#1785 Running From Steagles

Summary

Juicebox Podcast: Type 1 Diabetes

Ep. 1785 - Running From Steagles

Release Date: February 27, 2026
Host: Scott Benner
Guest: Sam Morrison, stand-up comedian and creator of "Sugar Daddy"

Episode Overview

This lively and engaging episode centers around the journey of Sam Morrison, a comedian whose type 1 diabetes diagnosis at age 27 radically shifted his approach to health and inspired his solo show, "Sugar Daddy." Host Scott Benner and Sam traverse topics from the struggles of young adults ignoring health, to life­-altering diagnoses, the comedy scene in New York vs. LA, the overlap of ADHD and diabetes, and the unique ways humor can break stigma around chronic illness.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Sam’s Diagnosis and Health Awakening

• Sam’s Background: Diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at 27, now 31, performing globally.
• Pre-diagnosis Health: Lived a typically chaotic comedian lifestyle—little sleep, bad food, low self-care.
  • “I would describe it as deeply fine... probably below average.” (04:44–05:03)
• Family Medical History: Sister with Crohn’s, grandmother with type 1 diabetes. Not something the family discussed as a possible risk.
• Diagnosis Story:
  • Saw improvement and worsening in urinary frequency (a typical type 1 symptom) due to honeymoon phase.
  • Primary doctor ordered a test, which came back with a blood sugar of 600 mg/dl.
  • “You might have some diabetes.” (Sam quoting a lab tech, 47:18)
  • Mom came to support him at the ER.
  • ER “sent him home” with little info: insulin pens, needles, basic packet—no immediate specialist appointment.
  • The early weeks post-diagnosis were described as deeply disorienting and unsupported.
• “It just feels like a trap… everything feels like a trap.” —Sam paraphrasing his experience and that of his newly-diagnosed friend (51:41–52:42)
• Struggled most with lack of education, support, and safe resources in the crucial first months.

2. From Ignorance to Advocacy

• Sam’s perspective switched from negligent (“no vitamins, no self-care”) to health-conscious because type 1 forced him to “go to med school to become your own nurse.”
• The podcast’s Bold Beginnings series was a major touchstone post-diagnosis.
  • “Bold Beginnings made me such a fan… such a lack of resources, so important.” (09:55–10:21)

3. ADHD, Comedy, and Disease Management

• Sam lives with ADHD, only medicated as an adult. Lost medical equipment “every day.”
• Both host and Sam share strategies for managing chaotic, creative, “art-brain” lives.
  • They riff on “object permanence” and how it worsens forgetting supplies and diabetes tools. (15:23–15:46)
  • “I thrive in chaos because that’s where I live most of the time… but also I need structure and discipline.” (17:16–17:52)
• Discussion on the frequent overlap of ADHD and autoimmune issues among podcast guests.

4. The Craft and Structure of Comedy

• Sam’s solo show “Sugar Daddy” opens in London on March 5 (through April 4, Underbelly Boulevard).
• “It’s really cool to… create something more meaningful… combine the art forms of standup and theatre.” (23:28–24:04)
• Comedy scenes:
  • NYC: Fast, intense, “training ground.” Multiple sets a night, rough crowds, constant feedback.
  • LA: More spaced out, relaxed, industry-heavy, with an emphasis on writing, networking, and acting.
  • “New York is like this training ground, almost like a batting cage… LA is just more spread out. Usually just one show a night.” (32:43–33:43)
• On his style:
  • “It can be very gay… irreverent, even intellectual… reckless and queer.” (37:23–37:58)
  • Storytelling focus in solo shows; tightly-written, punchy in clubs.
• Audience differences: Adjusted material for local context but sometimes steadfast about content regardless of expected reaction.

5. Diabetes in the Act & Breaking Stigma with Humor

• Significant material comes from diabetes. Online videos attracted a sizeable type 1 fanbase.
• “It's such a funny disease… life threatening but managed with candy!” (38:20–39:20)
• Describes the absurdity: treating a possibly fatal condition on stage with candy or glucose tabs, sometimes while being attacked by seagulls (see memorable moments).

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

“It’s such a funny disease—life threatening, but it’s managed with candy. There’s all these contradictions.”
— Sam, on the inherent comedy of diabetes (39:20)

“You might have some diabetes… your blood sugar is 600.”
— Sam, quoting his lab tech at diagnosis (47:18)

“Everything feels like a trap. That’s what it feels like to get diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, with absolutely no guidance.”
— Sam (51:40)

“At the ER… they just give you an insulin pen, some needles, and a packet. You’re just guessing how much insulin to give yourself.”
— Sam, on the lack of post-diagnosis support (51:41–52:42)

“Dating and diabetes? Usually I have some video where I’m making a joke about my glucose monitor. So they kind of come pre-educated.”
— Sam, on how his comedy preps people he meets for his diabetes (42:52)

“I was attacked by seagulls while low. I had to explain type 1 diabetes to the seagulls that were attacking me.”
— Sam, on a true medical and comedic adventure (64:16–65:51)

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Important Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment / Topic | |-------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 02:12–05:03 | Sam’s background & diagnosis age | | 05:25–07:26 | Health habits pre-diagnosis; family history (Crohn’s, T1D) | | 08:13–12:14 | ADHD diagnosis, coping, and how it interacts with diabetes management | | 12:36–17:52 | Host and guest compare productivity, chaos, coping strategies | | 20:45–23:56 | Stand-up vs. solo shows; “Sugar Daddy” background | | 31:58–33:43 | Comedy scene: differences between New York and LA | | 36:06–37:58 | Describing comedic style: “reckless and queer” | | 38:15–40:07 | Comedy as explanation/relief for diabetes stigma and contradictions | | 46:24–48:05 | Diagnosis story: symptoms, the “600 mg/dl” call, ER experience | | 51:40–53:00 | “Everything feels like a trap.” Lack of guidance for new patients | | 58:49–60:21 | “Almost dying” is the constant reality of type 1 | | 64:16–65:56 | Seagull attack at low blood sugar—turning trauma into comedy (“steagles” joke!) |

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Sam’s Show & Contact

• Show: Sugar Daddy
  – March 5–April 4, Underbelly Boulevard, London
• Insta: @samuelhmorrison
• Site: www.samuelmorrison.com
• Tour Alert: Sign up to be texted when Sam’s coming to your city (link in his bio/website).

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Highlights: Humor, Humanity, and Health

• Humor is therapy: Sam’s blend of honesty and irreverence around diabetes—“complaining” as comedy—is affirming to type 1s and their families.
• The reality of chronic illness: From ER diagnosis to “guessing” insulin doses, Sam underscores how isolating and DIY type 1 can be.
• ADHD x Diabetes: A recurring theme—the intersection of neurodivergence and chronic illness—speaks to many listeners.
• Finding flow: Shared reflections on “flow state” in performance and in diabetes care—how structure and chaos play off each other.
• Acceptance of help: As an adult, Sam is grateful for parental support through diagnosis—contrasting with the resistance a younger self may have had.
• Stigma and weirdness: The irony of life/death scenarios solved by candy and the confusion of others (and even medical professionals) is a goldmine for humor and empathy.

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Final Takeaway

This episode spotlights both the chaos and the resilience of life with type 1 diabetes: personal narrative, comedy as catharsis, and the sometimes outrageous ways people with chronic illness navigate ignorance—both societal and medical. Sam’s perspective is bold, funny, and poignantly real.

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Notable Quotables (with timestamps):

• “I was 27. I think at some point you got to take responsibility and say, hey buddy, take a vitamin.”
  — Sam (05:55)

• “I thrive in chaos because that’s where I live most of the time... but also chaos is like the enemy.”
  — Sam (17:16–17:52)

• “You have to learn how to do everything. Take your dog out, go... is all different [with T1D].”
  — Sam (53:00)

• “It's a ridiculous ... Willy Wonka-esque disease.”
  — Sam (40:09–40:13)

• “How am I supposed to sleep, eat? Everything feels like a trap.”
  — Scott & Sam (52:42)

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Listen For…

• The full “running from seagulls while low” story (64:16)
• Sam and Scott’s banter about chaos, focus, and what makes for good (and “queer, reckless”) comedy
• Personal, vulnerable takes on the health system—but always with a punchline

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For those seeking a blend of diabetes wisdom, dark humor, and authentic lived experience, this is an episode not to miss.

Transcript

[A]

Hello, friends, and welcome back to another episode of the Juice Box Podcast.

[B]

Hi, guys, I'm comedian Sam Morrison. I was diagnosed with diabetes four, five years ago. Now I perform all over the country, all over the world, and my show Sugar Daddy, which is largely about my type 1 diabetes diagnosis, is going to be opening in London on March 5 for about five weeks.

[A]

If you or a loved one is newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and you're seeking a clear, practical perspective, check out the Bold Beginning series on the Juice Box Podcast. It's hosted by myself and Jenny Smith, an experienced diabetes educator with over 35 years of personal insight into type 1. Our series cuts through the medical jargon and delivers straightforward answers to your most pressing questions. You'll gain insight from real patients and caregivers and find practical advice to help you confidently navigate Life with Type 1. You can start your journey informed and empowered with the Juice Box Podcast. The Bold Beginning series and all of the collections in the Juice Box Podcast are available in your audio app and@juicebox podcast.com in the menu. Please don't forget that nothing you hear on the Juice Box Podcast should be considered advice, medical or otherwise. Always consult a physician before making any changes to your healthcare plan or becoming bold with insulin. Today's podcast episode is sponsored by Medtronic Diabetes, who is making life with diabetes easier with the mini med 780G system and their new sensor options, which include the Instinct sensor made by Abbott. Would you like to unleash the full potential of the mini med 780G system? You can do that at my link medtronicdiabetes.com Juicebox Today's episode is also sponsored by the Contour Next Gen blood Glucose meter. This is the meter that my daughter has on her person right now. It is incredibly accurate and waiting for [e-mail] Juicebox hi guys, I'm comedian Sam Morrison.

[B]

I was diagnosed with diabetes four or five years ago. Now I perform all over the country, all over the world, and my show Sugar Daddy, which is largely about my type 1 diabetes diagnosis, is going to be opening in London on March 5th for about five weeks and I'd love to see a lot of you guys there. I'm so excited to be on this podcast.

[A]

Oh, Sam, you're very nice and I'm happy you reached out. Actually, even happier that the timing worked out. You asked if I was available because, you know, you'd like to get this out obviously before your show and and someone like the day before dropped this date and that never happens. So, like, it's very serendipitous. So let's.

[B]

Thank you. Thank you to this person. I hope everything is okay with them, but. But God bless them. I'm so glad that this worked out.

[A]

I could hear in your heart, you're like, this is great news, but I hope they weren't hit by a car.

[B]

Yes. No, this is great news. This is fantastic news. That could be something terrible for somebody else, but we'll take it.

[A]

Yeah, yeah. Well, listen, we'll just assume that's not what happened. Maybe they just had a little cold. Let's figure out a little more about you, Sam. How old are you now?

[B]

31.

[A]

Okay. And how old were you when you're diagnosed? You said about four or five years ago.

[B]

Oh, great, fine. I'll do math. 2022 was when I was diagnosed, about July. Okay, so it's 2026 now. Yeah, I was like, 27. Yeah, I was 27.

[A]

Okay. All right. And prior to that, how would you have described your health?

[B]

I mean, interesting. I don't know if anyone's ever asked me that. I would describe it as deeply fine. I mean, I've always been a relatively, like, sportsy guy, and so I like running around. But, like, beyond that, I didn't take care of myself or my body in any way. And actually, when I got diagnosed, I started taking my nutrition, obviously, so much more serious. You know, you learn so much and you basically go to this, like, med school to become your own nurse. And so I started to take my health more seriously, sort of in every aspect after diagnosis. So I'd say probably below average. Eaten a lot of bad food, is a lot of late night pizza, there's no sleep. Sort of just living a, you know,

[A]

a young person's existence, 20 year old boy's life. Yeah. Yeah. And in your extended family, were there people with health issues, other autoimmune or other stuff? Any reason why it would be in the front of your head, or was it all pretty carefree?

[B]

Looking back there, there probably are reasons that I should have had ideas, but, God, I never thought about it. My sister has Crohn's disease, and my grandmother on my dad's side does have type 1 diabetes.

[A]

Okay, so a grandmother has type 1. Your sister has Crohn's.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Okay, Was that a thing that your family spoke about, like, that you might want to be like, you know, I'm always thinking about, like, the day my kid moves out and, like, what are the last things I tell them? Like, hey, if you're Peeing a lot, like, you know, or like did they give you any heads up or were you just kind of sent out into the world? Hmm.

[B]

I don't want to throw my family under the bus here, but. No, not at all.

[A]

God, I was lucky to get food. I couldn't believe, believe the place was warm. Thank you very much.

[B]

Yeah, yeah, Great family, great parents.

[A]

Nah, nothing. Okay, so there was nothing in your head though telling you pay attention, you're not eating particularly well? I mean, are you taking a vitamin even? No, not even a vitamin.

[B]

I mean, Scott, it's bad. It's no health.

[A]

It's a nice multivitamin.

[B]

I was 27 years old. I think at some point you got to take responsibility and say, hey buddy, take a vitamin.

[A]

Do you have any idea why that didn't occur to you prior to all this?

[B]

H type 1 diabetes or just like health in general?

[A]

Health in General, like at 27 years old, you know, like, do you ever put a piece of piece in your mouth and think like this should probably be kale or like, you know, like, were you at that point, did you ever think like, hey, a vitamin, that wouldn't hurt, would it? Like, you know what I mean?

[B]

That is such a great question. And especially because like, I clearly was prone to, you know, like as soon as I started to learn about nutrition, I did, like, I was really interested in it. Like genuinely, I love learning about how this stuff affects our body and like how I can manage this super mysterious riddled disease, but I never really had much interest or understood much about health. I think probably the reason why is just because, I don't know, I sort of never underestimate the ability of like a 25 year old boy's ability to just not take care of themselves or pay attention to things that actually matter. I mean, I was just like a comedian. I mean, I was performing late at night, pretty much every night. I was eating in between gigs and I, you know, cared about certain things in life, but health was just like

[A]

not one of them.

[B]

Such, such an afterthought.

[A]

Yeah, it's interesting that, that you realize though that like once you were intersected with it, you were the kind of person who was very interested by it. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's interesting.

[B]

Yeah, it is.

[A]

Hey, real quick, Sam, I don't know if you know the phrase futzing, it's from our Yiddish friends, but you're touching something or banging something once in a while, like, yeah, thanks for letting me know. Don't do that. So you'll make you'll make. You'll make me crazy. You'll be like, where's the next question? I'll just be like, oh, I heard a tap. Yeah, I don't want you thinking about it either.

[B]

You are, by the way, the first person in my life to ever tell me to stop futzing with something. Can you believe that?

[A]

Are you a futzer?

[B]

Oh, my God. Oh, my God. Can we talk about the intersection of ADHD and diabetes? Because this is a trap. This is a prison. I mean, I am losing life saving medical equipment every day.

[A]

You have adhd, yo. Yeah. How long have you known about that, Scott?

[B]

You've talked. You've known me for 10 minutes. I think you knew. I think we both knew. I've. How long have I had. Well, you know, I. As a kid, my mom took me to get diagnosed and they were like, yeah, he's got it. But she decided not to medicate, which was, I think, a totally fair decision at the time. So my whole life, what would that have looked like?

[A]

Medication, like Ritalin or what do they do nowadays?

[B]

And now I'm on Adderall.

[A]

Adderall, okay.

[B]

But at the time, I think they just say, stop it.

[A]

Well, listen, when my brother was little, they put him on Ritalin and messed him up, too. It was not. It was not a good idea. It was not a good idea. Slowed him down. He had such a high metabolism, was like this little screen, like, skinny, like, running around kid. And then it just put weight on him and changed his mood and everything. It was. They didn't leave him on. My mom was like, hey, I don't think this is right. But, you know, it hit him.

[B]

That's great.

[A]

Pretty hard. How about other, like, inflammation related things in your life? Because, I mean, I know that I'm not a doctor and this is just a podcast, but a lot of people, a lot of people come on here and talk about adhd. So I start to wonder about, like, you know, autoimmune inflammation, other things that are impacted that don't get characterized or categorized as autoimmune, but seem to really go hand in hand with a lot of people on here. Is there anything else that's interesting? Yeah, anything else you can look at and think, oh, that fits that generalized

[B]

box of something that could be connected with autoimmune or inflammation?

[A]

Yeah, well, less autoimmune because you, you said Crohn's and, you know, you have a type one in the family. I'm just wondering, like, do you see other people? Like, do you listen to the podcast with any regularity?

[B]

Yeah, yeah, definitely. Like just my podcast listening goes in in cycles. When I was first diagnosed, I listened to all the time. And like, truly the series for when you're first diagnosed was like unbelievably helpful. Oh, Bold Beginnings made me like such a fan and there's such a lack of resources, so it's so important. And like, if you know, if you're listening and you don't know about that, you should absolutely go check that out.

[A]

Gotcha. No, it's a Bold Beginnings. You're talking about that series for like the newly diagnosed folks. Yes, yes, yes. Awesome. I'm glad it was helpful for you. I just, I'm saying there's been a lot of people on here. Like, this is as big of an example as I can make is. Is that I have been stunned over the years by the number of people who are like, my uncle has bipolar disorder. I haven't spoken to that many people that, that, that many people should have said that to me. So it just makes me wonder, like, is. Is if you have a big enough family and there's autoimmune and inflammation, like, you know, are there things that pop up over and over again? But ADHD to me is one of them. So are you. You take.

[B]

Really interesting.

[A]

Yeah, no, I think so too.

[B]

So doesn't it just feel like everyone has ADHD now?

[A]

I mean, I don't know. I don't know. Like, I really don't. Like, you know.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

What. How does it impact your dad?

[B]

My family has all kinds of. Well, we're just a bunch of anxious Jews, so we've got it all, baby.

[A]

Wait, no one said futzing to you and.

[B]

No, it's. Yeah, no, you're the first one. Never. No one has ever said futzing. They say cavelling.

[A]

That's nice. Listen, depends on where you're from. How does the ADHD impact your day to day life before diabetes?

[B]

Oh, I mean, again, because I wasn't diagnosed really. I were like medicated. I didn't think about it very much. You just kind of come up with solutions subconsciously, I guess, or sort of on your own to get by. I mean, I got by in classes and I was able to like hold out a job. So like either wasn't severe enough to, you know, do something about, or I was able to like sort of hack

[A]

it somehow adapt and get around it. Yeah. Okay.

[B]

Just sort of realize what my. What my brain wants.

[A]

Are there still get arounds now that you have diabetes or there's just some things that are too big to overcome.

[B]

Yeah. I mean, I'm constantly, not only am I constantly, like, trying to come up with ways to like, hack my ADHD brain and get me to focus and like, sit down and be productive and not forget things and remember important things, but also, like, I'm just becoming even like, more conscious and aware of what those things are. At like 31.

[A]

It.

[B]

It happens all the time.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

You know, some. The other day someone told me about, like, how much people with ADHD struggle with object permanence, and I was like, of course. Of course I've done that my whole. And I, you know, for whatever reason had. That had never really sunk in with me.

[A]

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[B]

It's basically just like, we put stuff down and we have like less of an ability to remember where we put stuff down.

[A]

No kidding. Yeah.

[B]

If that makes sense.

[A]

I mean, listen, I try very hard to remember where I put things and I don't know where anything is half the time. So I am just thrilled when I get in my car and drive away and my wallet's there, like, whoo.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Because the amount of times I don't. I mean, listen, I'm sure people listening think I do. I don't feel like I do. So, yeah, I don't really know how to put that. Also, my brother, just for context, I'm adopted, so I'm not actually related to my brother by blood. So in case people were like, well, he said his brother has it. Like, I really don't. I have no trouble concentrating. I have no trouble sitting down doing what I'm supposed to do. I just have always thought of myself as having more of like an artistic brain. Like, I don't focus on things I don't want to focus on, but I can easily focus on anything and it doesn't have to be. It can be as boring as, like, you know, pulling together receipts or doing like, adult things. Like, I have no trouble focusing on stuff. I just. I'm just good at not being burdened by things I don't want to think about. I don't know how to put that exactly. So I don't know. You know, I should probably think more about it, but I probably can't because I have adhd. I'm just teasing. I'd go over it, but something's stopping me, Sam. I don't know what it is. No, no. I mean, I run a fairly complicated organization by myself and I can tell you that nothing's written down. Like, I don't have rules or things to follow. I just get up in the morning, I follow the flow and I do what needs to be done. I don't know how to.

[B]

I don't know if that's more evidence for or against adhd.

[A]

Yeah, I couldn't begin to tell you. I know that I do a. I that if you followed me around for a full day, you'd be like, I cannot believe that guy's doing all this stuff by himself.

[B]

Wow.

[A]

Yeah. I.

[B]

It's funny because it's like, it's just this oxymoron of like, I thrive in chaos because that's where I live most of the time. And then, you know, I procrastinate so much and I, I put things off to the last second and then there's an emergency and like that 24 hour emergency, that's my like, sweet spot. That's where I get stuff done and I have like my whole life. Yeah. But then also I need so much structure and like, discipline to actually, like, do anything. I don't know if I'm explaining this well, but basically they're like, does. Don't those seem like they're on opposite? Like, I thrive in chaos, but also chaos is like the enemy.

[A]

Yeah. I have to. Let's pick through this for a second, see if we can figure it out together. So it is 1pm right now. I opened my eyes at 7am I visited the restroom. I took a shower. Since then, I've done two loads of laundry, made myself breakfast, eaten breakfast, clean, cleaned up the dishes, cleaned up the dishes from last night, cooked for my son, cleaned up his dishes. I've had a meaningful conversation with my wife. I've fed two dogs, taken them outside, I've taken out the garbage, taken out the recycling, fed seven lizards. Please don't judge me. I've made three pieces of social media for the podcast, had one conversation with an advertiser by phone, one conversation with an advertiser by text message. I've sent over a bunch of information to somebody that I was supposed to. I've signed two contracts, rewritten one statement of work agreement, and sat down and started to record with you.

[B]

And then you remembered all of it and recited it.

[A]

So do I have adhd?

[B]

Great. I'm glad you came here to ask. Welcome to my podcast where I diagnose people with adhd. Thanks for coming on. No, I, I have no idea. Like, I can't tell you.

[A]

I'm. I'm with you too. Like, is that the sign of somebody who's like, brain is in a tornado and can just follow the tornado? Because also none of those things were written down anywhere. I just got up this morning and took care of the things I knew needed to be taken care of.

[B]

I mean, yeah, that sounds unbelievable and like something that. It sounds like you don't. It sounds like You're a very productive person if you have ADHD that you've, like, figured out a way around it. But we need to focus on what's important here. How the hell did you remember all of that with such specificity and recite it without a single hesitation? This is the real talent.

[A]

Isn't that my job to reach into my brain and, like, open the flow up and just let it happen?

[B]

Yeah, it's my job, too.

[A]

I'm not good at it, though.

[B]

That was. That was impressive.

[A]

Thank you. Every conversation that I have with people until it gets going, when I'm having it, I think this is so choppy and uninteresting and people are going to turn it off. And then when I listen back to it later, I think this is better than 99% of the podcasts I've ever heard in my life. But once you get the faucet open for me, I feel like I'm performing at a different level. Once I start talking and I am not thinking about what I'm talking, I feel like there is a pathway from my mouth to my thoughts and there's no. There's no slowdown in between. Some people would argue that's not a good idea, but that's.

[B]

Oh, my God, that's the dream. That's so beautiful. You're in a flow state. I mean, thank you. Amazing that you found this. I do this for a living. I do this every night. And it's. I'm in my head half the time and I'm always trying to figure out how to center myself and get into a state of mind like you're talking about. So it comes so naturally to you. That's like, incredible.

[A]

I am grateful for it. I also tell you what, I've never tried stand up comedy, and I. And I probably never would because I'd be so afraid to do it poorly that I think, you know, like, I don't know, like, when I look out into the world, the content doesn't matter to me. Like, when I look at stand up comedians, I think about people who appear like they're telling a story, as if it's something they've known their entire life and yet are just making up in the moment like that, you know, Like, Dave Chappelle is very good at it. Like, you know, just. He feels like he's just talking. But then there's the part of you that realizes he's probably said this a thousand times. I wouldn't want to sit on the art form by. By trying to do it like I think it's incredibly brave for you to do now. I get up on stage in front of a lot of people and talk about podcasting or diabetes or stuff like that. And I have to tell you, I do it with. I probably shouldn't say this out loud, zero prep. And when people ask me like, where are your slides? I tell them if I needed slides, then I'm not the right person to be here. I should be able to speak from the back of my head on this. But I don't know, like, what's the process of getting up on stage? Like, is it like a one man show or what is it you have coming up?

[B]

What I have coming up is my solo show. So, like, primarily I'm a stand up comedian. That's what I, you know, how I

[A]

make the bread and butter.

[B]

That was not the phrase.

[A]

That's. It's either that's my bread and butter or how I make my living. You could have gone with either.

[B]

No, I'm going to, I'm going to

[A]

double down on it.

[B]

That's how I make my bread and butter. It's a new phrase. It's very Gen Z. You guys just probably haven't heard of it yet. But I'm mostly doing stand up. But then I also do these solo shows and they're like more theater, they're storytelling and they, you know, we have a whole design team in London, you know, my director, Amru El Khadi, I'm working with. And it's been really fun and we get to create something like a lot more meaningful and yeah, try to like combine the art forms of stand up in theater. Yeah, but really, you know, creating something new. But yeah, for the most time I like get up on stage and just like tell jokes at a comedy club.

[A]

Okay. Yeah, yeah. So is your show more like. I'm trying to think of like side by sides, but the ones I'm coming up with, I feel like no one listening is going to know. Did you see Ari Shafir's Jew a couple years ago on YouTube? Is it. I haven't, no. Or what about Neil? Neil.

[B]

Neil Brennan?

[A]

Yeah. Neil Brennan's blocks. Is it more like that or totally

[B]

similar to Neil Brennan's blocks? Or like, do you know Mike Birbiglia?

[A]

Sure, yeah.

[B]

Yeah. It's. It's sort of like a storytelling stand up show.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

You know, this, this particular show is even more theatrical and yeah, it's super fun to like bring in those elements. And yeah, it's, it's just, it's so cool to. You know, I've always done these solo shows sort of like at the. I bring them to, like, the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and do them, like, in a castle with absolutely no budget. And now getting to, like, work with this whole creative team and all these producers, It's. It's such a special thing, and it's. It's really cool.

[A]

Sounds exciting.

[B]

I'm really excited.

[A]

Yeah. So when. When's the first time you. You, I imagine, showed up at an open mic night? How old were you then?

[B]

I tried it in college, probably 19 or 20. I just tried an open mic at, like, a nearby bar, and then I. I, like, tried it a couple more times in college. I, like, did a couple mics when I was doing, like, a summer in New York City, but then I didn't really start till I graduated, which would have been 2017.

[A]

Okay, what's the degree you graduated with?

[B]

Government and theater.

[A]

Have you used any. I mean, have you used any of the government since then? Well,

[B]

no.

[A]

You never got a job with your degree?

[B]

No. Did you have any other questions?

[A]

Are your parents really upset about that?

[B]

Well, you know, yes and no. It's a constant push and pull. I think for a long time they were very open that they wanted me to go to law school, and we're trying to push that way. But also they were very, like, supportive in many ways that I'm grateful for. So I think they've sort of had their own journey with it. But, yeah, you know, eventually they've. They've come around, and now they're very supportive.

[A]

Nice. So when you're. Yeah. I don't know. Again, are your hands moving a lot or something? You touching the mic or something? Yep, they are. Yeah. Yeah. So no problem.

[B]

Call me out.

[A]

Oh, I. Don't worry. I will.

[B]

Great.

[A]

I let it go for a while just so people could enjoy it. Like, so would people. I'm so. I'm. I'm so sorry, Sam. But, like, I did it so that the people listening would be like, oh, my God, listen. He is moving so much now.

[B]

Yep. It really. Like, we're talking about an authentic experience here.

[A]

Yeah, no, it should be.

[B]

I want you guys to have the

[A]

full experience when you're in college. You're like, well, my major's government, because that's what my parents are comfortable with, and they want me to be an attorney, and maybe I'll do that, but I really care about this. So this is my minor. Theater. Or did it not occur to you at that time that way?

[B]

Like, again. Yes. And no, I also was really interested in it. I didn't know what I wanted to do. I, you know, I thought maybe I'd become a lawyer. And I was sort of interested in like human rights and international law and that kind of stuff.

[A]

Oh, it's interesting. But somewhere along the way you thought, no.

[B]

Yeah, exactly. Somewhere. It was really, I, like, I mean, when I moved to New York, I was like, all right, I'll try. I got like a, you know, an ad sales assistant job or whatever and was like, I'll just try stand up comedy for, you know, six months, maybe a year, and see what happens. And then pretty quickly you realize that it's like an actual job. You meet actual comedians and you find out about different ways to make money, and it just kind of snowballs. And then I got addicted to open mics. And then I turned 27 and I was like, oh, I should take a vitamin.

[A]

Do you, while you're doing those open mics, do you have bits that you string together? Do you have an act of some sort? Or you just stand up there and like, if you said to me right now, Scott, tell me how to pre bolus, I would tell you. And 20 minutes from now, anybody who had heard me said it before would go, that's very reminiscent of when I heard him explain it to me. It wouldn't have been exactly the same, but it would be pretty close. Do you have like, like, if I said to you right now, like, start doing your act, could you just start? Or how does that, you know, is it that ingrained and practiced or what were you doing back then and how is it different now?

[B]

In open mic is really where you test out material so you're, you. Usually I go there and it's not super prepared. I'll have an idea, I'll have a premise and a punchline, and I'll test it out. And if it starts to work, then I'll really, like, dig in, I'll write it down, I'll specify it, I'll edit it and keep trying it over and over and over again. Like you said, when you see a comedian, they've done this like a thousand times before. And it's really the repetition process and it's super specific and it gets super ingrained in your body by the time it actually, like makes it into your act or your special or whatever, your type 5 or whatever you're doing. Yeah. Did that answer your question? But basically, like, if you told me to start to react right now, I,

[A]

I, no, no, not at all. I'M just asking, like. Like, if. If somebody's like, yeah, like, gun. Like, somebody walks in the room now, points a gun at you and says, do your act, would you just be like, hey, everybody, and then just roll right through it? Or is it like that. Is it that stuck in your head? Yeah, totally.

[B]

I mean, it's. I've done it a million times before, and, you know, of course, it depends on the audience. And, you know, I'd gather all my type 1 diabetes jokes for your podcast and.

[A]

And roll them out.

[B]

You know, if I had time to prepare, I would certainly be better and I would have a more, like, conscious set list. But if you just said, start rolling

[A]

through them right now, you'd find it and find a flow to it. What's the secret? Or what have you found helpful that makes something that has been said a number of times feel natural? Like, how do you accomplish that? Oh,

[B]

please tell me if you find out. I don't know. I mean, I. I honestly, like, I. I've been really actually looking recently at, like, performance psychologists because I. I struggle with this, and I get in my head, and I'm realizing more than other comedians, I get in my head. But I think. I think, like, if I'm centered before I go on, I really try to meditate before I go on, then I am sort of more able to, like, connect to myself and just have confidence in myself and let. Let it flow.

[A]

Yeah. Well, it's interesting. And so it's a process to even get to that. What makes you feel like you struggle with it? Like, I mean, obviously, like, you listen, you have this show, somebody must have come to you and said, hey, we'd like to back the thing you're doing. Right. I don't imagine they did that because they saw you and thought, this is garbage. If you're having success, you're making a living, and people are noticing that and wanting to work with you. What makes you feel like. Like, where does the uncertainty come from?

[B]

It's just that feeling when you're on stage and you're. It's not like I'm bombing or it's not like I'm. I'm missing punch lines or doing a terrible job, but it's. It's, you know, you. You can feel it when you're in a flow state and you're connected to yourself.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And you can feel it when you're in your head and you're thinking about how you sound and what you're saying,

[A]

hey, do you live in a diner in New Jersey? By any chance?

[B]

I think that's my roommate in the bathroom.

[A]

Is he busing tables? It sounds like forks going into a plastic tub to me. That's great. No, no, no, I'm just teasing you. I leave it there. I love it. I just. Don't say anything to them. Just let it be. Just once in a while. I feel like you're clearing a table and looking for your tip and in the. In the background. Okay, so I'll.

[B]

I'll yell at the. I'll yell at the staff after the show and I'll let them know I

[A]

told you to keep it quiet on

[B]

the Juice Box podcast.

[A]

Stop it. He's gonna be like, the what? You'll go, fair enough. So where are you living right now?

[B]

I'm living in la. I moved here about a year and

[A]

a half ago from.

[B]

From New York. I was in New York for like seven, eight years and then I moved to la. Where are you based out of?

[A]

I'm in New Jersey. You?

[B]

Wonderful.

[A]

About an hour outside of Manhattan and.

[B]

God, I would love to be in a diner in New Jersey right now. I would not like to live in one.

[A]

I.

[B]

But I would like to be in one.

[A]

Yeah, I actually, we still have one near here that is an honest to God, train car, so.

[B]

Oh, that's so fun.

[A]

Yeah, it really is. Although when you're sitting in it, you're like, there's a lot of air moving through the wall. Like, are we outside?

[B]

Oh, oh, oh, oh.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So it's like an old authentic.

[A]

It really is rail thin paper. Yes. Like, you feel like you could run through the wall and be outside if you needed to be.

[B]

That's. That's fun. That's fun.

[A]

What's the difference between the comedy scene in New York and la? Is there a vibe difference? Is it like. Yeah, I mean, anything. Is the camaraderie different? Is there anything about it that's striking?

[B]

My God, they're so different. I mean, they're as. It's different as the cities are themselves. You know, New York is sort of. It's sort of like an old school, I guess, more like if you think of like a comedy club, brick and mortar, comedians in the green room busting each other's balls. Like, I feel like that's very New York. And you also. You can. There are more comedy clubs in New York and you can do more spots in a night just based off of the, like, geographically. So you can do the Comedy Cellar. You do three shows at the Comedy Cellar. You can walk around the street, you can do Greenwich Village Comedy Club, you can do the Grizzly Pear, and then you can go across town and do New York Comedy Club. And that's all in one night. And now, you know that joke that you did at the open mic, you have five reps on and you have so much data of audience member, what they're reacting to that you can really work out a bit.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And so it feels like New York is like this, this like training ground,

[A]

almost like a batting cage. Right. Like you can go in, take some swings, then come back, see a different pitcher, do it again without having a bunch of gap of time in between.

[B]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Super similar.

[A]

I cut you off. L A is.

[B]

L A is just more spread out. And so usually you're doing one. Usually it's just one show a night. There's less shows. And of course, like, writing and acting and filming is the priority here. And so a lot of people are focusing on that. And there's a lot more casting directors at shows. There's a lot more industry here at shows. And so it's just, it's just a totally different feel. You know, for. For better or for worse, people are also hanging out at the shows in LA more because they're not running around the corner to do another spot. It's. It is more, I think, a more relaxed vibe and the scene just has a slightly different feel. It's, it's. Yeah, it's a. It's a totally different vibe. I don't know if I explained that, but not.

[A]

You're doing great. And I have, I have a question about the, the comedy goers and the comedians. So place to place, are comedians different coast to coast? Like, are their goals different? Is it more like, again, my mind knowing nothing about this, I would think, like New York is more like Dave Attell and LA is more like Chris Hardwick, like, that kind of vibe. Or is it not the case? Are there people with different sensibilities on either coast? And if so, are they changing their act to meet the audience or are they going with what I would probably think of as like the Howard Stern, like, idea when he started, you know, spreading his show across the country? Because I don't. You're not old enough for this. But when Howard Stern, he was in New York and then they put him in Philly and then they put him in Boston and they kept simulcasting the other markets. Yeah. And people would come to him and say, well, you're going to have to change your act because that won't play here in Wisconsin. And he said, people are people. And he kept doing what he was doing. Like, do you find that that's true or do you have. Or can you not tell the same joke to New York that you can tell to la? Vice versa?

[B]

Yeah, audience wise, totally different. I mean, New York and LA actually are somewhat similar just because they're such large metropolis. Metropolises. Why am I saying words I've never said before?

[A]

Yeah, pick out a couple more. You don't know. Go ahead.

[B]

Yeah, so I was, I was feeling so sardonic while I was touring last year.

[A]

No idea.

[B]

Yeah, the audiences are so wildly different and based off geography, based off venue, I mean, the Edinburgh Festival, you're getting tourists from all over the world. Sometimes they don't speak English. So then you have to change your act.

[A]

You do. So that's the question is like, you give them a different joke. Like, because I know, I know me, I'd be like, screw you. This is the joke. Like it or don't like it. But I, maybe I wouldn't make it very long doing it that way. Like.

[B]

But yeah, you do that to like, work on your. Like, sometimes I'll do that if it's, you know, it depends on the gig. It's really. You gotta. How much do you care about doing well at this gig and how much do you care about developing the hour that you're. You're currently working on? So sometimes I'm like, yeah, this is the joke that I wrote last night that I'm really excited about and I have a thing I'm taping on Friday. I need to try this joke even though I know it's going to bomb in Wichita.

[A]

Give it a shot. How would you describe your comedy? Like, if you were handed out leaflets in New York and you wanted me to come in and listen, like, how would you say, like, oh, Sam's here. Like, here's what you're getting from him. Is this terrible? Every time I do a speaking engagement, somebody said, can you write a bio for yourself? And I go, no, I don't understand who I am at all.

[B]

Why am I so bad at this? Like, my job is to sell myself. It's so embarrassing that you're like, how would you describe yourself? And I'm like, I don't know. I'm 31, I'm gay, I'm diabetic. You figure it out.

[A]

Leave me alone.

[B]

Like, it's, it's, I'd say in the comedy clubs it's like high powered, like. Or high powered, like high energy. Really, really Sort of like, I try to, like, write as tightly as I can and get as many punch lines as I can.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

And it's you know, it's. It's storytelling and it's sort of. Sorry, the. The solo show is obviously more storytelling and that's probably what I've become, you know, most known for. But in my act, it's. Honestly, it can be very gay. It can be very, like, sort of irreverent, even intellectual sometimes. I don't know if I'm selling it. Well.

[A]

No, that's awesome. Let me act like your mom for a second.

[B]

Like, pretty nerdy Sam the past couple years.

[A]

Sam, sit still. Put your hands on your lap. Okay. Yes, yes. But so wait a minute. So very gay, very thoughtful. You're crossing a line. Is that what you said?

[B]

Thoughtful?

[A]

Well, I mean, use the different word.

[B]

It is reckless, it is reckless, and it is queer.

[A]

Okay, fair enough. Reckless and queer. I mean, I'd put that right on the poster. I don't know why your poster says anything but that, to be perfectly honest with you.

[B]

It doesn't. It says reckless and queer. Queer. It's me posing sexy with my glucose monitor.

[A]

And do you find that there are a lot of type ones in the audience or do you just find that the. The messaging about, like, I have an invisible illness, like, resonates with people?

[B]

Now there are type 1 diabetics have shown up.

[A]

Nice.

[B]

It's awesome. It's unbelievable, actually. I mean, like, I never. I was just like a comedian and then this happened to me and at 27, so of course I talked about it. I mean, it's such a funny disease. Like it's life threatening, but it's managed with candy. It's like there's all these, like, contradictions of what this is. And you're just like constantly almost dying and I'm like learning how to do all this stuff. And like, I also just like, you know, I like to complain, you know, and so I have a microphone and now I have this disease that. Right. I mean, that's probably why we do this.

[A]

I'm not Jewish, but I could be. And I just. I love.

[B]

So sorry to hear that.

[A]

I love to complain. It's my. Maybe my favorite thing to do. So.

[B]

Yeah, right. And like, this is something that's hard to complain about because it's so much context and like, you have to explain what diabetes is. And no one understands the difference between type one and type two. And no one has any idea, like, what you actually go through. And then you go on Stage and you, you can like explain it all.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And like, actually people are like contextualized interested.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And you know, and then, you know,

[A]

I, I'm sorry, you just made such a great point. Right. You're busy telling people like you don't understand insulin. Too much of this and I'm going to die. Too little of this and I'm going to die. Like this is, you know, life or death. By the way, I'm in trouble right now. Can. Do you have a Mike and Ike in your pocket? And like, wait, what? Like, right, like what a silly answer to such a serious statement. Like I'm going to pass out and die. Is there any chance you have sweet tar? Like what?

[B]

It's. Yeah, yeah, it's so.

[A]

It does seem silly. Do you think of it like that?

[B]

Like I'm gonna die. Oh, thank God I have these Sour Patch Kids. Like, this is.

[A]

Yeah, it feels stupid while you're doing it. It feels stupid, right.

[B]

Ridiculous disease.

[A]

Yeah, it's a ridiculous.

[B]

It's just like a Willy Wonka esque disease.

[A]

Oh, here's a piece of chocolate. No, chocolate won't work quickly enough. I really do need. Well, I never thought of it that way.

[B]

Protein content, it muddies it. And like you can't explain all this. I mean, as much as you can. And like you should, of course, you know, and I try as much as possible to like explain, you know, when I go to get a low blood sugar. But we've all been in meetings and been like, oh no, I'm 50 and running out of the room, coming back with like chalky glucose tablets coming out of our mouths. We're shaking, just like, keep going, I'm fine. Like, you just can't. Sometimes you, I don't know, maybe you shouldn't listen to me and you shouldn't do that. But like sometimes in life I, you know, you just don't have the ability to explain.

[A]

I take your point. I really do. Especially because I've seen my daughter try to like all of her common sense in the world when her a, her, when her blood sugar is 80, 90, 120, would tell her, look, if I'm 50 and I'm getting woozy here, I would not push through this. I have to do something. But you put yourself in a, in a setting and then all of a sudden your decision making skills aren't quite as good. And you heard people talk about it all the time, you're like, no, I can make it through this. Even though as they're saying it later, they Go. I realize I'm not actually in control of pushing through a 50 blood sugar, but it feels like in the moment. No, I can do this. Which is, you know, again, also ridiculous. The whole you. Bam. Sam, you're right. The whole thing is silly from a certain perspective. Huh?

[B]

I mean, at least that's. Yeah, that's how I see. But that, that, that is such a good point. And also, I. I kind of forgot I'm on a diabetes podcast. Yeah, you should. You shouldn't push through a 50 push.

[A]

No, no, you don't listen. No, Sam, listen. I think it's fairly obvious.

[B]

I know you put a disclaimer at the beginning, but of all the episodes, this is not to be taken.

[A]

No, I think 20 minutes ago, people realized they're not listening to you about anything. But that's not really the point. That's not why you're in their life. You're there to make them laugh and make them smile. Can we be halfway serious for a second?

[B]

Well, of course.

[A]

What's it like dating and having diabetes? I mean, do you decide, like, is it first date? Is it third date? Is it. I, like, this person I'm going to tell them is like, when do you let them in and give them some background about what's happening to you?

[B]

Well, I mean, I'm lucky that I talk about it on stage. And what I was actually going to say is when the diabetics come is that when I started posting online, people were like, so enthusiastic about it. And then, like, you know, I just had a couple viral videos and people started showing up like crazy. But unfortunately, like, yeah, if you look at my Instagram, usually I have some video where I'm like, making a joke about my glucose monitor. So that part for me is, you know.

[A]

Oh, they kind of come pre educated that way.

[B]

They kind of come pre educated. I mean, I come into the date and I'm like, girl, you know, if you don't, then you need to.

[A]

You'll figure it out pretty quick. Also, I didn't realize you were fishing in the pond where you were working. But that makes sense too, right? I mean, some.

[B]

Am I doing something?

[A]

No. Like, some guys show up and they're. They think I think Sam's funny. I think Sam's cute. I'm gonna take a shot at Sam later. Right? Like, that happens too.

[B]

Oh, I hope so.

[A]

Yeah. Oh, I mean, like, that's the only reason you're doing this, is what I'm saying.

[B]

Yeah, that's what I was gonna say. I mean, that's the real reason you post online. It's just.

[A]

Yeah, I'm not a comedian. I just set up my own Tinder, that's all.

[B]

Yeah, I actually thought you were. When you said the fishing comment, I thought you.

[A]

What did you think I meant? You were making.

[B]

I thought I was like playing with the. The mic chord again.

[A]

Oh, no, you're definitely playing with the mic chord, but I've given up on that. Sam, What I was saying was, is that you're using the audience as a dating pool is what I was saying.

[B]

I think, I think I need to like. I think it's like slapping against the table when I'm just like.

[A]

Wait, what's slapping against the table, Sam?

[B]

Scott.

[A]

See, I can be funny.

[B]

Scott, Scott, Scott. Leave it for the dms, please. No, the mic. The mic cord I think is.

[A]

Oh, it's hitting the table when you're moving.

[B]

Yeah, Yeah, I think it might be just hitting the table a little bit.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Because I am against all of my natural impulses sitting still.

[A]

Yeah, no, it is incredibly noisy, just so you know. Although the silverware stopped. I assume you texted him.

[B]

I didn't. I'm sure they just figured it out, but yeah, sorry, I'll. I'll try to. I'll try to fix you.

[A]

Apologizing is not necessary. I think this all, like. I've never had a more on brand conversation than the one I'm having right now with you. I think this is perfect. Don't worry about it so much. Of course. How does someone approach you to put a show on in London? Like, that's fascinating to me. Yeah.

[B]

I mean, it was a long journey. From Edinburgh, I did the show at the New York Comedy Festival and then from there an off Broadway theater picked it up and it ran off Broadway for a little while and, you know, it got good reviews. And then a commercial producer picked it up and we toured it a little bit and now we're going to London.

[A]

That's awesome.

[B]

It's really. Yeah. I mean, theater is a totally different world than stand up. And one that honestly I do not understand.

[A]

Right.

[B]

And certainly not as well as stand up, but it's. It. Yeah.

[A]

You.

[B]

You work with a commercial producer and they raise money and it's, it's. It's a whole machine.

[A]

Yeah. How long does it run for again? Tell me when it starts and how long it runs.

[B]

March 5th through April 4th.

[A]

Okay. And in the theater name, Underbelly Boulevard

[B]

in London, it's called Sugar Daddy. Yeah, I think those are the. The basic details.

[A]

I'M gonna have to ask. Arden's best friend went to college in London. She just got. She just graduated and came back. I'll ask her if she knows it, because she went out. I'm gonna. Every Wednesday night for something they called Wavy Wednesday. I don't think that that is a thing their parents would have been happy about, but she was out in London all the time, so I'll have to ask her if she knows the theater. This is very cool. Like, let me kind of, like, pivot a little harder into the diabetes for a second. So when you're diagnosed at 27, you're not really, you know, paying great attention to your health, but you suddenly start. So I guess, first, what were the signs that you had type one? And what were the first couple weeks like? And where did you make a decision to, like, go? Oh, wow, this is pretty serious signs

[B]

were, you know, the same ones that it seems like everyone has. I was peeing all the time, and I had this weird metaly taste in my mouth, and I was just exhausted all the time. And I honestly, my primary probably saved my life. I told her that I was peeing a lot, and I don't think, you know, I didn't make a big deal out of it. I just told her I was peeing a lot. And, you know, it goes in these waves, which is really kind of, you know, it would. It would get. Get better because my blood sugar, for some reason, I think because I was in honeymoon, would, like, stabilize, and then it would get worse, and I'd be like, it's better right now. But I was peeing a lot, like, a month ago. And she was like, you don't have it. You know, likely not. There's not a lot of symptoms that point to it, but I'm going to test for type 1 diabetes. And then I got a call that night from the lab technician, and they actually said, you might have some diabetes.

[A]

Oh.

[B]

Which I just. I love. I love that so much. He said, your blood sugar is 600. You might have some diabetes. And of course, I had no reference for what 600 is, so I was like, all right, it's not so bad. It's just six. I don't know why I turned it into Trump. I don't know. It's not so bad. It's just 600.

[A]

Everyone agrees. Just a little. Yeah.

[B]

Just a little diet. Yeah.

[A]

So I just. A little diabetes.

[B]

That big of a deal.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Said you have some. They said, you have some.

[A]

Yeah, I've got plenty of space where I Don't have any. A pair. That's. That's. That's fantastic.

[B]

Congrats.

[A]

What do they do? Just. Your doctor just ran an A1C or. Or literally just. Or just a blood glucose. Do you remember?

[B]

Yeah, I think it was just a blood glucose. Wow.

[A]

Well, 600 definitely is some. At some.

[B]

Yeah, that is them.

[A]

And then what do you do? You call the doctor. The doctor sees the labs and goes, oh, hell, go to the hospital. Or where does it go from there when you're an adult?

[B]

Yeah, I actually went back into my primary, I believe, the next day, if I'm remembering everything correctly. I'm also trying to remember it correctly because I told this story on a different podcast, and now I'm like, oh, no. People are going to be comparing the ER stories and be like, he was lying.

[A]

I don't. If that happens, Sam, you're way more famous than I thought you are, so go ahead.

[B]

I don't think so. No, just. Just the anxious Judaism coming up. Yeah. So I think I went to my primary, and she then was like, you need to go to the error.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

And then I went to the er and they, you know, did all the things at the er, which is mostly just keep you hanging around and make sure you don't pass out. And then eventually a nurse comes in and it's like, here's how you inject yourself with insulin. And you're like, what that heck did you just say to me?

[A]

Why is that happening? Oh, my gosh. And then does. Does it all, like, even at that age, do you call your parents or where do you go for your support in the moment?

[B]

Unfortunately, my mom was in New York City and accompanied me to the new emergency room.

[A]

Oh, Sam, that's the most Jewish thing you're gonna say today. That's lovely.

[B]

It's truly. Oh, my God. No, I mean, I'm so lucky. My mom's. My mom's catching a lot of strays here. Not my intention.

[A]

Speaking of catching strays, let's go back to your dating.

[B]

But that was a stressful day.

[A]

Oh, so you. You're at the doctor's office, you're like, hey, mom, listen, here's the situation I'm in. Like, come with me. Or did she invite herself?

[B]

Yeah, certainly not. Come with me. Oh, certainly. Here's what's going on. And then she just magically, poof. Appeared out of nowhere.

[A]

Listen, it's nice when people love you, isn't it?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

No, I mean, yeah.

[B]

Every time I get a call at 3am I think especially getting diagnosed older, you realize how lucky you are to have people calling you at 3:00am as annoying. I think if I, if I was 14, dealing with this, I probably, my mom and I wouldn't have a relationship, but, you know, just like the angsty teenager. I just can't imagine your mom constantly monitoring your blood sugar. It's got to be such a difficult

[A]

dynamic, you know, I believe it absolutely is for a lot of people. And then you're saying, but luckily at an older, at an older age, you can, you can appreciate the value and somebody having your back and, and willing to help you out, especially at times when they'd rather be sleeping as well.

[B]

Absolutely, absolutely.

[A]

Well, okay, so you get your diagnosis. Do they give you CGMs? Do they give you pumps? Like, what's the context you begin your journey with?

[B]

It's so interesting. You know, last night, my dear friend just got out of the hospital and she was diagnosed with Ms. Oh, gosh. And she was like in her home for the first time and she's like the most resilient, funny person. She's a comedian, Kylie. Mincing. Check her out if you can. It reminded me so much not to, like, of course you cannot compare these diseases. But it reminded me so much of when I first got diagnosed. And you're sent home from the er. She just has like a packet, like a printed out packet that they send home with like a WebMD definition of Ms. And like, that's what. Yeah, they give you when you leave the emergency room with type 1 diabetes. And I didn't have a, I didn't get to see a specialist. I don't remember for how long. It felt like months. And in that time in between was like the most difficult.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And that's the time where I'm talking about, like listening and looking for resources online and like, I just like, was. So again, I'm using words I don't usually use. Flabbergasted that there wasn't more support in that. You just. I was just like, this is unreal. I'm just like guessing how much insulin to give myself. I'm injecting. I have no idea if anything's working. I, like, suddenly I was like, scared to eat carbs in general. It was. Yeah, yeah. It's just such a scary and like confusing, disorienting time where you're just like one thing Kylie said last night, it was actually really funny. She, like, she has a limp now and so she has to like, do everything different. And she at one point just goes, everything Feels like a trap. Which was funny in the moment, even though it might not sound like it. And I remember that was like, that's what it feels like to get diagnosed with type 1 diabetes with absolutely no guidance. And you're just sent home from the hospital with like an insulin pen, needles, and a packet.

[A]

How am I supposed to sleep, eat? Like everything feels like a trap. Like everything that you start to do, you don't know how to approach it any longer. Is that the idea?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Yeah. Wow. So.

[B]

And also, just like, the lack of. Of guidance on you. You just have to learn everything new again.

[A]

Right.

[B]

You have to learn how to do everything. Take your dog out, go. You know, is all different.

[A]

Yeah. And the second time you read through the so you have Ms. Packet, you realize there's nothing helpful in here at all. So you have ms, comma, you have Ms. Yeah. Yeah.

[B]

The sequel to so you think you can dance.

[A]

Those people definitely can't dance. But I. No, I just, I. I feel that a lot because I think, honestly, I think that the dynamic of how the world actually works versus how it feels like it should work has a light shown on it after people are diagnosed with stuff like this. Because how is there not a person, an entity thing that happens next? Like, how. How would I find myself listening to a podcast to try to help myself? That seems insane.

[B]

It is insane.

[A]

Really does. Like, if you're trying to, you know, build a door frame and you end up on YouTube. Cool. But, like, you shouldn't be there learning how to put your insulin pump on. I know that that's how the world works now, and we've all kind of accepted it, but that really is nuts. It's nuts that a person in a position of a, you know, authority in a medical facility called you and said, hey, it seems like you have some diabetes. Like, how do you have a job? Right? Like that. That stuff is. Is really. I find it off putting. Honestly, for me, there's no more of an adult moment than around a number of different things. This politics, anything really anything that you know, is kind of bigger that you didn't understand when you were younger. Anything that you look up one day and think to yourself, like, how are we all alive? Is this all just held together with, like, duct tape and bailing wire? Like, are we just lucky the earth's not spinning off its axis right now? Like, that's how it ends up making me feel. It's just like, I think really is society is existing by mistake is what it feels like.

[B]

That's such a yeah, that's such a good way to put it. It does feel like, it feels like we just like tripped and like got lucky that there's like some semblance of a healthcare system. It just doesn't feel like intentional at all. It feels all disconnected from each other. It feels like we're so many people are one major health crisis away from having no money and no support and it's just such a fickle system that's held up by like go fund me's.

[A]

Same feeling I have when like I listen as much as I understand this would fit in the thimble, but the earth is only staying at the right temperature because we're a certain distance from the sun, right? And they say like if it, if it was just a little farther apart, then the earth would just be like a frozen ball. It wouldn't even work right. I feel like that about society. Like are we just like, like one bumped thing away from zombies and fire and it all just is over? Do I think that's going to happen? I kind of don't because obviously society has been around for, you know, good long time and it seems to work. But what is that unseen mechanism that keeps this thing that's on like a razor's edge from tipping one way or the other? Like it just doesn't feel like it feels weird that it's balanced and it works. And then when you get into smaller situations, like you know, your doctor's office calls you and says something completely out of pocket that just they should not say, it really is like, I don't know, it's, it's off putting to me. Also I used out of pocket as a send up to the girl who went to school in London. That's only for her. She would only know that if she was listening. So I am now doing humor for just one of the tens of thousands of people who are listening right now. I mean I don't want to be like overly dramatic but like it just feels like we're lucky the whole thing is standing half the time and your story makes me feel that way.

[B]

It.

[A]

Yeah, yeah, I'm sorry myself. Yeah, I should have asked you more about gay sex or something. That would have been more fun.

[B]

But finally, I mean I've been thinking it the whole time. Sam's like, why isn't he asking me more about gay sex? So here's how two men have sex. Everyone go ahead and sit down if you're listening.

[A]

The one of the men, hope, hopefully the cuter one. Now listen. No, but how does that hit you? Like how does it, Isn't it just so strange that if you just fall on the other side of that razor, like maybe you don't get the, the information you need, like you could be in a completely different place today.

[B]

So I mean it makes you think about these big questions I think that we're thinking about, or at least it does to me. I mean, you know, I think when you face death and you realize how fickle everything is and it all sounds just like when you were talking I was like, oh yeah, it's just because it's like this is evolution, like in its most basic form. I think it's just like natural selection and like that's the reason it's, it's all moving forward. It's just cuz like it's just like that's what we're wired to do. We're wired to like survive and that's kind of it. And then we're trying to put these like health care systems on top to make it makes sense. And you know, obviously some countries have figured out healthcare system better than others, but does feel like, yeah, I don't know what I'm saying, but basically I don't even know when you face death and when you have these things you realize, I mean like if my doctor didn't catch it there, I could have ended up in DKA and you know, not here today or any of these things.

[A]

It surprises me as you're saying that when I'm trying to go through my memory that I don't know how many people have accurately talk, talked about their diagnosis as a moment right before I was going to die. And that's a completely accurate description of it. And no one seems to think of it that way or at least articulate it that way when I'm talking to them like you, I think you might be the first person who said that like I was close to death and blah blah, like well that's the whole disease though. Yeah. I mean the whole time the whole

[B]

disease is like almost dying. Constant.

[A]

Constantly. Yes, yes. Yeah, Right, right. It does feel like you're driving without your seatbelt on, on the autobahn with one hand on the wheel and your head out the window and you're like, I wonder if something's going to like if a sign's going to clip me in the face. Totally.

[B]

And then like the only way to fix it is like eating gummies. And you're like, what? No, I, I, it's so funny when you have that like low blood sugar And I know some people experience it differently, but, like, mine, I'm like, oh, my God. Like, I. Not only do I need to eat the kitchen, I'm like, I got to. I got it. I gotta get up and I gotta, like, it's like so intense, right? And it just. It just feels. It really feels like an emergency. It really feels like the house is on fire.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Yeah. And it's just so funny that, like, orange juice is that. It's just such a. Like, no, you don't do any of the things that you feel like you should do. You just eat, drink orange juice and sit down and shut up. And you're like, this can't be right.

[A]

It's funny because there are times when I've seen, like, a parent describe it as like, a cookie saved my kid's life today. And there's times when I've seen it told, you know, in a story where I'm like, wow, that is accurate. And there's times when I think people have done it to be hyperbolic. But still, one way or the other, it is actually true. Like, what an odd thing to think that a gummy bear is what saved your life. But you're really spot. Is. Is this going to be in the show? Is this kind of biting commentary going to be in the show that I come to in London, by the way? I've never been to London, so I won't be coming is what I was saying.

[B]

But there is some. There is some. I have a story about my diagnosis.

[A]

I.

[B]

You know, I have quite a bit of material about type 1 diabetes. You know, a story of. Of one low blood sugar where I was, like, attacked by Steagalls.

[A]

Would you just say Steagalls?

[B]

Seagulls.

[A]

I thought, thank God, because Steagalls is what? Oh, my God, Sam. This is apropos of nothing, but during one of the strikes early on in the NFL, I believe the Eagles and the Steelers came together and played as one team for a while. And I believe they called them the Steagalls. I'm not sure which is. I thought, like, what an odd reference. But you. I just misheard you. Sorry.

[B]

Yeah, no, I went low blood sugar because I was attacked by a combination of the Philadelphia Eagles and the Pittsburgh

[A]

Steelers, and I was running from them and I just burned up all my sugar.

[B]

So, hey, it's believable. Sam, listen, would make a great solo show.

[A]

I just want to say, and I mean this with a lot of love. I believe if the Steelers and the Eagles were chasing you, you would not run Away. What do you think of that?

[B]

If the Philadelphia. Well, it depends. Is it Jason? Kelsey? No, I'm. I'm sitting down, and you just do whatever you need to do, you know?

[A]

Is he catnip?

[B]

Catnip? Scott?

[A]

I don't know.

[B]

I haven't. Sorry, I haven't heard catnip. It sounds like such, like, a 40s queer way to talk. Absolutely love catnip. I think of like an old queen in a bar. Like, oh, look at that, catnip.

[A]

I need more people to describe me as an old queen in a bar. That hasn't happened yet, but I'm hoping for that. I try to explain to my daughter sometimes, and she's like. She'll say, like, this guy's attractive. And I go, I will. I believe you. But I don't know that to be true, and I can't substantiate it at all. Like, if you. I just go with, like. If someone says attractive man, I just say Brad Pitt because I know that women find him. Yeah, I know women find him attractive. So I just think, well, he must be attractive. I am. I have no ability to, like, suss out what guys are attractive and what guys aren't. And I'm always wrong if my wife or my daughter ask me. Always.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

So.

[B]

Well, it's a skill we can work on together.

[A]

I don't know what I'm gonna do with that skill, Sam, but. But I.

[B]

Well, you go to gay bars, hang out, say things like, catnip.

[A]

There's all.

[B]

There's a whole world out there. There.

[A]

Do you think I should have a cigarette on a long extension while I'm saying that? Like one of those.

[B]

Yeah, I think you should actually have a cane.

[A]

Top hat, perhaps, and. Yeah, I don't know where that came from either. Probably most of the dumb things I say are probably because the thing that I occurred to me to say was. Wasn't appropriate for the podcast, so I had to go to something else. Usually.

[B]

Yeah, yeah, yep. Jason Kelce is catnip.

[A]

Jason Kelce is an attractive man, you're saying.

[B]

Yep, yep, yep, yep. That's my type.

[A]

That's your type. Big, burly, the beard. Is that the whole thing?

[B]

Gay bears?

[A]

Okay.

[B]

I didn't expect to come onto the podcast and explain the gay bear community, but let's go for it.

[A]

I mean, what did you expect to talk about?

[B]

I don't know, honestly. Mostly about this combination team of the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Philadelphia Eagles. I'd love to get back on topic, please.

[A]

Yeah, yeah.

[B]

You said they joined in 1999.

[A]

I don't. God, this would have been in, like, the 40s, I think. And I don't think we should dig into this at all. But I do think I might call your episode Steagalls.

[B]

Yeah, sure.

[A]

Sam's like, whatever. It doesn't matter. I think.

[B]

I think people are probably going to tune out from all the cord whipping going around anyway, so, sure, call.

[A]

Well, not if I did a good enough job of making them think you're pantsless. And it's something else because I tried to make other people think the noises were other things.

[B]

No, seriously, a New Jersey diner?

[A]

Yeah, yeah. So. But anyway, I don't know how we got that. Oh, the eagles were chasing you. Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Okay, go back to seagull. What was the story about a seagull?

[B]

Oh, sure. Great job.

[A]

Thank you.

[B]

Great job. I am not easy to focus.

[A]

I can't believe I found that. Actually, I was really lost about how we got the Jason. Kelsey, for a half a second.

[B]

Yeah, the seagulls. I. I won't do the bed because it won't really make sense in this context, but basically, I going low blood sugar. Then I was attacked by seagulls. And so, like, I had to run. I had to outrun these seagulls. It was like I had to then explain type 1 diabetes to seagulls that were attacking me. And I just had one thing. It's real. It's a true story. I just had one little thing of glucose tablets, and they, like, really wanted it, and so I had to somehow get out of this situation. You'll have to come to the show to see how.

[A]

Oh, my God. I am. I am absolutely enchanted by that. What an idea of you standing on a boardwalk. I'm imagining and getting low and being like, it's okay, I can save myself with this piece of candy. And then birds ascend on you and try to take it from you, and then you're trying to whip them away with a low blood. Oh, my God, it's awesome.

[B]

Just running away. Which makes it worse because then you. Of course, I'm trying to, like, manage because I don't want to. Of course running makes you go more low. And so I'm like, that's going through your exerting energy. I. I, like. I really was like, I'm gonna die running away from zero.

[A]

Was that actually going through your head as you're running? Like, I shouldn't exert my.

[B]

Of course I was. I was pan. I mean, I was low blood sugar. I was so anxious, and I was, like, shaking. And then when I. I mean, exercise also really affects me, and so I knew that if I started running, it, you know.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

The insulin would combine with the exercise, and I. I was terrified.

[A]

Oh, my God.

[B]

I mean, I. I gen. It was a. I mean, of course, it's a funny story now, but, like, at the time, I was genuinely terrified.

[A]

Yeah, not in the moment. It's more like now. It's funny, but back then, it actually felt like the birds. Like, like. Yeah, yeah, exactly. Would you mind if, when I put your episode up, I do an AI rendering of you running from seagulls in that old car from the birds movie with a glucose tablet in your hand? Is that okay?

[B]

As long as I can use it for every single piece of promo.

[A]

Okay, go, please. I'm already writing the AI prompt in my head, so just think.

[B]

Actually, if you want, we can send you. We have, like, promo materials from the show, and we did some with, like, seagulls as, like.

[A]

Oh, well, then I would just prefer. I would prefer the easier route. Just send me that. Yes, please. I'm not looking to work. You know what I mean? I love, too, that there's people out there like, now going, like, is he saying that writing an AI prompt for an image generator is work? Because if he is, I want to make a podcast, too. All right, well, listen, you were fantastic, Sam. This was terrific, and I'm so happy that you reached out. You're also the second person to say Jason Kelsey to me in the last hour and a half, which is odd because I don't hear that name very frequently. My son came into me right before he. I think he left to get his haircut. Not that that matters, but he goes, hey, you got to check out the Kelsey podcast today. They interviewed the little kid who, on the way out of the Eagles playoff loss this year, like, some. A cameraman caught him from, like, a local news group. And there's this young. I mean, the kids make 12 or 14 years old, and he is just ranting and raving like, I want to see this coach fired. He should be flipping burgers tomorrow. The kid was, like, going off, and the Kelsey's apparently had them on their podcast and then asked him, you know, what would you like to see the new offensive coordinator do? And the kid had, like, cogent ideas about play calling and structure and stuff like that. And apparently my son's like, you have to watch it, because they're staring at him like, how do you know about all this? And I Said to my son, I was like, so wait, what's happening? He goes, he goes, travis Kelsey is like, do you study film? Like, from football? Like, how do you know this? And I said to my son, do you think they know? It's not that difficult. And the rest of us were able to figure it out pretty quickly. We just don't play football. He was treating the kid apparently, as if he had come up with, like, the cure for some, like, long suffering disease. And, and the kids just like, no, it just makes sense to, like, go that way. So. Yeah, yeah. I mean, I'm always.

[B]

I never know. I, I, it does feel so complicated when I watch football. It does feel a little bit like wizardry.

[A]

Yeah. But at the same time, don't you sometimes think like, well, they ran left and it worked. Why do they keep running? Right now? I think that's kind of how the kid was like, you know, laying it out. But I think the funny part is that I guess Travis was like, mesmerized by his genius. And I thought like, maybe Travis has bumped his head one too many times, you know, Like, I don't, I just can't be that hard. You know what I mean? Anyway, all the football has. Yeah. Oh, 100. Yeah. Yeah. My favorite meme is Travis Kelsey with his last girlfriend and with Taylor Swift in the same thing. And I forget what the wording is, but it's something like, in this picture, he looks like one thing, and in this picture, he looks like a guy who cries after intercourse because of how his. How is how his clothing has changed so drastically. If you've never seen that, everyone go find that one. It's hilarious.

[B]

Thank you.

[A]

Get out there immediately and find it. Tell people about your. You've got a website again where they can get tickets. All that, please.

[B]

Yep. March 5, Underbelly Boulevard in London. Sugar daddy, you, you can come check me out on Instagram at Samuel H. Morrison. If you're not in London. I have a tour alert, which basically just means I text you if I'm coming to your city, and I won't text you more than that. I never sell people's data. It's so helpful for me as a touring comedian because it's really hard to rely on the algorithms. I'm sure, Scott, you've experienced this a little bit to, like, get to people when I'm coming to your city. And I get so many messages that are like, when are you coming to Louisville? And I'm like, I was there two weekends ago. And so if you sign up for this thing, you go to the link in my bio or to my website, www.samuelmorrison.com. i'll text you when I'm performing in your city. And that's it. And that's a, that's also just a huge help for me. So it takes 10 seconds, everybody.

[A]

If you found Sam delightful, go find him delightful some more in where he's putting out his stuff.

[B]

Thank you so much again, Scott. Really. I, I mean, I, I don't just say that. That series when I first got diagnosed and I, you know, I've, I've truly been listening for years now. So this was so fun and such a delight and I'm so glad how sort of chaotic and perfect this conversation was. It was a really fun time. Thank you for having me.

[A]

It's my pleasure. And actually, you just made me think. I usually cut the recording off and then people say a ton of nice stuff to me afterwards and I think like, oh, I should have let it run for that. But now I'm gonna do that because that was great.

[B]

I'm gonna be such a to you once this turns off.

[A]

I can't wait. Well, I'm gonna hit stop now so you can yell at me. Ready? I'd like to remind you again about the MiniMed 780G automated insulin delivery system, which of course anticipates, adjusts and corrects every five minutes 24 7. It works around the clock so you can focus on what matters. The juicebox community knows the importance of using technology to simplify managing diabetes. To learn more about how you can spend less time and effort managing your diabetes, visit my link. Link medtronicdiabetes.com Juicebox Having an easy to use and accurate blood glucose meter is just one click away. Contour next.com juicebox that's right. Today's episode is sponsored by the Contour Next Gen blood glucose meter. Okay, well, here we are at the end day of the the episode. You're still with me. Thank you. I really do appreciate that. What else could you do for me? Why don't you tell a friend about the show or leave a five star review? Maybe you could make sure you're following or subscribed in your podcast app. Go to YouTube and follow me or Instagram TikTok. Oh gosh, here's one. Make sure you're following the podcast in the private Facebook group as well as the public Facebook page. You don't want to miss, please. Do you not know about the private group? You have to join the private group as of this recording, it has 74,000 members. They're active, talking about diabetes. Whatever you need to know, there's a conversation happening in there right now and I'm there all the time. Tag me, I'll say hi. How would you like to share a type 1 diabetes getaway like no other? Join me on Juice Cruise 2026. You may be asking, what is Juice Cruise? It's a week long cruise designed specifically for people and families living with type 1 diabetes. It's not just a vacation, it's a chance to relax, connect and feel understood in a way that is hard to find elsewhere. We're going to sail out of Miami and the cruise includes stops in Cococay, San Juan, St. Kitts and Nevis aboard the stunning Celebrity Beyond. This ship is chosen for its comfort, accessibility and exceptional amenities. You're going to enjoy a welcoming environment surrounded by others who get life with type 1 diabetes. I'm going to host diabetes focused conversations and meetups on the days at sea. There's thoughtfully designed spaces, incredible dining and modern amenities all throughout the Celebrity Beyond. Your kids can be supervised and there's teen programs so everyone gets time to recharge, not just the kids going on vacation, but maybe you get to kick back a little bit too. There's going to be zero judgment, real connections and a whole lot of sun and fun on Juice Cruise 2026. Please come with me. You're going to have a terrific time. You can learn more or set up your [e-mail] JuiceCruise get a hold of Suzanne at CruisePlanners. She will take care of everything. Links in the show Notes Links at juicebox podcast. Com have a podcast. Want it to sound fantastic? Wrongwayrecording.com.