Bad Friends – "The Vile Horrendous" w/ Joe DeRosa

Episode Overview

In this lively episode of Bad Friends (August 18, 2025), comedians Bobby Lee and Andrew Santino are joined by their longtime friend and fellow comic, Joe DeRosa. The trio dives into comedic tales from the stand-up world, trade personal stories of struggle and camaraderie, and riff on everything from odd green room rituals to the woes of club gigs gone bad. The conversation is unfiltered, nostalgic, and peppered with signature Bad Friends banter.

Main Discussion Themes

• Comedy World Camaraderie & Struggle

• Adventures (and disasters) on the road & in the clubs

• The glass ceilings of showbiz and resilience after career setbacks

• Friendship, ego, and mutual support in stand-up

• Personal anecdotes of love, heartbreak, and connection

• The Lighter Side of Dysfunction

• Witch jokes, familiars, and magical spells in everyday life

• Hilarious rants on smoking, pothead culture, and lighter economics

• Secret club rooms, bizarre green room traditions, and surreal backstage worlds

• Breaking the Mold

• Why comedians need to make their own rules

• Rebellion against club politics and the art of not giving a damn

• Ordering “the entire menu” as a symbol of comedic success

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Stages, Drinking, and Double Acts

The Art of Letting Loose in Comedy
[06:23–07:33]

• Andrew and Joe reminisced about recently going on stage together and how tag-team stand-up is a New York thing rarely done in LA. They found it exhilarating and freeing.

  • Andrew: “No, sometimes I want to have a couple of cocktails, let the Band Aid rip.” [07:28]
  • Bobby notes how Andrew shifts into “Hyde” (charming) mode when tipsy, referencing the Jekyll/Hyde persona dynamic.

• The night was described as “wild,” with multiple accounts of going off, both on stage and off.

  • Joe admits: “I did go a little crazy. Yeah, but so did he. So did the kid.” [26:58]

2. Witches, Familiars, and Icebox Spells

Inside Jokes on Occult Vibes [02:09–06:22]

• The crew riffs on Bobby’s “witchy” friends and Santino’s interrogation of a woman’s “coven.”

• Bobby describes putting Andrew’s name in the freezer as a spell to make him “chill”:

  • Bobby: “I put your name on a piece of paper and put it in the freezer, and guess what? It worked.” [04:54]
  • Andrew: “I’m always chill.” [05:02]

• Playful banter on “familiars” from witch lore serves as a metaphor for the support comics offer each other.

3. Lighters, Pothead Economy, and Circle of Giving

Smoking, Sharing, and Odd Traditions [08:55–12:20]

• The group shares strategies for stashing lighters and how, among pot smokers, lighters tend to “come back” after months or years.
  • Andrew: “You give someone a lighter to get high, they put it in their pocket. You all get stoned, you forget it existed. ... Eventually, you’ll be smoking a bowl stoned, and you’ll go, this is my lighter, man.” [11:27]

4. Comedy Clubs, Promoters, and Boundaries

Inside LA Comedy World [12:32–13:43]

• Bobby vents about relentless LA comedy promoters and the flood of text requests for spots, while Andrew considers offloading the logistics to an assistant.
  • Bobby: “You get 5 to 10 texts, ‘Can you do my show?’ ... There’s some boundaries that need to be.” [13:32]

5. Friendship, Career Highs and Lows – Joe’s LA Story

Career Trajectories, Setbacks, and Support
[27:29–37:06]

• Joe details his rollercoaster LA journey: a fast start with TV gigs, followed by an extended crash and consideration of moving back to New York.

• He shares a heartfelt memory of Bobby encouraging him during a low spell, including a note Bobby left at the club:

  • Joe: “It said, ‘Well, well, well, look who’s working.’ It was a really sweet thing. ... I got a little teary almost.” [34:33]

• Further discussion on the anxiety of “glass ceilings” and learning to value basic things, like buying groceries or a meal out with friends.

  • Joe: “You are so fucking lucky that you can do that, man.” [42:35]

6. Heartbreaks and Comic Connections

Romance, Breakups, and Comedy Relationships [48:56–50:00]

• Joe opens up about a recent breakup, the pain of parting with the first woman he truly loved, and how being with another comic can complicate things.

  • Joe: “That was the first girl I ever was truly, like, fully in love with.” [49:18]

• The group gently rips on each other for their emotional openness, showing both support and classic comic deflection.

7. Ordering Like a Comic King

Success as Ordering the Whole Menu [43:55–44:26]

• The tradition of comics splitting the cheapest possible meal (“bean, rice, and cheese” burrito) is contrasted with being able to “order the whole menu” as a sign of making it.

  • Bobby: “Now I’m grateful that I can get more... You order the whole menu.” [43:54]

• Andrew describes Bobby’s habit of handling the bill and orchestrating private conversations with waiters to shower his friends with food—both a flex and a gesture of gratitude.

8. Comedy Club Nightmares: The Vile, The Horrendous

Worst Gigs and Gripes
[52:35–62:21]

• Joe tells war stories about terrible clubs, like “Captain Brian’s Off the Hook” and the infamous “Cabo Comedy Festival,” leading to feuds with staff and fellow comics (especially Hal Sparks):
  • Joe: “He stood up and walked out. ... That was the owner of the Improv.” [55:00]
  • “I had a homeless guy once, do you want this leftover Chinese food? He goes ‘it depends’. ... He goes ‘hard pass, I’m a strict vegetarian.’ I go, ‘You might want to loosen up the reins on that.’” [46:09]

9. Making Up Your Own Comedy Rules

Rule-Breaking Approach [63:13–66:04]

• The hosts advocate mixing up show formats, rebelling against club-imposed slot times, and “not giving a fuck” as an essential comic trait.
• Bobby reminisces about lighting cigarettes indoors (“learned from Dice”) and pushing boundaries as a regular at clubs.

10. Comedy Club Secret Rooms and Odd Collections

Hidden Spaces in LA Clubs [66:04–67:17]

• Bobby reveals there’s a secret green room within a green room at the Hollywood Laugh Factory, filled with clowns and a wall adorned with a giant Ralphie May t-shirt.

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• “No, sometimes I want to have a couple cocktails, let the Band Aid rip.”
  – Andrew Santino [07:28]

• “I put your name on a piece of paper and put it in the freezer, and guess what? It worked.”
  – Bobby Lee [04:54]

• “You give someone a lighter to get high, ... then you'll go, ‘this is my lighter, man.’”
  – Andrew Santino [11:27]

• “It said, ‘Well, well, well, look who’s working.’ ... I got a little teary almost when I read it.”
  – Joe DeRosa [34:33]

• “You are so fucking lucky that you can do that, man.”
  – Joe DeRosa on being able to buy groceries [42:35]

• “That was the first girl I ever was truly, like, fully in love with… I loved her very much.”
  – Joe DeRosa [49:18]

• “You always didn’t give a fuck.”
  – Joe DeRosa to Bobby Lee regarding comedy club antics [63:43]

Timestamps for Major Segments

• [06:23–07:33] – Tag-team stage adventures & wild nights
• [08:55–12:20] – Smoking, lighter economies, and pothead culture
• [27:29–37:06] – Joe’s LA arrival, rapid rise and crash, and support from Bobby
• [42:35–43:54] – Humility in grocery shopping & “making it” in stand-up
• [52:35–62:21] – Nightmare gigs, Captain Brian, and Hal Sparks feud stories
• [63:13–66:04] – Defying club traditions, order, and secret club spaces

Memorable Moments

• Bobby casting a “chill spell” on Andrew by freezing his name ([04:54])
• Joe recounts getting nearly emotional over a supportive note from Bobby ([34:33])
• Riffing about lighters' mysterious return among stoners ([11:27])
• Tales of the infamous secret clown room at Laugh Factory ([66:04])
• Bobby’s honesty about never watching his friends’ specials ([67:50])

Tone and Style

The episode is a rapid-fire blend of storytelling, mockery, inside jokes, and sincere moments, underpinned by the hosts’ unique chemistry and comic sensibilities. Every exchange is imbued with humor—even the most personal accounts—making for a listening experience that is as heartfelt as it is hilarious.

Conclusion

"The Vile Horrendous" is a nostalgic, laugh-packed journey through the highs and lows of comedy life, friendship, superstition, and club warfare. Whether you're a diehard fan or new to Bad Friends, this episode delivers a banquet of inside stories, life lessons, and humor that only seasoned comics can cook up.