#256: How To Pivot The Business Comedy Scene with Comedian Patrick Keane
TRANSCRIPT
sweq 256 audio
Wed, 9/23 · 4:30 PM39:56
SUMMARY KEYWORDS
people writing jokes called tampa comedy podcast fucking funny tampa bay la work hit geico night writer crushes find city lakers
Law Smith
0:01
sweat equity podcast and streaming show pragmatic entrepreneurial advice with dick jokes. I'm your host last missing to my right left on your boob tube is Eric hedger I'm a little guy. If you're watching this on YouTube, Facebook, or anywhere where videos are so old Eric looks really little I look really big because we like a little silly humor now and again
2
Speaker 2
0:25
because you're addicted is lower the seat down like I asked you mind doesn't go up as high the
0:32
floor to see if
Law Smith
0:35
someone's been drinking but who's drunk on some good information when you can listen to us on iTunes, Apple podcast, Spotify, laughable app, if you want to hit that cheat code that helps us move up the business rankings. We think it'd be funny if we're one of the top business podcasts out there. subscribe, rate and review. Just write one little sentence blurb and that's all we asked via. That's the cheat code to get us up. This episode is brought to you by Warby Parker Warby Parker. trial.com, forward slash sweat gets five free pairs for you to try on at home. I'm wearing my Warby Parker prescription glasses that I've had for over five years. Warby Parker trial.com, forward slash sweat. It throws a little shackles back to this podcast. It gets you five free pairs to try them at home. And don't get give me money. Look, don't go to lenscrafters and get ripped off for 300 to $800. Seriously, they're they're all about the $95 pair of coffee. You're paying just the same. Don't buy Ray Bans ever for that purpose? Yeah, they're a disrupter. They've been in the game about 10 years on Ray Bans, right? They saw they saw a problem in the in the eyeglass sunglass industry and knew it didn't need to be that way. Warby Parker trial.com, forward slash sweat. Five free pairs to turn at home. Have your family or coworkers laugh at you about how you don't look good in most glasses. And plus Warby Parker has now brick and mortar setups in most major cities. If you're listening to this in a metropolis, you can go do it old school style that way if you want the other the other sponsors of this show, express VPN tracks one VPN at try Express Express vpn.com forward slash twit road fitness where trainerroad comm Ford slash sweat get you 20% off, grasshopper try grasshopper.com Ford slash sweat gets you $75 off your annual business phone line. And freshbooks go freshbooks.com Ford slash swag gets you a 30 day free trial for your accounting software. Let's get this party started with Patrick Kane stand up comedian. I have a good friend of mine for 1515 years. Wow. Hi.
Law Smith
3:14
Yeah, thanks for coming on. Mr. Patrick Kane, do you want to know but at the top you want to give everybody your plugs because I'll forget to do it once we start getting into it. Okay. Like any social any website? Yeah,
3
Speaker 3
3:29
you already say that right now? Sure. Yeah. Okay. Thanks. I was hoping you guys would have your shirts off. I saw some clips without shirts. I don't
Law Smith
3:36
know you did research. Oh,
3
Speaker 3
3:38
oh, but nice way to get you know, that's commitment right out of the gate. Yeah, um, you know, kena what I'm going by on all these things, you know, social media, Instagram, Twitter, all this team k EA and the King of Comedy, Twitter, Instagram, all that and not spelled like Robert Earl keen. Right. That's right. That's right. Different Keene all together. You don't know
2
Speaker 2
4:00
Robert Rocky, I'm assuming he's a murderer of some kind.
Law Smith
4:05
Well, no, he murders the country music scene.
4:09
Well, the three names is what got me.
3
Speaker 3
4:11
Oh, yeah, it's different. Yeah, he's ke and I'm KANE. Right? Right.
Law Smith
4:15
Right. Different murderer. got like, nah. So what's what's been going on? We were going back and forth. Are you are you hitting the road at all? Are you doing drive thru? Yeah,
3
Speaker 3
4:26
I've been. I've been working with Steve burn a little bit. We were in Kansas City. We were in Vegas. And we were in one more market. I forgot. I forgot the other market. But yeah, a few places. You know, social distance shows rooms for about a third of the way full. Some clubs are for it. You know? Some are against obvious Oh, we're in Arizona as well. And, you know, it's a little tricky, but but I gotta say the audiences are appreciative. Even if they're not laughing. They're just happy to be doing something else.
2
Speaker 2
4:55
Yeah, I mean, it sounds tough. Sounds tough. What's the third full man that's like, yeah, just visually looking out and seeing as like, I had no sons tonight,
Law Smith
5:07
I find myself being a lot. The less I get on stage, and it's been a while over here, because there's just not a lot of mics. You I mean, in Tampa, you don't really think about it for Stan applies, but you can get up every night if you want. The thing is like, lately, I haven't done it because I got COVID. And I find myself being needy or in conversation, or via email, trying to write jokes in there. I don't know, if you if
5:32
all of a sudden this is something that's happened.
Law Smith
5:35
All the sun has since you know, COVID Yeah, yeah, since I got the COVID. cooties. And so you're writing more you say? No, like writing more? Like, I think, a more conversational, onstage kind of stuff. But I find myself in non comedy situations, I tried to inject jokes where they don't belong, just because I don't I'm not getting that, that that feedback anywhere? You know? Yeah. Are you are you finding something similar by not hitting the road? Because your way you're probably getting on the road, normally 3040 weekends
3
Speaker 3
6:11
30, about 30 weeks a year. And then I what I did was like every other, you know, human in this country, I started a podcast when the pandemic started. So I'm like 20 episodes in now. And it's like, it's just half hour episodes. And it's me just it's more of a diary. I can't imagine anyone ever listening to it. But what it's helped with is kind of a similar show. Then, but But yeah, I find the same. I mean, it helps with conversation and flow, and it's less jokey. And just, you know, more fluid and organic and honest, which I've never been on stage. I've always been just a joke writer. We'll just for you. Personally,
2
Speaker 2
6:51
I'm sure that makes you feel way better to get to just do that side of it. And just be like, it doesn't have to be so jokey all the time. You can just
6:58
Oh, diary style.
Law Smith
7:00
Yeah, I remember like when we met doing her most of beach, I want to say whatever that place was, that was like a still bar down. So one of the beach towns that you sat on the comedy
7:13
magic
Law Smith
7:14
club. No, I wasn't. I wasn't good enough to get in there. So it was like a Irish restaurant. That was huge. And that was enormous. Like it would be awesome. Sometimes it would be terrible. Other weeks,
7:27
like a kilkennys or something like
Law Smith
7:28
this. Hey, ready to beach condo? Redondo Redondo. Yeah. And so I'm mixing my Florida and California PJs. I was like, Wait, what? But yeah, that I remember. We met I remember meeting you through that. And you're such a good joke writer. But so over it. This probably oh eight or nine. And literally would just tell jokes, but like, turn off the light. There'd be like a fan, a ceiling fan light kind of bar show. They just turn the thermostat
7:57
before you go.
Law Smith
7:59
casually telling jokes that were like dimes and just like just turning shit off. And just like talking to the wall.
3
Speaker 3
8:06
Pretty awesome. Yeah, I mean, if it's gonna go bad, I want it to go really but like I at least want people to go what is going on up there? Because like, you know, la it's so fragmented. And you don't? It's not like New York, in terms of shows where you have people's interest. Attention, you know, not that not that every show in New York has that. But la it's like so many high ambush shows that we do on the audiences. And it's there like what? And it's like, Oh, another audience that doesn't even want to be here. Ah,
Law Smith
8:32
yeah, yeah. When when the Lakers game was on. And there's like people at a sports bar and people don't know comedies happening. And you're like, I feel like this is assault. A little bit on some people.
2
Speaker 2
8:44
ambush shows. I haven't heard that. But it's perfect. Yeah. Just hey, we've learned once the game. Can you turn that mic off? Like, can you?
3
Speaker 3
8:53
Oh, yeah. And the Lakers. playoffs every year? The Lakers were runner ups all the time?
Law Smith
8:58
Yeah, it football. Not too much. But yeah, basketball. When the Lakers are on, it was like, shut the fuck up. And you're like, I thought
9:09
I do jokes about Kobe. And you're like,
Law Smith
9:11
the video doesn't tell anybody what's going on. They don't care. No one cares. So it's just like, it would get 40 heads in there, the sports bar be like whatever you want to do, do whatever you do.
9:22
They're not gonna listen anyway. Right.
Law Smith
9:24
Right. And I don't know, it's one of those things where I was listening to someone's podcasts last night or today that was like, just listen to all the people that are are starting to leave LA. Are you finding yourself wanting to make an exodus out of there?
3
Speaker 3
9:40
Yeah, you know, I was thinking about it towards the end of last year in the beginning of this year about going to New York, you know, um, normally you want to do that earlier in the career but, you know, I don't have anything tying me down and I love that city. And that's where you can really excel at stand up. And then this pandemic hit so I'm like, I'm not saying Hurry to go to you know, like, I'd probably do a queens or Brooklyn situation. Yeah. But, but yeah, la like for example right now I'm in Jackson Hole visiting my sister's family. Jackson and it's funny cuz it's like, yeah, it's like it's Jackson Hole but everyone here calls it Jackson and
10:20
Wyoming You're acting like you.
Law Smith
10:22
Yeah, yeah, I've been I've driven through there
10:26
on beautiful now beautiful.
Law Smith
10:28
Cheyenne. We performed in Cheyenne. Yeah, yeah, bombed there but yeah, I've done a gig in Wyoming.
10:38
Nice Cheyenne. Yeah, that's a capital I think, isn't it?
Law Smith
10:41
I believe so. But Casper now.
3
Speaker 3
10:44
Like it's just like Champa would nobody calls it Tampa Bay that lives there. Do they? Oh, that was all for the football team. Well,
Law Smith
10:49
yeah, the Tampa Bay is a marketing name. So it really encompasses the whole area. It's like saying the bay area for San Francisco. Although so that includes Oakland and all the you know, all the encompassing cities that touch the Bay Area over there but like Tampa had the city is Tampa like if you look at a driver's license, it says Tampa so yeah, you can tell people that have never really when they're talking about it on TV or something. And they're always on the lookout they're saying what you live you live in Tampa Bay, you know your ears perk up and you're like okay, well that that writer in that sitcom never really in Tampa Bay, Florida never really got it. Right. Right. Right. Yeah. I want to say the crashing they did that. That first season because
11:34
the guys on the Tampa Bay.
Law Smith
11:36
I want to say the firt the guy that's the guy that is like the I want to say it's one of those big shows recently. I can't remember which one though.
2
Speaker 2
11:47
Yeah, he did in crashing they definitely were going to move to Tampa. I don't think right?
Law Smith
11:51
Oh, maybe maybe it's not that. Anyway, it's one of the things I know you're you're very detailed kind of oriented guy and I think that would bother you if you're like us from here. Where you just yeah, you go fuck this outright but yeah, we're I was wondering what this background was behind you.
3
Speaker 3
12:11
Oh, it's my nephew. My nine year old nephews. bunk beds. So we should probably lead
Law Smith
12:15
with that two
12:16
of the good
Law Smith
12:19
things are really bad dude years beds. You're in the hospital or something?
3
Speaker 3
12:23
Yeah, I had the guest room but my mom's in the guest room and then I got I guess, you know, cast cast down into the nephews room. This is when do you call it
12:33
the Jackson Hole?
3
Speaker 3
12:35
Yeah, this kid now Oh, so what would they call it in Shawshank solitary or something? Or and I'll put you in the hole. I thought the Jags let me the whole Yeah. But no, I mean, it's good to get out of La always but but July and August in LA it's just so hot in the fires. And you know, air conditioning is expensive, you know, and nobody's got it. None of it.
Law Smith
12:56
fires. I don't even think of that as a concern anywhere but
2
Speaker 2
12:58
I forgot. I know. Like they're chasing you around and stuff but they kinda are.
Law Smith
13:02
It's legit. I mean, when the window California or LA County started running out of water in California started running out of water that was kind of like Ooh boy Wait, what that they actually LA is in a desert people forget that part. It's like it's not
2
Speaker 2
13:18
it's not the profit in water in from Nevada or something. critten on the Colorado River were crazy. Like it's like oh, that could shut down.
Law Smith
13:26
Yeah. And so and so I've had since I've left la 10 years ago. I've had it running email with my buddies over there. They're still there are from there. That's just like Florida is crazy on the outside. California is crazy on the inside. It's like
13:42
well said yeah, that's well said we
Law Smith
13:44
are shipped out there in public it is a crazy
13:46
on your emails that back and forth.
Law Smith
13:49
That it's it's called the crazy debate. And it's like 1000 emails long one of those ones that just forever. Yeah. But though but it's nine to one. It's me versus in our mutual friend Brennan T. Gleason. He's now taking the LA side of everything. Oh, yes. Okay. So uh, so now it's just nine to one
3
Speaker 3
14:12
but yeah, it's it's LA is not capable of handling the amount of people that are there like there's just no I mean, it's you know, it's it's an apocalyptic state.
Law Smith
14:20
Well, if you if you look at it's the second biggest land, land like city or county mass like Duval County for Jacksonville is near white area. Yeah. And then LA is number two. It goes from like, something like Malibu all the way to like Riverside, or so crazy.
14:40
California, Riverside,
Law Smith
14:40
the city like that area just has like 15 million people 10 million people or something like that, like just an absurd about that. You don't even that's not even la you could think about that's where Breaking Bad was supposed to be. Well, they didn't do it because of taxes. So they went to New Mexico, even like
2
Speaker 2
14:57
Tampa Bay like most of those cities are bigger than Even Clearwater Tampa right, right? It's like our we don't even know
Law Smith
15:04
3.2 million in the, in the whole metro area, right? Yeah. But it's it's like LA is like 2520 maybe 30 in that whole like, just area of what people consider LA. I mean,
3
Speaker 3
15:19
yeah, it gets hot July August everyone cranks the air conditioner and of course the you know if you have one, your neighborhood your neighborhood shuts down lectricity goes,
Law Smith
15:28
has read it. Have you seen more crazy shit going on last couple months over there?
3
Speaker 3
15:33
You know I've been I've been staying at my mom's in Arizona a little bit just to get out. Which is really hot. You know, that's 115 but air conditioning is a lot cheaper. That city is very capable of handling heat. They've been dealing with it forever.
Law Smith
15:48
Yeah. It's like Florida. Yeah, it replaces, like super cold AC. So it's not like,
2
Speaker 2
15:55
Yeah, well, nobody's coming or wanting to stay
Law Smith
15:58
for the building to the cars like really weird sucks if you want it to
3
Speaker 3
16:01
Yeah. Yeah. I mean, it's it's, you know, there's no comedy shows, there's no music venues, there's no shows in production. So like, I don't know, if you don't have passive residual income or if you don't have a podcast, or that makes money. I don't know how so many los Angelenos are making money. I don't, I don't it's like really frustrating like that.
Law Smith
16:21
I've been kind of obsessed with the idea of everybody having to pivot kind of improvise what they're doing with their career, or what have you kept saying, and all this, you know, because the anxiety a lot of comics I talked to performers in general are just like, I don't know, I, a lot of them are like, I don't know, if we're gonna be able to perform until 2022. So, you know, like, a lot of them are preparing like that. And a lot of them are finding like, you know, the pie a podcast as an avenue, but not
16:51
the thing.
Law Smith
16:52
It's not the same. It does help. I would say it does feed a little bit of that kind of comedy stuff. Sometimes I'll write for our show. Occasionally. Real Yeah, that'll fall really it falls dead. Because Eric's not Oh, yes. sander. But oh, and then you reverse it back on. Yeah. See, I did that real passive aggressive, but, uh, and
17:15
my bad? Yes. And how else do I suck?
Law Smith
17:18
Well, they're not wearing a shirt. And it's it's that I
17:22
did. Yes. And did the shirt.
Law Smith
17:24
Yeah. You pet
17:26
but stakes is great.
Law Smith
17:28
I find that even even just anybody in the kind of white collar professions not so much by blue collar friends. They're they're still chugging along, and I feel like that they're, they're not the ones that are getting, getting COVID a lot. As much as people indoors, huffing and puffing the same error kind of thing. What, what, have you done anything in your routine to keep us? You know, sane. Have you? Yeah.
3
Speaker 3
17:56
I was doing a lot of reading. I was doing a lot of hugging dogs. But now it's like, this company I started about five or six years ago called guest of honor. Was it's a corporate show, or we myself and a partner go to corporate events. And we create a kind of a talk show setting around their corporate event, right. So like, nice, good retirement party after retirement party or a, you know, like service industry night or holiday party we go we have the backdrop that looks like the late night, you know, it's got the skyline in New York, we set that up, I set up a little portable desk, oh, man snatch off place the keyboard really small keyboard. And, and we bring the guest on and we make the company the guest right? Like, that's smart. The whole monologue is about them. The whole top 10 list is about them, you know, parking and personnel and the lunchroom and just bring on the guests and we do an hour show. And so now we're trying to take that online for these corporate galahs zoom, zoom, zoom galahs I guess Oh,
2
Speaker 2
18:58
that's a tough step back. But I love what you're doing before. It reminds me because I was getting into, like red carpet events where it's like, you know, it actually took a big shift on my chest, but we didn't fall through but, you know,
Law Smith
19:12
like that, to be clear. You're not like john McAfee. You don't like the shit on your chest? it?
2
Speaker 2
19:18
Yes. Not out of nowhere. No, you know, but like, it was like an alternative thing where it's like a marketing gimmick. Really, you know, that's not not everybody can do what you're doing in terms of like, we turned it into a late night show.
Law Smith
19:36
No, the common the common complaint. So for those that don't know, corporate comedy gigs are notoriously awesome and like, you get paid a lot to do them. But they always want you to talk about someone specific like the boss. And it's really tough because they don't give you a lot and you can't you have to be very clean. This way, is a very smart way to position it because you're kind of you're hitting Those needs they want in that, but also not you're setting it up. So it's not like straight stand up. Right? So you can, you can ping and Pong and most people are terrible on stage so you can kind of improvise with them too. I'm sure
3
Speaker 3
20:15
that right, we get all Yeah, we get all the Intel beforehand and we give them as much as possible. So they're comfortable because yeah, I mean, the last thing you want is them trying to be too funny.
20:26
Real, you know, just be genuine will take care of the rest.
Law Smith
20:29
Yeah, stay in the pocket.
3
Speaker 3
20:30
Stay in the pocket, you know, and you're right about those corporate gigs when they're like, Oh, can you talk about this? And that and this? And it's like, how about how about we just make the entire show about, you know, the boss or whatever, whatever situation you're celebrating? No, that's my whole show about
2
Speaker 2
20:44
that's brilliant. No, I love that. It's like, you're kind of putting it on them. You're able to interview somebody, you're not gonna be throwing jokes out there. That might be. But yeah, they're written by some jackass who actually works there. Yeah, that's like 50.
Law Smith
20:59
But I'll tell you, man, you could still there's a definitely a good market for doing that on the zoom call. So I've been trying to help one group I'm associated with a been trying to help them with their ceremony that they do every year. And it's just like, I was like, you guys can cut this, cut this cut this, let's make it very tight. And just Let's break up all the segments that we can use later for content, and really just focus on that for this year. But the one thing that I they have like one person, there's all about the extended like, pattern tree and it's right, I'm not okay, if you're cutting their musical numbers or stuff, it's kind of like you have to pay homage to this person, this person, this person, that's people like in an award this like, and it's like, cool, you have a certain amount of time, let's let's let's put it like let's act like an executive producer on it kind of thing. But my thing is, like, they I attended a bunch of these just to kind of get some research and lowboy, they need some kind of framing device like that, like you're doing, they need some kind of host. Because it's usually someone that works at the company, or someone that works for the group or Association. And that's like, Okay, now we're gonna get to the job at their job. You know, like, yes, no, like, and I had to tell them like, hey, when you introduce someone, make sure you say their name last like, here's, that's an easy tip that I've learned from stand up. Because the worst is when you bring someone up on stage, and you go, john is the CEO of blah, blah, and then he enjoys bike riding, you know, like, you just bring this name up last. They're like, areas.
22:44
The moment Yeah, you lose that moment. Yeah.
Law Smith
22:47
And then if you're, if there's real life, they'd be on stage like, should I walk up do is they'd already be like, next to you while you're still doing it. So?
2
Speaker 2
22:56
Yeah, well, the interactive thing is like, that's great, like the back and forth where it's kind of, you know, it's not so scripted. And that opens it up to a little bit of relaxation, I think for people where it's like, doing a stand up five minute, or whatever. I mean, geez, you're probably having to do 2040. Like, that's tough. How much
Law Smith
23:16
writing? Are you having to do? Like, customize writing? I'm sure you got stock jokes at this.
3
Speaker 3
23:22
I mean, yeah, get stock stuff. And then you, you know, you try to tie in any topical stuff that's clean. And then, you know, you get the intel on people. Usually there's something about the break room, or there's something about who's late for work, or, you know, who who drinks the most and, you know, it's kind of light roasty and, but, you know, generally it works. It's the only one time was was it rough. And it was because we started at nine o'clock on a Friday night. Oh God, which is just a such a mistake. I mean, a Friday Late Show, man. Yeah. What was it was with a bunch of scientists in San Diego, and they were just like, over it. And I was just like, Why
24:01
are scientists man? Oh, yeah, they got to get up and do equations tomorrow and ship. Thanks, science. It's Friday.
Law Smith
24:08
They gotta get up and do equations. Or beakers. Yeah,
24:12
measurements, put on goggles. To be precise. Yeah.
3
Speaker 3
24:16
Yes. Bad. Yeah. So, um, you know, it's fun. It's a good payday. It's, it's very it's, you go in thinking it's g rated? And they they're like, Oh, yeah, no, it's pG 13. But really, they want it g Yeah. You know, they can't, you can't get too edgy with this.
Law Smith
24:32
Yeah. You know, I didn't know you were doing that. I'll, if it comes up, I'll try to I'll try to push you to anybody that might need that service. Even even.
3
Speaker 3
24:42
Sometimes we don't even need to be there. We'll coach people through it, you know, or they can be the host and we're like, stick to the script. You know, with these jokes, and you should be fine. And then we give them crutches. Like if the joke fails. Here's a few lines. Here's some savers. You know, here's some saves, that's nice. And then you can always be like, hey, the writer, we got writer's strike, you can always go to those saves have those?
Law Smith
25:03
Have you? I feel like I've done this for a lot of wedding speeches, the last, I don't know, 1215 years where someone's like, Man, I'm real nervous. Can you? Can I walk this through with you? And I'm like, Yeah, fine, and then they'll pull out like, an absurd amount of pages. And I'm like,
2
Speaker 2
25:19
first of all, fuck it. Throw that away. Yeah, so the last, and I'm like anything after number two,
Law Smith
25:24
anything longer than three minutes, you're really pushing it in three minutes. Yeah, fucking long photos, you better be crushing at that point. So you need some like, I called the jetski key pull out just you need to be able to rip it out. And just like, if this doesn't work here, if you're done in just this is where you give a toast. So you can always cut out whenever you're, you're dead. And just go and bail yourself out by giving a toast.
25:49
But more or less is more. Yeah,
Law Smith
25:52
yeah. Yeah, get get to the point quickly. And then when I've had to coach up, girls doing it, you know, the maid of honor stuff there. They go way too mean or way too sensitive. And it's like, way too inside. Yeah. And I'm like, No one knows who Catherine is. Yeah.
26:09
Yeah.
26:11
They're like, I don't know.
Law Smith
26:14
I don't know who that is. I don't remember. I know a lot of people here like, it's not gonna work. Ranbir or they do the thing where they trade off every sentence. It's not like one's normal. Once once the evil ones the that can work if that. Yeah, Angel demon side. But he has to be funny. Like, they'll just trade off sentences. I dude that has no punch.
2
Speaker 2
26:38
So I've worked. I've filmed I don't know. 100 weddings like as like a side gig. Never, ever worked in that fat. That's never worked. Yeah, I've seen it. But it's never worked.
3
Speaker 3
26:50
I see you guys get you guys get that? Well, no, I'll just make it up up there. I'll speak from the heart. Once I get up there. Like that's not it's not gonna go well.
Law Smith
26:57
I just go How many times have you done that? And it's gone. Well, and they're like, zero. What am I? So you think
27:02
you got out quick then? Right? Yeah, don't be afraid to get out of there.
Law Smith
27:06
That'd be Yeah, that'd be a good sir. That's a good like service y'all could promote to is being not for wedding so much. Because don't I think people have too much ego to really pay for that. But yeah, but
3
Speaker 3
27:18
you know, it can never be too short. Like don't don't take that. Gettysburg Address was what a minute and a half. Don't worry.
27:26
I know I listen to it every morning.
Law Smith
27:27
Yeah, I'd love to get a spray. It's like,
27:30
my favorite. My favorite address.
Law Smith
27:32
No, captain
27:34
of that you're on top of Wyoming city's
2
Speaker 2
27:36
got it, man. Oh, that we know it all. Well, I feel like you're really jealous of what Patrick came up with with the corporate gig he?
Law Smith
27:45
No, no, that's tough work. That's tough working. Here's why. I know he confident it's not No, it's not my I he's a he's a great joke writer. I it's hard for me to sit down and like cram out a bunch of jokes. I know. You have to do research. So you're jealous of that? I yeah. Jealous of that skill? For sure. Because that takes that takes a lot of discipline to go to sit down and write in just I don't know. Do you have a quote everyday try to do?
3
Speaker 3
28:12
Yeah, I mean, yeah, usually you want that. Like when they say, Hey, can we see an outline in two weeks? I'll probably work on it that night. I'll have a rough night that night. So I just don't want to be unprepared. I would procrastinate. Like, I get.
28:24
I would procrastinate not like, you
Law Smith
28:27
know, I would take no, I would go Okay, I'll get to it. I think about it for a week before I would actually start doing anything. You know,
28:35
I thought Patrick was saying he would do it the night before.
Law Smith
28:37
No, he said the night of like getting the assignment. Oh, yeah. Right. That's what he's
28:44
saying when I would procrastinate.
Law Smith
28:46
No, no, no, no, he's diligent. I would, I would. But I here's, here's the worst part. I would think about it a lot and not do anything. Which is so I'm trying to work on you know, fair, instead of just all
3
Speaker 3
28:59
outsource jokes to some or some of that, like, I'll be like, go to a buddy Hey, can you look at these for put this on your plate for half a day and I'll give you a certain amount of money just to punch up whatever. And you know, because you want some fresh eyes on it. And then also we do finder's fees. If someone refers a company to us, you know, we'll give them like 10% or something.
Law Smith
29:19
Yeah, that ain't bad. What's it called? If so, you have a creative process. I feel like that's always interesting to ask everybody. I mean, this show if it's anything, we really want to have some kind of pragmatic advice somewhere throughout an episode. How did you do you know how you found your kind of creative process?
3
Speaker 3
29:39
Yeah, I mean, you keep you keep pounding, right? You keep swinging away and I and I really think showbusiness is even tougher in a lot of ways than Wall Street or politics, or tech. Because I feel like those are more merit based. And a Hollywood is a mess. And you know, the business model is a mess. And you just keep swinging away, and I'm At that time, I was about 15 years in, and I was like, this is just such moderate success for like, I'm so much better than this, you know, I, I have the college degree I've worked professionally. I'm friends with a lot of, you know, as you and I are both friends with bigger name comics that you just can't get on a writing staff for whatever reason, you know, you're not repped by the right people or, you know, for, it's weird to say, but for a white male, heterosexual once, you know, once you hit 40, like, the diversity thing, and it should exist. I'm glad it does. But But you know, you pay the price for that. And so it's like, you better start thinking outside the box. And so yeah, I just kind of said, you know, we'll look at all these people, every friggin entertainer has a late night talk show. And they're all watered down. It's all diluted. So if everyone's gonna have a tech night night talk show, then let's have every civilian have one too. I mean, you know, like, why not make it karaoke? Like, what these companies are writing
2
Speaker 2
31:01
them that day? You know, yeah, it's not like, you know, months in advance of work very little of that.
Law Smith
31:07
And you have the skill set to do it. That's the other thing is like, you know, here's a need that other comics don't want to do. Why don't they want to do it? Well, they're not super organized. On like, a production side, it seems like so it probably the first one was probably a shitload of work. Like, it probably seemed almost insurmountable to go, like, Can we do this again, kind of thing. But at the same time you go, Okay, I would trim the fat here, here. And here. I make this easier by doing this. By getting this info, we can automate some other shit, you know, way ahead of time. We need this amount of lead time to write everything in to pull that creative from the client. I'm sure you have it kind of processed out by now. You know?
3
Speaker 3
31:49
Yeah, yeah, you get a feel for what they want. And because we also shape it, like, we had one company, and it was just, you know, it was, we just called it your company tonight. And whatever your company is, you know, like, you know, Geico or Cisco, or whatever. But then we also some people want to do more sketchy stuff, so we'll call it like, you know, McDonald's Night Live. Yeah. And we'll shape it more like, you know, so yeah, it depends on what they want. And, and Dan is good, because I'm the comic and, and writer, and Dan, my partner is a musician, sketch, character actor puppeteer. So between the two of us, you can kind of collaborate and he's worked a ton of corporate stuff. And it's just funny to me, like all the sketch writing classes you can take all over the country, and one of their five sketch shows on TV, maybe three, you know, right. But there's no commercial writing classes. Like there's commercials every second what you know, and I really admire like Geico and some of these companies that just made it silly and make quick hitting commercials. I'm like, Oh, they need probably two writers. And they should tape it themselves. And they've they've cleaned up I've been made fun of for for praising guy COEs ads, I think they're because it's not. You don't you wouldn't see a lot of comics talking about how good their stuff is. I think they're, their ads are brilliant. If you really take anything into context, it's like, they're funny. They're g rated. Well, it gets you within 15 seconds, sometimes five,
2
Speaker 2
33:16
right. But you also forget, they're not doing just funny, like, the gecko is. The guy's not funny. They have you could tell they have multiple trading firms that are putting it out there, but they at least got one that they're taking, you know, swings for the fences with
Law Smith
33:31
Yeah, yeah, they're interstitials I would say Are they crush it? And the Geico stuff is broad, and that's a mascot. And that's another creative campaign that they integrate. You know, throughout. My grandma loves it. What my grandmother did my least favorite. I always wonder who who laughs at a lot of commercials that are out there that are like 00 out of 10. And I remember going in the airport, just seeing like, just guys that are watching TV and like laughing out loud at like garbage. And you're just like, oh, you really think the progressive is funny? Yeah. Okay,
3
Speaker 3
34:06
you know? Yeah, I got to think outside the box. You know, these these like some of these comics that just playing New York or just play la? And when I say just LA or New York, I mean just certain parts of LA and it's like, Man, you better get out there and see you know, see the Alabama's see the Ohio's see that you know, Nevada's it's just it's a bigger world. And if you're just writing for Comedy Central, that's a really small window. That's a you know, huge margin of Miss. You can't just write for comedy central unless I don't know if you've got a friend or brother relative that's a director there. So yeah, it's really need to think
Law Smith
34:44
outside the box. It's something to shoot for, but you'd limit yourself as going. Here's one of three places I want to write for. And in also that just TV networks in general, they switch up presence all the time in search of strategies and then you could get side and then Get canned for no reason. Just because they want to just go in a different direction. You're like, well, I put all my eggs in that basket.
2
Speaker 2
35:06
Yeah, exactly. You don't want to, because you'll get into like, this is my style of comedy. So don't do that. Just like yeah, you might, you might kill it in Mississippi. But right you don't know it. You know? Like, it's,
Law Smith
35:19
there's one chick that was Grandma, I'm sure you've seen her posters at clubs in the southeast as I grandma something. And she fucking crushes, like, sells out, right? He never heard of her. Right? No, no one. No one I know has ever heard of her. And we were when we were doing a tour like 10 years ago, we were following her that you can see like posters. Like she or she was coming after us. So we were like, Damn this chick but and we looked it up, she fucking crushes and you're like, no one knows it. So there's so many segments now. And comedians are secretly very entrepreneurial than they think it's douchey to consider themselves that way. And it's like, No, I mean, it's risk taking. It's new our business is Yeah, you're the business and in no way around. Well, that's where that's where that stops because they don't think of themselves as a brand because that's right. You feel like you're the man. Like then you're doing it anyway. Yeah. But all right, man. I mean, remember that remember the movie?
3
Speaker 3
36:16
Dammit, Donnie Brasco. Remember that without the Chino and Johnny Depp? Yeah. And, and there was a character in that he's one of my favorite James Russo plays the Italian he's in that little gang. He was in Beverly Hills Cop. He was in. He was his buddy that dies in the beginning of Beverly Hills Cop. But he's Italian, you know, Italian German guy from your show notes. Yeah. But he's, he's, uh, he's got a great line and Johnny brosco, where they're trying to figure out ways to make money. And he just says, Man, it's it's 50 wise guys chasing the same nickel. And that's what it is with comics where it's like, whoo, I need to get that show or that show. And it's like that sitcom. And it's like, Man, you better you better open up a YouTube account, you better start learning Tick Tock and Instagram. You know, if you want to, if you want to do this, I mean, it's still all about the writing. It's still that's the core. But you've got to
2
Speaker 2
37:06
play some of these games. It just goes back to the just keep doing it. Because even though your best stuff might have happened five years ago, the stuff you just put out yesterday might hit the right person and boom, it's all it's just so weird. That's like, that's how it works. Sometimes your worst shit might get you found out
Law Smith
37:23
the last thing I want to ask, because we try to keep these to about 33 minutes. Okay, what's it called? What? What advice would you give your 13 year old self?
37:33
are down there? 30 Oh,
Law Smith
37:34
yeah. Yeah. 13. I purposely wanted 13 to see if anybody wants to, you know, take a picture richer in imager. jokes, right?
3
Speaker 3
37:47
I think start trying now, whether it's writing, or even if even if it's just writing ideas and not writing stories or jokes. Write your ideas down and don't be afraid to look silly. Like Don't worry, like, part of Dennis Rodman's greatness was he didn't he would take on he take the charge, or he'd found he didn't care about looking silly, and so many guys are worried about getting posterized like, don't worry about being humiliated, because later on, it's just gonna make you tougher. Trump doesn't worry about looking silly. I mean, whether you like him or not,
2
Speaker 2
38:14
Yeah, I was gonna say, I love that. Yeah. And, you know, but Trump, you're right. I'm just saying, He's like,
Law Smith
38:21
your coolest president of all time, hey, whatever works,
38:23
whatever works, but
3
Speaker 3
38:24
but that maybe maybe not the greatest example, or just not the most likeable but, but don't worry about, you know, just write and create an event each time you're going to remove a layer of suck, you know, and by the time you're 18, or 23, or 30. You know, you're gonna be
Law Smith
38:38
a lot further along. Did you find yourself not doing that? early enough?
38:42
Like, yeah, I was worried about failure for a long time.
Law Smith
38:45
Yeah, until maybe even my 30s Sure. 40. No, I mean, everybody has a piece of that. You don't really lose that completely. But I'm saying like, yeah, I had a football coach said that guy knocked that out of me early on, he's like, you can he put me in a game, and I was shitty. It's like when I was ninth grade. He just put me in a position like cornerback and I didn't play that. And he was just like, he told the JV coach just put you in there. And so I went in, didn't know what I was doing. And he's like, you fucking scared. You're scared to fail. You're scared to miss a tackle, which makes you shittier that's a huge part of high school football. And I was like, oh, and that when that click that helped a lot.
39:23
You're gonna step up or not, right? That's and then pretty much high school football.
Law Smith
39:28
Right? And same can be said in a lot of directions. When you do stand up. You're so scared to fail, that you never branch out and you stick with this material. You never go. You never. You never grow. And it goes beyond creative. It goes into a lot of professional. But all right, man. Well, thanks for coming on, dude. And
3
Speaker 3
39:47
yeah. Cheers, man. Oh, buddy. Oh, buddy. We'll talk fire
