WTF with Marc Maron Podcast - Episode 1655 - Rich Aronovitch

Episode Date: June 26, 2025

Many years after a life-changing one-on-one conversation between Rich Aronovitch and Marc in Queens, New York, Rich and Marc are sitting down once again. This time they’re talking about Rich’s new comedy special, his family’s immigrant journey that landed them in New Orleans, Rich’s first experience on the stage under the name Smooth Daddy Johnson, and why Rich went to jail for letting the air out of a police officer’s tires. 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.

When does fast grocery delivery through Instacart matter most? When your famous grainy mustard potato salad isn't so famous without the grainy mustard. When the barbecue's lit but there's nothing to grill. When the in-laws decide that actually they will stay for dinner. Instacart has all your groceries covered this summer. So download the app and get delivery in as fast as 60 minutes. Plus, enjoy zero dollar delivery fees on your first three orders. Service fees, exclusions, and terms apply. Instacart, groceries that over-deliver.

Audible invites you to listen for the thrill. Escape the everyday with stories that leave you breathless. Whether it's heart-pounding suspense like the Audible Originals 10 Rules for the Perfect Murder by James Patterson, or the Downloaded with Brendan Fraser. Or how about a fantasy adventure like Onyx Storm, or Amelia Hart's The Sirens?

Audible has an incredible selection of audio books, podcasts, and originals all in one app. Start listening and discover what's beyond the edge of your seat when you sign up for a free 30-day trial at audible.ca. when you sign up for a free 30-day trial at audible.ca Alright, 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. It's called WTF Yeah, we're in the homestretch here. So if you're just getting on board

You got a lot of catching up to do. Yeah, there's about 1600 some odd but you know take your time It only took us 16 years to get here for all those of you who are just always here. Welcome. How are you? How's everything going? I'm on the verge of being ecstatic. Something happened. Something happened, like literally, like 20 minutes ago. I'm not sure how it happened.

We don't always know how these things happen. But it's a fear. You fear it happening. So I got out here to the studio and I was gonna use know use the restroom and Looking at my phone. I was gonna sit down. I think that's probably TMI, but I was gonna yeah I was gonna do some business and You know, I don't know where my phone was situated or how I was holding it or whether it was in my pocket or not

But I just I heard I was turning around. I had my pants up. They were undone, but they weren't down. But I was getting ready and I heard that that plunk, the plunk of a fucking iPhone going in the toilet and I fucking just snapped it out quickly. Clean toilet snapped it out quickly before it even submerged. So just one end of it went in. But sadly the the charger end. But I got it out and I dried it off and everything seemed to be working okay. And I've got to

give a shout out, I guess, to Otterbox. Holy shit. Otterbox Drop Plus. That is the case that was housing the iPhone when it went into the toilet. But I think it's going to be okay. Is that fucking crazy? I grabbed it before. I hope I'm not talking too soon because I went up and I got one of those aerosols, sprayed the air out things and I sprayed out the holes, the speaker holes, the speakers are working. I sprayed out the air. I aerated the plug hole. I checked all the buttons. The screen is scrolling and only that end submerged a little bit for a second. It's all it fucking takes though.

You know how it goes. God damn it. I'm supposed to leave town. Now, I don't even know if I can go if I have to get a new iPhone. So I plugged it in, and it looked like it was charging, but then all of a sudden it said cannot charge. Do you want to go to emergency charge? And I'm like, I didn't even know that was an option, but if you can emergency charge

Why can't you just charge it? So then I freaked out again And I ran back up into the house and I sprayed more air in there at all different angles To the point where I was almost running out of air and it seems to be charging But you know how this goes man You've got when you get these fucking phones and you drop them or break them or get them in water it's like oh it seems to be working and then like two hours later it's like nope sucker stupid go go spend a fortune on another iphone but i don't know i'm telling you man

Otterbox this is not a paid promotion because that that would have cost well i don't know it's actually probably cost more than an iphone to an ad on here, but whatever the case I have a Otterbox drop plus, but it's looking good fucking nuts I Can't deal with my fucking cat Charlie anymore. I can't deal with it anyway rich Aronovich Is on the show today now rich, I've known for a long time, kinda. He was a young comic when I was in New York. He lived around the corner from me.

And I've seen him over the years, but it's been a long time. It's gotta be, geez man, when the hell was that? 20, 25 years ago, I met Rich. He was having some trouble. I helped him out and he definitely sort of credits me, and we'll talk about it, for helping him get sober, which is what we do, is we do that for other alcoholics. And oddly, I think the way that... I had him on the show today, but I'm not sure how it really happened. I think he reached out to me, and then I was having sort of a basic kind of sobriety crisis.

And there's only a couple of people I call for those, just two, and I didn't feel like talking to them. So I thought, let's see if Rich can handle it. And we kept it on the level straight sober talk I wasn't gonna drink but I was having some ism shit and he talked me through it, but Look, I I've known him for a long time and he just popped up and said hey and I'm like, yeah Sure, there's another guy like that. That's coming up in the next couple months Dustin Chaffin who actually opens for Nate He's another guy. I knew 20 years ago in New York

when he was a kid and he's sober. And Rich and Nate actually were roommates, I believe at one point. Anyway, so is Dustin. These guys are the generation between me and the youngins and they're popping up. So Rich is on the show today. His most recent comedy special is called Rich Aronovich, the artist. and they're popping up. So Rich is on the show today.

His most recent comedy special is called Rich Aronovich, The Artist. You can watch that on YouTube. He's a funny guy, he's a lively guy. We had a good talk. So look, I, well, let's talk about this. Mariska Hargitay is Monday's guest and I highly recommend you check out the documentary

she made before listening to our talk, seriously. It's called My Mom Jane. It's about her mother, Jane Mansfield, but also about a lot more. There's some real twists to this story, and it's a great doc. I found it moving, surprising, and it was great to talk to her. You can watch it on Mac starting tomorrow, June 27th So do that do a little homework

Do a little homework Yeah, so phone is still charging still charging So that's good. Well, maybe we'll see how we how this all works out how we get through this Conversation I'm having with you now Is there stuff I need to talk to you about? Yeah, kinda. Fucking Charlie, you know, I'm supposed to take a little trip out to New Mexico to see my dad,

and Charlie just gets a whiff of it. He knows that I'm gonna go. And okay, I've had a lot of cats. I know when a cat has a UTI, I know when a cat has crystals, but my cat this cat Charlie to be honest with you He just likes pissing in things. All right, sometimes I have a pyrex measuring cup a large one that I use to pour the water for my cone coffee in and A couple weeks ago Charlie somehow managed to piss in the measuring cup without getting pee anywhere else.

And he also likes if there are clean frying pans on the stove, he'll pee in those. And then I've got to have grates all over my sinks because he likes peeing in sinks. The dishwasher's open, he'll pee in there. But he's not,, doesn't seem irritated. He's not like peeing out of the box randomly. He picks receptacles, but maybe someone will contact me and say, dude, you got to bring, you got to get him checked. He's probably got UTI. But you know, he's eating, he's not sick, he's not licking down there.

I don't know. Maybe, oh, fuck, do I? But all I know is I'm about to leave, and he pisses right in front of me near the water, and then he starts beating up on Buster, and it's like, come on, dude! Just fucking get it together! I think I might just have to put him in one of the other bedrooms

for the entire time I'm gone, because I can't have Buster all freaked out. Anyways, no one is more tired of talking about Charlie the asshole than me. And maybe he's eating fine. He doesn't seem to be in pain. He's not crying. He is peeing in the box still. I don't think he's sick.

He has a thing for peeing where it's wet or peeing in pants. And occasionally a Pyrex pitcher. The fuck? So yeah,, I gotta deal with that. And, you know, look, I'm annoyed. I'm annoyed. I don't know what to tell you. It's all, yeah, all this shit goes down before I'm about to leave. Drop the fucking phone in the toilet.

Cat beats up on Buster. Pisses right on the floor in front of me near his water. He likes to wet. He likes to wetness. I don't know what it is. I don't know what it is about wet surfaces and pans and a Pyrex pitcher. All right, what else is going on? Kit had a hell of a day yesterday. Apparently she was in the dog park with her mini bull terrier, B, the Beezer, and there was a fracas. Some shit went down at the dog park.

Apparently, some woman's dog, someone brought an unfixed female dog to the dog park which apparently is not allowed And then as it's as the story was told to me Some woman's dog a male dog who was neutered just started humping this dog because you know smells a smell and you know old habits die Hard is that is it die? I don't know Don't die easy, whatever. So apparently this male dog got a whiff and started humping on this woman's dog,

young woman who seemed a little out of sorts. And the woman said, look, your dog's beating up on my dog. Your dog's fighting my dog. And the other woman's like, no, that's not what's happening. I think you know what's happening. I'll just get the dog off fighting my dog. And the other woman's like, no, that's not what's happening. I think you know what's happening. I'll just get the dog off of your dog. And she's like, no, he's beating up on my dog. And then just starts yelling at this woman

and then takes the top of one of those retractable leashes and pops this other woman right in the head. And Kit's like, what the fuck is happening? Runs over there to try to settle things down and to break it up. And then apparently Kit gets pulled into it, gets pushed on the ground, gets up, runs over there to try to settle things down and to break it up and then you know apparently Kit gets pulled into it gets pushed on the ground gets up takes a pop at the woman beating the other woman up and and then it was just no

one would would let up finally people came around with cameras and I guess the woman who was hitting everybody jumped in her car and then tried to run over some people and peeled out This is like this is the kind of thing you only see on Instagram reels Wow I'm waiting to see it we're all waiting to see it but they had a wait that the woman who got hit in the head wanted to file a police report and kit was a pretty shaken up, obviously.

And we talked about it for a while. But I think ultimately what bothered her the most is that after all was said and done, she doesn't feel like she knows how to throw a punch. So I guess the arc of this story is, and the big payoff is that I think she's going to go learn how to throw a punch I don't know if there's just basic Learn how to throw a punch classes, but there's got to be so that'll be interesting She's pretty scrappy already pretty angry little fucker

Kid and now if she knows how to throw a punch whoo Watch out, but you know sometimes silver linings She's already tough now. She's gonna learn how to throw a punch. Whew! Watch out. But you know, sometimes silver linings. She's already tough. Now she's going to learn how to fight. Anyway, look, I feel like I'm saying anyway a lot today. I think that's all I got. I'm happy you guys are here.

This is a fun talk with Rich. We go way back. He knows things about me I didn't know. I'm going to hear some of those things. He knows things about me. I didn't know. I'm gonna hear some of those things and now you will too. Okay? so Rich Aronovich, his comedy special Rich Aronovich the artist is available on YouTube and this is me talking to Young Rich.

Hey Canada, especially all you fans of thrillers, supernatural mysteries and immersive storytelling. Rich. The narrator, the suspense-filled plot follows Agent Nate Russo as he investigates a deadly mystery in a haunting abandoned island hotel. And if you're new to the Oracle series, now's the perfect time to start. Binge all three parts back to back. If you're a fan of shows that give you chills and keep you guessing, this one's for you. Suspense, intrigue, thrills, all for your ears. Start listening to Oracle 3 now only on Audible. When does fast grocery delivery through Instacart matter most? When your famous grainy mustard

potato salad isn't so famous without the grainy mustard. When the barbecue's lit but there's nothing to grill. When the in-laws decide that actually they will stay for dinner. Instacart has all your groceries covered this summer, so download the app and get delivery in as fast as 60 minutes. Plus enjoy $0 delivery fees on your first three orders. Service fees exclusions and terms apply. Instacart. Groceries that over-deliver. When did you get here?

I got here yesterday. Yeah? I was in Vegas. At the cellar? Yep. How was that? For the most part it was good. Yeah? I was in Vegas. At the cellar? Yep. How was that? Um, for the most part it was good. Yeah? I, there's, um, there's a weird thing with a guy that I was working with, and so it was in my head a little bit. Oh yeah? I mean without mentioning names, what could this weird thing be? When I quit, I got, so I hit a bottom in like, oh, six with my drinking and other stuff.

Yeah, I was there for that. Yeah. Wasn't I? Yes, we were in a car in Queens. Yeah. And we talked for many hours, so I always have a... How did that unfold? Because like, you know, I've been in touch with you over the years and oddly,

what's that? Oh, it's my phone. What was that noise? Never heard that one. That was the meditation I was trying to do before I came in here so I'd get out of my head. So that was the little chime? It was, no, it was like a, there's like a meditation thing. Oh, so it guides you, it talks?

No, no, it just goes, whoa, it's like this. It just does that? It just does that so that you think you're in like, What? In a meditative state so that I'm not listening to the ticker of news of bad information that's going across my mind at all times. You're not enough, you'll die alone.

The internal fake news? Yeah, you're awful, you're terrible, you're unlovable. The internal, yeah. Well, you know, now, you're awful, you're terrible, you're unlovable. The inter, yeah. Well, you know, now that you mention it, you don't think any of that's true? No, I think all of it's true. I think that's the problem. I think all of it's true.

Why do we insist that we're wrong? I mean, that's the question. Like, yeah, I never thought of it until now that you're supposed to have all these, you know, yeah, I'm too hard on myself. Well, maybe I deserve it. Yeah, absolutely. But then there's part of you now that you're supposed to have all these, you know, yeah, I'm too hard on myself. Well, maybe I deserve it. Yeah, absolutely. But then there's part of you think that you do deserve it, then exterior forces or people

say like, why do you do that to yourself? And as if that's not some self-regulating mechanism. I mean, don't you think Michael Jordan was too hard on himself? And look what it got him. He was the best. Okay, so. You think he was satisfied? So you're on the Jordan trajectory?

No, no, no, not at all. No, no, no, I don't. I'm not even close to that, please. But I'm saying that there is a motivation that might let you work hard. If you're applying it to a skill set, you know, I suck at basketball. Correct. Right. As opposed to I suck at everything.

Correct. Right. Right. So like, so we walk me through you live down the street. I live close to you. You offered me a ride home. Oh, so that was when I was there doing Break Room Live. I think it was, well, I don't know.

So 2006. I think 2006, maybe five. It's funny, I came in here with the preconceived notion I wasn't gonna talk about this, and it's the first thing that comes up. Boy, I'm in control. Yeah, I mean, why wouldn't you talk about it? I don't know.

So yeah, so you sat, we talked for hours. I remember. But I knew you before, right? I don't know. So yes, so you sat, we talked for hours. I remember- But I knew you before, right? I knew you from the Lower East Side Rooms, from the surf reality and- Right, you were just this kinda, you know, hyper kid with a Jufro. And a dream.

And very intense. And you had a bunch of roommates out, but you live near me, like literally blocks away, right? Yeah, I don't know if I was living, cause I lived with Dustin Chaffin, Nick Novicki and Nate Barg? Yeah, I don't know if I was living, cause I lived with Dustin Chaffin, Nick Novicki, and Nate Bargazzi. I don't know if that was that time, but that was the same apartment though.

That's your timeline. That's my timeline. I don't know when it was. It might have been that time. No, you know when it probably wasn't. It was probably before then. Cause I knew Dustin. Yeah.

I don't think Nate sort of arrived on my radar. I didn't know Nate in New York. Yeah, he's later. You know, he was later. In your life? In your, I think you were gone when New York. Yeah, he's later. He was later. In your life? I think you were gone when he came. Oh, really? Because Dustin had that horrible room

over in Midtown somewhere, right? It was like a room in a place. He had a lot of rooms. He ran a lot of stuff. He was a hustler. Guy's a hustler. And he used to do that rocking thing with his hands. Hey! You know, like he'd go, every delivery he'd like, kick back and throw his hands up.

Back then, I don't think he's doing that anymore, but he had like a... A physical thing. Yeah, he had a physical thing. Yeah, that he was doing on purpose. On purpose. It's sort of like, yeah. Cowboy boots. Yeah, yeah, he had a cowboy hat.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. He's like, come on, man. Yeah. He had that thing going on. And then, yeah, you drove me home, and then I was like... From the Lower East Side, probably? Probably from the Lower East Side. Because you were exuding some problem?

You were probably looking at me and being like, I see myself years ago. And you were like, there's identification. You were like, I get that angst and that turmoil. It's very relatable. And then we talked about it, and then I started to justify, like, well yeah, I mean, it's okay to be self-medicated all the time. I mean, look at this guy.

What were you doing? I was smoking a lot of pot from the minute I woke up. Sure, yeah, yeah. And if I ran out, I would smoke resin, and then if I ran out of that, I would just drink. It didn't matter if it was 10 or more. Sad day, sad moment with you in the bong scraping a little pipe, huh?

Yeah, it's very, I used to get, I used to watch intervention. The resin really got you high. Nah, it just, it just. Gave you something to do. Yeah, yeah, it's, you know, I would, I would pretend like it was hash. Right, right, you get the resin out of the, what were you using, a bong? Or just a pipe? Pipe.

Yeah, so you. And bong and whatever. So you scrape the resin out and you get like one little wad of resin and you stick that on top of a little pot and you think it really did it. It kind of crackled and it sounded like tears, which was appropriate. Yeah, but well good. So it was just mostly pot? Yeah, mostly that.

But it got out of control. I mean it went to everything. No booze? Oh yeah, booze too. I mean I would wake up on a bare mattress going, I'm not gonna do this again, I'm done. In your clothes? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah.

And then I would get to, and the next day, like this like just- I'm gonna make that bed. Yeah, I'm gonna make that bed, like bare mat, no, not even a sheet on it. Yeah, I know. Just a bare mattress, and then I would say, I can't do this, and then I would do it again that night,

you know, because I'd walk in in that bar to which slide a drink in my hand. Yeah. And that was it. That was the big benefit of being a comic and a regular at a club is that they would enable your alcoholism for as long as you wanted to go. Yeah, oh yeah. And it was quote unquote free. But you tipped, and you paid a lot of money for that free.

It was terrible. No, I mean, it wasn't terrible. It was great. Sometimes. I mean, you know, like the free... I remember Catch a Rising Star in Boston, like, it was great. Sometimes. I mean, you know, like the free, I remember Catch a Rising Star in Boston, like it was in Cambridge, and every comic came in from their one-nighters

or road gigs and just converged on that place at like midnight or 12.30 for the drinks. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It was the best. We used to hang out at the Bagot Inn underneath the Boston Comedy Club. Oh yeah, that place, what was the guy's name, Tom? The guy who ran the place? The Irish guy?

Was it Tom? There was like Ronan. He couldn't understand a word he said. Was it Ronan? Yeah. I drank with that guy for years. I never understood one word he said. Lanky guy? Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Hi, how are you?

Well, he was... I have a little bit of a duster. You know, your mom was there. And you were like, yeah. And you're like, what? Yeah. I said, how are you? And you're like, great. Yeah, and you were like, yeah. And you're like, what? I just have fucking, I got terrible lousine in the lances right there.

Yeah, yeah. And you're like, great. Yeah, and you were like, good, can I have my medication now? And he did the bar upstairs too, at Boston Comedy Club. I think so. I mean, it was like they ran that whole business. They ran up and down. And they used to have hippie music downstairs.

Yeah. In that deep, there was a deep room and there was a stage at the end. And I used to play harmonica with some of the guys there. Oh yeah? So I'd hang around. Sure, you were a regular. I was a stage at the end. And I used to play harmonica with some of the guys there. Oh yeah? So I'd hang around. Sure, you were a regular.

I was a regular. A fixture. Yes, it was bad. Yeah, you were destined to still be that guy. You're right. Even though the club doesn't exist, I'd still be there. Because you see those guys in New York, like, that guy's still here.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Are you that guy? No, no, no. I was on the road to be that guy, and then I got a ride home from you. You decided that wasn't a good life career plan? Well, it became painfully obvious, because what happened was I went out of control, and I was low blood sugar.

Like, if I went, I don't need to eat, I'll just drink. I was a maniac. I mean, just out of my mind, more so than normal. Yeah. And so one night, um, I. Is this the ride night? No, no, this is. Before?

This is before, this is before the ride. I can't remember the trajectory, but I remember, I started to realize this is getting out of control. Sure. And, uh, I knew I kind of had a problem and things were bad. And then at some point, I don't remember where. I remember the seed was planted like, hey, you might have a problem. So I'm driving you home. You things were bad. And then at some point, I don't remember where I remember the seed was planted.

Like, Hey, you might have a problem. So I'm driving you home. You drive me home. And what do I say? You sit in front of a thing and I say, you know, I don't know if I have a problem. I mean, look, it works for this guy. And you go that hack.

Yeah. You know, it was a guy. I'm not going to say his name. Yeah. But, um, and then there was another guy and you sort of had an answer for all of my lies. Yeah. My justification.

Right. You sort of said this. And then there was something in the way that the message hit me with what I would say was with depth and weight, where I went, it wasn't like you need to. It's like, this is what's going on for me. So it had a relation where I went.

We weren't having that conversation for no reason. Correct. There was like a real connection, I felt. And then I let the editor of a meter made his tires, um, as a Canadian citizen. One night I came home, they're writing, you know, they give me tickets. I know my car towed and I was just, I was like,

look, I have the quarters here. And they said, once I start writing, I can't stop. Right. And I went around the corner, their car was there. And so I let the air to four tires. Yeah. They chased me up my apartment. They came in.

Yeah. They, um, I got arrested. I went to, and I got charged with a felony as a Canadian citizen. That's a, that's, you get kicked out of the country for life if you get convicted. You would now you might still, yeah. But they might come back now.

Yeah. Became an American. So, so they, um, so I had a problem. So I realized, okay, now, now it's definitive. Now it's like, okay, this is, yeah, I had a problem. So I realized, okay, now it's definitive. Now it's like, okay, this is- I'm in jail. Yeah, I'm in jail. And like, if I, yeah, I'm not gonna last.

I'm not with the cute, you know, the cute ones. I'm with the like, the like really scary people. Like- You spent a hard night where in a county or Rikers, you didn't go to Rikers. I didn't go to Rikers. I was in Queens. Just down in the precinct.

I was in Queens. At the precinct? Yeah, cause I looked across at said misdemeanor and I said, hey man, what does it say about me? He goes felony. I went, I got a problem. So I made the one call to my sister, who's a lawyer, who got me a lawyer.

And I started going to court and the, my lawyer was like a big deal. He was a big maher as they say. And he was able to sort of kind of control the narrative and they go, I embarrassed my competition. So he's not just gonna say, all right, it's a first time offender, knock it down, let's get out of here.

He wants to, he's coming after me. And I go, should I get a different lawyer? He goes, no, trust me. He's coming after you. The prosecution. The DA? Yeah, he hated my lawyer. So he wanted to punish me.

That's always good. You know, that happens in divorces too. Yeah, yeah. It's not about you, it's about this. Completely. Yeah, cock fight between us. Absolutely. Yeah.

So I have court, I'm months in, and I have court the next day, and it's my birthday, and I've stopped drinking, I have stopped drinking. I'm not doing anything about it. Is this after our talk? After our talk, yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay. Our talk planted the seed,

I'm about to get kicked out of the country for life. Maybe I have a problem. For letting air out of a metermaid's tires. It's like cool hand Luke for like cutting off the heads of parking meters. Right. On a work farm. Right.

Chain gang. Exactly. Not all heroes wear capes. Yeah. So it's the night before, I've court at like eight in the morning in the middle of Queens and it's my birthday. You had to do a hit, right? Well, this is what I was in the night before, I courted at like eight in the morning in the middle of Queens and it's my birthday. You had to do a hit, right?

Well this is what I was dealing with in Vegas. So there's a guy who used to, I went to South Africa and did a festival with him and a bunch of guys and they were pranking me the whole time. I mean just all the time. You were sober? Not sober? No, no, no. Oh yeah.

No. And so I was definitely the weakest gazelle. And they were, and this dude, he knew I wasn't, he knew I had a problem, he knew, and so I was definitely the weakest gazelle and they were and this dude He knew I wasn't he knew I had a problem. He knew and he put a Shot in my mouth. Yeah, he put it up to my lips and he said we're gonna come on She burnt down I can't you know this but I didn't really have any kind of defense against that. So I just went Night before court. Yeah. Okay. So then it was one and then it was like another and it was they were all drinking with me A lethal amount of alcohol, I mean lethal, like we're talking like 18, 20 shots

with three drinks, and then the last drink was just like pure Tabasco, and they showed me that they were drinking Sprite with a splash of Coke, and I was the only one drinking. Oh. Yeah. Why did the Tabasco come in? I don't know, just to make me throw up blood.

I have no idea why that was. Did you throw up blood? I'm pretty sure. All I know is I blacked out and I woke up with my glasses wrapped around my face. Like. Where? On my bathroom floor. Oh.

And I was like two hours late to court with like 75 missed calls from my lawyer. Come on. And somehow he, because he did know the judge, he was able to get me out of, you know, immediately, you don't show up, you're done. So he was able to make some excuse and yelled at me, like I've never been yelled at before.

And I remember kind of having a conversation with him, going like, dude, I know you don't understand the nature of what it means for me, but like, you knew this, and I think it's kind of cruel, like, it kind of sucks you did that. What, he yelled at him? He yelled at you? No, no, no. The lawyer said that to you. Like it kind of sucks you did that. There was this much. You yelled at him? He yelled at you? No, no, no.

The lawyer said that to you. No, no, the comic who put the drink in my mouth. It's kind of a shitty thing to do. Sure. It's not like, it's not fun for anybody. And you still resent that guy? I didn't, I let it go. But then he brought it up again and said,

oh, I can't make it. And then I was like, oh, here we go again. And so then my mind started working and grinding on him. But I mean like today. Today we're good. Cause at the then my mind started working and grinding on him. But I mean, like today. Today we're good, because at the end he said, I'm sorry. I realized. And I go, I don't mind. But without you, I don't have, you know, I got away.

But there was a real consequence. And it was just for you to get a goof and play with my life. It's kind of like, I don't need you. But did you tell him I got court tomorrow? Yes, yes, yes. He knew all the information. I said, I can't, I have court.

Yeah, but you know, idiots will be idiots, friends will be friends. Let's fuck with this guy. Yeah, absolutely. And I don't. And you're a clown, Rich. I am a certified clown. I'm a loud mime.

Yeah. And it's like, let's make that guy all silly. Yeah, no, no, definitely. I mean, I- So how did your lawyer work this out? We eventually, what happened was he waited, he said, I'm going to delay and watch. They're going to get, we have a right to see the evidence, but if I keep playing with the court, by the time I do it, they're going to fix, they're going to put the air back in there. They claim like I broke a window and I didn't do stuff.

So I go, I'm going to have to, I'm going to ask to see the evidence. They're going to realize they're dead to rights and then they're going to plea out. Right. It's exactly what happened. He asked to see it like eight, 10 months later. They said, Oh, let's make this a violation. Do community service, pay a little fine. No felony. No, no, no, no, not even a record. Oh, the only record is me talking about it now. You did a community service? Yeah. How'd that go? Demoralizing. What'd you have to do? I picked up trash on the side of the road in an orange vest.

Oh really, so you had to meet a bunch of other cool guys? Yeah. And you all suited up? Yeah. And you walked along the BQE or what? Somewhere in Queens with the stick and the, you know. Oh yeah? Yeah, put it in a trash bag.

That's not bad. It was for a week. I think it was only a week. I had to do community service once because I got cocky. Really? Yeah, I had a buddy in high school that was constantly getting speeding tickets. And he had a lawyer, and he'd go to court with them

and try to get out of them. He was just a kind of a fuck up. And I remember I wanted to follow his lead, I got a speeding ticket or something, right? And so I got, I used his lawyer, you know, and we went to court to get me out of it so I wouldn't lose my license or I don't know where I was at with all that.

But the judge happened to be the father of a couple of kids I knew, and one of them I kind of bullied. And this guy was not gonna put up with any of it. Like, I think he knew me from his kid. You know, there was two brothers, and one of them, a couple of Jewish kids, Randy, I can't remember if I knew him from camp,

or I knew him from school, but this judge, their father was like, you know, no, I'm not letting you off. It's going on your record. You're gonna get the points. You're gonna pay the fine, and you're gonna do like 30 hours of community service. So I had to, I used to vacuum the halls

at an old folks home. That was mine, which is not terrible. That's a little weird because, you know, old lady would come out and go, will you do my apartment? But that's funny because I was picked on as a kid. I was one of the, I think, three Jews in my school and I grew up where David Duke got elected. Yeah.

So I would go to Jew camp like you and I would be the bully. I would be the alpha. Isn't that interesting? Well, I wouldn't call that the alpha. I'm sorry, the Olive. Yeah, the, you were the Olive. I was the Olive. Yeah, you weren't the Bet.

Yeah, that's right. I wasn't the, the Bet. Bet Cut. Yeah, the Bet Cut. You know, I was like always doing like, like you said, I was doing clown, I was doing, I remember I was like seven years old and they, and I did the talent show and I memorized

a Rodney Dangerfield book and put on a tie. Yeah. And so I did it. I remember. You did it at camp? At camp and I remember like I finished and they erupted and I was like, oh, I like this. Yeah, yeah. Well, okay, so go back.

So you do the trash collection and then when, how does this lead to you finally not drinking? After I had sort of drank again, it was on for a while, and I had gotten to a point where I thought no one knew, so I was like hiding and drinking sort of by myself. How's the career going at this point? Oh, phenomenal.

Yeah, so you're really- I'm working at Ha Comedy Club in Midtown where I'm doing- Ha? Yep, seven shows a night every night, same, you know, audience. I had a woman throw up at me during the show. Oh really? And the owner handed me a mop,

that's how much they had our back. So I was mopping and trying to tell jokes. I swear on my kid's life, that's exactly what happened. The first two rows bailed and so I was still trying to do jokes while I was mopping the puke. Yeah, during the show. During the show. The show must go on, Marc.

That's a unique night. Yeah. So when people are like, can you handle? Yes, I can handle it. Yeah. The only thing I really can't handle is when they're talking to each other. Yeah, when they're not paying attention to you.

When they're not paying attention, I can't. Yes, that hole needs to be filled with your eyes and ears. You can yell at me. As long as you're giving me attention, I'm good positive or negative really you deal with the negative Are you yeah, I don't mind I'm okay with hecklers. I don't mind hecklers. Yeah, okay, so so alright so that happened So what what so then I what's the moment you get sober so I I I see

Jessica Kirsten and I are like best friends, you know? And, uh, I see her on her birthday, walking away with all of her friends to go celebrate, and I'm not invited. And I'm smoking a cigarette outside the Bagot Inn, and I just felt that lo- that moment of just like... Was she sober yet? Yeah. Yeah. She couldn't be around me. I was sick. And, uh, and so I just remember that feeling of just,

I'm just like the hole in the donut, you know what I mean? Sure, I've heard that one. Yeah, that's- Your shell, a carcass. Yeah, exactly. I'm just like, I'm like, whoa. An energetic shell of a man.

Yeah, so then I start, you know, at some point I'm hooking up with this girl, I'm the cheat, you know, she had a boyfriend, I'm the cheat, and then I stumble into an apartment unannounced at like one or two in the morning. Drunk? Oh, yeah. Yeah, and the boyfriend's there?

No, but he's texting, the new guy is texting who I think she's with, and I get loud, and I scream and yell at her, and I leave, and I fall down the stairs, or I got beaten up by a one-man guy, and I'm in the back of an ambulance, and I have no idea how I got there. You're in the ambulance? Yeah, I ended up in the back of an ambulance and I have no idea how I got there. You're in the ambulance? Yeah, I ended up in the back of an ambulance.

You don't know if you got beat up or fell down the stairs? No clue, I just know like part of my body was really not good. So I figured I might've fallen down, like woken up in the back of an ambulance. Yeah. And I went, okay, I'm gonna die. I gotta stop this.

Gonna die. Yeah. I'm going from like maybe I'm gonna get kicked out of the country and then the new bottom is, okay, you're gonna die. So I was like, all right, I'm going from like, maybe I'm going to get kicked out of the country. And then the new bottom is, okay, you're going to die. So I was like, all right, I'm done. And then I haven't put anything that changes my mind since that two days later. How many years is that? 16, going on 17.

Really? Yeah. It's been a long time. Yeah. Took an ambulance and a jail. Yeah. and a lot of bad feelings. Yeah. Yeah, what is it is? Jails institutions or death. Yeah, and then and then there were another one. No, that's it. It is. Okay Yeah, and so they then it like 87 days I wasn't doing anything and they said don't make any big changes. So I moved to California. What you mean the recovery thing?

Yeah, whatever first 90. Yeah, don't know 90 and 90 don't make any big changes, so I moved to California. What, you mean the recovery thing? Yeah, whatever. First 90, yeah, 90 and 90, don't make any changes. Yeah, people were saying don't make any changes, so I moved to California. You were here? I was here, not only was I here, Mark, I started, I realized there was no money here, so I was doing like every job to try to make my rent. I had like an $800 up room in Studio City.

Yeah. And I was like, I gotta do it, so I started selling knives at Costco. You were that guy? You're probably good at that. Well, I remember I was in the middle of a pitch. I was in the middle of a pitch and you walked in and I was in the middle of, these knives are good,

forgetting chicken bone, ham bone, lamb bone, and also cook. And I see you and I ducked under the table. Come on. So you wouldn't see me. Why would I make this up? And so they're like looking, they're like, where'd that guy go?

And I just disappeared because I didn't want, I was so embarrassed about having to sell knives. I went, if anyone reckoned, hot spark! And I ducked under the table. I went to a hotel once for a meeting and Sebastian was my waiter. And he handled it well. And look at, look where he is.

He should have just manned up and said hi to me and acted like this is just what I'm doing right now and you might be on different. I was out of my mind. I was, you know, I was like, I wasn't sleeping for the first six months. I didn't sleep. I used to watch that show 24, I knew how many hours I'd been awake

by how many episodes I'd watched. Oh my God, so what were you doing out here? Were you doing spots or? So I was just trying to get healthy. I was just trying to get away from the heat because I had a lot of bad reputation stuff and I was like, I don't want, you know, I'm just getting away from it. And I don't know if my-

Really, you were a guy who was around and aggravated, intense, once drunk, and then you got sober and you realized, like, oh, they're all still kind of mad at me. Well, I would, yeah, I mean, I would hear stories about me where they didn't know it was me. They would tell me stories about me to me. Oh, because you were a blackout guy.

Well, yeah, no, but they didn't know what my name was. They'd go, you heard of this guy? Yeah. I'd go, yeah, I've heard of him. And they'd go, he did this and that, you know? Well, yeah, no, but they didn't know what my name was. They go, you heard of this guy? I go, yeah, I've heard of him. And they go, he already did this and that, you know. I was like, yeah, that, I know, yeah, okay. And I was like, this is not good. So you're such a, you were such a dick,

but you're not really innately a dick. Oh, I was sick. Sure. I was, you know, I was. So how long do you last out here selling knives? Five, I didn't do it very long. I ended up touring with the guy for a while. That was awful.

Yeah? Yeah, really bad. I don't want to say his name. But it was, and he's a guy just in fear and whatever and unhealthy. He was an unhealthy guy, dry guy, very unhealthy. And you were just doing road gigs with him? I was doing road gigs with him and I was working a little bit at this Z Club and whatever,

and a little bit at the store. This was when Tommy was booking. Hey buddy, get here at eight, you're gonna go on in a few. Meaning I'm waiting around until one of the more. For what, like a showcase spot? Yeah, I thought. He'd take a look at you?

No, he passed me, but then he would just have me come around. So you're passed over there? Not anymore, I don't think anymore. Well, once you passed, you know, I... Did he take a look at you? No, he passed me, but then he didn't, you know, he would just have me come around. So you're passed over there? Not anymore, I don't think anymore. Well, once you passed, you're passed. No, I passed when Tommy was there. So what? I passed when Mitzi was there. Yeah, but people have heard of you.

No. You're the who of comedy. I'm the who's that of comedy. Yeah. Yeah. You know? So, it doesn't matter. I'm never out here. I mean, I would like to go on there, but whatever.

So, yeah, so I was doing spots and stuff. And I think Matthew would have liked you. Yeah. Yeah. You're like a lively Jew. Desperate, lively Jew. Desperate. You don't know the level. I was thinking about getting a haircut on the way over here. This is a podcast. It's not even video. Exactly. I'm thinking about what should I wear? way over here. This is a podcast. It's not even video.

Exactly. I'm thinking about what should I wear? I'm like, it's a podcast. Yeah, so then I lived, it was fine. I liked it. And then one day I was, I started a tour with Jim Brewer and that was cool. But it was a lot of East Coast, East Coast. And I was flying.

And then one day I lost the manager and the agent and the girlfriend and like everything within two weeks and I went, oh, I hear the message. And I just moved back across the country and I've been great ever since. But where'd you grow up? I grew up in New Orleans. In David Duke country.

With David Duke, the first matter to Wives 10, where I used to get off the bus and they would beat me up for killing Jesus. These three guys, yeah, they used to throw eggs at our house during Passover and they would put swastikas on my dad's building and they would threaten us. But now that's cool. Now it's a meme.

But you were born in Canada? Yeah, I lived there for 10 months. So wait, your dad's from where? My dad was actually born in Italy. His parents were running out of Europe They had a gnarly, you know My grandmother fell alive in a ditch with her family murdered and she survived but she waited the Nazis Yeah, and my grandfather was in love with her

So he waited for her because he paid off the soldiers to say he was like this big musician actor guy in Germany in Vilna Poland and so he, tell me when they're gonna invade. And they're like, they're gonna invade. And his family wouldn't leave. They didn't believe him. You know? So he left. He left his family to die.

And then he went to go get my grandmother and they had lined her up in a ditch and he thought she was dead, but he had to know. So we waited until the soldiers got drunk, they celebrated, they got wasted and passed out. And then he found out she was alive. And this is where? This is in Poland.

Yeah. And then they started running out of Europe. Oh, he went back after they went through the town. Yeah. And then, you know, they were all dead in the ditch because the Nazis killed them. Yeah, but my grandmother fell alive. She was- That's crazy.

Yeah, and so he grabbed her and they, their story's nuts. Yeah. I have it on, I just, just recorded it before she passed away. From her? Yeah, from her. So he finds her and then what, do they gotta pay off people to get?

No, they started traveling on top of trains to get out. So they would, and they would, they would, you know, every time they got caught, they would either go to a death camp or a work camp. So my grandfather in another language would be like, what are the buzzwords? Like, so if it's comic, it's like stand, in another language, would be like, what are the buzzwords? Like, so if it's comic, it's like stand up, punch line, segue, so he would drop the buzzwords

when they interviewed him to make sure, and then he'd figure out what the task was in line to survive, so he could just go to work camp. And when they went to death camps, when they were supposed to go, he would say, we're going to our death, smell that's burning flesh, he would spend the whole time breaking open the train

and say, we gotta jump, and he would grab my grandmother and he we jump out of the train and no one would ever go with him. And that happened more than once? I don't know how many times it happened, but you know enough where I heard about it. Yeah, crazy. Yeah, this is an uplifting podcast. What am I doing? So they made it to Italy? So at some point they made it to Italy. Which wasn't as fascist?

Well, it was because my grand, they had a kid during all this while they were dying. Your father? No, his older brother. Yeah. And then they realized they were Jewish and some soldier grabbed the kid and killed the kid in front of my grandmother. Oh my God.

Yeah, and your next comic. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, this is good stuff. I think we should put a laugh track in this. Yeah, we will later. Like an 80s sitcom laugh track. No, but so now they just got your father? So now they have my father and he's in Italy

and then they moved to Canada because they had a cousin that lived there. So they go, okay, we gotta get to Canada. That person, and they ended up hiring him to help him out. And they asked my grandfather. My grandfather. H, my grandfather. They made it to Montreal somehow. And then they said, all right, they're in like the plastics and they used to like sell stuff to the farmers. They said, all right, so you're going to dig a ditch because it would dig a hole or something. My grandmother, I'm not digging nothing. No, I'm not digging.

Like that means a lot. That's not just a that's not just a hole It's a whole thing. That's triggering. That's yeah, it was triggering as they used to say back then It made me feel uncomfortable the ditch made her feel uncomfortable So he he fired him and he opened up next door to him and ran him out of business Which is kind of your grandfather. Yeah, he's kind of cry. He had some spiteful guy Well, I think he had justice a little chip on his shoulder. Really? From the Holocaust? Yeah. Yeah. And he used to, what's weird was...

My uncle used to tell me, he used to, like, they wouldn't eat. They would eat, like, one meal every day or two. And they'd feed my father, but then, you know, they had another kid, and they'd feed them, and they would barely eat, and they'd work 20 hours a day. Oh, my God. And charity would come by, and my grandfather would give to charity,

even though he was charity, but he would give to charity and he kept saying, God will provide, you know, that kind of thing. Oh yeah. Insane to believe in God after all of that. He somehow had faith. Well, what's interesting I think about faith is that either it seems insane or it seems necessary.

I mean, you are alive. And they love me because I was the name. That's why I never changed my last name. The worst name in show business, Aronovich? I think it's pretty good. Because your first name's Rich. Well, it's Richard. Yeah, I know, but Rich Aronovich. I told that to my girlfriend, she couldn't stop laughing.

She goes, what is that, a stage name? Yeah, who are you talking about? Rich Aronovich. She's like, oh, what is that, a stage name? Yeah, who are you talking about? Richaronovich, she's like, oh, I like that. Short for Richaronovich. Well, there's some guy who, she deals with at work, I think his name is Bob Bopidopoulos or something. And she just likes the illiterate nature. Yeah, for sure.

It's fun to say. Richaronovich. Yeah, it's good. What are you gonna change it to? Rich Aaron? Right, Aronson, Ross. It Renovitch. Yeah, it's good. What are you gonna change it to? Rich Aaron? Right, Aronson, Ross. It's all Jew. Yeah, it's all Jew. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Lipschultz, I'll change it to Lipschultz. Hey. Jeffrey Ross. It's Jeff, it's his original name. So I didn't change it because I thought, you know, I was like the, the name is that, like that's the survival name. So your dad grew up in Canada.

Yeah, he grew up in Canada. And he's got, you know And he's got stuff from this. I mean, we get into a line at the bank. I remember being a kid watching him start to just have this internal turmoil with a bead of sweat going down his head because he was taught, don't get in lines. Don't trust government.

Don't trust uniform. There's a lot of stuff where it's like, you go, whoa, there's, you know. That he grew up with. Yeah, that he saw. Even in Canada. Well, he's, you know, I'm pretty sure he has memories of my grandfather screaming

in the middle of the night from bad dreams of stuff that happened to him. Yeah. You know, and being alone, like that isolation, because they had to survive, so there wasn't a lot of upbringing. And so he's, you know, he functions as he's got generation. And he has a younger brother?

He's got two younger brothers, and he had a younger sister passed away. So why does he go to New Orleans? They were in Montreal, and they were worried about the French and English was really tense. They were worried about, oh, something's going to happen, you know. Like a war or something. Because of the Montreal wanted to succeed? Yeah. Well, there was a lot of language tension.

Right. Yeah. But they wanted to succeed. Exactly right. The Quebec wanted to succeed. It looked like it could be civil war back then. So my mom's dad had a brother in New Orleans, and he moved down there, so they sort of left to go, you know, sort of hang out in New Orleans. Your mom's Canadian too? Yeah. Oh, interesting. Yeah, otherwise if she wasn't,

I wouldn't have to get in my citizenship. You can't get dual? I can't, yeah, I have dual. You have dual? Yeah. So in order to become American citizen, you don't have to? I revoked you don't, in order to become American citizen, you don't have to... I revoked my Canadian citizen, but I crossed my fingers.

So it didn't count. Wait, but so... When I became an American, you're supposed to, I think Canada was, but you're supposed to like revoke all allegiance to any other place. I don't know what that was. I think, you know. But you've tracked, you still have Canadian?

I have a passport that's Canadian, so I'm assuming. An up-to-date one? I think it expires in the... When'd you become an American? 2015, right before Trump got elected. Good timing, such great timing. Right under the wire. Yeah, exactly.

Gotta do this now. Yeah, I'm like, something's... But nobody, you know, nobody thought he was gonna win back then. Yeah. exactly. Got to do this now. Yeah, I'm like, something's... But nobody thought he was going to win back then. Yeah. So, New Orleans, like what... It was David Duke's district? Yeah, where he got elected. If you don't know David Duke, he's a former Grand Wizard of the KKK.

Yeah, we know him. He had a... Ran for president. He ran for president. He won the district I was in and lost the governorship by about 2%. Yeah. It was really close. But why that area?

That's just where we happen to live. I mean, my parents didn't have a lot of money. There are Jews in New Orleans. There are Jews in New Orleans. Yeah. They worked very hard, my parents. Yeah. They ended up doing mortgages and loans,

and they did it with morality, which was unheard of. Right. So they would do stuff, like they would go, we're closing a loan, this is a tax I don't collect, this doesn't mean anything, this is like three grand in BS fees that everybody, 100% of the people you'll go to loan, they pocket. We're not gonna pocket it. Just send me two friends if you know anybody.

And they would have the loyalty of being. Oh, that's nice. And then before Katrina, the government said, look, you wanna fix up the lower ninth ward? We'll sell you these houses subsidized. You can renovate them and rent them. So my parents went, we can lower crime in this area because we'll give them central air

and we'll give them washer and dryers. Cause the crime spikes in like August, cause it's so hot. They all end up by the laundry mat, you know, and it's tense. And so they go, we can lower crime. Let's do this. They finished the reservations and then two weeks later, Katrina just took everything out. So they didn't make a penny from all that money they put in there.

And so they ended up moving to Northern Virginia by my sister. After Katrina. After Katrina, yeah. But you grew up your whole childhood in New Orleans. Yes, my whole childhood in New Orleans. I was going to, yes. How do you avoid the accent or? At one point I started, I had a neighbor that I loved

and I started, you know, a mimic. So I started mimicking his accent, like not realizing it. I just took it on. And my father said, if you have a New Orleans accent, people will treat you differently. You will be unemployable. You're not gonna have, you know, you're not gonna go to a doctor's like,

hey, how you doing, darling? You want me to get you some surgery? You're not gonna, you're gonna think they're stupid. So you can either stop talking like that or you can't see the neighbor. Yeah. So I said, all right. You lose a friend.

You lose the friend or the accent, pick one. So I lost the accent. And you had to consciously figure it out. But you don't think you had it to begin with, you just think you emulated it. I think I started to and then he shut it down. But New Orleans accent does sound a little Brooklyn-y. Yeah? Yeah, I mean a little Brooklyn-y. Yeah?

Yeah, I mean a lot of- Well, there's gotta be a lot of different ones down there. Cause you got kind of a Frenchy kind of one. You got the like the Cajun, there's no real French, it's Cajun and Creole. Yeah. You know, Tibidobudro right there? Yeah.

Conogombo yaya? Yeah. And my dad had to have a secretary translate cause he couldn't understand them. Oh really? Yeah, so he, they put him on speaker and they would say something and then he would take it and put it on mute, and she'd go, what'd he say?

And then he'd be tripping. But what are the good things about growing up in New Orleans? There was awesome food, awesome camaraderie. Like, there was a small town feel. There's really great music stuff to do. I was able to go out at 15. You could get your license at 15 and go to bars at 15.

The drinking age was 18 there. So I had an old fake ID of a guy and I would get in anywhere. Yeah, I had a fake ID. And we drove at 15 too in Albuquerque. Yeah, yeah. But this is when kids weren't beating you up? No, I mean, there was, yeah, no, this wasn't when kids were beating me up.

That was when you were very young? That was when I was very, yeah, very, yeah, those guys, they really, I mean, it was pretty good, but they were taught, you know, they were taught I was the enemy. Jew. Yeah, Jew. Did they, and they, they egged your house and everything else? Yeah, I remember during Passover.

Yeah. And it was like, all right, ready to eat the eggs, you know, it was like hit the window. But it wasn't that timing, but it was like, yeah, they literally would throw eggs at our house and like, just. But did your parents have problems? I mean, yeah, they literally would throw eggs at our house and like just. But did your parents have problems? I mean, yeah, my dad had a swastika. I remember going into his office and I saw someone spray painted a swastika on his, you know,

kind of his building and whatever. But, and you know, one of the things I'm always like, you gotta behave extra, you gotta tip extra because they're gonna leave and go, you see what they do? You know? So, yeah, that's, I mean, so I grew up with a mistrust and a, you know, I feel like a round peg in a square hole kind of deal.

Sure. But what happens, how do you get out of there? You mean, I went to, you know, Jews don't send their kids to rehab. They send them to Israel. So I went to Israel for 10 months. You were already fucked up? Oh yeah.

I started, yeah, about 16, it took off probably about 17, 18. Yeah. And so my parents didn't know what to do with me. So they said, all right, I was, here's this program. You go to Israel for 10 months, you volunteer, you learn stuff and you get college credit and it's a lot cheaper and go.

So you were pretty Jew uh, Jew-y? Yeah, I was pretty Jew-y. Your folks were? Well, when my grandfather died, my dad didn't believe he was sick. He thought it was a manipulation to get him to go back to Canada. Yeah.

So he had, um, he had cancer, and he didn't believe him. And he died really quickly, and my dad, I, like, just, he didn't know how to process the emotions, so it came out through, we became a kosher home. Oh really? We started going to synagogue.

We would, Friday night, we would sit around and read these stories of, you know, stuff. And it was quite nice in some ways. You know, I know it's born out of pain. A lot of, I mean, most of my Judaism is born out of pain. It's out of like negative, like, oh, you know, don't let them, you know, get you. It's not, you know, there are some beautiful things within all religions are including Judaism

Yeah, you know, you just have to sort of melt away You kind of got like walked into the tradition and all that Yeah, but then when I went to Israel the first thing I it completely did the opposite. Was it a kibbutz situation? well, I first place was a I was in a I was in a Well, my first place was, I was in a development town where they taught, like, there was either, it was all the new immigrants from Ethiopia and Russia. Yeah. So I was volunteering, teaching, you know, I was at the zoo and teaching English to these kids who didn't speak, you know, there was no language, there was no way to speak.

So I learned Hebrew pretty quick. Yeah. You know, because I looked the part. You still got it? Shekhti akul. That means I forgot everything. I learned Hebrew pretty quick. Yeah. You know, because I looked the part, especially back then. You still got it? Shekhti akul. That means I forgot everything. I know how to curse.

I remember very little. That means you forgot, what you just said means I forgot everything? Yeah, I forgot everything. Oh, all right. Yeah, so I forgot everything, but I remember it was like the second week we were there, and Hizballah, we were going camping for my birthday,

and Hizballah started shooting rockets into our campsite. Yeah. So there was like a terrorist kind of thing going on and alarms and bomb shelters and running out and freaking out and then like, you know, anyone and the doors were all on off, like they were like, so they'd slam constantly. So I kept hitting the ground. So like twice a day, and I'd hit the ground, think it was another bomb, you know, I just got, I was nuts for a couple, for a while.

And it was interesting. I became very, you know, scared, but I realized after that, I went, oh, I'm not, I just, I was nuts for a couple, for a while. And it was interesting. I became very, you know, scared, but I realized after that, I went, oh, I'm not, I'm gonna pursue my dream of being a clown. Yeah. Yeah, well, so- Of becoming a comedian. That was when I decided.

When you were in Israel. Yeah. So, but you were there for 10 months? Yep, 10 months. Did you move around? Yeah, we started in a development town, then I went to a learning, like in Jerusalem, we learned a bunch of stuff where, you know, you have to read college credit.

Then I went to a Moshev, which was fascinating. It was a Yemenite and Moroccan Moshev. What's a Moshev? It's, okay, the difference between a kibbutz and a Moshev, a kibbutz is like everything's communal. It's like total hippie. Yeah. It's like our dollar, not your dollar, not mine.

Right, right. It's our dollar. Moshev is like they share the same equipment. They share the same land. They share, but they have their own kind of money. So it's like, it's like kibbutz light, I would say. And really fascinating different cultures. They cooked for you and they were just- All Jews though. Yeah, all Jews. But I had a lot of, I had a lot of contact with a lot of Arabs in Palestine and people that were just living peacefully amongst each other.

But this was the year that the first peace process happened. So it became the violence, which was like kind of in the territories. It sort of all went into Israel. So it got really nuts. There was like a big bus bombing. I almost was on that bus kind of deal and a guy got beheaded on TV, live.

And my friends were at a restaurant, a guy got on their table and started spraying people with machine gun fire. Yeah, just crazy stuff, just crazy stuff. What made you decide to do comedy in Israel? Well, this is what happened. So there was like a talent show at the end of the whole thing and I decided I was gonna, from my high I was going to do it and I bailed.

I was too scared. I didn't have anything. So I called in sick to my first performance. To do stand up. Yeah. So then I went to, you know, right at the end of my senior year. So then I went to Israel and I did it for my friends. It was, and of course it's my friends.

So I'm getting like, you know, and then I come back and then that summer I'm like outside of this place in New Orleans Called movie pictures where they serve alcohol and you can drink and watch tea You know watch a movie and smoke cigarettes and I'm bored with the movie So I'm outside and I'm making this guy laugh and he's like, hey, you know, we have a Contest it's an improv group So if you tell a joke and you win you come back and open for us I think I'm a comic cuz I did it one time. Yeah, so I like okay

So I go and I tell the street joke I think I'm a comic, because I did it one time. So I'm like, OK. So I go and I tell the street joke, I win. And I started doing stand-up in New Orleans. And two parts of that story, the guy was Ken Jeong, the guy from the Hangover and Masked Singer. He was a doctor. He was exactly. He was doing his residency in New Orleans.

Oh, really? Yeah. So he was the guy before he was anybody. He was like, you know. And that was the guy. he was in an improv group. And then the, and I started doing under the name Smooth Daddy Johnson, because I thought I'd get a laugh before I got to the stage. Because I was like 19.

Yeah. You know. And what was your act? It was horrible. It was, I had boxes, like I put hats under a box, and I would play a character and tell jokes in that character. For the hat. Yeah, so like, yeah.

And then one of the, I had my friend underneath, so I'd have the audience pick the hat and give it to me, but in one of them it was someone's head, so they'd lift up the box and he would scream and yell at them. I mean, it was like, it was like Bravodvilshtik, you know what I mean? Yeah. But I was 19, I didn't know what I was doing. I was just trying to, you know, getting laughs. Yeah, I was just trying to get laughs in any way possible.

Yeah. Played harmonic, I played the circumcision blues and I played a guitar. I played, I thought it would be funny to play the two life crew song, but like really acute, you know, hey, we want some, just the ladies, you know, that kind of thing. Yeah.

You just, you'd have a field day. No holds barred, you just kind of did everything. Yeah, yeah, I was, I was just, you know. How do you do the thing with the head? The stage head? So you have like a tablecloth, so it covers one part. Oh, it's under a table. Yeah, it's on a table, so all of the backs are on a table.

It's like a half a magic trick. Yeah, so you go, oh, pick a box number. They're coming up. And that would be the whole set? Yeah, yeah, yeah, it was terrible. And then, so another set was the guitar stuff? Well, it would be like, yeah, exactly. I went from there, and then I went and moved to New York.

I started doing it. I did the New York Comedy Club at the time was like the Walmart of comedy. It was like Walmart's place. You remember, what, on 24th or whatever? Yeah, so I did a comedy. The three rooms, the one that sat like four people? Yeah.

So I did a comedy contest and there was no judges. Because I said to the guy, I go, Hey, did you like my set? He goes, yeah. I go, did you like the part with the glove? He goes, it was great. I was like, there's no part with the glove. So my act became the comedy contest. When did you decide you're ready for New York?

I didn't. I did a, I majored in theater. I went to Emory from there. I was doing, so I went to- You finished? So yeah, yeah. So this is what happened. So I, so from New Orleans, I did comedy all that summer.

Then I go to college and I go, I need stage time. So I'd run around campus and go, guys, did you hear that Smooth Daddy Johnson's gonna be at the depot? And they're like, who? I'm like, you haven't heard of Smooth Daddy, this guy's an amazing comic. He's doing a free show, you gotta show up.

Then they'd show up and it was me. And they'd already be like, oh, this guy. And I would bomb, but I kept doing it. I would go to the Uptown Comedy Corner in Atlanta. It's an urban room, all black, and they would say, if he's not funny, Earthquake, I think, was hosting. So if he's not funny, boo him. And I got booed off stage for years.

I mean, I didn't do well once. Not one time. I tried everything. I tried the characters. I tried doing straight. I tried, I mean, booed off for years. And I kept going back. I didn't, it didn't phase me. So, Emory's, okay, so you were in Atlanta? I was in Atlanta. And I remember my friends came and saw me. And you didn't go to the comedy club there? No, I did. They wouldn't, the punch line didn't,

they weren't having me. I don't remember why. I just never, I was like, no, let me go to the hardest one. Where they, you know, they, and so my friends came and saw me and they, after they went and bought me a Frosty. I was like, what's this? They're like, are you okay? And I'm like, yeah, yeah, this is just to get better. This is what has to happen till I get good.

So you were a confident tanker? I just knew that at some point it would click. I had this belief that like, okay, we'll try this. Okay, that didn't work. I will try this. Something will click. You're doing everything. I'm doing everything. It's the jack of all trades. It's not good. It's not a point'll try this. Okay, that didn't work. Or we'll try this. Something will click. You're doing everything. I'm doing everything.

It's the jack of all trades. It's not good. It's not a point of view thing. You're just sort of- Oh, point of view. Yeah, you're just putting on hats and doing guitar. How much point of view can you have when you're pretending that your name

is Smooth Daddy Johnson? I don't know. I have no idea who decides to do that. Me. Yeah. A 19-year-old who thinks they're gonna be a star. Right. So then I go to, I major in theater.

The director brings me to New York to do an internship at the performing garage of the Worcester group. Oh, the Worcester group. Yeah, so I'm like, you know, I'm like. It's like what you were doing could almost fit the Worcester group. Yeah, totally. Totally.

Totally. You just did it a little bit ironically. You could probably do it. Yeah, totally. Like if I did it like not knowing how bad it was. If you did it seriously. Yeah, like if I was like, yeah. Not even, yeah, like no, you're presenting it all.

Yeah, exactly. Seriously, not trying to get laughed. Yeah, yeah, for sure. The head. And I did, and then I was supposed to be in there for a sublet for like a month and I stayed for 10 years. Oh, really? Yeah, I just, I go, oh, and then I- And you graduated? I graduated then I, I was supposed to be in there for a sublet for like a month and I stayed for 10 years. Oh, really? Yeah, I just, I go, oh, and then I-

And you graduated? I graduated, well, I barely graduated from college. I mean, barely. I was very close to failing. What'd you learn at the Worcester group? Um, I just was an idiot. I don't know. I learned, I mean, I got to see some really cool experimental theater.

I learned that I'm not an actor. That's what I learned. Was Spallin' Gray still around or- No, I think, no, it was Willem Dafoe. Willem Dafoe was around. He would come back? Yeah, he was around. I remember the first time I got a message from him, I was so excited because I was like, you know, I was like, Mr. Dafoe, you have a message. He's like, yeah, put it on my desk. Yeah.

It's like, oh, yeah, that makes a lot more sense. Couldn't charm him. I couldn't either. I had them in my... I had them on the podcast. I couldn't get through. Yeah? Yeah, no. He seemed very sort of mildly upset with me the whole time. Well, you're doing great with me. Yeah. I'm feeling very charmed.

Yeah, well good. That's not a stretch. Yeah, I'm hiding under tables if you want to get... I'm just waiting for you to break into the hat thing. Yeah. So then, yeah, so then I lost the name. I started, you I started hustling. I was in, I would hand, all those idiots that are handing out flyers, and that's my fault. I was the guy, I was at the, I used to,

first I went to- Boston? Well, I started, I started at Stand Up New York. I was the manager, so I'd wear like a fake hat. Wait, you got a job as the manager of Stand Up New York? Not manager, I was- The guys were handing out flyers before you. Well, okay, let me explain.

So the, yeah, for sure. But what happened was I was, I got a job for $10 and they would, they say, okay, you seat people and bring them their food and then- Is it stand up New York? Yeah. When Carey's still there? Yes.

Okay. Yes. Remember Carey Hoffman? Of course. Who's this guy? Yeah. Oh, he's your client. Okay, put him on.

Yeah, yeah. So what I do is because I was like, okay, if they think I'm the guy handing them the food and seating them, they're not gonna laugh at me. So I put on a fake glasses and a hat with a fake ponytail and I switched shirts. I had like a disguise when I sat them so that they wouldn't know that that was the door guy. But they just know that guy's odd.

No, they didn't. I would be totally, just when I sat them I was odd. The ponytail and the makeup makeup was that good? The glasses were that you were you're fooling everybody with your hat I was I was I had these glasses and ponytail with a hat and then when I took it off And when I'm safe, they didn't recognize that that was the guy that just sat him was a different guy So you did well then I wouldn't say well I was doing check spots and I was I think I think Brad Chackman goes you're funnier than your material

And I was, I think Brad Chackman goes, you're funnier than your material. LAUGHS But then I went from there, I went, I met Louis Schaeffer. Remember Louis Schaeffer? Oh my god, yeah. So he had me bark, and he taught me this. Where? At stand-up?

At the Boston Comedy Club, down in the village. So he taught me these skills, and then I brought it to Times Square, and I started producing a sketch and improv show. For Ha? Yep. And then I started doing stand-up, and it was like, Fleet Week, and we realized I started producing a sketch and improv show. For Ha? Yep. And then I started doing stand-up and it was like Fleet Week and we realized, okay, we'll do another show.

Okay, I'll do another show. You started a sketch and improv show? Yeah, originally. And then I... So you always had a lot of hats. Yeah. Yeah. Yes, man.

It's right. A lot of hats. Outfits? Outfits, yeah. Yeah, exactly. Clown. Yeah, clown. So... Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha I can make sounds. I'm like the white Michael Winslow. You know what I mean? I can.

If I had no shame, I'd probably be you. Yeah, shame. I have no shame. Yeah. There's not a, if I can get a snicker, I'm like, I'm in. Anything. You have shame, but not in terms of what you do comedically. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

I'm pretty, yeah. It's very hard. It's really weird to have. Because I can play harmonica. I'm pretty, yeah, it's very hard. It's really weird to have. Can I play harmonica? I can play guitar. Yeah. I can wear a hat.

I just couldn't do it on stage. Right. I lost all that. I shedded it away. I just do it. How long did that take? It took a minute. I don't know, I saw the special.

It looks like the opening is. Well, that's the clown. That's the. No. Like me, like me, like me, like me. Was that the character? What was your name? No, the dancing sort of thing happened during the pandemic. Someone challenged me to the TikTok challenge.

I was like, what is this? Yeah. So I go on TikTok and it's like these young girls and the side boob and the butt cheek doing a dance challenge and I think it's ridiculous. So I go, oh, you want a dance challenge? So I put on a bikini to make fun of it. And then I started, it blew up. People loved it. And then I was like, oh, you want a dance challenge? So I put on a bikini to make fun of it. And then I started, it blew up.

People loved it. And then I was like, oh, great. So then I was like, well, I had nothing to do. So I was, you know, I started getting outfits and dancing in the, I was in the kitchen and people loved it. And I remember I was like, all right, this is, this is really, like my parents sat me down

to have like an intervention. They were like, you gotta stop doing this. It's mortifying. Because you like, you gotta stop doing this, it's mortifying. Because you're using your real name. Yeah, exactly. And so, and then this woman said, look, my sister's really sick,

and instead of being scared, we're just laughing at your videos. Yeah. And then I was like. That's when you start visiting hospitals? No, that's when I was like, are you gonna buy my t-shirt or not? No.

Your sister has to pay up front. No, then I realized I was helping people. Like I was like, okay, this is a bad time. Everyone's scared on both sides. And like I'm just doing this dumb thing to make fun of TikTok, but I now became the problem. But like it's helping people. So I went, all right, I'll do it. And then I realized it, it really, it exploded.

So I went, all right, well people, I can get, I can manipulate them into my standup by getting, oh, it's the dance guy, does standup? That was the plan. And then you can alienate them with the standup. And then I can alienate them with the standup. Yeah, like this isn't the fun guy. Yeah, this is exactly. So the beginning of the special is sort of a nod to that and then like I'm transitioning into this is who I really am.

And then I put out the special and now it's doing what it's doing. And I'm, you know. What's it doing? It's doing. And I'm, you know. What's it doing? It's doing okay. Plotting along? It's plotting along. Listen, every time I look at the numbers or the likes of the comments, I'm dead in the wall.

I'm dead. It's not, there's never a point where they'll. What's it called again? It's called the artist. It's ironic, the artist. I don't think I'm an artist with the hats and the kazoos and the big shoes and the spitting flower. No, it's the artist. I don't think I'm an artist with the hats and the kazoos and the big shoes and the spitting flower.

No, it's the artist. No, it's all straight standup. Yeah. It's like 20 minutes, right? No, it's 33 minutes. I took, I broke it into two. Everyone said it's too long. So I took the first, I went, oh great, let's make it two specials.

So there's another one? There's one in the, yeah, ready to, I'm gonna see how this one does, wait a few months and I'll put out the other one. You're gonna launch the second half? No, it's not a half, it's just own separate thing. Oh, is there more outfits? No, no, there's no outfits. Okay.

Yeah, there's no outfits. Dancing guy again? No more dancing guy. So the second one. I think I talk about, I don't know if I talk about the dancing guy in this one, or how I got into the dancing thing. Oh, I don't know, I don't the dancing guy in this one, or you know, how I got into the dancing thing. Oh, I don't know if I, I don't think you did.

No, so then it's on the next one. So that's the thing, man. People are doing 33 minute hours. Well, I did it, I shot it, you know, an hour and whatever, in 10 or an hour and 20 or whatever, and I went cut this, get this, and then once I put it all together, everyone I talked to said no one's going to watch an hour. So I said, oh, all right. How did I win that?

I don't know why people say that. Because I think the attention span has dwindled. But is it true, it's all based on the algorithm. So in a general sense, they can make these statements because they can see when people stop watching it. But that's not all people. For sure, but- It's a ratio game. This idea that we all have to accommodate

people's inability. The Brutalist was nominated for an Academy Award. That's three hours. And that's why I didn't watch it. Not unlike my standup. But you're also, I mean, you're coming from a different time where they had hour specials and there wasn't social media and people.

No, I understand that, but I do believe, and I'm not advising you to do anything other than what you're doing, but I just feel that there are adult people that if the show is engaging, can watch an hour of standup. I agree with you. But that means that the next one, I have to write an hour.

Now I have to write 30 minutes. It's a lot more- You have to do the job? You have to do the job. Now I have to write 30 minutes. It's a lot more. You have to do the job? You have to do the job. Yeah. But I'm not. You have to create a new hour every year or something? As you can hear from this interview, I'm not prolific.

Yeah. No, I mean, obviously I'm writing now. Yeah, I mean, I watched a special. I'm like, I did that joke in 95. No, you did. Just one. Really? Yeah. It's just one. Really? Yeah.

It's okay. You know what? It happens, but. No, no, I'm not upset about it. I'm definitely gonna be thinking, this is the only thing I'm gonna think about when we leave, for sure. Really?

Oh, it's gonna eat me alive. First of all, there was not one point you went, I liked it. No, no, I liked it special. You're a fun guy. Okay. You're a funny guy. Wow, fish caught. Did you see that he just put the hook in the water?

No, no, no. You had no choice there. Look, I knew what I was expecting and it delivered. Insecure clown. Diplomatic compliment. No, it was exactly what I expected from you. Mark, you can't hate me more than I hate me. I don't hate you at all. Okay, good.

Never have. Yeah, but I'm concerned about, I haven't. What are you concerned about? I'm oversensitive, so I'm concerned about your opinion of me, that person's opinion. I want people to like me, obviously. Why would I be in these outfits? Maybe you should call the next half hour that.

Yeah. I want people to like me. I want people to like me. I want people to like me. How do you feel about your time here? Are you going to leave feeling OK? I'm going to be a little bit in my head. About what? About the joke that you had in 1995.

I wasn't going to tell you. It's going to kill me. But that happens. No, I know what to have. I don't care tell you. It's gonna kill me. But that happens, you know. I know it, I don't care. No, no, but this is... I don't care. I don't think you stole it. I don't care. Maybe watch my 95 HBO half hour.

But that's too bad. When I was two. I really, I really, with that kind of stuff, to me, it's sort of like, it's a general joke. I really, I'm really with that kind of stuff. To me, it's sort of like, it's a general joke, you know, in a way. It's not a point of view joke. It's not about me, per se. Right.

And that's just, you know, that's, you know, everybody can do that. It could happen. Like sometimes I'll see somebody... Everyone talks about the same thing. We're both Jews, that's all. Yeah. Yeah. Which one was it? Which one was it?

It's just a line that I used to do a joke where it was about being in the South. And I used it as a tag, I'd pull it up without a whole bit attached to it, where it would just be like, I would say I'm a Jew, and I'd say, I was down south once, and I said that, and I heard the guy in the audience go, I knew it. I knew it. Did I have that in there?

Yeah. It was, that's in there? Well, it's not quite like that, but I knew it. It was after you do this sort of like, I need time to run the banks and you do this, and then, you know, and then it was like, you know, I knew it. Yeah, it's an easy line.

It was a throw away. Yeah. Oh yeah. Yeah, it's not a problem. Yeah, okay, that's not a big deal. No, it's not a whole big deal. Okay, I don't need to obsess on this and start, hire a therapist and do an intake

and say, you know, I'm unoriginal. It's an easy Jew joke, and I'm sure and say, you know, I'm an original. It's an easy Jew joke. And I'm sure that a Jew did it before me too. Yeah. Yes. All right, so that's like a, probably a throwaway. That was an improv.

I don't need to overthink it, is what I'm getting. You didn't steal a joke. Okay, good. And it's not the same joke. But people, you know, there's people that are nuts about it. I got, you know, I, someone and I had a similar kind of thing. And I said, look, we got a similar thing. I'm just letting you know.

I'd never saw you do it. It's on my special, dah, dah, dah, dah. And they forgot about this. Oh, it's all good. And then months later, he comes at, you know, coming at me. That's the risk of someone getting his head. Yes, exactly right. Someone came in and said, this guy stole from you.

And then they came in for guns blazing. And I go, hey, man, we had this conversation and I respect respect you as a comedian as a person, but it's it's out already It's not like I can cut it. It's too late. And it's what is it? It's one that I have a joke now that like I I've been doing it for a while and it's it's kind of a throwaway But it's definitely a joke and I can't remember Like you don't know after a certain point whether someone saw you do it. And, you know, it's just one of those things, you know, and any special is not going to hinge on one line, whether it's a throwaway or what.

But if it's a signature piece, you know, so that's why I try to do long form personal stuff because anytime you're talking about external things, you're in that pool of people who are reacting to news or information. You know what I mean? Like, I don't know anything. I didn't even register that those ladies went to space, but people were doing material on it for a week or two. I don't give a fuck.

So I try to keep it as personal and cringey as I can. Right. You're still cringe. Yeah, a little bit. So, yeah, so then, and then, and even if I'm doing personal stuff, so I'm going to talk about my kids or whatever, people have stuff about their kids. And so we're kind of pulling from saying, I don't know, I mean, you try to be as original as possible.

That's all. But it's nearly impossible. I mean, nobody has got something that hasn't been touched on or similar. There's thousands and thousands of comedians. Yeah. I mean, you just can't, you know. Anytime, like, there are conversations about, you know, people stealing things, and then, you know, like, in the community, it seems that he seems to have sort of simmered down.

But you know, the jokes that they're always accused of stealing, like, that joke? Right. I've heard nine people do that joke. Right. And there's also like reputation. I mean, at some point you go, okay, when someone's a known clippy person, we hear about it.

Yeah. You know who's kind of clippy and who you gotta be careful of. I guess, I don't hear about anything anymore. I just see people that do a similar joke. I'm like, I gotta get rid of that joke, or whatever. Back in the day, I used to do a joke

about smoking sections at airports and I was on a show with a guy who also had one. It was a different joke. I'm like, you're middling for me. Could you not do it so we don't double up? But I don't care if you do it. Right. Yeah, yeah.

I don't care. I mean, I get not stepping on your opening. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I don't really always know that anymore. It all goes away, dude. Yeah. Yeah, that don't even I don't really always know that anymore. You know, I don't even it all goes away dude Yeah, yeah that that whole thing. I mean there's other insecurities, you know You know if other stuff well unless like it's like you it's a it's a topic that's a little off-road And it's a little surprising and they're doing it to you like a cock. Yeah, that's just bad coincidence Yeah, but I mean look, you know,, oh, fuck. You know, that's just bad coincidence. Yeah.

But I mean, look, you know, since I'm obviously desperate to do well, which hurts the writing tremendously, because I'm trying stuff and I go, ah, it didn't work. And then I try it again. What happened to the guy that used to do black clubs? Right. Yeah.

Right. What happened to him? He started tasting laughter. I like that better. I like success better. Right. Yeah. Right. What happened to him? Yeah. He started tasting laughter. Went, oh, I like that better. I like success better. Where's the courage of that guy? No, I'm doing stuff like, and I sandwich it between stuff that I protect it, but it's—

Sure, everyone does. You need to do it. Yeah, yeah. But I, you know, it's hard. And then also, like, I'm doing some stuff that I don't know what's offensive or not. Like, I'm growing up in New Orleans where my parents like look, you know tits are over there You know, they they we they we I joked about the Holocaust to my grandparents who survived the Holocaust So there wasn't a whole like sensitivity thing going on in our house. Yeah, you know what I mean?

I well, no, I mean it seems that seems to have turned I mean if you can shoulder the reaction, I mean you kind of I think you kind of talk about that Yeah, you make yeah kind of think you kind of talk about that. Yeah. Do you make fun of the sensitivity of some people? Yes. It's interesting. We did the show in Vegas and then after I talked to this audience member who was, you know, this guy had a great, it starts one way. It's a good, it's a really good bit about trans. It starts one way so it seems like it's right wing, and then it turns left wing. But she turned off. Her brain just went melted on the beginning and didn't hear.

I go, actually, and then I'm like, why am I fighting and defending someone else's bit? Yeah. But it was sort of like, it was frustrating because it was like her emotions were the most important thing, and that was all that there was. Well, my question is, is like, why is anyone talking about trans people?

Yeah. Well, because it's, I guess it's, I mean, I'm not, but it's topical. I guess I have a bit about it, like a little bit. Well, I mean, if you want to disarm, you know, the weird kind of full momentum of the right wings scapegoating of them or targeting them, I mean, that seems like a good thing to do.

But it's just like, I would see people at the comedy store, I'd see two or three people like on stage and be like, I guess I got to do my trans joke. It's like, you don't. Right, right. I mean, why are you letting your mind be dictated by right-wing talking points if you're not going to push back on it? Like, if you're just kind of making a joke and you think it's okay, but the joke doesn't end with the point being like,

why are we talking about this at all? Then why do it? Right. Well, I mean, yeah, I mean, there's some people that like they go, they look at the trending topics and try to write jokes about it. So that may be their motive.

But that's the thing is like, these people that are free thinkers, it doesn't seem that way because they're just regurgitating ideological talking points that have spread throughout every level of society. So that's not free thinking at all. You're just acting on the behest of this propaganda. And it's the same with people who do like crowd you know, crowd work, you know, on Instagram. The only reason that people do that is it interfaces perfectly with TikTok and Instagram in terms of the way the timing works.

So you're not even free thinking at all. And first of all, crowd work, you know, on some level, and I'm not saying you, but it's like, you know, a high school student can do that. Any fucking idiot can do crowd work. Well, they be able to do it. I'm not can do crowd work. Well, they'd be able to do it. I'm not... Well, fine.

Yeah, well, but yes. But what I'm saying is the reason it's popular is because it's short bursts that kind of make it seem like it's happening in the moment, and it fits perfectly with the new platforms that distribute comedy. Well, that's also, you can't keep up with the demand. I mean, how are you supposed to put out three, you know, well-crafted bits a week and not have them come to your show and know the punchline before you say it? But what I'm saying is that, you know...

So you can just crowd work and think, oh, they're coming to see it. But the demand is created by, you know, a corporate platform that is dictating how you structure your art. Correct. And you can say either, screw this, I don't want to be part of it, and then not sell tickets. No, I get it. So, but when you sell tickets, you're expected to do the fucking dance

with the people that you have to pretend like you wanna talk to, so you can get your little needs met. Huh, Jew? Yeah. I mean, fuck it. What just happened? Was that about me? I don't know.

What did I do? What was the question, had I like my time here? It was great to just now. I think you mix it up pretty good. I just think, you know, I think crowd work is a skill and you do some of it, but it's usually transitional. Yeah, it's right. So like what I try because I host a lot of the sellers.

So I try to like, you know, very little to beginning just to get it sort of like the room settled and they feel like it's a unique experience and I definitely leave in some material because I don't want the next comic, you know, it's a disservice to the show if they think it's a conversation. It becomes a hecklefest. It's not fair to the comics behind you. You know, I try to think of that. Like I always try to save material for like when they drop the checks or when they do last call at the seller.

That's when I'm supposed to, that's the, okay, this is your job is to eat, to take that. Don't bring someone up to, yeah, don't bring someone up to murmur. You gotta talk. Yeah, you said, that was the funny thing about being a headliner is that like, you'd always have to deal with a check spot.

Again, it's right as you're setting up your closer. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. I learned to do like loud. Like I go, okay, do a sound effect joke. Do something loud and done. Well, I got to the point where I'm like, oh, you just get the checks?

Well, let's just take a break. Mm-hmm. Everyone good? Take a pause, yeah. All right, let's do this. Any questions? Do I have the attention back? All right, Let's go. Yeah. Any questions? Do I have the attention back? All right, here we go.

That's when you do the crowd work, Mark. Oh my God. There was a club that, you know, I lost my mind. It had a, they had the pay machine system. Oh yeah. Which is fine. You know, it makes, it's actually, I see how it's effective,

but this particular bunch of machines that they were using, beeped. So it wasn't just a check spot, it was just like random like beep, beep, beep. And I'm like what the fuck is happening? Has anyone brought this up to the owner? I mean that's ridiculous. That's gotta drive you crazy.

Well no, they fixed it I think, because I lost my mind. You brought it up, did you say it in a nice way? I don't have to say anything in a nice way. I'm a court, I know how to do that, but I said to the owner, I said, what are you doing? Because for me, it's like, I get this as a business

and that, you know, but the implication of the fundamental disrespect for the comic was sort of like, you're overlooking that part where you're gonna have the chirping machines all over the room through his entire closing bit. I mean. Can't you put it on vibrate?

Well, that's right. It was like some new system and apparently they fixed it. But like when I was there the first night, I was like, I lost my mind. So then they had to do it the old way where they take the checks to the bar and pay them out. And then you're the jerk. Who gives a fuck?

See, that's where I wanna get to. Who gives a... Well, I mean, I look, I understand it's a little extra work for the servers, but ultimately, in terms of the show, like if you're gonna have a situation where people are supposed to respect the show, which is getting harder and harder in some ways with comedy, always has been, and I understand the relationship

between we're just selling drinks. I get all that, but you're still running a nightclub that is about the performers, at least a quarter as much as it is about making money. Right? And we can abide by rules, but like I'm just sort of like, you know, dude, you know what I mean?

It's a good club and you know, I like working here, but I mean, that's crazy. But this is why, aren't you doing theaters? Yeah, yeah, yeah, but this is just when I was working out. I was just working out. So you were doing like new stuff. Yeah, I do clubs, and I don't mind doing clubs. I like doing clubs, but I just couldn't understand it,

just for other comics even. It wasn't even about me. I'm not gonna be back here for a year. Right. But I mean, I said to the other comics, I'm like, how long has that been going on for? And they're like, yeah. I'm like, no one says anything? And they're like, yeah. And I'm like, no one says anything?

And they're like, no. They're too afraid. Right? It's a supply and demand issue. Oh, you're a problem, next. Right, it's sort of like, okay, we can go work somewhere else. But to me, it's like, come on, man. You know, give us a shot.

You know, give, we need, yeah, whatever. It worked out. Yeah. Yeah. How'd you think I did on the podcast? When? Just now. In the last 10? He was wonderful.

It was very nice conversation, and then he got squirrely. He kind of got in his head. He got his, there it is. He got trapped in that news ticker. Came back up. No, no, it was great. You feel good about it?

I think so. Well, I'm not gonna turn the mics off until you sign off on it. Oh, oh, oh, really? Yeah. That's interesting. Then what do you do? You do like a little recap when I leave?

No. I had a wonderful time. No, I'm gonna send the file to my producer. He'll trim it up and tighten it up. Oh, really? Yeah. And then cut out the part where... Which part?

All of it. Yeah, sure. We don't have to put it up at all. Wait a minute. You can just say we did it. I'll use it as a credit. And people go, I can't find it. I'm like, yeah, we decided not to air it.

You know what I like about your podcast is there's no... You listen to it? Oh, yeah. I listen't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know.

I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know.

I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know.

I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't whatever. Don't, no, no. I know you, no, but let me just say this one. No, you can't. This is what's known as a boundary. Respect it or I'm hanging up. I can't hear whatever you're saying. People are giving you notes on how to do this. They want to give me on how to do this. And I was like, I'm just going to, I've known this guy a while.

I think it's going to be okay. I said, it's going to go the way it's going to go, no matter what you say. If you have control issues, keep it at your, you know what I mean? Just leave me alone. And so, uh, and so then it started making me get in my head, I go, well, what kind of advice? So I should probably listen to a few episodes

and I love it. And so I- So you just started listening to it? No, I listened to it before, way before. And then I was like, but I wanna see how it's changed. Sure, it hasn't changed much. It hasn't changed much, no. And so I like it because it's a very honest conversation.

You get in there. Yeah. Well, I will say this in terms of this happening. It was funny because it was a very funny moment what it was like a month ago. And I was having a real... They don't happen that often, and I usually have other people to call, but I was having a real spiral of a certain type that I decided I need pretty basic, detached recovery talk from someone I know. Right.

And I went through my phone. I'm at A. I don't know how to not, it's not I don through my phone. I'm at A. I don't know how to not make it. I don't want to make it an insult. But I just decided, like, that guy is not in my life. You know, he's a program guy. He owes me. I sat in that frickin' car in Queens for an hour and a half.

I changed that guy's life. Yeah. He's going to be the guy. I'd change that guy's life. Yeah. He's gonna be the guy. Well, I text you every year. Every year? Every year, at one time a year, I text you and thank you. Yeah, it's very nice.

And it's motive free. Yeah, no, no, I know that. I never go, I'm gonna, I'm gonna, cause that's, you know, when this, so you called me, I think you talked about this on Nick Thune's episode. Oh, did I? Yes, you did. Okay. Cause I went, I think he's talking about me. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah me, I think you talked about this on Nick Thune's episode. Oh, did I? Yeah. Yes, you did. Okay.

Cause I went, I think he's talking about me. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. And you were going through something and you called me and we had some nice, there was a lot going on. Yeah, it was just a multi-level kind of spiral. But I get spiral. Well, no, I know we all do, but like I needed to- No, no, not everybody.

No, people don't understand spiral. No, but I mean people in the rooms. Yes. You know, like it was basic stuff. Like, you know, I. No, but I need people in the rooms. Yes. You know, like it was basic stuff. Like, you know, I couldn't get back into the present. I wasn't gonna drink, but I needed to sort of like, you know, just talk to another alcoholic who knew enough about how to program talk.

And it's not just sort of like think, think, think, or first thing, sort of do what's in front of you, but it is kind of. Look, you know, not just sort of like think, think, think, or first thing, sort of do what's in front of you, but it is kind of. Look, you know, you got a brain for it, and I got a brain for it, but I'm not living in that brain as much as I used to. I, you know, look, all I, the thing that I realize, what gives me most joy in this world, by a billion percent,

is when I'm just with my kids being a dad, and it's all service, but it doesn't feel like service. It's just, you know, sitting there, entertaining, helping them, feeding them, walking, doing all that stuff. So I realized like that is the juice. That's the thing that really, all this nonsense. You don't want to ruin that.

No, I don't want to ruin that. Exactly. I don't want to ruin that. But that is the most natural thing. I did not want to be a dad. I was afraid to be a dad. It is by far the, I am, I love being a dad. It's crazy. I didn't think I was capable.

I didn't think I would be able to do it. I didn't think I know how to hold my kid. I mean, I am like super dad and I love it. And it's, to me, it's more, all this other noise that I'm like, the specials gotta do well. People gotta go watch it. I gotta go, None of that matters. It's like, I'm right there in that moment

and they're moment to moment. There's no future, there's no past. It's like, they're right there. Not till later. Not till later. I mean, right now, yeah, exactly. But all I have is now. This is all I have. I have right here, right now, that's it. So when I get home, it's gonna be me and them

and that's it. And then the morning, it's gonna be me and them and then they're not gonna care. I'm gonna get home. What about the mom? What about the mom? Is she there? Of course she's there. I'm them and that's it. And then the morning it's gonna be me and them and then they're not gonna care. I'm gonna get home. What about the mom? What about the mom? She there? Of course she's there. I'm in service of her too.

And she's in a service of me. You just cut her out of that hole. No, but I'm just saying like it's a different thing cause that's a con. We're there. Yeah, it's a more complicated. This is just, you know, I'm daddy. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

You know, and that's the thing. You're getting that hole filled. That's why you have kids. You can be very entertaining. Well, it's, they do think I'm funny. I'm not gonna lie. They do. They do. But they're also very funny. You should tell them to click on the, you know,

that they watch your special. You know, you should tell them. I'm gonna have to hide this episode from them. There's a lot of talk we're gonna have to have. How old are they? One and a half and four and a half. Yeah, I think by the time they find it, it'll probably be helpful to them.

Four and a half? Yeah, I think by the time they find it, it'll probably be helpful to them. Yeah. It'll probably answer a lot of questions. Exactly. It was fun, man. It was good talking to you and thanks for helping me out. Do I plug Rich is Funny?

I'll do it. And that's how they find it? I'll do it. Okay, great. There you go. That was fun. Some good sober shit. His comedy special, Rich Aronovich, the artist is available on YouTube.

Hang out for a minute, folks. I'm Joshua Jackson and I'm returning for the Audible original series, Oracle, Season 3, Murder at the Grand View. Six forty-somethings took a boat out a few days ago. One of them was found dead. The hotel, the island, something wasn't right about it. Psychic agent Nate Russo is back on the case, and you know when Nate's killer instincts are required, anything's possible.

This world's gonna eat you alive. Listen to Oracle Season 3, Murder at the Grandview, now on Audible. Looking for a better place to call home? Discover Watercolor Westport by Landark Homes. Nestled in Eastern Ontario cottage country, live connected to nature, neighbors and the necessities with high speed connectivity. This walkable, vibrant waterfront village offers shops, dining, scenic trails, a winery, and the harbor front. Just steps from your door.

Escape the city to a net-zero ready bungalow at Watercolor Westport. You're only 75 minutes from Ottawa and a short drive to Toronto or Montreal. With new homes starting from the 600s, you can live better in Watercolor Westport. To find out more, visit watercolorwestport.com. People, we've got some outtakes on the full Marin this week. You can hear some additional stuff from my monologues plus segments from Seth Meyers and Megan Stalter's interviews that didn't make it into the finished episodes. I get actually nervous to do podcasts.

You do? Yeah, I don't know why. Always, I feel like I get actually nervous to do podcasts. You do? Yeah, I don't know why. I feel like I get too comfortable saying too much that I'm begging people to take stuff out. Do you have to beg or do they just do it? They usually just do it. But I start going like, why did you say that? I got too comfortable.

I gave too much away. Oh, really? You mean like about yourself? It'll be like, oh, I, like, it'll be either gossipy or like myself or something. I'm like, people could take that the wrong way. Well, that's, it's funny because I've been doing this a long time and that is usually the reason

why people want stuff taken out is because they said something about somebody. It's never like something about themselves usually. It's always like, that might not land the right way and I didn't mean it to be that way. Well, it's never, I'm also never talking bad about a person. It's usually like, oh, I did a brand deal and they cut my hair too short or something like that.

And that's the big worry all day. You're like, oh, am I not gonna be able to sell that stuff anymore? Yeah, and it's like, they don't even work with me anymore. Yeah, yeah. Why do I care? I hope I didn't hurt that brand, that corporation. To get that episode and all the bonus episodes we do

for the full Marron, sign up by going to the link in the episode description or go to WTFpod.com and click on WTF+. And a reminder before we go, this podcast is hosted by a cast Don't tell anybody but there's a little TS So So So So So So So Oomar lives, Boomer lives. Monkey and Lafond at Cat Angels everywhere.