Taken from JRE #1981 w/Pauly Shore:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/7elrOcatC8aOTKARyZT1EF?si=73b2a8ca76ae472d

It's 1 of the funniest fucking stories of all time.

She left you as a little child as 1 of the most maniacal comedians that's ever existed.

It was more like Sam was, I was 14 years old.

I was a short order cook at the Comedy Center in Westwood.

My mom would put Sam on last, cause all he would do is scream.

And then he would literally, you know, there'd Be 6 people left in the room and Westwood and he'd throw the stools He'd throw the his stool at the audience members.

They'd scamper off He'd smoke weed in the parking lot and then he would You know, I'd feed him hamburgers.

So I kind of just I was always taking care of comedians.

This was probably 84 84 84 85 I was in high school Yeah, he

So I ever tell you my story how I found out about him.

It's probably Boston with Parento or something.

No a girl that I worked with at the Boston Athletic Club Still this day.

She was this big volleyball player girl like big athletic girl and She goes to me.

She goes you seen Sam Kennesman can Sam Kennesan whatever his name was I go no I have it and so she acts out in the parking lot the whole bit about him no, no the

She's like, oh, 0, life keeps fucking in the ass even after you're dead.

Me laughing at her acting it out in the parking lot made me go get the VHS tape.

So I got a VHS tape of his his HBO special and I was like holy shit So I found out about it from a girl acting out the bit.

She's on her stomach in the parking lot going

That night was, that was 1987, and that was at the Roxy on Sunset, and my mom had an after party for him at the house.

So that night, afterwards, Sam came to the house with everyone, and I was so excited because I wanted to show him my saltwater fish tank.

Because as a kid, I had a saltwater fish tank, and I brought him up to my room, and I said, Sam, look at my tank, and he wasn't impressed at all.

He's like, but he told me to take the top off the saltwater fish tank, it was a big black top, and I took it down, he dumped all this Coke on it.

And he started chopping up lines, and he says, have fun, and me and my friend Dave, we snorted Sam's Coke that night.

Of course this guy, you know, and then I just followed him around So as far as him him babysitting me,

it was it was no that's just the way everyone described

Yeah, I mean Lois Bromfield babysitting me Jackson Purdue babysat me.

So you were Mike Binder Argus Hamilton all those guys

Yeah, So you were essentially just like his young protege?

Yeah, I would fall, it was like the Michael Jordan commercial, like, you know, the kid wanted to be like Mike, I wanted to be like, or I wanted to be like Sam.

I mean there's so many stories, dude I mean, I'm there now and it's it's great.

But when mom was there It was just like you never know what the fuck was gonna happen You never knew who's gonna pull in the fucking lot, right?

You never knew who was gonna come up It was just like yeah, it was like it was like someone shooting guns Yeah, not literally, but just as far as the energy boom boom boom.

I mean Eddie Murphy used to show up with like 6 Rolls-Royces Like for real dude, and then Richard would show up and all these guys would just roll.

It was kind of towards, right, you got there in 94.

That was probably before when I got there.

Yeah, I saw the calendar you had from my mom where she put your name.

You know, I'm really proud of this Argus.

Yeah, Pauly Shore bringing up Eddie Murphy.

I was at his house probably 5 years ago and I was just like dude, what are you doing?

Like you're fucking you're the best dude like let's go

But the funniest was this is I'd sit next to her as well, and I would see people To go on stage and if she called you over you did good, and she didn't call you over.

She wasn't interested you know I just They do their set, and they just walk by her and they're like looking at her and she's just like, just going through her papers and shit.

But yeah, but if she liked you, you know, she brought you in, you know.

But having someone like that, like some gold standard bear keeper at the top was very valuable Comedians mmm.

It's very valuable, and she also would do when she thought you were funny She'd put you on after killers mmm.

You always had to follow like whoever was famous that was gonna go down there she wanted to make sure that you were tested throw you into the fire and that's how you get better she just fucking knew man she knew and it's all things that people talk about now but I think in in her own way she sort of devised like a modern strategy for getting better at stand-up.

Having the environment, which she created, having 1 person who's ruthlessly critical that watches over everybody's material and everybody's sets, and then everybody aspires for the approval of your mom and She had it set up so perfectly and because she wasn't a comic either and because she was You know, she's royalty in the stand-up comedy world.

So there and and she was right she was right she knew she knew what the fuck

She didn't like Seinfeld Hilarious He he lived up the street from me and my mom So me and my mom would walk the dog, Kelly, her dog, and we would walk by his house, you know what I mean?

Because he had already made it and he had a sitcom.

Oh, so he was already on Seinfeld when he

I mean, he'd been on that show for a while.

I don't know what the exact date was for Seinfeld.

She didn't like it when you were too developed

Yeah, she liked getting people that had talent that were on

Yeah, she didn't really like a lot of New York comics For some reason she interested There was also a rift between obviously her and Bud Friedman

and her and Lorne Michaels people asked me like hey when you're doing all your movies did you ever do Saturday Night Live?

I never did, and I think a lot of it has to do with Lorne Michaels and my mom.

Because she was harsh, you know what I mean?

My mom had Jim Carrey and Damon Wayans and all these guys and they were from the store.

I wonder if your mom was concerned that if someone like Seinfeld got on, that people who would wanna see sitcom-style standup, like very sterile standup, would start coming to the clubs.

Like, and then you would start getting people going to see people just because they're famous, and not really because they're good.

Mm-hmm I mean she probably had a method to her approach I wonder what she was thinking or I wonder if she just didn't want it because he was already Developed and she couldn't work with him.

I just don't think that She's just don't think she liked that style, but

we're walking You know walking by the house, and then he said He said and that's another thing he never asked me on his fucking car show.

I'm like, dude, and it's again, I think like, it's always awkward.

And Leno too, whenever I see Leno, it's fucking weird.

But Leno's always been weird, because these guys like, Leno striked against my mom, and there was this weird thing, and you know.

My relationship with Leno is very different.

He's always been very nice to me, and we both love cars.

So I have great conversations with him about cars.

I mean, I do know it, but I wasn't aware of it.

But my point is that he never did anything to me.

I'm just talking about my mom's relationship with Jay, and I think it has to do with the strike.

But when I did see Jay at the Palm Restaurant in Beverly Hills years ago when my mom was there, he came up and gave her a kiss, but then of course she mumbled, the fuck is going on with him?

That's just the way, she was so funny, dude.


Speaker 0: The Joe Rogan experience. You got babysitted by Sam Kinison. It's 1 of the funniest fucking stories of all time. Like, what a crazy thing your mom did. She left you as a little child as 1 of the most maniacal comedians that's ever existed.

Speaker 1: Well, It wasn't exactly like that. It was more like Sam was, I was 14 years old. I was a short order cook at the Comedy Center in Westwood. My mom would put Sam on last, cause all he would do is scream. And then he would literally, you know, there'd Be 6 people left in the room and Westwood and he'd throw the stools He'd throw the his stool at the audience members.

They'd scamper off He'd smoke weed in the parking lot and then he would You know, I'd feed him hamburgers. So I kind of just I was always taking care of comedians.

Speaker 0: What year was this?

Speaker 1: This was probably 84 84 84 85 I was in high school Yeah, he

Speaker 0: hit in 86. Yes, he really hit.

Speaker 1: Yeah. Yeah

Speaker 0: So I ever tell you my story how I found out about him.

Speaker 1: It's probably Boston with Parento or something.

Speaker 0: No a girl that I worked with at the Boston Athletic Club Still this day. I can't remember her fucking name. She was really cool though. She was this big volleyball player girl like big athletic girl and She goes to me. She goes you seen Sam Kennesman can Sam Kennesan whatever his name was I go no I have it and so she acts out in the parking lot the whole bit about him no, no the

Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah,

Speaker 0: She acted it out in the parking lot. She's like, oh, 0, life keeps fucking in the ass even after you're dead. It never ends. Me laughing at her acting it out in the parking lot made me go get the VHS tape. So I got a VHS tape of his his HBO special and I was like holy shit So I found out about it from a girl acting out the bit.

She's on her stomach in the parking lot going

Speaker 1: You can't believe it. That angle was genius.

Speaker 0: It's such a hilarious bit.

Speaker 1: Genius point of view. That night was, that was 1987, and that was at the Roxy on Sunset, and my mom had an after party for him at the house. Wow. At the Doheny house. So that night, afterwards, Sam came to the house with everyone, and I was so excited because I wanted to show him my saltwater fish tank.

Because as a kid, I had a saltwater fish tank, and I brought him up to my room, and I said, Sam, look at my tank, and he wasn't impressed at all. He's like, but he told me to take the top off the saltwater fish tank, it was a big black top, and I took it down, he dumped all this Coke on it. And he started chopping up lines, and he says, have fun, and me and my friend Dave, we snorted Sam's Coke that night. And I felt like so cool. I Felt like no for real.

Of course this guy, you know, and then I just followed him around So as far as him him babysitting me,

Speaker 0: it was it was no that's just the way everyone described

Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean Lois Bromfield babysitting me Jackson Purdue babysat me. So you were Mike Binder Argus Hamilton all those guys

Speaker 0: Yeah, So you were essentially just like his young protege?

Speaker 1: Yeah, I would fall, it was like the Michael Jordan commercial, like, you know, the kid wanted to be like Mike, I wanted to be like, or I wanted to be like Sam. Right. So, yeah.

Speaker 0: Look at you.

Speaker 1: Yeah, so. What year was that? I was probably 11. Wow it was probably 11

Speaker 0: What a fucking crazy place to grow up.

Speaker 1: Yeah back then

Speaker 0: oh my god

Speaker 1: back then

Speaker 0: back I mean, yeah,

Speaker 1: I mean there's so many stories, dude I mean, I'm there now and it's it's great. Obviously, it's the store. But when mom was there It was just like you never know what the fuck was gonna happen You never knew who's gonna pull in the fucking lot, right? You never knew who was gonna come up It was just like yeah, it was like it was like someone shooting guns Yeah, not literally, but just as far as the energy boom boom boom. I mean Eddie Murphy used to show up with like 6 Rolls-Royces Like for real dude, and then Richard would show up and all these guys would just roll.

And this is around when you got there. It was kind of towards, right, you got there in 94.

Speaker 0: Yeah, I

Speaker 1: saw that. That was probably before when I got there. Yeah, I saw the calendar you had from my mom where she put your name. I thought that was really cool.

Speaker 0: Yeah, it's very cool.

Speaker 1: Yeah. So, yeah, so that was that time. You know, I'm really proud of this Argus.

Speaker 0: Look at this right here.

Speaker 1: This Argus, yeah.

Speaker 0: What is that? What year is that?

Speaker 1: That was last year.

Speaker 0: Yeah, Pauly Shore bringing up Eddie Murphy. When did Eddie retire? So he retired in what year? He stopped doing stand-up when?

Speaker 1: I don't know. It was a while. I was at his house probably 5 years ago and I was just like dude, what are you doing? Like you're fucking you're the best dude like let's go

Speaker 0: your mother had amazing taste

Speaker 1: But the funniest was this is I'd sit next to her as well, and I would see people To go on stage and if she called you over you did good, and she didn't call you over. She wasn't interested you know I just They do their set, and they just walk by her and they're like looking at her and she's just like, just going through her papers and shit. But yeah, but if she liked you, you know, she brought you in, you know.

Speaker 0: But having someone like that, like some gold standard bear keeper at the top was very valuable Comedians mmm. It's very valuable, and she also would do when she thought you were funny She'd put you on after killers mmm. You always had to follow like whoever was famous that was gonna go down there she wanted to make sure that you were tested throw you into the fire and that's how you get better she just fucking knew man she knew and it's all things that people talk about now but I think in in her own way she sort of devised like a modern strategy for getting better at stand-up. Having the environment, which she created, having 1 person who's ruthlessly critical that watches over everybody's material and everybody's sets, and then everybody aspires for the approval of your mom and She had it set up so perfectly and because she wasn't a comic either and because she was You know, she's royalty in the stand-up comedy world. She had everyone's respect.

So there and and she was right she was right she knew she knew what the fuck

Speaker 1: She did it. She didn't like Seinfeld Hilarious He he lived up the street from me and my mom So me and my mom would walk the dog, Kelly, her dog, and we would walk by his house, you know what I mean? Oh, there he is. Not happening. You know, rat-tat-tat, New York.

Speaker 0: That's so weird.

Speaker 1: Keep it going. Let's keep moving. I'm like, Mom, be nice to him. He's going, no, let's go. And she just didn't buy into it.

Speaker 0: That's so funny. You know

Speaker 1: what I mean? She didn't buy into it.

Speaker 0: I wonder why.

Speaker 1: Maybe because he didn't need her. I don't know. Because he had already made it and he had a sitcom. He was Seinfeld.

Speaker 0: Oh, so he was already on Seinfeld when he

Speaker 1: auditioned for you? I mean, he'd been on that show for a while. It was around that time. It was the early 90s, right? Yeah.

I don't know what the exact date was for Seinfeld.

Speaker 0: She didn't like it when you were too developed

Speaker 1: Correct.

Speaker 0: Yeah, she liked getting people that had talent that were on

Speaker 1: the up. Yeah, she didn't really like a lot of New York comics For some reason she interested There was also a rift between obviously her and Bud Friedman

Speaker 0: Mm-hmm

Speaker 1: and her and Lorne Michaels people asked me like hey when you're doing all your movies did you ever do Saturday Night Live? Do you ever host Saturday Night Live? I never did, and I think a lot of it has to do with Lorne Michaels and my mom. I'm sure it

Speaker 0: can't help. No. Can't help.

Speaker 1: Because she was harsh, you know what I mean? My mom had Jim Carrey and Damon Wayans and all these guys and they were from the store. Yeah. And you know, so.

Speaker 0: I wonder if your mom was concerned that if someone like Seinfeld got on, that people who would wanna see sitcom-style standup, like very sterile standup, would start coming to the clubs. Like, and then you would start getting people going to see people just because they're famous, and not really because they're good. Mm-hmm I mean she probably had a method to her approach I wonder what she was thinking or I wonder if she just didn't want it because he was already Developed and she couldn't work with him.

Speaker 1: I don't think she just liked him. I just don't think that She's just don't think she liked that style, but

Speaker 0: if she's driving by his house. You still tell

Speaker 1: we're walking You know walking by the house, and then he said He said and that's another thing he never asked me on his fucking car show. I got all my friends on his car show. I'm like, dude, and it's again, I think like, it's always awkward. And Leno too, whenever I see Leno, it's fucking weird. Letterman's cool, I love Letterman.

But Leno's always been weird, because these guys like, Leno striked against my mom, and there was this weird thing, and you know.

Speaker 0: My relationship with Leno is very different. He's always been very nice to me, and we both love cars. So I have great conversations with him about cars. I don't know the history of that. I mean, I do know it, but I wasn't aware of it.

Speaker 1: But my point is that he never did anything to me. I'm just talking about my mom's relationship with Jay, and I think it has to do with the strike. But when I did see Jay at the Palm Restaurant in Beverly Hills years ago when my mom was there, he came up and gave her a kiss, but then of course she mumbled, the fuck is going on with him? Tell me to get the fuck out of here. That's just the way, she was so funny, dude.

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Pauly Shore on Growing Up Around Stand-Up Legends at the Comedy Store