We Might Be Drunk – Episode: "Derrick Stroup & Gary Vider"
Date: April 13, 2026
Hosts: Mark Normand & Sam Morril
Guests: Derrick Stroup & Gary Vider

Episode Overview

This episode brings together NYC comedians Mark Normand and Sam Morril with guests Derrick Stroup and Gary Vider for a lively, whiskey-laced hangout. The crew riffs on the realities of comedy careers, reflect on the perils of road life, share wild border crossing stories, dig into the process of writing new material, and toss around their signature “peeves.” Derrick’s new Netflix special “Nostalgic” is a centerpiece, and the comics get candid about the hard resets after filming a special, staying clean onstage, the culture of comedy, and what makes a city good for stand-up.

Main Discussion Points & Insights

1. Derrick Stroup’s Netflix Special & Southern Roots

Timestamps: 00:12 – 12:11

• Derrick’s Special “Nostalgic”:
  • Shot in Birmingham, AL at The Lyric Theater (00:44).
  • Derrick jokes about getting knocked off Netflix’s trending list by "Bridgerton".
  • The crew reflects on Birmingham and Alabama as interesting, often overlooked, comedy cities.
• Derrick’s Start in Comedy:
  • Began as a bar manager in Jacksonville, AL, ranting onstage while slinging pitchers for $1.
  • “Nobody talks publicly without a song. Nobody’s on stage, you know, with a microphone giving thoughts or takes.” – Derrick (05:13)
  • Ran the bar, did impromptu sets, but never imagined a professional path in stand-up (05:49).
• DUIs & Life Choices:
  • Derrick got two DUIs in rapid succession, which pushed him into comedy more seriously (06:02 – 10:45).
  • Jokes about "maybe don’t start comedy till you’ve drunk-driven twice" (06:12).
  • Reflections on Alabama vs. big city police and judiciary differences.

2. Comedy On The Road & Border Stories

Timestamps: 10:57 – 15:41

• International Travel Complications:
  • Derrick shares near misses with border agents due to his DUIs (11:15).
  • Canadian border security’s reputation for strictness, sometimes even over a marijuana seed (12:16).
• Gary’s Coke Smuggling Story:
  • Gary admits to foolishly bringing coke over the border in his college days: “In my pocket.” (13:32)
  • Talks about nerves and luck at the border and a separate near-siege incident caused by inattentive driving (15:25).
• Mark’s Drug Stash Scheme Gone Awry:
  • Mark tried hiding his drugs on the US side during a Canada trip, only to be double-crossed by an opener who stole them all (14:18).

3. The Post-Special Doldrums & Joke Writing Process

Timestamps: 16:34 – 21:48

• The Struggle to Refill Material:
  • Derrick and the hosts discuss how vulnerable it feels after releasing a special, starting from scratch on new jokes.
  • “Sometimes when you’re up on stage, you feel like an unarmed man.” – Derrick (16:50)
  • Using old material to give new bits “a running start” and combating “ego” that wants to retire old jokes instantly.
  • The audience dynamic: polling the crowd on whether they watched the special affects performer confidence and set selection (17:42).
• Stand-up vs. Other Performance Arts:
  • Comedians can’t play old bits like musicians, nor borrow others’ material to rally a flailing crowd (19:19).
  • Acknowledgement of the mental inventory of old bits, the process of bringing back and reworking premises, and actor/comedian differences in presenting new work.
  • Derrick notes that his Alabama accent was a minor obstacle, then became a tool as he learned how to use it for comedic effect in places like New York (21:31).

4. The "Peeves" Segment – Modern Day Grievances

Timestamps: 22:29 – 34:09

• Recurring Bit: Each comic shares their current everyday frustrations.
  • The “Ask Then Tell” Trap (25:17): Sam’s peeve—when people ask for your availability without explaining why.
  • "Double-shaming" Friends (26:22): Mark gripes about friends who respond to confession of a screw-up with, “Yeah, you can’t do that.”
  • Restaurant Chips Injustice (27:39): Gary’s ire at being sold guac with no chips, and charged extra to fix it.
  • Airport Food Chains (29:56): Derrick’s take that airports should be dominated by chain restaurants—local artisanal joints exploit captive travelers and aren’t worth the upcharge.
  • Sweatpants & Hands (33:13): Mark observes the trend of men shoving hands into waistband (not pockets) in public.
• Standout Quote:
  • “Just give me the check, and I’ll tip you and I’ll pay you, but please don’t make me watch you…” – Derrick on airport restaurants (31:44)

5. Best By Dates & Clean vs. Dirty Comedy

Timestamps: 38:25 – 44:59

• Best By vs. Expiration Dates:
  • Sam and Mark riff on misleading language on food packages (“Best By” vs “Expires”), the anxiety of “wet ham,” and relying on smell tests (39:20).
• Derrick Discusses Going Clean:
  • Shifted to clean comedy for career and business reasons, on management’s advice; doesn’t like the box of being labeled "clean," but sees it as strategic (41:39).
  • “You don’t write dark or dirty, you just are vulgar in how you say [it]... so we just took [swear words] out.” – Derrick (42:00)
  • Mark assures: “We love Regan and Gaffigan and Seinfeld and Nate and all that... The most famous ones to ever live.” (42:31)

6. Parenting & Memories of Childhood Food

Timestamps: 44:27 – 68:43

• Derrick and Mark on Fatherhood:
  • Derrick welcomes his six-month-old son, Seth, born in Manhattan; Mark reflects on the joys (and exhaustion) of new parenthood (44:27 – 45:38).
  • Mark looks forward to his son being a Knicks fan by birthright.
• Snacks, Food, and Generational Perspective:
  • Extended riff on “Uncrustables,” PB&J affinity, the generational divide on lunch/snack culture (63:08).
  • “Baby Derek would be like, I dreamed of an uncrustable world. And now look what we’ve got.” – Derrick (63:49)
  • Kids today don’t “earn” their snacks the way the comics felt they did.
  • Discussion on parental food choices: minimizing processed foods, balancing healthiness with convenience, and childhood deprivations (65:52 – 68:43).

7. Cities & the Culture of Stand-Up

Timestamps: 69:03 – 73:41

• Comedy City Rankings:
  • What makes a good comedy city (Birmingham, Huntsville, New Orleans, Nashville, Miami, Vegas, Cleveland, etc.)
  • "Comedy thrives in a dark, depressing basement.” – Mark (72:54)
  • Miami and other entertainment-centric cities are “tough for comedy” because there’s always something more glamorous competing for attention (72:02)
  • Unique demographics discussed, e.g., Huntsville’s high engineer/rocket scientist population but zero local press for homegrown comedy.
• Clubs & Road Gigs:
  • Shoutout to traveling the “comedy club circuit,” what cities support the craft, and standouts like Hilarities in Cleveland.

8. Bits in Progress & Meta Discussion

Timestamps: 57:01 – 62:45

• Bits in Progress:
  • Sam: Mad Men disclaimers about blackface vs. rape; notes on when warnings are deemed necessary (57:01).
  • Mark: Method actors doing “research” vs. contrast with porn actors not needing to “train” as pizza guys first (59:19).
  • Derrick: Trying to start running as a big guy—the comedy and discomfort of it all (61:15).
  • Open exchange of tags and suggested directions for jokes, showcasing an insider’s look into joke development.

9. Notable Quotes

• “Sometimes when you’re up on stage, you feel like an unarmed man.”
  – Derrick Stroup (16:50), on set vulnerability post-special.

• “We don’t get to play the hits when we come back. We don’t get to go out there, you know... [people] don’t get mad if you do one [old bit].”
  – Sam Morril & Derrick (19:19)

• “Comedy thrives in a dark, depressing basement.”
  – Mark Normand (72:54)

• “Baby Derek would be like, I dreamed of an uncrustable world. And now look what we’ve got.”
  – Derrick Stroup (63:49)

Important Timestamps

• Derrick’s Netflix Special Start: 00:12 – 00:48
• Entering Comedy via Alabama Bars: 04:11 – 06:10
• Life-changing DUIs: 08:17 – 10:24
• Canada Border Crossings: 10:57 – 15:41
• Writing New Material After a Special: 16:34 – 21:48
• Peeves Section Begins: 22:29
• Hands in Sweatpants at Airports: 33:13 – 34:09
• Clean vs. Dirty Comedy: 41:39 – 44:27
• Parenting, Snacks, and the Uncrustables Debate: 63:02 – 68:43
• Comedy Cities & Club Life: 69:03 – 73:41
• Upcoming Dates Plugs: 73:42 – end

Memorable Moments

• Gary’s Coke Confession: Gary shares, deadpan, “I actually brought coke over the border before. In my pocket.” (13:30)
• “Best Buy” vs. “Expiration Date” Riff: Extended absurdity on whether “wet ham” is edible and how dates function on food packs (39:20).
• Uncrustables Generational Divide: “Baby Derek would be like, I dreamed of an uncrustable world.” (63:49)
• Meta Joke Writing: Comics actively build on each other’s half-baked premises in real time.

Final Thoughts

• Derrick’s special “Nostalgic” is out on Netflix.
• The comics underscore the neverending grind and self-doubt that comes with churning out new material post-special—and the community’s dark humor about everything from food to failed gigs.
• The “peeves” segment delivers pitch-perfect modern gripes, proving that for comics, the little things are always the funniest.

Watch Derrick’s special, catch Mark and Sam’s Netflix releases, see Gary’s YouTube hour—and support live stand-up.