The Lex Fridman Podcast – #382 – Bert Kreischer: Comedy, Drinking, Rogan, Segura, Churchill & Kim Jong Un

Intro

In this episode of “The Lex Fridman Podcast,” host Lex Fridman interviews Bert Kreischer, a stand-up comedian, podcast host, actor, and star of the new movie “The Machine.” They discuss comedy, drinking, their experiences with Joe Rogan and Tom Segura, as well as various personal anecdotes and insights.

Main Takeaways

Comedy and Storytelling

• The first telling of a joke is the purest for the speaker, and they often chase that feeling again.
• Longer stories, like “The Machine,” take more work to perfect.
• “The Machine” story works because it’s relatable – everyone has had a crazy night like that before.

Drinking and Social Interactions

• Drinking with rich and powerful people can be uncomfortable.
• Differences in drinking preferences and energy levels.
• Enjoying drinking for the experience, not just to get drunk.
• Whiskey on the rocks is a favorite drink for one-on-one conversations with regular people like Joe Rogan.

Relationships and Personal Growth

• Humility is important in achieving goals, even if it happens later in life.
• Being honest and making fun of oneself can help sell tickets and projects to fans.
• Trust has been an issue for the speaker in their professional life, but they have a mantra to combat it.
• The speaker grew up in Florida where there were physical consequences for actions.

Friendships and Mentors

• The speaker and Tom Segura have a strong working relationship and need each other for their success.
• Joe Rogan has a selfless personality that has helped many of his friends in their careers.
• Rogan taught Bert Kreischer how to trust people again and gave him a path to success.

Love and Relationships

• Kreischer’s advice for finding love is to not settle for less and to focus on finding someone who truly understands you.
• Being available is the hardest part of finding love.
• The secret to a successful marriage is keeping each other interested and occupied.
• Kreischer’s advice on making love to a woman is to go down on her first and make sure she has an orgasm.

Creativity and Content Creation

• Don’t be afraid to create content, even if it seems silly or insignificant.
• Turn the camera on and the idea will come.
• Sometimes the biggest mistake is not doing it at all.
• Creativity can lead to genius ideas, like the impromptu promo video for a comedy show.

Life Experiences and Enjoyment

• Cherishing precious moments with loved ones, like singing with your daughter on a Vespa ride, is what life is all about.
• Running downhill is a great experience, especially when a butterfly runs with you.
• Watching comedians like Joe and his group perform the same set repeatedly and seeing how it changes is really cool.

Summary

Comedy and Storytelling

Bert Kreischer shares insights into the world of comedy and storytelling. He explains that the first telling of a joke is the purest for the speaker, and they often chase that feeling again. Longer stories, like his famous “The Machine” story, take more work to perfect. The reason why “The Machine” story resonates with audiences is its relatability – everyone has had a crazy night like that before.

Drinking and Social Interactions

Kreischer and Lex discuss their experiences with drinking and social interactions. They talk about the discomfort of drinking with rich and powerful people and the differences in drinking preferences and energy levels. They emphasize the importance of enjoying drinking for the experience, not just to get drunk. Whiskey on the rocks is a favorite drink for one-on-one conversations with regular people like Joe Rogan.

Relationships and Personal Growth

The conversation delves into the importance of humility in achieving goals and the power of being honest and making fun of oneself. Kreischer opens up about trust being an issue in their professional life and shares a mantra to combat it. Growing up in Florida, where there were physical consequences for actions, shaped the speaker’s perspective on life.

Friendships and Mentors

Kreischer highlights the strong working relationship between him and Tom Segura, emphasizing how they need each other for their success. They also discuss Joe Rogan’s selfless personality and how he has helped many of his friends in their careers. Rogan played a significant role in Kreischer’s journey, teaching him how to trust people again and providing him with a path to success.

Love and Relationships

Kreischer shares his advice for finding love, emphasizing the importance of not settling for less and focusing on finding someone who truly understands you. He acknowledges that being available is the hardest part of finding love. The secret to a successful marriage, according to Kreischer, is keeping each other interested and occupied. He also offers advice on making love to a woman, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing her pleasure.

Creativity and Content Creation

The conversation explores the world of creativity and content creation. Kreischer encourages people not to be afraid to create content, even if it seems silly or insignificant. He believes that turning the camera on will spark ideas. The biggest mistake is often not doing it at all. Kreischer shares examples of how creativity can lead to genius ideas, such as the impromptu promo video for a comedy show.

Life Experiences and Enjoyment

Kreischer reflects on the importance of cherishing precious moments with loved ones, highlighting experiences like singing with his daughter on a Vespa ride. He shares enjoyable moments like running downhill with a butterfly and watching comedians like Joe Rogan perform the same set repeatedly, witnessing how it evolves over time.

Conclusion

In this insightful and entertaining episode of “The Lex Fridman Podcast,” Bert Kreischer discusses various aspects of comedy, drinking, relationships, creativity, and life experiences. With his unique perspective and humorous anecdotes, Kreischer offers valuable insights into these topics, leaving listeners with a deeper understanding and a renewed appreciation for the joy and complexities of life.