The Evolution of SNL Joke Swaps

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Selection varies by location Granger knows, when you're a procurement manager for an office park You're not managing one building, you're managing all of them. And to stay ahead, you need to see through walls and around corners Light's about to fail, filters ready to clog, HVack on its last leg. If you wait until something breaks, you're already behind Count on Granger for quality products, easy reordering, and twenty four seven support. Call one eight hundred Granger, clickranger. com or just stop by Granger. For the ones who get it done gotot to go to SNL, I think twice. And so I got to see the process. I actually sat in the room with Luren And my dad Who was? tryrying to tell Lauren how to write. for our characters. And listening to this dance of conversation. I would give anything. I would give anything to be in that room. I've been in some rooms Oh what's your story Don't you dare Be sour Cap for stopping and feel p. Oh Welcome to What's Your Story with Steph McMahon, a WWE and Fanatics original production I did buy a pool table instead of the dining room table. Well, great. Better use, right? And how many times have we used a pool table? More than a dining room? Aen. I still open packages on this sise, but What more than a dinamom. You gotta cover the felt though. Cover the felt. Yeah, yeah put I keep the little cover over it. Okay. ye. The table's a table. I always go in with hoping I'm gonna have the table like clean and inevitably it just collects all kinds of stuff the kids makes it It's tough. It's out of your control. No, it is out of my control. This is in my control. Tue. It still. But it still becomes the collection spot. Yes. Yeah. one hundred percent. Especially because it's like not the focal point, right? Right. It's like it's in the cut. It's always in the cut. Yeah, yeah. ye yeah. It's' whatever. It's nice that I think a messy house is a sign of happiness Liv in. Yeah. Yeah. ye. I like that. It's like you're supposed to be green. Like Ia like my bed made. I like it. Straightened? Straightened. Okay. I like Yeah thing Just with the comforter. Yeah No. So how often rain How often do you? Yeah. And are how good are you with the I'm pretty good. You're good. You've got it I get one side And then I'll open up the first side so Oh just to make it look Nice and neat So but how many blankets and sheets are on the bed? I'm fitted top sheet. And That's it How about in Europe when you go and there's like no sheets? They're fitted But and then it's just the comforter.ave you ever experienced? I've never experienced that. No, I have, yeah. There's no No sheets So some places, the same compforter that every You guys have right? Well, thank God. okay. I have never seen that Yeah Yeah. Oh like the honey owners? Yeah. Exactly. Exactly.. Was that real? Did people in the fifties really live like that or? O wasas it just a TV thing? No noobody knows. Your grandparents did it? Really? Huh. And what's the purpose Or maybe they just didn't make bigger Be marri. After marriage? Yeah,. Exactly then you can split them apart I would if I would ever get married, I would love my own room. You know, some people actually do that Now that makes me feel like that's a bad idea then because of the way you said, You know, some people actually. And I thought that yeah, of course people would actually do that. I mean, it's each their own, right? But like Oh no. Some people that's they love to do that. I love sleeping next to my husband. Yeah, I would imagine that's Cool, you know, but like every day I don't know about every day. Maybe, you know, like it's like on weekends or something And would give you something to look forward to? Oh Mbe. but here's the thing. L I guess maybe'll because my husband travels a lot and I travel a lot. you know,born I'm not always in same bed. It's not the honeymon. It's not all the time. R. Yeah. They're also married to Triple H. So like You you're allowed to say, you. Where's my poster? took my two K poster down. It to your house Let's take a moment to appreciate the set Oh yeah. New set. This is a new set. new. Oh it really? Yeah. That's nice. I like it. Yeah. AI, rightight, Jo It literally did. Chat GPT. I like it Dig it No, this is warm. Yeah, this feels good yeah, this is great. D. This is nicer than anything in my house. This is very nice. I'm not ashamed to say it eer. Well done Aus, thank you Thank you. We got right off that sleeping together together thing. Yeah. Yeah, I' like I gota work on my life So One of your biggest influences, Patrice O'Neill, right? Is Wh. Is he one of? How do you know that? Yes, absolutely. that's what You know he worked as a writer at WWE for a brief period of time?'veard I've heard him say that. What has he said Well, I've heard him say on on a radio show that he that he used to work at WWE. and I was like I didn't even realize you know what it is? like you don't even kind of consider that that's a job. Like when I started working at Saturday Night Live as a writer first, I didn't even know that that was like a thing. Of course it's a thing, but you wouldn't even think like, oh yeah, there's This is like a proared thing. you know what I mean? This is something that's. Well, I guess if you're if we're doing our jobs right You wouldn't think that. I totally agree. It should feel like. It should feel n your hands. Yeah, one hundred percent. But what was he like in those rooms? He must have been insane funny because I hired I think I hired him. Really? Yes, but I didn't know like I knew he was a comedian and that's what I was trying to do is bring some humor into the show and you know, but I didn't I realize how big of a comedian he was. Yeah So You know, when you come to WWE, you got to work I bet. And it is really grueling. And you're traveling to all the shows. I don't think at that time we had the home team away team thing. I think everybody was one team. So you were just constantly grinding. And I don't think it was the lifestyle he wanted. Well, I can't imagine you could do bothoth of those things, like stand up comedy and that is. Well, yeah, and it was to not to be a stand up comic, but to interject you know, comedy into the scripts and things like that to help with humor. Well, I just mean the grind of for those things because he was ye. I He was trying to be a comic at that time because yeah, don't think you can do both. Yeah, it it's got to be nearly impossible and E coming in with you guys even for that short time U seeing the way it was produced. it reminded me a lot of us and know, but F more dangerous. But in the same kind of like rigorous like it's live. It's live. you get one shot at it. Yep. And it's it's all about timing and it's and it's physical. L we're wimps, but These are like physical. specimens trying to time this perfectly so you don't hurt the other person. That's right. And also you might be hurt and you're trying to do something that It's hard to do healthy. Yeah. I was extremely impressed by it. Yeah, it was like really, really cool. It was so cool that you guys did that No, you kidding me. That was my most New York year ever. Like I'm born and raised in New York City And that year, I did WrestleMania And I did Eddie Murphy Saturday Night Live And I did sesame my Street H, I was like, oh, I'm upset I don't have do anything else in New Yorkity. And you loveved being from New York, right? Yeah It' the only Youve spent a lot of time in New York, you must have. I have yeah, I've spent a lot of time in New York, mainly at the garden. Yeah Yeah. I think my first Wrestling show as the guarden had to be And I remember it was a King Harley Race at the time. Yeah. And I remember because like the mic would come down in those days. You guys should bring the mic down for the Gard. I There was a character we had Ken Kennedy. Yeah, I remember that. For a little while. I don't know what happened. I remember that. Yeah, that's crazy. But going back to Patrice for ones before I forget So I had to let Patrice go because he wasn't Aually No, but this is the funny part. and I've heard him tell the story of how funny it was because he he like I let him go, but he didn't go anywhere So he was he was still like around and he was on the plane and I was like, Patrice What are you doing on the plane? Like go you think I was kidding? It was just And I heard him tell that story down the road after ye I mean he just didn't say anything. It was just like a funny moment. I don't know if heid he get on stop? me or No. I mean, he's like I'll go home once we get back. Yeah. L it was just the funn the damnedest thing, really I guess You know,, maybe if he stayed, it could have just stayed, but it wasn't the right thing for him either asked that guy It was too funny. He's the best He was the best. And you could you could see his sort of fingerprints on So many comics now Yeah It's kind of crazy What what um what did you love most about him Honesty, brutal, brutal, honesty, no matter how It made him look He was willing to fight through it. So like as a comedian, You know, I always feel like it's a negotiation between what I find funny and what the audience is willing to hear or accept as funny. R Usually what I think is funny and the audience, if they don't think it's funny, I'm like, okay, well, we won't do that. How about this one? How about this one? It's usually that's sort of the approach in joke writing Um He sort of just stuck with whatever he wanted to do. tight ended and just made it you kind of He kind of grinded them in into submission like literally you would see audiences that started out hating them ended up loving him by the end of the set because You know, you can call him any d but you can't call him a liar. It was honest. not honest in that it was exactly right, but it was honest in that I know you truly feel that way. And I can see why you feel that way. And it's something that's disarming, you know, It's a weird trick to getting as you guys know to making the audience react the same exact way a room full of strangers react the same exact way. in time is strange and veryery, very unlikely. described it in a different interview as showing a baby a magic trick for the first time. Yeah. somethingomet like that. It is when sometimes it's like giving them a lemon for the first time.. But it is that. it's literally like, you know seeing something that you didn't even know was possible. You can't even fathom how it could be possible and W words, it's It's really tough. Yeah. Sometimes it's really tough. The most vulnerable thing you can do is, try to be funny. Yeah, Eactly. You'ret playing a character. You're not play a character. This is sort of what you think And what you believe and you're putting yourself out there. And also people kind of need permission to laugh at certain things. Yeah Especially now Especially now. People don't want to be caught laughing at the thing that nobody else finds funny. Yeah. So to make them laugh, to make them kind of peel that guard back and be able to accept it is sort of That's a wild trick What is He was a master at it.. What is it? How do you do it? Um You got to trust it They gota trust D I don't know how I don't know how much we could say on this. You say whatever you want. To me, it's like it's a lot like sex in the sense that you This is gonna be good You have to be able to listen as well as So I think a lot of comedy is using sort of your ears and making sure your partner' okay That's as clean as I could make it Wow, That was pretty good actually. actuallyually it was. I'm impressed. Wow. My mother's gonna hear this interview and she's gonna be like, wow, thank you for not embarrassing the family. Oh. Ver which is a big family. Which is a big family. I'm the youngest of seven. Yes. Yeah. They didn't have cable But so how so Okay, we'll come back to the sex conversation. But how did you which by the way, if you're paying attention, obviously, you, you know, that's a great thing because not everybody does, right? Yeah. Some people it's all one way. That's right. That's true. Yeah. Yeah. But you care Then you listen And you're a listener good listener. You're a good listener. You know when things are working and when they aren't.ot Not all men are good listeners. That's right. Is it hot in here? It is hot in here. O a sweater You started out about Patrice. Yeah. Yeah. Well and honesty. so honesty. was that and connection. Right, whichich I think is kind of what you're getting at. one hundred percent, I think that's what that's sort of what makes it tricky. I wonder like how I'm always curious because I never really like talk to performers about this U just that aspect of it like For me as a stand upp, you know, there's times where I can pivot Or there's times where I could sort of, you know, go to the crowd and like kind of make them comfortable. If they're comfortable they'll be able to accept more things as sort of point of it. and I wonder like when you're out there if a match is going, because it's such a Rrigid. time frrame, you know, like on S and L, we got fourour minutes in a sketch, we got four minutes on a sketch asight Yeah It's everything is in a match if something's not going right, when do you know that you can stretch? When do you know that you could kind of pivot? when do you know that okay, the audience is dying. We got a Rise part of the ar. Yeah, it's part of it, right? Like I imagine that that's. to be listening. You really do. And it's a feel M You know, I think that that's, you know, sexual innuendoide. it's all about the feel. Yeah. it's you get it's It's a vibe, it's an energy. it's connection. It really is when you're out there. You know, from a wrestling standpoint, I can't speak to it as well because my matches were always very planned. although there were times when things didn't go quite right. U But that's neither here nor there But on the mic when I was talking, you know, the crowd, you can notice when they're not with it and when they are one hundred percent And also you guys like Okay, so for us, it's listening and laughing are the two things you want, always. Yes You guys have to prepare for booing You know I want to throw like like. Yeah and you want that kind you gotta react. And you gotta react. That's part of the fun th. It's I think that's got to be feeling crowd interaction they start chantning Yeah And it's not a chant you expect Yeah. Like I remember I was doing some skit with Jericho and It was brutal. Oh to me was this is on another side of that. Now I was in I was in control of this particular segment and I was making him do something and the crowd started chantning On your knees On your knees and I was not me for him I was not I was about to say that's the worst thing I've ever heard of. No, but u then I was able to bring it anyway. now it's something else. No. No, it's when I re and then I got on your knees on your knees is crazy There have been some crazy chants. No, yeah, that's u Yeah, what do you what do you do like from a production standpoint when the crowd is jealous stuff that's almost too crazy for even? because it is like Yeahes, sometimes the networks will bleep it or it goes quiet, which sometimes ruins it. Yeah. becausecause then there's no noise. Yeah. You know. And it's like the noise is important You know, it's cool because that's the energy is how everybody's reacting Like As andal I always say WWESNO to see it live to really understand what it is because it's like You can't believe it's happening the way it's happening. It It looks so much crazier liive You guys do a full rehearsal Right rightight before you go. do a rehearsal then dress rehearsal And then But the audience watches the dress rehearsal, One of them, right audience rehearsal too, Yeah, dress rehearsal. And how often do things change Always, because the dress rehearsal The show is actually ninety minutes. The dress rehearsal is probably like two hours and ten minutes, two hours or so, depending So half half an hour is getting cut no matter. reggardless. So if you go to Dress rehearsal, you're going to see a half hour that's not going to be on TV And Um, everything kind of gets changed, but what's tricky about it is it's two different audiences, obviously, rightight which means you're editing the show based on the last audience's taste, but you might get a completely different kind of an audience And now you've ruined the sketch for people that's not gonna be there. It's a very strange thing. It almost That's interesting. Yeah, because I always thought it was the same audience. No, no, no, no. sometimes the dress audience is on fire. They're hot and you think you've just written the best thing And then that air audience is not on fire and it's point to silence and That's the worst. What happened? That's the worst. Yeah, but you know, I mean it's just like touring. you know, you get to one city, you might Yeah every Chicago and every Indiana or wherever it is. You never really know And we get twice at a night, so it gets a little bit I think it's really tricky. You don't get heckled We don't get happ. I mean, maybe not at SNL, but you were just saying about stand upp. Oh, the difference standandu for sh. think you get h. Yeah Yeah. But it's like, um There's like there's heckles that are We don't like this and then there's hackers that I just want to be a part of this. Right. And so you can't, I don't like to discourage hacklers. Sure. I try to like, I have a little speeak. Have fun with them. Yeah. have fun with them. That's what it's all about is just having fun Right? Yeah, and fun is contagious too. Like if they know that I'm having fun and that everybody's having fun, they kind of want to be on board with it too. No different. Yeah. It's the same with us Mm If we're having fun Audience is having fun. and again, it's not anything you can articulate. Right R Right. It's just a feel But it's got to be so much more like for me, I can do whatever I want But when you're in you're a character or you're you're getting to an agenda for another performer to be able to score It's got to be a lot tougher because you're like, there's only but so much Stephanie McMahon would say in this situation. Even if you think of something that's great, youre like, but that's not, I'm supposed to be mad right now or I'm supposed to You know what I mean? Like it's gott to be a little bit tougher. Yeah, you don't want to break characters. You don't want to break. You don't want because it hurts to everybody else who has to do the thing. R The win I'm just I'm fascinated about it this. I'm sorry, my nerd. No, I love it. I love it. Coolest h. It's so cool. Yeah. I mean, of course, I'm biased, right? but I think it's the greatest form of entertainment in the world. And sometimes you don't even remember like how cool it is if you do it enough until you see someone experience it and you're like, oh yeah, I guess this is a thing likeike I have guesss for as to know. We give them the tour and they're like, wow, these are the cQ cards.ike you've never seen a cQ card before. They like to them, it's like, wa. Yeah. is crazy. It's like real. Someone's job is to write this card. Yeah, literally. Yeah It isue But I've got to go to SNL, I think twice And so I got to see the process. I actually sat in the room with Luren And my dad Who was tryrying to tell Lauren how to write. for our characters And listening to this dance of the conversation I would give anything. I would anything to be in that room. I've been in some rooms. That is ns. Oh man, I would love to hear that. It was so cool. I would love I can tell you was it was really cool. Was that when Rock host time. Yeah there was Rock and Big Show and Trip Bach. He came up like the monologue right? Yeah And my dad did the monologue. Really? Yeah I did not know. Yeah, it was that part I thought was the coolest for me at that time. Extremely cool. Yeah. Welcome to New York. Yeah. Yeah, exactly. L that feels like a New York thing. Yeah, you know, Saturday night main event would come when That's right. So when Saturday Night Live wasn't on, Saturday night's main event would take its place. I was my See, were we're like, you know? Yeah, no, I think it's I think it's a very coast thing. I think it's like Northeast thing where're like That's how we grew up Saturday night Live And u, u Apollo. Sim at the Apollo. Yeah, Sam S Sims I um no, I uh yeah, it's very very New York. I would I would have killed this seen that Yeah The number one sports fan festival, Fanatics Fest, returns to the Javit Center in New York City from july sixteenth to the nineteenth, twenty twenty six. 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Head to fanaticsfest. com to apply to compete or grab your tickets to Fanatics Fest, you don't want to miss out When you're a maintenance engineer in a beverage manufacturing plant You keep production lines moving and quality on track because there is no room for slowdowns With Granger's vast selection of high quality motors, sensors, belts and hard to find parts, you can get what you need fast and all in one place, so nothing gets in the way of getting the job done Call one eight hundred ranger, click ranger. com or just stop by Ranger for the ones who get it done. So what's the Best lesson you've learned from Lauren It could be about anything, or maybe not the best, one of the best. One of the best lessons eararlier lessons, like one of the first lessons he always told me was to be comfortable at home He was like You're going to work really, really hard in this business and you're going to do it for the rest of your life Make sure when you're home, you feel comfortable E if it's a little bit more expensive than you'd like it to be or little bit just make sure it's convenient. it's comfortable. you like it because when you're home, You want to be happy and you want to be able to rest. And you want to be able to get back to work. You don't wantan to be stressed out at home and then stressed out at work. And that's helped me a lot in my career because I would be on the road or I would be in these hotels or I would be, you know, working All the way through the morning and home only we got two or three hours, but I would come home two or three hours in a nice apartment Baybe even I couldn't afford, but it was just, I just was comfortable and I was happy to do it and I was happy to be home And, um terrible financial advice. but it's amazing. It's an amazing emotional advice. like I always love that. And I remember he told me one time he was I've never heard that before. I've never heard it either. He's the only one that said it. he also told me, don't trust at nighttime yes. Oh That was That's my favorite thing. I always say nightight So what do you mean? Like if you're pitching something and somebody says yes and it's at night, that doesn't mean It's gonna happen. doesn't mean it's gonna to happen. This is Justin C comedy I think it's everywhere Yeah no. because like when I when I pitched you to be on the show and you said yes. What I really wanted to do, I really wanted to do it. Absolutely. I really want to do. I'm so grateful you're here. I know know this is this is honestly Yeah, no This was not a nighttime, yes. This was more of a When can I do it You know what I mean? Like literally like when could I do it because We just got back from Indiana L night U, this is our weeks off So like we were just trying to find a time when I could definitely do it because I'm like working on a special. So every time I'm not at SNL I'm on the road or I'm doing shows. So it was just tricky of then your could And you're when you say you're on the road, are you like practice it you're doing standup, Are you practicing bits that you then want to put into your special? Yeah Yeah Beause that's important, right? That's Yeah It's everything Retition' the key, you know, you kind of got to say it like you're thinking of in a way. You got to know the off ramps and it's so It' So boring. But how do you keep it a secret? Right like your bits Because Ricky I imagine people are with their cell phones or whatever. That's actually slowed down a lot, knock on wood. h, if you're watching this and you're a fan, please take this as a personal challenge. but I used to lock up phones. like up until about this year that kind of stopp because I feel like The Gacha moment has sort of ended. Um, I think Fans are kind of better at it, but it used to be they would tape your whole set Right and then put it out. Yeah. It doesn't happen as much anymore. thankfully But There was a time when I was like, I'm not performing unless the phones were lock because they'll just there's still somebody. Somebody will still spe the phone. And a lot of times it's not they don't want to they don't want to get the gotachcha moment. They sort of want to just take a picture. like Well, yeah, but I think sometimes too, they want to well I don't wantan to speak for anybody, but it makes them important. that they have your' part of what you're going to be doing so they put it out not to try to hurt you, but to try to help them And they don't realize the effect it has. Absolutely. I think it's, you know, everybody kind of You know, that last episode of Seinfeld the sort of prophetic, you know, where they kind of go to jail for taking a video of a guy getting assaulted. And it's literally all the culture is. And it was like it was a camcorder, which is crazy.ight. But now that's kind of sort of people's first instinct is you see something, you takeord. make sure, you record it a picture of your food if it looks n, take a picture of everything. It's just a natural reaction to be like, I'm somewhere fun or cool. Here's what it looks like. Yeah it's just, I don't know Weird. It's a weird way to live, but I get it Yeah You't get it I mean, and you don't have to You must not go anywhere though. No, no, I'm fine. Really? Yeah, I find thats so hard to believe. No, I'm really my husband can't go anywhere. Okay I No kidding. Yeah. shocks me. I remember about talking about everyvery now and then I was talking to u Tina Fay one time And I was asking her U How does she get around in the city where we were just we were doing something. And I was like, how are you getting around? She was like, I get on a train It like how are you on a train? Like you must be right mobbed In New York City, you see Dina fan' has got to be Sanity. And She was like, No, yeah I'm fine Pople leave me alone. I was like, that's It trips me out that there's people that could kind of Walk around. Yeah. that famous. I think well, and I'm not Tuna Fe famous, but I don't know I' think true. No, I'm definitely not What I get a lot different type of types of people. But What I get a lot is like you look familiar You know, it's like, where do I know you from Weally catch like you're walking and someone's like, Ohh this stuff and I'm like man Yeah it is and we're like, just skca mo Like, but it's there's always someone that notices you Not always Maybe because you're with me when we're doing business stuff but like at the mall I think you just don't know what it looks like when people notice you because you've been noticed for the last thirty years I'm sorry I can just skate though ty years ye, I we were talking before I used to watch you when I was a kid. I seventy years old. I'm like, that's not possible. No, but I'm just saying like you probably don't even track it when people are literally just gawking at you because they're like But I swear I'm out and about all the time and you know, baseball but I'mm not even trying to not like anything, but like, you know also I think my character iss always very done pair, you know, the whole thing. So when I'm just being me in my sweats and stuff, You really believe that. I'm looking at You're like, you really believe. But I'm looking at the team because we were just in dinner when we were shooting in Orlando. Okay, but that was an Orlando. which as soon as we're leaving the restaurant. Sa We'll know you. It's okay I think this pod has We got some some new fans from the pod. But You started off as an artist And you w fame. That' yeah, that's right W so you That's true. Were you like what type of artist were you? I Okay, I went to L Guardia High schoolchool fame. Which is the coolest because I watched fame. All of the time I loved ame I want to go to fame. it. No, no the show.. Yeah, yeah With Debie Allen. Debie Allen. Oh my God. loveo her and then I saw in Greay's anatomy and I'm like, Deb All Deb All. Yeah. I seen her at a hotel one time at we were doing like something in DC. Oh, I think Lauren was getting like Mal of freedom Some crazy like that. Yeah. He's got not the medal of freedom. Is it the medal of freedom? Yeah Is I was one Re reallyally? Yeah, it was like at like the Kennedy Cent or something and and I see she was getting one too. And and I seen her in in a lobby and I was like You're Debie Allen. know And she was just like, Yeahah, hi, how are you? Amazing. Same thing that you're trying to do. Same whole, I'm not a really Debie Allen kind of thing. No it was really cool though. And she that school is famous for a ton of people that went there Um shallomaids. s probably as famous as I am. And not quite. Well, a lot of cool people, a lot of way cooler people than me have been there, but it was cool. But I work for painting. I used to like to paint. And uh I wasn't very good at it. I'm not But you had to audition to get into the school. Yeah, but it's easy to get it's easier to get in right. than it is for like piano Be why Well because how many pianos are you gonna put in at school? Everybody can get a drp It's more subjective for Art is probably more subjective, but I just think like for an art program, there's a lot moreace pianos Yeah. pes piano is such a specific thing they might be able to has like twenty kids. Okay can play. had like you had to have been Pretty good No, I think I think I, um I don't know. Do you have any of your art anywhere? No But this was like that's a sign that it's not that confable twenty you were like twenty five and Tommy Hillficker hired you. That's true, but so you had to have been Somewhat talented I mean, I think I was I'm embarrassed by because I think I don't think I was very good. I think I Once I learned how to do comedy, I realized, okay, this is what I was supposed to be doing. Right. I think that there's certain things like There's like a lot, like you could you could be excellent at one thing But if you don't get to that one thing you could be sort of good at other things. Like if you were baseball player you might be an amazing football player, but you play baseball. so you can kind of do it because of the skills that you have. just pure athleticism, you know? Like I'm sure you guys get people that are, you know, wrestlers that are probably was better at another sport, but since they could do that well, they transition pretty well in doing this, you know, or vice versa So what are the synergies then? There was like a level of expression and composition that I sort of had naturally that taught me how to I know how to write jokes in that way But to paint was a little trickier for me It made me good enough that I was passable composition in terms of the structure of a joke? compomposition, the balance of a joke where it should be. I could I could sort of see jokes in in like That's fascinating. Yeah. It's f it's hard to say. like I heard like Kae one time. he was saying how He can, um He can hear colors in a way and it made it doesn't sound like it makes sense, but I was like, I know exactly where know there's someone his face. He was just on Joe Rogan talking about frequency of colors. U I'm not going to think of his name. You guys could find it. But there's there's people that I've heard say things like that, you know, Yeah. Mbe it maybe it's not just, you know, a few I think like There was things that I could do in like learning about art and composition. Um, and balance and lighting and texture Dad I use for comedy and it's like fluent. It feels like that's like my second language. like art painting feels like a second language sort of. like I don't I can understand it a little bit better than I can speak it O like I kind of know what it is sort of, I can sort of do it, but I think in comedy in in a way that When I tried it for the first time, I was terrible at it, but I was like, o, this is what I should be Yeah you justelt it just felt natural. It felt like that's this is like how I dream. this is how I think It's a weird thing Pretty cool. Fascinating. Yeah. And c Yes Unlikely. Yeah. This isn't a great list, But you guess unlike you ter tell. You know, very short list. So who were some of your influences? Oh no, what is R of you Can you look up a terrace how he sleeps in twin beds? Do do the thing? Does he not like made up beds or anything Is that of a name? reindeer? Yeah, I don't know what it is. Did you say reindeer? Yeah. Yeah yeah reindeer, reindeer. Yeah. Theanta. reindeer. Reindeer. Rindeer's a bed But so were there any like, so you grew up And it wasn't easy No. Gring up the way you did. Well, no, it wasn't easy. But I mean, as a kid You don't know it's not easy. rightight You don't know it's like your life wasn't easy until you start in Comparing notes with people that didn't grow up like you and you're like, Oh, wait a minute. wait what? what? See you've never had water and cereal No. No. Yeah, yeah. But yeah, it was was we was compleomplete did u Did you find an outlet in art No For a teacher. Yeah Yeah. I found an outlet in art. As I started learning more about and getting better at it. It was a great way to I didn't know it at the time. taught me how to think H. So like It kept me By because I would paint the way I write, which is I would just hole up in in a room for like a day or two just paint and just like play music and paint and I would be thinking and I didn't realize it, but I was actually thinking and writing And so my arm would be going and I'm thinking and I'm trying to execute this picture or whatever and getting it right. but I was really just alone thinking my thoughts through and repeating them. So when I got to comedy, I sort of knew how to focus on bits. I kind of knew how to write. I knew how to lock in because I had already been doing it It was strange. It was like I was working a muscle already had the muscles develop by the time I learned how to do do the thing. I did it backwards in a way My new leegacy title is an original Fully custom design from the ground up to commemorate my career inside and out of the WWE ring The belt features nine hundred and seven crystals, golden metallic prints, a black velvet strap, and the center and side plates contain artwork in reference to the McMahon family crest. You can get my legacy belt now at WWE Shop and Fanatics U Have you been watching WW recently? Deinitely. You know who Oba Femi is? Oh I should have did the walk when I came in. missed opportunity to do the walk. Yeah, It know. But he is an artist. No kidding. I was thinking of that as he was describing. As was Triple H. No kidding. So a couple of other, you know references and it's actually one of the things I was talking to Paul about this morning because you know, of course, he says h by the way And I was saying, I wonder what that is. Like what's that connection with art and performance art and you're llustrating it. a little bit right now. I think I mean, that's what it is for me, you know? I don't know. they may have a different answer, but I think that that's, you know, It teaches you sort of How to think, it teaches you precision Visualization. Visualization. easy enough for me to say U teaches you how to enunciate. teach you. No, it just it teaches you sort of how to see things through. like in ar, you kind of know what where you're going U You see the destination on a blank canvas You know, you see what you're trying to get to on a whiteboard or a piece of paper So you already have a step ahead of people that are kind of just blindly going into a situation. They don't really know where they want to land. You know exactly where you're going. You know what you need to get there. You know, which colors you're going to need, you know The time's going to take, you know, where you want to start, you know, what's going to be the difficult part, you know, what youres Yeah you know, the different brushes, you know, all of that. So the tools you have to play with. All of that. So I think having those knowing those materials, you have to shop unless you're sort of ahead of the game a little bit as opposed to somebody that's just sort of like tell me what to do. You know, like it's a little bit easier And it's in your control. I think we turn out to be sort of littleittle controlling because we create the environment in a way that other people are' really responsible for. Yeah 'use I feel like that with actors A lot of times they're not Like I never liked acting. I hate I hate acting. But just I just don't I just don't like doing it. But but I do feel like like the business of you have to wait for someone to hire you or you have to wait to get casted or you have to wait to whatever for something with stand up I could work every day. I could go to an open mic. I could it might be three people in the audience. I could go to the club. I could go every day and sort of I feel like the master of my own Destiny. Yeah. Yeah I love that. Yeah, it's sort of Boils you zough because Well, because you because that's not real life, you're not always in control.' always in control it and when it's time to and when it's time to surrender, it it makes a little tougher because you're not You don't have those tools. Yeah. You're looking at it So how did you learn how to surrender I'm still learning. I don't know how to I really don't I'm still learning. Do you believe in surrender Yeah, I mean, I definitely believe in it. It's more believing in what way. I think it likender I think of like sort of faith and yeah like ultimately. But I know that's not necessarily what you were talking about. No, But it could be But it could be. Yeah certainly could be. I think I think it's it's tough for me becauseuse of the way I grew up And the way I've made a living that it's hard for me to trust surrendering You know It's times where I don't have a choice But R if you're working for someone or whatever that is. Exactly. Yeah. Yeah. And you have to learn to work within the system. Or even in relationships, even in friendships, even in even in, you know, just living in the world, there's certain things you just cannot control. Yeah and it makes it's tough. Yeah, I don't know who it' was easy for That's true too You think it gives you a a leg up a little bit that You're not accustomed to surrendering and it makes you maybe fight Her or a not take u take shit, but like a certain amount of it, like does it give you more confidence and negotiation or and whatever U Maybe I never thought of it that way, but I I can see how it could. I think it's Yeah, I think there's a certain level of delusion that you need to be successful. and Like people saying you can't do stand upp at twenty six. Yeah. Right. I'm sure they said that. Oh my go. I wouldn't even tell people I was doing standup because I knew they would say it. And I kept it a secret for a few years But, you know, also Mm. Like whereere I grew up well like my family structure or my friendriends, like my community way I grew up, I know that A lot of times people are just scared for you. It's not that they don't believe in you. They're just scared that If I've never seen it work before, right, I'm worried that you're taking this chance on a thing that I've never seen work I can understand why they would be sure. concerned. Yeah. Yeah. So like I wouldn't even put that on their plate to worry with me, you know, becauseuse I was sure that I knew how to do this, even when I didn't know how to do. Who did you trust Trusted my desire to w to do it And I trusted that I see the pace in which this is coming to me And so it I just trusted that And I also even more than trusted thoroughly enjoyed doing it, which is really kind of the One percent of the one percent right If you Bombing was fun. You know, I've never bombing this. It wasn't fun in the moment. Right got after You got a rush afterwards. It was like, I want to go again, you know? L I just enjoyed the whole process. I enjoyed like every part of it And so it was like in my free time, That's what I wanted to do. So people used to think I was lazy. They used to always say I was a lazy guy because I didn't want to work And then out do that and they was like, you work too much. And it was like I don't know what I don't know which one's true. I just know that this is what I love. I tend to work harder when I like work.ure. When I like the work, you know? And I think a lot of people W. Yeah. So It was that, but again, it makes you selfish because now you've Berry just often work. I'm not calling you selfish. So what is that process when you bomb Like, what how do you get the rush afterwards? Are you Analyzing what worked, what didn't work? Did you know what didn't work? Did you feel it? Yeah. you could feel it and Yeah, I've experienced that by. How could it's like worse. And people would be like, why why would you think? E me, like I could feel it leaving my mouth and I'm like, why What do I think This is fun? What made me even try this? you know? likeike, o, it's the it's like you fool Yeah, Crickets is the worst Cickets just yawn. No. I remember one time I was doing this show in Baltimore And u It was a rough. It was a rough. It was like a I did three shows that night And it was the third show, which started at about midnight It's just drunkest people, you know, everyveryone's drunk, everyone's kind of ready they're ready to go when they got there. because it's midnight. you know, you only got about three more hours to drink. You're with your friends And I remember I told the joke that went over It was good As they were laughing, they started talking to each other. and as they started talking to each other, they forgot I was on stage. And I'm sitting there struggling trying to get. trying to get them back on and this guy, his back was sort of turned to me because it was like a club. Soort like the seating was sort of like sideways And full sube It was full. It was full. It was like three quarters full. Okay And this guy turns and like notices that I'm on stage because I'm interrupting his conversation. And he sees me, and he goes Glo And I was like, Boo. And everyone goes, Yeah, Boo, bo,, And everyone just starts booming and I'm like, what? No, no booo, no. I had to get off that stage and that record time. They were all just like, yes,. get this guy out of here And it was fine. I was doing okay up until that they decided that they wanted to have a conversation And that one guy boot over But it's not it's just like you feel it And your bowes like Even when it was going good, I knew This is going to go bad at any moment. You feel it They're just not there for it And then in hindsight Do you Because sometimes you're testing material, right So do you know immediately, likeike you said sometimes as it's coming out of your mouth or like I know immediately. You just cut that joke and now you're. Well, it depends, it depends. Like sometimes Becauseuse you've said it's how you tell the joke too. Yeah. Exactly. I look at I look at comedy like' all these stupid comedy analogies, but It feels like um tryrying to get directions in a country you've never been to So like you know what you're trying to ask them, but they might not know. So like if you can tell if they're offended, like, no, no, no, I'm try to say you know or if they just clearly don't know, then you're like, all right, maybe they just don't know. I'll move on. you know, So it's sort of like that. I I know why I think it's funny and I'm trying to get you to understand it in the way that I understand it. And if it's something that's just not you just don't Yeah, then I'll let the joke go. But if it's something that you're not clear on, maybe I'll try it another way. So it's literally just communicating. It's literally like if I know it's funny If I believe it's funny, I know I'm not the only person that believes it's funny I just I'm just stubborn that way. Like I just don't think that I I'm the only one that's experienced this. It's fununny. I just got to find Someone else two hundred people to agree. Right. Well, you have. Yeah. Yeah.' how that works. You have. abbsolutely. How do you guys know This is going to work like segment wise or angle wise. gosh. ccause it's not like you could go to a . Live events, we used to be able to work a lot of. And that's why I was asking you about things getting stolen or whatever, because certain you're working on a matched structure, you're seeing what works, what doesn't work, all that kind of stuff Chemistry is important. Yeah. It's the number one. N one. You can be two of the greatest Wrestlers in the world, superstars in the world. And if you don't have chemistry, it's just not gonna to work. O, you tell her. Yeah exactly. It just doesn't work. When we were doing an update We had such a rough start and people he's always said, Well, there's no chemistry. between me and Joost and I would get frustrated because we were friends and we did have chemistry. R. But we're never telling jokes in a two shot Right We're on singles. So how do you have chemistry with somebody you're never on camera with Yeah. It was impossible I was like he starts his joke and I go over and he go and whereere we chemistry Yeah. And they would tell us not to write bits for each other because Lauren would always be like, don't write the chemistry feel it You know I That doesn't make sense. L how do we do that? Oh ye. But then I realize just like just small things. like once he tells the joke Instead of me starting my joke, I'll roll my eyes Yeah. Now they know I didn't like the joke.. And then when it's his turn,ll he might after he tells the joke the second time, he might look toward me like Did you like that one? you know? And then we would find our chemistry in these little moments and it changed the dynamic. and they started watching two friends telling jokes to each other as opposed to two guys struggling to read card. So like that was like But it it's that. It's like chemistry, like you said, is everything because Then the joke doesn't even need to be as hard. The context is These two guys don't like each other Now you're watching your interaction. Exactly. Right. and how you play off one another. because That's what's the most relatable one hundred percent. Right. And I think that's part of the magic, right and making those connections is being relatable. one hundred percent. Like you were saying if something you think is funny, but nobody relates to it. Yeah, then it's not going to hit because they can't. they don't know what they don't know what you're talking about. you're talking about. Yeah. And that's that's what I think When you're writing segments or You know, you're I think ultimately the struggle of the underdog is like just a human emotion, right? Like you root for that underdive and you root for it And you can easily write to that And I think as long as you are telling stories that people can relate to, in some form or fashion they' getting bullied or, you, whatever it is then it's hopefully going to work. backstabbed Yeah double cross. Exactly. Steal someone's person Yeah, you know, like All of that. Right. there's only so many different forms of stories, right? There's It's sort of finite, right? And that's how you tell them and the characters that make it different and all that stuff. But there's only so many stories you can tell. And the time and the temperature, you know, sometimes it's time for sort of that underdog and sometimess it's time for that get some heat. That's that superhero. It's, you know, it's time for that guy that's, you know, Yeah that's true Unbeatable. but then sometimes it's that scrappy the small guy. peopleople were rooting for that guy with the character that it's just like it's a weird thing, but you have to be able to listen Yeah and be like, okay, I see where where this tide is going And you can sort of still keep your integrity if you're aware. I think the sign of professionalism for the audiences They want to they just want to they've spent money. They want to make sure. that Whoever they spent money to see is in control of the n So like one of the things that I learned at SNL was like even if something goes wrong During the show We can't panic. We can't look like o no, we wasn't expecting that to bomb If we bomb, we got to bomb on our own terms. right because whatever, okay, you didn't like it, you just didn't like it, but we we worked on this. and I still think it's good and somebody's going to like it. back here Patrice. Yeah, it's literally that. And I think that's sort of what brings people cause once they know that they control the show, then they will become the show. Absolutely. They'll hijack it. They'll take it right from you Like B I'm funnier than this guy boom. Right That's it. Yeah That's it. Yeah. So how important? I mean, I think with comedy, it's everything. notot only reading the room, but also like you say, where we are in society and what's happening and How hard is it to to speak your truth, without getting blocked You know, what's what it' cancellled? Thank you. I think it's I don't As a comedian, like it seemed like for a little while It wasn't happening as much. Yeah. I think you know what's so funny I think like That's our job as comics and as performers. I don't think it's really up to us. I think I would like to see more corporations and more companies back their artists at their're paying. I think a lot of times it's not the artists that's being canceled. It's the companies that are like Oh, this is going to hurt our business. Get rid of this guy.obody wants to touch. No don't platform. And it's like, I think there was there What used to be a time when it was a separation. It was just like, if you don't like that guy, well, you don't like that guy. Right thenen you don't watch that person Yeah you don't want that person. But now I feel like there's this kind of weird sort of responsibility where everyone is sort of panicking on where to put their money shells. Yeah. and it's made artists scared because they're like, well, I don't want nobody to ever with me, right? as opposed you know, they may still they may be willing to fight, but they don't want to fight alone. Right. And I feel like for me, I try to always come from This is how I feel And this is why I feel this way So even if you disagree, evenven if you vehemently disagree I'm telling you this is how I feel and this is why I feel that And your truth. That's it. Yeah. You know, like literally. so it's not I'm not telling you to feel this way. I'm not saying you're wrong for feeling your way. I'm just telling you this is how I feel People can kind of sort of respect that if they believe it Yeah. if they buy it they understand if you if they're willing to listen, they'll They'll give you some sort of slack on that But I think once you start telling people how they should feel That's when it becomes more deviceive. That' that exist? It does. Yeah. you speaking your truth versus telling everyone else they should believe what you believe. Right. Yeah. because we could be very different and and and get along or at least respect each other's space. Yeah. And I don't I don't think that Um, that's just as much. I think it's sort of like My side versus your side And We were on teams and You know, we're all in any gang We're all in the gang and my set don't mess with your set and it's like it gets a little obnoxious because You know you know, I like to watch like old school interviews like like Dick Cavid and You know Donghue, you know, like those old kind of shows where they would just put the craziest people together. And you would watch them have these conversations and you could kind of it wasn't it was combative in that they were you know arguing Yeah, they had different opinions, but people wasn't like how dare die It wasn't like you deserve to die. No ye. It was like we're talking to each other. We have to listen to each other to know why we don't like each other and find some kind of middle ground. And also you could sort of see Wh the weenies are that way. Right? You know what I mean? Like you can see somebody in a silo. This guy is strong and confident, but then you put him next to somebody who's equally as educated and can argue the same point. I mean, it's the opposite point and they fold because they've never been confronted before. Right. And they've never been challenged before. And so you can sort of see, well, who do you want to follow Right Yeah. So it's like I think those conversations In order for those conversations to be had, people have to be willing to listen to each other and talk to each other and and actually want to potentially find common ground. A want to potentially find common ground Like actually do you actually want that or are you just having fun yelling Be that could also be it too. S. You could just be having fun knowing that Half the population is worse than you and you can be a smug about it. Right? And say, yeah, no, they're the bad people, which means I must be the good one. Okay. Yeah. look at me. But yeah, it's nonsense. It's one of the things I love the most about WWE different our fan bases. Yeah. I mean, it really is as diverse as it can be from all over the world, different Political beliefs, different The whole world agrees on it. It's crazy. But what do they come together in love? It's crazy. It's crazy. It in soccer. It's crazy. Let Let me ask the question. Why do you think that is? I don't know. You know what's so funny? I was at this is I don't even know if this answers the question, but it's something that I always think about especially this year with Sen a retiring Um, I was at Barclays I think it was Summerland tickets and was I was tickets through a daily show And it was in the Barclays and I remember John Stewart was there. It was like Yeah Yeah. like ran while ago. This was a while ago. It was like ten years ago. more. And I remember, you know how the Barkclay, you know how Brooklyn is. So I was with John Stewart. Where you? Talking to him right before he went out. So I know exactly what you're talking about. I'm sitting in the crowd in Brooklyn and they're Booing Whooing John Sena like crazy. Like this because this's all like, you know, like all thirty five year old dudes just like we hate Sena. We h seena because he's so women love Sena There was medight there was this kids. He was dressed in all seening. he had probably like eleven years old, and he was with his dad. all seen it out these men. Booing John Sena. Like he's the worst guy ever Johon Stewart runs in, hits John Cina with the chair. Seth Rollins, I believe, beats some crowd goes nuts And this kid crumbles. Oh no. And I'm like Oh, that's what it's about. That's why John Cena wins Be this kid wants to see him win. It's not just about our selfish nerdy. no, it's about everybody. Can I ask a question? was it made me appreciate John Cena in a way that I never thought I would appreciate anybody. Like I was like Damn, that's what it's about. So is it ultimately about hope thinkink I don't know that it's hope. But I can't think of a better word for it Right? I can't think of it it's gotta be because I, you know and my previous care and I guess still to this day, I always think about pos how to position WWE, especially to people who don't Mhm, rightight? And, you know, I talk about All different things. is sort of a theme that has Come up. I've heard Cody say it, I've heard Natdie say it, I've heard Becky say it, I've heard a few different people say it And it's like this Is that ultimately Damn. What it is. You know After that after that mania and What was it in Philly when when Cody had that match and You've sort of seen everything Like the storytelling of everything breaking his way. right made everybody so like Yeah. Cody. I guess I guess that's what is that's That's what it is justust watching Wing that happen that way, it's got that's got to be the best way to explain it I mean, it seems like it. Yeah. I think people just wanted to be able to root for themselves way they. That's right to root for themselves because Shit happens to everybody. R. Right. And you're trying to get to this one place, whatever that is And it seems like everything gets in the way Yeah. Yeah, dn I guess I never thought of it that way, but you That's one hundred percent correct Philly Mania was Incredible. Pilly Mi was incredible. I was That was something. That was one of the best live experiences I've ever had. 'cause of the ride the last the last just ever Yeah match. It was it was just like it felt like a culmination of E years. Yeah, like it fel it was a n It really was if you've But I mean, even if it three years, right? Y career, but way beyond that. Yeah. When you think about it and what he did leaving You know, and then coming back Yeah as a bigger star than he ever was. Yeah. I mean When he came back, did you were you guys prepared for And then this one payoff or was sort of slow playing it and that just felt like the natural progression It was complicated There was One plan that had it happening right away And then some other things happened. plan changed But we were all in on Cody. I think Playing out the way it played out was so perfect because It was you could believe that something went wrong because even like if like even outside of the c, I always feel like And wrestling there is like the story and then like the outside story R You know. And you feel like the outside story sort of like matched the inside story Like we want this guy to win Let him win let him win Yeah and then him finally winning and the way he won and everybody getting there Come upppings was like, o, this is fun a why? Yeah. And it was like payoff. Yeah, the payoff was really made the whole thing worth it. and it's like Dave told me something Dave Chapel told me something that Ill never forget the first time we hosted SNO. It was during like twenty sixteen election, it was emotional and like everybody it was just Everybody was fighting and you know, whatever. but Dave did the show and it was a fun show and it felt like People were laughing together And he said at G nights, he turned around, everybody's hugging. He turned around and he looked. And it was such a stressful week And he was like, I just that you guys not realize, Ohh, you guys got to come back and do this again Monday And I'm out of here. likeike I'm going gonna take a week off wh I like you guys have to do this again. And that's what I felt watching the like that Wrestlebania, was it forty one or forty Yeah forty. And I'm like, that culmination and all that. I'm like, Ohh they still got a show tomorrow. Tomorrow Yeah A all of that, like it's not like and then we to live happily ever No. They got to wrestle tomorrow. Yeah, the next season starts the next and get that interest back like that's just crazy. I was like that's I was thoroughly from performer to performer. I was thoroughly impressed by that. Seriously. Yeah We are with Fanatics and they have a question for you, Michael Saturday Night Live has had an amazing history of co anchors on weekend updates. If you had to choose two wrestlers from any time Who could handle the weekend update desk? Who do you think would be up to the challenge as a good co anchored duo Anytime? Yes Well, number one, it's gott to be I gott to go pipe Piper jumps out to me as just one of the best public speakers there are There ever there's ever been. Um Now does he need a straight man? Yes. Okay. He's gonna he's definitely not too wild. person Is one straight man one wild or no I'ma go hanin Oh. Piper and Henen update. Wh's not watching?. Who's not watching that? Absolutely. Piper and Heenen. Yes. That score. That'll be my update. I wonder if A I can make that happen. I could. probablyrobably could Yeah Awesome. Wait, who would you like to see Oh my God, well Piper and Heenin was Yeah. Okay I won.. Heenin doing anything. I've Bobby Hanen. I loved it Oh my God,'s so smart. I think what I love is when And I think Comedians who are successful are really, really, really smart. Yeah. And so I love when humor makes me think. And Bobby was always just like Yeah so fast. so fast. You know, I love that. And it was always Bobby Always Any like that kind of you sort of had that That slight mania, you know, that sort of like. I don't know how slight it was. But he was like, he's the best. If I needed somebody on my side, I'd wanted to be bobby. Yeah, I agree. Hands down bob. H you ever had sort of like likeike a white whale of man. I was person could have been a wrestler or at least did like a program Um That's such an interesting question. I have always wanted Serena Oh, that cool. Amazing I really do. Oh, that's really cool I think she would have been Awesome. She could talk shit and back it up, you know? I like that. Yeah I like that. Serena Williams. Oh, I like that And and she would she'd stack up like look thepart Yeah She would certainly look apart. Yeah I always thought she'd be great That's that's really cool. Oh, that's cool How about you Who would you love to see in there Um, G one. It is a good one How No see No A name came my mind, but I don't know don I don't know if that's a good choice. And, who would be good? Who came to mind McGregor Oh yeah just because of the way talk Yeah Yeah and the walk. but I think he might be razy. But We're not talking reality based anyway. This is all hypothetical. But that's what came to mind. I was like, oh, that would be like Yeah Connor. McGregor versus Pumpkin and.. Can you imagine the program?an. Yeah, the build would be outrageous. It would be insanity, man. Yeah or like a O one of those like like like an endomicin Suex or somebody like like a terrifying football player, you know what I mean? Somebody like that, like a Ray Lewis or somebody like Oh man, this guy starts run I remember the Lawrence Taylor. I rem I remember how you know, I remember how tired he was afterwards literally carry him was Consultant peeppa sang anding. What a man. I remember I was there I just like the era of the wrestlers that come out that I'm like, Oh I haven't heard that name in so long or whatever like, you know, you kind of people that you forgot. And it also like As I gotten older, I didn't realize like when I was a kid or at the time, I didn't know that certain characters were other characters. Right? So like, you know what I mean? Like there's like people that you might like from somewhere else that's like, oh, that was Texas Tornado. I know get together that that was Kerry Bonard. Right,. So like stuff like that was like really cool. They're like, Ohh wait, that Papa Shango's the gofather. Yeah. How's that possible? So like I love stuff like that, but I like uh Roy Rumbles is my favorite and I like the house shows. Yeah. like just random house shows where it'll be like Adrian Aonis or you know, people like people that you really don't see that often in paper views because there wasn't a lot of paper views back in those days. So you didn't see all of the wrestlers at WrestleMania. Yeah. But you know at a house show, you can see Ken Potera or something like whoa, you know what I mean? Like that kind of thing. So I like those old ones or like Aro Andre. gu. I like Andre when he had the big afro. Yeah, he did. Athletic and all of that. Yeah. But that's like I used to have the doll. he was like this I had the doll too. Big the big Yeah, he this. he got the big old afro, he's in the trunks. ' they had one with the singlet with the singlet. Yeah, but I remember remembering the trunks too. The blue trunk.es. Yeah blue. Yeah I get a jum thing. Yeah Yeah the the white pants. stars on the side or somewhere. Yes. Yeah like stars and red boots. Red boots. Yeah. dolls were hard. They were really hard. I hit with one of those dolls. And I have. Yes. I had a little cousin. I still have them. but a little cousin. His name is Donaman. He used to get those dolls You better to keep your head on the side. Yeah, because he will whip them at you in the whip him. Yeah. And it was Man. I had Greg Valentine. U magnificent Morocco. Oh yees Fuji vice was a take offff. Miami Vice And it was pretty funny Was he It was like a skit that aired within TNT Who was he with Oh my gosh Well, I'll tell you Bruce Britard can tell you all these stories. but he was with Don Morocco. I mean, that was the idea. Oh o. All right, all right, okay, you. But I've heard Bruce tell a lot of these stories. You should hang out with him and just pick his brain. I would love to. I mean, as you can see, I all that. I could talk this stuff all day. I loved it Big restaurant fan Awesome Is it I have one question. Okay. just one question Who were you the most shocked by Being a huge wrestling fan But you like really I think I'm more surprised some people aren't fans than when they are Um, like when like really, you've never heard of it. like That is shocking to me. Yeah That does. Yeah, I don't know how that's possible. I've never understood that. I think Lynn, I was pretty surprised that he was suchilly man. Yeah. That wouldn't shock me. And then I had heard that he had been even in the UK to like an NXT at that time I mean, with the limited amount of time that he has that he would want to come to WWE like that That one surprised me. Was there anybody that ever like asked to be a part of it And you were like that You're not going to be able to wrestle. I don't make those decisions. But I't tell you who was? Michael Chay and Colin Joose's. Yeah. 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It is the most star studded casino game ever built Bin Reels featuring twenty WWE superstars from Cody Rhodes to John Cena and my personal favorites Blach And for the first time ever in an online casino game You'll hear the voice of WWE himself Michael Cole Battle to the top for rewards with bonus spins, mystery wins, and cash collect moments. This is WrestleMania Road to Gld and it only lives at Fanatics Casino. Be twenty one and over Gambling problem? Call one eight hundred, Gambler. Not available in all states, see Fanatics Casino app. Did your grandmother get to see you perform stand upps? Martha Martha Martha did not get to see me stand up. Martha Oh. 's a very, very religious woman Martha's never heard me swear. Martha' not coming off the do No No, no, no. Martha would be washing my mouth with a toilet brush. Incidentally Funniest person I've ever met. Really Funniest person had You know, she's funny in a way that's like she doesn't know. R And it's never on trying to be funny. No. She's just she was just one of those like no filter brain to mouth and you're just like horrified likeike literally will horrify a room where you're like grandma. You can not do that. But yeah she was so funny and Everything she said would be she would say like the craziest, funniest things But nothing was would make me laugh harder than when she laughed hard. because Her laugh was like she couldn't breathe. Like she was like you people laughing like you're like, you gonna A you okay? She would laugh in a way where it'd be like no sound for five minutes. Oh my God, that's awesome. And And then suddenly the big And then suddenly ye, just like, o she laughed so hard and it would be like it she was just the best. She was like such a she was a tough, tough tough lady And u She could be difficult. His grandma' could could be difficult She was tough though. she meant what she said And she was funny, that she was Is there any story that comes to mind It's a few you're able to tell. withithout getting in trouble? I don't know. I don't know. I't know C on. Oh man, I don't know. Well, yeah, she was I don't know I don't know, That's a tough one. Grandma's stories are the best. Grandma's stories are the best. I remember she Before she passed away, she was She need there was a point where she needed like twenty four hour care. you know. And uh She couldn't remember But I remember I would go I would go to the hospital and talk to her She would forget who I was, Four times in two hours or whatever And She would talk about her plans to go to wherever and you just, you know, she would talk like she was single. And you're like, what If I asked her about somethingomet from the sixties or fifties of song or anything. Oh, she remembered it like it was happening just now. I could tell her if I asked to what she wore at church, she could tell you about her fox and her this and. She would make all her clothes. Really? She would make all her clothes. She would just all she did was pray and so love That was that was her. So it was just it was pure. She was beul And my grandfather was my introduction to to professional wrestling. Really. My grandfather only thing he watched was the news, Sanford the suon and wrestling. On thing he watched on TV. News Sanon and wrestling. And when I was a kid, kind of learn how to talk with like my brothers and sisters obviously, but I would go to my grandfather's house And I would watch wrestling with him and I would tell him about last week's show and I would tell him about the ron Shek, you I would tell him all these people, you know, was two, three years old. and he would just be so interested. And I had no idea. So like later I was like, o, he was just encouraging me to talk He would act like he needed to hear this. You know what I mean? You eat peanuts. we pe made you the most important person in the room. And I was the most important because I had this information and I thought I needed to bring it to him. grandpa's gotta hear this. tellrandp tell what piper' up to Yeah. He's not gonna believe this. But yeah, he loved wrestling. we would talk wrestling all the time and that was sort of my introduction to New York. Madison Square Garden I'm telling you that lot at microphone. Yeah, funny people. My grandfather was like a ham on purpose Yeah. was he was a preacher. He was a pastor. Okay for many years. So he was a orator. He knew to speak. know Well there are some dots connected. Yeah, he knew how to do that thing. Yeah. But my grandmother was just purely. Just a fence You're kind of like a combo. My grandparents was Patrice O'Neill. No, yeah, they were great people. We lost them both, but man, they lived a heck of a life and brought a lot of cool people in the world Yeah And did your brothers and sisters watch as well? or mainly just you. My you were the baby. My brothers, yeah, they watched A lot of they was savier, so like they knew, I guess they would have known different generation, but because I'm by far the baby. My closest s' eight years. Oh eight years Yeah. so like I'm by far the baby. Yeah, they were they would watch, but they wasn't into it the way I was into because by the time I was into it into it. They were like outside, older or whatever. It was like When I was into it, I was like obsessed with it for years and years. I used to get That the supermarket plastic bags U Uh, I would cut the bottom of the backag. And I would put it on like a tank top and I would rip my shirt with coe. Did you not do that? Did kids not do that? Can I just say that' the smartest thing you abbsolutely would know. The actual t shirts are very hard to rip. Yeah, you don never, but they're very, very hard to rip. That's big. would you got like a shopwright bag, it was yellow and whd. Yeah. You cut the bottom of the bag You wear it like a tank top. We are so smart. it looks like a spaghetti strap, you know, 'use it's like the strap here. Yeah. And's rip it. Oh, that's so smart. To Kogan. Yeah.. Yeah. That was a big deal. Genius. You've never heard this before? No. Now there's no more plastic bags They're hard to come by. But I'm shocked that other kids didn't do that. Maybe they did. But I never heard about it. we definitely did. Yeah, this is gonna be a new question. Yeah, no. was No, for sure. for sure. it was creative. Nice. Yes. This It smart and creative. No ye, which is no. Love wrestling. loveve wrestling. I used used go to the video store and get the tapes like you could Do you remember the name of the? Colseum homeome Colosseum homeome video. I remember They had like Wrestle Fests and photos, like they had like just weird. There was like countries I' never even heard of it. it was wrestling because I only watched Saturdays and Sundays, Challenge and superstars.. and then they had and then main event when it would come on. Yeah, which was awesome. To this day I hate Mash because Mash would come on like late. wrestling was over.. I would watch like Golden Girls and then wrestling. Yeah. Yeah I remember Oh my God so me too Me too Yeah, when masks comes on, that means it's time to go to bed. So I did learn a lot. Damn helicopter. Damn helicopter good characters in mashed though. Maybe, I don't know. I never watched it. I was just like, o, it just gives me like a bad feeling. I learned how to do a tracheotomy with a pen Wing match. Really? Is it? I don't really know. Is it actually funny though? Like is it good? It must be peopleople love it. It was. I mean, that now I know why I watched so much match because it just came on. La come on.. And Golden Girls I did love Gld. Golden Girls to the bott. It was so fun. They still don't Right shows as good as right But I think also too, we don't there's not as many seasoned performers as back in the day. like Uh, those like Be author and and Betty white think Jesus like performedaleti. They had Anestalgheti. They had to perform likeike Decades. Yeah. dececades, Vaudeville. Yeah. O stage, you know, whatever, like they were I think especially as women at that time Was it harder? I think it was just a show business thing. Yeah. I think in show business, you just had to be that sort of, you know, like in baseball five to player like you had to know how to do it You had to sing and dance and act and be funny. everything Yeah. And I think now it's sort of personality based where if we like this guy of something or we like this lady for whatever reason and we'll just cast them in everything until people get sick of them as opposed to them being amazing performers by the time they get on television So when you watch those old shows and you see everybody's hitting their mark and everybodys sclling and everything Yeah the clickking, you know, I mean, I feel like that in wrestling too like You could you could watch wrestling and you realize Like's guys like I remember I would hear like wrestl interviews and they would say like who's the greatest wrestler? and they'll be like You know, they may say like,, Owen Heart is the best wrestl I've seen now I would be like, He didn't win the championships, you know, but it might because in my head they didn't write him to, you know, to win, but For wrestlers that watch wrestler like, they know I can't look good as good as I look if I wasn't going against O like He's carrying it in this way or wh or whoever it is or you know Sean or you know, like the short list of names that people talk about as these is the best people I've ever seen Like as a layman, if you're just watching, you're just only thinking about the guys that win the most. You're not thinking about the guys that makes everybody look good, that makes you care about the story. that's kind of bringing people in. so you know Does that make sense? It does. It does. So Oh also, I just saw a step three sixteen. Oh yeah. Congratulations Oh, thank you. Congratulations. Thank very much. Thist aner Congratulations, Well deserved. I think the Undertgger coming out to announce it in such a cool way And did were you really surprised you looked You so confused. like What are you doing? And at least didn't know either. And so we're sitting there and, you know, one of our cameramen comes over and he goes, Steph We want to shoot over your shoulder to get takers' entrance. And I'm like Okay, It know Taker was here tonight, but it makes sense. It's a big show like I don't always know what's happening Th these days And You know, and here he comes And he makes eye contact with me and I'm like,, because he normally would make eye contact with me because I give him shit on a regular basis. I thought the bike kind of stalled because I thought he was supposed to go around, you know? And so I'm kind of like, you know, I'm about to give him a hard time about it But he keeps looking at me And I'm like, well, this is weird. Yeah, you can read that. You can read that. Th then here he comes and he starts talking directly to me. And then here he comes over the wall and he tells me to sit down and I'm like Okay, I don't know what this is, but we're live. so I'm with it, you know? And you can see him and he goes, So are you ready? And I'm like Always ready. Always ready. And then he when he said the word induct or induction or whatever, I was like No way Oh, that's cool And then I didn't know what to do That's real Be then it was all too real That's really cool But I love him and he's like a big brother to me As long as I can remember Yeah, that was, um, I remember when we did that that That thing would in met life going back and seeing like him and ence and Hogan and those guys, I was just like, this is a dream. Right. This is like, this is crazy. Yeah. Wlcome to my world. Yeah, no. I was like Bizarre. It was crazy. It That's how I grew up. It's a fever dream literally after the prom The next day I see Hogan He's going riding bikes with my dad motorcycles These people have been there my whole life. I would walk come home from high school and find Rick Flair in my living room. It'sange That sounds t funy. It And I have to say it's funny because I'm like kidd, you know? and it's It wasn't terrifying as much as it was somewhat annoying to have my personal space invaded all the time.. and ultimate warrior who baffled me that he was a chiropractor He was a Chiropractor Yeah. ye I know imag I'm gonna crack your back. No, I'm not letting him do anything, man. Don't touch me. No. No. So last question Okay. You speak a lot about sketch comedy and you had the show. Yes, on HBO. Yeah So it seems as though you love sketch comedy I know you're going. No, no. Okay. That's open ended. O ended. I wasn't going anywhere R rightike it was just, I meanca for a second. No, I mean, I could ask you to come write some sketches for WWE. Oh, Oh, that' that's where I would go. But now that would be a nighttime, yes No would I would I'm not kidding. I wish I'd never said that because I would love to do that. Yeah. I would love to do that. That would be like bucketless. See, that would be fun. That would be bucketless. Yeah I that would be Okay You know what? I'm gonna be mad you said that. I'm just saying. you might you might regret saying that. Well, I don't I don't think I'm ' gonna regret that. That could be really fun. That could be really fun. That could be really fun. That's that's like a cool. I'm I'm a fan., you know, the performers now are like It's some really, really cool. You know what I love is Eoky Yeah. and and Rhea and And I was saying just Ro, Ro, yeah I that's what they call them it together. Oh, real. I was what? I'm say real is v It's realo Okay Yeahorry. I'm sorry. That's them. Yo. Oh y, you almost almost f so stupid Am I that guy that's just naming stuff D't knowing what he's talking about? All cool Ro fair. No, I love I love them. I love Jacob F too. I love there's so many like really, really fun peoplee to watch. I love Division. I love Paul Heyman I have a question for Paul Heayman. Okay G ahead I have a serious question before. I don't know if anybody's ever asked them this is Paul Heyman like, did he get inspiration from Do you know where he got inspiration? I've heard him say a few things He reminds me so much of the lawyer from the Wire Oh Yeah, no one stopped that. Yeah, I'm telling you. I was watching a liog. I was like This is Paul Halin. This is literally my client. Heon Barksill like he would like. I was like, yo, he reminds me so much. Levy, I think his name was. Yeah. I think he reminds me so bottom lacazes. It could be. He he's one of the people I've ever seen on television. L Yeah like he's on the short list of just the best people. I don't know why he's not. F time Emmy winner He's so good on television and he' I watch every time he's on, it's like something cool or developing I love when his hair turns white when he gets stressed when it turns black when he's confident. He's got so many little weird nuances of a performer and you know, he so so seriously. I could see. I could see like when he's supposed to be strung out, he won't sleep for days. You can see it on him. Like I saw like last week he had like stubble and ye. Yeah, he's so good. He It's really fun to watch And and he he makes all those guys I mean, he's just sace. Yeah He's the high sauce, man. He's so good But yeah, so multiple levels. Huge, huge fan of those all of those folks. So you have a to work with? Yeah, no, I mean,. I'm excited. This whole call right I'm Yeah, no, this is this is This is so much fun. No, thank you so much for doing this. Really. I'm so grateful that No, no, this is this is a real treat and it's also like it kind of Yeah, I appreciate first of all, what you guys did for my childhood and Yeah, I appreciate the product that you guys are still putting out And any timee, yeah, this is this is so much. I appreciate being able to go to i M met L life as they call it, I still called Giant Stadium because I'm sixty seven years old. I appreciate being able to go there and be booed and I'd never feel that like that feeling of. Coming out There's nothing like it in the world.hing Nothing like like it in the world. Pure adrenaline. It's pure adrenaline and you guys were like I mean, it was But you guys were great It was so much And you were so fun. It was so much fun. It was like Do you think Colin had any idea what he was getting into? Cin, yes, he's crazy. Yeah. I don't know if you've seen he's like at the Olympics getting hurt and like. And then gear, Oh my God, the gear was DDP was like, when I saw the headgear, I popped He's like, you're popping me with the headgeear, kid. Oh my God. Yeah, ' O'dell just went to the browns guys can My favorite My favorite was we did we did a run in Philly. We did a run in Phy. we was backstage and we saw Nyah Jacks And we was was she was like she was very nice. Everybody was so kind to us And Carin was like, Yeahah, since it's Philly, I'm going to put on a M's hat to get them to boom me. And she goes, Oh, honey You don't need to put on a hat. She said, you got heel face. They're gonna boo you no matter what you do. It was like great It was a great moment, man. It was so cool. was like I' not sure you're out it Yeah. Yeah, yeah Oh Yeah. Look at how much younger we are. Yeah. It was like five, two years ago one Does he put on the hat here? Is this what he does? I think it? I think it is. twenty nineteen. twenty nineteen Yeah. Here we go Strap is broken. I better. I never. That so much better. Oh that's so cool man. That's so cool. And you know what else was cool was at the garden recently when when I asked you the nighttime yes And And you and Lynn seem to like really so I had so much fun sitting with Lynn like not to name name drop, right? but he's amazing. He's such a fan. Yeah. And I get to be a fan now too. Yeah. So the whole time we were like going back and forth and I'm like, take that Lyn Manuel. and I'm having like the most fun with him. No. And then here you come and you guys are like such buds and like it's such a it is a community. And it's weird 'cause I never know who's gonna be there whenever we Whenever I get to go to Especially like at the garden, you never know who's going to be there. And there's so many people that I wouldn't even I don't even remember att track that their fans because like when we got there for that one, Pete was there. Lynn was there. think Eric was there. There a lot of people. Schultz was there. Yeah. It was just like crazy. there was a lot of people and it was like a really fun thing. like We all grew up similar. We all kind of grew up in the city. we all So it's just like That's like meecca, you know what I mean? It's cool though For us, you know, you at a garden, it's the And end youre watching the scene that you know That how's cool as that That was cool as how. Yeah I love him. I told you after that night at Barclays, I was like, You got it I get what they're doing. Yeah. This is special This is this is me ripping the plastic bag. You know what I mean? That's exact That's what it's about. You know, its it was it was really cool Uh Yeah he'll be missed I hope I hope we get to see him do something else In some comp or he'll be involved. You think so? No, I'm asking if you think so. I think Really? how do you know? I don't know if he'll ever wrestle again, you know, but I think he's not gonna be a stranger. Yeah,. You know, he loves this too much Howould you not? Yeah? How could you not There's nothing better. Yeah. someome people find their person in st.cept maybe wekend up world, you know We can update you know what? Eespecially when you do the jokes It's my fite. Yeah, but and that's a time when we can show how we feel about each. Yeah. makes it that makes it fun. so makes fun. He's gonna read something. It makes it fun. You know, it's one of those things. Itould be fun. It's where the context comes in. like I don't want to take up all your time, but like it's just like in u, you know, there's there's performers that can get away with certain things. on raw. If the rock says something one way, everybody can't say it the way the rocks say. you know, Ebody can't get away with it. Eespecially but the ro he's doing it, it feels even crazier, you And I feel like Joke swap is kind of one of those things where we could never do any of this stuff in the show, but in the world of Joke swap, we can get away with it. Right And because you don't know what you're reading and you don't know what it's going to be. So the context of it just makes it work a lot more fun. Yeah. is the first time you're reading it in the dress rehearsal or is it the live? Well, that's the thing They trick each other So for dress we have to we have to read something for dress rehearsal because we need it timeim But then we switch them for air sorry there. That's the first time And who is the first person to do that Um, It was Collin's idea, but I thought it was a prank