April 24, 2024 • 54 mins
How do you go from bad ass military career to the kinder, gentler and funnier world of comedy? And rose gardens? Liz Frisius, a former military intelligence officer, now a stand-up comic and voice actor, shares how she transitioned from the military to the microphone, how house hunting for veterans is just a little different, and how a cat named Archie lives high above the roses.
We reminisce about comedy greats, discuss the shifts in public discourse, and delve into how the pandemic reshaped the voice acting industry. Liz's tales from buying her first home in Arkansas to stepping onto the comedy stage in Nashville illustrate how of life's unexpected twists can make life a lot more interesting. She shares her take on the best real estate agents, the idiosyncrasies of the VA loan and why her favorite room is soundproof.
Follow Liz Frisius on the socials:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/liz.frisius
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liz.frisius/
And watch for her bringing the laughs around town:
Clean Comedy Mic at The Chill Room: https://www.thechillroomtempe.com/event-page
Comedy shows brought you by ComedySchool.com: https://www.comedyschools.com/shows/
Be sure to visit the Rose Garden and say hi to Archie! https://heritagesquarephx.org/rose-garden/
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
Hello and welcome to Arizona Laughs and Listings, the
podcast where fun and funnyfolks get together and talk
about real estate and comedy twocompletely unrelated topics
that go surprisingly welltogether.
I'm your host, kristen LeVanway, a real estate agent here in
the Phoenix metro area for 19years, as well as a local
(00:23):
stand-up comedian.
My guest today is the one andonly Liz Friesius, who retired
from the military and took thePhoenix comedy scene by storm
and oh, by the way, she's ownedmore houses than she can count.
After some audio challenges,we're finally on our podcast and
(00:45):
I'm so excited to be chattingwith Liz Friesius today, one of
my friends and heroes in thePhoenix comedy scene.
Liz, good morning, good morning.
How are you doing, kristen?
I'm doing much better now.
I have no idea what happened,but I'm glad we resolved it.
I have no idea what happened,but I'm glad we resolved it, so
thank you so much for being onmy podcast.
(01:07):
It's a new project and it'sbeen super fun, and I'm just
really excited to hear whatyou've got to say.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
Well, it is a beautiful day here in Phoenix,
arizona and, like I said, reallyappreciate the opportunity to
be on the podcast with you.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
Oh yeah, we're going to have some fun.
So I like to start off with youjust telling a little bit about
yourself.
It could be comedy, it could benot comedy.
Tell us a little bit about LizFrazius.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
People might not know Well, I grew up in the Navy.
I trained with the Army.
I spent 29 years Air Force.
No-transcript.
Speaker 1 (02:00):
I love your studio.
That studio is awesome.
What kind of voice acting.
Speaker 2 (02:06):
A little bit of everything.
I do commercial, I do narration, I do of all things at the
moment.
Political ads Never figured.
My voice would be good for that, but apparently politicians
like the way this sounds.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
You have kind of a mellow voice.
You know it's kind of asoothing but a little bit energy
on the back end voice.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
So I can see why you'd be good in commercials.
Well, that and the uh, Iusually get stereotyped in the
video games as the tough femalewarrior.
So, uh, if you've ever heard myvoice, uh, shouting something
on a battlefield, that on avideo game, that might be be me.
Oh, really Okay.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
Good to know.
So you're just a celebrityamongst those gamers, then huh.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
Well, I don't think I have a following because, as
was pointed out, part of the jobof being a voice actor is to
have your impact felt, notnecessarily to be individually
recognized.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
Oh, okay, so just kind of blend in with the game.
I don't know, it sounds verycool.
You're the only voice actorthat I know, so that's good to
know about this podcast is it'stwo very unrelated topics that
(03:29):
pair amazingly well.
I think people have very fondmemories of their very first
house and maybe fond or maybethey were terrified, I don't
know of their very first comedyshow.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
So let's hear about your first being a Navy brat and
then being in the Air Force.
The first place I ever livedwas an apartment off down in
Solana Beach in California, andthen first house I remember
living in was up in WashingtonState, O'Carper Washington.
The first house that my husbandand I ever bought was in Little
(04:02):
Rock, Arkansas, so a little bitof all over the place.
And then the first comedy showI ever did was Nashville,
Tennessee.
After I retired.
I was the ROTC commander atTennessee State University, also
their professor of aerospacestudies, and I retired from that
and turned around and walkedonto the comedy stage at Cobras
(04:23):
in downtown Nashville.
Speaker 1 (04:25):
Oh, wow.
So let's go back to your firsthouse a little bit.
So it was in Arkansas and itwas your very first house, so
tell us a little bit about it.
Was it large?
Was it new?
Did it need a lot of work?
Speaker 2 (04:40):
It was on a cul-de-sac, which was a little
strange.
Whenever you're looking for aplace, especially when you're
military, you've got a veryconstrained timeline.
You've got a couple days tofind a place to live and get
yourself completely moved,usually from one side of the
country to the other.
It could be a short move.
In this case we were movingfrom Texas.
(05:04):
My husband and I both wereactive duty military and so we
kind of got slingshotted acrossthe Air Force.
One would move, the other wouldcatch up.
Then that one would move, theother one would catch up.
So sometimes it's learning totrust your spouse on what
they're seeing in house.
They're just like hey, I founda house.
Speaker 1 (05:20):
I think it'll work.
I'm putting in an offer.
Hope you like it.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
Actually we had a real estate agent in Belleville,
illinois, who absolutelypanicked because by then my
husband and I had moved I think17 times together and he walked
in she was showing him one place.
He walks in, takes one look andsays okay, yeah, this is the
one we'll put an offer.
And she looks at him and saysdon't you want to talk to your
(05:47):
wife about it?
Maybe letters?
He says I know my wife, I knowshe'll like this one.
She actually insisted I comesee it before you could put the
bid on it.
Speaker 1 (05:58):
You think after 17 times you're like, yeah, we
probably aren't, this probablywon't be our last house, Like I
think it'll be fine, Right.
Speaker 2 (06:06):
Well, for the real estate agents, you know, granted
, it was pretty much a militarycommunity, but if you're not a
member of the military, thesurprise of you know.
Most real estate agents arethinking hey, you know, this is
a family event, families comingtogether, this is where their
life is going to be built, inthis home.
And so the shock of havingsomeone go in and go, you know,
(06:28):
literally five seconds in andgoing, yeah, this is the one
we're putting an offer.
That is such a differentculture.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
Yeah, or maybe she just hadn't been in it long
enough.
I've been in it 19 years.
I've seen everything I reallyhave.
Like nothing fazes me anymore.
Well, of course now we havevideo too, so it's not like it's
completely sight unseen you canusually get a good video of a
house before you get it.
But much more exciting to do itthat way, where you just are
(06:58):
like, oh okay, but it is a goodpoint.
Houses mean different things todifferent people, and when you
move a lot, a house is just hey,where we're going to be for a
while.
Maybe maybe it's a goodinvestment too, or maybe not,
because you're not going to bethere very long.
You just maybe want to breakeven when you get out of there.
And but for other people, theybuy one or two houses in their
(07:19):
whole life and that's it.
So it's a good point.
It means different things todifferent people.
Speaker 2 (07:25):
Now you brought up the videos.
What have you seen in 19 years?
What have you seen that'schanged as far as real estate?
Because obviously videos now,especially for the military
families or families that haveto move a lot, that's huge.
Speaker 1 (07:38):
Yeah, so it's much easier now to deal with all of
the paperwork because you don'thave to sit down and get a pen
out.
You can do it with DocuSign,electronic.
People use mobile notaries more, so if you are in two different
states, we could still get yousigned and get all the paperwork
back to title to get it closed.
(07:58):
So a lot of the technology hashelped in that regard.
The videos for most of mybuyers.
I go and video all the homes,even if they're here local.
I just think it's reallyhelpful.
It's better for me to go outand look at a bunch of houses
that aren't going to work versusthem wasting their time.
So those are things that Ithink have helped a lot.
(08:19):
And then just there's a lotmore information available
online.
So, for better or worse,sometimes it's good for people
to have more information andsometimes not.
So you know, it just depends,but I think it is helpful.
Speaker 2 (08:36):
Some of these, these technological advances- you
bring up a good point with thatdocusign, one of the things you
find it's different, Whateverstate you're moving to it is a
different home buying experience.
Speaker 1 (08:52):
It's true, it's very true.
We have different systems forrecording our deeds and so,
right there, that will dictateif you're working with an
attorney or if you're workingwith a realtor.
Yeah, it's a bit differentballgame.
And then the speed at whichthese things are done In Arizona
we're like let's get her done.
You know, 30 days, why not 21?
(09:12):
But I've done some deals wheremy clients were selling a house
somewhere else or buying a housesomewhere else, and it's like
well, well, maybe we'll get itdone in a couple of weeks.
You know, it's like really well, maybe we'll get it done in a
couple weeks.
It's like really lackadaisical.
So it's hard for us tounderstand here in Arizona.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
Well, New Jersey, I think, was probably the worst
home buying experience.
It was an attorney, it was thereal estate agent, it was my
husband and I, seven originalhand-signed copies, each
document over 40 pages long, andliterally they sat down with a
stack of ink pens, lined thisall up in a table and the real
(09:52):
estate agent was okay, everyonesign here, here and here, Shift
your copy.
Down.
Speaker 1 (10:01):
Next person.
Sign here, here and here.
Shift your copy down, oh mymare.
And you had to make sevencopies, seven originals Seven
originals over 40 pages.
Speaker 2 (10:12):
That is old school.
We joke that New Jersey is apolice state.
It's like I don't want to stayhere.
I don't want to live here afterthis.
That's just a sign right.
Any state where you're notallowed to pump your own gas.
Speaker 1 (10:26):
I don't know.
There's some states where bothparties sit down together.
Sometimes that's okay,sometimes not.
I've had, I've had clients thatwere almost ready to go to
blows and you're like no, no,we're not, we're not gonna, you
guys are, go separate cornerslike you don't need to in this
corner.
Oh my gosh, it gets heated.
(10:51):
I mean it's you know, it can beemotional for people.
So, okay, let's go to yourfirst comedy show now.
So you just randomly thoughthey, I'm a funny person, I want
to tell some jokes.
What made you go up on that?
Speaker 2 (11:04):
stage.
Actually, my parents were mucholder.
My husband and I are the sameage.
My parents are 10 years olderthan his.
So I grew up with the oldvaudevillians.
I grew up with Burns and Allen.
I grew up with Marx Brothers.
I grew up with the KeystoneCops, harold Lloyd those are who
(11:25):
I was familiar with when myhusband and I dated.
We were always going to thecomedy shows.
We were at the Air ForceAcademy, we'd go to a comedy
show on the weekends and we'dbeen going to comedy shows for
our entire marriage.
And so one night I'm working atthe Pentagon.
Get home he says hey, I've gottickets to this improv show up
at Comedy Stop in Annandale.
(11:45):
Okay, fantastic, like mostimprov shows, they say listen.
Well, as audience input, wedon't drag people on stage.
That's not what we do.
Well, the smart mouth support.
You know the smart aleck streakof my personality showed up you
, liz Aren't you, it's not so.
(12:07):
But yeah, they brought up.
The first question they askedwas favorite food.
I entered service from NewMexico.
I answered rattlesnake Okay.
Second question they asked wasname an activity.
I said underwater basketweaving and yes, that is tougher
than it looks.
I used to scuba dive so I knowthat is far more difficult than
(12:28):
people think.
Speaker 1 (12:30):
For clarity, did not make that up.
Actual experience underwaterbasket weaving.
Speaker 2 (12:36):
We don't see that on a lot of resumes.
That's for sure.
When someone asks you you know,name something around the house
that needs to be fixed and yourresponse is the cat.
10 minutes of that.
They dragged me on stage andkept me on stage for the rest of
the show.
Wow, they created a monsterthat day.
Speaker 1 (12:56):
So you were hooked.
Sometimes.
That's what happened with me.
It was one time and I was likeI love this so much.
Speaker 2 (13:04):
Well, I went to one open mic and I was like I love
this so much.
Well, I went to one open mic.
I was still active duty at thetime.
I went to one open mic atPolitics and Prose in Washington
DC and realized that I bettertable stand-up comedy until I
was retired.
Oh yeah, I figured I'd getmyself court-martialed before I
was done.
Speaker 1 (13:22):
Yeah, I would guess that military and comedy does
not pair as well as real estateand comedy Guessing.
Speaker 2 (13:31):
Well, it can, depending.
But obviously there's certaintopics that you know.
The military we're not.
There's certain things we arenot allowed to say and it's part
of the regulations, it's partof what you do when you serve
and there's a reason for it.
The military is expected to beapolitical.
You know, a lot of times you'llsee one political party trying
(13:53):
to claim the military supportsthe other political party.
My generation of militaryespecially, we were raised with
what was called the MarshallSchool of Thought, the George C
Marshall School of Thought, andthat was the military is a
political.
Your job is to serve, it is not.
You are not there to make yourpolitical opinions known.
And uh, that changed, probablyin 1996.
Speaker 1 (14:18):
Yeah.
I think the whole politicalclimate changed around then.
It seemed like it was thebeginning of where we are now.
Not to go down that pathbecause we want this to be
lighthearted, but I feel likewhat you're saying rings true
not just in the military, but ingeneral.
Things changed around then.
Speaker 2 (14:38):
Well, you and I've talked before we're.
We're same generation, and whenyou and I were kids, it was the
three things you don't talkabout in public.
You don't talk sex, religion orpolitics.
That was just polite.
You didn't bring those upbecause you were going to divide
people.
The point of conversation wasto bring people together and so
to see that change.
You know, the youngergeneration is shocked when I
(15:01):
tell them.
It's like, yeah, we were raised.
You don't talk sex, religion orpolitics.
What's the primary conversationwe see nowadays?
Sex, religion and politics.
Speaker 1 (15:10):
And there's so many other things.
Speaker 2 (15:12):
So, yeah, there's, there's so much more to life,
and so it's.
It's one where you know, Ifigured, okay, you know I love
comedy life, and so it's onewhere you know I figured, okay,
you know I love comedy, and so Iset it on the back burner and,
no kidding, I was in thePentagon and they sent us to
training.
This is true, they do send usto training to teach us how to
be civilians.
And yes, I did go to remedialtraining.
I make a lousy civilian, but inthe Pentagon.
(15:35):
The first time I took the class,I was in the Pentagon and they
said, well, what are you goingto be when you grow up?
And one of our guys said, oh, Ifly F-18s.
I'm going to continue to flywhen I'm a civilian.
One guy said, oh, I do IT, I'mgoing to work computers when I
get out.
They got to me.
I said I'm a militaryintelligence officer and I'm
going to be a stand-up comic.
To this day, the single biggestscream of laughter I've ever
(16:01):
gotten was in the Pentagon,saying that I was going to be a
stand-up comic.
Speaker 1 (16:04):
Oh man, no faith.
Speaker 2 (16:06):
No faith.
The second class I took, one ofthe colonels pulled me aside.
He says usually creativity getssocially normed out of military
personnel.
When you're in.
For as long as I've been in, hesays everybody else here is
doing the same thing.
They did pretty much when theywere in, whether it's
firefighter or pilot, or youknow computers.
He says you didn't.
(16:27):
He says how did that happen?
Speaker 1 (16:34):
It was your destiny, it was, and I'm glad that it
ended up that way, because Ithink you've done, you've had a
big impact in Phoenix comedy andit's nice.
The thing about the comedyscene and I'm sure this is true
no matter where you are isthere's all different walks of
life that participate in comedy,and so these different
(16:57):
perspectives I find veryinteresting, and yours is super
unique.
Let's be honest, it really is,and it just I don't know.
It's just cool that you canbring that to the table.
Speaker 2 (17:08):
It's all about the vest, it's all about the vest.
Speaker 1 (17:11):
Notice that you're wearing your vest.
That's awesome.
I mean, I'm assuming you don'talways wear a vest every day,
wherever you go.
Speaker 2 (17:18):
Most days I actually do.
The only time you probablywon't see me in a vest is when
I'm down at the garden.
I am a rose gardener for downin downtown Phoenix and so
that's although.
Yes, I actually was wearing myvest yesterday.
But yeah, typically I do wear avest.
Quite often it's not a stageprop.
I do know a lot of comics use avest or a hat as stage props.
(17:41):
This is actually this is theway I dress, so my sense of
style is dubious.
Speaker 1 (17:49):
It's your unique signature style and I think you
rock it very well.
Speaker 2 (17:54):
Hey, whoever you are, whatever you look like, own it,
be proud of it, because there'sno one else who brings you to
the world be the best you youcan.
Speaker 1 (18:02):
Be all right, we're gonna move on to our favorite
rooms, not my favorite room,your favorite rooms.
So this is your favorite roomin your house and your favorite
room to perform in oh, favoriteroom in the house.
Speaker 2 (18:21):
That's a fun because I love where my husband and I
are at the moment.
It's, you know, it really is.
In the morning I love being inthe studio, the obviously you
know, soundproofing and all therest.
This has just been a greatplace to work.
In the evenings, you know,sitting down in a couple of
(18:43):
chairs with my husband and justsitting there talking over
what's going on for the day.
At that point in time that's myfavorite room, oh yeah, now
tell us about your soundproofroom.
Speaker 1 (18:53):
It's obviously, I'm assuming, when you bought the
house, it did not come with asoundproof room.
Speaker 2 (18:58):
I'm assuming when you bought the house it did not
come with a soundproof room?
No, no, actually, in Nashville,in Nashville, tennessee, that
was one of the big surprises inNashville was there are
professional music studios builtinto houses.
It's a selling point.
So when you're going to a city,when you're looking at, okay,
what is it I'm going to do, youmight be surprised to find some
(19:18):
very interesting things inhouses that there's no other
place that I've ever moved wherea music studio, a full up music
studio, floating floors, allthe bells and whistles, the
extra outlets, the soundproofing.
The one place I was so shockedbecause somebody had actually
(19:39):
installed a guitar humidor Wow,which my husband's a guitarist.
But both of us are looking atthat going, wow, that's next
level, way more than what weneed.
Speaker 1 (19:53):
I've heard of it in LA.
I've heard of it in LA thatpeople will have studios in
their homes as well, but it'svery niche-y, for sure.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
Well, covid changed a lot of that for the voice
community With voice acting.
What we found was peoplecouldn't go into the studios and
so it became how do you do homerecording?
How do you start up this?
How do you keep your professiongoing?
How do you keep your craftgoing when?
How do you keep your craftgoing when you physically can't
(20:20):
make contact?
And so a lot of us did homeinstallations and now we can
record and edit, you know, rightat home.
There's also SourceConnect, soa lot of the stuff got
outsourced.
I still for doing demos, Istill go into a full-up studio.
For my last demo I actuallywent all the way out to Burbank
(20:40):
and that's when you're going.
Okay, I know the clientele I'mlooking at for this.
I want background music putwith it.
I want the subject matterexpert.
This is not just an auditionwhere I'm going okay, here's the
voice on a nice clean take.
It's I want the backgroundmusic.
It's.
It's a tech level that I'm.
It's way beyond me right.
Speaker 1 (21:02):
A little higher production quality or production
level would be probablynecessary to itself yeah it's
not it's do so much, but there'speople who that's their whole
livelihood, so obviously they'regoing to be able to put it.
Speaker 2 (21:17):
Put all that, the bells and whistles in there for
you plus, when you have a, whenyou have a director who's
standing there saying, okay, Ineed you to, I need you to
emphasize this, I need you toreally get the emotion of this
one, when you've got thedirector right there going okay,
we need another take, okay,let's, let's do this till we've
got this not just right but justnailed.
(21:37):
How did you get into voiceacting?
Well, when I first got out ofthe military, as I've told you,
you know, I make a terriblecivilian and I really struggled,
existing.
I'm useful to not being noticed, being my job in the military
as an intelligence officer.
You're not supposed to benoticeable, and so I've kind of
(21:59):
been used to living my lifequietly, you know, staying out
of the public eye, being asunobtrusive as possible, and so
struggling.
(22:19):
It's one of the reasons why Ibecame a comic.
How do you exist in the publiceye when you're not used to
being in public?
And so voiceover became a verygreat job to have, where all of
a sudden it's like okay, I don'tneed to be physically seen,
people can still get the effectof the work I'm doing, but they
don't have to see me.
And so it was a nice occupationto have, and still is a great
(22:43):
occupation to have Just changingfrom not being seen to being in
comedy.
You're seen.
Speaker 1 (22:51):
Oh yeah, you're seen from a vulnerable position that
most people do not experience.
So you're seen inside and out,often when you're on the comedy
stage.
So that's a good transition,though, to go just, it's just my
voice.
It's just my voice.
Speaker 2 (23:11):
You don't need to see this.
You just need to hear the voiceand get whatever it is that I'm
trying to convey Exactly.
Speaker 1 (23:18):
All right.
So favorite rooms in your house.
It sounds like your favoriterooms in your house are more
related to what you're doingthan your surroundings, so
that's neat that your houseaccommodates both of those
things.
What about your favorite roomsto perform in?
Speaker 2 (23:35):
Oh, my absolute all-time favorite room
unfortunately no longer existsand that would have been El
Charo Hipster.
Oh yeah, night of the night of72 comics.
(24:03):
They taped off 12 feet from thestage.
We had 10 comics in from la,including three nationally
touring headliners.
We had a comic from maine.
They stayed open till two inthe morning.
Everybody's outside.
You got the 12 feet to thestage.
Somebody's on stage, but theydid that.
They were actually the reasonwhy the comedy scene in Phoenix
thrived as well as it did.
We were one of the first placesthat people could perform and I
(24:25):
think I joked with the familyat El Charro Hipsters, with
Peralta's.
I joked with them regularlythat they accidentally became
the biggest comedy club in allof Arizona, and they may have
been.
I can't confirm this.
They may have been the biggestcomedy club in the Western half
of the United States.
Speaker 1 (24:45):
Wow, that's funny, I've been there a few times and
it's not what you would expectfor a comedy club, but it's the
vibe and the support from theowners the ownership for sure.
It was very sad that that wentdown.
Another small business struckdown by.
We won't even go there.
Speaker 2 (25:05):
Well, it's one of the things where what I treasure
about that time frame and a lotof comics didn't realize this
they actually, during COVID,when they weren't sure if they
were going to financiallysurvive, they still were
providing free meals to artists,comics and musicians who
couldn't afford to eat.
Wow, and they did not.
(25:28):
You know that wasn't trumpetedany place, but they knew the
comics personally, they knew theones that were struggling and
they made sure that they had ahealthy meal.
And I look at that and go,that's the heart and soul you
want in Phoenix.
They were heart and soul ofstandup comedy forever and a day
(25:48):
.
And I still am hoping that theydo bring back El Charro Hipster
2.
I don't know if that's in theworks, they were talking about
it, but if they are going tobring it back, um, I need to
touch base and see if that'sthat would be amazing.
Speaker 1 (26:04):
Yeah, are they.
Is the space still available orwould they have to move
somewhere else?
Speaker 2 (26:09):
no, I'm talking with francisco.
He said that, uh, you know,being in that circumstance again
where you've got a out-of-statelandlord who doesn't understand
the community, who doesn'tunderstand that this is a
reinvestment in the art districtin Phoenix, and so there's
always conflicting interests ithappens.
(26:30):
It's lousy when it happens likethat, but he said that if he
ever was going to bring it backagain, he wanted to do a
standalone business that heowned, because then you don't
have the question about okay,has the landlord now, has, you
know, has a business landlord,which is very different from a
home landlord, but how thatbusiness landlord changed what
(26:53):
they want to do with theproperty.
When you're one of the tenantsthere and your business, your
livelihood, everything else isbuilt on that.
So I'm still hoping to hearthat they're going to bring it
back, because that will be thefiesta of the century if they
come back.
Speaker 1 (27:10):
Yes, we were talking last night you know my little
Jared's coffee, tea and gallery.
We were reflecting We've gotthe two mics every week, two
comedy shows just at Jared's andthen at Nile James Under
Barnett's been running showsthere.
There's another show that I'veseen once there and then the
(27:31):
neighborhood comedy theater andwe were just commenting that's
like the most densely populatedcomedy venue street that there
is.
We need to embrace that and getthat going and maybe develop
some more comedy because, yeah,having a supportive place where
artists can go and work on theircraft, I think it's impactful
(27:58):
more than people realize, notjust for the people but for any
audience members.
You know, anybody that comesand gets to experience that and
it's you know, it's not allabout Netflix specials and arena
shows and all that kind ofstuff the local talent, whether
it's art, you know, comedians,musicians, I think it's art.
(28:18):
You know comedians, musicians,I think it's magical.
Speaker 2 (28:20):
So little places like that need to be supported we've
got the long laugh line goinghere in phoenix.
I mean, when you look at it,you've got, you've got michael
longfellow.
Now on saturday night live,he's a phoenix comic right.
You've got mary upchurch andray earl Earl, who've gone to
Las Vegas and are just makingstrides in comedy.
Speaker 1 (28:42):
You've got.
Speaker 2 (28:42):
Celia Contreras, who's over in Austin now, right,
and they all came out of thecreative pool that is Phoenix.
Yes, and you look at ourconnection to the local
businesses.
People had a long day.
They need something to laugh at.
Speaker 1 (28:56):
Exactly.
Yeah, it's awesome.
All right, let's talk aboutreal estate for a little bit
People.
Right now the real estatemarket is in Phoenix anyway,
it's pretty stable and I thinkthat's surprising to a lot of
people.
The interest rates going up.
People are thinking I'll neverbe able to afford a house.
(29:18):
People are convinced that thehome prices are going to crash
and basically when I look atstats, that's not what I see.
But I'm just curious whatyou're seeing and feeling and
hearing out there in real estateland.
Speaker 2 (29:35):
Well, like I said, it's always a little strange
having a military background onit.
Working at the park, obviouslyI know a lot of the outdoors
population, especially in thatarea.
I know them by name and talkingwith them and going okay, what
are your thoughts on this?
In some cases it's not an easyquestion.
(29:58):
One of the gentlemen that I seeon a daily basis.
He actually helps me look afterthe garden.
He physically does not want tolive indoors.
He's had an apartment twice Forhim, out of doors living.
That's who he is heart and soul.
That is his choice.
He is very proud of it.
(30:18):
So it's not, you know, whenpeople say, oh, there's not
enough housing, well, a lot oftimes there is.
Now the question is where arepeople looking?
You know we don't know thecircumstance going on behind a
lot of people.
You know there's differentcircumstances all over.
Are you living in an extendedfamily situation?
Are you living in an apartmentsituation?
Are you renting?
(30:38):
Are you buying?
It's all different, you know,and it's it's the give and take.
Where is the job?
Do you want to be close to yourjob?
In my husband's case, I don'tmind driving.
I grew up all over the nation.
If you've got to drive fivehours.
You drive five hours In myhusband's case he grew up in New
(30:59):
England Anything more than aseven minute drive is a trek.
I was so surprised the firsttime I drove in New England.
I went up there and it's myfirst time driving and I was
confused because in New England,at least in the area I was at,
all the towns ran together.
I was through four towns anddidn't for me.
I'm looking at it, going wow, Ididn't realize this town was so
(31:20):
big.
Well, no, I was through fourtowns.
Speaker 1 (31:23):
Because they're a lot of little small towns, right,
they're like little hamlets orsomething.
Speaker 2 (31:29):
So it's one of what are people looking to do and one
of the challenges that I'veseen and this used to drive me
batty.
I was in Washington DC.
We were working with a realestate agent and we told the
gentleman, because I was thereon that real short timeline I've
(31:50):
got three days, that's it.
I said, okay, here's thenon-negotiables.
I said I want sanity in thekitchen, so it's not a safety
hazard.
You know what does that meanfor me.
That means here's the sink,here's the stove.
I'm not having to turn 180degrees around to take a pan of
boiling water and turn 180degrees around and risk tripping
over someone or something.
Speaker 1 (32:11):
Which is worth mentioning.
In those older areas we're usedto Phoenix where houses look
pretty normal, maybe the old oldhouses are from the 50s, but
some of those houses they'reused to Phoenix where houses
look pretty normal, maybe theold old houses are from the
fifties, but some of thosehouses that are built like in
the early 1900s or the 1800s arelike I don't get it.
So that's something you mighthave to.
You might have to say I wantsomething that's maybe like
(32:32):
modern and functional.
Speaker 2 (32:34):
I told him that.
I said and the cost here is thebudget, do not ask to increase
the budget, this is the budget.
And then for the next sevenhours the guy was doing that
Well, can we massage this number, can we raise this number?
Can we work with this number?
Can we Seven hours of that?
Speaker 1 (32:53):
and we fired him as a real estate agent.
Speaker 2 (33:04):
That was I got done, done.
I called my husband.
I said he would not quit.
I said every single time andkept saying oh well, I don't
think I'm gonna find what you'relooking for.
And between that and the, canwe massage the number?
Can we increase the number?
Can we adjust the number?
Can we raise the number?
Every it's increase the number?
Can we adjust the number?
Can we raise the number?
Speaker 1 (33:28):
It's like are you a thesaurus?
Speaker 2 (33:29):
No, well, so you know did you find what you were
looking for within your budget.
Yeah, I drove around that night.
I drove around that night,found three places called the
real estate agent.
Because my husband called upthe guy, I said I can fire him
on my own if you'd like and hesays no, I'll take care of it.
He figured that was probably agood call.
My husband is much morediplomatic, but he calls up the
real estate agent and said,listen, this is just not working
(33:51):
for us.
So thank you so much for yourtime, but we're done.
I found three places, allwithin our budget, all described
as what we were looking for,called the real estate agent
sitting out in front of one ofthem and there had been a bid
put on that one.
He showed us two more, he saysand, by the way, there's this
other one, I think is exactlywhat you're looking for.
(34:13):
We drove out the next day.
He showed it to us.
Guess what?
We bought the place herecommended.
Speaker 1 (34:18):
Yeah, how hard was that.
Speaker 2 (34:20):
It was under our budget and it had exactly what
we were looking for.
And you just go.
This is not rocket science.
For the best real estate agentsthey're the ones who listen.
For the worst real estateagents they know what they want
and they're going to.
Speaker 1 (34:44):
Exactly, it sounds like you saw both extremes on
that house shopping trip.
Speaker 2 (34:45):
And so what about your house buying experience?
Here this was.
It was a big surprise, mainlybecause we were doing a VA loan
for the house and we looked at afew places.
We had a.
This the home we bought iswe're the second owners we're
the second owners, but the firstpeople to live in the house.
(35:08):
oh wow, it had been sittingempty six months.
The previous owner had had itbuilt and then he got reassigned
with his job, he got sent toSeattle and so he he had the
house built.
He was the first owner of it.
It sat empty for six months.
My husband and I were bothsurprised.
It's like, wait a minute,nobody's bought this place.
(35:31):
So we bought it and then foundout from the VA loan and this is
where you know find out thatour real estate agent wasn't
familiar with VA loans.
The issue became because it wasnew construction, nobody had
lived in the house.
Yes, we were the second owners,but nobody lived here.
We no longer could use a VAloan for that, wow.
(35:55):
So we had to go back and shiftwhat type of loan we were doing.
Speaker 1 (36:00):
Oh, that's a bummer, because that VA loan is such a
great benefit.
It's the best loan.
I mean it's a good deal.
Speaker 2 (36:09):
But it was one of those where you look at it and
go, okay, well, let's workthrough this.
It's like anything else it's asstressful or unstressful as you
want it to be sometimes.
And the fact that our realestate agent was so honest when
he came back and said guys, Iscrewed this up, I didn't
realize that not having someonelive there, we were both.
(36:33):
It's like, hey, we didn'trealize we're the second owners.
This shouldn't be an issue.
Yeah, but nobody's living there.
Speaker 1 (36:41):
Definitely an unusual situation Very much, but it
worked out for you.
It definitely worked out, sothat's good.
Would you say that?
Over how many houses do youthink you've owned?
Speaker 2 (36:56):
Oh my gosh, over the years, the buying and selling,
I've lost track.
Oh my gosh, I've completelylost track.
I think the weirdest onebecause, obviously, 2006,.
Everybody talks about realestate market going under and so
because of that, we ended uprenting out that home.
(37:17):
Because both of us got orderswe had to move, but the market's
upside down, you got to survivethat.
So we rented that out.
Well, we'd been assigned awayfrom there and then to a
different location and then gotsent back to Washington DC.
Oh, and so the issue was we hadtenants in the house, we had
(37:40):
the military clause, but myhusband and I are both looking
at it going.
You know, we've had to moveoften enough.
The family's got kids, thefamily's stable there, the kids
are in school there, while wehave the right, the military
clause that says we can tell ourtenants you need to move out in
the next 30 days.
And I just looked at each otherand went no, leave them there,
(38:03):
they're stable.
We actually rented a place eventhough we owned a home nearby,
so we rented for that assignment.
It's like that.
It's just you look at and gookay, what's in the best
interest of everybody here?
This is a temporary assignmentfor us this is so, you know they
.
They stayed until until thefamily got their own assignment
(38:25):
to another location.
Speaker 1 (38:27):
Oh, they were a military family as well.
Speaker 2 (38:29):
Yeah, I'm trying to remember, because that was 2000.
God, I'm forgetting what yearthat was.
Yeah, that's the problem with29 years of service and you sit
here and go.
Okay, it was three times inWashington DC.
Which time was that?
Speaker 1 (38:48):
I think it's common.
I was just with my son and hisgirlfriend yesterday and we were
trying to remember dates fromyou know, the last five, seven
years or something like that.
Like when did that happen?
And it's you know what Timeflies when you're having fun and
it just all kind of blendstogether.
It means you're having a goodlife, I think.
Speaker 2 (39:07):
I love the comment.
I forget who it was that madeit that being at home it's like
having a blanket that you justcan pull around your shoulders,
kick off your shoes, sit backand relax.
Your home is your haven fromthe world, from all the insanity
, and so to have it set up whereyou know it's safely set up,
(39:27):
it's functional, and then youcan let your personality come
out and just enjoy it.
Speaker 1 (39:39):
Right, yeah, you can just let your hair down
especially in a soundproof room.
Speaker 2 (39:48):
Actually, the funny thing about this and I had a
good laugh because one of myvoice coaches uh, back when I
was I was going through theorientation and the training for
it and he always laughed hesaid he says of all the
characters that a voice actorcan do, he says so help me.
Says if anybody is ever castingfor the baroness out of gi joe,
he says if anybody is evercasting for the Baroness out of
GI Joe, he says I'm calling you.
Oh wow, the colors of my studiohere the soundproofing in the
(40:10):
studio are actually in thecolors the Baroness is costume.
Speaker 1 (40:14):
Oh boy, Is that a good news or a bad news that
you're being typecast by thischaracter?
Speaker 2 (40:21):
Well, I always have a little bit of a laugh when it
comes to characters, because inthe case of, I've played
everything from a scared olderwoman in a hazardous
neighborhood to a oh my gosh,you know the comic book
character or the video gamecharacter on the battlefield to
(40:42):
a political ad to.
You know you look at the variousranges that you can do.
It's always fun to see therange that you can get as a
voice actor compared to okay, Ido dinner detective.
I love it.
It's a lot of fun.
But I guess who got typecast asthe murderous?
Oh, is that you.
Speaker 1 (41:02):
You're usually the murderous.
Speaker 2 (41:05):
No, I'm actually I do the host.
I'm now a detective and a hostas well.
But when I started out and Ican understand it because
physically I'm, when I'm wearingmy boots, I'm standing over
five foot 10.
Yeah, depending on the heightof the heels of my boots, I'm
either five, 10 or six foot two,you know, and here I am that
(41:25):
large of a female and they'regoing.
We have a female murderess.
Yeah, and you're convincing.
I played the murderous so manytimes.
The first, the first year, Idid dinner detective and it was
so much fun.
But uh, it's nice having thegreater range now in voice
acting where you can go okay,one day I'm a comic book
(41:46):
character, the next day I'm avideo game character.
Then I turn around and I'mdoing a political voiceover and
sometimes you'll get.
We had one that was called in.
I didn't get this one, but itwas for a message for a 50th
anniversary.
It was the voiceover for a 50thanniversary video.
Speaker 1 (42:04):
So a nice, sweet, loving voice.
You missed out on that one, huh.
Speaker 2 (42:11):
Well, it's one where as I've pulled a couple I've put
in I was applying for one ofthe ads and I posted it for my
fellow voice actors out of TimPower's mic droppers and one
lady says wait a minute, you'reperfect for this role, aren't
you auditioning for it?
I said, well, yes, but if I'mnot who they're looking for, let
(42:33):
me help them find the rightvoice.
Let me help them find the voicethat they have, that they're
looking for, and in Tim Powersthat is.
That is never a bad thing.
We refer each other and itreally is.
Help the client find what bestsuits them.
Help them have a positiveexperience.
(42:55):
My suspicion is for you, being19 years in real estate
obviously successful real estateagent the helping your client
find what works best for them,exactly.
Speaker 1 (43:06):
Yeah, it's not about me, it's about them, unlike your
price-obsessed real estateagent.
That's really I don't know.
That's not the best way, Ithink, to serve the client's
needs.
But you know, whatever you wantto do, whatever you want to
base your business on, I guess,but that's not how.
Speaker 2 (43:26):
I operate.
Well, the best real estateagents I ever had were just the
voice of reason.
They knew good contractors tocall if you had to.
We went to sell a house If youhad to have repair work done.
They had key points of contact.
They had the network.
They knew an honest assessmentof here's what I think would be
(43:48):
a good selling price.
Here's what's a good askingprice.
They know the market and whenthey're bringing in clients to
view a home or in the case ofwe're buying one and they're
looking to sell the home,knowing and listening to that
client the best real estateagents I ever had.
It was so seamless, they wereso gracious and just fun to work
(44:10):
with.
Speaker 1 (44:11):
Yeah, it can make a big difference in the experience
and the success of thetransaction.
If you have a good agent andthen, of course, if you don't,
you have the bad one, then itcan really make it difficult and
it can end up costing you a lotof money too.
I mean, you can end up in areally bad spot.
So it's it's definitely worthchoosing the right person to
(44:34):
represent you.
Speaker 2 (44:35):
We had a wonderful gentleman, john Wurtz, up in New
Jersey and he went to show usthis home.
The family was still home whenwe got there.
The father had already moved.
He was actually I forget whatline of work he was in, he
wasn't military but the familywas moving.
And so the mom is trying to setup the rest of the move,
because the dad was alreadymoved and at his job and she had
(44:58):
stayed and the kids werewrapping up school and
everything else, school andeverything else.
And her 15 year old son wasstruggling with the move and was
acting out.
And you know, our real estateagent walked up.
He says, oh, should we comeback?
He was so gracious about it.
And she says no, no, come on in.
And she started apologizingbecause she hadn't gotten the
(45:21):
house to where she wanted it andher son was very much
struggling.
She finally asked her son canyou please quit doing this, just
go upstairs for a little bit?
And he pulled out his guitarand started jamming, oh wow.
And watching John Wurtz, andthis was, oh my gosh, this was
(45:42):
our real estate agent in 2003.
I still remember his name.
That tells you how much of apositive experience it was.
Speaker 1 (45:49):
Exactly.
Speaker 2 (45:51):
He was immediately reassuring the mom and just you
know it's great to have asoundtrack to hear, you know, to
show the home.
Your son's a fantastic playerand just he made her comfortable
and us comfortable.
We bought the home.
It was just a wonderful familyto work with and wonderful real
estate agent to work with.
Speaker 1 (46:12):
Makes a big difference.
It does.
It's an emotional process, andI think people need to remember
that.
There's usually big reasons whypeople are moving.
Some of them are good, some ofthem are not that good, so got
to all keep that in mind.
All right, we're going to moveon now to what's coming up, and
I want you to share the myriadof things that you do.
(46:35):
Because you have so many things, I'm going to just jot them
down.
I want to list everythingyou're doing, because it's just
hard to keep track.
So are you still?
Speaker 2 (46:46):
doing Dinner Detective.
I am still doing DinnerDetective and so I'm actually
doing the show this comingSaturday, and so I'll do Dinner
Detective.
I'm playing a detective thistime.
I'll go immediately from DinnerDetective.
I got permission from my bossto leave the casting all call at
the end a little bit early.
(47:07):
We'll do the full show, butthen I will immediately turn
around and go to Mic Drop Mania.
I'm a semi-finalist at Mic DropMadness.
Yes, so I'll be on that show at9.30.
And then at the moment I'mstill tending the, the uh Rose
garden down at heritage squareand at the moment I am dusting
(47:29):
off my hat from decades ago whenI ran animal rescue.
Uh, we have a.
Somebody abandoned a littlekitten down at the square and
Archie is not part.
We have a community of catsthere, so I do look after the
cats down there.
Uh, they all belong there.
We have 10 of them that are inresidence and somebody abandoned
two cats down there and archieis this little fuzzy black cat.
(47:52):
He's called archie because hearches his back to get petted,
but he's three stories up thelath arboretum and we're I've
spent the last three days tryingto get him down.
He's like trapped up there.
He has.
Uh, he's get him down.
He's like trapped up there.
He's got water up there, he'sgot food up there.
We've called animal rescue.
Animal rescue couldn't figureout how to get up there, so
(48:16):
we're working on getting Archieoff the Lathar Parade at the
moment.
Oh, poor little guy.
Yeah, it's just been crazy, know, still still hiking, still
doing you know all of that,still doing voice acting and um,
oh, my goodness, what else isgoing on?
Speaker 1 (48:35):
you're producing quite a few shows, right, are
you still?
Oh, yes, next uh next year.
Speaker 2 (48:42):
I'm actually apprenticed to tony visick, uh,
learning the business of comedy.
I've been his apprentice forthe last couple years and I'm
now producing shows, uh, withhim under the tempe comedy
concert series at tempe centerfor the arts.
So our next show is marchmadness, which is 20 comics
going up for a 300 prize.
It's the People's Choice Award,people's Choice.
Speaker 1 (49:04):
Award yes.
Speaker 2 (49:07):
We heard from Funniest Comic in the Valley
last year that the audiencewanted the ability to be able to
choose one of the finalists.
So one night, march 29th, tempeCenter for the Arts at 730, we
are going to be putting 20comics up, $300 prize for the
winner and a guaranteed finalistspot in Funniest Comic in the
Valley.
Speaker 1 (49:27):
Oh wow, that's the show that you're running out of
the Ahwatukee.
Speaker 2 (49:34):
Yep.
Funniest Comic in the Valleywill kick off April 9th at
Cactus Jacks in Ahwatukee, okay,and then we also have the Clean
Comedy Workout workout, whichis a g-rated comedy mic at uh,
down at the chill room in tempe,which is a wonderful.
It reminds me so much of elcharro hipster, because it's mom
(49:55):
, dad and two sons that run thechill room.
It's a non-alcoholic venue.
It's got wonderful meaningplaces.
It basically is meant to be aplace to reconnect with people
and he's bringing it as an artcenter to Tempe with music,
poetry and then comedy.
We do our stand-up comedy.
Next one's going to be April18th and so, yep, april 18th.
(50:17):
Thursday, april 18th, at seveno'clock we'll be back at the
chill room and then June 7th ismy, my next full production.
Uh.
First full production was, uh,that was phoenix arrives, which
was all of our award-winningcomics from all the comedy
competition in phoenix andactually one of them from tucson
(50:37):
and uh.
So that was my first full-upproduction.
Second full-up production willbe top Brass, which is a
veteran's show.
It's civilians are welcome tocome, but we've got a lineup of
military veteran comics who aregoing to be on stage.
Sid Smith will be joining us,josh Novy will be joining us,
(50:58):
matt Broom will be there, andwe've got just a spectacular
lineup going for that one.
Nice and that's going to be ourseventh.
So acular lineup going for thatone nice seventh.
So you're busy, gal.
Speaker 1 (51:12):
Yep graphics design work still going on too, so I
still do the graphics design.
It's just amazing thinkingabout that one, though.
Your your counselor when youwere exiting the military,
thinking it was so hilariousthat you could actually have a
career in comedy.
And look at you, I think itworked out pretty well.
Speaker 2 (51:29):
Oh, I love it, I absolutely love it yeah.
Speaker 1 (51:32):
It's, it's fun and there's great people in this
community and, uh, I don't know.
It's just, it's a cool.
It's a cool experience If youget the chance to, to get
involved with comedy, I thinknow, you've got a couple of
you've got a couple of you.
Speaker 2 (51:46):
Well, you've got the new show down at jared's and
you've got.
You know, you've got you'regonna be on that?
Speaker 1 (51:51):
why?
Uh, who you call an old?
That's pretty fun all comedies,all comedians over the age of
50, and that's been really fun.
So we've had we've had twoshows of that so far and then
that's what she said theall-female comedy show that
started in 2018 back in ChrisZucker's Comedy Off Main Street
(52:16):
little comedy club in downtownMesa.
So in fact, it's interestingbecause we started that, because
the female comedians werereally marginalized in the
Phoenix comedy community.
They were really being treatedpoorly, marginalized.
In the phoenix comedy community.
They were really being treatedpoorly, and I look now at how
many powerful females areproducing their own shows,
calling the shots.
It's the landscape has changeda lot for, I think, the the
(52:36):
female comedians in this, thatin this city, so I think that's
really good.
Good to see positive change.
Speaker 2 (52:44):
You run a great show and jared's is just a great spot
.
It's an absolute great spot.
And you know here's the otherthing that a lot of people don't
realize you were the visionarybehind the comic relief for
jared's oh right and to set up,you know for, for a business
that's going, oh my gosh, you am, I going to make it through
(53:05):
this financial crisis and youset up.
That was what 12 hours ofcomedy 10 hours.
Speaker 1 (53:12):
Yeah Well, 40 comedians.
Yeah, yep, that was fun.
And then I had COVID, so Ididn't get to go.
That was so lame, that was solame.
Speaker 2 (53:24):
And then you know people wonder about how, on one
hand, we've got people who lovecomedy, because you're bringing
people in and helping businessesstay alive and creating a
vibrant art scene.
And then we also got that wasthe day of the infamous bomb
threat.
Speaker 1 (53:41):
Yes, that was a crazy day it was crazy, that was just
insanity.
Speaker 2 (53:44):
But you know, here's the thing that supported the
local community Comedy eithersupported the local community.
Jared's is still there.
It's a beautiful thing.
Speaker 1 (53:52):
It is, it really is, and yay for us for doing our
little part to make it a littlebit better.
Well, this has been amazing.
Can you believe we've beentalking for almost an hour?
Speaker 2 (54:04):
It doesn't feel like it.
Speaker 1 (54:05):
It's because we never talk.
We have to get, we have to havecoffee sometime or something
and catch up.
Speaker 2 (54:11):
We don't have to always do it on a podcast.
Speaker 1 (54:15):
Oh, but it was great catching up with you.
Thank you so much for doingthis and honestly, I would love
to just sit down with you andjust just chill out and have
some, some conversation, causeyou're really really cool person
that I really enjoyed talkingwith and counting as a friend.
So thanks for being here.
Speaker 2 (54:32):
I look forward to it.
I look forward to it.
Thank you so much for having meon the podcast today.
Speaker 1 (54:38):
You can catch Liz at the dinner, detective comedy
shows all across the Valley orjust hanging with the cats at
the phoenix rose garden.
Hello and welcome to Arizona Laughs and Listings, the
podcast where fun and funnyfolks get together and talk
about real estate and comedy twocompletely unrelated topics
that go surprisingly welltogether.
I'm your host, kristen LeVanway, a real estate agent here in
the Phoenix metro area for 19years, as well as a local
(00:23):
stand-up comedian.
My guest today is the one andonly Liz Friesius, who retired
from the military and took thePhoenix comedy scene by storm
and oh, by the way, she's ownedmore houses than she can count.
After some audio challenges,we're finally on our podcast and
(00:45):
I'm so excited to be chattingwith Liz Friesius today, one of
my friends and heroes in thePhoenix comedy scene.
Liz, good morning, good morning.
How are you doing, kristen?
I'm doing much better now.
I have no idea what happened,but I'm glad we resolved it.
I have no idea what happened,but I'm glad we resolved it, so
thank you so much for being onmy podcast.
(01:07):
It's a new project and it'sbeen super fun, and I'm just
really excited to hear whatyou've got to say.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
Well, it is a beautiful day here in Phoenix,
arizona and, like I said, reallyappreciate the opportunity to
be on the podcast with you.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
Oh yeah, we're going to have some fun.
So I like to start off with youjust telling a little bit about
yourself.
It could be comedy, it could benot comedy.
Tell us a little bit about LizFrazius.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
People might not know Well, I grew up in the Navy.
I trained with the Army.
I spent 29 years Air Force.
No-transcript.
Speaker 1 (02:00):
I love your studio.
That studio is awesome.
What kind of voice acting.
Speaker 2 (02:06):
A little bit of everything.
I do commercial, I do narration, I do of all things at the
moment.
Political ads Never figured.
My voice would be good for that, but apparently politicians
like the way this sounds.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
You have kind of a mellow voice.
You know it's kind of asoothing but a little bit energy
on the back end voice.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
So I can see why you'd be good in commercials.
Well, that and the uh, Iusually get stereotyped in the
video games as the tough femalewarrior.
So, uh, if you've ever heard myvoice, uh, shouting something
on a battlefield, that on avideo game, that might be be me.
Oh, really Okay.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
Good to know.
So you're just a celebrityamongst those gamers, then huh.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
Well, I don't think I have a following because, as
was pointed out, part of the jobof being a voice actor is to
have your impact felt, notnecessarily to be individually
recognized.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
Oh, okay, so just kind of blend in with the game.
I don't know, it sounds verycool.
You're the only voice actorthat I know, so that's good to
know about this podcast is it'stwo very unrelated topics that
(03:29):
pair amazingly well.
I think people have very fondmemories of their very first
house and maybe fond or maybethey were terrified, I don't
know of their very first comedyshow.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
So let's hear about your first being a Navy brat and
then being in the Air Force.
The first place I ever livedwas an apartment off down in
Solana Beach in California, andthen first house I remember
living in was up in WashingtonState, O'Carper Washington.
The first house that my husbandand I ever bought was in Little
(04:02):
Rock, Arkansas, so a little bitof all over the place.
And then the first comedy showI ever did was Nashville,
Tennessee.
After I retired.
I was the ROTC commander atTennessee State University, also
their professor of aerospacestudies, and I retired from that
and turned around and walkedonto the comedy stage at Cobras
(04:23):
in downtown Nashville.
Speaker 1 (04:25):
Oh, wow.
So let's go back to your firsthouse a little bit.
So it was in Arkansas and itwas your very first house, so
tell us a little bit about it.
Was it large?
Was it new?
Did it need a lot of work?
Speaker 2 (04:40):
It was on a cul-de-sac, which was a little
strange.
Whenever you're looking for aplace, especially when you're
military, you've got a veryconstrained timeline.
You've got a couple days tofind a place to live and get
yourself completely moved,usually from one side of the
country to the other.
It could be a short move.
In this case we were movingfrom Texas.
(05:04):
My husband and I both wereactive duty military and so we
kind of got slingshotted acrossthe Air Force.
One would move, the other wouldcatch up.
Then that one would move, theother one would catch up.
So sometimes it's learning totrust your spouse on what
they're seeing in house.
They're just like hey, I founda house.
Speaker 1 (05:20):
I think it'll work.
I'm putting in an offer.
Hope you like it.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
Actually we had a real estate agent in Belleville,
illinois, who absolutelypanicked because by then my
husband and I had moved I think17 times together and he walked
in she was showing him one place.
He walks in, takes one look andsays okay, yeah, this is the
one we'll put an offer.
And she looks at him and saysdon't you want to talk to your
(05:47):
wife about it?
Maybe letters?
He says I know my wife, I knowshe'll like this one.
She actually insisted I comesee it before you could put the
bid on it.
Speaker 1 (05:58):
You think after 17 times you're like, yeah, we
probably aren't, this probablywon't be our last house, Like I
think it'll be fine, Right.
Speaker 2 (06:06):
Well, for the real estate agents, you know, granted
, it was pretty much a militarycommunity, but if you're not a
member of the military, thesurprise of you know.
Most real estate agents arethinking hey, you know, this is
a family event, families comingtogether, this is where their
life is going to be built, inthis home.
And so the shock of havingsomeone go in and go, you know,
(06:28):
literally five seconds in andgoing, yeah, this is the one
we're putting an offer.
That is such a differentculture.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
Yeah, or maybe she just hadn't been in it long
enough.
I've been in it 19 years.
I've seen everything I reallyhave.
Like nothing fazes me anymore.
Well, of course now we havevideo too, so it's not like it's
completely sight unseen you canusually get a good video of a
house before you get it.
But much more exciting to do itthat way, where you just are
(06:58):
like, oh okay, but it is a goodpoint.
Houses mean different things todifferent people, and when you
move a lot, a house is just hey,where we're going to be for a
while.
Maybe maybe it's a goodinvestment too, or maybe not,
because you're not going to bethere very long.
You just maybe want to breakeven when you get out of there.
And but for other people, theybuy one or two houses in their
(07:19):
whole life and that's it.
So it's a good point.
It means different things todifferent people.
Speaker 2 (07:25):
Now you brought up the videos.
What have you seen in 19 years?
What have you seen that'schanged as far as real estate?
Because obviously videos now,especially for the military
families or families that haveto move a lot, that's huge.
Speaker 1 (07:38):
Yeah, so it's much easier now to deal with all of
the paperwork because you don'thave to sit down and get a pen
out.
You can do it with DocuSign,electronic.
People use mobile notaries more, so if you are in two different
states, we could still get yousigned and get all the paperwork
back to title to get it closed.
(07:58):
So a lot of the technology hashelped in that regard.
The videos for most of mybuyers.
I go and video all the homes,even if they're here local.
I just think it's reallyhelpful.
It's better for me to go outand look at a bunch of houses
that aren't going to work versusthem wasting their time.
So those are things that Ithink have helped a lot.
(08:19):
And then just there's a lotmore information available
online.
So, for better or worse,sometimes it's good for people
to have more information andsometimes not.
So you know, it just depends,but I think it is helpful.
Speaker 2 (08:36):
Some of these, these technological advances- you
bring up a good point with thatdocusign, one of the things you
find it's different, Whateverstate you're moving to it is a
different home buying experience.
Speaker 1 (08:52):
It's true, it's very true.
We have different systems forrecording our deeds and so,
right there, that will dictateif you're working with an
attorney or if you're workingwith a realtor.
Yeah, it's a bit differentballgame.
And then the speed at whichthese things are done In Arizona
we're like let's get her done.
You know, 30 days, why not 21?
(09:12):
But I've done some deals wheremy clients were selling a house
somewhere else or buying a housesomewhere else, and it's like
well, well, maybe we'll get itdone in a couple of weeks.
You know, it's like really well, maybe we'll get it done in a
couple weeks.
It's like really lackadaisical.
So it's hard for us tounderstand here in Arizona.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
Well, New Jersey, I think, was probably the worst
home buying experience.
It was an attorney, it was thereal estate agent, it was my
husband and I, seven originalhand-signed copies, each
document over 40 pages long, andliterally they sat down with a
stack of ink pens, lined thisall up in a table and the real
(09:52):
estate agent was okay, everyonesign here, here and here, Shift
your copy.
Down.
Speaker 1 (10:01):
Next person.
Sign here, here and here.
Shift your copy down, oh mymare.
And you had to make sevencopies, seven originals Seven
originals over 40 pages.
Speaker 2 (10:12):
That is old school.
We joke that New Jersey is apolice state.
It's like I don't want to stayhere.
I don't want to live here afterthis.
That's just a sign right.
Any state where you're notallowed to pump your own gas.
Speaker 1 (10:26):
I don't know.
There's some states where bothparties sit down together.
Sometimes that's okay,sometimes not.
I've had, I've had clients thatwere almost ready to go to
blows and you're like no, no,we're not, we're not gonna, you
guys are, go separate cornerslike you don't need to in this
corner.
Oh my gosh, it gets heated.
(10:51):
I mean it's you know, it can beemotional for people.
So, okay, let's go to yourfirst comedy show now.
So you just randomly thoughthey, I'm a funny person, I want
to tell some jokes.
What made you go up on that?
Speaker 2 (11:04):
stage.
Actually, my parents were mucholder.
My husband and I are the sameage.
My parents are 10 years olderthan his.
So I grew up with the oldvaudevillians.
I grew up with Burns and Allen.
I grew up with Marx Brothers.
I grew up with the KeystoneCops, harold Lloyd those are who
(11:25):
I was familiar with when myhusband and I dated.
We were always going to thecomedy shows.
We were at the Air ForceAcademy, we'd go to a comedy
show on the weekends and we'dbeen going to comedy shows for
our entire marriage.
And so one night I'm working atthe Pentagon.
Get home he says hey, I've gottickets to this improv show up
at Comedy Stop in Annandale.
(11:45):
Okay, fantastic, like mostimprov shows, they say listen.
Well, as audience input, wedon't drag people on stage.
That's not what we do.
Well, the smart mouth support.
You know the smart aleck streakof my personality showed up you
, liz Aren't you, it's not so.
(12:07):
But yeah, they brought up.
The first question they askedwas favorite food.
I entered service from NewMexico.
I answered rattlesnake Okay.
Second question they asked wasname an activity.
I said underwater basketweaving and yes, that is tougher
than it looks.
I used to scuba dive so I knowthat is far more difficult than
(12:28):
people think.
Speaker 1 (12:30):
For clarity, did not make that up.
Actual experience underwaterbasket weaving.
Speaker 2 (12:36):
We don't see that on a lot of resumes.
That's for sure.
When someone asks you you know,name something around the house
that needs to be fixed and yourresponse is the cat.
10 minutes of that.
They dragged me on stage andkept me on stage for the rest of
the show.
Wow, they created a monsterthat day.
Speaker 1 (12:56):
So you were hooked.
Sometimes.
That's what happened with me.
It was one time and I was likeI love this so much.
Speaker 2 (13:04):
Well, I went to one open mic and I was like I love
this so much.
Well, I went to one open mic.
I was still active duty at thetime.
I went to one open mic atPolitics and Prose in Washington
DC and realized that I bettertable stand-up comedy until I
was retired.
Oh yeah, I figured I'd getmyself court-martialed before I
was done.
Speaker 1 (13:22):
Yeah, I would guess that military and comedy does
not pair as well as real estateand comedy Guessing.
Speaker 2 (13:31):
Well, it can, depending.
But obviously there's certaintopics that you know.
The military we're not.
There's certain things we arenot allowed to say and it's part
of the regulations, it's partof what you do when you serve
and there's a reason for it.
The military is expected to beapolitical.
You know, a lot of times you'llsee one political party trying
(13:53):
to claim the military supportsthe other political party.
My generation of militaryespecially, we were raised with
what was called the MarshallSchool of Thought, the George C
Marshall School of Thought, andthat was the military is a
political.
Your job is to serve, it is not.
You are not there to make yourpolitical opinions known.
And uh, that changed, probablyin 1996.
Speaker 1 (14:18):
Yeah.
I think the whole politicalclimate changed around then.
It seemed like it was thebeginning of where we are now.
Not to go down that pathbecause we want this to be
lighthearted, but I feel likewhat you're saying rings true
not just in the military, but ingeneral.
Things changed around then.
Speaker 2 (14:38):
Well, you and I've talked before we're.
We're same generation, and whenyou and I were kids, it was the
three things you don't talkabout in public.
You don't talk sex, religion orpolitics.
That was just polite.
You didn't bring those upbecause you were going to divide
people.
The point of conversation wasto bring people together and so
to see that change.
You know, the youngergeneration is shocked when I
(15:01):
tell them.
It's like, yeah, we were raised.
You don't talk sex, religion orpolitics.
What's the primary conversationwe see nowadays?
Sex, religion and politics.
Speaker 1 (15:10):
And there's so many other things.
Speaker 2 (15:12):
So, yeah, there's, there's so much more to life,
and so it's.
It's one where you know, Ifigured, okay, you know I love
comedy life, and so it's onewhere you know I figured, okay,
you know I love comedy, and so Iset it on the back burner and,
no kidding, I was in thePentagon and they sent us to
training.
This is true, they do send usto training to teach us how to
be civilians.
And yes, I did go to remedialtraining.
I make a lousy civilian, but inthe Pentagon.
(15:35):
The first time I took the class,I was in the Pentagon and they
said, well, what are you goingto be when you grow up?
And one of our guys said, oh, Ifly F-18s.
I'm going to continue to flywhen I'm a civilian.
One guy said, oh, I do IT, I'mgoing to work computers when I
get out.
They got to me.
I said I'm a militaryintelligence officer and I'm
going to be a stand-up comic.
To this day, the single biggestscream of laughter I've ever
(16:01):
gotten was in the Pentagon,saying that I was going to be a
stand-up comic.
Speaker 1 (16:04):
Oh man, no faith.
Speaker 2 (16:06):
No faith.
The second class I took, one ofthe colonels pulled me aside.
He says usually creativity getssocially normed out of military
personnel.
When you're in.
For as long as I've been in, hesays everybody else here is
doing the same thing.
They did pretty much when theywere in, whether it's
firefighter or pilot, or youknow computers.
He says you didn't.
(16:27):
He says how did that happen?
Speaker 1 (16:34):
It was your destiny, it was, and I'm glad that it
ended up that way, because Ithink you've done, you've had a
big impact in Phoenix comedy andit's nice.
The thing about the comedyscene and I'm sure this is true
no matter where you are isthere's all different walks of
life that participate in comedy,and so these different
(16:57):
perspectives I find veryinteresting, and yours is super
unique.
Let's be honest, it really is,and it just I don't know.
It's just cool that you canbring that to the table.
Speaker 2 (17:08):
It's all about the vest, it's all about the vest.
Speaker 1 (17:11):
Notice that you're wearing your vest.
That's awesome.
I mean, I'm assuming you don'talways wear a vest every day,
wherever you go.
Speaker 2 (17:18):
Most days I actually do.
The only time you probablywon't see me in a vest is when
I'm down at the garden.
I am a rose gardener for downin downtown Phoenix and so
that's although.
Yes, I actually was wearing myvest yesterday.
But yeah, typically I do wear avest.
Quite often it's not a stageprop.
I do know a lot of comics use avest or a hat as stage props.
(17:41):
This is actually this is theway I dress, so my sense of
style is dubious.
Speaker 1 (17:49):
It's your unique signature style and I think you
rock it very well.
Speaker 2 (17:54):
Hey, whoever you are, whatever you look like, own it,
be proud of it, because there'sno one else who brings you to
the world be the best you youcan.
Speaker 1 (18:02):
Be all right, we're gonna move on to our favorite
rooms, not my favorite room,your favorite rooms.
So this is your favorite roomin your house and your favorite
room to perform in oh, favoriteroom in the house.
Speaker 2 (18:21):
That's a fun because I love where my husband and I
are at the moment.
It's, you know, it really is.
In the morning I love being inthe studio, the obviously you
know, soundproofing and all therest.
This has just been a greatplace to work.
In the evenings, you know,sitting down in a couple of
(18:43):
chairs with my husband and justsitting there talking over
what's going on for the day.
At that point in time that's myfavorite room, oh yeah, now
tell us about your soundproofroom.
Speaker 1 (18:53):
It's obviously, I'm assuming, when you bought the
house, it did not come with asoundproof room.
Speaker 2 (18:58):
I'm assuming when you bought the house it did not
come with a soundproof room?
No, no, actually, in Nashville,in Nashville, tennessee, that
was one of the big surprises inNashville was there are
professional music studios builtinto houses.
It's a selling point.
So when you're going to a city,when you're looking at, okay,
what is it I'm going to do, youmight be surprised to find some
(19:18):
very interesting things inhouses that there's no other
place that I've ever moved wherea music studio, a full up music
studio, floating floors, allthe bells and whistles, the
extra outlets, the soundproofing.
The one place I was so shockedbecause somebody had actually
(19:39):
installed a guitar humidor Wow,which my husband's a guitarist.
But both of us are looking atthat going, wow, that's next
level, way more than what weneed.
Speaker 1 (19:53):
I've heard of it in LA.
I've heard of it in LA thatpeople will have studios in
their homes as well, but it'svery niche-y, for sure.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
Well, covid changed a lot of that for the voice
community With voice acting.
What we found was peoplecouldn't go into the studios and
so it became how do you do homerecording?
How do you start up this?
How do you keep your professiongoing?
How do you keep your craftgoing when?
How do you keep your craftgoing when you physically can't
(20:20):
make contact?
And so a lot of us did homeinstallations and now we can
record and edit, you know, rightat home.
There's also SourceConnect, soa lot of the stuff got
outsourced.
I still for doing demos, Istill go into a full-up studio.
For my last demo I actuallywent all the way out to Burbank
(20:40):
and that's when you're going.
Okay, I know the clientele I'mlooking at for this.
I want background music putwith it.
I want the subject matterexpert.
This is not just an auditionwhere I'm going okay, here's the
voice on a nice clean take.
It's I want the backgroundmusic.
It's.
It's a tech level that I'm.
It's way beyond me right.
Speaker 1 (21:02):
A little higher production quality or production
level would be probablynecessary to itself yeah it's
not it's do so much, but there'speople who that's their whole
livelihood, so obviously they'regoing to be able to put it.
Speaker 2 (21:17):
Put all that, the bells and whistles in there for
you plus, when you have a, whenyou have a director who's
standing there saying, okay, Ineed you to, I need you to
emphasize this, I need you toreally get the emotion of this
one, when you've got thedirector right there going okay,
we need another take, okay,let's, let's do this till we've
got this not just right but justnailed.
(21:37):
How did you get into voiceacting?
Well, when I first got out ofthe military, as I've told you,
you know, I make a terriblecivilian and I really struggled,
existing.
I'm useful to not being noticed, being my job in the military
as an intelligence officer.
You're not supposed to benoticeable, and so I've kind of
(21:59):
been used to living my lifequietly, you know, staying out
of the public eye, being asunobtrusive as possible, and so
struggling.
(22:19):
It's one of the reasons why Ibecame a comic.
How do you exist in the publiceye when you're not used to
being in public?
And so voiceover became a verygreat job to have, where all of
a sudden it's like okay, I don'tneed to be physically seen,
people can still get the effectof the work I'm doing, but they
don't have to see me.
And so it was a nice occupationto have, and still is a great
(22:43):
occupation to have Just changingfrom not being seen to being in
comedy.
You're seen.
Speaker 1 (22:51):
Oh yeah, you're seen from a vulnerable position that
most people do not experience.
So you're seen inside and out,often when you're on the comedy
stage.
So that's a good transition,though, to go just, it's just my
voice.
It's just my voice.
Speaker 2 (23:11):
You don't need to see this.
You just need to hear the voiceand get whatever it is that I'm
trying to convey Exactly.
Speaker 1 (23:18):
All right.
So favorite rooms in your house.
It sounds like your favoriterooms in your house are more
related to what you're doingthan your surroundings, so
that's neat that your houseaccommodates both of those
things.
What about your favorite roomsto perform in?
Speaker 2 (23:35):
Oh, my absolute all-time favorite room
unfortunately no longer existsand that would have been El
Charo Hipster.
Oh yeah, night of the night of72 comics.
(24:03):
They taped off 12 feet from thestage.
We had 10 comics in from la,including three nationally
touring headliners.
We had a comic from maine.
They stayed open till two inthe morning.
Everybody's outside.
You got the 12 feet to thestage.
Somebody's on stage, but theydid that.
They were actually the reasonwhy the comedy scene in Phoenix
thrived as well as it did.
We were one of the first placesthat people could perform and I
(24:25):
think I joked with the familyat El Charro Hipsters, with
Peralta's.
I joked with them regularlythat they accidentally became
the biggest comedy club in allof Arizona, and they may have
been.
I can't confirm this.
They may have been the biggestcomedy club in the Western half
of the United States.
Speaker 1 (24:45):
Wow, that's funny, I've been there a few times and
it's not what you would expectfor a comedy club, but it's the
vibe and the support from theowners the ownership for sure.
It was very sad that that wentdown.
Another small business struckdown by.
We won't even go there.
Speaker 2 (25:05):
Well, it's one of the things where what I treasure
about that time frame and a lotof comics didn't realize this
they actually, during COVID,when they weren't sure if they
were going to financiallysurvive, they still were
providing free meals to artists,comics and musicians who
couldn't afford to eat.
Wow, and they did not.
(25:28):
You know that wasn't trumpetedany place, but they knew the
comics personally, they knew theones that were struggling and
they made sure that they had ahealthy meal.
And I look at that and go,that's the heart and soul you
want in Phoenix.
They were heart and soul ofstandup comedy forever and a day
(25:48):
.
And I still am hoping that theydo bring back El Charro Hipster
2.
I don't know if that's in theworks, they were talking about
it, but if they are going tobring it back, um, I need to
touch base and see if that'sthat would be amazing.
Speaker 1 (26:04):
Yeah, are they.
Is the space still available orwould they have to move
somewhere else?
Speaker 2 (26:09):
no, I'm talking with francisco.
He said that, uh, you know,being in that circumstance again
where you've got a out-of-statelandlord who doesn't understand
the community, who doesn'tunderstand that this is a
reinvestment in the art districtin Phoenix, and so there's
always conflicting interests ithappens.
(26:30):
It's lousy when it happens likethat, but he said that if he
ever was going to bring it backagain, he wanted to do a
standalone business that heowned, because then you don't
have the question about okay,has the landlord now, has, you
know, has a business landlord,which is very different from a
home landlord, but how thatbusiness landlord changed what
(26:53):
they want to do with theproperty.
When you're one of the tenantsthere and your business, your
livelihood, everything else isbuilt on that.
So I'm still hoping to hearthat they're going to bring it
back, because that will be thefiesta of the century if they
come back.
Speaker 1 (27:10):
Yes, we were talking last night you know my little
Jared's coffee, tea and gallery.
We were reflecting We've gotthe two mics every week, two
comedy shows just at Jared's andthen at Nile James Under
Barnett's been running showsthere.
There's another show that I'veseen once there and then the
(27:31):
neighborhood comedy theater andwe were just commenting that's
like the most densely populatedcomedy venue street that there
is.
We need to embrace that and getthat going and maybe develop
some more comedy because, yeah,having a supportive place where
artists can go and work on theircraft, I think it's impactful
(27:58):
more than people realize, notjust for the people but for any
audience members.
You know, anybody that comesand gets to experience that and
it's you know, it's not allabout Netflix specials and arena
shows and all that kind ofstuff the local talent, whether
it's art, you know, comedians,musicians, I think it's art.
(28:18):
You know comedians, musicians,I think it's magical.
Speaker 2 (28:20):
So little places like that need to be supported we've
got the long laugh line goinghere in phoenix.
I mean, when you look at it,you've got, you've got michael
longfellow.
Now on saturday night live,he's a phoenix comic right.
You've got mary upchurch andray earl Earl, who've gone to
Las Vegas and are just makingstrides in comedy.
Speaker 1 (28:42):
You've got.
Speaker 2 (28:42):
Celia Contreras, who's over in Austin now, right,
and they all came out of thecreative pool that is Phoenix.
Yes, and you look at ourconnection to the local
businesses.
People had a long day.
They need something to laugh at.
Speaker 1 (28:56):
Exactly.
Yeah, it's awesome.
All right, let's talk aboutreal estate for a little bit
People.
Right now the real estatemarket is in Phoenix anyway,
it's pretty stable and I thinkthat's surprising to a lot of
people.
The interest rates going up.
People are thinking I'll neverbe able to afford a house.
(29:18):
People are convinced that thehome prices are going to crash
and basically when I look atstats, that's not what I see.
But I'm just curious whatyou're seeing and feeling and
hearing out there in real estateland.
Speaker 2 (29:35):
Well, like I said, it's always a little strange
having a military background onit.
Working at the park, obviouslyI know a lot of the outdoors
population, especially in thatarea.
I know them by name and talkingwith them and going okay, what
are your thoughts on this?
In some cases it's not an easyquestion.
(29:58):
One of the gentlemen that I seeon a daily basis.
He actually helps me look afterthe garden.
He physically does not want tolive indoors.
He's had an apartment twice Forhim, out of doors living.
That's who he is heart and soul.
That is his choice.
He is very proud of it.
(30:18):
So it's not, you know, whenpeople say, oh, there's not
enough housing, well, a lot oftimes there is.
Now the question is where arepeople looking?
You know we don't know thecircumstance going on behind a
lot of people.
You know there's differentcircumstances all over.
Are you living in an extendedfamily situation?
Are you living in an apartmentsituation?
Are you renting?
(30:38):
Are you buying?
It's all different, you know,and it's it's the give and take.
Where is the job?
Do you want to be close to yourjob?
In my husband's case, I don'tmind driving.
I grew up all over the nation.
If you've got to drive fivehours.
You drive five hours In myhusband's case he grew up in New
(30:59):
England Anything more than aseven minute drive is a trek.
I was so surprised the firsttime I drove in New England.
I went up there and it's myfirst time driving and I was
confused because in New England,at least in the area I was at,
all the towns ran together.
I was through four towns anddidn't for me.
I'm looking at it, going wow, Ididn't realize this town was so
(31:20):
big.
Well, no, I was through fourtowns.
Speaker 1 (31:23):
Because they're a lot of little small towns, right,
they're like little hamlets orsomething.
Speaker 2 (31:29):
So it's one of what are people looking to do and one
of the challenges that I'veseen and this used to drive me
batty.
I was in Washington DC.
We were working with a realestate agent and we told the
gentleman, because I was thereon that real short timeline I've
(31:50):
got three days, that's it.
I said, okay, here's thenon-negotiables.
I said I want sanity in thekitchen, so it's not a safety
hazard.
You know what does that meanfor me.
That means here's the sink,here's the stove.
I'm not having to turn 180degrees around to take a pan of
boiling water and turn 180degrees around and risk tripping
over someone or something.
Speaker 1 (32:11):
Which is worth mentioning.
In those older areas we're usedto Phoenix where houses look
pretty normal, maybe the old oldhouses are from the 50s, but
some of those houses they'reused to Phoenix where houses
look pretty normal, maybe theold old houses are from the
fifties, but some of thosehouses that are built like in
the early 1900s or the 1800s arelike I don't get it.
So that's something you mighthave to.
You might have to say I wantsomething that's maybe like
(32:32):
modern and functional.
Speaker 2 (32:34):
I told him that.
I said and the cost here is thebudget, do not ask to increase
the budget, this is the budget.
And then for the next sevenhours the guy was doing that
Well, can we massage this number, can we raise this number?
Can we work with this number?
Can we Seven hours of that?
Speaker 1 (32:53):
and we fired him as a real estate agent.
Speaker 2 (33:04):
That was I got done, done.
I called my husband.
I said he would not quit.
I said every single time andkept saying oh well, I don't
think I'm gonna find what you'relooking for.
And between that and the, canwe massage the number?
Can we increase the number?
Can we adjust the number?
Can we raise the number?
Every it's increase the number?
Can we adjust the number?
Can we raise the number?
Speaker 1 (33:28):
It's like are you a thesaurus?
Speaker 2 (33:29):
No, well, so you know did you find what you were
looking for within your budget.
Yeah, I drove around that night.
I drove around that night,found three places called the
real estate agent.
Because my husband called upthe guy, I said I can fire him
on my own if you'd like and hesays no, I'll take care of it.
He figured that was probably agood call.
My husband is much morediplomatic, but he calls up the
real estate agent and said,listen, this is just not working
(33:51):
for us.
So thank you so much for yourtime, but we're done.
I found three places, allwithin our budget, all described
as what we were looking for,called the real estate agent
sitting out in front of one ofthem and there had been a bid
put on that one.
He showed us two more, he saysand, by the way, there's this
other one, I think is exactlywhat you're looking for.
(34:13):
We drove out the next day.
He showed it to us.
Guess what?
We bought the place herecommended.
Speaker 1 (34:18):
Yeah, how hard was that.
Speaker 2 (34:20):
It was under our budget and it had exactly what
we were looking for.
And you just go.
This is not rocket science.
For the best real estate agentsthey're the ones who listen.
For the worst real estateagents they know what they want
and they're going to.
Speaker 1 (34:44):
Exactly, it sounds like you saw both extremes on
that house shopping trip.
Speaker 2 (34:45):
And so what about your house buying experience?
Here this was.
It was a big surprise, mainlybecause we were doing a VA loan
for the house and we looked at afew places.
We had a.
This the home we bought iswe're the second owners we're
the second owners, but the firstpeople to live in the house.
(35:08):
oh wow, it had been sittingempty six months.
The previous owner had had itbuilt and then he got reassigned
with his job, he got sent toSeattle and so he he had the
house built.
He was the first owner of it.
It sat empty for six months.
My husband and I were bothsurprised.
It's like, wait a minute,nobody's bought this place.
(35:31):
So we bought it and then foundout from the VA loan and this is
where you know find out thatour real estate agent wasn't
familiar with VA loans.
The issue became because it wasnew construction, nobody had
lived in the house.
Yes, we were the second owners,but nobody lived here.
We no longer could use a VAloan for that, wow.
(35:55):
So we had to go back and shiftwhat type of loan we were doing.
Speaker 1 (36:00):
Oh, that's a bummer, because that VA loan is such a
great benefit.
It's the best loan.
I mean it's a good deal.
Speaker 2 (36:09):
But it was one of those where you look at it and
go, okay, well, let's workthrough this.
It's like anything else it's asstressful or unstressful as you
want it to be sometimes.
And the fact that our realestate agent was so honest when
he came back and said guys, Iscrewed this up, I didn't
realize that not having someonelive there, we were both.
(36:33):
It's like, hey, we didn'trealize we're the second owners.
This shouldn't be an issue.
Yeah, but nobody's living there.
Speaker 1 (36:41):
Definitely an unusual situation Very much, but it
worked out for you.
It definitely worked out, sothat's good.
Would you say that?
Over how many houses do youthink you've owned?
Speaker 2 (36:56):
Oh my gosh, over the years, the buying and selling,
I've lost track.
Oh my gosh, I've completelylost track.
I think the weirdest onebecause, obviously, 2006,.
Everybody talks about realestate market going under and so
because of that, we ended uprenting out that home.
(37:17):
Because both of us got orderswe had to move, but the market's
upside down, you got to survivethat.
So we rented that out.
Well, we'd been assigned awayfrom there and then to a
different location and then gotsent back to Washington DC.
Oh, and so the issue was we hadtenants in the house, we had
(37:40):
the military clause, but myhusband and I are both looking
at it going.
You know, we've had to moveoften enough.
The family's got kids, thefamily's stable there, the kids
are in school there, while wehave the right, the military
clause that says we can tell ourtenants you need to move out in
the next 30 days.
And I just looked at each otherand went no, leave them there,
(38:03):
they're stable.
We actually rented a place eventhough we owned a home nearby,
so we rented for that assignment.
It's like that.
It's just you look at and gookay, what's in the best
interest of everybody here?
This is a temporary assignmentfor us this is so, you know they
.
They stayed until until thefamily got their own assignment
(38:25):
to another location.
Speaker 1 (38:27):
Oh, they were a military family as well.
Speaker 2 (38:29):
Yeah, I'm trying to remember, because that was 2000.
God, I'm forgetting what yearthat was.
Yeah, that's the problem with29 years of service and you sit
here and go.
Okay, it was three times inWashington DC.
Which time was that?
Speaker 1 (38:48):
I think it's common.
I was just with my son and hisgirlfriend yesterday and we were
trying to remember dates fromyou know, the last five, seven
years or something like that.
Like when did that happen?
And it's you know what Timeflies when you're having fun and
it just all kind of blendstogether.
It means you're having a goodlife, I think.
Speaker 2 (39:07):
I love the comment.
I forget who it was that madeit that being at home it's like
having a blanket that you justcan pull around your shoulders,
kick off your shoes, sit backand relax.
Your home is your haven fromthe world, from all the insanity
, and so to have it set up whereyou know it's safely set up,
(39:27):
it's functional, and then youcan let your personality come
out and just enjoy it.
Speaker 1 (39:39):
Right, yeah, you can just let your hair down
especially in a soundproof room.
Speaker 2 (39:48):
Actually, the funny thing about this and I had a
good laugh because one of myvoice coaches uh, back when I
was I was going through theorientation and the training for
it and he always laughed hesaid he says of all the
characters that a voice actorcan do, he says so help me.
Says if anybody is ever castingfor the baroness out of gi joe,
he says if anybody is evercasting for the Baroness out of
GI Joe, he says I'm calling you.
Oh wow, the colors of my studiohere the soundproofing in the
(40:10):
studio are actually in thecolors the Baroness is costume.
Speaker 1 (40:14):
Oh boy, Is that a good news or a bad news that
you're being typecast by thischaracter?
Speaker 2 (40:21):
Well, I always have a little bit of a laugh when it
comes to characters, because inthe case of, I've played
everything from a scared olderwoman in a hazardous
neighborhood to a oh my gosh,you know the comic book
character or the video gamecharacter on the battlefield to
(40:42):
a political ad to.
You know you look at the variousranges that you can do.
It's always fun to see therange that you can get as a
voice actor compared to okay, Ido dinner detective.
I love it.
It's a lot of fun.
But I guess who got typecast asthe murderous?
Oh, is that you.
Speaker 1 (41:02):
You're usually the murderous.
Speaker 2 (41:05):
No, I'm actually I do the host.
I'm now a detective and a hostas well.
But when I started out and Ican understand it because
physically I'm, when I'm wearingmy boots, I'm standing over
five foot 10.
Yeah, depending on the heightof the heels of my boots, I'm
either five, 10 or six foot two,you know, and here I am that
(41:25):
large of a female and they'regoing.
We have a female murderess.
Yeah, and you're convincing.
I played the murderous so manytimes.
The first, the first year, Idid dinner detective and it was
so much fun.
But uh, it's nice having thegreater range now in voice
acting where you can go okay,one day I'm a comic book
(41:46):
character, the next day I'm avideo game character.
Then I turn around and I'mdoing a political voiceover and
sometimes you'll get.
We had one that was called in.
I didn't get this one, but itwas for a message for a 50th
anniversary.
It was the voiceover for a 50thanniversary video.
Speaker 1 (42:04):
So a nice, sweet, loving voice.
You missed out on that one, huh.
Speaker 2 (42:11):
Well, it's one where as I've pulled a couple I've put
in I was applying for one ofthe ads and I posted it for my
fellow voice actors out of TimPower's mic droppers and one
lady says wait a minute, you'reperfect for this role, aren't
you auditioning for it?
I said, well, yes, but if I'mnot who they're looking for, let
(42:33):
me help them find the rightvoice.
Let me help them find the voicethat they have, that they're
looking for, and in Tim Powersthat is.
That is never a bad thing.
We refer each other and itreally is.
Help the client find what bestsuits them.
Help them have a positiveexperience.
(42:55):
My suspicion is for you, being19 years in real estate
obviously successful real estateagent the helping your client
find what works best for them,exactly.
Speaker 1 (43:06):
Yeah, it's not about me, it's about them, unlike your
price-obsessed real estateagent.
That's really I don't know.
That's not the best way, Ithink, to serve the client's
needs.
But you know, whatever you wantto do, whatever you want to
base your business on, I guess,but that's not how.
Speaker 2 (43:26):
I operate.
Well, the best real estateagents I ever had were just the
voice of reason.
They knew good contractors tocall if you had to.
We went to sell a house If youhad to have repair work done.
They had key points of contact.
They had the network.
They knew an honest assessmentof here's what I think would be
(43:48):
a good selling price.
Here's what's a good askingprice.
They know the market and whenthey're bringing in clients to
view a home or in the case ofwe're buying one and they're
looking to sell the home,knowing and listening to that
client the best real estateagents I ever had.
It was so seamless, they wereso gracious and just fun to work
(44:10):
with.
Speaker 1 (44:11):
Yeah, it can make a big difference in the experience
and the success of thetransaction.
If you have a good agent andthen, of course, if you don't,
you have the bad one, then itcan really make it difficult and
it can end up costing you a lotof money too.
I mean, you can end up in areally bad spot.
So it's it's definitely worthchoosing the right person to
(44:34):
represent you.
Speaker 2 (44:35):
We had a wonderful gentleman, john Wurtz, up in New
Jersey and he went to show usthis home.
The family was still home whenwe got there.
The father had already moved.
He was actually I forget whatline of work he was in, he
wasn't military but the familywas moving.
And so the mom is trying to setup the rest of the move,
because the dad was alreadymoved and at his job and she had
(44:58):
stayed and the kids werewrapping up school and
everything else, school andeverything else.
And her 15 year old son wasstruggling with the move and was
acting out.
And you know, our real estateagent walked up.
He says, oh, should we comeback?
He was so gracious about it.
And she says no, no, come on in.
And she started apologizingbecause she hadn't gotten the
(45:21):
house to where she wanted it andher son was very much
struggling.
She finally asked her son canyou please quit doing this, just
go upstairs for a little bit?
And he pulled out his guitarand started jamming, oh wow.
And watching John Wurtz, andthis was, oh my gosh, this was
(45:42):
our real estate agent in 2003.
I still remember his name.
That tells you how much of apositive experience it was.
Speaker 1 (45:49):
Exactly.
Speaker 2 (45:51):
He was immediately reassuring the mom and just you
know it's great to have asoundtrack to hear, you know, to
show the home.
Your son's a fantastic playerand just he made her comfortable
and us comfortable.
We bought the home.
It was just a wonderful familyto work with and wonderful real
estate agent to work with.
Speaker 1 (46:12):
Makes a big difference.
It does.
It's an emotional process, andI think people need to remember
that.
There's usually big reasons whypeople are moving.
Some of them are good, some ofthem are not that good, so got
to all keep that in mind.
All right, we're going to moveon now to what's coming up, and
I want you to share the myriadof things that you do.
(46:35):
Because you have so many things, I'm going to just jot them
down.
I want to list everythingyou're doing, because it's just
hard to keep track.
So are you still?
Speaker 2 (46:46):
doing Dinner Detective.
I am still doing DinnerDetective and so I'm actually
doing the show this comingSaturday, and so I'll do Dinner
Detective.
I'm playing a detective thistime.
I'll go immediately from DinnerDetective.
I got permission from my bossto leave the casting all call at
the end a little bit early.
(47:07):
We'll do the full show, butthen I will immediately turn
around and go to Mic Drop Mania.
I'm a semi-finalist at Mic DropMadness.
Yes, so I'll be on that show at9.30.
And then at the moment I'mstill tending the, the uh Rose
garden down at heritage squareand at the moment I am dusting
(47:29):
off my hat from decades ago whenI ran animal rescue.
Uh, we have a.
Somebody abandoned a littlekitten down at the square and
Archie is not part.
We have a community of catsthere, so I do look after the
cats down there.
Uh, they all belong there.
We have 10 of them that are inresidence and somebody abandoned
two cats down there and archieis this little fuzzy black cat.
(47:52):
He's called archie because hearches his back to get petted,
but he's three stories up thelath arboretum and we're I've
spent the last three days tryingto get him down.
He's like trapped up there.
He has.
Uh, he's get him down.
He's like trapped up there.
He's got water up there, he'sgot food up there.
We've called animal rescue.
Animal rescue couldn't figureout how to get up there, so
(48:16):
we're working on getting Archieoff the Lathar Parade at the
moment.
Oh, poor little guy.
Yeah, it's just been crazy, know, still still hiking, still
doing you know all of that,still doing voice acting and um,
oh, my goodness, what else isgoing on?
Speaker 1 (48:35):
you're producing quite a few shows, right, are
you still?
Oh, yes, next uh next year.
Speaker 2 (48:42):
I'm actually apprenticed to tony visick, uh,
learning the business of comedy.
I've been his apprentice forthe last couple years and I'm
now producing shows, uh, withhim under the tempe comedy
concert series at tempe centerfor the arts.
So our next show is marchmadness, which is 20 comics
going up for a 300 prize.
It's the People's Choice Award,people's Choice.
Speaker 1 (49:04):
Award yes.
Speaker 2 (49:07):
We heard from Funniest Comic in the Valley
last year that the audiencewanted the ability to be able to
choose one of the finalists.
So one night, march 29th, tempeCenter for the Arts at 730, we
are going to be putting 20comics up, $300 prize for the
winner and a guaranteed finalistspot in Funniest Comic in the
Valley.
Speaker 1 (49:27):
Oh wow, that's the show that you're running out of
the Ahwatukee.
Speaker 2 (49:34):
Yep.
Funniest Comic in the Valleywill kick off April 9th at
Cactus Jacks in Ahwatukee, okay,and then we also have the Clean
Comedy Workout workout, whichis a g-rated comedy mic at uh,
down at the chill room in tempe,which is a wonderful.
It reminds me so much of elcharro hipster, because it's mom
(49:55):
, dad and two sons that run thechill room.
It's a non-alcoholic venue.
It's got wonderful meaningplaces.
It basically is meant to be aplace to reconnect with people
and he's bringing it as an artcenter to Tempe with music,
poetry and then comedy.
We do our stand-up comedy.
Next one's going to be April18th and so, yep, april 18th.
(50:17):
Thursday, april 18th, at seveno'clock we'll be back at the
chill room and then June 7th ismy, my next full production.
Uh.
First full production was, uh,that was phoenix arrives, which
was all of our award-winningcomics from all the comedy
competition in phoenix andactually one of them from tucson
(50:37):
and uh.
So that was my first full-upproduction.
Second full-up production willbe top Brass, which is a
veteran's show.
It's civilians are welcome tocome, but we've got a lineup of
military veteran comics who aregoing to be on stage.
Sid Smith will be joining us,josh Novy will be joining us,
(50:58):
matt Broom will be there, andwe've got just a spectacular
lineup going for that one.
Nice and that's going to be ourseventh.
So acular lineup going for thatone nice seventh.
So you're busy, gal.
Speaker 1 (51:12):
Yep graphics design work still going on too, so I
still do the graphics design.
It's just amazing thinkingabout that one, though.
Your your counselor when youwere exiting the military,
thinking it was so hilariousthat you could actually have a
career in comedy.
And look at you, I think itworked out pretty well.
Speaker 2 (51:29):
Oh, I love it, I absolutely love it yeah.
Speaker 1 (51:32):
It's, it's fun and there's great people in this
community and, uh, I don't know.
It's just, it's a cool.
It's a cool experience If youget the chance to, to get
involved with comedy, I thinknow, you've got a couple of
you've got a couple of you.
Speaker 2 (51:46):
Well, you've got the new show down at jared's and
you've got.
You know, you've got you'regonna be on that?
Speaker 1 (51:51):
why?
Uh, who you call an old?
That's pretty fun all comedies,all comedians over the age of
50, and that's been really fun.
So we've had we've had twoshows of that so far and then
that's what she said theall-female comedy show that
started in 2018 back in ChrisZucker's Comedy Off Main Street
(52:16):
little comedy club in downtownMesa.
So in fact, it's interestingbecause we started that, because
the female comedians werereally marginalized in the
Phoenix comedy community.
They were really being treatedpoorly, marginalized.
In the phoenix comedy community.
They were really being treatedpoorly, and I look now at how
many powerful females areproducing their own shows,
calling the shots.
It's the landscape has changeda lot for, I think, the the
(52:36):
female comedians in this, thatin this city, so I think that's
really good.
Good to see positive change.
Speaker 2 (52:44):
You run a great show and jared's is just a great spot
.
It's an absolute great spot.
And you know here's the otherthing that a lot of people don't
realize you were the visionarybehind the comic relief for
jared's oh right and to set up,you know for, for a business
that's going, oh my gosh, you am, I going to make it through
(53:05):
this financial crisis and youset up.
That was what 12 hours ofcomedy 10 hours.
Speaker 1 (53:12):
Yeah Well, 40 comedians.
Yeah, yep, that was fun.
And then I had COVID, so Ididn't get to go.
That was so lame, that was solame.
Speaker 2 (53:24):
And then you know people wonder about how, on one
hand, we've got people who lovecomedy, because you're bringing
people in and helping businessesstay alive and creating a
vibrant art scene.
And then we also got that wasthe day of the infamous bomb
threat.
Speaker 1 (53:41):
Yes, that was a crazy day it was crazy, that was just
insanity.
Speaker 2 (53:44):
But you know, here's the thing that supported the
local community Comedy eithersupported the local community.
Jared's is still there.
It's a beautiful thing.
Speaker 1 (53:52):
It is, it really is, and yay for us for doing our
little part to make it a littlebit better.
Well, this has been amazing.
Can you believe we've beentalking for almost an hour?
Speaker 2 (54:04):
It doesn't feel like it.
Speaker 1 (54:05):
It's because we never talk.
We have to get, we have to havecoffee sometime or something
and catch up.
Speaker 2 (54:11):
We don't have to always do it on a podcast.
Speaker 1 (54:15):
Oh, but it was great catching up with you.
Thank you so much for doingthis and honestly, I would love
to just sit down with you andjust just chill out and have
some, some conversation, causeyou're really really cool person
that I really enjoyed talkingwith and counting as a friend.
So thanks for being here.
Speaker 2 (54:32):
I look forward to it.
I look forward to it.
Thank you so much for having meon the podcast today.
Speaker 1 (54:38):
You can catch Liz at the dinner, detective comedy
shows all across the Valley orjust hanging with the cats at
the phoenix rose garden.
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Intentionally Disturbing
Join me on this podcast as I navigate the murky waters of human behavior, current events, and personal anecdotes through in-depth interviews with incredible people—all served with a generous helping of sarcasm and satire. After years as a forensic and clinical psychologist, I offer a unique interview style and a low tolerance for bullshit, quickly steering conversations toward depth and darkness. I honor the seriousness while also appreciating wit. I’m your guide through the twisted labyrinth of the human psyche, armed with dark humor and biting wit.