The Commercial Break — TCB Infomercial: Phil Hanley
Date: July 22, 2025
Hosts: Bryan Green & Krissy Hoadley
Guest: Phil Hanley, stand-up comedian & author
Episode Overview
This episode of The Commercial Break welcomes acclaimed stand-up comic and crowd work master Phil Hanley for a "TCB Infomercial" chat. Phil—an outspoken Deadhead, advocate for dyslexia awareness, and author of Spellbound: My Life as a Dyslexic Wordsmith—discusses his journey through comedy, the impact of neurodiversity on his life and art, and his lifelong passion for the Grateful Dead. The conversation moves fluidly from growing up dyslexic to the mechanics of crowd work, the evolution of the stand-up business, music's transformative power, and the importance of self-esteem for neurodiverse kids. True to TCB’s tone, the episode balances insight with irreverent, offbeat camaraderie.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Phil's Dyslexic Journey and Advocacy
- Early Life & School Struggles
- Phil recounts excelling socially and creatively as a child but struggling academically from first grade, describing the shift as “like a Dickens play where it was like Oliver, was so dark.” (09:40)
- Teachers misjudged his potential: “They called me stupid and they were really discouraging. And I was blessed with the parents that I have and my mom would kind of go in and advocate and get me through the school.” (10:15)
- Strengths of Dyslexic Kids
- Phil highlights how dyslexia has shaped his life positively, driving creativity, social intelligence, and grit: “We have the grit of someone that’s been through like three divorces, and we’re not ten yet.” (11:37)
- On advice to parents: “Just maintain their self-esteem, and...they will excel at whatever they do once they leave school." (11:49)
- The Neuroscience of Dyslexia
- Struggles with associating symbols and sounds: “I can’t identify a symbol with a sound ... it might as well be in another language.” (08:36)
- Reads using a different part of the brain; it’s taxing, but breeds new perspectives. (10:40)
Notable Quotes
- “I credit dyslexia with everything positive in my life.” — Phil Hanley (12:45)
- “Dyslexics, we excel in all these areas—just not sitting in a shitty little desk learning some boring ass...thing.” — Phil Hanley (10:38)
2. Comedy as Coping & Expression
- Comedy as an Outlet
- Phil credits his stifling school experience for pushing him toward comedy, as an expressive outlet after years of feeling "stifled." (12:45)
- He notes, “My first set on the Tonight Show—I was just ready to rock and really wanted to express myself and let people know.” (13:37)
- Development of Crowd Work
- Learned improvisation performing in Vancouver; short joke style didn’t fill required sets, so crowd work became a solution: “I would want something to happen so I could get off my material and go into the crowd for that.” (21:20)
Notable Quotes
- “The part of my act I’ve kind of been working on since I was, like, a kid ... just being a smart ass at a party.” — Phil Hanley (22:43)
- “Crowd work is social media standup. If you’re not doing crowd work, you’re not doing social media standup.” — Chrissy (03:59)
3. Crowd Work, Social Media and Modern Comedy
- The Art and Rise of Crowd Work
- Phil acknowledges the popularity of crowd work clips for comics in social media era, and their value in not “burning” material. (18:16)
- He tours with a videographer, improvises each show, and posts crowd work to keep stage material fresh.
- Reluctant at first about social media, he's now seen a fanbase expand globally.
Notable Quotes
- “Improvising, part of my love for the Grateful Dead and their influence on me; I want every show to be different each time.” — Phil Hanley (18:19)
- “You need to be consistent [with social media] and really do it right.” — Joy Hoadley (18:59)
4. Comedic Influences & Journeyman Mentality
- Early Inspirations
- Grew up on Seinfeld, loved Mitch Hedberg, and admired Zach Galifianakis’ confidence and originality in live sets. (34:28)
- Local Canadian comics like Brent Butt and Graham Clark were formative influences.
- Journeyman Philosophy
- Phil relates the Grateful Dead’s evolution to that of comics—embracing the journey, mistakes, and imperfection, leading to artistic growth. (19:48, 40:35)
- Credits the discipline from pounding out material night after night as vital: “I was just really content writing, and then I finally started...posting online.” (17:55)
- Recognition Among Peers
- The respect from other comedians matters to him profoundly, even if he remains humble: “If someone said that to my face, I’d get really uncomfortable and change the subject. I’m still very Canadian.” (16:24)
5. Music, The Grateful Dead, and Live Connection
- Being a Deadhead
- Lifelong Grateful Dead fan; initially got into the band for misunderstanding of their sound, then found kinship with Bob Weir's dyslexia. (06:33)
- Sees Dead shows as experiences where time and self dissolve (“I go, I boogie. It’s great. I love it.” (43:36))
- Attends Dead & Co. tours; values the intergenerational, ever-evolving community (“It’s a celebration of the music...playing infinitum, for sure.” (02:57, 43:17))
- Comparison of Music and Comedy
- Draws direct lines between improvisational music and stand-up: “Music, comedy, art in general—it’s just a...way that God comes through you.” (49:47–50:16)
Notable Quotes
- “Jerry Garcia was such a gifted person ... I go into it not comparing it. It’s its own thing.” — Phil Hanley (42:49)
- “I'd rather go to the Dead show than church any day of the week ... it is church for a lot of people. It’s just a magical, magical thing.” — Brian Green (50:16)
6. Comedic Community, Family, and Self-Confidence
- The Importance of Family Support
- Phil calls his parents—especially his mom, his “greatest straight man”—as foundational to his confidence and humor: “It was really more important to my parents...than my grades was being funny at dinner.” (22:43, 37:55)
- Weekly conversations with his mom remain meaningful; never bombs with her as an audience. (37:18)
- Building Confidence as a Comic
- Family environment allowed for unfiltered humor, building the confidence necessary for stand-up: “Where did you get the confidence to be...? It just popped into my head. But obviously that comes from...years of doing that with your family and it being...celebrated.” (39:18–39:45)
7. Comedy & Social Cohesion
- Comedy as Cultural Glue
- Touring opens views: “If you just sit in your house and you watch TV...everything seems so divided...When you travel...you might not agree on everything, but you know, a lot more common.” (30:29–31:33)
- Emphasizes live comedy as an antidote to loneliness and divisiveness: “It feels good to be in the same room laughing with people, to have a common something.” (32:38)
Notable Quotes
- “Comedy breaks down these walls...it can, at times, give an opening...it’s like you open a soft spot to open your mind to another idea.” — Brian Green (31:39)
- “I think people that like my comedy are cool.” — Phil Hanley (33:08)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments with Timestamps
- “I credit dyslexia with everything positive in my life.” — Phil Hanley [12:45]
- “Our brush with someone else who is more wealthy, more famous, and better looking than us. Phil Hanley, all of those things.” — Chrissy [05:14]
- “Just maintain their self-esteem and I guarantee they will excel at whatever they do once they leave school.” — Phil Hanley [11:49]
- “When I started, I loved Seinfeld. I used to watch Seinfeld all the time with my mom.” — Phil Hanley [34:28]
- “Improvising...I want every show to be different each time.” — Phil Hanley [18:19]
- “The timing is so key...like, don’t say it exactly when it pops into your head...it’s no longer funny.” — Phil Hanley [39:01]
- “Music, comedy, art in general—it’s just a...way that God comes through you. I'd rather go to the Dead show than church any day of the week.” — Brian Green [49:47–50:16]
- “If you keep plugging away, you never know, maybe someday you’ll make a living doing it!” — Brian Green (jokingly encouraging Phil) [43:53]
Timestamps for Key Segments
- Introduction & Phil's Background: 00:00–05:27
- On Growing Up Dyslexic, School Experiences: 06:33–14:49
- Dyslexia & Comedy: 12:45–17:33
- Rise of Crowd Work & Social Media: 17:42–19:48
- Comparing Comedy Careers to Improvisational Bands: 19:48–22:21
- Family, Upbringing & Self-Confidence: 37:15–39:45
- On the Grateful Dead, Community, & Legacy: 42:33–51:00
- Comedy as Social Unifier: 30:29–33:08
Overall Tonality & Takeaways
The conversation is warm, irreverent, and deeply human, revealing the real-life roots behind Phil Hanley’s comedy. The hosts both celebrate and poke fun at their own quirks, creating an inclusive, listener-friendly atmosphere, and giving Phil plenty of space to riff, reflect, and share practical encouragement for parents and neurodiverse kids. The love for music—and for live connection—threads through the episode, making for a heartfelt testament to the power of laughter, self-acceptance, and shared experience.
Quick Links & Calls to Action
- Phil Hanley’s book: Spellbound: My Life as a Dyslexic Wordsmith
- Phil Hanley’s socials, tour schedule: See show notes or philhanley.com
- TCB Podcast Info: tcbpodcast.com