WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.040 --> 00:00:03.439 Our next guest. He's definitely on the way up, Derek Stroop. 2 00:00:03.720 --> 00:00:06.080 He's not a native Colorading but he's been here like 3 00:00:06.120 --> 00:00:09.519 ten years and lately he's having quite the tear. He'll 4 00:00:09.519 --> 00:00:13.599 be opening for John Christ on the nineteenth at Paramount Theater. 5 00:00:13.919 --> 00:00:16.399 He's also going to be at Comedy Works Downtown on 6 00:00:16.480 --> 00:00:17.839 November first and second. 7 00:00:18.120 --> 00:00:19.320 Derek, Welcome to the show. 8 00:00:19.800 --> 00:00:22.719 Hey, hey, hey, thank you so much for having me on. 9 00:00:22.839 --> 00:00:23.920 Excited to be here. 10 00:00:24.199 --> 00:00:27.559 Well, I'm excited because I love I love having fellow 11 00:00:27.640 --> 00:00:31.440 Southerners on the show. I don't sound like one because 12 00:00:31.480 --> 00:00:34.079 I spent four years in college in voice addiction training 13 00:00:34.119 --> 00:00:35.200 getting rid of my accent. 14 00:00:35.600 --> 00:00:37.200 But I am also from the Deep South. 15 00:00:37.600 --> 00:00:39.920 I love on your little fact sheet that it says 16 00:00:39.960 --> 00:00:43.359 you're from Harvest, Alabama, located in the northern part of 17 00:00:43.359 --> 00:00:46.359 the state, which to me indicates there's nothing even close 18 00:00:46.439 --> 00:00:48.320 enough to it that anyone would have ever heard of. 19 00:00:48.840 --> 00:00:49.560 Is that accurate? 20 00:00:50.079 --> 00:00:54.000 Yeah, I mean Harvest. I mean that name is a 21 00:00:54.000 --> 00:00:56.119 little bit on a two on point. I mean that's 22 00:00:56.159 --> 00:01:00.759 like being from white people, you tall, It's very very accurate. 23 00:01:00.840 --> 00:01:02.679 It's it's out in the country now. 24 00:01:02.880 --> 00:01:05.640 I mean, it's about an How're in thirty minutes south 25 00:01:05.680 --> 00:01:09.200 of Nashville. It's right at the Tennessee state line, so 26 00:01:09.879 --> 00:01:11.560 there's not a lot around us. But we're not too 27 00:01:11.599 --> 00:01:15.359 far from Huntsville, Alabama either, But it is Alabama, so 28 00:01:15.640 --> 00:01:17.200 I mean it's pretty country. 29 00:01:17.439 --> 00:01:17.719 Now. 30 00:01:17.840 --> 00:01:20.920 I'm I am a native of northern Florida, which is 31 00:01:21.000 --> 00:01:24.359 the said, the redneck part of Florida. And we call 32 00:01:24.400 --> 00:01:28.159 the border between Alabama and Florida Florabama. Is there a 33 00:01:28.200 --> 00:01:30.239 similar name for Tennessee and Alabama. 34 00:01:30.760 --> 00:01:31.359 No? 35 00:01:31.359 --> 00:01:35.599 No, And there's also not an iconic bar on the 36 00:01:35.640 --> 00:01:38.879 state line either called you know Florabama. That's a that's 37 00:01:38.879 --> 00:01:43.120 a pretty special spot to us Alabamians and especially you 38 00:01:43.120 --> 00:01:45.079 know those in Florida too, right there in the in 39 00:01:45.120 --> 00:01:47.519 the redneck riviera on the Painhandle. Let me tell you 40 00:01:47.719 --> 00:01:49.799 I had one of my favorite parts of the country. 41 00:01:50.000 --> 00:01:53.280 I go to Pensacola on vacation. And if you don't 42 00:01:53.319 --> 00:01:55.519 know about Pensacola, that says a little bit about me. 43 00:01:56.359 --> 00:02:00.560 Derek, don't tell anyone, Okay, stop stops, because we see 44 00:02:00.560 --> 00:02:01.200 what happened. 45 00:02:00.959 --> 00:02:02.920 To Colorado when the word got out right. 46 00:02:02.799 --> 00:02:05.519 So we don't want people Pensacole is horrible. People you 47 00:02:05.560 --> 00:02:08.039 get each as shark, possibly a bear. You don't know 48 00:02:08.080 --> 00:02:11.439 what's going to happen in Pensacola, That's right, Derek. When 49 00:02:11.439 --> 00:02:13.360 did you decide coming from a real small town, it 50 00:02:13.439 --> 00:02:15.360 must have been it must have been kind of a 51 00:02:15.400 --> 00:02:17.520 big decision to say, you know what, I'm not going 52 00:02:17.560 --> 00:02:18.960 to be a farmer or I'm not going to be 53 00:02:19.039 --> 00:02:21.639 a pharmacist or sell state farm insurance. 54 00:02:21.680 --> 00:02:24.159 I'm going to go be a comedian. How did that happen? 55 00:02:25.199 --> 00:02:26.039 You know it? 56 00:02:26.039 --> 00:02:28.960 There was a few different things that lined up for 57 00:02:29.039 --> 00:02:32.719 it to happen. But you know, I moved to Denver 58 00:02:32.759 --> 00:02:34.520 when I was thirty years old, and I took the 59 00:02:34.560 --> 00:02:37.719 first plane I'd ever been on out here. You know, 60 00:02:37.840 --> 00:02:41.599 I get it. I get it, honest, I'm really from 61 00:02:41.639 --> 00:02:43.639 the country. But what kind of led to it is 62 00:02:43.680 --> 00:02:46.080 I started off in Jacksonville, Alabama. I was running a 63 00:02:46.080 --> 00:02:48.840 couple bars down there after college, and we had a 64 00:02:48.840 --> 00:02:51.599 bunch of country music singers that were up and coming 65 00:02:51.719 --> 00:02:55.400 that came through Riley Green, Sam Hunt, some other guys, 66 00:02:55.719 --> 00:02:57.639 and I was like, if I hear wagon will one 67 00:02:57.639 --> 00:03:00.199 more time, I'm jump in front of a car are 68 00:03:00.680 --> 00:03:03.080 And so I just started doing comedy about once every 69 00:03:03.120 --> 00:03:06.360 three months, and one thing led to another, and and. 70 00:03:06.280 --> 00:03:07.759 I kind of wanted to chase my dream. 71 00:03:07.800 --> 00:03:09.479 I didn't want to get swallowed up in New York 72 00:03:09.520 --> 00:03:11.680 City or LA so I chose Denver. 73 00:03:12.319 --> 00:03:13.240 Well, it's a good choice. 74 00:03:13.240 --> 00:03:14.879 We're a great comedy town. I don't need to tell 75 00:03:14.919 --> 00:03:17.919 you that, that's for sure. One of the things that 76 00:03:17.919 --> 00:03:19.560 I always like to ask people is how did that 77 00:03:19.599 --> 00:03:23.400 conversation go with your parents when you were like, Mom, Dad, 78 00:03:23.520 --> 00:03:24.759 I'm gonna go be a comedian. 79 00:03:24.840 --> 00:03:25.759 How did that work out? 80 00:03:26.199 --> 00:03:27.879 Well? You know, they don't. 81 00:03:27.919 --> 00:03:30.560 I tell people in the Deep South, they don't understand. 82 00:03:30.599 --> 00:03:32.479 If I would have grown up telling them I wanted 83 00:03:32.479 --> 00:03:34.199 to be a comedian, it would have hurt me more 84 00:03:34.199 --> 00:03:36.680 than it would have helped me. That's just not a 85 00:03:36.719 --> 00:03:40.199 profession that you dream of. So, you know, when I 86 00:03:40.240 --> 00:03:43.800 told my mom, she cried. When I told my dad 87 00:03:43.879 --> 00:03:48.800 he sighed. And those are two pretty on point responses 88 00:03:48.840 --> 00:03:52.000 from from Stacey and Bill. They didn't they didn't understand, 89 00:03:52.080 --> 00:03:54.240 but you know, they believed in me. They knew, they 90 00:03:54.280 --> 00:03:56.719 knew that I that I had the skills to maybe 91 00:03:56.719 --> 00:03:59.919 make that happen. They just didn't have the vision I had, 92 00:04:00.400 --> 00:04:03.400 And they didn't know that Denver was the route I 93 00:04:03.439 --> 00:04:04.280 needed to take. 94 00:04:04.159 --> 00:04:07.520 And I got luckier. You know that I ever knew. 95 00:04:07.719 --> 00:04:10.560 Denver's really just blessed me more than I ever could 96 00:04:10.560 --> 00:04:12.560 have imagined. It's such a great city for comedy, in 97 00:04:12.599 --> 00:04:15.719 a great city to live in. So yeah, they weren't 98 00:04:15.759 --> 00:04:18.240 pumped about it, but their tune has changed for sure. 99 00:04:18.959 --> 00:04:20.959 Well, I guess when you appear on The Tonight Show 100 00:04:20.959 --> 00:04:24.000 with Jimmy Fallon, it changes the dynamic just a little bit. 101 00:04:24.399 --> 00:04:27.800 And You've had quite the twenty twenty three You've done 102 00:04:27.800 --> 00:04:28.399 a lot of stuff. 103 00:04:28.439 --> 00:04:29.759 You're opening for a lot of people. 104 00:04:30.120 --> 00:04:32.360 You were named the new face at the twenty twenty 105 00:04:32.360 --> 00:04:35.160 three Just for Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal, which I 106 00:04:35.920 --> 00:04:38.439 think that's probably the biggest comedy festival in the world. 107 00:04:38.560 --> 00:04:39.959 Is it still? I know it used to be. 108 00:04:40.240 --> 00:04:45.000 Yeah, you know, they went bankrupt last year or this year, and. 109 00:04:44.959 --> 00:04:46.720 I think they're going to make a comeback, but it is. 110 00:04:46.800 --> 00:04:47.439 It is the. 111 00:04:48.879 --> 00:04:51.199 It's one of the ultimate credits that you can have 112 00:04:51.639 --> 00:04:54.839 a lot of people, you know, outside of the entertainment 113 00:04:54.839 --> 00:04:55.680 industry may. 114 00:04:55.519 --> 00:04:59.480 Not know the rich history of Just for Laughs, but every. 115 00:04:59.279 --> 00:05:02.839 Comic that you've loved that has been great at stand 116 00:05:02.920 --> 00:05:04.839 up or been on a sitcom or done anything in 117 00:05:04.879 --> 00:05:06.959 their career, more than likely. 118 00:05:06.720 --> 00:05:08.199 Went through jfil Is. 119 00:05:09.000 --> 00:05:11.040 It is a really special thing to be a part 120 00:05:11.079 --> 00:05:12.879 of it, an honor to be part of it. And 121 00:05:13.040 --> 00:05:14.879 then it led to a lot of you know, I 122 00:05:14.920 --> 00:05:18.680 was in Canada. I did seven different Canadian cities this summer. 123 00:05:18.800 --> 00:05:20.879 So it's led to a lot of a lot of 124 00:05:20.879 --> 00:05:23.800 great things, and it's definitely something I'm proud of. 125 00:05:24.360 --> 00:05:26.680 You are far too young to remember what I am 126 00:05:26.720 --> 00:05:29.040 about to tell you, but my audience of Gen xers 127 00:05:29.079 --> 00:05:32.240 will completely remember this. They used to put out VCR 128 00:05:32.319 --> 00:05:35.879 tapes of some of the Just for Last festival, and 129 00:05:35.920 --> 00:05:37.959 that is the first time I saw Stephen Wright, and 130 00:05:38.000 --> 00:05:40.160 that's the first time I saw Bobcat Goldthwaite, and that 131 00:05:40.240 --> 00:05:42.680 was the first time I saw Sam Kinnison. And so 132 00:05:42.839 --> 00:05:45.439 those VCR tapes, because I used to work in the 133 00:05:45.519 --> 00:05:48.639 video store, those were a hot commodity on the weekends. 134 00:05:48.879 --> 00:05:49.600 And I've come to. 135 00:05:49.560 --> 00:05:51.600 Realize I think people just got really drunk on the 136 00:05:51.600 --> 00:05:54.160 weekends and then watch them. But they were they were 137 00:05:54.199 --> 00:05:56.120 they were the first things gone on Friday night and 138 00:05:56.120 --> 00:05:57.639 they were not ever brought back rewound. 139 00:05:57.759 --> 00:06:00.000 And so we had to make sure that happened. 140 00:06:00.759 --> 00:06:04.040 But what can people expect from your comedy when they 141 00:06:04.040 --> 00:06:05.240 come to see you? 142 00:06:05.240 --> 00:06:09.920 You know, it's a it's a fun experience because it's 143 00:06:10.040 --> 00:06:11.480 it's a mix of a few things. 144 00:06:11.480 --> 00:06:12.879 You know. I get pretty worked up. 145 00:06:12.920 --> 00:06:15.519 I'm ranty and angry on stage, and I've got a 146 00:06:15.519 --> 00:06:18.560 lot of observational thoughts too, So you know, I'd like 147 00:06:18.639 --> 00:06:21.439 to think it's somewhere between Ron White and Bill Burr, 148 00:06:21.560 --> 00:06:25.000 and there's a little Sam Kennison involved, because I really 149 00:06:25.040 --> 00:06:25.600 do get. 150 00:06:25.480 --> 00:06:26.879 Unhinged every now and then. 151 00:06:27.680 --> 00:06:28.920 But you know, more. 152 00:06:28.800 --> 00:06:32.160 Importantly, I'm true to myself and there's nobody that I'm 153 00:06:32.199 --> 00:06:34.079 trying to be like out there. There's no point of 154 00:06:34.160 --> 00:06:36.480 view that I'm trying to steal from anybody. And I 155 00:06:36.519 --> 00:06:40.360 don't have soapboxes on stage about anything that really matters. 156 00:06:40.399 --> 00:06:43.120 There's not a lot of victims in my act. It's 157 00:06:43.199 --> 00:06:45.360 just me losing my mind about a lot of things 158 00:06:45.360 --> 00:06:48.600 that don't really matter, you know. And it's a fun 159 00:06:48.720 --> 00:06:51.720 riding and a lot of people seem to enjoy it. 160 00:06:51.800 --> 00:06:54.439 I gaining a lot of steam out here on the road. 161 00:06:54.439 --> 00:06:57.000 I keep selling more and more tickets and so that's 162 00:06:57.040 --> 00:06:58.839 been fun to see so what are. 163 00:06:58.680 --> 00:07:00.680 Some of the things that grind your gear? What gets 164 00:07:00.680 --> 00:07:01.040 you going? 165 00:07:01.800 --> 00:07:06.040 I mean, it's never anything that's serious, you know, And 166 00:07:06.079 --> 00:07:09.120 I think that that's kind of the where I get 167 00:07:09.120 --> 00:07:11.560 away with being angry like I do on stage because 168 00:07:11.560 --> 00:07:13.680 it's never anything that matters. 169 00:07:13.279 --> 00:07:14.759 Like what would set me off. 170 00:07:14.920 --> 00:07:17.040 I'll tell you what, Like my shirt getting caught on 171 00:07:17.079 --> 00:07:19.759 a door knob when I'm walking by makes me want 172 00:07:19.759 --> 00:07:23.680 to remove the door from the. 173 00:07:22.639 --> 00:07:25.199 I mean, I just talking about it. 174 00:07:25.439 --> 00:07:28.279 Things that don't make sense, like that when people eat 175 00:07:28.319 --> 00:07:31.040 trail mix and they pick out one thing at a time, 176 00:07:31.399 --> 00:07:33.480 when they should just reach their whole hand in there 177 00:07:33.480 --> 00:07:35.800 and get what they get, because that's what you if 178 00:07:35.800 --> 00:07:37.480 you wanted EM and M's, you should have hate a 179 00:07:37.480 --> 00:07:38.439 bag of M and M's. 180 00:07:39.480 --> 00:07:41.920 You know. It's it's small, silly things like that. 181 00:07:42.519 --> 00:07:45.839 Last night at dinner, I ordered a salad with my 182 00:07:45.920 --> 00:07:48.040 burger because I'm trying to be a reasonable person but 183 00:07:48.079 --> 00:07:50.639 still have a burger and can I looked at my 184 00:07:50.720 --> 00:07:52.639 husband after my salad arrived and I said, you know what, 185 00:07:53.000 --> 00:07:56.000 I could probably do a ten minute comedy show on 186 00:07:56.040 --> 00:07:58.680 how much I hate spring mix in salad. You know, 187 00:07:58.720 --> 00:08:00.160 when you get the salad and it just looks like 188 00:08:00.199 --> 00:08:02.600 grass clippings. Oh, and you're pretty sure they just went 189 00:08:02.639 --> 00:08:05.199 outside and just grabbed up some stuff out of the 190 00:08:05.279 --> 00:08:07.279 yard and put it in a bowl. And I'm supposed 191 00:08:07.279 --> 00:08:09.319 to eat it while little pieces are shooting up my 192 00:08:09.399 --> 00:08:12.920 nostril because it's not uniform, and it's very frustrating for me. 193 00:08:13.000 --> 00:08:13.680 So I get that. 194 00:08:14.040 --> 00:08:17.920 No, I mean, that's like, that's so relatable. I hate 195 00:08:17.959 --> 00:08:21.519 the spring mix. When I get a salad the same 196 00:08:21.560 --> 00:08:24.399 way it is, it ruins it because and a lot 197 00:08:24.399 --> 00:08:27.920 of times it won't tell you exactly the type of lettuce. 198 00:08:28.000 --> 00:08:30.959 It'll say how salad, it'll say some of the toppings 199 00:08:31.000 --> 00:08:32.519 that it will give you, and then it shows up and 200 00:08:32.559 --> 00:08:35.279 I'm like, this is not what I wanted at all. 201 00:08:35.399 --> 00:08:36.440 That's very relatable. 202 00:08:36.600 --> 00:08:39.000 Well, and you know, sometimes there's a sandspur in there. 203 00:08:39.039 --> 00:08:41.080 You don't know where that thing's been, You have no idea. 204 00:08:41.080 --> 00:08:44.159 It's honestly the worst food in restaurants right now, and 205 00:08:44.200 --> 00:08:44.960 we need to stop it. 206 00:08:45.080 --> 00:08:46.320 Okay, we just need to stop it. 207 00:08:46.879 --> 00:08:49.399 When you are trying to decide what you put in 208 00:08:49.440 --> 00:08:52.919 your act, and obviously you seem to gravitate towards the 209 00:08:53.000 --> 00:08:56.320 stuff that is a little bit absurd, like my dislike 210 00:08:56.559 --> 00:08:57.399 of spring mix. 211 00:08:57.679 --> 00:09:00.919 But are there any topical issues. 212 00:09:00.519 --> 00:09:02.960 Now that you just think to yourself, like I want 213 00:09:02.960 --> 00:09:04.840 to dip into that, but maybe I don't want to 214 00:09:04.879 --> 00:09:07.200 do politics. I mean, is there some stuff that you 215 00:09:07.320 --> 00:09:08.960 just feel like I kind of want to make fun, 216 00:09:08.960 --> 00:09:09.559 but I don't. 217 00:09:10.399 --> 00:09:14.159 Yeah, I use Facebook for that, to be honest, I 218 00:09:14.200 --> 00:09:18.159 mean I made I mean, yeah, but I just I 219 00:09:18.679 --> 00:09:20.639 try to keep it not controversial. I mean, I wish 220 00:09:20.679 --> 00:09:23.360 George Carlin was here to clean up the mess. Oh yeah, 221 00:09:23.559 --> 00:09:25.600 I mean he would have some I mean, I have 222 00:09:25.679 --> 00:09:29.399 some George Carlin esque thoughts. Like you know, I think 223 00:09:29.440 --> 00:09:32.320 that if you believed that the government was making hurricanes, 224 00:09:32.360 --> 00:09:34.440 you should have a bumper sticker in your car telling 225 00:09:34.519 --> 00:09:37.120 us that you believed that, just so we know who 226 00:09:37.159 --> 00:09:39.639 you are, like Hank twice, if you thought they were 227 00:09:39.639 --> 00:09:42.960 shooting hurricanes at us, just so we know who you are. 228 00:09:43.120 --> 00:09:46.879 And you know, that's the type of stuff I can't 229 00:09:47.120 --> 00:09:49.799 talk about. It's not even political. It's mainly about people 230 00:09:49.840 --> 00:09:53.600 being dumb. Yeah, but you know that's a. 231 00:09:53.559 --> 00:09:54.600 Target rich environment. 232 00:09:54.720 --> 00:09:58.320 Dumb people is a very target rich environment right now 233 00:09:58.480 --> 00:10:01.519 because of the insaneity that is happening. You know, I've 234 00:10:01.559 --> 00:10:03.639 always advocated, and I've talked about this on the show. 235 00:10:04.039 --> 00:10:08.000 I think that we should all get one paintball every 236 00:10:08.120 --> 00:10:10.600 day in our cars. Like you could you imagine having 237 00:10:10.600 --> 00:10:12.919 a paintball gun mounted right on the front. So when 238 00:10:12.919 --> 00:10:15.440 somebody is an idiot you just think you just you 239 00:10:15.480 --> 00:10:18.000 tag them. Yeah, and then you've basically provided a service 240 00:10:18.000 --> 00:10:19.159 for the rest of the world. 241 00:10:19.519 --> 00:10:21.399 They know to look out for that idiot on the road. 242 00:10:21.519 --> 00:10:24.000 No, that's pretty genius. And then if they cut you off, 243 00:10:24.039 --> 00:10:26.080 you go. Of course, you cut me off, you idiot. 244 00:10:26.120 --> 00:10:28.840 You got four paintball marks of your dagam car. You're 245 00:10:28.840 --> 00:10:31.639 barely making it. Hall I'm probably the fifth person you've 246 00:10:31.639 --> 00:10:33.120 cut off, and you're just. 247 00:10:33.159 --> 00:10:35.360 Changing lanes to get away from him, like, and you 248 00:10:35.440 --> 00:10:37.320 speed past him in the coppoles, you over and you're like, 249 00:10:37.320 --> 00:10:39.679 did you see how many paintballs that guy had on 250 00:10:39.759 --> 00:10:40.039 his car? 251 00:10:40.080 --> 00:10:41.639 I don't want to be near that exactly. 252 00:10:41.799 --> 00:10:44.519 No, that's I mean, I don't hate that at all. 253 00:10:44.559 --> 00:10:47.679 There's several people, you know, if you eat a KitKat 254 00:10:47.759 --> 00:10:48.799 like a cold cut. 255 00:10:48.600 --> 00:10:51.399 You should be tagged by the government. We should just 256 00:10:51.919 --> 00:10:53.720 we'll watch you for a week or two and just 257 00:10:53.720 --> 00:10:56.879 see how you behave, but yeah, I agree. 258 00:10:57.120 --> 00:10:57.360 Yeah. 259 00:10:57.360 --> 00:11:00.759 Well I just went to your Facebook and I see 260 00:11:00.799 --> 00:11:01.559 you're engaged. 261 00:11:02.039 --> 00:11:04.639 Do you talk about your fiance in your act? 262 00:11:04.879 --> 00:11:05.039 Oh? 263 00:11:05.120 --> 00:11:08.639 Yeah, yeah I do. I mean I talk about our engagement. 264 00:11:08.639 --> 00:11:10.480 I talk she's from Kansas. 265 00:11:10.960 --> 00:11:13.639 I talk about that. I mean from a mixed marriage. 266 00:11:13.759 --> 00:11:14.600 Yeah that's right. 267 00:11:14.960 --> 00:11:16.440 Well, you know, you think you grow up in the 268 00:11:16.440 --> 00:11:18.639 middle of nowhere, living in the South, and then you 269 00:11:18.679 --> 00:11:20.799 moved to Kansas and you're like, well, they lied to me. 270 00:11:21.759 --> 00:11:24.120 I mean these people can't even see their neighbors out here. 271 00:11:24.679 --> 00:11:25.360 Yeah, it's nice. 272 00:11:25.600 --> 00:11:28.440 I'll tell people everybody should get a partner from Kansas. 273 00:11:28.519 --> 00:11:32.039 They're very easy to impress. I mean I show Alyssa 274 00:11:32.080 --> 00:11:34.440 a four story building, She's like, how'd they get up there? 275 00:11:34.559 --> 00:11:37.159 You know, I'm like elevators, Alyssa, I'm gonna show you 276 00:11:37.159 --> 00:11:37.480 the world. 277 00:11:37.559 --> 00:11:37.840 Baby. 278 00:11:38.440 --> 00:11:39.919 You know, how did you meet her? 279 00:11:40.200 --> 00:11:43.440 I met her at work about eight years ago, back 280 00:11:43.480 --> 00:11:44.440 when I had a day jump. 281 00:11:44.919 --> 00:11:46.600 Yeah, and what did you get to give up your 282 00:11:46.639 --> 00:11:47.039 day job? 283 00:11:48.000 --> 00:11:52.080 About probably four years ago. I haven't had a day 284 00:11:52.159 --> 00:11:53.720 job in about four and a half years. 285 00:11:54.120 --> 00:11:56.519 Is that kind of like a I mean, if I 286 00:11:56.559 --> 00:11:58.840 were a comedian, that would be kind of like one 287 00:11:58.879 --> 00:12:02.519 of those milestones, right, Like, what are comedian milestones? 288 00:12:02.559 --> 00:12:02.639 Like? 289 00:12:02.679 --> 00:12:02.879 Here? 290 00:12:03.080 --> 00:12:05.000 Here I got to give up my day job. Here, 291 00:12:05.080 --> 00:12:07.279 I have a comedy special. Here I got to be 292 00:12:07.320 --> 00:12:09.159 on the Tonight Show. Do you have those kind of 293 00:12:09.360 --> 00:12:11.799 Is that a thing that exists? Because I'm very goal oriented? 294 00:12:12.080 --> 00:12:13.120 Yeah, so that's what i would do. 295 00:12:13.320 --> 00:12:17.840 No, those are milestones, and then you know, yeah, yeah, 296 00:12:17.840 --> 00:12:20.919 I'll kick your dreams. You know, when you first get start, 297 00:12:21.039 --> 00:12:24.559 like the Tonight Show, jfl all those things were things 298 00:12:24.639 --> 00:12:26.320 I dreamed of. You know, if I could just do 299 00:12:26.360 --> 00:12:29.320 five minutes on Jimmy Fallon, that'd be good enough for me, 300 00:12:29.519 --> 00:12:32.159 you know. And then you get to those those moments 301 00:12:32.600 --> 00:12:35.360 and you grow that dream even more, and you know 302 00:12:35.399 --> 00:12:40.480 it's crazy. I would have been insane to dream of 303 00:12:40.679 --> 00:12:43.240 where I'm at now, you know, I'm just I feel 304 00:12:43.320 --> 00:12:46.360 very lucky to be to be where I'm at. 305 00:12:46.360 --> 00:12:48.120 But yeah, there's definitely. 306 00:12:48.120 --> 00:12:52.039 Milestones along along the way that you're trying to hit 307 00:12:52.120 --> 00:12:54.240 that that that mean a lot to you and keep 308 00:12:54.279 --> 00:12:56.679 you pushing and and I've already hit several of them. 309 00:12:57.080 --> 00:13:00.759 Well. Your debut comedy album, Eating Dinner Twice, was released 310 00:13:00.840 --> 00:13:04.039 on Larry the Cable Guy's record label, How did you 311 00:13:04.039 --> 00:13:05.080 get connected with Larry? 312 00:13:05.919 --> 00:13:10.720 You know, Larry found me online somewhere and he reached 313 00:13:10.759 --> 00:13:13.519 out to his guys, reached out to my guys, and 314 00:13:13.919 --> 00:13:15.679 we got something set up to where we went out 315 00:13:15.679 --> 00:13:17.279 on the road a few times together. 316 00:13:17.320 --> 00:13:18.399 He felt like that we had. 317 00:13:18.240 --> 00:13:21.600 A similar brand of comedy, and then we ended up 318 00:13:21.639 --> 00:13:24.840 becoming friends and he really enjoyed my work, which felt 319 00:13:24.879 --> 00:13:28.120 really cool. I've always loved Larry and his stuff, and 320 00:13:28.759 --> 00:13:30.360 one thing led to another and he put me on 321 00:13:30.399 --> 00:13:31.720 his label and it only made sense. 322 00:13:31.720 --> 00:13:33.799 And he's pretty picky about who he puts on that label. 323 00:13:33.799 --> 00:13:35.840 He doesn't have a bunch of names on the Good 324 00:13:35.919 --> 00:13:38.080 or Done label, and so to be one of the 325 00:13:38.120 --> 00:13:40.799 first ones to be a part of it was really 326 00:13:40.840 --> 00:13:42.399 cool and we knocked it out of the park. 327 00:13:42.440 --> 00:13:43.759 We're really proud of that album. 328 00:13:44.200 --> 00:13:47.480 Well, you can hear that album on iTunes, Spotify, Apple Music, 329 00:13:47.559 --> 00:13:48.559 Amazon Music. 330 00:13:48.360 --> 00:13:48.919 And YouTube. 331 00:13:49.240 --> 00:13:52.360 But more importantly, you can see Derek performing here. He's 332 00:13:52.440 --> 00:13:54.879 opening up for John Christ. How did you get connected 333 00:13:54.879 --> 00:13:56.600 with John Chris Because I got to tell you, I 334 00:13:56.679 --> 00:13:59.720 bet his comedy and your comedy work really well together. 335 00:14:00.159 --> 00:14:02.720 Yeah, it's fun. Me and John. 336 00:14:02.960 --> 00:14:05.600 We've worked together now for four years, and we're not 337 00:14:05.840 --> 00:14:08.559 just you know, we're not just co workers. 338 00:14:08.559 --> 00:14:10.360 We've become really close friends. 339 00:14:10.360 --> 00:14:14.960 And I was at Comedy Works and I worked with 340 00:14:15.039 --> 00:14:17.399 him on a Thursday night show. Wendy put me on 341 00:14:17.519 --> 00:14:19.720 with him and we did one show together and I 342 00:14:19.759 --> 00:14:22.399 got done and he was like, I really enjoyed that. 343 00:14:23.080 --> 00:14:25.679 Like your I like your style, I liked your material. 344 00:14:26.039 --> 00:14:27.720 He asked me, he said, you've ever been to a 345 00:14:27.799 --> 00:14:30.240 Salt Lake City And I said, no, I've never been 346 00:14:30.279 --> 00:14:32.039 to Salt Lake City. And he goes, well, you're about 347 00:14:32.080 --> 00:14:34.759 to go here in about a month and a half, 348 00:14:34.840 --> 00:14:37.399 so let's get your tickets and stuff. And that's really 349 00:14:37.440 --> 00:14:40.120 how it started. And one thing's led to another. I've 350 00:14:40.120 --> 00:14:43.080 probably done forty six states with John since then. 351 00:14:43.840 --> 00:14:47.279 So the last thing on your press sheet is that 352 00:14:47.360 --> 00:14:49.919 you are a waffle house enthusiast. 353 00:14:49.960 --> 00:14:51.559 So how do you order your hash Browns? 354 00:14:52.000 --> 00:14:55.000 I like him smothered, covered and capped. But let me 355 00:14:55.039 --> 00:14:58.080 tell you something. You being a North Florida gal, y'all 356 00:14:58.080 --> 00:15:00.519 got some of the best waffle houses in North Florida. 357 00:15:00.679 --> 00:15:02.639 They truly are. I mean, one time a guy on 358 00:15:02.679 --> 00:15:05.080 the radio said, where's the best waffle house you've ever been? 359 00:15:05.120 --> 00:15:07.559 To and this is very specific, but it's in Fort 360 00:15:07.559 --> 00:15:11.320 Walton Beach and it was the best one I've ever had. 361 00:15:11.320 --> 00:15:14.799 But Florida has killer waffle houses unlike Colorado. 362 00:15:14.919 --> 00:15:15.679 So I don't even. 363 00:15:15.559 --> 00:15:17.799 Tell people out here that I love waffle House because 364 00:15:17.799 --> 00:15:20.519 the people the waffle houses out here are like rehab 365 00:15:20.559 --> 00:15:21.679 sinners with hash browns. 366 00:15:22.240 --> 00:15:24.039 They're they're not the same. 367 00:15:24.159 --> 00:15:27.159 You know, where we're from there, we use them for everything. 368 00:15:27.159 --> 00:15:29.600 We go there after baptisms and when we're black out. 369 00:15:29.639 --> 00:15:31.919 I mean we use it for the whole thing. 370 00:15:32.240 --> 00:15:35.360 Well, it was my nana's favorite restaurant. Okay, so my 371 00:15:35.480 --> 00:15:38.440 nana and I have eaten our share plus more of 372 00:15:38.600 --> 00:15:41.679 waffle House. I am scattered, smothered, covered, chunk. Captain Pepper. 373 00:15:42.080 --> 00:15:44.799 I bring it all, everybody, just bring just put it 374 00:15:44.840 --> 00:15:45.440 all in the pool. 375 00:15:45.519 --> 00:15:47.960 Come on. This comment was brought to you by Tom's Yeah. 376 00:15:48.120 --> 00:15:51.600 Yeah, yeah, I'm not afraid. I'm not afraid to go 377 00:15:51.600 --> 00:15:52.960 big and go bold at waffle house. 378 00:15:53.000 --> 00:15:55.240 And you are right. However, here's a little pro tip. 379 00:15:55.639 --> 00:15:59.840 There is a town south of Denver called Parker, Colorado. 380 00:16:00.039 --> 00:16:04.120 It has a fantastic waffle house. Oh good, And I'm 381 00:16:04.120 --> 00:16:07.559 not exaggerating. Fantastic worth the drive from wherever you are. 382 00:16:07.559 --> 00:16:09.039 I don't even know where you are right now, where 383 00:16:09.080 --> 00:16:10.840 you're gonna be in Colorado, but it's worth the drive. 384 00:16:10.879 --> 00:16:12.759 It's the best one I've ever had outside of Florida 385 00:16:12.840 --> 00:16:14.559 or Atlantah. Because you're Atlanta. 386 00:16:14.600 --> 00:16:16.919 There are oh yeah, you trip and fall on one 387 00:16:16.960 --> 00:16:18.559 in Atlanta there on every corner. 388 00:16:18.679 --> 00:16:22.000 No, I will go there. I promise you, I'll go 389 00:16:22.080 --> 00:16:24.559 there in the next seventy two hours. I'm not even joking. 390 00:16:25.320 --> 00:16:27.919 There you go tell him I sent you, Derek. Now 391 00:16:28.120 --> 00:16:30.080 we are in and again. Derek is going to be 392 00:16:30.120 --> 00:16:33.000 performing at the Paramount on the nineteenth with John Christ 393 00:16:33.039 --> 00:16:35.840 and then he's going to be at the Comedy Works South, 394 00:16:35.919 --> 00:16:38.879 the one downtown, No Comedy Works Downtown. That's right, Comedy 395 00:16:38.879 --> 00:16:41.879 Works Downtown on November. I don't have an infront of 396 00:16:41.879 --> 00:16:44.080 eating second, first and Seconds, so you can get your 397 00:16:44.080 --> 00:16:47.279 tickets there. Derek's such a pleasure talking to you today, 398 00:16:47.559 --> 00:16:50.480 and I hope you have continued success and when you're 399 00:16:50.519 --> 00:16:53.000 super famous and you get your own sitcom and I 400 00:16:53.080 --> 00:16:55.159 call you and be like, hey, Derek, remember when I 401 00:16:55.200 --> 00:16:56.679