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Joe Rogan podcast. Check it out.

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>> The Joe Rogan Experience.

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>> TRAIN BY DAY. JOE ROGAN
PODCAST BY NIGHT. All day.

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>> Let's go, Yakov. [music] What's
happening, baby? How are you?

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>> I'm good. >> Good to see you.

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>> Nice to see you. >> I know.
Jamie snucking up on us. Bam.

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Just turn it on. Bam. [laughter] >> That
way you don't have a chance to freak out.

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>> Um, thank you. >> What's in the bag?
What you got in there?

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>> Okay, so there are a couple of things.

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Uh, oh, a couple things.

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>> One, yeah, one is, uh, it's a mir mural

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piece of the mural that I painted at the
ground zero, and I thought it would be

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interesting for you to have >>
You painted a mural at ground zero.

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>> Yeah. >> Oh, wow.

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>> Yeah. So,
that that was something. And I

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actually sent them Paul Harvey did a um

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the rest of the story about that and I
I sent them a video if they wanted to.

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>> Yeah. Don't know if we could play that
unfortunately. I think it's got like a

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copyright to it. >> Actually, I was >>
We were told Jamie, that's Isn't that

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what they said? >> It would be tough.

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>> Yeah. >> Right. >> And >> so
there's the mural. There's a photo of

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the mural.

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>> Right. Right. And uh it was I was in

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touch with Paul Harvey Jr. asking if
that would be okay and they said it's

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fine and they'll send >> Yeah.
But I don't think they own it. You

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know what I'm saying?
>> They own his voice. So,

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>> right. But it's probably if it's
on Paul Harvey's television show, right?

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>> No, no, no. Radio. Yeah. >> Right.
If it's on Paul Harvey's radio

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show, it's probably copyritten. Did we
have a problem when we played the Taylor

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Sheridan one? Remember we
played that whole thing?

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>> It's just I would >> It's
just an issue. It's an issue.

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>> It's an issue. >> Don't sweat it. We
don't want >> So anyway, you had a mural.

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>> Yeah, that's that's And >> there
was a couple of other little bur.

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>> You got to talk into the microphone.

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>> Sorry. >> That's all right.

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>> Yeah. You wear headphones if you want.

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That way you can hear yourself.

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>> Yes. >> You don't have to.
>> This is this is real. This

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>> this is real. What do you mean?

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>> No. Like I watch you and I'm in such an

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awe of what you were able to your your

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career, your trajectory, how you were

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able to sustain that longevity and then

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transition to this amazing voice. Um,

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it's just it's been an honor to know you

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and be here. So, I'm I'm a little nervous.

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>> Well, don't be nervous. Uh, cuz listen,
it's all just dumb luck. [laughter]

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There's a a giant percentage of it
that's dumb luck. That's a fact. I mean,

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I'm very persistent. That helps. But,

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uh, this thing, this the podcast is a
lot of it is luck. You know how people

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like talk about like having a vision
board. Oh, I had a vision board. I

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imagined. And people say that to me all
the time. Like, I'm sure you did that

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with this show. I'm like, [laughter] I
didn't do anything of the sort. I just

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kept doing it and it got big. But it's
uh just people talking. Simple. Just

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like you and I talk in the green room.

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Yes. >> We're talking here.
It's no big deal.

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It's just a bunch of people
get to listen to it.

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>> Yes. Yes.
>> It's nothing that spectacular.

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[laughter] The spectacular
thing is my guests.

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That's the fortunate thing.
I'm the fortunate one cuz I get to talk to

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>> so many cool people. Look at you
with your [__] American flag on your on

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your uh phone cover. Look at that. Yeah.

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>> Don't get fooled by the accent, ladies
[laughter] and gentlemen. Um, you know,

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we were talking about your story in the
green room and I was like, we have to do

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a podcast because your your story is so
crazy how when the wall fell, so did

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your career. >> Yes.
>> Like you had this massive career. I

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remember you from the Tonight Show. I I
remember you all the time, you know, in

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Russia. You always had
these jokes about Russia

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>> and it was great because like you were
a Russian comedian doing standup in the

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United States. >> Yes.
>> And then once once the Soviet Union

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fell.

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>> Yes. The Leatherman uh David Letterman

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had a top 10 list of things that will

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now change that the Soviet Union is no
longer there. And I made number one on

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the list. Yakov Smeirnov will be out of

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work. And I thought it was humorous

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because I was living in Pacific

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Palisades next to Tom Hanks and Arnold

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Schwarzenegger. I mean I thought

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American dream will never end. And all

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the sudden it six months later none of

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my contracts in Las Vegas, Atlantic

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City, Reno, Tahoe, none of them were

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renewed. And I could not find work.

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Literally I mean I tried back to clubs

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and they wouldn't have me either.

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>> What? Yeah, it was um the comparison uh

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there was uh Van Meter uh that was

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impersonator of John F. Kennedy um he

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was um um an an impersonator. It was

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very popular at that time and then after

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the assassin assassination his career

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went nowhere right away. And so somewhat

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in in some ways it was similar to that

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that uh I was associated with the Soviet

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Union and my humor was associated with

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that and it was helping

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I was helping um President Reagan write

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jokes for his speeches for when he would

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go to Moscow. Um, you have a picture

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somewhere, Jamie, of I mean, it was

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amazing. All of the sudden I was like a

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joke supplier for the White House and it

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was my career was just growing higher

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and higher and all of the sudden it was

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gone and I >> It doesn't
make any sense. I mean, you

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still had great jokes. >> Yeah.

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>> And I'm sure people still wanted to see

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you. That's what didn't make any sense.

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>> It wasn't I guess I wasn't relevant

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because they associated me so much with

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that. And so I started after not having

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work uh and not be able to pay mortgage.

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I start looking for a place where they

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did not know that the Soviet Union

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collapsed and [laughter] I ended up in

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Branson, Missouri. I joke about this in

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my show, but it's was a blessing in

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disguise because I was all of a sudden

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my f uh my humor was family friendly and

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this town is very much like that and

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they embraced me and I I mean it wasn't

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right away but it grew and grew and grew.

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>> Wow. And what what is Branson like? cuz
I would always hear about it like it was

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always like we we would hear about it in

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LA that it was this like freaky Bible

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town that it's like creationist museums
and stuff like that like here's a

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reconstruction of the ark like that's
what the kind of stuff that you would

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hear. I obviously I never
went so I don't know.

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>> Yeah. Um I didn't
want to go to Branson.

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Okay. I was living in LA.
I didn't I mean I

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>> Did you move to Missouri?
>> Eventually I had to. Yeah. Because I I

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had to sell my house. I mean, the whole

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thing went Yeah.

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>> So, uh, what happened is I didn't have

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>> I didn't know where to go. I mean, it

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literally was scary. I have two little

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kids at that time and I can't find work.

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So, my agent calls me and he said, "Uh,

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Willie Nelson is doing this, uh, farm

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aid concert and um, would you like to

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co-host with him?" And I didn't have it,

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you know, I said, "Sure." But I don't

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think farmers would know who I am. And I

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got there 50,000 people. I did my SAT

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and they gave me a standing ovation and

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I went like, "Wow, this is I didn't

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expect that." So I go to say goodbye and

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say thank you to Willie and I open the

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door and the smoke comes out and

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[laughter] will and I was proud to say

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that I you know I I I didn't do drugs

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but after I opened that door I couldn't

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say that anymore. So I through this

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through the smoke he goes Yakob you

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should go to Branson they'll love you

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there. And I was like, "Okay, I heard

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about it, but I was not sure." So, I go

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to Branson just to check it out. And

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it's

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um March of 2000, it's 1993.

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Um, and I've been struggling now for two

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years after the Soviet Union collapsed.

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And I go in and and I walk into one of

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the shows and it was Soji Tabuchi show.

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It was a a Japanese fiddle player

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uh that was just playing uh country

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music. I didn't know about him. And I

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walk in and it's a matinea and there
are 2,000 people in that room.

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>> Whoa. >> And I'm going,
what is going on? And

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[laughter] right, this is crazy. I was

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in Vegas at university. Right. So then I

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go Andy Williams uh show and it's the

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same thing. 2,000 people full. And I'm

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going, well, if if they can do this, I

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can do it as well. And so I in May I

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rented the small theater and I just set

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my shop there, put my name on the wall,

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and I got first show 17 people came in.

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And I'm going, "Oh boy, I I I don't have

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a place to go, but this is not gonna

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work." But then I start doing I I was

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pretty creative. I started I said, "I'm

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going to serve breakfast in this in the

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showroom. I I I I'll call it yak in a box.

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And I'm just going to make my mother

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recipe of breakfast and people will pass

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it eat and hopefully
more people will come.

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>> Wow.

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>> So I would do two shows a day uh um on

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on in the morning and in in the evening,

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dinner and breakfast. And little by

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little it grew, it grew, it grew and

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then a year later my average was like

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400 people a show. And then the buses

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that's the big business there is the the

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people come by bus in those days a lot

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of them and they would just um f

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discovered me and I started to become

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more and more popular and then I bought

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2000 seat theater

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and now I entertain over six million

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people there and it became yeah this is

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uh this is kind of it's
>> that's your theater.

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>> Yeah. >> Look at you.

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>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So, it's been uh a

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very successful

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uh journey overall. I'm, you know, I'm

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kind of the the the only celebration

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known person there now. >> Wow.
And so, how often you do shows

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there?

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>> Now, I got down to like 30 shows a year

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towards uh the fall. Uh but I used to do

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400 uh a year just to make more money

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and >> people were
coming and I it it worked

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out for me. >> Well,
good for you for adapting. I'm

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sure that must have been very
nerve-wracking though. It was

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>> especially with young
children >> big time.

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>> And you're, you know, from another
country. You come to America, you're

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killing it. You think, "Oh my god, I'm
the American dream. This is incredible."

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And then it's nightmare all of the
sudden and you don't know what to do.

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Yeah. >> That's the problem
with the world before

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social media, right? Because before
social media like you you couldn't just

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put some clips out there and show that
you're still performing and still going

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places. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Cuz back
then there was like a narrative

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and if that narrative
got out, you were done,

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>> you know? So the narrative was so Yeah.

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It was cancelled and I didn't have
anything to do with it. It's not like I

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had a scandal or something. It just I

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was helping Reagan to chisel the wall

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down, but there was a writing on the

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wall that I didn't see. It says get
a get a day job, you know, and I didn't

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see it, >> right?
So that's how it happened.

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>> It's amazing that you found Branson and

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it's what would happen if you didn't.

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That's what's really crazy. Like what
do you think you would have been able to

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figure out a way to tour? And was it

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00:12:59,600 --> 00:13:01,277
that clubs wouldn't book you or people

239
00:13:01,360 --> 00:13:04,957
wouldn't come? uh both at some some

240
00:13:05,040 --> 00:13:07,677
because people were not buying tickets,

241
00:13:07,760 --> 00:13:12,477
the clubs didn't book me
and the whole effect is just you know

242
00:13:12,560 --> 00:13:16,077
>> so it was just the fall of the Soviet
Union that people got in their mind oh

243
00:13:16,160 --> 00:13:20,397
Yakava is done. >> Yeah.
It was that quick.

244
00:13:20,480 --> 00:13:24,557
>> That's what's [__] up about it
is cuz like you have very funny jokes

245
00:13:24,640 --> 00:13:27,917
>> like you're a good comic. It's like
>> the the idea that you can't be a great

246
00:13:28,000 --> 00:13:30,717
comic and talk about other stuff is so

247
00:13:30,800 --> 00:13:33,677
stupid. But but what happened it was an

248
00:13:33,760 --> 00:13:38,157
evolution for me. I I think that I look

249
00:13:38,240 --> 00:13:40,877
back and I'm going thank you for this

250
00:13:40,960 --> 00:13:46,637
because it was kind of a a one note um

251
00:13:46,720 --> 00:13:51,037
tune and and then it made me forced me

252
00:13:51,120 --> 00:13:54,957
to go okay that topic is not necessarily

253
00:13:55,040 --> 00:13:58,717
the right thing uh right now. It's not

254
00:13:58,800 --> 00:14:01,517
nobody cares because Soviet Union not

255
00:14:01,600 --> 00:14:03,597
there and nobody's scared of it because

256
00:14:03,680 --> 00:14:06,557
I was kind of like a you know it was a

257
00:14:06,640 --> 00:14:11,597
headache from the you know or the pain

258
00:14:11,680 --> 00:14:14,637
in the butt Soviet Union and I'm

259
00:14:14,720 --> 00:14:17,677
preparation H and I they used me and

260
00:14:17,760 --> 00:14:20,237
then after swelling and itching went

261
00:14:20,320 --> 00:14:23,597
away you don't need it anymore right so

262
00:14:23,680 --> 00:14:27,197
that's how it happened so so I went into

263
00:14:27,280 --> 00:14:31,357
That also coincided with my divorce

264
00:14:31,440 --> 00:14:34,877
and um and I was struggling trying to

265
00:14:34,960 --> 00:14:37,677
figure out what's what direction do I go

266
00:14:37,760 --> 00:14:41,597
and I realized that this I was helping

267
00:14:41,680 --> 00:14:46,157
the cold war to end in some ways by

268
00:14:46,240 --> 00:14:49,037
being in involved with Reagan and and

269
00:14:49,120 --> 00:14:53,597
helping with that. And um when when that

270
00:14:53,680 --> 00:14:56,717
happened, I figured, you know, my

271
00:14:56,800 --> 00:14:59,837
divorce is happening, I know laughter

272
00:14:59,920 --> 00:15:04,317
helped the world become a better place.

273
00:15:04,400 --> 00:15:06,397
Why is there laughter in the beginning

274
00:15:06,480 --> 00:15:09,837
of the relationship with men and women?

275
00:15:09,920 --> 00:15:12,877
And then when there's divorce, the only

276
00:15:12,960 --> 00:15:15,837
people laughing are attorneys.

277
00:15:15,920 --> 00:15:18,477
And I put that question to my audience.

278
00:15:18,560 --> 00:15:21,357
So it became kind of like my laboratory

279
00:15:21,440 --> 00:15:24,637
of laughter. I just start asking people.

280
00:15:24,720 --> 00:15:29,117
I said, "How many of you remember
laughter being part of that honeymoon

281
00:15:29,200 --> 00:15:31,037
stage of your relationship?" And they

282
00:15:31,120 --> 00:15:34,157
all applaud. And I go, "How many of you

283
00:15:34,240 --> 00:15:36,637
go on the second date if you didn't have

284
00:15:36,720 --> 00:15:39,117
laughter on the first date?" And no one

285
00:15:39,200 --> 00:15:42,157
applauded. So I became like this is kind

286
00:15:42,240 --> 00:15:46,717
of a universal thing that I was my dad

287
00:15:46,800 --> 00:15:49,357
was an engineer and inventor. So my

288
00:15:49,440 --> 00:15:52,317
brain is kind of constantly I I'm

289
00:15:52,400 --> 00:15:54,957
looking for reverse engineering. Why is

290
00:15:55,040 --> 00:15:57,837
it that laughter goes away in a

291
00:15:57,920 --> 00:16:01,437
relationship? So as comedians we gauge

292
00:16:01,520 --> 00:16:05,597
our relationship with the audience
with laughter every time.

293
00:16:05,680 --> 00:16:09,837
>> Did the relationship fall apart
because you had to move to Missouri?

294
00:16:09,920 --> 00:16:12,477
or was it just challenges? Yeah, it it

295
00:16:12,560 --> 00:16:15,517
added to this. But I think I was looking

296
00:16:15,600 --> 00:16:19,837
for the root of this more uh like what

297
00:16:19,920 --> 00:16:23,517
is that that I am uh missing that I

298
00:16:23,600 --> 00:16:26,877
didn't do because you know
I was >> you had a gimmick,

299
00:16:26,960 --> 00:16:28,637
>> huh? I had a gimmick. Yeah.

300
00:16:28,720 --> 00:16:32,477
>> But but that was with my audience. What

301
00:16:32,560 --> 00:16:35,197
was happening with my wife? Why was that

302
00:16:35,280 --> 00:16:38,237
falling apart? So I start seeing the

303
00:16:38,320 --> 00:16:40,957
parallel and the kids were little at

304
00:16:41,040 --> 00:16:44,077
that time and I um was trying to explain

305
00:16:44,160 --> 00:16:48,317
to them uh what was going on and I can

306
00:16:48,400 --> 00:16:50,317
show you what I did. I brought this with

307
00:16:50,400 --> 00:16:52,557
me.

308
00:16:52,640 --> 00:16:55,917
It's uh I I showed this to I know show

309
00:16:56,000 --> 00:17:00,877
and tell. I I I bruh for my I started I

310
00:17:00,960 --> 00:17:03,837
I took magnets and I was showing my

311
00:17:03,920 --> 00:17:06,637
kids. I said, "Look, mommy and daddy,

312
00:17:06,720 --> 00:17:11,117
and we um we attracted one another and

313
00:17:11,200 --> 00:17:13,597
we had you and we had love and laughter

314
00:17:13,680 --> 00:17:16,557
and what was happening and then

315
00:17:16,640 --> 00:17:21,117
something happened and I don't
know if you can show it, Jamie. Uh

316
00:17:21,200 --> 00:17:22,557
>> there's people listening as well."

317
00:17:22,640 --> 00:17:24,557
>> Okay. Oh, okay. So, the magnets,

318
00:17:24,640 --> 00:17:27,917
>> the magnets,
they attract, but then when

319
00:17:28,000 --> 00:17:30,717
things don't go well, they repel,

320
00:17:30,800 --> 00:17:33,277
>> right? So I was going what is it that

321
00:17:33,360 --> 00:17:38,317
attracting us and what is it that's
repelling us and then after doing this

322
00:17:38,400 --> 00:17:40,157
and I I went to University of

323
00:17:40,240 --> 00:17:44,317
Pennsylvania got my um master's degree

324
00:17:44,400 --> 00:17:47,277
in psychology got my doctorate degree at

325
00:17:47,360 --> 00:17:50,557
Pepperdine I mean I was digging in I was

326
00:17:50,640 --> 00:17:54,557
>> you did all this while you were
doing >> performing Branson. Yeah.

327
00:17:54,640 --> 00:17:55,597
>> How were you doing that?

328
00:17:55,680 --> 00:17:58,317
>> I would travel. I would just go do a

329
00:17:58,400 --> 00:18:01,997
weekend uh just I would take my

330
00:18:02,080 --> 00:18:05,117
schedule, make it the way I wanted and

331
00:18:05,200 --> 00:18:07,997
whatever I had to do, I would just

332
00:18:08,080 --> 00:18:12,797
travel to uh Pennsylvania to uh and and

333
00:18:12,880 --> 00:18:15,197
do that. >> And you were
taking in-person classes.

334
00:18:15,280 --> 00:18:19,437
>> Yeah. Yeah. >> But how were you doing
that weekend for you were on the weekends?

335
00:18:19,520 --> 00:18:20,957
>> You can do that. There were classes.

336
00:18:21,040 --> 00:18:24,157
Yes, there was. >> Wow.
You would work all week and then

337
00:18:24,240 --> 00:18:27,277
fly in the weekends
to Why were you doing that?

338
00:18:27,360 --> 00:18:29,597
>> Well, that sounds exhausting.

339
00:18:29,680 --> 00:18:30,957
>> It's interesting.

340
00:18:31,040 --> 00:18:33,917
>> I was searching for a purpose. I think

341
00:18:34,000 --> 00:18:37,517
that was I I noticed something that was

342
00:18:37,600 --> 00:18:40,797
universal. Um, and I wanted to prove

343
00:18:40,880 --> 00:18:44,877
that scientifically to myself and to um

344
00:18:44,960 --> 00:18:48,477
and I and I did because it was important

345
00:18:48,560 --> 00:18:51,997
to me. And what I figured out and as a

346
00:18:52,080 --> 00:18:54,237
comedian you'll understand that every

347
00:18:54,320 --> 00:18:58,237
time we tell a joke uh we're uh this

348
00:18:58,320 --> 00:19:00,797
setup is we're meeting their needs.

349
00:19:00,880 --> 00:19:03,197
They're interested in that topic. you

350
00:19:03,280 --> 00:19:05,917
and I talked in the green room like you

351
00:19:06,000 --> 00:19:08,317
need more topics for example for your

352
00:19:08,400 --> 00:19:11,997
one hour more uh to to add and so the

353
00:19:12,080 --> 00:19:15,757
topics that you're looking for are the

354
00:19:15,840 --> 00:19:19,117
the uh you're meeting the needs of

355
00:19:19,200 --> 00:19:21,357
people they want they don't curious and

356
00:19:21,440 --> 00:19:24,957
then your humor is the punchline and

357
00:19:25,040 --> 00:19:27,437
that creates laughter. If you don't meet

358
00:19:27,520 --> 00:19:30,077
their needs, if they're not interested,

359
00:19:30,160 --> 00:19:33,357
then your humor doesn't matter much. So,

360
00:19:33,440 --> 00:19:35,517
in a relationship, the same thing

361
00:19:35,600 --> 00:19:38,397
happens. So, if I put this, and I know

362
00:19:38,480 --> 00:19:40,477
people are listening, but they they can

363
00:19:40,560 --> 00:19:45,917
maybe picture that.
If you put needs in the middle,

364
00:19:46,000 --> 00:19:48,797
then you >> you're talking
about magnets. You got to

365
00:19:48,880 --> 00:19:52,477
remember a lot of these people are not
>> listening. Okay. So, I'm going to I'm

366
00:19:52,560 --> 00:19:55,597
going to abandon that. >> Yeah,
it's abandon. Um, this episode is

367
00:19:55,680 --> 00:19:59,517
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Head to squarespace.com/roganogen

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to save 10% off your first purchase of a

377
00:20:28,800 --> 00:20:31,517
website or domain. >> So,
>> I get what you're saying.

378
00:20:31,600 --> 00:20:35,597
>> Yeah, the the needs is uh the flexible

379
00:20:35,680 --> 00:20:40,237
thing in our humor stays the same,

380
00:20:40,320 --> 00:20:44,077
>> but the needs
or the setup is different.

381
00:20:44,160 --> 00:20:47,437
So if every business

382
00:20:47,520 --> 00:20:50,717
uh is successful when they figure out

383
00:20:50,800 --> 00:20:53,997
what is the need of people like Apple

384
00:20:54,080 --> 00:20:58,157
for example they say we de we develop

385
00:20:58,240 --> 00:21:02,477
product that you don't know you need but

386
00:21:02,560 --> 00:21:04,797
then you can't live without it. That's

387
00:21:04,880 --> 00:21:07,597
their motto. So the same thing a

388
00:21:07,680 --> 00:21:10,157
restaurant if they figured out what need

389
00:21:10,240 --> 00:21:12,557
is that community has they're

390
00:21:12,640 --> 00:21:15,437
successful. you figured out what is the

391
00:21:15,520 --> 00:21:19,757
need that people have and they're
listening to you and they love it.

392
00:21:19,840 --> 00:21:22,157
>> I don't Is it a need?
Like we're talking

393
00:21:22,240 --> 00:21:26,397
the word need is a weird one because
for me need is like food and shelter and

394
00:21:26,480 --> 00:21:28,237
community. That's the real needs.

395
00:21:28,320 --> 00:21:30,557
Everything else is desires.

396
00:21:30,640 --> 00:21:32,317
>> Well, in or interests

397
00:21:32,400 --> 00:21:35,677
>> in the hierarchy of needs was Muslow,

398
00:21:35,760 --> 00:21:37,677
they just go higher and higher.

399
00:21:37,760 --> 00:21:43,437
>> I see what you're saying. So when
when you find he called them needs. I

400
00:21:43,520 --> 00:21:44,637
couldn't find a better

401
00:21:44,720 --> 00:21:46,717
>> No, it's that makes more sense now.

402
00:21:46,800 --> 00:21:50,717
Yeah, I get it. Yeah. Um it's uh I I

403
00:21:50,800 --> 00:21:54,717
feel like the most important thing about
comedy is you have to be actually excuse

404
00:21:54,800 --> 00:21:57,677
me, you have to actually be interested
in what you're talking about. Obviously,

405
00:21:57,760 --> 00:22:00,557
it has to be funny. That's the most
important thing. But other than that,

406
00:22:00,640 --> 00:22:03,517
the second most important thing or the
thing that like really resonates with

407
00:22:03,600 --> 00:22:07,197
people is uh when someone's on stage
and they're talking about something that

408
00:22:07,280 --> 00:22:09,517
means something to them,
>> I get invested.

409
00:22:09,600 --> 00:22:12,717
>> Yeah. Exactly.
>> I'm invested in people that are

410
00:22:12,800 --> 00:22:16,877
fascinated with stuff. I'm invested with
people that are that have like hobbies

411
00:22:16,960 --> 00:22:20,637
that they love. Even if I'm I have no
interest in it at all, I want to hear

412
00:22:20,720 --> 00:22:24,637
them talk about it. >> Exactly.
Exactly. And I I totally that's

413
00:22:24,720 --> 00:22:26,557
you found that whatever you want to call

414
00:22:26,640 --> 00:22:31,677
it desire need whatever you want to call
it but whoever zooms in on that and

415
00:22:31,760 --> 00:22:33,277
understands it they're they're

416
00:22:33,360 --> 00:22:35,837
successful in what they do. So in

417
00:22:35,920 --> 00:22:40,877
marriage um my focus switched from us

418
00:22:40,960 --> 00:22:44,157
the cold war between countries to cold

419
00:22:44,240 --> 00:22:46,237
war between couples

420
00:22:46,320 --> 00:22:49,437
>> and understanding
that men and women are

421
00:22:49,520 --> 00:22:53,597
different is uh very important because

422
00:22:53,680 --> 00:22:56,077
they have different needs

423
00:22:56,160 --> 00:23:00,477
and so part of my dissertation was to um

424
00:23:00,560 --> 00:23:04,317
to give that understanding so then the

425
00:23:04,400 --> 00:23:06,477
person's is not like searching. It

426
00:23:06,560 --> 00:23:08,557
doesn't know what he's looking for

427
00:23:08,640 --> 00:23:11,837
there. I'm I'm married and I'm happily

428
00:23:11,920 --> 00:23:16,157
married now. And my main goal is to

429
00:23:16,240 --> 00:23:19,437
figure out what does my wife need and if

430
00:23:19,520 --> 00:23:22,557
I can anticipate it then we have love

431
00:23:22,640 --> 00:23:25,117
and laughter and it's living there. But

432
00:23:25,200 --> 00:23:29,357
if I don't or if she doesn't then we

433
00:23:29,440 --> 00:23:31,917
start arguing and that happens in every

434
00:23:32,000 --> 00:23:36,637
family. M so I'm easier. So there's a

435
00:23:36,720 --> 00:23:39,357
book by Dr. Willard Harley called his

436
00:23:39,440 --> 00:23:42,877
needs her needs. And what he did

437
00:23:42,960 --> 00:23:45,277
um he was dealing with a lot of couples

438
00:23:45,360 --> 00:23:48,317
that was getting a divorce and he was

439
00:23:48,400 --> 00:23:50,157
trying to help them in marriage

440
00:23:50,240 --> 00:23:55,197
counseling and he asked um uh he

441
00:23:55,280 --> 00:23:58,397
identified like 10 emotional needs and

442
00:23:58,480 --> 00:24:02,077
he asked um these uh people to

443
00:24:02,160 --> 00:24:05,357
prioritize men and women and it was

444
00:24:05,440 --> 00:24:08,557
interesting that he said I was shocked

445
00:24:08,640 --> 00:24:13,037
that five top needs for men were totally

446
00:24:13,120 --> 00:24:16,637
different from five top needs for women.

447
00:24:16,720 --> 00:24:18,957
So if we don't know that so the the

448
00:24:19,040 --> 00:24:21,357
needs for women were affection,

449
00:24:21,440 --> 00:24:23,917
conversation, openness and honesty,

450
00:24:24,000 --> 00:24:27,037
family commitment and financial support.

451
00:24:27,120 --> 00:24:29,597
Not for every woman but that's was

452
00:24:29,680 --> 00:24:32,957
majority. And then for men it was sexual

453
00:24:33,040 --> 00:24:36,477
fulfillment, it was admiration.

454
00:24:36,560 --> 00:24:41,037
um sexual fulfillment again um but it

455
00:24:41,120 --> 00:24:44,637
was admiration um attractive spouse

456
00:24:44,720 --> 00:24:49,357
recreational companion
and domestic support

457
00:24:49,440 --> 00:24:53,037
>> makes men f seem really base
>> they are >> base and stupid

458
00:24:53,120 --> 00:24:56,877
>> we are [laughter] >>
sexual attraction is number uno

459
00:24:56,960 --> 00:24:58,477
>> and then it's
in there how's it in there

460
00:24:58,560 --> 00:25:02,477
twice that doesn't make sense [__] it
up >> yeah I was joking around yeah I was

461
00:25:02,560 --> 00:25:07,117
joking around >> yeah that's funny like
admiration's a funny one. That's funny.

462
00:25:07,200 --> 00:25:09,837
>> Admiration is huge.
>> That's hilarious. I ask

463
00:25:09,920 --> 00:25:11,277
>> you need admiration from your wife.

464
00:25:11,360 --> 00:25:12,397
That's hilarious.

465
00:25:12,480 --> 00:25:15,197
>> Well, but it's not
because if you if you

466
00:25:15,280 --> 00:25:20,797
think if you think that uh I ask the
audience, so here is what I do in my show.

467
00:25:20,880 --> 00:25:23,357
>> Uhhuh. >> Uh and it's
they're laughing, but

468
00:25:23,440 --> 00:25:25,997
they're also learning something. I say,

469
00:25:26,080 --> 00:25:28,557
how many of you gentlemen here at least

470
00:25:28,640 --> 00:25:30,717
once in a while would like to hear your

471
00:25:30,800 --> 00:25:33,277
wife said, "You're such a good man.

472
00:25:33,360 --> 00:25:36,477
thanks for um doing things for us.

473
00:25:36,560 --> 00:25:40,237
Applaud. And few people applaud. And I

474
00:25:40,320 --> 00:25:43,997
go, "Well, not every man is applauding

475
00:25:44,080 --> 00:25:46,717
because they're scared." And they laugh.

476
00:25:46,800 --> 00:25:50,157
And then I go, "So, let me ask you the
same question from an opposite point of

477
00:25:50,240 --> 00:25:52,637
view. Any of you gentlemen disagree with

478
00:25:52,720 --> 00:25:56,397
that silence?" Then I go, "You see

479
00:25:56,480 --> 00:26:01,357
ladies, you used to do it. You You don't
do it now, but you used to do it in the

480
00:26:01,440 --> 00:26:03,357
beginning. That's what that attraction

481
00:26:03,440 --> 00:26:07,117
was is was the man needed that. And

482
00:26:07,200 --> 00:26:10,157
women don't. They don't want to be

483
00:26:10,240 --> 00:26:12,877
acknowledged or uh admired for what they

484
00:26:12,960 --> 00:26:15,517
do. They want to be loved for who they

485
00:26:15,600 --> 00:26:19,517
are. Kind, beautiful, smart, selfless.

486
00:26:19,600 --> 00:26:22,237
And I I ask women, is that true? And

487
00:26:22,320 --> 00:26:26,317
they applaud. So it so and it it's

488
00:26:26,400 --> 00:26:30,317
subconscious but I know
for me that's a very

489
00:26:30,400 --> 00:26:32,397
important thing that if I'm doing

490
00:26:32,480 --> 00:26:35,037
something all I need is like thank you

491
00:26:35,120 --> 00:26:39,597
and sometimes it's overlooked
>> and that doesn't feel right.

492
00:26:39,680 --> 00:26:43,517
>> That's interesting. It it definitely
resonates that men don't necessarily

493
00:26:43,600 --> 00:26:46,397
care if a woman does a thing. Like if

494
00:26:46,480 --> 00:26:48,077
she's really good at a thing, right?

495
00:26:48,160 --> 00:26:51,597
>> Like men I mean I
mean this is obviously

496
00:26:51,680 --> 00:26:54,477
a great generalization because
they're probably some men

497
00:26:54,560 --> 00:26:55,997
>> that one of the things
that they love is

498
00:26:56,080 --> 00:26:59,677
the talent that a woman possesses
or the drive and >> absolutely

499
00:26:59,760 --> 00:27:04,717
>> but for the most part what men
want is someone to be nice. [laughter]

500
00:27:04,800 --> 00:27:08,237
>> Be nice to be pretty. Like my friends
have joked around about this before, my

501
00:27:08,320 --> 00:27:11,757
single friends, about like I don't give
a [__] if a girl works at McDonald's. Is

502
00:27:11,840 --> 00:27:15,997
she nice? Is she pretty? And is she nice?
You know, and is she not like

503
00:27:16,080 --> 00:27:19,517
completely annoying to talk to? Is she
fun to talk to? Like, you don't care

504
00:27:19,600 --> 00:27:22,637
what her job is.
If she's cool and she's fun,

505
00:27:22,720 --> 00:27:27,037
>> but a woman meeting a cool,
good-looking guy that's nice that works at

506
00:27:27,120 --> 00:27:29,277
McDonald's, like you [__] loser, you

507
00:27:29,360 --> 00:27:32,637
know? Unfort no shame to the people work

508
00:27:32,720 --> 00:27:37,677
at McDonald's. I worked fast food when I
was younger, too. I did uh I worked at a

509
00:27:37,760 --> 00:27:40,877
couple The first place I worked at was
a burger place called Newport Crearyy. I

510
00:27:40,960 --> 00:27:43,197
worked at a place called uh Papaginos.

511
00:27:43,280 --> 00:27:46,797
It was like Italian fast food place.

512
00:27:46,880 --> 00:27:49,757
>> Nothing wrong with working
at McDonald's. Point is, women don't

513
00:27:49,840 --> 00:27:52,557
respect it >> for whatever
reason. Especially women

514
00:27:52,640 --> 00:27:55,597
that want to have a family and settle
down and all that jazz, they look at a

515
00:27:55,680 --> 00:27:59,357
guy working at McDonald's like, "You
don't have any ambition." And that's the

516
00:27:59,440 --> 00:28:01,837
thing that women uh want from men that

517
00:28:01,920 --> 00:28:03,837
men don't seem to really care that much

518
00:28:03,920 --> 00:28:09,437
from women. Women want a guy that has
ambition and men do not care, right?

519
00:28:09,520 --> 00:28:13,917
Generally, >> although I
got to say, Phil Hartman when

520
00:28:14,000 --> 00:28:18,477
he obviously did not have a good
marriage because his wife killed him and

521
00:28:18,560 --> 00:28:20,157
then killed herself. Obviously didn't

522
00:28:20,240 --> 00:28:22,317
have a good marriage, right?

523
00:28:22,400 --> 00:28:27,757
um when he had almost got divorced a few
times and one I remember one one time he

524
00:28:27,840 --> 00:28:31,597
and I were having a conversation about
it and he said he goes he goes if I

525
00:28:31,680 --> 00:28:35,117
[__] get divorced he goes my next wife
she has to like something he goes I

526
00:28:35,200 --> 00:28:38,157
don't give a [__] what it is I don't
care it's rock climbing you have to be

527
00:28:38,240 --> 00:28:40,477
into something so that was his thing was

528
00:28:40,560 --> 00:28:43,517
like that he was really into things like

529
00:28:43,600 --> 00:28:46,797
he uh got his pilot's license like the

530
00:28:46,880 --> 00:28:50,797
place that I actually bought
in California I found out about that part

531
00:28:50,880 --> 00:28:55,037
of California because of him cuz he took
me up on a plane and he was explaining

532
00:28:55,120 --> 00:28:59,197
to me like there's other counties
that you could live in and these counties

533
00:28:59,280 --> 00:29:03,277
like they have land that's like you're
yeah it's a drive but it's like more

534
00:29:03,360 --> 00:29:07,277
peaceful and relaxed. You don't have
to be like in the heart of everything.

535
00:29:07,360 --> 00:29:09,837
>> Um so he was he was into being a pilot.

536
00:29:09,920 --> 00:29:12,317
He he had like he played music. He he

537
00:29:12,400 --> 00:29:17,197
always had a bunch of different
interests that he was pursuing on top of

538
00:29:17,280 --> 00:29:22,077
being an actor and being a comedic actor.
And so he was very frustrated.

539
00:29:22,160 --> 00:29:24,877
One of the things he was frustrated
is that his wife didn't have any ambition.

540
00:29:24,960 --> 00:29:27,997
She didn't have any interests.

541
00:29:28,080 --> 00:29:33,037
>> Well, but she also probably
didn't admire him for what his uh

542
00:29:33,120 --> 00:29:36,717
accomplishments were. >> I think
she wanted to be famous as well.

543
00:29:36,800 --> 00:29:40,237
I probably shouldn't talk about this too
much, but uh and I think there was

544
00:29:40,320 --> 00:29:42,157
probably some resentment at his success.

545
00:29:42,240 --> 00:29:44,157
I think she was trying
to be famous as well.

546
00:29:44,240 --> 00:29:46,557
>> Well, that's like those magnets repel.

547
00:29:46,640 --> 00:29:50,477
Yeah. Well, it's like sometimes when
a couple I've seen it the opposite. Like a

548
00:29:50,560 --> 00:29:53,757
friend of mine, she was dating this guy
who was a comedian and when she started

549
00:29:53,840 --> 00:29:56,397
doing well, he started
getting really shitty with her.

550
00:29:56,480 --> 00:30:00,557
>> He uh he started getting very resentful
and he would be insulting and she could

551
00:30:00,640 --> 00:30:04,157
tell that there was she was he was not
happy that she was doing well. Yeah.

552
00:30:04,240 --> 00:30:06,397
>> Cuz she started to take
off and he wasn't. Yeah.

553
00:30:06,480 --> 00:30:09,517
>> And it was like he was very frustrated
and they broke up and she was like that

554
00:30:09,600 --> 00:30:13,597
always really hurt cuz I really felt
like if I was doing well, if he loved

555
00:30:13,680 --> 00:30:17,357
me, he was he was going to be happy,
too. and he wasn't happy. It

556
00:30:17,440 --> 00:30:21,837
>> It's nice if this was discussed in the
beginning of the relationship. It's like,

557
00:30:21,920 --> 00:30:23,437
>> well, sometimes
the man doesn't know and

558
00:30:23,520 --> 00:30:25,917
the woman doesn't know how they're
going to behave. You don't know what your

559
00:30:26,000 --> 00:30:29,357
character flaws are until you're
presented by something that tests you.

560
00:30:29,440 --> 00:30:32,797
>> Absolutely. Absolutely. So, my my goal

561
00:30:32,880 --> 00:30:36,317
was to understand it better. And um

562
00:30:36,400 --> 00:30:38,957
there's a painting I sent Jamie if you I

563
00:30:39,040 --> 00:30:41,997
painted this painting uh that kind of

564
00:30:42,080 --> 00:30:45,197
helped me uh if you can find it. It's a

565
00:30:45,280 --> 00:30:48,397
tree of love and it helped me to

566
00:30:48,480 --> 00:30:51,277
understand m better what my role is

567
00:30:51,360 --> 00:30:55,757
because my first marriage I did not know

568
00:30:55,840 --> 00:30:59,917
um what my role was. I was I I met a

569
00:31:00,000 --> 00:31:03,757
woman American girl beautiful everything

570
00:31:03,840 --> 00:31:06,397
was great. Uh when I shook her hand or

571
00:31:06,480 --> 00:31:08,237
shook she shook my hand. She almost

572
00:31:08,320 --> 00:31:13,197
broke my hand and my my subconscious was

573
00:31:13,280 --> 00:31:16,637
like my mother was very strong in my

574
00:31:16,720 --> 00:31:19,357
parents' relationship. Mom was the

575
00:31:19,440 --> 00:31:22,477
leader and dad was creative wonderful

576
00:31:22,560 --> 00:31:27,437
man but he would follow her. And I

577
00:31:27,520 --> 00:31:31,517
subconsciously went with that um that

578
00:31:31,600 --> 00:31:35,357
script the manuscript of my life. And so

579
00:31:35,440 --> 00:31:39,837
this helped me uh to see something that

580
00:31:39,920 --> 00:31:43,117
I wanted who do I want to be? I wanted

581
00:31:43,200 --> 00:31:46,557
to be that strong man who is able to

582
00:31:46,640 --> 00:31:50,557
give life to a woman that she can be

583
00:31:50,640 --> 00:31:55,837
free, creative, uh bring um our um you

584
00:31:55,920 --> 00:32:00,077
know fruit uh children so she doesn't

585
00:32:00,160 --> 00:32:02,557
have to worry about that. In my previous

586
00:32:02,640 --> 00:32:05,277
marriage I didn't understand that. So on

587
00:32:05,360 --> 00:32:09,997
stage I came across like I was this you

588
00:32:10,080 --> 00:32:13,117
know strong guy who was invited to the

589
00:32:13,200 --> 00:32:17,357
White House to perform. Um I was you

590
00:32:17,440 --> 00:32:20,237
know I was commanding a big group of

591
00:32:20,320 --> 00:32:23,837
2,000 3,000 people and she saw that and

592
00:32:23,920 --> 00:32:27,837
then in a relationship I became like now

593
00:32:27,920 --> 00:32:30,077
she knows what to do. I don't have to do

594
00:32:30,160 --> 00:32:33,117
anything. So I said I do and I didn't do

595
00:32:33,200 --> 00:32:35,517
it. I didn't know what it was, what my

596
00:32:35,600 --> 00:32:38,877
role was. So, it took me 20 years and

597
00:32:38,960 --> 00:32:41,517
all of that education to get to that

598
00:32:41,600 --> 00:32:45,437
place that who do I want to become to

599
00:32:45,520 --> 00:32:50,317
attract a woman that wants
to be in that role.

600
00:32:50,400 --> 00:32:52,237
>> Damn, dude.
You thought about this [__] deep.

601
00:32:52,320 --> 00:32:56,157
>> I did. Going through it, man. I got
>> you going through it cuz you're going

602
00:32:56,240 --> 00:32:59,437
through that, which is always a bummer
for people, especially with children

603
00:32:59,520 --> 00:33:03,117
when you're getting divorced. But then
on top of that, your career goes away

604
00:33:03,200 --> 00:33:04,957
cuz the Soviet Union collapsed.

605
00:33:05,040 --> 00:33:07,517
>> Yes. >> And then you
said, "Fuck it." That's

606
00:33:07,600 --> 00:33:08,797
very admirable that you said, "Fuck it.

607
00:33:08,880 --> 00:33:12,317
I'm going to get educated and figure out
what's wrong with me and what's what's

608
00:33:12,400 --> 00:33:14,477
you know." >> Yes. Yeah.
And I don't know if you have

609
00:33:14,560 --> 00:33:17,597
a picture of my my wife and and the kids

610
00:33:17,680 --> 00:33:21,517
and the kid. Now I'm 75
and I have a one-year-old.

611
00:33:21,600 --> 00:33:23,517
>> What? >> Yes. I am to I know.

612
00:33:23,600 --> 00:33:27,277
>> When did you get married? How long
did you >> Seven Seven years ago. So this

613
00:33:27,360 --> 00:33:29,517
>> So you spent like 20 years single?

614
00:33:29,600 --> 00:33:32,877
>> Yeah. just trying to figure yourself
out. Damn, man. You went on a walk.

615
00:33:32,960 --> 00:33:35,517
>> I went all Tony Robbins. Uh, what?

616
00:33:35,600 --> 00:33:38,717
>> Yeah. All of his trainings. I mean, I

617
00:33:38,800 --> 00:33:42,077
needed to become I wasn't that strong

618
00:33:42,160 --> 00:33:45,357
person. I was more like my dad and I

619
00:33:45,440 --> 00:33:48,237
needed to become who I wanted to be. I

620
00:33:48,320 --> 00:33:51,837
wanted a woman to trust me that I can

621
00:33:51,920 --> 00:33:55,437
sustain no matter what. Um, and I have a

622
00:33:55,520 --> 00:33:57,757
feeling there's my wife. And

623
00:33:57,840 --> 00:33:59,517
>> did you meet your wife in Missouri?

624
00:33:59,600 --> 00:34:04,157
>> No, she is from Ukraine.
Uh, that's an interesting

625
00:34:04,240 --> 00:34:07,437
>> You have a one-year-old, dude.
It's time to get you on some peptides.

626
00:34:07,520 --> 00:34:11,437
>> All [laughter] right, we got That's
crazy. You're 75. You have a one-year-old.

627
00:34:11,520 --> 00:34:15,597
We got to go to work on you. [laughter]
>> We got to keep you alive. That's That's

628
00:34:15,680 --> 00:34:18,477
nuts. >> Uh, it's it's wonderful.

629
00:34:18,560 --> 00:34:21,517
>> You're almost 20 years older than me
and you have a one-year-old. That's crazy.

630
00:34:21,600 --> 00:34:24,957
>> Well, I'm I'm I'm excited. I'm excited

631
00:34:25,040 --> 00:34:29,037
because I figured that I figured out

632
00:34:29,120 --> 00:34:33,677
something. So the way So I was

633
00:34:33,760 --> 00:34:36,237
you'll you'll get a kick out of it. So I

634
00:34:36,320 --> 00:34:38,077
was married to an American woman. Then I

635
00:34:38,160 --> 00:34:42,237
was dating other women. Wasn't it wasn't

636
00:34:42,320 --> 00:34:46,237
happening. So I took my kids uh grown

637
00:34:46,320 --> 00:34:51,117
kids to uh Ukraine and I wanted them to

638
00:34:51,200 --> 00:34:54,877
show I'm from Odessa. All right. So went

639
00:34:54,960 --> 00:34:57,517
there uh with them. They were like

640
00:34:57,600 --> 00:35:01,597
probably in their 20s and so and on the

641
00:35:01,680 --> 00:35:05,277
way back I forgot my uh passport on the

642
00:35:05,360 --> 00:35:08,557
plane from Odessa to Kiev and I had to

643
00:35:08,640 --> 00:35:11,837
stay behind for a day to get a temporary

644
00:35:11,920 --> 00:35:15,917
passport. So, I went to a a park and I

645
00:35:16,000 --> 00:35:19,517
was waiting for this and um and I see

646
00:35:19,600 --> 00:35:23,357
this lunchtime and this gorgeous women

647
00:35:23,440 --> 00:35:26,877
are going to lunch and back and and and

648
00:35:26,960 --> 00:35:29,277
they're like I feel like I'm in Paris

649
00:35:29,360 --> 00:35:31,437
watching a runway show. I mean, it's

650
00:35:31,520 --> 00:35:35,757
like beautiful women and and I'm going I

651
00:35:35,840 --> 00:35:40,397
I'm can relate to that.
I would like one of those women.

652
00:35:40,480 --> 00:35:42,637
>> Wait a minute. How?
But how old are you at this time?

653
00:35:42,720 --> 00:35:45,837
>> That was 10 years ago, so 65.

654
00:35:45,920 --> 00:35:48,557
>> And how old are these ladies?

655
00:35:48,640 --> 00:35:53,197
>> Uh, well, my wife is 42, so but in in

656
00:35:53,280 --> 00:35:55,997
their in their 20s, 30s.

657
00:35:56,080 --> 00:35:59,277
>> 42 and 75 doesn't seem offensive for

658
00:35:59,360 --> 00:36:02,157
whatever reason. You know what I mean?

659
00:36:02,240 --> 00:36:06,637
>> Like 20 and what
would be the equivalent?

660
00:36:06,720 --> 00:36:10,557
>> Well, I wasn't looking. I I wasn't
looking. I wasn't a playboy. I was

661
00:36:10,640 --> 00:36:14,397
looking for a wife. I had a I had a >>
But women don't care about that. If they

662
00:36:14,480 --> 00:36:17,677
find out that a man is like that much
older than a woman, they kind of get

663
00:36:17,760 --> 00:36:20,397
upset. >> Well,
it probably in that culture is a

664
00:36:20,480 --> 00:36:22,957
little bit different
than American culture.

665
00:36:23,040 --> 00:36:25,837
>> Um, and so what I did, I said, "Okay,

666
00:36:25,920 --> 00:36:30,077
how do I do that?" So I went to Ukraine

667
00:36:30,160 --> 00:36:32,637
and I tried to meet women through like

668
00:36:32,720 --> 00:36:36,397
agencies that introduce people. It

669
00:36:36,480 --> 00:36:39,757
wasn't working a couple of times. Then I

670
00:36:39,840 --> 00:36:44,957
decide I'm going to just hire three
different agencies at the same time and

671
00:36:45,040 --> 00:36:48,957
I'm just going to go for two weeks.
And I had 51 dates.

672
00:36:49,040 --> 00:36:51,437
>> So you went to Ukraine
just to meet a woman.

673
00:36:51,520 --> 00:36:56,477
>> I went to look for a wife. It wasn't
a woman. It was just But I mean it has to

674
00:36:56,560 --> 00:36:57,677
be a woman, right?

675
00:36:57,760 --> 00:37:00,157
>> Yeah. Yeah. [laughter] Yeah. Yeah. And

676
00:37:00,240 --> 00:37:03,837
so uh Yes. So that's what happened. And

677
00:37:03,920 --> 00:37:08,637
I would just have breakfast, lunch,
and dinner with different ladies. And it

678
00:37:08,720 --> 00:37:10,637
didn't take me very long because I had

679
00:37:10,720 --> 00:37:13,197
all that training and education. I was

680
00:37:13,280 --> 00:37:18,077
new and I was looking for a woman who um

681
00:37:18,160 --> 00:37:21,917
has um a a father

682
00:37:22,000 --> 00:37:25,037
that um is really good for her. I mean,

683
00:37:25,120 --> 00:37:28,237
I I knew that if the father

684
00:37:28,320 --> 00:37:30,477
if they're afraid of masculine energy,

685
00:37:30,560 --> 00:37:33,597
if they're being with the abusive dad or

686
00:37:33,680 --> 00:37:35,597
something is not right, they will not

687
00:37:35,680 --> 00:37:38,637
trust my energy.

688
00:37:38,720 --> 00:37:41,277
>> And that was with a handshake. I could

689
00:37:41,360 --> 00:37:44,957
tell pretty much if that woman and and

690
00:37:45,040 --> 00:37:48,877
all 51 dates were I it didn't work. I

691
00:37:48,960 --> 00:37:51,437
mean I just knew in couple of seconds

692
00:37:51,520 --> 00:37:53,517
that it wasn't right but then I have to

693
00:37:53,600 --> 00:37:56,397
eat you know so I gained weight just

694
00:37:56,480 --> 00:38:01,517
because I I had to eat all this
time three meals a day and anyway

695
00:38:01,600 --> 00:38:04,797
>> you were going out with three different
girls a day to try to find a wife.

696
00:38:04,880 --> 00:38:08,077
>> Yeah, >> that sounds kind of crazy.

697
00:38:08,160 --> 00:38:11,037
>> Well, it so then a little crazy.

698
00:38:11,120 --> 00:38:13,997
>> So then so then I go it didn't work

699
00:38:14,080 --> 00:38:17,197
right. So what do I do? So now I I

700
00:38:17,280 --> 00:38:20,637
decide I'm going to do a seminar

701
00:38:20,720 --> 00:38:22,717
in Kiev

702
00:38:22,800 --> 00:38:25,277
uh on relationships because I was

703
00:38:25,360 --> 00:38:27,997
teaching at Missouri State University at

704
00:38:28,080 --> 00:38:31,517
that time. So a professor from America

705
00:38:31,600 --> 00:38:35,917
is going to teach this course
on relationships and laughter. Right. That

706
00:38:36,000 --> 00:38:37,917
was my hook. And I

707
00:38:38,000 --> 00:38:39,997
>> But you did this all
just to meet women.

708
00:38:40,080 --> 00:38:43,997
>> Yeah. Yes, I did. Well, I'm I'm not I'm

709
00:38:44,080 --> 00:38:49,997
I I'm not ashamed of it because I
was I was very >> It's pragmatic.

710
00:38:50,080 --> 00:38:51,597
A good strategy. >> Very focused.

711
00:38:51,680 --> 00:38:53,757
>> It seems like
the same strategy that led

712
00:38:53,840 --> 00:38:56,397
you to like serve breakfast in Branson.

713
00:38:56,480 --> 00:38:58,957
You're an industrial >>
get out of the Soviet Union.

714
00:38:59,040 --> 00:39:00,077
>> You find solutions.

715
00:39:00,160 --> 00:39:04,237
>> Exactly. Exactly.
So then so then I uh I

716
00:39:04,320 --> 00:39:08,077
need somebody to promote this uh and to

717
00:39:08,160 --> 00:39:11,757
find the venue and uh bring women. But

718
00:39:11,840 --> 00:39:14,957
the the logic was the logic was that the

719
00:39:15,040 --> 00:39:19,837
women who will come uh to uh a seminar

720
00:39:19,920 --> 00:39:22,157
are different kind of women that go to

721
00:39:22,240 --> 00:39:25,117
those agencies. Those agencies they're

722
00:39:25,200 --> 00:39:29,437
hunting for somebody from outside
the country. They're looking for somebody.

723
00:39:29,520 --> 00:39:34,237
These women were just wanted
to know more about relationship. And

724
00:39:34,320 --> 00:39:36,797
>> so what do you mean they're hunting for
someone outside the country? So they're

725
00:39:36,880 --> 00:39:40,957
trying to escape Ukraine. That's what
they're doing. So they're trying to find

726
00:39:41,040 --> 00:39:42,637
a husband that's going to take them out.

727
00:39:42,720 --> 00:39:45,437
>> Exactly. Exactly. So they're more in a

728
00:39:45,520 --> 00:39:50,077
masculine energy. They're more like I'm
going to get somebody. And I wasn't into

729
00:39:50,160 --> 00:39:52,237
that. I wasn't interested.

730
00:39:52,320 --> 00:39:56,797
>> So someone recommended uh this lady who

731
00:39:56,880 --> 00:40:00,157
can do this, promote this. And it was my

732
00:40:00,240 --> 00:40:03,517
uh future wife. It was my uh Olivia who

733
00:40:03,600 --> 00:40:07,677
I'm now married to. And when I met her

734
00:40:07,760 --> 00:40:11,117
and she promoted this, I already knew

735
00:40:11,200 --> 00:40:14,797
that I didn't need the seminar. I just I

736
00:40:14,880 --> 00:40:19,117
met somebody that I really um wanted to

737
00:40:19,200 --> 00:40:22,637
to be with. And uh it didn't it wasn't

738
00:40:22,720 --> 00:40:24,877
immediate because we're age different.

739
00:40:24,960 --> 00:40:26,877
So at first I was like, "What? What are

740
00:40:26,960 --> 00:40:29,437
you talking about?" And I wasn't I was

741
00:40:29,520 --> 00:40:32,317
just professional and doing this

742
00:40:32,400 --> 00:40:34,877
professionally. But little by little we

743
00:40:34,960 --> 00:40:37,997
started learning about each other. And

744
00:40:38,080 --> 00:40:41,597
then I I invited her to America,

745
00:40:41,680 --> 00:40:45,597
proposed to her on her uh birthday and I

746
00:40:45,680 --> 00:40:50,237
had her balloon ride. I mean I
was you know >> very romantic.

747
00:40:50,320 --> 00:40:54,797
>> Yeah. Yeah. That way >> she
could not get out. That way I could

748
00:40:54,880 --> 00:40:59,517
keep her there. >> Wow. Yeah,
>> that is a creepy place to propose.

749
00:40:59,600 --> 00:41:01,277
>> Propose like you're already scared.

750
00:41:01,360 --> 00:41:03,397
You're >> going to take
care of me, please.

751
00:41:03,480 --> 00:41:06,877
[laughter] >> But I get
this thing down on the ground.

752
00:41:06,960 --> 00:41:09,277
>> I put a big big banner on the ground.

753
00:41:09,360 --> 00:41:11,197
Will you marry me? A

754
00:41:11,280 --> 00:41:14,077
>> uh and and she didn't know how to read

755
00:41:14,160 --> 00:41:16,637
English, so she

756
00:41:16,720 --> 00:41:21,117
she did not say yes. Uh and then then I

757
00:41:21,200 --> 00:41:25,117
opened the ring and you know
and then she said yes. So,

758
00:41:25,200 --> 00:41:28,397
>> um, does she speak Russian?
Is that what they speak in Ukraine? Yeah,

759
00:41:28,480 --> 00:41:31,197
>> primarily.
Is there a Ukrainian language?

760
00:41:31,280 --> 00:41:33,357
>> Yeah, there is. There is. That's the

761
00:41:33,440 --> 00:41:37,037
tension between two sides of Ukraine.

762
00:41:37,120 --> 00:41:40,157
One is very western, very Ukrainian. The

763
00:41:40,240 --> 00:41:43,837
other one is Russian speaking and they

764
00:41:43,920 --> 00:41:48,717
uh Russian speaking don't mind the the
other side. The other side doesn't mind.

765
00:41:48,800 --> 00:41:50,317
So, >> yes.

766
00:41:50,400 --> 00:41:53,757
>> Got it. Got it. Got it. Well, it's like

767
00:41:53,840 --> 00:41:58,317
what was it like starting out doing
standup in the Soviet Union? That's

768
00:41:58,400 --> 00:42:00,637
where you started, right?
Yeah. How old were you?

769
00:42:00,720 --> 00:42:03,997
>> I was 15. >> And what
is it like over there when you

770
00:42:04,080 --> 00:42:06,317
were 15? Is there like a a version of

771
00:42:06,400 --> 00:42:08,637
the Tonight Show in Russia?

772
00:42:08,720 --> 00:42:13,037
>> Well, no, it's a lot at those days, you

773
00:42:13,120 --> 00:42:17,997
know, uh it was very structured, very

774
00:42:18,080 --> 00:42:20,717
communist party controlled. So there was

775
00:42:20,800 --> 00:42:23,117
only like two comedians in the whole

776
00:42:23,200 --> 00:42:27,117
country that were government approved.

777
00:42:27,200 --> 00:42:29,997
So they they would be on the radio and

778
00:42:30,080 --> 00:42:34,157
television and nobody else was really

779
00:42:34,240 --> 00:42:39,837
doing comedy. So >> what were the
comedians like? Do more like Vladville.

780
00:42:39,920 --> 00:42:40,717
>> What were the names?

781
00:42:40,800 --> 00:42:44,397
>> Uh Arcadi Reichen. You could probably

782
00:42:44,480 --> 00:42:47,677
Google him. Arcadi Reichen. He was the

783
00:42:47,760 --> 00:42:50,717
main guy that I would listen to and in

784
00:42:50,800 --> 00:42:54,397
each each um apartment there would be a

785
00:42:54,480 --> 00:42:57,517
little speaker that would be on all the

786
00:42:57,600 --> 00:43:01,037
time so they could brainwash you.

787
00:43:01,120 --> 00:43:04,557
>> You had a speaker
in your apartment all the time.

788
00:43:04,640 --> 00:43:08,237
>> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Wow. >> Yeah.

789
00:43:08,320 --> 00:43:10,797
>> So, so but then on Sunday mornings

790
00:43:10,880 --> 00:43:13,037
>> uh this is what 66.

791
00:43:13,120 --> 00:43:17,837
>> Uh yeah. Yeah. I'm 51. So, yeah. Yeah,

792
00:43:17,920 --> 00:43:22,157
that's about that time.
>> Yeah, that was the guy. Yeah.

793
00:43:22,240 --> 00:43:24,397
>> Wow. Very that was the guy.

794
00:43:24,480 --> 00:43:27,597
>> Very famous. Uh the only people from

795
00:43:27,680 --> 00:43:32,157
America that we saw were
Charlie Chaplain and that's it.

796
00:43:32,240 --> 00:43:34,317
>> So, >> just Charlie Chap.
So, you thought

797
00:43:34,400 --> 00:43:36,157
America was just silent movies?

798
00:43:36,240 --> 00:43:39,597
>> Well, they they they portrayed it.

799
00:43:39,680 --> 00:43:42,797
>> Oh, he even had a he did
a Charlie Chapman impersonation.

800
00:43:42,880 --> 00:43:47,277
>> Yeah. >> Wow. Oh >> yeah. >> So, uh,

801
00:43:47,360 --> 00:43:49,197
>> he's got wacky wigs and [__]

802
00:43:49,280 --> 00:43:52,157
>> I would listen to his

803
00:43:52,240 --> 00:43:54,957
So, every other Sunday or every once a

804
00:43:55,040 --> 00:43:56,797
month, he would have a different

805
00:43:56,880 --> 00:44:00,077
monologue that was written and approved

806
00:44:00,160 --> 00:44:02,397
by the Communist Party.

807
00:44:02,480 --> 00:44:05,677
Yeah. So, I was really into it. So I

808
00:44:05,760 --> 00:44:09,197
would record it and we had a big tape

809
00:44:09,280 --> 00:44:12,077
recorder like this and I would record it

810
00:44:12,160 --> 00:44:14,877
and I would memorize it and because

811
00:44:14,960 --> 00:44:17,197
there was nothing to be approved because

812
00:44:17,280 --> 00:44:19,677
it's already been approved then I would

813
00:44:19,760 --> 00:44:24,797
go to like a club in my um uh school and

814
00:44:24,880 --> 00:44:28,557
I would tell jokes his jokes and people

815
00:44:28,640 --> 00:44:30,477
knew that it was his jokes but they

816
00:44:30,560 --> 00:44:33,677
would they would laugh and that's how I

817
00:44:33,760 --> 00:44:38,797
got my understanding that I
really wanted to do that.

818
00:44:38,880 --> 00:44:39,677
>> Wow.

819
00:44:39,760 --> 00:44:42,877
>> Yeah. And and little by little then I

820
00:44:42,960 --> 00:44:47,037
went to military and I did that there

821
00:44:47,120 --> 00:44:52,477
kind of as an amateur and then uh >>
So you did you did stand up for the

822
00:44:52,560 --> 00:44:53,277
military?

823
00:44:53,360 --> 00:44:56,397
>> Yeah. Yeah. But it would be just like

824
00:44:56,480 --> 00:44:59,517
holidays like if it was Mayday or event

825
00:44:59,600 --> 00:45:01,597
>> Octo Yeah. October Revolution, they

826
00:45:01,680 --> 00:45:04,957
would look to me to to entertain. So I

827
00:45:05,040 --> 00:45:08,877
would do that and then I went to came

828
00:45:08,960 --> 00:45:11,917
out of the military, went to college for

829
00:45:12,000 --> 00:45:14,237
art degree. My parents didn't think that

830
00:45:14,320 --> 00:45:17,277
I could do anything. Comedy would not be

831
00:45:17,360 --> 00:45:19,917
like nobody even thought that that's

832
00:45:20,000 --> 00:45:23,197
even a possibility.

833
00:45:23,280 --> 00:45:27,197
And so um I kept doing it and then start

834
00:45:27,280 --> 00:45:31,117
working on the uh Soviet cruise ships

835
00:45:31,200 --> 00:45:34,237
um and they they had in the Black Sea

836
00:45:34,320 --> 00:45:37,677
Soviet cruise ships. So I went uh they

837
00:45:37,760 --> 00:45:40,957
asked me to go and perform there on the

838
00:45:41,040 --> 00:45:46,077
cruise ship. Yeah.
You're you're like really they have Yeah.

839
00:45:46,160 --> 00:45:48,477
>> Yeah. So it was >> How
old were you at the time?

840
00:45:48,560 --> 00:45:51,197
>> I was 20 21.

841
00:45:51,280 --> 00:45:51,677
>> Okay.

842
00:45:51,760 --> 00:45:55,677
>> Yeah. Um, now I'm getting paid and I'm

843
00:45:55,760 --> 00:45:59,837
getting um a cabin. And now prior to

844
00:45:59,920 --> 00:46:05,197
that I lived in a communal apartment
with my parents in the same room till I

845
00:46:05,280 --> 00:46:07,197
was 26 years old. >> Whoa.

846
00:46:07,280 --> 00:46:11,117
>> So yeah. So no phone. Uh nine families.

847
00:46:11,200 --> 00:46:13,997
>> What if your parents wanted to get
frisky? They tell you to go phone.

848
00:46:14,080 --> 00:46:17,997
>> Go look out the window.
>> Go look out the window.

849
00:46:18,080 --> 00:46:20,637
>> Well, I I joke about
this and then Okay.

850
00:46:20,720 --> 00:46:24,317
>> Yeah. And then and then they say,
"What do you see? What do you see in the

851
00:46:24,400 --> 00:46:26,317
window?" >> I might jump
out that [__] window.

852
00:46:26,400 --> 00:46:30,317
[laughter] >> Yeah. And they say, "What do
you [snorts] see in the window?" I said,

853
00:46:30,400 --> 00:46:34,557
"Our neighbors being frisky." And and
they say, "How can you tell?" I said,

854
00:46:34,640 --> 00:46:37,277
"Because their son is looking at me." So

855
00:46:37,360 --> 00:46:41,117
that's that's a joke I tell. But um but

856
00:46:41,200 --> 00:46:44,557
uh that was my my life. And here all of

857
00:46:44,640 --> 00:46:49,837
the sudden I'm introduced to this uh so

858
00:46:49,920 --> 00:46:52,157
tourists from other countries would take

859
00:46:52,240 --> 00:46:55,677
those cruises around Black Sea and all

860
00:46:55,760 --> 00:46:59,437
of the sudden I'm introduced to this
group of people that I was not allowed

861
00:46:59,520 --> 00:47:03,677
to talk to foreigners.
We were not allowed to even

862
00:47:03,760 --> 00:47:05,357
>> What countries were they from? uh

863
00:47:05,440 --> 00:47:09,197
Germany, uh Britain, some Americans,

864
00:47:09,280 --> 00:47:11,597
some Australians,

865
00:47:11,680 --> 00:47:13,837
uh Yugoslavians,

866
00:47:13,920 --> 00:47:18,477
whatever from uh Soviet block and and

867
00:47:18,560 --> 00:47:21,917
was who was the president of or the

868
00:47:22,000 --> 00:47:23,437
>> Brvn

869
00:47:23,520 --> 00:47:26,157
was the president that time. Yeah. And

870
00:47:26,240 --> 00:47:29,677
so I started so I did one week of

871
00:47:29,760 --> 00:47:31,357
performances

872
00:47:31,440 --> 00:47:34,637
and um and then they said, "Would you

873
00:47:34,720 --> 00:47:38,237
like to stay on board?" And I said, "Um

874
00:47:38,320 --> 00:47:42,397
I I I said, "Can can I bring my parents

875
00:47:42,480 --> 00:47:45,357
with me? Can can we give another cabin

876
00:47:45,440 --> 00:47:47,437
for them?" And they said, "No, you don't

877
00:47:47,520 --> 00:47:50,077
get any special privileges. We have

878
00:47:50,160 --> 00:47:52,797
hundreds of people like you. Get out."

879
00:47:52,880 --> 00:47:57,117
And I I was like, "Okay." So I left and

880
00:47:57,200 --> 00:47:59,997
um uh a couple of hours later a

881
00:48:00,080 --> 00:48:01,917
messenger comes. We have no phone. So

882
00:48:02,000 --> 00:48:04,717
it's like messenger comes and brings two

883
00:48:04,800 --> 00:48:08,877
sets of um sets of tickets for me and my

884
00:48:08,960 --> 00:48:11,517
parents. And I never heard that it's

885
00:48:11,600 --> 00:48:13,757
even possible like that they would go

886
00:48:13,840 --> 00:48:16,077
back and they're worried.

887
00:48:16,160 --> 00:48:20,797
So I go on the cruise and um and the uh

888
00:48:20,880 --> 00:48:22,957
I go to a cruise director. I said, "What

889
00:48:23,040 --> 00:48:25,437
happened?" and he said, "Well, here's

890
00:48:25,520 --> 00:48:28,557
what happened. These ships normally are

891
00:48:28,640 --> 00:48:31,517
rented to European companies for like

892
00:48:31,600 --> 00:48:34,477
nine months out of the year, and we

893
00:48:34,560 --> 00:48:37,357
learned from them that if somebody is

894
00:48:37,440 --> 00:48:42,717
valuable, we give them more uh perks."

895
00:48:42,800 --> 00:48:45,997
Um, the captain liked your performance

896
00:48:46,080 --> 00:48:49,357
and he told them, the company that even

897
00:48:49,440 --> 00:48:52,397
if you have to give him my own cabin, I

898
00:48:52,480 --> 00:48:57,197
want him on the ship.
And the light bulb went in my head. I

899
00:48:57,280 --> 00:48:58,717
said, "Wait a minute. Wait a minute. Are

900
00:48:58,800 --> 00:49:03,037
you saying that in capitalistic world if

901
00:49:03,120 --> 00:49:06,237
you're more talented, you get more

902
00:49:06,320 --> 00:49:10,637
things?" and they go, "Yeah, that was

903
00:49:10,720 --> 00:49:14,077
It's hard to imagine.
That was like changed my life." It was

904
00:49:14,160 --> 00:49:17,757
>> Well, it's hard to imagine for people
that didn't grow up in the environment

905
00:49:17,840 --> 00:49:20,157
that you grew up with a speaker
in your apartment. Yeah.

906
00:49:20,240 --> 00:49:24,637
>> Like just you saying that to me, my
mind is rattled. I was like, "Oh my god."

907
00:49:24,720 --> 00:49:28,237
Like they could just broadcast
in your apartment anytime they wanted.

908
00:49:28,320 --> 00:49:29,117
>> Yeah. And

909
00:49:29,200 --> 00:49:31,597
>> what a great way to brainwash people.

910
00:49:31,680 --> 00:49:35,757
And uh they would jam like uh because we

911
00:49:35,840 --> 00:49:38,957
had a big radio and they would jam Voice

912
00:49:39,040 --> 00:49:43,437
of America. Uh but my dad would wake up

913
00:49:43,520 --> 00:49:46,317
like in the middle of the night he was

914
00:49:46,400 --> 00:49:48,077
wanted to know what's happening out

915
00:49:48,160 --> 00:49:50,797
there and he would sit there and listen

916
00:49:50,880 --> 00:49:54,237
to that quietly. And I remember as a kid

917
00:49:54,320 --> 00:49:57,917
I asked dad, "What are you listening
to in the middle of the night?" And he

918
00:49:58,000 --> 00:50:00,717
goes, "Shh, don't let neighbors hear us.

919
00:50:00,800 --> 00:50:04,557
This is Voice of America.
We're not allowed to listen to it.

920
00:50:04,640 --> 00:50:06,717
>> Wow. So, you had to keep it secret.

921
00:50:06,800 --> 00:50:09,597
>> Yeah. But at night time,
>> how did he listen to it?

922
00:50:09,680 --> 00:50:11,517
>> Just quiet. It just sat there.

923
00:50:11,600 --> 00:50:13,117
>> Right. But if they jammed it,
how did he listen?

924
00:50:13,200 --> 00:50:15,997
>> No. Uh, they would
jam it during the day.

925
00:50:16,080 --> 00:50:19,677
>> But at night time, they didn't think
anybody would wake up at 3:00 in the

926
00:50:19,760 --> 00:50:21,757
morning and sit there and listen to it.

927
00:50:21,840 --> 00:50:26,557
>> How do they jam it? >> Just I
don't know. Sometimes [laughter]

928
00:50:26,640 --> 00:50:30,077
>> Say that again. >> Yeah. I don't know.

929
00:50:30,160 --> 00:50:33,917
So they had some way to jam
that signal, whatever signal was on.

930
00:50:34,000 --> 00:50:38,477
>> Exactly. Exactly. Yeah. It's shortwave,
so it goes in and out. Anyway,

931
00:50:38,560 --> 00:50:42,317
>> what did he get out of listening
to Voice of America? Like what what was he

932
00:50:42,400 --> 00:50:43,997
does he did he talk about it?

933
00:50:44,080 --> 00:50:46,797
>> Yeah. Yeah. I would then start also

934
00:50:46,880 --> 00:50:49,757
waking up and listening and and it would

935
00:50:49,840 --> 00:50:52,717
be just standard American thing. Give me

936
00:50:52,800 --> 00:50:54,397
you're tired, you're hungry, you're

937
00:50:54,480 --> 00:50:57,837
poor. Uh something like that. and you

938
00:50:57,920 --> 00:51:00,557
know and they would that there's a

939
00:51:00,640 --> 00:51:04,317
Statue of Liberty waiting to greet you

940
00:51:04,400 --> 00:51:07,037
uh if you come to the United States and

941
00:51:07,120 --> 00:51:10,077
he would always say you know this this

942
00:51:10,160 --> 00:51:12,477
would be something that I would love you

943
00:51:12,560 --> 00:51:17,597
to experience and um and my mom was she

944
00:51:17,680 --> 00:51:19,677
hated that because she was afraid that

945
00:51:19,760 --> 00:51:23,197
we'll get in trouble and so she didn't

946
00:51:23,280 --> 00:51:25,837
want to even talk about this. So, if I

947
00:51:25,920 --> 00:51:30,877
drew a picture as a kid, I would draw
a picture of Statue of Liberty. Uh, and

948
00:51:30,960 --> 00:51:32,557
she would like, "Don't do that. Don't

949
00:51:32,640 --> 00:51:34,637
let anybody see this. We'll get in

950
00:51:34,720 --> 00:51:38,957
trouble." And, um, when after I

951
00:51:39,040 --> 00:51:42,637
experienced the cruises and got to know

952
00:51:42,720 --> 00:51:45,037
this different environment, I came home

953
00:51:45,120 --> 00:51:47,197
and I go, "Mom, dad, I think we should

954
00:51:47,280 --> 00:51:51,597
consider try to get out of." And mom was

955
00:51:51,680 --> 00:51:55,917
like mad at my dad. And my dad stood up,

956
00:51:56,000 --> 00:51:58,157
which was good for him at that time.

957
00:51:58,240 --> 00:52:00,237
Normally, he would just be quiet, but he

958
00:52:00,320 --> 00:52:03,917
said to my mom, Clara, don't you would

959
00:52:04,000 --> 00:52:08,477
you like your son when he is my age sit

960
00:52:08,560 --> 00:52:11,197
there by the radio and listen uh to

961
00:52:11,280 --> 00:52:14,157
Voice of America hoping wishing that he

962
00:52:14,240 --> 00:52:19,197
would be doing something like that
or would you like him to be in America

963
00:52:19,280 --> 00:52:21,117
doing this?

964
00:52:21,200 --> 00:52:25,037
And my mom kind of went,

965
00:52:25,120 --> 00:52:27,037
you know what's going to happen when we

966
00:52:27,120 --> 00:52:30,797
apply for a visa? People who are

967
00:52:30,880 --> 00:52:32,717
consider your friends, they will cross

968
00:52:32,800 --> 00:52:35,437
the street and they will not want to

969
00:52:35,520 --> 00:52:38,797
talk to you and be seen with you and

970
00:52:38,880 --> 00:52:41,757
you're going to go through hell and and

971
00:52:41,840 --> 00:52:43,917
and and

972
00:52:44,000 --> 00:52:47,917
my dad said, "Yeah, we will." and she

973
00:52:48,000 --> 00:52:52,157
said, "Well, if you're
willing to do it, so so am I."

974
00:52:52,240 --> 00:52:54,477
>> And that's all you had
to do is apply for a visa.

975
00:52:54,560 --> 00:52:57,837
>> Well, what was happening at that time,

976
00:52:57,920 --> 00:53:00,797
Jimmy Carter was the president here, and

977
00:53:00,880 --> 00:53:05,917
he wanted to uh see some human rights in

978
00:53:06,000 --> 00:53:09,117
the Soviet Union and and the Soviet

979
00:53:09,200 --> 00:53:11,437
leadership was they were starving. They

980
00:53:11,520 --> 00:53:15,037
didn't have food. Uh so they needed food

981
00:53:15,120 --> 00:53:18,077
from America. So Jimmy Carter made a

982
00:53:18,160 --> 00:53:20,717
deal that we're we're going to give you

983
00:53:20,800 --> 00:53:24,397
grain and you allow people to get out

984
00:53:24,480 --> 00:53:26,877
>> and that's how we we were kind of

985
00:53:26,960 --> 00:53:30,157
exchanged for some wheat, you know.

986
00:53:30,240 --> 00:53:33,997
That's how we got out.
>> Wow. Holy [__] man.

987
00:53:34,080 --> 00:53:36,637
>> Yeah. >> Yeah.

988
00:53:36,720 --> 00:53:39,357
Just you um sometimes need to be

989
00:53:39,440 --> 00:53:42,717
reminded how fortunate you are.

990
00:53:42,800 --> 00:53:46,797
You know, Americans
in particular, we're very uh

991
00:53:46,880 --> 00:53:50,237
>> you know, it's not our fault. You know,
people become accustomed to where they

992
00:53:50,320 --> 00:53:53,197
live. >> Yeah. >> And they
think this is normal, which is

993
00:53:53,280 --> 00:53:55,277
one of the reasons why this uh push

994
00:53:55,360 --> 00:53:57,437
towards communism amongst young people

995
00:53:57,520 --> 00:54:00,317
is so infuriating to me. It's like I I

996
00:54:00,400 --> 00:54:03,197
understand that it comes from this

997
00:54:03,280 --> 00:54:05,597
desire for empathy and kindness. I get

998
00:54:05,680 --> 00:54:10,717
that the idea of socialism comes from
an idea of empathy and kindness that you

999
00:54:10,800 --> 00:54:13,917
want you think the world would be
better if we all shared and that why are

1000
00:54:14,000 --> 00:54:15,517
there's people that are so rich and

1001
00:54:15,600 --> 00:54:17,197
people that are so poor and you're

1002
00:54:17,280 --> 00:54:21,197
right. Uh but the solution is not to

1003
00:54:21,280 --> 00:54:23,917
make the government decide who gets what

1004
00:54:24,000 --> 00:54:25,997
because they never decide the right way.

1005
00:54:26,080 --> 00:54:30,397
They they do what people do. What people
do when they have power is they enact

1006
00:54:30,480 --> 00:54:34,477
total control over the population so
that they can maintain power and then

1007
00:54:34,560 --> 00:54:38,397
they live in luxury and then you wait
in line for bread and that's how it is all

1008
00:54:38,480 --> 00:54:41,917
over the [__] world and if you step
out of line they shoot you. That's where

1009
00:54:42,000 --> 00:54:44,557
communism goes. So what we need is like

1010
00:54:44,640 --> 00:54:48,557
a more a more moral and ethical version

1011
00:54:48,640 --> 00:54:53,517
of capitalism. So we need capitalism
but with empathy. capitalism, but with

1012
00:54:53,600 --> 00:54:58,237
philanthropy, like real philanthropy,
not like scams where you you find out

1013
00:54:58,320 --> 00:55:02,717
that 90% of the money is actually going
to all the people that work there and

1014
00:55:02,800 --> 00:55:05,517
small. >> We need to figure
out a way to be more

1015
00:55:05,600 --> 00:55:09,037
empathetic as a culture, but recognize
that the pursuit of freedom and the

1016
00:55:09,120 --> 00:55:13,517
ability to have freedom is so huge
and it's such a great gift. We're so lucky

1017
00:55:13,600 --> 00:55:17,517
that we have this experiment
in self-government that is the United

1018
00:55:17,600 --> 00:55:21,437
States of America and that we were
that at least I was born here. Yeah,

1019
00:55:21,520 --> 00:55:25,357
>> we're we're lucky as [__] you know,
and you don't throw that away because it's

1020
00:55:25,440 --> 00:55:29,837
not good enough. Don't throw that away
because it's not it's not perfect.

1021
00:55:29,920 --> 00:55:31,517
You're not going to get perfect with

1022
00:55:31,600 --> 00:55:33,677
human beings, but this is the best

1023
00:55:33,760 --> 00:55:37,037
system. Is it corrupt? 100%. Yeah, that

1024
00:55:37,120 --> 00:55:40,877
should be fixed. The corruption should
be fixed and guard rail should be put in

1025
00:55:40,960 --> 00:55:44,877
place and maybe more regulations
in regard to some things should be put in

1026
00:55:44,960 --> 00:55:47,597
place. But the purpose of this whole

1027
00:55:47,680 --> 00:55:50,157
thing is to allow people to have freedom

1028
00:55:50,240 --> 00:55:53,437
to do whatever they want and that's not

1029
00:55:53,520 --> 00:55:57,437
ubiquitous in the world. That's not
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1030
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1049
00:56:56,000 --> 00:56:59,437
>> No. No. And I've been I've been kind of

1050
00:56:59,520 --> 00:57:03,757
a poster boy child
for American dream in a way.

1051
00:57:03,840 --> 00:57:07,197
>> Look at your phone. [laughter]

1052
00:57:07,280 --> 00:57:09,117
>> Look at that phone case.
That's if I had

1053
00:57:09,200 --> 00:57:11,497
that on, people would call me a fascist.

1054
00:57:11,580 --> 00:57:14,237
[laughter] >> We [clears throat]
have a giant American flag

1055
00:57:14,320 --> 00:57:17,437
>> in Branson. Yeah.
In Branson, that's that's not

1056
00:57:17,520 --> 00:57:21,677
>> that that flag to me doesn't represent
whoever is in it didn't represent Biden

1057
00:57:21,760 --> 00:57:24,877
when he was in office. It didn't
represent Obama. It didn't represent

1058
00:57:24,960 --> 00:57:28,397
Trump. It that represents all of us,

1059
00:57:28,480 --> 00:57:31,117
right and left, independent, black,

1060
00:57:31,200 --> 00:57:35,597
white, Asian, Russian, fill in the blanks,
Filipino, everybody from

1061
00:57:35,680 --> 00:57:38,077
everywhere. Who cares? It's America.

1062
00:57:38,160 --> 00:57:41,597
This is America. This is the great
melting pot. And that's that's how we

1063
00:57:41,680 --> 00:57:44,397
really should be. And that flag
shouldn't represent Some people think

1064
00:57:44,480 --> 00:57:46,957
the flag represents racism or

1065
00:57:47,040 --> 00:57:49,437
colonialism. Like, come on, stop. That

1066
00:57:49,520 --> 00:57:54,557
flag represents hope. And if you were
a kid like Yakov Smeirnoff, Is that your

1067
00:57:54,640 --> 00:57:56,717
real name? >> No. No.
>> What's the real name?

1068
00:57:56,800 --> 00:57:58,877
>> Pocus. >> Say that again.

1069
00:57:58,960 --> 00:58:01,517
>> That's why. [laughter]

1070
00:58:01,600 --> 00:58:06,317
Pocus. P O K H I S is my real name. But

1071
00:58:06,400 --> 00:58:09,757
uh I was a a bartender, a bar boy at

1072
00:58:09,840 --> 00:58:12,557
first when I came here and I my first

1073
00:58:12,640 --> 00:58:18,157
job was a bar boy in Ginger's
Hotel uh in the Catskills.

1074
00:58:18,240 --> 00:58:21,277
>> Oh wow. >> Yeah.
And >> what year was this?

1075
00:58:21,360 --> 00:58:23,917
>> 77. >> Who did you
get to see perform there?

1076
00:58:24,000 --> 00:58:28,237
>> Oh, Freddy Roman.
>> Wow. >> Eddie Fisher.

1077
00:58:28,320 --> 00:58:31,997
>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
>> Freddy Roman. Old school, baby.

1078
00:58:32,080 --> 00:58:34,477
>> Old school. I was learning >>
Red Skeleton. Did you see those guys?

1079
00:58:34,560 --> 00:58:37,437
>> Uhhuh. I did uh later later in in

1080
00:58:37,520 --> 00:58:39,357
Atlantic City, but yeah.

1081
00:58:39,440 --> 00:58:44,157
>> Yeah.
I I was learning English. Uh I was

1082
00:58:44,240 --> 00:58:48,317
um learning about Chapa Quitic or stuff

1083
00:58:48,400 --> 00:58:50,397
like that. I was like, "What is that?"

1084
00:58:50,480 --> 00:58:54,637
You know, so I was >> I
was definitely learning English uh

1085
00:58:54,720 --> 00:58:57,597
there. >> Have you ever
seen the television show

1086
00:58:57,680 --> 00:59:00,717
on Amazon, The Marvelous Mrs. Masel?

1087
00:59:00,800 --> 00:59:02,157
>> It's [clears throat] really good, man.

1088
00:59:02,240 --> 00:59:04,237
Yeah. The first scene, uh, the first

1089
00:59:04,320 --> 00:59:06,717
season rather, is incredible. It's about

1090
00:59:06,800 --> 00:59:10,317
a a young woman who's married and

1091
00:59:10,400 --> 00:59:12,957
decides to become a stand-up comedian.

1092
00:59:13,040 --> 00:59:17,597
Like she's married with kids, the whole
deal, and she decides to do standup. And

1093
00:59:17,680 --> 00:59:21,517
part of what she does, she does
some standup like in the Catkills.

1094
00:59:21,600 --> 00:59:24,237
>> Interesting. >> And like
that is for people that don't

1095
00:59:24,320 --> 00:59:26,957
know, standup, there's like standup

1096
00:59:27,040 --> 00:59:32,237
comedy as an art form is a very new art
form. Yeah. very new in terms of human

1097
00:59:32,320 --> 00:59:35,197
history. >> Yes. >> It's only
existed like in this form that

1098
00:59:35,280 --> 00:59:37,997
we call standup where you have comedy
clubs and stuff like that. It's only

1099
00:59:38,080 --> 00:59:39,997
existed like that since the 60s.

1100
00:59:40,080 --> 00:59:42,717
>> That's true. It's it's Vivville pretty

1101
00:59:42,800 --> 00:59:44,797
much started that, right? Yeah.

1102
00:59:44,880 --> 00:59:49,677
>> Uh it's a different form.
>> Uh but that was I was learning from

1103
00:59:49,760 --> 00:59:52,317
those. >> But a big part
of it was the cat skills.

1104
00:59:52,400 --> 00:59:54,797
a big part of it because people from New

1105
00:59:54,880 --> 00:59:59,597
York and Pennsylvania, they would they
go into the Poconos or the Catskills and

1106
00:59:59,680 --> 01:00:03,357
they would do that on summer vacation
and people would get jobs there and

1107
01:00:03,440 --> 01:00:06,797
comedians would go and book
themselves at these places.

1108
01:00:06,880 --> 01:00:07,917
>> It was a big deal.

1109
01:00:08,000 --> 01:00:12,397
>> It was it was and I I didn't know um

1110
01:00:12,480 --> 01:00:16,397
about that. Uh I >> So
you just got a job there to

1111
01:00:16,480 --> 01:00:18,957
>> how it happened. I I decided I need to

1112
01:00:19,040 --> 01:00:20,637
learn English. I didn't speak English,

1113
01:00:20,720 --> 01:00:24,397
right? So to to start with, so how do I

1114
01:00:24,480 --> 01:00:26,877
learn English? And I I thought maybe if

1115
01:00:26,960 --> 01:00:28,717
I can be a bartender because in the

1116
01:00:28,800 --> 01:00:32,397
cruise ships bar was in the same uh

1117
01:00:32,480 --> 01:00:35,597
proximity as the stage was. So I figure

1118
01:00:35,680 --> 01:00:38,397
it's the same people coming to enjoy

1119
01:00:38,480 --> 01:00:40,957
evening and I can talk to them

1120
01:00:41,040 --> 01:00:43,277
individually and learn English. That was

1121
01:00:43,360 --> 01:00:47,117
my clever idea, right? And so I went and

1122
01:00:47,200 --> 01:00:48,637
got

1123
01:00:48,720 --> 01:00:52,637
uh a a bartending, it's called degree of

1124
01:00:52,720 --> 01:00:56,877
mixology. Uh in New York there was a uh

1125
01:00:56,960 --> 01:01:00,877
makeshift school on Fifth Avenue. Uh two

1126
01:01:00,960 --> 01:01:05,117
weeks uh $200 and you get a degree of of

1127
01:01:05,200 --> 01:01:07,117
being a mixologist. And I don't speak

1128
01:01:07,200 --> 01:01:11,037
English, but I collected that's $200.

1129
01:01:11,120 --> 01:01:13,597
Got the degree. So, and they promised

1130
01:01:13,680 --> 01:01:17,037
you to get a job, right? So, first job

1131
01:01:17,120 --> 01:01:20,157
they get got me uh there was a

1132
01:01:20,240 --> 01:01:22,077
restaurant in Lincoln Center called

1133
01:01:22,160 --> 01:01:26,397
Monks in and it was uh you you dress as

1134
01:01:26,480 --> 01:01:30,877
a monk and it's a French [laughter]
restaurant and you don't have to speak.

1135
01:01:30,960 --> 01:01:32,797
You're a waiter but you don't have to

1136
01:01:32,880 --> 01:01:36,877
speak. Was perfect. Um, and then uh I at

1137
01:01:36,960 --> 01:01:39,597
the same school said they're requesting

1138
01:01:39,680 --> 01:01:44,557
some uh bar boy in uh the Catskills at

1139
01:01:44,640 --> 01:01:47,437
the Gingers Hotel. And I didn't know

1140
01:01:47,520 --> 01:01:51,037
anything about it. And I uh on my day

1141
01:01:51,120 --> 01:01:55,037
off I went upstate New York and went

1142
01:01:55,120 --> 01:01:57,917
walked into this place and it was

1143
01:01:58,000 --> 01:02:01,037
gorgeous. It was a beautiful bar like an

1144
01:02:01,120 --> 01:02:04,717
18 bartenders or whatever. huge and then

1145
01:02:04,800 --> 01:02:09,197
2,000 seat uh uh theater and when I saw

1146
01:02:09,280 --> 01:02:11,837
it at my in my brain I said I don't care

1147
01:02:11,920 --> 01:02:16,477
what they pay me I want to work here

1148
01:02:16,560 --> 01:02:21,757
>> and so I um I took that job and

1149
01:02:21,840 --> 01:02:24,557
uh actually I I was I was nervous

1150
01:02:24,640 --> 01:02:27,197
because I didn't know that I can quit

1151
01:02:27,280 --> 01:02:28,877
the other job because they just gave it

1152
01:02:28,960 --> 01:02:32,797
to me like a week ago and right and So,

1153
01:02:32,880 --> 01:02:36,157
I go back and I'm so nervous. I go to

1154
01:02:36,240 --> 01:02:40,797
the manager. I go, "Um, I know this is

1155
01:02:40,880 --> 01:02:43,037
you gave me a break, but there is an

1156
01:02:43,120 --> 01:02:46,317
opportunity here." And and he said,

1157
01:02:46,400 --> 01:02:48,317
"Yakov,

1158
01:02:48,400 --> 01:02:50,877
um, it's America. You should take the

1159
01:02:50,960 --> 01:02:53,677
opportunity." And if you ever need the

1160
01:02:53,760 --> 01:02:57,197
job, you get it here. And I was like

1161
01:02:57,280 --> 01:03:01,357
Rocky. I was like, >> "Was he
calling you Rock? Yakov or was

1162
01:03:01,440 --> 01:03:03,677
he calling you?"
You'd already used that name.

1163
01:03:03,760 --> 01:03:07,197
>> Oh, yeah. Yakov is my real name.
Yakov is my real name.

1164
01:03:07,280 --> 01:03:08,397
>> But you said it wasn't your real name.

1165
01:03:08,480 --> 01:03:10,317
>> Pocus. Poke is my last name.

1166
01:03:10,400 --> 01:03:14,077
>> Oh, >> yeah.
Yakov is my real name. So I took

1167
01:03:14,160 --> 01:03:16,957
>> Yakov Pocus would poke.

1168
01:03:17,040 --> 01:03:18,397
>> Yeah. Do Spirnoff.

1169
01:03:18,480 --> 01:03:21,197
>> And I and I people could not pronounce

1170
01:03:21,280 --> 01:03:25,597
my name. So in a bar they would I would

1171
01:03:25,680 --> 01:03:28,237
see that they can say I'll have some

1172
01:03:28,320 --> 01:03:31,197
spirnov and I'm going h maybe that's a

1173
01:03:31,280 --> 01:03:36,797
good name and [laughter] I and it
stuck and yakov became my name

1174
01:03:36,880 --> 01:03:39,037
>> that makes sense >> but when
you think about how many

1175
01:03:39,120 --> 01:03:42,557
different people in show business
changed their names back then

1176
01:03:42,640 --> 01:03:46,157
>> that was a super common thing like
you didn't keep the name that you were if

1177
01:03:46,240 --> 01:03:49,597
you had a goofy name like Arnold
Schwarzenegger was a groundbreaker cuz

1178
01:03:49,680 --> 01:03:53,037
he was like one of the first guys to say
regardless whether or not you could

1179
01:03:53,120 --> 01:03:56,397
spell my name or even say [laughter]
that's my name. I'm going to keep that

1180
01:03:56,480 --> 01:04:01,677
name. >> So many people changed their
names and made them their name sound more

1181
01:04:01,760 --> 01:04:02,637
appealing.

1182
01:04:02,720 --> 01:04:05,677
>> Well, mine mine kind of worked because

1183
01:04:05,760 --> 01:04:11,357
Yaks is like jokes. Yaks >>
and Smeirnov kind of makes people happy,

1184
01:04:11,440 --> 01:04:13,677
>> right? >> So, it kind of worked.

1185
01:04:13,760 --> 01:04:15,917
>> Oh, it works great. It's a great idea.

1186
01:04:16,000 --> 01:04:20,077
So, you're a young kid and you're
at these Catskill shows. How long did you

1187
01:04:20,160 --> 01:04:21,837
work there?

1188
01:04:21,920 --> 01:04:25,597
Uh not very long about

1189
01:04:25,680 --> 01:04:27,757
eight maybe seven eight months.

1190
01:04:27,840 --> 01:04:29,997
>> And did you slowly
learn English when you were?

1191
01:04:30,080 --> 01:04:31,997
>> I was learning English and I was

1192
01:04:32,080 --> 01:04:34,077
translating jokes and I would try them

1193
01:04:34,160 --> 01:04:37,837
on the audience or my my customers and I

1194
01:04:37,920 --> 01:04:39,757
would just tell a joke and if they laugh

1195
01:04:39,840 --> 01:04:43,677
then I knew that I I I'm understood and

1196
01:04:43,760 --> 01:04:45,517
if they didn't laugh or I didn't get a

1197
01:04:45,600 --> 01:04:49,517
tip then it wasn't working. So, so that

1198
01:04:49,600 --> 01:04:53,357
was my that was my gauge.
And you were a bus boy when you

1199
01:04:53,440 --> 01:04:56,317
>> I was a bar boy bar boy

1200
01:04:56,400 --> 01:05:00,797
bringing ice and mixing pinina
coladas whatever and then became

1201
01:05:00,880 --> 01:05:03,597
>> automat and then >>
then became a bartender

1202
01:05:03,680 --> 01:05:06,957
>> and then I would
ask the guy I asked the

1203
01:05:07,040 --> 01:05:09,117
guy who was

1204
01:05:09,200 --> 01:05:12,957
uh uh the manager of the main room uh

1205
01:05:13,040 --> 01:05:17,197
Barry Wise his name and he I asked him

1206
01:05:17,280 --> 01:05:22,957
uh if I could try my comedy and

1207
01:05:23,040 --> 01:05:26,557
and he said, "No, you can't do it in

1208
01:05:26,640 --> 01:05:29,677
this room, but in the lobby,

1209
01:05:29,760 --> 01:05:33,277
uh, in afternoons, they have a game with

1210
01:05:33,360 --> 01:05:37,677
older people." Simon says, and,

1211
01:05:37,760 --> 01:05:41,117
uh, the the guy who master of ceremonies

1212
01:05:41,200 --> 01:05:44,797
there, uh, will probably let you do a

1213
01:05:44,880 --> 01:05:48,077
couple of minutes of standup.

1214
01:05:48,160 --> 01:05:52,477
So, I did. I I walked on stage and I

1215
01:05:52,560 --> 01:05:54,877
it's a little stage in the lobby and I'm

1216
01:05:54,960 --> 01:05:57,917
I'm telling a couple of jokes and some

1217
01:05:58,000 --> 01:06:00,957
woman on the back started I thought she

1218
01:06:01,040 --> 01:06:04,077
was laughing. It was like

1219
01:06:04,160 --> 01:06:06,877
she had seizures

1220
01:06:06,960 --> 01:06:10,477
and and I didn't know and I'm thinking

1221
01:06:10,560 --> 01:06:14,397
I'm doing well and they're
getting her on a [snorts]

1222
01:06:14,480 --> 01:06:17,197
herni out of there and people coming

1223
01:06:17,280 --> 01:06:19,677
over and saying you were killing you

1224
01:06:19,760 --> 01:06:21,437
were killing. I'm going no no no I

1225
01:06:21,520 --> 01:06:25,037
wasn't killing the whole thing was but

1226
01:06:25,120 --> 01:06:27,517
at least I told couple of jokes and that

1227
01:06:27,600 --> 01:06:31,277
gave me some confidence and then I uh

1228
01:06:31,360 --> 01:06:34,237
did couple of shows in uh catcher rising

1229
01:06:34,320 --> 01:06:37,837
star which wasn't very good uh for me

1230
01:06:37,920 --> 01:06:41,357
>> in New York.
in New York. Yeah. And then

1231
01:06:41,440 --> 01:06:44,077
and then I was working as a shipping

1232
01:06:44,160 --> 01:06:46,877
manager in a company called Greeting

1233
01:06:46,960 --> 01:06:51,037
Bells and just to make some money and

1234
01:06:51,120 --> 01:06:55,037
the lady said I know somebody in

1235
01:06:55,120 --> 01:06:56,717
Hollywood

1236
01:06:56,800 --> 01:07:00,077
um uh his name is Ted Bergman. He is the

1237
01:07:00,160 --> 01:07:04,717
producer executive producer of Threes
Company which was a huge show at that

1238
01:07:04,800 --> 01:07:07,757
time. >> Sure. said,
"If you go to Hollywood, I

1239
01:07:07,840 --> 01:07:10,477
can arrange a meeting."

1240
01:07:10,560 --> 01:07:14,637
And I I I I said, "Okay, I'll go." So, I

1241
01:07:14,720 --> 01:07:18,397
had a plan. I I bought a ticket uh for

1242
01:07:18,480 --> 01:07:22,397
10 days to go to Hollywood uh become a

1243
01:07:22,480 --> 01:07:25,917
star and then come back to New York and

1244
01:07:26,000 --> 01:07:28,317
buy Fifth Avenue apartment for my

1245
01:07:28,400 --> 01:07:32,397
parents. That was my desire.

1246
01:07:32,480 --> 01:07:37,437
It's crazy, right? But I go, "Okay, he's
an executive producer of Tre's company.

1247
01:07:37,520 --> 01:07:39,197
He'll put me in the show. I'll become a

1248
01:07:39,280 --> 01:07:42,797
star right away." It I know it's it's

1249
01:07:42,880 --> 01:07:45,677
crazy, right? But I I really was that

1250
01:07:45,760 --> 01:07:50,077
naive, right? So I go there and Ted

1251
01:07:50,160 --> 01:07:52,237
Bergman says, "I would like to see you

1252
01:07:52,320 --> 01:07:55,517
perform, so I need to find a spot." and

1253
01:07:55,600 --> 01:07:58,397
I go to the comedy store and I get on

1254
01:07:58,480 --> 01:08:04,637
the uh open mic list and uh and then the

1255
01:08:04,720 --> 01:08:06,957
message comes

1256
01:08:07,040 --> 01:08:09,917
uh that he is not going to make it but

1257
01:08:10,000 --> 01:08:12,157
I'm already committed. So, I'm doing my

1258
01:08:12,240 --> 01:08:16,717
five minutes and and I'm bummed because

1259
01:08:16,800 --> 01:08:20,397
now it's day four and I'm not even close

1260
01:08:20,480 --> 01:08:25,197
to getting a a a television show.

1261
01:08:25,280 --> 01:08:29,037
So, I'm walking away and I'm on on

1262
01:08:29,120 --> 01:08:33,277
sunset and this uh girl Chrissy, her

1263
01:08:33,360 --> 01:08:37,037
name was Mitsy's secretary at that time

1264
01:08:37,120 --> 01:08:41,277
and she runs after me and she goes,
"Yakob, Yakov, congratulations."

1265
01:08:41,360 --> 01:08:43,917
And I go, "Why? I mean, the guy didn't

1266
01:08:44,000 --> 01:08:46,477
show up." And she goes, "No, no, no, no,

1267
01:08:46,560 --> 01:08:50,877
no. Mity liked you." And I go, "Who who

1268
01:08:50,960 --> 01:08:52,717
is Mity?"

1269
01:08:52,800 --> 01:08:55,357
I know. I know. It's silly to see in

1270
01:08:55,440 --> 01:08:58,557
front of her portrait. And she goes,

1271
01:08:58,640 --> 01:09:00,637
"She owns the comedy store. Go talk to

1272
01:09:00,720 --> 01:09:04,477
her." So, I go sit down uh next to her

1273
01:09:04,560 --> 01:09:07,117
in that booth that is next to uh

1274
01:09:07,200 --> 01:09:08,157
>> Yeah, sure.

1275
01:09:08,240 --> 01:09:11,757
>> Uh original room,
and I have no idea who

1276
01:09:11,840 --> 01:09:16,317
I'm talking to, but And she says,

1277
01:09:16,400 --> 01:09:20,397
"You're very funny. Stay in Los Angeles.

1278
01:09:20,480 --> 01:09:22,797
There is always place for good and

1279
01:09:22,880 --> 01:09:25,117
different.

1280
01:09:25,200 --> 01:09:29,277
And I'm again I'm like, okay, I said I I

1281
01:09:29,360 --> 01:09:32,237
I'm sorry, but I, you know, I have

1282
01:09:32,320 --> 01:09:38,077
parents in in LA in in uh uh uh New

1283
01:09:38,160 --> 01:09:40,877
York, and I need to go back because I

1284
01:09:40,960 --> 01:09:44,157
they rely on me. And she goes, "So, what

1285
01:09:44,240 --> 01:09:47,837
does your dad do?" And I go, "He's a

1286
01:09:47,920 --> 01:09:50,637
building construction engineer." And she

1287
01:09:50,720 --> 01:09:52,317
goes,

1288
01:09:52,400 --> 01:09:55,917
"Can he be a carpenter?"

1289
01:09:56,000 --> 01:10:00,077
And I go, "I think so." And she goes,

1290
01:10:00,160 --> 01:10:03,277
"Okay, why don't you bring him here?

1291
01:10:03,360 --> 01:10:08,337
I'll give him a job." I like your
Mity impression. It's pretty close.

1292
01:10:08,420 --> 01:10:12,397
[laughter] >> And and she
she goes, "And where do you

1293
01:10:12,480 --> 01:10:15,197
live?" I go, [laughter]

1294
01:10:15,280 --> 01:10:17,917
I I am staying with some friends. She

1295
01:10:18,000 --> 01:10:21,357
goes, I have a house up the hill and you

1296
01:10:21,440 --> 01:10:25,917
can rent a room for $120
a month if you want to.

1297
01:10:26,000 --> 01:10:28,157
>> That was a Crest Hill.
>> Crest Hill. Yeah.

1298
01:10:28,240 --> 01:10:29,997
>> Yeah.

1299
01:10:30,080 --> 01:10:33,437
>> So, I I I still
don't know again who I'm

1300
01:10:33,520 --> 01:10:36,477
talking to. Uh and she goes, "And and

1301
01:10:36,560 --> 01:10:41,677
come back tomorrow and watch
a regular show." [laughter]

1302
01:10:41,760 --> 01:10:42,957
So I come back.

1303
01:10:43,040 --> 01:10:44,477
>> How old are you at this time?

1304
01:10:44,560 --> 01:10:49,437
>> I'm 2 26 27 now. Yeah.

1305
01:10:49,520 --> 01:10:52,237
>> So I go in next day and I sit in the

1306
01:10:52,320 --> 01:10:57,277
back and first person uh that Harris

1307
01:10:57,360 --> 01:10:59,517
Pete, you probably remember. Yeah.

1308
01:10:59,600 --> 01:11:01,997
>> Harris Pete introduces Robin Williams

1309
01:11:02,080 --> 01:11:08,157
first on stage and he was he
just hit number one uh show on

1310
01:11:08,240 --> 01:11:10,477
>> Morgan Mindy. >> Yeah. >> Yeah.

1311
01:11:10,560 --> 01:11:13,277
And after him is Billy Crystal. After

1312
01:11:13,360 --> 01:11:18,477
him is David Leatherman.
After him is uh Richard Prior.

1313
01:11:18,560 --> 01:11:21,837
>> Wow. >> Yeah. Yeah.
It's a lined up like and I'm

1314
01:11:21,920 --> 01:11:25,437
sitting back there and I'm going

1315
01:11:25,520 --> 01:11:30,217
this is day five. I'm ahead of schedule.

1316
01:11:30,300 --> 01:11:31,517
[laughter]

1317
01:11:31,600 --> 01:11:36,637
If she likes them and she likes me,

1318
01:11:36,720 --> 01:11:39,757
I'm staying. I don't care.

1319
01:11:39,840 --> 01:11:42,637
And that's how it started and she gave

1320
01:11:42,720 --> 01:11:45,037
me a job. So basically I was helping my

1321
01:11:45,120 --> 01:11:48,717
dad uh as a carpenter because she wasn't

1322
01:11:48,800 --> 01:11:52,317
I wasn't ready to perform there really but

1323
01:11:52,400 --> 01:11:55,837
>> Well, she believed in you. >> Yeah.
And she gave me a break and little

1324
01:11:55,920 --> 01:11:57,917
by little once a month she would say why

1325
01:11:58,000 --> 01:11:59,917
don't you go up and do what you you know

1326
01:12:00,000 --> 01:12:02,957
and I was practicing. I would do other

1327
01:12:03,040 --> 01:12:05,997
clubs meantime just to get better and

1328
01:12:06,080 --> 01:12:10,317
better and better and and then you know

1329
01:12:10,400 --> 01:12:14,477
she been an amazing supporter you know

1330
01:12:14,560 --> 01:12:18,477
and I continue I built the a lot in the

1331
01:12:18,560 --> 01:12:21,437
bell room. I built a lot of things in in

1332
01:12:21,520 --> 01:12:23,197
in

1333
01:12:23,280 --> 01:12:27,517
she my my my main job was to go to her

1334
01:12:27,600 --> 01:12:31,917
house and uh Paulie was a young kid who

1335
01:12:32,000 --> 01:12:35,677
was smoking pot and to pre prevent Mits

1336
01:12:35,760 --> 01:12:39,357
from walking into on him. He would take

1337
01:12:39,440 --> 01:12:41,917
off the doorork knobs of the door and he

1338
01:12:42,000 --> 01:12:44,557
would throw them away. [laughter] And my

1339
01:12:44,640 --> 01:12:47,677
job was to go and buy door new doorork

1340
01:12:47,760 --> 01:12:50,477
knobs and put them in. It was like a

1341
01:12:50,560 --> 01:12:54,717
full-time job, you know. And so, yeah, I

1342
01:12:54,800 --> 01:12:57,597
she been a blessing. A blessing for me.

1343
01:12:57,680 --> 01:12:59,117
>> Pauliey's at the club this weekend.

1344
01:12:59,200 --> 01:13:00,797
>> Oh, is that right? Oh, cool.

1345
01:13:00,880 --> 01:13:03,597
>> Yeah, he's on the 25th weekend.

1346
01:13:03,680 --> 01:13:06,877
>> That's crazy. That and and so how good

1347
01:13:06,960 --> 01:13:10,877
was your English back then? >> It
was getting better, you Were you were

1348
01:13:10,960 --> 01:13:12,477
you taking courses or

1349
01:13:12,560 --> 01:13:15,677
>> Yeah, I was I was relentless. I would I

1350
01:13:15,760 --> 01:13:19,277
would do whatever it takes uh to learn.

1351
01:13:19,360 --> 01:13:22,477
Uh I was I mean I isolated myself

1352
01:13:22,560 --> 01:13:26,077
totally from uh Russian speaking except

1353
01:13:26,160 --> 01:13:30,637
my parents. I was speaking to them
in Russian but everybody else I spoke in

1354
01:13:30,720 --> 01:13:32,717
English. So it got was getting better

1355
01:13:32,800 --> 01:13:35,757
and better and then little by little I

1356
01:13:35,840 --> 01:13:40,717
got you know u kind of Robin got me a

1357
01:13:40,800 --> 01:13:46,077
part at Moscow on a Hudson movie.
Uh that was the first um

1358
01:13:46,160 --> 01:13:49,277
>> this is all in the 70s, right? So this
is probably like you got arrived there

1359
01:13:49,360 --> 01:13:53,917
like what 78 >> 78. Yeah.
And then the movie was 80

1360
01:13:54,000 --> 01:13:56,237
started in 82

1361
01:13:56,320 --> 01:14:00,237
came out in ' 84. Uh so at that point I

1362
01:14:00,320 --> 01:14:04,397
was doing night court a lot. Um did like

1363
01:14:04,480 --> 01:14:08,157
seven episodes. Um I could not get on

1364
01:14:08,240 --> 01:14:11,437
the Tonight Show. Uh uh there was a

1365
01:14:11,520 --> 01:14:17,247
producer Jim Macaulay who didn't think
that Carson's gonna like me, right?

1366
01:14:17,330 --> 01:14:17,997
[laughter]

1367
01:14:18,080 --> 01:14:21,837
And so I became and he would come every

1368
01:14:21,920 --> 01:14:24,717
day. Mity was very supportive of this.

1369
01:14:24,800 --> 01:14:26,637
She would have like a showcase once a

1370
01:14:26,720 --> 01:14:31,277
year of people for uh him to look at and

1371
01:14:31,360 --> 01:14:35,117
he would come and he would say Carson's
not going to like he's not going to like

1372
01:14:35,200 --> 01:14:37,677
he's not going to like and on on year

1373
01:14:37,760 --> 01:14:41,197
six he came and he said YaKob let's save

1374
01:14:41,280 --> 01:14:46,077
time for one another uh you'll
get on that show when the hell

1375
01:14:46,160 --> 01:14:48,157
freezes over

1376
01:14:48,240 --> 01:14:51,437
I swear and I so I start watching

1377
01:14:51,520 --> 01:14:54,637
weather channel [laughter] just well I I

1378
01:14:54,720 --> 01:14:58,957
didn't have a shot. I mean, and and I

1379
01:14:59,040 --> 01:15:02,077
just kind of moved on. And then I got uh

1380
01:15:02,160 --> 01:15:05,517
Miller Light commercial uh which uh

1381
01:15:05,600 --> 01:15:07,517
became very popular. I don't know if you

1382
01:15:07,600 --> 01:15:10,157
can show that, Jamie. You could probably

1383
01:15:10,240 --> 01:15:12,877
see it. It became really big. All of the

1384
01:15:12,960 --> 01:15:16,157
sudden I was uh during Super Bowl shown

1385
01:15:16,240 --> 01:15:18,477
and all of a sudden people kind of got

1386
01:15:18,560 --> 01:15:25,037
got to know me and um I um and and and

1387
01:15:25,120 --> 01:15:28,797
then Carson saw this commercial and he

1388
01:15:28,880 --> 01:15:32,637
told Maui he said uh this guy is funny

1389
01:15:32,720 --> 01:15:35,757
how come we don't have him on and Maui

1390
01:15:35,840 --> 01:15:37,837
said oh yeah we were just about to get

1391
01:15:37,920 --> 01:15:39,837
him

1392
01:15:39,920 --> 01:15:43,437
and so Mitzy calls me I'm in uh Raleigh,

1393
01:15:43,520 --> 01:15:46,557
North Carolina in the club and she calls

1394
01:15:46,640 --> 01:15:50,397
me and um and I remember on the pay

1395
01:15:50,480 --> 01:15:54,077
phone I call her back and I go, "What's

1396
01:15:54,160 --> 01:15:57,517
going on?" She goes, "Guess who?" Hall I

1397
01:15:57,600 --> 01:16:01,037
go, "Who?" "Maui, he's an a he's such an

1398
01:16:01,120 --> 01:16:03,837
ass. He now wants you on the show right

1399
01:16:03,920 --> 01:16:08,797
away." And my gut reaction was like, uh,

1400
01:16:08,880 --> 01:16:11,277
I want to tell him to go shove it. And

1401
01:16:11,360 --> 01:16:15,837
then I go, "No, no, no. I got to." So I

1402
01:16:15,920 --> 01:16:19,597
I I did the Tonight Show and Carson

1403
01:16:19,680 --> 01:16:21,917
liked me and called me over to the

1404
01:16:22,000 --> 01:16:25,117
couch, which was Uhhuh. Yeah.

1405
01:16:25,200 --> 01:16:29,917
>> which was kind of a um a big deal at

1406
01:16:30,000 --> 01:16:33,677
that time. And I and I sat down and I

1407
01:16:33,760 --> 01:16:36,237
said, "Johnny, you know, in America you

1408
01:16:36,320 --> 01:16:38,877
have things we never had in Russia like

1409
01:16:38,960 --> 01:16:42,237
policeman's have warning shots." And he

1410
01:16:42,320 --> 01:16:44,797
almost fell off the chair. And we went

1411
01:16:44,880 --> 01:16:47,917
to a commercial and Maui comes over. It

1412
01:16:48,000 --> 01:16:50,077
gets between me and Carson. He goes,

1413
01:16:50,160 --> 01:16:53,197
"Can you do can you do another shot like

1414
01:16:53,280 --> 01:16:56,317
this like couple of months from now?" I

1415
01:16:56,400 --> 01:16:59,517
go, "When the hell freeze is over?" He

1416
01:16:59,600 --> 01:17:03,277
goes, "Touche. Touche and I did six,

1417
01:17:03,360 --> 01:17:06,797
seven, seven episodes of Carson.

1418
01:17:06,880 --> 01:17:09,597
>> And people today, young people

1419
01:17:09,680 --> 01:17:14,317
especially listening, don't understand
what a big deal it was to be on Carson.

1420
01:17:14,400 --> 01:17:17,757
And I think the only thing
that's close today is Kill Tony.

1421
01:17:17,840 --> 01:17:20,957
>> Yes. >> Kill Tony is uh
a place where people's

1422
01:17:21,040 --> 01:17:24,797
careers are actually really legitimately
launched. And there's a bunch of people

1423
01:17:24,880 --> 01:17:27,517
like Cam Patterson's on SNL now. You

1424
01:17:27,600 --> 01:17:32,317
know, there's guys like when when I did
a show uh a podcast with the Black Keys,

1425
01:17:32,400 --> 01:17:35,757
they were asking for William Montgomery
to perform. Like, can we go see William

1426
01:17:35,840 --> 01:17:38,957
Montgomery? Like there's people
that are stars from that show now.

1427
01:17:39,040 --> 01:17:40,637
>> Amazing. Well, that's pretty cool.

1428
01:17:40,720 --> 01:17:42,397
>> I'm here with you because I did that

1429
01:17:42,480 --> 01:17:45,437
show and here I saw you and you invited

1430
01:17:45,520 --> 01:17:50,397
me. So, I'm very grateful
to Tony that kind of got us.

1431
01:17:50,480 --> 01:17:54,317
>> So, Tony has done that for a lot
of people. I mean, he he's blown up Adam

1432
01:17:54,400 --> 01:17:56,877
Ray. He's blown so many so
many of these guys. Yeah.

1433
01:17:56,960 --> 01:18:01,437
>> Kyle Dunigan. So many of these
guys have taken off because of Tony.

1434
01:18:01,520 --> 01:18:05,837
>> It's a really amazing platform
because it's just it's just comedy.

1435
01:18:05,920 --> 01:18:08,397
>> Yeah. >> You know. >> Yeah.
Totally. Totally. Love it.

1436
01:18:08,480 --> 01:18:10,637
>> It's like a more important uh platform

1437
01:18:10,720 --> 01:18:13,357
for comedians than a regular podcast

1438
01:18:13,440 --> 01:18:18,317
like this one because this podcast
is not always comedy. Like sometimes I'm

1439
01:18:18,400 --> 01:18:21,357
talking to scientists, sometimes I'm
talking, you know, talk to a lot of

1440
01:18:21,440 --> 01:18:23,757
weird different people.
>> Yeah. Absolutely.

1441
01:18:23,840 --> 01:18:28,717
>> That show is just funny. And there
was nothing like that back then. So the

1442
01:18:28,800 --> 01:18:32,237
closest thing to it was the Tonight Show.
And if you got on the Tonight Show

1443
01:18:32,320 --> 01:18:36,717
and you did stand up, I mean that was
the first time uh I remember watching

1444
01:18:36,800 --> 01:18:40,317
Richard Jenny was on the Tonight Show
and uh there was a bunch of other people

1445
01:18:40,400 --> 01:18:42,877
that I saw on the Tonight Show too,
but everybody would stay up late at night

1446
01:18:42,960 --> 01:18:45,997
and when there was a comedian on the
Tonight Show, you get excited like, "Oh,

1447
01:18:46,080 --> 01:18:51,517
I was a comedian. Let's see if they're
funny." And um if you were good and you

1448
01:18:51,600 --> 01:18:54,637
were on the Tonight Show, then you could
perform at clubs all over the country

1449
01:18:54,720 --> 01:18:58,397
and they would say as seen on the
Tonight Show. Oh, the Tonight Show.

1450
01:18:58,480 --> 01:19:02,877
>> It was a huge deal. And if you had
that credit and people had seen you

1451
01:19:02,960 --> 01:19:06,157
>> also back then like what were
the numbers? The numbers were crazy.

1452
01:19:06,240 --> 01:19:08,877
>> 30 million. >> Yeah.
Because there was only four

1453
01:19:08,960 --> 01:19:12,397
channel three at the time, not even four.
Fox didn't even exist yet.

1454
01:19:12,480 --> 01:19:16,637
>> So there was three channels >>
and a huge percentage of the country was

1455
01:19:16,720 --> 01:19:20,877
watching this one thing. >> Yes.
Yeah. I I was very blessed.

1456
01:19:20,960 --> 01:19:23,597
>> Isn't that crazy?
>> Yeah. And >> 30 million.

1457
01:19:23,680 --> 01:19:27,677
>> Yeah. And I one time I offered them He

1458
01:19:27,760 --> 01:19:31,037
loved to do impressions of Reagan uh

1459
01:19:31,120 --> 01:19:35,117
Carson. He was and I uh I offered them

1460
01:19:35,200 --> 01:19:40,157
to do a skit of me as an interpreter. He

1461
01:19:40,240 --> 01:19:42,477
is Reagan and then had a Gorbachev

1462
01:19:42,560 --> 01:19:46,077
lookalike. And it was a huge hit. it was

1463
01:19:46,160 --> 01:19:50,077
really uh very very wellreceived. So,

1464
01:19:50,160 --> 01:19:52,797
uh, and and that's another interesting

1465
01:19:52,880 --> 01:19:57,357
thing that, you know, like when I met

1466
01:19:57,440 --> 01:20:00,637
the Reagan, uh, I was still fairly

1467
01:20:00,720 --> 01:20:04,477
unknown and and I was playing a club in

1468
01:20:04,560 --> 01:20:07,677
Washington DC and it was called Comedy

1469
01:20:07,760 --> 01:20:11,677
Cafe and u, and somebody came over to me

1470
01:20:11,760 --> 01:20:14,877
after the show and a guy, I didn't know

1471
01:20:14,960 --> 01:20:17,837
who he was, and he said, "I'm having

1472
01:20:17,920 --> 01:20:19,197
President Reagan

1473
01:20:19,280 --> 01:20:23,837
and um Nancy Reagan as my guests, dinner

1474
01:20:23,920 --> 01:20:28,557
guests at my home in the two weeks. Uh I

1475
01:20:28,640 --> 01:20:30,877
would like to invite you to be one of

1476
01:20:30,960 --> 01:20:33,917
the guests and I'm thinking this guy is

1477
01:20:34,000 --> 01:20:36,637
nuts. Who is this? You know, and he was

1478
01:20:36,720 --> 01:20:38,877
chief editor of Washington Times

1479
01:20:38,960 --> 01:20:41,037
newspaper.

1480
01:20:41,120 --> 01:20:45,037
and he um the reason I brought this up

1481
01:20:45,120 --> 01:20:48,877
because so he sent me tickets, we I come

1482
01:20:48,960 --> 01:20:52,717
back and then this is like a scene from

1483
01:20:52,800 --> 01:20:55,277
like a die hard or something. We're

1484
01:20:55,360 --> 01:20:58,317
pulling into his uh house towards his

1485
01:20:58,400 --> 01:21:00,797
house. There's helicop two helicopters

1486
01:21:00,880 --> 01:21:03,117
are hanging over the neighborhood.

1487
01:21:03,200 --> 01:21:07,277
There's FBI everywhere and I'm going

1488
01:21:07,360 --> 01:21:09,437
this is going to be a mess. you know,

1489
01:21:09,520 --> 01:21:11,837
they're going to they won't let me in. I

1490
01:21:11,920 --> 01:21:14,557
I just didn't think it's possible. So,

1491
01:21:14,640 --> 01:21:16,717
they get him out of the car, they frisk

1492
01:21:16,800 --> 01:21:19,597
him, they ask for his IDs, and he said,

1493
01:21:19,680 --> 01:21:21,597
"I'm the owner of the place where the

1494
01:21:21,680 --> 01:21:23,997
president is going to dinner, and they

1495
01:21:24,080 --> 01:21:26,797
said, "We don't care." So, they get him

1496
01:21:26,880 --> 01:21:28,637
and then they shine the light. I'm

1497
01:21:28,720 --> 01:21:33,837
sitting in in the uh uh in the passenger

1498
01:21:33,920 --> 01:21:36,477
seat and they shine the light on me and

1499
01:21:36,560 --> 01:21:41,837
the guy goes, "Miller light
commercial, right? [laughter]

1500
01:21:41,920 --> 01:21:43,917
Go in." >> Wow.

1501
01:21:44,000 --> 01:21:46,237
>> That's how I met That's how I met the

1502
01:21:46,320 --> 01:21:51,037
president. And then it was uh he the

1503
01:21:51,120 --> 01:21:53,357
moment we met each other, it's like

1504
01:21:53,440 --> 01:21:56,797
locked in like the same wavelength. And

1505
01:21:56,880 --> 01:22:00,957
all of a sudden he was like, "Have you
heard this joke?" And he starts telling

1506
01:22:01,040 --> 01:22:03,597
me Russian jokes. And then it was back

1507
01:22:03,680 --> 01:22:06,397
and forth and suddenly 18 people in the

1508
01:22:06,480 --> 01:22:08,717
room and everybody's laughing. And

1509
01:22:08,800 --> 01:22:11,437
that's how it started that relationship.

1510
01:22:11,520 --> 01:22:13,917
>> Wow. That's crazy.

1511
01:22:14,000 --> 01:22:16,877
>> Yeah. And then and then I get a call

1512
01:22:16,960 --> 01:22:19,837
from his uh Dana Orbacher who is his

1513
01:22:19,920 --> 01:22:23,997
head speech writer and he calls me
a couple of weeks later and he said Reagan

1514
01:22:24,080 --> 01:22:25,997
is going to go to Russia to meet with

1515
01:22:26,080 --> 01:22:29,197
Gorbachev. He is going to do a speech in

1516
01:22:29,280 --> 01:22:31,837
front of all the Russian politicians in

1517
01:22:31,920 --> 01:22:34,157
University of Moscow.

1518
01:22:34,240 --> 01:22:36,877
Uh he would like you to write some jokes

1519
01:22:36,960 --> 01:22:40,477
for his speech. And this is like insane

1520
01:22:40,560 --> 01:22:43,677
for me to hear this. I'm going

1521
01:22:43,760 --> 01:22:48,157
if something go doesn't go right,
I don't have any countries to go to. This

1522
01:22:48,240 --> 01:22:50,637
is like where am I where am I going?

1523
01:22:50,720 --> 01:22:54,600
Right. So,

1524
01:22:55,040 --> 01:22:57,757
and so I I write some jokes, they put

1525
01:22:57,840 --> 01:23:01,197
them in the speech, and then uh Dana

1526
01:23:01,280 --> 01:23:05,277
goes, "Do you mind looking over the speech

1527
01:23:05,360 --> 01:23:07,197
because we want to make sure that the

1528
01:23:07,280 --> 01:23:10,637
tone of the speech is right."

1529
01:23:10,720 --> 01:23:12,797
I'm going, this is too much. This is too

1530
01:23:12,880 --> 01:23:14,557
much responsibility.

1531
01:23:14,640 --> 01:23:17,837
But I was honored. I I read it and I

1532
01:23:17,920 --> 01:23:21,997
said, I personally don't think that the

1533
01:23:22,080 --> 01:23:23,997
tone is correct. I think you're kind of

1534
01:23:24,080 --> 01:23:26,557
talking down to them and they're not

1535
01:23:26,640 --> 01:23:30,157
going to like it. And he goes, he goes,

1536
01:23:30,240 --> 01:23:33,277
"Then rewrite the speech."

1537
01:23:33,360 --> 01:23:37,197
I'm going, "Okay." So, I just changed I

1538
01:23:37,280 --> 01:23:39,437
I didn't rewrite the speech. I just

1539
01:23:39,520 --> 01:23:42,557
changed some tone of kind of putting

1540
01:23:42,640 --> 01:23:45,997
them on the equal level as opposed to

1541
01:23:46,080 --> 01:23:48,717
being talking down to the Soviet

1542
01:23:48,800 --> 01:23:50,637
leaders. They didn't appreciate that.

1543
01:23:50,720 --> 01:23:53,117
>> Can you explain how
he was talking down?

1544
01:23:53,200 --> 01:23:57,357
Uh just teaching them that capitalism is

1545
01:23:57,440 --> 01:24:01,037
so much better than what they got and

1546
01:24:01,120 --> 01:24:04,397
they should switch to that form of

1547
01:24:04,480 --> 01:24:07,597
politics as opposed to kind of

1548
01:24:07,680 --> 01:24:11,517
appreciate what they and their you know

1549
01:24:11,600 --> 01:24:15,197
their empire at that time that is still

1550
01:24:15,280 --> 01:24:19,357
very big. So I didn't I I just felt that

1551
01:24:19,440 --> 01:24:23,277
I would be just nicer and and they liked

1552
01:24:23,360 --> 01:24:25,437
it. They they

1553
01:24:25,520 --> 01:24:28,157
changed some of the things that and they

1554
01:24:28,240 --> 01:24:31,997
kept it that way. And um so

1555
01:24:32,080 --> 01:24:34,877
I don't know how Mitsy used to tell me

1556
01:24:34,960 --> 01:24:38,077
you and Reagan changed the world. I go,

1557
01:24:38,160 --> 01:24:39,997
"Yeah, Mity, you're right. I'm just

1558
01:24:40,080 --> 01:24:43,357
telling jokes." He goes, "No, it was his

1559
01:24:43,440 --> 01:24:47,357
secret weapon that he used to get to

1560
01:24:47,440 --> 01:24:51,917
Gorbachev." Well, maybe
there's some truth to that.

1561
01:24:52,000 --> 01:24:57,197
>> Well, certainly truth in that you
kind of understood how they would receive,

1562
01:24:57,280 --> 01:24:59,197
>> right, >> what he
was saying that he was saying

1563
01:24:59,280 --> 01:25:02,957
something that would they would become
defensive and they would be offended by

1564
01:25:03,040 --> 01:25:06,637
it. >> Exactly. Yeah.
Yeah. That that was my

1565
01:25:06,720 --> 01:25:11,277
concern that but you know I >> well
you know that culture way better

1566
01:25:11,360 --> 01:25:14,717
than >> and that's what
he was he was asking me

1567
01:25:14,800 --> 01:25:17,517
I mean at at some point he goes how

1568
01:25:17,600 --> 01:25:21,917
would you deal with Gorbachev he
was literally it's like and I'm like going

1569
01:25:22,000 --> 01:25:24,477
am I the most qualified person to answer

1570
01:25:24,560 --> 01:25:26,797
this question and he goes you are

1571
01:25:26,880 --> 01:25:29,517
because you you lived there 26 years

1572
01:25:29,600 --> 01:25:32,237
none of us politicians have so he was

1573
01:25:32,320 --> 01:25:36,557
really very receptive to my suggestions,

1574
01:25:36,640 --> 01:25:39,197
whatever they, you know.

1575
01:25:39,280 --> 01:25:42,797
>> Wow, that had to be weird. I mean,

1576
01:25:42,880 --> 01:25:46,237
you're talking to Ronald
Reagan in the 1980s.

1577
01:25:46,320 --> 01:25:51,597
>> Yeah. >> Well, Mr.
Gorbachov, tear down that

1578
01:25:51,680 --> 01:25:54,317
wall. >> I didn't write
that joke. I did not.

1579
01:25:54,400 --> 01:25:56,877
>> It wasn't a joke.
>> It was a joke. Yeah.

1580
01:25:56,960 --> 01:26:00,637
>> But crazy that >> changed the world.
Yeah. Changed the world.

1581
01:26:00,720 --> 01:26:01,437
>> Literally changed the world.

1582
01:26:01,520 --> 01:26:03,037
>> Changed my my world for sure.

1583
01:26:03,120 --> 01:26:05,917
Unfortunately, that's what's crazy.

1584
01:26:06,000 --> 01:26:08,797
>> What's crazy is it's like But that was

1585
01:26:08,880 --> 01:26:13,037
the problem with the world back
then with only a few channels.

1586
01:26:13,120 --> 01:26:15,597
>> They could just decide you
were done and you were done.

1587
01:26:15,680 --> 01:26:16,477
>> Yeah. Yeah.

1588
01:26:16,560 --> 01:26:18,557
>> I mean that that happened to a lot of

1589
01:26:18,640 --> 01:26:22,877
>> like if actors ran
a foul of per certain

1590
01:26:22,960 --> 01:26:27,837
people, right? You got cast out, you
got black ballalled and that was it. You

1591
01:26:27,920 --> 01:26:29,437
never worked again. >> Yeah. >> Yeah.

1592
01:26:29,520 --> 01:26:30,877
>> And that happened to a lot of people.

1593
01:26:30,960 --> 01:26:31,677
>> Yeah. you know,

1594
01:26:31,760 --> 01:26:34,957
>> well, I I'm I'm happy that I found

1595
01:26:35,040 --> 01:26:38,317
Branson. I'm happy that I was able to

1596
01:26:38,400 --> 01:26:41,117
adjust, you know, and it just like when

1597
01:26:41,200 --> 01:26:44,957
when you look at trajectory of my life,

1598
01:26:45,040 --> 01:26:47,917
uh I I realized that that's one of my

1599
01:26:48,000 --> 01:26:51,357
strong skills to be able to adjust. uh

1600
01:26:51,440 --> 01:26:55,837
coming uh just having the idea that I

1601
01:26:55,920 --> 01:26:58,797
will be able to do comedy in America was

1602
01:26:58,880 --> 01:27:03,037
insane for most people. >> Well,
just adjusting from the culture of

1603
01:27:03,120 --> 01:27:06,717
living in Russia to living in America
is insane too. You you made a lot of

1604
01:27:06,800 --> 01:27:09,757
adjustments. >> A lot.
And uh when we were came because

1605
01:27:09,840 --> 01:27:13,197
we were coming through Italy uh to come

1606
01:27:13,280 --> 01:27:16,157
to America and they would in Italy they

1607
01:27:16,240 --> 01:27:20,797
kept us 3 months to check all the

1608
01:27:20,880 --> 01:27:23,597
documents and make sure that we're not

1609
01:27:23,680 --> 01:27:26,957
like communist party or uh don't have a

1610
01:27:27,040 --> 01:27:28,237
a record spy.

1611
01:27:28,320 --> 01:27:32,077
>> Yeah. Right. Right. Right. Right.

1612
01:27:32,160 --> 01:27:34,717
>> And we had to survive. That was another

1613
01:27:34,800 --> 01:27:39,917
interesting moment of our life because
we're going and they're uh they they

1614
01:27:40,000 --> 01:27:43,997
wanted they didn't want people to leave
because that looked bad for the Soviet

1615
01:27:44,080 --> 01:27:46,637
Union. So they

1616
01:27:46,720 --> 01:27:49,517
uh they would do all the they would only

1617
01:27:49,600 --> 01:27:53,197
like change you $100 per person and you

1618
01:27:53,280 --> 01:27:56,477
supposed to survive like three months of

1619
01:27:56,560 --> 01:28:00,237
living in a foreign country. And so, but

1620
01:28:00,320 --> 01:28:02,477
they would give you a list of things

1621
01:28:02,560 --> 01:28:06,077
that you could take with you. So, like a

1622
01:28:06,160 --> 01:28:09,437
a photo camera, hat, something you could

1623
01:28:09,520 --> 01:28:14,637
sell there to live on. And yeah, and two

1624
01:28:14,720 --> 01:28:17,197
suitcases for each person and very

1625
01:28:17,280 --> 01:28:19,917
strict list of things.

1626
01:28:20,000 --> 01:28:25,197
What was an interesting kind
of loophole, we found out through the

1627
01:28:25,280 --> 01:28:26,717
grapevine

1628
01:28:26,800 --> 01:28:28,477
that

1629
01:28:28,560 --> 01:28:35,560
um um condoms was a very um um expensive

1630
01:28:35,840 --> 01:28:38,557
item in Italy for some reason. In the

1631
01:28:38,640 --> 01:28:40,637
Soviet Union, you could buy them for a

1632
01:28:40,720 --> 01:28:43,597
penny and in Italy you could sell them

1633
01:28:43,680 --> 01:28:45,917
for a dollar. M

1634
01:28:46,000 --> 01:28:50,477
>> and so my quest was like when I learned

1635
01:28:50,560 --> 01:28:54,397
that and there was no restriction how
many you can take with you. So I would

1636
01:28:54,480 --> 01:28:56,877
go to each pharmacy, whatever whatever I

1637
01:28:56,960 --> 01:29:01,837
could get and just I was, you know, I we

1638
01:29:01,920 --> 01:29:06,237
got like half of the suitcase of condoms

1639
01:29:06,320 --> 01:29:08,877
and we put it in my mother's suitcase.

1640
01:29:08,960 --> 01:29:11,437
So that way hopefully nobody's going to

1641
01:29:11,520 --> 01:29:15,677
ask her what what why, you know, they

1642
01:29:15,760 --> 01:29:17,597
would be embarrassed or whatever. So

1643
01:29:17,680 --> 01:29:21,357
they didn't ask and we got through.

1644
01:29:21,440 --> 01:29:25,197
And so my job and my parents' job was to

1645
01:29:25,280 --> 01:29:28,557
go on the open market every Saturday and

1646
01:29:28,640 --> 01:29:32,317
Sunday and try to sell those condoms so

1647
01:29:32,400 --> 01:29:35,277
we can pay rent and food and whatever

1648
01:29:35,360 --> 01:29:36,877
else.

1649
01:29:36,960 --> 01:29:39,517
So my parents, it was so funny how they

1650
01:29:39,600 --> 01:29:43,277
transition. They were this uh two very

1651
01:29:43,360 --> 01:29:45,677
conservative people and they're

1652
01:29:45,760 --> 01:29:47,917
embarrassed, but then they realize we

1653
01:29:48,000 --> 01:29:52,797
need money to eat. So they would mom

1654
01:29:52,880 --> 01:29:57,277
became pretty smart. She translated from

1655
01:29:57,360 --> 01:30:03,037
Russian into uh uh Italian. Um um if you

1656
01:30:03,120 --> 01:30:05,597
don't want to have a kid like this and

1657
01:30:05,680 --> 01:30:08,717
would point at me and would hold that

1658
01:30:08,800 --> 01:30:13,677
card and said, "Then buy a condom."

1659
01:30:13,760 --> 01:30:16,957
And people would laugh. They would laugh

1660
01:30:17,040 --> 01:30:21,997
and they would and they would buy two
or three. It was just more of a joke, but

1661
01:30:22,080 --> 01:30:26,877
we were >> we were, you know,
surviving on that for a long time.

1662
01:30:26,960 --> 01:30:30,797
>> Wow. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Wow. Yeah.

1663
01:30:30,880 --> 01:30:33,357
>> So, it was kind of bang for the buck

1664
01:30:33,440 --> 01:30:36,957
kind of a, you know, uh it it was not

1665
01:30:37,040 --> 01:30:39,837
expected, but we survived. So, a lot of

1666
01:30:39,920 --> 01:30:43,437
those moments in life when you I I look

1667
01:30:43,520 --> 01:30:46,557
at my life and I go, that was a

1668
01:30:46,640 --> 01:30:49,357
survival. than coming to America and

1669
01:30:49,440 --> 01:30:52,477
getting a job and getting to

1670
01:30:52,560 --> 01:30:56,637
uh God is that helped you and me to

1671
01:30:56,720 --> 01:31:01,437
become who we are. Uh that's just God's

1672
01:31:01,520 --> 01:31:03,277
hand on that.

1673
01:31:03,360 --> 01:31:05,837
>> That's amazing. Yeah. You adapted, man.

1674
01:31:05,920 --> 01:31:08,717
You adapted multiple times. That's so

1675
01:31:08,800 --> 01:31:13,197
crazy. God. Yeah.
>> Just trying to survive in Italy. You

1676
01:31:13,280 --> 01:31:16,317
didn't speak Italian. >> No.
Did you guys speak anything other

1677
01:31:16,400 --> 01:31:20,477
than Russian? >> No,
we just But there was immigration.

1678
01:31:20,560 --> 01:31:23,117
There was other Russian people that you

1679
01:31:23,200 --> 01:31:26,877
could kind of communicate with. And I uh

1680
01:31:26,960 --> 01:31:30,637
I would go even in Italy. I would go to

1681
01:31:30,720 --> 01:31:34,477
a movie theater and I was so determined.

1682
01:31:34,560 --> 01:31:37,437
There was a one movie theater in Rome

1683
01:31:37,520 --> 01:31:39,917
that would for a dollar you can sit and

1684
01:31:40,000 --> 01:31:43,917
watch English uh speaking movies and you

1685
01:31:44,000 --> 01:31:47,117
can sit there all day for a dollar. And

1686
01:31:47,200 --> 01:31:52,557
so I would go, it was like my I was
learning English, listening to listening

1687
01:31:52,640 --> 01:31:53,597
and

1688
01:31:53,680 --> 01:31:57,917
>> and and then one time I remember a a

1689
01:31:58,000 --> 01:32:01,037
couple I I needed to practice and there

1690
01:32:01,120 --> 01:32:03,837
was a couple I asked them uh speak

1691
01:32:03,920 --> 01:32:06,637
English and they said yes. And the guy,

1692
01:32:06,720 --> 01:32:08,557
the girl was from Belgium, the guy was

1693
01:32:08,640 --> 01:32:12,637
from Washington DC. And uh they said,

1694
01:32:12,720 --> 01:32:15,117
"Uh, we'll help you and we'll just come

1695
01:32:15,200 --> 01:32:17,437
every week like on Monday or some

1696
01:32:17,520 --> 01:32:20,237
whatever it was, and we'll just go to a

1697
01:32:20,320 --> 01:32:22,957
coffee shop and we'll talk to you so you

1698
01:32:23,040 --> 01:32:27,037
can practice English." And I remember

1699
01:32:27,120 --> 01:32:32,077
they asked me um like, "What what did

1700
01:32:32,160 --> 01:32:35,517
you do in Russia?" I said I was a comedian

1701
01:32:35,600 --> 01:32:38,477
somehow through dictionary whatever I

1702
01:32:38,560 --> 01:32:43,437
could to make that and and uh and they

1703
01:32:43,520 --> 01:32:46,717
said what what do you want to accomplish

1704
01:32:46,800 --> 01:32:50,157
uh when you're in uh in America and

1705
01:32:50,240 --> 01:32:51,917
again I don't know anything about

1706
01:32:52,000 --> 01:32:55,997
America and I have this I asked him I

1707
01:32:56,080 --> 01:33:00,797
said where is the most successful

1708
01:33:00,880 --> 01:33:03,437
people comedians perform form and they

1709
01:33:03,520 --> 01:33:06,157
said Las Vegas

1710
01:33:06,240 --> 01:33:08,477
and I said

1711
01:33:08,560 --> 01:33:12,557
in five years somehow I deliver I'll be

1712
01:33:12,640 --> 01:33:14,797
in Las Vegas

1713
01:33:14,880 --> 01:33:17,517
and it's exactly what happened. Five

1714
01:33:17,600 --> 01:33:22,157
years later I was at the Tropicana Hotel

1715
01:33:22,240 --> 01:33:25,597
with Murray Lanston the unknown comic

1716
01:33:25,680 --> 01:33:29,277
doing a show in Las Vegas.
>> I remember that guy with the paper bag

1717
01:33:29,360 --> 01:33:31,757
over his head. Yeah. From the Gong Show.

1718
01:33:31,840 --> 01:33:35,517
Yep. >> Yeah. Which was a great show.

1719
01:33:35,600 --> 01:33:38,157
>> Yeah. It was kind of an
early version of Kill Tony

1720
01:33:38,240 --> 01:33:41,037
>> in a lot of ways. Yeah. In a lot
of ways. Cuz some of the people were just

1721
01:33:41,120 --> 01:33:46,477
like unbelievably untalented [laughter]
>> and then you would hit the gong.

1722
01:33:46,560 --> 01:33:48,237
>> Exactly. >> That show was great.

1723
01:33:48,320 --> 01:33:51,037
>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
>> Didn't they try to bring that back?

1724
01:33:51,120 --> 01:33:53,757
Didn't they try to bring the Gong Show
back at one point in time with someone

1725
01:33:53,840 --> 01:33:57,437
else? >> I think they did.
>> Who did they bring it back with? Do you

1726
01:33:57,520 --> 01:34:01,197
remember, Jamie? >> But do you
remember? You don't remember?

1727
01:34:01,280 --> 01:34:03,677
Don't off top my head. No,

1728
01:34:03,760 --> 01:34:07,037
>> it was someone that you're like, "Huh,

1729
01:34:07,120 --> 01:34:09,997
>> I wonder why they chose that person."

1730
01:34:10,080 --> 01:34:13,277
>> Actually, Oh, yeah. 200 Oh, David Tell.

1731
01:34:13,360 --> 01:34:16,157
>> Oh, it was That's right. >> Who was it?

1732
01:34:16,240 --> 01:34:19,117
>> It was David Tell. >> Oh,

1733
01:34:19,200 --> 01:34:23,757
>> that's right. It was 2012.
>> Well, it says briefly in 2008 and then

1734
01:34:23,840 --> 01:34:27,357
again in 2017 and then I don't
think he was involved in that one.

1735
01:34:27,440 --> 01:34:29,997
>> Oh, two 2008. Is that what you said?

1736
01:34:30,080 --> 01:34:31,117
>> Yeah.

1737
01:34:31,200 --> 01:34:35,837
Wow. Yeah, he's perfect for that.

1738
01:34:35,920 --> 01:34:39,437
>> The problem is once a show's been done,
you try to redo it, it's like it's

1739
01:34:39,520 --> 01:34:41,917
always going to be >> Yeah.
>> There's been the three different

1740
01:34:42,000 --> 01:34:45,037
versions of Fear Factor now, >> you know?
There's like now they're doing

1741
01:34:45,120 --> 01:34:50,477
it with Johnny Knoxville. >> Uh
it's uh kind of crazy like the amount

1742
01:34:50,560 --> 01:34:54,077
of different things that have happened
in your life, you know, and then now to

1743
01:34:54,160 --> 01:34:57,277
find yourself with another
revival because of Kill Tony.

1744
01:34:57,360 --> 01:35:00,717
>> Yes. Like >> Yes.
and and going back on tour. I have

1745
01:35:00,800 --> 01:35:05,027
a I have a poster. I don't know if
people on the radio can't see it,

1746
01:35:05,110 --> 01:35:07,917
[laughter] but I have
a poster of of my tour.

1747
01:35:08,000 --> 01:35:11,117
>> Well, what we'll send them
to the website so you have to look at

1748
01:35:11,200 --> 01:35:15,117
>> I am I'm excited.
>> And where are you going? Comedy clubs.

1749
01:35:15,200 --> 01:35:19,037
Yeah. All over the place.
>> Yeah. Atlanta is the next one.

1750
01:35:19,120 --> 01:35:20,317
>> No one can read that. >> Oh, okay.

1751
01:35:20,400 --> 01:35:22,237
>> Yeah. Put that down. Go to the website.

1752
01:35:22,320 --> 01:35:24,027
Jamie will pull up the website.

1753
01:35:24,110 --> 01:35:29,117
[laughter] >> Yeah. Brought >> It's on
yakov.com. Yeah. Yeah, God brought a sign.

1754
01:35:29,200 --> 01:35:30,877
>> That's hilarious, man. So, what was the

1755
01:35:30,960 --> 01:35:32,317
Kill Tony experience like?

1756
01:35:32,400 --> 01:35:37,197
>> It was great. I mean, I am um obviously

1757
01:35:37,280 --> 01:35:41,837
my my show is kind of a G-rated

1758
01:35:41,920 --> 01:35:48,237
and so uh Kilton is not and uh so but

1759
01:35:48,320 --> 01:35:49,917
yet it was >> it doesn't matter.

1760
01:35:50,000 --> 01:35:51,517
>> It doesn't matter.
It doesn't matter. He

1761
01:35:51,600 --> 01:35:55,437
he was so respectful of of this uh uh

1762
01:35:55,520 --> 01:35:59,277
Tony and set me up, you know. I mean, I

1763
01:35:59,360 --> 01:36:03,837
I felt like my head was this big and um

1764
01:36:03,920 --> 01:36:06,877
he was seeing me as a super legend and

1765
01:36:06,960 --> 01:36:09,277
and I am I'm very grateful. It's hard

1766
01:36:09,360 --> 01:36:12,077
for me sometimes to accept that that

1767
01:36:12,160 --> 01:36:17,117
people see me because I've
been doing this for 60 years.

1768
01:36:17,200 --> 01:36:19,437
60 years comedy. >> That's crazy.

1769
01:36:19,520 --> 01:36:21,277
>> Yeah. Well,
I remember the first time we

1770
01:36:21,360 --> 01:36:24,717
met. We met at the comedy store

1771
01:36:24,800 --> 01:36:29,037
>> I want to say was that like 15 years
ago or something like that. You dropped in

1772
01:36:29,120 --> 01:36:32,477
and I had never seen and I was like,
"Oh, like what is he doing in town?"

1773
01:36:32,560 --> 01:36:34,397
>> Yeah. >> And you just
decided you wanted to come

1774
01:36:34,480 --> 01:36:37,757
by the store and see what was going
on with the young guys and do some standup

1775
01:36:37,840 --> 01:36:41,197
and we hung out for a little bit in the >>
in the green room. I'm like and I

1776
01:36:41,280 --> 01:36:44,797
remember telling everybody, "You mirn's
really funny, man. He's [__] cool."

1777
01:36:44,880 --> 01:36:47,437
>> Thank you. Thank you. >> It was fun.
It was fun to hang out with

1778
01:36:47,520 --> 01:36:51,277
you, you know. It was like it was fun
to see you hanging out with all these

1779
01:36:51,360 --> 01:36:55,837
weirdo young pot smoking [laughter
and clears throat] [__] animals

1780
01:36:55,920 --> 01:36:57,277
>> coming from Branson, right?

1781
01:36:57,360 --> 01:36:58,797
>> Yeah. You were coming from Branson.

1782
01:36:58,880 --> 01:37:01,677
You're hanging out with
Joey Diaz and [laughter]

1783
01:37:01,760 --> 01:37:05,117
>> we were laughing though. We had a good
time, man. It was a It was a really good

1784
01:37:05,200 --> 01:37:05,597
time.

1785
01:37:05,680 --> 01:37:08,637
>> It was fun. It's fun. And I go back uh

1786
01:37:08,720 --> 01:37:13,277
to clubs and I my goal was really to uh

1787
01:37:13,360 --> 01:37:16,637
last year I would go to small clubs and

1788
01:37:16,720 --> 01:37:19,437
develop an hour of material that is

1789
01:37:19,520 --> 01:37:24,797
totally current. I talk about
relationships. I talk about uh having a

1790
01:37:24,880 --> 01:37:26,317
one-year-old

1791
01:37:26,400 --> 01:37:29,117
in my life. I talk and and it's an

1792
01:37:29,200 --> 01:37:32,557
interesting I was doing it at uh at uh

1793
01:37:32,640 --> 01:37:37,597
uh your club and it it's great to watch

1794
01:37:37,680 --> 01:37:40,797
um the the reaction of the audience how

1795
01:37:40,880 --> 01:37:45,197
they have a lot of respect but they're
also laughing and they're seeing it.

1796
01:37:45,280 --> 01:37:46,797
It's fun because I talk about

1797
01:37:46,880 --> 01:37:50,397
relationships. So they might come in

1798
01:37:50,480 --> 01:37:53,277
disconnected, but then all of a sudden

1799
01:37:53,360 --> 01:37:58,797
you see how they put their hands next to
each other and then they put Yeah. Yeah.

1800
01:37:58,880 --> 01:38:01,597
But I like it. I >> look at you.
You're a uniter. You're

1801
01:38:01,680 --> 01:38:03,837
bringing couples closer
together with your comedy.

1802
01:38:03,920 --> 01:38:06,877
>> I I [laughter] That's really my goal.

1803
01:38:06,960 --> 01:38:09,517
>> I like that you like that. I enjoy I

1804
01:38:09,600 --> 01:38:13,117
enjoy seeing families like Nate Burgetti

1805
01:38:13,200 --> 01:38:15,517
is really the one who kind of got me out

1806
01:38:15,600 --> 01:38:17,437
of Branson

1807
01:38:17,520 --> 01:38:21,917
because he um shown that that there's a

1808
01:38:22,000 --> 01:38:25,357
need for that um humor. >> Yes.

1809
01:38:25,440 --> 01:38:28,077
>> And families come
and when you go to his

1810
01:38:28,160 --> 01:38:31,037
show it's like looking around grandma

1811
01:38:31,120 --> 01:38:35,757
and and and grandchildren and parents >>
but everyone's laughing. The thing about

1812
01:38:35,840 --> 01:38:37,917
Nate that's so unique is Nate is

1813
01:38:38,000 --> 01:38:43,147
hilarious to me. Nate is hilarious
to a 20-year-old kid in college.

1814
01:38:43,230 --> 01:38:46,237
[clears throat] Nate is hilarious
to their grandmother, right?

1815
01:38:46,320 --> 01:38:50,077
>> Nate is hilarious to your children. You
could bring your 10-year-old kids to see

1816
01:38:50,160 --> 01:38:53,117
Nate. >> Nate is a genius.
And he's got and that

1817
01:38:53,200 --> 01:38:57,197
is who he is all the time.
He's like a really funny,

1818
01:38:57,280 --> 01:39:02,317
>> very smart guy. Yes.
>> Who's got a perfect style. It's like

1819
01:39:02,400 --> 01:39:04,637
he's >> I mean he's Didn't
he make like the most

1820
01:39:04,720 --> 01:39:08,237
money ever or something like that last
year doing stand up? He sold the most

1821
01:39:08,320 --> 01:39:10,157
tickets ever. >> Made a million dollars.

1822
01:39:10,240 --> 01:39:14,717
>> Something crazy. But it's like he's
doing this like selling out stadiums two

1823
01:39:14,800 --> 01:39:17,837
times in a night. >> Exactly. >> Yeah.
And [snorts] he does like 3 p.m.

1824
01:39:17,920 --> 01:39:20,397
shows. It's nuts. It's It's incredible.

1825
01:39:20,480 --> 01:39:23,277
>> But it shows that there
is a need for that.

1826
01:39:23,360 --> 01:39:25,677
>> Well, it shows that it doesn't matter.

1827
01:39:25,760 --> 01:39:29,837
It's just funny. Like Brian Rean's
another great example. Brian Regan,

1828
01:39:29,920 --> 01:39:32,317
squeaky clean. Unfucking believably

1829
01:39:32,400 --> 01:39:35,117
funny. So talented, so funny.

1830
01:39:35,200 --> 01:39:37,757
>> And it's just funny. It doesn't have to

1831
01:39:37,840 --> 01:39:41,277
be clean or dirty or And we have that at

1832
01:39:41,360 --> 01:39:44,957
the club, too. I mean, this is like
the club gets labeled as some like kind of

1833
01:39:45,040 --> 01:39:47,837
extreme anti-woke thing. It's nonsense.

1834
01:39:47,920 --> 01:39:51,117
Like >> I played I
performed there at your club

1835
01:39:51,200 --> 01:39:55,997
a couple of weeks ago. They totally
loved it. Nobody expected anything and

1836
01:39:56,080 --> 01:39:57,837
they just enjoyed. They laughed all the

1837
01:39:57,920 --> 01:40:00,797
way through. I love doing that. So to

1838
01:40:00,880 --> 01:40:03,997
me, I see young people who don't know me

1839
01:40:04,080 --> 01:40:09,197
and they're totally relating and I'm
relating to them, which is great. That's

1840
01:40:09,280 --> 01:40:12,077
what I want to do. >> We're
human beings telling jokes, that's

1841
01:40:12,160 --> 01:40:16,717
it. That's all it is. And and if
comedy done correctly is done from your

1842
01:40:16,800 --> 01:40:20,797
perspective, whether your perspective
is Nate Barazi or your perspective is

1843
01:40:20,880 --> 01:40:24,317
[__] you know, fill in the blank,
David Tal, whoever it is, right? Joey

1844
01:40:24,400 --> 01:40:27,437
Diaz, Brian Holtzman, like whatever it is.
It doesn't it doesn't matter. It's

1845
01:40:27,520 --> 01:40:30,957
like it's what's funny is funny. And it
might not be your thing. Like that's the

1846
01:40:31,040 --> 01:40:34,877
thing, too. The one of the problems with
comedy is that there's only one there's

1847
01:40:34,960 --> 01:40:37,757
like one label and you might go see like

1848
01:40:37,840 --> 01:40:42,477
Brian Holtzman is like death metal
comedy or you might see Nate Batsi who's

1849
01:40:42,560 --> 01:40:47,117
like, you know, I don't know what's the,
you know, what's equivalent. Well, uh,

1850
01:40:47,200 --> 01:40:49,437
Leanne Morgan is another one that was

1851
01:40:49,520 --> 01:40:52,957
kind of out of nowhere, uh, became very

1852
01:40:53,040 --> 01:40:56,637
successful because she has that, uh,

1853
01:40:56,720 --> 01:41:00,557
clean southern humor and,

1854
01:41:00,640 --> 01:41:04,317
um, the Netflix embraced her and all of

1855
01:41:04,400 --> 01:41:08,797
the sudden she is touring
and doing concerts.

1856
01:41:08,880 --> 01:41:10,237
>> Yeah. All you have to do is be funny.

1857
01:41:10,320 --> 01:41:13,277
It's like funny from whatever
perspective you're coming from. And

1858
01:41:13,360 --> 01:41:16,477
again, it's not going to be for everybody.
That's just how it is, >> right?

1859
01:41:16,560 --> 01:41:20,637
>> There's a lot of people that aren't
going to like A or B. It doesn't matter.

1860
01:41:20,720 --> 01:41:23,757
Doesn't matter. It's just But the thing
about comedy is like when you go to a

1861
01:41:23,840 --> 01:41:26,077
comedy club, >> you don't
know what you're going to get.

1862
01:41:26,160 --> 01:41:29,677
You might get Run DMC or you
might get AC/DC. You have no idea.

1863
01:41:29,760 --> 01:41:32,797
>> Right. Right. >> It's just
it's all just comedy. But I

1864
01:41:32,880 --> 01:41:34,877
think that's one
of the cool things about it.

1865
01:41:34,960 --> 01:41:37,757
>> Right. And I um I
totally agree with you

1866
01:41:37,840 --> 01:41:41,917
and I want to uh be able to do that one

1867
01:41:42,000 --> 01:41:46,237
hour straight comedy. No. Uh there was

1868
01:41:46,320 --> 01:41:49,357
an interesting thing that happened

1869
01:41:49,440 --> 01:41:54,637
about a a year ago or so. Um I a young

1870
01:41:54,720 --> 01:41:56,317
comedian

1871
01:41:56,400 --> 01:42:00,797
uh um he he said, you know, I was

1872
01:42:00,880 --> 01:42:04,397
writing some jokes and he was helping me

1873
01:42:04,480 --> 01:42:07,197
and he said, "Yakob,

1874
01:42:07,280 --> 01:42:09,597
you know that you're not a stand-up

1875
01:42:09,680 --> 01:42:13,597
comedian. You're a one-man show." And I

1876
01:42:13,680 --> 01:42:16,557
go at first I was like kind of what what

1877
01:42:16,640 --> 01:42:20,157
are you talking about and because I tell

1878
01:42:20,240 --> 01:42:24,317
I tell in France it's
like more storytelling

1879
01:42:24,400 --> 01:42:26,797
and not just punchline punchline

1880
01:42:26,880 --> 01:42:29,997
punchline and and he was he was correct.

1881
01:42:30,080 --> 01:42:34,477
So I at first I got kind of like what do

1882
01:42:34,560 --> 01:42:36,397
you mean who are you to tell me I'm not

1883
01:42:36,480 --> 01:42:40,317
a stand-up comedian? And then I go uh

1884
01:42:40,400 --> 01:42:44,237
Chad JPT uh is Yakov a stand-up comedian

1885
01:42:44,320 --> 01:42:49,597
or is he one-man show? And Chad GPT said

1886
01:42:49,680 --> 01:42:51,917
Yakov Smeirnov used to be a stand-up

1887
01:42:52,000 --> 01:42:55,837
comedian and now he is a one-man show

1888
01:42:55,920 --> 01:42:58,237
and now coming from Chad GPT I'm going

1889
01:42:58,320 --> 01:43:01,197
dang [laughter] that's

1890
01:43:01,280 --> 01:43:04,497
that's now official. Wait a minute. So,

1891
01:43:04,580 --> 01:43:07,197
[snorts] it took me a whole year to

1892
01:43:07,280 --> 01:43:10,157
rewrite everything that I needed to

1893
01:43:10,240 --> 01:43:12,877
rewrite to say it's punchline,

1894
01:43:12,960 --> 01:43:16,317
punchline. It's just straight comedy.

1895
01:43:16,400 --> 01:43:18,637
So, I became a stand-up comedian again.

1896
01:43:18,720 --> 01:43:22,317
>> Well, there's nothing wrong with one
man show standup comedy either cuz some

1897
01:43:22,400 --> 01:43:25,037
people do their comedy like a one-man

1898
01:43:25,120 --> 01:43:29,437
show and some of the best comics like
Colin Quinn. Colin Quinn does a series

1899
01:43:29,520 --> 01:43:34,077
of oneman shows, but if you ask Chat GPT,
who is Colin Quinn? He'll say he's

1900
01:43:34,160 --> 01:43:39,197
a stand-up comedian, >> right?
But Chad GPT got me wrong.

1901
01:43:39,280 --> 01:43:42,557
Whatever it was, >> it doesn't
matter. It's not even a person,

1902
01:43:42,640 --> 01:43:44,877
>> right? [__] But but [snorts] it's

1903
01:43:44,960 --> 01:43:49,277
actually helped me to um tune in uh my

1904
01:43:49,360 --> 01:43:53,517
comedy and because I was maybe a little

1905
01:43:53,600 --> 01:43:57,677
bit more relaxed being in my own theater

1906
01:43:57,760 --> 01:44:00,957
with all people coming to see me.

1907
01:44:01,040 --> 01:44:04,477
>> So it's not like you're
in a club when you're like

1908
01:44:04,560 --> 01:44:08,397
>> with other comedians when you
have to be really really sharp.

1909
01:44:08,480 --> 01:44:10,717
>> And that's what I think it did for me.

1910
01:44:10,800 --> 01:44:13,917
So I spent a year doing that. Now I have

1911
01:44:14,000 --> 01:44:17,677
that hour and I'm ready to go and that's

1912
01:44:17,760 --> 01:44:19,837
why I went on the tour.

1913
01:44:19,920 --> 01:44:24,797
>> That's awesome. I love I love when
comics are still interested in it and

1914
01:44:24,880 --> 01:44:27,757
still writing and still love
it after all these years.

1915
01:44:27,840 --> 01:44:29,997
>> Absolutely. >> You know
who I I draw some inspiration

1916
01:44:30,080 --> 01:44:31,837
from as well as Argus Hamilton.

1917
01:44:31,920 --> 01:44:35,117
>> Yeah. >> Argus is still killing it.

1918
01:44:35,200 --> 01:44:37,517
>> Still killing it in LA. >> Keeps going.

1919
01:44:37,600 --> 01:44:40,397
>> And every time there's something new
in the news, he's got always got a great

1920
01:44:40,480 --> 01:44:43,437
[__] line about it.
He's a funny dude. He is

1921
01:44:43,520 --> 01:44:46,157
>> and he's still getting
after. He still loves it.

1922
01:44:46,240 --> 01:44:50,237
>> And you know, Argus used to like
famously be into the substances. And uh

1923
01:44:50,320 --> 01:44:54,957
now all he does is run. And >> I
remember one time we were uh at the

1924
01:44:55,040 --> 01:44:57,917
comedy store and we were in the parking
lot and it was uh after the show and

1925
01:44:58,000 --> 01:45:01,597
Argus showed up with [__] running
shoes on. Just ran in and I'm like,

1926
01:45:01,680 --> 01:45:05,037
"What are you doing, man?"
And he's like, "I I have to run every day

1927
01:45:05,120 --> 01:45:08,717
>> and do a set." Because to him
that's his motivation. Yeah.

1928
01:45:08,800 --> 01:45:12,557
>> He does like I think he runs like 10
miles a day. Yeah, >> he's in his 70s.

1929
01:45:12,640 --> 01:45:15,117
>> And interesting that, you know, when I

1930
01:45:15,200 --> 01:45:19,437
was so naive because uh Argus was uh

1931
01:45:19,520 --> 01:45:23,597
very friendly with Mitsy um and I I

1932
01:45:23,680 --> 01:45:26,317
would go to their house and I would see

1933
01:45:26,400 --> 01:45:28,957
Argus there in the morning and I was

1934
01:45:29,040 --> 01:45:34,497
like why is you know and I I couldn't
connect those two things. I mean

1935
01:45:34,580 --> 01:45:38,317
[laughter] I I could not
I I mean honestly it was

1936
01:45:38,400 --> 01:45:40,637
it [snorts] was I'll tell you how naive

1937
01:45:40,720 --> 01:45:44,237
I was. Uh so Mitzy gives me that work

1938
01:45:44,320 --> 01:45:50,077
right up um and I live in that house
and Andrew Dice Clay moves into that house

1939
01:45:50,160 --> 01:45:51,197
right [laughter]

1940
01:45:51,280 --> 01:45:54,877
and Andrew teaches me English. Okay, can

1941
01:45:54,960 --> 01:45:58,077
you imagine that? Rob

1942
01:45:58,160 --> 01:46:01,597
[laughter] and so but but that was a

1943
01:46:01,680 --> 01:46:05,517
party house. I mean,
this was a house where uh

1944
01:46:05,600 --> 01:46:06,797
>> was Kenisonson living there then?

1945
01:46:06,880 --> 01:46:09,117
>> Kenisonson would
just hang out there all

1946
01:46:09,200 --> 01:46:11,917
the time. And

1947
01:46:12,000 --> 01:46:14,477
uh they would scream at each other,

1948
01:46:14,560 --> 01:46:18,317
Andrew and uh and Kenisonson. And and

1949
01:46:18,400 --> 01:46:19,997
that was just kind of a joke between

1950
01:46:20,080 --> 01:46:22,557
those two and they go

1951
01:46:22,640 --> 01:46:25,357
and I would have to go to bed because I

1952
01:46:25,440 --> 01:46:30,237
got to get up early in the morning to go
work and those guys are screaming at

1953
01:46:30,320 --> 01:46:31,997
each other.

1954
01:46:32,080 --> 01:46:34,797
uh just for fun. And I go downstairs and

1955
01:46:34,880 --> 01:46:39,677
I go, "Hey guys, your friends, stop."
So I'm we're playing this joke and they're

1956
01:46:39,760 --> 01:46:41,597
Yeah.

1957
01:46:41,680 --> 01:46:44,717
screaming. And I go, "You know what? Why

1958
01:46:44,800 --> 01:46:47,117
don't you you're close to the comedy

1959
01:46:47,200 --> 01:46:50,237
store. Why don't you go downstairs and

1960
01:46:50,320 --> 01:46:52,957
scream there?" And they looked at each

1961
01:46:53,040 --> 01:46:56,717
other and go, "Okay, let's go." So, it's

1962
01:46:56,800 --> 01:46:59,597
midnight and we're all going whoever

1963
01:46:59,680 --> 01:47:03,677
lived there going to the comedy store

1964
01:47:03,760 --> 01:47:07,117
and Sam gets on stage and start

1965
01:47:07,200 --> 01:47:09,997
screaming. This is the first time that

1966
01:47:10,080 --> 01:47:13,517
he ever got on stage and he went to the

1967
01:47:13,600 --> 01:47:18,317
and there very few people in the
audience and he went into their face.

1968
01:47:18,400 --> 01:47:22,077
Ah, you >> No way.
>> That's where it came from.

1969
01:47:22,160 --> 01:47:23,837
>> That's where it came from. And then

1970
01:47:23,920 --> 01:47:27,597
after that it just became like his his

1971
01:47:27,680 --> 01:47:30,637
thing and the rest is history.

1972
01:47:30,720 --> 01:47:31,917
>> That's crazy.

1973
01:47:32,000 --> 01:47:35,677
>> Yeah, that was that
was happening there.

1974
01:47:35,760 --> 01:47:37,757
A lot of stuff was happening there. They

1975
01:47:37,840 --> 01:47:41,517
would come and do drugs, you know, like

1976
01:47:41,600 --> 01:47:44,877
uh Robin and Richard Richard Prior, they

1977
01:47:44,960 --> 01:47:47,357
would do. And I

1978
01:47:47,440 --> 01:47:50,237
tells you this is silly, but I would

1979
01:47:50,320 --> 01:47:53,277
wake up in the morning and I would see a

1980
01:47:53,360 --> 01:47:56,477
mirror on the table, right? [laughter]

1981
01:47:56,560 --> 01:48:01,917
Okay. So, bear with me. So, and there's
like white powder on the table.

1982
01:48:02,000 --> 01:48:03,437
>> So, you'd clean it up.

1983
01:48:03,520 --> 01:48:06,477
>> I was thinking they're eating donuts

1984
01:48:06,560 --> 01:48:09,117
off the mirror. So I would clean

1985
01:48:09,200 --> 01:48:12,317
whatever it was, hang it up. And next

1986
01:48:12,400 --> 01:48:14,637
morning I go, Argus,

1987
01:48:14,720 --> 01:48:17,437
why don't you guys use plates? You have

1988
01:48:17,520 --> 01:48:22,157
a dishwasher. What? And they would laugh
at me and they wouldn't tell me what's

1989
01:48:22,240 --> 01:48:24,877
going on. >> Well, weren't they
mad that you threw away their

1990
01:48:24,960 --> 01:48:28,727
>> No, no, there was not much. I mean,
it was just Yeah. Well, there residue. I I

1991
01:48:28,810 --> 01:48:31,597
[snorts] had no idea. I wasn't testing.

1992
01:48:31,680 --> 01:48:34,397
>> That's how much coke they had
that they left some of it on the mirror.

1993
01:48:34,480 --> 01:48:34,877
>> Yeah. Isn't

1994
01:48:34,960 --> 01:48:38,317
>> that crazy? That's crazy. It it was and

1995
01:48:38,400 --> 01:48:42,397
but I didn't know. So I kind of lived in

1996
01:48:42,480 --> 01:48:48,077
that wholesome kind of a world in that >>
So you were there while Kenisonson was

1997
01:48:48,160 --> 01:48:50,237
developing? >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Wow.

1998
01:48:50,320 --> 01:48:55,117
>> Yeah. Did he arrive at the store
around the same time that you did?

1999
01:48:55,200 --> 01:48:56,957
>> A little bit later. A >> little later.

2000
01:48:57,040 --> 01:48:59,677
>> Yeah. A little later. >> Well,
like what year did he arrive?

2001
01:48:59,760 --> 01:49:03,037
>> Probably 79, I would say.

2002
01:49:03,120 --> 01:49:07,037
>> And he really around like what? 85.

2003
01:49:07,120 --> 01:49:11,277
86. >> Yes. Yes.
>> I think 85 he did Letterman.

2004
01:49:11,360 --> 01:49:16,317
>> Yes. Yes. >> And then 86 he had
that HBO special that blew him up.

2005
01:49:16,400 --> 01:49:19,197
>> Probably. Yeah. >> Probably.

2006
01:49:19,280 --> 01:49:21,997
>> But >> you know how I found out about
Kenisonson? It's a funny story. I've

2007
01:49:22,080 --> 01:49:25,917
told it before. I apologize if the
audience has heard it. I was working at

2008
01:49:26,000 --> 01:49:28,957
a health club at a a gym called the

2009
01:49:29,040 --> 01:49:31,117
Boston Athletic Club in South Boston.

2010
01:49:31,200 --> 01:49:35,437
And I was a trainer. I teach people how
to lift weights. And there was this girl

2011
01:49:35,520 --> 01:49:38,717
who was a volleyball player. She
was hilarious. She was this big girl, big

2012
01:49:38,800 --> 01:49:43,037
athletic girl. She was very funny. She
was just like boisterous, like a really

2013
01:49:43,120 --> 01:49:48,077
loud, funny lady. And she was like
my age. And um she told me about

2014
01:49:48,160 --> 01:49:51,917
Kenisonson. And then she told me about
his bit. She's like, "Oh my god, I saw

2015
01:49:52,000 --> 01:49:55,997
this guy on HBO." She had a like heavy
Boston accent. This guy on HBO. He was

2016
01:49:56,080 --> 01:49:57,917
so [__] hilarious. And he did this

2017
01:49:58,000 --> 01:50:01,437
bit about uh people having sex with

2018
01:50:01,520 --> 01:50:04,877
corpses. So she does this bit. She laid

2019
01:50:04,960 --> 01:50:07,277
down in the parking lot of the Boston

2020
01:50:07,360 --> 01:50:09,517
Athletic Club and did that bit. So

2021
01:50:09,600 --> 01:50:12,237
Kenisonson had a very famous bit about

2022
01:50:12,320 --> 01:50:15,117
homosexual necriliacs who were paying

2023
01:50:15,200 --> 01:50:18,397
money to spend moments alone with the

2024
01:50:18,480 --> 01:50:21,517
freshest male corpses. So she is lying

2025
01:50:21,600 --> 01:50:26,077
down on the parking lot in on the ground
in the parking lot. She's and she's like

2026
01:50:26,160 --> 01:50:28,157
in like, "Oh, I'm going to lie down."

2027
01:50:28,240 --> 01:50:31,677
She's she did the whole thing. I'm going
to be with Jesus and now I'm dead. OH,

2028
01:50:31,760 --> 01:50:35,757
WHAT IS THIS? FEELS LIKE SOMEONE'S
[__] ME in the ass. YOU MEAN LIFE

2029
01:50:35,840 --> 01:50:37,597
KEEPS [__] you in the ass? EVEN AFTER

2030
01:50:37,680 --> 01:50:40,317
YOU'RE DEAD, IT NEVER ENDS. SO, SHE was

2031
01:50:40,400 --> 01:50:43,117
doing his bit and I was laughing at her

2032
01:50:43,200 --> 01:50:47,517
doing his bit. I'm like, I got to see
this guy. This is crazy. So, that was my

2033
01:50:47,600 --> 01:50:49,757
introduction to Sam Kenisonson, my

2034
01:50:49,840 --> 01:50:54,717
friend, lying on her stomach doing an
impression. I'll never forget that, man.

2035
01:50:54,800 --> 01:50:56,397
Because I was 19 years old. I remember

2036
01:50:56,480 --> 01:50:58,717
that and I remember think so it was 86.

2037
01:50:58,800 --> 01:51:01,997
So, I remember thinking, "This is crazy.

2038
01:51:02,080 --> 01:51:05,597
Unbelievable. That's >> it was so
I had no desire to do comedy

2039
01:51:05,680 --> 01:51:09,757
back then. I wasn't even thinking about
it. It wasn't even on my radar. It was

2040
01:51:09,840 --> 01:51:12,797
never even a thought. I loved comedy.
I loved watching it, but I never thought

2041
01:51:12,880 --> 01:51:15,677
about that. >> So,
what made you What was the the

2042
01:51:15,760 --> 01:51:17,597
transition when you started?

2043
01:51:17,680 --> 01:51:21,277
>> Well, I was uh heavily invested in

2044
01:51:21,360 --> 01:51:23,677
martial arts. That's all I wanted to do.

2045
01:51:23,760 --> 01:51:28,717
All I wanted was I was my my goal was to
compete and that's all I was doing. It's

2046
01:51:28,800 --> 01:51:31,677
the reason why I got the job at the gym
so that I could have a place that I

2047
01:51:31,760 --> 01:51:33,997
could work out and also I could make

2048
01:51:34,080 --> 01:51:37,197
money there. And um my friends that I

2049
01:51:37,280 --> 01:51:41,437
used to train with, they're the ones
who told me to do comedy. But I was like,

2050
01:51:41,520 --> 01:51:46,797
"Listen, you laugh at me because you're
also psychos. Like the things I'm saying

2051
01:51:46,880 --> 01:51:50,477
are [__] crazy. [clears throat] Like
you're we're all fighters. We're all

2052
01:51:50,560 --> 01:51:52,237
traveling around the country fighting.

2053
01:51:52,320 --> 01:51:54,397
Like this is not a normal activity.

2054
01:51:54,480 --> 01:51:56,397
You're these This is not normal humor."

2055
01:51:56,480 --> 01:51:59,517
But my good friend Steve Graham, who I'm
still friends with to this day, he's the

2056
01:51:59,600 --> 01:52:02,797
one who talked me into doing it.
And then I went to an open mic night and I

2057
01:52:02,880 --> 01:52:06,317
realized, oh, everybody sucks in the
beginning. Like it's just like martial

2058
01:52:06,400 --> 01:52:09,357
arts. You start off, you suck
and then you get better at it.

2059
01:52:09,440 --> 01:52:13,757
>> But my introduction to comedy
was that lady really my introduction to

2060
01:52:13,840 --> 01:52:17,197
Kenisonson rather. The idea >> cuz
I when I saw Kenisonson, I was like,

2061
01:52:17,280 --> 01:52:21,117
"Oh, comedy is a lot of different things.
It's different. There's a lot of

2062
01:52:21,200 --> 01:52:24,397
different forms to it." >> Yeah.
cuz I always saw guys like Jerry

2063
01:52:24,480 --> 01:52:27,837
Seinfeld who were very funny and they
tell these jokes but I never thought

2064
01:52:27,920 --> 01:52:29,837
that was me. I couldn't do that.

2065
01:52:29,920 --> 01:52:32,877
>> But I saw Kenisonson I was like,
"Oh, this a bunch of different kinds of

2066
01:52:32,960 --> 01:52:35,597
comedy. This is very interesting."

2067
01:52:35,680 --> 01:52:37,517
>> And then when I started out

2068
01:52:37,600 --> 01:52:41,117
>> in 88, boy, the guys in Boston used to

2069
01:52:41,200 --> 01:52:43,517
talk about the comedy store like it was

2070
01:52:43,600 --> 01:52:45,997
mecca. Like you had to go there. You had

2071
01:52:46,080 --> 01:52:48,717
to go to the store. The store was where

2072
01:52:48,800 --> 01:52:53,197
Richard Prior started and Sam Kenisonson
and all the all these comics and David

2073
01:52:53,280 --> 01:52:57,117
Letterman, they all made they all came
out of the store. Bill Hicks, he was a

2074
01:52:57,200 --> 01:53:00,637
door man at the store >>
and everybody talked about the store.

2075
01:53:00,720 --> 01:53:03,997
>> It was one of those things where it
was like, you know, you had to go there.

2076
01:53:04,080 --> 01:53:07,197
>> And then uh when I first made uh got on

2077
01:53:07,280 --> 01:53:11,677
a television show, I flew out to LA to do
a pilot and that was the first time I

2078
01:53:11,760 --> 01:53:14,877
ever went to the store. And I remember
being so weirded out just being in the

2079
01:53:14,960 --> 01:53:16,877
building like, "Wow, I can't believe I'm

2080
01:53:16,960 --> 01:53:19,517
at the comedy store."

2081
01:53:19,600 --> 01:53:21,997
>> Now, when you when did you meet Mity?

2082
01:53:22,080 --> 01:53:25,917
>> I met Mitsy in 94. So, I did the pilot.

2083
01:53:26,000 --> 01:53:28,397
The pilot wound up getting picked up.

2084
01:53:28,480 --> 01:53:32,237
Then I came out and I was on a TV show
that it was it only lasted like six

2085
01:53:32,320 --> 01:53:34,237
episodes. It was called Hard Ball. It

2086
01:53:34,320 --> 01:53:37,437
was a sitcom about a baseball team and I

2087
01:53:37,520 --> 01:53:41,757
played the star player. I played
this crazy dude who's always crashing his

2088
01:53:41,840 --> 01:53:43,917
Lamborghini and that that kind of [__]

2089
01:53:44,000 --> 01:53:49,037
you know, and so um I would spend
my nights every night at the store. I

2090
01:53:49,120 --> 01:53:51,917
didn't have any friends and I didn't
know anybody there. So I just would just

2091
01:53:52,000 --> 01:53:54,637
go to the set and then after the set I'd

2092
01:53:54,720 --> 01:53:56,077
go hang out at the store and then I

2093
01:53:56,160 --> 01:53:59,117
eventually uh Mitsy uh showcased me. I

2094
01:53:59,200 --> 01:54:02,397
got uh became a non-paid regular so I

2095
01:54:02,480 --> 01:54:06,237
got to go on after the comedians
performed. So, the way it worked at the

2096
01:54:06,320 --> 01:54:10,637
comedy store, they'd have a show
that was scheduled from like 8:00 p.m. to

2097
01:54:10,720 --> 01:54:14,957
like 1:00 a.m. or close to it.
And then after it was probably like really

2098
01:54:15,040 --> 01:54:18,717
midnight, but it always was like 1:00 a.m.
by the time I got up. And then I

2099
01:54:18,800 --> 01:54:22,157
would go on after everybody else.
And I did that for a few months.

2100
01:54:22,240 --> 01:54:25,837
>> And then she passed me. And I remember
thinking like when when she passed me,

2101
01:54:25,920 --> 01:54:30,877
like I was like, "Oh, no. I I think I
can be a comedian now." Like this is I

2102
01:54:30,960 --> 01:54:32,557
actually can make a living doing this.

2103
01:54:32,640 --> 01:54:34,957
Because before then I
wasn't sure, >> right?

2104
01:54:35,040 --> 01:54:38,157
>> Even though I was getting paid and I
would do comedy, I'd get paid to do

2105
01:54:38,240 --> 01:54:42,637
comedy. It was still like very iffy.
I'd bomb a lot. It was like it wasn't

2106
01:54:42,720 --> 01:54:44,797
>> right. >> Also,
it was like in the middle of this

2107
01:54:44,880 --> 01:54:49,597
sitcom, so I was was working all day
and I I didn't want to do that anymore.

2108
01:54:49,680 --> 01:54:53,117
>> I mean, I I liked it because it paid
a lot of money, but it wasn't really my

2109
01:54:53,200 --> 01:54:55,357
thing. I wasn't into acting that much.

2110
01:54:55,440 --> 01:54:57,437
It was to me it was like

2111
01:54:57,520 --> 01:55:00,397
>> comedy was more exciting. It was live

2112
01:55:00,480 --> 01:55:04,637
live audiences. The sitcom thing was fun
because you got to use like your skills

2113
01:55:04,720 --> 01:55:06,957
and in telling jokes as a comedian,

2114
01:55:07,040 --> 01:55:09,837
>> but it wasn't the same thing.
And then I

2115
01:55:09,920 --> 01:55:15,357
got news radio, which was a much more
uh much better show. And then then I was

2116
01:55:15,440 --> 01:55:18,157
like, well, this is different. This is
there's other levels to this. And that's

2117
01:55:18,240 --> 01:55:22,157
how I met Hartman and all those other
people. But it was to me the most

2118
01:55:22,240 --> 01:55:25,197
important thing was getting passed
at the store. I was like, wow,

2119
01:55:25,280 --> 01:55:28,237
>> that was more important to me than
getting a sitcom or anything. I was

2120
01:55:28,320 --> 01:55:30,397
like, I can't believe it. I got past my

2121
01:55:30,480 --> 01:55:32,237
name's on the wall of the [__] comedy

2122
01:55:32,320 --> 01:55:35,277
store. Like, wow. It was so exciting.

2123
01:55:35,360 --> 01:55:37,677
>> In lights, too, now, right? Do you have

2124
01:55:37,760 --> 01:55:40,797
it? Is it in the neon inside?

2125
01:55:40,880 --> 01:55:45,517
>> Yeah, I'm on the wall inside. It's just
like this lady, Mity Shore, like people

2126
01:55:45,600 --> 01:55:49,357
don't understand. She was the most
important figure outside of all the

2127
01:55:49,440 --> 01:55:52,717
comedians, the most important
figure of in comedy. Yeah.

2128
01:55:52,800 --> 01:55:54,877
>> By far. There was no one like her. She

2129
01:55:54,960 --> 01:55:58,797
was and she was a mentor. She was like a

2130
01:55:58,880 --> 01:56:04,750
she was a she was a curator of a
mental health asylum. [laughter]

2131
01:56:05,040 --> 01:56:08,797
And she would joke around about it.
She was like, "The inmates are running the

2132
01:56:08,880 --> 01:56:13,037
asylum." >> And that was
originally when we came to

2133
01:56:13,120 --> 01:56:16,077
uh Texas, I was going
to call it the asylum.

2134
01:56:16,160 --> 01:56:19,597
>> Really? >> Yeah. Cuz I thought as a nod

2135
01:56:19,680 --> 01:56:24,397
>> as a nod to Mitsy. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
It turned out. But as a nod to Mitsy, the

2136
01:56:24,480 --> 01:56:27,837
idea was that like cuz she was always
saying the inmates are running the

2137
01:56:27,920 --> 01:56:31,837
assai. She would say that all the time
while we were there, like she encouraged

2138
01:56:31,920 --> 01:56:34,717
it. She liked when >>
comedians were out of their [__]

2139
01:56:34,800 --> 01:56:39,757
minds. She she loved it. She loved
that environment. And so as a nod to her,

2140
01:56:39,840 --> 01:56:42,477
>> we were going to call
it the asylum. But then

2141
01:56:42,560 --> 01:56:45,597
>> I was like, one of the
things that someone said,

2142
01:56:45,680 --> 01:56:48,797
>> because you know, Ron White was the
first guy to move here. He was really

2143
01:56:48,880 --> 01:56:53,117
like patient zero in the Austin comedy
experience. the new version of the

2144
01:56:53,200 --> 01:56:56,637
Austin Comedy Experience. And he
was like, "It's in the center of the

2145
01:56:56,720 --> 01:57:00,237
country. I love it cuz I could fly
to New York. I go to Florida. I go

2146
01:57:00,320 --> 01:57:03,917
everywhere. It's in the middle.
You know, it's like the flights aren't as

2147
01:57:04,000 --> 01:57:06,317
long. People are nice. I love it here."

2148
01:57:06,400 --> 01:57:10,157
And I was like, "Oh, well, it's like
the mother ship." And then all the other

2149
01:57:10,240 --> 01:57:15,357
places like Lynch launch out.
And also, I'm obsessed with UFOs.

2150
01:57:15,440 --> 01:57:17,437
[laughter] >> Obviously.
>> I can see. Right.

2151
01:57:17,520 --> 01:57:20,317
>> Yeah. Obviously,
I have a bit of a UFO problem.

2152
01:57:20,400 --> 01:57:23,837
>> Yeah. So that's why we called it the
mothership. But I mean the bar is named

2153
01:57:23,920 --> 01:57:24,717
Mitsy's.

2154
01:57:24,800 --> 01:57:28,877
>> Yes. Yes.
And it was I, you know, losing

2155
01:57:28,960 --> 01:57:33,917
her that early. I still think
she went too early, you know, in

2156
01:57:34,000 --> 01:57:38,157
>> Well, for me it was like she suffered
for so long. It was really hard to see

2157
01:57:38,240 --> 01:57:42,077
her. Uh, you know, she had
a neurological condition later in her

2158
01:57:42,160 --> 01:57:45,437
life. It was very hard to see her.
She would come around a store.

2159
01:57:45,520 --> 01:57:47,917
>> Yeah. >> But you know,
she nurtured so many

2160
01:57:48,000 --> 01:57:50,877
comedians and and helped us

2161
01:57:50,960 --> 01:57:55,757
Oh, and not always. Like sometimes
she had terrible advice. [laughter]

2162
01:57:55,840 --> 01:57:59,917
She would change your whole act, make
you have a fake name. She tried to turn

2163
01:58:00,000 --> 01:58:01,917
Joey Diaz into Fat Baby. Is that right?

2164
01:58:02,000 --> 01:58:04,157
>> That was his nickname or his name.

2165
01:58:04,240 --> 01:58:06,637
>> So on the lineup, instead of Joey Diaz,

2166
01:58:06,720 --> 01:58:10,397
it would say Fat Baby. [laughter]

2167
01:58:10,480 --> 01:58:12,717
>> She did that for like a couple years.

2168
01:58:12,800 --> 01:58:15,677
>> Wow. >> Yeah, it was nuts.
Yeah, you can find

2169
01:58:15,760 --> 01:58:19,517
some of the old lineups. Uh Jamie's
found them before online. It'll still

2170
01:58:19,600 --> 01:58:24,237
like line up from like 2001
or something like that. It says fat baby.

2171
01:58:24,320 --> 01:58:26,157
>> That's what she was calling them.

2172
01:58:26,240 --> 01:58:27,677
>> Yeah. And uh

2173
01:58:27,760 --> 01:58:30,237
>> she was a special person.
Such a special

2174
01:58:30,320 --> 01:58:33,597
person. And just that lady loved having

2175
01:58:33,680 --> 01:58:37,837
that place. She was she knew that there
was something going on there and there

2176
01:58:37,920 --> 01:58:42,397
had been something going on there that
was very unique in the world of comedy

2177
01:58:42,480 --> 01:58:47,117
and it was necessary, you know, to have
a place like that where the comics all

2178
01:58:47,200 --> 01:58:50,237
felt at home. Yeah. >> Like we
would perform in other places

2179
01:58:50,320 --> 01:58:52,797
like we would do sets at the improv. We

2180
01:58:52,880 --> 01:58:58,237
would do sets at the I remember one
time I did New Year's at the improv and I

2181
01:58:58,320 --> 01:59:01,437
came back to the club and Harris Pete
says, "I love it. You go over there, you

2182
01:59:01,520 --> 01:59:03,837
do your shows, but you come back home."

2183
01:59:03,920 --> 01:59:07,837
>> I was like, "Yeah, we're all this
is our home. This is our our weird [__]

2184
01:59:07,920 --> 01:59:11,837
home." >> Yeah. >> You know,
the home for lost children.

2185
01:59:11,920 --> 01:59:16,237
>> Like Mitzy would call it the the
home for the island of broken toys.

2186
01:59:16,320 --> 01:59:21,277
>> Yeah. just a bunch of weirdos, you
know, and but all like like feeding off of

2187
01:59:21,360 --> 01:59:22,557
each other.

2188
01:59:22,640 --> 01:59:26,317
>> But to be able to see somebody who is

2189
01:59:26,400 --> 01:59:28,797
barely speaks English

2190
01:59:28,880 --> 01:59:33,757
and does five minutes and

2191
01:59:33,840 --> 01:59:37,917
spot him somehow. >> Well,
she loves developing comics. She

2192
01:59:38,000 --> 01:59:42,317
loved developing comics. She loved
finding a comic and and and getting

2193
01:59:42,400 --> 01:59:46,397
them, which is one of the problems like
she didn't It's really interesting like

2194
01:59:46,480 --> 01:59:50,477
Jerry Seinfeld went and she didn't pass
him because he was already developed,

2195
01:59:50,560 --> 01:59:51,677
>> right? >> Isn't that crazy?

2196
01:59:51,760 --> 01:59:54,077
>> Yeah. >> Like she didn't
like that. She She was

2197
01:59:54,160 --> 01:59:56,157
already He's [laughter] done. He's done.

2198
01:59:56,240 --> 01:59:58,957
>> She liked taking people
when they were really raw.

2199
01:59:59,040 --> 02:00:00,877
>> That's true. And shaping them.

2200
02:00:00,960 --> 02:00:04,157
>> Rosanne was her big project. Sure.

2201
02:00:04,240 --> 02:00:05,517
>> She came a lot of big projects.

2202
02:00:05,600 --> 02:00:09,757
>> Denver. Yeah.
and uh and and so is um uh

2203
02:00:09,840 --> 02:00:13,357
Jim Carrey >> uh and many many others.

2204
02:00:13,440 --> 02:00:17,837
>> She also had like very specific like
techniques she would use to test you

2205
02:00:17,920 --> 02:00:21,117
like she would always take comics
and put them on like especially the Young

2206
02:00:21,200 --> 02:00:25,357
New ones after all the the really good
comics like she did with you when you're

2207
02:00:25,440 --> 02:00:29,037
talking about like doing that set
Richard Prior going up and Robin

2208
02:00:29,120 --> 02:00:31,357
Williams and that's what she would do.

2209
02:00:31,440 --> 02:00:34,397
She would take young comics that she
thought had potential and she would

2210
02:00:34,480 --> 02:00:38,077
shove them after the biggest names,
people that were killing.

2211
02:00:38,160 --> 02:00:42,557
>> Yeah. Yeah. >> Yeah. She was a >>
such a unique person and such an

2212
02:00:42,640 --> 02:00:44,077
important person in comedy

2213
02:00:44,160 --> 02:00:48,317
>> and and Peter um that was a big moment

2214
02:00:48,400 --> 02:00:51,437
of my life. I went to her funeral and

2215
02:00:51,520 --> 02:00:54,317
Peter her son asked me to be one of the

2216
02:00:54,400 --> 02:00:58,637
polebears in her um funeral and I felt

2217
02:00:58,720 --> 02:01:02,957
like full circle you know she gave me my

2218
02:01:03,040 --> 02:01:05,517
life you know to in a totally different

2219
02:01:05,600 --> 02:01:09,037
way if I didn't meet her god knows what

2220
02:01:09,120 --> 02:01:12,237
what I would be doing. No, I mean she

2221
02:01:12,320 --> 02:01:16,237
she helped all of us and I think uh it's
one of the reasons why we talk about her

2222
02:01:16,320 --> 02:01:19,037
so much and it's the reason
why we named the bar after her.

2223
02:01:19,120 --> 02:01:21,677
>> Yeah. >> Just to and
the spirit of what she was

2224
02:01:21,760 --> 02:01:25,277
trying to do at the store we try to do
at the mothership. It's all the weirdos.

2225
02:01:25,360 --> 02:01:28,157
Welcome weirdos.
[laughter] >> Welcome weirdos.

2226
02:01:28,240 --> 02:01:31,277
>> I'm in. >> Let's have fun. Let's go.

2227
02:01:31,360 --> 02:01:33,677
>> Yeah. >> How many times
have you uh performed at

2228
02:01:33,760 --> 02:01:35,677
the club now? Just do regular sets.

2229
02:01:35,760 --> 02:01:40,237
>> Twice. Yeah. Yeah.
It it it's feels like

2230
02:01:40,320 --> 02:01:44,237
the the original room uh the little
room, the little boy's room.

2231
02:01:44,320 --> 02:01:45,677
>> Well, you know what I say?
It's like the

2232
02:01:45,760 --> 02:01:49,517
little room is like if the original room

2233
02:01:49,600 --> 02:01:51,757
and the belly room had a baby [laughter]

2234
02:01:51,840 --> 02:01:54,317
>> and then the [clears
throat] big room is

2235
02:01:54,400 --> 02:01:56,637
like the original room
and the main room had a baby.

2236
02:01:56,720 --> 02:01:59,437
>> Right. Right. It's true. Very close.

2237
02:01:59,520 --> 02:02:01,437
>> It's true. But you've done a great job.

2238
02:02:01,520 --> 02:02:06,237
It feels It feels like home when you
walk in there. Well, I basically copied

2239
02:02:06,320 --> 02:02:07,677
everything that I learned from her.

2240
02:02:07,760 --> 02:02:09,837
Yeah. >> And added more Yes.

2241
02:02:09,920 --> 02:02:12,557
>> stuff that the comedians requested.

2242
02:02:12,640 --> 02:02:15,357
>> And it's interesting that I was helping

2243
02:02:15,440 --> 02:02:19,997
to build that belly room
and then Kill Tony started

2244
02:02:20,080 --> 02:02:22,477
>> in the belly room. >> Yeah.
You might have been the last

2245
02:02:22,560 --> 02:02:25,917
person to work on that belly room,
too, because that that [__] room scares

2246
02:02:26,000 --> 02:02:27,837
the [__] out of me. I' I've been in the

2247
02:02:27,920 --> 02:02:31,517
bottom like in the the uh bar area

2248
02:02:31,600 --> 02:02:35,357
ordering [snorts] a drink and like roast
battle will be on stage and you see the

2249
02:02:35,440 --> 02:02:39,117
ceiling move. You're like Jesus y off
get back up there with a [__] hammer

2250
02:02:39,200 --> 02:02:41,680
and [laughter]

2251
02:02:41,920 --> 02:02:45,277
add some support.

2252
02:02:45,360 --> 02:02:48,877
>> I'm not taking the responsibility.
I was just doing

2253
02:02:48,960 --> 02:02:53,987
>> booths and go structure.
That's good. Somebody was

2254
02:02:54,070 --> 02:02:57,197
[laughter] somebody. I just think
sometime [clears throat] like especially

2255
02:02:57,280 --> 02:02:59,517
there is no >> Rose Battle
when when you have Rose

2256
02:02:59,600 --> 02:03:01,437
Battle up there like they would get so

2257
02:03:01,520 --> 02:03:05,037
wild and rowdy and it would be packed.

2258
02:03:05,120 --> 02:03:09,517
It would be packed and it's only supposed
to seat like what 70 people or 80 people,

2259
02:03:09,600 --> 02:03:12,327
>> right? >> It would
be a lot more than that.

2260
02:03:12,410 --> 02:03:16,237
[laughter] The [__]
ceiling would move a little

2261
02:03:16,320 --> 02:03:19,357
when you were in the bar. You're like,
"Bro, I hope this doesn't cave in. That

2262
02:03:19,440 --> 02:03:22,157
would suck." >> Yeah. Yep. Yep. Yep.

2263
02:03:22,240 --> 02:03:24,157
>> That place is a magic place. And it's

2264
02:03:24,240 --> 02:03:26,237
also a magic place because it was like a

2265
02:03:26,320 --> 02:03:31,517
a magnet for crazy people. You'd have
the weirdest, nuttiest people that would

2266
02:03:31,600 --> 02:03:33,037
just come there. Like that one guy.

2267
02:03:33,120 --> 02:03:36,157
There's one guy that we used to come
there. He was a really nice guy. And he

2268
02:03:36,240 --> 02:03:40,397
would always dress as Jesus.
>> Yes, I remember that. Yeah. Do you do

2269
02:03:40,480 --> 02:03:42,157
you remember his name,
J? >> Heavenly Light.

2270
02:03:42,240 --> 02:03:45,197
>> That's right. And uh he wind up dying

2271
02:03:45,280 --> 02:03:47,197
and everybody was so sad. They were

2272
02:03:47,280 --> 02:03:49,277
really sad because this guy was it seems

2273
02:03:49,360 --> 02:03:52,397
like a gimmick, but it

2274
02:03:52,480 --> 02:03:57,117
we got used to it and he was really nice
and he was just like this nice guy that

2275
02:03:57,200 --> 02:04:00,077
dressed like Jesus all the time.
There he is. [laughter]

2276
02:04:00,160 --> 02:04:02,797
But it was part of the [__] cool,

2277
02:04:02,880 --> 02:04:06,317
crazy, weirdness of the comedy store is

2278
02:04:06,400 --> 02:04:10,797
that we had a guy that [clears throat]
dressed as Jesus that was there all the

2279
02:04:10,880 --> 02:04:15,037
time. >> Yeah. >> You know,
and like I don't know if he

2280
02:04:15,120 --> 02:04:17,917
ever did standup. Did he ever do standup?

2281
02:04:18,000 --> 02:04:21,197
>> I never saw him on stage, but he would

2282
02:04:21,280 --> 02:04:25,117
be in the room sometimes and he
definitely had timing to, you know, to,

2283
02:04:25,200 --> 02:04:27,757
you know, give a joke, but like I don't
remember ever seeing him like with a mic

2284
02:04:27,840 --> 02:04:30,077
in his hand. >> Isn't
that crazy though? Like he was

2285
02:04:30,160 --> 02:04:33,197
just always there hanging out and he was

2286
02:04:33,280 --> 02:04:38,157
like, but that was the part
of how nutty that place was,

2287
02:04:38,240 --> 02:04:40,797
>> right? >> The place was just strange.

2288
02:04:40,880 --> 02:04:43,677
>> Yeah. >> We ran into
so many like completely

2289
02:04:43,760 --> 02:04:45,437
schizophrenic people in the parking lot.

2290
02:04:45,520 --> 02:04:48,077
Not like they would they would just
wander their way back there and start

2291
02:04:48,160 --> 02:04:51,277
talking to us and [laughter]
explain to us about the voices there

2292
02:04:51,360 --> 02:04:55,437
>> on Brody's show with Zach. >> Oh wow.

2293
02:04:55,520 --> 02:04:58,637
>> Wow. Yeah.
I mean Brody had him on his show

2294
02:04:58,720 --> 02:05:01,437
was just that's how weird that place

2295
02:05:01,520 --> 02:05:07,437
was. It was just such
a [__] just an unusual spot.

2296
02:05:07,520 --> 02:05:09,837
>> Yeah. >> And so we've
done our best to make our

2297
02:05:09,920 --> 02:05:14,157
own version of that here. and and the uh

2298
02:05:14,240 --> 02:05:19,037
uh that Crest House was also
a crazy place, you know.

2299
02:05:19,120 --> 02:05:21,837
>> Yeah, I'm not doing that. I think that
was a terrible idea. [laughter] I'm not

2300
02:05:21,920 --> 02:05:25,837
going to buy a house and have a bunch of
comedians live in it. That sounds like a

2301
02:05:25,920 --> 02:05:31,197
recipe for [__] disaster.
I just can't manage all that. You know, I

2302
02:05:31,280 --> 02:05:34,157
almost bought Crest Hill at one point in
time. Really? Yeah. They were selling it

2303
02:05:34,240 --> 02:05:36,157
and I was really thinking about buying it,

2304
02:05:36,240 --> 02:05:38,717
>> but I had a dog
at the time. His name is

2305
02:05:38,800 --> 02:05:41,277
Frank Sinatra and Frank Sinatra was an

2306
02:05:41,360 --> 02:05:46,877
escape artist and that was not a big
enough I you know if you I'm a firm

2307
02:05:46,960 --> 02:05:50,077
believer that if you have a dog you
really have to have a big yard I think

2308
02:05:50,160 --> 02:05:52,797
otherwise it's cruel. I think the dog

2309
02:05:52,880 --> 02:05:57,437
dogs need exercise. They need they need
something. If you don't have a big yard

2310
02:05:57,520 --> 02:06:02,077
you got to be able to be able to take
that dog out every day and exercise and

2311
02:06:02,160 --> 02:06:04,317
bring them around. Otherwise it's rude.

2312
02:06:04,400 --> 02:06:07,197
>> And Crest Hill had that little tiny
backyard remember? And it was on the

2313
02:06:07,280 --> 02:06:09,837
hill. I'm like, "He's getting over this
fence like he was a pitbull." I'm like,

2314
02:06:09,920 --> 02:06:11,517
"He's getting over that fence like that.

2315
02:06:11,600 --> 02:06:13,517
That dog could get out of anything."

2316
02:06:13,600 --> 02:06:16,157
>> I was like, "That poor guy.
I'm not doing that to him."

2317
02:06:16,240 --> 02:06:18,157
>> So, I never bought
it because of my dog.

2318
02:06:18,240 --> 02:06:22,637
>> Like, literally, I was thinking about
buying that house and she was selling it

2319
02:06:22,720 --> 02:06:26,397
>> and but it was I went to look at it.
I went to look at it to see if I could buy

2320
02:06:26,480 --> 02:06:30,237
it. I think some comics might have
been even living there at the time.

2321
02:06:30,320 --> 02:06:34,237
>> So, this was like >> they sold
it several times since then. I

2322
02:06:34,320 --> 02:06:37,197
was just there not too long ago and

2323
02:06:37,280 --> 02:06:40,557
there it's all kind of destroyed because

2324
02:06:40,640 --> 02:06:42,557
the guy is kind of wacky and he's

2325
02:06:42,640 --> 02:06:47,997
remodeling it. >> But but it
was a a big part of my life.

2326
02:06:48,080 --> 02:06:49,117
Um

2327
02:06:49,200 --> 02:06:51,037
>> as I was living there in the little

2328
02:06:51,120 --> 02:06:55,437
room, Andrew Dlay downstairs

2329
02:06:55,520 --> 02:06:59,617
and he's teaching me how to date women.

2330
02:06:59,700 --> 02:07:02,397
[laughter] I know. I know it's it's

2331
02:07:02,480 --> 02:07:05,677
crazy but I was so naive and he was

2332
02:07:05,760 --> 02:07:08,477
clean at that time you know his act was

2333
02:07:08,560 --> 02:07:11,277
very clean he would tell you know he

2334
02:07:11,360 --> 02:07:14,957
would do impressions of uh Elvis and

2335
02:07:15,040 --> 02:07:18,077
John Travolta and Sylvester Stallone. So

2336
02:07:18,160 --> 02:07:23,757
he's and um and and he would be very

2337
02:07:23,840 --> 02:07:25,517
funny. We were pretty good friends. He

2338
02:07:25,600 --> 02:07:29,357
would just but he would play with me. He

2339
02:07:29,440 --> 02:07:32,957
would say, uh, he would play that, you

2340
02:07:33,040 --> 02:07:35,037
know, I would have a girlfriend come and

2341
02:07:35,120 --> 02:07:38,477
he would say, "So now you want me to go

2342
02:07:38,560 --> 02:07:40,957
downstairs? Can you imagine Andrew being

2343
02:07:41,040 --> 02:07:44,477
this, you know, crazy?" Said, "Now I got

2344
02:07:44,560 --> 02:07:48,797
to go downstairs and I'll
be all by myself and you're

2345
02:07:48,880 --> 02:07:51,357
going to be with this girl and you're my

2346
02:07:51,440 --> 02:07:54,157
best friend and how is that going?" I

2347
02:07:54,240 --> 02:07:56,637
go, "Get the hell out of here. She's

2348
02:07:56,720 --> 02:07:58,477
going to be here." And then she would

2349
02:07:58,560 --> 02:08:01,437
come and he would do it in front of her.

2350
02:08:01,520 --> 02:08:03,917
Well, you guys are going to have fun now

2351
02:08:04,000 --> 02:08:06,557
and I'm going to have to go downstairs.

2352
02:08:06,640 --> 02:08:08,797
There's nothing there. And you just play

2353
02:08:08,880 --> 02:08:13,677
and play along, you know. And then uh uh

2354
02:08:13,760 --> 02:08:16,637
Tom Wilson was living there, too. Uh Tom

2355
02:08:16,720 --> 02:08:20,957
is the guy who did um Biff in Back to

2356
02:08:21,040 --> 02:08:23,917
the Future. He was the the the bad guy,

2357
02:08:24,000 --> 02:08:28,717
right? And so Tom was kind of a cleancut

2358
02:08:28,800 --> 02:08:34,157
guy and Andrew was, you know, um, not.

2359
02:08:34,240 --> 02:08:38,237
So, so, uh, so one time I was supposed

2360
02:08:38,320 --> 02:08:40,637
to break up with this girl. I wanted to

2361
02:08:40,720 --> 02:08:43,037
break up with her. And he goes, Andrew

2362
02:08:43,120 --> 02:08:45,837
goes, "I I have an idea for you. We're

2363
02:08:45,920 --> 02:08:47,837
going to go to a jewelry store. We're

2364
02:08:47,920 --> 02:08:50,637
going to get a a gift for her so it will

2365
02:08:50,720 --> 02:08:55,037
be easy to break up." So, we go, we buy

2366
02:08:55,120 --> 02:08:58,397
a ring and I'll bring it I brought it

2367
02:08:58,480 --> 02:09:03,117
back and I go, "Uh, Tom, um, Andrew told

2368
02:09:03,200 --> 02:09:05,197
me to buy this ring to give it to this

2369
02:09:05,280 --> 02:09:08,397
girl so it would be an easy breakup."

2370
02:09:08,480 --> 02:09:10,557
And he looks and he goes, "It's an

2371
02:09:10,640 --> 02:09:13,677
engagement ring. You know that, right?"

2372
02:09:13,760 --> 02:09:18,237
And I go, "But Andrew
told me to buy it." Hungry.

2373
02:09:18,320 --> 02:09:20,237
He goes,

2374
02:09:20,320 --> 02:09:23,597
uh, uh, Tom goes, Andrew is not a

2375
02:09:23,680 --> 02:09:28,717
representative of a human race,
[laughter] so don't listen to what he's

2376
02:09:28,800 --> 02:09:32,877
saying. So that's how it was kind of a fun

2377
02:09:32,960 --> 02:09:35,117
relationship, but it was interesting

2378
02:09:35,200 --> 02:09:38,397
because I was very enterprising

2379
02:09:38,480 --> 02:09:40,717
and I'm working for Mity, you know,

2380
02:09:40,800 --> 02:09:44,477
she's paying me whatever minimum wage um

2381
02:09:44,560 --> 02:09:48,237
and but I'm saving money and we live

2382
02:09:48,320 --> 02:09:50,557
with those guys and to have a twocar

2383
02:09:50,640 --> 02:09:54,877
garage but no cars in it. So, a friend

2384
02:09:54,960 --> 02:09:58,317
of mine says to me, "Why don't we go to

2385
02:09:58,400 --> 02:10:01,517
Germany together? We borrow some money.

2386
02:10:01,600 --> 02:10:05,677
We buy two Mercedes and we'll sell one

2387
02:10:05,760 --> 02:10:09,997
and we'll get one for free." It was kind

2388
02:10:10,080 --> 02:10:13,917
of a interesting idea. So, we went with

2389
02:10:14,000 --> 02:10:16,957
some complications. I was able to bring

2390
02:10:17,040 --> 02:10:18,717
two cars

2391
02:10:18,800 --> 02:10:21,597
and sold one. So, so here's these guys

2392
02:10:21,680 --> 02:10:26,157
are sleeping till like noon and they

2393
02:10:26,240 --> 02:10:27,997
don't have a car and they don't they're

2394
02:10:28,080 --> 02:10:31,757
just bombing and I have two Mercedes in

2395
02:10:31,840 --> 02:10:34,477
the garage. I sell one

2396
02:10:34,560 --> 02:10:38,317
and then I go to Europe. They hired me

2397
02:10:38,400 --> 02:10:41,117
to do a Bob Monhouse show which was a

2398
02:10:41,200 --> 02:10:44,237
kind of a Johnny Carson show for um

2399
02:10:44,320 --> 02:10:46,717
England. and I fly there and they give

2400
02:10:46,800 --> 02:10:51,597
me a bag of money, 10,000 euros, not

2401
02:10:51,680 --> 02:10:55,677
eos, pounds, uh, in a bag to do their

2402
02:10:55,760 --> 02:10:58,797
show. So, I buy a Rolls-Royce and ship

2403
02:10:58,880 --> 02:11:03,197
it to America. So, now I have a Mercedes

2404
02:11:03,280 --> 02:11:05,197
450 SL [laughter]

2405
02:11:05,280 --> 02:11:09,117
and a Rolls-Royce, but I live in a room

2406
02:11:09,200 --> 02:11:11,517
for $120

2407
02:11:11,600 --> 02:11:15,917
a month, right? And so,

2408
02:11:16,000 --> 02:11:19,997
um, this is how weird it is. And, and

2409
02:11:20,080 --> 02:11:22,157
this, and I want to buy a house, but I

2410
02:11:22,240 --> 02:11:25,597
don't have enough money. So, this

2411
02:11:25,680 --> 02:11:29,197
realtor passes by one day, and I'm

2412
02:11:29,280 --> 02:11:31,997
polishing a Rolls-Royce. And she goes,

2413
02:11:32,080 --> 02:11:36,637
"Can I borrow like a hammer
to put the sign in?"

2414
02:11:36,720 --> 02:11:38,637
I go, "You know what? You're a realtor.

2415
02:11:38,720 --> 02:11:40,637
Maybe you can help me. I'm looking for a

2416
02:11:40,720 --> 02:11:42,477
house."

2417
02:11:42,560 --> 02:11:46,397
um on and I liked when Mity had that big

2418
02:11:46,480 --> 02:11:49,597
house, 5,000 square feet overlooking LA.

2419
02:11:49,680 --> 02:11:52,477
I'm like, I want something like that.

2420
02:11:52,560 --> 02:11:56,717
And I I said I tell her, I want a 5,000

2421
02:11:56,800 --> 02:12:00,397
square foot house um with an an acre of

2422
02:12:00,480 --> 02:12:05,517
land and I want to buy it for uh with

2423
02:12:05,600 --> 02:12:08,557
the view of LA and I want to buy it for

2424
02:12:08,640 --> 02:12:12,637
$150,000. And I'm thinking
she's going to hit me

2425
02:12:12,720 --> 02:12:14,557
with a hammer.

2426
02:12:14,640 --> 02:12:16,877
She goes, "I may have something for

2427
02:12:16,960 --> 02:12:20,477
you." And I go, "Really?" And she goes,

2428
02:12:20,560 --> 02:12:25,437
"Yeah." And she There was a house

2429
02:12:25,520 --> 02:12:28,157
uh literally like a block away from

2430
02:12:28,240 --> 02:12:31,437
where Mits was. Similar structure, only

2431
02:12:31,520 --> 02:12:34,717
it was destroyed. It was a house that

2432
02:12:34,800 --> 02:12:37,197
Laney Bruce used to live in

2433
02:12:37,280 --> 02:12:39,437
>> years ago.

2434
02:12:39,520 --> 02:12:43,357
uh was um the Seymour Cassell who is a

2435
02:12:43,440 --> 02:12:45,757
he is a character actor. I don't know if

2436
02:12:45,840 --> 02:12:48,797
he's still around. Maybe Jamie can find

2437
02:12:48,880 --> 02:12:52,797
it of him. Uh he was a character actor

2438
02:12:52,880 --> 02:12:58,077
and he got into drugs and lost that

2439
02:12:58,160 --> 02:13:05,117
house to his attorney who and and so um

2440
02:13:05,200 --> 02:13:07,117
so I go look at the house. It's totally

2441
02:13:07,200 --> 02:13:09,357
destroyed. But my parents needed a

2442
02:13:09,440 --> 02:13:12,477
project. They were and I needed them to

2443
02:13:12,560 --> 02:13:17,597
have a project. So I said, "How much
would he?" And he said, "He'll take

2444
02:13:17,680 --> 02:13:19,197
$150,000

2445
02:13:19,280 --> 02:13:22,477
because it's totally destroyed. There's

2446
02:13:22,560 --> 02:13:26,317
stuff swimming, but like there is a

2447
02:13:26,400 --> 02:13:30,237
stuff in the basement like flooded. The

2448
02:13:30,320 --> 02:13:33,277
the windows are broken, destroyed.

2449
02:13:33,360 --> 02:13:37,997
So, I buy that house and uh but I want

2450
02:13:38,080 --> 02:13:41,277
to buy it, but I have to get all the

2451
02:13:41,360 --> 02:13:42,797
paperwork

2452
02:13:42,880 --> 02:13:46,877
and I I go um I need this. There's some

2453
02:13:46,960 --> 02:13:50,717
kind of discrepancy that a sliver of the

2454
02:13:50,800 --> 02:13:53,357
land belongs to a neighbor or something

2455
02:13:53,440 --> 02:13:56,557
like that. So, I need to sign that guy

2456
02:13:56,640 --> 02:14:00,477
Seymour Cassell supposed to sign
something off. And I go, "Where am I

2457
02:14:00,560 --> 02:14:03,117
going to find him?" I go, the attorney

2458
02:14:03,200 --> 02:14:06,397
goes, I know where he is. He's in jail.

2459
02:14:06,480 --> 02:14:10,077
So, I go to jail and I figure I'm going

2460
02:14:10,160 --> 02:14:13,997
to offer him money to sign this paper.

2461
02:14:14,080 --> 02:14:19,277
And uh I I go in, I have like $500 in my

2462
02:14:19,360 --> 02:14:23,437
pocket. And I go, "Uh, I need you to

2463
02:14:23,520 --> 02:14:25,677
sign this paper."

2464
02:14:25,760 --> 02:14:29,117
And he goes, I said, "How much?" And he

2465
02:14:29,200 --> 02:14:31,117
goes, "50."

2466
02:14:31,200 --> 02:14:37,037
I go, "$50,000?" He said, 'N no $50.

2467
02:14:37,120 --> 02:14:39,677
I go, "Why $50?" He said, "They won't

2468
02:14:39,760 --> 02:14:43,917
allow us more than $50 in jail." So now

2469
02:14:44,000 --> 02:14:47,837
I'm in jail with a $100 bill trying to

2470
02:14:47,920 --> 02:14:51,037
get change, which is not a good place to

2471
02:14:51,120 --> 02:14:56,157
do it. I got it and now I own that that

2472
02:14:56,240 --> 02:14:58,637
beautiful home. >> You still have it?

2473
02:14:58,720 --> 02:15:02,397
>> No, I sold it. uh and uh moved to

2474
02:15:02,480 --> 02:15:04,397
Pacific Palisades

2475
02:15:04,480 --> 02:15:07,917
that time and when my kids were my

2476
02:15:08,000 --> 02:15:11,117
daughter was born and then had to sell

2477
02:15:11,200 --> 02:15:16,317
that house and lose a lot
of money to move to Branson. So,

2478
02:15:16,400 --> 02:15:17,837
>> and are you in Branson still?

2479
02:15:17,920 --> 02:15:21,517
>> I do. Yeah. I own Yeah, I owned a

2480
02:15:21,600 --> 02:15:22,717
theater there. And

2481
02:15:22,800 --> 02:15:25,837
>> so, how did you start coming out here?

2482
02:15:25,920 --> 02:15:30,717
It was a desire to kind of um do what I

2483
02:15:30,800 --> 02:15:36,877
I felt compelled that I can still offer

2484
02:15:36,960 --> 02:15:39,757
something valuable to the audience out

2485
02:15:39,840 --> 02:15:44,397
there watching Nate Burgazi

2486
02:15:44,480 --> 02:15:47,837
uh doing that. and he had me actually I

2487
02:15:47,920 --> 02:15:49,837
was in Florida

2488
02:15:49,920 --> 02:15:54,557
and uh I I wanted to go see his show and

2489
02:15:54,640 --> 02:15:59,037
he's in a um uh this uh Herz arena

2490
02:15:59,120 --> 02:16:04,157
12,000 something people and I I um I

2491
02:16:04,240 --> 02:16:06,157
asked if I could just go come see the

2492
02:16:06,240 --> 02:16:08,317
show and he said why don't you go on

2493
02:16:08,400 --> 02:16:13,437
stage and do a set and that was like I

2494
02:16:13,520 --> 02:16:16,237
walked out there

2495
02:16:16,320 --> 02:16:20,477
And I felt like I was

2496
02:16:20,560 --> 02:16:23,677
back in the 80s. You know, the audience

2497
02:16:23,760 --> 02:16:27,357
just the moment they said my name, they

2498
02:16:27,440 --> 02:16:29,837
knew who I was. That audience knows who

2499
02:16:29,920 --> 02:16:34,237
I am. So they just went crazy and I felt

2500
02:16:34,320 --> 02:16:37,117
like Rocky standing there bowing and

2501
02:16:37,200 --> 02:16:41,197
then I did like eight minutes and um so

2502
02:16:41,280 --> 02:16:44,637
he's very respectful and very he feels

2503
02:16:44,720 --> 02:16:48,397
like I one of the people that kind of

2504
02:16:48,480 --> 02:16:54,077
paved the way for comedy
to be what it is today.

2505
02:16:54,160 --> 02:16:57,837
>> That's awesome. >> So I've
been very blessed that you know.

2506
02:16:57,920 --> 02:17:00,797
And so how did you wind up in Austin?

2507
02:17:00,880 --> 02:17:06,397
>> Um I came here uh
for the festival that was that um

2508
02:17:06,480 --> 02:17:07,037
>> Moon Tower.

2509
02:17:07,120 --> 02:17:11,837
>> Moon Tower. And then I had Adam your

2510
02:17:11,920 --> 02:17:15,437
Adam got me a spot. Uh and that's when I

2511
02:17:15,520 --> 02:17:19,997
met Tony and Tony said why don't you be

2512
02:17:20,080 --> 02:17:23,597
a guest judge on my show? And I was

2513
02:17:23,680 --> 02:17:28,237
going with my family to Europe. um uh

2514
02:17:28,320 --> 02:17:31,517
because my family's from Ukraine. So my

2515
02:17:31,600 --> 02:17:36,237
wife's family from Ukraine. So they
moved to Europe and so we went there for

2516
02:17:36,320 --> 02:17:38,477
two months and I said, "Tony, I can't do

2517
02:17:38,560 --> 02:17:43,837
it right now, but end of August, I would
love to do it." And that's how it all

2518
02:17:43,920 --> 02:17:46,237
kind of came together. >> Wow.

2519
02:17:46,320 --> 02:17:49,757
>> Yeah. Small world,
but >> What are you doing tonight?

2520
02:17:49,840 --> 02:17:52,557
>> I don't have any plans. I was just was

2521
02:17:52,640 --> 02:17:55,357
hoping to get through through this, but

2522
02:17:55,440 --> 02:17:57,837
because you never know. I I'm hoping

2523
02:17:57,920 --> 02:18:00,397
that, you know, I I'll be happy to do

2524
02:18:00,480 --> 02:18:05,277
whatever is out there. You know, >>
you were hoping to get through the show.

2525
02:18:05,360 --> 02:18:05,917
You

2526
02:18:06,000 --> 02:18:09,677
>> Well, you have to know.
I mean, you your

2527
02:18:09,760 --> 02:18:14,637
show I don't think you can phantom how

2528
02:18:14,720 --> 02:18:16,957
big your show. I mean, I know you know

2529
02:18:17,040 --> 02:18:21,597
the numbers and you know, uh, but

2530
02:18:21,680 --> 02:18:24,397
to to get

2531
02:18:24,480 --> 02:18:27,197
to to have the conversation for three

2532
02:18:27,280 --> 02:18:30,637
hours and not really knowing where it's

2533
02:18:30,720 --> 02:18:34,237
going to go, what's going
to happen, how it's going to be,

2534
02:18:34,320 --> 02:18:36,557
you you get nervous, you know, and I

2535
02:18:36,640 --> 02:18:41,437
feel uh like I was uh going to uh

2536
02:18:41,520 --> 02:18:43,997
Nashville and there was Nashville comedy

2537
02:18:44,080 --> 02:18:46,877
festival Well, a year and a half ago and

2538
02:18:46,960 --> 02:18:51,277
I went there and um I walked into

2539
02:18:51,360 --> 02:18:55,517
Ryman's auditorium and um Brian Dorfman,

2540
02:18:55,600 --> 02:18:58,237
you probably know he's a promoter,

2541
02:18:58,320 --> 02:19:00,877
>> he remembered me from

2542
02:19:00,960 --> 02:19:03,837
the years in the past and there was a

2543
02:19:03,920 --> 02:19:09,677
show that uh uh all the Nate Betts

2544
02:19:09,760 --> 02:19:11,437
protes

2545
02:19:11,520 --> 02:19:15,357
were doing uh and and I walked in. I

2546
02:19:15,440 --> 02:19:17,437
didn't know what was going on. And he

2547
02:19:17,520 --> 02:19:21,437
said, "You want to go up?" And I go,

2548
02:19:21,520 --> 02:19:25,437
"Okay, I'll I'll go up." And I I went in

2549
02:19:25,520 --> 02:19:28,717
the middle of the show and I did 15

2550
02:19:28,800 --> 02:19:31,917
minutes and the crowd gave me a standing

2551
02:19:32,000 --> 02:19:35,037
ovation in the middle of the show. And I

2552
02:19:35,120 --> 02:19:38,317
I know it's I get emotional because I

2553
02:19:38,400 --> 02:19:41,357
feel like

2554
02:19:41,440 --> 02:19:44,637
an ugly duckling that goes in and

2555
02:19:44,720 --> 02:19:47,837
doesn't know if this young people going

2556
02:19:47,920 --> 02:19:51,197
to accept you or not. And can you still

2557
02:19:51,280 --> 02:19:53,997
do it? I was I'm in Branson for 33

2558
02:19:54,080 --> 02:19:56,717
years. I'm very comfortable in that

2559
02:19:56,800 --> 02:19:58,557
environment.

2560
02:19:58,640 --> 02:20:01,757
But going into with the young comedians,

2561
02:20:01,840 --> 02:20:04,237
it's like a boxer who hasn't been out

2562
02:20:04,320 --> 02:20:07,757
there. And there is um there is respect,

2563
02:20:07,840 --> 02:20:12,637
but also respect only last 30 seconds uh

2564
02:20:12,720 --> 02:20:14,877
after they introduce you, but then you

2565
02:20:14,960 --> 02:20:17,757
have to you have to prove that you got

2566
02:20:17,840 --> 02:20:21,837
what it takes. And that's what I feel

2567
02:20:21,920 --> 02:20:26,157
like I uh I want to continue to do this

2568
02:20:26,240 --> 02:20:29,197
because I believe I can still offer

2569
02:20:29,280 --> 02:20:32,317
something valuable uh to the audience

2570
02:20:32,400 --> 02:20:36,637
that that family audience that uh could

2571
02:20:36,720 --> 02:20:39,997
learn something from me, could
laugh with me, whatever it is.

2572
02:20:40,080 --> 02:20:43,037
>> That's very wholesome,
Yakov. You're a wholesome guy.

2573
02:20:43,120 --> 02:20:47,277
>> Well, thank you. [laughter] >> I
mean that with all sincerity. Well,

2574
02:20:47,360 --> 02:20:49,677
I'll tell you, it's interesting. I was

2575
02:20:49,760 --> 02:20:54,477
when I graduated from my um uh from

2576
02:20:54,560 --> 02:21:00,957
Pepperdine and I came to comedy
and magic club in my beach. I love that

2577
02:21:01,040 --> 02:21:03,357
place. >> Yeah, me too.
>> Shout out to Mike Lacy.

2578
02:21:03,440 --> 02:21:04,637
>> Yes. Yes. He's the best.

2579
02:21:04,720 --> 02:21:07,837
>> And I I showed up in my uh cap and gown

2580
02:21:07,920 --> 02:21:12,077
kind of proud. And Jay Jay Leno is there

2581
02:21:12,160 --> 02:21:17,437
all the time every Sunday.
And Jay goes, "So, what's up? What's up?

2582
02:21:17,520 --> 02:21:18,957
What's up with that? What's up with

2583
02:21:19,040 --> 02:21:21,757
that?" And I go, "Well, I decide to get

2584
02:21:21,840 --> 02:21:25,037
a a doctorate degree because I really

2585
02:21:25,120 --> 02:21:28,317
think that there is a

2586
02:21:28,400 --> 02:21:31,437
research on laughter that you could

2587
02:21:31,520 --> 02:21:33,997
really help people understand it

2588
02:21:34,080 --> 02:21:35,517
better."

2589
02:21:35,600 --> 02:21:39,037
And he goes, "Yakob, you're a comedian.

2590
02:21:39,120 --> 02:21:42,957
You write a joke, you tell a joke, you

2591
02:21:43,040 --> 02:21:46,557
pick up a check, and you go and you go

2592
02:21:46,640 --> 02:21:49,677
and and and that's it. And I go, "But

2593
02:21:49,760 --> 02:21:52,797
what about like humanity?" And no, no.

2594
02:21:52,880 --> 02:21:55,117
He goes, "No, no, you don't get it. You

2595
02:21:55,200 --> 02:21:58,957
write a joke, you tell a joke, and you

2596
02:21:59,040 --> 02:22:02,317
pick up a check, and that's it.

2597
02:22:02,400 --> 02:22:05,757
I I feel like there is more that I can

2598
02:22:05,840 --> 02:22:10,557
do." Well, you know, that's Jay's
perspective, right? My perspective is

2599
02:22:10,640 --> 02:22:14,557
much more aligned with yours. I think
there's a lot more going on. And I think

2600
02:22:14,640 --> 02:22:16,317
comedy is very valuable to people,

2601
02:22:16,400 --> 02:22:18,557
including me. If I don't feel good, then

2602
02:22:18,640 --> 02:22:21,757
I can go watch people tell great jokes

2603
02:22:21,840 --> 02:22:26,477
and laugh. I feel better. I like it.
I like it. People like it. People keep

2604
02:22:26,560 --> 02:22:29,597
coming to see it. There's a reason
why people come. It's It's medicine. It

2605
02:22:29,680 --> 02:22:32,077
really is. I know that's like very cliche.

2606
02:22:32,160 --> 02:22:33,757
>> Say laughter is medicine, but it is.

2607
02:22:33,840 --> 02:22:37,117
There's something to it.
>> It's a lubricant. It's like engine

2608
02:22:37,200 --> 02:22:40,717
without if you don't have oil in the

2609
02:22:40,800 --> 02:22:44,877
engine, it will not go.
And I think laughter

2610
02:22:44,960 --> 02:22:48,317
>> in the relationship is that lubricant.

2611
02:22:48,400 --> 02:22:52,157
>> Well, and with friends,
it's just a fun thing to do. Absolutely.

2612
02:22:52,240 --> 02:22:56,157
>> That's one of the reasons why I like
going there is like we get to hang out

2613
02:22:56,240 --> 02:22:59,997
together and laugh. >> Yes. >> Speaking
of which, do you want to do a set tonight?

2614
02:23:00,080 --> 02:23:04,637
>> Sure. You know anybody? >> Yeah.
I got I know a guy. It's It'd be

2615
02:23:04,720 --> 02:23:08,717
my show on my short. Yeah. Okay.

2616
02:23:08,800 --> 02:23:12,957
>> I'd love it. Oh my goodness. Wow.
We'll have some fun. What a gift.

2617
02:23:13,040 --> 02:23:16,877
>> And if people want to see you other
than that, you're on tour. Um what is the

2618
02:23:16,960 --> 02:23:22,317
website? Is it yakov.com? Yeah.
My next show is in Atlanta this

2619
02:23:22,400 --> 02:23:25,757
weekend. >> Well, people can go to it.
It's up on the screen. There it is.

2620
02:23:25,840 --> 02:23:30,317
>> Yeah. >> Standup podcast host legend.
You have your own podcast?

2621
02:23:30,400 --> 02:23:32,477
>> I I did for about a year.

2622
02:23:32,560 --> 02:23:36,557
>> What happened? Uh uh the baby was born.

2623
02:23:36,640 --> 02:23:39,917
>> Oh, you you're doing a lot of good
spots. You're doing the Punchline.

2624
02:23:40,000 --> 02:23:41,597
You're doing Punch Line in Sacramento.

2625
02:23:41,680 --> 02:23:44,957
You're doing Cobbs in San Francisco.

2626
02:23:45,040 --> 02:23:49,677
>> Comedy Works in in Greenville with uh
Greenwood, rather. That's the other

2627
02:23:49,760 --> 02:23:50,957
comedy works. There's two comedy works.

2628
02:23:51,040 --> 02:23:53,597
Nice. Sid spplitters. Great spots.

2629
02:23:53,680 --> 02:23:57,117
Beautiful. >> Yeah.
>> People will come see you, man.

2630
02:23:57,200 --> 02:23:58,717
>> And you're very funny. So, it's good.

2631
02:23:58,800 --> 02:24:00,157
It's good to see you out there still.

2632
02:24:00,240 --> 02:24:02,877
>> Thanks for having me. I really
appreciate it. I really enjoyed talking

2633
02:24:02,960 --> 02:24:06,477
to you in the green room. I'm glad we
did this cuz that's a crazy ass story.

2634
02:24:06,560 --> 02:24:09,597
>> Thank you. Thank you. >> My pleasure.
You're a good dude, Yakov.

2635
02:24:09,680 --> 02:24:11,037
I love you. >> Thank you. All right.

2636
02:24:11,120 --> 02:24:15,320
>> I love you, too.
[music] >> Bye, everybody.

2637
02:24:17,890 --> 02:24:19,910
[music]