You Made It Weird with Pete Holmes – Chris Estrada (Dec 7, 2022)

Episode Overview

In this episode, Pete Holmes sits down with comedian and creator Chris Estrada, star of Hulu’s "This Fool." They discuss Estrada’s comedic journey, the themes and inspirations behind his show, codependency, addiction, punk rock culture, growing up in South Central LA, and lived experience with class, gangs, and trauma. Throughout, both comics share insights, laughs, and a willingness to “make it weird” by digging beneath the surface on art, meaning, and what shapes us.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. "This Fool" – Creation, Point of View, and Themes

• Authenticity in Television:

  • Both Pete and Chris lament the lack of perspective and memorable thematics in most modern TV. Pete describes "This Fool" as a show with a needed point of view.
    • "It’s so hard to find what to watch...There’s no point of view." (Pete, 08:39)
  • Chris values thematically driven shows, likening "point of view" to what makes “Bar Rescue” compelling: a clear perspective, “Don’t have a shitty bar.” (Chris, 09:12)

• Why "This Fool" Works:

  • Pete praises "This Fool" for its originality and drive:
    • "This seems like, oh, this needed to be. There’s nothing like it. There’s no story like this." (Pete, 40:35)
  • Chris describes the importance of showing working-class LA, not just the glossy version seen in Hollywood, and wanting to capture existentialism within that setting.

• Title Evolution and Cultural Inside Jokes:

  • The show was originally called "Punk Ass Bitch" but changed to “This Fool” for authenticity and wider appeal, plus a nod to the way "fool" is used in Latino communities.
    • "It kind of works in both ways...just saying how Latinos usually say fool a lot." (Chris, 39:59)

2. Comedy as Craft, Codependency, and Vulnerability

• The Difference Between Being Fun and Being Funny:

  • Chris and Pete discuss “warehouse funny” - the type of humor that kills on the job but doesn’t always translate to the stage.
    • "There’s just different levels of being funny. Like sometimes being funny at work doesn’t translate..." (Chris, 17:48)
  • "Comedy is art. Even when stupid, it’s still art because you’re expressing your inner reality." (Pete, 23:00)

• Codependency and Life Lessons:

  • Chris learned about codependency through a breakup and discovered he himself was codependent while reading “Women Who Love Too Much.”
    • "I always joke around that I found out I was a woman who loves too much...trying to help her is codependency." (Chris, 45:02)
  • Pete and Chris both discuss how codependency shows up in their own lives and families, and how self-awareness can mitigate its negative effects.

• Family, Class, and Self-Worth:

  • Chris opens up about growing up in South Central with a single mom, multi-generational housing, and balancing cultural pride with the realities of racial tension and community.
  • "Every city has a working class section...if you don’t have money to fix your roof, you know that putting a blue tarp over it will stop it from leaking." (Chris, 54:05)

3. Addiction, Punk Rock, and Self-Destructive Urges

• Straight Edge and Self-Control:

  • Pete and Chris connect over punk and straight edge culture, discussing the appeal of sobriety as rebellion and the manipulations of consumerist advertising.
    • "If you’re into punk rock and you’re sober, that dude’s dangerous!" (Pete, 29:58)
    • "I have to make [junk food] an enemy. That’s how I don’t do it." (Chris, 31:11)

• Personal Addictions:

  • Chris talks openly about past binging, drug use, and addictive behaviors, linking them to self-loathing and depression.
    • "It’s a battle. There’s a self-loathing part of me that’s like: yeah, you’re a piece of shit, so do this." (Chris, 34:11)
  • Both agree everyone has addictive tendencies, just some are more socially acceptable than others.

4. Gangs, Violence, and Duality of People

• Growing Up Around Gangs:

  • Chris provides an inside view of gang culture, its randomly dangerous elements, and the complicated relationship he has with family members who were both loving and violent.
    • "Maybe my family member went to prison for killing someone...but I’ve known him to love me." (Chris, 68:02)

• Father Greg Boyle’s Perspective:

  • Pete references Father Boyle (of Homeboy Industries) often: gang violence as a symptom of trauma and deprivation, rather than excitement, and loving detachment.
    • "People that join gangs are never running to something. They’re always running from something." (Pete quoting Boyle, 69:39)
  • Both discuss how trauma, lack of resources, and neglect contribute to crime and that humanizing those involved is vital.

5. Making it in Comedy & Standup

• Late Bloomers and “Open” Art Forms:

  • Chris didn’t start standup until 29, in part because of self-doubt and fear, and being a fan before a practitioner.
    • "I think a lot of that has to do...with low self-esteem." (Chris, 88:32)
    • "Standup is not impenetrable. There’s literally an open mic." (Chris, 90:37)

• Early Experiences:

  • First mics in South Central’s legendary Leimert Park; audience could jangle keys to “boo” comics off stage.
    • "Never give the audience a mechanism with which to unifiedly tell you you’re done." (Pete, 91:47)

6. Life, Death & Meaning

• Surviving Real Danger:

  • Chris shares stories of being shot at, held at gunpoint, and witnessing armed robberies as a child — formative, but told with humor, humility, and perspective about the humanity on all sides.
    • "Those are the three that come to mind, those situations." (Chris, 102:38)

• Spiritual Symbolism & The Unknown:

  • Raised Catholic, Chris no longer practices but finds comfort in its symbols.
    • "Even though I don’t believe in that stuff anymore, it gives me comfort to see it. I have a rosary hanging from my rear view mirror." (Chris, 109:45)
  • Pete introduces the concept of “life force,” and the two reflect on the mysteriousness and fleeting beauty of sharing existence.
    • "Don’t forget we’re all alive at the same time. We’re all alive right now at the same moment. Isn’t that amazing?" (Chris quoting Joe Strummer, 113:13)

7. Humor in Humiliation

• Memorable Laughs:
  • Chris’s hardest laugh involved a mortifying incident: needing to poop on a trail during a hike with his girlfriend, eventually laughing at himself so hard he cried.
    • "I felt such dread. I went home, showered, went to sleep. I didn’t want to see the outfit." (Chris, 120:07)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• On dads and discipline via reality TV:

  • "John Taffer. I always say he’s the father I didn’t have because ...you need a grown man to yell at you sometimes." – Chris (09:50)

• On codependency epiphany:

  • "I bought a book on codependency...I found out I was a woman who loves too much. Because when I read the book, I said, I think this is me." – Chris (45:02)

• On comedy as real art:

  • "You are talking about your inner reality...doing roasts...is kind of a defense, because if you do talk about your fears or hopes, that’s a vulnerable play. You’re showing them a painting of your insides." – Pete (23:00)

• On making pain an enemy:

  • "I have to tell myself that I have to make it an enemy...it’s how I don’t [buy junk food]." – Chris (31:11)

• On the duality of gang members:

  • "I know they can be scary to you but they’re also loving to me...complicated because maybe my family member went to prison for killing someone, which I know objectively makes them a bad guy, but I’ve known him to love me." – Chris (68:02)

• On life’s mystery:

  • "Life is mysterious and...the idea of a life force...I just go, ah." – Chris (111:33)
  • "Don’t forget we’re all alive at the same time. Isn’t that amazing?" – Chris quoting Joe Strummer (113:13)

• On humiliation turning to laughter:

  • "I went home, I took a shower, I went to sleep. I didn’t want to see the outfit...and then a few days later...I started laughing about me to the point I started crying." – Chris (120:07)

Segment Timestamps for Easy Navigation

• [07:05] – Conversation begins; show praise, point of view, why “This Fool” is different
• [17:10] – Comedy as craft vs. “funny at work”; warehouse and job humor
• [25:00] – Punk rock, Minor Threat, straight edge, personal discipline
• [34:10] – Self-destructive behavior, addiction, and battling self-loathing
• [44:50] – Codependency, altruism, family dynamics, and personal growth
• [53:15] – Growing up in South Central, class, and community
• [68:00] – Loving and violent family members, duality, trauma in gang life
• [86:55] – Getting into comedy late, first performances
• [96:40], [97:50], [100:00] – Experiences with near-death and crime
• [109:17] – Spiritual beliefs, Catholic symbolism, meaning of life
• [119:17] – Funniest hard laugh: The Topanga Canyon trail incident

Summary Tone

Throughout, the tone is candid, reflective, honest, and often hilarious. Both Pete and Chris are comfortable sharing their weirdness, weaknesses, and working-class roots, with plenty of good-natured self-deprecation. The discussion fluidly blends serious topics (trauma, class, addiction, meaning) with the levity of comedy and the perspective of survivors.

For new listeners:
This episode is a must-listen for fans of authentic, meaningful comedy that doesn’t flinch away from tough truths but finds ways to laugh in the midst of hardship. Chris Estrada’s journey from South Central warehouses to Hulu is presented with warmth, humility, and wisdom – exemplifying the “weird” in You Made It Weird.