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TCB Infomercial: Drew Lynch

The Commercial Break

Tue Sep 23 2025

Summary

The Commercial Break – TCB Infomercial: Drew Lynch

Date: September 23, 2025
Hosts: Brian Green & Chris (Chrissy) Hoadley
Guest: Drew Lynch, comedian & "America's Got Talent" finalist
Theme: Honest conversation about adversity, comedy, stuttering, psychedelic healing, and finding community in crisis—with plenty of TCB’s signature improv humor.

Episode Overview

This episode of The Commercial Break welcomes comedian Drew Lynch for a conversation that beautifully blends comedy, deep vulnerability, and a surprising amount of existential philosophy. Lynch, best known as a finalist on Season 10 of America’s Got Talent, discusses everything from his journey with a neurological stutter and career in comedy, to a life-altering event at a recent show, and his explorations with psychedelic therapy.

The host duo, Bryan and Chrissy, lean into Drew’s candor, resulting in an episode that alternates between laugh-out-loud punchlines and profound moments of honesty about fear, healing, and connection.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Drew Lynch’s Origin & The Stutter

[05:59] Injury and Stutter Origin:
- Bryan discusses his kinship with Drew as a fellow stutterer, though Drew’s was triggered by a softball accident that caused neurological injury, rather than childhood speech disorder.
- Both reflect on the difficulty of growing up with a stutter and the pressure to "perfect" communication, especially when it's unhideable.
Honesty in Comedy:
- Drew’s openness about his stutter and mental health is not just refreshing but has contributed to his popularity.
  - “Drew puts it all out there. It's like, you know, refreshingly out there.” (Bryan, [07:20])
  - The discussion pokes fun at the trend of “realness” on social media versus genuine vulnerability.

2. The Spokane Incident & Community Response

[13:24] Life-and-Death at a Comedy Show:
- Drew recounts a harrowing incident at a Spokane show: a man in the audience suffered a heart attack. Audience members—including nurses—mobilized instantly, performing CPR and coordinating emergency help.
- Drew reflects on the beauty and efficiency of strangers uniting in crisis, stripping away ego or identity in “operating table” silence.
  - “Everybody just kind of put all that aside…and so when they revived him…it was one of the most awe-inspiring things I’ve ever witnessed. Just the beauty of a community coming together.” (Drew, [15:39])
Aftermath & Empathy:
- Drew went to the hospital to visit the man—Dick, who turned out to be a longtime speech therapist—and brought him his walker, signing it before delivering it.
- The family’s gratitude, and Dick’s story, deeply affected Drew, reinforcing his sense of hope and the potential for good in humanity.
Transcending Differences:
- Drew notes that his audience is diverse, and in that moment, all backgrounds and squabbles evaporated into collective action and care.
  - “The fact that everybody just kind of put all that together just for humanity’s sake was very, very special to witness.” (Drew, [19:33])

3. Vulnerability, Adversity, and the Role of Comedy

[23:48] Connecting over Adversity:
- Drew confirms many fans approach him after shows, sharing that his openness has helped them embrace their own struggles—be it speech, physical, mental, or emotional.
- He emphasizes that “everybody has something,” and his aim isn’t self-pity, but to make the adversity visible and relatable.
  - “I always want to be transparent about whatever’s going on with me…not as ‘woe is me,’ but just to show you I’m human.” (Drew, [26:01])
  - On vulnerability: “For whatever reason, that's actually been one of the things that's helped me the most about stuttering—is just by saying I'm afraid. I'm afraid right now.” (Drew, [26:26])
Host Reflections:
- Bryan is visibly moved:
  - “You gave me chills when you said, ‘I’m scared.’ … If we were a little more vulnerable in that way…maybe the world would be just a little bit of a softer place.” (Bryan, [27:04])

4. Comedy Roots, Process, and The Grind

[28:11] Family, Acting, and Standup:
- Drew describes his family’s Midwest humor—“just thrown away type comments”—and his foundation in acting and love of dialogue, especially plays (Mamet, Tennessee Williams, Neil Simon).
- The transition to standup was necessitated when his stutter prevented further acting opportunities after his injury.
The Reality of Touring:
- The "glamorous" life of a standup comic is unpacked: the exhausting and often isolating travel grind, and the need to be your own “terrible employer” in a social-media-driven, multi-hat world.
  - “You’re really paying us to leave. That’s what you're paying for. We'll perform anywhere. It’s the travel… that's the hassle.” (Drew, [32:15])
  - Balancing work and play has become a priority for Drew more recently; early on, he worked himself to exhaustion to validate his injury and success.

5. Grounding, Healing, and Psychedelics

[35:27] Coping Mechanisms:
- The conversation turns playful as Drew lists his “grounding” activities—watching Housewives, socks off, glass of chardonnay—but both he and Bryan admit to deeper holistic approaches, including mushroom cacao ceremonies and ayahuasca.
- They share stories of psychedelic healing for trauma, loss of control, and even self-worth—a candid discussion rarely heard in mainstream comedy podcasts.
[40:18] DMT Journey & Existential Healing:
- Drew reveals he tried DMT at a low point, feeling it was "either quitting comedy or quitting life or this."
  - “That's how desperate I was. Because the idea of relinquishing control in a way that meant I would have to completely throw myself into the most uncontrolled...was absolutely indicative of what it was like going through that.” (Drew, [40:18])
- The experience led to setbacks—his stuttering worsened temporarily, only to resurface valuable lessons about non-attachment, surrender, and "not caring about controlling everything."
  - “You can't think your way out of a situation where your brain is the culprit. ... You almost have to relinquish that control somehow.” (Drew, [42:34])
The Power—and Terror—of Psychedelics:
- Bryan marvels at Drew diving directly into DMT:
  - “I really appreciate how big your balls must be to go from no psychedelic experience straight to DMT. That is fucking intense.” (Bryan, [45:48])
- Shared conclusion: letting go of control is central to healing and managing stuttering—their psychedelic experiences underlined this truth powerfully.

6. “Banana” Chair, The Studio & Tour

[48:17] Nana Talk:
- On a lighter note, Drew explains the meaning behind the banana-shaped chair in his podcast studio. “Banana” is a tough word for him to say, so he defaults to “nana”—and it's become both practical and an inside joke.
[50:01] In-Person or At Home:
- Drew records his podcast from home, sometimes giving out his address to guests (“I give out my address freely…well, not through Atlanta traffic!”).
[51:17] New Special & Upcoming Shows:
- Drew’s new YouTube special, “The Stuttering Comedian,” provides a definitive look at his journey with stuttering—from origin to rehabilitation, and its relation to comedy and mental health.
- His "never-ending tour" continues mostly fall through spring, taking summers off for personal time and revitalization—which he likens to childhood summers off from school.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Awe at community in crisis
- “It was like an operating table…no egos, no identities. Everybody just put all that aside…It was one of the most awe-inspiring things I've ever witnessed.” (Drew, [15:39])
Vulnerability as strength
- “For whatever reason, that’s been one of the things that’s helped me the most about stuttering—just by saying, ‘I’m afraid. I’m afraid right now.’” (Drew, [26:26])
On the grind of comedy
- “You’re really paying us to leave…It's the travel that is just such the hassle.” (Drew, [32:15])
On psychedelic surrender
- “You can't think your way out of a situation where your brain is the culprit. … You have to almost relinquish that control.” (Drew, [42:34])
On diving into DMT
- “I was just at a place where I just can’t do this anymore. Something else needs to change.” (Drew, [40:18])
- “I really appreciate how big your balls must be to go from no psychedelic experience straight to DMT.” (Bryan, [45:48])
On authenticity and not controlling narrative
- “I think I’m a really good employee. I think I’m a terrible employer.” (Drew, [35:06])

Timestamps for Key Segments

[01:30] – Drew’s opening joke about never mentioning his stutter
[05:59] – Bryan discusses his own stutter; Drew’s origin story
[13:24] – Drew describes audience member’s heart attack, audience response
[19:33] – Community, hope, and transcending backgrounds
[23:48] – Stutterers, adversity, and connecting to audience
[26:26] – On saying, “I’m scared,” and the power of vulnerability
[28:11] – Acting roots, transition to standup
[31:59] – The grind of comedy and the business of being funny
[35:27] – Grounding, Housewives, and psychedelic healing
[40:18] – DMT, ayahuasca, trauma, and letting go of control
[48:17] – “Banana” chair origin story
[51:17] – New YouTube special, touring schedule
[53:58] – Bryan’s praise: “You are adding a little light to this universe.”

Tone & Language

Conversational, irreverent, and self-aware. The hosts joke about their own financial woes, banter about “zenith” vocabulary, but aren’t afraid to dig deep—even asking comedians about trauma and healing. Drew matches their tone, blending quick-witted comedy with open, heartfelt responses. Jokes and tangents abound, but never at the expense of honesty.

Closing Thoughts

This episode stands out for its rare blend of serious, even spiritual, honesty and breezy, offbeat humor. Drew Lynch’s willingness to discuss subjects like vulnerability, trauma, and radical healing—without suppressing the comedy—makes for an engaging listen both for fans and newcomers. The message is clear: it’s okay to be scared, it’s okay (and essential) to let go of control, and even in chaotic or divided times, community can shine through. Drew’s story, especially his brush with crisis during a comedy show, gives listeners a powerful example of everyday heroism and hope.

Drew Lynch’s new special (“The Stuttering Comedian”) is available on YouTube. Find tour dates, socials, and more at DrewLynch.com.

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Transcript

Brian Green (0:00)

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Kristen Bell (1:00)

Hi, I'm Kristen Bell, and if you know my husband Dax, then you also know he loves shopping for a car. Selling a car, not so much.

Brian Green (1:07)

We're really doing this, huh?

Kristen Bell (1:08)

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Brian Green (1:19)

Bye bye, Truckee.

Kristen Bell (1:20)

Of course, we kept the favorite.

Brian Green (1:24)

Hello, other Truckee.

Kristen Bell (1:25)

Sell your car with Carvana today. Terms and conditions apply.

Drew Lynch (1:30)

Up there. I was like, what? I've been doing this thing where I just never mention my stutter. So when someone tells me I do, I react like, I didn't know. There was a guy who came up like, hey, man, you were stuttering up there. I was like, what? How bad is that? He was like, it's pretty bad. I was like, this is just the worst news. You know, it's hard enough being black. He was like, you're not black. I was kind of. I was like, what? How bad is that?

Brian Green (2:50)

On this episode of the commercial break.

Drew Lynch (2:54)

Brian Green (9:52)

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Drew Lynch (14:37)

Yeah, yeah. I'm actually just better. I'm a healer with my with my body and mind. It's what I do. I'm just. I'm so good. I'm so good, I don't even need comedy. That's how good I am at it. Okay. Yeah. So. Well, yeah, well, first of all, it was something that, you know, coming off of the past, I guess, week or two. I mean, tensions everywhere with everything, how upset everyone has been, and it's not even a thing. Like, I, I mean, you just like. It was really like last week, kind of the news of last week compounded news from last week, multiple things happening, rolling into just this, this, this weekend. And you're like, you know, I mean, what. I was on. I was maybe on my. On stage for maybe 12, maybe 12, 15 minutes or so, and. And there was a lady who, from across the room, kind of made a beeline towards the other side of the room to kind of help this guy. And then in. And you just kind of. Everything's just very slow motion in that time. You're not really able to process everything as fast. You're just kind of like, oh, she's out. She's. She's. She's leaving. And you're like, no, she's. She's tending to a guy. Wait, how does she know that guy? And then you're like, what's going on with the guy? And then he's on. He's on. On the floor. And people are all of a sudden, like, when you watch people, like, just kind of react and then just continue to react as the stakes get higher and higher, as everyone else is. Is. Is realizing what's happening. It's a very, like, shocking thing. It's very shocking. And. Yeah, and so he had a heart attack. And that was what someone had communicated to me. And in no time at all, like, just. The crowd didn't know. Every person in the audience just. They didn't hesitate at all to understand what. What needed to happen. And so in that, in that interim, people just kind of fell into roles of like, people moved furniture. There were some. There were medical professionals and nurses just in the area who took. Took turns doing. Taking compressions on this guy doing cpr, monitoring his vitals. People got IM immediately. Someone called paramedics. Then someone was parked out right, Right where the paramedics could show up. And so I'm making announcements to like, to have someone clear the car and like, move that. Move the car. And, And. And it's unlike anything I had really ever seen where we all just kind of waited and yet still work together to just Be present for what had to happen. And he was dead. He had no pulse for over five minutes. I mean, I'm. I'm, you know, I'm getting emotional thinking about it because, you know, it's just how fast and silently. Silently. Everybody's just kind of working. I mean, it was like you were. It was like an operating table. Yeah, I mean, it was genuinely like an operating table where people are just kind of. No fat. There's no fat. That's happening in the communication. It's just, this is what we need. This is how we're doing it. It was efficient. None of these people knew each other. There was no egos, there's no, there's no identities or anything. Everybody just kind of put all that aside. And so when they revived him, prior to the paramedics even arriving, it was, it was one of the just most like, I guess just awe inspired things I've ever been able to witness. Just the beauty of a community and a mechanism kind of, you know, just coming together, you know, to achieve this. And so his family told me, like, he left his walker there. He needed a walker. And he obviously left his walker because he left with the paramedics. And so the club gave me the contact of his granddaughter. And so I was like, okay. They were like, we're gonna. She's gonna come by and grab the walker tomorrow. And I was like, no, no, no, no. Like, I'll bring him the walker. I would love to be able to go visit him in the hospital and, you know, finish the, finish the, like, finish the show or just cheer him up, you know. Anyway, so, so, so, you know, the. The I asked, they gave me her number. I said, I would love to be able to sign his walker. So I'll sign it and can you just tell me his name and I'll sign it and bring it to him tomorrow. And then she texted me and said, oh, he would love that. His name is Dick. And I. And you know, normally under the circumstances, like if you're in a meet and greet line or something, like this didn't happen tonight. You're like, oh, that'. Silly. I'll make a funny thing and it'll be, you know, whatever, but under the circumstances, I can't be like, you know, like, you know, like, you know, I. I love you, Dick. You know, in the drooling, like, you know, to my. To my dearest Dick, you know, my second favorite Dick. Like, you know, it, like, you know, it's like, you know, it's just so. So I just signed It. And then, you know, we brought it to the. We brought it to the hospital and. And my. My. My two openers. My funny friends came with me to also be there, and the family was there, and we were just in the hospital for just hours, just hanging out with him. And I'm sorry I took so long to tell this, the whole story. And so it was just. It was just beautiful. And as it pertains to how things have been happening in the world, it just kind of re. Invited the idea of hope kind of just knowing that, all right, who cares? However people feel. And people. And people who come see me, they come from all different types of backgrounds. Like, there's not any one type. So the fact that everybody just kind of put all that together just for humanity's sake was very, very special to. To witness.

Drew Lynch (23:48)

Yeah, I think it happens. I mean, almost. I mean, almost every place I'm at. I mean, it's. It's. It's. And it's not just about the thing itself. It's about the fact that. That, I mean, kind of to the same degree of how we even started this podcast. It's like. It's about the adversity that anybody has underneath. Like, it's. It's. There's we all have something. Everybody has something. And if it's a. If it's a. If how. If you're financially, like, debilitated or you're. You're. You're. Or you're. You're. You're relationally or with your family or something, physically or mentally or socially, there's always just something. So it's. It's. And. And. And, you know, the, The. The idea that I think I. I always want to be. I always want to be upfront. I always want to be transparent about whatever's going on with me, about what issues it is that I'm. That I'm having. And not to do. Not to say as woe is me, but just to show you that I'm human. And, And. And there's just. For whatever reason, that's actually been. One of the things that's helped me the most about stuttering is just by saying, like, I'm afraid. I'm afraid right now. I'm scared. I'm scared that you're judging me. I'm scared that you think that I. I'm not gonna. Like, that this isn't gonna go good, or I'm scared that you think that. That I'm. That I'm a fraud. Or I'm scared that you think that. That, like, that I can't come back from this or that you think this is my whole identity or. Or that. That. That I'm. That my problems don't. That pale in comparison to maybe something that you're going through. Even when I did America's Got Talent, like, I was receiving messages from people who were like, hey, I'm. You know, I'm. I'm. Yeah, you know, I'm. I'm in my, you know, my fifth round of chemo right now, and I. I don't know what. I don't have a whole lot of time, but I'm. I'm. And I'm yucking out. I'm yucking out the, you know, the rounds of chemo here. Here in the hospital. But I'm watching you, and I can't wait to see you next week. And like, this type of stuff just, you know, it. It makes it not about you at all. And that. That. That is a healthy reminder because I, I, you know, eat the. Like, I struggle with ego of just being like, well, how about. Like, well, how about for me? Like, what. I mean, am I enough? And what about. How does this apply for how I'm doing? And can. Can. Can it. Can it elevate what I'm doing in a way. And like, even how it happened with Spokane this past weekend, it's just a healthy reminder that actually the best part of things is oftentimes when it has nothing to do with you. It has nothing about you. It's about what it is that you can offer or what can be offered and has nothing to do with you. So I think just trying to connect to people, even to relating to somebody who also stutters, but just relating to somebody who could be embarrassed or ashamed or angry or has grief or feels remiss. These are all things that come with the feelings of when you're. When you're dealing with adversity. So on a very real level, you know, comedy kind of is. Is. Is there to just escape or help or support or relate.

Drew Lynch (31:59)

So, you know, I, the, the, the. Any comic will tell you that the, the grind of, of like the grind of, of going to do the thing. I mean I, is really, it can really grate on you and you have to like. I can't. I know, I know, I know. Howie, Howie Mandel. He wants, he won told. He once once told me. He was like, he, you know, he was like. It's like, I don't know. I don't even want to know my plans, my travel plans until the day of like all of his team books it and lets him know you're going there like that, that morning or the night before so he doesn't have to. Yeah, so he doesn't have to like stress or worry or try to plan or try to like that type of stuff is stuff that I completely understand because you're really paying us to leave. That's what you're doing. That's what you're paying for. We'll perform anywhere. But you're, you're paying us. It's the travel, the part that, that is just such the hassle. So it, I've, I've abused my own time and taking advantage of my own work ethic in a way where I don't hold myself accountable for the, the, the balance that's needed for the, for the play and the fun and the living and all of that has been something I've only learned to manage better. Maybe more recently. I just, I, when I first started, I was so hell bent on trying to do anything to validate my own feelings or success to try to make sense of this injury that I just worked myself to death. And I completely dismissed the idea that I maybe needed to do some things for my soul or take a way to relax. So it's, I think there's the common, this common misconception that Comedy is just all, it's all fun, it's all, it's all silly and we're all just. And it's like, I mean, some of us are that way and, and, but, but, but now. And especially in the fast paced climate of social media and using it as a tool and algorithms and, and branding and, and all this, like, you have to be, you have to have many hats, you have to have many hyphens and you have to be able to do so many, so much more than just what it was 20 years ago where it was like, I sit and I write and I go up and what do you want? You know, like, so, so it's, it's, it's just this, this idea of holding your, your. Any entrepreneur probably already has, knows this or has to come to realize this. If you don't discipline yourself to shut your brain off, you're gonna, you're gonna completely, you're gonna completely run yourself into the ground by just, by having your brain be a very abusive employer to your, to your own self. And that's the problem, I think. I think I'm a really good employee. I think I'm a terrible employer.

Drew Lynch (40:38)

That's his. And that's, and that's. There's, there's no, that's like a, it was almost like a kid way of saying that. But there, I mean, I was, I was. Yeah, I was just at a place where it was like, I, I just, I can't. Can't. I just. I can't. I can't do this anymore. And something else needs to change. And that I think would, Would speak to how, how desperate I was. Because the idea of relinquishing control in a way that it meant that I would have to completely throw myself into the most uncontrolled where you, you have nothing, you know, is absolutely like, absolutely an indicative of what it was like going through that at that time. So we found a, we found a shaman and we did the experience ayahuasca or dmt. Dmt. And, and then I went back and did it a month later, which you're not really supposed to do. And then a week later, after that second experience, I did a, I did a large dose of, of shrooms. Yeah. And it's probably a conversation for maybe another time, but quite a few things came to light for, I guess, lack of a better term. And it changed everything about how I felt about myself, how I felt about my relationship to stuttering. I know my speech improved even that. In between the two times that I did dmt, my stutter came back in such a way that it was like, like, I mean it, it almost like it set me back in such a way, like I was having full, like body kind of things. My head would kind of like just go back and I, I, I couldn't, I couldn't control it because I had spent years trying to suppress once again, like, even though my speech was getting better over the years, I was suppressing the idea that I needed to get it to be said in an exact certain way and control it and doing so much tension in my body and in my, in my face and in my mind evaluating how everybody was feel all the time. And this medicine basically showed me like, you know, like, I'm gonna take that away from you. I'm gonna, I'm gonna put, I'm gonna have this medicine come all the way through your body and, and, and break you all the way back down to where you were years ago and show you that, that you, you can't, you, like, you can't care about any of that. And that's, that's, and, and Brian, you, you probably already have known this, maybe in your own experience. Experiences, but the relationship to stuttering is so, it's such a, is such a, like snake eating itself because it's like the more you try to control it, it's like the worse it gets. And, yes, and, and it's, it's, and it's like the more you try to think about it, you can't, you can't, you can't think your way out of a situation where your brain is the culprit. So you have to, it's like Chinese finger trap. You have to almost like relinquish that control somehow in order for it to get better. And so that was something that those three experiences really taught me. And it does just wonders for anybody who's at that crossroads or definitely believers.