94: The Wayback #94 | Nic Novicki - Permanent Middle Seater

Summary

The Wayback #94 | Nic Novicki – Permanent Middle Seater

Podcast: The Wayback with Ryan Sickler
Host: Ryan Sickler
Guest: Nic Novicki
Date: October 16, 2025

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Overview

In this laughter-filled episode, Ryan Sickler welcomes comedian, actor, and advocate Nic Novicki for a ride in “The Wayback.” The two reminisce about childhood memories, hilarious mishaps, growing up as a little person, and the cultural world of little people conventions. They explore Nic’s journey through sports, his wild high school party-throwing days, and his unique experiences with driving and independence, all peppered with humor and honest reflection. This episode is a celebration of family nostalgia, standing out in a crowd, and finding your place—sometimes in the middle seat.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Riding in the Wayback & Middle Seat Memories

• Nic shares his family's legendary brown station wagon with wood panels—packed for trips to Vermont and always jammed with cousins.
• Nic was always assigned the dreaded middle seat:

  “Permanent middle seat, bro.” – Nic Novicki [02:08]

• Early comedic instincts: after watching Batman as a kid, Nic wore a Batman gas mask in the car as a joke, only amusing himself.
• Memorable moment:

  “I'm like a prop comic at, like, 6. And no one's, like, finding it funny but me.” – Nic Novicki [03:15]

2. The (Literal) Fall Guy: Childhood Mishaps

• At age 6 or 7, preoccupied with heckling a mayoral candidate at school, Nic didn’t shut the car door properly. His mom unknowingly drove off, and Nic fell out, earning a concussion and an ambulance ride.
• Memorable quote:

  “So she starts driving... the door swings open. Well, I happen to have my head right at the door. I just go overboard. Boom.” – Nic Novicki [05:45]
  “Now my mom’s... following me... a seven year old little person in an ambulance. And I got my first concussion.” – Nic Novicki [06:08]

3. Sports & Umpiring

• Passionate about baseball and basketball, Nic played in Little League and at little people conventions—until the height disparity grew too dramatic.
• Conventions featured impressive athletes, including some now with the Harlem Globetrotters:

  “These guys now play for the Harlem Globetrotters. ...They could shoot NBA threes!” – Nic Novicki [09:27]

• His transition to umpire:

  “I would have to sit in between because I couldn’t stand that long. ...I just sit down where I am on the ground. I just sit down.” – Nic Novicki [10:35]
  “You can’t umpire. Go, yeah, I can... You ever hear what the Americans with Disabilities Act?” – Nic Novicki [11:04]

• Nic stands his ground (literally and figuratively), demanding his right to ump and collect his check.

4. Little People Conventions & Alpha Energy

• Descriptions of annual national meetups—a blend of reunion, sporting event, and dance party with 2,000+ participants.

  “There’d be like a dance at night... you’re looking up at people... And now I’m like, I’m 42, I’m like the old man at this dance now.” – Nic Novicki [13:19]

• The conventions had a “macho” vibe:

  “Everybody’s like, no, I’m the tough guy. ...I’m good at basketball. ...kind of alpha a little bit.” – Nic Novicki [14:05]

5. Epic High School Party

• Nic hosted a legendary party, promoted like a nightclub, with people from multiple towns and confusion for local police:

  “Cops were driving around and they could not figure out where this party was... Cars were just for blocks everywhere.” – Nic Novicki [16:37]

• After surgery and on crutches, Nic faced off with police:

  “‘Where’s your warrant?’ Like I’m on NYPD Blue.” – Nic Novicki [17:03]

6. Getting a Driver’s License & Early Driving

• Learned to drive from a little person instructor:

  “There was a little person, driver’s ed teacher. ...Not a little person to teach little people. Just happened to be a little person.” – Nic Novicki [17:59]

• Used pedal extensions, navigated the challenges, and recalls an early accident:

  “Boom. I rear end this lady... I just nailed there.” – Nic Novicki [20:42]

• On being the only little person in the area:

  “To be a little person in the only little person of the area is like, you’re the celebrity.” – Nic Novicki [19:49]

7. The Fake ID King

• Started drinking young (first: gin, never again), got a fake ID, and became “the guy” to get beer for everyone:

  “I became the guy because I’m like, look, I’m the one that can get everyone beer. ...People are usually nervous, you know, like, I’m this little person. I can’t insult them, you know...” – Nic Novicki [22:51]

• Only got caught once in college when a bouncer recognized him.

8. Family Games & Breaking Brothers’ Noses

• Created hybrid games like basketball-football with his brother, with his brother playing on knees for fairness—leading once to a broken nose.

  “I fly up into the air and he’s like, ‘Oh man. I hit him so hard.’ And then I’m now above him and then bam. I land on his head and I break his nose all over the place.” – Nic Novicki [26:35]

9. Billy Barty, Comedy, & Legacy

• Nic’s idol growing up: Billy Barty, founder of Little People of America and vaudeville legend.

  “He started Little People of America in Reno... It became, you know, Little People America.” – Nic Novicki [28:05]

• Nic hopes to portray Barty in a biopic, has worn his clothes for a photo shoot, and embodies his tradition of humor and advocacy.

10. Family, Holidays, and Cultural Differences

• Visits home frequently so his kids know his roots and family culture:

  “We’re a family of little people. We need East Coasters to be like, ‘Hey, you’re little.’ In California, people are too polite.” – Nic Novicki [28:55]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On family car rides:

  “Permanent middle seat, bro.” – Nic Novicki [02:08]

• On his first concussion:

  “My mom’s... following me... a seven year old little person in an ambulance. And I got my first concussion.” – Nic Novicki [06:08]

• On little people conventions:

  “...2,000 little people that will go and families. ...There’s so many memories of me going when I was a little kid, and you’re in this little dance, and ...now I’m 42. I’m like the old man at this dance now.” – Nic Novicki [13:17]

• On fake ID confidence:

  “I became the guy because I’m like, look, I’m the one that can get everyone beer. ...People are usually nervous, you know, like, I’m this little person. I can’t insult them, you know...” – Nic Novicki [22:51]

• On breaking his brother’s nose:

  “I fly up into the air ...I land on his head and I break his nose all over the place.” – Nic Novicki [26:35]

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Episode Timeline & Timestamps

• [01:32] – Station wagon memories and “permanent middle seat”
• [03:28] – Falling out of the car at elementary school
• [06:30] – Sports, Little League, and becoming an umpire
• [13:07] – First little people convention details
• [15:20] – Epic high school party and the arrival of police
• [17:54] – Learning to drive, car modifications, early accidents
• [21:35] – First drinking experiences, fake ID escapades
• [25:38] – Family games, the infamous broken nose
• [27:06] – Billy Barty’s influence and legacy
• [28:55] – Family, East Coast culture, and returning home

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Closing

Nic wraps with plugs for his projects, especially the Easter Seals Disability Film Challenge, and a heartfelt invitation to connect and catch his comedy. The episode closes as it began: with warm humor, real stories, and a celebration of the unique “wayback” journey.

Follow Nic: @NickNovicki
Easter Seals Disability Film Challenge: @DisabilityChall

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This episode is a can’t-miss for fans of offbeat childhood antics, heart, and the wry humor of life outside the norm.

Transcript

[A]

Hey, guys.

[B]

My new special, Live and Alive is premiering Friday, October 24th at 9pm Eastern, 6pm Pacific on my YouTube. Click the link in the description. Set your reminder now. I will be in the live chat talking with you guys the whole time. Watch it with me. Let's have some fun with it.

[A]

Hey, baby.

[B]

We're gonna be here all day. We're gonna be here all day, baby. I like this kind of party. Welcome back to the Way Back, everybody. Ryan Sickler here, guys than for supporting this show. It's so fun. I love doing this show. If you're watching this far already, hit subscribe, throw up a comment, engage with the sponsors, help the show out, help it grow. I appreciate everything you guys do and I'm very excited to be back here today with this week's guest. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Nick Nvicki. Welcome to the Way Back, buddy.

[A]

Hey, hey, Nick.

[B]

Before we get into some way back stories, right there, plug everything you'd like, please.

[A]

Hey, follow me. At Nick Novicki, you could learn about about comedy shows. I have coming out. See Bittersweet was in select movie theaters. Hopefully still is. Maybe you're gonna have to find it in another country. I'm not sure. But yeah, come check me out. Also Easter Seals Disability Film Challenge at Disability Film challenge that I run.

[B]

Hell yeah. So I, I usually start episodes with this seat being the way back. And were you ever in a car, family, friend, whatever, where you rode in this seat back here?

[A]

Yeah, yeah. I, we, we had a station wagon, like a old school brown station wagon with the, you know, panels. And we, we would ride it all together as a family. We would take like, my cousins. There would be like seven of us. Oh, loaded up, loaded up in this back.

[B]

And where are you guys going?

[A]

We would go to Vermont. A lot of times there was like a, you know, we would bring everybody into Vermont and. But I would always get stuck in the middle. I'm l person, the only little person. So remember, as you bring this up.

[B]

Permanent middle seat, bro. What was it like when you got shotgun for the first time? Were you in.

[A]

People were just so angry. No one ever wants to see the little person in the front seat in a Uber pool. No one wants me in the front. Nobody. What's he doing up there, man? But I remember all the way up. I remember a distinct memory where we were in going to Vermont and my. I was staying at my friend's house and we had just gone to see Batman. Remember the original Batman? There were the crazy lines. I was so young and, you know, my. My cousins, my. My brothers picked me up. We're in this minivan, and they, you know, get up, and they're like, why am I. Why are they getting up? They're like, because you got to go in the middle. And so now I'm in the middle of this station wagon. I come out of my backpack. I bring this little gas mask. I don't know why I have this. It was like a merch from the movie, you know, Batman.

[B]

So.

[A]

And then I put it on. I go, what are you doing? And I was like, in case I fart in the. I, like, say that. And it just was something that I laughed so hard at, and nobody else did. It was like, no one gets that I'm just being funny. Even me. Including me. I'm the only one laughing at my. I'm like, a prop comic at, like, 6. And no one's, like, finding it funny but me.

[B]

Well, you said. When I asked you before, you said you actually fell out of a car.

[A]

So how'd you find. This is. This is wild. The same station wagon we. I. I went to school. This is Turkey Hill. That was the name of my elementary school.

[B]

Turkey Hill.

[A]

Turkey Hill elementary School in Orange, Connecticut. It's. It's a great school. I was there. So my mom picks me up in this station wagon. I have a couple friends that are with me, and we're waiting. I know my mom went inside for something, and I'm talking to my friends, and there's a crazy guy who's running for, like, mayor. And this person's just like, you know, they're campaigning at an elementary.

[B]

People running?

[A]

Yeah, they're. They're campaigning in the parking lot for, you know, of, you know, mayor. And I get out, and I'm trying to heckle him, and I'm trying to be funny for my friends. Hey, look at this guy. You're running for mayor. Good luck. I'm saying all the stupid stuff. And then I get back in the car, and my mom gets in the car and.

[B]

How old are you?

[A]

I'm maybe 6 or 7. So my mom has. You know, my mom is like, I. I just went into the school for a minute. There's no reason why my son would get out of the car to heckle this politician like an idiot. So I don't fully close the door. No, I don't. I just. I'm a little person. I'm a kid. I'm like. I close it, but I don't. This is that crazy station wagon that's like you to have like, you know, Soviet Union air arms to like people outside. Like, you got to have like a mom's butt to like hit the. So I don't fully close the door. So if you see that now, I love it. We can see it. There was like a circle roundabout. So my mom's driving. I'm on the edge of, of the door that I don't fully close. My mom has no idea that I got out of the car, that I opened it. So she starts driving now she's late. So she's kind of putting the, you know, foot the gas on the, on the pedal and just goes, and just goes around the corner. The door swings open. Well, I happen to have my head right at the door. I just go overboard. Boom.

[B]

You went out.

[A]

I went out and I'm just like, just all of a sudden it becomes like, there, you know, the nurse is coming.

[B]

That guy's like, vote for me.

[A]

Yeah, yeah. He's like, you see what happens? So then now I'm in like a stretcher in this elementary school. Now my mom's taking the station resident. We're following me. Seven year old little person in an ambulance. And I'm in. I got my first concussion.

[B]

When do you tell mom, hey, I got out talk some to this dude over here.

[A]

And now I'm, I mean, I'm still throwing that over. I'm like, look, I know you're mad at me, but, you know, you let me fall out of a car. So. Yeah, yeah, she's, she was obviously upset.

[B]

So I wanted to talk to you about sports. And one thing you said before we get into sports is that you were actually a little league umpire.

[A]

Oh, yeah, yeah. This is the best. So I was.

[B]

What made you want to do it?

[A]

Well, it was like, I love sports, I love playing. I was baseball, basketball, these things. And I was a big Notre Dame fan as a kid. And so I, all my life I wanted to be like, you know, Newt Rockne. I would run around and I was like, I would just play the song in my head, just run around, choo choo. Like, I would play back and forth. Like nobody told me that wasn't a possibility. Like, it wasn't. You're a little person, you're not gonna play football. I was like, I'm gonna do it, you know, So I was playing real quick.

[B]

Yeah, I mean, interrupt.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Let's look this up. Kirsten, there's a coach recently who got, who had to be talked out of using a little person for like goal line situations. And he's like, why can't we just throw him over the top? Look it up real quick.

[A]

Get out of here. That is. That's. That's a scholarship the hard way right there.

[B]

That's a special teams.

[A]

But I was. No. So I would play. I would play sports. I love playing sports. Yeah, but then there was a period where I was like, hey, I could also be an uncle.

[B]

Here it is right here. Mike Leach. Talk down from lining up a little person in the backfield, throwing them over the line and scrimmage. And short, not even for touchdowns, just shortage.

[A]

I mean, in fairness, his name is Leech. So last name Leech.

[B]

Oh, my God.

[A]

Listen, Bug. You know, man, that's crazy.

[B]

That's hilarious.

[A]

I mean, that's. That is a serious scholarship.

[B]

Yeah, it would be.

[A]

You better get paid. It's a scholarship and everything.

[B]

Yeah. I bet you'd sell a ton of jerseys.

[A]

You got it. That's a SAG after a stunt bump as well.

[B]

Think of that now with the portal and all that. Okay, sorry.

[A]

We. We would. First of all, I would play Little League. I was into baseball. I would play basketball, but I would, you know, compete against everybody that was tall. I'm the only one little. And so I would go to little people conventions. Once a year, we'd have these conventions, and there would also be sports that would go on at the same time. Now, mind you, everybody at that time, I just thought, man, I'd be in the NBA if only I was tall. That's the thing. But I'm like, I'm gonna dominate at this little people convention. But every little person said the exact same. So you got like a team full of everyone. Like, oh, I'm gonna dominate.

[B]

Michael Jordan's out there.

[A]

But you realize that nobody there is like one Michael Jordan. And you realize everybody else is like, is there really?

[B]

He's that good.

[A]

Yeah, there's people there. There's a little person. Jamani. That and Jamani and Justin that were on our team. We had a team, the New York Towers, A little people team. These guys now play for the Harlem Globetrotters.

[B]

Is that right?

[A]

They could shoot NBA threes.

[B]

Let me see them.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

What are their names?

[A]

Mon love. He goes by Hot Shot On. On the Harlem Globetrotters. I mean, these guys. I mean, they could finger roll. They played like high school AAU basketball. Like, they are ridiculous. So, I mean, unbelievable athletes, unbelievable people. But I'm just saying, in general, for me, I. I thought, you know, going into little people convention, I'm gonna dominate. I go in there and they're like, hey, man, you're like a backup small for.

[B]

This guy right here is like, this guy shooting threes.

[A]

I'm trying to shoot a foul shot underhand, and he's shooting NBA threes.

[B]

Yeah, yeah.

[A]

So that's my buddy, a three. He can hit NBA threes.

[B]

So that's strength.

[A]

So. So I, you know, I'm. I'm playing sports, but then a certain point, everybody's just too tall. Everyone is now. And so now I'm like, well, I could umpire. I'm still in the game now. I'm getting paid.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

I'm making money. Everybody else is not, so. But I would have to sit in between because I couldn't stand that long.

[B]

In between what?

[A]

In between, like, pitches or innings.

[B]

Would you lean on? Sit on a bucket or something?

[A]

Just sit down where I am on the ground. I just sit down.

[B]

You would sit on the ground?

[A]

I'm like, all right, that's a strike. And I'm sitting down in there. I'm like, yeah, it's a strike, man. You know, But I was good at you. No, no, because I was good. I was like, I would be on it. So one, I couldn't bring myself, but once somebody ended up kind of saying, look, he can't sit. We can't have an umpire set all this stuff. I go, look, I got to sit. You know, I'm literally. That's how. So he's calling me up. He goes, you can't. You can't umpire. Go, yeah, I can. He goes, no, you're not my. Do you ever hear what the Americans with Disabilities Act I caught. My mom was like, what the heck? We got a lawyer over here. I'm like a 10 year old kid. I'm throwing out things and I end up. I'm like, I want that check, man. I want the candy that's gonna come with this umpire.

[B]

Little League. That's awesome, dude. Did you do any kind of camps or anything like that? Conventions? Did you go?

[A]

Well, I went to the conventions. I went to little people conventions.

[B]

Tell me what it's like. Is it a sleepover thing? Are you there for a week? Is it a couple nights?

[A]

Yeah. No, it would be like a week long.

[B]

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[A]

So we're going to these little people conventions.

[B]

They have a title. Is there a title of them?

[A]

There's. Every City is a different. Baltimore was my first one.

[B]

Really?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

At the convention center.

[A]

B B More. No, it's usually like a hotel.

[B]

What do they call it?

[A]

We just look up conventions, people, America. I'm doing comedy at New Orleans, too. I'm. Yeah, New Orleans.

[B]

Are you doing comedy at these as well?

[A]

Yep. Yeah, they got me.

[B]

Professional umpire over here.

[A]

No. So I've always. This has been my. My world. And so we would hang out and, you know, and the funny thing, too, about the interesting thing is also you're talking about there's 2,000 little people that will go and families. So we all go to, like, a dance at night, and it's just very funny because there's so many memories of me going when I was a little K kid, and you're in this little dance, and it'd be like you're looking up at people, and they're like, wow, these are like high schoolers also at this dance, and adults. And now I'm like, I'm 42. I'm like the old man at this dance now. But I love going, man. I would. When I went, though, it was fun. We used to just hang out, meet people from all over the place, play sports, you know. It was. It was a little bit, though. Like, you talk about, like, you know, macho. Everybody's like, no, I'm. I'm the tough guy. No, I'm the little. I'm good at basketball. No, I. You know, guys being that way, you know, kind of alpha a little bit.

[B]

Yeah. Peacocking and peacock.

[A]

And now. But I love little people conventions. I. I went to camp, too. I went to a Boy Scout camp. But, you know, it was just. It was fun. I learned how to do, like, weird merit badges and, like, you know, I don't know. Were you a Boy Scout?

[B]

No. My. I just. I mean, no offense to the Boy Scouts. I just always thought it was a strange thing, and I was always like. I mean, simper paradis. That's their saying.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And I always felt like I was way more prepared than they were. I was always like, I don't think y' all are prepared. And a lot of them were not for what came later.

[A]

I was never really prepared. See, I would always. I was like, you got to be an Eagle Scout. Whatever. I just like to go and camp. And, like, I just wanted to sit on a boat. They're like, no, but you need to do this lives and out one extra thing.

[B]

That was the part I just wanted.

[A]

To hang out out here.

[B]

So we talked about a party you threw in high school, an epic party.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Does anyone still live in that house?

[A]

Yeah, that's the same.

[B]

Okay, we can't look it up, then.

[A]

But it was an epic party where it was like, people from all towns.

[B]

How do they find out back then? Were you telling everybody in high school.

[A]

Thing about, like, spread the word? Like, it was like, I was like, a high schooler that was like, a nightclub promoter. And then other people started spreading the word, and people were, like, passing out flyers. People from other towns were there, like. And the crazy thing about it is.

[B]

How big is the house? How many bedrooms it was.

[A]

It was like, it's a pretty big, you know, you know, crazy. But it was, you know, you know, big enough, you know, to where we were able to have a bunch of people there. But it was really mostly about outside, so it was mostly like an outside party. We had a little bit. Like, there was a way to get into the basement, but mostly it was just outside and you come. But I was like, smart. So I was like, I'm going to leave the lights off and I'm not letting anybody in the house. Like, girls were like, oh, I got to pee. I was like, you can go outside. We're outdoors. This is where the, you know, so.

[B]

The cops, Girlfriends only, you know, the.

[A]

Cops were driving around and they could not figure out where this party was. Cuz it just. Cars were just for just blocks everywhere, Everywhere. And then there were all kinds of little sub parties because, you know, the beer runs out or just people are just hanging out in other areas, like just out by there. So the cops couldn't figure out where the party was for a while. Of course they do end up finding where it is and do they come.

[B]

In and bust you or anything?

[A]

They come in and you know what they do come in is going on now. I had just had surgery, so I'm on crutches and I'm going up to the cop and I go, where's your warrant? Did you really? Like, I'm on NYPD Blue.

[B]

I've been like, they're taking advantage of me. All these people just showed up. Get them out of here.

[A]

But it quickly shifted where I was like, hey man, I need these guys out of here. You know, but. But I did. I go, where's your warrant? They go, warrant? What are you talking about? You've warned. You got people like, you know, throwing up on your neighbors, like, where's your warrant? But I was like, I was glad to see him. It was like, cops. I was like, thank you. This is done.

[B]

Tell me about driving. Did you get your. Did you start at 16 and did you do.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Did they still have driver's ed in high school when you went to high school, or was it out by then?

[A]

So yeah, we had driver's ad. We had it when I was 16. I actually had a little per. There was a little person, driver's ed teacher. No talk about a niche profession. So not.

[B]

Not a little person to teach little people. Just happened to be a little person.

[A]

Happened to be out teaching. How funny would that be if it was like, hey, I only, I only work with little.

[B]

You all go see Gary.

[A]

He's got a drive. Like, yeah, I'm going to Alaska. See you guys. I got another little guy out there.

[B]

So we have a gun for hire. I'm an expert.

[A]

So I had this little person though, and he, he.

[B]

As a teacher.

[A]

As a teacher and he taught me how to drive and it was awesome. We. We drove and bro, what's he telling you?

[B]

That. You know what I mean? Like, I'm not gonna be able to give you the tips and tricks that you're gonna need to know.

[A]

See, that's the funny thing is like, it's just. You're just driving a car, you know, you're just. There's a. There's a pedal extension on the car, but that is it.

[B]

That's the only.

[A]

All you need to do is put that on. It's funny too, because I did a commercial about pedal extensions. I'm like, you see how easy it is? You just take it on, you put it off. In reality, I have a hard time getting them on and off, you know.

[B]

Oh, you take them off.

[A]

You can take them off. My wife does it. Okay. She's better.

[B]

She does. She really.

[A]

She's the man of the house. She does a lot. I'm just like, you know, look, I'm the silly, like, hey, I'm gonna ask for help. And she's like, no, no, no, I got it. You know, she's so what.

[B]

How old were you when you got your license? Did you do it at 16?

[A]

16.

[B]

And then what is it like? I mean, man, I'm just trying to. We're both parents. I'm trying to put myself in your parents shoes here. Like, we've got a 16 year old going off on his own for the first time, which is terrifying in itself. And you're the only little person in the whole family ever.

[A]

So no matter what happens, everyone's like, oh, Nick did it. You know, it's like to be a little person in the only little person of the area is like, you're. You're the celebrity.

[B]

Yeah, yeah.

[A]

Just as you are. If you're the. The person that won some kind of race or you know, that I'm just known. People know me in that area.

[B]

What's your first car?

[A]

And it was like a Mazda 3. So I crashed car. This is probably somewhere around 95 or.

[B]

You know, looks like any of these.

[A]

Yeah, exactly. So I'm so excited. I get this car and I'm driving. I'm just excited to be driving. Two months in, I'm driving and I'm driving fast to school and I'm driving one arm. I'm like listening to like hip hop on the radio station, you know, and boom. I rear end this lady and I'm like, no.

[B]

No breaks.

[A]

No, I mean, there were breaks, but I just nailed there. I didn't need it.

[B]

That's what I meant.

[A]

I wish I was in that station wagon too. I'm in this little. I did actually hit. She was in a station wagon.

[B]

She was.

[A]

And I hit the kids in the way back whammer. I slam into her and I just gotta get out of the car. And you know, she's just like, you know, what are you doing? You know, I'm like, sorry, you know, And I'm just like. She knows who I am too. I'm like the little person. Yeah, he's letting you drive.

[B]

Guess who hit me all.

[A]

But it was that, you know too. Like we. Everybody didn't know who I am. But in. In my area, but also when I went into different areas, people didn't know who I am. And that's why I had a fake id.

[B]

This is what I wanted to talk about.

[A]

I had a fake id.

[B]

When do you start drinking? What'? The first. You know. And what did you first drink?

[A]

I was drinking just weird. Actually, the first thing I ever drank is gin.

[B]

Oh, okay.

[A]

And I will never drink gin again.

[B]

Yeah, I hear you.

[A]

Because it was like a weird, like, you know, at post baptism or confirmation party or some kind of very Catholic thing. I can't remember what it was. And we. My parents had a party and there's these bottles of gin out and I'm probably 14 or something like that. And I, you know, me and my friend, we just start drinking this and I got so sick where you could smell that gin when you're throwing up for like days. But I. Yeah, so I got a fake ID in high school.

[B]

Where'd you go? Where do you.

[A]

What?

[B]

Tell me the process.

[A]

The process.

[B]

Is it you or is it someone looks like you facially?

[A]

It. It was. It was me.

[B]

You.

[A]

They just threw. And I don't think it looked even remotely like a regular idea. Yeah, it was. It was so fake. And it was like, I'm like, you know, 27. I'm like 16 with like a 27 year old, you know, id.

[B]

But that's what it said you were 27.

[A]

I think it was like 22 or 23. Something. Whatever.

[B]

It was fake. What?

[A]

Connecticut license, 16 years old. A fake Connecticut license has like just part of the stuff, but I would just flash it. And I became the guy because I'm like, look, I'm the one that can get everyone beer. And I'm just flashing a liquor store and just confident. And people are usually nervous, you know, like, I'm this a little person. I can't insult them, you know, I'm.

[B]

Just gonna give him what he wants.

[A]

I'm just gonna give it to him. So I'd be like, that's right.

[B]

You never got challenged?

[A]

I mean, I would.

[B]

I never got turned down.

[A]

Never got turned down. I actually once I did.

[B]

You did?

[A]

In college. I was in college.

[B]

In college. When you're closer to 21.

[A]

Closer to 21. I mean all through high school I'm able to get into this. I'm going to bars, I'm, I'm going to little people conventions. I'm like the, you know, flashing this. I'm getting people things. In college, somebody that was a bouncer at like the bar was like, man, I was in freshman orientation with you. There is no way you are 26 years old. Because now it's like going up, you know, I'm like, I got it. And I was like 16. So now at 20, I'm like, I'm like a 53 year old. I'm like, this is a tougher, you know. So I, I still have that fake ID too.

[B]

You do?

[A]

Yeah. I gotta find it. I'm, I'm also looking for a couple baseball cards that I can't find.

[B]

What are you looking for? Juice to collect them.

[A]

Oh my God. There is a Michael Jordan that I got from when I had surgery. Somebody gave me like a hologram Michael Jordan and it's like, it could be crazy valuable. All I have is like a hundred Ricky henderson, like year 10 where I'm like, oh, you know, I'm saying like I got all this like, you know, oh, okay. At the time was exciting, but I'm like, I got that one card. So I don't know where.

[B]

You don't know where it is?

[A]

Nah. I mean, I haven't lived, you know, at my parents house since I was 18.

[B]

Oh, really? You moved out at 18? Why?

[A]

Just I went to college and I started doing comedy.

[B]

I'm out.

[A]

I'm out.

[B]

You ever get grounded? Were you a good student or did you get in a little bit of trouble? Did you know you could get away with some stuff?

[A]

I got into trouble and that was the thing. I would use the, the card to like, nah, I'm a charm my way out of it. And so I did, I did get into trouble, but generally my parents were kind of just let me go off and you know, let live life. And it wasn't getting grounded a lot. They were just kind of like, you know, you're an idiot.

[B]

Do you guys ever play any like neighborhood games that you all made up? You know, I'm talking about our family games that you got like, I had friends that I just remember this One. Now, you might like this, Kirsten. My friends used to play Monopoly, but they would play that you could get welfare. And I was like, that's good, dude.

[A]

That's good. That's great. And you know what? The only crazy game I used to do with my brother, it was a combination of basketball and football. So we would play it. We didn't even have a name for it. It was stupid. We were just like, you run full speed at each other and he'd be on his knees. So whenever I would play with friends and stuff, we play like basketball indoors and stuff. Like, they would have to go on their knees. And so our game was like, you know, we. He was like, I'm running full speed and we could tackle each other, but he'd have to be on his knees. So I'm running full speed and he just nails me and I fly up into the air and he's like, oh, man. I hit him so hard. And then I'm now above him and then bam. I land on his head and I break his nose all over the place.

[B]

You broke his nose?

[A]

Yeah. And then my. He was. He had. My brother was so mad. He's not a little person. So I just go from that, like, his nose is broke, and I just run and hide in my room. I lock the door.

[B]

You better, bro, because dad and your brother probably go kick your ass.

[A]

Yeah, so that's my little basketball, football, nose broke. Oh, that's Billy Barty. That's when I met that. You know, I met Billy Celebrity. So that was the celebrity. That's. That's my dream project. I want to play him.

[B]

Remember this guy?

[A]

Yeah, he's. He is my hero. He started Little People of America, but he would be. He was an old vaudevillian too. He would do. Start doing acting when he was like. Like three. And so he would do all these things. Like, hey, you know, See, he would do, like, jokes at the end of his life. He was. He was performing up to the end. He had a great joke. It's a Billy Barney joke. He goes, ah, I hurt my leg. I went bungee jumping off a curb. And he had the great timing. And he was also. I met him. That was impossible. That is. I'm. I'm five years old. You see how big I am?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I mean, I legitimately did not grow like that. That was. That was about the. The height that I, you know, I stayed for a while up until I got puberty and then, you know, got a little tar. But he's. He's My height now he is so he. Like, we are the exact same height. I want to play him in a movie, actually. Like, I. I wrote a movie about him.

[B]

Good for you, dude.

[A]

His son, I wore his clothes, so they still had some of his outfits. And I did a whole photo shoot. Like, it's meant I put L. And they were like, oh, my God. So he was awesome, though. Like, he started Little People America in Reno. In Reno, where I've been and done comedy, it's like the biggest little city. And they started it there as, like, a publicity stunt. It became, you know, Little People America.

[B]

Ah, biggest little city. It makes sense. Yeah, that's great.

[A]

Yeah, he's awesome. So we would do these little people conventions. We had so much fun. We would go. We'd do all these different, you know, games during the day. Everybody would, you know, kind of act like, you know, we were, you know, I'm bigger than you. I'm tougher. It's just, you know, it was fun, though.

[B]

Do you still get together for holidays and stuff now with little people? No. With your family and stuff?

[A]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. So I go back. I go back a lot. I try to get out, man. I want. I want my kids to see, you know, the old school, you know, just what I. What I grew up with, you know, out there in the east coast and just the realness. I feel like out here, people aren't, you know, they're just too shy. I'm like, we're a family of little people. We need to be. We need East Coasters to be like, hey, you're little. In California, people are too polite. We had another thing, too, that was kind of. I remember, too, with my brothers. My brother got attacked by a bird.

[B]

What?

[A]

In the woods.

[B]

What kind of bird?

[A]

We don't know.

[B]

They just came down.

[A]

It's just he was walking in the woods and this bird attacked him and started hitting him in the head. So me and my other brother came out there and we were like, we're gonna defend our brother. So we came out with, like, little butter knives, and we're trying to find this random bird that's a dead end story.

[B]

But, dude, thank you for coming on.

[A]

Oh, man, thank you.

[B]

You got it, brother. Promote one more time right there. Please go to.

[A]

At Nick Novicki. Follow me online. Come see me do comedy. Check out the Easter Seals disability Film Challenge. Some projects I'm acting in and just. Just see what I'm up to.

[B]

All right, brother. Thank you very much and thank you guys as well as always. Ryan Sickler on all your social media. We'll talk to you all next week. SA.