Joe Rogan Experience #1431 — Owen Smith Transcript

Transcript

0:00 It is? This is what I've heard. I felt great. What do you think is more important in stand-up? There's no one thing. It just moved from New York to L.A. First time I ever came to – was flown to Los Angeles. where none of those Def Jam jokes worked. one comedian said, black enough like the whole black thing like damn i'm not a part of def jam i want to be touring i

3:53 but I, your feature act I I knew I always kept a time clock sometimes I would go long but I would And the pain of it, like, diminishes, but it's still kind of in there. It was in New York. And what I'm saying is, like, Def Jam prided itself on raw, like being raw. If I get the show, I get it. I left. And I did one joke. It was just like a full circle moment.

7:01 He was like, yo, nigga, you do yoga? He was flexible as hell. Usher has videos online of him training at black house and It's fucking hard as shit, but it seems like no big deal. I felt so good when I was doing it. It's just you against your body and russ you give me So I volunteer to work out hard. You know it's going to end in 40-50 seconds Just regular life bullshit stress.

10:04 Yeah, that's what I do. So I went to a hot bickroom yeah that's what i do so i went to And the only thing I knew was it was supposed to be a place of no judgment. I was like, I'm feeling judged. Trying to practice yoga, son, so I could not get judged. fucking hard man and the reason why they ask you if you are right because sometimes people are not

12:07 You know I went through a period How come we can't go in at least he got out his contract. is the weirdest one. They're like, Look at Bobby. I bet. Because then people would go, why am I signing up for that? Yeah. Yeah. That's a great hustle, man. I did.. They wouldn't share it. No way. You're probably right. Yeah. No way. Because then people would go, why am I signing up for that?

13:34 I'm like, I can't even do anything. I got to play basketball When the ball went through the rim, I went and got the rebound. couldn't like magic is huge man like yeah have you seen him in person no he's huge like and i'm six And I never – I guarantee you he won't remember this. Like, y'all don't need to see this. Nope. God. he lives in my neighborhood a word yeah I did a commercial with him

16:54 he did a whole episode he brought a tour bus Yeah. Yeah, I love that. But that's why he's so great That he would do in Chicago He was like They don't want to lose that shit. Yeah. and all the people that are wrong all the people that he's angry still i mean he's angry still. I mean, he's a crazy person. This is one of your great highlights It's Michael motherfucking Jordan, right?

20:13 Like Jordan knew his dad. the question should be michael jordan is clearly the greatest of all time with two parents. Who was doing that for LeBron? because I was raised by a single mom. Growing up because I didn't grow up with my dad. Yeah. A lot of great athletes had terrible upbringings, Clearly he was a positive factor. Because Deontay is a guy who pushes forward, and he's got this ridiculous power.

24:09 Well, Deontay's known as being this guy who's got an eraser. But with Tyson Fury, It makes it very difficult with two, three fake jabs, then a jab at at a right hand he'll throw a right hand to the body from the jump and that's exactly what he did. Like, Cronk was an attacking, aggressive style. and that's how he forced everybody to train under extreme duress he was a

27:03 believed him everybody thought it was just a hustle. That's exactly what he did. That's what I wanted to talk to you about. Thank you, man. it then we see what happens i'll check back with you a little bit later oh there we go yeah you go Well, it doesn't make sense to me i know great comics you know most comics when they I love it. had quality work that you know it would and then it's it's it's just changed to something that i

30:31 Amazon or someone and They put my special out in 2014 and 2009. Yeah. He is the funniest man on Instagram. Tears are coming down my eyes. I go, controversial? That's what you do. Right. Everything't do that one. They said, we can't do that one. It's too controversial. I go, controversial? What is your most successful show? Because you don't know where the no's coming from.

33:02 First of all, they're not creative people. There's so much fuckery going on. you crazy it can drive you crazy they're also seriously Because that's not good. We should. It was great. was i was thinking of we were just talking about this. Yeah. It's all me I'll do all that shit What do you mean? So, there this idea. That's how I feel about TikTok. Yes. So when this idea came to me, I thought, I can't think of the, I think his name is Chase Jarvis.

36:31 be something like that that would speak to comedy fans but my whole intention was to because i felt and it's basically every comic. it shows the journey you know what I mean you know I just believe they haven't found it yet. I didn't even say that. There's a reality. you know but you can't worry about that though yeah yeah that's that's you just got

39:09 But it just, I hadn't read it. Thinking about my 23-year-old self writing jokes. And what I love about it is comics aren't burning material. Yes. I loved it so much. maybe there's a televised play for this. Half the people, and this is generous, You know what I mean? Yeah. Like I learned a lot from this experience. So George Carlin was performing at Hermosa Beach Comedy Magic Club.

42:03 And I go, yo, can I get 21 minutes? He's he's like no i could just give you seven eight minutes so i had to do like three seven minutes and pieces and so I was politicking. management name. Like this to Dave Kimber Rickon Ball If I could do that through you I'm calling. I go, this could be the start Nope. Sorry, man. Good luck, man. All right. Talk to you. Boop. Hung up. I was like what I thought I was like you hazing me right nope sorry man good luck man all right talk to you boop hung up and I was like what and it never dawned on me to call Kimber and be like hey like I was so floored by that

44:49 I didn't even think that. And so, you had her card. just sometimes it's part of that world of not being all in and stand up and being in that writing I've known him forever. seen him on death jam when he used to yell yeah before he went vegan he used to yell he calmed Laughing way too much. Yeah, but he was so kind To me That it's like I love him There's vegans out there

47:29 He'll eat a piece of bread But whenever we're on a plane dude is nodding out always then he got me he got me recently he got me he caught it it's just giant He was asleep. hello Ian and I checked my Instagram I wish you could and so he i think he's doing smooths and stuff now but back then i just remember i Greenbelt Comedy, He's like, When he walked by, nobody wanted to touch him because he had that bomb on him.

51:14 Like, just kind of a similar cadence. and and it's like i think it was a hatchback i'm not sure and tony drives off i'm like whoa These are the things that are important to me. and the material he was doing, man, and he came down you know and then like a couple a couple, a couple, I feel like six months later, I saw him on HBO or something. And I hear the audience go, do the Aspen bit.

54:23 Like, they know his work, and they're requesting it. But years later, I didn't know that is this dude like they know his work and they're Do I shift? I know what mine was, but all of ours is different. so yeah, Yeah. what gave me the idea my wife was trying to toss mine no fucking way those are gonna be worth You know what I mean? just because it's it's just more practical because every time i go to get the paper like it's not

57:22 My act is more personal. Well, that's GED logic, man. It ain't no shade of D, you got to go back. I love the New York Post it is I'm back in New York Is this a standup joke? Sometimes when you write, you forget to play. You forget that sometimes. And when I just remember to play, this shit is so fun. Like, so right now it's Black History Month. and you're getting like you're getting a peek into the world of somebody you're told is this

1:02:00 i didn't know comedy could do that so i remember when when I heard Dick Gregory on. It's an album called Dick Gregory On. that were in the narrative at that time about black folks. So I, And it just – I was like, it's not really changing the world, man. hilarious in that too and so then I go all my real niggas like in Milwaukee, And I would go white folks tonight.

1:04:19 I'm selling my dumb DVDs, That's not the bit. You know? you know what I mean? go wow owens on some real shit yeah you know it's i think there's a danger in that and that you can I think it's probably with everything. It can hold you back. they want the people You're wasting They don't see that. I'm like, what in the fuck are you even talking about And not really pushing the, you know.

1:08:12 So I go, so you have a quote. so um when you so everything when you sell a television show they give you a a contract of And so you have this thing where, ask you to take a pay cut right from your quote your people won't allow them to do that But it's like, yeah, man, you succeeded at selling several shows. off yeah yeah oh that's what's wrong but the difference is i think between successful people

1:11:31 And so I almost think he needs to feel that he's being, you know. Yeah. Yeah. There's no meetings Yeah but I said yes to that Because I just had an audition today. I auditioned for two shows ever. I got that. All that, yeah. And I was in the waiting room. you had to play it straight like the play it was like me trying to figure i was a handyman at this

1:14:08 I go the pilot was really funny and then they fired that guy sides were hilarious and then i realized like oh they're trying to cut out the corn balls yeah yeah like when when i got an audition for hardball it was because disney gave me a bunch of money for you know, we're going to keep people here now. You know, we're going to, if we make someone a

1:16:26 weeks later i'm in hollywood having meetings and then uh a month later you were in boston yeah i development deal with them with nbc based on the hardball show and so they said hey before we talk interested in it at all but all of a sudden it was happening i was like huh but that's part of probably why I do that shit every day. I was like this. I love that.

1:19:07 what i mean it's too hard to be good looking and funny it doesn't really work out very often come and um it was a it was an opportunity to do something with no actors i was like fuck yeah Ones that are trying to make it. Yeah, man, I'm going to meet you, I'm going to meet you. you know a living in this town And you go, man, you're a real dude. becoming a business and i wasn't ready for that you know and uh i literally liked having fun like

1:22:26 my wife was like, I know how to like, could tell if it's gonna go or not by because they always lately they've been trying to cuten That might be in the pilot at first and you'd be literally armchair quarterbacking like it could be it could be a series of things. It's rare that someone does it right. Those kind of shows. It's very good. Network television is just so

1:25:12 dead but mauled i mean it's horrible i mean it's it's a stunning visual and if you can't handle it's collaborative with a lot of people who um at certain stages you're like yeah you know yeah but i know i don't like how you're talking to me right now i don't even understand it as your stand-up. you are already The business pulls you in. The business offers you of the business. The business pulls you in.

1:27:35 Right. like you did it already yeah so it's like i've done both things yeah i've done well i've done That was an amazing thing to watch. He's a very popular guy. I was like, what happened? Because I just saw an ESPN star. I was like, what happened? Right. to the fighters very very understanding of what's going on and i look at it in a very comprehensive

1:30:00 Yeah. but it's uh it's just you can't say cowboy quit he got his face smashed in he got head kicked It's a different thing. it is as raw You're allowed to kick them in the eyeball you're allowed to kick them in the man you see them get smashed like girls that fight amanda nunez she just beats the fuck out of them look, not interested. The fights were from New Zealand,

1:32:29 I'm like Brendan Schaub but it gets millions of views so it's a fight companion And, you know, I've got kids of my own, and I've got daughters. You couldn't do it. but but when you guys could just say whatever you you want to say is to narrow it down to as few like i don't believe in any of these things i i i you know i just think that when you're about the the state of the way human beings communicate with each other yeah you you got

1:36:32 of all those talk shows those talk shows are dwindling they are like they're like flowers in You could stop it when you have to take a shit. they come home drunk you know what i mean like there's something about something in the air like You need to connect us. really said that he really said it i want to send you the clip oh and i just want to be like malcolm

1:38:36 And it's like, I couldn't watch him anymore. No. Go do your thing, man. Yeah And you sitting there Is that if you talk to someone or they do other things and then they're doing stand-up occasionally in front of their crowd. Because if they're all there funny guy but when he got i was like ah man i need i need i need this i need to find dude i need to

1:41:13 or you have a distorted perception of yourself, fun it's so fun but to break that down to just sentences and words and And they go, that ain't it, man. We could watch a stand-up special. what i've been doing you know who my some of my favorite people to do this with uh me and eddie I'm fascinated by that thing where Good way. I'm not walking around going,

1:44:14 what's what's separating the creativity the aggression the the understanding the technical like they're just they're setting out to try to to establish this like social justice premise Good to see you. yeah like whatever happened to his career like bitch, you don't have a career. You don't have one. What are you saying? Yeah. And then when you actually do get a break, there's so much weight to it, you can't carry it.

1:47:13 people as being i meet a guy he's 42 oh he's always been 42 and then it's just this is who I forgive people as often as I can. Wild people that take chances, like you got to cut them breaks. Yeah, man. I hope they don't do it to me. You know what I mean? do that. yeah. that's, Humility. But I've been told I'm too nice. That's all it is. People, when things aren't going well, assholes on the outside come up with solutions.

1:49:26 People think that there's always some solution that they've got yes that's a dangerous thing when things aren't going Clean your act up. You got to be clean. you're talking about. They would, you could do with this show. you can't handle this this is not you this is this is the internet is a different thing man it's really that simple to me i'm uh i'm getting off of that shit though social media i'm i'm gonna

1:51:57 And I'm like, God damn. so uh yeah and I see you It's very addictive. were asking me like who do you want to star in it and I wanted Lil Duval to star in it with performing live I know Even though he hasn't, quote, unquote, been number one on the call sheet before, i was like man he would be a perfect if you had a show that was produced by people that you respect

1:54:11 Because you could feel that shit, man. Let me see how I can, Yeah, yeah. come out tomorrow is this out today this will come out when does this come out tomorrow yeah What's the biggest place And let me tell you technical perspective i just had to stand there and trust the material and then when i would act So it's just the work of it all. Theaters.

1:57:21 Love it, man. Not that New Jersey has a bad sound. interesting about that is when you um what i like to do sometimes is look at what other acts come to Right. You know what I mean? So yeah, and you gotta like just if you got a lot of laughs i try to stay in the moment but i definitely never give off a fake laugh yes if i'm laughing when you said it 150 times in a row exactly the same way,

2:00:33 Unless I'm really, I might be real high. tony and then think now you know you get to do it in the best comedy clubs in the world yeah I want you to go on right after always. I was like, for real real ask my wife like i out of you wait i wasn't ready i wasn't ready yeah but people have this idea because a person I'm smarter than them. Why are you attacking my thing, man?

2:02:39 That guy defended stand-up comedy very well, it seems like. He just doesn't know. If there was a show, and you went on right jessel neck went on It could be where he was. article that's's shitting on What he doesn't understand is there's a mind wrestling that's going on before you actually go and do that. I couldn't shake it. concentration and focus and just that being what you really want. Yeah. You know, it's not just numbers. It's numbers of like passion, numbers of focus.

2:06:16 but it's so easy to bomb in that tightly controlled environment. yeah and those spaces where there's a big moat between you and the audience I did a jack-and-jill strip club where couples would go and a guy would go and strip and the girl would go and strip Right. But bombing, usually, you hear some noise. to be in town because his family lived there because it was around the holidays and his family

2:08:48 A layer of protection where you could go up in front of those people. Okay. They made me. And he thinks it looks easy because they make it look easy. Oh, yeah. Yes. We'll be working stuff out. He struggled after me. damon wayans used to do that too he's so funny dam Damon Wayans, he's one of the unheralded greats. Remember? back to playing when he had hiv i'll never forget this who's he was like everybody was afraid to

2:12:11 How complete Damon is man He should be recognized be tall and funny oh that's hilarious you know what i mean like we've talked about this yeah And part of one of the great, look, there's two greatest sketch. of all time legendary part of that Remember he was in The Last Boy Scout with Bruce Willis? Yeah. my favorite that's my in my professional life yeah out of all the things i've done whether it's a usc

2:15:13 It was basically mocking Terry Crews but that bit me and and and santino we were in the back of the OR. You get everybody making you bagels. I got fortunate in that when I did Fear Factor, I never stopped doing stand--up and never stopped okay i was always at the store always i was scared because i had And there was only like maybe 30 people in the whole crowd.

2:17:22 I took the job of the dude who took his job. I'm just doing this sitcom My Warner Brothers CD You can't just start bombing. Oh. so if you're a writer and it's like to sit next to somebody with two jobs i totally get it you know what i mean especially with comedy I was like, that's a courageous thing to invest. Malcolm Gladwell? And then I could listen to him again because I miss it.

2:19:46 Here's the thing that's happening, too. She's terrible. I'm like, this is hilarious. venture yeah yeah but yeah there's a lot of people writing stories or articles about comedy why is this happening and he said and jerry said i don't know who the next people are i mean these so, like, and then he invites me You're dismissing a whole generation, people listening to you.

2:22:29 But I just saw him and just had to put it. But I can't let it go. since the 80s he's basically just do it because I can take my bits yeah oh yeah necessarily have discipline you know i'm just very fortunate that i was involved in something I want to watch TV. Stare at the sky. Did I ever tell you my Mitch Hedberg story? And we clicked, right? And we walk around. I was living in Chicago at the time. And we clicked, right?

2:25:00 And he goes, I'm about to be rich, man. and then i had a gig in minnesota i like after the festival he goes can i ride with you so we And we were both in this hotel room. And he videotaped me tripping. who said the letter? and I go and I'm seeing all this thing And I was like, I pray that I'm calling the girl. she saw I could see but not really like left my

2:27:43 but I did it with Mitch you know. it wasn't butt fuck, but it was somewhere in Pennsylvania. Yeah man Yeah when we found out I was in that one Go ahead. Yeah. know he didn't have any desire to kick heroin it's really interesting like I'm know dealing with the notes of it all and all that shit he was like yo i pitched an idea i wanted to Somebody asked me, do you want a frozen banana?

2:31:07 No one ever did it in front of me either, but I knew they were doing it. They snort pills. And I just was like, wow. You're going to be okay. because um he was all muscle yeah and i was like if cocaine could take him down i don't stand a like, shit my pants. Purpose just Just Yes Go to TextOwen.com