Neal Brennan
Appearances
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
hi guys neil brennan's the blacks podcast my guest today is a guy i've known a little bit for a long time he's a performer and writer you would know him from the nightly show in comedy central and now he makes appearances on bill maher's show and he's got a podcast called black on the mic black on the air black on the air i'm freestyling this it's all good
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
Is there a way, do you think you could have handled it with praise? Or do you think it was you needed to do more?
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
So the thing that I wanted to talk to you about, because I've known when you were doing the Nightly Show, I would hear from time to time that you're a little conservative. Now you would, as you said, you're still considered a libtard by people, by actual conservatives.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
Yeah, I mean, that's what I'm wondering is, because I don't know how most people do it in terms of, so you're working, you're high up at shows or created shows, you're working 12 hours a day probably.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
And then you get home and... You know what I mean? What's the solution? There's not a lot of good ones. Did you get a nanny?
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
So you feel like you would give it lip service, but it's hard to... I just didn't relate to it because I thought I was doing my part and she was doing hers.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
I got to say, I don't love being... accused of being a bad partner yeah not not not that big a fan especially when you were working 14 hours a day yes you know exactly and you're like no big deal yeah that didn't do it that was a big trigger yeah so that that was your sort of that was the thing you had no concept of.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
And now you're, you said you have a girlfriend, um, that your wife doesn't know about. Um, uh, ex wife now, but so you have a girlfriend. What have you, how are you a better partner now?
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
All I'm working on is getting through it faster. And it is faster. I'll tell you, it's three times faster than it was. Still pretty slow. But that's pretty good.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
I think that the thing of taking... uh criticism i don't take it well yeah because i think it's i always think like so all you're basically throwing away all of my behavior yeah and saying and bringing me up on charges for this and it's like it it it's i feel like it's disrespectful to the good stuff yeah criticism's tough
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
yeah i'm not good at it either because i have also been arguing sort of like i i mean i have a whole theory about like don't give each other notes i genuinely will not give her notes right i will not give her improvements i will not give her it's like just as is right it's a restaurant with no substitutions right that's the feeling it's like you like it cool right is it bearable are the bad parts bearable because i don't i didn't get in a relationship to change right
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
yeah so they'll hide the lever which is yeah close the doors right but i but i don't time machines she knows i don't want kids she has kids so i'm like involved there how old are her kids four it's he's one it's one it's one child he's four oh okay so so so there's the good job danny Yep. And so so he's forgotten his old daddy already. Forget it.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
So I guess that's the thing I don't do well with and is criticism because it just feels like I'm a good I'm good. Stop it. This is good stuff. And I so I am in favor of breaking the time machine because there is no we're not moving toward anything. I'm not doing that. I'm not gonna have kids.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
I don't care what you perceive. I can prove to you it's not real security. All I have to do is call a lawyer and it's over. Right. So that's not real security.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
So there is no security in a Neil Brennan relationship. You ain't get it. No, there is security in that I'm committed to you, but I don't need the government's help or lawyers.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
No, I don't. I understand how it, as a Catholic, I understand guilt. Yeah. And I understand shame, but I don't.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
Yeah, I don't do well with doing. I mean, the blocks was about like all these things I'm supposed to do that I cannot do. I'm not good at them. Did you grow up Catholic? Did you say?
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
Yeah. So like I get the I'm very familiar with. Yeah. With institutional.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
In and of itself. I get that it's insurance. Right. If you have a kid with somebody you've.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
absolutely like they deserve protection yeah i i agree with that but i don't i'm not gonna you know so it's like i don't need this thing of like well i've done well so then if we get divorced you get happy it's like it doesn't it doesn't make any sense to me and you can't make it make sense people try i would never no i know you wouldn't try but others have tried yeah um what other i'm on the neil train oh yeah you have a girlfriend for seven years so you get it
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
You know guys, spring is in the air. The weather's warming up and I'm most looking forward to taking longer walks in a nice t-shirt like I'm doing right now. LA doesn't get cold, but it gets a little cold. You know what I mean? And once it warms up a little bit, I'm talking about like a dusk. walk, you know, where you don't have to wear a jacket. You feel like you did something right in life.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
Most people don't. People think you need to be loyal to your own beliefs. Or it's like you have the merch. Like, I bought all the shit. I have all the arguments lined up. Whereas I think it's more interesting to just go like, what do I actually feel about this? Right.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
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Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
I've told this story before. I switched to a different deodorant. I ran out of Mando. Now they still at Target, by the way. I'm like proud of them. And it's just a solid deodorant. It's a little fresh. I like Mount Fuji. Of course, everybody knows that. It's a great deodorant. The whole body deodorant is safe to use anywhere on your body. And I mean, ding, anywhere.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
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Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
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Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
Therapy can feel like a big investment, but the state of your mind is just as important as the state of your physical health. I'm assuming you take care of your physical health. This is the therapy podcast.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
You know I've benefited, it's helped me draw boundaries, helped me understand codependence, helped me with pretty much every female relationship I've ever had, a lot of writing partnerships I've had. You can just, you'll get, you're never gonna get worse. You know what I mean? I've never laughed and been like, what a waste of time. It's not just for people who've experienced trauma.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
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Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
It's mandatory, and I'm going to read it verbatim. Your well-being is worth it. Visit BetterHelp.com slash NEAL today to get 10% off your first month. That's B-E-T-T-E-R-H-E-L-P dot com slash NEAL. BetterHelp. What other unpopular opinions or things that you didn't know or things you've changed your mind about?
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
I was in church the other day. I literally went to church with my mom, and it was like, this is the most convoluted storytelling I've ever fucking heard. The fact that they call it the greatest story ever told, it's like, guys, this isn't even in the top 1,000.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
Yep, correct. That's pretty crazy. It's one of the many things that's bananas about it.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
There you go. Another very convoluted term that's unnecessary. They didn't need to... Did you... So that was your... So then you fell out?
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
That they need a moral framework from a religious organization. I think there's value in it, yes. More value than not. Yes, correct. Fine, because I wonder.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
Well, I've spoken to people that didn't grow up religious, and they were like, yeah, you just get a moral framework from your parents and the world.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
Are there any that jumped to mind in your life that you were sure of and then you were like, oh.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
All right, well, the question I was, because I went kind of the opposite way where I was agnostic atheist and then I took ayahuasca and sort of experienced the God, right? And I haven't been able to shake it in a good way.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
He was the creator of the PJs, which you haven't thought about in a while. The co-creator of Bernie Mac?
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
I experienced a god or a central creation force or an interconnectedness that I have in a drug experience, ayahuasca and DMT and MDMA and mushrooms, and it has not faded.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
It was a feeling of a God. It was a feeling of a central creation force.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
Whew. uh something turned this on and i felt connected to it to the something that spirit of yourself yes that was something some force there that yeah yeah it's interesting you know Yeah, and again, I couldn't sell anybody on it because it's something I experienced. And I don't need you to not eat meat or I don't need any.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
It makes me entire. It's the only, and I had this experience and then I watched an interview with Sting.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
Yeah. It was like I hadn't had one. He grew up some kind of, I think, Christian. I'm brought up Catholic. And then I... Oh, this is it was basically like, oh, this is what they said church was. I actually experienced it. Right. And I've heard people say, like, the body of Christ is Iowa. Like, it's based in that and tribal and it's got a 10. It's got 10 different precursors. Right. Whatever.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
But Christianity or Catholicism. But the only spiritual experience I've ever had, and it's been continuous and it, it makes it change my life, but it's not, I don't proselytize. I don't, it's just like change my experience. Right. But I don't,
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
No, there's no, it's not organized. It's not, I don't need to. It's a thing. Yeah, it's an experience and a thing I think I feel. Sure, I get it.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
Yeah, it's like the death row conversion. It's like, wow, so you're going to die in an hour and you just realize you're going to die. It's done. So now you're interested. I find myself where I'm like, well, I am getting older. Maybe it's just pure self-interest. Or people that stop getting hired in showbiz and go like, showbiz is stupid and shut up. Yeah, that's the thing.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
He's a king of the Magic Castle. You're an officer at the Magic Castle.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
I'm entirely comfortable admitting that that may be it. And I don't really... All I can say for myself is it's not cool believing in something. And no one thinks I'm cooler because of it. There is the self-interest of like, when I die, I don't die. There's no way for me to, there's no code of behavior that I need to follow in order to get there.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
Because that's the other thing where you go like, oh, this is man-made.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
Yeah, which is another way nerds control social situations. Exactly. Maybe more hostilely than comedy.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
tap into to that or something like that or yeah people inventing things at the same in like the same period i firmly believe in that cluster yeah people that couldn't possibly that weren't connected before the world was connected people inventing things amazing you know what happens in comedy too absolutely where somebody will think of a bit and then
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
I thought of a bit, I tweeted it, and then somebody had tweeted it the day before, someone I didn't follow, somebody I was just like, they accused me of stealing, and it was like... Look at the Renaissance.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
Do you and do you take is that would that be part of the maybe there's something to a God or a spirit world?
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
Well, what I was going to ask is, do you believe that science is deciphering God? No. Okay. Yeah.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
I totally disagree with that. That part I completely, because I don't think religion, religion to me is a way of honoring God. I think it's all silly, but like it's as if God needs, whatever. Like God's very insecure and you need to speak well of it. It's like silly.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
I invented the car, you fucking asshole. So I don't find religion to be, it's almost completely not related to God to me in a way.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
I mean, I know what they mean, but I'm inclined to think that it's deciphering. Nature is God and it's deciphering. Whatever. Sure. Did your life get better as a result or worse? Or push? Push.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
I don't think, I think it's all one thing. It's red. Like you're God, I'm God, it's all God. It's whatever. It's beyond esoteric. So did your life get better or worse or push from going from agnostic or deep?
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
Because there is something to be said for like, it is, obviously parts of it are so useless and just like.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
absolutely sure and at the same time there's a lot of good stuff really good stuff that jesus said and there's a lot of stuff that's right for jokes yeah yeah both of those things are true okay so that's i'm that's very interesting that you've you've gotten less less faith-based or whatever
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
Yeah, and it is not based on pleasing God. It's just like, I don't know, it's just not being an asshole.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
Sure. Have you ever overly, have you ever been, have you ever abandoned yourself in a way that you regret in service of others?
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
Well, no, I've just done it. I mean, I think women probably do it more than men.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
And then you end up kind of fucking yourself and you abandon yourself and you end up.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
Yeah. Or just be or martyr yourself or whatever. Let's do some actual blocks and not just the ones I threw at him.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
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Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
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Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
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Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
That's rocketmoney.com slash NEAL. rocketmoney.com slash NEAL. Rocket Money. Here's a good bombing story. I went on a date with a woman, second date. I was doing blocks in New York, invited her to come see it. And I think the worst show of the, I don't know how many I did, 60 shows? Worst one I did. And the lady ghosted me. You almost have to respect it. You know what I mean?
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
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Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
And it's just a good razor. I don't know what to say. It's just a good... If you're trying to look at a razor, Harry's is a good razor. And it's a good deal. It doesn't feel cheap in your hand. It's like a nice... I didn't get nicked. I didn't get cut. It didn't feel chintzy. It didn't feel...
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
gross oh i i also tried harry's uh hair gel which is i not only did i like the pun i like the product i'm not wearing it right now but it's a nice gel i have some i got it i got it my travel bag it's good stuff use it for just oh when it smells good smells fresh any other razor like razor like that they just feel cheap and plasticky here's the call to action
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
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Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
So what's the downside of messiness? Because I'm pretty messy, but I don't lose anything for the most part. I don't. And I'm a bit of a procrastinator, but everything's been turned in on time, ultimately.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
You're not doing it against them. This is actually one of my issues with my girlfriend, which is the things that I am, I was before I met you. This isn't at you. I'm just this. I'm not doing it to spite you. I'm just doing it.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
I used to yell at a girlfriend that she seemed to be afraid that a group of gay jurors was going to come and judge our interior.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
Women are affected by spaces. They anthropomorphize spaces, I believe. I really believe that. I really believe that women interpret physical spaces as they interpret it as a person.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
yeah that's interesting and i just don't as a guy i don't see it after about a week i just see like the couch right and the bed and the tv yeah and the nightstand it's very stereotypical but like i genuinely believe that yeah uh because they're very affected by it and i just don't i guess if i'm like if i stay at like a crappy motel i am affected by that me too but i think that has to do with safety someone else's stuff too yeah
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
And they haven't treated well. Exactly. And it's also dangerous. Right. Like where you can hear the street or you can hear the people in the hallway or you can hear, like really it's not, it doesn't feel very safe. Like that I'm definitely affected by.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
Yes. It's funny, you just did Carlin and you did a bit of a black scent.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
Yeah, all right, so I'm forgiving you for messiness and procrastination.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
All right, I wanna get back to the companionship thing. So you hadn't really dated, you didn't have, did you have girlfriends?
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
Like, oh, personal meaning. Larry, you got to finish this in a week.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
Thank you for using the N-word. It's been a while. I didn't know if Chappelle had been around. No, I haven't seen him. But that is with a personal being like meet me at 7 or so-and-so wants it by Friday.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
And that's kind of where the Catholic thing comes in. I find, speaking of Chappelle, we had real different approaches to punctuality. Oh, interesting. Where it was like, dude, we have to write. We don't have... I know what's... We've agreed to do 13 of these in 13 weeks. If we don't start writing now... When we were writing Half-Baked...
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
He actually said like a year later, we were writing Half Baked. We had to turn in the next day and we started watching Hollywood Shuffle. It was on cable. And I was like, if we don't start now, we're never. And he literally was a year later. He was like, you were absolutely right. We'd still be watching Hollywood Shuffle if you hadn't just turned the television off.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
Yeah, I just think it's whereas he couldn't, even that didn't mean that much to him.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
It's just, it was, it's... it's just like a life ethos kind of like seeing the world where it's like, it'll just, it's like, you know, we'll go on stage late, go on at one in the morning. Cause like, I don't know when I felt like not thinking like people have jobs and it just, it's, I find it, it is useful. Yeah. He is a better writer than me. Do you know what I mean?
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
Like he is more talented than me. And I don't know if that has to do with, well, it's a different talent. It, it's, it's, He's better at, I mean, I guess it's different, but I would say he can throw the ball faster than me. I can throw the ball fast, but he can throw the ball like, okay. I know what you mean. And I wonder if... that governor governs the comedy as well.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
Meaning like where I think rationally, I think rationally across the board, and it's kind of the basis of my act and basis of things I've written, but it's like he thinks it's all nonlinear. I'm like very linear in a very ideally entertaining way. And he is all nonlinear, including time. Yeah. Just everything.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
And it's like... And part of it is you just get shit when you get it. Yeah. But it is unique when you're in a system where it has to get done.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
Yes. I can literally say factual setup. Yeah. You know, like twist.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
Yeah. Having written with him for years, I couldn't tell you how his system works. Yeah.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
Not really. If I have, it's like, it's that thing. Yeah. You know what I mean?
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
i don't i can do both yeah i'm but i could explain i guess i could explain my system like my voice but i was just remember better at empath oh well that's no you have that written down he has written down as a block empath sociopath what does that mean
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
So you say that as a person who felt like you couldn't feel your own, you weren't allowed to feel your own feelings. Correct.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
Yeah, it seems like something someone in my mother's neighborhood had.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
Did hers dissipate at all? No. She just had the same amount and you also had it.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
Well, they say about autism that you model other people's emotions, right?
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
No, it's funny. No, I know what you're, I know exactly what you're saying.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
And then how did you end up, how long did you date the woman who became your wife?
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
Well, then you could tell yourself grief's nonlinear. I mean, you don't know when it could hit you, and it never hits you.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
It's okay to experience the lack of or it's okay to experience the actual grief.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
Anger does for me, but that's about the list. Yeah. But I wonder if, you know, I did that joke about people that are good at something are optimized for that thing and pretty much nothing else, right? You ever play a video game where you make the character and you have like 100 points and you gotta distribute it between like dexterity and marksmanship and speed? That's what God does.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
And sometimes he fucks up. We have a lot of analytical. Yeah. and a lot of pattern recognition, a lot of pattern recognition, and we don't get hyper, you know, emotional about other stuff. I think it's, I think, I understand that it's called sociopathy, I understand that.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
No, of course, but I'm saying like, I think if you don't kill anybody,
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
But my point, you made my point, which is like, don't we need those people? Thousand percent. Should a surgeon do, should a surgeon who's a sociopath.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
It's a joke I did about like, I don't want certain people to have a good work-life balance. I just don't.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
should a modern the the modern world would tell a surgeon that he needs to get in touch with his family his or her feelings does he or she you do not want to do that yeah yeah and so people that date doctors sometimes that is such an ass I'm like well what's his name I'd like to yeah no that's absolutely right like yeah that's what you want
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
Yeah, so I would never be so bold as to say that you and I are like surgeons or that comedians are like, or whatever. Now, having said that, there's a lot more surgeons than good comedians.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
I would argue that getting emotional is going to probably hinder the pattern recognition joke process. I mean, it can help, but I would say 70-30 it hurts. It hurts 70% of the time, it helps 30% of the time.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
would agree i'm probably better to be dispassionate about that and then put the emotion in afterwards and this is another thing yeah that yeah you do the fake treacly setup um but there this is the thing that i actually sort of argue not even arguing my girlfriend but this is the thing where i defend myself where i'm like i'm not gonna be that quick to empathy about me i'll be quick to empathy about
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
other problems in your life, I really, like genuine, but if you criticize me, my first instinct is not going to be empathetic about my behavior to you, like it's not, I don't, I was like, I don't have the capacity, but I have other capacities, and is that, and what I'm, what I would like, I'm exonerating you from your sociopath. Thank you.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
They're called women. Go ahead. See how I'm letting you say that? I let you have surgery?
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
What do you feel about the talk in the black community? Or if you don't instill some sort of physical harm into your child, the police eventually will? What do you mean? Meaning there's a thing of black parents whipping their children or get the switch or some sort of physical harm.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
And I'd always heard it explained of like, well, if they don't, the idea is if the parents don't do it, eventually white society finally, eventually will.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
They were supposed to beat any child they saw getting out alive.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
That's how they communicated, through physical violence. Yeah, and they were actually better than their parents. They were less violent than their parents.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
It's another one of those things of like this isn't against you. Yeah, I know. But it is. They feel that it is.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
Yeah, I guess I just don't believe that anyone has an unlimited appetite for me or anyone else.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
Yeah, to take a break. Exactly, exactly. I actually believe that's what drugs are for a lot of people. It's like, get me out of this consciousness for five hours. I just don't want to...
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
be the same thoughts and the same patterns just like i'll risk death yeah i'm totally willing to risk death to just get out of this non this this incessant nonsense yeah for me it's different for me it's it's kind of the inverse of that you know notice i say inverse instead of opposite yeah you're a smart guy throw those people out there uh it's more to get away from that
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
It goes to the empath sociopath thing is like I am as much of a curmudgeon as I may seem or whatever. I'm very susceptible to other people's energy.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
Like I will take on I worry that I'm not behaving well for them.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
And I need to in order to shut that off. I just need to get away from people. Yeah.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
Most of the time when there's a group of people, I'm just worried I'm not... It feels like a wedding where you're like, okay, I got to go. What's the right social situation for you? Because I think mine is one-on-one.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
Yeah. Yeah, but I guess people would say that that's antisocial or, but I, it's like the good news of COVID was introvert got a lot of shine.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
Ezra Klein had a very good observation recently about the difference between the right and the left.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
Yeah, I heard that. It's either like groups of people making rules or one strong man.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
Yeah, it's good, but you wish there was a better way. Exactly. And unfortunately, it's diet and exercise, and you ain't doing that.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
I'm pretty good with it. And I think it's Catholic. Yeah. I'm pretty good with like, what are the rules? Okay. Yeah. And I only eat sugar one day a week.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
yeah and i go back and forth on that like i haven't had sugar for a while and it feels so much better but then i'll go through months where i was like all right i'll just have this yeah i need a bowl of cheerios right now yeah that's okay i know and i yeah i won't give i'm i'm guilt-ridden enough to just be like stop you have to stop yeah but it is a unique like i quit smoking culture like i can just do i'm vegan i'm vegan vegetarian but mostly my girlfriend knows that you're vegan yeah so yeah she thought that was good vegetarian though yeah there you go yeah
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
Yeah, they started it. You're a baby vegan. Yeah. Okay, well, I guess my question is how... My final question maybe is how has your life been? How do you gauge it and did it go well and are you pleased with it? Are you happy? Or is happiness even a thing to you?
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
You know, I thought about what you said, which is like, don't be sad that it, Yeah. It's over. Be glad that it happened or whatever. And it's so fucking corny. Yeah. And yet that's your that's helped you with your brother dying.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
What is the – that makes you sad. What is the – when you say you come from gratitude, what does it feel like or what does it sound like within you? And do you know what I mean? Like, what do you – what is it – What do you remind yourself of? I literally have a – I talk about it all the time. I have a journal checklist where I write down – basically, like, coach myself a few times a day.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
And one of the big things is, like, I am lucky beyond measure. Mm-hmm.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
It's a good way. It's also a great way to gauge other people's what they say and what they're doing.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
And does that mean... So you would say it's telling someone you're grateful. I wouldn't consider that an action, but it's... It is. Okay.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
I guess because it's words, I'm like, well, it still feels like words, but I guess. But you're giving this to somebody else.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
That's a great starting point. I mean, I wish I'd known that sooner in life.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
I know. My mom used to say that, and it was so aggravating. And then once you choose it a few times, you're like, I can't believe I just chose it. I know. It works. It's so...
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
so disappointing it's disappointing in a way because you want to feel sorry for yourself right it's like no you can just choose to be in a good mood yeah you can and it it'll stick it's so stupid it's true and if you choose to be in a bad mood you're affecting other people too so you're saying i want you to be in a bad mood yeah well that that's the thing i write in my journal it's like don't inflict your mood on people yeah including yourself no it's true
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
Because your body will believe it. Whatever you tell your body, it's going to believe it. It's a Nate Bargatze joke about how dumb our brains are.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
He's very funny. He's great. So you've had a great life and it's going pretty great.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
So would you just sort of go numb in situations where you should have been angry?
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
Larry Wilmore is what I'm trying to say. Larry Wilmore is here and I'm happy to have him. You have your blocks, which I'm happy you cooperated. You gave them to me. You've seen the block special. You understand what it's about. A lot of people, a lot of people big time me. They won't give me blocks. Really?
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
Did you grow up Christian or anything? I was Catholic. Yeah, I mean, I think that's a big part of it. Sacrificial. Yeah, I really do. I was going to Google yesterday, am I my brother's keeper? Yeah. The Bible says about I am right. You absolutely are. Because I find myself being sort of nosy. Right. And kind of like help trying to help. Right. And then people don't really like it.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
That's interesting. So you didn't really know how to have emotions. All right, now the question is like, now would you be autistic?
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
I like how everyone around you is on the spectrum except you. Well, I said I might be.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
I think a lot of them are. I'm on the spectrum. I took the test. I'm the lowest rung, but I'm on it.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
Well, they just don't want to. It seems like homeworking, but it makes it more interesting.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
What were your buttons? Or without you reacting. I think that's another big one. It's like, what were your buttons? Or feeling threatened. Right.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
Like you're falling short in that arena. So was it like you should plan dates, you should be more considerate, you should be.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Larry Wilmore
No, just like Seth Meyers did. I mean, like a good friend. I knew his blocks anyway, but it was like he just didn't do the homework. Yeah, yeah, yeah. A guy who makes everyone do a pre-interview for his show. It's different when he's the guest, Larry. Anyhow, we're not here to slam the...
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
hey before you watch this thing hit subscribe would you hey everybody it's uh it's neil brennan it's a pox podcast uh we heal the earth etc etc my guest today i looked it up i've known for 14 years pretty good feels longer not no judgment um 14 years when i met him he was uh merely the nba rookie of the year
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
And then, yeah, there's those guys around you can't really talk to rookies because it's like, hey, go talk to J-Dragon. He's old. He'll have some good wisdom for you. I don't know anything.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
Yeah, you'll probably be rookie of the year. Yeah, that's what I always wonder about. So you think most of it is just like empathy, right? Yeah, empathy, 100%. You're doing what every girlfriend I've ever had has wanted me to do. And probably you too, which is just listen. The problems are so much more interesting when they're about basketball.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
It's so much easier to listen to basketball problems than emotional problems from their job.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
It's hard to believe it's going to end and it's hard to believe it's not very important. Yeah.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
It feels like you still exercise. When I hugged you, it felt like a man who exercises. Is that true? I'm a man who exercises.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
So huge. And you don't have to exercise. You're not in breach of contract, kind of. Or if you don't exercise, you're not going to get your ass whooped by someone in six weeks. Publicly.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
Zach Randolph is not going to move me for no reason. He probably still will. Zach, come on out.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
This show is sponsored by BetterHelp. You know how therapy can kind of feel like a big investment, time, money, effort, being open, available emotionally. But it's like anything else. If you go to a gym, if you exercise, if you eat decently, it's basically just like the gym but for your mental and emotional health. Let's talk numbers.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
Traditional in-person therapy can cost anywhere from $100 to $250 per session, which adds up fast. But with BetterHelp Online Therapy, you can save on average up to 50% per session. Again, this is like a broken record. This whole thing should just be me saying betterhelp.com slash Neil.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
Instead, I'll tell you about the years of therapy I've gone to and that I'm back in therapy and that it's helping. It's more, well, it's couples therapy, but like regular therapy too. It's not, I'm not talking about trauma. I'm sort of done talking about my family at this point. It's just more for personal upkeep on my habits.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
With over 30,000 therapists, BetterHelp is the world's largest online therapy platform, having served over 5 million people globally. Here's the call to action. Your well-being is worth it. Visit betterhelp.com slash neal today to get 10% off your first month. That's betterhelp, H-E-L-P, dot com slash N-E-A-L. 10% off your first month. Betterhelp.com slash neal. I care about eating well.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
Because the truth is, yeah, you're good at basketball, which is very valuable anywhere, let alone Oklahoma, where they got nothing going on. But you're good from eighth grade?
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
That's why I only do one sugar day a week. You know, I'm vegan sometimes, vegan vegetarian. Nutrient dense meals are vital to your health, but like food doesn't have to be boring. That's how I judge restaurants. It's like a lot of vegan places feel like punishment. I don't want to be punished. I just want to eat decent food.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
And then CookUnity came on as a sponsor and I've been getting their stuff and it's excellent. It's so good. Like I've been getting this shepherd's pie. That's so goddamn good. There's a pasta. They have impossible burgers. It's great. CookUnity has fresh flavors for every diet, including keto, gluten-free, and GLP-1 balanced.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
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Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
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Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
that's how excited i am about this and then i got to use it it was fantastic it's just delicious it's also the right amount because sometimes i'll cook for myself i get an air fryer pretty exciting i didn't tell you guys about it but i got an air fryer it's pretty exciting but i overcook food and then i feel like i have to eat it all because i'm i have guilt issues and then i uh i get a weight i don't want to be then i gotta whatever you don't want you you wouldn't last a day in this in this mental process
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
Yeah, like I said, I got shepherd's pie. I got impossible burrito, I think. I got some cacio e pepe pasta. It's the right amount. They tell you how many calories it is. It's the right price. It's delivered to your door. You don't have to think about it. You can stick it in the fridge, eat it that week. You can stay in the freezer, eat it later.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
And like I said, they have a bunch of chefs and that each chef makes a few things and they contribute. And then you order from that chef specifically different recipes, different dietary needs. It's a great system. It's the best food thing I've ever I've ever certainly done. I used to do a vegan one and they would just send you like vats of crap.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
And it was like it felt like punishment, which I don't like. Menus are updated weekly and new chefs are always joining the team. So mealtime will never be boring. Yeah, you just heat it up five minutes. Flexible, commitment-free subscriptions. You can skip deliveries, pause, or cancel any time. You can do it for a week. You can do it for a month. You can do whatever. You can order four meals.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
You can order 10. Subscriptions start at as low as $11 a meal. Here's the call to action. Crush your health goals with mouth-watering, chef-crafted meals delivered straight to your door. Go to cookunity.com slash NEAL or enter code NEAL before checkout for 50% off your first week. That's 50% off your first week by using code NEAL or going to cookunity.com slash NEAL. Cook Unity. Legit.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
You talked about coaching. Somebody, I think one of the, I think somebody you played with was talking about toward the end of the Clippers, and there was some story about you kind of telling Doc, like, fuck that. And I was like, I don't know if this is a true story or whatever, but like, were you...
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
He's too competitive. Sue him. What are you going to do, guys? It worked for a long time. Now he's going to be competitive with Dirk Nowitzki at talking. On Amazon Prime. Ding. I don't even know what their thing is. Well, they'll figure out a ding. We'll add that in. We'll add that in. You'll get it. I'm going to need you to add that in. A lot of text.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
Contractually, I'm going to need you to put that in. But so you see it as like the worst of your like, ah, shit. I wish I hadn't. I wish I'd been more understanding or more.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
Well, no, that's what I mean. Like, I'm sure that spirit made you score 40 in a game. Do you know what I mean? Or would you consider those your best performances free of that?
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
but i also kind of love that challenge too it was kind of it was like it was it was a it was a game was it a mind shift mindset shift a little bit more like is it just do the thing you used to do over 40 minutes but do it in four uh yes yes uh well no i guess not which is it i'm kidding You're never going to make it on Amazon. Sorry.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
Just ask me that again, and I'll give you a real cool Amazon answer. Yeah, no, I can assume that it would be – that would be a fun challenge, but also it's a bit like you have one scene – You can tell guys in one scene that try to like, they are in a totally different tone than the person they're in a scene with. And it's like, you gotta chill out, man. We're all doing a different tone.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
But I guess if you gotta do it, you gotta do it. Or you change your identity of like, to be scrappy.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
um and what do you make of the relationships you had that you were like that were te like you you and chris were a little testy and looking back is it like back i wish i could are there think relationships like that where you wish you could approach it differently knowing what you know or if there was a different approach and i don't even even call it a little testy maybe wrong yeah i mean i i i truly think i think you would say the same thing like if you i think
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
people outside tried to make that much much more of a thing yeah um but even them making it a thing kind of makes it a thing yeah because you don't know who leaked what yeah or who and it's all outside or but like We did some great sketches together, me, Blake, and Chris.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
Yeah, it's like you did get along. Yeah. So it was always, it was when I'd hear that you'd mark it along, it was kind of, I didn't understand it.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
Did it add to the stress? What's that? Because it was like top tier team level of coverage. And then there was something a little extra to the Clipper coverage. And that was hard. It was like more Hollywood. I don't know what the energy was.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
In the NBA, can you see the ref in the next game and be like, hey, I was fucking dead wrong?
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
Yeah, and you think it was just the stress of like, we have a lot of nationally televised games.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
Okay, so you feel like some of it was just unavoidable immaturity because you are 20-something.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
What do you think most of it is? Gaging people's reactions? Meaning, I always find fame to be like, you're just trying to calm people down. A little bit? Where you're like, hey, no, no, no, it's fine. Yeah. Yeah, yeah.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
He'll just bring that up sometimes apropos of nothing. He'll be like, they'll go, can I get your order?
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
I'll take the number nine. And also, funny about the number nine. Anyhow. Look at it. And he'll lift his shirt up at a restaurant. No, no, no, no. Get in here. Look at this. It's off-putting. I got scars. Physical and emotional. Yeah. Well, okay. And how did you find, so it's, it's a high stress job. Would you say it's a high stress job? Yeah. I mean, yes.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
Well, it's funny. Does it inflate your ego? in a way that makes it easier to pop. Do you know what I mean? Like, the more praise you get, the more praise you're used to getting, and then any sort of, there was, I remember Malcolm Gladwell did a study, and I think I told you about it, where all the guys that were getting technicals were max players.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
get no they don't get any fouls called on them like interpersonally on the street nothing they can't so when you get called a foul it's like more it's me i'm sorry do you know who you're talking to basically yeah i mean it's a it's a great point i think like the more inflated and the easier it is to inflate that ego the easier it is like where like one small thing can be like
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
They grip the wheel and do all that. Turning signals. I thought it was just green screen that whole time. Wow. Yeah, like your parents, is your brother's regular?
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
What do you think the worst thing someone could say about you as a player and they'd be right about? Wow. Not even talking about, like, style of play. Oh, like style of play? Well, just like he's got – whatever. Not the scouting report, just of, like, Blake's an asshole.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
I remember Chappelle saw Bill Murray. Chappelle wasn't famous. And he saw Bill Murray on the street in like 1992 or something. And Chappelle was like, oh. And Bill Murray just goes... Yeah. Yeah. And just like ducked in.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
You assume – like, you kind of want him to think you're an asshole? Back then.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
That's the horn. Fuck you, dude. You don't fuck your kid. That's interesting. I've never heard you express it. That's fun. It is fun. What about those, like, when they're a fight, what was that famous story of, like, Is there anything you haven't talked about? And wasn't there a thing where, like, Houston was outside the locker room or Chris was involved?
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
Now that you're, An announcer, I heard you say something about, like, you'll try to be fair, but you're – but, like, pro player overall.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
The fact that like All the Smoke or even Stephen A or any of these guys, JJ and LeBron had a podcast where it was all X's and O's and it was kind of popular. Yeah.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
meaning it wasn't like a runaway hit it's great if you really love basketball right but people don't really love that they just want to hear they want the drama they want all the yeah yeah like so they as much as people say like i love the sport and i'm like no you're not because that you didn't you literally didn't look at it yeah you don't care about most of the shit
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
Yeah, I watched the game with you once. We watched Summer League for 15 seconds, and I had no idea what you're talking about. Literally, no. I'm like, I have no fucking idea what you're talking about. Dude, I have a buddy who's, you know, I have several buddies who are, you know, ex-NFL players.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
Hey, Blocks listeners. We've got a quick favor to ask. We often do ad reads on the show and want to make sure we're recommending brands that you like. And we want to take in feedback about past brands we've featured on the show and learn more about your experiences so we can continue strengthening our relationship. That's what this is, a relationship.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
So we set up a quick survey and are going to give one lucky listener or viewer an $150 Amazon gift card. It'll take just a few minutes to fill out the survey and will be of enormous help. Go to surveymonkey.com slash r slash blocks podcast or click the link in the description. Fill out a survey. And enter your email address for a chance to win a $150 Amazon gift card.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
Again, click the link in the description, enter your email, and complete the survey for a chance to win a gift card. Thanks for all you do to support the podcast. I appreciate it legitimately. I just want to make sure I'm not doing ads for something you're never going to use. It's a waste of both of our times. And I don't want to rip the company off. Let's make this beneficial. Okay? Okay. Okay.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
Visit Huel.com slash NEAL today to get 50% off your first order plus a free gift. Okay. So I don't always like having to eat, especially lunch. I just don't want to like sit and go and get a thing. And sometimes I do, but other times I'm just like, I just want to keep doing what I'm doing and get a quick drink. And HUE, H-U-E, like fuel, but with an H, is great.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
It's got all the vitamins, nutrients, protein, fiber, all the stuff you need in each serving.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
I like vanilla truthfully I take a vanilla I drink some I pour a little bit of chocolate in it so it's a little so it's not vanilla is a great flavor though and uh and it takes I'm full for five hours like I don't I don't eat a ton anyway but like it's got the protein it's got vitamin c which supports your immune system it's very convenient they'll send you a box uh you just grab it and crack it
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
Cheaper than coffee. When you think about what you're spending on takeout or meal deals, it's a no-brainer. And it tastes, they say decent. I think it tastes good. And you can soup it up however you want. If you want it to be more of a smoothie, you can pour it in a blender, throw ice, whatever. You can add whatever else you want. It's a great smoothie base or it's its own drink.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
The Black Edition Ready to Drink Meal is a meal in a bottle. One bottle contains 35 grams of protein, 27 vitamins and minerals, and is low in sugar. Huel is perfectly balanced meal designed by nutrition experts and takes the guesswork out of healthy eating. It's convenient, tastes good. They're low in sugar. They're affordable.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
I don't know what it ends up being like around under just under $5 a bottle, which sounds like everything's expensive now. So $5 a bottle is not a problem. It's going to save you time and money, and I'm telling you, it's good. And if you want to add other stuff, fruit, vegetables, ice, whatever, you want to add meat, hit it. You want to add more protein, you want to add whatever you want to do.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
Knock yourself out. You have my permission. New customers visit H-U-E-L dot com slash N-E-A-L today and use my code N-E-A-L to get 15% off your first order today. Plus, a free gift. Legit good. You've seen me drink it on the show. Like, it's great. Huel.com slash NEAL. Enjoy it. So let's say Luka is not in good physical shape. Right? Let's say all the stuff they said about him is true.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
Can a guy be in medium shape and have a 12-year first-team All-NBA career? Absolutely. If you're talented enough. So it really is just like, oh, if you're talented, none of it matters. Are you saying like all NBA, like every year? Around as good as he's been.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
But he doesn't have the kind of body that looks like he's in good shape. But you can tell, as someone who's had to guard him or been guarded by him, like – like one of these things where you're out of breath and you're like, he's in pretty good shape.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
I think we're just saying these guys are just white, and that's terminal.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
Well, okay, let's say you're the GM. Let's say you're the Rob Palenka, which I know you love his jackets. So his hair, his jackets. The tan. Have a press conference. The biblical references.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
To have a wear a leather jacket unzipped with the sleeves up and it's unzipped from the bottom for a huge press conference. What a bold statement.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
What would you say to Luca about his physical shape? Do you know what I mean? As a guy who's a mentor now, you open with empathy. We all know that. You say, I love donuts and crullers as much as anybody.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
And is it when guys have their own fitness team and their own, all that stuff, do you think that there is gonna be a natural tension between the team and him? Because there's this shit like Kawhi and all that stuff where it's like we want you to play, we want you to sit, you're not ready, hurry up.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
And so there are guys that are not in – They can't bench, they can't, they don't, they're not, but it doesn't matter. As long as you can put that ball in the hoop or do exactly what your role is. Could someone play power forward and be like that? Were there times where you're like, I gotta lift more?
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
Were there times where you, where there were challenges, or like a sequence where you're like, fuck, that guy's so much stronger than me.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
You were the first person to tell me about, or maybe I asked you about sports psychologists, and you told me about yours, and there was a book I read called, I think, 10-Minute Toughness. But you were very, you're very big on positive visualization. Yes. Tell people about that.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
Because even, I remember saying, like you said, no, like anything I do on the court, I've already seen it in a split second before I do it.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
Are you imagining what it would feel like emotionally or you're picturing it third person? I'm picturing myself do it. From my perspective. From your first person.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
And is it about, are you keyed into how it'll feel physically or keyed into like?
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
From being on an active roster to now. But the truth is probably a lot of people don't even know you're retired. Yeah, I mean, do I get that question all the time?
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
That's what I mean. Like, how many would you picture empty seats? Like, third level.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
Yeah, yeah. Not good. lens cut lens flare great lens flare oh shit um did you ever not do it and was there a difference or was it just like a thing you started in high school college and then would you would it ever be like spooky like a deja vu or like that's exactly what i thought was gonna happen there's some sometimes when it like worked out exactly how i thought it was gonna happen um
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
That visualization was tough. I'm going to sit. I'm going to be on my left butt cheek.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
Yeah, look at the jumbotron. Are they running a kiss cam? Okay, that's fun. That's very entertaining. I got a big kick out of that. That was actually real nice. Yeah, you know what? Kudos to the in-arena entertainment. That's good. To ask questions about other guys on the team, that's real creative. So you think it had a big effect on outcomes? Because I started doing it. I've stopped.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
I just forgot to do it. But no, I would actually write. I started just writing out my act. And if I do a TV appearance, I would write it out and try to imagine what it would be like in each beat of the thing. And you can actually write new things in it. You would write out your script?
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
I mean, a lot of it was just a bit I'd already done on stage. But it was like, it is a helpful way to... to like to prep.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
What about... Would you do it in-game, meaning you get the ball, was it just instinct or was it like – No, in-game, like I'm not like visualizing anything.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
about um and I did my time and I I I don't know I'm just I'm just in I'm in a good place and I'm I'm I'm happy with that and I hope that more guys experience this than yeah get a wide because he's really retired I mean this is not a guy who's at yeah I mean that's look at those loafers shoes they're boy this guy's wearing boat shoes yeah
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
Yes. And if you, and is it just like, if I like, there's no one on help, someone will probably come and help D. Yeah. And then like, I can, I'm fucking.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
am i right john stockton actually actually you know what you're um a rare uh p word drop for me on the podcast we like to keep it a little clean oh we never talked about your general racial or racial ambiguity although that is that yeah that's racial ambiguity we never talked about that as a block the table's like it's it's hard it's hard to write there's like see it's like
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
Can this economy have a smokey walnut? I wouldn't be here, I'll tell you that much. That's got to be something that's pretty resolved at this point, right?
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
What was interesting, you said one time players would say, players in the NBA would say such things.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
Did you ever think that it probably had to help your marketability? Yeah. I mean, honestly, like a whitish looking guy to jump like that. Kind of. It's like what I used to say to you and Kevin Love. If you can't get an announcing job when you retire, you're fucking you have to be. I used to say regarded. But like, no, not anymore. Yeah.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
Like if you can't get it and sure enough, uh, you got it, you landed it, buddy. Um, but, uh, but yeah, so yeah, that's gotta be, and that's another one of those things that you think is going to be a problem. And then like, it ends up being, it's not, yeah, it's like not a, it's not a problem at all.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
I got a standing reservation. There's a really nice cafeteria down the street, Luby's Cafe. I told you, your life might actually be better then you're one of the few guys that, like, life might improve. And I don't know if it improved. Well, it's going to be close. I mean, it seems just like all the benefits and almost no stress.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
Yeah, yeah. The fancy is like whatever they deliver very fancy packages. Yeah. White gloves. When you're like, sure, do you want insurance on this? I'm like, oh, yes.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
Blake Griffin, ladies and gentlemen. Watch him on Amazon six months from now. Good guy. Friend of all podcasts. And maybe he does stand-up sometimes. We don't know. But a good guy. I'm glad I know him. Thanks for having me, man. Thank you.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
They call me in. Okay, so that's good. So you don't feel in any way reduced, which is great. You maybe even feel, because you still get to keep all the money. And you have, you're basically committed to a girl and you're in a committed relationship and you got kids, so there's no like, you're not on the prowl in any way anymore.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
You shut the fuck up, Angelo. Five times. Five times for, well, All-NBA. And I believe he'll be in the Hall of Fame. He'll run his speech by me. I'll give him notes. He'll ignore them. And he's the new Red Lobster spokesman, which nobody saw coming. I make Red Lobster famous. And he's about to be on the Amazon...
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
Because that's another question I have, which is like, knowing you,
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
enough to know that that must have driven you fucking crazy yeah absolutely bananas and uh fucking off the wall can't sleep for days um what did you tell yourself because i also found that you were you were your your inner monologue was always very positive at least from as you presented it to me how was it how would it be did it stay positive or did you feel delusional or did you have to lie to yourself
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
I'll dive on the floor. What do you need from me? Get the crowd hype. Like you'll fall and throw the ball off the guy, that kind of thing.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
Whichever you want. Not that one. Okay, sorry. Did you... what is the arc of realizing you don't your body's not the same no you just feel it i mean and and you go you wake whether you wake up or you go to gym or whatever you're like i can't can i jump higher couldn't i get more lift and then you go it'll come back and then it just never does
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
pre-game, post-game team with Dirk Nowitzki, and he's basically a retired NBA player, and now he's a full-time announcer, and he's a buddy of mine, and his name is Blake Griffin. Yay! We never did figure out how to introduce people.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
The team got me life alert. When you talk about mentoring, is it about playing or is it about the whole thing? Because that was the thing. Seeing your evolution from your rookie year to elder statesman mentor, were there things you wish you knew? And are those things even teachable? Can you be, could I, I remember telling you, keep a journal.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
when maybe your third year on the Clippers, because I could see how interesting it was, and you were probably just like, my fucking old man, shut the fuck up. What's a journal? I don't know how to write. So what does mentorship in that capacity look like? And then what do you wish you knew?
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
What's some not so great wisdom? Not me attributing to anybody, but like a thing that sticks out is like, man, that's stupid.
Blocks w/ Neal Brennan
Blake Griffin
I didn't know if I was supposed to be quiet. No, it's fun. It's fun when people intercede. All right, well, here's a question I have. Having spoken to you for a long time about just your life and being an NBA player, Were you happy with your life change from being full-time NBA player to being retired and having a lot more free time? And it seemed like you may have enjoyed the more anonymity.