Podcast Summary

The Wayback with Ryan Sickler

Episode 118: David Koechner | April 2, 2026

Overview

In this episode, Ryan Sickler sits down with actor and comedian David Koechner for a nostalgic dive into Koechner’s upbringing, formative experiences, and career journey. The two explore Koechner's large Catholic family in small-town Missouri, reminisce about road trips, first cars, strict childhood rules, and the spark that led him toward comedy and entertainment. The conversation is filled with warmth, laughter, and sharp anecdotes, providing both humor and sincere reflection on the quirks of family, memory, and pursuing one’s passions.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Tour Life, Family, and the Cost of College

• Koechner’s Current Tour and Family Life:
  • He promotes his "Never Ending Tour," jokes about having five kids, and describes having both a daughter entering college and a youngest still a freshman in high school.
  • The current cost of college, especially out-of-state, is highlighted humorously but with real stress:
    • Quote:

      “This includes housing. 75. Out of state. $75k. How you doing, gang?”
      — David Koechner (02:35)

    • Further Calculation:

      “$75 a year. You're talking about $300,000 right now for a four-year…”
      — Ryan Sickler (02:55)

    • Koechner underscores that with half of one’s earnings post-taxes, you need to make way more to cover these costs.

Childhood Memories & Family Business (Turkeys, Manufacturing, and ADHD Kids)

• Country Squire Wagon & Sunday Drives:

  • Koechner’s family car, a green ‘70s Country Squire, held six kids.
    Memorable Exchange:

    “Six kids…death trap…It's a suicide rap.”
    — David Koechner (04:02)

  • Sundays were either spent at grandma’s (for her famous coffee cake) or driving into the country, with young David sometimes made to run alongside the car to burn off ADHD energy.
    • Quote:

      "They would make me get out on the country road and run alongside the car. ADHD, baby! Get it out."
      — David Koechner (05:15)

• Family Business: Manufacturing & Turkey Coops:

  • Koechner’s father started a manufacturing business (turkey coops and truck repairs) with a loan from Koechner's grandfather. The business, passed from father to brother to nephews, remains in the family.
    • Quote:

      “The tough thing about turkey coops? My dad built them so well, they last for 25 years.”
      — David Koechner (07:09)

Heritage, Small Town Roots, and the Story of Adoption

• Tipton, Missouri:
  • Small Catholic town originally settled by Germans—Koechner explains the family name's origins and his grandfather's adoption via an "orphan train" (10:12), leading to a humorous but poignant reflection on family, legacy, and pronunciation.
    • Quote:

      “They both are on this adoption train…then they got separated. She went to Iowa. He went to Tipton, Missouri…His cousins wouldn’t accept him because he was adopted."
      — David Koechner (09:10–10:12)

Family Vacations & Road Trip Culture

• Ozarks, Minnesota, and Epic Roadtrips:
  • Koechner reminisces about trips to Lake of the Ozarks, St. Louis, Kansas City, and Minnesota, often via a rented ‘70s Winnebago motorhome.
    • Quote:

      “You rent a motorhome, bro…can I curse? We always break down. For the love of Christ.”
      — David Koechner (12:33)

    • Top Bunk Memories:

      “You can see out the front of that glass. That's what we want. That's where I hang out.” (13:38)

Childhood Home and Sibling Dynamics

• Address and Swingset:
  • Childhood home had the town’s best swingset, built by his dad from scratch.
    • Quote:

      “There used to be the most fabulous swing set in town…my dad built a huge swing set out there.”
      — David Koechner (14:27–15:02)

• Sibling Rivalry and Strict Rules:
  • Six siblings. The kids shared rooms and rarely fought but had strict boundaries—no sneaking out and early curfews.

Strict Discipline & Growing Up as "The Menace"

• Discipline Styles:

  • Koechner was the family "menace." His father dispensed unusual punishments such as making David stand, nose in a circle on the wall, arms outstretched (22:03). Koechner jokes he just did his time.

• Sibling Roles and Suffering:

  • Admits to being tough on a sister (Cecilia) and reflects on the oddities of a strict household and military school threats.

First Cars & Cheap Beer

• Shared First Car:

  • A ‘67 blue VW Beetle, re-painted “sparkle blue.” The story spawns a tangent about his parents' failed “Yellow Pages” car advertisement and paint job (19:42–21:24).
    • Quote:

      “It looks like it's haunted. You see the ghostly image…it looks like everybody knows.”
      — Ryan Sickler (21:11)

• Underage Drinking:

  • Koechner’s first drinks: Miller Ponies and Mickey’s Big Mouth malt liquor at high school poker games (26:16–27:02).
    • Discussion about Mickey’s cap puzzles:

      “Why are you giving a drunk an exercise?”
      — David Koechner (26:50)

School Life, Sports, and Outcast Life

• Tipton High School:
  • Played sports poorly, started high school at 5 foot, 99 lbs. Only later did he grow—but remained the “mouthy” kid.

College, SNL, and the Comedy Spark

• College Experience:

  • Attended Benedictine College, a small Kansas school, for two years, expressing his desire for “adventure” (28:29–29:24).

• Discovering Comedy (SNL):

  • At age 13, while babysitting siblings, he stayed up for Saturday Night Live.
    • Quote:

      “Go to bed so you don’t tell on me. Go to bed. So I’m watching SNL… the opening sketch…Donahue and Chevy and John Belushi, he’s teaching a man English...I want to eat your eyes. Wolverines have very sharp claws.”
      — David Koechner (29:42–31:20)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Cost of College:

  “We’re in show business. We get half of what we make. If I make a dollar, 50 cents is mine. So now I got to make that much…Some people would have bought a house.”
  — David Koechner (03:07–03:27)

• On Being the Wild Sibling:

  “I’m a menace at home.”
  — David Koechner (21:30)

• On Midwestern Catholic Family:

  “47 first cousins on my mom’s side. How you doing? 36 first cousins on my dad’s side. Am I Catholic?”
  — David Koechner (11:50)

• On Childhood Discipline:

  “My dad would draw a circle on the wall…You gotta tiptoe, put your nose in that circle, and hold your arms out … till dinner was over.”
  — David Koechner (22:03)

• On Early Comedy Obsession:

  “I’m watching SNL and I’m just...the opening sketch…John Belushi, he’s teaching a man English...I want to eat your eyes. Wolverines have very sharp claws.”
  — David Koechner (29:33–31:20)

• On Being Recognizable:

  “I’m unavoidable in terms of television.”
  — David Koechner (32:06)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Tour and College Costs: 02:20 – 03:27
• Childhood Car and Sunday Drives: 03:42 – 05:15
• Family Business/Turkey Coops Legacy: 05:56 – 07:21
• Name Origin & Adoption Story: 09:10 – 10:53
• Family Road Trips/Winnebago: 12:30 – 13:41
• First Car (VW Beetle & Yellow Pages Story): 19:42 – 21:24
• Discipline Nose-in-Circle Punishment: 22:03 – 22:28
• Sibling Dynamics and Room-Sharing: 24:03 – 24:41
• High School and Sports Experience: 17:04 – 19:11
• First Beers and Mickey’s Cap Puzzles: 26:16 – 27:02
• College and SNL Comedy Inspiration: 28:26 – 31:20

Final Thoughts and Plugs

• Koechner’s Current Work:

  • “Never Ending Tour” (dates/info on his website and socials)
  • “The Office Trivia Show” – “The greatest trivia show in the history of trivia shows.”
  • New film "Gany Meets" (“A gay coming-of-age story with a horror twist. I play a nasty preacher.”)

• Closing Banter:

  • With warmth, mutual admiration, and jokes about future meals together:
    • Quote:

      “Not to brag, but, Ryan, I are gonna have a meal at some point.”
      — David Koechner (32:10)

    • “You talk too much, man. You never shut up.” — Ryan Sickler (32:26)

In sum, this episode captures the best of “The Wayback”—a deeply personal, often hilarious journey through one man’s formative years, colored by the unique perspective of a child in a huge, loving, strict, and bustling family. Koechner’s storytelling and humor shine, making for a lively, nostalgic listen.