Cat Cohen

Summary

Senses Working Overtime with David Cross: Episode Featuring Kat Cohen

Release Date: December 12, 2024

Introduction

In this engaging episode of "Senses Working Overtime," hosted by David Cross and produced by Headgum, comedian Kat Cohen joins the conversation to delve into a myriad of topics ranging from professional experiences and personal anecdotes to health scares and family dynamics. The dialogue is both humorous and heartfelt, offering listeners a comprehensive look into the lives of both hosts.

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1. NASA Tour Adventure

David Cross kicks off the episode by sharing an exhilarating experience:

David Cross [00:16]: "Sean Patton?... He’s a great comedian and an English teacher. We got invited to take a private tour of NASA. It was unbelievable. It was crazy."

Kat joins in with her recollection:

Kat Cohen [01:37]: "We took a tour of NASA... our tour guide fumbled, saying 'on the Earth' instead of 'earth's surface,' which became a running joke at home."

They discuss the awe-inspiring sights at NASA, including the command center and the world’s deepest pool used for astronaut training:

David Cross [02:12]: "They have a life-sized International Space Station in the water, 40 feet deep. It's massive, like a football field and a half."

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2. Encounter with a Flat Earth Believer

The conversation takes a turn when David recounts an encounter with a flat Earth conspiracy theorist:

David Cross [06:00]: "I met a guy who firmly believes the Earth is flat. No matter what evidence I presented—like the curvature seen from space or cockpit camera footage from flights—it just didn't compute for him."

Kat adds humor to the situation:

Kat Cohen [07:19]: "He just keeps repeating what he learned online. It makes him feel powerful."

David humorously describes the man's intimidating handshake:

David Cross [07:25]: "He has the firmest handshake ever. Like RoboCop's handshake—frighteningly painful."

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3. The Art of Handshaking

Shifting gears, the duo delves into personal stories about handshakes and first impressions:

Kat Cohen [08:11]: "I tried getting into hand modeling, but a professional manicurist said my nails weren't quite right."

David Cross [08:29]: "I've been awarded for having the softest hands in showbiz. It's paradoxical!"

They laugh over the irony and discuss the nuances of handshakes in social and professional settings.

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4. Literary Pursuits and Reading Habits

David shares his recent literary adventures:

David Cross [17:30]: "I just finished 'Moby Dick' and found it unexpectedly funny. I've started rereading some classics like 'Pale Fire' and 'Economics with an X'."

Kat expresses her love for immersive reading:

Kat Cohen [22:14]: "I’m reading a new book about Joan Didion and Eve Babitt’s friendship. Five pages in, I’m transported back to the 60s LA."

They discuss their approaches to reading, balancing fiction and non-fiction, and the challenges of retaining information.

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5. Upcoming Tours and Show Preparations

David elaborates on his evolving tour structure, emphasizing the dynamic nature of his performances:

David Cross [25:48]: "The show evolves with each tour. I incorporate new bits and drop others to keep it fresh."

He outlines his touring schedule, including upcoming dates in San Diego, Los Angeles, Oakland, and plans for Europe and the UK:

David Cross [24:26]: "I'll be at the Music Box in San Diego on January 9th, the Bellwether in LA on January 10th, and the Fox Theater in Oakland on January 11th."

Kat expresses excitement for his European dates, reminiscing about past performances:

Kat Cohen [46:19]: "Dublin shows were my favorite. They’re always so rowdy and fun."

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6. Personal Health Scare: Kat's Stroke Experience

A poignant moment arises when Kat shares her medical ordeal:

Kat Cohen [32:08]: "I felt like I had a stroke—woozy, couldn't move my arm. I walked myself to CityMD."

She explains her diagnosis of a PFO (patent foramen ovale), a hole in the heart that can lead to strokes:

Kat Cohen [34:35]: "They found a hole in my heart that I wasn’t aware of. It’s not uncommon, and now they've closed it."

David empathizes, highlighting the importance of unions and healthcare support:

David Cross [36:37]: "I'm so lucky to have a strong union and good health insurance through SAG. It made all the difference."

Kat expresses gratitude towards the medical professionals and her union:

Kat Cohen [35:42]: "A shout out to SAG for my insurance. The nurses were saints."

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7. Navigating Parenthood and Personal Life

The discussion shifts to family dynamics and parenthood:

David Cross [41:06]: "I have a seven-year-old daughter. Balancing touring and family is challenging, but rewarding."

Kat Cohen [44:14]: "I’m considering freezing my eggs. I'm almost 30 and want to focus on my dreams first."

They share humorous and heartfelt insights into parenting, relationships, and the complexities of maintaining personal connections while managing professional obligations.

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8. Building Relationships and Serendipitous Meetings

David recounts the story of how he met his wife, Amber, highlighting the serendipitous nature of their relationship:

David Cross [52:25]: "We met at an awards party. Years later, I ran into her on a flight. It was playful and unexpected."

Kat and David discuss the intertwining of personal and professional lives, emphasizing the importance of genuine connections.

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9. Closing Remarks and Future Endeavors

As the episode wraps up, both hosts reflect on their journeys and future projects. Kat promotes her new comedy special:

Kat Cohen [60:32]: "I would love everyone to go watch my new comedy special on Veeps, called 'Come for Me.'"

David shares final thoughts on evolving his show and the emotional aspect of concluding a tour:

David Cross [39:18]: "This tour has been incredibly fun. It feels like I'm closing a significant chapter."

They bid each other farewell, leaving listeners with a sense of camaraderie and anticipation for future episodes.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps:

• David Cross [07:25]: "He has the firmest handshake ever. Like RoboCop's handshake—frighteningly painful."

• Kat Cohen [17:36]: "I did not expect 'Moby Dick' to be as funny as it was."

• David Cross [25:48]: "The show evolves with each tour. I incorporate new bits and drop others to keep it fresh."

• Kat Cohen [32:08]: "I felt like I had a stroke—woozy, couldn't move my arm. I walked myself to CityMD."

• David Cross [52:25]: "We met at an awards party. Years later, I ran into her on a flight. It was playful and unexpected."

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Conclusion

This episode of "Senses Working Overtime" weaves together professional insights, personal stories, and heartfelt moments between David Cross and Kat Cohen. From exhilarating NASA tours and humorous encounters to navigating health scares and building meaningful relationships, listeners are treated to a rich tapestry of conversations that are both entertaining and enlightening. Whether you're a dedicated follower or a new listener, this episode offers valuable perspectives and genuine connections that resonate long after the episode ends.

Transcript

[Kat Cohen]

This is a Headgum podcast.

[David Cross]

Lights are going up. Snow is falling down. There's a feeling of goodwill around town. It could only mean one thing. McRib is here. People throwing parties, ugly sweaters everywhere. Stockings hung up by the chimney with care. It could only mean one thing. McRib is here at participating McDonald's for a limited time. Do you know Sean Patton?

[Kat Cohen]

No. It sounds so familiar.

[David Cross]

Great comedian. Open for me last tour is opening for me on this tour. Is also an English teacher, plays the. He's great.

[Kat Cohen]

Oh, I know. Yeah, I know. Yeah.

[David Cross]

And a great comic. Anyway, he and I got invited to take a private tour of NASA. And it was unbelievable. It was crazy.

[Kat Cohen]

NASA's crazy. That's so funny.

[David Cross]

Have you been in there?

[Kat Cohen]

A famous family story. Are we recording? Yes, I have a famous family story.

[David Cross]

Okay.

[Kat Cohen]

I had no idea. We started. That was just so.

[David Cross]

Oh no, no. We just roll right now.

[Kat Cohen]

That's incredible. Famous family stories. We took a tour of NASA. Like, you know, was not private, right?

[David Cross]

Yeah. And there you could see people in the Upper Glaston thing.

[Kat Cohen]

And our tour guide fumbled his words. Instead of saying the earth's surface, he said on the Earth. And we thought that was like the funniest thing we'd ever heard. And like we've been saying that for like 20 years. In my, in my household. This is like really. This. Today was so Earth. Yeah. But. Yeah, I don't remember it, but I guess it's pretty cool.

[David Cross]

Did you go into. What do you call it, the command center?

[Kat Cohen]

Oh, I don't remember.

[David Cross]

Yeah, it was, it went. And then they took us. It was about a 15 minute drive away to what I, as I understand it, is the world's biggest pool and, or deepest pool. And it's where they train. They have a life size 2 scale international space station in the water. It's 40ft deep.

[Kat Cohen]

Oh my God.

[David Cross]

And it's massive. Football field, like football field and a half. And that's where they train the astronauts who are going to go up in space to like, you know, to do spacewalks.

[Kat Cohen]

And I'm getting so stressed out caring about that, like thinking about being under there.

[David Cross]

It's. It was so cool.

[Kat Cohen]

And you thought you were in there when you went.

[David Cross]

Yeah, yeah. I so wanted to just jump in.

[Kat Cohen]

Oh my God.

[David Cross]

But you know. And apparently a guy did. We heard a story about a guy did jump in. Goofball of a group.

[Kat Cohen]

Yeah, of course he's banned.

[David Cross]

Yeah.

[Kat Cohen]

Crazy.

[David Cross]

And here's another little interesting tidbit. So we started this with an awesome guy who was, like, a fan, and he's like, I'm going to take you around. And it was just an amazing, amazing day. And two little tidbits. One is, there was one other guest who was about maybe 15 minutes behind us with his own guide. Him and his partner, girlfriend, wife, I don't know. But it was one of the guys from Five Finger Death Punch.

[Kat Cohen]

I don't know what that is.

[David Cross]

It's a band that would have been.

[Kat Cohen]

I'm sorry.

[David Cross]

And then the other thing was.

[Kat Cohen]

But that's amazing.

[David Cross]

I. Shortly after that, I want to say less than two weeks, this is in the middle of the tour, right? And I was in Chapel Hill doing a show at Cat's Cradle. And my sister, who lives in North Carolina, I have two younger sisters. One I'm very close with, one I'm not that close with. Everybody else is back in Atlanta, the rest of my family. But my little sister is in North Carolina, like, in the country. And she will come down to the show. She'll drive down and has friends, and I've met them numerous times. And this guy, and you could see a slight smile on his face when he was. This is her friend. Hey, so do you believe the. Do you believe the earth is round? And I was like. And I was so excited. I can't wait to have this conversation with this guy. And I was like, yes, I do. And then he proceeded to explain the two things he had read over and over again online about why it can't be, possibly be. And no matter what I brought up, it was. It just doesn't compute. It's not worth putting into the equation because of these other two things, because of his links. He has links and his links. And it was like, nothing I said could penetrate this idea he had based on whatever epiphany he got from being online at 2 in the morning. And that, they're lying to you. Everyone's lying to you. And I also was like, well, what? What do they gain by that? And, I mean, everybody has to be in on this conspiracy. And anyway, so it was funny because his wife, my sister's friend, and my sister, as soon as he started going in this, he's like, I ain't gonna Listen to this, J.R. i'm out of here. I'm gonna be outside because I'm not listening to this again. And it was pretty funny. Clearly, he's been annoying everybody with it. But. So we said. Sean and I were like, you know, we toured NASA and we saw the live feed from the Space station. You could see the curvature of the Earth there. And I explained, like, I was on. I've been on a couple Virgin Atlantic flights that go up to. I think they're. When they're up there, it's like 45,000ft above, you know, they're cruising altitude, whatever. And they have the cameras on the. And you can clearly see the curvature. It's not as defined as if you were on the moon, obviously, but you definitely see curvature. So I'm like, so did they film stuff and then alter it in post? And then they just have. They're running this film on and what? And he's like, yeah, yeah, no, it didn't matter. He would say, like, you know, all I can tell you is it's flat and the sun revolves or doesn't revolve. It goes into Figure 8. And any logical thing like, so what at the edge? What happens at the edge? Where is the edge? Is there water? Is it just landlocked? And then just kept repeating the two things he had learned online.

[Kat Cohen]

That's all he's got going. It makes him feel powerful. Sounds amazing. I'd love to meet him if he's single or.

[David Cross]

Well, he's not single. He is a wife. Oh, fuck. But also the firmest handshake I've ever really, like, frighteningly, like what? I imagine robocop's handshake a little painful. Painful? Yeah.

[Kat Cohen]

Do you. Do you go in for a handshake always when you meet someone.

[David Cross]

I know. Not really. Not always, no. I'm quite happy, though, when somebody else instigates it and then does the fist bump, because then I don't. Then there's no because. Also, I have a. I don't have a strong grip, and I have to be conscious of, like, Especially these bigger guys. I'm like, well, I better grip up, you know, and for two reasons. One is like, I don't want them to think I'm, you know, a pussy with this wet fish handshake.

[Kat Cohen]

Totally.

[David Cross]

And then the other is like, I don't want to get hurt. It's scary, you know, because I have. I've been twice awarded this over. I mean, it's. I'm going back 20 years now, but twice gotten the award, and then almost always, except for one time, been in the top 10. But softest hands and showbiz.

[Kat Cohen]

Softest Hands and showbiz.

[David Cross]

Yeah.

[Kat Cohen]

Have you ever modeled the hands?

[David Cross]

No, it's. I don't want to exploit them, you know, and I don't want to introduce them to that kind of lifestyle.

[Kat Cohen]

Totally. I've always thought I could get into the hand game, but I met this professional manicurist who said my nail beds weren't quite right. I was. I was waiting for her. She said her son is a hand model, and I was waiting for her to be like, and you. Cause I was kind of like, let.

[David Cross]

Me see your hands.

[Kat Cohen]

What do you think? I don't have a manicure right now, but aren't they kind of, like.

[David Cross]

I mean, kind of average to me, but maybe that's what you want. It depends on what you're selling. What are you selling?

[Kat Cohen]

I'm an all American. I have all American hands. I have the hands next door.

[David Cross]

Yes, you have the hands next door, exactly.

[Kat Cohen]

Maybe another life. I don't have my nails painted right now. Okay, so you just got back from Montana?

[David Cross]

Yes, last year.

[Kat Cohen]

Do you get a little break now, or do you have to go back?

[David Cross]

I do. I have a. And I've been on the road pretty consistently. Excuse me. Since September. And it's so hard. It's hard. I mean, I love it, but I'm. So, is it.

[Kat Cohen]

Are you by yourself or you.

[David Cross]

No, it's Sean.

[Kat Cohen]

You and Sean and y'all are besties?

[David Cross]

Uh, no, but we. He's a great hang.

[Kat Cohen]

That's nice.

[David Cross]

We've gotten closer as the. As the tours have continued.

[Kat Cohen]

Do you have a good rhythm of being like, I'm going into my own zone. Like, don't talk to me.

[David Cross]

Oh, I'm not that guy.

[Kat Cohen]

What are you? What guy are you?

[David Cross]

I'm more of a. Like, I have gravity inversion boots and a whole rig that I bring with me, and I have a tour bus for that. I wish I was on a tour bus. I'm usually flying, coached with connecting flights, but as long as I can get my gravity inversion boots and the little rig going, and I do that for about a day and a half before the show. So I'll go into. Let's say I'm in Spokane, right? I'm at the casino in Spokane, and there's nothing else around. It's off the highway there, about a half hour out of Spokane, and even Spokane is a half hour out of Spokane. And I will get the stuff delivered there. I'll go about a day and a half early, and I'll just hang out there, take my supplements. And then I have a live video feed of my fish, and I'll just check on them, and they're okay. And then. And do I have an Etch A Sketch, which is just for My brain. I try to upside down do an Etch A Sketch and I try to do the Notre Dame and on the Etch A Sketch, upside down. And then. And then I'm ready and that's showtime. Whether. Whether people are in or not. And it might be 3:30 in the afternoon shows.

[Kat Cohen]

You decide when the show is.

[David Cross]

I'm doing the show and I do the show.

[Kat Cohen]

Take it or leave it.

[David Cross]

Yeah.

[Kat Cohen]

I love that. So you have a little break. How do you like to unwind?

[David Cross]

Well, there's no unwinding. I've got a seven year old, just about eight, so there's not a lot of unwinding. But I.

[Kat Cohen]

Girl or boy?

[David Cross]

That's up to it.

[Kat Cohen]

Totally.

[David Cross]

What's it into right now? Chick shit. But no, she's a girl. I had hopes that she would be gay, but I don't think. I don't think that's gonna be.

[Kat Cohen]

It's not shaping up like that.

[David Cross]

No. I really was.

[Kat Cohen]

It is hard to be a straight girl.

[David Cross]

Well, yes, for sure. In this. I just know guys are fucking awful.

[Kat Cohen]

That's what I'm saying.

[David Cross]

And. Yeah. And she's around a lot of very healthy lesbian relationships.

[Kat Cohen]

I see. I see.

[David Cross]

And my experience is the lesbian couples I know are happier than.

[Kat Cohen]

Really?

[David Cross]

Yeah.

[Kat Cohen]

What do you think makes them happier?

[David Cross]

I think there's a. You have less of the heterosexual male and heterosexual female. There's a lot of compromise and you have to work hard on. I mean, biologically, a man wants to keep fucking. Right?

[Kat Cohen]

Right.

[David Cross]

And you know, biologically and up till fairly recently, societally, a woman does not. Even though we know that's not exactly true.

[Kat Cohen]

I know. But some cliches can be true sometimes.

[David Cross]

Right.

[Kat Cohen]

So we're still in that.

[David Cross]

You know, there is a. And then men, you know, not to get into the hacky men are from Mars, women are from Venus bullshit. See, here's the thing. Can I say this?

[Kat Cohen]

Go ahead.

[David Cross]

You're a lady.

[Kat Cohen]

Yeah.

[David Cross]

I've always thought. I've seen it as men are from Mars, women are from Pluto.

[Kat Cohen]

That's fascinating.

[David Cross]

Yeah. And I have theories and I did a lot of work on this back at NASA. Back at NASA, yeah.

[Kat Cohen]

You logged those hours?

[David Cross]

I tried to submit it to him. I had everything on a flash drive, but it fell into the pool. Of course. But so I think there is more. You're starting from a similar place with. I see lesbians or gay. You know. Or gay or. You know. But. So that's my shitty theory. That's my uneducated theory. And I thought And I also know that guys can be fucking cruel and awful and exploitive. And I know and a lot of this is kind of in a selfish way. Not selfish but self centered way of going. I don't want to have to deal with some asshole guy who I can see right through, you know, taking advantage of my daughter. And I just wanted her to be in a healthier relationship early on.

[Kat Cohen]

Yeah. Growing up my dad was always like, whatever you do, don't get married. Men are horrible. You're more likely to get divorced than say, together. Don't stay away from everyone, do your own thing. Fuck em, fuck em. But now he gets along with my boyfriend quite well, so I lucked out.

[David Cross]

So. And what's your dad's story?

[Kat Cohen]

He's my best friend in the world.

[David Cross]

Well, that's not his story. What's his story?

[Kat Cohen]

What do you mean? He's what?

[David Cross]

What would bring him to say, well, men are awful, don't get married.

[Kat Cohen]

My mom are still together, very happy. But I think many of their siblings have all had difficult marriages and so that has led them to see marriage more often. Works out less often than sure.

[David Cross]

I mean I, I don't know how old you are, but my generation and it was abnormal to have a friend who had mother and father that were still together. There were way more products of divorce, as was I in that era.

[Kat Cohen]

How old were you when they divorced?

[David Cross]

My Dad, I was 10. And we had moved back to Atlanta where I was born when I was 9 and then had a really rough time of it. And then we got evicted from this apartment. We were there for about almost eight months and then. So I was about, I was probably, it was probably not too long after my 10th birthday. Yeah, it was, it's not important, but it was early 10 which would have made Wendy, you know, almost nine and.

[Kat Cohen]

Julie, great name, Wendy.

[David Cross]

Okay. And then Julie would have been six, I think.

[Kat Cohen]

So young.

[David Cross]

Oh yeah. My dad was pretty shitty.

[Kat Cohen]

Really?

[David Cross]

Yeah. Yeah. And how many siblings do you have?

[Kat Cohen]

I have two younger brothers. One of them lives here, one of them just moved to San Francisco. One of them I have to shout out is understudying in a new Broadway play called Cults of Love. It opens next week.

[David Cross]

Right on.

[Kat Cohen]

I'm going to see him. I'm so proud of him. And I cannot wait to see the show. Yeah. And I wonder.

[David Cross]

Say it again. Cults.

[Kat Cohen]

It's called Cult of Love.

[David Cross]

Cult of Love, Broadway, Off Broadway. Broadway musical.

[Kat Cohen]

It's a play, straight play. I think there might be some musical elements kind of Chica play with music. And I'm going next week. And. Yeah, I wonder. Fingers crossed he'll get to go on at some point during the run. Cause he's understudying a couple of the roles.

[David Cross]

Oh, great.

[Kat Cohen]

Yeah, yeah, he's great.

[David Cross]

Well, maybe there can be like a Rosemary's Baby situation.

[Kat Cohen]

Totally.

[David Cross]

Where something happens mysteriously to the lead and then, you know.

[Kat Cohen]

Yeah, we'll see what happens. But I wish all the actors the best.

[David Cross]

You just wanna cover your bases.

[Kat Cohen]

Totally. Yeah. But they're cool. And you have how many?

[David Cross]

You said two. Two younger sisters.

[Kat Cohen]

Are you reading something good right now?

[David Cross]

Yes, I just finished Moby Dick, which I really enjoyed. Oh, my God, I really enjoyed it.

[Kat Cohen]

I've never read it.

[David Cross]

I hadn't either. And it was. As I've gotten older, I've started rereading some of my old favorite books. And I'm doing that now with this current one and then also reading classics. I feel like, oh, I've less time to dick around with, you know. Oops, Excuse me. It's my phone. God damn it. Okay. I have less time to, you know, take a chance on something I might not like.

[Kat Cohen]

Yeah.

[David Cross]

And, yeah, Moby Dick was. I did not expect it to be as funny as it was really.

[Kat Cohen]

It seems like a slog.

[David Cross]

It. It is a slog, but it's real. He's such a good writer. And I keep thinking about the book really. Like, I really do. It's. Again, I just finished it, like, I don't know, eight, nine days ago. But I was like, how do you.

[Kat Cohen]

Guys feel so accomplished?

[David Cross]

Well, that's one more book. I've got a gazillion more to read.

[Kat Cohen]

I know. It never stopped.

[David Cross]

It's. Yeah, it's. It's. It's really funny. Like, laugh out loud funny sometimes.

[Kat Cohen]

And if I walked by someone reading Boby Dick and they're like, this is crazy. I'm like, who's paying that person? I'll keep that in mind.

[David Cross]

Yeah, no, it is. I mean, and I have laughed out loud at it, but. And it definitely. As you're getting towards the end of it, it's a bit of a slog because you're like, I know what's going to happen. So let's get to that. I don't need to learn about the. The tarps and the masks and everything. But he's such a great writer.

[Kat Cohen]

Are you someone who, like, if you start a new book, do you let yourself just move on if you aren't liking it, or do you make yourself yes.

[David Cross]

Oh, absolutely. I'll give it 100 pages.

[Kat Cohen]

That's good.

[David Cross]

Or I'll give it 50 pages. If I feel like I'm not gonna like this and like everybody. I don't. My biggest pet peeve is when characters who are wildly different talk the same way. Oh, I don't like that.

[Kat Cohen]

I'm sure if I wrote a novel, I'm pretty sure, yes, that's how it would be.

[David Cross]

That's a thing that I. But so I started reading, rereading this book that I try to read every, you know, three, four, five years. It's called Economics with an X. And it's a graphic history of economics and economy based and how, you know, from the beginning of modern meaning, starting in mercantile type era up through the industrial revolution into America and World War I, World War II, post war economies. Because I don't know anything about that stuff. I want to know. I have trouble retaining that kind of information. It's an easy read. It's extremely informative.

[Kat Cohen]

I should read that.

[David Cross]

It's called Economics with an X. And it will. And you will breeze through it and it's got just tons of information and I just have to try to retain it, but I'm not good at that. So every, as I said, three, four years, I'll pick it up and reread it and it doesn't take long. And then I've got Pale Fire, which my friend Michael recommended, highly recommended. I've got that and my wife, who reads voraciously, the new Ta, Nehisi Coates. And then there's something else.

[Kat Cohen]

So you're doing multiple at once?

[David Cross]

Oh, yeah. No, no. This is the lineup compiling. So then. And then I got the squad by Ryan Grimm that I want to read. I'll push. I try to put mix up my fictions and nonfictions, so I'm not. I read there was a period where I was reading too much nonfiction and it was, you know, bumming me out.

[Kat Cohen]

That's why I can barely get through a novel. I feel like I used to when I was little.

[David Cross]

Prose fiction.

[Kat Cohen]

Yeah. Now I'm just like, I need to know real. I'm like, what's real? What's real? What's real?

[David Cross]

I had a period of that and I wish I would have, you know, at least put one story in between two nonfiction books just to. For your mind, for your head.

[Kat Cohen]

Yeah.

[David Cross]

You know, especially as somebody who writes and is creative.

[Kat Cohen]

I am trying to be that. Yeah, totally. Well, yeah. I'm excited for the holiday break. I'm about to Turn everything off, make a bunch of soup, get my books ready. My friend gave me this new book about Joan Didion and Eve Babbitts and their friendship. I just. I'm immediately transported. Five pages in, I'm like, it's the 60s. We're in LA. Like, take me back. Which I love.

[David Cross]

Wait, so you get. When you think about that era, you get glottal fry.

[Kat Cohen]

Yeah, I suffer. Yeah, yeah, yeah. This whole thing.

[David Cross]

That's interesting.

[Kat Cohen]

It's crazy. Yeah. It started in. In the early 2000s, the glottal fry. When thinking about 60s LA.

[David Cross]

Oh, it just popped in. Just. You can't even say it.

[Kat Cohen]

It's hard for me to say that. It's. Yeah, it's. It's. Yeah. I get embarrassed. So just. Emma, cut that.

[David Cross]

But, yeah, Emma, leave it in. And then give it a little bit of. A little bit of echo.

[Kat Cohen]

Yeah. Some reverb.

[David Cross]

It's some reverb, please. Thank you.

[Kat Cohen]

Amazing.

[David Cross]

Let's brighten it up.

[Kat Cohen]

So are you done with your tour? Do you have more. More dates?

[David Cross]

I'm. I have. I can't remember why, but I had to. Oh, I know why. So I, anyway, had to postpone some shows that were on the West Coast. So I'm going to. In fact, those of you listening who are interested. Kat, I don't know what kind of poll you have, but we'll find out shortly. Oakland. No, San Diego, Louisiana. Oakland. Coming up in January. When the fuck is it? Here, let me. I'll tell you right now. I'll tell you right now, people. There we go. So at the Music Box in San Diego on January 9th, and then I'll be at the Bellwether on January 10th in Los Angeles, then at the Fox Theater, January 11th in Oakland. And I will be honoring those dates that I was supposed to do back in September. October. Couldn't do. It's a. It's definitely a really fun set to do. And it's altered. I was going to shoot my special in Missoula.

[Kat Cohen]

Oh, yeah.

[David Cross]

Two. Two shows there. Two nights ago. And. But when the election happened, I was like, shit, this is gonna feel weird because it takes, you know, six months to turn it around, and who knows what the set will be like? And I'll do those. Those other three dates. And then I'm gonna. I've got a couple weeks in Canada in March, and I've got different la. I'm sorry, American dates sprinkled through to bring me up to April, in which I'll be in Europe and the UK for a Month, Yeah.

[Kat Cohen]

That's so fun.

[David Cross]

And then I'll be pretty much done.

[Kat Cohen]

And then you'll shoot it.

[David Cross]

I'll probably shoot in like, you know.

[Kat Cohen]

February, March, and like, when you're. So when you started this tour, was the show done or were you like, I'm gonna figure it out as I go along.

[David Cross]

Oh, God, no. I would never charge people, you know, 50 bucks or 45 bucks to see me working on shit.

[Kat Cohen]

But how. But is there like a little bit.

[David Cross]

You think I'm a Z Ansari?

[Kat Cohen]

I don't know. I don't know.

[David Cross]

I know I'm not gonna charge you for that.

[Kat Cohen]

But is there any part that still that you are figuring out while you're doing it, or is it like, this is the show?

[David Cross]

I think what you're asking me is, do I. Does the show evolve?

[Kat Cohen]

I assume.

[David Cross]

Yes, it's always evolving. And that's why I always shoot the special about halfway through the tour and then record the audio version at the end of the tour. Because there's different stuff in different. And I don't want to do more than. I try to keep it at an hour 15, hour 20. And so I've got to start dropping stuff as things expand or a new thing. Like there's this thing that I've been doing for, you know, I don't know, maybe 20 of those shows where I put one of Trump's speeches he gave in Michigan at a rally, and I just put it to music and I sang it.

[Kat Cohen]

Oh, my God.

[David Cross]

And then. And that's. That's also evolved. But it also feels like I have to create context for it, especially if I'm going to be doing it. Post his four year residency at the White House. So that'll be different. And then I've had to drop some stuff because, again, I don't want to do more. Hour 20 is really as long as I want to go.

[Kat Cohen]

Yeah, that's long. And how long did it take to write this, this show?

[David Cross]

Well, two things. One is I. Because of what I just described, where I'm dropping bits.

[Kat Cohen]

Yeah.

[David Cross]

I will. Those bits now go in my back pocket.

[Kat Cohen]

Right.

[David Cross]

And I have those ready to go.

[Kat Cohen]

For the next time.

[David Cross]

So I'm not completely starting from scratch.

[Kat Cohen]

Yeah, yeah.

[David Cross]

But then I'll do this thing that I've done the last five tours, I think, which is I do stuff here in Brooklyn or, you know, Manhattan, whatever, where I'll go. I do these things called shooting the shit, seeing what sticks. I'll be at Union hall for the beginning first six Seven of those things where I don't know what the fuck? I mean, I've scribbled shit on and I record everything and I have some special guests, and then I'm figuring it out. Then I move to a bigger room like Littlefield, something like that. Sultan Room. And I love Sultan Room.

[Kat Cohen]

It's so fun.

[David Cross]

Is great.

[Kat Cohen]

Yeah.

[David Cross]

Great, great, great. All these places are great.

[Kat Cohen]

I know. Yeah.

[David Cross]

And I'm so fucking lucky. And I can walk or ride my bike to every single one.

[Kat Cohen]

It's the best.

[David Cross]

So I'll do. And then there's just one guest in between. And I'm kind of trying refining stuff and then also still finding stuff in the other half or vice versa. And then, you know, then when it gets to the really important underrated part of putting a set together, which is sequencing stuff like what. What feels right here. I done too much of this thing. This flows into this better. And et cetera, et cetera. And then I'll do maybe two or three shows where it's just me for the hour and change at the Bell House, somewhere like that. And then I'll go out and I'll do like, a mini tour to see how this plays outside of Brooklyn. I'll go to Milwaukee and Omaha and Fresno and whatever and see how this works there. And then I'm. And by the time I get to that point, I know I can start booking the tour.

[Kat Cohen]

Yeah. Yeah.

[David Cross]

And then I go out on the road.

[Kat Cohen]

Amazing.

[David Cross]

Yeah.

[Kat Cohen]

I'm asking because I'm just about to start working on my new show, and I've.

[David Cross]

Do you have a title?

[Kat Cohen]

You know, I do have an idea of a title I had a stroke to last summer.

[David Cross]

No kidding.

[Kat Cohen]

So I want to call it Broad Strokes. Kind of cool.

[David Cross]

I don't get it, but yeah. Okay. So what. Tell me about the stroke. What is Prizepix? Well, Prizepix is the best place to get real money sports action. With over 10 million members and billions of dollars in awarded winnings, Prizepix has made daily fantasy sports accessible to all. You just pick more or less on at least two players for a shot to win up to 200 times your cash. Run your game all season long on Prize Picks, America's number one daily fantasy sports app. Make your holidays bigger and brighter with prizepix, the best place to get real money action while watching your favorite sports. You can now win up to 200 times your money on prizepix. And prizepix now offers mastercard for quick and easy deposits into your account this sports season. Join now because this holiday season, Prizepix is giving away two free picks in December and they're giving away 30 plus million dollars in rewards during. Ready for this? Pixmas. It's like Christmas, but they replaced the Christ. And what is Christ Christmas with a prize Picks. The pick the word Christ. Christ is now picks. That's fun. Download the app today and use code senses to get $50 instantly after you play your first $5 lineup. Again, download the app today and use code senses to get $50 instantly after you play your first $5 lineup. Prize picks. Run your game.

[C]

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[Kat Cohen]

Thank you.

[C]

Aura Frames.

[Kat Cohen]

Yeah, I had. I was in my apartment and I felt. I was like, I feel like I had a stroke. Like I tried to move my arm and I couldn't. And I was like, that's weird. Wow. End up in the hospital and pretty. You went on the step by step.

[David Cross]

Yeah, Bridge. Bridge that gap for me.

[Kat Cohen]

I call my dad. I'm like, I feel like I should have stroke. I'm also. I'm a hypochondriac. So of course everyone's first thing's like, no, you didn't. You're fine. But this. I was like, no, something's really wrong. So I walk myself to City md. I'm like, I think I had a stroke. They're like, okay, hold.

[David Cross]

And what besides your.

[Kat Cohen]

It was very quick. It Was very. What happened was I started feeling kind of woozy. I've gotten migraines my whole life. I was like, oh, maybe there's a migraine coming on. I sit down. I go to. All of a sudden, I need to call someone. I don't feel good. I go to call my boyfriend, but I try and pause the tv, and I'm like, why isn't it pausing? Why isn't it pausing? Because my arm wasn't moving. I'm like, oh, my God. And it was like I short circuit, but it was pretty quick. It was like less than. Like less than two minutes, this whole thing.

[David Cross]

Wow. And then that seems pretty long.

[Kat Cohen]

Maybe less than a minute. I still. Honestly, when I still talk about. I still feel, like, so crazy. But then, wow. I was like, I know. I need to go to the. I was literally zipping my suitcase to leave for, like, three months. I was like, okay, fuck. I guess I better, like, go to the doctor instead of getting on a plane. Thank God.

[David Cross]

Wow. Holy shit.

[Kat Cohen]

I'm sent to the hospital, blah, blah, blah, pretty quickly. Oh. I MRI, CT scan, all this shit. There's like, a dot on my brain, and they're like, it looks like you've. We don't know what today was, but it looks like you've had a stroke in the past that didn't leave any lasting damage because there's parts of your brain that, you know aren't active or whatever. So I'm like, what are you talking about? I'm 30 years old. Like, what are you talking about? And they're like, when this happens in young people, it's usually this thing called a PFO where there's a hole in your heart. I'm like, a hole. I'm like a hole. What is going. What are you talking about?

[David Cross]

Explain so much. Really?

[Kat Cohen]

Yeah. I'm like, it's been years. A hole. Anyways. And they were right. And I was born with this heart defect I didn't know I had.

[David Cross]

Wow.

[Kat Cohen]

And it's not super common, but it's not uncommon. It happens. Usually they catch it when you're younger, but. And also, you might have it and never know. But on occasion, if you do have a blood clot that tries to pass it and go through this hole to your brain, hence the stroke.

[David Cross]

Wow.

[Kat Cohen]

So they did a procedure. They closed the hole.

[David Cross]

I have to. This is. I apologize for my ignorance, but what is a stroke? Exactly. What's happening?

[Kat Cohen]

Oh, my God. I get. So this is also why I need to start talking about it on stage. Because I'm like, I've been kind of suppressing it. What is it? It is when there's a blood clot in your brain, basically. Wait, I could be wrong because there's also different types. But it's where. Yeah, I guess in my experience, part of the blood flow stops and depending on where it goes, it affects different parts of your functioning. So you can. And most. A lot of old people too, will have like little dots, but, like, they aren't on an active part of your brain. So, like, I didn't know I had one.

[David Cross]

Right.

[Kat Cohen]

So it's just like on stage laughing.

[David Cross]

You have insurance?

[Kat Cohen]

I do have insurance. It was difficult to get them to cover the procedure.

[David Cross]

Well, of course.

[Kat Cohen]

But they did.

[David Cross]

Okay.

[Kat Cohen]

Yeah. Thank God. I had a shout out, shout out to SAG for my insurance.

[David Cross]

Yeah. Oh, God, yeah. No, I've, I've. I've told people, not that I've had a ton of these conversations, but, you know, occasionally have a conversation about unions. Right. Just somebody you meet in a bar, somebody, you know, somebody who's ambivalent about unions or somebody who's anti union or whatever, or right to work, and they live in a right to work state. And I'm like, man, the benefits I've gotten, I'm so lucky that if I'm going to live in America, I have a strong union and a strong. I'm protected and I have health insurance and I've used it, I mean, so, so many times. And they're really good to deal with. And. And I just. I mean, there's only so much you can say to somebody about it. Like, I know you're getting an extra $120 a year to not be in a union, but yeah, it's kind of worth.

[Kat Cohen]

No, I'm so lucky.

[David Cross]

It's kind of worth the dues.

[Kat Cohen]

And like, the. And also, like, the health insurance is so affordable that I have through sag. It's like, not bad at all. So I was very lucky that it all worked out. And also, like, I get emotional because it's just like being that working doctors and nurses are so amazing, is what I'm gonna say. And the nurses who help me, like, deal with that shit and like, deal with the claim. I was like, you are a saint, because this is stressing me out more than you could. They're like, we know. You know, we know. Of course they did. The procedure clogged up that hole, and then I'm good to go.

[David Cross]

Oh, that's great.

[Kat Cohen]

So obviously lots of jokes were writing themselves as it was happening. Cause I was like, this is just. So the Cardiologist's name is Dr. Love. I'm like, come on.

[David Cross]

And where. What would have happened had you gotten on that flight?

[Kat Cohen]

Do you think I could have been completely fine or I could have had a stroke that, like, affected something? Yeah. So it's crazy. Cause then I was on these crazy blood thinners for, like, at least six months, and I was like. I flew to Australia for the first time, and I'm like, on all these med.

[David Cross]

I can't. What do. Physically what happens when you have blood thinners? I mean, obviously, what are the side effects?

[Kat Cohen]

I honestly felt pretty normal. It was just. My anxiety was really. It was just all, like, for me, at least, very mentally taxing. So my doctors were like, you're good, you're good, you're good. And I was emailing them every night, like, my leg is weird. They're like, you need to stop. Yeah, lose my number. They said, no, but that's what. But that's what the new hour is going to be about mostly. So, yeah, I booked, like, similarly, like, a work in progress night at Union hall for the New Year. So I'm going to try and start.

[David Cross]

Doing it, but on New Year's.

[Kat Cohen]

In the New year.

[David Cross]

Oh, in the New Year's.

[Kat Cohen]

Yeah. To celebrate. 5, 4, 3. So wait, wait, does this work? Yeah.

[David Cross]

Where was I? Anyway? Yeah.

[Kat Cohen]

Fuck. Fuck. No, no, ignore that, Ignore that. Don't film this. But yeah, so I'm in that new writing zone, which is good.

[David Cross]

It is good, but it's just hard.

[Kat Cohen]

To leave behind when the old show's so good.

[David Cross]

I always have a postpartum totally thing when I'm finished with the show, and I know I'm never going to do it again, you know, and it's. It's. It's, you know, it's melancholy. It's like, I'm so glad I was able to do it, and I feel sad and I'm. I've accomplished this thing and. But I'm sad I'm not gonna be able to do it anymore.

[Kat Cohen]

I know. And have each of your shows gotten to that place where you're like, oh, I'm really gonna miss this?

[David Cross]

Oh, fuck, yeah. Yeah, this one's really fun. This. This one. I mean, I say that every time, but this is way. And this wasn't intentional, just shook out this way. But way less political or topical than. Not to say that there isn't any stuff in there, but there is. But a good half hour of the set is Talking about these two personal experiences I had that have nothing to do with anything but have just kept growing and growing and they're all true story. I mean it's absolutely 100% true. And. And it's a. It's a fun. I mean, I'm kind of sick of doing it over, you know, for the fucking millionth time. But it's a fun. It's fun to go to, you know, Missoula, Montana and Olympia, Washington and Portland, Maine and just look at all the people as I'm telling the story because I know where it goes. I know what's going to happen. I know I have some.

[Kat Cohen]

Or their twists and turns.

[David Cross]

Yes. And it's fun to watch them as I go through it, but I say that every time. But this will be the latest I've ever shot a special in the run. Yeah. So I have, you know, I've got another. I think we've done 44 shows and then I've got another, I don't know, 25 maybe, which is probably the least amount of dates I've done per run.

[Kat Cohen]

Really?

[David Cross]

Yeah.

[Kat Cohen]

Why is that? Or why?

[David Cross]

I didn't want to start until my daughter was in school so I could have the whole summer off and hang out with her.

[Kat Cohen]

Did she come see you perform?

[David Cross]

No.

[Kat Cohen]

Really?

[David Cross]

No.

[Kat Cohen]

When will you let her?

[David Cross]

I mean, I don't know. At some point she's going to look.

[Kat Cohen]

You up, discover that, discover the truth.

[David Cross]

And you know, dinner will never be the same. Just looking at me with horror, what.

[Kat Cohen]

Have you, the things you've done.

[David Cross]

But I don't know, I'm in no rush. I'm not interested in. I mean, when she was like three and a half, I brought her on. She actually came on stage when I was in Montreal. It was cute. I didn't know they were going to do this. My wife and the nanny brought her out and we were all on tour together. But I have no interest in kind of forcing it. If she says to me, daddy, I'd like to see you do standup sometime. I'll go, great, totally. But I'm not. I have no interest in going. Come on, honey, why don't you.

[Kat Cohen]

Oh God.

[David Cross]

See what daddy does. Look at all the people I make happy. That's how you get your things.

[Kat Cohen]

Oh my God.

[David Cross]

Yeah, but she's, she's. She's definitely starting that individuating and you know, you can. You're getting glimpses of what. Which way she's starting to head outside of just like. Man, she's really stubborn. Or A boy. She's really this or that. Like, things that people say their kids are. Which, you know, may be true, but they can also be temporary. But. And they're also meaning, like, man, she's really stubborn. Yeah, most kids are, you know, and. But we're starting to get like. Oh, I'm. I can see where that's going.

[Kat Cohen]

Look at your. Look at your personality, you know?

[David Cross]

Yeah. So that's cool. That is cool so far.

[Kat Cohen]

Yeah. Crazy.

[David Cross]

But I don't know if you're asking me these things because you want to babysit, but you're welcome to. Where are you. Where do you live?

[Kat Cohen]

I'm in the West Village.

[David Cross]

Yeah. And you'd have to take the F to J Street. Transfer to the C, I think.

[Kat Cohen]

Yeah. So the union hall area.

[David Cross]

Yeah.

[Kat Cohen]

Yeah. Although I was just, you know, last time I just took the 2, 3 to Atlantic. Nice little. You could do that nice little walk and then. Walk when I come babysit. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. No, I'm just always curious. One day I froze my eggs, so I'm not ready. One day.

[David Cross]

Yeah. No, you're 30.

[Kat Cohen]

You said almost. I'm 33.

[David Cross]

Almost.

[Kat Cohen]

Almost 30.

[David Cross]

Because it's funny. Yeah, you could keep saying that.

[Kat Cohen]

Yeah. Almost 30.

[David Cross]

You can technically get away with it.

[Kat Cohen]

Totally.

[David Cross]

Yeah.

[Kat Cohen]

Yeah. Yeah. And why wouldn't I?

[David Cross]

Dirty. Oh, close. Close. Not exactly, but yeah.

[Kat Cohen]

Yeah, around. About 30. But, yeah, we'll see. We'll see how it goes.

[David Cross]

No, you should not be having a kid yet.

[Kat Cohen]

I can't. I gotta do my dreams.

[David Cross]

Yeah. You write your dream journal? Is that what you were saying?

[Kat Cohen]

I gotta write my dream. Do you keep one?

[David Cross]

I keep several, yeah.

[Kat Cohen]

Really?

[David Cross]

In multiple languages?

[Kat Cohen]

Oh, my God, that's so beautiful. They say you don't know another language until you dream in it.

[David Cross]

Well, I don't dream in the other language. I will translate. Yeah, exactly. Google Translate.

[Kat Cohen]

Yeah.

[David Cross]

So, so far I have, you know, English, obviously, which is my first and only language, and then Hebrew, Aramaic, Latin, Cerulean, which is the alpha? I know it's the Alphabet. But the, you know, Russian.

[Kat Cohen]

Oh, Because I was going to say, you know.

[David Cross]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. And. And babble. And. And then, like, dog, I translate into dog, you know, which is limited. But it's still. If a dog is interested in my dream journal, they now have access.

[Kat Cohen]

That's so inclusive.

[David Cross]

Thank you.

[Kat Cohen]

So you're doing UK Europe. That's so fun. I did that this summer. It was heaven on Earth.

[David Cross]

Oh, I love it. I. And I'm doing some places that I haven't been to in a couple tours. Like, I didn't do Scandinavia the last tour because I was stupidly like, I don't want to be away from my daughter too long and she did not give a shit. So, yeah, I'm going back to Scandinavia and Germany. Germany and England, I don't know why. But Ireland, which is usually some of my best shows.

[Kat Cohen]

Yeah, that was like, my favorite.

[David Cross]

Yeah.

[Kat Cohen]

Dublin show.

[David Cross]

Yeah.

[Kat Cohen]

Liberty Hall.

[David Cross]

I did the Old Vic.

[Kat Cohen]

Oh, yeah.

[David Cross]

It's bigger and. Yeah, really? And I also love Dublin, too.

[Kat Cohen]

They're rowdy and they're so fun.

[David Cross]

Yeah, Always good shows. And Belfast. Have you done Belfast? I have not, which is part of the uk, but it's all Ireland to me. All right Protestants. All right Catholics. Yeah, Belfast was great. I had not done that before the last tour and it was awesome. Also the best fish and chips I ever had.

[Kat Cohen]

Yeah.

[David Cross]

And of course, Scotland. Again, talk about rowdy.

[Kat Cohen]

Yeah, Glasgow is the best.

[David Cross]

Yep. Where? Oran Moore.

[Kat Cohen]

I don't know that.

[David Cross]

Glasgow.

[Kat Cohen]

What about Glasgow?

[David Cross]

Where did you.

[Kat Cohen]

What's Oran Moore?

[David Cross]

It's the name of the place that.

[Kat Cohen]

Oh, no, I didn't. I didn't catch that. It was kind of like a club.

[David Cross]

Was it in the basement maybe?

[Kat Cohen]

I know it was like a newer venue.

[David Cross]

Oh, that's not this place. This is like in a church. That's.

[Kat Cohen]

No, that sounds cool.

[David Cross]

Yeah.

[Kat Cohen]

No, but that was an amazing crowd. So much fun.

[David Cross]

Yeah.

[Kat Cohen]

Where do you like to do in London, man?

[David Cross]

I. I'm not there this time, but the last. I'd say the last three times I've done it in. Last two times in. What's it called? It's the church that's up in. No, it's up in, like, Islington or a little Art. So the Chapel Hill. No, not Chapel Hill. That's North Carolina. It is such a great venue. Beautiful church.

[Kat Cohen]

Yeah, it's gorgeous.

[David Cross]

And I really enjoy the shows there. And then I did the. Oh, gosh, I'll have to think of it. But I did a theater in. Where was it? In Hackney. No, it was. I'll think of it. But I did this theater and. Do you know Jack Tucker? Zack Zucker? Yeah, yeah, so. So he opened up. I had so fun. Zack, you know the Stamp director.

[Kat Cohen]

Zach as Jack.

[David Cross]

Yeah, Zach as Jack.

[Kat Cohen]

Right. The best.

[David Cross]

And he was. He was so great and they loved him. The Empire Theater. That was it.

[Kat Cohen]

Yeah, the Hackney Empire.

[David Cross]

Yeah, Hackney Empire. So, yes, beautiful, cool old theater and really fun crowd and then.

[Kat Cohen]

Yeah, I love it. So you had that the spring or summer.

[David Cross]

I will be doing it or. When did I do that?

[Kat Cohen]

When are you going back?

[David Cross]

I'm going back in April.

[Kat Cohen]

April. And it's almost Christmas. On top of everything. On top of everything.

[David Cross]

Yeah.

[Kat Cohen]

Do you celebrate?

[David Cross]

How do you celebrate?

[Kat Cohen]

Celebrate every day. I'm always saying that we do celebrate Christmas. We do. We do it all.

[David Cross]

Are you talking about your family or you and your boyfriend?

[Kat Cohen]

Family, yeah, we. My dad's Jewish, my mom's Catholic. We always did the Christmas and then sometimes there's a menorah like around and one night my brother will be like, let's do it. Like, I learned the prayer. Of course. This year I'm going just home to Houston and we just do nothing. We just lay around. It's really nice.

[David Cross]

Houston Jews?

[Kat Cohen]

Yeah, there are a bunch.

[David Cross]

No, nothing like those Houston Jews.

[Kat Cohen]

Will you stay here and unwind?

[David Cross]

No. Fucking.

[Kat Cohen]

You're going.

[David Cross]

I have to go to la. I just fucking got off anyway. Why? Well, for a good reason. It's my fun job. No, but my father in law's 90th birthday.

[Kat Cohen]

Oh my God.

[David Cross]

So there's this huge party, big thing, and it's, you know, Christmas and my father in law's birthday and there's going to be. I got a text from my wife yesterday. Or you know, hey, is it okay if we pay $10,000 for, you know, put in for the party? I'm like, what the fuck?

[Kat Cohen]

That's so much.

[David Cross]

Yeah, that's. That's so much.

[Kat Cohen]

Did you mean $100?

[David Cross]

And she's. She's like, well, you know, it costs a lot to have a party with rental chairs and booze and stuff. I'm like 10 and I can't. And I said like, well, I can't say no, can I? It's fucking 90. Yeah. And she's like, it costs a lot of money to have a party.

[Kat Cohen]

Well, that's.

[David Cross]

You shouldn't be having those kind of parties.

[Kat Cohen]

It's better be a nice party.

[David Cross]

And also Russ isn't gonna give a shit. I know the guy well, I mean, obviously he's your father, but I know him enough to know he's not gonna care. It's like, but we'll care. And we want to honor him.

[Kat Cohen]

And oh my God.

[David Cross]

And yeah, so there's like catering and stuff.

[Kat Cohen]

You're gonna be at that party. Just like, hope everyone's having a good time. Or in my family, we say. We say it's a very nice party.

[David Cross]

Yeah, it will be nice.

[Kat Cohen]

It'll be very nice if you did that.

[David Cross]

But all I like immediately, because my throat was all fucked up and I was getting sick, and I was traveling every month.

[Kat Cohen]

Got to get you on that wellness formula.

[David Cross]

Wellness formula?

[Kat Cohen]

It's just a pill from Whole Foods, but.

[David Cross]

Oh, no, it's. That stuff doesn't.

[Kat Cohen]

That does work.

[David Cross]

No, it doesn't.

[Kat Cohen]

What if it's placebo?

[David Cross]

That's what I'm saying.

[Kat Cohen]

Yeah, but placebo works. I don't want to fight. I don't want to fight. Not on the podcast.

[David Cross]

I imagine your boyfriend's got to hear that all the time, like he's about to make a really cogent, smart statement. You're like, I don't want to fight. I don't want to fight.

[Kat Cohen]

Oh, you have no idea what he's. What he's been through. It's crazy. It's outrageous. How did you and your wife meet?

[David Cross]

Ashley Madison? Website.

[Kat Cohen]

A friend of ours.

[David Cross]

No, we met. That's a long. It's a long story, but we met. I had been through a really rough breakup with an ex, and the breakup occurred in a shitty way, so not that the breakup wasn't warranted, but the way it went down was not cool. And I was shooting Arrested, and Portia de Rossi was like, I know this great girl for you. She's. She's awesome, and she's. You know, you guys would be great together and blah, blah. And I was in no mood to date at all. I was. I mean, I was fresh into this thing. I'm like, no, no, I. I'm not. No, no, thank you. And. And she's like, it's Amber. And I was like, she's a child, please. You know, and then we met at some awards party thing that, you know, she was on Joan of Arcadia at the time, and I was on a rescue and whatever. And then she. She was with her dad and Jason Ritter, who's awesome. And. And they're like, she's a really. She's your number one fan. And I was fucking high out of my mind. I was like, oh, great. Yeah. See ya. And then years and years and years later, I was. No, it wasn't that much later. It was actually probably just a little while later, but I was in the East Village, where I lived for a long time, and I had. Was walking my puppy, and she was shooting a movie at. What do you call it? Two Boots on Third and A. And I was walking. I recognized her, and I was like, oh, hey. You know, like, I threw the glass, like, da, da, da. They were, you know, in between takes and she did one of those little heart things where you put your heart together and your hands together. And then I was like. So I wrote. I was like, hey, it's David Cross. Here's my number. I don't know how long you're in town for, but I can tell you all the cool places to go to, et cetera, et cetera. And I gave it to a PA with no designs on a romantic thing at all. Just like, oh, I know she's cool. And whatever.

[Kat Cohen]

She gave me hard hands.

[David Cross]

She gave me hard hands. And so I gave that to the pa. Never heard from her, which is fine, girl.

[Kat Cohen]

Whatever. It was fine.

[David Cross]

So then maybe seven, eight months after that, I'm not even sure. It could have been longer. I was on a. One of those tiny connecting flights from Houston to Shreveport. And as was she and I. She's sitting in this. She's sitting in the plane. It's like tiny. It's one of those things that has like, you know, 20 seats, tiny. And this fucking girl was just staring at me. It's weird. It's really off putting. And I could see it. I'm like. The corner of my eye, I'm like, what the fuck is this girl's problem? Look over occasionally and I'm like, God. And then I realize, oh, it's Amber Tamblin.

[Kat Cohen]

Oh, my God.

[David Cross]

And then, so there was this army reservist who is on this woman who was sitting in between where we, you know, she was on one side and I was on the other. And then we're talking across the. Across her, and she's like, do you guys want me to change? See? And she's like, yeah, thank you so much. And then she sat next to me and we made fun of the Sky Mall. And I didn't realize how funny she was. She's really funny. Like fucking funny. Funny. Funny and, you know, super cute and smart. And then I said, look, I was going back to work on this film. It was like a four month long shoot in Shreveport, which is awful. Oh, it's. Don't go. And then she was going to start a film and like, there's not a whole lot of great stuff, but I can tell you whatever. And. And so we started hanging out. And we hung out quite a bit. And then it became really obvious. This.

[Kat Cohen]

I mean, it sounds electric already.

[David Cross]

And. But I was like, man, if I make a move on this girl, it's awful because I know she's a fan and I'm way older than her and so it's kind Of. But at, you know, let's say our 10th time of hanging out together and listening to music. And she comes over to. I was, you know, renting this house on this, you know, bayou or whatever, and.

[Kat Cohen]

Oh, my God.

[David Cross]

And then at some point, it's like you just. And then when you hear her tell her, it's like, you know, when the fuck is he gonna kiss me? Of course. And then. And then eventually I did. And then we haven't been apart. That's so sweet. Since then. That's going way, way, way, way back.

[Kat Cohen]

Oh, my God. You kept so many invisible strings.

[David Cross]

No, they're visible. They're very visible.

[Kat Cohen]

Yeah. You must be a big Swiftie.

[David Cross]

A what?

[Kat Cohen]

A big Swiftie.

[David Cross]

I like her.

[Kat Cohen]

I like Invisible String is such a great song.

[David Cross]

Oh, I don't know. I'm not familiar with that much.

[Kat Cohen]

I'm curious.

[David Cross]

I don't know. It doesn't matter.

[Kat Cohen]

Sing along.

[David Cross]

No, she. I have friends that are very good friends with her, and they're cool, and I have heard amazing things about her and just what I know and what I've read and what she's said, and she seems very cool. And she was super, super cool to my daughter and. Yeah. Like, made her a bracelet. They made a bracelet together.

[Kat Cohen]

And we have to congratulate her because the ERAS tour is finally done. It's crazy.

[David Cross]

I've never met her, and, of course, me neither. Okay.

[Kat Cohen]

But I feel connected to her.

[David Cross]

But, I mean, you know, her music's all right. I don't. I don't. I mean, it's good for that kind of music, for sure, but it's not necessarily my kind of music. But I don't hate it, like modern jazz or new country or shit like that, you know? No, she seems really cool. And again, I. Mutual friends who are. Who I trust and I know are good people who are good friends with her.

[Kat Cohen]

You said she's a real one.

[David Cross]

Yeah.

[Kat Cohen]

That's great.

[David Cross]

She seems it.

[Kat Cohen]

I love it.

[David Cross]

Yeah. But I mean. And I like what she has done as somebody with a platform. I like what she's done within the music industry to go, fuck you, fuck. And go give it back to the artist and the. And the artist, you know, get out of the business aspect of it. And so that I really admire. She seems really.

[Kat Cohen]

Yeah.

[David Cross]

You know, smart and cool.

[Kat Cohen]

I'm a big fan.

[David Cross]

I end every show with a question from my daughter who is. Oh, my God, cute seven. All right. Kat Cohen.

[Kat Cohen]

Yes.

[David Cross]

And what is Cat short for?

[Kat Cohen]

Catherine.

[David Cross]

Oh, really?

[Kat Cohen]

Yeah.

[David Cross]

Not Katarina? No, Not Catastrophe.

[Kat Cohen]

Catastrophe is a good one. All right, New special title.

[David Cross]

Oh, there you go.

[Kat Cohen]

Could be good.

[David Cross]

Cat asks.

[Kat Cohen]

Pretty fun.

[David Cross]

Let's see. Which one of these do I want to. Okay, I'm going to ask you this one. Cat. Cat Cohen, do you want to plug something?

[Kat Cohen]

Yes. I would love everyone to go watch my new comedy special on veeps. It's called Come for Me.

[David Cross]

Is there a double meaning there or is it a triple? Triple. I know two of them. What's the other one?

[Kat Cohen]

Come to the show for me.

[David Cross]

Oh, okay. Yeah. All right. Ready?

[Kat Cohen]

Yeah.

[David Cross]

From my daughter, Cat Cohen. Why do babies cry?

[Kat Cohen]

Because it's hard to not have words, and so they have to let it out somehow.

[David Cross]

What would you say to a seven year old?

[Kat Cohen]

I guess, why do babies cry?

[David Cross]

Yeah, seven year old goes. Cat, why do babies cry?

[Kat Cohen]

I would say because they can't speak yet, and it's their way of letting us know they need something.

[David Cross]

Hmm.

[Kat Cohen]

Don't you think that's true?

[David Cross]

Me?

[Kat Cohen]

I don't know. I'm exhausted.

[David Cross]

Yeah, you really shouldn't have a kid.

[Kat Cohen]

Oh, please. I'll figure it out. I'm almost 30.

[David Cross]

That's. That's true.

[Kat Cohen]

I have time. All right, Kat, thank you for having me.

[David Cross]

Thank you for coming on the show.

[Kat Cohen]

Thank you.

[David Cross]

Sense is Working Over Time is a Headgum podcast created and hosted by me, David Cross. The show was edited by Katie Skelton and engineered by Nicole Lyons with supervising producer Emma Foley. Thanks to Deemey Druchin for our show Art and Mark Rivers for our theme song. For more podcasts by hedgum, visit headgum.com or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and maybe we'll read it on a future episode. I'm not going to do that. Thanks for listening.

[Kat Cohen]

That was a Headgum podcast.