The Commercial Break: TCB Infomercial with Mo Welch

Date: July 2, 2024
Hosts: Bryan Green & Kristen Joy Hodlay
Guest: Mo Welch
Episode Theme: A comedic, heartfelt interview with stand-up comedian, writer, and cartoonist Mo Welch about her new docu-special "Dad Jokes," her unconventional family, parenthood, and the realities of comedy today.

Episode Overview

This episode of The Commercial Break (TCB) features guest Mo Welch, a darkly funny stand-up comedian and New Yorker cartoonist, best known for her unique storytelling and her new comedy special, "Dad Jokes," now available on the 800 Pound Gorilla YouTube channel. The conversation ranges from Mo’s unusual Catholic family dynamics and reconnecting with her estranged father, to parenting, modern comedy crowd work, and backstage mishaps. The hosts and Mo embrace the podcast’s signature style: irreverent, warm, and always ready to riff on the oddities of life.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Introduction & Context (00:00–11:11)

• Opens with a hilarious and painfully relatable anecdote from Mo about pre-Internet sexual misinformation:

  "In the 90s, we didn’t have Google. ...you just believe people. ...this boy, he told me ...your clit is in your butt. And I believed him for way too long."
  — Mo Welch ([00:00])

• Bryan introduces Mo as a comedian from a large, delightfully dysfunctional Catholic family in Normal, Illinois (with siblings fittingly described as a furry, a stripper, and someone "possibly in jail").

• Mo's special "Dad Jokes" is explained as a "docu-comedy" blending stand-up with documentary footage about reconnecting with her estranged dad after 20 years.

• The hosts riff on the challenges of deciphering New Yorker cartoons and share thoughts about 90s/00s music revivals, particularly the resurgence of Creed ([04:03–10:00]).

2. Mo Welch on “Dad Jokes” & Family (12:06–19:46)

The "Dad Jokes" Special

• Mo explains "Dad Jokes" as a “docuspecial”—about 35 minutes of documentary, 25 minutes of stand-up.

• The impetus: becoming a parent herself, the abundance of "dad jokes," and the desire to resolve long-unfinished business with her father.

• Clarifies her father wasn’t currently in prison; he was during her childhood, and the special returns to a now-abandoned Joliet prison for dramatic effect.

  “I haven’t seen him in 20 years...I just was like, it’s such a rich area to talk about your dad who abandoned you...so like, maybe I’ll just bring a camera and see what happens.”
  — Mo Welch ([15:58])

• Making the special turned out to be cathartic, helping her move past old material and “put it all behind her.”

Siblings, Childhood & Moving On

• Growing up second oldest in a family of five, changes in family dynamics after divorce.

• Moving from rural Illinois to near Chicago (Oak Park), experiencing a personal “movie moment” with new possibilities:

  “I was totally the kid in my own movie that was just like, it’s gonna be different this time. I’m gonna be popular. I’m not gonna be in 4H anymore…”
  — Mo Welch ([22:24])

• Commentary on how siblings turn out wildly different despite same upbringing.

3. Modern Parenting & Family Structures (24:15–29:53)

• Mo discusses her four-year-old daughter, Cleo, and conceiving via a close friend as their sperm donor (who’s an active part of Cleo’s life):

  “I didn't want any secrets. ...If we can do it, I just want it to be like, open.”
  — Mo Welch ([25:30])

• The beautiful chaos of parenting:

  • Taylor Swift’s ERAS Tour as a nightly ritual—both Mo and Bryan’s daughters are obsessed.
  • Parenting is full of new perspectives:

    “Something flips...all you give a about on daily basis is seeing a smile on their face…”
    — Bryan Green ([26:16])

• Mo quips about only having one child:

  "Let's just have one kid so that you guys don't fight over all this."
  — Mo Welch ([27:45])

4. The Realities of Comedy & Performing (31:02–42:42)

Touring & Crowd Work

• Mo currently opens for Brett Goldstein ("Ted Lasso"), likening his tour to “comedy heaven.”

• Discusses the boom in "crowd work" in stand-up and how it changes audience expectations:

  “...people just think that everybody wants to talk to you with the crowd work. ...I’m very adamant, I don’t care where you’re from, what you do or how long you’ve been together.”
  — Mo Welch ([31:52])

• Bryan and Mo commiserate about comics who prefer a tight set over improvising with the room.

Getting Started in Comedy

• Mo recounts her shyness, severe stage fright, and using improv training at Second City and IO (she never made a team) to get comfortable on stage:

  "I had the most stage fright on stage and I just needed to get over it."
  — Mo Welch ([40:12])

• Perspective shift after becoming a parent made her braver on stage:

  "Did I miss nighttime to bomb in Hollywood? ...No, I have to go out on stage and at least have a mediocre set because I can't make this all be wasted."
  — Mo Welch ([42:11])

Formative Comedy Influences

• Mo’s Midwest roots made John Candy (Uncle Buck, Blues Brothers, Home Alone) resonate; recalls watching Uncle Buck and feeling a kinship for the oddball, not the kid.

  “Even as a kid, I think I was like, I’m Uncle Buck. ...I was never Gabby Hoffman. I was always Uncle Buck.”
  — Mo Welch ([37:06])

5. Memorable Moments & Quotes

• Childhood and Sexual Misinformation:

  “In the 90s...you just believe people. ...mo, if you want to have an orgasm, you have to find your clit and your clit is in your butt.”
  — Mo Welch ([00:00])

• Conan O’Brien Mishap:

  “My first time on Conan...the mic pack dropped completely in the toilet while I was going to the bathroom room...they had to hurry up and give me another mic pack...it was probably like a blessing in disguise.”
  — Mo Welch ([45:23])

• On the unglamorous reality of large Catholic families:

  “Everyone we knew that was Catholic had these large families. ...All of them crazy in their own special way.”
  — Bryan Green ([20:52])

• On being a softie after having kids:

  “Don’t have kids, you’ll get soft.”
  — Mo Welch ([42:47])

• On the futility of resisting children’s snack demands:

  “We would give up so much information in an interrogation, like, immediately. Fine, we’ll buy you McDonald's.”
  — Mo Welch ([44:39])

Notable Timestamps

• 00:00 Mo’s 90s Sex-Ed Fiasco
• 12:06 Mo Joins the Show; Discusses "Dad Jokes" special, 800lb Gorilla distribution
• 15:18 Concept and Motivation behind the docuspecial
• 19:31 The infamous "I got my period here" scene from the special
• 24:15 Parenting, Cleo, and donor conception
• 28:54 Taylor Swift ERAS Tour obsession among 4-year-olds
• 31:11 On Tour with Brett Goldstein; Modern crowd work in comedy
• 35:42 First things Mo ever found funny (Uncle Buck, growing up without cable)
• 39:02 Second City experiences and overcoming stage fright
• 45:23 Dropping the mic pack in Conan O'Brien's bathroom

Tone & Style

The episode is quintessentially TCB: off-the-cuff, self-deprecating, and packed with dark and relatable humor. Mo matches Bryan and Krissy’s blend of earnestness and irreverence, making for a lively, empathetic, and laughter-filled conversation.

Summary Takeaways

• Mo Welch’s "Dad Jokes" is a unique blend of documentary and stand-up, exploring themes of family, estrangement, parenthood, and finding humor in life’s darker corners.
• Parenthood changes everything, including one’s approach to both comedy and judgment of other parents.
• Modern comedy is shifting due to social media, especially in terms of audience expectations around crowd interaction.
• Formative influences (like John Candy movies) and unconventional upbringings fuel distinctive comedic voices.
• No matter how you form a family, transparency and love trump convention.

Where to Find More

• Watch Mo Welch’s “Dad Jokes”: 800lb Gorilla YouTube Channel
• Follow Mo on Instagram: @momowelch
• The Commercial Break links, live show info, and more: TCBpodcast.com

Recommendation

If you enjoy intelligent, irreverent comedy with heartfelt storytelling, this episode delivers both belly-laughs and thoughtful moments. Mo Welch’s journey—on stage and off—reminds us that life’s messiest episodes often make the best material.

“There’s always a punchline—and it’s a fascinating watch.”

— Bryan Green ([47:01])

[End of summary]