Standup Comedy "Your Host and MC"

Steve Bruner Interview and Comedy Set Show #26b

October 30, 2022 Scott Edwards Season 3 Episode 26
Standup Comedy "Your Host and MC"
Steve Bruner Interview and Comedy Set Show #26b
Standup Comedy "Your Host and MC" + "Bonus" Shows
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Show Notes Transcript

Here is a Holiday re-run of an interview I did with comic Steve Bruner back in early 2020. Steve is very funny and known as one of the successful "clean" comics working. He has over 30 years of successful stage experience and has always been a great Friend to me and this podcast. Along with a fun interview, there is also a short live comedy set recording at my club. I know you will enjoy it...

Hosted by: R. Scott Edwards

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Announcer:

This is another episode of stand up comedy, your host and emcee, celebrating 40 plus years on the fringe of show business, stories, interviews and comedy sets from the famous and not so famous. Here's your host and MC. Scott Edwards.

Scott Edwards:

Hi, and welcome to this week's show. We have a special guest and not only a terrific comic, but a longtime friend. You've seen him on evening at the improv. He's been on Showtime he's done. got hundreds of clubs, corporate events, cruise lines, ladies and gentlemen, let me introduce one of my best friends in the business, Steve Brunner. Wow, the crowd does not. So nice to have you on the podcast this week. I think I've been looking forward to this ever since I started. There's certain people I know in the industry that I think of more as more than just comics that but friends and people that grew up in the industry with me, and you're one of them.

Steve Bruner:

Oh, I appreciate that. Scott, thank you very much. I do have a question. Are there any non special guests? You have? We're looking forward to our special guests today. We're looking forward, you're less than this is all we could get this week. Yeah, I like being a special guest.

Scott Edwards:

Exactly. Well, whenever I can get somebody of your caliber of comedy, on the podcast, it's special.

Steve Bruner:

I'm the most famous person in my house. Because I live in my hometown, I moved back about a year and a half ago to my hometown, and I run into people from from high school and from kindergarten just want to go out to buy cream and a couple of people. It's kind of funny that, you know, I'm not I'm not famous or anything. They're like, Hey, I heard you were doing comedy. You did pretty well. What? What's gone? You know, I guess you never, you know, you never made it to be famous. And I never knew what to say. And

Scott Edwards:

say, Well, you're not famous, but we know you did it.

Steve Bruner:

Well, but we know you're funny or not. And Teresa goes on. My wife Teresa came up with just a was just such a great thing to say when somebody suddenly putting you down or whatever. And you're not a household name, but you're in the business. She was oh, yes, he's not famous. But he's so successful. And I just went, Oh, that that's really nice.

Scott Edwards:

That's actually Teresa nailed it. Because yeah, are one of the top professional, ongoing. I mean, decade after decade, I bet I can list on two hands, the people that got their start in the clubs that are still performing regularly. In fact, you and I just did a gig recently. So yeah, I mean, they're still going strong. But let's lead into the podcast without

Steve Bruner:

any better. Sure. You don't know any better to quit than your that's what I say,

Scott Edwards:

well, let's, let's let the audience know, how did you end up being a comic?

Steve Bruner:

Well, I'd always been writing jokes. For a very, very long time, I got some laughs early on in my life, a mistake in a in a play called Oklahoma, where a kid was teaching an older kid was teaching the younger kids how to play poker. And he had any basically it was relieving them of their lunch money is what he was doing, but and he had all this change in his pockets. And we were doing a performance of, of Oklahoma, and he's carried off stage. And he drops all this change out of his pants pocket. And I've been down to pick it up because I'm like, oh my goodness, he's losing all this money. I I totally have no idea. There's an audience there. And in the summer death scene, it gets this huge, huge laugh. And, and, and I'm like, Oh, I don't know what drug This is. digging it. So much. So and and that sort of gave me a wow, I really liked the sound of that. The feeling of that. And I was probably picking up the change slower after I heard the laugh and, and I'd always write stuff down that people would say, and in high school I was. I don't know, where we've ever talked about this, but I was like five, two when I graduated high school. So I was a very short Yeah. Yeah, thanks. Yeah, I grew like three days after I graduated high school. People would say very hung out with very funny people. And they'd say things and I'd like me and that's funny. I'm going to write it down. And at a high school party one time there was a big group and that's Oh, hey, remember when so and so did such and such and it got a huge response. And, and one of the cool guys in high school said, you know, I was there when that happened. It wasn't nearly as funny as the way you say it was If you made him look good, you made her look good. You made it funny. Everybody loved it. Yeah, I think you've got something here. And I was just kept that notebook that I wrote funny things down. And I sort of learned how to order materials. So the punch line was at the end and,

Scott Edwards:

and you got a little early validation that sounds like yeah, it

Steve Bruner:

for for being a short guy. Being funny was my end. And, and it helps. So got validation. And then in college, I entered a couple little talent shows and got noticed, I just went up and read out of the notebook at the things I had written and, and it and it were in second grade, I wanted to be a comedian. So there's a little report in

Scott Edwards:

to be want to be a Canadian. Yeah, there's something to be said for living out your life's dream and being a success. Like you have. So that's interesting. I didn't know that story. And how did that lead

Steve Bruner:

to just one story? You knew?

Scott Edwards:

No, it's great. I love learning. So how did that lead to us meeting and you working at laughs I

Steve Bruner:

graduated college, because I thought I did think comics star. And so I thought, well, you're gonna need, you know, something to make money and you're just gonna be doing comedy for for fun. And maybe if it turns into profit, hot diggity, but after college, I moved in with a bunch of sellers from from high school.

Scott Edwards:

What would you graduate with degree wise?

Steve Bruner:

Oh, what are you my dad? I graduated with a degree in economics and a degree in political science, or those were my majors. I don't know the difference between majors and degrees. But and then I did get a minor in speech. So I'm using a minor speech. That's what I always told my dad, I am using my minor speech. Thanks for paying for most of my college.

Scott Edwards:

No, but I, I tell people, I used to tell it give advice to young comics all the time. And I sure just like you said, there's very few people that float to the top the cream of the crop that make the money necessary to have a living in any type of entertainment, especially comedy. And I used to give people advice that, you know, have a backup plan. And the fact that you had a degree in business, or political science at least showed one that used your brain that you are smart. But I mean, I would have given you that same advice if I had met you in college to finish what you're doing. Have that as a backup, go for your dream, but have a backup plan. So that's interesting. So it

Steve Bruner:

helped. It helped for sure. Because econ, you know, I learned how to sort of invest in stocks. And I sort of knew that there was a little you should live on less than you make, which my first years of comedy was very good advice. I started a little bit but but but anyway, I then have one of the fellas named Eric moved to San Francisco because he wanted to go into modeling. He was a real good looking kid. And he said, I don't think I can afford to live there by myself. Would you consider coming down? And I said, Time to put up or shut up about, you know, being a comedian. So he moved to San Francisco found a place I moved in a little bit later and started doing standup did a bunch of open mics.

Scott Edwards:

You do? The zoo and Cobb,

Steve Bruner:

my first paid gig was the holy city zoo. Very proud. $12.20 Wow. And, and then there were there were competitions around the Bay Area of which you did. You had one I think it was called the Great Northern lap off or something like

Scott Edwards:

Northern California comedy competition. Yeah. Okay.

Steve Bruner:

And I did. I did one of those. I made it to eighth place. Although Lamont Ferguson good friend of mine says no, I was eight and that. Basically we're both we're both we made it to the finals but we're in way over our head but we became great friends because we're starting out so like I got seven or eight. And the the price for getting seven or eight was a week at last unlimited. And, and not at not a bad price. And I remember my first week was in you had birdcage at that point. I work birdcage with the oh shoot, I had her name on the front of the end, and she gave me some real solid comedy. Advice. Yo engineering was first headliner, and a young lady. She listened. She's fabulous. She had a TV show there for a while she hosted a TV show, but she said she listened to her tape. After every show. I spent, you know, half my, my weekly wage, they're going to buy a recorder. I listened to my stuff and she helped go over a couple joke. I think I only had probably eight jokes at that time. But she didn't really have to edit too long. But I got better and better. And the funny thing is got you thought I was too nice of a guy to hire me back. And I came into laughs and I was told, yeah, go down there, get paid, and get your other weeks. And you said, you know, I heard you are funny, but you're too nice guy, this, this, this, this business is going to, you know, might arise. It's going to eat you up. And and so, you know, come back with a little more seasoning. And I think I said, man, you're a jerk.

Scott Edwards:

Well, I did.

Steve Bruner:

And and then you said, Oh, okay. I'll give you another week, you know? And so it was kind of like, if I stood up for myself. You you hired me again?

Scott Edwards:

Well, I did take. Yeah, that's an interesting. No, I appreciate you. And of course, I don't remember any of that. But I think it's it points out something that was very true. And that was that I took my job is a comedy club, which, you know, we weren't Vegas, we weren't TV shows. But we also weren't high school gigs. Were part of the training program. And I took my job seriously on telling people, honestly, if they had an opportunity or not, and I'm not sure I was right 100% of the time. But I would, on a regular basis, sit people down and say, Look, you're good. But you need to do this and this and this, or you're not good. And here's why you need to keep that degree going. You know? And you are one of the nicest guys in comedy.

Steve Bruner:

Oh, well, thanks. I appreciated it. And I had a little schooling in San Francisco where there was a guy, very talented comic at open mic. After your show, he would come up didn't matter if you had a good show or a bad show. He would come up and say, quit now. You suck. Oh, and and I mean, it was it didn't matter. And I saw him. I saw him do it to a couple other comics who were like, who are like, yeah, yeah, I got it. He was just being the kind of bully of the open mic system. And when he came to me with the same tone, I'm like, No, I don't know. I don't know. I'm in, I'm in. You can't bully me out. He goes. And as soon as you said that, he said, All right, stick to itiveness. That's what we need in this business. So I had a little taste of somebody who just kind of bristled up and said, Look, this, this, this thing, this thing, Assissi game, they're the it's a mean hard business. I've slept in my car, to get the hotel money, the peak that some club gave you. Because I wanted to make a living at it, you know, and, and it's not for shrinking violets. And I don't think you got it. I don't think you have to be mean. But I think you have to have a little, you know, toughness of in show business has thrown a lot of people out, because they just didn't like to deal with the business part. And I agree that that's not the fun part. But the rush of the stage. And writing the material, like I've been doing for a while now is just so joyful. I'm so lucky. I feel lucky.

Scott Edwards:

They were and I would have had similar advice for people. But it is a being a road comic has to be one of the toughest existences in business. Because it's not just the difficulty of show business and trying to be that half a percent that make it to stardom. It's the grind. Day after day, week after week. Being on the road.

Steve Bruner:

I didn't know it was a grind. I didn't know it was a grind when I was doing it because I had so much fun. I mean, me and you know, you know, Bob it, you're back in the day, Bob it and you're and I did 10 states in 10 days, 5000 miles, him driving five hours me driving five hours. I mean, crazy stuff that I couldn't possibly do now, but we were so excited and two comics. And we we wrote during that, hey, what do you think about this idea? What do you think about that idea was like an office

Scott Edwards:

and you were bonding over the experience because it was a shared experience.

Steve Bruner:

And we couldn't have been making? I mean, I made enough to cover rent, and and there were meals. I used to drive places just for spaghetti dinner. But the best part about working with Bob is I'm not a druggie or I've never got involved in that. Now as I say I'm too cheap for rehab. So but but but it was nice to work with another comic because when we were driving through Colorado, we got pulled over by the police because we're driving it too. o'clock at night and in the cop comes over, it's snowing. And, and he's like, Alright, you guys from California, this is a drug run, we're going to bring the dog in to smell your car. And Bob turns to me and goes, Man, I'm glad I'm working with you. Because I can't think of five other comics that, that I trust in this situation that the dog wasn't going to find some drugs. And

Scott Edwards:

it's so funny. And real quick,

Steve Bruner:

the police off, we had to turn our car off. And the cop had his the policeman had his car still on. And I said, Hey, while we're waiting for the dog is no one can we get in the back of your car? And he goes, What do you mean? And I'm like your car, you got your heater on can we go with and he knew that no drug smugglers or guys wanted to get in the back of a police car. And so he goes, You guys, you know, because we had cash. You know, we emptied our pockets. We just didn't paid we had cash. We're from California, we had a rental car. I mean, we look, I guess, you know, I don't look like I don't know what it drove. I looked like a good you'll

Scott Edwards:

never thought of you that way.

Steve Bruner:

He called the he called the drug dogs off because we asked to get in the back of the pool.

Scott Edwards:

Just for heat. Well, I think that's a great story. Oh, that's hilarious.

Steve Bruner:

It's true, Bob, but ya know, we're happy to have traveled together.

Scott Edwards:

Oh, that is so great. And you alluded to something earlier I'm wanting to roll back on and that is that. Unlike magic and juggling, and a couple other aspects of entertainment, one of the things I was always aware of and happy about and I've heard on this podcast over and over, is that the more mature successful comics have no problem. Normally in giving advice, and helping young comics. You know, magicians are very competitive jugglers can be competitive actors, you know, models, they can all be very competitive. Okay. And I'm sure there's some comics that that fear other comics quality on stage. But most of the stories I've heard, like you mentioned, Joanne daring, giving you advice. Yeah, I've heard that over and over again. And I think it's kind of a proud point of the comedy, at least a stand up comedy industry is that the seasoned professionals have no problem in giving advice to somebody that's up and coming. There's a more there's a more well,

Steve Bruner:

ego, that that's definitely true. In the San Francisco realm that I started out with, they was the most supportive group of people. I did two shows at the holy city zoo. My first show was an open mic, and they put the new people up front, because they just said, yeah, you shouldn't wait around. The new guys went on first. Let's see what you have a trial acquire. And I did. I had fun. My first time going up. It wasn't horrible. I didn't get many laughs but I think I was deaf to the lat I would have known what a good laugh was. Anyway, if I got half a lap, I was thrilled. And the second time I went up, they go, Oh, you've been here before you know what it is. And I ended up almost going last at like 130 in the morning, because I didn't know there was a dues paying, you know, that's what it was. You pay your dues. And I did horribly as you can imagine the beginning comic at 130. And I couldn't. I was I had states right after that for a period of about a month. And I avoided the going up on stage even though I had moved there to do comedy. I was like, you know that and when I finally got up the gumption to go again. A bunch of the people that didn't see me the first two weeks, where do you what do you do and it was they were they, you know, worried about me that I was gone, you know, and they welcomed me back with open arms. They there were people that went out after and wrote in LA when I had moved there. It was a little more competitive. But man in the early 90s in San Francisco, it was a it was a wonderful schooling community. People like Mike Dugan was what gave gave advice freely. Jim Samuels had a comedy class that he'd look at your tape and I think it was $5. He'd look at your tape and give you his advice. And after about two months, about five tapes where he goes, I'm not giving any more advice. It's all it's good. And from that point on, I submitted the tape to get gigs. It was it was super. It was a super wonderful community. There was one guy I was opening for. And I was so bold people were giving me advice that I said, Hey, I think this joke that you do, they're laughing too early. I think if you put this word did and He looked at me I had been doing comedy for, you know, eight months or something he's like, about a year later when I was a middle act and a little stronger and kind of pushing him a little harder. And he, and he said, Wow, that's a great idea. And so I knew I had been right. If it was mostly one way you give to the new people, the ideas, and you don't, and yet, I was kind of barking up the tree saying, Hey, I have an idea for you. And it created a lot of nice. Hey, this guy will give you a suggestion if he has it. I mean, some of my suggestions are worthless, but but I love I wanted to tell them I was all open for whatever they ever wanted to give me,

Scott Edwards:

in an analogy of what you're talking about happened to me all the time as the club owner, because I never, never called myself a comic never tried to do your stand up. I mean, some people would say I spent way too much time on stage for not having Matt. But I and I think what you were alluding to, and I think it's a truism, is that certain people have an ear for comedy on what works, what won't work in in the right, timing and verbiage to make something better. And I often would give my advice to comics, not always, not always heated and maybe not always right. But I have a good ear for comedy, even though I don't perform it. And I was not shy because I was the boss. Well, you're, you're you. Well, let's let's backtrack a little bit, because I wanted to touch on something that you mentioned a few minutes ago that I think is really true, and that you are a clean comic, they're not alone. A nice guy. Like I said, I was warning you about the industry. So you're a nice guy. You're also one of the rare breed of ultra clean comics. And you have maintained that for four decades of entertainment or three decades.

Steve Bruner:

That trying to age you know, that's okay, go ahead.

Scott Edwards:

But then you mentioned being at the zoo or cobs and doing a set at one or 130 in the morning when the people are a little drunker. And they're a little crazier, and they're always had somebody dirtier up in front of you. That, or Yeah, I was. I was just gonna say, you explain the challenges of being a clean comic in that situation?

Steve Bruner:

I don't know. I just it never it's not like I don't know the swear words. It's not like when I hammer my thumb that I don't have a good working usage of that vocabulary. But I just never thought it was. As you know, I saw some guys when I was just thinking about the doing it. And I saw San Francisco comedy competition, I saw a Whitney Brown and I saw a guy named Frank Princey open for Dr. Gonzo. And some of the people that impressed me most weren't using vulgarity or swear words to punctuate their jokes. They just for good jokes. And I went well, yeah, I see that there's an effect. If you grew up with that convert to I heard my dads were twice my entire life. And, and also my grandmother, you know, not to sound sweet, Polly purebred, but my grandmother threatened to come to almost every show I did in the area. And I never wanted her to be embarrassed about the material that I did. And I just didn't grow up with that kind of language. And so I wrote with that idea that if the joke needs it, it's probably not as good a joke as I can make it. And, and yet, it was somewhat hard. It's hard to sometimes climb out of the gutter. If, if,

Scott Edwards:

if we want to get your audience to climb out of it. But

Steve Bruner:

here's the best part about it that I accidentally found. There were a couple acts that had gigs around, you know, the California or near the near states that wanted me to beat on the bill ahead of them. Because then when they did drop, the F bomb or whatever, it was a shock to the audience, as opposed to some other acts that just threw it in gratuitously so that they could break that ice. So a couple of guys got me a ton of work, because I set what I would call a good table. I set a good table in front of them. That's a grant that grant and man it, it paid my rent. I mean, they were like, okay, you know, and I always had enough material to wear one thing ended. I mean, it wasn't always great material. But I'd say hey, is there anything that you need? I wanted to facilitate the headline show, they're the ones that are doing 45 minutes to an hour. What do you need me to leave out? You've seen my act, what do you need me to leave out because I'm only doing 25 minutes. And then I got 35. So I can play. And some people were trying out a new bit that I might have been stepping on with a Shiva car routine or an airline routine or whatever. And, and the idea of me dancing around it and being clean, got me so much work, that it was a good decision. Decision. Not it wasn't something that I planned out. That's how I wrote

Scott Edwards:

No, but it's a tribute to your how you go and look, go into this business. You're You're not being competitive, your egos not involved. You're doing what's best for the show.

Steve Bruner:

That I tried.

Scott Edwards:

I mean, you know, but that's so true. Kermit a PO has done a lot of traveling opening up in concerts because great guy. Yeah, the entertainers know he's going to be, he's going to do the right time, and it's going to be clean. So whatever they're going to do after is going to shine more, and you're the epitome of that.

Steve Bruner:

Well, he's a good friend of mine in such a great act, and we've talked over material and all in told some old war stories and, and such that I liked knowing those kind of guys. And yeah, it's and then when there were other people that wanted to say, hey, is there anything that you need to dance around? It came back to me, you know, guys in front of me, of course, we were the guys that were trying to be headliner. So they tried to make it pretty hard in the middle spot. To they push, they step on your stuff on maybe on purpose, or just to see the to show their wares basically. And I was always happy to when somebody said, Hey, do I need to know, do your act. Part of my job as a headliner is to have enough stuff. And but I appreciated those guys that asked, you know, if I was trying to tape a certain piece that was trying to get on TV or something like that, but the other thing about being clean. And this happened at your club, I worked with a i co headline that your club was with somebody. And they they were pretty upset that that I was closing some nights over them. And, and, and, and a TV person. We'd both been on a TV audition, and I got called back and they didn't understand it because they were getting a better response from the crowd than my mythology was. And and I said, Well, I got called back on the TV thing, because you were doing your act and I was doing my act, and they had to clipboard stuff you can do on TV, and stuff you can't do on TV. And at the end of the night. i They only had one clipboard for me. And it was I was writing to get on TV. And he he changed a couple bits. I mean, we talked about after he realized I wasn't going to get upset that he was you know, a couple of nights he blew me off the stage. Because the people wanted the bigger comedy with the music and and the language. Wow. Well, yeah. I'm I do what I do. I'm not trying to play baseball if I'm, if I'm a good soccer player. And you put a point terrible analogy.

Scott Edwards:

You put a point on something that I've always believed and I told comics from the day I opened my doors at the club, is that I always preferred clean comics and I knew that the guys that made it, you know, Leno, Carvey, Seinfeld, Shannon, you could go on and on and on like that they had to work, they could be dirty if they needed to if it was a Friday night late show and the audience would needed it. They could get a little risk aid to meet that audience need they could adapt, but their general Act was clean. And that was one of the reasons they were able to go do the Merv Griffin Show and The Mike Douglas Show on The Tonight Show was that they had all

Steve Bruner:

people that I love to laugh at, and I could laugh at him. You know, I found my dad, my my folks, Shelley Berman album, you know, from the early 60s And I'm like, What is this Mike? Mike, folks, my stoic parents have a comedy album. I listened to it. And I loved it. I loved it because it told the story. Audiences were different when I got in because they weren't they weren't going to wait three minutes for a premise to be acted out. They they needed a little more fast food when I got in you needed a few more. I think jokes but what to listen to that stuff to well written material that had a beginning a middle and an end was such a good school. For me to that's what I wanted to kind of do. And they didn't swear. You know, I didn't really hear the until much later the red box party album or anything like that. So

Scott Edwards:

no, no, it does make a point we'll tell you what let's share with the podcast audience. What a solid clean entertainer sounds like I have a four minute set here that we recorded in the 80s and then released it in our 2000 our 20th anniversary CD.

Steve Bruner:

Oh my goodness. Now this is a Wayback Machine. Yeah, this

Scott Edwards:

is some early material of yours. So let's go to that right now. Everybody

Steve Bruner:

Yes, crank up the real the real Scott.

Scott Edwards:

everybody this is Steve Brunner live on stage at laughs unlimited sometime in the mid 80s Here you go.

Steve Bruner:

All righty. Western not too long ago one of these things where the cavalry comes in to save the day realize the hardest job in the entire world tend to be the bugler in the lead every single charge in that there's anything you don't move he started making he just made his old friend right into the fray plan if he woke the words does shouldn't hit my recruiter like it's not a hard enough job just playing Google's a heart instrument and play this guy is trying to play well ride the horse but it wouldn't be the toughest job in companies hope you had a good dental plan before I joined the cavalry they used to call me and we had a lot of musical instruments leading the charge into bands like The Scottish army that the bagpipe player was definitely shot for usually by his own man stuff tough jobs everywhere and things got to be a tough job we'll be down here because everybody's nervous that Melanie the doctor figured out why I'm so nervous last time because they give you that little forms his name address phone number in line forces in case of emergency Who do you want us to know? Perhaps if he doesn't know what to do is you put down coroner genetics this last flight across the country that she actually said as part of her safety speech in case of an unscheduled landing codeword crash in case of an unscheduled landing fall out in an orderly way Did you not see us trying to get on board you can manage to get on this keyboard or this plane like he was last chapter and now you're gonna factor this into the Navy flying uncomfortable for a lot of people now that outlawed smoking on airplanes. I think that's a good idea. Yeah, people can afford that and other people never plot anything too busy gasping for breath it's like keep your eye on the lung capacity because I think they should still have separate sections maybe not smoking and non smoking but something to separate it's like withdrawing and not for a seven hour flight I don't have to sit next to Mr. fidgety has been forced to quit because you realize in the very person admitted you sit next to him it's gonna be a very long flight for both of you don't cancel you don't have an ashtray or anything like that once you're in the air he's bothered as soon as England smoker they have a problem here is there like a door to the wing maybe a window Rosanna in the bathroom is a felony we'll get add convenience Lindsay what are you smoking I used to this last night I used to worry about a terrorist hijack or not anymore now I'm worried about some guy in the midst of a nicotine Fit All right, here's the damn thing. So when you're North Carolina near tobacco Hey, I don't start smoking. We all start smoking get what I mean.

Scott Edwards:

You know, that's, that's old material, but it still works. What's interesting is that that bit ends with smoking on a plane, which, you know, back in the 80s was still a thing where you had smoking sections, which made no sense. There was a time that we had a smoking section and the club, the smoke is still there.

Steve Bruner:

But what I understand it doesn't take direction,

Scott Edwards:

right? And what's funny is if if you were under 30, now or under 20, for sure, the idea of smoking at all should not be good. But smoking in a plane would never be even come up in here. It's a concept on your bid. Great. Yeah, by the way.

Steve Bruner:

Oh, thanks a lot. Thanks. So I remember doing that material. I had to change it to no smoking, like an anti smoking idea in general. Hey, remember when they used to smoke is this and I remember working Tennessee, and I'm going into the note sort of against smoking idea. And almost everyone in the audience at the same time was inhaling so that these little cherries lit up the whole room on their cigarette, and I was like, Oh, I better dropped this material. It was like a second.

Scott Edwards:

Oh, that's a great image. A bunch of Sherry's out the audience.

Steve Bruner:

Oh, it was amazing. Like they were all doing it at once. And I'm like, oh, yeah, I'm in Tennessee. This is pro pro tobacco country. I better. I better stop.

Scott Edwards:

Oh, that's hilarious. Well, the other thing was you open that set with one of the bits that I always attribute to you, because it was your opening set for years. And that was the the bugler and the guys. Yeah, start off pep job. Oh, tough job. But anyway, I mean, that set that opening bid and the smoking, he'll do

Steve Bruner:

that joke every now and again. I liked that. I liked that when they're kids in the crowd, like when I do a cruise ship. And there's a burly show the the because it has a sound effect, even though I'm not as good as our friend Carlos. How's Rocky? One of the only sound effects I have?

Scott Edwards:

Well, anyway, like, very solid entertainment. And what I like about doing this podcast is I'm bringing up live on stage material from the 80s and the 90s. And yeah, there's an occasional reference to Reagan or something back in the day. But the material stands. It's still funny. And I think that it's like watching an old Lucille Ball or Dick Van Dyke Show the material works, no matter what generation

Steve Bruner:

that must have been, I would say instead of mid 80s, because I started at 788. And got ins, yeah, good. Maybe I was funnier earlier than I thought.

Scott Edwards:

I'm a lot older than you. So I do want to use that to transition to another question. Because we've talked about the benefit and the challenges of being a clean comic, and mentioned in your intro that you've done clubs from coast to coast. But more importantly, you're a very successful corporate comic. You've done a lot of corporate works, and you do a lot of cruise ships. Were you being? Yeah, being clean is important. But I did want to ask you, the audiences have changed from the 90s to 2020. And you're still a working performer. We just did a gig together recently. You still rock the audience's Thank you. But you're when you're out working and I know you do less clubs. I don't even know if you do any clubs. But even on the cruise ships and and corporate, the comedy audience has changed. And I'll give you one quick reference. You mentioned earlier that in the early days, people would allow time for a setup or upon and then in the 80s and 90s that setup time you alluded to, you mentioned had to be shorter. Now it's infinite. I mean, it's like such a small amount of time people have patience for in this world of instant gratification gratification. Yeah, they don't a lot of times. I'll give you a good story. Larry Miller, one of the funniest comics ever hilarious top story bits that could sometimes take 1012 minutes. Now they're all here finding material.

Steve Bruner:

Oh, god. Yeah, I legendary legend. I went, yep.

Scott Edwards:

But would it work in today's audience? What challenges have you found? Or have you

Steve Bruner:

well, they're sure I have to. I mean, I write some one liners that I put up front in my act, so that they know that I'm funny right away. However, there are a couple acts that I'm just so whatever the positive word jealous or envious or respected. They're like George Wallace. He knows these funny and He will talk for three minutes before the first lap. But the people that come to see him, he's a legend. And it's a little different when you have a name on the marquee that people are coming to see, which is one of the reasons I actually really enjoyed your club, it was kind of a unique thing. At some point, during my career of club work, your club was a comedy club, you didn't pay for the room, people came to see comedy, as opposed to it moved to a different business model in the middle of the 90s, or I don't know when

Scott Edwards:

people would, and they would pay

Steve Bruner:

for the room, and it didn't matter, you got the butts in the seats, and those people then would be buying drinks, whereas you had a cover charge. And people I think, as I recall, you certainly you pressed him to buy the not so much on nachos good memory, but but but they could sit there and just we paid for a comedy room. And so they were there for the art form or whatever. And then when it got to a paper room, it got to a different group of people, and it was a little harder. Now you're competing with cell phones, somebody's cell phone goes off. Or it doesn't even ring but they notice and they need to text their friend back or their babysitter, they have their own lives. It is a little I think it is a little harder, in some ways. But there's also more availability more people see my little one minute Brunner breaks that I put out every three weeks from a tape show. And just a little bit that lasts about a minute more people see those than I've performed in front of I did a thing called dry bar that one little three minute piece got, you know, 5 million people to watch. That's probably as many people as for Well, I mean,

Scott Edwards:

there's less people on this podcast.

Steve Bruner:

Well, there is now but when they look in the archives, but it's so it's a weirder. You know, listen, you got to change. I'm old school, I can probably use a typewriter instead of a computer. Better. It's different. I am not an adapting comedian. I never I just write what I think is funny. And I find audiences enough audiences that think it's funny to pay my mortgage, and I've always lived on less than I've made. So if anything happens, I'm gonna be fine. It's I'm very lucky. Well, you're

Scott Edwards:

lucky, truly a success when it comes to stand up comedy road comic corporate clubs, cruises. You've even had done some bits on TV. So congratulations. And I want to say thanks for doing this podcast. It was a real joy.

Steve Bruner:

Fun, Scott, it's nice to catch up with you. And talk about the good old days and in the days yet to come. And I appreciate that. The comedy you the people you've introduced me to, by being on your shows. You had a good eye for good folks. I bet some of my best friends I met at last unlimited stand seller. It was was a guy that we were both i i opened he was the middle. I know that headliner from that week. I mean, it was a real pure comedy experience for a real wonderful time in my life. And I've already done the interview. So I don't need to blow smoke. But it was a great, it was a great run of clubs. I had fun. And you you ran a good show. And you did do too long sometimes. But that's just between.

Scott Edwards:

Well, I appreciate the kind words, but it was a team effort. I think that I came along at the right time. Open up the right kind of. By the way, I was the only club that never had a two drink minimum because to me it was comedy. Having entertainers like you, Steve really made the club a success. So thank you for all those years entertaining, and we're still doing some gigs together, which is fine.

Steve Bruner:

I'm writing material right now. So hopefully you'll put something together and I'll be able to get on the bill and at some point. And I appreciate you razor whatever.

Scott Edwards:

Oh, yeah. And I appreciate you doing the podcast because this is our little historical piece to share with audiences young and old, about Stand Up Comedy in the 90s. And moving forward in somebody like you is a great example of doing it correctly. So thank you. Sure.

Steve Bruner:

Nice, enjoy good memories together. That's for sure. Onward and upward. All right.

Scott Edwards:

Well, thanks so much, Steve. Hey, ladies and gentlemen, we hope you enjoy this podcast. I'm sure you did. And I know you liked the comedy is set by Mr. Brunner. And if you get a chance there'll be another new show next week. Steve, take it away. We'll be talking soon. Thanks for listening everybody. Bye. By

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