"Mythos & Lore" (w/ Larry Owens ft. Henry Koperski)

to get shredded? Well, I want to lose that little bit of fat which was happening on my lower last thing to go, baby, that's the last thing to go. I feel like that's what people say, and I trust people. Well, at least we have the power and control to suck that part in. Yes, and I would also like, for the very first time in my life, a chest. Okay, But the thing is, I've seen you in baseball tease

you have a little a little child. Know those are purposefully bought because they're the only shirts that will give me a chest at all. But by the end of the summer, we will have a chest. Okay, let's excavate it. And that's what all I'm saying, is that the food intake because I've been trying to cut out like lots of the carbs, a lot of carbs, trying to be a little healthier. Have been eating a salad every day as per your request, as per your suggestion. Rather, yeah,

lately this seems like a common sense suggestion. Absolutely, absolutely it does. But what how have you been doing in your first days of the summer of I've I feel like I feel good. Um, I had like a little fever sort of throat situation that like really tempered my appetite and that helps sort of kick things. So good to be several of culture. It's great to be sick and I um, and you know, I'm just like sort of writing that momentum as for as long as I can.

I'm coasting on that. But it's just it's a lot of kind bars, it's a lot of um, just salads, it's a lot of the morocuctan chicken pot at predamoj. You were swearing by sweet Green, and I love even though I've come for sweet Green on this pod you have, But it's a love hate is a love hate relation. I don't have a love hate relation with our guests. What a great seguay, isn't it. I love HPJ has his face in between us, is you're do you think? Oh my god, my iTunes are was playing Oh my

don't I want that to be real? And raw? I wanted to be on the podcast that that's how hands on HPJ. P J walked over and tended to us like a little he. At first, my instinct was to be very furious at HPJ. Yes, I was like, what is he doing? What's going on? He always looks out for us, he does, He's he's grand. Tara Able at York Magazine specifically tweeted at us, we demand more hot producer content. Wow, and now you're gain and now you're

getting an HPJ babys Um. But while the reason I am so angry, I think is because I had that ingenious segue. It's such a good segue. So let's let's get into it again. It's a love hate relationship. Yeah, you know who? I don't have a love hate relationship with our gats. That's such a good segue. It really was. Okay, So but when can you explain um a little bit

about our guests? Our guests? UM has really just woven his way into you know, the New York mytho taking it by storm, taking it by storm, like just just landed upon this, this derelict place, and and sort of renewed it and sort of gave it life a new A Wiliam Michelle once said, like a cannon ball. He flying a cannonball. And let's go through the credits. He's a staff writer at the True TV show Paid Off, Amazing,

Amazing show and um. He is forming in Larry's Musical Breakdown at Caveat on July nine, as well as putting Putting You All Together with James Jackson Jr. August two at Below. Wow. Um, that venue just sort of escaped me because you always want to say that's exactly why, But it's it's Larry Owens and James Jackson Jr. Doing the works of santime and we will get into some time with our guests. We're going to get into. Please welcome Larry Owens. Larry Owens is Christ and grew Larry.

It's gotta go. It's gonna be falsetto. It's oh, there's a note, thank you, let me try it again. Vocal wait. I told you I was vulnerable before Okay, you don't have to look talk about the vulnerability vocally vulnerable. The allergies are out or tech. I'm also on a fucked up diet, and so when I take a RT TECH, I am wild crazy. It's almost like when Rosanteckson and

stop it. I'm just gonna go to Paul Abdul. I was like, I'm a Paul Abdual moments, I'm like no, yeah, but like also spacey, like you know, no, I get that. So I didn't have been taking his artek because it's making me crazy. But you know, the pollen is out. You know, maybe that's why we're feeling a little bit sick, because we were all discussing how we're all feeling a little bit under the web. Yeah yeah, you know, we all have a little bit of stuff. But it's that texture.

It's that good good, you know, experience on the voice that's a good good means nothing. I'm just gasping. I'm like, so, I can't believe. I looked at Bowen. I beheld Bowen and I was like breathless. Always it's like like like what are you doing? And I'm like, boone, I'm just enjoying your presence and let me be enough. Please that is. Can I tell you something? We will never forget. We

will never fend the very first time we saw. Yes, I will never forget because when you were it excited me when you were talking about watching Larry take the city by storm, because we truly saw the beginning you unearthed men. No, but it's give us to think I credit you truly, Like not, what were you doing in New York before that faithful night of the Duplex when you fucking tore up What was that song? He did?

I think he did? He did? You did Sunday fucking thing? Well, So to give us some background, what what brought you here? You bi? Oh my god? Well, like I I, in a really really idiotic way thought that as like a fat black kid in Baltimore, I could be a lead in musical theater on Broadway. So I was like until like you know, kind of like that night, that faithful December night when Jordan Person and I walked into the Duplex and it was you, both of you call Henry

behind the piano. It was like and I was like, what is going on? These people are like inclusive, hilarious, like politically minded, like find you someone, yeah, because Trump has just been elected, and so I was actually desolate. I was like very very sad, and I and you know, like wokenness is actually like it's over now, but like

it began somewhere, you know what I mean. So like I was sleeping and then I met you guys, and I feel like you guys taught me, like on that night, how I could be all parts of myself and know and not divided up. I always feel like, oh my god, this is my Baltimore side, this is my New York side, this is my musical theater, this is writing. But you guys, like all your entire world is about just doing and

like being magnanimous and literally too much. But I will, I will say that that feeling is it's slightly misplaced to ut. I think it was Henry. I think I think it was Henry bringing everyone together because Henry was the one that started doing the Duplex nights and like, yes, Henry is great, He'll be here later, we will. I want to exalt you too, because I've been I've been listening to the pod and just like falling into, as you said, like the world of like what we all

do and so it's just like crazy, it's crazy. Well you're so fucking good. I mean, that's the Here's the thing is, it's like it's you know, sometimes you're you're like you see a lot of talented people. You see a lot of talent. You see a lot of times in this business. Let me tell you, honey, Wow, that was that hot. That take was so hot Bowen's headphones, his wig. Do you need some pins down secure the wig? You see a lot of talented people. Yes. And what

I'm saying is that was out of control. The how amazing, thank you for thank you, and that that's like what I So when I like sort of got up the confidence and I started stalking Peter Smith at their shows, I would go to believe like over like that was last summer and I was just like wow, like even this person is doing so much in one and and so then when I got back from my summerside, geck, I was just doing musical theater. I truly was like and acting like I was like dying to be in

a play. But as a musical theater performer, they won't like being a play without a Yale drama degree, And as a musical theater you have to be a white girl, you know what I mean. So I was insane. I was in a holding pattern where I was like perfecting my craft. I went to step them off to study acting and to get all of that, and then in Chicago, and then I came back and I was like doing the work that I do now, but for people like who could what is the phrase could not care less?

Couldn't care who couldn't care less? But then you guys cared a lot. You care so much. You care for me? We do, but you care about me? Well we have to. Here's the thing I think, and I think it's no, it's it's it's signed up sort of interesting and fun. What's happening with like like the queer and queer adjacent community in comedy in New York. And then that's kind of branched out a little bit because we do care about each other, and like we gave each other a home.

Because while I think a lot of the theaters are, you know, accepting and encouraging, there's no you have to really go out and make your own space, like where And that's I guess why. I attribute a lot of that too Henry because he literally got behind the piano and played songs for us to sing along to. Yeah,

there we need that. And the Duplex really did become a space because that was before Katherine was performing there, you know what I mean, Like the time when Cole was the only person sort of doing God, grand grandfather, yes, grandfather. I am the coolest goal of black women. That's what I wanted to do. Honey, you you you are that. Thank you. With my wigs, Cole, he takes on the behavior white women. I take on the circumstances of black women.

So we're not laughing at these black women. Ever, you will never be laughing at the black woman who's a wig. I'm wearing the circumstances the world that is twisting her into like you know what I mean, Like imagine if operh wasn't black, like she would be a jillionaire, you know what I mean? Like on Davis, like are you kidding me? Are you kidding me? It took forty six

years for someone to notice her talent. So I'm glad that I fell into the Duplex and truly like you were able, you know, to care about and recognize my talent. And then the spaces that you had created, these queer inclusive, non ironic, sincere, actual joke driven. It has to actually be funny, not predicated on you know, bullshit spaces and and you created somewhere where I felt like I could be risky and also like do the ship that you know,

like you really wanted to. Like little kid. Larry was like, no, bitch, you can sing like a Sonhei Medley at a at a dive bar and people will like get it. They will get that it's you know, don't understand how you're doing it. And so there was freedom there. You guys gave me a lot of freedom. Oh my god, well listen, I received Okay, I was. I was not doing character comedy before I met you. I saw my base, my real off of Matt Rodgers is real that I saw Jason.

I could never afford to go to the U c B or to slay for them for the classes, thank god. And you dodged a fucking bullet there you yeah, intact girl shade. I that's what I said. Well, you two were being shady. I am still on a team. So it's lait a month until I get real shady. We'll

speak on your behalf. Like as someone who like put in all the fucking money in the world and that system and having nothing in return, like receiving nothing in between except for the community, which is great like whatever. You know, I guess it was. I gotta give it some credit. It was like it did start there that then, like you know, like like sort of like each other from from what you're not from UCB. I don't mean

like Boone and I started there. I just mean, like, you know what it meant to have like a comedy community. I guess started um with you know what was still like I think like the widespread embracing of UCB, which I think has changed a little bit for better or work, you know, and I'm like learning like how like to

like navigate the comedy community. And also like I feel like I like brought in a lot of like stuff from television about like what comics are, and it's like not that so like I like I don't even realize like how even I don't know we accessible everybody. But then now you have people look up to you like and with in like a fucking years worth of work and time, you know. I started doing my first sets

in September and November. Yeah, but that's the cycle like that's that is such an accelerated timeline in such a great way because it speaks to your your your work, ethic,

your talent, everything. My god. I also have to say that I think that what gets you there's there's this idea that like, if you aren't grinding in the comedy community, you aren't doing comedy, no, because what makes you the artist that you are is all of that very very very cultivated, lived in skillage that you got from from being like a musical theater performer, from being Larry for

all those years. And now you're able to imbue your comedy, which is the way, which is the funnel through which you've choosen to put your gifts into that So it is it's like many many years of work, and it's not just it's not just this thing of like you know, I took through whatever the fuck class that you see

be and was on a team there, etcetera. Just now I think we're starting to open our eyes a little bit because I think we're forced to open our eyes a little bit in New York um and and I don't know how it is in other cities, but possibly as well, like to other ways you can expose your talent because everyone's on fucking internet every like this, The UCB is so saturated. Everyone's where people just given up. Anyone can, like, you know, make a joke. You know,

anyone can whistle anyone. That's what they're say. Easy, what's hard is simple, what's hard is simple? Now listen, but comes hard? It seems hard. I don't know, check n it's easy to be hard, different but still, you know, what are the century can in American cannoning people? I'll say that, what do we what do we think of Lee? Of um? Lee? What's her face? Lee? The one who's saying anyone can whistle? The one who originated who Sondheim's beard?

Sondheim like was that was like the one woman that he like would have with you know what I mean, Like it didn't work out. What do you make of Kla Skulls comments saying I don't remember the tweet exactly or the quote, but he's like, Wow, Leelee Remick fucking sucks, she's trash, she's terrible. I agree with him. Wow, Yeah, I get that, Like that's what it took to be a star in that era. But that is actually all

that I bulk against. Why is she the air apparent to the Sondheim mantel, But yet I cannot play a single character in it or be cast as myself today. Wow, so fucky remick, pretty nose in her blonde hair, all of it. I love this. Yeah, And so she had preternatural talent. She was coming up with a Stritch you know, icon of clastic. You know what I mean? Then we love right, that's what we love. That lovely Oh my god, last name, We're just gonna be I'm gonna I'm gonna

a long time to figure out her last name. And you know what they say, No, it's actually rule number fifty two of culture. If it takes a long time to remember the last name, that's it. Look, Larry, I'm just gonna be up friend and say, at least speak, I'm gonna speak for myself and say, I cannot match the intellection. How how you've so robustly intellectualized Sondheim's work.

I cannot match you with where you like your mind is like, it actually hurts me to hang out with you, because it reminds me, honestly, the only person who's made me like that intellectually intimidate to hang out with Dame Helen Miren, Helen Mirren. Talk about Helen because this is real lariously with Helen and we're cute together. Yes, we've

spent a couple of holidays videos. Yes we have videos, and we do the whole bit about I don't want to talk about I want to say that she has a huge intellectualism that like, yeah, that like I'm like fine with slabs. I can like I'm fine with slabs, but like but like but yeah exactly. But like when you're like how you know, matched in the wits, I truly feel like, you know, I shut up and I

get so like clammy. It's hard. But my Sondheim obsession is because for my entire life I was told this is the supreme master of the art form that you want to master, and so me like being like a twelve year old black boy who like went like to high school, you know, at boarding school, and like was so like academic like achievement based, merit based. I'm thinking in my mind, if I can master the works of Stephen Sondheim, They're gonna let me be in one of

his musicals. The infrastructure, you know what I mean? On Woke, I did not know there are no like I like, I did not realize that I can't name the people who do what I want to do in an entire industry because there was no space for that. And so I dumbly thought that like if I made myself an expert on this on like the knowledge of it, I thought that the knowledge would give me like a pass. Then I thought that the proficiency of performing it would

like add something to it. But again that industry is trysh and and and I like, I'm so happy to be where I am where like I can still I'm not like, I'm not bitter about that, and actually have a musical that's going to be a player. It's risings in I will be the black queer protagonist of a musical that takes place. And it happened. We developed it for three years and they and they gave us the green light and we're going an exclusive announce I mean

it's a soft announced an. Yeah, we always need the press release, but yeah, we always What was it? Where did Titus spur just play the Witch and into the woods? I think that was a Kansas City rep Kansas or maybe it was in a concert Badway not Broadway, honey, Yeah, yeah, Yeah, he's performed it a few places, so you can grab it online. A son, I'm actually granted Billy Porter, like way back when they were doing the Vanessa Williams revival, Like he was like very into Billy playing the role.

But that was, you know, fifteen years ago, so like it wasn't you know, like he was interested at ease, you know, intrigued. But it's the infrastructure of their trash. So you you do feel this complete and maybe not complete, but this ah sort of discernible separation from that infrastructure. Now you're like totally extra, you know. I mean, like I'm still doing, like I still work at fifth places. You can't even name fifty four below, like which is

like above fourteens do you know? Like I'll dabble and like, you know, do your reading bring me something good? No one there is writing for me because they cannot monetize me because I don't know, I'm ugly, but like in their eyes, in their eyes society and society, we're gonna

talk about their lens. You know how I feel about myself very good, but yeah, so I don't know, We're just gonna let them have that and then only for me, I have my show, and so it's like I actually don't even need to talk about it a lot, just like I'm ready for Watershed, A Strange Loop Playwrights, Arizons, book music and lyrics by Michael R. Jackson. Oh my god, Michael R. Jackson, the other Michael Jackson walk. He can do more than that with his brain. So we just

mentioned many cultural influences. But here's the thing is that And I also feel like we haven't asked this question here a long time because you've had a lot of returns, but you know, talking so much about what's um formed you and your ideas and like your talents, but we have to ask you specifically the question of what was the culture that made you say, Larry Owens culture was

for you? It was when you picked up the phone, and you know at this time it was it was one of those phones were that were on the wall, and so you couldn't go very far. You couldn't run from this culture rights because it was actually connected to the wall. So when you put the receiver to your ear, it said, high, this is culture, and you had to answer, this is Larry. And then and then you asked, and who who am I speaking to? And who answered, who answered.

I feel like it's like I didn't really have a choice. I just was like responding to like what was all around me. So like black culture, church culture, and then TV culture, like those are like my big three. It's just like blackness is like the richest, most influential culture, like everyone's to beat us but also be us, and so like from that like strife and also that like poaching,

like we just have such a bounty. Like it's like I part of why I feel like unimpressive is because the people in my like you know, horrible Baltimore neighborhood, all like our winning and humorous and can sing and like ken moonwalk and split and you know, death dropping. It's just like it flows in our blood. So I feel like that like that like is something that like I honestly kind of took for granted and how it plays into my talent just being like, no, I am

blessed with the inheritance of like of culture. Oh my god, that is a fucking answer. I love. I am blessed

with the inheritance, blessed with the inheritance of culture. And speaking of blessings, the church so you know they're singing down and you know and Pentecostal church and actually that kind of stunned in my growth because I wanted to sing in the church and I actually wasn't good enough because the singers are so good, Okay, not Pentecostal is yes, is the us the whole bit, the whole bit, but the whole thing, Yeah, everything bad you could think of? Really do you want to do? We want to talk

about it. What do you want to do? Okay? I want to ask is okay? Well, what was your way of reckoning with that as an adult? Because I find this to be like a deeply, deeply fascinating question that most people have an answer to in some way where most people who grew up religious, Um, what was your way as an adult of like sort of extricating yourself from that? Because I feel like there's just some some trauma that you know, just just just intrinsic of itself.

There's so much trauma, and like as like recently, as like three weeks, I've just begun to perform like physical therapy on myself in terms of just like cranial fascial like loosening of like those traumas. And I was like, why am I holding onto this stuff that like does not serve me. And like like the anti gayness the like honestly like slaveship rhetoric that like is still handed out to like black women at large and and gay black men. So like the Bible was used in slavery

like to control the slaves. And so it's like God says this and then it's absolute. And so like my mother, God bless her heart, is of great survivalist. Like she she put into me that fear of God and the fear of the law, and like that fear kept me alive to this point, you know, as a black man not getting like killed, but I actually have to give

life on stage every night and bring forth life. So I've had to remove a lot of that fear that kept me alive and knowing that, like you know what, I can't control how the world is going to receive me, but I can control kind of in a way, like if I'm accessing like the love inside of my room. Power. Yeah wow, that is so amazing. Yeah. The Crannial fashion release,

So that little pouch you have is actually fascia. You can just rub that you just have to use Literally I rubbed it out and it felt amazing God, and now I won an Emmy. No, you're cut, You're cut, cunt, honey, Matt, Now you're even hotter. What more can you need? Wait? What do you feel like? Do you feel like you need to be marvel like? Are you changing brands? Need to be in a superhero? What? What? What is cutting for you? What's the drive? Okay, what do you mean?

I would like to I would like to look in the mirror and feel good. Feel Look, don't give me that. Stop it. HPJ is shaking his head. Relative I always stop. We're on this couch together. You're betterment is in the eye of the beholder, and that is that. Okay, I know that that's the summer of summer of kunt. I just want to feel not as tired all the time,

you know what I mean? And then look in the look in the mirror and be like, maybe I don't feel so tired because I you know, standing up a little bit straighter, even just this week working out a little bit. I feel my back straightening, I feel myself slouching less. Yeah, which is good. No, same, same I've been. I've been vegetarian for the past three I started keeping a food diary yeah, I was gonna like play this diva at like a concert venue and it was a thing.

And so I was like very much like in a process of like becoming that person. Like I was like, yeah, just to be like fit and like you know what I mean, and feel comfortable and like be like awesome, you know, the same behind the beholder, you know. So I've like I've you know, tried to eat clean and I do. I feel great good. It feels it feels better, um.

But what doesn't feel good is like denying yourself things like you want like a site of pizza or something, and they're like, no, bitch, no, I don't eat it. It's bad. But it's not saying you can never read pizza again, not all the day every day. But but I do want to go back to something you just said, which I think is something that people at home can

can access within themselves as well. People people I think are listening, okay, um, which is the fear of being everything that makes you brilliant because your history has told you that's going to get you in trouble. That is something really powerful or it's this thing of un learning, this this instinct of or whatever this sum on learning this message that's been sort of uh shouted at you from above of just like that's not for you, that's

that's for them. Yeah, and who is that person? You're not me, bitch, I'm president of my body, the Kingdom, the Kingdom of I want to book a trip there? How much for five nights six? It's probably like ten dollars a cavat July nine, Like that is my god? Alright, So listen, we've we talked so much about how funning, brilliant you are, like a taste of that fact. I don't watch this taste. I want the whole bit. Okay, okay,

So I think we should perform this very first song. Um, and this is a track which was composed well you bring this ouse. This is this is the very first song I've ever written in my life. I read the music of lyrics. Henry Kaperski arranged it and he'll be playing it on this track. And um, it's inspired by someone that we all know and loved. I was a Sydney in Washington and I was complaining about how I'll

never fall in love. And actually I downloaded co star app and I put in my sign and my astrology said, you will never fall in love. And so Sydney was like, Sidney was like, but sometimes people are just like, not mess me, People like look at Oprah. And so I was like, that's not comforting, Sydney. But then I wrote this song, so it is like it. Yeah, it is Oprah. It's Oprah. It's called the Ballad of Oprah. Alright, great, I want to hear this imminently, imminently. I'm Oprah Winfrey.

I don't need a husband. I have a Stegman. I am my own husband. I am my own husband. I have a stegman. I don't need a husband who says that Mother Earth needs to have. Oh, I am the mother of America. I define who am I am? Obrah. I'm Oprah Winfrey, world's first black fan male young man. Who would mind you better? Fucking no, already throw those those up in the air. Parade, I'm oh parade. Stab man, stabman, stabman,

stab man, stab miss step Man. You're fitting up beat by fake husband, or you could be a dead man, multiple choices. Here you ts this life. But she wants some note that I'm never ever ever gonna be your wife. Hey, step man, stabmis DAMMI step miss stabman, step man, tell me feather light or make it heavy like some let man. Oh man are greeting and you're a dirty pup, so lap it up, eat it up, steady, put it in the cup. I don't need a husband. I'm a husband.

I have a standman. Do you have a husband. Do you have a standman? Oh, you are a stateman. I don't need a husband. I am a husband. I have a standman. And when the wind he's free your best believe that win free. You will relieve the pain that rains down upon us through sieves. I speak life in to you recundantly. You'll live My chn read books, check beneath your chairs, the color Purple, Alice Walker, my favorite things to kind of Time, cruise, wht got nothing left

to lose? Good but a game that pain. Still a little castor side black woman. Part of me remains from my pudge lit little brown girl back in Kakouski, New City, who would always watch the TV even when my mom could love me. Now I am Mother Earth. So you already fucking now, Oprah declar legends ball my ball, bitch. You are invited to the next one, Honey, you better be at the next Let Yeah, that was the story of her life and just so virtuosic and so so

well done. I mean, damn, such a compelling person. Watch. Yeah, it was. It's really it's crazy. It's similar to um, you know, we've had people come into the studio before and we do episodes like this, musical episodes and you have to stake them out and watch them perform live. Because that just been today. I mean, like you are a fucking actress. I'm sweating on this couch. Definitely. That was my first time I've ever done it. That was the debut of this song. I'm actually gonna go to

a show and do it live right after this. Excited to see what happens to happen. Also that it will get the whole of the children. My wig is bad for right now, but you get a big The work is the wig. I am the calls gol black women warm. I won't say it a guy. I sometimes say that I'm the color School of young white girls and bowen, I'm the color School of Asian female at a trick, yes, a literary fissures. Else, I was underway who in a

way creates words with fashion. Absolutely okay, bitch, that was unreal, unbelieva. But by the way he was sitting in the fu he's so fun. The whole time he did that sitting okay, lounged back, and I think it made it harder. My god, when I stand up, there's going to be a fucking print of me, like like a sweatprint of me and then swampy back. Ronnie better never washed that out of that couch. It's rosewater, It's holy. Ronnie just said he loves it. He said, I saw it. What did you

think of that performance? Amazing? Beautiful? Thank you Okay, oh my god, thank you Henry for making that track and for arranging the funk out of that. He snuck in while we were recording, because he's gonna live a company the next one. Hello Henry again, Well, it's great to have you heard. You did a wonderful job recording that track, and it was so awesome that you prerecorded because I've never got to watch Larry because I've always been playing and yeah, I just had was staring at him the

whole time. What do you think the first your first time seeing it didn't work? Yes, yes, I'm so nervous, like, yeah, it's like a big show for me from like me, like you know, six months in comedy me, I'm like, oh my god, why am I on this lineup? And

so I'm afraid. That's another thing is like it takes so long to get comfortable performing your own work in front of people, and there's so much success and failure, and like it's true, like the trunk aided nature of like how much everyone loves you and your work now it's like so impressive. I'm so nervous to go do this live. I hope I hope that the wig doesn't

kill it. No, no, never rests on the wig. Look, Henry, before you got here, we spent a good amount of time sort of just live lifting you up and talking about how you you brought us together and and how like you you you are a very emblematic and representative of this the inclusiveness of this community. He plays for all the icon plays for every Scola you hit. Henry behind Larry Hand, I got hand. You know it was a coup, but I got him that night at the Duplex.

We'll go down in history. It's so funny. We were talking about and spent like a hundred minutes. Guys. I think I think it was December eighteen, like I think it's on this day. I took a picture and like, mom, this day, like and it really like I'm like so

gay about it. Oh, I said it, but like that's really you know, I was saying like derocketory but meaning that I'm just like obsessive over yeah, and I'm like, oh my god, like we love Lore, we love Mythos, we love you know what I mean, and like that

the stars were like walk in. We ended up my friend Jordan, I ended up at the Duplex because I did not have my idea and we knew that we could like just kind of ok on but like and we did, being like, you know, very legal and so like that's how we could have been anywhere that night. And I like that the title of this EPP will be Mythos and Grander, but it's true. Henry, we were talking about how you know, it was very much you know, it like a community that was really surrounded around you.

Listen to the app. You don't have to repeat it. I'm blushing. That's so sweet and amazing to hear. Tell them about your show that's coming up, Oh I am. I have a solo show called Halo pop and I'm doing my sixth and final performance on June twelve at the Good Old Duplex on Christopher Street at nine thirty UM,

and it's the last time to do that. My parents are coming, and this show is very important to me and it represents like a huge shift in my life and I think that everyone could get something out of it if I can be so bold to say that, And so you should come if you're free. That night, three times I cried. Every time I cried, I wept. I like, I like put my head on the brick wall the Duplex and I was just like, Henry, why

are you doing this to me? And it was like the marriage of the stories and songs and like the way you're like a mascot of inclusivity and like that's what that show is, like you just like champion guys. Well, I really needed this. Henry and Henry, Henry, Henry and I. Henry and I have have been talking lately, and Henry has really changed my way of thinking, just approaching a lot of things, just even even over just one interaction

that we've had. It's it's changed everything. And in addition to the show and everything that you do in your work. But I'm just saying, this is the effect Henry has and this is my first time meeting him. Man, can we talk, Larry? Can we talk about something this nightmare? I know we clipped how many times I clipped during the song zero technique. I didn't mean to cut you off. No, no, no, no no, I'm saying, Larry, I want to talk about this, this speaking of mythos and lore and and instead of

you introducing this Oprah song, you're are you? Are you convinced that you are not going that you love? That you you will not find love? Because I have for a very long time projected that story, that narrative onto myself and I'm very slowly trying to unlearn that. And can I read a tweet that you tweeted at me this weekend because I relate to it? No, no, no, I don't have to read it. I don't know what I said. I can't remember this was, this is? This was? Okay,

let's just me retweeting and tweet that Patty tweet. Patty Harrison teeted. The good thing about using dating apps in New York and l A is matching with CIS men who say things like, hey, not actually attracted to trans but would love to grab coffee and pick your brain about getting into comedy sometime. Because I have a disease. We're reading that is actually how I nut. So that's it's a disease. It's a really specific but actually fatal disease.

You know, it's a disease. It's a come based disease. So she being insane, and then our friend Millie Tameras replied, do you know how many dates I have been on that? We're just informational interviews Larry Larry says, it's it's an epidemic. And then you say this, this is Larry Owens My

version of this. I play culture and Nanny to a gay person as they laugh, slash keys, slash lap up my intellectual property for hours at an event, and then I romanticized myself and then they turned into an iPhone that someone just dropped into water. Oh my god. Yeah, no, there is a spontaneous combustion of like when I'm like, so there's like, so you're taught like how to flirt, you watch it in film and you and you're taught

like how to like communicate. You know, I'm a very great communicator, Like if I will not accept any complement, but I will say that I fucking went to step in Wolf and studied from actual geniuses who, like, you know, so I'm like, I know what human behavior is, so like I'm giving off of flurty vibe. And then I have I always, I will never, I would never. I've never been pursued romantically or like proposition romantically. So I have to then put myself in the seat of the

what what do we call it, um dominant. I don't like aggress or honey, because I'm black dominant dominant. Then I have to become dominant situation and be like hey blah blah blah blah blah, and then all of that like warmth and reciprocity from when it was no you know what I mean, like all pockets like we like we go from like humor to self help to pop

culture to family life. I read the eyes off of you and I invite you in, you know what I mean, and then it's immediately like oh googogle like literally just like the eyes like jolt, and then the body shuts down and then we just have to keep the moving. Larry, this is what you have to remember that that is that has everything to do with them and not with you, right, I mean like O, yeah, but what bo and what

do I do? I like my horoscope said that this is actually my lot, which actually gave me a lot of freedom. I was like, okay, so that it's it's true, Like it's some people Oprah included, you know what I mean, like myself. I'm I'm gonna I can let myself in with with your with your cohort. Yeah, I'm gonna sing about it later. I'm just saying all about this. Wow.

Well anyway, I didn't mean to bring the converse. Now it's easier for me to sing about it like it's like no, it's it depletes me, Like I'm I'm at my wits end, like I don't know what else to do, Like I've literally I gave you f all people. I threw my phone number on the back wall and was like like it was like you know what I mean, Like that's like a funny way. And then there's sincere ways,

and then they're direct ways. They're indirect ways of like pursuing your goals in life, Like I met them all except for one, just like wow, wow, I it's completely different with me obviously, like, like, no, no set of circumstances the same for any two people. But yeah, like

relate to that so hard. Gay people are trashy, and I want to call out into your subconscious and so that if you're listening and you're a gay person, all of your romantic desires came from a fat ass, white, fucking skid Mark underwear executive person who decided that the two people who fell in love in that movie, we're going to sell the most by looking the most like people on ads. And all of that is based in

white supremacy. And so the fact that you can't see me as a non thin, non white, non rich person as sexual means that you're absolute fucking trash. And the moment that you open up your eyes to seeing the true sensual beauty of me, I'll allow. Wow, All allow, all allow. Maybe that's title of app. Okay, take my power back? Oh my god, can you say something? I think everyone in the show needs to delete the fucking apps. Okay, delete the apps. Henry is nodding. I deleted mine about

a year ago. And my life, I mean, I've done a lot of that work. I'm changing my life, but that has been a huge part of it. I don't think this is the solving factor. No, but it is poison that you would remove from your world. It is true poison. Yeah, but for me as the chronic single person, Like if I like sympathetically try to talk to someone and I'm like I'm in this, They're like, are you on do you put yourself out there? Are the apps? Yeah? But I think that that do you put yourself out there?

Is whatever? That's a question. But then to follow that up with are you on the apps? Is this weird? Than like A to B, which is like why do we have that? Be? The apps are trashed. They're disgusting. They are designed so that people can engage with you, and if they don't get exactly what they want, if you can't project exactly what they want, then they are out.

And guess what, some people are fucking like you said, so I'm dying because actually I was doing some talent work for an app and then got rejected by I know what you're talking about, Gay App Corporation. It was honestly, it was not even a I know what you're talking about. It would not have felt the irony, but like I was like, okay, I don't think they're healthy. I just deleted the mall. I don't think they're healthy. I think that they are a place where people go to be

the worst base versions of themselves. And I ain't good and I'm not I don't. I don't shame anyone that's like found enough on them, but like you know, it doesn't it's not like that for everyone, especially I don't know. Grinder is just like about your experience, ye know, like do you find like how is finding love for you? Um?

You know what? Not finding love? Like Henry and I met when flirting organically the show, and that was over to your relationship and you know, not that I was proud that we met, um not on the apps, but I felt good about the fact that and I felt like I proved to myself you can meet someone out there.

But I'm gonna be honest with you, all the frustrations I have about the dating apps, they can't possibly compare it to what you guys go through, because it was not saying that I genuinely want to know, like, because I would also be projecting an thing onto you, you know what I mean, like, which I don't know just what I'm realizing I'm doing a lot of the time so to to to white people. You know, yeah, yeah,

you know exactly. I've had to um like give non judgment of acceptance to my people as a way of healing myself. I've I've spent a lot of time just not giving them the benefit of the down and saying, well, you have it so much easier, and like they do, yes theoretically, but also whatever problems that I have no idea, you know, it's like it's like I'm not even gonna like go go that far and like go to go to that mental place anymore, because it's like I don't

know what they're freaking dealing. It just it just takes up our time. It takes up our POC. We have all of this POC stress, and we have like a helmet on us that is all of the stuff that we wear that was given to us that a white person never has to deal with. And so what we have to do we have to crack that thing open, every helmet and take the pieces off. It's happen one by one. It won't be a whole removal, because that is hundreds of years of systemic oppression or I don't

even know what your diaspora is specifically. Sure, you know you have to take it off piece by cracked the helmet and take off piece by peace. Honey, babe, I love this cracked helmet and I keep going honestly, and I want a lifestyle brand l O l Lario's lifestyle ry. Come on, I think everyone will want that. Yeah, we have towels. That was beautiful. I want I need towels. So La you were you were even more elevated than like a performer, like you're an orange or I believe

hear you should already talk about anything. Yeah, I'm so excited to do the college circuit next year, just like every like Brown graduation and oh wait you do that like a joke. But I'm like no, I think no. I mean now being single again, like it's you know, it's still frustrating, but it's frustrating for different reasons, like like when when you go on Grinder and like you see everyone's body is like, how can everyone's body look like that? You're telling me that every person's body looks

like this? There's some liars, there's some trickery, and talk about your desires. What kind of men do you like? Um? I I've I still believe that I don't have a type, but like I right, but it's what's like, what I identify with you is this idea that like rarely am I am I pursuit but also like I have created a lot of untruths around my struggles too, like I've yeah, I don't know, okay, okay, So you're open, but true

or false? Do you feel that society has almost, like not successfully but like almost made you feel like this is the attractive thing and it is white, thin, muscular oftentimes like like either tall, dark and handsome or like blonde beach boys like these are one of the two things that even if you're white and like you have red hair, you're like, funk that bitch so specific, and then all of a sudden you go on these apps and that's what everyone appears to look like, and it's

it's very intimidating and crazy, but true or false like that does seek in? Yes? And one time Jewel friend of the pod Joel Kim Booster texted me, um, he had just in this panel in San Francisco with like Asian performers or something, and he texted me out of nowhere.

He was like Wow, this guy in the panel, like this skate dude on the SCA Asian dude on the panel who grew up in Chinatown in San Francisco, talked about how he had never internalized any idea of like attractiveness that was like outside of his own body, Like it was just it's like, oh no, like you're attractive. Yeah, he felt of worth his entire life, and there was like a unique like shocking experience for an Asian person. Yeah, that's that's insane and horrid and I hate life so

much then. Of that that there was like someone who was like, I'm fine. I did. Like, so I was watching porn early, like we all were with the computers, and so like I kind of sensed that they wanted me to want one thing, and so I with my like you know a little like precocious pornographic sense. I was like, I'm gonna decolonize my sexual desire. So like I made sure just to really spread it. And I think it's like I was doing the work back then. Yeah.

It's just funny when you go to like the porn sites and the categories are like otter, twink, redhead, black, It's just like salt and peppery scrub. It's just like scrub. Dumped up is not a real category, but on some site. Honestly, I do think that if I fell more neatly into a gay upset, I would not have as many problems. I'm like, like, you know, I colde switched too much to be a black person. I'm like, no, like a bear, twins are a different type of you, you know what

I mean? And this is why I think we need a dis because from from all that ship, because literally grinder makes you identify with the tribe and it's like, why the fund is that a thing? That's what they do. I've come to find it there there is a certain type of sabio sexual out there, someone who is purely attracted with now. But I feel it. I feel that they're out there and that they're gonna they're gonna come, They're gonna come to you bated breath, Larry Hey, who

I find hope through song? Yeah, that's beautiful. Yeah, and this bitch wants to sing a song. Yeah, because everything we just talked about about, I brought it up. I'm sorry, No, I'm fine going to the places. I'm an actor. First, we're going to go to the place Henry is gearing up. Okay, so is this another original? No, we're going to navigate through my two favorite musical theater composers. One owns my heart, the other owns my mind. The first is William Finn

and the second is Stephen Sondheim. Sure, so we're gonna start with, Oh, this is a it's a it's a composite bit. It's an arrangement by Henry Koperski. Thank you very much. This is a Henrykerski original arrangement. Wow, we're lucky. M hm. Oh, I'm madam man in the can. Wouldn't you know? He was going my way? We talked till

far he talked more. I was afraid I turn and say, love me for what I am, not what I try to be, Love me for what I am, not what I try to be, loved me for what I now, what I try to be, loved me from what I am now. When I try to be a person who likes you, did out too much. I try too much to impress other people, often my inferiors. Oh, becauld you like a girl like that? Could you like a girl like that? Could you hold her in her arms? Could you like a girl like that? Could you like a

girl like that? Could you like a girl like we land? He plays that, I play again with sound delight, Hello, oh and love to weeks. Guess who speaks? Darling says, might survive the night. Love me for what I am when I try to be, Love me for what I'm to try to be. Somebody hold me too close. Somebody hurt me too deep. Somebody sit in my chair and ruin my sleep and make me aware. I'll be good, lie be Somebody need me to. Somebody know me too.

Somebody pull me off short and put me through hell and give me support for be good life, make me alve, make confused, mock me with pray, let me let me be used, very mindy. But along is along not love get Somebody crowded me with love. Somebody course me the kids. Somebody helped me come through. I'll always be there. That's frightened as you help us SERVI be Wow, Wow, thank you so much for that. That was incredible, Henry, that was amazing that. I mean, Larry just we never like

really discussed the arrangement. I just always like Larry's energy just truly just like move my fingers, I swear I don't even know what's happening with it as a listener to Really, you are such an amazing storyteller and such

an amazing a motive, incredible special performer. We're so lucky to have fucking cool friends, Like you're the best, You're the best, Like that's like something that like those two songs, I you don't know my entire life and I have someone to arrange it for me and people asking me to sing it beautiful. You're the ranger though, like I

played it. I swear, I'm not even like thinking it's you're like telling me what to do with your voice, and like there's like little cells in my brain that I don't know, Like it's you we got that's not common, Henry, Right, that's like that's rare. Yeah, no, it's it's X factor. Doesn't happen when um Bowen sings Bang Bang, it thrills me like that. I think at this point, I'm like, God, Henry, it must be so fucking sick everyone. I would play

every every day now right now for the people. Yeah, it doesn't have to me now, but you must treat the listeners. I need Wait, do we want a diva tag? Okay? What is diva textva tag is a queer sport. It's where you have a song and we all just tag off on the verses. Who can sing? And I'm telling you alful way through no one? So you diva tagay? But no, no, not not that song that I'm saying, like I feel like I'm a little out of my depth. But what if it was like a nice low song

written for a Dina Manzel. I'm saying I'm not that girl. Lyrically, you know I'm not that girl. Oh I know I'm not that girl. Make it up, you guys both saying I'm not that girl playing Miranda Priestley's daughters and in my production of Devil, I'm not that girl. Oh my god, girl, did we played Miranda's daughters? I thought we Miranda's daughters and you also played her? Like assistance had multiple role Who played who played Mirando? John Hay who played in Hathaway?

Oh my god? Yes, everybody? She said no good Deed? Lisa Trager was Adrian Grenier. Wait, maybe we should do no good deed. I don't know no good deed. You don't know no good I don't know what that well, it's it's whatever. Okay, last six game defined gravity. We all know it from the lead up in a nice key for us. We can't we could do a step over there to find it's okay, wait wait wait ta me wait, hold on, hold on, how does this is the first time you've played this? I'm flying, so I

gotta say, I gotta say the name. Maybe you put me over here in the Howard Stern booth so I can't tap you, but that's fine to gesticulate. I can go boomp and boomp? Is that clean? Gesticulate? Would it be? Lower? Keyboard has six keys on it, that's true. This is a like a tri tone below the original. Oh my god, I mean that's truly. So if you can't find me, look to the western sky Larry has someone told me lately everyone has a chance to Matt, so stop flying

for it. Also around take a message back from me. This is not Ryan poem. I know it's a bust. It's okay one of those people that I thought knew the lyrics to every song I do. But now now the thing is, you know what happens is when a key changes, I get very nervous and freaked down. Even I get it. I get the musicality. Yes, but I'm very happy that we're being this vulnerable with the listeners. I think that was fun. My friend okay hearing me go? No, babe,

I saw it. I saw your neck. I was concerned. Guys. I promise you I can sing. I have done shows where I'm sang and been the featured singer. You have an amazing Christmas show. Can I please be in it? This is heard of Christmas? Have you heard of Christmas? I want to. I want to potentially do it at a new venue, but I want to start thinking about it soon. You can absolutely be and that we should do a duet, all write original song. Yes, that'd be

fun and really get blown away Christmas. Christmas culture was big for me growing up too, so I love it. I love the idea of taking Christmas so seriously they make an album for money, No, bab, Christmas is every si I can Christmas. Christmas is like the one time of year that I got to not feel black, because like you had stuff. Everyone acted nice and well adjusted, and I was like, oh my god, yeah, actually you get the things you need and everyone smile. Get the

things you need? Feel that hard? All right? So we have to move on to. I don't think so, honey, we have Wait, we're not going to do a full dev attack. I think we would. What do we have? Okay, so it has to be a male song because okay, no, they don't start until I told Marcia, okay, can we do um? Can we do let me be your star at least? Okay? Okay, yes, yes, okay, fine, we can do it and every and then and then but then, but then it's the duet part in the end. Where

is how is that going to work? We'll all kind of just take it, take it? Okay, great, great, Well, I can't believe we're gonna do this. Here we go. Is it starting with me because I'm Katherine, Oh bitch, I'll take it at the top In Fading Girl with the song No I don't learnka for fame in a face and a name to remember the past fads away because as of this day, Norma Jean's gone. She's moving on.

Her smile and her fan sees playing you're doing not you loving at where you music starts playing, It's all here in my heart saying let me be your start on that note, slash back, you are gravy with a song in her is healthy and she's waiting to start the advent. That's drum dr rune that may dreams come on live. They feel her soul, jeessy control laughter, my favorite lyric, the tears just like pearls. Yes, they're all in this girl's revelution. It's all Oh, the taking back,

it's all here and my heart's quaking. Mab your time. I just have to forget hurt that came before. I forget what you soon be. The past is on the cutting room for my future is him with me chess on the side, with it all in her size, all the low and the light hats around her. Someday she'll think watch Lisa everyone on the twos and the price. She'll have to passion today today, boy to day, shoot do she can? For the love of what that and

form Melli playing Roma fry so here on. My heart's bleeding to let me be your sy Okay even do I don't think so. As you hit the last note, the street light outside came out. But timing is not our time. The fans gonna be mad? Are they gonna loved? Wait? We have a quick, quick I don't need the honey to get OK, yes, we're gonna do it. I have I have a good one. This is Matt Rodgers is I don't think so, honey. His time starts now. I

don't think so, honey. Everyone being like, oh, ABC, amazing job for canceling Rosehane, Bitch, that's like leaving your house with every lit candle burning, coming back and then calling the fire department when the house is on fire. Bitch, you knew what you were doing by putting her on television. What the fund did you expect was going to happen? She was posing a Nazi garb doing bullshit. And also,

I don't think so, honey. If you say, well, when about Kenthy Griffin and the Donald Trump head, because one is punching up and one is punching down. Roseanne constantly punches down. She's always punching down through humor. And also she tweeted a while back about the Michelle Wolf thing. Uh, this is why you never go for someone who's more famous than you in the crowd. You lose the crowd every time. Yeah, bitch, because you punched down. If you think that for one second, she knows what it's like

to be Roseanne Connor, you she doesn't. She hasn't been Rose Unconnor for over thirty years, so she had that show. I don't think so, honey, ABC being pat on the back for doing the exact rock fucking right thing and also not for nothing but wand dislikes left before the cancelation was announced, and the granddaughter was gonna leave before the cancelation was announced. They weren't doing the right thing.

They were canceling something that was already imploding. So and eight seconds, I just feel like it's like, wow, ABC, amazing swift job. It's like, no, when someone acts out, they get fired. It's not not pat on the back to the corporation. It's like hello, they put her on there anyway. Yes, yes, it shouldn't have been on the air. Um am, I now you're check out. We love like I have nothing to add. That was very replete, like

now we've all been in this. Okay, all right, so this is and as time starts now, I don't think so, honey. San Francisco Hotels, bitch, you are too expensive. Honey. I'm the only thing that was in my price range and wasn't a fucking den of sin, was uh this hotel that seems fine, but it's like very much like a low frill, like no frills hostile situation. Like I'm fine, I won't even be spending that much time in my

lodgings when I'm there over the weekend. But bitch, it's too expensive and for San Francisco rents to be even higher than rents in New York City. Who do you think you are there? We're not a cultural nexus of

You're not the cultural nexus of this country, San Francisco. No, you have a bunch of fucking nerds, you know, walking around, and and some lovely people in Oakland and Berkeley, of course, but I don't like the culture in San Francisco and how it's complete lately destroyed, the the the it's it's, it's, it's it's it's a completely cost prohibitive city. It's the most cost prohibitive city in this country in the Western hemisphere, Shall I even say so? I don't think so many

San Francis hotels. I'm staying in at the Bartlett Hotel, which you know could be better, honestly. And that's one minute and seven seconds. It's beautiful. You know. We're all playing with the form here today before we go to Larry, who will kick who finish it off? I want to give you the option of doing them. Would you like to do it? And think? So honey, Henry, You've done it every time? Sure, okay, he wants to do what I want to do. Do you want you want us

to wait? Hold off, stall a little bit, I'll do one. It's you have it? You have it? Yeah, okay, this is Henry Koperski is I don't think so, honey. As time starts now, I don't think so honey. People that get upset at the new Star Wars movies like what do you expect? They are for children? If you made them for you, like, they would suck. They would be

so boring. And the old movies, the original trilogy is bad, like it's it's my favorite thing in the world, but it's not like amazing, and you're acting like their treasure. You're acting like it's the Bible, which is also not really great and we should just enjoy. I saw Solo last night and it was ridiculous. It was stupid, but I had fun because that's what I wanted out of it.

And everyone was bad in it. Everyone, but I wouldn't recast a single person like it was fun, you know, um, and I think you should just don't see movies if you need them to, like, just watch the movie that you wanted in your head. I guess the movie you want to write. And that's good. That's fifty three seconds, which obviously offsets are That's very beautiful and very true

to who Henry is. He's pure of heart and he wants everyone to just have fun and enjoy it and doesn't understand why it lots to be such a big problem. Just an unimpeachable human being. Star Wars. Star Wars is fun for kids, for kids. It's for kids, Oh my god, And it's time I've never seen one. Is there a trouble here? I mean it's either trouble or I could like be messy? Can I? I kind of want you to be messy. Put him in on the clock. Okay, this is Larry and I don't think so, Honey's time

starts now. I don't think so, honey, Bowen Yang talking about what I'm interested in? After that, faithful at the Duplex, I slid into your d MS the first mine I'd ever message a nous on the day. But I said that on a day with you and you said that you were liminally not into place. I had to look up. Liminally, dare you say you're sabio sexual? I know that your desires are as colonized as anyone else's talking to Big

top bitch, what about that walk? You know that I'm not to talk to that mind, but that body, that spirit, that essence, all of it? Do Katherine Code, I have a pilot and a character named Owen. Yes, we do. Is it above board? No? Is it happening? Yes? Oh my god? What second? Honey, I'm gonna get some more time. Seven seconds? You got seven some more seconds about San Frand hotels, So maybe I actually wouldn't work out. That was really agh that way, Troble. You just trolled the

whole bowl, honey, messy wow, bitch. This episode was wild, crazy, full of thoughtfulness and abandon intellectual but yet physical verbally physical. Oh my god, I don't know on the spot made it wrong. I'm I'm so glad you did that. Okay, I'm glad, Okay, we'll talk. Oh my god, Oh my god, oh my god. What an incredible episode. This is an incredible episode, and now the world will go to Larry's shows in July what's Larry's musical breakdown with Henry and

we gotta check the checks? We gotta does Henry is a new tadline is does the check clear exactly to be compensated? Like literally, I would rather like pick someone that I would not pay than to pay Henry not his worth like that is like a respecting the time making money. Yes, and must and must and obviously second putting all together, it is the music of Stephens and I'm the only time you'll ever see it classically through the black lens, the black queer lens. We do the

songs in the original form. We don't change the range, we don't change words, but all of it speaks with a new vitality that I think will be really really lovely to hear in amazing. Watch paid Off on True TV. The game shows. It's a comedy game show, and the winner of each episodes get their student loans paid off in full. We're hoping to change the country so that you are not sad of with It's you all. I don't have a b f A. I have a certificate, so I don't have the K, but I start for

a college show, honey. So watch Paid Off on True TV. They actually be going up in anyway. For that, you'll fucking rock. We'd love you. Thank you, Thank you for coming. Follow me home on Instagram. He wants more followers. Let the music, Let the music play, Take me Forever. This has been a Forever Dog production executive produced by Brett Boham,

Joe Silio, and Alex Ramsey. For more original podcasts, please visit Forever Dog Podcasts dot com and subscribe to our shows on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Keep up with the latest Forever Dog news by following us on Twitter and Instagram at Forever Dog Team, and liking our page on Facebook.