Episode 57 - GenX Speaks Series: Nick Harrison - The Professor

Welcome to GenX Adultting and today we have Nick Harrison aka the professor with us. Welcome Nick. Hey guys, thank you so much for having me. I appreciate it. We are so happy to have you. And our first question is always, what year were you born? I was born in 1980. I am baby Gen X. I'm right there on the tail end. You are. You are baby Gen X. Oh my gosh. So you you actually probably can relate to the elder millennials too and their experience in addition to the Gen Xers. I don't like to say that. Um I I don't like Don't lump me in with them. It's not No, please. I So, here's the deal. Like, I love the fact that I can be a 45 year old man and be called a baby. It makes me so happy because I feel other than that, I feel old as hell. Like, every day, like waking up with my back creek, my knees are hurting as we speak. So, call me a baby as much as you want, but I'm Gen X and full on Gen X for life. I love it. I love it. You're the last Gen X, right? Yes. We're the last gen. We're the last out. We're the last chopper. Nam. Absolutely. Yes. I love that. Okay. And where were you born? I was born in Minden, Louisiana. Okay. And so, were your family from there? Your um grandparents, your mom and dad? So, they were we're all from North Louisiana. That's where my username online is Mr. Professor 318. The 318 comes from the area code of North Louisiana because I'm from Garling originally. I was born in Mend because that is where uh the best children's hospital in the area at the time was in mind. So my mom it was it's about like 20 30 minutes away from where I grew up. So they drove from there to Mend so I could be born in a really good hospital. So that's why that that's where that comes from. At the time they were the

20 30 minutes away from where I grew up. So they drove from there to Mend so I could be born in a really good hospital. So that's why that that's where that comes from. At the time they were the number one rated children's hospital I want to say in the country. and she that's where they wanted to go. So that's where we went. What's the closest or the the closest big city? Shreport. Shreport. Okay. Shreport, Louisiana is like the mind and shreport are like maybe 15 minutes away from each other. Okay, cool. So yeah, that's how many generations back in your family um goes for le Louisiana like your great-grandparents or great great grandparents. If we're looking at my mother's side of well really on both sides of the family, it goes back to my probably my great-grandparents. Uh they were all for like we all grew up uh my mom and dad were like five minutes away from each other uh when they were young. So my family was in one centralized location pretty much my entire life. Like that whole I20 like corridor in the in North Louisiana. Uh my family's from like Arcadia, Simsboro, uh Garling, Rustin. Uh just that whole little area is where my family came from. So they're all from that little that So it like that made family reunions easy, right? Like everybody's right there. So yeah. So they were only five minutes apart. Did they grow up together? Did they know each other? Well, my mom and dad, yeah, like they started dating when they were young. And um I remember uh hearing stories about how they, you know, met when they were younger and were together for a while, but you know, they you know, like some people do, they drifted apart and they were not together when I was born. Well, well, they were together when I was born, but they were like it

but you know, they you know, like some people do, they drifted apart and they were not together when I was born. Well, well, they were together when I was born, but they were like it it was it started out as they were uh you know, drifting apart, not wanting to be with each other. And so I as a young man uh I grew up in a single parent household. You know, I grew up with my mom, but I again it was a close community to the point where my mother and grandmother were literally nextdoor neighbors. Like we like I could just walk it was like a duplex. So I walk out of my door, walk across the front yard and go over to my grandmother's house. So, so that was like it was great for a young kid who, you know, he needed that structure, needed that family unit around him uh to be able to, you know, kind of function in life. Uh because my dad was in Houston uh when I was a kid. So, like having that family unit and my gr my dad's mom was in Rustin, which was like five minutes away. So, I could see her anytime I wanted to. So it's like my family I was very big on family and still am uh from the time I was young to now and the fact that we were able to have such have everybody in such a you know concentrated area was very beneficial was very important as well. Absolutely. Now did your parents have any other children together or are you their only child? I'm their only child together now. My mom and funny story, my mom and dad both had uh siblings of mine uh out uh before they started dating each other. And they're both uh the same age. Uh they're both in their 50s. They're both Gen X. Uh they were born a week apart. And this is before they really even started. Like they're not siblings. They're not related to each other in any way, shape,

both in their 50s. They're both Gen X. Uh they were born a week apart. And this is before they really even started. Like they're not siblings. They're not related to each other in any way, shape, or form, but they were born a week apart. Wow. It's crazy. Crazy. Yeah. Great. So, your mom and dad each had another relationship and had children a week apart and then they met and had you. So, are those your your only two siblings? Uh, my only two blood siblings. Yes. Blood siblings. Okay. I have not uh bloodreated. Okay. And then your dad, did he um was he ever in your life um growing up or was he always in Houston? Well, he was in Houston, but he would come visit all the time. Like I said, my uh mother and a lot of my family from my dad's side was in uh Rustin, Louisiana. So, he would come and visit on a regular basis and I would see him a lot and I would spend entire summers in Houston with him when I was a child. Uh, so that was like those summers were always like a uh like kind of a eyeopening thing for me because growing up in smalltown Louisiana and then going to Houston and spending like an entire summer in this big city uh sports teams and going to the Astrodome to watch the Astros and like watch because the Rockets were always in the playoffs. So we would watch the Rockets at the house and it was just always such just a just a different world for me going to see him because that's and he had cable so that's where I would really watch like young TV raps and MTV uh when I was a kid growing up like doing the head level dad like that's where I would that's where I would learn a lot of that stuff. So, it's like that was a very large part of my upbringing was even though they weren't together, still spending time with my father uh in those kinds of

would learn a lot of that stuff. So, it's like that was a very large part of my upbringing was even though they weren't together, still spending time with my father uh in those kinds of instances, especially during the summers. Well, and it also gave you, like you said, city life and then you had small town life in Louisiana. So, you were exposed to both and so much family in Louisiana. Now, did he remarry and did you have family also in Houston through that? He did remarry. Uh he remarried when I was like four or five years old. Uh and he married my stepmother Connie. Um and they uh lived a great life together. You know, I am very appreciative of the home life that I had with my mother and with my father because they both taught me uh different things and different principles uh that you need coming up, especially growing up in the 80s like I did. And uh it was always kind of different going to visit with him because I you know it's the the dynamic was different because I had uh two step sisters and a step brother but I don't call them steps. They're my brothers and sisters. Uh and being and my uh brother uh Carlos was always there as well. So, it's like a house full of kids all the time uh during the summer, which is not what I had at home. I had my sister and we always had a good time together, but it was just it was just different. It was a different dynamic. And being able to grow up in a household in households like that was great, man. Uh it was we all love that's where I got my love of music is from my siblings and from my dad and my mom because they all love different music and all of different genres. uh the rock thing I came up with on my own because but that did start in Houston with my dad because at one point when I was like 12 13 years

love different music and all of different genres. uh the rock thing I came up with on my own because but that did start in Houston with my dad because at one point when I was like 12 13 years old I was able I had my own room and it had a TV and I walked into the room and the first thing I did one day was turn on MTV and I just like I was already into it. I already loved it but it was mine now so I could just sit in the room and watch it whenever I wanted to and just dive into it. So like cuz my family was into like hiphop and R&B and all these things and then I started watching like you know Guns and Roses. I was like yeah I like this. Give me more of this. I want my EMTV. You know so it was like looked good too. Oh, dude. Like, you talk about like mid to late 80s and early 90s. That was the the absolute heyday and the height of MTV. Like, it was just best, man. So, being able to immerse myself in that kind of stuff was just so cool. And that's really where a lot of that got fostered, you know. Well, and I don't know I don't know about you, but I didn't have a TV in my I mean, just to have a TV in your room was a big deal back then. Like even TVs weighed 50 pounds was maybe Yeah, they were huge. Like it's one of those big old like console TVs where it's like if you try to pick it up, it would probably get crushed underneath it. So pain to me, right? Right. So it's but yeah, that that that was big as a kid. Yeah, it was I have that. That's that's a So I mean it just sounds like in both places you were surrounded by family, surrounded by positivity, surrounded by um good model behavior, good examples, and then also growing up with a single mom and a sister. I'm assuming that helped you become very in tune with women in general because if you live with women

behavior, good examples, and then also growing up with a single mom and a sister. I'm assuming that helped you become very in tune with women in general because if you live with women and there's only women in the house, you just naturally pick up on certain things. Oh, 100%. like it's you you have to be sensitive to uh the female perspective if you grow up in a house full of women because it wasn't just my again my my my grandfather died when I was like 8 years old. So for a large portion of my young life from like that point till the time I graduated from uh high school and beyond I was living and surrounded by women. my mom, my sister, my grandmother, my aunts would come by the house all the time. I had aunts who stayed like around the corner or like down the street or like a town away. And they would come, they all worked, we all work, they all worked at the same university cuz uh I'm from Gramling. That's where Grahamling State University is. My mother and two of my aunts live worked there. So they were around us all the time. Yeah. So, I grew up around women. I'm not going to ever say that I know women because that's a lie. But, but at least I know of women. I'm around them. They've taught me a lot of things. So, I was able to kind of tap into my sensitive side, which was always looked at in different ways growing up because you, as you know, growing up in our generation, it was always rub some dirt on it. You know, we don't men don't cry, that kind of thing. But I was raised in a household where your feelings were like valued and uh your sensitivity was valued. So I you know and I carry that with me today. I was crying this morning. So over a video on Instagram. So just so dumb all the time. I'll be in the doctor's office and I'm crying and

valued. So I you know and I carry that with me today. I was crying this morning. So over a video on Instagram. So just so dumb all the time. I'll be in the doctor's office and I'm crying and then I'm laughing and if any they don't know I'm watching Tik Tok and it depends on the video, you know, because some of those videos, man, get you. But that's so unusual. That is so unusual. Most Gen X men's emotional development was completely ignored when they were boys. So, the fact that your the women in your family created that space for you to feel safe to express your emotions from such a young age, you are ahead of the game. There's no question. Yeah, it was it was nurtured. It was uh uh it was encouraged, you know, and it's it's and I again I I know that cuz we joke about it all the time where, you know, boys and even girls in our generation where if you like skin your knee, it's like rub some dirt on it or if you I'll give you something to cry about, you know, that kind of thing. But it's like you it's important to have structure and it's important to be to to uh be able to communicate with your parents, your family, your friends, your emotions and your feelings. And that's something that was nurtured for me from a very young age. And I'm very appreciate appreciative of it because I've been able to use those tools with my kids, you know, and be able to, you know, what are you what are you feeling? You know, I have my moments where I'm like, man, if you don't stop all this, just just chill out. But to be able to actually communicate with them and have those conversations and say, "Okay, this is what you're feeling. Tell me about it and I'll tell you how I'm feeling and we can work it out." So, it's I was given the tools at an early

them and have those conversations and say, "Okay, this is what you're feeling. Tell me about it and I'll tell you how I'm feeling and we can work it out." So, it's I was given the tools at an early age and have been able to use those in my life now. And I appreciate my mother and even my father because he had you know he wasn't one of those well at times he could be one of those you know gruff fathers where it's like hey man you know stop but we were actually able to communicate and have you he we' have those talks like your dad will take you in the car let's go for a ride and you go driving for like half an hour and he's just asking you questions about school and life and all these things because guys do it differently but I spent the majority of my time with my my and she had her way about her of making sure that I was emotionally supported and I really appreciate that. What a gift. Honestly, what a gift. And you're one of those Gen Xers cuz I know they're out there. You're one of those Gen Xers that you did repeat how you were raised because it was the correct way you were raised. Like for some of us, we did we tried to do the opposite because we didn't have the childhood we always wanted. So, we tried to give that for our children. you're just duplicating it because you were given that, right? And I, you know, I've seen like parents and people because as a I was a teacher for years and I've seen parents who try to overcompensate who, you know, they they feel like they they weren't nurtured. They didn't get the things they wanted when they were kids, so I'm going to give my kid everything they want. And that's not always the way to go. You know, you want to be able to provide for your kids and give them the kind of things that, you

kids, so I'm going to give my kid everything they want. And that's not always the way to go. You know, you want to be able to provide for your kids and give them the kind of things that, you know, give them a great life, but you can't overcompensate for a childhood that you weren't very appreciative of because that's always going that's not going to it's not going to turn out well for the most part. Now, sometimes it's okay, but sometimes not going to turn out well. So, it's important to be able to balance that. Find that happy medium. Yeah. Um, and recognize, you know, therapy helps and works. You know, a lot of us like shun therapy and don't want to do it, but counseling therapy works big time to with helping with those emotional scars from when you were a child. So, it's, you know, Sherry might punch me for saying some of these things, but that's No, no. Well, we even talked about her therapy journey on her episode. So, she was very open about her therapy. But you're right because and I do think a lot of Gen Xers overcompensated to try to make up and it and part of that was healing trying to heal their own trauma through doing it differently for their own kids. So, as much as it was for their kids, it was for themselves, too. And as a result, you could lose the balance. There's no question about that. And I'm going to speak I I can say I probably am one of those for sure. I think I look back now because now I have a 28 and 25. Looking at them, I'm like, uh, I did go overboard in that area. And I tried to get more balance with my 15-year-old because I learned, but so much of it was from my own situation, you know, and I think a lot of Gen Xers. So I just I I'm just so admire your mom and your dad and your family for what

because I learned, but so much of it was from my own situation, you know, and I think a lot of Gen Xers. So I just I I'm just so admire your mom and your dad and your family for what they gave you right from the start because again for our generation it's very unusual. Yeah. I was raised by a village you know like my mom had so much support and my dad had support at the house as well from uh his wife and the kid and my brothers and sisters. So it's just it's great to be have it that nurture. Now, of course, as a younger youngest child, as because I was the baby uh on both sides, it was like I feel I felt neglected at times, but of course, all younger children and middle children always feel that way eventually where it's like, why aren't y'all paying attention to me? It's but it's but it was like it's blown out of proportion a lot of times and it's more of um I'm feeling I'm hurting in this moment and I need you to recognize that. So, it's it's great to be able to look back on those moments now and assess where that came from because that's the only place that's the only way that healing can actually take place is by like looking back and assessing and figuring that stuff out. Absolutely. So along with this beautiful support system, um did you still get to experience that traditional Gen X childhood of don't come home until the lights are on and you are you kidding me? Like so I Okay, let's get into it. I was on threads the other day and somebody posted something about Stranger Things. They were like, "So Stranger Things takes place in the 80s. Are you telling me that they really did let y'all just stay out all night and not really worry about where you were? And I was like, are you kidding? We weren't allowed to come home. Like,

80s. Are you telling me that they really did let y'all just stay out all night and not really worry about where you were? And I was like, are you kidding? We weren't allowed to come home. Like, some kids were locked out of the house. Like, I had to explain it to my kids the other day. I was like, look, when we were younger, and I've gotten to that age where I say, you know, back in my day, when we were younger, like our parents kicked us out of the house. Like you come home from school and unless you were in trouble or something and you got like bad grades or they got a call from somebody at the school, you came home, you changed into your play clothes and you got out of the house, go play with your friends, go down the street, go play basketball, go do whatever. If you need some water, go drink it from the holes and I will see you tonight. But if you ain't if you don't have your butt back home by the time the street lights come on, it's going to be consequences and repercussions for your actions. So you like go out, get out of this house, but get back in this house when it's time to be back in this house. So yes, I 100% did, man. I remember getting left in the woods by my friends um when I was a kid. I went to go visit my uncle and they were like, "Let's go and explore." And we went out in the woods and I turn around, next thing I know, I'm the only one there. And I'm looking around. I didn't panic. Uh for the most part, I didn't panic. I looked around. And I was like, "Okay, I need to find like the light so I can get back to the house." And I eventually in like 30, 40 minutes, I was able to find my way out of the woods and walk back home and all my friends had already gone home to like eat dinner with their friends. And I get to my uncle's house. He's like,

40 minutes, I was able to find my way out of the woods and walk back home and all my friends had already gone home to like eat dinner with their friends. And I get to my uncle's house. He's like, "Man, where have you been?" I was like, "They left me in the woods. Time find your way out quicker. It's time for dinner." So that's your survival survival skills, though. is that we had to figure stuff out on our own and then when you did we were you were told well next time do it faster you know it's like could you imagine a kid now in that situation go yeah exactly exactly in like two seconds it's not even a thing now but we didn't have those things we didn't if you were lucky if you had a compass like we didn't have like those kinds of things to be able to like guide our way home. We just had to use those surv That's why we're feral and that's why we're still feral now because of the way that we were raised and the things that we had to deal with as children is why we are so ornery now because of our upbringing is we were carved out of gr like we were carved out of granite and had to like find our way through a lot of different situations and I'm just blessed and thankful that I was able to be a part of those those types of situations because it may be the man that I am today. Yeah. I think Gen Xers we're so resilient and it's hard to even explain to someone how deep that goes unless you're Gen X. The resilience is deep. It's deep. It's how it's how we can get through so many weird things in life. And and other generations will look at us like how are you still going? It's like this is just us. We've been going and grinding from the start and that's just we don't know any different. We This is not our first rodeo. No,

us like how are you still going? It's like this is just us. We've been going and grinding from the start and that's just we don't know any different. We This is not our first rodeo. No, we've been through so many things in the past that it makes certain things that people will stress out about now. It's like why are you worried about this? Like just go do this this this. Well, it's easy for you to say well yes it's easy for me to say because I've already experienced it. I've lived that life friend and I'm trying to help you out. Just do these things and it's going it's going to I promise you it's going to be okay. Just we all almost died when we were 10. Yeah. Oh man. Like those experiences as like a child is we so many like there's I Okay. So, I remember being in junior high and I was with uh a bunch of people at recess at school and there was this big tree that everybody would hang out under. And across from this tree is a fence and hanging on this fence was a cable, just a random cable. Nobody knew why it was there, what it was powering, what it was connected to. We just knew it was there. So they were like, "Hey, why don't you get on this cable and we'll swing you and see how far we can fling you." I was like, "Okay, sure." So me, dummy, sit down on the cable and again, it's right here by this tree. So they flung me and I hit like my I hit the ground and my face was right next to the roots. Like I almost hit the tree. I was like this close from hitting the tree. So I get back, okay, why not, dummy? So I sit down on the cable like three or four dudes just like swinging this thing and they fling me and I get even closer to the tree and before they can convince my dumb butt to get back on it again, the bell rung and everybody had to go inside. So yes, and

swinging this thing and they fling me and I get even closer to the tree and before they can convince my dumb butt to get back on it again, the bell rung and everybody had to go inside. So yes, and that I can only I may not be here with you today. Yeah. If it weren't for that school bell. So we're you know, you think about it though, there's a cable hanging from a tree during recess at school. Like that's also crazy. That wouldn't be happening now. Someone would have taken care of that cable nowadays. Yeah. But but we live dangerously. We live dangerously. And honestly, the adults that we were around were like, "This it's natural selection. If you're dumb enough to do it, then hey, we going to miss you." But yeah, you were so right. Okay, so for elementary school, um, did you get involved with any sports or art or clubs in those elementary ages? Uh, I want to say like later on in elementary school. Well, that No, that was junior high. I don't know if it was elementary school. I didn't really I did Boy Scouts. I did Boy Scouts when I was in elementary school. And uh that was cool for the time that I did it. Uh I learned a lot. Learned how to I learned how to sell popcorn, right? Yeah. They still do that. They do what? Sell popcorn. They still do that. Yeah. Okay. Sold all kind of popcorn. Uh yeah, we it was we went camping. It was a lot of fun, man. Like those were the kinds of experiences as a kid like that were encouraged. Like people were like, "You need to go camping." Yeah. If you're going to learn how to survive in life, you need to learn how to pitch a tent, learn how to shoot a bow and arrow, and learn how to kayak and canoe. I was like, "Yeah, that's what I need to do." Until I actually did it. I was

in life, you need to learn how to pitch a tent, learn how to shoot a bow and arrow, and learn how to kayak and canoe. I was like, "Yeah, that's what I need to do." Until I actually did it. I was like, "Why in the hell am I do what camping? No. Just send me home. I don't want It's hot where you grew up, right? It's hot here." Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Oh, dude. Like you're camping during the summer. It's like 100° outside. You're just sweating like crazy. And then they want to wake you up summer with you guys. Oh my gosh. Oh, dude. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It was all it was it was harrowing to say the least. Especially when they want you to get up at like at when the sun rises to go to breakfast and I'm like no man if I was at the house I'd be sleeping in. This is not the way I want to spend my summer vacation. Like can we go do something else? Um, so it's that that was all like Boy Scouts was the the one thing in elementary school that I participated in that I always really enjoyed that. And like anytime we didn't have a choir per se, but I love to sing. So whenever we had like school assemblies or programs, they would ask me to sing with people, then that was always cool to be able to do that. But it was more of like Boy Scouts was the one thing in elementary school that I remember like doing. And like there's some pictures floating around of me on the internet in my like cub scout uniform with the hat and the little kurchchief that went around your neck and the my badges and all the stuff. So it's like that's that's something I do look back on finally is being in Boy Scout. Yeah, that's cool. Now, did you take that into junior high or did you stop once you hit junior high? I stopped once I hit junior high. When I was in junior high, that's when I

Yeah, that's cool. Now, did you take that into junior high or did you stop once you hit junior high? I stopped once I hit junior high. When I was in junior high, that's when I started doing beta. Uh I was a nerd like big time. So doing like the junior beta, you know, beta where you like the honor society kind of like honor society. That's what like national junior beta was. And uh Okay. Like doing uh participating in different stuff and going to like conferences where you're like competing with other kids trying to build towers out of straws and all this stuff. Like that's that you know that's what I remember about junior high as far as like participating. I tried sports in junior high. I tried I really did and it just did not work. I remember uh I tried out for the uh football team and I did like some of this was in my set at the beginning like during last year. Well actually in 24 uh when we started doing the comedy stuff was I was in junior high. I tried out for the football team. Uh they told me to come to practice one day. I patted up. They put me at linebacker. They said, "Okay, so what you're going to do is you're going to be here and the running back is going to come through the line and come for you. You need to tackle him." And the running back came through the line, came towards me. Uh you could say that I tackled him. You could say that he tackled me. However your perspective, it depends on your perspective. And after that one moment, I was like, "Yep, nope. I'm good. You can have all this stuff. Uh, coach, where do I need to go to put this down? Um, where? Like over here? You want me to go up there? Okay, cool. Uh, thank you so much for the opportunity. Goodbye to you. Um, I tried that was it. That was it for football. I tried basketball and uh like they had us

want me to go up there? Okay, cool. Uh, thank you so much for the opportunity. Goodbye to you. Um, I tried that was it. That was it for football. I tried basketball and uh like they had us doing suicides at the beginning of like tryyous, you know, suicides where you like run to the y'all my boy. like it was it was the worst and I did not do well. Like after one run with the um uh suicides, the coach came over to me. He's like, "Hey man, I'm you going to be my statistician. It's all good. Uh you can go ahead and I didn't have to leave that one. I was told to leave that one." He's like, "Well, we you can you can still travel with the team. We'll get you a book. You good with math. You good with numbers. Go and write this stuff down in the book, but you can get off my court." Like, get out of here. This is Oh my gosh, that is funny. That is funny. I have a sports question actually. Did you go to Gramling State Games as a kid? I did. Yeah, I did with Eddie Robinson. Eddie Robinson. Yeah. Winning coach in NCAA. Yes. Yes. That was it was being a growing up around that kind of like legacy and tradition was huge. You know, that's being there for some of those monumental moments. uh like when he became the the winningest coach in college football history, I was there at that game. Like I was on the field while people were like tearing the goalpost down when he won that game. So it's like being a part of those kinds of like of that kind of winning tradition with like him and Doug Williams and uh getting to watch Steve McNair when he played at Alorn um was huge as a kid uh growing up and seeing that kind of thing. you know, Doug Williams coming to your school and like talking to you after he was became the uh the first um the first

played at Alorn um was huge as a kid uh growing up and seeing that kind of thing. you know, Doug Williams coming to your school and like talking to you after he was became the uh the first um the first black quarterback to win Super Bowl MVP, I think it was, that was that meant a lot to us, you know, being a young black kid uh in during that time. see it's somebody that was from that went to school in your town that comes back there and like gives back and like does autograph signings and comes speak to the kids. It means so much and I still have fond memories of all that stuff. Have you met Doug Williams? Have I met him? I kind of did as a kid when he came to the school. like we all like met him and shook his hand and like highfived and all that stuff, but I other than that I haven't had like real personal interaction with Doug. I've been around him a bunch, but but he's cool. He's cool, dude. So, just to go back to the the ba the betas, you called it the beta. Beta the betas. Okay. So, I was picturing it was kind of like DECA where you're um competing with like in debate or but it sounds like you were building things. So was like the bu it was both like it was you had uh your uh debate, you had your speech, you had uh like different like math stuff and building you had uh your your uh your math your um like filling out the tests like the assessment thing for competition for like different things. Um so it was it it it encompassed a lot of stuff that the as they call the smart kids Yeah. would always do at school. Uh but now it's like robotics and like stuff like that. But that's you know this it evolved to those kinds of things but when I was there it was like speech debate um writing essays uh all that kind of thing.

that. But that's you know this it evolved to those kinds of things but when I was there it was like speech debate um writing essays uh all that kind of thing. How would you would you say that that early experience especially with speech and debate has helped you where you are now or has helped you along the way just starting that skill so early? Oh no question. No question. because like that's you know that's one of the things I wanted to do like when I was a kid and I talk about it all the time when I was a kid I wanted to be a stand-up comedian I wanted to be an actor uh so like the speech part of it the acting part of it was always fun to me because that's the kind of thing that I loved I love public speaking I love talking in front of people uh as you can evolved so being able to do that at a young age really did help forge where I was going next. So, yeah, it it 100% helped. Yes, absolutely. Were you always outgoing? Yes. Um I was always outgoing, but I still had a little bit of the shyness in me. So, I wanted to do a lot of stuff, but I would always question it from the beginning, like, do I really want to do this? What are people going to say? what are they going to think? Uh what will they what will they say about me? And I had to get over that at a very early age. I remember uh being in high school and trying out for mascot uh for the uh for the like football, basketball, all the things. We had never had an official mascot at my high school. like we had they just picked somebody to put the suit on and I was one of the first people to actually audition for uh the school mascot. So they had like other people they had cheerleaders who tried out. So I would come out after the cheerleaders did their try out and do my

people to actually audition for uh the school mascot. So they had like other people they had cheerleaders who tried out. So I would come out after the cheerleaders did their try out and do my little dance routine that I had made up and it was it was just the worst. Like it was terrible. But I can't like I have rhythm but I can't dance. And think of that combination for a second. I have rhythm but I can't dance. No matter what you see online, no matter what you see on my videos, I am a horrible dancer. I remember one of my dance teachers when I was in college saying, "Hey, you have inherent rhythm." Which was basically her way of saying, "You suck at dancing, but at least a beat." Uh so we had but yeah that was uh an early uh memory for me is like being one of the fir like the first person to actually try out for school mascot. And I had to get over what people thought of me and what guys would say about you know me trying out and being a part of the Chilean squad because quite frankly I was the only guy to go to chilling camp with them. So, hey, look, not the worst thing, right? Not the worst thing in the world, right? The worst thing. What was the mascot? Is a kitten because not even a tiger. It's a kitten because so my all of my schools, elementary, junior high, high school, it was on the it was on the college campus. So, they're a lab school. Oh, wow. Right. So since the Gram since Grammarly State was the Tigers, all the younger there was the kittens. Like the Gramling kittens, the Gramlin High School kittens. So Oh my gosh. So wait, your school was on the college campus. We were on the campus. Yes. Like my junior high and high school were right across the street from the male dormitories, which led to a lot of controversy when I was young.

the college campus. We were on the campus. Yes. Like my junior high and high school were right across the street from the male dormitories, which led to a lot of controversy when I was young. I'm sure. Right. Just going to leave it at that. Yeah, I'm sure. I'm sure. But that's Wow. So that's Was it really nice? Like were your Was your school really nice cuz it was on the college campus? No. No. No. It It was like this does both of the the junior high and the high school were both uh shotgun houses pretty much like one hallway all the way down for both of them. Uh they were okay. They weren't the best, but I mean I loved the experience. cuz I love being there. Being on that college campus again, Graham State University during that time like the 80s 90s was the hub of historically black colleges and universities. Like it was the mecca. It was the it was they were like what Ohio State is to some colleges and like stuff like that. That's what Garland State University was to historically black colleges and universities like Gramling, Southern Hampton, you know, that kind of thing. So, it was always culturally just hopping and popping during that time. You had the big the best uh musicians, athletes always coming through to just come hang out. Like I remember being a kid and like we were on the campus and the intramural uh facility was across the street from our school and somebody told us one day that uh uh Eddie Winslow from Family Matters, Darius McCra was at the intramural just there playing basketball. He didn't go to school there, wasn't a student. He was just there hanging out playing basketball. We were like, "What? Why? What is this? Is this a thing?" Okay, sure. Let's do it. Hey, we That was cool. I My first concert was Ice Cube. Nice.

there hanging out playing basketball. We were like, "What? Why? What is this? Is this a thing?" Okay, sure. Let's do it. Hey, we That was cool. I My first concert was Ice Cube. Nice. Uh going to see Ice Cube. Ice Cube played at my It was at the time the same place my high school played football because it was the old college stadium. So, but it had been repurposed for the high school and that's where we played football and that's where the stadium was. So, we were I went to the concert and like we were right next to my school. What a trip. Which was which was just weird. It's a It's real trippy to be at that kind of concert. Uh and your school is right there. Um and getting to see different artists as they came up like Sinbad when he was at the height of his popularity in the 80s uh would come and do shows at Gramling. And so that was growing up in that kind of environment. I got to see a lot of what us what Gen X sees culturally, you know, that's that's what we like that Salt Simba, Salt and Pepper, like all these different musicians and artists and bands that were like two live crew would come to Garland like every month. That Oh, wow. That's amazing. You were you were like you were in it at the peak of it at at a young age. Like you had a very young age. Very young age. Like you were it wasn't just watching it on MTV. You're like at my school. It was right there in my face at all times. And it was it was a trip, man, because I would see it on TV and then next thing you know it's there like right up the street from my house. What a trip. It had to be real. Yeah. Yeah. Well, so did you get the kitten? Were you the kitten? I was. I did. I did. I was for my senior year. I was the uh I was the school mascot. Uh which uh some people loved.

Yeah. Well, so did you get the kitten? Were you the kitten? I was. I did. I did. I was for my senior year. I was the uh I was the school mascot. Uh which uh some people loved. Some people thought was just the dumbest thing ever. But I dove f head first into it. I loved it because I love to entertain. Even from that, even from that time, I just love to entertain, make people smile, make people happy, have fun, and uh get out of school early. So, hey. Yeah. There you go. Taking all the boxes and go to cheerleader camp and be the only guy. So, wait, you went to cheerleading camp because you were the mascot? Yes. So, they had mascots there, too. Okay. So, you were like part of the cheerleader. Did you talk yourself into that? Like, hey, I should be at camp or was it like Oh, no. That was part of the thing. They were like, "Hey, since you're doing this, no, next week they're going to camp. You need to get ready so you can go to camp." We were there for like a week. Uh there was a wing espec specifically for like male cheerleaders and like guys who were there and uh there were like five of us and only two of us liked girls. So, it was one of those experiences where I was like in this sea of like cheerleaders like all the time. And now they had separate classes for the mascots and what we were doing together and we always had fun with our stuff. But there were a lot of times where it was like gen pop and everybody was together and and I was like pitching woo to any cheerleader I saw like, "Hey, hey, how are you? How are you doing? I'm single. Hey, what's going on? So, where you go to school at? Hey, what's going on? It was just my gosh, it was I almost caught whiplash. That's awesome. So, did you did you guys do any um like would you do pep rallies?

So, where you go to school at? Hey, what's going on? It was just my gosh, it was I almost caught whiplash. That's awesome. So, did you did you guys do any um like would you do pep rallies? Yes. Uh we did pep rallies uh as uh you know, as part of the cheerleading squad, we would do the pep rallies and I would be a part of like the the uh formations they would do and some of the cheers. Uh, sometimes I just get out there and do my own thing. But that mascot suit was like it was the hottest thing ever. Like I'm complet And first of all, they had just bought a new suit and it was had the gigantic head and like the fur all over it and it was just I was like pouring sweat inside of it every time we would do a game. It was the worst. And when we did basketball, they wouldn't even let me put the suit on because of it was indoors. Like it was so hot. So, I would do like the head and like a t-shirt and some like sweatpants and it was it just looked weird at basketball games. But I again I got to travel, got to get out of school early. Uh got to hang out with the girls and wanted nothing to do with me, but I was But were was everyone receptive like during the pep rallies or during the games? Like was everyone I feel like whenever I see mascots, people go crazy for mascots. Was it like that where people were just totally into the kitten? For people who didn't know who I was. Yes. For some of the guys at the school who knew me, it was it's it's time to mess with this dude. Like it's time to throw stuff. It's time to kick him. It's time to do some of the like like we gonna mess with him. But yeah, mostly it was receptive, especially from like the kids. It was always fun to like hang out with the kids and give them high fives like, "Hey, how you you know?" So, it's that

But yeah, mostly it was receptive, especially from like the kids. It was always fun to like hang out with the kids and give them high fives like, "Hey, how you you know?" So, it's that that was well, I couldn't talk because of the mascot, but still it was a great experience and I loved it and a lot of people loved it, too. Did you ever get booed? Not doing that. Um, there was a moment uh when I was 11. Um, and I've told this story before. There was a moment when I was 11 where I was we did a pep rally and everybody who like there were people who were there who knew that I loved comedy and wanted to be a stand-up. You know, it was my dream. So, I can't remember whether or not I was asked to do it or I volunteered. Either way, I was put on the program for homecoming one year to do a standup set uh during the pep rally like five 10 minutes and you know do my thing. Now the only you know most comics when they have they they're working out new material they go to an open mic they go to a comedy club try to work that stuff out. I had my mom and your mom is always going to be like, "Oh, baby, that was so good. That's so funny. They gonna love it. Oh, baby, that was so good." And I get up there and bomb. Like, I bombed hard. And when you bomb as an 11 year old in front of your peers, it is traumatic. Like, I didn't cry. I didn't, you know, run off and like I I took it, you know, with a grain of salt while it was going on. But I did not want to do that again. So, it took me until I guess 2024 when we started when I started doing the comedy thing and then we started doing the Gen X comedy tour before I got back on stage and did comedy again. Wow. Wow. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That was Wow. Uh what uh 33 years between sets? Is that even the the safe open mic

comedy tour before I got back on stage and did comedy again. Wow. Wow. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That was Wow. Uh what uh 33 years between sets? Is that even the the safe open mic experience or jumping right in? Uh well that was well what happened was um we I got an email from and you're talking about like a couple years ago when I got back up there. No, what I'm saying is you you bombed when you're 11 then you get back into it. Did you have to go into kind of a safe space in a sense to try stuff out or Oh, to to do it again like Yeah. Well, so what hap what it was I had gotten approached by a comedy club out on the West Coast to come and do uh 90 minutes and I was like 90 minutes of what? They said we don't care. Like you come and do whatever you want, but I was like no, if you're if I'm gonna do if I'm going to be in a at a comedy club, I'm going to do comedy. So, I started working with uh some local comics in New Orleans to uh get some stuff together. They had a at the time they had a comedy club here uh uh Comedy Club Nola or something like that. Uh and they had an open mic. So, I they were like, "Yeah, you I will work with you and then you come to the open mic and try some of the stuff out." And I did a couple of open mics. uh tried some stuff out that worked out before I actually got on stage and didn't, you know, did the uh official thing thing. But yes, I had to have that safe space and I didn't have the same experience. I didn't get booed. I didn't get uh chased off of the stage. Uh it was very receptive and it was a great confidence booster for what was next to come. So before you walked on stage that first time since you were 11, did the time you were 11 flash before your eyes at all? Of course. Like it's that was always

was next to come. So before you walked on stage that first time since you were 11, did the time you were 11 flash before your eyes at all? Of course. Like it's that was always prominent uh in my mind uh thinking about that experience and how it affected me and I didn't want to have to experience that again. I but and what it was was more of a motivator like not to let this deter me from uh you know living in my purpose and walking my path. So it was it it I will never let that go. uh not in a way of where I'm like so angry about it or anything, but it's like I want to always keep that in my mind as a reminder of where I was or how where I've come from because you know some there are some who would have that experience and then it would just deter them from never doing it again. But when the opportunity came, I was excited and ready to take it on. And I'm glad that I did because now we're doing this whole thing. No, it's amazing. Like, if you could just go back and tell him, hey, trust me, everything is going to be great, you know? Yeah. Like, hey, man, don't worry about it. It's gonna be all good. Exactly. Well, and even after that experience, you still put yourself out there. I mean, uh, being in the mascot, you still got out there even though it wasn't comedy. It didn't you didn't drink. So, and through high school, was your main activity the mascot or did you do anything else? Well, the mascot was the thing I did in senior year. Uh, I participated in a couple of other things. I was in chess club. Uh, I did some other stuff while I was in school. Uh, in high school anyway. Uh, I think I want to say I was in Spanish club, too. barely knew it. Didn't know a lick of it. Uh but I knew enough that was passable to be in the club.

anyway. Uh, I think I want to say I was in Spanish club, too. barely knew it. Didn't know a lick of it. Uh but I knew enough that was passable to be in the club. Uh so I want I tried to participate as much as I could. You know, I would hang out with my friends a lot because you know it's guys high school, we're like trapesing around and especially as soon as we get licenses, it's like bye, we out of here. And so there was a lot of that. But I tried to participate in as many as in some of the clubs that I had time for uh when I was in high school and I did a lot with my church as well. Uh I was in the choir uh so we had rehearsals and all kind of things. I was in the choir in high school as a matter of fact. So I did that too and you know I just music was always a big part of my life even then. So, you started that in elementary. You said whenever they needed someone to sing, you would participate. And then you continued that through junior high and through high school. Yes, I did. Uh did what four years of choir in high school. Um I did BA I was in I was part of the baseball team in high school again as well. Uh but that was um uh I was statistician like I tried out for that was another one of those situations where the coach was like, "Yeah, just come sit on the bench and we're like marking the book, but you're good to go." So, it's like I was I was athlete adjacent in grade school. Your your high school resume was pretty pretty full and pretty well-rounded, you know, if you think about all the different things you're involved in. Yeah, for sure. For an extra. Absolutely. I mean, honestly, your high school resume sounds like what kids now do because they do everything now, right? Like you right would you consider yourself an

Yeah, for sure. For an extra. Absolutely. I mean, honestly, your high school resume sounds like what kids now do because they do everything now, right? Like you right would you consider yourself an overachiever? No, not at all. That Okay. No. Uh I have you ever been asked that question before? You're looking like one on paper. Well, I' I've never been asked that question before and I feel silly that it's like to even consider it. But I mean, when you when you word it like that, then sure. Like I was an honor student. I 3.0 average uh throughout high school. Um I I mean I loved school. I had a lot of fun uh doing a lot of the stuff, you know, hanging out with my friends, being a part of clubs. Yeah. Uh I didn't love the homework. Uh I got in trouble a lot in high school. I remember specifically uh walking into uh math class one day and I was singing a song at the top of my lungs. This is before the bell rung and the teacher immediately kicked me out of class. I was like, "Class haven't even started yet. how can you kick me out? The bell hasn't even rang yet. She sent me to the principal's office before class even officially started. And so I would, you know, I was a I was a talkative kid, uh, which would get me in trouble a lot as well. Um, and I, you know, I hung out with other honor students who were like kind of like down, you know, against the man, which really is more of like against the principal. Yes. But we we spent a lot of time in his office though, so we got to know each other real well. You had like both worlds. You did have this overachieving side to you. You I'm I'm going to inform you you did because I'm listening all the things you did. Yeah. And but then you also had this like Gen X rebellious side doing all the things

I'm going to inform you you did because I'm listening all the things you did. Yeah. And but then you also had this like Gen X rebellious side doing all the things like were you ever in a field passed out drunk like so many of us and your parents thought you were somewhere else in high school? No. Uh, I was not in a field passed out drunk. Um, not not in a field passed out drunk. I did a lot of stuff in high school, but it was never to the point where they couldn't find where they always knew where I was. They just didn't know what they knew where I was, they didn't know what I was doing. Like, they knew where I was, but they didn't know what was going on. So, yeah. So like yeah cuz I cuz you know like we had like I told you like my half of my family worked on the campus so they had access to me at all times of the day so I could I couldn't just like do know any dumb stuff because they're like right across the street. So I had to kind of keep it together in those instances. But again like I was hanging out with other honor students but they were not honorable I guess you should say. So We were all like a lot of the stuff that I participated in in high school was excuses to get out of class. Okay. To be to be honest, like the the mascot stuff, doing the sports stuff. Like I was leaving school early all the time and traveling to places and doing all these things. I was uh there's what was it? Um, we got I like I would do well on projects like social studies, science projects and go to uh the um go to the the state science fair, the local science fair, all these things and uh stay in hotel rooms and hang out with other honor students who were like always out of school. So, we we did a lot of that because it was an

local science fair, all these things and uh stay in hotel rooms and hang out with other honor students who were like always out of school. So, we we did a lot of that because it was an opportunity to get away, but we were still using our gifts and talents in order to be able to do it. So I I I I understand. I I I understand what you're saying and I don't disagree, but like it's like you're putting in the work and you're getting results in the work, right? You were hustling. That's a future entrepreneur or something. You were figuring it out. It was all a hustle. High school was the hustle. It was a hustle. So did you um always have did you have college on the radar? Was that something you were raised that you were automatically going to go to school after high school? Well, we were we were like I we I went to high school on a college campus. So, it was like so it was automatic like we were told uh as seniors like if you like go to the college then you'll you especially if you're an honor student, you're going to get a free you're you're you're going to get in one two probably going to get a basically a free ride if you go. So, um that's what I did. I ended up going to Granley State for my um for my BA and in theater again because I was, you know, that was something I was interested in, wanted to do. Uh, you know, because chick chick chick chick chick chick chick chick chick chick chick chick chick chick chick chick chick chick chick chick chick chick chick chick chick chick chick chick chick chick chick chick chick chick chick chick chick chick chick chick chicks dig actors. Um but but I ended up losing I had a scholarship and lose lost it I want to say when I was a sophomore because I was um uh I missed a lot of class and um

chicks dig actors. Um but but I ended up losing I had a scholarship and lose lost it I want to say when I was a sophomore because I was um uh I missed a lot of class and um wasn't getting the grades I was supposed to get and cuz I was hanging out with my friends. I was in the student union every day and I'd be like, "Oh well, I don't want to go to class. I'm just just going to hang out and play cards with you guys." and sat there and like played cards and pool and lost my scholarship and then had to get student aid and now I have to pay loans all this different stuff. But it was that experience was just amazing to me. It was mesmerizing because the again Grahamley State University at that time was like the height of black culture. So you would have celebrities just popping up on campus and hanging out and you would just be like, "Okay, cool. Let's hang out then." And being around all of that at that time uh was huge to me. And it was a big part of like putting the I don't even want to say it like putting the stars in my eyes, but like seeing all this culture and all these people who came up from this school and have like become uh entrepreneurs and actors and musicians and big-time athletes and you know I want to do that. I want to get to there one day. And that's that was a big driving factor for me moving from high school to college because college it was never a thing where it was like yeah I'm not going to go to college you know that's that at that time you were going to college like hey you're graduating from high school so guess what you're going to college that's what's going to happen and but that wasn't a time where I didn't want to go like I that was it was like that place is cool yes I want to go there. Let's do it. And it was an

going to college that's what's going to happen and but that wasn't a time where I didn't want to go like I that was it was like that place is cool yes I want to go there. Let's do it. And it was an amazing experience. Did you live in the dorms? No. So, you lived at home and and drove into school? Yes. Like, it was right there. Like we I would I stayed at home for a while. Then I got an apartment after I want to say junior year. And because my mom didn't want me to leave, she's like, "You can just stay with me for as long as you want to. You don't have to go." I was like, "Mom, I'm a man. I have to go out on my own and do my thing." And going out on my own was moving five minutes away. For dinner, right? Like, "Let me know what you cooking and I'll go I'll come get a plate." But it was it was just the the idea of having your own apartment and having your own place when you're in college was really what it was about for me. and being able to, you know, have that experience where we had the parties and had the apartment and had the people coming over and doing all the things and being your own person and not having to worry about sneaking back in the house at 1:00 in the morning after you've been partying all night. Yeah, it was, you know, so it was and that's part another reason why I lost my scholarship. But it was a it was still a great experience and uh but that was always something that I wanted to do. was always it was implemented me in me uh from the time I was could start thinking about going to college but there wasn't a time where I was like I don't even want to do this right that was I wanted to be there and I was happy to be there and then with theater did you perform a lot through those four years in school yeah I was

don't even want to do this right that was I wanted to be there and I was happy to be there and then with theater did you perform a lot through those four years in school yeah I was uh one of the uh featured like I want to say from the time I was a freshman to By the time I was a senior, I may have missed one show. Wow. Oh wow. Like I would get cast in every show that was available. I may have missed one and that was by choice because I and and I I missed it because but there's two because there was one show that we did that was an all female cast. So, I would work the lighting for that show. And there was another one where I was like, "Yeah, I'm just not even going to audition cuz I want to get ready for like the next." That was like when I was a senior and I've been in all the shows. I was like, "Yeah, I'm not even auditioning for this show. I'm gonna let y'all do it. I'm gonna come hang out, but I'm I'm good. Y'all go do that." Was it? So, it was Go ahead. I was competitive because there's a there, right? So, I imagine that was pretty competitive. Yeah, it was always competitive, especially for certain roles. Uh I wouldn't always get the lead. Like I was all most of the time I was a supporting cast member. I wasn't always the lead male. Uh which that kind of stung then, but I look back on it now and it's like sometimes you need those utility guys that are going to make sure that like that are going to be solid and you need them to be in that role. Uh I didn't I was fine with not having a lead because it was a lot of responsibility and more lines and I had other stuff to do with my time. Now there were a lot of shows where I was the lead actor, the lead male and it was a lot of responsibility and I always uh I always was

and more lines and I had other stuff to do with my time. Now there were a lot of shows where I was the lead actor, the lead male and it was a lot of responsibility and I always uh I always was eager to shoulder that responsibility because I wanted to show prove my worth and show what I could do on stage. And I had so much fun, you know, doing theater and like rehearsing and doing these shows and it was just I I look back on this so fondly because I'm sorry. Go ahead. No, you're fine. Go ahead. I was going to say, isn't it because it's also like a family like a family atmosphere? All of you theater, the everyone working together like more supportive like a team. I I was so supported from the beginning. Like I I remember specifically the first audition that I went to. Like I had messed up uh with my major and majored in mass communication when I really wanted to major in theater. So, but it was all in the same building. So I which kind of messed me up when I was getting ready to graduate and I had to graduate during the summer because it didn't get corrected when it was supposed to. My my uh not my sponsor. I'm not your my advisor. Thank you. My advisor uh didn't pick up on it and neither did I. So that's so frustrating. I'm sure your mom about that. Well, I mean, she was cool because the curriculums were kind of similar between Masscom and Theater because it was all in the arts building. So, it was just like one or two classes that I needed to take in order to get the degree. So, instead of graduating in the spring, graduated during the summer, which for me was totally fine. Um, okay. I remember that first audition, nobody knew who I was. Like, all these people that were in the room to audition were all theater majors. And then I come walk

which for me was totally fine. Um, okay. I remember that first audition, nobody knew who I was. Like, all these people that were in the room to audition were all theater majors. And then I come walk in, they're like, and they're looking at me like, "What? What? It okay." Then I auditioned and they thought I was good and I was, you know, which meant a lot to me. I was like, "These people have been acting for years." And they all think I'm a good actor and I've never done this before. Not professionally, not in school, none of this. We didn't have like theater in my school, in my high school. So I couldn't like do plays or anything like that. So that was really my first experiences when I got in college and like they were pull like the guys were pulling me aside after the audition. They like, "Hey man, you want to go get some dinner or something? You want to go get lunch? Let's talk. You you you did a pretty good job." And I got cast in that first show and we were off to the races. Like auditioning for every show, getting cast in every show, like being there, being able to participate and hang out and do a lot of this stuff. It was It meant a lot to me. that these people who I at the time was looking up to because they were doing the thing that I wanted to do saw something in me, saw a value in me, saw talent in me, and I was able to parlay that into like just doing every show possible. Uh, which was funny because like people on campus, a lot of people didn't know who I was, but they knew my characters. So they would see me on cameras, they yell out my character name, which then that just felt I I felt like a big time actor at that point. They're like, "Hey, thank you for coming to the show. I appreciate that." All right.

name, which then that just felt I I felt like a big time actor at that point. They're like, "Hey, thank you for coming to the show. I appreciate that." All right. I'll be doing another one next month. See you then. All right. Found your people. Well, Right. Right. Right. Also, I mean, so compared to what you're doing now, so you started getting familiar with that where people recognize you, people uh, you know, know you as your character or whatever. That's at a young age. You were already getting exposed to that. Um, have any of your fellow um, theater I don't know what you guys call each other like alumni? Alumni. Thank you. Um, have they come to any of your shows? Have they come? No, they haven't come to my shows. We uh, they get the chance to like uh, a lot of them are on the West Coast now. So, we haven't I haven't done uh I've did like Oh, you know what? No, that's actually not true. my very first standup show that I did in San Diego, one of my uh former co-stars came to the show. She's living in LA and she she's doing voice work. She's done some stuff for Netflix and like other things. She drove down to San Diego to come see the show, which meant a lot to me, you know, because uh that was uh a part of my life that I'm just very thankful for and appreciative of. And she was actually the person I shared my first onstage kiss with. Wow. So that made my wife feel weird when she came to the show. I was like, "Baby, it's nothing like there's nothing between us anymore. This is it was a stage thing. It's okay. We're acting." Thank you. Yes. Acting. There you go. Um that's awesome though. That's And aren't you guys going out? Aren't you hitting California this year? We are uh we're going to have our first California show uh coming up this year

awesome though. That's And aren't you guys going out? Aren't you hitting California this year? We are uh we're going to have our first California show uh coming up this year and that's that means a lot man like being able to get out like we there are some states that we haven't hit yet that people have been asking for a lot and Texas and California are the two at the top of the list and we're actually hitting both of them this year. So I'm excited about that because we get to hang out with the Cali peeps and maybe my co-star come to that show too. Yeah. the wife and her can fight. Just film it. Be great. There you go. Fantastic content. Fantastic content. Absolutely. Um I'm just thinking about the fact that you didn't have theater in high school and didn't perform and then went for it in college. Like that again. What drove you? Like was it just entertainment? Do you just love entertaining people so much? Do you think that was the constant drive? So, well, you guys will get this. Uh, I grew up watching shows like SNL and the Living Color. Yep. Like that's and watching that stuff and growing up watching that stuff. That's what I wanted to do. Like I was in the mirror as a kid making faces like Jim Carrey. Well, not a kid during that time. That was like late 80s, early 90s. So, like kind of kidittish. Yeah. But like it was a a huge like the huge influence on me is shows like that and like growing up with like TV and watching these shows and saying, you know, I kind I want to do that. I think I could do those things. And I've I always wanted to entertain. Always wanted to, you know, get up in front of people and make them smile happy and laugh and all these things. So when I got the opportunity to do theater in college, it was I I you know that was

wanted to, you know, get up in front of people and make them smile happy and laugh and all these things. So when I got the opportunity to do theater in college, it was I I you know that was going I was all in like, yeah, let's do it. Let's get into it. Let's make it happen. And I, you know, there was a there were those moments where it was kind of uh I was talking about this the other day. I did a show where I had to be the bad guy and my mom had never seen me uh play like a a mean person because I'm just the nicest person in real life. So when you see that when she sees that and I get off a stage and we're in the lobby and I go talk to my mom and she's like, "Yeah, you can't come home tonight. um you're gonna have to like find some place else to stay or maybe sleep on the couch because I am so upset with the way that you treated that girl. Like, mom, that was a I was playing a character. It's a part. I wasn't It wasn't me. I don't care. You don't treat people like that. You're not coming home. And and that always Yeah, that that's always sticks out in my head with the way that she was like that. Like it one of the things about live theater and being on stage is that you you know people get enthralled in it because it's right there in their face. It's visceral. It's not on a screen. It's like you can reach out and touch it. So there's a lot of emotion behind it. I was I did a play uh when in my senior year uh we did a collaboration with Louisiana Tech uh which is a town that's uh college is like five minutes away in Rustin and it was called Master Herald and the Boys. It's it was about a part tide in South Africa and uh this guy who worked for a young uh white child and at one point in the play uh the kid spits in my face

it was called Master Herald and the Boys. It's it was about a part tide in South Africa and uh this guy who worked for a young uh white child and at one point in the play uh the kid spits in my face and we did this on Gramlings campus and it was like an all black uh audience so you can imagine how their emotions were riding high at that moment. So there are people mad at me because I let him do it and of course there are people mad at him because he did it. Like he had to wait for everybody to clear out before he could walk to his car after the show. Uh we did it at Tech and it was fine, but at Gramling it was a completely different animal. So, it's like that's one of the things that I loved about theater and still do is that you get those emotional and visceral reactions. Yeah. From people and it it just grabs you. So, that that that's something that happened quite a bit while I was doing it. It's raw. It's so raw. It's actually intense. Well, yeah. And and and but it's also that connection is it probably intoxicating. the whole energy of the experience with the audience and it's got to be intoxicating just to have it right there. Yeah. Yeah. Do you enjoy the theater? Like will you go if like if you're in New York, will you hit Broadway and do that kind of thing? We just we got snowed in in Buffalo a couple of weeks ago, like right before the new year and uh we couldn't catch a flight out of Buffalo. So, uh, a couple of friends of ours drove, they live in New York City, so we drove down with them to, uh, catch a flight out of LaGuardia. So, we were like, while we're in town, why don't we try to catch a show? We went to go see The Book of Mormon on Broadway. And it's a fantastic musical. It's so much fun. And so,

LaGuardia. So, we were like, while we're in town, why don't we try to catch a show? We went to go see The Book of Mormon on Broadway. And it's a fantastic musical. It's so much fun. And so, we're in line for The Book of Mormon. We're walking up, this long line, people trying to get in. And one of the guys who's working there sees me. He goes, "Professor, what's going on, man?" I was like, "Oh my god, really?" He's like, "Hey, how many you got with you?" I said, "There's three other people in me." He's like, "Come on." And got me to the express line so I can go ahead and get into the building. So, it's like it's moments like that where it's like, God, man. like it's it comes full circle because for a theater kid like me who always dreamed of like being on stage, being in front of the people to be at a Broadway show and have people like, "Hey man, I love your stuff. I love you. I love your It's just It's such a surreal moment and very full circle and it was it was just it was a really cool like thing." That's really I've been to a couple of shows on Broadway like we went to see Hamilton last year and it's great. That's really amazing. I just I'm thinking about, you know, little you singing in elementary school, little you getting booed at your first comedy attempt and then but sticking with it, doing choir, the mascot, and then um doing all these shows in college and starting to get recognized on campus where people be like, "Hey, hey, to where you are now, it's like it's phen. really especially for a Gen Xer to be where you're at in your life now because the people older than us started slowing down by by now in their lives, right? But Gen X isn't doing that and you're such an amazing example of that that I don't think he's peaked yet.

because the people older than us started slowing down by by now in their lives, right? But Gen X isn't doing that and you're such an amazing example of that that I don't think he's peaked yet. You haven't even peaked yet, you know? But it's still tied so much to all this work you put in just in the beginning of your life, you know, and and you haven't even peaked at this point in your life. It's crazy when you look at it in a in like a linear time frame and look from where everything started out to where it is now. And the fact that, you know, you hear about some of these people like Morgan Freeman who started really late in life and got big later in life. And like now you look at myself and John and Sherry and Kelly and we're all at this uh stage in our lives where we're still we're still like going this way. Like it's still trending upwards and there's still a lot more to do and it's it's amazing when you think about it and it's uh it can be overwhelming and frightening when because you know there have been especially with a show coming up in a couple of weeks. There have been mornings where I've woken what I wake up and I'm like the first thing on my mind is oh my god uh did I write the right joke and is my stuff good enough? Am I are people going to like it? So it's there's a lot of pressure that comes along with it as well. But we were built for this, man. Like the way that we were brought up and how we came up, we were built for these kinds of moments. And I'm I'm so excited about what's next. Well, there's no question though that um you and Sherry and Kelly and John are an inspiration especially for our generation because I think you and we'll get to that part this part current part of your journey but I just think you're such a great

and Kelly and John are an inspiration especially for our generation because I think you and we'll get to that part this part current part of your journey but I just think you're such a great example of look what you can do. Look what you can do, you know, and and it's just so inspiring. Okay. Um, okay. So, you talked about real quick, um, how you have the show coming up in Detroit and you wake up some mornings like, ah, um, have you ever had imposter syndrome? Yes. Now, yes. Has that presented more later in life or did you have it during those early Well, if you had it during those early years, was that more just adolescent based like just being naturally insecure as a kid and stuff or Yeah, like I think uh during the time where I was in like junior high, high school, elementary school, and even a bit in college as well. It was more of a that was a natural response to how things were going cuz sometimes it would get crazy and I would just especially, you know, doing the theater thing, it's like, am I supposed to be up here? Like, is this should this be another person's spot? Did I take some did I do I deserve to have this role? And now it's a lot. It's, you know, social media is so volatile where the numbers aren't always consistent. So, you may have a video that gets millions of views and you have may may have one that like bottoms out and you say to yourself, "Okay, what am I doing wrong? What can I what do I need to do to fix it? Is this am I done? Am I is this over or is this it? Can I pack it up?" And there are a lot of times because like later in life for me I've dealt with imposter syndrome and body dysmorphia. So it's like I have this self-image of myself where it's like why would anybody want to like pay attention to me? Why would anybody

me I've dealt with imposter syndrome and body dysmorphia. So it's like I have this self-image of myself where it's like why would anybody want to like pay attention to me? Why would anybody want to like who the hell wants to come see me on stage? Like who wants to come watch me do comedy? like all you do is dance around like a fool online. Like nobody wants to come see that and then you're ugly. So, so it's like you there have been times where my self-esteem has gotten the better of me. And you know, we have these conversations all the time, my wife and I, about how I, you know, nobody can beat Nick up like Nick can beat himself up. And there are a lot of people who deal with the same thing. But part of my purpose in what I do in social media is to be able to be a light in a world that sometimes can be super super dark. And I get messages every day from people who are like, "Man, I'm struggling. I'm hurting. I have PTSD. Uh I'm sick. I have these issues and problems. is there, you know, but you help me through it. You help me to get through these things every day and I know I can go to your page and get a laugh, smile, and I'm very appreciative of you for that. And I that's what helps me to push and keep going is knowing that I'm not doing it for myself. There's never been a time on social media where I was doing it for me. I'm always doing it for people that are watching. that person that's behind the camera that's coming to the page and coming to watch the content because they are they need that ray of sunshine. They need that light and that's what pushes me all the time like so I can worry about my stuff and I try not to you know but it's hard to not be able to worry about your own stuff because you know you live with it every day. So, you

me all the time like so I can worry about my stuff and I try not to you know but it's hard to not be able to worry about your own stuff because you know you live with it every day. So, you have these issues that come up and then you wonder, you know, is like what am I going to do or how is this going to work or am I am I even going to be able to accomplish this or make this happen? And it's and the more the bigger it gets, the more pressure it gets mounted on. But it's but it's important to remember that, you know, I'm a believer. You know, I'm I'm a I'm a believer in God. And it's important to know that I'm not doing it alone. I'm never doing it alone. I always got somebody with me. So, it's, you know, that's what has helped me a lot in uh times where I'm doubting myself, where I'm down on myself, where I don't think that I'm enough. And I'm reminded that I am. I'm beautiful and wonderfully made exactly as I am. And there are other people out there who need me and need other creators like me, need us, need the Gen X takeover guys, like the all of us because we are helping them through some tough times and tough moments. Absolutely. I'm I'm also a believer and I'm a big, you know, God will put you where he um wants you to serve and so you're serving and as much as um you're an inspiration to your fans, your followers, your listeners, you're also finding inspiration from them when you need it. So, it's kind it's a beautiful relationship. You know, you think about it. That's what I try to tell them all the time. Like people will say, "Man, thank you for I'm like, "No, thank you." because you guys help me as much if not more than I help you. Because if you weren't here, then I wouldn't be doing what I'm doing. And I've said since the beginning, if

because you guys help me as much if not more than I help you. Because if you weren't here, then I wouldn't be doing what I'm doing. And I've said since the beginning, if you keep liking it, I'll keep doing it. And they haven't stopped liking it. So, I haven't stopped doing it. I just How do you deal with the weight of that? Right. Is that It's sort of a yin and a yang, I guess, right? Because there's pressure there to Yeah. deliver I guess. Right. Right. One thing a piece of advice that I usually give creators who are asking me like how do you get to that point like what is it that you do? Uh I just tell them to be themselves and know that your people will find you. And that's what I have to keep reminding myself is that you know just be who you are your people will find you. And that has been, you know, that has helped me a lot throughout my career in social media is just, you know, your people are going to find you, so don't worry about dips. Don't worry about worries. Yeah. Do you take on more pressure though around I've got a lot of people. You get these wonderful messages, right? Hey, you got me through the day, man. You got me through the week, the month. And you know that's that feels like that could you're taking that on in a sense. Now you've really got to deliver. That's more what I was thinking. How do you how do you deal with that side of it? Well, there's a lot of weight to it and I just you know I I I remind myself of my purpose. Yeah. And why I do what I do. Yeah. You know, it's and the pressure, you know, it's there's pressure that's going to come with whatever lane you decide to drive in, whatever career you decide path you decide to take. You're going to have pressure. You know, if you're working in

pressure that's going to come with whatever lane you decide to drive in, whatever career you decide path you decide to take. You're going to have pressure. You know, if you're working in an office, you have deadlines to meet. If you're working, I worked as a teacher. As a teacher, you have the pressure of I need to teach these kids and how am I going to reach them? I'm like what am I going to do to be able to reach these kids so that they can lead uh you know wonderful lives and like have you know great careers ahead of them and I try to say you know I tell myself all the time well actually I talk to God all the time and when I do like he he's like to stay on the stay on the path you're doing what you're doing like keep pushing keep doing what you're doing it's going to be okay you are doing the right thing just keep moving forward and that's what you have to do. You just have to keep putting one foot in front of the other and keep moving forward and understand that yes there are a lot of people watching. There's a lot of pressure that goes along with it. But you have prepared yourself for this moment. You have been prepared for this moment I should say. And to just don't stress, don't sweat it. It's okay, you know, just love on people. Love on people and they'll love on you. And well, and I think you alluded to the authenticity, living, being yourself, being authentic. You can't go wrong with that because as long as you're being authentic, being true to yourself, um, then you are following along your path that's been destined for you that he's that God's put you on. So, you really can't go wrong. You know, it's what what's happening is what's supposed to happen. So, right. you know purpose. Yeah. And that and I think I find that

he's that God's put you on. So, you really can't go wrong. You know, it's what what's happening is what's supposed to happen. So, right. you know purpose. Yeah. And that and I think I find that helps with imposter syndrome is having faith. Faith is a big counterbalance to imposttor syndrome. Yes. Faith, being authentic, they all go hand in hand. Like you people can tell. One of the things that has helped uh me be, you know, get followers and likes and shares and all these things that I'm who I am. like who I am, the person I am has never changed. And I am just like what you see on screen, the dancing in the grocery store, the rocking out in the car, like all these things are things I do on a regular basis. I'm just filming it. It's just who I am. And it's important to be authentic. And when you're when you are your authentic self and when you are putting yourself out there like that, that I think answers your question of alleviates a lot of the pressure because it's not like you're trying to put on for people. You're not out there tap dancing for the man or just being somebody that you're not in order to maintain. Yeah. Yeah. It's not a show. It's not a lie. It's not you putting some out there just to keep, you know, the the the the socials afloat or to make, you know, to, you know, for people to think that you're something that you're just doing what you're doing because that's what you do. And when you're when you're able to do that, then a lot of the pressure is alleviated because you don't have to worry about putting on an act. You're just being who you are, right? And then and then the you can um you have stamina and endurance because you're not draining yourself by ma uh curating something that's not authentic. It takes more energy to curate in

right? And then and then the you can um you have stamina and endurance because you're not draining yourself by ma uh curating something that's not authentic. It takes more energy to curate in authenticity. Yeah. Um and to fit into some sort of box or conform a result than it does to just be yourself. You can't power isn't going to be there if you're constantly creating something that's actually not real. And if you do that, then there's more pressure that's put upon you because you have to keep up this facade. Yeah. Yeah. You have to keep up this this this this fake uh you know mask of what you believe people should think that you are rather than being who you actually are and letting the people who will understand who you are come to you. And I think that's one of the things that's wrong with social media right now is that there are too many people who are out there being something that they're not and rather this rather than just trying to be who they are and let their people find them. Yes. So that's that'll never be who I am though. way. So after college, um, did you utilize your theater degree in some way or was that the I mean obviously you're still doing that now, but did you utilize it right after college or what did you what path did you choose? Well, I tried to I went out in auditions and uh tried to find like I did a lot of um like outdoor theater shows uh in college um especially in grad school and that was cool for the time because it was just summer like we would do that stuff during the summer and I tried to do auditioning and tried auditioning and doing trying to do stuff but then around that same time is when my mother's health started failing. Um, uh, then that's I ended up having to come back home to, well, I ended up not

doing trying to do stuff but then around that same time is when my mother's health started failing. Um, uh, then that's I ended up having to come back home to, well, I ended up not having to, but ended up coming back home. Yeah. To take care of my mother. And I got a job. I moved in to her house. I helped her with her things. And that was uh before she passed away. So I was back home in North Louisiana. Um I ended up teaching uh at the college, same college I went to uh in the same theater department that I was in uh as a professor. That's how I got the nickname because I worked at Grandma State and uh taught there for seven years in the speech and theater department. Um, and so technically, yes, after I got out of college, I did use my degree, but I used it to teach. Um, and that was a great experience, too. Um, just being able to use what I learned to help the next generation of actors and uh uh uh public speakers to f and find pe and people who did not think that that was something that they would be into helping them to find interest in it because I taught a lot of um uh intro to find a performing arts classes with students who just needed it for a college credit. So you had football players, athletes, uh people who just needed it for whatever major they were in and they found a love of theater through the classes that we were teaching. Did they stick with it after that class? Did you have students? There was there's one that I know did. Um cuz he's acting professionally now. He's been in movies and stuff like that. So it's it's good to know that. Really? Yeah. You were able to uh I don't think so. His name is Orlando Valentino. Um he's not super big, but he's been in like a couple of like smaller films and

So it's it's good to know that. Really? Yeah. You were able to uh I don't think so. His name is Orlando Valentino. Um he's not super big, but he's been in like a couple of like smaller films and had some uh guest starring roles on TV, like some walk-on stuff. So he's so to know that you've had that kind of uh influence on uh people is just it's it's it's amazing, man. There's nothing like it. That's awesome. so proud of him that he stuck with it and that's something he really dove into wanted to do and you know I love that we just did a shout out for him too. That's cool. Shout out to Orlando. I love that. In a way it's kind of how you talked about um people coming back and giving back. People that have made it and came back to your school and would give back and inspire. You kind of did that in a way too. you came back and in your own way inspired these students. So, and so you did that for seven years. Yes, I did that as grandma say for seven years and then towards the end of it uh my heart had always been with uh teaching kids like younger kids. So I went back to school and got my degree in education and uh started teaching elementary school uh which was a great a big stark trying a stark contrast to what I was doing. I remember specifically going back and uh you know teaching these kids like getting a job and teaching these I started teaching fifth grade first and uh for the first two weeks I would like lay in bed and like just so I'm like my god I don't want to go do this again cuz these were like these kids were like running all over me man and I had to like find my voice and find my footing and I had again I had great support system uh with the fellow my the other teachers who at the school who I become befriended and become cool

man and I had to like find my voice and find my footing and I had again I had great support system uh with the fellow my the other teachers who at the school who I become befriended and become cool with and they you know they helped me to kind of find my footing and my voice in the classroom. So that was an that was a just a crazy experience because I did that for seven years too uh elementary school. So yeah, that was that was that was when I started like getting big on social media was during the time that I was teaching elementary school because the pandemic was right in the middle of all of that. So okay, it was crazy the whole thing. So how did you So during this time so you you taught at um your college for seven years and you were also taking care of your mom and then you went back to school and kept teaching. Was your mom's still was her health still suffering through this whole time? Well, that my mom passed away before I started going when I before I went back to school to get my degree. Like, so what hap how it happened was I was I came back home, started taking care of my mom. Uh I was working at a Chili's uh during that time. uh just looking for a I needed I did Chili's and I was working for ESPN radio all at the same time. And during that time I was waiting on a table and it was uh a couple of people who were um working in the theater department at Gramling and they're like what are you doing here? Said well I needed a job. I was taking care of my mom and all these things. They're like no you come by. We have a new department head. bring him your resume. I'm pretty sure he can find something for you. And I started out as a costume designer and I knew nothing about costume design, but they were just they needed somebody to

head. bring him your resume. I'm pretty sure he can find something for you. And I started out as a costume designer and I knew nothing about costume design, but they were just they needed somebody to do costumes for the shows. So, I stepped in and did it. And then uh they brought me back as an adjunct uh as an adjunct instructor. So, well, that was I was an adjunct during that time. and then brought me back as a uh as a full-on instructor uh slashprofessor uh during that time and that was after my mom had passed away. So, my mom passes away. I'm working at the school. And then I meet my first wife while I'm doing that. And then I go back to school after that and get my degree in education. And that's when I go back to teach elementary school for that seven years. So that that's all that happened. What what uh subject did you teach in elementary school? Uh, English language arts. So, basically speech in English. Yeah. To fifth graders. Yes. Fun times. That's draining. That's right. I got a tough age. I taught briefly. Um, and I remember thinking there's no way I can do this and come home and raise children because I'm giving all my energy during the day. I was depleted whenever I walked in the door. Depleted. Right. Yeah. Completely. was is always a lot to be there that whole day teaching the kids and but you when you like pour yourself into education like it's more like you're never going to get paid enough because you're there pretty much the entire day and night like I would get there 6 something in the morning uh come into my classroom get prepared uh go out on duty uh help the kids get across to in the street or work in the hallway or do something like that. Then I'd go in and do my class and be there all day. And then after school, I would help with

duty uh help the kids get across to in the street or work in the hallway or do something like that. Then I'd go in and do my class and be there all day. And then after school, I would help with like after school uh extracurricular stuff or I would like work in my classroom and get ready for the next day, get ready for the week and prepare. And then at one point I started doing content in my classroom. So I was there like all day. Uh then I would leave and go home and just pass out and like like I'd eat dinner and then go to sleep then wake up the next morning and do it all over again. So it's it was it was very draining. It Yeah, it takes all of your energy. Um how old was your mom when she passed away? Oh gosh, that's a good question. I do not remember her exact date. I want to say she was in her early 50s uh when she passed. Yeah, she had complications with uh diabetes. Um and uh it was like it was rough, man. Like she was in the hospital for a for a while and like going in and out of like facilities and it was tough. Like she was at home first and then she move they moved she we could not do anything more for her at home. Uh, so she ended up having to go to a hospital and then she was in an assisted living facility and it was it was rough, man. It was rough uh to go through and watch her go through that. I can't imagine cuz she was also just so so young, you know, back when we were 15, we thought that was old and now we know it's not. No, it's not at all. So, are any of your aunts still alive? her sisters. Um, my aunts are still alive. Uh, one is still back at home in Louisiana and the other one is Texas. My uncles are almost all gone. Uh, I think there's one left. So, yeah, it's been it's it's rough, man. Like when you uh deal with

still back at home in Louisiana and the other one is Texas. My uncles are almost all gone. Uh, I think there's one left. So, yeah, it's been it's it's rough, man. Like when you uh deal with that on both sides of the family. I lost my dad last year. Thank you. It's so it's it's tough, man, when you lose family members like that um that you grew up around and that helped raise you. Uh and and that's something that we that as a generation a lot of us deal with. Yeah. With our older family members who like raised us and we came up with uh passing away. And it's it's a lot to deal with, but I know like it was we had a conversation, my wife and I, on Monday about my mom and she, you know, my my wife is very, you know, she's very in tune emotionally to both herself and myself. And she was talking about how she wished my mom could still be here to see, you know, the stuff that I'm doing. And she wished that she could have seen my rise and success because my dad got to see some of it. you know, he was uh around for like a lot of the the high moments. Yeah. And so it's it's crazy uh to to think about how she but my mom was so supportive of my career and uh everything that I was doing and she was always supportive of me wanting to go into like acting and entertainment and theater and things and she would come to every show that she could and she was just my biggest cheerleader. So, I I know that she's watching everything that's going on right now and she's looking down and smiling and proud. 100%. She would be super proud of you, especially knowing that she she kind of scolded you for being the mean guy to now see you making people laugh. She'd be joy. Bringing joy to people. She'd be so happy about it, you know. Yeah. She would love that. She would approve.

scolded you for being the mean guy to now see you making people laugh. She'd be joy. Bringing joy to people. She'd be so happy about it, you know. Yeah. She would love that. She would approve. Yeah. You know, when we came to your show in Fort Lauderdale, we sat next to your brother. Yes. of my brother Charlie. Yes. Is my he is my technically my stepbrother. Uh but again I don't subscribe to any of that. Right. And him and Rosie I know he was sitting there near you guys. Yeah. They're just the best people, man. Great people. Yeah. I have a very supportive and very loving family that, you know, anytime they get an opportunity to come to something that's uh, you know, where I'm around where they are, they're there. Like my sister um came to our show in Atlanta that we did back in uh I want to say the beginning of 2025 uh in Atlanta. Uh that was that yeah, that was about a year ago around now, as a matter of fact. And that was surreal for me because she know like that was my sister but my mom. So she was had a front row seat to a lot of that stuff. So to see the reclamation project and to see everything come back full circle for her and for all of us was just a very emotional experience and I was so glad to get to you and I got to give her a flowers. cuz I had a stand up during the show and told everybody these stories like when I was a kid uh growing up with her like we had different fathers so we didn't necessarily look alike. We both had traits of our mother but we you know we kind of look a little bit different and she's a lighter shade than I am. So my friends would come over to the house and see her picture on the wall and be like who is that? That's my sister. She's like no there's no way she she actually looks nice. How is that? How are you

friends would come over to the house and see her picture on the wall and be like who is that? That's my sister. She's like no there's no way she she actually looks nice. How is that? How are you related to her? So, you wonder why I have body dysmorphia problems. Look back at high school. It's it's those guys. Oh my gosh. But it's But that was always like the the funny thing with me and her was like, you know, we're we're close now. We I was just talking to her the other day. She's just so proud. She wears the merch all the time and sends me pictures of her wearing it. She's just so proud. And I feel like that's the same way my mom would be if she was still here. 100%. 100%. Yeah. That you mentioned when you were teaching elementary around COVID time is when you started content creation. Yes. What motivated that? Like how did that even happen? Well, what happened? What had happened was um I was teaching and I was hosting karaoke uh where I was living in Monroe and the pandemic hit and I was at k I was uh at my last karaoke right before everything was getting ready to shut down and somebody came by a friend of mine uh my friend Ricky uh he was like hey I work with this company that is doing enrichment for kids when all this shuts down because the schools are getting shut down and everybody's going to go home. So I we did this enrichment program for the children of frontline workers like doctors, nurses, uh so they didn't have to go to their grandparents who were high risk. So they would bring them to us. We were in an event like an old doctor's office that got repurposed as like a pseudo school for like a handful of kids. And it's me and him as administration. And we had some of our teacher friends come in and teach the kids. And one of

as like a pseudo school for like a handful of kids. And it's me and him as administration. And we had some of our teacher friends come in and teach the kids. And one of our teacher, one of my teacher friends who was there was like, "Hey, you should get on Tik Tok." Now, in like a month or so previous to that, I had Tik Tok for a day and deleted it. Was like, "This I'm going to get put on a watch list. Like, somebody's going to come round me up. This is nothing but teenage kids dancing. I do not need to be on this app." Uh, but I was like, you know what? Cool. I'll do it. Let's get it in. And I started on the app. And my first video was a response to all the videos of people talking about uh Tiger King, that wonderful thing that went on during the the pandemic of that. Oh, yes. Brilliant. That brilliant piece of television that everybody was enthralled with while they were stuck at their house. Yeah. of Joe Exotic and his his clan of people and it did very like thousands of views. Uh which to me I was like wow okay cool. So, I kept creating and kept making videos and started doing stuff about music and comedy and uh just trying to uh pass the time as a teacher who's locked away in his home other than when he's going to work with these kids. and things just started to pick up and I kept getting like more and more followers and more and more views and people seem to really be attracted to the content because a lot of it was wrestling based because I'm a huge wrestling fan and people like were into it and dug it. So, I started doing more and started doing stuff. I was making like 10 to 12 videos a day uh at home because I didn't because I was at the house. I didn't have anything else to do. I was bored. I just started making content and like coming up with

like 10 to 12 videos a day uh at home because I didn't because I was at the house. I didn't have anything else to do. I was bored. I just started making content and like coming up with different concepts like, "Okay, what can I do this time? How can I use this sound? What can I do here?" And I just kept putting stuff out and it was like the next thing I know I had like hundreds of thousands of followers and I'm like, why what are you doing? Why why are you watching this? So, joy to these people, honestly, right? Because I was always doing stuff before I got on TikTok. There was um an app uh where you would like make these like uh little short not Vine but it was something else. Uh where you would make these little short videos and there was also Periscope before that and I was doing Periscope for a while and but Tik Tok is where everything really started to pick up. Uh so I started doing that and then I discovered I find out how I can like take the Tik Tok videos and put them on Instagram. I was like let me do that too. And then I figured I could put them on Facebook, too. I like, "Oh, cool. Let me do that, too." And things are starting to really pick up and move. And then we got back to school and the at the uh end of 2020, beginning of 2021, and I started doing school-based content about teachers and stuff like that, and people were getting into it. Then I started doing wrestling entrances into my classroom, which really started to take off. And like that was one of my fir one of the first times I've got videos that got like a million views is when I was doing stuff like that and it was like oh my gosh like what is this? And then uh WWE reached out uh and that was when I really knew that stuff was like like this this could be something

when I was doing stuff like that and it was like oh my gosh like what is this? And then uh WWE reached out uh and that was when I really knew that stuff was like like this this could be something this could be something big and that so it was on from there. So, what did you do with WWE? Uh, well, so a lot of the, like I said, I was doing a lot of entrances, uh, coming into my classroom, wrestling entrances of like the Undertaker and Shawn Michaels and all this stuff. And one of them had got like they had started to get really popular. So, WWE reached out. They slid into my DMs. Uh, first they started following on TikTok, which I thought was that was like, this is it. I'm at the height. It will never get bigger than this. Yeah. And they sent me a message. They're like, "Yeah, we have this morning show. We would love for you to come on and talk about your wrestling interestes." And I was in the middle of state testing at the time. And I had a a uh a paraprofessional teacher in the classroom with me and I asked him to watch my class for a second. I need to go and uh I need to leave the classroom because I started to get emotional. Then I went and ducked around a corner and I started sobbing, just crying because when you when you're a kid who grew up watching that product and like dreaming of doing something with them one day and then they reach out to you and say, "Hey, we'd love for you to come on and do this, that, and the other." And they start sharing your content and you get messages from people that you've always admired who are like, "Oh my god, this is fantastic. Thank you for doing this. Like it's really start to inspire you to do more and to push and to keep going. And that that was the moment that I knew that I had something. So I went on the

is fantastic. Thank you for doing this. Like it's really start to inspire you to do more and to push and to keep going. And that that was the moment that I knew that I had something. So I went on the bump. That was it was uh I want to say spring 2021. It was right before school let out. I was in New Orleans at a teacher conference and I they asked me to come on. So I did it in my hotel room. It's on YouTube now. And I was in my hotel room like doing entrances and talking about wrestling uh in between seminars about how to be a better teacher. And uh that was also the that was also the week that I But that was that was also the uh first uh my f the week that I had my first date with my wife. Wow. Okay. So So we're hustling like Oh, it was a big hustle at that point because I had big week. It was crazy. The whole thing was crazy because she, you know, we live in the New Orleans area now. The conference in New Orleans. She lives th this is the house she was living in when we first started dating. And so I was like I she saw a picture of me online me being in New Orleans. She's like, "Hey, like what what are you doing in my neck of the woods?" And I we had known each other for years and I had always like we'd all been cool. I was like, "Well, why don't we go to dinner while I'm in town?" She's like, "Well, I'm retired from dating." She I was I just got out of my I was uh out of my first marriage. She was out of her first marriage and she's like I'm I'm not dating anybody anymore. Let's just go as friends. Just go to the the classic line the old that's that's how you throw it out there. It's like that old line. We'll just go as friends. And we haven't been separated from each other ever since. So cool. He got her. He got her. He got her.

that's that's how you throw it out there. It's like that old line. We'll just go as friends. And we haven't been separated from each other ever since. So cool. He got her. He got her. He got her. I was a kitten once. YEAH. WELL, WAIT. How know each other for so many years? When did you actually meet? So, like I I talked earlier briefly about how I worked for ESPN radio. Yes. And I worked for a ESPN radio uh station in North Louisiana that covered like the Saints and the Pelicans and all this stuff. They also did high school sports. So the there was a high school team that they were covering. Uh I did uh sideline reporting and did football stuff. So they asked me to do the sideline reporting for this team while they were trying to make a run through the playoffs. And she was the athletic trainer for the team. So we had met through that, but we were just friends like I said because she was married at the time. I was married at the time. So we were just friends. Then later, years later down the road, uh she like we stay Facebook friends and she had seen like all the stuff I was doing online. Uh she sent me a message uh while I was uh in her neck of the woods and you know was like, "Hey, what are you doing around here?" And that I saw that as my opportunity, as my shot and much like Alexander Alexander Hamilton, I will not I was not going to throw away my shot. So, I I messaged her and set up a date and we uh just went on this wonderful date uh the day after I did the thing with WWE. So, that was a a a really a turning point in my life was that week and um like I said, we've been together ever since. and now she's a part of the family business and all the things and but that was around the time where everything was starting to get much bigger than I

together ever since. and now she's a part of the family business and all the things and but that was around the time where everything was starting to get much bigger than I so and she had children right from her first marriage yes did she have son daughters what sonaughter yes 8-year-old son 12-year-old daughter yes and then did you have children I have a yes my pre I have a 15-year-old son yes okay so you guys then became from a blended family. Yes. How long did you guys date before you got married? So, we started dating in 21. We got married in 23, so two years. Okay. And how how has the blended family gone? Great. I mean, uh like I said, my son is um my my my 15-year-old, he's with his mom in North Louisiana. Uh the other two uh the 12 and the eight are here with us and it's gone well. you know, I as as a bonus dad, as we call it, uh I've tried to uh you know, instill some life lessons from the kids that I've learned as a young man, but still make room for their parents, like their mom and their dad, because that's how you effectively co-parent is don't try to overstep, don't try to push too hard, but still, you know, there's a respect that is still that still should be there and that is there and that's what we try to instill in our kids. You sound like a wonderful stepfather. That's another rare thing. Speaking of someone who had two um No, that's the fact that you are able to recognize that is is amazing and and I'm going to attribute that back to your mom and the village that raised you, honestly. Yeah. because it's it's hard like it takes it's it's hard to try to adjust like we're we're in a groove right now but I've been here for a couple years and it's like it's cuz we'll have been dating we'll have been together me and

takes it's it's hard to try to adjust like we're we're in a groove right now but I've been here for a couple years and it's like it's cuz we'll have been dating we'll have been together me and my wife talk about it uh in uh May it'll be what five years because we started at 21 it'll be five years in May we have been married for four in August so it's like we've been around each other for long enough to kind of know each other's quirks and how everybody works. So, it's important to give space and give grace in certain instances. But at the beginning it was hard for me to do that because coming from where I was and you know having a son and raising him a certain way and then coming into this household and the parenting styles weren't really the same. So we had to, you know, find our compromises and find those happy mediums to where those things work. And it takes time. It's not something that happens overnight. And that's what we had to do in order to make this a functional household. And again, I think we're at a place now where we've really caught that groove, but it wasn't always like that. And we just had to find we we everybody had to find their com their place of comfort. And I think that we've definitely found that now. That's amazing. Honestly, and and they're eight and 12. I mean, they're busy. You're in it. Like, there's a lot going on. Even when it's in the best sit, like, if it's even the mother and the father and all that, it's chaos. So, the fact that you've been able to find your groove as a blended family during these ages. Now, does your son also come and visit and stay with you? Yes, all the time. Well, as much as he can. Uh, you know, he's got school and he's got all his extracurriculars and

these ages. Now, does your son also come and visit and stay with you? Yes, all the time. Well, as much as he can. Uh, you know, he's got school and he's got all his extracurriculars and he's got his friends. So, he was just here with us for Christmas. and just getting the chance to hang out with him and see how he's grown. He's taller than me now, so I hate him. Uh, but other than that, it's just it's it's it's always great to be around him because he is, you know, he is of my he's my blood. Like that's Yeah. You know, that's so it's he he looks like me, which is bizarre. And you know, I look at old pictures of me cuz he's like kind of like slender and tall and it reminds me of me when I was like in college because that was the last time I was under 200 lb. So, and I look at those old pictures of me and the way that I looked and I look at him and I'm like, that's one and the same. They're the same. Yeah. Yeah. So, it's it's always wild to be to see that and to see how he's grown. He's got his uh learner's permit now. Yeah. Oh, yeah. Oh, this is your first one driving. Oh, yeah. It's a whole thing. That's And then when the next one then you age. Yeah. Yeah. Get ready. Yeah. Cuz then once she gets her once she gets her learn learning permit, I'm going to be a old hand at it. But now it's like, oh gosh, this is now it's very crazy. Now, have any of them come to see your shows? Do they come to like when you're close local? So, my kids have seen the the the the Aiden and 12 have seen some parts of it because they came on the cruise with us. Oh, right. Did the cruise in November. Yeah. Swingers cruise. They've No. Uh, no. That and that's a whole story. So, I'm going to end up telling that one on the uh I was just talking thinking about

Oh, right. Did the cruise in November. Yeah. Swingers cruise. They've No. Uh, no. That and that's a whole story. So, I'm going to end up telling that one on the uh I was just talking thinking about that the other day and I've been working on new material and I totally forgot about that and I'm going to put it in the new stuff for this year cuz I mentioned it while we were in Lauderdale that show and that's it's but I'm going to dig deep into it because I've been doing research not because I want to get on the cruise like for those of you who are watching and have no idea what we're talking about. I know that's the best part. They came to the these wonderful people came to a show uh in Fort Lauderdale that we were doing for the Gen X Takeover Tour and the hotel that we were staying in for the show had a bunch of people who were going on a swinger cruise staying in the hotel and that was a whole experience and the cruise line that they're on if you go to their website you will be amazed, shocked and disgusted all at the same time. Really? Oh my gosh. Like the the uh open play areas that are clothing optional, you know, that kind of stuff. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So then Yeah. And these were the people that were in the hotel with my children. So yeah, that was uh that was um that was a lot. But yeah, they they were on the cruise with us and got to see like the ending part like some of the uh the sing along and that kind of stuff because there were something like I keep my set pretty clean. Uh I don't curse much. I think I use like one or two words maybe. Uh and the theme the theme thematic stuff isn't that bad. Uh but everybody else Yeah, we were there. Oh, like like not not really much that the kids can watch

use like one or two words maybe. Uh and the theme the theme thematic stuff isn't that bad. Uh but everybody else Yeah, we were there. Oh, like like not not really much that the kids can watch of that. So, they've seen some of the stuff and uh but I think that uh there will be a time where I do a show cuz I'm supposed to be there's a comedian friend of mine that's coming to do a show here not too far from where I am and she just asked me the other day to open for her. So, I think that's a show where they actually be able to come to and hang out because that'll be a pretty much a clean show. And I look forward to that cuz I I I would love for the kids to come and like they've seen the videos and they watch the stuff that I do online, but to come and watch me do my thing on stage, I think would be a great experience. Well, yeah, as we talked about before, the live experience is like no other. Um, so that week where you were on WWE and you met your wife, um, was there a shift career-wise in after that moment for you? Did because you were also still teaching, right? Somewhat. I mean there was right after that uh I went back and was teaching and then an opportunity came up uh to go into administration in a junior high and I jumped at the opportunity to apply and my wife who was my girlfriend at the time actually helped me apply for it but she was living here I was living up there. I talked about coming to move down here and teaching and she, you know, it was early in the relationship. She was like, "Whoa, hold up. I'm not there yet. We're good. You can stay where you are." And then she helps me uh to apply for this job. And I get the job and she immediately is sobbing and sad and crying cuz he's like, "Then you're not going to be able to be here." It's

where you are." And then she helps me uh to apply for this job. And I get the job and she immediately is sobbing and sad and crying cuz he's like, "Then you're not going to be able to be here." It's like, "I just tried to come there and you told me not to." So it was that was uh an experience. Uh and I did that for a year the administration and uh after that at the end of that of that year I was like you know and I'm not even talking about the just the administration part just the education part in general. I was like I'm I'm kind of done. Um because that was I was getting close to a million followers on Tik Tok and um it had started to be uh not necessarily lucrative but it it I was doing pretty good uh with socials and like the funds that were coming from them. That would have been surreal to have a million people following you. It was crazy. You remember the moment it switched? I do. So I re I effectively retired from uh education right before that like I had was done and I told my uh that I told Lisa my wife that I would I was willing to move from where I was to come here to be with her and I moved here. Uh, and then sometime that summer, we were at a swim meet for my nieces and ne Well, they weren't my nieces and nephews at the time, but they are now. And we were just watching to watch it turn over and then it finally turned over and I went, this is kind of like the whole WWE thing. I went to the parking lot and went to the car and just started balling my eyes out because it was like that. It was never part of the plan. Like this again was something to cure the boredom from COVID. It was never part of the plan to like be successful and to turn it into a career and have a million people like follow my account and like

something to cure the boredom from COVID. It was never part of the plan to like be successful and to turn it into a career and have a million people like follow my account and like be into my stuff and like want to continue watching it. It was just it was just different. It was surreal. It was crazy. And I remember that fondly because like I had to go back in and my face was like my eyes were red and you could tell that I've been crying and my father-in-law is sitting there and it's like what is wrong with him? Like why is he wrong with this guy? Is he okay? Like what's this is who you want to like this guy. So he was So it was very it was crazy because they all my my in-laws all knew what was going on with the social media stuff, but they could never like it was kind it was like it was a thing of like so you make like you make money from that like is this your career is making dumb videos in the internet? Like how is that sustainable? like, mhm, how are you going to support, you know, your your your wife, my daughter? Like, how are you going to do that? So, then, uh, things started to pick up and he's like, "Oh, you're going to support it like that?" Okay, cool. Good to know, buddy. You keep doing your thing. Yeah. So, it's But it's it was that was a crazy day. It was a crazy time because everything seemed to be happening so fast like everything was moving because I did that I got a million followers and not too long after that we were married and then I I decided to I had already decided to retire and do all not do any more uh teaching and I found a job doing ESPN radio here uh because of my connections with the previous job doing ESPN radio and that was when I was like okay it's just going to be this and social media and that's

ESPN radio here uh because of my connections with the previous job doing ESPN radio and that was when I was like okay it's just going to be this and social media and that's how I'm going to make my living and radio doesn't pay jack. So there were times where I was like am I doing the right thing by putting all my eggs into these baskets or into this basket? And then about a year later, um, I ended up leaving the ESPN job and just doing social media full-time. And I was like, "This is all I'm going to do." And I bet on myself. And sometimes you have to take those leaps of faith and bet on yourself and say, "Well, if this is what I want to do, if this is what I'm" And thank God I had the support of my wife in this cuz she was the one who was mainly like, "You should just do this." Like why are you trying to hold on to this thing? Because and part of it was that and again being the in our age range being in this generation you were raised to think of conventional jobs like if you if you have a job you're getting up in the morning and you're going to an office or you're going to do this you're going to do that. You're not sitting in front of a camera and talking to no one and posting it online and making money from it. That is not a job. that is a hobby, that is uh your an extracurricular, that is not a job. And I had to get out of that mindset if I was going to support my family. Yeah. Just had to like if this is what you're going to do, this is your this is your job. So go do your job. Thankfully, I've been able to not only survive but thrive uh in this profession and it is because of the love and support of a lot of people and it starts at home and goes out to the interwebs. So, I'm just very thankful to be in the position that I'm

uh in this profession and it is because of the love and support of a lot of people and it starts at home and goes out to the interwebs. So, I'm just very thankful to be in the position that I'm in and that people have accepted this being my job. I mean the courage though. I mean, can we just acknowledge the courage that it takes to take that leap, to bet on yourself, especially from our generation, um to do the unconventional thing, to be progressive enough to do the unconventional thing, to see the big picture and um see beyond what we've been trained to think in our generation because this is progressive what you're doing. like this. What you're doing sounds totally normal to a Gen Z, but for a Gen X, it's like so foreign and such a leap of faith. Talk about faith. I'm sure you prayed on it. Um Oh, yeah. Yeah. But I just that's why I say so in you're so inspiring especially for people our age because when we see people like you um and your co-stars on the tour um doing what you're doing and actually betting on yourselves and truly authentically chasing your dreams. It it inspires us to do the same and it's that means a lot honestly. I think what's cool too though is that you recognize it and you celebrate it to to leave the swim meet and go cry. You I mean that's pretty cool. You appreciate the moment gives me goosebumps thinking about it. You recognize this the importance of this moment something you've been working at. We haven't touched on that. We we've been joking it's the hustle, but you've been working your ass off you right. you've been you've had your background in and history of your the jobs you've done and with teaching in Chili's the ESPN radio. I mean that's you're working your ass off like you just woke up and it's like

in and history of your the jobs you've done and with teaching in Chili's the ESPN radio. I mean that's you're working your ass off like you just woke up and it's like oh I got lucky. Uh you've been you've been grinding. Yeah. And there are people who who think that they like they look at people online and they're like well you just woke up one day and turned the camera and that's how this happened. But in order to be successful, like if you're if you get to a certain a certain place in social media, it's not because you just lucked into it. It's it takes hard work to sustain it because there are people who do just turn on the camera and made like one or two videos that like blew up and the next thing you know they're like like the Hakua girl like she did nothing. She did nothing with that, but you know it like I feel like she Yeah, she turned it into a viral thing, but then I don't think she utilized that opportunity in any way really once. Well, she did podcast and all this stuff like that, but then she started doing the crypto thing and that's where everything took a turn. Like yes, you have these people who find their like literal 15 minutes of fame and the next thing you know you're like what happened to them? Yeah. In order to sustain it, you've got to work. You've got to hustle. You've got to speed and lucky in some in some points, you know, but for the most part, it's like grinding and making sure that you're striking while the iron is hot, you know. That's kind of how this tour came about that we're all individually doing well. And then we see this opportunity to go into a whole new like for like medium and a whole new a whole new thing and be able to reach out to our people while doing it and continue

doing well. And then we see this opportunity to go into a whole new like for like medium and a whole new a whole new thing and be able to reach out to our people while doing it and continue to build on the successes that we've already had. You have to be able to recognize these different pockets of your career that are where you can be successful and build on those things. And that's what has helped to make it sustainable, to make it an actual career, an actual business. you know, we like doing like doing the content and then in the middle of like things starting to get big saying, "Hey, what if we put out a merch line?" And then you start putting out the merch and it supports the content and then you have another revenue stream on top of what you're already doing with the social media and then you go into, well, hey, what if we did this? What if we did that? What about this thing? you know, and that's how it becomes sustainable. Well, you don't just you're not you're not just a tick tocker, you're not just an influencer, you're also a an entertainer, you're also uh in it's your business, it's your job. So, you're building that brand and you're building that business into something that will down the line make your children's children comfortable. You know what I'm saying? Right. So, it's like, but it's it all starts with recognizing where you are and saying, "Okay, how can I build on this?" Yeah. And that's where some people fall off. you treated and and like what you're just describing, you treat you took it and you treated it like an a business. You made it your job and you treated it like a business and you put in the work and the grind and the hustle and no one knows grind like Gen X. But once you hit you hit that million and you got married

You made it your job and you treated it like a business and you put in the work and the grind and the hustle and no one knows grind like Gen X. But once you hit you hit that million and you got married um from did when did other opport like you went on WWE and you were doing social media. When did other opportunities start coming in that was different than that? Well, it opportunities were always coming in because of like brand deals and stuff like that where you get the opportunities to like um work with brands to promote their product. And we've had a couple of different brand deals over the years with uh Aala, the water bottles like the one I'm drinking out of now. um and a couple of other brands that have like reached out and we've been able to do stuff with them. Uh I was on a TV show um it was what two year two three years ago a show called Hot Wheels Ultimate Challenge was a reality television show Ultimate Challenge. Okay. That I did on uh it was on NBC. Uh it was like a summer show on NBC. Um, I was working with, uh, ESPN radio here in New Orleans area and I got a phone call, uh, driving between, um, spots where I was doing stuff. Um, and this, uh, casting agent was like, "Hey, um, we're doing this TV show and we'd love for you to be a part of it." They're like, "Well, I just so you know, like I played with Hot Wheels as a kid, but I'm a grown adult now, so I don't know what I would be able to do." They're like, "No, it's a competition show. Go look at this material online. Fill out the uh application and uh hopefully somebody will be in touch." Like the next day, got a phone call like, "Yeah, we love you. We want you to be on the show. Uh you have to go through this intake process." and I did all the uh the uh interviews and the

Like the next day, got a phone call like, "Yeah, we love you. We want you to be on the show. Uh you have to go through this intake process." and I did all the uh the uh interviews and the questions and the things and got called to be cast in the show and flew to England for a month. Wow. Wow. Film this TV show was it was surreal, man. Because like they I don't know why they didn't do it in the States. And I'm not going to question it. I'm just going to go. So they were like, "Yeah." And so when during the intake, when I got cast, they were like, "Yeah, show's going to be in England. Uh, you need to get your passport, get everything together." So they expedited my passport. I hopped on a plane and flew to England and it was we were I was we were in in Manchester. Um, I was only scheduled to do one episode, but it was it's a competition show. So, if you won your episode, you were available to you were eligible to be in the finale. So, I won my episode. Like a reality show? Yes. Okay. Yeah. It's like a reality competition show where like they brought in all these people to compete against each other building uh cars, building life-size Hot Wheels out of cars from their past. Oh wow. So I chose the car that my dad would drive me to Houston in when I was a kid as the car that I want. It was a Monte Carlo and they uh we pimped it out. It was all gold all there's a gold wrap all around it. Uh 26 inch rims, a dance floor in the back. And here here's how things come full circle. So, I'm doing the show. I'm on set. One of the hosts of the show comes up to me and he's like, "Hey, so you got T pay sharing your stuff on Instagram, right?" I said, "What are you talking about?" He's like, "Yeah, Tay shared one of your videos to his Instagram."

me and he's like, "Hey, so you got T pay sharing your stuff on Instagram, right?" I said, "What are you talking about?" He's like, "Yeah, Tay shared one of your videos to his Instagram." And we weren't allowed to have phones on set, but I snuck my phone on set to uh check out what he was talking about. And lo and behold, and I'm so glad that I because it was in his stories. So if I hadn't seen it when he told me about it, it would have been gone. Yeah. So I got the chance to see it. I was like, "Wow, this is insane." And then we're film in the middle of filming the episode and some of the episodes had special guest judges. It was on NBC. So, Terry Cruz was a special guest judge for one episode. I think Anthony Anderson came in and did his episode. And uh for my episode, they had um Big E was a big wrestler in the WWE. And so, it's like they knew that it's wrestling, right? Right. Like, so this is it's just it was just a big deal for me and they're telling me in the like people are coming up and telling me that like E has been talking about me in like the trailer backstage. He's like, "Yeah." So they're like there's a big wrestler fan that's on the show. This guy uh Nick Harrison, oh yeah, I know him. He does all the interest and stuff, right? He's great. So getting the chance to like and we had mutual friends through like you know the business and stuff. So getting to talk to him and hang out with him during that the filming of that was very cool and just really surreal. And I I won my episode. Nice. And so everybody who won their episode was like waiting for that phone call. And like for me it was like they were picking the fin people for the finale right after I got finished filming my episode. So I was scheduled to fly out

was like waiting for that phone call. And like for me it was like they were picking the fin people for the finale right after I got finished filming my episode. So I was scheduled to fly out of England. I already had my my bags packed, had my tickets, the whole nine. And they were like, "Well, you just wait to find out if you get a phone call because if you get a phone call, you need to stay for another two weeks." So I'm in my hotel room. Everybody's like messaging back and forth on WhatsApp. Uh, and they're like, "Did you get your call yet? Did you get your call yet?" Then people start messaging me saying, "Hey, we just got the call that we did not make the finale. So, it's probably going to be you because there was a bunch of people who were filming the show who were still in England at the time. And some people had already filmed their episodes and they were already back in the States. So, the people who were coming back from the States had already been called to fly back for the finale. And the only person that was still in England at the time that was in the finale was me. So it's me and two other people. Uh and then the f talk about Gen X. The uh finale was judged by Jay Leno. Oh my gosh. And he loves cars. Oh yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. So it was so like this this person who a former host of the Tonight Show, somebody who I grew up watching on TV is hanging out in my garage while I'm trying to build a car and telling me dirty jokes. Like it was one of the most surreal moments of my life where I'm just standing there Jay Leno like in between shooting is like, "Hey, this nun, she's doing this and blah blah blah blah." And they ask her where she got the milk from. And it's like, oh my god, what what is happening right now. I'm building a custom like car like a

doing this and blah blah blah blah." And they ask her where she got the milk from. And it's like, oh my god, what what is happening right now. I'm building a custom like car like a Firebird. They gave me I I had Smokeoky and the Bandit car for my Brian's favorite movie. Yeah, I love that car. So I I end up getting the Smokeoky and the Bandit car and kind of made tribute to Smoky and the Bandit. It was black and gold and had all these little things on it. It's very cool. and uh Jay uh just it's just the whole experience was just nuts and uh I ended up losing I came in second place. Um so the winner got their uh car turned into a Hot Wheel like an actual Hot Wheel that went into the stores and also won like 50 grand or something. So I did not win but the recognition from being you know that's a thing to add to the resume. I just my TV show blah blah I got I DB page is right here blah blah and so I go back home and unrelated to the whole thing of being on TV but right after I got back home like a couple months after that my Instagram starts popping off and within between then like at the time I got back home I had like 30,000 what year was that? This was 20 this it's 2026 now. So I want to say it was 2023 when that was. Okay. Because yeah like it's it it's it's crazy how it all just popped off like that. And popped off first and then you went and you had this experience over in England. You get back and now your Instagram's popping off like the Tik Tok was popping off. Yes. And uh within the it was it was at 30,000 at that time and then next thing you know by next year it was at a million. Wow. Wow. Okay. Which was just incredible. It's crazy. What about Facebook? Facebook uh gradually got there. It started like churning and then uh I want

you know by next year it was at a million. Wow. Wow. Okay. Which was just incredible. It's crazy. What about Facebook? Facebook uh gradually got there. It started like churning and then uh I want to say the year after that is when Facebook hit a million. So, by 2024, you were a million on all three. Yes. Hey, going back to Jay, uh, did you make a connection with him at all? Like, we were just talking about him this morning. He was talking about how his wife is suffering from dementia and you know, people in Hollywood are like, "Are you getting a girlfriend?" And he's like, "No, no way. I married to this my wife for 45 years or whatever." He come he's a good guy, right? Is he pretty decent dude? Yeah. from uh from what the short experience that I had with him because he was only on set for like a day or two. Uh but from the experience that I had with him, he was just very affable and just a great easy guy to talk to and you know imparting wisdom on everybody who would come up and talk to him. like it was it was just really cool to be around him like you know that being in this kind of uh in this line of work and being in you know what we do it's always incredible to be able to make connections with people who are in the entertainment industry and thankfully I've been able to make a lot of connections over the past couple of years kind of like that and some a little bit deeper. Yeah. So as your numbers were increasing, were there other opportunities that presented themselves like after the reality show somewhat? I mean you had people who would like come with different opportunities to do things like advertising and um as far as like television shows and stuff like that. Nothing uh immediately after that. Um there were some glimpses like there were

opportunities to do things like advertising and um as far as like television shows and stuff like that. Nothing uh immediately after that. Um there were some glimpses like there were offers that were made that just did not work out at the time. Uh but you know, people are always watching because they told us like when they uh when we got cast for the show, they're like, "Welcome to the uh the the the the family of because that's NBC is like Bravo and E and all this other stuff." So they're like, "If there are other opportunities that come up with some of these things and you're right for it, then we will let you know." So there were the offer is the offer was always extended, but some stuff just wasn't it wasn't right at the time. Uh but we're all like we're always open for opportunities like So was the next big move uh Gen X takeover tour like how that all began? So the four of you are Dadbod Veteran Slim Sherry Kelly Mano and you are all prominent on social media and I know Justin Ruples your MC all prominent on social media. Were you friends before this um project? Sherry and I were cool. Um and I knew of Kelly. I didn't really know uh John at the time. What what what it was is that there was a an awards show in Vegas uh Choice Awards. Uh they're not doing it this year, but uh at the time in 2024, uh they were and Sherry and I both went to the award show. Uh we had been cool on social media and like talked back and forth and we were both like, "Are you going to the are you going to your choice? Are you going to your choice?" And like, "Yeah." So we got to link up when we get there. And we did and we like had breakfast like every day we had breakfast together and like just hanging out and just talking about

your choice?" And like, "Yeah." So we got to link up when we get there. And we did and we like had breakfast like every day we had breakfast together and like just hanging out and just talking about stuff that we wanted to do because Sherry always Sherry's a a dreamer and she has these huge ideas of stuff that she wants to do and she had just done her cruise and she was like I want to do something else. Let's try to get together and do something. So, we stayed in contact and then uh part one of the ideas was like, let's just get together with a couple other creators and make content. So, we were going to get like an Airbnb somewhere and just get together and like make videos with other like Gen X creators. Now, I we both knew Kelly and she knew John. So, we made phone calls and like interacted with each other. And the next thing you know, uh, we're like, "Okay, well, let's get an Airbnb in Vegas, Vegas, and just hang out." Not Vegas, uh, Nashville and hang out. And we were like, "Bet." Now, in between the time of, uh, us coming up with the idea or really us talking about doing something, um, the, uh, I got the standup opportunity on the West Coast, so I'm preparing to do that. So, the idea gets floated to do a standup show or do a comedy show. Everybody else is like, "I'm not a comedian. I have no idea what I would do with that." But my wife, Sherry's wife, are both like, "Y'all are crazy if you're going to go to Nashville and not do something with your people, like hang out with everybody." So, we rent out a comedy club in Nashville, Third Coast Comedy Club, and go and decide to go and do a comedy show. Uh, something that none of us e neither of us had ever done before as like a just like like I had done it uh because of

Third Coast Comedy Club, and go and decide to go and do a comedy show. Uh, something that none of us e neither of us had ever done before as like a just like like I had done it uh because of the the offer that had come up, but we had never like nothing like this. Yeah. Yeah. So, we rented out the comedy club and did a comedy show and then we uh made a deal with uh this like adult play place in downtown Nashville called Pins where you just go there and like they have uh video games and pinball and uh pin bowling and giant jingga and all this other stuff. You just go and do all these things. And um we did an after party afterwards for some people and that we that that like that was the one of the most surreal experience I've ever had before in my life because all four of us we go to this place and we end up all being separated from each other and these lines of people start forming to like take pictures and get autographs and like talk to us and it's just crazy because the lines are going all the way around the building. Like Sherry had like three different lines because of where she was standing. Three different lines were like coming to her at the same time. And thankfully we uh John who was the security guy uh had thought we all well we thought all thought of like making sure that we had security with us. Yeah. While we were there. Uh, and it was it's just it's really just the way that all that happened and then we were like, well, we should do this again. You know, yeah, this has been successful and people are like enjoying it, so let's do it again. So, we did another show in Cleveland a couple of months after that and packed the place out. It was at a piano bar and we packed the place out. We did the comedy thing and then we

show in Cleveland a couple of months after that and packed the place out. It was at a piano bar and we packed the place out. We did the comedy thing and then we started dancing on the pianos and sing with everybody and doing karaoke uh at the end of the night where it was like just we just danced the night away and it was amazing. And then that's where it started to really sink in that this is something that we need to just keep doing like let's do a tour. So we just thought of like different like we all thought of like our pl our cities where we lived. So, we of course wanted to do Atlanta, we wanted to do do New Orleans, wanted to do St. Louis, uh, wanted to do Charleston because that's where John was living at the time, and Vegas because we were all planning on going to the Cheer Choice Awards cuz John and Kelly hadn't been and Sherry and I had. So, we were like, let's do let's all go to the Cheer Choice Awards. Let's do uh let's do a show there and do all these things. And so it turned into a tour and it kept getting bigger. You know, when we were when we did the show in Atlanta at the beginning of 2025, that was when we got approached by a booking agent who was like, I want to help you guys. And he brought Justin along. And then Justin became the host uh starting in was I starting in Vegas even New Orleans. It was starting in New Orleans actually. And it became uh what it is now like and just kept building. It kept getting bigger. It's just crazy how it all started. But yeah, like it all started from just me and Sherry wanting to hang out in Vegas at the Your Choice Awards and then Right. I mean that was Destiny right obviously right there. But um in Nashville, was that your first time having that much exposure in real life to your fans?

at the Your Choice Awards and then Right. I mean that was Destiny right obviously right there. But um in Nashville, was that your first time having that much exposure in real life to your fans? Yes. Having that much. Now again, I had done those shows in uh we did a show in San Diego. I did a show in uh Arizona. Uh that was just me and we did a two live recordings of my wife and I's podcast hanging with the Harrisons um during those shows. But the first show had like 10 people and then the second show had maybe 50. Uh so it was like there were people there but not to that degree. Uh we um the Nashville show, the first show that we all did together. We planned this show and we're like nobody nobody's going to want to come and see this thing. And it sold out in like 24 hours. And how how many people were at that show? It was uh the first show I want to say was like somewhere around a hundred. Okay. So, it sold out in like 24 hours and then the next show we we and then the comedy club calls us and asks us if we need help selling tickets. We're like, "No, it already sold out." So, they said, "Oh, cool. Do you want to do another show?" So, we ended up doing a second show uh that was like a a matinea type show. So, we did two shows back to back, then did the afterparty afterwards and we were all spent like I there was a lot of Advil taken that night uh after doing all those things cuz we were just absolutely dog tired. I can't even imagine because getting up there and doing a performance that you're putting so much you're projecting so much of yourself, right? and and so much energy doing it twice when you weren't expecting to and then saying after and having all of that energy coming towards you, all of that love and adoration, but it's still energy, right,

much energy doing it twice when you weren't expecting to and then saying after and having all of that energy coming towards you, all of that love and adoration, but it's still energy, right, that you're absorbing. Um, and that was your first time that had to Did you ever have like a panic attack a little bit? Was there a moment where you were like freaking out? Um before yeah because knowing that I would had to get up and do this and then do it again and then have the afterparty afterwards. Like there was a time before where I was kind of freaking out. Then there was a time afterwards um where we're all at the house and I'm dead tired and we're all just looking at each other like we really just did this. like this is a thing that just happened and they it was we did not expect it to be as big as it was or as amazing as it was. And it's still to this day for at least for me it's always crazy to walk on stage and see like a sea of people and be like y'all are here to see us. That's stupid. Like what are you doing? Like why? this us me this why and but it's it's amazing all at the same time like it's crazy and surreal but it's also amazing to be in the position to where people will want to come and see something like that and they keep coming back which is like I was looking at the numbers for our first show in Detroit uh and I was like wow this is wow all All right. So, we're still doing Detroit. Uh, we're at the Music Hall uh in Greek Town, right next to what? Hollywood Casino. Okay, cool. You know what though? I've thought about it because we went and saw you guys in Lauderdale and um I've been I was thinking about you guys a lot after that and besides the incredible talent that was up on the stage and um that's obvious. Thank you. But, uh, I think

Lauderdale and um I've been I was thinking about you guys a lot after that and besides the incredible talent that was up on the stage and um that's obvious. Thank you. But, uh, I think you guys are I think the reason that you resonate so much with our generation is you help us feel seen and we were never seen and right, we're the forgotten generation in a lot of ways. Um, or they skip over us. They talk about Gen Z, millennial, go right to Boomer. They forget. And I feel like you're one of the f first, how do I put it? You're really one of the first prominent groups of people to just do something just for us and talk about subject matters that completely resonate for with us. And you've curated something just for us. And no one inherently no one has done that for our generation or a lot of us as children no one did that for us. So I think when people come to see you guys even though everyone's laughing and it's so funny again I think there's just so much um so much to feeling seen and being able to feel like you're in a like-minded space and oh my gosh it it wasn't just me who went through that. You went through it too. But you guys bring humor to so much of it. So, it's so much more than just a comedy show in my opinion. I don't know if that makes sense. It does. And that's why we do it. I mean, it's it's not just a comedy show. It's a safe space. Yes. Yes. It's an opportunity for people who have feel as though they have not been seen, has not been heard to because that's what we are like. That's That's what social media is or that's what it has been for me at least is an opportunity to connect because you have so many people who have gone to social media over the past like when we first started doing the tour we were in Nashville we had a bunch of

opportunity to connect because you have so many people who have gone to social media over the past like when we first started doing the tour we were in Nashville we had a bunch of people who were like this is the first time I've left my house since co because I'm just I haven't wanted to go anywhere I haven't wanted to be anywhere And but we saw you guys were doing this and we were like we got to be there for this. Yeah. And to have that opportunity and to see how it has grown and see how many people continue to say, "Hey, you are you've done so much to help me get through these tough times. you've done so much to like I know I can go to your page for a smile and for a laugh and all of us that are on this tour have had that opportunity and had that interaction with people. So to be able to reach out and touch the people and give back and hug and shake hands and take pictures and talk to people. It has been a an honor and a joy to be able to do that because there's so many people who that's what they're looking for connection. Yeah. And the people they see on Tik Tok, Instagram, Facebook, they consider them to be their friends. Like they're like we you say the things that I want to say. You listen to the music that I listen to and you relate to the things that I relate to because of the way that we were brought up, the way that we grew up, the where we came from. Yeah. And it means a lot because that's part of the purpose is to reach these people and to love on them and to let them know that they are not alone because there's so many opportunities that we have in this world and so many ways that we can feel alone and feel as though nobody's listening to me, nobody's looking out for me, nobody understands me, And then you have these

opportunities that we have in this world and so many ways that we can feel alone and feel as though nobody's listening to me, nobody's looking out for me, nobody understands me, And then you have these people that you see on your phone or on your computer where you're like, "Wow, yes, I get that because I've experienced the same thing." And now you get the opportunity to go see them, to go talk to them, to reach out to them and let them know in person what they have meant to you. And that's what it means to me as well that I get to reach out to these people that John gets to reach out to these people that Sherry that Kelly that Justin gets to reach out to that Jojo gets to reach out to these people that have felt so alone and say you're not alone. We're here with you. We love you. We are here to support you and we're going to get through this thing together. Yeah. So, it means a lot to be able to have that opportunity. And I'm so thankful and blessed that there are people who get it because not everybody gets it, man. Like, nobody not everybody gets that why we do what we do and why we try to reach out to people. But when you are able to show what you mean and show what these people mean to you, it means the world. Just means the world. Well, I think that also um is why you it's it's sustaining and you're finding such success because it's coming from such a meaningful place, a good place, an authentic place. And as we talked about before, people feel that. they know they can spot a phony or not. And um so I think because of the meaning behind it is why it continues to draw people in as well. And I just think it's so just perfect that Gen Xers are showing up for Gen Xers. You know, you guys are showing up for us. You're having our back.

people in as well. And I just think it's so just perfect that Gen Xers are showing up for Gen Xers. You know, you guys are showing up for us. You're having our back. And um that's just such our generation. It's like we got you. you guys got us, you know, and you're giving us a space to come and like you said, a safe space. But Gen Xers created that for Gen Xers. And I think it's just the coolest thing. Honestly, I love that this random moment between you and Sherry, then this random thing in Nashville, like it was destined. There was no way this wasn't going to happen. But I love I love seeing it just continue to take off because it's so positive. It's so good. And that's what you guys are all about. It's just so good. So, it was meant to be, man. Like, it was meant for This is And we talk about all the time how special this is, you know? This was not a coincidence. Like, we were all connected for a reason. And this is part of the reason as to why we were all connected. It's crazy to think of how it all started because again, this was like I gotta give Sherry her flowers and give her credit because this is a lot of this is her brainchild and she will say like she will punch me in the face for trying to give her credit for something because, you know, we're we're a unit. We're a team. We're a family. the four of us, the five of us, the six of us, the whole crew. Like, we have, you know, people working behind the scenes, our spouses who have been so supportive of everything that we're doing. We are a we the the chat that we have between us and our phones is called the Gen X family chat because we're a family and we're we're but it it's not a it's not an individual thing like it's not a thing where it's like, well, I did this or I

our phones is called the Gen X family chat because we're a family and we're we're but it it's not a it's not an individual thing like it's not a thing where it's like, well, I did this or I did that. we came together and were able to do something really special. And I'm so fortunate and thankful to be surrounded by so many talented people who get it. And we've been able to carve out this this niche. And there are like so many people all over the world, not just around the country, but all over the world who support it and who want to be a part of it and they are all invited to get on this genetics train and uh and don't tell them we're going to stop it. One thing I noticed when we went to your show, I'm not the most outgoing person. I don't leave the house too much because I was so busy. No. But to go to your guys' show and to see, you know, a bunch of people our age, our generation, hanging on every word, completely dialed into everything you guys are saying. But and that was cool. But then after the show, the generosity of you guys interacting with the crowd and taking pictures, making sure everybody who wanted a picture got a picture and so willingly and and standing there with a all all types of people. I think that's cool. I think that does resonate. I think that that goes so far and it it's it lines up with what you're saying. You're you are there for the fans, for the people, the supporters. So, it's I thought that was cool. Yeah, it was. Yeah, that's why we do it. It's like we're not doing it for ourselves. This is not a self We're not grandstanding. We're not This not a self uh appreciating thing. This is more of reaching out to the people, you know, because we get messages every day. Are you coming here?

self We're not grandstanding. We're not This not a self uh appreciating thing. This is more of reaching out to the people, you know, because we get messages every day. Are you coming here? Are you coming there? can I would love to come see your show. Like for example, when I landed in Miami that weekend to get ready for that show and for the cruise, uh I get off the plane, we're at baggage claim, tired, just out of it. This guy and his wife stop me and they're like, "Hey, you are that guy. We love you. I love your content and I'm also a Bills fan because the Bills were playing the Dolphins that weekend in Miami and I'm a huge Buffalo Bills fan. They stop me. I'm like, "Hey, are you guys doing anything tomorrow? Uh, let me get you some tickets. Come to the show." And they I've never done that. Like just told somebody who I see like like a random person on a plane, "Hey, come to the show. We'd love to see you out there." and they straight up came to the show and we took pictures and hung out and he was like pointing to me while I was on stage and I pointed back to him and that's an experience that he's going to talk about. Yeah. For God knows how long. Yeah. And that's what it's about, man. Like the support from people that follow and that come to the shows and like comment on the content. that has been the greatest thing and you've given me so many great experiences. I want to be able to give you as many great experiences as I possibly can. Yeah. Yeah. So, that's what it's about, man. That's what it's all about. So, what was it like performing in Vegas? It's a dream dream come true. Um because again growing up in our generation like you watched like Johnny Carson and all these guys and you you w like for me it was the rap pack you know like Frank

It's a dream dream come true. Um because again growing up in our generation like you watched like Johnny Carson and all these guys and you you w like for me it was the rap pack you know like Frank Sammy Dean all these people hanging out on the Vegas strip like Oceans 11 all this stuff. Yeah. Like that is what I grew up with. And to be able to say that I performed a show at the Palms in front of a packed house and put on my glitter jacket and sung songs and did my whole lounge act in Vegas in front of all these people because that's what I like for my part of the show. When we did that show at the Palms, I came out singing and then did comedy and then sang another song and then did some more comedy and did some crowd work and went out into the crowd and talk to the people because for me that's what Vegas it is. That's what it embodied, you know. And growing up watching that kind of thing, I wanted to do it too because this was my opportunity to be able to do it. And to do that was just one of the highlights of my career without question. To be able to say I played the Palms is just surreal. It's a crazy moment. What's cool is like if you go to Nashville, it's the mecca for tremendous music. When you go to Vegas, it's the mecca for tremendous performances. And you got to do that. That's both. Yeah. Yeah. It's to be to be able to do that kind of thing in uh like in Vegas and in Nashville and to like go to all these like this year we're doing we're going to be in Chicago and Indianapolis and I get to go to Buffalo and that to me is I I really don't know what I'm going to do with myself. Like again I was just in Buffalo a couple weeks ago. I'm a huge Bills fan. And I've been to Buffalo multiple times and have a lot of friends

I I really don't know what I'm going to do with myself. Like again I was just in Buffalo a couple weeks ago. I'm a huge Bills fan. And I've been to Buffalo multiple times and have a lot of friends there and just love the city just a ton. So to be able to go and perform there is very special to me. To be able to go to Chicago, you know, the second city where, you know, like so many comedians have come from, like Chicago is a big comedy hub. And to be able to go to Chicago and perform uh and do standup is again to just blows my mind. Like we have been to a lot of great cities and we'll be to a bunch of more a bunch more. Like performing in New Orleans was big for me because Louisiana is my home. Um so that like it's right like an hour away from where I am. So to be able to perform there in front of a like family and friends was just great. And to be able to do like what I'm going to what we're going to do this year and then doing the cruise was awesome too because my entire family was here when I was my son my eldest son was supposed to be there but he had school things and couldn't make it. But the the the other two kids were there. My in-laws were there. Uh my wife was there with me. the whole time. And to be able to experience that and for them to see like how big this thing has become because we really like when we talk about takeover, we took over that freaking boat. And just every time they turned around, like people were asking for pictures or stopping to talk to me. Hey man, I love your content. Cuz what was crazy was it wasn't just our people. Like there were people who were just there to be on the cruise that didn't even know that we were gonna be there who were like, "Oh my god, what are you doing here? We love you." So we got it from all sides, which

people who were just there to be on the cruise that didn't even know that we were gonna be there who were like, "Oh my god, what are you doing here? We love you." So we got it from all sides, which for my my wife got tiring at one point, but for me it was like, "Oh my god, this is crazy." Yeah. Yeah. And my and my father-in-law, who at one time was wondering how I was going to support his daughter to be able to see all of that, was like, "Okay, celebrity, I see you." Yeah. So, it's just it's a it's the way that everything has kind of like happened and unfolded has been absolutely surreal, but I do not take any of it for granted because again, I'm walking in my purpose. It's where I'm supposed to be. And there are huge things that are coming up this year that I would have never guessed were going to happen. Uh but I am again fortunate and blessed and excited for what's to come. You know, I was thinking about um one thing that we grew up with was variety shows and they don't really have those anymore. If you think about it, there aren't variety shows on TV anymore. And you guys are kind of it's very um into that perfect that Gen X your Gen X show is a like a variety show. you're kind of going old school for all of us. It's what we grew up with and you're kind of bringing it back. But live and touring as a variety show, that's not really a thing anymore. So, you're kind of bringing it back, which is cool. Like, as a kid, I grew up with uh shows like uh Rowan and Martin's Laughing. Yeah. Uh the Smothers Brothers um and Living Color like these were the kind of show Cara Bernett. Yes. like that was that was it for us. Like the the variety show doesn't exist anymore. It's not a thing. And but that is what we've tried to

kind of show Cara Bernett. Yes. like that was that was it for us. Like the the variety show doesn't exist anymore. It's not a thing. And but that is what we've tried to incorporate with uh our show. Like we have a live musician on stage who plays live music throughout the throughout the show and like opens up the show with music. Uh when we were in Charleston, I've become dear friends with Evan McCain and he's from Charleston. He actually came to the show and performed with us uh at the end of the show and came out his thing I'll be and did the the whole the the sing along at the end of the show with us and came and out and talked to people. It was it was it was it was amazing man and I was so thankful to him. That's my brother from another mother. That's my guy. So for him to come out and do something like that really meant a lot and it really kind of was a an eye openener for us because it kind of showed us where we were where it's like yeah now we've got special guests coming to the show who Yeah. Yeah. Come on guys. So it's you've not you've not peaked yet. You guys are still going. When did there still so much to you met Donnie Wahlberg right? When did you meet him? So I met Don gosh was that 24 too? That might have been 24 as well. Um so he did like you know uh New Kids on the Block has been on tour and doing stuff. Uh they were on their uh Magic Summer tour and he had become a fan of the content. All the guys had pretty much because I had done like some New Kids on the Block videos and uh some of the blockheads you know were like they they are a cult man. They share everything and just throw stuff out there. They always tag the guys in videos if it gets popular and something they think is cool. So, uh, he had seen

were like they they are a cult man. They share everything and just throw stuff out there. They always tag the guys in videos if it gets popular and something they think is cool. So, uh, he had seen some of the content, was like, "Hey, man. I want you to come out to a show. Please be our guest." And we went to this show in, uh, Austin, Texas. Uh, it was at a a a motor a a racetrack that was out in Austin. And uh we got to go to the show and it was um DJ Jazzy Jeff, Paul Abdul, and New Kids on the Block, which was like it took me back to to childhood. I was like, "Yes, this this is my kind of show." Um and we get there and there, of course, there are people who are like, "Oh my god, you're that guy." uh to the point where like they're lining up for the VIP and I'm walking over to go backstage and there like people who are getting out of line in the VIP to come and take pictures with me which was a surreal moment. I'm like a I'm at I'm at a New Kids on the Block concert and a line is forming of people who want to take pictures with me. This is ridiculous. So, we get backstage and everybody's getting ready and I see like Joey and Jordan and Jonathan and Danny and then uh Donnie comes out and he just gives me this gigantic hug and we sit and chat for a second. You know, Donniey's big on content, too. So, he makes a video with me while we're standing backstage. And um you know, they do this big thing uh before the show where they get together and do a prayer and they asked me to lead it. And that was I like there are moments in my career and in my life that I can think of and it's hard to top that one. Like that was crazy and but it was just it was amazing. It was amazing. So we we prayed with the guys and then they went

and in my life that I can think of and it's hard to top that one. Like that was crazy and but it was just it was amazing. It was amazing. So we we prayed with the guys and then they went out to the on this to the you know went backstage to go get ready for the show and we went out into the crowd. Uh a little bit before that I got a text message from somebody backstage. They were like, "Do you know," and my wife would never forgive me for this, by the way. Uh they were like, "Do you know Summertime by DJ Jazz and Jeff and the Fresh Prince?" I was like, "I kind of know it. Uh I could, you know, I I'm okay with it." Uh she and they were like, "Well, you know, don't worry about it then." But they have some during that tour, they would bring somebody from the crowd on stage to do the first verse of Summertime with them and DJ Jazzy Jeff. So they were asking me because they wanted me to come on stage and do that and I was like I don't know the song. So my wife to this day still wants to choke me for that. That is awesome though. That is awesome. So I love how you recognize the moment. I think that's cool. You're present. You're Yeah. you're in the moment and recognize it. That's I can't be anything but like it's you have when you there's something to be said about being self-aware in moments like that where you re you recognize where you are, who you are, and what the moment means and just taking it in. And my wife, I have to give her credit for this. My wife has been very good at keeping me grounded and making sure that I appreciate and take the moment in and don't just take it for granted because I might be, you know, I could be in the middle of the moment and be on to the next thing like how can I do this this this she's like no take a breath

don't just take it for granted because I might be, you know, I could be in the middle of the moment and be on to the next thing like how can I do this this this she's like no take a breath understand like look at where you are and moments like that are like moments where you you you have to be able to look at where you are and I have I to this day again just a surreal moment that I will never forget. And now like we're going to hang out with them uh next month at their residency in Vegas. Really? Yeah. Like they're you know they're doing the residency at the I think the MGM Grand and we're going to go hang out with them in Vegas and it's the Gen X tour or you and your wife. me and my wife are going to hang out with uh because like Donnie has be like it's crazy to think of the people who I've like encountered while on this journey I could say well they're friends like Donnie has become a friend and if you I went back to adolescent childhood Nick and told him hey by the way this dude from New Kids on the Block that's gonna be one of your boys like shut up get out of here no that's not a thing but It's it's a thing like we awesome. That's I'm going to tell you a quick Donny story. Um so I am like I told you I'm a part of a marching troop here in New Orleans uh that marches in Marty Gro parades. Uh they're called the Mandy Milkshakers. My wife is a Mandy. I'm a milkman. We're like security that walks along with them while they're on the parade route. They dress up as like pinup housewives and polka dot dresses and pearls. and go and march in these Marty GR parades. So, a lot of the ladies are Gen X and they are huge New Kids on the Block fans. Like, there are a couple of them that are like one of them has a tattoo

march in these Marty GR parades. So, a lot of the ladies are Gen X and they are huge New Kids on the Block fans. Like, there are a couple of them that are like one of them has a tattoo that says New Kids on the Block on her arm. So, I took a picture of the tattoo and I sent it to Donnie and he immediately FaceTimed back. Wow. And like he sat there and talked to her. She's in tears like crying. He talked to her. There were some other girls who recognized what was going on and they ran over to the phone. IT WAS LIKE, "OH MY GOD, IT'S DADDY." AND THEY'RE JUST they're going crazy and he's just pouring love on them. And he took pictures and sent them to me like screenshots that I could give to her so that she can have them. And it's like that's just the dude he is, man. He's just the nicest guy ever. So to be able to say that he's my that's my But like it's the whole spectrum of like him and uh uh uh Edwin McCain who that's my guy and like all these people who I've met who I've been able to become friends with. It's just so surreal, man. Because like it's it was again it was never the a part of the plan. And that wasn't what it was was what what was supposed to happen and this is where we are. And I it's hard for me to believe that this is like our reality because I know that from northern Louisiana just some kid from northern Louis Louisiana that's living the freaking dream. That's all it is. I'm sure you you've been on social media so long you've seen the saying we we made the right person famous. And I think there's a there's a group of people you feel that way about and and you're you're that person Kelly and John% Johnny Wahberg also right so he we made the right person famous so when someone like you and someone like him connect

you're you're that person Kelly and John% Johnny Wahberg also right so he we made the right person famous so when someone like you and someone like him connect more good things you facilitated that for that woman with him so between the two of you look what you guys do so that's where that feeling of that's the reason again this is all coming your way is because it's for you it's coming from such a good place such an authentic place so it's just going to continue to create that but I but not to say it's not surreal because I can't even imagine dude it's still surreal like I nothing again nothing happens by chance no doesn't happen by chance like this is where we're like we're in the places that we're supposed to being we're playing the parts that we're supposed to play, but it's still crazy to think that this this is a reality that this is my life. Have you met any um of your W besides the uh Big E, have you met any other WWE guys? Yes. Um, I had the opportunity to um go because I uh one of my a buddy of mine is um uh um uh gosh uh Austin Romero Mike Rome is what he's called on TV and he is an announcer. He was on uh Raw and Smackdown, but now he's on NXT, which is their uh training program that's still on TV. It's on the CW on Tuesdays. and Mike was doing uh Smackdown I think and I got the chance to hang out with him after the show and we like walked backstage and I got to see all these other people and like I've had the opportunity to like do stuff with AEW and there's some uh guys who were there uh who I've followed for years who I got to meet and hang out with and like there's some who I like talk back and forth with on like socials and have become friends with and cool with. So, it's like I'm still connected with a

to meet and hang out with and like there's some who I like talk back and forth with on like socials and have become friends with and cool with. So, it's like I'm still connected with a good number of those guys and it's I'm thankful to be have that connection because, you know, it's it's cool to be able to like talk to them and they, you know, again, another group of people who get it because they're in the spotlight every day. And to have people who you can bounce some of this stuff off of and like talk to, it's really special and means a lot. And what an amazing childhood dream to have it come full circle to where you're at now in connection with all these guys. I mean, that's just Did you ever meet Ho Hogan? No, I didn't. Have you met any uh Buffalo Bills like Josh Allen or any of those guys? I have not met Josh Allen. Uh I met Josh Allen's mom and dad. Uh, I was in Seattle for a game last year and met his mom and dad while I was at a tailgate and got to meet uh Eric Wood who was um a former Bills player who uh now does the radio for them. And uh Kyle Williams I got a chance to meet. Uh Kyle is a former Bill. Uh he's from North Louisiana. He's from Rustin. He knows my wife. Um she um she as an athletic trainer, young athletic trainer, she was one of the first people to wrap his ankle when he played high school ball. So like that's why I married her because she touched the bill. Uh how did you become a Bills? Yeah. Uh so uh Super Bowl 25 was the uh game the wide ride game between the Bills and the Giants. Uh that was the first uh NFL game I watched in full. Uh I watched it with my uncle when I was a kid and I just became enamored with the team then. That was what uh Giants won though, right? Yeah. Because uh the Bills missed a field goal at the end of the game.

with my uncle when I was a kid and I just became enamored with the team then. That was what uh Giants won though, right? Yeah. Because uh the Bills missed a field goal at the end of the game. They were cursed during that generation. But no, they went to four Super Bowls in a row. Yeah. And that was the first one. Brian's a Giants. I'm a Giants fan. Yeah. But I like the Bills. I really like Josh Allen. I He's amazing, man. Gee, he l I'm I was rooting for the Jags because I do like Trevor Lawrence. I've been following him since high school, but I mean and Josh got beat up last week, man. Geez. Oh, man. He got absolutely crushed. But, you know, that's that's the toughness that, you know, you get from a guy like him and from a town like Buffalo. And yeah, to see him kind of uh push through the pain and push through all the things to be able to uh lead them to victory in that game and literally, you know, put the team on his back in that last quarter was astonishing to watch and he's going to have probably going to have to do it again this week if they want to beat Denver u tomorrow as a matter of fact. So, I'm looking forward to that game. I'm nervous as hell, but I'm I'm I'm excited about it. You know, we we represent the Bills in this house. Cool. Bill Mafia. One of my best friends uh was a Buffalo Bills cheerleader and she actually she did a episode um and talked about her time. Yeah. As a Buffalo Bills cheerle she grew up in Buffalo. Born in Buffalo, goes up there so regular. Her family's up there. But what's so funny is when we um released her episode, how many Buffalo people, we got so much engagement, the the loyalty from the Buffalo fans, Buffalo Mafia, just all of it. People that live in Buffalo, there's just it's such a special community. And

Buffalo people, we got so much engagement, the the loyalty from the Buffalo fans, Buffalo Mafia, just all of it. People that live in Buffalo, there's just it's such a special community. And that was our first exposure to that, which is so many people. Yeah. They you know, so it's And then we've had another um guest on from Buffalo. And they're just it's just special people, you know, good people up there. So, the first So, okay. So, uh the first big outing that my wife and I had when we were dating was at a Bills game. Uh the Bills played the Saints for Thanksgiving a couple of years ago and uh I got us tickets to go and check out the game and it was it was just great to to expose her to that because at the time she was a Saints fan. Uh, I have converted her uh to Buffalo. Go Bills. And so a lot of the Bills mafia that I talked to over like social media for years uh were at that game and we all hung out and partied before and then after the game we were hanging out on uh Bourbon Street and somebody was like, "So when was the last time you were in Buffalo?" And I said, "I've never been to Buffalo." And they were like, "You're kidding me. You've never been. you've been a big fan for this long. You've never been to Buffalo. I said, "No." So, they said, "You know what? There's a game coming up in a couple weeks. I'm not going to be able to go. So, I want you to have the tickets. All you have to do is get there." Wow. So, uh and there's another creator, uh who recently had an experience just like that with, uh Bill's fans who they were like, "Yeah, you never been to Buffalo. Here's some tickets. Just get to the game. Just get to Buffalo and you can go." And it was an amazing experience for me. One, to be able to hang out with

like, "Yeah, you never been to Buffalo. Here's some tickets. Just get to the game. Just get to Buffalo and you can go." And it was an amazing experience for me. One, to be able to hang out with all these people that I had known online for years, but had never met in person. And two, to experience the generosity that they exude on a regular basis firsthand. Because this these are the people who, you know, when an opposing player gets injured, they donate money to his charity and like, you know, send their best wishes and like this just a a fan base of just one. As a matter of fact, the guy that does the Bills Mafia merch, Dell Reed, he's one of the uh originators of the Bills Mafia years ago on Twitter uh to where it is now. Is that they are the distributor of my merchandise. like this comes from all this stuff comes from like Bill's Mafia. It's I don't just like it's not just a a you know a fan thing for me. It's a family thing and that has been just an amazing part of this journey for me is that we are able to partner with Bill's Mafia in a way like that and be able to work do our philanthropy and like they do because a portion of the proceeds from their merch goes to charitable organizations. So now a portion of the proceeds from my merch goes to charitable organizations. So it's just it it's it's such it's just all of it's every time we encounter anyone who's a Bills fan who's from Buffalo, they're good people. It's just a good good community, good organization, and the loyalty. Like my my girlfriend, she wears the hat, the big hat and all the whole thing. Like it's the it's it's really an amazing thing. So before I ask my last question, Brian, do you have any more questions? I do. Uh, just to go back to your I think it was 33 years you said after you

amazing thing. So before I ask my last question, Brian, do you have any more questions? I do. Uh, just to go back to your I think it was 33 years you said after you bombed as an 11year-old, you got back up on the stage in San Diego. Your friend came down and you had to do 90 minutes. Did you actually Did you have to do 90 minutes? And how did that go? How did what was that like to get back on stage after all those years? 90 minutes seems like a hell of a long time. Yeah. Yeah. Well, I ended up doing a I think a something around a 20 30 minute set uh of comedy and then uh we like my wife and I have a podcast that we did at the time and we're going to start back doing it uh here soon called Hanging with the Harrisons where it's just basically us chatting uh for about an hour. So, we did uh around 20 minutes, 20 30 minutes of standup and then we did our podcast right after that, which was like getting back up and doing the standup uh in front of a crowd like that was crazy. And I I had so many emotions that were going on in my head and my body at the time. and to be back on stage to be doing comedy again after 33 years of like thinking of that one moment where I just was like done was it was emotional very emotional and the fact that I was able to have like friends and my wife and uh my old college friend uh there as well, meant a lot to me and having that support system there was part of what helped get me through that. And I look at that as the moment where a lot of what's going on right now really started to like catapult and go in an upward motion. So, it's it was a very surreal and emotional moment, but I wouldn't have traded it for the world. Yeah. Cool. Do you have any other questions? No. I mean, I I the one thing I keep

it's it was a very surreal and emotional moment, but I wouldn't have traded it for the world. Yeah. Cool. Do you have any other questions? No. I mean, I I the one thing I keep coming back to is just the fact that you're in the moment and present all the time and you appreciate everything that's happening and I I I have to think I I'm just thinking you're you grew up as this kid in Northern Louisiana and you've just taken on life and it's I just find that interesting. I'm I it's it's fascinating. It's cool. It's It's uh inspirational. I think it's it's motivational. You've you've taken on the world and and you're making it happen and it's cool. And you're making connections with genuine connections with a lot of people. I I just think that's cool. Yeah, it's it is. I I I can't That's a great word to describe it. I'm not even going to lie. My last question is always, where do you see yourself in five years? Um, where do I see myself in five years? I see myself continuing to spread light. I see myself whatever I'm doing because I like I I fully believe that social media is not the end all be all. That there is something out there for me, a purpose out there for me that goes beyond this. But whatever that thing is, I see myself spreading light, making people happy, loving on my wife and kids, and continuing to spread positivity in every single corner of the world. I see myself taking what I've learned and using it to help the next generation succeed. And I see myself being happy. That's perfect. I love that. That that's might be one of the best answers to that question. I have to be honest with you. That was perfect. I love that. I wish that all for you, Northern Light. And I think it's all it's all going to happen for you. I we can't thank you

question. I have to be honest with you. That was perfect. I love that. I wish that all for you, Northern Light. And I think it's all it's all going to happen for you. I we can't thank you enough for coming on and sharing so much time with us, sharing your story. We can't thank you enough because we know you're so busy and you have so much on your plate. that you took the time out to spend with us and and for our listeners to share your story um to give more of yourself to your fans who listen to this. You know, I I know that they are going to hang on every word and love every minute of it and it continue to be such an inspiration not only to our generation but to the younger generations to show when you hit this point in life, it's not the end, it's just the beginning. because like we said, you're still going. So, thank you. Yeah, thank you. Hey, thank you guys for having me. It has been an absolute joy. Uh because we've this has been like therapy for me because we've touched on a lot of stuff that I haven't thought about in a while. I'm like, "Wow, that that's that makes a lot of sense as to where I am now because of where I all of this started and came from." And to be able to go back through those moments and to relive them and to hash them out has given me a lot of perspective that I I probably really needed right now. So, thank you so much. I appreciate it. Thank you for having me. And uh if nobody's told you guys before today, I should say, you are loved. You're appreciated. You're important. You're more than enough exactly as you are. And always remember to be great. This has been a wonderful experience. Bless you guys. Thank you so much. We'll see you on the road. For sure. For sure. It's just Thank you so much. And to our listeners, we are

to be great. This has been a wonderful experience. Bless you guys. Thank you so much. We'll see you on the road. For sure. For sure. It's just Thank you so much. And to our listeners, we are going to put um in the show notes everywhere you can find Nick and also the Gen X Takeover Tour um connect the information there so you can find out the dates where they're going to be. But everything you want to know, every way you want to connect with him will be in the show notes. So, um, please check all of that out. Especially if this is your first time hearing about Nick and about Gen X Takeover Tour, you have got to check this out. It's a whole world of amazing, amazing, positive experiences and um, you will absolutely love it. So, again, thank you. Thank your wife for giving this time with us and the kids for giving up. And the kids, the kids ain't too much worried about it, but her, she's like I know. I know. So, please thank her in advance. And again, I like you just said, I see you from the start to hear it all makes sense. It's all connected and it makes perfect sense to me why you're continuing to find such such success in what you're doing. So, um we're honored that you you shared your story with us and with our listeners. So, thank you again. Thank you so much. I appreciate it. And to our listeners, we always welcome any comments and questions. And if you have any comments or questions for Nick, we will make sure that he sees them if you leave them. And we will see you next time. Bye.