Interview · moment 14 of 20
Ignoring Advice and Why He Keeps Telling the Machine Story
from Bert Kreischer · #137
Audio-only archive episode — no video to seek.
3 minGuest
Bert explains his philosophy of ignoring advice from peers who told him to retire the Machine story, and contrasts comics who perform for themselves and their fans versus those who chase approval from other comics.
- 41:11Tim has ignored all advice to stop doing things his way.
- 41:21Everyone in comedy tells him to retire the machine story, but he keeps telling it at the end of his sets.
- 41:49The forklift operator or dialysis patient who gets one night out wants to see the story that made them come, not just new material.
- 42:18Dave Stroup once asked Tim not to tell the machine story because angry customers were waiting at the bar afterward.
- 42:42Some comedians perform for other comics' approval rather than for the working people in the audience.
- 43:06Comics copy each other's moves—new hours, podcasts, jujitsu—instead of being authentic to what they actually want.
- 43:39Bill Burr and Ari Shaffir moved to New York for their own reasons, not because Joe told them to.
- 44:03Tim believes you have to respect people but ultimately ignore their advice and follow your own direction.
- 44:27Too many comedians are concerned with what others think instead of being themselves, which actually limits their talent.
Joe RoganAri ShaffirBrendan SchaubBill BurrDave StroupTony Delia