We can stop by,' he says.
But now its like all these clubs are packed every night.
FAHIM ANWAR: It feels beaten to death, like, Oh, you cant say anything anymore.
(L-R) Bert Kreischer, Fortune Feimster, Andrew Santino, Dulcé Sloan, and Fahim AnwarGetty Images
But there is a little bit of truth to [that], especially in the workplace and stuff.
Its ideas fight club.
The intent is to make people laugh.
So as things get a little restricted, it inflates the comedy scene because its exciting.
Where else can you do that?
People need to laugh probably more than they have in a long time.
I think we also found a new appreciation for it when everything shut down in the pandemic.
Were all getting something we need out of it.
BERT KREISCHER: I think podcasting changed the game, podcasting and social media.
But when they kind of clicked, I think people fell in love with comics voices.
Because they felt like they knew them.
I mean, it saved my life.
Look at someone like Theo Von.
But Theo knows how Theos the funniest.
I think it gave a lot of people a way to use their own voice.
Its been the greatest thing thats ever happened in my career.
Just as a person with OCD, I had difficulty doing things.
Now, I do shows and I leave, but the podcast is an excuse.
Its the most connection I get in a week.
We can help each other.
It was a weird Were not friends, but we work together energy.
And all of a sudden everyones like, what?
Yo, Ari, do you want to be on my podcast?
Joey, do you want to be on my podcast?
Hey Tommy, you should start a podcast.
And everyone cares about each other.
Were upfront about how much money we make to each other, what the clubs pay.
We talk about ad sales on podcasts.
Podcasts are interviewing everybody all the time.
So what they did that was unique, now everyones doing in some fashion.
ANWAR: Late nights great.
I grew up with it, but it did feel a little more antiquated after the pandemic, right?
Theres something about it.
[Covid] kind of accelerated [its descent], but its still fun.
Its like baseball at this point.
It shows on their TV.
You know what I mean?
Its almost like they forget how they fired it up, really.
Whereas we grew up with these distinctions of platforms.
So, its cool that its being acknowledged in a different way.
KREISCHER: As comics…its like whenever we take ourselves serious, people go, Really?
Im so excited to see the list [of nominees] for the first time.
Im going to watch the f***ing Golden Globes.
Back in the day, there were gatekeepers, and then now, the gatekeeper is the algorithm.
I joke that I create stuff and Im like, Is this good enough, Algo Gods?
So now, were beholden to the algorithm, and we create content hoping that it catches a wave.
SLOAN: Social media is a toddler whos always hungry.
Its a little kid that always wants more, more, more, more, more.
You know, the era of preciousness is over.
He did like 170 cities.
Or is there something to be said for self-releasing?
Are they okay with paying for the production costs?
This business is all about looking down the road.
Whats the big picture?
So it really is up to the comic, as far as what their kind of roadmap is.
SANTINO: You want to own your own material.
But now, its changing for the better.
And I think its liberating.
Whereas now, thats not the case, and its almost a hindrance.
Now, things are getting very, very niche, so acting has become less integral to our job.
