August 11, 2025 • 30 mins
Comedian, former journalist, TikTok personality, and reality TV participant Garin Flowers travels to Auburn Thai Garden in Auburn, CA, to explain why he drinks...thai iced tea.
We also delve into that extensive prior career history, finding your footing in comedy, and pursuing your dreams in an entertainment landscape where the usual pipelines are clogged. But instead of complaining, Garin finds the positives in pursuing your passion even though the financial realities can be a challenge. We also discuss Garin's love of pairing Thai iced tea with Thai food and what his heat tolerance is.
If you want to see how to grow your skills, pursue a new path, or learn to laugh at yourself, this is the episode for you.
Follow Garin Flowers across social media @garinflowers
Learn more about This Is Why I Drink... with Ben Rice, Barley & Me, Ben Rice's comedy and comedy productions, other podcasts, etc., follow @barleyandmepod or go to www.barleyandmepod.com
Logo by Jaclyn Weiand
Intro Music: "Functional Alcoholism" by Be Brave Bold Robot
Interstitial Music: "JamRoc" by Breez
We also delve into that extensive prior career history, finding your footing in comedy, and pursuing your dreams in an entertainment landscape where the usual pipelines are clogged. But instead of complaining, Garin finds the positives in pursuing your passion even though the financial realities can be a challenge. We also discuss Garin's love of pairing Thai iced tea with Thai food and what his heat tolerance is.
If you want to see how to grow your skills, pursue a new path, or learn to laugh at yourself, this is the episode for you.
Follow Garin Flowers across social media @garinflowers
Learn more about This Is Why I Drink... with Ben Rice, Barley & Me, Ben Rice's comedy and comedy productions, other podcasts, etc., follow @barleyandmepod or go to www.barleyandmepod.com
Logo by Jaclyn Weiand
Intro Music: "Functional Alcoholism" by Be Brave Bold Robot
Interstitial Music: "JamRoc" by Breez
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Something.
Speaker 2 (00:00):
They call it functional alcoholism. But if you know anything
about Ben, he's got vision with precision microphones and the
tinkle love derision. Here about to hear what NB, It's
time for Barley and Me.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
My name is Garon Flowers. I'm a TikTok Shop affiliate,
TV host, comedian and sometimes actor and this is why
I drink Thai.
Speaker 3 (00:35):
Iced tea with Ben Rice. Hey, Garret, thanks much for
doing We're actually here at Auburn Thai Garden because you're
not from here, You're from LA. You're from Florida.
Speaker 1 (00:43):
Really from Florida.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
You don't know where to get a good Auburn or sorry,
a good Thai iced team. Yes, I am Sacramento. So
you did our show last night at Moxa Brewing in
in Rockland, and now I'm like, we should come up
to Auburn Tay Garden, which has to say ownership group.
So it made sense.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
Love it. I'm getting all the love from the same people,
which I love.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
Yeah, yeah, So what do you like about a tie
iced tea?
Speaker 1 (01:06):
What I like about TIS tea is it has that
it has that make you feel good type feeling, you know,
like it has the iced tea. But then you add
the milk, which I recently didn't know that milk is
what you I didn't know that milk is what you
add to it until recently. And it just has that
like feel good at home type feel like I imagine
(01:28):
that is something that like, you know, people who are
a tie like that, like that's just like they're feel
good drink, you know, and it just and it just
tastes amazing too.
Speaker 3 (01:36):
Yeah. So are you a sweet iced tea guy or
a regular iced tea guy?
Speaker 1 (01:41):
Sweet iced team? Okay, so it makes sense that a
ties tea yeah would fit what I like, you.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
Know, yeah, Okay, what do you think the milk was initially?
Speaker 1 (01:49):
That's a great question, you know. You know, it's one
of those things you just don't think about. You just
don't think about.
Speaker 3 (01:55):
Like it's a cultural thing. It's a thing that we
don't break out here, that they have that's gonna give consistency.
Speaker 1 (02:00):
I didn't know if it was like coconut juice or something.
I just I didn't know what it was. And then
I was at a tire restaurant and I saw them
pouring the milk and I was like, oh my gosh, boom,
mind exploded.
Speaker 3 (02:10):
So you make him at home now or no.
Speaker 1 (02:12):
No, No, it's it's I like when I I purchase
it from somewhere, you know. So yeah, yeah, and it's
a delicacy. I don't. I don't. I'm trying to drink
sugary things too often. So it's like a nice delicacy
when I go to a tie splot.
Speaker 3 (02:26):
Okay, so it's like a nice little treat dessert type thing.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
Yeah exactly.
Speaker 3 (02:30):
But are you like, do you drink it for the caffeine?
Is that also part of it?
Speaker 1 (02:33):
No? No, I just taste it tastes good and it
goes perfect with type food.
Speaker 3 (02:39):
So so you're a type food guy.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
What's your tie? Is like tied? Not to be puny.
Tie is tied with like one or two other types
of food. I love tie that much. It is like
up there for me.
Speaker 3 (02:53):
Okay, But what do you like about it? What's the
what are your what are your dishes? What kind of like?
Speaker 1 (02:59):
What are I like about it? I think that I like.
I like the tastiness of the tastiness is a word, right, tastefulness?
Speaker 3 (03:06):
Tastefulness different word.
Speaker 1 (03:09):
Yeah, I was like taste. I was like tasting this
is a word. Yeah, the former professor here like trying
to forge out my words. I like the taste, the
tastiness of the noodles. I'm a big pad Tie and
pad Cu guy, and their noodles are just so flavorful,
and so I love that aspect of it. And then
the protein, you know, whether you're getting chicken or pork
(03:30):
or or even shrimp or whatever, it just it just
tastes so good that it just comes together. Well.
Speaker 3 (03:37):
Yeah, now I have to a sense of what about
your heat levels? What are your heat levels at?
Speaker 1 (03:42):
I am not spicy, You're not a spicy good if
I get if I get like anything above medium, my
stomach is a wreck that night, the next day and
maybe the day after that. So I am not a
spicy person. I get medium or less.
Speaker 3 (03:54):
Yeah, I am a spicy person, but my as age
comes in. I can't handle it the same way like
I've like now, i would be a wreck tomorrow the
day after, but I'm still gonna do it. So like
I like it, but I like I turn red immediately.
I don't even need to be spicy, I just need
to be hot, like okay, I'm just what like my
my tongueage fat up like in anticipation. My body's like,
(04:19):
don't do this. I'm like, I'm gonna do it.
Speaker 1 (04:21):
So you don't mind hurting yourself.
Speaker 3 (04:22):
Yeah yeah, big glutton for pain.
Speaker 1 (04:26):
Yeah, they love that for you.
Speaker 3 (04:28):
Thank you, thank you. So all right, so you're TikTok
shop a guy.
Speaker 1 (04:32):
Yes, I'm a TikTok shop guy. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (04:34):
What is that?
Speaker 1 (04:35):
All right? Do you know anything about TikTok shop.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
I mean, I imagine I have a concept in my
head of like you're like, hey, I'm doing my my
fun tiktoks. By the way, I've got this thing I'm wearing,
or this thing I'm using. Uh, here's the streak. I've
got this Thai iced tea made at Auburn Ti Garden.
Speaker 1 (04:52):
Well, TikTok said, Hey, we're going to get into the
e commerce game. So just like Facebook or Facebook Marketplace,
you know, and it's you can buy things as well,
it's just not as expansive as TikTok shop. So TikTok said,
We're gonna basically create our own Amazon. However, it needs
to be integrated with our platform instead of just like
(05:16):
being in Amazon, We're going to integrate it with content.
So TikTok Shop is basically an e commerce marketplace where
you can buy things and creators create the videos that
bring attention to those products. And at first I was
very anti TikTok shop. I was like, what is I
was big on TikTok in twenty nineteen, even before the pandemic,
(05:38):
got away from it a little bit because I was
on a reality show and just got busy with life
and didn't prioritize TikTok. So I'm getting I'm getting back
on it in twenty four, twenty twenty four, and I'm like,
what is this nonsense? Like, what is this?
Speaker 3 (05:53):
No?
Speaker 1 (05:54):
Twenty twenty three, the end of twenty twenty three is
It's crazy? How time flies? Yeah, And like like November,
this Mber of twenty three, I was like, what is
this nonsense? Why are you selling to people? No? Months later,
I leave my job, my six figure tech job, and
I started doing what was called user generated content, where
you reach out to brands pitch them to get free products,
(06:15):
to promote the products, promote the brand, whatever it may be.
And I hated it. I just didn't like it. I
was like, man, I'm like pimping myself out to these
brands for weeks at a time just to make two
hundred dollars, like it doesn't make sense right, And then
TikTok shop, it was like, wait, that's kind of ugc.
But I could just make the videos. I could just
(06:37):
make the videos. I don't have to ask them for
the products. I don't. I could just make the videos.
And you're telling me I get a commission for every
sale as opposed to like I just get two hundred
bucks and then whatever. So I was like, let me
try TikTok shop. I tried it. It was cool. I
didn't like it. It was like, man, I'm losing followers.
I don't like it. And then it got to a
point I was like I have been neglecting TikTok for
(07:00):
three four years now, like why do I care who
un follows me? Like I've been neglecting them for four years?
Speaker 3 (07:08):
Like a why wouldn't I lose following?
Speaker 1 (07:11):
Right? So I was like, let me dive in, and
I dove in and I actually loved it once I
gave it a shot, and now I'm a high earner
on shot. Yeah, no one.
Speaker 3 (07:23):
Cares what I'm doing. That's very important part of my
my brand is no one cares what I'm doing, so
I'm like, I couldn't possibly do that is the reason
I'll never do it.
Speaker 1 (07:32):
Yeah, It's a very lucrative opportunity if you really dive
into it. And I'm my own boss here, I am
stress free doing this podcast in the middle of the
week because because I'm my own boss and I make
my own rules, my own life, my own schedule.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
Absolutely, yeah, And I think that's what a lot of
people are looking for, especially right now, is like, I
want to have that full control. I'm not at the
whim of somebody else. He's like, yeah, there might there's
always an opset of like, well, I'm gonna have a
bad month? What do I do with a bad month? Right?
Speaker 1 (08:03):
Right?
Speaker 3 (08:04):
I think there's a lot of panic on that for
a lot of people. How do you deal with a
what about a bad month?
Speaker 1 (08:09):
When I have a bad month?
Speaker 3 (08:10):
What do you do? Like, how do your mindset for that?
Speaker 1 (08:15):
That's a good question because it's so working in entertainment,
it's so easy to have a bad month. I just
remind myself that I'm doing what I love. You're doing
what you love, and you could be doing what you hate. Yeah,
doing what you hate and making money to me is
worse than doing what you love and not making that
much money. Yeah, so I remind myself you're doing what
(08:37):
you love and the ups and downs are are not
so bad. You know, being up all the time you
lose that perspective. So having a down up, you're like, okay, okay,
you know, just take it on the chain, take it
on the chin, and like, because this month was down,
most likely next month is gonna be up. So we're up.
(09:00):
And that's that mentality helps me out so much. Like
because this week, this month, this day is bad, the
next one is most likely gonna be up.
Speaker 3 (09:08):
Yeah, i'mdue.
Speaker 1 (09:09):
I'm even if it's up just a little bit, that's
still better than what it was. Yeah, okay, I don't
know if that makes sense, but.
Speaker 3 (09:16):
Yeah yeah, And you're constantly running around your host stuff.
I found. I thought you've been doing comedy five six years.
You turns out you have not been doing comedy five
or six years.
Speaker 1 (09:26):
I've been doing comedy for about a year and eight months,
give or too.
Speaker 3 (09:30):
Yeah. It's gross, it's gross, and I don't like it.
Speaker 1 (09:37):
H Tell me more, tell me more. Okay, Yeah, you're
like waiting for me.
Speaker 3 (09:41):
No, I think like we talked about it, like you
come from a background of performance, of being on stage,
of like having to maintain an energy in a room.
And I find most people that have that history do
very well with comedy, right because it's a lot of bravado, yes, right,
the same thing people to have writing careers, Like they'll
(10:02):
have the jokes, but they wanted the stage presence, where
if you have the stage president, the jokes will come,
Like you'll figure that part out and triple it, right,
Like the jokes are there and you'll figure out how
to deliver it. Right. So those two worlds I think
are always going to be the ones you see, as
said fastest. Yeah, because you've got a large part of
a skill set already in practice.
Speaker 1 (10:19):
That's a great way to put it.
Speaker 3 (10:20):
Yeah, yeah, it makes sense. Yeah. So I uh, I
dropped out of college at a writing program. So and
I stopped writing when I dropped out. So I'm like
I was behind the eight ball on that. I'm like,
I don't and I was not particularly a gregarious person,
so I'm like, I'm not gonna. I'm not gonna. I
don't have a lot of stage presents, you know, So
I came in blind kind.
Speaker 1 (10:39):
Of where'd you go to college? And why did you
drop out?
Speaker 3 (10:42):
I went to Minnesota State University, Moorhead, Okay, in the
Hall of Fame Kevin Sorbo. That's something you can't be
proud of anymore.
Speaker 1 (10:50):
You know.
Speaker 3 (10:51):
We went for a semester, but he was on the
track team. I went for two semesters, so twice as
good as Kevin Sorbo.
Speaker 1 (10:58):
No.
Speaker 3 (10:58):
I dropped out just money. I was like, you know what,
I looked at the numbers and I'm like, this isn't
worth it to me, you know, like I would Initially
as in music production was my initial major, and it
was one hundred and twenty five credits and every class
was maybe two credits.
Speaker 1 (11:17):
That's crazy.
Speaker 3 (11:18):
So it's like you got to take like sixty five
classes of music intense music, and I'm like, I'm not
even playing instruments. I'm literally just twiddled knobs making sure
this sound good. It was one hundred and twenty five credits,
and I had to be more proficient in music playing
than any actual instrumental degree I had to learn. I
had to be proficient in three instruments plus piano, and
(11:41):
I'm like, I am proficient in no instruments, walking in
the door right right, But I know how to make
things sound That's what I want to do. I want
to make things sound good. I want to give ideas
who were here stuck up, Like I think I can
do that. And that's what I want to learn how
to do is just really nail down this knob twiddling.
And we're like nah, yeah, and I'm like, I'm like, okay,
I'll try it. I'm like all these classes are too
(12:02):
are two credits?
Speaker 1 (12:03):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (12:04):
One credit? This is like a ten year degree. I'm
not And there's no money in the production by this point,
you know, and so like I'm out, I'm not gonna
do that. So I'm like I went back in. I'm like, well,
what what could I be here for? You know? That
makes sense to me. I'm like yeah, And I'm like, well, uh,
I like writing. Yeah, you know, if I throw through
(12:25):
all the things, I'm like, I've always look good at English.
I can do math. I just I'm not crazy about it,
but I'm good at it.
Speaker 1 (12:31):
That's when you switch the writing.
Speaker 3 (12:32):
Yeah. It was also the lowest number of credits available.
Is that in history have the lowest number of credits?
Speaker 1 (12:38):
You got to get through times colleges got to get through.
Speaker 3 (12:41):
Yeah, but to be I'm like, it's because they want
you to learn all the other stuff, Like we these
what you got to do, but the rest of the time,
you know, do your other stuff. And I'm like that's
I like that. But then I was like, also, I
had a meeting during my second semester with the counselor
or whatever you call them. I forget the name every
single time.
Speaker 1 (12:59):
Yeah, counsel Yeah, your career coach or whatever.
Speaker 3 (13:01):
Yeah, they're in charge of the department. They take on
students like, let's see what you do. And he's like,
I've pulled all of your things. You've written for all
your English classes so far. You're really good at this,
Like you there is nothing we're gonna teach you that
you do not already know. We're just gonna make you
do it.
Speaker 1 (13:16):
Yeah, that's a high praise.
Speaker 3 (13:18):
Yeah. And I'm like, all right, well, if I already
know it, I'll just do it on my own. I'm out. Also,
I did not pay for the semester, so no, uh.
And then I just does stop writing. But you know,
whatever it is, what it is. Yeah, you find your ways,
you know, Like I just music review and journalism for
(13:43):
a little bit. Yeah, so yeah, you find your stuff
and then now I'm like just writing jokes.
Speaker 1 (13:49):
Hey, it's it's a it's a fun life. Yeah, fun
life being a comic. It's tough but fun.
Speaker 3 (13:54):
Yeah, and it's fun to like everyone's trying. Like, that's
a really well written thing, like a younger me could
be practice. Yes, exactly, even if I let this thing
kind of atrophy a little bit, it's still there when
I need it.
Speaker 1 (14:07):
Writing a joke that lands is the most electrifying feeling,
Like holy crap, I thought of that in that landed.
Speaker 3 (14:14):
Like wow, wow, yeah do you have that? What was
that first moment like when you had like a joke
that you wrote that did well. You're like, I've been
on stage, people have you know, cheered for me before,
but this is different, Like what do you remember what
that was?
Speaker 1 (14:32):
Yeah? Yeah, So going from when when you're a host
and an MC, your job is to make sure everything
runs smooth. Your job is to make sure you don't
fuck up the show. You're not necessarily the talent. You're
not not talent, but you're not considered talent. You're introducing
the speaker, you're introducing the main event, right, Like, you're
(14:54):
not the main event, You're not the talent. And so
I'm not saying I want to be the center of
the universe, but like after a while, you're like, man,
I want to I want to perform. I want to
have some type of skill set that that is praised.
And I just didn't know what that would be. So
when I got into comedy, it was like, wow, like
I'm actually the performer. Now I'm the one being introduced.
I'm the one, you know.
Speaker 3 (15:14):
When people are paying attention. I'm not the transition piece.
Speaker 1 (15:17):
I'm not the transition piece. I'm not the master ceremony,
just making sure everything's smooth, because the job is the
hosts to make sure nothing's fucked up. It's not to like,
as the comic, your job is the fuck keep it on.
And I love that, yeah, keep it on, schedule, whatever,
And I like being that person that's like, fuck this
shit up, you know. And so I was terrified of comedy.
And I mentioned to you earlier that being a TV host,
(15:40):
my ultimate goals be a game show host. My ultimate
goal is to host family Feud or something like Big
Brother or you know, any type of game show, competition show,
dating show I would love to host, and being in Hollywood,
it's hard to be a host if you don't have
some type of other skill set that's going to help
make you, help brand you. And so people kept saying,
(16:02):
try to stand, I'm try to standing. Structing them, I
was like, no, I'm terrified. No, no, no, no, And I did.
And I took this intro course. So it's a one
day intro course. And there was this teacher that helped
me write this joke about my feet, like growing up
was embarrassing because my feet are bleach white. I'm black.
As you can see, I'm black, y'all. I'm black and
I'm black, and so being a black man with very
(16:24):
white feet, people call it out all the time, and
it's embarrassing, you know. So comedy is drawn from pain,
not from like pleasure, right, I mean, you know, you
can draw comedy from anything, but it's mostly embarrassment, mostly embarrassment,
you know, hard share struggle, struggle, that is the time.
Speaker 3 (16:44):
But like somebody else is also done with this.
Speaker 1 (16:46):
That's what makes it related, that is what makes it relatable,
and it is the best type of content. So I
was like, man, well, what do I really what's you know?
So at this court, this comedy course, I just wrote
down my white feet joke. I'm in about my white feet.
You know, these aren't my shoes, these aren't my feet.
I have to be wearing white shoes. And and then
(17:07):
I just talk about how white my feet are, like
I can get into the bathroom and Starbucks, you know,
things that are very white. And that joke. They were
like the guy uh hosting the class, he said, who
wants to tell their jokes that they've written? Or they're
one joke that they've written. And the girl that was
the woman that was helping me, she said, go tell
(17:28):
that white feet joke. I was like, oh, I was
like dumb. So I raised my hand. I went up
there and it landed nice and that that sparked off everything.
That sparked off everything. I was like, holy crap, I
could really do this. Ben it was like, you can
do this. And I took a full course. Now at
this point, and I was one of the funniest in
the class, and I've been doing a comedy ever since,
(17:52):
been a comedian ever since.
Speaker 3 (17:53):
Nice. Yeah, it's it's a weird world and welcome, welcome
to it. You just headlined a we got your headlining
in another show in a couple of days.
Speaker 1 (18:02):
Thank you for bringing me on. Appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (18:04):
You've been invited to headlight another show if we can
find you on the schedule.
Speaker 1 (18:08):
So thank you.
Speaker 3 (18:09):
And that's I don't want to talk. We're across the
Free from Crooked Lay Improven, which we've been doing shows there.
This will be our tenth season, No big deals, no
feet to fill. Mikey Winfield's headline that j R. De Gooseman,
Taylor Thomlins in his headline.
Speaker 1 (18:22):
Taylor Thomas.
Speaker 3 (18:23):
Yeah that when they say like you should come headline
this Amy Miller, like so many people have done that
that show.
Speaker 1 (18:30):
That's that's awesome. I'm blessed. I'm blessed for sure. Thank
you for bringing me on. I was surprised myself as
the headliner. I was like, this is dope. Okay, I
appreciate it, you know.
Speaker 3 (18:38):
So the fact that there was and that was me scouting,
there was somebody else like, hey, you should have them
come up here, right, So thank you. That's and they
know what the quality of that show is. So yeah,
that speaks a lot.
Speaker 1 (18:48):
Thank you. I appreciate that. That's that's huge. That's a
huge honor. Yeah, yeah, a lot of it's gonna be tough,
but it's hard field. But I'm a fellow. Yeah with
my white feet.
Speaker 3 (19:00):
Yeah, now which are big?
Speaker 1 (19:02):
They are big? Why, Yes, that's very important.
Speaker 3 (19:06):
It's very important.
Speaker 1 (19:06):
They're large, large about Yeah, they're white, but they're not small.
Speaker 3 (19:15):
Yeah, so your goal game show, you've done real TV.
You're finding all the ways, like because I think the
way that games who hosts used to come about before
was like you know, they were on radio or they
were you know, and and it's like DJ's has been
the nineties, but those drops don't exist anymore. So how
do you find your your white foot in?
Speaker 1 (19:34):
Yes? You know, how do you get your white foot
in the door? So that was a great point about
DJs and uh DJs on the radio, you know, former
reporters like myself. It was like a natural, uh growth,
if that's what you wanted to do. So well, the
reality show I did was The Bachelorette, just to I know,
(19:56):
people are ibably gonna be like, what reality show? It was?
The Bachelorette I did do for love. And we're in
Sacramento where Claire Crawley was the bachelorette, first time being
in her city. And I did do that for love.
I did do that genuinely. It wasn't to boost my career,
but obviously, of course eyeballs can help. But aside from that,
(20:16):
what I've done is Number One, I put myself in
a position to wing. I was a former television reporter
covering hard news, which is like the serious stuff you know, crime, politics, weather,
events like hurricane you know, I covered all that. I
moved to LA. That's the first step. Be where the
opportunities are. The first step is being close to where
(20:39):
the things are number one. Number two networking. Who do
you need to talk to? Who do you need to
connect with? I have two hosting jobs. I worked for
one of the local TV stations in LA. I do
some of their like local business and entertainment coverage, and
then I also do hosting work for cinema theaters, doing
press junkets, sitting down and interviewing the cast of movies.
(21:00):
And so I do have really two really cool hosting jobs.
But to get to that next level of like game
shows and all that stuff. Number Number three, the thing
I'm doing is comedy. Comedy is helping me with hosting
and being a better host is helping me get new opportunities.
You can host comedy shows, so now you're hosting that
(21:22):
way as well. So I'm getting my name out there,
my face out there doing comedy the sort of. The
last thing I'm doing is building a social media footprint. Building,
you know, building your brand on social media really hard.
It's not easy to grow on social media. It's really tough.
But that's what I'm doing my best at. And then
(21:42):
another thing is creating your own You don't have to
wait anymore to do your own thing. I can start
a game show today with my cell phone. I don't
need to have the game show network hired me or
CBS or Paramount or Sony whomever. Yeah, you know, I
can create my own game show. And that's what I'm doing.
(22:04):
I'm creating a comedy dating show in LA where I'll
be able to find the daters, I'll be able to
put the show together, host it. So now I'm a host,
I'm a comedian, producer all in one, and it's great
and I'm so excited about it because I'm creating my
own dream job.
Speaker 3 (22:22):
Right. Yeah. The nice part is it's hard to get
into the system, but you can also operate outside the
system and still find success to there and then they
might come to you, but you don't. At that point,
you have more libratries like I don't need you. I've
found my way into this myself. I am sustaining, right,
you know, and I've yeah, yep. And that's like that
is one of positive parts that the barrier to entry
(22:44):
is lower, But it's harder to find a foothold.
Speaker 1 (22:47):
Yes exactly, yeah, exactly.
Speaker 3 (22:49):
It's kind of finding that magic something and you just
need one, just need one, and.
Speaker 1 (22:54):
Then you need that thing that hits. Yeah. And like
you said, if this game show blows up or not
game show, dating show blows up, maybe I'll be asked
to do a traditional dating show game show. There's this
black YouTube dating show called Pop the Balloon and it
is become extremely popular. And the host and her husband,
(23:16):
who's a producer, they just created a Netflix version and
they're not she's not the host.
Speaker 3 (23:22):
Of the Netflix version.
Speaker 1 (23:23):
They brought on a more famous host, right, Like that's
what they do. They brought on a more famous host.
But I think her and her husband are like producers
of it, so they're getting that Netflix money, right, because
they created their own black dating show. The Netflix wasn't
going to ask them to create a dating show.
Speaker 3 (23:41):
No no, but they saw a product that was marketable,
because that's the one where they're like, if you don't
like this, then you pop the balloon out or whatever.
Speaker 1 (23:48):
Yes, yeah, popular up, Yeah, yeah, I know that one. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (23:53):
And I don't even I don't even watch dating shows.
Speaker 1 (23:55):
Yeah, exactly. It's that popular that it's hard to not
see it. It's hard to know.
Speaker 3 (24:00):
When you see it, you're like, okay, and it's six.
Speaker 1 (24:02):
It's sticky, right, just like The Bachelorette. Not everybody watches it,
but they know about it. You heard about it, damn it.
You know Pop the Balloon. You might not have watched it,
but you know it.
Speaker 3 (24:11):
And it's explained like you're like, well, it's dating. As
soon as you say it's Pop the Balloon and its
dating game, you're like, I know what, I know what.
Speaker 1 (24:17):
It is exactly exactly.
Speaker 3 (24:18):
That's good. I like that I would be interested in
watching it or I'm not, you know whatever, but you
know what it is. It sells, and it sells exactly. Yeah,
and it's important to find those like I'm in our amounts.
You know those are like there's such a blessing to have. Yeah, exactly, yeah,
I uh, I Like I know I said earlier, you
just you just need one. That's not always true, you know,
(24:42):
one just need one to pop, and then you're like
sometimes you need a few to pop. And that's true.
But like I was thinking, like I got I've got
a million dollar idea, I've got. All I need is
eight more and I'll be fine, you know.
Speaker 1 (24:56):
And that's the thing is like a lot of people
are stunt to buy all the ideas they have. That's
that's what's been going on me is I have a
million ideas for social media. I have a million ideas
for shows, and you almost get stuck because you never
decide on what to do. Yeah, I'm in I'm in
a place now where I'm trying to decide like this
(25:16):
is what you need to do, go for it. Yeah,
so sit down and be like this is it, this
is it, this is it? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (25:23):
Yeah, you give yourself option paralysis.
Speaker 1 (25:25):
Yes, yeah, yes, crazy dude.
Speaker 3 (25:28):
Yeah no, And it's and it's so yeah, I could
see how that would happen because I was like, oh
I could do or I could and then you just
end up doing nothing and you're just like, well, what
did I do? I mean, my my barriers, Like I
don't want to take the financial risk of my family, right,
Like that's my that's my Like I don't like that.
I don't like that feeling, you know, especially right now,
I got a house, got a kid. I'm like, I
(25:49):
can't I can't take that risk, right, Like that's like
that it doesn't just affect me anymore, right and like
now I'm kind of mad. I didn't do that stuff younger.
You know. Yeah, if I just take a few more.
Speaker 1 (25:58):
Risks, yea, yeah, yeah, I hear that.
Speaker 3 (26:01):
But yeah, the day will come again, you know where
you can do it?
Speaker 1 (26:04):
Yeah, and yeah, like you said, you have something bigger
than yourself. You have a daughter, you have a house,
and so those are priorities. I will say that I'm
getting a lot of inspiration from people who are are
funding their projects, Like I have the same mindset as you.
I was like, man, how do I fund this comedy
dating show? I gotta pay for the venue. I gotta pay,
(26:26):
you know, the I want to have like a co host,
I gotta pay the co host. I gotta pay. I
got a producer, I want to pay. I gotta DJ
you know, it's like there's so many a videographer to
film it because it's going to be a YouTube dating show. Yeah.
So it's like I got so much and but like
you can get funding, you know crowdfunding as like you
can get people to fund it. Yeah. And a friend
(26:48):
of mine just funded a documentary about her grandmother. We
don't we don't know her grandmother or like her grandmother
is not a famous person, you know, her grandmother's is
a regular person that I'm sure was an amazing person
and have something interesting that it has an interesting story,
but there but there's not that celebrity aspect of your
grandmother being someone famous. And she still overfunded her documentary.
(27:12):
She was able to overfund, like get more funding than
what she needed, and she she was posting updates, posting
updates like this.
Speaker 3 (27:18):
Is not neat, you know, it's like there's still time
to buy in exactly, and we can make this better,
we can make this bigger, we can make it broader,
we could do like yeah, and this is what that
just from money goes to and you can explain it. Yes, yeah, absolutely,
I don't like I don't like any of that that's
I'm also not good at tasking it. I don't like
people to do things for me, So that's also that's
(27:39):
a that's a new thing, right, that's a new thing. No, no, no,
I gotta do it because I know how I want. Like,
people have offered to edit this podcast. I'm like, I'm not,
you'll cut the stuff I don't want you to cut
and stuff I don't want.
Speaker 1 (27:49):
You to leave.
Speaker 3 (27:50):
But I can't do it.
Speaker 1 (27:50):
I gotta do it myself.
Speaker 3 (27:51):
Yeah, I gotta do it trying.
Speaker 1 (27:53):
Man, bless your heart for having nine years doing a
podcast where you do all the editing. You are a superman,
my friend. Because podcast editing has got to be the
worst thing to do in the world.
Speaker 3 (28:01):
Dude, it's gonna be the easiest thing I ever do. Okay,
I'm gonna I'm gonna when we're done, i'm gonna hit
stop and I'm just gonna add ad breaks and that's
what I say. I'm gonna even up the audio obviously.
But like, oh, so you don't do too much editing
on this on this is why I drink. I do
not do a lot of editing. My previous podcast, there
was a lot of editing this one has so far
required me to do almost none.
Speaker 1 (28:25):
I love it.
Speaker 3 (28:26):
Yeah, I don't think I've cut a second from the
time I hit record.
Speaker 1 (28:29):
That makes life so easy.
Speaker 3 (28:31):
Yeah, it's done. I gotta I got your review cameras.
I gotta get stuff up that takes forever, and I
gotta line them up that takes forever. That's the hard part.
I'm also not a video gun. Yeah, no idea what
I'm doing.
Speaker 1 (28:42):
So I'm like learning, well, after this, I'm gonna say, hey,
take this out, take that out, take that out. Now.
I'm kidding. Everything's good.
Speaker 3 (28:49):
I used to be. I'm like, look, I'll cut it.
You don't want it, it's done. But I don't typically
drive people to say things, David, But nah, I've had
people announced things before they were supposed to. I'm like,
that's reason tell me to cut that. That's fun, you know.
But I'm like, or we could break it. We could
break it right here, you know. But yeah, anything else.
I wanted to tell all of your loyal fans and
(29:11):
new newfound fans.
Speaker 1 (29:12):
Oh, I'm a I'm appreciative of the newfound fans of
the Third Times. It's all gone pretty much. Yeah, get
in there, get in there.
Speaker 3 (29:26):
You got more than idea.
Speaker 1 (29:30):
I'll just say, you know, give me a follow at
Garan Flowers on On on social media, TikTok, Instagram, g
A r I N. Flowers. You know you're seeing me
before the big blow up. And so I'm just the
normal guy now, just doing my thing, working hard, pursuing
my dreams and I love finding people along that journey
(29:51):
to grow together. And so you're seeing me at a
point now where I've done some really cool things in
my life, but nowhere near where I want to be.
And event sure I'll get there, so's I'll say hell yeah.
Speaker 3 (30:01):
And for me, you can find me across social media
barling me pod bar mepod dot com or I think
Auburn Ti Garden New boom Coms. We're having us here
to to drink these delicious uh Thai iced teas.
Speaker 1 (30:12):
They were fire, yeah, I mean I was delicious. Yeah
it was great, dude.
Speaker 3 (30:16):
Yeah, I had not a nice tea guy, but I'll
drink that right.
Speaker 1 (30:19):
A Thai iced tea is different than it's food. Thai
iced tea's got that extra sauce to it. Yeah, and
it's milk and it's milk, which I didn't know until recently.
Speaker 3 (30:27):
There's like other flavor profile. I think it's getting in there.
Speaker 1 (30:29):
But yeah, and now we're gonna have some taie food, right, Yeah,
we're gonna have some time food.
Speaker 3 (30:33):
Great, but we're not gonna eat it on camera because
we're not I'm not that person we could do that
to you.
Speaker 1 (30:38):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (30:38):
Yeah, but again, thank you for Auburtay Godden for doing that.
Garon flowers, give him flowers. This, This is why I drink.
This is nice.
Speaker 1 (30:46):
Thank you
Something.
Speaker 2 (00:00):
They call it functional alcoholism. But if you know anything
about Ben, he's got vision with precision microphones and the
tinkle love derision. Here about to hear what NB, It's
time for Barley and Me.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
My name is Garon Flowers. I'm a TikTok Shop affiliate,
TV host, comedian and sometimes actor and this is why
I drink Thai.
Speaker 3 (00:35):
Iced tea with Ben Rice. Hey, Garret, thanks much for
doing We're actually here at Auburn Thai Garden because you're
not from here, You're from LA. You're from Florida.
Speaker 1 (00:43):
Really from Florida.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
You don't know where to get a good Auburn or sorry,
a good Thai iced team. Yes, I am Sacramento. So
you did our show last night at Moxa Brewing in
in Rockland, and now I'm like, we should come up
to Auburn Tay Garden, which has to say ownership group.
So it made sense.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
Love it. I'm getting all the love from the same people,
which I love.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
Yeah, yeah, So what do you like about a tie
iced tea?
Speaker 1 (01:06):
What I like about TIS tea is it has that
it has that make you feel good type feeling, you know,
like it has the iced tea. But then you add
the milk, which I recently didn't know that milk is
what you I didn't know that milk is what you
add to it until recently. And it just has that
like feel good at home type feel like I imagine
(01:28):
that is something that like, you know, people who are
a tie like that, like that's just like they're feel
good drink, you know, and it just and it just
tastes amazing too.
Speaker 3 (01:36):
Yeah. So are you a sweet iced tea guy or
a regular iced tea guy?
Speaker 1 (01:41):
Sweet iced team? Okay, so it makes sense that a
ties tea yeah would fit what I like, you.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
Know, yeah, Okay, what do you think the milk was initially?
Speaker 1 (01:49):
That's a great question, you know. You know, it's one
of those things you just don't think about. You just
don't think about.
Speaker 3 (01:55):
Like it's a cultural thing. It's a thing that we
don't break out here, that they have that's gonna give consistency.
Speaker 1 (02:00):
I didn't know if it was like coconut juice or something.
I just I didn't know what it was. And then
I was at a tire restaurant and I saw them
pouring the milk and I was like, oh my gosh, boom,
mind exploded.
Speaker 3 (02:10):
So you make him at home now or no.
Speaker 1 (02:12):
No, No, it's it's I like when I I purchase
it from somewhere, you know. So yeah, yeah, and it's
a delicacy. I don't. I don't. I'm trying to drink
sugary things too often. So it's like a nice delicacy
when I go to a tie splot.
Speaker 3 (02:26):
Okay, so it's like a nice little treat dessert type thing.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
Yeah exactly.
Speaker 3 (02:30):
But are you like, do you drink it for the caffeine?
Is that also part of it?
Speaker 1 (02:33):
No? No, I just taste it tastes good and it
goes perfect with type food.
Speaker 3 (02:39):
So so you're a type food guy.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
What's your tie? Is like tied? Not to be puny.
Tie is tied with like one or two other types
of food. I love tie that much. It is like
up there for me.
Speaker 3 (02:53):
Okay, But what do you like about it? What's the
what are your what are your dishes? What kind of like?
Speaker 1 (02:59):
What are I like about it? I think that I like.
I like the tastiness of the tastiness is a word, right, tastefulness?
Speaker 3 (03:06):
Tastefulness different word.
Speaker 1 (03:09):
Yeah, I was like taste. I was like tasting this
is a word. Yeah, the former professor here like trying
to forge out my words. I like the taste, the
tastiness of the noodles. I'm a big pad Tie and
pad Cu guy, and their noodles are just so flavorful,
and so I love that aspect of it. And then
the protein, you know, whether you're getting chicken or pork
(03:30):
or or even shrimp or whatever, it just it just
tastes so good that it just comes together. Well.
Speaker 3 (03:37):
Yeah, now I have to a sense of what about
your heat levels? What are your heat levels at?
Speaker 1 (03:42):
I am not spicy, You're not a spicy good if
I get if I get like anything above medium, my
stomach is a wreck that night, the next day and
maybe the day after that. So I am not a
spicy person. I get medium or less.
Speaker 3 (03:54):
Yeah, I am a spicy person, but my as age
comes in. I can't handle it the same way like
I've like now, i would be a wreck tomorrow the
day after, but I'm still gonna do it. So like
I like it, but I like I turn red immediately.
I don't even need to be spicy, I just need
to be hot, like okay, I'm just what like my
my tongueage fat up like in anticipation. My body's like,
(04:19):
don't do this. I'm like, I'm gonna do it.
Speaker 1 (04:21):
So you don't mind hurting yourself.
Speaker 3 (04:22):
Yeah yeah, big glutton for pain.
Speaker 1 (04:26):
Yeah, they love that for you.
Speaker 3 (04:28):
Thank you, thank you. So all right, so you're TikTok
shop a guy.
Speaker 1 (04:32):
Yes, I'm a TikTok shop guy. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (04:34):
What is that?
Speaker 1 (04:35):
All right? Do you know anything about TikTok shop.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
I mean, I imagine I have a concept in my
head of like you're like, hey, I'm doing my my
fun tiktoks. By the way, I've got this thing I'm wearing,
or this thing I'm using. Uh, here's the streak. I've
got this Thai iced tea made at Auburn Ti Garden.
Speaker 1 (04:52):
Well, TikTok said, Hey, we're going to get into the
e commerce game. So just like Facebook or Facebook Marketplace,
you know, and it's you can buy things as well,
it's just not as expansive as TikTok shop. So TikTok said,
We're gonna basically create our own Amazon. However, it needs
to be integrated with our platform instead of just like
(05:16):
being in Amazon, We're going to integrate it with content.
So TikTok Shop is basically an e commerce marketplace where
you can buy things and creators create the videos that
bring attention to those products. And at first I was
very anti TikTok shop. I was like, what is I
was big on TikTok in twenty nineteen, even before the pandemic,
(05:38):
got away from it a little bit because I was
on a reality show and just got busy with life
and didn't prioritize TikTok. So I'm getting I'm getting back
on it in twenty four, twenty twenty four, and I'm like,
what is this nonsense? Like, what is this?
Speaker 3 (05:53):
No?
Speaker 1 (05:54):
Twenty twenty three, the end of twenty twenty three is
It's crazy? How time flies? Yeah, And like like November,
this Mber of twenty three, I was like, what is
this nonsense? Why are you selling to people? No? Months later,
I leave my job, my six figure tech job, and
I started doing what was called user generated content, where
you reach out to brands pitch them to get free products,
(06:15):
to promote the products, promote the brand, whatever it may be.
And I hated it. I just didn't like it. I
was like, man, I'm like pimping myself out to these
brands for weeks at a time just to make two
hundred dollars, like it doesn't make sense right, And then
TikTok shop, it was like, wait, that's kind of ugc.
But I could just make the videos. I could just
(06:37):
make the videos. I don't have to ask them for
the products. I don't. I could just make the videos.
And you're telling me I get a commission for every
sale as opposed to like I just get two hundred
bucks and then whatever. So I was like, let me
try TikTok shop. I tried it. It was cool. I
didn't like it. It was like, man, I'm losing followers.
I don't like it. And then it got to a
point I was like I have been neglecting TikTok for
(07:00):
three four years now, like why do I care who
un follows me? Like I've been neglecting them for four years?
Speaker 3 (07:08):
Like a why wouldn't I lose following?
Speaker 1 (07:11):
Right? So I was like, let me dive in, and
I dove in and I actually loved it once I
gave it a shot, and now I'm a high earner
on shot. Yeah, no one.
Speaker 3 (07:23):
Cares what I'm doing. That's very important part of my
my brand is no one cares what I'm doing, so
I'm like, I couldn't possibly do that is the reason
I'll never do it.
Speaker 1 (07:32):
Yeah, It's a very lucrative opportunity if you really dive
into it. And I'm my own boss here, I am
stress free doing this podcast in the middle of the
week because because I'm my own boss and I make
my own rules, my own life, my own schedule.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
Absolutely, yeah, And I think that's what a lot of
people are looking for, especially right now, is like, I
want to have that full control. I'm not at the
whim of somebody else. He's like, yeah, there might there's
always an opset of like, well, I'm gonna have a
bad month? What do I do with a bad month? Right?
Speaker 1 (08:03):
Right?
Speaker 3 (08:04):
I think there's a lot of panic on that for
a lot of people. How do you deal with a
what about a bad month?
Speaker 1 (08:09):
When I have a bad month?
Speaker 3 (08:10):
What do you do? Like, how do your mindset for that?
Speaker 1 (08:15):
That's a good question because it's so working in entertainment,
it's so easy to have a bad month. I just
remind myself that I'm doing what I love. You're doing
what you love, and you could be doing what you hate. Yeah,
doing what you hate and making money to me is
worse than doing what you love and not making that
much money. Yeah, so I remind myself you're doing what
(08:37):
you love and the ups and downs are are not
so bad. You know, being up all the time you
lose that perspective. So having a down up, you're like, okay, okay,
you know, just take it on the chain, take it
on the chin, and like, because this month was down,
most likely next month is gonna be up. So we're up.
(09:00):
And that's that mentality helps me out so much. Like
because this week, this month, this day is bad, the
next one is most likely gonna be up.
Speaker 3 (09:08):
Yeah, i'mdue.
Speaker 1 (09:09):
I'm even if it's up just a little bit, that's
still better than what it was. Yeah, okay, I don't
know if that makes sense, but.
Speaker 3 (09:16):
Yeah yeah, And you're constantly running around your host stuff.
I found. I thought you've been doing comedy five six years.
You turns out you have not been doing comedy five
or six years.
Speaker 1 (09:26):
I've been doing comedy for about a year and eight months,
give or too.
Speaker 3 (09:30):
Yeah. It's gross, it's gross, and I don't like it.
Speaker 1 (09:37):
H Tell me more, tell me more. Okay, Yeah, you're
like waiting for me.
Speaker 3 (09:41):
No, I think like we talked about it, like you
come from a background of performance, of being on stage,
of like having to maintain an energy in a room.
And I find most people that have that history do
very well with comedy, right because it's a lot of bravado, yes, right,
the same thing people to have writing careers, Like they'll
(10:02):
have the jokes, but they wanted the stage presence, where
if you have the stage president, the jokes will come,
Like you'll figure that part out and triple it, right,
Like the jokes are there and you'll figure out how
to deliver it. Right. So those two worlds I think
are always going to be the ones you see, as
said fastest. Yeah, because you've got a large part of
a skill set already in practice.
Speaker 1 (10:19):
That's a great way to put it.
Speaker 3 (10:20):
Yeah, yeah, it makes sense. Yeah. So I uh, I
dropped out of college at a writing program. So and
I stopped writing when I dropped out. So I'm like
I was behind the eight ball on that. I'm like,
I don't and I was not particularly a gregarious person,
so I'm like, I'm not gonna. I'm not gonna. I
don't have a lot of stage presents, you know, So
I came in blind kind.
Speaker 1 (10:39):
Of where'd you go to college? And why did you
drop out?
Speaker 3 (10:42):
I went to Minnesota State University, Moorhead, Okay, in the
Hall of Fame Kevin Sorbo. That's something you can't be
proud of anymore.
Speaker 1 (10:50):
You know.
Speaker 3 (10:51):
We went for a semester, but he was on the
track team. I went for two semesters, so twice as
good as Kevin Sorbo.
Speaker 1 (10:58):
No.
Speaker 3 (10:58):
I dropped out just money. I was like, you know what,
I looked at the numbers and I'm like, this isn't
worth it to me, you know, like I would Initially
as in music production was my initial major, and it
was one hundred and twenty five credits and every class
was maybe two credits.
Speaker 1 (11:17):
That's crazy.
Speaker 3 (11:18):
So it's like you got to take like sixty five
classes of music intense music, and I'm like, I'm not
even playing instruments. I'm literally just twiddled knobs making sure
this sound good. It was one hundred and twenty five credits,
and I had to be more proficient in music playing
than any actual instrumental degree I had to learn. I
had to be proficient in three instruments plus piano, and
(11:41):
I'm like, I am proficient in no instruments, walking in
the door right right, But I know how to make
things sound That's what I want to do. I want
to make things sound good. I want to give ideas
who were here stuck up, Like I think I can
do that. And that's what I want to learn how
to do is just really nail down this knob twiddling.
And we're like nah, yeah, and I'm like, I'm like, okay,
I'll try it. I'm like all these classes are too
(12:02):
are two credits?
Speaker 1 (12:03):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (12:04):
One credit? This is like a ten year degree. I'm
not And there's no money in the production by this point,
you know, and so like I'm out, I'm not gonna
do that. So I'm like I went back in. I'm like, well,
what what could I be here for? You know? That
makes sense to me. I'm like yeah, And I'm like, well, uh,
I like writing. Yeah, you know, if I throw through
(12:25):
all the things, I'm like, I've always look good at English.
I can do math. I just I'm not crazy about it,
but I'm good at it.
Speaker 1 (12:31):
That's when you switch the writing.
Speaker 3 (12:32):
Yeah. It was also the lowest number of credits available.
Is that in history have the lowest number of credits?
Speaker 1 (12:38):
You got to get through times colleges got to get through.
Speaker 3 (12:41):
Yeah, but to be I'm like, it's because they want
you to learn all the other stuff, Like we these
what you got to do, but the rest of the time,
you know, do your other stuff. And I'm like that's
I like that. But then I was like, also, I
had a meeting during my second semester with the counselor
or whatever you call them. I forget the name every
single time.
Speaker 1 (12:59):
Yeah, counsel Yeah, your career coach or whatever.
Speaker 3 (13:01):
Yeah, they're in charge of the department. They take on
students like, let's see what you do. And he's like,
I've pulled all of your things. You've written for all
your English classes so far. You're really good at this,
Like you there is nothing we're gonna teach you that
you do not already know. We're just gonna make you
do it.
Speaker 1 (13:16):
Yeah, that's a high praise.
Speaker 3 (13:18):
Yeah. And I'm like, all right, well, if I already
know it, I'll just do it on my own. I'm out. Also,
I did not pay for the semester, so no, uh.
And then I just does stop writing. But you know,
whatever it is, what it is. Yeah, you find your ways,
you know, Like I just music review and journalism for
(13:43):
a little bit. Yeah, so yeah, you find your stuff
and then now I'm like just writing jokes.
Speaker 1 (13:49):
Hey, it's it's a it's a fun life. Yeah, fun
life being a comic. It's tough but fun.
Speaker 3 (13:54):
Yeah, and it's fun to like everyone's trying. Like, that's
a really well written thing, like a younger me could
be practice. Yes, exactly, even if I let this thing
kind of atrophy a little bit, it's still there when
I need it.
Speaker 1 (14:07):
Writing a joke that lands is the most electrifying feeling,
Like holy crap, I thought of that in that landed.
Speaker 3 (14:14):
Like wow, wow, yeah do you have that? What was
that first moment like when you had like a joke
that you wrote that did well. You're like, I've been
on stage, people have you know, cheered for me before,
but this is different, Like what do you remember what
that was?
Speaker 1 (14:32):
Yeah? Yeah, So going from when when you're a host
and an MC, your job is to make sure everything
runs smooth. Your job is to make sure you don't
fuck up the show. You're not necessarily the talent. You're
not not talent, but you're not considered talent. You're introducing
the speaker, you're introducing the main event, right, Like, you're
(14:54):
not the main event, You're not the talent. And so
I'm not saying I want to be the center of
the universe, but like after a while, you're like, man,
I want to I want to perform. I want to
have some type of skill set that that is praised.
And I just didn't know what that would be. So
when I got into comedy, it was like, wow, like
I'm actually the performer. Now I'm the one being introduced.
I'm the one, you know.
Speaker 3 (15:14):
When people are paying attention. I'm not the transition piece.
Speaker 1 (15:17):
I'm not the transition piece. I'm not the master ceremony,
just making sure everything's smooth, because the job is the
hosts to make sure nothing's fucked up. It's not to like,
as the comic, your job is the fuck keep it on.
And I love that, yeah, keep it on, schedule, whatever,
And I like being that person that's like, fuck this
shit up, you know. And so I was terrified of comedy.
And I mentioned to you earlier that being a TV host,
(15:40):
my ultimate goals be a game show host. My ultimate
goal is to host family Feud or something like Big
Brother or you know, any type of game show, competition show,
dating show I would love to host, and being in Hollywood,
it's hard to be a host if you don't have
some type of other skill set that's going to help
make you, help brand you. And so people kept saying,
(16:02):
try to stand, I'm try to standing. Structing them, I
was like, no, I'm terrified. No, no, no, no, And I did.
And I took this intro course. So it's a one
day intro course. And there was this teacher that helped
me write this joke about my feet, like growing up
was embarrassing because my feet are bleach white. I'm black.
As you can see, I'm black, y'all. I'm black and
I'm black, and so being a black man with very
(16:24):
white feet, people call it out all the time, and
it's embarrassing, you know. So comedy is drawn from pain,
not from like pleasure, right, I mean, you know, you
can draw comedy from anything, but it's mostly embarrassment, mostly embarrassment,
you know, hard share struggle, struggle, that is the time.
Speaker 3 (16:44):
But like somebody else is also done with this.
Speaker 1 (16:46):
That's what makes it related, that is what makes it relatable,
and it is the best type of content. So I
was like, man, well, what do I really what's you know?
So at this court, this comedy course, I just wrote
down my white feet joke. I'm in about my white feet.
You know, these aren't my shoes, these aren't my feet.
I have to be wearing white shoes. And and then
(17:07):
I just talk about how white my feet are, like
I can get into the bathroom and Starbucks, you know,
things that are very white. And that joke. They were
like the guy uh hosting the class, he said, who
wants to tell their jokes that they've written? Or they're
one joke that they've written. And the girl that was
the woman that was helping me, she said, go tell
(17:28):
that white feet joke. I was like, oh, I was
like dumb. So I raised my hand. I went up
there and it landed nice and that that sparked off everything.
That sparked off everything. I was like, holy crap, I
could really do this. Ben it was like, you can
do this. And I took a full course. Now at
this point, and I was one of the funniest in
the class, and I've been doing a comedy ever since,
(17:52):
been a comedian ever since.
Speaker 3 (17:53):
Nice. Yeah, it's it's a weird world and welcome, welcome
to it. You just headlined a we got your headlining
in another show in a couple of days.
Speaker 1 (18:02):
Thank you for bringing me on. Appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (18:04):
You've been invited to headlight another show if we can
find you on the schedule.
Speaker 1 (18:08):
So thank you.
Speaker 3 (18:09):
And that's I don't want to talk. We're across the
Free from Crooked Lay Improven, which we've been doing shows there.
This will be our tenth season, No big deals, no
feet to fill. Mikey Winfield's headline that j R. De Gooseman,
Taylor Thomlins in his headline.
Speaker 1 (18:22):
Taylor Thomas.
Speaker 3 (18:23):
Yeah that when they say like you should come headline
this Amy Miller, like so many people have done that
that show.
Speaker 1 (18:30):
That's that's awesome. I'm blessed. I'm blessed for sure. Thank
you for bringing me on. I was surprised myself as
the headliner. I was like, this is dope. Okay, I
appreciate it, you know.
Speaker 3 (18:38):
So the fact that there was and that was me scouting,
there was somebody else like, hey, you should have them
come up here, right, So thank you. That's and they
know what the quality of that show is. So yeah,
that speaks a lot.
Speaker 1 (18:48):
Thank you. I appreciate that. That's that's huge. That's a
huge honor. Yeah, yeah, a lot of it's gonna be tough,
but it's hard field. But I'm a fellow. Yeah with
my white feet.
Speaker 3 (19:00):
Yeah, now which are big?
Speaker 1 (19:02):
They are big? Why, Yes, that's very important.
Speaker 3 (19:06):
It's very important.
Speaker 1 (19:06):
They're large, large about Yeah, they're white, but they're not small.
Speaker 3 (19:15):
Yeah, so your goal game show, you've done real TV.
You're finding all the ways, like because I think the
way that games who hosts used to come about before
was like you know, they were on radio or they
were you know, and and it's like DJ's has been
the nineties, but those drops don't exist anymore. So how
do you find your your white foot in?
Speaker 1 (19:34):
Yes? You know, how do you get your white foot
in the door? So that was a great point about
DJs and uh DJs on the radio, you know, former
reporters like myself. It was like a natural, uh growth,
if that's what you wanted to do. So well, the
reality show I did was The Bachelorette, just to I know,
(19:56):
people are ibably gonna be like, what reality show? It was?
The Bachelorette I did do for love. And we're in
Sacramento where Claire Crawley was the bachelorette, first time being
in her city. And I did do that for love.
I did do that genuinely. It wasn't to boost my career,
but obviously, of course eyeballs can help. But aside from that,
(20:16):
what I've done is Number One, I put myself in
a position to wing. I was a former television reporter
covering hard news, which is like the serious stuff you know, crime, politics, weather,
events like hurricane you know, I covered all that. I
moved to LA. That's the first step. Be where the
opportunities are. The first step is being close to where
(20:39):
the things are number one. Number two networking. Who do
you need to talk to? Who do you need to
connect with? I have two hosting jobs. I worked for
one of the local TV stations in LA. I do
some of their like local business and entertainment coverage, and
then I also do hosting work for cinema theaters, doing
press junkets, sitting down and interviewing the cast of movies.
(21:00):
And so I do have really two really cool hosting jobs.
But to get to that next level of like game
shows and all that stuff. Number Number three, the thing
I'm doing is comedy. Comedy is helping me with hosting
and being a better host is helping me get new opportunities.
You can host comedy shows, so now you're hosting that
(21:22):
way as well. So I'm getting my name out there,
my face out there doing comedy the sort of. The
last thing I'm doing is building a social media footprint. Building,
you know, building your brand on social media really hard.
It's not easy to grow on social media. It's really tough.
But that's what I'm doing my best at. And then
(21:42):
another thing is creating your own You don't have to
wait anymore to do your own thing. I can start
a game show today with my cell phone. I don't
need to have the game show network hired me or
CBS or Paramount or Sony whomever. Yeah, you know, I
can create my own game show. And that's what I'm doing.
(22:04):
I'm creating a comedy dating show in LA where I'll
be able to find the daters, I'll be able to
put the show together, host it. So now I'm a host,
I'm a comedian, producer all in one, and it's great
and I'm so excited about it because I'm creating my
own dream job.
Speaker 3 (22:22):
Right. Yeah. The nice part is it's hard to get
into the system, but you can also operate outside the
system and still find success to there and then they
might come to you, but you don't. At that point,
you have more libratries like I don't need you. I've
found my way into this myself. I am sustaining, right,
you know, and I've yeah, yep. And that's like that
is one of positive parts that the barrier to entry
(22:44):
is lower, But it's harder to find a foothold.
Speaker 1 (22:47):
Yes exactly, yeah, exactly.
Speaker 3 (22:49):
It's kind of finding that magic something and you just
need one, just need one, and.
Speaker 1 (22:54):
Then you need that thing that hits. Yeah. And like
you said, if this game show blows up or not
game show, dating show blows up, maybe I'll be asked
to do a traditional dating show game show. There's this
black YouTube dating show called Pop the Balloon and it
is become extremely popular. And the host and her husband,
(23:16):
who's a producer, they just created a Netflix version and
they're not she's not the host.
Speaker 3 (23:22):
Of the Netflix version.
Speaker 1 (23:23):
They brought on a more famous host, right, Like that's
what they do. They brought on a more famous host.
But I think her and her husband are like producers
of it, so they're getting that Netflix money, right, because
they created their own black dating show. The Netflix wasn't
going to ask them to create a dating show.
Speaker 3 (23:41):
No no, but they saw a product that was marketable,
because that's the one where they're like, if you don't
like this, then you pop the balloon out or whatever.
Speaker 1 (23:48):
Yes, yeah, popular up, Yeah, yeah, I know that one. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (23:53):
And I don't even I don't even watch dating shows.
Speaker 1 (23:55):
Yeah, exactly. It's that popular that it's hard to not
see it. It's hard to know.
Speaker 3 (24:00):
When you see it, you're like, okay, and it's six.
Speaker 1 (24:02):
It's sticky, right, just like The Bachelorette. Not everybody watches it,
but they know about it. You heard about it, damn it.
You know Pop the Balloon. You might not have watched it,
but you know it.
Speaker 3 (24:11):
And it's explained like you're like, well, it's dating. As
soon as you say it's Pop the Balloon and its
dating game, you're like, I know what, I know what.
Speaker 1 (24:17):
It is exactly exactly.
Speaker 3 (24:18):
That's good. I like that I would be interested in
watching it or I'm not, you know whatever, but you
know what it is. It sells, and it sells exactly. Yeah,
and it's important to find those like I'm in our amounts.
You know those are like there's such a blessing to have. Yeah, exactly, yeah,
I uh, I Like I know I said earlier, you
just you just need one. That's not always true, you know,
(24:42):
one just need one to pop, and then you're like
sometimes you need a few to pop. And that's true.
But like I was thinking, like I got I've got
a million dollar idea, I've got. All I need is
eight more and I'll be fine, you know.
Speaker 1 (24:56):
And that's the thing is like a lot of people
are stunt to buy all the ideas they have. That's
that's what's been going on me is I have a
million ideas for social media. I have a million ideas
for shows, and you almost get stuck because you never
decide on what to do. Yeah, I'm in I'm in
a place now where I'm trying to decide like this
(25:16):
is what you need to do, go for it. Yeah,
so sit down and be like this is it, this
is it, this is it? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (25:23):
Yeah, you give yourself option paralysis.
Speaker 1 (25:25):
Yes, yeah, yes, crazy dude.
Speaker 3 (25:28):
Yeah no, And it's and it's so yeah, I could
see how that would happen because I was like, oh
I could do or I could and then you just
end up doing nothing and you're just like, well, what
did I do? I mean, my my barriers, Like I
don't want to take the financial risk of my family, right,
Like that's my that's my Like I don't like that.
I don't like that feeling, you know, especially right now,
I got a house, got a kid. I'm like, I
(25:49):
can't I can't take that risk, right, Like that's like
that it doesn't just affect me anymore, right and like
now I'm kind of mad. I didn't do that stuff younger.
You know. Yeah, if I just take a few more.
Speaker 1 (25:58):
Risks, yea, yeah, yeah, I hear that.
Speaker 3 (26:01):
But yeah, the day will come again, you know where
you can do it?
Speaker 1 (26:04):
Yeah, and yeah, like you said, you have something bigger
than yourself. You have a daughter, you have a house,
and so those are priorities. I will say that I'm
getting a lot of inspiration from people who are are
funding their projects, Like I have the same mindset as you.
I was like, man, how do I fund this comedy
dating show? I gotta pay for the venue. I gotta pay,
(26:26):
you know, the I want to have like a co host,
I gotta pay the co host. I gotta pay. I
got a producer, I want to pay. I gotta DJ
you know, it's like there's so many a videographer to
film it because it's going to be a YouTube dating show. Yeah.
So it's like I got so much and but like
you can get funding, you know crowdfunding as like you
can get people to fund it. Yeah. And a friend
(26:48):
of mine just funded a documentary about her grandmother. We
don't we don't know her grandmother or like her grandmother
is not a famous person, you know, her grandmother's is
a regular person that I'm sure was an amazing person
and have something interesting that it has an interesting story,
but there but there's not that celebrity aspect of your
grandmother being someone famous. And she still overfunded her documentary.
(27:12):
She was able to overfund, like get more funding than
what she needed, and she she was posting updates, posting
updates like this.
Speaker 3 (27:18):
Is not neat, you know, it's like there's still time
to buy in exactly, and we can make this better,
we can make this bigger, we can make it broader,
we could do like yeah, and this is what that
just from money goes to and you can explain it. Yes, yeah, absolutely,
I don't like I don't like any of that that's
I'm also not good at tasking it. I don't like
people to do things for me, So that's also that's
(27:39):
a that's a new thing, right, that's a new thing. No, no, no,
I gotta do it because I know how I want. Like,
people have offered to edit this podcast. I'm like, I'm not,
you'll cut the stuff I don't want you to cut
and stuff I don't want.
Speaker 1 (27:49):
You to leave.
Speaker 3 (27:50):
But I can't do it.
Speaker 1 (27:50):
I gotta do it myself.
Speaker 3 (27:51):
Yeah, I gotta do it trying.
Speaker 1 (27:53):
Man, bless your heart for having nine years doing a
podcast where you do all the editing. You are a superman,
my friend. Because podcast editing has got to be the
worst thing to do in the world.
Speaker 3 (28:01):
Dude, it's gonna be the easiest thing I ever do. Okay,
I'm gonna I'm gonna when we're done, i'm gonna hit
stop and I'm just gonna add ad breaks and that's
what I say. I'm gonna even up the audio obviously.
But like, oh, so you don't do too much editing
on this on this is why I drink. I do
not do a lot of editing. My previous podcast, there
was a lot of editing this one has so far
required me to do almost none.
Speaker 1 (28:25):
I love it.
Speaker 3 (28:26):
Yeah, I don't think I've cut a second from the
time I hit record.
Speaker 1 (28:29):
That makes life so easy.
Speaker 3 (28:31):
Yeah, it's done. I gotta I got your review cameras.
I gotta get stuff up that takes forever, and I
gotta line them up that takes forever. That's the hard part.
I'm also not a video gun. Yeah, no idea what
I'm doing.
Speaker 1 (28:42):
So I'm like learning, well, after this, I'm gonna say, hey,
take this out, take that out, take that out. Now.
I'm kidding. Everything's good.
Speaker 3 (28:49):
I used to be. I'm like, look, I'll cut it.
You don't want it, it's done. But I don't typically
drive people to say things, David, But nah, I've had
people announced things before they were supposed to. I'm like,
that's reason tell me to cut that. That's fun, you know.
But I'm like, or we could break it. We could
break it right here, you know. But yeah, anything else.
I wanted to tell all of your loyal fans and
(29:11):
new newfound fans.
Speaker 1 (29:12):
Oh, I'm a I'm appreciative of the newfound fans of
the Third Times. It's all gone pretty much. Yeah, get
in there, get in there.
Speaker 3 (29:26):
You got more than idea.
Speaker 1 (29:30):
I'll just say, you know, give me a follow at
Garan Flowers on On on social media, TikTok, Instagram, g
A r I N. Flowers. You know you're seeing me
before the big blow up. And so I'm just the
normal guy now, just doing my thing, working hard, pursuing
my dreams and I love finding people along that journey
(29:51):
to grow together. And so you're seeing me at a
point now where I've done some really cool things in
my life, but nowhere near where I want to be.
And event sure I'll get there, so's I'll say hell yeah.
Speaker 3 (30:01):
And for me, you can find me across social media
barling me pod bar mepod dot com or I think
Auburn Ti Garden New boom Coms. We're having us here
to to drink these delicious uh Thai iced teas.
Speaker 1 (30:12):
They were fire, yeah, I mean I was delicious. Yeah
it was great, dude.
Speaker 3 (30:16):
Yeah, I had not a nice tea guy, but I'll
drink that right.
Speaker 1 (30:19):
A Thai iced tea is different than it's food. Thai
iced tea's got that extra sauce to it. Yeah, and
it's milk and it's milk, which I didn't know until recently.
Speaker 3 (30:27):
There's like other flavor profile. I think it's getting in there.
Speaker 1 (30:29):
But yeah, and now we're gonna have some taie food, right, Yeah,
we're gonna have some time food.
Speaker 3 (30:33):
Great, but we're not gonna eat it on camera because
we're not I'm not that person we could do that
to you.
Speaker 1 (30:38):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (30:38):
Yeah, but again, thank you for Auburtay Godden for doing that.
Garon flowers, give him flowers. This, This is why I drink.
This is nice.
Speaker 1 (30:46):
Thank you
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