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The JTrain Podcast
WORST Shoe Trends with Josh Gondelman - CHIT CHAT WEDNESDAY - The JTrain Podcast w Jared Freid
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- [00:00]
Jared Freed
Chit Chat Wednesday for you to listen to. I have a guess who will be your new boo. You're gonna love them, too. Chit Chat Wednesday. I hope you're having a good day today. I hope it's gonna be a perfect week, too. I hope you have a nice poo. It's a ch. Chitchat Wednesday, too. Hello and welcome to the J Train Podcast. It's a Chit Chat Wednesday and today's guest is an okp. Josh Gondelman. He is fantastic. He is hilarious, and he has a new special on YouTube called Positive Reinforcement. The link is in the bio of this episode. So go watch the special. You're going to love it. Josh is hilarious. We talk about aging and sneakers. We do a worst five on shoes generally, because I'm not a sneaker guy, but Josh is like the sneaker guy. So if you like sneakers, you're gonna love this episode. Enjoy today's show. Boom. Hello and welcome to the J Train Podcast. This is J Train Jared Freed coming to you. Ah. I'm from Hartford, Connecticut. That's right. Every Wednesday is a Chit Chat Wednesday where I sit down with a friend, a comedian, an expert. I think I have all three here today. I have a friend, I have a comedian, an expert in. In all things. Well, we're going to get to it later because this is. I asked for your worst five in. He's a sneaker head, an. An underrated sneaker head, an expert in the sneaker world. But he has, most importantly, he has a hilarious special that's out on YouTube right now called Positive Reinforcement. Josh Gonnelman, how are you?
- [02:13]
Josh Gondelman
I'm good, thanks, Jared. How are you doing? How's Hartford?
- [02:16]
Jared Freed
Hartford is. I mean, as you can see from the background of a Courtyard by Marriott. It really is humbling. This is the thing in comedy. You go to some places and you go, you know, not everywhere is the big bright lights of Hollywood. You know, this is like, I got in this room just now and it's like even, like the paint job, like the taupe that they use. I mean, you can see behind me, like, yeah, I don't know. I would love to interview the designer for the Courtyard by Marriott rums.
- [02:49]
Josh Gondelman
That's just like, we want to make it just depressing enough that you don't feel good, but not so depressing that your life ends in this Courtyard by Marriott.
- [03:00]
Jared Freed
Right? We want it to end elsewhere. We want this to be part of the note you write.
- [03:05]
Josh Gondelman
This is the slow slide.
- [03:07]
Jared Freed
Right?
- [03:07]
Josh Gondelman
We don't want maybe this. I Feel this way so much when I'm on the road, where it's like. It's not like the shows are bad or the people are bad or even being out in the city. It's just. There's, like, no glamor in where you stay in Hartford.
- [03:24]
Jared Freed
Right. That. That is a great point, because there's a lot of people when you come in, the way we travel, that you can feel the insecurities of people with their own towns. Like, we come from New York City, and, you know, the bravado of, you know, people from New York City, whoever lives there. And. Wow, you must. You. You must think Hartford is the worst place on Earth. And I don't think that of any place I like. I. And I've made fun of Hartford a lot recently, like, on podcasts. Like, I. I've made the. Like, I was. Because I went to this club before, and, like, the club, like, I remember just everyone was hammered. And I remember it was, like, a tough weekend, and it was like. I remember there was one guy in the crowd that just, like, he was, like, in the green room before the show. Like, that's how drunk he was. Like, he was like, is this the show? And then I was like, get him out. Like, get him. And they're like, we'll try. And it's like, then we tried 10 minutes in. Like, he's just a mess, you know? Like, I just remember that was, like, a big part of the weekend. So I'm like. I've been saying to people, like, on wherever I can say it, I'm like, come to the Hartford show. You know, don't act like I'm coming back all the time. Like, this play like this. Like, this isn't like, fill up the room. Get it with the people that like what I do, you know, like, not the people who are like, oh, this guy. After they've had 17 Coronas.
- [04:45]
Josh Gondelman
Right, right. It's just another place to drink with air conditioning. Sometimes.
- [04:51]
Jared Freed
Sometimes it is. I mean, I just. I. But I do get the most done at a place like this. I do get the most when I. Like, when I'm doing standup and I'm writing. Like, I feel like I go to a place like Hartford and, like, there's no distraction. I'm in this court. This is my Walden Pond. This right Where.
- [05:08]
Josh Gondelman
Right. You're looking inward. Because there's nothing else to look at.
- [05:14]
Jared Freed
Right. Where are you coming from? What's going on? You have a special. It's out. It's on YouTube. We want everyone, the link to the YouTube special. It is in the bio of this episode. It is called positive reinforcement. It's out. It's, you know, Josh is hilarious. I. I just went to your stories and on Instagra and you, I saw someone. You reposted from someone. And this is the type of compliments you get. I think you get specific compliments you get. It said, Josh Goneman is to be cherished. Cherished.
- [05:50]
Josh Gondelman
Yeah, that's. They were playing off the vet about me. The opening bit in the special is just talking about how I over, like when I drink, I just get overly sentimental about my friends. Like, I don't do anything exciting. And so they were throwing it back at me of just like, just texting my friends, like, I cherish you, bro.
- [06:08]
Jared Freed
Oh, really? Oh, I didn't even know that. I was like, but that is such a you word to me. Like, I feel like you would use that word to say, you know, nice things to someone.
- [06:16]
Josh Gondelman
It's. It exactly. I'm home in Brooklyn. It's been really nice. It's like my wife and I have been gearing up together because she has a book that's out July 1st.
- [06:25]
Jared Freed
Oh, wow.
- [06:25]
Josh Gondelman
The special out. And so we've really been like, the two of us are just like doing, you know, interviews and like she's, she's been doing all these like email questionnaires for like literary blogs and stuff. And so it's been like a pretty exciting time in our household.
- [06:43]
Jared Freed
You must have like, it's funny, like you get to the computer and you like tag each other in for another podcast.
- [06:49]
Josh Gondelman
Yeah. No, truly, it's like a multi podcast, like when we're both. I also have been, I got hired to co host this podcast for a white noise machine for people to fall asleep to. And then everybody in my head is going, that's just your act. Right. But I've been co hosting this podcast and you know, usually sometimes we record record stuff at the same time. If she's doing a podcast in one room, I'm doing a podcast in the other room. But she was doing one that was just like so much fun and she was laughing and I was recording this podcast ready to go, like, hey, everybody, it's bedtime. You know that? And I had to like go out the other and be like, I'm so sorry, but your laughter is going to wake people up.
- [07:27]
Jared Freed
Right? Wait a minute. What's a white noise podcast? What is the premise of this?
- [07:32]
Josh Gondelman
I've been hosting this podcast. Co hosting. It's like a talk show for this white noise machine, which is called Hatch.
- [07:38]
Jared Freed
I don't know if you know I have a Hatch. Yeah.
- [07:41]
Josh Gondelman
Okay, so they have Hatch plus. That's all. They're like, like proprietary bespoke programming. And so I've been co hosting this podcast that's like a gentle talk show that is. It's like 20 minutes and then it fades out to white noise.
- [07:56]
Jared Freed
So what do you talk about on the talk show? What. What's the premise? Is it like talking about bed? Is it talking about how you sleep?
- [08:03]
Josh Gondelman
It's like they. The ideas for it to kind of fit feel, have like an adult slumber party vibe. Like, not like a sensual thing, but like, oh, you're like catching up with your friend late at night. And like, what, like, have you seen any good movies lately? And so there's like a little bit of like, oh, we're playing like two truths and a lie. Kind of getting. The hosts are getting to know each other. We're talking about, like, we're going down Wikipedia rabbit holes. It's been really fun to record, but there's like, unexpected stuff that they're like, oh, actually stay away from this because it. It wakes people up. Like, obviously.
- [08:35]
Jared Freed
Give me an example. I was just having this conversation last night. Give me an example.
- [08:39]
Josh Gondelman
So obviously it's like not a news thing because that's like, not a go to sleep. You know, you're not like, let me just look at the front page of the New York Times and wind down. But the other thing that they're really. That we always have to kind of keep our, like, keep on top of is like, food stuff really wakes people up.
- [09:00]
Jared Freed
Really.
- [09:00]
Josh Gondelman
If you're like, God, I had the best hamburger today. I just like, I went to this place in my neighborhood and they just do it just right with the grilled onions and just a little sauce and the buns. Grilled people are like. They get hungry and wake up.
- [09:14]
Jared Freed
Oh, my God. I can understand that. Like the, you know, the. The conversation about food, you go, well, now I'm thinking about what's in my fridge. I'm thinking about. And especially if you're trying to get to bed, you're trying to, you know, you're trying to go to dreamland, not to the fridge.
- [09:27]
Josh Gondelman
Yeah, exactly. And so it's like stuff like that. And then like, stuff that, like common fears. Where do we try to avoid too? Because, you know, it's the kind of thing that, like, in stand up, if you're like, oh, I got stuck in an elevator for an hour, and you Tell that story. And it's funny. You're just like, great, we're all in this room, we're laughing together. It doesn't feel stressful. But if someone is just like in your ears at night, being like, I was stuck in an elevator for an hour, it was a very bad experience for me.
- [09:55]
Jared Freed
Right, you're rising the tension.
- [09:57]
Josh Gondelman
Yeah, exactly.
- [09:59]
Jared Freed
You know, it's so funny because my whole life, you know, when I think about like podcasting and stuff, I've been listening to talk radio, you know, my whole life. So it was never music in the car. It was always talk radio in the car. And then to go to bed. Since I've been like eight years old, I've listened to talk radio to go to bed. Like I used to have wei on. Oh sure, yeah. And I would put it on a 20 minute timer. 20 minute was the time. And it's funny you say 20 minutes because 20 minutes was like the perfect half hour was always too much. 10 was always too little because then you'd have to re. Turn it on again. And so then I, I used to, and then there was a. And I was telling this to someone last night. I was literally having this conversation and did, you know. And I, and I read this and I'm like, repeat. I'm. I'm repeating a tweet I may have read halfway through.
- [10:48]
Josh Gondelman
Oh yeah, that's what we all do now. That's how we learn things.
- [10:51]
Jared Freed
That's the premise of every podcast. So I had read because then I started falling asleep to the Office. And the Office. I guess when it went off of Netflix, a lot of people complained because this is their going to sleep show.
- [11:07]
Josh Gondelman
Yeah.
- [11:08]
Jared Freed
And the reason so many people use the Office as a going to sleep show is that there's no laugh track.
- [11:16]
Josh Gondelman
Right.
- [11:16]
Jared Freed
So there's no like up and down of the noises. There's no like extreme sounds. It's not like all of a sudden you hear hahaha. And it's not action. So it's not like guns shooting.
- [11:27]
Josh Gondelman
Right? Right.
- [11:28]
Jared Freed
So the only time the Office would wake you up was the theme song. The theme song.
- [11:33]
Josh Gondelman
Yeah. That's what I was. It's my guess, immediately just like, okay, it winds out and then it's like, Right.
- [11:40]
Jared Freed
It goes to like an immediate like alarm sound. If you think about it. Right.
- [11:45]
Josh Gondelman
That is like a phone alarm almost.
- [11:47]
Jared Freed
Right? Yeah. And it's like I was thinking about. And it's so funny that you're bringing up like a sleep, you know, white noise podcast because I'm like I do like hearing the chit chat of two people to go to same like I.
- [12:03]
Josh Gondelman
Used to when I was a, like a teenager. There was always Loveline because I was on a couple and that was like a big go to sleep radio show for me.
- [12:12]
Jared Freed
Right. Because people would also call in the Loveline with very, like, calm tails. It's not like they were screaming. It wasn't drive time. It was like, so I'm dating this woman.
- [12:23]
Josh Gondelman
Yeah.
- [12:23]
Jared Freed
And, you know, it was a lot like that.
- [12:25]
Josh Gondelman
Like, very even tone.
- [12:27]
Jared Freed
Very well. I love that. What's it called if people want to go listen?
- [12:30]
Josh Gondelman
It's called pillow talk.
- [12:32]
Jared Freed
Perfect. Of course.
- [12:34]
Josh Gondelman
It's a blast. Yeah, it's really fun.
- [12:36]
Jared Freed
So the special, it's called positive reinforcement. When I asked you to, like, boil down the special, you said it's about being the old guy in the room.
- [12:45]
Josh Gondelman
Yeah.
- [12:46]
Jared Freed
And what about what have you. What about aging has. Has surprised you the most? Because we're the same age.
- [12:55]
Josh Gondelman
Yeah. And I felt like coming out of like 2020 and 2021.
- [13:00]
Jared Freed
Right.
- [13:00]
Josh Gondelman
Like, less was happening. We're out less and that to me, like, coming back, getting vaccinated and then like, being back out in the world, I was like, oh, I'm not like, I feel like the young people are younger than they used to be, but it's really just that I'm older.
- [13:16]
Jared Freed
Well, also New York City, if you think of New York, like the. Our age group, they all instead. You know, there was a point in New York City where it's like, we'll have kids and we'll let the kids outgrow the shell like the hermit crab would, you know, like, and then when it gets too uncomfortable, go to the suburbs or we'll go to, like, outer Brooklyn, outer Queens. And then the pandemic happened and people were like, we're not waiting on that. We're not going to. We're just going to go right away. So it was very old and very young in the city.
- [13:49]
Josh Gondelman
That's right. I think that's a great way to put it. And just even being in comedy, it's like, oh, the new comics, like, the new generation of, like, working comics is a good, like 10 years younger.
- [14:01]
Jared Freed
Right.
- [14:02]
Josh Gondelman
Than us now. And it's like, it's really cool. It's like, oh, damn. There's all these great new people that you can watch and, like, be inspired by and, like, really work hard to keep up with. But it is like, oh, that's not me anymore. I'm not like, hey, guys, just happy to be here. And like, I'm new on the scene. It's like, oh, I, like, have, I have to, like, maintain quality and, like, effort.
- [14:24]
Jared Freed
Well, that's the big thing with standup. Like, you, when you see bad standup, it's usually that that comedian wasn't working on it. And part of working on it is being in the room. And by osmosis, you see a young person talk about what's going, you know, someone 10 years younger and what they're going through, and you go, oh, that's what someone's going through.
- [14:51]
Josh Gondelman
Like, I didn't realize that that was happening. That's like, yeah, totally. I think it keeps you culturally in the loop to, like, watch other people, and it keeps you from doing, like, the, the like, hack stuff because you're like, you see a lot of something. You're like, oh, okay, this is like a viewpoint that's out there, etc. And so the special, there's, like, so much about just like, first, like, acknowledging that two young people, I'm from another century, like, you know, 10 years to think about. We're 90s kids. And now they're like, oh, you're from the 1990s. And it's like, don't say 19.
- [15:30]
Jared Freed
Right. You've insulted me. You announced way too specifically. I, I, it is interesting you say that because, you know, and also, we're the first generation that wrote in ink on the Internet. So it's a little bit different even because we got the, we were almost got the blessing of, like, putting things on the Internet and thinking we were geniuses. Like, you know, how many dating blogs, you know, have I written that I found out years later, oh, that was a Sex in the City episode.
- [16:06]
Josh Gondelman
Sure.
- [16:06]
Jared Freed
And I was kind of like, you know, and, and the blessing is that, like, not having it. You know, someone couldn't just click on the episode of Sex and the City and go, here it is, buddy. Not that original.
- [16:17]
Josh Gondelman
You know, and now they're, now someone could make a video with the episode playing underneath them while they read from your blog above them. You're just like, right, oh, my God.
- [16:28]
Jared Freed
It's like, I guess all of those weren't great, you know, And I think, you know, the new generation that, you know, the, the decade younger, you know, I hear a lot of stuff that they put out. You know, you see this on Tick Tock a lot. And you're like, it's this, like, you know, I saw this the other day. Some, this woman who's trying to be an influencer, she put out, like, here's the hot spot for eating, you know, French food in New York City. And it was Boucherie or Bushiri and, like. And it's in the West Village. It's been there like 100 years.
- [16:59]
Josh Gondelman
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
- [17:00]
Jared Freed
And every comment was burying her. It was like, just crushing her for, like, because. And hers is like, this cute.
- [17:10]
Josh Gondelman
Yep.
- [17:11]
Jared Freed
Totally innocent post of like, and you gotta get the bread. And it's got great vibes. And look at the corner. It's on. And it's like, everyone in the comments is just like, we've been. We tried it. This has to be rage bait. They're accusing her of, like, that. She's like, she just didn't know.
- [17:28]
Josh Gondelman
She just got there.
- [17:29]
Jared Freed
Just got there. And someone asked her, they go. They go, is this rage? But they go, when did you get to New York? She's like, three months ago. It's like, of course. This is like. It's like, why would she know?
- [17:39]
Josh Gondelman
Also? So it's two things, right? It's like that. I feel like now you just get crushed so easily because it used to be if you did something that was like, a little corny and, like, didn't, you know, wasn't great, it, like, didn't get that kind of traction. But now it feels like when. When some one person sees something that's like, this sucks, it just like snowballs. And so there's just this rage snowball rolling downhill at you.
- [18:03]
Jared Freed
And.
- [18:03]
Josh Gondelman
And on the other side, there's more people than ever. Like, I moved to three. I moved to New York three months ago. And I'm going to tell you all the hidden hotspots, and you're like, well, both sides could use, like, a little, like, take a breath, right?
- [18:16]
Jared Freed
Both sides could, like, yeah, take a breath is like, the best way to put it. Like, it's definitely both sides because I saw her post and I was like, come on. Like, my first reaction was this. This is where she's telling me I need to go. And then I'm like, looking at the comments, I'm like, okay, well, don't be like them, you know, like, don't be.
- [18:36]
Josh Gondelman
Like these monsters about it. But it is. You do kind of roll your eyes of like, oh, this person is like, they jumped in with both feet and they just didn't have the base of knowledge. And I think that's a lot. You know, I don't mean to single out this one young woman because I think a lot of people do that now. They, like, really put themselves out in public. And part of it is like, I don't know if you feel this way, but I think when we started Stand up, it was. There was like, a little bit more of an attitude of like, get good and then get yourself in front of people. And now it. In many instances, but not all. It's like, get famous and figure it out afterwards.
- [19:12]
Jared Freed
Well, that's a big. You know, there was an interview with Addison Rae, and she, like, referenced the Kardashians of, like, basically, like, do your Ray J. Tape and then use the fame to get what you want to do. Do what you want to do. I don't know if she didn't say in those words, but, like, right.
- [19:32]
Josh Gondelman
But it was like, get the attention and figure out how you want to direct people's attention once you have it.
- [19:38]
Jared Freed
I know. And there's like, good and bad to everything. Like, I can't hate on that because I'm like, yeah, I don't. I don't know what I would do in that position. Like, I don't know. You know, like, I can't speak to, like, that I would. Like, I. There's a piece of me that goes, is it, you know, is doing stand up a waste of time? You know, you have. Which is a scary thought that. Because you do see, speaking of bits that, like, you know, that haven't been worked out in a room, like, you kind of see these bits online that I'm like, wait a minute. How did they not know? That's been done in an open mic 7,000 times. Like, how did they not know? And then it doesn't matter. There's 30,000 likes and comments of people loving it, and it's like, they didn't care. Like, you know, are we too precious? Are they. Are they too naive? You know, are they naive in the right amount? Like, I. You know, it's. It's. And then if you think about it too much, you'll just, you know, you'll just strangle yourself in a courtyard yard.
- [20:40]
Josh Gondelman
Crazy. But, yeah, I think about that all the time of, like, what the idea of, like, people who have an audience but not a community necessarily. Right. Where, like, I think standups. It's an imperfect system, but I think standups are pretty good at, like, keeping each other in check about, like, absolutely. Hey, you know, someone actually that's, like, very close to, like, a pretty famous Bill burr joke from 10 years ago that maybe you just didn't see. Totally fine, no problem. But, like, online, it's. You don't get that someone kind of tapping you on the shoulder Going, oh, dude, just so you know, it's like a million people screaming at you, right?
- [21:19]
Jared Freed
And if you did get it for the one person, it's like, hey, just want to let you know, you read it as, hey, idiot, you're doing a poker. You're not even, like, allowing their tone to show through, right?
- [21:32]
Josh Gondelman
Totally. Because there's so much of that other tone. You're just like, well, he's probably an asshole, too, right?
- [21:37]
Jared Freed
Everyone's an asshole. You know, it's. It's. I mean, you really do have to love doing stand up to, like, want to, like, make good stand up, like.
- [21:48]
Josh Gondelman
Yeah.
- [21:49]
Jared Freed
And where did you tape the special?
- [21:52]
Josh Gondelman
I taped at Bell House in Brooklyn.
- [21:54]
Jared Freed
So Bell House, Brooklyn, crowd fun.
- [21:57]
Josh Gondelman
Yeah.
- [21:58]
Jared Freed
You know, that's, like, the place you would want to tape a special.
- [22:01]
Josh Gondelman
Yeah, it's really nice. I, like, don't quite. You know, there's some cities on the road where I think I could go and go, you know, this will be a nice crowd, and I can't anticipate what they'll be like, and it'll be a full room. But I tried a few years ago to record an album and a really excellent comedy club, but I just, you know, I was doing four shows and just kind of didn't fill the room the way I'd hoped. And so I didn't love the way it sounded because that I was like, okay, I'm not taking any chances. I'm doing, like, a venue that I can walk to from home where I know I can fill it for two shows and work from there. And so, like, I've done previous, like, albums here, and I did a. My last special, people pleaser was here, and I. And I've recorded in Boston, too, where I know I can, like, bring out enough people, but it's like, you know, I. I think I always am, like, super impressed when someone. You know, someone like Jim Gaffigan can be like, okay, it makes sense for me to tape when I'm in Albany or Chattanooga or wherever. He's like, I just know that I'll have enough people there, and it'll be great.
- [23:04]
Jared Freed
Chattanooga has been good to me.
- [23:07]
Josh Gondelman
Must be nice, right?
- [23:09]
Jared Freed
That's a. That's a really nice feeling. It's. It's. You're not showing up to Hartford, being like, I guess we'll see. You know what happened?
- [23:16]
Josh Gondelman
Too drunk, right?
- [23:17]
Jared Freed
I hope. I hope they didn't do their meth before the show. I hope Saturday is their meth day and not Friday.
- [23:23]
Josh Gondelman
Yeah, yeah, Meth Saturday.
- [23:27]
Jared Freed
So I like Asking this question when someone has a special come out, your favorite bit of the special, the one you like the most. Don't. You don't have to feel. Don't feel pressure to tell it. Okay, but the one, you don't tell it. But just the idea of it.
- [23:41]
Josh Gondelman
The idea is I was hanging out with my oldest friend and we were talking about someone from our past with kind of an embarrassing nickname. And I go, have you talked to this guy? And I say in the special, I say, the Turd. I change it because it's like a real guy that we know.
- [24:00]
Jared Freed
Specific nickname that they would know, specific.
- [24:02]
Josh Gondelman
Nickname that people would know. And it's kind of. The story itself is kind of sad. But he goes. I go, how have you talked to the turd? And he goes, dude, you didn't hear? The turd died. And I was like, man, you've gotta say Craig. And it's right, like 70, 30. Because sometimes audiences would just be like, that's so funny. I'm still thinking about a dead guy.
- [24:26]
Jared Freed
Right, right, right, right. And. And it's is funny though, that the. It's like the picture they show when someone's died. Like, yes, we, like, there should be a list of items that we can just like set out for. Like, I don't want, like, to be the ghost being like, you use my fattest picture. Like, you know, I always think of that.
- [24:48]
Josh Gondelman
That's an old headshot. You could ask my agent for the new head.
- [24:51]
Jared Freed
Right. Or they use a headshot that's too good. And everyone's like, that's not what he looked like. I would be embarrassed.
- [24:57]
Josh Gondelman
Yeah, for sure now.
- [24:59]
Jared Freed
Okay, go ahead. I'm sorry.
- [25:00]
Josh Gondelman
Oh, so the bid is just about that. It's like, just about like, you can't use the nickname when you can't use the embarrassing, the silly words for serious.
- [25:10]
Jared Freed
Right.
- [25:10]
Josh Gondelman
And I like, really the, like, I always love sitting in that tension of, like, bringing it really low of, oh, you didn't hear, man. The dirt died. And then just like the audience is so quiet. And then like. Because nobody sees. Nobody sees it coming.
- [25:29]
Jared Freed
Right? Because you're talking about the turd. Yeah, yeah. The minute someone with the nickname the Turd, you never expect death coming. They're the turd forever. They're one that's. They're the same snot nose, kid, driver.
- [25:42]
Josh Gondelman
The turd lived.
- [25:44]
Jared Freed
Right. Okay, what's this? What's the joke you wish you could have worked on longer?
- [25:50]
Josh Gondelman
Oh, that's a good question. You know, I really brought this. I like, toured it for a while and even for. I thought I was maybe going to record summer 2023 and then I was out for like a whole other year before it actually lined up to get to record it with the director I wanted to work with and the ven.
- [26:07]
Jared Freed
You.
- [26:07]
Josh Gondelman
And so it just kind of kept getting pushed. So I really like worked this over. And I don't think there's too much like every other time I've been like, man, that's kind of. But there actually there's one joke that I cut from the special that's on that album version that just was like a little, a little 5050 again with crowds. And it didn't fit. Like it slowed down the pace of the special a little bit because it didn't quite hit at its best. And I wish I could have figured out how to do it. But it's a joke about how. And it's about, it's like coming right off of like cherish how I, how I'm like too like loving with my friends about stuff like that. And it's about how if I were in a plane that was going down and everyone was calling their families, I'm like, they get it. My people know. But I don't have to.
- [27:01]
Jared Freed
I'm not trying to message.
- [27:03]
Josh Gondelman
Yeah. I'm not trying to call my wife and have her hear 180 people screaming and crying in the background, like ruin her day. Like, she knows I love her. I'm dead now. It's fine.
- [27:15]
Jared Freed
We've done it. We did a call last week.
- [27:17]
Josh Gondelman
I talked to her before I took off. You. What do I think she thinks I had a different opinion in the last 90 minutes.
- [27:23]
Jared Freed
It'd be funny to call like a third tier friend and be like, hey everyone. No, except you. Like, this is the one person. They'd be like, you. I'm the call.
- [27:33]
Josh Gondelman
We haven't.
- [27:34]
Jared Freed
Right.
- [27:37]
Josh Gondelman
The way the bit goes is. And this is like, it's like a little darker than the rest of the show. So it like didn't make. I think I'll probably put it online on its own. But it's like I don't. I do really well. When somebody means a lot to me. I go, hey man. Like, it's. I'm so glad that we're friends. It's really great to hang out. So glad we took the time to catch up. But when I don't like someone, they never know. I'm just like. And so if I, if the plane's going down, I'm calling someone. I don't like filling them in.
- [28:04]
Jared Freed
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Let them know.
- [28:07]
Josh Gondelman
Yeah, my phone is Paul work.
- [28:13]
Jared Freed
All right, well, I wanted to talk with you. I mentioned you are a sneaker head. Okay. I love you. You were posting for a long time sneakers of the day.
- [28:22]
Josh Gondelman
Yeah.
- [28:23]
Jared Freed
How. How big's your collection?
- [28:25]
Josh Gondelman
I've got. It's a little embarrassing. I feel like I went too hard for part of it was I was working at Desus and Merrow and so I would try to switch it up for every episode and I ended up with about 50 pairs. All things considered.
- [28:39]
Jared Freed
Is there a favorite you have?
- [28:42]
Josh Gondelman
There are a couple and some of them have like kind of worn into the ground because I'm like a big wear your sneakers person. Like, I'm not a big collector for the sake of like just having them in a box and like peeking into it once a year.
- [28:54]
Jared Freed
Right.
- [28:55]
Josh Gondelman
So I've gotten in. I've gotten really into like, I have a lot of. I got this Japanese pair of new Balances that's like a plaid pattern on them and they only released in Japan and I bought them resale and they're just super comfortable and they have kind of like a subtle, fun look. I have these high top Adidas rivalries that were like an Eric Emanuel, who's a designer collaboration that are like a floral print on these high tops. But those ones I don't wear a ton because they're like. It's like wearing boots around. They're like stiff high tops. But yeah, I love. Oh, and I've got a pair. This is so. This is the most. Most embarrassing. This is like true sneaker freak behavior. It was my wife's birthday, might have been her 40th birthday. And she had fallen asleep like. Or she was like kind of fading on the couch. And I bought myself sneakers from my phone on her birthday. And it's these para air max ones that are like, I overpaid for them. But I was like, I've been waiting and like I'm a little drunk from birthday celebrations and just bought myself.
- [29:57]
Jared Freed
You deserve it.
- [29:59]
Josh Gondelman
Yeah, I deserve it. I wear.
- [30:00]
Jared Freed
You deserve. It's her birthday. You deserve.
- [30:02]
Josh Gondelman
Yeah, I should get it. It's like when you. It felt like the, like, you know how when if you have their two little kids and one is too little to understand that it's not also their birthday, so you get them a little gift.
- [30:13]
Jared Freed
Right.
- [30:14]
Josh Gondelman
It was like that vibe and just adult me.
- [30:17]
Jared Freed
Right. You needed a treat. Just your wife. So let's do the five worst and I change it Because I'm not a sneaker guy myself. So I made it five worst shoe trends.
- [30:31]
Josh Gondelman
Yeah.
- [30:31]
Jared Freed
Okay, do you want to go first?
- [30:34]
Josh Gondelman
Yeah, I'll go first. This one. I feel like as kind of a. Like a tourist in the sneaker world, like, I didn't grow up a super, you know, of the culture. I feel like I have to say this as a PSA because I try to be respectful of the sneaker culture. I feel like. And you. I bet you've seen this in New York too, because clean white Air Force ones are such a New York City thing, right?
- [30:58]
Jared Freed
Yes.
- [30:59]
Josh Gondelman
You see it and you're like, oh, this guy's got, like, brand new. And people call Uptowns, right? You go, oh, this guy's got a pair of brand new uptowns. Like, he's looking fresh. But it's become like kind of a white hipster thing to get a pair of Air Force ones and wear them, like, totally cooked, like, almost sepia toned, you know, like, you just wear them into the ground, which I'm generally for. But I'm like, this is a different. This is disrespectful to Air Force One culture.
- [31:27]
Jared Freed
So the Air Force One culture is that they be clean and there are people going the other way where they're like, wearing them gross.
- [31:33]
Josh Gondelman
Keep wearing them real gross. And so I'm like, I think that is disrespectful to the. The integrity of an Air Force One as a cultural artifact.
- [31:41]
Jared Freed
The history of Air Force One wearing.
- [31:44]
Josh Gondelman
Sitting in the face of history.
- [31:46]
Jared Freed
Right. You had. And it is a little bit of a narcissism. Like, if everyone's doing it that way.
- [31:51]
Josh Gondelman
Yeah.
- [31:52]
Jared Freed
I do it this way.
- [31:53]
Josh Gondelman
I'm going to show that I'm, like, kind of above it.
- [31:55]
Jared Freed
Oh, I like that. Okay, what else you got?
- [31:58]
Josh Gondelman
What else do I have? I've got. Oh, okay. This is similar, but this is. This is my wife's big pet peeve. My wife Maris. And I agree with her, but she. Whenever she sees this, she's like, like, we'll be out and she'll like. Right. Openly is physically ill. Yeah. Like, truly, like, it does something to her bodily to see this, which is those Golden Goose sneakers that are like 600 bucks and they look like, like beat up Converse like that. You get them like, they're like the distressed jeans of shoes.
- [32:35]
Jared Freed
Okay. I don't. I gotta look. I gotta look this up.
- [32:38]
Josh Gondelman
If you saw it, like, if you look it up, you would recognize me. But, like, oh, I've seen them on, like, rich people coming, like, people Coming to the seller as customers, you'd be like, oh, I've seen some. Some, like, rich jerk with these.
- [32:52]
Jared Freed
Right? I've seen. I know the asshole who would wear these.
- [32:55]
Josh Gondelman
Yeah, totally.
- [32:56]
Jared Freed
Okay. Do you have another?
- [32:57]
Josh Gondelman
I got a few. So those are two. Oh, this one. This is a very personal one. This is, like, tapered off a little bit. But the idea of, like, dad shoes as something cool like the Nike Monarch or the feel of Disruptor being like, these are dad shoes, and they're. And they're cool now. And it's like, no, it's cool because cool people are wearing them. If I wear them, people are just like, you look like a dad.
- [33:25]
Jared Freed
Right? I. You have. That's one of the. Mine on my. One of the. The. The ones on my list was the. So gray sneakers was on my list. Like the dad shoe culture. You know, that thing that was going on with we're going to out ug out 90s each other to look like a dad in the suburbs. And I just never thought it was fun. Cool. It doesn't look good with anything. It just has no look.
- [33:54]
Josh Gondelman
And that's. That's the thing too, right? It's like any kind of anything can look cool when it's on a very hot person, right?
- [34:03]
Jared Freed
That's.
- [34:03]
Josh Gondelman
That's like. And it's like, so really, what's in is being hot. And then dad shoes are what hot people are also doing.
- [34:11]
Jared Freed
Right. They've decided we should all wear them, and now I'm just an ugly dude in dad sneakers.
- [34:16]
Josh Gondelman
That's right. Yeah. That's how I feel where I'm like, oh, I can't wear a Nike Air Monarch because I look like I'm not trying. You know what I mean?
- [34:24]
Jared Freed
I totally know.
- [34:26]
Josh Gondelman
Wears them when he's not trying.
- [34:28]
Jared Freed
It's like a gray sweatsuit. You're like, when a. When a hot person wears a gray sweatsuit, you're like, look how comfy they look. Look how stylish they look. And then you put on a gray sweatsuit, and you're like, I look like it is over for me. Lost a job. Lost my wife.
- [34:42]
Josh Gondelman
Yep. People like, do you have the flu? And I'm like, no.
- [34:44]
Jared Freed
Right?
- [34:45]
Josh Gondelman
Never.
- [34:46]
Jared Freed
Never felt better. I thought I looked clean and fresh, actually.
- [34:50]
Josh Gondelman
Yeah.
- [34:50]
Jared Freed
Okay. I also had bedridden. I had slides. I'm not a fan of slides.
- [34:57]
Josh Gondelman
I had crocs on my list, similarly.
- [35:00]
Jared Freed
So my issue with slides and Crocs, maybe this is similar for you. They look like they're gonna be way more comfortable than they Are.
- [35:08]
Josh Gondelman
Oh, I have that with sides, for sure.
- [35:10]
Jared Freed
Like you. When I see them on people. And it might be a hot person thing too, where I'm like, man, you're living a lifestyle that I want. I want to be a part of it. And then I try them on. I'm like, this is just like wearing two slabs of wood on my feet.
- [35:26]
Josh Gondelman
Yeah, well, I. I only do it if I'm like, going. If I'm traveling, and I'm like, okay, we'll be right at the beach. And I don't want to wear sneakers to the beach, so I'll wear these slides till I can take them off at the beach.
- [35:39]
Jared Freed
And you had Crocs.
- [35:41]
Josh Gondelman
I had Crocs. I just feel like similarly, it's like, cool people wear them and people like, Crocs are kind of cool. And I'm like, no quest. Love is cool.
- [35:50]
Jared Freed
Right? And then it be cracks. I don't like when a. When a look or a joke becomes too aware.
- [35:57]
Josh Gondelman
Yeah.
- [35:58]
Jared Freed
Like, Crocs got to the point where, like, everyone knew the joke. Everyone was talking about it in a way that, like, if, If, If. If a couple a. Like if a person. If anyone can make the joke, it's not a joke anymore.
- [36:12]
Josh Gondelman
Right, Right, right, right, right, right. It's like kind of. It's become like almost a. That's what she said, right?
- [36:18]
Jared Freed
Absolutely. The Croc Crocs are the. That's what she said of shoes. That is.
- [36:22]
Josh Gondelman
It's like, isn't it fun? It's kind of silly that I'm wearing these and it's like, no, no, that's serious. Everyone's just wearing the shoes. You're not.
- [36:28]
Jared Freed
Right. We've evolved into. This isn't a joke. This is actual you being used.
- [36:34]
Josh Gondelman
Yeah.
- [36:36]
Jared Freed
I also had you. You and I might disagree here.
- [36:39]
Josh Gondelman
Okay.
- [36:41]
Jared Freed
Sneakers with suits.
- [36:43]
Josh Gondelman
Oh, you know, I look, I go. I flip flop about this.
- [36:49]
Jared Freed
Okay.
- [36:50]
Josh Gondelman
Because I do think some people style it really well. But I think you really. I think the more intentional the whole look is, the cool, the better it works. Like, if it's just I'm wearing a suit and I put on black Converse with it, it's like, that's just. That's. That doesn't do it anymore.
- [37:12]
Jared Freed
You have put words to my feelings in a way that makes me feel so good. And this is. You have the correct answer. Like on a. In a segment. We are. Where we are being inflammatory. Your answer is the answer. Not all sneakers are made for all suits. It always looks like a mix and match situation. And that they Were never bought together to be together. And that's the issue I have with.
- [37:41]
Josh Gondelman
It, where you're just like, oh, you just don't want to wear dress shoes. And that's different than. I got these really fresh sneakers that I think, like, I coordinated with the shirt and the tie, and it looked. It's an outfit. It's not just sneakers and a suit.
- [37:55]
Jared Freed
Right. And the. In the most evident version of this is the tailoring of the pants. Never goes with the sneakers.
- [38:03]
Josh Gondelman
Yes. Especially if you're wearing high tops and you just have the breaking. Like, they're all bunched up on top of the high tops. It's like, that's horrendous.
- [38:10]
Jared Freed
Horrible. Okay. My mice. Oh, I have two more.
- [38:14]
Josh Gondelman
Okay.
- [38:15]
Jared Freed
Okay. Pumas. That look like soccer cleats. I hate the look.
- [38:21]
Josh Gondelman
Yeah, I don't like that either.
- [38:23]
Jared Freed
It looks like someone's wearing socks instead of an actual sneaker.
- [38:26]
Josh Gondelman
I kind of always am against super specific performance shoes as, like, leisure wear.
- [38:35]
Jared Freed
They only look good on Italians who are wearing jeans that I could never fit into.
- [38:41]
Josh Gondelman
Absolutely.
- [38:42]
Jared Freed
Like, that's the. And then you see it, you go, okay, arrived at buddy. Good for you. Yeah, that's for you. But American dude trying to pull off Pumas or, like, Adidas. It just. It always looks off. And maybe it's a pant shoe thing again.
- [39:01]
Josh Gondelman
It might be. But I'm with you. I don't like the. The stuff that, like, it just doesn't do it for me. Like, usually with the big tongue that kind of flops over forward. That's stiff, like. Like a cleat. Yeah. I'm just. It doesn't do it for me. I'm with you.
- [39:14]
Jared Freed
I'm out on that one. Okay, last one.
- [39:16]
Josh Gondelman
Yep.
- [39:17]
Jared Freed
And I want to hear your opinion, please. I don't like on clouds.
- [39:22]
Josh Gondelman
Oh, yeah. Well, this is similar to me where it's like, the big performance. I feel the same about, like, hokas, where it's like, these are running shoes. Wear them to run. I'm sure they're very comfortable for running and very effective. But, like, you're not running. We're sitting.
- [39:38]
Jared Freed
Right. And I. And in addition to not liking them as, like, dress shoes, I just don't like that a fashion looks like the, like, the on cloud look looks like it was created by a tech billionaire at a boardroom meeting. It has no fashion to it. It has no, like, love behind it. It just looks very much like it was an algorithm that created the whole sneaker. The look, the. The. Even the. The logo. It looks like, it's all the dream of a nerd who had no passion for a shoe.
- [40:22]
Josh Gondelman
Yeah. It feels like you're like, are you wearing a Patagonia vest at a wedding? Come on, man.
- [40:28]
Jared Freed
Right. You do this everywhere. You got to be Patagonia best guy for everything.
- [40:32]
Josh Gondelman
That's a great way to put it. It.
- [40:34]
Jared Freed
You know, like, you. Yeah. On Clouds are the Patagonia vest of shoes. And they just look like it was functional. You know, when, like, you see, like, I get served on Instagram, like, these pants, you can wear them out. You can wear them to work. You could wear them to work out. And I'm like, no woman had an opinion on these pants. All logistics and male and get me from home to sweating to working, to sleeping.
- [41:05]
Josh Gondelman
Yep. And it's not. It's not the best version of any of those things.
- [41:11]
Jared Freed
Right. Right. It's a. It's a little less than everything. A little less of a workout shoe. It's a little less of a workout pant. It's a little less of a workout of a work pant. It's a little less of a going out pant. Not. It never works ultimately for anything. Anything.
- [41:25]
Josh Gondelman
Right. Every. Every place you go, one person will be like, are you coming from the gym? Or like, oh, did you just come from work?
- [41:33]
Jared Freed
Josh Golman, everyone. Go watch Josh's special. He's hilarious. It is out right now. The link is in the bio of this episode. Wherever you're listening or watching, it is called positive reinforcement. Go follow Josh on Instagram at Josh Goman. Thank you, buddy. This was great.
- [41:51]
Josh Gondelman
Thanks, Jared. Great to see you, man. This is a bless the best.
- [41:53]
Jared Freed
We'll be back next week. Boom.