AI Summary
5 min read“I think we’re the last of the real people,” David Cross says near the end of his conversation with Joe Rogan. The comedian who came up in the Boston stand-up scene of the 1980s, co-created Mr. Show, and spent six years on NewsRadio is not being grandiose. He is describing a specific feeling: that he and Rogan grew up in a world where you left the house and your parents didn’t know where you were, then lived through answering machines, caller ID, cell phones, phones you could watch porn on, and now the arrival of artificial intelligence that might be sentient. The two-hour conversation moves through the mechanics of old-school comedy clubs, the trap of staying local too long, the genius of Art Bell and Phil Hendrie, the terror of AI and quantum sensors, and the quiet realization that stand-up comedy—live, in a room, with people—is the one thing Cross says he absolutely has to do.
The Boston Comedy Scene: Velvet Prison and the Barry Crimmins Standard
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What you'll learn
- 1 (00:00) **Catching Up & Baldness Banter** - Joe and David Cross reconnect after years apart, joking about hair loss and barbershop small talk.
- 2 (05:20) **Art Bell & the Golden Age of Weird Radio** - A deep dive into the late-night radio icons Art Bell and Phil Hendrie, and the art of the bizarre call-in show.
- 3 (17:10) **The Genius of Improv: TJ & Dave** - Cross explains the terrifying brilliance of a two-man improv act that creates full, poignant plays from scratch.
- 4 (22:36) **Wally George & the Roots of Outrage TV** - A look at the pioneer of confrontational cable-access television and a surprising celebrity connection.
- 5 (28:38) **Childhood, Moving Around, and Muhammad Ali** - Cross recounts his nomadic upbringing and the profound impact of the Vietnam War on his worldview.
- 6 (37:04) **From Boston Limo Driver to NewsRadio** - The serendipitous story of how Cross got discovered and landed a role on a hit sitcom with zero acting experience.
- 7 (50:40) **The Wild West of Boston Comedy** - A gritty tour of the mob-run, cocaine-fueled Boston comedy scene of the late 80s and early 90s.
+ Full timestamped outline available in the app
Guests on this episode
Show Notes
David Cross is a comedian, actor, writer, producer, and host of “Senses Working Overtime.” His latest special, “The End of the Beginning of the End,” is streaming on YouTube.
https://youtu.be/OfqMkJwVgmo?si=Nn7vBHb6nfPFQnhZ
www.youtube.com/@OfficialDavidCross
www.officialdavidcross.com
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