← Celebrity Jobber Podcast with Jeff Zito
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- [00:00]
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- [00:34]
Jeff Zito
Hey, it's Jeff Zito and thanks for checking out another episode of the Celebrity Jobber podcast follow on Instagram. Celebrity Underscore Jobber Underscore podcast. You can also go to our YouTube channel, which is YouTube.com thesignce. Celebrity jobber got a ton of videos and clips of the podcast up on the YouTube channel, so definitely check that out. We're streaming everywhere you listen to podcasts, whether it's Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart. We're on all of them. So if you like the show, please subscribe, give us a five star rating and please leave a review. You can also check out past guests and episodes online@celebrityjobber.com so you know, people weren't born in fame. I guess some were. We talked to a few, but most people you know were regular everyday working stiffs nine to five years. My guest today from Alabama, which is not the stand up comedy mecca, okay? Gotta be very difficult to get discovered when you're from Alabama. Derek Stroop is his name. He has a comedy special out right now on Netflix. It's called Nostalgia. The guy is blowing up. He came out of nowhere. He was playing comedy clubs and now tickets just went on sale for his theater tour. So you're going to want to go to the website Derek Stroup.com that's D E R R I C K S T r o u p.com Derek stroop.com How did this happen? Was there a moment that changed his life? Actually, I'm going to say, I'm going to say there, there is a moment, I believe, but it's not what you would think. It's a very interesting story. What would have become of Derek if not for standup comedy? Talk a little bit about his family in Alabama and growing up, his first jobs and so much more. Very funny comedian by the name of Derek Stroup is my guest this week on Celebrity Jobber. The Celebrity Jobber Podcast with Jeff Zito. If you like what you hear, please subscribe, give a five star rating and leave a review. Check out all our past episodes on Apple podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you pod. What if these celebrities weren't famous? What would they have become? What was their first job? We're about to find out. Hey, Derek. How are you?
- [03:00]
Derek Stroop
Good. How are you doing?
- [03:01]
Jeff Zito
I'm doing pretty good. You know, I understand you're from Birmingham.
- [03:05]
Derek Stroop
No, Arvest, Alabama. Right outside of Huntsville. Oh, okay. Special in Birmingham.
- [03:11]
Jeff Zito
Gotcha. Because I know a little something about Alabama. My son went to school in Alabama. So I. I thought maybe if you were from Birmingham, we. You know, we could start talking about some local. Local watering holes. But that. That. I screwed that one all up, huh?
- [03:28]
Derek Stroop
No, I mean, I. I know Birmingham pretty well. I went to Jacksonville State University, which is, you know, about an hour outside of Birmingham. What school did your son go to? Go to uab?
- [03:38]
Jeff Zito
No, he. No, he went to that school that closed down and then went on to appear in the College World Series. Birmingham Southern, if you remember that story.
- [03:50]
Derek Stroop
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, I do. I do. Yeah. That's awesome. Yeah. Yeah.
- [03:55]
Jeff Zito
So. So.
- [03:56]
Derek Stroop
So I guess Birmingham 7.
- [03:57]
Jeff Zito
So I guess before you, my son's story was maybe the most famous story out of. Out of the area. Now. Now here comes you. You've taken over. And it's kind of funny because I would imagine not a lot of people get discovered in Alabama.
- [04:16]
Derek Stroop
Oh, yeah, you're right about that. That's why I moved, brother.
- [04:20]
Capital One Announcer
Yeah.
- [04:21]
Jeff Zito
Got right the hell out of.
- [04:25]
Derek Stroop
Yeah, I mean, I love the place, but that's not where you get found for comedy. I mean, you're exactly right. I mean, I didn't. I didn't dream of comedy growing up. It wasn't even on my. On my radar. I mean, so, yeah, I moved to Denver and lived there for 10 years, and now I live in New York City.
- [04:42]
Jeff Zito
Wow. So tell me, you said you didn't dream of comedy when you were growing? It didn't even enter your mind. What did enter your mind when you were a young guy? What did you think you were gonna do in Alabama growing up as an adult?
- [04:54]
Derek Stroop
Well, I mean, you know, I was like a lot of kids. I mean, I just dreamed of, you know, I wanted to play some type of sports. You know, I always just dreamed huge. Just. Just like the biggest dream. I mean, my mother still has notebooks of mine in the attic where I just signed my autograph all day long in cursive. Derek Stroop. Derek Stroop. Derek Stroop. And at the time, you know, I thought it was baseball, and then I thought it was football. And it was all these. I was always a dreamer in that regard. But when you grow up in Harvest Alabama, I mean, you know, being a stand up comedian, I didn't even know. You can't even understand, wrap your head around how you could even get into that process, right? That makes it even more of a surreal ride.
- [05:39]
Jeff Zito
So what about when you were in college, Derek, when you were at, was it Jacksonville State University? What, what were you, what was your major?
- [05:48]
Capital One Announcer
What.
- [05:48]
Jeff Zito
What were you thinking of becoming when you got out of school?
- [05:52]
Derek Stroop
You know, I had a few, few different ideas. I wanted to get into radio. I was a communications major for some of my college and I ended up being a recreation major, which was fantastic because I was like taking dodgeball and canoeing as electives. You know, I really. This all kind of feels like, you know, divine fate in some, some ways. You know, like I was stalling. I didn't really have a plan. I just knew that I was constantly knowing that I did not want to do something small. I could have been a coach or other things which I think have huge impacts on people's lives, but I wanted to be bigger. And, you know, and I never knew what it was. And it's crazy that I ran into comedy. I mean, the true story is I got two DUIs, which I talk about on stage in a very viral bit that I have 15 years ago, and that changed life. And then that's kind of how I got into comedy. And you know, if that, if I don't get those DUIs, I never get into comedy. It's a wild ride from there. So it just felt like, you know, after that I started chasing this because I felt like there was nothing left.
- [07:05]
Jeff Zito
Wow. Celebrity Jobber.
- [07:07]
Capital One Announcer
This message is brought to you by the Capital One Venture X card. Venture X offers the premium benefits you expect, like a $300 annual Capital One travel credit for less than you expect. Elevate your earn with unlimited double mil on every purchase, bringing you one step closer to your next dream destination. Plus, enjoy access to over 1,000 airport lounges worldwide. The Capital One Venture X card. What's in your wallet? Terms apply. Lounge access is subject to change. See capital1.com for details.
- [07:37]
Jeff Zito
The Celebrity Jobber Podcast with Jeff Zito. Tell me a little bit about your, you know, your very first job. Can you tell me, were you in high school? How old were you? What was your very first job? And then maybe tell me a job that you had prior to becoming a stand up.
- [07:53]
Derek Stroop
My very first job was I worked at Babies R Us. Yeah, yeah. It's a true story, man. I'm gonna tell you. I'm the oldest of three, and my mother convinced me. She said the only place that was hiring was Babies R Us. So I went and got a job at Babies R Us. Little did I know my mother wanted my discount, my employee discount, So I got 20 off. So then this is true, man. I became like a Similac Mule. And so now I'm just, you know, taking orders of hers and, you know, buying all this. I mean. I mean, I use my employee discount on car seats. I mean, strollers, I mean, everything you can think of. And, yeah, it was wild. I worked in the breast pump section. I was 16 years old, man. I mean, I was taught. I mean, yeah, this is. You can't make this stuff up. I mean, I was like the cowardly line, trying to talk to these women about breast pumps struggling. You know, you look back, 17 years old, I was doing car seat demonstrations in the parking lot, and it's just insane. But that was my first job. And then when I was, like, really chasing comedy as an adult, I was a retail manager because that was the only job where they would, like, let me get away with kind of doing what I wanted with my schedule. But I was. I was a good retail manager. I enjoyed it. I did it for Sports Authority. And then I was a big lots. I was a big lots for about five years.
- [09:29]
Jeff Zito
Okay.
- [09:30]
Derek Stroop
Which. Yeah. Which was tougher than Sports Authority. Big lots of big lots. Sometimes I feel like I should get a veterans discount working there. Yeah.
- [09:39]
Jeff Zito
So. So Derek here. I mean, this is a pretty amazing story. Tell me about. I mean, and by the way, Netflix right now just debuted a few days ago. Nostalgic is the comedy special Derek Stroop on Netflix right now. He's doing a theater tour. Tickets go on sale this Friday. Was there some kind. Were you doing local stand up and. And like, something happened to really propel your career forward, like a big break, if you will. Can you tell me that story?
- [10:11]
Derek Stroop
You know, I don't have. You know, it's a. It's a series of capitalizing on opportunities.
- [10:18]
Jeff Zito
Right.
- [10:18]
Derek Stroop
Be more of. You know, I've definitely had some. Some breaks, but I've also knocked down every chance I've had, which I. I'm. I'm proud of that it takes for me. I'm. I'm proud that I came up the old fashioned way. And it doesn't get a lot of people. It doesn't get to happen this way. But I started out opening for a lot of Big names, a lot of great comedians. Josh Blue took me out on the road first and early in my career, and just a couple years into comedy, he was taking me out, and then I opened for Michael Yeoh, Larry the Cable Guy, John Crist, you know, John Crist for four or five years. And those, those lead to so many opportunities, you know, because you get in front of management and a bunch of big theaters and, and as long as you're funny, you know, consistently and particularly in those big moments, it pays off. So there wasn't moment. It was just a bunch of moments that, you know, I capitalized on.
- [11:17]
Jeff Zito
And your comedy special, Nostalgic dives into the time of being a 90s kid growing up in rural Alabama. Is there some way the rest of the country can relate to growing up in rural Alabama during the 90s? What? Was it different for you than a lot of others?
- [11:38]
Derek Stroop
No. You know, come to find out, you do this hour nationwide, and it's like the relatability is unbelievable. We were all playing the same games, doing the same things. It's just some people's backdrop was a cow pasture in a creek, and some people's backdrop, you know, was an apartment building.
- [11:56]
Jeff Zito
Right.
- [11:57]
Derek Stroop
In a library. Still, still doing the same pity twisters, still playing the same Red Rover, Red Rover, still having the same experiences. And that's what was really fun. Something I didn't know before I wrote this hour was how many people I was going to reach. You know, I Write it from a 90s kid's point of view, and I go, man, I hope I don't box myself in with this. The opposite. Everybody was like, no, no, no. We were playing those games. We invented those games. We were doing them before you. And, you know, and it created, you know, in the room, it creates this kind of, you know, morale. Like everybody's kind of remembering together and laughing and pointing and, you know, I kind of make fun of people. They're like, you know, somebody in the crowd. I'll do some interactions. They'll bring up Kick the Can, and we'll kind of laugh about how that, you know, people under 70 haven't been bored enough to ever play Kick the Can. And, and so, you know, it's really fun. It brings everybody together. And it was, did that a lot more than I ever expected. You know, I, I, I, I got lucky in that regard.
- [13:02]
Jeff Zito
The Celebr podcast with Jeff Zito. The Celebrity Jobber podcast with Jeff Zito. Derek stroop.com that's D E R R I C K S T r o u p.com list of all his comedy dates on a theater tour, which, which. Which starts pretty soon. You are going to be appearing in the upcoming Nate. Nate Bargetzy film the Breadwinner. Can you tell me a little bit about that?
- [13:32]
Derek Stroop
Yeah, that was, that was a lot of fun. Very nice of Nate to give me a role in that. I got like, you know, five or six lines. I'm a overbearing car salesman, so I barely even had to act. Very, very easy role for me. They gave me a vest and some hair gel, and I just went at it. And it was a lot of fun. The movies, really great. I. And I mean, you know, I, I haven't seen, like, a classic family comedy like this in a while. And I know they'd be like, yeah, Derek, you're a real company man saying this, but I really, I mean it. I think it'll. It'll surprise some people in a good way. It's kind of like that classic comedy that we haven't seen, you know, in like a decade. They used to make movies like this all the time.
- [14:18]
Jeff Zito
What happened?
- [14:19]
Derek Stroop
And, you know, I. I don't know. I don't know. They acted like, you know, Nate. Nate's great because he's pushing against the machine. They're all going, nobody wants this anymore. And he's going. He's betting against them and going, no. I think people want family comedies every once in a while, right? And so that's what he's fighting for. So. And it's fun to be on, on, on his side. So, yeah, that movie's going to be great. And I have a really fun, fun scene in it.
- [14:46]
Jeff Zito
And, and you ever take a look back at, like, when this has all happened? It seemed like you've been working hard at it for a long time. You said it was kind of a gradual thing. There was no big break. There was no lucky phone call or something that changed your life. But you ever look back and, and, and maybe look at yourself in the mirror and go, God damn, man. I'm pretty, pretty lucky that this is my life because I could have been a Big Lots. I could have been maybe running a. Been a regional manager or Big Lots or maybe maybe still doing some demos for Babies R Us?
- [15:19]
Derek Stroop
Oh, yeah, that is very, very much. That is not lost on me at all, because I can remember very well being at Big Lots with my name tag on. True story. Man in the bathroom looking in the mirror like, hey, man, you're not going out like this. And tonight you got four open Mics. And you need to get it together, because we're not. We're not going out like this, right? And I had a lot of those private conversations with myself. So now that's why people. You can't help it. Especially as a comedian when this is all my own stuff. I'm not part of a band. I'm not part of. It's been me kind of grinding for 14 years. You get a chip on your shoulder. You get a little salty. Because now when I look in the mirror, I'm like. I'm like, dude, you're a bad dude.
- [16:01]
Jeff Zito
Right?
- [16:02]
Derek Stroop
You're a bad man. Because I bet on myself, and now I got a Netflix special. And I love that question because it fires me up.
- [16:12]
Jeff Zito
Yeah, but it's like. It's a big dream, right? You want to. You said you were a big dreamer growing up. You want to be, you know, football player, baseball player, stand up. These are big dreams. These don't happen to most people. So what's your advice to people that are big dreamers yet they have a little bit of apprehension to, you know, like, maybe I'll get a backup plan. You got any advice to those people out there listening that are. That are big dreamers, but maybe realists?
- [16:42]
Derek Stroop
Yeah, I would say most of the best things I've ever done in my life were scary as hell. So you cannot go. You know, this feels scary. This feels, you know, tough, because it's gonna feel that way. So I just tell people, you know, all the time, you just gotta do it. If you've got a dream or something you're pursuing, you just gotta do it. It's gonna be scary. And you don't want. Don't crunch the numbers and don't ever have a plan B that's better than your plan A. That's why I was at Big Lots. I'm a heck of a talker. Clearly, I could have been at a pharmaceuticals company selling, you know, whatever and having health insurance, and I wouldn't have been worried about that open mic. But I put my feet against the fire, and I made 11 an hour, and I go, I'm either gonna be funny or I'm eating ramen again tonight. And I think that that mentality makes a difference.
- [17:39]
Jeff Zito
Anybody in your family, Derek? Anybody funny in your family? Like, who's the funniest guy in your who family?
- [17:45]
Derek Stroop
It's, you know, my. I. I heard my grandfather was really funny. But, you know, my mother has an incredible, incredible sense of humor. But she's not funny.
- [17:56]
Jeff Zito
No, but.
- [17:57]
Derek Stroop
But Stacy Knows exactly what is. You know, like, my mom had great taste in things that we watched growing up movies. She put on stand ups that she would put in front of me skits. We watched living color and SNL in the 90s together all the time. My mother has a great sense of humor. You know, sometimes people don't understand this. There's people with killer sense of humors that aren't funny. She knows how to receive the humor. She does not know how to give it, which helped me, I think, in a lot of ways. But, you know, I don't know a lot of my father's side of the family. And I would ask, you know, my mom, you know, who am I like, who's funny like this? Who's funny? And I remember and I'll never forget as a little kid, my mother eventually one time goes, derek, you're a lot like yourself. You're a very unique kid. And you're. There's nobody in our family that's really like you, and you should really appreciate that. That's a really great thing. And I can remember, you know, that made me feel good and made me understand while. Because I'm a lot different than everybody.
- [19:00]
Jeff Zito
The Celebrity Jobber podcast with Jeff Szeto.
- [19:03]
Capital One Announcer
This message is brought to you by the Capital One Venture X Card. Venture X offers the premium benefits you expect, like a $300 annual Capital One travel credit for less than you expect elev with unlimited double miles on every purchase, bringing you one step closer to your next dream destination. Plus, enjoy access to over 1,000 airport lounges worldwide. The Capital One Venture X Card. What's in your wallet? Terms apply. Lounge access is subject to change. See capital1.com for details.
- [19:34]
Jeff Zito
Celebrity Jobber did mom try to discourage you from going into a world of comedy? Was there encouragement or discouragement from your family?
- [19:44]
Derek Stroop
Oh, well, listen, I went into comedy at a terrible time in my life. You know, a lot of people I got over about 16 years ago. I got two DUIs in six months, and everything fell apart. And after that, I told my mother I was getting into comedy and she cried, which she should have, because at that time, you're just like, you know, I got no car, I got no money, I got nothing. And I go, I'm gonna get into comedy. And little, little, little did. That was a little bit of a hack for me because getting into comedy after hitting rock bottom, which is not unique to just me, makes you built for comedy. You couldn't hurt my feelings on an open mic if I bombed. I didn't Go home and waller in it. I'd just gotten two DUIs. Who cares? Who cares about anything? So it was the perfect time for me to chase a crazy dream.
- [20:40]
Jeff Zito
Actually, I kind of think the DUI's kind of changed your life. That was the big break. You don't know it now, but that was. Was the big break that really changed your whole life. Derek stroop.com that's-e r r I c k s t r o u p.com he's going to be in the Breadwinner. He's his comedy specials on Netflix right now and appearing in theaters all over the country. Derek, great story. Pleasure to have you on. Good luck to you the rest of the way.
- [21:09]
Derek Stroop
Thank you, buddy.
- [21:10]
Jeff Zito
You know, I know it sounds a little crazy, but I do believe that those two DUIs that had 16 years ago, six months apart from each other, was the turning point in his life. In a really weird way, that was Derek Stroop's big break. You know, he told his mother he was going to get into comedy after he got those two dui. She cried. Yeah, I can understand why you're probably thinking like, oh man, I failed this one. I failed, you know, but didn't work out that way. The guy actually turned his life around. And, and here he is, you know, Netflix special nostalgia on Netflix right now. Very, very funny guy. Has a similar cadence to Nate Borgetzi, doesn't he? I think so. But yeah, it had to be difficult getting discovered out of Alabama, which he says, you're absolutely right. He moved to Denver and then New York. That has to be the mecca for stand up in New York City. But interestingly enough, he talked about his first jobs. One of them was at a Babies R Us. And he was describing how he was. How he was doing baby car seat demos in the parking lot. That got me laughing a little bit. Then he said, you know, when he did get into comedy to make ends meet a little bit, he became a manager at a Big Lot Lots, which, you know, is. Is kind of like Kmart somewhat. There's not many Big Lots around anymore. They're kind of old school, they're kind of retro. But that's what he was doing because the schedule was flexible for him at Big Lots. So he did that while he was, you know, in comedy trying to make ends meet a little bit. He mentioned that he didn't really have a relationship with his dad maybe growing up. So single mom, mom who he said had a state a sense of humor. His mom had a really great sense of humor only for receiving the jokes. Like she knew what was funny, she just wasn't a funny person, says her son Derek. You know, and I always say it's not ever fair to ask 17 or an 18 year old kid like, hey, what are you going to major in in college? What do you want to study? And then of course get into the working world and do that as a profession for the rest of your life. You just don't know. You have no idea at that age. So I could tell by listening to Derek Stroup that he was a kid with no plan and just wanted to the easy education. You know, I was the same way, you know, somewhat. I was like confused. I thought I wanted to make movies. I thought I wanted to be a, a, a pro golfer. Not like on tour but like at country clubs, which wouldn't be a bad life. Of course then you have to deal with a lot of complaining old rich people, which really isn't my strength. But yeah, mass communications, that's what Derek majored in at Jacksonville State University. Mass communications will, will get you into the world of radio and it's famous in college for being quote unquote, the easy major. And then Derek mentioned he switched his major from mass. Com to recreation. I don't even, I've never heard of a recreation major and I don't know what that is. Sounds fun though, doesn't it? Anyway, really glad things worked out for Derek Stroop from Harvest, Alabama. Check out his Netflix comedy special out right now called Nostalgia and Derekstrup.com Tickets are on sale right now for his theater tour. See where he's coming across the country@derek stroop.com. well anyway, thank you so much for listening to another episode of the Celebrity Jobber podcast. New episodes drop every Friday by 8pm streaming on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Iheart, wherever you listen to podcasts, please subscribe. Would love a five star rating and of course if you can please leave a review, you can go back in time and check out past guests and episodes online@celebrityjobber.com they're all up there like 180 something episodes. Some great guests coming up in the near future from the Rat Pack, 80s teen movie star Andrew McCarthy and Randy Backman from the bands the Guess who and Bachman Turner Overdrive. I really can't wait to speak with Randy. Thank you again for listening to the Celebrity Jobber Podcast. And until next week, I'll see you then. I'm Jeff Zito.
- [26:01]
Capital One Announcer
This message is brought to you by the Capital One Venture X Card Venture X offers the premium benefits you expect, like a $300 annual Capital One travel credit for less than you expect. Elevate your earn with unlimited double miles on every purchase, bringing you one step closer to your next dream destination. Plus, enjoy access to over 1000 airport lounges worldW.
- [26:24]
Jeff Zito
Wide.
- [26:24]
Capital One Announcer
The Capital One Venture X Card what's in your wallet? Terms apply. Lounge access is subject to change. See capitalone.com for details.