"Inner Growth Hormone" with James Fritz

We sit down with comedian James Fritz to discuss working as a Teacher's Assistant, moonshine,  starting stand up in Chicago, escaping Kentucky, scrambled porn, everything sucks, 90's Fox Prime Time Comedy shows, Bill Hicks, pre-compromising, not needing a day job, out of touch comedians, Strangers with Candy, dad's loving black television shows, the 2000 election heist and the Clinton we destroyed.

X:
@fritzisdead
Instagram:
@fritzisdead
Website:
jamesfritzcomic.com

WWTWH YouTube Channel

Laura Kightlinger
Twitter: @KingKightlinger
Insta: @laurakightlingerlives
Web: laurakightlinger.com

Daniel Webb
Twitter: @thedanielwebb
Insta: @the_danielwebb
Web: thedanielwebb.com

Transcript

0:08

Okay, I want to start again. Okay. Mountain dew skinny dipper. flamethrower and Foghat enthusiast. Hilarious comic. James Fritz is with us. I thought you were doing a vocal warm up. No. Hahahahahahaha. I know I get a little shy in the introductions. Flame thrower. James. Better now? I've been waiting for you all the time. Yeah. There you go. No, you were great. You're still great. Flame girl at Southern Pines. We were waiting for you all day. All day. It's time to throw a slur game. There's a difference. So. Like, I would be homophobic. I was. Oh, throw in the flame. Oh, I thought I might let you see. Oh, Are you the thrower or the flame? I'm straight. I don't know how this is. This is a flamer. Okay, if if you're a flamer thrower. You know. It should have been your intro. Yeah. Okay. This. He is straight. He's white. He's a mountain dew skinny dipper and whitewater rafting. Oh, why have a whitewater rafting supremacist? I'm from Kentucky. And. Oh, no. No, he's just. He's just a supremacy. He's very particular about how he wraps. Okay. For God's sakes. this is. Yay! James. Rich. You. James. You're a brilliant comic. And, like most, comics who write and are actually great comics. You have another job in order to live out here. Do you want to talk about that? You don't have to. No. Okay. Okay. Okay. Yeah. I got a job. He's. He's a dancer for hire. Oh, okay. Yeah. Yeah. The teacher's assistant for a special needs kids. That is sweet. That's so sweet. But you're a good person. Yeah. That's what you get for being a good person. Also is you're helping kids and you're making people laugh in the evenings. Yeah, well, I did it to help with my crowd work video. Text. And I was saying, I got a new puppy, and he's coming over for today's recording. And Laura knows I can't wait to meet your new baby. And the bookworm was like, who had a baby? And Laura's first response was, did you think I'd actually be excited about you? Not a human baby. I was like, the. Thought of Laura not getting excited about a baby is very. Laura was literally falling asleep when I know. Oh, and, The gravity bomb right before. James, you're. I forget this because you have no accent. But you're from Kentucky. Kentucky? I like sipping on this. Oh, yeah. Cheers. He will come back. Oh, This is real absinthe. You know, it's from Ireland. Oh, you haven't the what they have here. I don't really travel. But this is the the stuff here is, like, counterfeit bullshit. Absinthe. This is real. Yeah. Oh. And that. They sell a fake moonshine in, like, liquor stores, and I'm like. It's like. I, I knew it was really moonshine because we all found it in some, we were in West Texas and someone just found it in the freezer. In the garage. You in the garage has a refrigerator. the moonshine and the first person who drank it immediately vomited. I've never seen anything like it was a regular drink. Oh, shit. Oh, we didn't know. And so we saw that happen, and we still drink. Oh, I mean, yeah, yeah, yeah, I. I wish I could, like, withstand it. No tougher than. No I think it was. No, I'm. What is it? What. What's in it? Moonshine. rubbing alcohol. Oh, really? They put in the sun Oh. Rubbing alcohol. yeah. No that was still. It's like like potatoes in a shirt. Right. yeah. And you just left, but it's like. 80 proof or, you know, like 180. Wow. That's a real. You can't, like. You know why. We're in a garage smoking cigarets and playing cards and that. Oh, there was a huge fight. Nevermind. There's a big ass. Fight that night. Well, my friend lost the card game and stormed inside the other house. You know, because some country people have. A lot of moonshine, right? Yeah. Blindness or. Fighting? It was their. Hearts. And someone stole it away from the table. The Kenny Rogers song. His old things. Okay. So if somebody wanted to go, it's not that anyone would want it, but if you wanted to go blind, you jerk. Off. And drink moonshine. You know. Poppers. Poppers. You go blind. I think so. Also rubbing alcohol. Yes. VHS cleaner. Yeah. I just have to look at it for everything. Okay. And what is this. I don't. Know. You have it and either have like hot anal sex with another gay man that. Relaxes your butt Yeah. Oh, you like to party on dance floor? Oh, jeez. Okay. So usually somewhere in the middle. Yeah, well, maybe having anal sex on the dance floor. Oh, jeez. No. Again. You know, you know my old bit about that. That I did a bit. That's 100 years old. Have I done this on this podcast? I've never, you know. I. Okay. Thank you. James. Like, you know what I say? Whatever you whatever your job is. So at some point in life, your boss will say to you, have you ever had anal sex? And if you don't want, if you don't want to lose your job or you don't want to, like, you know, you know, act like you've never, you know, like you're not very erudite or whatever you say. I haven't, but just do not like, you know, deter your your chance of getting a raise. Whatever you say. I say, well, I haven't, but, the last person who tried, the last virgin who tried, I know I'm be the last person who tried disappeared. There is nothing left but a chip tooth and a bloody eyeball. but my old, old ass is haunt. A joke, which I can't really remember now that I've had absinthe. Don't go over there. That is better. You know, Harry Potter, that whole thing. I guess I don't I that's part of a bathhouse culture. Yeah, right. Okay. We've all had a fag. Well, she was a fag hag for this guy named Louise Hammond. And they were playing Batman in the 80s. And he claims that an old, ancient Lucille Ball just, like, fell on her stuff and then woke up and pulled out poppers that her doctor prescribed for it. Wow. I don't like smelling. Yeah. Yes, but she was playing backgammon with a gay man. in the 80s who knew exactly what they were. I can't wear it out. So it's a popper. Like it's something that you pop open. I think there's, like, to go poppers. Yeah. All I can think of is. It's like a whippet but horny. Oh okay. Yeah. I should really do the branding. What was the worst drug that you've done on the road when you're doing stand up. Oh God. Or the best. I think something I thought was coke but wasn't. Oh sure. Long time. yeah. The old methamphetamine. Yeah. Yeah. And it's like this isn't fun at all. Yeah. Yeah. Six days later I would really like to get some sleep. We have a friend who did that. I'm not going to say his name, but he thought he was doing coke all night. He was up literally for three months. Three months. Actually. And literally three months. Michael Jackson? No, but, I'm actually he. Can I, He kept going to the these doctors that just said it's got to wear off. I don't know what you can do. You can't do anything about it. Yeah, you have to. So that's what they said about Michael Jackson is that if he were, they said doctor said because he wasn't sleeping, he was anesthetized himself every night. Right. So he wasn't going to go round like. His whatever he. Pedophilia. Well, yeah. It'll get you. Get your sleep, doctor. Like, it's like, I think a record is like, two weeks without any kind of, like, medical intervention or something going on before your body just knocks you out. Oh, really? They they hypothesized that had he not over anesthetized himself that night, that he would have died from lack of sleep because no one in human history has gone that long without sleeping? Oh okay. He wasn't getting that. And he was also being weird because I've been working and. Songs really dropped. Off. Incriminating. No no, no. okay. Good. What drug? You don't share with kids. I'm sure. Ancient history. You're from Kentucky? Yeah. And you lived. When did you move out that way? like. 13 years ago. before starting. Do you start staying up in Kentucky. Now? Well, I did, like, one time in college, just at the coffee shop. I worked. And, you know, you can drink in that room again in Kentucky. And like I did like one of my friends came out I just made fun of the Bible and then I didn't do it ever so again until I moved to Chicago. How did the Bible anti-violence year go? Go. Oh, it was pray. Yeah. Oh, I'm sure, like, the first time. Yeah. Yeah. Sorry to profile. yeah. Yeah. Yeah. what is it like growing up in Kentucky? I grew up in a dry county. Sure. God, that must have been hell. Yeah. You just drove to the other. I didn't drink into college, like, at all. When? And to have sex. I did my finest. Was. I was scared of getting trapped in my own. Car. Wow. That's who I knew at a young age. I wanted to get the out of there. Like it was hardcore Southern Baptist. Wow. Yeah. So we, video store. we had a real good video store. I was lucky in that regard. What was it called for? Like my movie night? What was it? Ours was called video Max. yeah. This was, like, before everything got longer out there. My friends got the name, but another one opened up and they had, like, just like softcore. Well, the church ran them. Oh. Wow. Do you ever up all night? Oh. Yeah. Yes. For a lot of my sexual degrees. comedy. And that was. Wasn't that Rhonda Shear? They would show her on the shear, and they were godly. it would. It was basically softcore porn. Well, that's a lot of weird. Like your RV. Yeah, yeah, yeah, but they would show software porn. Is it some girl who just moved to the city every time? The manual? Yeah. Right before they get to the, like, hardcore part, it was just kind of like the next day they just edited or once sometimes. Or the older. Times. Yeah, you never know. And then you drive five. Without the overtime. I just remember like, I think I remember at one point, like, I don't even try to like, edit it gracefully and like, just blacked out, like. Free the screen. like heavy on me. like, if he was fondling or if they were just edited out. Yeah. We're not going for our blur guys on. Though, because when we got cable, we were late to the cable game just to pay. Oh, yeah, we my. Mind. It was a life changing moment. For lots of MTV. All of it. Right. And it was really hard to be late to that game because it was such close to the end. But we we got the cable box like a week and then a week later they switched the stations or they would change the channel. So they didn't come to like our cable box for a long time. It wasn't till I was like so bored that I went all the way up to channel 99, which was the spice Channel, but. Oh spice cable, cable house. It was like watching porn of it. And then they get like. The old punch box. Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah stuff. I remember sometimes we would get like Cinemax for free accidentally for like months And I would be upstairs and again like I can't even masturbate till now. But I was, you know, I was. You sure. You were. You were in it for the for your stories. You call them. I need to watch my stories. Catch up on. And then you. Remember I would be flipping around and in my bedroom and then like. Like with the TV, like on mirror. Yeah. You had to. Hear my dad. I was like, mute it. And I could hear my dad. And, like, through the heating vent in the basement where he watch TV and like, sync up. And I was like, oh my God, my dad was watching. Oh my God, are you serious? Fantastic. And now, were your parents religious? Religious? Okay. What kind of one was they watching? Religious? No. Same as you. I was just like, whatever. Was on Cinemax when we got it for free for, like. Or they forgot to, like, turn it off. Sometimes you get it for a year. Speaking of religious sexual deviancy, have I ever told you about that one? He was this, like, Falwell esque, evangelist in, like, Kansas or some shit. They he died, and he was found a father of like four. Found one with like a rubber, like a dive suit and then another swimsuit with the hood on it, and then all these ligatures to the wall. And the last line of the autopsy wreath with a condom wrapped, a, dildo inserted in the anus. He's not. Yes. And he was a preacher, like all fantastic. And the preacher would do something alone. Like who? And he just. He stumbled. He stumbled around. That's not Santa Claus. I don't I know he's got. He's all in rubber. I think this is mother. This is the. German. We moved up to L.A. 13 years ago. Yeah, I, I'm surprised I live in L.A. I don't know, I like I was coming from Chicago, and I think I was just trying to get out. What, were you gonna stand up? Jobs, you know, and, you know, I was spoiled rubbish. I didn't realize that. You know that. Crazy. Strange time. Yeah. Did you get paid? yeah. Yeah. And it's just so much cheaper. Yeah. yeah. It was kind of like, you know, here in New York you got to make the move. I think I just wanted some sun after 12 Chicago winters. Oh yeah. That's the part I don't understand. And now I want to go back. Oh my god. And, We wherever Chicago we it was a beautiful day in March. So beautiful. And we went to have lunch. And then when we got out the fucking cold front, everybody else knew about blue blooming. And we were like, find out we were dead. We just. It was unreal how much it had changed. And so we were. We're just like this young family on vacation on Michigan Avenue. We and we came out of the cafe and we ducked into the first store. We could we didn't was a sex shop. Oh, fantastic. Now my parents are in the store with us, so I'm just like, we're just in the doorway. It was great. We're just standing there like, that's my mom goes, they. No, none of us belong here. We're just like trying to get. And, sorry. I thought that was a Rockwell painting within a day in the sex shop. And then it's like a she painted a dildo and then an American. Yeah. And then all the chains on the wall. And a flag. Right. Yeah. I, I don't know the reason I ask why is because I also wanted to go to New York because I just found myself and I. Go to, I think I, it was a mistake. No. Everyone is like here, come here. We got so much better in New York. Yeah. Cause you're like, political and like, you know, you want to care about stand up comedy. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, you have material. Into it, too. And I don't think you've won the battle for acting. But looking out here people get that. That's the other. There's all these other people who don't give a shit about stand up, who are totally making a gig because they want the agent or whatever. Oh yeah. Yeah. That's been that way, I think, out here a long time. Yeah. Sure. Or something like, I don't even know why I'm doing this. I'm like, then I'll take your time. Yeah, yeah. Don't do it. No, it was like a a calling for me, and it ruined my fucking life. Oh yeah. Did you, do you remember who the. You're not a real comic. I think I. Do an impression of their rich mother. I haven't really. Yeah. If I did, my impression of my father in his house. I'm like fucking in front face. He throw a fucking bottle. get out of my house. Every mom ever I went, not my mom. yeah. I don't think you're a real comic unless it's real. Was there, James, is there a comic that you saw on TV or anything when you were growing up that you said? Oh. Yeah, Yeah. I had a VHS tape of coming to America with the, romance plot cut out. Yeah. So. Well, like the character and it was like the funniest hours. Just like the barber shop. I'm a preacher. Yeah, yeah. yeah. I don't think people remember. Or maybe they were. I was a VHS nerd. Yeah, I would say late night stand up. Yeah, I mean, But the panic of, like, seeing something on TV and being like, oh fuck, I have to get in shape. And then it's like. I take so much Letterman and commentary and would like watch it and. Do you remember Jean Russell hosted a whole week on David Letterman? Yeah, it's all nice. And Bob and David and all my friends are like, wow, this is cool. I lost my mind. Yeah, that was the most, like a game. Yeah. I'm like, okay, now we're going to college. But now I love, like, so much stuff. I love, like, get a life. That's when I kind of realized I was weird, like. I love him. Yeah, he's a god. I feel like Cabin Boy was such a weird, like, you know, when you fuck up the parrot or you fuck up the vibration. I feel like that was it for him because people read him the wrong way. you know it's not, that's not what he is. Yeah. Yeah. That was the biggest thing he commercial. Yeah. Yeah. Make people like him. From well get a life was it was so weird. Fox back then was so weird. Yeah. I remember the edge. The edge? Yeah, I remember it. It was like a show. Yeah. After the apocalypse, Herman's head. I loved him. Hey, what's your weird tomorrow? Nothing will air that for a year. Yeah. Loved her. I don't even remember. That was case of when JFK junior married or whatever his wife was. And that blond lady. I thought it was the lady from her that I just got married. I think Carolyn Bessette is that bitch. His name was, for me. Why is he. Why? Oh, he's not a hack Bill Hicks. And probably more than anything. And he's in 1992 before he died at the age of 32. You're right. Yeah. I love the way people judge him. He died at 32. I would I've never heard, I've never heard, I've never heard of him being described as a hack though. Yeah, I know, but like, back to like, the like, but I think it is. Oh, you mean it's hack to like, Bill Hicks? Yeah. I mean, when I first moved here, a lot of, like, the old Congress was like, oh, this guy, I think he's but not me, but like just at the time. And I'm like, well, I mean, he was. That's a miracle. Yeah, that would be a huge thing. Talking about anything real at that time. I just loved like cause like you know I came up in the age of like geared up. And like no. God in comedy but Yeah. Couldn't be in a checkout line without all those motherfuckers. I mean, Yeah. Yeah. Fucking chips. I mean, awful, like everything. And then to hear a guy with a southern. Accent being from the South, like. Yeah. Anti-war shit. And, like. Yeah, you know. He was big for me. Stand up. Me, too. Yeah. I, Yeah. What's the duck saying? How does he feel in Ireland or Scotland where he can't get the visa? And in the beginning of the special, he's calling the front desk and he's asking the lady concierge. Hey, would you be interested in marrying me so I can get a visa and you can, you know, lose that stigma. Because I don't want somebody. But I didn't, I didn't agree with it. Hi Ron. Yeah. Where you just going to just. I mean I love watching it live, but it's so hard for me to sit down and watch. Like a special. Yeah. You know people I like. I like listening to the Bill Hicks one of its tapes the last I think it was one of the last ones that he taped. How good is it, the episode. Of Ransom demand. I don't know when Letterman has his mom and she gets all three blocks or whatever. She's in all three segments and. She makes them, like, eat it. Yes. Yeah, she does not. He keeps trying to kind of apologize. And she I don't think I've ever. Seen a man of tone for an hour on. Television. Really? I never saw it. You know that story, right? No. He will. He finally got cause he did, but I did. Elevator on. But he never did like CBS. And, you know, he was still trying to struggle at least in America, to break it out and break big. Wait a second. Who are we talking about. Okay. And so we finally did like the 1030 Letterman show at CBS. Oh, wow. He did. I was, like, abortion joke, you know, like pro-lifers. If you love life so much. And why don't you don't lock up and block abortion clinics? like, block. You? Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Talk about hateful and and they kind of, And like, it broke its fucking heart. And then God, like, soon after, he was all right. I don't I don't feel guilty about much, I don't think. But I think he felt guilty about that. And then like on the anniversary of his death or something. They played. It. They had his mother on. Right. Yeah. As a guest. And they played it. And he talked to his mother and his mother to Letterman's face was like, yeah, it broke his heart. And like. Wow. Incredible. Right. Yeah, I. Think she says it's like it hurt our family. Whoa. Unbelievable tone. Yeah. Cause then they show it the controversial clip and Letterman himself is like, I can't see anything in there that I imagine being that controversial now, but he never gets like she never let him have it. I just love. It. Yeah. Yeah. Wow. She's not in show business. Yeah. Yeah. Well, in Austin, Texas, they're like. I that hurt my boys. You know? And you get the. There's the old. There's all these. Who knew it? Yeah. Stuff like that. So you always get like, a couple of people would drop it that way. Yeah. Well, you can't like Denis Leary if you. Yeah. And as a matter of fact, I might as well just say it. I might as well just say I. They ask me. If I'm like, yeah. Or. Yeah. He said he thought he was Bill Hicks too. And that was really well, I've told the story before, but the awful thing was they were both in London doing stand up. If you hear this. I think I've heard. Oh, shit. Well, then that's probably me. I just went back over it again. Okay. So, oh. Okay. So anyway, Bill Hicks went on after Denis Leary, and of course, Denis Leary has stolen everything from. Yeah. Everything from Bill Hicks, the smoking, the everything, basically. and, then in the LA times, in the London Times the next day, it said that Bill Hicks is a poor man's Denis Leary. I think that's. I know, I think that I think that gave him cancer. I think that's what started, because also, like he had said, his agent at the time at William Morris, he said, I heard that you were thinking, you know, apparently I heard you were thinking of, signing Denis Leary. And, you know, he's stolen everything for me. And if you do, I'm going to leave. And they did. They. So they signed Denis Leary. Yeah, yeah. And Denis Leary. Yeah. And he has a New Year's yet another show coming out. Even worse now no one gives a fuck about stolen material. No. And you're going to see, like, I got no comedy fans on the internet saying they don't care. Nobody replies. They'll be like, well, they tell it better. I'm like. What people? Yeah. Oh it's terrible, I agree. I have to have some kid aside and let him know that his parasitic twin joke was a a joke. Right. And the kid just looked at me like. You're dead. But it's not your joke. Yeah. do you. Go. Through your research. Yeah. Or anything. Is that right now? And like all of that because I can't take the manufactured like reels and things like that. All of it just really frustrates me. When we're comics. So we like to focus on, like, comedy. And what's funny but everything. So. Oh it is just part of everything. The culture. Sucks. Yeah. I suck like. Everything sucks. Yeah. People are getting super rich off of making off of all the stuff for. A second. Reason. That's all I need I think. I know I always think of that too as well. When people say that's when they say a one hit wonder I always think yeah, that'd be great. One you make so much money, if you have one huge hit, that'd be great. People generally love you. You don't have a second hit that people hate you for. Yeah. And that people remember? Yeah. yeah. I just think that for a minute I'd. The culture thing is really because I'm old and I remember the last like analog century, which was what all the people say when they get old. But, like, I can't take. I remember the phonograph. I just want, like. Just cause I'm older than you. That's what comedy was. Yeah, yeah. Not everybody needs to be donating content to the. Oh, not everybody needs to be like, you know, I feel like I don't want to be any kind of visible because there's just too many people. It's exhausting. Yeah. And I'm totally like. Yeah, yeah, like. The Netflix thing. Like it's like, we were talking about this Jodie. Yeah. It's like how we were going. We were calling it, we were calling it what she called it. Right? A joke, instead of. It's a joke. And and we're just saying tell a joke because it's just. What the fuck it I. Yeah. a viewer, because it's like. That's right. Yeah. Yeah. Oh, yeah. And now that's all there is. And it's set up, too. It's so gross. Well, that's the thing. But now audiences want that. Yeah. It's like it's totally. We train them, but like, we stand for nothing. Every time a train happens, you see, somebody can't be like, I'll never do this. And then like, oh. Yeah. Yeah, you're gonna. Yeah, yeah. Kill each other for an extra $6. But yeah, I know, I do think there, I do think there should be a union though. It's so fucking crazy. Like we have no protection, you know, from thieves or anything from, you know. Learning about the history of it when they try to you down. Yeah. Who was the bad guy? And Leno was like, oh, God. No. Like, I just want to blow, like. part of the story. He's like, oh. I'm trying. You know, it was Amanda Kindler. Oh, yeah. Yeah. I'm dying of having read that, but it's great. And is that okay? I know, I want to know. Is that the one that they talk about? Leno in the closet on the show? I don't think so. You know that. No. Not gay. Just in the closet. He was listening in. Yeah. Yeah. You really thought it was. That is one ugly gay dude only a woman could like that chin. That, you know, Letterman. if he was. Gonna see this. Right? It was. You got. And it's like it's a cock. I I'm okay. what's wrong with the cock? I'm. I'm really doing my real shitty impressions today. Oh good. You both. You know that feels good again. Yeah. I change. What would be the ideal situation. If you could do anything. Would you want to host a like a TV show like a late night. Or would you. Still make like I. Don't. Know. Or be on sitcom or what. Or. I'd like to be a touring company. I can pay as rent. I'm trying not to aim higher than that. And not have to have a day job again like. Well may have to take the brief amount of time as I haven't had to have a day job. Film. Very good. you know what what it's like to work. it changes your brand and like. Oh God. Yeah. And it's insane. Like the one year I got like that, I was working for this company that had a mass layoff. And so we got like pretty mild unemployment for like a year. Yeah. And I was like, okay, I to trade comedy like it's my full time job. And I was the most I improved. Well then one year of comedy. And you're like oh this is why rich kids thrive. And you just do this all day. And think about it all. And they don't have to worry. Yeah I'm just going to go to. Comedy timing right. Yeah yeah yeah yeah I. Get up every night and get everything right. Yeah. It was like almost mathematical. I mean, I'm like, I'm proved in that one year. Yeah, much more than anything. Yeah. You work with kids and like, kids. That's the kind of thing we have to talk to people when I read a table. I have homework and I don't want to talk, and I er. Yeah. Keep my relationship alive. Zero energy. Yeah. That that's how I always felt I was like when I got home from like talking all in Asia that you care about what you don't care about. Yeah. I was going be like as high as possible and just terrible. Yeah. Yeah. I mean 60 minutes of that and then I think I've got a comedy career. Yeah. And then it got me used to wanting to not work. You know that really. It was like, oh this is nice. I kind of felt guilty because, just like, just taking stuff to the dry cleaner or whatever. And, and the woman said, have a great long weekend. And I was like, my life is a long weekend. I. Yeah. And. because I forgot it was Memorial Day weekend. Like, I don't even know what days it is. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I. Went and they said up a lost weekend. Great movie. Okay. Do you know, how am I. I if I have much more of this, I'm going to see a bat. Yeah. Oh, yeah. How's the answer to. Delicious, I know that. Oh. No. And the last week, I. Oh, yeah. Not what I. Remember. The the the hiding the alcohol in the chandelier. It was like the first movie about. I was. Yeah. Other than other than wine and roses that. Come on. Was that after. Yeah. It was. Oh, yeah. That's amazing. There was an amazing song, and it was Jack Lemmon and, Yeah, I guess it. Was like 30. Was it the 30s? And 40s? 40s? Yeah. Oh that's right. Yeah. So I think that was like the late 50s, early 60s, Lee Remick and Jack Lemmon. It was really amazing. Days of Wine and Roses, it was called. I Know now I can watch a movie every week. I know he is awesome. We just the. Quick comedy question. Should I. Keep the reference in my clothes. Or I'm I didn't care I get went ahead and spit it out you. Know. Okay I'm in. Right. Yeah. Very good. But it's, it's your Yeah yeah, yeah. No shit today. They don't watch stuff unless they're into film you don't casually come across. I came across the weirdest movies on TV on a Saturday afternoon because I had four channels and that was it. Right. Well, I'm not into comedy, though. Dumb it down, Yeah. Pete Holmes gets another bowling show that maybe I can ride on. string. Yeah. So, like, not even, like, compromise myself when things happen, but to compromise. Nice for you. Compromise is the best. So I'm ready. Right. Yeah. Give me a clean ten. About nothing, I got it. Have you ever had to do, like, a clean set like that? Yeah. I mean, yeah, but I mean, my stuff, you know? But it's so dark, as far I know. But my shit, I was like. I was really heartbroken about Letterman, too, because I had gotten it, like, in the early 90s or whatever. And then, they had such a turnover of bookers at that time that, you know, it was till I got it. And then, Daniel Carlson came in and said, I didn't have it, and I had to send a tape. So my manager sent a tape and he said, he said to my, I guess to my agent at that time. Yeah. On October. Well, a few I had a, I had a few half hours actually, or two have it. Yeah. But but I mean, I had it, but it's all like the I still had to audition and do all this shit and, so Daniel Kelly's and some may take and said, well, this would be okay if a guy was doing it. I've just got about. Yeah, yeah, tell it to my agent. And then my agent sent it to me, and I was like, great. And that was the same agent. This was so amazing. Like, I, the same agent that years later, I was had, just for laughs. And because you know what, Laura, we've got to get you out more. And I said, I haven't been to ICM in five years. and that's fucking brilliant. Yeah. That's so good. Yeah. I saw, agents office once. But I have it worse than when I'm in economy. Yeah, yeah, yeah. they this guy office. He had hunted me on Facebook. Oh. I went in I got a fat chick, a black guy, straight guy right down the hall. She's like, I don't got a gay guy. I need a gay guy in the background here. But I laid. It out like that. Wow. You just put every fucking category he knew except me. I was listening to. go. Oh my God. Jesus couldn't believe it. I was like, this has to be like the kid. Like it was. Where's the camera? Totally. It was, Burbank. God, I couldn't believe he said it out loud. Yeah. I think that's when I thought it was a joke. So I got. To one of the major clubs. I opened up another club in Chicago, you know, coming back I still lived there and I had a friend who was a comic life hero guy. You know, I've been doing that decade plus. Yeah. palsy. You know, I had like a weird. Yeah. Oh, You know. I'm not trying to be. He was. I'm not trying. To be shocking or. What? Yeah. Yeah. You know, I don't know. Is experiencing on handedness fucked up? Yeah. And, You know, he addresses it. You know, I didn't even comment. Wow. You know, those people are CNN. He addresses the topic. You get to the gentleman's time. Like a pro and that's anything. I was there when he got to the owner of this club. other major programing center, this kid's face. I don't want to see you for six months. And when you come back. Nothing but hand jokes. Why? I'm just like. What? You are. Evil. Sit. Dumb. Fuck. Yeah. Wow. Said that to a kid's face or I handle for. Yeah. dressed it up top like and had a good son. Well, yeah. I mean, my weird hand. Yeah. God. The creative mind is there. It was a Jamie Masada. Or was it. My first try? how? Bam. I love. It. I don't give a damn. Why not? That's what our podcast is about. It's all about. Truth. I don't know, it was just, special needs teaching job. No, I know. Who is the, old guy. One of these kids. Parents. I mean. That is I guess what? I'm a great slave master. Yeah. Fucking crazy. just. Because I got fucking lucky with, like. I mean, what if I feel like just because of Aids? Yeah. Yeah. That's true. Yeah, it was the third class, and. They advertised and the aids room and the what? And and we. Saw, like. What they put out. They gave out free condoms of life. I don't know, but, That's why that place is fucking weird and haunted. Right. It is. Have you been there? Yeah. It's there's. I mean, and that we were they have, like, memorabilia. Yeah. Excuse me, but I'm a I want to go back to Chicago. I heard that was really good. I'd like to work. Yeah. There you go. The that there's two left. Wow. You can still kind of get out of here, man. Is it cool? Yeah. Yeah. At least. So. Yeah, I just have to stand up, I want to. Yeah. For sure. My favorite you know. I like love it I love it. Yeah. It makes me happy. Everything around it sucks but I love it. So I quit being available for a bunch of reasons. I used to be vans and the hardest thing was just to get to the point were playing music. Right. Yeah. You have to have rehearsal. I have to meet people, band and fliers and all this bullshit. And then you have to set up your equipment, all these things, and then you finally get to play for for three months. All this shit just to get to that moment. Yeah. I feel like that when I was. Yeah. Oh I just show up. Oh I see my friends. Yeah I'm an idiot. And then it's over and just. Like amount of shows like hasn't really returned. Yeah. No I grandma. Probably double the comments and half the show. It's just like man. I wish bullshit stage time. I, I wish you and Alan would do another show at the, Bigfoot Lounge because that was fun. That's how we met. I just really love that place. Oh. That's to. It was exhausting. Yeah, like we had. To, like, I hate running. When the subject show up, bounce it, and the host takes. Oh, shit. Like, you know. Oh, but, I mean, I was. Now you would do it again. Well, I. Really. I think that's where we, like, I just found out was that. You, like, blew my fucking mind. You're like, one of my favorite. Oh. Shut up. Like, are you. Talking to her? Oh. I it's so I like performing. And that's the first time we hung out and came back here with. With Myrna. Yeah. It was. Oh. That's right, cause we. Yeah. Okay. Because we. Then we went to Ben. Right. Oh, we came here. Oh. Because I remember, I feel like we were in the kitchen and been in mirrors. And you had long. Hair that was. A different a different time. Yeah. Okay. But you had long hair. Yeah. Then. Okay. I was like floating. I was that long. I think there. Was no plans. And I was like. I was just like, on another planet. Yeah. I'm in Chicago, like. Yeah. Wow. Yeah. Love him. God damn it! Where are these kids now? Joe? Like. Who used to watch stranger painting? And you see me all the time. That was. Like. Oh, yeah. Because, yeah, shows that matter. And. Mount. Rushmore, you ended up. Tomorrow, Mount Rushmore. That's Kira's favorite movie, isn't it? Pretty much Mount Rushmore. Mount Rushmore. Now, I can't say because I've had too much absent one. Version of Rushmore. When I say. Where all the double negatives on strangers with Cameras, because that not what? You don't like. Me? Yeah. Haha, yeah. That's true. Look at this baby. have you watched that recently? The last time we watch. it's been a little bit, but I watched it so much. Now all of a sudden I think I recorded on VHS and I. Live with three women in college. Oh that's great. And girls, I'm sharing too. It can't be all. This I do came that I was in college, so I was really old and like minded, and I was sitting in the common area and I was watching Designing Women. And then, another man walked in, so I changed the channel. and this dude came in and he was like, this free thing. He went upstairs and gave me all of this religious literature, which was so annoying. Oh my God. And then I'll take me somewhere like that. All right? Yeah. Slow down and then it got, like, churchy. And so then I didn't know how to get out of this, like. So I gave him the room and he's changing and, and he stopped. And the thing, like, I hate that. I like you again. What a. Man. That was the only woman I met in college. I wish. I would lose my. Mind. Just got around. Her. I think that the first thing you lose when you become astronomically wealthy, I guess, and famous is your empathy for other people. You just. Help people. Yeah. I think it's because you're like, I got mine. Yeah. It's that you figure it out. Like, bring back one of my favorite things he ever sounds like. So I do the voice now. yeah. Do it, do it, do it, do it. Do it. You're from Chicago. You can do it. Oh, no. Fucking. I get a lot less funny when they stop riding the bus. yeah. Yeah, that's kind of true. It's. Yeah. Like I've seen it with countless comics. We all have. Yeah. Yeah. Interacted with it. Yeah. Right. Shop for your own fucking groceries in about a decade. Right. Not even out in the world with people. Yeah. Of course you can't relate. Yeah, yeah. What you're talking. Yeah, I love it. Susie as Eddie Izzard and Dressed to Kill, where he's talking about how inbred the royal family is. with common people. Go. Oh, you're a plumber. Is that. No. Yeah. So Laura who did you love growing up. who was that? You know, it's so it it's really obvious. not obvious, but, one of my favorite specials, I think I ever saw was, Richard Pryor sometimes. Yep. And I also saw, we were talking about HBO earlier, I think that was like my, my dream was because it was on HBO, and we had just gotten HBO with my mom. Yeah, my mom got it illegally because she worked at film company and, and knew this guy or whatever slept with this guy to get HBO. And so then. the wires connected? Yeah. You bet. Cops could show up at your house if you did that. Yeah, yeah, yeah, they then pretty much can beat anybody they want or do whatever they want. Like. Like both parties will still like you. Do you want my money? Yeah. Underfunded. Okay, I, I told Jerry I would do my impression of a dog eating. Shrimp, though. It's still. It's so good. And then when you learn the story about it, tank. I know. I'm like. Come back tomorrow. Oh, really? And, like, I mean, that's so incredible. Yeah. Thing like, this might be the perfect. Yeah. Piece of the art form. Yeah. It's got a genius, I bet. And it's like, oh, he bomb the night before, right? It's like the most stand up shit. And remember at taking risk. Yeah. And I remember whatever his HBO special was I mean before, before that came out, it might have been like the Young Comedians special. Where was a short thing that he did? The thing about, why can't I think of what? Exorcist. Right. The Exorcist had just come out and he, you know, the bit he said that would last, like two seconds in a black. Get that cross out your pussy. I kind of like it the last two fucking seconds. And I thought. To the trope that is now. Come on. So, like, why people would never say. Oh, I know it's true. He said. You know, he was the best because he would wear his own marks on his name on it. That said goat on it. That's how you know he was the gonna wait. Oh, between the first night and the next night. Or he just wasn't, like, into I don't know, I've heard that story, but I didn't know that. Yeah. The difference. He was But I even remember, like, the movies. silver Streak. I mean, just the movies with Gene Wilder. How funny. They were, like, I just. I'm a. Man. Yeah, like the coolest, like, boy ever. Why are we going back to Blazing Saddles? Oh, my God, I love places. All the time. Oh. I love Blazing Saddles. That was so goddamn funny. Yeah. What? Here. No evil. See? No evil. Is that the movie? My mom love that. My. There's rare glimpses of comedy that my mom showed me was planes, trains and automobiles and that. Weird. That's what you remember? Yeah. And that's really, truly. There were other things I. Got on Sunday Night Church because my dad like black comedy so much. Yeah. And color. Started. Wow. Come and watch them then. My dad watched every white boy who grew up poor shit like remember separate drinking fountains. Yeah. Yeah. Well what black humor watched every black sitcom. So it's like, you know, watching hangin with Mr. Cooper. I'm like, I grew up on, like, San Fran, and. I did, too. I love Sanford and Son Cooper. Things on the. Good I remember. But that was a comedy by that time. Oh, hang on, Mr. Cooper. when I first started. Coffee, though, the first thing my dad asked me because, you know. Oh, he thought there were, like, five coming from the, I think I've been to probably three months in Chicago. He's like, you mean Cedric the Entertainer? And bands. We went to some ranch, right? Actually, in Rockford, Texas. And the neighbors who were fucking, oh, you know, rich, poor young people, rich country people. She was just like, whatever. She was some country farmer lady. And I told her I was in Austin, Texas, and I was in bands, and she without missing a beat, she's like, do you know. yeah. Famous, I don't. Know. That's how you do it. And it's like, you're a band, you're in any band, you're famous. Yeah. Yeah. Letterman. And then my grandmother actually said that I should ask to be on Carson. But what like when you were. Like I guess I was probably like I done like stand up in college. Yeah. Yeah probably. Good day. Yeah. Probably. No. Yeah. Johnny Carson magic Carson getting unsolicited requests from a female comedian. What did you do? Okay, so did you send the tape to let her. Know I had auditioned? I had auditioned so many fucking times. It's just, like, different. I remember Robert Morton was the. I had just done a half hour, HBO thing. I literally only know these people from TV, and we can like, oh, Morton. I'm like, yeah, yeah. And they and, and he goes, why do you want to? And he said to me and my manager, you've already done a special, why do you care about doing stand up? You know, people do stand up on Letterman to get a special. And I was like, because I want to do it because it's Letterman. And then I. Was like, oh, last thing that mattered. Yeah. And I always. Thought, yeah. I'm special. Stand up on Letterman. Yeah. And then there was. Been sat on Letterman. That was like a great day. and then there was also like a, What is like that night going on? Rogan. Yeah. Where we are. And what. Rogan is. Carson. What? Rogan who's Rogan oh, okay. That doesn't show. You have a zillion followers. And it's. Really. But people do stand up on his show. No. Yeah. I'm ash. Yeah. That's why the comments he blows up are really good. I mean, I always think, you know about the human growth hormone thing that he's on. Like, wouldn't it be nice if it, like, actually made you evolve as a better human and not just made you a thicker person, like heavier? Like that's what I mean. An inner growth human form. Of Iron Man, right? Yeah. Yeah, yeah. That's cool. Yeah. Raging Lee like an woke anti-trans audience. Meanwhile, you're so doped up on testosterone. Right? On hormones. Like I'm. A baby. I'm not. Is is a color of red. I'm not. Yeah. I love news radio. I just. Love that. That was a good guy. I was. I was, and then. Shit, I forgot he was on that saying. How charming. Yeah. And it's. Charming. I mean, those are perfect. Yeah. Perfect. Maybe the best catch of all time, because there's. Like, seven, seven people. All perfect. Candy Alexander. She's a. Dude. That NewsRadio was a big one for me to fame. I loved it. Because they moved it around heavily. I would like bracket it. Yeah. because I love Vicki Lewis and the fucking secretary, I love her. I was like, astonished, like, not Kathy Griffin. Thank you Lois. But then when Hamilton was gone. Has done more damage done. And they. The it's okay. If you work for that one arrest in that trailer park. Did you see that I would have oh my God it was on video. Oh girl last. Oh I think did you see that and stuff. It was. There is declared. Was Andy out here. Yeah. Exactly what I thought. God. God. Either way enjoy the, No, I love it. Yeah. I love, news NewsRadio and as. Much that was like comedy in there to have it because it was like modern and a throwback. Like it was just the smartest show. What the fuck it was. Just watch. It was like. That at times, but never, like, cute. Yeah. No, I mean, it was just. There's a future episode, they would get it. And my. Girlfriend writing partner wrote on like, Murphy Brown and said. Oh wow. Yeah. So and she was like, everyone watch out something because. Right, I want to watch the show. But every writer was like, that's the writing job we want. Yeah, that was like the cool writers room. There's an episode of Murphy Brown where they turn it into like an audience show. There's like instead of a newscast, they're trying to keep up with the times and get ratings. So they turn it into like a talk show, right where they do. I remember that field questions and things. And there's one point that, to me is very ahead of his time, where he runs a pretty light sitcom where she's like. Oh, he did a lot. I mean, I did. I was a temp on one of them. Vice president called caller out. Yeah. I've already as a child, I was like, I have a better sense of him. Yeah, that's the only way I think I knew. Who did because she was a single mother. Yeah. Good. Ruining the country. People are destroying society. And he spells potato with an E. They, there's an episode where she takes the question from an article where she's like escalating class and she's like, excuse me, I'm a visually impaired person. No way. Am I correct, sir? On the like, yeah. It's fucking great. And. so you can't. You know, I, I love Murphy Brown. I watch it with my mom. I was a temp on the show. You were one of the current because. Yeah. Not recurring. No, I just did. Yeah. Yeah. I would get rid of I remember. Yeah. And when they were like. Say this. Yeah, this on the. Podcast before. Really do not listen. No, no no I've on, I've been on. No I was on a shitty I shouldn't say should. No, I was with the I haven't. Yeah. Yeah but I was on. No I was on Murph, I was on, the thing that Nicole was on, I was on the nanny, but I haven't. I've never been on Murphy Brown. I know, I don't, I know I didn't think I'd mentioned. Have I mentioned that Murphy Brown? No. Then. Well, no, they had Tempestt didn't they have like they're 30 different time. I've had a lot of George Murphy. Yes I was and the nanny. Okay. I've been alive forever. Murphy. Murphy Brown. yes. Murphy Brown, Gary Goodman, she had. My father, my mother, my bat, the nanny, my. Every week. That's what I fucking was. I was one of those. But it was. It taps you just. Oh, there are secretaries. I'm sorry. That was like oh you right. Oh right right. Right. Because when they did I'm not. You have a word Nathan? I mean can I reboot? And the big thing was that Hillary Clinton was her secretary. Yeah. Okay. You didn't read that. And Hillary Biden was her term secretary who she. Surely run Derry Girls. Why does she. Yeah. She has a crazy sort of her upbringing. Hillary Clinton, no jet planes? No. she was a Republican. Yeah. That that one famous picture of the two of them is like a young, red faced married couple. It's like, how could you not see that? Like, like when she's like, there's a deep there's a vast. Two cycle paths meet and fall in like. Yeah, it's. Oh it's true. You know, I loved talking to Julia Sweeney about playing Chelsea Clinton because that was epic. Oh my god. Right. Julia Sweeney play mom. I swear that was. Her I. Don't know I don't remember really. Yeah. Yeah. Because they were reading her for for her braces and her acne and her curly hair. Oh shit. That's the Clinton we destroyed. Yeah, I want to let the adult Clintons get away with everything but Chelsea, we we. Embody that. Child. But yeah. I walked into a restaurant or a theater or people's politics just melt away. They cannot wait to, like, Slick. Willy, man. you know, I'm just. You haven't just get like me. She. Yeah. There's the my friend here, you know. Caroline. No. Right. Caroline or. No. No. Here we go. Her and or something. Now, we're hoping Clinton's office. I don't know this person. And they were like, we used to turn our backs to the wall for fear of getting pantsed like that. you know, I guess, yeah. Back then, and, you. Know, it was. Yeah. When they had slaves. Is it? Yeah. Yeah. That's right. Yeah. is it too late to vote for Nader again? I right. And I always write in there that. We were voting our our, our dreams, not our fears. us to do. I love that you're still going. but him blaming. It's like, for like, or that, Oh, that was the Supreme Court. George H.W. Bush's fault. Yeah, yeah. I'm so. I'm sorry. You suck so much. 3.0002%. Your fucking. Loser. so there's a moment he's lost. His home state. Of war. Yeah. That was a radicalizing night for me. I was, like, the perfect age. Really young, politically obsessed. Yeah. with, like, 24 hour cable news, like I was. That was all going down, like in a college dorm to fucking, like, Oh, we're watching, like, a fucking takeover. Yeah, yeah. We're watching the Democrats be fucking caving pussies because they don't really care. You want to be an opposition party or watching a fascist Republican Party get everything they want, or Democrats just. Oh, my grandmother. Yeah, that's how I was going to say. You gotta to vote for us next time. Or more of one, right? Yeah. It's really hard to say. Right. Where you going? To move. you're not going to Ireland anymore? No, we get it now. When we thought, even though there were places that were really beautiful. Yeah, like we wanted to, you know, be drunk Irish poets. but we, thought we would wind up being bored at night. There's really. No. Drink at night. Not in. Yeah, well, what's the difference? I want you to be bored. Yeah, there it is. Go. There it does. Oh, but it's just like. Yeah. Like what? Hey, well, that is just kind of a I have to open an improv lab over there. I know. We should. I just want to open a lab. Yeah, yeah, just cuz we have a small place that closes. You know what? We're. Oh, I know no one asks. Well, go ahead. Noah. Well, okay. Well, we were saying, like, you know, there weren't like fall down drunks in Ireland like there. I mean, I've seen people more drunk, like, you know, in the parking lot at Ralphs or whatever, or just like, you know, just in thing. And it's like if if you have something that's all around you don't you don't need it, you know, it's just there. Like in Amsterdam, nobody was high, you know, when I was there. And so we're saying. Would be more like that with the Bible. Yeah. So like, you know, just like, you know, if, if, if, pedophiles were always around the Catholic Church, they wouldn't need a young boy. Never mind. All right. So. Yeah. James, we have gotten so fun. We've gotten so fun, so drunk and fun. Yeah. We're gonna we're so let's. We'll do a celebrating up our. Yeah. Yeah, we have to we have to have, like, a full night. James Fritz. What? Yes. All of your fans should go. To what? To see you to know we're playing next. On the line. We love you, James. where can people find you? The website James Butts comic. I'm at Fritz's dad on Instagram and Twitter. Yes. And I'm going to get on TikTok. Where are they after? It's bad. Okay. I'm on. There. I have one video and I'm like, yeah. I have one. I can't handle it. Yeah. Let me get my team. I'm Yeah. I wrap it up. I gotta get on a plane. Okay. Love you guys. Thank you. sorry. My name. That's the first time I ever wanted to wrap it up. I'm in a game. So to speak. I'm endgame. Ready? Game jam. Say. Every five minutes of my day, I'm going to games. All right. That's how he called you. Yeah.