Drew Carey

Yeah, there's no podcast to go on. There's no YouTube channel you can start. There's no third tier like this podcast. Now there's like many avenues. Back then there was just the one and then just the two when Letterman started.

Then after you got famous from those, then you could have an HBO special.

Then after you got famous from those, then you could have an HBO special.

Then after you got famous from those, then you could have an HBO special.

Or a Showtime special. And that was it. Now you could make your own special, put it on YouTube, get a YouTube following, and then you're set.

Or a Showtime special. And that was it. Now you could make your own special, put it on YouTube, get a YouTube following, and then you're set.

Or a Showtime special. And that was it. Now you could make your own special, put it on YouTube, get a YouTube following, and then you're set.

Nothing like that. You had to go through the gatekeepers. Always a gatekeeper.

Nothing like that. You had to go through the gatekeepers. Always a gatekeeper.

Nothing like that. You had to go through the gatekeepers. Always a gatekeeper.

So Jim McCauley was the biggest gatekeeper in the country. And he said, hey, Drew, you're on next. Ready to go backstage? I had my notes, my set list that I hadn't barely glanced at. And I was going to look over it one more time before I went on. And it was on the top page of my notebook. It wasn't a separate sheet.

So Jim McCauley was the biggest gatekeeper in the country. And he said, hey, Drew, you're on next. Ready to go backstage? I had my notes, my set list that I hadn't barely glanced at. And I was going to look over it one more time before I went on. And it was on the top page of my notebook. It wasn't a separate sheet.

So Jim McCauley was the biggest gatekeeper in the country. And he said, hey, Drew, you're on next. Ready to go backstage? I had my notes, my set list that I hadn't barely glanced at. And I was going to look over it one more time before I went on. And it was on the top page of my notebook. It wasn't a separate sheet.

I just had my notebook and I would fold over the top like a lined Oxford line notebook. And he walks me backstage and he goes, well, have a good time. And I go, am I next? And he goes, yeah. And I go, well, I guess I don't need this. And I tossed it.

I just had my notebook and I would fold over the top like a lined Oxford line notebook. And he walks me backstage and he goes, well, have a good time. And I go, am I next? And he goes, yeah. And I go, well, I guess I don't need this. And I tossed it.

I just had my notebook and I would fold over the top like a lined Oxford line notebook. And he walks me backstage and he goes, well, have a good time. And I go, am I next? And he goes, yeah. And I go, well, I guess I don't need this. And I tossed it.

You didn't have a chance to look at it before it went out. And the next thing you know, it's Johnny introducing me, the curtains open, and I float out on stage. And I'm in a flow state. It's going great. I'm like electric inside. I feel like I'm on another planet. It's going so well where I'm not associated with reality. And then I get called over just like in my dream the night before.

You didn't have a chance to look at it before it went out. And the next thing you know, it's Johnny introducing me, the curtains open, and I float out on stage. And I'm in a flow state. It's going great. I'm like electric inside. I feel like I'm on another planet. It's going so well where I'm not associated with reality. And then I get called over just like in my dream the night before.

You didn't have a chance to look at it before it went out. And the next thing you know, it's Johnny introducing me, the curtains open, and I float out on stage. And I'm in a flow state. It's going great. I'm like electric inside. I feel like I'm on another planet. It's going so well where I'm not associated with reality. And then I get called over just like in my dream the night before.

I had like a vision of exactly how it would go. I was working at a club in Chicago, Funny Bone in Chicago at the time, and Schomburg. And I got a call like, hey, Macaulay called. He wants to do the Tonight Show. And the club owner was really excited because that's extra money on the weekend when I come back from that. And just to have a comic there that just got his first Tonight Show.