You Made It Weird with Pete Holmes

Guest: Lachlan Patterson

Episode Date: September 17, 2025

Main Theme & Purpose

This episode of "You Made It Weird" features comedian Lachlan Patterson in a conversation that dives into the unique strangeness and secret insecurities that shape performers, the weird quirks of comedy, navigating the business, and the interplay of optimism, self-doubt, and the comedy grind. Pete Holmes and Lachlan trade stories about scams, AI etiquette, career setbacks and pep talks, the weirdness of show business, Lachlan’s Canadian roots, and the joys and neuroses of stand-up life. Their tone is affable, honest, and gently self-deprecating, with lots of riffing and encouragement.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Early Stand-Up and Comedic Roots

• Lachlan’s First Set: Started stand-up at 19, motivated by a breakup; got drunk, bombed, and set it aside for years ([44:45]-[45:57]).
  • Invited all his friends, realized only later they had laughed at him, not with him:

    "They laughed at me. I’ve come to find out through logic." – Lachlan ([51:29])

• Comedy Structure: Early exposure to and love of comedy taught him structure — setups, punchlines, rests ([54:55]).
  • Advice for beginners: mimic the rhythm and courage of seasoned comics to stand out at amateur nights.

2. Navigating the Comedy Scene

• Canadian Comedy System: Detailed explanation of the supportive yet restrictive Canadian comedy touring system ([62:17]-[66:23]).
  • Feature tours: opening for headliners, bonding on the road.
  • Downside: gets comfortable, some stagnate without ambition; potential for ‘golden handcuffs’ that keep you obscure if you don’t break out.
  • Memorable line about the unspoken rules:

  "We don't care if you do television. We don't care. We really don't want you to be a star." – Lachlan ([66:23])

• Breaking Away: Burned bridges for growth—left Canadian system for LA to chase bigger dreams, with lots of setbacks and insecurity.

3. Industry Scams & The Social Risks of Success

• Podcast & Social Media Scams: Both discuss being targeted with fake podcast invites (Amy Poehler scam, Facebook hacks), and how AI is being used to manipulate people ([05:15]-[07:26]).
  • Pete:

    "That's the earmark of AI is that it's overly nice." – Pete ([07:26])

4. Personal Insecurities, Internal Narratives, and Pep Talks

• Playing Down vs. Playing Up:
  • Lachlan: admits lifelong confidence struggles, talking himself down to avoid disappointment ([14:32]-[14:58]).
  • Pete’s strategy: Enjoy the fantasy of success as long as possible and only feel disappointed if it doesn’t pan out ([14:58]-[15:24]).
  • The difference in attitude is explored with warmth and humor.
• Risk and Vulnerability:
  • Both dissect the emotional exposure of performing, the fear of people you know in the audience, and the odd protective rituals comics adopt.

5. Comedian’s Mindset: Wisdom, Growth and Motivational Frameworks

• Affirmations & Tony Robbins: Pete discusses a period of using affirmations and self-talk (inspired by Tony Robbins) to build a more positive outlook ([42:07]-[43:04]).

• Value in Uniqueness: Extended riff where Pete insists Lachlan’s story—being a 51-year-old comic still grinding—isn’t a liability but an asset ([36:03]-[38:24]).

  > “That’s your angle... In a business where the whole thing is to be something unique.” – Pete ([35:57])
  

6. Comedy Industry Changes and The Value of Good Art

• Industry Shifts: The rise and fall of old systems (live at Gotham, half-hours) vs today's "viral clip" world ([69:45]-[70:27])
• Value of Talent: Pete insists that beyond all the business trappings, “What is actually being sold is talent. His product is art.” – ([31:18])

7. Performing, Touring, and Friendship

• Opening for Nate Bargatze: Lachlan tells the story of connecting with Nate and being invited on the road, navigating awkwardness of asking for opportunities ([26:33]-[28:12]).
• Tony Robbins-style Pep Talk: Pete pushes Lachlan to follow up on chances, insists comics have to advocate for themselves in “nice guy” ways ([29:50]-[30:07]).

8. Life Philosophy: Being Present

• Value of Ordinary Moments: Multiple digressions on the importance of being present — even in “dead time” or the drive between gigs ([41:06]-[41:48]).

• “This is your life. The delay on the tarmac is your life.” – Pete ([41:48])

9. Tech, AI, and Social Quirks

• Password Bits: Lachlan’s current bit about ridiculous passwords suggested by computers and the impossibility of remembering them ([101:29]-[102:14]).
• Voice Memos & Communication: Both vent about the anxieties/annoyances created by new ways of messaging ([102:31]-[103:46]).

10. Interaction with Audiences & Colleges

• College Gigs: Riffs on the weirdness and difficulty of performing at colleges, the challenge of relating to the audience, and the importance of local references ([79:08]-[82:49]).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• On AI Scams:

  "That's the earmark of AI is that it's overly nice." – Pete ([07:26])

• On Confidence Strategies in Comedy:

  “I’d say, it IS going to get picked up... I’d enjoy the feeling for months... And if it doesn’t, then you’re just disappointed for a day. But I had all that time where I thought it was.” – Pete ([15:01])

• On Comedy: The Value of Uniqueness:

  “That’s your angle... In a business where the whole thing is to be something unique.” – Pete ([35:57])

• On Industry Mechanics:

  “What is actually being sold is talent. His product is art.” – Pete ([31:18])

• On Peaking and Being the Underdog:

  "How many 51 year olds do you know, doing comedy at my level? I totally get it." – Lachlan ([34:14]) "That’s your show. That’s your book. That’s the whole thing.” – Pete ([36:03])

• On the Comedy Grind:

  “I just find little things to poke myself down a bit with…we all do it.” – Lachlan ([32:00])

• On Performing for Friends:

  “You don’t realize how vulnerable we are. We’re like professional wrestlers up on the ropes with shiny muscles, but inside we’re... Adam, not He-Man. Still ripped.” – Pete ([46:37])

• On Being Present in Life:

  “This is your life. The delay on the tarmac is your life.” – Pete ([41:48])

• On Writing Jokes:

  “There's a lot of comedians doing rooms and making just enough to get by...” – Lachlan ([88:46])

• On Childhood & Family:

  “I kind of left the country, you know, like, I super walked away from my family...” – Lachlan ([17:21])

• On the Hardest Laughter:

  “I watched the Naked Gun... I was in physical stress. Like, I was worried. Totally dead sober.” – Lachlan ([107:00])

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Fake Podcast/AI Scams ([05:15]-[07:31])
• Confidence, Self-Doubt & Internal Narratives ([14:32]-[17:01])
• Discussion of Unique Comedy Paths ([35:57]-[38:24])
• Canadian Comedy System/Headliner Dynamics ([62:09]-[66:34])
• Comedy Industry Changes/Old vs New Systems ([69:45]-[70:26])
• Writing Jokes, Performing, and College Gigs ([79:08]-[82:49])
• Life Philosophy, Presence, Enjoying the Journey ([41:06]-[41:48])
• Password Bit & Joking About Tech ([101:29]-[102:14])
• Voice Memo Riff ([102:16]-[104:12])
• Hardest Laugh Lachlan Ever Had (Naked Gun Story) ([107:00]-[108:08])

Memorable Moments & Humor Highlights

• Pete’s earnestness in pushing Lachlan to follow up on comedy invitations, encouraging directness but always with kindness ([29:41]-[30:10]).
• Lachlan’s “Canadian” solution to property security:

  “Just leave a pair of my size 14 shoes outside the door...They’ll never come in.” ([74:21])

• Tangent about interaction with a street person:

  "'You look like Elon Musk. I'm gonna stab you.' And I said, 'Dude...' ...I appealed to his dudeness." – Pete ([75:56]-[76:43])

• Lachlan’s vulnerability about feeling overlooked, journaling his bitterness, and the necessity of focus on writing jokes ([85:02]-[86:09]).
• Heartfelt moment about perseverance and the true pleasures of the comedy craft – not external validation but the act of writing and delivering bits ([32:12]-[33:29]).

Final Thoughts

The episode is a refreshingly candid look at the messy, insecure, and hilarious journey of professional comedy, especially for comics straddling different national systems and ages. Pete’s tone is encouraging, warm, and playfully preachy at times; Lachlan is humble, dry, and self-reflective. Both share vulnerably about their fears, disappointments, and love of the craft. The conversation is peppered with meta-comedy, behind-the-scenes industry insights, and practical advice for newer comics.

Quick Takeaways

• Lachlan’s Path: Canadian system bred discipline but required risk to escape stagnation; LA journey filled with grind, setbacks, and small wins.
• Comedy Wisdom: Your weirdness/age/path is your asset; persistently create, focus on the craft, not just validation.
• AI/Tech Humor: Comic irritation with algorithmic life, security passwords, and voice memo etiquette yields funny, relatable bits.
• Showbiz Is Weird: Don’t trust flattery from AI or “Amy Poehler.”
• Affirmation vs. Reality: There’s a place for positive self-talk, but honesty and hard work sustain you in the grind.

End Note

Closing Joke: Hardest Lachlan ever laughed: Alone in a theater, hurting from laughter at "The Naked Gun" ([107:00]).

Signature Sign-Off:

“Keep it crispy.” – Lachlan Patterson ([108:41])