Estee Adoram: The Gatekeeper of Funny

(upbeat music) - Who's your personal favorite comedian? - You. - No, don't do that. - You ask me, ask the question, no question. - No question, you ask the question. - No, no, it's, I have people are like more than others. But this is like asking a mother that has 15 children. - Yeah, is your favorite. - No, which one would you go downstairs to watch more than the other? - There's got to be one child where you're like, and I only mean this because they just happen to like hit everything that you want from the comedy and the, do you get them to break it down for SD? Basically SD, think of it this way. - Don't break it down for me. I know exactly what he's saying. - I'm trying not to answer. (laughing) - I'm trying not to answer. (upbeat music) - This is what now, with Trevinoa. (upbeat music) (upbeat music) - You're the only person I know who refuses to get a cover for your phone. - You know, I think I've made a terrible mistake. - No, I'm willing to. - It's been protected, you get one. - Yeah, but I'm willing to accept that I've made a terrible mistake of not getting a cover, getting the orange phone. - Yeah, in fact, I'm gonna say this. I'll say this. - Phone companies need to just start making the phone in the cover. - Wait, are you saying you don't have a phone cover? - No, I don't. - You know, in this world of, what's the word? So much consumerism and stuff. - Yeah. - It's hard to know who's rich and who's not rich. So it's the little things. Like they tell you. And then a person is like, "I don't have a phone cover." Then you're like, "This guy's boiling." You don't have a phone cover. - Yeah. - You know what I'm saying? - Yes. - So you don't have a phone cover? No. - But what happens if you drop your phone in the cracks? Or isn't your life gonna be rude? - No. - Yeah, that's like the equivalent of no condom usage because I'm rich. And then if I get it and then I'll, I'll be fine. Guys, don't worry about me. - No, I mean, you took it. I was told you gotta have children. - Yeah, but you guys went very different directions. - Yeah. - You're inceptioning me. - You went like, those are crazy different directions. - Yes. - No, no, no. So let me explain, let me explain. First of all, you are right. Like, I don't actually don't think, one element is like how much money you have. But I think the other one is how much pain you're willing to sustain if your phone falls. Because no matter how much money you have, the phone you still have to now replace it. You still have to get another one. You still have to transfer the things over then the apps don't work. And I've got a whole story now. - Yeah, you're fully in that world. - You're fully an app person. - No, because he updated his phone and then he just gave his other phone to Apple. Very confidently. He was like, yeah, take the old one. - I'm out. - And then-- - As I gave it as an-- - Trade it in. - Trade it in. - Oh, okay, cool. - And then now none of his apps, all his apps are like, new phone, who this? - Yeah, all apps and email. - I like, no, two steps. 'Cause I need to have got two step authentication. - Yes. - And the second step is your phone number. - Yes. - And then the phone number, I don't change my things. So when my apps sometimes they're like, what do you mean you don't change your thing? - He doesn't change anything. - I don't change like, no way. - No, man, I mean like, my technology. I still have a phone from like six years ago or something. - We can tell when we phone him. - When we phone him, when we phone him, you can tell that that kind of phone from six years ago. - So what happens with me is the apps stop being, it's like, you should have passed away by now. Do you know what I mean? It's like, the apps stop, they're like, this is not-- - Oh, yeah, they don't accept no. It's technology. - Yeah, the apps kind of go-- - I can't, yeah, they don't allow it. They don't allow it. - I can't take my-- - My app space is bigger than your entire phone. - Yeah, I like the technology of the phone. - I don't know what Amazon takes up. It takes up like 20 gigs. - Yeah, but it's gotten ridiculous, man. - Actually, yeah. - Okay, sorry, Trump. - I interrupt you, you were saying-- - You did. - You were saying. - No, so I was saying to you, Jean, that I, because I feel like I've influenced some people in my life with my decisions, especially my friends. And I've noticed the envy that some of you look at me with when I move through the world without a phone cover. - Yeah. - And I've seen many of you look at me and you'll all be like, wow, you don't have a phone cover. And I admit that I would flippantly say, "Here, I'm good, I don't need a phone cover." - You've never dropped your phone? - Then people will say like, "Well, where do you drop your phone?" And I'm like, "Why drop your phone?" You've said that to me. - Yes, I've said that, arrogantly as well. - I admit, I completely admit it. And I admit that I was wrong. - You admit arrogantly that what? - No, I would say it arrogantly, but I'd make what would you drop your phone? - Yes, I agree with that. - Yeah, but it's an accident. - No, no, he's right. He's right. And I apologize and I wanna say to all my friends and all the people I've influenced. If you've ever seen me rolling with a phone without a cover, don't be like me, kids. - I've tried it. - I don't put a cover on your phone. - Being like you. - A lot of people I think have tried it. - No, they've tried it. I think they've failed. - Because I've seen people, I've seen how people look at me when I use a phone without a cover. You've got a certain like, 'cause, okay, understand this, like having a phone without a cover is like riding a bicycle without training wheels. - Yeah. - And most of the world has training wheels now. - Yeah. - So when you're riding without training wheels, people are like, wow. - I don't think so. - You're renegade. - I don't think so. I think that having a phone without a cover is when imagine that people made a call but without a roof. - In John. - Yeah, like a drop top. - Yeah, and now I'm saying, if cause first came. - Yeah. - You know, and then they didn't put a roof. I'm saying that phones without a cover were missing something. A cover is not a, a cover is-- - You crazy, bro. You've got a phone from eight years ago. Your opinion in this technology conversation is even irrelevant actually now that I think about it. - No, no, no, no, no, no. - This is like the opposite of the world. - If you felt what new phones feel like naked, he doesn't, he doesn't know what a new phone is. - Okay, wait, what? Okay, wait. I have, I have, I have, look. - What have you done? - Okay. Other people have phones, by the way, and I know other people. And I have, I've, you know, when I get the phone the most, and when I get to feel the phone the most, is when it's time to take a picture. And then I call myself. Then they're like, don't use your phone. Let me use my phone. - Yes. - You see, so I know people's phones. - Yes, yes. - So now watch in a non-crazy way. I'm not trying to be controversial yet. - No, 100%. - What I'm saying is that it feels to me when they made the phone, the phone. - Yes. - The original phones were maybe not stronger than Nokia. But the Apple. - They were stronger actually, right? - Oh, okay. You know what? Once again, I agree with you. - Yeah, you're right. - Yeah, yeah, yeah. - No, no, no. - Then they made this one too delicate. - Yes, it is brittle. - Yes. - Yes. - Because they were like, this is gonna be for those people in those Apple ads. Those people, you know in those ads, like this almost like Swedish looking homes and stuff, they don't drop the phone. - Yeah, yeah, yeah. - There's no. - Their kids, every child in Apple ad, doesn't look like they've broken anything in their lives. - Those are the kids who, when you offer them ice cream, they say no thanks. - Yes. - You know what I mean, they're just-- - I don't wanna spike my glycemic index. - Yeah, that's those are those kids. - That's what Apple imagines. Think of the Apple brand. The Apple brand imagines it's sophisticated and there's no dropping of phones. - No, there isn't Apple brand. - Blowing bone and toe colors. - Yes, yeah. - All of that. That's the most-- - Like you see, you see in all their ads when they do like the FaceTime calls, they've never done one way like the people are fighting. Which I think would be a good part of the ad is, you know when you go like your FaceTime's are clearer than ever. - Oh, Ms. Calls. - And just show people like arguing or fighting, or just, like real. - Or someone disappointed, because someone just pick up on the other. - Yes, I like this. - Yes, I like. - That's what I mean. So that's their world that they have imagined is their consumer. - The defaults. - Yes, I'll tell you, for example, like myself, when I used to stand up comedy, at some point I did stand up comedy as you know. - Are you saying this because our guest is esteemed? - No, I'm not saying that. - I feel like you've never said that. - I'm not saying that. - I've never said that before. - No, and then now. - Are you announcing your comeback? - Because our guest. - But I'm announcing my comeback. - Because our guest is responsible for many comedy careers. Now you just conveniently throw in. You know, they didn't try not to be controversial. - I happen to be. - I used to. So many years ago. - And then you, then SD's gonna come in and then you're gonna want SD to be like, why don't you do it anymore, Dave? Come to the comedy seller and do comedy. - I won't. I can't. - Let's see what you're doing. - I'm not doing that. - When SD comes, let's make a deal. You cannot mention ever being a comedian. Let's make a deal. - I can't make that deal right now. (laughing) - Wow. - Let's see what I'm doing. - No, because though, things may go to a place where I need to use that as yes I have once. - Yes, because she might get here and be like, Dave, I don't know where to find you, but now that you're here, there's an influx of emails. - Yes. - Our inbox is truck of blocks. People have been asking about you. Funny enough, you've just mentioned that you gave up the bat. - But now, this is my real thing that I was saying with Apple ads. So you see the Apple ads, they have an idea of who the prospective client is going to behave. When I just stand up comedy way back when in South Africa, the funny thing was, is that my type of fan, the person who loved my comedy, which I thought my comedy was sophisticated and high brow, but it was like people who were like, I think like almost like crackheads. And I don't even, how do you become almost like one? - I don't, I don't want you thinking of doing it or you've done it before. - No, you don't, they don't do crack, but their vibe is crack. - Yes, their vibe is, I can't tell. But I can, so then I would honestly, I would be like, it's enough people, one is crackheads and then others fans who ask me for money. So like, it's sort of like, (laughs) You know what I mean? 'Cause I don't imagine that Julia Roberts is there and people are taking pictures. And then someone is like, "Yo, Julia, can you just give me $35?" Do you know what I'm saying? Something like that. So I had those two circumstances. And then, 'cause I had to think about it, then I was like, is it like, where are you seeing me? What is happening here that I got to it? That maybe they appreciate me more when they're high out of their minds. I don't know, or, you know, like, I couldn't tell why. But when I got into comedy, you know, I was, yeah. - You imagined your fan would be. I thought it was gonna be, you know, like, really? I thought it was gonna be Mick Jagger and me were gonna share fans. And it's most certainly we were not, we didn't share fans at all. Everything to do with your phone, no. - Damn. - But I'm saying, so my point is that when you make a product, you, you could hope for whatever fan you think you're gonna get and you can imagine your fan, but then there's the actual fan. - Oh, yeah. - So you make your phone, you imagine that we never drop our phones because we sophisticated stuff. - But we crack it. - We're, crack it. - But then you say. - So we need a cover. That's what I'm saying. And so what I'm saying about you, who is Rolls-Nakedful, you are the people who, you know, when we are like, you need to, someone needs to pay, the world is suffering, someone needs to pay more taxes. So then, so then, so you are those people. And so, oh wow, yes. And so you, or life has afforded you the opportunity of experimenting literally. This is, some people are like, my child, how come your child didn't go to college? Yeah, because I didn't have a phone cover and then you know how it goes. So now, you see. So now, that's what I'm saying. - We've made a deal just so you know. - You made it. - He didn't promise anything. - No, he didn't. - I didn't, I can't. - And I'm here to vouch for you. - I knew this. This is what happens when you bring one of the most, 'cause I mean, if you think about it, SD at RM is us thinking that she's like a fairy godmother and the godfather combined into one person in comedy. So this is what happens, SD. How are you? - Welcome, welcome. Please, please join us. Please, welcome. - I'm gonna clap. - Right this way. - I feel you know why I'm gonna clap, because I used to be a comedian, so. - So I can. - You're so nice, I'm walking out. - I can appreciate. (laughing) - She's like, you know what I'm saying? That does what I'm happy with. (laughing) - He recognized that, oh man, oh wow. (laughing) - You get to recognize it, right away. Do you have that though? Like, you, did you ever see those stories of people, you know, they would talk about like, when they were famous and they'd go to restaurants and they'd go to say, no, no, no. It was food critics would talk about this, yes. They would say, once they became famous as food critics, they would go to a restaurant. And just by chance, people would come in with like, oh, Mr. Smith, compliments of the chef, Mr. Smith, and oh, Mr. Smith, we noticed you walked in, but then they said like, as a food critic, the hardest thing to do was actually get the real experience in a restaurant because everyone knew that your view of the restaurant could determine whether or not that restaurant succeeds. And I wonder for you as SD, do you think any comedian has a normal relationship with you? - Can't be. And can you even tell? - And? - And? (laughing) - Can't be. It's custom-made. It's not run of the male relationships, never. - Wait, what do you mean by that? - When the nature of what I do, people do take a different way of communicating with me, having a relationship with me because of what I do, not who I am. - Oh, okay. All right. - You know what I mean? If somebody wants to work and get on stage, they put the best face, the best representation of themselves. - Right. - The Avaka. - Yeah. - Yes. - Absolutely. - How exactly? - Exactly. - Yeah. - Great word. So yeah, I sort of can see through it. - I'm glad that I didn't know who you were when I met you. - I did not know who you were either. - This is a perfect relationship. - You had no idea. - No, no. - And you had no idea? - No, none whatsoever. - Once we became friends and he told me who he was back home. You told me that you love to go back and race your car. - Yeah. - Yeah, oh yes. (laughing) - This is the time I was racing with him. I literally got stuck with him on the freeway because we went racing one of my cars. And then we ran out of gas. But yes, I was telling SDDs. - He was so close to the stories and relationships develop and the main thing he got on stage. I saw what and who he was. Yeah, had nothing to do with fame. Zero. It was the Eucharisma, your personality, your openness. - Oh wow, thank you SD. - As a person at the table when we were sitting here. - Yeah. - And then you got on stage and murdered. - Thank you very much. - You know? - It doesn't mean that it would develop to what it did. - I mean, I didn't expect that. But when I met you from my side. - It's not automatic. - You can imagine so from my side. What happened was how I came to be at the Comedy Seller if I remember correctly was I was in New York doing shows at a small theater on like Blika Street. And some of the comedians I'd met in the world just generally had told me. If you're in New York, you have to go to the Comedy Seller like you just got to try and go to the Comedy Seller. Then somewhere along the line, I'd met Will Sylvins. - Yeah. - So we'll just like the sweetest guy ever. We talk to the whole life, okay, whatever. And then Will would bring people to my show at this like small theater. He didn't even know me. And Will would just, he came once to watch and then he'd come back with people and he'd come back with people and he'd come out. I was like, who is this guy and what is he doing? He had no reason. And then one day he said, you gotta come to the Comedy Seller. You got everyone said, the Comedy Seller, Comedy Seller. Anyway, I go to the Comedy Seller. I don't know how this works. And South Africa, we don't even really have comedy clubs in that way. The Comedy Seller wasn't famous in South Africa. So I didn't have this idea. I walk in, I sit down, I talk to Will, I hang out. S.D. is sitting at the table. I thought you were one of the comedians. - At first. - Yeah. So S.D. sitting at a table with a bunch of comedians. So I just thought, oh, okay, she's one of the comedians. S.D. is also very funny. Throwing lines out, people roasting each other, having a good time. And then I think like, maybe on the third time that we hung out together. 'Cause I remember we were eating the borscht. I asked you what I should order. And you were like, get the borscht. And I was like, this is the best thing I've ever had in my life. What is the borscht? - It's a borscht. - It's a soup. It's a soup bowl. - It's a dish of Russian soup. And most people think that the beef, the red one, is a borscht. But this was many, the owners. - Right. - Mother's recipe. And it's the best borscht ever. - Take me through the ingredients. What is, 'cause I never give you ingredients. - I didn't say recipe, S.D. (laughing) Don't try, don't even try. - It's amazing. - Beans? - It's not amazing. - Water? - No beads. - No beads. No beads. It's vegetables. It's a meat, like flunk and meat. And it just simmers forever. - Not phenomenal. - So delicious. - Okay. - It was one of the first things I ate. - You can stop there. - I'm getting hungry. - It's one of the first things that reminded me of home. - Really? - So yeah. So I ate that S.D. and then we'd like hang out. And then a random comedian came to me and was like, "Wow, so how do you know S.D?" And then I was like, "S.D." I was like, "She sits at the table." They're like, "Yeah, how do you know her?" I was like, "What do you mean? "How do I know?" She sat at the table. And then we started talking. And I was like, "Oh, but you guys seem to have a good time." I was like, "Yeah, the same way with every other comedian." And they're like, "No, she's not a comedian." And I was like, "Oh, cool." She just hangs out here. They're like, "No, S.D. decides whether or not "you can be a comedian." I was like, "What does that even mean?" - And then by the time I found out it was late, but I was like, "This woman sitting here with us "is genuinely. " That's why I say you were like a fairy godmother and the godfather at the same time of comedy in the New York world. It's a weird role to have. But I don't think it's a role that you can be given. How did you even get it? I don't know. How did you get it? No one said, "S.D, here you go." How many years? - How many years? - It develops. How many years have you been doing it now? - Hold on. Can you hold on? - I'm ready. - I'm ready. - For the four years. - No ways. - Yeah. - Who's teaching? - 1981. I started in 1982. I first went at the Comedy Seller, or. - At the Comedy Seller. - Cheese. - Okay. - And I started part-time as a host at the door downstairs because I just had a newborn and all the book about baby said, "The first three years, "you have to be with them." So I couldn't go back to work. (laughing) if you didn't have to. - For books and pub babies. - I mean, it's like, it's a book set. - It's a set. - The book set. - It was me. - It was me. - It was me. - It was me. - It was me. - It was me. Good by child. - But the books, I mean. - Yeah. (laughs) - So for three years, I was a really good mom. - You're counting down. - And you're. (laughs) - You know, that's exactly what I did. That's exactly what I did. Three years to the day. (laughs) - And I started working there and I was hosting at the door. So I got, I've never known comedians of comedy or any, no interest. I came from a different world altogether. And little by little, I started falling in love with the art of stand-up, with comedians. I started recognizing how special comedians are and how different they are from civilians. And 44 years later, I can give you a report. It's a very interesting ingredients that a real comedians have as opposed to wanna be or actors or singers, you speak your own words. You speak your own heart, you speak your own self. Not somebody else, not a script. And to be good at it, it's a higher level of intelligence than most. It's courage, brave. 'Cause you expose your naked on that stage. - Yes, yeah. - You naked. And you never know if there is a Yahoo in the crowd, they'll yell out something and you have to be fast enough on your feet to respond and respond correctly and to your benefit. So not everybody can do that. Most people can't. It takes, if you think of people that are very successful in comedy, you will see that there is a threat of this characteristic. You have it, all the big guys really have it. You don't become famous, big and successful for a long period of time. - Long period. - That's the key. - Yeah, Eugene and I talk about this all the time. - It's not a flash and a consistently. And then there are some people that use comedy in that stage as a stepping stone to this as a pose of true, real, honest goodness comedian. And today when I look back, the ones that are really true comedians, you, Shapel, Chris Rock, they're all famous people. Ray Romano, they still come, they still do stand up. They still create, they still write as opposed to others that got the TV show or a movie. - And then they out. - That's it. - Yeah, stepping stone. - So that's a difference between A and B. And to be an A comedian, no matter what level, take something that the others are lacking. They don't have it. What I want to understand though is like, deal great with that. - I agree, but there's something deeper in it that I've never really understood. I've never understood how you're able to achieve it because I love stand up comedy genuinely. And even when I first came to the comedy seller, my favorite part of being at the comedy seller was, and still is the fact that I got to watch the show. So I would stand there watching the show from the very beginning until I'm on stage and then I'll stay off towards to watch the person who came off towards or what was happening. To me, it felt like it was like the greatest dream in the world to just be in this mix, but what I noticed more than anything was how different the comedians were. But then they were all being booked by the same person. The lineups were being chosen by the same person. You know, you go like, oh, SD runs the comedy seller, or SD is the person who puts people on stage. It's like, you name a name, you can go back, Kevin Hart, Amy Schumer, you know, John Stuart, Trevino, Dave Chappelle, Michelle Wolf, just name a name, just name a name. At some points, as a young comedian, they came into contact with SD at RM and she said, go on to that stage and she put them in a lineup with a person and then a round a person, like a puzzle. Yeah, but that's what I don't understand. It's like, I, I don't understand how you, how are you able to see good comedy beyond the lofts and what I mean by that is, and I say this with respect to anyone who may be a fan. Any idiot can go, ah, that's funny because people are laughing. I've seen SD put on lineups where there's a comedian who's not necessarily getting a loft in that show, but then a few years or a few months later, they're going to become one of the biggest, they just blow up and then everyone at the seller goes, oh yeah, we always knew them, but I go, yeah, but SD, how did you see beyond where the audience saw them at that time to see that they were going to be an amazing comedian? I don't understand where you get that from. You've got that. No, not like SD though, honestly. Honestly. Thank you. I don't, I don't want a name drop, but there's somebody that told me. Devki Buka. Jada Patar told me that, okay? He says, you are booking good shows because you have good taste. And it's the good taste and be able to see beyond the obvious. If you get on stage, when I saw the travel know at the first time on stage, I saw the seed that is travel know now. Although you were already polished when I saw you, compared to some of the new comics I see now, but you can see the seed, you can see the root of the essence of who you are and how you projected. The bottom line is, it's a comedy show. People get babysitters and travel and put themselves out to come and have a good time and laugh. Yeah, that's the bottom line. That's the bottom line. And my responsibility is to build a show that will give them that entertainment. The thing is, you mix it up. You said, I put X, Y, and Z on the show to create an essence, to create the feeling that not boring, they're all different from each other. I cannot, I can book five people that are very much alike. It's gonna be boring by the fifth person. You already heard it all, yeah. You got to interject something different, something new. The beginnings, I met Chapelle, he was 18 years old. And another comic came to me at 3 a.m. We used to be open really that late. And there was maybe 10, 15 people in the room at that time. And he said to me, you see this guy, I saw him in DC, he's really funny. He was sitting in the boat in the olive tree, eating. And I went over and used myself and I said, can you go up into a few months for me? And he says, yeah, and he went out and destroyed. Destroyed. This is Dave Shepard at 18. - 18. And so I kept saying 19, he corrected me that he was 18. And I remember I called many, the owner, many dwarmen. At 3 a.m., I walked him up and I told him, I said, I saw somebody really unique, really special. He said, oh, good for you, hanged up. But you could see then, at 3 a.m. The seed. - You could see the essence of that guy. And he was funny. Beyond, I can make it all, it's an art. You can, no, no, no, no, no. No, you can see it is in your face when it's there. That's how I can do it. It's in my face, I recognize it. - I feel like I need to go backwards to try and understand though how you got the tools. 'Cause here's what I mean. I've seen people who pick funny or choose it. Comedy clubs all over the world. One of their weaknesses I find is that their sense of humor is often times limited. So if I come with a black comedian, they won't find them that funny because you find like that comedian's doing comedy from where they're from and it's got a different vibe. You get what I'm saying. come with a with a. Middle Eastern comedian, they might not really get it. If I come with, I've met many people who know how to book the comedy for them that they relate to. - No, you got it up in your mind. - Sometimes I see comedians at the comedy cellar and then I go, does SD know this person's here? (laughing) And then they go, SD's the one who put them on. SD's the one who puts everyone on. Then I'm like, yes, but I don't understand how did SD see this comedy in 2026? 'Cause remember comedy constantly evolves. I mean, you've seen every generation of comedians. - Very much, and I'm telling you, right now it's such an upswing of new talent that will blow your mind. I can't remember a period in those 44 years that I'm there, that it was so rich. - Now? - Yeah. - Why do you think that is? - I have no idea. I cannot tell you why I can just tell you it's there. And I also love international, really international. And the reason I'm saying it is because right now, Australia is sending me gifts of comics that are fantastic. Aaron Chen, you know Aaron Chen? - No. - You've got it all, Jesus. - Every time SD, you can't say, he is so good. - Yes, I believe you. But you judge me every time, as if you don't work in the factory. - I judge you all the time. - Yes. - I don't work at the factory of fact. - Yes, but at least you judge me for things that are judgeable. SD will just randomly put up a comedian and she'll be like, do you know Peter Wungrick? And you're like, who's that? How can you not know Peter Wungrick? - Because you are in this life. You are in this. - SD, you know every comedian. - You basically hang up the phone on SD 3AM. - I am, because you know every comedian. - You're not okay. Okay, so no, no, I need to go back. I'm going to try to figure this out. I need to go back. So 1982, you've got the newborn. So take us back in. - Oh, he was born in '79. - Oh, '79, okay. - So that's three years, remember? I told you. - Okay, so that was the three years. - Okay, okay. - And the countdown. - And the countdown ended as you got the job. - All right, so take us back to the beginnings. Where were you born? Where were you raised? - Ah. That's another path, 'cause I was born in Poland. - Okay. - And when they opened the borders and we could leave, because we couldn't leave before we went to Israel. And I've lived in Israel for 10 years, 11 years, and then I came here. I don't know, oppressive, you know, struggle, all of that thing. But that made me what I am now. But I am really, Israel has a very soft spot in my heart, always will. And I went to school there and I used to be an army. And I am emotionally connected. But America is a deja vu for me. I really enjoy being here. So it's a combination between my roots of Eastern Europe to Israel to here. - And so you were drawn, did you feel the deja vu when you got here, or did you? - Yes. - Yeah, so as soon as you got here, you're like, this place has always been on. - I went, when I first left Israel, I went to England and Europe different places. And I always felt like a tourist. - Okay. - When I got to Kennedy and I got off the plane, I felt I'm home. I can't explain why. I felt comfortable. - I've told him this before. - Yeah, you did too. - I felt comfortable. I felt like I belong, like I've been here before. I've never been here before. But it felt deja vu. - What did you study though? What did you, what were you planning in your life? I mean, I don't think you woke up and said, "I want to be one of the most important people in world comedy." - No, there was the, never thought of it. - It didn't exist even. - That's my point. - I never thought of it. No, I was in the army and then I got a degree in teaching. I was teaching for a while. - Really? - I was a makeup artist for a long time. - No, for a very long time. - Wait, what were you teaching? - Everything, because when I came here, I was teaching in the rabbi tides, school in New Jersey, in Elizabeth New Jersey. - And it was in rabbi tides. - No. - When you said rabbi tides, I was like, "Why?" I thought you said you were wearing rabbi tides. You were teaching, wearing rabbi tides. I have an accent. You listen with an accent. - No. - I have an accent. - I'm so glad you cleared that up. - Oh, wow. - I was born from a father. - I could, I could, but it is, and I was makeup artist for a long time. - Yeah. - And then, then I started the comedy. - Question. Real one. Do you think the teacher-- - The real one, and that was real? Thank you. - You're a treat. - Hey. - Thank you. - What you said there. Thank you. - Go ahead. - Do you think the teaching has a role to play? Because the teaching, you're sort of like examining people's potential. That's like the role of a teacher is like, I'm examining your potential. - I've got you. That's exactly it. And now, in comedy, that's sort of like what you do, to some extent, is you look at the people, and then you think of their potential. You think of them not right now, but a little bit ahead. - Well, I don't think I was very young, and I don't think I ever overthought the teaching, the way you are presenting it, which you are correct. But I never thought of it that way. I don't know. I always sort of rose to top as a leader in my life, maybe in my personality, or maybe, I don't know. But I always sort of took pride in whatever I did, and I always did well. Never was fired in my life from anything. - Oh, that is impressive. - Yeah. And so it's like a common thing in person, somebody's personality, maybe. - I'm a person. - But as a teacher, I never saw myself as a guiding light. I also don't see myself like this in comedy. But people that I form have a very close relationship in the word of comedy. I don't know how to put it. I'll give you my advice, I'll give you my feelings. I don't do it with comics. That's not my job. - Oh, interesting. - It's not my job. You have a manager, you have an agent, they're gonna tell you what to do or not to do. I am not. But if I am friends with you, I say, you know, that joke was great. I pet you on the shoulder on that. I'll encourage that. I don't see myself that important. I really don't. I think that because I'm doing it for so long, people look at me as if I know what I'm doing. - I mean, you do, but it's also funny to say. - I don't think about you in that way. - It's a really humble way to approach a situation. Because I've read it for long. - I really don't. As a teacher, I didn't feel like that. I transferred information as a teacher. - Oh, I like that actually. - That's what the teacher does. A good teacher will transform information and make sure that you do it in a way that the other side receives it in the right way. But not the guiding light at all. - I wish Billionaires had that humility. - Who? - Billionaires. Because what you just said is something, it's profoundly humble and wise at the same time to say, because I've been doing it for a long time, everybody assumes that I know what I'm doing. - Exactly. - I wish like a lot of Billionaires would say, because I have made a lot of money. Everyone assumes that I know what I'm doing. But sometimes the two are just happening at the same time. And it's, I don't know how to explain it. - Amy, it's also a lot of luck. - Yeah, that's what I mean. - Yeah, it's luck. With me, it's a little bit, it's not luck, but because people want to work under the commercial, they make themselves available. Whether it's through other comics, who recommended, or managers, or, you know, YouTube, I don't. - Right. - And so I get to watch a lot. And many said it once, many wanted my boss. And this I think is, a key. If you walk into a comedy club in a different country that you don't speak the language. And you see the reaction of the crowd. You can tell if the comic is good or not. And a lot of comics that struggle and don't do, don't do well, lack the ability to listen to the feedback. to the laughter. Here I joke and bomb. Yes, you can have a bad set. But on a consistent level, if you don't learn to listen for your feedback, you'll never become a better comic or grow or flourish. And I think this is the biggest mistake the beginning comic do. Because they they want to support each other, right? Oh, that was a great set. And I can look at the face. I said, it wasn't. Or they say, oh, the crowd is tired or they drunk. No, you've heard it all. No, listen. Yeah, she's heard every excuse. He's drunk. Yeah, exactly. Exactly. Exactly. And and once you on that stage, you're privileged to get on that stage, use it as a privilege and listen and learn and grow from this. Instead of when I started, I saw a comic come on stage and didn't do well and he went like this to say it went over the heads. I did not know what it means. And so I asked Bill Granfess who started the I said, what is this all about? He says, oh, this is his way of saying it went over you had I'm smarter than you. You don't get what I'm talking about. Till today and that that person is famous, I I hold a resentment. Wow. Because you cannot assume that the crowd is dumb. You have lawyers and you have doctors and you have construction workers. You have a mix of society sitting in that room. Who are you to go this way? Maybe you didn't deliver it right. Maybe turn it on yourself. What did I do wrong that they didn't get what I say? And and I find that the really successful people, whether you know it or not, you listen. Hmm. I wonder if that applies to the the comedy seller itself. It has to know because I can help it. Yeah, but that's what I mean is like I think to myself, you know, one of the things I've noticed over the years in comedy in particular is comedy clubs have come and they've gone. And at some point what happens is a comedy club starts to become more famous than many of the comedians in it. Right. And in that period, the institution doesn't listen anymore. And they don't listen to the comedians. They don't listen to the audience. They don't become corporations. Yeah, it becomes a corporation. Yeah. And you see this thing. No, the comedy, not the comedy seller. Yeah, but I and that's I have to give 100% credit to Noam, the owner now. Yeah. He is very involved on that part of it. Customers have said this and it's not about the dollar amount. It never was. Never was not many and not Noam. But to make the club successful. Yeah, the customer has to be happy. They have to be happy with the show, with the food, with the service, all of it. And if it's not, it's hard to be paid. It is that's why comedy seller, not what is successful. We're opening another room. You know that, right? Yeah, there's going to be like upstairs. I was like a gorgeous little theater type thing. Yes. Yes. I can't wait. I cannot wait. It's going probably next month, fingers crossed. So, you know, we have six stages. We started with one, two shows a night. I have 84 shows a week. Between Christmas and New Year's, I booked 134 shows for one week. I get about three, between three and 500 emails a week with availability. And you have to sort it out. You know, SD will still text me when I'm coming to do a gig. Just confirming that you're coming. Then I'm like, SD, aren't you like busy with things? No, everybody. It's it's some things don't change. Something shouldn't change and can't change. And because it's not changing. Yeah, we're going to hopefully God willing stay on top. We'll be right back after the short break. I think there's something I'm realizing because I think as a person, you learn a lot about your friends through their friends. And when you describe how you guys met, it says a lot about how he treats his friends and how you guys became friends. And I think the welcoming nature that you have is the same welcoming nature that you have. When I think back of when we met, like every time you'd go to his house, there would be a mix of everyone. It would almost be like a comedy show. There'd be his cousins, there'd be these cousins, friends. There'll be a little brother. There'll be me. There'll be a friend. And would all get along and he would know how to curate that all of these people have a good time. That answers your question. Yes. It's a it's a you post to me. Yes. Yeah. You do the same thing. 100%. Yeah, but I do it for my people. You do it for every people. Those are people. No, but I'm saying people are turning to my people. Yeah, I hear you. SD. I hear you, but what? Yes. Yeah, but this is okay. So this is what I like what I love about like watching your process and having like the pleasure of being a part of it is I've also seen, you know, I've also seen you start something in the least obvious place. We had Sam Marill on the podcast. And I remember we were talking to Sam about this and we're going Sam Marill. Yeah, Sam. Yeah. Sam, you're you're in a moment of blow up now and everyone can feel it in their career. And you can see it from the outside, right? Yeah. And Sam Marill now, you know, and now people start texting you. That's how I always feel it. Random people. Have you heard of Sam Marill? And you like have known Sam for years. And he's been funny for years. Yeah. But I'm happy that many of you are discovering him now. Yeah. But when Sam was at the comedy seller, he was doing Sam and he was building Sam at that time. The audience enjoyed him. But they didn't know that he was going to be a star. Yeah. And maybe this is what it is. It's the I'll tell you what it is actually. You you found this balance. And I'd love to know like where it came from. Stars at the comedy seller are treated like comedians and comedians are treated like stars. 100%. And that's absolutely true. Absolutely true. If a star comes in, I'm going to try to make it as comfortable as possible. And I know one of us. Yeah. As normal as possible. Exactly. I remember years and years ago, Seinfeld was doing the comic, the movie he was shooting it and the seller almost every night. And people would come to the table when he was eating or whatever and buttering him. And I remember many. I was posted somebody by a table. So if somebody came over to the table to stop them. Right. Let him be. Yeah. And there was a day that he asked Sam. Tell me what what can we do to make you, you know, comfortable here or whatever. Yeah. So don't worry about it. I can handle it. I don't worry about it. You don't need to post anybody. He wanted to be a guy. And if he wanted, I remember somebody asked for a picture. He says, okay, he stood and the guy put his arm around him. He goes, not that close. Yeah. But he just was he was working. He was doing something and he couldn't get less. And he didn't want the special treatment of posting somebody by a table. He wanted to handle the interaction himself. That was his way of being normal. That's him. Yeah. So we would go out of our way to do what a big time celebrity needs. Yeah. And once. But if you don't want it, we let you be. We let you be. Now, once in a while, people sitting on the table in eating. And the customer comes up to just show the show or no. As easy as town. Yeah. Yeah. That's another one. He flew in from London to work out on on standup. Yeah. So don't you go over there, you know. They feel comfortable here doing it. Yeah. And somebody came over, whatever. And my instinct was like protective, you know? Don't bother him, he's working. He was writing notes, he was eating. Just let them be. And I think that most famous comics that come, they know that we have their back. - That level of care. - Yeah, but I think what's also almost more impressive to me is the comedian who's not a star that walks in, you have their backs even more, I feel. - Yeah, except that they're not gonna be bothered by-- - Yeah, they won't be, but I mean, I mean in comedy, you have their backs. I feel like, you know, the way the show is designed, the way, like at the comedy seller, it was one of the first places I'd ever been, 'cause when, so when I first came to do comedy in the US, I went to Pasadena, 'cause that was the, only place I knew a human being, David Meyer, right? So when to Pasadena and I'm in Los Angeles, and when I go to the comedy clubs, one of the biggest differences I found, not just East Coast, West Coast, New York versus LA, but also like, let's say comedy seller and some of the other clubs, was that those clubs really delineated fame and talents. - Okay. - Yeah. - If you were famous, the world would open up for you. - Yeah, anything else. - And the club would open up for you, but in a way that was dismissive of every other comedian who was in your vicinity. So a famous comedian would walk in, and the club would basically be like, you go home, you're not needed anymore, shut up, get away, do your thing. Don't talk to everyone, clear this table, get a, and that's just what I thought was normal in America, right? And then I remember going to the comedy seller, and one night, Louis CK walked in, and he was like, hey, can I jump on and do a spot? And you know, one of the managers was then, I think was Val, Valery was then, she's like, okay, let me see what we can do with it. And then what was interesting was the comedians went, so Louis said, who's on? And then the comedians were sitting at the table, and they went, oh, I'm on, and I'm on, and then someone said, actually, you know what, you could take my spot, because then I'll jump out and then do this. And then the club was like, yeah, we'll still give you the money for your spot, 'cause you've been jumped. - Oh yeah, oh yeah. - Oh my god, yeah. - You see, but the hundred percent. - Yeah, but I'd never seen that before. - A hundred percent. - Yeah, so the police, you still get paid. - Yeah. - So the club was like, okay, well, here's your money, even though you're not gonna be on, because you've just been bumped off. But then the comedians among themselves were like, one was like, oh, I wanna go have dinner. Louis, please take my spot, and we'll shuffle this around. And then Louis, but I had never-- - Management never said, you are out here. - Yeah, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. - It didn't feel like that. - We don't, you don't disrespect a comedian, because this one just showed up. There is room for both of you, and if time, because we have so many shows, it's one after the other, and you have a line around the block, and it's raining. - Yeah. - You've gotta finish this show on time. You have four shows a night, but you still get paid. You can still get paid. If possible, we'll put you on another show. - Right, yeah, yeah, yeah. - Because now we have more ways of doing it, because we have so many rooms, but the main thing is, it's respect. I love comedians on the personal level, and respect. I don't love them all. (laughs) Some of them are not, no, not worthy. (laughs) But I respect what they do, and if I think that he's a good comedian, I'm gonna use him. - So you'll book a comedian even if you don't like them. - Oh yeah, oh wow. - Oh yeah. - That's also unique. - I'm talking about personality. - Yeah, yeah. - I've got to appreciate the comedy. - No, but still, but I know people who can't make that. - Oh, no, no, no, no. I know a lot of people go like, "I don't like that person. "I won't, they won't work here." Yeah, but they're a good comedian. I don't care, I don't like that. - That's all the rule we use for the podcast. (laughs) That's different. - Oh, sorry. - Because we're gonna be here. (laughs) Unless you're talented in podcast, then I haven't developed that skill yet to know. But there's something that you said, SD, there's no way you've managed to be part of this successful business for so long because you run it as a business. At some point-- - You don't, you can't, you can't, you cannot. Again, Manning, God bless him. He was such a wise guy. Money is a happy byproduct of a good product. What we need to do is put the good product. - Oh man, you said what he, Manning-- - This is, this is in my head, always. And comics, comics that I don't book, and they hate me, and they don't like me, and they badmouth me, whatever. Oh, it's all about the business, it's not, it's never about the business. It's about the product. Not only that, I meet with, I used to, with Manning, and I would know him. And before I sent out the show, after I booked the show, I want them involved in that because, if there are comedians I don't use, I want them to know it. - Oh, okay. - Who I use, and who I don't use. - Yeah. - I don't want it on my conscious and on my back. I find it very, it's sort of protecting myself a little bit. - Yeah, yeah. - You know? Sometimes it doesn't work out or whatever. By now I get a little bit credit myself, you know? But people that, oh, I see, she's ferocious, she's this. There's only people that I don't use. - Right. - I auditioned somebody two weeks ago. Like, it happened a couple of times. I know how nervous they are. I know that I shake their hand and that palm is sweaty or the shake. I auditioned somebody and I said, look, five minutes I can't really tell. I don't pass people. You're not the work-passing somebody. I don't do that. - Oh, you don't do that, okay? - I know, and I tell them. I don't, unless I fall in love with you on the spot. - Good to go. - You're in, yeah. But I don't pass because in the five minutes, I can see what I'm dealing with. Personality, how you command the stage, the material. For five minutes, what did you choose to do? Don't come with some vulgarity or bathroom thing in the five minutes you got. It's not gonna work, you know? So, to see what they chose, how they are on stage. And then I said, I'm gonna give some spots. And let's see how it goes. - Oh, that's beautiful. - And then maybe if I don't do it now, let's have another audition six months. Maybe let's try again. - Right. - So I told that person, I'll give you a few spots and we see how it goes. And I just went like this and burst out crying. I've never seen anything. I felt so bad. I hugged the person and the whole body was shaking like this. And this kind of a situation reminds me what it takes for them to audition. What they have to go, the stepping step, the step that they have to do under the pressure. And just for humbling. - Who gave you a chance, SD, when I think about it, here you are with a three-year-old in 1982. You've come from Israel. You have this new responsibility. Who gave you a chance? - Many. - How did you guys come? - The owner. - The owner. My husband was a musician in many bands. - Oh. - That's how I knew him. - And both of them rest in peace, you know. But, whenever somebody left, who died, many says, SD, can you also do this? And before I know my job blew up to astronomical proportions. I mean, I used to do everything. I used to, and manually, reservations manually. I mean, we sell out two weeks in advance, even before I put the lineup now. We used to struggle. There was a time that we had waitresses take the aprons and sit on a table to make the room look busy. - That's how bad it got at some point. - Not got it. That's how we started. And we were downtown. All the good clubs were uptown. Industry didn't want to come down, down, downtown. We used to pay cap money to comics to come downtown. Bribed them. - That's how bad it was. - Yeah, it just didn't start like this, you know. It seems so obvious now. You can't, when you see it now, you can't fathom a world where it wasn't successful. - It wasn't like that at all, yeah. - When did you first notice something shifting in the comedy cellar? - We have to add the show. We have to add that to show. - That was a good sign. That was a good sign, yeah. And I remember when we went on the Friday or Saturday from two shows to three. And I said, man, how am I going to do it, my God? It's like packing, and I'm packing, and I'm there. I was really, you know, panicky, who are the first two? the first comedians in that run when the storm went up, yeah, no, when it started like, when you started noticing the seller like picking up and there must have been like regulars around that time. Oh, we had regulars from the beginning. Yeah. Rita Rodner. I loved her so much. Who was such a good friend? You know her? No. Oh my God. She was fantastic. Randarian, Carol Liffer, I mean, I remember people from back when? Yeah, no. This is like a different era completely, completely, completely, and it was for Provenza. Oh man, Paul, yeah. Yeah. Before he moved out, it just, a lot of people that Bill Grumpf is new from college. They went to Penn State and, you know, and Paul Reiser, and then this is before Paul Reiser got met about you. Yeah. He took Bill Grumpf as his head writer and Bill left to LA and I took over the booking. That was the turning point. That's when things shifted. The turning point of booking. Were you surprised when the first comedian went away to become a superstar and then came back? If I was surprised? No, I'm saying were you surprised because I mean, so many people, so many people would go and become like a movie star and never come back. But then when someone did come back, did it surprise you? No, I was happy because a lot of those people are my friends now. Yeah. You know what I mean? I remember Mike Swini who was the head writer for Conan. He was a Mike Royce who became one of the producers of Ray Robado, everybody's Rayman. I used them especially Swini as, at MC. I loved that guy so much. Yeah. I relied on him. He was hilarious. He was funny. He was an attorney. He was smart, fast, and when he got the gig with Conan, he said, "Oh, I'll be coming forward 15 years." You see, he walked in, I said, "You're right. You're coming. You're coming back." You came back. I can't believe it. I gave him so much, I don't want to say the word. So yeah, I was surprised, he did the life change. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I can imagine. And we were super close and I had so much affection for him and it was almost like heart breaking that he wasn't coming back. Yeah. Your friend was gone. Yeah, he was gone. Yeah. And because he got a different opportunity whatever. But then 15 or 18 years later, he came in. Has anyone ever been un-post? What? Oh, interesting. Like, your post? Okay, cool. You can work at the comedy set up. Has anyone been like, "We're taking away your badge?" Yes. What was the reason? Um, Epstein filed. I will take you up for some time. No, what happens is. What happens is that people that work and they get better and they justify being at the seller and all that state, some people don't get better or they become indulging to their own opinions as opposed to being a comedian and not delivering what I would expect them to deliver. It becomes a soapbox. There is a place for that, but not under the heading of comedy. Right. The banner of jokes. Yeah. And so either that or vulgarity, as I said before, I don't mind, I don't mind dirty jokes. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'll be the first one going, you know, but vulgarity and it's somebody I really liked on the personal level. So it was very difficult. And so I had a conversation, I said, "Please, we cannot have be represented in this kind of-- Can you pull them to the side?" Yes. Okay. It didn't help. They can't help themselves. Somebody like this I would step away from. Although I didn't and that case, they took themselves out. It's very interesting how people-- we all see ourselves in a certain way, in a certain light. Yeah. And most people think in Hebrew there's a saying, "Every bastard is a king." They actually made a movie with topple that the title was "Every bastard is a king." It's a great phrase. Everybody thinks, "I am the best. I am the smartest. I am the width." You know, you're not. You're not. And when you learned what I said before, look at the mirror and be truthful with yourself. It'll serve you much better. It'll serve you better as a person, as an artist, as a comedian. If you're truthful with yourself, if you think that you're doing it right. And I get, you know, when people make reservations now, they get an answer asking, "Rate the show. How was the show? How was the service? How was the food? Oh, wow. Automatic. I can't tell you how many-- some people take themselves too seriously, even those answers. Well, comedian number one, I give you my name on it. It's a saying of it. And I'm just like, "Ah, they're calling Queen." But I have to take it on the consideration. You have to listen. Because your question, what happens when a club goes down? It goes down when you stop listening. And the way I want comedians to listen to the respond of the crowd, the jokes and work, I need to be aware of what the audience says about us. How they view us, you know? I don't want to be high-brow. There is room for politics, but not the showbacks. There's a difference. If you cannot make funny your opinions, have your opinions. This is-- there's no censorship whatsoever. I'm not going to tell you. I don't want you talking about that. Yeah, yeah. You've never said that. No. I wouldn't. Why would I? As long as you keep it with the realm of comedy. If you get on a showbacks, what's the park in London that they get on the sofa? Oh, yeah. There's that famous one. Yeah. You literally pick it up. You just go stand and then you shout your opinions in a square. We used to have them speak easy in the village, from the '60s yet, where people come and you just laid out. That's not comedy. But that's not comedy. Do you think that-- And so-- To answer your question, if somebody doesn't listen and offends the customers, and you-- you know if you are to the left or the right of politics. But if you get on that stage, if there's this, if all the Republicans, if there's-- have the room, might be your Republicans, you're going to piss them off. But how are you going to have them some time? You want to voice your opinion, you 100% entitled to. You are entitled to. But if you cannot make it funny, if you make it hateful, if you make it unpleasant, you are defeating the purpose of getting on that stage. Yeah. How does it serve comedy? Dave used to say we had a comedy show that Dave actually-- I mean, you started it from randomness. Yeah. They random. But it became like one of the most successful rooms in South Africa. It was called the blues room. And Dave used to come and tell us before every show he'd go, "Guys, remember-- What is this accent, please? He'd go, like, "Guys, remember. This is not a poetry evening." That's what he'd always say. Yeah. Like, "Guys, I love poetry, but this is not a poetry evening." Exactly. Please remember that. Actually, then you know exactly what I'm talking about, Dave. Right? Yes. I do. You understand what I said? No, I completely get it. Because I think this is-- but this is the thing that, you know, I sometimes wonder where we lost the plot. Like, I go, was it-- was it social media, was it-- you know, we'd have these conversations. At the daily show, we used to have it. In comedy clubs, we used to have it, we'd go-- some people forget that every space is trying to do the thing that it is trying to do for that reasons. And I mean, that's vague, but what I mean is to your point, comedy. Comedy specifically has told you ahead of time, this is going to be a vehicle that contains funniness in some way, shape or form. - And the expectation is embedded in the-- - Yes, exactly. - And it can deal with anything and everything. - Yeah. - But the funniness will always be the thing that pops out at the end. It's the same way if you went to a jazz club. - Exactly. - If the musician got up and sang a song about anything, World War II, slavery, relationships, bananas, doesn't matter. But it was jazz. You would go, I went to a jazz club. Oh, what did the performance-- Oh yeah, this interesting song about bananas, it was crazy. - A hundred, but it's jazz. - You came there for the jazz. But then in comedy, somewhere along the line, something happened where people started going, no, the purpose is not for it to be funny. The purpose is for it to be the opinion. Funny doesn't matter. Then I was like, no, but that's exactly what makes it a comedy. I'm not saying your opinion to your point. I'm not saying your opinion doesn't matter. - Yeah. - But then just don't call it comedy, it wouldn't be funny. - Exactly, exactly. A hundred percent. - The one I personally use, the one I personally use is scaring horror. - Yeah. - So I go like, if you're making a horror movie or a horror thing, I think that's supposed to scare you. It's very clear. This is supposed to scare me. So I just go, like even if I'm talking, if I'm thinking of a comedian, I'm almost going, I'm no offense to you, but I didn't get scared. You know, like, if you-- - Same with laughing. - Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. - The one I use is, am I scared? So if, so I go like, you are attempting to scare me. - Right. - Either you scared me or you didn't scare me. And that's that, you know what I mean? It's like, it's very clear whether I was scared or not. But this is what I wonder, those. I wonder when it changed-- - Oh, when it changed, when it changed. - When it changed, and it hasn't changed completely. - Because-- - But there was definitely a moment where it changed in comedy. - Because there are extremes now. - Yeah, same as-- - There's extremes in politics. There's a real extremes. In politics, it was, yeah, I hear you. And it doesn't bother me as much. - Yeah. - Now-- - Yeah, now you write a post-- - It bothers you, yeah. - I was driving through on Washington Square, that street before coming in. And somebody put in the window, a sign. Huge, huge sign in the window. White sign with black lettering, it says, 100% anti-Trump. Why would you do that? You're gonna-- - Why would you see? Dave, why did you do that? Why would you-- - Why did you do that, Dave? - No. - Why would you-- - I should ask you for a stone through your window. There's somebody, go to the top, throw. Do you know me? - Yeah. - Why? Okay, so that's your opinion, good, Grace. Why would you fancy your life and your window? - I'll tell you-- - Put it in? - I'll tell you what I think it is. I think there's a few levels to it. I don't think there's one answer. I'll start with that. But I have noticed a few things. There's one that I always start with. There's the performative aspect. So I've noticed some people like to perform what they believe everyone likes or doesn't like it. And I'm not saying that person is or isn't, but I've noticed the performative side. Put a sign in your window and then everyone's like, "You, this kind of person, you have performed it correctly." You with me, right? You sort of look around like Black Lives Matter. People started putting signs up. Some people are supportive, but some people performative completely. - Like they're in the flag. - Yeah, yeah, yeah, completely performative, right? Then there's other people where I actually feel bad for them because the best way I can articulate it is this. I've found, and I find it's more severe in America. It's growing in other places in the world, but it's really severe in America. Many people in America now identify themselves by their beliefs first versus like who they are. Does that make sense? - Yeah, they go, "I belong to this." - Yeah, no, so what I mean is like not even in South Africa, for instance, one of my joys of like going back home and spending more time there. I realized very quickly, people don't identify by the decisions or the votes they've made. They still are themselves, and then they'll talk about political parties separately. - Right. - In America, I've noticed more and more people identifying first as the thing. As a Republican, can I just say that as a Democrat, can I just, and I'm not saying you shouldn't, but what I've found is if you start every interaction with the most contentious or with the most complicated part of who you are, you can even do it with religion as well. - You show up in uniform, basically. - Yeah, but you started off with the thing, and then I thought it was just an, I thought it was like a unique assumption or an opinion I was having. And then I actually read a book written by a sociologist and they were talking about how small talk serves one of the most important roles in society. Because they said, I know it seems useless, but when someone goes, wow, the weather, and you're like, ah, it was sunny yesterday, and it's raining today. I know, I wish it was sunny today. I wish it was sunny. Ah, what are you gonna do about it? Man, this elevator takes long. I know this elevator is so slow. They said that those small statements that we share without us realizing it, signal to the other that we both exist in the same reality. And it just, it, it, it, it creates these tiny threads between you as people. And then it gets to, so you work in the building? - Yeah, I work in the building. Oh, nice, what floor? Oh, no, I'm on the 38th, oh, you're on the 32nd. Oh, cool, cool, cool. You know, and it's, and those type, do you have any kids? Oh, I've got kids, I've got you. And as that conversation grows, they've actually shown like a lot of the time when they do studies about discussions or discourse that people have with each other. Those conversations make it easier to unlock the hard conversations. But if you start with the hard conversation, you, you can't go the other way. - You were on the fence. - You literally, you just, you just can't go the other way. - Yeah. - Speaking of, 'cause I love to say speaking of, 'cause this is the true thing. Would you say that the potency of your jokes allows you to be more on the soap box? And the reason I, I say that is because you'll know there's some jokes that it is literally impossible for the crowd not to laugh at. - Yes. - You remember your tacos joke? - Yeah. - It is, it's like, if you understand the language that the person is telling it is, - Yeah, it's like a physical impossible. - The joke is like, so good that it's like physically impossible for somebody not to find it funny. You know, comedians have that kind of, each, it's like having your hit song. - Yes. - A comedian has. They'll be like, this song, everybody loves this song of mine. Do you find that, depending on, let's say, how many hit songs the comedian has, those, that gives them room to say whatever they want. Because if I have, - A hundred percent correct. - Yes. - A hundred percent, those people get more leeway. - Yes. But that's because they've earned more leeway out of us. - Exactly. - 'Cause I, exactly. 'Cause I think, this is what I think it is, to your point. I almost feel like it is, it is, it's about creating a fair transaction with an audience. Right? And I think this is any human interaction. For you to assume that a room of strangers should just listen to your pontifications or. - Oh my God. I love you forever. - That's why you are traveling now. This is exactly the problem. - Do you get what I'm saying? I'm like, but why? You hit it the nail on the head. That's what it is. This is the key to unlock the comedy. - Secret tools. - Sensibility. - Yeah. That's gotta be it. It is, feeling a lot of comics cannot do it. They're not capable of doing it. There's, have so much rage in themselves. - Right. - That it's, they just feel, yeah. Poisoning the whole, the whole atmosphere. - Right. - And the comic that has to follow. - Uh-huh. - Has to deal with that. - I get a lot of complex. And I said, if you're a good comic, you can follow anybody. - Yeah, that's true. - Unless the spew is spinning. Hate. - Poison. - And yeah. - You have to dig a lot. - The whole atmosphere. It's much more difficult than following somebody that didn't have a good set. - Oh, that's deep. Okay, I see what you mean. - Yes. - Much harder because you have to neutralize - You have to first start this thing in the room. - Yeah. - Before they are ready, they have to cleanse the palette. - So that's the thing that I think sometimes people misunderstand with comedy is, some people will say, I've seen them say to comedians, some have said it to me, to anyone, they'll be like, you know, I don't know why did you have to make that funny. Why, why didn't you, why? why I don't, I think you hurt it by turning it into a joke. And then I remember saying to somebody, I went, what you're saying to me is the equivalent of saying to an anesthesiologist, why did you make the person sleep before the surgery? - Why did that not do it? - Then you're like, but that's dead. That's why they said that they're an anesthesiologist. They said that this is their job. - Right. - If a person says that they are a comedian, you cannot ask them why they have used the tools of humor when approaching anything, tragedy in their family, politics, difficult things in life, benign things in life, anything. We use the tool because we are saying we are the professionals of that. - You get what I'm saying, right? - Yes. And so in the same way, funny enough, a referee in a boxing match will go, hey, stop holding, you can't hold. If you go to UFC, then holding is part of it. The ref, they won't say stop holding, you know what I mean? But in boxing, you cannot hold. - Right, we are fighting, but you have to use your fists. Please stop holding. Holding is not for this sport. There's another sport where you can go hold. And then even in UFC, there'll be other rules where they go like, no, no, no, no, you've been like this for too long, actually, we're here to fight. This is not a soap box. Did you get what I'm saying? - That's what I said, the difference between comedy and soap box. - Yeah, that's exactly what it is. - Don't press anything. We've got more, what now, after this? - How did you handle, well, how have you handled over the years? Things in the streets spilling over to the comedy club. 'Cause I know there was like a period, I mean, there've been many periods, but let's say like around like Black Lives Matter. - Me too? - Yeah, around the Me Too movement or any social movement where there's been an explosion. People have seen it come into their workplaces. They've seen it come into schools. They've seen it and in comedy clubs, again, the comedy set I can speak to as a perfect example. No two comedians have the same views on the lineup. You may overlap, but you can have completely different views. Some comedians have your views, but the way they do their comedy will make you think they don't have your views. Those are some of my favorites, you know what I mean? - I tell. - Yeah, exactly. - Oh my God, he is. - I love David. - Yeah, but when you're watching the comedian, you go like, I don't even know, I don't know what this person believes, but they're phenomenal. - Yeah. I would love to know like how you've fostered a space where comedians can continue to come and still have their comedy alongside comedians who don't share the same comedy, but then not create like an atmosphere of animosity. - Well, as I said, no censorship. You wanna talk about whatever you wanna talk you're okay with this, as long as you make it funny. - But have you ever had issues where the comedians themselves are like, I don't want that comedian telling those jokes? - Not really, there's some comedians that either resent on the one love others. - Yeah, I mean, that's comedy. That's every industry. - Yeah, they don't respect and you get this under the nose. - You know. - I'm like, how is he doing it perfectly? - Yeah, I love him. - I'm like, you're gonna, you're gonna miss me, me. And I'll say, why? And sometimes they tell me sometimes they don't, they're afraid that I'll say something or, you know, but yeah, so between the comics, it sometimes happens. And usually, the A minus comics would do that. - Oh, interesting. They, yeah, the comment, oh, he's a hack. What is a hack? Tell me what the hack is. - That's interesting. And. - Sorry, A minus is quite a high school. - That's why I say it's great. - No, there's an A and A plus. - Yeah, but that's what I'm saying. - They agree. - No, I'm saying you didn't say like a C, you know what I mean? - C comics doesn't work in Comedy Seller. - Damn. - Wait, so the-- - Damn, ST just dropped a couple of dishes out. - Damn, damn, damn, ST just dropped a couple of dishes out. - Damn, damn, ST, yeah, that was crazy. - Oh, G, A, A, A, A, A, A. - Oh, ST was like, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. - Okay. - ST, you know, ST was like, nah, bra. We don't do C, see you later. - Exactly. - You know what, ST dropped a bum on us, that's what I'm talking about, the top is A. - There's an A plus, A plus a plus. - There's an A, A minus, B plus, B minus I'm starting to warm up. - C was happy. - Okay, you're not sure. - Let's see what happens. - Okay, got it. - So the, so it's interesting. - B, B, F. - Oh, okay. - I can give you the address of other places. - Uptown. (laughing) - Go somewhere else. - Now the tables have turned. - No, look, I am saying that there's room for everybody. - Right. - But it takes time to become a seasoned comedian, to know how to well crafted, said, looks on what you need to do or whatever, take takes time and I'll give you the opportunity to do it. But if I have to book five people and I have A plus A, I'll go there first because my job is not to hold every comedian's hand, it's not. My job is to produce a best show I can with the availability I have, I've reached out to two people to get them in. It's not only that they come to me, although mostly they come now. But I cannot be your manager or your teacher or whatever, but I'll give you the opportunity if you do have the seat, if you show the potential and those people grow, there's a whole generation, like you said Sam Morel, there's other than Soder, Joe Liz, Mark Norman, they are all on the same thing that they went up. - Crazy, I know, but it was at the same, it's like, we are in the same generation of comedy, you and I, start at the same time, we're in, we're off that, you know, if you cut the trees trunk, we're that ring, yeah, basically we're that ring, but I've always wanted, I'm sure they are, which comedians have blown up that surprised you the most, because like not everyone's path is linear, but some people just find something magic and all of a sudden you go, wow, they took it to a whole new level. I, that's very hard for me to, to say, often I'm asked, can you predict when you meet a comedian who's going to become, I can't, I can't, there's a lot of people that I think, oh my God, that guy, and it never happens, and then there is somebody very quiet, that's very, that I didn't, and I don't want to say it because they are big now, but it's just like, huh, how did that happen? But it bit. And you can't find any common thread, you can't find, it just, no, I think it's, it's, they're good comedians to begin with, yeah, good work ethics, yeah, the timing is perfect, yeah, yeah, somebody saw them at a certain time, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, you know, how to say timing is everything, yeah, no, it is, so as long as you are prepared, and you have the good ingredients, and you are good to begin with, and the opportunity meets, meets you at the right place, you go out, and there's people that are just as good, just as prepared, but the timing never worked. That's probably one of the things I appreciate it, and still appreciate about the comedy seller the most, is it's, it's a comedy club where I felt comedians were always reminded of the fact that they're lucky. And what I mean by that is, yeah, what I mean by that is in, when you are walking through the halls or the rooms or the, or the restaurant of the comedy seller, there is no comedian I can think of who would lie and say, I don't know comedians who have destroyed as much as I have on many of the nights that I've been there. And so there's a, there's a, I think there's a certain level of humility in understanding that like, that's why I say when, when people would say a name to me, and they go, oh, have you heard of this? They've really blown up. Then I go, I'll be honest with you, from the first time I encountered them, they were amazing. And I guess to your point, timing and luck just hadn't met with their amazing. But they were amazing. Yeah. And that's like the, the, the, the hard and humbling aspect of entertainment in general, but especially comedy is, sometimes it's just about meeting the audience, you know? Like, I, like, I, like, I'll never separate like Louis C K from where America was when he like, really like mega blew up. He became like the perfect vessel for what America was going through it was the recession it was people weren't feeling like things are great people weren't feeling and Louis has this this way of like being both optimistic and extremely pessimistic in the same container but I feel like it met him at the perfect time it's so funny because I have books my booking books yeah from the beginning so I was booked the shows and then on the bottom I have the late night for a while there was food spots or the late night and all those people were on the late night Chris Ruck and Louis C.K. and Jim Norton they were all on that thing and look what they are now on the latest latest slots was that the hardest slot John Stuart used to be on that slot John and I talked about when he said he was like no John used to be a bus boy in Pinchitos down the street yeah he used to come I might be wrong but Pinchitos Pinchitos I don't sound like a comedy club it wasn't a comedy club it was a Mexican restaurant and he started coming by I loved him from day one yeah they won what did you know about him I just liked his humor his performance his material he was just a funny as hell yeah and I started booking him and there was some was a ship and I think it was the Mark Twain award that he said I wasn't really good but that's the kept booking me yes yes it was actually yes it was me yeah yeah I think it was the Mark Twain price I kept booking him because I I just believe I don't know I believed in him he was funny he was he was great I loved him from day one but that's what I mean you see that's a that's the time that took time I tell you I tell you took a minute for you not for me for the princess to to find him he always went on last which he still does and people were just the exit is that going to Pinchitos it was some people took a minute yeah but they all used to do the late nights what do you think it was about the night they did the documentary once they wanted to see my book and Chris Rack was in the olive tree yeah I showed him the book I said do you remember that at all it was like one a.m. two a.m. and that was like five minutes no but you never know because then yeah but that's why I'm asking was yeah that that slot was harder at that time it's always hard because I mean who is in the room at that hour and wanting to love they want to laugh but they have a sleep and then yeah they're drunk they've eaten they were you know that at the commissary we have the rule about drinking yeah you know that no I didn't know that okay it's two drinks minimal okay which is standard in all the industries not just comedy club but we have a three-drink maximum I did not know this yeah we don't want you to drink if somebody wants a for-to-drink they have to get the managers approval gotta go and walk you gotta they've got a little rising to no I mean little phalanx test in the cellar then they bring out David tell would a drunk person be able to do this now you don't want them drunk no but you see no you know you don't do that we talk about anybody that says oh you are here for the money they don't know that we have rules like that but this is what I mean yes yeah I say this day of all the time I talk to you you know I go I wish more people were able to run businesses and industries in a way that didn't have to extract all the money all the time yeah because I think you would create something that lasts longer yeah and something that everyone can benefit from for longer because I've been to establishments where they'll sell as many drinks as they can because they want to make money many having a meeting with Lucian remember Lucian no Lucian is around the the comic strip okay he passed and they were talking and trying to build a business you you hand out you know two four one and covers whatever now how do you make money you raise the drink and push the drinks we never did it never ever did we do that we're always and we have a very clear rule a rule of three drinks maximum I didn't know this yeah and as comedians you you you feel you also you know somebody comes from downstairs oh they're all drunk I said you know I just noticed some of us drank in the some was drunk before we can you know we have security and if you appear drunk you're not let let in yes and we we we have the role about the cell phones yeah cell phones in the bags it's all done to protect the comic comics yeah this is all for the comics I would even argue protects comedy as a whole you know why yeah but no because you are the vehicle for coming no yes yes but what I mean is like one of the reasons I love the fact that you don't allow people to film the show is because comedy and I know Chris Rock has spoken about this pretty clear but like one of things people forget with comedy and comedians and clubs in particular is that is where you're going to forge an idea yeah you're not going there because the idea is perfect you're going there to start creating out of nothing something you know you're going there to to to to try and like chisel it out and hammer it and find the edges and smooth them and then when someone watches it on a special on Netflix or wherever they go oh wow that that was great yeah like yeah but there were many nights when this didn't make sense or this was warped or this was you know and if people record that and put it out yeah they're doing two things that they don't realize yeah one they're hurting the comedian because you're not allowing the comedian to put the thing out when they were going to put it out yeah right in the way that so now they can't even sort of stand behind it because you stole it from the lab and then you're saying that this product is bad for it's toxic but it was in the lab you stole it from the lab it wasn't in the stores but I don't even say what technology takes away or the wrong audience watching who takes away is the three stages that I think a comic goes through yeah think sometimes you're on stage at a club because you're trying to find the funny yes sometimes you trying to find yourself and there'll be times that the audience meets you after you found the two when the when you're in sync with how you're feeling and what you say it all makes sense but there was a time when the idea was great but you were not feeling you were not there yeah yeah yeah yeah all of those have made people have opinions about comics at the wrong time at the wrong place and I think I always make this analogy of thinking have you have you watched soccer before soccer yeah sure so when when soccer player Goli yeah oh wow okay clearly superstar in Israel yeah look at that SD okay you know when there's when soccer plays security guards that are looking at the crowd they almost know instinctually what is happening behind yeah yeah so that ability to listen is what you had because you were host you were listening to comics without watching them and prejudging them so you were there to find out when they found the funny when they were finding themselves and when the audience has found them yeah when it's better yeah so I think technology robs people of that because of that snippet yeah takes away all of the and you've said it before when we're having this chat you said you give them time yeah you have to you give them time to find the two and the audience will benefit immensely from it but but the the beginning the starting line now is higher than it used to be because of the availability okay imagine speaking of comedy yeah what do you think of because that's what we're speaking about um what your segues are flawless thing could fool me a plus we're talking about everything but everything but it's like it's actually modern and recording what do you think about the new movement of like um you know there's audience participation that whole thing where where crowd was all you know trim for the one I don't mind I I like crowd when you and I'm see and you do crowd work you sort of bring them in into the space into the state of mind yes I when I'm see gets on and start doing bits what is that all about that that's wrong I want them see to do a crowd work and warm them up where they where they are a reception the reception yeah they reception yeah you want them to yeah so I am very pro I know that a lot of people especially online yeah the crowd work and all of that you know it's There is a little, a Mendoza line for that, you know, it's sometimes too much and not enough substance. But sometimes with crowd work, you bit comes out of it. That's true. Yeah. It comes. You can't find the funny there. Well, yeah, and you'll be surprised how entertaining some of the people in the audience can be. They're really hard. I sometimes watch it and say, you know, like a dog that is peanut butter. What? I mean, so there is a benefit to it. So you don't have to the goalie? Huh? What happened to the goalie? Oh, never mind. You know, you know, of course you started. You asked me if I know soccer, not only I know soccer, it's not your one. So my, my crowd work question is, if you book the crowd work, you book the host to do crowd work. Yes. And then, yes, then when you book the act, you're booking them to do a specific set or, you know what I mean. I take under consideration, who is the MC, with who is on the show? Oh, wow. I take it under. That's one of the considerations, because the MC contributes to the show. If it's a, obviously I would prefer most of the time, the MC to be high energy. Right. Somebody that will keep the crowd and, you know, and once in a while they throw a, you know, a little bit here, a little bit there, but they include the audience in it. Where an act just comes out and does his ex once in a while they interact. Yeah. Yeah. But not that much. With the MC, I do like the interaction, because it, come on kids, let's play together. That's what the MC is supposed to do. Yeah. Yeah, it gets up and says, starts with bits. He doesn't do, doesn't live up to his role. So do you ever penalize an act for doing crowd work in your head? Like if an act comes up and then they start doing a lot of crowd work, do you, do you in your head go? No, it depends who and what they do. Okay. Great. Yeah. It's not very dry cut on that, you know. Some of them have a bit that they're coming up with, they're about to say it. Yeah. And it's a lead in, oh, they'll turn to the audiences. Did you ever? Yeah. Okay. It's just a, it's the beginning of a magic trick. Yeah. Okay. Does anyone have a quarter here? Yeah, exactly. They were going to do the trick anyway. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's a liquid. This is very fluid. Hmm. I want to put you on the spot before we lose your SD, like, who's your personal favorite comedian? You. No, don't do that. Are you asking me the question? No. No, but I, like, asked no question. No, no. It's, I have, people are like more than others. Yeah. Yeah. Is your favorite? And would you go downstairs to watch more than the other children? There's going to be one child where you're like, and I only mean this because they, they just happen to like hit everything that you want from the comedy and the, do you get them say? They break it down for SD. Basically, SD, think of it this way. Don't break it down for me. I know exactly what he's asking. I want to find them. I'm trying to find them. Which child would you take up to three years? And which child would you lose at three months? Did I buy you enough time? Yeah. This is an interesting way of putting it. Who do you want that board? No, no, no. I won't put you in. I won't put you in the spot. No, but I will ask you. You heard me, right? I took it first. I took it first. He lives in a comedy club. Okay. No. Okay. I'll ask you this then. Yeah. Instead of making it that, let's go the other way because I think it'll be great for all of us. Yeah. Okay. Give me a few names of comedians that we should be watching now that, you know, maybe we're not. Just, you know, name a few where you go. Like this person is really getting me this person. Aaron Chan. Okay. Aaron Chan from Australia. He is. Yes. He is a Chinese guy from Australia. Okay. Cool. He has a show over there that it's a small show that's now on Netflix that's making a lot of waves. He is, I, it's very difficult to describe him. Okay. He is somebody I would say, if you get a chance watching, okay, great. He's very quiet. He's very sarcastic. He is wonderful. One absolutely wonderful. Okay. Um, I can give you a list of about 10 people that are brand new for the seller that I still go down to watch because I, what else do you have? Give us four. Okay. So we got Aaron Chan. Give us three more. There is Winston from DC. A lot of new comics are from Chicago now. So there is a whole wave of Chicago coming. It goes with. It does going away. Yeah. Yeah. Chicago. And as I said, right now is Australia. Is a new guy, I just, Blake, green, what's his last name? I know. I just auditioned him. Wonderful. Really funny. Um, um, Brandon soccer of that, somebody that is going right now this way. Very funny. Um, and put a lady as well. A lady? Yeah. Why? Because what is the four guys then what, then what, then what? No, I can give you a, there's, there's quite a few women now too that were Emma waiver. You know, Emma, she's, and it's just become a, she's, she's, yeah, um, um, Amy Blotnik. I love Amy Blotnik. You asked me once for a writer, I remember Michelle, Michelle, Michelle, Emma Blotnik is an incredible writer. And she was the head, head writer for the president, man, the show, but the president, man was, yeah, the president, all the president. And now she's creating an animation, I mean, she's wonderful, an incredible person, sweet, quiet, beautiful person. Very funny, um, L Orlando is one of the new girls I'm using. Yeah. I have a lot of faith in her. Let's see how that goes. You know what your accent when you say new girl I'm using? It's, uh, that, that, you have such a bad, I'm so sorry, I can't help it. I mean, the comics I'm using. Yeah. Thank you. No, he asked me about girls, I don't expect much, man, you did a 36 months, you raised the style. You have so much hope in you, man. No, there, there is a, I would need my, my paper to, to go through it, but there's, there is a Philip and I cannot pronounce his last name, Colony after the Bill. He's Slovakian that working in England for about 10 years, yeah, very funny. It's brand new. Those are all new people. Um, I love that you still, I still love that you, that you still have this. Like, I'm watching. Oh my excitement. But that's what I mean. Like, like, you, you don't have a, again, I've met people who've booked comedy their whole lives with it's for late night TV or for comedy clubs or, and at some point they have a, I've seen it all, yeah, they remind me of this person and you're like, oh, oh, oh, and this person, and you, you still, till this day 40 Peter, how many years later, Peter Revello. Yeah. Did you get to see me yet? No, you've got to. This is, I mean, I now just have a list of comedy that I have to just go and watch. I'm going to go, I'm going to go, oh, how about Ethan? Ethan's phenomenal. No, I mean, but it yeah, Ethan is like, yeah, Ethan is, yeah, Ethan is. So much. Oh my god. Yeah. Well, I think we're talking about Ethan for you like, yeah, we'll, we'll, we'll tell him. Yeah. And no social media. Nothing. And you know what? Not only is a great comic. I remember we, a few years back, we booked this week at the Comedy Cellar for Comedy Central. And that's where first time saw him. And I, between Ethan, Peter, Aaron, John, Drew, Dan, it, it'll blow you mine. How good they are. It'll blow you mine. Okay. Those are making it past 36 months. Huh? Those four are making it past 36 months. I'm telling you. We're raising them. Fantastic. Really. Fantastic. And yeah, it's gratifying to to to find somebody that you excited about, you know, and exactly which mean. Yeah. I am not blessed about it at all. And that's why we appreciate you. That's why we love you. Thank you so much, SD. Thank you for everything you do. You know, I was thinking like two days ago, I was like, why is there not a documentary on you? I was thinking, and then I was like, people probably trial the time and then SD's the kind of person who's like, I don't want to have, he just, unless my hand is like twisted, you know, who's never tried? Who? You Twinkleto. Twinkleto? Okay. You know, one thing that somebody say, describe Travernor, and I would say Twinkleto. You've never seen him do that. Thank you. Yeah, the role you've played in my life, the role, you know, it's amazing. The role you've played in everyone's lives without them knowing it. So if people loved Louis show on, on FX or his standard, if people loved Aziz's, you know, Master of None. If people loved, there's so many comedians that have affected your life. And SD was part of their journey, getting to, yeah, John Stuart's. And then me by extension with the, it's just crazy how many comedians you were. You were already, you were cooked already. No, but I mean, you were not getting ready, you know, yeah, but I mean, in America though, yeah, yeah. I mean, still, I would argue doing it at the comedy set line, what you gave me was a home away from home. Yeah. And you know, one of the biggest things I really appreciated about it was the comedy club didn't possess an air of, of, of, of, of like heaviness and, and no, because there's a lot of clubs that I would go to where it really, it felt like you were in the doll drums emotionally. It felt, it, it, there was a, there was a, there was an extreme difference between what was happening on stage and what you were feeling in the building. I would watch people get on stage and they were the funniest human beings I'd ever seen, ever. And then I'd walk off stage or I'd see them come off stage and I'd hang out and I'd go, this is the most depressing environment of the, like, it feels, it feels, yeah, it feels suicidal. It feels, it feels negative. It feels like it's not, no, but it, but genuine and I, I don't, I don't say, I don't say it in a judgmental way. I say it in like a scary way. Yeah. And I remember comedians would ask me, like, some clubs in America that go, why don't you come? I was like, Hey man, I'll be honest with you. I don't ever want to be in that space again because it didn't feel like anyone there was like, was, it felt like they worked in happiness, but they weren't trying to be living happiness. That happens in every environment. You have an office, yeah, that everybody either dislikes each other or undercuts each other and the negative, negative, negative, negative. Yeah, but what I'm saying is that what I appreciate it and still appreciate about the comedy seller is the thing in between, like, the meals that people share, the way we roast each other, you know, with its Keith sitting in a corner and then you roasting Keith about having a stroke and then he's roasting you, and then he's roasting, and then he's roasting you. Yeah. He's the first one to roast you. And then you've got, you know, like someone else walks in and I don't know for a fact, but if I tell him, you know what, I did travel in our podcast, you know what he's going to do. That's Keith. Yes, he'll just go, you know, thumbs down. You know, it's funny. Five years ago, a friend of mine introduced me to Bill Granfest, and we had a call every week for six months or so, and every time on the call, he would speak about how amazing you were. Who did? Bill Granfest. Bill said it. Yeah. And then the other friend that had a lot to say about you, who was not in comedy, but just loves comedy, very young kid at the time, was Josh Pinkas. He spoke so highly about you, and then now him hearing the story for the first time about how you guys met. I have to say, there must be something about you that a lot of people appreciate and love. And most things that just have linchpins in life, and it happens that you are one of those, and you are hearing it while you're still alive. Thank you. I'm not trying to be it. No, no, no, no. I'm not trying to be that person. No, maybe that's why you're good at being it. You know, I just honestly, honestly, with all my heart, I love comedians. I love what they do. I appreciate them. I know how difficult it is. Yeah. It's not a given. And I think it comes through. I'm being sincere about it. And the people that don't like me is the people I don't book and don't laugh and don't feel that they deserve to be here. But yeah, there's a lot of comedians out there. There's a lot of love going on. You are loved. I hope you know your love. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you very much. This has been amazing. Thank you for indulging. I know it must be weird for you to have a conversation during the day where there's no comedy club around. I know. I know this was different. That feels very natural. It feels very natural. Thank you, Esteep. This was great. Thank you so much. This is really wonderful. Okay. I loved it. Wow. You're amazing. Good. But now with Trevinoa is produced by Day Zero Productions in partnership with SiriusXM. The show is executive produced by Trevinoa Sanasiamin and Jess Hackel. Rebecca Chain is our producer. Our development researcher is Marcia Robiou. Music, mixing and mastering by Hannes Brown. Random other stuff by Ryan Hodduth. Thank you so much for listening. Join me next week for another episode of What Now?