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Bob
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Tom
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Bob
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Tom
It fast, Eat a bowl of sphincter blast.
Bob
We're just waiting for the cast to actually show up for work. Here's more Bob and Tom.
Tom
Extra. Tom. We have one of our favorite people in the universe with us today.
Bob
We're joined by a very fine actor and comedian. He is Billy Gardell. But he only brought half of himself. You left fat Billy somewhere else.
Tom
He had to go away. Go away. He's not coming back and we don't know anything about it. All right. We won't ask any questions.
Bob
Billy Gardell is a very fine stand up comedian. We first met you on the standup circuit many years ago, I think.
Tom
Many years.
Bob
Tim Wilson, I think, brought you in.
Tom
He begged you guys to have me on the air and promised that I would behave and be polite, be a gentleman and. Yeah, back in. Back in the what? Got it. I want to say I was trying to think of when, when I met you guys. I want to say it was middle 90s, probably maybe even a little before that. So thank you for having me back. It's great to see you guys. It's nice to meet you. Pat Godwin. We've. We've done every gig. Yeah. Week or two apart. Those names. We did a famous strip club last week. That. Strip club gig. Exactly.
Bob
You did a strip club gig.
Tom
Yeah. I would imagine is what you're referring to. In Atlanta they tried to have comedians with strippers and it didn't work. We were paid pretty well, but yeah, that was it. Were the girls stripping while you were doing standup? No, they give us like a ten minute spot. That was. It was a six o', clock, a nine o' clock and a midnight. Right. And it. Yeah, it seemed like it went on forever. Oh, dear God. And I was, I was really heavy back then too. So I remember, man, that happy hour crowd was the tough one because it's like six o', clock, the lights go up, the girls leave, and then I go waddling towards the city. Show us your. All right. Good morning, everybody. How's everybody? How we doing? Our boy. We have, we have the same scar. That's like the two guys talking about the scars in the boat. And Jaws. Look at this right here. Atlanta, the palomino took it out of me. Shock's eyes, Black at night. They didn't have any customers. It was just. You performed for the strippers. Yeah. And after a while you're there for two weeks.
Bob
I, I imagine the idea, the germ of that probably came from the 50s.
Tom
Yeah. Burlesque. Lenny.
Bob
Lenny Bruce, famously. I mean, if you've ever seen the movie Lenny where Dustin Hoffman portrays Lenny Bruce, that's fairly accurate.
Tom
Yeah, that's what they. They were trying to bring that back and this guy had a whim to do that. And I think me and Pat and maybe three or four other guys survived it before they pulled the plug and they stopped it. Yeah, we had like one little. Little tiny green room in the back where I would hide because it was just crazy. Did you play guitar back then? Yeah. Really? Yeah, yeah, yeah. I did my little guitar action. I wished I played guitar back then.
Bob
What were you doing?
Tom
I would have put cymbals on my knees and clanked them together.
Bob
I mean, it was horri as Billy Gardell before. Before he got famous. Let me ask you this. Was the content of your comedy when you were playing in this strip club? Was it a clean show?
Tom
No, no, no.
Bob
Your show now is relatively.
Tom
I. I swear a little bit. But I'm not going to say nothing that's going to run you out the door. But in those days, that's never really been my thing. No, I. I don't think so. I was still just trying to be funny. I was probably talking about getting drunk a lot because that was what was going on back then. So, you know, but. And that fit that particular group.
Bob
Let me ask you this. So you're playing this. This strip club. Did you meet the ladies?
Tom
Oh, God. Oh, yeah.
Bob
I mean.
Tom
I mean, they were. They were a nude. Nude.
Bob
It was.
Tom
Yeah. Like, it was. But you would. You would sit at the bar waiting for your spot. I don't know how you work for it, but I had to drink to get through it. I'm like, I had. What have I done with my life? Right. But then they would sit and then get up and go work and sit and get up and go. But they would, like drop some of their story on you as. So you would just get this round robin them. Anyway, my boyfriend said he doesn't really care for me and he's going to Louisiana and I.
Bob
Anyway, I got to work.
Tom
The other one will come in. I think I'm just going to do this long enough until I can get a car and I'm going to figure out how we got to work. They just sit there like the dude in the big labosse. All right, man. Okay. That was Tina.
Bob
If you really got to know them. They tell you the real name?
Tom
Oh, yeah. A couple of them did. Yeah.
Bob
Go by Galaxy. Galaxy. My real name Is Galaxy.
Tom
My real name is Star. Toughest gig I've ever done. Man, that was rough.
Bob
Oh, wow.
Tom
Yeah.
Bob
One time we were out with our band and it was.
Tom
What was that?
Bob
It was in.
Tom
It was in Nebraska, I believe. Yeah.
Bob
And the club was a. It was a huge place. And for some reason there was a strip show in the middle of the day, so. And they were kind of over on the right and back.
Tom
Yeah.
Bob
And we were trying to do a sound check. It was. It was really interesting.
Tom
Yeah.
Bob
Very sad.
Tom
I believe it was a strip club most of the time. And.
Bob
Oh, and we were the guests.
Tom
Yes, we were the guests that day. All right.
Bob
Billy Gardell has gone on to many other things besides stand up comedy. It would include the. One of my favorite sitcoms of all time.
Tom
You are so kind about that. Thank you.
Bob
We were. I have. This is odd. I have seen every episode and I have not seen every episode of any other show because it used. It used to air at 3am here.
Tom
So when you were getting ready to come in.
Bob
I've seen every episode. I'm not kidding.
Tom
Sorry you had to hear my voice first. Every day. My dad used to say it should be on top of an ambulance. Get out of the way, there's been an accident.
Bob
The show. I'm sure the show is of course, Mike and Molly.
Tom
Right.
Bob
And it. Every once in a while there'll be a marathon.
Tom
Yeah.
Bob
On the weekends.
Tom
Yeah.
Bob
So I'll leave it on. So as I come and go, I get to watch.
Tom
So well written. It's so well cast. That's it, man. Perfect. Our table reads scripts. We're better than most people shoot scripts. That camp just has an incredible writing staff that just Chuck kind of promotes from within. He has kind of a farm system. So you really have to make it to the next level to get to the next level. And man, some of the drafts we would get. We'd be laughing out loud at the beginning of the week.
Bob
Are there. Is there somewhere an outtake reel?
Tom
Yeah, I got a couple, actually. You want me to send you one? We got some funny ones. We have some great. They're just such a great cast.
Bob
Now, who was the best at remembering their lines?
Tom
Me.
Bob
That a lie.
Tom
I was just terrified I was going to lose my job every day.
Bob
You.
Tom
Know, because you think about it. Melissa had been on Gilmore Girls and came out of the Groundlings. Katie Mixon, who played her sister, was out of Carnegie Mellon. Niamby. Niamby, Shakespearean trained. Reno Wilson had had a show and then was. He went to the school of fame in New York. Lou Mustillo. Broadway Swoozie Kurtz. Broadway. Rondi Reed, who played my mom, Steppenwolf. And then here I come out of the comedy club kitchen. You guys doing a show, you know, Great. I had to be on my horse, man.
Bob
Do you by chance know who you beat out for the role? Was there. Was it someone you knew?
Tom
I do. There was a great guy, Lance Barber. He's wonderful. Just. And a great guy. And me and Lance. Now, Lance was the dad on Young Sheldon, so he eventually ended up on the Yankees too. So. And I got to go down and congratulate him. But it came down to me and him during, like, the late 90s, early 2000s, me and Lance passed each other every audition. We were like, you know that. Remember that Warner Brothers cartel was like, morning Bob, Morning Fred. We were those guys passing, like, every overweight white dad. We were like that. You know what I mean? Or the sidekick or the cop. Like, we would just pass each other at every audition. So I was very happy when he got that. You guys had great scenes together on Young Sheldon. Oh, man, it was so fun to go down Tire savant, kind of. Sheldon. We got to hide in the chicken shack and have our beers. Yeah. How fun. That must have been great to actually get to work together after all. It was really, really nice. And to go in and play supporting role to him was even cooler. Yeah. And then he really took that role and crushed it. You know, that is another great cast. Another great cast.
Bob
And that also. That happens to be my daughter Finn's favorite show. It is every episode of Young Sheldon.
Tom
The young people that watch that show, it's unbelievable. I mean, they. They've. They've kind of skipped a generation. Like, they were a hit on. On tv. But then when they went, I think they're Netflix now. Yeah. Boom. They're ahead again, which is pretty hard. Yeah. That's a lot of heart, a lot of charm.
Bob
And our guest is a distinguished comedian, Billy Gardell. When you. This is an awkward question.
Tom
Sure.
Bob
You are a man of a certain size.
Tom
Oh, you could see me from the space shuttle. Yeah. When I had that blue uniform on, I looked like another body of water.
Bob
Lake Michigan.
Tom
Wow. Here he comes.
Bob
Did. Was there. This is awkward. Was there something in your contract saying, hey, don't lose weight. We need you to be big? Or with. If you had said, hey, look, I'm going to drop £100, would they have written it into the script?
Tom
You know, I think Chuck would have done that, because on the Second show, I did Bob Hart's Abashola. That's when my. Like, I was. That's when I had to make a change, because it was like, you know, I got type 2 diabetes, and then I had some cholesterol problems and some triglyceride. Like, you can't. Once the numbers start climbing, you can't play denial anymore, you know, or you might lose a foot, you know? So I had to really come to grips with, I gotta get healthy no matter what the thing is. And I went in and talked to Chuck, which was over the.
Bob
This is Chuck Lorre. The.
Tom
Yeah, Chuck Lori. Dropping names all over the floor here. But I said, look, man, I gotta make a real health change. It was over the hiatus between season two and season three of Bob Harts. And he's like, look, man, he goes, I just want you here. Just go get healthy. And he goes, and we'll just. We'll color it into the script. Like, hey, Bob, did you go to the gym today? Hey, Bob, you eating salad? And that actually kind of reflected the show because at the beginning of that show, I play a guy who had a heart attack and then wakes up and falls in love with his nurse. And she's from Nigeria, and it's about blended families and love is love, but underneath that, it's kind of his journey to getting healthy. So it kind of reflected and worked perfectly. But I think had I been in trouble in Mike Amelie, I think Chuck would have been supportive either way. He has been, really.
Bob
And Melissa McCarthy's also dropped some.
Tom
Yeah, Melissa actually was ahead of me, man. But she was. She was just always being strict and really got focused in on exercise. I had bariatric surgery, and I always say that I'm very open about that because, you know, the wonderful cesspool that the Internet. Don't you miss Earth one? I do. I feel like I bumped up against a multiverse, and I'm not supposed to be here, but I did bariatric surgery. And I always say that because there was a group on the Internet after I lost my weight, all over Facebook doing fake AI Commercials saying, I ate these man of gummy bears to lose weight. Oh, man. And I was like, I gotta defend that and just say. Because my lawyer said, look, you could chase them. You'd run out of money before you'd catch them, because they bounce off of everything. You can't catch anybody on the Internet. So I just tell people openly what I did, because there's always somebody that will come up there that saw those commercials online. And go, did those gummy bears work? I'm like, dude, gummy bears is what got me in trouble in the first place. Let's get back to cognitive thinking.
Bob
Your breakout hit, Mike and Molly.
Tom
Yes, sir.
Bob
Was that your very first appearance on television?
Tom
No, my first appearance was, I want to say, in somewhere around 97. I was a guest star. I got a guest starring spot on the King of Queens where I played. It was his football team reunion and me and another guy got to play a guy. These guys that kind of used to give Patton Oswald's character a rash of trouble in high school and they played on that. And then there was a thing where Kevin James like got the game winning block, but they were giving credit to somebody else and he couldn't hold it together. It was a fun episode. And then, and then I did little, you know, I was man number three and then, you know, like the plumber and stuff. I did a bunch of those. And then I caught some air on a show called Yester as a reoccurring character. You were a security guard, right, at a studio? Yeah, we were the security guards at the studio and we used to film there, which was great because when had an audition because we were cool with the security guards. When those guys were in there and they saw me coming, they're like, they used to park you like way down the street in the parking structure. It's LA heat, you know, you're heavy. I'm walking in just. I look like a serial killer by the time I get to the audition. But because we were cool with those guards and we played them, they would always sneak us into a parking spot that a producer wasn't in. Take 454, but be out of there by 1. Got it.
Bob
Did you ever do any commercials?
Tom
I did, I did a local McDonald's commercial. I did a Nokia cell phone commercial that went national. And then I was a spokesperson for a restaurant out in California early on, which is actually what got me married, for a place called Round Table Pizza. And I did like, I don't know, 10 or 11 commercials for them. I was like, they're. I don't know what the word is. What's the spokesperson?
Bob
Were you on camera?
Tom
Yeah, yeah, we did. We did probably.
Bob
Was this 10 commercials? Was this the larger iteration of Billy Gardell?
Tom
Oh, yeah, absolutely. But I wasn't at full capacity yet. But I was on my way and they probably helped. I had like a flat top haircut. Well, yeah, I always said, I go, who are you going to? You need like, you Going to get a thin guy to advertise pizza. Let's be real. That's like when they show a commercial for Micheloblight and some dude's running a marathon. Okay, stop. Just put the game on and shut up. But. But I did that. And that got me. That got me. That was the first financial, like, little bit of get ahead breathing room that I had. And that's when I got married to my wife. We went to Hawaii for their spokesperson thing, and they very kindly gave us a couple extra days and we got married, just me and her out there for. We had a little. We bought the $2,200 wedding package. Nice. And we're still married to this day.
Bob
I like your wife because she talked to you out of the mustache. She did.
Tom
Well, she didn't. She really talked me out of it. She looked at me, said, that's it. I'm done kissing the cactus. It's been five years. Take it off. I was like, oh. Because I liked it. I, you know, you grow a mustache, you know that you're gonna roll the dice. You either look pervy or old timey. And I came out old timey. I was like, let me keep this.
Bob
Now, the producers now, when you, when you. You're on your sec, I guess, second big show and you've got the mustache.
Tom
Yeah.
Bob
Do they. Do they. Do you have to say, hey, look, Chuck, I'm gonna grow this mustache, or do you show up on set and he goes, wait a minute.
Tom
No. What I did was for the table read for the network and the studio before the pilot. I grew it and I brought it in. And he walked up. Chuck walked up and he goes, yeah, I like it. And that was it.
Bob
Really.
Tom
Yeah. I figured, the guy's a compression sock salesman from Detroit. Chances are he's got a mustache. Yeah, he's driving a Cadillac. Hey, how you doing? You know, just kind of feel.
Bob
I'm a fan of the compression socks.
Tom
Oh, me too, brother. I can't fly without him. That's the only part I don't like about being back on the road is, is I at this point, I'm like Bull Durham out on the road. You know, I'm just. Knees hurt, gotta work, gotta get up, take a walk in the plane, make sure I don't drink too much before I get on the plane. And I just mean liquids, not liquor. But I mean, it's like, yeah, so. But, you know, it's, it's. It's a gift, to be honest.
Bob
I want to go back to the early days of stand up.
Tom
Sure.
Bob
I was talking. My son Willie is. He's currently touring with Frank Caliendo. And Frank. He was talking about, you know, in the early days when you're first doing it, you always have to have a couple beers before you go on stage because you're nervous. Then there comes a point where you'll say, wait a minute, I'm working. Yeah, I gotta be straight when I do this. Was there a phase where you were. You mentioned you were drinking when you were doing those strip club gigs.
Tom
Yeah, I, I drank every week. And then, you know, I haven't had a drink in years now, but back then, I was. What did I go? I started with tequila and beer, then I went to Jack Daniels, and then I went to Jameson, and Jameson put me on the bench. Yeah, that's what, that's the one. That's what took me out of the gate. Well, that's where, that's where you would.
Bob
That's where you and Pat met.
Tom
The Jameson brotherson will take. You know, when it. You have to look at your career realistically. And when it gets. When you get to the point where it's. They mention your name and they go, man, he can drink instead of man. He's funny. Then you got to go, okay, wait a minute. I'm fading away here. So I never wanted to drink before I got up smart, because I didn't want to have to rely on anything. There it is. But, Jeff, do you or did you. I go up with a beer, but I just sip. Just have it to sip. I don't drink beforehand, but everyone's like, oh, you were hammered. I'm like, I had one sip. I can understand having a cocktail up there. It's a very social setting. And yeah, you know, I totally get that. But I would do, like, you know, three or four shots before going with the judgment. Not judging at all. Yeah, there were always guys like that. But I, I, I, I thought I needed it. And then, and then, you know, I quit drinking, and two years later, I had a TV show. So I was like, wow, I probably should have put the brakes on a little bit earlier. You could have been on Friends. Did you ever. Did you ever find the drinking caused you to forget part of your act, though? That's what I would be. Weirdly, no. No, weirdly, no. It, it, I, I don't know if it just loosened me up or whatever, but I was just leaning into it too heavy. And then when it starts getting sloppy, I'm like, you know, man. And a wise old man told me at the worst part of my drinking. Look, man, he goes, I'll just shoot you straight. A guy like you, he goes, watched you drink all week. He goes, you can have a drink or you can have everything else, but you better make your choice. And then the wife put it in the suggestion box.
Bob
That's it for another Bob and Tom show. Extra. Catch us on itunes, Google play and stitcher for Bob and Tom. Extra. This is Christopher. Take care, everybody. It's part sports.
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Tom
Dennis lyric, true or false. You refuse to wear a glove with Mickey Mantle's signature on it for the movie.
Bob
The sandlot, the Red Sox blood, the Bruins blood. They run deep. And in the best celebrity interview, Robert.
Tom
De Niro here on the Rich Eisen Show. How are you, sir? Just got over a 24 hour virus. The antidote is to appear on the Rich Eisen Show. There you go. I would have done it earlier.
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Summary of "B&T Extra: Comedian Actor Billy Gardell"
Release Date: August 12, 2025
Podcast: The BOB & TOM Show Free Podcast
Episode: B&T Extra: Comedian Actor Billy Gardell
Hosts: Bob and Tom
Guest: Billy Gardell
In this episode of B&T Extra, hosts Bob and Tom welcome the esteemed comedian and actor Billy Gardell. The conversation delves into Gardell's journey in the entertainment industry, his experiences in stand-up comedy, his breakthrough role in the sitcom Mike & Molly, and his personal challenges and triumphs.
Billy Gardell reminisces about his beginnings in stand-up comedy, detailing the challenges and humorous moments that shaped his early career.
Gardell shares anecdotes from his performances in unique venues, illustrating the grit and dedication required to succeed in comedy.
Gardell discusses his time performing stand-up in strip clubs, highlighting both the difficulties and the unexpected connections he made.
Bob: "Billy Gardell is a very fine stand up comedian. We first met you on the standup circuit many years ago, I think." [03:45]
Tom: "I was really heavy back then too. So I remember, man, that happy hour crowd was the tough one because it's like six o'clock, the lights go up, the girls leave, and then I go waddling towards the city." [04:24]
Gardell recounts performing multiple sets a night and the persistent atmosphere of the venues he graced, emphasizing the perseverance needed to thrive in such environments.
The conversation shifts to Gardell's transition from stand-up to television, detailing his initial roles and the struggles of breaking into the acting scene.
He elaborates on his early appearances, including guest roles and commercial work that paved the way for his later success.
Gardell's pivotal role as Mike Biggs in the hit sitcom Mike & Molly is a focal point of the discussion, showcasing his rise to mainstream fame.
Bob: "Your breakout hit, Mike and Molly. Was that your very first appearance on television?" [14:41]
Gardell: "It's another great cast. I had to be on my horse, man." [10:09]
The hosts commend Gardell's performance, noting the show's impact and the chemistry among the cast members. Gardell shares insights into securing the role, including competition with fellow actor Lance Barber.
A candid discussion ensues about Gardell's personal health challenges, including his battle with weight and subsequent health improvements.
Bob: "You are a man of a certain size." [11:51]
Gardell: "I had to make a real health change... So I did bariatric surgery." [13:37]
Gardell openly addresses his journey, emphasizing the importance of health and the support he received from peers and family. He reflects on how his lifestyle changes influenced his career and personal life.
Gardell connects his health transformation to his professional endeavors, illustrating how personal well-being can enhance career longevity.
He discusses the integration of his health narrative into his roles, demonstrating authenticity and relatability to the audience.
Concluding the episode, Gardell reflects on his career trajectory, the lessons learned, and his aspirations for the future.
Bob and Tom express admiration for Gardell's resilience and success, highlighting his positive influence in the comedy and acting realms.
Tom: "When you need relief and you need it fast, eat a bowl of Sphincter Blast." [02:10]
Gardell: "I had type 2 diabetes, and then I had some cholesterol problems... I gotta get healthy no matter what the thing is." [12:15]
Tom: "I had bariatric surgery, and I always say that I'm very open about that because, you know, the wonderful cesspool that the Internet." [13:37]
The episode offers a comprehensive look into Billy Gardell's life, blending humor with heartfelt discussions about personal growth and professional achievements. Listeners gain valuable insights into the perseverance required in the entertainment industry and the profound impact of personal health on one's career.
Note: This summary excludes commercial segments, intros, outros, and non-content sections as per the provided instructions.