The Steve Austin Show: Comedic Legend Bill Burr (Part Two) — SAS Classic

Original Release: April 24, 2025
Host: Steve Austin
Guest: Bill Burr

Episode Overview

In this episode, Steve Austin has a deeply entertaining and candid conversation with legendary comedian Bill Burr. Recorded in classic "Steve Austin Show" style, the two icons draw connections between professional wrestling and stand-up comedy, discuss the realities of building a career without a “gimmick,” creative processes, the stresses of touring, political correctness, learning to fly helicopters, and the making of Burr’s Netflix show, "F is for Family." This episode is packed with both humor and insight, perfect for fans of comedy, wrestling, and anyone fascinated by how performers carve their own path.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Building a Long-Lasting Career Without a "Gimmick"

• Parallels Between Wrestling & Comedy:
  Both Austin and Burr discuss how longevity in their industries is tied to authenticity rather than relying on a quick “hook” or a marketable gimmick.

  • Steve discusses being told early in his wrestling career that, “It’s going to take you longer to get over, but when you get over, you’re going to stay over.” [04:33]
  • Bill reflects on advice from Dave Chappelle:

    “He said, listen, he goes, it’s going to take you longer, but when you hit, you got to hit hard. Just keep doing what you’re doing." [04:55]

• Importance of Good Representation:
  Burr credits his agent, Mike Berkowitz, who rose with him over the years, emphasizing trust and loyalty.

  “You get a good agent. You can’t negotiate your own thing. You got to get a good agent.” [02:22]

• The Longer Road:
  Burr notes that being himself—a balding redhead without a trendy “hook”—meant success came more slowly but ultimately more lastingly. He contrasts himself with comedians who break out fast on gimmicks but struggle to sustain.

2. Developing Your Own Style and Finding Your Voice

• Starting Clean, Going Real:
  Burr shares how he began with clean, memorized sets but gradually found his signature, more honest, and sometimes angry comedic voice as his career and self-awareness evolved.

  “I wrote everything out. I memorized it, and everybody was just like, dude, you’re gonna be on tv ... Then it became about a couple years of working totally clean. ... But it just gradually. I mean, I’m not the same person I was when I was 23 either.” [12:15]

• "Turn Yourself Up":
  Austin and Burr agree that great performance is about amplifying your real personality—turning yourself up, not becoming someone else.

  • “I just kind of turned me up to a high level.” — Steve Austin [14:08]
  • “You walk around your house body slamming people, they wouldn’t want to hang out with you.” — Bill Burr [14:13]

3. Performing for Diverse Audiences and Navigating Political Correctness

• Navigating Different Crowds:
  Burr describes performing in Boston (homogenous crowds) versus New York (diverse) and learning to handle any room. He especially wanted to reach all types of people, not just a niche:

  “I always wanted to draw a mixed crowd, but, you know, as you move up in this business, ... it’s a very hard thing to try to pull the crowd that you’re trying to pull. ... What I loved was everybody was there. And when everybody’s in the room, then you can really joke around ...” [09:24]

• On “Pushing the Envelope” and Political Correctness:
  Burr challenges the idea that audiences are too sensitive now, saying blowups over “offensive” jokes are usually manufactured and that real club crowds know it’s comedy:

  “That whole political correctness thing is it’s just lazy journalism. It’s just an easy... like, you know, they’ll talk about ... transgendered bathrooms. They’re not going to talk about ... the ocean’s dying... But if you do a wage gap joke in a strip mall, you could literally get on ... national news...” [15:12]
  He adds:
  “If they actually thought you were serious, they wouldn’t be laughing. ... There’s always going to be, like, that selfish audience member who ... laughs at all [your jokes] and then when it comes around to them ... you’re making statements, and they’re offended.” [17:24]

4. Learning to Fly Helicopters: A Love of Mastering Challenges

• On Becoming a Helicopter Pilot:
  Burr, a licensed pilot, and Austin enthusiastically compare notes. Bill reveals the real “hard part” isn’t the flying but learning the science/ground school:

  “I had a horrible science background. ... The best part about it is learning all the physics of it. ... They teach you the physics of why what’s happening is happening.” [20:10]
  He describes the terror and thrill of his first solo flights:
  “The scariest thing I’ve ever done, was that. That is without a doubt the scariest. The first time, ... three hours of being in the air, ... I just kept looking over at the empty seat going, like, if this shit goes down, ... am I gonna live?” [26:43]

• Faces His Own Fear:
  Despite all his experience, Burr remains healthily “nervous” and respects the risk:

  “There’s two types of people. I found my limited knowledge. There’s the fucking people like me that understand you can die, and then there’s these other people that ... just did. We had a guy ... the next fucking day [after getting his license], rented a 22 ... started giving people rides. ... I had a certain level of respect for the balls.” [34:17]

5. Inside the Writing Room: Making "F is for Family"

• Origin of the Show:
  Burr explains the show was inspired by his family stories and by frustration that younger audiences seemed uncertain whether to laugh at old-school tales:

  “It was an idea that came about through telling family stories on stage. ... A whole new generation of kids with a whole new style of parenting came about. ... Everything got labeled; bullying, mental abuse, physical abuse, and cruelty to animals.” [38:09]
  The project came together through Vince Vaughn’s support and Mike Price’s (“The Simpsons”) involvement, after others passed on it.

• Process and Room Dynamics:
  The writers’ room is fast-paced and creative:

  “After the person has [the] storyline, you sit at a table, and then Mike Price sits right up front, and we're just pitching on shit ... It’s a great room. People are funny. And then … you get tired, and then ... someone else comes up with something good or you just start making just ridiculous jokes or ... take a mental break ...” [44:44]

• The Joy of Table Reads:
  Burr loves the energy when world-class actors bring the scripts to life:

  "The biggest thrill I get with the writing is when the performers come in ... and we can make him [Sam Rockwell] laugh like that with the shit ... You get like a real, like, charge out of that." [45:49]

6. Stand-up Writing, Touring Life, and the "First Class" Mentality

• Writing Process:
  Bill’s approach is spontaneous—a word or idea, then see if it works, then evolve it:

  “I just write the word down. ... I went on this riff about it ... where it’s at right now would never be worthy ... it's just like it's fucking Uber ... it's just bullshit you're putting in your mouth now, those things. But what those are great about ... they get you saying something new which gets your mind in a new place, which could lead to something new.” [52:56]

• Touring and Plane Travel:
  Both share misery stories from years flying coach—and discuss the ironclad rule: once you reach first class, you never go back.

  “I'm not going back. I spent 20 years in the back of thousands of fucking planes. I'm just not doing it.” — Bill Burr [61:17]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On career-building:

  “If you’re not the hot chick in my business, if you’re not the fat guy...for a while it was the hipster ... and you were 34 and acted like you had ... the social graces of a 15-year-old. They were into that for a while, and, you know, being a balding redhead was never in, so I had to go the long way around.” — Bill Burr [04:55]

• On authenticity:

  “I was a people pleaser when I was 23...Somewhere along, your 30s, you realize like, yeah, this is stupid. ... You attract assholes because only nice guys put up with their shit.” — Bill Burr [12:15]

• On table reads:

  “I used to kind of have a little bit of performance anxiety because I just felt like, you know, I’m not good at reading out loud. ... Now I absolutely love them. Like, we got one on Monday. I can’t wait.” — Bill Burr [47:23]

• On flying nervousness:

  “I have a fear of heights ... but like every time I fly solo, this is just this amazing feeling of it’s the coolest thing ever. It’s such a free thing. And then terror of like, you know, and the terror is a good thing.” — Bill Burr [31:51]

• On travel struggles:

  “There was a guy in the seat right in front of me ... He was a big guy. ... He goes to sit down and just wham. Dude, the whole seat just came back into my knees. I was just like, dude, what the fuck?” — Bill Burr [59:00]

• On gratitude and influence:

  “It was an absolute thrill to meet you, and I got to shake your hand and thank you. The amount of entertainment that you’ve given me ... you guys are some of the most amazing ... The level that [Patrice O’Neal] held you guys in ... he literally goes, ‘...they’re like this big. They’re connecting with somebody in the upper deck all the way over there.’” — Bill Burr [61:24]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [01:30] — Discussion of finding worth in showbiz and building a sustainable career
• [02:22] — Burr's origin story, finding an agent, reflections on early struggles
• [04:55] — Advice from Chappelle about “hitting hard” when you break through; struggles of not having a hook
• [09:24] — Performing for diverse audiences and the joys/difficulties of mixed crowds
• [15:12] — Political correctness, “outrage cycles,” and pushing boundaries in comedy
• [18:50] — Helicopter pilot talk: learning, fear, and the thrill of flying
• [38:09] — The origin of "F is for Family," the creative process, and the influence of generational family stories
• [44:44] — Inside the writing room and the grind of making an animated show
• [52:33] — Stand-up writing process, developing new material, and the role of everyday observations
• [54:43] — Travel stories, affording first class, and horror stories from the coach section
• [61:24] — Burr’s closing tribute to Austin and pro wrestlers' place in entertainment history

Tone and Style

Conversational, driven by authenticity, mutual admiration, and a healthy dose of self-deprecation. Both Burr and Austin speak candidly, often pivoting between war stories, philosophical insights, bits of comedy, and practical advice for aspiring performers.

Summary Takeaway

This episode offers a masterclass in resilience, authenticity, and the courage to do things your own way—whether that’s in comedy, pro wrestling, or learning to fly. Bill Burr’s path exemplifies how staying true to your voice, enduring long roads, and welcoming fear as part of growth can ultimately lead to fulfillment and success. The banter with Steve Austin injects humor throughout, making hard truths feel both accessible and inspiring.