"RE-RELEASE: Nate Bargatze"

Summary

SmartLess – "RE-RELEASE: Nate Bargatze"

Hosts: Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, Will Arnett
Guest: Nate Bargatze (stand-up comedian)
Release Date: May 21, 2026

Episode Overview

This re-release of a fan-favorite episode features celebrated stand-up comedian Nate Bargatze, known for his everyman persona, clean humor, and his meteoric rise from Tennessee clubs to sold-out arenas. The conversation covers Nate’s comedic roots, his unique family background (his father’s a magician!), his journey in stand-up, and the philosophy and mechanics behind his style. With signature SmartLess banter, the hosts keep things irreverent and warm, offering listeners a behind-the-scenes look at Bargatze’s process, stories from the road, and insights into stand-up at the highest level.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Opener, Life Philosophies & The Guest Reveal

• Shawshank Redemption and Authenticity: The hosts riff on the film and its lesson about authenticity, which proves to be thematic throughout the episode.

"Don’t try to be something you’re not." (Jason, 03:57)

• Mystery Guest Introduction: Will teases and then reveals Nate Bargatze, with heartfelt praise for his kindness, delivery, and status as “the funniest dude I’ve seen in such a long time.” (06:25-06:38)

2. Nate’s Background: Growing Up Around Magic

• Family of Performers: Nate’s father is a respected magician, blending ordinary and extraordinary in Nate’s upbringing.

"He comes with me and opens for me a lot on the road. We’ll do these shows... Every little boy’s dream, travel with your dad when you’re 44." (Nate, 12:37; 13:03)

• Early Exposure to the Stage: Nate recounts helping with magic acts and how it seemed normal until he realized, “nobody’s dad’s a magician.” (11:20)

3. Stand-Up Roots & Development

• Starting in Clubs: Nate describes the grind of New York and Chicago clubs—sometimes performing for as few as one audience member, adjusting his rhythm and pacing to suit tiny crowds.

“You get used to just being in these kind of like, you know, it takes a long time before you’re in front of like an actual paying crowd.” (Nate, 17:01)

• Bombing & Learning: Stories about bad shows, including cruise ship gigs and being forced to do 'dirty' and 'clean' sets with inadequate material, cement the formative importance of repeated failure.

"I had one one time I thought it was the shirt I wore and so I threw that shirt away ... I’ve never done that since." (Nate, 24:15)

• Philosophy on Bombing: “You blame it on... anything but yourself.” (Nate, 24:15)

4. Comedy Style, Influences, and Craft

• Storytelling Style: Nate is praised for his clean, self-deprecating, non-confrontational humor that “never puts someone else down.”

“You find ways to talk about stuff, and you don’t need to swear.” (Will, 27:32)

• Influences: "Big Cosby was one... Seinfeld... If you go watch his old stuff, it was very storytelling..." (Nate, 22:57)

• Writing & Rhythm: Nate likens his show structure to a movie, “I’m the main character... everything leads into the other thing... people don’t realize you’re into another joke.” (19:03)

• Openness to the Audience: He tweaks order and content on the fly to match crowd energy, aiming for a seamless narrative. (18:42-19:03)

• Clean Material as Badge of Honor: The hosts note rarity and difficulty of working clean; Nate confirms it's intentional and takes pride in it.

5. Family Life, Home, and Staying Grounded

• Tight Family Unit: Nate lives in Tennessee with his wife and daughter, and a sibling works for him.

“We have as much of a normal life as it can be... We set the tone for our cul de sac.” (Nate, 30:13)

• Running Jokes by His Wife: All material about his wife is tested at home; he ensures the love and affection come through, avoiding mean-spiritedness. (28:26)

• Humor at Home: His daughter is developing her own comedic sense, though sometimes needs coaching on timing (“You gotta be serious sometimes”). (32:01)

6. The Arena Comedy World

• From Clubs to Stadiums: Nate discusses the challenge and thrill of making 20,000-seat arenas feel intimate. He leverages screens, sound, and deliberate pacing to keep things personal.

"The coolest things is when you're telling a joke and... this many people are quiet... you could yell with no microphone and the top person could hear me." (Nate, 34:58)

• Nerves & SNL: He describes the anxiety of live TV—especially his SNL monologue—where all eyes are on him, connecting it back to stage fright and logistical pressure. (36:02)

7. Stand-Up Economics

• The Business Side: Nate breaks down the cost-sharing of big arena tours: the promoter rents the venue, expenses come from show budgets, and “you can have it go as low or as big as you want.” Merchandise is far less lucrative than ticket sales in comedy. (39:16-40:15)

8. Road Life & Free Time

• What He Does on the Road: Sports (especially golf and UFC), “hanging out with the guys,” and occasionally basketball in arenas or hot/cold plunges.

“The road is the most fun because it’s just like a bunch of dudes...” (Nate, 45:17)

9. Memorable Stories & Bits

• Fighting an Orangutan: One of Nate’s great bits—originating from a real story about men paying $5 to fight an orangutan at a county fair, inspired by golfer Boo Weekley.

"We didn’t have the Internet to look up how strong’s an orangutan... you had to meet a guy that just fought an orangutan..." (Nate, 45:51-46:59)

• Meeting Wife’s Ex-Boyfriend: A classic self-deprecating story about running into his wife’s ex on a boat—funny, awkward, and relatable.

"All I can think of now, like, I’m thinking about him... I look at her, and I feel like she’s looking at him to see what her life would be like if she didn’t marry me..." (Nate, 50:07)

10. Chain Restaurants, Upbringing, and Relatability

• Pride in Chain Restaurants: Nate and the hosts swap comfort chain stories (Applebee’s, Chili’s, Outback, Cracker Barrel), and Nate’s old bit about preferring chains over mom-and-pop shops.

"Walmart, you know, they were mom and pop shop at some point. And then they became... unreal." (Nate, 53:19)

• Relatability: Nate says he learned more from overheard conversations at Target or Lowe’s than formal education, reinforcing his "everyman" connect.

11. Industry & Relationships

• Relationship with Greg Garcia: TV writer Garcia helped him develop TV projects. Nate recommends touring life to the guys, talking up the casinos and card games on the road.

"If you want to get away and have a little fun trip, come on out, dude." (Nate, 56:07)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• On Authenticity

  "Don’t try to be something you’re not." – Jason (03:57)

• On Starting Out

  "You get used to just being in these kind of, like, you know, it takes a long time before you’re in front of like an actual paying crowd." – Nate (17:01)

• On Bombing

  "I had one one time I thought it was the shirt I wore and so I threw that shirt away." – Nate (24:15)

• On Performing Clean

  "You find ways to talk about stuff, and you don't need to swear." – Will (27:32)
  "It should be [a badge of honor], because it really... you find ways to talk about stuff, and you don’t need to swear." – Will (27:32)

• On Jokes About Family

  “When you make fun of your wife at the beginning is you have to show love..." – Nate (28:26)

• On 20,000-seat Shows

  "The coolest things is when you're telling a joke and... this many people are quiet... you could yell with no microphone and the top person could hear me." – Nate (34:58)

• On SNL Stage Fright

  "You're like, I could say anything right now, and they're going to hear it right now because it's live, you know?" – Nate (36:47)

• On Orangutan Fighting Story

  "You had to meet a guy that just fought an orangutan and he's like, 'He's stronger than you think.'" – Nate (45:51)

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Important Segments & Timestamps

• Philosophy & Guest Reveal: 02:42–06:38
• Nate on Growing Up with a Magician Dad: 10:24–13:40
• Comedy Beginnings / Bombing Stories: 16:26–26:28
• Comedy Style, Clean Material, and Influences: 22:46–28:26
• Arena Shows & Stage Experience: 34:09–37:06
• Family & Home Life: 28:26–32:49
• Road Life & Hobbies: 44:03–45:17
• Chain Restaurant Tangent: 52:14–54:12
• Greg Garcia, Touring Invite: 55:03–56:13
• Farewell: 57:16–57:33

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Episode Tone

The tone is friendly, quick-witted, and full of classic SmartLess self-deprecation and genuine admiration for Nate’s comedic approach and career arc. The episode is filled with playful teasing—between both the hosts and Nate—yet always anchored in mutual respect and a shared appreciation for comedy and authenticity.

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For New Listeners

This episode is a must-listen for anyone curious about the craft, joy, and realities of contemporary stand-up comedy. Nate Bargatze’s stories offer a rare window into the transformation from club nobody to arena headliner, while his humility and accessible sense of humor make it clear why he’s beloved by fans and comedians alike.

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Standout Takeaway

Nate Bargatze proves that kindness and self-awareness are not only compatible with great comedy but, in his case, the secret weapon that makes his huge audiences feel small and connected—one truly funny story at a time.

Transcript

[A]

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[B]

Do you want anything?

[C]

One second. I just want to. Do you want something? Okay. Okay, great. Can I get one crispy chicken? Two crispy chicken for you? Because I don't. You want two for yourself?

[A]

Okay.

[C]

No judgment. That's fine. And ice cream. Do you guys even serve? You know what? Do you mind if we just do this after? Welcome. It's an all new Smartless. Smart, Smart. Lawless.

[A]

We were just talking about Shawshank, and I was gonna say to Will Jay before he came on that my philosophy in life is kind of.

[C]

Oh, this is good. Hang on.

[A]

No, this is good. This is good.

[B]

You'll like the. Everybody pull over and get out the pen. By the way, this is Shawshank Redemption. I think Shawshank Redemption for Tracy.

[A]

So the end of the movie. So the whole movie. Morgan Freeman is talking about like, you know, he goes in front of the. What is it called, the panel or whatever, the people who. Parole Board, kind of. The board, yeah.

[B]

Parole board, yeah.

[A]

Yeah. And he's the parole board. And he's like, he. He tells them what they think they want to hear. He's like, no, I've been, you know, reformed. I'm good. I've learned my lesson. And they always deny his. His parole. And then at the end of the movie, he finally just is like, you know what? Fuck it. This is who I am. I. You people are crazy. I didn't learn anything. Blah, blah. And then that's when he gets released.

[C]

That's it.

[A]

That's my philosophy for life.

[C]

And that's what. That's what full release comes from. Honesty. Well, two ways. Sorry.

[B]

So everybody go ahead and put your car back in drive and toss that paper either out the window. If you still have an ashtray in the car, use that because we really didn't. We really didn't get an end to it.

[C]

But it's nice that. Sean. No, that's a fee on life.

[D]

Like, yeah, pretty.

[A]

Like, you know, don't try to be something you're not. Yeah, exactly right.

[B]

I agree with you. Authenticity is a thematic that I'm on a project that I'm working on right now.

[D]

Oh, yeah.

[B]

That's the theme of the thing.

[A]

Oh, very good.

[B]

It's a great evergreen.

[C]

Authenticity.

[A]

Hey, Jason.

[B]

Yeah, hi.

[A]

Why did the man fall down the well? Oh, boy.

[B]

Because he didn't see that.

[A]

Well, that's exactly right.

[B]

Wait, who. Wait, Willie, you got. When we had Jordan Peele on his film. Nope. Yeah, I. I always just thought it was just a fun way to say. Yeah, no, I'm not comfortable with flying saucers. It says the main character and shit. Freaks me out. But it's actually an acronym for.

[C]

It's an acronym. He. And. Well, he said it's an acronym.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

And I just went. And I thought about. For two seconds, I went, not of Planet Earth.

[A]

Planet Earth.

[C]

Remember the look on his face? He was. He was a little mad, I think.

[B]

Well, what. No, what you were seeing was the same look that I had, which is total shock at your level of intelligence.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Just like. That was my stunning surprise.

[C]

That's what hurt me the most, was the stunning. The stunned look on everybody's face when I do something.

[A]

Well, we're going to have a stunned look at your guest when he comes.

[C]

Well, he's going to have a stunned look at.

[B]

Sorry, Sean, did you have a lunch?

[C]

He's Going to have a stunned look at your. When he. When he heard your joke for sure. Because he tells jokes for a living.

[B]

Oh, here we go.

[C]

And he doesn't just tell jokes. I. Man, he.

[B]

This guy tells this son of a gun.

[C]

This son of a gun. And that's kind of the language that he would use, too. Son of a gun.

[B]

Dax Shepard's coming back.

[D]

He.

[C]

Dax does love. Son of a gun.

[B]

He does.

[C]

This guy uses. I don't know. There's something about his. Everything that he does. His delivery, his turn of phrase, the things he talks about, the way he does it. A lot of people call him the nicest guy in standup. I think of him as just the funniest dude I've seen in such a long time. And I remember the first time I heard about him was through our old friend Greg Garcia. Yeah. And Greg was like. Greg reached out to me. He's like, you have to have this guy on blah, blah, blah. And I made some glib remark. He's like, you're gonna regret it. I go, I think he's hilarious. Relax, Greg. And then, jb, you and I had the pleasure of meeting him really, really quickly.

[B]

I'm gonna make you repeat the glib remark right in front of me.

[C]

We met him really briefly up at Last year up at Pebble Beach. And he's as nice as he is funny. And it's all.

[A]

I love this guy.

[C]

He's so.

[A]

I love Ray Romano.

[C]

I love the Tennessee. I love the Tennessee kid. I love his new special, hello World on Amazon. He's about to go on tour in a new one. Guys, it's none other than the hilarious Nate Bergazzi.

[B]

Nate Bergazzi.

[D]

Hello.

[B]

Even better. I was ready for Ray.

[D]

I love Nate. I'll get Ray.

[B]

Oh, how great.

[A]

Nate, it's good to see you again.

[D]

Good to see you, Sean. Hey, just a little fun note. Never seen Shawshank, so that's.

[B]

Well, you're young. You're too young for it. You know, it's before your time.

[C]

Wait, wait, how old?

[D]

I'm 44. I should have.

[B]

Pretty young.

[C]

You know what, Nate? I didn't see Shawshank till I was 45.

[D]

Oh, I'll do it next year anyway.

[C]

Nate Bargazi.

[D]

Nate.

[C]

Dude.

[A]

Nate, this is really nice.

[C]

Great to see you again, because we did meet. We did meet up at Pebble.

[D]

Yep.

[B]

Do you live in a nice house or are you in a nice hotel room?

[D]

Where are you in a hotel room? I'm in Syracuse. Okay.

[A]

Working.

[D]

I got a show in Syracuse, this is. Can't make it here. Can't make it anywhere.

[B]

You know, that's what they say. That's what they say.

[C]

I like Nate. I like that. Sean said you said I'm in Syracuse working. Nah,

[B]

he's just hanging out with the Orange Vacation.

[D]

This is the vacations I can afford in Syracuse. You go. It's nice. We took a bus up, but it's,

[B]

you know, we spent on the hotel room.

[D]

Yeah, yeah. Everything went to this.

[B]

Now, what kind of.

[D]

My family of 30 is right off camera. They're just right there. If y' all talk during this, I will kill you.

[B]

When you. When you are traveling around, you're doing these shows, what size is your. Is your. Is your. Is your group footprint? How. What. What's your posse size?

[D]

We have probably like 10 guys, because I bring four openers. Actually, tonight we got a surprise opener. He won't be here till later. Jimmy Fallon. Fallon is coming to the show.

[A]

Oh, that's great.

[D]

He's going to jump on the bus.

[B]

Where do I know to tell me what.

[D]

We would know him from that movie Taxi. Pitch Fever.

[A]

Taxi.

[B]

Pitch Fever with Queen Latifah.

[A]

I remember Taxi.

[C]

Jimmy right now, by the way, he's hearing this. He's sharpening his knife hearing us say this.

[A]

Well, Nate, I have to say this. We developed the show together years ago. What? And you were very successful then. But to see you over the years just kind of like. And then SNL and then like, it's so exciting to finally be like, yes, this guy has been brilliant, has always been brilliant. And now more and more people get success.

[C]

And you sell Nate, and you sell Nate, you sell out arenas, like 20,000 at a clip, which is just unbelievable. And on top of this, and I'm gonna say this, and I really. And I've said it a bunch since it aired when you were on snl. Your sketch, your. Your. Your George Washington sketch. To me, just, in my opinion, the funniest SNL sketch I've seen in 15 years.

[A]

I totally agree with that.

[B]

I'm gonna look that up.

[A]

I totally agree with that.

[C]

Remarkable. Now, your TV just went on, which tells me

[A]

the family's board.

[B]

Yeah, the 30 men are getting itchy.

[D]

There's no one in me.

[C]

It's just you and Jim Benheim, right? Is that his name?

[D]

Jimmy, Turn it off. Or does it matter?

[B]

No, no, just give me something to watch.

[C]

But you have to echo what Sean's saying. You have just finally, thankfully, the rest of America is just like, understand what an awesome, awesome Hilarious. Dude, you are. So how do you start? You're the Tennessee kid. You're from Old Hickory, Tennessee. Am I right about that?

[D]

Yes.

[A]

Old Hickory.

[D]

Yeah. Old Hickory.

[B]

Is it next to New Hickory?

[D]

No news is a little bit far.

[B]

Was it ever new Hickory?

[D]

No.

[C]

He's got this great joke in his new special on Amazon prime where he says, I'm from Old Hickory. It's where Andrew Jackson's from. And people are like, he wasn't a good guy. And Nate goes, well, we didn't know him that well, but we didn't know him at all.

[A]

But, Nate, talk to me about when you were a kid and stuff. Like, did. Did. You were always into comedy. Did you watch snl? Like, what were your inspirations?

[C]

That's what I was thinking. That's what I was getting to. How did you start?

[A]

I just got there fast.

[D]

It's. I. My dad's a magician.

[C]

What?

[D]

And does mine, too.

[A]

Mine can disappear in the drop of a hat.

[B]

Sean, you are talk show. Quick, get out of here. Sorry, Nate.

[A]

Thanks, you guys.

[B]

Keep going.

[D]

No, that mean I grew up around that. I mean, so that was like, you know, I was funny, but then also growing up around, you know, my dad being a magician, you learned patterns, like. Yeah, it just kind of leads you to it, I guess.

[C]

Wait, wait, wait. So, Nate, so you grew up your dad's magician? He obviously loved you. Sorry, Sean. And he. I mean, to the extent that he wanted to stick around.

[D]

I'm friends with Sean's dad.

[B]

Yeah. Oh, so you know where he is?

[D]

Yeah, yeah, he's a pretty good dude. Yeah. I don't know the whole backstory, but I know. I just know from what our hanging.

[B]

He's got no tread left on his tires, but he's a good guy.

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

He checks you a pin to his location.

[C]

So what was that like, growing up with your dad being a magician? That's pretty rad.

[B]

An illusionist.

[D]

Yeah. Yeah, it was the best. It is. You know, I don't know if I even understood it. Like, I'm sure I think of it like my daughter. And I'm sure your kids. Like, it doesn't seem not normal. Like, it just felt like it's like that's all I ever knew. And it wasn't till you got older that you're like, yeah, dude, nobody's dad's a magician.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Start saying you don't know when you're asked what your dad does.

[D]

Right? Yeah.

[A]

So he would make a living.

[D]

I mean, I have people do magic. Like, magicians would show me magic trick. I've just seen them all, too, and I just. I'm just not a good. I'm not a good person to perform for. Cause I'm just like, all right, you know. You know, it's like, is this your card? You're like, it's always my. It's always my card. It's always been my card.

[B]

Every time I see magic, every time I see Mag, I freaking love it. And I'll bet everybody listening loves it. Well, I mean, how can you not love when you see a magic trick? I mean, a good one if it's convincing. But I. But I never think about it. I never. And I always make fun of it when I hear about it. It's like you hear about mimes, but you know what? You can't take your eyes off a mime or. Or a magician. It's. It. It. It. It gets a bad rap.

[C]

You can't take your eyes off.

[B]

Yeah, that's the quote of the day.

[C]

Wait, so, Nate. So your dad, Sean was gonna ask this. So your dad made a living as a magician?

[D]

He did. He was a teacher, too. Like, so he had a day job, and then he would do that, and then we were always in Nashville, and so he's just always done it. And, I mean, he's very successful. He's very known in the magic world. He comes with me and opens for me a lot on the road. We'll do these shows, and, you know, it's every little boy's dream. Travel to your dad when you're 44 years old. So we got a little CPAP machine hooked up in a tour bus.

[B]

You got some ramps on the side of that stage.

[D]

It's. Yeah, I mean, we were. We had our bus parked out one time, and I had my. It was my dad, my mom, and my aunt, and I was like, people probably go by this tour bus, and they're like, it's pretty rocking in there. And, I mean, we got. It's. Lights off, quiet. Just the roar of machines keeping everybody

[B]

alive and the smell of liniment.

[A]

Wait, so did you ever perform in the magic shows with your dad?

[D]

I did some. Yeah. I would help him with magic.

[B]

You ever get cut in half?

[D]

No. No, we didn't ever do that. We. He never did that go that far. He just. Sleight of hand. A lot of sleight of hand. And he does come.

[C]

That's my favorite.

[D]

Yeah.

[C]

So then when you. What. What age were you when you were, like, actually kind of. To what, Jason? You kind of Alluded to. But did you start just, like, being a wise ass on the. On the side of your dad's stage while he was doing magic? Like, is that how Stand up started for you?

[D]

I think it was just being funny. We would, like. I remember seeing Stand Up. It was just. It was just trying to. It was trying to make people laugh. I don't think I ever really made fun of anybody.

[C]

Right.

[D]

It was. But it was like I would make fun of myself a lot, which is what I do now in my comedy. It'd be like, you'd be doing stuff like that. Make him funny. He had. I mean, one time. I've talked about us in a special on one of them, but it was like he brought the Easter Bunny home when I was like, six. He was at the. He was at a mall doing a show, and the Easter Bunny needed a ride home. And my dad goes, I'll give you a ride home if you swing by my house. And so I remember the Easter Bunny. We had, like, my parents had this old red Mazda stick shift, you know, and the Easter Bunny's head was bent to the side because his head couldn't fit in the car.

[C]

Sure.

[D]

So he was just. He was sitting like this. And then he got out, and I met the Easter Bunny. And then my dad drove the Easter Bunny home.

[C]

So that. So that started your. The Easter Bunny.

[D]

That was the. Yeah. That was the trajectory. I go, if I can beat that guy, then maybe I can make it as.

[B]

Now, what. What. What was your mom's attitude on. On her husband's career?

[D]

My parents have been together since seventh grade, and they. My mom's very funny and. But she. She worked at a bank. I mean, she's just been. I mean, it's just stuff. There's, like, growing up, it's buying. You know, she has to go up. My dad will be like, go to the store. I need you to buy 12 lemons. And he has to buy for, like, his magic or a bunch of newspapers from that day. It's like a bunch of random. And it's just normal conversation. You're just like, it's a Tuesday. You're just trying to grab some bread, milk, and 30 oranges, and then you get on out of there.

[B]

And handkerchiefs in six colors.

[D]

He's got a lot of shows this week. It's just stuff like that, you know?

[C]

Wait, so. So, Nate. So I want to kind of get again, this. This is. We're the worst interviewers on the planet. We were just voted worst ever interviewers.

[B]

We nailed it of all time.

[C]

Yeah. But I want to go back because we again because you play these huge arenas and it's amazing and I don't. I don't know if I've ever seen a comic so comfortable. You make it so intimate. Even though you're playing a huge. There's something about it that makes it so personal. And you, and you, you're so organic.

[A]

Yeah. You draw us in as opposed to ask for.

[C]

And we're talking about authent. You're very authentic, but you. That feels like that you. That when you started, you must have started in clubs, like in smaller venues, right? Like. Like most comics I imagine.

[D]

Oh yeah. So I moved to Chicago first for a couple years and then I moved to New York and I was in New York for the most for like eight and a half years. And so I did all the clubs and all the like going up every single night. I performed for one guy once.

[B]

Oh my God.

[C]

No way.

[D]

Like he wouldn't leave. We tried to get him to leave and he's like, nah, it's all right. And you're like, we don't think it's all right. It really wasn't about him. You're like, what's. I don't want to stand up in front of a guy. Regularly up in front of four people. Five, six, like. I mean six people was like got pretty good show going on. You know you're.

[A]

Yeah.

[D]

You were excited about no way. Yeah. So you just get used to just being in these kind of like, you know, it takes a long time before you're in front of like an actual paying crowd. That's good.

[C]

But what does that do for you? What does that do for you like rhythm wise etc when you're just doing six people? Like.

[D]

Well, I had to learn to get people into my rhythm very quickly. So since I'm talk slower and I was from the south and all this I had to figure out because I would follow like high energy acts and then I'd come up and I'm like, well, I gotta come up with a joke or I gotta say something. I just need you to hear my voice for a second so you can go like, all right, readjust and be like now we're in this rhythm. And then get into the first kind of, you know, come up with a good like opening little thing or whatever and just.

[C]

Yeah.

[D]

And get rolling.

[A]

You know what always blows my mind about standups though? Like how you can just walk around the stage for two hours and always have something to talk about and like, how do you. Is it like a monologue you memorize or like how can you just go up and speak?

[C]

God, he's gonna love show business. Do you think?

[A]

Two hours straight?

[B]

Yeah. Sean, wait til you get a load of her.

[C]

He's gonna love show business. He's gonna love it.

[B]

Two thirds of the planet is water. There's a couple of polls.

[A]

No, you know what I mean? That always goes. Obviously you had material that you work on, but do you ever like. There's your answer, go up and you're like, oh my God. I don't know what subject to talk about next. Like the flow of.

[D]

Well, I don't go. I, yeah, I go up prepared. I mean, I can't do the other. I can't really do like crowd work. Go up and stuff.

[B]

It's very, very freestyling, bro. No, I worked it on it for months.

[C]

Do you ever switch, Nate, do you ever switch the order based on the audience?

[D]

Oh, yeah, this, this, this new hour. I've switched it a ton. But. And it's worked because now I'm opening on a joke that I have closed on. So it's like, it's great to be opening on a joke that I've actually had to have the energy and the rhythm of a closer. And then you just move it up and now it's the front and you're

[B]

doing those decisions on the fly.

[D]

Yeah, you just fill it out. It's like, I mean, it's kind of like a song. Like I, like, I'm in love with Stand up right now. Like I love it so much and it's. I. The way I've looked at writing kind of is like it's a movie. So I'm the main character of this movie and I'm not, I'm telling the story. I'm not. There's a, there's a, you know, a reason for be saying all this stuff and everything leads into the other thing. So you want to make it where people don't realize you're into another joke. But in my head I could be on like joke five. Right, but you're trying to. I'm trying to make it where like. And then that's how you remember it. Because the only way, you know, if you're talking about like riding a car and then you're like, my wife bought a car. Well, now that's the only thing I could go into.

[A]

Right, right.

[B]

And we will be right back.

[A]

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[B]

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[C]

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[A]

And now back to the show.

[B]

Who was your main inspiration as far as developing that style of, of telling stories as opposed to jokes? Was it like a George Carlin or because I seem to remember he was. He was kind of like that too, right?

[D]

Yeah. Well, big cosby was one.

[B]

Oh, yeah.

[D]

You know, obviously. But like that. If you go, like, watch his old stuff. It was. It's very storytelling, all that kind of stuff. I'm a big Seinfeld fan. Seinfeld was. He was. I. I kind of think. Because I always looked at it, I tell stories, but in a joke form, like, so it's. I mean, I try to never be too far from the laugh because the farther you are from a laugh, the bigger the laugh has to be. And I don't want to put that much pressure on a laugh. So if I can just kind of keep it. That's interesting going and let it build, it's like, you know, it doesn't. You're just not putting the weight of the world on this. You're like, right. Because if they go. If you go silent too long, I mean, there's a point where you're like, well, this joke better be unreal.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

Sean tried. Sean tried stand up. And we won't get to his opening joke. But he was. He started so far from the laugh, and then he never got even to the same area code as the laugh. You know what I mean? Like, he never. He never. He never had actual direct sight on the laugh. They never got a clean look at

[B]

it turned into a lecture.

[D]

And there's no way. You're like, no. He's supposed to go, well, he'll never get out now.

[C]

Even with a series of mirrors, he couldn't see the laugh.

[B]

It was obscured.

[A]

Yeah, that's how I drive around town. I only take right hand turns. But Nate, biggest bombing story. Like, did you just like, oh, my God, this is the worst.

[D]

Like, yeah, yeah, there's a bunch. I mean, I. You blame it on. I had one one time I thought it was the shirt I wore and so I threw that shirt away. I had a button down shirt and I tucked it in. I've never done that since. Yeah, I was like, it wasn't me. I was just like, it could have been the material.

[B]

Yeah. This shirt is killing me.

[D]

What is this guy's deal? I've done a cruise ship.

[A]

Say no more.

[D]

I wanna. I won a contest. And your prize was to set your career back five years and do cruises. And so I go out and I'm doing it and you gotta do like, you gotta do a bunch of shows. So you do 30 clean, 30 dirty. I never had dirty, so it's like I couldn't even. And then you would do one another show, so you needed honest because sometimes these people would come back and Watch multiple shows. So you needed to have, you know, two hours of material or do crowd or be able to mess with the crowd or something. And I remember we go up and you would do one show at the beginning of it, you do like five minutes each, and it's kind of just like it's in the big theater and you're kind of just letting the crowd know we're comedians, we got a show back here, blah, blah. So the other guy just was great and knew how to like, he shined a fly shot on the crowd. Like, just knew how to like, really play with the crowd always. And he was like, come to my shows. Every show is different. And he like made a big announcement how they're all different. And then I went up and I said, my. I go, come to one, it may be the other one, but the other one will be the same. I had to like. I was like, do not come to all my shows. Most will be the same. I don't have enough material to have them all be different. So you can go to his shows. They will be different. Mine will be. And then I went and did a show and it was. I started it and like, they didn't laugh and I was like, oh, these people have been to every show. And I'm not a crowd work, you know, And I'm like, so what do you do, man? And you know, some guys, like, I'm an. He's an oil rigger in the ocean. It's actually a pretty crazy job. And I was like, that's cool. And I just moved on. It's like an insane. People are saying crazy stuff like, I'm a bank robber. That's neat, man. What about you, ma'? Am?

[A]

I had nothing, no riffing.

[D]

And then I had to ride in an elevator with these people. I'm in the elevator in the ocean. You think it sounds like I made it and I'm just sitting there and I had a hat on and I just hear some guy just trashing me and I'm. My shoulder's touching him and I just have to sit there. Oh, my God.

[B]

But they do separate them between clean and dirty. On a cruise ship that's exclusive to a cruise ship.

[D]

Yeah, it would. You just would have a show that's like, the kids can come to this show, your family can come to the show. And then you'd have like a night at, you know, 11PMs, like adult only show.

[B]

Yeah.

[D]

You still can't be that dirty. But it's the idea of it is a little More, you know.

[C]

Yeah. You could have just dropped in a couple F bombs, just randomly.

[D]

Curses. I talk about parking and, like, you guys have a parallel purchase, and they're like, this guy's filthy. Yeah, I didn't even have any. I didn't even have. I had no dirty jokes. Like, there's no. I don't really. I don't talk about sex or political or, like, there's nothing, like, really, like, that's kind of like this.

[C]

What about political sex? Will you ever touch political sex? Is that something that you'd be willing to.

[B]

That.

[D]

I will.

[C]

Yeah.

[D]

If the right joke comes up.

[B]

Sure, sure.

[C]

You know, it is funny. It is remarkable how clean your standup is. And a lot of people. It's such a weird thing to have to say to point it out, but I guess it is worthy of pointing out. And it is, to me, such a testament to how profoundly funny you are. And honestly, and I hope it is a badge of honor for you. It should be, because it really. You find ways to talk about stuff, and you don't need to. To swear. I swear like a Cosby.

[B]

Never. Never cursed. Right. Famously.

[C]

Well, let's. Again, let's not try to, you know, look at. So let's not. Yeah.

[B]

But no, let's go down the Avenue of Cosby and clean, you know.

[D]

Yeah. Yeah.

[B]

This guy.

[A]

So, Nate, wait. Did you. So at home. What's it like at home? So, like, is. Does your. Do you check out. Do you run jokes by your wife? Does she okay them? Is she sick of hearing them? Like, what is that dynamic at home?

[D]

I'll tell her. Yeah. Like, she knows about every joke that comes up. Because that's something I had to learn to. When you make fun of your wife at the beginning is you have to show love. Like, you have to show. Because people. Because I remember at the beginning, the reaction would be like, well, why are you married? And so then you're like, well, that's not. That's not what I want. You don't need to have that reaction. So you have to then make fun of yourself, but with her. And you got to do it in a way that. Where, like, they can tell that you do love your wife.

[A]

Yeah.

[D]

You love your family and you. You know, and so it's just kind of like just making fun of each other. But, yeah, I'll run by stuff.

[C]

But that comes across. And you've got. You do that bit about the guy coming to replace the water heater in your other special, and you're in the. You go, finally, the guy realizes you don't know what you're talking about. He thinks maybe this is a modern relationship. And he says to the guy, said, is your husband here? And then you go, yeah, I think she's here somewhere. It's so good. And it is like you said, you're self deprecating. You're the. You're the butt of the joke, which I think is always such a winning combo. You're not making fun of somebody. You're not having a laugh at somebody else's expense. You're not putting somebody else down to make yourself funny, which is great.

[D]

Yeah, I. I just never liked it. Like, I felt bad. I mean, I'll, like, make fun of my buddies and comics and stuff.

[C]

Yeah.

[D]

In the audience, you just. I just always felt, you know, it's like this person's just trying to sit there. They don't need it.

[C]

Yeah, yeah.

[D]

Like big. What's your shirt? Your shirt's stupid. And then I got my shirt on tucked in. Right. Don't we all got stupid shirts?

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Do you. Do you still live in Tennessee?

[D]

Yeah, I moved back. So I was. I was gone like 13 years. And then we've been back for about nine.

[B]

Yeah. I hear it's beautiful down there.

[C]

Yeah, it's so good, right?

[D]

Yeah, I'm born and raised there. It's great. We have as much of a normal life as it can be. We're gonna live in a cul de sac, the house at the top. So we have the leaders and we set the tone for it. I have a joke, I'll just like to say my new actress. And we do all. In our culture say we do all the right things. Like, if someone pulls down there, we're like, what are you doing down our street? Any car we don't know, we just run out. Like, you better get out of our cult. I mean, just furious if they come down there.

[A]

Brothers and sisters growing up.

[D]

I have a younger brother and a younger sister.

[A]

So you're the oldest of the three?

[D]

I am.

[A]

And do they. Do they. Are they finding you funny all the time or like.

[D]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. My brother's like three years younger than me. My sister's about 10. I've talked about her in a special and she. She works for me now too, so that's fine. I mean, you get yelled at by her.

[C]

I mean, you got your whole family, you got your sisters working for you, and then you're on tour with your mom and dad and your aunt and.

[A]

Yeah, that's cool.

[B]

It's pretty Rad you. I don't think you've said this, but you. Sorry. Do you have kids?

[D]

Yeah, I have a 11 year old.

[C]

Why are you so nervous to ask him that? Jason, by the. He's married. He said he's not available.

[B]

What are the kids? Ages?

[D]

I did say before, don't ask about if I have kids. Oh, all right, I guess. Okay. Yeah. Now I have one 11 year old daughter.

[B]

Oh, okay, great. 11 year old daughter. And what does it seem like she's going to want to do with her life? Does she want to.

[D]

She loves horses right now for. So I don't know.

[B]

That sounds expensive. That's expensive.

[D]

It is. I don't. But I don't even know where. No one. We don't come from horse stuff, you

[C]

know, you're not, you're not horse people.

[D]

No, there's never horse people. But she loves horses. So right now she's kind of doing that stuff. But she's very creative, very funny and she, you know, will get me and my wife laughing a lot, you know, and like, I think I gotta teach her where to wear the joke. You gotta be like, all right, well, you gotta be serious.

[B]

Yeah, isn't that funny? It's like there's there, there's, there's the little. There's the age when they learn sarcasm, they learn humor and. But they don't yet know when to stop the joke. They don't know when to do the joke. But you don't want to shame them because you don't want to kill their spirit or their sense of humor. So you just got to kind of grin and bear with so many things in their life. It's so incredible watching kids learn things that we forgot that we learned. You know, like, it's amazing, you know, nothing until you learn it.

[D]

She can make fun of her friends recent and like, I think. But then they all got like. It was like they did not like it. And I was like. And it was funny. I forget what it was, but it was like it was something funny. But you're like, all right, you gotta understand, you're like, you gotta. Some people will be able to handle it. Like, you know, she just is all about the joke because it's obviously just our, you know, her grandfather's a magician, a comedian. Like, so it's, it's a lot of joking.

[C]

I think. Yeah, I think that making fun of your friends is not a good path to go down. It's not.

[B]

Unless it's Sean.

[C]

Successful.

[B]

Unless it's Sean. I mean, it's Such a big button to hit.

[C]

No, I thought we were talking about friends. Yeah. Sean.

[B]

Oh, right.

[D]

Yeah.

[C]

You know what I mean.

[A]

I feel warm inside.

[B]

Where's that? Where. What's after Syracuse? Where do you go next?

[D]

Albany.

[B]

So Albany, of course.

[C]

Of course.

[D]

Yeah.

[C]

And what. And just Schenectady. Like. What are you doing? Dude.

[D]

Yeah, this is the route. I know. We started last night. We were in Philly at the far. Like, it was where the. The Sixers play.

[C]

No way.

[D]

Big thing. And then. Then it goes Syracuse and then it'll go Albany and then that's. These are the two the Fallon wanted to come to with Syracuse and Albany.

[C]

Yeah, of course. That's a big.

[D]

Those are from up here.

[C]

Yeah, he is. He's from upstate New York. Where you. What. What arena or place are you playing tonight in Syracuse?

[D]

The. You know, the arena.

[C]

The Carrier Dome, probably, right? Is that what it is?

[D]

No, no. Yeah. No, I've been to a game there that's like a huge. Okay. I've been to a basketball game there. You could feel it. Basketball court's set up. It's your people buy tickets that are like. I don't think they can see the court.

[C]

Right.

[D]

They're sitting, like, behind the court.

[B]

Would there be a crowd? That's just too big for. For a comedy show where it's just like. It's. It needs to be a little bit more intimate. Like 20,000 people is, like, right at the max, maybe, or. No.

[D]

Yeah. I mean, it's all about how you feel. We have, like, you know, the arenas. We have these big screens. We have. I've put more speakers up so everybody can hear it everywhere. And you really do try to make it intimate. I mean, you can tell everybody gets real quiet. I mean, that's the cool. It's one of the coolest things is when you're telling a joke and you're. This many people are quiet.

[A]

Yeah.

[D]

You know, and this kind of. And they're just. I mean, you could. I could yell with no microphone and the top person could hear me. Is. It gets that quiet.

[A]

So cool.

[D]

So, yeah. I mean, I'd imagine if you did a stadium, you know, I. I could see it getting a little Lou, you know, and we're in the middle, too, of an arena, so I'm. It makes it a lot. I'm a lot closer to everybody.

[C]

Do a hundred thou. Do a Hondo.

[B]

Come on.

[C]

Do the Big House of Michigan.

[B]

Have you ever had a moment where you kind of scare yourself a little bit by thinking about all the Eyes that are looking at you and that they're not talking and that it is silent and that you might not be doing well. And you can't leave for another 45 minutes.

[C]

Are you scared of the eyes?

[B]

I mean, if you ever had a panic attack on a stage and know that you can't. You can't leave for another hour.

[A]

I have.

[D]

Yeah. I mean, I've done it so long now that you're. It's.

[B]

I mean, just like your knees bent. It's happened to me. I mean, yeah, Yeah.

[D]

I. I mean, I've done it now. It's like. Yeah. I mean, you think about it. I had an snl, like, a little bit when I did the monologue. I was more nervous with the monologue because it's like, stand up, and you're like, I'm supposed to be good. And at this. And. And then you gotta kind of deliver the jokes into the camera, but there's the crowd. And so, like, it was very weird to deliver jokes to kind of a spot where no one's at, right?

[B]

And you're right on the heels of sitting. Of standing back behind that flat. Behind the band, right? That little narrow little plank. And the whole crowd is silent and they're counting down to that live moment to America. Like, it becomes really tangible. Like, you're not just live in front of, you know. You know, a crowd. It's beaming across, you know, the planet.

[D]

Oh, yeah.

[B]

Like, it's real tangible there.

[D]

Yeah. You're like, I could say anything right now, and they're going to hear it right now because it's live, you know?

[B]

Yeah, yeah. Remember when I used to remember, like, 20 jokes when I was. When I was a kid? I used to love them, and now I can only remember, like, one or two, but from back then, no, they're not that great.

[C]

Do you have that one?

[B]

Jay, do you have any jokes?

[C]

You want to hear a guy tell a joke inside out? Go ahead.

[B]

I do get a little tripped up. Do you have a joke from when you were a kid that. That you'll never forget? You may not use it in your act, but it's just like. Just a classic. That was one of your favorites.

[D]

Yeah, I didn't use it in my act.

[B]

You say you do.

[D]

I hang. No, I didn't hang on to your. Like, I kept it. I still read a joke book when I was five, and I'm closing on it. It's. I remember the joke. It was. I said there was. It was a joke book or something, and there was a Guy goes, waiter, there's a spider or there's a fly in my soup. And then the waiter goes, well, don't worry, the spider on your bread will get it. And it was a picture of a spider man. And so my dad always brings. I remember that joke. And then my dad brought it up because I would like. I was explaining why the joke was funny to him and like, kind of going through it like, here's why this is funny, you know, so that, that, that one was the first one, but I, I let it go.

[C]

Do you guys have jokes from when you were a kid that you'll never forget? One joke that's appropriate to tell, Is there one like a go to that? You remember?

[A]

I had a joke book when I was really little. It was.

[C]

You have a joke book now, but keep going.

[A]

It's not funny. It was funny when I was like 6 years old. It's like, where do dead people go in your house? And it was the living room.

[C]

I have one which is like, people always say that ballet is really hard to do. And so I always say, just don't do it.

[A]

Yeah. Oh, see, Nate laughed.

[B]

Nate laughed at that.

[C]

That was Sean's opening joke when he did stand up.

[B]

And what is it? This would probably be interesting for folks, including me. What are the. How do you do. The economics of being a stand up? I'm assuming you have to bear all the costs of the trucks and the infrastructure and all that stuff, and then you get to keep whatever you don't spend on what it costs to put the show up. Right. And you're making your money based on ticket sales and merchandise, perhaps. Full stop.

[D]

Yeah, yeah, we. I mean, merch is not. Merch is not the biggest thing in stand up.

[A]

Why?

[D]

Yeah, I don't know. I mean, we've had it. We've done it at shows and it's just, it does. It's not like a concert or people don't. Yeah, like I was saying, like, stand up still kind of. It's kind of a newer thing. Like Cosby's like one of the first. He's still alive and like, you know, like he knew Lenny Bruce and then.

[C]

Don't. You got it. If I could give you one piece of advice.

[B]

If we could just lose the Cosby reference.

[D]

If we could get multiple.

[C]

Well, if we could get it down to single digits, it would be great.

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

All right.

[B]

Or you know what? I'm going to send you a couple articles.

[C]

Harvey Weinstein and I once set up an llc. But, but, but. So, so you've got this, you've got this huge apparatus. Yeah, apparatus. Right.

[A]

Like, but you know, you know, you could do it without it, but you

[D]

get like a deal. So you have promoters and then the. Yeah, you are. I think it's like the promoter is the one that's putting the money for like the, the renting of the venue.

[C]

Right.

[D]

And then I'm paying, then it comes out of mine, the show budget of the speakers and the, all that stuff. And so you can, you can have it go as low or as big as you want it to go.

[C]

Who's your manager? Who are your peeps?

[D]

Brillstein. They're the Brillstein and uta.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

We'll be right back.

[C]

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[A]

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[B]

All right, back to the show,

[A]

by the way, backing way up to the beginning of this interview. What is bargotzi? What is the nationality of Bargazi?

[D]

Italian.

[A]

Oh, it is.

[C]

First of all, don't spit it out like that.

[D]

No.

[B]

Like, Chuck is haze son of it.

[C]

Sorry, Nate.

[B]

Jesus.

[D]

I never liked you.

[A]

I mean, I.

[B]

His bar.

[C]

I've just never heard it before. Really been a be in my bonnet for a minute.

[B]

How do you even spell that?

[A]

I know. I can't even begin to spell it. I. I kind of. I knew that, but I forgot that I knew that. Italian.

[D]

I think we say it wrong as a family, too. I think it's supposed to be bargazi. And we say bargette. Like, it's just. We. You've southerned it up.

[A]

Oh, I say bargazi.

[D]

Yeah. I think a lot of people say, when I went to New. When I lived in New York, they would always be like, bargazi, because it's, like, Italian. And I was like, you know, I was like, I don't like tomatoes.

[B]

Do you have family in Italy? You don't know?

[D]

Yeah, I think we've all agreed to kind of go. We had a family reunion once, and we had family come over from Italy, and we got Kentucky Fried Chicken.

[C]

Chicken.

[D]

And I think it was like. From that moment was just kind of like, all right, y' all have a good life. We did it. We're gonna do our thing. Y' all do yalls thing, and we've just kind of gone our separate ways.

[C]

Nate, what do you like to do? Do you. In your free time and you've got a lot of time, like, on a bus or you're touring or on the plane or whatever. What do you. What do you watch? What are the things? Are you a sports guy? Do you like. Do you watch other standups?

[B]

Is it Candy Crush? What. What's. How are you occupying your minutes?

[D]

Yeah, I'm a big sports guy, so I watch a lot of golf, like, any. Any sports. Golf. Ufc wants a lot. Ufc.

[C]

Oh, you do?

[D]

Yeah, I'm a big fan of ufc.

[C]

I wanted to. I wanted to peg that. I wanted to peg you for a big.

[D]

It's just the most. I. The honesty of it with, like, Dana White just in the fighters, they can say whatever they want, right? So there's no, you know, like, when Tom Brady. Is he gonna retire or not retire? It's like it's all kind of a game and a show, and UFC kind of really is like, we just got a dude that just says, I want to fight this guy.

[C]

Right?

[D]

And then it just gets to it, and you're. I don't know. I kind of, like.

[C]

I love it, but there's no, there's no romance to that too, though. Right.

[D]

Like the kind of the build up to it. I mean, then they get in the. You know, then they don't like each other, and then you're, you know, and then you go in there and watch them fight. It's not just watching a street fight. You're watching two professionals that have to, like, fill each other out.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

So you watch ufc, you watch golf. You like to play golf. You play golf when you're on the road?

[D]

Some. It gets hard, but it's because the shows and stuff. But yeah, I'll play some on the road. Yeah, yeah, Yeah. I mean, that's. That's kind of it. I mean, I don't know, it's like you're just running around, got a lot of stuff, a lot of hanging out. Like, the road is the most fun because it's just like a bunch of dudes. And, you know, this morning we went in Syracuse. We're in Syracuse. And this place has a hot and cold plunge thing.

[C]

Sure.

[D]

And will love. So I've never done it. And then. So. But they let us come in. So, like we woke up and did that.

[A]

Wait, who's. Who's Boo Weekly? I read, I saw something.

[D]

Oh, yeah?

[A]

What is that?

[D]

So I. This is another. I told it on snl. Dealt in my act, too, but it Boo Weekly, because I have a joke about fighting orangutan at a county fair. And where I read the story was, there's a golfer named Boo Weekley. And when he read, he said when he was 15, he got in, he goes to this county fair. He's from like Georgia, like Southern. Southern Georgia. It's like the 80s, you know, and there you could pay $5 to fight an orangutan. Orangutan would be in a boxing ring with boxing gloves. And so dudes would pay $5 to fight him. And that's hysterical. Yeah. And then guys would get in there and this ranking tank would just knock people out. Because when I say this, I tell the whole story in my act. But I say, because we didn't have the Internet to look up, how strong's an orangutan? You have. It was all word of mouth back then. So, you know, you had to meet a guy that just fought an orangutan and he's like, he's stronger than you think. You know, like. Well, the. But the arms are so skinny. Yeah, I know. But the reach as well.

[A]

And the reach.

[B]

It's the reach. It's the jabs.

[D]

Look at his feet. His feet bigger than you. Yeah. That strength comes from somewhere.

[C]

And they'll rip your face off, too, if they want.

[D]

Well, that's what Boo Weekley said. He goes. That's not written everywhere. Back in 1982, when you're fighting the ranking, the guy that does this doesn't go all. You sign a waiver.

[B]

Sure.

[D]

Yeah. You don't realize till afterwards, like, that's why he has gloves on. If this thing can. If it gets the gloves off, there's a chance it will rip your head off. So. But, you know, what are you gonna do? Ride the Scrambler again? Yeah.

[B]

Oh, I wonder if that's still in existence anywhere in the country. I bet there's.

[D]

So they. PETA. I think PETA got a hold of a lot of this.

[C]

Sure, sure.

[B]

They knocked those things down.

[D]

And that one, they were like, you can't do that. We're like, all right. We thought they liked it. I'm glad you just had to tell us. And we got rid of it. Fair enough.

[A]

Nate, what are you going to do today before the show?

[B]

Tell them you're busy?

[D]

It was this and then. Yeah, it was just this. I don't have anything like, I gotta rewear. I'm messing up some. The order a little bit, so I'll do that a little. And then we'll just hang out and be at the venue. If there's. We do try to shoot basketball. Like, some of these arenas, if they have a basketball goal somewhere, we're trying to, like, mess around, shoot basketball. Just kind of, you know, do whatever until.

[A]

That's nice.

[C]

And then you're going. And then you're going on tour. You're gonna. You got a new special. You're shooting a new special.

[D]

Phoenix. Yeah.

[C]

You love Phoenix. You love. You've taught. You did another. You did your last special on Phoenix.

[D]

I did my last special there. And this one's gonna be in the Footprint center where the Suns play. So it's.

[A]

Wow.

[D]

It's. Yeah, it's. It's. Yeah. I mean, it just kind of works out, like, touring wise, like, you just hit these towns, like, every two years or so. And so it just kind of like.

[A]

And your family goes with you, or do they stay home or.

[D]

They do some. Yeah, yeah. We went to Europe. Like, they came to Europe. They come to the. You know, they're not here in Syracuse or Albany, but they. If they're gonna. I'm doing the Boston Garden. They're gonna come to Boston.

[B]

Tell them to join you out in Phoenix. For some of the. The best pizza in the world, as voted by the voters, by the people. At Chris Bianco's.

[C]

At Chris Bianco's Pizza.

[A]

Nate, can you do. I saw you do this one thing a long time ago. You don't have to do it, but if you're like, I gotta go. But one of the funniest things I ever did.

[C]

Sorry, dude.

[D]

You want me to stand up and do my act?

[C]

I mean, if you just show us

[B]

your tits real quick and then go to show.

[C]

Would you mind doing it topless?

[B]

Sorry.

[A]

Show us your tits really quick.

[C]

No.

[A]

One of the funniest things was it was a story about meeting your wife's ex boyfriend.

[D]

Yeah. On the boat. Yeah, yeah, yeah. We went. I gotta remember it. But we went to. It happened. We're on the lake, Old Hickory Lake.

[C]

Is that true?

[D]

Yeah. And we're in. We're like, in the water, and then it's. My wife's ex boyfriend was on a. Another boat.

[A]

Right.

[D]

And I didn't see him. And she pointed out, like, there's no reason to point it out. And. But she pointed it out. So then. Yeah. Like, all I can think of now, like, I'm thinking about him, like. And then I look at her, and she's looking at him, and I feel like she's looking at him.

[A]

Him.

[D]

To see what her life would be like if she didn't marry me.

[B]

Yeah.

[D]

And I was looking at him to see what my life would be like if I didn't marry her. So we're both putting a lot of pressure on this guy.

[A]

Yeah.

[D]

And then my buddy told me. He's like, you should go fight him. And I was like, what? I got. Like, he's on a boat. Like, I got. I gotta swim over to that fight.

[A]

Yeah.

[D]

Have you ever tried to climb in a boat from water? It's not. It's not graceful. It's not easy. You don't come in with power. I would need his help to start the fight.

[A]

Right. Right.

[D]

I think that was it. Yeah.

[A]

That was. It's so funny. But I just. I mean, we. We can all relate to meeting ex. Exes, you know, our. Our current exes.

[C]

I don't know.

[B]

It's never good.

[D]

But I. I. Yeah, I don't. My. I. Yeah, I don't really have exes, but. All right, well, I got my.

[C]

What are you talking about, Nate?

[B]

Hang on a second.

[D]

I didn't go. I know, but that's what made it frustrating. I don't. I. I had no one to Go show my wife. Well, here's mine. It was actually gonna meet.

[A]

What do you mean? Because you. What, is she, your high school sweetheart or something?

[D]

No, we started dating, like, 20, 21. We met at Applebee's. We both laid tables at Apple. I was a host at the time, but.

[A]

Oh, that's great.

[B]

You don't need to scream.

[D]

Yeah, I mean, well, stuff is going,

[C]

you know, sounds like it's all good. In the neighborhood or. What are we.

[D]

Yeah, we're all in the neighborhood.

[C]

We're all in the neighborhood or something.

[D]

In the neighborhood. But we're big fans. We took our daughter.

[B]

What was your favorite thing on the Applebee's menu?

[D]

Here we go. They had the chicken. Chicken broccoli Alfredo. I'd get no broccoli, you know. Yeah, get that out of there. Yeah. And then I'd say put it on the side just so the guy thinks I'm going to eat it. Then he would just take a full plate of broccoli back after I go. I got full on the other stuff.

[A]

That's so true. Like, we, like, we're worried what they think. Yeah.

[D]

Yeah.

[C]

Watch this. Do you think that's impressive, Sean Applebee's menu backwards.

[B]

Go.

[A]

Cobbler. Apple cobbler

[C]

of those kind of. Those kinds of restaurants.

[D]

Chinese chicken salad. Pretty good.

[A]

I'll eat that.

[C]

Every place makes a Chinese chicken salad. Now, that's kind of like the new, you know, molten lava cake. Every place has a chicken salad.

[A]

What makes it a Chinese chicken salad? Just because of the ginger dressing.

[D]

They're the only ones that don't eat it.

[B]

And those crispy noodles. The crispy noodles and the.

[C]

Yeah, you get the crispy being Chin Chin.

[B]

No, listen, Sean, I don't have to tell you. Chin Chin does the best one.

[C]

Yeah, one of the best ones.

[B]

One of the best. One of the best ones.

[C]

Sean's handling his chin. Chin Chin. Wait, so of all those kinds of restaurants. I forget what you call them. Are they big box restaurants?

[D]

No, chain restaurants.

[C]

Chain restaurants.

[D]

Have y' all not been to one in a while? Like, here?

[C]

Just. It's been. It's been a minute. But I did like to sit in your new special. Nate says everything. Everything I learned. I don't know a lot that came from a big, like, in, like, a building. Like a higher education building. Everything I learned I overheard at a Target or a Lowe's.

[D]

The Lowe's.

[C]

Everything I overheard.

[D]

Yeah. We're big chain. I mean, I grew up, like, we're. You know, I had an old joke about, like, I Was a big. I don't like mom and pop shops because they can close. Just. They're like, we don't feel good today. And they close like Walmart. Walmart, you know, they were mom and pop shop at some point. And then they became. They got it together and became unreal.

[C]

Yeah.

[D]

So.

[A]

Yeah, I like those too.

[D]

I like mom pop.

[C]

Here's what I like. I like chilies, and I'm not. I'm not afraid to sit.

[D]

They have the great chocolate lava cake if you want one. Go to Chili's.

[C]

Go to Chili. And they also have the great. They used to have the Southwest egg rolls or whatever. They used to have those things. They're crib. Me and Dax used to always go to. God, I love a chili.

[B]

What about Outback? They any good with the blooming?

[D]

Yeah, yeah, we go to Outback a good bit.

[A]

Scotty. Scotty worked at tgif and he would have.

[B]

Oh, I used to love that.

[D]

That's good too. That's fun.

[B]

That's an intimidating menu.

[D]

Dr. Pepper's doing some pretty amazing things right now. So if you are into Dr. Pepper, diet Dr. Pepper, they got good stuff going on.

[B]

Cherry.

[D]

They got some, like, some soda, like cream soda, strawberry stuff. I mean, it's. It's something. Dude, they're. They're showing off over there.

[C]

Did we ever get any confirmation on. On the doctor portion of the pepper? Like, did they. Did we ever see documentation to prove

[D]

that he just died?

[B]

He's a kind of doctor. Was he?

[C]

Yeah, I mean, Dr.

[A]

Pep.

[C]

He was a. I do like diet doctor. I do like Diet Dr. Pepper, too. And I'm gonna say this. I like their ads. I like their TV ads. Yeah, I think they're funny. The college football ads. I think they're real clever. Nate, before I let you go, how do you know Greg Garcia? How did that happen? This son of a gun. Speaking of son of a guns.

[D]

So I. We. I've tried to make a bunch of shows that have never gone. We've had one show that. That we shot a pilot. And so Greg came in. I did not know him, but he came in. Danielle Sanchez Witzel. She was showrunning it, and she's friends with Greg. And so Greg came in to help us do it. And I knew Greg Garcia's work, but I didn't know him when he first came in. So when he first came in, he's like, he's gonna help us. And I was like, I don't know who this dude is. I gotta listen to this guy. And then we wrote her whole rewrote the whole script on his off just his ideas because they were so good and obviously he's unreal. And so we just become really close and become friends. I. I was just with them this week actually at dinner with him because I had to go to LA for a second and so he's. Yeah, we became friends like that. And he comes out on the road too. I'm telling you, y' all should. Should y' all come out on the right. If you. If you want to get away and have a little fun trip, come on out, dude.

[C]

That would actually be really, really fun. If you mean it.

[D]

It's a funny.

[C]

If you mean it.

[D]

I swear. Fallon's coming tonight.

[B]

Oh yeah.

[D]

We have a fun time. It's. You just play cards or you play. You know, like we went to casino last night in Sean.

[C]

I mean, first of all, this is your dream. They go to casino and they're. They're going to chain restaurants. I mean, you know, every. Every single. Every cracker barrel has got. Got skid merch in front from Sean's car.

[B]

Cracker barrels. One we didn't touch on. I've not been there, but I hear that's the one.

[D]

Anywhere that can handle bus parking. It's all change stuff.

[C]

Well, Greg Garcia is one of the all time great guys. Super, super funny guy. One of the funniest pranks. He always. I'm not really like a big pranks guy, but he is so funny at a long joke and a prank and I just. He's such a great. So yeah, that makes sense that you guys would be pals. Well, listen, I'm gonna return the offer and say next time you're out here in California, let's go play golf, man, and hang out, grab some lunch. Such a huge fan of yours, dude. Honestly, you're just the funniest. Funniest, funniest.

[A]

So funny. It's so good to see you. So exciting to see you. Just more and more and more people appreciate you.

[C]

Really happy for your success. Truly, truly, truly. Yeah, man.

[D]

Thank you. Yeah. Thanks for having me on on Nate.

[B]

Thank you for doing this.

[C]

What a thrill.

[B]

Thank you for saying what a thrill.

[C]

All right. The great Nate Bergazzi. Thank you, buddy.

[A]

Thank you, Nate.

[B]

Thanks, Nate.

[D]

Thank you, guys.

[B]

See you.

[C]

Have fun.

[D]

Bye.

[B]

The great Nate. The great.

[C]

How does he funny?

[A]

Yep. Old, like old school, clean, good, hilarious, non stop funny.

[B]

God, he just seems like a real kind fella, you know?

[A]

Yeah, I can't see him getting upset.

[B]

I'm sure you could Figure out a way to piss him off. How would you. What would be your strategy if you really wanted to get Nate pissed off?

[A]

I'd ask him. I'd ask him questions.

[C]

Over.

[A]

I'd ask him the same thing over and over again. Like, I didn't understand.

[B]

No, I think he'd be very patient with that. I don't think that would be his button pusher.

[A]

No, like, no, but, like, if you. If you just went on and on about something like, you just really, honestly, truly didn't understand, I think it pisses anybody off.

[C]

Off.

[A]

I wonder, like, what are you not getting? Right?

[D]

Yeah, yeah.

[A]

You know what I mean?

[C]

No, but we have a pretty high threshold. Like, we have a pretty decent amount of patience for you in that regard.

[B]

And what is the thing. What is the thing that gets you guys to anger quicker than anything else?

[A]

Stupidity. People who don't think like, I do.

[C]

I have a short fuse for stuff. I, I. Yeah, I don't suffer.

[A]

I have a short fuse for, like, like, yeah, people who are incompetent or, like, can't. Like, like, like, don't have common sense about, like, easy things. And then in the meantime, I'm the dumbest person on the planet and I probably do the same thing.

[B]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I hate when. I hate when people, like, punch down, you know.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Like, mean to people because they know that. So lazy.

[A]

Yeah, yeah, it is.

[C]

Punch down. Either. Either. Especially if it, you know, we. We do do a lot of joking around and we. Or rip each other and stuff. But. But anytime I see somebody who likes to. And we talked about with Nate, who likes to get a laugh at somebody else's expense.

[A]

Yeah. Or you know what else hits pissing me off? Confident ignorance.

[C]

That can also be super funny, though.

[A]

Yeah. Sometimes. Well, in the character it can be.

[B]

Right. You have to do it on purpose. But yeah, a person who is much smarter or much more confident than they have a right to be is just grating because you have to spend an effort to convince them that you're buying it.

[A]

Right.

[C]

But if you have no dog in that fight and you're just observing that person, it can be hilarious. Oh, yeah, yeah.

[A]

That is true. That is true.

[B]

By the way, I love playing those characters.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Do you know the character that's just an alpha everywhere, and then the tough guy walks in and then they're beta.

[A]

Right, Right, right, right, right. Exactly. But Nate, we should go see his show when he's so funny.

[B]

I think we should meet him in Phoenix and go get some of that bianco. Pizza.

[C]

We should. And then play some golf over there. Or, you know, you're not playing golf anymore.

[B]

Not till October. I have to be disciplined, you know?

[C]

I know. I mean, we can go. We can go to Nate's.

[B]

Here it comes.

[C]

We can go to his show and, like, participate. Or we can go and just be a bunch of bystanders.

[B]

So. Dumbledore.

[C]

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