Best Of Full Interview: Bill Burr On Comedy Beginnings, White Privilege, Marrying A Black Woman, Chappelle's Show + More

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Breakfast Club – Bill Burr Interview

Episode Overview In the December 30, 2024 episode of "The Breakfast Club," hosted by DJ Envy and Charlamagne Tha God, acclaimed comedian Bill Burr joins the show for an in-depth discussion. The conversation spans Burr's entry into comedy, his experiences performing in diverse venues, challenges within the entertainment industry, personal life insights, and his perspectives on racial issues and modern societal trends such as cancel culture.

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1. Comedy Beginnings

Bill Burr delves into his unconventional path into stand-up comedy. Unlike many who pursue comedy from a young age, Burr stumbled into the scene by chance.

_"I started kind of late." [04:34]

He recounts how working in a warehouse with a friend passionate about stand-up led him to realize his own potential. After several years of contemplation and initial attempts, he finally took the plunge into performing stand-up.

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2. Performing in Diverse Venues – 'Black Rooms' vs. 'White Rooms'

Burr discusses the distinct experiences of performing in predominantly black comedy clubs versus white ones. Initially, he altered his act to fit the audience, such as adding unnecessary tags to his jokes.

_"I can just be like, I'm the white guy, and I'm scared." [19:44]

Over time, Burr sought to perform more authentically, moving away from these survival tactics. He reflects on the unique challenges of being a white comedian in black-dominated settings, emphasizing the importance of authenticity and understanding diverse audiences.

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3. Challenges and Struggles in the Comedy Industry

Burr provides a candid look into the cutthroat nature of Hollywood and the broader entertainment industry. He highlights issues like credit misattribution and financial exploitation.

_"Hollywood is overworked, underpaid people not getting Credit for some shit they created." [28:39]

Drawing from personal experiences, Burr emphasizes the necessity of protecting one's creative work and navigating the ruthless business landscape. He shares insights on how industry veterans like Damon Wayans provided mentorship, teaching him to safeguard his ideas and efforts.

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4. Personal Life and Relationships

The conversation shifts to Burr's personal life, particularly his marriage to a black woman, which adds another layer to his experiences within the comedy world.

_"I watched different Strokes growing up and I had a crush on Janet Jackson." [46:55]

Burr narrates the story of meeting his wife at the Apollo and the challenges they faced, including resistance from mutual friends. This relationship not only influenced his personal growth but also informed his comedic material and perspectives on race.

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5. Views on Hollywood and Industry Dynamics

Burr critiques Hollywood's superficiality and lack of genuine empathy, drawing parallels between the entertainment industry and other sectors regarding exploitation and power imbalances.

_"Everybody is the same... all of this stuff. Like all these people are evildoers." [06:54]

He discusses how the pursuit of fame and success often leads to ethical compromises and highlights the pervasive issues within Hollywood that mirror broader societal problems.

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6. Perspectives on Racial Issues and Comedy

Burr offers his take on "white privilege," expressing skepticism about the terminology and its implications within society and the comedy landscape.

_"Every white person I knew was like, I didn't grow up rich." [31:07]

He explores the complexities of addressing racial themes in his comedy without reinforcing stereotypes or offending his audience. Burr emphasizes the importance of individual experiences over broad labels, seeking a balance between humor and social commentary.

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7. Thoughts on Modern Trends Like Cancel Culture

Addressing the evolving landscape of societal norms, Burr shares his disdain for cancel culture. He believes it started with good intentions but became distorted by individuals with personal agendas.

_"It's not worth the job's not worth the headache." [33:33]

Burr reflects on how cancel culture has impacted comedians' freedom of expression, arguing that it has stifled honest and bold comedic endeavors, leading to self-censorship and a reluctance to tackle controversial topics.

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8. Notable Experiences and Anecdotes

Burr shares memorable moments from his career, including performing at Fenway Park and interactions with other comedy legends like Dave Chappelle.

_"Every time I think I'm getting sane, I... something else happens." [23:15]

He highlights the emotional challenges of achieving success and dealing with imposter syndrome, illustrating how early experiences and support from industry peers helped shape his resilient mindset.

_"Dave thinks I'm funny." [57:46]

Burr recounts receiving a pivotal pep talk from Chappelle, which reinforced his confidence and perseverance in the competitive world of stand-up comedy.

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Conclusion

Bill Burr wraps up the interview by reflecting on his growth both as a comedian and an individual. He emphasizes the importance of authenticity, resilience, and continuous self-improvement in navigating the complexities of the entertainment industry and personal life.

_"I hope that was good enough, that they come back." [57:47]

Throughout the conversation, Burr provides candid insights and humorous anecdotes, offering listeners a comprehensive look into his journey, challenges, and philosophies that drive his successful career in comedy.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps:

• "I started kind of late." [04:34]
• "I can just be like, I'm the white guy, and I'm scared." [19:44]
• "Hollywood is overworked, underpaid people not getting Credit for some shit they created." [28:39]
• "Every white person I knew was like, I didn't grow up rich." [31:07]
• "It's not worth the job's not worth the headache." [33:33]
• "Dave thinks I'm funny." [57:46]
• "I hope that was good enough, that they come back." [57:47]

This episode offers a rich and engaging exploration of Bill Burr's comedic philosophy, personal experiences, and critical viewpoints on the industry and societal issues, making it a valuable listen for those interested in comedy and cultural discourse.

Transcript

[Charlamagne Tha God]

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[Bill Burr]

Bose is a registered trademark of the Bose Corporation. Nissan's Safety Shield technologies can't prevent all collisions or worn in all situations. See Owner's Manual for important safety information.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

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[Bill Burr]

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[DJ Envy]

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[Angela Yee]

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[Charlamagne Tha God]

Wake that ass up early in the morning. The Breakfast Club.

[Angela Yee]

Morning, everybody. It's DJ Envy.

[Bill Burr]

Jess.

[Angela Yee]

Hilarious Charlamagne. Tha God, we are the Breakfast Club. We got a special guest in the building.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

The fucking legend, man.

[Angela Yee]

Bill Burr.

[Bill Burr]

Welcome.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Oh.

[Angela Yee]

How you feeling?

[Bill Burr]

I'm all right.

[Angela Yee]

You all right?

[Bill Burr]

Yeah.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

When you hear the word legend, do you just feel old or you feel like I'm accomplished?

[Bill Burr]

Ah, I don't know what I feel. I never feel like I, you know, this, you know, this business is. You feel like, you know, any moment like whatever you got is going to go away. So I just. I don't pay attention to that stuff. I obviously like it. No, legend doesn't make me feel old. Makes me feel good. But when somebody's like, ah, man, I grew up on your comedy.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah.

[Bill Burr]

I started listening to you when I was 8. I'm like going like, oh, my God. You seeing. They're like, you know, divorced. You're like, oh, God, how old am I? So, yeah, I would say that's the type of stuff makes me feel old.

[Angela Yee]

I want to go back a little bit, if you don't mind. I want to know what got Bill Burr into comedy.

[Bill Burr]

Dramatic childhood.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Sorry, Trigger.

[Bill Burr]

You on? Nobody happy gets into this stuff. Then the delusions of fame get into your head, and then you somehow get into it. No, I mean, I definitely liked it when I was growing up, but I got into it by chance where, you know, I'm old, man. So, like, I was watching it in the 70s and 80s, but, like, show business was, like, it was a million miles away. It was impossible. It was not something that you could do. Like, you know, just take out a camera and start Filming yourself. So I grew up, I grew up in Massachusetts suburbs. So I thought like, you know, you had to be in Hollywood to get into it. Like, I had no idea there was this huge standup scene in Massachusetts. So I was working in a warehouse and I was working with this guy and he was into stand up the way I was, and he was funny as hell. And one night we were, we used to, used to go over his house, have a couple of beers before we went out, you know, save some money. And he was, we were watching stand up and he was going, bill, we're funnier than these guys. Like, and you know, he goes, one night I'm gonna take a shot at Jack Daniels and go up on stage. And that's when it stopped being on tv and it was next to me and I started thinking like, oh, wait a minute, if he can try it, I can try it. And still took me another five years to figure it out. I started kind of late.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Did you ever feel like you had to wear a dress or suck a cock to get on in Hollywood?

[Bill Burr]

Jesus Christ, no. And that whole theory is ridiculous. That that's what's going on out there. That there's more pedophiles in Hollywood than there are in plumbing. It's like, it's a problem.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Why plumbing?

[Bill Burr]

I don't know. Just like regular jobs are acting. They're acting like every pedophile in jail, like created, you know, friggin Star wars franchise. No, it's like, they're like, they go, that's what's going on. What's funny is what's going on in Hollywood is going on in most businesses where it's like there's a lot of people working overtime, not getting paid, not getting credit and getting pushed down and people at the top taking more and more. But the problem with Hollywood is those idiots stay in Hollywood and they look at most of the country like flyover states and then they go on these stupid, you know, award shows and they talk down to them and then that makes them hate them. And then they love to see somebody going down. The whole thing is. It's like traveling is depressing. Yeah. Because what you find is everybody really is the same. Like all of this stuff. Like, you know, all these people are evildoers and they're this and that. And you go over there and it's just everybody's the same, you know, everybody, you know, wants to have money, to have a sandwich, you want to find love, you want to be, feel safe. That's. Everybody is like, that but then they just. They just. You know, the sociopaths get the dumb people wound up.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I feel like New York and L. A have no idea what the rest of the country is actually like. If you grew up in New York or you grew up in L. A, you don't know what the real world is like.

[Bill Burr]

The New Yorkers are some of the worst traveled people you're ever going to meet. They're hilarious everywhere they go. They would go to Guam and be like, oh, I go to Guam. I try to get a bacon, egg and cheese, and the lady's looking at me like, what are you talking about? This place sucks. Where are the skyscrapers? Like, that's what cracks you about New York is that they're like, what? It's like the point of traveling is to get something different. Like, they go to L. A And they try to get a bacon, egg and cheese. It's like, get a taco. What are you doing?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

When in Rome, right?

[Bill Burr]

Yeah. I wouldn't come here and try to get a burrito. I've seen Mexican foods here. I just start laughing. It's like, nah, I'm not doing that.

[Angela Yee]

The closest we usually got is Taco Bell. That's usually what New York has.

[Bill Burr]

I love that you said that. Because Mexicans all think that white people think Taco Bell is authentic Mexican food. It's like, we're not that dumb.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

That is crazy.

[Bill Burr]

No, that is so dumb. Yeah, I know. Olive Garden is not Italian. Correct. I understand that. They have whored it out.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

What did Bill Burr want to be before he became a comedian? You just always wanted to do comedy.

[Bill Burr]

I was just failing at everything. I did horrible in school. I did good in school until it mattered. I was weird. I did really good right up till eighth grade. And then once college started, paying attention, I don't know, I just. That's, you know, I'm not going to get into it, but that's when I'll, like, the. The ass hit the fan with a lot of stuff. So then, yeah, I don't know what. I tried construction. I wasn't good at that. Landscaping. I worked in warehouses. I knew I didn't want a boss. And I also knew that I didn't want to go into the same building for more than a year because a few times I had jobs for over a year. And there was just something so depressing because you were working for somebody else's dream. And it was like a year earlier. I was standing right here. I have not moved anywhere. I'm another year older. So yeah.

[Angela Yee]

And, you know, you got me depressed now.

[Bill Burr]

I was.

[Angela Yee]

I've been here for 15 years.

[Bill Burr]

Yeah. But I wasn't sitting in a throne, okay? I was unloading trucks. This guy's drinking from a chalice. Like, I feel good about this. My can, my scented candle. No, I wasn't. We were, like, unloading trucks and getting hammered and driving drunk. Stuff you did in the 80s. I mean, that was basically what it was, so. And I was going part time to college because I didn't have money to go to college, so I was paying my own way through it. And I had already stayed back in first grade, so I just felt, like hopelessly behind until I started hanging out, you know, with people that were into comedy. And then somehow I found it and. Yeah, and I remember doing that, and then I was just like, all right, this is what. This is what I'm supposed to do. Because everything else I was doing, I just never felt. I always never felt like this is not it. I don't feel like these people aren't the same kind of weird that I am, you know?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Why do you think you're weird, though?

[Bill Burr]

I mean, like, I think we're all, like, messed up a little bit. Why don't I think I'm weird? I don't know if I. If I knew why I was weird, I wouldn't be weird.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I think, I think you got a lot of common sense.

[Bill Burr]

Yeah, I speak.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I'm like, this guy is just. He's just a common sense human being.

[Bill Burr]

Well, I've learned from a lot of failures.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Your own or others?

[Bill Burr]

Oh, my own.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Okay, okay.

[Bill Burr]

Oh, and also others. Well, that, you know, I had a great education when I got in to stand up. The big 80s. I don't know how old you guys are, but. The big 80s.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

45, 1978.

[Bill Burr]

Okay, so the. The big 80s boom where stand up comedy clubs exploded and all that. And then it just got to the point you could just put like a microphone anywhere and people would show up for comedy. So the quality of it went down and everybody was doing. A lot of people were doing blow, getting paid in cash and a blow and all of that type of stuff. And then it all came crashing down. And then the IRS showed up and everything. And then I. Then I started, like, I walked in, like, you know, the end of the party, balloons were on the ground, confetti, everybody passed out. And I saw all these headliners that were getting their wages garnished and they had to talk to the IRS to go do some, you know, funny bone. In another state and everything. So my generation kind of learned like, all right, man, you can party this away in about seven, eight crucial years. So, you know, I learned from that. And then, you know, any young comics watching this, your 20s and 30s are difficult because you're struggling. And then also you do that comparison thing, like when you started the same time I did, and you're here and I'm here, so I must be doing something wrong. And then I start hating you for some stupid reason. And then, like, that takes up a lot of energy. And then one day, you just basically figured out, like, all right, I'm making the decisions here. I, you know, I'm doing well or not doing well by what I'm thinking rather than this. This other stuff.

[Angela Yee]

Did you ever want to quit?

[Bill Burr]

Once, no. One time I thought I wasn't gonna make it. It was the only time I ever thought it.

[Angela Yee]

When was this?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You bombed?

[Bill Burr]

No, no, I happen all the time. That's just part of this stuff. I was doing the. I'm not gonna say where I was. Cause it's a sad story. I'm gonna bum you out.

[Angela Yee]

Okay.

[Bill Burr]

So I was doing this, this. This. This club that I had just been going to for years and years and years and years and years. Every other year I'd go there. New hour, gonna get em. You know. You know, I'm in with the morning radio guys, and the same 30 people were showing up. So it was after the late show. And I was sitting there, you know, reeking a smoke. Cause you could smoke. All three shows smelled like. I fought a fire. My eyes were all burning, and I was just looking at the waitstaff. And they were lifers. They had been there before, and they were older, a little bit heavier, and they were counting up their money and they were smoking their cigarettes, and the same amount of people had showed up. And that was the first time I, like, this thought went in my head of like, wait a minute, am I the guy who doesn't make it? Oh, my God, the panic of that. I went back to the comedy condo, and I was just laying in bed trying to turn it around, and my brain was just, nope, no, you're. The guy's not gonna make it. So that was. Yeah. Then I got back to New York and it was better, you know, I came, you know, after the gig, I came back and just like, the energy. I had a couple of good sets. You know, Sunday night at the Boston Comedy Club was a huge. Was a huge turning point for me in my career. Probably how I ended up here right now. And that. That would. That would get me to think positive.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

And you said you never bombed, Right? And I know I didn't have bomb.

[Bill Burr]

Bombed all the time.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You have, but I don't think you bomb, Bill. I. That people don't know if they should laugh at what you're saying.

[Bill Burr]

You know what I mean? Well, maybe now, but no, no. I remember bombing so bad one time. There's this comedy club called Mixed Nuts that's now called the Comedy Union. That was the black club, right? So I went down there and it's funny. I started doing those rooms because I used to listen to Richard Pryor. So, like, his albums were so live that you could like, picture the crowd. So I had this idea of what a crowd looked like. It was weird. I'm white as hell. And that was my idea of what a crowd was. Ended up doing those rooms along with the white rooms, right? So I was on stage bombing so bad like this right here. Silence. And I just remember hearing this woman's voice in the back. She just goes, I ain't laughed yet. About 10 minutes.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Damn.

[Bill Burr]

And then that was the biggest laugh of the set. Everybody laughed. And then they just started talking amongst themselves. And I did not. I didn't know how to turn it around. It was. And there's something. It's bad enough bombing in front of your own people, but bombing in front of another race of people, knowing that you're taking down a bunch of other white comics with you, like, because you.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Represent for all, everybody.

[Bill Burr]

It's just like, I want people ain't funny. This corny ass mother. You know, it's not just me, you know, others out there, they're funny. Yeah, it was bad.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You liked Richard Pryor. What's your favorite Richard Pryor album?

[Bill Burr]

Maybe. Was it something I said? The one. I can't say.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

The one came out in 82 was super.

[Bill Burr]

Half of them have the N word in it. You're gonna get me in trouble.

[Angela Yee]

That was a setup question.

[Bill Burr]

I think I'm lucky I got a good night's sleep. I would have been like, oh, I like that. N word's crazy. I will say I bought. I bought his albums because he just looked funny. That was the first one I bought. That M was crazy when he was pointing like that. Just. He just looked funny. And that's how I bought the first Eddie Murphy up. I bought the first Eddie Murphy album because I was like, well, he's also black. He must be funny. And that was the first one. We had the rose in his ear.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

See how that works? So you did represent for all white comics because you see one funny black comic.

[Bill Burr]

Yeah, yeah. That's how. No, that's how it works. It's. It's almost like I found a genre of music so I would listen to. I listened to all of his stuff, and I just. There was something about the way he did it, which I didn't understand it as a kid, but the way he did it, the way he trashed white people, he got you to listen to him and laugh at yourself. Where. I think when. By the time Def jam came around, crack 80s and all of that, like, where black comedy was, it was like, all right, I'm enough of this, like, sort of pussyfooting around, you know? So then it was more like that. Was it, like a different thing? But, like, what I loved about Richard was like, you, like, rooted for him. You felt like you knew him. It was really insane. And I think he's the greatest of all time. And I think it's even close.

[Angela Yee]

During that time, during that era when it seems like that crack time where Def Comedy Jam and the comedy shows. Was it hard for you to book in those black rooms?

[Bill Burr]

Was.

[Angela Yee]

It was like, here comes the white comedian again.

[Bill Burr]

No, that was the irony. It was hard for them. Yeah. You had to, like, vouch for him and everything. And the club owner's right in front of him. Yeah. You don't do that Def Jam stuff, do you? You're not like MF and MF and talking about, you know, I can't know what I can say on the show. Yeah, you're not. You're not. You're not. Oh, wait, you said sucking dick earlier. What am I thinking?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I thought I set the tone.

[Angela Yee]

I think that was a personal combo.

[Bill Burr]

So they would literally say that. And that was embarrassing when you'd be standing there going, like, so. But what they're.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

They.

[Bill Burr]

You'd. Come on. They didn't. Is they would just say, go up, do you think? And they. I felt like guys, like all those guys that work for talent. Drew Frazier.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Oh, yeah.

[Bill Burr]

Rob Stapleton, Kelly Capone, all the New York Kings. I used to do all of those rooms. And. Oh, God, those are all the memories of that one. I remember Gerald Kelly had a room. Oh, God, that was a brutal room. It was somewhere in, like, Newark and, like, the 2000s. And I remember that. I remember this comedian. Was it Roz G or something? Yeah, Rest her soul. She was on stage, and she's super loud. And she was super loud, and they weren't laughing at anything. And she ended a stage. She's like, God damn. She's like, I don't know who's coming up next, but he better be funny, because you ain't laughing at shit. And then she brought me up, ladies and gentlemen, Bilbao.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Did I get a laugh at least?

[Bill Burr]

No. Oh, you know what's weird? I went up, had an okay set, and I felt like I bombed at anything. And randomly. Chris Weber was there, and he came up and he told me I was funny. And it was little things like that. I'm like, well, this guy's famous. This guy's successful. He thinks I'm funny. So I think I'll be all right.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Do you change your set when you doing black rooms versus white rooms?

[Bill Burr]

I try not to. Early on I did. I'd be on stage, and all of a sudden I hear myself tagging all my jokes with, you know what I'm saying? And I'd be like, why am I doing that? Why am I doing that? Stop. Stop doing that. But you just would. And then there was an easy way. There's an easy way to get through those rooms. You can just be like, I'm the white guy, and I'm scared. And that's sort of how you do it initially, just to get your feet wet in those rooms. And then basically, then it becomes like, now, can I actually go up here and talk about what I want to talk about? Wear a Bruins T shirt, you know, hockey T shirt or whatever. I started experimenting with that, and I remember Patrice giving me rest his soul.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Patrice O'Neill.

[Bill Burr]

Yeah. Going like, bill's trying to do his white shit in these black rooms. Sometimes it worked. Sometimes it all depended on the crowd. It all depended on the crowd. But I felt like it's a weird thing where I feel like it's harder to be a black comic in a black room than it is to be a black comic in a white room and vice versa, because you can just play fish out of water, like, oh, wow, this is all different. Gee, Louise, you know, I'm all nervous up here. Just literally play into the stereotype that's the easy laugh.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I guess a little hacky, though.

[Bill Burr]

100% not. But not early on, I forgive any of it, because you're just trying to survive. Because it's like, you know, that's like, not something. Like, white people don't experience being the only you a lot. You know, we just sort of walk in, oh, more white shit. You know, and you just live that. So to first experience that and that's what's funny. When I first started doing those rooms, I didn't see black people as individuals. I just saw black people and. And as I kept doing them and doing them, I started to see individuals. Oh, this guy's like, my buddy Mitch. This guy's like, you know, And I started to see, oh, this guy's a good guy. This guy's a piece of shit. This guy steals jokes. This guy's, you know, and it's like, oh, this is just like white people.

[Angela Yee]

I was gonna ask, you know, back in the day, you named some of those comedians. From Talent to Capone, it seems like comedy had a brotherhood. Like, y'all all eff with each other. Now it doesn't seem like that, especially with Cat Williams throwing missiles at everybody. Was it a brotherhood back then or was it always competition and missiles?

[Bill Burr]

No, it always was. It's just you couldn't. You couldn't air your grievances on social media and that type of stuff. Like, no, there still is like a. There still is like a comrade. Especially the people that, like, you start out with. When you go up and you're doing like open mics and st, it's just one impossible situation after another and you just get thrown into these things and you sort of bond with each other through just, you know, I mean, I did gigs. Like, we don't have a microphone. Is that going to be a problem? We're just going to have you stand here in this hall. Oh, my God. No. It was just like some of the stuff, some of the places, and then you would just. What kept you going was your friend in the crowd laughing at you, watching you, trying to figure this situation out. So there's definitely that. But, you know, people focus on the negative or whatever. So, I mean, generally speaking, we get along. It's no more difference than other stuff.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Now when you see the black comedians going back and forth with each other, what do you think about that? Do you even look at it as a black comedian or you just look at it as comedians?

[Bill Burr]

No, comedians. Because white comedians are doing it too.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Really?

[Bill Burr]

Yeah.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

What's your club, Shay Shay?

[Bill Burr]

What's the worst?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

What's your club, Shay Shay?

[Bill Burr]

Oh, you know, I don't know because I'm old, but like, there's definitely, you know, I'm an old school guy where I look at all that stuff. Like, that's locker room stuff. And if you have a problem with somebody, you should go to them and say it. That's how I came up. And then also, like, I. You Know, this business is difficult. I don't need to make it any more difficult. There's people I like, people maybe I don't like, but I don't need to walk around like, what good does that do me to do? That's. But that's me. So, you know, other people do it differently.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Have you ever heard that somebody didn't like you for a reason? Any. Any particular reason?

[Bill Burr]

Yeah, people thought I was a dick. They thought I was, like, aloof because I. When I first started, they thought I was like, you know, if you're quiet and you're actually doing well, people get in their head and they thought, oh, he's not talking to me because he doesn't like me. And it wasn't. I was like, a mess. I was questioning everything that I had done in the previous five minutes. But some people took it like, he's not talking to me because he doesn't think I'm funny. So I definitely had a few of those. And I was also an angry guy, so I probably.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah.

[Bill Burr]

Jesus. Just stuff I don't want to get into.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Okay.

[Bill Burr]

Stuff that makes you be a comedian. Yeah, yeah, yeah, the usual. I have. I have the. You want to talk about hacky? I have all the hacky background you need to get into this business. So, you know, I could have had a much simpler life, I think.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I think a lot of us. I mean, I deal with, you know, anxiety on a high level. You know what I mean? I think a lot of people do, but I think most people who have a high level of self awareness really do because we're just aware that we're dealing with something that we're willing to acknowledge and other people aren't.

[Bill Burr]

Yeah. I mean, every time I think I'm getting sane, I. I don't know, something else happens. And, like, you know, like having kids and stuff really, you know, it really holds a mirror. My daughter said the cutest thing to me the other day. She goes, dad, can you stop being mad now? And I just burst it out laughing. I was like, yeah, all right, all right, that's cool. But the way I came up, I would never say that to my dad. So I do feel like I've done. What I do like about my kids is that they're not afraid of me at all. They treat me like a frigging bouncy house. But. So, yeah, I've tried to. I've tried to. You know, I've tried to undo some things.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah, they're not afraid of you because you're probably raising Them with love, at least. My dad, he raised me with fear. I believe he was afraid that I would make the same mistakes he made.

[Bill Burr]

Oh, everyone was afraid of that. You were afraid of other people's dads when I was growing up. Because they could hit you. Yeah, yeah. Like, and they had big cars, and they were always mad, and they were coming home, and you just saw, like, you know, like, their wife scampering back into the house, you know, as they were pulling into the driveway. Yeah, they. Men were scary when I was growing up, so I probably overcorrected or whatever, but I'd rather have them coming up this way. Yeah, my kids are loud. You know, we were not loud. Like, we were loud when mom was home. When dad was home, everybody just shut the hell up. And when he left, it was like. Like a stack of bricks off your chest.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah. Wait until your dad got home. Oh, my God. Those were some.

[Bill Burr]

Yeah. But you know what's funny was he actually was a big softy. Was also, it turns out that way, my mother was the one that beat us.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Oh, damn.

[Bill Burr]

Yeah. Yeah, we deserved it.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You said earlier you always feel like things would be taken away from you. Like, is that something from childhood or is that cancel culture? Like, what do you mean when you say that?

[Bill Burr]

No, this is before cancel culture. Well, cause you. I would. You would see guys, like, idiots would get a show on the air and then immediately go buy a big house in a car. But back in the day, they would say, you got to wait till the third season so you know that it's rolling. And you would watch guys blow all their money. I watched people get deals up at Montreal and they put it all in the dot com stock market. I knew that was. I stayed away from that shit. When I was at the Comic Strip and comedians stopped talking about comedy and they were talking about stocks going like, you know, it's gonna split again. It's definitely gonna split again. I'm like, you are a dude dummy. You're a dummy. I'm a dummy. We should not be talking about this shit. So I didn't put it. But I saw guys lose all their money that way. There was guys I used to be, you know, looking up like, oh, my God, how do you get to that level? And then their stuff starts to go like that. Like this. This business is. It's not for the. For the week, and you got to save your money. I don't know. I'm trying to come with something positive here. It's a fun job, though. It's a Fun job.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

This is a callback. And when you saw those white comics on that level, did you say to them, he sucked the dick to get there, or did he wear a dress to get there? Like, where does that.

[Bill Burr]

What is that. What is that theory?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Where does that stigma come from?

[Bill Burr]

Because I'm asking you. You brought that up twice.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Oh, yeah, because that's the. That's the. That's the stigma. Like, you know, the stigma is for black comics, you got to wear a dress to get to a certain level. Or, you know who did that shit? According to cat Williams, about 20.

[Bill Burr]

Well, Milton Berle, Milton Burrow. Made a whole career. Like, be like. That comes from Vodka Williams. Yeah, yeah. He played Mrs. Doubtfire. Tom Hanks was on Bosom Buddies.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Oh, yeah.

[Bill Burr]

I mean, it was just like. It was kind of the, you know, we don't have a good idea. Let's put a guy in a dress. That's kind of what it was. But I understand, you know, that's just one of those white things where I don't have to look at it like, oh, they're doing this because they're trying to belittle me because they don't see me as human. I don't have to deal with all the stuff you guys got to deal with. So, like, I don't know if it's. It. It's. How much of that's true? How much of it's paranoia? I mean, I can't speak on that. I have no idea. But, like, you know, I don't.

[Angela Yee]

You never wore a dress.

[Bill Burr]

Yeah. And that whole sucking a dick thing, like, it's like you just sort of. No, you did.

[Angela Yee]

I said you never wear a dress. He said, no, not that. Or that's whole sucking a dick thing.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

It's not my thing.

[Bill Burr]

No, it's more like you create a show, you go in, you pitch it to these people, they somehow take control of it. You lose. To create it by credit, they make all the money. You don't. That's. That's the way it usually works. It's not. It's not like you want a TV show. Huh. All right. Crawl under my desk, and you better do it good, because I got another 40 guys waiting to suck this dick. It's like. That's just. I think a lot of people want it to be that way.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah.

[Bill Burr]

Because it just makes them feel better about their lives and where the fuck they're at. But it's just like. Yeah. Like most of Hollywood. Hollywood is overworked, underpaid people not getting Credit for some shit that they created. And it. It happens to everybody. It happens at different levels. And you have to learn how to protect yourself. And nobody teaches you. You just go in there taking punches, and then you go, oh, you know, and that. That's usually how you learn. Unless there's a comic that kind of takes you under. Under his wing or something and teaches you, like, look out for this. They're gonna try to do that. Damon Wayans was great at that.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Oh, word. I've heard that before.

[Bill Burr]

He was great at that. Like, he barely knew me and he, you know, and he said, hey, I saw you on tv. You were funny, man. We standing out in front of the cellar, he goes, what do you got going on? And he just stood there. Damon Wayans, I couldn't believe it. He just stood there, and for like 20 minutes, he's going, huh? All right, all right, this is what they're going to try to do. And he just brought. I was going, like, oh, my God. I know. I just did this. Business was so ruthless, but I never forgot that. And that was something that I learned. It's like, all right, so if I get somewhere, like, my job is to tell the younger kids, you know, how they're going to try to come in. That's how they fuck you.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah.

[Bill Burr]

They don't care about. They can get a hooker anytime they want or whatever the hell they want. They're trying to take your ideas and get the money. They got all kinds of stuff they have. Like, you remember back in the day, there was, like, points on a show, how many points you had. And they literally invented points that didn't mean. So you would be. You got 40 points. I only got 30. But mine mean something. Yours don't mean anything. It's. The whole thing is. Yeah. Like, here's one for you. It's way harder to prove somebody stole from you than defamation of character. Figure that one out. So that basically protects the thief. So when somebody steals from you, I can't then go around town and say, this guy stole from me. Stay away from him, blah, blah. If that gets back to him, he can sue me and he can just come up with the phony cost report. Well, this mouse was $30,000, and this was 15, and whittle down what he stole and they get away with it. Had that experience.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Will it ever be fair? Will there ever be.

[Bill Burr]

No. Because human beings are completely flawed and it's God's fault because that's how he makes us. So you need to stop going on Sunday praising Him. You need constructive criticism. Jesus Christ. No, I just don't let people freak out. Freak out when you start making fun of. Go uncomfortable.

[Angela Yee]

All right, Billboard, thank you for joining us.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I'm down to hear you. I'm down to hear it out.

[Angela Yee]

All right.

[Bill Burr]

No, I just. It's just an astoundingly, like, not even dumb, just not having empathy, which is the first level of intelligence is if you can't take yourself out of yourself and look at somebody else, see this situation and hear it, that there's. There's just a level of life and living life, you're not going to get past. You're just not going to get past. And also, they got to stop naming stuff. Deliberately confusing, like white privilege. Every white person I knew was like, I didn't grow up rich. That's how we took that shit. I don't know why, I don't know who names the shit. But, like, I didn't know what it meant. I was like, what are you talking about? I grew up in a duplex with fucking squirrels.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

So what would you call it?

[Bill Burr]

What would I call white privilege? No, I would. That's a good question. I don't. Being white. I don't know. I don't know. I'm not, I'm not good at this, like, coming up with band names and shit like that. But, like, I, it's. I didn't love, like, like, it meant how you, like, move through the earth, through the world, right? So one of the things I've been kind of having fun with in the red states is talking about the Klan. And now there's all this stuff you can't do anymore, but you can still join that group. But I go, that's a great example of white privilege. You can grow up, you can still join a terrorist organization as a white person and it's protected on the other, freedom of speech. And they start saying, well, you know, I don't want to do the whole bit because I want to flesh this thing out for. But they sit there and then that's one of the most fun things about doing standup is going to a place like that and doing some stuff like that and getting them to hear it and then going to LA and kind of doing like the same thing because they think. People in Hollywood think that you just put a BLM sign in the window and that means you're like a saint and it's like, you haven't done anything. What you basically did was appeased your sense of responsibility. What are you talking about? I put A sign in the window, I'm on the right side of history. Or my favorite one was, it was white people marching in BLM marches, filming themselves or Instagram, like, look what a great person I am. So it's just like, I don't know. I don't know. I. Human beings are interesting.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Is there comedy to be found in this year's election?

[Bill Burr]

I mean, the joke I've been doing, like, this election is like, you know, when Hollywood makes a shitty movie, you're like, man, that movie sucked. And then two years later, this is like a sequel. And you're like, they're making another one of these. Yeah, yeah, that's how I look at this. I think basically, it's not worth the job's not worth the headache. And I think that the House and the Senate basically voting that you can't prosecute us for insider trading, and they're all worth 20 to 40 million dollars. And you watch CNN and Fox News, you know, who are supposed to be these journalists. Just completely leave them alone. It's like, why do I want that job? I can just sit here. No one knows who I am, other than in my state. I can make my 40 million move to another state. No one knows who I am. You know, get a boat and some coke and some whores and I'm good, right? Like, that's like. That's how like, they look at it. Like CNN and Fox. If I was running shit, CNN and Fox News would be shut down. They are. They are anti American. All they do every day, their business is to divide us and then who they go after, they just go after. The reason why comedians have been getting so much shit is because we don't advertise on their. Their network. So we're just soft targets, right? That's why at the beginning of the pandemic, remember that kid who. He hoarded all the hand sanitizer, One of the greatest fucking gambles ever, because they always. SARS is coming. And all of this shit. This kid said, all right, I think this stuff is real. And he had a whole garage full of hand sanitizer, and he was upping the price by 100% and seeing, ah, they were just dragging this kid. How could you? How could you do that? And then meanwhile, like big pharmaceutical companies, it's like 460 bucks for a leukemia pill. And that's totally fine. Why is that fine? Because they're making money off them. So they're not gonna, like, you know, bite the hand that feeds. So this is the shit that, like, you think about when you're alone a lot on the road and it eventually makes you go crazy. So I just, I have decided what I just sort of like. I don't pay attention to like anything. I try not to, but then when I do it's like heartbreaking. Like there's a documentary about the Ukraine that came out, won an Oscar and I just saw the trailers. I just to watch. Most heartbreaking thing you've ever seen?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah. It's almost like ignorance is bliss, right? Like that's what you realize. The less you know, the happier you are.

[Bill Burr]

Yeah. No. Or like I don't know. Yeah, it's weird. It's weird. And then dumb people think they know everything. Let me show you how this works. I got it all figured out. Yeah. So that's what I realized. Yeah. I don't know.

[Angela Yee]

Does cancel culture scare you at all? Does that make you change your set? You see a lot of comedians change the set, change how they talk, change what they talk about.

[Bill Burr]

Well, that was something that like most movements started with something good, you know, and then was quickly co opted by people with their own interest and then it just completely lost its way and like.

[Angela Yee]

Is it good though? Because medians were usually the ones that. Well, I think talk about everything, make you laugh, you know.

[Bill Burr]

But if there was people. No, the initial thing that there's these people out there sexually abusing people like that was good to get rid of those people, that wasn't bad. But then all of a sudden it spun.

[Angela Yee]

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[Bill Burr]

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[Charlamagne Tha God]

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[Angela Yee]

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[Charlamagne Tha God]

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[Bill Burr]

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[Charlamagne Tha God]

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[Bill Burr]

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[Charlamagne Tha God]

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[Bill Burr]

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[Charlamagne Tha God]

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[Bill Burr]

What are you talking about in your act? You know, I worked with an actor. She got, she got canceled for an analogy. And it was all politics. The girl on Star wars, it was. She didn't want to get the. She didn't want to get the COVID shot. And then she made some sort of Nazi Germany analogy, right?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Oh, that'll do it.

[Bill Burr]

Well, no, it'll do if it goes against the politics. If it went across, if she was coming the other way, if she was coming like the other way, then I don't think it doesn't land that way. Because I gotta be honest with you, like, Hitler and Nazi analogies and comedy are like, are. Are hacky. It's forever been this guy's the next Hitler or something like that. So, you know, like, I don't know. It's so. It's, it's, it's. I kind of like, didn't really notice it was happening, that I was kind of on stage going like, oh, I just said that. What if somebody just takes that clip? And I didn't realize I was doing that till I did. Dave Chappelle was doing Covid shows. And I went there and nobody had a phone. And just the freedom of that. Not like I was going to go up and say something ignorant, but just not having to worry about that when they were really kind of coming for people. Because I think it's like, died down. But there was a while it just seemed like they had to throw a log on the fire every month and eat whether they had somebody or not.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

And the wrong Nazi Germany Hitler reference will get you in any error.

[Bill Burr]

I. Look, it's all. It depends on your intent. It depends on your intent. I did Nazi jokes when I was in Germany, and they would die and laugh because it was just like, give us one. What was it? I was just talking about all their accomplishments. I go, you know what's amazing about you guys? You know, all the accomplishments you made, you know, with the automobile, you know, weaponry, audio tape. I just was listing all their accomplishments. I go, and then you just pick one wrong guy. And it all goes to hell. And I just started talking about it's true. Yeah, because. And then they filmed it, so they can't refute it. Oh, that was a joke. I was Doing. Yeah. How Germany, they actually have shame for what they did. And it's not cause they're better white people, it's because they're oppressed. People won. They have to acknowledge it.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Denazification, though, that is. That's what that was. Yeah, it was them having shame for what they did and, you know, cleaning everything up.

[Bill Burr]

I find Neo, like, Neo Nazis are fascinating to me because, like, they're all like the support the troops people and they're like neo Nazis. And it's like, well, you know, the troops were fighting the Nazis. Like just how all of that gets blurred after time. It's weird.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Nah, that one little piece you just said, Neo Nazis are fascinating to me. Yeah, clip that. Throw it on Twitter.

[Bill Burr]

Oh, yeah, there it is.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You have a field day.

[Bill Burr]

I find them intriguing.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

How big of a deal is it now for a comedian to have a special?

[Bill Burr]

Yeah, I still think it's. It's a. To have a good one. If you have a. Whatever one. It's. I don't know what it's going to do for you, but I'm old school. I still like. I'm like one of those, you know, the guys now in, in your business, they just make singles and stuff like that. So that's starting to become that, like, have a special, chop it up. That's what the younger kids are doing. I'm still of the. I'm still making albums, so I don't know if that's stupid or whatever, but that's, that's how I do it. But I, I'm also of the belief that, like, as long as you're doing quality, people are gonna come and see you.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah. And staying consistent.

[Bill Burr]

This feels like a comedy TED Talk. These are very in depth questions our.

[Angela Yee]

Listeners want to know.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I'm enjoying it.

[Angela Yee]

And I was performing at Fenway Park.

[Bill Burr]

Oh, that was one of those things that was so big, like, I don't think I even mentally dealt it with it until like two years after I did it.

[Angela Yee]

35,000 people.

[Bill Burr]

Yeah, something like that. I felt like I was in Led Zeppelin. They had a police escort. We drove into the thing. You know, what's good is I was there for a week because I got family up there, so I always go back in the summer.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

And you got a family up there?

[Bill Burr]

I have family. Like relatives? No, no, no. I've lived a lot of lives. It's a waitress early on in my career. We're in a good place now. No, I was. And I was walking around town and people, hey, man, you know, good Luck on the show, you know, blah, blah. So I kind of felt like the city was behind me, which was another thing to like have to like think about. So yeah, I went up there and what I didn't realize is like, they've so perfected the sound and the screens and everything was just like this giant comedy club and you're always killing me. People kept going, like, just make sure you take it all in when you're up there. Just make sure, you know, you take a moment for yourself. It's like, this is comedy. I can't do that. The second I take a moment for myself, I'm immediately bombing. So what I kept doing was during bigger laughs was just looking out over home plate where it said Fenway Park. And that was. That just. It was mind blowing. And. Yeah, and then we got. They let us hang up in right field smoking cigars and we might. My family, we used to always get tickets, the blue seats up in right field. So I was kind of up there. It was really. Yeah, that was something. So that was. That was a one time only. Because they're like, you want to do it again? It's like, no, no. I don't think there's any point to go back.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

A lot of requests for tickets.

[Bill Burr]

Oh. From people. You know, it wasn't that bad. It wasn't that bad. You know, it was. Was nerve wracking though. Was my high school reunion also was there? No, they just decided to go to the show and that. And it's just like. That's just like a weird thing where like when I meet people from high school, like, you know, I had a really cool class so like I'm still the person I was and so are they. It's just I'm doing this weird thing. So that was kind of. I had to block that out a little bit. Right. To be like, you know, all those girls you were afraid to talk to. You go back to being like, you know, little Billy redheaded kid in like 9th grade. So I had to like, okay, I gotta block this out and do my job.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You just done on them a little bit.

[Bill Burr]

Nah, my time to do that, I blew it and I just accepted. I took the loss and I kept moving forward. I don't do. I don't go back.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah, yeah.

[Bill Burr]

No.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You married, right?

[Bill Burr]

Yeah.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

To a black woman, if I'm not mistaken.

[Bill Burr]

Yeah.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

How does that happen?

[Bill Burr]

How does that happen?

[Angela Yee]

How does that happen?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

A white guy from.

[Bill Burr]

I watched like, you know, I watched diffrent Strokes growing up and I had a crush on Janet Jackson. How does that happen?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Where'd you meet her?

[Bill Burr]

First time I met her, I was with her dad who was booking the Apollo. So I was doing Showtime at the Apollo and she was standing out back.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Oh, she's black. Black.

[Bill Burr]

So I was standing out back. They never had any light skinned black people at the Apollo. It was. My wife is gorgeous. She's gorgeous. So that was one thing. But I. I didn't really. I. I was, I came. I was coming up the back stairs and someone was getting booed. And I just remember thinking, like, why am I doing this? I didn't need to do this. This all started with like that Patrice shit, where he was always, you know, fucking with you. So he was like, you have a good set. And he would just. And then he started talking about talents, room, talent, Wills room around the corner saying that, you know, there's a bunch of comics over there that 10 times funnier than all you white guys and da, da, da, da, da. And, you know, so it kind of felt like, all right. He was like, I just won a championship. And somebody saying, oh, there's some guys across the way that could kick your ass. They're not allowed in the league. So it's like, all right, I got to go play him. So I started doing those rooms and then that led. And then I was thinking, like, well, this would be great. I'll do the black rooms. I'll also do the white rooms. And then I can get that. Draw that crowd that I heard on those Richard Pryor albums. Didn't happen, but I ended up doing the Apollo. And that's where I met her. But I met her again on Tough Crowd. She was doing Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn, and we kind of hit it off. And I remember I just kept asking her out and she just kept being a jerk. And right as I was. Typical woman. Right the second I was like, you know what? The hell with her. The hell with her. Ended up running into her. And then all of a sudden she was like, really nice. And we were hanging out. Oh, my God, this guy was blocking me so bad that night on such an epic level.

[Angela Yee]

Don't blame him, obviously.

[Bill Burr]

No, it's because. No, it gets. If it'd be. No, why? What do you mean?

[Angela Yee]

I mean, because she's so beautiful that you understand why he would come.

[Bill Burr]

No, that's not why he was doing. Okay, I got it. No, now you don't have all the information.

[Angela Yee]

Okay, okay, give me information.

[Bill Burr]

Is this guy's advocating. It's like, how did you get that Chair advocating that? No, he was doing it because he was miserable in his own relationship. So, like, he saw me, like, and it was like, you know, it was like fireworks. Like, we just, like.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I mean, love at first sight, basically.

[Bill Burr]

Yeah. Like, I've only met two people that had, like, a vibe like her in my life. And the first one was a dude. He was just. So that wasn't happening. Wasn't you type? No, he was like, no. Just walked in the room, you know, and he just knew the person was coming in the room. She has that vibe. Right? So hold on.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You gotta clear that up. I wanna be clear about it. You didn't date the guy or nothing?

[Bill Burr]

No, I'm just.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I just wanna make sure.

[Bill Burr]

When are black people gonna let go of this homophobia? You always gotta check, like, what are you doing? But you have manicured eyebrows. Like, I'm gonna sit here and act like you're all good over there. Like you don't swing a leg over the fence every once in a while. Wait a minute. Yeah, yeah. You got sandals on and white socks. You look like you just came from a steam room.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah.

[Bill Burr]

No, I just mean, like. Like, I. I always paid attention to energy because my energy was terrible. I was, like, all introverted and blah, blah, blah, blah. So I was fascinated with people that were just free. So that's what I meant. Okay, we're gonna go back to sucking dick for a show again, guys. A one trick pony over here. So we go. We go to, like, hang out, right? No. So we're, like, vibing and everything. And I literally had to say to the dude, he was like, a chick. I had to be like, hey, man, sorry, I'm not paying attention to you. That's how they fucking was. I was just like, you know, I'm hitting it off with him. I think this is going all right, right? So the end of the night comes the end of the standup show. And he just comes walking over. He goes. He just goes, so you guys want to go get something to eat?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Right?

[Bill Burr]

And he invites her and everybody. Now I'm at this fucking table, and there was like, you know, 10 other people there. And he's all the way down the end and he's still, like, yelling down shit. Trying to interrupt any of my talking to her. I think. I mean, so long ago. I just remember one point, the check came and I didn't have any money, so I said, I'll put. Just give me the cash. I'll put it on my card. He's like, oh, he's just trying to get the miles. Like, that's. Like, that's how he was doing it, right? So everybody goes to leave. And now it's just, oh, no, no, no. It was the middle of the dinner, right? Or whatever the fuck we were doing, the block dinner, right? And I finally just look at her. I just give up, right? Because he won't shut the fuck up. And I finally just looked at her. I go, can I at least split a cab with your home? So she does that female thing. Why do you want to split a cab with me? And I just said, fuck it. All right? I was just thinking. I go, because I want to kiss you. So she put her head down and smiled. And I was like, I gotta. This guy. So I let him do all his. Everybody leaves except for him, me, and. Who's gonna become my future wife. And he literally goes. He goes, nia. He goes, where do you live? What do you live? Do you live uptown? And she goes, yeah, I live up too. He goes, you want to split a cab? He's trying to leave with her. And she goes, no, I'm taking a ride home. I'm riding home with Bill. He's going like, oh, no. But I live up. He was so in his shit. He was so in his. Like, he didn't. She just said, I'm not gonna say his name. She went, so? And so I'm splitting a cab with Bill, and I. I have to. I didn't have to say. I just stood there. And then he. He left. And it was funny.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

And the rest.

[Bill Burr]

I don't talk to him for four days, and he calls me up. He's like, hey, what's going on? Like, nothing. What's up? He's like, so, like, what, you're not gonna. You didn't call me because you thought I was cockblocking you the other night? I'm like, you were. He goes, no, I wasn't. I'm like, why did you bring it up? That was the end of that friendship, you know? I just don't have time. I don't have time for that.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah, yeah.

[Bill Burr]

You know what I mean? And plus, it was also kind of teetering anyways, you know, it was obvious, too.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

It's like, yeah, your. Your woman failed. The WNBA joke is one of the greatest social commentaries ever.

[Bill Burr]

Yeah, thank you.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I really. I mean, I'm.

[Bill Burr]

I'm just. I'm saying. Yes, I appreciate that.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

How did you get. How did you get to that conclusion?

[Bill Burr]

I was watching espn and they were blaming. They were talking about, like, Female sports not getting money and stuff like that and all of that. And, like, he's just being in entertainment. It's like you have to put asses in the seats, and that's what brings the money in. So there was a point where, you know, professional football wasn't doing as well as college football. And these guys just kept working it and working it till it became like, what it was. And, you know, there's more women than there are men. So, like, this is not on us that women's sports, the very least, aren't being supported. So they're not being supported because you guys aren't showing up. So that was the seed of the bit. And I, I always forget my material. I forget how you pointed to what.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

What actually is successful that women support.

[Bill Burr]

Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Yeah.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Reality tv.

[Bill Burr]

Yeah. Which is a bunch of women yelling at each other.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah. And fighting.

[Bill Burr]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Throwing juice and drinks and water.

[Bill Burr]

Yeah. My wife likes those shows.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Have you seen the Texas. The former Texans. Funny, that plays for the Steelers now. Cameron Johnson. And they are they. When the headline says, Steeler signed Bill Burr look alike.

[Bill Burr]

Oh, yeah, I've seen that guy. That's scary.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah, that's scary.

[Bill Burr]

Yeah, I concur. That guy does definitely look like me. Would have been cooler if he was a quarterback.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

But that shows how popular you are, correct?

[Bill Burr]

Oh, yeah. I guess so. I don't think any of that shit.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Really.

[Bill Burr]

Yeah. No. That's the end of you. That's the end of you. You start walking around these. I, I don't know. I, I actually, I kind of appreciate people that feel that way about themselves. And also, I don't understand it, but I mean, when you're standing there, those people see that with their shirt blowing in front of a fan, in front of their own audience. That is hilarious to me.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I don't think you go that far. But when you think about your home. Why not?

[Bill Burr]

You got the sandals on. I could see you doing that, blowing your hoodie around. I'm just gonna do it to you before you do it to me. How many times have you washed that sweatshirt, by the way?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

That looks new.

[Bill Burr]

Is it?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah.

[Bill Burr]

It looks like a white guy sweatshirt. Threw it in with the towels or something. Bleach. Okay. Oh, it's tie dye.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah. But when you think about your humble beginnings and then you think about Fenway park, like, you got to take that in a little bit. Like, I came a long way.

[Bill Burr]

At least I, I, I did. I did. But, like, I get. I'm too afraid to. That's basically what it is. I'm too afraid to look at what I'm doing in situations like that because I need to perform. So if I get all into the, you know, start thinking of the magnitude of something. I just literally saw Kevin Hart's picture on the door. Man. It's one of my favorite people in the business.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah. Kevin bought, he used to buy us chairs. So that's why we have him sitting in that chair, because he bought for the old studio. He bought all the chairs.

[Bill Burr]

He's one of my favorite people. All I do, our whole relationship is just giving each other. I don't think I've ever had an actual conversation anyway. Yeah, I don't, I don't think of stuff like that. So I, I, I minimize, minimize, minimize, minimize. So. Because I had horrible anxiety when I started out. Yeah. So I had to figure out how to get. The only way I could figure out how to get it past it was to look at the stuff that I was doing and act like it wasn't a big deal, just a job. They come in here, they get sitters and pay, you know, money to come here. I come here, I make them laugh. They leave. Hopefully they come back. And I just sort of reduce it to that. And then, I don't know. Then I come on a show like this, and you start bringing stuff up. And that's when I think. That's when I first start thinking about them.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Look at me.

[Bill Burr]

I'm getting uncomfortable now. Look at that.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You're ready to go.

[Bill Burr]

Bill's ready to go. No, I'm not ready. No. Just thinking, talking about that shit, that all comes back also comes back to, like, just like, I don't know, this weird, like, low self esteem, and then also, like, not accepting compliments. I haven't figured that part of me out.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Imposter syndrome.

[Bill Burr]

Oh, my God. 100%. 100%. First time. Yeah. I always, like. That's the thought that I. Every time I get off stage, my thought is, did I make them laugh enough that they're gonna come back? And I. Club Soda Kenny. I always like. He, like, reassures me. Club Soda Kenny is my club soda candy. What'd you say, Kenny? Kenny. Oh, Kenny. See, now I'm suspicious of you. Now you're talking about Sweets. I'm just doing it back to you. Club Soda Kenny, legendary former police officer, tour manager and security guy. This, he's like, I made it. I made a short film with him.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Okay.

[Bill Burr]

I got, I got to put it up on your, your website. So he's the guy, when I get off stage, he's, you know, works with Dice. He's worked with everybody. And so he knows. And he's also, you know, he's a cop. Jersey guy. You know, he talks like this, like, straight shooter. He's not going to be like, no, that was a good one. That was good. Blah, blah, blah. And then, you know, if I get the pat on the back, I know I had a good one. So, yeah, that. That is my thought. I don't walk off stage, you know. Oh, God, I'm not gonna use that reference. That'll start some shit. I don't walk off stage thinking I'm the shit. I walk off stage thinking, I. I hope that was good enough, that they come back. So.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Well, that was crazy because I. I'm literally still starstruck. Just like, remember when I just walked past the room and I was like, oh, shit, Bill. Where's Bill Burr? How you doing? And he was just looking like, hey, what's up? Like, not at all like, oh, yeah, you know, I am that guy. You know, it was just real, real cool. And the first time you made me laugh was racial drafts. The Dave Chappelle skit that you did when it came out. But I watched it. Cause I was a big fan of Chappelle's show. And then every special.

[Bill Burr]

That was one of the coolest things. First really cool thing that I ever got on where it was like, I got this experience like Beatlemania. And I only did, like, most of you. Listen is probably like, who the hell were you on that? First of all, I had hair, and I only did, like, you know, four or five.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

He was a commentator.

[Bill Burr]

Yeah. So I remember I was at this thing, Bonnaroo. You guys ever heard of Bonnaroo? Oh, you have? All right, okay. So Bonnaroo is like this sort of, you know, this. This music festival in Nashville. It was one of the early years of. It was a lot of jam bands. It was some really, like, earthy, smelly, white people sort of out in the field type of thing. Not. Not a city kid vibe. So it was pretty white. Not country white, but damn close. And the lights went down. And I was seeing, like, this. This band. What the hell are they called? Praxis. Like, Brain was on drums, Bernie Worrell, sort of this offshoot thing. Band. And the lights went down. It was like 10,000 people in this tent. And the lights went down, and they're waiting for the band. And I just heard this dude just go, what? And then somebody else on the other side Yell. Yeah. And then somebody else yelled, okay. I got like, goosebumps. And it was like. It was like right when it was. I think it was right after Rick James sketch had already, like, blown up. And I saw, like, how big this show was on, I couldn't believe it. And there was like, comedians were telling me going, dude, that show you're on is fucking blowing up. I just did a college gig and like, say it came on at like 10 o'clock or something like that on Comedy Central. And their show was at 9:30. Like, they would be doing a show, trying to do an hour at 10 o'clock, like 5 or 10. Half the crowd would just get up and leave. And he'd be like, you know, thinking, what did I say? Well, we're gonna go watch the Chappelle Show. I don't know if anything gets that big again with. With. Yeah. All of this media. But it was like when everybody brings up, you know, the Rick James one and. And all of that, I will tell you this, the Law and Order sketch that I was in, the first cut of that, I think Comedy Central thought was too dark. Oh, my God, it was like. It was like a Oscar winning movie because it was hilarious. And then it was like when the white dude was in prison in the end, the way they did it. And they cut to Dave laughing on the golf course. It wasn't funny. It was like, this is what you do to us. It was. It was like, wow. Southern common sense. Like, oh, you know, we think there's a different ending. Bring it a little bit. Like, there was a. That was another thing too. I remember they used to edit it right up the street from where I was living. And I remember Neil Brennan going, you gotta. You gotta come see this shit. And I got to see them, the Rick James sketch before anybody else. And I remember laughing my ass off. And that just became a point. I stopped laughing and I was just like, this is like. I've never seen anything like this in my life. Yeah. So I was probably the first. Kind of still like the. One of the coolest things I got to be on. I met Charlie Murphy. Yeah. Rest his soul.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

He's up there, too. We got him up there, up there in the corner.

[Bill Burr]

Oh, yeah.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yep.

[Bill Burr]

Oh, man, the stories that went with that guy. Yeah, he had. Oh, my God, his stories. He had endless. He told this story one time, and it was all stuff from the 80s. It would be so like, yo, yo, I was at this party. It was me, Sugar Ray Leonard and Punky Brewster, right? What party? Is this. It was just all these, like, 80s icons, right? Then he was talking about Sugar Ray Leonard being drunk, talking about how quickly he could throw punches at your ribs and not hit you. And he said that these white guys were letting him do it. He was drunk, and he kept hitting him, and they would fold in half. And he was crying, laughing, telling. And I was going, why the fuck would they do. I don't know. That's the nicer one. I can tell.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

So that's the funny thing about Chappelle. When you look at Chappelle now, you rewatch it. You'll see you. You'll see Joe Rogan, you'll see Neil Brennan, you'll see all of these people who have gone on to be, you know, icons on their own right now. Yeah.

[Bill Burr]

Dave gave me one of. One of the greatest pep talks I ever got. I ever got. Like, it's funny because I'm older than Dave, but Dave started so young. I always look at him like an older bro, right? And I was doing some shit at the Cellar, you know, and I got off stage and he was sitting on the stairs. Fortunately, I didn't know he was there. I would. At that point in my career, I would have been, like, intimidated, somebody that big watching me. And I remember him telling me, he's like, man, your point of view was so dope, man. And he goes, it's gonna. But it's gonna take you a lot longer to get there, but when you do, you're gonna hit hard. And I. Dude, I fucking held onto that for, like, seven years on the road, going, dave thinks I'm funny. Dave thinks I'm funny. Yeah, he was right.

[Angela Yee]

That's right.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah.

[Angela Yee]

All right, Bill Birdman, thank you for joining us.

[Bill Burr]

All right. Thank you for having me. You guys were nice. Everybody got me all nervous like, you guys. Let's not go. Why? Let's not go. Why? You know why. You know why.

[Angela Yee]

It ain't over yet.

[Bill Burr]

I'll be honest with you. I listened. I listened to one clip, and I shut it off after eight seconds. You.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

What clip was it?

[Bill Burr]

Somebody said something like, well, you know, sometimes. Sometimes I. Whatever the hell he was talking about, and I just hear you go, why would you do that? Just going like, oh, shit, is it going to be this? No.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Because Larry King always says the best question to ask is why? Because people say. And I really do be curious. I'm like, well, why? Why is always the best question.

[Bill Burr]

Isn't that's a better? Yeah, it's a better why Your why wasn't that wasn't the read.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Go. Go back and watch some of the other shit.

[Bill Burr]

It was like the. The subtext was, why the would you do that? Well, it's the same.

[Angela Yee]

Sounds like him.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Depends.

[Bill Burr]

No, it isn't. No, it isn't.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

But.

[Bill Burr]

No, I had a good time. Hey, there's my insecurity. I hope you have me back.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You'd love to know that there's a lot of people I know that, that hold you in very, very high regard. The young comedians, older comedians, like Pete Davidson always talks about you all the time. Ricky Gervais.

[Bill Burr]

Oh, yeah, Pete. I remember. Pete was another guy. He had that vibe. He was just memorable. I met him, he was like 12, 13 years old, already as tall as me. And I remember years later, he started doing Stanley. Four years later, he goes, I don't know if you remember. I just. I remember I said atlantic City. You were standing there with your mom, so.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

All right.

[Bill Burr]

How many times we gonna wrap this up?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

That's it.

[Bill Burr]

I think it's done. All right. Thank you so much. I really appreciate what you said.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Bill Burr.

[Bill Burr]

All right. Thank you.

[Angela Yee]

It's the Breakfast Club. Good morning.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Wake that ass up early in the morning. The Breakfast Club.

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[Charlamagne Tha God]

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[Bill Burr]

You're living all in.

[Angela Yee]

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[Bill Burr]

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[Charlamagne Tha God]

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[Bill Burr]

Hey meta.

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[Bill Burr]

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[Angela Yee]

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[Bill Burr]

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[Charlamagne Tha God]

Peace to the planet. I go by the name of Charlamagne Tha God and I want to introduce you to Uber Teen Accounts. A connected account for your teen with trackable trips and highly rated drivers. Now I am the father of a 16 year old daughter so I need things like Uber Teen. Okay? Your teen can feel a sense of independence and you can feel a sense of relief. You can follow their entire ride on a live tracking map. Perfect for those times when you want to be there but can't. When your teen requests a trip, they are matched with highly rated and experienced drivers and you receive real time notifications. Every trip comes with enhanced safety features. Pin verification to ensure your teen enters the right vehicle. Live trip tracking for parents plus you the parent can contact the driver directly from the app. Add your teen to your account today. Available in select locations. See app for details.

[Angela Yee]

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[Bill Burr]

Happy holidays.

[Angela Yee]

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