My Teamsters President - Sean O’Brien

Summary

Tosh Show Episode Summary: "My Teamsters President - Sean O’Brien"

Release Date: March 25, 2025

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Introduction

In this compelling episode of Tosh Show, hosted by Isaac Mizrahi, comedian Daniel Tosh welcomes Sean O’Brien, the President of the Teamsters Union. The conversation delves deep into Sean's personal journey, the operations of the Teamsters, and the broader implications of automation and AI on labor. This summary captures the essence of their engaging discussion, enriched with notable quotes and insightful moments.

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Sean O’Brien’s Background

Sean O’Brien opens up about his upbringing in Boston, emphasizing the strong family values instilled by his mother. Raised with two brothers, Sean shares how his mother's tough upbringing in the Boston projects shaped his commitment to loyalty and mutual protection within the family.

• Sean O’Brien [14:35]: "My mother brought us up pretty much. She was raised in the projects in Boston. Raised her three younger brothers. She is probably one of the toughest women I've ever met."

Sean reflects on his early life, contrasting his experience with his uncle’s affinity for fighting, while he personally preferred avoiding conflict.

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Path to Teamsters Presidency

Sean recounts his unexpected transition from aspiring football player to union leader. After a brief stint at the University of New Haven, he felt a stronger connection to the Teamsters, influenced by his father's friends and the camaraderie within the union.

• Sean O’Brien [19:17]: "I just loved the union... I worked in the union in high school. I loved the camaraderie and the loyalty that I was taught about the organization."

This passion led him to pursue a career within the Teamsters, eventually rising to the position of international president.

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Role of the Teamsters Union

Sean elucidates the diverse representation of the Teamsters Union, highlighting that it’s not limited to truck drivers. The union encompasses a wide range of professions, from airline pilots and zookeepers to Hollywood production crews.

• Sean O’Brien [25:12]: "We represent every mode of transportation. We represent railroad workers, airline pilots, flight attendants, ground transportation, and even 15,000 members in Hollywood."

This broad representation underscores the union’s pivotal role in various sectors of the economy.

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Challenges: Automation and AI

A significant portion of the discussion centers on the threats posed by automation and artificial intelligence. Sean expresses deep concerns about how these technologies could displace workers, emphasizing the union's proactive stance in negotiating terms to protect jobs.

• Sean O’Brien [32:22]: "AI is the biggest threat to everything in this country. We're fighting automation."

He stresses the importance of maintaining human oversight in roles susceptible to automation, advocating for policies that safeguard employment.

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Union Benefits and Worker Advocacy

Sean highlights the tangible benefits provided to union members, such as competitive wages, comprehensive healthcare, and robust pension plans. Using UPS as a primary example, he showcases the significant earning potential and benefits available to Teamsters.

• Sean O’Brien [26:44]: "A UPS part-timer right now starting today will make $21 per hour and they will get free healthcare and a pension. Our UPS drivers make almost $50 an hour."

These benefits not only enhance the quality of life for workers but also serve as a strong incentive for union membership.

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Recruitment and Future of the Union

Addressing the modern workforce, Sean discusses strategies to attract younger members to the Teamsters. He emphasizes the union's adaptability and commitment to inclusivity, ensuring that it remains relevant in an evolving job market.

• Sean O’Brien [35:26]: "Our rubbishmen that work under union contracts are making almost $3,000 per week in some areas. They've got great healthcare, they've got great pensions."

He advocates for the union’s appeal to those disillusioned with traditional four-year college paths, presenting union membership as a viable and rewarding career alternative.

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Personal Anecdotes and Humor

Throughout the episode, Sean injects humor into the conversation, sharing light-hearted stories from his experiences. From driving 18-wheelers to navigating Senate hearings, his anecdotes provide a relatable and entertaining perspective on union leadership.

• Sean O’Brien [44:33]: "I never let people try to bully me. I've never played with myself while driving a tractor trailer."

These moments of levity balance the serious discussions, showcasing Sean’s personable nature.

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Closing Remarks

In the concluding segment, Sean reflects on his happiness and fulfillment in his role. He underscores the importance of family, health, and the satisfaction derived from leading the Teamsters.

• Sean O’Brien [46:12]: "I'm the luckiest guy in the world. I got great kids, great partners, and the best job in the world."

Isaac Mizrahi expresses gratitude for Sean’s participation, highlighting the critical role the Teamsters play in maintaining the backbone of the American economy.

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Notable Quotes

• Sean O’Brien [14:35]: "My mother is probably one of the toughest women I've ever met."
• Sean O’Brien [26:44]: "Our UPS drivers make almost $50 an hour."
• Sean O’Brien [32:22]: "AI is the biggest threat to everything in this country."
• Sean O’Brien [46:12]: "I'm the luckiest guy in the world."

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Conclusion

This episode of Tosh Show offers an insightful glimpse into the life and leadership of Sean O’Brien, the Teamsters President. Through candid conversations, Sean articulates the challenges and triumphs of union leadership, the importance of protecting workers in an automated future, and the enduring benefits of union membership. For those interested in labor movements, union dynamics, or personal leadership journeys, this episode serves as both an informative and entertaining listen.

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For more episodes and updates, visit the Tosh Show on the iHeartRadio app or your preferred podcast platform.

Transcript

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Hi, I'm Isaac Mizrahi and I've got a new podcast called hello Isaac. During my career, I've made friends with some amazing celebrities and experts and I'm always curious about their paths to success. On this podcast, I get to share our fun and intimate conversations with you friends like Andy Cohen, Margaret Cho bendelacreme, Belinda Carlisle, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, and Carson Kressley, just to name a few. Listen to hello Isaac on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Nikki Glaser]

PayPal lets you pay all your pals like your graduation gifters.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Who's paying for the mattress topper?

[Sean O'Brien]

You mean the beanbag chair?

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Aren't we getting a mini fridge? Can we create a pool on PayPal?

[Sean O'Brien]

It lets us collect the money before we buy.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Ooh, yes, that's smart.

[Eddie Gosling]

Glad we can agree on something easily.

[Nikki Glaser]

Pool split and Send money with PayPal. Get started. In the PayPal app, a PayPal account is required to send and receive money. A balance account is required to create a pool.

[Eddie Gosling]

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[Nikki Glaser]

I've never felt like this before. It's like you just get me. I feel like my true self with you. Does that sound sound crazy? And it doesn't hurt that you're gorgeous. Okay, that's it. I'm taking you home with me. I mean, you can't find shoes this good just anywhere. Find a shoe for every you from brands you love like Birkenstock, Nike, Adidas and more at your DSW store or.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

DSW.com are the Teamsters affiliated with the mob or were they ever.

[Sean O'Brien]

Well, I'm sure back in the day, the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s. Yeah, 80s. There's no more organized crime. There's, there's, there's no organized crime in the Teamsters Union.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Pos Show. Posh show. Toss Show. Welcome to Toss Show. I'm your pilot, Captain Dan Tosh. With me, Eddie Gosling.

[Dan Tosh]

Hello, Dan.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

You guys are in capable hands today. If you look out your window, you'll probably see another car. Give him a honk. Let him know you're a Toshical too. Toshicals, Tashicles.

[Dan Tosh]

That should be the thing. I like that.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Oh, man. What am I doing with my hair? I'll tell you what I'm doing with my hair. Nobody asked, but I just haven't gotten it cut in so long. I'm scheduled for Tuesday next week, so that's big. That's big. I had a great week. I went out to Palm Springs, as I do every year, for the Indian Wells. Do they say Indian Wells anymore or did we just say indigenous wells? Doesn't matter. The tennis tournament, it was great. Now, sadly, Djokovic had gotten knocked out in an early round, so he wasn't there when I went. I was going to heckle, I was going to boo, but he had took the coward's way out and lost in the first or second round. I believe I took my father in law and my mother in law. My father in law. It was like bringing my grandma. Didn't even. Well, it was cold. I'm not going to lie. I was in the 50s in the evening session. He's bringing a blanket from the Airbnb. I don't know if you're supposed to take blankets off the property, but he did. He's bundled up. I'm taking photos of him just half asleep. He's like, I wasn't sleeping. I was cheering. I'm like, looks like you were half asleep there, buddy. It was fun. Went to a Nobu one night.

[Dan Tosh]

Nice.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

They have a Nobu restaurant at Indian Wells and it overlooks court two. Now, if you sit right on the edge, those seats, which I do every year, you get to watch a match. This year there was a little mix up. Pete messed it up. He doesn't admit it, but they're like, oh, we got you close to the window. Close to the window. You can't see anything. That doesn't matter. Anyway, long story short, they kicked some people out and we got to move over to the window.

[Dan Tosh]

Oh, nice.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

And then I ordered my drink. Had an alcoholic beverage.

[Dan Tosh]

Eddie, this is big.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Yeah. Some passion fruit margarita. Oh, it's delicious.

[Dan Tosh]

Yeah. Are you hooked?

[Isaac Mizrahi]

No, I have it once a year. That's my drink.

[Dan Tosh]

You're hooked, buddy.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

I drink one drink a year.

[Dan Tosh]

That's great.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

That I actually look forward to. That is Draper Draper was on fire. Didn't really. Nobody could really hold a torch to him. I saw Alcaraz. Gosh, when you look at Alcaraz's thighs, it's hard not to be impressed. You're like, that is. Those are some. Those are some strong legs. Quick as a cat, too. And guess what else made the Jumbotron the Big screen, That's. That's your dream, you know? And it wasn't for the cool reason, like where they go around, you know, show the celebrities. No, they had no idea it was me. They were just zooming in on my daughter.

[Dan Tosh]

There you go.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Yeah, she was doing something funny. It was making everybody laugh. She was taking a yogi. You know what yogis are? Oh, yeah. No, they're disgusting. But anyway, she was putting yogis on my lip and then, like, biting them off. And then next thing I know, we're on the big screen. I'm like, listen, guys, I have to. I have to do this yogi thing or she's going to start screaming during points. You know what else I did, Eddie?

[Dan Tosh]

No.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Went surfing in Palm Springs. You believe it?

[Dan Tosh]

Come on.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Not even near the ocean. Yeah, we went to the Palm Springs Surf Club. Pierre came out for the day. Brian, my friend from Sunny Day Coffee, he. He came with me and. And Lachlan. Lachlan Patterson.

[Dan Tosh]

Right. Okay.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Lachlan was. He was struggling. That was fun. Always watching him panic, it makes me laugh. But, yeah, we. We surfed the wave pool, you know, put on the slab setting, getting fun little barrels. Believe it or not, that wave can actually hold you down underwater for quite some time. I didn't get any bad hold downs, but Pierre had a couple. It made me. It always. Pierre got sucked into the machine at one point. That was hysterical. He said that I distracted him because the waves come in like these little three wave sets and he was getting in position and then I started messing with them. And anyway, next thing I know, he's getting sucked into this machine and his board's banging around. He got really scared and I was crying, laughing. Might have been my favorite part of the day. Not even surfing, but just watching him get swallowed by a huge machine, get.

[Dan Tosh]

Eaten by the machine.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

He was so scared. Oh, God. It was funny. Yeah, that was cute. I enjoy my life. Get out there, spend time with the family, do stuff like that. I don't get these people that want to be the hardest working person in show business. That seems like a horrible way to live. I didn't get into the show business because I have a good work ethic. Eddie, did you ever have a real job?

[Dan Tosh]

I did.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

What kind of job did you have?

[Dan Tosh]

I would say I audited at a meat plant. Like they're a meat production company, and I would audit the orders to make sure they were in the margins.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

What? You just said words.

[Dan Tosh]

That's what I did as an auditor at a meat processing plant.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

To see if they were in the margins.

[Dan Tosh]

If you ordered a bunch of cheese and there was like, it was outside of the plus 7%, they wanted to make, like, too low. You'd bring it over and put in a basket.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Stop, Eddie. I mean, that you couldn't have described. How long did you work there?

[Dan Tosh]

A couple years while I struggled.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

You worked there a couple years?

[Dan Tosh]

Yeah.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

You just. You just kept them in the. Then were you good at your job?

[Dan Tosh]

If it was out of margin, I'd highlight it and put in a basket. I don't know.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

You don't know if you were good? Did you ever. How much did you get paid?

[Dan Tosh]

I mean, enough to have an apartment in San Antonio.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

You think it was over $20 an hour or over $10 an hour?

[Dan Tosh]

Over 10.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Not over 20?

[Dan Tosh]

Nah. Maybe around 15.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Did you have to have a college degree for this job?

[Dan Tosh]

Oh, no. You just had to know shotgun. He was a bass player in a band and his mom worked there. Oh, literally, that was.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

And you worked there for two years? Yeah. And when you quit there, what did you go to?

[Dan Tosh]

Just comedy.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Full time. That was. You went from. From that auditing, this meatpacking place to comedy. You think you're the only person that's gone that route from the Peli brothers?

[Dan Tosh]

Yeah, I do.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

See, I always think that one of the keys to my standup was that I never actually had a real job. So I never quit something that provided me any, quote, stability.

[Dan Tosh]

Right.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

So I wasn't leaving anything on the table. I always admired people that, like, went into comedy that had a, like, like an actual job.

[Dan Tosh]

Oh, yeah. When you hear, like, this guy used to be a lawyer or a doctor, and they leave that profession to become comics, I'm like, what is happening?

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Well, your job, I mean, I just can't imagine having the confidence to go from that. You know what? I could. I should entertain people.

[Dan Tosh]

It really took a leap.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

I can't believe I'm leaving all this good stuff. Yeah. Yeah. I've always been fascinated with people that have, quote, real jobs. I don't really have any blue collar people in my life. When I was growing up, it was all white collar. And that probably doesn't surprise anybody when they look at how fancy I am. I tell you what confuses me about blue collar is they're really not collar people.

[Dan Tosh]

Right.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

For the most part, they're more in tees, T shirt. They're the crewneck boys.

[Dan Tosh]

Crew neck boys.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

But without blue collar workers, this country would fall apart. And today's guest. Oh, this guy this guy cares more about the working class than anyone I've ever known. Enjoy.

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[Eddie Gosling]

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[Nikki Glaser]

This is Nikki Glaser from the Nikki Glaser Podcast. On a more serious note, I'm still thinking about that commercial with Tom Brady and Snoop Dogg hating on each other. Because when you listen to the reasons for hating someone or something, you realize just how stupid they really are. There is too much hate in this country and it's gotta stop. So join us at iHeart in standing up to it. If you see hate, speak up, call it out and you can learn more by following oupwithhate Homeowners. If you want to sell your house fast for all cash, stop what you are doing and listen to this because Osborne Homes wants to buy your house right now.

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[Isaac Mizrahi]

PA show breaker breaker. Do you copy? My guest today is from Boston, AKA Beantown, AKA my favorite city to shit on, that I secretly love. He is the general president of the one of the most powerful unions in this country. Protecting the hardworking men and women trucking up and down the roads, keeping our shelves stocked, our tanks full and our economy humming. Please welcome Sean over. How's my intro?

[Sean O'Brien]

Awesome.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

First question, do you believe in ghost?

[Sean O'Brien]

I'll put it this way. There's been people put on this earth I believe to haunt my life daily.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

I mean probably the best answer I've ever heard. 100% agree with that. I'll be honest with you, I almost believe it's. Almost a majority of the people put on this planet were here to do just that to me. You grew up in Boston?

[Sean O'Brien]

I did, yes.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Oh man. I mean if you were to write Boston and then show a photo of some. It is you. You are Boston.

[Sean O'Brien]

Am I that handsome?

[Isaac Mizrahi]

I mean it's a cop.

[Sean O'Brien]

We are a good looking city.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

No, no, no you're not. I mean you look like you could take a two by four to the neck and it wouldn't bother you.

[Sean O'Brien]

You know I do have failings, sir.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Are you a softy?

[Sean O'Brien]

Yeah, you know I like long walks in the park and I'm an Aries.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Did you grow up fighting ever?

[Sean O'Brien]

I always tell people, I mean I grew up, I have two brothers. My dad was a big guy, a well respected guy, you know and we were always taught and our mother brought us up pretty much. She was grew up in the projects in Boston. Raised her three younger brothers. She is the toughest O'Brien. She's probably one of the toughest women I've ever met. In my life. Very classy. But she always made certain that two things. One, that you have two brothers, and you always got to protect each other and have each other's back. And I expect that if one of you is in a fight, both of yous better be in a. All three of yous better be in that fight. So we were always brought up to stick up for each other. Was violence promoted? No. But was it an occurrence? Absolutely.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

I get it. And it's not. I mean, it's probably. Technically, some of those circumstances were probably wrong, but. But, I mean, I just fled. Fled conflict. My entire life. Like, nope, time to leave here. I think my mom would be like, if your brother's getting beat up, just run. I don't. Better than both of you getting beat up.

[Sean O'Brien]

My mother used to say, if your brother comes home with a black eye, you both better come home with a black eye.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Yeah.

[Sean O'Brien]

No.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

My mom would be like, well, he wasn't fast enough, was he? And listen, it's not like I grew up. I grew up poor. I lived in St. Louis as a kid. I just didn't have it in me. I just wasn't that kid. I didn't know how to fight. I didn't have it. And my dad wasn't. You know, he wasn't. He's a big man. He's six foot. He's mean to people.

[Sean O'Brien]

My mother had a presence of being 6 foot 5, and she's about 5 foot 2.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Yeah. Well, no, my mom was a sweet. I'm not going to knock my mom and how she raised pussies, but she did have you. You still live in Boston, so.

[Sean O'Brien]

I live in Boston when I'm. I'm home. But primarily I live in Washington, D.C. because that's where my day job as the international president of Teamsters takes me.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

So you like dc?

[Sean O'Brien]

I've been there three years. I love the city. The people were. It was tough to adjust to the people down there because, you know, I was brought up in an area where you're pretty direct. What you see is what you get. And when you're dealing in D.C. whether you're dealing with politicians or whoever, you know, they'll say one thing and do another. So I had to kind of navigate through. I remember the first three weeks down there, I'm like, I hate this fucking place. Why did I take. Why did I take this job? But it's like anything else. You learn to adapt to situations. And, you know, I think living down there, being from where I'm from, with the personality That I have. It's gotten a lot better. You know, it was just. It was a tough adjustment at first.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

I love D.C. too. I mean, as a city, I love Boston more. I always say I like New York more just because there's. It's a bigger fan base. I sell more tickets. So I lie to those people. I sell them. I love them more. But the reality is, if I had to live in a city, I'd live in Boston, but not year round. That's nonsense.

[Sean O'Brien]

Yeah, Boston's. I mean, Boston's a great city. Not because I'm from there. It's a small city, but with a big presence.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

That's pretty.

[Sean O'Brien]

And it's clean. Very clean.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

It's clean now. The people I could do without, but fair enough. That's how you.

[Sean O'Brien]

So do you want to live? Do you want to live in a clean city with no people?

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Oh, now you're talking about.

[Sean O'Brien]

Right? That's a home run.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

You attended UMass?

[Sean O'Brien]

I did.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

How many of the other 600 colleges within the city did you apply to?

[Sean O'Brien]

I didn't apply to any of them, to be honest. As a matter of fact, I got a great story about how I ended up at UMass. So I was recruited to play football for the University of New Haven. I was a. A great high school football player, but, you know, I'm not a huge person. So my potential. I reached my potential. So I wasn't going to go to a Division 1 school. I was a running back and a linebacker and sometimes an offensive lineman, sometimes alongside whatever they needed me to do. I got recruited by a Division 2 school that gave me a full scholarship. So I ended up going to University of New Haven for about a minute, and it just didn't work out. It was awful. So I ended up leaving there. And so my father picked me up, and he was like, hey, you know what? It's tough sometimes. You're gonna make tough decisions. And I'm like, this is great. Like, my father's supporting this decision, and next day he says to me, what'd you do today, you loser? Did you go get a job?

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Oh.

[Sean O'Brien]

And I'm like, oh, my God. Quick. So I was like, yeah, that was. That was something going. I'm gonna go. And I was in the union at the time, so I'm like, I'll maybe go to the union. Maybe I'll just go in the Marine Corps. So I was gonna go talk to a recruiter to go into the Marines, and all of a sudden, this guy in a station wagon pulls up and I'm in the. Standing on the corner aimlessly thinking about my life. It's 18 years old. And the guy looks up at me and he says, aren't you supposed to be playing football at University of New Haven? What are you doing? But it didn't work out. He's like, I coach football at UMass. I'm like, really? I think I graduated high school with your mother. His name was Coach Kent.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Okay.

[Sean O'Brien]

Goes, you want to go to UMass and play football? I said, yeah, sure, I'll do. I'll give it a shot. So I walk home, and I gave him my phone number. So I walk in, and, you know, there's my mother and father sitting there. And my father's like, what'd you do today? I go, well, I was gonna go join the Marine Corps. I said, but funny thing happened. Coach Kent pulled up in a station wagon. I'm going to UMass Boston to play football. He's like, how are you going to do that? You didn't even apply. The phone rings. My mother's like, jim Kent, Charlestown High. I was in UMass playing football the next day. So to your question, I didn't apply to one school in Massachusetts.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

That's pretty great.

[Sean O'Brien]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. American, American dream.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

And how'd that football career end?

[Sean O'Brien]

It went great. I mean, I started as a freshman, but I knew I always had a passion and I always did well in school, but I didn't want to be in school. Like, I didn't. I wanted to be out working. Like, I loved the union because it was around me my entire life, four generations. I loved my father's friends. I loved, you know, the old timers. I loved going to union meetings, and I knew, like, I wanted. And I worked in the union in high school. I worked in the theater district in Boston. We used to unload and load Broadway shows, and it was great. And I just loved the camaraderie. I loved the. The passion that people showed going to work every single day. But more importantly, I loved the loyalty that I was taught about the organization. So I knew this was just a short stop for me. And I knew that I wanted to be in the Teamsters union.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

And now you're the president of that union that you once idolized. You're a lot like Mark Zuckerberg in your career, minus the net worth.

[Sean O'Brien]

I gotta be honest with you. No one has ever compared me to fucking Mark Zuckerberg.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

I'm just saying, you know, drop out of high school, boom, big dreams. I love doing shows in union cities, to be honest with you. Like, if I'm in Chicago, of course, you go to a Taylor Swift show. You obviously understand that. Just bells and whistles. They're incredible, what they're doing. Me, I'm going out to a microphone. That's it. But yet still at union shows, it's like, pete, knock it off. Don't touch that fucking stool. That's somebody's job to bring that stool out there and set that. Sure, I have to pay a little more at that venue, but, God, do I love it.

[Sean O'Brien]

You probably make a lot more at that venue.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

I mean, it's because it's a better market, right? I mean, it's usually the best markets that have those.

[Sean O'Brien]

You were in Boston recently, right?

[Isaac Mizrahi]

I do, yeah.

[Sean O'Brien]

What did you. What did you perform in Boston?

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Is that bad? The Orpheum or.

[Sean O'Brien]

Those are all teams, of course.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

No, I love it.

[Sean O'Brien]

I worked in those theaters in high school.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Ah.

[Sean O'Brien]

But they were Broadway theaters. They were either Broadway music. Now, there's been such a shift with comedy. They've had a. That's. That's a big venue.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

So easy. Comedy, like, it's like, you don't bring anything. You show up, do a show. Explain what the president of the Teamsters does besides challenge senators from Oklahoma to fights.

[Sean O'Brien]

That was. That was unfortunately a defining moment in my career.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

It was certainly. It was certainly a highlight.

[Sean O'Brien]

Yeah, you know what? It's. It's just like we talked about earlier. You enabled your growing. You don't let people. You don't let people shit on you. You don't let people try and bully you.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

You would have destroyed that. You would. There's no doubt that you would have won the fight.

[Sean O'Brien]

Look, you know what? Here's the thing. And I've actually become friends with Mark Wayne Mullen, and, you know, he's a big strong guy. He's got cauliflower ears.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

I mean, it just depends on how serious you take the fight. If the first part. You go for it.

[Sean O'Brien]

Take what you're willing to do to win.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Exactly. That's where I'm at. You know, you go to a kneecap right away, cauliflower ear be damned. By the way, do you ever think in a million years, Bernie Sanders would be the one to break up a fight that you were in? I mean, how bizarre world were you.

[Sean O'Brien]

Like, that was like getting yelled at by your grandfather. You know, it's like, you know, Thanksgiving dinny. You spill something at the table and you. Jesus Christ. You know? And look, that was the first Senate hearing I was ever in. And, you know, so I was like. I was like, look, I just went. I wouldn't let this guy shit on me in my neighborhood. I'm certainly not gonna let him do it here. So, yeah, that was pretty fun.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Do you ever drive an 18 wheeler?

[Sean O'Brien]

All the time.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

What do you mean, all the time? How long?

[Sean O'Brien]

I still do it.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

You still.

[Sean O'Brien]

I still like them when I. Every once in a while, I'll be in an event, and there'll be a Teamster tractor tour or whatever. As a matter of fact, I'm still on the seniority list of my company that I went to work for at 18, Shauna Cena Hearn. And I went back a couple years ago, and I wanted to show people that I'm still capable of doing the work because, you know, when you're talking to people and I've got to advise millions of members, and I've got to give them advice on why they should accept a contract or why they should reject a contract. I want to make sure that those people that I'm working for, the 1.3 million members, they know that I can do their job if I have to still. So there's a credibility factor that goes along with that. But I love driving trucks. I mean, I tell people all the time, when I was in school, everybody would say, I want to be a doctor. I want to be a lawyer. You know, I want to be the President of the United States. I'm like, I want to drive a truck for the Teamsters union.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Ah. I wanted to be Lincoln Hawk.

[Sean O'Brien]

Yeah. Arm wrestling.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Oh, man.

[Sean O'Brien]

Oh, yeah. Yeah.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

That was my dream.

[Sean O'Brien]

You'd be like. You'd be going at it with Bull Hurley.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

What percentage of truck drivers are Teamsters?

[Sean O'Brien]

Probably 12, 13%. Yeah. I mean, UPS is our largest employer. We have 340,000 members there out of 1.3 million. And by the way, our union is just not truck drivers.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

No.

[Sean O'Brien]

I always tell people we're airline pilots to zookeepers and everybody in between. So me being a truck driver. Yeah. I'm very familiar with, you know, wheels.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Is the majority of what the Teamsters.

[Sean O'Brien]

Well, no, we represent every mode of transportation. We represent railroad workers. The train engineers are affiliated with us, the trackmen that fix the tracks and keep the infrastructure rolling. Their Teamsters. Then you go into the airline divisions. We have pilots, we've got flight attendants, we've got ground transportation, we've got McCantseys. We represent 15,000 members in Hollywood, throughout the whole country that work on the sets as Teamsters. So my dad was a transportation coordinator that ran all the movies for our local union in Boston, Local 25. That's what he did for a living. So I know the industry well.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

When you say you jump behind the wheel just to kind of show people you can still do it, what do you.

[Sean O'Brien]

No, I'll tell you why I do it. Because people, I wear a suit and tie to work every single day. I might one day be talking to a senate hearing where I'm defending workers rights and I'm lobbying to get things done on behalf of American workers. Next I may be in a work site at 4 in the morning talking to rank and file members. And when they look at me, because you know you've got the demographic our union is, you get the 18 to 35 year olds. They may not know what I did. They may think I'm just some lobbyist.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Right.

[Sean O'Brien]

So when I'm talking to people and they kind of get well, how do you know you could do my job and I would pull up the video? I said, I just did this last week.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

You don't need a video, you just need a short sleeve shirt. Nobody's going to think you're just a lobbyist.

[Sean O'Brien]

Yeah, yeah. You never know, you know. Well, I've been accused of being a politician recently and I'm not a politician.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

That's a tough one to swallow. What's the starting pay? Ish.

[Sean O'Brien]

No, I'll give you the best example.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Okay.

[Sean O'Brien]

You UPS part timer, getting hired. Part timer, part timer.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Okay.

[Sean O'Brien]

Getting hired off the street to load and unload trucks with the hope and dreams of becoming full time, which there is a path to a career. A UPS part timer right now starting today will make $21 per hour and they will get free health care and a pension. And our UPS drivers make almost $50 an hour.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

The drivers make 50.

[Sean O'Brien]

At the end of this contract they'll be making $50. Close to $50 an hour, $49 something.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

What's the longest haul you're legally allowed to do? How long can you drive?

[Sean O'Brien]

Well, it's like 10 hour shifts. Okay, so you usually 650 miles a day.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

How nice are those cabs?

[Sean O'Brien]

They're beautiful now. I mean they've got sleeper berths and everything else.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

And are truckers masturbating in the trucks?

[Sean O'Brien]

I'll be honest with you, I've never had the urge to rough up the suspect while I was driving or working.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Okay, that's fair. But as a comic, when I first started, I was driving, you know, 20 year old, I was driving black Honda Civic 91. If anybody ever saw it, there's a good chance I was doing it. I drove across this country constantly. But I can't stay awake. I fall asleep. So I would occasionally, you know, edge I guess is the term. You know, you get excited. That keeps you awake for a little bit.

[Sean O'Brien]

So does edging mean you would actually finish?

[Isaac Mizrahi]

No, edging is the opposite of that.

[Sean O'Brien]

Okay.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

You get to the edge and don't go over. Because if you go over the opposite end.

[Sean O'Brien]

What if you get.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Then you fall asleep? What?

[Sean O'Brien]

You get distracted and you end up going over. Listen, isn't that.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Are you telling me that some truck drivers haven't been distracted before at the wheel?

[Sean O'Brien]

I. Listen, I can't speak for that.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

But that's still the horn. This way or no.

[Sean O'Brien]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Is it still a rope?

[Sean O'Brien]

There's a rope, but there's also this new, this new fad where they put actual train horns under the hood to scarify everyone. You have a valve down here and you pull it and it's great. Like you're going through a neighborhood, you don't like people. You just hit that at like 2 in the morning.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Could I learn to drive a truck?

[Sean O'Brien]

You know what's funny? We just had this discussion on our way over here because my girlfriend partner thinks she's a great driver. Going through cones at a 25ft wide. She goes, I could even drive a tractor trailer. I'm like, oh sure. But yeah, to your question. Absolutely you could.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

How long does it. What's the. What's the pro. How long?

[Sean O'Brien]

It's like anything else. It's a process. Some people learn quick. Some people takes a lot more time.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Okay. Without being sexist. Okay, I need you to do this without being sexist. How. Why are you already laughing, Sean? How much, how much harder is it for women to be a good truck driver than a man?

[Sean O'Brien]

I think women are better truck drivers than men. I do. I'll tell you why.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Okay.

[Sean O'Brien]

Because number one, unlike your self driving, they're not going to masturbate while they're driving.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

You don't know that.

[Sean O'Brien]

I can know that.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

You.

[Sean O'Brien]

No, but seriously, it's proven women are smarter than men.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Smarter, sure.

[Sean O'Brien]

And they're more focused on tasks. Let's be realistic. I've got the attention span of a mosquito and you know, easily distracted. I check probably three boxes of add, adhd, ocd, whatever. Women focus a lot more better than men, I think.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

I'm not going to argue with that.

[Sean O'Brien]

I think they would. To your question I think they'd get through a curriculum quicker.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Okay. I'm not gonna. I'm going to be sexist, probably then. I've had tour buses for 20 years that have driven me around this country to perform. I've had one female bus driver. And I'm like. I was so excited about it. And it literally. I thought every night when I went to close my eyes and I'm gonna die. She couldn't. She couldn't back the bus into anything. It was terrible. Pete will vouch for me. It was horrendous. It was terrifying. Maybe it was just. We just had one bad apple, Pete.

[Sean O'Brien]

That's like having one bad date.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

No. That I've had a lot of. Are my tour bus drivers teamsters or. No?

[Sean O'Brien]

No, but give me the names and we'll see what we can do.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Okay. I don't know. Don't know what that meant exactly. How about the fact that truck drivers are not allowed in Buc EE's? What do you think about that? What?

[Sean O'Brien]

A Buc EE's.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

You don't fucking know what Bucky's is.

[Sean O'Brien]

I don't know what Bucky's is.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Buc EE's is like the biggest. The nicest. It started in Texas. The largest gas station.

[Sean O'Brien]

That explains it.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

And they have the cleanest bathrooms.

[Sean O'Brien]

Why don't I know about this?

[Isaac Mizrahi]

And they. I mean. I mean, you go in there, they have everything. They have a beef jerky section. They've got. I mean, anything you could ever want. My parents, like, go to BUC EE's. Like, it's an amusement park. They just love Bucky. Anyway, they. I think you need to get on that. They don't allow 18 wheelers.

[Sean O'Brien]

Support a nationwide protest over that.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

100%. I would. Especially since I've never been yet. Although I do own a Buc ee's truck at my house. Like, little pickup truck that they got my son.

[Sean O'Brien]

I'd throw that away.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

I'm not going to throw it. Well, I will if. If they don't change their. Their ways. Have you driven one of these semis that can drive itself yet?

[Sean O'Brien]

No.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

You guys have a name for those people that want those trucks on the road?

[Sean O'Brien]

Yeah.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Okay.

[Sean O'Brien]

Gavin Newsom.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Oh, how dare you? How dare you come into this office? By the way, you ever see those photos of him with his ex wife sprawled out on this, like, gaudy rug? The Trump Junior's wife now, right, It's Trump Junior's wife now, but he used to be married to her. And there's a photo spread of Them laying like. It's just. It makes you hate everything about California. But anyway, forget that.

[Sean O'Brien]

He looks like Bradley Cooper.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Yeah, a little.

[Sean O'Brien]

He's like a little Bradley Cooper. Ish. Matthew. Matthew McConaughey. McConaughey.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

A little bit better than looking like.

[John Cameron Mitchell]

I mean, I look at you.

[Sean O'Brien]

You look like a young me. You look like a young Kurt Russell.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

God damn it. That's a compliment. Yeah, young Kurt Russell. Do you worry about AI and everything taking over your business?

[Sean O'Brien]

AI is the biggest threat to everything in this country.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Okay, so you are worried about it.

[Sean O'Brien]

We're fighting automation. The good thing about being under a union contract, you get to negotiate terms and conditions of automation. AI. What's scary is when it, you know, especially out here, I mean, you've got Silicon Valley, right? Huge, huge supporters of technology. Who's huge supporters of automated vehicles.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

My friend got stuck in a parking lot in an autonomous vehicle for like 15, 20 minutes and he just, he didn't even care. He just thought it was funny. Just doing laps around the parking lot. Couldn't get out.

[Sean O'Brien]

Not to fall back earlier, but just think about the edging. You could do it at a tournament.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

You don't have to edge. No, no, no, I'm not gonna edge.

[Sean O'Brien]

If you're in a waymo if.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Right? Who's edging? I'm giving that camera the money shot. You ever driven in one of those?

[Sean O'Brien]

No. Look, so I'm the guy. I'm that guy that I will walk 20 miles and bare feet before I get in something that's going to destroy work and people like I don't even go into. If I'm in a supermarket and there's.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

A line with 30, don't do self checkout.

[Sean O'Brien]

I will. I refuse to do self check.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

It's so easy to steal.

[Sean O'Brien]

It's awful. Yeah, well, stealing is great, but the challenge is to steal while you're being watched. And if you're good at it, you're going to get away. But here's the thing, right?

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Okay.

[Sean O'Brien]

You go into a self checkout. Like I've watched people like at Home Depot alone.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Home Depot self checkout. That's real.

[Sean O'Brien]

Yeah, but here's the thing. You have to go to this checkout kiosk 9 out of 10 times when you're fucking it up trying to pay for everything, a human comes over and works with you to get it out. So why shouldn't we just get rid of the automation? Because you're gonna bring the human in anyways.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Don't make it doesn't make sense. Don't use logic with me, Sean. Here's the problem with the Home Depot is now I'm supposed to write down the code of the bolts that I just took and I have to put this 10 digit code in when I get there. That's complete nonsense.

[Sean O'Brien]

You just said you love to stay out toward the self checkout.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

I don't know, Sean. I was joking. I don't.

[Sean O'Brien]

You could put those.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

I never steal.

[Sean O'Brien]

When's the last time you needed a bolt? You personally needed a bolt?

[Isaac Mizrahi]

I mean constantly. I've been organizing my, my, my garage recently and I'm putting all the bolts, by the way. I couldn't want. I want to retire so bad so that I can just tinker like an old man. I was born to be a grandpa. Like that's my goal in life.

[Sean O'Brien]

Like, what kind of tinkering would you do?

[Isaac Mizrahi]

I don't know. But right now I'm just putting my nuts and my bolts in my. I got an organizer. One of the guy, one of the workers bought me an organizer. Now I'm putting all the bolts everywhere.

[Sean O'Brien]

Like do you do your own home projects and everything?

[Isaac Mizrahi]

No, but I like to, I like to hire somebody because I like to pay it forward and that can do things better than me. And then I like to be their assistant for the day and they just get annoyed, but they think it's funny.

[Sean O'Brien]

That I'm like, hey, I got a bolt. This will work.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

They're surprised. Some of the power tools I have. You got a good garage setup or no?

[Sean O'Brien]

Yeah, I got a good setup.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Nice.

[Sean O'Brien]

I got a good setup. We have sheds. We don't have garages.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

You have a shed?

[Sean O'Brien]

Shed, yeah.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Oh, I don't have a shed. Would you say that it's actually your business is getting better recruiting younger people? Because I feel like people are less likely now to do like four year college degrees where everyone thought that's what they had to do and now they're.

[Sean O'Brien]

Realizing, yeah, I mean our generation, you're probably the same age. The same age, right. Everybody was told they have to go to college. If you don't go to college, you're going to be a rubbishman. Well, our rubbishman that work under union contracts are making almost $3,000 per week in some areas. They've got great health care, they've got great pensions.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

I always wanted to be on the back of a trash truck. And nowadays you don't even get to hang on the back of a trash truck. They've got the stupid arms that lift things up. Which I've always wondered. How are they really lining that thing up? Not that this is in your world, but I was just curious about that. Do those trucks just automatically stop and know where the trash can is? How are they figuring this shit out?

[Sean O'Brien]

Not right now, they don't.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Do truckers think longshoremen are assholes?

[Sean O'Brien]

No, no, we love the longshoremen.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Okay.

[Sean O'Brien]

We love them. You know, I said this recently. So where we grew up, you were either going to be a teamster, longshoreman, firefighter, or police officer or a criminal. Right.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Or both.

[Sean O'Brien]

And the best. Yeah, right. And the best part is longshoremen, you know, it's a business that runs concurrently with. With teamsters because you bring in goods off. Off. Off a ship, put them on a truck, and we're delivering them. But it was funny. All the kids and the longshoremen, their characters, hard workers, but they're characters, right? And they're all related because they passed down their membership cards from generation to generation. But all the longshoremen, kids in the neighborhood or wherever you were from, they all get the same shit for Christmas. And I could never figure out how they did that, you know? And like, they would get the same shit for Christmas.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

I was very aware of where they got it from.

[Sean O'Brien]

But that was back in the day. It's different now.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Oh, yeah, yeah. Much different now. By the way, everybody's on the show gets gifts. Okay. You ever wear glasses, sunglasses?

[Sean O'Brien]

I do, yes.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

I got you a pair of Sun. These are Tom Ford. Do you buy expensive sunglasses? Are you somebody that's like, oh, I'll lose them. I don't want them to be expensive.

[Sean O'Brien]

Because of my great union, we have an unbelievable vision plan where we get high end glasses as well through the prescription.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Well, here, these. These are a little too, like, I don't know, like shooter range for me. They're Tom ford's. They're probably 500 bucks. Okay. But I want you to have those.

[Sean O'Brien]

They're nice.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Yeah. Thank you.

[Sean O'Brien]

I mean, look, knowing how handy you are at home and you're into tools, I would think these are like welding goggles.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

No, no, no. Let me see. Can we put them on me, see if they look okay? I won't lie to you. If they look bad, I'll say, no, they're not bad.

[Sean O'Brien]

Not bad.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

They look scary. I like it. They work. Those. Those are.

[Sean O'Brien]

You're a good man. Thank you.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Now, I used to do a show on Comedy Central, green screen. And.

[Sean O'Brien]

Oh, yeah, I remember.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

I would a lot of times shoot stuff at my House. And I had my own green screen at home. And then this is some of my green screen. It's my version of the Green Monster, okay? So I just want you to have my green monster there. If you hold this up. Like, if I hold this up right now, they're going to put a penis on it right next to my face. I know it. I know.

[Sean O'Brien]

I'm not going to hold it up next to my face.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Hold it right next to your face. We'll put something nice. No, you don't have to do that. Do you know who Mitch Hedberg was?

[Sean O'Brien]

I don't, sir.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

He was a comedian. He died in the early 2000s. Yeah. Anyway, I always had a bumper, a sticker of his that I loved. And it said it was a joke he had. He says, I'm against picketing, but I don't know how to show it. It's a smart joke. It's a good joke.

[Sean O'Brien]

It's awesome.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

It's a classic. Nobody.

[Sean O'Brien]

God rest Mitch's soul.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Mitch. By the way, the funny thing about Mitch is mitchedberg.net, he didn't have dot com. Might be the funniest thing about Mitch Hedberg. Here's a. I don't have this trucker hat is. My buddy sells mobile homes in Malibu, right? You know, like, $2 million mobile home. Yeah, yeah, but this is his hat. His company hat.

[Sean O'Brien]

But no, it's a great hat, but.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

It doesn't fit me because my head's too big.

[Sean O'Brien]

Yeah, it's a great hat. Like, we saw a mobile home that looked like that.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Well, that's just a.

[Sean O'Brien]

Would be, like, stranger danger. Like, there'd be some. That's some guy coming out on a clown suit asking, Sean, that's retro. A piece of candy.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

This is crazy, this here. I don't know this escape. This is from my tour, the Great Nor'easter Tour. I did this in 2015. It was just in Boston. It was everywhere. That's a sign. You give that to one of your kids if they escape.

[Sean O'Brien]

So my. My oldest son is. Is trying to do stand up right now. He's actually doing stand up. Yeah.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Well, by the way, the thing. Let's just throw all this on the floor. I don't, like, show my desk. Don't scratch my desk. For God's sake, Sean, I feel like.

[Sean O'Brien]

You'Re cleaning your shit that you don't want anymore.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Oh, Sean. That's what I do every episode. Okay, that's the bit.

[Sean O'Brien]

Do you have, like, a car or something? You know what?

[Isaac Mizrahi]

No. I Love my car.

[Sean O'Brien]

I was just checking.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Where are you at on electric cars?

[Sean O'Brien]

I don't like electric cars at all.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

I mean, you don't think they're fun to drive?

[Sean O'Brien]

I never drove one. Like I. Look, electric cars, the batteries, all this, they're going to put people out of work. We're about combustible engines. We want that power.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

You know, I got power. I got to hit 825 horsepower.

[Sean O'Brien]

I mean, look, you know, you talked about, you know, how you, you edged while driving a vehicle.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

No, listen, one time I asked. Focus on one. No, you, you talk.

[Sean O'Brien]

It's the add kicking in. I'm sorry.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

No, you're focused on your laser. Focused on. Right.

[Sean O'Brien]

So, you know, you think about your edging, right? You hear this?

[Isaac Mizrahi]

I can't stop thinking about it.

[Sean O'Brien]

Big, powerful motor. Like just. You're thinking about like a scene from Danny Zuko in Greece. Right?

[Isaac Mizrahi]

I'm not grease lightning.

[Sean O'Brien]

Right.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

All right.

[Sean O'Brien]

And that's going to. That's going to get your juices flowing.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

I'm just trying to stay awake.

[Sean O'Brien]

You're pulling a hill in a Tesla, right? I mean, is that.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

I don't ride Tesla. I'm a Rivian man.

[Sean O'Brien]

All right, so you're a Rivian. Even. Even better.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Thank you.

[Sean O'Brien]

The fake version of a Subaru. But anyways, right, so anyway, Japanese, Rivian.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

American, American made design.

[Sean O'Brien]

You're pulling that big hill and you're not hearing anything. You're not hearing any engine combustion. How does that, how's that going to help you with your engine?

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Listen to music.

[Sean O'Brien]

Oh, here we go.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

I'm rocking out to mute. What kind of music do you listen to?

[Sean O'Brien]

I like church music.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

What?

[Sean O'Brien]

No, I'm only kidding. Oh, I'm a hardcore. Listen, I love Snoop Dogg. Snoop Dogg's the best.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Well, okay.

[Sean O'Brien]

I listen to all music. I listen to Van Halen, Snoop Dogg.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

You know, that's all the music from Van Halen to Snoop Dogg and everything in between. Did you like the halftime show at the super bowl this year, Jack, Kendrick, Lamar?

[Sean O'Brien]

It was good. It was decent.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

All right. You care about Boston sports your whole life.

[Sean O'Brien]

Still care about it. I love that. Growing up, you know, I tell my kids this all the time. They're 23 and 20.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

They.

[Sean O'Brien]

They got the opportunity to see all of our sports teams win multiple world championships. They were born in 2001, 2004.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

His kids have it too. Good.

[Sean O'Brien]

Growing up, the only team that won a championship, national championship was the Boston Celtics. 85, 86, whatever it was with Larry Bird and that crew Otherwise, our teams were awful until, you know, the last two decades.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

I have a theory that the next generation of Boston kids that went through all this winning, they're going to be nothing but huge pussies, probably.

[Sean O'Brien]

Yeah. Manic depressants.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Yeah.

[Sean O'Brien]

There's no doubt. There's no doubt.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

They've been winning too much. Let me prove to you that I don't hate Boston sports. I took my father, who's a die hard St. Louis Cardinals fan, grew up. We went. I took him to the World Series in 2004 against the Red Sox. This was the year you finally guys didn't fuck things up.

[Sean O'Brien]

Buckner didn't let a ground ball go between his legs.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Well, our. The first game, I took my dad, we had tickets to games three and four, and the first game we lost, and he was. He was like, hey, thank you. You know, he grew up poor in St. Louis, and now he was at the World Series, and he. He thanked me for giving him, like, a dream come true to go see the Cardinals in the World Series, but he goes, this is not. This is. This is Boston's time. Let's. Let's sell the tickets for tomorrow's game.

[Sean O'Brien]

That's awesome. He was right.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

And we found some Boston guys, sold them the tickets, and we stayed home and watched it, and we're like, yeah, it's their time. As somebody that grew up in Florida and cheered for Florida teams, I've always. I've never hated Boston teams.

[Sean O'Brien]

You definitely have.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

I hate. Here's the thing.

[Sean O'Brien]

You were envious.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

I'm going to be honest with you.

[Sean O'Brien]

You were envious, sure.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

But whatever. I. I hated Tom Brady. I never hated Belichick. I thought he was like.

[Sean O'Brien]

Did you like Gisele?

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Sure, I guess, if you're into giraffes. Not my cup of tea. Favorite Patriot football player of all time. Go.

[Sean O'Brien]

My favorite football player had to be John Hannah.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

I was going, Aaron Hernandez.

[Sean O'Brien]

No.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Oh, you kidding me? That guy was great on the field and off. Just loads of fun.

[Sean O'Brien]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Fuck, marry, kill. Do you know the game?

[Sean O'Brien]

I've heard about it. Never played it. No.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

All right, I give you three people you have to F1, you have to marry one, you have to kill one. Here you go. Larry Bird, Tom Brady. Big Poppy.

[Sean O'Brien]

Larry Bird will probably.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

You're marrying him.

[Sean O'Brien]

Marry Larry Bird. F. Tom Brady.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Oh, there you go.

[Sean O'Brien]

And probably kill. Big Poppy.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Poor Poppy.

[Sean O'Brien]

Yeah. And you listen. Not because I dislike him. I mean, that was the only choice left.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

I always worry about interviewing, like, powerful people like yourself. That that one day something's going to happen and there's going to be horrible skeletons that come out of your closet. And then they show us being all buddy, buddy, and I'm going to be like, I didn't know that about him. Do you have any skeletons in your closet that I should worry about? There's my question.

[Sean O'Brien]

Conversely, I could pose the same question to you.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Exactly. I have none.

[Sean O'Brien]

Me neither.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

I mean, none. Listen, I'm an open book. I'll tell anybody anything.

[Sean O'Brien]

I mean, I think one of the clarifications that we got right out of the way is I've never played with myself while I was driving a tractor trailer. So you don't have to worry about that.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

That's the littlest thing.

[Sean O'Brien]

You don't have to worry about that coming out.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

All right. How would you fix America? Assuming you think it's broken?

[Sean O'Brien]

There's room for improvement with everything. And I think you can see it right now, and we've seen it in previous administrations, and for the last 20 years, there has been such a line drawn in the sand, and there's been such an attack when people have difference of opinions. And I think, or the way I was brought up, that you can have a difference of opinions, but we should respect each other's difference of opinions, have respectful debate and dialogue, and find solutions to problems. So I think that's the biggest problem right now.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

How does anyone win an election without being pro labor?

[Sean O'Brien]

I think people need to be transparent and inclusive. Whether you're pro labor or not pro labor, we want everybody to be pro labor. We want everybody to embrace American workers. But I think if you're going to be a politician running for any office, you know, what you say you need to deliver on and what you can't deliver on, you can't make promises that are unattainable. And I think summing that up, people that run for office, regardless of anything, need to have credibility.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Do you have big aspirations down the road?

[Sean O'Brien]

I've met my biggest aspiration.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

I know, but are you going to go bigger? You're going to swing bigger?

[Sean O'Brien]

I don't think there's anything bigger than this.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

You don't think you're ever going to run this country?

[Sean O'Brien]

I don't know if I could pass the background check to run this.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Let's be clear that that ship has sailed, you know?

[Sean O'Brien]

Good point. Good point. I just threw you the biggest softball in the world, didn't I?

[Isaac Mizrahi]

You're gonna. You got the whole you figured life out. Good for you. Are you a happy person.

[Sean O'Brien]

I am. I am. I'm the happiest person in the world. I gotta be honest. I wake up every day and I try to make a conscious effort not to complain about anything. And I do complain.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Well, don't bottle that up.

[Sean O'Brien]

No, but I'm, I'm the. I'm the luckiest guy in the world. I got a great, great kids. I've got great partners. My mother's still with us. I've got. Look, I'm living a dream, to be honest with you. I'm thrilled this time. It's trying. And I've got the best job in the world.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

All right, Sean, you've done everything. I appreciate it. Thank you for being on the show and good luck fixing our country forever.

[Sean O'Brien]

Thank you, sir. I appreciate it. Okay, thank you very much.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Thank you.

[Eddie Gosling]

From prioritizing time to keep our bodies active to simply creating space to check on our well being happiness lab listeners take their health very seriously. But when it comes to treating complex issues like heart disease, neurological disorders, or even cancer, the right care can make all the difference. That's why Cleveland Clinic has been elevating world class patient care for over a century. Whether they're raising the bar in heart care, uncovering the mysteries of the brain, or researching new treatments for cancer, Cleveland Clinic continues to redefine what's possible for every breakthrough in health, for every care in the world. Explore a wide array of health and wellness information by visiting clevelandclinic.org today.

[Nikki Glaser]

This is Nikki Glaser from the Nikki Glaser Podcast. On a more serious note, I'm still thinking about that commercial with Tom Brady and Snoop Dogg hating on each other. Because when you listen to the reasons for hating someone or something, you realize just how stupid they really are. There is too much hate in this country and it's gotta stop. So join us at iHeart in standing up to it. If you see hate, speak up, call it out and you can learn more by following at what's up with hate homeowners? If you want to sell your house fast for all cash, stop what you are doing and listen to this because Osborne Homes wants to buy your house right now.

[Alec]

I'm Alec from Osborne Homes and we want to buy your house. Nobody buys more homes in California than Osborne. Whether it's a total fixer upper or in perfect condition, Osborne Homes is the easiest way to sell your house fast. All cash. Best of all would when you sell your house to Osborne Homes, there are zero commissions, zero fees, plus no banks, no realtors, no repairs, and no Waiting to close. We buy your house as is. All cash. Just go to osbornhomes.com right now to get your free, no obligation, all cash offer. We are here and ready to buy your house 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

[Nikki Glaser]

Just go to OsborneHomes.com go to OsborneHomes.com right now. Don't wait. Sell your house to Osborne Homes and put the cash in your pocket right away. Just go to Osborne homes.com that's Osborne homes.com Osborne homes.com Osborne homes.Com hi, I'm Cindy Crawford, and I'm the founder of Meaningful Beauty. Well, I don't know about you, but, like, I never liked being told, oh, wow, you look so good for your age. Like, why even bother saying that? Why don't you just say you look great at any age?

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Every age.

[Nikki Glaser]

That's what Meaningful Beauty is all about. We create products that make you feel confident in your skin at the age you are now. Meaningful Beauty. Beautiful skin at every age. Learn [e-mail].

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Paw Show. I want to thank Sean for being on the show and for keeping this country running smooth. I appreciate also if he would never have me killed. You think he could have me killed?

[Sean O'Brien]

Yes.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Like that, right? Yeah. Yeah. Oh, man. That's pretty neat. Anyway. How you doing, Carl? You look fresh. You got a hair in front of you. It worked. You in the union? You can't answer that, right? How long you been in the union? Answer me.

[Dan Tosh]

He's walked. Carl walked.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

He's on strike.

[Dan Tosh]

He's on strike.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Jump, Carl. Sorry I startle you.

[Dan Tosh]

That sounds pretty good.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

You didn't like that, did you? I hit the table and you were like, whoa, I'm out of here. All right, well, happy to have you back. We got some plugs. Went to tossshowstore.com. check it out. Get your Carl shirt, Eddie's tour. Check out his dates and come see me on tour. All right? Hit the free plug music. Oh, man. How's your bracket? This week's free plug is for Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville. Not to be confused with Southern Illinois University, which is in Carbondale, but they don't include the town in the name of the school at that location. Anyway, fuck siu. Now, they didn't make the NCAA tournament, but you know who did? S I U E. That's right, baby. The Cougars. Now, you might be saying I've never heard of siue. Well, neither had I before the free plug. But with over 12,000 students enrolled at 98% acceptance rate. Whoa, they're turning no one away. You imagine getting that rejection letter.

[Dan Tosh]

How did that.

[Sean O'Brien]

Right.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

What did that. That is a bitter pill. It's only 14,000. Tuition after financial aid, is that a semester or a year?

[Sean O'Brien]

Year.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

They still have financial aid. I'm guessing that's drying up soon.

[Dan Tosh]

21% of their degrees are registered nursing.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

A lot of nurses. 21% of their degrees are registered nurses. The other registered sex offenders.

[Dan Tosh]

Oh, my God.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

You know, you don't have to be a registered nurse. It's good to register. It's like when you buy something and they're like, oh, go to our website and, you know, register your product. I was like, I never do that. But some of these nurses, when they graduate, that might be something different.

[Dan Tosh]

Notable alumni here, Kathleen Madigan.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Kathleen Madigan, funny comedian. Graduated from SIUE. Kathleen's from St. Louis. That makes sense. She just jumps over the river there. Goes to siue. A lot of famous alums. Bill Gates went there, drove through there. It doesn't matter. He can say anything.

[Dan Tosh]

I guess you can.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Frank Sinatra took some classes there. I'm pretty sure Sharon Stone audited a class once there. Andy Garcia.

[Dan Tosh]

Andy Garcia? No shit.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. He went there for a bit.

[Dan Tosh]

That's crazy.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

S I U E. The Cougars. S I U E. What's that spell? Success. Congratulations, S I U E on one hell of a Cinderella run. See you next week. Paul Show.

[John Cameron Mitchell]

It's tax season and by now, I know we're all a bit tired of numbers, but here's an important one you need to hear. $16.5 billion. That's how much money in refunds the IRS flagged for possible identity fraud last year. Here's another 20%. That's the overall increase in identity theft related to tax fraud in 2024 alone. But it's not all grim news. Here's a good number. 100 million. That's how many data points Lifelock monitors every second. If your identity is stolen, LifeLock's US based restoration specialists will fix it. Backed by another good number, the million dollar protection plan. In fact, restoration is guaranteed or your money back. Don't face identity theft and financial losses alone. There's strength in numbers with Lifelock. Identity theft protection for tax season and beyond. Join now and save up to 40% your first year. Call 1-800-LIFELOCK and use promo code iheart or go to lifelock.com iheart for 40% off terms apply.

[Eddie Gosling]

When it comes to your health and wellbeing, the right care can change everything. That's why Cleveland Clinic has been elevating world class patient care for over a century. From the latest in heart neurology and cancer care to advanced diagnostics and beyond, Cleveland Clinic is here for every care in the world. Explore a wide variety of health and wellness info by visiting clevelandclinic.org today.

[Sean O'Brien]

All you homeowners have unique needs.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Some feel the need to leave up.

[Sean O'Brien]

Holiday decorations year round. Others have the need to use their garage as practice space for their new metal band. And because each homeowner has unique needs, GEICO helps you get the right coverage for your home and what's in it. That way you get exactly what's right for you, even if your needs are unique. Get more with geico.

[Alec]

This is John Cameron Mitchell and my new fiction podcast series, Cancellation island stars Holly Hunter as Karen, a wellness influencer who launches a rehab for the recently canceled instrument. In the future we will all be canceled for 15 minutes, but don't worry, we'll take you from broke to woke or your money back. Cancellation Island's revolutionary rehab therapies, like bad touch football, anti racism spin class, and mandatory ayahuasca ceremonies are designed to force the council to confront their worst impulses. But everything starts to fall apart when people start disappearing.

[Isaac Mizrahi]

Hearing Karen, where have you brought us.

[Alec]

Cancellation island, where a second chance might just be your last. Listen to Cancellation island on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.