It’s straightforward to be fooled into pondering Andrew Schulz resides his greatest life when he’s within the highlight. Whether or not that’s on stage in entrance of hundreds or on a display in entrance of thousands and thousands throughout an episode of considered one of his fashionable podcasts—”Flagrant” and “The Brilliant Idiots”—there are fewer issues comics need greater than his present stage of publicity. However as of late the one factor he appears to be like ahead to is being accomplished in time to ditch the crowds, likes and views to go dwelling to his new child woman.
“When I can end my day by 5:45 p.m. I’m good because that means I get to spend time with my daughter and just be a dad for a while, it’s the greatest feeling on Earth,” says Schulz sitting on the glossy black marble prime bar of the Kookaburra Lounge in Hollywood. On the morning of the Oscars with media chaos swirling outdoors the Dolby Theater under the Kookaburra’s perch on Hollywood and Highland, the low-key comedian is sitting again in a inexperienced velvet chair considering life—and the way tough it may be to make. After he and his spouse had difficulties conceiving their first little one, they lastly discovered success in 2023 by way of In Vitro Fertilization, generally generally known as IVF.
The method impressed Schulz’s newest one-hour particular, aptly titled “Life.” His most private materials but comes on the heels of creating headlines. Within the final a number of months, the comic made waves by interviewing President Donald Trump simply previous to the 2025 election and stoking a momentary feud with Kendrick Lamar after the rapper took lyrical goal at him on his multi-Grammy successful album “GNX.” Regardless of the place individuals stand on Schulz’s standpoint on comedy, his mark on popular culture together with his punchlines has change into unquestionable. Just lately, he sat down with the Occasions to debate fatherhood, the consequences comedy has on politics and the inspirations behind his newest hour of fabric premiering Tuesday on Netflix.
This interview has been edited for size and readability.
“The second you have a kid, every feeling you have is the hackiest feeling ever,” Schulz mentioned. “Whenever they laugh, it’s the best laugh in the world, when they smile, you melt. You would do anything for them.”
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How has turning into a father or mother helped your comedy when creating new materials?
I haven’t written a single joke since I had my daughter, or because the tour stopped. So now it’s all targeted on attempting to make her chortle. The world will get actually small. It has made me replicate on comedy [material] about children so much. As a result of once I was rising up, my favourite comedians would do that comedy about how they form of hated their children. And if you first have a child, you’re going to be shocked at how cliché all of your emotions are. The second you’ve got a child, each feeling you’ve got is the hackiest feeling ever. At any time when they chortle, it’s the most effective chortle on the earth, once they smile, you soften. You’ll do something for them.
We’re on this new period of comedy the place extra comedians are speaking about being dad and mom in right now’s world and being open and trustworthy about not solely elevating them but additionally the conceiving course of, which is the guts of your particular. What was it like being so weak about one thing that was so private?
Cathartic. It was good at first, it was good as a result of there are levels. Once I first began writing it, I wasn’t even like writing an hour, per se. I used to be simply form of speaking about what I used to be going by way of. I used to be simply getting again on stage and taking a while off from the final particular, after which [my wife and I] have been attempting to get pregnant I bear in mind and I used to be getting back from Burning Man and I used to be going to a giant party for her mother. However I keep in mind that was after we first began attempting and I bear in mind doing it after which afterwards being like, “it’s probably OK if we don’t get pregnant this time.” Simply because I didn’t know what was in my bloodstream at that time. I imply, I used to be at Burning Man for every week after which I’m going proper to love make a child?
So it didn’t occur that point. After which one other month glided by, it didn’t occur, one other one glided by, it didn’t occur, after which I used to be like, oh s— is it laborious to get pregnant?
I couldn’t fathom it was laborious, you realize, my complete life has been about attempting to not get girls pregnant and the quantity of stress I’d undergo and Plan B’s and all this different s—.
How do you are feeling a particular like “Life” raises the bar to your comedy?
I don’t know, I’m, at all times simply attempting to do one thing totally different. I believe that’s the thrilling factor for me. Earlier than this particular, I used to be by no means private in my comedy in any respect. Like I didn’t assume my life was fascinating. After which when it was robust for us to get pregnant, it was the one factor I may consider. I simply couldn’t consider anything. I couldn’t consider some bizarre topical joke—nothing actually mattered. After which speaking about this received actually thrilling on stage. I used to be like, proper, perhaps I can inform tales. I by no means actually informed tales [on stage], so I used to be like, what if I could make this complete complete story? After which I didn’t wish to inform anyone it was a narrative as a result of I didn’t need there to be one—man-show expectations and I needed them to come back in pondering that is like laborious hitting rise up for an hour and have that expectation, but additionally see if I may have a narrative layered into it.
Within the particular you speak in regards to the indignities of amassing a sperm pattern as half attempting to get your spouse pregnant…did you assume there may very well be a joke there as you have been going by way of it?
I believe so, yeah. Typically you’re in a second you’re like, “Oh this is kind of funny” After which typically you’re simply speaking about on stage you’re like actually pissed off by one thing you’re embarrassed by one thing and and you’re feeling very weak so that you’re like, OK, let me share this after which perhaps I’ll discover one thing humorous in it. And there’s different components the place you’re simply you’re so depressing in these moments you’ll be able to’t even take into consideration comedy simply but. So I believe it was each for positive.
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“I think people were going to vote this way [in the 2025 election] no matter what and I think seeing him on certain podcasts made them feel more comfortable voicing how they were already going to vote,” Schulz mentioned. “I don’t think very many people were like watching Trump on mine or Rogan or Theo and then flipped on him 100-percent.”
(Jason Armond/Los Angeles Occasions)
What’s it like now that you’ve got this daughter in your arms?
It’s so cliche, however it’s the most effective factor on the earth. I don’t wish to be right here. I respect your time, don’t get me unsuitable. [I would rather be] seeing my daughter on FaceTime and like she walks up and she or he faucets her head on the telephone as a result of I kiss her on her brow. And so she’s like attempting to make me kiss her by way of the telephone, which is a Soulja Boy lyric, if I’m not mistaken.
For those that comply with your podcast and all of your stuff, it was additionally in all probability a left flip since you, it’s not political in any means in any respect.
Not likely.
Stand-up comedy appeared to play a reasonably main position within the 2025 Presidential election. Do you assume comedy helped get Trump elected?
Do you imply by Trump occurring the podcast?
Sure particularly comedy podcasts, Trump went on a number of reveals, together with your Flagrant podcast in addition to the Joe Rogan Expertise and Theo Von’s This Previous Weekend podcast as nicely…
I’ve a perhaps extra humble take than some which is that I don’t assume we influenced the election in any respect. I believe individuals have been going to vote this manner it doesn’t matter what and I believe seeing him on sure podcasts made them really feel extra snug voicing how they have been already going to vote. I don’t assume very many individuals have been like watching Trump on mine or Rogan or Theo after which flipped on him 100-percent.
That’s simply me. I don’t know if we now have that form of energy, however what he would possibly do is make you are feeling extra assured publicly sharing how you are feeling about Trump, proper, as a result of perhaps in these conditions he feels rather less radioactive.
“I don’t really care about politics. I just care about culture, but sometimes politics is the reflection of culture. That’s when I start to kind of key in on it,” Schulz mentioned.
(Jason Armond/Los Angeles Occasions)
There’s additionally loads of youthful individuals who comply with you that in all probability weren’t as engaged in any election speak or politics and are taking cues from you. Do you concentrate on the affect podcasts like yours now have?
I don’t actually care about politics. I simply care about tradition, however typically politics is the reflection of tradition. That’s once I begin to form of key in on it. Now the pendulum is swung the opposite means, so we’re out of just like the censorship period. [When we’re in a censorship era,] comedians are often the primary ones to complain about it as a result of it form of impacts the best way that we do our factor and that’s occurred all through historical past and often you get like actually prolific comedians that come out of those instances. Carlin being considered one of them. I imply, even Eddie [Murphy], you realize, like individuals in [Richard] Pryor, the best way that they might speak about them like I can’t consider they’re saying this stuff like that is so that is loopy.
So I believe the censorship in a means is form of like good for comedy, however comedians talk about it after which comedy is having a increase and that’s a mirrored image of, you realize, probably the most influential individual on the planet, Joe Rogan being a comic and loving comedians and placing comedy on the forefront of his pursuits. There’s additionally like a social media side on this the place it’s like everyone desires a humorous tweet, a humorous image, a humorous meme, like individuals, there’s like foreign money in being humorous, you realize, it’s simply form of like this good storm.
What was the toughest half about it like prepping for the interview for Trump?
For me it was simply that I wish to perceive who he’s. So I spoke to some individuals near him. I spoke to [UFC CEO/President] Dana White for some time and I spoke to Don [Trump] Jr. for some time. I simply mentioned inform me a narrative like I need private tales like inform me your relationship like don’t you must inform me who he’s or who you assume he’s like inform me these moments which have occurred between you guys and also you’ll discover so much about that.
What was the objective of the Trump interview if you went into it and did you are feeling such as you completed that?
The objective was just like the objective is with each individual I sit down with. I don’t wanna like toot our personal horn on the pod, however like I believe we received like the most effective interview with lots of people particularly as a result of we’re simply looking for out who you’re and make you snug sufficient to hold with us. We’re simply attempting to have the most effective cling on the web. That’s it. I hate that I even have to say this, however it’s so silly–we supplied tons of Democrats to come back on, you realize, however they didn’t. Mark Cuban got here on.I’ll say that, after which Cuban was attempting to push [more Democrats to come on the show]. He’s a giant surrogate for Kamala.
Did Harris and different Democratic politicians simply say no? Or did they provide a motive?
I believe I believe they’re in a state of affairs the place they’re enjoying like a bit of little bit of Stop Protection and I believe that is like I believe it is a tough factor. Once more, I talk about this stuff culturally. I don’t actually perceive politics, however I can simply perceive the individuals’s response to issues. I believe People like threat, we like people who find themselves going to take a threat. I believe that’s why we have been seduced by Bernie [Sanders] as a result of he seemed like he was taking dangers. He was on the market like f– the billionaires, f– these huge firms, they’re taking your cash. I wanna get your a refund and all of us have been like, ‘Yo, he’s gonna get killed like this man’s fireplace!’
I believe that’s the tough factor for the Democrats. They might win this so simply in the event that they made this about class. In the event that they made it a category warfare, they might win in a heartbeat. It’s really easy, however it looks as if they’re not keen to do this as a result of I believe they’ve very rich individuals donating some huge cash to them and so they don’t wish to ruffle these feathers. So now you must make it about id politics as a result of that’s the one different factor they might win in a heartbeat in the event that they made it about class. I believe you want a younger Bernie. Have a look at AOC [Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez]—once more, I don’t care what you concentrate on her politics, however there are folks that in her district voted for her and Trump. And I believe it’s as a result of individuals see her as working class and really wish to assist the working class, regardless when you assume her philosophy is correct about it.
Comic Andrew Schulz poses for a portrait on the Kookaburra Lounge in Hollywood
(Jason Armond/Los Angeles Occasions)
On the subject of having frank conversations and never being afraid to problem individuals, describe the dynamic of your podcast “Brilliant Idiots” with Charlemagne who at all times challenges your political and cultural opinions. What’s that like for you?
Dude, it’s the most effective. We’ve been doing this for over 10 years and now, he’s at all times been this like loopy famous person, however perhaps I’ve gotten a bit of bit larger after which now you might see just like the the political web sites like taking a look at our stuff and principally watching the pod and so they’re like clipping it.
However the factor that I like about it’s right here we’re these guys that like we’d disagree when it comes to politics about some issues, however like we’re mates for over a decade. It’s simply the proof like we don’t want America to be so divided. We hate one another and we’re about to combat, however we truly might be greatest mates and we will speak s— and you realize do no matter we’ve been doing for 10 years on the podcast whereas additionally disagreeing barely.
I’ve been following your profession a very long time since watching Man Code. In your pre-mustache days. What made you resolve develop facial hair as a part of your look?
Not all of us can develop a ravishing thick beard, OK, a few of us, that is all we received. [As far as what inspired it] I’ve no clue. I believe that is all I received.
To be honest, it’s an amazing mustache. There’s a fantastic artwork as a result of you’ll be able to’t go too skinny or else you appear like the principal of like Epstein Elementary.
You can also’t go too quick. That’s a giant no-no, be ready for lots of tough appears to be like [from people.]
