"Cruise Master" Greg Otto Show # 42

This is a fun show featuring an interview with Headliner Greg Otto. He started off as a magician, and worked into a terrific and hard working stand-up comic; seen on TV, clubs all around the country, and most financially rewarding...worked cruise ships for decades. He has seen over 65 countries by working entertainment on the seas. He once visited all seven continents in less than one year. Very good interview and a short comedy set.

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 emcee Scott and words. Hey, welcome

Scott Edwards: 0:23

to This Week show. We have an ever terrific interview and comedy set for you. One of the guys that was a regular at my clubs all through the late 80s. And mostly through the 90s. He's a magician, he's a comic. He's an all around great guy. Ladies and gentlemen, let's introduce our interviewee for today, Greg auto breakers in the house.

Greg Otto: 0:49

That sounded genuine to.

Scott Edwards: 0:52

Well, it's so great to hear you, man. It's been way too long. You were one of the headliners that we used consistently in the 90s. And it's just great to be able to chat and get you on the podcast. live trading. Okay.

Greg Otto: 1:08

Oh, yeah, I'm great. To hear your voice. Ah, well, let's do what I did two weeks a year for you for years and years and years.

Scott Edwards: 1:16

Oh, yeah. No, no, I know. In fact, one of the interesting things was I still have my old booking books. I thought originally I booked you as a magician.

Greg Otto: 1:27

Yes, one week in 1980. I remember this week because it was very syllable opening mean, the middle. And Dana Carvey closing.

Scott Edwards: 1:35

Yeah, I always tried to have magicians in the middle. That was kind of a format I picked up early on. And you worked with Carvey and Barry Sobel boy talk about a name out of the past.

Greg Otto: 1:47

Yeah, that's exactly. You know, good show. So,

Scott Edwards: 1:51

you know, great show and you were doing pure magic then or was it kind of a combo

Greg Otto: 1:56

comedy magic, but essentially, I got rid of that quickly because it wasn't working in comedy clubs. That's not what I wanted to

Scott Edwards: 2:02

do. Well, there's always more work for a straight stand up than magician.

Greg Otto: 2:07

Well, I was doing both. So I was working all the time. But I know what you mean.

Scott Edwards: 2:11

Yeah, I just met straight magicians I think had a more difficult time getting work in comedy clubs. I was one Oh, for sure. Sure. club owners that really appreciated the the variety of art forms not just straight stand up there. I would, some people would put their nose up towards me because Ooh, you use jugglers and magicians. Oh my god, pretty soon you'll have a mind you know?

Greg Otto: 2:35

How well I would like to be one of those magicians or jugglers that people take that about

Scott Edwards: 2:40

me it was crazy how some people didn't really appreciate all the art forms of entertainment but well, let's let's kind of get things rolling. I know you're originally out of Canada. How did you get into magic and stand up comedy?

Greg Otto: 2:58

Well, actually born in Pennsylvania, but I grew up all over the place. I lived in 22 different houses growing up.

Scott Edwards: 3:04

Bad my research said that you were in Ontario at one point.

Greg Otto: 3:08

I did live in Ontario for nine years in Windsor, Ontario, which is about 200,000 people right across the river from Detroit. Anyway, with a kid magician I got a magic set when I was seven fiddled with that and got more into it and stuff. But I wanted to be meaning after writing jokes. I loved George Carlin when I was a kid. And Franklin Zhi the two guys,

Scott Edwards: 3:32

Franklin is shy I bet people don't know that name as well as Carlin. But he was a great entertainer.

Greg Otto: 3:39

Funny joke. Anyway, I was in Windsor and I went to university there and one day in the local Detroit paper, there's just like a tiny one inch thing. Notice that this comedy club was opening in Detroit. And they were looking into the call if you were interested in performing there. Was that the for the comedy as Mark Ridley's comedy castle?

Scott Edwards: 4:01

Yeah, the castle marketplace. Oh, that's a great club. Amazing.

Greg Otto: 4:05

Yeah, January of 79 was the first time I did stand up. I want to say, so here's the weird thing. So he just I call him up and goes, yeah. And so I go to his office, I forget what he was doing, really. And I had some jokes written on a piece of paper, and I kind of read them to him and his office. You know, those are funny. So, meanwhile, let's backtrack a little bit. I had been performing two or 300 magic shows a year doing schools and

Scott Edwards: 4:32

so the childhood interest in magic took off to where you were doing actual shows. Oh, yeah. We were in high school and college days.

Greg Otto: 4:40

Right. It was my job job. Like I did a whole summer that amusement park and really hundreds of school shows and libraries in old age.

Scott Edwards: 4:51

So you are a professional making money early early on. That's and that probably gave you some great experience and stage awareness.

Greg Otto: 5:01

Right? Well, that's what we're gonna get to. So when I my first time doing stand up, you know, usually these guys are first time a women, people, they the first three minutes to figure out how to use a mic stand you know what I mean? So I knew how to use the mic, and I knew how to work your crowd. And so that's years of hassle out the window, because I really know how to do that. So I believe my first time using comics, you know, and I like to get to three minutes or something the first time, I think I got to do like 15 or 20 minutes he goes, How long can you do was one of those they didn't have any comedians really back then, you know, like a handful. So I got lucky that way. And Mark started using me all the time. And it's just like a weekend room, like the basement of a restaurant or something. Were

Scott Edwards: 5:47

you able to do 1015 minutes? Yeah, that's incredible.

Greg Otto: 5:54

So thank you. So then he started to have me on weekends. And I did that for a couple months for free. And keep in mind, I was driving from another country from Canada, you have to go under a tunnel under the river and drive another half hour to get there. So one night after a couple months, Mark takes me in the back room, and he gives me a $10 and goes, Don't tell the other comedians, so it was my first time getting paid for comedy.

Scott Edwards: 6:17

Oh, he wasn't paying at the time. No. Oh, see, I opened in 1980. But I was paying comics from the get go not open mycorrhiza course.

Greg Otto: 6:28

You were rip a week long metal headliner room. This is a this is, you know, six or eight comics workout room.

Scott Edwards: 6:35

Okay. Okay. You know, like the holy city zoo, or the cafe or something. Yeah, early on. Well, I know the store wasn't paying comics, at least not much for many years.

Greg Otto: 6:48

Right. So here's what happened was the Comedy Store. When that strike happened. I happen immediately when the Comedy Store strike happened, I believe, but immediately settled and decided he was going to deal with strikes and he just capitulated, but the Detroit comics decided to go on strike. But I happen to be on the doing weekend out of town gig that weekend. So I came back and missed the whole having to choose sides going on a strike thing, and it's already been settled. And that was that we were getting paid.

Scott Edwards: 7:20

Well, lucky you because they

Greg Otto: 7:23

went out of town. I come back. Oh, by the way, we get paid now and I didn't have to look like a bad guy or

Scott Edwards: 7:28

right. Yeah, because some guys that formulated those protests were blackballed for years.

Greg Otto: 7:34

Oh, yes. But they were like the core six years of who I started with in Detroit, Tim Allen de PA, myself. Sheila K. Tony Hayes, Wayne Brinson. lol Sanders.

Scott Edwards: 7:49

All right, some good people came out of there. Yeah, you know, most people think of New York and LA and Boston, but there was a comedy scene. And mark out of there, too. Oh, Mike binder. Yeah,

Greg Otto: 8:04

he just moved to LA I believe, but he'd pop in once a while cuz he's from there.

Scott Edwards: 8:08

Well, good group of people to work with.

Greg Otto: 8:11

Yeah, I remember doing shows for free pizza with Tim Allen and Dave cool. Yay. Remember the slicer we got pizza.

Scott Edwards: 8:19

That's so funny. We, you know, when we were just getting started on we were trying to do a six night a week club, there would be certain Tuesdays and Wednesdays where we always tried to have at least 10 people in the audience. But we had done shows to very small crowds. And they always ended up being really fun, because it's so lacks in improv ish. But it's great experience to have. I mean, it's kind of the same as doing a room of 1000 or 2000 people. It's a different dynamic. And it's good experience to get on your belt.

Greg Otto: 8:52

Oh, yeah, but lots of fun. I've had more fun with a smaller crowd that's into it than a big crowd that isn't.

Scott Edwards: 8:58

Oh, I could see. Yeah, I can see that. So you've been you were working out of Detroit and the comedy castle. When did you

Greg Otto: 9:08

and then all of a sudden, all these other gigs started opening Detroit like, early 19. Bleep 79, early 80. Comedy boom was sort of starting but they started having you know, discos would have a comedy night. Whatever the pizza place was. I remember that place called Jack detour, which is pool hall with a stage on it, where I'm assuming they usually had bands. And there were pool tables between you and the audience was a good one.

Scott Edwards: 9:34

Oh, that would be a bit of a challenge. When I first opened. It was in a banquet room with polls and low hanging chandeliers right in front of the face of the comics. Oh, sure, of course, but you know, anybody anything would do during that time because it was really an emerging new industry. I've mentioned before in other podcasts that there was stand up comedy before 1980 But it was a lot of At times, it was a break between bands in a jazz club or a break between strippers at a strip joint. There was no

Greg Otto: 10:06

they were opening acts for, you know, named singers and stuff,

Scott Edwards: 10:10

right? There wasn't any per se comedy clubs until the late 70s. And then like you said, the boom really hit in the 80s. And I caught it just right. Opening in August of 1980. So

Greg Otto: 10:23

I felt really I moved out. I moved to LA in May of 1980. Oh,

Scott Edwards: 10:27

wow. Well, let's let's bring that up. Do you remember cuz sadly, I don't your first time or how you got introduced to laughs

Greg Otto: 10:36

to your club. I was with marker reds was managing me who's now I think, gray or something. And he booked me there. I didn't have anything to do with it. He was looking my comedy clubs.

Scott Edwards: 10:49

Were one of the few acts I got through an agency. That didn't happen very often. But I did use his group William Morris occasionally to bring in new talent when the talent pool was a little thinner in those days.

Greg Otto: 11:04

Right. And he really had a tussle on so yeah, there was a funnel. I remember that was a two bedroom condo. And every syllable and I was supposed to share open a middle bedroom, which didn't happen. He slept on the couch all week. Thankfully.

Scott Edwards: 11:20

Yeah, we you know, we were learning and growing. I do remember the two bedroom we did expand that in later years. But again, you know, that was still better than some clubs offered. I know a lot of comics were sleeping in their cars and getting hotel rooms.

Greg Otto: 11:37

Right, right. And I remember the nice condo, which just needed another bedroom. Wasn't that I remember it being actually pretty nice. So yeah, so then I didn't work your club for many years, because I don't know, for whatever reason. And then like, like 10 years later, I started doing it all the time. It's like to the point I was headlining and last time actually worked for you. I came up there about 12 years ago. Remember this? You put me on some advantage? Like in a barn? Like some kind of a raffle? Yeah.

Scott Edwards: 12:08

Still, yeah, I still do about four or five. We didn't do any recently. But we used to book four to six fundraisers. And you were at a Calusa Fire Department fundraiser in Colusa, California out in the middle of nowhere. And we converted this state fair warehouse into a, they wouldn't have dinner and we did a show and then have a huge raffle. And I was bringing people in from LA for that. Because it was a pretty big event. There was several 100 people and yeah, we did it for like, I don't know, 18 years, it was a pretty long row gig. But if you did one of those then that was great. And thank you, those were always fun to book they did eventually. Not, you know, they quit doing those fundraisers. And so we lost that gig. But it was one of those things that I was able to keep doing to keep my finger in the entertainment pool. I think one of the hardest things for me selling the club was losing that creative aspect of my life. And I was doing these fundraisers and emceeing at different places just to kind of keep my creative juices going. I mean, I love the industry, which is obvious because I'm doing the podcast but yeah, I remember you. I do remember you doing magic. But I remember bringing you in as a headliner. And like you said for many years, and I believe you worked all three of the clubs at one point.

Greg Otto: 13:40

No, I don't think so. What's your first row? Wherever that was with the Brian and Dana, and then I just worked the Old Sacto.

Scott Edwards: 13:49

Oh, really? You never worked? Birdcage or Stockton, huh? Oh, no. Wow. Okay, that's interesting. Now, do you have any memories of work in the club? Did you enjoy the shows? I apparently we come back. I didn't want to go there. But it like it.

Greg Otto: 14:06

Well, that's good. I mean, some people work do it for no money. Yeah. Oh, no, I would hit fun in Sacramento. We drove that old beat up car, which I remember I was at your club like every six months. I remember nobody ever washed the car in that interim, or probably put gas in it. Because seriously, my first order of business was it was a little carwash by the house we stayed at and had to go spend two bucks to wash this thing held together by dirt and look like at one oh the food wrappers and stuff I'm not a tidy guy. Not every comic is

Scott Edwards: 14:42

well, no they are and they they're not much for taking care of either comedy condos or transportation but so by the time just to let the audience know your memories now was after the two bedroom condo we did go to a larger condo in Governor square next door to the then governor. At the time, which always cracked the comics up, but by the time what you're talking about is we had purchased a house in the Natoma area. And, and that's what we were using to house the entertainers. And because it was a little farther away from the club, we provided a car, which most clubs won't do. But you know, we were special.

Greg Otto: 15:19

I can count the amount of cars I've got a club and like, on one hand, use the laptop give you a car to

Scott Edwards: 15:27

Yeah, it was, it was pretty rare and probably pretty risky. But knock on wood. And all the years we did it. We didn't have any major problems with you know, anybody getting a DUI or an accident. So that goes that bears well bodes well for the talent I booked.

Greg Otto: 15:43

Yeah. Well, troublemakers Don't hold back.

Scott Edwards: 15:47

Right, right. I mean, that's been clear part of the managing a comedy club is going through and finding the right people and then bringing them back and weeding out the ones you didn't want to work with, for one reason or another. But you were a very successful headliner and worked many times for me. And and as you reminded me, even after doing some of these fundraisers now I know at some point you really made your money doing cruises. When did you first start doing cruises?

Greg Otto: 16:20

Well, I first started doing cruise I did my first cruise right up front moved to LA. I moved here, I had already worked magic Capital One when I used to live in Canada. So I was moving to LA and I never booked anybody two weeks around. But I wrote I wrote him a letter and I explained my story. There's moving here, blah, blah, blah. The book being in two different rooms, back to back weeks, which is not. I haven't heard of anybody doing that since so thank you Magic Castle. So I moved here in this Sunday. Monday started the castle. The next week was in the smaller and smaller rooms there and marker manager that happened to be there and saw me and goes, Hey, have you ever done a cruise? Go? No. One do one next week. So I moved to LA. I know I was here 10 days. And so I would put me on a cruise. I'd never pass board or anything. So I had to go get a family emergency passport thing. So I literally had four days off at the castle and then flew to Miami to go to this ship. And it was two weeks when I was flying home. I was sitting on the lobby of the ship waiting for a ride to the airport and the agent is in the lobby. He's going anybody know where I can find Greg Otto and I'm like, I'm Greg otter, we want to do a cruise. Oh, okay. So somebody else had fallen out on the ship dock right behind them when I was getting off up. So I just went over there. And then. And then I did a few more cruises. And then there was always one of the things that always always work who's gigs. But I really got into doing them a lot, lot lot. When the comedy boom started drying up in 9192. And a lot of clubs were closing the money was crappy. And I got tired of all the flying. So the cruise line Royal Caribbean had a couple of ships that sailed out of LA to fly with the first real real perk of why I wanted to do them was I just get sick of going to the airport. All that goes along with that.

Scott Edwards: 18:22

Wow, well, we started working. Oh, I was I was gonna backtrack just a little and say yes, it was rare to work two weeks in a row. And getting that at the Comedy Castle was a real bonus for you. Magic Castle, our only opportunity. The only time we ever did it was Paula Poundstone was the only act in the history of the club that worked back to back weeks just as a little boy I love. Yeah. She was brand new out of Boston, she was an opening act. And we worked her because we liked her and we were helping her develop. That's where she met some key people out of San Francisco that really helped her career. But okay, and then moving forward, we should point out to the podcast audience that not only are you a very funny and talented and experienced headliner, but you were one of the cleaner comics. And that is what made you more acceptable to the cruise lines. I'm assuming you're doing family shows

Greg Otto: 19:18

right later on the edit an adult show. The tricky part he do a clean show. And then maybe that night or a couple nights later, he's doing an adult show. And they thought he was funny. You should bring up the working clean thing because after I've been at Royal Caribbean cruise lines for many years, they stopped using a few comedians who didn't have a clean show and a dirty show because it sort of became a requirement to have both which not everybody can do, you know?

Scott Edwards: 19:43

Definitely but you were able to do that. I've seen you do both.

Unknown: 19:47

Yeah, we just throw in a few swear words. Adult show. The trailer from Jimmy Alec in 1980.

Scott Edwards: 19:54

Well, again, another great reference of a comic that was a terrific headline Enter an irregular club. And what's funny is he was really from the 70s, where he had appeared already on television and a couple other things. And we were able to work with him early on in the 80s. But Jimmy Alec gave you that little bit of advice or was somebody to emulate when it came to being able to be clean and dirty?

Unknown: 20:21

Yeah, I remember he told me that in the hallway of the Comedy Store when I first moved to LA, I don't know what how it came up, but what we were talking about, but it always stuck with me. Wow, that's a simple trick, you just

Scott Edwards: 20:33

right. You don't have to rewrite your act, you just have

Unknown: 20:37

to have a couple jokes that you wouldn't want to tell the kids in the audience even really dirty.

Scott Edwards: 20:42

Right, right. Or innuendo jokes or something that would make it a little bit more colorful, you could say for that adult show. Now in your cruises, you've did a lot of them in the 90s and into the 2000s. I saw that you you've hit like 65 countries.

Greg Otto: 20:58

Yeah. All over the place. I was on every, every continent one year.

Scott Edwards: 21:02

In one year, you hit every continent. Yeah, that must have been exciting. And now were you one of the guys that would just stay on the ship, or did you get off and kind of take advantage of

Greg Otto: 21:14

it had to be raining really hard not to get off the ship? No, I got off everywhere. Yeah, my friends, I flew to Nice, France to get on a shipping con. And I can't wait to go check out south of France and the other comic assistance room watching TV and what are you doing? Doing friends? We need to find out.

Scott Edwards: 21:37

Did he go with you?

Greg Otto: 21:39

People aren't that touristy? Yeah, dry had to promise to buy him a drink if it's coming booked in con with me? Well, that's

Scott Edwards: 21:45

why I brought it up is that I've talked to a couple other comics that have done a lot of cruises. And they said that Yeah, after you've kind of done it, you know, let's say you've been to the Mexican port three or four or five times, there's no reason to get off. And I'm thinking well, just to get your land legs and not be sitting in the cabin. I would think it would be a good experience. But everybody's got a different cup of tea.

Greg Otto: 22:10

Yeah, exactly. No, some people just, you know, begging to go with you to go do something. But I don't get it. I always went everywhere. And in fact, I would be the last person back on the ship. Back as late as possible.

Scott Edwards: 22:25

Wow. Yeah. And I like I said, we've done our share of cruises, I guess I didn't say but Jill and I, after we sold the club owned a travel agency for a few years and did a lot of cruises. And I always made a point of being one of the last people back on the ship. One to avoid the crowds. And to you got more time on on the shore even if you're just sitting in a bar having a beer.

Greg Otto: 22:47

Right. Did you see what cruise lines do favor? A comedian?

Scott Edwards: 22:52

Yeah, we did. We didn't make a point of going to all the big fanfare shows because be just being 20 plus years in the business. It wasn't a you know, in fact, even since we've sold the club, I've been to a limited number of clubs to see comedy just because kind of been there done that. You know, we did Royal Caribbean, we did a few others carnival one time. Probably the most interesting as a travel agent is we went out of New Orleans and we did a cruise to nowhere. They were launching a new ship. And we well, we went out about, you know, 3040 miles, the bars were open and free. We cruised around for like two days and came back. Oh, let's go. I never did one of those. Yeah, well, it was they were trying to show off this new ship. So we'd all sell it.

Greg Otto: 23:41

Oh, I know what the what they called a fam cruise or something. Right?

Scott Edwards: 23:45

Well, they at the time they called it the cruise to nowhere just for agents, you know, it was, but we enjoyed it because it wasn't as crowded. You know, they get maybe two or 300 agents instead of to 3000 tourists. Oh, right. Oh, that's interesting. Yeah. So it was a nice way to experience a cruise. So going back to the history of Greg auto and show business. You are a professional magician for many years. Then you became a professional stand up and then you took that stand up and turned it into a career doing cruises. Now you and I haven't worked together as you mentioned and 13 to 15 years has and you have you continued that plan. Is it been the same?

Unknown: 24:30

Well, my plan was to retire as soon as possible. So I actually retired from traveling when I was 55 was not bad. And mostly like I said I just got tired of flying because Royal Caribbean pulled out their two ships that used to go to Mexico. So now I had to fly all the time and brutal. I worked every time I heard of cruise line had a ship that sailed in or out of LA I was all over it. I worked celebrity Princess, Royal Caribbean

Scott Edwards: 24:59

so for Our podcast audience, what do you think was the best cruise line are the best ships?

Unknown: 25:04

Oh, well for me, except audiences, or Royal Caribbean, for some reason.

Scott Edwards: 25:10

They were kind of they were kind of the fun boats. I mean, I know they always sell Carnival is the party boat. But I remember Royal Caribbean being very fun as well.

Unknown: 25:19

They have great crowd. If I chose to go and crew that choose celebrity, I used to work for them. But their crowds aren't so great. And Princess crowds, Princess a good pizza and Judy crowd. Oh, really? That's my assessment.

Scott Edwards: 25:36

Well, you had all the experience. So that assessment carries some weight. So that's interesting. And now there was kind of a boom for comics in the late 80s. Doing some television. Did you make some of those show appearances?

Greg Otto: 25:50

Oh, why did all those bad cable shows? Oh, did you make strip live comedy tonight? Improv and a half hour version? Nobody's ever heard of an evening at the Improv called improv tonight. I did a bunch of those. Yeah,

Scott Edwards: 26:06

there was there was a flurry in the late 80s When comedy was really at its peak, that if you were a quality, quality, clean headliner. There there was this kind of cornucopia of shows that you could appear on doing guest sets in, you know, two and three minutes. That's for I and I thought I seen you and I just wanted to validate that I was right that you had done a bunch of those.

Greg Otto: 26:30

I did tighter the story to two comedy shows in one night. I was Big B's taping Comedy Express, which was a fox show the five nights a week Believe it or not with three comics a host. So I do comedy express the days. I change jackets. I drive 10 minutes up the street Santa Monica improv and evening at the Improv there. So this is my biggest day in showbiz.

Scott Edwards: 26:57

Like a great day.

Greg Otto: 27:00

I showed up that evening at the Improv and they go Do I go to do my makeup? I go yeah, I've already got makeup I just another show.

Scott Edwards: 27:11

Thank you, but I know what I'm doing. Well, you've been in the business and a lot of road work for a lot of years. I'm glad you're off the road pretty much these days because it can really beat you up. What would it was there any interesting moments or anybody you got to work with it really made being in the business special?

Greg Otto: 27:32

Oh, I get to work with everybody named somebody. I couldn't narrow it down. And plus, the other thing is when you get getting to see all these people for free to when you go do cakes with mean people, you know?

Scott Edwards: 27:44

Right? Right? If you're on the show, you get to hang backstage with them and stuff. I always enjoy dropping into the tonight show or whether it was Jay or Johnny I could hang out in the greenroom. And, you know, you're just you're sitting there with big movie and TV stars. It's kind of exhilarating.

Greg Otto: 28:03

Right? So yeah, it's fun.

Scott Edwards: 28:07

Like you said, you kind of quasi retire about seven years ago. Is that what you said? September 10 2013. Wow, no, you know, you had a successful career. And obviously it paid off for you financially, because you were able to get off the road and retire. So I bet I imagined Do you still do an occasional fundraiser?

Greg Otto: 28:27

My last gig and Thank God my last gig went well was in March, I opened it for Bobby Slayton at a club. And that was my last stand up set. Like I said, Thank God, I went out with a good set, because I'm sure somebody, some people's last shows suck. They can't get back on battle.

Scott Edwards: 28:44

Right? Right. Right. You know, you want to end on a high note so that,

Unknown: 28:48

you know, there's a thing you're only as good as your last show, or whatever it is. Your last show blew. I don't know what to tell you.

Scott Edwards: 28:54

Well, luckily, I've been able to wrangle up a set that you did for me back in the 90s that I'm going to play for the audience. Before we move into a little Greg auto stand up comedy. Is there anything you'd like to share with the podcast audience and your experiences through working at laughs or being in the business or doing the cruises? already sold? You know,

Greg Otto: 29:23

what's the set you're gonna be playing? And how long is it? Oh, I have to listen to it.

Scott Edwards: 29:27

No, no, no, no, I'm gonna put it on after the interview. And it's about three and a half minutes. And it was a material you were known for doing back in the late 80s, early 90s. I think you'll recognize it. And it's just good clean comedy fine, but it does show the way you work the room and the way your entertainment in personality comes out through your material. It's interesting because a lot of comics are monologist. But it's all about attitude. I mean, Bobby Slayton is as funny As Jay Leno is as funny as Dana Carvey, and yet, all three are very relatable but in a totally different fashion. Right? They come at it from a different angle with a different attitude. And I think you fall into that category is that your material? As funny as it is really his? I don't want to be rude but it kind of sardonic kind of, or sarcastic? Yeah, kinda kind of a sarcastic way of looking at everyday life. You know, for example, the bit about the mini soaps in the motels. Oh, yeah. So everyone's experience that we're about to hear it. But everyone's experienced that, but you come at it with with some very funny, kind of sarcastic very funny point of view on it. Oh, thank you. Well, thank you for joining me today on the podcast. It's been great catching up. And I think that your experiences from going from magic into comedy and under the Cruz's is a unique path that you took in show business and I'm so glad you've been so successful. Congratulations.

Greg Otto: 31:12

Thank you. When will you send me a link or something? So I can plug this for people?

Scott Edwards: 31:16

Oh, yeah, no, no, we'll make sure you're aware before it comes out. So ladies and gentlemen, thank you Greg for doing the interview. But right now we're gonna sit back and enjoy some terrific, stand up comedy by the one and only Greg. Auto. Thanks, Greg. Thank you.

Greg Otto: 31:34

Do a lot of traveling with this job and seeing some skanky hotels you ever noticed the worst of the hotel? The smaller the soap I'm like lathering up with the chiclet look at that son. The label says luxury bar. Oh, that is nice. I'm on holiday. I've had to do some shows in some weird places. Boy I did do a show at a monastery ones. Yeah monk actually broke a 20 year vow of silence just to yell out you saw a cool job a friend of mine has like a worst job in the world. This is true he sells telephones over the phone you know I think pretty much if you can answer the phone you don't really need this guy idea. It'd be like hello oh nevermind you covered it cool. Just got a new job selling doorbells door to door things are happening for this guy people been saying stupid stuff to me like the Amazon store the other day some guy who works there says to me you're more than welcome I'm more than welcome Hey and thank you to the second hour Thank you Price read someone come up to us Excuse me Do you have the correct time the correct time no go noon tomorrow Powell What's your 17 hours Spanish for no apparent reason? I've got the completely wrong time. It's not even close. Can I trouble you for the month? Also, people Guess what time it is to say oh, it's about three o'clock. Oh, you're a big help. I can guess to then we can launch the shuttle it's about he says it's about three people will say Is it hot in here? Is it just me? It's you when you leave the temperature drops 10 degrees What do you do that you're good? You're very good. My brothers always saying that this thinking here is it just me? Guess what?

Scott Edwards: 34:19

Well, ladies and gentlemen, that was a very short sample of the very funny, Greg Otto, who was alive on stage back in about 1991. I hope you enjoyed that short set. We'll have more of great coming up in future podcast. We want to thank Greg for participating in our interview and telling us all about his career in his life in the comedy world. He's been very successful. Ladies and gentlemen, thank you so much for listening to the podcast. I hope you enjoyed it. We'll be back next week with another terrific show. Bye.

Announcer: 34:53

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