Billy Gardell: The Health Decision That Sent Him Back to Open Mics
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How did Billy Gardell’s health journey lead him back to open‑mic comedy?
And then I went down to the Irvine Improv with the wife and watched Ian. And boy, he was having one of those shows. Like, you know what? You have those shows where you're so dialed in that you look at them and they start cracking up.
Like, you know those nights.
Like, there's good nights, but then there's those nights.
And
he was having one of those. And I swear to God, man, I got a twitch in my left shoulder. And I looked at Patty and I go, I think I got to see what... And she's like, really? And I'm like, yeah. So I started just going to open mic night over at Flappers in Burbank.
And they were
lovely with me.
Just
Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
I ain't trying to
make no noise. Just see if I could still do
it.
And it was funny, the hurdles I had to overcome. Because I used to be such a big, gregarious guy
that the
energy all shifted. Right.
So on
stage, it went from like driving a minivan to a coupe. And I was like, well, this is a different, because I went from the get out of the way guy to the, I'm sorry, did I bump you? Right. So I had to adjust to that. And then I had the thing of you've been on television. You can't suck. You've got to show up. And then it would hit me. You're here on a Tuesday and there's 12 people. Relax. Right. And so I just took away all my credits. I said, don't say no credits. Just say Billy Gardell's next. It's breaking bread. All right, before we get started, I want to say two things. Number one, Shalhoub, who I worked with on Monk and is a good man. However, your show ripped the title off from this show. This is the original Breaking Bread, and that's what happens when you hire kids at Google to write creative copy, okay?
This is Tom's podcast, Breaking Bread. Come on, Tony. Number two, last time I talked to you, you were kind enough to have me on when I reentered the internet a year and a half ago.
Right.
And I said to you in our podcast, I'm going to really work on getting healthy. And that happens. So today's prediction is, I would like to get on a dramatic streaming series where I'm smoking cigarettes, writing shit in a notebook, and solving cases. Can't hurt to try. And it's great to see you. Thank you, by the way. You too. Thank you for having me.
Your health journey is so profound and so great that when I was conflicted, because I'm like, I got to get this bread. And then I was like, wait, he might be off bread now. And we just baked these
cookies. Well, I can get one cookie in. You can get one cookie in? Yeah, I have to look at everything. I only have so much space since, because I got the surgery, the bariatric surgery. Okay. And so I only have 12 ounces to work with. So I got to be real selective. 12 ounces. But the problem is the fat Hulk is still running around and they're like, pizza! Like, we're not doing that right now. So maybe a cookie and I'll take some bread home. Okay, yeah, the bread's going home and
I'm going to give you the little cookies and you can share them with your loved
ones.
Yes. How big were you at your
biggest? 379. And this is Mike and Molly? No, it was at... It was weird. I fluctuated. I did this thing where I would gain 30 and lose 30 every year forever. Wow. And then at Mike and Molly, my highest was 375. Right. Then I lost a little bit on my own when I did Bob Hart's Abishola, and I got down to a Svelte 275. Wow. And then, as my doctor says, after 50, the warranties start running out. Yeah. And so I had type two diabetes. I had some cholesterol stuff, some heart stuff. Wow. And you can't outrun those. I think the only reason I was able to survive as long as I did is one, I got decent genetics and two was, you know, I played some sports when I was younger. So I was a big fat guy, but I was pretty solid fat guy.
Right, right. And I could carry the weight for a long time, but eventually you can't outrun that. How tall are you? Six foot. You're six foot. Yeah, so I was getting to the point where it was like, the doctor was like, you have to do something. And then I got to the point where I hurt my knee and I couldn't even walk for exercise. And I was like, I have to do something drastic.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
How did Billy Gardell’s health journey lead him back to open‑mic comedy?
0:02–8:05
2
What was the “last‑chance” audition that launched Mike & Molly?
8:05–15:47
3
How did James Burrows shape Billy’s approach to sitcom acting?
15:47–26:04
4
What role did Billy’s family and marriage play in his comeback?
26:04–37:03
5
How does Billy view the impact of technology and social media on comedy?
37:03–45:40
6
Why are model trains such a meaningful hobby for Billy and his son?
45:40–54:43
7
What advice does Billy give to new comics about touring and staying healthy?
54:43–1:00:41
8
How does Billy balance his career, family, and personal growth in later life?
1:00:41–1:01:08