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Nate Bargatze has been called “The Nicest Guy in Stand-Up” and honestly? The rumors are true. Nate tells me how he started doing clean comedy, and the time he tried to copy a style of comedy that really wasn’t him. Plus, we talk about the power of (spoiler) just being a nice person in your work.

Please note, Funny Cuz It’s True contains mature themes and may not be appropriate for all listeners.

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Transcript

SPEAKERS

Elyse Myers, Nate Bargatze

Elyse Myers  00:15

Okay, actually, can you just pretend that you’re listening to a fully complete theme song here, I got really in my head. And I tried to make it perfect. And I couldn’t. So this is going to be the theme song right here. Hello, and welcome to Funny Cuz It’s True. I’m Elyse Myers, when I first saw Nate Bargatze’s special, the Tennessee kid in 2018, on Netflix, I would specifically invite people over to my house just to force them to watch it, I would sit them down on my couch, and then I would watch them watch the special because it was so funny. Like, if they started talking, I would just be like, shut up, shut up, you’re missing it shut up. Everyone thought it was great. But I just I had this very deep connection to Tennessee kid. And it honestly, like kind of made me think even subconsciously, I don’t know, I thought I could probably do this. And that’s something I’d never really felt before. Like, I could do that. Because he made his comedy feel so plain in a way, like the way he talks. It’s so simple. It’s not overdramatic, it’s not a lot of physical comedy. It’s not like fancy writing, it’s just, you kind of feel like you’re in his living room. And he’s telling you a story about his life. And that’s what I want to do in my comedy. And so I just I wanted everyone to have a chance to experience that and enjoy it as much as I did. So fast forward to now he’s on my podcast. Nate Bargatze is on my podcast, his 2021, Netflix special, the greatest average american was nominated for a Grammy. And he’s continued to be very hard at work. He just released his latest special titled hello world in January. And he’s currently on the be funny tour. No pressure. And because I love nice comedy so much, we really dive into just all things comedy here. So two things that are funny because they’re true. Number one, you won’t hear it in the conversation because we cleaned it up. But there was a lag between Nate and I that was so painful. It resulted in me kind of pouring my heart out at the end of the conversation and just telling him what his comedy means to me. And it being met with a very silent smile. And I have never wanted to take something back so badly in my life. And so immediately after saying it, but it actually was just the lag. And he saved me shortly after that by repaying my compliment with a compliment of his own, thankfully. And number two, because I’ve consumed pretty much everything there is to consume when it comes to the content that like Nate has put out. I already knew this. But my producers were just learning that Nate’s dad was a clown when it was growing up. And when I logged in the day of the interview, I saw my prep doc for this conversation. And it was full of cloud questions. And I mentioned it once in the interview, and Nate like briefly touched on the cloud stuff, and I just kept going. And then I look over in the chat bar, and my producers are just sending me a million messages. Like ask more about the dad being a clown, we need to know more about clown stuff. And I just message back. I am not asking about the clown stuff enough about the cloud and stuff. So any hoops? Enough about that. Let’s get into it. Nate, Hi, how are you? How’s your day going?

Nate Bargatze  03:18

Good. It’s going good.

Elyse Myers  03:19

So I have so many things to ask you about. So I’m just gonna dive right in. How did you make the decision early on start with clean comedy? Were you like, this is gonna be me from the beginning.

Nate Bargatze  03:29

Yeah, I mean, I you know, I grew up southern Christian. So it’s like, we’re only allowed to watch clean comedy. And that’s all I ever knew. And but I also couldn’t imagine like cursing in front of my parents, like, even now, even still to this. It’s like, I’m just like.

Elyse Myers  03:45

So as soon as he said, like, I couldn’t imagine cutting in front of my parents. My immediate thought was like, I’m going to be funny and say, I’m the same thing way to like, make a joke. And then I realized he has no clue who I am. And definitely wouldn’t know that that’s a joke. And so as I started to say it, I like took a very hard left out of the joke. And I just ended up saying, Yeah, I’m the same way totally. And I am so glad listening back to this that I did not make that joke. So I’ll just make it to you. I guess.

Nate Bargatze  04:18

I’ll do everything just to kind of make them not be mad. Like, you know, I want to, it’s nice that you want and you know what, you know, it’s helped a lot is I if I write jokes, it’s with that in mind. If you’re writing very specifically for someone.

Elyse Myers  04:34

I write for my grandma, she watches everything I film and post and write and the thought of explaining like a random F bomb to my grandma isn’t really something I feel like doing when I go home for Christmas. But I did just drop an F bomb like a second ago. So sorry, grandma.

Nate Bargatze  04:55

Instead of trying to write for everybody, which is kind of impossible. It’s like I’m writing for my sister. Often I’m also writing because I don’t want my parents, you know, you don’t want to be like, check out my son. It’s like it’s a little dirty. You know, like they have to be kind of like, in I have all my friends that are some of the dirtiest comics. And I always joke that I’m a comics parents comic, because I’m always the, I’m the one that like, all my buddies are like, they would be like, tell their parents that they’re dirty, like, go watch Nate, you can watch Nate. He’s fine.

Elyse Myers  05:25

That’s my experience. So anytime someone comes up to me in public, everyone’s like, me and my mom love watching you. And like, that is not what I expected you to say. And it’s always I expect people my age to come up to me. And it’s usually people like 2030 years older than I am. Being able to connect to all of the generations. It’s like, it’s really fun. But it does change the way I tell stories, because I’m the same way like I am imagining cussing in front of my parents just does not compute to me like I could never do that. And so it really has informed the way I tell a story online.

Nate Bargatze  05:58

Yeah, I don’t think it’s a bad I think it’s it, especially now, when you when you look at stuff is bringing those generations together to watch things like a lot of viewing, and a lot of things. It’s all separated. You know, like my wife has shows, or I have shows that her daughter is shows you’re not watching stuff together. And like when I have grandmother’s come up, there’s nothing better than making a grandmother proud of you even ever, not even my grandmother, just any grandmother. That’s the best.

Elyse Myers  06:28

It’s the best, we do it for the grandmas.

Nate Bargatze  06:31

Then you can have a two year old to a grandparent and they can all just sit there. And it’s, you know, it’s something that is I think people want to do stuff with their family. And yeah, and so you don’t want to be uncomfortable with your parents. And you don’t want to sit there and watch something that’s like, you know, it’s not it makes it not fun.

Elyse Myers  06:50

What do you think people expect when they come to your show? Like what in your mind, you’re like, this is what they’re expecting.

Nate Bargatze  06:54

You know, my act is, it’s nothing’s really heavier, nothing’s really, it’s like, I’m just trying to be a break. And just to give people some relief, and not have to worry about the life for their own things. You know, people have to get their kids to school or run and all these kind of, it’s a zoo. So you just want to be that break for them and to be fun, which is a very broad thing to try to be.

Elyse Myers  07:18

Because it means so many different things to different people to I’m sure, like people’s senses of humor vary so much. So I feel like that would be nerve racking to be like, I find this funny, I hope you do.

Nate Bargatze  07:29

Find out what your lane is. That’s a hard part to do, too. When you’re coming up and you’re seeing like, I would see people like talking about just topical stuff, and then they start blowing up and you’re like, do I need to do that? Do it? Yeah. And it’s hard to just remind yourself to like, just like, keep your head down. Just do what you do. And then the rest will you know, it comes when it comes.

Elyse Myers  07:48

I think the first thing I noticed about your comedy is like, there are so many jokes that to the audience feel like a throwaway. And the throwaways are just as funny as the like intentional like laugh. And it’s like, the thing that I just I could not get over was from your special Tennessee kid, when you were talking about the horse.

Nate Bargatze  08:09

So me and my buddy, we rented a car, he’s driving on the way out there, I see a dead horse just laid out in this guy’s yard. And I’ve never seen that before. And I was like, Man, I bet you don’t think about that when you buy a horse. It dying, you know, what do you do, that’s a huge thing dying in your yard. You can’t just scoot it off into the woods with your foot and try to get another one that matches before the kids come home. On the way back since my buddy was driving, he did not see the dead horse, you know. And I’m like, we can’t not see it. So it’s just one road. And I was like, I’ll just show you where it’s at. So we get we’re driving and we get to it. I was like it’s right here and appointed. And the horse was standing up doing unbelievable. One of the healthier horses that I’ve ever seen.

Elyse Myers  09:01

When you were like he was doing incredibly well, like that line I have liked that part was like he’s a genius. I don’t just the way that you tell a story. And like that wasn’t even the funny part. And like, you just have a very special way of like speaking and connecting to the audience. And it feels like relatable and like common experiences. And that’s the kind of thing that makes people feel like you’re reading their minds.

Nate Bargatze  09:23

I don’t know if you can really like write to be relatable, you could really just talk about yourself. So it’s I did learn very early on that. It’s like it’s just got to be you. And so whatever you are and what you do is what you have to be and it’s when you try not to do that is when stuff doesn’t go great and when people can’t relate to it. And so like when I write jokes, I’m going to my experiences in my life I was looking at you can either laugh with me or laugh at me. And it doesn’t matter. As long as you’re laughing.

Elyse Myers  09:53

I would like you to laugh with me personally. If you do laugh at me. I will cry. Thank you. Have you ever tried to veer out of your lane and you’re like, oh, nevermind, like or have you just kind of been you’ve known what you were doing this whole time.

Nate Bargatze  10:08

I remember following a comic Rory Scovel. He’s very funny and very like anime. And I remember I followed him and I kind of tried to also make fun of like, be in that kind of vein making fun of the situation in the room. And I bombed real hard. And it was like that moment to go like, Oh, like, I don’t need to match people’s. Like, I’m not that I don’t know how to do. And that was something you get to learn in New York is you’re met, you’re like following high energy guy. And you think why I that’s what they liked now. So I got to be this. And what I learned was to get people in my voice, what’s the quickest way I can get you to my voice? If I can get you to come to me, instead of me trying to come to you? It’s we’re running, the show will be bad. So you, you have to learn how to like, let me just get you to me. And then yes.

Elyse Myers  11:00

Yeah, I think that the way I feel is like, I’m just wanting to offer an opportunity for me to be my complete self in front of you. And if you relate to that, and if you love it, and you think it’s funny, awesome. Like, that’s the easiest way for me to kind of do what I do and stay healthy. I can only be myself in the moment, I try and say things like somebody else, or tell a story like somebody else or animate like somebody else. It doesn’t feel like myself. And you can do it like once or twice. But you can’t like sustain it. And so it just it’s hard to stay healthy. And that I think that’s another way to burn out too. And I am curious if like with this stretch of like 8 years that you’ve just been going hard, like, are you finding that like the comedy and the way that you stay authentic to yourself? Does that help you stay in it longer? And does that help you stay healthy in your career and balancing family and work? Like? Does that? Do you notice that that helps?

Nate Bargatze  11:58

Yeah, I mean, being yourself, it’s not an act. When you’re an act, that’s exhausting.

Elyse Myers  12:05

This is true in life as well.

Nate Bargatze  12:07

So if the more you can be closer to you, the easier it’s going to be, you know, you know, a big part is like being on so that’s the only part that gets hard is like you gotta learn with like, you know, how much you feel like you have to be on the on is not, it’s not just on stage. It’s like when you meet someone like our view all the time, yeah, you’re just kind of always on.

Elyse Myers  12:31

You’re aware that like they’re seeing you for the first time and they’re meeting you and you aren’t able to get see and you want to be neat by guests. You don’t want to be just like, there.

Nate Bargatze  12:39

That’s why being the great default is just be a nice person. And if you can be nice. It’s, that’s I mean, that’s what you know, and that’s general life, as long as you’re nice and uptaking. Nice, then, then that helps a lot with the being on all that stuff helps to for your act like being like, Yeah, you don’t live in like LA or southern Right?

Elyse Myers  13:00

I live in Omaha, Nebraska.

Nate Bargatze  13:04

It’s like that, that is the honestly one of the best things you could do is you’re, you are at least living you’re living a normal life. And you’re, you know, I always say you got to have normal people in your life. Like, when you live this, when you get to a certain point. It’s like, you know, a lot of people, a lot of people are famous or whatever, and they’re doing crazy things. And they’re people are like going to Mexico on a Tuesday for no reason. And you need someone that’s like, Yo, dude, I gotta go pick my kids up from school like, or I’m working or.

Elyse Myers  13:34

I can’t tell you how many times I have said to my husband, I’m so grateful that all of this, like public recognition came into our lives after I became a mom. Because there is nothing more humbling than leaving, like this event where everyone knows your name, going home and then changing a poopy diaper and having your son have a full meltdown for like an hour just at you. Like that will bring you back down to reality faster than any amount of therapy.

Nate Bargatze  14:07

You got to like, see you’re at least aware of the reality that you’re A, you’re then you can appreciate where you’re at, but then you can also appreciate where they’re at and, and then also remind yourself that, you know, yeah, this is insane.

Elyse Myers  14:21

Okay, we got to take a quick break when we come back. And he talks about when he started off his comedy career in New York and LA. So have you ever lived anywhere else other than Tennessee because you guys are in Tennessee right now. Right?

Nate Bargatze  14:45

Yeah, I love to Chicago. I started in Chicago. And then I was in New York for almost nine years and LA for two.

Elyse Myers  14:51

Were you in New York to like start comedy or when was that time period?

Nate Bargatze  14:55

Yeah, I moved to Chicago first. And I started there for I was there about a year now. I was there with like animal Burris and Pete Holmes. Kumail Nanjiani. TJ Miller. So a lot of that crew and then I moved to New York after that to start comedy. I watched his documentary, Seinfeld called comedian. It’s on Netflix, but like that came out and he was in New York and then that’s what I knew to move to New York and New York was very much that you could go on stage every night, multiple times a night. Because there’s so many comedy clubs and so you’re just like, you’re just in it just going up and pounding or a, you know?

Elyse Myers  15:34

We’re you gonna say pounding the rock just now or no?

Nate Bargatze  15:37

I was gonna say pounding I don’t know if that makes sense.

Elyse Myers  15:42

this right here. This is where I should have stopped. Pounding the rock is a saying from the Spurs. I don’t know if he followed the Spurs at all basketball. […]

Nate Bargatze  16:19

I mean, when you hear little things that you can gather, that can affect your my big one that I talked, there’s a book by Jerry wind trop be produced Ocean’s 11, those third like big Hollywood dude, like all this stuff. But when I read his book, he said, anytime he started feeling comfortable, it was time to make a change. And I moved from New York to LA within three months of reading that, because it was really that made the most sense to me. The second you start feeling comfortable, it’s easy to just kind of stick in that comfortableness, especially in a field that we are in, where it’s like, oh, if I stay here, you know, I’m going to get stuck. And then I could still be doing comedy full time. But like next thing, you know, the 50 or 60, and I’m just kind of where I’ve been. And so it was like I knew I needed to mix it up. And then that’s when I moved to LA and went to like, kind of Newark comedy scene. And I remember one night I was supposed to his show. And I was supposed to open for Bill Burr, somewhere in LA and he canceled and so it was getting rescheduled. And then I went into like an open mic. And it was like a Friday and I was like had like almost like a panic, you know? Like, it was like, what am I doing, dude, I’m just sitting here like, you know, it felt very much my career’s in other people’s hands and not mine. And so it was like, from that moment was like, I gotta go out every night. I gotta go. I gotta get that grind back that I had in New York.

Elyse Myers  17:58

Just gotta pound the rock. Am I right?

Nate Bargatze  18:00

So, I like when you get stuff from random things that resonate? Yeah. And then you’re like, Oh, I gotta go. I gotta get it together.

Elyse Myers  18:08

When you move from New York to LA. You were when you were in New York, you were doing shows like every night you said, right. And then when you moved to LA, like, you were still doing shows every night. Like did that grind ever get tiring? Like, did you have a family at that point?

Nate Bargatze  18:23

Yeah, our daughter was just born. So she’s about four months old, we moved to LA. I mean, it gets tiring. But it’s like, I’m trying to, you know, win the lottery. Yeah. So it’s like, no one cares that I’m doing this, no one needs me to do this. I mean, like, I can want to do it, I could want all these things. But if I quit tomorrow, like, you know, I’m still just like, people live their lives, they’re gonna go on like, it’s so you got to like, go grind it out, or someone else will. And the second you don’t someone else is doing it.

Elyse Myers  18:54

I couldn’t imagine creating a set, memorizing it, performing it for people, getting that immediate feedback, and doing that all in real time, and then getting a different experience the next time you do it. And so I wanted to know, like, how do you get your sets to a point where you’re writing them you feel comfortable to perform them? Like, I guess what does that process look like for you? Because it feels so intimidating to someone like me?

Nate Bargatze  19:18

Yeah, well, I mean, what you do is intimidating to me and I do the same thing that you would do is like I’m sure if you tell something you got to it’s not always going to come off great the first time.

Elyse Myers  19:27

You would not believe the sheer number of drafts I have saved in my phone that will never see the light of day.

Nate Bargatze  19:33

When you keep messing with it or you know, change some stuff. But with a live audience you get you get an immediate reaction. Yeah, so you do know if something’s gonna be good, and now I give myself a lot of outs if I have a story that’s long, and I don’t know how it’s gonna go I make sure I can get out of it at any like interest. You just have pockets that you’re like this. I’ve told the story a lot long enough, and I don’t you know, it’s not, I don’t I don’t ever try to be too far from a laugh either. That’s my big thing. So the farther you are from a laugh, the bigger the laugh has to be. So I never want to put too much pressure on one laugh. And so if you go through a long if you have a long thing of silence, because you’re setting up something, well, that payoff needs to be. It’s like, how big do you want the payoff to be like, it can’t be that crazy.

Elyse Myers  20:26

Yeah, it’s probably like a cap. Like it only can be so much of a laugh, you know?

Nate Bargatze  20:31

Yeah. And so then I’m like, Okay, well, let me I’ll just tell these beats of it, or you know, the crowds not going with the whole thing. So I’ll just get out.

Elyse Myers  20:40

Is your plan to like, tell a story. So you’re like you do you have like a beginning and an end in mind? And then you fill the rest in? Like, or how do you navigate through a whole set.

Nate Bargatze  20:50

When I first go out, it’s like, trying to get a quick laugh, like trying to like just set the tone like that can kind of be about whatever. And then it’s, I’m talking about me that’s like this last specially I talk about me being dumb, and then growing up, and then my, my family, and then our daughter, and then my wife. And so it all kind of goes and that helps you remember it? Because you’re kinda like, well, the only thing that would make sense to go after this is this is yeah, talking about my daughter. Well, the only thing that makes sense to talk about my wife after that someone might look at something is like, well, that 10 minute thing was a story. And I look at it as like 30 jokes that I just yeah, have combined them into something like that.

Elyse Myers  21:32

And then speaking of your family, I wanted to ask you about your parents. I know you’ve like shared jokes and talked a little bit about how your dad was a clown. And my team was like, his dad was a clown. Like, it’s a whole thing like, and I’m really curious if that’s kind of what made you want to go into comedy.

Nate Bargatze  21:50

Yeah, you know, when I said I wanted to do comedy, I mean, it wasn’t that big of a deal. Like, I know a lot of parents are like, what is this? I mean, mine, they almost expected it like, yeah, someone’s gonna do something weird. Yeah. If I said like, I’m an accountant. They had been like, oh.

Elyse Myers  22:07

We’re so disappointed in you. How dare you throw your life off track like that? It’s funny, because your dad was like a clown, and then a magician. And he’s a motivational speaker. He does he do all three still?

Nate Bargatze  22:18

He’s not a clown anymore. But he does magic.

Elyse Myers  22:22

Obviously, a magician.

Nate Bargatze  22:24

He does motivational he did a lot of motors speaking in high schools, that was kind of his day job for like the past 20 or so years. And he just retired from that. So now, he comes out with me a lot more. And so when he goes out, I mean, he destroys like, people love it. He’s very sweet. And he brings me on stage to always he always gets emotional. And yeah.

Elyse Myers  22:44

Yeah, I’ve just feel like your family would be so proud of you. It’s like, you, you’ve done so much to this last eight years. I just feel like you’ve kind of gotten nonstop, like, Does this feel surreal that you’re here? Oh, yeah,

Nate Bargatze  22:56

It feels. It’s always it’s more than you could have dreamed up. You know, yeah, you have these dreams in your head. But they’re just dreams. Like you’re like, why would I? Why would I be the one that gets to do this kind of stuff. That’s a big I try to work on that. To appreciate, I do appreciate it when you’re in it. Because it’s a you’ve been, I’ve been along for the ride the whole time. But it’s like, trying to remind yourself that like, You’re not better anybody. It’s like, I’m just out here just trying to be entertaining and trying to do this kind of stuff. And but it’s yeah, it’s very surreal.

Elyse Myers  23:29

We have to take one more break. But when we come back, we talk about how Nate’s Grammy nomination has impacted his approach to comedy. I know you’re just nominated for a Grammy. Do you feel like now that’s happened? Do you feel the pressure to be funnier? Or are you just like, well, it happened and I’m just gonna keep being myself.

Nate Bargatze  24:01

No, I mean, it’s like, you know, I want the next one to be nominated too, I definitely, you know, it’d be hurt if it’s if it’s not. But I’m sure I can make up something in my head while I’m like, well, it doesn’t matter. You know, it’s like but yeah, I do want it to, I want but I want the shows to be good. I like when people come watch shows is like, there’s an expectation. And so I want to be better, as good as I can and like and then also give what they’re expecting to see. Especially this this between this tour and the last tour with a special is people coming to shows and I mean they just know your act, they know your whole act. And so you, you’ve got to come up with new material Yeah, to do on such a short turnaround. That it’s, that’s hard. You know, it’s all goes to like it’s hard and it’s also like, you know, I’m doing this job so it’s like you try not to complain.

Elyse Myers  24:59

I think you’re doing like so much that’s like self-activated. Do you feel like your career is more in your own hands instead of like waiting for people to give you opportunity?

Nate Bargatze  25:07

Now very much so. And now I know it’s off what I make. And so it’s, you know, you do you have an audience that comes out and that watches and you know, I don’t know if you ever feel like you’re like, you feel like you’re nobody could go away or yeah, I think I know, I have way more control over it now, though. But it’s, I’m still scared to like, I don’t want to say no to stuff, tour a lot right now. But I’d be nervous to take time off because you’re like, oh, everybody might forget about you or whatever.

Elyse Myers  25:38

You don’t want to be forgotten?

Nate Bargatze  25:40

Yeah. And I you gotta I think you’ve got to just naturally let that this is my hope is that there’s a time that you do feel comfortable enough to know to take time off that you know, you can, and you got to just trust when you know it. You gotta go, I’m okay, I can take time off. Because it looks like this stuff that I say no to now that I would have begged for 10 years ago, and or even five years ago, but I’m comfortable to say no to it now. And I’m not saying no, because whatever reason, but it just could be like, I don’t know if it’s really time for that. Like, I don’t think I will set myself backwards. And I feel okay. Yeah. So I’m gonna say no to this. And then, you know, but the rest of it also, yes, you know?

Elyse Myers  26:22

I’ve talked to so many comedians that had to take a break at some point in their career, whether it was just because of like family or like mental health. And the thing that they keep saying is like, I didn’t want to take that break, I had to, and I was afraid I was going to be forgotten. And when I came back, I wasn’t and it was like that, that like falling back in love with coming back and falling back in love with what you do, like your comedy. And this gift. And this skill you have, like, the break sometimes can feel necessary, but also, like it makes you fall back in love with it. And it gives you so much more energy. And I think that so many, just not even communities like creative people, people that their work is like, the next thing that they create is the important thing. And like they want to make it better than the last like, that fear of becoming irrelevant, is a great driver in your career. And also it can kind of be debilitating, because it feels like what you produce is more important than you. I’m struggling with that. Because the lifecycle of what I create is so short, it’s not a Netflix special that can live for three years, and people are still talking about it. It’s like a video I make and then tomorrow, it’s it has to be a new video. And that can be scary, because I feel like I can never stop. And I’ve had to just really challenge that mindset of like, if I walked away, right now, I could go back to web development, which is what I did before, like, would this be enough for me? And would I be proud of what I’ve done? Yeah, I would be and I yeah, I can just imagine like, in your career, like feeling that pressure of always having to make the next big thing and getting a Grammy and then I got a Grammy and I want to do another one? Like do you see yourself ever taking like years of break or not really?

Nate Bargatze  28:04

I think about like so, like this tour I’m gonna be doing now like the next special on tape, I think I will put in time to be like I need time off like to go live life and like do whatever chair. Sometimes you got to prepare yourself to be like, alright, this is what it is. It’s gonna be a three week run. It’s this is the life I want. This is life you’re asking for like, and you just kind of go Alright, so you learn what you don’t and what you don’t need and like, but then you want to be like eventually where you can be like Adam Sandler where his purpose is just telling people no. So I look at law, a lot of it is like, you want to get to that level that you can say no. And like you can do that stuff and then people understand it. So like part of his, your drive is to get to that point of the break. So it’s not about the break. It’s about like how do I build myself up enough that like it sustains itself. Your break is your break because you’re like, you don’t have to worry about that break anymore. Like either get help, or you learn what’s the important part.

Elyse Myers  29:09

Genius. Just taking all the notes. If you have time, I have five like rapid fire questions. I like to ask everybody at the end. Is that okay? So number one, What’s the most embarrassing or funniest encounter you’ve ever had with a famous person?

Nate Bargatze  29:23

One was this guy, Mark Walter. He owns the Dodgers. So he’s a billionaire. I don’t like no, it was like just Yes. This is I’m not trying to be you know, it’s just in the situation that I just.

Elyse Myers  29:38

I’m friends with billionaires.

Nate Bargatze  29:42

He gave me a billion dollars for no reason. But it was like talking to him. I was talking about I’m a big Vanderbilt fan. I did not go to Vanderbilt college but a big Vanderbilt fan. So at Northwestern University is very similar to Vanderbilt being a very smart school that, at one point did not have great sports. But they have a great football team now. And so I was like with him, and I’m like talking about north I just ramped up about Vanderbilt. And I was like, you know, what, see Northwestern like, they added a bunch of new stuff to the school, whatever. And I was like, have you seen northwestern new sports facilities? And then I found out there, it’s his name. They’re named after him. He went to Northwestern. And he was like, Yeah, I have I have seen them.

Elyse Myers  30:37

Did you find out in that moment?

Nate Bargatze  30:39

No, in the moment that he, he did know what I was talking about. And I was like, oh, right.

Elyse Myers  30:47

Okay, number two, what was your first job?

Nate Bargatze  30:50

I worked at theme park. So Nashville used to have a theme park. And I worked there. And I was swept up. And then Derby, I got a uniform, my name was on the tie. Like, it was very fun. And my dad did magic shows that are appealing. So I also worked in the dog kennel. And so they would have, they just had them in like, the cages, like, you know, like, like a dog crate. And people could bring any pet chickens that people bring, like, just whatever animal they, you know?

Elyse Myers  31:24

They just out and about with their animals. I don’t understand.

Nate Bargatze  31:27

They’d be traveling with their animals. And this was like, you know, this is. I mean, so it’s got to be like, early 90s. Like, you know, the Saudis, bunches, people traveled animals now a lot. But back then it wasn’t as much but then you also people bring weird chickens, they gotta check where you go, but the chicken can’t leave it in the car. So they’re, we had one dog, and they you’d have these locks these S clips, and you’d put them in the thing and it locks the cake. Well, we were one short, and someone brought a dog and you’re just kind of like trying to guess which dog won’t like figure it out. And I guess wrong. And the dog, and I remember I just was sitting there like, you know, I’m like, 15 just sitting behind the counter, and I just see a blur. And this dog just takes off in this parking lot. So then you gotta you gotta call the people and be like, who has a dog?

Elyse Myers  32:22

But honestly, why is this dog at this park anyways? So let’s ask those questions. If you bring them out of your house, you should expect that there’s a chance you could lose it. It’s all good.

Nate Bargatze  32:32

I remember just saying like, they didn’t have enough S clips. I just said that a bunch of like the people go there. And no one does it.

Elyse Myers  32:40

Be like, oh, okay, that makes sense. What is your go to meal right now?

Nate Bargatze  32:45

A good breakfast one that I go to is Turkey white cheddar at Starbucks. It’s just very easy to get. I love a number one big mac, no onions. And I also get a little flavor fish. Little side sandwich, you know? Sandwich, like it’s for someone else, you know?

Elyse Myers  33:06

On the phone, like, what did you want? Fillet a fish.

Nate Bargatze  33:09

There’s so many room services, where they are like so dining for two and I’m like, sure. Yep, whatever you think, like you got it. Like it has to be two.

Elyse Myers  33:20

I feel like when you’re on the road, though, you’d have I mean you’re only really eating out if you’re traveling so much. You’d have to find ways that you make it work on the road.

Nate Bargatze  33:28

It’s brutal. I mean, it’s that’s the part that gets tiring. What you put in your body matters. I don’t want to put anything good in my body. I want everything that’s bad. And so but it does it absolutely affects everything it affects your mood affects everything water. You got to drink a bunch of water and I mean, I could go especially when you’re traveling. Oh, and I could not drink water for a month. I’d be fine with it. Oh, easily. I would love not to drink water.

Elyse Myers  33:56

Just get one of those like camel backs. Yes. Just like all the way underneath your like is your back, okay? Yeah, it’s fine. When I travel for work, I always pace myself. So I eat super well the entire time I’m gone just so that I have the energy to get up in the morning from a bed that’s not mine. And like, then I always plan like the night before I go home if I’m gone for like a week. I will like save it all to the last night. But then I always like I always hate it. I’m like, why did I do this? Because then I have to wake up and fly and you fly feeling like absolute garbage. And you’re like this was a mistake, but I do it every time I don’t. I’m just like, I’m never gonna learn from my mistakes. And I think that’s okay with me. I’m alright with it.

Nate Bargatze  34:36

It’s what it is. You got a little goal at the end. You got a little Yeah, like it’s the reward on top like, and you need to kind of really bad you kind of need to do it alone. Like you don’t want your like family to see it. Like you’re, you know, you’re

Elyse Myers  34:50

I only do it with people. I think if I do it alone, that’s when I go too hard because I will like go to the point where I’m like, I think I’m not okay to pass out. But when I’m with people it’s like celebratory.

Nate Bargatze  35:01

Yeah, it’s like your wall part of it. I’ve eaten. I like to do it alone. Like, it’s like I was I’ve said it before, like I do. I can use enough ketchup where people are like, it’s a lot of ketchup. Like they say it’s like they, they have to it’s so much that they. I feel like I just..

Elyse Myers  35:17

If they say something. It’s weird.

Nate Bargatze  35:20

So I can be alone. I can do it. I’ll eat fast food too. Sometimes. I’ll go, I can eat at home. And I eat it in my car and get rid of it. So my wife says.

Elyse Myers  35:32

So it’s a whole thing. I love that. It’s dedication. So I’ll say and then we can move on to the after having a kid eating around your kid something delicious. Doesn’t feel fun, because they just like kind of are like loud the whole time and want it and so anytime I have something fun to eat, I save it till I’m away from him. You’re gonna ruin this for me. I love you so much. And I gave your life but also like, I just want to go eat my KitKat alone. Yeah, and not have to share it. So last thing you Googled on your phone? I guess you can’t look it up.

Nate Bargatze  36:01

I was gonna watch this movie rogue agent. I think it’s called rogue agent. I don’t know what it is. I just tried to find something. And sometimes on Yeah. And I looked to see what if people said it was good or not. Not that I would never trust it. Yeah, I don’t either. Like I get it. You get a gauge like to see because it is a lot of times there’ll be like terrible. And I’m like, that’s my favorite movie I’ve ever seen.

Elyse Myers  36:28

It’s always wrong.

Nate Bargatze  36:29

I’m scared to tell what movies I like because I’m not. Some of them. I’m like, I don’t know, my favorite movie Scream. Because when they came when I was in high school, yeah. And so like, I loved it. And so it’s like, yeah, and there’s a lot of real movies that I haven’t seen that people are like, how have you not seen this?

Elyse Myers  36:46

I think I picked A Walk to Remember to be my favorite movie. I think it like seven like a girl dies from cancer and like, that’s like my favorite movie apparently. And I don’t haven’t even seen it since I was seven. And I just say that’s my favorite movie. So yeah, I don’t I’m not good at movies. I love shows because they’re short. I’m like I can handle that my attention span. Yeah. Okay, last thing What do you know more about than you should.

Nate Bargatze  37:13

I mean, golf I guess I don’t know if that’s a good one. I don’t that’s not and I mean, Vanderbilt sports. I mean, no one knows really. Sports their facilities. Yeah, their facilities. I know a lot about McDonald’s. Like fat like, Oh, really? I know a lot about fast food. I got a pretty good gauge of when you know like baby when the rib sandwich McRib comes back. I would always have like, you know, I could feel like it’s about I mean, now they’re trying to just it’s on the menu I think all the time now. But I was way I’m way more aware of like, soft drinks that are going on like what’s in the soft drink world? Dr. Pepper as zero cherry Dr. Pepper. It’s, it’s like Dr. Pepper is really doing some pretty special things right now. And so it’s I know a lot about that kind of stuff.

Elyse Myers  38:09

Have you tried their diet, Vanilla Cherry Dr. Pepper? Have you tried that?

Nate Bargatze  38:14

I’ve done had I’ve had Vanilla. Vanilla cherry. So yes, it’s like checkout with like it and then yeah, and you went in it comes where you’re like, I don’t know, you know, if someone like was going to hand it to you, because a lot of soft drinks you think someone’s going to you know the offer to you like I don’t know I’m not gonna like that. It’s like too much. And then you have it yeah, it’s pretty.

Elyse Myers  38:39

I think I’m gonna have this everyday now for the rest of my life. Yeah. I always appreciate when people have the fridges with all the drinks in them and like how do you get that kind of money to like just in case someone wants it? I don’t even want it but just in case someone does.

Nate Bargatze  38:51

Someone doesn’t have this, I bring soda with me if I go somewhere really because there’s you gotta you gotta you know sometimes these people you go there and you’re like yeah the dice hope and then they’re like we don’t have we don’t drink Coke. And you’re like what? You’re like It’s like are you out of your mind? And the whole time I will just be like I wish I had a diet pepsi.

Nate Bargatze  39:11

Make you this whole meal you’re like you know it make this better, soda?

Nate Bargatze  39:14

I can’t believe you don’t have to offer How do you not just have it to your having guests over just in case maybe one guy drinks Diet Coke. Maybe doesn’t he’s not gonna go drink a 40 gallon Bottle of wine. Maybe you would like just an off chance you know are there like we only have regular Coke can you like I mean I don’t know if it makes even dream regular Coke anymore.

Elyse Myers  39:41

I didn’t even know they still made it. How are they getting away with that? Well, okay, there we go. I just want to send you a like a 12 pack of Dr. Pepper now.

Nate Bargatze  39:53

Just if I ever come out appreciate if you just have you’re gonna have.

Elyse Myers  39:56

You will have all the options Nate. I swear to God, there’s just going to be all, and Big Macs, yeah. Thank you so much for coming. I appreciate your time. I really loved meeting you. You’re like my idol. So this is like been really cool for me. Thank you.

Nate Bargatze  40:12

Yeah, a giant fan of you and excited. Thanks for having me. And congrats on everything to you. You’re doing great.

CREDITS  40:20

Thank you so much. Thank you so much for listening to my interview with Nate GETSY. Make sure you check out his latest special hello world. And if you like this show, give us a rating and review. It just helps people find us. Okay, thank you. Bye. The show is produced by Claire Jones, Zoe Dennis and […], our associate producer is Tiffany Buoy. Rachel Neil is our senior director of new content and our VP of weekly production is Steve Nelson. Executive Producers are Stephanie Wittels Wachs, Jessica Cordova Kramer, Paul Feig, Laura Fisher, […] and me Elyse Myers. The show is mixed by Brian Castillo and Johnny Evans. Our theme song music was written by me and scored by Xander Singh.