Derrick Stroup: "I Sound Like a Bowl of Gravy and You Sound Like a Traffic Cone"

Summary

The Gist with Mike Pesca

Guest: Derrick Stroup — "I Sound Like a Bowl of Gravy and You Sound Like a Traffic Cone"

Episode Date: March 20, 2026

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Episode Overview

In this engaging episode of The Gist, host Mike Pesca sits down with comedian Derrick Stroup to discuss Derrick's distinctive comedic voice, his Southern upbringing, the universality (and pitfalls) of nostalgia, and the challenges and joys of performing comedy in different regions of the United States. With Derrick’s new Netflix special, Nostalgic, climbing the charts, the conversation explores how regional identity, childhood memories, and a background steeped in both sports and the church all shape his comedic outlook. The interaction is peppered with humor, relatable anecdotes, and keen insights on the craft of stand-up—plus friendly debates about gravy, the social rules of holding doors, and the universality of childhood roughhousing games.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Derrick Stroup’s Accent and New York City Life

[08:52–12:18]

• Derrick addresses his Southern accent on stage, especially in New York, as a way to disarm the audience and settle the room.

  "I've never really had to address my accent like this because it didn’t matter as much in other places." – Derrick Stroup [08:52]

• Observational humor emerges from his "outsider" status—crowds and diverse strangers frequently ask about his origins.
• Experiences in multicultural settings, like bodegas, highlight New Yorkers’ reactions to a Southern accent:

  "I'll go, what's going on? And they'll all stop and look at me like, what the hell was that?" – Derrick [09:44]

• His signature joke: his wife mistaking Hasidic Jews for Amish tourists in Times Square.

  "There's more Amish people here than I expected...I go, Alyssa, those are Jewish people." – Derrick [11:19]

2. Comedy as Release of Tension and Observational Roots

[12:14–15:36]

• Derrick views comedy as the release of audience tension, especially when discussing sensitive subjects or stereotypes.
• He enjoys earning the trust of skeptical New York audiences.
• Fish-out-of-water stories and generational nostalgia are central to his material; his “90s kid” perspective resonates across generations.

  "I wrote it, like, from a 90s kid perspective. And then I get off stage...People in their 60s, people in their 50s...we played those games." – Derrick [14:39]

3. Writing Material: The Tactile Comic

[16:10–18:08]

• Derrick's writing stays concrete—he writes about things he can "touch and see."
• Relatable anecdotes about stains, snow on cars, and physical annoyances trump esoteric philosophical humor.

  "I'm never going to tell a joke that goes over your head. I'm not going to lose you up there, because I'm talking about things that we all experience." – Derrick [17:17]

• His approach is to connect universally, adjusting for local audiences by making jokes topical where necessary.

4. Living in Multiple Places: Regional Comedy & Nashville Move

[13:09–14:24], [46:01–46:59], [61:32–62:24]

• Derrick has lived in Denver, New York (Astoria), and is moving to Nashville to be closer to family and for its rising comedy scene.
• Discusses how Nashville is increasingly central for comedians (“the Astoria of Tennessee”), and how being a Southerner in the big city shaped his fish-out-of-water material.
• Reflections on the differences between club scenes and what he’ll miss about the New York comedy camaraderie:

  “The Cellar—they've treated me like family. It's...fun to...just hanging out with a bunch of people that are good at what they do.” – Derrick [61:32]

5. Ranting, Intensity, and Relatability

[21:15–27:34]

• Derrick distinguishes between “crowd work” and his style of impassioned, improvisational ranting:

  “I’m a ranter...I'm not doing the smoke screens. I don't bring an audience member into it.” – Derrick [21:16]

• Acknowledges his “intense” style can come across as angry, but he channels it for humor:

  “My tone is unfortunate...I have the same energy, even for food.” – Derrick [24:35]

• Comedy built out of minor aggravations—e.g., elevator buttons, broken eggs, or holding doors—mirrors how many comics generate material through being easily bothered.
• His wife’s patience with his intensity and how domestic situations create fodder for stand-up.

6. Clean Comedy: Strategic and Artistic Choice

[49:55–54:10]

• Derrick deliberately adopted a clean act as a savvy career move, opening new venues and growing his audience.

  “I decided I think it's a better brand of comedy...I have found my career changed after I went clean.” – Derrick [50:24]

• His persona: well-articulated, relatable, but neither corny nor preachy (“Mad About Nothing Tour”).
• Off-stage, he swears freely but maintains the on-stage distinction:

  “I have a foul mouth off stage...But just on stage in the setting...I'm not going to surprise you.” – Derrick [54:10]

7. Nostalgia, Childhood Games, and Social Lessons

[36:48–45:53]

• Title special “Nostalgic” is a “trip down memory lane,” referencing universal but physically rough childhood games (e.g., Red Rover, “kill the carrier,” etc.).
• Regional differences exist in game names and comfort with old terms (“titty twister” vs. “purple nurple,” “kill the carrier” vs. “smear the…”):

  “In the South and the Midwest, that game's brought up immediately. I was in Seattle; nobody would say it.” – Derrick [40:42]

• Derrick thoughtfully defuses potential offense, reflecting on changing norms:

  “It's not like we knew exactly...it wasn't malicious...the parents should have probably helped us with the name.” – Derrick [40:23]

• Childhood neighborhood games also taught social class differences and empathy.

8. Southerners and the Use of Names; Regional Culture

[35:38–36:39]

• Southerners habitually use first names in storytelling, enhancing warmth and specificity. Contrasts this with the “guy” culture of New York:

  “If you're trying to do tires, you got to go to Randall, because Randall and Danny… they're tire guys. Everybody's got a name.” – Derrick [35:44]

9. Clean Comics and Their Place in the Industry

[52:11–53:48]

• Derrick credits Nate Bargatze for influencing his clean approach:

  “Some people don't even… this guy's out here selling out four shows… but because he's completely clean… he doesn’t get the outside love.” – Derrick [52:28]

• Points out clean comedy often gets less respect from peers, despite commercial success.

10. Accents, Stereotypes, and Comic Devices

[55:21–57:45]

• Derrick’s famous analogy:

  “I sound like a bowl of gravy, and New Yorkers sound like a traffic cone.” – Derrick [55:30]

• Southerners and Italians/New Yorkers: the only two American accents comics can still mock on stage without backlash.
• Gets ribbed at clubs for his accent but often must "reset" the room post-stereotype.

11. Standout Bit: The School Bus as Internet Analogy

[59:08–60:56]

• Mike Pesca praises Derrick’s observation that the school bus mirrors the Internet: the back row as the “dark web.”

  “The further you go on the back of the bus, the deeper you get in the Internet. That last row is the dark web. You know, there'll be some seventh grader with a black and mild and some burn CDs.” – Derrick [59:33]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "I sound like a bowl of gravy, and New Yorkers sound like a traffic cone."
  – Derrick Stroup [55:30]
• "I'm never going to tell a joke that goes over your head."
  – Derrick Stroup [17:17]
• "We weren't out there like, 'Hey, let's tackle the marginalized.'... It wasn't malicious."
  – Derrick Stroup [40:23]
• "You can get anybody else's crowd. I would dare somebody else come get my crowd."
  – Derrick Stroup [51:39]
• "I'm just downhill because… when I start talking, I become faster. My brain lights up like a Christmas tree."
  – Derrick Stroup [22:30]

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Timestamps for Notable Segments

• Addressing Southern Accent in NYC & Jewish/Amish Joke: 08:52–11:40
• Comedy as Tension Release & Generational Humor: 12:14–15:36
• Writing Style & Physical Relatability: 16:10–18:08
• Snow in New York & Stain Observations: 18:08–19:57, 30:41–32:34
• Ranting vs. Crowd Work: 21:15–22:30
• Intensity and Real-Life Frustrations: 24:35–28:09
• Nashville Move & Comedy Scene: 13:09–14:24, 61:32–62:24
• Nostalgia and Childhood Games: 36:48–45:53
• Names and Regional Identity: 35:38–36:39
• Clean Comedy and Industry Dynamics: 49:55–54:10
• Accents & Last Acceptable Comic Targets: 55:21–57:45
• School Bus/Dark Web Analogy: 59:08–60:56

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Final Thoughts

Derrick Stroup’s approach to comedy—rooted in tactile, everyday experiences and shaped by his Southern upbringing—demonstrates the power of specific, personal storytelling to unite diverse audiences. Whether discussing snow in New York, the volatility of game names across America, or his intense but affable onstage energy, Derrick offers both humor and insight. If you want to understand the sensibilities and challenges of being a “fish out of water” comic, or the strategic shift from edgy to clean material, this episode is a rich, relatable, and laugh-filled listen.

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Derrick Stroup's special "Nostalgic" is streaming now on Netflix.

Transcript

[Mike Pesca]

The gist is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. Fiscally responsible financial geniuses, monetary magicians. These are things people say about drivers who switch their car insurance to Progressive and save hundreds. Visit progressive.com to see if you could save Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates. Potential savings will vary. Not available in all states or situations. Craving the coffee flavor you love but without the caffeine? Cachava's got you covered with their newest coffee flavor. This all in one Nutrition Shake delivers bold, authentic flavor crafted from premium decaffeinated Brazilian beans with 25 grams of protein, 6 grams of fiber, greens and so much more. Treat yourself to the flavor and nutrition your body craves. Go to cachava.com and use code news. New customers get 15% off their first order. That's K-A-H-A-V-A.com code news. It's Friday, March 20, 2026. From peach fish Product the Gist. I'm Mike Pesca. Donald Trump said today $200 billion is a small price to pay for defeating Iran. He also said there will be no boots on the ground at the same time or a couple of days later, saying, I am not afraid to use troops. Other Headlines Trump draws backlash for comment on Iran war. Maybe we shouldn't even be there now. This was a little unfair, although it came within the context of kind of stupid. Quote, I'm demanding that these countries, NATO countries, come in and protect their own territory because it is their territory, he said. They should come and they should help us protect it. You could make the case that maybe we shouldn't even be there at all because we don't need it. We have a lot of oil. We're the number one producer anywhere in the world. Times two Inaccurate statement. But this was a critique of Naito saying NATO needs to protect its own interests. Next day, Trump calls Naito cowards over lack of support in Iran war. Also, earlier nine days ago, Trump told Axios that the war with Iran will, quote, end soon because, quote, there is practically nothing left to target. Again, nine days ago he went into it a little more in that interview, Little this and that. Any time I want it to end, it will end. And when is it going to be over? He told Brian Kilmeade. When it's over, and I don't think it's going to be long. When, when it's over, this is going to bounce right back so fast. When are you going to know when it's over? Kill me, it asked. When I feel it. When I feel it in my Bones. So this communication, this poor communication, brings to mind his wish, casting around Covid over by Easter, over so soon, so fast that we won't even know it. We're going to bounce back better than ever before. And he didn't serve himself well by being dismissive, not meeting the public where they were and being inaccurate. Though the inaccuracy part historically has hurt him the least, it's more about embodying the concerns of the American people and not all the time, just his people. Now, to be fair, in the Iran war, once the decision was made to conduct the war, the most disciplined communicator alive, I don't think could make this war popular. But it becomes more popular, unpopular with a poor communicator. What a good communicator would say is one or two rationales for war over and over again, and then make the people asking the question feel foolish for not getting it, or maybe even make the American people feel a little guilty for selfishly focusing on their gasoline prices. Again, I don't think they're selfish is what a good communicator would do. He would say, we're engaged in this war, but because we're degrading Iran's ability to kill us, we're degrading their ability to destroy Israel and Europe and you and me. What we're doing is working so that Iran can't get a bomb because they'll use it, because they're crazy. And if they do get a bomb, they will use it on you and me and our children and our allies. That's what you say. It's not going to answer every question, but when you answer every question with, I'll feel it in my bones and I got a trick knee that's telling me when the war is going to end. Not doing yourself a favor. He's still going to be open, no matter what he said, to cavils and legitimate critiques. But it would be more stabilizing if he were more consistent. Donald Trump is, of course, a defiant, defiant man. But that personality quirk right now is the number one thing keeping us in the fight. And when what is keeping us in a war is simply not wanting to give in to critics that is not particularly stable, a more resolute message would service. I've said this three or four times. It would serve his own interests better. As it is now, the oil spikes and the public opinion cratering hit harder because they're not set against a ballast of firm and widely understood intention. Let's now go to the show which is a Funny you should mention a phrase that has almost nothing to do with the Iran war. But Derek Stroop was my guest. Last I checked, his special nostalgic was number 10 on Netflix, right behind Virgin River. I mean, how are you going to beat Virgin River? I saw that Virgin river was doing good on Netflix. I'm like, oh well, what crazy shows will they concoct next? It's season seven of Virgin River. Where am I? I've never even heard of Virgin river. But I have heard of Derek Stroop. And you will too, after you meet with this funny, engaging and enjoyable comic, as I did. Funny you should mention Derek Stroop. Up next. This episode is brought to you by Pocket Hose, the world's number one expandable hose. What does that mean? Well, you know hoses. 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Message and data rates may apply. See terms for details. The gist is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. Fiscally responsible financial geniuses, monetary magicians. These are things people say about drivers who switch their car insurance to Progressive and save hundreds. Visit progressive.com to see if you could save Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates. Potential savings will vary. Not available in all states or situations. Save on family essentials at Safeway and Albertsons. This week at Safeway and Albertsons Signature select spiral ham bone in is 127A pound member price with digital coupon limit 1 while supplies last and Fuji Gala or Granny smith apples are $0.79 per pound plus selected sizes and variety of Pepsi Pure leaf tea, Rockstar Energy, Propel, Water or Gatorade are 97 cents each. Member price with digital coupon limit 10. Visit safewayoralbertsons.com for more deals and ways to save. Hi, welcome to Funny. You should mention the show where we talk to comedians about their ideas and also their lives. Their lives. Get in there. And we, we have a great comedian today, Derek Stroop. You're going to love him. His new Netflix special is called Nostalgic, and he is. But also he has observations and fish out of water material and just great turns of phrase, which I love. Derek, thanks for coming by.

[Derek Stroop]

Yeah, thanks for having me.

[Mike Pesca]

So people, probably just from that got, oh, this guy might not be from New York City. Yeah, yeah. You have a lot of stuff about your accent now. Do you do that? Because if you don't address it, the crowd's going to be, like, a little nervous here in New York.

[Derek Stroop]

It's only, that's something that was born in this city. Yeah, I, I, and I don't have to do it every set, but most of the time, kind of an introduction to let people know that I'm aware of what I sound like in some fun things that are kind of disarming, you know, for them. Just seems to, you know, settle, settle the room. And it's been a lot of fun. But I've never really had to address my accent like this because it didn't matter as much in other places. Like last night, I was at the, I was at the Cellar sitting at a table, and a lady walked up. She didn't even go to a show. She heard me having a conversation with another comedian and she asked me where I was from, right? She goes, I could hear your accent. She was, how do you like New York City? Do you visit here very often? I go, I live here. And, and I mean, she just walked right into it. And that's this accent. It draws that in the city.

[Mike Pesca]

So was she talking to you as if you were visiting from Ethiopia, like a stranger who needs to know our ways?

[Derek Stroop]

Yeah, yeah. I mean, that's exactly. I, I wish, you know, that people could just see this accent. Like, if I could put a GoPro on the engagement is sometimes. Why, Like, I talk about it on stage, but I'll be in a bodega, five different languages being spoken, and I'll go, what's going on? And they'll all stop and look at me like, what the hell was that? Yeah. I mean, it's fascinating. It really is. It doesn't I'm not offended. It just. As an observational person, it just jumps off the page.

[Mike Pesca]

It's just interesting. In a bodega, some guy from Yemen and some guy from the Dominican Republic and some guy from another part of Yemen or maybe Oman. And that's like, perfectly, perfectly normal. But then you're from the United States, and it's like, what?

[Derek Stroop]

Yeah. Yeah. I mean, and. And, you know, I. I love to bring those type of experiences up on stage, because not only is it funny, but it lets people know that I'm very aware.

[Mike Pesca]

Yeah.

[Derek Stroop]

Like, I talk about on stage. I go, I didn't realize till I moved to New York City, even Jewish people will react to my accent. And I got to remind them, we have no history. You know, I grew up eating pickled vegetables and brisket, too. I'd like to talk to somebody about it, you know, and so those type of things. I've never had those observations before, but in New York City, it's so many different people. It comes to light.

[Mike Pesca]

But then your wife, you have this joke where. So you are an outsider, and you have your observations. And then through your wife, there are further observations. Like all the Amish people working around Times Square, she wrote.

[Derek Stroop]

Wrote my favorite joke I've ever told. I mean, the first time we've. We. I'd been here a bunch. She had never visited. We went to Times Square. This is all. None of this is written.

[Mike Pesca]

Yeah.

[Derek Stroop]

And we're looking around, and she goes, derek, I'll be honest. There's more Amish people here than I expected. And I go, alyssa, those are Jewish people. And. And the whole joke. So I go, I know it's tough to tell from 50 yards away, but you've got the wrong Abraham there. Yeah. I mean, I had to explain to her. I was like, they would not ride up from Ohio, catch the. The A line, smoking cigarettes. You know, they are churning butter. But anyways, and I. I love. Because in the middle of that joke, a few people are like, where are we going? Where are we going? And I go, to get this joke, you got to know what a hidic. Jew and an Amish person looks like. Some of y' all heard my accent and the word Jew, and you went, I'm going to sit this one out. Big pop. And it's so fun, because then the room's loose, and they're like, okay, we got a good guy here who's going to have some fun. And I love that feeling in a room. And it's also. It's fun Feeling like you're back against the wall in New York City sometimes when you come and I got to kind of earn their trust, which is, to me, I enjoy it.

[Mike Pesca]

Well, comedy, these are good observations, but comedy is also the release of tension. So that joke, okay, this guy's talking about Jews. And then you have another one where some New Yorkers ask you if you're Huckleberry Finn. And then they're like, we got black people over there.

[Derek Stroop]

Yeah.

[Mike Pesca]

And then there's the release attention, where they're like, you're okay with that?

[Derek Stroop]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I love. I love all that. And it's. You know, I moved to Nashville here in, like, four months. Me and my wife are moving back, and I'm a little.

[Mike Pesca]

Wait, wait, so you're. You live in Queens now?

[Derek Stroop]

I live in Astoria.

[Mike Pesca]

Okay. And. And now you're moving to Nashville in May.

[Derek Stroop]

Yeah.

[Mike Pesca]

Okay. The Astoria of Tennessee, they call it. And then.

[Derek Stroop]

I love that. The Astoria of Tennessee. There's a lot of good food there.

[Mike Pesca]

Yeah.

[Derek Stroop]

Probably not as many Greeks, but you're right. Right.

[Mike Pesca]

Hot chicken instead of Slovakia.

[Derek Stroop]

Right.

[Mike Pesca]

Yeah, similar.

[Derek Stroop]

That's a great. That's a great example. But I'm interested to see, because living in Denver for 10 years now, here for a year and a half.

[Mike Pesca]

Yeah.

[Derek Stroop]

I'm going to be a fish back in water.

[Mike Pesca]

Yeah.

[Derek Stroop]

Yeah. And so it's going to be fun to see how. What my POV is there, because I've really created this leverage of, you know, being always being places where I kind of stick out, you know, and tell

[Mike Pesca]

me why you're moving to tennis. Nashville is a big comedy capital now.

[Derek Stroop]

It is.

[Mike Pesca]

Like, is it all the Nate Bargazzi influence?

[Derek Stroop]

Yeah. I mean, a little bit of me and my wife, we just had a baby six months ago. Yeah. And I grew up 90 miles south of Nashville. So it's one of those things where I moved away 15 years ago. I'm trying to circle back and put down some roots and. And start a family. And Nashville's. I mean, for somebody that lives on the road, it's right in the middle of the country.

[Mike Pesca]

Right. I mean, touches the most other states.

[Derek Stroop]

Yeah, that's Tennessee. But Nashville, if you Google it, it's closer to more cities than any major cities than any other city in the country. Right. I mean, right there, you're going to have Cincinnati, Atlanta, you know, you got Memphis, Chicago. They're all right.

[Mike Pesca]

Now, I want you to know, as a New Yorker, we're like, yeah, major cities. Memphis.

[Derek Stroop]

Yeah.

[Mike Pesca]

Cincinnati. We're so we look down.

[Derek Stroop]

I hear you. I've met the New York comics that they'll sometimes frown about that. And I'm like, you're funny here, but you wouldn't have one joke for Wichita, Kansas. Yeah, yeah. And. And I would hate to be stuck in a bubble. The money is on the road, for sure.

[Mike Pesca]

Yeah. And you have so many different kinds of jokes. You have the observation jokes and the fish out of water jokes. But as per the title of your special of stuff about being a 90s kid, and I think the audience relates to that. But what about people who aren't of the generation? Do you.

[Derek Stroop]

Oh, man, it goes so many. That's a great question. I'm glad you brought it up. It goes decades and decades. I wrote it, like, from a 90s kid perspective. And then I get off stage after every show. People in their 60s, people in their 50. I mean, doesn't matter. People younger than me, people in their 30s and 20s are like, we played those games. We were in those situations. And the thing for me is, I talk a little bit above my age on stage. You know, some of the. Some of the experiences I talk about as a parent.

[Mike Pesca]

Yeah.

[Derek Stroop]

Some of the opposite.

[Mike Pesca]

Oh, so you mean you're a wise elder even though you're 40 or 41?

[Derek Stroop]

41.

[Mike Pesca]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Derek Stroop]

So I think that helps with relatability across the board because I'm reaching a few people. I mean, when I first started working on this hour, I spoke as if we were the generation that created pantsing and I got corrected online pulling. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, people raised in the 70s and 80s were like, hey, hey, young buck. You're. You're delusional. Yeah, yeah. We've been doing this game, all the

[Mike Pesca]

games that you're appropriating our innovations.

[Derek Stroop]

100. So that wasn't a. That for me. That didn't damper it. I got excited. I go, okay, so there's more people that this is gonna. Gonna reach. So it does get to a few decades, which is fun. Like drugs, y'. All. I mean, I'd ring three or four doorbells. I'd be sitting in a ditch, and I'd be like, I'm okay. I'm a gang member now. I got the whole thing. Subdivision upside down right now. Just silly games.

[Mike Pesca]

And then you talk about in one of your jokes. I don't think it's in this special, but I saw you doing it maybe in. When you were living in Denver. Kick the Can. You talk about your mom playing Kick the can.

[Derek Stroop]

Yeah.

[Mike Pesca]

Growing up and then there was a Denver tie into that, which is.

[Derek Stroop]

I mean, they're just very crunchy granola white people. And I talked about you couldn't play kick the can there. I mean, you'd have to play it with a Nalgene bottle. Yeah.

[Mike Pesca]

You know, because they do an intervention for the can.

[Derek Stroop]

Oh, man. That's how we lost the dinosaurs, you know, so. Yeah. Yeah. It's always. I've always. I. I only write about things that I can touch and see.

[Mike Pesca]

Yeah.

[Derek Stroop]

I'm not somebody who goes to a coffee shop and finds things to be upset about or find subjects I want to attack. I. I feel things and then I express my feelings about them. You know, like when I'm writing, I'll just write down things that affect me emotionally. Happy, mad, or sad. And then I've already got a head start on how I feel about it.

[Mike Pesca]

When do you mean that? Metaphorically. Things that you can touch and see things.

[Derek Stroop]

Well, yeah, of course, but it's.

[Mike Pesca]

I. I also think that you are. Sorry to interrupt, but I also think that to some extent, you're a tactile comic.

[Derek Stroop]

Yeah.

[Mike Pesca]

You. This. A lot of the things you talk about are like a stain on your shirt.

[Derek Stroop]

Yeah.

[Mike Pesca]

Or your car being buried in the snow. Like actual physical things that happens as opposed to, you know, kind of a philosophy of life.

[Derek Stroop]

Absolutely. Yeah. I. I mean, the biggest compliment I get is. Is relatable. Yeah. Because I'm going to talk about things. I'm never. Let me tell you, take it how you want. I'm never going to tell a joke that goes over your head. I'm not going to lose you up there, because I'm talking about things that we all experience. And especially when I'm in somewhere, like the comedy seller, I. I've got a. I'm trying to reach a common ground, come with some of the experiences I had growing up. It's hard to relate. Always growing up in the middle of nowhere in Alabama and talking about playing in creeks and different things like that. I got to save some of that for the road. Every once in a while, if I feel the room is like, you know, very local or tourist. I mean, excuse me, the opposite. Like middle of America. Yeah. I'll do some of that. But when I'm in the cellar, I'm actually doing more topical stuff. More stuff that's gonna. That they can see the stain, that they know about the snow, because the other stuff is a little bit out of sight for some of the audience.

[Mike Pesca]

The snow is great because as New Yorkers you know, there are two places to put the snow, and one is the street. And we can't have it in the street. So what do they do with it?

[Derek Stroop]

Yeah. On top of the cars.

[Mike Pesca]

And no one really questions it.

[Derek Stroop]

It's like.

[Mike Pesca]

Yeah, that's how it works.

[Derek Stroop]

And I. And I show up and I could not believe it. I mean, I could not. I mean, my car was gone. But this winter, I mean, I've only been here a year and a half. I mean, this winter has been brutal.

[Mike Pesca]

Yeah.

[Derek Stroop]

I mean, just non. I haven't seen. Last year, there was not snow like this. So snow in New York City is a different animal. Even though the city's great at getting it off the roads, the rest of it's a nightmare. I mean.

[Mike Pesca]

Right. But people in New York, being New Yorkers, were like, hey, Mom, Donnie, do something about the snow. But there are two choices. That's. What else do you do about.

[Derek Stroop]

No. And that's. And you have to be.

[Mike Pesca]

And you get a. You said they took it off the street really?

[Derek Stroop]

Well, I mean, immediately.

[Mike Pesca]

Yeah.

[Derek Stroop]

No. New York City is plowing while it's snowing.

[Mike Pesca]

Yeah.

[Derek Stroop]

They play no games about getting around this city. Now, your vehicle is. I mean, it can. They'll ruin it. But you will be able to move around. Yeah. There's no doubt. And then warn them about how bad it's going to be. I mean, it's only me and my wife. I don't have a family of nine where we can all go, hey, on the count of three, push. You know, I'm just out there. She's like, what are we gonna do? I go, we're gonna Uber until April. Alyssa.

[Mike Pesca]

So someone from out of town could use the streets. It's just that your vehicle is.

[Derek Stroop]

Yeah. They know where their money's at. Yeah.

[Mike Pesca]

Yeah. And they also have very good messaging around the inevitable heart attacks that's gonna happen.

[Derek Stroop]

That's the wildest. The PSAs of like, hey, we buried your car. Now you're going to have to dig it out. Pace yourself. Brings. They said bring some water and take some breaks. I could not believe it. To cause the problem and then to give you some pointers on. On the solution is so fun.

[Mike Pesca]

It's like China's telling you, all right, we've caused some Covid. Now here's what to do.

[Derek Stroop]

Yeah. Yeah. But there are masks at every station, right? Yeah, that's exactly.

[Mike Pesca]

Look, it's either in the wet market or around the world. So we had a choice to make.

[Bleacher Report Announcer]

Yeah.

[Mike Pesca]

And then another good bit that I've seen you do with the seller, but you do this elsewhere is talking about, like, buying Jordans, air Jordans, and how that maybe ingratiates you with all demographics.

[Derek Stroop]

No, that was just in, that was just in the moment. Yeah, yeah, I, I, the crowd had good diversity, and, like, I felt them kind of pulling back on me. So then I was like, all right, how can I be relatable? How can I let their guard down? How can I let them know that, that I'm, I'm, I'm a good dude that they're going to enjoy? So I went with the Jordans because I wear J's all the time, and that is part of the reason why I wear Js. I mean, I grew up in Alabama, but people just, it's insane what people, like, moving to Colorado, people thought, you know, you're automatically racist or whatever. And I grew up around so many black folks and, like, they're my best friends. I, I love the black culture. NBA jerseys, the Jays, the whole thing. And so I like to put it into my outfit to let people know. I know I sound like I voted against marijuana every day, but, you know, I'm, I'm a pretty laid back dude. And so I talked about how the, the Jordans were a peace treaty, and that was, like, one of my most viral clips that I've ever put.

[Mike Pesca]

And that was improvisational.

[Derek Stroop]

That was just on. I was just off the Dome. Yeah, yeah. You know, and a lot of that, you know, I do that sometimes. Here. You don't get the same credit. I, I'm a ranter, and that's what I do. I rant. And you don't get the same credit as a ranter as you do with crowd work. Even though we're doing the same thing, but I'm not doing the smoke screens. I don't bring an audience member into it. Even though I, I kind of have a. Something that's on my mind. And I've never ran the bit. It's all off the top of my head. Like, I did a bit about the mice that I was killing in the mice traps. That one, that, that clip I put up. First time I ever did it, the Jordans. First time I ever did it, the stain on my shirt, that was the first time I ever did it.

[Mike Pesca]

Yeah.

[Derek Stroop]

And, and I'm ranting, but it just doesn't play. If I would have brought an audience member into it, walked them into the trap, set it up, and then went on the rant, people would go, my God, he's invented new comedy, but because I just dive into it and I've got a solo show on my rant, people don't look at it as. And I'm being just as creative, right. I'm just writing. Stream. Writing stream of consciousness.

[Mike Pesca]

Yeah, yeah. So there is a downside in a way to the eloquence that you possess once you get past a certain point. People aren't giving you credit for what you're really doing, which is just improvising in the moment. You're not saying. You're not saying. There's no audience member there. That's really interesting.

[Derek Stroop]

Yeah, yeah. I'm just downhill because, you know, Ron White has talked about this, and this is relatable to me without a microphone.

[Mike Pesca]

Great Southern comic.

[Derek Stroop]

Yeah, great. Looked up to him growing up. I'm not a super smart individual in everyday life, but when I hold a microphone, my fireworks go off in my brain. And when I start talking, I become faster. I become, you know, it's like growing up, I grew up with some great athletes my whole life. And I tell you, it was never relatable. They would always go, when the lights turn on, man, I'm just bigger, faster, stronger. When the lights turn on. When the light and I go, the lights are on. I feel nothing out here in comedy. I feel that when I walk in, you know, I'm this kind of, you know, dumb guy that's, you know, I don't know anything about the stock exchange. I don't pay much attention to. To the world in general. And then I get on stage and my brain lights up like a Christmas tree. And that's what the rants, you know, I'm just, I'm just. My mouth is literally just sending whatever my brain is, is. Is bringing to me.

[Mike Pesca]

Did you always know you had that skill? How'd you find it if you're not like that in real life or regular?

[Derek Stroop]

Well, I have always been that way when a group of people get around.

[Mike Pesca]

Okay. You know, like, that's, that's, you know, the civilian version of performing.

[Derek Stroop]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I've been that way my, My whole life. Like, I was an only child until I was 12, and so I was. I'm always like, if I'm by myself, you know, I'm. Of course, I'm just hanging out. I'm a person that likes to just kind of lounge and of course, eat and hang out. People excite me. So then growing up, my parents would have friends come over and it would. I would come down to the living room And I would just see him sitting there and I could feel, even at a young age, I want to perform. I want to do my impressions of Jerry Lee Lewis and all these other, you know, these, These different people I want to sing a song in front of. I used to sing when I was a kid, but I just wanted to perform. And I've had that my entire life of, of people make me want to be in front of them.

[Mike Pesca]

Now. The rants don't come off as angry, I don't think. I mean, we call them rants. They come off as impassioned. But also you are inviting people in. A skill you had to learn. If we left you to your own devices, might you come off as angrier without a. Without a crowd to appeal to?

[Derek Stroop]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. My tone is unfortunate. Yeah, it's just unfortunate. I'm just intense. I mean, you can. I mean, we've only been talking. I'm intense.

[Mike Pesca]

Yeah.

[Derek Stroop]

And I can't help it. It's how I talk this way. And some people love and some people hate it, but I have the same energy, even for food. Like, if me and you were eating, I would be talking. I. I would give this same energy for tater Tots. I would go, no, I can't believe that more people aren't in the tape. Yeah, because that's.

[Mike Pesca]

Well, you picked a good one. Like, if you had that same energy for mashed potatoes, I'd kind of worry potato.

[Derek Stroop]

Yeah, they give mashed potatoes to people at the end of their life. I mean, Tater Tots, that's a good time.

[Mike Pesca]

Yeah.

[Derek Stroop]

Yeah. So.

[Mike Pesca]

But that's like a baptism that's. That's starting things. Exactly.

[Derek Stroop]

Right. So, yeah, I've always, I've always been passionate and energetic. I say angry because I guess, I mean, I don't smile or laugh a lot, you know, during these rants. I'm pretty serious. I tried to, in my sets to let people know that we are doing comedy.

[Mike Pesca]

Yeah.

[Derek Stroop]

Like, I'm not really a complete psychopath. Like, you know, these are some made up stuff.

[Mike Pesca]

But also the stakes of what you're ranting about or is not something. It's something like, please understand what life was like without ubers in the 90s. Right. So it's not an angry thing that you're trying to. To put in someone's brain or convince them of something that they don't want.

[Derek Stroop]

Yeah, no, you're. You're exactly right. Because nobody wants your. Your. Your ideology and your. In your thoughts and your soapbox shoved down their throat.

[Mike Pesca]

Yeah, yeah.

[Derek Stroop]

It's just not fun.

[Mike Pesca]

But you also naturally have. Is that your inclination? You'd like to shove an ideology down their throat? You would. No, no, no, no, you don't.

[Derek Stroop]

That's not.

[Mike Pesca]

That's what I'm getting.

[Derek Stroop]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. No, not. Not at all. It's. It's. I've always been this. That's why my tour that I'm on, right. It's called the Mad About Nothing tour, because that's me. You know, I. I've always. You know, Bill Burr once said in one of his sets that, like, it's. He doesn't get really angry about big things, but when his shirt gets caught on a doorknob in the hallway, he wants to burn his house down. Never heard anything more relatable in my life. I mean, that's exactly who I am as a person. And, And. And so that intensity and that energy, I found a way to kind of funnel it in a fun way on stage to. To.

[Mike Pesca]

You know, the equivalent example of that is when you're. Was it waiting for an elevator across in the street?

[Derek Stroop]

I got. I mean, both of them crossing the street, where I go, if I'm waiting to cross the street, you come up behind me and press the button.

[Mike Pesca]

Yeah.

[Derek Stroop]

It's hard for me to not turn around and ask you, do you not think that I've already done that? I hope you don't think I'm standing here going, is there an easier way to get to the other side? And it's just. And I am like that. I. I am like that in real life a little. But it plays well for comedy and. And writing bits because I'm. I'm easily upset. And a lot of comics are. If we weren't. If we were unbothered people, we'd never have any material.

[Mike Pesca]

Right. You're not folk singers.

[Derek Stroop]

Yeah, yeah, exactly. I'm always bothered, I'm always annoyed. Something's always getting on my nerves.

[Mike Pesca]

And how's your wife deal with that?

[Derek Stroop]

Oh, man. Day to day, I'm married to a saint. And you gotta be. She's the sweetest in the world. I mean, just yesterday I was making us eggs over easy, and the second one, I busted two in a row, and I went. And she goes, hey, it's eggs.

[Mike Pesca]

Yeah.

[Derek Stroop]

And I go, no, no, I know. And, you know, I'm just like this. And I want you to know, sweetheart, we've been together for eight years. I go, if you ever see me do that, and I start laughing. Things are going bad. Okay. The. The Mad emotion means I'm upset because things in our life are so great. Why can't I get these eggs figured out?

[Mike Pesca]

Yeah.

[Derek Stroop]

But if it goes the other way and the eggs crack and they don't work out and I'm just giggling, I've lost my mind.

[Mike Pesca]

Interesting. Now, have you ever actually engaged with the person who pushed the button after you were standing there? Or do you just think about it?

[Derek Stroop]

You mean like, am I confrontational?

[Mike Pesca]

Well, I don't even mean confrontational. Have you ever literally asked, you know, or said, you know, I pressed that button.

[Derek Stroop]

Oh. Or do you just think that that's a, that's like a made up scenario? Like another one that would be more real. Is like where I say, I, I hold the grocery store door open for you and you don't thank me. I feel like I should be able to follow you.

[Mike Pesca]

Yeah.

[Derek Stroop]

I'm not, I wouldn't follow you in real life. But I might go, you're welcome.

[Mike Pesca]

Yes.

[Derek Stroop]

Because. And, and some people you have messaged me and they're like, are New Yorkers really rude? I go, no, no. If a New Yorker knows that you live like in Astoria where it's my neighborhood, we're all very polite to each other, holding doors for each other. That's more of a, honestly, a busy Manhattan situation where they're like, you know, this guy from Nebraska is over here. You know, in my way.

[Mike Pesca]

But also, to be fair, a lot of people have doormen. That's their job. You should still think the doorman, but, you know, cultural differences.

[Derek Stroop]

Absolutely. But, yeah, I, I will, I, I will say things for sure.

[Mike Pesca]

Yeah.

[Derek Stroop]

I mean, if I don't like something, I'll say something. I'm not like, trying to fight anybody, but like, I, I can't hold on to it. I have to let you know that what you did bothered me.

[Mike Pesca]

All right, we'll be back with more of Derek's troop in a minute. You can see we're just cracking the egg and getting to know him. And maybe in the second half we'll pull him out of his shell. The gist is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. Fiscally responsible financial geniuses, monetary magicians. These are things people say about drivers who switch their car insurance to Progressive and save hundreds. Visit progressive.com to see if you could save Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates. Potential savings will vary. Not available in all states or situations.

[Bleacher Report Announcer]

The Bleacher Report app is your destination for sports right now. The NBA is heating up. March Madness is here, and MLB is almost back. Every day there's a new headline, a new highlight, a new moment. You've got to see for yourself. That's why I stay locked in with the Bleacher Report app. For me, it's about staying connected to my sports. I can follow the teams I care about, get real time. Scores, breaking news, and highlights all in one place. Download the Bleacher Report app today. So you never miss a moment.

[Derek Stroop]

No. It puts £20 on you. I got a stain on my shirt, and everybody looked at me like, he's so fucking fat he can't feed himself, y'. All. I mean, a stain on a big person, it just look. I mean, you might as well have just crapped your pants, man. On a skinny person. Think about a skinny person stain. Somebody goes, you what? Did a. Did a fat person spill something on you? They go, how'd you get that stain back on?

[Mike Pesca]

Funny youy should mention with Derek Stroop, who is a retiring wallflower, kind of an emo Phillips of comedy. Gotta really pay attention to the subtleties. So Derek, before the break, we talk, talked about the stain on the shirt. And it is true. I used to be a much bigger guy. And my dad. I have a couple observations about this, but the stain has a different. I will use the word valence depending on nice words. Yeah. Thanks, man. So do you think that the larger guy actually does accrue more stains or it's just that people judge them differently?

[Derek Stroop]

Both.

[Mike Pesca]

Yeah, I do too.

[Derek Stroop]

Both. Because there's more statistically more things headed towards the mouth in a day.

[Mike Pesca]

Yes.

[Derek Stroop]

Okay, so the numbers are against you.

[Mike Pesca]

Right? Right.

[Derek Stroop]

And your belly sticks out.

[Mike Pesca]

This is the shelf. Yes, the shelf my dad would eat. And the crumbs. And like a skinny guy, they just go on the lap. I have no idea why he would wear a. Put a napkin on his lap. That thing was just for show.

[Derek Stroop]

I mean, never get that we're talking about this because just a few nights ago, I said on stage, I miss when food would land on my shoes. I mean, that was like your biggest problem. You'd look down, you go, I got nacho cheese on my Nike cookies. The cheese never makes it to my shoes. It's gonna hit my stomach before it hits my. And also when you're a big person, it just plays, you know, And I. And that's in the joke. But a skinny person with a stain, it looks like an accident. A big person, it's just like you're sloppy. You know, you're giving up.

[Mike Pesca]

It's a statement on character. And it doesn't have to be 100.

[Derek Stroop]

And you know, when I did that, that clip that was just from that day, I'd gotten a stain on that shirt. I'd walked around. I actually told my wife before I went to the Cellar. I go, alyssa, I go, I've had this on my shirt. I go, people won't even make eye contact with me. I can't even get respect. I'm dramatic. You got to understand. I'm like, nobody's. I go, this stain. I go, I can't. I was at the grocery store. They wouldn't bag my stuff. And she's like, you're ridiculous. And then so I went to stage and in the way that people related to it and enjoy, I didn't see that coming, which was a lot of fun.

[Mike Pesca]

Now, the way you dress on stage is pretty much how you're dressed now. You off. Do you think that adds to the judgment that have. If you were wearing, like a button down or like your dad who's never untucked a shirt in his life. Right. The whole untuck it thing to your dad is just doing shirts wrong, I guess.

[Derek Stroop]

I mean, if my dad is just so old school, I mean, untucking your shirt, he's just like, you just quit your job, then just live on the street if you don't care. You know, I mean, I wouldn't wear a belt. And. And I mean, he would act like that I was taking a wrong turn in life. Just a very.

[Mike Pesca]

Intervention.

[Derek Stroop]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Kind of ridiculous. Ridiculous in hindsight, but Bill's great. But. Yeah, I. What were we. What were we saying?

[Mike Pesca]

We were. I was talking about if you had a button down shirt and you had a stain, would people judge differently?

[Derek Stroop]

Maybe. But here's the thing. In New York City, yeah, they. I'm reaching. I'm re. I'm meeting them on their attire. New York City comedians don't dress up. No. I mean, not here, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah. If I showed up to the Cellar with a button down polo and khakis on, I mean, they'd be like, look at this geek. I mean, look at this guy. So this. Now when I'm on the road and on stage, I dress up. You know, I'm going to wear a polo or a nice henley long sleeve. Nothing crazy. But I got to tell you, Colin Quinn said it first. And this is my. This is so relatable. He goes, the fatter I get, the more exercise clothes I wear. Which is. Which is one of my favorite lines ever, because here I am covered in exercise clothes. And it's the truest joke ever. I mean, it's so true.

[Mike Pesca]

The same is true and has been said about Al Sharpton. Back in the 80s, he wore tracksuits all the time.

[Derek Stroop]

That's right.

[Mike Pesca]

But did not do much job. Now that he's a skinny man, almost never in athleisure.

[Derek Stroop]

Exactly.

[Mike Pesca]

I mean, Kristi Noem's always wearing athleisure, and she does seem like she works out, I don't know, chasing immigrants or whatever.

[Derek Stroop]

She's probably. Exactly. That's exactly. She's probably not a good example of

[Mike Pesca]

much of any much of anything, including animal husbandry.

[Derek Stroop]

Gosh, what a nightmare.

[Mike Pesca]

Now, I know you don't like to get too political.

[Derek Stroop]

I don't like. But who you brought up was great. That was perfect for me to totally hate that.

[Mike Pesca]

So you mentioned here, and I should let you, let the viewers and listeners know, you mentioned Bill, your dad, and Alyssa, your wife, and that's how you talk about him on stage. You don't even say, my dad's name is Bill. I don't think it's like, Bill said this and Bill said that.

[Derek Stroop]

Yeah.

[Mike Pesca]

And then, like, maybe the third reference, we all get it. So why is that? What is the. I find this with some people. Some I have friends who will be like, yeah, Marnie said this, and I've never even heard of Marnie. It must be his wife. So what is it about introducing the first names that either comes naturally or works for you, Works for the audience?

[Derek Stroop]

You know, I, I. Your friend probably isn't a Southerner, but I've always said Southerners, we use names.

[Mike Pesca]

Yeah.

[Derek Stroop]

I grew up calling people by their first name. You say it in conversation, you never go, there's a mechanic down the street. You go, I can know a guy. Tim. Tim does radiators. And he'll be able to get you. Right. But if you're trying to do tires, you got to go to Randall, because Randall and Danny, they're on the other side of the block. They're tired guys. Everybody's got a. Everybody's got a name.

[Mike Pesca]

Yeah. And, and whereas in New York, it's like, I know a guy, but they never tell you who the guy is. Yeah, I got a guy. I got a guy for that, and I got a guy for the door, and I got a guy.

[Derek Stroop]

I've never even thought just a guy. Great play on the other side of that. But, yeah, names. Names are really important. And it's probably. There's not that many people in the communities where I'm From. So you say a name and you can connect it, because usually you go, you know, Randall at the tire shop? And they'll go, I don't know Randall. And they go, yeah, you do. Randall's dad is Danny. He used to coach the softball team. You remember he was a softball coach? He had. Yeah. Tracy's daughter played for him. Now you're connecting all these names.

[Mike Pesca]

Now, let me ask you, that example off the head, is that real? Was that really. No. That's amazing.

[Derek Stroop]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Mike Pesca]

Very good. So the name of the special is Nostalgic.

[Derek Stroop]

Yeah.

[Mike Pesca]

And nostalgia. The term, the etymology, it means pain from the past.

[Derek Stroop]

Yeah.

[Mike Pesca]

Like the. The nose, the nosed and the no strings, and algae, like fibo. Fibromyalgia. That means pain. But when you talk about it, it's not much pain. Or is there something about it, like a little hidden part of it that is a twinge of pain involved?

[Derek Stroop]

No, no. I just learned the real definition of the title of my special right now live on this podcast, so. What a blessing. No, I mean, to me, it's just about. It's a trip down memory lane, and, I mean, there might be a twinge of pain when you talk about how we were raised a little different. Yeah. You know, there's. I talk about, you know, just. The games that we played were all physical. Every game that we played growing up was based around some sort of violence. It didn't matter. The. The punch, bug in the arm. I talk about the circle thing, where you look at the circle, you get punched. Red rover. Red rover. We were smoking each other. There was just nothing that wasn't dodgeball. We even had a ball that was made out of tire tread back then, you know, it was, like, heavy, but it still bounced. I talk about all those things. Yeah. Because it was just violence was the only excitement that we. Before electronics and over stimulation, we were trying to hurt each other.

[Mike Pesca]

Yeah. So there's the pain.

[Derek Stroop]

There's the pain.

[Mike Pesca]

Yeah.

[Derek Stroop]

Yeah.

[Mike Pesca]

Bring the pain.

[Derek Stroop]

Yeah. I mean, that and that. That's probably. Besides the. The cigarette bit, which I just grew up around a lot of smokers as a kid. The 90s games. And that trip down memory lane is probably my favorite part of the whole thing, because the whole room unites on that. I'm not fighting for anybody to, you know, now. I've done it at the Cellar a couple times. Get a room full of Germans and people from Norway. They don't know what a titty twister is. You're gonna have to back out of that bit. But, yeah, but, you know, the middle of the country where I'm from, New York City, I mean, everybody here, any American, knows all these games. And it's just the room really rallies, rallies around it.

[Mike Pesca]

I mean, you tour the whole country. Is there a regional divide between those who call it Titty Twister and those who call it a purple nurple?

[Derek Stroop]

I mean, there's another game where there's way more divide. People call it Kill the Carrier.

[Mike Pesca]

Yeah. And there's a smear and a rhyme.

[Derek Stroop]

Yes, yes, exactly. That game in the middle of that, the 90s game, I'll go, hey, is there any games out here that we played growing up that you can remember? Yeah. And people will bring up smear.

[Mike Pesca]

Yeah.

[Derek Stroop]

A lot of the times. And I have a very thoughtful. You know, I'll act like it's a riff in the moment because I can't bring that game up with my accent. The room will. I've. I've tried to go, do y' all remember this game? And the room goes, oh. Oh, no. Oh, no. He. We knew he would do. But if they throw it at the stage, I can go, oh, this is crazy. What do I think about this? And I. And I talk about how back back in the 90s, you can frame things so different now.

[Mike Pesca]

Yeah.

[Derek Stroop]

We didn't know exactly what the word queer meant. Right. Like, I wasn't in the yard, like, hey, this is the line I use. Hey, let's tackle the marginalized. You know? And that's the line that's so important in that bit when I wrote it, because I, you know, I don't like victims in my bits. I'm not trying to punch down. So we. We weren't out there like, hey, let's tackle the marginalized. And I go, I just knew that if you were the queer.

[Mike Pesca]

Yeah.

[Derek Stroop]

You needed to run. And. And I go, and we all took turns. We weren't, like, picking on each other. We weren't like, hey, your clothes match. You're. We all were. We all were involved in this. So it's fun to bring up because people try to reframe that and make kids look like they were monsters back then, but the parents should have probably helped us with the name.

[Mike Pesca]

Yeah.

[Derek Stroop]

But it's not like we knew exactly. It wasn't. You know, What I guess I'm trying to say is it wasn't malicious, Right? Like, it wasn't from a malicious place. It doesn't mean it should be brought back at all.

[Mike Pesca]

Yeah.

[Derek Stroop]

I. I'm just kind of defending 25 years ago, going hey, we weren't like, let's tackle the marginalized.

[Mike Pesca]

I don't know. Now, maybe if you want to update it, it's muss with the LGBTQIA plus.

[Derek Stroop]

Yes. Yeah, yeah. And what I meant. And I didn't even give you my point there in the south and the Midwest, that game's brought up immediately.

[Mike Pesca]

Oh, okay.

[Derek Stroop]

Boom. They go, that's the game.

[Mike Pesca]

Yeah.

[Derek Stroop]

I was in Seattle. Nobody would say it. Finally, a guy in the back went, hey, tackle the compassionate. And the room erupted because we knew exactly what he was talking about, and that's what he was comfortable with saying.

[Mike Pesca]

He nailed it.

[Derek Stroop]

Yeah. So it. It. You know, I say on stage, I was like, I was in Arkansas. And, you know, the smear game is the only game they knew. Yeah.

[Mike Pesca]

So now, I don't know how these names go from one schoolyard to another, but from my experience, and I'm older than you, I was born in the early 70s. So in 1980 or 81, we were playing the. We never called it the smear game. We called it kill the carrier. And then we called it. I guess carrier was a little too advanced for my friends. Kill the guy with the ball, just in case there was any. And then there was another version, just called kill, where you could kill anyone, including the guy without the ball. So people just tackle each other.

[Derek Stroop]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Mike Pesca]

No ball involved.

[Derek Stroop]

Yeah. I mean, we could have just gone, kill the guy with the ball, because that was the game.

[Mike Pesca]

Yeah.

[Derek Stroop]

I mean, just think about that. That was the whole game. We would just go out into the yard.

[Mike Pesca]

Yeah.

[Derek Stroop]

Somebody'd start off with the ball.

[Mike Pesca]

Yeah.

[Derek Stroop]

We'd all tackle him. He gave the ball to somebody else. I mean, really just trying to burn energy with nothing else. With nothing else to do.

[Mike Pesca]

Yeah.

[Derek Stroop]

You know, there weren't that many injuries. No. I mean, some. But. No, I think it was. I think it was healthy.

[Mike Pesca]

Yeah.

[Derek Stroop]

And it was also really great. We all used to play with each other, neighborhood kids. We all came together, and. And I think you learned so much playing outside with your neighbors.

[Mike Pesca]

Yes.

[Derek Stroop]

Different kids. You know what I learned more than anything growing up playing with my neighbor? Social classes. I learned that we all were not in the same homes eating the same foods. And, I mean, I grew up kind of in the lower middle class, but you just.

[Mike Pesca]

You.

[Derek Stroop]

You learn those type of things, and I think that that's important. You would learn that your boy Jimmy, you know, have him over for dinner. His family doesn't really have that great of a menu going on. And then you would Learn about, you know, your buddy Tim. And you would want to go have dinner with them, for sure. They'll take you out to eat. You know, just. I think I've always thought that all the kids getting together, different social classes, different creeds and. Yeah. And. And homes. I think. I think that that's great.

[Mike Pesca]

Well, another aspect to this, just thinking about it now, I interviewed Chuck Klosterman, who wrote a book called Football. It's about nuclear physics. No, it's about football. And he points out that football, our national sport and in Alabama, a religion, is not really played casually at all. It's played in high schools, and it's played where you get the pads and formally. But all the other sports are played casually. Pick up game of basketball.

[Derek Stroop]

That's right. Pick up game.

[Mike Pesca]

Essentially pick up game of baseball, not football itself, some versions of it. And so Kill the Carrier, or whatever you want to call it is, is the closest to a pickup version of football that we could play because the other one is one quarterback. Three guys go out.

[Derek Stroop]

Right.

[Mike Pesca]

And that's like ultimate Frisbee more than.

[Derek Stroop]

No, no, no. You're 100. Right. That's the only one where there's actually tackling.

[Mike Pesca]

Yeah, yeah.

[Derek Stroop]

And you're going to the ground. Yeah. I mean, you might.

[Mike Pesca]

Rugby more than football.

[Derek Stroop]

A. Rugby's even a better example. Yeah, yeah, it is, because you're gonna get up and give the ball to somebody else. It's a continuous game where it kind

[Mike Pesca]

of never ends, but there's also a goal. And you kill the carrier. It's just to kill the carrier.

[Derek Stroop]

That's it.

[Mike Pesca]

Yeah.

[Derek Stroop]

That's insane. And the only time that it ended is when we all just got tired of t. Right.

[Mike Pesca]

It was like a whistle or. It's like war games. The only. The only way to win is not to play. Except we all played it and we all wanted to be the carrier. We didn't shy away from that.

[Derek Stroop]

That's 100% right. It's a different time.

[Mike Pesca]

So tell me about growing up. Now, you mentioned you're from Huntsville, and Huntsville's a very diverse town, because before we started, you had been mentioning, per capita, the most engineers, the most astrophysicists.

[Derek Stroop]

Yeah. I mean, you got rocket scientists. You got. You have the Redstone arsenal, which is your missile defense fence, the tomahawks, all the things that are protecting the country and protecting, you know, the ones that are actually intercepting. The Patriots that are intercepting, those are. Those are out of Huntsville, Alabama. The technology and such. You got NASA there I'm very proud of that area. A lot of people don't know, you know, and. And Huntsville folks, we're always trying to tell people how different we are than the rest of the state. Like my best friend growing up, Jeremy Williams, his mother, Wendy, she was a rocket science scientist. She would go to Houston every week when we were kids. And. And it's just such an interesting area. You. You've never seen so many engineers and lifted trucks in your whole life. Just different brilliant minds wearing camo and having dip in their mouth. It. It's just nowhere else in the country that this happens. So I lived in an area that, you know, I. I had, you know, the. The classic southern folks, which I love. But I also had these brainiacs. Ex in the same community, which, you know, created a fun dynamic.

[Mike Pesca]

I never went to public school.

[Derek Stroop]

Yeah, I mean, private school was not that popular where I was at. I mean, I went to a giant public school. I graduated, like, 21 years ago, and even more than that, but anyways, graduated with over 500 people. Big class, big school, good diversity. And so. And I love that I went to a giant high school. It made all the difference. I mean, we had a hockey team, theater, the whole nine yards.

[Mike Pesca]

How'd that affect your comedy? I was gonna ask, how'd that make you who you are today? But I want to actually focus it on the professional Stroop that we see.

[Derek Stroop]

Okay. How did it affect my comedy? Yeah, it started for me. I played sports my whole life. Growing up. I went to. My school was probably the demographic. 60, white, 40, black. Okay. And our sports teams were almost all black. And I was one of the white dudes that was on that team. That's where I found out I was funny. I mean, in the locker room, everybody'd be roasting each other. It'd be the. I mean, honestly, some of the funniest conversations and things. And I just got brave enough, and I jumped in, and I would. I would make a joke at him and make a joke at them, and they'd make a joke, and everybody's reaction. I go, I, I, I, I think I'm funny. I, I think that, that. And I kind of found it in those locker rooms in high school was the first time I felt the validation of. Because I would do impressions of the coach in front of the whole team. And. And that's where. That's where I really. Those locker rooms with my buddies, my teammates, Darwin and Fernando, guys that I love that. That's where I found out that I.

[Mike Pesca]

I could Hang now before you made a reference. It's a blessing that you learned about nostalgia. In your special, you say a couple times, testimony. Right. So this is from the church. This is a religious thing.

[Derek Stroop]

Yeah.

[Mike Pesca]

You don't orient us. I understood what it was, but maybe a lot of people who didn't grow up in the church wouldn't. It's just what, the way you talk or.

[Derek Stroop]

Yeah, yeah. And it's not. And there's no like real root to the word. I mean, you know, you go to court, you got to give a testimony, right? I mean, you can put that in context however you want. I, I'm a, I'm a word person naturally. I don't look to say different words. I just use different words to explain things. I use analogies. I, you know, I add on little sayings at the end of my. Just a guy that was filming me not too long ago, he's like, when you talk, he's like, I don't mean any offense to this. He said, I find it fascinating. But he's like, it's like a cartoon character. He's like, you'll say something and you go, I can tell you that. Or there's more with that. He's like these little add ons. At the end after he said, I've never heard anybody. So the words that I use don't exactly aren't as thought out as you might think. I just like to. I talk a little different.

[Mike Pesca]

But were you churched? Was that a big part of your life?

[Derek Stroop]

Yeah, for sure. I mean that by my parents. It was my own. It was my own thing. My parents weren't super religious.

[Mike Pesca]

Weren't.

[Derek Stroop]

No, no. I mean, they believe in God. Yeah. You know, there's a few holidays we would show up, up, but I, I seeked it out all on my own. And it, and it started from that. I'm a little bit of a religious person. I definitely believe in God. You know, I'm, I pray and that sort of thing. But it was also, I think I was looking for somewhere where I could talk in front of people. You kind of wanted to be a preacher or a pastor. And that was the first avenue, what I was wondering. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And so I was like, I was, I flirted in that world until I went to college, believe it or not. High school, first, first year of college. When I went to college, I didn't drink or cuss. My first year, second year, I was in college, I did a lot of both.

[Mike Pesca]

Yeah.

[Derek Stroop]

And went the complete other way. And, and, and I'll go to church every once in a while, but it's not something that, like, I'm not a super faith driven person.

[Mike Pesca]

Where'd you go to college?

[Derek Stroop]

Jacksonville State University.

[Mike Pesca]

Okay, so pretty close to home.

[Derek Stroop]

Yeah, yeah. Two hours south. Jacksonville, Alabama. Just, just like, you know, 120 miles south of Huntsville. So not bad.

[Mike Pesca]

And you sought it out yourself. That's funny because a lot of comedians, their comedy is, I was raised in the church or I had religion imposed on me. A lot of ex Catholics and so many jokes about the oppression of that. Yeah, you're the opposite. But not a lot of jokes about that particular journey.

[Derek Stroop]

No, no. Because I mean, like I said, I go to church, I'm in the church, but I'm not like, I'm not in that world. Yeah. And so, but I can be. You know, I, I've, I, I've, I opened for John Crist for four years. One of the top Christian comedians in the world. And I never did Christian comedy up front. I just did clean comedy. But I still do.

[Mike Pesca]

Right? There's no cussing in your actors?

[Derek Stroop]

No, I mean, rarely I might say hell.

[Mike Pesca]

Oh, hell. I didn't even realize, I thought that just a description of a place.

[Derek Stroop]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, hell or ass or something like that. But no, I'm not going to drop any F bombs or, you know, I'm not gonna say, you know. And, and I, I, that was not

[Mike Pesca]

as a, not as a strategic choice. Just. This isn't how you talk, I take it.

[Derek Stroop]

No, no, it's strategic.

[Mike Pesca]

Oh, yeah.

[Derek Stroop]

It's like the only thing in my life. Yeah. I mean, if you would take this whole conversation, you'd go, well, he's probably not doing this on purpose. No, it was a business decision.

[Mike Pesca]

Okay.

[Derek Stroop]

Yeah, I, I, I think for me, I love all comedy, but I decided I think it's a better brand of comedy. I think it plays to more people. I have found my career changed after I went clean. Oh, it changed completely. I know. And immediately, I mean, I, I feel like I was in witness protection when I was dirty. I mean, they were like, here's another angry guy that's yelling the F word. Here we go. But when you get up there and you articulate your jokes and you have to follow through with them and I, I have the emotion, but I can't have a crutch on, you know, saying the F word or have a crutch on, you know, using this word. I've got to follow my jokes through. I, I feel like that it doesn't get as much respect ground level with other comedians. I kind of get kicked out of the cool kid club sometimes, but the money's great.

[Mike Pesca]

Yeah. So they'll say he's a Christian comic and have be a little closed minded.

[Derek Stroop]

Not Christian, just clean. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I don't think, you know, I don't think people see my comedy and think that's a Christian.

[Mike Pesca]

Right, right. That's true.

[Derek Stroop]

Yeah. They would say that's a clean comic and they kind of put you in a box. So what I like to do is get in front of those comics. Here's the thing. I'll. I'll talk a little trash. I my comedy would. I, I could get anybody else's crowd. I would dare somebody else come get my crowd.

[Mike Pesca]

Right.

[Derek Stroop]

That's that. That's kind of the trash that I'll talk.

[Mike Pesca]

Yeah.

[Derek Stroop]

Is I'll come. You, you be as dirty.

[Mike Pesca]

You could play in the alt rooms. You could play maybe I'll go to any room.

[Derek Stroop]

The whole room could be all black folks. We're gonna have the time of our life. Right. You can have the dirtiest crowds you ever want and I'm gonna have a good time in front of them. Now here's my crowd expectations. Pretty clean. Come, come, hop on. I want to see if you can ride the same lightning that I do on your show.

[Mike Pesca]

Interesting. Do you think it sharpened your brain? Sharpen your. Challenged you to come up with better ways to say it when you dropped all the F bombs?

[Derek Stroop]

Yeah, yeah. And I mean, I learned a lot of that from, I mean, honestly, the way that, you know, Nate. Nate Bargazi took me under his wing just a couple years ago. And some people think that we've known each other forever. I've only known him for two years. He's given me a lot of opportunities. He's one of my favorite people. But I learned, I learned a lot from that man.

[Mike Pesca]

Yeah.

[Derek Stroop]

I mean he's. And if he wasn't a clean comic, everybody would know. Some people don't even. This guy's out here selling out four shows in one weekend at an arena. 20,000, 80,000 tickets in a weekend. But because he's completely clean and he's not edgy and he's not up there starting a revolution with a microphone in his hand. People are really not, you know, he doesn't get the outside love, you know, because I'll bring him up in, in New York City. I'll be in a cab, I'll bring him up in the cellar. Some people know him. They're like, really? He's selling that many tickets?

[Mike Pesca]

Yeah.

[Derek Stroop]

I'm like, Nate Bargazzi is the number one comic in the world. You got to get on board.

[Mike Pesca]

It's funny. If you look at the tour listings, including Beyonce and yeah, he's like six.

[Derek Stroop]

I'm there because I open for him like once a month. I cannot believe what I see.

[Mike Pesca]

Yeah.

[Derek Stroop]

I truly cannot believe that. There's 17, 000. And when I open for him, I'm thinking, you know, I'll have a show in that market trailing in two months. And I'm like, if I can just get everybody that's in the bathroom right now to go to my show, it'll sell out.

[Mike Pesca]

Yeah.

[Derek Stroop]

Which is a wild thought. And it's true.

[Mike Pesca]

Yeah.

[Derek Stroop]

So. Yeah. So watching him, he, he, he writes so smart and so clean, and it doesn't take anything away from the show. Sometimes I think some clean comedians have hurt people by being corny and writing some borderline hack material to be clean. He's having all the same conversations, observational thoughts, and not stepping on any toes.

[Mike Pesca]

Now, would you say. Because I've talked to a lot of clean comedians or comedians who choose to work clean, but most of them will say there are brilliant comedians who use the F word. And they'll also say, in my own life, of course, I use the F word quite freely. So I'm not denigrating that. It's either a choice for me or something that I just think works in my life. Would you agree with that? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Derek Stroop]

I mean, I, I unfortun. You know, and I know it lets down some fans, but I like to keep it real. I have a foul mouth off stage. I mean, my wife gets on to me a lot.

[Mike Pesca]

So when you, when you screwed up the eggs, were you.

[Derek Stroop]

Yeah, that was, that was an F word.

[Mike Pesca]

Yes.

[Derek Stroop]

But I, I do try to do better. I, I don't think that, like, there's a. There's a line in my. I'm only speaking for my opinion. Cussing too much is. It can be a bad look. But I think that if you're an adult and you are living in this world, you will cuss sometimes. Most people, not. Not everybody. I'm not speaking so I will cuss off stage, but just on stage in the setting. You bought these tickets. We're gonna have some drinks and some food. I'm gonna give you. I'm not gonna surprise you with any words here. And we're gonna have a good time, and it's not going to take anything you're not going to go home and go. You know that joke that he told the setup? I think if he would have just dropped the F bomb right there.

[Mike Pesca]

Right.

[Derek Stroop]

People would have been like, oh, I don't think that conversation happened.

[Mike Pesca]

Kick the effing can.

[Derek Stroop]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Mike Pesca]

Better. Yeah. Okay. How many times do you use the word gravy in your special? Or not just describe yourself, but talk about gravy with another character who you're talking about in your special?

[Derek Stroop]

I'd say three or four times.

[Mike Pesca]

Yes. Do you remember all of them?

[Derek Stroop]

No, not all of it.

[Mike Pesca]

One is, you say you're. You talk like. You sound like.

[Derek Stroop]

I sound like a bowl of gravy.

[Mike Pesca]

Yeah, yeah. Bowl of gravy.

[Derek Stroop]

Yeah, yeah.

[Mike Pesca]

And New Yorkers sound like a traffic cone.

[Derek Stroop]

That's right.

[Mike Pesca]

Did you try other things before you got to traffic cone?

[Derek Stroop]

No, that worked the first time. It worked immediately. And. And New Yorkers, they. They get that. They. They enjoy that because it's just one of those things. That's what I'm talking about. It's funny to have New Yorkers react so much to my accent.

[Mike Pesca]

Yeah.

[Derek Stroop]

While they have such a thick accent. And that's kind of what I'm playing on.

[Mike Pesca]

What do people from Denver sound like?

[Derek Stroop]

What's up, dude?

[Mike Pesca]

So you don't want. Right. So you don't want it. But what physical object you don't want to say? Granola. That's cliche.

[Derek Stroop]

Yeah, yeah. I mean, I. I would say. I mean, they sound like a bag of trail mix.

[Mike Pesca]

Yeah.

[Derek Stroop]

You know, some. Something like that would be. But I never really.

[Mike Pesca]

Something like they think they sound like a mountain stream.

[Derek Stroop]

Yeah.

[Mike Pesca]

They really sound like.

[Derek Stroop]

Yeah, yeah.

[Mike Pesca]

You know, the main fish. Yeah, There we go. So one of the times, I think you make a reference to Bill, your dad, eating gravy. And then there's an Aunt Sharon.

[Derek Stroop]

Yeah.

[Mike Pesca]

Who, because she smoked, didn't mess up the gravy.

[Derek Stroop]

Yeah, yeah. No, it's. She. She had gone on the porch, blown off some steam, and I go, y' all have never seen somebody whisk up mad gravy where she's in there whisking it, going. Nobody treated me like this when mama was alive. And it's like kind of an act out. And that's a very. And that's just one of those journeys you got to go on. That's a very country. Some of my stuff. It's just who I. It's a very country act out and conversation. But it's still relatable, you know, to A lot of families where you got the aunt that had to have a cigarette before she told everybody to go F themselves in the living room right now, she's making the gravy, you know.

[Mike Pesca]

You know, it's funny for my people, or half my people, gravy is tomato sauce. Did you know this? The Italians say, yeah, you make good gravy marinara, you know.

[Derek Stroop]

You know what's funny is me and Peter Ravello, a good buddy of mine, so funny, we were just talking the other night because we always joke around about how we'd have a gravy, great buddy cop movie. Yeah. You know, because he's. He's Italian with this smooth attack, like, New York accent, great head of hair. Yeah, yeah. And I. I sound like this. It would be an interesting dynamic. But we were talking about we've got the only two accents left, you hear me? That you can still make fun of that. I'm gonna tell you, you can get on stage. You can go, oh, I'm gonna have a meat to Bob. You can get on there and go, hey, y', all, I don't know how to ride the subway. And they'll land both.

[Mike Pesca]

Yeah.

[Derek Stroop]

But if you get on there and do any other accent or impression, and it's out the door, and Peter's so funny, he goes, I understand the Southerners. He's like, but why are Italians still catching strays? And. But it's. It's the only two accents. You just. I mean, that you can still, you

[Mike Pesca]

know, when you do the Italian guy or, you know, the New Yorker guy is calling you Huckleberry Finn. Have you gotten critiques on the quality of your accent?

[Derek Stroop]

No. People tell me. They go, that's a great New York accent. Yeah, yeah. It's exaggerated. You know, it's to me that I. I would call it the Tracy Morgan, you know, the kind of. Oh, yeah, Huckleberry Finn. You know, like a very exaggerated but not totally wrong New York accent.

[Mike Pesca]

And do you hear non Southerners ever do a quality Southern accent in comedy or elsewhere?

[Derek Stroop]

Oh, yeah, yeah.

[Mike Pesca]

It does a good one.

[Derek Stroop]

I mean, I don't. I see it all the time. I can't tell you how many times I have to follow. I mean, I'm the especially. I mean, honestly, especially the seller. A lot of. I'm the butt of the joke. Not personally, but they'll go, I mean, I'm getting hammered right before I come up. They're like, I saw this guy at the airport, and he's like, hey, I can't believe colored can Fly. And like, that's. And then they're like, derek Stroop, everybody. And I'm like, wow, okay, let me reset the room. That was not me that did that. I run into that honestly, more than I'd like to.

[Mike Pesca]

I think you're bad. Through the joke that I first saw that I said, this guy might be brilliant is how the school bus was. The Internet.

[Derek Stroop]

Oh, man, that's, that is so good.

[Mike Pesca]

How did you come to that observation? And then I don't want to give the whole thing away, but we'll give a little away. The last row of the bus being the dark web, which is the, you know, the ultimate topper. Tell me about constructing that joke experience.

[Derek Stroop]

You know, I grew up riding the bus. I was the last person on in the morning in the. And the last person off in the afternoon, and I grew up riding the bus. I mean, I must have been on the bus for 10 years. And that joke is exactly how I grew up. And I just broke it down in the way that I would think the, the way that I would speak. The further you go on the back of the bus, the deeper you get in the Internet. That last row is the dark web. You know, there'll be some seventh grader with a black and mild and some burn CDs. That's all things I saw and was around, right. And I just broke it down, you know, into joke form. But he's in a black and mild. You know, I was just a little Christian kid. I was like, oh, I've. I've never heard of three six Mafia. Wow. Chicken. Chicken. That joke is, is really fun. That's probably the joke that, you know, you get different compliments for different jokes that you write. Like, my cigarette bit, David Tell was like, man, I, I, he was like, I love that. That, that sounds like Bob Dylan lyrics, you know. And then the bus joke was the one I got the most from other comics. Dusty Sleigh, Biblia. He. They would be like, sorry, yeah, he, he would. They were like, man, I wish I. That's a joke that I would love to tell. It's like the kindest compliments, but I love that joke. And, and it's so relatable. You know, everybody. Even if you grew up on a city bus, there's similarities to that. Yeah, that's relatable.

[Libsyn Ads Announcer]

Yeah.

[Mike Pesca]

And that fits in. Dusty's been on the show, and I was talking to Mike Birbiglia two days ago. We were talking about a Dave Attell bit where I don't want to Steal his bit. But it was about, you know, who doesn't care about AI Jugglers. You know what they care about? Wind and that. So you see Birbiglia. Loving that a tell bit. You could see a tell who's, you know.

[Derek Stroop]

Yeah.

[Mike Pesca]

Probably still smokes. Loving your cigarette bit.

[Derek Stroop]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. It does make perfect sense that a tail. Yeah. He was like, smoking a cigarette. Yeah. Yeah, you're right.

[Mike Pesca]

Are you gonna miss the camaraderie of the New York comedians when you go down to Nashville big time?

[Derek Stroop]

I'm gonna. You know what's so great? I mean, the seller. They've treated me like family. I'm not just saying that because we're in here. Like, I can't believe how I was accepted. And it's just fun to. Honestly, without sounding like, whatever, just hanging out with a bunch of people that are good at what they do do. Like a bunch of people that when we talk about comedy and we chop it up, it's not somebody talking out of the side of their neck or pulling something out of their ass. This person's funny. They've been on the road. They. They're relatable. We can share these experiences. It's. It's so nice to just talk to people that are in a similar world. You know, when I lived in Denver, it felt like I outgrew it a little bit. It got a little weird. You weren't. I wasn't able to share certain experiences without sounding a certain way.

[Mike Pesca]

Yeah.

[Derek Stroop]

And the seller. Nobody cares about you like that.

[Mike Pesca]

You.

[Derek Stroop]

You. You're going to get your balls busted more than you're going to get a high five. And I'm going to miss that environment.

[Mike Pesca]

Well, listen, Derek, good luck with the move to Nashville. Good luck with the kid. Good luck with the new special which is called Nostalgic on Netflix. It was great meeting you. Sadly, the mics weren't plugged in, but I don't know that that matters, given our volume. Trying to match you here.

[Derek Stroop]

Hey, I was raised by an air airport. You can tell I yell the whole time.

[Mike Pesca]

Derek Stroop, Nostalgic on Netflix now. Thanks, man.

[Derek Stroop]

Thank you.

[Mike Pesca]

And that's it for today's show. Corey War produces the Gist. Kathleen Sykes runs the Gist list. Ben Astaire is our booking producer, and Jeff Craig runs our socials. Michelle Pesca oversees it all benevolently. And thanks for listening.

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