B (1:39)

Yep. Bring some dumbbells.

A (1:41)

He brings his dumbbells to work.

B (1:43)

Yeah. The other day, we're in the office. We called up his brother. His brother's on the nypd. We called him up. He was in the squad card. He did a little siren for me right in. Right in Manhattan.

A (1:52)

How is. What. How is the first time hearing about this?

B (1:56)

What part?

A (1:57)

All of it.

B (1:59)

I don't know, babe. I. I make weird friends in weird places.

A (2:02)

You really do?

B (2:03)

Yes.

A (2:04)

Yeah, I guess you don't come home and go, hey, just so you know, Glenn. Glenn's brother, Rank, ran the siren for me because I would think that you were NYPD.

B (2:13)

He was there for 911.

A (2:15)

I. I'm not. There's. There's. I'm not saying anything that doesn't suggest that NYPD is completely badass. I.

B (2:24)

You know, I. I just think that Glenn's brother's probably a pretty good dude.

A (2:30)

I know. I just think it's interesting that you didn't come home and tell me that Glenn's brother rang the siren for you, but it might have been because you felt like you would sound a little crazy.

B (2:40)

Yeah.

A (2:41)

Well, yeah, guys, he has a whole relationship going with Glenn at the storage facility, and I'm not a part of it. Is. What is. That's what I'm hearing.

B (2:50)

Yeah. For some reason, I make weird friends in weird places. Babe. Dev Test Throw up.

A (2:55)

Mark.

B (2:55)

Mark down at the cigar bar. Oh, he. He. Stevie Nicks.

A (3:00)

What?

B (3:01)

Yeah, he used to be. He used to be a big fan of Stevie Nicks, and she would. Went on the road and just took him with her little. She. He was, like, here. A little. Like a little boy.

A (3:09)

Wait, who's Mark? Wait. At the Havana Room.

B (3:14)

Yeah.

A (3:15)

Goes there every morning, Would you say every morning?

B (3:18)

Grand. Every. He goes there there when it opens every day at noon. Grand Havana Room.

A (3:23)

Okay, but you don't go in the morning.

B (3:25)

No, but I know that you're gone when you're gone. I do. That's why whenever I go for lunch, you know, whenever I go for lunch with Alan and Dan.

A (3:32)

Yeah.

B (3:32)

I always see him and told me the whole story, how he went out on the road with Stevie Nicks. This was, like, 40 years ago.

A (3:40)

Thank God we do a podcast together. Otherwise I'd never get to know these odd relationships of yours.

B (3:46)

Yeah, I don't know, babe.

A (3:48)

Wow. Next time. Next time Mark's there, can I come?

B (3:52)

Yes. He'll tell you stories. I sat there and talked to Mark one time for two hours. Told me, told me all about his life, all about his stories. Didn't ask me one question. And then at the end, he goes, okay, Jack, have a good day, and walked away. If there's two hours of stories about him, not one question about me is all right, Jack.

A (4:14)

So what you're saying is Mark isn't a great listener.

B (4:17)

No, but he's also, you know, like, his phone number is like, seven.

A (4:22)

What does that mean?

B (4:23)

He's so old, his phone numbers are seven.

A (4:25)

Oh, I don't get.

B (4:27)

Remember make that joke as a kid. You know, you're. You're. Your. Your mom's so old, her Social Security number is five. I.

A (4:39)

This is off to a weird start. And I'm here.

B (4:42)

Remind me of a pet dinosaur.

A (4:46)

Maybe that, but I don't.

B (4:47)

Apparently we're just funnier in Canada because those are good dad jokes.

A (4:51)

Yeah. Or apparently you guys are just weird in Canada. I married into it. Guys, this is. Welcome to the book Lisp. This is what we do. Um, if you're new here. We don't talk about the book fully until week four, Week three, we just talk about Mark, Stevie Nicks, the cigar bar, and John. Yeah, but no, we have topics that we pull from the book that won't spoil anything at all. And we'll get into those in a second. John, I do want to just tell them where they can see me live.

B (5:25)

Yes, go ahead.

A (5:26)

A lot in, in February, Pay the bills. Yeah. February 6th, I'll be in Jefferson, Iowa, at the Wild Rose casino and resorts, 11th through 12th, Springfield, Missouri, at Springfield Comedy Club, 20th and 20 or 20th in Chicago at this Chicago City Winery, St. Louis City Winery, the 21st and then the 27th and 28th in Emmitsburg and Clinton, Iowa, at the Wild Rose Casino and Resorts again. And then March 26th through the 28th in Appleton, Wisconsin, and the Arlington Drafthouse, April 10th and 11th. More dates to come. Sarah Colona.com for all of those. But wow. Wow, John. I'm just learning a lot. Yeah. I. If you aren't on Patreon, we have a Patreon and we just do. We have three exclusive Patreon episodes a month where we do one. One is we do a short story on the 15th, 5th, and the 25th. We do randoms, random video topics, whatever. But we record them as video. You can also just listen to them. But it's super fun over there. It's only $5 a month, so if you want to join us. I have learned that the short stories are a great way to learn new authors that I haven't read before.

B (6:39)

Yeah.

A (6:39)

This month we had, it was called the Body by Daniel Hurst. And it was so good. And we love the way John and I both love the way it was written. It was like from different perspectives each chapter. And it was, it was just so good. I'm gonna read something else by him. So it's a really fun way to, to find new authors by. And just reading something that takes you maybe an hour max, even not even 30 minutes sometimes.

B (7:03)

Well, this this month's author, Kristen Hannah, I had never, I'd heard of her, but I'd never read any of her books. And now I'm a big fan after reading this book this month.

A (7:12)

So I was, I didn't, I didn't know that you hadn't read her books before. I just kind of assumed she was kind of like a backup Ellen Hildebrand for you.

B (7:21)

She is a lot like Elden Hildebrand.

A (7:25)

Okay. But. So you hadn't read her before?

B (7:27)

I hadn't read her before. No. Okay, well, she's from Seattle, so I mean, that's even better.

A (7:32)

Yes. We will be reading more by her. I'll look up some short stories. Maybe she's got something that we can do on Patreon. And then next month's book, February's book is Look Closer by David Ellis, which I'm really excited about. Our book listeners, Facebook group is already going crazy about it. They've already been reading it. They're already into it. So we're 20, 26 off to a rock and start listen ever, right, ever. We're knocking it out of the park with some books. Now, I know that you had a couple things. This book, for those of you not reading along. How dare you. I know, but some people aren't and they just want. They. They suggested that I just sort of give a summary of the book. Well, it doesn't matter even if you are reading along. This book is about an estranged mom and her daughter. The daughter's trying to be a standup comedian in Los Angeles. John didn't even know all of this when he first picked this book that I would have so much to relate to. The mom is a very famous radio personality in Seattle. And that's it. That's all you need to know for. For now. But.

B (8:40)

And really right now, if there was two jobs I would say do not get into, it'd probably be radio and standup comedy. Two incredibly tough jobs to cut your teeth in.

A (8:51)

Well, thanks.

B (8:52)

Like, well, you. You've already made it, girl. I'm just saying, like, if you. When I look at some of these, like, host of your shows and stuff, people are making $50 a weekend and think of, like, how far they have to go and how much better they have to get and how easy. Even if they do get better, they probably might not even do anything. It's almost depressing. It's almost impossible to make it in comedy.

A (9:14)

Well, but wouldn't you say the same about the NFL?

B (9:16)

Yes. Don't play football. Be a doctor.

A (9:21)

I know, but you have to.

B (9:22)

You have a real difference in this world.

A (9:24)

You got to believe you're going to be the exception.

B (9:27)

Well, I. Yeah, but I never thought I'd be the exception. I just love playing football, so I just kept on doing it.

A (9:34)

Right. And I love doing comedy, so I kept on doing it. And much like the girl in the book, I can relate to her moments of what am I doing? Although she seems like a little bit more like she's gotten in her own way a little bit, which we'll get into more when we actually break down the book. I don't want to spoil anything, but go ahead.

B (9:52)

No, I was just, I was just saying like, I loved it so much that I least would be like, oh, guys, I would say, oh, I'd play for free. No, they wouldn't. I literally played for free. I played pro football for free for four years.

A (10:06)

Canadian Football League. Yeah, it was. Yeah, they don't pay the same. Basically cost you money to just for me to go there to see you play. But anyway, that's not what this is about.

B (10:18)

No, not at all.

A (10:19)

The book is called Summer island that we're reading this month. Kristen Hannah and I'll admit I was a little confused, which we'll talk about next week, but I was a little confused about the island and then where like Dean and Eric are versus the island. I thought they were all on the same island, but I guess there's more than one. So you had brought up to me that you had one topic on that about just about the island itself.

B (10:45)

It seems like the island itself has like a calming effect on them when they're, they're calmer there. It's like they're, they're happy place. And I think that everyone kind of has that. And I was wondering what, like, what, what, what's your like, calming place? I think I know the answer. But like, what, you know, I mean, I, for, for me used to always feel like when I people, I would say Canada and the US Are the same place. They're not the same place at all. They're, they're very, not very different countries, but they're different. And I always felt like a sense of relief when I got back to the Canadian border when I first got here for the first four or five years, like once I crossed, I felt like a sense of relief. Like I was calmer, I was more comfortable. I was, you know, I wasn't as uptight. And that's how I always felt when I got to Canada and not say anything bad about the U.S. but when I first got to the U.S. i was, I was basically fighting for my job every single week. And on top of that, I always had to worry about my work visa and all that stuff. And when I got to Canada, all that stuff kind of like went away.

A (11:37)

Okay, that makes sense.

B (11:38)

Canada had like a. Now as I got older now it's, it's a little bit different now. I'm a lot more comfortable in the US and you know, obviously we're happily.

A (11:47)

Married and you don't have to worry about your green card anymore.

B (11:50)

Not to worry about my green card. Yes, our green card marriage has been going really well. But do you have a place?

A (11:56)

The beach, as you know, and almost any beach. If I need to feel calm, I can probably go to almost any beach. But I would say specifically Mexico. When I. When. When John and I got married there. And I've been going to Cabo for a very long time. It's a very easy flight from Los Angeles to Cabo. And it's just this. Oh, just you kind of. When you get there, you just know that you're a. That I'm. I'm always going there for vacation or. Or to get married, I guess, but. So obviously when you're going somewhere on vacation, you already are gonna exhale when you get there. But I just do it specifically. Well, in a beach atmosphere. I can so even. Even take Mexico out of the factor. Even if it's just a beach, Even if I'm just. I don't know if we spent the night in Malibu or something with. In an Airbnb with the doors open and I heard the beach all night, I would just sleep better, be more at peace. There's just something about it, and I don't know where that came from. I grew up in Arkansas. We didn't really have it.

B (13:01)

Me too. I didn't see the ocean until I was, like, freaking. I don't know. I don't know how old. 20. But it has the same effect on me. Like, I just. It's a climb. There's. Whenever we go to Cabo, we. When we get in our car and we go towards the hotel, we go around this one corner. There's always this one corner. And right when you go around the corner, you're way up high, see the ocean. And every time it has, like, the same. It's just like a calming effect.

A (13:23)

Yeah.

B (13:23)

And I had, like, so many people talk to me about this, have asked about this. Like, you guys go to Mexico. What. What. Why do you bother? You guys don't even go in the ocean. You never go in the ocean. You just sit by the pool. Why don't you just go to freaking West Hollywood and rent a. A hotel and stay there? I'm like, it's totally different. It just. Just being by the ocean gives us, like, a calming effect.

A (13:44)

Yeah. And I. I get. I get in the ocean at times. It depends on where we're staying. I mean, there's certain parts of Cabo you just can't get in the ocean, and that's why we don't. But when we're in parts that you can. I do. When we went to Tulum, I did.

B (13:56)

Sure. I like to get insulates my knees.

A (13:59)

Right. But I'm saying I get it. When we go sailing, I'll jump in.

B (14:03)

Sure. And that terrifies me because I'm not a strong swimmer. This body does not float well. Okay. 240 pounds, like a brick right to the bottom.

A (14:15)

Well, we don't. But yeah, about that.

B (14:17)

No. Well, that's why I'm not very comfortable. But. And even with all that, it makes me so comfortable and calming just to be by it.

A (14:26)

Yeah. I think everyone probably. Some people are. Probably feel that way in the mountains. Some people feel that way.

B (14:31)

Right.

A (14:33)

And yeah. Just in nature, whatever it is, but for. It's nice that we both have the same thing that we like to relax by because it makes it easier for us. Funny. Yeah.

B (14:45)

When you talked about the mountains we have, like, where I'm from is like the flattest place on earth.

A (14:50)

It's.

B (14:50)

It's flat. Like, you can see for the whole joke is you can watch your dog run away for three days because it's literally the flattest place. Like, you can, like, you can see the next town over that's like 50 miles away. I swear, it's just like, it's so flat. And when people that I know, especially, like older people, when they go to the mountains for the first time, they're very uncomfortable. And that's. Everyone says the same thing. Like, I want to know what's on the other side of it. Like, I feel claustrophobic because I don't know what's on the other side of that mountain. I thought that was so interesting because, like, for me, I'm like, comfortable with it. But like, for people that have lived their whole life and not really seen a mountain before until they're 50, 60 years old, like my grandparents did, they were like. They were so uncomfortable.

A (15:28)

Oh, that's interesting.

B (15:30)

Yeah. Yeah, it was claustrophobic. They. It really bothered them. They didn't know it was on the other side. I guess if you just grow up, like where I grew up, where it's just. It's flat.

A (15:40)

Right. I know. I've never really unders. I still don't understand that joke. It's. It. That joke. But saying it's in the Hotel Saskatchewan, where John's from, they have these signs up that say. Or at least a painting up that says. They say here you can see your dog running away for three days.

B (15:55)

You watch your dog Run away for three days.

A (15:58)

I mean, that's not calming. That's not. I don't want to watch my dog run away. It's a.

B (16:02)

It's a joke that's so flat. You can just. You see forever. You just. You can see forever. So you just literally watching your dog be like 30, 40 miles down the road and you still see them.

A (16:11)

Okay, why does it. To be a dog. Why can't it be like, oh, you can watch your wife run away for three days. That's a better joke.

B (16:17)

That joke takes on a totally different comic.

A (16:20)

Sure does.

B (16:20)

That's like.

A (16:23)

I think it's funnier.

B (16:25)

You think it's funnier? You can watch your wife run away. You think they could put that up on the wall? The Hotel Saskatchewan, my favorite hotel in the world. Put up on the wall. You can watch your wife. Saskatchewan, where you.

A (16:35)

Where.

B (16:35)

Where most people want. Most people want to run away from their husbands for three days.

A (16:39)

But, yeah, already better. It's already better than the dog thing. It's already better. We already rewrote it. I'm going to contact the Hotel Saskatchewan and punch up their material for them. Speaking of, in this book, there is a very heavy subject. Not heavy, but the. The daughter in this book, Ruby, I think she was named after our cat. Ruby Sue.

B (17:03)

Ruby Sue.

A (17:04)

Even this. Even though this book was. Would you say is 25 years ago or so?

B (17:07)

Yeah, I think it's 2001. It was written. There is funny, though, because we can get into this later. But there's a few different things in the book where you. You wouldn't ever know it was written 25 years ago. Except for you said a lot of. A lot of landlines. Yeah, that one. One point they said until Britney Spears boobs get saggy or something.

A (17:29)

Oh, right. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

B (17:31)

You know, like. Like it's not going to happen for a long time kind of reference. But, you know, 25 years ago, there was a few different references where I was like, okay, there's one.

A (17:40)

But there's one reference in it. Yeah, yeah. Otherwise you wouldn't have known. It was written a while ago. But as John mentioned, a lot of landline situations. But then also there's one point where she talks about how the news is so depressing. And I thought, oh, I guess it's even 25 years ago. Just. I guess the news is always just depressing anyway.

B (18:01)

Depression.

A (18:02)

Yeah, but so Ruby, the daughter of Nora, who is a big radio personality, they are estranged, but she is in Hollywood when we first find her, she's trying to make it up as a stand up comedian. We've talked about a couple things from that already. But one thing that happens in the book is she, She's. Well, one thing that happens is you learn her and her agent have a good relationship. Her agent's pretty real with her. But there's one thing that he says to her about how he got her a job in a sitcom as an actor. And then she was a pain in the ass the whole time and they had to rewrite things and rewrite things. And she says, yeah, because. Because it was stupid. My character was stupid, blah, blah, blah. And he's like, yeah, but also now it's been on for 10 years and the person with someone else. Yeah, the person who replaced you is making 35k an episode, whatever it is. And that just struck me as kind of funny because I, I can't. Of course you want standards in your work. Okay? Of course we all want the dream job. The one that you don't think is stupid. The one that you think. And I'm saying we all, when I talk about actors, comedians, the things that I do, writers, of course you want that. But if you're, if you put me on a sitcom and it's cheesy as f. And I think the character's stupid, I don't care. I gotta tell you. I don't care.

B (19:35)

Exactly.

A (19:36)

So for her to. It tells you a little bit about her, you already. You get to know it more, which we'll discuss when we actually discuss the whole book. But you get to know her more and you get. She gets in her own way all the time. But yes, for the most part, you know, you. Now the Big Bang Theory is a bad example because I know people really love that show. I never watched it. It just isn't my taste.

B (20:01)

I watched it, I watched it for like five years. I didn't really like it, but I just watched because everyone was watching it. And then after, like, I'm like, why am I watching this? I don't even like it, but go ahead.

A (20:10)

Yeah, but it's not. And it's not a. It's not a poorly written show. It's not. It's just like, not my humor. Right? So that doesn't, that's so subjective. So there's no. I'm not throwing any shade. I'm just trying to use an example. So Kelly Cuoco is in that show and I didn't really know who she was because I never watched that show, but now she's. That show's over. And she has this other huge career. But she was already huge from that show because she was on a CBS sitcom for years. That's an insane amount of money. Right.

B (20:43)

So they're making money like fudgeing. Ridiculous. They're making a couple million an episode. It was like they put the friggin Friends crew to shame with how much money they're making.

A (20:51)

Yeah, that, that kind of thing can even when he said that the person that replaced her was making 30k an episode, I was like, I don't think Kristin Hannah knows how much people in TV make is probably even more than that. You know, just. She was just. Anyway, but point is, we get that Ruby gets in her own way. We get that she thinks she's better than this TV show that she could have gotten on, that most of us would. We just shut up and take the job. I'm not saying what you do is you, you get the job, you take that job and maybe it's a little cheesy, maybe you think it's this, that and. But then you still. But you got it on your resume. They hire you for. You meet the directors, you meet the casting directors. You got. You get to. After that show's over, you get to go do something else. Or maybe you don't and then you just ride that for the rest of your life. Anyway, Ruby, you hear me? I'm talking to you about. Things are really coming out for me, it seems. But one thing that happens. So she's blown up her career here and there. She hasn't really been a team player. She hasn't. She's. She's been. Had her nose in the air at a few things career wise during the book at one point, which we won't spoil, like I said. But she gets an opportunity to go on a very popular late night talk show and do two minutes, maybe three. Two or three. Three anyway. Of standup. It doesn't sound like a lot of time, but when you get told that you're going to do two or three minutes of standup on a late night talk show, I can't tell you how hard it is in your brain to wrap yourself around what that's going to be. Because I got to do a few minutes on. On Leno, on the Tonight Show.

B (22:35)

Yes.

A (22:35)

And. And when, when it's so quick and succinct and it's filmed and it's going to be on TV and it's. And that's that there's no. They aren't editing your set for you. They're not cutting it down and taking the best. It's. That's. You get these two or three minutes and that's it. So you got to launch into it and you got to wrap it and you got to get laughed all the way through. Yeah. It's not. It is not. It is not easy. It's actually, in my opinion, harder than doing an hour because it sounds terrifying to me. Yeah. I shouldn't say harder than doing an hour, but I just mean there's just as. It's just as hard. Should say it's. It's just as hard because you're not doing it at a comedy club. If someone said, I had two minutes, I go, all right. I mean, are you guys serious? What am I doing? I just go, up, get up. But when it's something on TV or a showcase or some, and you've got to narrow it down to these two or three minutes and they have to, like, start out of the gate with a punch, end with a. You know, you don't have any time to think about it. You have to go in and out, start strong, end strong. That's it. And then it's over. It's over in the blink of an eye. And she is in this book getting this opportunity because of her mom, which we'll talk about next week, but it's her first big opportunity, and she goes, oh, this is it. This is when you. This is like late night talk show. And when Kristin Hannah wrote this. This is all very true. Right. 25 years ago and more recently than that. But you get on a late night talk show, you get the spotlight for those couple of minutes. Bing, bang, boom. As Jen Kirkman would say, people call in the next day, agent's phone is ringing off the hook. This and that. It kind of used to be like.

B (24:28)

That, like almost like a make or break.

A (24:31)

It did. I mean, I mean, you talk all the way back to, say, Carson. Right. If he, if you did Johnny Carson, the Tonight show with Johnny Carson, and if he called you over to the couch and you sat down like that was it you.

B (24:43)

That was a big deal. If. If he liked you, he called you over the desk, right?

A (24:46)

Yeah. And if not, I guess you just walked off the.

B (24:48)

I know. You like walk off in your poopy diaper, just sit there.

A (24:52)

I know. And especially since people started knowing that was the thing. Could you imagine you go. It was basically for those of you that don't know when Carson did it, it was when he hosted the Tonight show. So he would have you do stand up and then if he loved you, he liked you, he'd call you over and interview you for a little bit after. And if he didn't, he just say good night. That was great, whatever. But doesn't mean he didn't like you, but it just meant you weren't good enough for him to, in his brain, I shouldn't say good enough, but he just, if he didn't call you over, you weren't getting that sort of extra boost from him. So I can't imagine the feeling of just being like, okay, I guess good night and just like walking off the stage.

B (25:28)

Well, the, the, the added pressure to be like, at the end of this, I'm going to hopefully get an applause, I get a laugh and then am I gonna get called over? Like, I mean the pressure of that would just be awful.

A (25:38)

Yeah, I was glad I didn't win Leno and there was no pressure. No, I'm just kidding. There was tons of pressure. And yeah, he was so kind and so they. But it wasn't like that really anymore. I think I was, I was doing an interview either way that was already set.

B (25:54)

Right.

A (25:54)

So I don't think he did it the same way because I already knew I was going to sit down and talk to him after. But coming out and just doing a couple minutes of stand up, I mean it's, it's, it is, it's insanely pressure. It's, it's insane amount of pressure. But it, it did used to be, and even beyond Carson, even when Leno did it for a long time, even, you know, Kimmel, Fallon, I mean they all still have standups on here and there. I think Fallon probably more than anyone else at this point. But you don't really, it's kind of sad you don't hear about it the way you used to know. You know, it's like it used to be such a, and, and, and this is, I'm not taking away from anyone that gets a set on it on a late night show. It's a huge deal. It's hard to do this guy, Greg Warren, who's so funny, he's from St. Louis and he just recently did Fallon, I think. And he's been, he's been around forever. Ever. He's so funny. He's been opening for Leanne Morgan. He's like killing it right now and deservedly so. He's also been killing it for a long time, but he's getting a little bit extra exposure right now. Just so when you see people get that opportunity, it's still a big deal, but it used to be just this like all eyes on the late night comic coming on this show, on this talk show. I wasn't really around in that era, so when I did it on Leno, it was a huge deal for me and it was a huge deal career wise, but it still wasn't even what it was a few years before that. Like before, you know, it felt like.

B (27:34)

In the 90s everyone was looking for the next comic and as soon as they found that comic, whoever's they are, they'd have a sitcom like the next month.

A (27:41)

Yeah, that's what I mean.

B (27:43)

Like we're talking.

A (27:44)

All right.

B (27:44)

Like look, George Lopez had a sitcom. Martin Lawrence, Bernie Mac, Bill Cosby, Alan DeGeneres.

A (27:55)

You say Alan DeGeneres.

B (27:56)

Ellen. I said Ellen.

A (27:58)

I know it sounded like you said Alan.

B (28:00)

Didn't Margaret Chow have a cho.

A (28:03)

Yeah.

B (28:03)

How to sitcom for a bit. Like it was just like. Because I think that's probably why it was even like a huger deal back then. Because like you go on the Tonight show, you have, you kill it for two minutes the next day your age is getting a bunch of calls from frickin Hollywood producers or whatever wanting to make a show.

A (28:20)

Yeah. And I think what used to happen then is to you would take those two or three minutes and they would be very tailored to, to favor that. Right. So it would be unintentionally or not, but I think intentionally it would be your two or three best minutes that represent you in a, as a little package of a sitcom like. Oh, I'm gonna talk about if I, if I went on right now and did two and a half minutes about my mom working in a funeral home because I thought that would be a great television show pitch. Right. So then all of a sudden I've got this like tight little set that they can. Oh, look at this. This is, this is basically Sarah's pitch for a TV show. Instead of her writing a 15 page pitch. This is it. And it did. It's so interesting because when I first, you know, I started out, I mentioned this, I think on another, another one earlier this month, but I started out, it was like ignorance is bliss. I didn't know what I was doing in Los Angeles. I didn't know that Los Angeles was a hard place to start. Stand up. It's, it's very hard, but it's not like New York, but there's a community. And it's more so now. But when I first started out it was just, I was just, or whatever I Just didn't know the business, so I was just sort of flailing around. But I got a couple opportunities like that and a couple I wasn't prepared for. A showcase that I completely shit the bed. Bombed. Just awful. Cried for four days. Awful. But those were the kind of thing that I survived, just so everyone knows, and I'm doing fine, but I. Character building, they would call that. But those kind of things. Like, those showcases, those Tonight show moments, like, they were right. Right when I was starting out. Those were. That. That was it. It was. It was. They were just looking for the next really good comedian with a really good voice and point of view. They always said, what's your point of view? What's your po. What's your point? Point of view? We. Oh, that was funny. But, like, what's your point of view? Shut up. But so annoying. What's your point of view? Do you have one? Like, just listen to my set. That's my point of view. But anyway, it used to be this whole thing, and it would just be. All they were looking for was that distinct point of view, and they wanted to build us, Build a sitcom around it. And that was it. That was what every comedian, when I kind of first started out, that was going on. It was. Everyone was getting a development deal. Everyone was getting this. Everyone was getting that development deal. Oh, my God. She killed it at the improv. Or she killed it at the Montreal Comedy Festival. She has a development deal with Fox. All of a sudden you're like, what? So it was. It was like that. And I'll be honest, I miss it. Yeah, it was. It was kind of cool. It was kind of like, it's. It was a lot of pressure, but it was something that. It was something to go. It was something to aim for, I guess it was something. It was part of the reason I. I wanted to do stand up. Not because I just wanted people to ask me on my point of view, but because there was a way to stand out. There was a way to be in this. I came here as an actress and a standup and a writer, and this town is full of all three of those things. Right. Right. So for me at the time, I. I thought, oh, cool. This is at least a way for me to open different doors than just a girl with a headshot auditioning for commercials. So I can say, come see me at the improv on Saturday night. Come see me. Right. Whatever it is. So it did give people a foot in the door and it separated people. And then I think there was. Are you Just ready for my 45 minute rant here about stand up comedy, everybody. Okay, this is John's pick. This is his fault. So I think what happened was. And this is just me bullshit, but I think part of a thing that happened was now a lot of people go, well, I'm going to do stand up comedy to stand out, okay? Now I'm not trying to, I'm not sounding bitter. Bear with me while I explain the path that I've seen. So I think a lot of people go, oh, God, my aunt, Aunt Jody thinks I'm fucking hilarious at Thanksgiving dinner. So now I'm gonna, I've got a mic, I'm gonna tell some jokey jokes and maybe I'll get my two minutes on the Tonight show and they'll build a stand up a sitcom around me. So now every person that's trying to stand out without actually the ability to want to stand out without the actual intention of standing out, because they know they're a comedian, this and that, now everyone's like, oh, I'm gonna go, I'm gonna go do this. And then. So then it goes away, right? So now we're not doing sitcoms around stand up comedies, stand up comedians anymore, because half of them are terrible, right, 95 of them are terrible. So agents start, they go to the clubs, they go, jesus Christ, who's this idiot? Including me at one point. But I, I bounced back, I just had a bad set. But now they're like, who, who are these people? So now that kind of fades. You go to the Montreal Comedy Festival, all these other people just nobody's standing out anymore. It's not exciting. Nobody wants to build a sitcom around him anymore. Let's move on. But now it's back kind of.

B (34:04)

Yeah.

A (34:05)

Because the it. We've weeded out. I say we as if I'm part of it as a person, I'm part of the weeding out. But people, people have realized it takes a lot to succeed at stand up comedy or just in this business in general. But you can't just be like, I'm just gonna go get a development deal real quick like everyone else is doing, by doing a couple jokey jokes down at the Comedy Store.

B (34:29)

I.

A (34:30)

And now I think it's circling back around to where you see like Bert Kreischer just, he has a big Netflix show coming out. And no matter who you like or don't like, but you're starting to see sitcoms kind of maybe with the streaming services because there's more opportunities, but you're kind of starting to see. You're seeing all these specials, right? So many specials everywhere. All these huge specials. Netflix obviously has the biggest ones. Fortune has blown up from her specials. They're building, they're. They're back to building careers again the way, like Comedy Central used to really to age myself. But Comedy Central used to. They did Comedy Central presents. They did. What was it called? What did I do? I did a show. It was a hat. It was Premium Blends. Premium blends. On, on. No, on Comedy Central, it's called Premium Blends. I'm on a real rant. And you got to do like three or four minutes of standup and there was, it was like newer comedians. I'll find my set. I wore a terrible jacket and I had a bad haircut and they didn't have a stylist for that. So it was like three or four comics that did a few minutes of stand up and then they had one pretty, like, well known comic host it. And do you know who hosted mine?

B (35:47)

Who?

A (35:48)

Harland Williams.

B (35:49)

Oh, really?

A (35:50)

Yeah. Yeah. So Harland hosted my premium blend that I did it did my few minutes on. And then later in life, he and I met up again where I played his wife on Michael Rosenbaum's movie back in the day. And I think I reminded him, I said, I know you don't know this, but you hosted my premium blend.

B (36:10)

There's a guy that you, when you're around him, he. There's no off button people. I was like, oh, it must be a real hoot to hang out with comedians because they're funny all the time. They aren't funny all the time because that'd be annoying. But not the. Harlan's annoying.

A (36:26)

But he.

B (36:26)

There's no off button.

A (36:28)

No. And.

B (36:28)

But he just, he's just funny all the time.

A (36:30)

Yeah. And it's his personality, which I. Yeah. Which I grew to really understand. And that's why I love him so much. He is genuinely just of absolute goofball.

B (36:41)

We were at a Christmas Eve party a couple years ago and he goes, sarah, Sarah. You know, his voice is always so funny. He's like, sarah, Sarah, would you come here real quick? Would you mind going into the kitchen, just whipping me up a quick lasagna? He just said, like, random like that. Then I was like, that is so funny.

A (36:58)

He's so funny. He is. If you guys don't know Harland, I, I mean, you, you recognize him in a second by googling him. If you don't, if you randomly don't know him, you know, he was on.

B (37:07)

Dumb and Dumber, a lot of people.

A (37:09)

Yeah. A ton of movies and just, he's an absolute gem of a human being. But, but just that you brought that up too. So I'm really dominating this one, guys. Sorry. But I'm passionate about this subject. You just brought up how comics are on or off or aren't on all the time. So I'm going to steer away from my sitcom rant and, and, and my hope that it's all coming back. Comics, talented comedians to get their own shows and build things around their material, including myself. But in the book, Ruby does mention that she was kind of the class clown. And it's funny when she says that because, well, this is probably more for the breakdown of the book, but she does. She doesn't come across as that kind of person. Right. Like, she doesn't come across goofy or fun or the class clown or anything. She doesn't come across that way at all in the book. So I don't know if we're just supposed to go, okay, that was her before. Anyway, we'll get into that later next week.

B (38:21)

It does seem like she's been beaten down by Hollywood a little bit.

A (38:24)

Right? True. But when she says that she was the class clown, therefore she always wanted to be stand up and whatnot, that kind of resonated with me in the sense of I was the opposite. I was almost the person. And I. And honestly, honestly, I still am. And I don't. It doesn't faze me when people say, how could she be a comedian? She seems kind of boring. Because I know I kill it on stage. No, it really doesn't bother me. I absolutely kill it on stage. I'm an incredible standup comedian. I'm a great writer. I deliver, deliver, deliver material really well. I don't need to yuck it up, you know, I don't need to scratch my armpits and jump around like a monkey. And I'm not saying that's what other comedians do. I'm just saying it's not a lot.

B (39:10)

Of, A lot of male comedians that I'm thinking about right now who think they have to be on all the fudgeing time and are really, really annoying to be around.

A (39:19)

Sure.

B (39:19)

And I mean, luckily none of your close friends, but there are no names. I'm like, if I had to hang out with you for more than 20 minutes, I might slit my wrist and I wouldn't be.

A (39:28)

And I couldn't hang out with those people either. And they probably couldn't hang out with me, to be fair, right? Like, we're just. That's just a different personality type. Like, I knew a guy when I was first starting out, Chelsea would know exactly who I was talking about because she. And I started Chelsea Handler. She and I started stand up together. Name dropper. I know, but there was this guy, he would do, he would just, he'd be. He just break into his newest material when we were just hanging out and, and it wasn't subtle, you know what I mean? I would just be like, oh my God, you're doing a bit. Like, at first I didn't really pick up on it, but then a few times after hanging out with him, I was like, is he doing a bit? Is he trying to bit? And then I would see him do the bit the next week at the Ice House. He used to run this room off the Ice House. It was called the Annex, where you could do like, you know, lesser known comedians could work out stuff. And I'd be like, oh, my God, that's. He was trying that bit out on us last week at the, at Red at happy hour, you know, he was that guy. And so there are a lot of people like that and that's fine, but it's just not me. So I just want you to know when you go, oh, Sarah, she seems so low key. I can't believe she's a comedian. Thank you. It actually is a compliment. I'm glad that you don't think I'm bouncing around doing magic tricks. Magic tricks, you know what I mean? Doing jokey jokes.

B (40:53)

Magic trick.

A (40:53)

I don't know what I'm talking about now, just on random rants, but I don't. That's not my personality. I don't know.

B (41:00)

Thank God. I don't think we'd be together if it was we.

A (41:04)

We wouldn't be. And also, and there's a comfortability with stand up for me, when I'm on stage and I have the microphone, it's all on me. So I'm gonna deliver, I'm gonna perform. It is my absolute 100% only job, is to make everyone in the audience laugh, listen to me and laugh, follow my story and laugh when I'm not on stage. It's not my job. I don't need to command the room. I don't need to yuck it up. And, and sometimes to my detriment, I could probably be a little bit more of a, of a schmoozer here and there, but you certainly don't want me walking up to you at a At a party, trying out my on you. Like, it's miserable.

B (41:54)

Okay, can I now, Can I talk now?

A (41:57)

Can you? Yes. I'm so sorry, everybody. I know you guys love John and hearing him talk.

B (42:01)

Fifteen minutes ago you said something. And it's at the 26 minute mark. You said something. You said, this drives me crazy. Now, being married to comedian, a professional comedian, people come. I've always wanted to try that. You'll be in an Uber, like, what are you doing? Like, oh, here. Most of the time you won't even tell anyone because then you get these freaking stupid comments.

A (42:21)

I say, like, I'm in sales or something.

B (42:23)

And I've seen guys be like, oh, all the guys in the locker room, they always laugh at me. They always think I'm so funny. So then I've seen guys like go up on stage and absolutely eat. Yeah, because telling jokes in the locker room to the boys doesn't translate on stage. Being at Aunt Thelma's Thanksgiving dinner and yucking it up with Grandpa Eddie, that doesn't translate on stage. Okay, Your little stupid jokes, they don't work. Okay, then about the 32 minute mark, This is what I've noticed. It's really, really annoying. But when people meet you, they know you're comedian, they know you're hilarious, all that. They want to be funny and they like that one. One woman tried to give you advice the other day at your meet and greet on a joke. I was like, shut the up.

A (43:14)

What did she say? I don't remember.

B (43:16)

She said you had a joke where you're the doggy style joke. And then you go rough like that, like grab at your collar when you say that. Like a dog collar. I like, what, bitch? You're just in the sand. You do that stuff. So it's really.

A (43:32)

By the way, if you're a listener, thanks for the advice. Okay, go ahead. Although that would just be random if I started clawing at my own neck, but okay, go ahead.

B (43:41)

But that's what I see when people meet you, they think they have to be funny. And a lot of times it comes across as rude, by the way, as well. They say things and they think they're being funny as they're being rude. The number one most annoying thing that you can say to a comedian. And I've seen this so many times, and it's always men. It's always you fucking men. You middle class white men. Straight white man. Oh, you're a comedian. Tell me a joke, make me laugh. I'm not a fucking puppet, you little Bastard.

A (44:10)

Yeah, and I'll joke. Give me $45.

B (44:13)

Yeah.

A (44:13)

This isn't fucking free.

B (44:15)

Tell me a joke.

A (44:17)

I know. I hate when people like, oh, good. So tell me one of your skit.

B (44:22)

One of your sketches, young lady.

A (44:24)

What's one of your.

B (44:25)

What do you do to make the people laugh?

A (44:27)

Yeah. What do you get out there? And what have you been doing since you gotten the ability to drive those. When Mary. One time. When I'm referencing back once I marry Raczinski. And I. For those of you who don't know Mary, a lot of you do. But if you don't listen to. Are you my podcast. She's my podcast co host on that show, and she's absolutely hysterical. Female comedian or female comedian? Obviously comedian in Philadelphia. But she and I were doing a show once, and she was featuring. And so we had a male host, which I listen. And I love that. I like to. I don't. I kind of. I want it. I don't care. Male, female. I just want funny. But this guy basically acted like he walked into the 50s and it was the first two female comedians he's ever seen in his life. And he was just like, we got a couple of. We got a couple of ladies coming up for you tonight. Like, whoa. Like, oh, my goodness. Can you believe it? They. They. And they just. They just earned the right to vote. Now they get to come on stage. Who knew? It was. It was insane.

B (45:34)

I mean, they even drove themselves to the club.

A (45:37)

Mary and I were both like, what the is. How is he introducing us? As if we. It's. It's. It. We're just comedians. Just say Mary, then just say Sarah. You don't have to go, oh, my goodness, what a treat. We got two ladies. They got right out of the kitchen right up here on stage tonight. I mean, out of his mind. Anyway, what else, John, I think.

B (46:00)

I think we. I think you covered it.

A (46:05)

I did really dominate this. I'm sorry. This is John's book pick. But it was so full of. This is before, you know, before week four, when we actually get to dive into the book. So the subject of standup comedy. I can't help it. I have so much to say. I had so much to say.

B (46:22)

Good. It was. It was good. You educated a lot of people on a lot of things.

A (46:26)

Did I?

B (46:27)

You did.

A (46:28)

How about just my. My rants?

B (46:30)

And I think it's. If I, I. I wanted to say all the same things that you said, but then I would have been angrier.

A (46:36)

Yeah, but you know what? You say the One thing about, about guys, you know, telling jokes in the locker room, then getting up on stage. I do have to say that my husband, my John, my John Ryan. Your John Ryan is very funny, and he has taken it to the stage a couple of times now. He's only done it in Seattle area because people know him and he can tell football stories, things that he knows everyone can kind of relate to and laugh about. He doesn't feel that it could translate into other stage appearance appearances with me. I beg to differ, but I respect his position on it all. And also he, but he did, he opened for me a few times because we were like, I mean, why not? We're going to be in the, in the Pacific Northwest. We're going to do these shows. It's going to be a treat for people to see you. First time was under, I think just because our, my feature was late, right? Or the host was late.

B (47:32)

No, that, that was like the second or third. The first time was in the theater in Seattle.

A (47:36)

Oh, the triple door.

B (47:37)

Triple door theater. And I, I opened for you. And I still remember it because I told, I told like the guys that work that I was doing it. And Pete Carroll, because Pete Carroll can't turn off the coaching thing. So he was trying to coach me, right? And it just, it was just like. You're like, he be like, hey, are you ready for tonight? I'm like, h. Not really. I'm just gonna tell some stories, whatever. He's like, okay, all right. Then he'd walk away, come back five minutes later. He goes, hey, John, how about this? And he like, like there's supposed to be like a beginning, a middle, and an end to a joke that was, that was not even a barely a beginning, like.

A (48:12)

So what you're saying is he shouldn't do stand up?

B (48:14)

No, no, no. He's, he's funny in a lot. Same thing funny in a locker room. But yeah, so I, I, I, I did it. And I wasn't terrible because I did it in Seattle. So I know those are my people. I've probably done it for you about 15 times now. But also never do it again. It's awful. It's awful.

A (48:33)

Well, he said, he, he's like, I'm retired. I don't want to do it anymore. He did come on stage when we were in Tacoma this past, A few weeks ago. A couple weeks ago. But it's because the Seahawks were playing and he was giving updates on the score. But he told me, he's like, I'm done. I don't I'm like, you know that you can anytime we're in Tacoma if you want to. People love it. He's like, I'm done. I'm good. But very good at it. And also, when you speak about offensive, everyone kept asking you if I helped you. And I'm like, no, that's. He wouldn't let.

B (49:01)

Whatever.

A (49:02)

He wouldn't even let me help him. I wanted to.

B (49:05)

Every time.

A (49:05)

I'm glad.

B (49:06)

Every time I hosted. Every time I hosted for you, I was like, I'm not even going to tell her what I'm saying. I just want to do it myself. So then she. So. But then era, like, did she write that for you? Did she write that for you?

A (49:17)

Nope. All you.

B (49:18)

No call me.

A (49:21)

Okay. Well, this was a fun one, and I feel better. I feel like I just got something out. And we are reading Kristen Hannah's Summer Island. The full recap will be next week. Join us on Patreon. $5 a month for extra bonus content exclusively to Patreon. We do short stories. We have fun over there, too. Join the book list spinners Facebook group. Next month, we are reading Look Closer by David Ellis. It is so good. I'm really proud of that. Okay. And, yeah, we're already killing it. 2026 on the book list. Thank you for being here.

B (49:55)

It's going to be my year, baby.

A (50:00)

Bye.

B (50:01)

Bye.

A (50:02)

The book list.

B (50:03)

The book lisp.

A (50:05)

The book list.

B (50:06)

The book lisp.

A (50:08)

The book list.