Jimmy Burns "Teacher to Comic" Interview & Comedy Set Show #139

Another fun interview with an old comedy Friend, Jimmy Burns. He was a school teacher in the Mid-West and decided to become a comedian who moved out West. Listen to his story and laugh at all that happened. Stories about his work as a teacher to how he ended up working with stars Arsenio Hall and Brad Garrett. Then enjoy a comedy set recorded recently...Jimmy Burns, solid clean comic, and Great Friend! Enjoy!

Hosted by: R. Scott Edwards

Transcript

Announcer: 0:04

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 and words.

Scott Edwards: 0:21

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to another episode of stand up comedy, your host and emcee. And I have another fun interview with a great friend and comedy. This gentleman worked my club for many, many years, he participated in many of the side events I did and has a really interesting story. He started off as an elementary school teacher. And he even was a substitute teacher in South Central LA, if you could believe that. But all that led to material that took him into stand up comedy. Let's hear a little bit about that. Ladies and gentlemen, the star of our show today. It's Jimmy burns. Jimmy, so great to reconnect with you, we had a chance to do the comedy roundtable with Stan cellars and you but I wanted to do a show focused on your story.

Jimmy Burns: 1:13

Thank you. You're right. I didn't know when to come in.

Scott Edwards: 1:17

Well, it is different in the sense that you were able to build a very successful stand up comedy career, kind of based on your first career, which was that as a school teacher, right?

Jimmy Burns: 1:30

Yeah, did a lot of material from teaching that it turned out that there was some call for it for teacher convention type stuff, and meetings and seminars, and I was able to do some of that and make some teachers laugh?

Scott Edwards: 1:44

Well, it seems like a natural transition in the sense that what's I've always said important about stand up comedy is being able to relate to the audience. And of course, everybody in the audience. Not only are there a lot of teachers and administrators, but everyone's been a student. So your material becomes something everybody can relate to. But we're jumping ahead a little bit. Maybe you could share the story. How did you kind of fall into stand up comedy or do that transition from being a terrific teacher? I've heard, too, going into comedy.

Jimmy Burns: 2:16

I was born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska. So that's hometown. And I, I couldn't really figure out where I was where I fit or where I wanted to go. So when in college, and my brother was a federal agent, you know, and I thought I want to be like my brother. Then I said, I don't want to carry a gun. I don't you're carrying a gun. Other people are carrying a gun too. So I I love school. I loved school activities. I loved classroom. I love recess. I love it. So I went to the I started teaching elementary school. And it was going along calm and everything, but it just wasn't satisfying. And it was married at the time. First marriage. We have a number of them.

Scott Edwards: 3:05

Well, now, did you get your credential? How long were you teaching?

Unknown: 3:10

I got my credential in Nebraska. And I taught there for five years.

Scott Edwards: 3:15

Okay, it's called that's a commitment.

Unknown: 3:17

Yeah, non public. I was titled One math, remedial math. Okay, federally funded. And I did that for four years. And when I taught a regular sixth grade classroom, then I got the bug. To be honest with you, there's not a lot there. marriage wasn't too fun and happy. You know, I was looking for an outlet. And it was a comedy competition in town. Because back we're talking back in the days with comedy clubs weren't every other city and all that stuff, you know, before all the funny bones on it, right? This

Scott Edwards: 3:49

is late 70s, early 80s. Right.

Unknown: 3:51

Exactly. So it was a comedy night, and then went out and did it was a competition. And I didn't win or anything. But the guy was supportive enough. He said, Hey, why don't you do our final? Just because it'll be just fine. Everybody's singing and all that stuff. And we'll do some comedy. So that's, that's how I got it. And I just got hooked. I loved it.

Scott Edwards: 4:13

And so that was kind of your first launch into stand up. Do you remember any of your early jokes or your first joke?

Jimmy Burns: 4:21

Good question.

Scott Edwards: 4:23

That's why I do

Jimmy Burns: 4:24

remember McDonald's. Oh, yeah, that's what you do. It's about McDonald's hamburgers. You couldn't find meat because it was hiding under the pickle.

Scott Edwards: 4:37

Well, everybody can relate to McDonald's. So your first bit wasn't actually about being a teacher. It was about something a little more generic, like McDonald's, which I think is a perfect way to start your you know, open mic type sets,

Jimmy Burns: 4:51

right? Oh, yeah. Because, oh, this is interesting. I think this is funny, because I didn't necessarily tell everybody I was a teacher. You know what I mean? I just started going up and telling jokes. But then I had a friend, I don't know who is around the country is called pm magazine. It was a little magazine. Yeah, it was a

Scott Edwards: 5:07

local. They did a story on us on our local pm magazine.

Unknown: 5:11

Yeah, well, a guy that I met Carrie Pfeffer, who was the host of the one in Omaha, Nebraska wanted to come up and just do what you're talking about, bring a camera to my classroom, and show that there was another side of teaching for teachers. And the funny part was, I didn't know if parents would want the camera in a classroom. And I had to get my permission from my principal. So I, I went to the principal's office after school. And I said, Franklin, will can we speak? Sure. So I need to shut the door on insurance. Really? Wha right now, most teachers when they come into my office after school and want to talk about suddenly shut the door, they're pregnant. And I say, Well, I'm not pregnant, I can say that. I'm a comedian. She said you share you I'd rather do a pregnant I think, anyway. But she so she gave she said, No, I'm glad you have an outlet. I think that's good for creativity in the classroom and bringing together and she gave me permission to turn up that parents were all for it. They will love to have camera come out and do a segment on it and aired on the news. And they loved it. I was surprised.

Scott Edwards: 6:29

Oh, that's really good. Because I think that the the idea of the story where teachers are more than just teachers that they have other dimensions, other aspects of their life that they can bring to the classroom, on an educational level. And stand up comedy is certainly something comedy and just in general, helps teachers relate to an audience. We all remember our favorite teacher. And almost always it was the one that made things fun.

Unknown: 7:00

You know, I can't agree with you more. Because in my mind, you're open when you're smiling. You're open to whatever's there. And when you're upset or mad you close off, and that's so I wanted my kids to be one of my students be open and understanding and open to whenever I was saying they could be open and sharing conversation, whatever it was, you know what I'm saying?

Scott Edwards: 7:22

No, no, that's that's a great explanation. So how did the pm magazine story come out? Were you happy with it?

Jimmy Burns: 7:31

I was well, going back to Omaha, Nebraska. And if you remember Johnny Carson was from Omaha, Nebraska, even though he was born, I think in Iowa, but he was raised in Norfolk, Nebraska. So they compared it was nice. They put shots of Johnny Carson are starting out and they put pictures of me starting out. Who knows maybe another girl behind will? Oh, that's cool. Yeah, it was very cool.

Scott Edwards: 7:56

Congratulations. That's that's But that's that kind of comparison is very complimentary. And I'm so glad that the school and the parents and the students all supported it. Because in this day and age that might be difficult to do. So when did you get your first paid gig?

Jimmy Burns: 8:17

I think it was in Omaha. And it was because the College World Series, teams come to college world series. The home is still back then was in Omaha, Nebraska. And it's still in Omaha, Nebraska. Which is funny, because the coaches used to say we love that it's in Omaha, Nebraska, because there's nothing to do in Omaha. And the parents in baseball players who say we hate going home because there's nothing to do. So they did a show. And I did a show for some baseball teams. And I think that was my first payday. And of course check.

Scott Edwards: 8:51

Oh, that's cool. That would be fun, fun show. And I bet the baseball players enjoy just having something to go to that was entertaining.

Unknown: 8:59

Exactly. Yeah. So that was it. So I taught school for five years, and then I made the jump to moving to California.

Scott Edwards: 9:07

Was that about 8283? What year was that? Wow. 8181 Okay. Well, I was trying to figure out how because I know when you came to laughs unlimited. And I'd like you to share the story of your your first encounter with working for me, but I know that you came on board early on and worked for me for you know, over a decade.

Jimmy Burns: 9:30

Oh, yeah. When would you know when that that would be the whatever the early 80s?

Scott Edwards: 9:35

Yeah, it had to be about 80 to 83 because I started in 1980. If you came out to California and 81 the math seems to work out. Did you move straight to LA?

Jimmy Burns: 9:47

Yes. Took a big trip. The vacation, the summer vacation for a teacher before the move because I checked out whether I should go to Chicago. Look at San Francisco I live in LA. And I ended up just coming straight down.

Scott Edwards: 10:04

You know, that was probably a smart move, because one of the things we've discussed it about before on this podcast is that you could become a big fish in something like Sacramento, San Francisco or even Portland. But soon as you go to LA, you're starting over, you have to kind of reprove yourself. So by getting an early foothold in the television, media town of Los Angeles and Hollywood, probably helped your career because I alluded to it, but you've had over 30 years professional stage work, and that's not something very many people can compare to you that you've had a great career.

Unknown: 10:45

Well, we should actually give credit where credit's due in the sense of I showcased audition for Bob Fisher at the Ice House in Pasadena, which they say is the oldest comedy club in the country. It was a Hootenanny comedy thing back in the 60s, it opened in 1960s. And I showcased and I was doing their work on the road, because everybody had worked on the road in the 80s and 90s. But I became the house of see the weekend and see guy at the Ice House in about 1997 1996. And was there until 2020. Yeah, so that's where I met people that I was able to work with, through my career. That's where I opened for I met George Lopez and Brad Garrett and Richard Jeni and Arsenio Hall.

Scott Edwards: 11:35

Yeah, the people you ended up opening with in concert around the country. That's impressive. Let's not jump too far ahead. Let's go back to the early 80s. Do you remember your first trip to laughs unlimited?

Jimmy Burns: 11:48

It was probably, well, there's so many trips. It was so good, because use it for when when stock when did Stockton open?

Scott Edwards: 11:57

That was about 84. Okay, so what

Jimmy Burns: 12:01

about, oh, wait a minute, who wants to say an enemy old sack. And it was just I was on the road. I was in Sacramento. It was fun. And we had fun. And you had Citrus Heights open. So there was a week, two weeks, and it was stocked up. There's three weeks on the road. And if you were doing well, or at least doing one job that you appreciated, you do two times a year. So there was six weeks out of the year I could book you know.

Scott Edwards: 12:30

Yeah, that was a benefit to the comics because they could set aside the income and the work for those weeks. But for me as a club owner, and a producer, I felt it helped build the comics reputation. And you did that it laughs unlimited with all those years of performing when I would say hey, you know, X school teacher now stand up comic Jimmy burns. We always had nice crowds.

Jimmy Burns: 12:58

That's cool. And for anybody listening, who cares? I hear because I don't tend to be edgy, and not mean mean spirited and stuff. And the bartenders and servers enjoyed that because the auditors were in a good mood, which tips usually followed very well.

Scott Edwards: 13:17

Yeah, we've often expanded on the benefits of being a clean comic. And not only is it easy to relate, you have more fun with more people. And it hasn't been mentioned too often. But you're right, it improves tipping for the waitstaff because everybody's in a little bit more positive mood, you know, if you have a bobcat Goldthwait or or even a Bobby Slayton, and they're kind of it's funny stuff, but they're kind of attacking and more abrasive. It tenses up the audience, they still have a good time, but it's not as relaxing is, let's say you are Steve Bruner or Stan Sellars, where you have a more comfortable performance.

Unknown: 14:03

Hey, you know what we can compare to what we said about teaching students who are open where the audience was open, and when you're open, the money flows a little bit more.

Scott Edwards: 14:12

Yeah, that's interesting. Well, we know we appreciated having you at the club. Do you have any good memories from those days at laughs? Did you work with anybody that ended up being either fast friends or a good inspiration for your career?

Jimmy Burns: 14:27

Stan Sellars, we're still buddies. We still go try to go to lunch at least once a month, maybe once every two months. Skill state keeping in touch first times in Sacramento was my first ride in a limo when Stockton open working with Mac and Jamie that's why.

Scott Edwards: 14:46

Oh, that's a great show.

Jimmy Burns: 14:49

Yeah, so that's how that was the grand opening of Stockton. Hey, you remember flying to Monterey? Yeah, I was able to be part of that too. If we flew and had lunch, I don't know what you were doing. Were you checking out a club or something?

Scott Edwards: 15:04

Yeah, I was asked to open and produce a show in this small town. And so I charted a plane and flew a small group of people. And we had lunch, but I was there doing some business, but it was one of my more extravagant lunches.

Jimmy Burns: 15:23

Yeah, I love that. I saw pictures of it.

Scott Edwards: 15:26

Oh, that's cool. You'll have to share those. But that's great that you and Stan sellers got a chance to meet and become such good friends. You were a feature act for a while but you soon became a headliner. So people were coming to see you with the reputation you built at the club. Was there other people that you work with that maybe gave you some inspiration? Or are you being the headliner? You were you were the star?

Unknown: 15:56

Well, I remember John Hinton and I had a one fun week because we were both co headlining.

Scott Edwards: 16:05

We're just strong act two.

Unknown: 16:07

Yeah, we were and we were just pushing each other. It was friendly. It was all it was all fun. It was like follow that. And it was John jet with John and I are still pretty close. We're not that we see each other but we communicate on Facebook and still. Danny Johnson,

Scott Edwards: 16:23

of course. Yeah, he was he was a crowd favorite and longtime regular. There's clubs.

Jimmy Burns: 16:29

Oh, yeah. Oh, hey, we did we shot some. I remember no shooting a TV series of segments for a TV series that you did for a while. Briefly.

Scott Edwards: 16:39

Yeah, well remember, live it laughs and then laughs almost live. We had those two shows that ran on ABC and MDC local affiliates, but it helped put us on the map in the mid to late 80s.

Jimmy Burns: 16:52

Yeah, I just loved the whole setup an old sack. That when it was under the firehouse and magic had upstairs.

Scott Edwards: 17:01

Yeah, that was my favorite club. I got to design it from from the get go. And I think it was one of the if I don't mind, blowing my own horn, one of the best comedy clubs in the country just out of design.

Jimmy Burns: 17:15

Oh, it was it was you know, everybody talks about they don't. If you use an audition tape from the icehouse that was the way it was. It didn't matter because it was such a magical room. Filled sacs room is exactly like that. It was perfect. It was just oh, you know, I worked with the company, Denny Dennis wolfberg.

Scott Edwards: 17:34

Oh, Dennis wolfberg. Well, he was a teacher as well. So I would assume you'd have some good conversations,

Jimmy Burns: 17:41

had great conversations. But here's the deal. Comics can be weird. So I'm on the road, doing my teaching stuff. And Congress would go hey, Dennis Wolford, this teaching stuff was like, okay, so then I ended up working all SEC with Dennis Wahlberg, US headline, and I was featured for him. And he's just a perfect example of a class guy, and ahead of our real headliner. And I said, Dennis people getting on my back because I do teaching stuff. And you do teach and stuff. And if you want, I will do my teaching stuff. And we can have, you know, I won't mess up. But he goes, Did you teach school? Anyway? Yeah. Because we're going to teach elementary school and he goes, I taught Junior High. He goes, Don't worry about you. Do your teaching stuff. I'll either refer back to it, or I won't get to it. But no, you got to be you to do your teaching stuff. He was just such a class guy.

Scott Edwards: 18:34

Yeah, that's funny. Dennis wolfberg has been mentioned several times by several comics is one of those. And you put it very distinctly as a class act, who was very funny. We lost him way too early. But he was so good at relating to the audience. And he makes a good point. That it's like, well, I can't do airport material. Because you once went to an airport. I mean, it's it's crazy. You had different experiences as teachers, it still all relates to the audience. So why not? I mean, there's no reason that you couldn't both do that material. And he was absolutely correct. And if I remember correctly, it was a terrific show. It was so

Unknown: 19:17

good. Well, two different perspectives, too. He's coming from the East Coast do and talking about older kids. I'm talking about Midwest and then some teaching in California. And remember, the night I remember is a special night, and it couldn't bring me to tears. Ellis was having such a great time in the audience. It was just one of those magical nights. I remember he somebody had a guitar and he picked up a guitar and sang American American Pie and it was just I mean, as I think of it, I'm getting emotional. It was just beautiful. It was just amazing night the magical.

Scott Edwards: 19:50

Yeah, I'll in your writing could bring tears to you because it was Dennis wolfberg, who had this kind of raspy voice and in I'm talking about being from New York and his his accent in his years and teach people made fun of his name wolfberg and called him bullshit and stuff. But when he grabbed the guitar and saying, bye bye American Pie, it I mean, standing ovation, you know, everybody just went nuts. And I'm glad you were able to experience that because not everybody did. And we were always so thrilled to have him at the club, but to have you and him together, would have been just golden.

Jimmy Burns: 20:39

Yeah. And because I'm there right now I'm sitting in that stairway, they went up to the Magica sit in the chair, we were watching the stage and watching Dennis. Just wonderful.

Scott Edwards: 20:49

Yeah. Oh, thanks for sharing that memory that that is a special one. Now you work for me, as we said over many years and had great success at the club. You ended up being the house emcee and host at the Ice House, going into the 2000s and 2010. Where is it a balance of club work and corporate work? What Where did you find your income?

Jimmy Burns: 21:15

Because I met in early 2000s. I worked with George Lopez. And it was opening for Georgia. He was at the Ice House. And he said, Well, what's going to be in progress? You know? Okay, so I just started working around, I was traveling all over with George, and which is really impressive, because we did a theater in Chicago, and Arizona, and Houston. And this was before the money, you know, internet, media, mass media and all that stuff. He was selling out theaters back then. I don't know how. But it was a great experience and stuff. And then I met our seniors. And our CTO was cool enough that he also enabled me being propped open for him. And he only saw five minutes of me. And when our senior thanks for bringing me with your booking, because I knew there was one in five minutes, it was really confident on it. We worked off and on for 20 years.

Scott Edwards: 22:11

Wow. I mean, both of those gentlemen, but especially George Lopez had a hook and that he was one of the first clean Hispanic comics, to really have that mass appreciation of his material. And having somebody like you that's totally clean, very relatable. And fun and easy, is such a great setup. For him to follow the same as Arsenio Hall. They could be a little edgy, or they could take it down their ethnic path, and not feel like they've had anything but a great support or base to the show. And I'm talking as a producer, that that you would bring to the stage. And it sounds like that was a huge moment for you and very profitable and successful for both of those stars.

Unknown: 23:06

Oh, yeah. And just when because I did one of them for remember our senior briefly hosted Star Search. Yeah, the new Star Search and an audience warm up for that star switch.

Scott Edwards: 23:18

Oh, that's cool. I didn't know that audience warm ups are a whole different game. For everybody in the audience. We've talked about the many pads that stand up comedy can take you from a professional entertainer, to a writer to punch up person to voiceovers. But sitcom warm up or TV warmer is something that a lot of people had a good living doing.

Jimmy Burns: 23:43

Yeah, great, great living. I'm thinking to Jim, Jim and Brogan and Ron Pearson. So you're gonna run with Roger, lovely, well, Roger, Illinois. That's how I got into the ice house. Because I was filling in for him on weekends because he was starting to get more warm up work than he would total warm up. And that's when I got the Ice House. MC gig. Oh, and then I in that process, Brad Garrett was wrapping up. Everybody Loves Raymond, isn't it?

Scott Edwards: 24:13

Yes.

Jimmy Burns: 24:15

See, I go Everybody Hates Chris I got confused.

Scott Edwards: 24:20

Well, nobody loves Right, right. Right. We lost Ray Romano. He was a regular at the club until he got started, you know, got the tonight show and then that boom led to his own sitcom. But Brad Garrett being the co star of that show, had a long career on TV. He still owns and manages a comedy club in Vegas. But a lot of people don't know he was doing stand up comedy for many years before television.

Jimmy Burns: 24:45

I think he's the original Star Search winner bachlin Ed McMahon and those guys.

Scott Edwards: 24:49

Oh, see, I didn't know that. That's a nice little tidbit. So did you do some work with Brad?

Unknown: 24:55

Did I do some work with Brad Holy mackerel. It just happened. was good timing. It was. I think it was about 9596. They were wrapping up. Everybody Loves Raymond. And Brad was starting to go back on the world again are starting to do stand up and he came to the Ice House. And we talked. And I was able to tour with him. Just when they were showing the last season, the last episode of Everybody Loves Raymond. In fact, we did. We flew to New York. And he said, Do you mind hanging out in New York for a couple of days, I have to do some PR. And I said, I've never been in New York. And it goes, good. I don't want to fly home spinning. Stay out here. And we'll have some fun. And I watched the last episode or when it was raining with the cast. Oh, how cool. It was very cool. And everyone was so cool. Oh, what about James Lipton, actor, Sally are actors. Right? The cast did that on a Sunday night. And Brad again being gracious when you don't have to come but you want to come with us? Yeah.

Scott Edwards: 25:59

Well, that was really like you said, very gracious of Brad to include you and all those really once in a lifetime moments.

Jimmy Burns: 26:06

Yeah, cuz? Yeah, I'll never. Those are moments that are just amazing. We went to Oh, so to limos, when we're done. I gotta go on on camera back to Chalian whatever it was, and Tulum was on the way home. One limo was stopped at pizza on the way and the other, went back to the hotel. And I went in the pizza, limo. And I know, people in New York, limo pulls up to Peter Stan, Ray Romano gets out, Brad gets out. Herot What's your name? The wife. Anyway, everybody's getting on. And you know, people are going, Oh, who's a and there's a and then I got out. It was like it was not. But I got to experience it. Ya know, that

Scott Edwards: 26:52

would be so much fun. And and obviously, I've spent a lot of time around celebrities. And it's the same feeling is that people are looking at you kind of going wow, how do you fit into this picture? Right? Yeah. And, you know, I would just, you know, it didn't affect me, because I didn't have any ego about it. But it was so interesting that that people wanted, they're almost curious as to how are you hanging with these celebrities? Right?

Jimmy Burns: 27:21

Yeah. So it was fun. You know, moments like that are just priceless. They live with me forever. That is right. It's true. We went to the 911 site, and talked to the fire men across the street. It was just some wonderful moments and hilarious moments and very cool.

Scott Edwards: 27:39

That's very special. Thanks for sharing that story. And to hear a softer side to Brad Garrett because he's had a little bit of a reputation as as a hard ass as a club owner and in some of the public stuff he's done and to hear him interacting with the firefighters and taking you on these amazing adventures is really paints a nice picture.

Unknown: 28:04

He's been he's been great there. Matter of fact, I just was back in Vegas working his club in March.

Scott Edwards: 28:10

Oh, great. Congratulations. Well, let's let's move towards that. Because you've had all these great experiences starting as a teacher becoming a stand up comedy having great success, a great career doing that. It led you to opening up for George Lopez, Arsenio Hall and Brad Garrett and working all these different things. But both of us are getting a little older. And I know that because we're friends that you recently shared, that you found out you have Parkinson's disease, you want to share how that's affected you as an entertainer.

Unknown: 28:46

As an entertainer, well, for as a person, I didn't know what was going on. Because I used to run a lot jog and run and run marathons and stuff. And it's just one time, my left arm was like swinging and then I start tripping over my left foot. And so physically, it was affecting me and I thought I had a stroke.

Scott Edwards: 29:06

Those are kind of the common traits of a stroke as you lose one side of your body.

Jimmy Burns: 29:11

Yeah. Oh, and especially with COVID This is where this was before COVID Obviously because I diagnosed five years ago officially but had nothing habit for eight years. Loss of sense of smell. I didn't know that. Had it neither. And it's funny because Pete my girlfriend who I've lived it for 20 years. She didn't you know, skeptical. Come on, you can still smell and the neighbors had fresh manure put on their front lawn, you know, and everybody's just going Hi. Oh, and I bent over with nothing.

Scott Edwards: 29:46

You don't smell shit.

Jimmy Burns: 29:49

Exactly. Welfare. And it was like I used to so I googled that like, you know, like, you're not supposed to do it. It was like, well, so men lose their sense of smell when they get older and this and that and then when I finally diagnosed with Parkinson's one of the first two things that popped up well carcasses you lose your sense of smell and your arm doesn't swing and you walk there like, Why didn't anybody tell me that before?

Scott Edwards: 30:14

Yeah, it's not the kind of thing that you think about like you said you would think stroke or some other issue, especially with COVID running around. Well, I know that we were shocked and disappointed to hear that you were ill, but we also have great positive feelings that with your lifestyle and your positive attitude, that you can overcome this. How are you dealing with having Parkinson's now in your comedy career?

Jimmy Burns: 30:44

Well, thank goodness for meds, drugs. kodomo levodopa. Couldn't wait a

Scott Edwards: 30:53

minute. That sounds like a made made up name. carova Dubba Dubba Dubba that says you're

Unknown: 30:57

right. carbidopa levodopa. There it is carbidopa levodopa. It's a synthetic dopamine. And so that's the process with Parkinson's disease that break down a dopamine, dopamine not getting communicated to your brain. So that's why you some, your physical stuff changes. Oh, I should tell everybody here too. Every Parkinson's patient is different. Everybody gets. I don't have the tremors that yet. But I just am stiffening so move slow. So anyway, the time the drugs and so far, I just look clumsy, apparently. But letting the party letting the audience in my head that I have Parkinson's at the end of the act. It's become my new closer when it's working strong.

Scott Edwards: 31:40

Well, that's interesting. On two points, first idea with a Parkinson's patient, my father in law has advanced Parkinson's and the strap, the tremors and the shakes are a major indication of when he's having good days and bad days, when he's calm, relaxed, and it's in the morning, he's perfect. You know, you can hold a cup of coffee, but by noon, or if he gets upset, he can't hold any sort of beverage because he's shaking so much. So the fact that you don't have the tremors of the shaking, is a good indication of how early in this dreadful disease that your doctors caught it. But also, from an artistic point of view. I think it's both smart and interesting that you are able to take something that a lot of people deal with that nobody talks about, and bring it into your act out. How do you bridge that in your act? How do you go from your material on being a teacher to dealing with Parkinson's?

Jimmy Burns: 32:42

Well, let's talk about just what I was telling you how something was going on with me physically. And I didn't know what it was. And then I get diagnosed. And I talked about that attitude is a choice. And you know, oh, you know, Scott, if we talked the conversation before we got on the call or the interview, that I may have a video. And I'll send it to you if it gets pushed, but you'll see how I blend in being positive and trying to find the positive parts of having Parkinson's, and giving people hope you know what I mean?

Scott Edwards: 33:13

Oh, well, that's great. And ladies and gentlemen, at the end of this interview, we'll share a few minutes of that comedy set with you, but for the conversation and for the interview. Jimmy, I think it's fascinating and really smart. And you're actually doing something for society. When you talk about how important it is to have a positive mental attitude. And it doesn't have to just be Parkinson's, it could be all the various cancers, it could be any sort of mental or physical ailment you're dealing with that comedy and humor is a strong, positive way to deal with these setbacks. Right. And you're done with your act.

Jimmy Burns: 33:58

Exactly. Seeing if I could pull up a text message as a cat the other day, because he summed it up. Well, he sounded a better than I did. So hold on, tick, tick, tick. A little music. Oh, here it is. Oh. So this is amazing. Oh, this was I did a fundraiser the other day. It's amazing house. Oh my goodness. Anyway, it was in luck. And this is from Ron Pearson, who pushed me to do the show. Everyone loved you. And thank you so much for doing the gig Missy brother, and really proud of how you're attacking your diagnosis with comedy.

Scott Edwards: 34:29

Yeah, that's strong.

Unknown: 34:31

Yeah. And that sums it up. It's like, I'm, well, you know, I didn't want to be downer as a teacher. And I don't want to be a downer as a person. So I'm finding the humor in it. And I hope I hope we get that clip up otherwise, because I want to do a couple punch lines. But I really don't want to in case we put the video up and spoil the surprise, you know,

Scott Edwards: 34:48

yeah, no, let's save it for the video. We'll figure that part out. And ladies and gentlemen, that'll be coming up in just a few minutes. But as an old friend Jimmy, I just wanted to say first off, thank you very much for all the years of tremendous clean, entertaining, relatable comedy that you brought to my various club locations. You always please the audience, you were always easy to work with the staff always appreciated having you there. And congratulations on your many decades of success as a stand up comic.

Unknown: 35:23

Thank you. Oh, I remember bowling in Sacramento once in a while we go bowling afterwards. Yeah,

Scott Edwards: 35:29

we would take certain comics not everybody but we ones that we liked. We would take them out bowling and that was a good after show. Stress Reliever we'd have a few drinks and in bowl horribly but laugh a lot.

Jimmy Burns: 35:45

Team building they call it

Scott Edwards: 35:49

laughs unlimited style. Yeah. So

Jimmy Burns: 35:56

I was able to do a couple of new year's eve up there too.

Scott Edwards: 35:59

Those are always special shows, aren't they?

Jimmy Burns: 36:01

Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. They were great show fun. And again, you know what? Your clubs, your feet, it was like family was like going to see that a family on the road. It was just it was it was really nice. It was fun and good and good people. One of the people,

Scott Edwards: 36:16

thanks for sharing that. And that's how we felt about you, Jimmy. Now before we move into your comedy set in, in this interview, what I know that you're dealing with the Parkinson's, but I know you're also still performing. Is there anything coming up at the end of 2022? Or coming in 2023 that you're excited about or looking forward to?

Jimmy Burns: 36:39

Oh, you know, I just got back to getting into flow. I don't know. I'll just have to they'll just have to keep me posted. I'll have to keep them posted. You can find me on Facebook. Or I have a website. I should update. It's called the teacher comedian.com.

Scott Edwards: 36:53

teacher, the teacher comedian.com. Yeah. Okay, I should check out Jimmy burns at the teacher comedian.com. And we hope you enjoyed all the great information and stories he shared on this show. But right now we have a special treat. My good friend Jimmy Burns is going to share some recorded live stand up comedy. To end this show. We like to end all of our shows with some stand up. So that's what we're going to do. Jimmy, thanks for joining me on the show today.

Jimmy Burns: 37:26

You're very welcome. My pleasure. I kid it was a reunion family family reunion.

Scott Edwards: 37:32

Well, I feel that way as well. Ladies and gentlemen, coming up right now live on stage. I was just taped at the Ice House.

Unknown: 37:41

No, the Ice House and this is taped at flappers. flowerland K

Scott Edwards: 37:45

flappers comedy club. Yeah. All right, ladies and gentlemen, live at flappers. It's the amazing school teacher turned comic and my good friend Jimmy burns enjoy the comedy right here. Thanks Jimmy.

Jimmy Burns: 37:59

Thank you, Scott. Appreciate it. Hello. Hi. Alrighty, my name is Jimmy originally from Omaha Nebraska. Thanks for the love feel the love and the removed out here it's expensive out here Did you know that Did you know that? Give me an example if you don't understand I owned a house in Omaha owned it sold it moved out here put a down payment on a car 2009 Ford Focus man been made a couple of times not giving up trying it again got a woman in my life but I'm getting older who Jack Cohen young man I'm older than he is. This is how old I am. My spam email has even changed young lady when I was young man my spam email and large penis and larger penis and larger penis spam email now shrink your prostate shrink your bras got my crew over here Yay. So when you get all the things he would change when it comes to dating your priorities are different when I was a young man look for women long legs. Long gasoline booty legs. Woman with right now. Not so much. She has a house she doesn't have legs. Now she has assets I love this club. We live in the South Bay this is what I've learned since moving to the South Bay. If you live in Hermosa Beach, you say we live in Hermosa Beach. If you live in Manhattan Beach, you say we live in Manhattan Beach. If you're like us and live in Hawthorne. You say we live in the South Bay so glad you came out the lab. We got to find the humor live. Yes. Gotta find the funny yay. This is what's happened to me recently, I had a little health challenge pop up. My left side wasn't mentioned my right side, my left side. Yeah, just hang and do its own thing tripping on my foot and I thought I have a stroke. So what did the doctor doctor sent me to a neurologist neurologist gave me an MRI. And then a couple of weeks later, he sat me down and said you have not had a stroke. And I went off, right? Because I think it's Parkinson's. I know I went whoa. You mean I'm like Michael J. Fox. Anyway, no, he's famous. But I'm going keeping the attitude of going to take my meds we're going on it but I have to tell my girl my baby my sweetie. I said, we are not married. There's no commitment here. If you do not want to go through this with me, I understand completely just move on. Go on your own way. Anyway, I'm not going anywhere. I know I really should. This is my house.

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