Mike Mello

[00:00:02] What You Want, When You Want It, Where You Want It, This Is The MESH [00:00:10] Today I have a very good friend of mine we [00:00:30] Hadn't seen each other in quite some time and I got a weird story to start this podcast off [00:00:34] But today let's get to it right to it. Mike Mello was with me today. What's up, buddy? [00:00:39] Hey, bud. How you doing? I'm doing very well [00:00:42] I always start off my podcast by talking about where I met my guest and you and I met at Good Nights in Raleigh and [00:00:50] Yeah, dude Facebook memories this morning like literally today [00:00:55] Showed me that I was at Good Nights 10 years ago with Gary Gullman. So we [00:01:01] Crazy coincidence you and I literally met 10 years ago this exact weekend. Oh [00:01:05] Wow, that's cool man. Yeah, and Gary is a heck of a dude. So great [00:01:11] I had worked with him several times before in Philly and New Jersey and stuff [00:01:16] But that weekend 10 years ago was my first time ever going to Good Nights in Raleigh when like helium bought it and [00:01:23] Yeah, Gary Gullman week was my first weekend there and I met you and a handful of other [00:01:28] Local comics that weekend [00:01:30] Yeah, that was a good time. That was actually [00:01:33] Right when helium bought it is actually when I could come back to the club. Oh [00:01:38] Oh, I was I was banned from the last owner. Oh man, can we get into that? I would love to get off [00:01:48] Yeah, we could [00:01:51] And I'm safe [00:01:52] Okay. Yeah, so take us back to what happened here and then we'll backtrack and other stuff in your career [00:01:58] But I mean I had no idea that you were banned from that club. So by all means what happened [00:02:03] I help a man to tell you the truth [00:02:05] Excuse me. I don't know so [00:02:07] The last owner Brad reader notoriously known comic slash [00:02:14] Club owner [00:02:15] um was running Good Nights owned it [00:02:18] And uh one day I came in there's this guy Sean Hesse [00:02:21] Uh, he used to do comedy. He had ms. So he was in a wheelchair lot or he had his walkers or whatever [00:02:29] And um, so before the show before the doors even opened they would sit them up front, you know that way [00:02:36] We could carry them up the steps when he had to get up on stage [00:02:39] So nobody's in there and I go say hey, Tom [00:02:43] Just you know shooting the shit haven't seen him in a while and uh this guy ray who is the house mc comes up [00:02:48] It's like hey man. You can't sit up there [00:02:51] You know like, you know comics for sit on the side. I was like, I know I'm just saying what's up [00:02:56] To him, uh, why don't you put a bubble around them joking around? [00:03:01] So then I go outside. I say hey to everybody, you know me [00:03:05] So say to the people working the ticket booth and he pops up again. It's like man. You can't load her outside [00:03:11] Of the ticket booth. I'm like dude. I'm walking outside literally. I just said hey to everybody [00:03:16] so as I'm outside the owner comes out [00:03:19] finger wagging and everything like [00:03:22] uh [00:03:23] You can't follow the rules [00:03:26] your band tonight and I was like [00:03:28] What did I do it? He goes you can't follow the rules. I said what rules did I break? He goes to ends now or ends forever [00:03:35] So I'm like, okay. He's in a bad mood [00:03:38] Whatever right? [00:03:41] Yeah, this is all crazy so [00:03:44] Um, the mic is about to start people are filing in [00:03:47] So he's at the door and I walk in I was like, hey, is it cool if I watch the show [00:03:52] He goes not with that attitude. I just started laughing like what attitude [00:03:57] This I'm trying to talk to you like an adult. He goes it doesn't matter [00:04:01] Your band for life [00:04:04] My I was like damn mine are yours. Like, you know what I'm saying? Like why am I bad? [00:04:09] so he's going off on me and uh [00:04:12] As I do like I don't understand what I did plus. I'm trying to talk to you like an adult [00:04:16] He goes what will your probation officer think about this? [00:04:20] So I just started laughing. He's trying to make me sound up to be a criminal which I'm like [00:04:23] I'm from Kerry. I need all the street cred. I need [00:04:26] So the fact is that I got a probation officer. It's not bothering [00:04:30] Many seasons other black comic and he's like well, I'm putting him on the stage [00:04:34] So then he bans me but then not only he bans me. He's talked shit about me to other comics [00:04:40] So one of my good friends now, but uh, then Joe Peruv, you know, Joe Peruv [00:04:46] Yeah, yeah, we've met. Yeah. Yeah [00:04:49] Yeah, so me and him were roommates for like three years after this but uh [00:04:53] Joe wasn't even picked to go on stage and he goes [00:04:56] Your band from the club tonight your pain. He liked pick like three comics [00:05:00] He goes if I see you anybody talking to mellow here at the club [00:05:04] or [00:05:06] Uh outside the club your band from my stage [00:05:10] So if he saw someone talking to me up the street, he would ban him [00:05:14] So the running joke was anytime like the comics would see his white mini band or a white mini man [00:05:19] That will push me into bushes like my bad man. I need that five minutes [00:05:25] But yeah, you talk yeah, he's an asshole. What a weird situation [00:05:31] Yeah, so [00:05:33] Years went through I moved to california and then moved back [00:05:37] And then uh when I came back [00:05:40] A little while after that hilly and bought it and um, there's a write-up in the paper [00:05:44] Which I don't know who would say something. I guess they're talking the [00:05:48] Donors of helium and they say well, would you let uh comics back in such as mike mellow who [00:05:54] Was banned he goes. I don't have nothing to do with that everyone's welcome [00:05:58] I'm like, why would you put my name out there like that Jesus christ? [00:06:01] That's weird too [00:06:03] Yeah, so long story short. They let me back in [00:06:07] uh talked to mark [00:06:09] Donor and [00:06:10] He said all right. Tell me your story and I'll tell you mine and I said oh, thank god [00:06:15] So that guy was just a piece [00:06:17] piece of shit to where even uh [00:06:20] The owner was like, yeah, man. It's like off my eggshells [00:06:23] But it's so bizarre [00:06:26] Then my first weekend back I got hooked up with [00:06:29] Tracy morgan my first working weekend [00:06:32] Nice and then that worked out very well for you, right? Didn't it? [00:06:36] Yeah, yeah, no for a couple years and then [00:06:40] Yeah, cool. So long story short that was it basically well you came back and said this thing's even better [00:06:45] So that's the best case scenario [00:06:48] Oh, yeah, I'm plus uh, he had stayed on for two years as a [00:06:53] Consultant aka books made twice a year [00:06:56] Okay, nice [00:06:59] So let's go back to the beginning here. You and I have been buddies for a decade [00:07:02] But like everything else in comedy we uh only cross paths every couple years because there's been times where we've criss-crossed paths [00:07:09] On the road or I've been in Raleigh and you were out of town. That's just the nature of [00:07:13] The business that we do but I don't know much about your backstory and comedy and that's the whole purpose of this podcast [00:07:19] I love getting into people's uh [00:07:21] Psyche and why they got into it. So take me back to like [00:07:24] Were you a kid a young kid when you discovered stand-up or comedy in general or what? [00:07:30] Oh, yeah, like uh growing up. I'm the youngest of eight. So I got oh, I didn't know that [00:07:35] Yeah, so I got like [00:07:38] A nice helping of comedy just from my older siblings. Whatever they watched [00:07:43] you know, so [00:07:44] a lot of uh [00:07:47] All in the family [00:07:48] Jefferson's afternoon son stuff like that to start with [00:07:52] Stitcoms and I watched all those shows when I was a kid too man those [00:07:56] Some of the best and I still go back and watch them like man. They're just still good. They still hold up [00:08:00] You know [00:08:01] um [00:08:03] That and late night, of course, johnny karson was [00:08:05] everybody's favorite [00:08:07] So just watching him do his monologue [00:08:11] And his little bits, you know [00:08:13] they're [00:08:14] Even to this day if i'm bored in like a hotel room on the road [00:08:17] I go back and I watch comedians on johnny karson. I just love not so much the panel sometimes but like I [00:08:24] Love watching all those stand-ups on him and to this day. I still love watching those clips man [00:08:29] Paul risers not Paul riser gary shanlings first set on there is like maybe the best six minutes of stand-up. I've ever seen [00:08:37] Yeah, oh, yeah, gary was a beat like all those comics then you knew were good [00:08:41] You know just if you touch that stage you were going to do something. Oh like the next day [00:08:47] Yeah thumbs up from johnny was everything [00:08:50] Everything it was so monumental for comics in the 70s and 80s. Oh, yeah, plus it was like, you know, it was [00:08:58] Kind of like showcased my first showcasing of different comics [00:09:02] You know, because of course I grew up with like my parents albums had [00:09:06] anywhere from bill cosby to [00:09:08] Richard prier [00:09:09] Oh, that's awesome [00:09:11] Richard prier was the first one I heard they're watching I think might have been on [00:09:16] Like one of his stand-ups, uh, maybe sunset or something [00:09:20] But I remember walking in in the middle of night just waking up thirsty. Don't want to get a drink [00:09:25] And I heard my parents laughing [00:09:27] and uh, I was like, what are they laughing about so I just sat down in the kitchen in the corner kind of head [00:09:33] and uh [00:09:35] Listen to them [00:09:36] Laughing at Richard prier and I was laughing too even though I damn sure didn't understand [00:09:41] But I heard the rhythm and the music of it, you know, that is such [00:09:46] That is such a cool memory that stood out with you too because I had the exact same thing [00:09:51] Um, not with prier per se but with my dad watching like carlin or like, um [00:09:58] HBO comedy relief all sorts of comedians [00:10:02] Yeah [00:10:04] Oh, yeah, that's where my I got my start like [00:10:07] Really understanding straight stand-up. So so that's cool. Same thing with me [00:10:11] Like it stood out to me as a kid like stand up in particular like [00:10:15] Really stood out to me and I noticed the cadence and their body [00:10:20] You know maneuvers and watch these people like [00:10:23] Everything about it the little nuances even stood out to me when I was a really young kid [00:10:27] Yeah, absolutely. So, you know that of course sat at night live with that original cast who I grew up like when I started watching it [00:10:35] Say that garret moors john belushi all those cats dan acroy jane carton [00:10:40] Oh my god, all of them, you know, um [00:10:43] Um [00:10:44] Yeah, it's just like I was exposed to a lot of different comedy especially like british comedy [00:10:50] Oh, okay [00:10:53] Benny hill was my porn [00:10:55] You know, I'm a huge money python fan huge [00:11:00] Money python fan my favorite sketch of all time like sketch group. I should say like it wasn't just um [00:11:08] The movies were great. I mean holy grail is probably in my top five of all time life of brian and meaning of life [00:11:13] But even just like money pythons flying circus like man, they got in so much trouble [00:11:19] They were pushing the buttons and pushing the envelope in like the late 60s and getting in trouble and they just kept at it for decades like [00:11:29] That's what I appreciate uh british humor one is so dry [00:11:33] In your face like this sarcasm in it was just [00:11:37] Like [00:11:38] It was just awesome. I like understood it [00:11:41] You know as a kid, you know, you're just like man, these guys are dicks [00:11:45] I know [00:11:46] Hilarious. Yeah, you know and it's like it's like are they being pompous or are they just british? [00:11:52] Yeah [00:11:55] Um [00:11:56] So when you were a young kid and you are taking this in for the first times [00:12:00] Did you have any inkling that you would try it or were you just intrigued by it? [00:12:05] um, I was intrigued by it uh [00:12:08] I so like me and another comic had this discussion like I think [00:12:13] Like once I understood it and probably like in the 80s [00:12:18] Um, I would go to school with bits [00:12:21] You know like uh, repeat him at the lunch table kind of thing [00:12:25] Oh man, be like oh, this is gonna kill in class. You know like um, it'll be quiet in class and then there'll be a car horn [00:12:31] I'm like, excuse me the kids will laugh and I'm killing it. You know [00:12:35] Just the dumbest little things [00:12:37] But uh, it was always [00:12:40] Like I found that comedy was a way to escape what I was all the bs. I was [00:12:46] dealing with at home. So I go to school and just be funny [00:12:49] Just so I could forget about what was going on at home [00:12:53] Were other kids into comedy too like could you did you have friends that you could talk about this kind of stuff with? [00:12:58] No, not really. It's kind of more of a just I was just a class clown and uh [00:13:03] I just had that imagination. I guess, you know, like those the next siblings next to me are five years ahead of [00:13:10] So everyone else is like kind of close [00:13:12] so it's a lot of [00:13:15] a long time even though like [00:13:17] I'm in a big family. But yeah, you're the baby, but you're still separated by a big age gap [00:13:23] Yeah, exactly. So the accident, you know [00:13:27] the oops [00:13:30] But yeah, uh, did your parents tell you you were an oop. Did you just kind of piece that together when you got older? [00:13:34] No, I pieced it together. It's like, all right. Everyone else is like a year or two apart [00:13:38] There's a set of twins and then I come like five years later. Oh, yeah. Yeah, I'm just like [00:13:44] Come on. I already know [00:13:46] Did you ever bring it up though as as an adult or anything or later in life at all? [00:13:52] No, um, well one because I was born on my dad's birthday. So he's always like you're a gift [00:13:57] And he's like from hell, you know [00:14:00] but [00:14:02] But yeah, it never really was brought up but I always knew like I weren't planning me [00:14:07] Yeah, but they kept me so that's a good always a good thing. Always a good thing [00:14:11] Um, yeah, so how did this pan out until you uh actually started doing stand-up? [00:14:17] What was the catalyst where you were like, all right, I'm trying this [00:14:21] Well, I would say so I started when I was 30 [00:14:27] So [00:14:29] I had went to jail on some bs [00:14:33] And I was in there for like two weeks [00:14:36] and um [00:14:38] I remember I took a fall like an 88 because I'm like, I ain't got no record [00:14:43] And uh, but I was I was doing some shit too. Don't get me wrong [00:14:46] But I took a fall somebody and um, I remember being in there like dude this sucks like [00:14:52] It's my first time going to jail. I'm in there for a minute [00:14:56] So, uh, I remember my brother bailed me out [00:14:59] My older brothers. He's uh, he's like my second dad my brother Robert [00:15:04] and um [00:15:06] Here's this idea what are you gonna do like [00:15:08] What are you gonna do with your life? And I was about to tell him. He's like, I don't want to hear [00:15:12] He said just write it on this napkin [00:15:16] So I wrote I want to be a comedian. He never looked at it folded it up [00:15:20] But when I was in jail, it was like man, I want to do something [00:15:23] I was like man because I wanted to do it before then [00:15:26] I went through a mic that was sold out at good nights and this dude bombs had tears in his eyes and I might fuck that [00:15:34] I don't want to feel that at all [00:15:36] So that took me another couple of years to even think about it [00:15:40] Oh, I thought you were gonna say the opposite. I thought you were sitting there and you were thinking [00:15:43] Oh, I could do this this guy and not cry [00:15:46] oh no, dude like uh [00:15:49] I remember I gave the guy a courtesy laugh because everyone was killing it except for this dude [00:15:54] And I remember I I gave him a courtesy laugh and this guy two chairs over just gave me a look like what what are you doing? [00:15:59] And I don't know the rules and it's kind of carried into my seat [00:16:03] I'm just trying to get this guy's hopes up. I don't want the guy to hang himself later [00:16:08] Oh my god, you can see the tears in his eyes [00:16:10] Like well enough his face all flustered losing color [00:16:15] And I'm like screw this [00:16:17] You were just you were just hanging at that mic right? You didn't sign up or anything. Yeah. No, I just I just went in to watch [00:16:22] Uh me and this girl I was dating because she's like you should try comedy, you know [00:16:26] And I'm like screw this shit. I ain't doing that. I don't want no parts of that. I'm not crying [00:16:33] Yeah, right like they're gonna send me home like that [00:16:36] But then after I went to jail I was like dude, I can't get that couldn't be as worse as this [00:16:41] Any worse than this where I'm at [00:16:43] So yeah, I went to had an audition then for a mic, which was tough [00:16:48] Oh, that's some New York City shit [00:16:51] Yeah, that was good nice [00:16:53] With the original owner yet all this because like they were sold out every week [00:16:58] Yeah, wow they were sold out every week and um, you had to be funny to get up on that stage [00:17:05] Because they only put 12 up and you had to be like well funny 12. Oh wow [00:17:10] like so [00:17:12] like um [00:17:13] I auditioned I didn't make it my first time [00:17:16] But the lady liked me the lady running the mic [00:17:19] And uh come to find out that lady running the mic was my mom's best friend at work [00:17:24] No kidding [00:17:26] No kidding swear to god man. And so apparently my mom said [00:17:30] Who was talking to her? It's like how was the mic? [00:17:32] She said it was good. She said was there any funny people? She's like, there's this one kid [00:17:36] Who was funny? I told him to come back [00:17:39] His name is and she looked at my mom like oh shit was that your son? She goes you ain't putting my baby up, you know [00:17:45] Oh my god, that's hilarious. Yeah, but uh [00:17:49] She put me on after that, but she was hard as hell on me [00:17:53] Like I'm lost or the one of the like [00:17:57] The lady running the mic [00:17:59] She was tough on me [00:18:01] So because of your mom or she would like or was she just personally? [00:18:06] She knew my mom. Oh, yeah, I think she was personally rooting for me, but also she wanted me to make sure I was [00:18:13] I knew the rules. I knew what was up. I guess [00:18:16] Because you know when you get on for the first time [00:18:19] And you're doing well, you don't see no light [00:18:22] No, I like it was like [00:18:24] Like i'm feeling it [00:18:25] And I got off stage. She goes oh you did a great job and I buy a fucking watch and I was like, oh shit. Yes, man [00:18:32] Never went over my time [00:18:34] So was your very first set at good nights there? [00:18:38] Yep. Oh very cool. How did that first set go? [00:18:42] I was good, man. Um most people's are [00:18:45] It's yeah, it was the doing this podcast most people [00:18:49] The first time goes well [00:18:51] Oh, yeah, my first three times I thought like I had it [00:18:55] I'm like, oh, this shit's easy and then that fourth one, man [00:18:57] I was back at the house with a butter knife to my wrist [00:19:00] That was me after two first two went well [00:19:04] and then uh [00:19:06] Yeah, it was rough for [00:19:08] Literally because I was only getting on stage once a week at the time Wednesdays at the last house [00:19:12] So my first two sets went well and then I don't think I had a good set for two or three months after that [00:19:17] Like I was bombing every single Wednesday. Yeah. Yeah. Oh man. Yeah [00:19:22] I do find it that most comics do well their first time because it's so exciting [00:19:26] You're like, there's yeah, I think your energy is bomb. Yeah [00:19:30] Even if you did suck you swear life you get a couple laughs you're like, oh kill them, you know [00:19:35] So were you hooked after that first that very first time? [00:19:39] Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, definitely like it's funny because I was thinking about improv. So I really like standing that line [00:19:45] But once I did stand up and I'm like, haha, he's like that straight to the vein [00:19:50] Like oh my god, I can't I can't think of anything else just immediate immediate clarification. Yeah [00:19:58] Yeah [00:20:00] Anyway, so you know right me too man. I dove right in so you [00:20:05] So yeah, did were you in it after that first time? Were you back every week finding other mics and making other friends and stuff? [00:20:12] Yeah, well, it was weird because so when I started [00:20:15] Uh, well, I did good nights they would quit their mic over the summertime [00:20:21] So then there weren't that many mics around [00:20:24] So I would go up like once [00:20:27] A week every other week if possible [00:20:30] Sometimes that's back when I would drive [00:20:33] A couple hours to go get some stage time just wherever it was. I was trying to go get it [00:20:37] Yeah in the early days you do that. Oh [00:20:40] I did it. You're trying you're chasing that dragon man. You're like, I need some more laughs, you know driving hours and hours for [00:20:47] An unpaid pot. Yep [00:20:51] Yeah, but there's a lot of that but I wasn't getting up that much [00:20:57] Just where were what else was around here besides Raleigh did like um [00:21:02] Um, Charlotte stage time within okay. Charlotte's like two and a half hours, right? Yeah two and a half [00:21:08] um [00:21:09] High point used to have a room which is like an hour [00:21:12] Okay, Burlington [00:21:14] Like Chapel Hill, you know, okay, so there was stuff within the area [00:21:19] Yeah, but uh, not that much, you know [00:21:21] You have to catch it when they put it up because they got oh [00:21:23] We started the mic here and then we gone like three weeks later. Yeah. Yeah, but not like it is now [00:21:30] You know [00:21:31] Yeah, comedy seems to be thriving everywhere right now [00:21:34] Oh my god. Yeah a lot a lot [00:21:38] A lot like when you see three shows going on in the same night you're like, okay [00:21:42] You're pulling in different directions now, you know [00:21:46] Yeah [00:21:47] Um, who was around when you first started like who did you look up to in the scene locally? Anybody I would know [00:21:53] locally, um, I don't know let's see uh, it's got mike spurlock [00:21:58] I know the name. Oh wow [00:22:01] Yeah, he had um tour with mitchhead bird [00:22:05] Oh [00:22:06] I mean man [00:22:07] Really enjoyed just writing with him because he talked my mindset to think like a one-liner but I [00:22:15] Because when I started I was mostly one-liners and then so was I so was I a lot of set up punch. Yeah. Oh, yeah [00:22:21] For the first two years I would say and like uh, that's probably about saying for me [00:22:26] And then I learned how to like [00:22:28] I was in college [00:22:29] So I learned how to like actually talk about things that were happening in college and whatnot, but I mean it still took a while to like [00:22:36] Evolve that from one-liners into like stories or like true [00:22:40] autobiographical material [00:22:42] But yeah for the first two years I was set up punchline guy and I still have mad respect for comics that work [00:22:49] That angle because [00:22:51] I mean that's tough you and I can do it like you and I could do like a 30 or 40 minute set [00:22:57] And there's like, you know, seven eight 10 bits in there, but one-liner guys have like 300 [00:23:04] No, man, it's insane [00:23:07] Even write jimmy car. I love [00:23:09] Love those one-liners my favorites man. Some of my favorites when I appreciate is my mom really loved [00:23:16] Uh, mitchhead bird and oh, yeah, right? You get it. You get it [00:23:20] You know, I thought that was cool. It doesn't be in the older [00:23:24] You know generation be like, no this guy's funny. I'm like hell. Yeah, mom. You know what you're talking about [00:23:28] Did you ever um, okay, this happened to me yesterday [00:23:31] Did you ever did you ever get like a joke stuck in your head the same way you got a song stuck in your head? [00:23:35] Like somebody's bit or part of a bit just like stuck in your head like a [00:23:38] Like the way the same way a song would do you ever get that? Oh, yeah [00:23:41] Dude yesterday I had mitchhead brooks banana bit stuck in my head mitch. Do you want to frozen banana? [00:23:47] No, but I want a regular banana later. So yeah, I've had that stuck in my head over and over. Did you um [00:23:53] ever get to see mitch? [00:23:56] no, man, um [00:23:58] one of my [00:24:00] One of the things I always wanted to do is see mitch. There's a few comedians that I wish I could have seen [00:24:06] You know before they passed of course, but yeah, mitch never got a chance at seeing [00:24:10] I got to see mitch a couple times man. It was he was awesome [00:24:15] The night that inspired me to finally try stand-up mitch was on that show it was uh [00:24:21] I mentioned mitch on the pod before so I apologize to all the people that have heard this but um [00:24:26] I was debating on doing stand-up. I wanted to do it [00:24:29] I just I knew I was gonna try it eventually and I went and saw comedy central live and burbigly was the host [00:24:35] Headberg was the middle and david tell and lewis black co-headlined and that night [00:24:40] I was like i'm trying this and then I did very shortly after [00:24:44] But mitch nice mitch did like mitch may have did like 30 or 35 in the middle even before a tell and lewis black headlining and um [00:24:53] Dude mitch was fucking [00:24:55] Murdering it was my first time here in 3000 people laughing and I have just never heard that sound before it was [00:25:03] Like mitch was absolutely fucking killing it was it was I think about that a lot [00:25:09] No, man, like when you see something like that it it sticks with you, man with one liners [00:25:16] killing it yep, but it was [00:25:18] everything about him was just [00:25:21] perfectly done like [00:25:23] his cadence [00:25:25] is [00:25:26] like his [00:25:27] Temperature of the jokes, you know, everything just works so well together. Yeah [00:25:32] Now you see a lot of wannabes, but they're they can only be one [00:25:36] No, it's such a unique art form and one of the first comics I was ever obsessed with was uh, steven right and he just has [00:25:44] Millions of them and they're so funny [00:25:47] I saw steven right last summer [00:25:50] Okay, good. Good one that one my favorite jokes that uh, it just it's so silly, but he's like I lost my button [00:25:57] I love it. Yeah for some reason it just cracks me up like dude [00:26:00] I remember being like 11 or 12 years old and just walking around like uh, some people are afraid of heights [00:26:08] Not me. I'm afraid of widths [00:26:10] That's so funny and like I had a woman say to me you're wearing two different color socks and he goes [00:26:15] I don't go by color. I go by thickness [00:26:17] Like that [00:26:20] And I'm laughing so hard at this [00:26:23] Yeah, I was walking around the building right near the ledge [00:26:27] like [00:26:28] yeah [00:26:30] He was brilliant man. Um [00:26:32] Yeah, I saw steven right last summer do 90 minutes of one liners that is [00:26:38] Oh my god, that's my 4 000 jokes [00:26:41] I mean it's insane and even the ones I heard 30 years ago [00:26:45] I was still laughing at because it's just something so [00:26:47] When you when you see and hear it live [00:26:50] It's a whole different experience is like I've heard some of those jokes my whole life [00:26:53] But i'm still laughing like it's the first time I heard of because it's him right there doing it live [00:26:58] Yeah, no [00:27:00] No opener like house lights go down [00:27:03] Ladies and gentlemen steven right and he comes out and does 90 minutes and then he says good night and walks off [00:27:08] Like that is so simple and so beautiful [00:27:12] Yeah, oh man, it's I enjoy seeing stuff like that especially like how [00:27:17] Lois Eks is just like ladies and gentlemen no big hype or nothing like one of my favorite things I hate is [00:27:24] I have to buy it. Hey, what's your intro? I'm like, I don't know. They don't care. Do they really [00:27:29] I'm such [00:27:31] I'm such an [00:27:32] I'm such an intro guy and by that I mean lack of intro like dude. Nobody cares [00:27:39] And like I mean I get it if you have a special that just came out or like your or if you're a name [00:27:44] And you want the one big thing they know you for in the moment. I totally get it but like [00:27:48] Yeah, absolutely when people like even famous and non-famous comics when they have like more than two things said about them [00:27:55] I'm like, oh for fuck's sake [00:27:58] Yeah, oh man. Like I remember this one. I was hosting and this guy gave me a list [00:28:04] It'll like a long grocery list. I'm like, can you pick like three of them? I'll do three of them [00:28:09] seven [00:28:12] Oh, you know the one like I remember hosting forever ago and certain people would be like, all right [00:28:19] Letterman Leno cone and I'm like all you're just gonna name all of them [00:28:23] Yeah, all of them. Can I just do one? How about he makes late night rounds or whatever? [00:28:29] Yeah, right. Anytime someone asks me. I'm like just put here. Just say he has done this before [00:28:35] I trust you just say anything. I don't just say that's what I say [00:28:39] I'm like just say your next comic is pad house. That's all and then some people like, oh, I got you. I'm like, don't [00:28:45] Just say my name. Tell them I'm next [00:28:49] I'll tell you one of my favorite times of that is um, so I'm at home on a Friday [00:28:55] about to [00:28:56] Like light one up got my pajamas on about lay it down [00:29:01] As soon as I lay down I get a call from good nights. It's brandy brown [00:29:06] What are you doing? I said, I'm chilling. What's good? I need to hear in 10 minutes [00:29:10] I'm like, but I'm in my 10 minutes click and just hangs up. So I'm like [00:29:14] All right. I have no problem brandy needs me on there. So I get there [00:29:19] And uh bill bellamy had kicked some dude off of his show [00:29:24] For what, you know [00:29:27] Yeah, so apparently he has this guy had this bit on coming out as gay [00:29:33] And then they would play the song I'm coming out and he would dance up on people [00:29:38] But he licked the dude's ball head. He humped another dude [00:29:42] He like and he was getting drunk all weekend harassing staff like one of those guys, right? Just like whoa [00:29:50] So then brandy's like here's a glass of wine and a wine bitch is as you can drink. I don't care [00:29:55] Just be funny [00:29:57] So I'm like am I hosting and my what am I doing? Like I'm sweating bullets here trying to figure out how much time I need with jokes [00:30:05] So bill come bill bellamy comes in [00:30:09] Introduces us and then tall dude like six seven huge. It's his manager slash security comes in. It's like you [00:30:16] You mellow. I was like, yeah, it's better be funny. I'm like Jesus Christ, man [00:30:21] So then the host comes in [00:30:23] He's like, what's your name? I said Mike mellies. I'm just gonna call you mellow [00:30:25] What you want me to say about you like say clubs and colleges is like don't worry about it [00:30:30] So he goes up there. It's like y'all [00:30:32] Just next comment [00:30:33] Man, just do funny. You seen him on bt comic view. We see them on just [00:30:40] And me and the security guard looking at her like who else he bringing on he says i'm giving up for my man mellow [00:30:46] And i'm like, oh snap. That's me [00:30:48] No, that's too much bro [00:30:51] Bring it down [00:30:52] I started in a black comedy club for the first two years [00:30:55] All I knew were black audiences and all my first friends in comedy were pretty much all black comics [00:31:00] And I got those kind of intros all the time and it was if anything it made me look worse [00:31:05] Like no haven't been on b et [00:31:07] Who's this awkward white like awkward white dude who's like six months in [00:31:15] You see them rip up a while in apollo y'all put your hands together for pals. You were like, wait, what? [00:31:20] That's hilarious [00:31:22] This episode is brought to you by magic mind magic mind is the perfect [00:31:26] Little energy drink to help you focus and get the work done while also relieving stress and feeling relaxed [00:31:35] Uh, I myself I struggle with being productive just sitting down and getting the work done [00:31:39] But magic mind is here to help the good folks over there sent me a couple [00:31:44] Their bottles and they have been fantastic. 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So tell me about that because uh [00:33:10] I know what it's like sagura sabash manis calco dan Cummins have been very very good to me [00:33:16] So i want to hear your experience because man when you uh [00:33:19] When one night you're at your home club and then a week later you're across the country or around the world [00:33:24] It is uh, it's wild. So i'd love to hear [00:33:29] Yeah, how that how that kind of how those guys helped you [00:33:33] Yeah, man, definitely, uh [00:33:35] so one weekend, um [00:33:38] They got me to feature for [00:33:40] uh tracy morgan [00:33:42] And i had met tracy like a few times before when he came through but you know, usually [00:33:47] A friend of mine would open up for him, but i just hang out, you know [00:33:51] Just kind of hanging back [00:33:53] And uh, just kind of shut up and not be seen. So this weekend. I actually got to work with him [00:33:58] and um [00:34:00] Man, it was it was a fun weekend [00:34:03] Uh, he's wild. You can never tell [00:34:06] When he's playing or when he's serious like [00:34:11] He you're always on your toes. I don't know him [00:34:14] Yeah, like he's just like what money's like, you know what i'm saying? I like this hip hop game [00:34:18] You know this this hip hop game. It's like the comedy game. You know i'm saying you're like, okay [00:34:24] And then they'd be like what the hell is that we look like you don't know when i'm playing i'm like [00:34:28] Gee we don't [00:34:29] God i'm just trying to keep up [00:34:32] but yeah, he um [00:34:34] so [00:34:35] One show like i'm getting off [00:34:37] Just get off stays and he's like [00:34:40] How much you want for that last bit? [00:34:42] Oh, now that man. He's crazy [00:34:45] Now because you know, he's been messing with me all weekend. So i'm like man [00:34:49] You said last bit is is is your closer like your baby [00:34:55] Um [00:34:57] Then it was fading out. Okay [00:34:59] It it was it was my closer, but it was one of those [00:35:03] That i'm about to retire [00:35:05] Basically, it's like you weren't as emotionally as attached as you would have been like two or three years before or whatever [00:35:12] Yeah, yeah probably like a year before because I was just like i'm getting tired of doing this joke [00:35:16] But uh, it's funny because I told you like I started comedy because I went to jail that joke was about going to jail [00:35:23] That week [00:35:24] So, uh, he's I like that jail bit. How much you want? I was like man. He's crazy. He's like, let me know [00:35:30] So luckily I had a friend there. He's like [00:35:33] Yeah, i'm like, I don't [00:35:35] I've never sold a joke before [00:35:37] So my buddy's like sell it to him cheap and just ask to work with him again [00:35:41] I was all right. That's [00:35:43] Sounds good, you know [00:35:45] so [00:35:47] I um [00:35:48] Gave him a number and I said I love to work with you again. He goes [00:35:52] Posed out a knot like this and I'm like shit [00:35:55] I should have said way more money now [00:35:57] But uh, he pulls out a fat knot of money gives me some money [00:36:00] He goes so I love to work with you again. He's like what are you talking about? Just hide you as a writer [00:36:05] Then that next Tuesday I was in Portland [00:36:08] No, shit [00:36:09] I was in Utah then it was like, you know, i'm saying so it was that quick [00:36:14] I went to work like I ain't quitting quitting [00:36:17] But I ain't gonna be here for a minute [00:36:19] But yeah, it was uh, it was that quick like did you guys like write together or? [00:36:26] Well, so he was like I don't need you to write my jokes. I need you to punch him up [00:36:30] So I would open up for him [00:36:33] And me and another comic would open up for him [00:36:36] And then I will go after i'm done going to back in my pad and just sit up there and watch [00:36:42] and um [00:36:44] Like a like like a court stenographer [00:36:47] Yeah, basically, you know [00:36:49] But like I gave him some jokes like man [00:36:52] I think this will just work with you just because of who you are [00:36:55] And they see them take those jokes and then make them his [00:36:58] kind of makes you feel like [00:37:00] Just as good as if you made up a joke and you did it, you know [00:37:03] It's almost even better when you write it for someone else and it works [00:37:06] That's my shit. Yeah [00:37:09] I don't think I've well, yeah [00:37:10] I've I've given people tags before and then watched him do it and then like I've seen him go both ways [00:37:15] It seemed to kind of flop and then seen the crush. You're like I wrote that I wrote that. Yeah. Yeah [00:37:20] Oh, I had that I had one friend go up [00:37:23] And I said man say this he goes. All right. That's funny [00:37:26] Then I say it and it bombed he goes. Thanks a lot mellow. I'm like, why would you call me out? [00:37:31] He would always throw it back in my face like thanks a lot mellow. He told me to say it [00:37:35] I was definitely for the other comics in the room to throw you out which I do kind of respect [00:37:40] I mean there's nothing funnier than when you throw your buddies under the bus or watching your friends kind of eat it [00:37:45] Oh, yeah, absolutely. It's some of the best time because we've all been absolutely point fingers [00:37:49] I always say that we can watch our friends absolutely [00:37:52] Suffer on stage because we have been there. So yes, we can point fingers [00:37:59] Oh, yeah, and then I remember I did this one joke so bad [00:38:03] Uh my roommate and two other comics came up to me. He goes, yeah, I'm gonna need those keys [00:38:08] I was like, huh? He does. I'm gonna need those keys. You got to move out [00:38:11] I can't I can't have you saying shit like that. You got to I have your stuff packed by the time you get home [00:38:18] But that's what I liked about it. We were honest about how bad stuff was and [00:38:23] you know [00:38:24] They would be harsh with it, but also, you know, they care they want you to do well [00:38:30] I mean you want to see your friends do the hell missing [00:38:33] Yeah, absolutely, but we're gonna give you a hard time on your way there [00:38:36] You're gonna hear it on the way there, but we're gonna make sure you get there, but you're gonna hear [00:38:42] My dad was missing now in the game [00:38:44] What do you mean like like that that kind of peer? [00:38:48] help or [00:38:50] That that honesty that straight [00:38:52] That dickiness that comes with being a comic and seeing someone do bad bits [00:38:57] I think now with social media. It's about hyping everybody up. Oh, absolutely when it should just be like [00:39:04] No, dude, that was terrible [00:39:06] Try again like everyone who was mean to me when I started [00:39:11] helped me [00:39:12] Yeah, I had this one guy tell me like oh dude. You're not funny enough. So I took you off the list [00:39:17] I guarantee nobody would hear that now that [00:39:20] You know, everyone gets their time which I'm cool with that. Oh, I'm totally cool with that, but [00:39:25] there's a sense of [00:39:27] Oh, I gotta try harder now [00:39:30] To get some stays time instead of being like, I'll just try it next week [00:39:33] No, it's like I gotta be funny to get up on this stage [00:39:37] So it's a little more drive [00:39:39] Yeah, so speaking of the other early days like that is anybody [00:39:43] Around still from when you first started anybody anybody from your class still uh [00:39:48] I would say um [00:39:50] Andy Forester. Oh, yeah very fun. Yeah, Andy like he was there [00:39:55] When I first started pretty much, um [00:40:00] Not many [00:40:03] I'm trying to think who else [00:40:05] Other people get out of the game or did they just move to like New York or LA or something or Chicago? [00:40:10] I think most of them are out [00:40:12] Of the game now [00:40:13] Um, you know, you got your Caleb Elliott's he started when he was 14. So he's still in it. Wow [00:40:21] Yeah, I'm trying to think I don't think there's really many [00:40:26] From when I started in the scene in the local scene that's still doing it. Oh, wow. Well, I would say like [00:40:32] I [00:40:33] Derek Thompson he's up in New York now DT. I think he's up in New York. I know that name. I think I know I definitely know who that is [00:40:42] Yeah [00:40:47] Oh, well Russell, uh [00:40:51] I basically linked up with him. I was featuring and uh, he walked in he goes are you the feature? [00:40:55] I was like, yeah, he goes we'll see [00:40:57] I'm like, shit [00:40:59] It's gonna kick me off. Is this a good nights also? [00:41:02] Yeah [00:41:04] and um [00:41:06] It was right after working with Tracy. So it was like [00:41:10] He liked my stuff. We had a great weekend. We hung out all weekend and you know, I'll show you her stories [00:41:15] He's one of the nicest people [00:41:17] I've heard that from some of the people because um [00:41:20] I know Greg Grogel used to open for him a lot or still does. I don't know [00:41:24] But um, yeah, probably I haven't seen Greg in a long time [00:41:27] But I mean, I know a ton of comics. I've had nothing but nice things to say about Peters [00:41:31] but I've only met him once at the Hollywood improv and um, he could not have been nicer to me and [00:41:38] Pretty sure his watch just so down the earth [00:41:41] I could tell I mean I could definitely tell he was sitting in the back watching everybody and enjoy enjoying the show [00:41:46] And then went up and did his thing and yeah [00:41:49] So you featured for him at good nights and then was it just like that? [00:41:53] Yeah, like he was like what are you doing next week? I'm like nothing now. What's up? [00:41:59] All my plans are canceled [00:42:01] So then um next week is is so much cooler than like [00:42:05] Something further down the road like any work with with a headliner that wants to bring you around is amazing [00:42:11] But something about next week is like oh shit [00:42:15] Yeah, I could get my shit together. But yeah, that was just like [00:42:18] Just like that. It took me up to Virginia did a few cities up in Virginia and then [00:42:24] every time he'd come [00:42:26] You know still today [00:42:27] Anytime he comes to North Carolina or if he's close, he'll hit me up when he's close to this side. Oh, that's awesome [00:42:34] Yeah, so we this past last summer we went to [00:42:39] What have we do? We did uh the d-pack which is our big, uh [00:42:43] Theater out here big arena [00:42:46] Um, we did parks casino and philly. Yeah, did that nice [00:42:53] um [00:42:55] And then we did the mgm grand [00:42:58] So it was a nice little was that he just comes [00:43:02] Baltimore dc harbour one. Yeah. Yeah the national harbour one. I did that [00:43:08] And uh, I think I do that places it was oh gorgeous room [00:43:12] I'm trying to think if I've ever told the story in the podcast before I probably did [00:43:15] So I featured or I did feature with two man show me and sabastian at the mgm grand in washington dc [00:43:22] national harbour [00:43:23] It was a sunday was a big sunday show [00:43:26] Three days later. I'm featuring for mark normand at helium in philadelphia. It's literally three days later [00:43:33] After the show a woman came up to me and said hey, I saw you with sabastian on sunday [00:43:38] And you did a lot of the same stuff the other night and I'm like fuck you [00:43:44] These shows were [00:43:47] These shows are literally 200 miles apart [00:43:50] Two separate and you're gonna come say that [00:43:53] You know pre-drink for somebody in a club and then opening for somebody in a giant theater [00:43:57] Those two gigs are light years apart, but I was still doing my best stuff [00:44:00] Oh, dude. Yeah, I I think about I could I can still see her face and I think about that often [00:44:07] Oh, yeah, that's one thing now take it right back down [00:44:10] Oh, but at the same time i'm fully aware of how [00:44:14] Hilarious that is because that's just so absurd in our world [00:44:19] That's oh, yeah, absolutely and the odds of her seeing me in dc and philly three days apart is kind of astronomical odds in itself [00:44:27] Oh, no. Yeah, no doubt. That's crazy. Um, I know [00:44:31] uh one time [00:44:33] Russell was just performing was performing in atlanta and being my buddy were like, hey, we're just gonna come down and see a [00:44:38] Baster show. He's like, yeah come down [00:44:40] So he's in this big theater and uh, so we're in the back eating and he's just like [00:44:46] Talking to his brother. He's like, yeah, I'll give mellow 10 minutes up front. I was like, huh? [00:44:51] He goes, you can't come all the way down here. I'm not giving you a spot [00:44:55] I've got a plate full of food just ready to eat. I didn't think about [00:44:59] so then I had [00:45:01] Four minutes to prepare for something. I was not [00:45:05] Prepared to do like, you know, I'm saying I mean I was prepared but [00:45:09] Yeah, I'm just going to hang out. But then he's like, no, it's it's only 4 000 people go out there and just give me 10 minutes [00:45:15] And I'm like, uh, I never said no [00:45:19] No, I never said no [00:45:21] You just need a couple minutes to sit down and think what are my jokes? What can I do here? [00:45:27] Now you've done stand up internationally, right [00:45:31] No, oh, oh, I thought you did stuff overseas [00:45:35] No, I wish [00:45:37] That's my goal for this year. Oh nice. That's my goal for this year. Are you able to make that happen? I definitely want to go [00:45:43] I hope so. I gotta hook up um, nice London [00:45:46] Nice, so I'm like [00:45:48] You know, he runs the show out there. So I'm like, oh man, hook me up. I'd at least want to do that [00:45:53] Oh, very cool, man. Yeah, I would love to do that. Haven't done it. So that's my goal [00:45:57] Yeah, I'm just waiting on my passport [00:45:59] Like come on passport. Let's go long waiting process now [00:46:05] Not as down to a month now. Is it real? Is it back to oh good? Good. Good. I need to update mine [00:46:11] Yeah, because I mean I've been waiting but uh, I'm a month out now. All right [00:46:15] What else do you have on on on tapper this year? Are you working on anything off to the side or you just focus in on stand up? [00:46:22] um, just like uh [00:46:24] basically I want to [00:46:27] I [00:46:28] That's a loaded question. Um [00:46:31] Yeah, basically uh focus on stand up a little more uh [00:46:35] Focus is more on my online presence. You know, I think I'm gonna come out with more skits and [00:46:41] you know, I've been writing [00:46:43] Like for a long time stuff that I haven't even touched [00:46:48] So it's like all right. I'm very sorry now that my album's out [00:46:52] I can be like, all right. Now I have to focus on new stuff. Yep. Which is you know the next hour [00:46:59] So I want to buy [00:47:01] By the end of april [00:47:03] I want to hopefully have that hour ready. Oh nice do another [00:47:07] Are you gonna film it somewhere? [00:47:10] Yeah, I don't know where yet [00:47:12] But uh, I need to get this hour down [00:47:14] Well, yeah, I hear that I mean, you know, you know, it's it's funny when you because I just dropped my first album [00:47:21] And it's my congratulations. That's awesome [00:47:24] Thank you. But now it's like oh shit [00:47:27] Now I gotta I gotta do this all over again start over from square one [00:47:32] Yeah, but it's exciting too. I'm very excited to you know, just see what the next chapter is [00:47:37] It's I find that like um [00:47:39] Every time I've released an album I went on like a writing tear [00:47:43] Afterwards like I was excited. I knew I needed new stuff and it was very motivating to [00:47:48] Hammer out some new stuff and every time I release something [00:47:50] I had like a really good 10 to 15 minutes within like a month or two right after [00:47:57] Then I would get lazy. Yeah, and I would get lazy but I will stay after the immediate release of something [00:48:04] I would just like be so excited to turn some stuff over [00:48:09] Well, that's it's been the opposite for me. I felt like I've been struggling a little bit [00:48:13] um [00:48:15] But I feel that's partially because I was trying my hardest to work that hour out like I wanted it [00:48:21] Getting that out of my mouth now. It's just like uh, you know, yeah [00:48:24] So now it's just all right just stepping away for a minute just to clear your head and then get back to the [00:48:31] To the regular writing schedule [00:48:34] Do you have a regular writing schedule? [00:48:37] Uh, yeah, I try to write at least an hour a day [00:48:40] Um, that's awesome. I should be doing this [00:48:44] I mean, I ain't saying that it's happened every day [00:48:47] But at least take an hour out to even think or just go over stuff already. I just I gotta at least look at it [00:48:54] Or write it even if it's not a full joke just to write something. Yeah [00:48:59] um [00:49:00] Just to keep my fingers instead of texting it because I can never remember a joke after I text [00:49:06] I have to write it [00:49:08] I'm dude 100 and I think it's something ellen degenerus said [00:49:12] Years and years ago [00:49:13] She said it in comic insights franklin agi's book that um [00:49:17] You should just do one thing every day to further your career write a joke change a joke edit a joke [00:49:22] Send an email make a phone call and just just one thing a day [00:49:26] It's so simple but also sometimes so hard at the same time [00:49:30] But just one thing a day, you know comedians aren't the most comedians aren't the most go get them [00:49:37] No, that's why I don't wear a mat [00:49:40] You know, it's like [00:49:42] When I started uh, it would be like the ones with uh [00:49:47] The comics with the best posters [00:49:50] For the worst [00:49:51] Because i'm like man they're focused on their presentation [00:49:54] More than their [00:49:56] Their act then what they're doing on stage. Yep. That's how to do the same in every scene [00:50:02] Oh, yeah, absolutely. Uh, why one more thing before I let you go [00:50:06] I always love getting a horror story out of people. So tell me a story of a nightmare show [00:50:12] What comes to your mind first when you think of absolute hell gig? [00:50:17] Oh god, I would say working with michael blackson [00:50:21] Oh [00:50:23] It looked like a middle school cafeteria [00:50:26] In the middle of this place called rocky mount [00:50:28] I know him from way back because he I don't know if he's from philly originally but uh like when I first started at the [00:50:34] Laugh house. He was around a lot [00:50:38] So, yeah, I go way way back with him [00:50:41] Oh, man. So I did this show I opened up for him and [00:50:46] So my friend mike spurlock [00:50:48] Uh drove me there because I had no car [00:50:50] And a short white dude [00:50:52] You know one line of guy funny as hell [00:50:55] So we get there and um, I had this bit [00:50:58] About guilty white people [00:51:00] Like in my neighborhood and it's like I'm sorry what happened to your family back in the day with slavery [00:51:05] And then I'm like, well, give me five dollars then right? Well, these three black girls decided to have a conversation of white [00:51:12] Five dollars wasn't enough money like a full-out conversation five dollars [00:51:17] And I'm like joke and then they hate it [00:51:21] So then they saw my buddy mike [00:51:23] And so they're like hey do you want some time? He's like, yeah, sure [00:51:27] And meanwhile, I'm at the bar with my drink. He goes up there and he murders it like they love him [00:51:33] So he gets off [00:51:35] I'm at the bar. I have a one drink. I'm supposed to have an open bar tab. They cut me off off the one drink [00:51:40] Right [00:51:41] Mike's at the table with these three black girls. They just rubbing on them [00:51:45] And he's grinning near there. It's like they want us to go to mama's house. I'm like, what the hell [00:51:50] So then we ended up in the hood and rock him out country hoods are different in city hoods [00:51:55] Like country hoods is like they can bury you out there [00:51:59] So we're in this spot [00:52:01] Waiting to smoke some weed and there's this kid at the door who I thought was like a drone up [00:52:06] He's only 13. He's got a beard [00:52:09] So mike's having a blast [00:52:11] So this girl sitting in between us. He goes, hey y'all we just went to a comedy show [00:52:16] Well, I'm sitting in between them and she goes. Oh he the comedian reached around me and pointed at my buddy mike [00:52:23] and said he the comedian [00:52:25] And then pointed at me and said, oh he was there too [00:52:29] so like [00:52:31] Then I had to go back and find a promoter because he was running from it because he didn't want to pay [00:52:37] I had to chase him all the way back to his hotel room to get paid [00:52:41] But I just remember that show I bombed so hard to where [00:52:45] They cut me off at the bar [00:52:48] The girls at the bar didn't think I was a comedian [00:52:51] And then I had to chase the booker down for my money [00:52:55] That he didn't want to pay me that'll stick with you [00:53:00] Yeah, so one of the worst [00:53:03] One of the worst ones [00:53:05] Yeah, dudes [00:53:06] I mean I have a couple in my back pocket that I still it makes my arm hair stand up when I think about a man [00:53:13] We've all had nights where you are like, what am I doing with my life? [00:53:18] And then you drive home with the radio off 10 and 2 just concentrating everything [00:53:24] Man the longest drives ever those drives home dude. So this just happened to me last summer [00:53:32] uh [00:53:33] One of the worst weekends of my entire career [00:53:36] Literally in 20 years took place last summer in south carolina [00:53:40] And it was also my longest car ride home [00:53:44] and [00:53:45] Three out of the four shows I absolutely hated luckily saturday late show was decent [00:53:51] Uh, saturday late show was good. It was good, but both friday and saturday early [00:53:57] I was I hated every second and then I just had 13 hours in the car to just sit [00:54:05] With my thoughts from that weekend and man, it took me a couple days to like [00:54:10] bounce back [00:54:13] Yeah, I mean that's the one thing I [00:54:15] I think I really like about that this job will humble you quick [00:54:19] Oh, and it doesn't matter how long you've been doing it or what you've done in your career or anything [00:54:24] Man, you can be on top of the world and so [00:54:28] Man not every crowd's going to be your crowd even if they're paying to see you [00:54:33] Yeah, oh, yeah exactly like I remember one of my favorite [00:54:37] Uh times this guy [00:54:39] Um, he had been doing comedy for a little while and I'm just going to do a spot [00:54:44] And then they they were kind of to me. It's like would you rather headline? And I was like nope [00:54:48] I'm here to do my spot. I'm not here to take any one spot. I'm here to do my spot just my time [00:54:53] Trying to stuff out. That's all I want to do [00:54:56] So I guess the ask a guy headlining and he had an attitude which I would too [00:55:00] You got me to do it [00:55:01] And I was like look man, I told him I didn't want to do it. I'm not here to take any one spot [00:55:05] He goes do your best stuff, man. I can follow anybody. I'm like stunk, you know the comedy guys are listening [00:55:12] Don't you know don't piss them off [00:55:15] It's like man. I've been hosting [00:55:18] I've been the lead host at comedy zone for three months now and I'm just like [00:55:25] Stop [00:55:26] Just just do your thing man. Don't even bring none of that just just do your thing [00:55:32] Man three minutes in his point is handkerchief out rubbing him sweat off his forehead [00:55:38] I mean like a bit bad and I'm like, dude [00:55:42] There's a level of confidence you should have but don't let it tilt over the cockiness [00:55:47] Because that's when the comedy guys would be like, oh, where do you think you got it? Oh, yeah [00:55:53] Even if you just had you know every time I have a streak of you know [00:55:57] A handful of good shows a great weekend when I saw you and raleigh last month every show was great [00:56:03] Uh, I just you just it's always in the back of your mind that like oh one of these upcoming shows is not [00:56:10] Going to be all that great [00:56:12] Is coming. Yeah. Oh, yeah, I keep that in the pocket right there, man [00:56:15] It's like one's coming we have to anytime i'm going on a big show [00:56:20] Yeah, anytime i'm going to do a big show. I purposely go to a lot of mics [00:56:24] Just to be like all right one of these has got to be it because I don't need to happen here [00:56:28] I needed to happen here get your rep in get it ready [00:56:32] All right, man, dude tell us about the album and where everybody can find you [00:56:36] All right, uh, you can find me on ig [00:56:38] Uh, Mike mental miller on ig [00:56:42] Uh, facebook and michael miller government name [00:56:45] Um, and then uh my album childish out on all streaming platforms Spotify [00:56:51] iTunes youtube music [00:56:53] um catch my clips [00:56:55] On rizone comedy [00:56:57] All that are starting to come out and um you can find me on hitcore [00:57:02] uh dot com on [00:57:05] Uh [00:57:09] Oh very cool, man [00:57:11] All right, dude. We got to cross paths again soon whether i'm down there or you're up here in philly [00:57:15] We are absolutely doing a show to you know what actually we you and I may never even work together. I don't even know [00:57:22] I don't think we have I don't think we have either [00:57:25] No, so we gotta make that happen. We do have to make that happen. How many that happen? [00:57:29] All right, mike miller. I'll try to put together something down here. So uh, I get you down here [00:57:34] Dude, let's do that because I was talking to um braady about doing his wednesday. Um, was it was a winery or brewery show? [00:57:42] Oh, that's a nice spot. You should definitely do it. I think you'll ask me to so [00:57:46] That's something we'll definitely try to do in the spring or early summer. So we'll absolutely link up [00:57:52] Yeah, absolutely, man. Sweet very cool. Mike, dude. Thank you. It was great talking. He was great seeing you [00:57:57] Last month too. It's been literally forever. Yeah, you too, man. It was good to catch up, man [00:58:01] Thank you for coming here and talking shop with me. Thanks for having me brother. I appreciate it, man [00:58:06] And mike mellow everybody [00:58:26] You've been listening to the mesh an online media network of shows and programs ranging from business to arts [00:58:32] sports to entertainment music to community [00:58:36] All programs are available on the website as well as through itunes and youtube [00:58:41] Check us out online at the mesh dot tv [00:58:45] Discover other network shows and give us feedback on what you just heard