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Sarah Spain
Hey, all you women's hoops fans and folks who just don't know yet that they're women's hoops fans, We've got a big week over at Good Game with Sarah Spain as we near the end of one of the most exciting women's college basketball seasons ever. The most parody we've seen in years. With games coming down to the wire and everyone wondering which team will be crowned national champions this weekend in Tampa. Listen to Good Game with Sarah Spain on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Vanessa Marshall
Welcome to Pod of Rebellion, our new Star Wars Rebels Rewatch podcast. I'm Vanessa Marshall, voice of Harrison Duella, Spectre 2 I'm Tia Sirkar Sabine Wren, Spectre 5 I'm Taylor Gray, Ezra Bridger.
Tia Sircar
Specter 6 and I'm Jon Librody, the Ghost Crew Stowaway moderator.
Vanessa Marshall
Each week we're gonna rewatch and discuss an episode from the series and share some fun behind the scenes stories.
Tia Sircar
Sometimes we'll be visited by special guests like Steve blume voices Zaborielio's Spectre 4, or Dante Bosco voices Jai Kell and many others.
Vanessa Marshall
So hang on because it's gonna cue the music.
Tia Sircar
Listen to Potter Rebellion on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Jamie Petras
45 years ago, a Virginia soul band called the Edge of Daybreak recorded their debut album Behind Bars. Record collectors consider it a masterpiece. The band's surviving members are long out of prison, but they say they have some unfinished business.
Craig Ferguson
The End of Daybreak, Eyes of Love.
Fortune Feimster
Was supp been followed up by another.
Jamie Petras
App, Listen to Soul incarcerated on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Tia Sircar
Ever wonder what it would be like to be mentored by today's top business leaders? My podcast this Is Working can help with that. Here's advice from Google CMO Lorraine Twohill on how to treat AI like a partner.
Fortune Feimster
I see AI as an incredible co pilot. You may use different tools or toys to get the work done, but AI.
Tia Sircar
Is just the latest flavor of that. You're still the judge of what good looks like. I'm Dan Roth, LinkedIn's editor in chief. On my podcast this is Working Leaders Share Strategies for Success. Listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Fortune Feimster
This is me, Craig Ferguson. I'm inviting you to come and see my brand new comedy Hour. Well, it's actually, it's about an hour and a half and I don't have an opener because these guys cost money. But what I'm saying is I'll be on stage for a while anyway. Come and see me live on the Pants on Fire tour in your region. Tickets are on sale now and we'll be adding more as the Tour continues throughout 2025 and beyond. For a full list of dates, go to thecraigfergusonshow.com See you on the road, my dears. My name is Craig Ferguson. The name of this podcast is Joy. I talk to interesting people, but what brings them happiness? Hello, everybody. The type of stand up comedians that I like best of all, it's my personal taste, are people who are authentically themselves. They have their own voice. They're not necessarily observational, they're more anecdotal, but they observe as the anecdote. And my guest today is definitely one of those. She's the delightful fortune feaster. Enjoy it. The body. Thank you for noticing how cozy I am. I'm snuggled today.
Craig Ferguson
It's a little.
Fortune Feimster
It's a little. I, I see we're both wearing T shirt, button down shirt and top.
Craig Ferguson
That's right.
Fortune Feimster
Which I think it. That says we're in show business but we're not. It's not night type.
Craig Ferguson
Yeah. And we don't take ourselves too seriously. But we're trying.
Fortune Feimster
Serious, but we're trying. And sometimes we have to do little bits of home improvement.
Craig Ferguson
That's right.
Fortune Feimster
Which is what I was doing today actually, before this. Yeah. I was actually. I had a. I'm going to tell you something because I'm hoping that you'll. Well, look, I'm just, I need, I need to tell someone. So I'm going to tell you.
Craig Ferguson
Please.
Fortune Feimster
I was trying to get a chair into a room.
Craig Ferguson
Yeah.
Fortune Feimster
But the. It's an old chair and an old house and it's just. It wouldn't work.
Craig Ferguson
Yeah.
Fortune Feimster
So I did, I did a bad thing.
Craig Ferguson
What did you do?
Fortune Feimster
I sawed the legs off the chair.
Craig Ferguson
No.
Fortune Feimster
And then took it into the room. And then I. Well, it's an armchair so you can't see. And then I magically fixed underneath.
Craig Ferguson
Is this the chair you're sitting on?
Fortune Feimster
No. I don't think anyone should sit on this chair.
Craig Ferguson
Okay. I was about to say, I don't, I don't trust the sturdiness of the chair now.
Fortune Feimster
I think it'll be okay. I think it'll be all right. I did the, you know, a screw going that way and a screw going that way thing. So like, like a Bone. Like a. Yeah, it's like a fracture and then I built around it. But I'm still not going to let anyone over 25 pounds sit in the chair. So it's basically. It's a chair.
Tia Sircar
It's for a cat.
Fortune Feimster
It's a chair for a cat.
Craig Ferguson
I honestly would have never thought of doing that. Just so you know. I would have been like, the chair doesn't fit. I guess that's that.
Fortune Feimster
No, I. I can't. I can't do that. I cannot. I must bend the world to my will.
Craig Ferguson
Got it.
Fortune Feimster
I actually, I don't think that's true. I don't think that's true. Now listen, tell me this. Are you still doing the lovely Tom Papa's radio show?
Craig Ferguson
I sure am. With our. Our mutual friend Joe Bolter. Five years now.
Fortune Feimster
Wow. Joe. Joe Bolter. Who is Joe? The producer of Tom's show.
Craig Ferguson
Yeah.
Fortune Feimster
Right. So Joe, I. And Joe and I. He writes my stand up with me.
Craig Ferguson
I know. Yeah.
Fortune Feimster
Joe and my wife and I write whatever stand up. I do. The three of us write it.
Craig Ferguson
That's amazing.
Fortune Feimster
I know.
Craig Ferguson
I've never. I've never gone to Joe for stand up ideas, but I feel like I should.
Fortune Feimster
You should. I highly recommend it. He's also very good at every now and again. He's very good at organizing because I kind of get a little scatterbrained when I write stand up. He's very good at channeling stuff. And then every now and again, he will land you a punchline. And there's one that I. I have actually. Yeah, it's. It's just. I've just recorded it. But yeah, every night I did that line and it would get a huge laugh and I would always think of Joe every night.
Craig Ferguson
Oh, that's so cool.
Fortune Feimster
Yeah, it was like, oh, man. Every single night.
Craig Ferguson
Yeah.
Fortune Feimster
It was about having a uti.
Craig Ferguson
Yeah.
Fortune Feimster
And I had a uti and the only relief I could get was put my penis in a glass of cold water. That was the only way that I could feel any kind of relief was putting. I just said that as you were drinking a glass of cold water. And I apologize.
Craig Ferguson
I didn't know that was coming, honestly.
Fortune Feimster
No, I know.
Craig Ferguson
I put this up to my mouth. I was like, oh, But.
Fortune Feimster
But I was. And it's a true story. It was when I had this terrible UTI and the only relief I could get was putting my penis in a glass of cold water. And I got a laugh. And then Joe added the punchline, which I think was great, which was. I Could never go back to that Denny's, which I think is every night. Yeah, it was. Anyway, tell me this, because you're one of the modern wave of young standups. You're the young stand up crew. What's so different about you guys? What's so different? I feel like I'm Jimmy Glick today. What's so different about you guys? You're kind of. Is your stuff anecdotal? You're kind of anecdotal. Is it personal or is it.
Craig Ferguson
Yeah, I think the difference is. And it's. I appreciate the. Calling me young. Thank you. All the creams I've been putting on my face.
Fortune Feimster
Yeah, I wear a lot of creams too.
Craig Ferguson
I think it. The difference is a lot of our stand up is about us. Yeah. You know, the comics I watched ahead of me were just doing more observational comedy. What's happening in the world, you know, do you ever notice when that kind of stuff, you know.
Fortune Feimster
Yeah.
Craig Ferguson
Set up punchlines, stuff that was good for late night, late night spots and, you know, the Carson days and then all you guys on late night, it needed to be snappy and punchy and like, get to.
Fortune Feimster
Did it did. And I think that, that, that's right. I mean, because my stand up's always been anecdotal as well. I've always done stuff like that and. And whenever anyone was introduced to me in a club, they would always say, is there anything you don't want me to say? I say, just don't mention growing up in Scotland. Other than that, it's fine. Yeah, but I. I was never a huge fan of. Of the style, which is. Have you ever noticed how things are like other things and.
Craig Ferguson
Yeah.
Fortune Feimster
You know.
Craig Ferguson
Yeah, it's not my. I could never do that myself.
Fortune Feimster
I mean, some people are great at it, but I don't really connect to it. Even as an audience member. It doesn't really do it for me. Who were the comics that you were influenced by? Who were you? Who were you kind of drawn to when you were little?
Craig Ferguson
Weirdly enough? Carol Burnett, who's, you know, not.
Fortune Feimster
I don't think that's weird at all. She's a. A genius.
Craig Ferguson
Yeah. I mean, I guess there just weren't many people my age watching her. Yeah, but my. My grandmother was a huge fan of hers. And my grandmother was pretty buttoned up. Not someone who was like, considered a silly person at all. And I would watch her watch the reruns of the Carol Burnett show and just die laughing. And this woman who, you know, is always Very, like, together and ladylike. Seeing her just, like, cry, laughing, I was like, oh, my gosh, what power does this. This woman on television have? And I started watching the show with her, and she was so silly and so, you know, not taking herself too seriously. And she. She covered it all. You know, she would have her monologue, which essentially is stand up. She would do the sketches and then answer questions at the end, which was essentially improv. And I didn't realize I was, like, really taking that in for my own comedy. So my background is sketch comedy, improv, and standup. Just kind of hitting different parts of comedy in different ways. Yeah, I loved her. Saturday Night Live was a big influence on me. I started with the cast of, like, Adam Sandler, you know, Chris Farley, then went into, like, Will Ferrell, Molly Shannon. I think I'm just drawn to those really big personalities.
Fortune Feimster
Yeah, I think that it's interesting you mentioned Carl Barrett, and I think Molly Shannon as well, is a fantastic performer. But the innovators, I think of particularly sketch comedy. But, you know, in stand up as well, I think of a lot of them are women. Like, Lucille Ball created the modern sitcom. I mean, just flat out did it. I mean, people say the Honeymooners, but I'm like, no, no, it was. It was Lucy, I think. And then, you know, Joan Rivers, who was maybe might be one of my favorite standups ever. Did you ever see Joan perform?
Craig Ferguson
I never saw her live, and I was so sad that I never. I never did. But I watched your documentary and was so impressed by. Oh, yeah, she went. You know how she gathered jokes and that whole filing system of jokes. Like, I can't even imagine that. I don't. I certainly don't do that.
Fortune Feimster
No, I can't. I can't do that. Do you have stuff written down every.
Craig Ferguson
I started writing down my whole set once I was about to film it because I realized I had not done that with any of my half hours. And so now I'll be like, I don't remember that one story or joke, and I don't have it written down anywhere. So I have to go back and listen to some of those if I ever want to tell one of those jokes. But now I write the whole set out before I film it.
Fortune Feimster
Does it help you memorize it as well?
Craig Ferguson
Yeah, whenever I'm building an act, I write everything out first. I. I'm not a comic who can just go up on stage and with a premise and be like, let me see where we go with this. I have to know exactly Where I'm going, That's.
Fortune Feimster
That's why you need Joe.
Craig Ferguson
Yeah.
Fortune Feimster
Because Joe will say, oh, no, put it in this chunk.
Craig Ferguson
This chunk?
Fortune Feimster
This chunk?
Craig Ferguson
Yeah.
Fortune Feimster
How long do you go up from when you do stand up? How long do you usually go on for?
Craig Ferguson
Like, when I'm doing my own show, probably around. At the minimum, an hour, and if I'm in the flow, an hour 10. But I'm not one of those comics that wants to be up there for two hours. No, I don't have. I'm not that interesting and have enough to say to make that appealing.
Fortune Feimster
I. It's funny. When I was younger, I would do a maximum of an hour or 15. Right. Maybe the most. And now that I'm old and don't have anyone to talk to, I'll do like an hour 45.
Craig Ferguson
Oh, really? Well, you're probably. You're just, like, probably a chattier person than me.
Fortune Feimster
It's possible, I think, that I. It's part of how I do it, you know? How did you. I mean, when you were drawn into. You, like, you saw Carol Burnett, you saw your grandmother last laughing at Carol Burnett. Is that when you, like, I want to do whatever that is?
Craig Ferguson
No, I. I was from a small town In North Carolina, like, 8, 000 people. So the idea of, like, being a comedian for a living did not. Like, that just did not happen. Yeah, I knew. I knew people did it, and I thought, well, good for them. How magical. But my mom was very much like, you're gonna go to college. You're. You're gonna get a master's degree. Like, academics was very much, like, pushed, like, for me. But when I went to college, I discovered the arts a little bit, you know, theater. And I became friends with the people in the theater, and I thought they were so cool and different and unique, and I was like, I want to be in that world. So I did some plays in college, but I was pretty terrible at them because they were all dramas and. And I had no experience or training. I was. I had terrible stage fright. So I thought, this is as cool as this is. I don't think it's for me, but I just didn't know comedy was so different, you know, that it was the comedy that I would gravitate towards. I moved to LA for just kind of a life experience. Never been there before. Had a job, like, doing PA work. And someone told me about the Groundlings and that they had this improv school. And I knew all these cool SNL people had gone there, and I'M like, well, I love them. I'd love to learn to do what they did. Still not thinking of it as a job. And, and I signed up for an improv class as truly as a hobby. Like, let me do something fun. It's hard to meet people in la. Maybe I can make some friends.
Fortune Feimster
Sure.
Craig Ferguson
And my teachers just were really encouraging of, like, you're really good at this. Like, you should keep doing it. And, and it quickly became a passion. And then once it clicked, I just was like, there's nothing else I want to do. I called my mom. I'm like, I'm not going to grad school. This is what I'm doing. She's like, oh, my God.
Fortune Feimster
What did you study at college?
Craig Ferguson
Communication, weirdly enough. Wow. Come on.
Fortune Feimster
Yeah, it's sort of communication.
Craig Ferguson
Yeah.
Fortune Feimster
Did you, did you get pushback from your parents that it's just that, like, they didn't understand the world that you were wandering into?
Craig Ferguson
Yeah, I mean, it just didn't make any sense. My mom was just like, really? Like, what are you doing out there? Like, I think she thought I'd go for like a year or two and come back home and start grad school. But, yeah, she just, I think her worry was that I was just going to be broke forever. I wouldn't be able to make any money. And I was broke for eight years.
Fortune Feimster
Yeah, I was broke for a long time too. I remember it's, I think it's kind of, it's kind of interesting because I, I, I look at people who come from advantage backgrounds, you know, people who, like, yes, I would like a career in comedy. And then they, like, it took me five years to write my thing. And yeah, I'm like, how the, do you pay the bills? How'd you eat? You know? But of course they come from money and I think it makes that, I don't think it makes you a better or worse comedian. But I kind of, I'm jealous. The. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I kind of, I wish I'd had it. And I felt, I still think, I feel a little, I feel a little chippy about it. You know what I mean? Yeah.
Craig Ferguson
I think it's so much bad, though.
Fortune Feimster
Yeah. No, look, I, I feel like it's, it's ridiculous. It's a fault in me. You can't judge someone from their background. That's prejudice. But, but I think I sometimes, I dismiss people if they're from very privileged backgrounds, and I try not to do that, but I kind of, I'm a little more kind Of. Oh, oh, you're. Oh, you had money or your dad knew Steven Spielberg, did he? Oh, okay.
Craig Ferguson
It, it changes your drive, though, when you, you don't know how you're gonna pay your bills.
Fortune Feimster
Yeah.
Craig Ferguson
You're like, well, I better, I better figure this out. I better work three times harder than everybody else because otherwise, my, my rent's not gonna get paid. So I definitely think it added to my work ethic. I had a friend.
Fortune Feimster
It does, but I, I also made some. I made some poor choices.
Craig Ferguson
Really?
Fortune Feimster
For money? Yeah. I mean, I've made some movies where.
Craig Ferguson
I thought, is that how you learned to put your penis in water?
Fortune Feimster
No, that was a medical emergency fortune. I didn't think you was gonna get mocked for that. It was, that was a medical emergency improvisation.
Craig Ferguson
Get paid for that.
Fortune Feimster
You know what? By the time I, you know. No, it was. No, no one would want to see.
Craig Ferguson
No one would want to pay for that. All right.
Fortune Feimster
That's a, It's a very niche kink.
Craig Ferguson
You know, Dire times.
Fortune Feimster
Yeah. I guess my only fans page.
Craig Ferguson
What would you do? What would you do for money? What was, do you remember like a.
Fortune Feimster
You know, I, I, I didn't, I mean, I did regular jobs. Like, you know, I worked to hang bars and that kind of thing. But, I mean, I've taken jobs in show business where I was like, you know, when I hear actors said, well, I, I didn't think the part was right for me. Like, if you offer me a part, I'm probably gonna do it.
Craig Ferguson
You're gonna take it?
Fortune Feimster
Yeah, I'm probably gonna take it. Tom Lennon says his answer is yes. Send the script. Yes, send the script.
Craig Ferguson
That's hilarious.
Jamie Petras
September 1979. Virginia's top prison band, Edge of Daybreak, is about to record their debut album, Behind Bars, in just five hours.
Fortune Feimster
Okay, we're rolling.
Craig Ferguson
One, two, three, four.
Jamie Petras
I'm Jamie Petras, music and culture writer. For the past five years, I've been talking to the band's three surviving members. They're out of prison now and in their 70s, their past behind them. But they also have some unfinished business.
Fortune Feimster
The everyday break Eyes of Love was supposed to have been followed up by another album.
Jamie Petras
It's a story about the liberating power of music, the American justice system, and ultimately, second chances. Listen to Soul incarcerated on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Cheekies
Hey, y'all, it's your girl, Cheekies. And I'm back with a brand new season of your favorite podcast, Cheekies and Chill. I'll be sharing even more personal stories with you guys. And I know a lot of people are going to attack me.
Craig Ferguson
Why?
Cheekies
Are you going to go visit your dad? Your mom wouldn't be okay with it. I'm going to tell you guys right now. I know my mother and I know my mom had a very forgiving heart. That is my story on plastic surgery. This is my truth. I think the last time I cried like that was when I lost my mom like that, like, yelling. I was like, no. I was like, oh. And I thought, what did I do wrong? And as always, you'll get my exclusive take on topics like love, personal growth, health, family ties, and more. And don't forget, I'll also be dishing out my best advice to you on episodes of Dear Cheekies.
Craig Ferguson
So my fiance and I have been.
Fortune Feimster
Together for 10 years.
Craig Ferguson
In the first two years of being.
Fortune Feimster
Together, I find out he is cheating.
Craig Ferguson
On me, not only with women, but also with men.
Fortune Feimster
What should I do?
Cheekies
Okay, where do I start? That's not love. He doesn't love you enough. Because if he loved you, he'd be faithful. It's going to be an exciting year, and I hope that you can join me, listen to Cheekies and Chill Season four as part of the My Cultura Podcast network, available on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Vanessa Marshall
Welcome to Pod of Rebellion, our new Star Wars Rebels Rewatch podcast. I'm Vanessa Marshall. Hi, I'm Tia Sircar.
Craig Ferguson
I'm Taylor Gray.
Tia Sircar
And I'm John Lee Brody.
Vanessa Marshall
But you may also know Harrison Dullah, Specter 2, Sabine Wren, Specter 5, and.
Fortune Feimster
Ezra Bridger, Specter 6 from Star Wars Rebels.
Tia Sircar
Wait, I wasn't on Star Wars Rebels. Am I in the right place?
Vanessa Marshall
Absolutely. Each week we're going to rewatch and discuss an episode from the series and.
Fortune Feimster
Share some fun behind the scenes stories.
Tia Sircar
Sometimes we'll be visited by special guests like Steve bloom voices Zaborelio's Spectre 4, or Dante Bosco voices Jaquel and many others.
Vanessa Marshall
Sometimes we'll even have a lively debate.
Tia Sircar
And we'll have plenty of other fun surprises.
Fortune Feimster
Surprises and trivia too.
Tia Sircar
Oh, and me, well, I'm the lucky ghost cruise stowaway who gets to help moderate and guide the discussion each week. Kind of like how Kanan guided Ezra in the ways of the Force. You see what I did there?
Vanessa Marshall
Nicely done, John.
Fortune Feimster
Thanks, Tia.
Vanessa Marshall
So hang on cause it's gonna be a fun ride.
Fortune Feimster
Cue the music.
Tia Sircar
Listen. The Potter Rebellion on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
Unknown
On November 5, 2018 at 6:33am, a red Volkswagen Golf was found abandoned in a ditch out in Sleep Hole Valley. The driver's seat door was open. No traces of footsteps leaving the vehicle. No belongings were found except for a cassette tape Lodged in the player on that tape were 10. Vile.
Fortune Feimster
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.
Unknown
Grotesque.
Cheekies
Oh my God.
Fortune Feimster
Oh my God.
Unknown
Horrific stories that to this day have been kept restricted from you feeling this too. A horror anthology podcast. Listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
Fortune Feimster
Hello, this is Craig Ferguson and I want to let you know I have a brand new stand up comedy special out now on YouTube. It's called I'm so happy and I would be so happy if you checked it out. To watch the special just go to my YouTube channel at the Craig Ferguson show and this is right there. Just click it and play it and it's free. I can't. Look, I'm not going to come around your house and show you how to do it. If you can't do it, then you can't have it. But if you can figure it out, it's yours. You didn't come up poor though, did you? You weren't like from a poor background.
Craig Ferguson
I was from. It was an interesting situation. My family used to have money back in the day. My, my grandfather was a prominent contractor. He built schools and houses and, and was very successful but he died unexpectedly at 50 and my grandmother took over everything and just didn't have the skill set at that time to, to make, make good decisions and she tried to help people out of jams and just a series of things happen. So by the time I came and my brothers there was no money. So I had a mother who knew wealth and grew up with it and now was broke and she was a teacher and my dad was not. He, he would, had a different job all the time, very blue collar. So I did not grow up with money but I had a house over my head, I had food on the table. So it's subjective as to, you know, what you would say. I had opportunities but we often, you know, had the water being shut off. My mom didn't pay the, couldn't pay the bill. So yeah, you know, I had us, all of us. I remember when I was in, when my brothers were in high school, they were my, in the summer my mom didn't have much money because she was a teacher. So my, my brothers both and My mom were working at a local. Kind of a version of the Sizzler, and how. It just was kind of trippy that, like, how did we get here? But, you know, we did what we needed to do to. To make money. I was working at the recreation department, and I think. I think it. I wouldn't be where I'm at in this career had I not learned early on how to. To do that. How to work for your own money.
Fortune Feimster
Yeah. Like, create your own career or thing. I mean, did you ever try out for a Saturday Night Live? Did you ever go for that twice?
Craig Ferguson
Yeah.
Fortune Feimster
Yeah.
Craig Ferguson
Back in 2009. Then I. It's funny. I made a. A reel of characters and stuff. A friend of mine from my tiny town said, hey, I. I'm good friends with one of the SNL producers. I'm like, yeah, right. And she's like, I am like, she's. She works for the show. I. I said. I told her, like, to. To watch you. You're funny. And I thought, you know, here I've moved 3,000 miles away from my tiny town to try to make it, and here a friend is helping me, and I made this real. She told me where to send it, and that friend watched it. And. And then I got a call one day. I didn't. I just signed with the manager, only been with her for a week. I got a call out of nowhere from. This is Lindsay from Saturday Night Live. I watched your tape, and I'm like, are you serious? This really. My friend really told you? And she's like, yeah, we loved your tape. I was in the Groundlings at the time, in the school, not even in the company yet. And they. She goes, we want you to audition. I was like, whole. I mean, this. Like, my whole world was like, are you kidding me? This is like the greatest moment of my life. She goes, but you have to be on a plane tonight, and you're gonna audition in the morning in New York City. And I was like, oh, my God. But the. But the not having time to get worried and nervous, I think was helpful.
Fortune Feimster
Yeah.
Craig Ferguson
So that audition, I think, was my best one. And then I didn't get it because he often had people try out two or three times. They came and watched our group at the Groundlings. Six months later.
Fortune Feimster
Was Lauren in the Edition?
Craig Ferguson
Lauren was. Yeah, I think this was the Seth Meyers. He. I think Seth Meyers might have been the head writer at the time.
Fortune Feimster
Right.
Craig Ferguson
So he was in there. And then they brought me back a year later to audition again. But you do all your best stuff. Their first audition.
Fortune Feimster
Yeah.
Craig Ferguson
You give them everything because you're just like, I want this job so bad. So that when they brought me back, I was like, oh my God, I gave him everything. What do I do? But you know what's crazy, Craig, is I didn't even, it didn't even occur to me and this seems so wild now to do stand Up. I didn't even audition with Stand up and I was.
Fortune Feimster
So you were doing characters and, and.
Craig Ferguson
I mean you were there doing characters and impressions. I could have just done a stand up set and it didn't even, I didn't even think of that. But I obviously didn't get it.
Fortune Feimster
Yeah. When did you start doing stand up then? You didn't do you characters for a while before you did Stand Up.
Craig Ferguson
I started Growlings 2005. I started Stand Up 2007. Right. And I, I did well with characters and improv. But Stand up was where I really started to thrive.
Fortune Feimster
Where were you doing it? In like the improv in LA and.
Craig Ferguson
The comedy stores where I started.
Fortune Feimster
I, I was, you know, I've never been there.
Craig Ferguson
You haven't ever.
Fortune Feimster
I've never even been in the building.
Craig Ferguson
You have to go.
Fortune Feimster
I know, I've, I've just never been there.
Craig Ferguson
Oh my gosh, that's wild. Yeah, that's where I came up. I came up in the belly room up there. The small room. Yeah, I took a stand up class and at the end of the class we performed in the belly room.
Fortune Feimster
Who teaches you to do stand up?
Craig Ferguson
Yeah, it's. It was a class that like this guy, Adam Barnhart taught it and he had a show every Sunday night at the store. And after my class he said, you know, if you want to do a spot every Sunday night, if you do the music for my show, I'll give you 10 minutes. And that's a brand new comic. Yeah, Every Sunday was huge. So I got really strong at stand up really quickly because I was, I was getting spots that no other brand new comic got. So by 2010, I got passed as a regular at the store.
Fortune Feimster
What does that mean now? Because I'm not familiar with how the whole words. Do you sit an exam or something?
Craig Ferguson
No. So Mitzi Shore, who owned, who started the club and was very infamous for, you know, helping comics careers. You basically showcase like a three minute set for her and if you got passed, that meant that you could like perform in the main, the main rooms there. Otherwise.
Fortune Feimster
So if you do it like, first of all, I, I don't know If I could do a three minutes, I, I don't even. It takes me, like, 25 minutes to settle down.
Craig Ferguson
Same here. It was tough for me. My stories are like, eight minutes.
Fortune Feimster
Yeah. So. And do you do it just like, with her? It's just like, you just do it to her or.
Craig Ferguson
No, you do it as part of, like, a show. They would have bringer shows at point and they would tell you, like, okay, we're gonna tape your set tonight, and we're gonna. Either Mitzi would be there in person or she would watch it on the video. She watched mine on the video because she was getting older at that point. I was one of the last group of people. She passed.
Fortune Feimster
She's passed on now as she.
Craig Ferguson
She has. Yeah.
Fortune Feimster
Yeah. And so who doesn't know then? How do they do it now?
Craig Ferguson
I don't know. Honestly. There must be someone there that's in charge of making those decisions.
Fortune Feimster
But I'm just, I'm figuring out how I get past to go.
Craig Ferguson
I think, I think you have an in.
Fortune Feimster
I don't know. I don't know. I've never been there. I, I, I kind of feel like you gotta follow the rules. You gotta do the thing.
Craig Ferguson
They would put you up in two seconds so you would not have a problem. It just meant a lot to me to get past because that was. I had not been on television yet, so I felt like I earned it. Like, you know, the coming up the, the chain and getting better and, and those rooms at the store are meant to be tougher. She considered those rooms workout rooms. If you can kill at the Comedy Store, you can kill anywhere. And they purposely make it hard for you. Like, when I got past my spots were at like, one in the morning for, like, four drunk guys. It's not, it was not easy, but it did make me such a stronger comic. And 2010, I did last comic standing and then.
Fortune Feimster
Yeah, tell me about that, because that's a, That's a competitive TV show, right? That was like. I'm trying to think of. Taylor Williamson did that as well, didn't he?
Craig Ferguson
Yeah, we were on the same season.
Fortune Feimster
All right. Okay. Because Taylor's a sweet guy. He's lovely. And I always thought that stand up is so. It's so kind of weirdly difficult. And particularly when you're starting, it's. It's hard. And then to have it to be put into the a form of a competition as well, it's like, oh, my God, it's a hat on a hat. That's hard.
Craig Ferguson
And it's subjective. You know, it's.
Fortune Feimster
Did you. Is there a large group of people and they've whittled you dying. How does it work?
Craig Ferguson
Yeah, started with auditions at the Improv. You know, there would be a line out the door where you'd wait in line forever just to get seen. But you know, they have their. They have the line where anyone can try out, but I would. They also kind of had a back door where they asked certain comics to audition. So you would have like a time to show up.
Fortune Feimster
Right.
Craig Ferguson
And I knew I got a time slot, so I auditioned.
Fortune Feimster
And they have that at the DMV in Hollywood as well.
Craig Ferguson
Yeah. You make an appointment?
Fortune Feimster
Yeah. No, but at the dmv there's a celebrity door.
Craig Ferguson
I didn't know. I don't know about that.
Fortune Feimster
Yeah, yeah, I'll hook you up.
Craig Ferguson
All right. You're in and out. Comedy Store. You'll get me at the dmv?
Fortune Feimster
Yeah, you get. I'll get you in the dmv. You get me up in the belly room or whatever. Yeah. So the, the. You do the addition. Who's judging you at the edition then? Just like producers or something?
Craig Ferguson
No, they had three judges and the producers way into it was Greg Geraldo, Andy Kindler, and Natasha Leggero. Okay. And. And I had a good audition and I think I made it to the semifinals. And, and I remember I got. When I got eliminated, I was pretty green. I was only three years in the stand up, so if I had kept going, I would have run out of material. I just didn't have the, you know, the wealth of material these other guys had. So I, I went exactly enough to give people a taste of, like, who I am and make them curious about me. So it was hugely helpful for me and Greg Giraldo, I remember, sent me an email after I got eliminated, just really encouraging me and telling me, you got something here, you got to keep it going. And that. And he. He was such a comics comic and so well respected that that meant a lot. So, yeah, that. That started everything. I started headlining shows again. Only three years in the standup. I really had to learn by sucking really bad at a lot of these gigs.
Jamie Petras
September 1979. Virginia's top prison band, Edge of Daybreak, is about to record their debut album behind bars in just five hours.
Fortune Feimster
Okay, we're rolling. One, two.
Jamie Petras
I'm Jamie Petras, music and culture writer. For the past five years, I've been talking to the band's three surviving members. They're out of prison now and in their 70s their past behind them. But they also have some unfinished business.
Fortune Feimster
The air to Daybreak Eyes of Love was supposed to have been followed up by another album.
Jamie Petras
It's a story about the liberating power of music, the American justice system, and ultimately, second chances. Listen to soul incarcerated on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Cheekies
Hey, y'all, it's your girl, Cheekies. And I'm back with a brand new season of your favorite podcast, Cheekies and Chill. I'll be sharing even more personal stories with you guys, and I know a lot of people are gonna attack me. Why are you gonna go visit your dad? Your mom wouldn't be okay with it. I'm gonna tell you guys right now. I know my mother and I know my mom had a very forgiving heart. That is my story on plastic surgery. This is my truth. I think the last time I cried like that was when I lost my mom like that, like, yelling. I was like, no. I was like, oh. And I thought, what did I do wrong? And as always, you'll get my exclusive take on topics like love, personal growth, health, family ties, and more. And don't forget, I'll also be dishing out my best advice to you on episodes of Dear Cheekies.
Craig Ferguson
So my fiance and I have been.
Fortune Feimster
Together for 10 years.
Craig Ferguson
In the first two years of being.
Fortune Feimster
Together, I find out he is cheating.
Craig Ferguson
On me, not only with women, but also with men.
Fortune Feimster
What should I do?
Cheekies
Okay, where do I start? That's not love. He doesn't love you enough. Because if he loved you, he'd be faithful. It's going to be an exciting year and I hope that you can join me, listen to Cheekies and Chill Season four as part of the My Cultura Podcast network, available on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Vanessa Marshall
Welcome to Pod of Rebellion, our new Star Wars Rebels Rewatch podcast. I'm Vanessa Marshall. Hi, I'm Tia Sircar.
Craig Ferguson
I'm Taylor Gray.
Tia Sircar
And I'm John Lee Brody.
Vanessa Marshall
But you may also know us as Harrison Dullah's Specter 2, Sabine Wren, Specter.
Fortune Feimster
5, and Ezra Bridger, Specter 6 from Star Wars Rebels.
Tia Sircar
Wait, I wasn't on Star Wars Rebels. Am I in the right place?
Vanessa Marshall
Absolutely. Each week we're going to rewatch and discuss an episode from the series and.
Fortune Feimster
Share some fun behind the scenes stories.
Tia Sircar
Sometimes we'll be visited by special guests like Steve bloom voices Zaborillio Spectre 4, or Dante Bosco voices Jaquel. And many Others.
Vanessa Marshall
Sometimes we'll even have a lively debate.
Fortune Feimster
And we'll have plenty of other fun surprises and trivia, too.
Tia Sircar
Oh, and me. Well, I'm the lucky ghost crew Stowaway, who gets to help moderate and guide the discussion each week. Kind of like how Kanan guided Ezra in the ways of the Force. You see what I did there?
Vanessa Marshall
Nicely done, John.
Tia Sircar
Thanks, Tia.
Vanessa Marshall
So hang on. Cause it's gonna be a fun ride.
Fortune Feimster
Cue the music.
Tia Sircar
Listen to Potter Rebellion on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Unknown
On November 5, 2018 at 6:33am A red Volkswagen Golf was found abandoned in a ditch out in Sleephole Valley. The driver's seat door was open. No traces of footsteps leaving the vehicle. No belongings were found, except for a cassette tape. Lodged in the player. On that tape were 10 vile.
Fortune Feimster
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.
Unknown
Grotesque.
Cheekies
Oh, my God.
Fortune Feimster
Oh, my God.
Unknown
Horrific stories that to this day have been kept restricted. You feeling this too? A horror anthology podcast. Listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Fortune Feimster
Did you tour the country? Did you do, like, the hahaha and, you know.
Craig Ferguson
Yeah, I was doing all those places. A lot of the NACA stuff, like college shows, I was doing a lot of that.
Fortune Feimster
I've never. I. I haven't done a college show since. Since I was the age of people who are in college.
Craig Ferguson
I guess they're hard.
Fortune Feimster
Yeah.
Craig Ferguson
I don't know.
Fortune Feimster
I think I did a couple maybe. Maybe 10 years ago.
Craig Ferguson
I don't think I would do them now. I think those days are. Are past. But do you think that.
Fortune Feimster
Is that. Because, I mean, I remember Jerry Seinfeld saying that, you know, he would stop doing colleges because people are so touchy about everything. Is that. Is that part of it for me?
Craig Ferguson
No, because I'm just telling stories about my life and.
Fortune Feimster
Right.
Craig Ferguson
You know, just not really digging into current event for me. I. I just don't think they would relate to my life, you know, And I can't really relate to theirs. Like, I. I remember when I started doing college shows, being like, God, you guys are so young. Like, I thought I was so old in college, but there's. They're babies.
Fortune Feimster
Yeah.
Craig Ferguson
And I just don't think, you know, and I tell these long stories. They just want that punchier, like, quick.
Fortune Feimster
I think so.
Craig Ferguson
Their attention spans are so small. But.
Fortune Feimster
But yeah, if you're lucky.
Craig Ferguson
That led to Chelsea lately, and that. That's kind of why it started it.
Fortune Feimster
All I think what happens as well is that you. Because you were a panel. You were on the panel with Chelsea, right?
Craig Ferguson
I was, yeah.
Fortune Feimster
Yeah. She's. It's funny. I always think Chelsea's very funny. She's so generous and so kind and so nice. And I always try and bust around. Cause she's really, you know, she could be really, you know, cutting. And I think that she likes to think she's really cutting, but she can't help but be nice. I watch her all the time.
Craig Ferguson
It's so funny. I mean, it changed my life. I was broke. I mean, I really did not know how I was going to pay my bills. I. I was. Had like $20 left in my bank account. That. I mean, that's not an exaggeration. And I submitted a writing packet and by some miracle got that job. And, you know, it. I went from having nothing, making like 50 bucks here and there on these gigs, and. And then, you know, 500 was like a. A big night to like, getting this nice salary, insurance. And then, like, on Halloween, they were just like. Her assistant was just like, drop a thousand bucks on all the writers desk. And I'd be like, what it. What is this? And he's like, oh, Chelsea signed a bonus. I got a bonus or something. So this is for all the writers. I'm just like, what? And, you know, a thousand bucks made such a difference in my life.
Fortune Feimster
Sure.
Craig Ferguson
She. She was very generous.
Fortune Feimster
And, yeah, I got a lot of time for her. I really do. I think she's a. She's. She's true to herself, and she's very funny.
Craig Ferguson
And she was putting people on tv. You know, I think you're similar where you. You see the uniqueness in people and you're like. That person's not like, necessarily like, has a TV look or like, who you would see in these positions, but they're funny. And she would give people opportunities that the industry was not giving people at the time. And no one knew what to do with me. And I was considered weird and different. And she was like, that's exactly what I like. Once she said yes, everyone started saying yes.
Fortune Feimster
Yeah, it's funny. No, it's, It's. It's an odd thing. I think that it's a little healthier now.
Craig Ferguson
Yeah.
Fortune Feimster
You know, because of the democratic. The, The. The. The kind of businesses that people can put their stuff up there. But I do think that as much as, you know, it's an odd thing because, like, I'm in my 60s now, and I. Lady of playing to young Crowds is like, that be. Why would I do that? But that they turn up, it's kind of weird, you know, And I think what it is, is it's not really age related. I think it's about you find your audience and your audience finds you. Like, my, my people are, you know, there's not enough of my type of people to fill a fucking stadium. There never will be. Yeah, I mean, it's just. There's not enough, you know, and, and that's so that's at first, like, you kind of, you kind of look for that, like massive popularity.
Craig Ferguson
Right.
Fortune Feimster
But if I can keep my audience.
Craig Ferguson
Yeah.
Fortune Feimster
Like, that's who I do working for, you know?
Craig Ferguson
Sweet spot.
Fortune Feimster
Yeah, I think so. I think so. Do you find that you have that now for you? That, you know, you have your own audience, that you're comfortable, you know what's going to work and what's not going to work and how they'll be?
Craig Ferguson
Yeah, I think I've definitely cultivated my audience. I started, you know, like I said, headlining in 2010 and I, I just had this plan of, like every year and a half I'm gonna go to this city and, and, and the hope is that every time I go, I've built the audience a bit more, A bit more, a bit more. And I would stay after every show, four, you know, four or five shows in that weekend. And I would meet every single person and, and with this, like, thought of, like having a grassroots sort of like, I'm going to connect with every person that comes to these shows in hopes that they'll continue to follow me as I go up this, or hopefully go up this ladder. And they did. So, you know, and they do.
Fortune Feimster
And they, and they stay with you. It's the funniest thing. It's like I get people, I do meet and greets now after a show, and people come up and like, They've seen me 25 years ago, and then they. Or they bring up stuff that.
Craig Ferguson
That's amazing.
Fortune Feimster
Get you. They get you stuff to sign when I'm like, oh, my God, I can hardly even remember doing that. You know, it. It's. I was very resistant to the meet and greet thing for a while because I thought it kind of. I, I didn't think it was going to be helpful. I thought it'd be like the comment section or something, but it's not.
Craig Ferguson
I'm giving you notes about your show.
Fortune Feimster
Yeah, but it's not like that. Yeah. You know what would be better? I was like, oh, I don't Want that, but it's not like that at all. It's. It's much more social.
Craig Ferguson
Right.
Fortune Feimster
Yeah. And. And it's kind of. You. You kind of get to hear people's stories a little bit, you know, and it. Because I think it's. It's easy to forget sometimes when you do the job that we do that how kind of people who. It kind of helps sometimes to have a laugh, then people kind of respond to it and it. And they want to tell you about it.
Craig Ferguson
Yeah.
Fortune Feimster
But I used to kind of go, oh, no, no. But now I don't. I'm like, oh, thank you. Tell me. And.
Craig Ferguson
Yeah, for sure.
Fortune Feimster
Is there anyone that does that for you? Is there a comedian or somebody that does it for you? It just, like, never fails to make you laugh.
Craig Ferguson
Oh, gosh. There's so many that, you know. Well, my hands. I do this podcast called Handsome, and Tig Notaro is. Is one of the hosts, one of the great. Tig's always making me crack up just because her brain is so different.
Fortune Feimster
Yeah.
Craig Ferguson
And unique. So I'm often laughing at her insane antics.
Fortune Feimster
I had to run Late Night once as a guest, and I could see she was kind of like, the. Is this.
Craig Ferguson
That's Tig's kind of look always, though.
Fortune Feimster
Yes. It was like. She was like, what the is this? Although I saw that a lot on Late night when people were like, what the is that? I thought of myself a lot. But that's kind of. That's kind of going away now. Late night, isn't it? It's kind of like.
Craig Ferguson
I know. I just saw that. The late.
Fortune Feimster
Yeah. Mild spot.
Craig Ferguson
Your spot is gone.
Fortune Feimster
Yeah.
Craig Ferguson
They've Are not doing after midnight and they're just gonna leave it be. That is. I read that yesterday and was like, oh, wow.
Fortune Feimster
Like, I'm not surprised, really. I mean, the.
Craig Ferguson
The.
Fortune Feimster
The attrition that's been, you know, then just the numbers going. There's. No one's watching it. I mean, the. Yeah, no, I mean, it's just that people are watching other things, I don't think.
Craig Ferguson
Yeah. Or they're watching that online.
Fortune Feimster
Yeah. I mean, look, I remember, like, I quit late night in 2014.
Craig Ferguson
2014. I didn't realize that was what it was. Yeah.
Fortune Feimster
Yeah. It's a long time ago. I. I started it in 2005, and I quit this. I started January 2005, and I quit December 2014. So it was 10 years almost to the day. And it was even then, you know, stuff like Jimmy Fallon was doing hashtag games online and people, right, were starting to say things like, oh, can you make stuff for Twitter and stuff? I was like, well, I don't. That's extra work. I don't want to do that. I. I do this show and that's what I do.
Craig Ferguson
Right.
Fortune Feimster
And then in the years after that, it became. I think it's how people watch late night now. I don't know anyone that. I mean, maybe they do, you know, they watches the whole show. Yeah, I think they just watch clips.
Craig Ferguson
Yeah. Again, it's that attention span. They're like, give it to me in two minute increments.
Fortune Feimster
Do you have that? Do. Are you good at kind of like the social media? Do you read? Do you watch a movie from start to finish? Only watching the movie without your phone in your hand?
Craig Ferguson
Oh, God, I'm. I'm guilty of it myself. I have bad add. Like, oh, yeah, the. The radio show. Do a tom. Like, I'm. They're always having to reel me in. I'm like, as they're looking outside the window or I'll like, check my email. It's gotten bad. I do think our phones are just rotting our brains.
Fortune Feimster
So I think a little, I think a little bit. I mean, it's. It's hard because on the other hand, it's such a fabulous tool, an amazing invention and the other, you know, but nothing's free. You know, there's always the universe is, you know, cause and effect.
Craig Ferguson
Yeah. Yeah, it's so convenient. But, man, trying to get especially writing new, you know, I'm. I'm on a new tour now. My. My special came out. And as you know, as a comic, every time you put out a special, that's it, start. You gotta start fresh. And sitting down to write the material is one of my toughest parts of this job for me. Just concentrating and thinking about what I want to say.
Fortune Feimster
Can I give you a tip about this? Because this is something I found out about this, like, right at the beginning when I was writing Stand up, when I was doing a ton of writing. I was actually. I was a cast member on the Drew Carey show, but I used to write all the time and I was maybe do 1, 2, 3 scenes a week if it was a heavy week. And the rest of the time I was just like, you know, sitting in my trailer. And so I wrote in the trailer all the time. And I was have. I had a bit of block. Not blog, but I was having trouble kind of settling down into writing. And then I went on Facebook, marketplace, and I bought a fucking trailer And I put it in my garden.
Craig Ferguson
Really?
Fortune Feimster
Yeah. I bought an Airstream and I go into the trailer and it's just like back at the beginning, the smell's the same, the table's the same, the, the thing's the same. The trail is the trailer. I go out and suddenly I'm like, oh, and I can work. So I think what you have to do is whatever was, whatever you used to do back in the day, recreate that environment and that's what, that's how you work.
Craig Ferguson
Oh, wow. Never even thought about that. All right.
Fortune Feimster
Yeah, I just kind of stumbled into it.
Craig Ferguson
Yeah.
Fortune Feimster
Also because I was on Facebook Marketplace, so. Which is like, which is porn for.
Craig Ferguson
Me at this point, getting good deals.
Fortune Feimster
Oh my God. And so I got an Airstream, a classic Airstream trailer. And I, and I just go into it and I work at it and it works, it works. It's amazing. I've written like, I had a special come out in January. I've got another one. I'm gonna shoot another one in October. I, I could write two a year at this point. It's just like, you need an Airstream, is what you need.
Craig Ferguson
I better go on Facebook Marketplace. Stack.
Fortune Feimster
Yeah. Do you, do you still have a place in Carolina?
Craig Ferguson
I used to, but I got rid.
Fortune Feimster
Of it because that's a great place for a nurse.
Craig Ferguson
I know. I, that's what I think I hoped it was going to be and then I just never got home.
Fortune Feimster
Yeah.
Craig Ferguson
But I, I could see. I would like something like that. But where I could drive to it.
Fortune Feimster
Yeah. That's what, that's what happened to me. I moved back to Scotland for a long time.
Craig Ferguson
Yeah.
Fortune Feimster
But every time I wanted to work, I had to get a fly to America because I don't work over there. And so I now live in New York City and I have a place outside of New York and I can drive between the two of them.
Craig Ferguson
Oh, that's nice.
Fortune Feimster
Because you know a seven hour plane ride every time you want to do a stand up spot.
Craig Ferguson
That's a lot.
Fortune Feimster
Yeah, yeah. I mean like, oh, they have stand.
Craig Ferguson
Up there, but not as, not quite, not quite the same as New York.
Fortune Feimster
It's not, it's not. It's just not. Also, I love New York. Say you still live in LA.
Craig Ferguson
I live in LA. I've been out here about 22 years now.
Fortune Feimster
I lived there 23.
Craig Ferguson
You did?
Fortune Feimster
Yeah, I did, Yeah.
Craig Ferguson
I still love it. I think I'm gonna, you know, it feels like the place for me. Who knows if that will ever change. But yeah, the. The west coast vibe suits me. I. I like to visit my family in the south, but, you know, then I got to get back to the west coast where the. Where the gays can live freely.
Fortune Feimster
Yeah. Well, I think the idea is that the gays can live really everywhere. That's the hope. Well, I'm in New York City now, and I have to tell you, I think it's okay for gays in New York as well. Just so you know.
Craig Ferguson
Okay, good.
Fortune Feimster
I think as well. Look, I can't say for sure it's not my life experience, but it seems like it's going okay.
Craig Ferguson
All right, good. I don't need to hide in your Airstream.
Fortune Feimster
No, I hide in my Airstream.
Craig Ferguson
I. I can't.
Fortune Feimster
It's not really so much about the Airstream. It's about creating the environment that was right at the beginning.
Craig Ferguson
Yeah.
Fortune Feimster
Because I find myself the older I get. I don't. If this is happened to you, but I start to. I start to miss the energy and the fun of. Of starting out.
Craig Ferguson
Yeah.
Fortune Feimster
And for. And for a while there, I got a little down about it. I'm like, it's all in the rearview mirror.
Craig Ferguson
Right.
Fortune Feimster
But then if you create an environment where it is just like the way you started and.
Craig Ferguson
Yeah.
Fortune Feimster
You know, go and do a club. Go and do a club. I mean, it's. It's. You know, I don't have to set up, like, go and do. You know, actually, Charlotte is one of my. There's a. An improv comedy zone in Charlotte. Yeah, it's a great club.
Craig Ferguson
Yeah, it is.
Fortune Feimster
That is a great club. I love doing that club. There's a bunch of them.
Craig Ferguson
Yeah.
Fortune Feimster
And I think. I think doing those, like, clubs, because I was doing. I was not doing clubs for a long time, and then going into a town for a weekend and just doing a club is fucking great.
Craig Ferguson
I've been doing those, building this act. So I start my new. My tour in a couple of weeks. But I've been doing the clubs. You're right. It's. It's so nice to just get back to, like, your roots.
Fortune Feimster
Yeah. It's kind of like when you watch, you know, you see musicians where they, like, they do well, and then they have the orchestra and the laser beams and the club dancers and all that. And. And then you see them strip it down and play with two people or just an acoustic guitar. I think that's the equivalent. Go back to what you do.
Craig Ferguson
Yeah.
Fortune Feimster
You know what you do. And. And also that. And I think only stand Ups understand this feeling of freedom when you have an act that hasn't been recorded.
Craig Ferguson
Yeah.
Fortune Feimster
You know, you go to any town, any town where they speak this language. Like, I know where I can go anywhere I need to and I'll have enough to eat for sure. Is that autonomy? You know, it's the also I think I don't know about. I mean, because you have a background in sketch comedy, which means like working with other people. I don't know if I work that well with other people.
Craig Ferguson
Oh, yeah, yeah. Well, now you don't have to.
Fortune Feimster
Yeah.
Craig Ferguson
Just you and Joe Bolter.
Fortune Feimster
Me, Joe. I like Tom. I like Tom very much. I think I could work with Tom. He's one of the great. What's interesting, I think about Tom as a stand up. He's as nice a guy doing stand up as he is as a guy.
Craig Ferguson
I know he's a good guy.
Fortune Feimster
Yeah, he's really. I almost can smell the bread cooking while he's doing stand up.
Craig Ferguson
Yeah.
Fortune Feimster
He's a very authentically. Again, authentically who he is and I like that. That's what I'm drawn to in and comedians.
Craig Ferguson
Yeah.
Fortune Feimster
You know, authenticity and funny. Well, you're that. And well done.
Craig Ferguson
Oh, thanks, Greg.
Fortune Feimster
And you're off the hook and get out of here.
Craig Ferguson
Well, thanks for having me. This was great to see talk to you.
Fortune Feimster
It's lovely to talk to you too. Give Joe and Tom my best on your radio show.
Craig Ferguson
I'm headed to SiriusXM right now. I'm. I will tell Joe I just talked to you.
Fortune Feimster
Tell them both I miss them very much.
Craig Ferguson
I will.
Fortune Feimster
I look forward to my next invite to be on the.
Craig Ferguson
Yes.
Fortune Feimster
What do they call it? The Tom Piper Show.
Craig Ferguson
What a joke with Papa. And what a joke.
Fortune Feimster
Yeah, because I was going to say you. You get billing in this thing.
Craig Ferguson
I do, yeah.
Fortune Feimster
Yeah.
Craig Ferguson
Good. Well, thanks, Craig. So fun talking with you, bud.
Fortune Feimster
Thanks, Fortune. Take it easy. It's lovely to talk to you.
Craig Ferguson
Lovely to talk to you too.
Fortune Feimster
Bye.
Sarah Spain
Hey, all you women, Sups fans and folks who just don't know yet that they're women's hoops fans, we've got a big week over at Good Game with Sarah Spain as we near the end of one of the most exciting, exciting women's college basketball seasons ever. The most parody we've seen in years. With games coming down to the wire and everyone wondering which team will be crowned national champions this weekend in Tampa, listen to Good Game with Sarah Spain on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your Podcasts welcome to.
Vanessa Marshall
Pod of Rebellion, our new Star Wars Rebels Rewatch podcast. I'm Vanessa Marshall, voice of Harrison Duelist Specter 2. I'm Tia Sirkar Sabine Wren, Spectre 5.
Fortune Feimster
I'm Taylor Gray as Bridger Spectre 6.
Tia Sircar
And I'm Jon Librody, the Ghost Crew Stowaway moderator.
Vanessa Marshall
Each week we're gonna rewatch and discuss an episode from the series and share some fun behind the scenes stories.
Tia Sircar
Sometimes we'll be visited by special guests like Steve blume voices Zabarelio's Spectre 4, or Dante Bosco voices Jaquell and many others.
Vanessa Marshall
So hang on because it's gonna be a fun ride.
Fortune Feimster
Cue.
Tia Sircar
Listen to Potter Rebellion on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Jamie Petras
45 years ago, a Virginia soul band called the Edge of Daybreak recorded their debut album Behind Bars. Record collectors consider it a masterpiece. The band's surviving members are long out of prison, but they say they have some unfinished business.
Fortune Feimster
The Edge of Daybreak Eyes of Love was supposed to have been found.
Jamie Petras
Another app Listen to Soul incarcerated on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Tia Sircar
Ever wonder what it would be like to be mentored by today's top business leaders? My podcast this Is Working can help with that. Here's some advice from Jamie Dimon, the CEO of JPMorgan Chase, on standing out from the leadership crowd.
Fortune Feimster
Develop your EQ A lot of people have plenty of brains, but EQ is do you trust me? Do I communicate well? Develop the team, develop the people, create a system of trust. And it works over time.
Tia Sircar
I'm Dan Roth, LinkedIn's editor in chief. On my podcast this Is Working Leaders share strategies for success. Listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Podcast Summary: Joy, Episode Featuring Fortune Feimster Hosted by Craig Ferguson | Released on April 1, 2025
In this engaging episode of Joy, host Craig Ferguson sits down with the talented comedian Fortune Feimster to explore themes of happiness, creativity, and the intricate journey of a stand-up comedian. Their conversation delves deep into the challenges and triumphs of building a career in comedy, offering listeners valuable insights and heartfelt anecdotes.
Craig Ferguson opens the session by highlighting Fortune Feimster's authentic comedic style. She shares her unique approach to comedy, emphasizing storytelling over observational humor.
Fortune Feimster [03:48]: "They have their own voice. They're not necessarily observational, they're more anecdotal."
Fortune discusses her inspirations, citing legends like Carol Burnett and Joan Rivers who paved the way for female comedians. She reflects on how these figures shaped her comedic voice and approach.
Fortune Feimster [11:14]: "Lucille Ball created the modern sitcom. Just flat out did it."
Craig adds his own inspirations, mentioning the impact of Saturday Night Live and personalities like Will Ferrell and Seth Meyers.
Craig Ferguson [09:29]: "Saturday Night Live was a big influence on me."
A significant portion of their dialogue centers on the art of writing comedy. Fortune emphasizes the importance of collaboration, highlighting her partnership with Joe Bolter and her wife in crafting her stand-up material.
Fortune Feimster [05:53]: "Joe and my wife and I write whatever stand up I do. The three of us write it."
Craig shares his evolution in writing, moving from improvised sets to meticulously planned performances after realizing he needed structure.
Craig Ferguson [12:19]: "I have to know exactly where I'm going."
Fortune recounts Craig's experience auditioning for Saturday Night Live, detailing his initial rejection and subsequent encouragement from comedy great Greg Giraldo, which fueled his persistence.
Craig Ferguson [30:07]: "Greg Giraldo sent me an email after I got eliminated, just really encouraging me and telling me, 'You got something here, you got to keep it going.'"
Fortune reflects on the competitive nature of comedy competitions and the subjective criteria involved.
Fortune Feimster [34:32]: "Stand up is so kind of weirdly difficult. And particularly when you're starting, it's hard."
The conversation shifts to the logistical and emotional aspects of touring. Both comedians discuss strategies for connecting with audiences across different cities, the importance of grassroots efforts, and the personal satisfaction that comes from building a loyal fan base.
Craig Ferguson [47:09]: "I started headlining in 2010 and I just had this plan of, like every year and a half I'm gonna go to this city and, and, and the hope is that every time I go, I've built the audience a bit more."
Fortune shares her experiences with meet-and-greets, initially hesitant but eventually embracing them as a way to connect more deeply with her fans.
Fortune Feimster [48:31]: "It's much more social... It helps sometimes to have a laugh, then people kind of respond to it and they want to tell you about it."
Craig reminisces about his time on late-night television, particularly working with Chelsea, and how it transformed his career from financial struggles to stability.
Craig Ferguson [43:53]: "She was very generous... She would give people opportunities that the industry was not giving people at the time."
Fortune discusses the shifting landscape of late-night shows, noting the decline in traditional formats and the rise of digital consumption.
Fortune Feimster [51:00]: "I quit late night in 2014... it's how people watch late night now. They just watch clips."
The duo explores the influence of technology on their creative processes. Craig admits his struggle with concentration and the distractions posed by smartphones, while Fortune offers a practical tip for overcoming writer's block by recreating an environment conducive to creativity.
Fortune Feimster [53:55]: "I bought an Airstream and I go into the trailer and it's just like back at the beginning... It's amazing. I've written like, I had a special come out in January."
Craig reflects on the necessity of adapting to technological changes to sustain his creativity.
Craig Ferguson [52:43]: "I do think our phones are just rotting our brains."
Fortune and Craig emphasize the importance of authenticity in their comedic work. Fortune admires comedians who stay true to themselves, while Craig values building genuine connections with his audience.
Fortune Feimster [59:57]: "Authenticity and funny. Well, you're that. And well done."
Craig shares his approach to touring, focusing on connecting with every audience member to foster lasting relationships.
Craig Ferguson [46:47]: "They stay with you. It's the funniest thing."
The conversation touches on the financial hardships both faced early in their careers. Craig recounts being broke for years before securing a stable position, underscoring the resilience required to thrive in the entertainment industry.
Craig Ferguson [17:19]: "I was broke for eight years."
Fortune relates by sharing her own financial struggles and the importance of hard work and persistence.
Fortune Feimster [18:05]: "It changes your drive, though, when you don't know how you're gonna pay your bills."
As the episode wraps up, both comedians reflect on their journeys and the evolving nature of comedy. They express optimism about the future, emphasizing continuous growth, adaptation, and staying true to their comedic roots.
Fortune Feimster [55:00]: "You have to find your audience and your audience finds you."
Craig Ferguson [60:53]: "It was lovely to talk to you too."
Notable Quotes with Timestamps:
This episode of Joy offers a candid glimpse into the lives of two comedians who have navigated the complexities of the entertainment industry with humor, resilience, and authenticity. Their shared experiences serve as both inspiration and guidance for aspiring comedians and anyone seeking joy through creative expression.