Throwing a $200,000 Birthday Party

Summary

Podcast Summary: VIEWS with David Dobrik & Jason Nash
Episode: Throwing a $200,000 Birthday Party
Release Date: July 30, 2025

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Introduction

In the episode titled "Throwing a $200,000 Birthday Party," hosts David Dobrik and Jason Nash delve into the intricate process of organizing extravagant birthday celebrations. Joined by their friend Naveen, the trio shares behind-the-scenes insights, humorous anecdotes, and candid conversations about their experiences with high-budget parties, artist bookings, and interactions with industry professionals.

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Planning the Extravagant Birthday Party

David opens the discussion by expressing his ambivalence towards traditional birthday celebrations. Despite not being a fan of the conventional cake-cutting and singing, he acknowledges the importance of these events as a gesture of appreciation towards their collaborators and friends.

David (03:09): "It's just like being able to celebrate with everybody there. But yeah, I don't like the birthday part of the party. I don't want a cake. I don't want to be sung to."

The hosts elaborate on their approach to hosting large-scale parties twice a year, emphasizing the blend of personal enjoyment and professional networking. David compares their gatherings to corporate office parties, highlighting the sense of giving back to those they've worked with.

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Challenges in Booking High-Profile Artists

A significant portion of the discussion centers around the complexities of securing popular artists for their events. David shares a recent frustrating experience while trying to book an artist on short notice:

David (06:13): "It's just like yeah. And then the agent. And then the managers are like, the first. The managers will offer the deal, and then the agents. Their agents will hear about it. So they'll be like, Nope, we need $80,000 more."

The negotiation process is depicted as a tedious back-and-forth between managers and agents, often leading to inflated fees and last-minute cancellations. This unpredictability poses significant challenges, especially when attempting to finalize bookings merely hours before the event.

David (08:22): "They don't give you a number. They're like, we're losing our patience. We're like, we're not gonna just offer you great random numbers to feed your ego."

Naveen adds that even when artists initially agree to perform within budget, unforeseen circumstances like vacation plans can derail commitments, leaving the hosts scrambling to secure replacements.

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Memorable Artist Interactions

Despite the hurdles, the hosts reminisce about their positive experiences with renowned artists:

• 50 Cent: Described as "really cool," David fondly recalls sharing whiskey shots and gifting signed bottles to his parents.

  David (10:12): "50 was really cool. And he came to my room and he was like, really fun."

• Snoop Dogg: Always a fan favorite, David praises Snoop's laid-back demeanor and enjoyable interactions.

  David (10:37): "Snoop Dogg's always cool."

• Wiz Khalifa: Noted for his relaxed nature, Wiz enjoyed downtime with Ross Smith and his family.

  David (10:44): "Wiz was amazing. He was like hanging out with, like, Ross Smith and his grandma, like, smoking weed."

These interactions highlight the hosts' ability to foster genuine connections with artists, making their events memorable despite logistical challenges.

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Behind the Scenes: Beverly Hills Hotel Collaboration

A standout segment features Michael, the long-time garage manager at the Beverly Hills Hotel, who joins the podcast to share his extensive experience caring for the hotel's iconic vehicles. The hotel has a storied history of hosting celebrities and maintaining a prestigious collection of vintage and luxury cars.

Michael recounts tales of legendary figures like Michael Jackson and Prince, emphasizing the hotel's role as a central hub for celebrities seeking privacy and convenience.

Michael (16:31): "So there was one night Michael called me. I came down, picked Michael up from the garage... Prince came pulling up alongside of us in his Cadillac..."

The collaboration allows David and his team to borrow a classic “57t bird” car from the hotel, adding a unique aesthetic to the party. The detailed conversation underscores the intricate relationships and historical significance of the Beverly Hills Hotel in the entertainment industry.

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Anecdotes and Personal Stories

The hosts share personal stories that blend humor and nostalgia:

• David's High School Encounter: Recalling a chance meeting with Natalie after skipping school, David narrates his youthful excitement contrasted by Natalie's indifferent reaction.

  David (25:20): "I was so excited about running into her, like, during a school day out in the real world. And she didn't share the same enthusiasm... she was like, what? You fucking loser."

• Networking with Late Night Hosts: The conversation shifts to the evolution of late-night television. David expresses his aspirations to become a late-night host and critiques the current landscape's fragmentation due to digital platforms.

  David (28:34): "Now we're going to find out who our real friends are. We're to find out who we're kicking out. This is a test. This is all a social experiment."

He reflects on iconic hosts like Jimmy Fallon and Stephen Colbert, discussing the shifting dynamics as influencers gain prominence over traditional media figures.

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Closing Remarks and Future Plans

As the podcast wraps up, the hosts extend gratitude to Michael for his invaluable contribution and the unforgettable stories shared. They encourage listeners to support Michael's daughter Haley's book, showcasing their commitment to supporting their friends' endeavors.

David humorously teases about monetizing Alex's presence during the podcast, hinting at future content ideas like a documentary series documenting their pre-party planning.

David (32:36): "It was great. We have Alex in the room with us the entire podcast. You don't know this, but he was listening..."

The episode concludes with light-hearted banter about charging for additional content and preparing for the ongoing festivities, leaving listeners anticipating future episodes filled with similar entertaining and insightful discussions.

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Notable Quotes

• David on Party Planning:

  "It's like Lights, lights, lights, lights. Like, I want so many lights where we have to have, like, an epilepsy warning when you walk through the door." ([04:25])

• Michael on Celebrities at the Hotel:

  "It's just about everybody. You can imagine. There are some stories like Michael Jackson used to call me at night..." ([16:25])

• David on Late Night Shows:

  "It's getting to the point where now the influencers are trying not influence. Now that influencers are starting to be seen as more of a useful tool for mainstream media." ([28:36])

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Conclusion

"Throwing a $200,000 Birthday Party" offers listeners an entertaining glimpse into the complexities of hosting high-budget events within the entertainment industry. Through candid conversations, shared experiences, and humorous exchanges, David Dobrik, Jason Nash, and Naveen provide a comprehensive look at the challenges and triumphs of organizing grand celebrations. The episode not only highlights their glamorous lifestyles but also underscores the dedication and effort required to bring such lavish events to life.

Transcript

[David]

Not all meals are created equal. For instance, breakfast has the spicy egg.

[Natalie]

McMuffin for a limited time and lunch doesn't. McDonald's breakfast comes first.

[Naveen]

Amazon gasta menos sonrimas.

[David]

What's up, guys? Welcome back to View.

[Natalie]

Yeah, Natalie, why would you say that?

[David]

Why would.

[Natalie]

Why would you start like that with a negativity?

[David]

Because I want to start with some fire and passion.

[Natalie]

Okay. Well, you actually. How's that? Natalie did a great job last night.

[David]

No, that's good. I like that. Yeah, I like that.

[Natalie]

I'm the biggest natural champion.

[David]

Giving it back to me. No, Natalie actually texted something funny this morning.

[Natalie]

I. I was going to say that.

[David]

No, I was gonna.

[Natalie]

Natalie made me laugh. I read it to Naveen.

[David]

It's so rare. We both want to share it right away. Yeah, we're like, she made us laugh. It happens, everybody.

[Natalie]

No, that's been. That's been a lot funnier.

[David]

Natalie texted at 11 in the morning. She said, I chugged a coffee. I'm ready to get this bread on. Views today in all caps. Let's go. And then no one texted back. And in 10 seconds, she. She texts, contributes nothing. And like, two asterisks.

[Natalie]

Yeah.

[David]

You could repeat a lot. I've been seeing a lot of DMs. That's like. I love Natalie's input.

[Naveen]

Really?

[David]

Yeah. And you keep us, like, balanced.

[Natalie]

Yeah. In the episode, you weren't here, people were like, thank God Natalie's back. The next episode.

[David]

Yeah. Yeah. Three people were fucking really happy to hear you.

[Naveen]

Yeah.

[Natalie]

Maybe seven.

[Naveen]

Three. You.

[Michael]

Three that are out there.

[David]

But you know how. You know how it works here. Three people represent 300,000. That's how we do it. So 300,000 people were stoked to have you back.

[Naveen]

Oh, thank you.

[Natalie]

It's just me and burner accounts. You know, actually. Yeah. All the people DMing you.

[Naveen]

Oh, I should do that. Wait. They should do that because I know you fucking see it and you. Like, I should send you some.

[David]

I would probably know your burner accounts.

[Naveen]

No, you wouldn't.

[David]

Yeah.

[Naveen]

No chance.

[Natalie]

Ella day.

[David]

Harry likes 14.

[Naveen]

Harry likes 14. No. You wouldn't have a clue.

[David]

Well, today is my birthday. Unofficially.

[Natalie]

Happy birthday.

[David]

I hate not celebrating my birthday on my birthday.

[Naveen]

I know.

[David]

I've been getting birthday texts literally all week.

[Naveen]

Yeah.

[David]

And every day it's like, happy birthday. Like, it's today. Yeah.

[Naveen]

It's funny because, like, you're not someone that likes birthday attention at all.

[David]

Yeah.

[Naveen]

And we've literally been celebrating your birthday for.

[David]

I mean, we can't even say that anymore. Like, you can't say, I don't like birthday attention when we've, like, had three birthday parties that have, like, the production budget of a wedding every time.

[Naveen]

Yeah, yeah. But that's not like. Because you're like, oh, fuck, yeah, it's my birthday.

[David]

Right.

[Naveen]

Just because it's an excuse to throw a nice event.

[David]

No, totally. Like, okay, so we have these parties here, right? We have them like three. We have them like twice a year. We have Halloween and we have the birthday.

[Natalie]

Yeah.

[David]

And every time we get, like, a performer and it's like, kind of fun. And you would think it's because I love partying. And partially it is. But it's also like just to kind of give back to, like, all the people that we work with. Just, you know, like. You know, like when you have, like a company and you have, like a company party, like an office party, it kind of feels like that.

[Naveen]

It's our office party.

[David]

It's an office party for Los Angeles.

[Natalie]

Yeah.

[David]

So it feels like. It feels like in part, it's like you're giving back to the people that have invited us to their parties. And it's like, hey, thanks for having us at your house. So here, let's host you. And then it's also like dobriks, waivers, Zela. Like, it's all, you know, noobs, noob, sour strips, Jonas, new candy company. It's just like being able to celebrate with everybody there. But. But yeah, I don't like the birthday part of the party. Like, I don't. I don't want a cake. I don't want to be sung to.

[Naveen]

We got you. Okay.

[David]

No, I saw the cake. Sorry. The cake's fine. I meant like, I don't like being sung to.

[Naveen]

No, I know.

[Natalie]

You will be sung to, though. No, no, you always are.

[David]

I don't think we've ever done it.

[Natalie]

Of course you have.

[Naveen]

Not like the whole party singing to him.

[David]

No, no, it'll be like, no, never or something.

[Naveen]

Yeah, yeah, we'll do the cake, like, with little group.

[David]

Yeah. Like 4:00am I like, oh, fuck. We still have the cake. 4:00am When Natalie gets hungry.

[Natalie]

Yeah.

[David]

She opens the first. She's like, oh, my God, the birthday cake. She knows that first you have to sing the birthday song.

[Natalie]

But do you get nervous when you. For a big party tonight? You're about six hours away.

[David]

Yeah. I hate it.

[Natalie]

You do? Yeah. I would be so nervous.

[Naveen]

Like, the worst version of David is like three hours before the party.

[David]

What is it? It's like Bridezilla Yeah, he's.

[Naveen]

He's like. He's. Birthday zilla.

[David]

I mean, it's pretty crazy plan here.

[Naveen]

And we've been planning this party.

[David]

No, no, it's exactly like what you just said.

[Naveen]

It's.

[David]

Why is this plan here?

[Naveen]

Y. Why Explain here. Can I keep my Aston Martin in the driveway or do I really have to move it?

[David]

I mean, that's the.

[Natalie]

You know, make the chips look nice.

[David]

No, it's very. It's very. I get really, really crazy with it, and it drives me nuts. Oh, my God.

[Naveen]

You nuts? We've been planning this ship for over a month.

[David]

Last year, half of the disco, we have like a disco floor. So the floor lights up and it's mirrored. Last year, half of it didn't turn on. Yeah, like, for the first, like, hour and a half of the party, I stayed in my room. I. I told Natalie, I'm like, I'm not coming out till that disco floor is fixed. Because I was so stressed about one thing I ask for. One thing I ask for at the party is lights. Lights, lights, lights, lights. Like, I want so many lights where we have to have, like an epilepsy warning when you walk through the door. Like. Like, to that point. I love lights. I just love disco balls. I love it to the point where we've bought our own disco balls.

[Naveen]

Yeah.

[David]

So now we have these huge. Because disco balls are expensive to rent. They're like 2500 apiece, like the big ones. So we purchased them and now we keep them in storage and we bring them back. Everybody. That's how much I love them. This time, Natalie only brought back one.

[Naveen]

Disco ball because I asked David and.

[David]

Fucking Bridezilla came out. I go, why would I buy two and you're only bringing one in? No, I really think that I. I really wish, like, the whole pre party planning would be documented.

[Naveen]

We should do a little docu series. Yeah. It's second channel, pre birthday, main channel.

[David]

It's been a lot better. And then don't even get us started on, like, booking an artist.

[Naveen]

Oh, my God.

[Natalie]

What happened?

[David]

Well, the rapper community.

[Naveen]

Yeah, it's. Well, just the music industry in general is, as everybody knows, is like, incredible. Like, there's so many people involved on everybody's team, so you have to get all these approvals. And then this person wants this amount of money, but this person already said, okay, if you do this in cash, we'll do it. But then the agent's like, no, we need $20,000 or whatever it is.

[David]

It's just like yeah. And then the agent. And then the managers are like, the first. The managers will offer the deal, and then the agents. Their agents will hear about it. So they'll be like, Nope, we need $80,000 more.

[Natalie]

Yeah.

[David]

And it just, like, keeps going, and, like, they'll give you a price, and then they'll give you another price, and then you keep saying yes, and they'll keep going up, and you're like, what the fuck is this? It's. And that, like, today. Okay, so this morning, we were booking with an artist. I'm not going to say who, because I don't want to.

[Naveen]

We just booked the artist five hours before the party started.

[David]

Yeah, we. We booked an artist that was another artist.

[Natalie]

Yeah.

[David]

And yesterday, like, we kind of, like, got to a place where he want, like, how much he wanted. I'll say he wanted 25 grand. Okay. So basically how these parties work, too, is we'll get, like, a big sponsor to come in and, like, pay for it. So, like. Yeah, like, this is. I mean, the party takes, like, it's like, 150, 200 grand, right. To put on.

[Naveen]

Yeah.

[David]

So it's a lot of money. So sponsors come in and those. They're all over the place, and it's, like, kind of fun. Like, they all have a purpose. Not just, like. It's not like a NASCAR where it's just, like, stapled all over. Like, you have, like, your little sections of, like, here you have clothing, here you have snacks, whatever. It all makes sense. Alcohol, sponsor. But. So this artist wanted 25 grand, which is. Okay. Okay, we'll do it. And then he's like. And then his. Matt, we're just texting his manager. Managers, like, you know what? I can't take it to him for 30. And we're like, okay. And then these are the texts I'm getting. He said he's available, but just wants more than 30k. He's currently out of town, and he's trying to get it done by the morning. And then I said, okay, give him 35k. And then she texted back, okay, now they're saying it has to be 50k, unfortunately, because he was saying the 30k was a steal. So he's offended that you wouldn't offer him more after he said it was a steal. And then I'm like, okay, let's do 50. And then his manager responds that he's offended and he doesn't want to take the offer to his artist of 50 because it's still not high enough. And he said. And he said, he's losing patience with us. Whenever he said he's losing patience with us, when every time. Every time the manager comes back with a new number, we're like, okay, fine. Yeah, we have a budget in mind and we're not gonna go past it. But, like. But it's crazy. It's crazy.

[Naveen]

And they never give you a number either. They're just like.

[David]

They don't give you a number. They're like, we're losing our patience. We're like, we're not gonna just fucking offer you great random numbers to feed your ego. Like, tell us what you want and we'll tell you.

[Natalie]

We'll try to do it. Yeah.

[David]

No, it's like, did you find that.

[Natalie]

Everyone negotiates that way?

[David]

No, it's just music artists. I've never seen anything like this in my entire life. That's why I didn't get any sleep this morning, because I knew Natalie was handling it. And I'm like. I'm like, I know. I'm going to wake up to a text saying, unfortunately, he's not going to make it.

[Natalie]

Wow.

[Naveen]

And you did.

[David]

And that's exactly what happened. But, like, it's not only that, like, the artists, even if you haven't booked artists, can just be like, I don't care. Like, he could decide an hour before. Yeah, I'm good.

[Naveen]

Well, there was artists that were available and they were down for the rate that we had scheduled. And then 24 hours later, they were like, oh, no, sorry, they. They left la. They're going on vacation now. They don't. They don't give a fuck anymore. And they. They just.

[David]

Yeah, because. Yeah, it's just a person has a lot of money and, like, they're coming to play. Like, dude, there's some artists that, like. I mean, dude, we've got some crazy quotes, like how much people make for private parties.

[Naveen]

Like, well, that's what I think it is. Like, the private event thing is also such a big money maker for these people. Like, they. I think that's like, where they make.

[David]

Their money is a lot of these artists are like the bigger ones that you've heard of. I'm not talking like Jay Z, Beyonce level, but like a little bit under. Yeah, it's like 750 to a million for, like four or five songs, which makes sense.

[Natalie]

You're kind of in a bad spot too, because you've got your date and you've paid all this money and now they can kind of hold a gun to your head.

[Naveen]

I mean, they definitely know they have the upper hand.

[David]

Like an artist can come last day and be like, I'm not showing up, you know?

[Natalie]

Sure.

[David]

It's kind of crazy.

[Naveen]

I'm like, fine, here's more money.

[David]

No, no, no, no. You're not doing that.

[Natalie]

Who's your favorite artist you had here?

[David]

Favorite artist? I don't know. So far we've had J. Balvin, Snoop Dogg, Wiz Khalifa, 50 cents, 50 cent, all American Rejects, Tiger and Tiger.

[Natalie]

Wow.

[David]

Yeah.

[Natalie]

Yeah.

[Naveen]

It's kind of crazy.

[Natalie]

Yeah, he was the coolest.

[David]

It's really crazy.

[Naveen]

50 was sick. And he was also the first one that we did.

[David]

Yeah, 50 was really cool. And he came to my room and he was like, really fun. And we, like, took shots of his. Like, he's like, whiskey or something.

[Naveen]

Yeah, yeah.

[David]

He signed some bottles, left him in my room. I re gifted the bottles to my parents for Christmas. They're like, who signed this? Like, that's 50 cents. So that's really funny. Snoop Dogg was, of course, cool.

[Naveen]

Yeah, he was sick.

[David]

Snoop Dogg's always cool. So, like, I mean, it's like Wiz was sick too. Wiz was amazing. Whiz liked hanging out after.

[Natalie]

Yeah.

[David]

And he was like. Yeah, he was like, hanging out with, like, Ross Smith and his grandma, like, smoking weed. I obviously hit. Hit his joint before. It's really.

[Natalie]

Was it different kind of weed or.

[David]

No, actually, it was actually pretty. Pretty fine. Yeah, I handled it. I handled it. I feel like, pretty okay. But really, did you feel it after.

[Naveen]

You got off the stage? He' I am so high.

[David]

No, no, I didn't see that. I was panicking that I was going to get high.

[Naveen]

Okay. Yeah.

[David]

Because I was like, fuck, why did I do that? But it actually didn't hit me as scary as I thought.

[Natalie]

And then do you feel a pressure to hit the joint when it's a big artist?

[David]

Yeah, you have to. It's like, I find it so rude when someone says no.

[Natalie]

Yeah.

[David]

Like, it's like, It's. It's. It's 1000% a power dynamic that you have to, like, bow down and lay. Lay down and be like, yes, I will take you. Like, Snoop Dogg offered me a joint. I hit it and whiz. And I'm really, really stoked that I have those two under my belt now. And you can't say no. Yeah, you can't say no to those guys. It's just like. It's just like a thing that you can check off your bucket list. J. Balvin was amazing. Him. We did his performance. We did. We did like a. More like a private thing with like 100 people. And we did it inside the living room.

[Natalie]

I remember.

[David]

Which is really fun. So he hung out for a while and he performed on the bar in the house, which is really fun. It's really fun to, like, look back and be like, oh, my God, these guys performed in the living room. It's really fucking confusing.

[Natalie]

Damn.

[David]

Today's performance will be yg. You familiar?

[Natalie]

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I. Yeah, yeah. Wait, doesn't he sing my N Word?

[David]

Yeah, that's really funny.

[Naveen]

Isn't that his song? I am also scared about him singing that song.

[David]

I know, Me too.

[Naveen]

Because it's like, definitely his most popular song.

[David]

Yeah. I literally thought about it this morning for like five minutes.

[Naveen]

I know.

[Natalie]

Back up. We might have a problem here.

[David]

Well, why?

[Natalie]

I mean, I don't know. Something might go wrong.

[David]

You just have to do an announcement. Nobody better nobody sing this unless you're allowed to.

[Naveen]

Everyone shut up.

[Natalie]

That's going to be everyone.

[David]

Everyone's watching him with a muffler.

[Natalie]

It's going to be hard for him tonight.

[Naveen]

You know, a lot of his songs actually are, like, very N word based.

[David]

No, it's. It's fine. It's just like now we. Now we're going to find out who our real friends are. We're. We're to find out who we're kicking out.

[Naveen]

That's crazy.

[David]

This is a test. This is all a social experiment. Yeah. So that's going to be really fun. I'm really excited other than that. But yeah, I am, like, very much. This, this is. I think it's our best theme. Natalie decided to do Beverly Hills Hotel.

[Natalie]

I love this thing.

[David]

And the Beverly Hills Hotel actually let us. What do they let us borrow?

[Naveen]

They let us borrow one of their, like, bellhop cars.

[David]

First of all. First of all, they're letting us use the aesthetic, which is kind of crazy that they're, like, not mad.

[Naveen]

Yeah.

[David]

Because they're like, so prestigious here in la.

[Naveen]

Yeah. And they also. They're like the iconic, like, baby pink, like vintage. I think it's a Chrysler or something. Vintage car. It's like a 60s car.

[Natalie]

I've seen it. Yeah.

[Naveen]

That's usually parked outside the hotel. They let us borrow for the night.

[David]

They brought the car that's parked outside the hotel to my driveway.

[Naveen]

Yeah. Crazy.

[David]

It's really crazy. I just met the guy who, like, takes care of the cars. He's been taking care of the cars at the hotel for, like, for 30 years now. He's been Taking care of the car. That's a guy we should have on the pod.

[Natalie]

That's quite the job for 30 years.

[David]

At the beverage hotel. Yeah, like that's.

[Natalie]

Imagine the stories he could tell. Yeah.

[David]

Should we, should we see if he wants to be on the pod?

[Natalie]

Yeah, go grab him.

[David]

Thanks for joining us, Michael. Michael from the Beverly Hills Hotel.

[Michael]

Well, good afternoon, everybody. We're bringing a little bit of the hotel up to David's house for his birthday.

[David]

Yes, yes.

[Michael]

My background is I have 30 years running the garage at the Beverly Hills Hotel. So we. The garage of the hotel is kind of like the bat cave. And I'm like Alfred.

[David]

Yeah.

[Michael]

So we, we do quite a few things that it's. The garage is known around the world. I took care of Mr. Peterson's cars from Peterson Automotive for 25 years.

[David]

So that's the big museum that has all the cars in Los Angeles.

[Michael]

Peterson was also Peterson Publishing. So of course, that was Hot Rod magazine, which was the bible of building cars through the 60s, 70s and 80s. It was really quite a. Quite a deal. But I got. Got to develop a relationship with Carol Shelby, and I kept some of John von Neumann's cars at the hotel. And of course, Ken Miles, who was racing for Cheryl Kelby. Shelby.

[Natalie]

Is that like Shelby, Like Mustang? Shelby.

[Michael]

Shelby Cobra.

[David]

The Shelby Cobra car.

[Michael]

Right. So if you saw the movie Ford vs Ferrari, Ken Miles drove for Carroll Shelby. That character was in that movie.

[David]

Oh, okay.

[Michael]

Driven for Carroll Shelby. He drove for Porsche, which was John von Neumann. So we, we have quite a history in the hotel.

[David]

Wow.

[Michael]

So it's kind of a cool thing. So we're going to let David have the 57t bird that we commonly keep at the front door. If you look in the hotel lobby, you'll see photos of this vehicle all over the place. So it's kind of a famous 57t bird. Well, thank you for that color combination of the hotel. So it works well with the motif. And, and so we look forward to David having a great birthday party.

[David]

Thank you. Right, so can I ask.

[Natalie]

I'd love an invite, but it's fine if you can't.

[David]

Are you coming?

[Michael]

I'm going to be here because I'll keep my eyes on the car in case we need to move it or do any of that stuff, you know, so.

[David]

So you've probably seen the most wild amount of celebrities come through that hotel. Correct.

[Michael]

So being in the hotel for 30 years, of course we have a relationship with quite a few people and we, we like to keep it under wraps. It's but again, it's just about everybody. You can imagine. There are some stories like Michael Jackson used to call me at night and I used to come down and I kept my 50 Cadillac in the garage of the hotel. And right next to my Cadillac, I used to keep Prince's Cadillac and his baby blue Bentley.

[Natalie]

Wow.

[Michael]

One night Michael called me. I came down, picked Michael up from the garage. We were driving around Beverly Hills in Hollywood. So we were on Sunset, going on Hillcrest, going into Hollywood, and Prince came pulling up alongside of us in his Cadillac and his headlights were turned off. So on my big 50 Cadillac, Michael rolls the window down and we're yelling at him to turn his headlights on. So it's kind of a surreal thing, you know, it's. But I was also building a Hummer for Princess Diana when her and Dodie F. Were killed. And so it's a lot of, a lot of history car stuff.

[David]

How so you, you were driving with Michael in that car?

[Michael]

I was driving with Michael. Michael used to call me and I'd come to the hotel and Michael would come down. No security, nobody get in the car with me. And we would go drive around Beverly Hills.

[David]

Wow.

[Michael]

In my 50 Cadillac. It was a big 60 series with the big white gas, white wall tires.

[David]

Did you guys hit the bars or you guys just like.

[Michael]

No, no, just. All this he wanted to do is just go for a ride in the car, cruise slowly. He didn'.

[Naveen]

Live.

[David]

That's like a very Michael Jackson type of story.

[Natalie]

What did Prince say to Michael?

[Michael]

So they were laughing.

[Natalie]

Were they competitive or were they, were they jokesters?

[Michael]

No, no, they were. It was totally cool. It was like he was looking, he's like, yeah, I got it. Turned his headlights on, you know, and then. But you know, it's just very surreal.

[David]

Was the Beverly Hills Hotel like at the time? Was that like a big meeting place for a lot of big celebs? Like, is that like a place that everyone would always get dinner out?

[Michael]

The Beverly Hills Hotel has always been a big meeting place for the celebs.

[David]

Yeah.

[Michael]

Take the Polo Lounge for instance. The yellow Lounge used to have teleph phones at the tables and people used to. Up and cominging stars used to have people page them to the phones at the Polo Lounge so their name could be heard in, in the Polo Lounge. So it was, it was quite a thing, you know.

[David]

Wait, what does that mean?

[Michael]

Like, so you would, you can actually get telephones. They bring telephones to your table.

[David]

Okay.

[Michael]

And so they would, people would page people. Oh, telephone call for Michael Douglas or Humphrey Bogart or Elizabeth Taylor.

[David]

And then they would bring it to.

[Michael]

The phone or they'd have the phone at the. The table.

[David]

Oh, my God.

[Michael]

Just so your name was heard inside the Polo Lounge.

[David]

Oh, my.

[Michael]

Because the whole celebrity thing is basically 90% of its luck. And so lightning strikes very few places, but probably more placed more times at the Beverly Hills Hotel than anywhere else on the planet.

[David]

Sure. Yeah. That's wild.

[Michael]

It's kind of that.

[David]

Right?

[Natalie]

How about that cob salad, huh?

[Michael]

Everything's great.

[David]

Oh, yeah. The.

[Michael]

But I'll tell you what makes the hotel or the people that work there, the hotel is iconic and it's. It's been there forever and it's has a historical background. But the people who work at the hotel make the hotel very special.

[David]

I mean, they must if you've been there 30 years.

[Natalie]

So, you know, if I want to keep a car at the Beverly Hills Hotel, how much does that cost?

[Michael]

Well, it depends on the type of car. Depends on how long the car is going to be there. So there's different.

[David]

When you say back calculations, when you say bat cave, how big is this thing? Well, this garage.

[Michael]

If you're driving up the front drive of the hotel.

[David]

Yeah.

[Michael]

Then you'll make a right into the first underground parking below the big famous sign that everybody photographs themselves. Yeah, that's where the garage is.

[David]

Oh, wow. Okay. I had no idea there was even a garage.

[Michael]

It's kind of cool. So we keep it, you know, it's private down there and it's. It's a very interesting.

[David]

If you're here, who's watching the Batcave?

[Michael]

Wait a minute. We have people there. There's very high security in the area and all of that stuff. So we don't worry about those kind of things.

[David]

Just want to make sure there's no heist being planned. Just right now.

[Natalie]

Very.

[Michael]

It's very cool. And so, you know, like tonight. So you're having your party tonight.

[David]

Yeah.

[Michael]

And then eventually the cool people all end up in the kitchen, you know, talking.

[David]

Right? Yeah.

[Michael]

So the. The hotel. The garage at the hotel is like the kitchen at the party.

[David]

Oh, so cool. Right?

[Michael]

So it's kind of cool. You'll never know who you run into down there and everybody's car people and all that stuff. So they're always coming down to check out to see what we got going on.

[David]

It's also nice because it's like paparazzi proof, probably down there completely. Right. So you can get in your car and leave and then.

[Michael]

Yes. It's yeah, it's a very secure part of the hotel.

[David]

We would a lot do a lot of cele. Make the Beverly Hills Hotel like the Residence, like when they're in la. Is that how it works?

[Michael]

So a lot of times they'll come to the hotel, and there's not a better place in the area for this. If they're doing a shoot or if they're doing production, they'll come and they'll, they'll stay in the hotel and they could, they could read, practice their lines. They can do makeup there, they can do wardrobing there. It's really a phenomenal place. And they're there, and this way nobody is going to their residences. So they, you know, they come. You know, their anonymity is very important. Show up there, have all their stuff done. They go to their event. If somebody follows them back to the hotel, hey, guess what? Big deal, you know, right?

[Naveen]

It's not your private home.

[Michael]

So it's kind of a cool thing.

[Natalie]

What have you, what have you noticed about, like, rich people in general over the years?

[Michael]

They're actually really sweet, and I'm a car guy and they love their car, so they treat me, you know, like their doctor. It's, you know, it's been very cool. And most of the people are really, really super nice.

[David]

If you could have any car in the world, what's your dream, dream vehicle?

[Michael]

Oh, okay, there's, I mean, a Toyota Corolla, really. But, you know, that's my first car. No, you're bulletproof. You know, you put oil and gas in it and that's it, you know.

[Naveen]

Right.

[Michael]

You can be an actor for the rest of your life, you know.

[David]

Right, right, right, right.

[Michael]

So it's just like that, you know. But there's some really cool cars. Some of the old vintage cars are really great. The early 50 cars are nice because they still spent a lot of time and money on the appointments of the cars. When they started to get in, like, the 57s and that, then the pencil pushers started to get involved and everything was cost cutting and that kind of thing started to happen.

[David]

So are you into any of the newer stuff or. No, like, yeah, we do what we do everything.

[Michael]

We do the supercars, we do everything. We get everything. Bugattis, Paganis, we get the lfa, you know.

[David]

Yeah.

[Michael]

Lexuses, you name it.

[David]

Yeah, down there. Dang. Well, thank you for, for, for coming and giving us some knowledge about the hotel. No, listen, and thank you for letting us borrow the car.

[Michael]

My pleasure. And listen, and don't forget to. To read my daughter Haley's book.

[David]

Oh, yes.

[Michael]

Which is north of Sunset. And it takes place in Bel Air a hundred years from now. And it's like the Great Gatsby meets 1984. 30 on Amazon right now. And it's genre, so it's called north of Sunset. And it's really amazing.

[David]

What's her full name?

[Natalie]

Haley.

[Michael]

It's Haley Ahern.

[David]

Well, please go check that out.

[Natalie]

Right? Yeah.

[Michael]

Listen, everybody, it was a pleasure to be here. You guys have a great day. Enjoy the party.

[David]

Thank you.

[Naveen]

Thank you.

[David]

Thank you.

[Naveen]

I love it.

[Natalie]

Thanks, Michael. That was great.

[Naveen]

With the Venmo debit card, you can Venmo everything. Your favorite band's merch. You can Venmo this or their next show. You can Venmo that. Visit Venmo Me debit to learn more. The Venmo MasterCard is issued by the Bancorp bank and Aid pursuant to license by MasterCard International, Inc. The card may be used everywhere. MasterCard is accepted if Venmo purchase restrictions apply.

[Natalie]

Hey, it's Ryan Reynolds here for Mint Mobile. Now, I was looking for fun ways to tell you that Mint's offer of unlimited Premium Wireless for $15 a month is back. So I thought it would be fun if we made $15 bills, but it turns out that's very illegal, so there goes my big idea for the commercial. Give it a [e-mail] Switch upfront payment.

[Naveen]

Of $45 for three month plan equivalent to $15 per month. Required new customer offer for first three months only. Speed slow after 35 gigabytes of network's busy taxes and fees extra. See mintmobile.com, on WhatsApp. No one can see or hear your personal messages. Whether it's a voice call message or sending a password to WhatsApp, it's all just this. So whether you're sharing the streaming password in the family chat or trading those late night voice messages that could basically become a podcast, your personal messages stay between you, your friend and your family. No one else, not even us. WhatsApp message privately with everyone.

[David]

That was really fun. My favorite part was, obviously, everything's confidential. We're like, he probably has the craziest stories. Like, obviously he's gonna keep him a secret, right?

[Naveen]

Yeah.

[David]

Which is good for him.

[Naveen]

Yeah, you have to.

[David]

Good for him. Like, and that's how you know that his stories are probably insane. He didn't even. He didn't even stutter. He's like, yeah, they're confidential. That's it. Bye they're probably fucking wild.

[Natalie]

Check out my daughter's book.

[David]

But, I mean, like, even just the story alone, though, of Michael Jackson and Prince pulling up next to each other at a light.

[Naveen]

Yeah.

[David]

I mean, that's wild.

[Naveen]

Yeah.

[David]

I love. There was one time that actually reminds me of a story I pulled up next to a legend.

[Natalie]

I'm not gonna say who it is.

[David]

No, I'll tell you who it is.

[Naveen]

Confidential.

[David]

No, it's Matt. It was. I'll never forget it because I was so embarrassed.

[Natalie]

Yeah.

[David]

And this isn't going the way you think it's gonna go, but I was. I was in high school. I was in Vernon Hills, and my parents pulled me out. I think I, like, lied that I was sick or something. And I got out of school. I was basically playing hooky or something, like in the middle of the day. And when I was driving by the retirement home, kind of by our house, I. I pull up next to Natalie in her car. Oh, yeah. And Natalie is also pulling out of school at the same time.

[Naveen]

Oh.

[David]

And. And I thought it was the craziest thing ever. And I'm. I roll my window. I'm like. Natalie, she's like, dave. And I'm like, what the fuck? We're both leaving school. It's, like, noon. I'm like, this is crazy. And I'm, like, really excited about it. And she's not.

[Natalie]

Yeah.

[David]

And I'm like. And I say this, and I'll always remember this for the rest of my life. I don't know why, but this is, like, one of those, like, things that's not significant, but for some reason it is. I go, I'll never. For. I'll remember this for the rest of my life. And Natalie looks at me and goes, what? You fucking loser. And then I was like, oh, okay. And I don't know why I was so excited about it. And I said the words, I'll remember this for the rest of my life. And I was so excited about running into her, like, during a school day out in the real world. And she didn't share the same enthusiasm, and it shut me down like crazy. And I was like, what the fuck? Am I weird for being this excited? Do you remember that at all?

[Naveen]

I don't know.

[David]

You probably don't. There's no way you do.

[Natalie]

Natalie getting the ick right now. Yeah.

[David]

No, it was definitely a moment where she was like, this guy's fucking weird.

[Naveen]

No. Yeah.

[David]

But, yeah, that was one of my favorite moments.

[Natalie]

The fervency for which you tell. Talk about High school is just so incredible. Yeah.

[David]

It's amazing.

[Natalie]

You see where you just pumped, like, got so jazzed right there.

[David]

Yeah. What's perfect?

[Natalie]

Fervency. Like, you got so happy and excitement. You're so excited about talking about high school. Anything.

[David]

Yeah. I don't know.

[Natalie]

Awesome.

[David]

I also love all this, but, like, I. I think I talk about high school so much because I never got to, like, document it as well as I got to document the rest of my life.

[Natalie]

Oh, that's interesting.

[David]

So, like, I need to express, like, that was lit and. Yeah. And there's. There's nothing better than growing up. There's nothing better.

[Natalie]

Hey, I wanted to ask you because. Remember how you wanted.

[David]

I like when he, like, transitions like that. It literally. That sounded like he cut in the pod, doesn't it?

[Natalie]

Yeah.

[David]

I'm here. I'm sitting next to you, and I feel like we just like. There was like a weird edit. Hey, I wanted to ask you. You like oranges? What is. What's the question?

[Natalie]

I wanted to ask you because I know you used to have dreams of being a late night host. If you had any thoughts on what's happened to the late night landscape in the last week or the last year or so. Because I think it's really interesting with Colbert. Yeah, well, Colbert's gone. Remember, like, when you did Fallon and you, like, sat in his chair?

[David]

Yeah.

[Natalie]

And that was so cool and such a cool moment. You even said, like, I want to be a late night host, blah, blah, blah, blah. I just thought. I didn't know if you had, like, an interesting take on all that. I think it's cool.

[David]

I think it's as interesting as, like, I don't think I'm gonna say anything that people already don't know. But, like, I don't think late night is what it used to be. Obviously, that's just because it's just. There's just so many mediums that consume things. Like, I think our new late night people is Jake Shane. I think it's Alex Cooper. I think it's. I don't know what the other people are, but I think it's. I think there's just so many niches and I think there's so many. Like, I don't think it's Jimmy. I think he's still great. But, like, even when, even, even eight years ago when late night was a thing, like, I didn't love it for the interviews, I always said this. I said late night's important because it's like, you need the mothership and that's CBS or abc. And that gives you your credibility. You need that. But where people actually consume it is on YouTube.

[Natalie]

Right?

[David]

It's been like that for a while.

[Natalie]

Yeah.

[David]

And now it's getting to the point where now the influencers are trying not influence. Now that influencers are starting to be seen as more of a useful tool for mainstream media. Now it's all leveling out now. You don't need the CBS's and the ABCs for that credibility. Now you just need three, four good episodes under your belt and people to take you seriously. That's all you need now. Now. Now I don't think, like, I don't think now I get a call from abc. Obviously I'd still jump on it. Fuck yeah. I want to be behind that desk.

[Natalie]

It's just like a dream.

[David]

But like, I don't think. I think I am the last, maybe the last age group that aspires to be behind Jimmy Fallon's chair.

[Natalie]

Right.

[David]

Like, I think everybody else wants to now be Jake. Shane wants to be called. You know. You know what I mean? They want to be the call her daddy girl. Like, that's what they want to be now. I think. I think I'm the last person to want to be on ABC News Channel.

[Natalie]

It's so weird. It's so interesting though because like, those guys are so talented.

[David]

Yeah, they are.

[Natalie]

Like, Colbert is like. He is a really talented guy, like, comedically and I mean, they're writing and he did it all. He came through Second City.

[David]

They're all so good. Fallon, but like, Fallon, but I don't know, I think we're gonna get hit with like another wave of people that are like, that are more than just. I don't know, it's so tough.

[Natalie]

It's almost like, like, it's so.

[David]

Because it's like you don't get like, you don't. It's. It's almost not like, Like Jimmy Fallon is like a Swiss army knife.

[Natalie]

Yes. He could do so much.

[David]

Yeah. Like, he could sing, he's funny. He could. He can make the guests feel warm. He can make fun of you. He can build you up. Like, he's so good at it.

[Natalie]

He's quick.

[David]

And I. And it's. That's not even from like him doing it for so many years. He's just like naturally talented. Like, yeah, that's. And you. You almost don't need that as much in today's world. I remember seeing him because there's so many niches.

[Natalie]

I remember seeing him around New York. When he got snl, he used to drink with my friends and he. He had just such, like, a magnetism to him. It's insane.

[David]

Yeah, yeah.

[Natalie]

He just had this, like. He. He would. He just. I don't know. People were just so drawn to him. It was.

[David]

Did I tell you, when I was in New York, I was in New York, like, a year and a half ago.

[Natalie]

Yeah. For.

[David]

Fuck. What was it? I don't feel like a job premiere. Yeah. And we are at dinner and a couple tables over there. When we walked in, they were all standing. It was. It was Fallon. Do you remember who was it? It was Fallon, Colbert, Trevor Noah, and. Fuck.

[Natalie]

Seth Meyers.

[David]

Seth Meyers, yeah. It was like. And there was one more. It was like all.

[Natalie]

They were all getting together.

[David]

They were all having dinner.

[Natalie]

Wow.

[David]

Yeah. I remember I went to go pee and I was like, come on, I gotta get some of. I gotta get somebody here. I was really excited because I was like. I was. I really wanted, like, Fallon. I was gonna approach the table, but it's like, I hope Fallon's here.

[Natalie]

Yeah.

[David]

Or Trevor Noah. Like, I've got to talk to those guys. They're really sweet.

[Natalie]

Yeah. Those guys, you know.

[David]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I don't know where I met Trevor Noah.

[Naveen]

I think can.

[David]

No, no, no. I've known it for, like a. Oh, I remember when we built our podcast set, he asked me to connect him with the builders because he was building his own podcast set. Yeah, but. But, yeah, but, yeah. So I was, like, really excited. I'm gonna go pee. I know someone's gonna be peeing. There's five of them. Someone's gotta be peeing. At the exact same time Colbert was. We're on the same schedule.

[Natalie]

What'd you say?

[David]

Nothing. Nothing.

[Natalie]

Nice penis.

[David]

No, we just literally just walked in. He was walking out when I was walking in. That was, like, a really cool. Like in New York, the five guys getting together. Yeah.

[Natalie]

Yeah.

[David]

And my dream job as a kid. All five of them. Them hold the dream job. And there's not many of them in the world. And here are five out of the ten.

[Natalie]

Yeah.

[David]

That are sitting at this dinner, Mount Rushmore. All right, guys, that's all the time we have for today's podcast. Thank you, guys, for listening. Thank you for Michael from the Beverly Hills Hotel for joining us. Please go buy Czar's book. Natalie, thank you for joining us. You're a legend.

[Natalie]

Thank you.

[David]

We have Alex in the room with us the entire podcast. You don't know this, but he was listening, so thank you for joining us, Alex, for listening. That was amazing.

[Natalie]

We should have charged him. He got a live pot pod.

[David]

We. I'm still gonna charge.

[Natalie]

Okay, good, good.

[David]

Yeah, I'll get 20 bucks out of it.

[Natalie]

You want to do the meet and greet now?

[David]

Yeah, let's take pictures. Don't get me sick, though. All right, Jason. Thank you. Thank you, Dave, hosting this podcast also. Do you still do that pod?

[Natalie]

Yes.

[David]

Oh, we'll see you later. All right, Bye.

[Natalie]

Bye.