Bussin’ with the Boys: Best of the Bus – Tom Segura Talks His Friendship With Bert Kreischer & His Start In Comedy

Podcast: Bussin’ with the Boys
Guests: Tom Segura, Bert Kreischer, JP (Co-host)
Date: January 17, 2026

Episode Overview

In this lively episode, comedian Tom Segura joins the Bussin’ with the Boys crew for a wide-ranging, candid conversation about his roots in comedy, intense love of football, his best friend and podcast partner Bert Kreischer, and the journey from small-town life to Netflix stardom. The episode gives fans an inside look at Segura’s work ethic, his approach to stand-up, the real story behind his dynamic with Bert Kreischer, and plenty of hilarious stories about football, college experiences, and the way pro athletes really operate behind the scenes.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Life on the Road: Cities, Small Towns, and Bagels (00:00–02:21)

• New York Nerves: The hosts and Segura share their travel routines, the rush of New York, and the contrast between big cities and small-town upbringings.
  • “It's chaos. It's living in chaos.” (Tom Segura, 01:52)
• Returning Home: Reflecting on how wider world experiences make it hard to move back to a small town.
  • “I've seen too much now. I just can't go back to living that small town life.” (Bert Kreischer, 02:21)

2. The College Football Obsession (03:27–13:01)

• Deep Football Roots: Tom describes being a lifelong FSU fan—tracing it back to his dad’s love for the game.
  • “My dad loved college football. So we were college football.” (Tom Segura, 03:38)
• Atmosphere Differences: The crew agrees nothing tops college football energy.
  • “The pandemonium at those games is so different… But the college atmosphere is so bonus.” (Tom Segura, 07:10)
• Stadium Tours: Segura shares stories about touring college and NFL facilities; he is blown away by LSU and Nebraska locker rooms.
  • “It was like Jeff Bezos's, like, version... It's like heaven.” (Tom Segura on LSU, 08:21)

3. Football Legends & Locker Room Stories (12:03–24:05)

• Ndamukong Suh Tales: They swap wild stories about Suh’s ferocity on the field—and surprising business savvy off of it.
  • “Like, Sue's one of the savviest businessmen, like, in the NFL... Like, Warren Buffett is, like, in his council." (JP, 13:49)
• Trash Talk Techniques: Bert and Tom dive into mind games and misdirection in NFL banter—sometimes getting under opponents’ skin with unexpected (often crude) humor.
  • “[To a defensive lineman:] If you don't stop talking, I'm gonna suck your dick.” (Bert Kreischer, 18:09)
• Quiet Killers: Not all great players talk trash; the panel appreciates “silent assassins” whose rare words have big impact.
  • “When that guy does say something, it's so powerful.” (Tom Segura, 22:42)
• Memorable Competition Moments: The embarrassment of getting “put on the ground” and the psyche behind competition.

4. From Football to Comedy: Tom’s Break (34:41–41:11)

• Shifting Identity: Tom explains the emotional adjustment from high school football player to college student—eventually finding his calling in comedy through class projects.
  • “In high school, you're like, I'm a football player… Then you get to college… I'm not. I Loved doing comedy.” (Tom Segura, 34:52–35:21)
• Finding Standup: After following friends to open mics, Tom gets booked for his first spot by happenstance and never looks back.
  • “It was just on from, like, once I did it. [...] You either are going to be like, I'm not doing that again, or you're like, I got to do that again.” (Tom Segura, 37:38)
• Career Breaks: Opens for Jay Mohr, gets his Comedy Central Presents spot after years of persistence—only to discover it doesn’t change his career overnight.
  • “This is going to change your road life, like, touring... It didn’t change at all. Like, nothing changed.” (Tom Segura, 41:13–41:54)

5. Navigating the Comedy Business (43:35–50:42)

• The Netflix Path: Tom’s first Netflix special was shopped as a "consolation prize" and only gradually built momentum.
  • “Comedy Central passed... Netflix took it, and it was like a consolation prize.” (Tom Segura, 43:54)
• Measuring Success: Tom marvels at selling out clubs, the slow realization of “making it,” and the pride in seeing friends hit the same milestones.
• Competition in Comedy: Unlike the NFL, there are no finite “roster spots” in comedy—successful peers are more inspiration than threat.
  • “It's not really a threat to you... really good standup is exciting and it makes me want to do stand up.” (Tom Segura, 47:00)

6. Originality, Stealing Jokes, and Crafting Material (47:51–52:01)

• On Joke Theft: Tom and the crew address the complexities of accidentally “stealing” jokes—and the value of making acts personal to avoid overlap.
  • “So many of us... lean so hard into talking about our lives... there is no chance that I'm talking about what you're talking about.” (Tom Segura, 49:24)
• Approach with Peers: He always lets someone know if their bit is similar—no accusations, just transparency.

7. The Modern Era: Platforms, Risks & YouTube (52:01–55:24)

• Platforms Evolving: YouTube has become a legitimate way to break big (“Shane [Gillis]'s special is one of my top five.” – Tom, 53:00)
• What Makes Comedy Stick: Tom and Bert share the importance of nuance, timing, and organic callbacks in standup, citing their own and others’ specials.

8. Friendship with Bert Kreischer: Dynamic & Pet Peeves (73:03–79:15)

• Their Relationship: Tom and Bert share mutual admiration but admit their differences—Tom is measured; Bert is a “literal party.”
  • “Are you all right? He’s like, ‘I'm dying.’ I was like, ‘Yeah, I don't want that to be real. Could you chill the fuck out for a second?’” (Tom Segura, 72:00)
  • “He wants every moment to be... the best night of your life... you’ve said, it's been the best night of your life 500 times.” (Tom Segura, 75:07)
• Pet Peeves: Tom reveals Bert rarely replies to texts (“that irritates the shit out of me”), sometimes ignores others’ emotions, and exaggerates every experience.
• What Makes It Work: Tom enjoys Bert’s “entertaining lunacy,” and Bert brings relentless positive energy (“He’s very sincere… He likes community... frat guy has a negative connotation—the positive is, he wants a friendship fraternity,” Tom, 78:22).

9. Building & Balancing Creative Life (62:49–70:43)

• Business Savvy: Tom sees himself as a natural entrepreneur—always learning, taking (calculated) risks, and knowing money isn’t the only motivator.
  • “You have to do things that are, like, fulfilling creatively... there’s no thrill in just playing everything safe.” (Tom Segura, 64:22 & 67:27)
• Work Ethic with Kids: Having children made Tom double down on working and providing.
  • “It's like the modern version of hunter-gatherer mode… I have to provide. So… I went into sixth gear with work.” (Tom Segura, 68:48–69:12)
• Balance: Both Tom and Bert inherited work-obsessed values from their dads, but Tom is now more conscious of scheduling time off for family.

10. Sledgehammer, Legacy, and Closing Thoughts (80:27–83:27)

• Best Special Yet: Tom describes “Sledgehammer” as his tightest, most evolved, and personally meaningful work yet—with emotion tied to his father’s passing.
  • “It feels like... I’ve evolved as a person, as a comic... It’s more personal to me because my dad died during it.” (Tom Segura, 80:38)
• Reaching #1 on Netflix: He admits it feels great (“It’s number one on Netflix... that’s pretty cool.” – 82:10).
• Pride in Fans’ Praise: The best part is fans appreciating—and connecting to—his effort, likening a special release to serving a long-simmering meal.
  • “You’ve been making something... you go, yeah... you are excited for people to try it.” (Tom Segura, 83:21)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Comedy Success:
  • “Every level of it is crazy—but at first it seems like Monopoly money.” (Tom Segura, 45:30)
• On Standup Risks:
  • “There's no thrill in just playing everything safe.” (Tom Segura, 67:50)
• On Friendship:
  • “We're best friends... I thoroughly enjoy him. A lot of people are like, 'How do you put up with this lunatic?' ...but I enjoy his, his company.” (Tom Segura, 79:15)
• On Fatherhood & Work:
  • “It’s like the modern version of hunter-gatherer mode—I have to provide.” (Tom Segura, 68:48)
• On Playful Trash Talk:
  • “If you just say super gay things, NFL players… it’s a mind game.” (Bert Kreischer, 18:14)
• On Sledgehammer’s Success:
  • “It’s number one on Netflix… that’s pretty cool.” (Tom Segura, 82:10)

Memorable & Humorous Bits

• Wrestling at Beer Olympics: Shane Gillis suffers at the hands of pro athletes (“You forget that they're monsters… literal monsters.” – Tom Segura, 57:02)
• Bert’s Exaggerations: “You told me it was the best dinner you ever had in your life… the best coffee… the best night…” (Tom Segura, 75:07)
• High School Trainer Denial: “You ain’t Bruce Smith.” (Trainer, relayed by Tom Segura, 31:52)

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Time | Segment | |---------------|-----------------------------------------------------| | 00:00–02:21 | Small town vs. city, travel stories | | 03:27–13:01 | Football roots, college atmosphere, stadium tours | | 12:03–24:05 | Tales of Ndamukong Suh, trash talk, football psyche | | 34:41–41:11 | Tom’s start in comedy, transition from football | | 43:35–50:42 | Netflix, career breaks, comedy business | | 52:01–55:24 | Platforms, risks, YouTube specials | | 73:03–79:15 | Dynamic with Bert, pet peeves, what makes it work | | 80:27–83:27 | Pride in Sledgehammer, legacy, closing thoughts |

The Episode’s Spirit

True to Bussin's signature style, the conversation is unguarded, playful, and full of both laughs and life lessons. Tom Segura shines as both a craftsman of his art and a relatable, thoughtful guest; his banter with Bert Kreischer offers a unique glimpse into one of comedy’s best partnerships.

For fans of comedy, football, and the intersection where hard work and friendship meet, this episode delivers stories and insights aplenty—with the infectious energy and irreverence that make Bussin’ With the Boys a must-listen.