Wayne Brady asks about using comedy to help

Wayne Brady, of "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" and the "What If?!" podcast, graces the Handsome hosts with a question about using laughter and comedy for good! Plus acting tips, Mae having a cry, cheapening the trauma, and more! Handsome is hosted by Tig Notaro, Mae Martin, and Fortune FeimsterFollow us on social media @handsomepodMerch at handsomepod.com http://handsomepod.com/Watch Handsome on YouTube http://youtube.com/@handsomepodThis is a Headgum https://headgum.com/ podcast. Follow Headgum on Twitter https://x.com/headgum, Instagram https://www.instagram.com/headgum/, and Tiktok https://www.tiktok.com/@headgum. Advertise on Handsome https://gumball.fm/shows/handsome via Gumball.fm http://gumball.fm/. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Speaker names marked ? are inferred from speaking time and the show’s known hosts — they are not voice-verified.

• 0:01Speaker 00

  This is a HeadGum Podcast.

• 0:04Mae Martin?

  Checking Allstate first could save you hundreds on car insurance. Not checking whether I brought my sunglasses before driving west at the end of the day? A learning moment. I'm gaining confidence in my driving, but it helps when I'm not blinded by the sun beaming directly into my eyeballs.

• 0:18Tig Notaro?

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• 0:35Mae Martin?

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• 0:48Fortune Feimster?

  Yeah, checking first is handsome, so check Allstate first for an auto quote. It could save you hundreds. You're in good hands with Allstate. Potential savings vary, subject to terms, conditions, and availability. Allstate North American Insurance Company and Affiliates, Northbrook, Illinois.

• 1:03Mae Martin?

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• 2:18Fortune Feimster?

  Welcome to the Handsapod. I'm Fortune Feimster.

• 2:21Tig Notaro?

  I am Tig Notaro.

• 2:23Mae Martin?

  And coming in from the rear, it's Mae Martin.

• 2:26Fortune Feimster?

  Choo choo.

• 2:27Tig Notaro?

  Good morning.

• 2:29Mae Martin?

  Morning.

• 2:29Tig Notaro?

  How's everyone doing? Fortune, your voice sounds a lot better.

• 2:32Fortune Feimster?

  I'm trying to sound sexy for you guys.

• 2:36Tig Notaro?

  Yes, bud, it's not working, but how is your voice?

• 2:41Fortune Feimster?

  Better.

• 2:42Tig Notaro?

  Yeah, you sound good.

• 2:44Mae Martin?

  It's getting back. Sounds smooth, buttery.

• 2:46Fortune Feimster?

  Thank you, guys. I appreciate that.

• 2:48Tig Notaro?

  And you have a lot, a lot of talking to do today.

• 2:50Fortune Feimster?

  Yep, I've got a full day of talking. It's weird to lose your voice when your entire job is talking.

• 2:56Tig Notaro?

  I know. Do you get tired of talking?

• 2:59Fortune Feimster?

  Oh, God, yes.

• 3:01Tig Notaro?

  Do you?

• 3:01Mae Martin?

  Really?

• 3:02Fortune Feimster?

  Yes.

• 3:04Mae Martin?

  Like, sick of your own voice?

• 3:06Fortune Feimster?

  Oh, yes.

• 3:07Mae Martin?

  Yeah.

• 3:07Fortune Feimster?

  But I also do a, I also do a two-hour radio show four days a week.

• 3:11Mae Martin?

  Right, right.

• 3:12Fortune Feimster?

  And I've done that for five years, so that feels like a lot of talking just with that alone.

• 3:18Tig Notaro?

  Yeah.

• 3:18Mae Martin?

  Do you guys hate when you're promoting something and you end up telling the same stories over and over and the sound of your voice gets so, like, nails on a chalkboard to yourself?

• 3:29Tig Notaro?

  Yeah, it's, um, I remember somebody criticized me because they had heard me in one interview and then heard me in another one. They were like, "Oh, you just have cut and paste answers, answering this." And it's like, I'm asked the same question and that is the answer.

• 3:50Mae Martin?

  Yeah.

• 3:51Tig Notaro?

  Like, what do I do? Do I make up a new answer?

• 3:55Mae Martin?

  Yeah.

• 3:56Tig Notaro?

  But yeah, it's, it's, it's definitely hard to repeat the same thing over and over. And then other times, it's very easy because I forget that I've already told the story.

• 4:08Mae Martin?

  Do I sound sexy?

• 4:09Fortune Feimster?

  Wait, you're, because your, your voice is deeper this morning?

• 4:13Mae Martin?

  Yeah.

• 4:14Tig Notaro?

  Why is it deeper?

• 4:15Mae Martin?

  Well, again, because I-

• 4:18Fortune Feimster?

  Cause you just woke up 10 minutes ago?

• 4:19Mae Martin?

  Less than 10 and um-

• 4:21Tig Notaro?

  Now, do you ever consider setting your alarm 10 minutes earlier? So you're not just waking up?

• 4:28Mae Martin?

  I hit snooze and then until you know what actually happened is I I woke up? Yeah, like in time and then I got a stressful text. And then I cried and then now I sound really sexy because my voice is deep from crying, sleeping and testosterone.

• 4:45Tig Notaro?

  Ah.

• 4:46Mae Martin?

  Yeah.

• 4:47Fortune Feimster?

  Why you, why is someone making you cry at 9:30 in the morning?

• 4:50Mae Martin?

  I know.

• 4:51Fortune Feimster?

  That's too early to cry.

• 4:53Mae Martin?

  Yeah, I know.

• 4:54Tig Notaro?

  What is the proper time to make somebody cry?

• 4:57Mae Martin?

  3:00 P M.

• 4:58Fortune Feimster?

  Not till I've had my coffee.

• 5:01Mae Martin?

  Yeah, exactly, yeah.

• 5:04Tig Notaro?

  What do you put in your coffee? Do you do sugar and cream or just cream or black?

• 5:09Fortune Feimster?

  It's just espresso. This is actually, I have three drinks today. This is my tea.

• 5:13Mae Martin?

  Whoa.

• 5:13Fortune Feimster?

  This is my coffee.

• 5:14Mae Martin?

  Triple fisting.

• 5:15Fortune Feimster?

  And this is my water.

• 5:17Mae Martin?

  Wow.

• 5:19Fortune Feimster?

  My coffee is just espresso with a little bit of oat milk and that's it. Cause I know oat milk has sugar in it, but I don't do uh sugar. I don't add any sugar, no cream. My tea today is the throat coat.

• 5:33Tig Notaro?

  Sure.

• 5:34Fortune Feimster?

  With a little lemon and a little bit of honey.

• 5:37Tig Notaro?

  Okay.

• 5:38Fortune Feimster?

  And my water is full of ice.

• 5:41Mae Martin?

  Yeah, do you crunch ice with your teeth or or no?

• 5:44Fortune Feimster?

  Um, I love ice, but I'm not necessarily crunching it the whole time.

• 5:48Tig Notaro?

  Oh, I used to be an ice cruncher.

• 5:50Mae Martin?

  Yeah, same.

• 5:51Fortune Feimster?

  I like my drinks cold, baby.

• 5:54Mae Martin?

  Well, I like my drinks like I like my women, cold and scary.

• 6:01Tig Notaro?

  Wait, what did you say, Fortune?

• 6:03Mae Martin?

  Cold and making me cry at 9:30 in the morning.

• 6:09Tig Notaro?

  Was it a romantic call that you got or text?

• 6:12Mae Martin?

  Of course, of course.

• 6:14Fortune Feimster?

  Yeah, this is making this little cowboy cry.

• 6:18Mae Martin?

  I got a big, I got a big bleeding heart.

• 6:21Fortune Feimster?

  I'm not making May cry.

• 6:25Fortune Feimster?

  I'll tell you that right now.

• 6:27Mae Martin?

  You will, you will.

• 6:28Fortune Feimster?

  Should we all just cry right now?

• 6:30Mae Martin?

  Okay.

• 6:31Tig Notaro?

  I'm not feeling even remotely sad.

• 6:34Fortune Feimster?

  Okay, I was just trying to be empathetic.

• 6:37Mae Martin?

  Do you think you could get there?

• 6:39Fortune Feimster?

  Uh, I could make myself cry. I don't want to right now, but I could.

• 6:43Mae Martin?

  Yeah.

• 6:43Tig Notaro?

  So are you, you're, you're, you're, you're that good of an actor where you can, you can go to it and you can cry?

• 6:51Fortune Feimster?

  I think I could get there, yes, but I don't, I'm not saying I'm that good of an actor, but I could get there.

• 6:57Tig Notaro?

  I feel like that's what you were saying.

• 6:58Fortune Feimster?

  No, I, I did have to do that on my food bar last season. And it is weird when all these people are staring at you, you're just gonna squeeze in your eyes.

• 7:09Mae Martin?

  Yeah, yeah.

• 7:10Fortune Feimster?

  So I finally had him give me the stick.

• 7:13Mae Martin?

  Yeah.

• 7:14Fortune Feimster?

  And it doesn't matter how, like, how many times everyone's like, you know what, it's not about the crying.

• 7:19Mae Martin?

  Like, sometimes it's more moving just to watch someone try not to cry. That's what they always say to me to take the pressure off. But you know, they're thinking, you better get some fucking tears out.

• 7:29Tig Notaro?

  And do you have trouble crying, May, when you're on set?

• 7:32Mae Martin?

  No, no. Well, I, I did actually this time, and it was like, I think it was because it was too dramatic, the, the scene. I don't want to give spoilers, but I'm like tied to a chair and it's like, I'm gonna maybe die and, and then I'm really supposed to like. Yeah, that's, yeah, that feels like a massive spoiler.

• 7:54Tig Notaro?

  No need to watch the show now.

• 7:56Fortune Feimster?

  No spoilers.

• 7:58Mae Martin?

  And I'm like, I mean, I'm in a really scary situation that I've never been in in my life. Like if I'm doing a breakup scene or something, I can cry because I've been through that so many times. But this was like so out of my experience and I'm like submerged in water, kind of. And there's like, and, and then so that I could hear the director, it was like really quiet and everyone's trying to be really respectful. So I can, you know, really get there. And then he goes, May, he's well, she goes, think about everyone. Sorry. Think about everyone who's ever abandoned you.

• 8:31Tig Notaro?

  Oh, my God.

• 8:32Mae Martin?

  He goes, May, just think about everyone in your life who's, who's ever abandoned you. And I

• 8:36Fortune Feimster?

  Some acting coaches would not like that.

• 8:39Mae Martin?

  Really? They'd be like

• 8:40Tig Notaro?

  An acting coach?

• 8:42Fortune Feimster?

  It depends on the acting coach. Some are, you know, want you to use real life. And some think that if you use your real traumas, it cheapens your own trauma and life experiences. If you're, if you're trying to access those to for a fake.

• 8:58Tig Notaro?

  God, I would love to cheapen my trauma.

• 9:01Mae Martin?

  Yeah, just take the edge off.

• 9:03Tig Notaro?

  Yeah, like, why not cheapen the trauma?

• 9:06Mae Martin?

  Yeah, that's so true.

• 9:07Tig Notaro?

  Why keep it built up?

• 9:10Fortune Feimster?

  Why preserve it like a

• 9:12Mae Martin?

  Use it for something good.

• 9:14Tig Notaro?

  Let's cheapen that. Let's take it down a notch.

• 9:17Mae Martin?

  Check the way at it.

• 9:19Tig Notaro?

  I really, I'm not sure I can follow that.

• 9:21Fortune Feimster?

  Pay for all those years of therapy. Yeah. It just depends on the person. Did you end up thinking about all the people that abandoned you?

• 9:30Mae Martin?

  Well, I started laughing and then that annoyed everyone. And then I tried to think about that and that didn't work. And then I, and then I sort of got choked up. But I, I do sometimes forget that like, acting is acting. Like you, you should, I should be thinking, oh, my God, I'm tied to a chair and I'm going to die. You know what I mean? And not being like, oh, who's abandoned me?

• 9:53Fortune Feimster?

  May, think about all the people who've abandoned you.

• 9:56Mae Martin?

  Who've abandoned you. And I wanted to be like, why do you think I've been abandoned? And then

• 10:02Tig Notaro?

  Nobody's left.

• 10:04Fortune Feimster?

  Yeah.

• 10:04Tig Notaro?

  Not a single person is left.

• 10:06Fortune Feimster?

  I'm totally fine.

• 10:08Mae Martin?

  Toni Collette had to, in the scene, she like slaps me. And this is again, a big spoiler.

• 10:13Fortune Feimster?

  Another spoiler.

• 10:15Mae Martin?

  I know. But I was like, can you just slap me, please? And she was like, no, I'm an actor. I was like, but I'm not good at acting and I don't know how to act being slapped. She was like, I'm not gonna slap you. I was like, please?

• 10:29Tig Notaro?

  And she wouldn't?

• 10:30Mae Martin?

  No, because she's a professional.

• 10:32Tig Notaro?

  Yeah.

• 10:33Mae Martin?

  But I don't know, maybe some people would have, but I was glad. It, it looks good on camera.

• 10:38Tig Notaro?

  I wouldn't have slapped you.

• 10:39Mae Martin?

  Fortune, would you?

• 10:40Fortune Feimster?

  Um, I, I would have been hesitant for sure.

• 10:44Tig Notaro?

  Fortune slaps us no matter what's going on. Fortune walks in the room, just slaps all of us silly, even Thomas knocks the glasses off his face. Mustache goes flying.

• 10:56Mae Martin?

  I would slap Fortune if she asked me, but I don't know if I could slap you, Tig.

• 11:00Tig Notaro?

  Why?

• 11:01Mae Martin?

  Because.

• 11:02Fortune Feimster?

  You might break your jaw.

• 11:03Mae Martin?

  Well.

• 11:07Fortune Feimster?

  I would just be.

• 11:08Tig Notaro?

  Picked you up and broke your rib.

• 11:13Mae Martin?

  Scared also you'd give me like a very deadpan look afterwards and I'd be like, I'd be scared. I feel like Fortune, if you were like.

• 11:20Tig Notaro?

  A deadpan look scares you?

• 11:22Mae Martin?

  Oh, yeah.

• 11:23Fortune Feimster?

  Well, yeah.

• 11:24Mae Martin?

  And delights me.

• 11:26Tig Notaro?

  Okay.

• 11:27Mae Martin?

  Yeah. Oh, that was good, Fortune. Was that your deadpan? It was more like this.

• 11:31Fortune Feimster?

  Deadpan. I do.

• 11:34Mae Martin?

  Yeah, yeah.

• 11:36Tig Notaro?

  What was the other one where you leaned forward? Was that an attempt at deadpan or what was it?

• 11:42Fortune Feimster?

  That was duck lips.

• 11:45Mae Martin?

  That was.

• 11:45Fortune Feimster?

  When I put on my lip taint.

• 11:51Fortune Feimster?

  We might need to have our own chapstick that says lip taint.

• 11:54Mae Martin?

  Oh, my God.

• 11:56Tig Notaro?

  I was telling Fortune, um, before you got on, May, that I do think that we should, when we do live. In person, in studio, how many more descriptive words can I use? Episodes that we should do makeup.

• 12:15Mae Martin?

  Tutorials?

• 12:16Tig Notaro?

  Tutorials, yeah.

• 12:18Mae Martin?

  Okay.

• 12:19Tig Notaro?

  And I'd be happy to be the one receiving the makeup, you know?

• 12:22Mae Martin?

  Wow, okay.

• 12:23Fortune Feimster?

  Oh, pretty little lady.

• 12:25Tig Notaro?

  Yeah.

• 12:26Fortune Feimster?

  Did my makeup routine inspire you?

• 12:28Tig Notaro?

  Yeah, when you had that little sponge thing.

• 12:31Fortune Feimster?

  Beauty blender.

• 12:33Tig Notaro?

  Beauty blender.

• 12:35Mae Martin?

  And are you open to some taint, Tig?

• 12:38Tig Notaro?

  I am, of course, open to some taint.

• 12:42Mae Martin?

  Fortune you're applying lotion there?

• 12:44Fortune Feimster?

  I am.

• 12:45Tig Notaro?

  And I just find, I'm endlessly amused that you both are such little makeup faces.

• 12:53Mae Martin?

  Princesses, yeah.

• 12:54Fortune Feimster?

  I'm a princess, Tig. Well, my grandmother always was very big on lotioning my hands.

• 13:04Mae Martin?

  Oh, she would do it to you?

• 13:06Fortune Feimster?

  Yeah, like.

• 13:07Tig Notaro?

  Is that why you started doing that to your friends that you had the hot spot?

• 13:10Fortune Feimster?

  You know what, Tig? I've never put that together, but maybe.

• 13:14Mae Martin?

  Because your grandma had the hot spot?

• 13:15Fortune Feimster?

  Because you're my best friend!

• 13:20Fortune Feimster?

  My grandmother would sneak attack me with lotion, though. She would have it in her hand and not tell me it was in her hand. And she'd grab my hand and then like, apply it to me.

• 13:29Mae Martin?

  Oh, my god.

• 13:30Fortune Feimster?

  Isn't that weird?

• 13:32Mae Martin?

  I want to do like a meet and greet with fans after a show and I'll have a bunch of lotion in my hands.

• 13:37Tig Notaro?

  Ooh.

• 13:38Mae Martin?

  Every time I shake their hand.

• 13:39Fortune Feimster?

  That would be so disgusting, not knowing that that's coming and from a person you don't know.

• 13:44Tig Notaro?

  You know what I loved doing when I was a kid? I would, um, I'd soak my hands just in the water fountain. And then I'd go up to a friend of mine, I'd grab their arm and be like, can you help me get my lunch money out of the toilet?

• 14:03Mae Martin?

  That's amazing.

• 14:04Tig Notaro?

  Gross.

• 14:06Mae Martin?

  That's so good.

• 14:07Fortune Feimster?

  Another classic Tig move.

• 14:09Tig Notaro?

  Classic, classic Tig. I mean, that's so fun.

• 14:14Mae Martin?

  That's really funny.

• 14:15Fortune Feimster?

  You should bring that back.

• 14:16Tig Notaro?

  I've done it a few times.

• 14:18Fortune Feimster?

  So do your Hollywood friends.

• 14:20Tig Notaro?

  Do it to Hollywood friends?

• 14:22Mae Martin?

  Yeah, like, how would Jennifer Aniston react?

• 14:25Fortune Feimster?

  Jen.

• 14:26Tig Notaro?

  Oh, honey.

• 14:29Tig Notaro?

  Tig.

• 14:30Fortune Feimster?

  I can't do it to her.

• 14:31Tig Notaro?

  Honey, no.

• 14:33Mae Martin?

  Do you ever, do you prank Max and Finn? It feels like it would be almost not pleasant because they're so pure that like...

• 14:41Tig Notaro?

  They prank.

• 14:43Mae Martin?

  Oh, they do?

• 14:44Tig Notaro?

  Yeah, they have whoopee cushions and they have those like buzzer handshakers and...

• 14:48Mae Martin?

  Yeah.

• 14:49Tig Notaro?

  But right now, I think I already told you, they're very into magic.

• 14:53Mae Martin?

  Hmm, there's nothing funnier than a kid with one of those hand buzzers where you can see it on their hand and also it's a child being like, can I shake your hand? And you're like, something's up here.

• 15:03Tig Notaro?

  Or when they're both trying to get you to sit on one particular cushion of the couch.

• 15:09Mae Martin?

  Yeah, yeah, yeah.

• 15:11Tig Notaro?

  And you can see the whoopee cushion.

• 15:13Fortune Feimster?

  I like it when a small town has like, one guy that everyone knows does magic.

• 15:19Tig Notaro?

  Hmm.

• 15:20Mae Martin?

  Is that a thing?

• 15:21Tig Notaro?

  I'm not familiar with it.

• 15:24Mae Martin?

  Yeah.

• 15:25Fortune Feimster?

  It wasn't my town.

• 15:26Mae Martin?

  So who's the magician in this town?

• 15:28Fortune Feimster?

  You know Joe, he always does magic tricks and tells jokes and I would love to be in a small town and be known as the guy that tells jokes and that has, does magic tricks.

• 15:39Mae Martin?

  Yeah.

• 15:40Tig Notaro?

  Well, what a life.

• 15:41Mae Martin?

  It feels like that's also the guy who they kind of uncover darker things about later.

• 15:47Tig Notaro?

  Oh, no, don't ruin it for me.

• 15:49Fortune Feimster?

  Sure, for sure.

• 15:51Mae Martin?

  Harmless Joe? Harmless Joe who does magic?

• 15:55Fortune Feimster?

  He used to tell this one joke, cause he would like, um, uh, do the hosting for like, the, the things in town and he would say like, "I took my wife to go get some ice cream. We went to Baskin Robbins. Thirty-one flavors. You can get any flavor you want. She picked vanilla."

• 16:16Mae Martin?

  What? Wait, that was his big joke that you remember?

• 16:23Tig Notaro?

  She picked vanilla.

• 16:25Mae Martin?

  And is the joke that his wife is?

• 16:27Fortune Feimster?

  I think he set it up better, but.

• 16:31Mae Martin?

  God.

• 16:32Tig Notaro?

  As a professional comedian, you couldn't.

• 16:35Mae Martin?

  And couldn't spruce that up?

• 16:36Fortune Feimster?

  I think he drove hours. I think he drove hours for it to take her. I left that part out.

• 16:40Mae Martin?

  Oh, okay.

• 16:42Tig Notaro?

  She chose vanilla.

• 16:44Fortune Feimster?

  She chose vanilla.

• 16:46Mae Martin?

  I think he was like, I was expecting it to be the type of joke that is like a dad joke with a really clear punchline. But actually, it's more of an anecdotal, like he drove her hours. There's all these options.

• 16:57Fortune Feimster?

  Exactly.

• 16:58Mae Martin?

  I could actually listen to like that as a 20 minute story.

• 17:02Tig Notaro?

  There you go. Is there more?

• 17:04Mae Martin?

  Yeah.

• 17:05Tig Notaro?

  Sure there was.

• 17:06Mae Martin?

  How long they've been married?

• 17:07Fortune Feimster?

  I don't remember a single other joke he told, but that one always stood out to me.

• 17:14Fortune Feimster?

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• 17:29Mae Martin?

  Yeah, checking first is handsome, so check Allstate first for an auto quote. It could save you hundreds. You're in good hands with Allstate. Potential savings vary, subject to terms, conditions, and availability. Allstate North American Insurance Company and affiliates, Northbrook, Illinois.

• 17:43Tig Notaro?

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• 18:33Tig Notaro?

  When refreshing your home this holiday season, Wayfair delivers exactly what you need. Head to wayfair.com to shop all things home. That's W A Y F A I R dot com.

• 18:49Fortune Feimster?

  There's nothing quite like having pieces in your closet you love and know that you can count on for any occasion, except maybe giving someone else that same feeling. This holiday season, Quince is where I'm finding those pieces. Quince makes elevated everyday essentials using premium materials like Mongolian cashmere, organic cotton, and premium stretch denim.

• 19:10Tig Notaro?

  Let me tell you about my jeans. I got a pair of the Luna Stretch Slim Straight Jeans for only 50 bucks compared to that $235. Compare that to $235 at traditional retail. They're quickly turning into my favorite thing to cover my legs with. I'm gonna pick up some more pairs because Quince has tons of color options as well.

• 19:34Fortune Feimster?

  Give the gift of quality this holiday season. Download the Quince app for app exclusive offers or go to quince.com. Get free shipping on your order and 365 day returns. Now available in Canada and the UK too. And when Quince asks where you heard about them, let them know it was handsome. It's the best way to support the show.

• 19:55Tig Notaro?

  How about when you're on a flight and there's flight attendants that are funny?

• 20:01Fortune Feimster?

  When they do their security and stuff?

• 20:02Tig Notaro?

  Yeah, yeah.

• 20:03Fortune Feimster?

  Yeah, love it.

• 20:04Fortune Feimster?

  I don't mind. I did have a flight attendant once. This was back in my, I think Chelsea lately days. I was sitting on the window, at the window and my row was full. And she said, can I see you in the back, please? And I thought I was in trouble. And I was like, oh, okay, so I have to climb out past these two guys. Go to the back and she wanted to show me YouTube videos that she'd made.

• 20:32Mae Martin?

  No.

• 20:33Fortune Feimster?

  Wanted to get my opinion.

• 20:37Mae Martin?

  Can I see you in the back, please? And you're not even sitting on an aisle?

• 20:40Fortune Feimster?

  I'm not even in an aisle. I have to make people get up and so I can go back there and I, and she goes, she wanted me to tell her if they were funny. And they were terrible. And I was like,

• 20:54Fortune Feimster?

  I don't know what to say.

• 20:56Tig Notaro?

  What did you say?

• 20:57Fortune Feimster?

  Cause you, I mean, I'm very polite. I think I was like,

• 21:01Mae Martin?

  These are incredible.

• 21:02Fortune Feimster?

  Listen, you're doing it. That's what you gotta do is you gotta do it. Listen, I see that you,

• 21:09Tig Notaro?

  You captured something.

• 21:10Fortune Feimster?

  You got a camera. You did it. You filmed it. You put it up. You did it.

• 21:15Mae Martin?

  Oh my God.

• 21:16Tig Notaro?

  That is so rough.

• 21:19Fortune Feimster?

  I don't even think she gave me any free chips or anything.

• 21:23Tig Notaro?

  Oh my God. I was on a flight and they, um, I don't know. They didn't even tell me that they knew who I was. They were just like throwing treats at me.

• 21:33Mae Martin?

  And you're right. And you were like,

• 21:38Tig Notaro?

  We're transporting this seal from LA to New York.

• 21:44Tig Notaro?

  And I also felt bad because half of them weren't vegan. You know, and I didn't want to like, be like, oh, I'm a vegan person.

• 21:54Mae Martin?

  You should have thrown them right back and been like, you're obviously not that big a fan.

• 21:58Tig Notaro?

  Yeah.

• 21:59Mae Martin?

  That's right.

• 21:59Tig Notaro?

  Try Googling me.

• 22:01Fortune Feimster?

  I've been on a flight with Tidge and there was no vegan option.

• 22:05Mae Martin?

  Really?

• 22:06Fortune Feimster?

  Sad time.

• 22:07Tig Notaro?

  Wow. Wait, what happened? You were on a flight with me and there was no vegan option?

• 22:11Mae Martin?

  You don't know this?

• 22:12Tig Notaro?

  No.

• 22:13Fortune Feimster?

  This was years ago. We weren't flying together. I think we just happened to be on the same flight.

• 22:17Tig Notaro?

  Yeah. Yeah.

• 22:18Mae Martin?

  I would lose my mind if I showed up and I sat down in my seat and one of you was sitting a few rows away. I would lose my mind.

• 22:27Fortune Feimster?

  If it was just, we didn't know we were on the same flight?

• 22:30Mae Martin?

  Yeah. I love that kind of thing. I'd be taking pictures the whole time.

• 22:33Fortune Feimster?

  Yeah.

• 22:34Mae Martin?

  In the back of your head.

• 22:34Fortune Feimster?

  Keep it handsome.

• 22:37Mae Martin?

  I'd tell them, I'd tell the flight attendant that it was your birthday and you wanted to meet the pilot.

• 22:42Fortune Feimster?

  Oh my god.

• 22:44Tig Notaro?

  But that, that, that we were too shy to ask.

• 22:47Fortune Feimster?

  I had to in that cockpit and I was like, should I?

• 22:51Mae Martin?

  Fortune, Murray.

• 22:52Fortune Feimster?

  Okay, not the, nay.

• 22:55Mae Martin?

  Wait, you were, you were allowed to go into the cockpit?

• 22:58Fortune Feimster?

  Yeah, the pilot was like a fan and said, come back here. And I was like, mm, why is everybody making me go to places on the plane?

• 23:10Tig Notaro?

  Is this all you dreamed of?

• 23:11Fortune Feimster?

  Can I just sit down?

• 23:16Fortune Feimster?

  And then, yeah, so he had me sit in the seat and we took a picture, but I'm like.

• 23:19Tig Notaro?

  While you were flying?

• 23:21Fortune Feimster?

  No, we were on the ground.

• 23:22Mae Martin?

  Okay, okay. I was, I was really stressed.

• 23:25Fortune Feimster?

  God, no. I don't think, I think no one is allowed up there. They lock the door now.

• 23:29Tig Notaro?

  I would hope so.

• 23:31Mae Martin?

  Yeah.

• 23:31Tig Notaro?

  Isn't it crazy how loosey goosey it used to be at the airport?

• 23:35Mae Martin?

  Yes, like people.

• 23:37Fortune Feimster?

  I remember just wanting to go pick people up. That was so fun.

• 23:41Tig Notaro?

  Gate.

• 23:42Mae Martin?

  Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And, and kids would go like sit on the pilot's lap and stuff. And yeah, it was very.

• 23:48Fortune Feimster?

  And they kept those, and the doors were always open.

• 23:51Mae Martin?

  Yeah.

• 23:51Fortune Feimster?

  To the, you could wave to the pilot.

• 23:53Tig Notaro?

  And now I always find it hilarious that when the pilot has to come out to go to the bathroom, the flight attendant rolls the cart to block the walkway to get to.

• 24:04Mae Martin?

  Yeah.

• 24:05Tig Notaro?

  And it's like, but also like if you're really wanting to do some damage, you know, the flight attendant standing there with the food cart probably isn't gonna hold anyone back.

• 24:18Mae Martin?

  He'd be like, god damn it, foiled again.

• 24:20Fortune Feimster?

  Enough time to yell, help.

• 24:23Tig Notaro?

  Yeah. The other thing that concerns me flying is, um, when the flight attendants say, we're mainly here for your, your safety.

• 24:34Tig Notaro?

  But if there's anything, we can get you. And then half the time, if you look down, a flight attendant will have a skirt on and heels. And I'm looking at that thinking, if there is an emergency, what are you going to do in a skirt and heels?

• 24:51Fortune Feimster?

  You better pop off those kitten heels and start running.

• 24:54Tig Notaro?

  But true, and but if there's like fire or like broken pieces of something, if she kicks off her kitten heels, we're still in trouble.

• 25:04Fortune Feimster?

  Yeah, true.

• 25:05Tig Notaro?

  You know?

• 25:06Fortune Feimster?

  I didn't really think about that stuff till all this stuff lately. And now I'm like, oh, keep your seatbelt on.

• 25:12Tig Notaro?

  Yeah.

• 25:13Fortune Feimster?

  Like, I'm thinking about all the safety stuff now, but for years I flew and was like, didn't think twice about it, but.

• 25:19Tig Notaro?

  Yeah. Wait, so you didn't wear your seatbelt before and now you do?

• 25:23Fortune Feimster?

  No, I would wear it, but there would be times mid-flight, you know, where I wouldn't think about it.

• 25:28Tig Notaro?

  Yeah.

• 25:29Fortune Feimster?

  Oh, now I'm like, this baby's staying on the whole time.

• 25:32Mae Martin?

  It always makes me laugh when you see on, especially like,

• 25:39Mae Martin?

  like sort of smaller European flights, when there's like a drunk belligerent passenger, like a British tourist going to Greece or something. There's always a video where they've restrained the passenger, but by like duct taping them to a chair or something like they like they restrain them in their chair.

• 25:55Fortune Feimster?

  Duck taping people to a chair. I'm not gonna lie. That's pretty funny.

• 25:59Mae Martin?

  Yeah. Is there, is there a lawn mower?

• 26:03Tig Notaro?

  Yes, my gardener is.

• 26:07Fortune Feimster?

  Stephanie's not mowing the lawn?

• 26:09Tig Notaro?

  That's what I mean, is Stephanie is mowing the lawn.

• 26:15Fortune Feimster?

  Love if Stephanie mows the lawn. And she came in all sweaty, like, what are you doing?

• 26:22Mae Martin?

  Yeah, with like a trucker hat on and she's, it's like one of those lawn mowers that you ride.

• 26:27Fortune Feimster?

  Oh, my gosh. I just finished my morning gardening and lawn mowing.

• 26:33Fortune Feimster?

  I don't know, we have some pretty butch listeners that do do that.

• 26:38Tig Notaro?

  That mow their own lawn?

• 26:39Fortune Feimster?

  Oh, yeah, a lot of them.

• 26:40Tig Notaro?

  For sure.

• 26:42Mae Martin?

  The height, the height of butchers.

• 26:44Fortune Feimster?

  I think it's an LA thing that a lot of people don't mow their own lawn.

• 26:48Tig Notaro?

  Oh, my gosh, we had this neighbor move in that it was so funny because he was clearly either not from the area, or I don't know what was going on, but I had not seen anyone mow their lawn before. And he was so out of control with his lawn mower because our yards, our yards are are flat, but then they they kind of ramp down to the sidewalk, you know, so we're a little bit up. And he had his brand new lawn mower and he would mow it and then he'd go down the hill and he'd lose full control of it and try and pull it back up. And meanwhile, everyone else had their gardeners working on their yard.

• 27:32Tig Notaro?

  And this guy's like, and then soon after that, he never mowed his lawn again.

• 27:38Fortune Feimster?

  That is so.

• 27:39Mae Martin?

  Oh, man.

• 27:39Fortune Feimster?

  For those that don't know, in LA, there's like a bazillion lawn services, like in every neighborhood, it's just part of LA life.

• 27:50Tig Notaro?

  Yeah.

• 27:50Fortune Feimster?

  I've never seen it anywhere. I mean, um, yeah, back home, we always had to mow our own lawns.

• 27:56Tig Notaro?

  For sure.

• 27:57Fortune Feimster?

  That was the kid's job.

• 27:59Tig Notaro?

  It wasn't just butchy people. My kids are trying to figure out good summer and winter jobs coming up.

• 28:06Mae Martin?

  Oh, business ideas.

• 28:08Fortune Feimster?

  Lemonade stand.

• 28:09Tig Notaro?

  Well, they've done lemonade.

• 28:11Mae Martin?

  In Toronto, in the winter, it's um, snow shoveling, like shovel people's driveways. I have such like vivid memories of getting up for school in the morning and my poor dad, like still in his pajamas out, like scraping snow off the car and like

• 28:25Tig Notaro?

  Yeah.

• 28:26Mae Martin?

  scraping the window with that little guy that gets the ice off.

• 28:33Tig Notaro?

  Well, I was suggesting that they go ask neighbors if they can water their flowers or, you know, things like that. I don't, I don't know, but they uh, they want to do something for between a dollar and three dollars, they said.

• 28:48Fortune Feimster?

  That's a good goal.

• 28:49Mae Martin?

  Per day?

• 28:50Tig Notaro?

  I, I don't know.

• 28:51Fortune Feimster?

  Per activity, I believe.

• 28:55Tig Notaro?

  I don't know, but they were just talking about it last night. I wonder if I can think of something I need done.

• 29:02Fortune Feimster?

  They go up to your neighbors and they're like, hey, guys, can you Venmo us $5?

• 29:09Tig Notaro?

  Well, I don't know if I've told you about the junk sale that they've done. No, just stuff they find in the house or what? Not just stuff they find in the house, but they'll even find an in and out burger straw wrapper and put that up for sale. And our neighbors are so, oh, and then cherry pits, like cherry seeds. Oh, my God. They'll just have like ones that they spit out that they put in a baggie and then they they'll just put prices on all of this stuff, like a twig they find. And our neighbors are so nice. They'll come over and they will buy stuff.

• 29:53Tig Notaro?

  They'll be like, wow, so $10 for your cherry seeds. And Finn's like, yeah, that's right. Oh, my God.

• 30:02Fortune Feimster?

  Your neighbor should haggle.

• 30:03Tig Notaro?

  Well, and that's the thing is we told Max and Finn about hag, or somebody mentioned haggling and then they came in, they were like, well, that's haggling. So anyway, it's, they've made some pretty good cash off of our neighbors. Oh, one neighbor went to get money out of his pocket and I honestly, it was like lint or something fell out of his pocket. And then they were like, oh, we could sell this too. No way. They have like a sense of humor about it, but they really are, you know, jacking those prices up and just selling junk. And some things they'll draw a picture, they'll put that up for sale and whatever.

• 30:48Fortune Feimster?

  Now, that's pretty, that one I would purchase.

• 30:52Tig Notaro?

  We had a competition the other day where all four of us had to draw something. And then Max and Finn put each picture down that all four of us drew. And then they put a cat. A treat on top of each drawing and then brought the cats over to see who whose picture would win the competition.

• 31:15Mae Martin?

  That's so good.

• 31:17Tig Notaro?

  And it's just based on what cat ate the treat off of the and no cat ate the treat. Just kind of slowly stepped around the drawings and left.

• 31:27Mae Martin?

  Really? They were repulsed by the drawings?

• 31:29Tig Notaro?

  Yes, they were not good drawings.

• 31:37Tig Notaro?

  Should we see who our question asker is?

• 31:42Mae Martin?

  Absolutely.

• 31:43Fortune Feimster?

  Today's question asker is a comedian, actor and singer who became known across the world as a member of the improv TV show, Whose Line Is It Anyway? He's hosted Let's Make a Deal for the last 15 years. He's performed in musicals like Kinky Boots, The Wiz and Hamilton, and is the winner of five Emmy Awards.

• 32:08Fortune Feimster?

  In addition to two Grammy nominations.

• 32:11Tig Notaro?

  He's also a host of the new podcast, What If with Wayne Brady?

• 32:16Fortune Feimster?

  Wayne Brady is asking today's question.

• 32:19Speaker 05

  Hey y'all, what's up Tig, May, Fortune? A question for you. In the day and age in which we find ourselves with the government that we find ourselves with and the world being what it is, how do you use your art and your sense of humor to help yourself and to help others?

• 32:42Fortune Feimster?

  That's a nice question.

• 32:44Tig Notaro?

  That is a nice question. What do you got for us, May?

• 32:48Mae Martin?

  I don't know what he's referring to with the state of the world. I think everything's great.

• 32:53Tig Notaro?

  The state of the world is so fine right now.

• 32:55Mae Martin?

  Yeah, oh man. I don't know, I struggle, I mean, I struggle with, there's different ways to approach it, right? Like we on, we're on this podcast, I feel like we're kind of a refuge from all that of just like silliness and, and then, I don't know, some, sometimes I.

• 33:15Mae Martin?

  I mean, you just feel it. It shows, don't you? It's like a little microcosm of society. And it's like, it is so unifying and like people feel human and like we have shared interests. Sometimes I talk directly about things going on in the world. Sometimes.

• 33:31Tig Notaro?

  Yeah.

• 33:32Mae Martin?

  Done.

• 33:33Tig Notaro?

  Like, how in-depth do you feel like you go into what's going on in the world?

• 33:37Mae Martin?

  I used to do that a lot more. And then I felt like, oh, maybe it's more subversive to not talk about things like identity, politics, and things like that, because it feels like a losing battle, because then people go, oh, they never shut up about that. You know what I mean? But then recently, with everything going on, and I've been talking about it more, like when I was promoting the album, I was like, I was going on the, like, like TV shows to promote it. And the questions were often like, why? Yeah, why did you write this album? Or why now? Like the music album? And the big part of the answer is, like, I had top surgery, and I don't think I would have been confident enough to do the album. Like, it felt directly connected.

• 34:19Mae Martin?

  Like, I wrote it right after that. And so I was like, fuck, in this time in the world, even though it's so tense, that felt like important to talk about that if there is like a, you know, trans agenda that everybody's scared of. It's literally just people trying to be their most confident, happy, creative selves. So I did try not to shy away from that stuff, you know?

• 34:46Tig Notaro?

  Hmm. And that's helpful to you and to people that are...

• 34:50Mae Martin?

  I don't know if it's helpful to me. It's stressful. It's scary. Like, it's, it's a hostile environment out there. But it felt important. Yeah.

• 34:58Tig Notaro?

  Hmm. And when you say scary, what is the ultimate fear of? Or what have you experienced?

• 35:07Mae Martin?

  Anytime, I mean, people coming for you online, like, pretty constantly. Anytime, like...

• 35:13Mae Martin?

  You know, other people's fanbases get mobilized against you.

• 35:18Fortune Feimster?

  Hmm.

• 35:19Mae Martin?

  That's intense. And then also, yeah, just these days with the like scary legislation and about what

• 35:25Fortune Feimster?

  Yeah.

• 35:26Mae Martin?

  you can say and stuff. And then with the going through immigration from Canada and being like, if you, I don't know, is that going to be a problem? Like that if you Googled me and I was outspoken about something like it's getting so. Anyway.

• 35:40Fortune Feimster?

  Right.

• 35:40Tig Notaro?

  Hmm.

• 35:41Mae Martin?

  Yeah.

• 35:41Fortune Feimster?

  There's unpredictable times too.

• 35:43Mae Martin?

  Yeah, yeah. Anyway, I love it. I was like, well, we're a refuge from that stuff.

• 35:50Fortune Feimster?

  Well, I mean, this is what you're dealing with as a human.

• 35:53Mae Martin?

  Yeah, in general, like, I think comedy is just a really wonderful way to let get people's defenses down. And then, and then kind of connect people. But how, yeah, how do you specifically feel like you? Help?

• 36:11Tig Notaro?

  Hmm. I mean, I've certainly, I've been so helped and saved and inspired by so many musicians and comedians and

• 36:28Tig Notaro?

  but it's, it's so, for some reason, it's, it's been a a harder thing for me to accept when people say that I've done that for them.

• 36:42Tig Notaro?

  Because to me, it's like, oh, I'm just talking and sharing what I went through or what I'm seeing and feeling. And I know that's what musicians and people do. But when it's me doing it, it's, it's been hard for me to really grasp that I've made any sort of impact on anybody. Because half the time I'm like, oh, that was just something silly, or I was just trying to make light of, of, you know. And I think it was actually during the pandemic that I really realized.

• 37:19Tig Notaro?

  Wow, yeah, I can see how

• 37:24Tig Notaro?

  what I'm doing, what other comedians, what people are doing that um really do make a change in people's life and um

• 37:35Mae Martin?

  Yeah.

• 37:36Tig Notaro?

  But also it's walking that really fine line of like not taking myself too seriously. I don't think I'm like anybody's savior. But it is, so I I struggle with that where people are like, oh, my gosh, thank you. You saved my life or, oh, my gosh, you changed the and and I'm like, oh, thank, I'm I'm so glad. And and then I think about the people that have changed my life or saved me through their art. It's no joke.

• 38:08Mae Martin?

  Yeah.

• 38:08Tig Notaro?

  And it's hard to put it on to I've done that for somebody else.

• 38:13Mae Martin?

  And it's crazy. It's kind of absurd and hard to process that we still live in a time where like just visibility just is is still so limited that like it is meaningful to have someone living a happy, confident life and being themselves and

• 38:30Tig Notaro?

  For sure.

• 38:31Mae Martin?

  You know what I mean? Yeah. Like it shouldn't it shouldn't still be that way, but it is.

• 38:34Tig Notaro?

  Yeah. And I think when it's just like a part of day to day, and this is my job and this is my life, but I what I'm doing, I do for myself. Whatever I'm sharing, whatever I'm joking about, any story I'm telling or whatever's going on. I'm not doing anything for the audience. I'm doing it solely because I want to share this or I want to talk about it. I'm going through this. I think this is funny. But um, I think that's most important for it to really translate and land for somebody. And that's when it's nice is when it does resonate with others. But I'm still, I still grapple with.

• 39:21Tig Notaro?

  Accepting that I've made a big impact on people sometimes.

• 39:26Fortune Feimster?

  Well, your ultimate sharing of a real life event was the I have cancer. You know, set from Largo. That was a big one.

• 39:38Tig Notaro?

  Yes, for sure. And I, you know, that, that was certainly not for the audience. That was, that was really me in the moment struggling. And as time has gone on, I thought, I think I really was reaching out for help too, when I, you know, I'd lost my mother and my girlfriend and I was really sick and I wanted to talk about it. And I think I was really relying on that audience.

• 40:03Fortune Feimster?

  Yeah.

• 40:04Tig Notaro?

  For a lot and they really did pull me through.

• 40:07Fortune Feimster?

  Steps up, yeah.

• 40:08Tig Notaro?

  Yeah, they really did. And it's so amazing when I run into some of the people that happen to be in that audience. And oddly enough, the director of the Andrea Gibson documentary, Come See Me in the Good Light, he was in that audience before I knew him.

• 40:25Fortune Feimster?

  Yeah.

• 40:26Tig Notaro?

  Yeah, wild.

• 40:27Fortune Feimster?

  What about you, Fortune? Yeah, I mean, kind of like what Tig said, it's just providing levity is kind of what I see as my job. I don't really get a lot into politics and some people are critical of that. But I've not shied away from things I believe in or speaking out when I think something's wrong. A lot of people know where I stand. I've not hidden that. When I've spoken out for our community and just human rights in general. But there are things that I'm not qualified to talk about and I don't believe, you know, a lot of people just think because you're a celebrity, you should weigh in on everything and I don't believe in that.

• 41:12Fortune Feimster?

  I don't believe in speaking on things I'm ignorant about just because I have a platform. I think that does more harm than good. I would rather speak out on things that I'm qualified or at least have experience with. Because yeah, I don't want to just like talk to talk because it's not helping.

• 41:32Fortune Feimster?

  And especially if you don't have facts or information.

• 41:35Tig Notaro?

  There's also such, there's so many nuanced elements.

• 41:39Fortune Feimster?

  Exactly.

• 41:40Tig Notaro?

  To so many different topics that it makes it really difficult.

• 41:47Fortune Feimster?

  Yeah, because then people are like, well, do you know about this, this and this? Like, I didn't, I didn't know. You know what I mean? It's like, I just spoke because you, you know, there's this pressure to do so. I don't believe in that, but

• 41:58Fortune Feimster?

  what I do is tell stories and try to make people happy. That's what I want to be is providing positivity. Like, you can go to other comics who are very well versed on these other big things in the world. And that's who you should listen to for that thing, you know?

• 42:18Tig Notaro?

  If that's what you're looking for, is a comedian's point of view about these big issues, then that is where you should go.

• 42:25Fortune Feimster?

  Yeah, you know, like, I want to hear from this person about that thing. For me, I'm just like-

• 42:29Tig Notaro?

  You don't go to the person that's taking care of biscuits.

• 42:32Fortune Feimster?

  That's right. Thank you, Tig. I'm taking care of biscuits.

• 42:37Tig Notaro?

  Yeah, everyone's doing their thing. Fortune's taking care of biscuits.

• 42:40Fortune Feimster?

  That's right. So, you know, every tour I go to about a hundred cities. And so I'm not shying away from any, any red state. I go into all these places that, and I get a lot of fans going, why would you go to such and such city? Why would you go there? Why would you go there? They need it. They need it, you know? They need representation. They need different voices coming in there. And, you know, obviously, a lot of people coming to the show know me, so they're already thinking similarly to me. But there are a lot of theaters that people just go because they like that theater or they wanted something fun to do that night. And so- I'm telling a story of who I am. Here's who I am. This is my life.

• 43:24Fortune Feimster?

  I'm married, you know, and there is power in just sharing your story. That makes someone who might have been, say, they were afraid of gay people or didn't understand gay people. Where they can go, oh, I relate to what that person's saying, like. Our lives aren't that different. And it opens up some people's minds, not everyone. Um, and I think there is power in that, just sharing your story. I did a show in Nashville during the times where they, they were coming for drag queens, you know, it was this huge thing and. You know, I said in the room, I was like, I can't change legislation.

• 44:04Fortune Feimster?

  I can't come into your city and make any difference with what's happening in the government. What I can do is have a room of 3,000 people in this city. Who you know is an ally. In this room, you can look left and right and see people who are gonna have your back. And go out into the, this city and look out for each other, you know, that, that's something, there's something cool about. Gathering those spaces of, of people who, you know, aren't agreeing with what's happening in the legislation. They can go out and try to make a difference. They can get empowered in that room with the energy and love and positivity. And they go out into their community and, and try to help make those changes.

• 44:49Fortune Feimster?

  So I'm just trying to provide a space that's positive and happy. And, and when you're in those rooms, when you're in these shows, there is this feeling of just like. Every, every theater I do, the people that work there say, I can't explain it. There's something in this room that is so happy and joyful and positive.

• 45:10Mae Martin?

  Yeah.

• 45:10Fortune Feimster?

  And they go, I just feel so good tonight. And that's, that's what I want to provide people and that, that brings me a lot of joy.

• 45:18Mae Martin?

  That's a powerful type of resistance when, especially when the government like uses fear tactics so consistently and is. Like, yeah, to push back with just joy and community.

• 45:30Tig Notaro?

  Well, that's like, you hear so many times that just showing up is a political statement. And that's, it's very true. It's, it's very true. Um, the visibility and.

• 45:40Mae Martin?

  I do sometimes feel like I could do more, though, and, and, and like, I should be more organized in my activism and things like that. So I'm, I feel like I'm constantly learning as well. And also as the world changes and who knows how things are gonna be, like, I guess we'll all have to like, be constantly learning.

• 45:58Tig Notaro?

  I think there's also an unfortunate element to social media where people are saying, you know, like you were saying, Fortune, why aren't you speaking out? Or you have this platform and it's like, social media isn't the only platform. There are in-person appearances that you make. There are, you know, charity events. There's all sorts of ways that you use your platform. And social media isn't the only platform. And so much of what's going on on social media is the shallow back and forth arguing about these different views.

• 46:40Tig Notaro?

  And meanwhile, if you're not on social media and you're out making appearances, donating your time, money, it's almost like it's fine and you're doing a great job as long as you don't have social media. But if you have social media and you're not directing all of your energy to that platform, then it's as though you're not doing anything if you're not on there arguing back and forth with people.

• 47:11Mae Martin?

  Yeah, it's a tough, it's a very tough balance. Like, like I know, like Fortune, you were directing people to where they could donate, or I think we all were, where they could donate for certain things. But it is like, there are people I think who are using a ton of their energy every day just reposting, resharing, just, and if you directed that energy to some initiative in the real world, that sometimes would be.

• 47:34Tig Notaro?

  Yeah.

• 47:34Mae Martin?

  But it's tough, though, because you, we also do need.

• 47:37Tig Notaro?

  Yeah.

• 47:37Mae Martin?

  People do get their information from.

• 47:39Tig Notaro?

  For sure.

• 47:40Mae Martin?

  From social media sometimes, so.

• 47:42Fortune Feimster?

  Yeah, it's such a small sect of people, though, too. There's something about not on it that people forget. This isn't the actual world.

• 47:50Tig Notaro?

  Right, for sure. That is what blows my mind is I remember somebody. I, this was years ago when I was on Facebook. Uh, I still have an account, but I, I always say I go on there like once or twice a year to see who died. That's horrible, but anyway, um, I went on Facebook. Like, like I said, six months, 12 months, uh, uh, uh, later. And, um, somebody had posted about somebody else who did something terrible. And they were like, if I see anybody is still friends with them on Facebook, I am writing you off in the real world. I want, and I was like, I haven't even been on.

• 48:32Fortune Feimster?

  Right.

• 48:32Tig Notaro?

  I haven't even been on here. And like, and it really highlighted that people are so, so neck deep in social media that they don't even realize that some people aren't, I haven't even been on here. Like, and, and of course I wasn't really worried about this person blackballing me in life. But, uh, it just, it, it was so, I had just thought it was so.

• 49:01Fortune Feimster?

  Yeah.

• 49:01Tig Notaro?

  Kind of silly.

• 49:02Fortune Feimster?

  People have ended friendships over like stupid social media stuff. It's like, but it isn't like May was saying, it is nice to have, um, one benefit of sharing your art is gaining a platform and, um, being able to use that platform. Like when there was the hurricane to say, you know, donate here, do this and the fires, this person needs help. That is a really cool byproduct to be able to like, um, mobilize to help other people.

• 49:38Tig Notaro?

  And by the way, the people that were dealing with the hurricanes and the fires are still dealing with it. And still need help. All of that gets so immediately highlighted and, you know, talked about. And then it's, and then everybody moves on. And, uh, so just remember.

• 49:58Fortune Feimster?

  Well, I saved everything because I did Celebrity Jeopardy and I got to donate $30,000.

• 50:04Tig Notaro?

  Oh, yeah. So I fixed it all. You fixed it. Well, thank you, Fortune.

• 50:08Fortune Feimster?

  You're welcome.

• 50:08Mae Martin?

  I always feel like the, the big thing is voting. Like that's the, if everyone voted, we'd be fine. Like if, if all, you know, so it's around elections and stuff. That's when I'm like, we all gotta. Seriously, because that might make a difference if someone like I like when Taylor Swift was like, not that we're Taylor Swift, but when Taylor Swift was like, vote, I imagine a lot of young people voted because she said that.

• 50:35Tig Notaro?

  For sure. So let's pull a Taylor Swift and say, vote next time you can.

• 50:40Fortune Feimster?

  You talk about, you know, that that does require a lot of courage for someone like, I mean, some people might not think that like, oh, what, who cares? But, you know, it's very divisive this, these days to say who you're voting for. And she has this huge platform of people that vote and think different ways than that. So for her to speak out is brave, you know? I think about, I've talked about her before, but Natalie Maines with the chicks and what they went through. I didn't know them when that whole controversy happened, but, you know, she was on stage and just said something that in these days would be considered not scandalous at all.

• 51:25Fortune Feimster?

  And then their entire career was.

• 51:28Mae Martin?

  Well, she told that story. She told the story about her wife went to Baskin Robbins and there were thirty one.

• 51:35Fortune Feimster?

  She was in, they were doing a like little show in London and just said, um, the war was about, was starting and she's anti-war and just said, like, we're ashamed that Bush is from Texas because they're from Texas. And that was it. And there, and the entire, like, they started getting death threats.

• 51:54Tig Notaro?

  That's insane.

• 51:55Fortune Feimster?

  People bulldozing their CDs, radios wouldn't play them anymore. Their own, the own country music people making fun of them at award shows. I mean, that, I mean, like tons of death threats, she had to get security everywhere. So anytime I'm being a real pussy, and I don't use that word very often. But if I'm being a real puss.

• 52:17Mae Martin?

  A real cooter.

• 52:18Fortune Feimster?

  I think about, I do think about her and I'm like, oh, Nelly would be so ashamed. I gotta be stronger.

• 52:24Mae Martin?

  Yeah, we have to. Well, I mean, I don't want to see anyone bulldozing handsome merch though, but it would kind of amuse me to see someone bulldozing our Ponties.

• 52:33Tig Notaro?

  I guess I just figure, don't you use a bulldozer when something's really heavy?

• 52:38Mae Martin?

  Right.

• 52:38Fortune Feimster?

  Yeah, I don't think you needed a bulldozer to run over a CD. I mean, the same effect could have happened with a children's like toy truck.

• 52:49Tig Notaro?

  Well, um, friends, should we hear what, uh, Wayne Brady has to say?

• 52:53Fortune Feimster?

  Wayne Brady.

• 52:55Tig Notaro?

  From the podcast, What If?

• 52:57Fortune Feimster?

  I used to love that Who's Line Is It Anyway? Did you guys ever watch that?

• 53:00Mae Martin?

  I thought they were gods.

• 53:02Fortune Feimster?

  They were, they're so quick.

• 53:05Mae Martin?

  I, I used to love it. Yeah. I haven't watched it in years and years, but.

• 53:09Tig Notaro?

  I would love to see slow improv.

• 53:13Mae Martin?

  Slow improv.

• 53:14Tig Notaro?

  They're so fortunate. They're so quick. I was thinking how funny to see very delayed improv.

• 53:22Mae Martin?

  That would be good because you'd have time to think about what you were gonna say.

• 53:24Fortune Feimster?

  Yeah. I mean, it's not easy. What, it's not easy how they do what they make it look effortless.

• 53:31Mae Martin?

  Well, Wayne Brady, especially with his songs.

• 53:34Fortune Feimster?

  And his songs, yeah.

• 53:35Mae Martin?

  Yeah, let's hear what he has to say.

• 53:37Speaker 05

  Well, my answer would be, um, just trying my absolute best to put some light out there. We do improvisation. We make folks laugh, right? So my aim is to get on stage, whether it's in front of a few thousand people, uh, a couple of people, um, and just bring some light. Cause if I can make someone else laugh, then I make myself laugh. And it, and for that day, one day at a time, at least for that day, I've got some hope.

• 54:10Speaker 05

  And that's what it's all about. A little bit of hope. Oh, that's awesome.

• 54:15Mae Martin?

  Okay, I love hearing Thomas.

• 54:20Mae Martin?

  That's a beautiful answer, though. I feel like he was so articulate. We were all like, well.

• 54:27Tig Notaro?

  Well, people are on Instagram too much.

• 54:30Fortune Feimster?

  It is hard. It is hard, though, when your job is to make people laugh and you're having a bad day. Or going through things yourself.

• 54:40Tig Notaro?

  Yeah.

• 54:41Fortune Feimster?

  There's been some real doozies lately where I've just been in a real funk.

• 54:46Mae Martin?

  Yeah.

• 54:47Fortune Feimster?

  And having to like dig myself out of this hole. To go and go make people laugh is like I love my job more than anything. Uh, but God, those have been some trying times.

• 55:00Tig Notaro?

  I know, and it's it's tough because people really forget that you have a personal life, a private life. You have bad days, hard stuff going on. And you are supposed to be the person that they saw on TV or on that stage, no matter when they run into you. You better not be tired. You better not be in the middle of a very important conversation. You better not be having anything going on at home. Nothing.

• 55:32Fortune Feimster?

  Yeah.

• 55:33Tig Notaro?

  Losing a friend out of nowhere. Nothing, you know?

• 55:37Mae Martin?

  The adrenaline of being on stage does focus the mind like that's it. And at least it's it's an exchange like you. Yeah. Thing of being out in the world or having to do like a radio show or something like that is tricky. But there's something about being on stage that at least gets you out of your head for a little bit.

• 55:54Tig Notaro?

  Yeah, for sure.

• 55:55Fortune Feimster?

  And then hearing those laughs, it does make you feel like it's like, okay, I needed that, you know?

• 56:00Mae Martin?

  Yeah, yeah.

• 56:01Fortune Feimster?

  It's so hard to get yourself on the stage, but then when you're there like, okay, okay, we got this. We're in this together.

• 56:08Tig Notaro?

  Yeah, yeah, yeah. It is crazy how that can snap you out of things. It's so wild.

• 56:15Mae Martin?

  Yeah.

• 56:16Tig Notaro?

  Whether you're tired or you're having personal stuff going on and you get on the stage. What the worst is when you get on the stage, you don't have a great show. It's like, oh, my God.

• 56:28Fortune Feimster?

  Yeah, I just.

• 56:28Tig Notaro?

  Why did I even come?

• 56:32Fortune Feimster?

  I was already down and now.

• 56:33Tig Notaro?

  I should have never said yes to this.

• 56:37Tig Notaro?

  Well, that was a delightful episode and thank you to Wayne. And yeah, does anybody, Fortune, you got your tour?

• 56:47Fortune Feimster?

  Um, yeah, coming up on May 1st, I got Greensboro, North Carolina, Roanoke, Virginia, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Grand Rapids, Minneapolis, St. Louis, Kansas City, Mulvane, Kansas, Vegas, Knoxville, Tennessee, and Lexington, Kentucky. Lots other, lots more cities too. So, fortunefeamster.com for tickets.

• 57:09Tig Notaro?

  Beautiful.

• 57:10Mae Martin?

  I got, uh, April 25th at Largo in LA and then, um, just check out my social media after everything we said today. Check out my social media.

• 57:22Tig Notaro?

  May lives on there.

• 57:24Mae Martin?

  Yeah, uh, for other shows that pop up and, uh, you can watch Feel Good on Netflix if you haven't or, um.

• 57:31Tig Notaro?

  If you want to feel good, baby.

• 57:33Mae Martin?

  Yeah, yeah, yeah.

• 57:34Tig Notaro?

  Well, for me, June 14th, I'll be in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, and then I will be in P-Town, August 23rd. And, um, if you haven't watched my new stand-up special that's newish, about a year old, uh, Hello Again on Prime Video. And then I'm also working out new material in Los Angeles at Largo and Dynasty Typewriter, sometimes in Toronto. Go to tignotaro.com for all the information. And, uh, also, if you like this episode or any other episode, share it with a friend and help us build the handsome community. Subscribe to the show. Subscribe to our YouTube channel so you can see our handsome faces.

• 58:17Fortune Feimster?

  Do all that.

• 58:18Tig Notaro?

  And, uh, yeah, until next time.

• 58:22Fortune Feimster?

  Keep it handsome.

• 58:24Mae Martin?

  Handsome is hosted by me, Mae Martin, Tig Notaro, and Fortune Feimster. The show is produced, recorded, and edited by Thomas Willett. Email us at [email protected] and please follow us on social media at HandsomePod.

• 58:39Speaker 00

  What a podcast!

• 58:45Mae Martin?

  That was a HeadGum Podcast. Checking Allstate first could save you hundreds on car insurance. Not checking that my outfit matches the vibe of the evening before heading out the door, I regret everything. The night called for a black t-shirt, but I wore a white one instead, and now everything's out of alignment.

• 59:01Fortune Feimster?

  Yeah, checking first is handsome, so check Allstate first for an auto quote. It could save you hundreds. You're in good hands with Allstate. Potential savings vary, subject to terms, conditions, and availability. Allstate, North American Insurance Company and affiliates, Northbrook, Illinois.

• 59:16Speaker 06

  What's going on? It's Lamorne Morris.

• 59:18Speaker 07

  And Hannah Simone.

• 59:20Speaker 06

  And we host The Mess Around, a New Girl rewatch podcast on HeadGum. Now, here's the thing. Every single week, we chat about an episode of New Girl, and we really get into it. Like, we get up in there. We get up in there. You know, we reminisce about our times on set. We share behind-the-scenes tea. We react to rewatching episodes that we haven't seen in years. We talk about how Jake Johnson is dog.

• 59:41Speaker 07

  That's not true. We talk about so many memories we have of working with the biggest stars on the planet. I'm talking Prince, Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo.

• 59:54Speaker 06

  We're just two BFFs having a good old time, okay? Sometimes, we even talk to other co-stars like Zooey Deschanel, Jake Johnson, Max Greenfield, and Damon Wayans Jr., and your dad. We talk to your dad on this show as well.

• 1:00:05Speaker 07

  Make sure you subscribe to The Mess Around wherever you get your podcasts. New episodes drop every single Tuesday.