Ep 876 : Matt Fulchiron, Comedian

Upcoming tour dates, come see me live out on the road doing standup comedy. This Saturday night, I will be in New Orleans with my man Bill Burr. September 19th, October 23 and 24 comedy fort in Fort Collins, Colorado. Love it. Halloween weekend. I'm gonna be in Phoenix, Arizona at the Desert Ridge Improv October 30, 31, and November 1st. And a couple new dates, I'm going back to Vancouver. I'll be there with Adam Ray. November 12th. November 14th, I'm part of the Flyover Comedy Festival in St. Louis. And November 21st, I'm coming to Albuquerque. And uh those tour dates of course are on deandelray.com. Also, make sure you go watch both of my standup comedy specials. They are on YouTube right now and they are free of course. One is called 5836 and it's almost at 60,000 views. Just do me a favor, leave a comment, share it with your friends. And the other one is on the Don't Tell Comedy channel and that is tripping at the sphere. I'm kind of out of it today. I don't know what it is. Just uh it's been humid as [ __ ] here. Just crazy humidity and uh just tearing me up. Anyway, lots of good uh good tour dates and uh join the Patreon, too. Over 200 bonus episodes. patreon.com/deanale. How are you guys? You guys good? Did you guys watch some football? How was your weekend? What did you do? I did a lot of comedy. I did a uh couple shows at the comedy store. I was at Flappers with uh Jay Leno and uh yeah, just try to stay inside, man. Humidity. Gertie is just zonked out right now on the floor. We just walked around the neighborhood. It's just a It's like straight up Florida in this [ __ ] It's like straight up Florida in this [ __ ] without the red hats. Anyway, great guest today. Got a comedian on. Not only is he a comedian, he is a good friend of mine. Mr. Matt Fultron is on today and he is promoting a brand new special that came out on YouTube Thursday night, which I had the uh honor of going over to his house and watching and chilling and uh I enjoyed it. I laughed. It's called Altered Reality and it is on his channel Full Charge, but you can just type in Matt Fultron. Fu L C H I R O N. I highly recommend it. It's already over 7 What is it? 7.8,000 views. Almost at 8,000. That's [ __ ] good, man. We're out here. We're out here swinging our own stuff. What do they call it? DIY. Do it yourself. DIY. [laughter] I don't know. I always get that one confused. DIY. Do it yourself. That's what it is. I don't know. I told you I'm out of it today. I don't know what it is, man. I'm just I'm just tore up. Anyway, Matt is my guest today. We dive deep into all kinds of uh comedy talk and music talk. our love of Metallica, uh, religion, his start, my start, everything, comedy right here today. Big time. Watch his special. Share it with your friends and uh, go follow him. His channel is at Fullcharge, like I said, on YouTube. All right, I hope you guys are doing good. There will be a bonus episode out tomorrow on my Patreon and uh I highly recommend you join it. For less than a cup of coffee a month, you can get all these bonus episodes and you can uh really help the podcast. I love all you guys. Keep the candles lit. Here he is, my good friend, Mr. Matt Fultron. All right, here we are. Another episode of Let There Be [music] Talk. It's a comedian today and uh you know I do comedy for 17 [ __ ] years and once in a while I'll have a comedian on >> and I'm glad >> that you do Dean >> Matt Fultron is here. >> Thank you so much for having me on. >> Yeah. >> Uh I love this podcast because of all the musicians you have >> Yeah. >> on. So you know I apologize to the listeners but we're going to make it interesting. >> Oh no. >> You know what I mean? I I mean I would love to talk about comedy every week. Yeah. But that's what the other 9,000 do, >> right? >> And you know, when I started I was like, well, you know, it's 13 years now. I'm like, well, I I don't want to talk to comedians. That's what Marin does. I'll talk to musicians. And no one was doing that back then. >> I know. And I'm so glad you did. >> Yeah. >> Cuz I mean, I'm a huge Metallica fan. And to hear you sit down with Kirk Hammet and Jason Newstead, >> it just blows my mind. Especially since you you've known these guys and you can speak to them in such a short hand and they love it cuz they probably don't like talking to the press. >> Yeah. >> You know, they love to come on and talk to you. So, it's so great. It's uh I think that's the wildest thing about doing this podcast is you have to think about okay uh met these guys put I played music for years and then you have to still be in the business some way and they have to still be a band Metallica who thought they'd be a band 43 years later. >> That blows my mind because I used to they were a big deal to me in the late 80s. I got into them a little bit late. Um, still early by today's standards though. >> Yeah. >> And, uh, they just got me through high school. I couldn't believe how much I loved Metallica. And it's to the point where it sounds so good to me. If I can't sleep, I put on Metallica. >> Oh, man. >> And I can get to bed because it just makes me feel so good, right? >> You know, you would never guess that. >> Was it black album? >> Uh, I got it the first thing I got into was Master of Puppets. Oh yeah. Yeah. >> And then you know it things are confusing back then because you didn't have the internet to look up the chron chronology or whatever. >> And so you just grab what's at the record store and I think um the 598 EP came out right around the time I started listening. So, I was into that and then I got into then I started from from the beginning Kill Them All, Ride the Lightning and then into um Injustice for All >> and I just I just I ate it up, dude. >> I And now those albums sound so different to me. Each of them sound different from each other, but back then it just sounded like this one great, beautiful thing, and it meant the world to me. >> Yeah. It was [ __ ] uh like total outside the box metal. Mhm. >> You know, like I mean, you know, you got you got like 70s rock and then you start to get into that new wave of British heavy metal. Yeah. Which, you know, Priest and Saxon and all of that and early Death Leopard and >> and then here, you know, you got Scorpions >> and and Motorhead, but then here comes Metallica and you're just like, >> wow. You know, do do they def did they like um invent the palm mute gallop type open type stuff? >> It's funny. I talked to, you know, Gary Hold about that cuz to me it's like kind of Gary Hold and and Kirk Hammet Exodus. Kirk was in Exodus and that's kind of that palm muting and you know you could say whatever you want to say and then the internet will [ __ ] >> oh you know you're talking about [ __ ] what about Yeah. >> But to me, uh, I would just say between Exodus and Metallica is where I first start to really hear that that and it's like a bounce metal, right? >> It's really like that weird. Yeah, man. And and Headfield, no one comes close to that guy's right hand even right now. It's nuts. >> Yeah, dude. And and so like when when do you first see Metallica? Like what is that moment like? Well, it's confusing because, you know, like I'm I'm into accept. >> Yeah. >> I'm into priest, >> right? >> And uh and Metallica wasn't big. So, at first you're kind of like, is this good, >> right? >> You know, I was not a huge uh Kill Them All fan. >> Uh the guitar player in my band [ __ ] worshiped it, >> right? But I love I loved the band because it was kind of punk metal and you know just kind of >> um you know different. But when Ride the Lightning came out that's really where I was like oh my god I [ __ ] love this band. >> You know I mean Rala Culu to me right now to this day is one of the most Cuz you're looking at these guys and they're like you know a couple years older than you. >> Yeah. >> That's about it. >> Sure. And you're going like, how are they even writing these type of songs, right? Like what the I'm over there trying to learn like Living After Midnight or Breaking the Law. Yeah. Which is kind of a, you know, uh, easier type of songwriting, >> right? But Paula Culu is like >> Yeah. It's like, what is going on here [laughter] >> for real, right? >> There's like Yeah, there's like 25 different sections or something. I mean, I don't know if I'm right about that, but it feels like a lot. >> Yeah. and just the build and and and instrumental, you're going like, who the [ __ ] doing this? You know, and now when I look back on it, I'm like, oh well, there's some rush in there, you know, you know, like of course, uh, you know, uh, Cliff Burton had a lot to do with that kind of weird. >> I was just about to ask you, it seems like he >> he brought a lot to the table. >> Yeah. Yeah, for sure. And then even uh when they get to justice with with Jason that that record I >> I mean at that time I was like I don't even know what the [ __ ] these guys are doing. It's so incredible, right? >> How do they remember this? >> That's like a whole album of callulu. It's like it's just like riff after riff after riff. >> I saw Sturgil Simpson last night. Second time I've seen this guy. >> Yeah. Uh, and there's, you know, thousands of concerts in my under [clears throat] my belt, you know, but [laughter] I mean there's like I just uh was having coffee talking to this guy. There's concerts that where I go like, "Oh, well that was just a game changer." Like Octung Baby, you two. >> Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Right. >> Uh, [ __ ] Becky Changes. This kind of things where you're going like, "Oh." And and I truly believe they come in my life when I need a big blast of inspiration. >> Yes. >> Um and these are kind of way outside the box rebel type of uh people where they're not like, "Okay, what's popular? I want to play that." >> Right. >> And so I I see Sturgel. This is my second time >> and I don't even know what the [ __ ] nobody's doing. This guy has a fivepiece band. >> Okay. They play three hours. For the first 90 minutes, they don't even stop. There's interludes like Pink Floyd into other songs. The drummer had never stopped playing. >> Jesus Christ. >> And after 90 minutes, he goes, "All right, man. That's the first [laughter] 90 right there. Now we got another 90 to scorch your face. Wow. No brakes, no water barely." >> That's crazy to me. >> And and just a ride. >> That is crazy to me. >> A goddamn ride, man. So, um, >> that's got to be exhausting to tour like that. >> Well, still at this point in my life at 60, I'm blown away that I could see some art that I'm like, "Oh, I I this is just unreal." Totally, you know? >> Yeah, >> it it is great. So, you know, from Metallica, you know, all the way to now. Uh, I'm just blown away by people that take chances. >> Yes. And they are not worried about this going to get me famous. >> Totally. >> And they are 100% doing it for them. Yes. >> You know, >> it's the only way to do it. >> It really is. >> It's the secret hack to to have an audience is to not care about the audience. >> Yeah. >> You know, just bring them something new that they might not like at first. >> It's it's a lot like uh the comedy that I like and and try to strive for. Comedy is like really bizarre cuz it we have this weird time right now in comedy where there's these people that are comedians that think they are the gatekeepers. >> Yes. >> Which is really [ __ ] uh bizarre to me. >> That's very strange. >> Turning on other comics and stuff like >> soap opera and all this [ __ ] >> Yeah. It's like who gives a [ __ ] I don't like pop music. Yeah. >> I don't just get on the internet or podcast and trash pop, you know? It's I I don't really understand it, but the comedy that I've been uh blown away by over the last few years is like Ali Sadik. >> Uh-huh. >> This guy's My two sons special. >> Uhhuh. >> Blown away. Stuff that's like really uh you know that John Melany Baby C or whatever it was called, the cocaine one. >> Yeah. >> These ones that have these full [ __ ] threads that aren't just your standard like >> Totally. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And you know, I don't even know. I I want to try to get there, >> right? >> And it's really weird. And and you'll probably agree with me like >> like I don't know if you saw the Alex Sadique one, but it's basically two stories in an hour and 10 minutes of his two sons. >> Yeah. >> And you're like, how do you work that out? >> Yeah. Well, you know who's great at that is uh Al Magical. >> Yeah. Okay. All right. >> Oh, his his special Shrimp It Ain't Easy is just brilliant. Yeah. >> It's it's about like three or four stories about how he has an anger problem. Yeah. >> And it's like the genetic history into modern times into like one of the most petty things he's ever done. >> Right. Right. >> It's really great. >> And he was the first guy that I really uh other than Rollins. Yeah. >> You know, Rollins is a killer on these spoken word tours. I saw Rollins in the uh 80s at UC Berkeley and I was like, what the [ __ ] did I do? Three hours. >> Really? In the 80s? >> Yeah. Yeah. just telling the story. It might have been like right around 89 or 90 whatever when he first starts doing that >> and I had him on the show and I talked to him like, "Dude, how do you work that [ __ ] out?" >> Yeah. >> And he's like, "Oh, I just I write down the stories and I just walk up and down Ventura Boulevard at night and running it." >> Yeah. >> But my point is, how do these guys work that out? Because they're s big chunks. >> They have to jump in the deep end with that stuff. >> Yeah. because the people want bam bam bam bam bam bam in this add world >> and uh you know it's um it's it's all inspiring. I also thought that uh Rory Scoville >> Oh yeah. Yeah. I got to check that out. I've seen clips for that. It looks so good. But I think I think the key to what you're you're talking about is I think the story needs to be like movie level good, right? >> Like there's got to be a great story and then you can put the jokes in it. And if you're someone like Al, Al's just naturally funny on top of that, right? So he knows how to add to stuff in the right way. But like you say, man, it takes it takes balls because I know I like to just like build it one joke at a time. >> You know what I mean? And as soon as that joke works, I'm ready for the new the next new joke and the next new joke. >> You know what I mean? I don't like to be out there >> too far away from the boat. Well, it's I feel in my 17 years that the big jokes of mine were the stories nuts to butts. >> Yes. >> The back thing I have about going and getting an MRI. Yeah. >> And then uh you know going to see Elton John and these are like stories, right? >> And I've uh and right now I'm working this new stuff and it's got two stories. So I'm just trying to get there. >> Yeah. I uh I took all my jokes and made out a story out of it for my new special, right? And it was great because it gave me the freedom to do jokes that >> um just held the story together that I might not tell on their own, but I was like now these jokes have a chance. And when you're taping a special, you give it everything. And so it really gets to live, you know, in a place where I was telling jokes that like >> maybe make people feel uncomfortable a little bit, you know, but [ __ ] it. It's the special. You got to do it. You know what I mean? So that's why >> cuz I watched it and what I liked about your special, first of all, you shot it yourself. It's on YouTube right now. You're like me. Did you shop it around at all? >> I shopped it around. Netflix actually watched it. Actually got back to me. >> Unfortunately, they're kind of the only game in town. >> Hulu. >> The Hulu. I couldn't even really get anybody to to get it in there for me. But the one thing I did snag was Comedy Central social media is going to clip it for me and put it on their social media, right? >> So, I have that going for me. But no, no takers. I just But but I got to put it out. I really like it. I really want people to see it. And I'm glad I did it because I was getting to the point. So, I did a a special a Comedy Central special in 2011, right? And then I'm from the generation where you don't put your jokes out. >> Of course, even you wait for this special and then I go, "Holy [ __ ] it's been 10 years." And then I start gearing up for this special. And it took me a while. Uh I think I had a date at one point in March of 2024 for Brea and I just decided I couldn't fill it out >> and I guess I wasn't ready. And then I got the Comedy and Magic venue and then I called up my friend Andrew to produce it and it was just on November 2025 we taped it and um I'm so glad I did and I'm always scared to death of these things and I [ __ ] show up anyway. >> Yeah. >> And uh I'm so happy I'm so happy I did it, >> you know. >> Yeah. What I liked about it, and that's why I brought up Ali Sadi and and Al and these guys, is >> there's a theme, >> right, >> throughout it, and it's of course you getting married to a Catholic woman, right? >> And and that comes in and out, right, >> which is great. And that's what Alli's great at. >> He's talking about his son, but then he's weaving in his life also. Yeah. And uh so I watched it uh over at your house and it was really uh first of all the the first 30 was just loaded I thought with like pits like wow you know what I mean and then you have to you know adjust your mind of like oh I'm watching an hour special cuz it's really hard for comedians >> Oh yeah. >> Yeah. to watch an hour special. >> Yeah. Thank you for coming over and watching. >> Oh no. [laughter] But I don't watch a lot of specials, but when I do, I really watch everything. I take it all in. The jokes, the pacing, the lighting, the camera, uh, all that. And the venue looked great. And there was some cool shots that kind of like um, >> uh, tells where it was real. There was waitresses walking by and stuff. And uh and then it just had like a good like it it told me who you are at this point in your life, right? >> Which is really cool. Awesome, man. >> How long have you been doing comedy? Cuz when did I meet you? Like 10 years ago or something. >> I met you in about 2013, I would guess. I saw you at the Comedy and Magic Club. >> I don't know when we met, right? >> I just know when I first saw you. You were very unique and you were good right away. Um, but I started doing open mics in 1998. >> Whoa. In LA? >> Yeah. In LA. I moved here. I went to like, you could kind of call it film school, but it was really just a regular college, University of Maryland, Baltimore County with like an art program where we shot film on cameras. >> And um, I was like, well, let's go to LA. And I didn't know what the [ __ ] I was doing here. I just started I kind of got I was only 23. I kind of got like scared of growing up. I'm like I'm here. I got I'm moving in from Maryland, so it's a big move. >> Big time. >> And I worked at this movie theater called The Sunset 5, which all these art movies. And I met all these other guys that went to film school. I even was in an indie movie about it called Hollywood 5 that never came out. >> Yeah. Yeah. And I just I start skateboarding uh all the time because I've always been a skateboarder, but I'm like, well, I'm in Southern California and I was writing this screenplay, you know, and I didn't know I didn't want to work production. I didn't want to be a PA. Um and I was walking to the Sunset 5 movie theater and I saw the Laugh Factory. Yeah. >> And I go, that's the place they used to film Comic Strip Live, which was a TV show in the late 80s. And um I was like, you know, [ __ ] it. I'm gonna try it because I had been in bands before. >> So I had been on stage before. >> What did you was sing or play? >> I played guitar at first. I learned that around 12. And then I ended up the woman that taught me to play guitar, gave me guitar lessons, was in the church folk group at my church. So now I'm in that band. >> Wow. >> Playing live, right? >> You know what I mean? And then I'm uh ended up being a singer in 1991 in kind of like a alter we played like the cult. We played Metallica. We like the newer Metallica from the black album >> and uh Smells Like Teen Spirit. I actually played I actually sang with my band Smells Like Teen Spirit in 1991 at a pep rally. So it was like kind of like the video secondand. >> Yeah. Hilarious. Uh, and then I was in this like jokey rap band called the Kevin Murphy's, named after this elderassman that used to like [ __ ] with us. >> Oh, yeah. >> RIP Kevin Murphy. I still love you. Even though our band was kind of >> uh confronting you in a way. >> Uh, but we it was called the Kevin Murphy's and we had all these joke songs. We had a song about like the rise and the fall of Mr. tea >> and we had an or we had big old pants back then cuz we were skateboarders and we had an origin story about how we got >> Jenkos or something. >> Yeah, there was Jenkos. But also every single skateboard company made their own jeans at this point, right? >> It was just this thing. The Beasty Boys uh Check Your Head comes out and it's just a it's just a thing. >> Yeah. >> Right. And so I remember and of all things I was skateboarding in 98 with um I went over to this guy's house. His name's Kalixto. And on the ground, scattered all over the messy apartment were Bobby Lee's head shot. Wow. >> And he's like, "That's my roommate. He's a comedian." And I told him, I'm like, "Yeah, I think I'm going to try comedy." I was like, "My my band was kind of comedy anyway. I think I'm going to try it." And I just, they had this thing where you wait in line all day at the Laugh Factory. And I went up and I did it. >> And it was not the right place to do your comedy the first time >> cuz you should have you should know what you're doing when you go there. Back then, especially when you didn't have tapes. No, >> like you have tapes of your comedy back then. >> Brand new. >> You don't have [ __ ] I started at the comedy store. You're like, I don't even know how to do it. >> But tapes are a new thing. Like every comedy club has a camera now. >> Yeah. >> For more than half my career, I had like three tapes of my comedy. But anyway, I go up, I do it. >> It's such a hot audience that I do well even though I shouldn't have. Yeah. >> And I got the bug. And I remember >> right afterwards, I go, I'm going to have to spend a lot of time at this if I want to be good at this. And then I went to the real open mics and I found out how right I was. >> Yeah. >> Right. But it was a cool time to do it in the late 90s because comedy was dead. >> Oh god. >> And everyone that was into it was like into it. >> Yeah. You know. >> Yeah. Yeah. I always say that um you know a lot of these comedians that are big now don't get enough credit for the the dead era. >> Yeah. I'm talking like the Burrs and the uh you know all these guys that were touring and you know they do the five six shows in some club where there'd be like nine people >> and the audience doesn't know in the '9s all the pay went down. >> Oh yeah. >> From the 80s. So they're they're working for just a fraction of the wages. Burr talks about on his podcast. I've heard him talk about the older comics would be like not a good time to get into this. It's over, >> right? >> You know, but comics, we don't really think like that. Any other career, they tell you, go talk to someone that does it. Find out how much money they make. Find out what No, we all just said, "Well, I'm going to be huge, so it doesn't matter." >> Yeah. [laughter] Yeah. I never even thought about being huge. I was just like, "Got to do it. >> Been wanting to do this all my life. Let's let's go try it. >> I couldn't believe I was doing it and I could never >> ever stop doing it. >> Yeah. >> Ever. >> And with the ups and downs and it's just like, well, I'm still going to go [ __ ] do this show. >> I can't help it. >> Yeah. >> I got to do it. >> You must have got some momentum to eventually get a Comedy Central special. So, how does what's that arc like? Okay. So, the arc kind of goes like um 2001 I actually get some attention cuz I'm like a young cool hipster type kid. >> Yeah. >> I got all my hair >> and [laughter] uh you know um it was a weird time again in comedy where people were just getting sitcoms, >> right? >> Network sitcoms off of five seven minute sets. >> Crazy, dude. >> And so this management company, they they also own all the improvs. They're they're called Levity nowadays. They're called Power Entertainment back then. They're like, "Let's develop this >> this, you know, 5 minutes so you can get a sitcom." And I'm just like going, "Yeah, I'll go with you guys. Please let me do the road. You have like 20 clubs." >> Yeah. >> They weren't really interested in that. >> Well, that doesn't pay their mortgage. >> That they That's what they told me. They're like, Again, they were like, "It's over, Matt." >> Yeah. >> It's over. Like, you don't want to do that. And I'm like, "You don't know me. That's exactly what I want to do." Um, but anyway, I got pretty far into that. I was pitching a sitcom, no one bought it. Some people seemed interested in it and then that no one bought it and then that was kind of like a dead time because I didn't even know how to write back then. They're like, "Give us another five minutes." >> Yeah. Right. >> Like for me back then, my material just kind of came as it came and there was no theme to it. It was like whatever I found funny and I couldn't like write this new five minutes. It sounds sad now, but I was so scared that I didn't even try. And that just kind of that whole relationship just kind of died on the vine. >> Yeah. >> And then in 2004 I was going to quit. >> Wow. >> Because uh I just wasn't making any money, not just in comedy, like at all. And I was like, I think I'm turning 30, which sounds stupid now, but back then it was like that's, you know, like kind of a milestone and I'm not getting anywhere in this. >> And I go, but I do want to do a talk show set cuz I've always wanted to do a talk show and that stuff. >> Always. So like, so I'm still in this and right about then I discovered that I had these random jokes where I brag about how funny I am. Yeah. >> Like like I hope there's insurance on the stage cuz I'm ripping this [ __ ] to pieces. [ __ ] like that. These brags. I would get laughs and a friend of mine goes why don't you just make that like your whole thing. >> Like you tell and this is before Twitter. So I'd sell like a oneliner and then brag about how funny I was. And the bragging was way funnier than the jokes, but it was funny. And people in LA like really took to it because it's a showcase town and all of a sudden this is like a like a new angle. And by the time you get sick of it, it's over. >> Yeah. Right. >> Right. And um I ended up soon after that I went to the HBO festival in Las Vegas where I ended up on the Craig Ferguson show which was which is my dream to do a fiveminute set. And then I was also on like the first two episodes of that year's last comic standing. And then I was a show on called Live at Gotham on Comedy Central. That was my moment where all that material made sense. It was I had enough TV experience to go this is how I got to do it because I didn't get it right on the first two and uh and Burr was hosting that episode >> and that's how I met Bill and um and uh that yeah that was great and then I started doing colleges a little bit and then in 2007 I started opening for Daniel Tosh right as he is I did his first theater >> right >> gig with him >> right >> and I opened for him from about 2007 to 2011. And the way I really got that Comedy Central half hour was I was opening for him in San Francisco for his Comedy Central hour special. >> And um truth be told, he didn't get what he wanted on the first show. As it happens, you tape two shows per special. >> One of them is usually good, the other one is usually not as good. And so all the pressurees on this second show, I go up on stage. I'm starting to do my thing. Somebody pulls a fire alarm in the building. >> Oh. >> And I kept everybody there on Mike in an entertaining way. >> Yeah. >> And when that was when the fire alarm was off, I do another five minutes and then I bring out Daniel and he just crushes and all the Comedy Central people are there. Now, when I submitted for the Comedy Central special, it was a joke. I'm piecing together like four uh eight minute sets from the Comedy of Magic Club. It's a joke. It doesn't make any sense, but I'm submitting anyway, you know, because you couldn't put your videos online back then. So, let's give it a shot. They're like, "Ah, we need more of like a theme or whatever." But after that, the top people saw me save the day. And this woman, I wish I remember her name. Her name was Elizabeth. Last name started with a C. She was way up at Comedy Central back then. And she was just like, "You saved the day. if we would have lost that audience, if if if we would have evacuated, we would have only got like 80% of the audience back at best. And she was so happy with me. And then she was also at a show I did at the Universal Amphitheater with TSH. >> Whoa. And >> that's cool. You did that place. >> Oh, real cool. It was the last It was the last stop on a two-month tour around the country in 2010. >> What a venue. >> Oh, dude, that was that was like probably the most exciting time of my career. From the end of September to the end of November, I was on tour with Daniel Tosh on a bus. We did the whole country. >> Yeah. >> And I had to leave for 3 days to do my half hour special. >> So I was totally Ramon's. Put me in a wheelchair, get me on a plane. >> Yeah. >> You know what I mean? It was so exciting. And every day you're just making dough. >> Oh yeah. >> Every day you're just making dough. It's beautiful, you know? Um but that's that's how it went. So that decade from 2001 to 2010, that's the story. You know, >> it's funny. I come in right when Tosh starts to really kind of hit. >> Yeah. >> Uh he's at the factory every weekend. >> Yes. Yeah. >> And um I didn't know who Tosh was for a while and I'm doing open mics and I'm like, why do all these comics wear cardigans and [laughter] and uh and have this all they all have the same rhythm? And I I I didn't understand it. And then one night I'm at the Laugh Factory. Uh Jay Davis has a show. >> Yeah. >> And Tosh comes on. I go, "Oh, they're all doing this guy." >> This guy, the prototype. >> Yeah. And every 10 years comics are doing this guy, a dude. You know, for a while, everybody's doing Burr with the arm on the mic stand. >> Uh Dane Cook was before that, right? There was a lot of Dane Cooks out there. >> So, it's unbelievable. And I saw him and I was like, "This motherfucker's fire, man." I mean, >> he's got the best jokes and he's got balls of steel. >> Yeah. Him and Jezeleneck, you know, those guys. I was just like I started getting into uh >> you know, like darker comedy. >> Yes. >> And uh you know, I mean, TSH was [ __ ] huge. He's still No, I mean he chooses his career which I you know he's like I surf and uh I I do flyins or whatever, you know. >> Yeah. Yeah. He just he he had two kids. He had a successful show >> and uh I keep in touch with him. He's he's chilling. He tours still >> and um and he also enjoys his life. Like he's got balance. >> Yeah. Yeah. He's a wise man. Yeah. >> But you know it's wild to see >> because comedy was dead again. Yes. >> So you you come in when it's dead and then it it's dead for a long time. Like where you going to the store? I was going to the store. There was no one there. >> Okay. So I am the part of the documentary that's not even in the documentary. I get passed. >> Yeah. >> Remember I told that 2004 into 2005 story. I get passed >> January 2005. >> Mity >> at the at the comedy store. >> Mity Watson. Mity passes meow after >> so many attempts in 2004. I randomly do a spot there on a Sunday night which used to be potluck. >> Yeah. Right. >> Get I I become a regular a paid there. She's there and Tommy at the time is like, "You should go up in front of Mity right now." And I did. And I had that luck. >> You know what I mean? Come here. How's that go? >> I didn't really talk to her. I just got the I just went up and thanked her. >> Uhhuh. And you know, and then the next day I got the phone call at work, >> you know. >> At work. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. At work. Hilarious. Your work number. >> I I worked at a video duplication place, which >> Yeah. But it's hilarious that your work numbers on there that, you know, no cell phone, you [laughter] know, >> cuz here's my work in case you need me. >> Exactly. >> Isn't that [ __ ] nuts? >> Yeah. So from 2005 to 2007, I'm at the store all the time and no audience is there. >> No audience. No audience. >> I started in '09. No one there. >> And so you go down to La Hoya to see how sweet it could be if we had an audience. And then you come back. And that's actually I got out at the store for a little bit because I kept canceling La Hoya to go on tour with Daniel Tosh. >> Yeah, I get it. >> And Tommy got super pissed at me. Like totally yelled at me. >> Put me on hold. >> Took me off hold and yelled at me some more. >> He was so pissed at me. And I I remember going, "I don't care if you're going on tour with Daniel Taj." He goes, "I don't know who the [ __ ] Daniel Taj is." And I'm like, "Well, >> yeah. Yeah, >> then we can't really be having this conversation, >> can we?" Because it's like >> 15 bucks in front of 10 people >> or real money in at a theater, right? >> You know, I mean, I you got to do it. Had to do it. And back then, the store was just a gym anyway. It wasn't until >> there's no one in there. >> Yeah. So, what do you want to say? 2013 it starts to pick up. >> Yeah. It it >> No, it's right when Rogan goes back in 2014. >> What happened was it was a numerous things. Marin's podcast started taking >> That's what I was going to say. Amber. >> Yeah. And they're talking about the store non-stop. >> That's exactly what happened. >> Then Gerard gets hot and he shoots a special in there. >> And that was a big deal, too, >> right? Big deal. Then Ari shoots a special in there. Then Louis shoots a special there. And then it starts to And then Rogan and and and Joey come back. It's it's not one thing. You're absolutely right. It was podcasting and comedy was starting to get hot again from podcast of comics talking about it. >> Yeah. Cuz I listened to both podcasts at the time >> and they talked about the comedy store all the time cuz they were working there weekly, >> right? You know, >> cuz they understood the value in it. >> 100%. [laughter] >> Yeah. 100%. I mean, I talk about it a lot like I started there. So, uh, and I'm like you. They just completely ignored the era when I started. And then they're all a sudden they're just like, "Oh." And then it's boom. And it's like, "Hey, man. We were there every [ __ ] night, seven nights a week." >> And why are you not covering these people that are there? You know, a Hencliffe, a Melissa via Seor, a Gerard Carmichael. I was there. Um, you know, uh, who else was in there? Oh, Tony Baker. We were in there every [ __ ] night. >> And when no one was there and they just go like, "Yeah, so I wanted to do a documentary called The Dark Era." >> Dude, you got my number. You got my work number, >> right? I got your [laughter] work number. >> But you know what I'm saying? I do. >> This is the more interesting part to me. >> So interesting because it was almost like the ruins of a great building. It's like we've got the building, >> we don't have the audience. No one would go there because parking sucked. >> No one was there, dude. >> And um >> they don't start the show unless there's seven people in the audience, >> right? But we're But for us, it was like, well, we could do open mics in front of comics or we could do this right >> in front of Okay, not that many people, but they're real people who are in from out of town visiting the Sunset Strip, whatever. >> And it it it was our club. There was no one running it. Lord of the Flies, baby. >> Dude, I'd be there till 4 in the morning and they wouldn't close. They just take the booze away and go, "You want to go up 2:45 in the morning? There's still nine people in there." >> The rule was as long as people are in the audience, they would keep it open. >> That's it. It was crazy. >> One person. I went on in front of one person there. >> Yeah. >> And I just said, "Hey, do you have any questions?" >> Yeah. >> Because I didn't feel like putting on the show >> in front of one person. So, like, let's have a real conversation. >> Yeah, man. It's uh it it's funny to think about like, you know, people do potluck now and I hear people complain, you know, like, "Oh man, I got to go on first." I go, "Oh, you don't even know what it's like >> to go on at 3:00 in the morning to no one, >> dude." Cuz I'll still do um the paid regular Monday nights. >> Yeah. Right. Yeah. That's good. >> And so I'll walk in during the open mic part. >> Yeah. It's packed. >> These lucky [ __ ] >> I know, man. Who Who couldn't rock that? Look at this. Is Is these are these people going to be here when I'm on stage tonight? Probably not. We probably lose about 30 to 40% of them. And these guys got it good, man. >> I'm happy for them. I listen, I'm too old to be bitter. >> Oh, I'm not I'm not [laughter] bitter at all. >> Yeah. I'm more blown away that people don't uh you know look at that and godamn I'm [ __ ] lucky that these guys [ __ ] because the whole time I was there the rumor was the Andz was buying it and plowing it and building another hotel tower >> or even just a parking lot people were talking about >> anything you know and the whole time we were like god we got to keep going there because uh it could be gone >> that's the thing >> yeah and [ __ ] blessed that it didn't go way. And also the like I said the the the turn of it, it completely changed my life. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> 100%. >> And it's like it's like our fraternity. That's how we know people. >> Totally. Dude, >> the what you don't know a little before your time was the improv used to be the place. >> Well, I would go down there. See, before I started comedy, I was going to watch comedy. Jay Davis did the shows on Tuesday. >> I met Jay at the Sunset Marquee. He was doing Dublins for a long time. I'd go to that. I was just a comedy fan. I was like, I got to go watch comedy. >> Yeah, that's cool. >> And me and friends would go and he would get me free and then I'd go to the improv and it would be [ __ ] packed in that bar area with the raised up >> Thursday nights. Drew Carey used to have a show and it was like a comedy festival every night, every Thursday in LA. It was wild, >> dude. I would see Seinfeld in there and I'd be like, "Oh my god, that's [ __ ] Jerry Seinfeld with his manager." They'd be sitting in the corner up there. >> Yeah. Because there was a time where there were still television stars. >> Oh my god. >> And so you'd be like, "Holy [ __ ] it's David [ __ ] Spade." >> I couldn't believe it. The Seinfeld to me was like I'd seen him like 10 times. Uh, >> no kidding. >> Oh, when I was in San Francisco. >> Oh, I would go see him all over. Me and my girlfriend, we go to Tahoe. Saw him at the Circle Star. You remember that venue? >> I don't know that one. No. >> It was the It was the venue that had a slow spinning stage. So your seat eventually would be a front row [laughter] >> and like Sinatra would do it. All these guys, you know, and >> it's funny for a comedian though. >> Oh, it's weird as [ __ ] >> Yeah. Yeah. Cuz you get established. >> I would see him everywhere. I would go see comedy my whole life. I saw them all. >> So he's he's a great joke writer, don't you think? >> Oh, man. Yeah. I mean, you know, um I did a show with them a couple years ago at the uh the what Santa Monica one. What's that called? You know, the third street. >> Yeah. Yeah. West Side. And uh on Neil's show. >> Yeah. >> And I was like, this [ __ ] guy, man. I mean, I remember, >> look, I saw all these guys coming up. I saw Chris Rock at the Paramont. I ended up doing the Paramount. I was like, I sat I saw Seinfeld when he shot Comedian. Oh yeah. >> At the end when he comes out, I'm in that show at the Paramount in uh Oakland. Yeah. >> So you've been a comedy fan for a long time. Consistently. >> My whole life. >> It didn't just come out of nowhere, you know. >> Wow. >> And I remember uh what's his name? Um Oh, Mario Joiner. Dude, I remember his joke right now. He had this one uh turned 50 recently. >> Got a motorcycle, got a uh 30-year-old girlfriend. People go, "You're having a midlife crisis, Mario." I said, "Really?" >> Feels more like a midlife Christmas to me. [laughter] >> I never [ __ ] forgot it. >> Yeah. >> I met him at I met him at Comedy Magic and I was like, "Dude, that was the greatest." You still do it. I still do that joke. >> I You got to change the age, right? >> Yeah. No, it keeps getting better and better. >> Yeah. Yeah. Right. >> You know, because it keeps getting older and older. >> And then Seinfeld, I remember a joke right now to this day. He's like, "Why do we run inside when we're wearing a leather jacket in the rain? Cows live outside. They're not like, "Hey, I'm leather out here. [laughter] Get me in the barn." I never forgot it. I never forgot the Seinfeld joke, and I saw it on his sitcom. >> Yeah. >> Um there's two You're you're two different people. You're night guy and your morning guy. >> Yeah. So, and I'm butchering this, but Night Guy is just like, "Ah, another episode of of Lost or whatever. I'll just stay up." That's Morning Guy's problem. And then Morning Guy wakes up and [ __ ] hates Night Guy for all his bad decisions. I always think about that that joke. >> Yeah, man. The jokes the There's good ones that hit me still to this day. Um, like a hit song. >> Yes. Burr had this one about uh I don't even want to give it away right now because he kind of brought it back. >> Okay. >> But you know there's jokes >> where I've been sitting in the room and just [ __ ] die. Even right now I can still die on somebody that like you know I tour with Bill and he'll do something and I'll just be like oh my god that is so >> you can't believe it. You can't believe somebody came up with it. >> I watched the Ali Sadik special twice. First one I laughed all the way through it. So I go, I want to watch that and maybe more study it. The second time he had a joke about wearing a robe. >> I sat on that couch right there solo and was dying. >> That's it. >> That's it. I love that. I love when that happens. >> Oh my god. But I had some great laughs on your special. Oh, >> thanks, man. >> Yeah. like um the one I well there's a lot of uh you know uh Catholic and and and and references like that and um a lot of times I'll watch comedians and it'll really help me a jog a memory for me right >> you know and um >> so I watched it and I was thinking about like yeah religion's so weird because I didn't grow up religious okay >> at all yeah >> two times my mom put me on this church bus to go to church. And I realized cuz her and my stepdad were going to [ __ ] >> Yeah. >> And I was like, "You don't need to send me there. >> Just let me go ride my bike cuz I'm in hell right now, man." Oh my god. The Bluebird bus it was called. And you get on and they're like singing church songs. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. You like music but not that music. >> Oh, so you grew up religious. >> Yeah. And I want to ask you what it's like not to to grow up without thinking there's someone watching you >> that will punish you. I mean, do you even think about that? What is your perspective as a child as far as like keeping >> cuz they just do it to make you follow the rules? >> Right. Right. I grew up with a hippie mom. >> Yeah. >> Born in Yeuseite. >> Okay. >> Raised, you know, in Yeuseite. Like what the [ __ ] you know, like nobody I know has done that. >> And um to me, it's funny. I'm not a religious person at all, but then as a young kid, me and this guy Mark Honorman snuck in to see The Exorcist. >> Oh, yeah. Okay. >> Yeah. And and so here I am, not a religious person, but now I'm freaking out like, "Oh, man. I don't want the devil in me." >> Okay. So, it's still effective. >> Well, that was so [ __ ] scary, that movie, >> right? But you bought into all of that that idea that you can be possessed by the devil and and that's totally like I think strictly Catholic thing. I mean they call a Catholic priest in that way, >> right? And then omen those two things were like devil. I think it was more just devil [ __ ] was like and then later you're playing music for the devil, you know? >> Yeah. What' you think [laughter] about that? Because I was scared about that a little bit. >> I wasn't. But I do tell this story and I had King Diamond on. Uh I saw Merciful Fate at the Kabuki Theater in San Francisco. Now I had to walk home, right? >> So I'm walking home and that was the first time I was actually kind of like those guys are kind of the real deal. That's kind of [ __ ] >> scared you a little bit. >> Yeah. A little bit of like, you know, like whoa man that's some devil [ __ ] But it was also appealing like man that's some weird [ __ ] So yeah, you know, >> so growing up Catholic I it was the only reason it was weird and I feel like um they didn't agree with me. It was kind of bad for me was >> my parents at home, they were Catholic and went to church. >> No big deal. It's like they were Catholic for an hour a week, >> right? But I went to Catholic school and that I think is a little strange to do to a child. And I have like a joke in the special. I don't go into it deeply, but um you're learning about math, science, history, and religion and or Christianity. And so it's like it's presented as fact. >> They never bother to say, "Hey, this is just what we believe." They teach you about faith. Yeah. But they ignore the part where you need faith to believe this is true. >> Do you know what I mean? Oh yeah. >> And so as a child it's actually terrifying. And I think I have a little bit of like OCD that's never been diagnosed cuz they'll be like >> they'll be like if you even think about sin that's a sin. >> Yeah. >> You know what I mean? And like that's a proven psychological trick. I sell you not to think about elephants. You start thinking about elephants. >> Of course. So, it's so it's just like really [ __ ] up and you come from a generation where you couldn't really get answers from your parents or your teachers or your internet or your friends. And I just find it like really terrifying. And I think it added a lot to like my anxiety and my they teach you about original sin which means you're born kind of against God and you have to make it up to him to break even to get into heaven. Wow. And I and I really feel like it affects me like gives me guilt and makes me think like I'm going to be in trouble. Like if I see like a late bill notice or something be like, "Oh my god, I'm in trouble." >> Yeah. Yeah. >> I'm not really in trouble, but I feel that way. And that I do a joke in the special where I'm like where they talk about uh talk about death or something or or eternal damnation. And I go that's just a fun way for a six-year-old to learn about death. You know what I mean? To me, that's insane that you're telling a six-year-old they're going to be punished and burning in hell. [laughter] >> The one I loved was when the priest goes, "There's going to be a lot of sex. It's all creepy." You know, >> the sex is going to be better once you get married. >> Yeah. Yeah. It's so [ __ ] weird. I mean, you know, one of the, and this is just my belief, one of the main problems of America right now is the religion, the religious, you know, double standards of these people in in America, you know, because they they're racist >> and it's like, wait a minute, isn't it like love everyone, you know, and then, >> you know, they all had pre-marital sex, they all drink, they all smoke, the guns Uh they're down for killing. >> Yeah. >> And so >> and they're down for screwing you over. >> 100%. >> If you don't, it's so ironic. If you don't >> have the cross >> Yeah. >> on your house or go to church, it's like we're going to do the opposite of what we believe because you don't believe. >> It's really strange. >> It's really uh and and then it's just mean. >> Oh god. It's so [ __ ] up. And so >> it's so ironic. the Christian in me, >> yeah, >> gets so angry at all this modern Christianity. It's not really Christianity. It's it's um it's a bastardization. >> And and I remember in history class learning about the Crusades, like the Holy Crusades, where people would just break into your town and beat you with a rock if you didn't say, "I believe in Jesus Christ." >> Right? >> You know what I mean? And Jesus Christ would never do that. >> No. [laughter] That's my whole point. they come in and heal you. >> They definitely wouldn't kill. >> Yeah. >> You know, it's also, how can you live by these rules, but then at the same time, you're breaking all of them? >> It's It >> makes no sense to me. It goes back to the PMRC with me. You know what I mean? It was just like, you know, Jimmy Swagger, all of that [ __ ] you know, and I grew up deep in that in the 80s and you wanted a PMRC sticker on your album. >> [ __ ] yeah. Parental parental advisory. That's how you knew it was good. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. How about the one that said, uh, we cleaned this record up. You're like, I ain't getting that [ __ ] >> Oh, yeah. [ __ ] that. The the the Walmart version or the Kmart version. [ __ ] that [ __ ] >> I mean, I remember Two Live Crew. They were trying to kill these guys. >> That was amazing. >> It's like comedy hip hop. >> That was overwhelmingly dirty. >> That was nuts, dude. That was nuts. You know what I mean? >> It's just guys cursing over a Casio beat. And it was so fun because you couldn't get it on the radio, but you could get it at the record store. It was pretty great. >> Yeah, it was [ __ ] wild. >> Yeah. >> Now, are you still uh religious? >> No, I'm not. >> And your wife? >> My wife is religious, but she isn't like she isn't one of these people we're talking about, >> right? >> She's she's a great person. >> She like uh goes out and and feeds the homeless on Saturdays and stuff. she gets the real message of it all, >> right? >> You know, uh me, I can't believe in it. >> I I still believe in the message, >> right? >> So, I guess that's ideal, but all this other stuff like the decorations and stuff, I don't buy into it. And I definitely don't get into the judgment and and and just like the modern [ __ ] I see. So, no, I'm I'm not religious, but sometimes if I'm reading the right books like The War of Art or Rick Rubin or something, I can get myself to believe in >> the creative gods where like >> the creative god is real, dude. >> Just do your work every day. It doesn't have to be a lot, but just do it consistently. And when you're scared to go on stage, I heard this thing the author, he was on Rick Rubin's podcast, Steven Presfeld. He says, "If I'm if I'm feeling what he calls resistance, he says, I surrender to the muse." >> Yeah. >> Meaning, this isn't me, I'm going to go up there and if I just relax, there will be an energy that will pump through my brain and my my preparation and my just my talent. And it's not it's not me. It's not about me. It's about this moment. It's about the uh kinetic energy in this room and it takes it off me and it it usually works. You know what I mean? So I can be religious and then I also will find myself going, you don't believe that. >> Do you know what I mean? Like there's a back and forth, right? >> You know, >> but I'm happier when I believe. >> Yeah. [laughter] Well, I definitely believe in the uh >> the creative gods. >> Yeah. Tell me. >> There's Well, there's just no doubt about it. to me uh things just happen and you're going like one time I was talking to a comedian in the parking lot at the store and I've told this story on the podcast whenever I talk about comedy but >> I go man that [ __ ] joke just came out of nowhere >> and the guy goes don't they all >> right >> and when I heard that I was like you know what you're right and when I I I had to watch my special recently to cut it up into four parts. >> As I watched it, you just look at it and go like, >> man, I mean, it's crazy that this is a >> all these jokes. Yes. You cuz you're looking at it outside of it now. Yeah. >> And I'm like, I remember this. It just was accidental at improv one night or you know, right now I've had three bits, big chunks. I don't know [ __ ] how to work it. And then about two weeks ago, I step on stage and it just comes to me. I go, it's like a full vision. I go, "Oh my god, I can put this here, this here, and bring this bit that never worked." >> It's like a beautiful mind. It's all >> visual Tetris. >> Yeah. >> I'm like, whoa. You know, and and so those creative gods uh for me have always been there. You just have to keep working and then they come and go. >> They they give it to you. If you work, >> right? Right. And then you have to keep going. They don't just hang out every day, >> right? >> You know what I mean? It's like >> you No, you have to wake up every day and it's a new day and you need to establish yourself with the creativity again today. >> Yeah. >> You know what I mean? You have to do it's a daily exercise. >> Who are your guys? So, you're you're doing the comedy hiphop and you see the Laugh Factory, but are you watching comedy at the time? >> No. That's what's funny about it. I was like comedy to me as soon as the 90s started every and I'm talking about 9091 >> right >> it seemed like all of a sudden everything from the 80s was lame and I associated standup comedy >> with the8s >> well it was so huge in the8s >> yeah and I it kind of put it in that pile of if you remember like music videos were making fun of 80s videos in like 92 >> of course yeah >> already making fun of the last decade, very early into the 90s. >> And so in the late 90s, I go, "Well, comedy's dead, but I'm going to do like my version." Thinking, you know, I had a young man's arrogance thinking >> I'm going to be >> like this cool new version of it only to find out that that's what everybody was the cool new version of it, right? >> And um >> alternative comedy and then once I Yeah. So alternative comedy. So I liked Mr. Show, right? And I was I was like making fun of standup before I was even good at standup. Do you know what I mean? So like you know doing comedy I'm doing all that. That was the vibe back then. And then it's only after you start to work and you have to do six shows a week >> that you go wait a second >> this Brian Rean is [ __ ] amazing. This Jerry Seinfeld see I didn't like the standup in the sit in the beginning of the sitcom when I was a kid. I'd be like, "Ah." But now that I'm older and I'm sitting on the couch and I write jokes now, I'm like, "Dude, I'd love to have that one. >> I'd love to have that joke. That's a good [ __ ] joke, you know?" So, that's that's where I was coming from. I was coming from kind of a disrespectful to the art form kind of way. And it >> over the years kicked my ass into saying, "Yeah, you still have to be good at this traditionally." >> Yeah. >> In in a traditional sense. Were you doing Meltdown at all? >> I did Meltdown, but that wasn't until 2010 as far as I can remember. >> Right. Right. >> Yeah. So, I was I was I did that and love that. That was fun. Yeah. >> Yeah. That was >> was a comic book. That was the height of like the new alternative comedy. >> That was a juggernaut. >> Yeah. Yeah. And everybody that used to do those shows ended up being really popular on the nerdist. >> Oh, yeah. Pete Holmes. Yeah. Uh Aziz. >> And Kuml is is like a legitimate movie star. >> Kuml. Yeah. Yeah. Um, all those guys would be in there. Uh, I mean I remember uh doing it and Zack Alf and Akis was on the show I was on, >> dude. >> And I didn't even know it was him cuz he had got a haircut, no beard, and lost weight. So he's sitting next to me and we're talking for like 15 minutes and then they announced him. I go, "Oh, what the fuck?" I seriously did not know that was him. Yeah, >> it was weird. like, whoa, that >> he was like our guy in LA, >> right? >> Even long before The Hangover. And I used to MC at the Hollywood Improv and I would be Starruck cuz it was like the early 2000s was like a cool like almost like indie rock comedy and he had like the thrift store clothes and he's like drinking a pint of beer and he's got like notes all over the place. You know what I mean? And his jokes were mad indie rock. like he'd be like he'd be like I'm very uh feminine or something. I named my balls Bell and Sebastian like just the inside [ __ ] you know what I mean? That's not mainstream at all, you know? But it hit back then and and he was just our guy and he was I did comedy with him in the '9s cuz like I was embraced by the alternative scene >> and back then it was just like these places in Westwood like the Gypsy Cafe, these unal places to do comedy but you know I would do them. [ __ ] I had just started. I did them all. >> Yeah, totally. >> Remember that one that was upstairs uh by UCLA and that what was that? >> Westwood Brook. >> Yeah. Remember that [ __ ] place? You you flag people in here. That man that >> that was wild. Yeah. >> Like these places. Sometimes I drive around town and it's like a open mic graveyard. >> Totally. It's like your It's like your little tour. >> I did it six months in there, you know? >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> That's how I know my way around the city. >> Oh yeah. It's because I've done so many open mics. I used to get, this is another part of it I never uh explained. You get the LA weekly. Yeah. >> Which was like the independent newspaper here back in the day. And it just had a list of open mics. >> Whoa. Really? >> And so in a way it was kind of great because there only be like 30 of them. And so like everybody would be there would be an audience. There'd be an audience of comics, right? >> But there would be an audience at these things. >> It It's pretty cool. >> If you could get a comic to laugh, you knew it was fire. >> Oh, for sure. For sure. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. And then you got to readjust once you're in [ __ ] Kansas. >> How [laughter] do you meet? Oh god. How do you meet Tosh? Just from the uh comedy. >> I end up So I used to MC a lot at the satellite improvs and right around the time I got passed at the store. You want to talk about the comedy gods? Like things start clicking right after I have a goal of wanting to get that five minute spot on television. Now I'm working two or three weeks a month at the satellite improvs, Brea, Ontario, Irvine. And so I MC for him at one point. And uh we didn't really connect then, but then you know, but we knew each other from that. And then he'd see me at the improv and he I remember one night I really [ __ ] killed right before he went on. And I remember him I remember feeling so great. Him and Pablo Francisco were like that was awesome. You know those moments. >> Oh yeah. >> When people you look up to are excited about you. >> And then same thing happened at the comedy and magic club. >> And then that night when I someone told me they're like Tasha is like this guy is good. And they're like yeah of course why would we have blah blah blah blah blah blah. But I start talking to him and he goes yeah I got a halfpipe >> and I go oh that's right. >> Oh give me your number. I'm going to come by and skate. Yeah. So, I got his number and like like you know a girl who's trying to go out on a date. I called him almost immediately and left a message like this is my number, >> you know, like I'm going to come by and skate. And that's another thing we were talking on the porch before we started like your life just makes sense as you look back on it. And so I was really into skateboarding and now I'm going over Tasha's house to skateboard and then I get a call a couple weeks later. Hey, somebody just canceled. do you want to go do the Dallas Improv with me? And we were just off. Like I I fit in with his audience, >> right? >> I was quiet in the green room. >> Yeah. >> And >> not an idiot. >> Now I'm on tour with him. >> And you guys skate? >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Totally. Yes. >> It's like me and Burr. Yeah. We hit it off over like music. >> Exactly. >> And uh and he wasn't giant Burr when I met him. >> Sure. Uh, and so we' talk music and then that's, you know, a lot of people don't understand >> 90% of the opening thing has to do with can you hang. That's it. >> It's the hang for the 23 hours we're not at the club. >> Totally. Isn't that the story about Newstead with Metallica? Yeah. >> They they'd see how much he could drink at a bar when they gave him the news. That's the way I understand it. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> But yeah. No, that's true. It's it's >> everything's about relationships. >> Absolutely. >> You know what I mean? And funny is is the bottom floor. It >> so many funny people. >> Oh yeah. >> Everybody's got one joke that's just astronomically great. >> That's why I never understood the people that go, I'm funnier than him. It's like, dude, it's it's 99% uh different stuff than that. >> It's it's image. Like if you look at skateboarding, if you look at wrestling, if you look at music, >> Yeah. >> you got to bring a personality and it comes from your look and your vibe and your influences and your point of view. Comedy is not a funny contest. >> No, not at all. >> It's got to connect. >> Yeah. >> You know. >> Yeah. Yeah. Now it's on YouTube right now. The special. Give them the name. >> It's called Altered Reality. Altered spelled like the altar of a church, >> right? >> Uh and my my um my channel is called Atcharge. >> At FullCharge. You also got a podcast. I did it about a year ago. >> The Full Charge Power Hour. Listen to Dean's episode. Um yeah. >> And then um the special it's one hour. You paid for it? >> I paid for it. Yeah. >> Right. Yeah. Yeah. And um and then are you going to be on the road or anything? >> I got dates coming up. Uh the fullcharge.com. >> Yep. >> Uh come see me. I'm going to be in Arizona uh and uh Northern California and uh a few other places. So hit me up or check out the fullcharge.com. >> Yeah. Watch the special, people. >> Watch the special more than anything. and then share it with your friends. >> I always tell people like you go to watch it >> now. Just move your [ __ ] mouse or whatever you use to the right and hit the arrow and just share it with your friends on Facebook or Instagram or anything like you and I share our tour dates and stuff and yeah, it's like so easy. >> It is easy. >> People are like, "Oh, that was great." Well, you didn't even leave a comment. Leave a comment. >> Leave a comment and move your index finger twice. Yes. >> And hook us up because we do >> put a lot of time. And unfortunately nowadays we put our own money into our stuff >> and um we need all the help we can get. Oh my god. >> Because my last special I got paid upfront. I don't own the [ __ ] thing. >> Yeah. >> But I got paid upfront to do it and it's way different than paying upfront to do it. And I'm not complaining, but the business is tough right now. So, >> yeah, I never complain. I love the famous uh Sarah Silverman quote, >> "Stop complaining and be undeniable." >> Yeah. >> But sometimes I just have to remind people >> like they just think you're famous, right? You know, cuz you got But like right now, I got a clip I put up yesterday. It got a half million views in like two hours, >> right? That means nothing. >> That's the thing. >> Like during co that would mean theater tour. >> Totally. >> Like literally. But now people go viral all day long, you know? And >> we're in competition not with other comedians if you want to think about it like that, but for attention. But we're in competition with the entire world. Yeah. Housewives. >> Uh yeah. Like like soccer players, whoever. They all exist on the same car crashes. >> Yeah. Yeah. I mean, how can I compete with that? >> Yeah. So, so it's like, and that's the difference. Like, back in the day, if you got on television, it was like a credit that could get you. >> Oh, yeah. >> But now it's just like, like you said, half a million. >> You still got to do that again the next day and the next day and the next day. >> I got one that's got 7 million. That's fear right now. 7 million in the last three months. >> Congratulations, first of all. >> But you But you're thinking like, you know, like I'm not thinking, but people are thinking like, "Oh, yeah, man. That guy's huge, man. Like, no, I'm not even like, [ __ ] man. I'm >> praying I sell >> 50 tickets a gig. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's tough. >> If you sell 50 a gig, the club would be blown away. Oh, yeah. >> They'd be like, "Oh, this guy's doing some ticket sales." 50. >> You know, I'm going to Arizona Halloween weekend. >> I go, man, Halloween weekend. Thanks for the [ __ ] setup. >> Yeah, I know. That's the type of gigs I get. >> Yeah. But then also I'm like, "All right, well there's no [ __ ] uh pressure on me. There's no way they think, you know, >> just go for it." >> But if you did 50 a night on Halloween weekend, the club would be like, "He did great. Bring him back." >> Totally. And you >> That's all it takes. 50 though, but it's crazy. >> But that's that's a whole another set of clicks. >> Oh yeah, >> that's like four or five clicks. >> Oh yeah, that's four or five. [laughter] Here's a great example. Sturgil, you know, I'm talking uh, you know, Grammys, uh, some of the greatest uh, records made in the last 10 years. The guy is [ __ ] nuts. And he said it on stage last night. He goes, "Yeah, man. You know, I know it's uh, these are hard times right now selling tickets. Uh, you know, Blue Dot Fever. Everybody's talking about this thing, Blue Dot Fever, man. You go on to the Live Nation site and [clears throat] you just see all the open seats that are blue dots." >> Oh, yeah. >> And ever since co Nobody buys a ticket till the week of the show. He goes he goes I'm kind of surprised there's uh you know people here because yesterday it it was empty so everybody bought him the day of the show. >> Crazy crazy. >> Oh. So you just you're just freaking out. Totally. >> And and and and venues are just canceling shows. They're like he didn't sell any tickets. And it's like well who's buying tickets months out? >> Yeah. Nobody anymore. >> Nobody. People People live their lives on the fly now. >> Oh my god. >> We'll get tickets in the parking lot. >> Yeah. >> Or we'll get tickets. >> Yeah. Yep. >> You know, >> and also they're like, I know the price is going to drop the day of the show. Everybody's waiting for that now cuz they're broke. And I get it. Gas is $100. >> I get it, too. >> Yeah. All right. So, the special is free, people. >> Yes. >> Speaking of uh you know uh you know uh people hurting, it's free. It's on YouTube. Yeah. and it's available right now. So, watch that immediately and uh and then subscribe to his channel. >> Yes, please. >> And leave a comment because that's how it it it it works. >> Share, do everything you can possibly think of. >> Right. Thanks for doing the show, >> dude. Thanks for having me and thanks for always being so cool to me, dude. Oh, yeah, man. Means a lot, dude. Hell yeah, dude. I'm glad you're my neighbor and candles lit. >> Hell yeah, dude. See you.