TigerBelly Podcast

Episode: Ben Schwartz & Notoriously Wild
Date: April 9, 2025
Guests: Ben Schwartz
Hosts: Bobby Lee, Khalyla, Jaime, Jules

Overview

This episode of TigerBelly features acclaimed comedian and improviser Ben Schwartz. Together with hosts Bobby Lee (MADtv, stand-up), Khalyla, Jaime, and Jules, the group journeys through improv comedy, wild showbiz stories, nostalgia for formative years, video games, and what it means to truly “make it” in the entertainment business. The conversation is playful, self-deprecating, and marked by quick pivots between chaos and real insight—a classic TigerBelly vibe.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Opening Chaos: Improvised Musical Introductions

[03:00–06:53]

• The episode kicks off in typical TigerBelly fashion—chaotic group improv, where each person is invited to introduce themselves musically.
• Ben gamely joins the hosts, riffing on their quirks and inventing lyrics on the fly:
  • “My name is Ben, I’m sitting next to a Spam can, and we’re all just trying our very best...” – Ben Schwartz [06:27]
• Bobby pokes fun at the process, calling out the forced vulnerability in these intros, and riffs about his anatomy:
  • “When it’s erect, it’s four inches long... it’s like a Spam can, the thickness of it.” – Bobby Lee [05:11, 05:22]
• Jules and Khalyla (Rudy) bring playful energy. Jules says, “You can call me Rudy, I’m from the Philippines, I have monkey feet.” [06:01]

Ben Schwartz’s Comedy Roots & Improv Philosophy

[09:07–14:25]

• Ben shares his journey at Upright Citizens Brigade (UCB) in New York, where he interned to get free classes.
• He describes interning for Amy Poehler’s show and idolizing the early UCB founders.
  • “When I was an intern, I helped [Matt Walsh] move into his apartment in New York... all of them were heroes.” – Ben Schwartz [10:38]
• Ben explains the difference between short-form and long-form improv and how his Ben Schwartz & Friends live show is breaking ground by selling out large venues like the Beacon Theater and Sydney Opera House.
  • “Long form improv has never gotten to play before... did Radio City Music Hall... very exciting.” – Ben Schwartz [14:02–14:25]
• He walks the hosts through improv’s “yes, and” ethos:
  • “The biggest thing is not saying no to anybody’s idea... you’re building it together.” – Ben Schwartz [13:15, paraphrased]

On Stand-Up, Touring, & Stage Dynamics

[15:00–17:54]

• Bobby and Ben compare stand-up vs. improv:
  • Bobby shares the reality of opening vs. closing stand-up shows with his friend Andrew Santino, facing ego hits and the challenge of following a strong act.
  • Ben details how his live improv shows start with “crowd work” interviews, spinning one audience story into a fully improvised narrative:
    • “We take that information and make up a whole play... that's what the show is.” – Ben Schwartz [16:15]
  • The group reminisces about mutual friends and comedy connections, with Bobby marveling at how many talented improvisers Ben works with.

Legendary MADtv Prank: The “Cottage Life” Table Read

[17:58–37:02]

• Highlight Segment
• Bobby tells the infamous story of how MADtv writer Katie Dippold pranked him by sending a “different” version of a script for a live table read. Ben and the crew get Dippold on the phone for the full breakdown.
  • “So basically, everybody has the same script except for Bobby, and it just looks like Bobby is ruining every moment of this sketch.” – Ben Schwartz [26:44]
  • “So the lines are like... Keegan made a joke… and Bobby goes, ‘Oh, here we go’—he’s just consistently commenting on the sketch.” – Katie Dippold [34:30]
• The entire cast is baffled at the table read, thinking Bobby has lost his mind. The room is deadly silent until Katie reveals the prank—everyone erupts in laughter.
  • “[After the reveal]... everyone finally got what was happening... It took you a couple moments to process.” – Katie Dippold [36:19]
• Bobby admits the experience left him “mortified, shaking, with tears in my eyes.” [36:12]

Career Growth, Maturity, and Reputation

[38:09–41:55]

• Bobby confesses to “notoriously wild” antics in his early career, such as walking naked into writers’ offices at MADtv—things that “nowadays would get you cancelled.”
• He discusses how therapy, AA, and life experience made him a “completely different person” on set.
  • “Now, I show up an hour before, I know my lines, I don’t complain... In the beginning... I was crazy, notoriously wild.” – Bobby Lee [40:44, 41:17]
• Ben points out that Bobby’s reputation is always followed by “he’s the funniest f***ing dude.” [41:28]

Parks and Rec, Improv vs. Scripted, & Handling Bombs

[43:41–45:10]

• Jaime shares how Parks and Recreation (especially Ben’s scenes) got him into comedy.
• Ben describes the show’s process: scenes were scripted, but after a “fun run” take, actors could improvise and go nuts.
  • “There's literally takes after we have it in the bag, where they're like, ‘Alright, do whatever you want,’ and we would all go nuts.” – Ben Schwartz [44:33]
• Both agree that the only way to improve is “failing, over and over, and loving it enough to keep coming back.”
  • “You gotta love it so much that you're okay with it being hard for a while.” – Ben Schwartz [50:01]
  • “Don’t live in the results... Do it for the love of the craft.” – Bobby Lee [50:04]

The Reality of “Making It” & Taking Control

[58:03–63:20]

• Ben discusses why he prefers the control of a live tour vs. the unpredictable nature of TV & film gigs.
  • "This is—you have complete control of your career now... Instead of it being up to everybody else." – Ben Schwartz [59:25]
• Bobby reveals that starting TigerBelly was, in part, out of desperation as auditions dried up for him and Andrew Santino during the podcast boom:
  • “We were forced into doing it... We just do stand up.” – Bobby Lee [62:31]
• Ben reframes it as “taking control” rather than being forced.

Anime, Video Games, and Nerd Nostalgia

[67:11–74:47]

• Jules, initially quiet, perks up over “One Piece” and anime. Ben admits he missed out on much anime, having sunk his childhood into “Simpsons” and classic cartoons.
• The group gets deep into video game love:
  • Bobby missed the Nintendo/SNES “golden years,” returning to games with Halo. Ben waxes about side-scrollers—“Inside,” “Limbo,” and “Celeste”—and tries to convert Bobby to his RPG faves (“Chrono Trigger,” “Final Fantasy”).
  • “I love side-scrollers.” – Ben Schwartz [69:09]
• They trade gear tips—handheld consoles loaded with classic emulators for tours, and trading recs on the “craziest” game purchases.

Full Circle: Humble Beginnings & Never Living in Results

[75:00–84:11]

• Ben recounts working as a Letterman page and the surreal feeling of returning as a guest. He describes scraping by on dollar-menu meals, taking the trash out at UCB to earn classes, and celebrating “the beginning—always the best of times.”
  • “I would eat pizza, plain pizza slices, but take all the free toppings... It was the best time. The beginning is always the best.” – Ben Schwartz [82:20]
• Bobby echoes this with stories of splitting bean and cheese burritos, and how that “climb” fuels his pride.
• Ben lists Hot Sauce (his classic team with Adam Pally, Gil Ozeri), and their infamous empty-audience improv shows.
  • “We'd perform for nobody... It was the best time.” – Ben Schwartz [85:02]

Improv Demonstrations & Playful Banter

[86:51–89:15]

• Ben coaches Bobby and Jaime through a brief improv, riffing as a wizard and his Igor-like assistant, folding in classic bits and gentle racial banter (“You’re looking at my Asian eyes, dude...”).
  • “Go, master.” – Bobby Lee (as Igor) [88:22]
• The group laughs through meta-commentary on improv, impersonations, and the difficulty of resisting recycled material despite improv’s rules.

Stand-Up Closers: Jaime on Stage

[91:37–94:31]

• Jaime shares his “closer” and opening bits about lower back arthritis and standing up while masturbating, eliciting both supportive feedback and ribbing from Ben and Bobby.
  • “So any fellas out here masturbate standing up? You might want to lay down next time.” – Jaime [94:22]
• They discuss supporting openers—Bobby tracks whether openers draw enough laughs and jokes about never being “outshone.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “You gotta love it so much that you're okay with it being hard for a while.”
  — Ben Schwartz [50:01]

• “Don’t live in the results... Do it for the love of the craft.”
  — Bobby Lee [50:04]

• “When I was an intern, I helped [Matt Walsh] move into his apartment... All of them were heroes.”
  — Ben Schwartz [10:38]

• “So basically, everybody has the same script except for Bobby... And it just looks like Bobby is ruining every moment of this.”
  — Ben Schwartz on the MADtv prank [26:44]

• “[After the reveal]... everyone finally got what was happening... It took you a couple moments to process.”
  — Katie Dippold [36:19]

• “Long form improv has never gotten to play before... It's all very silly but very exciting.”
  — Ben Schwartz [14:02]

• “You have complete control of your career now... Instead of it being up to everybody else.”
  — Ben Schwartz [59:25]

Important Timestamps

| Time | Segment | |------------|--------------------------------------------------------| | 03:00–06:53 | Improvised musical introductions | | 09:07–14:25 | Ben’s improv background, UCB, Amy Poehler, “yes and” | | 17:58–37:02 | Bobby's MADtv prank story, call with Katie Dippold | | 43:41–45:10 | Parks and Rec, improv vs. scripted, “fun runs” | | 50:01–50:17 | Advice to young comics: “love it so much,” no results | | 58:03–63:20 | Taking control of your own career, starting TigerBelly| | 67:11–74:47 | Deep dive: anime, video games, childhood nostalgia | | 75:00–84:11 | Humble beginnings: Letterman, Hungry times | | 86:51–89:15 | Ben & Bobby improv as wizard/Igor | | 91:37–94:31 | Jaime’s standup closer |

Final Thoughts

This episode brims with comedic energy, spontaneity, and candid reflection. Ben Schwartz brings warmth, humility, and a deep love for improv and collaboration, while Bobby Lee’s self-deprecation and wild stories offer both laughs and lessons. Listeners are treated to origin stories, hysterical industry pranks, genuine advice, and an infectious sense of camaraderie—a stellar TigerBelly hang for fans and newcomers alike.