Gary Owen on Fatherhood, Comedy & Starting Over | Whiskey Ginger
Whiskey Ginger with Andrew Santino
Hosted by Andrew Santino
- 1h 24m
- Transcript
Summary
Written by a model from the transcript; not yet reviewed.
Comedian Gary Owen joins Andrew Santino to discuss touring life, family, and the realities of building a comedy career from the ground up. They share wild anecdotes about early road gigs in Oklahoma, dealing with unruly audience members during corporate shows, and the physical toll of athletic injuries. Owen also opens up about his recent international tour dates, life with twin toddlers, and navigating the logistical chaos of relentless travel.
- Comedians testing out new material during shows need to balance experimental bits with reliable jokes to keep audiences engaged. 1:20:02
- Comedians building a touring career should endure smaller, rougher gigs to develop the stage chops necessary to handle difficult crowds. 1:01:54
- Perfectionists in touring can avoid burnout by scheduling necessary breaks when physical and mental exhaustion set in. 1:21
Chapters
- 0:00Holiday Sale Intro
The episode opens with a promotional segment advertising Ulta's holiday beauty sale.
- 0:43Ad Break – LinkedIn Small Business
An advertisement highlighting LinkedIn’s tools for small business growth.
- 1:15Host Announces Tour Dates
Andrew Santino reveals his upcoming tour schedule and invites listeners to attend.
- 2:15Guest Introduction: Gary Owen
Santino introduces comedian Gary Owen, highlighting his return to the show.
- 4:11Comedy in Mexico & Cultural Barriers
Exploration of why Mexican audiences love comedy and the lack of comedy venues in Mexico City.
- 5:03Early Drug-Deal Run in Oklahoma
Gary recounts a 1990s run of shows in Oklahoma where promoters were drug dealers.
- 6:24Military Comedy Tours
Gary shares his experiences performing for U.S. military bases during the 9/11 era.
- 7:21Personal Struggles & Family Loss
The conversation turns to Gary's family tragedies, including a brother's overdose and sibling dynamics.
- 8:26Health & Injury Challenges
Gary discusses his ACL injury, recovery, and the impact on his career and personal life.
- 9:00Life After Comedy: Family & Hobbies
Gary reflects on his family life, hobbies like golf, and plans for the future.
- 40:14Podcast Intro and Host Greeting
Andrew Santino opens the episode, introducing the show and setting the tone for the conversation.
- 41:16Corporate Gigs and Audience Dynamics
The conversation shifts to corporate shows, the expectations of corporate audiences, and the importance of reading the room.
Highlights
- 5:26
Questionable Oklahoma Runsstory
The guest describes an early comedy tour through Oklahoma in 1998 where comics were paid in cash and shopped at urban clothing stores, suspecting the promoter was laundering money.
- 25:29
Navy Ship Showsstory
The guest recalls performing clean and R-rated sets for sailors on deployed naval ships right after September 11, giving service members a much-needed outlet for stress.
- 40:19
Despite barely playing golf, the guest hit a rare great shot on a famous Tiger Woods hole at a charity tournament while cameras were rolling.
- 57:39
Corporate Show Confrontationstory
The guest recounts a chaotic corporate holiday party in Cincinnati where an overzealous attendee objected to edgy jokes and was promptly carried out by audience members.
- 1:03:29
The guest shares a story about a Shaq All-Star tour where internet stars with huge social media followings bombed so badly they inherited an intense audience boo.
- 1:19:50
Trying New Materialinsight
The host and guest discuss the importance of working out new material during multi-night runs rather than repeating the exact same show verbatim every night.
Quotes
“I was like, what? I thought, oh my God, I made it.”
Unnamed speaker · 7:27 “I don't know if you want to do that again.”
Andrew Santino · 2:37 “Because when the lights are on, you can do it.”
Andrew Santino · 40:56 “I don't think these people appreciate telling jokes. There was a little girl in the room. It's like, really?”
Unnamed speaker · 59:52 “I felt mentally and physically, I go, dude, I gotta, I can't do this.”
Unnamed speaker · 1:21:25 “I had it and I lost it in a divorce.”
Unnamed speaker · 1:22:15 “I don't think she realized it. I don't think she did out of spite.”
Unnamed speaker · 1:22:31 “If you don't say no, they'll go fill it up.”
Andrew Santino · 1:21:13
Sponsored segments
- Ulta 0:00–0:21
- LinkedIn 0:43–1:15
- Andrew Santino 1:46–1:55
- Tempo 32:05–33:19
- Ulta Beauty 45:05–45:26
- KitchenAid 45:26–45:36
- Priceline 45:39–45:53
- Ulta Beauty 1:23:51–1:24:12
- KitchenAid 1:24:12–1:24:28
- LinkedIn 1:24:20–1:24:49
About this episode
Welcome to Whiskey Ginger a Wave series. Andrew Santino sits down with comedian, actor, and podcast host Gary Owen for a conversation about stand-up, family, fatherhood, getting older, and the ridiculous situations life keeps throwing at you. Gary has been making audiences laugh for more than two decades, from his appearances in Think Like a Man, Ride Along, and Daddy Day Care to his stand-up specials and sold-out shows across the country. Now he's navigating a whole new chapter of life, including becoming a dad to twin boys, because apparently regular parenting wasn't challenging enough. His brand-new comedy special, No Hard Feelings, is streaming now on 800 Pound Gorilla's YouTube channel! Gary gets into growing up in a trailer park, his time in the Navy, family, relationships, and all the unexpected adventures that come with getting older. Gary also hosts the #GetSome with Gary Owen podcast, where he shares stories, catches up with guests, and gives his take on just about everything. Watch Gary Owen: No Hard Feelings on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGQpv-4k3II Check out Gary's upcoming tour dates and more: https://www.garyowen.live Follow Gary Owen: https://www.instagram.com/garyowencomedy Follow Andrew Santino: https://www.instagram.com/cheetosantino Follow Whiskey Ginger: https://instagram.com/whiskeygingerpodcast #WhiskeyGinger #AndrewSantino #GaryOwen #NoHardFeelings #GetSomePodcast #StandUpComedy #ComedyPodcast #800PoundGorilla ==================================================== This episode is sponsored by: TEMPO BY HOME CHEF GET 60% OFF YOUR FIRST BOX! http://tempomeals.com/santino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcript
18,924 words · 8 speakers
Speaker names marked are inferred from speaking time and the show’s known hosts — they are not voice-verified.
Topics
- Australia
- Edinburgh
- Scotland
- Sydney
- Las Vegas
- New Year's Eve
- Nashville
- Cosmo
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