Joe Rogan Experience #2480 - Arsenio Hall

Joe Rogan podcast. Check it out. >> The Joe Rogan Experience. >> TRAIN BY DAY. JOE ROGAN PODCAST BY. NIGHT. All day. >> All right. Slap some headphones on. Let's rock and roll, sir. >> Yes. Our old friend would be so happy. And. not just that picture, but so much that. you've done. Do like do you believe that. people who have gone on know what we're.

doing or see us? >> I don't know. You'd like to think that. you're that important. [laughter]. >> Oh, yeah. >> I have a feeling they have more. important stuff to do on the other side. >> Yeah. I guess if you're in heaven, you're not thinking about the. mothership, >> right? >> But um. >> Well, the mothership definitely is from. her. >> Yes. Yes. >> Yeah. Well, I mean, that's an incredible. tribute to her. Um, >> well, the bar is named after her. >> Yeah, I've heard all the comics. I've. heard Shane and Ian and all the guys.

talk about it after they came back. Um, and that's just an honor, man. That that. plus, you know, I used to say to people, if you haven't taken something from. watching Richard Prior, you're probably. doing it wrong, >> right? And Mitsy. made the greatest comedy mecca ever. And. you got to copy what she did. >> 100%. >> Yeah. >> Wow. And this is.

>> Yeah. She taught me everything about how. to run a club, how to do it right. Basically, kind of let the comedians run. it. Let the inmates run the asylum. >> Yeah. >> You know. >> Yeah. We're uh perfect inmates for that. and and and [laughter]. right now the comedy store is greater. than ever. >> That's awesome. >> Yeah, it's it it's wonderful there. because, you know, I even got Jay Leno. to come back, you know, cuz he. remembered the old days and hadn't gone. back and I'm like, dude, it's different. They they pay you for coming. They split.

the door in a different way now and. there are phones in bags. I had to. explain that concept. >> Yeah, we had to encourage them to do all. that. Yeah, that was your era. >> Yeah. Well, once we left, we started. doing that at the mothership for all the. shows, then other comedy clubs started. following suit. It's the way to do it. People are too [ __ ] distracted. >> Yeah. And I think it it frees us up in a. way. I'll say things and try things and.

not worry about seeing them on YouTube. uh when they're not ready or when I've. made a mistake and gone too far and said. something, you know. >> Oh, 100%. It's also you have to be free. to [ __ ] around and experiment and if. someone takes that [ __ ] around. experiment and you don't know what's. coming out of your mouth like right now. I don't know what's coming out of my. mouth right before I say it right and. people have to understand that this is. not like when you're on stage and you're. working out like a lot of it is free. balling you've got material that's like. pre sort of established and you you're.

you know you've got the the bones of it. but you're also [ __ ] around in the. moment and sometimes Sometimes you [ __ ]. around in the moment and it works and. sometimes you [ __ ] around in the moment. and it does nothing. It goes or it's. terrible. You said something awful. You're like, "Whoops, sorry.". >> Yeah. We make mistakes. >> You're just [ __ ] creating something. and then standup is the only art form. that you have to kind of create in front. of a crowd. You can't really You can get. ideas and the concepts and the flesh of.

it alone, but you have it comes alive in. front of the crowd. You have to be able. to [ __ ] around. >> Yeah. I um. me and Chappelle and you've you've done. this kind of thing. Me and Chappelle met. Chris Rock in Cleveland cuz Chappelle. lives in Ohio. Obviously he's done. something very similar to what you've. done, but we'll get into it later. >> Yeah. He's done something really cool. >> Incredible. >> Basically took over a whole town. [laughter]. >> Yeah. Yeah. And it's funny and.

especially had a really funny joke about. it about how uh when white people move. into a neighborhood, it's called. gentrification. and he goes, "They don't. have a word for I'm doing what I'm doing. to these motherfuckers.". >> Yeah. It's crazy to be Dave Chappelle, the most important man in town. >> Yeah. >> But uh Chris Rock was doing Cleveland. and uh we met him there and that was the. first time I saw the bags. >> people and and I was apprehensive. Um, as a matter of fact, I saw a celebrity.

in LA who didn't want to put his phone. in a bag and so they had that. [ __ ] stay outside, [laughter]. you know? >> Yeah. There's too many snitches in this. world. Too many people just want to film. everything for the Graham. >> Yeah. >> Like, stop. >> Yeah. Sometimes we're saying the wrong. thing. Sometimes we're drunk. >> Yeah. You know, >> for sure. A lot. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. A lot. Dave loves to get lit and. go on stage, but it's also like that's. one of the ways he creates. Like I've. seen him do entire shows where he's just. completely [ __ ] around and he films.

everything. So then afterwards he goes. over it. He's like, "Oh, there's a seed. right there. Let me plant that seed.". Yeah. >> You know, there's an idea there. And. then, you know, it's how you come up. with stuff. >> Yeah. I I never drink or smoke before. going on stage, but I love to create it home. And the. next day, cuz sometimes you can write. something down and it'll be like uh. blazer button envelope and the next day. you're like, I don't know what the [ __ ]. [laughter] I thought was funny about. that last night when I was smoking. But.

I I like to smoke and create at home and. then take it to the stage. But when I'm. on stage, >> I've had bad experiences trying to do it. high and say, "This will make me. creative. I'll be like Hendrickx of. comedy." And uh uh that's all wrong. >> Your memory will go. >> Yeah, your memory will go. One time I. was at the Laugh Factory and uh I came. off and George Lopez said to me, "Why. you come off?" And I said, "I told you. I'd do 20." And he says, "You did five.". [laughter]. >> I was in Tonight Show mode or some [ __ ].

you know. >> Hey, speak I got to clear something up. Speaking of this has nothing to do with. you, but I did a podcast last week with. Theo Vaughn and uh in it one there was. like a video on the internet is accusing. me of lying about something and what I. said was that I was in the mountains of. Utah when the Charlie Kirk thing was. going down. What it actually happened. was I was here doing a podcast with. Charlie Sheen when the Charlie Kirk.

thing went down. when he we stopped and. take took a piss break, right? And. that's when we found out about it, right? >> Um and then when I was in the mountains. of Utah, that's when the Jimmy Kimmel. thing was happening. When Jimmy Kimmel. was getting in trouble and I was getting. all these messages, but I didn't have. any service out there, so I had to hook. up to Starlink in order to find out what. was happening. >> Yeah. >> When I did the podcast the other day, it. seemed like I was saying that I was in. the mountains when Charlie Kirk got. shot. I probably was saying that I was.

exhausted when I did that show last. week. I So I did a show on Tuesday night. at the club and I have this thing that I. do unfortunately where I come home and. it's the only time that I get alone time. is when everyone's asleep and I stayed. up way too late. I stayed up super late. Then I had to take my kid to school in. the morning. >> and I was like I'll just power through. The problem when I do that when I get no. sleep is my memory is dog [ __ ]. >> Mhm. Like I have a really good memory. and a terrible memory. It's really good.

a lot of the times and then sometimes, especially when I'm tired, it's [ __ ]. terrible. It's like from doing thousands. of podcasts. >> Yeah. >> My memory is like a room that's filled. with boxes and and files. >> and I don't know where the [ __ ]. everything is. >> See, as you were talking, the first. thing everything goes to sports for me. some of our greatest home run hitters, uh, they strike out a lot because. they're swinging all the [ __ ]. time trying to get it to McCovy Cove or.

something, of course. And I think that's. how we are. Well, not we, you especially. right now. You're doing this constantly. You're talking to lots of people saying. lots of things. >> and every now and then there's going to. be swinging a miss. Let me explain that. >> But the real problem was sleepy. The. real problem was not getting any sleep. And I'm not going to do that anymore cuz. I keep doing the thing. I get home at. night. >> Have you had that problem before? Like. sleep deprivation and you get yourself. into something. >> I've had that problem before. Usually I. can fix it with creatine. So creatine is.

a great supplement when you're tired. Um. it really there there's been studies. that show that creatine um. supplementation, especially like 10 to. 20 grams. Um it actually alleviates all. of the problems that happen with sleep. deprivation in terms of uh cognitive. function. Mhm. >> But I've been I I just was doing some. blood work. >> So when I was knew that I was going to. do my blood work, I didn't take any. creatine for a month because I want to. cuz I'd read something about creatine.

possibly being bad for your kidneys. So. I wanted to get a baseline, do it, and. then do it again when I I suffer. So I. had this like strategy. But the point is. like. >> I went Yeah. My brain was foggy. And so. for the people that like heard that and. like what is wrong with you? That's what. I thought when I saw like somebody put a. video on the line. Why is he lying about. this? I'm like, oh, I forgot. It wasn't. a lie. It's just my brain sucks when I. don't get sleep and I'm not going to do. that anymore because it's like when I.

get home at night. >> is the only time I'm alone. It's like my. only alone time. And I'm I even though I. knew I had to get up in the morning and. take my kid to school, I was like, I. don't [ __ ] care. I'm staying up. The. problem with that is like when I have to. do this the next day, I just don't. function as good. I've done it. I've. done it before, but I feel it the next. day. Like I can't recall things. My my. words don't come out as smooth. I don't. have as much. My my vocabulary is. limited. It's like there's too many.

problems with it. So, >> I mean, two things have been my mind. First of all, [snorts] do guys with. these arms do creatine? I mean, would it. help me? >> Oh, it's great for everybody. Yeah, creatine is not just a supplement for. muscles. Creatine is actually a really. good cognitive function supplement. It's. actually a cognitive enhancing. supplement. Yeah, there's a lot of. research on that. >> Yeah. >> And the other thing that that hit me is. I was listening to you talk recently and. you talked about smoking herb and how it.

enhanced the weightlifting process. You. >> Yeah. >> What What's that about? >> You feel it in your tissues, man. It's. like you feel it's really good for. coordination exercise. Like there's a. lot of jiu-jitsu guys who smoke weed. >> They smoke weed right before class like. get ripped. >> and then. >> So the were high when I first started. seeing. >> Not those guys. Those guys don't do it, but a lot of guys do. I think one of the. one of the I don't want to throw them. under the bus, but one of the brothers. was really into smoking weed and doing. jiu-jitsu and.

>> arguably [clears throat] the best one. Definitely the best one. But um a lot of. jiu-jitsu guys do it and uh a lot of. guys like to do it before kickboxing. It's like you just feel your muscles. more. You feel like your coordination. more. You're more sensitive. It's weird. >> It's like instead of it you being like. abstract with your movements and you. know just kind of like doing it. It's. like you feel all the tissues, all the. connection when you lift weights. You're. like like you feel all the fibers of all.

your [ __ ] moving. It's like it just. makes you more sensitive. It's such an. un misunderstood substance. Not for. everybody. I really believe some people. should not get high. I think for some. people it throws them off and sends them. down a dark road and it's just not. >> causes them to procrastinate about their. life and personal responsibilities. >> There's a lot of that. There's a lot of. people that just wake and bake and just. live in the cloud all day and never get. anything anything done. And then there's. a lot of people that also get like super. paranoid and they get anxiety and they.

freak out. And then there's people that. there's a lot of uh connections to. marijuana and psychosis or um. schizophrenic states that some But the. problem with that is. >> were they already like did they already. have a propensity towards schizophrenia. and marijuana pushed them over the edge? Were they going to get it anyway? Like. it's hard to say. >> A lot of those guys on a diet coke would. have problems. >> Yeah. Right. Right. There's a lot of. guys just [ __ ] red lights freak them. out. There's there's people that just.

life is too hard for them and they don't. need something else that [ __ ] with it. You know, if you already have mental. health struggles, probably shouldn't do. mushrooms. You know, if you're already. [ __ ] up, if there's already some. things that you're like struggling to. hang on to everyday life, yeah, you. probably shouldn't do acid. You know. what I mean? Like you should probably. just. >> just try to like keep your [ __ ]. together. But that's not everybody. It's. like alcohol. Like alcohol is not for. everybody, but some people can have a. glass of wine at dinner and just start.

laughing. It's a nice social lubricant. Some people they got one drink and then. they're doing coke and they're getting. hookers and they're [ __ ] driving on. the freeway. They're shooting at cops. There's like they go crazy. Like some. people just can't handle alcohol. Doesn't mean it should be illegal. >> Like that's crazy. And this the same. thing I feel with pot. pot is super. beneficial to a lot of people. >> and has been for millions of years. For. me, that's my uh like in the old days, you'd watch a television show and a guy.

would have a martini when he comes home, you know. >> I even talk about that in the book. When. I come home, my girl has me a joint laid. out on the counter, you know, and uh you. know, nice little raw papers. >> And uh that's my that that's daddy's. cocktail. >> Yeah. It's a nice one, too, because it. doesn't [ __ ] with your body. The problem. with alcohol is, >> you know, it feels good while you're. doing it, but then the next day you're. like, >> yeah, >> your [ __ ] head and your body's tired.

I hear swelling. >> and, you know, and different kinds of. things can. And also, I'm from a home. where my favorite person, my cousin, because I I didn't have brothers and. sisters, biological brothers and. sisters. So, when my cousin came to live. with me, a male, he's a teenager, and he. had a drinking problem. Like, I would go. >> inside uh my toy box and find Scotch. >> Oh, you hide it. >> Yeah. He would hide it. He's parked in. the garage when there were already two.

cars in the garage, you know, and and I. loved him and he was hilarious and he in. part helped to make me who I am. But but. a bad experience like that in your youth. can make you a little bit leery about. liquor. >> Oh yeah. I had a friend of mine when I. was in high school and his cousin sold. coke and I watched this guy fall apart. I watched him do cocaine constantly and. fall apart. His life just went down the. toilet and I never touched cocaine.

because of that. I never did. I've still. never done coke. >> and I think that's why because I watched. his. >> So you you've never tried a line? >> Never. Never. That's heavy. Not once. Yeah. because I had to try it to see. what it smelled [laughter] like, you. know? I mean, >> I'm sure I'd like it. My friend Jimmy. said, "Don't do this. You'd love it.". But he's probably right. >> But you also have a certain kind of. discipline where I think you could do a. line and say, "Okay, I get it." But I. love that you have the discipline to. never try it. I I I don't have that kind. of strength. I got to see what it's like.

once. >> There's the thing is like I don't know. anybody who's had like cocaine was. really good for me. Like doing cocaine. was really good. When I started doing. cocaine, my life just really changed. I. really got clarity. I started focusing. I was nicer to people. I don't ever hear. that story. You never, not once. >> I did a little coke and then I was. president of Yale and I ran for [snorts]. >> I do hear people say that about speed, which is weird. You hear people say that. about amphetamines, like especially. Aderall, like how like, oh my god, it. makes me so productive. I got so much.

done. But it's generally it's like. journalists and people that have to. write a lot, >> students. I I'm very curious about. Adderall because I'm hearing so much. >> and I'm thinking. >> like when I was doing the book, right? I'm like, would Aderall. be good to focus me to do for me what it. does for students that I hear talk about. it? >> Probably. Probably. But I don't. >> It's a pill, right? >> It scares me though because I know a lot. of people with problems with it. It's.

It's a It's a real It's a real catchy. one. It gets you. >> Yeah. >> And then you start leaning on. >> So that that's one of the one of the. downs is it's extremely addicting. >> Very addictive. >> But what's the other downside? Any other. >> Well, I would imagine when you get off. of it, you're exhausted because I would. imagine whenever there's there's always. some sort of a biological, you know, there's there's whenever. there's no free lunch, right? Anything. that speeds you up is going to bring you. down. Like this get if you're ramping.

your body up where you're focusing for. [ __ ] 16 hours just sitting in front. of the typer. >> Yeah. And that's what like why. journalists like it. >> Yeah. >> I would imagine the the back end of it. You've done it Jamie. >> Yeah. >> Only twice cuz it kept me up for two. days. >> See that's [clears throat] what I'm. talking about. That's it. >> It's an amphetamine. So yeah, I went to. try to go to bed and was like, "Oh, this. isn't happening. So [laughter] let's get. up and see how Oh, we're up all day. All. right.". >> Two days. >> Yeah. I just I had to call off work. It. wasn't good. And then you feel real.

dopey after it wears off. Right. >> Yeah. It didn't I didn't feel like I. succeeded on anything that day. >> Man, that is a a [ __ ] problem for me. is like the lack of sleep thing after. this whole Charlie Kirk thing with this. what I was just talking about. I'm. really going to concentrate a lot more. on sleep. >> You can't [ __ ] with that because it's. like. >> especially me. It's like I need my brain. to be functioning at its highest. potential most of the time. Like that's. what you're do. Especially when I'm in. here. I was talking to Theo Vaughn. I. didn't think it would that be that big.

of a deal. Theo's a comic. We're just. gonna be silly. Probably. >> the most the most recent one. >> Yeah, the one I was just talking about. It probably be good to be loopy, you. know, like cuz you know the writers on. news radio, they would stay up all night. on purpose. >> just to get loopy because that that was. how because they didn't really do any. drugs. They just would use sleep. deprivation to be silly. >> Yeah. >> It was hilarious. Like these guys would. start writing at like 2:00 in the. morning. Like they would stay up, they. would play video games and they would. start writing a script at like two.

o'clock in the morning and then they. would stumble in to like when we have a. table read, they would stumble into the. table read like just finishing the. script. They would lay it out to us. They just got done printing it. And. these guys would be [ __ ] just. completely out of it. Hair all [ __ ]. up, barefoot. It was really funny the. way they operated. But it was there was. a method to their madness. And that. method was the more tired you get, the. more exhausted you get, you get into. sleep deprivation, you get loopy and you. get silly and you start thinking silly.

things. >> Yeah. >> When those guys, that's how they would. use it. They would use that weird state. of mind, that loopiness to write. >> Exactly. >> This episode is brought to you by Zip. Recruiter. When you're picking out. plants for your garden, there's a. million options. Even after considering. things like climate, season, and setup, you still have a lot to choose from. Even figuring out which tomato plant to. buy could be a headache because you need. to look at the actual plant. Is it. flowering? Does it have signs of new. growth hiring managers? I know you run.

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>> I need my sleep, man. If I have sleep, I. can do anything. >> Um. >> I feel like they could have got there. with weed without all the the loopiness. you know, you want to get there like you. can get there with weed and you know, you don't have to stay up all night. You. get it like right away. >> Yeah. But weed ain't for everybody. >> It's not for everybody. >> It ain't for everybody. And and but but. yeah, I I love having my sleep. As a. matter of fact, um that's the drug that's most important. to me. Having an ambient nearby.

>> You like that? >> Yeah. A quarter. A just a little bite of. ambient. >> A little bite. >> Yeah. We'll we'll hook you up. >> I knew a dude who would take that [ __ ]. every day. He had to take it all the. time. And then he was taking two and he. told me like, "Dude, my house could be. on fire and I would have no idea.". >> I'm like, "That can't be good." But he. needed it. It was the only way he could. go to sleep. But he was also taking. Adderall. So he was taking Adderall in. the day and then he was taking ambient. at night.

>> Can't believe he's still alive. >> Yeah. [laughter] That's That's too much. >> Yeah, the Add a [ __ ] his life up, too. Woo. Yeah, it's not, you know, I don't. think you should rely on anything for. sleep. For me, I just I've never had a. sleep problem, fortunately. I could go. to sleep on a bag of rocks. I could just. crash. It drives my wife nuts. >> cuz like if we're on a plane, the moment. the plane takes off, I'm out cold. I. could just go to sleep. The bad thing. about me is I can sleep best in places I.

shouldn't sleep like church [laughter]. or or sitting talking to my woman. sleepy. I don't know why. Why is why. does church make you so sleepy? >> Or or reading like reading will put you. out. >> There are some audible books that are. worse than ambient, >> right? >> You know. >> Yeah. Something about physically reading. puts me out. >> Yeah. >> Just sitting there like looking at the. pages, I just start nodding off. >> Yeah. I I um The Alchemist. I have been on page 12 for like a year.

and a half, you [laughter] know. Sit. down on a plane and just just [snorts]. read the alchemist at the top of the. page and I'm out. >> Yeah. It's fiction for me that puts me. out. Non-fiction doesn't really put me. out. Non-fiction is more like I guess. it's more stimulating because it's real, you know, because I'm reading about real. things. Something about reading fiction. is what puts me to sleep. >> Yeah. For me, it's just reading. Just I. can take out my license, [laughter]. >> you know, and look and say, "Oh,

[snorts] halfway through my name, out. This is cool, man.". >> Not having sleep is got like a person. that's got like legitimate insomnia. That's got to be the nuttiest [ __ ]. problem. Like that's that movie The. Mechanic. No, The Machinist. Did you. ever see that movie The Machinist? >> No. Is that an action movie? Well, it's. that's the movie with uh. >> what's Christian Bale. Christian Bale. where he lost an insane amount of.

weight. Like Christian Bale is a big guy. and I think he got to like 130 something. pounds. >> Yeah. >> And the the the idea was that this guy. was going completely insane cuz he. couldn't sleep and so he wasn't eating. And so he was just like up all the time. like out of it. And. >> like if you see what he looked like when. he made that movie, it's like that's. what he looked like in the movie. >> Oh [ __ ]. >> Yeah. >> That looks like he's about to make a. whole different movie. >> Yeah. Like he was about to die and then. he went from that and right afterwards.

he did Batman. So he got super jacked. He went from that and by the way the. movie sucks. So this guy like wrecked. his health for a movie that wasn't even. good. And I mean, I wonder how good it could. even be when your main guy is dying. Look at that image on the far right. The. one that you just Look at that. Look at. the difference between That was like six. months later. >> That can't be healthy.

>> No. [ __ ] terrible for you. It has to. be terrible. >> Terrible. >> Do you like to act? >> No. >> I don't hate it. >> I don't like the process. I don't like. waiting around all day. I don't like. being on set. I don't like dealing with. Some actors are great. Some actors, just. like all kinds of people, you know, cops. There's a lot of cops that are. awesome. >> Cuz I know you're at a point in your. life when you could probably do anything. you want. And I never see you pursuing. any acting roles.

>> No, I avoid them. Yeah. I've been. offered some fun stuff and I was like, I'm not going to Bulgaria for three. months. [ __ ] that. I'm just I it's not. my thing. And if it was my thing, I. would I'd be like feel very fortunate. and I' I'd dive on it. I'd be like, "Oh. my god.". >> So when you look at something you've. done and you're watching a role at in. dailies or uh at the premiere, you don't. love what you see so much that you do. more of it. >> It doesn't bother me, but it's not it's. just not what I enjoy doing.

>> And again, it's the process that's the. problem. It's the 16-hour days. It's. like, and it's being around actors. because you're around people that need. to think and need to talk in a very. specific way because they're always. worried they're going to be cast out of. the kingdom. >> You know what I mean? So, it's like this. very disingenuous way of communicating. that a lot of actors have. And it's just. >> and you always feel when you do. something that this person's going to be.

your friend for life. I I'll see you. next month and you never [laughter] see. that [ __ ] ever again. It's it's it's. such a disingenuous environment. >> Do you enjoy it? Do you enjoy acting? >> Um I kind of like it, but at 70, I. prefer to just be at home. >> You're 70. >> Yeah. >> You look so good. >> Oh, thank you. >> That's kind of crazy that you're 70. >> And no creatine. [laughter]. >> Imagine how good you'd look at me. Creatine. >> I'm going go get it. >> 70, man. If you told me that you were.

45, if I didn't know you, you told me. you were 45, I'd believe you. That's. nuts. That's a blessing. I I. >> Isn't that crazy? >> Yeah. Yeah. And I'm happy. So, that's. unusual. >> Yeah. Right. A lot of people when. they're 70, they're bitter and tired. >> Yeah. I I um I talk a little bit in the. book about Richard Prior coming to my. first condo. I bought a condo so I could. I didn't have a car yet and eventually I. got one. But when I first came to LA, I. wanted to be between the comedy store.

and the improv so I could get to both, you know. >> Oh, right. So, I bought me a a condo and. I told Richard Prior that I got a condo. I don't know. It's one of those I I. think I heard you and Shane talking. about it. How you see your heroes now. and then and sometimes you just say the. wrong [ __ ] And I was expecting this to. be the wrong [ __ ] but it's all I could. think of. And I said, "Richard, I just. bought a condo." And he said, "Oh, wow. I like to see it.". And I was like, "Oh, okay." [laughter].

and uh him and Rashan, his [snorts] body. man, came to see my condo and uh that. was the coolest thing in the world. But. the one thing I remember, I remember I. had no furniture and Rashan had told me. his his guy had told me to get some. kvassier. So I had some kvasier, [laughter]. you know, and we sat on the floor and. drank kvassier and listened to a boom. box with jazz on it and talked. And he. looked around at one point and he said,

"This reminds me of when I was happy.". Whoa. And I don't even have to tell you. what went through my head and what I. thought that meant. And I didn't listen. to him then. That's the thing is people. disperse knowledge to us from their. experiences. And sometimes we're too. young and dumb to listen. >> What did that mean to you at the time. when he said, "This reminds me when I. was happy.". >> You know, I was I was so excited that. Richard Prior came to see my condo. I. didn't process it. But years later, I. started realizing.

um. that he bought things and philosophies. that made his life more complex and uh. he was happy. This is what I think it. means. He was happy with the simple. [ __ ] you know, and sometimes I mean. it's nice to have, isn't it cool to have. money but still eat burgers if you want. to? I mean, cuz I remember walking. through supermarkets and pretending I. was shopping and eating out of the child.

cart, that little that little top part, and then leaving the supermarket, you. know? So, it's nice to be able to buy. anything we want, but at the same time, I get that thing of the simplicity and, you know, no guard gate. Um, nobody's knocking down your door. trying to get to you. >> Yeah. just just a conto with no. furniture. And for a guy like that, for. the greatest that I've ever known in our. world.

>> to say I was happy when I had a little. place with no furniture. Um I didn't. think about it enough then, but later I. realized what he meant when I was in a. house that was too big with guest. houses. >> Yeah. that would, you know, you walk. into a guest house and cobwebs get on. your face, you know, because you ain't. been in there in a while and you. realize, okay, this is what Richard was. talking about. I'm doing a lot of [ __ ]. for other people that I don't need, >> right? And too much complexity.

>> Yeah. I Somebody said complications. My. business manager said something about my. staff and it dawned on me, what the [ __ ]. do I have a staff for? [laughter]. you know, I and and I've simplified. things a little bit in my life and I'm. really happy. It's. >> uh just, you know, me and my woman and a. scaled down life. >> That's better. Yeah. There's a lot of. people that just want a lot of people. around them because it makes them feel. important. They have a big staff. They.

have a lot of people working for them, a. lot of things going on, a lot of. different projects. >> Keep moving. Keep moving. >> But no peace. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Not good. I always tell comedians. like they're they're like, "Oh, I got to. get an assistant." I go, "No, you don't. Just do less shit.". >> Don't get an assistant. You get an. assistant, that person's going to want. to kill you. That person's [laughter]. >> They're going to feel entitled. You're. making all this money. They're not. You're famous. They're not. They They. see you for who you really are. They're. f you like you [ __ ] regular guy. Why.

has he got all this? Like David Spade's. assistant duct taped him and tased him. Remember that? >> Yeah. >> Try to kill him. >> That's That's That's heavy, man. That's. [laughter] And and I've heard that the. people who work for us always hate us. I've always avoided. Somebody told me, >> "It's not always the case.". >> They said, "Yo, you know, your. housekeeper hates you." And I'm like, "No, she's been with me 22 years." Like, "That [ __ ] hates you, man." [laughter]. >> And and I don't want to believe that. It's not always the case, but it is.

often the case that people that are. around people that have so much, they. feel like, "Why don't I have this? Like. I'm working for this person. Why am I. not doing But why am I not rich? This. person could just make me rich. >> It's weird. You know what I mean? >> Yeah. >> Like that's not what the job is. The job. is you're a gardener. Gardener doesn't. make $5 million a year. Like this is. you're kind of being crazy. >> And then you you get people that take. advantage of you where you get a bill. and you're like, why does it cost this. much? Like this is kind like I have a.

friend who's very wealthy. He's a. businessman and he goes over every. [ __ ] little thing that people charge. him and he's always looking for they're. [ __ ] trying to overcharge me. He gets. >> signs his own checks. >> Yeah. But he gets crazy when he thinks. people are overcharging him. But I'm. like, dude, you're almost 80 and you're. worth a billion dollars. Like why do you. why are you looking at like how much the. car wash guy charges you? This is crazy. >> Maybe that's why he has a billion. >> Perhaps. I mean, he's a businessman. That's his thing. But what drives him.

nuts is this idea that people are. overcharging him because he's wealthy. They're taking advantage of him. >> Joe, the the craziest I ever went was I had a. barber when I had hair, >> you know, and you know, a black barber. is a skilled scientist, you know, cuz. [laughter]. back then I had it fried, dyed, and laid. to the side with three Adidas stripes. over on the left. And [laughter] you. know, my [ __ ] was intricate that year.

And [snorts] um my business manager. happened to be a business manager for. two other entertainers. And he's also my friend. And one day he. says, "You know that guy charges the. three of you different prices.". And I'm like, "Get the [ __ ] are So I. found out that Johnny Gil was paying. 100, I was paying 350." Ah, >> and that drives me crazy cuz basically.

like you say, he was charging based on. who I am, >> right? Yeah. He like you can afford it. >> Yeah. Yeah. And I had a friend who had. more money than me and he was charging. him a crazy amount. It was it was like. the rental of a rose, you know. [laughter]. Crazy money. Yeah. Well, that's what comes with the. territory. People just think you're not. going to notice. They don't care, you. know. >> Yeah, I guess. Yeah. Do you think you are.

happier now than you were when the. Arsenal Hall show was at its peak? Yeah, I think I'm happier now because. with that peak comes a lot of pressure. and a lot of work. And I'd be a liar to. say I don't enjoy having the money. without the other [ __ ]. >> You know, I I did a good job of. investing and making sure that when the.

lights went out, >> uh I was good. So, I love my life right now, man. More. relaxed, less pressure. >> And being the OG and. >> pretty much your responsibility is just. uh giving advice to a comic in the. hallway. >> Yeah. Uh, you know, a lot of the young. guys don't understand what you did. because what your show was like back in. I guess when was it when did it first. come on the air? What year? >> Probably uh Coming to America was like. 86 87 I left New York and went and.

started the show. So 87 88 sometime. around in there. I'm bad with years. >> Yeah. During that time and in the the. '9s it changed the whole landscape of. late night television. like completely. changed it because late night television. was stiff, you [snorts] know? It was. like, "Yeah, a [ __ ] the desk. The. desk made no sense to me.". >> I talk I talk about the desk and how I. got rid of it. But but. >> it made no sense. But you what? I was. like, "Oh, finally he got rid of the. desk. The [ __ ] are are we being.

lectured? Are am I in the principal's. office? Like what is the [ __ ] desk. for?". >> But when they first started doing that. in the 1950s, if you went to work, you. had a desk. You had to wear a tie, you. had a desk. And they all smoke. cigarettes while they were on the job. You know, he watch like the Johnny. Carson show. >> during commercials. Johnny would go. under his desk. >> Get a cigarette. >> Yeah. Well, they would often smoke on. air. They would do it all the time back. then. They all smoked. >> How about planes? How about the fact. that we could get on a plane to go to a.

gig and there was a row behind us where. smoking began, >> right? And I'm in the no smoking row. And the [ __ ] behind me got a cigar. >> Yeah. You know, [laughter]. >> and it was just flooding the entire. cabin. >> Yes. >> You know, Dice used to have a joke about. it. You're in a [ __ ] tube. >> Where's the air going? >> Yeah. >> It was a weird time. But the the whole. idea was what I was getting to was like. late night television was very stiff. It. was, you know, it was like.

and then your show came around. >> Paul Anker wrote that, >> did he? >> Yeah. >> Oh, wow. [snorts]. >> Your show came around and then all of a. sudden it was fun and loose and I. remember when Clinton came on your show. and played the saxophone. >> Yeah. >> And that I mean everybody was like, "What is happening?" [laughter] The. [ __ ] president of the Was he the. president back then or was he running? >> No, he was a governor. >> and uh that's right. He was trying to. get the young vote, so he did me. And.

then the next day they decided to do MTV. because I think what my show did that. night was changed how you run for the. highest office in the land. And and. >> look at that. >> Yeah. >> Look at that. >> That the joke I had just done was. finally a Democrat blowing something. other than the election. [laughter]. You when you look you remember jokes in. [cough] in the moment. [clears throat]. And dude, so What's interesting is after. this.

presidential candidates realized they. had to come to Rogan and Sunday morning. to meet the press, >> you know, and I like that, you know, they they have to go everywhere now. Well, they go where the people are. paying attention, right? Mhm. >> But it's it was different because if. they did the Tonight Show with Johnny. Carson, it would be a, you know, a very. competent interview, but it would be. stiff. It was It was like very I mean,

not even stiff's not the right word. It. was traditional. >> It was like this was different. Like him. playing the saxophone, running for. president, playing the saxophone. I was. like, "What is happening here?". >> And I tried to get I I told Jenna Bush. this last week. I'm on this book. slinging tour. And uh I told her I said. I invited your grandpa because back then. there was a mentality that you do equal. uh both sides, you know, and I don't. think it was a rule. But but first of.

all, my dad was a Republican, my mother. was a Democrat, so I was used to hearing. both sides and learning both sides. And. I thought the best thing I could do for. young people is show them both sides and. that would be fair of me as a host. And. we got a call from a man named Marlon. Fitzwwater who said, "No [ __ ] way. we're coming there." You know, and and I. wonder why. >> Um it's almost like what you talk about. with the desk. Um society at a certain point is stiff.

and it takes certain people to loosen it. up and make a change. And uh I I think. it was just they're not used to it. It's. like, why are they barking? And. [laughter] and what is you know. >> that's right. Things that make you go. hm. >> Oh yeah. Yeah. >> Yeah. There was a lot going on. >> I had a couple of hooks going. >> Oh, you had a great hook. The things. that make you go home. Everybody used. that all day long. Like when if. something weird was going on in the. office, people things that make you go. hm. >> And it was so cool. Then they wrote a.

song about it. And I would turn on TV. and I would see. >> Was that CNC Music Factory? >> Yes, that's right. >> Yeah. And um um I would turn on TV and. like Nordstrom's would have a sale that. makes you go and I was like [laughter]. that's very cool, you know, and and and. it came about sitting with the writers. and um. >> I had done it at the comedy store and he. says, you know, we could use that and. just throw any joke in there like randos. that we don't know where to put,

>> right? >> And so it really was a a cheating. technique for a comic. >> Yeah. Perfect nonsequittor. Just. transition. >> every now and then. Hey, why don't black. women breastfeed chocolate milk? And you. have no place else to put [laughter]. that that thought, right? So, it's a a. stream of things that make you go h. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Well, it was just finally there was a. different kind of talk show. It was like. finally there was a talk show that was. more fun. Hey, the the desk thing. Um,

my partner and executive producer Mara. Keel Brown, we were sitting around one. day and she said after coming to. America, I had done the Joan Rivers. thing. I filled in for her for 11 weeks. and I think she uh her husband committed. suicide and she was going through all. that period, right? Conan's creating the. Wilton North report in the room that I. leave and I go to Paramount and she. says, "I'm asking you one thing." She. said, "I watched you do standup the.

other night at the comedy store, and. there is a freedom that you have that I. would like you to have on the talk show, and I don't think we can have it with. that desk between you and the guest. So, I want you to just try without the. desk." And um I tried it without the. desk and never went back. >> Yeah, you changed it. I mean, like, and. then George Lopez did No Desk when he. did his show. Mh. >> A few people have tried the no dust. thing. >> Yeah. >> But.

>> for us, I think it's great. And And you. know what? I was able like somebody like. Rosie Perez, who would be nervous, >> I'd hold her hand. >> and you can't reach across the desk and. and hold somebody's hand. >> Well, [clears throat] also the desk was. always elevated. >> Oh, yeah. You want to be. >> was always above the guest. >> We must be higher, >> which is weird. >> Well, that's that's a bizarre. I don't. know if that's the ego of the. entertainer or whether that's some. asskissing prop. uh set designer move because.

we always wanted to be higher and I. remember they put something under my. seat. So. >> make your seat higher. >> Yeah. So I'm sitting even with Kareem, [laughter] you know, which is [ __ ]. you know. Yeah. It's a weird thing. It's like why. would the host be above movie stars like. and rock stars and. >> why? That doesn't make any sense at all. >> Yeah. Unless your host is David Bowie. >> Yeah. Right. [laughter]. >> Right. >> Unless he decides to do a talk show. And.

even then it doesn't make any sense. It's like if you want to have a. conversation the way you did it was the. best way to do it. Just be sitting. there. >> Yeah. >> Sitting with each other, you know. >> And now. >> you can lean in. >> Oh yeah. >> Yeah. You could you could touch the. person, you could poke the person. Uh. >> now we have a different era where. everyone can do talk. I saw Mike Eps. talking on his back from his bed the. other day [laughter] holding his phone. above him. And that's when it hit me.

It's like now we have a hard time. finding a guest that doesn't have a. show, >> right? >> We can anyone can have a show now. >> Yeah. >> And that's kind of cool. >> It is kind of cool. And it's just like. and you find your as long as you do it. long enough and you put the right. attention to it and do it honestly, you'll find your own lane. You find your. own way of doing things. >> I have friends who have children who. have shows, >> makeup tutorials and successful things. going on in their bedroom.

>> One of the biggest shows on YouTube for. a long time was a kid that was like. unboxing toys. >> Oh, that's cool. And it was sort of, but. then they started monetizing it. And I. think, you know, soon as your parents. start making all that money off of you. opening toy boxes, [ __ ] gets weird. It's. weird for kids to get famous, period. But but it was just like no one had. thought that out like that. There would. be a lot of people that were interested. in you watching toys. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Like there's a lot of shows that I watch.

on YouTube that it's just people. cooking. >> Oh, yeah. >> I just I love watching people cook. Watch a lady cook with big titties and. [laughter] and uh uh just an apron, you. [clears throat] know, and you know, side. boobage be coming out. >> That's a trick. [laughter] She's. tricking you. I like watching people. cook with no talking. It's just ASMR, you know, just they're like chopping up. the food and you hear the sizzle in the. pan and like it's I don't know why I. like it. I love I love watching people. do things. Isn't it amazing that you're.

younger than I am, but when I was. growing up in Cleveland, we had three. channels, >> right? I remember those days. >> Yeah. And and and the [ __ ] signed off at. two, right? >> Yeah. You da. da. >> and you fall asleep watching TV and that. would wake you up. >> Yeah. Cuz it would be just crackling. like, "Oh jeez, I stayed up too late.". >> You have to shut it off after the. American flag because the American flag. would wave. >> on the TV, right? >> Yeah. There would be a a match fade from. a soldier to the American flag.

>> Yeah. And then it would just go static. at 2 in the morning. And then I remember. when Fox came out and everybody's like, "This channel is crazy.". >> Yeah. >> Foxes, they have the Simpsons and M. >> They changed my life, man. th those uh. Tracy Alman. >> and then of course. >> they discovered that they could get. numbers with me and Living Color. >> and uh Fox was really important to us. Fox was important to America. I mean it.

was it was a looser, wilder network. It. was like a network that was a little. crazier. >> Like they were doing things that they. were getting nuts. >> and they had to they had to take some. chances and roll the dice in a different. way, >> right? Yeah. And then cable came along. It was like the slow descent into. madness. >> Yeah. [laughter] Yeah. >> And then all a sudden you have 150. channels and now you have like literally. an infinite number of channels because. of streaming and YouTube. It's like you. can never run out of things to look at.

Which is crazy because I turn a lot and. I'm like, "Yo, [ __ ] They got. two million stations and you channel. chasing. You can't find something." But. I'm a big YouTube guy because I I don't. like commercials. I want what I want and. I want it in small increments. I. actually, as a 70-year-old, fit more. into this culture than I did the culture. I was born into. I. >> I like things for three minutes. It's. It's [ __ ] me up, too. You know, I I. don't want long [ __ ] I want quick [ __ ].

>> And uh I'm jumping around. Well, when. I'm watching TV, I'm I'm generally. trying to check out, you know, or I'm. trying to be educated, right? So, either. I'm watching some um like particle. physicist talk about the the way they. find new particles by using particle. colliders and large hadron colliders and. the amount of energy required to. duplicate the, you know, the conditions. that happened right after the big bang.

You know, I'm just like, >> I I watch a lot of that [ __ ] and then I. just watch people play pool. >> I watch people play pool and I watch, you know, people make furniture and. people cook. I I'm just trying to like. unwind. >> Yeah. >> I'm just trying to like relax. >> But that's so heavy. I heard you and Cat. talking about the pyramids. >> Mhm. >> And um as a matter of fact, it was part. of the reason I was afraid to come here. because I've [laughter] heard you talk. about the reexplosion [snorts].

of. it's just when you hear that kind of. [ __ ] and you're like, >> I don't want to be here. It's like [ __ ]. crazy, huh? [laughter]. I don't want to be that guy, you know? So, it it's intimidating to watch. intelligent people have an exchange and. say, "I got to go there.". >> Is it? >> Oh, yeah. >> Well, I I [clears throat] guess. >> you don't want You don't want to be the. first idiot in the room. Nobody. >> Oh, you definitely wouldn't be the first. idiot on this show. [laughter]. >> And you're not an idiot anyway. But if. there's been plenty of really [ __ ].

dumb people on this show that were. great, >> but do you know somebody that is really. intelligent and conversation with them. is intimidating? >> Oh, sure. >> So, I was afraid of this room. I I mean. I know people like Bill Clinton. >> The first time I sat and talked to Bill. Clinton, not on the air or the second. time I guess I should say. >> It was kind of daunting because. he no matter what your politics is, he's. a really smart guy. Yeah. Cat Williams. is the same way. That [ __ ] read. a lot more books than I read.

>> Well, Cat's brilliant. I mean, you can't. be that funny and not be very. intelligent. >> It's the reason Bill Cosby was so funny. He was a bright man. >> Uh. >> oh. I got [laughter]. something. >> He's just He just That's a problematic. subject. [laughter]. >> Was also Bill Clinton. I wish Bill. Clinton didn't have so many problems. because I would like to talk to him. I. would love to have to sit down with him. on a podcast. You know, the problem is. like how do you sit down and not talk.

about all the chaos and all the nutty. [ __ ] and the Epstein files and all the. other [ __ ] Like you kind of almost have. to talk about it. So, it's too bad. >> because I think he's a fascinating. person and I think he's one of the. greatest presidents of all time for. sure. And if you go back and look at. what he accomplished during his. administration, they balanced the. budget. There was like one of the first. times in the history of this [ __ ]. country that we didn't have a gigantic. debt. Now our debt's like 39 trillion. >> It's crazy. Everybody's so bad at.

balancing the budget. And you go back. and listen to him talk when he was. running for president. He's like super. sensible. Like everything he said made. sense. >> And didn't he move a little to the. right? >> Well, I mean it wasn't to the right. It. was just sensible. Like what is to the. right and what is to the left? >> It's accepting that [snorts] a lot of. things are valuable that are not a part. of your party's philosophy. I think we. have to be willing. >> to compromise and move a little bit. Uh.

and and that goes for all politicians. We have to be able to move a little bit. to be logical and serve all of America. >> for sure. But I think the problem is. parties all have to agree and they then. they form ideologies that you cannot. stray from. So if you're one of those. people that says like hey maybe an open. border is a bad idea because terrorists. can come through like. no there's no one's illegal on stolen. land. You know you get everybody gets.

crazy because there's a party line that. you have to stick with. This is today. Today things are incredibly polarizing. But if you go back and listen to some of. the things that Clinton was saying when. he was running for president and when he. was president, boy, these are like. almost right-wing talking points in a. lot of ways. But they're not but it's. not right. But it's not really. rightwing. It's just sensible. Like what. is right and what is left? Left used to. be um first of all, freedom of speech. was of paramount importance. It used to.

be that they were very open-minded. It. used to be like the that education was. of crucial importance and that discourse. was crucially important and that you. have to look out for citizens and in. sense of like having social safety nets. and having welfare programs and and food. stamps and all those things are which. are really important for a society. because not everybody is in the same. position in life. And if we're a. community of people, which is what a. country is supposed to be, you're. supposed to look out for everyone. You.

know, that that's sensible. That's what. the left used to be. And then it became. trans women or women. Men can get. pregnant. >> And by the way, when you deal with left. and right, you have to almost attach a. year because we've seen parties. change. Um. I'm always reminded that the Democratic. Party was the party of the clan. if you. go far enough back. >> So, I'm I'm a Republic. I have to look. at it all.

>> But wasn't Lincoln a Republican? >> Um, >> I believe Lincoln was a Republican. I. think the Republicans were the ones who. were trying to abolish slavery. >> There was a a lot of there's a lot of. weird things that shift back and forth. and that you you think of right-wing and. leftwing in today's standards. Like we. were playing a clip of Hillary Clinton. the other day when she was running for. president. I think it was was it 2008 or. 2012? >> 8 when she was she was running for.

president. She's like if you're here. illegal from another country, you should. have to pay a stiff penalty. You should. have to learn English and if you have. any criminal history whatsoever, no. questions asked. You get out of the. country. And everyone was cheering like. the lady's MAGA. That sounds completely. MAGA. That's why I say when you deal. with Democrat, Republican, you have to. attach a year because it's evolved and. changed many times. >> Well, it's all you're just being. manipulated and you're being manipulated. by these two teams and you have to pick.

a team. You have to decide which team. are you on. >> I hate that. >> It's so stupid. I'm politically. homeless. I've always been politically. homeless for a long [ __ ] time. It. neither one of them make any sense to. me. We need like a logical centrist. government that like just says there's a. lot of things that we should do to make. this country a better place. We can we. can do these things and we don't have to. attach them to left or right and. anything that the left says that's.

logical to people on the right. They. immediately dismiss it because it's. coming from the left. And that happens. the same with where the left does it to. people on the right. It's dumb. It's a. it's a team thing. It's like the. Dolphins versus the Raiders. It's just. you pick a [ __ ] team and you team a. horrible game, by the way. [laughter]. >> You pick a team and your team rules and. the other team sucks. And there's a lot. of people out there that are not that. they're not open-minded and they love a. good rigid ideology that they could. adhere to. So now I don't have to think.

for myself. I have a predetermined. pattern of opinions that I could just. adopt and I'll just accept those and. that's how I think and that's what I'm. going to argue with. When I was young, I used [snorts] to. in some jokes say, "My my heart is. Democratic, but my wallet is Republican, you know." But it's not even that simple. anymore. It's gotten much more. complicated. >> Yeah. Much much more complicated. It's. like, you know, everyone should be. anti-fraud whether you're on the left or.

on the right. >> Unless you're committing fraud, >> right? >> Then, you know, then I'm pro me. >> Yeah. Well, I think a lot of people. that, you know, are certainly benefiting. from fraud would like to dismiss it, whether it's the left or the right. Yeah. There's like. >> we have a problem in this country where. we have a two-party system. Two-party. systems are inherently flawed because. there's no [ __ ] way that one side is. going to represent you entirely. And. it's much more likely if you have like. five, 10, 15 different parties that are.

all legitimate because we don't have. another legitimate party. If you vote. for libertarian, and I've voted. libertarian before, you're basically. saying, "Fuck these people.". >> You know, [ __ ] these people. I'm voting. >> You're jacking up the Dolphin Raider. game. [laughter]. >> Yeah. >> I'm voting for rugby. >> That's what you're basically saying. You're like, I can't get behind either. one of these [ __ ] so I'm going. to vote for this guy who has no chance, >> you know? And I've done that before. I. did that with Joe Jorgensson. I did that. with Gary Johnson. I voted for both of.

them. But why do you think we've not. been able to come up with legitimate. third, fourth, and fifth parties? >> Well, they got it locked down. They've. got it locked down. >> with donations and money. >> Yeah. It's money. Money and politics. When they got when they allowed. corporations to just essentially give as. much as they feel like it like and when. corporations. >> and not not just corporations, but other. countries. >> This episode is brought to you by Better. Help. A lot of people hit stretches. where money gets tight. And it's not.

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another therapist. When life feels. overwhelming, therapy can help. Sign up. and get 10% off at betterhelp.com/jre. That's betterhp.com/jre. Oh yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's not good. It's. not good. Money in politics is the real. problem. You know, it should, you know, the whole thing. It's a mess. And then. you find out how much money politicians. make. >> while the TSA guys have nothing.

>> Yeah. >> And politicians are still getting a. [ __ ] check. >> Yes. Exactly. Well, I felt that way also. about the lockdowns in California. I was. like, all these people that are saying. that you should have no outdoor dining, your paycheck should be entirely. dependent on the GDP of your city. And. if your city starts suffering, you. should [ __ ] suffer. And I guarantee. you want those businesses to open right. the [ __ ] back up because it didn't make. any sense. They were doing things for. optics only. And they were doing things. because they like control. People love. control. They love it. And once you give.

them power over people, they're in the. control business. They like to keep that. control. And it just gets gross. And. they don't have any there's no. repercussions. They don't get in trouble. if all these like California lost. >> Somebody should be in trouble for the. Epstein fouls. somebody. >> At least one person, please. >> Yes. It's crazy that we're sitting. around looking at that. >> It's crazy. >> and we know it and we say it, but ain't. a [ __ ] thing we can do about. it, >> right? It's like right now there's some. talk about journalists getting in.

trouble for leaking information about. the down pilot and that they want to. prosecute these journalists. At the same. time, no one's being prosecuted for the. Epste files. >> Yeah, >> that's nuts. That's a sick society. >> As a kid, I did magic, right? And. there's a thing in magic, I take a coin. and put in this hand, there's a thing. called misdirection. That's what I just. did to you. You looked at that and I'm. doing [clears throat] some [ __ ] right. here. That's the story of American.

politics. >> Oh yeah. Whenever something weird's. going on, look, when Monica Lewinsky, when when Trump when Bill Clinton got. caught with Monica Lewinsky, they may. start bombing some other countries. Like, we got to distract these people. This is just too complicated. Yeah, >> look, the Epstein Files comes out. We go. to war with Iran. It's It's a good way. to get people to stop talking about. certain things. You give them a new. problem to think about. >> Hey, this morning I wake up in a very. nice hotel, thanks to you. Uh, breakfast. was paid for, the tip was done, all that. [ __ ] It was kind of cool. Um,

and I was nervous and I'm thinking, I'm. nervous. to go see my guy and talk, which is. insane. But then, you know, sometimes. you try to focus on why you're really. nervous. Why am I so nervous? And I. realized it wasn't just coming here. I. had watched about a half hour of news. and it was making my stomach hurt, you. know, because I I feel so sad on a lot. of levels, you know, >> and anxiety. >> Yes. Yes. >> News just gives me anxiety.

>> But I got to as a comic, I got to watch. cuz I got to know everything. I got to. have that that that mental rolodex. loaded. >> Yes. for crowd work or whatever. >> Well, you have to know what's going on. in the world. Unfortunately, if I wasn't. a comic, I would have no social media. I. would never consume the news. I would. just hide. >> Yeah. >> I would just like go to a peaceful. place. I'd probably have a place in the. mountain somewhere and just [ __ ]. chill. >> I would not want to have anything to do. with any of this [ __ ] that's going. on in the world. And I know people, a.

lot of people say, "Oh, you have to. participate and this and that." Like, man, yeah, I guess. But I don't think. your participation is having the kind of. effect that you'd like it to have. I. think it's having an effect on the way. you think and feel much more so like a. disproportionate effect on your mental. health and your anxiety levels and all. these different things that you cannot. control by paying attention to it. You. can't control what these [ __ ] people. are doing. And it just drives you nuts. And. >> it's frustrating because we realize I.

mean [snorts]. you and I are both millionaires. You a. lot more than me. Uh but at the same. time we realize we don't have enough. money to really affect it. I mean you. >> you can affect some things I guess. >> Yeah. I now that I think about. >> I don't want to I don't want to affect. if I can affect things in a positive way. I can. Yeah. I mean there's some things. like. >> things by by dispersing information of. candidates and in helping to inform. people. But but that kind of money that. you have to have to have a dinner in.

Malibu and uh and later get some [ __ ]. done that you want to get done cuz the. president is your guy now. >> Yeah. >> Or girl. >> It's very complicated. >> Yeah. >> Very. And then that kind of complication. comes with a lot of scrutiny, a lot of. weirdness. And and also like you don't. really know these people. You you you. support people like for running for. president or governor or mayor, whatever. How do you how much do you. know them? Are you really sure that you.

is this like is there no good option? So. you go with the least evil option? >> Well, a lot of us do that and that's. that's really painful to think that the. lesser of two evils is a horrible thing. as a philosophy for a place we raise our. children, >> right? Yeah. There's no one person that. really comes along. You're like, "Finally, like a peaceful, God-loving. person who's just looking out for. everybody's best interest, who really. only wants to do this cuz they think. they can affect change." And then once. they do try to affect change, they get.

[ __ ] shot [laughter] cuz cuz nobody. really wants that because they're all. making money. >> When we were coming up, remember the Sam. Kenisonson bit? >> Which bit? >> Um I think it was very similar to that. people who have an idea, we kill them. >> Oh, that was Bill Hicks. >> Oh, it was Hicks. >> Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Hicks. Hicks had a great bit about that. Yeah. And it's totally true. >> I mean, anybody that really wants to. rock the apple cart, like that that. person's a problem, >> you know? And all these people that are. making, look at these sociopaths that. are making [ __ ] billions of dollars.

just being [ __ ] Like they do not want. you coming along and waking people up to. that and saying, "Hey, we should put a. stop to all this. We should, you know, we should stop these people from like. that's why people cheered when that guy. got shot. The United Healthcare guy, >> he got shot. People were happy. They. were happy. Like finally, >> at first I thought it was I thought. homie who shot him. I thought it was his. eyebrows, you know, cuz women were going. crazy, you know? >> He's a hot guy. He's a good-looking guy, too. He's [laughter] like perfect guy to.

to be like a martyr, like an assassin. >> By by the way, have you noticed throughout history, good-looking people get treated. differently when it comes to the justice. system? They've done experimental trials. where the hot guy gets off on for. murder. Easy cuz the 11 women were cool. with it, [laughter] you know. >> Well, women are weird with killers, you. know. When guys are even serial killers, when they go to jail, women like. >> they get great letters proposals.

>> Weird. Marry me. >> Yeah. Even like Richard Ramirez was. getting all these proposals while he was. in jail. But the ultimate game for a. woman is to be married but not have to. live with that [ __ ] you know? [laughter] So that might be kind of. cool, you know, >> kind of. I don't know what it is. Um I I. heard someone talk about that saying. that there's women that like men that. are capable of killing. >> because. back in the day it was if someone was if. you needed someone to protect you, you.

didn't you didn't want someone that. would hesitate if they were going to. kill someone. You wanted someone who has. experience killing people. >> So it's almost like an attractive trait. that someone's willing to cross that. terrible line. >> and just has no problem murdering. people. And if they like you, they won't. murder you, but they'll murder other. people. Like anybody, that's a problem. >> I knew a girl who went out with a couple. friends of mine. And her MMO was to do. something publicly that would make the. man whip somebody's ass to defend her.

honor or something. >> Oh, >> and she because that that made her feel. >> better. >> That's a crazy [ __ ] I've been around. people like that before. I always got. rid of them real quick. I've had a few. ladies like that when. >> you gonna let him say that to me, you. know, >> I'd be like, "Why'd you say that to. him?" The [ __ ] Don't get me involved in. this stupid [ __ ]. >> But it's hard, man. I was in a club as a. young man on Sunset. Left the comedy. store, went down the street to a place. called Carlos and Charlie's. And back. then, they had uh this garment called a.

tube top. >> It was just an elastic. >> about elastic piece about 8 in or. depending on your breast. And um I. watched a dude take his finger and just. pull the girl's tube top down. Titties. fell out. And I'm watching her man. He. didn't know what to do, you know, because you don't want to fight these. guys. >> You almost want to just say, "Baby, just. pull up your top. Let's go home." You. know, but he had to fight. >> Yeah. >> And uh in that situation, I I think you.

have to fight. >> You just definitely shouldn't be there. in the first place. That's the problem. with going to clubs. >> You're the wrong club. >> They're running into the potential. psychopath. >> is just too like that's where they go. where people act like [ __ ] That's. where they go. >> When is the last time you went to a. club? >> I never go to clubs. >> Yeah. It's been a long time for me. I. mean there is no club for 70 year olds. >> No. No. No. >> You know that's called ARP. >> Well, if you do go, it's sad. If you. >> Yeah. You don't want to be the oldest at.

the bar. >> Yeah. >> Hey ladies, what is [ __ ] grandpa. doing here? But but are do kids dance. now? >> That's a good question. >> My my son has has like I remember a time. when you say I'm doing the cabbage patch. now. You know it's like you knew what. the latest dance was. My son never. dances. I've taken him to New Year's Eve. parties. He never during the slow record. says to a girl you want to dance. You. know, you go out and slow dance. What. happened to that [ __ ]. >> That's that's true. Right. Well, because. clubs got associated with violence. Like.

clubs get associated with people getting. drunk. They're doing drugs and chaos and. people getting shot, >> you know? Yeah. >> There's just too much of that going on. You hear about that at concerts, too. But yeah, you're right. You don't. There's no new dances. >> There's no things that like you have to. learn, >> you know? >> Yeah. But you know, you know what's. replaced it? Maybe the entire family on. Tik Tok, >> right? >> Tik Tok has definitely got dances that. you got to learn. >> Oh, really? >> That's all it is. >> Oh, really? >> Yeah. Yeah. I mean, for people that are. >> Right. That's where the dances are.

That's where the dances are. They're not. going to clubs. They're just doing. >> song just got viral again because. they're dancing the freak on a leash. >> It's a 25-year-old song that has got a. dance to it. >> What's the dance? Show me the dance. [laughter]. >> Couldn't even begin to start it, but I. can show you. >> Get up here and do it. >> Show you the video. >> You do it. You've been practicing. >> No, [laughter]. I used to do it. >> Show me the video. What's the What's the. corn dance? >> In my head, you're like, get up and do. it. But I'm not. >> Do we have to not play the music? >> Yeah, I'll probably not play the music. >> So, this is this is the dance. See, it's.

a new day. >> You don't go to a club, you do it with. your girl. >> I think they made it back on Billboard. because you know, like the song is. >> Oh, that's hilarious. >> Got so many plays on it. >> That's hilar. >> Yeah, it's old. >> Wow, that's crazy. >> So, I don't know. And then to contrast. to this is the club in Austin where. everybody goes. They're not necessarily. doing those dances. >> What club is this? >> This is called the concourse. >> Oh, see I I can't go to a club with no. shirt on. >> And what do they do here? I like DJs.

>> Oh, DJ. >> So, they just bounce around. >> Bunch of lasers. >> Yeah, this is like a jazz concert. This. is. >> jazzy [laughter] Jeff. >> Yeah, they just bounce around. They're. all on ecstasy. >> Everybody stares at the DJ stage like. they're performing music. And. >> yeah, this is a sign of a sick culture. >> Not that there's anything wrong with. >> a different culture, >> but it is like but but that there's no. the other thing. There's no like people. dancing, you know? Yeah. >> On the old days, like if you go back and.

you watch like nightclubs from like the. 1960s and 70s, what was everybody like. the disco days, right? That's perfect. >> When [ __ ] was singing, >> burnt burn this mother down. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. People. >> Well, I remember when I was a kid, Saturday Night Live or Saturday Night. Fever rather came out. >> Oo. And that's when everybody wanted to. learn how to dance because John. Travolta, >> he could [ __ ] dance. And they would. have dance offs. >> and black people were saying, >> "We got to step up the game if this boy.

can do that, >> you know." So we had to get better, >> right? And then you had Soul Train, right? Where everybody dancing on TV. >> Yes. >> Yeah. >> Saturday morning was that that was life. for me. There's no shows where there's. like a bunch of people performing music. on TV anymore. >> Well, that's the that's that gap between. me and you as talkers. Um, one of the. problems I had and I talk in the book.

about this. I love music and I grew up. wanting to do that show. So when they. start telling me, you know, you can get. better numbers with Howie Mandel just. talking than you can with this because I. put Boys to Men and the Temptations. together once. I had to fly Boys to Men. from Philly. I had, you know, and and. they wanted it less black and now I got. 14 brothers doing choreography, [laughter]. you know, and it's like, no, that's not. what. >> they wanted it less black. >> Well, they would say [ __ ] like that to.

you. >> Oh, yeah. And they they wanted um this. is the carrot. They said we know. Johnny's going to leave one day. You. know, you always think it's going to be. two years. So, you can inherit his. audience if you do the right show. >> But I Joe, I I used to do the talk show. in my basement, man. We put on a. Temptations record. And my friend Junior. would be my guest, and he would sing Get. Ready on Soul Train. They lip-sync. We. knew the microphones wasn't plugged in. And so he would sing and then I'd.

interview him. I wanted to do that show. But you were doing that when you were. young. >> Oh yeah. >> When did you How old were you when you. doing that? >> Uh 11. >> Really? >> Yeah. My mother would have rent parties. and so she'd rent these card tables and. chairs and the people like in LA we call. it town and country, right? That you can. rent stuff for your party. So the next. day they come and pick up the stuff in. the truck. But before they pick it up, I. would do a talk show with that stuff. And um I dreamed of everything that I.

did eventually in my life. >> Wow. >> And it was it was um the show I wanted. to do. So at a certain point when they. say um does Prince need a purple piano? You know, I [laughter] said, "Yeah, he. won a purple piano." And the show I was. doing was just too expensive. And you. and I talked once at the Ice House when. I tried to do the reboot show. Yeah. >> And I was telling you how complicated it. was. They wanted my Twitter site. >> They took your I was telling people they.

took over your [ __ ] social media and. they wouldn't give it back. >> Yeah, it was hard to get back in. >> That's crazy. I remember you telling me. that. We were standing outside the. outside area of the Ice House and you. were like, I can't get my [ __ ] social. media back. I'm like, that's crazy. They. took your social media. >> Yeah. >> And they would use it to promote other. shows. >> Absolutely. And the end of of that. reboot experience. um didn't go down exactly the way I. wanted to. like like I got picked up. first and Jay Leno came out and read a. letter from Les Moonveves that I was. picked up for a second season and then.

we start talking about the second season. and here's the great thing they wanted. you you really got to stop doing the. music as a matter of fact how about no. house band and it's interesting well but. but economically speaking Joe when I. look at it they wanted me to do Joe. Rogan before there was a Joe Rogan they. just want you to talk to people and. I watched Fallon with Will Smith one. night and Will Smith rode in on a horse. and I'm like that's expensive. You know,

they wanted me to do what we're doing. right now because this is cheaper to do. I would love for us to uh have a hip-hop. star here right now following me, but. this is economically sound. It's a new. day, >> right? So that's all it was. It was just. a money thing. They just. >> uh well that was the reboot show. The. first show. um you know if they want me to be in the. position to inherit Johnny's audience.

because that's they they wanted me and. themselves to make more money a lot of. money. Keep making money. And I was kind. of kicking the bag because. I had wanted to do this show since I was. a kid. I I couldn't imagine. Meanwhile, the thing is your show was so popular. And by the way, they got numbers one. night when Whitney didn't sing. She just. came on. >> and that was the kiss of death in my. morning meetings cuz they were like, "Look, Whitney saying nothing." And look.

at the numbers, you know? So, so they. were shooting for the Joe Rogan. experience before there was an. experience. >> [ __ ] people concentrate on the. numbers. It's like you you're missing. the trees. >> You got to Joe. Yeah. It's sometimes I, you know, it's really important for me. to look back and say. I love that show that I did and I don't. regret a moment of it, but I get. a corporate organization saying we can. make more more money and we can get more.

people in. >> Yeah. If I was a cor I would be a. terrible corporate executive by the way. >> because you would Yeah. I would say just. be you. just have fun and whatever ads. we get, we get. Whatever money we get, we get and that's good. You get plenty. It'll be fine. >> You can't You got to let a a It has to I. feel like every show has to be a unique. expression of the person that's hosting. it and what they're trying to do. Like,

let that person be free. Like, can you. imagine if Quinton Tarantino had to sit. down with a group of people that were. executives before he wrote a script? You. would never get any of these [ __ ]. chaotic, crazy movies. They were like, "No, no, no, no, no. You can't bash a. woman's head on a mantle piece. That's. nuts. Like, don't do that. No, you. can't, you know, like in Jackie Brown. No, you can't [ __ ] shoot that girl in. the parking lot. That's nuts. You can't. do that. You can't do any of these. things. You've got to let someone just.

be free. And then it finds its audience. >> Yeah. I remember when Ice Tea came on to. explain Cop Killer and. >> [snorts]. >> um his way of explaining. >> by the way. >> Yeah. [laughter] Yeah. >> And it was a metal band. >> Yeah. >> People don't realize that like I Tea. People forgot Body Count was a metal. band. >> Yeah. You got to search that, y'all. >> Right. A lot of people don't even know. that he did that. You think of IC Tea, you think of 6 in the morning. You think. of, you know, Hustler. You think of all.

those classic songs, Colors, you think. of that. You You don't think of Body. Count, which is like Ice Tea reinvented. himself. And he was like, "I always love. this kind of music. You can't tell me. what the [ __ ] I do. I like this kind of. music, too." Music, too. >> Amazing career. That. >> I know. And now he's he plays a cop for. like 25 years. >> How about [laughter] that for irony? I knew him when he was a pimp. And now. >> that's crazy. >> Remember when he was in Pimps Up, Hose. Down? >> Yeah, absolutely. He was in that, too.

>> Yeah. >> I mean, he was talking about the pimp. game. It was hilarious. >> Yeah. He he came on, by the way. They. didn't want me to do that, you know, uh, book him, but but I thought it was I. thought it was cool to expose America to. some conversations they might not hear. normally, right? >> And the more power I got, the more I. tried to push that envelope and do those. things. He compared it to. Schwarzenegger. He says, "You don't. think he's really the Terminator, right?

you know, [laughter] and and he says, "I. I'm not a cop [snorts] killer, >> but there's a message through this. character, and I'm paraphrasing, but. >> but it it was nice to. >> to hear people who I know." I I would. talk to Tupac. >> and I would say, "Say that on the air. You got to talk about that on the air.". And that was we didn't have Twitter. We. didn't have the bluebird. I was kind of. the blackbird. And I was able to have. these like Tupac called me once and he. says, "Man, they want me to take a AIDS. test before I do this movie. And unless.

I'm really going to [ __ ] Janet, I don't. think I should have to take a AIDS. test." And I'm like, "Please don't say. anymore. Just come on the show." And and. this fit into both categories. Come on. the show, don't do any music. Just sit. and talk. And those nights would do. really good. >> Of course. >> Of course. because people want to hear. people really talk. Especially in those. weird settings where most of the time. when people were coming on talk shows, they would just have this like very. canned sort of like pre-programmed thing.

that they would talk about. They would. talk about their character and the. >> people don't know we have pre-ins which. you don't have in a show like this, but. >> I get a card. >> that morning. It's like, okay, here's. what Jackie Collins would like to talk. about, right? >> You know, or or uh Nicole Kidman has. requested that you don't mention Tom. Cruz. [laughter]. And I'm like, [clears throat] well, tell. Nicole, the only reason that [ __ ] is. here is cuz I think Tom Cruz is going to. walk out, [crying] you know, and Oh, it.

was it was crazy back then. >> Yeah. Well, it was all PR people. And. it's again, you're dealing with too many. different people that are peripheral. people where all their money is. dependent on this one person performing. So they just want to make sure they make. the maximum amount of money possible. Like don't make any ripples. Don't cause. any waves. Don't cause any problems. Just go out there and smile and and sell. more. We'll sell more records. We'll. sell more movies. TV show will get. better ratings. Don't mess it up.

>> Yeah. Guys like Prince used to. >> be frustrated with the fact that. >> if something's a hit, can you give us. something like that again? How many. beats per second is that? Can you give. us that again? Or any big artist? It's. like we want more of of Waterfall. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Yeah. No, Prince was one of the most. revolutionary artists ever. And people. that don't know the early stuff, they. don't know how crazy it was that this. guy was the house song called Head.

>> just singing about getting head. >> First time I saw him, he was opening for. the Rolling Stones. >> Wow. >> And the audience didn't dig him because. it was different back then and he was. singing soft and wet. >> Right. Right. Well, Prince was just he. was so unique, man. >> And he predicted a lot of the things. that we're dealing with now and going. through. I remember the first time he. talked about what became Napster and he. talked about um owning your own property. and what was going to slave on his jaw.

and we thought that was silly but it. meant something. Well, he was dealing. with these crazy contracts where these. record companies, these predatory record. companies would lock you into these. contracts and they [ __ ] owned you. So. his response to that was like, "Okay, I. won't perform as Prince anymore. Now I'm. [ __ ] this [ __ ] I'm this squiggly. I'm a symbol. >> with a slave insignia on my. >> What are you going to do now? I'm a. symbol. I'm not even selling myself as. prince. >> And he would just I mean, how.

revolutionary is that? This guy said, "Okay, I know the workaround. I won't. use my name anymore. I'll just be a. symbol.". >> But he was such a bad [ __ ] that. people like, I know who that is. I don't. care what that [ __ ] symbol is. That's. Prince. Let him sing. Let him do things. >> Did you ever meet him? No man, I had one. opportunity to [ __ ] see him live. Yeah. And I blew it. >> at the Great Western Forum. >> No, it was at It was at one of the. hotels in Vegas, but it was a really.

late show. >> and uh I had a show earlier that night. and they said, and Prince was doing. small shows back then. It was like this. small like intimate audience, but it was. like after midnight. I was like, I'm. [ __ ] tired. I'm going to go to sleep. And this is like, oh, I [ __ ] up, man. I [ __ ] up. It's like when his career. was in a weird place cuz he wasn't doing. like big shows anymore and he was doing. this late night show and people were. saying it was really good but I was like. I'm tired. I'm not going to see this.

And then years later when he was dead I. was like god did I [ __ ] up. I always. thought Prince was going to be around. >> Yeah. And Prince we lost Prince to. Fentinel. >> Yeah. A lot of people don't in an. elevator. >> God damn. Uh, I I remember the. Musicology album where he toured and he. attached the album to the ticket so that. when you bought a ticket, you were. buying an album and it instantly became. a million-doll seller with that. philosophy. He had. >> genius that was way ahead of the pimps,

>> you know. I love it. >> He just knew that he was being [ __ ]. and he knew that all they're selling is. his brilliance. They don't have. anything. What is a record company. selling? They're only selling the art. That's it. They don't make it. >> And they were getting a penny a copy. Exactly. The the the record company was. getting most of it. And now it makes. even less sense because nobody even buys. albums anymore. It's like, how the [ __ ]. are these record companies even. surviving? It's so crazy that there they.

still figure out a way to latch their. tentacles onto these young artists. And. for young artists, they feel like. they've made it when they're a part of a. record deal. like I got a deal. And I. almost want to tell them like. that ain't a deal. >> You got to deal with the devil. Like if. you just put your [ __ ] on YouTube or on. Soundcloud or anywhere where people hear. it and they start sharing it, you'll be. huge. >> Yeah. We're getting smarter and learning. how to deal with the pimps that you.

know. Uh I I talk in in the book about. Prince also had a great sense of humor. you would have loved him, you know, as a. person uh beyond the musician. And there. was a time when I was hosting the MTV. Awards and he had no ass in his pants. And um [laughter]. you know, so when he's coming past me. down the hall, I realize, oh [ __ ] cuz. [laughter]. this [ __ ] ain't got no ass in. his pants. We'll be talking about this.

tomorrow. So, so obviously when I get. back to the show, my first monologue is. about that night. >> Look at that. >> Yes. [laughter] YES. >> 1991. Isn't that crazy? >> That was That was nuts. >> 1991. So I do jokes about that in the. monologue and u like a week or two after. the jokes I get a box. in the mail at Paramount and it's from. Prince.

and I open it. I figure it's maybe a. hoodie, >> you know. I opened it and it's a. beautiful black and white suit with all. the Prince symbols on it. Made me look. like I was the drummer for New Power. Generation or something. It was a cool. cool suit. And I'm looking at it and my. assistant said, "Turn it around.". [laughter]. I turned it around. There was no ass, >> no leg. Hell no. [laughter]. Not even at the crib. I never put it on.

It's like I I could never bring myself. to putting on that suit. It had no back, Joe. That's hilarious. >> But that's his sense of humor. >> That's hilarious. That's so funny. I. took him to an after hours joint once. I. talk about that in the book of because. he was very interested in what people. listen to and what moved people in. clubs. And I told him about an after. hours joint down the way south of. Wilshire that was in a lady's house and. you have put pitbulls and and a fence. and they let you in. They lock the chain.

back, bring you to the back and um you. know you put money on the counter and. they put your liquor in a solo cup. you. know, not a legal place. And I told him. about the place and he said, "I want to. go." And I took him down the way to this. spot. He had an acrylic cane and a suit. where the shoes match the suit, exact. same material. And he sat with me in. this after hours joint and listened to.

the music and and it was where the. strippers. >> What year was this? Oh god, this was. maybe two years after I left the talk. show. And um. >> So did he need the cane back then? Was. that when he was having hip problems? >> I think so. Now we understand that maybe. he had a replacement, a hip replacement. or something. >> I thought it was fashion, but it. probably was a little necessary that. year. >> and he all his dancing and. >> Oh, he used to jump off speakers, Joe. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> And land with heels.

>> Mhm. >> So. >> that's what [ __ ] him up. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> A lot of pictures with him with a cane. over the time though. >> That's Well, he probably was struggling. even back then cuz there's a lot of guys. that blew their their hips out. Yeah. >> He probably needed it. >> cuz he was an athlete, per se, you know. >> Oh, for sure. I mean, his dancing was. insane. And he was a good basketball. player. >> Hey, I I have one of those. He um the. hat with the police hat with the chain.

[laughter]. He sent me that one day. >> So, I'm sure there are a few of them, but just to have one of those from him. And he sent me like what looks like a. Smith and Wesson 38 long, but it was. fixed up. So, the microphone was where. the barrel is. >> So, he could hold the gun and sing into. it like that. I have that. Very cool. Very cool. >> I became good friends with Charlie. Murphy and Charlie Charlie had Oh, look. at that. >> Yes. >> Wow. Wow.

Wow. >> I have one of those. I don't know how. many there were, but [snorts] I have one. from him. >> That's crazy. >> Wow. >> But Charlie Murphy, >> well, Charlie had all those great. stories about Prince that he did on. Chappelle's show. >> Yeah. >> You know, I mean, that was like that. whole segment of like uh how how good. Prince was as a basketball. >> and then people didn't believe it. because, you know, he's so short, but. meanwhile, he could [ __ ] play like a. [ __ ]. >> Yeah. He had he had a crossover move. that was crazy. And he could roller.

skate. and I mean amazing with with a lollipop. backwards and [ __ ] [laughter] on one. foot, you know? So he he was. >> he was an athlete. >> Yeah. >> Really. I mean you can't dance like that. and not have incredible body control. >> Yeah. >> But the problem is when you're doing. show after show after show after show. after show for years, >> you're you're tearing your [ __ ]. joints apart. And that's probably what. blew his hips out. That's one thing. about us with the exception of the [ __ ]. you used to do on a stool. That. balancing act. Uh.

>> oh, the Kardashian joke. >> Yeah. Our joke, our [laughter] our our. life of jokes isn't very f we No. You. know, all we got to do is take care of. from the neck up. Take care of your. mind. >> Our body we No comedian has a bad hip. >> Well, you generally don't get it from. performing on stage, that's for sure. But when you're dancing and jumping. around and doing all that [ __ ] like Ted. Nent blew his his knees out jumping off. of uh speakers. >> Mhm. Mhm. Like a lot of people did that, you know, they just they went crazy. They were just putting on a show and you. don't realize you're doing it. Maynard.

from Tulle, he blew his hip out, stomping on the ground all the time. >> Wow. >> Just stomping while he was singing. He. had to get a hip replacement. >> Yeah. I like being a standup. >> Well, it's definitely easier on the. body. That's true. You know, >> you still get up on stage ever? >> Oh, yeah. All the time. I'm going up. >> in your own club. >> Yeah. >> What nights do you go up? Usually. Tuesday and Wednesday I do it, but I do. it, you know, off nights too, different. nights. But Tuesday and Wednesday almost. every week I do a show there. >> I promised my woman I wouldn't go to the.

mothership. When I I told her, she's. like, "When you go, I want to go. It's. it's a big deal if you're a comic, >> you know? I mean, uh, it's it's it's a. huge deal." But I want to come one. night, fly in, and just just let me have. 10. Dude, you can go up anytime. You can. go up tonight if you want. I got a show. tonight. >> Yeah, I I got to fly home and do. [laughter] I'm still slinging this book, man. >> I [clears throat] hear you, brother. Well, anytime anytime you want to come. by and do a set, you're more than. welcome. >> I love it though.

>> Come and hang hang out. >> Everybody's been so friendly. >> The green room is an amazing hang, too. >> That's what I hear. But I've heard both. sides of that. I've heard don't be in. that [ __ ] if you're not supposed. to. >> Well, the problem is you don't want. anybody coming in [ __ ] up the. conversation, you know? So, we, you. know, you got to be kind of vetted. But. it's only like during shows when you're. not on, you know, if [clears throat]. like if it's a show and you're on the. show, everyone's allowed to be in the. green room. Yeah. It's just like we. don't allow people to just come in out.

of nowhere. There's like you're from out. of town, you want to come in and hang. out in the green room. Then there's too. many people in the green room. Yeah. And. then people have to prepare. They're. going over their notes. The green room. is supposed to be a hang with the comics. on the show that are getting ready to go. on stage. And the problem is that's the. cool spot. That's where Shane Gillis is. and Ron White is Tony Hinchcliffe is. everybody wants to come in and you know. it gets it gets to be a little bit of a. problem. So you can't go in the green. room if you're not on the show unless we. know who you are and you know you're in. town. You want to come hang.

>> but it's like you know it's like you're. having a party. You can't let everybody. in. The problem is everybody wants to be. there. >> I mean look at the level I'm at and how. long I've been doing it and I know about. the green room and want to get in there. >> You can get it. You can get in anytime. Hey, when you were in living. [clears throat] in Hollywood still, um, did your kids ever want to act? >> No. No, they're not interested in that. >> Yeah. >> Never wanted to stand up. >> Thank No, they wouldn't. First of all, rich kids are not going to be good. stand-ups. [laughter].

>> You're not going to be able to deal with. the torture of bombing. You know, you're. not. >> And they don't have to. >> And they don't have pain. You know, their their pain is so minor in. comparison to the pain of poverty. the. pain of struggle, the pain of, you know, not getting enough attention when you're. young and, you know, moving around a. lot, all the different [ __ ] that most. comics go through. I I've never met a. good comic who had a great childhood. I, as you're talking, I'm thinking, I'm. like, do we know any comics who are. good, who are from wealth?

>> None. I don't know any. I'm sure they. can exist. I'm sure it's possible, but. it takes a very exceptional person to. want to be a great comic that's grew up. wealthy. It's just not a thing that they. seek to do. >> So much so much comedy comes from our. pain. >> I think the only exception to that would. be the weigh-ins brothers because the. sons of the weigh-ins brothers all went. on to be great comics. They all went on. to have big careers in movies and films. and television. But I think that's it's.

like a family thing over there. Like I. remember Damon telling me that he set up. a stage in his house. >> That's absolutely true. Well, they just. I mean they love standup so much they. would [ __ ] do stand up for each. other. Just [ __ ] around. I I used to see. first of all I think to this day Damon. is one of the most underappreciated. great comics of all time and. >> and he's back out there now. I I noticed. [snorts] uh in my room uh Damon is at. the improv and. >> he's always been quit. No, no, no. He.

never quit. He was always doing stand up. but he's low-key about it. He makes his. money off of television, >> you know, and even like he wanted to do, we talked years ago about him coming on. my podcast and he was like, "I'd [sighs]. like to, but I'll say some crazy [ __ ]. and then I'll. >> get in trouble." Because he was in that. what I call the velvet prison. The TV. velvet prison. You're doing TV shows. You're playing a dad on a TV show. You. know, >> you can't come on a podcast, talk about. getting your dick sucked. It's just.

>> Howie Mandel goes through that. I work. with him a lot. and Howie is on. America's [snorts] Got Talent. Exactly. This real commercial television vehicle, but nobody is more real and edgy than. Howie Mandel. >> when he's on stage and in the green room. hanging out. Like he's done sets of the. mothership. He's come and hung out with. us. >> Yeah. >> He came he did my podcast and he came to. the club. He's like, "Fuck, I want to be. like that. I want to do do what you guys. are doing.". >> I'm like, "You can. >> You can do it." But he's worried that he.

would lose that velvet prison. Hey, when. we're working and they have the phones. and bags, that's when he's amazing to us. because he'll he'll drop the sea bomb in. a minute. >> He was saying it. He was saying on. stage. I'm just so happy I could say. [ __ ] Yeah. >> I just want to say it. [laughter]. >> But he was funny. It was like he was. having a good time. He was loose and you. could tell it's like cuz Howie was a. great comic. Like Howie had some. hilarious [ __ ] specials. >> I hated following him at the Westwood. comedy store. Mity used to send us there.

to get better. me, him, and Paulie. That's the one thing I loved about her. You know how we have Nepo babies? She. didn't have no Nepo babies. She was. like, "Paulie, you're not ready.". >> Yeah. Oh, she made his Westwood. >> Oh, she made Paulie work. Yeah. I mean, Pauliey's a rare dude in that regard. like he became a really funny comedian. while he was, you know, living with a. woman who's the great as as in terms of. like. people in comedy that are like the some.

of the most critical important people. She is the most important person in the. history of comedy that's not a comic. >> Absolutely. There there is no argument. >> No argument. There's no [clears throat]. one even close to her. >> And her son, you know, I mean, went on. to have huge success in movies. I took. Mity. Remember when we had the Universal. Amphitheater? >> I got tickets and took Mity to see. Paulie open for Sam Kenison. >> Wow. >> And uh it just blew her away cuz she had.

never seen him in that large. environment. And it was really cool to. watch her watch her son. >> Well, she let she let him grow the right. way, you know. She didn't she didn't. give him a silver spoon. By the way, Mity Shore started the comedy store and. she's the mother of Paulie Shore because. I say Mity to you like it's a cousin, >> right? Well, we talk about her so much. I think a lot of people listening know, but she's the most important person in. comedy that wasn't a comic and more.

important than most comedians. Like, she. would tell you how to do it right and if. she liked you, man, it was like. >> she'd tell you how to do it in her. opinion. I've seen her tell some people. some crazy [ __ ]. >> Oh, yeah. She was done right a lot of. times. >> She had some wild ideas that weren't. >> She had a girl put on a green wig one. time and I'm [laughter] like, >> I'm not sure, you know, but she was. trying to find some kind of hook for. this girl. And I'm like, if you don't. want to have to wear the green wig, go. home and figure out a hook. >> Yeah, she she made Joey Diaz call.

himself Fat Baby. She. >> Ouch. [laughter]. She when you would look at the lineup. like I bet you could find it online if. you look there's lineups from the comedy. store it be a bunch of comedians Bill. Burr blah blah blah and then you'd see. fat baby and that was Joey Diaz she. would call him fat baby she would. wouldn't even let him use his [ __ ]. name in the lineup it would be fat baby. I remember having a [laughter]. conversation with her and Paul and Paul. was exacerbating the problem cuz she was.

like. >> Rodriguez. >> uh Paul Mooney. >> Paul Mooney We got so many Pauls in our. life. So, we're sitting dude talking. >> and uh Mity is about to start the belly. room cuz she thinks women need a place. to perform. >> and uh to get better. She. >> that was what the belly room originally. was. >> A little college up there. >> for ladies and she was trying to think. of a name for it. And she says, "I'm. also thinking about having one night of. just black comics." You know, because. there was only George Wallace, Dave.

Tyrie, and Mooney at one time when I. arrived. And uh. >> What year was that? >> I came in 1980, New Year's Eve. >> Wow. >> I drove out from Chicago cuz I'm from. Cleveland, and there were no comedy. clubs in Cleveland back then. So, I had. to go to New York, LA, or Chicago. And. my mother was living in Chicago at that. time. So, I went there cuz rent was free. for a while. And uh that that was a a. lot of fun. But Mity for the Black.

Knight, she said, "Paul, what do you. think I should call in?" And and she. says, "I was thinking cotton comedy.". [laughter]. And and I'm not No, Mity, no. No, you. can't. [snorts] You can't. And I was. trying to explain why. And Paul was. like, "Oh, that's [clears throat]. wonderful. Let's [laughter]. exactly what we should call it.". >> Oh, homie. Oh, homie. Comedy. [laughter]. [clears throat]. >> He was cool. >> Oh, man. Paul, that guy, that guy would. write, man. It'd be something that would. happen in the news like the day before.

and Mooney would go on stage and have. like 15 minutes on it and just crush. >> And he did something that I know I. hated. He requested the last spot. >> Oh, he loved that last. >> Wanted to go on late. Wanted to stay on. as long as he wanted and would [ __ ] with. you if you tried to get up. M. >> Oh, you don't like a smart [ __ ]. [laughter]. >> but don't leave too early. My friends. are at your house robbing that. [ __ ]. >> He He would have so many things like. that, so many hooks. And he was just so.

good at working those small crowds. He. just liked the freedom of just being. able to [ __ ] around, you know, >> with a bottle of champagne with a straw. >> Little tiny bottle of champagne. >> Yeah. And he would he would sip on it. during punch lines. >> Oh, [ __ ] please. And then [laughter]. take a sip. We always used to just sit in the back. and watch him. It's like if you thought. you were good at comedy, you'd watch. Mooney and go, "God, I got so much to. learn.". >> Yeah. >> I got so much to learn. >> All the great comics that we know now at. one time would sit in the back of the O.

and come late to watch Paul. >> Absolutely. >> I used to on a landline. I used to call. Kenan and say, "Yo, I'll meet you. there." We were going to see Mooney at. 11:15. I would always love to see Mooney. when something [ __ ] up happened in the. news. >> Like if there was something [ __ ] up. happened in the news, I'm like, "When's. Paul going up?". >> Yeah. >> You know, it just like you had to go see. him because he always had a take and you. know that take was always like, "Oh. shit." You know, it was like he would. get you. He would like find an angle.

where you'd be like, "Oh my god, oh my. god." He was he was so clever. the. coolest conversations at the comedy show. when Richard would come up every night. and Richard would go from five minutes. to an hour and then it would become a. great special that you go to at the. theater to see. >> But I would watch Paul Mooney before we. had cell phones. >> after it was over. Richard would go and. have a cigarette in the main room like. on a Monday or Sunday. I think it would. be closed and that's where he would we'd. call it holding court. He would go in. there first and just want to dry off for.

a minute, smoke a cigarette, and Paul. would come in with a napkin with stuff. written on it. And he would just, you. know, oh, and how about this? And he. would give him tags. And as a matter of. fact, Richard on the back of an album. that that joke you go to, you go to. prison, you get justice, just us, [ __ ]. [laughter]. >> And he gave that to Richard and it was. on a prior album. But uh oh those Joe. that was a time Richard would work out. every night. He'd work the original.

room, go in the main room and entertain. his guest and it would be like Bert. Reynolds, uh Moses, uh Charlton H. >> Uh Wow. >> Bernie Casey. >> You you would see like uh Oh, Bert. Reynolds would have Sally Field with. him. >> Wow. >> It was amazing. They would all come and. bow to the King Dog. >> Yeah. Well, he was so different. Yeah. I. always say that the godfather of comedy. who started everything was Lenny Bruce,

but then Richard. >> figured out a way to take that and make. it way funnier. >> He figured out how to take that kind of. honesty and social commentary and figure. out how to like talk about life. >> Cuz people don't know that before before. Lenny Bruce came around, it was just. jokes. It was just like two Jews walking. to a bar, they buy it, punch. >> Yeah. >> It was jokes. It was like Dangerfield's. rhythm. >> Yeah. But you know what? Dangerfield was.

a He was a special guy, too. He was a. beast, man. >> And he didn't He took like 10 years off. and never stopped riding and was selling. aluminum siding. Yeah. >> And then came back and made it in his. 40s. >> Yeah. >> Wow. Look at this. Willie, that's the. main room. That's the main room. >> That's crazy. Bert Reynolds, Sally. Fields. >> Now, you see that picture? One night I'm. in that room and Stevie Wonder. >> is over on the piano. Remember how the. piano used to be in the main room on the. far left of the stage? Steviey's playing.

>> and there a few people snorting Coke. I. think to this day, Stevie still thinks a. few of those people have allergies. because, you know, [laughter] Yeah. He's. just sitting playing and people Wow. Wow. Look at that. Bert Reynolds on. stage. Robin Williams. >> I saw Bert Reynolds give the parking. attendant $100 and I thought I was on. another planet. I'm like, get the [ __ ]. out of here. I should be parking. [laughter] cars. [ __ ] Stand up. Yeah, that was that's And for people who are.

looking at this picture, that's. [clears throat] Richard holding court. after his set. Wow. What an amazing photo. Well, Jamie, we. should get some of these photos and. >> Yeah. Get some of these photos and let's. print them up and put them in the green. room at the mother ship. >> I saw a picture. >> That's a back. He's got the zero signs. in the back. >> Oh, yeah. Still wow. >> That tells you a lot about the history. Uh search. That sign used to be Mity had this.

warehouse room like was just not a. warehouse, but you know, it was a. storage room where she had all the old. CRO stuff. And I remember seeing that. sign there and they eventually hung it. up in the back bar area and you just. look like, "Wow, this was this was a mob. club in like the [ __ ] 50s.". >> Yeah, >> that's crazy. I saw a picture you have. in the entry of Richard Prior's mug. shot. >> Yeah. >> I had never seen that. What did he do?

>> I don't remember. >> Yeah, >> I don't remember. But he was very young. That mug shot was I think he was like. 18. >> Yeah. >> I don't remember what it was. I have mug. shots from everybody who got arrested. >> Yeah. I saw Larry King. Larry King was. like bad checks. He was writing bad. checks. He had a gambling problem. >> Oh. >> yeah. >> Yeah. Willie Nelson's up there. >> Yeah. >> I got everybody up there. There is a. book that I have in my garage and it's.

the first edition to tell you. how much of of this kind of stuff. existed, but it's all celebrities and. their mug shots. >> So, it's a coffee table book of just the. mug shots. >> Oh, I should probably get that book. I. bet there's a few in there that I don't. have. >> And I bet there is a a second one that. they could do. >> because the book's only like a half inch. thick. We got a lot of good ones out. there, but you know, so many people got. arrested. You know, we got David Bowie.

out there, of course. Morrison, you. know, it's like Hrix. Got to have that. mug shot. That's a classic. >> Yeah. >> This There was a lot of mug shots. >> Have you ever taken a mug shot? >> No, I've never been arrested. >> Yeah, I've never been arrested. >> I'm a good boy, believe it or not. Yeah, [laughter]. you know, I mean, we we've done things, but not enough to have to take those. pictures. >> Yeah. Luckily, >> but also we live in a different time, you know, in the 1960s and 70s when.

those guys are getting arrested. They're. they're getting arrested for like having. a joint or something like that, you. know. >> Oh, yeah. >> Richard or excuse me, Jimmy, I think he. got arrested in Toronto for having. heroin on him. I think that's what he. got arrested for. I got pulled over and. had a joint in my ashtray. in 1989. And uh I was scared to death. And the. cop was real nice to me. But he did the. corniest thing. He says, "Get out of the. car." And he made me rip up the joint.

and drop it in the sewer at the curb. there. And he says, "Now get your life. together." [laughter]. >> Like [ __ ] is helping me get my life. together. >> Absolutely. It makes me funnier. That's. funny. That's hilarious. >> The good old days, man. I remember you. talking about Rodney earlier, Rodney. Dangerfield. You know how we love com comedy. We'll. never stop doing it. We'll do it until. until the wheels fall off. And I. remember him on stage at the Laugh.

Factory near the end of his life. And. >> I saw him there. >> Yeah. And his wife was in the balcony. >> giving him lines through a wireless. earwig. And uh if you went up top, you. would hear her say, "I don't get no. respect." And. >> I don't get no respect. >> You know, [laughter]. and first of all, two things. It first. of all, it warmed my heart that the. woman who loves you is going to help you. do what you love. >> So that.

made me feel so good and it was like, I. want a woman with that kind of heart. because I know I'm going to want to do. it when I'm older. She gave us his notes. from one of his Tonight Show appearances. and they're framed uh in the on the wall. in the green room. It's his handwritten. notes in in bold. He would like write it. in bold where the punch lines were. >> It's like sitting there right above the. couch. >> That's cool, man. >> Yeah. It was one of the first things uh. Whitney Cummings hooked it up. She got. it for us from her. She wanted us to.

have it. >> Whitney Cummings. I. >> I saw Rodney live when I was a security. guard. I was a security guard at Great. Woods. Great [clears throat] Woods. Center for the Performing Arts, which. was in Mansfield, Massachusetts. >> Oh. >> Where I lived in Boston. >> Yeah. >> Um me and a bunch of the black belts. from this taekwondo team that I was on, got jobs as security guards. >> And I was 19 and I was backstage and. Rodney was walking around with a. bathrobe on with nothing underneath it. >> That was when he was going on stage with. a bathrobe. He got to such a [ __ ] it.

point in his life where he would. literally go on stage with nothing but a. bathrobe. He would walk out there with a. bathrobe and slippers and just [ __ ]. murder. I remember being in the and I. wasn't even thinking about doing standup. back then. Back then I was just fighting. and I was a fan of comedy. I always love. comedy. >> Your fighting friends talked you into. doing standup, right? >> Yeah. Yeah. One of the guys that I. trained with, my friend Steve. But when. I when I went there, I remember like. like you want to talk about not giving a.

[ __ ] Like this guy really didn't give a. [ __ ] Like he had gotten to a point. where he had so much success and so much. money. And this was after back to school. and all those big movies and he was. still just going out there doing stand. up. He was smoking weed back there and. he just would go on stage with a. bathrobe on. >> and I remember thinking that is the. wildest [ __ ] I've ever seen in my life. I remember as a young man cuz I was. always, you know, you're [ __ ] 19. You're scared of everything. You're. worried about the future. You don't know. what, you know, you have no security in.

your life at all. And here's this guy. with, you know, millions of dollars, massive amounts of fame. And he got to. that I don't give a [ __ ] stage. And he. but he really did. He wasn't faking it. Nobody told him he has to go on stage in. a bathroom. I was like, I'll tell you. what I want to do. Mhm. >> I want to go on stage with a bathrobe. >> He [laughter] just went on stage with a. [ __ ] bathrobe. >> See if you can find some photos of him. on stage with a bathrobe on. I know he. did it for years. >> I got in trouble [snorts] because Easy E.

came on my show in his bathrobe. [laughter]. >> And he was like, "You gave it to me.". You know, cuz we give out bathroes. [snorts] And so he said, "Well, [ __ ] it. I'll wear it out there." And he wore it. out and had a he was picking his teeth. with a knife. And Paramount was like, "Oh man, this is not what we asked him. for. This is really not what [laughter]. we asked him for. He'll never replace. Johnny.". >> Oh, [ __ ] off. >> But but I knew people were ridiculous. >> Hey, I was where I was because I snuck. in through syndication. Did a first run.

syndication. I know network wasn't for. me. And when Letterman got CBS, I knew I. was really in trouble. So, I had to. figure out an exit plan. But the bottom. line is for six years, I did it the way. I wanted to do it. And I wouldn't change. a thing, man. To to do it for 26 years. I wouldn't trade those six. >> The thing about it is, man, everybody. wanted to be Johnny back then. It was so. crazy. Even Letterman, I joked that the. Emmys I I said I I had a dream. I wanted. to be an old white man with a desk, [laughter]. >> you know, and that was my I to the.

point, Joe, that when I made it, I hired. Johnny's architect that built his house. to build me a house. I was deep into the. [ __ ] like that. Well, he was the guy. People don't realize like that was the. carrot. That was the thing that they got. I mean Jay Leno and like that famous. scene in that movie that talked about it. where Jay Leno would hide in the closet. and listen to them talk about it because. he wanted that spot when Johnny retired. but they wanted Letterman and it was. like this battle between like it made no.

sense to me. I'm like Letterman has the. Letterman show. It's [ __ ] huge. It's. amazing. Why would you want to do. anything else? But everybody wanted that. Tonight Show. Absolutely. I wanted the. Tonight Show. >> and when I was a kid, I was a magician. That's how I started. And I read an. article that said that Johnny did Slight. of Hand and was a magician. So to me, that was God speaking to me. >> It was like, you are a magician and you. do a talk show in the basement. Oo, >> one day. >> Yeah, one day. [snorts].

>> Isn't it crazy though that it had to be. the tonight show for everybody? It. wasn't get your own talk show, >> Joe. Doing standup, getting that five. minutes, having Jim McCauley come see. you. I got on. >> Dinosaur. No, no, uh Mike Douglas and I. got on MV Griffin. >> Didn't Didn't do it for me. >> I needed Jim McCauley say that tonight. show is yours. >> Yeah. Ain't that crazy? >> Did you do Did you Were you You were too. young. >> I was too young. And it's also like for.

me, I didn't understand it. Mhm. >> Like I used to like watching when comics. were on the Tonight Show, but it didn't. >> remember the night Roseanne came on the. domestic goddess. >> Yeah. >> I was like, "Oh [ __ ] she's funny.". >> Oh, she was so funny. >> She can write. >> She was so funny. Roseanne was like way. ahead of her time. She was so wild. There was no one like her when she came. out. >> Yeah, >> she's still wild. She comes to this to. the mothership all the time. And as wild. as she is, Joe, the night I called her.

and said, "I need. to rearrange the show tonight, her and. Tom were coming.". >> And it was Tom Arnold. >> Yes. And it was the morning that I'd. gotten the call from Irvin Magic Johnson. that he was HIV positive. >> So I needed the whole show. >> And this is how cool she was. She says, >> "Give me another date, but I'm still. coming cuz we love Irvin.". >> Oh, wow. And they came and stood on the. side that night when Irvin came and. talked about it.

>> Wow. She's cool. >> She's cool. She's crazy as [ __ ] She's. cool. >> Aren't we all? And don't we have to be? >> You have to be. Yeah. >> A little bit. We got to be the different. kid in the neighborhood. >> Yeah. Well, if you want to be as good as. she was cuz people, they don't. You got. to go back and watch some of her. specials. She was killing in a way that. no woman killed like that. It was. different. It was like aggressive. >> It was aggressive and angry. It was It. was attention on She didn't sell us any.

sexuality at all. It was just great. writing. >> Just great writing and great performing. and a lot of I don't give a [ __ ]. >> And it was just Do you find any photos. of Rodney with a bathrobe on? >> I mean, yes, but not on stage. >> No. [laughter]. >> There's only Yeah. I don't even know if. they exist. >> They [snorts]. similar clothes. That was. >> They don't exist. That's crazy. That was. a pre-show right there. >> He's You think he's not ready, but he's. dressed to go on, >> right? And he's writing.

>> Look at the phone. Look at the landline. >> Ain't that crazy? >> I showed my son one of those. He. couldn't believe that to drop dollar. nine. It was And if you missed one of. them and [ __ ] it up, you had to start. from scratch. It was crazy. >> Yeah. >> Back in the day. I remember [snorts]. when uh the iPhone first came out and it. didn't have actual buttons like a Star. Trek. >> and I was freaking. It's like how will I. know where the L is?

>> Yeah, >> I can't feel it. >> I remember I had a Blackberry back then. You couldn't convince me that I needed. to get an iPhone. I was like, "This is. ridiculous. >> I'm not typing on that stupid thing. I. don't even know where the buttons are. It's cra You don't It makes a click. sound. That's stupid." Before you know. it, we were doing it. We turn off the. click and it says a lot about progress. Don't don't be afraid to change. >> Well, now I talk to it. Now I hardly. ever text. I just say, uh, text Arsenio, like say, "Hey, man. Looking forward to. seeing you tonight, blah blah blah." And. just send it.

>> Yeah. >> I I make most of my text messages I just. talk to my phone. >> Yeah, pretty much. Uh, me and Siri. Uh, and you can't say the N-word to Siri. The other night, I was writing a joke. No, she won't [ __ ] with the nword. [laughter] because seriously, I wonder. if Google will. >> She's like, I'm not getting cancelled, you know, and let Alexa have the whole. business. I'm not to get, you know, but. you know, I'm writing the joke and I. said the N word. Uh, of course, I didn't. say n word. I said negative. >> and Siri would not write it. >> And then when I kept saying it, she.

started writing other things, you know, that started with an N, you know, but. they weren't even words. >> And I'm like, so they got Siri trained. >> That's so weird. She not getting. cancelled. >> It's weird that it took. it wasn't even 10 years and then. everybody just got accustomed to having. a phone with them all the time. Like. there there was think about like the. difference between like it was probably. like what is it like 9798. when everybody had those Motoras,

>> right? It was around then, right? >> Yeah. >> It was around then like 96 97. >> My friends laughed at me. My first phone. was in a Hallebertton briefcase. And you. open the silver Hallebertton briefcase, take the phone out and the phone was. maybe 10 in, you know, with a and and I. had an antenna that screwed on the. outside of the briefcase because you had. this big possum tail. >> Yeah. I had one on the roof of my car. >> Oh yeah.

>> In 1989. >> Yeah. You you Wow. Back back then, I couldn't imagine that kids would be. watching movies on the phone, >> right? Playing games, watching movies, and that would be most of their social. life was communicating through that. thing. >> Yeah. Remember there was a time when. dudes said to each other, "Yo, he got a. strong rap, man. His pimp hand is crazy. He can get a [ __ ] in a second, you. know, and blah blah blah. He can talk.". And now young men don't know what the. [ __ ] to say to a woman leaning against a.

wall in a club. >> Dating apps now. Yes. Swiping. >> Crazy. >> But what I was going to get at like how. quickly the culture changed from let's. just say 98 when most a lot of people. had a phone. At least half the people. had a phone on them. 2008 everybody had. a phone. >> Mhm. >> 2018 you'd be crazy to not have a phone. >> Yeah. >> 20 years like that. >> Okay. Now now hold your thought. >> Okay. I remember a time.

when. you and I were the only parents that. didn't allow cell phones. in the hands of our kids. I cuz I. remember my son said, "Uh, Dad, you got. to let me have a phone, you know, and. I'm like, I'm not doing it. I'm until. you were a certain age, I'd set it up. and and I said, does everyone in your. class have a phone?" And he said, "No, two of us don't.". [laughter]. >> And I realized you were the other. parent.

>> Yeah. >> That was saying, "We're not [ __ ]. >> I gave her a phone that has two numbers. on it." It would they There was a weird. little cell phone that you could get for. kids where she could dial like my phone. number or my wife's phone number. >> It was like that's it. Those like it was. like I forget what it was called. It was. like the frog or something like that. Some little cell phone for kids. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. But you didn't have to. worry about the things that kids have to. worry about now. Like I was watching. this thing about Roblox. You know that. game that kids like to play that they're.

getting like predators are on Roblox and. they're trying to pick up kids like. child predators on. So you have to worry. about the games they play. You have to. worry about them getting DM'd by creeps. You have to worry about so much more. access than just a phone to call people. >> Yeah. There was a time when my kid used. to play games with a headset on and he. would play with people you don't know, just somebody in the world. >> They would gather. >> Yeah. >> And um.

I remember feeling like this can't be. good, >> right? >> You know, cuz these probably aren't all. kids he's playing with. >> 100%. Yeah. >> Yeah. Well, when I first started playing. video games, you'd have to chat by. pulling down a window and you'd have to. type in the things that you wanted to. say. You couldn't talk to people. >> Yeah. >> And then when people started talking to. people in video games, I'm like, "Oh, this is crazy.". >> Yeah. >> But then the problem is whenever there's. anything the kids are doing, you're. going to have some creeps that are.

targeting kids. And they find where the. kids are hanging out, what the kids are. doing, and then they try to get those. kids to meet them somewhere. That's. what's scary about cell phones and the. internet and all that [ __ ] is that it's. not just a phone. It's it's a a way that. you can connect with people and there's. always creeps that are trying to connect. with kids. >> Yeah. I I was lucky as a kid because I. talk about being a magician and I worked. at a magic shop when I was 12. Took cash. because I couldn't actually have a job.

And I remember meeting older magicians. I remember going to people's house to. see a new guillotine trick and my mother. my mother worked two jobs. I was a latch. key kid. I never had any problems and I. never was warned about it, you know, but. um I was a I could have been a target. because. >> Yeah, you got lucky. Yeah, I really got. lucky because I, you know, when I was. writing the book, I'm looking and I'm. saying. >> there was a guy I met who uh.

worked until he died for Pen and Teller. And this dude, I met him at a magic show. and every year when he would come to. Cleveland, I'd go sit with him. My. mother never knew I had this 40-year-old. friend, [laughter] you know. >> Weird, right? >> But yeah, but he was cool and I got. lucky. >> Yeah, that's the thing about Latchkkey. kids. I mean, the thing is though, I was. watching this um this YouTube video. where they were talking about kids of. our age, you know, our our generation,

latch key kids. >> that grew up like that are so much more. resilient because no problems were. solved for you. You had to figure it out. on your own. You went out on your own. You were outside with no cell phone. communication, no way to call anybody, right? when you were 10, 11, you're. wandering around with your friends. It's. like it was a different world. You had. to figure life out in a way that like. helicopter parenting and parents that. are like tracking their kids, >> you know, like a lot of parents like.

they're tracking their kids on their. phone. They know where they're You said. you were at Debbiey's house. You're not. at Debbiey's house. Where are you right. now? Like everyone is like looking out. for their kids maybe a little too much. It's like you want your children to be. safe, but you also want them to have. like a little bit of freedom to figure. out who the [ __ ] they are. Yeah. I gosh, as a kid, when I would tell my mother, I'm spending a night at Kenny's house, I. was never at Kenny's house. [laughter]. You know, my my girl when I was 14.

had a mom who was a nurse that worked. the 11 to seven shift. So, we kind of. lived together like a couple, you know. I would tell my mother I'm going one. place, I'd go to Robin's house. I would. stay at her house till morning when I. went home to get ready for school. You. know, I was like a grown ass man with a. woman. It's just. >> That's wild. >> Until one day her parents uh had the. grandparents come to town and to. surprise her. And so, the mom's at work,

there's a knock at the door and she. said, "It's my grandmother." We had. little peeppholes. It's my grandmother, my grandfather. and I had to jump uh. with my clothes off their balcony. [laughter]. That was my action adventure teenage. period. >> Yeah, it's a different world. I don't. know if it's better or worse, but I. think it definitely made you more. resilient. And that was this argument. that they were making in this YouTube. video that that generation is the most. emotionally resilient.

>> and that this generation coming up is. like the least emotionally resilient. That's why they're always looking for. things that are you know, problems. They're always looking for things that. bother them, things that cause them. anxiety. They're always looking for. things that, you know, they can't. tolerate. >> Where's my bike helmet? >> You know, I we used to have a car. It. was a station wagon and the back seat. you sit facing the opposite way. No seat. belts. That had to be dangerous. >> It It's all dangerous. Those cars were.

dangerous. They could barely stop. >> Yeah. >> They had drum brakes. >> Yeah. Yeah. You ever drive like an old I. have old cars, but I have what they call. resto mods where they take an old car, but they put like modern suspension, modern brakes, modern steering. It. handles like a new car, but they have. all the outside of an old car and you. know, and then the dashboard of an old. car and all that stuff. That's what I. like. If you drive a real like if you. try to drive a 1968 Camaro, you're like, "What is this piece of shit?". >> Like they can't break. You can't go.

around a corner. They There's no. traction. What was your first car? >> I had a 1973 Chevel. >> I had a Cutless. >> Had a Cutless once. Yeah, I had a 70 a. 70 Cutless. >> Those are great cars. God, they knew how. to make a beautiful car back then. >> You like muscle cars? >> Yeah. I love the Well, when I was in. high school, like those were the So, I. was in high school in the 1980s. I went. to I was a freshman in 1981. >> I had four kids in the 1980s.

>> Wow. That's crazy. >> I'm much older than you. [laughter] In. those days, those cars were the cars. that we all like looked at. Like you. couldn't believe when someone had it. I. remember I have a 1970 Chevel to that I. got to this day. I I I have it because. when I was like 17, my friend picked me. up in a 1970 Chevel with his buddy and. it was perfect. It was a perfect car. I. couldn't believe this guy had it. >> I was like, "How do you have this?" And. and when you say perfect to non-car.

people like me, what does that mean? >> Oh, first of all, it was what you would. call cherry, meaning there was no dents, no scratches, perfect paint. It was. beautiful. The sound it made when he. pulled up, I couldn't I think I was 16. cuz I don't think I had a license yet. And I remember getting in the backseat. of the car going, "How does this guy. have this car? This is crazy. It's a You. know what a 1970 Chevel looks like?". >> Absolutely. >> With the white stripes. Black with the. white stripes. That was it. I have that. exact car right now. I love it. Whenever.

I get in, I think about when I was 16. I. think about all those years ago. >> when Bert Reynolds drove up. Those. pictures we just looked at, when he. drove up, he had what was called A TRANS. AM. >> YES. >> And it had a big eagle on the. >> Yes. Smoking the Bandit car. I. >> almost lost my mind. >> Oh my god. That was the Smokeoky and the. Bandit car. That was the car that he had. in those movies with Sally Fields. >> $100 tip. Um, have you ever been to. [laughter] uh you ever been to Jay. Leno's spot. >> with with the cars? Yeah, I did his show.

once. I brought my uh Corvette on. I. have a 1965 Corvette and I brought it to. his show. It's a Resto Mod 2 and Jay. drove it around. He's the only person. that's ever driven it other than me. >> and you know, it's an honor. But you go. to his place, it's like. >> he has warehouses. Not a warehouse where. there's there's. >> he never sells one. He He swears to me. he's never sold a car. So, anything he's. ever bought, he keeps. And he recently. told me, >> "Why did someone turn it gold?".

>> A clip thumbnail, someone YouTube video. >> No, go to the other one. The other. picture with the real picture. >> I was just clicking around, >> but go to the go to the real picture so. you can see what it looks like. >> You know, you know what he has now? That's kind of cool. He has two tanks. Two army tanks. >> That's us right there. That's my car. >> Look at that. See? But that like you see. that modern suspension, modern wheels. [snorts]. >> Those are exhaust pipes on the side. >> Yeah. That that car is so fun. >> Do those things get hot?

>> Yeah. Yeah. You'll [ __ ] your leg up. If. you got shorts on, your leg touches it, you're in trouble. The outside part. won't because like the outside is like. to protect you from the actual exhaust. pipes, but underneath it is exhaust. pipes. But where Jay's leg is, if he. backed up right there, if it was hot, he'd singe the back of his calves. >> Joe, he has tanks. >> Yeah, he has everything. >> The king of Jordan gave him a tank. [laughter]. >> And this [ __ ] was riding through. Sherman Oak with the. >> He drives everything he has, too. That's.

the thing about Jay. >> Yeah. >> Like, it's kind of nuts. >> It's a lot of rotation. >> Well, he w he crashed one of his. motorcycles just a few years ago. >> Yeah. >> [ __ ] himself up. >> He does a bit about that. He's [ __ ]. himself up without a motorcycle. >> Oh, that was the one time he was. climbing up a hill. >> Yeah. Yeah. We We've done a lot of dates. together. We have the same agent, right? And he called us one day and he says, "How about you, Jay and Craig Kilbornne, and we call it Kings of Late Night." And. so we went out and did like five dates. and it was a lot of fun. And me and Jay.

enjoyed it. So we added 20 more dates to. it. And uh. >> Oh, that had to be great. >> Fun. >> He was a great comic in the 70s. >> Yeah. People don't know when I was in. college, we would go in the TV lounge. and watch Jay Leno. Uh to this day, I. remember him saying I was a philosophy. major and so I just got out of college. and I opened up a little philosophy. shop, you know, just to [laughter] to. explain what [ __ ] majors,

>> right, >> were actually being pedal to. Well, he. was the edgy comic in the 1970s and when. he would go on Letterman show, he was. like the edgy guy that would sit on the. couch and be. >> Letterman would say, "What's your beef?". >> Yeah. And he would always be mad at. something. >> Mhm. >> He was like, People don't realize that. you see him as But is again that carrot, the carrot for him was the Tonight Show. That was more important to him than. anything. And once he got that Tonight. Show, everything else was like took a. backseat. >> Did you do Letterman as a standup? >> No. No. >> That was my first.

That's a that's that's a classic. >> That was a great place for comedy. because Letterman like he really loved. comics and he really loved like solid. standup. I never liked doing standup on. those talk shows. >> Is it the five minutes? >> Yeah. To me, it's a different kind of. comedy. My comedy needs some time. I. need to cook, you know? I need time to. open up ideas. It's like and I didn't. like. what. >> I didn't like TV comedy. It's not my I. was a nightclub comic. That's all I ever.

wanted to be. I wanted to be a nightclub. comic. I like doing comedy for drunk. people. >> Yeah. But when I first saw you, it all. wasn't dirty. It some of it was TV. stuff. >> Well, it wasn't necessarily dirty, but. it was free. It was like I was being. free. I was doing thing whatever I. wanted to talk about. I didn't like the. idea of being constrained by any sorts. of standards and practices and like. [sighs]. >> I'm not interested. I've been not. interested in that. I worked on my. Tonight Show set to try to get on the.

Tonight Show with Johnny and uh the guy. would come see me a lot. He would change. my jokes. That I hate. >> I hate when they say try try you saying. vacation. >> instead of gift shop and [laughter] I'm. like, "Oh, let me just do my thing." But. >> after a year of him trying to get my set. right, he says, >> "You're not a Johnny comic.". >> Oh god, >> you're not a Johnny guy. >> What does that even mean? But then I got. on on a Monday night with Joan because I.

guess I was a Joan guy. And then I got. to sit with Johnny just as a guest to. promote Coming to America. So finally. full circle from my basement. >> That's amazing. I watch a lot of his old. clips like with Don Rickles and all. these. >> Oh, Don Rickles talking about Snookie, the brother in the band, [laughter] you. know, and he would do a a a noise of a. blow gun. It's like Snookie, you liking. this stuff. Oh, [laughter]. >> you know, and you can't [ __ ] with that. now. >> No.

>> There's so much. It's funny how we've. come forward into a new era, but we've. gone backwards in certain ways. >> Yeah. Yeah. You can't joke about certain. things anymore. >> Like, I'm scared to death right now cuz. I'm going to say something that I. shouldn't say and I'm going to be in TLC. to you now. They can't do [ __ ] to you. now. >> They can just be mad, I guess. >> Yeah. Let them be mad. Just don't pay. attention. That's what I do. I just. don't pay attention. >> Really? Yeah. I just don't read anything. about me. >> Stay away. >> That's the best way. >> Are you a comic who when you're on.

stage, it can be 200 people laughing, but that one person who's not laughing. annoys the [ __ ] out of you. You you. can't even enjoy the others. You don't. even look at that person. >> No. Those those people have their own. problems. >> Yeah. And but by the way, sometimes. they're just not laughers cuz that. person will sometimes come up to you and. say, "Love what you're doing. Love the. new stuff.". >> Some people just like to smile. They. don't want to laugh. They just want to. sit there and watch or they just want to. take it in. Take in the performance. Doesn't mean they don't like it. And. then some people just are upset by.

everything. You can't control that. >> Just control what you what I what the. only thing that bothers me is if I'm. off. That's it. If I'm off, if. something's if I stumble on a word, if I. [ __ ] something up, that's the only thing. that bothers me. And the audience is. like, you can't control that. Why why be. upset at things you can't control? Because who knows what their trip is? Who who knows what they're carrying. around with them? >> As a famous star now, do you ever bomb? >> I have jokes that bomb for sure. New. ones, we trot out a new one.

>> Especially like uh we do this show. called Bottom of the Barrel and Bottom. of the Barrel at the Mothership is. there's like a whiskey barrel and you. reach into the whiskey barrel and you. pull out premises, just ideas. >> and you just run with it. That's tonight. actually. >> And so you pull out a piece of paper and. it, you know, have a subject, you know, >> ice cream sundae, whatever, whatever the. [ __ ] it is. >> That takes intestinal for. >> Oh, a lot of those [ __ ] go nowhere. [laughter]. >> Yeah. >> But some of them don't. Every now and.

then you get a great premise out of. those and it's like a little premise. factory. But the audience knows it. there. So, it's different than like when. they go to see you and they paid money. and they're expecting a polish show and. you have a new joke and the new joke is. just not right. It's not ready. Something's missing. You're not finding. it and you're trying to work through it. Yeah. It's always going to happen. And. if it doesn't happen, you're not taking. enough chances. >> Yeah. See, I'm I'm not. as chance driven as you are. I'd be.

afraid to do that because I'm my. feelings get hurt too easy. >> Yeah. Well, it's part of the process. >> Yeah, you're right. You're right. It we. should do the things we fear. >> You definitely have to. If you want to. write new [ __ ] you you're gonna have to. There's that moment where you're like, do I trot this new one out? [snorts]. [ __ ] it. Let's go. And you know, a lot. of the new ones, the way they come out, for me at least first, it's just a. frame. It doesn't have sides. It doesn't. have windows. It doesn't have doors.

It's just a frame. >> And I have to figure out how to make a. house out of that frame. That's what I. loved about going to the original room. back in the day when we were young, watching Richard take out a pack of. cigarettes, take a cigarette, and Mitzy. had those those smoke things that. popped. You get got smoke and everything and and. Richard would have two minutes and then. he'd have five. >> He would just build. >> Yeah. And I It was like a like when. grandma used to make a quilt. >> and it gets bigger and bigger and you.

got an hour. I used to love watching him. develop it. >> I would heard I heard that Richard would. go in on a Monday and have a joke that. bombed and then it would be murdering by. Saturday. >> and then that's what he would do. He. would just go and figure it out on. stage. Damon used to do that a lot. Damon used to go and sit on stage and. just sit with a premise. >> Just sit with it and and he would trot. it out for like 10 minutes and try to. figure and then finally he'd find. something and everybody would be dying.

We we got away from that earlier, but. >> I totally got your point. Damon is one. of the great ones, and I hope he. continues to do stand up and pop out to. the clubs because he's one of the great. ones that a lot of people don't realize. >> They don't realize how great he was when. he did the Last Stand, that that one HBO. special that he did way back in the day. It's a phenomenal special. It's. phenomenal. He was so good, >> but he wanted to be a movie star, >> you know. >> Yeah. And and he like Richard He had an.

ability to also be vulnerable and tell. the truth about something that most of. us wouldn't tell. Like he talk about. having a club foot. >> as a kid and. >> Yeah. >> And he he he was special and I'm glad. he's back out there. >> Yeah. Well, I think he never really stop. you know one of the other thing that he. did that is very unique. >> Damon brings a camera to all of his. shows and he films all of his shows and. he archives them. Every set he ever. does. Really?

>> Yep. And he goes over it. >> That's work. >> It's work because one of the things that. he does, like I said, is like he'll take. a premise and just try to find fi try to. find it on stage, try to figure out what. about it works. What about it pops? Like. what is it? And you know, I guess like. doing that with a camera and then you. can go home, sit and watch it on the. computer and just go, "What is in this. [ __ ] There's something here. I. got to find it." And just look at it. from every angle. Look at it over here. Look at it over there. Try to do it.

backwards. Try to figure out what the. [ __ ] makes it work. >> Yeah. >> And he would just He had no fear of. silence. >> See, that's that's the sentence right. there. When it's quiet in the comedy. club, I lose my mind. [laughter]. >> Chris Rock does that, too. Chris Rock. did a lot of that at the comedy store. He would come in and just he would have. material that he was working on. Like. one time I remember I brought him up on. stage and uh everyone's going crazy. Chris Rocks here. They're cheering, cheering, cheering. [clears throat] And.

he goes, "Relax, relax. It ain't going. to be that funny. >> Just let people know I'm working on some. new [ __ ] This ain't going to be that. funny.". >> Yeah. >> And but with confidence. Like everybody. already knew. >> he's funny. They already saw Bigger and. Blacker. They already saw his specials. It wasn't It was Bring the Pain. Everybody already knew. The one the one. where he shot with three different. outfits in three different places. >> I hated that one. >> You didn't like that one? >> No. >> Not that I didn't like the material. I. didn't like the idea of swapping.

outfits. >> The problem with that is it you realize. he's saying the same thing in all these. different places. It takes away from the. but it takes away from the magic of a. performer. I want to see you and I don't. want anything to distract me from these. thought. I don't want to say, "Oh, he. just performs this the same way. everywhere. Mhm. >> I want you to just be saying it. The. magic, like the trick is you are in the. moment with whatever you're talking. about. If you're changing outfits and. you all of a sudden you're in. Johannesburg and now you're in.

Cleveland, like uh uh uh don't do that. to me. Why you got a leather jacket on. in the beginning and then the punchline. you got a a [ __ ] silk shirt? Uh-uh. Don't do that. >> See, I saw it as a guy creatively trying. to find new horizons and do different. things. >> Some horizons suck. >> Yeah. [laughter]. It's not that the jokes were great. It's. like he's a great comic. It's not that. It's like I just didn't like the idea of. changing outfits. If I was friends with. him back then, I would say don't I don't. like it at all. And I that would.

explain. The problem is you're taking. people out of the premise and then. there's a new additional thing that they. have to think of. Oh, this is a. different set. Oh, he's wearing. different clothes. It's a new thing to. distract you from the most the primary. thing. The primary thing is what are you. talking about? Like what is this thing. you're talking about? Let me get inside. your head while you explain this thing. that's so hilarious. But if you're doing. that and changing outfits and changing. stages, like I know you perform in. different places. I know you wear. different clothes. Don't show me right. now.

>> In retrospect, I wonder how he looks at. that special if he. >> Yeah. I don't know. I mean, he never did. it again. >> Yeah. >> Well, you don't want to do it again. That's right. You know, >> I mean, he did it once, he tried it. Different people like to do different. things and try them. I just didn't like. that for that reason. And I felt like it. was an added element that took me away. from the premise itself. >> And by the way, something that's come. out of this conversation in my head is. the guys who are the best seem to go. deeper and work the hardest. I mean, when you talk about.

>> archiving your practice sets, >> all of them. Damon has all of them. >> And he told me this years ago cuz I saw. him at the improv. He was in the lab. We. were in the big room and he was in the. lab. This was not that long ago. When I. say years ago, like 10, >> nine years ago, something like that. And. uh I go, "You record all of them?" He's. like, "Every set since like 1990. something." He goes, "I I record them. all. I got this camera. I take them all. and I archive them. I put them on my.

computer." I'm like, "Whoa." It made me. think, "Fuck, I'm lazy." [laughter]. >> Yeah, that's exactly what I'm thinking. And I'm also thinking what an amazing. documentary. >> if we could go through the history of. Damon's personal archives. That would be. a great I think there's a special there. >> Probably. Yeah, probably. But I mean, I. think that's just part of his creative. process. >> Mhm. >> And again, like I just think people. don't realize, especially in the '9s, the early 90s, how what a monster he was.

on stage. >> Yeah. >> He was a monster. He was one of the. first guys that was like a really famous. guy that I saw at the store. I came to. the store in '94 and he was one of the. first guys was like, "Oh [ __ ] Damon. Ways is here." Like it was weird. It was. like weird when people would show up. like you'd seen him in movies and [ __ ]. and all a sudden they're there in real. life. Like, >> you know, I was just coming from New. York. I didn't know anybody and I was. like, "This is so strange. I can't. believe I'm around these people.". >> So, you went from Boston to New York. >> Boston to New York. >> Catch a rising star. Where'd you work.

out in New York from those days? Well, I. did uh the Boston Comedy Club that you. know the little place that Barry Cats. had. I did uh The Seller J Moore's. manager, right? >> Yes. Barry Cats. I did um Catch Rising. Star back when that was there. I did um. was there was a. >> comic strip. >> Yeah, I did the strip. Yeah. I did the. clubs in town. I did Dangerfields a lot. But honestly, when I lived in New York, I really liked doing the road more.

because when I did the road, I could. make money. So, like I came up in Boston. and in Boston, you made a lot of your. money not in the clubs in town, but you. made a lot of your money in like the bar. shows, you know, outside of town in the. suburbs. >> And the thing about that is like you. could headline and so you could do 45. minutes or an hour. And that that. allowed me to grow and like to really. become a headliner. Whereas like I found. like a lot of the New York comics that I. would go on the road with when I would.

work with them, even when I was a middle. act and they were a headliner, they had. like these 10 and 15 minute sets that. they'd stitch together to put to make an. hour. Whereas the guys that I work with. in Boston, like the big headliners in. Boston, they had a real hour. Like that. [ __ ] that was an hour of thunder, you. know? They had a beginning, a middle, and an end. And it was like tight. It. was tight. And I felt like I could do. sets in New York, but I don't think it's. really helping my career, right? There's.

no one there to see me. I I felt like. I'm going to make money. Like I could do. a set in New York and I make 25 bucks. Or I could do a set in Connecticut and. make $250. I was like, I'll go to. Connecticut. Plus, like the people are. more fun. They're more loose. They're a. bunch of [ __ ] crazy drunks. I love. doing Long Island. I love doing New. Jersey. I I liked doing the road more. That's what I liked. >> I think I'm a product. of my childhood environment. I I.

discovered standup cuz I was a drummer, had a band, I was a magician, had doves, boxes, and [ __ ] And then my house. burned down. >> So, I lost Wow. Yeah. I lost everything. >> But I had gone to an Al Green concert. And Al Green had a comic come out. House. lights are on. People are still making. their way to their seats and this guy. slowly gets him and then the lights go. down and by the time he gets to 30. minutes he's killing and all he had was.

a glass of juice something on the stool. and this is a kid who just lost his. house and his symbols and his TomToms. and his doves and his boxes and I'm like. that's me. Johnny was a standup so I'm. still dreaming. >> Wow. and and to this day um or even when. I start making a lot of money after. seeing that guy, I loved opening for. people. I went on the road with. everybody from Lou Rolls to Patty Leel. >> Still to this day, I'm comfortable doing.

30 minutes because that's what I did. But I I had money. Like I would come to. the comedy store and I would have a. really nice car cuz I'd spend most of my. time on the road with Patrice Russian. and Johnny Guitar Watson. >> Oh wow. That's a different world. Opening for musicians is a different. kind of comedy because like they're not. there to see you. >> And that's what I found to be the. challenge. It's like I'm going to make. you [ __ ] who don't know me and. are mad because a lot of you know people.

would look at you like that ain't one of. the temptations. Right. You know, right? I got to get them. And I like that. challenge. >> It is a real challenge because there's a. lot of people like, "Boo.". >> Yeah. >> Bring on Metallica. >> Yeah. They they they don't want to see. you. They want to see the music act. >> I open for Blood, Sweat, and Tears once. >> Wow. >> And uh they really did not want to see. me. You think the Johnny Guitar Watson. audience didn't want to see me? Them. [ __ ] from Blood, Sweat, and. Tears not [ __ ] with me. Well, it's.

definitely running with weights on. though. If you can make those people. laugh, boy, you take those weights off. and go to a comedy club where they're. there to see you. >> It's like, oh, >> just there to see comedy. >> made it easier. >> Yeah. I just don't want to perform for. people that aren't there to see comedy. But there's a value in it, I think. >> But that's when you're you're young. >> Yeah. >> And I had a nice car condo. >> because I had just come off the road. with Artha. >> Yeah. I did a few of those. I opened up. for BonJovi once. I opened up for Bon.

Joy for VH1. They had a a theater in the. round show, like a performance in the. round. My job was to open up for Bon Joy. and then get the pretty girls and move. them to the front so that they could be. on camera. That's what they told me to. do. >> Yeah. >> So, I did did some stand up and then I. had to get people like, "Come up here, come closer.". >> Yeah. >> Yeah. I I remember those times being on. the road and if there were six girls in. the green room and you're opening for. the Temptations. Number six is yours.

[laughter]. The other five go first to the temps. >> Yeah. The that's a different world. opening for musicians. That's a hard. world. And I know a lot of people like. made a living just traveling with bands. and that's all they did. They would just. open up for bands. >> Yeah. I would open up for R&B acts. >> and um as a matter of fact I got. discovered by a jazz singer Nancy Wilson. and I used to love jazz audiences. because that was the perfect type of. music for a comic a jazz because they.

were mellow jazz audience don't scream. get the [ __ ] off right they just you. know they. >> Alonzo Bowden he does jazz tours still. like he'll do like. >> he'll do like a a jazz cruise ship. >> you know like and he'll do standup with. the jazz audiences. >> Hey, every year. >> But he loves jazz. >> I I love jazz, too. And I remember going. to see. the Playboy Jazz Festival and Bill Cosby. was the host at the Hollywood Bowl. I.

host that every year now. I still love. jazz and I that's the coolest two days. of my summer. What is it about jazz? like. >> um. >> what do you love about. >> Oh, about the actual. >> By the way, the coolest experience was. sitting. on the beach in Malibu with Miles Davis. After he came on the show once, he says, "Why don't you come over to the house, hang out?" And he was a painter, and he. was sitting with his trumpet. It was a.

red trumpet. I had never seen a red. trumpet, like a crimson trumpet. And it. was sitting beside him, and he wouldn't. use an easel. He had the canvas on a. table and he'd roll a new piece out and. he would paint. He said, "You ever. thought about painting?" [laughter]. No, I'm not a good artist, but being. [snorts] a jazz fan, that was the. coolest moment ever. And um what do I. like about it? I I almost equate my. comedy to jazz because I love to say I'm.

going in D guys and just play. >> Mhm. >> You know, as a standup, you know, I used. to love to equate how I work to jazz. >> But it takes a very specific type of. person to be like a jazz fan that really. enjoys listening to jazz. I'm also a. musician and I know that some of the. most respected musicians in my mind are. jazz musicians. You know, the intricacy. spending time with I talk about this in.

the book, spending time with Quincy. Jones who was from the world of jazz and. a former trumpet player and all that. stuff. Then he ends up the year I meet. him, he plays for me these tracks and I. don't know what I'm about to listen to. and he says, "You hear that?" He takes. all he he slides all the slides down. He. says, "Listen to this." And he plays. this thing. Tink. I'm like, "What is that?" He says, "You. ever heard of Sheila Eman?" And I said, "Yeah, the Esavito family." And I I I.

know the family. And he says, "She put. different amounts of water in little pop. bottles." And that's her tinging on. those bottles. Then he starts bringing. up the pots and you hear the bass and. the drums and you realize you're. listening to stuff from off the wall and. it it's just this incredible moment when. I realize, yo, he getting ready to bring. Michael back in a crazy way. I'm. listening to, you know, you got me.

working, working working day and night, you know, and he would just take out. everything and just have Michael's voice. and I'd never been in a recording studio. and he's at the board 18 channel track. studio and and then he he says, "You're. from Ohio, right?" And he had seen me do. standup at the Roxy and invited me to. his studio and he says, "You're from. Ohio, right?" And I said, "Yeah." And so. he says, "Let me play you this, man. And. you have to take big giant reels and put. them on this machine." and he put the. reels on and the song starts and he says. this a scratch track and I'm like what's.

that? He said that's a demo and he says. they want me to uh find a singer for. this and he plays me James Ingram find. 100 ways and James Ingram just once. brilliant beautiful songs and I'm like. what's wrong with that guy? He says, "Yeah, I'm thinking about it, man. He. pretty good. He pretty good." And it. ends up being the James Ingram from. Ohio. And and that was an incredible. day. But I I tell that story to say this. great jazz musician. had this talent.

that other producers didn't have because. of his music genius. And he was able to. bring us the Off-the-Wall album and put. Michael back in the mix. >> Yeah. Layers and layers to the sound. >> Yeah. That's the thing. When you hear a. song, you don't realize like how much. [ __ ] is going on in the background. >> Sheila E with pop bottles. >> Yeah. >> Crazy. >> I I I I loved that day. That's a that's. a favorite time because Michael had been. missing, you know, and I had bought the. Moving Violation album. So I I knew he.

needed Quincy. Wow. Yeah. There's some. geniuses of music, man. I had Rick Rick. Rubin on the podcast and he's explaining. like his creative process and just like. that guy's out there. >> Yeah. Yeah. I had to go his way when I. started the talk show that I took over. for Joan Rivers when I first had the. idea that I want to try to find my own. friends of the show. I want to find my. show. And I put on LL CoolJ.

doing a song called I'm Bad. And that night I found what I was going. to do. Win or lose. Uh next I booked uh. The Freaks Come Out at Night. Uh. Houdini. >> Oh, I remember that. >> That was So I found my home. >> When you did the Joan Rivers thing, did. you think that that was going to lead to. you doing your own show or. >> Absolutely. >> you did. I I was like I am because Joan. leaves goes through all the stuff she's. going through and um they give me the.

show for 11 weeks and it starts to get. numbers. and I know that she left because of a. lack of numbers. and I'm like oh this [ __ ] is mine. So. when I come back from doing Coming to. America I'm going to come back to Fox. and do this show. And one day I walk. into the cafeteria. and I realize they had hired Conan. O'Brien to create a show. and um I think the show was called the. Wilton North Report or something like.

that. And but I realized I wasn't in. their future. M so um Paramount. they were popping over to say hi sending. me flowers and uh when I finished coming. to America actually halfway through they. were like when you finish you can do. that talk show here in first run. syndication and they had to explain that. to me and at the same time I was being. pitched by the King brothers who created. Oprah. So, I kind of understood that.

first run syndication could work except. Oprah had ABC networks behind her, which. is good. I had some CBS affiliates and. uh. it it all worked out. Right now, with. the exception of Byron Allen, I don't. think anybody gets rich in first run. syndication. >> Well, he is a very unusual case, you. know. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> I mean, he's figured out a cheat code. like Byron Allen, you I heard that. >> And when he when they cheat him, he sues. them and wins. [laughter].

>> I think Byron Allen's show Comics. Unleashed is going to replace Coar. >> Absolutely. That was just announced this. week. >> Yeah. Late Show will be replaced by. Byron Allen's Comics Unleashed. That's. crazy. That's how Ain't that weird? Like. late shows just don't work anymore. >> They just don't have the same thing. anymore. Like that standard model show. >> Yeah. >> Where people like I don't think they do. well anymore. They're expensive, Joe. >> Oh, I can imagine. They were saying the. Co Bear show was costing them like $50.

million a year to keep it on the air. That's I don't understand it. Like, how. how's it costing you so much money? >> Oh gosh. Well, >> but you know what I'm saying? Like, you. have. >> When there were three channels though. and only one had a talk show, everybody. was there and it made sense. It made. dollars and cents. There's also the. problem in that in when you compare it. to things that are on the internet is. that you have to stop conversations. every seven minutes for a commercial. >> Mhm. >> That's an issue. It's an issue with. depth. You don't get to go like you and.

I have been talking for 2 hours and 40. minutes. >> Wow. >> Yeah. So, like when you're doing this. kind of thing, you just flow. Everything. flows. You just have a conversation. You. just have a good time. It's so different. when you're stuck in this format where. you only have an hour. Everything is. like you got to cut to the commercial in. five, fourth, like we'll be right back. Like we'll be right back. Where you. going? Stay here. Like no, you have to. sell Tide, >> you know? It's like you that format is.

so limited. It's so restrictive. >> that people knowing that that that. there's other things out there now where. you could just go and watch it anytime. you want. You don't have to tune in at. 11 p.m. >> Yeah. We used to have Musk CV and we. would all gather as a nation to watch. the finale of Cheers and now we don't do. anything together. >> Nope. As a nation except sports except. like Super Bowl. There's only sports, live boxing events, UFC, that kind of. [ __ ] where it's live. That is the only. thing that people all watch together.

>> Yeah, >> that's it. >> Did you watch Chris Rock live? Selective. outrage. >> I didn't watch his live special. I. watched it after, but I didn't watch it. when it was live. >> So, you knew it was available. >> I was busy. I had. >> When we grew up, it wasn't the [ __ ]. wasn't available the second time. >> But I did a live special on Netflix for. that very reason, just because I thought. it was scary. Just cuz my last one I did. live and I only did it live because the. first time they asked me, I said, "No, [ __ ] that." And then I was like, "Why. you being such a pussy?" And I remember.

driving home. I had a conversation with. my manager and I called her right back. and I go, >> "Let me decide tomorrow.". >> I go, "I'm thinking about this. Hold. on." because I was driving home feeling. like I was a [ __ ] for not wanting to do. it live. >> And now in retrospect, what did you get. out of agreeing to do it live? >> Fear. [laughter]. >> You wanted to feel that? >> Yeah. I wanted to be nervous. I was. legitimately nervous. I never get. nervous for shows anymore. I guessed. when you have a when you killing a a. wild I heard you talk about killing a. wild hog. When you go hunting like that.

is the same kind of. >> That's a very different kind of fear. That's a primal thing. That's very. different. That's a very different. thing. That's like That's a life or. death you're in. That That's a weird. That's a weird primal connection with. nature where you're going to eat this. thing. You're sneaking up on this thing. that has these survival instincts and. sense of smell and ears pop up. >> and you have, you know, you don't want. to [ __ ] it up either. You have one. moment to take a shot. That's even more. intense. Honestly, like elk hunting with.

a bow and arrow is even more intense. than doing a live comedy special, >> if you could believe it. >> I [laughter]. Wow. Yeah. Yeah, I believe it. >> I like things that scare me. I like. things that are scary to do because I. think it's good for you. >> Except cocaine. >> Yeah. I [laughter] don't want to ruin my. life. That's the problem. I just, like I. said, I don't hear any success stories. from cocaine. >> No. >> You know, nobody's like, nobody's got. like a meth story. Yeah, it's. >> like, man, I started doing meth and I.

started seeing the world for what it. really is. >> Start being more at peace. I was living. in the moment. [laughter]. >> Nobody says right before I invented the. hard drive, I did coke for three days, >> right? No, no, I'm not interested in. anything that's going to ruin my life, but uh I'm interested in things that are. going to help me grow and help me uh. expand my capacity to do things that are. scary. >> Would you do standup live again? >> 100%. Okay. >> Yeah. I'm thinking about doing my next. one live again, too.

>> I liked it. >> Did you Did you make any mistakes that. >> No, I didn't make any mistakes, but I. prepared more than I ever prepared. before. One of one of the things I did, I listened to my recordings every night, and I wrote out my act over and over and. over and over again. I wrote it out. I. wrote it out both uh on paper, like hand. to paper, and I wrote it out with keys, like typing it on a laptop. I did it. over and over again. I listened to. recordings. I watched recordings. I I. had way more preparation than I had ever.

done before for any other show. >> The night that you did it, did you. change anything or do anything new? >> No. No. But I was free. I felt very. loose once once the show started. I felt. like a regular show. I didn't because I. was prepared. But it's like just like a. fight. Like if you go into a fight and. you're like, "Oh, I should have done. more road work. Oh, I should have. sparred more. Oh, I should have hit the. pads more." You're, you know, that's not. a good place to be to hope that you. could pull it off. You have to be 100%. prepared. And that's the thing about. doing a live show as opposed to usually.

when I would film a special, I would. have four shows. So I'd film all four of. them and I'll be like, "Oh, fine. One of. them is going to be great. I'll just use. that one.". >> Yeah. >> But when it's just one and the whole. world, like millions of people are. watching simultaneously, it's very. scary. >> Makes you prepare. >> Yeah. It makes you prepare. It makes you. prepare. And it also it's like it's. [ __ ] fun to do something that scares. the [ __ ] out of you. like let's go. >> Where did you shoot it? >> Go um San Antonio.

>> Okay. >> Yeah, >> that's cool. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. I've only done one Netflix. >> I barely leave Texas these days. >> Really? >> I [ __ ] love it here. I love it. I. love it. >> Yeah. It was amazing when you made the. move, man, because that's I asked you. when we first started talking. It's. like, were you thinking about this in. LA? But way back like 20 years ago. >> I was thinking 20 years ago about. getting out. I moved to Colorado for a. little while in 2009. Um, but.

>> legal weed. >> No, no, no, no. I just wanted to get. out. I just wanted to try I I but I went. too crazy. I got a house in the. mountains that was 8,500 feet above sea. level. It was like. >> it was too much. But when I came back to. LA, I always had this thing like. eventually I got to get out of here. First of all, I always thought LA is. 100% gonna have a massive earthquake one. day. >> Yeah. >> Like a massive earthquake where. everything [ __ ] up and falls apart. And.

>> you lived through the Northridge. earthquake? >> I didn't. Oh. >> I came to California right after it. happened. >> Okay. >> And when I got there, like parts of like. one of the freeways was collapsed on the. other one. I was like, "This is nuts. The freeways fall down here. This is. crazy." So, I feel like I've always been. thinking that there's going to come a. time where that place just breaks off. and sinks into the ocean and it's just. not wellrun. Like the whole thing is. like just waiting for one little. catastrophe. There's very little. coordination, very little people don't.

they don't there's not like a sense of. community in the greater Los Angeles. area like you get in a smaller place. like Austin. >> Yeah. Austin like feels like a small. town that has everything you want. Whereas LA just feels like a poorlyrun, bureaucracydriven, chaotic shell game. It's like just a a. shell game of [ __ ] and money and.

people just grifting and [ __ ]. the homeless situation is nuts. Like. everything's nuts in LA. It's just. beyond fixing. I think. >> here in Austin, a lot of homeless. >> Not nearly as many. I mean, it's very. small problem. You're always going to. have homeless people because you're. always going to have mental illness. You're always going to have drug. addiction. You're always going to have. some people that have problems. But in. comparison, like Skid Row is 50 blocks. >> Yeah. >> 50 blocks. 50 blocks.

>> of homeless people just outside just. camped out. >> I left a Laker game recently and went. through that area. >> It's nuts. Broke my heart, man. >> It broke my heart in 2005. >> Yeah, >> I was filming Fear Factor downtown in. like 2005. >> Shout out to David Herurwitz. >> You know, Dave, >> he was my intern. I set him up for you. I taught him so he could come and get. worms for you. >> Crazy. That's crazy. >> Yeah. Um, we were filming downtown and I.

went for a I was driving home and I took. a wrong turn and all a sudden I was in. Skid Row. I was like, "This is crazy.". And this was back then and no one was. talking about it back then. I was like, "There's so many homeless people. It's. like a zombie movie." Remember I came to. the set the next day. I was like, "You. guys ever go this way and take a left. It's [ __ ] nuts. There's so many. homeless people." Like, and they've. they've figured out a way to keep them. there. They just pushed people there. Like they started doing it decades ago. where they would take all the problem. people out of Los Angeles and Beverly.

Hills and they would just bring them to. downtown and go, "You got to stay here.". And that's what created Skid Row. >> When we were kids, I used to hear about. mental institutions. We don't have that. anymore. >> Oh, they shut them down during the. Reagan administration. That was one of. the giant errors of society when they. shut down all the mental health. institutions and they just let all these. people just exist on the street with. schizophrenia and just let them do drugs. and then in some places give them drugs. and give them needles and encourage them.

to come there and give them money so. they could stay on the street. Austin loves you, but you ever think. about back in the day not [snorts]. leaving California and running for. governor? >> [ __ ] that. I don't want to be a. politician. Why would I want that job? >> Terrible job. >> You want the problem? You see, you want. to help. >> Yeah. You ain't helping nothing, man. You're going to get killed. If I My help. would be expose all the fraud and lock. everybody up, then they wind up killing. me. >> Then you'd lose the big money from the. rich. >> They're not going to give it to me. anyway. It's like [laughter]. a good guy. I'm not I wouldn't be good.

at it. I wouldn't be good at the job. I'd be a good adviser. I tell people. what the people want, but no one's going. to listen. I think politics, we're. talking about with money being involved. in it, it's almost inexraably unfixable. >> It's almost impossible to untangle that. [ __ ]. beehive of chaos. >> This is so much dirty money involved. >> And if I'm a politician, I'm not going. to stop taking this money. I'm not going. to be first. If we all going to do it, I'm not going to be first.

>> Exactly. Look at all these congressmen. that make, you know, $170,000 a year and. they're worth 80 million. How the [ __ ]. did that happen? What did you do? And. how would how did you how do you have. time to invest? Aren't you busy being a. congressperson? How the [ __ ] do you have. all that money? >> You got all that money because you're a. grifter. They're all griing and they're. all just like doing it sneaky. It's red. and blue. If you look at we pulled up. the numbers of people whether it's a. Democrat or Republican, how many of them. are insider trading? It's across the.

board. >> Yeah. >> They all have just unexplainable amounts. of money. >> Yeah. >> It's a dirty [ __ ] business. >> It's not like one of the parties loves. money more than the other. >> No. >> They're all I mean I see I get in. trouble for that because usually my. humor is written around not liking any. of them. >> Yeah. >> And people want me to take a side. >> Yeah. That's a problem. I I had a joke. in my Netflix special about, you know, the Democrat versus the Republican that. was running at that time. And it was. like that's like asking me who my.

favorite Menendez brother is. You know, [laughter]. [ __ ] did not. >> That's a great joke. >> Yeah. Like, oh, kind of like Lyall, you. [laughter] know, he made them prison. with a toupe. He's special. >> Weren't they trying to get them out. recently? >> Oh, yeah. Bro, that documentary on them. was nuts. the docu drama series where. they recreated it like. >> oh my god. >> I love documentaries. >> Well that was a docu drama like a like. they recreated actor so you don't know.

how much of it is true but boy did they. come off like [ __ ] complete psychos. I remember for the uh OJ Simpson uh. scripted doc, they wanted me to come. read for OJ. >> What? >> And I'm like, yo, man, >> how the [ __ ] are you going to be judge. barking? Cuz I'm just too recognizable. as me. >> Exactly. That wouldn't work at all. That's crazy to. >> I think they chose Kuba Gooding Jr. >> That's right. That's right. He actually. did a great job in that. >> But what a that that story was nuts. He.

was the first famous There it is. Yes. >> Wow. >> And that's Kim's dad. >> Wow. >> That's Mr. Kardashian's second. >> John Travolta is in there, too. I forgot. Travolta is in there. >> It's Those are [ __ ] so weird with a. dream team, though. Famous people. pretending to be. >> other famous people. >> Yeah. So odd. >> I do a story in my book about OJ coming. to Stage 29 at Paramount to whip my ass.

one time. Well, he was angry. Uh, and. >> did you say a joke on on the show or. something? I booked. um is when Naked Gun was out and I. booked [clears throat] Lesie Neielen and. we got a call from OJ's people because. he wanted to come on obviously he was in. that movie but the second one it had. legs so I booked Priscilla Presley who. was a great guest and a lot of history. and after that I get a call from the.

gate is OJ Sumps on the earth the gate. wants to talk to you and he didn't park. He didn't want a space. He parked. outside the elephant door, stage 29, and. wanted me to come out. >> Uh-oh. >> Yeah. And by the way, this is this is at. a time when we didn't know he cut a. motherfucker's head off. You know what I. mean? >> Also at a time we didn't know about CTE. >> Oh yeah. Yeah. >> Which is probably a lot of what OJ was. going through. A lot of that violent. behavior. >> Yeah. >> There's probably a lot of CTE.

>> Yeah, man. And I mean, when you think. about it, those days in San Francisco. when he couldn't quite cut the way he. used to, he was getting hit. He was. taking head-on shots. >> Oh, yeah. And NFL back then was nuts. >> Yeah. I feel bad for him and Junior Sea. and some of those guys. Junior Sea was. trying to scream to us what was going. on, >> right? >> You know, he he committed suicide, left. a note, left his made sure he didn't. damage his brain with the bullet, >> right? So they could check it out. Yeah. But but O OJ stopped by and we had a. talk and and uh.

>> so he was mad that you didn't have him. on the show. >> Yeah, he he he was a little mad and um. >> But was it your call? >> Oh yeah. I mean [laughter]. I mean but by the way it was my call to. just do things that would get numbers, >> right? >> You know, well the um the Lesie Nielsen. one, I liked him because I saw him. someplace with a little thing in his. hand to make fart noises. >> I saw that. Yeah. >> Yeah. So I So I knew that I would say to. him, >> "So you got a big hit here?" And you.

[snorts] and he would do it, squeeze the. thing. And um. >> yeah, I was just trying to find the. funniest guest, you know. And OJ, you. know, he told me uh he said some [ __ ]. about uh. >> you know, I thought having a black host. things would be different, you know, and. I'm like, "Don't you play the race car?". Yeah. You know, >> settle down. >> Yeah. [laughter] Yeah. Not you, Juice. But uh I I ran into him in a club one. night. I was hanging out with a couple. members of New Edition and uh we're in. this club and he comes over and he gets.

drunk with us and [clears throat] after. we're pretty tanked, Nicole and this. gorgeous girl named FA Resnik, I'll. never forget her name. She was. beautiful. And these two women come over. and I realize, oh, so because OJ is. alone, I realize he was going to places. finding her. >> And so, oh, >> so she comes over and she says, "Juice, >> you know, and what are you, you know, and he says, hang out with these guys. and he, you know, when you drunk, spit.

be flying." I wasn't drunk enough that I. didn't see the spit. And uh, so she said, "Well, I'm going to. be over here with FA and blah blah blah. Say something before you leave." And uh. so we sit there and talk, but he said. something that night that blew me away, we talked about her and he said, "I. still love her. I've tried to give her. up and I can't.". >> Wow. >> And. >> that's crazy. >> Not too much later, >> she was dead. That's what that's around. the time, too. I remember.

>> missing the show cuz one thing that's. addictive about the talk show is. anything in the news, you get to handle. it, >> right? And uh I remember watching a. basketball game and seeing the freeway. chase with the Bronco and I was like I. want a monologue tomorrow. [laughter]. You know, I couldn't believe I didn't. have a show that night. That's the only. time I've ever really missed it because. most of the time you just go to the. store. >> Right. Right. Right. That's hilarious. >> I wanted to talk to the nation that. night. >> Well, listen, brother. You had a.

gigantic impact on culture. You really. did. Your show was amazing. you know, you have an incredible life and I'm I'm. really happy to hear that you're happy. now and just enjoying life, you know, and you look [ __ ] fantastic for 70. That's amazing. >> Thank you, man. I I I appreciate you. inviting me. >> Uh this is one of those shows. >> next time you're going to come to the. club. Next time you're in town, just let. me know you want to come. >> But I can't I look at the mothership. behind you, the neon mothership.

>> That was actually before the mothership. was made. Oh. >> yeah, this this was six years old. This. sign this is we got this sign. My friend. Brighgam got me this when I first moved. to Austin. >> So what [snorts] did the spaceship mean. before there was a club to you? >> I'm just I'm UFO fanatic. >> Oh, okay. >> I'm I've always been obsessed. >> cuz that looked like some [ __ ] I went. to a Parliament Funkadilic concert where. they landed in some [ __ ] like that and. George Clinton came out and sang One. Nation under a group. >> Yeah.

>> Wow. >> I've just always been obsessed. That's. all it is. But next time you're in town, you're coming. >> Promise? >> Absolutely. I'll come. I won't be in. town. I'll figure out a way to hit you. and say, "Siri, Joe, I'm coming. >> Let's go.". >> And I'll be here. And thanks for doing. this, man. Cuz uh your demographic reads. and uh I know I sold some books today. >> Yeah. Tell everybody the name of your. book. And. >> Oh, is it out? >> We had a long ass meeting about that. Do. we call it things that make you go a. life that makes you go? Do we call it?

But we didn't know what. And uh then. finally one day we named it Arsenio. >> Perfect. >> That's it. >> That's perfect. >> Yeah. And there's a book on tape for. those who don't like to read. Oh, that's. the book. And you know what? If you open. it and you don't want to read it, there. are really cool pictures inside. >> There you go. All right. >> The art department threw some AI on me. I'm 35 in that picture. [laughter] You. look 35 right now. All right. Appreciate. you, brother. >> Thank you, dog. >> Bye, everybody.

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