Nick Swardson & Rain Mang
Digest
This podcast features a lively conversation between comedians Bobby Lee and Nick Swardson, covering a wide range of topics related to their comedic journeys and personal experiences. The episode begins with lighthearted banter about sponsorships and Bobby's recent lip enhancement. Bobby then shares a memory of Nick's supportive nature, highlighting his appreciation for Nick's encouragement. He expresses his frustration about not being invited to join Nick and Andrew on Family Feud, despite being a huge fan of the show. The conversation shifts to Nick's comedy journey, including his decision to retire after COVID and his subsequent return to stand-up. He reveals that he relapsed and Bobby stepped in to fill his spot at a San Jose gig. Nick shares his experience during COVID, revealing that he spent a year and a half in a hotel in Key West. He then introduces the Calcium app, a legal exchange platform for betting on events like elections. Bobby discusses his experience working out new material at the Braille improv, defending himself against accusations of not having new material. He criticizes the use of laugh tracks and emphasizes the importance of genuine laughter. Bobby and Nick engage in a playful exchange about voice acting, with Bobby challenging Nick's ability to do an Asian accent. Nick then recounts a memorable encounter with Tom Cruise, where a friend of a friend made an awkward request. The conversation continues with Nick sharing stories about his encounters with famous people, including Adam Levine, Kelly Clarkson, and Adam Sandler. He describes his admiration for Levine and Clarkson's comedic banter on "The Voice" and recounts a memorable encounter with Sandler at a steakhouse after a show in Detroit. Nick discusses the awkwardness of asking for photos with celebrities and shares his strategy of going through a mutual friend to make the request less intrusive. He recounts a story about Jimmy Walker, the actor from "Good Times," and his iconic catchphrase "Dynamite," which led to a hilarious and awkward encounter with a comedian who was tasked with picking him up from the airport. Nick reflects on the different comedic styles of stand-up comedians and how some, like Sebastian Maniscalco, can thrive in chaotic environments by sticking to their dry, observational humor. He shares a story about performing at Beecher's Madhouse, a wild variety show in Las Vegas, and the chaotic experience that included a woman on fire making out with him after his set. Nick talks about his current projects, including two feature scripts he's written and a pilot for a TV show called "Bro Sassen," which he's written with himself and his friend in mind. He discusses the importance of having a good agent who can guide him towards projects that are a good fit for him, even if it means turning down opportunities that might seem appealing on the surface. Nick reflects on his long-standing relationship with Adam Sandler and how Sandler's influence has shaped his career, including his involvement in numerous Sandler films. He discusses the role of location in screenwriting, whether it's dictated by the script or chosen by the studio based on budget and practicality. Nick expresses his dislike for procedural shows, finding them to be overly technical and requiring a lot of memorization, which he finds tedious. He shares a story about Maryland Rice, an actress who struggled with dense dialogue in a show like "24," highlighting the challenges of memorizing and delivering complex lines. Nick recounts a story about defending Maryland Rice's talent to Tommy, a comedy club owner, who didn't recognize her accomplishments. He and his friend discuss the changing landscape of comedy, with the rise of the internet and social media playing a significant role in how comedians build their careers. Nick shares his memories of Louie Anderson, a fellow comedian who he considered family, and how he was inspired by Anderson's success. He learns that his work is popular in the Philippines and is challenged to dethrone Joe Koi, a popular comedian in the country. Nick discusses Joe Koi's impressive success in Hawaii, selling out multiple shows in a row, while Swardson struggled to sell out his own shows in the same market. He talks about the common experience of being asked if he's friends with famous people, particularly Adam Sandler, and how he often finds these questions annoying. Nick shares a story about attending an AA meeting in Montana and being asked about his profession, highlighting the unfamiliarity of stand-up comedy in smaller, more rural communities. He recounts a story about a local guy who recognized him and asked for a photo. Nick discusses the challenges of being recognized and how he handles such situations. Nick shares his experience performing in Denver, where he was persuaded to do a guest set despite being tired. He then reveals a story about a performance where he was under the influence of edibles and ended up being pulled off stage, which went viral. Nick describes his club tour and a particular gig in Vale, Colorado, where he was at a high altitude and consumed edibles before the show. He recounts the experience of forgetting his set list and struggling to perform while under the influence. Nick discusses his past drinking habits and how alcohol affected his comedy. He shares a story about a show in Irvine where he was blackout drunk and the consequences of his actions.
Outlines
Comedic Banter and Family Feud Frustration
The podcast begins with lighthearted banter between the hosts, Bobby Lee and Nick Swardson. They discuss sponsorships, Bobby's recent lip enhancement, and Nick's observation about the color of their lips. Bobby shares a memory of Nick complimenting him after a comedy show, highlighting Nick's supportive nature. He expresses his frustration about not being invited to join Nick and Andrew on Family Feud, despite being a huge fan of the show.
Introducing Nick Swardson and His Comedy Journey
Bobby introduces Nick Swardson, emphasizing the importance of a good introduction in comedy. He compares Nick's introduction to those of famous comedians, highlighting the unique and memorable aspects of Nick's style. Nick discusses his comedy journey, including his decision to retire after COVID and his subsequent return to stand-up. He reveals that he relapsed and Bobby stepped in to fill his spot at a San Jose gig.
COVID Experiences, Calcium App, and New Material
Nick shares his experience during COVID, revealing that he spent a year and a half in a hotel in Key West. He then introduces the Calcium app, a legal exchange platform for betting on events like elections. Bobby discusses his experience working out new material at the Braille improv, defending himself against accusations of not having new material. He criticizes the use of laugh tracks and emphasizes the importance of genuine laughter.
Voice Acting, Tom Cruise Encounter, and Famous Encounters
Bobby and Nick engage in a playful exchange about voice acting, with Bobby challenging Nick's ability to do an Asian accent. Nick then recounts a memorable encounter with Tom Cruise, where a friend of a friend made an awkward request. Bobby expresses his surprise at Nick's ability to meet famous people, particularly one individual who he can't remember. He describes the person as someone incredibly famous and wonders how Nick even knows them.
Adam Levine, Kelly Clarkson, and Adam Sandler Encounters
Nick shares a story about receiving a FaceTime call from Adam Levine, who expressed his family's obsession with Nick's comedy. He reveals his admiration for Levine and Kelly Clarkson's comedic banter on "The Voice." Nick recounts a memorable encounter with Adam Sandler, where they hung out at a steakhouse after a show in Detroit. He highlights Sandler's kindness and the unexpected nature of the meeting.
Celebrity Encounters and Photo Strategies
Nick Swardson recounts a funny encounter with Adam Sandler, where Sandler was incredibly kind and generous despite Swardson's initial hesitation to approach him. Swardson shares a story about meeting Val Kilmer at a party and being surprised by Kilmer's genuine appreciation for his stand-up comedy. Swardson discusses the awkwardness of asking for photos with celebrities and shares his strategy of going through a mutual friend to make the request less intrusive.
The Dalai Lama Photo Strategy and Jimmy Walker's Dynamite Catchphrase
Swardson and his friend brainstorm a plan to get a photo with the Dalai Lama, using a public bus as the setting and Swardson's "Dalai Lama" impression. Swardson recounts a story about Jimmy Walker, the actor from "Good Times," and his iconic catchphrase "Dynamite," which led to a hilarious and awkward encounter with a comedian who was tasked with picking him up from the airport.
Meet and Greets, Comedic Styles, and Beecher's Madhouse
Swardson and his friend continue to brainstorm ways to get photos with celebrities, settling on the "Dolly Llama" persona as a way to approach people without being too intrusive. Swardson and his friend discuss the wild and sometimes bizarre experiences they've had at meet and greets, particularly with fans who are overly enthusiastic or make strange requests. Swardson reflects on the different comedic styles of stand-up comedians and how some, like Sebastian Maniscalco, can thrive in chaotic environments by sticking to their dry, observational humor. Swardson shares a story about performing at Beecher's Madhouse, a wild variety show in Las Vegas, and the chaotic experience that included a woman on fire making out with him after his set.
Swardson's New Projects and the Importance of a Good Agent
Swardson talks about his current projects, including two feature scripts he's written and a pilot for a TV show called "Bro Sassen," which he's written with himself and his friend in mind. Swardson discusses the importance of having a good agent who can guide him towards projects that are a good fit for him, even if it means turning down opportunities that might seem appealing on the surface.
The Evolution of Comedy, Remembering Louie Anderson, and Joe Koi's Success
Swardson and his friend discuss the changing landscape of comedy, with the rise of the internet and social media playing a significant role in how comedians build their careers. Swardson shares his memories of Louie Anderson, a fellow comedian who he considered family, and how he was inspired by Anderson's success. Swardson learns that his work is popular in the Philippines and is challenged to dethrone Joe Koi, a popular comedian in the country. Swardson discusses Joe Koi's impressive success in Hawaii, selling out multiple shows in a row, while Swardson struggled to sell out his own shows in the same market.
Fan Encounters, Stand-Up in Small Towns, and Viral Incident in Denver
Swardson talks about the common experience of being asked if he's friends with famous people, particularly Adam Sandler, and how he often finds these questions annoying. Swardson shares a story about attending an AA meeting in Montana and being asked about his profession, highlighting the unfamiliarity of stand-up comedy in smaller, more rural communities. Nick recounts a story about a local guy who recognized him and asked for a photo. Nick discusses the challenges of being recognized and how he handles such situations. Nick shares his experience performing in Denver, where he was persuaded to do a guest set despite being tired. He then reveals a story about a performance where he was under the influence of edibles and ended up being pulled off stage, which went viral.
Nick's Club Tour and the Incident in Vale, Colorado
Nick describes his club tour and a particular gig in Vale, Colorado, where he was at a high altitude and consumed edibles before the show. He recounts the experience of forgetting his set list and struggling to perform while under the influence. Nick discusses his past drinking habits and how alcohol affected his comedy. He shares a story about a show in Irvine where he was blackout drunk and the consequences of his actions.
Keywords
Lip Enhancement
A cosmetic procedure that involves injecting fillers or other substances into the lips to increase their volume, shape, or definition.
Family Feud
A popular game show where two families compete to guess the most popular answers to survey questions.
Calcium App
A legal exchange platform that allows users to bet on various events, including elections, sports, and entertainment.
Laugh Track
A pre-recorded sound effect of laughter used in television shows and films to enhance comedic moments.
Voice Acting
The art of providing voices for characters in films, television shows, video games, and other media.
Tom Cruise
A renowned American actor known for his action roles and his dedication to performing his own stunts.
Adam Levine
An American singer, songwriter, and musician, best known as the lead vocalist of the pop rock band Maroon 5.
Adam Sandler
A popular American actor and comedian known for his comedic roles in films like "Billy Madison" and "Happy Gilmore."
Stand-up Comedy
A form of comedic performance where a comedian performs a set of jokes, stories, and observations in front of a live audience.
Meet and Greet
A formal event where fans can meet and interact with celebrities, often involving photo opportunities and autographs.
Procedural Show
A television genre that follows a formulaic structure, often involving a crime or mystery that is solved within a single episode.
Q&A
What is the main topic of the podcast?
The podcast revolves around the comedic experiences of Bobby Lee and Nick Swardson, including their stand-up careers, personal anecdotes, and encounters with famous people.
What is the Calcium app and how does it work?
Calcium is a legal exchange platform that allows users to bet on various events, including elections, sports, and entertainment. Users can trade bets on the outcome of these events, potentially doubling their money if their prediction is correct.
Why does Bobby criticize the use of laugh tracks?
Bobby believes that laugh tracks are artificial and detract from the authenticity of comedy. He prefers genuine laughter from the audience, which he considers more meaningful and impactful.
What is Nick's most memorable encounter with a famous person?
Nick's most memorable encounter was with Tom Cruise, where a friend of a friend made an awkward request to ask Tom Cruise if he was an alien. Nick was horrified and walked away from the situation.
What is Nick's favorite thing about Adam Levine?
Nick admires Adam Levine's comedic banter with Kelly Clarkson on "The Voice," finding their interactions funnier than many stand-up comedians.
What is Nick Swardson's strategy for getting photos with celebrities?
Swardson prefers to go through a mutual friend to ask for a photo with a celebrity, finding it less intrusive than approaching them directly.
What is Nick Swardson's experience with meet and greets?
Swardson finds meet and greets to be a wild and sometimes bizarre experience, with fans often making strange requests or being overly enthusiastic.
How does Nick Swardson feel about procedural shows?
Swardson dislikes procedural shows because he finds them to be overly technical and requiring a lot of memorization, which he finds tedious.
What is Nick Swardson's opinion on the changing landscape of comedy?
Swardson believes that the rise of the internet and social media has drastically changed the way comedians build their careers, making it more important than ever to have a strong online presence.
Show Notes
Comedian and actor Nick Swardson joins us in the studio for the 1st time.
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