The Funny Guy Trap (w/ Wayne Brady)

Summary

Why Won't You Date Me? with Nicole Byer

Episode: The Funny Guy Trap (w/ Wayne Brady)
Release Date: April 4, 2025
Guest: Wayne Brady – actor, comedian, singer, improv legend

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Episode Overview

Nicole Byer welcomes the multi-talented Wayne Brady to unpack the realities of dating while being “the funny guy.” They share candid stories about relationships, public personas versus private personalities, the pressures of fame, co-parenting as friends, and the role of performance in both dating and self-discovery. The conversation flows from laugh-out-loud anecdotes about being "trapped" by expectations to more vulnerable admissions about introversion, parenting, race, and the serendipity of career detours.

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Key Topics & Insights

1. The Perils of Being “The Funny Guy” in Dating

• Wayne on Dating Expectations: Wayne discusses how people expect him to always be the outgoing, funny persona they see on TV:

  “I've actually had that conversation. And then I've also been told, 'You know, you're not as much fun as you are on TV.' I go, no. 'Cause that's my job. Well, your job is to make me happy.' Like, oh, well, then I quit.”
  (07:48) — Wayne Brady

• The challenge of managing public expectations versus private needs:

  “When I meet someone you try to date, I kind of have to put the Wayne Brady character on to even meet them...and then later, I'm like, 'Oh, fuck this. Here comes the mask.'”
  (09:25) — Wayne Brady

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2. Nicole and Wayne Get Real: Authenticity in Relationships

• Nicole on Being Herself: Nicole owns her bold personality:

  “I'm a lot, and I come on strong. I wear my heart on my sleeve. I'll tell you all of my feelings.”
  (11:36) — Nicole Byer

• They reflect on the importance of accepting your partner’s quirks, not trying to change them:

  “You should be free to be you. You don't need me or anybody policing you, because I don't want that.”
  (15:05) — Wayne Brady

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3. Navigating Fame & the Apps

• Wayne’s App Ambivalence: Wayne admits he’s never used dating apps, partly out of laziness and partly because of mixed feelings about dating people "in the industry" or outside of it:

  “It's been cool until they do the thing of, 'Oh, you're on TV...do something to make me laugh.'...I've also been told, 'You're not as much fun as you are on TV.'”
  (07:24) — Wayne Brady

• Nicole jokes about her own app experience and being waitlisted on Raya for two years.

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4. Parenting & the Evolution of Criteria

• Fatherhood Across Decades: Wayne shares the joys and challenges of parenting a 22-year-old and a 2-year-old:

  “I'm definitely a different person at my age now than I was at 30 when Miley was born. So chasing around a two-year-old...I can keep up but I don't want to.”
  (18:41) — Wayne Brady

• Parenting and busy schedules redefine relationship criteria and force more self-reflection.

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5. Friendship After Romance & Co-Parenting

• Wayne’s Co-Parenting Success: He explains the journey from marriage to best friends with his ex-wife Mandy:

  “We reached a point where after we had our child, we were not meant to be together...but there was always love. And then we said, no matter what, we're going to be family.”
  (23:01) — Wayne Brady

• Emphasizes therapy, growth, and the importance of putting their child first—a rare, healthy take on co-parenting after divorce.

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6. Falling in Love with Performance & Musical Theater

• Origin Story: Wayne recounts overcoming a childhood stutter and shyness through musical theater:

  “I had a really bad stutter, so that made me not want to communicate...it wasn't until I was 16...my life changed. I was in the theater class...I got one of the leads in Oklahoma. And I did end up being Sandy’s boyfriend. But the best part...I went, oh, I guess I can do this.”
  (26:06; 28:44) — Wayne Brady

• Both Nicole and Wayne geek out over their shared love for musical theater, swapping memories of school shows and roles.

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7. The “Kinky Boots” Experience

• On Dancing in Heels: Wayne shares “the pain and the power” of playing Lola:

  “After the first day of rehearsal...I called my agent, I said, 'Kevin, I don't think I can do this.' ...Luckily, I stuck it through. But kudos to women.”
  (38:24) — Wayne Brady

• The surprising empowerment of femininity in performance:

  “I've never felt like more of a man than when I was in those heels and I'm in a dress and wig...I felt super powerful.”
  (39:22) — Wayne Brady

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8. Gender, Masculinity & Social Norms

• The evolution of gender norms; why men should don heels, wigs, or a man-purse without fear.

  “Men, in the days of yore, men had purses...Men, royalty wore high heels...Men wore wigs...We wore things to adorn ourselves...”
  (40:21) — Wayne Brady

• The harmful policing of gender norms in dating and friendship.

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9. Race & Early Lessons on Navigating the World

• Race & Relationships: Wayne recounts his first girlfriend, Sandy, and her racist father, which forced “very early lessons” about negotiating race and relationships in Florida.

  “Sandy was my first kiss. Whose father was incredibly racist...it's always cool when somebody's parent is like, 'Come on over,' but as soon as you express some interest...then they're like, 'Not in my house.'”
  (46:11; 47:19) — Wayne Brady

• Nicole on Race and Identity: Nicole shares her parents' decision to name her “Nicole” so “on paper, my name looks white.”
  (48:11) — Nicole Byer

• Discussion of "Make America Great Again" and Black generational experience.

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10. Career Detours: Disney, Universal, and the Magic of Being Fired

• The Disney Firing Story: Wayne hilariously tells how he was fired from Disney for a supposed Tigger tail infraction in “the most Florida story ever.”

  • “That story is the equivalent of the police captain about to retire: 'I'll cover you just this one time. What could happen?' And then I get shot. That’s what happened to me.”
    (54:37) — Wayne Brady

• How Getting Fired Opened Doors: That firing led to work at Universal, further honing his improv and performance skills—serendipitous turns Nicole relates to her own experience with getting fired from Lane Bryant:

  “I love a story that, like...you could have been like, well, I guess that's it for me...But then it was like, no, there's another theme park here. I will work at the...there are multiple theme parks.”
  (64:05) — Nicole Byer

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Quirky Love:

  “I like when you say things like that. It's nice to know how your brain works.”
  (14:28) — Nicole’s boyfriend (as recalled by Nicole)

• On Dating App Fatigue:

  “I'm too lazy to make the profile. First off, let's start there.”
  (05:19) — Wayne Brady

• On Gender Policing:

  “Why did you have that word primed?” (in response to racism in online gaming)
  (33:54) — Wayne Brady

• On Self-Love (RuPaul wisdom):

  “How the hell you gonna love somebody else if you don't love yourself?”
  (67:22) — Wayne Brady

• Nicole’s Classic Question:

  “Would you date me?”
  (68:10) — Nicole Byer
  Wayne: “Yes. Hell yeah.”
  (68:14)

• On “Lame Giant” and Retail Jobs:

  “I wrote ‘Lame Giant’ in the payee...they sent it back with a letter saying, ‘That’s not funny.’”
  (66:00) — Nicole Byer

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Public Persona vs. Real Self, Dating as “The Funny Guy”: 03:25–11:06
• Authenticity in Relationships & Being Yourself: 11:20–16:31
• Parenting, Evolving Relationship Criteria: 18:12–20:54
• Co-Parenting with an Ex & Therapy: 21:06–24:10
• Overcoming Shyness with Performance, Theater Stories: 25:55–32:23
• Kinky Boots and Masculinity, Women’s Labor Power: 35:29–39:41
• Gender, Fashion, and Dating Norms: 40:21–43:10
• Race, First Love, and Navigating Racism: 43:24–48:00
• Disney Firing Story & Finding a New Path: 51:23–64:05
• Advice for Singles & Wrap-up: 67:22–68:27

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Closing Thoughts & Takeaways

• Dating as a public figure comes with unique challenges—managing assumptions and boundaries is tough.
• Authenticity and self-acceptance are crucial; performative relationships inevitably collapse.
• Sometimes setbacks (like getting fired) are necessary course corrections toward greater self-fulfillment.
• Healthy co-parenting and friendship after love require humility, therapy, and mutual commitment.
• Gender norms and expectations hurt everybody; true confidence (even in heels!) comes from embracing the full range of self-expression.
• Self-love is the foundation for all healthy relationships. The right person will prefer the real you, quirks and all.

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Guest & Host Plugs

• Wayne Brady:
  • Listen to his new Headgum podcast, What If, an improvised show with surprise twists and musical moments.
  • Catch Wayne and Jonathan Mangum on “Let’s Make a Deal,” “Whose Line Is It Anyway?,” and live improv shows (“Making Shit Up”).
• Nicole Byer:
  • Subscribe to the podcast, rate and review!
  • Watch Nicole in Newcomers (with Lauren Lapkus) and her many other shows.
  • Submit your best (or worst) dirty messages for a chance to be read on the podcast.

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Summary by: Podcast Summaries AI

Transcript

[Nicole Byer]

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[Wayne Brady]

Price and participation may vary.

[Nicole Byer]

This is a headgum podcast. Hello everybody. Nicole Byer here. Before we get started, guess what? This podcast is now on Tick Tock Go. Follow us right now at why won't you date me Pod where we're posting some of the most fun clips of the show. And don't forget, we're still posting full length video podcast episodes every week on our YouTube channel. Plus all new video episodes now have chapter markers so you can easily jump to your favorite segments like the crazy stories, the dating advice, dirty messages or or my review of Joker 2 Return to Joker Mountain. You can even join the conversation directly in the comments section. Find the YouTube link in this episode description and make sure to subscribe. Tap that bell icon and never miss an update. Okay, now onto the show. Hit that theme music that I sing myself. Why won't you date me? Why won't you date me? Why won't you. Why won't you date me? Please tell me why. Oh, baby. Welcome to another episode of why Won't yout Date Me? A podcast where me, Nicole Byer, was trying to figure out why I was so single. Even though you could come on my nightstand and say, that's a sleeping pill. My guest today is a legendary actor, comedian, singer and improviser. And you know him from Whose Line Is It Anyway? Let's Make a Deal and the Wayne Brady Show. He is the host of a brand new podcast called what if out now on Headgum. I'm so excited that he's here today. It's Wayne Brady. Yeah.

[Wayne Brady]

Man, I hope those sound effects translated at home.

[Nicole Byer]

They did. And people listening, they got so excited. Wayne, I'm sure you've been asked this 1000 times, but I don't know the answer. And I'm gonna ask again. Does Wayne Brady have to choke a bitch? Has that haunted your life, you know.

[Wayne Brady]

For a time, for a few years, it was all the time. And it's a double edged sword, like anything, right, that you. How cool to be to have something tied to you. But then again you're like, sometimes you're like, eh, we can stop that now especially.

[Nicole Byer]

We can stop.

[Wayne Brady]

I'm in the bathroom.

[Nicole Byer]

I just wanna pee and go.

[Wayne Brady]

Yeah, I just wanna pee and go. And yeah. And if you are going to quote something, which I'm glad that that's the only thing that I've really had tied to me where someone has a catchphrase, say it right. Oh, oh, yeah. Like if someone's like, hey, Wayne. Hey Wayne. Hey man, does Wayne Brady have to strangle somebody? I was like, well now you just made it more violent than the.

[Nicole Byer]

What a fun time it was.

[Wayne Brady]

Right?

[Nicole Byer]

Dwayne Brady gotta kill a nice woman at night trying to jog.

[Wayne Brady]

Yeah. She was like, I don't wanna do that. She was just trying to enjoy her little jog and be fit. Don't turn me into a murderer. So. Yes, but how cool to be tied to something. That sketch is in the TV and Radio Museum, like the Library of Congress as one of the best TV moments.

[Nicole Byer]

I mean it is in history. Very funny.

[Wayne Brady]

That's ridiculous.

[Nicole Byer]

It's very funny.

[Wayne Brady]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. It was very funny.

[Nicole Byer]

So, Wayne, I do want to ask, are you single? Are you married? Are you dating?

[Wayne Brady]

I'm going to be coy. I'm single.

[Nicole Byer]

And I know that you're not on the apps yet.

[Wayne Brady]

I'm not on the apps yet.

[Nicole Byer]

Do you wish to get on them?

[Wayne Brady]

I'm playing with it. I'm playing with it. I think I have this fantasy of where I go on the apps, but I'm too lazy to make the profile. First off, let's start there.

[Nicole Byer]

Okay.

[Wayne Brady]

I'm a very industrious person.

[Nicole Byer]

Okay.

[Wayne Brady]

My folks are from the US Virgin Islands. So, you know, if you know any island people in your life. We are an industrious people. Except when it comes to things like social media or paperwork, I can't be bothered. So for me to actually on a app put down, I'm imagining the work that it would take. Now, I've never seen it, so maybe it's not as much work as.

[Nicole Byer]

I think it isn't that much work. It's just you answer some prompts on some apps. Some apps. It's just like, about me. And you're like, I like to do X, Y and Z. And then you just like, get. And then you upload pictures and then you get to swiping.

[Wayne Brady]

When you were on my show, we talked about me going on the apps.

[Nicole Byer]

Yes.

[Wayne Brady]

And you recommended Raya.

[Nicole Byer]

Yes.

[Wayne Brady]

Which is the. I guess it's the industry.

[Nicole Byer]

One famous person. One. The. Like, I did a thing one time. One. But it did. I don't think you'll get wait listed. I was waitlisted for. I think it was two years. Mars. I don't remember how long it was. I think so. Yeah. Yeah, it was like two years. But I don't think you'll get wait listed.

[Wayne Brady]

I think, you know, I think that someone. Not me, but someone from my camp as we reached out and started the process, and I believe maybe I've got access. I could be completely wrong, but I'm gonna follow up and see. Okay, but here's the thing. I kind of feel if I wanted to date an actor again because I've dated actors and peers.

[Nicole Byer]

Yes.

[Wayne Brady]

Folks that I've done stuff with and I've dated people who aren't. And maybe you've discovered this in your Life. The catch 22 is you date someone who knows what you do because, oh, they get me. But then there are inherent problems. And then you date someone who isn't. And then either they don't get it or the thing that I've run into in the past is because you have a level of notoriety or name recognition, that person comes built in with assumptions of what it is that you do. And my thing has been meeting someone who. It's been cool until they do the thing of, oh, you're on tv and you're like, oh, wow, she doesn't have any preconceived notions in him. And then later, like, I was playing, yes, I love all your shit. And I like, when do something to make me laugh, I go, oh. And I've actually had that conversation. And then I've also been told, you know, you're not as much fun as you are on tv. I go, no. Cause that's my job. Well, your job is to make me happy. Like, oh, well, then I quit. Ooh.

[Nicole Byer]

I resign. I put in weeks, but I'm leaving today.

[Wayne Brady]

Yes.

[Nicole Byer]

Ooh, that's tough. I've never. I don't think I've had anyone say that I was less fun than I was. I've had people be like, oh, you. There doesn't seem to be a distinction, because I'll do dumb shit, like, put my dog in my pants and be like, look, it's a new Baby Bjorn. And they're like, okay. Sometimes they're like, you're weirder than I thought you were gonna be.

[Wayne Brady]

I love that. Yeah. See, but you're. Your weird is endearing weird. And so I think that that would be wonderful. I think it's a shock, and I get it. I completely own up to the fact that I am two completely different people off camera, because I just know that about myself. Yeah, Wayne and Ha ha ha. But then off camera, I'm pretty. I'm not gonna say I hide in the corner and don't turn on the light.

[Nicole Byer]

You're just in the dark being like, I'm way.

[Wayne Brady]

Leave me alone, my precious. But I do like quiet. I do. And that's, you know, and that's just my own thing. The way that I've always been since I was a kid. For me, comedy and acting and being extroverted in that way. Even music, that was my outlet of being able to express myself or to get that little thing. And then I get to be Wayne over here, which is why I always wanted to play characters. So that's why it's weird when you become known for, oh, that's Wayne Brady from the Thing. And Wayne Brady's a character, too. So when I meet someone you try to date, I kind of have to put the Wayne Brady character on to even meet them and to interact. And then later, I'm like, oh, fuck this. Here comes the mask. And it's like, I'm gonna sit and read my book now.

[Nicole Byer]

That does seem exhausting. And I do get it. And I was once dating this guy. This was a while ago. And I, like, come home from. I was working a Job. We were shooting something, and I came home, and he was like, how was your day? And I was telling him, and I was like, I'm sorry, this is, like, not interesting. And he's like, you. You're not here to entertain me. And I was like, ah. And then that just, like, really kind of flipped a little space.

[Wayne Brady]

You said that to you?

[Nicole Byer]

Yes. And I was like, crazy as hell. It was. Until it wasn't. It got bad, and I stayed.

[Wayne Brady]

Ooh. You kept riding the trolley.

[Nicole Byer]

I said, let's see where the train's gonna crash. And then, much like in the Fugitive jumped out.

[Wayne Brady]

Not even. That's very telling when somebody's on the ship. You're like, this is gonna crash. Not.

[Nicole Byer]

This is bad. No. I've seen relationships where I've dated multiple people where I was like, oh, this person hates me or doesn't like my little quirks. I'm a late person. I'm always late. And I've dated people who are like. Who just, like, say snide things when I'd show up, like, 10 minutes late.

[Wayne Brady]

Oh, wow, you're here.

[Nicole Byer]

Yeah, yeah. I'd be like, yeah, I am here. And they're like, well, I waited. I waited. I waited a long time. And I'm like, you only waited 10 minutes. I'm sorry. I also told you I was running late. So. So it's one of those things where I am. See, we have the opposite thing. I'm a lot, and I come on strong. I wear my heart on my sleeve. I'll tell you all of my feelings. And a lot of people I've dated are like, ah. I don't want that. I don't want someone who feels as much as you, who's as loud as you. I just don't want it. So.

[Wayne Brady]

See, that's the weird thing about dating, right? And I also guess it depends on which section of your life you're in the 20s, 30s, 40s, and on, like, how all that works out. Because when I hear you say that, you wear your hart on your sleeve. And even just in knowing you, the couple times that we've met, I feel that if you were the person that I'm. That I know what I'm getting. If I. So. And maybe you might be different. Maybe you then shut off and you're quiet at home. But if you're like this all the time, I've met that person. So why should I be surprised that you're that person? So two months in, why am I yelling at you? I don't understand when people don't accept.

[Nicole Byer]

You, I don't get it either, but I think it might have to do with, like. I think when people are with you, they're like, why aren't you Wayne Brady all the time? Why? And then when people are with me, they're like, why aren't. Why don't you turn off sometimes? Like, why aren't you. Why don't I get to see the real Nicole where I'm like, this is it. This is the real Nicole.

[Wayne Brady]

And they should listen to you. That if you tell. And isn't that that thing, the thing that they say in relationships, that if someone tells you who they are, listen. So if you tell somebody, hey, this is me, that person should get the memo.

[Nicole Byer]

Yes, they should. I once said to my boyfriend, I was like, I'm really anxious in relationships. And he looked at me and he said, yes, I know. And I was like, oh, I thought I was being a little mysterious, and I simply wasn't.

[Wayne Brady]

Now that's the person that you're with now?

[Nicole Byer]

Yeah.

[Wayne Brady]

And how long have you dated?

[Nicole Byer]

It's been a minute. It's been over six months. And that's good. Yeah, it's going well. And he's one of those people who. He accepts me for me. Like, once we were in the car and I had just gotten. I leased another Jeep, and we were driving, and I was like, ugh, I just can't listen to Sirius xm because I'll get used to it. And then I'll be mad when my free package goes away. And that's how they rope you in. And then I was just driving along, and then he goes, I like when you say things like that. It's nice to know how your brain works.

[Wayne Brady]

Awesome. That makes me so happy to hear that you would have that, because we all deserve that.

[Nicole Byer]

Yes.

[Wayne Brady]

That thing that somebody that gets what it is versus. Oh, I really wish you wouldn't say that, because I've been that guy in a relationship. Not like in that way of trying to shit on somebody, but I know that I've been in a relationship with somebody where at some point I didn't like what was coming across.

[Nicole Byer]

Yes.

[Wayne Brady]

And I had to be honest because I didn't like me not liking them, if that makes sense. Because you should be free. You should be free to be you. You don't need me or anybody policing you, because I don't want that.

[Nicole Byer]

Yeah. And I don't think there's anything wrong with saying to your partner, hey, please don't scream in my ear. Scream all you want. Just turn your mouth that way or whatever. Cause sometimes I do scream right in his ear and he'll be like, hey. And I'm like, sorry, yes, I scream that way now.

[Wayne Brady]

But there's a difference between him disliking you screaming in his ear and you screaming in general. Yes, that if he was just like, whether it's in my ear or whether it's over there. Will you please stop? That's a problem.

[Nicole Byer]

That is a problem. Cause that means you fundamentally don't like me as a person.

[Wayne Brady]

Right.

[Nicole Byer]

And I think in dating we tend to just be like, whether the person's like famous or whatever, it's like, I guess I'll just try to change them so they become this person that I want. And that's not okay. No, I've tried. I've had people try to change me. I've tried to change people just by being like, hey, I looked this up. Why don't you do that? You were talking about it. I did the work for you, you know. Here, you could try this. Like, you want to go to the gym? I found a gym that like fits your criteria. It's in walking. And it's like, nobody wants that. Like, they want to do things on their own. They just want to partnership.

[Wayne Brady]

Say they want something like that. But. But at the end of the day. No.

[Nicole Byer]

Yeah.

[Wayne Brady]

No.

[Nicole Byer]

Real quick. We have to take a break.

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[Wayne Brady]

Price and participation may vary.

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[Nicole Byer]

You have children, right?

[Wayne Brady]

I have two. I have two kids. One is my daughter Miley who is 22 and she's amazing, beautifully talented, writer, singer, dancer, blah blah blah. And I have a two year old.

[Nicole Byer]

A two year old?

[Wayne Brady]

A two year old named Val.

[Nicole Byer]

You started right over.

[Wayne Brady]

I did.

[Nicole Byer]

What's that like having a 20? You said 22.

[Wayne Brady]

A 22 year old and then a 2 year old.

[Nicole Byer]

That's wild.

[Wayne Brady]

It is, it is, it is a different, it's different energy. I'm definitely a different person at my age now than I was at 30 when Miley was born. So chasing around after a two year old, you know, I can keep up but I don't want to.

[Nicole Byer]

You get over there, then you'll come back eventually.

[Wayne Brady]

It's like, oh look, daddy's chasing you.

[Nicole Byer]

Run, run, run, run, run away. I'm gonna rest my eyes.

[Wayne Brady]

Oh Lord, Daddy's resting now. That is resting. It's interesting, but I love being a father. So even in dating, it's even in dating now I'm not. Because my criteria has changed.

[Nicole Byer]

What is your criteria?

[Wayne Brady]

I don't even know exactly anymore. That's even the thing. And I don't even really know if I want to date.

[Nicole Byer]

Okay.

[Wayne Brady]

I kind of feel that maybe I need to be open to it. I am single. And then you end up having the talks with yourself where you're like, oh, I'm getting older and I don't know if anybody wants me and I'll just sit here in my rocking chair and be alone and isolate and play Xbox in my box of shorts. And you the. But I like playing an Xbox in my box of shorts. I like being in. So I don't know. I'm trying to be open to it because I'm trying to be more open to life and love and all that good stuff. So I think my criteria now would be somebody who like we way were talking, somebody who accepts my life. They'd have to be open to knowing that my Schedule is what it is. I happen to be very lucky that I'm very busy. They have to be open to the fact that when I'm not busy, I need time for myself. They have to be open that I have a very, very tightly knit family that they can see on my show that's on Hulu called Wayne Brady, the Family Remix, the reality show about my family. My ex wife, Mandy, is my best friend. Her partner Jason is like my brother. They've got a kid named Sunny.

[Nicole Byer]

How did that. Was it a natural evolution from being romantic partners to then being like, you are my best friend? And was it an amicable breakup? Was it the two of you being like, yeah, this just isn't working?

[Wayne Brady]

Kind of the whole thing. We. We met and we were always. We were fast friends and we moved out to LA together. We had a goal. So when you meet someone and the two of you just vibe on the creative thing of we're gonna move to LA to do this together. When we moved out, she was a. She wanted to dance and she became a professional dancer and model. And I wanted to act and I was auditioning and acting and singing, dancing, the whole nine. And so we came out as a unified front. And then that became more romantic and we fell in love. And then we reached a point where after we had our child, we were not meant to be together. And talk about the train. I never pictured being on a train that was going to go off the bridges and explode. And I didn't know how to get off that train because I had it drilled into my head, if you get married and this is it. And especially around the time that I started to take off a little bit, everyone was like, oh, Wayne's got a perfect relationship and da, da, da. And I didn't want to fail. I didn't want to fail. And I think we get trapped in relationships or we may trap other people sometimes.

[Nicole Byer]

Yes.

[Wayne Brady]

Because if I let you go, then I fail.

[Nicole Byer]

Then I failed. Yeah.

[Wayne Brady]

And I'm bad. And all the little and all the things. This is coming from years of therapy. All of those things that you may hear as a child or that you take in. I didn't want to fail. So if I would have actually used better sense and been more empathic and loving, I probably should have tried to get a divorce earlier. Rather than write it out, stay in this.

[Nicole Byer]

Stick it out.

[Wayne Brady]

Stick it out with me. And make your life miserable. And make me miserable so I make your life more miserable. And we got a kid. And so after we sorted that out, there was always love. And then we said, no matter what, we're going to be family because we're gonna do this. As opposed to some people say, let's be friends or let's stick this out for the child. We said, we're gonna do this because we need to keep our relationship and she will prosper if we are on the same page and. And shout out to Mandy. She is the reason that we stayed friends. She did a lot of the grunt work and put up with me and a lot of me needing a lot of therapy and to talk things out and to try to develop and really mature and grow up and do a lot of the parenting work that I didn't have as a kid. I needed to parent myself and change, changed the way that I did, did things and. And it paid off. We. We are still a team.

[Nicole Byer]

I love that. I think that's really great because I feel like sometimes people end relationships and they're like, I fucking hate that person. And it's like. But there was love there at one point, and especially if you have to co parent. But, like, just in general, I never want to break up with somebody and then be like, I wish them ill will. Like, I always want to be like, I loved you. I wish you the best. But, like, this didn't work out. So I like to hear that, like, you know, that worked out for you guys. So you were telling me before we started recording that you started musical theater to get the chicks, to get the.

[Wayne Brady]

Booty, you know, to get the hotties. What was that? What was that saying? What was that saying? What was this, Mona? Yeah, I.

[Nicole Byer]

When did you start musical theater and you had a stutter and then on stage it went away?

[Wayne Brady]

Yeah, yeah, I. And this is where that other Wayne that's offstage. I've always been an introverted little kid. I was always very shy and leery of things and didn't want to engage. I knew that I was very different or I felt that I was very different from a lot of the kids in my neighborhood and the things that I wanted or I liked and. And my folks, like I said, were from the Virgin Islands and raised me, so they had very strong accents. So I had this accent when I was a kid, and I think because of anxiety, I had a really bad stutter, so that made me not want to communicate even more. So, yeah, when you open your mouth and you try to say something and it gets laughed at and you try to do something, you get laughed at or you have to fight. And I was in constant Fights all the time. Because in my household, I couldn't. It's like when you beat her ass, if she hits you. So I had to go back outside and fight if this kid.

[Nicole Byer]

Like, I was told to beat her ass.

[Wayne Brady]

I was told to fight you. I'm not gonna. So always fighting.

[Nicole Byer]

And just.

[Wayne Brady]

So I always had all this, like, tension. Tension. I always had that. So it wasn't until. And I knew that I could sing and dance and act because I would do it in my room. And I had this tape recorder that my dad got me. And I would read books. I read everything. And I would do all the voices. So I'd record myself doing voices, singing songs. But I kept it to myself until.

[Nicole Byer]

I would also do that. And when I played it, I'd be like, so I can't sing. Like, it was like. I would sing and I'd be like, I'm killing it. And then listen back and be like, well, that's not. That's not me.

[Wayne Brady]

That's truly discernment.

[Nicole Byer]

Truly.

[Wayne Brady]

You're like, oh, no, that's not good.

[Nicole Byer]

Sorry. So you knew you could sing and you could dance.

[Wayne Brady]

But I kept it to myself for a long time. And it wasn't until I was, like, 16, I had to take a speech and debate to fulfill one of the art requirements. And I was in rotc. And even being in ROTC was cool for me because a. It helped me have something in common with my dad. Cause my dad was in the army, and he was like, the epitome of GI Joe. And I wanted to try to fit in with him. And in my mind, it wasn't a uniform, it's a costume. I'm on stage, and I love the marching. I used to love. This sounds so funny. I would march, like, lift, lift. Righty, lift. I was like, oh, shit, look at me march. Look at me march. My hands are swinging. My hands are swinging.

[Nicole Byer]

So funny. That's exactly how I would be if I had to wear, like, army fatigues. I'd be like, yes, yes. You can't see me.

[Wayne Brady]

You are playing a role. I used to sing in my head. Like, the soundtrack is where March was like, marching, marching. So I loved that. And. But then I really wanted to be in theater, and I got thrown into this class, and my life changed. It was like one of those after school special moments. I was like, I'm in the theater class. And then I met this girl Sandy, who They were having auditions for Oklahoma. And I thought that Sandy was so nice and so pretty and da, da, da. But she was the star of the chorus, and she sang. I said, oh, I've got to get in that show. And I was asked, do you sing? I'd never sung a lick in front of anybody. And went, yes, because my grandmother had all these records and she used to play west side Story. So I sang Maria, and I got one of the leads in Oklahoma. And I did end up being Sandy's boyfriend. But the best part of the thing was I went, oh, I guess I can do this.

[Nicole Byer]

I love when people stumble into a passion. It's so fun. Also, very Billy Ellen of you to just, like, be in your room dancing and singing. I got into this Instagram hole where I was watching this woman. She was wearing laduca shoes. It's a dance shoe.

[Wayne Brady]

Yes, of course. I love laducas. Yeah.

[Nicole Byer]

And she was talking about her limited edition laducas. And then I was like, well, let me look at the rest of her page. And then she does, like. I guess she calls it Broadway jazz dancing. And she's like, it's a dying art form. And I was like, it is. And I was like, how do we get this to the masses? How do we get people to put on laducas and do Fosse?

[Wayne Brady]

She's like, yes.

[Nicole Byer]

I mean, if I had any sort of rhythm, I would take a Broadway jazz class. I love musical theater. I cannot sing, I cannot dance, but I can be an ornery old lady who's like, hey, what's up with those kids today? Which is what I did in Bye Bye Birdie.

[Wayne Brady]

That's the other musical that I was in in high school.

[Nicole Byer]

Oh, really? Were you Conrad Birdie?

[Wayne Brady]

No, it was Albert Peterson.

[Nicole Byer]

Oh, okay.

[Wayne Brady]

Who were you?

[Nicole Byer]

I was just in the chorus.

[Wayne Brady]

You're one of the parents.

[Nicole Byer]

You're one of the parents.

[Wayne Brady]

What's the matter with kids today?

[Nicole Byer]

Okay, so there is a tape that is in my house of me and Godspell, where I sing. I sang Turn Back, O man, and I'm 17 years old. I have a red feather. Have I talked about this? No. I have a red feather boa. I sat on somebody's dad's lap and leaned back and sang, Turn back, oh, man, Forswear thy foolish. And then was, like, shaking my fucking.

[Wayne Brady]

Little titties on this dad.

[Nicole Byer]

On this dad. And people loved it.

[Wayne Brady]

And A star is born, ladies and gentlemen.

[Nicole Byer]

And I never sang publicly again.

[Wayne Brady]

Well, you went out on top. That's how you have to look at it. You went out on top.

[Nicole Byer]

Oh, God, I have such a special place in my heart. For Gods. Have you ever been in Godspell?

[Wayne Brady]

No. I've seen it a couple times, day by day. In fact, the last time that I saw Godspell, that cast was amazing. It was the Broadway cast where I'm gonna butcher her name, so instead I'll say the show that she's from. And you know who I'm talking about. Orange is the New Black.

[Nicole Byer]

Yes.

[Wayne Brady]

Crazy Eyes.

[Nicole Byer]

Yes. A dubo.

[Wayne Brady]

A dubo.

[Nicole Byer]

A Dubois. I don't. I'm not sure about her last name.

[Wayne Brady]

Her.

[Nicole Byer]

Yes, she.

[Wayne Brady]

That was the. I saw her in the cast. And my buddy Telly, who I ended up doing Rent with at the Hollywood bowl, who played angel and a bunch of other stars, but she was.

[Nicole Byer]

Were you Collins in Rent? Live in my house. I tried learning that song.

[Wayne Brady]

I love that song.

[Nicole Byer]

I tried so hard to learn that song. I love it. It's so good.

[Wayne Brady]

So you like the reprise or you like the first one?

[Nicole Byer]

Oh, the reprise. Come on. The reprise is so bone chilling. And every time I've ever seen it live, I weep. Openly weep. Oh, it's the thing. It's great.

[Wayne Brady]

It's the thing. And see, even the way that when you talk about musical theater, you're watching something. That's why. That's that spark. Which is why I think I told you once that I feel like I have no game, so I would just let my talent be my game. So that's why it was easier for me to meet somebody if I was in a show.

[Nicole Byer]

Yes.

[Wayne Brady]

So I didn't have to do a lot of the socially awkward.

[Nicole Byer]

The show does the heavyweight talking for talking.

[Wayne Brady]

Someone's like, hi, I'm Wayne. I like video games. Have you played video games?

[Nicole Byer]

Wait, what's your favorite video game?

[Wayne Brady]

Right now, on my Oculus, I'm in VR.

[Nicole Byer]

Mars just gasps.

[Wayne Brady]

Did I hear a gasp of the Oculus?

[Nicole Byer]

She does beat Saber.

[Wayne Brady]

I love Beat Saber.

[Nicole Byer]

Beat Saber's great.

[Wayne Brady]

We should play Beat Saber together.

[Nicole Byer]

I'd love to bring it into the studio sometimes that.

[Wayne Brady]

Because you can play with your friends on online.

[Nicole Byer]

I'm not a video game connoisseur.

[Wayne Brady]

Oh, my gosh.

[Nicole Byer]

I've only played Aladdin, Sonic, and Donkey Kong.

[Wayne Brady]

Oh, you. Those are the old school games.

[Nicole Byer]

When I was a kid, I would play.

[Wayne Brady]

See, I like playing the things now. Like, I like VR or I'm playing Call of Duty Black, Black Ops 6, the zombie mode. I play Fortnite. But I've stopped playing some of those multiplayer games because I realized that at my age, a, I don't need to be angry with some little kid in Iowa who decides to break out the N word.

[Nicole Byer]

That's wild to me.

[Wayne Brady]

I went on a kill streak.

[Nicole Byer]

It's wild. But people are like, that's where I'm gonna say it on a video game where we're all having a nice time.

[Wayne Brady]

And that's the. The fact that that's the word that goes boop. It's like slots. It just goes into a little slot. It's like, why did you have that primed?

[Nicole Byer]

I don't. It's interesting. America's a really interesting place.

[Wayne Brady]

And sometimes the excuse is, well, I didn't even know that that person was black. I just said, it's like, why did you have that word primed?

[Nicole Byer]

Why did you say it? Why isn't it in the chamber?

[Wayne Brady]

Why isn't the chamber?

[Nicole Byer]

It's because of internalized racism that our country refuses to acknowledge. And on that note, we have to.

[Wayne Brady]

Take a break after these messages. We'll be right back.

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[Wayne Brady]

Price and participation may vary.

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[Nicole Byer]

What is one of your favorite musical theater parts that you've gotten to play?

[Wayne Brady]

Without a doubt, Lola in Kinky Boots.

[Nicole Byer]

Kinky Boots. Kinky Boots is such a fun, vibrant show. It is. Did you do your own makeup? Like, do you.

[Wayne Brady]

Oh, no, no, no.

[Nicole Byer]

You did it on Broadway. Right.

[Wayne Brady]

And. And here. But. But I replaced. I was the second one. I replaced Billy Porter. So I got to, like, it was still a fresh role. They let you now I could do my own makeup. Ish. Yeah, but they hire amazing makeup artists to be able to achieve a very specific look and. Yeah, and what's weird is, like, doing kinky boots. Talk about letting the talent do the work. Yeah, they were. Oh, my God. It's a strenuous show even doing that show, though. I'm, you know, I'm six foot in heels. I'm six four, singing and dancing on stage in a British accent, doing all this stuff. So many DMs in my inbox. Women just like, I just saw you on stage as Lola. I'm gonna get you off them tights. Take off that wig. Let me snatch that wig off, bitch me. Get that red dress off. It was like, oh, no. That was.

[Nicole Byer]

That's so funny. But also very indicative of, like, a woman being like, this man makes me feel so safe. I don't care what the fuck he's wearing. I'm gonna rip it off.

[Wayne Brady]

Ooh.

[Nicole Byer]

I'm gonna have my way.

[Wayne Brady]

You'll have my way with that. Safe, man.

[Nicole Byer]

What was it like learning how to dance in heels?

[Wayne Brady]

It was amazing. It gave me so much respect, which I already had. Respect for female performers and for women at large. In terms of when, like you were saying, you know, when you dated someone, they're like, you're late. Look, the amount of work that women feel sometimes that they have to put in for the male gaze and to be ready for us to go out on a cute little date, and you want to put on your heels. Oh, I've got these great little Louis Vuittons and my little red bottoms. And put. Good for you. Be a little late sometimes. Learning to walk. Not even dance. Learning to walk. And even the baby heels, it's a different set of muscles from having to arch because I've got a flat foot. Thanks, dad. My arch was all messed up. My heels were always engaged. My thighs, I. My it bands were going, what the fuck are you doing? Everything. It hurt. In fact, it hurt so much, after the first day of rehearsal, I flew to New York. I knew all the music, and I'm rehearsing, and then they go, oh, you're such a quick study. Because they taught me the first number. Land of Lola. I learned to dance. Killing it. Great. Let's put on the rehearsal heels and try it. Okay, let's try. We rehearsed for four Hours.

[Nicole Byer]

Oh, my God.

[Wayne Brady]

I went back to my hotel room, took my feet off, and my feet were like this just pulsing, just pulsing. You could see it. And I picked up the phone and I called my agent. I said, hey, Kevin, I don't think I can do this. And it really hurts me because I love this show, but I think I have to go home.

[Nicole Byer]

I think I have to go home. Not only can I not do the show, I have to leave the state.

[Wayne Brady]

I think I have to leave the state.

[Nicole Byer]

I gotta go.

[Wayne Brady]

I have to get on a plane to go back to my place of residence. And I've never done that. But I honestly couldn't see past the pain at this moment. I was like, how? You tell me how I'm gonna do this? And luckily, ice and I stuck it through. But kudos to women. Kudos to Beyonce. Close to Beyonce. Sexy enough. Splits.

[Nicole Byer]

Wild, Wild. Whenever I see shit like that, I wish. I wish I had that. But again, I don't have the rhythm.

[Wayne Brady]

But it's nuts, because in those heels. And I've always said this in interviews, I've never felt like more of a man than when I was in those heels and I'm in a dress and wig, the whole thing, but powerful instead of. I felt super powerful, very empowered. It was really cool.

[Nicole Byer]

I think men should don a wig and heels and then just, like, feel pretty.

[Wayne Brady]

Well, here's the thing. Did you know, Nicole, that it's so funny how the masculinity. Everybody's like, guys won't even carry. Wait, wait, where's mine? Like, guys won't even carry, you know, like, a bag like this, they call it a man.

[Nicole Byer]

You know, immerse a merse.

[Wayne Brady]

A man bag. You get to pull all this. Man. It's a man. This is a. This is. Yes, it's a satchel, but it's a purse. Men, men, in the days of yore, men had purses. Yes, there were bags. That just was the literal word for it. Purses.

[Nicole Byer]

Yes.

[Wayne Brady]

Men, royalty wore high heels to keep them. They wore wigs out of the shit that. That lined the streets of Paris and London. Men wore the high heels and women, because that was a sign of. I didn't have to walk in all the offal in all the shit. Men wore wigs. We wore things to adorn ourselves at some point.

[Nicole Byer]

Yeah. I don't know when the transition happened where it was like, wild, wild west. I don't know, like, looking in the 80s, men in short shorts and crop tops, and I'm like, why did that.

[Wayne Brady]

Leave George Michael and all these dudes dancing.

[Nicole Byer]

Why I wish we allowed men or gave men the room to experiment with style. Or like also just carrying a bag, a purse. You could put all your things in it and then your pockets are free.

[Wayne Brady]

And then you don't have that ugly ass wallet bulge.

[Nicole Byer]

Yes.

[Wayne Brady]

That's the thing is the conflation of masculinity and, and what you wear and how you talk and you not being able to dress a certain way or if I say a certain word. Pause, pause. Cause that's the. All of that is so harmful. And that's why sometimes bringing it right back around to dating and everything that I'm trying. When you meet people, it's sometimes hard to have even those first date conversations because people have such weird ideas of masculinity that people will say wild things to each other.

[Nicole Byer]

Yes.

[Wayne Brady]

And that's weird. So now you even have to watch out who you talk to because you don't know if they'll have some wild views on sexuality or on life or. Oh, my God, I'm so glad because that's so gay.

[Nicole Byer]

Oh, no.

[Wayne Brady]

I can't be your friend. You hate the people I like. Oh, no.

[Nicole Byer]

There was this tweet that killed me. It was just like, fellas, is it gay to sit next to your friend in a movie theater? And I was like. And it was like a full earnest tweet. And they're like, well, if there's nobody else in the theater, you gotta leave a seat between you and your friend. I was like, what is happening? What is happening?

[Wayne Brady]

The only way that that question has any merit is if it is a gay movie theater in the late 80s in Santa Monica called the Donkey Hut, then the answer is yes, it's gay.

[Nicole Byer]

That's pretty gay.

[Wayne Brady]

That's really gay. Not if it's a Cinemark. No.

[Nicole Byer]

I also think, like, sexuality is just so fluid. I refuse to label myself. I also, I don't use the queer label because I feel like I usually talk about dating men. So I'm like, I don't want to take up space there, but I'm like, I would date a woman. I dated trans. I date any old person because I would never close the door to love. And I think parts.

[Wayne Brady]

Not parts.

[Nicole Byer]

Yes. Hearts not parts. I've never heard that before.

[Wayne Brady]

It's not part.

[Nicole Byer]

Have you heard that before? That's great. That's new. That's new to us. Somebody in the comments is gonna be like, that's not new. And I'm like, chill out.

[Wayne Brady]

It's been around since 1873, when Ezekiah Brown first fell in love.

[Nicole Byer]

So wait, you're the. You're the son of immigrants and did they ever put pressure on you to date?

[Wayne Brady]

No. In fact, in a household like mine, which is dangerous, I think it's a lot of pressure. Black households. We didn't talk about sex. So what you don't talk about, you find out about in the streets. And you can't trust. If you're 10, you can't trust a 12 year old to tell you the ins and outs of sex. No, that shouldn't happen. So we didn't talk about sex. We didn't talk about dating. The only thing is, I remember my. My grandmother. Don't you bring no girl in this house and have a baby. That was it.

[Nicole Byer]

That's it. Those are little. Okay, so I can't bring this bitch home and I can't put a baby in her. Don't even know how.

[Wayne Brady]

No, dude.

[Nicole Byer]

Joke's on you, granny.

[Wayne Brady]

Ha ha. I'm putting it in every hole and maybe I'll get lucky. That's. Yeah.

[Nicole Byer]

I mean, yeah, my mom, she did an okay job, but my grandpa recently said to me, he was like, wow, guess the family name dies here. And I was like, okay, okay, you don't have to put it like that.

[Wayne Brady]

Was it said, was that. I'm joking?

[Nicole Byer]

No, no, it was pretty serious. And it was like, yeah, none of. He was looking at my. My aunt, my uncle, and he was like, none of y' all are going to have a baby. So the family name dies here. And I was like, okay, Grandpa, you don't have to be so upset about it. You could just chill out. Also, it's okay if our family name dies. There's a bunch of buyers in Barbados. They can carry it on for us.

[Wayne Brady]

That is hilarious.

[Nicole Byer]

We don't know what they're doing over there.

[Wayne Brady]

That's where your folks are from?

[Nicole Byer]

That's where. My dad's side of the family is from Barbados.

[Wayne Brady]

Oh, okay.

[Nicole Byer]

Yes. Island people love that.

[Wayne Brady]

See, I knew I liked you. I knew I liked you.

[Nicole Byer]

And I went back, I took my grandpa there a couple years ago, and I was like, why haven't you brought me here? It's so beautiful. Barbados is so beautiful. And I was like, maybe I'll find a man here. And then I did, and I had to come back here.

[Wayne Brady]

Wait, you did find a man there?

[Nicole Byer]

No, no, I had to come back to the States to find one.

[Wayne Brady]

Well, that was meant. It was meant.

[Nicole Byer]

It was meant to be. Do you remember your first kiss or your first girlfriend?

[Wayne Brady]

Yes.

[Nicole Byer]

How old were you when you had your first kiss?

[Wayne Brady]

Trying to remember if my. Did I have a kiss or was it the puppy love thing? Oh, yeah, my first kiss. I think my first kiss was with Sandy. I think my first kiss was with Sandy in junior year.

[Nicole Byer]

I also love that your first girlfriend is Sandy that you met in musical theater just because of Grease.

[Wayne Brady]

Sandy. Hey, Sandy. Yeah. Sandy was my first kiss. Whose father was incredibly racist.

[Nicole Byer]

Oh, no.

[Wayne Brady]

Because. Yes. Yeah. Sandy was white and I'd had a girlfriend. You know, like when you're young, you like, I'm going with or whatnot. So I'd gone with people, but I'd never had a kiss. So I think I really never had the first kiss until high school. Yeah. And her dad was racist.

[Nicole Byer]

Did he say things to you?

[Wayne Brady]

Oh, he said many things to me.

[Nicole Byer]

Yikes.

[Wayne Brady]

But yeah, like at one point. It's cool. And all this is prefaced by saying I was raised in Orlando, Florida. So I was raised in Florida. So, yeah, let that be what it is.

[Nicole Byer]

Florida's tough.

[Wayne Brady]

So it's always cool when somebody likes. When a parent of somebody, whether they're a friend or whatever, is like, oh, great kid, come on over. Da, da, da. But then as soon as you express some interest or something happens, then they're like, not in my house. Not you.

[Nicole Byer]

And it's like, wait, I thought you liked me. You made me dinner. You said I could stay for dinner. What, you don't like me?

[Wayne Brady]

Yeah. It taught me a lot very early about negotiating people in life and race and relationships and all that stuff, which is tough.

[Nicole Byer]

But I feel like black people have to learn that much earlier than our white counterparts.

[Wayne Brady]

Absolutely. Which it's not even a. I don't even think it's a bad thing at this point. I think knowledge is knowledge.

[Nicole Byer]

Yes.

[Wayne Brady]

So learn. It's like, oh, that happened. So that means that that's an issue. So I have to navigate the world like this. Bingo. Got you. Thank you for teaching me.

[Nicole Byer]

Yeah. And it is always interesting to me when people are like, oh, it's always about race. And I'm like, kind of. From a very early age, my race has been a thing I've known.

[Wayne Brady]

There you go. Playing the race card.

[Nicole Byer]

Yeah. And it's like, my name is literally Nicole. Cause it's a white sounding name. On paper, my name looks white. And that was a strategy that my parents had, which is unhinged if you really think about it.

[Wayne Brady]

Oh, yeah.

[Nicole Byer]

But before I was born, my race was A thing I had to think about or my parents thought about, that.

[Wayne Brady]

Is a part of who we are. And that's why it's so funny that when those conversations do come up and someone says, oh, it's always about, why does it have to be about race? Why can't we all just, well, yes, Pollyanna, that would be ideal if we didn't. But on the flip side, I think the conversation is also, you know what? It's not bad that race enters the conversation sometimes because race is so wrapped up in cultures. Like, I love being black. And if black conversations happen, we can have a black conversation. Someone can have a Latin conversation, an Asian conversation. The difference is, don't hate me because of the black conversation. Or treat me differently because of it. That's the thing. Or tell me who I can and cannot love, which it damn sure seems that we're getting pretty close to in this frigging time machine that we're in right now. It is the way back that we've been strapped into.

[Nicole Byer]

Not to bring politics into it, but the whole make America great again. Just hear me out. How come it's not make America better? Like, why go back that part? Why not go forward? Why look back?

[Wayne Brady]

Make America great again.

[Nicole Byer]

Make it better. Make it better than it's been.

[Wayne Brady]

Which I know a lot of people we have touched. Touched on this and said the same thing. It's. Maybe I missed something, but within my span of life, life's been cool. And thank God, like I always tell my daughter, I said, miley, you know how lucky. Because I was born in 72. Just outside of that, we weren't allowed to be in the same schools as somebody just outside of that. If you don't even loving dating, talking to somebody of another race, not that it was frowned upon, that shit would get you killed just outside of that. So I get that my generation, we are the luckiest that to be born there and to be raised here and to reap the benefits of, hey, we're on tv or we can be successful, whatnot. But still, to answer that question, I don't know about great again, I think that it was great to certain people who. Who may have had certain advantages over other people. So, yeah, let's make it better where there are no advantages, where we're all doing our thing.

[Nicole Byer]

Yeah, we all start at zero. But that doesn't happen. Like, I have aunts who are still alive who can tell me stories about segregated movie theaters where they would spit on the people who were allowed to sit in the orchestra or whatever while they were in the balcony. And I'm like, that's wild to say. Make it great again when they have memories of that. Anyway, off of that, you said you grew up in Florida.

[Wayne Brady]

Yeah.

[Nicole Byer]

And you worked at Universal or you worked at Disney?

[Wayne Brady]

Both.

[Nicole Byer]

Oh. Who did you play at Disney?

[Wayne Brady]

At Disney. My very first job, which I put those marching skills into play. My very first job at Disney, I was a toy soldier in the sparkling Christmas spectacular. So I was a marching, and I was like, I'm a pop. I'm a pow. I'll see all that shit. And then I was Goofy, and I was Tigger. And I did that because my whole aim was I wanted to be a kid of the kingdom, which are the singer dancers?

[Nicole Byer]

Oh, a face.

[Wayne Brady]

Yes. Well, not a face character, actually. One of the singer dancers called a kid of the kingdom. I didn't know if we had them out here at Disneyland, but they were on the main stage and they danced beautifully and did all the choreography and they sang. I was like, I want to be one of those singers, so I've got to get into Disney somehow. So I got in being a character, and that was my whole thing is I was like, I am going to be a singer at Disney. That's what I'm going to do.

[Nicole Byer]

Did you do it?

[Wayne Brady]

Almost. Because I was fired.

[Nicole Byer]

Why were you fired?

[Wayne Brady]

Quick story. I auditioned for one of my dreams was to be the lead singer in a show called Rap and Roll. There was one male singer, and the rest of them were characters. But when I saw it, I was like, that's my show. That's my shit. I can do this. I auditioned for it. I got it. I was so excited. I told everybody, I'm leaving the character department. I'm gonna train into the show. Blah, blah, blah, blah. That was like on a. Let's call it a Wednesday. Friday was my last shift as a character, but Saturday, a buddy of mine named Chris. And yeah, I'm gonna say who he is. I've told this story. Chris Judd. Now, if you know who Chris Judd is, Chris Judd is an amazing choreographer, dancer, but some people may know him. He is one of the ex husbands of Jennifer Lopez. Jennifer Lopez.

[Nicole Byer]

Oh, I know.

[Wayne Brady]

So we were best buddies. Like when I worked at Disney for two years. Chris Judd was my best friend. He still is one of the most amazing guys. I don't get a chance to talk to him, but that was my dude. And I don't even. I've never even spoken to Chris really about this. One day I've got To talk to him, because I've so Chris, handsome, handsome, handsome ass dude. Especially at the time he had his hair and da, da, da. Chris got hired as a character, but he was never really feeling the character thing. So he got called in to do a character shift. Wayne, can you do me a favor? I really don't want to do this character shift. Blah, blah, blah, blah. Chris had been dancing at this point. He learned to dance and big things were going to happen for him. He really didn't want to go and do the character thing. I wanted to pick up an extra shift with some money. I was like, sure, I'll go in and do your shift for you. What are you doing? They've got me scheduled. I'm doing Pluto. Well, I don't do Pluto, but I'll see if they need a Goofy hut. Yeah, man, I got you. I'll do do this for you. It's the last thing that I'm gonna do because on Monday I start a rehearsal for rap and Roll. This story is the equivalent of if I would have been on the police force. And I'm going, oh, man, I've been a AEA police captain for 45 years. I'm hanging up the shield on Friday. Hey, Sarge, do you mind covering me on Friday? You know, myself and Miranda, we are scheduled to go to Cabo San Lucas. We haven't had a vacation together in 25 years. All right, youngblood, I'll cover you just this one time. What can happen? And then I get shot.

[Nicole Byer]

Oh, no.

[Wayne Brady]

That's what happened to me.

[Nicole Byer]

You got shot at Disney.

[Wayne Brady]

I got shot at Disney. I show up, I'm Goofy. No, I'm Tigger. You're Tigger? I'm doing my Tigger set. I'll never forget it. I'm in front of the bank. Hey, shaking kids hands, doing the whole thing. Blah, blah, blah. The clock is ticking. I'm looking up stuff. Almost finished. Last show, last shift. Before I go do rap and roll. Oh, shit. A lady comes to the front of the line with her little cat. She looks very important. She's like, places her kid in front. Now, as we all know, characters don't talk. That's the magic.

[Nicole Byer]

Yes.

[Wayne Brady]

So this lady, there's a line, she puts little Timmy in front. I was like, oh. So me, I using the improv skills that I've honed at Disney, I'm communicating to her. It's Tigger. Look at this line. Bell kick.

[Nicole Byer]

Uh huh.

[Wayne Brady]

She's like, no ticker. You was. And I'm like. And I'M counting. I'm like.

[Nicole Byer]

Uh huh.

[Wayne Brady]

She puts Timmy in front. And so now I'm like shaking the big. So picture all this movement as Tigger, big old head just like, mm, mm.

[Nicole Byer]

Mm, mm, mm, mm.

[Wayne Brady]

She's like, tigger. And she grabs Tigger and pulls him a little closer. And like. Cause people get handsy with characters. She goes, tigger, I am, I am very. And now I'm gonna paraphrase what she said. Like, tigger, I think you need to see my son. We are in a rush. You do not know. I am very important here. I. Blah, blah, blah. I was like, I go to move her and you will find it. And then she just goes off on me and says some, like, some shit about you will find out. Yeah, we'll deal with you. So I look to whoever, you know that they're called, character leads. The person that's responsible for handling. So this lady's. And I look over, I'm like, so you gotta move this person. Now also, keep in mind, I am 19. I'm 19 at this point.

[Nicole Byer]

Okay.

[Wayne Brady]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm like, no, no, yeah, yeah. I'm 18, turning 19. So she's yelling at, yelling at a child. This adult is yelling at this teenage kid.

[Nicole Byer]

This woman, this adult woman is yelling.

[Wayne Brady]

At Tigger, is yelling at Tigger. Woman, you are yelling, you're yelling at Tigger. So then I turned my back to. Oh, that's the thing that really got her. She's blah, blah, blah, blah. I turn my back to her, her child decides Tigger's tail is a piece. At that time it was a belt, like a military belt wrapped around your midsection connected to a piece of PVC pipe. Pvc, it's. It looks soft. That shit is pvc?

[Nicole Byer]

Yes.

[Wayne Brady]

Kid grabs onto the, to the back and decides to pull my tail. I grab the tail. I'm like. So I grabbed the tail and I let it go.

[Nicole Byer]

Uh huh. Ow.

[Wayne Brady]

I did not hit the kid.

[Nicole Byer]

Uh huh.

[Wayne Brady]

I was not intending to hit the child. He pulled the tail back. I grabbed the tail so that it wouldn't hit someone else. And I can't see.

[Nicole Byer]

Yes. You're wearing a huge dress.

[Wayne Brady]

All I can see is this.

[Nicole Byer]

Uh huh.

[Wayne Brady]

So all this happened over here when I turn. So I grab my tail and I turn and I feel, uh. But I don't know what happened. So I, I turn my back to her. That's the part you will see. You blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, girl, I'm Tigger. And, and what's happening Monday? I'M in. Rap and roll.

[Nicole Byer]

Uh huh.

[Wayne Brady]

I finished the character set. Wayne, you've been called to the character supervisor's office.

[Nicole Byer]

Uh huh.

[Wayne Brady]

Why? They must wanna commend me. They must wanna commend me on how.

[Nicole Byer]

On how I handled that.

[Wayne Brady]

Yes. Amazing. Because I am in my mind now. I gotta tell you, I was one of the best. I will wear that shit today. I was one of the best characters that Disney had seen up to that point. I was animated. I would break dance. I did the. I killed it. So I was like, oh, surely. Are they giving me an award?

[Nicole Byer]

Are they gonna commend me?

[Wayne Brady]

Are they gonna commend me?

[Nicole Byer]

I didn't know that. Am I Walt Disney?

[Wayne Brady]

Am I the next one is this like Willy Wonka? And they're giving me.

[Nicole Byer]

Am I Wayne Disney?

[Wayne Brady]

Am I Wayne Disney? All of a sudden, no commendation for me. It turns out she was a supervisor, a character supervisor who. She brought her son into the park. She wanted Tigger to. Oh, and I did this to her too. Cause she claimed. Because when she was. I was like, mm, mm. I did this. And I pointed out, I was like, these people.

[Nicole Byer]

Yeah. Have been waiting.

[Wayne Brady]

Have been waiting in line. No, you have to go back. No, sorry.

[Nicole Byer]

She should have whispered to you, I am the character supervisor. Or said something to the handler.

[Wayne Brady]

And even if she did. Here's the thing. And this was. Even if she would have gone, I. My last name is Disney. You need to let me in front.

[Nicole Byer]

No, these people have been waiting.

[Wayne Brady]

No, it's Florida. It is frigging 2000 degrees.

[Nicole Byer]

Did they have fans in the little costumes or were you just dying?

[Wayne Brady]

I think in the newer models in the generation since I've been there back in the day, no fans.

[Nicole Byer]

Oh my God.

[Wayne Brady]

So if I'm hot, I'm. These kids are hot. I loved doing that job so much. I loved. I always had this big ass smile on my face and the kids. So I'm being berated by another supervisor. Do you know what you just did? Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. She brought her son. So now you are being written up and we're going to do an investigation because of your insubordination. Oh, no, no, wait. I'm sorry. At first it was like a parent. Do you know that a parent came and they said that you were looking at your watch. You told them to leave. You were rude. And then you turned around and you hit them with your tail on purpose. And you were, da, da, da, da, da. And so we're gonna do an investigation. I was like, no, that's not what happened at all. That's not what. Then I find out. Because at first I said, then I find out. And they were a supervisor. So I said, oh, the person works here.

[Nicole Byer]

Uh huh.

[Wayne Brady]

Yes. And you were rude to her child and you were rude to her and it was his birthday and you could have handled it differently. And all. I remember my little teenage ass as I'm being told that I was suspended. Which suspended at that point was code for now you're done, you're fired. Now you're fired.

[Nicole Byer]

Is that.

[Wayne Brady]

But.

[Nicole Byer]

Wait, they yelled at you while you were half in costume.

[Wayne Brady]

Okay, so I've still got the skin tight fur on. Do I get. Do I get to do rap and roll? That sentence? Do I still get to do rap and roll? No, no, you're suspended. Fucking Chris Judd. Chris Judd.

[Nicole Byer]

Chris Judd. I did it to you, Chris Judd. If you had not just. If you hadn't taken that shift.

[Wayne Brady]

If I hadn't taken that shift. But.

[Nicole Byer]

But it's a blessing in disguise. You could still be there right now.

[Wayne Brady]

Come on now. Jesus.

[Nicole Byer]

Not to be rude, not shitting on anybody who works at Disney, but you were destined to do something else.

[Wayne Brady]

But everybody's destiny is different. I see. I've got friends who. I grew up with them. They are still at Disney in managerial spots now and doing other things. They love that life. They have a home in celebration, beautiful home. And they have a life that wasn't for you. That wasn't for me. And so everything happened the way that it was supposed to. And I learned a lesson, you know, I learned a valuable lesson about how, you know, expectations and all these things. And so. Thanks, Chris. You know, and then because I got fired from that job, then I ended up getting hired at Universal Studios doing a bunch of. I was a Ghostbuster and I did the Beetlejuice rock and roll show. And I was a percussionist and I was a break dancer. I did all these things. I learned all these valuable skills doing theme park shows in theater that ended up giving me an improv mindset. And that's how I got on tv.

[Nicole Byer]

I love that. I love a story that, like. I mean, it could have gone a different way where you could have been like, well, I guess that's it for me. I don't perform anymore. Da da da da. That fucking bitch. But then it was like, no, there's another theme park here. I will work at the.

[Wayne Brady]

There are multiple theme parks. Shit. If I had to, I would go and be black Shamu. I'd put on a shamu outfit at SeaWorld.

[Nicole Byer]

Wow. Shamu is a man.

[Wayne Brady]

It's like, yeah.

[Nicole Byer]

Yeah, I am. God, Wayne, I love that. I really do love that story. I was let go from Lane Bryant, a fat woman's clothing store. And it was a huge blessing in disguise. It's a long story, but it was a blessing in disguise. Cause I was like, it was before I started doing improv. And I said, well, I am getting minimum wage, but I can pay my bills. And I keep taking other people's shifts. And then they would be like, don't come in tomorrow, Nicole. You're going into overtime. And guess what? I would go in tomorrow and get my overtime, but I was like, I'm gonna be a manager of Lane Bryant. And not shitting on anyone who's a manager of Lane Bryant. But I was not destined for that. That was not what I was supposed to do. But I had, like, become, like, a little complacent. I was like, oh, yeah, this is what I can do. I'm really good at counting out a register.

[Wayne Brady]

It's so funny how. And you're right. It isn't shitting on anybody that does that, because. But it's where you see yourself or your goals. Like my bar, at one point in my life, if only I could get that wrap and roll thing, then that would be. And then you end up going, well, if only I can be the manager, Lane Bryant. And then once you pull out a.

[Nicole Byer]

Little bit, you pull out, you're like, oh, maybe I could do something else.

[Wayne Brady]

And then the next thing you know, you're doing things that you didn't even dream for yourself. Which I love that. That's the part I love. It makes you continue to dream.

[Nicole Byer]

Yeah. And when I got fired from Lane Bryant, I had to pay off my Lane Bryant credit card. I know I've told this story, but I paid it off and I wrote Lame Giant in the payee was to Lame Giant. And then they sent it back, and they. So then I sent it back, and then they wrote a letter saying, that's not funny.

[Wayne Brady]

How petty. You've already fired.

[Nicole Byer]

You just take your check. This is Lame Giant. But maybe the bank was like, we can't take this. We can't take this very funny bit.

[Wayne Brady]

That makes me laugh so, so hard that even the bank. You knew who they were talking about. Just take the damn money. And you had to pay off Elaine Bryan credit card. You mean you bought stuff in the store?

[Nicole Byer]

Working retail is a scam for the. For the employees because they tell you, we want you to wear the clothing.

[Wayne Brady]

But you have to buy the clothes at the store.

[Nicole Byer]

But. And they'll give you a discount. But I was getting paid $7.50. None of my checks were ever going to clear for those clothes and my rent and my food and shit. So then I opened up Elaine Bryant credit card with the 22% APR that I was never going to fucking pay off with my minimum wage is a scam.

[Wayne Brady]

That is a scam. See, that's what Kanye was talking about when he said that he worked at the Gap. That's what he was talking about.

[Nicole Byer]

It is.

[Wayne Brady]

It's, well, you've done good. You've done good for yourself.

[Nicole Byer]

You've done good too. And we've come to the end. Do you have any advice for single people?

[Wayne Brady]

The advice that I could give right now is I'm gonna rip off and paraphrase RuPaul because it's the truth going on these apps, trying to find somebody, finding solace in somebody else. How the hell you gonna love somebody else if you don't love yourself?

[Nicole Byer]

Can I get an amen?

[Wayne Brady]

Amen.

[Nicole Byer]

And I'm gonna give you advice. Wayne, I think you need to be more upfront in your dating. I think second date in they should know that you need your alone time. Second date in they should know that you are an introvert. Second date in, they should know that, like, you are looking for love because you're such a marvelous, wonderful person. And I think if you want a partner, you deserve a partner. But also, if you want to take some time for yourself, you also deserve that too. You work so hard.

[Wayne Brady]

Thank you, ma'. Am.

[Nicole Byer]

You're welcome.

[Wayne Brady]

Thank you.

[Nicole Byer]

Also, Wayne, I ask all of my guests this. Would you date me?

[Wayne Brady]

Yes. Hell yeah.

[Nicole Byer]

Thank you.

[Wayne Brady]

Yes, ma'. Am.

[Nicole Byer]

The reason I ask is because I need validation.

[Wayne Brady]

And you have it. Ta da.

[Nicole Byer]

Well, if you like this episode of why won't you date me? You can like it, you can rate it, subscribe, you can give me five stars on Apple podcasts, and if you write me a dirty message to why won't you date me? Podcastmail.com A nasty message hitting on me. I will read it. Dear Nicole, it's always bothered me that all these imaginary guys in your intros constantly gaslighting you, but their cum is something it isn't. All of my intros are a man lying to me about what cum is.

[Wayne Brady]

That's why you did. I love that person. That. That's the fact that. Oh, that's brilliant.

[Nicole Byer]

So the first thing I'm gonna do is get you a lie detector to use on them. You'll never have to worry about something being cum again. After that's settled, I. I'm going to go right to Mr. Marvel himself and convince him to cast you a Storm in the next Avengers movie. You'll be so iconic that they'll contact the director of the Sonic movies to do Marvel's first crossover. Storm, Sonic and friends are going to go so fast and beating bad guys together, saving Vin Diesel from Eggman and Thanos. Now Vin Diesel's in here.

[Wayne Brady]

Why is Vin.

[Nicole Byer]

I don't know nothing about Fast and the Furious. To thank you, Vin Diesel and you as Storm have electrifying sex. See what I did here? Okay. All night long. Next day, Vin makes you a delicious breakfast before Sonic comes to pick you up. You and the Zonic crew zoom into the horizon. As the credits roll, you realize that even though you're all so fast, you have each other in the end. I hope this was a treat to read. It was. All of my favorite things were in here. I love Storm. I love Sonic. I love Vin Diesel.

[Wayne Brady]

Vin Diesel was a bonus. I didn't say it really was.

[Nicole Byer]

I. People constantly are like, nicole, I thought Vin Diesel died because I post his. I'll put his Instagram in my stories and I won't write anything. It'll just be a picture of Vin Diesel.

[Wayne Brady]

Have you had Vin Diesel as a guest?

[Nicole Byer]

No. I would. Oh, my God. I'm holding my hair in a weird way.

[Wayne Brady]

We have to make that happen.

[Nicole Byer]

I'm so excited.

[Wayne Brady]

Head gum.

[Nicole Byer]

Head gum.

[Wayne Brady]

Head gum.

[Nicole Byer]

Mr. Gum, please. Well, that's it. Bye bye. Do you want to ask Wayne what he'd like to promote? Ah, shit. It's as if I never do this podcast. I always forget something. I've been doing this for five years. Six. Oh, shit.

[Wayne Brady]

You didn't have to do that very successfully. I mean, you are the recipient of a silver winner award of the signals, which I didn't know. That's pretty cool.

[Nicole Byer]

That's not me.

[Wayne Brady]

Oh, that's not.

[Nicole Byer]

Wait a minute. That's not me. No, that's not me.

[Wayne Brady]

No, but your name's on it.

[Nicole Byer]

Is it?

[Wayne Brady]

Yeah. Co host Team Pop Culture newcomers.

[Nicole Byer]

Oh, that's for newcomers, me and Lauren Lapkis, where we watch movies that everyone has seen, but we have not. Did you know Star wars is a.

[Wayne Brady]

Lot is a lot of what?

[Nicole Byer]

It's a lot. A lot is happening. Each set of movies is a different genre of movie. The first three, the middle three are indies, and then the first three. The second three, they're very 2000s and then the back end is very now. And I'm like, this is a very convoluted movie viewing experience.

[Wayne Brady]

I'm a nerd. A dyed in the wool nerd. And I have never watched a full Star wars movie.

[Nicole Byer]

No.

[Wayne Brady]

I know all the lore, but I've tried. Oh, no. I've watched one.

[Nicole Byer]

Which one?

[Wayne Brady]

Not the first three. The first one of the. So what, there are like nine movies now or something? So the fourth one. So the second trilogy. Not anything with John Boyega. I'm talking about the second one. Like the second batch.

[Nicole Byer]

Oh, with Natalie Portman.

[Wayne Brady]

Yes.

[Nicole Byer]

And that man who wears a scooter. He rides a scooter. The death model.

[Wayne Brady]

Yes. So, like, when we thought that that was gonna be, it's like, oh, shit, this is gonna be. I sat through that. My buddy Dean. We woke up, we were at the movie theater at 7am because it was this whole thing. You're not getting tickets. I was so mad. I sat through almost three hours of this bullshit. I was like, is this your Star Wars?

[Nicole Byer]

Is this your king?

[Wayne Brady]

Is this your king?

[Nicole Byer]

Keep him, Boo. I did like, Darth Maul. He rides a scooter, and I find that very funny.

[Wayne Brady]

And Darth Maul is dope.

[Nicole Byer]

I like.

[Wayne Brady]

Hello. Jar Jar.

[Nicole Byer]

Yes. I looked at Mars. I was like, who is it?

[Wayne Brady]

Me. Za. That's actually one of the only characters I like. And he was the most melodic.

[Nicole Byer]

People hated Jar Jar Binks.

[Wayne Brady]

And you know the actor.

[Nicole Byer]

Yes. Ahmed Ahmed Best. Yes.

[Wayne Brady]

What an amazing, talented dude.

[Nicole Byer]

Such a good character.

[Wayne Brady]

Incredible actor, incredible musician and dancer. And his wife, she danced in my Vegas show and she's an amazing dancer and singer. He got the wrong end of the stick. He culturally got the wrong end of the stick. He was directed a certain way. I could go into a whole thing. Justice for Ahmed Best. Justice for Jar Jar.

[Nicole Byer]

Justice for Jessie Spano. I just watched Showgirls for the first time. She did what the director wanted, which was an unhinged performance. That is perfect.

[Wayne Brady]

Yeah. People get there were. See, that's the series that we should do. Go through movies that are maligned and performances and show how now, in the bright light of day, they were actually good.

[Nicole Byer]

Yeah. A hill I'll die on. Madame Web. Fun movie.

[Wayne Brady]

I haven't seen that yet.

[Nicole Byer]

Listen, I would not recommend watching it alone. I would recommend literally spending money renting out a movie theater and getting 50 people and tell them it's like Rocky Horror. Yell at the screen. Have a nice time. I was In a theater where at one point the villain was speaking and his mouth was not moving. And I just yelled, they didn't finish the movie. And then everyone was like, ah, we're in good company. Cause then everyone, like, we laugh. There is this one pivotal scene that's supposed to be, like, just action packed. And we all laughed so hard.

[Wayne Brady]

No, I have to see it.

[Nicole Byer]

It was so perfect. I really think once they saw that cut, they should have been like, we should market this as camp. This is campy. We're bringing camp back. And I think so.

[Wayne Brady]

Maybe that would have saved it.

[Nicole Byer]

I think so. Because I had a great time. Joker 2. Another hill I'll die on. I love Joker 2 Kraven. A movie no one's heard of.

[Wayne Brady]

Ooh, Kraven. I want to watch Kraven because I love him because I think he's so talented.

[Nicole Byer]

He's great in it. I loved Kraven. Aaron Taylor. Joy. Oh, I'm a fan.

[Wayne Brady]

He was grading Kick Ass and everything else.

[Nicole Byer]

He said, never seen it.

[Wayne Brady]

Oh, he. See? Okay. Yeah. Like, once you're finished with your five other pod podcasts, I'll start another one. We will do another one.

[Nicole Byer]

Thank you for being here, Wayne.

[Wayne Brady]

Thank you.

[Nicole Byer]

Do you want to ask what he'd like to promote?

[Wayne Brady]

Oh, yeah, that's right. Oh, yeah, we got off.

[Nicole Byer]

You have to leave all that in. Wayne, Is there any. I can't believe you said that. And then I. How do we go on such a tangent, Wayne? Do you have anything you wanna promote?

[Wayne Brady]

Yes, I will promote right here on Headgum. You gotta check out what if. It's an improvised podcast where it truly is about anything. We get a guest, someone like yourself, who I happen to be a fan of, and then we bring them on and we talk about whatever. We talk about their life, we talk about their career, anything that's going on in the world. And then we put the little improvisational twist on it of what if. And we make up songs. We have live music. We never know where a conversation is gonna go. It's myself and my partner, Jonathan Mangum, who you can catch me with on the upcoming season of let's Make a Deal. The upcoming season of Whose Line Is It Anyway? And you can catch me on the road doing my musical improv show with him called Making Shit Up. And I've got a bunch of other stuff, but that's good for right now. Check out the podcast right here on Headgum and on Apple and anywhere else where podcasts are. And we don't have a YouTube page right now, but by the time you watch this, we will have the YouTube page up as well.

[Nicole Byer]

Hell, yeah. Thank you for being here, Wayne.

[Wayne Brady]

Thank you, ma'.

[Nicole Byer]

Am. Okay, bye.

[Wayne Brady]

Bye. Bye.

[Nicole Byer]

You've been listening to why Won't yout Date Me With Me, Nicole Byer. This show is produced and edited by Mars, with executive producer Anya Kenovskaya. It's engineered by Casey Donahue with guest research by Lindsey Kemp. Our VP of content at Headgum is Katie Moose. And our thief music is arranged by Mike Comate. Thanks for listening. We'll be back next week with a brand new episode. See you then. Okay, bye. Bye.

[Podcast Advertiser/Host]

That was a Headgum podcast.

[Nicole Byer]

Hi, I'm Ilana Hope Levinson.

[Wayne Brady]

And I'm Dan o'.

[Nicole Byer]

Sullivan. And this is the Outfit, the new podcast from Higher Ground. And Headgum. You know, we're two journalists who are slightly obsessed with the mob and organized crime and other nefarious stuff like that. Every week, we're gonna bring you a story about a mobster. Some you've heard of, some you definitely haven't. But all of them are gonna help explain why America is like this. See, the mob explains all sorts of things, from milk, extra expiration dates to why we got into Cuba to Las Vegas gay bars who knew the mobs involved. All that and more. Subscribe to the outfit wherever you get your podcasts and watch video episodes on YouTube. New episodes every Thursday. What's up, everybody? I'm Kyle Mooney. And what's up, everybody? I'm back. Bonnet and Man. Ooh, I got. We got something to tell you.

[Wayne Brady]

Oh, yeah, we definitely do.

[Nicole Byer]

Yes. It's a brand new podcast on Headgum.

[Wayne Brady]

That's right. And it's called what's Our Podcast?

[Nicole Byer]

Yep. And that's because we don't have a single idea what our podcast should be about.

[Wayne Brady]

Yeah, we don't. So we actually have guests come on and they tell us what they think our podcast should be about, and then we try it. Yep.

[Nicole Byer]

Guests like Marc Maron, Jack Black, Brittany Broski, Kate Berlant, Bobby Moynihan, Meg Stalter.

[Wayne Brady]

And Tim Balt.

[Nicole Byer]

Landon Axler, Joanie McGree. And Dender and Dender.

[Wayne Brady]

New episodes release every Wednesday, so subscribe to what's our podcast on YouTube or.

[Nicole Byer]

Any of your favorite podcast platforms. Yeah, I'm gonna go do it right now.