Aaron Branch Loves Being Alive

24:10Is it the amount of work? Is it also your bills on top of that mean that you're also experiencing a whole new wave of problems that no one can ever fathom? It's just an interesting thing. Does that mean that your human experience should actually be to not achieve? It puts you in a weird headspace of just wondering, what is the point of all of this? What is the point of taking on all these different responsibilities and stress? and maybe this is me justifying being lazy and I have no idea. But why not? Why not be lazy? Or do or don't. I don't know. It doesn't matter. Maybe there's no rules to it and that's just what it is.

24:45I think the point is to have fun and love people and be in love and be loved and show love. I think the point is to make this as I really think the point of being alive is to make the experience for some reason, I don't know if there's a person who wants us to do this or what it is, for some reason I think the point is to make it as enjoyable as possible. I think so too. For as many people as possible, not just for yourself. Yeah, yeah, yeah. To just make it as nice, to have as many pleasant interactions as you can, to just kind of create heaven on earth to the extent that you're able. Yeah. And that's it.

25:16I think that's the point. That's a beautiful sentiment. I hope it's true. I don't know what happens when we die. I don't know if that's going to be good enough. Can you imagine getting to heaven and God's like, did you get the flag? You're like, oh, there was a flag. There was a flag. I was supposed to capture the flag. Are you kidding me, dude? I was just hanging out. I was being so nice to everybody. I probably could have captured. I could have captured the flag. I didn't know it was there. No one gave me that rule book. Dude.

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29:22Yeah, I don't know. Whatever with death, it'll happen, I guess. Did you grow up religious? Sure. Yeah, we grew up right in the Bible Belt. Yeah. I will say I was lucky, though, because my mom, you know what my mom said the other day? This was really funny. My mom is a really interesting person, just in general. Yeah. I find her so fascinating and brilliant. And she, we were at lunch the other day, and she was like, we were talking about, sometimes we'll go to lunch in Kansas City, and we'll just kind of get into life and big questions. and we were talking and keep in mind we're at a sports bar and which one we're at a sports bar Tanner's right there I don't have to code with you you know what the fuck I'm talking about dude we were at fucking the peanut that's awesome the peanut is sick shout out to the peanut there right there on Brookside we were at the peanut by a table of 16 like finance bros that's hilarious at their summer internship that's so funny and me and my mom are cutting it up about like faith and what happens when we die and I go somehow it comes up and she goes do you ever think that like maybe this is your last time on earth and i go what do you mean she goes well i sometimes i think that we get sent back when we die we get sent back to until we like learn whatever lesson we were supposed to learn like we didn't learn it in our first five lifetimes yeah the sixth lifetime you come back you're just keep getting sent back until you learn the thing you're supposed to learn wow and i was like no i've never really thought about whether or not it's my last time i thought about a lot whether or not it's my first time because i feel that i've been on earth many times before this lifetime yeah i feel so old i feel so like old soul for sure yeah and anyway we're talking about that and i the funny thing is i go okay how do you square to my mom she's christian never been a big church person never been very like dogmatic she's always just like you're supposed to love everybody a good person my mom's the same way too and i go how do you square this like very eastern kind of like karmic reincarnation belief that you have yeah with like your belief in like heaven and Jesus Christ and God.

31:17Yeah. And she like takes a sip of her beer and goes, I've never thought about that a day in my life.

31:25And can I just say legend? Legend. Absolutely. And I was like, what do you mean you've never thought about it? Because if you believe in Christianity, you believe that when you die, you either go to heaven or hell. Yeah. But you know, you don't have to believe in that, but that's like the traditional. I was like, that can't be true if you're getting sent back. And she was like, Sue me She's like I don't care That's cool as fuck You have a cool mom Legendary shit I'm a Christian and a Buddhist what's next There's nothing wrong I think there's nothing wrong with I treat religion It's kind of like a buffet I'm grabbing a little bit of this This one if it looks good What makes me feel good What fills me up and I feel like I kind of have my own personal belief system.

32:12I'm like, this is fine. Even what you're saying about feeling so connected and that you've been here before, there is a weird philosophy, and I don't know the name of it. I don't know if it was a long time ago, but it's this idea that you individually reincarnate as everybody. What? Yes. How? And that your role is to literally come back as everyone. So you would take on Michelle's perspective. Also, again, that means you're not getting benefits either. So you're taking on chances. You're taking on every single person on Earth that has lived or ever lived, and you live their entire lifetime until you're finished.

32:48So that's just like, what the fuck? And then you're able to move on to the next phase. So you don't move on until you've lived all 8 billion people's lives. But it's more than 8 billion. It's everyone that's ever lived. But then what about the people after you? You don't have to live like them? You live like them as well. You're everyone in the history of this simulation of Earth. which I'm trying to break away from the simulation theory because it was created by Elon Musk and I don't like that kind of stuff. Elon Musk created a theory? He said that at a press conference. And I remember him saying the simulation thing and then everyone and their mom was like, what if we're living in a simulation?

33:21And at the time it was cool. What if he's an evil fucking moron and that just benefits him? But we didn't know that at the time. I knew it. Do you remember when he was putting... We're also so ADHD right now. I'm with you. I have never liked him. Because in this also that means you have to live like Elon Musk. So we're taking this on. But there was a time when he was trying to put on this whole, like, billionaires are cool. And, like, when I die, I'm also going to be able to give away all of my wealth. So you guys should like me. And, like, in the 2010s, I feel like we were very much like, you know what?

33:49Some billionaires are kind of cool. And then that just took a sharp turn at the start of 2020. You shouldn't get the money in the first place. No. You shouldn't be dispensing it. It doesn't make any sense. It doesn't make any sense. You should be, yeah, I've never liked that guy. and the fact that they all want to be funny drives me fucking crazy. Dude, you do not even get me started. They're so deep. Carolyn Levitt, that stupid bitch. Dude, these people are not. She just did an interview where she was like, what's something people don't know about you? And she was like, probably just that I'm silly when I'm not at work.

34:17And I'm like, you are not silly, bitch. Shut up. No, you are not fucking silly. You know damn well you are not silly. Your husband is 16 ,000 years older than you. You work for Hitler. You get up there and your face work is horrible. Well, that's not important with silly, but it's just a thing to say. Not a billionaire being like, I'm kind of quirky. You are not silly, bitch. I'm not like other girls. You are not silly. You're a fucking, oh my God, you're a foot soldier for the Gestapo. Literally. Ew, I'm just like goofy. No, you're not. No, you're not. Stop it. Leave that to us. We're silly. No.

34:51I'm not even that silly. Dude, I can't. I know you're not silly. I'm not that silly. No, man. If I was a billionaire, I would be doing the craziest things. I would be truly, I think, so silly. What would you do day one? Day one of being a billionaire, Brewster's Millions type shit. What would you do? I would do like a statue, but like in a really inconvenient place that would affect other billionaires. You okay? Like something that is just like so provocative and like I can't even think of what the exact thing would be, but I would just be, I think, messing with others within my immediate group.

35:29Sure, you're fucking with the other billionaires. You're in the billionaire group chat sending crazy shit. Yes, if I just accidentally got a billion dollars, I would be doing that in a second. I think I would just be messing with him. I do want a statue of myself. There's nothing wrong with that. When I die, I think just throw a statue of me in Loose Park. I saw a statue of Jacob Loose in Loose Park the other day, and I said, he can't be the only one who gets a statue. No, right next to it. I don't even know what he did. Keep it loose. Dude, the amount of memories I have in Loose Park, that's the first place I ever smoked weed.

35:55Well, no, is it? No, the first place I smoked weed was in Waldo, and then was in Loose Park all the time. I don't know if you remember, but Loose Park was the place. It's still the place for me. I'm in there. It's so much. But there was a time period when I was in high school where it was just like hundreds of kids would be there on a Saturday night. Yeah. And would just be drinking and would just be doing all this stuff that I just remember being like, this, I don't think anything gets better than this. Yeah, it was good. We used to have fun on the plaza, too. Yeah, the plaza, too. It's actually kind of not as good anymore, which makes me sad.

36:30Well, it's because they crack down. They don't want teenagers. Whatever. I get it. You don't want teenagers drunk driving at the plaza. Yeah. Totally. Fine. Kill the vibe, I guess. I totally get it. That having been said, there's some beautiful memories. I was there for one of those accidental riots on accident. Yeah. I think I had literally just left to go to I Spy with, who was in that? It was Steve Carell and... Tina Fey. Or no, Melissa McCarthy. Yes. Whatever. Wasn't it Melissa McCarthy and I Spy? No, I think it was from Princess Diaries. What's her name? Anne Hathaway. Was this the... Was it Anne Hathaway?

37:04Oh, you're not referring to the 2002 version, are you? No, Steve Carell and Anne Hathaway. It was just Spy, right? Spy. Maybe it was just Spy. It was just Spy. Not Eye Spy. Drop the eye. Chance, Google Spy. It's clear. Spy 2015 film. This would have been Melissa McCarthy, Jason Statham. Oh, wow. I don't think Steve Carell was in this. Really? The movie I saw was Steve Carell... You're thinking of Couples Night. No, you're thinking of Get Smart. Get Smart. Get Smart. That was the one. So me and my cousin Carl were leaving to go see Get Smart. Who was in it with Steve Carell, though? Anne Hathaway.

37:37It was not Anne Hathaway. It has to be Anne Hathaway. It can't be Anne Hathaway. It was an adaptation of a 60s TV series. Here we go. It was Anne Hathaway. No! It was. It was Anne? Yeah. Shout out, girl. I remember that night so perfectly. Went to the McDonald's, because I don't think it was Noodles & Co. yet. I think it was to the McDonald's. I don't know. Anyways, then we went to - This Kansas City-ass episode. getting deep on the noodles and co mcdonald's transition let's go so then we went outside and it was just chaos in the streets people on top of cars people running the streets like cops everywhere like freaking like pepper spraying people and we were like oh we're in we just like booked it and just ran yeah people were like hiding in canoes like in that little lake yeah like it was a wild night and i will just never forget that but i remember being like this was fun dude i was in loose park the other day yeah i haven't i've been off weed for a while so i'm nice i usually when i'm in there i'm stoned out of my mind i'm on a walk i'm so stoned i'm like on another planet i've been off weed i since i got off weed i've been more emotional wow and that's not by the way i wasn't crazy on weed before i was only smoking like two or three times a week for sure like i don't know but i've been way more emotional have your dreams become more vivid not that i've noticed but i'll try to check in okay but i was in loose park and i was walking and I was down by the pond and I saw, I looked over, it was like sunset and I looked over and I saw a big heart made out of flowers, like a huge one, like maybe like seven feet tall.

38:59Oh wow. And then it had like glowing letters on it that said, will you marry me? And right as I looked over, I saw a guy getting down on his knee and proposing to his girl and there's like probably 50 people around in the park like walking. Everyone has noticed it and turns and starts cheering and clapping. Oh my. I'm going to cry again. So I immediately start weeping. Oh wow. I'm really sobbing. I'm clapping. I'm cheering. I'm clapping. I look like shit. I'm like drinking sweat. It's like 95 degrees and I'm in workout clothes. I'm like clapping and cheering and then I'm weeping. No one else is crying.

39:32So then I walk past this bench and there's two older people on it. And they see me crying and I shit you not. I look down at them like kind of smiling and crying. Being like we're all part of this moment. I look down at them smiling thinking they'll be crying too. And they go. the shade for no reason they just side-eyed the fuck out of that's crazy and they were like an old couple and i was like what you're too good to be moved by this no that's and they're from lenexa they're from lenexa i couldn't believe it that's insane it was extremely hurtful that is yeah because that doesn't feel validating i was right i mean i was right you are right in that situation crying too they should be or at least smiling at me it's a beautiful thing that i i i I had the exact opposite thing in Loose Park, where I'm like 15 or 16.

40:17Me and my friend Ben, same dude with the anxiety, are literally, it's also funny and high. It's a thing. He thinks his mom is taking her all this. You're at the park with Ben. You're on the clock. Yeah, literally. I'm like, oh, man. Che was late last week. We're in, and people, they probably still do, used to do weddings in Loose Park. Yeah. So it was a huge wedding. We got high by, I believe the tree was called Tarzan. That's what we call it. It's the one that's like right in the middle, and the leaves kind of like hang over. So we're by Tarzan. Is it the big racist looking one? Probably. The one that looks like it's from all the racist movies with the willows.

40:45Yes, and it spells out all lives matter on the top. Yeah, 100%. Insane. So we are like, there's all these people at this wedding, and we're blazed out of our mind. We walk over and sit in the back row of this wedding. Don't have your wedding in the park. Amazing moment. We see the bride and groom kiss. They get married, and him and I start crying. Hell yeah. We're like 15 or 16. We stand up with everyone. We clap. Such a beautiful and amazing moment. our eyes look like Satan's penis. Yeah. Just red, gnarled. But no one questioned us being there. Of course not. They're in the park. Yeah, exactly.

41:21That's beautiful. That's so beautiful.

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45:36Yeah, I feel let down by that couple. I feel that they should have smiled at me. That's not fair. I feel that they should have cried and smiled. I'm sorry. Hey, well, hey. Thanks, dude. Of course. That means everything. God, I wish I was crying right now. I know. When did you cry the last time? Dude. Whoa, I mean. Not about the knife. No, I actually can't say. Well, I weeped probably like about five days ago for a friend that gave me very exciting news. Oh, my God. Yeah. It's their news? Their news. Oh, my God. It's one of those things, too, like knowing, especially like at this point, like you have creative friends that are also now like your best friends.

46:14And you kind of know what they've been through and, you know, like what they've overcome. And so when something like this massive happens, it's one of those things that just makes you just utterly start crying. Because I can just feel that pain, but you stuck with it. A comic friend? Yeah. Damn. That's crazy. I can't wait to hear the news off camera. It's really, really exciting. And I'm very happy, and I don't know. I just love that type of stuff. Yeah. Love that kind of stuff. One of my favorite moments in comedy, it happens every year, is when the SNL announcements start happening. Rarely. I don't give a fuck about that show or who gets on it, but I do like how much everyone else, everyone in comedy knows a month or so before the announcement.

46:55For sure. It's really fun when people are like, they got a good one. For sure. When it's someone that everyone's like, that person is really funny, they've been working really hard. And I feel that way about Cam Patterson. Yeah. I feel that way about Cam Patterson. And, like, I met Cam, like, when he was kind of in, like, the throes of, like, Kill Tony and stuff. And, like, I think with anyone from, like, that platform, I think you have, like, a certain air. But, like, the nicest and one of the kindest humans that I think that I've ever, like, done shows with, interacted with. And, like, him getting that just filled me with so much joy.

47:26I love Cam. I think Cam is so funny. He's so freaking funny. So naturally talented. And, like, I think his future is so bright. Yeah. And so, like, that really made me happy also. And to also now be in a new environment for him to be able to learn and be able to grow. I was like, that's really sick. That's not rooted in Austin, Texas. You know what I mean? Which is not actually... I don't want Kill Tony to be the representation of Austin, Texas. But you know what I mean. It's not. There's an actually good comedy scene there. There is. There really is. Fuck Kill Tony. I can't stand those fucking losers.

47:55Yeah, there was a time when Kill Tony, I feel like also... I feel like some of it has subsided. but there was a time when people were looking at it kind of like America's Got Talent. And so comics were just kind of like, are you going to go do it? And I was like, no, I'm not going to go do it. It's dinner for schmucks. He's a talentless fucking loser. No. And he gets off on bringing up people that he knows are mostly not going to be very good. Yeah. And then we all laugh at them, and isn't it funny that they tried this even though they're not good at it? Not really. Yes. That whole crowd of people, I'm so just like, ick.

48:27Over it. I got a bunch of hate messages, kill yourself type shit recently. Because I told a story about some straight guy at a bar asking me if I had ever been on Kill Tony. And I said I'd rather fucking die. People came after you for that? Oh, yeah. Because the Kill Tony crowd, they all have this weird... A lot of these fans of that have this weird belief that they're some true defenders of comedy or something. That they're some last bastion of free speech. When they're all actually just a bunch of ignorant, talentless pussies. And low-hanging fruit. That's all they're going for. It doesn't matter what you think of me because I'm an actual comic and you're not.

49:02And, like, I don't – it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter. You're, like, a fan of Kill Tony. But, yeah, they're in my DMs, like, you know. That's crazy. You're a gay guy. And at the same time, it's like you guys – you have so many other things that you could be doing. So many other things. And even if they just took a second and just watched the comedy on your page, I think their minds at that point would also just be blown. It's like, hey, while you're here, why don't you just take a second and just peruse? Hey, don't DM me privately to kill myself. Put it in the comments. Yes! Maybe share it and say, I wish this guy would kill himself.

49:32Yes! Let's run the numbers up. Any promo is good promo. All press is good press. I'm down with it. It's the truth. I'm like, whatever you need to do. It's like, let's push each other out, family. Let's build together. Yeah. You hate me? Let that be known. Let people know what you're about. Yes. Put my stuff out there. That's all it is. It could be a beautiful partnership. Yeah. People aren't community-minded like that. It's kind of like what Andrew Tate did. I'm sorry. I'm not going to keep talking. Didn't he get arrested in chinos recently? Oh, yes, he did. And that, his fit, you see his fit he was wearing?

49:58He was wearing like gauchos. So freaking funny. He was really, he has the trashest fits of all time. Yeah. Gotta be the worst thing about him. No, yeah, I think my, he was wearing capris. He was wearing capris. He's wearing capris. He wears these tight ass shirts and he's like, I'm an alpha male. It's like, dude, you're not. You look like you went to Ann Taylor. You look like a manager at Maurice's. Exactly. It's not good. What are we doing? Yeah, I'm not big on the Tate Brothers.

50:24My hot take? You know what? I'm not into it. Low-key hate sex trafficking, allegedly. Allegedly, just in case. I'm sure they have good lawyers. I hate alleged sex trafficking. It's so... It's like... Ew, Chance just pulled up the fit. Look at this fucking loser. Insane! And these are the guys that they're like, I should want to be like him. They're like, you're fat. I'm like, yeah, I would take it over this any day. Have you ever seen me look that trash? Actually, I've looked worse than that. But I've never looked bad in that way. No, but it's giving Lindsay Lohan an 06. It's bad. It's not. It's giving Jamie Lee Curtis as Lindsay Lohan in Freaky Friday.

51:04Bitch, you are so busted. Don't you have like a trillion dollars from alleged sex trafficking? Insane. All alleged. Ugh, that tight-ass shirt, his nasty little sunglasses. No, man, I find him to be so... He's just so skis, dude. The fact that young men actually look up to guys like this. I think some of it is ironic, though. I had a roommate who would always call him Daddy. Pardon? Yeah.

51:28See, sometimes the gay shit gets so... Yeah, the lines get blurred. The ironic gay shit gets so confusing so fast. It's very, very confusing. It's really weird. Because I'm telling you, it starts as ironic and then... You don't have to tell me. You just start doing gay shit. I went on that journey. Wouldn't it be crazy if we suck at each other's dick? Yeah, you think I wasn't doing ironic gay stuff in the 10th grade? going like, damn, it's crazy. We're all naked at the sleepover right now. Dude, if we jerk off, that'd be hilarious.

52:01Yeah, it was a gateway. Gay irony was a gateway drug to getting laid. And it was awesome. That is so funny. Yeah, it's duh. Gay irony is like the fucking, yeah, it's the precursor. It really is. And so now that's like a part of the culture also, I don't know. I think people are slowly like getting like tired of it also. Because it's like, it's not right. and it's othering a lot of people but then what's confusing me is I have some gay friends that are also doing it but I'm like you can do that gay friends that are doing what? gay friends that are using the irony of gay jokes but I'm like are you changing because I'm straight but I don't know it's confusing but maybe that's just the culture right now everyone's making the jokes gay people are the most homophobic people I know that's reality and we are allowed to but it is interesting you have to wonder if it's for the best because then I feel like am I too much of an ally then I'm like don't talk about yourself like that you're too much of an ally in a beautiful way and so I am like sometimes but I need to sit back and I'm just going to listen and they're just talking so bad about themselves I'm never talking bad about me I do think the queer community we need to get back in touch with I feel like the Tinder queer thing kind of took over for a minute I don't think it's the time for that I think it's the time to have a bit of an edge I think it's the time to take a joke I think it's the time to be like I think we need to toughen up a little bit Everything got a little too soft for me Yeah, I can see that too Everyone's too soft I like softness in general But specifically the inability to take jokes about ourselves I'm just like, I don't know I think it's kind of more fun to do that Let's just be into it And it opens up the landscape It opens up the landscape in my opinion It's like equality almost all the way also.

53:44I don't know. Well, that's the thing. If you're not joking about people, if there's a group of people you won't joke about, my feeling is that you don't respect them. Yeah. That you think that they're like, you think that they're too like dainty or sensitive or stupid to be in on your joke. For sure. I will joke about anybody. I don't think that that's, I don't ever want someone to feel like they can't joke about me. Yeah. I want a joke about me. There are great jokes about me that I love. For sure. Sometimes I see a mean joke about me that is genuinely rooted in mean-spiritedness. A thousand and twenty percent.

54:12That's a good joke. How do you handle, that's really funny. How do you handle that though? Do you feel like I am happy with like this, the idea of like getting like a lot of views on clips or like the idea of getting like a lot of followers. I'm happy that I'm getting that now at the age that I'm at. Yeah. Cause I feel like I'm able to, like I don't take anything seriously that I see for the most part on anything. Yeah. And so it doesn't ever really bother me. But I think that if I was probably about 10 years younger, I think that I would be like damn near almost suicidal. Of course. Yeah. I'm so glad I didn't get success when I wanted it.

54:42A thousand percent. I'm glad I got it when I had already kind of made peace with the idea that it might not happen. And it didn't take a... I'm not somebody who's like, I was embattled for years. I had a very lucky journey. I'm on a very lucky journey. I love my life. I feel so grateful. But yeah, I'm glad I didn't get success when I first wanted it. The first viral moment I believe I saw of yours was the astrology video. Astrology video. You were like, what time? Ask your parents. That was the first viral moment that I remember seeing. That was a long time. I know. That was the first one that I was like, this is one of the, probably since like 10 people.

55:13I was like, this is one of the funniest things in the world. Damn, dude, that's so nice. That was Twitter. That was like, that would have been like 2019 or something. Yeah, I remember like, this is really funny. And I'm so happy to see that, the way that everything has grown. But you're right, though. I just feel like so much more grounded in like knowing who I am that like nothing could really kind of like, I don't know, doesn't hurt my feelings, I guess. Yeah. Any mean comment? Yeah, that's really interesting. Yeah. Why are you doing all this? What do you want? What's the big goal? What's the big idea?

55:41I think I just want to make good art. Yeah? I think it's really that simple. Like, I think, like, the why that I think that I learned in, like, college, I think it's really just I want to make people laugh. Yeah. I don't really need anything else. If someone walked in here right now and was like, Aaron, here's$5 million. You can make one thing. Yeah. What is the thing you would make immediately? I want to do entertainment on a high level. Yeah. But I want to make people laugh on a high level. Yeah. So, like, whatever that encompasses. Like right now it's stand-up and also it's definitely like YouTube.

56:09And so being able to continue to do that really is just like the mission. There's no like, there's no like thing, you know what I mean? Yeah, you're not like, here's a script. You're like, I just want to continue. I just want to continue doing this and then eventually be able to fund other people to be able to do the same thing. I could definitely see myself like when I'm older having like a management company of sorts. Or like just kind of like, and maybe that's like a production company, but not even like that. Just to be able to help and being able to build other artists up that might not have the resources.

56:38But I think it's just as simple as I like making people laugh. It's fun. I love writing. I just like that. Who are your heroes? Who are the people you grew up to when you were starting? When I was starting, I think every young black male will say Dave Chappelle. So I think no matter what, that's square one. Just how that came into my life, I was in freaking Branson. Not Branson. I was in Branson. not the vegas of the midwest yeah and we're at like a timeshare and it's like you know it was like one of those things where like my mom has to go like a meeting just to make sure that she can uh have this entire like nice ass condor for like a week and that was fun but like my cousin like put in like a dave chappelle dvd and like watching the chappelle show i think like made me be like this is what i want to do like i want to do this and then i actually literally i would have been in middle no i would have been in elementary school when that happened and then i got into his stand-up in the seventh grade and I watched Killing Him softly.

57:34And at that point, it was when I was like, I'm going to do this. I actually started like two years later. You did your first open mic in New York, 16, right? 15, yeah, at Stanford and Sons. Did you ever go to Stanford and Sons? Do you have any relation to Stanford and Sons? I believe I went one time. Yeah. I did my first open mic in Kansas City when I was 18 at Art Bar. Yeah. I miss Art Bar, man. Dude. That was an era and a half, dude. I bombed in a way that like isn't even understandable. I bombed in a way that like that those walls have actually not seen before. I bombed in a way that I didn't do standup again for like two more years.

58:09Are you serious? Oh, I was like, this is not for you, buddy. Oh, that's crazy. And I still don't think, I mean, I love standup and I love the, the, the craft of it and the art of it. And I love a lot of jokes that I've written. But I still don't think standup is my most natural thing. I love standup. Your special was really good though. Thanks, dude. I appreciate it. I love doing it. but I still am like I have to work harder at stand-up than I have to work at other things it's not the most natural thing to me there are people that it's just like I feel like they're like right away they're just like yeah it's immediate yeah for sure and I don't think that's necessarily my vibe I think that's what's cool about right now is like the multi-hyphenate artist I think it's like a cool concept I love the idea of being able to like to be able to like make the art bigger like right now like my obsession is soundtracks so like yes I've been having a fun time with the project that I just released that was like, it was like 10 episodes, like a YouTube series, and then I had like a soundtrack on top of that, and it kind of all connected, but I'm like, that's my shit.

59:05Now, we didn't get that many views, but it was, but I'm like that, the fact that I'm even in the position to be able to like even make those things, like that is like all I wanna, all I wanna do. You made the music? Made the music, yeah. I mean, with like other actual musicians, but that's what I mean. Like writing, I can write a great song, I think. I can write, I think a good script, and I can write stand-up. But writing is really at its core of what I really, really enjoy doing. And then I think that everything else kind of adds to that, right? It's like the acting adds to that. The music adds to that.

59:37But it all is able for me to be able to use that specific medium in different ways. Yeah. Do you feel like a positive person? I think for the most part, I think that sometimes I feel really negative, and then even when I'm being negative, everyone's like, you're being too nice. And I'm like, I feel like shit. what are you talking about i should say i feel like you're an extremely positive yeah i think you radiate good energy yeah for sure i think that like yeah i think some of that is like my midwestern roots like definitely like i come from the product of like like flower children like ask like everyone's like go out to the world like be a good person and so i think i try to carry that with me on the flip side of that too like i can be a dick at the same time you know what i mean but only when it's warranted what's your mom like you said your mom was like spiritual but in the way that like same same not the same vibes as your mom but like my mom would definitely classify herself as a christian but like it was never like although i will say the church home that i have in kansas city was dope yeah and anyone that was there at that same exact time will reiterate that same phrasing it was actually emmanuel cleaver's church yeah it was legend yeah legend like it was he is so dope he has done so many great things for the city him and his family are incredible evans at ucb um just i really cherish like those moments but like that environment and that vibe um different from other uh denominations of christianity i just feel like nothing was ever like forced and at its core it was really always about just being a good person and so i think that i really uh as i've gotten older i'd never feel like there were like strict rules that i've had to adhere to it's always been like find yourself within like what you've also gotten from that lesson and so i think that i'm really happy that i had that experience yeah what made it so different like as you've gone out into the world after that and gone to other churches or seen other churches like what do you think was the thing that made your church in kansas city like so different i think it's just the vibe of like just being a good person the ease of it and the ease of it like i never felt like anything was ever like forced upon me i never felt like there was like any belief that was like you have to get this like you have to understand this and you have to be like this it was very much like we showed up and it's like hey like you know this is a a nice little tidbit for you to be able to take away as you go through your week and that's really nice now i will say it was hard transitioning for me and i'm curious if you had the same thing because like especially coming from like what i would consider like an insular environment chicago was very turbulent for me and i don't ever feel like i was able to find my footing just simply because it was such a major culture shock.

1:02:12Does that make sense? And like, kind of actually, it's so crazy because me and my girlfriend were watching your special. We have a lot in common. And although it wasn't on like the level that I feel like you experienced, my mom has a bit of a hoarding problem also. So growing up within all of that, I found it, I wasn't processing enough. So Chicago for me in those five years was all about just like processing like what I had been through and what had actually just happened. and meeting other people that have a completely different perspective than what I have. And that was tough, I think, for those few years that I was there.

1:02:48But did you experience anything like that? Or was it a pretty easy transition? My biggest thing like that was I worked in political organizing. When Chance and I were in college, I was doing political organizing and doing volunteer training and working for the senator in Missouri. Claire McCaskill at the time, you remember? Shout out Claire. Most centrist Democrat who's ever lived. And I worked, yeah, I worked for a lot of campaigns and did stuff like that. And I found the organizers that I met, the politicians were all centrist and I had disagreements with them about a lot of things, but I felt like you, in a place like Missouri, you take what you can get.

1:03:30And it's better than the Republicans. Because when the centrist Democrats fell in line, I actually feel now that we have an opportunity to replace them with more radically left people, because I think that so much has changed in the last 20 years. But when they fall in line, they fall in line on the side of abortion being legal and weed being legal and gay people being able to get married. And when the Republicans, even if they are centrist, fall in line, they fall in line on the side of all those things not being true. Keeping in mind that both of them ultimately just answer to corporations the whole time.

1:04:00But I was cool with that. But the activists that I knew and the organizers that I knew were some of the most radical and about it people I've ever met to this day. And when I moved to Chicago and started talking to organizers and political people, I was shocked at the laziness. And I was shocked at the entitlement. And I just couldn't believe what I was hearing. I was like, oh, we have a super majority. We could do anything. We live in Chicago, Illinois. We could do anything. And the lack of imagination, I couldn't believe. There are organizers in southern Missouri that were straight up radical Marxist leftists.

1:04:39That's so wild. Left of me. And they believed that we could get shit done there. That's crazy. But then I moved to Chicago and there was no political imagination about a better world. There was no political imagination about desegregation of the city. Or there was no political imagination about redistributing wealth or making life better for working people really at all. Yeah. In the circles that I was talking in. And I was not in, it's not like I moved there to be an activist. I moved there to be a comedian. There's plenty of places I could have looked that I didn't look. It's not to say anything about Chicago's activist community.

1:05:08But that would be shocking, though, also, just given the political history of Chicago. Chicago, which is why I'm saying this. Chicago people do not fucking come for me. I don't want to hear it. No, yeah, great. There are brilliant, amazing, very about it serious activists in Chicago. Yeah, there definitely are. And I learned so much. I didn't know anything about prison abolition before I moved to Chicago. I learned everything about it in Chicago. There are plenty of very serious activists that are way smarter than me, way more about it than I am. I'm saying in my circles, which were similar to my circles in Missouri, which were like young artists, I was surprised by the lack of imagination and the laziness.

1:05:40That's wild. Now, had I been hanging out more in like around UChicago on the south side, like in Hyde Park and things like that, I'm sure I would have met more serious activists. For sure. But all that is to say, in my circles, it was a little lackadaisical, and that was the big shock for me. That's really interesting. I can't believe this. Yeah, that's really interesting. Yeah, that's really crazy. And I think you're right. For me, it was exploring outside of the comedy scene and then starting to meet more people that were really about it. Yeah, that's really interesting. That's really crazy.

1:06:11Where'd you go to college? I went to Missouri State. You went to Missouri State? Chance and I went to Missouri State. That's so sick. Met him there, yeah. That's so cool, man. I would call it a double-edged sword, a blessing and a curse, meeting Chance. Why do you say that? There are beautiful things about it, but there are horrible things as well. There were horrible things as well. Like when we lived together in Chicago and he slept walking and would wield a knife. Are you serious? Well, that was one time. Scary bitch. Were you in my house last week? I did remind me of Chase when you said that.

1:06:42That's really wild. I found him once. We had some unkind neighbors and I was going to let them know how I felt about it. And that's all I'll say. In his sleep. Crazy. Wait, do you still sleepwalk? Not to my knowledge. I live alone now, so I might. So you might. That's a new thing for me. I've like never now like being in a relationship for two years I'm learning I recently I popped up from my sleep my eyes wide open and this has been happening a lot it's just like an example I said do you see the portal? No. I'll tell you what you wouldn't be doing if you were dating me absolutely not. Absolutely not.

1:07:18Yeah I don't know how There will be no portal. Another night another night I was like look at all these kids. No. Yeah. I'm really putting this girl through hell You wrote her script Sophie Garage She what? Her and Claude wrote the script And they loved the notes that you gave them They were so grateful you took the time to do that I feel sometimes when someone asks me to give notes I always say are you sure Because I don't hold back If I'm giving you notes I'm going to give you the real notes And that script is great But I had a lot of notes because I had a lot of thoughts about it My notes are almost more involved when I actually believe in something If I read something that's really bad I just go like, yeah, here's the things I could give you to make this better.

1:07:58But when something actually has so much potential, I'm like, this is what I think. And I'm just, I'm one guy. It's just really nice if you just take the time. But that script is great. That's so cool. I'm really excited about it. She should leave you. That's some scary shit. Floating puppets one time I saw. No, you did not. Yeah, because that week I was making a children's puppet show, like an adult children's puppet show. And then all I was thinking about was puppets. So I guess I was like sleep talking, but I get up. Sometimes I stand up. but now I only talk to her. I don't talk to anyone. It's a strange thing.

1:08:29I've got to figure it out. You certainly do. I promise you, if anyone's ever sleeping in my bed and sticks up, eyes wide open and says, do you see the portal? It'll be the last time they go to sleep in my bed. That's crazy. There's no portals. And frankly, there's no kids. That's nuts. It's really wild. That is crazy. I'm worried about you. That's crazy. Yeah, it's fine though. I had a friend. Well, I actually shouldn't say that. Aaron tell me what's so true to you oh my gosh I thought for a long time about this oh you're one of the first guests to ever do that oh my gosh I really did because I have so many opinions that I feel very strongly about I want to say before I say this I have said this opinion in front of rooms that some people would only wish to be in and all of those people probably think less of me now after saying this But I'm standing 10 toes on this.

1:09:25The movie Zoe 102 that was released in July of 2023, I believe had some of the best cinematography of the year. Now, you might be wondering, why am I pointing this out? Well, if you remember, Caleb, that was the same summer of Barbenheimer. And I'm willing for anyone to challenge my thought and opinion. one of the most they took so many risks they took so many chances some would say chance and they made a very very beautiful piece and i just believe that it never got the love that it deserved it was shot so well the dp's name is matthew rudson and that man is a young prodigy and i I hope that he is still working in this town because he can, honestly, he can move water.

1:10:22So I didn't see the film. And so I don't have a leg to stand on here. I'm going to watch it. You should. It's beautiful. I'm going to at least watch enough of it to get a sense of the cinematography. Bro, they did like a Birdman thing where they didn't cut for like three minutes. In Zoe 102? Yes, dog. I'm telling you, there was no reason for them to go this hard. and it just looks just utterly beautiful. Did you watch Perfect Days? No. Came out the same year. One of my favorite movies of all time. I can't speak on Perfect Days. I can't speak. Here's the assignment. Okay. You're going to watch Perfect Days by Vin Vendus.

1:10:57Absolutely. And I'm going to watch Zoe 102. Done. And we're going to compare. Okay, I'm so down. And we're going to compare notes. I'm so down. We're going to do that thing that long distance couples do where we press play at the same time. One, two, three. Instead of the same movie, it's these two. Let's talk about it. I'm so down. All right, let's do it. I love it that's crazy I've not seen it I wish I had man that's fucking crazy you're gonna love it and I'm gonna watch that's a huge swing that you've taken on the podcast it's the truth and I was I'm standing 10 toes on that now just so I'm clear this is a Zoe 101 this is a reboot reboot but it was just a movie they didn't do a TV show it's like an hour and a half um the story is short yeah but it's but it's it's absolutely just it's beautiful yeah it's beautiful alright I'm gonna look into it okay I'm gonna look into it and I'm gonna watch Perfect Days Zoe 102 yes That's so interesting of you to say.

1:11:42I know. I'm scared. Because if I think the cinematography's ass. You shouldn't be. You're prepared. Just be prepared. I'm prepared. The way they used light. Like, I'm telling you. It's really insane. It really is insane. And no one talked about it. Yeah. But it makes sense, though. I've done research on the DP. And by the way, do not know this man. Yeah. I have no reason to glaze him as much as I am. But the truth is, he films a lot of commercials. because I went on his IG obviously after I watched the film and I think that you can see it in the film where there's some commercials like a K Jewelers or something that is trying to show you light or a beautiful product it shows throughout the entire piece so it's just shot in a really pretty way some of our best directors and DPs come from commercial lands a lot of great directors start out doing commercials and their stuff is fantastic And they're also used to doing super tight stuff with small budgets in a quick turnaround.

1:12:42It's just kind of like, yeah, it's hard work. And it makes sense. Yeah. So I'm happy that they gave them the opportunity to do that. Hell yeah. And I hope to meet you, Matthew, one day. Shout out, Matthew. This will get to him. If I've learned anything about this stupid podcast, no matter what gets said on here, I have had people, I've told stories from my childhood about someone's third cousin. and I'll get a fucking text that's like, hey, that's really wild. Faciest thing, a girl that I work with brought up that I was mentioned on your podcast. So what the fuck is up? I'm like, what the fuck?

1:13:14It didn't used to be like this, but I promise you, this DP will hear word of this. That's so sick. And I hope you get a reach out from it. I would absolutely love that. Zoe 102, and I hope you get a reach out from the screenwriter as well because a little bit of a stray was caught. No, I love Zoe 101. It was great. It was great. What about 102? Yeah. Nice. Okay. Aaron, you want to play a game? Let's do it. All right, cool. I'm going to read you 15 statements. You're going to tell me as quickly as you can if what I just said was true or false. Okay. If you get 10 or more correct, I'm going to give you 50 US dollars.

1:13:42Are you ready? Let's do it. Hugh Jackman is older than John Stamos. I'm going to say false. It is false. A bushel is 64 pints.

1:13:54I'm going to say true. It is true. Creed, the band, has won exactly one Grammy. Yeah, I'm going to say true. That is true. The founder of White Castle Burgers was born in 1880. True. That is true. Yeah. Bishop Mej's high school girls basketball team has won state 26 times. True. False. What? They haven't? 24. Oh! They're really good. The film Oppenheimer made$1.1 billion. What are the chances? True. False. What? $983 million. Oh, I started off strong. The Boston Red Sox mascot is Wally the Green Monster. I think he's red, so I'm going to say false. It's true. Wow. The mathematical symbol for division is called a divisible.

1:14:41I'm going to say true. It's false. Dang it. It's an obelisk. Obelisk. Lock in. Lobsters can live to be 100 years old. True. That's true. The Kansas State motto is, to the stars through difficulties. I'm going to say false. True. It's true. It's true. It's like ad aspera per aspera or something like that. I'm a Missouri boy. Thank you. Shout out, first of all. Shout out for sure. GPS was originally developed for use in hospitals. True. False. The military. Lake Michigan is the largest Great Lake. False. False. It's Lake Superior. Yes. Shakira is 4 '11". I'm actually going to say true. It is true.

1:15:21Yeah. She's small. She's very small. A little tiny. Great performance. The Food Network began broadcasting in 1979. True. False. 1993. Dang it. Columbia College Chicago's mascot is the Cosmos. False. It's true. No, it's not. It's true. That's what it says on here. What do you think it is? No, we don't have a... I think it's like a... We're the renegades. Chance does get these wrong sometimes. I think we're the renegades. I have news for you. It changed last year. Oh! Chance! You're a sick fuck. Okay, but he's right. Technically, you are correct. Do you see what I'm saying? Look at the way he's acting right now.

1:15:59He acts like Jigsaw. Oh, that's crazy. He acts like fucking Jigsaw from the movie series Saw. No, he's so scary. He's so scary. That's fucked up. That's crazy, man. Give him that and then tell me how many he got. Nine. Nine. He got eight if you don't count the cosmos? Yeah. So close. Dude, you were close. So close. You were really close. So close. You didn't trust your gut on a couple of those. I just should have just gone with what I, you know what I mean? But I'm going to study and next time I got you. Yeah, just come back better. Yeah, I will. Come back better. Next time, better, faster, stronger, harder, et cetera.

1:16:29That's all I can do. Aaron, this was such a delight. This was so much fun. Do you want to tell people how they can support you, where they can find you? When does this come out? We don't know when this comes out. It's such a beautiful and special process that unfolds. I'm probably on the Forehead XXL Tour at the time this comes out. So you could go to theforeheadtour.com for those tickets. Other than that, Instagram at Aaron Branch World and then TikTok at Branch Boy Comedy. Hell yeah. Yeah, man. Rock on, dude. Thanks for doing it. Caleb, you're the best. Thank you so much for having me. You're the best.

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