This is another episode of stand up comedy, your host and emcee, celebrating 40 plus years on the fringe of show business, stories, interviews and comedy sets from the famous and not so famous. Here's your host and MC. Scott Edwards.
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome back. We have another fun interview for you. This young gentleman got his start back in the late 80s, early 90s. And it was a real pleasure for me to get a chance to work with him. But it was really early in his career, and I'm proud to say that he's gone on to some great fame and fortune. He's been in several TV shows, including Conan O'Brien, the Letterman Show twice. He was a regular on Flight of the Conchords, he was in a movie
called car babes. And then if you didn't know already, he went over to Australia, which is where he is today. And that's where we're talking to him from. So if it sounds strange, that's what it is. But he did a couple late shows there and just almost overnight became a huge star in Australia. Ladies and gentlemen, I know you know the name. He's a very funny guy. Please welcome Arj Barker. ARDS, it's so great to have you. Back on the show.
We had a chance to chat a little bit on one of the roundtables. But this will be a little more about you. And thanks for being here today.
No, no problem. Yeah. It was good to hear from you. And a nice surprise when I heard that Tony and and Karen, were doing the chat. I was like I want to crush that. You know, I want to get involved because those are such special days, the early days last and limited your clubs. Really a special chapter for all of us.
Well, thanks for saying so. And it was really lucky for us that we got a chance to hook up with some terrific young talent, Tony, Camilla refract referencing and Karen Anderson. But also in the late 80s, I believe was about 1989 or so you came out of the Bay Area. Was that how you remember your start? I mean, what got you into stand up?
Basically, I had one friend who mean he and I were sort of the funny guys in our crew. And I don't know why he didn't try it. But he said I should try it. He's an arch you should do stand up. We were watching a lot of comedy on the late like evening at the Improv was on all the time. And comedy was really popular. And so he started to occasionally say, hey, why don't you do that? You'd be awesome at that. And I sort of said, No, but eventually finally he kind of I mean, I
voted give him credit. You know, his name is Doug.
Does that Doug Benson
I didn't meet him for quite a while. Although at that time, I would have seen him on Doug Benson on the improv with his glasses that has a little birds pecking him as I recall. So that was and and the funny thing is back then I assumed all these guys on TV were rich. You know, that's very naive. But I thought because I thought they'd all made it because they were on an evening at the improv.
Yeah, and I know it's important that you mentioned that because the regular person the normal audience, people think that if they see you on TV that yeah, you're like a TV star. You're making big bucks and stuff and actually, evening at the Improv and my own show live at laughs and several the other those early comedy shows from the 80s were showcase shows. And if you were lucky to get, you know, like 50 bucks 100 bucks to do those things.
Yeah, I mean, I don't know how much the evening is improv paid. I don't know I assumed it paid. You know, a grand or two, but even that's not that's not life changing. And Brian, probably back then though, it would have helped your numbers to be on those shows because people did watch them a lot and, and comedy clubs were so popular. But anyway, I just tried it you know, finally got the nerve up and did an open mic at the at the holy city zoo.
Oh, really? Absolutely. And I was completely hooked although i i will say that without even realizing that I had already done stand up as a child at summer camp. Because I used to go to these family camps. Usually once or twice a summer with my family. They were they were they were vaguely Christian but they weren't never really they weren't fundamental. Or, you know, they weren't evangelical or very they weren't pushing it really anything on
me. But they would have skit night, like a talent show. Towards the end of the week, and at one point I wrote a monologue, you know about the camp about a softball game and in an argument that broke out between the adults and I was mocking that in like a Howard Cosell voice basically a standard. It was basically a stand up monologue, you know, looking back, but at the time, I just thought I'd written this. I just thought I'm doing comedy. I'm making a comedy skit, or I
don't know what I thought. But I basically stood there at a microphone and was getting laughed. And I was only about nine, maybe 11. I mean, I'd have to just be guessing but um, when I look back, that was my first set, to be honest.
Oh, that's hilarious. And in what an interesting way to start. What's funny is or ironic is that you were already nurturing some skills that really helps you later on because you're a proficient comedy writer, television, movies, your own specials in advance, and I was talking to Tony Kamini about this, and he was praising you for being a much better writer than him. And if you start at an early age, understanding and enjoying the writing aspect, it
really helps you as a comic. Now we've talked to several people that got their start at the holy city zoo. You know, Dana Carvey was regular there, Robin Williams, many, many others. I didn't know you are not in that. Set. That's really terrific. Do you remember any of your first jokes?
Yeah, I realized they were pretty simple. But um, I do remember my first set, probably remember a couple of jokes. One of them was, you know, they're looking back. They're kind of innocent, you know, jokes, because, well, obviously, it's my first jokes, but it was stuff like, the one of them was I grew up, forgive me. I'm a little nervous. You know, all I did was reverse the letters. Which isn't even now doesn't even seem like a joke.
But you know, I think I was so nervous that he's got maybe got a nervous laugh. It was only about, you know, 15 people in the audience. Yeah. Yeah. So it's a small club to probably pack out at 50 or 60. Let's see what else I think as a gag about. I'm really in the safety of handlebars on my toilet. I wear a helmet in the shower. I mean, I don't know. I mean, it's sort of like, you know, what's interesting is, the more you go, the more you impose rules about what makes a joke and what makes
it a joke worthy of you. But when you start as a stand up, at least, for me, I had had no rules as to what the joke needed to be. Why I didn't understand the concept of hacky or original. I understood that I wouldn't never, you know, steal a joke. Even not. Even then I knew that. Like, I knew it had to be my own thing. But I didn't think like, oh, that's kind of that's too easy, or that's too, too hacky? Or that's, you know, and then also, yeah, so it was more free time as far as trying
stuff on stage. Like props. Oh, sure. I'll take this weird wizzley tube up on stage with me. Because it's funny, but now I would never do that. I'd be like, I'm not bringing a whiskey tube with me. I think you become more refined and strict about what you want to do for your own act. But back then it was like anything goes. And looking back at my jokes, I can see that. Yeah, but I can probably think of a couple more, but they're not much better than that.
Well, the point is, is that and I think you're you're stating it very clearly is that everybody that gets into any new art form, or even any new business and the beginning, you're an amateur, you're, like you said trying anything and everything to see what sticks. Before you kind of find your own voice. You know, obviously, as you kept working past that initial set at the holy city zoo, you found some material that work because if you didn't, you wouldn't work for me at
laughs unlimited. Now, how did you end up coming up to Sacramento?
Oh, that's a good question. I think if I'm not mistaken, I think my first exposure to clubs was was the comedy contests that he used to have. So I would have signed up for that. And now I believe, I believe that was 92. So I've been doing comedy. Already a little over two years, and I was hungry for any stage time. So I would have I would have been going every chance I got I would have been going on stage.
Yeah. And what Arges referencing is we used to do the Northern California comedy competition. And it was a way really for me as a producer and Booker to to Discover and find new talents. And there was a lot of people that came out of that. Brian pulsate and others. You know, Tony, there, there was a number of people that I think, you know, was introduced to me through that competition. But I'm glad that I did it because you were a regular at the club in the early 90s.
Well, let alone Yeah, I mean, those guys are terrific. But even, I mean, one of the great legends of comedy was in my, in the contest with me and place. Second, I came in third. Mike Iriga was one it. And Mitch Hedberg was, was a second place. And, yeah, and Mitch and I both were awarded a week of opening at your club, as part of the, you know, our prize for coming in the top three. Think I think you really got the feature, as I recall. And we actually got our weeks,
simultaneously, so I was sick. I was Citrus Heights, and he was in the downtown club. And so that's when Mitch and I first hung up. I mean, we met at the contest, and we're friendly. And then we were catching up during the daytime. While we were doing what for me was my first really week on the road. I think he had been working already a little bit coming out of the north, the northeast, making his way from Minnesota. I think he'd done some other gigs across the country. But that was really my
first week at a club. Oh, that's a memorable for me.
Oh, that's cool. And your memory course on this is better than mine. I did about a dozen of those comedy competitions. I don't remember who won and did what and then you are not the only person that laughs unlimited was their first road gig. It was even will Durst and a few others. It was early for them. That was a decade before you but I mean, it was their first road gig and giving them an opportunity. And I
didn't remember that. Mitch Hedberg came in second, that and had to have been a heck of a competition.
When it was, yeah, it was it was it was good. Well, he, you know, you know, in his early years, I think some people didn't get get really get him, you know, he's pretty different. And I think in the end, that's the only reason he didn't win was just because he was kind of either he was very unique. And whereas Mike Iriga, who's a great comic, and not to not to put him down at all, he's a good friend of mine. You know, he, he really kills you know, so,
well being unique and different. I mean, look at emo Philips or Bobcat Goldthwait, you know, it took the audience a little aside at first because it wasn't straight mythology, they were coming with a character, you know, and that they had to adapt to that character and Mitch Hedberg was the same. But I think it's it makes me feel good that you guys became friends, and you kind of
developed together. Now in those early days, it is important to get stage time, as you mentioned, what kind of places were you finding work and in any fun stories from those early road days?
Well, the most important source of stage talk for me in the first say, three years of stand up, which really was invaluable was that Well, I was, I'm from a town called San Anselmo, which is in Greene County, across from just across from the San Francisco across the Golden Gate Bridge. That's Marion County, from a small town there called Santa Selma. And there happened to be an open mic that ran every Sunday at a venue called Cafe Nouveau, which was just a little coffee shop,
really quiet, pretty small. And I had a back deck that was over a creek. And I rocked up there after having done comedy probably for a few months or whatever. I'm not good with exact timelines. So you have to forgive me. And maybe I've been doing it, you know, a year I don't know. I've been doing I was searching anywhere to get stage time. I'd literally go up anywhere that they'd let me and I did a set and I would have
invited friends down. So at a supportive audience, and my friends were back in those days. Were excited to come see me do a show. They're not anymore but
nature the beast.
You're all hungry. Anyway, I don't know if it happened right away, but I basically started I start Are you hosting that show every other week, every other week. So every every two Sundays would be my night. And I really grew an audience there. It became kind of like, oh, an artist doing nouveau tonight type of thing. It was really remarkable because it was, again, I don't know how long it took. And it's not huge.
So, you know, put things put things in perspective, it might have been packed out with, you know, 70 people or whatever.
Yeah, but they wouldn't be packed. Yeah, but to the point where it'd be I was just gonna say an interrupt and say that I've explained to a lot of young comics, in it's part of my comedy courses that you want to get on stage. And if you could become a house emcee, or host a show, that is so important to the development, because not only you, you have material that you can share and work on, but you're also building that interaction with the audience that comfort level.
In fact, it was pointed out by a comic recently, that, aside from all the comics, famous and not so famous, that work for me, in the stage time, they had, as the emcee, working eight shows a week, six nights a week, over 21 years, I had more stage time than any of them. And I'm not a stand up comic, but I developed a good sense of how to deal with an audience.
Yeah, sure. And also, one thing, too, that you might add to that is, is, in a lot of cases, you're getting some of the same audience. So you're, you feel pressure to have something new to say, that I definitely did. So I was, I mean, I didn't feel like it was a job, it was a joy. But I was, I would go home from that thing still buzz from the excitement of performing, you know, to this audience that came to see me. So I would sit in my room and fill up another page with ideas and
premises. And I, you know, I was like, I felt like comedy was just pouring from me back then. And it wasn't, again, it's that thing where it wasn't, you know, it wasn't all, a lot of it, I'm sure I wouldn't do now. I would do props, I would grab my guitar sometimes and make a song or for impressions, whatever, there was, no, there was no concept of hacky back then for me, it was just like, whatever. And I did a
hell of a long time. In fact, people would come, you know, like, you know, Blaine capatch, or, or Greg bear would be there and I'd invite him down. And then the poor guys was wait, I would be doing like 25 minutes in between bringing up x.
That's the plus of being the host, I used to do that all the time.
While I was getting, I would, I would have been getting, you know, at least an hour of stage time. Once that thing really was in high gear. I was, you know, getting a shitload of stage time from that. And so that was really important. And so by the time I went up to do your contest, I would have already been doing quite long set. And so hopefully, I'm assuming I took what I thought was my best stuff. And that helped to get me, you know, my foot in the door with you guys.
Well, you're sharing so many important things, you know, being an MC writing new material on a regular basis to develop and build a set, so that when that gig or competition comes up, you're ready to go. Now, at what point so you started in the late 80s, early 90s. You're starting to work clubs like mine. At what point did you feel that you had let's say that 30 minutes set that you could take anywhere on the road? Was it was it a aha
moment? Or did it just the all of a sudden you turn around and you were there?
Yeah. I don't know. I don't think it was definitely not a specific moment. I think I I think to be honest, by the time I was hosting shows, like in San Francisco, you know, which, like the punch lines, and cop. I was already taking some sort of feature gigs, like on the road. And even probably occasionally headlining, I think, even from nouveau really gave me a taste of like, headlining in a way because people really came to see to see me when I'm not saying that out of like, you know,
no, it's okay to say, You were good. Yeah, I'm
not gonna be immodest. But, but I did feel pressure like I need to deliver and, you know, and but also loved it. You know, I was like, you almost had to, like, drag me off stage back then. I couldn't get enough. Yeah. Anyway. Go ahead. I haven't been it was an aha moment. But I would say that like by the time I got promoted that feature that was not an issue at all like to do that there. 30 minutes. In fact, it seemed easier because he didn't
have to warm the crowd up. And I definitely had had the material. So I think I think I usually had more material than than I needed, at the rate that I was getting promoted. Does that make sense?
Yeah. Oh, yeah, no, no. And you always want to work a heavier yourself, you know, you don't want to take a feature bid until you have, you know, 45 minutes to an hour of material knowing you can do your job for 30. In a headliner that's going to do 45 minutes to an hour should really have an hour and a half of material so that they could break it down to what's going to work on a
particular audience. But you came from the Bay Area comedy scene, which was just doing well, in those days, did you get a chance to work with anybody famous or somebody looked up to that helped guide you? I mean, mentor might be too strong the word but Were there people you learn from?
I mean, absolutely. I will say ahead of time, I'm not very good at like, rattling off names. So I'm not this is this, this wouldn't be exhaustive, but I got to work with, you know, every Well, I mean, a majority of the headliners at that time, because I have hosted a teacher for several years at those clubs, even before I had mine, although I didn't get the teacher very long, because I think teaching was like a low and underhand pitch, you know, and like, I was able to smash it
pretty hard. And so then I was bumped up the headliner. Quicker.
Nobody wants to follow a really good feature. So if you if the guy's got the nuts, you can put them up as a headliner.
Yeah, I think so. I think, you know, probably somebody canceled and I got a little break, hey, do you want to close the show or whatever? You know, Tom, and we'll know the syndicate run in the Bay Area back then, Tom. Tom Sawyer, and
what I was what I was going for was you worked with a lot of people that ended up being famous, I have no doubt, especially as a host and emcee because that's how I experienced so many people. What I was going for was being an impressionable young comic that had there was enjoying the art form and had some goals. Was there anybody that you saw that really like added to your inspiration or kind of excited you to see their style or that maybe you picked up something from so name dropping wasn't my
point. I was just wondering if there was anybody that you got a chance to work with that made a difference in your future?
I'm not and I was also alluding to that I was just saying that these guys that I saw many great headliners and I was really interested in what they were doing. Like one of my most absolutely mind blowing moments was watching Michael Moynihan new George's when I hadn't seen him before, and just watching him wrist was like, earth shattering like I couldn't believe how funny he was and still one of my all time faves. But you know, I Were You know Brian Regan is mind blowing.
Jake Johansen and these are all these guys are also notably great guys who were so kind to you know, to take time to talk to you they didn't make you feel like you know, like you were this little lowly guy that you shouldn't even talk to them there always been I had time to have a chat and that was really helpful. Yeah, just like I would drop it like an I was like a sponge just watching you know, a lot of people and very different from nowadays I don't watch a ton of comedy. Oh my god, I was
blanking. I was thinking will and thinking for last name. I think it of Jeff wills by the way. When I was naming the two guys that ran basically ran the comedy in the Bay Area, right? They were the guys to get it was just was bugging me in the back of my mind. So I'm glad to remember that. Sorry, Jeff. Did I just playing sometimes? Well, awkward. Oh, yeah. My point is I I was a student of comedy and I was really interested in probably watched most headliners at that time that I worked with.
But, you know, those are some definitely not my favorite things that I mentioned. But there were lots of great comics. Yeah, and things, do things different. You know, like Jake Johansen, like, his material is so creative and his delivery is understated and like, and credible. You know, Brian Regan just takes the premise and just milks it so hard and just just kill so hard like he always makes you want to quit when you watch him. Michael Moynihan
Well, I'm gonna touch on that because you mentioned Michael Moynihan and how he was so good at working In your crowd, what I was getting to was that as an emcee and host, which you had already kind of cut your teeth on and helped you build who you were and helped you find your voice as a comic, seeing somebody that was really had the craft down that, you know, like, you are good as
an MC. But when you see somebody working in audience, like Michael, that, it I could understand why that would be have an impact on you, because it shows you there's another level, it's like, if you never saw better people, you wouldn't have anything to go for as a
goal. I mean, maybe the good analogy is a baseball player that gets his first home run, and then he sees somebody that has 10 home runs, and you go, yeah, I can, you know, I can do better I can keep building and watching somebody work a crowd without any sense of particular material just work in the crowd. I mean, I always appreciate when somebody can do that.
Yeah, and the intensity, you know, Michael knee and incredible just energy that he emits. We'll never forget that. It was it was it was new George's and he did some riff about I think it was like playing a goat like a musical instrument or something. It was really out there. And it was just world class. It was world class. Improv and, and, and so unique. And I've never really
been my thing personally. Like, like going massively in probing although, I reserve the right to go off script and, and rip when I need to, or when I want to, but I still just and I love his jokes. I mean, I could I could write I could still recite a bunch of jokes from 25 years ago that I love. But um, you know, he's always, he's always been one of my heroes in comedy, to be honest.
Oh, that's great. And I'm sure he appreciates that. Well, let's take the audience to the next level. Because you you've gotten your footing in comedy. You've had some success on the road at clubs. But what I want to share with the audience is that you took it to the next level, you were doing some TV, you got some shots on Conan O'Brien and Letterman. And I'm not sure how you ended up in New York doing the marijuana logs. Tony kind of
gave part of the story. But how did you transition from a road comic to doing things like television and the marijuana logs? By the way? What do you remember what year that was?
What do you what was
the you guys first came out with the marijuana logs?
Oh, sure. When I would guess it was around around to 2001.
Okay, so you've been doing comedy for a decade, and you'd had some television exposure. But the marijuana logs was really a real shift because now it's almost like a play. I know that. Tony kamin and Doug Benson and you put this together and had huge success with it. Did you have fun?
Absolutely. I mean, that was a hell of a chapter. Basically, as far as I recall, I thought of the just for I said to Tony, one day, I mean, literally as just a joke. I said, Hey, we should do you know, because the Vagina Monologues, by the way, in case anyone doesn't know was massive at that time. And it was like a phenomenon like literally like worldwide. popular show. Let's talk about the B word and vagina Vagina Monologues is so famous. Right?
Right. Through women talking about being a woman, and it was very popular at the time.
May I mean, that's an understatement. I mean, it was. I mean, as far as I recall, it was like he like world famous, you know, is being farmed out to different castes all over the world. At least in my circle, it was maybe you know, maybe it wasn't as famous as I recall. But people knew
about it. And I was just hanging out one day with this girl called Cassandra is a nice girl that I knew and um, I just ripped it like, what about the marijuana logs, you know, already shows, and we both laugh, but it was nothing more than that. And then I told that to Tony kamin, and he said, that's actually ours. That's not, that wouldn't be a bad idea to make that show because we are we already had pot jokes. And then Doug, he finished the process by saying, Yeah, let's
do it. And Doug's a very dumb Benson among other things, you know, he's hilarious guy and when he wants to put his mind to something like get out of his way, like he's a no bullshit guy. And he wanted to be a part of it. And he really spearheaded us getting together. and working on it, and we put it, you know, he was instrumental in getting it together, but we all work together. But if you see we all played a part in that process.
And once we had it, we really we were all working at clubs that were able to book ourselves, get bookings, you know, and eventually some producers got interested and said, Let's put it on off Broadway. And we went to New York, and it lasted almost, I think it lasted around a year, or maybe a little bit over a year on Seventh Avenue, and a small theater there. And I was only there for six months. And then I had, I just needed a
break. You know, I was kind of using the same show, like, seven, eight times a week, week after week and plus all the partying in New York. I certainly was there.
Well, you guys had huge success with it. Not only was it a big off Broadway hit, but you took it to a few festivals you got so you turn around the country a little bit. I mean, what other countries?
Yeah, we did upgrade Alia. And then also actually, funnily enough, got it got performed in some South American countries by kept speaking Spanish, which is kind of cool. Oh, that's had a couple international performances. The boys, those boys, some of those boys didn't Napster damn once I didn't go to that one. We did in Australia. So yeah, went around, would never I'd say like a massive hit. But it was, it was successful enough that we got to
travel a lot with it. And we've definitely had some good times. And the old the joke is like what I can remember, it was fun.
Well, you know what's interesting, though, you said it wasn't hugely successful, but in the sense of this podcast in your career, keep in mind the going from an open mic at the holy city zoo, to work in a few stage clubs. And in getting some successes, a road comic, it is a big step to going and you even said that after six months, it's hard to do the same show six nights a week on a Broadway stage. And to be able to have that success, I
think, is huge. So as a producer, I'm impressed that you were able to take, you know, your art form, stand up comedy converted into play, and have that kind of success that it went international. I mean, whether you became or not, it's huge.
What sort of funny little side note about that is that, you know, stand up, you know, your act, generally, right, you do your show, whether you did 30 or 45, you have your segues and you you committed to memory, or you're very good at ripping one or the other. And when we did, because it was based on the Vagina Monologues where the actresses would sit on stools with a script in front of them, we allowed ourselves
scripts as well. So we went from memorizing our axe to having our jokes written in front of us. And only you know, and in so many ways it was, you know, it was in some ways it was I would say it was easy, because, you know, you knew what was coming up. And within the framework of the, of the premise, we were allowed literally allowed to have a script there on stage. But anyway, we all knew it by heart and could have done it in
our sleep. But it was still kind of funny that you know, being that it was the shows about marijuana that we had scripts in front of us.
Well, I just think it's interesting as a producer and as a guy that knew you from back in the early 90s is an opening act for in feature act and stuff that it's it makes me feel good that Tony comedian you had such great success taking this art form and your writing abilities and being able to blossom i know that's a weird term, but blossom into the entertainers you were becoming. Now you've you've done TV, you've got the marijuana logs, which is a big success as a
stage show. I know that in 2006 You're in the movie car babes. But you did lots of television. What you've had a really diverse in successful career, were any of those things that stood out as major stepping stones or things that you looking back you kind of miss.
Oh, I missed while I miss. What I really miss is the excitement of just waiting in the back of the room to go up into your five minutes. So you can't ever go really go back there. What I would tell and I have told comics that somebody emailed me and they're excited, they're starting up. And one of the advices I give them is, excuse me pieces of advice that
I give them. Cherish your formative years because you You might end up playing to bigger audiences, you may end up with lots of money, you might have your own TV show, but it'll never necessarily be more fun than it is right now. It's like, the initial years of the treasure hunt of trying to come up with new bids and camaraderie that you'll have with the other comics trying to break, you know, get their acts together. It's really, I mean, I look back on that it's been my favorite
parts of my life. So, you know, it's all been fun and interesting. And definitely, you know, hasn't all been fun than some tough times. But like, for any, anyone that's just like,
but it's been a good ride. But yeah, I don't think that I necessarily don't think being in a bigger production or making more money necessarily equates to that being any more exciting or fun than just like opening up for a band, your friends band, you know, and in San Francisco after doing comedy, five months, and in the adrenaline rush, there's nothing like it. So I don't know, the whole thing is an adventure. But don't discount
the first. The first few years just because you're you might be living living on a friend's couch or whatever part of it. I just said,
I was just gonna say that's amazing advice. So true. So strong. And it's very impressive. That with all the things you've done, that you can say that there's first few years of open mics, and like you said, sleeping on a couch and that labelled starving artists situation is still a strong positive memory.
Absolutely, yeah. I mean, I never was starving I. But I had day jobs, whatever I had to do, you know, I was I wasn't living, you know, rent a room here and there. driving a Ford Escort, you know, like, I was, I was fortunate though I was I didn't, you know, I know people. I can't speak on everyone's financial situation, and nothing really romantic
about starving for sure. But um, but you know, I definitely wasn't making really any substantial money until after doing it for at least, you know, almost a decade before I really started to get some good checks. But um,
well, let's, let's jump ahead.
It's like a treasure hunt, you know, not not in terms of a monetary treasure, but in terms of just finding, you know, finding your path and finding the next gig and the next joke and all that. And that's what I love.
Yeah, and I think that you've spoken in shared some important things. But we need to, I didn't want to take up too much of your time. And you're down in Australia. So it's early in the morning for you. And it's late in the day for me. But we have to share quickly that story. So from our roundtable talk, and because I know you I know that you did a couple talk shows down in Australia while on tour, and kind of just took off. Why don't you share with the audience real
quick? How you became I mean, you're really a celebrity in Australia, and continue to thrive on that I checked your calendar, I mean, your book solid through 2022. And that's so exciting to hear. How is how did this come about?
Well, okay, I'm gonna give you the quick version just because I don't want to I want to keep your audience engaged. Basically, I've been working a bunch here on the Bay Area and I saw Harmon Leon, I don't know if you remember that guy. He's a comic. A friend of mine and he said, I said where you've been in the UK to stand up and that was such a revelation Scott I didn't realize that stand up and other countries which is probably naive, but I didn't think about that. And I made him give me his
contacts. Like, like right then and there. The next day, maybe he didn't have his his organ is a fabulous book with him. But the literally the next day, I'm not even kidding. I sent three videotapes VHS because that's what you know back then that's what he did to the UK to three different stages that he gave me contact for and only one of them responded but that was enough. So I booked my first tour in the
UK. Got a rocky start there but then hammered out a pretty, pretty effective 20 minutes set. That was what you did. Back then if you didn't all 20 minutes spots at the club. And they did a ton of work there for a few years and went to Edinburgh Festival had pretty good success not first time there, that's a one hour show. And the next year, an Australian producer came up and saw my show and
invited me to Australia. So it was really, I really went to Europe first and then that led to an invite to Australia. That's kind of
that show business. Pardon me? Well, that's kind of like the luck of show business. I mean, you took the incentive to get to England, in Edinburgh, but the fact that an Australian producer saw you there, that's that's like being discovered. That's a lucky fluke. And yet you earned it because you had all those years under your belt developing. I think that's, that's good.
What do they say? Some I forget that that Clover they say it's when luck meets hard work, right? Something right. I forget, I forget someone out there knows that knows the quote, but I can't remember it. But you know, so I, again, I was just, I just wanted to be a comic. And I wasn't. I didn't I never thought twice about going to Australia. But as soon as I heard about it, I was like, definitely, yes. You know, I want you know, how did you find out if she liked it? You know, I
was still keen to go. She's still my producer to this day. Here. Mary Tobin and I, yeah, I went out and did the Sydney Comedy Festival. a month, I think it was called that there's a different one now not to be mixed up with that. That was around 2001 or so 2000 ad. And right away, I did their equivalent of the tonight show once and then again, the next trip, and back then there was only a handful of TV stations here. So that started to put some butts in seats pretty early
on. And once I got a taste of that, I said, I said I'm not gonna it was, it was super fun to come out here. But also, I felt like there was an opportunity. So I kept hammering it pretty hard. What always motivated me the whole time, though, was just the fun of working and touring, and adventure. It was, it was it was still a secondary. While this is going really good. I'm starting to make better money. That was always secondary. But one day, I said, Where am I performing sit
in this theater. So what are you talking about? That's like 500 cc crazy. And there was a really, there was a moment when I was like, wow, this is actually turning into something.
Yeah, 500 seats. It's a big show.
Yeah. And from, and then I just made me even more really want to be here more and push harder. And that was all through my 30s I was hitting it as hard as I could here in Australia. And, you know, doing as many coming out as often as possible and doing tons of shows. And I built up my profile then. And you know, that just continued. And I sort of kept working working here I am now sitting in Melbourne.
What year did you decide to make Australia your home?
Well, that was never an exact thing. I was going and spending three months here, three months there, six months there, three months here, four months here, three months here. And back and forth. At one point I had a I did buy a house, initially in New South Wales out
in the countryside. And I would just, you know, spend a few months here and there at that house, but it was never like 100% I think I just gravitated towards spending more time here and eventually had a girlfriend it turned into my wife.
Oh, wait a minute. Arge did she poof and all of a sudden she turned into your wife? Yeah. Yeah, well, go ahead. I mean, I just think it's incredible. It's a little bit of an unusual story arch because you're a Bay Area comic, who, you know, got a lot of success in Northern California. Then all of a sudden you had success across the country. Then you had success in in Edinburgh and in in England a bit. And then you really super success and I'm
just so proud of you. And and I don't mean that in a in a condescending way. I'm old enough to be your father. So I'm very proud of the hard work you've put in and what it's gotten you to and your success in Australia is well earned. And I just think it's it's got to be you have to know that you're a success and that you earned it and be proud of it because it's it's an incredible feat. Good job.
Thank you. Yeah, I mean it's been it's been interesting and fun and nice. I am thankful so grateful that but I did I did work heard that's true. So, but again, there's definitely some luck involved. And I would never deny that. But, but I think that's okay. In a long enough timeline. You know, most people will have some luck, I suppose, perhaps not all. And I haven't really figured out life completely. But I'm very grateful. Thank you, Scott.
Well, the hard work, I think, is the key component that people should that want to get into entertainment or stage life, have to understand that you are, where you are, and having the
success you're enjoying. Because of all those early years of doing road shows, in writing, I mean, you're still a proficient comedy writer, you're performing so much that you always, like, as you mentioned, a couple of times, want to present new material so that you've really become the professional that you dreamed about when you were doing those open mics at the holy city zoo. And I just think it's an incredible story. Now, I saw your calendar and your book
pretty solid for 2022. Later this year, do you have any special gigs you want to plug? Or what's your next adventure?
Well, you know, not really, I mean, just like you said, I mean, I've got gigs, mostly booked in Australia at the moment because of COVID. I haven't been, unfortunately been able to tour in the States. Now. Since 2019. is the last time I hope to be prior to the pandemic, I would always spend a couple of months touring in the States as well on I would play various clubs that were whoever would have me really played some great clubs like cops or the punch line. Acme, amazing,
amazing club. There was a club in Seattle. Unfortunately, I think it shut parlor row. I love the North. The Northwest is one of my favorite parts of the country to work in. If anyone's listening from up there.
You're available to come home and work. That's great. Well, I really, yeah, I really appreciate it. I
don't have anything. Nothing too specific. You know, I've written I've written a film script as a friend. And we've been trying to get that made now for a couple years. Apparently, we're close. We have a pretty serious is trying to sort all the funding. Supposedly, we might be shooting that that summer, excuse me, Australian summer, excuse me, no, American Summer, I get so mixed up. But like, we're meant to not shoot it in a sort of a low budget incarnation in June to comedy.
But it's too early to really, you know, announce more than that.
No, but still fun, something to look forward to. And, you know, I alluded to that I'm old enough to be your father, I'm your I'll share with the audience, that at the taping of this recording, you're 48, you've already had more than a decade or two of great stage experience. You've tried several different types of entertainment, from stand up comedy to play, to movies to television. I think that you're still obviously to me, You're a very young man, and you have a
huge future ahead of you. And it doesn't surprise me at all, that you might end up writing and performing and producing movies. I think that's a natural step. And I wish you a lot of luck.
Oh, thanks. Yeah, I mean, we'll see how it goes. I mean, I'm sort of, at this point, like, pretty, like, okay, with no, I'm happy to throw some lines out there. But I'm, I'm getting more like, you know, a little more relaxed about and probably a little less ambitious in my in my career, because maybe that's not a good thing. Maybe it is, but it's really more about like, what makes me happy then, like enough, not necessarily more work, if that makes sense. So,
hey, that just means
I just want to enjoy life and feel healthy and happy now and you know, in some ways, I want to enjoy the fruits of my labor too. I I have a comfortable house and some guitars that I like to fumble with. And I'm enjoy enjoy woodworking so I'm really into my hobbies. To be honest. I don't want to work too hard. So I was like, Well, if the movie happens that great. If it doesn't, hey, you know what? I'll keep building that bedside table.
Right? Well, I just think is I reached into my retirement years that what you're explaining is the fruits of your success. It allows you that opportunity to do what you want to do and enjoy doing versus what you have to Do to put food on the table. And there's nothing to be embarrassed about that that is a goal that everybody has. And I'm just so happy that you've reached it. And I really appreciate that you've had a chance to do this interview with
me. Ladies and gentlemen, stay tuned, I have a little stand up comedy from arch Barker. And all the way from Australia. Thanks so much for doing this podcast. And again, it's just been proud. I'm proud that I had a small part of your great career and continued success, sir.
Oh, well, thanks so much got in. Yeah, thank you for the support early on, because that did make a difference. And it's an important chapter for me. So thanks so much. It's nice to talk to you.
Yeah. Oh, well, you're welcome in in my honor. Ladies and gentlemen, keep an eye out, RJ will be back on stage in the northwest and other parts of the world. And if you get a chance, be sure to see him live. In fact, let's give you a taste of that, ladies and gentlemen, Arj Barker live on stage. All I
said was I'm not gay, but my boyfriend is. I see a lot of people laugh at that. I'm not homophobic, but I didn't think that was funny at all. And I asked my girlfriend to take it off. Over there, I don't have a serious girlfriend and I'd love to have one. But I don't meet the right people. I mean, one girl said she wouldn't go out with me unless I own the car phone, which I thought was pretty bad. So I tricked her. Every time we went out, I would just bring the cordless phone
from my house. Put it on the handbrake with some table. Then I go pick her up and she fell for it. She went out with me for like a month and a half. But finally she broke it off. She said arch. It's over. It's stupid going out with you. It's just boring. We never go more than 30 feet from your house. But I don't care. I look back on it. And I realize any girl that likes me for my phone or my car, anything like that is shallow.
Am I right Montreal. And I deserve somebody that likes me for who I am pretending to be I'm not worried anyway, why should I be worried about settling down? I'm 28 years old. And I'm in show business. So you know things go well. My wife hasn't even been born yet. However, I don't mind being single anyway, you can do whatever you want. I mean, I'm not bragging but a couple nights ago, I almost had a three way amnesia to ah, I didn't. But I was very, very close. All I
needed was two girls. So in there, I mean, I had everything else. I had a bed and a candle and a video camera. I just needed more people. Not worried about that. I didn't I had my own place, but it got too expensive. So I've moved. And it's actually a lot of fun now because I'm sharing a place with some old buddies, my parents. But I'm going to be in the money pretty soon, because I'm going
to win a radio contest. I've studied radio contests for years, and I've heard hundreds of them all over North America. It doesn't matter where you are, though, because everyone sounds the same. Every person reacts exactly the same way when they win a radio contest. You're lucky caller number seven. You just want $1,000 What's your favorite radio station? This one people have no shame or dignity
when they win. There's no rule that says you have to love the station you want on I want to contest I'd be totally honest. You just want $1,000 What's better radio station? Well, I jump around a lot like the Spanish one. This one this one's pretty good. What station is this? Anyway? I just had it set on seek. You know what I heard on the radio. They're talking about Bill Gates and y'all know he's rich. But apparently he made $3 billion in one day. Bill Gates made $3 billion in one
day. I mean, that's ridiculous. $3 billion dollars. That's more than I'm making a year I got a computer but not not to do work on I just love video games and this computer came with the best video game I've ever seen. into it. It's so sweet. It's like a space game. And it's like, it's like you're flying through space and meteors are like, they fly by your head. And it feels like your room is the cockpit. And you're the captain in charge of the whole vessel. It's so
badass.I don't even know how to play it yet. It's called screensaver so realistic? Then you hit any key and you go on the ship computer, and there's a database in there. And I don't know what you do with it. But I think you gotta get the data to save the screen I'm still on level one. What am I gonna do? I have a lot of energy. I quit smoking, and I feel healthy and tons of energy. But I didn't quit for health. I quit because I'm just tired of bad news about cigarettes.
That's all you ever hear. Even if they discovered good news, they don't publicize it. Like the fact that smoking seriously reduces the risk of jogging. That's not in the paper. But that is always as I'm sure you've heard the latest bad news. They just found out the camel on the pack of cigarettes isn't even a candle? No, it's actually a horse with a big old tumor going out of his back. I know it said that at least that explains why it's always in the desert by itself. I tell you, we
can't afford chemotherapy. But they're based out in the desert. And take me back to India. This is Egypt. I don't belong here. You're using the wrong accent for this joke.
Well, that was Arj Barker live on stage. Man. It was such an honor to have him call me all the way from Australia, just to chat about how we got a chance to work together in the early 90s. And explain how his amazing career has developed. He is a huge success in comedy. And he's a bit shy about a bit. He's a bit of a celebrity in Australia. And that's why he chose to live there. Hopefully he'll be coming home to visit here soon and we'll get a chance to see him
again live. Thanks for joining us for this tremendous interview and piece of Stand Up Comedy by arch Barker. And we'll see you back next week. Thanks for listening. Bye.
We hope you enjoyed this episode of Stand Up Comedy your host and MC. For information on the show merchandise and our sponsors or to send comments to Scott. Visit our website at WWW dot stand up your host and mc.com Look for more episodes soon and enjoy the world of stand up comedy. Visit a comedy show room near you