Wild Austin Adventures with Anthony DeVito - CHIT CHAT WEDNESDAY - The JTrain Podcast w Jared Freid

Summary

The JTrain Podcast: Wild Austin Adventures with Anthony DeVito - CHIT CHAT WEDNESDAY

Release Date: November 27, 2024
Host: Jared Freid
Guest: Anthony DeVito

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Introduction

In this episode of The JTrain Podcast, host Jared Freid welcomes his friend and fellow comedian Anthony DeVito for a lively conversation filled with anecdotes, humor, and insightful discussions. Recorded live from the West Village of Manhattan, this episode dives into Anthony’s recent adventures in Austin, his experiences performing in Louisiana, and broader topics related to the comedy industry and entertainment landscape.

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1. The Hangover Chronicles: Anthony's Night Out in Louisiana

The episode kicks off with Jared reaching out to Anthony while he’s battling a hangover from a late night in Louisiana.

• Anthony on Getting Hungover:
  "[03:42] Anthony DeVito: This is going to be like Turning Point."
  Jared shares how Anthony was eager to join the podcast despite being hungover, setting a humorous tone for their discussion.

• Louisiana Drinking Culture:
  Anthony describes his stint performing in Louisiana, highlighting the region's intense party atmosphere.
  "[05:37] Anthony DeVito: And what I think it's probably because of the LSU Alabama game? Or you think that was just kind of the sentiment of the town?"
  They contrast the Midwest’s "drinking to get through" mentality with Louisiana's party-centric culture, emphasizing how integral drinking is to the local lifestyle.

• Cocaine's Influence:
  A candid conversation emerges about the pervasive presence of cocaine in social settings.
  "[08:48] Anthony DeVito: I always forget to rule it to take into account drugs as a factor...everybody else around you."
  Jared adds his perspective on the dangers and changing dynamics brought about by drug use, especially during the pandemic era.

• Striking Comparisons:
  Jared recounts his experience in Baton Rouge, drawing parallels to other cities and the unique energy they possess.
  "[07:52] Jared Freed: Baton Rouge was the most dangerous place I've ever hung out and drank."

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2. The State of Comedy: Austin vs Other Comedy Hubs

The discussion shifts to the evolving comedy scene, particularly focusing on Austin’s role as a new hub for comedians.

• Austin's Comedy Scene:
  Anthony and Jared compare performing in Austin to being part of the Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) scene, highlighting its edgier vibe.
  "[06:37] Jared Freed: ...comparing doing comedy in Austin to, like, doing wrestling in the ecw."

• Cultural Influence on Comedy:
  They explore how Austin’s vibrant and sometimes extreme environment encourages comedians to push boundaries.
  "[17:37] Anthony DeVito: ...it's still compared to New York, relatively inexpensive."
  Jared introduces his humorous concept of the "Martini Rating" to measure city expenses related to entertainment.

• Audience Dynamics:
  Anthony discusses the unique audience behavior in Austin, noting the stilted and guarded responses from attendees.
  "[25:04] Anthony DeVito: So it's a very stilted laugh. It's not free, because they're not."

• Personal Anecdotes:
  Jared shares a personal experience from Tulsa, emphasizing the unpredictability and challenges of performing in different locales.
  "[28:22] Jared Freed: ...the guy who won, he looked like..."

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3. Lookalike Contests: Fun or Danger?

Shifting gears, Jared and Anthony delve into the rising trend of celebrity lookalike contests across the country.

• Popularity and Impact:
  They discuss various lookalike contests, including those for Timothy Chalamet, Jeremy Allen White, and Jalen Hurts, deliberating on their cultural significance and potential pitfalls.
  "[37:54] Anthony DeVito: ...someone could come to the Jalen Hurts lookalike contest, who's the quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles, and take out their aggression on a fake Jalen Hurts?"

• Potential Dangers:
  Anthony raises concerns about the emotional and social repercussions for participants, likening some scenarios to exaggerated confrontations.
  "[42:05] Jared Freed: I don't think there can be...lives are ruined by it."

• Humorous Speculations:
  They humorously speculate on how these contests might evolve, with Jared imagining absurd scenarios like a Taylor Swift lookalike contest turning overly obsessive.
  "[43:22] Jared Freed: ...petting it and, like, nice to meet you, Sabrina. It would turn into..."

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4. Stephen A. Smith and the Evolving Landscape of Sports Media

The conversation transitions to a critique of Stephen A. Smith and the current state of sports media.

• Dominance of Stephen A. Smith:
  Anthony expresses his frustration with Stephen A. Smith's monopolistic presence in sports media, highlighting issues of income inequality and lack of genuine discourse.
  "[46:12] Anthony DeVito: Yeah, it's tough, man. It's really tough for me to listen or watch Stephen A. Smith."

• Media Dynamics:
  They analyze how Stephen A. Smith’s influence affects the nature of debate shows, making them seem more like corporate entities rather than platforms for honest discussion.
  "[48:25] Jared Freed: ...income inequality that is showing up in entertainment."

• Comparisons to Other Personalities:
  Anthony contrasts Smith with other sports commentators like Aaron Rodgers, who can engage more authentically without the overbearing presence.
  "[49:20] Anthony DeVito: He doesn't care. But that's, that's he..."

• Future of Sports Entertainment:
  Jared and Anthony ponder the future trajectory of sports media, questioning whether the current trends will continue to prioritize star athletes over genuine content creators.
  "[51:28] Anthony DeVito: That's fair. They're."

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Conclusion

As the episode wraps up, Jared and Anthony reflect on their banter-filled conversation, highlighting the blend of humor and critical analysis that defines their dynamic. Jared encourages listeners to engage with Anthony’s new podcast, Talk Town, and to follow him on social media for more content.

• Final Remarks:
  "[53:40] Jared Freed: Anthony, thank you, man. Appreciate it."
  The episode concludes on a light-hearted note, emphasizing their camaraderie and the entertaining nature of their discussions.

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Notable Quotes

• On Performing in Louisiana:
  "[05:37] Anthony DeVito: ...New Orleans, it's like another country."

• On the Comedy Scene in Austin:
  "[22:23] Anthony DeVito: ...they're very much on cocaine. You are not."

• On Lookalike Contests:
  "[37:54] Anthony DeVito: ...someone could come to the Jalen Hurts lookalike contest and take out their aggression on a fake Jalen Hurts."

• On Stephen A. Smith:
  "[46:12] Anthony DeVito: ...there are better entertainers that they like."

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Final Thoughts

This episode of The JTrain Podcast offers a multifaceted exploration of contemporary issues in comedy and entertainment, all delivered with Jared and Anthony’s signature humor and candidness. From the wild nights in Louisiana to the intricate dynamics of sports media, listeners are treated to a rich and engaging dialogue that balances laughs with thoughtful critique.

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For more episodes and updates, follow Jared Freid and Anthony DeVito on their respective social media platforms.

Transcript

[Jared Freed]

Hello and welcome to the J Train Podcast. This is J Train Jared Freed, coming live from the West Village of Manhattan. That's right, It's a Chit Chat Wednesday. Today's guest is Anthony DeVito, good friend of mine. Just always, like, awesome to talk to him. Anytime that we do a podcast, I just start right away. We just hit record the minute we jump on Zoom. And you're going to feel that. Today we talk about him being in Austin and having a drunken Sunday night and waking up. I literally texted him 20 minutes before taping and he was like, I'm in, I'm on. I'm a hungover. And I go, perfect. So we talk about being hungover and drinking and doing shows in Louisiana, which, you know, I've been down there. It's always fun. Going to Louisiana in general just feels like another country. We talk about that. Then we talk about a little State of Comedy stuff, which I hope people like and enjoy. I would love to see comments on this video. If you watched and liked the interview, didn't. Just some thoughtful comments on State of the Industry. If it makes sense. Because I do think a lot about this and what comedy people are doing and where, you know, Austin being this, like, new hub for comedy and they take a lot of pride in it. And Joe Rogan being there and he opened a club, and now you're kind of encouraged because you see what's successful in Austin to be a little bit more extreme. And Anthony and I finished the Chit chat and I pressed Stop. And then we compared doing comedy in Austin to, like, doing wrestling in the ecw. And ECW was this, like, hardcore wrestling league. They throw people onto, you know, nails and through tables and yeah, WWE did that, but this was like, a little bit, you know, outside the standard deviation of normal hardcore stuff. So we were talking about in that scene, yeah, you say something and it gets a laugh, but then you leave it and people are like, what are you talking about? You can't say those things. So it is interesting to me. So I would love to hear from you. And then we talk about Stephen A. Smith, just because Anthony's a sports fan, like I am. And I've kind of had this. It's this weird thing with Stephen A. Smith where you're watching him, who he's the producer and the owner of the show because he makes so much money and everyone that he's debating with kind of works for him. So it's a little weird and emblematic, I think. And then we talk about the lookalike contest. Which since I did pop culture Thursday last week, I talked about the Jeremy Allen White lookalike contest. There are more popping up, so I thought, let's talk to Anthony about that. So just a fun talk. I had fun. I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments and enjoy today's episode. Boom. Welcome to the new J Train podcast. Hello and welcome to the J Train Podcast. This is J Train Jared Freed coming you live from the West Village of Manhattan. That's right, it's a chit chat Wednesday. Every Wednesday, I'm joined by a guest, a friend, a foe, a compadre. Today we have J. An OKP original key player, Anthony DeVito. Thank you. Coming to us live from Austin, Texas. How are you hungover? You're hungover. I want. I have questions written for you. You ready? I wrote them down.

[Anthony DeVito]

This is going to be like Turning Point.

[Jared Freed]

Yes. Why? Why are you hung? What did you do to. Why are you hungover? It's a Monday morning. I. I booked you 10 minutes ago. So. To let people hide, to let people behind the curtains, I was like, this holiday week messed with me. I have to fly to. I mean, like, I went daily to the podcast and this just changes the whole dynamic of the podcast.

[Anthony DeVito]

You're doing this every day now.

[Jared Freed]

So I do Mailbag Monday. I do ticked off Tuesday. I do Chitchat Wednesday, Pop Culture Thursday. And it's supposed to be 20 minutes. So like our chit chat.

[Anthony DeVito]

I see.

[Jared Freed]

That's why I said half hour max. But usually we go long. I, you know, we. I alone. You know, my neighbors must think I'm crazy. I just talk to myself every day.

[Anthony DeVito]

They really do. They must think you're the loneliest. They're working on a script right now called the Loneliest man in Manhattan.

[Jared Freed]

Literally, there's moments where I'm like, I don't know what to do. And then, like, I'm just imagining someone next to like, boy, this guy's really going through it. What do you. How are you hungover? What did you do last night? It's so. It's a Monday morning. The Monday morning hangover is like, I'm. I'm a. I am. I am a Sunday drinker. It's my favorite day, night of the week to drink. So I get.

[Anthony DeVito]

It's true, man. Yeah, you are. For as long as I've known you, Sunday, Sunday is your Friday.

[Jared Freed]

Sunday is the Lord's day. That's right. Yeah. I like a Friday. Doesn't matter to me. A Sunday. It's like, I don't know, I just really like to bathe in the pig sty. That is a Sunday. Like, any amount of food, drinks, you don't. You know, the real people are out. It's not like someone's birthday, you know, I don't know. What did you do last night? So what did you do in Austin?

[Anthony DeVito]

So I was doing a run of shows in Louisiana, so I did.

[Jared Freed]

Oh, man. Say no more. Now I know why you're hungover. Louisiana, like, that place, it's like going to another country. You. Like, I have to do what the people do here.

[Anthony DeVito]

Yeah. And it just so happens what the people do here is just get fucking hammered.

[Jared Freed]

Hammered.

[Anthony DeVito]

Murdered. Hammered. And it's. But the thing is, it's. It's fun because like, some places, like, you'll go to the Midwest and they're drinking to. They're drinking for, like, repression, you know what I mean?

[Jared Freed]

Okay.

[Anthony DeVito]

They're like, it's winter. There's a lot of stuff going on. It doesn't. It's not a happy. They're not like, they're not happy to be doing it. They're like, we have to do this to get through whatever we have to get through. Whereas New Orleans, it's like, oh, no, we're doing this because it's a party. So you. Yeah. You don't even. You don't so much feel like you're. You just feel like. Exactly. You're just like, this is part of the culture. I'm with the culture right now.

[Jared Freed]

I went to. So, like, New Orleans is New Orleans, but I. I went to Baton Rouge, to lsu, Alabama. Were you for. I, like, did this game show way back when where I. One of the stops. I went to 14 different college football games around the country, and I. One of the stops was lsu. And I said the one thing that, like, I would write these things afterwards and, like, give the feeling of what it was like. And, you know, it's funny, whenever you're like, I'm not trying to be critical of any town. I'm just, like, saying how I felt. Like, I didn't. I don't need a place to suck. Like, you know, like, I think people, when they read a review of their place, they get, like, hot and bothered a little bit. But I'm like, I understand why anyone would live anywhere. Like you said about the Midwest. Like, I get why someone lives in Wisconsin, goes to a bar that looks like a grandma's basement and, like, sips a beer and plays dice on the bar. Like, I get why all that exists right And I get why you have a happy life doing that. Baton Baton Rouge was the most dangerous place I've ever hung out and drank.

[Anthony DeVito]

Really.

[Jared Freed]

I always felt like someone was going to just come by and cold clock me. Like, not like gun dangerous, but, like, just drinking dangerous, if that makes sense.

[Anthony DeVito]

It makes sense. What was the. Was. Do you think it was just because of the LSU Alabama game? Or you think that was just kind of the sentiment of the town?

[Jared Freed]

I think it was cocaine. And it was a cocaine energy. Like. And maybe it was the game that people are doing more cocaine, but it just felt like cocaine was in the air. Like, it just felt like that type of energy, whether people were on drugs or not. I'm just saying, like, that just. And, you know, the game probably adds to the. To the sauce a little bit, but I. I definitely had this air of like, keep your head on a swivel, dude. Like, so where did you drink last night?

[Anthony DeVito]

Last night was Austin, so. And can I. I'll say this too. I always forget that. I always forget to rule it to take into account drugs as a factor. And it's cocaine just. Cause I'm. I'm. I'm. And I'm not judging. I've never done it. So I think when you don't do something, you forget that, you know, it's pumping through the veins of potentially everybody else around you. And then you walk into a place and you're like, oh, everyone's being kind of weird. And they're in. In some ways they're like, actually, you're the one who's kind of weird. Cause they're all very much on cocaine. You are not.

[Jared Freed]

You know, I. I remember the day in college, I realized people were doing cocaine. And I remember being like, oh, like, feeling like an idiot. I was like, oh, the doors are locked because of that. Like, I. I didn't know. Like. And I'm not saying this to be, like, better than anyone else. Like, since then, I've done, you know, a share of it. Not like, you know, I. And I do think that that drug, like, this was pre fentanyl in the cocaine, which was like, that became a thing, like, loosely to me. Or it came into my world during the pandemic where, like, oh, like, you could just be, like, having a fun night and just drop fucking dead. And I was like, that's not that I. Whatever amount of fun that is, it's not enough fun for me to not be, like, losing my mind, like, thinking that this is. I. We're taking a shot here. Like, I just. And then people are like, no, you. Now you can buy the testing strips with it. And I'm like, nah, I'm not. This is not the world I'm getting involved in. Yeah.

[Anthony DeVito]

Also, too, during the pandemic, you're like, how many testing kits do I need?

[Jared Freed]

I don't have Covid. No, you use the cocaine Fentanyl test. You have to go through all of them, right? You got all. You're like, are we pregnant? Am I on fentanyl? Do I have Covid? I don't know what's going on. It would be very confusing times.

[Anthony DeVito]

Good news, bad news, weird news, right? No Fentanyl. I do have a little bit of COVID I am very pregnant.

[Jared Freed]

This sickness is crazy. Yeah, I. It is funny, though, that, like, Louisiana, when you mention it, like, you're like, I had a weekend run in Louisiana. I'm like, oh, man, I get that. I've always said that New Orleans is, like, anti Semitically coded. Like, all the drinks are sugary, the food has dairy. Like, it's all. You're just basically saying to Jews, like, stay out of here. This ain't for you.

[Anthony DeVito]

Can I say, in the. In the history of how Jews have been treated, that's. That's Bet your best case scenario, right?

[Jared Freed]

They were like, let's put some dairy in a lot of the foods, and we'll mess with them in a annoying way, you know? Yeah, yeah.

[Anthony DeVito]

The Nazis went right at you guys.

[Jared Freed]

Yeah.

[Anthony DeVito]

They was like, we'll just load up on dairy, right? So this will be more effective than what they did over there.

[Jared Freed]

We don't have to kill anyone. We just. This will keep them away. We will never see a Jew around us if we just make sure that we make this thing called a grenade, right?

[Anthony DeVito]

And we'll just do a seltzer law. There's no seltzer allowed in New Orleans. Trust me, they will stay away.

[Jared Freed]

I love that you. You think that seltzer. If there's no seltzer, there's no Jews.

[Anthony DeVito]

Yeah.

[Jared Freed]

Let me over.

[Anthony DeVito]

Let me say this. And I know that's a here we go stereotype that has been proven true by almost every one of my friends is Jewish.

[Jared Freed]

I mean, the flavored seltzers I love. I mean, I love a soda.

[Anthony DeVito]

You, Libby, Gondelman, and Sam. I've never seen four more people with such a high seltzer intake. Oh, and it just so happens you're all Jewish.

[Jared Freed]

I think it's all about weight stuff. Like, when I see someone order a Coca Cola Like, I am, like, I am like, whoa, this guy's crazy. Like, like, I think because it's like zero calorie and especially the, you know, the flavored seltzers, and I call it club soda. Then seltzer is a New York tri state area naming.

[Anthony DeVito]

Oh, really?

[Jared Freed]

Oh, yeah. I'm pretty positive. I, I, when. So seltzer and club soda, the same thing, but I think maybe it was a tissue Kleenex thing. So where did you go last night? Did you do a show last night?

[Anthony DeVito]

So last night. So I did Baton Rouge Thursday, but it was.

[Jared Freed]

Did you fear the danger that I felt, or do you. Is it not the danger just because.

[Anthony DeVito]

The streets were so desolate and it felt like it really, like they really. But they had all the buildings, and I think that's always the build they had. All the buildings and businesses were open, but nobody was out on the streets, which made me think, something's happening in town. Like, there's a killer on the loose is kind of how it made me feel. So I was uneasy.

[Jared Freed]

I don't know if that's a New York thing for us because I made a video from Cleveland and I was like, it, I was like, the city's here, right? But there's no one here. And it, like, blew up because, like, all these Cleveland people were like, then go back. Get out of here. And I'm like, I'm just saying it looks like the set of a movie. Like, it just like. And I think this is happening in a lot of cities where, like, you don't have to go to your office. People are working remote like these, you know, I don't know. I kind of, I would, I would hate to tell people to go into work just so I feel better about a city being more bustling.

[Anthony DeVito]

Yeah. What? I mean, if you really want to be a New York asshole, that's great.

[Jared Freed]

Get back in here.

[Anthony DeVito]

Yeah, it's a. I came here for two days and it just wasn't New York. So a little more New York for me, that'd be great.

[Jared Freed]

This isn't, this isn't Baton Rouge enough. I need people walking around hailing taxis.

[Anthony DeVito]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. But I think there is something probably biological where if you see, like, they built a downtown, put. They put business, but nobody came. You go, oh, there's. There's been another pandemic. Like, there's.

[Jared Freed]

Right there.

[Anthony DeVito]

People who should be here are not here because something horrific has happened. And I'm just walking around like a moron who didn't read the news right Right.

[Jared Freed]

It's. And you know, you keep hearing like, this is the thing where you go, I don't know what to believe. Like, are we doing well? Are we doing badly? Is society like, is everyone just shuttered in their home doing cocaine? Is that what's going on? I. I'm trying to break the record for the most times cocaine has been mentioned on a podcast.

[Anthony DeVito]

Yeah, well, for a chitchat Wednesday, I mean, you can handle this on Mailbag Monday if you want, or.

[Jared Freed]

Write in.

[Anthony DeVito]

Thursday at the office.

[Jared Freed]

It's pop culture Thursday. I have a question for you. Pop culture Thursday related, please, because we haven't gotten to your Austin night, which I like Austin. It shows you Austin. Well, let's go back to your drinking night. So you go Baton Rouge.

[Anthony DeVito]

Baton Rouge, Thursday, New Orleans. Friday, Saturday.

[Jared Freed]

Wow. Is someone driving you to these locations? Are you driving yourself?

[Anthony DeVito]

The governor of Louisiana is actually. He's escorting me everywhere in a big.

[Jared Freed]

In a big horse drawn carriage. One of those southern looking.

[Anthony DeVito]

Yeah, he's actually parading me through the highways. There's a sign that says whatever you want. And people are hurling questions on the highway at me.

[Jared Freed]

What's it like to see people. Yeah.

[Anthony DeVito]

What, what, what an M. Jews mail like seltzer. So. So we do that Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and then drive. He was going to drive to Austin anyway on Sunday to go see a show. He was going to go see Kyle Kanan at Mothership.

[Jared Freed]

Okay.

[Anthony DeVito]

Was going to go see Kanane. He was.

[Jared Freed]

This is the opener.

[Anthony DeVito]

This is the booker for like the whole run. Got great guy, like, great dude, great shows. Like all, all three Louisiana shows. A lot of fun in different ways, but all like a lot of fun.

[Jared Freed]

Okay, great.

[Anthony DeVito]

Go to. Go to Austin. And then Norman was doing the early show at Mothership.

[Jared Freed]

Okay.

[Anthony DeVito]

I was headline the Velveeta Room. So I do that and then, then, yeah, mark me the booker, JP A couple other comics. Just. I mean, you kind of forget that even though Austin is like this like third city that's sort of trying to like, you know, contend for second place or first place or whatever it's trying to do, it's still, it's still compared to New York, relatively inexpensive.

[Jared Freed]

Oh, very inexpensive. You know, drinks Ubers. I kind of drinks and Ubers are kind of like hot. You know, there's a thing called the Big Mac rating where like the, you know, the real difference in currency is rated by a Big Mac, like how much it costs to have a Big Mac in Europe versus Here versus Austin versus New York. And that kind of Tells you where, how far your money goes. I kind of have my own Big Mac rating when it comes to like Ubers and you know, martinis. The martini rating.

[Anthony DeVito]

Yeah, those are the two things I'm doing right when I'm coming to your city. I am getting a martini and I'm taking, I'm taking an Uber to get there and to come back. So it's like, yeah, those are the most important things to me.

[Jared Freed]

Right.

[Anthony DeVito]

How much is the delivery charge on DoorDash at 1am?

[Jared Freed]

Absolutely. These are all the ways we rank how cities are doing currency wise and how expensive they are.

[Anthony DeVito]

I agree, it could be on fire around me, but it's not that much of a surcharge. I'm like, Winnipeg is actually doing pretty well.

[Jared Freed]

This place is great. $5 martini. Wow. I could live here forever. I don't have to even work again.

[Anthony DeVito]

Eight bucks. I'll just, I'll go, I'll go to the airport for fun.

[Jared Freed]

Dude, I was just in Tulsa, Oklahoma and I got, I went golfing. I've gotten into golf.

[Anthony DeVito]

I've like really always supposed to be happening. This is just delayed it.

[Jared Freed]

This is exactly where the trajectory of my life. So I went to this course like 20 minutes away. And then I got, I ordered an Uber on my phone. Like I got done golfing. I went like at 7:00am, I got done at like 11:30. I'm like ordering the Uber to like have it come while I'm returning clubs and stuff. So I didn't even look at the price. And then we got in the Uber and I like take out my phone, I'm like, you know what, let's go to this restaurant so I can eat something. So I change the location, then it updates and it was like, your price has changed to a hundred dollars. And I was like, what, what happened here? And like I had no. And originally and I go to the guy, I go, I think there's something wrong with my price. And he's like, like, he's just. The dress like, he's like, you signed up for this? Dude, I didn't do shit. You know, I didn't say to you like I wasn't like a cab being like a gypsy cab being like, y'all take your cash, you know? Like, I was like. And he heard me just like coming to terms with like, this is a hundred dollar Uber. And I'm like, I was like, I was like, does this exist in Oklahoma? Like what's going on here? I was so shocked by it. But if that was a 20 minute ride in New York. I go, yeah, this happens. Surge and all that stuff, you know, like that type of thing. But so you go out and you start drinking. Last night. And I tried to go to the Mothership. Last time I was in Austin, they wouldn't let me in. It was very. I had a whole thing. It kind of. To me, it kind of represented what that whole comedy scene was all about. There was like 10 armed guards outside of the Mothership. And I walk up and I'm like, hey, I'm a comedian from New York. And there was, like, one door guy that came out. He's like, we're closed, man. And I was like, yeah, I just came in from the city. I'm doing shows over at Cap City. I just wanted to check out the club. He's like, closed.

[Anthony DeVito]

Yeah.

[Jared Freed]

And I was like, okay, well, sounds like you don't let a lot of seltzer in your establishment.

[Anthony DeVito]

Yeah, there is something. Yeah. There are like 20. There's 20 Marines parked outside.

[Jared Freed]

It's very crazy. It's very. And it's exactly what, like, a liberal comic in Brooklyn would think the mothership would have outside of it. And for those listening at home or watching and not familiar with the comedy world, which I'm not expecting you to be, The Mothership is Joe Rogan's club in Austin. It has become a certain type of mecca for a certain type of comic. I would say. Right.

[Anthony DeVito]

I would. I would say. I mean, it's weird because, like, having been here and you see a lot of. You see a lot of really good comments. You see people here who want to be really good comedians. And, like, I will say down. Like, here they do play faster and looser with their words, for sure. Really? I think that's probably.

[Jared Freed]

You don't say.

[Anthony DeVito]

But when you see someone who's funny, you're like, they're funny and they're. That they have that attached, but you don't notice it as that doesn't seem like the primary goal. That's just a matter of, like, they're in this environment, and that's what you do in this environment.

[Jared Freed]

So that's kind of. That's kind of my issue, you know, Like, I, you know, that it's. I hear you. You know, it's funny. Like, I mean, the first time I met Shane Gillis, I, you know, I remember saying, like, that guy's driving 90 and a 75.

[Anthony DeVito]

Thank you.

[Jared Freed]

Is that the housekeeping?

[Anthony DeVito]

Yeah.

[Jared Freed]

I go, that guy's driving 90 and a 75.

[Anthony DeVito]

Like, they're coming in?

[Jared Freed]

Yeah, they should come in. They didn't hear you go, I'm all good. He's hungover.

[Anthony DeVito]

Oh, and then.

[Jared Freed]

Do you have any Toms?

[Anthony DeVito]

I watched. I watched the door go like this.

[Jared Freed]

They just opened and closed it, like, real slowly. Like a ghost.

[Anthony DeVito]

Yeah, actually, yes, but, yeah. What were you saying?

[Jared Freed]

I was just saying that when I met Shane, I was like, this guy's driving 90 and a 75. Like, this guy, he's saying things. I'm like, funny, but I'm like, okay, you know, like, I. And I could imagine when the king of the land is 90 in a 75. Now you got a bunch of people doing 120 in a 75 in addition to the people doing that don't know how to drive, and they're emulating the guy doing 90 to 75. And, like, that's what it is. Like, I mean, we see that. And the fair thing to say is that we see that in Brooklyn. You know, the person doing. Doing trauma porn comedy in Brooklyn, you know, they start with like, yeah, you know, I have body dysmorphia. And then someone else. And then the next person gets on stage and is like, everyone tells me how hot, how fat I am all the time, and I am here to tell you my horrific tale. You know, it goes.

[Anthony DeVito]

It's the same thing sometimes in Brooklyn. They just announce all the things they are as just like sort of a list, and then that's like, the whole thing. You know what I mean? The whole set I am. That.

[Jared Freed]

I identify as they. Them as well as I have some acne today, and I.

[Anthony DeVito]

And both sides, it is like, you know, they're both doing the same thing in drastically different ways, obviously.

[Jared Freed]

Right?

[Anthony DeVito]

But. But yeah, so you'll. You. What you're saying is true, and. And I think when it's bad, it stands out more just because, like, oh, now you've said the craziest shit I've ever heard, right? For the sake of just saying it so that it's. It's a little louder because, well, it almost.

[Jared Freed]

It almost ruins the people doing it. Well, because you go, right, because unfortunately. Because all you think about is the guy who's saying horrific things, and you're like, this is what they do here. In the same way you would do that in Brooklyn and the same way you would do that anywhere else. So.

[Anthony DeVito]

Right. So then when I get on stage and I go, I'm a liberal cuck, they go, you know, we've seen it 100 times, right?

[Jared Freed]

I mean, it's Got to be hard to do comedy. I just wanted to see what it was like, because I just know that, like, if you're at a show, I. And you know this, like, it's at a point where, like, we know, like, when we're at a show and which audience has shown up to that show. Like, I'm like, you can just feel by the type of laugh, like, if it's like a male. Ha. I'm like, who from the Rogan verse is on this thing?

[Anthony DeVito]

Yeah. You know, they're more withholding. Like, they're like, yes. They have an energy where it's like, I came here for a show, but I also. I could fight you.

[Jared Freed]

Right. If you fuck this up for me.

[Anthony DeVito]

Yeah.

[Jared Freed]

Yeah.

[Anthony DeVito]

So it's a very stilted laugh. It's not.

[Jared Freed]

Yes.

[Anthony DeVito]

It's not free, because they're not.

[Jared Freed]

You know, that is the. That's po. You just said. What would the kids say? Bars, man. That was poetry. It's not free. It's not a free laugh. I. We can tell. Bars, man. Chit chat Wednesday, where you hear all the new slang. Hold on now, Anthony. So what?

[Anthony DeVito]

Yeah.

[Jared Freed]

Before we get into your drinking issues, we are sponsored hero bread. Holiday season typically means a whole lot of carbs. Okay, listen, I've done this ad so many times. Do you know what hero bread is, Anthony?

[Anthony DeVito]

No, I don't. I mean, bread that's specifically for hero sandwiches.

[Jared Freed]

That's a good guess. I'm going to tell you a very funny story after this because what you just said is hilarious. In. I was on stage in Oklahoma or in Tulsa list past weekend, I had maybe the worst show I've ever had in like, 14 years of comedy. It was the Late Show. Saturday night. Tickets did not sell. I'm in Tulsa. Like, Tulsa is a type of town where I don't usually have a lot of people show up. And then I also got this date, like, three weeks ago, and also it's the south version of Syracuse. Like, at least in Syracuse, there's, like, New Yorker who moved there and has a family and brought their friends. And this was like a. So far outside of my radius. And I did this bit about Rob Lowe that I've been doing for, like, two years now. And I, like, explain. There's a part where I feel the need to explain Rob Lowe because I'm like, people don't react to the premise, so I'm like, maybe you don't know who Rob Lowe is. And there was a guy in the crowd that goes, I like. It was like, There were hecklers and this one person yelled out, and this guy in the crowd goes, is he. Who's Rob Lowe? Like, like interrupts the heckler to heckle me to ask who Rob Lowe is. And I go. And he goes, well, he must be short. And I go, why would he be short? And he goes, rob Lowe?

[Anthony DeVito]

Oh, man.

[Jared Freed]

Not Rob High. And I go, dude, I. I literally looked up. I go, if it's a joke that you just did, that's the worst joke I've ever heard in my entire life. But I appreciate it. It's very Borsch Bell. If it's not a joke, you're the dumbest person I've ever met in my entire life. Like, we didn't. You're acting as if we name people the same way people would name people in Renaissance times. Like, that's Joe Blacksmith. Like you. Like, that's even crazier.

[Anthony DeVito]

And yeah, everyone's last name would be Baby.

[Jared Freed]

Anthony. Baby.

[Anthony DeVito]

Yeah, yeah. Jared White. Baby.

[Jared Freed]

Jared White, baby. So Hero Bread, it being on a hero is a better guess than Rob Lowe being short because he's named Rob Lowe, which is crazy. So Hero bread is just healthier bread. It has. It has zero grams of sugar, one gram of, you know, zero to one gram of net carbs. That has more fiber. It's basically bread that doesn't make you feel like you had bread. Okay. It's going to keep you fuller, longer. And they have different types of bread, like tortillas and, you know, buns and English muffins and, you know, they'll do drops and stuff like that. But I just want to tell everyone out there we're looking for efficiency, and Hero bread is a way to do it. Make your sandwich work for you. Hero bread is offering 10% off your order of their new recipe. Go to Hero Co. Use code J train at checkout. That's J Trainero Co. So that's our first sponsor and the second sponsor is Lumen. We all. And this is another health related sponsor. Lumen is the world's first handheld metabolic coach. It measures your metabolism through your breath so you can stay consistent with your goals. So why would you do this? You want to keep up with where your body's at in the same way you'd want to keep up with steps. If you're at 9,000 steps, you're like, hey, I'm going to maybe take another walk today. The same with Lumen. You just breathe into the device. First thing in the morning, you'll get all the info about what's going on in there and whether you're burning mostly fats or carbs. So now you can eat differently that day, breathe into it after meals and workouts to get a look at how things are going in real time. So you're gonna get more in touch with your body, which makes you a smarter, more well informed eater and person who goes and stays active. So if you wanna stay on track with your health this holiday season, go to Lumen Me J train to get 15% off your lumen. That's L U M E for 15% off your purchase. Lumen makes a great gift too. Thank you, Lumen, for sponsoring this episode. So those are the two sponsors that are in the description of this episode. Okay. So, Anthony.

[Anthony DeVito]

Yes.

[Jared Freed]

So you get drunk last night. What time are you out?

[Anthony DeVito]

Till I think like four. Yeah, man.

[Jared Freed]

So what are you doing?

[Anthony DeVito]

It was one of those nights where, you know, I think we sort of wrapped with our shows around like 10, 30, 11. And then it was like a good little crew and we all didn't, we all didn't know each other that well. So a lot of jokes were new personalities were fresh. So it's like. And we're all like, we're speaking a common tongue. Everyone's getting along, Sensibilities are similar.

[Jared Freed]

Full sheath, full of stories you got, man. Greg Stone would have loved this, would have just came his pants. All of Greg's bits would have been fair game.

[Anthony DeVito]

Exactly, man. So we're, we're getting hammered at this like, bar which notoriously serves, notoriously in Austin, serves like super strong drinks. So we are getting up and then at some point somebody says strip club. And then once, once you breach that, then there's no turning back.

[Jared Freed]

And especially you just need two people to go, I'm in.

[Anthony DeVito]

And then I was both people that.

[Jared Freed]

Actually, I was at the Cellar last night and someone mentioned strip club. And I literally go, I gotta go. Goodbye. Gotta go. Like, that was like, my strip club is either like a horn that brings in people or chases them away. Yeah.

[Anthony DeVito]

Yes.

[Jared Freed]

And I gotta say, Anthony, when I.

[Anthony DeVito]

Start to answer the call, you, you're.

[Jared Freed]

Like, you're turning your head and I didn't see this. I. When I asked you to do a Monday morning, hey, jump on a zoom with me for chit chat Wednesday, I didn't see a lot of cocaine and strip club talk, but this is the new Anthony. I didn't realize. Look what Austin's done to you. Austin.

[Anthony DeVito]

Anthony. What do you mean? We can't say it.

[Jared Freed]

Why can't. That's the thing is, everyone doing that bit, there's not one person going up being, like, dating stuff, or they're like, they're. But their version of dating stuff in Austin is like, these women, you know, like, they're.

[Anthony DeVito]

I honestly, man. And I think it's probably because, I mean, I. You know, I obviously just saw Mark said, which I know Mark said, so Mark said, and the mothership, it's like, it's a beautiful room. And I didn't see much of it outside of that. And then the show I did was kind of. It was. It was a fun show. It was kind of a glorified bar show. So there's a lot of younger comics just doing younger comic sets, right. Which were like, you could have seen those in New York. I didn't really hear anything that I was like, oh, you're punching so far above your pay grade.

[Jared Freed]

Right.

[Anthony DeVito]

Like, it's.

[Jared Freed]

It's funny that those shows become harder to do, too, because, like, you're going up and being like, I just want to talk. Tell this story about my family. And then the. You know, the person that. And I never understood this when I first started comedy. Like, the complaint of, like, everyone on this show is doing, like, you know, just going off on, like. Like, whatever rant, you know, just going ultra dirty or ultra, like, you know, like, just, like, you know, dark stuff. Right. And then you're like, okay, how do I even go up there? You know?

[Anthony DeVito]

Totally. I actually think it was. And. And they weren't really. They. They. There was maybe, like, a hint of that, but, like, to be honest with you, like, they seem like a set you would have seen coming up in New York. It was maybe a little darker, a little more ambitious because of, you know, the city that they're plucked in to do stand up. But it wasn't where I was like, I need to write these down and tell you and tell Gray. You know what I mean?

[Jared Freed]

Right, right. You won't believe this guy with the Rob Lowe because he's short, but. Yeah.

[Anthony DeVito]

Yeah. So it wasn't. It wasn't that. And then, if anything, too. It was kind of. When I went up, I felt like, kind of refreshing because, you know, because everyone. And I. Not everyone, but you see so many people sort of like, dance toward the values of the right, which. It's like, if you are, you are. But.

[Jared Freed]

Right.

[Anthony DeVito]

I think seeing someone come up who was like, yeah, I'm a liberal. You know what I mean? It was kind of like, holy. Like, this guy's a renegade, you know, Right.

[Jared Freed]

Right, right. This is dangerous. Well, that's kind of how it works too. Like you know, everything as things shift and you stay the same. Like you know, the, the, the, the weather around you changes. You don't change, you know, like.

[Anthony DeVito]

Exactly. But yeah, then we went, we went to the strip club at like 2 in the morning, but here I. It was. Yeah. And it was. And they had. The drinks were very expensive at the strip club, but you could do a bottle for 100 bucks, which is.

[Jared Freed]

That's how they get you.

[Anthony DeVito]

It's a. But it's a great deal, man.

[Jared Freed]

Well, it's a great deal. But that gets you in your pocket with more tips. Like I think there's like, you know, it's like how do. It's, you know, what do they say, you know, one half versus 50%. Like they got you hundred dollar bottle of vodka. Like I'm going to be so wasted that like everything in my pocket just goes to this place. Like it's all going to them anyways.

[Anthony DeVito]

Right. Well, jokes on them. There's not too much in my pocket. So there's only. But the reservoir is only but so deep.

[Jared Freed]

So when do you come back to New York?

[Anthony DeVito]

I come back to New York in a couple of hours. So I fly like late afternoon.

[Jared Freed]

Oh, that's a. I mean like I'm envious of your day. Like right now we couldn't be more apart. Like, I haven't drank in two weeks and it hasn't helped as much as I thought it would. I thought my mindset would be different. I'd be like, I think you got.

[Anthony DeVito]

To give it longer than two weeks.

[Jared Freed]

You got jumping out of bed. I don't know.

[Anthony DeVito]

Give it like at least a month because I think. Not that you were drinking so much or anything.

[Jared Freed]

Right.

[Anthony DeVito]

But give it a full month, man.

[Jared Freed]

I'm so next week. So the toughest week for me is this week because I was in Tulsa. I was like, I don't need. I ended up going to like these really nice dinners and Tulsa. I have to say the food there was unbelievable and very cheap. You know, my Big Mac index there was, was kicking. So I've been eating bed not better, but like, like a king, you know, like. But haven't drank. And then I'm. So this week will be tough because I, I love like Thanksgiving is a Sunday to me.

[Anthony DeVito]

Yep.

[Jared Freed]

You know, like that is just the ultimate Sunday.

[Anthony DeVito]

So Sunday during the week, it's so nice.

[Jared Freed]

It's the best. There's nothing better and there's no obligation. I Love the jokes that I make every year about Thanksgiving. Like, there's hits that I've been hitting for 14 years where there's been people I've been making fun of for 14 years, and I get enjoyment out of making those jokes every year. I have two questions for you before we go. What do you think of the lookalike contests happening across the country?

[Anthony DeVito]

Oh, yeah.

[Jared Freed]

So there's. Man, there's been Timothy Chalamet where he actually showed up. There was a Jeremy Allen White one where the winner got a pack of cigarettes. And it was in Chicago. There was a. Rumors of a Jalen Hertz one happening in Philadelphia. They did a. There was a third one, and I'm having trouble remembering it. But what do you think of this as a thing? I just want your thoughts.

[Anthony DeVito]

Well, I think the sports one, I think, is the most dangerous one because you have so many people that bet now whose, like, lives have been decimated, potentially by Jalen Hurts, who are in Philadelphia. And these are people who are like, well, I can't get close to him, but I can get close to you. Oh, no, thank you. I actually got a late checkout, so.

[Jared Freed]

This is the most. This is the most, I would say, you know, the one of the hardest working housekeeper. Like, they're like, I will take no for an answer.

[Anthony DeVito]

Oh, I'm sorry. I got a late checkout.

[Jared Freed]

They're still going, no, Moss.

[Anthony DeVito]

We'Re being too loud. I don't know that's possible.

[Jared Freed]

Oh, man. How loud are we being? We're talking, we're chatting.

[Anthony DeVito]

Yeah, I don't think we're being loud at all. I'm just trying to figure out what's happening. So that's for the.

[Jared Freed]

So you think that someone could come to the Jalen Herz lookalike contest, who's the quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles, and take out their aggression on a fake Jalen Hurts?

[Anthony DeVito]

I definitely think that could happen. Yes. Who's coming in? Hello.

[Jared Freed]

I think they should come in because I don't think they're getting the message. I think every time they.

[Anthony DeVito]

I have sign before, too.

[Jared Freed]

That's crazy. Well, I would understand. As a housekeeper, you're like, once I get all the rooms done, I can leave. If that's how it works. I get it. Like, if they were like, hey, man, if I was a housekeeper or a hotel cleaner, and they were like, you got 10 rooms a day. When you get those done, get out of here. We don't even want you in the way, I would be there at 6am get it done day over, then I'm driving Uber and I'm making extra dough.

[Anthony DeVito]

That at all?

[Jared Freed]

Yeah, I guess pretty entrepreneurial, you know?

[Anthony DeVito]

Yeah, yeah.

[Jared Freed]

Endeavor for me. So.

[Anthony DeVito]

Yes.

[Jared Freed]

You think that they would go and attack whoever. Jalen, you know, her lookalike.

[Anthony DeVito]

I think with sports, it could backfire because of that. I think with actors, it's great because now you have people and I always say this, like, you have people that are like, I want to women. I mean, you know, as a man, you'd be like, I'm thinking this from my perspective. Right. So you're women that go, I've always wanted Chalamet. I've always wanted Jeremy Allen White. This is the closest. This is in all of Chicago land. This is the closest I can get. So I might send him a dm, right?

[Jared Freed]

Yeah. I would say that the guy who won, he looked like a as good aversion as Jeremy Allen White. Like, he was like in shape. He was good looking. There was a guy in the picture next to him that was like. And I think of Greg Stone's bit where it's like, you're fat Spider man or something, right? I wouldn't want to be fat, whatever. Like, I wouldn't want to be like poor man's version of the thing. Like, you can only go if you are comparable. Or I think the other ones I would want to attend are like. I think it would be funny to go as like, you'd have to be like the Chris Farley auditioning for Chippendales in the sketch. Like, you have to go so serious and be so far away from it that it actually becomes funny. It has to be known. It's a joke that you're there for the lookalike contest, for it to be fun or it has to be. You will get banged from going to this lookalike contest.

[Anthony DeVito]

Right.

[Jared Freed]

I don't think there can be. I think the people in the middle, their lives are ruined by it.

[Anthony DeVito]

I also think too, I. Because these, they're becoming more and more popular where I do wonder if, like, they happen in more smaller towns where they barely have one guy who remotely looks like that. Because so far it's like New York and Chicago.

[Jared Freed]

Yeah.

[Anthony DeVito]

I could see this trending to very smaller towns where they're just like, this is. This is as close as we got to Denzel Washington is a Mexican guy.

[Jared Freed]

Right. It's like Santa Con. They're like, we're doing our Santa Claus. You're like, yeah, I don't know. We're really going to have the bottom of the barrel of douchebags showing up dressed as Santa.

[Anthony DeVito]

But, yeah, I do. You know, I think it's an. I think it's an interesting. Like, all these usually trends like this. I'm like, oh, things are getting. We're getting more and more starved for entertainment, or it's worse, or these are signs of the apocalypse to me, all those things. But, like, I weirdly like this. I think it's pretty fun.

[Jared Freed]

You know why I think it's sweet. And I really do think this. It's only because it's men. I don't think we could have a female version of this and have it stay fun. Right. I think what you'd have in the female. If there was, like, a Sabrina Carpenter look, you have men showing up with, like, their Sabrina Carpenter doll they made out of hair, and they'd be, like, petting it and, like, nice to meet you, Sabrina. It would turn into, like, the men who go to the AVN Awards, the porn awards, very quickly and become very weird very quickly.

[Anthony DeVito]

Yeah. Because for them, it's like, this is the Sabrina they could get to. You know, this is the same thing.

[Jared Freed]

As the Jalen Hurts thing. This is right, right. Yeah.

[Anthony DeVito]

When men are like, oh, I was gonna drive all the way to California and break into her home. She's right here. Oh, wow.

[Jared Freed]

She's here and on display and wants to be talked to as the character I've thought her to be. Like, yes. Like, it's horrific. I. And I know what's gonna happen. Someone's gonna go, the only woman they could do a lookalike contest and men might not, like, make it weird. Is Taylor Swift. Weirdly enough. Like, I don't think that there's, like, this bunch of, like, men. You don't hear of men, like, ogling Taylor.

[Anthony DeVito]

True.

[Jared Freed]

In the way that maybe, like, other stars might have, like, the guy who has the hair doll made of, you know, Katy Perry.

[Anthony DeVito]

Right. I don't. Yeah, they don't ogle, but men are mad at her.

[Jared Freed]

Oh, fair. That's fair. You're right.

[Anthony DeVito]

And I think she has a history, weirdly. Yeah. Men are weirdly mad at her. And I think she has, like, a history with stalkers.

[Jared Freed]

Oh. I always thought of her stalkers as being female for some reason, but that's my biases.

[Anthony DeVito]

They might be.

[Jared Freed]

They might.

[Anthony DeVito]

I. I just, like, assumed it was guys, but. But men have a weird. Like, men are weirdly angry at her.

[Jared Freed]

I think the woman who opened this weekend and tells Mana she's very funny, but she was taught she has a coloring book that she sells after her set. And she was like, it's like the Taylor Swift coloring book. And she was like, you know, it goes with every hour, every track of my album. And I was like, it was a great idea. But she. She starts by, like, any Taylor Swift fans. And I couldn't believe that, like, the division that created, like, I think to be anti Taylor Swift right now is to be like anti guacamole. Like.

[Anthony DeVito]

Right.

[Jared Freed]

We've. We've decided as a culture.

[Anthony DeVito]

Right. Yeah.

[Jared Freed]

It's funny. We like it.

[Anthony DeVito]

You know, it's like, for all of us.

[Jared Freed]

Yeah, right. Liking it makes you a weirdo. I would keep that to yourself. Like, this is your strange fact that you go on stage in Brooklyn and talk about, like, I. I don't know. Okay, I have one more question for you, because I think this is something I thought about. I turned on the TV and Stephen A. Smith is on. What do you. What are your feelings on Stephen A. Smith right now? Yeah. Stephen A. Smith, who is on First Take and on ESPN and a thousand other shows. He's on there all day. What do you think?

[Anthony DeVito]

Yeah, it's tough, man. It's really tough for me to listen or watch Stephen A. Smith. It's.

[Jared Freed]

It's tough for you.

[Anthony DeVito]

It's tough for me.

[Jared Freed]

And you're a sports fan. That's why I asked you.

[Anthony DeVito]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's exactly like. And not. Not that I'm looking for, you know, hard, cold, mathematical analysis, but I just don't. I don't. There's better entertainers that they like. I get what he does. He's like a sports radio kind of a guy. Like, he's like an a.m. kind of a voice. But then if you watch, like, inside the NBA, you're like, that's how you do it, you know? Like, that's how you.

[Jared Freed]

Chuck and Charles Barkley and Shaq and. Yeah.

[Anthony DeVito]

And honest and get your point across without screaming. I don't think we. I don't think we need more people in America in 2024 screaming their takes.

[Jared Freed]

It is funny that I like Stephen A. Smith, and I was like, a fan. I don't mind him. I think my opinions changed. Like, there was a lot of Stephen A. Smith hate at first because he was kind of like circus barker. Yeah.

[Anthony DeVito]

Yeah.

[Jared Freed]

But I do think there's a place for that. I think it's interesting. I only bring this up with you because I knew you would have an opinion on him, but I also wanted to test this theory yeah. Do you think Stephen A. Smith is kind of like, represent. I was watching Stephen A. Smith and it was like, he makes so much money that there seems to be this, like, weird nod on the shows that he's on now where he's the boss.

[Anthony DeVito]

Yeah.

[Jared Freed]

And I. It is, it's a subtle change because. And it's a little bit because he's gotten like, you know, he kind of won the battle with Skip Bayless who's now, like, doesn't even exist anymore. And he kind of, like, cast that show. So, like, it is weird to watch a debate show where everyone is being paid by the person they're being debated by.

[Anthony DeVito]

Right.

[Jared Freed]

Like, and it's this kind of weird, like, income inequality that is showing up in entertainment. Like, because the only way a show gets made is now because of the person with the biggest following or the biggest paycheck. So. And this happens on Pat McAfee. This happens on Stephen A. Smith show where, like, no one is having an honest talk with him unless it's like, Aaron Rodgers who's brought in. So they have to bring in a person with as much money as the person who's hosting to have an actual honest talk. And it's kind of bizarre. And I have this, like, issue. Bill Simmons has this a little bit where he brings on, like, a lesser person that he pays. And like, when Cousin Sal's on with him, I love the show. And it's like a good show because he can give him.

[Anthony DeVito]

He doesn't care. But that's, that's he. Stephen A. Smith is also just like, there's all, there's all these Stephen A. Smith acolytes. Shannon Sharp being one of them. It's right. So I, I, the two of them together, it's like, unwatchable because they're both just, they're both just blowing each other while screaming at the basically saying I love you to each other, but screaming sports at each other.

[Jared Freed]

Right. And because also, Shannon Sharp knows that he is like, his own company has been gets injected with followers and people because he goes on ESPN on a consistent basis and then he has his own thing going on on YouTube that, like, is a huge thing in its own right. Like, it's all a little bizarre. Like, it doesn't feel like, Because I've been talking about this, how, like this weird thing right now where the only way to have a TV show is to be famous for being the greatest athlete. And it's like, that is weird. Like, Jason Kelsey is going to host a late night show on espn, like, this is really happening. What in the world has any. The entertainment. I don't know if I've ever been entertained. I remember Jason Kelsey, I know, for doing, like, now I know him for, like, being brother of Taylor Swift's boyfriend, but I knew him as hall of Fame lineman who wore a funny costume and did a funny kind of WWE speech at their super bowl parade. These are the only things I've known him as far as entertainment's concerned. And now he's Johnny Carson.

[Anthony DeVito]

Yeah, I think it's the podcast. The athlete in the podcast space. Then they go like, oh, they're entertaining now. But if you actually listen to an athlete's podcast, you're like, it is horribly boring because they're doing what we do. But they're less. They have more of an inside ear, obviously.

[Jared Freed]

Right.

[Anthony DeVito]

And they're fascinating, whatever. They're. But, like, they're. They're not comedians. They're very boring.

[Jared Freed]

I. And the bar is lower for them from the public. And I don't. And I don't mean that as I don't know how that sounds to someone listening. That might sound bitter, you know, of us or me. Because I'm saying it.

[Anthony DeVito]

That's fair. They're.

[Jared Freed]

I tweet. I know from experience. I tweeted for Darren Williams once, the point guard who played for the Nets and the Jazz. The Nets and the Jazz. So it was when he was with the Nets, and I tweeted for him at an event. He did a dodgeball event where it was, like, for charity. It was like, a great event. And I think, you know, Michelle Wolfe and I, we both tweeted for him. We wrote some tweets and we got paid. And we also had to stay very clean. You have to be like, you know, but they were like, make Darren funny. And we literally. We did nothing. Like, we. The tweets were, like, soft. Like, it was not, you know, it was. No, it was. Rob Lowe is short because his name is low. Like, you know, it's like, it was like, stuff like that. And the response, like, the number of retweets, the number of. And this is back when Twitter was, like, more in its heyday. And, like, you'd get immediate, like, response to it, and you're like. And people writing back, whoa, Darren's funny now. And you're like, oh, like. And now I think of that all the time because I'm like, oh, like, would Darren get a late night show?

[Anthony DeVito]

Like, you know, like, remember Blake Griffin? Like, and Blake Griffin is right funny. And but he. If you judge him against comedians, you'd be like, he's. He's a comedian that needs work, but he has got good instincts.

[Jared Freed]

Open micr, you know, he's an open micro that you go, oh, this person's gonna be pretty good.

[Anthony DeVito]

Right? But as a hall of fame, fame power forward, you're like, he's unbelievable. I get it. Like, if you watched, you know, you know, if you saw me or you saw one of us playing sports, you might be like, hey, pretty good. You know what I mean? For.

[Jared Freed]

Right?

[Anthony DeVito]

Pretty good.

[Jared Freed]

No one would say that about me, but I know what you mean. Crazy.

[Anthony DeVito]

If someone was like, put them in the NFL and that's what's happening, right?

[Jared Freed]

Well, we don't. It shows how little respect people have.

[Anthony DeVito]

I think they're just coming in. Let's see what happens.

[Jared Freed]

Let's let the housekeeper. I just want. Okay, listen, Anthony, thank you for coming on.

[Anthony DeVito]

I check. I got a late check out at noon. It's okay, no worries.

[Jared Freed]

I think there's gonna be a banner outside the hotel that says, Anthony has a late checkout at noon. Oh, yeah, we gotta go. Anthony, thank you for doing this. Safe flight. Everyone go listen to Talk Town. That is Anthony's new podcast that I have been on. I was on two episodes. I had a great time. We got Greg very mad. I would say, listen to the second episode where Greg gets mad at us for saying that he shouldn't have free reign to just show he.

[Anthony DeVito]

He wanted to. He. He got greedy when it came to kidnapping day. I know that's a crazy sentence to say, but that's the bones of what happened.

[Jared Freed]

It makes total sense. If you listen to Talk Town. Everyone go follow Anthony on Instagram all his information at Anthony DeVito underscore. So go follow. And Anthony, thank you, man. Appreciate it.

[Anthony DeVito]

Yeah, for sure, dude. Of course.

[Jared Freed]

Boom.