Sam Irby

I was like, shouldn't you climb in there? Like pointing to the casket. She was just like, I'm going to beat your ass after this funeral. You have to find the one absurd thing and just like cling to that till you get through to a good place.

I was like, shouldn't you climb in there? Like pointing to the casket. She was just like, I'm going to beat your ass after this funeral. You have to find the one absurd thing and just like cling to that till you get through to a good place.

For me, I feel like it's the most active way to interact with reality. reality. Although I would say, okay, sometimes with humor, I use it to protect myself. And I think like that developed early, right? Because I was like, I've always been a little fat kid with buck teeth, right? And nobody is charitable to you with that. And so my defense mechanism was always like, let's beat them to the joke.

For me, I feel like it's the most active way to interact with reality. reality. Although I would say, okay, sometimes with humor, I use it to protect myself. And I think like that developed early, right? Because I was like, I've always been a little fat kid with buck teeth, right? And nobody is charitable to you with that. And so my defense mechanism was always like, let's beat them to the joke.

For me, I feel like it's the most active way to interact with reality. reality. Although I would say, okay, sometimes with humor, I use it to protect myself. And I think like that developed early, right? Because I was like, I've always been a little fat kid with buck teeth, right? And nobody is charitable to you with that. And so my defense mechanism was always like, let's beat them to the joke.

Where I grew up, I grew up in Evanston, which is just north of Chicago. It's where Northwestern is. I don't know if it still exists, but when I was growing up, there was this community donation place called ESCA. And all of the fancy people would... like donate their clothes there. And those of us who were not fancy would get clothes from there.

Where I grew up, I grew up in Evanston, which is just north of Chicago. It's where Northwestern is. I don't know if it still exists, but when I was growing up, there was this community donation place called ESCA. And all of the fancy people would... like donate their clothes there. And those of us who were not fancy would get clothes from there.

Where I grew up, I grew up in Evanston, which is just north of Chicago. It's where Northwestern is. I don't know if it still exists, but when I was growing up, there was this community donation place called ESCA. And all of the fancy people would... like donate their clothes there. And those of us who were not fancy would get clothes from there.

And cause I was like a sad kid, I would always be like wearing someone's like dad's golf shirt to school. Right. Yeah. One day this girl was like, I think that's my dad's shirt. And I could have, you know, like in the movie version, I would like, you know, melt into a puddle and there would be some sort of lesson. But I was like, he has great taste and the pits still smell like him.

And cause I was like a sad kid, I would always be like wearing someone's like dad's golf shirt to school. Right. Yeah. One day this girl was like, I think that's my dad's shirt. And I could have, you know, like in the movie version, I would like, you know, melt into a puddle and there would be some sort of lesson. But I was like, he has great taste and the pits still smell like him.

And cause I was like a sad kid, I would always be like wearing someone's like dad's golf shirt to school. Right. Yeah. One day this girl was like, I think that's my dad's shirt. And I could have, you know, like in the movie version, I would like, you know, melt into a puddle and there would be some sort of lesson. But I was like, he has great taste and the pits still smell like him.

You know, like something disgusting, but funny.

You know, like something disgusting, but funny.

You know, like something disgusting, but funny.

And she was disarmed and I didn't feel bad for being poor. We just like had that moment. And so it has served to protect me in that way. But I think as an adult, what you said about engaging with reality in a more real way, I think when you were always looking for the absurd truth, you can't ignore any part of what's happening, right? It's like...

And she was disarmed and I didn't feel bad for being poor. We just like had that moment. And so it has served to protect me in that way. But I think as an adult, what you said about engaging with reality in a more real way, I think when you were always looking for the absurd truth, you can't ignore any part of what's happening, right? It's like...

And she was disarmed and I didn't feel bad for being poor. We just like had that moment. And so it has served to protect me in that way. But I think as an adult, what you said about engaging with reality in a more real way, I think when you were always looking for the absurd truth, you can't ignore any part of what's happening, right? It's like...

okay, this sucks, but I'm going to dig through all the suck to see what's funny about it. I think it makes like going through life less scary, you know, like, and I'm like a super anxious person. If I look in the rear view mirror and a car is coming too close, I feel like it's chasing me.

okay, this sucks, but I'm going to dig through all the suck to see what's funny about it. I think it makes like going through life less scary, you know, like, and I'm like a super anxious person. If I look in the rear view mirror and a car is coming too close, I feel like it's chasing me.

okay, this sucks, but I'm going to dig through all the suck to see what's funny about it. I think it makes like going through life less scary, you know, like, and I'm like a super anxious person. If I look in the rear view mirror and a car is coming too close, I feel like it's chasing me.