Hi, and welcome back today. 24 podcast Rami. Yusuf is the multi-hyphenate star and creator of Rami on Hulu. And the first guest to make a return appearance on the Pod. For today's episode, we arranged a zoom catch up between Romney and his season to CoStar and 824 Treasurer. Marshall Ali with her conversation. May lack, an audio quality it more than makes up for in heart. We hope you enjoy it.
Well, Marshal Ali or the 824 podcast, along with my brother from another mother, driving Rusev here, they 24 podcast rehearsal. Alleys, this is fun. Ronnie. I know you're leading the way on this because you're the let me ask you something.
All right, so let me ask you because I heard you while I was on you you were looking at my have this resume profile photo of. I don't even know where it's from, but it's this like Really it's just really beautiful architectural, gorgeous thing, where the sunlights kind of
coming in, right. So it's like dark and the sun lights coming in and it looks like this beautiful place to pray and then you started talking about pilgrimages and I was like and I started thinking, oh and you have you been to Mecca? Have you done it from home? No dude, no. You like, you know, spiritually, bragging over there right now, I see you now.
Yeah, like I'm good, I haven't done the big one, you know, I think like, you know, for those who don't know, it's there's there's many pilgrimages you can do that anytime and then there's the Hajj, which is like, it comes in the big Aid. After the some side, the yeah, the big read that comes after the Ramadan. Eid. Yeah, it's like I haven't done the one.
I've been done the 11. But I've done them, any one of kind of, I think that's emblematic of my personality and you don't kind of done with no damage when you do it, you gotta do like DJ. Khaled just be like, filming the prayer. The next day this is all about positivity. You're also very pot. No, use your, you know, I find you to be like just being outside with you in, you know, - or degree weather monorail. Track, I left them here, so they're really positive guy.
I have to try, you know, because you start going to thoughts, take over, you start going down that that rabbit hole. And, and then how I feel when I get into a negative space is not pleasant to be around, you know. It kind of sucked the energy out of the room. So I try to keep it relatively uplifted, you know, and shoot your that way like for sure.
And it's Hiring, you know, just in general just your energy and your ability to just Galvanize. People bring people together, always thinking about other people before yourself. It's pretty extraordinary, man. Well, I mean, working with you the same as I was like, I remember we work with you for like a couple days and then we were like, oh he's not a factory because you're so good. So we're like he's gotta be a
factory. Like he's probably really like pensive and like meditation and it's like it's like you're definitely a pensive guy, but I'd like in a good way. But onset is just all jokes We have fun and I need to say because I had my head in the sand at the time. So I got to the third season late but man, what a fantastic season bro. What a fantastic season man. And let me say real quick one of the things I quite appreciate it was you know just watching your show in general.
It's there's just an inherent degree of anxiety that I think as an audience member you just you just carry, you know, and you're always room for around me even though you get annoyed. I'd with them and, you know, all that kind of thing. But what I thought was really interesting and a little unsettling was and you can correct me if I'm wrong but it's just how I interpreted the sort of the flow and course of the season. Was we do it.
We have people that were in close proximity to that do it but there's that thing where somebody sort of like settles into a certain type of mediocrity like are like Settles into a way of being that isn't necessarily their highest soap. And what I always appreciated about Rami was that he was always like very consciously struggling toward trying to be the best version of themself even though, you know, he trips up time and time again and that's what makes it so
entertaining. And there was a sense in the third season for me that it was almost like he had outgrown that struggle. Yeah. Like he'd kind of dipped into a place where moment, you know, because the season goes by so quick, but there is this sense that, you know what, I'm still in feeling, good about myself, I'm earning money, I can take care of myself, I couldn't help my family feel accepted, but this is I'm kind of going down this path even though he's trying to get things right with
a nap and everything like that. But there was a sense that he was kind of like settling into something. And then before, it's all over, The Rami that we know, there's that. Awakening, that Reawakening that happens, you know? And I just thought it was, it was just so well done. And the other thing I love is that everybody gets their moment on that show, you know?
And as somebody who's come up in this business where so many times, your kind of like tucked away in the periphery, it's really beautiful and refreshing to see people who kind of just got up. They play their part. They come in, they make their Bution.
And then you know you kind of keep moving the story along but then suddenly they're the star of the show for an episode and you get to you get to like, really get to know a character and really relate to how they are as an individual dealing with their own path, their Journey, their issues, their struggles, their aspirations. And so, in a certain way, there's like every character on that show is sort of equal and in a sense of course we see a lot more of you than anyone else
but everybody feels. Horton. And that's a great achievement man. And like, you know, you're clearly the showrunner and writer and all that kind of stuff. So I'm sure that there's some awareness of that but just as an actor who hasn't necessarily hasn't been in a position where you're where I'm show running or have any desire to even attempt that crazy to see how well you take care of your characters is one of the things that makes the show really fascinating.
So I just think that there's a real generosity. Paucity and how you present these characters and even as a real generosity in the people you give opportunity to. I do for instance, you know, who the audience may not be aware of, but she plays he plays. Yeah. Do you know about love interest? Yeah. You know, and I was just smiling from ear to ear. I had to text them and just let him know, bro. I'm so proud of you, man. Did he did fantastic work and here it is. Yeah, I think you do.
And I saw that text three minutes after you send them where I'm getting. I'm getting out. I'll call me be like yo man. Rehearsal it says I'm a good actor and I'm like, dear God. I've created a monster who killed it killed it. I really killed it. So, so Leo, that that's a really long winded way of me saying, congratulations and just just fantastic work, man. I just such a, you're such a big part of it, man.
Like, I mean, I think, you know, you coming into our show show was really one of the best things that could have happened. Not only did the show, but I think just to me as a person because I think that I felt first off, I couldn't believe that you were a fan of the show, which was amazing, but then it was amazing too. I think, you know, in terms of just being generous with a story, right.
I think that I had always gone into making something with the desire that what we're trying to do the philosophical idea, the higher, Asian is the thing that we're serving, right?
So it's like, this is a show. Yes, the show is called Rami, which was, you know, if you knew me back then you'd know how hard I was brainstorming for alternate titles, but it's what we ended up calling it. But the real thing we were really trying to do is show Faith as a real human inner struggle and show it as something that I think, you know, in a grounded human way watching someone Aspire watching somebody seek and I think part of what you're talking about in
What shifted in the Romney character in the third season was, we went in saying oh this is the first time we're going to see this character not seeking, but what does it look like if he turned that off? He's exhausted of seeking but the show began and I think by the end of the season, you know, he's back to seeking but it really began with this active desire to show spiritual seeking and in a way that felt human, that felt real and that didn't treat religion like a punch
line. Also didn't dance around the topic in a way where you're afraid to say things, right? And so I kind of went and saying like I'm serving that idea. That's, that's the thing that's most important. And so I think when we realize that we were going to have you in our show, we were already like a month into a writers room and had a bunch of ideas that I've been stewing on.
And then I think he your arrival into it, we basically undid everything that we were doing and what was so joyful about that for me, even though It actually was kind of stressful and I didn't want to fuck it up and I wanted you to be happy and I wanted like it to work for the story and I wanted all these
things. What was really joyful about it and why I say kind of like changed my life was because I realized that I got to put to the test the reality of like, oh, this isn't just about like serving what's in my head. It's like, I'm actually trying to serve this idea that the show is about. So even though it's quote-unquote, my show the show actually belongs to the idea that we set out to do. Everything else comes after that and so mercilessly Ali wants to be on the show.
After we talked, like I asked you and you said, yes, I had to ask and then I was like, oh crap, like he said, yes, like shit. You feel like I thought? He blessed guess 22 Episodes. Did it was like, how about three? How about four? How about five? I was like Robbie you got this much time, let's just do it in this timeframe. I'll do it for me. I know it. Really. I mean, you know, that's just
the air and I'm so horny too. All right, so funny don't like, I'm kind of like, all right, you know like what the best deal we can get here. How much, how much can we squeeze out of, you know, this time with her salamis varicella, so it but it was really expansive is what I'm trying to say. It was really expansive to
bringing your character. It totally shifted the DNA of the show in a way that I think the show needed it was kind of a spiritual process, even meeting you having it work out having it go from two to six episodes or whatever. I think I might have Six and and then have that lead into what the third season was because I think the shift we kind of make from season to season have felt emblematic of years in a
person's life. You know, there's the year you're really seeking and everything feels hopeful, and I would say, the season we did with you is like, oh, there's this year where there is still that seeking, but it's starting to feel like the walls are closing in on you. And then this third season really has this. You know what I'm sick of that? Feeling of the walls closing in on me. I'm sick of the feeling of Antiquing and failing and falling.
So instead of these walls collapsing on me, I'm just going to leave the room. I'm not even going to try and do what I was trying to do. And then of course the room pulls him back into, but it's like, it has been this really great journey and I remember like, yeah, I think I remember us having a conversation after the second season and I was like, dude, thank you for doing this.
It really, like, I feel like I learned the sauce of our show after doing the first two seasons and trying so many different things. And I think in many ways, The third season is a reflection of the balance of like profound and profane and serious and funny and kind of riding those lines in a way that that, yeah, I feel. I feel so, yeah. So thankful for, you know, the work we got to do on it because it really. Yeah. Just implementing your like a
person. I want to segue because of of you, sort of speaking on these on the like the polarity of the show and one of the things That continues to impress me and I sincerely mean this. I can, their few shows I can point to where I see someone a writer, a team of writers, a showrunner really put on display, the art of walking a fine line and you do it time and time again on the show.
And you've done it from the beginning where you're able to sometimes have Rami act as an observer or just ask the
audience. Even you're just seeing And I don't mean this in a negative way but with the baggage of Islam again I don't mean that in a negative way but I just mean we're with what we understand the teachings to be generally even if we're wrong about some of those things and you do wonderful job and sometimes highlighting the specifics that actually offer an opportunity for people to correct how they make think of something in this season.
It was sort of israel-palestine stuff and be able to speak on that in a way that was still like entertaining. Meaning but like hitting at some some real truths to Uncle Naseem and his sexuality, the things that Romney continues to tackle over and over again. It just is there so many things if I went through your show where you're, you know, you're commenting on the uyghurs in China and there's things that you'll constantly get into and you're able to time and time
again. Hit that right spot on the mark, where someone can watch it, embrace it here, truth in it. Maybe they choose to be offended, I don't know, but my We need it just feels spot on time and time again. And I imagine you guys have to have a lot of conversations when you dip into these sort of hot button issues or maybe not, maybe you guys have such a clear understanding of how to tackle these things. Like maybe you don't spend a lot of time concerned about something or or walking things
back or any of that. But that's one of the most most impressive things is that you hit all these topics that can be really taboo, culturally Taboo in Islam, you know, and you're able to Speak to them in a way where you're not. You don't hide, you know? Yeah, I yeah I appreciate that. I mean, it's I appreciate you noticing it obviously because I think that you know, the intention is never to like be
Sensational and it's never done. You know, we're never trying to exacerbate, anything that is already inflamed. But I think what we're trying to do is bring something human and flawed to it and I think like a lot of polarity in public discourse is like you're right. I'm wrong. I'm perfect. And you're saying I'm not perfect. And the other side saying no, no you're not. Perfect. I'm perfect. It becomes combative.
And I think we really try to be precise in what we're saying, it's not even about being gray because I do think we're pointed. I think that we provide a very pointed clear critique of the Israeli government and Military. And I think that we also high that conversation and just zoom it out a little bit and show how linked it is to being in a country like America, whose government and Military.
Three operates almost identically if not, you know, a blueprint for how what's happening over there is happening. So you know to me it's always like that. There isn't anything you can't talk about. It's just what are you going to put it next to you? Is you're talking about it, you know. How are you going to?
It's like it's like there's all this information and and there's all these feelings and I feel like, you know, this is my job, but to stand up and then my job is someone in the show and A lot of these things I try on stage first, and I kind of find the buttons of like, oh wait, that's probably too far. But my job is to take all those feelings.
Take all these things and actually organize it and weave it in a way where you know, it's like yeah ingredients that can be tolerable and can actually open it up and expand into something, right? Like you've never drink a cup of vinegar but like you need it in hot sauce and you like hot sauce, you know. And so it's like how do we take these things that we know need to be said, but also, yeah, there. They're part of something else.
Larger that feels like it's that it's a painting of The Human Condition. And I think the most interesting spiritual principle to me is Mercy and I think we actually try to have mercy with everything we talked about, you know, I think that there is this undercurrent, of, of Mercy around even, you know, whether it be israel-palestine, whether it be abortion, whether it be, you know, sexuality, whether it be self-loathing, I think we try to treat it with mercy and part
of that to me is like really along the wrong. Character to kind of like go through the fire of, you know, we're not protecting this guy, you know, and someone called him making it personal for all every character though to yeah. Yeah, I think you do a wonderful job of honing in for each character. Something that from the outside could just be viewed as a flaw in someone. And then once you humanize it, you understand that there's so much more texture to the many things.
That so many of us are processing in our journey and that's where the the mercy comes down. Because it's so connected to empathy, you know, and I think you really protect the space for us to be empathetic towards these characters. And I think that's where like I have so much fun with centering the show around other characters, you know, and I think we had such a great time doing it with you on the show and then we have this amazing
cast of our family. And and I think like I think we get that Embassy by switching the lens, you know, I grew up on this mix of Loving Tarantino movies and Coen brothers, movies, and loving Apatow movies. And you know, in Apatow movie relate to everybody and in a Coen brothers or a Tarantino movie, you relate to nobody
because everyone's so weird. And so it was always like, for me. Oh how do you take those like relatable characters and throw them in these really unrelatable worlds, where all the characters that kind of strange, and it's a really fun thing to do on the show. It's like, you know, Romney's the guy we're following. Every one, looks a little weird mom. Looks a little weird. She seems one mind.
Did when we were in his point of view is sister seems really like aggressive and mean and and his dad seems zoned out. But now we're following his sister and all of a sudden Romney looks really weird but he's huge you know she feels like she has it together a bit in comparison, he's got a way more together and we totally get what's going on with her. And I think in a way to that's kind of what it feels like.
You know, as a person and, you know, everyone on lines always talking about, you know, I'm having my main character moment or I feel like the main character, the hero or you know, like that's like kind of all Really pervasive playing that I really relate to because I think it's it's what's fun about designing a story the way that we did.
And I think like something that I wanted to ask you about because I think you're so cool and interesting because you are someone who like I do think you're a transformative actor. Like I think that you're somebody who genuinely does the art and craft of acting in a way that I really admire. Like, I think you become somebody else. Like I feel like I'm really excited. Keep acting and expand and do different things. And I also know there's always a little bit of me in it, you
know. Like it's just kind of like how I roll it but with you it's like oh you are someone who really you really embody it at the same time, everything you do feels kind of a piece like swan song, I thought the questions it was asking in the way you embodied that and you also produce that I guess I'm kind of curious like as you pick stuff and you're doing more producing and all of that.
You're obviously could have picked so many things and like, you pick our TV show after winning an Oscar right, like it's like--there's. Like I'm sure I got, I'm kind of, I wanted to directly, ask you like what your organizing principle is for what you jump in do and what you do, thank you
for that, first of all. And one thing I do want to say before I attempt to answer your question, I think on the flip side just as you have more and more time just in the working in the space I'm just curious and excited to see you. In other people's projects and in other people's were just because for a few years. Now, we basically seeing you if it's on TV, it's essentially your work in your writing, even though that's a shared effort. I'm sure. You know, the writers, of course.
Yeah, it's called on. Yeah. The show is the show, is named Rami, you know, part of your responsibility is to bring a lot of yourself to it, you know? So what I would love to see in your journey is, How you're challenged. And what you discovered, the more and more you work outside of your own universe or bubble because I think that's where I think a lot will be revealed to you about yourself and who you are as an actor when you don't have the burden and and the luxury.
But it's also the burden of doing your own work because it's the same for stand up like that your work you do and so there's the voice there that you. Why would you want to get away from that? Like, you have to embrace it and you have to use it and you have to like, turn up the volume on that. A little bit, right? And so you're going to feel different. The more and more you have opportunities to dip into to working for and with other people.
So I just want to do that real quick, and I've only done that like my entire acting. Life is choose from what someone else was sort of putting in front of me. So, with that said, you know, one of the things that I do, listen for, when I read something, is I listen for where fear comes up for me and usually, that's, Good indicator for if it's going to be challenging. And if I look for what's challenging? Or if I listen for what's challenging?
Then, I think that in, that's inherently telling me that this is something that goes beyond. Even if I have a sense that I can do it, it's still something that goes beyond a space, that is known for me, it's going beyond my comfort zone, and so if it's going beyond my comfort zone, that means I got to do something that I haven't done up until that point.
That's why the shakes terrified because I hadn't done that, you know, when you asked me I was it made me nervous and closer, we got to it. I got even more nervous about it. Then it pushes me to the prayer mat and I start asking for help to make it, to make it easier for me. And one of the things I really want to be able to do that, I've always wanted to be able to do was to sort of transform to leave enough of myself behind where I didn't feel immediately energetically recognizable and
to really give Or to the given circumstances and really try to commit to someone else's aspirations problems and issues. And I think with that sort of rigid unbending commitment, I think you can get there. You know, I think it's just a muscle, you know, that you have to keep sort of working on and I do think it for some people that might be easier than others. I don't know where I fall on that scale. I really don't because I don't know myself.
But I do think that that's It's always sort of a goal is to find something that I haven't had a chance to experience. I don't have a desire to play another Washington lobbyist or whatever, you know, unless it was like so different from the one I've already played, you know. So I feel like I'm it's kind of probably just the Aquarius in me. That always wants to be doing something different and experiencing something different and probably have a little add tucked away up in there
somewhere. Where I just I have to it's only going to interest me if it's something. That is new, you know, and that really grabs my attention and scares me enough for me to really stay focused on on the outcome from the sent the outcome, in a sense of it coming to life and feeling like that. Feels alive after you read it or after you do a take or two. Because I can also hear when it's Fallen flat. I can feel when it's not, when it's not alive yet. And so that's for music.
Yeah. Yeah. When it comes alive, you you feel chemistry like and working with you? I felt chemistry, I felt it. You know it's times when you walk through it and say okay that's cool but then you get in take 3 and something like pops and happens that you can't quite put your finger on and you go that's what I'm looking for. And once you once, you've experienced that before, you're constantly on the hunt for that and if a day or seen fall short of that, it's hard to live with
that. Disappointment for me, it's not a great film. So it's really it's really just wanting to wanted to meet a new character wanting to meet a new person. Want to meet a new opportunity and best. I can try to prep myself to make that character believable to myself and to the audience, you know. And so I think that's where the work is because the rest kind of just have to kind of happen with the magic of the day, you know? Yeah. Just be open to that to that appearing, you know.
And I mean so interesting because you talk about even like, yeah, putting your head down on the Mac and I think like for me to like having prayer as part of my life for You know, approaching this spiritually, you realize how spiritual this business actually is like in a beautiful way because it's like, there's these pages that have been written that were trying to bring the life, but we don't see them yet. Like, it's like, you need like sounds, you know, like, like it
even sounds like a parable. When you talk about what it takes to make a movie, like, there is so much believing in the Unseen and there is so much what can we find ourselves in this and bring it? And When any of it ever comes together like I don't think I just haven't met any great director. That isn't kind of expressive of the fact of, you know, it's a miracle that thing came
together. You know you no one no one seems like that cocky of you know, of course this was going to work, you know, I think everyone like whoa it's a miracle that all that worked out if the miracle didn't rain, it's a miracle did rain. It's a miracle that, you know, we didn't die. It's like it's really. There's so much faith. Faith and hoping and gratitude in it, it's really hunger. It's real. It's a really humbling profession in a way like it
blows my mind. If I if I meet someone that is in this business and they're they're arrogant because of Mike so much can go wrong. Yeah. Like it you know and and so I feel I constantly feel like really humbled by this business and by the task of Storytelling, I don't know how anyone there again and I think speaking to of like It was something I wanted to bring up on the podcast that I think a lot of people wouldn't know that, you know, almost really fractured, our working relationship.
We were in the middle of shooting and I challenge you to a one-on-one basketball game, you know. And I think you kind of showed up with some arrogance of like I'm gonna win this and you you had this like, of course, I'm gonna win this and I think we have a real good time and I don't think we played the five and I want, I One. And there is footage. There's there's like there's footage. Oh my God. I don't know where it is, but yeah. How did that feel? Like, were you ate like, how did
you read? Conjure, you know the serenity of the shake after, you know, you were pretty defeated. I think it made me, made me feel like next time I play you I need to have on some shorts. That's what I felt like. I don't think either of us were for the game but I was Easy off. Pier shots. I mean, it wasn't. You got me? You got me. I will admit. You got me. Unfortunately, that happens to me all the time, though, in basketball. I wasn't quite to get prepared
for your game. Well, this is what I think. I get so underestimated in basketball that I usually win the first game, and then I lose the next six because it's whoever I'm against is like, oh, I can't believe I let you do that. And now I'm gonna, if you notice, I did not accept the second game because I knew it would happen. I know. I haven't talked about that in a few years now, but I probably got called away from lunch. This probably would have it.
That's how I'm not playing with. Just my left hand next time when we get here is a thing. I think for me it's really important that there isn't a next time. Like I think we just got to that's our, that's our record against each other. I want to know and we never play another game gap. That's because I want to ask what was space feels most organic.
For you when you think about like all the things that you that you do that you're doing just on Rami alone you could use to joke with you because you just did everything. What whether it's you know, stand up or acting show running writing producing on maybe the 10 other things that I don't know about that you do and are into. Is there a space that feels more of a? Not even a strong suit but that where you just feel most comfortable and or is it all of the above that?
It is it all sort of the same for you to some degree? No, I think. It's like, I think it's about what kind of related to what you were saying. Like because I like when you were saying you feel like there's that, add tucked away, and I feel and I feel like there's this big conversation about about 80 dienes. That is definitely a big part of our culture because I think all of our attention and getting so fractured. And so I feel like that Absolutely happening.
And then I think there's certain people who are on top of that, even more prone to wear their attention goes. And I think part of why I think I enjoy doing so many things is because it truly keeps me focused.
Like I actually can't look away. And I think I like that, it demands that of me. So sometimes I would have this fear of like I'm only doing one thing that I kind of drift away and I come back but it's like when I'm doing three things it's like, well, okay, maybe I looked away from this but like I can't because there's other things going to pull. Me back in. You know, I'm not just acting, I'm not just this, I'm not just that right, but, but I also think that there's like, some in a way.
There's some youth in that too. And I think like as I've gotten to make the show, you know, we've been making a show since 2017 and I think now it's like I've been doing this for six years and the the more that I do it, I'm I'm just starting to take my time more and just Zone in on one part of the process more, you know, like this season. I really made an effort. For it to, okay, how many can I like, things? Can I direct where I'm just not
in it? You know, if that is that brings, you know, a lot of joy to me to just only be focused on
that for a day while I'm on set. And so I think the answer is really for me. It's like I don't think that I've gotten to a place where I can actually say like one is genuinely better than the other but I will say lately, I felt it. When I'm directing something I've written you know, like I think I think the combo of of that Feels really focusing because I still get that thing where it's like, I can't really look away because it's like, okay, not just getting it on the page.
But then there's all these other decisions we got to do is, we're shooting. And so there's something about balancing, those two things where I feel really comfortable, and then I like not having to be in shape or or like I don't there's I'm not as aware of like, pimple management, you know, I can kind of You gotta lay when it be a bit, right? You know, yeah. Cuz the vanity will drive you know like I could just kind of chill and be like you know not
cut my hair for a while. Although part of broadly this season, I like actually cut my hair with like our season. My hair was too long. I look back. That was one thing where I was like, man, my hair was long like I had I got a good I found grow up the Egyptian F role in silhouette. Yeah I know. Yeah it was a Vibe but I kind of stepped away and I was like
that. Look a little little raggedy there, a couple of times to just look like I did, you know, if it the character he was not taking care of himself. But yeah, I do think that there is, I've been enjoying that. But to your point, I think being in, you know, in situations where I'm acting in something that I like, you know, I got to do the film with your ghost that's coming out this year and that was like what you described in a sense for me because I
said, oh wow, I'm here. It's late. 1800's. I have a British accent. Okay, Obviously isn't me. There's and again there's some of it that has parts of me, but it did feel like the beginning of felt like the beginning of flexing, something that I don't know and and that was really
replenishing. So since I'm saying like, I don't, I don't think I can like, you know, I think, I think though what I do like and this is probably the Immigrant kid in me, the thing, I probably holy net out at would like the writing directly piece like enjoying it even more. Is that I feel like Like I have more control that like there's this part of me that's like I'm not waiting for a phone call.
I don't have to worry about like just somebody like me, I don't have to like, I'll make like, like I'm just built like, I want to make stuff, you know, we finished shooting a season this 13 and I finished post and I was so exhausted, I was like, man. I can't work, you know, and then four days went by five days went by and had one day that I was by myself.
And I was just like I let me sleep in and then I was just thinking of something that made me laugh and I was like sort of like writing on my notes and my Apple notes on my phone and then And I started being like, in this case, you know, I want to wait to put this in the show, maybe it could be like a short film. I met this guy at Prospect Park, he had like a nice camera, like maybe just like shoot this at the short next week and I'm like all this comes from like it's
just who you are, who you are. And I know I could do this and maybe some of that safety and kind of growing up with like, the The anxiety of how are we gonna pay our bills, or okay? We're like just kind of making it but any check. We get, we're sending a bunch of it back to Egypt, you know, there's always this like, nothing is ever really enough.
You're never really quite where you need to be and and all these things that I really, you know, respect my parents for going through and but then I like, look at myself. I'm like, oh yeah, I have that. And maybe I do feel more comfortable, like knowing like, you know, I can you know okay no matter what I could write and even if I lose Hands. I could dictate. And even if I lose my voice, I'll figure something out. You can kind of, like, you're always planning for for a disaster.
When do you, when do you feel that calling to do stand-up? That must feel like an unique feeling. I feel like and what surprised me just in spending time with you? I remember being surprised by how eager and at ease you appeared to to be about just going up. On stage and not really even knowing what you're going to do. Like I don't understand that like that's not a thing. I understand that feels Really Brave to me but I doubt you describe it that way.
Yeah, yeah. I think the more you had called are you hanging out with stand-up comics? It's hard to assign bravery to any of it. They're like with a bunch of comic to like all this is an elevated sickness that people have been duped into thinking as modern-day philosophy. But no it's I think it's It is desired to connect, it feels for me. It feels exciting. Just again like have an idea and I like it because we're making the show writing and whatever it
feels. So every moment feels so precious and you want precision and we'll like battle back and forth about a line and do all that and eventually you find that precision and stand up but you don't need to have that this Tuesday night like this too. Day night. You can just try to half idea this Tuesday night.
You can try something, you thought of Tuesday, morning, and it could connect where you can learn about the idea that there's no Gap. So, I think the part of me that's like loves the instantaneousness of it, loves the feeling of that, kind of feedback and back and forth. Yeah, that I really like, and I think it is fun to talk to people on stage. I don't really like doing, like the crowd work thing where like, you go up and just like, make
like Zing people. It almost feels too easy but I do like the thing where you do talk to people and kind of find something and weave it into something that you were already carrying and and and and I think that's been really fun. Like I think you know it's funny we have this whole storyline. There are four season where Ronnie falls in love with his cousin. But it came out of this like
this crowd work interaction. I had at the Laugh Factory, I don't know if I ever told you this but it was like the Laugh Factory and I thought this couple was on a date and they looked at me like I was crazy and is like, no, dude, this is my cousin like how can you think we're on a date? And I was like, what if she's your cousin? And I just remember like the whole room life being like, what are you like the other systems like this mix of like laughter
and discussed. And I would like, I would be honest. A lot of people in my family are each other's cousins and never look back you know there's just like this. But then again, people in the crowd who were like, oh yeah, I know you're talking about, and I remember the first time I started talking about that. It was, it was it almost felt like this, like 15-minute Town Hall of someone being like that's gross. No, no, I get it. Whoa, wait, what the science of
it? When it isn't messed up, we shouldn't do it. And then someone be like, you know, like it was just whole thing and that value really is what the Wailing. Very another couple is married. I got a letter from them. Really changed our lives and give us The Bravery to do. What we what we didn't think that, you know, that we want to do ya mad.
So that that's almost did it. I was didn't way when I went to go, see you in Atlanta. I was like, that's really fun to like, go to a different city and then just get up there. It's a great way to just be in a city and meet people and and just see like, what are the sensibilities here? Kind of different everywhere. Yeah, them.
Yeah. I've never really considered how, how that's definitely part of The experience and adventure of being up, there is doing comedy in Atlanta and and where you're doing, it in Atlanta would be totally different from doing it in Southern, California, or Jersey or New York or wherever else her London, you know, it's like, yeah, why? I just did stand up in London and, you know, they're just, it's so clear, how funny they find us and not in like not a good way.
Comedy in it right now, you guys are fucking funny. You guys are really, you know, you got it right running around with guns. No healthcare like it's like you've you like steel that it's not even a judgment. It's just like accuracy from a different point of view where you like oh my God we are and that that's always really.
I think it's the same thing. You're talking about it, like digging into a character, like I feel like the way you, I feel like you get to know characters, so you can just get to know people and get to know the human. Why are we here in this condition? And it's the same thing. It's like, oh yeah, getting to do this. Get up, onstage, do all that. It's like just to get to know people and you. Just feel something different for a night. Yeah. That's been something that feels
so, so fun to than figure out. I wanted this work on screen and yeah man, I'm like something that I did feel with you when we did and in terms of roles because it's like the question that like, I'm like I'm waiting for rehearsal Ali, the director. And when that's going to, yes, I need to know what's going to happen. I know it's gonna happen. What's going to pay that to happen because I felt it when we
were working on was like, yeah. This dude known everything that's happening right now which was for me actually comforting. Like, At first, I was like, all right, you made it not intimidating because you were basically like, you know, I'm still on your side and so like, hey, here's a suggestion, here's whatever. Because I love this and I want
to be here. So I was just like, whoa, I have this Instinct teammate, but I was kind of Blown Away by how much you did see me of everything that was going on. Yeah. Like, when that happened, I hope sooner than later, you know, and I definitely, we spoke about this. I definitely wanted to do that on your show, but I've said a huge huge part of my comfort in. Just Community. I'm pretty good about communicating my ideas to whatever director I'm working
with. But it was, it was hugely inspiring working with you because you made something that is extraordinarily difficult appear to be like fairly easy just in. How you how you carry yourself. Elf how you make choices? How you feel relatively confident and the choices that you're making and just how you interact with your crew, incorporate your DP into the idea, you might go at least at that time.
Check in with Chris store about something, you know, you you do the way you kind of do the dance. And yeah, I think it's clear that you're aware of how much falls on your shoulders, but you do a wonderful job of Bringing people in sort of like the way in which you sort of operate with the light Council, you know, but good again, you're clearly the lead here and just the way in which you navigate, and communicate just your ideas and it definitely left.
It impact on me and I'm still sort of Blown Away at as to, like, how you, how you do it all and how you manage it. All, you know, some of that is just who you are. But but the way, In which you just handle yourself as a director. I love how you don't appear to over. Think there's a lot of trust than in how you work and operate. And for me, I think it was the first time where I felt in real time that, you know, I want to direct.
I do I do I or I admitted it to myself a lot of that, a lot of it had to do with just watching how you how you operated and did things, you know. So so I think Anything I felt free or just to communicate when we try like this. And yeah, you really, you really do. Welcome at least with me. I felt felt like my thoughts and ideas were always heard and embraced and if they worked cool and if it didn't work, it didn't work.
You know, we try something else or you tell me why something may not work and we just wouldn't do it, you know. But a lot of that just had to do with just being in proximity to you and because I can be heavy at times and a little I get a little bit anxious. About like wasting work opportunity or moments or you know and you thinking just your presence encouraged me to sort of relax a bit you know. And so I just appreciate it as how you approached it.
All I hadn't even I mean so much better place. You made it. Yeah you again like made it really even ejected like this whole new life into it and that was part of being able to feel like so much ease and Faith to because it was like straight up. Like yeah, we're going, you know we're going with this miracle of like, wow, we're all here and we're all doing this and like who would have thought, you
know? So that that had so much of the energy flowing through it and it's funny to even like mentioning, you know, store we didn't have them on Tina 3 because he was doing the bear, which is awesome. You know, the menu, you know, it's so good. I've sanded, I've seen it and it's funny because I've been talking with him that he's been telling me about it. And we've been talking about that show for years.
And talking about kitchen culture, this made me real quick, it just Made me think about like these dudes and food, man, like, Rami and Chris and food, like, you. I know, I know that was the thing where you were, like, you do everything because we would everyday, like, organized, a lunch order, it didn't matter, like what was going on, even if there's like a rewritable, got my trailer sandwich, we've got this. Like, we looked up the sandwich.
Like, that's like, like most of the shoot would be like, what are the middle of Staten Island somewhere? Like, find the sandwich? Not a know. We would like hunt people. Down. Well, they grab random people and be like what's the restaurant. I don't know about, you know. And like we don't like we have like a huge casting issue. There's like a fire going on. We lost the location. We're dealing with all that. But then we're like, State emergency where we eating very important.
You know, like we're like researching, like we got like a food map but, you know, I got to know, not just Chris but his sister Courtney and Mike and and I love, you know, so much of what they portrayed. It's just like this whole like, you know, yes, chef no chef but I remember talking to To someone at a restaurant, they were like, the only correct answers are yes, chef. No Chef or I don't know chef.
And I think like my favorite one is, I don't know Chef because it couldn't has this like assertiveness. And I feel like even to talk about light Council and having a light Council around or, you know, to me like the way that I enjoy having teams and like we build teams and and the show is such a team effort, it's like, I'm like, maybe, you know, you know, I was watching this great offer. Go on YouTube and like the conductor's like sweating and doing all this and, like, whatever.
But like, you know, this one dude has this solo and it's so amazing and you're like, yeah, that guy is the star of the show, you know? It's the guy singing. I mean, like the conductor's doing the thing, but the guy singing and it's like, it's just that visualization of it and kind of watching how that can take place on the best sets feel like that, you know, it's like, everyone gets that moment to shine. Everyone knows one thing.
The other person doesn't know and so it's like, how do you Leverage, The Knowing and not knowing into something. That's, you know, that has Harmony as opposed to like needing to feel like, you know, everything or needing to feel like, you know, you're manhandling or controlling the
thing. And I think that's what I find fun about it. It how do we kind of make that happen and then we kind of keep learning and it keeps growing and all that and that yeah, that's been the fun part of the journey with it. And so I think like, you know, yeah, I was just cool, man. It was cool like talking about it afterwards and and kind of feeling like Shadow Wonder,
like, what? What Movie rehearsal is going to pick the direct and I don't know like what Vive even had sat with you and your mind of what you jump and do, but it definitely like something that I'm looking forward to well. Actually, what type of movie I want to act in that I'm hoping you will write direct, tell me. But I feel like I should tell you offline so that it can actually happen. Yeah, tell me. I've changed my mind. I'm not gonna do. Put it up.
I'm serious though. No, I'll come to Atlanta, I find them. Coming again next month almost serious. You know. So I need to shake his cool. I'm down. I'll pop back in, you know. But I want to do, oh my God. I don't think I want to take this season for just, I just got to get out of man. I'm up here. Empires 4 Years, bro. Like I gotta finish these vampires in Atlanta for a second about that.
I was like, I don't know what, what, you know his look for blade is but you know, Want to do this for the season. We want to be the last one. We'll just go to Atlanta and just get the, the, you know, we need the final like rehearsal and so, you know, we'll just, we'll go to Italy. Oh, I'm if you dress, this blade will figure it out like, I don't know. You shall all. I'm doing is things and all, bro. Good thing is, I should have a beard, so I should be ready to
go, but you know what? You just need shaking. He's a fight scene. That's all good. I mean, I mean, I think everyone wants to see the shaykh rabee fight scene. So I mean, that don't have to be you men, he saved you, maybe. Saves you just you know start whooping ass you know. So I'll probably I'm totally
down but but yeah man. So I do I do look forward to to working with you again because it is truly sincerely, one of the only great joys of my career, but just one of the great joys of my life, you are really one of those people who who does like impact people's lives. A man like you really do and I've seen it so many people. I'm sure there's a long line. People who would be like, yo, Mami like really impacted my life, man.
And it's just, you wouldn't even know it's just what you do, you know, but, but it's just a real blessing, you know, getting to work with you and to share time and space with you. And, you know, continue to just be in contact with you. And, you know, I need more of it. So, anyway, I'm just putting, you know, I, I can say the same. Exact thing back without any hyperbole.
I mean it truly. Yeah, what you did to our show and my life is like, never to be never forgotten and you know and then we get to commemorate a little bit of it I guess on this was podcast, you know. Yeah, yeah, yeah man. I love you man. Love you too, brother. Thanks for listening. The 824 podcast is produced by us a 24 special. Thanks to our editor Tom Wyatt and robot repair who composed our theme Thanks for listening. The 824 podcast is produced by us a 24 special.
Thanks to our editor Tom Wyatt and robot repair who composed our theme