertaining.

That's the hard part for me. I know, but that's the hard part to now, like, to step into that. Really? Like, how do, but that's the hard part now, like, to step into that. Really? Like, how do I get there when I'm feeling so, like, just annoyed by myself or exhausted?

I'm like, it's harder to get to that place. Really? A little bit, yeah. What are some of the tools you use? Do you just force yourself to smile until it sticks? I think I have to like call friends that kind of bring that out of me maybe. Really?

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I think just funny friends that are, that crack me up too. Just get you relaxed. Because I can get real serious, yeah. You can, really? Yeah. Have you ever gone up and done serious, Melissa?

It doesn't work. Even like bits where I'm a little pissed at something, like legit, like angry. It doesn't, it's not funny. God, I wish I could. That's probably why I like watching you or people that can let it out more. And I'm like, it doesn't work for me. We're all rooting for you. Oh, thanks. Thank you. But people like when I get a little meaner. Yeah, yeah. She's going to snap, man. Yeah, yeah. When's Melissa going to snap? I know. They love it. Like, there it is.

And the crowd likes when I release it because it's... When you see a nice person for too long, you're like, no, this isn't... Can't be genuine. Where's the madness? I know. You're a middle child in Whittier. This can't be genuine. This can't be true. Where's the madness? I know. There is.

So you're a middle child in Whittier. And okay, so the brother and sister younger and then an older brother? Mm-hmm. That's a lot of, okay, two brothers. Yeah. And you ended up in show business? Well, my sister's in New York and she's studying acting now, too. Where at?

Yeah. Man. That's all right. I'm not going to remember the school. You don't have to. Is she liking it? She really loves it. Is she funny? Ellie's really funny. Yeah. Man. It's all right. I'm not going to remember the school. You don't have to. Is she liking it? She really loves it. Is she funny?

Ellie's really funny. Yeah? Yeah. She wants to do funny things? I think she does. And she really enjoys watching Broadway shows. And she actually does a lot of little improv shows. And she's been doing impressions of Vin Diesel.

Oh, really? It's a family thing. I guess so. Yeah. She's really funny. Maybe she should do some impressions of Vin Diesel. Oh, really? It's a family thing. I guess so, yeah. She's really funny. Maybe she should do some impressions of you doing impressions. Ooh, that'd be cool. She's probably the only one that could do it.

She grew up with you. What's the age difference? She's three years younger than me. Wow. Yeah. So, all right. So you're all the four-year out there. What did your dad do?

Your mom worked at the bank for a while? Fence contractor. He has a fence business. So if you need a gate, although you have a good one out there. Yeah, but you can't build the fence here. It's just that gate's like an illusion. You can't fence in Glendale. Oh.

So people, so I grew the hedges, or I didn't, but the people before me, and they just stuck that gate there. But it's like, it's just, there's no fence. It's just, it's just, there's no fence. It's just, it's just bushes. Yeah. It's just like, if you were to take the bushes away,

it'd be like, why is that gate there? But I knew, my neighbor, when I was growing up, his dad had a fence business. It's a good business. Yeah.

He's still working too. Really? Yeah. I think that there was a recession, 2008 one, that just, they couldn't retire from that. really so they're still at it yeah what's like what does he just do homes homes and like businesses a lot of buildings in la

does he do a barbed wire yeah he could yeah yeah if you need it yeah it's funny i did grow up hearing wrought iron barbed wire, chain link. Well, that's chain. No, chain link. Yeah. Yeah. That's the classic. Yeah.

Wrought iron. Wrought iron. He does wrought iron fence. Yeah. It's pretty cool. Does some welding. Yeah. Yeah.

That's a real job. Yeah. No, it is. And none of the kids went into the fencing business? Yeah. My brother, Andrew. Well, he's a construction engineer guy. Wow.

And he wants to. He actually did my kitchen. He painted all my kitchen cabinets. Good painter? He's pretty handy. Yeah, Andrew's great. That's good. Yeah, it's cool.

Well, give me his number. Yeah. So when do you start doing funny stuff? At girl school? At Catholic school? Yeah, actually, it was there. Did you have to wear the outfits? I sure did.

Wow. It was definitely like a Britney Spears baby one more time video. Really? Yeah. And was it nuns? Some. Some were there. Some were my teachers.

Yeah? Mm-hmm. So you had that whole experience. Were they evil nuns at all? No, I don't remember that. The old-timey Catholic school stories. No, but I think back before me, probably, for sure. Did all your brothers and sisters go to the Catholic school?

Mm-hmm. Wow. I know. Good education, though? That must be the reason, right? Yes. But I think it... No, it was good.

I didn't do good in school,. I really wasn't a good. That's good. It's good to know. I mean, I didn't go to college either. I didn't know. I didn't care enough, I think. Yeah. Weren't interested. I wasn't interested. I bailed, like I couldn't get through algebra. Couldn't get through it. I mean, I failed it. I had to retake it a few times. Algebra. I just couldn't, my brain wouldn't do it. I mean, I failed it. I had to retake it a few times. Yeah. Algebra.

I just couldn't, my brain wouldn't do it. Geometry, I could handle. Oh, no, I liked, oh, no, no, no. I liked algebra. I thought that was fun. Geometry, no.

Because that was all the shapes and stuff, right? Yeah, that's not better for my brain. I didn't. And then you just had to prove the things. Like, remember, you'd have to prove

whatever proofs, theorems, rules. You could do algebra, though? Oh, I remember killing it. How about chemistry? No, that was tough. I can't do any of that. Did you write or anything?

Did you do shows? Well, I did my high school talent show. so that's where i kind of shared a bunch of impressions like singing impressions that i had in my pocket really where were you working those out at home just there at my school my friends you do impressions yeah yeah and then i shared it my sophomore year of high school the talent show yeah. Yeah. And everyone was like, yeah. And then I was like, I'm going to be a comedian. Yeah. But I mean, it's like, you know, that's a tough thing when you're an impressionist.

Yeah. It's like you could kill it with voices, but are you a funny person? I think that was always something I still battle. Yeah, it's tricky, man. I mean, when I really think about it, because there is a difference. And I always want to be a funny person.

Right. Well, there's that weird thing where the skill of impressions, like if you do impressions that are too good in a way without kind of amplifying the caricature element. Yeah. You could just be like, wow, that was really close. That was good. Yeah. But you're not like, ah. Right. Right. good. Yeah. But you're not like, ah, ha, ha, ha.

Right, right, right. Yeah, I mean, even for me in high school, I was learning all of Dana Carvey's impressions. Right. Like he was able to infuse his weird, charming comedy into him. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. But so what did you have to do to get funny at him? Did you do stand-up?

I mean, like straight jokes? Are you still, you do straight jokes? Well, yeah, yeah. That's now. But I think it took a while. I think the, I mean, because I started at the comedy store doing the open mics in the belly room when I was like 19. Oh, really? Yeah.

Did you have to leave really quick because you were underage? Or you just didn't tell anybody? Oh, I don't remember. Yeah. Did you have to leave really quick because you were underage? Or you just didn't tell anybody? Oh, I don't remember. Yeah. You must have just slipped in. I don't know. Yeah. Why?

Did they not allow anyone after? You can't. You can't. Yeah. Wow. You got away with it. Good for you. Well, I got away with it everywhere.

Ha Ha Cafe. Well, I mean, you're an act. I mean, I don't know if the rules are different for the acts. Yeah. But people can't bring kids in there. Get in trouble. I guess so. All right.

Cool. They were all letting you in. They didn't give a fuck. Breaking the rules. So you get out of high school and you're just sort of, I'm going to be an impressionist? Well, I found, okay, this is when I was 15. After that talent show, I got this like, I don't okay, this is when I was 15 after that talent show, I got this, like, I don't know, this superpower feeling.

And I was like, I need to get on stage now and show my talents. And I found, I went on the computer and at the high school library and I found, uh, I just Googled, uh, stand up for kids or whatever, you know, cause I was 15 and I found the laugh factory comedy camp. So I was 15. Right. And I found the Laugh Factory Comedy Camp. So I did that that summer. Come on. I had my parents drive me out every Saturday. There's a Laugh Factory Comedy Camp?

Yeah. Is it still going on? I think so. It's like a summer camp? It's like a summer camp every Saturday for kids. I think it's for kids in, you know, that struggle in places. In life? And they'd go and relieve their stress there.

But I was okay, you know? So it's actually like to help troubled teens? To help troubled teens. Or just like, you know, kids that are going through really hard times. But not you. But I was like, I need this stage time. So it was just a day camp yeah yeah no but it was like people rolled through like i remember i have i have actually photos of oh god i was hideous but we mean we're hideous no i was a really weird kid yeah i had photos no no no i i could show them later, but... Oh, just you thought you were weird looking? No, I was really weird.

I was just... I don't know. What? I was just a weird... I mean, I know we all were, but I was definitely not... So you needed to be at this thing. I think I needed it. You're in the right place.

But no, it was cool. I felt like I have a photo album of photos I took with the comics that would roll through on Saturday and teach us. Like watch our three-minute set and give us notes. And you're all like 15, 16? Even younger. They were like little, little kids. Wow. Yeah.

Who ran the thing? Well, Jamie Masada. Like he was there. Wow. Yeah. Who ran the thing? Well, Jamie Masada. Like he was there? Yeah, yeah. And this was like for what, four Saturdays in a row or something? It was like a few months of the summer. And then Jamie picked his final 10 to do like a show on the weekend. So you had comics come through?

Yeah. Like who? I have photos of Dane Cook, Bobby Lee, Tony Rock. They all came. Wallace, George Wallace. No kidding. No, I'm serious. Davidson, Tommy Davidson.

I think Kathy Griffin came by. What? But it was just like, yeah. Oh, he probably talked to them all. They're like, can you help me with my charity? I've got all these troubled teens. And that one. Yeah. I'm way all these troubled teens. And that one. Yeah.

I'm way dear. Wow. So who made an impression on you? But those guys didn't do sets? No one came to do sets? They did a couple. Yeah, they performed a little bit. Did Bobby Lee?

I'm pretty sure he imitated his dad and stuff, you know? That's so funny. Yeah. George Wallace. That must have been wild. telling those jokes i think so or he was it was like he was outside the club and my dad was like that's george wallace go get a photo it was something like that so your dad knew george wallace yeah so it was actually at the club i don't know i thought i was picturing like some sort of summer camp. It was just like you just went to-

Oh, like spend the night or something? Well, no, just sort of like it was out somewhere, like there was a lake too or something. Oh, no, no, no. It was just at the fucking laugh factory. Yeah, yeah. You drive in from Whittier and your dad would drop you off for what, three hours? Yeah. Yeah, exactly.

And they would have snacks, Oreos. How were the other kids? They were good. yeah they're a lot of them had a lot of energy you know they had to let it out yeah so so so the jamie picks a top 10 yeah yeah and i remember he called and left a message he's like melissa i want you i can't do his accent but he Really? Maybe you ought to work on that one. I forgot. But yeah, he was like, come do the show. And then I got this plaque, and I still have it.

It's like the Laugh Factory Comedy Camp, 2003 or something. And I have... My parents have it up in their house. 20 years ago. That's what they keep? Yeah.

As opposed to... SNL things. It's a laugh factory. It's a laugh factory summer camp. Oh, my God. I can't believe it. He's really running an operation over there, that Jamie. Yeah.

I never worked there. It's tough. I don't know why. I think the lighting is a little rough. It's too bright. It's too bright. And I don't know where that audience comes from. It just doesn't seem like it always felt like some sort of Groupon audience or something.

You don't have to say anything bad about anybody. But I mean, I don't know what it is about that place. I think it's because when I, I don't know, when I was a door guy at the comedy store in like 86 or 87, the Laugh Factory was literally like a hallway. It was like it wasn't even a real place. You would walk in and Jamie would be standing there in my recollection. And he hadn't bought the Chinese restaurant yet. So it wasn't this big place. It was literally just one room and there was a stage at the end of it.

And there was a door next to the stage where if you need to go to the bathroom, it was like barely a club. Wait, so the stage area, that was a restaurant before? Yes. Oh, I didn't know. Yeah, so a million years ago. And it was just really this one room. And it was sort of like, I'm not going down there. Yeah.

But yeah, I remember doing things there on and off. I just never, I always felt the audience was like too young and too, like, I don't know what it is. Yeah, I kind of feel, I don't, I went recently and I had a horrible set. Did you? I was even bringing in old bits. I was like, what is wrong? That's the worst feeling. And I was like.

Where you have a full room and you just. I was like, I don't, I don't know. I just wasn't their cup of tea well that's why i always have felt that way like i had to do something dumb but they used to tape a lot of stuff there it's it looks good on tv that place it kind of looks good on video so all right so what do you you got your certificate but do you get to do a spot at the club at 15 or whatever yeah i did oh it was like a Friday night. Really? Yeah, yeah.

How was that? A bunch of kids. Oh, it was all kids? Kids, and then they had, you know, comics come by later in the night. Okay. It was fine. I thought I did bad,

and I was really upset with myself. Yeah? Ugh. I was like, I'm a kid. Jesus. Yeah, but that's part of the artistic personality. Is that, yeah, self-shaming, beating the shit out of yourself. Never feeling good enough.

Yeah, yeah. Awesome. Yeah. It's great. I felt that last week. I felt it the other night. I've been doing this almost all my life. And I got off stage after doing, I've been playing music on stage with a band and stuff.

Oh, cool. At Largo. Yeah. And then I do comedy, but I'm doing it pretty earnestly, you know, and I've been playing guitar my whole life, but I haven't been playing in public that long and I don't know what the hell I expect.

You're great, too. Well, that's very nice of you. Yeah. I don't know what I expect out of myself, but I walk off after that night, I'm like, oh, man. Man, the band was good, but I wasn't good. I feel sometimes when I'm on stage, I still carry it.

If I don't feel like something worked, it'll bother me for a couple days still. Wow. Because usually I'm talking about myself. And then if something doesn't land, I'm like, why did I even tell them that? Yeah. I have some songs out there they're little pop songs but i'm i would i've done shows where i've shared them yeah and i want to laugh and make fun of myself while singing them although i didn't write them in a place of right comedy comedy yeah but i feel bad that they're not laughing still it's such a weird it's's fucked up. You can't be serious.

It's fucked up. Because that's how we have control up there. Yeah. Yeah. Right? Yeah. Because I'm the same. Like, to me, singing is like the most vulnerable thing.

It's fucking. It is. Yeah, but to some people, they don't give a fuck. They're just like, ah, and they're singing. And I'm like, oh, my God. How do you do that? To me, I'm like terrified that I'm going to fuck it up. I know.

But you don't get that with comedy? Just singing? Well, like you said, I have a little more control with the comedy and the bits that make me laugh. And I know I'll have fun. Okay, so you're 15. Is that the beginning of the career? I mean, right after high school i i was like i'm going straight to open mics and i you know i did junior college for a little bit yeah

pcc what'd you study oh nothing i was undecided i went for a few months oh not for you no no i didn't show up i didn't like it yeah but. But my first open mic was at the Ice House. Oh, yeah. That's a hot room. I know. And I did the Annex Sunday shows. Yeah. And then, was it Vargas?

Oh, yeah. Oh, really? Vargas? And he was like, come do my show in the main room at the Comedy Store. And so I brought my whole family. And so I got up early on the lineup, you know? Oh, is that how that works? Yeah. No shit I brought my whole family. And so I got up early on the lineup, you know? Oh, is that how that works?

Yeah. No shit. That show. Yeah. And, and then, um, and then I just started doing the open mics.

At the potluck? Yeah. And Tommy was like, come by, you know, we'll give you spots. And I was like, cool.

Yeah. Oh, that was a place that let me, that was after the, he saw you at potluck a couple of times. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. He'd give you regular spots.

Uh, Tommy. Yeah. So Tommy's the guy that passed Yeah, yeah, yeah. He'd give you regular spots? Tommy, yeah. So Tommy's the guy that passed you? Mitzi passed me for the belly room anyway. Oh, so she was cognizant and watched you? Yeah, she did. That was it. That was the one time. And then you just passed for the belly room?

Yeah. And then I think it was after I did America's Got Talent. They're like, well, she's on TV. So she could be in the O.R. In the O.R. It was still really hard though. I was like, that's. What year is that?

Oof. 2011. Yeah. So how old are you? Now? No. Then. 23.

Ah. So I was, I mean, I was opening the O.R. Like it was. Oh, that first spot. Pretty hard. Yeah. That's hard. Yeah. So I was, I mean, I was opening the OR. Like it was. Oh, that first spot? It was pretty hard, yeah. That's hard. Yeah, but I also wasn't good. I was okay.

Which impressions were you doing at the beginning? The beginning, I feel like it was, you know, Natalie Portman. Yeah. Owen Wilson, probably. Yeah. Christina Aguilera. I'm trying to remember what the early bits were. Mickey Mouse.

Well, I still do some of them today. But now there's more. More funny to it? More funny and more of like connection to my life. Yeah. So that now they kind of, I need to have something real in them in order for me to have... Connect?

Yeah, connect it, yeah. But you still got to do it through the impressions. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. How was your life? Great. Yeah? Yeah.

That's good. I mean, I'm just enjoying things right now, which is nice. I'm not really pressuring myself to have to... Right. Well, I mean, I noticed when you got off of SNL, like I felt like there was this crunch for you to try to figure out a headlining set. After? Yeah. Yeah. Were you like trying to write new material and stuff? No, it just was happening. I was just kind of like listening to what kind of just afterwards, like, wow, what just happened?

What did I just go through? And so now like things are popping up in my mind of like, wow, that happened or that that was hard or that was funny. Yeah, yeah. So it's kind of nice. It feels good to. To have survived. Yeah, yeah. Gotten out.

Yeah. All right. So you're opening in the OR. Yeah. And then like what was that was after america's got talent yeah after america's got talent because that was such a high exposure show well like how did that work i don't watch it so i mean it's 90 seconds so i just did 90 seconds of impressions not even stand up it only one show, you don't have to live there or anything and you don't come back?

Well, no. It's like a contest, right? So they would eliminate people with each performance. Right. So I think I did three. They brought me back a few times. I made it to top 16.

Yeah. But then they made it top 24. They brought back some people and I was like, no, they eliminated them. Leave them 16. Yeah. But then they made it top 24. They brought back some people and I was like, no, they eliminated them. Leave them out.

Yeah. Stop. Don't bring them back. Yeah. I'm winning. Yeah. That was a part of me. I was like,

don't bring them back. But, yeah, I felt like it was, it was, yeah, it was pretty, it's so,

it's crazy how many people watch that show. And I actually didn't want to do it. Really? I was nervous about it. How did you get it? There was some lady that was working on a show that, I feel bad I forgot her name, but that was a big opportunity.

And she said, I'm helping with the auditions, setting up auditions for America's Got Talent. I think you should do it once. Yeah. And I was like, I don't know. My parents were like, come on, have a good attitude. Go, show them. And I didn't really do, I kind of just half-assed it. I wasn't really.

The audition? Yeah, because I was like, I'm afraid of that show because everyone, you know, they're mean. Oh, the panel. Who was the panel? Well, that, but also they'll just it's like america it's all those shows they'll put someone in and people could laugh at them because they're doing bad so i i was like i don't know this is weird yeah but um but it ended up being really nice

they really appreciated me and then i realized oh i'm kind of a little special there's no other act like me right there's dancers there's singers, there's singers, but there was no. No comics? No impressionist comic. Yeah. So I was like, oh, that's kind of cool. You were the only one. Yeah, I was the only one.

And you did three? Mm-hmm. And did it change your life entirely? I mean, I was able to quit my job at Forever 21 at the Grove. You were working down at the Grove? Yeah, yeah. Commuting from Whittier? No, no. So I was, actually I was living with Esther Pov the Grove. You were working down at the Grove? Yeah, yeah. Commuting from Whittier? No, no.

So I was, actually I was living with Esther Povitsky. Oh, wow. In her studio with her dog. Wow. You and Esther. Yeah. It was a short time, but it was cool because I was finally out of my parents' house. Yeah.

And, you know, I didn't go away for college, so I didn't have any like, oh, this is time to, no curfew. And I would have to come home before midnight if I lived in Whittier. Yeah. And so. No matter what age, even now, if you like stay the night out there. Oh, if I'm out after midnight, my mom's like, when are you coming? And she'll stay up. She's like, she's, yeah.

Yeah. She's like, she's, yeah. Yeah. So when I got out and I was like, I got the job for her too and I started doing open mics, it felt really cool. And Esther was at the same level, basically? Yeah, yeah. We kind of really started at the store at the same time. That's very nice.

It's nice that you aligned yourself with a nice person. Yeah. Esther's nice. Yeah. Or you didn't get into some bad news situation. No. That's great. Yeah. Or you didn't get into some bad news situation. No. That's great. No.

And then, yeah, then after America's Got Talent, I quit that part-time job and then I was on the road. What, opening? No, headlining. Get the fuck out of here. That's what was so hard. And you've been doing it like five years? Not even. I would say that's, I squish them together, you know, because I start at 19, but I wasn't going out every night. Right.

So some booking agent saw you and just got you working? Well, no, I had a manager. Yeah. I had Barry Katz. My first early years. They're great. Because I did that show, Frank TV, Frank Caliendo show. So then I was able to quit.

So you did that after America Got Talent? Frank Caliendo show? No, that was before. I got things pretty early on. For the impressions? For the impressions. For the impressions. So wait, Barry produced Frank? Yeah.

No shit. Well, yeah, he repped Frank. Jesus Christ. Barry Katz is like this continuity of so many people. Barry Katz. Dude, Barry Katz gave me some of my first gigs in my life. Whoa. In Boston in 1987. Barry Katz. That was the year I was born. Yeah.

Barry Katz. I worked for his company before he came out here. It's so crazy, man, that that guy, It's so crazy, man, that that guy, you know, just is like this constant. I think he's done now, but he just, it's unbelievable. Like I knew that guy. With everyone, yeah. When I was a kid. Yeah, he used to run a booking agency out of his apartment that he managed the building in. Whoa. Yeah.

And he'd get you one-nighter jobs. He had an office where they'd send you all over New England to go do. Whoa. Yeah. And he'd get you one-nighter jobs. He had an office where they'd send you all over New England to go do... It's crazy. Barry Katz. So he's got you out there working. Yeah. He'd convince you you could headline. Well, that, but also...

Did you have the time? Well, yeah. You did. Wait, what do you mean? Like an hour? Oh, no, no, no. I thought you were saying if I had the time? Well, yeah. You did. Wait, what do you mean? Like an hour? Oh, no, no, no. I thought you were saying if I had the time in life. No.

No, that's what was the hardest thing. And I remember asking. Brutal. It was really, really rough. And I have so much, I have a lot of memories of just crying and really hating myself. Because you had to stretch? I had to try to do 45 an hour. I only had 15, maybe.

Oh, come on. It was so hard. That's so fucking horrible. You know, Beck, there's stories about him because he used to run a lot of guys through NACA. Well, that's what I did too. I did five NACAs and I booked so many schools. And I did that.

I would fly into a state and then I rented a car and drove around. Oh, my God. You really had this horrendous sort of one-nighter road experience. Yeah. And then the colleges were rough, too. You're in cafeterias. Sure. Sometimes at noon.

Yeah. And no one's listening. And it felt awful. Oh, my God. I had all of it. There's a story that he used to tell people that didn't have time to just do other people's awful. Oh my God. I had all of it. There's a story that he used to tell people that didn't have time

to just do other people's acts. So wait, so you do America's Got Talent and you've got 15 minutes and Barry's like, we're going to get you at the colleges. I get Mitzi and Barry mixed up,

but same thing. You're amazing. Oh, that's it. You're amazing. You're going to do great things. You're amazing. Oh, that's it. You're amazing. You're going to do great things. You're amazing. You're amazing.

He used to be a comic, you know. I've seen Barry Kast do comedy. Wow. Yeah, he used to open with like... I mean, he would have long stories. And I'm like, where's this going? What's the point? The message? He used to open with,

I'm like where's this going what's the point the message he's open with the unlike a vitamin that was his level of engagement so okay so he convinces you that you can go headline well not just him but maybe I thought it too I thought I had I was like okay I got like this TV credit maybe but I was also frightened so I can't believe it I was like, okay, I got like this TV credit maybe, but I was also frightened. I can't believe it. I remember doing those things. They were the worst to do colleges and to not have the time and to feel like you had to fill this time. And then like, if you're not doing well and you look at your watch, you're like, I have a half an hour to go.

It's the worst. Man. But what'd you do? I wish there was a friend with me that helped me, like did other times. Well, did you have to switch with the middle ever? I wish I did. Because there was times the feature acted great and I would bomb. And I'm like, I should have just said, hey, can you just switch?

Because I would hear people say after shows, oh, he was great, but she was not. And it would just kill me and I'd have to do another show. So wait, you were doing clubs? Clubs and colleges. It was all like a year or two.

Of full weekends? Like, you know, Friday, Saturday, Thursday? Yeah. Of just every night just dreading it? Dreading it. Yeah.

There's nothing worse than being in a hotel in a town. And with Barry, it's not like you're at a good hotel. You probably don't have a car. You can just walk around and hope no one saw you from the night before. Right?

It's true. I know it. I have. I know it. It's the worst. And you're just in this strange town. And I remember being, there was one time I was like in a nice hotel and the beach is out my window and there's people on vacation and I'm feeling angry and like just not feeling any happiness.

No, because you got to go do the club again. You made it. You made it through. I guess so. But like, did you, were you able to gradually build an hour in that situation or no? I mean, I think there were more bits that came through. But I think that was the time I was... You're doing whole Dolly Parton songs.

Oh, my God. I should have. That would have been fine. People would have just been okay with that. Sure. I just did singing impressions. Yeah. But so how long did that go on for?

Like, how did you, like? I'm trying to remember. It was like, I think a couple years. Oh, my God. And then it kind of just, you know, faded away. I was like, well, the name, you know, AGT is kind of, there's nothing else I've really had. So I went back to a part-time job. Where at?

Pasadena City College. I worked at the bookstore. Oh, my God. So you have all this big. And some temp jobs. The big arc of success. And you're like, we're going to get you on the road. Yeah.

And then you just come back defeated. Yeah. Broken. Yeah. Were you still in with Esther? No. By then I had, I was able to get a studio apartment. Oh my God.

And then you're just working at the bookstore at Pasadena College? Mm-hmm. Reflecting? Reflecting. But it's, isn't it weird? There's times when I, I mean, for me, where I want to quit and just call it and be like, forget it. But then there's always a part of me that still, I'll get so quiet that I'm like, this is because I need to talk or share things. And it's just like, my brain will be thinking of, so I'm like, I can't stop it.

But I could take a lot of breaks. I guess. yeah i could take a lot of breaks i guess i mean like there's also that weird thing where when you're when you've set out on the thing like there's some sort of weird like like i never it gets past a certain point where you can't really quit what are you gonna do knowing that you you did all that i've never understood you know what i mean it's like right how do you not live a life of shame you know what i mean if you still want to do it you can only quit if you're really done do you know what i mean where you're like this didn't work out right i'm just gonna go do something else but you were already on television yeah so like so you just what you did you were

you working the bookstore and then you start doing... Bookstore. But I think I was... Then after, I think, the road, I was like, I need to take classes. And I took some acting classes, some improv. Leslie Kahn. And that was cool with... Yeah, it helped me because I didn't know script. I didn't know any of that stuff. Yeah.

I didn't know. And I needed help with that. With like doing scene study and stuff? Yeah, scene study, even auditions. I was just like, I didn't know anything about scripts. Oh, good. So you just locked back in? I just started, yeah, changing it up in different things.

And you're still doing spots at the comedy store? Yeah. Yeah. All right, so you're still in the game. I was still in the game. Just kind of moping around, though. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But I was like, I think I need to learn other things.

Really? Were you going to go back to algebra? No, no, no. Nothing like that. I never wanted to go back to school. Yeah. But. So you stayed in the game.

I can't remember. Oh, and then there was a summer that I was like, the agents left me. I think I was with Abrams or something. Abrams artists. And they, what, they cut you loose? Yeah. And then some other booking. the agents left me. I think I was with Abrams or something. Abrams artists. And they, what, they cut you loose? Yeah. And then some other booking, people just left me. And then I was like, Barry, I got to let you go too.

Because there was something telling me, I was like, I think I need to kind of release everybody and just. Yeah. You know that there's that feeling of like, I think it's just, I just need something. Sure. Just a change. Well, that's nothing he hasn't experienced before yeah yeah i know i know how do you how do you handle that conversation well it was funny because whitney was like just email him and i was like oh my god email i got a call and stuff she's like

it's okay yeah she's like it's okay yeah um And then that summer I did the Vans Warped Tour. What's that? You know, it was a, it was a summer concert tour of punk bands, you know? Oh, well it's done now,

but there was one summer that I, there was a comedy tent. I know, but I did it because I had nothing else going on that summer. That's like going from the, what is it, the fire into the pot. What is it? Like, you know, after a fucking two years of, you know, not having the time to headline, you're like, in terms of being a performer and knowing that feeling of stretching or

trying to fill time is horrendous. to fill time is horrendous. But as a performer, just in terms of situational performing, the comedy tent at a fucking rock festival. Yeah, no. Yeah, yeah. The worst. I know. They're standing up.

It was fun to be with friends. Oh, good. And make fun of things. Who was on? My friend Chase Bernstein, Dave Ross, Grant Cotter. Dave Ross. Eli.otter. Dave Ross. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. And, uh, a few others, but it was kind of just. So you at least had camaraderie. Yeah. But I also wanted that experience of being on a fun tour bus for two weeks and just. Oh, you're on a bus? Yeah. With the bands?

With, with randos, random people that would set up the tents and. Really? I don't know. I just was like, I didn't want to just. How were the bands? With randos, random people that would set up the tents. Really? I don't know. I just was like, I didn't want to just. How were the shows? Not good. It wasn't good, but I kind of just, but I was watching a lot of bands and I, you know, like being out in the sun and just, and hanging with people. I just, I needed that.

Yeah. I just needed something fun. So now you're just untethered, no representation. Yeah, that was the summer. I was like, I don't know what the hell's gonna happen. So, and then you come back,

and what, everything changes? You're a new person? You have an hour? No, no. How'd you get SNL? I think people were still thinking me for little things, especially cartoons.

I think that was always a world that I had, you know. Did you do adventure time i did adventure time yeah i did one of those yeah i played a squirrel oh cool i think i've been a squirrel twice in different shows i've done a few different well i did two squirrels i think and i did a hermit crab and oh cool but i ended i did the snake and bad guys that was a big one it's a great job the best part about it is that dreamworks is literally eight minutes from i know i know same it's so nice so you did a lot of adventure time i did a few episodes and i thought it was real cool that i got to do one with maria bamford her and i were like these little fruit

witches and i and she was she was a big inspiration for me. Oh, yeah? Yeah, and I remember being so starstruck. I mean, like, oh, my God. Her and I were playing these fruit witches. And you're working with each other? Yeah. That's the best.

It is. She's such a sweet person. I know. And so funny. I know. She's so funny, dude. I know. She's the best.

Yeah? When did you become a fan of hers? Early on. I feel like when I started, people were like, oh, you remind me a bit Maria or something. And then I would watch her, and I just felt very similar to her a bit. And then I became friends with her, and then we would have, she would call it joke machine. And she'd be like, let's work on jokes. And so we would FaceTime or call each other and check in on the road and i was like

oh i have like a friend helping me this is so nice and she was so sweet she probably was thrilled that she could do her hour for you oh yeah yeah she was just stand and she would like stand and and put like this wear the same outfit that she will wear in the show just because she wants it to practice. And she'd do them for you? Yeah, and then I would practice in front of her, and then she would give me tags and stuff. I'm like, oh, that was really special. Oh, that's the best.

Yeah. And then I guess when you got your other jobs, she was like, I guess I just have to get randos to go to coffee shops with me and listen to my hour because melissa's gone this is how she does it yeah that's right that's right she'll just ask one person to come sit with her to try her new hour that's right i worked with her we shared a venue at the toronto comedy festival and it was so funny because it was like the venue that was as far away from the rest of the festival as

possible like in some sort of like weird fairgrounds and it was this old weird venue but it was a theater and we were both it was friday and saturday and we we were both, uh, alternating headlining. But so I got to, uh, I got to watch her and it wasn't that long ago. And I've always, you know, been a huge fan and it's just so, she's still so fucking good. Yeah. And it's like, it's like, I think she's like the best comedian ever and nobody, I don't think she gets the appreciation she needs. Yeah. Because you have to lock in with that. And you have to be willing.

You have to be pretty smart, too, to pay attention. I guess so, but she's like really going places. I guess it's smart, but you have to have a view of the world that would enable you

to not just go like, what is she talking about? You know, who's this crazy person? Yeah. You know, because she covers it all in these weird characters that she does. Like, it's all in there. Personal stuff.

Right. Political stuff. All of it. It's very loaded up. But like, I feel, I always feel she's so special because she's just one of those kind of people that dumb shits will just be like, I don't get it. Yeah. It's like, well, then that's your fucking problem.

Right. Ah, she's a, well, that was so, so that must have really helped you. Yeah, that was, that was nice. So, okay. So when does, you come off the van and you're back doing standup. Yeah. How does SNL find you? Well, it was, Al Madrigal had a showcase, and he had me on there, and he was like, well, someone from SNL is here.

And I was like, okay. But I don't think I, I didn't send a reel. I didn't really kind of get, I knew I always wanted to be there, but I wasn't. I was like, I'm just going to do my act the way I want it. Yeah, yeah, sure. And then, yeah, I think from that, they saw that. And then I did a showcase. And then I flew out.

Oh, I didn't share. I actually auditioned at 21 first. And I had a call back then. When you were 21? Yeah. With Barry, we had a reel. And also, Neil saw me at the store in the belly room. And he's like, you should go audition.

Neil. Brandon. Oh, OK. Yeah audition. Neil. Brennan. Okay, yeah. And so then, sorry, I didn't mean to say that with attitude. No, that's right. He has attitude. You have to say Neil Brennan. Neil Brennan.

That's the way you say Neil Brennan. Yeah, I guess so. Anyway, so they saw me again and, you know, after seven seven years so they saw you 21 and gave you feedback no feedback oh i mean i knew yeah i knew in my whole heart i wasn't good yeah at all it's good to know that in your whole heart my whole heart i knew in my whole heart that i was terrible no no no i just like't know. I just like that there was no doubt that I was bad. Nothing in me believed that I was good. That's so funny.

Okay, so seven years later. Yeah, then I- Magical did a showcase at the store? No, it was part of this... It's like a conference for Latinos in the entertainment biz. Oh, okay. All right. And then, yeah. And then I had new agents then,

and they were like, well, SNL wants you to audition. Yeah. Another showcase in LA, and then from there, they had me fly out and audition. In the studio? In the studio. Yeah, I did that once. Yeah. Yeah. Another showcase in LA and then from there they had me fly out and audition. In the studio. In the studio.

Yeah, I did that once. Yeah. Yeah. I've let it go. It took a few years of talking to people about their experience with that.

I don't think about it anymore because I actually interviewed Lorne. I did a double episode with Lorne and he put it to rest. And I have to believe him. I have to believe what he said.

Because what he said was very diplomatic, and it wasn't personal. Basically, he just said, we just didn't fit into, you know, I'm like, all right. And I believed at that time with my whole heart. Whole heart. That I wasn't really ready for it, but I wanted it. Yeah. And I didn't even know I it, but I wanted it. Yeah. And I didn't even know, I had no control over my brain.

So what was your experience in the studio? What is it? 8-H or something? Yeah. I just did what I wanted. For the first time, I was kind of like, I just did a lot of-

You had all the characters too. That's what they want. Yeah. And I did the bits that had, like there were standup bits that had the impressions and then it just yeah i just kind of that's all i did was kind of uh owen wilson j-lo imitated my grandma yeah um and then i feel like gwen stefani actually i did maria bamford in a

little bit too you did although one of my friends was like, don't do Maria. They don't know. And I was like, no, I'm going to do Maria because it makes me happy. Yeah. And so I just kind of left with feeling like, well, those are the things I liked to share. Yeah. That was it. And then they had me go back again for meetings with Lauren and all the writers.

How long did you wait? I don't think that long. I don't think so. It must have been a different time. I waited like three hours. Oh, whoa, no. With Tracy Morgan. So you met with the writers too?

Yeah. So you already had it? Probably. I don't. Oh, I could feel it. I could even feel it even before I knew I was auditioning that I was kind of going to get it. Yeah? I just felt it.

Huh. Yeah. So what did Lauren say to you? Did he ask you if you were okay with wigs? It was kind of like that. He was like, well, it's really tough to live in New York. And then he was like, you're from LA, so New York's going to be hard. There's already five women on the cast.

So it's kind of like, well, then what does this mean? Then I had a back spasm, you know, for the first time, just because of the anxiety of like, I couldn't believe this was like real, really happening to me. What's a back spasm? I think it's just, that's where my stress goes. But what happens? You couldn't walk or? Yeah, it freezes up and then I have to put a hot patch there.

You still have them? I'll get them every now and then when I get stressed. Yeah. No kidding. Yeah. And I kind of. Did you have it while you were talking to him yeah but i i kept it very i just didn't move yeah it's like stay still yeah it really hurts back spasms hurt yeah um and so then he basically told you you got it i guess so i was still confused now no? No, no, no, no. No, I was confused leaving there.

I didn't know. Yeah, yeah. And then what was crazy, and Chris Redd knows this too, the flight coming back, because Chris Redd auditioned that same time. We had meetings the same time. Yeah. And we're sitting next to each other on the plane. Yeah.

They seat us next to each other. It's not like we get to pick. Yeah. And his phone's blowing up and i see it in the corner of my eye i see texts that say congrats congrats and i'm like oh shit he got the show and i didn't so i start getting i'm like starting to cry but holding it in and i i'm trying to focus on miss doubtfire because that's what's on my TV. Yeah. And then I found out when I landed

that that was just some stupid tabloid that like let it out in the news like, oh, he got the show when it wasn't true. Right. And Lorne was like,

he called me once I landed in LA. Yeah. He's like, he got the show. Unfortunately, Chris didn't. I was like, wait, what the hell is happening? And I was freaking out,

but I was also- You just got the names wrong. I was like, wait, what the hell is happening? And I was freaking out, but I was also. They just got the names wrong. I know. Say it's Melissa. But Chris got it the next year. Yeah. And yeah, but I was, man, what a. The Lorne College year.

Wild. Yeah. Yeah. And then my brother picked me up from the airport. Yeah. Did you cry? I cried. And my family did too. And my brother and me up from the airport. Yeah. Did you cry? I cried. And my family did, too.

Yeah. And my brother and I celebrated with pizza. And I didn't rage. I'm not a big party person, so we just had champagne and stuff. Yeah, what are you supposed to do? Just get all fucked up? Like, now I'm going to start this life. No, no.

I was also very, very nervous, too. So how many seasons were you on there? Six. That's a lot. That's pretty good. Yeah. And you had a lot of screen time. You did a lot of stuff.

I feel like it unraveled the best for me as it did. Yeah. I don't think I could have handled more. Yeah. It's too much. Yeah? I flubbed so much on that show. It was scary. You flubbed so much on that show oh it was scary there was sometimes it was like oh man i'm actually live right now this is crazy right i don't know how

they like the it's the cue card thing that's just crazy because it changes by life and i'm like man i i don't know how that that's a skill unto itself. Yeah. And I guess over time, people just started to really fuck with it if they were fucking up. Yeah, yeah, yeah. They'd go for the laugh no matter what. Yeah. But he kept you there. I know.

Yeah. And you went through, who was in the cast when he first got there? Vanessa, Bobby, I mean, a lot. Leslie, Sasheer, Kate. Yeah. There's a pileback. Yeah, at some point, there were so many people. Yeah.

And then it changed over time, right? Yeah, every year it changed, yeah. But you were sort of a constant, and did you align yourself? Were there writers that particularly wrote for you? That's what took a long time, too. It was like the first season, I mean, I shared an office with a writer, and she never once wrote with me. It felt like, oh, I hate being in this office.

Oh, no. And it was so weird because I get there, and I'm like, man, are we all going to gather and write together? And it's quiet. And everyone's in their rooms. And I'm like, fuck. What the hell? I thought it was going to be different.

But then by my second season, my friend Steven Castillo joined as a writer. And he's a really wacky, funny comic and a good friend. And he had the same sense of humor as me. It was just, we just laughed at the same stuff. We were like, okay, let's get an office together. And he helped me write my Nickelback Dying Miss Gomez bit. And that was so cool to get on there because we were both just, we were really proud of it. And then I think that like really helped me feel good.

But then, I don't know, I did always have some support too because Mikey Day and Streeter, they wrote those dirty talk sketches for me. You know, me trying to talk dirty in bed, but it doesn't work in my voice. And so that was really, really cool that they did that. And they wrote it so fast because they imitated my voice. And so they would just write it really quick. But it was cool. I mean, I think... Good experience?

Yeah. I just think I couldn't handle it as a person. Well, you stayed for six seasons. I know. That's pretty good. That's pretty good. That is the average, I would imagine. It's six, seven, yeah.

Yeah, for sure. But you couldn't handle it as a person. Why? Just the thought of coming up with ideas every week. Was it the pressure? Yeah, the pressure and feeling like, I kept feeling like, well, don't they know what I could do at this point

and they're not writing me in things? And I was just like, I'm so tired of having to convince over and over. I know I could do, I could learn impression in a day if they need me to. And it was still wasn't, I don't know. How do you do that? How do you learn impression in a day? I feel like, I mean, I do what my best, I'm not saying I'm, I'm, I'm killing it. Like, what is like, you know, did you find, do you find now that you're more proficient at making them funny? Is that just an innate thing that you do an impression and you can sort of focus in on what you can amplify about that character? Yeah.

I think it's like exaggerating it and doing the thing over and over that makes me laugh, I guess. When you're working on an impression, is it just you by yourself doing the voice? Yeah, I'll just listen to it on the voice memo and see if I see their face in my head, if it's matching or something. I haven't learned one in a while. Actually, ever since I left the show, I'm not learning it. But you would record yourself? Yeah, yeah.

And then I would try it on stage. And if the reaction was good, then I was like, okay, I'm getting there. On stage at a comedy club? Yeah, yeah. So while you were doing SNL, you were doing sets? I tried. If I had energy. Where at?

The Cellar. Yeah. And other little shows around. Yeah. Oh, The Stand? Yeah. Yeah. But you haven't done impressions since you left?

It's sort of like... Oh, yeah. I haven't looked at any news of celebrities. I got tired. I was like, I don't really care about them. No, I really don't. I'm like, I kind of want to... That's why I'm like... I don't know if you heard some of my bits, but I'm like, I'm trying to take... I don't know. No, I really don't. I'm like, I kind of want to, that's why I'm like,

I don't know if you heard some of my bits, but I'm like, I'm trying to take, I don't know. Personal stuff. Personal stuff and also just trying to learn more about things. Yeah. Because I don't, I don't know. It kills me the thought of if I had to only do impressions forever. Well, that's the sense I got.

I guess that's what I was saying. When you got back, because I was around, that you were trying to kind of write more stuff for yourself. Yeah, yeah. And I sensed that it was challenging for you. Yeah, yeah. And I'm like, what did I do? Leaving and then, but I know it was for the right move. Yeah?

Yeah. You feel that way? Yeah. You're happier? Oh, yeah. I feel calmer. No one's on my shoulders of like, you're not doing enough or you're letting us down or especially a Latino crowd. I'm like, am I not doing good?

It's too much. Like, I'm just trying to be me. What about the Latino crowds? No, I just feel like, well, no, I have a great support,

but sometimes I feel like I'm never, I'm not. You're not supporting the community. I'm not. Yeah. I'm like, I'm not representing a good job. Yeah.

That's, that's too much pressure on a, on one human. Well, you're doing some family stuff. Yeah. Yeah. And you're touring. Oh yeah. Yeah, yeah. And you're touring.

Oh, yeah. How's that going? It's good. It's been great. People coming out? Yeah. I have a really sweet fan base. Yeah.

They're such sweet people that the comedy clubs after like a weekend, they'll go, Melissa, where do your fans come from? They obey all the rules. Yeah.

Like, yeah, they're like me. They don't want to be in trouble. I get that too. They're like, your fans are like? They obey all the rules. Yeah. Like, yeah, they're like me. They don't want to be in trouble. I get that too. They're like, your fans are, they're like, they tip really well.

I'm like, yeah, they're adults. I have adults come to the show. Because after a certain point when you get

a certain amount of recognition or you build a fan base, they're going to represent you. Yeah, yeah. So if you're some sort of weird monster, you're going to represent you. Yeah, yeah. So if you're some sort of weird monster,

you're going to have a room full of weird monsters. Yeah, for sure. But you're going to have like-minded people. Yeah, for sure. And you're like, are you taking risks doing different shit up there? Yeah, and now I've been doing a few comedy songs that I wrote

for the show that never got picked playing guitar well that's what I'm I want to get to that place yeah because I am in guitar lessons

and piano but I that's not I'm not good enough to play at the same time and sing at the same time right yeah yeah so my

you know Avery Pearson he's been accompanying me and I yeah I'm starting to do a few of the songs live. And that's so fun. That's nice. I watched Sandler's special. I was like, I want to be able to do some comedy songs.

And my singing bits are people's favorites anyway. I'm like, I like singing. So if I could add more comedy songs, that's great. Why not? Good closers. Yeah. Yeah. Well, that's great. And then you can puters. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Well, that's great.

And then you can, you know, put that record up. But you already have a record up. Yeah, it's serious, though. You know. It's a pop record. Yeah. How'd that,

when'd you do that? One of the summers, 2018 or something. Oh, really? Not too long ago. Yeah. So you have that, is that a thing

you're going to pursue? Pop stardom? Pop stardom? I don't think I could do pop stardom. It's just on the side, it feels good. Yeah.

You enjoy doing it. Yeah. I think I have a real emotional side that it has to be released. I mean, that's why the art, it comes out. Those are funny,

those arts. Yeah. I brought you some, but I was like, I don't know about Mark, if he wants some of these. Yeah, sure.

I like art. But this is a little monkey dropping its, you know, the monkey that plays the cymbals all the time. Oh, that's funny. Oh, yeah, that's funny. There's a little heart guy in a break room from life. Hold up, I'm going to need a moment. And then this little clown fish.

I like the fish one. I saw that online. Yeah, you can have one of these. And then this is like, you know, the brain maze to get out of there and you go, yay. Oh, yeah. Can I have all of them. And then this is like, you know, the brain maze to get out of there. And you go, yay. Oh, yeah. Can I have all of them? Oh, for sure.

Wow, that's so nice. I want all of them. Yeah. Oh, and then this is a little piñata breaking apart in space. Because I feel like on Earth, everyone still have to tiptoe around. And you can't break apart. And so I thought in space, the stars are like, you could break apart out here. You can do it out here?

Yeah. And there's no weird kids just smacking you? I love it. Exactly. And there's sign. That's very nice. Yeah. How often do you do this stuff?

Is there just... It'll just pop out. It's truly sometimes in the middle of the night, I wake up and I just write down the idea and go back to sleep. Oh, really? It just will occur. That's the best.'s cool yeah i'm not really saying uh i'm not at a paper thinking of something it's just dream stuff it's just dream stuff that's cool i love that yeah and are you gonna do a little book i have a book out you do yeah but i will say, I don't know. It's called Whoops, I'm Awesome.

And it's all like activities. It has my art in there, but it's also a little funny self-help in a way. Yeah, yeah. But I have a lot of funny stories in there. Yeah? Yeah. Like short stories? Little short stories.

But not personal stories? No, it's personal. Yeah? Yeah. When did that come out? That came out last stories. But not personal stories? No, it's personal. Yeah? Yeah. When did that come out? That came out last October. Did it sell good? I hope so.

Yeah, it's hard with books, right? It's so weird. I don't know. You just keep getting these things from the publisher every quarter saying that you still owe them money. There's this red number against your advance you're like what did i fuck up that maybe that's my experience i wrote a book in like like a million years ago and i'm still getting those things and the advance was only 30 grand i'm like it hasn't

even made that back i know books are i don't know they're tough i want to make one kind of like shell silverstein is one of my inspirations. Oh, he's great. I want to just make a book of doodles. Like there's no rhyme or reason, just they're just packed in there. Why don't you do your own alphabet book? Oh, yeah. He did one, right? He did. He did. Yeah, he definitely did. I love that guy.

He was great. He did music too. He did. Yeah. I love that guy. He was great. He did music too. I know. I know.

And he, I have this cool book about, it's called Around the World. Yeah. And he was like best friends with Hugh Hefner. Oh, yeah. And he would have them at parties and Shell would just entertain and sing. Yeah. And then that book, he was like, Shell, I'll just pay for your travels and you just draw yourself in all these different countries. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.

And that book is my favorite. Oh, I don't know that book. It's really cool. Now I got to go find that book. Yeah, it's a good one. All right, so you're out. What's the podcast? Are you doing a podcast?

Yeah, but it's just stuff I think of from the—it's just me by myself. But do you do it regular? I try to do it weekly. Yeah? But it's sometimes five minutes, sometimes it's 10, 20. It's not much. What's it called? Laughing With Myself.

And you have a very nice website that seems up to date. No, you're being sarcastic. No, I'm not. Because I'm not good at updating the shows. It looks like they're on there. Okay, good. I'm not good at updating the shows. It looks like they're on there. Okay, good. I'm not good at it. I forget.

But I do do a newsletter. Yeah. And I try to write a little funny story and then a new drawing. That's great. I do one of those every week. It's nice. Yeah, I don't know who reads it, and I'm always sort of like, what am I going to say? It's usually not funny, but it's like it keeps me writing every week.

Yeah, I like it. Sometimes it's heavy. But there's one guy. It's good. Do you know who Mike Kaplan is, the comic? Yes. So actually, I write with him. He helps me.

Mike Kaplan, I'll message him. I mean, we'll have Zoom sessions, and he helps me with little tags because my brain's not good at – I need help with writing. Yeah. him i mean uh we'll have zoom sessions and he helps me with little tags because i'm not my brain's not good at yeah i need help with writing yeah like i could come up with premises and the voices and the act outs right but he is just a little yeah well he like he's so fast like i i we've been sort of like i know him he was just here and we didn't hang out we almost did but he gets my newsletter and he'll just take out these lines and like just one sentence

and be like, this is very good. Like, you know, like these little pieces of poetry that I would not necessarily identify them myself, but it's very sweet that he does that. And I'm like, yeah, that is pretty good. Yeah. He helped me with my TED Talk, actually. And for him, too. For him, it's the best.

For him, it's the best what what was the ted talk on it's about me finding my own voice among all the impressions i do as a person as melissa so it's how long is it i mean i think it came out to be 12 minutes but it'll be out in september oh it's not even out yet no that sounds like a good idea for a show. Well, that's what I'm trying to work on right now. Okay. With your whole heart? With my whole heart. My friends, too, that are good writers.

Oh, that sounds great. That sounds great. Well, good talking to you, finally. I know. This is so nice. Thanks for having me. Okay. Melissa Vill via senor.com for tour dates and tickets and you can also check out her podcast laughing with myself wherever you listen to podcasts and you can if you would hang out for a second it's a night for the whole family be a part

of kids night when the toronto rock take on the colorado mammoth at a special 5 p.m start time on saturday march 9th at first ontario center in hamilton the first 5 000 fans in attendance will get a dan dawson bobblehead courtesy of Backley Construction. Punch your ticket to Kids Night on Saturday, March 9th at 5pm in Rock City at torontorock.com. Discover the timeless elegance of cozy where furniture meets innovation. Designed in Canada, the sofa collections are not just elegant, they're modular, designed to adapt and evolve with your life. Reconfigure them anytime for a fresh look or a new space. Experience the Cozy difference with furniture that grows with you,

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this past friday they talked to david shoemaker from the ringer obviously there's an incredibly racially problematic uh moments throughout wrestling history and WWE history specifically. But it goes to sort of what I think the bigger question, the cartoon villainy, the concept of like, you know, of of making these these kind of universal bad guys that after the wars, there would be, you know, foreign menaces that would come in. And and that's very true. universal bad guys that after the wars there would be you know foreign menaces that would come in and and that's very true i mean story you hear stories about you know wrestling nazis like goose stepping in front of you know veterans in the front row of wrestling events in the 50s i mean this is like seriously like affecting stuff but you know it's not just the foreign villains which are less meaningful to us now i think than they would have been at the time but still it's not just the foreign villains which are less meaningful to us now i think than they

would have been at the time but still it's just sort of like when you think about just the triviality of how you slide from evil foreigners to african americans to guys from hollywood to you know irs agents like yes these are all things that like the average joe may say like hey i don't like you here but when you put when you lump them all together, it's disgusting, right? I mean, that you would like be putting all those things in the same category. It's an overly simplistic way of looking at the world, obviously, that's sort of the point. But it's just also an overly simplistic way of looking at your audience, right? And just like trying to it's like you say that you're catering to them. But really,

are you doing them any service by by painting with so broad a brush? Go check that out, along with all the bonus episodes with a full Marin subscription. And you also get every WTF episode ad free. Just click on the link in the episode description to subscribe or go to WTF pod dot com and click on WTF plus. Maybe I'm getting lazy with the guitar. I don't know. But it feels good ringing in my ears. guitar solo Thank you. Thank you. guitar solo Thank you. Boomer lives. Monkey, La Fonda, Cat Angels, everywhere.