← Mike Birbiglia's Working It Out
Mike Birbiglia's Working It Out
191. Todd Glass: The Ultimate Comic's Comic
00:59:14
Todd Glass was one of the first comics Mike opened for. It’s easy to see how, since then, Todd has become one of the most beloved comic of his generation, revered by comics including Nikki Glaser, Judd Apatow, and Rory Scovel. Now Mike and Todd sit down for a discussion about how coming out changed Todd’s life and his comedy, Todd’s heart attack backstage at Largo, and Todd’s new live show featuring a band. Plus, jokes about peanut allergies and old-sounding names, and the story behind the viral video of Todd vs. a heckler.
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- [00:01]
Mike Birbiglia
You have no rules in your show. Like, I remember I was at the DC Improv and you were improvising on stage, and then you reached over and someone had chicken fingers on their table and you just start eating it.
- [00:12]
Todd Glass
I would get hungry on stage. It was weird.
- [00:14]
Mike Birbiglia
It was so funny.
- [00:15]
Todd Glass
Yeah, it's so funny. Mo you remember, Like, I remember it once you say it, but then I don't remember it. But the eating. I would always get hungry. And I was like, why are you hungry on stage as you're performing? So I'd be like, I'll eat it like a bit, but I'll eat it because I'm hungry.
- [00:34]
Mike Birbiglia
That is the voice of the great Todd Glass. So thrilled to have Todd Glass on the podcast today. I've referenced Todd Glass on this podcast so many times. He's one of those comedians who people reference him so much. He is just a very extraordinarily unique comic. I met him in the late 90s at the Washington, D.C. improv. We talk about that today when I was working the Door and he just was really inspiring. I talk about it today. I won't give anything else away, but listen to this episode. He's just a super, super smart comedian. And if you're in New York City, you got to see his show at Second City in Brooklyn. It is called the Event of a Lifetime, and it's running now until November 16th. It's an intimate standup show with a big band and singers. We talk about that a lot on the show today. By the way, thanks to everybody who bought tickets to the next Jokes and Poems show with me and my wife, the poet J. Hope Stein. By the way, the feedback to last week's episode has been amazing. I mean, we gave you the email address workingoutpodmail.com for feedback about where to publish. Because I had this idea during the episode where I was like, what if we did publish just this one poem as its own book? As if anyone works in that field or does anything like that, send us an email. We got tons of emails and they generally just kind of loving, loving Jen's poetry emails. But we really appreciate it. Keep them coming. We love hearing from you. Working outpodmail.com we're doing Joe's Pub in New York. We announced it. It sold out really fast. That's why we created a text message mailing list which if you text BURBIGS to 917-444-7150. Again, text BURBIGS to 917 444-7150 and then you will get the first updates when we have a show like this. In this case, it's 160 seats at Joe's Pub. It's an intimate show and that's how we're going to let people know. So we love doing these jokes and poems show. We're basically going to do them. I'll let you in on this little secret. We're gonna do them every couple months, every two or three months. So there will be more. So sign up for the text message thing that I just said. Also, I'm gonna be appearing on Broadway in someone else's show. This show is called all out, written by Simon Rich, and I will be in it for one week, January 13 through 18, along with Cecily Strong and Wayne Brady. What a cast. All out is written by Simon Rich. It's a follow up to his show all in last year, which was starring John Mulaney and others and was brilliant. So I will be in it for one week. I mean, it's like, it's a wild lineup of people, different weeks as Jon Stewart, Jim Gaffigan, I mean, just like on and on and on. So pick your week, but you can get tickets@alloutbroadway.com by the way, thanks to everyone who signed up for Working It Out Premium. You can listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts with no ads. That's fun. We're doing a couple more bonus episodes. I think we're doing one this month, one next month. So you can go on Apple Podcasts and sign up for that. We really appreciate it. It helps the show. I love this episode today with Todd Glass. Do not sleep on this episode with Todd Glass. So much wisdom. We talk about the idea of being authentic to yourself. Todd talks about how he came out many years ago and how it affected his comedy. He talks about how he had a heart attack at Largo in Los Angeles 10 years ago, which he talked about at length. If you're ever interested in hearing the full, full story of that. Talks about that on Marc Maron's WTF podcast. And it's a great. That's a great episode as well. I think you will love him. I love him, too. Enjoy my conversation with the great Todd gl. You're one of the first people I.
- [04:37]
Todd Glass
Opened for in dc.
- [04:39]
Mike Birbiglia
Yeah. At the DC Improv, which is a great comedy club.
- [04:41]
Todd Glass
And I loved you because we liked talking about comedy. And we did. And we did and we did. And I was in Bliss. You were at the box office.
- [04:50]
Mike Birbiglia
I was at the box office. I worked at the box office, I worked at the door, I sat people. And what's funny is I think the way that you perform comedy is unlike anyone else. I say this to people all the time. Seeing you perform comedy opened my eyes to the idea that in stand up comedy there are no rules. I didn't understand that.
- [05:12]
Todd Glass
I appreciate you saying that because it's good to remind me of that sometimes people that inspire you, you inspire, end up inspiring you back.
- [05:21]
Mike Birbiglia
Yeah.
- [05:22]
Todd Glass
And that's why I say when I, you know, when people say, oh, you like hanging out with new comedians? Like, I go, well, it's a two way street.
- [05:28]
Mike Birbiglia
Yeah.
- [05:28]
Todd Glass
You know, they inspire me, I inspire them. I hope it works both ways. Most people think because I'm the older comic that, oh, I would inspire them, but they forget to. No, they inspire you too.
- [05:37]
Mike Birbiglia
Of course.
- [05:37]
Todd Glass
Rory Scoville, he says the same thing. In D.C. you sort of taught me there aren't rules, there's no rules. And then he, and then when I.
- [05:45]
Mike Birbiglia
He's a quintessential example of that.
- [05:46]
Todd Glass
Right. And then flips it back on me. And that's why the show, like, you know, I've been talking about this stuff with you, Mike, for years, but this show is sort of what I've been talking about for years. And you know, doing it at Second City. I'm doing it in their little room, by the way.
- [06:04]
Mike Birbiglia
By the way, for people listening. Second City, New York City. In Brooklyn.
- [06:07]
Todd Glass
In Brooklyn. Second City, New York.
- [06:09]
Mike Birbiglia
Which just opened up like a year ago.
- [06:10]
Todd Glass
Yes. And it's really cool.
- [06:12]
Mike Birbiglia
It's really cool.
- [06:12]
Todd Glass
And they said, yeah, come in early. You know, we're going to put tablecloths in the tables. We're thinning out some tables so there can be drink service in the room. And I have a five piece band playing as they enter. No.
- [06:24]
Mike Birbiglia
And I've seen this version of your show. I love it.
- [06:26]
Todd Glass
It's going to be something. And this show I have put, I mean, you know, I just try to elongate. What a look. Comedy all by itself is great.
- [06:35]
Mike Birbiglia
Yeah.
- [06:35]
Todd Glass
It's just what a night out. So when I expl the show, I always go out of my way and go. First thing I always do is go, oh, the guts of it. It's a standup comedy show. Just so you know.
- [06:43]
Mike Birbiglia
Yeah.
- [06:43]
Todd Glass
But with, just to make it more of an event, you know.
- [06:46]
Mike Birbiglia
Yeah.
- [06:47]
Todd Glass
You know, I, I always worked hard on my act cuz I like stand up. But I didn't really, I used to, you know, you know, you don't learn till you're in it. Oh, there's different writing styles.
- [06:57]
Mike Birbiglia
Yeah.
- [06:57]
Todd Glass
And then you hear that, but you don't really know what they are. Someone goes, I write on stage once only about 10 years ago. And I went, oh, that's what I do. I have an idea. But guess what? In the last two years, because I knew I wanted to do the show at the band, everything takes longer than you think. My friend Daniel Kino goes, don't tour with the band. Tighten your stand up. So for the last two years, and I never did this, I never got together with comedians and helped me punch right. Jokes. Not really write jokes, but punch, write jokes. And I realized there's so many more categories. When we're sitting down, the one is the one you think, oh, punch. Write that. Say this word instead of that word. And you know right away when you hear it, it's so much fun. It's like when your house is already done and built and you come home with pillows or a blanket for your be his punch. Writing is like, oh, I can't wait to get on stage tonight. But the one other category I didn't realize are because you're working with another comedian. He might realize it every night, but never say it to you. Literally.
- [07:49]
Mike Birbiglia
Yes.
- [07:50]
Todd Glass
But he goes, oh, oh. Now, when I have somebody with me, like Daniel Kino or in Philly Chip, Chantry goes, oh, when you're doing that joke, they think you're saying this, or, oh, when you do that, it's not. It's just cleaning up a joke, the understanding of it. So there's so many. And then for this. For this two years, Daniel's been helping me just bear my soul a little more. Like, I'll tell him a story. He'll be like, you have to tell that on stage. I go, I don't want to, because, Todd, that explains who you are. And he sells me on it. He sells me on go. Okay. Just to give, you know, a little more depth as I get older, as a comic, you know, bare my soul a little bit.
- [08:28]
Mike Birbiglia
That's part of what was the premise of this exact podcast, Working it out, which is like this thing that comedians do for each other, which is they watch each other and they go, hey, you could do a line where you go, this. I saw someone's show the other night, and I said to the person, like, I called him the next day. And you have to kind of. If you don't know the person that well, you have to disclaim, you're a genius. This is 100% great. I had one thought that occurred to me. You could use it or not, right?
- [08:58]
Todd Glass
Yeah, I think we all do that. I always do the same. Yeah. I don't want to. You're helping them, but you feel like you don't want them to think. If you don't want to do it, that's what's great. I always go, hey, the good thing about being. Doing a standup, it's not a group thing. If I. You love what I have, you use it. If not, you know.
- [09:11]
Mike Birbiglia
Of course.
- [09:12]
Todd Glass
Yeah.
- [09:12]
Mike Birbiglia
It's funny because, like, I remember years ago, when you started touring, like, with a band and. And. And having more production value, you were like, mike, you're like, I'm gonna lose money with this first bunch of shows, but I don't care because I love the show. And like that. If there's creatives who watch and listen to the show, that's kind of it in a nutshell, in a certain way. Like, I had that when I did my first solo show, off Broadway. Sleepwalk with Me. It's like, it's so expensive to mount a show. It's like the set design and this, and there's the producers and there's the. You know, and it's in the rental of the places. Bananas. It's so expensive. But you're doing this thing that. Where you love it.
- [09:57]
Todd Glass
Yeah.
- [09:57]
Mike Birbiglia
And you want to try to do something different sometimes. You bet the farm.
- [10:00]
Todd Glass
That's why when I, you know, I leased a new car, my whole. Because my dad did so when I was 17, I got my first car. I leased a car up till three years ago. I kept my Prius. I have no car payment. And I go, do you want to have a 600 car payment, or do you want to do this show? Yeah. So it was, for me, a matter of I'd still make money when I went in the clubs, but just a lot less.
- [10:19]
Mike Birbiglia
Sure.
- [10:19]
Todd Glass
And I couldn't. I couldn't. I was thrilled to do it.
- [10:22]
Mike Birbiglia
I don't even know if you've seen this, but there's, like a viral YouTube video of you, like, taking apart a heckler in footage that existed probably before people were even clocking.
- [10:36]
Todd Glass
That was in Davis, California.
- [10:38]
Mike Birbiglia
Yeah, I saw it.
- [10:39]
Todd Glass
You know, the only reason I want to take that down, because it's so sex. This. It's a sexism around it of everyone going, tip. It's always women. It's always women. And I want to go, no, it's not.
- [10:49]
Mike Birbiglia
No, it's a drunk lady. It could have been a drunk guy.
- [10:50]
Todd Glass
Even had some comedians friend go, it's always a woman. I go, no, it's not. You have that in your head and you need to get it out of your head. Unless you don't want to, and I'll leave you alone.
- [10:58]
Mike Birbiglia
You shouldn't take that down though, cuz it's really good. It's a good example of people should watch it. It's a good example of you're taking part of heckler, but you're actually like, in a reasonable way, pointing out that what they're doing is not acceptable.
- [11:13]
Todd Glass
She thought I was a staff member and what? She was so rude to me. I asked her to be quiet before I went up there nicely. I went over to her table. She was all the way in the back. And I went like this. Exactly. I went, I go. And she went, oh, she gave you the finger. Wow. You thought I was just a manager and employee. Not that she should do that to anybody.
- [11:32]
Mike Birbiglia
That's crazy.
- [11:32]
Todd Glass
I go, you're evil, you're evil. I thought to myself, and I go, as soon as I get the audience on my side, I at least learned that. And I went up, I told one joke and I go, they're on my side. I went, how many people want to hear a story? But you know what I'm giving.
- [11:46]
Mike Birbiglia
How many people want to tell story. And you told the story of walking up to that woman before the show.
- [11:50]
Todd Glass
I told her I got him with me.
- [11:51]
Mike Birbiglia
Well, you know, you always say, is that when hecklers, when they try to defend themselves, they always go, but we were laughing.
- [11:59]
Todd Glass
Yeah. It's never that or not bringing people back here.
- [12:02]
Mike Birbiglia
Yeah, yeah.
- [12:02]
Todd Glass
Good, good. You're going to go home and tell your friends they didn't want us to talk through the entire show if they have normal friends to be like, yeah, that's the way it happens.
- [12:10]
Mike Birbiglia
Right. And also they're like, their friends know they suck.
- [12:13]
Todd Glass
Right? Exactly. They go, we'll go to that comedy.
- [12:16]
Mike Birbiglia
Yeah, we'll go.
- [12:17]
Todd Glass
You can find one where they let you talk through the whole show. And we'll go to the one you got thrown out.
- [12:21]
Mike Birbiglia
My gosh.
- [12:22]
Todd Glass
Yeah.
- [12:23]
Mike Birbiglia
That is so funny. You've been doing comedy 40 years, Mike.
- [12:26]
Todd Glass
I don't like, you know, my age.
- [12:28]
Mike Birbiglia
Okay.
- [12:28]
Todd Glass
45.
- [12:29]
Mike Birbiglia
Oh, my gosh.
- [12:30]
Todd Glass
I started at 15.
- [12:32]
Mike Birbiglia
45.
- [12:32]
Todd Glass
I know, it's crazy.
- [12:34]
Mike Birbiglia
No way.
- [12:34]
Todd Glass
I know, right?
- [12:36]
Mike Birbiglia
It's funny. I talked to Judd Apatow about you today because I. I texted Judd, texted a bunch of comics. Judd, do you have any questions for Todd Glass? He called, he's coming on the podcast. He calls me. He's got a hundred questions. He's obsessed with you. Really? Judd loves you. Judd Apatow said you came out of the closet years after being in the closet. Do you think it. Being in the closet affected your style of comedy?
- [13:01]
Todd Glass
Wow. You know what? Yes.
- [13:04]
Mike Birbiglia
Yeah.
- [13:04]
Todd Glass
And I. Hold on. Did it affect my style? Yes. I. Not only did it make me not talk about being gay, but it made me not talk about other things that I cared about, like ambiance.
- [13:16]
Mike Birbiglia
Yeah.
- [13:17]
Todd Glass
You know, because that would be gay.
- [13:19]
Mike Birbiglia
Right.
- [13:19]
Todd Glass
You know, I remember me and my. My ex would go on, like, we. Like a lot of people, we had a group of friends, especially when we were younger, like 15 and sometimes 10, would go on a camping trip or rent a house up in, you know, like, Arrowhead. Sometimes it would be 15 of us. But we went, me and Chris, like, we had a friend, Andrea, and she knew about us.
- [13:37]
Mike Birbiglia
Yeah.
- [13:38]
Todd Glass
But we'd be in this. We'd be in the supermarket and we wanted to get flowers because we knew we're all going to eat in this, even if it was like a cabin type place. We'll put them on the. We're going to eat dinner. And Chris would go to Andrea, but buy flowers.
- [13:48]
Mike Birbiglia
Yeah.
- [13:48]
Todd Glass
Let's say. Or. Or she. We. We. She lived above me in a duplex. We bought a duplex together and she lived above me. She lived upstairs. And I would have friends coming. This is the pathetic of when. When people ask who set the table?
- [14:02]
Mike Birbiglia
Yeah.
- [14:02]
Todd Glass
I would go, andrew, just say you did.
- [14:04]
Mike Birbiglia
Now.
- [14:04]
Todd Glass
It's now. Let me tell you something. Now I think I. I go, you're not making this up, Todd? Because it seems so sad and absurd. And one night I was so fucking mad at her, she goes, todd said it. And I was like, yeah. And later I go. She goes, I don't want to take the credit. Cause it looks so good. But that's where you were at.
- [14:25]
Mike Birbiglia
Right.
- [14:26]
Todd Glass
So it didn't let me be me on stage. And when I came out, I thought it was just gonna be like that element would be easier to talk about. But so many. The floodgates just opened of me being comfortable to be me. And you know what I mean? I just hit a thing about in the last year, which I don't always want to talk about it, like, you know, the art of coming out. Sometimes I do, and I will, you know, like, oh, this is. But I also don't want to not mention it because I want to make sure I'm not embarrassed about it or shy or will I lose. So now. And this is, like, for me, gutsy. Like when it happened the first night, because I knew as it was happening, I talked about, you know, when you're in a relationship and you're doing. I go, now, my ex, he would, you know, that's it. Just to go. They know, you know, if there's someone in the audience that's maybe struggling with it, that or just my confidence. But if they're struggling with it, they go, oh, there's all types of gay people.
- [15:19]
Mike Birbiglia
It's just a nod.
- [15:20]
Todd Glass
I don't have to talk about it.
- [15:21]
Mike Birbiglia
Yeah.
- [15:22]
Todd Glass
But probably three or four times in my act, now that I've come out, I'll do that. I'll just pass by it with just saying he. When I'm talking about relationships. So. But, yeah, for me, it's like, oh, life is so much better now. There's so many times I think about it. Even now, it doesn't get lost on me. I'm like, yeah, my comedy's better. My honesty on stage, not mentioning girlfriend every two minutes. Oh, Jesus.
- [15:44]
Mike Birbiglia
When I first met you, you had girlfriend in your act.
- [15:47]
Todd Glass
I know my girlfriend. My girlfriend, my girlfriend. You know, somebody once said, they go, I feel bad you had to make up those stories. And I went, oh, it was sad. I had to change it. But the stories are true.
- [15:56]
Mike Birbiglia
They're just about my boyfriend.
- [15:58]
Todd Glass
Which proves indirectly how much relationships are relationships. Nobody sat in the audience when I was talking about guy.
- [16:05]
Mike Birbiglia
Exactly.
- [16:05]
Todd Glass
And went, I don't relate with it.
- [16:07]
Mike Birbiglia
I don't. I don't follow this at all.
- [16:09]
Todd Glass
They're going, this is exactly like us. Which says everything.
- [16:12]
Mike Birbiglia
It does say everything.
- [16:13]
Todd Glass
It is exactly like you. Yeah, same thing.
- [16:15]
Mike Birbiglia
That's right.
- [16:16]
Todd Glass
You know.
- [16:17]
Mike Birbiglia
Yeah.
- [16:17]
Todd Glass
But I'm glad I did it. Boy, am I glad. You know, I always thought if I. I used to say if I died, I think people would acknowledge me. Before I came out, I remember saying this. I would talk to my ex about it and go, I think people would acknowledge that I was a good comedian. But I think they might say it's a shame. He never was comfortable to be who he was on stage. So I'm glad that I got to that point because life is so much better. And new comedians now that are talking about stuff, that's why, like, you know, and we can keep it so, like, doesn't have to go in too close. But that's why I'm not mad, you know, I think a lot of people are mad at, like, how people identify today or whatever, because they don't think that they could benefit by it. You know, you can be a straight. I'll say straight white male.
- [17:02]
Mike Birbiglia
Yeah.
- [17:03]
Todd Glass
And still benefit by being who you are.
- [17:06]
Mike Birbiglia
Being a truer version of yourself.
- [17:08]
Todd Glass
Being a truer version of yourself. And I asked my friend that, who doesn't want to do any of this stuff. I go, let me ask you a question and be honest. Here's your time. I won't say her name. Isn't there any way you could tap into this, even if you're called a revolution of people being who they are?
- [17:21]
Mike Birbiglia
Yeah.
- [17:22]
Todd Glass
Isn't there. Isn't there anything?
- [17:24]
Mike Birbiglia
Right.
- [17:24]
Todd Glass
And she sort of looked at me and she went. I go, you're embarrassed that you can't think of anything. Yeah, yeah. I go, well, think of some things. Yeah. And then you won't be just doing everybody a favor. You'll tap in with it. Even. That's not the intensity of someone who is. Maybe wants to transition where they're gay and they're acting like they're straight. You don't have to have that level of it. But there's things you could join into this revolution and enjoy it yourself.
- [17:50]
Mike Birbiglia
No, absolutely. Authenticity benefits all.
- [17:53]
Todd Glass
That's what Gary Shandling said.
- [17:55]
Mike Birbiglia
Is that right?
- [17:56]
Todd Glass
He goes, you know, comedy might change and do all this, but authenticity probably will be something in music and comedy. That's. I learned a lot of great.
- [18:04]
Mike Birbiglia
Oh, Shanley was brilliant.
- [18:05]
Todd Glass
The phrase of don't feed. I don't like the word idiot, but in this case, don't. Be careful. Your jokes don't feed idiots.
- [18:12]
Mike Birbiglia
Oh.
- [18:12]
Todd Glass
Meaning even if you're not this or sexist or racist or homophobic, does your joke. Now, what I always like to preface. You don't have to do that. That's what's right about comedy. You do whatever you want.
- [18:22]
Mike Birbiglia
Yeah.
- [18:22]
Todd Glass
I don't want to be like certain communicator. You should do this and you should do that. No, but when I heard it, I went, I like that.
- [18:28]
Mike Birbiglia
No, I think that's right.
- [18:29]
Todd Glass
Be aware if you really have that. If. Yeah, yeah. Just be aware. Could that joke feed people that are racist, that are homophobic?
- [18:36]
Mike Birbiglia
Yeah.
- [18:37]
Todd Glass
And then if you choose to ignore it. Well, I guess I'm being twisted here. If you go, no, I don't want it. I'm not racist. I'm not sexist, but I don't want to adhere to that. Don't make sure you don't feed it. Well, you probably are.
- [18:48]
Mike Birbiglia
No, totally. I had that as an inflection point in my career. At a certain point, maybe like 10, 15 years ago, where I was like, I don't think I'm gonna say men this, women this, men do this, women do this. I'm just not gonna do it anymore. I don't judge people who do. But I.
- [19:07]
Todd Glass
All.
- [19:07]
Mike Birbiglia
Because there's funny comics who do. We know, funny comics who do. Men do this, women do this. But it's.
- [19:13]
Todd Glass
But. But the thing is, it's the reason it's not good to do that. And, you know, by the way, I always see the hyper, vigilant person. I can't mention my wife anymore. I can't mention. Stop, stop. Yes, you can. You have a wife. But, you know, I saw Jim Gaffigan do it creatively, when it's necessary that he talks about his wife. He has a wife. He does. But there's also other three or four or five jokes where he goes, you know, when you're in a relationship and you don't have to narrow it down because, you know, like I said, do you think. Because I was in a relationship with a man. Because if it's just women are late, do you think we never had that problem? We just always met at the door if we were leaving at 5 o' clock or 5 o'.
- [19:47]
Mike Birbiglia
Clock.
- [19:47]
Todd Glass
Because men don't run late. And you think women. Two women just sit at their house all day. We don't have a guy to get us out of here. We will never leave the house because we have no guy. So, yes, I did it, too. I stopped and you know what? I'd rather get ahead of the curve on the opening of the show. You know, I used to say, ladies and gentlemen.
- [20:04]
Mike Birbiglia
Yeah.
- [20:04]
Todd Glass
Now it seems like I'm going one way with this, but I know where you're going. I don't think if I said, ladies and gentlemen, that anybody, even people that don't identify as a lady or a gentleman, are going to be offended. But what's my goal? To wait till no one even judges me. There's just somebody in the audience. Times have moved on. They go, who's in the booth tonight making the announcement?
- [20:23]
Mike Birbiglia
Yeah.
- [20:24]
Todd Glass
So I just say, folks.
- [20:25]
Mike Birbiglia
Yeah.
- [20:25]
Todd Glass
Or in Philly, we said, good evening, Philadelphia.
- [20:28]
Mike Birbiglia
I used to say in my emails, my mass emails, hey, guys. Because it's a Massachusetts thing, I grew up saying, hey, guys.
- [20:34]
Todd Glass
Yes.
- [20:34]
Mike Birbiglia
I got a bunch of emails go, hey. Can you not say, hey, guys? I'm not guy. I go, okay, now I go, hey, everybody. That wasn't. That's not so hard.
- [20:41]
Todd Glass
It's not that hard if you're not mad at it. I did it with the band a few times and I caught myself and I said, I go, these guys work so hard. And I. Instead of me going, well, no, guys, I mean, we know you do, but just. It's not a big deal, you know? Yeah, but so that's why I don't mind joining in, because I feel like I reap the benefits of it. Not that you have to reap the benefits to be along for the ride of change, but I think it helps a little if you go, you can benefit by this too. Why are you acting like you're doing it for everybody else? You know, you just.
- [21:09]
Mike Birbiglia
You did a rant in one of your specials about the kind of you can't say anything comedians.
- [21:14]
Todd Glass
Yeah. That's been around for a while.
- [21:16]
Mike Birbiglia
You've been doing it for a while.
- [21:17]
Todd Glass
You know what? You know, it's funny you mentioned that I said on this tour, I don't really have a. You know what? I don't know where I heard this, but in your act, if you're doing a podcast, you can talk about whatever you want, but in your act, it's be funnier than preachy.
- [21:31]
Mike Birbiglia
Yeah.
- [21:31]
Todd Glass
And I've certainly crossed that line of been being preachier than funny. Oh, the people that agree applaud. But the joke that I try to use, I don't do it anymore because it's an older joke. But it really does fall into the category funnier than preachy.
- [21:42]
Mike Birbiglia
Yeah.
- [21:43]
Todd Glass
Is the peanut allergy where I go, you know, people go, there weren't peanut. I really try to get this into their head so they can use it as a litmus test to. They don't. But in my head, I want them to the rest of their life when they formulating an opinion that seems so real, I go, there's people in this audience that go, there weren't peanut allergies 50 years ago. And I'll give it to you, that sort of makes sense. I see how comes to say that. And you could even have a friend that go, there weren't. There weren't. And people in this audience are going, well, there weren't peanut allergies 50 years ago. So you come to this conclusion. But guess what? No, but there were unexplained deaths, right?
- [22:17]
Mike Birbiglia
Sure.
- [22:17]
Todd Glass
So the next time you think you are coming to a conclusion, make sure that right next to it isn't not what you're thinking it is.
- [22:25]
Mike Birbiglia
It's really funny you should say that because I have a peanut butter allergy joke I think is pretty funny. And I Think rides the line. This is. Okay, this is like a random bit. I wrote that. I actually think it's kind of funny. I don't think. Actually dishonors the point. You're saying, which is my daughter's in school and. And peanut butter's not allowed. Peanut butter's having a hard time. When I was growing up, peanut butter had it made. It's like, put it with jelly, Put it with bananas and fluff. Now it's like, peanut butter murders kids. You're like, oh, okay. Oh, I thought. I thought, put it with bananas and fluff.
- [23:01]
Todd Glass
No. See, you know what's great about that joke? You know? You know what I mean? You'll get the context. You can do jokes. It's just. You gotta. I don't think that feeds idiots. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Because it is true. You can be sensitive to it. No, it's true. But go, oh, my God, Peanut butter. Now it's like, you know, you gotta be.
- [23:21]
Mike Birbiglia
And then jelly's like, yeah, I don't know peanut butter. I never met peanut butter. Yeah, Jelly's like, I don't know.
- [23:32]
Todd Glass
I mean, I've heard of it, but I don't know.
- [23:33]
Mike Birbiglia
Jelly is like. I'm actually really close with herbal butter and some butter.
- [23:36]
Todd Glass
Yeah, like butter. No, I don't know peanut butter. I mean, it's just for me, but I don't think I have it.
- [23:41]
Mike Birbiglia
No, peanut butter is fine. I just not. I know friends.
- [23:43]
Todd Glass
I peanut butter peanut butter.
- [23:46]
Mike Birbiglia
And then I go, peanut butter had a run. Peanut butter had some golden years where he could do no wrong. You're just thinking, peanut butter is going to retire on this, Right? And now it's like, peanut butter murders kids. And everyone's like, are you sure? Like, we're all like, not sure, not sure.
- [24:03]
Todd Glass
Yeah, sure. It murders. In the beginning, I thought the same thing. I thought that it was like, you know, like what? You know? And I go, todd, don't slip. You know, I always think it's slipping. Like, will I ever slip socially?
- [24:16]
Mike Birbiglia
Yeah, yeah, sure. Support for working it out comes from quints. Oh, man, I love Quince. This year. I've talked a lot about Quince's summer and fall collections. You must be thinking, that's all they have, right? Surely they don't have a winter and holiday collection. Guess what? They do. They've got my old standby, the $50 Mongolian cashmere sweater. And for the cold weather, they have wool coats that are equal parts stylish and durable. You got a layer, everybody. You're not going to get better layers anywhere else than Quint. Throw on a Mongolian cashmere sweater. Then put the wool coat over that. What's that? It's snowing. Maybe trade the wool coat for Quince's Responsible Down Hooded Parka. I've got one of those parkas. They're excellent. So now you've got an outfit that's stylish, high quality, affordable, and best of all, ethically made. They don't call it the Responsible Down Hooded Parka for nothing. Give and get. Timeless holiday staples that last the whole season with quince. Go to quince.com for bigs for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns now available in Canada as well. That's Q U I n c e.com for biggs. Free shipping and 365 day returns. Quince.com/for bigs. Support for working it out comes from Mint Mobile. If you're still overpaying for wireless, it's time to say yes to saying no. At Mint Mobile, their favorite word is no. No contracts, no monthly bills, no overages, no hidden fees, no bs. Your wireless bill should be the last thing holding you back. Mint Mobile runs on the T Mobile 5G network, America's largest 5G network. I used to have a wireless service that shall remain nameless because I thought it was overpriced and didn't provide coverage that I needed. Then I made the switch to Mint Mobile and I love it. I love everything about Mint Mobile. I love the coverage, obviously the price. I love the green fox that wears the glasses ready to say yes to saying no. Make the switch@mintmobile.com perbigs that's mintmobile.com perbigs upfront payment of $45 required, equivalent to $15 a month limited time. New customer offer for three months only. Speeds may slow above 35 gigabytes on unlimited plan taxes and fees extra. See Mint Mobile for details. Your shows and this is the thing that Rory Scoville talked about. I feel like Nikki Glaser feels this way about you, Judd Apatow. You have no rules in your show. Like I remember. I always cite this thing about you. I was at the DC Improv and you were improvising on stage and then you reached over and someone had chicken fingers on their table and you just start eating the chicken stage.
- [27:04]
Todd Glass
It was weird.
- [27:04]
Mike Birbiglia
It was so funny.
- [27:05]
Todd Glass
And I see the food you can do.
- [27:07]
Mike Birbiglia
You can just do that. And what was great is like the audience didn't know that that could be a thing. And. And it's it was so joyous. And you'd be like, get these people some shots and let's get some chicken fingers. Oh, the. Let's get some wings for every. You know, like. You would be very Andy Kaufman esque.
- [27:25]
Todd Glass
Yeah. It's so funny. You remember, like, I remember once you say it, but then I don't remember it, but the eating. I would always get hungry, and I was like, why are you hungry on stage as you're performing? So I'd be like, I'll eat it, like, a bit. But I'll eat it because I'm hungry, too.
- [27:42]
Mike Birbiglia
That's so funny. Well, that's authentic.
- [27:44]
Todd Glass
And I still love it. I still love comedy more than I ever have before. It's like my biggest joy.
- [27:50]
Mike Birbiglia
Amazing.
- [27:50]
Todd Glass
It's given me. It really has. You know, sometimes, you know, you don't say something because it sounds cliche.
- [27:55]
Mike Birbiglia
Yeah.
- [27:55]
Todd Glass
Was that. Is that the right thing? It sounds unsaid. Does it? But it's comedy. Oh. I just try to give it the respect it's given me, you know, it took care of me since I was 15 or 16.
- [28:07]
Mike Birbiglia
Yeah.
- [28:08]
Todd Glass
Even by the time I was 17, I was, like, opening up for, like, musical. Big musical acts, you know, like Diana Ross, Patti LaBelle. Is that Aretha Franklin? George Jones.
- [28:17]
Mike Birbiglia
My God.
- [28:18]
Todd Glass
Luther Vandrus. My God. Yeah. It's 18, 19 years old.
- [28:22]
Mike Birbiglia
I mean, that's crazy.
- [28:23]
Todd Glass
It's been kind to me. So I try to respond.
- [28:26]
Mike Birbiglia
Where you got the kind of like, well, classic show business aesthetic?
- [28:31]
Todd Glass
Good question. That is where everything comes from on this show.
- [28:37]
Mike Birbiglia
Yeah.
- [28:37]
Todd Glass
I was opening up for Patti LaBelle.
- [28:40]
Mike Birbiglia
Yeah.
- [28:40]
Todd Glass
In 1984. Whatever. Do the math, you know, I was. I think I was 18, 19 at the oldest.
- [28:47]
Mike Birbiglia
Yeah.
- [28:48]
Todd Glass
It's funny. Patti LaBelle had just turned 40, and I couldn't believe she could dance around like that. I used to. All my friends, where I turned, I'd be a side stage. You know, when you want to watch an act in a theater, you just come out and go, how old do you think she is? 40. They go, what? Because my brother was 16. My friends were, you know, 19, 20. And one night after the show, she had a friend of hers performing in New York. Now she was at the Minskoff Theater. It was like 1500 people.
- [29:11]
Mike Birbiglia
Wow.
- [29:12]
Todd Glass
She had a friend at a little place, but it was a big deal. It's probably 200 seats. We went 200 seats. Five. Two horns, guitar, piano crossed onto the stage and we sat down. Maitre D brought us to the seat. You know, it was dark, flashlights to the seats and 200 people. But it was. People were dressed up.
- [29:33]
Mike Birbiglia
Yeah. Like good fellas.
- [29:34]
Todd Glass
Yeah, yeah, exactly. And when they started the show, like, all of a sudden the house lights went out and the band got to the stage and did a one count. Like a boom. And then they blew a candle out on the piano. Ladies and gentlemen, good evening and welcome. Please welcome. And she came from the back of the room with a maitre d walking her through the crowd. She got up on stage and she got to the mic and she went, let's do this. And that band came in with horns like it was a show you could have done. And that is where the whole show that I could be in a smaller room. I do the. Hey, look, if. If the show did well enough and I could do it in a room with 400 people. But my dream is not to go well. If I can get a sell at that. No, my dream is, you know, maybe Max. 500 people, drinks only. Yeah. To. To tour with this show. That's my dream. No food, just drinks.
- [30:26]
Mike Birbiglia
Yeah.
- [30:27]
Todd Glass
So that all came from that night.
- [30:29]
Mike Birbiglia
From classic show business.
- [30:30]
Todd Glass
And I remember talking to my dad in the car because he. They went to see me and I just tell them about that show because meanwhile, I'm in a room that holds 1500. And with that. And it was cool. I'm not saying it wasn't cool. But that little room, as I went. There's something about giving people a. And I'm going to get. I get off on it. Like, they come in, but then they get this larger than life show in this little room. You know, when young.
- [30:52]
Mike Birbiglia
When young people ask me what they should do about getting into show business, I always say that this thing that I did, but I did it by accident, which is I worked the door in the box office at a comedy club. And so I could see all these shows that I could. Couldn't afford to see. I couldn't go see Todd Glass and Dave Chappelle and Kathleen Madigan and Flip Orly, the comic hypnotist. I couldn't afford to do that. I just worked at the door.
- [31:16]
Todd Glass
It's funny. Our stories are the exact same.
- [31:19]
Mike Birbiglia
Yeah.
- [31:19]
Todd Glass
I started at the comedy works and exactly like you, I never thought, oh, I'll do that. So. But you know everybody. Gilbert Godfrey, Richard Lewis, Jerry Seinfeld, Gary Shandling, young Eddie Murphy, Stephen Wright. The list goes on and on. Roseanne Barr, you know, this was in Philly. This was in Philly in really 80. I started in 82. 81. But you.
- [31:42]
Mike Birbiglia
You saw Eddie Murphy. Eddie Murphy in like a 200 seater.
- [31:45]
Todd Glass
At a 250 seat room. Crazy. He had just got on SNL and I saw his check because I worked there at that point, you know, and it was 500. Me and my friends were, like, taking it out of the drawer. The office upstairs. We're like, look at that. For one show.
- [32:01]
Mike Birbiglia
$500. Yeah.
- [32:03]
Todd Glass
But yes. See these unbelievable acts, by the way.
- [32:06]
Mike Birbiglia
Same thing I was working at the door that you see improv. And I was like, brian Regan makes this many blank thousand dollars. I go, that's crazy. I called my brother, I go, brian Regan makes blah, blah, blah, thousand dollars. I'm gonna do that. And he was like, all right. But he's Brian Regan. I'm like, yeah, but I'm gonna do that. There is something about seeing someone do entertainment as a job, and they're being a monetary transaction, being like, oh, yeah, like, fuck, like, I can get better. You know what I mean?
- [32:42]
Todd Glass
Yes.
- [32:43]
Mike Birbiglia
You're like, I know I stink now, but, like, I can be good. Yeah.
- [32:47]
Todd Glass
And you're good. You did it. You know. Yeah, I remember. You know, years go on, you forget, but even jay Leno in 80, okay, I started in 81. Let's say it's 83. I bet I'm right on the button. Jay Leno came in. He was a special event. I think tickets were $20.
- [33:02]
Mike Birbiglia
Yeah.
- [33:02]
Todd Glass
And you do the math right now, you know, you take. We did. He did four shows. You know, it actually held 300 because they had ended up having two balconies. So, you know, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9.
- [33:13]
Mike Birbiglia
50.
- [33:14]
Todd Glass
About 1500 people times 20 is a lot.
- [33:18]
Mike Birbiglia
$30,000, maybe.
- [33:19]
Todd Glass
I remember being. I remember my brother once going, just, you know, because you don't think you're in this place. No one knows how much a place holds. They come into the little clubs, they go, what's this old 80? No, it holds 300 people, you know.
- [33:30]
Mike Birbiglia
Yeah, yeah.
- [33:30]
Todd Glass
And. And you go, how do you make that? But, you know, you. You do some math. You're like, holy. You know, and that's what I figured out, that I can do smaller venues.
- [33:39]
Mike Birbiglia
Yeah.
- [33:39]
Todd Glass
And do well and have a nice.
- [33:42]
Mike Birbiglia
It's a crazy thing to realize that something that's entertainment can be commerce. And on top of that, similar to you working at a comedy club, watching everybody teaches you everything. Watching comics who are nothing like you. I probably learned more from watching George Lopez and Kathleen Madigan and you than I learned from anything else in comedy.
- [34:06]
Todd Glass
Just because.
- [34:07]
Mike Birbiglia
Not because you're similar to me, but because you're different from me.
- [34:11]
Todd Glass
And. And I remember watching a comedian that followed an energetic comedian, and he didn't try to be energetic. And afterwards I talked to him. You know, sometimes you forget their names, you know, because it was so long ago, but you remember the story. And he remember him telling me, he goes, you can't try to match the energy. If someone went up before you and they were a little. I would go up and go, I gotta be energetic. But. And. But just like you're saying. And I learned that lesson.
- [34:34]
Mike Birbiglia
Yeah.
- [34:34]
Todd Glass
It's so much fun to implement these things that you learn, you know, I remember Jay Leno when the crowd. When the check came out, like, just like. Just like. Like a pilot brings in a plane with accuracy. He went into the crowd, did crowd work, because that's the time to do it.
- [34:52]
Mike Birbiglia
Yeah, yeah.
- [34:53]
Todd Glass
They're engaged for the people that aren't. And then just as that. It's almost like just as the last check got paid right out of it. Boom.
- [35:01]
Mike Birbiglia
If people don't know, it's like in clubs, music clubs, comedy clubs, the check will come out probably 10 minutes before the end of the show. And it's hard for the performer because everyone's like, wait, who had the. Who had the wings? Who had the drinks? Who had the martini? And. And they're talking to each other, right? And it's hard because you're trying to get them to focus. And that's why make people call the check spot.
- [35:24]
Todd Glass
When Daniel said, even the good comedy club suck. Now, they don't all do it. There are clubs that don't do checks. But, like, when I want to go, like, well, how bad does it affect? You know, when you don't do comedy, the only way you get graded is how you present it. That's what you're judging you on. You're not the comedian. So these clubs that presented beautifully, you go there. To me, that's the only talent. That's not talent. Yeah. If you do a club and you know how to present comedy, the check is, I always have a thing, and I say it about social issues, but I also say it as. As this. As. As anybody. Time doesn't equal validity. The amount of time something's being happened doesn't. And I think a lot of times comedy clubs putting a checkout is like, well, they all do it. How bad is it?
- [36:03]
Mike Birbiglia
Right?
- [36:03]
Todd Glass
It's really bad. And this might sound silly, Michael. Well, Todd, you're making it sound worse than it is. For anybody out there that still owns a club and they'll all tell you why they do it. Well, then it's a mess at the end, which it's not. If you don't think it really hurts the show. If you don't think it really hurts the show, then I get it. It's not worth it. You got to retrain your staff. I'm really trying to be fair to these clubs that still do it. It's pain at first. I bet it is. There's probably a million things that can go wrong, but eventually you figure it out. But if you think it really hurts the show, you have to think it really hurts the show. Well, if I open up a comedy club and I said to somebody, I'm going to give them multiplication tables, as the guys in his last 15 minutes, I'm handing them out to all the tables. They can do multiplication tables. If they get them right, they can win something.
- [36:44]
Mike Birbiglia
Yeah.
- [36:44]
Todd Glass
Because that's what you do when you're handing out a check. You're handing out multiplication tables.
- [36:47]
Mike Birbiglia
Yeah.
- [36:47]
Todd Glass
You think that hurts a show, handing out multiplication tables, so. Of course it fucking does.
- [36:52]
Mike Birbiglia
Yeah.
- [36:52]
Todd Glass
Hurts a little. A little bit. No, a lot. A lot. Not a little.
- [36:57]
Mike Birbiglia
Hand out multiplication tables.
- [36:59]
Todd Glass
Hand them out to the audience. Here's your education table. Because that's what. Fill that out. That's what checks are.
- [37:04]
Mike Birbiglia
Everyone's so good at math. Fill those out.
- [37:06]
Todd Glass
It's the one time they could serve more drinks. And I don't understand why they don't go for it. It's the thing. It's like the one thing where you go. You could serve more drinks.
- [37:14]
Mike Birbiglia
By the way, you look great.
- [37:15]
Todd Glass
Thank you. I feel good.
- [37:17]
Mike Birbiglia
You had. You've talked about this, I think, but you had heart attack.
- [37:21]
Todd Glass
I did.
- [37:22]
Mike Birbiglia
About a decade ago.
- [37:23]
Todd Glass
About a decade ago.
- [37:24]
Mike Birbiglia
Sarah Silverman was the first to arrive.
- [37:27]
Todd Glass
Was it a show at Largo?
- [37:29]
Mike Birbiglia
And one of the great one. Speaking of no check spots. One of the great performance venues in the world.
- [37:35]
Todd Glass
So Los Angeles, when I first saw Largo do their opening announcement, Mike goes to the front of the room with no pa, stands there because I learned. Oh, that makes them listen. They all have to focus. So at a comedy club, I still. I still use the PA because I do it from the voice of God. But I stop music.
- [37:55]
Mike Birbiglia
Yeah.
- [37:56]
Todd Glass
During it. Because a comedy. Good evening and welcome. Keep your laughter to a maximum. But you're. I go. No, all the music goes out. The lights come down with pure silence. You make that announcement. But anyway.
- [38:06]
Mike Birbiglia
But Largo, you had a heart attack.
- [38:08]
Todd Glass
So it was. I felt it A little bit during the show, something was happening. I ran around the room. Speaking of, you could do anything you want. I ran around them shaking everybody's hand. Before I went up on stage, I got up and says, I couldn't catch my breath, but I did 40 minutes while I'm having a heart attack. Pretty professional, would you say?
- [38:25]
Mike Birbiglia
Yeah, sure, my turn.
- [38:27]
Todd Glass
And then I couldn't catch my breath. But I did like, I did 30 minutes, actually. I get off stage. You know, they say collapse. I collapse with a little bit of, you know, I get to the sofa, I go, I can't. I can't catch my breath. I come back in, I lay on the carpet, you know, on the stage, that carpet with beer spilled all over it for the last five years. And I can't catch my breath. I can't catch my breath. But Sarah had been to a music. A comedy festival with me in Seattle about two months before that. And back then, I didn't smoke pot as much. So one time I got too high, and it was the same sort of feeling. And Sarah goes, are you okay? Are you okay? 20 minutes later, I lifted my head. You know, we were like, at the end of the night, everyone had left the club. And I went, I'm. I feel okay now. I got too high and I felt good. So she was there. And I was thinking, thank God Sarah's here, because she said, he's okay. She just saw this happen.
- [39:21]
Mike Birbiglia
Yeah.
- [39:21]
Todd Glass
But little did we know that it. That it wasn't the same thing. You know, I thought it was the same thing. I'm like, thank God Sarah's here. They're going to call an ambulance.
- [39:29]
Mike Birbiglia
Yeah.
- [39:30]
Todd Glass
So Jeff Ross, you know, I remember him saying, I heard him go call an ambulance. This is. This has to be. You have to call an ambulance. And I remember as soon as I'm not nauseous, I'm going to go, dude, don't call an ambulance. I'm fine. But I was glad that he did. You know, that was right across the street. I went, and I woke up. I was wake up after surgery, I said to the nurse, I go, I feel like there's blood rushing through my body. My main artery was 98 clogged.
- [39:56]
Mike Birbiglia
Oh, my God.
- [39:57]
Todd Glass
And right after I said, I feel like there's blood rushing through my body. And the nurse goes, there is, there is. So I quit smoking. And that's the one good thing, if anything, good. I don't think I would have quit. It was too much fun.
- [40:09]
Mike Birbiglia
You look fit, though. Like, do you feel.
- [40:11]
Todd Glass
Do you I do have a regimen. I tell you something, I eat a lot of junk food, too. I do a lot of wrong stuff. But I also. Well, just not smoking. Yeah. I juice five days a week. And healthy. Not, you know, not candied juices. You know what I mean? Where you go, It's a smoothie, but it's peanut butter and chocolate pieces, but like celery, carrots, kale, ginger. I work. I always worked out. Even the day of my heart attack, I ran for an hour on the treadmill. But the one thing that I do, Mike, and I try to sell everybody on this is. Changed my life. He's not a stretcher. He's a trainer. But I just said, moses, all I need you to do is stretch me.
- [40:47]
Mike Birbiglia
Yeah.
- [40:48]
Todd Glass
And it has changed my life.
- [40:49]
Mike Birbiglia
Really?
- [40:50]
Todd Glass
Yes. And because I think a lot of people, this will help them. You think? Well, because he's right there. He makes you do it once you're stretched out, you know, because I said, I don't have to be an Olympian. I just want to be stretched out. So in the beginning, it hurt a little, you know, the leg a little. Now we're talking. I go, moses, I feel amazing. Better than I've ever felt, but I feel like we're not. He goes, you're stretched out. Yeah, but it's not as painful when someone else is doing it. It's easier because as he's lifting my leg up, he says, take a deep breath. And then he's pushing my leg. He knows how much to push it. He says, take a deep breath. Let it out. He doesn't go, keep your back straight. Keep your back straight. His knee is on it.
- [41:28]
Mike Birbiglia
So that's like support.
- [41:29]
Todd Glass
Something to spend your money on that you will love once a week for an hour. And what? My life.
- [41:36]
Mike Birbiglia
And what's Moses's number for everybody?
- [41:38]
Todd Glass
He's in California. It's 150. That's pretty reasonable. Comes to my house, we talk, and it's. It's great. So I. I do a lot, right? And I take. I do take care of myself, and I feel great, you know?
- [41:51]
Mike Birbiglia
You remember we did those dates on my college tour, like, 20 years ago? Yeah. You, me, and Mulaney and some other folks.
- [41:58]
Todd Glass
You, you, me, Mulaney. And then we did the other one. Mike. Sometimes, you know, people don't know this, but, like, I wanted to take a tour bus. That's nothing. I wanted to do more than anything in my life, and you included me in that. And, you know, sometimes in the business, you get a little you probably all probably feel this way. We're not included.
- [42:16]
Mike Birbiglia
Yeah, yeah.
- [42:16]
Todd Glass
You know, and I could talk myself.
- [42:18]
Mike Birbiglia
Out of it and go, any business. Any business.
- [42:19]
Todd Glass
Right.
- [42:20]
Mike Birbiglia
Any excluded.
- [42:21]
Todd Glass
Right. If you're a teacher or whatever you are. And you included me in that. Which really melted my heart when I got out of that hotel and I saw that tour bus. I'd never. And we did a tour bus, and John. A young John Mulaney, he was, like, 22. Yeah. We had the curtains in the back because you have your thing. And we would do jokes and slam the curtain shut. That was our joke. Open the curtain, do a joke, slam the curtain. And then you. I mean, I know you remember, but I don't know if your audience knows. We did that tour. That was pure joy. Remember? We would let people. It's funny what you remember, what I remember. We'd let people sign the bus.
- [42:55]
Mike Birbiglia
Yeah.
- [42:56]
Todd Glass
Because you had it. You had material put on it.
- [42:58]
Mike Birbiglia
Yeah, yeah.
- [42:58]
Todd Glass
And then we ran out of places.
- [43:00]
Mike Birbiglia
Right. So it said. It's. We had a sign on the side. It was to drink Mike. My first album. And it said. And it said, I sound like bir bigly alive. And then people would sign it after the show. So. And then when we realized after the first show.
- [43:11]
Todd Glass
Oh, you do.
- [43:12]
Mike Birbiglia
That it was all filled up. There's no more room, and we had to wash off people's names, which seems like for the next group of people to sign the sign.
- [43:20]
Todd Glass
And it could seem a cold, but it was nothing cold about it. Like, when they were signing it, we just. We met people and we had the time of our life. We. I was pure bliss. But then I remember thinking, like, what if they saw us? We're like, no, that was so nice. They let us sign the bus, and we're there with alcohol. Get it off.
- [43:36]
Mike Birbiglia
Yeah. Yeah. Foreign support for working it out comes from Helix. If you're a listener to this podcast, you know how much we love Helix mattresses. It's almost winter. It's getting cold out. What is better than this? At the end of a cold winter day, you crawl into your cozy, warm bed with your Helix mattress. It's cozy because Helix mattresses are comfortable. They have so many options to choose from based on your sleep preferences. It's warm because you've got the Helix birch natural down duvet. Can't swing a whole new mattress right now. You can still have a cozy winter with a Helix mattress topper. They have so many mattress toppers to choose from. Make your old mattress feel new. Everyone on staff here working it out has a Helix mattress. We are never going back. Go to helixsleep.comburbigs for 20% off site wide. That's helixsleep.com burbigs for 20 percent off site wide. Make sure you enter our show's code after checkout so they know we sent you helixsleep.com Brurbigs support for working it out comes from Rag and Bone. Oh man, I love that Rag and Bone is a sponsor. They are a clothing retailer. There's one in my neighborhood. They sell great stuff in stores, also online. I'm here to talk to you about their infused denim collection. Rag and Bones Infused denim goes through a proprietary multi step process where each wash advances the authenticity of vintage selvage by infusing it with a spectrum of shape shades for an entirely unique look. I did not know that that's how you describe it, but I have a pair of these and they're great. And that seems exactly correct. Actually I wouldn't have been able to describe it but it is a very kind of like lived in worn look which is like exactly like the kind of thing I want to wear. Super comfortable. It's time to upgrade your denim with Rag and Bone. For a limited time, our listeners get 20% off their entire order with code for BIGS at rag-bone.com that's 20% off at rag-bone.com with promo code for Biggs. When they ask where you heard about them, please support our show and let them know we sent you. Support for Working it out comes from Rula. I'm a huge advocate of therapy. I've said this on the show a lot before. I've been in therapy for 20 plus years. We just talked about it in the Jenny Slade episode. We talked about it on the Gary Goleman episode. Um, anyway, Rula is great for providing better access to therapy. No wait lists, no frustrating back and forth. Rula makes it easy to find a mental health provider who's accepting new patients and appointments are available as soon as tomorrow. Plus, Rula sticks with you throughout your journey, checking in to make sure your care is helping you move forward, making sure their providers are carefully screened and vetted, monitoring the quality of their care, and helping you monitor your progress in therapy. And thousands of people are already using Rula to get affordable, high quality therapy that's actually covered by Insurance. Visit rula.com for Biggs to get started. After you sign up, you'll be asked how you heard about them. Please support our show and tell them that we sent you by using code Burbigs r u l a.com brbigs. You deserve mental health care that works with you. Not against your budget. This is the slow round. Is there a smell from childhood you remember?
- [47:02]
Todd Glass
Well, yes, I thought about that. I thought, well, come on. I don't cut. Fresh cut grass is nice, but I wanted to go a little more unique than that. And it's a horrible smell. But, but, but I. But once in a while you end up in a hotel. Like, even when I'm doing these shows with Jim and we're in a bim town and there's a college and there's literally only the smell of chlorine. Now, no one's smoking in those rooms, but it's chlorine and cigarettes.
- [47:28]
Mike Birbiglia
Yeah.
- [47:29]
Todd Glass
And maybe air conditioning.
- [47:31]
Mike Birbiglia
Yeah, I know exactly what you're talking about.
- [47:33]
Todd Glass
Me and my parents, my. When my parents would take me and my brothers, we'd pull over to the Holiday Inn, we went to the pool. You smelled it in the air conditioning in the room. Yeah, but now when I smell it, it's like, oh, intoxicating.
- [47:45]
Mike Birbiglia
Yeah. Oh, you like it?
- [47:46]
Todd Glass
I like it because it makes me think of my family growing up taking road trips.
- [47:51]
Mike Birbiglia
Oh, that's nice.
- [47:52]
Todd Glass
Yeah. So. But it's not a good smell. Hey, either is. I smelled when I was in Philadelphia at working at Next in Line Comedy Club. I. During the day, they were cutting lawns and of course, fresh cut grass. Everybody is. But then they were filling the tanks with gasoline, and I walked by, I'm like, oh, gasoline and fresh cut grass. I was like, oh, it's a great.
- [48:13]
Mike Birbiglia
Example of, like, your smells are. The humor from childhood are terrible. But, like, of course, now you've. They're so fond to you.
- [48:21]
Todd Glass
Yeah.
- [48:23]
Mike Birbiglia
Is there a song that makes you cry?
- [48:26]
Todd Glass
Oh, it's a version of it. The Power of Love. You know, the oddest person I saw do it on YouTube, people will go find it. He's like 85 years old, but he did a version of Angelbert Humperdinck, the Power of Love. Well, he went on, I like to look at performers that are older because it makes you realize what you can be at 85. And with my mom dying two years ago and a close friend of mine, d. Dying two years ago, I heard that song on the treadmill. Just came upon it. I go look at old crooners. I want to go. I want to see what these crooners are doing as they get older. And it's the power of love. And I thought of it's just somewhere out there. And I thought of my friend or my mom and their energy being out there and that song. So the Power of Love. I think if somebody goes watches it. Engelbert Humperdinck, the Power of Love. And he has to be singing about his wife.
- [49:14]
Mike Birbiglia
Wow.
- [49:15]
Todd Glass
Who had died. They were married for 60 years.
- [49:18]
Mike Birbiglia
So do you have any material you're working on that you want to workshop? Okay, great, Great. It's so.
- [49:23]
Todd Glass
It's simple, but some of it you might go, but. But you want me to start?
- [49:28]
Mike Birbiglia
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
- [49:28]
Todd Glass
This isn't even a joke, but you'll get it.
- [49:30]
Mike Birbiglia
Okay.
- [49:30]
Todd Glass
The other day on stage, I go, I was talking about my uncle, my Uncle Steve. I go, folks, his name is an Uncle Steve, but his name is so old I have to young myself down. So I'm changing. Anybody in my past that said uncle to Uncle Steve isn't. So it was my Uncle Herbie. So I go. So I go. I'm trying to think of young names. So once I set that up, throughout the rest of my set, when I mentioned my young uncle, my Uncle Trent, you know, names that could be younger. So what names would be my uncle most likely wasn't that young name. Does that make sense?
- [50:02]
Mike Birbiglia
Yeah.
- [50:03]
Todd Glass
What are names that you consider to be. Oh, they're younger names, mostly. Does that make sense?
- [50:08]
Mike Birbiglia
Right? So, like, in other words, you're. You're trying. The game of.
- [50:12]
Todd Glass
It is like, they're gonna know, like, oh, he must have made that up too, because his uncle wasn't named his Uncle Nate. That's an older. Is that.
- [50:19]
Mike Birbiglia
Oh, is it older?
- [50:20]
Todd Glass
I don't know.
- [50:21]
Mike Birbiglia
They're trying to come up with younger, younger, younger, younger.
- [50:24]
Todd Glass
So think of any.
- [50:26]
Mike Birbiglia
I'm trying to think of if there is an obvious modern name, like, is.
- [50:30]
Todd Glass
Trent one of those? Or Blake. No, I guess they could be both, but, like, be like DJ or something like that. Like, DJs a good one. Oh, my Uncle DJ. Because obviously. But especially because they know the joke up front. So when they hear dj, they're gonna go, I don't think his uncle was dj.
- [50:50]
Mike Birbiglia
Yeah, yeah, uncle dj. That's funny. Anyway, so the idea is you keep making it a younger name or young.
- [50:57]
Todd Glass
Any young name, youngish name I like. DJ's a good one. We had. Sometimes I said a young name, and then my friends go, no, that's an old name. I thought Blythe for some reason, but they go, that's an older name, right?
- [51:09]
Mike Birbiglia
Oh, it is, right. Like Blythe Danner.
- [51:12]
Todd Glass
Yeah, right, right. I have another one.
- [51:14]
Mike Birbiglia
Everything. But it's so funny. I'm looking up at names on the wall right now. Everything is so cyclical. It's like. Well, it's like Mabel, one of the producers, that's, like, back in style. But it wasn't all that. I'm looking at Margaret. It's like Margaret's kind of in and out, you know?
- [51:28]
Todd Glass
Well, let me tell you something. As I started to think about it, I go, is my name an old name?
- [51:33]
Mike Birbiglia
Todd is an old name, you know.
- [51:36]
Todd Glass
Because there's no more Chet.
- [51:37]
Mike Birbiglia
Or Chet.
- [51:38]
Todd Glass
Yeah, Chet could be.
- [51:40]
Mike Birbiglia
Yeah. Old or new?
- [51:41]
Todd Glass
Yeah, yeah. I dropped the bit. You don't need it anymore. I'm just kidding.
- [51:47]
Mike Birbiglia
Is there anything else you're working on?
- [51:48]
Todd Glass
I do have one other.
- [51:50]
Mike Birbiglia
Oh, yeah, please.
- [51:50]
Todd Glass
Yeah, because I remember. So I have this bit about the. And by the way, even if you think of it tomorrow, you text it to me.
- [51:56]
Mike Birbiglia
Oh, yeah, please. Yeah.
- [51:58]
Todd Glass
So it's like I have this Cheesecake Factory bit. It is based on a silly true story. We were at the Cheesecake Factory, like, seven years ago, and we heard a woman go, I wish they had a cruise ship like this with good food like this. So we're like, this would be so gluttonous. And so, like, you know, today at three, you know. You know, we. Every morning at two, we fill our pool with margarita mix, shop early before it turns to hot piss. You know, Rory gave me. We have a mustard buffet with over 50 types of mustard with 40 spices from 88 continents. It's all bullshit, you know, Shove fudge up your ass. As part of our wellness program. Remember, everything in your room is edible. So we have them. But I'm always trying to think, and it's always based on gluttony. Take a helicopter ride on a helicopter made of chicken wings. Right, people? I love that. Right? Meet the man who invented Chiffy peanut butter. You know this. They would love it on that. But I go, I need some new ones.
- [52:52]
Mike Birbiglia
Right? Right. I'm trying to think. I'm looking around, and it's like. Like, it's like, how about a Ferris wheel filled with ice cream sandwiches? You're just like, how many would that be? 175. Ice cream sandwiches. We don't need that many. We need two or three at the most.
- [53:12]
Todd Glass
See that? That's. That's perfect because it's also. Who gives a sh. What is this? Anything they could think of. Take a ride on a Ferris wheel filled with ice cream sandwich.
- [53:23]
Mike Birbiglia
It's. It's a school bus. Made of nacho cheese, but it's shaped like a school bus. You're like, no, no, we don't need that much. We just need one portion. We'd love it if the cheese were fresh, but we don't care about how much there is. That actually might be a funny runner in it is like, they could keep talking about portions being unwieldy and you being like, oh, that sounds great. Could we have something smaller? Maybe a one or a two? It's just for us.
- [53:49]
Todd Glass
Oh, get. We'll bring a wheelbarrow full of mashed potatoes to your room. Well, just. Just a little bit.
- [53:57]
Mike Birbiglia
Yeah.
- [53:57]
Todd Glass
I don't even know how to wheel.
- [54:00]
Mike Birbiglia
We'll bring you a super tank or a hot dog. No, no, no. Do you have like four or five at the most? It's just us. It's just the family.
- [54:07]
Todd Glass
Come eat. Eat a 75 foot hot dog. That's a good one. This is the part I say is like pillows. You know what I mean? When you move into a home and then you're already done the hard stuff and you come back with a picture or a, you know, a pillow or a blanket for the end of your bed, to me, this is. This stuff is so much fun because you go back and implement it right away.
- [54:26]
Mike Birbiglia
Yeah, yeah, yeah, totally.
- [54:27]
Todd Glass
75 foot hot dog. I'm a horrible. You know, it's so hard for me like, sometimes, like, I watch other comedians and I like, you know, it's hard for me to like, sometimes write for somebody else.
- [54:39]
Mike Birbiglia
Yeah, of course.
- [54:40]
Todd Glass
It's like. And I see comedians that do it and it's like, it's another level of like Chip Chantry, like, can watch my act and go, hey, do this or do that. I'm like, oh, my God, that's a great idea.
- [54:50]
Mike Birbiglia
The. I wrote this down, which is I was in the back of an Uber and the driver was scrolling on his phone while he was driving, like, scrolling through Instagram. And the car was also swerving, which is the real life version of scrolling. And sometimes this is. I was trying to capture as a joke, but it's like sometimes what people are doing wrong is so egregious, you don't even want to bring it up because it's too embarrassing. It's too, you know, because you don't want to interrupt him from his train of thought, which is murdering you in real time. You're like, no, no, you should do your thing. You should kill me doing.
- [55:37]
Todd Glass
It's so funny you say that, that it's so wrong. I was Getting a massage once at a legitimate place. Well, they give you happy beginnings and all things. She was. I saw her texting.
- [55:53]
Mike Birbiglia
No.
- [55:54]
Todd Glass
And I like you. Just. I was too embarrassed for her to go, you know, oh, my God.
- [56:00]
Mike Birbiglia
I'll tell you another one too. I. I do. I was doing yoga with someone in. In London. I was doing my show in London, and this person came over and they were. You're doing Shavasana, where you close your eyes. And I sensed something, and I opened my eyes and she was taking a photo of me with my eyes closed. Oh, I know.
- [56:22]
Todd Glass
Did you say anything?
- [56:23]
Mike Birbiglia
Yeah. I go, hey, what are you doing? Why are you taking a photo? And she was like, oh, you. Sometimes people like that. I was like, oh. And I knew that she knew that I knew. That's not what it's for.
- [56:36]
Todd Glass
Right, right, right.
- [56:37]
Mike Birbiglia
We're gonna say it. I said it.
- [56:39]
Todd Glass
Who likes it? You should. Who?
- [56:42]
Mike Birbiglia
Who does?
- [56:42]
Todd Glass
When you say, who? Who? You. You like it. People like it. Oh, that's violating. I know, because you're like, oh, I'm Baron. I'm trying to like, oh, I hated it.
- [56:53]
Mike Birbiglia
And, oh, I have a happy ending joke, actually, because you just said happy beginning. I go, Sometimes I think language is the thing that divides us. Like, I go, I think it's weird that all of us in this room all sort of know what the slang term happy ending means. Like, I think that's weird because the reason I think it's weird is that in the on the level massage industry, when you go for a on the level massage, there's 2% of your brain the whole time that's thinking, maybe at the end of this, the most unlikely, outlandish thing might occur. I go, can you imagine if I walked on stage tonight? And you're going, oh, his set. This is pretty funny. But there's a 2% chance. There's a 2% chance at the end of the set, he hops in the crowd and jerks everybody off. I go. I go, you and me?
- [57:47]
Todd Glass
I go, mike, that's so fucking funny.
- [57:50]
Mike Birbiglia
I go, you'd be like, this is the worst comedy show I've ever been to. And then, like, three of you would be like, this is the best comedy show I've ever been to. But here's where it goes. Here's where it goes. This is why I think it's worth it. I go, so that's what some people think a happy ending is. And then some people think it's when a fish finds his dad in the ocean. I go, you think Those two groups of people are going to agree on health care. So it kind of like brings it back to the thing of, like, that language divides us.
- [58:15]
Todd Glass
Mike, I would not do my joke. If you do that joke. That's because that's a better way. It puts the onus on you. This guy's really funny. You think there's a chance he might?
- [58:24]
Mike Birbiglia
I know, it's crazy.
- [58:25]
Todd Glass
Have you ever done that on stage?
- [58:26]
Mike Birbiglia
Yeah, I've been doing it lately. I work out in. At the Comedy center in New York. And I love doing that joke because honestly, at the beginning of it, the audience does not know what to think of it. Because usually I don't talk about stuff like that.
- [58:37]
Todd Glass
That's how I'm a little shy too. I can be crass.
- [58:41]
Mike Birbiglia
Yeah.
- [58:41]
Todd Glass
But I'm. Sometimes I go like, ooh. It's too like. Can I tell you, I had this joke a long time ago. And I go, not for an. It was, you know, a hotel. There's a sign that says, towel on the floor means I want a new one. But a towel hanging up means I use it again. Now, I hate this word now, but I'm saying it in context. I go, what's a rag with jizz on it on the night table? I mean, with a lotion next to it? And I. After doing it and it got big laughs, but I go, I don't like that word. I don't like that word, but can I come up with what does it mean, better word? And my friend goes, just say, what's a washcloth on the night table mean? With a little lotion next to it.
- [59:17]
Mike Birbiglia
Yeah, yeah.
- [59:17]
Todd Glass
And then I. Then it gets the same laugh. And then you hear, but I didn't like that other word.
- [59:22]
Mike Birbiglia
It means I'm sad.
- [59:23]
Todd Glass
I mean, that's what I say. I go, I call down to the front desk, I go, what's it mean? She goes, sir. And I go, well, what does it mean? She goes, I don't know, sir. It means you're lonely.
- [59:34]
Mike Birbiglia
Yeah, that's funny. The last thing we do is working out for a cause. Is there a non profit that you like to contribute to? And what we do is we contribute to them, then we link to that non profit in the show notes and encourage people to contribute.
- [59:49]
Todd Glass
You know what? There's a. An animal shelter. You know what? I don't remember the name, but there's an. It's an animal shelter. And I'll send you the link. Does that work?
- [59:57]
Mike Birbiglia
Okay, perfect.
- [59:58]
Todd Glass
Good.
- [59:58]
Mike Birbiglia
So we will. It's a Los Angeles Animal shelter. We will link to them in the show notes. I will contribute to them. And Todd Glass, you are one of the greats, and I don't throw it around.
- [60:11]
Todd Glass
Well, I appreciate it. Mike. I'm going to put pressure on you. And I thought I wasn't going to do this. I would. I hope you can make it to a show.
- [60:17]
Mike Birbiglia
I'm going to come.
- [60:18]
Todd Glass
You are.
- [60:18]
Mike Birbiglia
It was my calendar. To me, it's in my eyes already in my calendar.
- [60:22]
Todd Glass
All right. I don't think you'll be disappointed.
- [60:24]
Mike Birbiglia
I've never been. I've never been disappointed seeing your shows. You're an unbelievable performance.
- [60:28]
Todd Glass
Thank you.
- [60:28]
Mike Birbiglia
Truly unbelievable.
- [60:30]
Todd Glass
Thank you. And I appreciate you. You, you know, you know, sometimes people don't get back to you. Not always. But like, you're a good man and.
- [60:37]
Mike Birbiglia
Just, you're an unbelievable inspiration. I have so much gratitude for everything you've done on stage. And also personally, you've just been so kind to me through the years.
- [60:47]
Todd Glass
Well, thank you. Working it out because it's not done.
- [60:52]
Mike Birbiglia
Working it out because there's no that's going to do it. For another episode of Working it Out, you can follow Todd Glass on Instagram. He Todd Glass show. If you're in New York City, I implore you to go to the event of a lifetime at Second City Brooklyn until November 16th. I'm definitely going. You can get tickets for that show@toddglass.com check out birdbigs.com to sign up for the mailing list, the text alerts, all that stuff. My upcoming shows tonight, I will be performing as part of a benefit for the Woodruff foundation, the Wounded Warriors Project, which is an extraordinary organization that supports families of wounded soldiers. That's over at Lincoln Center. I'm not sure if there's still tickets available, but you can give it a shot. You can watch the full video of this episode on our YouTube channel, ikebiglia. By the way, we've had some really cool ones lately. While you're over there, you could watch the one with Nick Offerman. You could watch the one with Questlove. You could watch the one with. With leva Pierce and JaneWickline from SNL. I mean, there's just actually a lot of great stuff over there at the YouTube channel. Subscribe. That actually helps us a lot. Subscribe and then you get more videos coming your way. We really appreciate it. Our producers of this show Working it out are myself, along with Peter Salomon, Joseph Birbiglia, Mabel Lewis and Gary Simons. Sound mixed by Shub Sarin supervising engineer Kate Balinsky. Special thanks to Jack Antonoff and Bleachers for their music. Jack Antonoff, of course, received, I believe it was, nine Grammy nominations last week. Nine. Truly unbelievable run as a singer, songwriter, producer. My buddy Jack Antonoff, and he did the music for this darn show. So look at that. Special thanks to my wife, the poet J. Hope Stein. Thanks to everybody who gave us feedback on that episode last week. If you like her work, she has multiple books available. One of them is called Little Astronaut. It's available anywhere you get your local books. And she also worked on a book with me, which is the new one, Painfully True Stories from a Reluctant dad, with poems by J. Hope Stein. It came out in 2020, so it was a little bit under the radar. Is kind of loosely based on my Broadway show, the new one, which became a Netflix special. And it's kind of, in some ways, I'm plugging it here after whatever, five years after it came out. But it's a real deep dive into, like, if you liked that episode last week, it's a real deep dive into our marriage and having a child and all of these things where I have a comedic take. She has a poetic take, I would say. Occasionally I veer poetry, she veers comedy. And I think it's. I think we're really proud of it. So check out that. Check out Little Astronaut. Of course, a special thanks, as always, to our daughter Una, who built the original radio fort made of pillows in 2020. Thanks most of all to you who are listening. If you enjoy our show, go on Apple Podcasts. You get the premium subscription while you're there. And. Or we have 190 episodes, all free. No paywall. We implore you here at the show to tell your friends and tell your enemies. Tell the person who's talking too loudly at the comedy show. I mean, wait until after the show, obviously, but, you know, after the show, if someone's talking too loudly, go, hey, I don't want to start a whole thing, but maybe if you listen to this podcast called Mike Birbigli's Working it out, you'd understand how disruptive it can be to talk during a comedy show. You can listen to this podcast on your way to a comedy show, and then you listen to the podcast on the way home. What a night. Thanks, everybody. We're working it out. We'll see you next time.