03-05-25 - More On Brady's Fish Tank Whack - Talking w/Frank About The Changes In Doing Impression Comedy Over His 30 Years And Challenges In Changing Direction

Summary

Holmberg's Morning Sickness - Arizona | Episode Summary: March 5, 2025

Episode Title: More On Brady's Fish Tank Whack - Talking w/Frank About The Changes In Doing Impression Comedy Over His 30 Years And Challenges In Changing Direction

Host: John Holmberg
Guests: Brady Bogen, Bret Vesely, Dick Toledo, Frank Calander
Release Date: March 5, 2025

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1. Introduction to the Episode

In this episode of Holmberg's Morning Sickness on Arizona's #1 Morning Radio Show, host John Holmberg delves into a humorous yet insightful conversation with Brady Bogen and Frank Calander. The discussion centers around Brady's longstanding career in impression comedy, the evolution of the craft over three decades, and the personal anecdotes that highlight the challenges and triumphs faced along the way.

2. Brady's Personal Anecdote: The Fish Tank Incident

The episode kicks off with an amusing and relatable story from Brady about an incident involving his wife:

[01:32] Brady: "Like you're playing jarts, you throw it."

[02:18] Brady: "She was not happy."

Brady recounts how his attempt to maintain premarital abstinence led to an unexpected and somewhat embarrassing situation. While trying to discreetly engage in a private moment, Brady's wife walked in, catching him in the act. The incident, which took place around 2 AM, caused quite a commotion, leading Brady to reflect on the balance between personal habits and marital expectations.

[03:30] Brady: "She did the reach over, you know, next. And I wasn't in bed probably. It's like, oh, where'd he go?"

This story not only provides comic relief but also sets the tone for deeper discussions about personal boundaries and the dynamics of relationships in the context of a public persona.

3. The Evolution and Challenges of Impression Comedy

The heart of the episode revolves around Brady's exploration of impression comedy's transformation over his 30-year career. He shares insights into how the landscape has shifted, particularly with the advent of digital media and the fragmentation of common reference points.

[06:25] Brady: "I'm glad he's part of this."

Brady discusses the difficulty in keeping impressions fresh and relevant amidst changing public figures and societal norms. He emphasizes the importance of not just mimicking voices but also infusing impressions with situational humor and context.

[07:07] Brady: "So you can do it longer than just making the voice, some type of recall."

One notable point Brady makes is the necessity of integrating characters into scenarios that enhance the comedic effect, moving beyond mere vocal imitation to embodying the essence of the personality being impersonated.

4. Navigating Modern Media and Reference Points

John Holmberg and Brady delve into how modern media consumption impacts impressionists. The once-shared cultural milestones have dispersed across various platforms, making it challenging to find universal references that resonate with a broad audience.

[13:00] Brady: "Graduated from college 96. Yeah, almost 30 years."

Brady reflects on the nostalgia of earlier times when fewer television shows and media channels meant that public figures were more universally recognized. Today, the plethora of content makes it harder for impressionists to find universally recognized subjects to parody.

[14:40] Brady: "You know, everybody knows."

This segment underscores the importance of adaptability in the craft, urging impressionists to seek out figures who remain relevant and recognizable across diverse audience demographics.

5. Frank Calander's Reflections and Career Milestones

Frank Calander shares his journey and the reasons behind his decision to step away from the show after nearly three decades.

[24:54] Homburg: "Almost 30 years."

[24:56] Brady: "I'm stopping at 29. I'm doing like Barry Sanders. Stepping away early while I can still."

Frank candidly discusses the challenges of sustaining a long-term career in comedy and the personal fulfillment that comes with transitioning to new endeavors. His departure marks the end of an era for the show, highlighting the ever-evolving nature of the entertainment industry.

6. The Intersection of Politics and Impression Comedy

A significant portion of the conversation touches on the complexities of political impressions in today's polarized climate. Brady expresses concerns about the fine line between humor and offense, especially when dealing with controversial figures.

[16:24] Homburg: "That would have been."

[16:25] Brady: "I went there. Audition. No, that."

Brady recounts his experience impersonating Donald Trump on Jimmy Kimmel Live, navigating the blurred lines between satire and political commentary. He emphasizes the responsibility of impressionists to maintain humor without inadvertently supporting or undermining political agendas.

[17:08] Brady: "Yeah. I do."

This discussion highlights the sensitive nature of political impressions and the necessity for comedians to approach such topics with nuance and respect.

7. The Role of Originality and Innovation in Comedy

Brady and John discuss the importance of originality in developing impressions, stressing that simply replicating a voice isn't enough to captivate an audience. They explore methods to infuse creativity and unique perspectives into their acts.

[08:30] Homburg: "Yeah. Or the lawyer who's surprised by everything."

[08:34] Brady: "That's good too. Yeah, yeah."

By incorporating diverse roles and unexpected scenarios, impressionists can breathe new life into their performances, keeping audiences engaged and entertained.

8. Navigating the Commercial and Digital Landscape

The conversation shifts to the impact of digital platforms and commercial opportunities on impressionists' careers. Brady notes the shift from traditional media to internet-based performances, which offer both challenges and new avenues for expression.

[22:32] Homburg: "Like the impression you've got."

[22:39] Brady: "Yeah."

Brady discusses his ventures into podcasting and online content, experimenting with short-form impressions to reach broader audiences. However, he expresses uncertainty about how to effectively translate these attempts into sustained comedic material.

9. Addressing Ethical Concerns in Impersonations

Towards the end of the episode, Brady addresses the ethical considerations of performing impressions, especially concerning figures who have faced serious allegations or controversies.

[25:39] Brady: "No, I wasn't good at the acting part of it."

[26:03] Brady: "Don't worry, I'm not gonna touch it."

He explains his decision to avoid impersonating individuals like Kevin Spacey and Bill Cosby, respecting the gravity of their situations and choosing not to perpetuate their public personas in his comedy.

10. Closing Thoughts and Upcoming Events

As the episode wraps up, John Holmberg promotes upcoming shows, notably Frank Calander's performance at Tempe Improv. The hosts reflect on the enduring nature of comedy and the personal growth that comes with decades in the industry.

[25:25] Brady: "No, I really. I like the Brady Report for me."

[27:42] Brady: "I did a hoo hoo."

The episode concludes on a lighthearted note, celebrating the camaraderie among the hosts and their shared passion for comedy.

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Notable Quotes:

• Brady Bogen on Maintaining Relevance:
  "[07:07] Brady: So you can do it longer than just making the voice, some type of recall."

• John Holmberg on Frank's Departure:
  "[24:54] Homburg: Almost 30 years."

• Brady Bogen on Political Impressions:
  "[17:08] Brady: Yeah. I do."

• Brady Bogen on Ethical Impersonations:
  "[26:03] Brady: Don't worry, I'm not gonna touch it."

Conclusion

This episode of Holmberg's Morning Sickness offers a blend of humor, personal storytelling, and industry insights, particularly focusing on the art and evolution of impression comedy. Through Brady Bogen and Frank Calander's experiences, listeners gain a deeper understanding of the dedication required to stay relevant in the ever-changing landscape of comedy. The episode not only entertains but also provides valuable reflections on career longevity, ethical considerations, and the importance of innovation in the comedic arts.

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Tune In:
To catch more engaging discussions and hilarious anecdotes, tune in to Holmberg's Morning Sickness on 98 KUPD (97.9 FM), the 98 KUPD app, or visit www.98kupd.com weekdays from 5:30 AM to 10:00 AM.

Transcript

[Brady]

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[Homburg]

Still streaming Homberg's morning sickness online at 98kupd.com thirsty. It's a chili peppers there. Give it away. Before I go any further, Frank is here Sunday. One show sold out so much in February, they said, we've got an open Sunday. Can you please appease the people that did not get tickets back in February? And so here we are now with Frank on March 9th, Sunday night over at Tempe Improv. 10:00pm prev.com Kelly and it's been here the whole morning. Before we get to Frank, we were talking about Brady's beat off thing on the couch. And people are learning, they're learning again that he was facing a fish tank. We all thought he was beaten off to the fish for years. He's explaining then. No. That he had just laid down drop clothes. We thought it was drop cloths. I thought he was going to. I thought it was just a normal thing for him. Target released down onto a target. Like when they have skydivers.

[Brady]

Like you're playing jarts, you throw it.

[Homburg]

Across the across the lawn. We thought he was playing. Yeah, just jarts.

[Brady]

Yeah, there you go.

[Homburg]

But turns out those were just for later cleanup. How many napkins did you take? Was it aggressive? Was it ambitious?

[Brady]

Two Kleenex.

[Homburg]

Ambitious. Very ambitious.

[Brady]

It was Kleenex. I needed it back then.

[Homburg]

Kleenex. Soft, very moist.

[Brady]

They had the built in moisturizer.

[Homburg]

And then his wife walks in, catches him and he's standing there. I didn't do it though. So he tried that. This is. Guys, I need to know more. Ronnie ruined this beautiful thing that Brady was gonna do. But what happens after? Did you shuffle after her with your pants around the ankles, crying and saying, I was gonna think of you the whole time? Was she mad? Were you laughing? Was it miserable? Did it cause trouble?

[Brady]

She was not happy.

[Homburg]

She was not happy that you were gonna beat off on the couch. Yeah, yeah. Nobody's ever really overly happy about that. But. But you were in premarital abstinence.

[Brady]

Yes.

[Homburg]

So you decided not to have sex before your wedding. Yeah, to get used to it. Actually I've talked to a friend of mine whose wife said that before. Now that I know that, yeah, they say that the women are like, we should try to do this and not have sex for two months before we get married. My other friend, whose wife is dead now, not because of this.

[Brady]

Yeah.

[Homburg]

But they did that in 90 days. And I'm like, why? You guys been boning for three years? Yeah, we're going to see. You know how we do without that. And I'm like, it's marriage planning now.

[Brady]

You know why they do that?

[Homburg]

Yeah, they do that to go, yeah, yeah, I'm not going to do that forever. Let's see if we can still get along without it because get used to that. And it's going to happen because yeah, definitely that's coming your way. So did she get mad? She yell at you? Was it a couple days ago?

[Brady]

Just, you know, wasn't real happy.

[Homburg]

And did you go back to bed or did you sleep on the couch and you didn't. Oh, you did.

[Brady]

Yeah.

[Homburg]

Half hard back to bed, laid there.

[Brady]

What time of day was it? Just finished two in the morning.

[Homburg]

He got up in the middle of night to do that.

[Brady]

Couldn't taking it anymore. And what. Why did she get up? She heard a commotion.

[Homburg]

Yeah.

[Brady]

Cuz it was a small Kleenex being pulled out of the house. Is that a burglar?

[Homburg]

Oh yeah.

[Brady]

She did the reach over, you know, next. And I wasn't in bed probably. It's like, oh, where'd he go?

[Homburg]

Yeah.

[Brady]

Not in the bathroom.

[Homburg]

Nope, Right in the middle.

[Brady]

I hope we're not being robbed.

[Homburg]

I hope we're being robbed. Yeah. The worst part is that. Yeah, you were gonna. She was. She'd heard some stuff.

[Brady]

Yeah.

[Homburg]

Which could very have easily have been like, look at you and your little tuxedo. Like his. He's got a dress top. You want another drink? Would you like a drink?

[Brady]

Yeah. I moan prayer it could have been. It could have been worse. Yeah.

[Homburg]

Oh yeah, you could have been.

[Brady]

I have you dressed up like a pilgrim.

[Homburg]

Who's my little pioneer? You are, that's who.

[Brady]

We're gonna play Pocahontas.

[Homburg]

Oh, look who got here. It's my thumb. Where do you want to go? Spelunking.

[Brady]

Okay. Oh, is it something you eat? You're sick.

[Homburg]

Oh no, you're Throwing up. We should clean that. I'm glad I brought some tissues. But Brett's right. Maybe Ronnie heard a very, like a rustling of like your. Your hand was in the box. Nobody's box gets touched around here till we're married, Kleenex or otherwise. Buddy.

[Brady]

Get back in bed.

[Homburg]

Did she want you back in bed afterwards or did you just follow her in there? Shame.

[Brady]

Oh, walk of shame.

[Homburg]

You went back in. Shame.

[Brady]

Yeah.

[Homburg]

Ooh.

[Brady]

You get. You get to sleep right away. Are you thinking about. I went right to sleep.

[Homburg]

Shame. Didn't have a problem like that. Done.

[Brady]

The shame.

[Homburg]

Yeah. Yeah. But all the shame.

[Brady]

It was shut down. Operate. What I mean is. But that could have gotten you to sleep. And the fact. I'm out.

[Homburg]

That's it, Jerry. I'm out.

[Brady]

Hey, Jerry, you know what a great place to do this? Behind the fish tank. You can use the natural reflections to know when somebody's coming. Unfortunately, my hearing is all.

[Homburg]

He's like a black ops guy working reflections. And who's coming behind you? Well, literally, who's in front of you? Bust. All she did was come around the corner. Was your head down, like laying down all the napkins. And then you looked up and she was there.

[Brady]

I looked up and then the heads down.

[Homburg]

Were you. So you didn't. Your whole plan of reflections and surface movements and water shaking like Jurassic Park.

[Brady]

21 foot rule. There's just not enough time.

[Homburg]

So. Yeah. You didn't have a big enough hallway. You didn't hear.

[Brady]

Must go faster.

[Homburg]

What you should have done. Yeah. You should have shut the bedroom door on your way out.

[Brady]

Or home alone. Booby traps.

[Homburg]

Yeah. In the face.

[Brady]

That's better.

[Homburg]

That's the next time you do this, Brady. Always rig up a can of full Benjamin Moore just about and have it swing into her face right as she comes out to catch you beating it. All right, well, we solved that mystery.

[Brady]

I'm glad he's part of this.

[Homburg]

I'm glad you could be here. I'm not sure it would have happened otherwise. Frank Calander's at 10pm for this Sunday. We were just talking about, like. Just act stuff like you do. You know, stand up and all things. Like, people don't realize how much goes into the idea of an impression being funny on top of just doing the voice, but being funny and things like that. Then you have to carry that around. But you just told us. And I don't know if you want to do it here. The Jeff Goldblum thing. That is a brilliant idea.

[Brady]

Well, we were working through Patrick Kenai, who's on the show with me on Sunday, as I brought him in to try and get me to think a little differently on some stuff. And we're just working through. I said, when you try to get these concepts on stage for what's the point of view of the impression?

[Homburg]

Right.

[Brady]

So you can do it longer than just making the voice, some type of recall.

[Homburg]

Right.

[Brady]

You know, funny voice. So Jeff Goldblum, we realized, is the tour guide and the tourist at the same time. So if he's at the Statue of Liberty, and this is getting worked out right now, but it's. If he's at the Statue of Liberty. Oh, look at this. What's this? Oh, a present given to us by France. What is it? What is it? What is it? It's the Statue of Liberty known as Lady Liberty. Ooh, yes, yes, yes, yes. Tell us more. Me. What could this be? Where are we going? Where are we going? Next up, the. Look at this. William Jefferson Clinton. George Washington. Who's that? Who's that? Who's that? It's the presidents of the United States. Out of order. Yes, it is. We'll do them in order. Now that's the hall of Presidents.

[Homburg]

See, I love that because that's the kind of stuff that when you do the voice, you gotta have something to do.

[Brady]

But the way we got there was he thinks everything out loud. And what I wanted something to draw a parallel to. Instead of just saying he's thinking stuff out loud. We had teacher and student first asking the question. And then it was like, well, the tour guide and the tourist at the same time doing the. Ooh, ooh. Yes, of course. Those were the moments. And I was like, ah, that would really work.

[Homburg]

Yeah. Or the lawyer who's surprised by everything. It's like, like he's cross examining himself.

[Brady]

That's good too. Yeah, yeah.

[Homburg]

So that kind of stuff. That's brilliant though, because that's a perfect character for that. And you have to find those moments. That's kind of. That to me is the brilliance of the standup act of was like, Gruden's like a teacher.

[Brady]

Like, Gruden's a teacher. We actually did a sketch kind of like this on espn, but it was Gruden's teacher, like. And he's just giving like third grade, fourth grade history lesson. Guys ever hear Isaac Newton? You hear him? Man put an apple on his head, you know what? The apple fell down. Gravity. Is that how the story goes? He might have missed something. Hey, guys, line up. Gym class.

[Homburg]

Every take a Knee. You don't session the coach that's on a knee.

[Brady]

Everybody take a knee. We're gonna. We're gonna discuss Frederick Douglass.

[Homburg]

Can we sit in our desk, Mr. Gruden?

[Brady]

No, man, get. Grab a hat. Okay, one. Get on a knee. Get on a knee. You don't need water right now, man. Can I get some water? You don't need water.

[Homburg]

You're thirsty. The other team's thirstier. Yeah, I love that stuff. That always cracks me up on that. And you saw that Ron Wolfley stepping away. Our own Ron Wolfley no longer gonna do Cardinal games anymore.

[Brady]

Right. He. Dave Cash. His partner texted me. He goes, listen to Wolf at 145 or something. I thought Dave was gon call in. And I was getting ready to make fun of Dave calling in. I was going to call in and.

[Homburg]

Do a little Wolf.

[Brady]

Right, Right. And then he's like, I have decided to step down from the Arizona Cardinals, you know, and he got. It was a real serious thing. It was about moment with his kids and stuff like that. And I was like, oh, I'm still going to call in and make fun of him.

[Homburg]

You didn't do it.

[Brady]

No, I did. Oh, you should have.

[Homburg]

That would have been.

[Brady]

I went there. Audition. No, that. That's what. That's what I texted Pash. I go, look, I thought. I go, I thought you were going to be in there. I go, now you need a partner. And I'm ready to go.

[Homburg]

Yeah.

[Brady]

Are you looking for me? It would be great. Oh, I was with him yesterday. And he goes, he didn't do it because it's you. He kept going, david.

[Homburg]

Oh, David.

[Brady]

David.

[Homburg]

I love that. That was the first year I ever heard him with Dave Pash. Because they had Pash come over here to do stuff, and we golfed with him at first, and he's like, are you gonna get an impression of me? I'm like, I don't know. I don't really listen to Cardinals broadcast. Usually it's Steeler stuff. So I started to listen to them and then I just all He. Oh, David. Like, every sentence started like. He's like, he had just met this man on a bus, but he wanted to remind himself what his name was, right? Oh, David. David.

[Brady]

See, that's the. That's the point of the impressions. What's the.

[Homburg]

Yeah, yeah. He has to say it or he'll forget that that guy's David. And if I say it enough, I spent.

[Brady]

I sent Dave a text yesterday. Wasted 5 minutes working on your voice. Hi, everybody. Dave Pash. Along with my former partner, Ron Wolfley.

[Homburg]

Oh, David. David.

[Brady]

And like everybody who you ever do an impression for of them the first time. Awful.

[Homburg]

Awful. Doesn't sound anything like that. Yeah, like.

[Brady]

Yeah, you're kind of right. It's not there yet, but there's. There's a start and I can feel you'll hear it. Schefter still says to me is, you're very funny, you do a great job, but it just doesn't sound like me.

[Homburg]

That one I love. That is one of my favorites.

[Brady]

What he hears is the S's, because I can't say the S with that voice without going, shh. And he doesn't do that. A little. Not. Not the same way. According to my sources at this particular time, it appears that what is going to happen is I'm going to suck the helium out of the balloon.

[Homburg]

And apparently Schefter has the S's. He's got that.

[Brady]

It's not. But it's not as pronounced. And you hear it. S. S. S. S. The SS Minnow three hour tour.

[Homburg]

I've never had, like, because the ESPN guys came and went and like, the whole like the Stephen A. Smith thing was fun and all that. And they had the Mad Dog, but they don't have any new guys. Everybody's so plain.

[Brady]

All the money is on is into like four people.

[Homburg]

That's it. Yeah. So everybody that's showing up is just like, there's nothing here.

[Brady]

Yeah.

[Homburg]

And that used to be one that was like, you had 30 from ESPN before.

[Brady]

They're spending like 50 million on four people.

[Homburg]

Yeah.

[Brady]

And that's what it is. So it's just bring in other people to fill time in between the money.

[Homburg]

And it's not working because I loved when the ESPN thing was over. Where do you. Where are you going now for the new. I asked you this. Like, I haven't paid attention. But where are you going for like, what does the crowd want more now? Because you've been doing this for what, 30 years now?

[Brady]

Is it that long?

[Homburg]

Something like that.

[Brady]

Graduated from college 96. Yeah, almost 30 years.

[Homburg]

Which is crazy. Doesn't that hurt?

[Brady]

I need another retirement.

[Homburg]

That hurts again. You need to step away again. Yeah, but the, like, when you, when you look at it now, you're like. Because I know for doing the voices I do, you start getting into the thing where you're like, man, what's. What do I want to do? That's new to me.

[Brady]

Well, see, that's the.

[Homburg]

And I don't like any of the New stuff.

[Brady]

Right. And I want to try to find somebody that. What's a. What's a take? It's got to have a good take. That's right. On the Internet, I just got so into just doing a line or two.

[Homburg]

Right.

[Brady]

And it's not. It's kind of interesting, but I don't find it that funny.

[Homburg]

Right.

[Brady]

So it's finding something that enough people know to parody and do. I was. I keep thinking, like Wolf of Wall street and Leonardo DiCaprio and trying to change that Wolf of Wall street speech into, you know, five years ago, when I first started at Stratton Oakmont, but changing that into another situation and then paralleling it. But I don't know if enough people know.

[Homburg]

Wolfley on Wall street would be fun, but only to us.

[Brady]

Well, that's the thing is. And that's what the Guadalupe squares usually is, is people in the news and around and everybody knows them. Because the week. You build it up, too.

[Homburg]

Yeah.

[Brady]

So throughout the week, you get a frame of reference for everybody. And that's the hard thing is when I first started, everybody was. You know, everybody watched the same ten things. All the. Nobody's watching.

[Homburg]

The reference points are gone.

[Brady]

Yeah.

[Homburg]

Can you not. PD Holmberg's morning sickness. It's very hard to do impressions of even new stuff. People like, who's that?

[Brady]

And that's why sports worked for such a long time. I just got tired of all the sports stuff, and it was such a.

[Homburg]

It's all live tv and sports is the only thing you really kind of go after. And that why politics is what everybody.

[Brady]

Everybody knows. And that's how I found out in Vegas. You know, you do the presidents and everybody knows.

[Homburg]

Yeah.

[Brady]

And then you do a Schwarzenegger get down.

[Homburg]

Right. Yeah. You have to pander to the fact that.

[Brady]

Right. The whole audience is somebody might be from Japan.

[Homburg]

Yeah. Right. And you do their leader.

[Brady]

Yeah. I was exactly thinking Donald Trump from. He's the Trump. He's the Japanese Trump. It's the Japanese Trump, son.

[Homburg]

Domo arigato, Donaldson. Trump, son. I don't know if I'm saying anything, but it was brilliant if I did. And I meant to build a wall around Japan. We got to keep these moist dolphins off of our land. But, yeah, I just. I always look at that and then the politics, and there's that one impression that's bouncing around and he's good. I forgot his name, though. But he does nothing but, like, he does Mitch McConnell. Like we were doing Mitch McConnell here. And there's only so much you can do. But he's doing all these political things. And I watched him on a. Oh, Matthew friend. That's him.

[Brady]

Yeah, he's really good.

[Homburg]

He's good. And he was on MSNBC and they were losing their mind.

[Brady]

See. But anytime you do those news shows, they just want. They make you drive a political agenda. I remember years ago, they wanted me to do Bush on the View. I was like, I'm not going to do that. That's gonna kill me there. That's what. That's what it was gonna be. It was just. Dude, it was a. Promoting my show, Frank tv. And they wanted me. They were going to fly me on a. Not the TBS was going to do it. Fly me on a jet there to do it. Because I was in the middle of shooting. I'm like, but you want me to go promote. All they're going to do is just pretend like I am actually George W. Bush. And they're going to just rip into me. It's not going to be funny. It's going to be so they can say mean things to fat George W. Bush.

[Homburg]

And they did. And you didn't do it. I didn't do it because you did Trump on Kimmel. Trump on Florida.

[Brady]

Trump on.

[Homburg]

No, you did Trump on Kimmel. Yeah. Hell, yeah.

[Brady]

Oh, yeah.

[Homburg]

That time. And he was next door, started some.

[Brady]

It was hard to do shop.

[Homburg]

And then that was right before Jimmy was full in on him.

[Brady]

Trump's cousin or something.

[Homburg]

Oh, that's right.

[Brady]

It was like Donald Trump. And then there was a delay between the studio. We're doing it live. But then I couldn't hear Jimmy. Wasn't a very good segment. And I asked Jimmy after. I go, that didn't go too well. And he's like, can I be honest? I'm like, yeah. He goes, it didn't. I was like, yeah, I know I'm your first one. But I do remember Jack Black and Jeffrey Tambor were backstage and I got pictures with.

[Homburg]

That's cool.

[Brady]

Yeah.

[Homburg]

So it was worth it.

[Brady]

Yeah. I was. It was fun. Yeah.

[Homburg]

No, and it wasn't. I don't think it was bad. It was just one of those things where you're like, right before he got super political.

[Brady]

Right.

[Homburg]

And if so, it's a good thing it didn't go well. Because then you'd probably come back and become the punching.

[Brady]

Because I had pitched him that I wanted to do Undercover Boss Trump.

[Homburg]

Yeah.

[Brady]

And I thought that everybody knew it was just him.

[Homburg]

Right.

[Brady]

We're going to change the way we're Doing the burgers. We're going to change the burgers. That's just Donald Trump.

[Homburg]

Right. My old joke was it was always like a mop for a wig and a clown's nose. And then the CEO would come in and we'd be like. And. But then Saturday Night Live did the brilliant one with Kylo Ren.

[Brady]

Right, right, right.

[Homburg]

Which ended up wrecking the whole thing for anyone else to try. But yeah, that's. It's just so weird to have politics have taken over impressions because it's all.

[Brady]

But that's the way it used to be 50 years ago, 70 years ago, whenever Rich Little was big, everybody knew the politics. And then it was all Jimmy Stewart, the president, Jack Benny, all the same seven people. W.C. fields.

[Homburg]

Yeah, yeah, it was. But they were like 40 year old characters.

[Brady]

Right? Yeah.

[Homburg]

Which is really weird that they were so popular in the 70s and 80s. Were doing guys in black and white movies.

[Brady]

Well, it was. And if you go back and watch Warner Brothers cartoons, a lot of the cartoons are just famous people from radio shows. Mel Blanks doing basically one off, like slightly off impressions of famous Sergeant Bilco or whatever.

[Homburg]

That's. Dan Castellaneta was like. I was just Walter Matthau right. When I started Homer Simpson. And if you watch the first couple episodes, it's not Homer.

[Brady]

Right.

[Homburg]

It's. It's. Hey, we got a problem over here and we're trying to solve that thing. And it's like, that's not even. And then it just morphed into what Homer is now.

[Brady]

Right.

[Homburg]

Which isn't even close to the original. But I loved the original one.

[Brady]

Yeah.

[Homburg]

And that's when Mo.

[Brady]

It started as Bart was opposite. Bart was dumb and Homer was a good dad and he was smart. Right. And then it flipped.

[Homburg]

Yeah. Big time. But Hank Zaria said that Mo. And that's what most cartoon voices are. Mo Sizlak, the bartender was Al Pacino early days.

[Brady]

Right.

[Homburg]

And then it turned into what it is now, which is 40 years old now. So it's so cool. And you never did cartoon stuff?

[Brady]

No. Strange. I wasn't good at it. When I first went to la, they had me like, because I was. I didn't know how to take it off the page and make it into something really. I went there and I was just not good at the acting part of it because I'd never done it before.

[Homburg]

You've read.

[Brady]

It's not like I'm not a good reader. I'm a silent reader. I was doing audition silently. Silent voice for it. Like it Sounds great in my head. This is awesome. Can I host something on Bravo?

[Homburg]

A Voga, this one. And you get a Bravo show with your one fun gay voice. Yeah.

[Brady]

Super. We're taking seven men, seven hunky men, and we are going to change them into something even better.

[Homburg]

That's interesting. Yeah. I would think you would have been great at that going in.

[Brady]

No, I wasn't. And it was mostly. They would always sound like. Even if I did an original character on MADtv, they'd be like, I was doing a teacher and the teacher was this type of person who was talking and they're like, that's Richard Dreyfus.

[Homburg]

I'm like, no, it's not.

[Brady]

It is not Richard Dreyfus. I am doing something completely different. Okay.

[Homburg]

Do you know who the original. The first host of Mad TV was?

[Brady]

George Washington.

[Homburg]

Cato Kaelin.

[Brady]

Was he. Oh, yeah.

[Homburg]

Kato Kalin was the very first. Yeah. Very strange. As a tie together. Yeah. Would you ever do a reunion show if Mad TV said, let's do a reunion?

[Brady]

They asked me to do that years ago.

[Homburg]

Now they didn't. Did they ever do it?

[Brady]

No, they did something. They did like a. They did a revamp, man.

[Homburg]

I remember it was on like CW or something. They tried it again.

[Brady]

Something came back.

[Homburg]

But did they would like to do the first cast again?

[Brady]

I wasn't the first cast or whoever.

[Homburg]

Whatever memorable you were.

[Brady]

Yeah, I don't even think I was that memorable on that show.

[Homburg]

Sure.

[Brady]

Just the John Madden. It's funny because my. The Madden stuff would always get picked up on news because I do Madden explaining the war and they'd pick that up on news. Like nobody could get any publicity on Mad tv. And then my stuff would come in and somehow I would get, you know, a decent. They'd write a nice sketch for me and it would be Madden. So then people would want to take it and go with it. But. But yeah, I mean, I. They couldn't get any. They couldn't get Jordan Peele back or. I mean, you'd be.

[Homburg]

It's a people.

[Brady]

Yeah, there's some. It's amazing because the original great cast of Mad TV had some incredible. Like Callan was. I think first or second was first season and there were great people. They didn't take off from that show and it took a. Being off of the show for like 10 years for people to take off.

[Homburg]

It's more like who they met while they were doing the show.

[Brady]

Well, there was a time where if you were a sketch comedian, they didn' Want you to Be doing anything else. So if you were a sketch comedian, you. They didn't think you could do a sitcom or a movie. You were just a sketch actor. You weren't. If you did commercials, you weren't going to act in television, you weren't going to act in movies. And now. Or you have to get away from it really far to get something else. And now nobody cares. You never used to see actors doing commercials. Now they're everywhere.

[Homburg]

Everywhere.

[Brady]

They used to have. That's why they have all those Japanese and Australian commercials with super famous people. They didn't do them over here.

[Homburg]

Yeah. But now everything.

[Brady]

Because of the Internet, they would just be shown over here too, that, you know, you could see it on the Internet and then get thousands of millions of.

[Homburg]

I never asked you this. What's the. What's the impression you've got you love but can't do anything?

[Brady]

You know what? You did ask me that.

[Homburg]

Okay. I'd like to ask again. I don't know that I've ever.

[Brady]

I don't think it is. What is that? What's the question?

[Homburg]

Like the impression you've got. You're like, man, that's good. But there's nothing to do with this. There's plenty of them. You'll end up doing impression. Like, there's nothing I can do with that.

[Brady]

Yeah.

[Homburg]

I mean, well, like you and I were talking about my Tommy Lee Jones. Doesn't matter.

[Brady]

I don't know what to do with Rogan because it's really. Jamie pulled out.

[Homburg]

Oh, my God.

[Brady]

That's effing nuts. Don't know what to do with that.

[Homburg]

Yeah, that's good.

[Brady]

But I need to put other. I think I'm gonna put other people on podcasts. That's the. That's the bit. But what's the. What's the.

[Homburg]

What's the angle?

[Brady]

Reality. It's coming from the Rogan thing.

[Homburg]

You've got now, like, conversationally. You can do Rogue.

[Brady]

Yeah, it's just.

[Homburg]

That's Patrick Mahomes.

[Brady]

Yeah. I mean, he just put it up here and there it is. It's all the same thing.

[Homburg]

Have you worked on Elon at all?

[Brady]

I started working on it the other day.

[Homburg]

He's weird. We're not.

[Brady]

An accent man.

[Homburg]

Weird. That's what I kind of. It's a strange thing is like he's got some.

[Brady]

Cause it's not. Not. He has weird words. It's ours.

[Homburg]

Not a South African accent. No, it's a muddled between American. The south and South Africa.

[Brady]

Yeah.

[Homburg]

I can't Place it. It's weird because I was watching it the other day and I'm like, that one's not coming for a while.

[Brady]

Yeah. But it's a. It's a stuttering thing. I've seen people try it and they all do this weird looking around.

[Homburg]

Yeah. Almost make fun of his Asperger's.

[Brady]

Yeah.

[Homburg]

They're making fun of his issues.

[Brady]

Yeah. It's. And it's not. People seem to be coming at it mostly with like an agenda. To me, I just want it to be the voice, the character.

[Homburg]

Yeah.

[Brady]

And it's. You know, when they aren't set, when you don't have them to muscle memory yet. I couldn't do it right now. I was doing a couple that were getting in the.

[Homburg]

You found.

[Brady]

I'd say 25%.

[Homburg]

Yeah.

[Brady]

You know, which is enough for me to go, okay, I can work on this.

[Homburg]

Right.

[Brady]

And. And develop something with it.

[Homburg]

We find where it lives.

[Brady]

Right. When. Where it lives. And that's. That's what I said to Passion. I said I sent them one of those audios of me trying to do him. I go, here's where it lives.

[Homburg]

Not right yet. No, I know. But I know where it lives.

[Brady]

I know where it is.

[Homburg]

Yeah.

[Brady]

I know what that.

[Homburg]

Lower throats. Your nose. It's something. You'll find it in your face.

[Brady]

Where do you close off the throat? What do you.

[Homburg]

Yeah. It's crazy. Anyway. Well, you've done it for a while, Frank. Thanks for joining us. It's been nice having a nice career.

[Brady]

Hey, I'm fine.

[Homburg]

Sorry to see you stepping away.

[Brady]

Yeah, well, it's been. Yeah, 30. Almost 30 years.

[Homburg]

Almost 30 years. You discovered 20.

[Brady]

I'm stopping at 29. I'm doing like Barry Sanders. Stepping away early while I can still.

[Homburg]

Walk with your 50,000 points and who needs more, right? I don't need it. Frank is at Tempe Improv on Sunday night if you want to go. Tempeimprov.com what else do you promote? What else are we talking about? What else you want?

[Brady]

Just this. I'm going to be here. Maybe another segment.

[Homburg]

No, you're stay for as long as you want. I'm just saying that was the moment with you. Oh, that was my time to shine.

[Brady]

Oh, is that.

[Homburg]

That was your time to shine?

[Brady]

My one shine.

[Homburg]

You did okay. You did okay. But I was kind of hoping for you really take the reins on that.

[Brady]

No, I really. I like the Brady Report for me.

[Homburg]

Yeah, I agree.

[Brady]

Yeah. Kind of hard to keep up.

[Homburg]

Have you ever had an impress Kill someone Because I have one. Have you?

[Brady]

No.

[Homburg]

None of your impressions have ever gotten so, like, I can't do that anymore. That guy's killed people.

[Brady]

Oh, yeah.

[Homburg]

I mean, there are Kevin Spacey. You're Kevin Spacey.

[Brady]

I did a little bit.

[Homburg]

Little point in that one.

[Brady]

Yeah. With Kevin Spacey. Don't worry, I'm not gonna touch it. Which is what he probably should have said, but. Yeah. I mean, Cosby.

[Homburg]

Oh, yeah, Cosby. You won't touch Cosby anymore.

[Brady]

Well, I mean.

[Homburg]

I mean, do you have him pop up there every once in a while?

[Brady]

It's the same kind of joke that I'll do it. People like. It's amazing how much can change in 20 years. I get up on stage and people want me to do a Bill Cosby impression. I hope he does a Bill Cosby impression. Now I get up there and people like, I hope he doesn't do it.

[Homburg]

Oh, John Gruden's a little bit became.

[Brady]

I was a little bit, but now barstool. I can pretty much do anything I want.

[Homburg]

Brought it back around. Yeah. And he is back.

[Brady]

Little Spider 2 y Banana Man.

[Homburg]

I think he went a little crazy in his time away.

[Brady]

Yeah. Nicey.

[Homburg]

Makes me laugh. He almost started to become like Charles Barkley, where your impression can't possibly reach his height. What he. That Nicey thing he's doing. Nobody's coming up with that.

[Brady]

Yeah. His son's a dj and I gotta start. That's. Wait, another one? The yoked one? Yeah. No, no, no.

[Homburg]

He's still coaching, isn't he?

[Brady]

That's Deuce Deuce. My son Ace is the Ace and.

[Homburg]

Deuce Deuce and then Tripp and the quad. He's got four kids. Ace, Deuce, tripping quad.

[Brady]

I'll tell you what. Just the fact that you said Tripp the other day, I was. I was driving. I think I was going to Walmart because I got my new Walmart flavored water. I get. I looked in the mirror and I went, yeah, you gave yourself a trip.

[Homburg]

I gave myself a trip affirmation, Yes. I went, yeah, hi. You've mime. Tripp reared, and you've purchased Trip's affirmation. Look in the mirror. Yeah. Thanks for your purchase. Trip. Trip affirmations is the real thing. Yeah, yeah.

[Brady]

I did a hoo hoo. I almost texted you during. I'm like, I'm. I got you doing trip going through my head right now. And then I said that.

[Homburg]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I told you. He stood in the hallway the other day just like Hannibal Lecter. John. What? Do you hate me? Like, what's going on? What is going on? Just a conversation that started with him in a hallway. Just alone. Yeah. Anyway, I'm fixing.

[Brady]

You're getting very sleepy.

[Homburg]

Yeah.

[Brady]

Concentrate on the. On the watch. A trip.

[Homburg]

Not just the trip. It's a Rolex. He'd have to tell you what it is. I got it at a guy was in trouble, so I gave him five grand for it. Are you sleepy yet? No. Story gets better.

[Brady]

In fact, I'm gonna make it great.

[Homburg]

Yeah. He's asleep. Yeah. Is it? Wakes up with it. All right, we're gonna take a break. It's 98 updates. Arizona's most powerful rock radio station. He said fully erect.