Latest / Skin Anarchy / Laughing Your Way to a Better Mindset with Comedian and Social Media Star, Trey Kennedy

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Laughing Your Way to a Better Mindset with Comedian and Social Media Star, Trey Kennedy · Skin Anarchy

• 0:07
  SPEAKER_01: Hey guys, welcome to Switzer Anarchy.
• 0:10
  SPEAKER_01: I'm your host Epica and I have such an amazing guest today.
• 0:13
  SPEAKER_01: I'm so excited because I am one of his number one fans and I absolutely love his comedy.
• 0:18
  SPEAKER_01: It's literally such a treat in my day.
• 0:20
  SPEAKER_01: Anytime I ever get to watch his videos, and I know that you guys have noticed as well.
• 0:24
  SPEAKER_01: Probably you've seen him all over social media.
• 0:27
  SPEAKER_01: And um, I'm sure you're equally as enthusiastic about his work as I am.
• 0:31
  SPEAKER_01: So without further ado, I want to introduce you guys to Trey Kennedy.
• 0:35
  SPEAKER_01: Welcome to the show, Trey.
• 0:36
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you so much for coming on to Skin Karenarchy.
• 0:38
  SPEAKER_02: Hello, thank you so much for having me.
• 0:41
  SPEAKER_02: Excited to be here.
• 0:42
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, no, it's such an honor to host you.
• 0:44
  SPEAKER_01: I really, really love your work.
• 0:45
  SPEAKER_01: And I think, you know, it's so rare to find someone that can really make you smile, you know, in your day.
• 0:50
  SPEAKER_01: And I'm just so honored to host you.
• 0:52
  SPEAKER_01: And I I I can't, you know, wait to like learn about you.
• 0:55
  SPEAKER_01: That's really what I'm so excited about because your your work really resonates with me, you know, just as a person.
• 1:00
  SPEAKER_01: And I think that's like a hallmark I've always noticed with every great comedian, you know, that I've always really loved is that they really resonate with you as a person.
• 1:07
  SPEAKER_01: And so I'm I'm really honored to host you.
• 1:09
  SPEAKER_01: And I want to get started by learning about you and where everything started, you know, in your comedy career.
• 1:14
  SPEAKER_01: Like what led you to pursue it?
• 1:16
  SPEAKER_01: And if you could walk us down memory lane, that'd be great.
• 1:19
  SPEAKER_02: Thank you so much.
• 1:19
  SPEAKER_02: Wow, that was wow, heck of an intro.
• 1:21
  SPEAKER_02: Why don't you bring you on the road or something?
• 1:24
  SPEAKER_02: Um, yeah, I've been it's crazy to say I've been making videos online for a decade now.
• 1:30
  SPEAKER_02: It all started with Vine that came and went.
• 1:33
  SPEAKER_02: That's what kind of just got me to kind of discover the the uh the passion I had for making content and growing a following.
• 1:43
  SPEAKER_02: And so I kept that going on on all these other platforms, and you know, before influencer was even uh a word that had been invented, I was I was trying to figure out you know, is this I'm making some money, but like what am I where where's my life headed?
• 1:58
  SPEAKER_02: What am I gonna do with this?
• 2:00
  SPEAKER_02: And as we all know, social media has just become this huge phenomenon.
• 2:05
  SPEAKER_02: And um, you always joke, like I was social media famous in college and I like got bullied for it.
• 2:12
  SPEAKER_02: People were like, what a what is this loser doing?
• 2:14
  SPEAKER_02: Go just go to class, and now if you have a lot of followers in college now, you're the coolest person on the planet.
• 2:20
  SPEAKER_02: So you know, it is what it is.
• 2:23
  SPEAKER_02: And then it that all kind of created like I had this big audience, and apparently I could go sell tickets, but I was like, you know, to to sell tickets to what?
• 2:33
  SPEAKER_02: And so I I tried to do it the right way and take my time and and try doing live comedy.
• 2:39
  SPEAKER_02: I did stand-up sets here or there and just slowly um discovered that I you know I enjoyed that too and wanted to pursue that.
• 2:49
  SPEAKER_02: So fast forward like four or five years, and I'm on my second tour tour in the nation and and uh it's just been been wild.
• 2:58
  SPEAKER_02: Never thought I'd be doing this.
• 2:59
  SPEAKER_01: That's I mean, that's pretty cool though, and I and I hear you on the you know, the craze of social media.
• 3:05
  SPEAKER_01: I'm I love that you've been doing this for a while and you understand that it's more than just numbers.
• 3:10
  SPEAKER_01: You know what I mean?
• 3:10
  SPEAKER_01: Like I I rarely get to interview people because I know everyone right now is like they just instantly blow up over nothing.
• 3:16
  SPEAKER_01: And I it's like when I every time I watch your videos, I'm like, he just it's very like easy to make people laugh, it seems like the way you, you know, the way you do your skits and the way you do your comedy.
• 3:26
  SPEAKER_01: And I always like I appreciate that, you know what I mean?
• 3:28
  SPEAKER_01: As as as someone watching, because it it doesn't feel like you're doing it for social media, you know what I mean?
• 3:33
  SPEAKER_01: Like it's it's genuine, it's genuine comedy, and I I love that about your work.
• 3:37
  SPEAKER_01: So but that's really cool though.
• 3:38
  SPEAKER_01: That's cool that you've been doing it for so long.
• 3:40
  SPEAKER_01: And I I like what you said about the tour thing.
• 3:42
  SPEAKER_01: By the way, congratulations on your second tour.
• 3:44
  SPEAKER_01: Um, thank you.
• 3:45
  SPEAKER_01: You know, I I know you're going to a lot of places, and and it's really cool to see like actual stand-up in person.
• 3:50
  SPEAKER_01: So everyone listening, um, I'll definitely post Trey's schedule if I can do that, you know, in the concept art.
• 3:55
  SPEAKER_01: So stay tuned for that.
• 3:56
  SPEAKER_01: But and check them out, you know, if you're anywhere near.
• 3:59
  SPEAKER_01: But um, I wanted to ask you, Trey, you know, I know that with comedy, you know, especially like being on tour, the whole, you know, the whole thing, right?
• 4:07
  SPEAKER_01: It takes a lot of energy and resilience.
• 4:09
  SPEAKER_01: And um, I would love if you could share some like maybe like some self-care, you know, routine things that really refuel you throughout your day, or like something that you find yourself doing, you know, while you're uh you know on the road or even at home or wherever you are, you know, working.
• 4:24
  SPEAKER_01: Um something that keeps you going.
• 4:26
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 4:27
  SPEAKER_02: Great question.
• 4:28
  SPEAKER_02: I um I cold plunge three times a day.
• 4:31
  SPEAKER_02: I'm just kidding.
• 4:32
  SPEAKER_02: I don't do that.
• 4:32
  SPEAKER_02: That's insane.
• 4:34
  SPEAKER_02: I'm not a navy SEAL.
• 4:35
  SPEAKER_02: So I I I have it being my second tour, I think the first tour I really did notice myself just like at my wits' end, like, oh my gosh, I just you know, it's it was a new world for me, a new schedule.
• 4:52
  SPEAKER_02: And so doing a lot better this time around of finding the things that that make it, you know, number one, just more fun, and number two, like way more sustainable.
• 5:02
  SPEAKER_02: Uh I don't I don't come back to my wife and kid like I'm exhausted, you know.
• 5:07
  SPEAKER_02: Trying to find those routines that allow me to perform my best, enjoy myself, um you know, keep going, not get worn down.
• 5:17
  SPEAKER_02: So I've just really big on uh I've gotten into running more.
• 5:21
  SPEAKER_02: I've always tried to be pretty active, but running has been a game changer.
• 5:25
  SPEAKER_02: You know, I'd always hated running and avoided cardio, but you know, one turning 30, having a kid, I was like, I don't want to die.
• 5:32
  SPEAKER_02: So I should probably cardio would only help.
• 5:35
  SPEAKER_02: And I got into running, which has just been a great tool because all you need is just your shoes and you go.
• 5:42
  SPEAKER_02: So I show up in a city and I always try to get a run in, see the city, sweat, get some sunlight, and um try to prioritize really good rest and just good community things with my crew.
• 5:57
  SPEAKER_02: We have a great crew now, and so we at least once a week when we're out, we'll get like a you know, living the comedian life.
• 6:05
  SPEAKER_02: We're up late, sleeping in, so we'll do these like 10 o'clock post-show dinners where we sit down, have a nice quality meal together.
• 6:14
  SPEAKER_02: It it avoids us being in some loud boy bar yelling at each other, only having drinks.
• 6:18
  SPEAKER_02: It's like we have a bottle of wine and some steaks and we go to bed.
• 6:22
  SPEAKER_02: And things like that just really fill me up.
• 6:25
  SPEAKER_02: Um, yeah, really like fulfill me, um, energize me.
• 6:30
  SPEAKER_02: Because I'm not an introvert, I'm an extrovert.
• 6:33
  SPEAKER_02: And uh so those little things that I didn't do on the first tour that I'm doing here have been really, really helpful.
• 6:40
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, that's I love that though.
• 6:42
  SPEAKER_01: I love, I mean, you know, the idea of like just you know, carving out time to just do genuine, like meaningful stuff with people around you.
• 6:49
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, that's really important.
• 6:50
  SPEAKER_01: I think we can all relate to that.
• 6:51
  SPEAKER_01: I know it's it's hard, right?
• 6:53
  SPEAKER_01: It's gotta be hard with like, you know, constantly being, even if you're an extrovert, constantly being around people and then having to like pull away and find that time for yourself.
• 7:02
  SPEAKER_01: So that's why I asked you because I'm sure it gets crazy.
• 7:05
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 7:06
  SPEAKER_02: It does.
• 7:07
  SPEAKER_02: And like I'm I'm glad I'm doing what I'm doing.
• 7:10
  SPEAKER_02: I definitely don't feel too worn out because I do enjoy it.
• 7:14
  SPEAKER_02: I I like performing, I like being in front of people, but yeah, something like the running, I think, has been a game changer because it's kind of two birds, one stone.
• 7:20
  SPEAKER_02: It's like my alone time with my thoughts, and also um obviously getting a sweat in.
• 7:28
  SPEAKER_01: So yeah, I love that though.
• 7:30
  SPEAKER_01: It's a great habit.
• 7:31
  SPEAKER_01: That's a really great habit.
• 7:33
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, yeah.
• 7:33
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, that's cool.
• 7:34
  SPEAKER_02: It's really I would encourage anyone to do it.
• 7:36
  SPEAKER_02: It's so hard to get going, but um, you know, for for six months, I felt like I could barely run a 10-minute mile, but you finally see progress, and it's um, yeah, I've enjoyed that.
• 7:49
  SPEAKER_02: I feel like it's my real 30s activity.
• 7:51
  SPEAKER_02: I used to just show up to the gym without stretching and like deadlift stuff, and now it's like I need to stretch.
• 7:59
  SPEAKER_01: No, I mean it's it's so true though, because you know, I know like from my perspective, whenever I talk to patients, I have patients that are like, well, I don't really want to start, you know, any kind of exercise because it takes me forever to start.
• 8:09
  SPEAKER_01: But it's it's exactly what you said.
• 8:11
  SPEAKER_01: You know, once you start, you just you realize how good it is for you.
• 8:14
  SPEAKER_01: So I'm gonna start using you as a poster child for that, by the way.
• 8:21
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, you can do it.
• 8:22
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 8:23
  SPEAKER_01: But no, I mean, I think that's cool.
• 8:24
  SPEAKER_01: That's really it's good to hear that because I think we don't really talk about, you know, like just overall wellness, right?
• 8:30
  SPEAKER_01: Like, I mean, I this podcast for me is always about, you know, these like you know, women, we always use a lot of like, you know, topical products and stuff like that, but we rarely get to sit down and really talk about like, you know, what is wellness, especially when it comes to men, you know, and that's really why I asked you because you know, I feel like men are always overlooked, you know, in this area.
• 8:48
  SPEAKER_01: Like, we don't really get to talk about it like openly.
• 8:50
  SPEAKER_01: And um, that's something I really wanted to like kind of just chat with you about was this idea of like just wellness overall for men.
• 8:56
  SPEAKER_01: And I feel like the industry, me as a woman, right?
• 9:00
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, I look at it all the time and I'm like, why are we not including more options for men, you know, that are just easier, you know, for them to look at and be like, this is a good idea for me, you know, I should do this.
• 9:10
  SPEAKER_01: And I would love to get your perspective on that because I know you make some hilarious skits, you know, about like, um, for example, I was watching your eyelash one earlier today, you know, before the interview about, you know, we we have all these little rituals as women, I feel like that we do, but I just don't see that for men.
• 9:25
  SPEAKER_01: So, you know, I would love to get your perspective on like the wellness and the beauty and all this this industry, right?
• 9:30
  SPEAKER_01: That we call the overall holistic wellness industry.
• 9:33
  SPEAKER_01: Like, what do you think that men have like a good place in it right now?
• 9:36
  SPEAKER_01: Or do you just I mean what what are your thoughts on it?
• 9:39
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I uh yeah, so much of my content is poking fun at those stereotypes of like, you know, the the like you say girls are applying eyelashes and eyebrows and it just a million things, and dudes just like sprinkle sink water in their hair.
• 9:55
  SPEAKER_02: It's like and you know, it's funny and stuff, but yeah, I mean there's definitely you know, it's like I think every guy can relate who's married.
• 10:04
  SPEAKER_02: My wife has really helped show me a few things I can do that easy, you know, moisturize the skin a little bit, this or that, which you know, I feel like so many guys are like, I don't need that, but stuff like that.
• 10:14
  SPEAKER_02: It was helpful, and you know, like like this sounds so okay, man.
• 10:18
  SPEAKER_02: Like, but like wearing sunscreen.
• 10:21
  SPEAKER_02: So many guys, I go out golfing, and there's like, oh, I don't bring sunscreen, I just like get burnt, it's fine.
• 10:26
  SPEAKER_02: And and you know, my mother had melanoma, she's all well and good, recovered, but you know that so that's in the back of my head, and trying to be uh so many guys, you kind of it's almost like goofy to take care of your skin or or like try to have healthy hair, right?
• 10:45
  SPEAKER_02: Like you guys don't think about this stuff, but a a wife helps me think about that.
• 10:49
  SPEAKER_02: Getting older helps me think about that, and um yeah, I defin I definitely think we've made strides in that way, but you know, got uh uh so many dudes just couldn't care less what they're putting in their body on their body.
• 11:03
  SPEAKER_02: And um I I've tried as I've gotten older and more mature to and especially as a father too, you know, I I want to live a long, healthy life.
• 11:11
  SPEAKER_02: Trying to, you know, my tour rider, like every show we go to.
• 11:14
  SPEAKER_02: I it used to be chips and candy, this, that, and you know, I updated on the second tour, like we have fruit, yeah, yeah.
• 11:22
  SPEAKER_02: It just how things like that, trying to make up, yeah, to just really care about what I'm trying how I'm treating my body when I'm putting it because um you know, getting quality sleep, all these things, uh, it make you feel a million times better once you get in the habit of doing them.
• 11:40
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and I like that though.
• 11:42
  SPEAKER_01: I like that you brought that up because I think for a lot of times, like for for men, from what I've noticed as well, you know, just to add to your point, is like I I feel like health is wellness.
• 11:51
  SPEAKER_01: You know what I mean?
• 11:52
  SPEAKER_01: Like this idea of like self-care is really about health for a lot of men, you know, it's this I it's like you it does, it's like turning a page, you know.
• 11:59
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, I watched my brother do it, you know, and and the other like men in my life where it's like you hit a point and you're just like, wait a minute, I need to, you know, eat better, I need to do better, I need to just make sure my body's okay.
• 12:10
  SPEAKER_01: And I and I like that.
• 12:11
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, I think that sometimes we try to force it too, you know.
• 12:14
  SPEAKER_01: It's like this industry is so big that I think women, we naturally just we are just curious, I think, about every freaking product out there, you know.
• 12:23
  SPEAKER_01: I think a lot of us can relate to that, but with men, it's like we don't have to like force it, you know what I mean?
• 12:27
  SPEAKER_01: It's more about like making things available, and I think that kind of goes to what you were saying because if it is about health and overall wellness for you guys, you know, it's like we should embrace that, you know what I mean, rather than always like pushing, like, oh well, you know, how can we make skincare lines for men?
• 12:42
  SPEAKER_01: You know, like I remember like when Brad Pitt came out with his line, everyone's talking about men's skincare.
• 12:47
  SPEAKER_01: And I was like, why don't we just let men figure it out?
• 12:49
  SPEAKER_01: You know, let's just let them figure it out, and we have a lot of options, you know.
• 12:52
  SPEAKER_01: So, um, but yeah, that that's really so I want to ask you, you know, I know that with like with in comedy, you know, uh you're always making everybody else laugh, you know, and and that's such a gift to us, you know.
• 13:04
  SPEAKER_01: We're we love you for it.
• 13:05
  SPEAKER_01: But you know, what makes you laugh, you know, in your day?
• 13:08
  SPEAKER_01: What makes you like genuinely like happy, you know, things that maybe memories you have or things throughout your day that you just find to be great, you know, pick me ups or whatnot?
• 13:19
  SPEAKER_02: Man, I I mean the first thing that comes to mind is just my just my people.
• 13:24
  SPEAKER_02: Like I'm really lucky to have a great group of friends.
• 13:28
  SPEAKER_02: I have so many dear friends, and I I think you know, I I love watching other comedians and others stand up, and that's funny, but there's we all know the the feeling of like laughing so hard you can't breathe.
• 13:41
  SPEAKER_02: And that only I think that only really happens with like just your closest people.
• 13:45
  SPEAKER_02: Like after I had a show this weekend in Kansas City where I live, so it was like a special show, a lot of friends and family.
• 13:52
  SPEAKER_02: Had a blast, had everyone, you know, made everyone laugh at the show, it's a great feeling.
• 13:56
  SPEAKER_02: But then we hung out after with all my friends, and I was like, I laugh so hard all night, and I I was almost more excited for the experience of hanging out with my friends all night after the show than the actual show.
• 14:10
  SPEAKER_02: And it's like I I think that's I think I'm in a good place when that is the feeling versus uh work's most important thing.
• 14:17
  SPEAKER_02: That's all I care about.
• 14:18
  SPEAKER_02: It's like what a cool opportunity that I get to do this show and have my friends by my side and then go celebrate with them after.
• 14:25
  SPEAKER_02: Um like I said, I'm a big extrovert, so just hanging with my best friends, my wife cracks me up, all my friends' wives are awesome.
• 14:33
  SPEAKER_02: Like we just have a good group where I'm taking off tomorrow for some family time with my parents, my sister, her kid.
• 14:41
  SPEAKER_02: Like, and they're I I get my humor from my family, they're fun to be around and they're hilarious.
• 14:47
  SPEAKER_02: So that's that's usually it for me.
• 14:49
  SPEAKER_02: It's just good people, sitting down, good food, chatting, laughing, and uh, I think I'm really lucky to have that because that keeps me sane, it keeps me grounded, and keeps me from yeah, spiraling down a dark path of of uh comedic's doom, as we've seen.
• 15:11
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, I can imagine you're so you're from the Midwest then.
• 15:14
  SPEAKER_02: I was born and raised in Oklahoma, which a lot of where where are you where are you from?
• 15:20
  SPEAKER_02: I'm from Cincinnati, Ohio.
• 15:21
  SPEAKER_02: So that's why that's the Middle East, I think they call it.
• 15:26
  SPEAKER_01: Oh my god.
• 15:28
  SPEAKER_02: No, that's kind of Midwest, right?
• 15:30
  SPEAKER_02: I uh I'm from Oklahoma, which I don't know, so a lot a lot of people like to call that Midwest, but us in Oklahoma, we know it's the South.
• 15:37
  SPEAKER_02: We've got Southern culture.
• 15:38
  SPEAKER_02: So I yeah I grew up in the South, and now I've I've landed up here, which is less southern, a little more Midwest.
• 15:47
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, but um that's definitely the Bible Belt vibes is is what I've always known.
• 15:52
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I mean I can I could kind of tell it's like the homyness though.
• 15:56
  SPEAKER_01: I love it because your vibe is very like relatable, you know what I mean?
• 15:59
  SPEAKER_01: That's why I'm like, wait a minute, you know, like maybe that's why I I'm I gravitate so much to your comedy because you're just you know it's like it hits close to home.
• 16:07
  SPEAKER_01: So that's cool though.
• 16:08
  SPEAKER_02: Thanks.
• 16:08
  SPEAKER_02: I think it's yeah, yeah, I think I appreciate a lot.
• 16:11
  SPEAKER_02: I I just give all the credit to to like living in this part of the country, being from Oklahoma, having the friends I do, because I people see me and they're shocked, they they assume like you have to live in LA to do what I'm doing.
• 16:22
  SPEAKER_02: I was like, no, I just live here, and people are like, why?
• 16:26
  SPEAKER_02: And it's like I don't know, because maybe because people jerks like you don't live here, you know.
• 16:31
  SPEAKER_01: I feel like um You gotta be some assholes.
• 16:35
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I think that's what keeps me grounded, is just like I don't I don't come home to some like crazy house in Malibu.
• 16:42
  SPEAKER_02: It's just like I just live in Kansas, you know.
• 16:46
  SPEAKER_01: It's hard to feel wrong with Kansas though.
• 16:48
  SPEAKER_01: Kansas is cool, exactly.
• 16:49
  SPEAKER_02: It's hard, and it just keeps you, it's like it's normal life, it's real life, and um, that's what I appreciate about it.
• 16:56
  SPEAKER_01: I love that.
• 16:57
  SPEAKER_01: I love that.
• 16:57
  SPEAKER_01: I love how grounded you are.
• 16:58
  SPEAKER_01: That's that's really cool.
• 17:00
  SPEAKER_01: And I I you know I've always said this, like I don't know if you can if you agree or not, but I I've been a huge fan of stand-up comedy my whole life.
• 17:06
  SPEAKER_01: And I um remember, like, you know, there was a conversation I had alongside, like it was like college.
• 17:11
  SPEAKER_01: I had a conversation with a very close friend of mine, and I said, you know, I feel like you couldn't be a comedian if you weren't like really intelligent.
• 17:18
  SPEAKER_01: Like it's almost impossible to be, I feel like, because you have to be very aware of like people and like you know, just life scenarios and just just stuff, right?
• 17:27
  SPEAKER_01: Like just that person who can observe things.
• 17:29
  SPEAKER_01: So like my I guess my question really is is like, when do you think like you started noticing that you were able to like turn something into like a like a situation into something genuinely funny?
• 17:40
  SPEAKER_01: Or did you ever have that moment of like, you know, like I don't know, a revelation or what, but like that moment where you realize, like, you know what?
• 17:47
  SPEAKER_01: I need to do this, and I need to like actually put it out there as like you know, real comedy, you know?
• 17:52
  SPEAKER_02: This is great, yeah.
• 17:53
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I love this.
• 17:54
  SPEAKER_02: It's so this is so different than other podcasts I'm on with other comedians, they're just like, What's your favorite butt joke or something?
• 18:00
  SPEAKER_02: Like, what's you know?
• 18:02
  SPEAKER_02: I love it.
• 18:03
  SPEAKER_02: I that uh yeah, I I I've always thought I was socially aware, and I think part of being socially aware is also questioning like, am I socially as aware as I think.
• 18:13
  SPEAKER_02: Um but it it I agree.
• 18:16
  SPEAKER_02: I think obviously as a comedian, you've gotta learn you've gotta be, or I guess learn to be aware, because that's kind of the whole thing, is like I'm saying these things that I'm becoming aware of that I think we're all aware of, but I'm saying it so it makes you laugh.
• 18:34
  SPEAKER_02: And I just think I've just my personality and my upbringing, I was just very lucky to kind of be built for this.
• 18:44
  SPEAKER_02: I think I was always weirdly observant.
• 18:48
  SPEAKER_02: You know, I think we all know people, you know, a lot of times men who they're like, you know, the classic, like your your own wife walks in with like she dyed her hair brown and you don't notice for three days.
• 18:57
  SPEAKER_02: You're like, Well that's not me.
• 18:59
  SPEAKER_02: I'm like, I I'm always looking at things, I've always liked to observe and criticize.
• 19:05
  SPEAKER_02: And I've of course I do that to myself as well, but that's kind of what comedy is observing and criticizing.
• 19:11
  SPEAKER_02: And you know, I hope to do it in a light-hearted from a from a loving way and not just like making people laugh and not like hateful, but that's what I've always been wired to do, and then just I was always funny guy.
• 19:24
  SPEAKER_02: That was my identity.
• 19:25
  SPEAKER_02: I wanted to be funny.
• 19:26
  SPEAKER_02: Uh I'll never forget in seventh grade.
• 19:28
  SPEAKER_02: There was a there was a vote for the funniest guy.
• 19:31
  SPEAKER_02: I got second place.
• 19:32
  SPEAKER_02: I was distraught.
• 19:34
  unknown: Yeah.
• 19:35
  SPEAKER_02: Jackson beat me.
• 19:36
  SPEAKER_02: He's he's not a famous comedian now.
• 19:38
  SPEAKER_02: So I feel better.
• 19:42
  SPEAKER_02: Um but it's there was middle school is when I came out of my show a lot and was like a class clown, and one of my core memories was um we had a English teacher, and then she had a student teacher.
• 19:58
  SPEAKER_02: And uh she was one of those teachers who basically was just like, my student teacher teaches now, so I don't have to do anything.
• 20:06
  SPEAKER_02: And so it's kind of this like feeling in the class of where'd our teacher go?
• 20:10
  SPEAKER_02: This like 21-year-old's I guess our teacher now.
• 20:13
  SPEAKER_02: And it was that first uh experience where we had a uh like a whole, like a principal attendant or whatever.
• 20:22
  SPEAKER_02: I don't know if you remember school where they'd walk a kid walk to your class and have a note, and they'd be like, This is for the teacher from the principal.
• 20:29
  SPEAKER_02: So I went to the door and the kid was like, This is for the teacher.
• 20:32
  SPEAKER_02: And I go, and for the whole class, I go, Oh, she doesn't work here anymore.
• 20:36
  SPEAKER_02: And the class died laughing.
• 20:37
  SPEAKER_02: And it was like I didn't expect to get that big of a laugh, but it was the first big moment of like number one, that I liked that, it felt good.
• 20:44
  SPEAKER_02: Number two, I just said what everyone else in the room was thinking but didn't want to say, and it made everyone laugh.
• 20:51
  SPEAKER_02: And uh that was like a real I feel like that was one of those moments for me where I was like, oh wow, I just brought the house down with that joke.
• 21:00
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I love that.
• 21:02
  SPEAKER_01: That's so cool.
• 21:03
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
• 21:05
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, I feel like, but it was always like, you know, I I like that you're like that, man.
• 21:09
  SPEAKER_01: Like that was like for me, I was like always bullied, you know what I mean, in school.
• 21:13
  SPEAKER_01: And I remember you got like that, those are the kind of kids that I always got along with, you know what I mean?
• 21:17
  SPEAKER_01: It's like having that gift, you know, for just making a whole room laugh.
• 21:21
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, that's huge.
• 21:22
  SPEAKER_01: Like that that makes everybody like drop their, you know, the the crap, you know what I mean?
• 21:26
  SPEAKER_01: You just kind of focus on something great for a moment.
• 21:28
  SPEAKER_01: That's huge.
• 21:29
  SPEAKER_02: So that's I'm just lucky to have I had such a funny dad, funny great.
• 21:35
  SPEAKER_02: We had such a funny family, and they also raised me right.
• 21:37
  SPEAKER_02: So I think a lot of the kids that were funny, they did it, like you said, like by at others' expense, bullying them.
• 21:44
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 21:45
  SPEAKER_02: But I was I'm really grateful to look back, you know, especially when everyone starts getting canceled, you know, you start looking back like I'm good, right?
• 21:52
  SPEAKER_02: And luckily, I was raised really right, never, never said any slurs or bullied any kids, so grateful to have been raised right.
• 22:00
  SPEAKER_02: Right?
• 22:00
  SPEAKER_02: Because people are coming for you.
• 22:03
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and it always I mean it does.
• 22:07
  SPEAKER_02: I still appreciate every type of comedian, but I never wanted to be the comedian that you sh you felt like they were just bullying people.
• 22:14
  SPEAKER_02: It's like it's it's made fun of and that you tow that line of like you make fun of them, but it's not hurting anyone's feelings is really what I like to do.
• 22:24
  SPEAKER_01: So I think it yeah, I think you do a great job of it.
• 22:27
  SPEAKER_01: It really comes across.
• 22:28
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, I I love like all of I love all the videos I watch, you know, that you do, but like even the ones that are like, you know, the funny ones with like like I had mentioned the you know, the eyelash one, you know, even the cool, like the funny ones that make fun of like little things women love to do, you know, like uh I was watching the bachelor party versus the bachelorette party one.
• 22:46
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, dying laughing because I'm like, man, he just gets it.
• 22:50
  SPEAKER_01: Like it's just hilarious.
• 22:51
  SPEAKER_01: But it's like you bring real it's like bringing reality to people in a really cool way, you know, it makes you observe yourself, you know, in a way and go, yeah, okay, we do that.
• 23:00
  SPEAKER_01: You know what I mean?
• 23:01
  SPEAKER_01: Girls do that.
• 23:01
  SPEAKER_01: It it's it's real.
• 23:03
  SPEAKER_01: So I think that's a that's a unique gift, you know.
• 23:05
  SPEAKER_01: I don't I don't think all comedians haven't, like you said, I know a lot of people have gotten some like, you know, some hate in the past about you know always making fun of the audience or you know what I mean in their stand-up or something like that.
• 23:16
  SPEAKER_01: And I I think it there's a fine line, you know, as somebody on the other side of the mic, you know, I think there's a fine line.
• 23:22
  SPEAKER_01: But um, that's one of the questions I have for you is like when you do um, you know, your like your tours and you're doing the stand-up part.
• 23:28
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, is it a lot of impromptu stuff, or do you kind of just stick to what you know you're you know you like to like say like your jokes that you've already planned out, or do you do a lot of impromptu as well?
• 23:39
  SPEAKER_02: Good question.
• 23:40
  SPEAKER_02: Um no, I'm I'm not a huge uh crowd work improv comedian like some are.
• 23:45
  SPEAKER_02: I there's always elements of the show where I'll ask an audience or something, and I riff on that or something happens, but I I'm more of a comedian where I really like to have my show, my act, and it's like trying to craft this really nice hour show.
• 24:01
  SPEAKER_02: Um so that's more of the comedian I am and you know that I try to sprinkle in talking with the audience and and riffing and making fun of them or teasing them.
• 24:11
  SPEAKER_02: I think everyone always appreciates that.
• 24:13
  SPEAKER_02: But um, yeah, because some comedians will go out there and just wing it for an hour, and that's definitely not the comedian I am.
• 24:17
  SPEAKER_02: I I like to really write out my material and and try to fine-tune it and uh craft like a really good show.
• 24:24
  SPEAKER_01: So that's cool.
• 24:26
  SPEAKER_01: I like that.
• 24:26
  SPEAKER_01: That's really cool.
• 24:27
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, I I appreciate that too, because I mean I sure takes a lot of time.
• 24:30
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, how long does it take?
• 24:31
  SPEAKER_01: Like when you're planning out like a new video or like a new joke for like your tour, like how long do you think it usually takes you?
• 24:37
  SPEAKER_01: Like if you were to guess, like on average.
• 24:39
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, the videos are I they're like one and the same in that both a video and a s and a joke on stage are like you write it and you try it for the first time.
• 24:49
  SPEAKER_02: But a video you try it for the first time and it's on the internet, and that's it.
• 24:54
  SPEAKER_02: But uh on stage, you're like, okay, I just tried that in front of these people in Cincinnati.
• 24:59
  SPEAKER_02: I found that this part was funny and this needs some work.
• 25:02
  SPEAKER_02: So when I try it again across the country, I could do it again.
• 25:06
  SPEAKER_02: And that's kind of the beauty of on stage is that I've been telling the same jokes, working on them, on you know, a hundred different cities over a year and a half.
• 25:16
  SPEAKER_02: And and so by the time it's finally done and like we shoot the special, it's you can feel really confident in it, versus like a video which is very much just throwing stuff at the wall and see what sticks, and you keep uploading and you keep posting, and the ones that don't do well just no one sees the ones that do do well, they go viral.
• 25:35
  SPEAKER_02: So they're one and the same in that way, but the stage can be really rewarding because um you just have so many opportunities to to change this or that.
• 25:44
  SPEAKER_02: Because a video I'll post and you'll see comments or this, that, and I'll go, Man, I wish I wish I had known this feedback so I could kind of tweak that, but it's like, well, it's out there, it is what it is, versus stand-up where you get that feedback and you can change it and you do it again.
• 26:00
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, that that makes sense actually, because yeah, a video is like more, I feel like it would take more planning in a weird way.
• 26:06
  SPEAKER_01: Like, I mean, obviously you you plan what you say on stage as well, but that's interesting.
• 26:10
  SPEAKER_01: That's interesting.
• 26:11
  SPEAKER_02: The way I do on stage is less planning than a video.
• 26:15
  SPEAKER_02: The video is really written out, we we shoot it, you edit it, you you hone it in because you know once it's there, it's gone.
• 26:20
  SPEAKER_02: But on stage, it's almost like a little less pressure sometimes where you just I'm gonna go up there and try this.
• 26:27
  SPEAKER_02: And if it doesn't work, I'll just never say it again, and that's fine.
• 26:29
  SPEAKER_02: And if it does, then I have an opportunity to you make it better next time.
• 26:33
  SPEAKER_02: And so they're different in that way, and I I I find I really enjoy both.
• 26:38
  SPEAKER_01: What was your toughest crowd?
• 26:40
  SPEAKER_01: Like if you if you were to like pick one, like do you ever have do you have a memory of like the toughest one that you like staged that you were on?
• 26:46
  SPEAKER_01: People were just not la like not laughing the way you expect.
• 26:50
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I mean, I'm in a I'm lucky to be in a place now where we have great fans who come out to the shows and they're always fired up and those are always fun.
• 26:59
  SPEAKER_02: Um what's those early days where you have you just go on stage, people don't know who you are, and had some rough rough sets, but the one that really stands out usually is I got hired to do a gig for the Memphis Grizzlies, the the professional basketball team.
• 27:20
  SPEAKER_02: So it was just like a it was like a family fun night.
• 27:23
  SPEAKER_02: They were like, hey, after the game, stay in the arena, Trey Kennedy's gonna perform.
• 27:28
  SPEAKER_02: And so that's already a weird setup because you know there you can expect it's not you know, there's you know, Memphis wasn't good at the time, so there wasn't that many people there at the game at all, and then you can't expect many to stay around.
• 27:43
  SPEAKER_02: Someone to perform in an arena that seats 15,000 to maybe a few hundred people, right?
• 27:48
  SPEAKER_02: Right, and then on top of that, this was the day Kobe Bryant died.
• 27:54
  SPEAKER_02: So I am gearing up to perform at a professional basketball game, and and an hours beforehand, this horrible news breaks.
• 28:04
  SPEAKER_02: They don't even know if they're gonna play the game.
• 28:06
  SPEAKER_02: Long story short, they play the game, it's a horrible day.
• 28:10
  SPEAKER_02: I have to there I still do a comedy show, and and of course, it's just horrible.
• 28:15
  SPEAKER_02: No one's like, why are we no one wants to do this right now?
• 28:18
  SPEAKER_02: And that was just uh one of those.
• 28:22
  SPEAKER_02: I just got through.
• 28:24
  SPEAKER_02: Was just like, that's just bad luck.
• 28:26
  SPEAKER_02: It is what it is.
• 28:27
  SPEAKER_02: You can't there's like turning around bad days, and there's like such bad days, it's just like everyone just needs to go home.
• 28:35
  SPEAKER_02: So that was a unique experience that um I was proud of myself, and as a comedian, you learn sometimes you you said you're gonna do the gig, you do the gig, and you know, toughened up my skin, but brutal day to do comedy.
• 28:52
  SPEAKER_01: God, yeah.
• 28:52
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, talk about tough days, yeah.
• 28:54
  SPEAKER_01: That's that's the worst.
• 28:55
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, rest in peace, Kobe, always, you know.
• 28:57
  SPEAKER_01: I just wild that's tough, man.
• 28:59
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 29:00
  SPEAKER_01: Wow.
• 29:00
  SPEAKER_01: Wow.
• 29:00
  SPEAKER_01: Well, I mean, more power to you than you got through it.
• 29:03
  SPEAKER_01: You know what I mean?
• 29:03
  SPEAKER_01: That's crazy.
• 29:04
  SPEAKER_01: I can't imagine being put on a spot on a day like that.
• 29:06
  SPEAKER_01: That's that's tough.
• 29:08
  SPEAKER_02: That's what's wild about being a comedian.
• 29:10
  SPEAKER_02: You sometimes you never know what you're getting thrown into.
• 29:13
  SPEAKER_02: And then I did I did a number of like, which if I should have never done these, but I did like pandemic Zoom shows.
• 29:23
  SPEAKER_02: What?
• 29:24
  SPEAKER_02: What are those?
• 29:25
  SPEAKER_02: Where like you know what, you back you remember back in the day it'd be quarantine and like everyone's remote, and these corporations would try to make it like oh team building, yeah.
• 29:36
  SPEAKER_02: Today at 2 p.m.
• 29:36
  SPEAKER_02: on a Wednesday, comedian Trey Kinnamy is gonna do a 30-minute Zoom stand-up show.
• 29:41
  SPEAKER_02: And that would be about as well as you think it did.
• 29:44
  SPEAKER_02: So I just remember just being in my basement, just like dying for 30 minutes and just like logging off and just being like, oh, that made me feel good.
• 29:54
  SPEAKER_01: Oh my god, oh god.
• 29:56
  SPEAKER_01: I don't think I could, I mean, I feel bad for you because I don't think I could even sit through, like, you know what I mean?
• 30:01
  SPEAKER_01: Like, I'd be like, God, I feel bad for him right now.
• 30:03
  SPEAKER_00: Exactly.
• 30:03
  SPEAKER_01: I'm just gonna have to look at our ugly faces for 30 minutes.
• 30:07
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, that's that's crazy.
• 30:09
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, that's I mean, that made you, you know, the comedian you are today, though.
• 30:12
  SPEAKER_01: So, I mean, I guess we have a flip side to that.
• 30:14
  SPEAKER_02: I'm grateful for those experiences because they do, they teach you a lot and they teach you those important lessons of like, you know, I I got booed on stage a few weeks ago.
• 30:23
  SPEAKER_02: And long story short, it was just a guy who was super drunk and like he didn't know what he's doing.
• 30:27
  SPEAKER_02: But having been through so many experiences way worse than that, you're just like, Oh, that's all, you know, you just make a joke and move on.
• 30:36
  SPEAKER_02: And so they're important, important for sure.
• 30:39
  SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.
• 30:40
  SPEAKER_01: No, that's I mean, I I can definitely imagine the character building and stuff that happens through the terms, the psychology term.
• 30:46
  SPEAKER_01: But yeah, no, I mean that's that's you know, important.
• 30:49
  SPEAKER_01: And I really want to actually, I want to take this time and really round out the interview and ask you for advice, you know, because I know a lot of um young professionals tune into our show.
• 30:57
  SPEAKER_01: And um, if there's any comedians out there, you know, in the making, I'd love for you to give some advice, you know, about the career path and really about you know finding their voice or whatever you might want to comment on.
• 31:06
  SPEAKER_02: I'd love to hear your you know input.
• 31:09
  SPEAKER_02: Sure.
• 31:09
  SPEAKER_02: I yeah, when I get asked this, which I'm very flattered to be asked that, thank you.
• 31:13
  SPEAKER_02: I uh I think the only one I feel comfortable the only advice I get feel comfortable giving, and that I really feel like I've I'm proud of myself for doing, is trying things, trying my best and getting out of my comfort zone.
• 31:25
  SPEAKER_02: I think I'm in my position because not because I'm some wildly hilariously gifted, talented person, but I I I tr I worked hard and I took risks and I did things I didn't want to do.
• 31:38
  SPEAKER_02: When I first got on the stage doing stand-up, I mean there at my whole body was screaming, like, I don't want to do this, I don't want to do this, why am I doing this?
• 31:45
  SPEAKER_02: Why that but I just knew that I I had an opportunity and I won I I'd never know unless I tried and this thing I didn't want to do, and if you ask me my whole life, because I was always shy, stage fright, would I ever try stand-up comedy?
• 32:00
  SPEAKER_02: I'd be like, no.
• 32:02
  SPEAKER_02: And I did it, and it I survived, I got off stage, it did go great, but it didn't go bad.
• 32:09
  SPEAKER_02: And there's things I've tried that I've failed and and realized, okay, don't need to try that again, or things I've tried and failed, and I thought, okay, I think I do want to try that again.
• 32:19
  SPEAKER_02: So that's my only advice is is just um really putting yourself in positions that that challenge you and make you uncomfortable to to to just see is this something that maybe I do want to do because you don't know until you try.
• 32:37
  SPEAKER_01: I love that.
• 32:38
  SPEAKER_01: That's really I that's solid advice.
• 32:40
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, and you're right.
• 32:41
  SPEAKER_01: You know, I've failed a lot too, so I hear you, and I you know, for anyone listening, that's really solid advice.
• 32:46
  SPEAKER_01: So thank you for for saying that.
• 32:47
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, thank you.
• 32:47
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, yeah, to be in your position, you've you've certainly had to take risks and try things too.
• 32:52
  SPEAKER_02: So I think anyone in in certain in certain positions have done the same.
• 32:57
  SPEAKER_02: So that's all I could say.
• 32:59
  SPEAKER_01: 100%.
• 32:59
  SPEAKER_01: No, I love it.
• 33:00
  SPEAKER_01: It's great advice.
• 33:01
  SPEAKER_01: And I I really urge everyone, if you guys haven't checked out Trey's comedy yet, I mean, you really need to.
• 33:06
  SPEAKER_01: It's really a treat during your day.
• 33:08
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, I literally, like I said, you know, if I'm just sitting around, I'll like pull up YouTube or pull up my Instagram, and he always makes me laugh.
• 33:16
  SPEAKER_01: Trey, you're such a gem in this, you know, entire like realm of comedy.
• 33:20
  SPEAKER_01: And I really, really appreciate all of the amazing videos you put out, all of your work.
• 33:24
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, it just know that we hear you and we you make us laugh every day.
• 33:28
  SPEAKER_01: So thank you so much for everything you do.
• 33:30
  SPEAKER_01: And um, I can't wait to watch all the wonderful videos coming up.
• 33:34
  SPEAKER_02: So thank you so much.
• 33:35
  SPEAKER_02: That's so kind.
• 33:36
  SPEAKER_02: Thanks for reaching out.
• 33:37
  SPEAKER_02: Um, yeah, people like you make it easy to do what I do, and y'all everyone says thank you, but I say thank you to the audience because it it's a treat for me as well.
• 33:48
  SPEAKER_02: So thanks so much.
• 33:49
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, come out and see TreyKenney.com for all the tour dates.
• 33:52
  SPEAKER_02: Would love to meet some of your listeners.
• 33:55
  SPEAKER_01: I'm gonna put everything, I'm gonna put in putting in the art for this episode for everyone listening.
• 33:58
  SPEAKER_01: And I really, really urge you guys like if you're near him in any of his tour dates, please go check him out.
• 34:03
  SPEAKER_01: You'll it's probably gonna be the best, you know, uh thing you buy for that night.
• 34:07
  SPEAKER_01: I love going to comedy shows, it's just such a treat.
• 34:10
  SPEAKER_01: And so I yeah, they're so fun, exactly.
• 34:13
  SPEAKER_01: So check it out.
• 34:14
  SPEAKER_01: But thank you again, Trey.
• 34:15
  SPEAKER_01: And um, like I said, you know, hopefully we can have you back sometime if you ever have the time in your schedule.
• 34:20
  SPEAKER_02: But um, thank you again.
• 34:22
  SPEAKER_02: Thank you again so much.
• 34:23
  SPEAKER_02: I appreciate it.
• 34:24
  unknown: Thank you.
• 34:25
  SPEAKER_01: Hey guys, so I hope you love that episode.
• 34:28
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• 34:33
  SPEAKER_01: We are available on so many different platforms.
• 34:35
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• 34:38
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• 34:42
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• 34:50
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• 34:57
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• 35:01
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• 35:05
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• 35:07
  SPEAKER_01: So if you're a reader and you love medium blogs, check us out on Medium.
• 35:11
  SPEAKER_01: We publish some really great articles on there that do deeper dives than just what's available on the podcast, and it's really a great place for all of you science geeks out there that want to learn a little bit more.
• 35:21
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• 35:28
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• 35:33
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you.