It’s simple to be fooled into considering Andrew Schulz resides his finest life when he’s within the highlight. Whether or not that’s on stage in entrance of 1000’s or on a display in entrance of thousands and thousands throughout an episode of considered one of his well-liked podcasts—”Flagrant” and “The Brilliant Idiots”—there are fewer issues comics need greater than his present stage of publicity. However nowadays the one factor he appears to be like ahead to is being executed in time to ditch the crowds, likes and views to go residence to his new child lady.
“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 modern black marble high bar of the Kookaburra Lounge in Hollywood. On the morning of the Oscars with media chaos swirling outdoors the Dolby Theater beneath 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 troublesome 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 constructing 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 intention at him on his multi-Grammy profitable album “GNX.” Irrespective of the place individuals stand on Schulz’s perspective on comedy, his mark on popular culture along with his punchlines has turn into unquestionable. Not too long ago, he sat down with the Instances 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 stated. “Whenever they laugh, it’s the best laugh in the world, when they smile, you melt. You would do anything for them.”
(Jason Armond/Los Angeles Instances)
How has turning into a dad or mum helped your comedy when creating new materials?
I haven’t written a single joke since I had my daughter, or for the reason that 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 rather a lot. As a result of after I was rising up, my favourite comedians would do that comedy about how they type 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 a child, each feeling you’ve is the hackiest feeling ever. Every time they chortle, it’s the perfect chortle on this planet, after they smile, you soften. You’d do something for them.
We’re on this new period of comedy the place extra comedians are speaking about being mother and father in right this moment’s world and being open and trustworthy about not solely elevating them but in addition the conceiving course of, which is the center of your particular. What was it like being so susceptible about one thing that was so private?
Cathartic. It was good to start with, it was good as a result of there are phases. After I first began writing it, I wasn’t even like writing an hour, per se. I used to be simply type 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 keep 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 do not forget that was once we first began attempting and I keep 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 exhausting to get pregnant?
I couldn’t fathom it was exhausting, you realize, my complete life has been about attempting to not get girls pregnant and the quantity of stress I might undergo and Plan B’s and all this different s—.
How do you’re feeling a particular like “Life” raises the bar in your comedy?
I don’t know, I’m, all the time simply attempting to do one thing completely 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 suppose 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 bought 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 wished them to come back in considering that is like exhausting hitting rise up for an hour and have that expectation, but in addition see if I may have a narrative layered into it.
Within the particular you discuss concerning the indignities of accumulating a sperm pattern as half attempting to get your spouse pregnant…did you suppose 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 annoyed by one thing you’re embarrassed by one thing and and you are feeling very susceptible 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 elements 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 stated. “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 Instances)
What’s it like now that you’ve got this daughter in your arms?
It’s so cliche, however it’s the perfect factor on this planet. I don’t wish to be right here. I recognize your time, don’t get me unsuitable. [I would rather be] seeing my daughter on FaceTime and like she walks up and he or she faucets her head on the cellphone 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 cellphone, which is a Soulja Boy lyric, if I’m not mistaken.
For those that observe 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.
Probably not.
Stand-up comedy appeared to play a reasonably main position within the 2025 Presidential election. Do you suppose comedy helped get Trump elected?
Do you imply by Trump occurring the podcast?
Sure particularly comedy podcasts, Trump went on a number of exhibits, together with your Flagrant podcast in addition to the Joe Rogan Expertise and Theo Von’s This Previous Weekend podcast as effectively…
I’ve a perhaps extra humble take than some which is that I don’t suppose we influenced the election in any respect. I believe individuals have been going to vote this fashion it doesn’t matter what and I believe seeing him on sure podcasts made them really feel extra comfy voicing how they have been already going to vote. I don’t suppose 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 have now that type of energy, however what he may do is make you’re feeling extra assured publicly sharing how you’re 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 stated.
(Jason Armond/Los Angeles Instances)
There’s additionally quite a lot of youthful individuals who observe you that in all probability weren’t as engaged in any election discuss 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 after I begin to type 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 normally the primary ones to complain about it as a result of it type of impacts the best way that we do our factor and that’s occurred all through historical past and normally 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’d discuss them like I can’t imagine they’re saying these items like that is so that is loopy.
So I believe the censorship in a means is type of like good for comedy, however comedians talk about it after which comedy is having a growth and that’s a mirrored image of, you realize, essentially 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 all people desires a humorous tweet, a humorous image, a humorous meme, like individuals, there’s like forex in being humorous, you realize, it’s simply type 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 stated inform me a narrative like I need private tales like inform me your relationship like don’t you need to inform me who he’s or who you suppose he’s like inform me these moments which have occurred between you guys and also you’ll discover rather a lot about that.
What was the objective of the Trump interview if you went into it and did you’re feeling such as you achieved 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 bought like the perfect interview with lots of people particularly as a result of we’re simply looking for out who you might be and make you comfy sufficient to hold with us. We’re simply attempting to have the perfect grasp 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 offer a motive?
I believe I believe they’re in a state of affairs the place they’re enjoying like a little bit little bit of Stop Protection and I believe that is like I believe it is a tough factor. Once more, I talk about these items culturally. I don’t actually perceive politics, however I can simply perceive the individuals’s response to issues. I believe Individuals like danger, we like people who find themselves going to take a danger. I believe that’s why we have been seduced by Bernie [Sanders] as a result of he regarded like he was taking dangers. He was on the market like f– the billionaires, f– these large firms, they’re taking your cash. I wanna get your a reimbursement and all of us have been like, ‘Yo, he’s gonna get killed like this man’s hearth!’
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 struggle, they’d win in a heartbeat. It’s really easy, however it looks like they’re not prepared to try 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 need to make it about identification politics as a result of that’s the one different factor they’d win in a heartbeat in the event that they made it about class. I believe you want a younger Bernie. Take a look at AOC [Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez]—once more, I don’t care what you concentrate on her politics, however there are people who 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 in case you suppose her philosophy is correct about it.
Comic Andrew Schulz poses for a portrait on the Kookaburra Lounge in Hollywood
(Jason Armond/Los Angeles Instances)
Relating to having frank conversations and never being afraid to problem individuals, describe the dynamic of your podcast “Brilliant Idiots” with Charlemagne who all the time challenges your political and cultural opinions. What’s that like for you?
Dude, it’s the perfect. We’ve been doing this for over 10 years and now, he’s all the time been this like loopy famous person, however perhaps I’ve gotten a little bit bit greater after which now you may see just like the the political web sites like 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 would disagree by way of politics about some issues, however like we’re buddies 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 will be finest buddies and we are able to discuss 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 determine develop facial hair as a part of your look?
Not all of us can develop a phenomenal thick beard, OK, a few of us, that is all we bought. [As far as what inspired it] I’ve no clue. I believe that is all I bought.
To be truthful, it’s an amazing mustache. There’s a wonderful artwork as a result of you’ll be able to’t go too skinny or else you appear to be the principal of like Epstein Elementary.
You can also’t go too brief. That’s a giant no-no, be ready for lots of tough appears to be like [from people.]