Andy Kindler Interview & Comedy Set Show #82

Andy Kindler is a unique kind of comic who made an impression on me, and many others. He was a regular recurring role on "Everybody Loves Raymond" , did over 40 spots for David Letterman as an act and correspondent , an Annual Montreal Comedy Festival speaker, and was featured on HBO. Andy gives a funny interview as he discusses his amazing career path, and after I have a short set by Andy I am sure will show you how different, and successful he was onstage. 

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.

Scott Edwards: 0:22

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to another great show. We have a fantastic interviewer ready, sitting standing by ready to share his story about his career in life and comedy. And we're in for a bit of a unique treat. This guy was not only one of the regulars at our club for a number of years, and a great friend to all of my staff in those years. But he's gone on to fame and fortune, lots of television, and comes at comedy from a little bit of a unique position. Ladies and gentlemen, one of the best industry comics. It's Andy kindler,

Andy Kindler: 0:59

thank you. Oh, my, I had no idea that we would arrange a studio audience.

Scott Edwards: 1:05

Well, you know, you're a special special guy. Andy, good to have you on the

Andy Kindler: 1:10

people. Well, thank you, that's more people than ever last when I was at your club.

Scott Edwards: 1:17

Well, it's funny that you say that because I put in your intro that you're kind of a slant, and you're comedy towards the industry side. And I gotta tell you, I think all my audiences always enjoyed you. But you had such a great knack of hitting some inside the business humor and being able to throw off things that the comics and the people in the business maybe appreciated or got easier than the audience, but maybe I'm making too big a deal of it. But I know that well. For example, David Letterman loved your industry take on things and we'll get to that later in the interview. But I know you're originally from New York. When did you come out to the West Coast? Did you do comedy in New York? Or did you start out here?

Andy Kindler: 2:05

I started out here and I'm going to you know, this is the type of thing where I don't think I can keep my age as a podcast. You know what I mean? My wife says, My wife says to me, my wife Susan says to me often, can you you know, at least not tell a couple of people how old you are. And be like, Yes, I'll have the chicken and yeah, I just turned 64. Yeah, yeah, I was just I grew up in Queens. I didn't do but I went to school, upstate New York at a college, and I called Binghamton, and then, in 1970, I literally drove cross country.

Scott Edwards: 2:44

Wow. Now was it it? You know, I'm a West Coast California kid. We always hear kind of interesting stories about growing up in New York. Did you have what you thought a fairly normal childhood? It's not it's gonna come out if it's not already obvious. You're a Jewish comic. And a Jew from New York. I mean, how rare is that? Yeah, that's

Andy Kindler: 3:08

Did you really was one of the things that got me in

Scott Edwards: 3:11

was, was your humor you think based on come from your family, we the class clown Did you just decided this is something I wanted to do.

Andy Kindler: 3:21

My dad was really funny. I was very lucky that my dad was very funny. And I never thought it was. I remember like making my family laugh in the car when I was like, about, I mean, I clearly remember I was like, five years old, and I mispronounce something. And so I think I early on, got the idea that people making people laugh would be a good, you can get friends that way. Right? And you know, and my dad was very funny. Everything out of his mouth. He just took hilarious.

Scott Edwards: 3:51

Yeah, my dad had a good sense of humor. And I think that led to my personality traits. Now you went to college in New York, where you were do your studies towards theater.

Andy Kindler: 4:01

I was an English literature major. I was. Well, thank you. Well, thank you. And actually, I don't even like as I get older, it's harder to read. But that just could be a age thing. But I also books on tape, I all of a sudden love but you know, college was I went to college in the mid 70s. So I we did everything we did. Marijuana. We were We was I wanted to be epi basically. And I was a musician. So I was really that's what I thought I was gonna do.

Scott Edwards: 4:37

I didn't know what your instrument I'm gonna be.

Andy Kindler: 4:41

Well, sadly, as a young as a young man. I played the violin, but I really didn't like it. But then I still play for 12 more years after I didn't want to get and I switched to guitar when I was 16. And I just My sister was a singer. I mean, not a professional singer, but she was a singer. And I just loved so we played music a lot. So, we want to catch that we wanted to catch a rising star in New York in 1972. I don't even know 74 To play music, where it was a comic. Yeah, we just did like a one year old. Signup thing. We even played a true play. It was a club in Brooklyn. Yeah. So I didn't get into comedy. So I came out to LA and I just happened to stumble into comedy. I came out to be a musician. That's why I wanted to be Bob Dylan, or I wanted to be the Beatles or I wanted to be loved.

Scott Edwards: 5:32

That's so funny. We've known each other a long time. Now we, you know, let's be honest, we haven't talked to each other in a couple decades. But we work together for a couple of decades. And I don't think I knew about your musical background. That's interesting. And that you came out to LA, thinking music was your future? How did it end up being comedic? What what made the switch for you?

Andy Kindler: 5:54

Well, in my 20s, I was very, I mean, I guess now looking back a lot. He's a little off like this. But so I was going first. I was very kind of, for me depressed, and I didn't really, you know, and I was very hard on myself. So I've learned a lot of things. I went to therapy at the age of 59. Like, as I still am the oldest Jews who ever entered therapy. And so I got into therapy. And then what was the question I want to add? I add, I forgot, forgotten the question.

Scott Edwards: 6:26

But the point was, you're in LA, you want to be a musician? What? Oh, you stumbled onto a comedy stage.

Andy Kindler: 6:34

upper band. See, I was very scared. I wanted to I had my dream back then was we'll play our original. We'll play original songs during the day, and we'll play covers at night. And so like, it was very, I was very, very, very hard on myself, you know, I could play and I could write songs was very hard. And I kind of got, and also very frightened because in my early 20s, and I was and that was very short. So. So what happened was, was that I just got frustrated with music. I was in cover bands, and I did recordings, low sound stuff. And then I was working at a stereo store sold stereo equipment. And a friend of mine was like, very, he was at a company picnic. I started to do impressions of everybody. And then what happened was he asked me if I wanted to stand up. So I was actually in a comedy duo called Andy and bill for a couple years really? 85 and 86. Wow,

Scott Edwards: 7:30

I had no idea. No, I was good. I know that you came to work for laughs in the later 80s.

Andy Kindler: 7:36

And you were all of 1987. Scott, you remember that? Yes. I remember because it was a bit your club was was a huge break for me. Because you called me up and you said Andy, the first time I want to tell you is I pay too much. So get prepared. And I will say I you know what I got? This was an image ad 87 I got I did stocked in Citrus Heights. Were opened up for the California. That guy was right there. The California killer guy was right in Citrus Heights.

Scott Edwards: 8:17

Oh, right. Right. We had the the Oh, was he in Golden State killer, Golden State killer. He actually hurt business because people wouldn't go out in the Citrus Heights area when he was running around.

Andy Kindler: 8:29

You never told me about that. I felt I feel like it was to freak me out.

Scott Edwards: 8:35

Yeah. I thought you were safe.

Andy Kindler: 8:39

Well, man, so but but as I said in my act, no, I wasn't killing back then. So the big thing I have OCD, so I'm always accused of something.

Scott Edwards: 8:51

So you're in this comedy duo and you did it for a few years. And then at some point, he bailed solo?

Andy Kindler: 9:00

Yeah, in 86 I went solo so then I started playing like around LA Yeah, there was a club called the Ice House. Right so there is no remember it be sure I don't remember you coming to town. Well, you probably would have called me when we were I was coming up to your area more than you.

Scott Edwards: 9:18

Yeah, I would la I would go to LA once or twice a year and they would set up showcases that some of the clubs the store and I would see like 10 or 12 acts in a night and then and then head back to sat down and start booking. Do you remember your first joke or bit?

Andy Kindler: 9:36

Oh, yeah, I remember what I had a bit like here's your even like, cuz I didn't I think I didn't really didn't didn't curse really much in my app.

Scott Edwards: 9:49

No, until clean. In fact, I'm going to bring that up in a little bit but until the character rusty nails you were you were a pretty clean act and and which was taking you I mean, it ended up taking you to Letterman and Everybody Loves Raymond. I mean, you ended up doing a lot of great stuff. But we've talked a lot about on the podcast for people interested in getting in the industry, how important it is to be clean. And you started off that way. And I was just wondering if you remember some of your early material, because I know it changed. You were you're always right on top of what was happening in the industry. But back in 86, was there something that you liked poking fun at?

Andy Kindler: 10:33

Well, I did a lot of Yeah, everything was about that house small I was or how poorly I did with women or I mean, I started like, kind of just like, it's like, I remember when I drove up to Sacramento, and I would sit, you know, I would tell people about how the hotel would be like, oh, yeah, this, it says, Yes, we have dial phones. And then I go, and they have a big fan of the song. He, like, you know, it's like, it couldn't be more basic than that. And I remember, I had one that Danny's was like, I was in Danny's. I looked at a comment card and said, Did you find the outside of the building attractive and appealing? Oh, yeah. drew me in like a magnet.

Scott Edwards: 11:19

Denny's. That's so funny. They're worried about their outward appearance. That's because they couldn't focus on their food, but on bumps. But that's, that's interesting that you went from a comedy duo to a solo act. You were doing claim material. You came up. Did you showcase for me or send me a tape or?

Andy Kindler: 11:40

I don't? I must have sent you a tape. But definitely, I don't think you would have booked me without having seen something. And I do remember sending VHS, large VHS cassettes as. But you it was actually me I'm not saying it was my first it was a big break was three weeks of work. I was on the road from 1987 to 1992, probably 40 to 50 weeks, a year at at one point. And that was and that was the start of it. And you're you're you're so you had a club in soccer. And then you had a synthesizer. And then of course, Bostock was the greatest house there.

Scott Edwards: 12:17

Right, right. And one of the benefits I had as a producer is that once I had opened up three clubs, even with just two clubs after stocked and closed, it was in I would like to book comics regularly. So they built up a following. So somebody like you, if even if you only work twice a year, you were getting six weeks out of one location.

Andy Kindler: 12:39

Oh, yeah, it was pretty amazing. It was like, it was actually invaluable. I mean, I do think I was extremely lucky because I started I was aware there was so much work, you know, and it was still I think, all the great people I met I was I met Jay. Jay John. Jay Johnson,

Scott Edwards: 12:59

right? The ventriloquist very funny guy from so.

Andy Kindler: 13:03

Yes. And I even joke for him. I'll never forget, I was so private because he goes, he says the name of his who's the guy who was the guy who did evolution? Who's that guy? Or what?

Scott Edwards: 13:19

Darwin? Yeah, yeah. Darwin, the monkey his character.

Andy Kindler: 13:23

So how did you get the name Darwin? So I came up with the joke. Well, kind of interesting, just kind of evolved. So I remember it used to writing jokes. So for a comic or given somebody, and he was one of the people. He had been doing it for so long. And yet he was so sweet. You know. And that was the thing that was amazing about last eliminated was like, No, it really wasn't community within itself. I mean, and it really reminded me of a lot of ways of gravitated towards ourselves. So I had horrible jobs at work before stand up. So I horrible, but I used to love the way after the show, we go hang around, but it was very kind of like, you're kind of setting yourself up for the magic.

Scott Edwards: 14:05

Right, right. And then you also I mean, you were during the day, decade that we were doing a bowling night. We would go out for meals without barbecues. I mean, you were part of the family and and we mentioned it before we got onto the podcast, but one of the great connections my little sister Lynn Stoneburner in you really bonding. And Lynn Stoneburner who's not only a comic and a musician similar to you, but you to really hit it off.

Andy Kindler: 14:40

Yes. Oh, we say well, first of all, I'll never forget this one time at Old Sacto. We would just sometimes just stay afterwards. Late. So one light and one night we were singing that song shout and Lin we were all walking around the club going crazy. We were doing I mean, it really was. I don't think there was any other clubs, I can remember where there was that much of a family atmosphere. And Lynn was, I got very, very close with Lynn, and Scott Harriet and was a guy I met there. But then later, we just kept contact with her. And we just realized she was so funny because she told me this was I never even remembered. I never remember that they used to have phone booths. But she thought that when you first came, when you first came to the club, she was she wouldn't be hanging out all the time, just making phone calls, because I have one of these MCI cards or whatever. So I was hanging out talking to my friends back in LA. So what is the Bagger we just got? Something is happening with it. So we had so much fun, it was just the greatest.

Scott Edwards: 15:57

Yeah, so Bentoni did a headshot for you. He was our professional photographer slash MC. And you and Lynn and Lynn mentioned that when you first came to the Stockton Club, which she managed for me, in emceed that you had this thing that you would sit and shine your shoes before you went on stage.

Andy Kindler: 16:20

It does sound like me, but it's so bizarre. I also had weird I wasn't weird show. I had like, weird show, purposes.

Scott Edwards: 16:28

Right? Right. Remember that though? She just she just thought that was one of the funniest things that you know, we've had comics that use makeup and others that had a certain persona or had their hair a certain way. For Andy Kindler was this is the guy that polished his shoes before he went on stage. And that's a funny thing to be remembered for.

Andy Kindler: 16:50

Well, this is the this I don't know if you ever knew this, this happened. But and it makes me laugh so much. Bob soulburner. And there was another guy, and they were both kind of like CO Magan exercises. It's completely true story. I left my recorder on. Right. So it was Bob and Richie. And they were go. And back then. I mean, like, if I wasn't doing well, I would tell the crowd I would say things like, Oh, this isn't going well.

Scott Edwards: 17:26

I mean, we're always very honest with the audience, which I think helped make your persona.

Andy Kindler: 17:33

Yeah. And at first, though, if you really dig a hole business people like, well, Pete nice size. You know, but then, so Bob and Richie. And they later claimed that it was a joke. It was what were they gonna say? But they were talking. I don't know, this guy can make I really, I mean, his glass is funny, but he looked, he still frightened on set. And they talked about me for like three minutes. And so how hilarious is that?

Scott Edwards: 17:58

Oh, you go back to listen to your set and hear club owners commenting on you. Had to really build your confidence.

Andy Kindler: 18:09

I mean, I mean, they weren't like what he thinks, but they were like, they know. I know. He's funny. But Manny, he's struggling. He's struggling up. There was a lot of people. He said early. I mean, it did form you doesn't think that was when I started. I didn't realize a lot like all the stuff that came later about talking about the industry. All that stuff came from experiences doing it. And but I was so naive when I'm not naive, but I really thought the crowd was always right. And you always want to make them very scared. There's no i. Not all the time. But it was like a frightening thing. Like my therapist says. We'll all have the anxiety that I have. She's actually I ever got into film that nervous energy and

Scott Edwards: 18:55

Well, it turned out you were it turned out you are great regular act for my clubs. You worked for me many, many times in all three of the clubs. You brought.

Andy Kindler: 19:06

I made work 20 times it. Yeah. And

Scott Edwards: 19:09

you always brought me weak. Right? You always brought a unique type of comedy and character. Now I wanted to allude to that. While working Stockton. You developed I don't know if you did it before what but Lynn remembers that all of a sudden you went it you would go into this character rusty nails. And maybe

Andy Kindler: 19:32

Rusty Fleming.

Scott Edwards: 19:33

Oh, Rusty Fleming. I'm so sorry. I think there was an app named rusty now. Okay, Rusty. That's where we got confused. Rusty Fleming. Yeah. And I want you to do a bit of it if you remember but what was so funny for Lynn and I was to surprise you. She had rusty Fleming. T shirts made up and you came in one night and the whole staff was wearing rusty Fleming T shirts in honor of you and I still have one

Andy Kindler: 20:05

Oh, yeah, no problem I would love to do the character is was based on Did you ever have written did recurrence ever work for you?

Scott Edwards: 20:13

No, I'm sorry. He didn't he was

Andy Kindler: 20:15

from. He was from Denver and he was a guy who just would party and and we were very good friends I would make fun of him. So Rusty Fleming was basically based on what I said Rick Kearns would be like 30 years from now, you know, a smoking out of his tracheotomy hole. And he's and, and the biggest, I was very clear that and this was the only really blue thing I ever did. And I did this on HBO, like in the early 90s. So I don't want anybody to take this as my normal life, but anybody was like, it's basically like I said, You're from my club. I say, can I get advanced? is not how much duty I got. I don't know how much does a nightfall vote for this town. One night, I had a bacon and bean burrito. I was crazy. I said, I like I said, Because you put an eight ball on the bar at taking in the back. So finally, I got my design job. I kept saying to myself, but John did those they pushed me. I get the show. I think I'm on net one for five years. You say come on cable. You're a big. Who knows? It's kind of hard to do. Because I used to do like all the time just walking around. And I remember that salamander kind of right.

Scott Edwards: 21:51

Oh, well, it was so funny because you were pretending to breathe out of the tracheotomy hole. I'm sorry, not breathe smoke. You were smoking out a hole in your neck and doing this really grasping? Yeah, I said condom off network for it. Just hilarious stuff. So this character really takes off. And you were obviously surprised when you saw the roomful of T shirts. But there was a beloved character, it was a beloved character because it was mocking you know what some over drugged over smoked? Comic might be down the road. Yeah. And yeah. And I think that the the staff and the club owners appreciated that. Now the audience was probably taken aback a little Not really. I'm not sure if they enjoyed it as much as us. But that goes back to where you had this great talent of slipping in stuff that the industry caught on to or might appreciate a little bit more than the audience. You were still very entertaining to the audience, but it that nuance about the industry stuff like, you know, here's a an entertainer, that's really their end. And, and what they've become over 2030 years being in the business. I mean, it's just, it's hilarious. And poignant at the same time.

Andy Kindler: 23:22

Yes, yeah. I really. I mean, that's, I mean, I don't think it's hard or very hard for people to feel to understand or maybe not, but there was such a family feeling there. I think. I feel like I spent years there. You don't I mean, like I was faced, I remember was my home base. But I would go up, I would go up to you to see you. And like after the week, sometimes I did three weeks sometimes in Stockton didn't last forever. But then two weeks, and I would go to San Francisco after the week is over. There's quite an amazing time period back in the 87 was when I first came there, but it really was a like a like with that place. Big Red. Remember we went to red?

Scott Edwards: 24:05

Oh, poor reds. The restaurant bar right? Yeah, we had so much fun there for everybody that's listening up east of here in the mountains. There's a just really it was built in the 1800s this old school bar called poor reds and the food was pretty crappy but you get so drunk it in care. And it had a had a circular bar and our goal was to take over the whole bar and we would take up 20 3040 people and just kind of get drunk get crazy and sing. It was so much fun. I didn't know that you went with us up there. That's great to bring that up.

Andy Kindler: 24:41

Yeah, well I think I went to a three plus I met so many amazing time. I mean so many and also amazing people I met so like and I'm not just talking about the Great Scott.

Scott Edwards: 24:56

Great Scott's How is one of our magicians.

Andy Kindler: 24:59

How will The Great is the great stuff. I keep saying because I know I'm, I have to keep asking people are still around living.

Scott Edwards: 25:07

Right, right. He's still around. He's in his 70s. But he is still still around in a good guy. Great. Scott was a common magician. Did you work with any of did other people that you felt, had a big career and or helped you

Andy Kindler: 25:26

all the Poundstone I work with? I work with tons of great, great comics, their passion was like a revelation because she I had never worked with somebody who was so like, lie down on the stage.

Scott Edwards: 25:40

Yeah, she was just herself. So many people love to come up there.

Andy Kindler: 25:45

I mean, it was like, a holiday for, I think established. I was learning that the first average comics, I think they loved the whole just was fun.

Scott Edwards: 25:53

Yeah. And and I appreciate you saying that, because it's been mentioned a couple times on the podcast, we tried to make laughs Unlimited, not just another work week. And we tried to make it a little bit more interactive and new, more so than many. We're a part of that family. Another one, by the way that mentioned I should say, Hi, Bob Warli. Who,

Andy Kindler: 26:16

oh, the great. He was the guy next. That night when we went late, late, late. He was just he was clowning around with us. Nobody funnier in the world. And then

Scott Edwards: 26:27

Bob Marley is amazing, but he remembers when you turned 33 You had an amazing bit you put together about being like Jesus, because you turned 33 Do you remember that?

Andy Kindler: 26:38

Yeah. I said yes. 33 back to your Jesus got his big break.

Scott Edwards: 26:45

He got his big break.

Andy Kindler: 26:46

Yeah, it's gonna happen. Finally a recognition.

Scott Edwards: 26:56

Well, Bob said to say hi, and he I love him. Remember, you fondly remembered that? The fact that you were able to take your birthday and Jesus and somehow make a comedy bit out of it? But do you had some unique talents now those talents took you somewhere. And a lot of people will recognize you if if they would saw see your face because you did what? Eight or nine Letterman shows how many Letterman's?

Andy Kindler: 27:21

Oh, this is very exciting. And I know I toot my own horn, but I did about nine dietary standards. But the one that was great was I got to be a correspondent. So I think I did about for the show that was on there. 40 times. No, I

Scott Edwards: 27:38

didn't know it was that many 40 times the Letterman show that makes you a star right there.

Andy Kindler: 27:44

Because what happened was often he used to go out number one, he would go out right play around and he couldn't go out anymore. So he got too big. So they had the guy woofer G would go out. And then for a lot of years, I went out and did the things that he used to kind of do that I had met during spring training in the Yankees spring training.

Scott Edwards: 28:08

Well, one of the things I remember that Letterman really appreciated and you were really good at is you would be His representative. And you did a lot of the Montreal comedy festivals.

Andy Kindler: 28:20

Right? Yeah.

Scott Edwards: 28:23

For people that don't know, once a year in Montreal, they would have a two week one to two week Comedy Festival,

Andy Kindler: 28:31

you'd have a French one, you'd have a French one, we still do French Festival, and then in English, and it's like the whole thing three weeks.

Scott Edwards: 28:39

It's huge. And it's amazing. But Letterman would send you there and you would do these amazing bits about what was going on. And like you said, Yankees baseball, you did several things for him.

Andy Kindler: 28:53

Yeah. And then I started to make my own speech at Montreal, which was called the state of the industry. So starting in like 1995. I've been going up to Montreal since 1993. And so I gave a speech called the say the industry that was all like, you know, make fun of industry and criticize the industry. And I've been doing it every year since then. Last year was the first year. I did remotely because we couldn't.

Scott Edwards: 29:20

Right, right. So Letterman now working for Letterman that many times did you guys become friendly? Was it financially profitable or mostly for your career? What was it like working for the Letterman Show?

Andy Kindler: 29:34

Jack Parsons made the rule of paying people scale so I couldn't get rich doing it although it did. You know, when I was on the show, I got a higher rate. So it wasn't like I got a high rate for doing these fields. Because like one year I flew into like the Super Bowl, and I flew him right to his studio. I would really say like that was The dream come true. When I got into stand up, it was too late to get onto Johnny Carson Show. I mean,

Scott Edwards: 30:06

right? Neighbor made or broke comics all the time.

Andy Kindler: 30:10

Yeah, and I don't know, I never met Macaulay or any of those people. But I always wanted to get on the Letterman Show. So when I got on the show, which is 99, I was very nervous. So once I know it's like the Yeah, Roseanne had that great opening says, Well, I didn't have a great opening. I was just nervous. But I didn't get back on the show for years. And when I came back the second time, I said, you know, days I did this term, I said, I was here four years ago, and I'm here now again, I can't remember this guy.

Scott Edwards: 30:42

And I bet he appreciated that.

Andy Kindler: 30:45

Oh, all I tried to do is make him laugh. Because he was my hero. Yeah, he really was like, a long with, with like, other people. He was my hero. Yeah, I just love

Scott Edwards: 30:54

David. Yeah, David Letterman was one of those guys that and kind of like letto. Carson came from a different background, but Letterman and Leno started off as his stand up comics and then worked into these hosting roles on TV. And Letterman even more so than Leno would really support comedy not not as much as Johnny, Johnny really had more comics on than anybody. But these shows were a great showcase for stand ups, and literally could make a career. And if that was one or two visits, it could make a career for you doing that many I'm certainly made the name and the face of Andy kindler, more known and I'm sure that led to I know you did an HBO special. Right?

Andy Kindler: 31:42

Right. Yes. Yeah, that was probably another. That was another like, big break. And I did rusty Fleming. I closed the special with Western Fleming.

Scott Edwards: 31:53

Did you really so that character

Andy Kindler: 31:55

very scared to do it? I was very scared. I don't. I swear. I mean, you think you'd never hear me used to speak? Back then there was actually now a lot of people more language. Right on to

Scott Edwards: 32:14

rare. How did Rusty Fleming do on HBO? Was it taken well?

Andy Kindler: 32:19

Oh, yes, it was because the joke was so pay attention to the joke was so clear. There's nothing gratuitous about it. So you have to really laugh. Right? Right.

Scott Edwards: 32:29

Well, and then I know that from those two things that you ended up doing a spot with my buddy Gary Shandling on The Larry Sanders Show. You also were a character on Everybody Loves Raymond with Ray Romano.

Andy Kindler: 32:43

That was a that was huge. I was on every year. But sure I did about two or three episodes a year. So I'm very lucky. And I didn't really meet. I don't think Ray ever played. Because Ray stars in New York, people think I started in New York, because I would go back to New York and play there. But I did. I never. I started in the kinds of ways it's not recommended. I started in LA, I always had to move to another city, you know, because I was never ready. So I kind of like was thrown into the fire in a way. But it was good.

Scott Edwards: 33:14

Yeah, but those that development, and being an LA comic with with everything that happened. I mean, that's a great career, Andy, and going back to when you overheard, you know, Richie and Bob saying, I don't know if this guy's got a career. And here, you know, three decades later, you've done you know, 40 Something Letterman's in regular on Everybody Loves Raymond in The Larry Sanders Show. I mean, you've had great success. Congratulations.

Andy Kindler: 33:47

Well, thank you I really a blessing. I don't know how you feel about this. But the one good thing well, not the one thing but when you get a when you age, you as the wage in the right way you get appreciative. And so like, I was very, very ambitious about you want to read through it. I was very, very jealous. I was all of those things that people are when they're young when you're younger. So I really am very, I couldn't be happier with what's happened. You know, I love doing that. I still love doing stand up. And so what more can you ask for? And except, you know, because I didn't know the time the pandemic was.

Scott Edwards: 34:25

Right, right. Right. But I mean, a lot of people you and I both know, had maybe a five or 10 year career. We had other people that we knew that very funny people that made a good life out of just being road comics. We also the other end were people like Leno and Seinfeld ended up being mega stars and multimillionaires starting from the same stage as you did. But you found a nice, I mean really comfortable in the middle there where you got off the road. You're not you No offense, but you're not a household name, like Seinfeld or Leno, but you had a great career made a lot of money in huge success. I mean, I would be real. I mean, that's a great thing to have have happened in your life and you earned it because even though you were a nervous a little do you pulled it off.

Andy Kindler: 35:21

I wasn't baptized. So you told me that. That should be my monitor.

Scott Edwards: 35:27

Well, Andy, thanks so much. Was there anything we didn't touch on? Any good road stories, anything that any particular person I know Letterman developed helped you develop and working with people like Paula,

Andy Kindler: 35:42

Diane, so many amazing memories I have specifically about laughs unlimited. I met Diane Nichols there. And I met so many. It was an education for me because I met a lot of comics, who had really tremendous amount of years of comedy. And so many funny people came through the channeling Weren't you sharing work the room right, right. Yes, I remember and learn how to write

Scott Edwards: 36:08

love. Oh, yes. Was one of our regulars. I did several concerts with him. And he worked the club a lot Seinfeld, Ray Romano. I mean, all these people. That's why I was saying is they were my stage before you came along. And, and you and yet you ended up working with them down the road. I mean, it's really a community that you were able to plant a seed and grow a great career out of.

Andy Kindler: 36:33

And a lot of San Francisco comics I met that came through Brian Poe saying those guys came through

Scott Edwards: 36:41

all the time. Oh, yeah. It was really good. And I gotta tell you, Andy, I said it before. I'm going to say it one last time not kissing your butt or anything. But it was so true. That of all the comics, there were just a few that rose to the top were part of our laughs unlimited family. And you were one of those guys. And the fun that we had offstage. And the stuff with rusty Fleming and you, governor, I mean, it was really an advantage for me as a producer to have you come work for us. So thank you.

Andy Kindler: 37:18

Oh, thank you. I really mean blossom. It's nice to talk about it too. It's like it was like, you know, it's probably it's different for everybody who's going through it for you. You are a club or via you were a club owner during this. And for me, it was like, this is where I started. And so it's like, there's so many different memories I have. And then Bob, people like Bruce found I haven't seen him in a while but so many people died that they never met without the club.

Scott Edwards: 37:47

Well, we appreciated having you be a part of that. laughs family and we're so proud of the career that you made out of it. So ladies and gentlemen, before we end this, we want to let you know that we've put together a terrific set by Andy Kindler that I'm going to put on right after this interview, and it's been so much fun talking and catching up about things Be sure to let Rusty Fleming know we said hey, and continue

Andy Kindler: 38:16

being so understanding that my family stuff in mental life maybe if I really was out to lunch, but I'm back, I'm somewhat back.

Scott Edwards: 38:23

Alright, well, we can't wait to see you back on stage. And thanks for doing the interview today. Ladies and gentlemen, coming up right now some great stand up comedy by Andy Kindler. Hey, thanks, Andy.

Andy Kindler: 38:36

Thank you, Scott. Get ready to laugh, folks. There's the gorilla laugh and they get ready to faint from laughter because I'm hilarious. I've never had a bad set. That's an inside joke. i They call me The executioner laughs The Hitman of comedy. Gil Oh team. That's what they call me. Never had a bad set, but I've never blown the roof of a club. In fact, when I leave a city they call me up and tell me that the roof is even more securely fastened to the building. How long was that opening joke? I'm known as the king of premises I gave myself that moniker I came up with a lot of premises other comics have done I was the first one I was the first comic to notice a difference between men and women. That's right before that. God we used to go man women are very similar and I guess there's nothing funny about it. So for certain biological there's no I broke the glass thing. Because men and women are different. Am I right guys, right ladies? Take a breather, guys. Are you with me ladies? I'll be right back with you guys. Ladies, guys. Ladies, guys. Women, they go to the bathroom and pass. Right right ladies and the Batman they go to Batman that guys are often verbally abusive. And if they're verbally abusive, they're probably going to be physically abusive. And if first time it happened, you're like, oh, and I'm dating Marlon Brando from Streetcar Named Desire. But no, it's not a movie. And if you don't get either relationship, you might end up in a shelter. Because guys and gals are different right, fellas? Ladies, guys, lady, lady, lady, lady, then you guys, guys, guys, women, leave the seat down. And man, you will eventually have to get a restraining order. That's all I'm saying, gee, your social commentary, and funny. Welcome to my world. The Native Americans pleaded with Columbus when he got off the ship to go about. Join the club. The old white men who ran the Masters never said to African Americans or women. Everybody's doing a programming now start is how I'm signing off the job. They got your Amazon Prime. You got the Hulu. You got other examples that I forgot to come up with. I'm very excited. I just signed a deal with UPS ground. I have a show. To be sure on UPS back next week. I have a meeting with FedEx Saturday delivery. I'm pitching a show called Do Not ship blood. What? Exactly everyone should be laughing that way. When I go into if I'm boosting up my legs, or my hamstrings during the day, when I go into a FedEx and they tell me I can't chip blood. I get enraged. Oh, great. What am I supposed to walk my blood to the Mayo Clinic? A lot of people ask me Andy, why have you never been in movies? They don't ask you that. But just for the purposes of the joke. I've never been in a movie. You've noticed it right? Those of you who don't recognize me, you know why I am the last victim of the blacklist of the McCarthy era in the late 1940s and 1950s. I believe because I was a communist. That's why they'll get callbacks and I was ready to name names too. I didn't care. I said Larry, the cable guy was a communist. I said Jeff Dunham and Walter and Peter workers, I just named names of compensated and enjoy. That's all I did. And I'm still a communist. I still stuck with it. Even with Stalin. I like them as I Okay. He's a little moody. Yeah, you know, yeah, he killed 39 people. Did you think the only people you can kill plus the Soviet Union so roomy. I'm selling this joke to the History Channel. Guy. This is Godwin, Godwin, and he's online. And if you introduce Hitler into an argument, there's a thing called Godwin's Law. Just any argument is lost when you introduce Hitler into it. I think it's a nonsense. I have been calling everybody Hitler since I was five years old. I was the first person to say Bill Maher is like Hitler, except Hitler was more likable. I said that. I said Donald Trump is like Hitler, except at least Hitler was a veteran I mean, this goblin guy What's the matter with him? Was he some kind of a Nazi? That's your white I'm starting to Jewish camping organization it's called tents up. Jews learned to overcome their fear of working with their hands in a wilderness setting erecting tents tents up. Very good, very funny. I was in Toronto and I I saw a shop and the name of the shop and raise your skull fashionably yours is like a dress shop. As I why the exact the way you sign a letter is it upon what the heck I was. I was yelling at the at the store. Very truly autoparts. Sincerely shoes. Regretfully carpet and tile. All the boats. I remain funeral services from drapes. A lot of critics compare me to Joan Rivers, not my comedy. They just predict I will die during a routine procedure. Thank you, everybody. I love you.

Scott Edwards: 44:17

Well, that's the very funny and definitely unique Andy kindler, like I told you and alluded to in the interview, he comes at comedy from a little different position, and it made him a joy to work with over the decades. We want to thank Andy for doing the interview. And we hope you enjoyed all this. Thanks for listening. Next week another great show. Talk to you soon. Bye.

Announcer: 44:42

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