Candice Thompson's Unpaid Interns

Josh: Wait a minute! Crossface, The Daily Talk Show, a conversation sometimes worth recording with Josh Janson and Tommy Jacklin. The Daily Talk Show, Candace Thompson in Los Angeles.

Tommy: Yes.

Josh: Do you say Los Angeles or Los Angeles?

Candice: Oh, Los Angeles. Okay. Yeah, LA. LA?

Tommy: Yeah, I got pulled up for saying San Fran. No one says that.

Josh: You know what it's Los Angeles—

Tommy: nope!

Josh: No, no, just like New York City.

Tommy: No, no, yeah, I was just taking a bit of a detour up north. I think it's north.

Candice: Yeah, I don't know everyone every time we— I know anyone that refers to that up north they just say The Bay so they don't ever— I don't even hear San Francisco, I just hear The Bay.

Josh: Sam, like I learned that people don't say in San Francisco apparently this was I heard this on a podcast once in 2008, and now I pretend like I'm a local in San Francisco. They say SF, San Francisco, but people don't say San Fran.

Tommy: Well, Josh told me.

Candice: I don't think I've ever heard San Fran.

Tommy: I've got to say something. I'm drinking decaf.

Candice: Why?

Tommy: Well, 'cause I don't want to be too jittery.

Candice: It does have, it still does have some caffeine in it.

Tommy: What?

Candice: They can't take all of it out. It's not possible.

Tommy: Is it decaffeinated?

Candice: Yeah, I know, but it's not possible. How can they get all the caffeine? I don't believe it. I feel like get a Starbucks decaf and you'll see. Get a Starbucks decaf 'cause they have so much caffeine in their coffee, you'll see, you'll still be jittery after a decaf at Starbucks. 'Cause that's so strong.

Tommy: That's annoying 'cause I do, I feel like stuck in a bit anxious from having too much coffee. It's like, what the fuck? This is false advertising.

Candice: Yeah, you'll still get a little bit of something from that.

Josh: So Candace, you've got a podcast, The Struggle.

Candice: The Struggle with Candace Thompson. I mean, it's endless material.

Josh: It's fucking great. Thank you.

Tommy: It's so funny when I came out to grab you from out on the street I hear your voice and I'm like, just, it's so funny when you hear, listen to people's podcasts and you're like, it's like, it's so weird. Now it's directed at me. I'm usually just eavesdropping.

Josh: It sounds like it's coming out of like an iPhone speaker.

Candice: It's got that.

Tommy: Especially with the accent, it really has cut through.

Candice: Yeah.

Tommy: The American accent.

Candice: It's like you guys know me already.

Tommy: Yeah. Well, I first saw you on Joe Rogan. How many people?

Candice: Oh, okay. Yeah, yeah.

Tommy: That was a fun one, Joe. How many people have said that?

Candice: Oh, so many. I'm getting, you know, I get recognised on the street from that. It's crazy. Like he has so many fans. I got more, so many more followers from that than I did the Tonight Show. The Tonight Show. Like, it's insane. I did The Tonight Show last year, but it's a different fan base. Like, those people that are watching The Tonight Show are not on Instagram and they're not listening to podcasts. They're like TV people, and then there's online people, so it's crazy. But yeah, no, that podcast like was amazing.

Josh: But fuck online people. Yeah, what a group of people.

Candice: It's a bunch of trash. But a lot— I did get a lot of— I got a lot of hate and misogyny, of course, because his fan base is really interesting. He has because he's MMA, UFC person, so like he's got to have the meathead fan base, right? Those are the ones that just hate women for no reason. And then he's got the Trump supporters because he has conservatives on and comes and talks. He doesn't take their side, he just likes to have conversations with them. And because he has them on, they have now— he's now attracted Trump supporters as fans. And then he's got the liberals that are also like not crazy liberals, but like in the middle, like where I am. So it's like I got all— I got— I saw all of that after doing the show, that hate that from the Trump the hate from the men and then the cool people that followed me.

Tommy: I saw you talking about it and I saw some comments. Oh God, what is wrong with people?

Candice: It's literally— go on his— if you go on Rogan's, and it's a while ago, like a couple months ago, but if you go on the photo that he posted of me under his Instagram, look at all the comments from men. Uh, another female. Joe, you're getting soft. Women aren't fun. Yeah, women aren't funny. Not list— not interested. Another woman. "Another pretty woman posing as a comedian." Fuck that. Like, just— And then there's the, you know, the general, "Ooh, nice nipples," right? You get those also, like a bunch of those. But it's like, I can't believe—

Tommy: Specifically, it wasn't a nude.

Candice: No, but my nipple game is strong, so like— It like— Well, for example, today I'm not wearing a bra, because—

Tommy: Nor am I. Oh, Jon, yeah, exactly.

Josh: I am, actually. So there's a surprise for you.

Tommy: Well, your Twitter bio is, "I got my—" Oh, yeah.

Tommy: "My cheekbones from my mom and my nipples from my dad." What does that mean?

Tommy: Not that I'm asking to see your nipples, but what does that mean?

Candice: My nipple game is strong, you know. Your dad's strong as well? I mean, okay, so here's the— to be all like, for a full disclosure, I actually do have my mom's nipples, like, but it's funnier to say I got them from my dad. Yeah, definitely. So I just made it like that, uh, for the court, for the— for just for the joke. But yeah, no, so like in the— in when I did his podcast and he took the picture of me like on this, uh, werewolf that he had, the guy, the set designer, the set design, right? He just has a random werewolf in his apartment. It was, I mean, in his little man cave, little thing. I don't even know what this was where I was. It was like a warehouse that was like a giant man cave is where he records the podcast. So he has this werewolf that the set designer from American Werewolf in Paris, I think that's the movie, gave him this werewolf from that set. And so that's what I sat on to take the picture. And then I was actually wearing a bra in the picture, but it was more like a bralette. And you guys are men, so you don't know what that is, but it's like a, it doesn't give any support. It's just, it's fabric and it looks cute, but it's not there for any support. Every man I date, that's what it's like. So I wore this and then in the picture, you're not, you have to look for them to see the nipples.

Tommy: And this is how crazy that is.

Candice: He's like, oh, we'll just do this, right? And so yeah, nice nipples. Like so many guys called out my nipples and I'm like, it wasn't even like a, it wasn't even like that. It wasn't that much of a nipple photo.

Josh: It really wasn't. It's just like pointing at like, it's their need to say something.

Candice: Something.—

Josh: as opposed to just being like, like, like, just like it. Yeah, right. And what was the, the preparation like when you're going on to a podcast like that? Were you prepared?

Tommy: Similar to this, I think. Similar to the Daily Talk Show, I'd say.

Candice: I didn't prep at all for that because I asked a couple of people who had already done it, like my friend Ian Edwards and my friend Owen Smith and some other people, and I was like, well, do I have to prepare anything? And they were just like— and I was like, I've seen a few episodes, and I was like, I don't— it just looks like he just talks to them. So I was like, I'm just gonna go in there and just be ready to talk. And I— what was interesting to me is that it's considered like a comedy podcast, but like I watched a few episodes and I was like, this ain't funny. Like they're just talking, and even the comics that he has on, they're not being funny. So I was like, I don't want to go in there and just kind of like be low energy and not— so I was like, I'll try and have as much fun and be as funny as I possibly can in a situation where we're just talking.

Tommy: Yeah, you were great, and I wasn't one of the creeps that noticed the nipples. I noticed the funniness.

Candice: Thank you, actually no, I'm insulted that you didn't. Did you sort out the air conditioning situations?

Josh: It was freezing.

Candice: And no, uh, in my place, no. Well, it was— luckily this summer was actually very mild. So we had the first week in July where it was 107 degrees, like, for 3 days. 107, then it went to like 102, and then it slowly dropped. But it was over 90 for like 4— that week. And that was the hottest week of the year. And then we've been pretty mild since. So I have actually haven't needed— I've got fans set up, and I was like This is fine, but I know that this doesn't solve future problems. You know, it's gonna, you know, global warming, it's gonna get hotter. So I still haven't got it fixed. You know, it's be so funny how like so many people hit me up and they were like, Candace, here, I got this air conditioner, like sending me links after seeing the podcast. So many men just reaching out like, hey, here's the air conditioning you need to get. And I was like, you guys don't understand, it's the window that is preventing, like I know that I can buy a portable air conditioner, I'm not stupid. But the hookup is what is difficult. Like, I would have to rig something because my windows are so old school. I even like posted an Instagram storey showing like my followers, this is what my window looks like and this is why it won't work. They're old school. They crank open. So like, they can't— you can't just sit something in it. I would have to fix something in there. So it's not fixed, but—

Josh: So you can't crowdsource. Surely you would crowdsource something. You've got this— all these people giving you—

Candice: that care about my— me overheating. Yeah. Yeah, I should. I should do like a GoFundMe for Candace's air AC.

Josh: You talk in your bio about being a mix between East and West. Yes. I mean, for someone in Australia, what does that actually mean? What is it, an East Coast person, West Coast? What, Biggie, Tupac?

Candice: Well, yes, Biggie, absolutely. I think that's the go-to. Like, East Coast has like a tougher, like a more like, when you, you hit the streets running when you wake up on the East East Coast. Like, if you're from New York, which is where I'm from— I'm from Queens— so it's like, you know, like, you gotta fight, right? Like, throughout the day, like, you're ready. But on the— on— you guys see it here, everything's chill and laid back. Like, you can see, like— and I, like, have said this before, but I think that the person who laid out the blueprint for New York was clearly on cocaine, and the people who laid out the blueprint for the city of Los Angeles were on weed. Like, everything's spread out, laid, you know, you can just kind of, like, enjoy and relax. But New York, everyone's You know, like walk, walk, walk, fast, fast, fast, like block, block, block. Like it's there, and there's like, there's like every block there's like 30, 30 buildings on like one block. Like there's no space, there's no property anywhere. It's like that person was clearly on cocaine. Like you could tell they were just like, but we got to get the city built today, right? So that's the difference for me. But like, yeah, it's just I'm now both. I've been out in LA now for Jesus, like 14 years now. Yeah.

Tommy: And so you're, you're part of the LA comedy scene, and Josh and I were talking, we heard you talking about like going on tour, and, and we, we liked it. We're not funny at all, so we can't really go on.

Josh: We're like, we're annoyingly— we've got a podcast but we're not comedians.

Candice: Yeah, so many people have podcasts that aren't comics.

Josh: I know, but the annoying thing is you just— you were describing the, uh, you know, like touring, or like that drive where you drive like an hour, like you do 3 shows or whatever.

Tommy: Yeah, yeah, it's like— sounds glamorous.

Josh: Yeah, well, it's like a— not glamorous, it's a life— it's a lifestyle or a culture that I feel like I'd love to be involved with. Is there any part of the culture that we could maybe slip into even if we're not funny, or we just fucked?

Candice: I don't know how. I mean, look, I know a lot of— water boy or some shit like— oh yeah, like starting like an intern. You could be my intern for free.

Tommy: What we're saying is, can we be your driver? Yeah, absolutely.

Candice: You can drive me to my room.

Josh: You should 100% be Candace's intern for a week.

Candice: You can be my interns, my unpaid interns, just a week.

Josh: I love that you keep saying that. You're like, yes, the unpaid intern. I heard it the first time.

Candice: No, no, I had to— my unpaid, just so there's no confusion. And there's no— no, you're not suing me after all this is said. But a week? Come on, guys, you got to give me at least a month.

Josh: Yeah, we could do a month. Yeah. So what is the, um, what is it that you like about the, the culture, and what is stuff that you'd prefer maybe to fuck off?

Candice: Oh God, well, and here's the thing is, luckily I have been able to not have to do the road a lot, which is what a lot of comics have to do once, because they can't support yourself just doing stand-up in LA for a lot of comics, so they have to do a bunch of like road gigs. Which can be fun, but at the same time can be awful. So luckily I haven't had to do a bunch of those. And it's different for women. Like, for men, they get a— they get a high off just going to another state performing, where you have a bunch of, like, women lined up after shows, like groupies who are waiting to, like, hang out with you or sleep with you or whatever, party with you. And for us, like, that's dangerous. Like, we can't do that. And— but more importantly, a lot of men don't hit on women, female comics, after we perform. I think it's an intimidation factor that also comes along with that. So, like, the high that a lot of guys get from doing road gigs, we don't get. So for a lot of us, it's a safety issue. And it's a lonely thing to be on the road all the time. So luckily, I've only had to do— I do road gigs with, like, when I feature for, like, Bobby Lee or my homie, like, Roy Wood Jr. He takes me on the road with him, but, like, I haven't had to do a bunch of like headlining gigs by myself where I'm just in a lonely situation or an unsafe situation. So that's the part that I would like— like to keep the performances but get rid of the process of getting there, like the transportation, the shitty hotels.

Tommy: Our job's really getting validation here as the drivers. We're now security guards as well. See? Unpaid. Unpaid. Unpaid intern.

Josh: A month minimum. Tommy could sort out your aircon. He could install it.

Candice: Yeah, I reckon I could. See? You're already thinking of shit you can fix. Yeah, absolutely.

Tommy: We're solution-focused, the people from Australia. Who's your favourite comic?

Candice: Oh, Chappelle, hands down, is my— has been my favourite probably since I saw Killing Them Softly. That was his first special back in like 2002, maybe 2001, 2002. Fucked with him ever since, like hard. He's been my favorite. But I did grow up like— I remember watching like Sinbad as a kid and thinking, oh my gosh, this is so funny. Carlin, I loved. I loved Garry Shandling. Yeah, but Chappelle is my all-time. We're filmmakers.

Tommy: That's our, I guess, our trade. And you know, there's a lot of people that see someone that they love and then they start sort of imitating their work and then people call them out and go, "You're just trying to be this guy." Do you get that with your stuff?

Candice: No.

Tommy: Unless you're doing a Chappelle joke on stage. Right, right.

Candice: And I have referenced like, 'cause it is like you kind of just absorb. We're all sponges, right? So it's like, you will absorb something whether or not you even realise it at the time. So I've said like, and I just said it not too long ago, I said, 'cause I just got food poisoning not that long ago while I was doing like a road trip. Mud butt. Mud butt. And that is how I describe it, is I said, I've got mud butt. You knew exactly.

Josh: Yeah, but listen to what he calls it. I call it spitty bum. Spitty bum. Yeah.

Candice: Maybe I'll try that instead. Yeah. So I won't have to like plagiarize. But I actually like will say, if I say mud butt, I'll reference, I'll be like, that's from Chappelle. I'll like—

Josh: Really? So he like owns mud butt?

Candice: Probably not. I just don't want anyone, 'cause it's, you knew what it was. So it's like, I'm sure everyone's probably like, I hadn't heard it in that context.

Josh: I'm not very good with, I've got celebrity face blindness. I don't know any celebrities. So LA isn't that impressive in the sense of I can walk the street and I'll know no one. Hilarious.

Tommy: Do you know who Post Malone is? Yeah. We're out the front of Chinese Tuxedo and he was right there. I was like, holy shit, gotta talk to him. They're like, who the fuck's that?

Josh: Post Malone, he got tats on his face.

Candice: You can't miss him.

Josh: Yeah. Well, I was thinking like Tommy just wanted the photo 'cause he had tats on his face.

Tommy: I don't ask for photos, but if it's Post Malone, I get a photo.

Candice: I'll get a photo. Yeah, no, he's too— he's dope.

Josh: Uh, moving to LA, what are the— everyone we speak to about, uh, being in LA or New York, there feels like there's this real mix of emotions of love and hate. Oh yeah. Where does it sit with you?

Candice: Um, I am from New York originally, so that's where I grew up and spent the first like 10 years of my life. And I know I was a kid back then, but still, like, it was like That was like the years that moulded my personality, and I am who I am because of where I grew up as a kid.

Josh: When you say New York, that's exactly what I was gonna ask.

Tommy: Queens. Yeah, Queens. Yeah. So is that just off the island, or is that still a part of the—

Candice: Oh, it's a separate borough than the city. So if you were to go to New York City, you'd have to like hop a train and go to a completely different borough to get to Queens. Um, but it's still considered, you know, yeah, you know, New York. It's not like saying you— some people say I'm from New York, but they're like, they're from upstate. Like, come on, that's not New York, that's Buffalo.

Josh: Well, yeah, we did, we did We did a train ride to interview an author who was on Hastings-on-Hudson, which was just a little bit further out in Yonkers or whatever. And that was like such a different vibe for New York City.

Candice: Right, completely different, right.

Josh: And so it's interesting getting that perspective of like, especially when you've got such a big area, how in every different part it's like a different culture. It's a different, right.

Candice: And that's one of the things I love about New York. But you know, that's actually out here too, is like there's certain places in LA, like you got your Hollywood proper, But then you've got these little nooks like Silver Lake, Echo Park, Highland Park. I don't know if you guys have spent any time there, but they have so much of their own character that you feel like you're in a different— it gets really hipstery over in that part of town. And then you got, you know, the snooty Beverly Hills, and then you go in the Valley, it's a completely different vibe. So like you have that same kind of idea out here in LA, and people complain about LA and not getting a lot of stage time. So comics that are out here sometimes will go to New York or just even move to New York because they wanna become a stronger comic because it's so saturated out here. And it's out here, the LA thing that bothers a lot of people, New York comics and comics that are from here, is that in LA, they'll give like actors stage time because they're an actor. Or like someone who just has a name, like Jeremy Piven just started doing standup. And it's like, why? Why are you doing this now? Why are you taking up stage? And because he'll get a good spot, he'll get a better spot than me because of his name. It's like, you aren't as funny as me, You haven't been doing this as long as me, so why do you think you can just walk on stage and be funnier than me and get a better spot than me?

Josh: Reminds me so much of— in Australia we have the same issue within the radio industry where reality show stars go from being on The Bachelor and they'll get like a national show.

Candice: Now I can host a talk show. No, you can't. That is a skill. Like someone has been— you're taking a spot from someone who's been doing this their whole entire life.

Josh: But someone's saying yes. And why are they saying yes?

Candice: Because they know they're going to give views. Yeah, because people are stupid. I say Americans are so dumb and maybe Australians are as dumb as we are, but we will literally watch something for spectacle as opposed to for the quality of what it is. So instead of being like, oh, I trust this person because they're actually a talent there, they'd rather see someone who, who they know from like, I can't— I don't even watch any reality shows, so I can't even say. But like, I guarantee if Kim Kardashian came out with a talk show, she would have a million followers immediately watching that dumb show that I guarantee would not be interesting, as opposed to someone who's been trained to be a host and to be funny and to interview people. They would go to that first, and it's like, come on. Yeah, we got to do better as a society. But look at our fucking president. So do you think that's going to change?

Josh: Do you think that as people are creating, you know, podcasts— and you, you're shaking your head.

Candice: No, I honestly, I don't think— and it's, it's because of social media, it's gotten worse. Because, you know, you've got people now that are Instagram famous and YouTube famous. And I'm not saying that none of those people are talented. What I am saying is that it's a different kind of talent though. So just because they have 4 million followers on Instagram doesn't mean they can do a live show and headline it, doesn't mean they can host a talk show, or, you know, and— or they can act. They are good at what they do, and maybe that's being funny for 6 seconds in front of a camera with editing, right? So it's like, we just have to be smarter. And like, yeah, again, some of those people can handle an acting role. Some of those people can— are talented enough to do and like have interviews with people, and that's fine, but I think we just need to vet the people better. Um, but until that happens, I, I don't— and I don't know how it's going to happen because they just want— at the bottom, at the end of the day, people just want money. They want asses in seats and they want views, and they know that those people can get them views. But at the same time, how is— I feel like it's— it might be short-lived because how long is that? That's not really sustainable because I know people that can, you know, sell out theatres doing a— or a comedy club because they have a bunch of followers on Instagram, but their live show is terrible. So it's like those people aren't going to come back to see you live. What's—

Tommy: 14 years ago when you got here, what's the—

Candice: what's changed? So much has changed. Yeah, I mean, I had hope back then. Well, who was president? Um, when I first came out, um, Bush had just got elected. Yeah, or no, second term elected. Yeah, because I was 2004 when I came out here, so Bush had gotten reelected. We got Florida, that whole Florida debacle, and that when we got the votes were rigged. I remember the hanging chads, remember that whole debacle? Oh, you guys don't remember that?

Josh: No, I do. It was so—

Candice: I mean, you guys may have— yeah, it was so such a big deal. So yeah, so I mean, I started doing stand-up probably like in 2007. The first couple years that I was out here, I was just trying to get acclimated to the— to LA, and I was just trying to make friends, and I was working like a day job and just I was paying rent and trying to figure out what my game plan was. And then I just kind of fell into stand-up doing like, going to like a sketch group at the Laugh Factory. And then I kind of got introduced. I was like in a sketch group with Kevin Hart, Tiffany Haddish, like and a bunch of these other like, David Arnold, like Chris Spencer, all these guys that have been around for so long. And that's how I started. And then, but back then like, live comedy was, I would say it wasn't, of course, as good as it was back, you know, like in the '80s, like when you could do like The Tonight Show and get a sitcom the next day. But I do feel like, I do feel like stand-up was making a comeback. I feel like I saw like it going on a steady incline, and then the next thing you know, like YouTube hit, and then it's like it started— that's when it started transitioning into now there's different mediums for people to be funny on. So that's when like people started butting heads, like comics and these, these, these online content creators started like butting heads because, you know, they started getting views and they're taking spots like in the comedy clubs. It's like, you're not funny, you can't do 15 minutes. And then you haven't worked for it, and you haven't worked for it. And so it's been that for— it's been that for like a long time now. That started happening probably like in 2009.

Tommy: Has anyone actually come in that way and become really good?

Candice: At stand-up that you know? No, no, because I feel like they don't, and I feel like—

Josh: but not that you couldn't. Have they become good drivers? Yes, yes.

Candice: And fake security, or drug addicts.

Josh: We never said— we say fake security, or are you starting to editorialize? No, that's fine. I'll take it. I'm paid. Fake security is going on, mate. Will you at least endorse me on LinkedIn? Yes. Yeah, okay, great. Thank you. And so, so you were saying that you fell into this stuff when you were in LA?

Candice: I didn't move out here to do stand-up. I moved out here because I knew I wanted to act and because I knew that I wanted to write for sitcoms and television.

Tommy: It's better than falling into porno. Oh, I mean, that happens out here, right?

Candice: That's Plan F. Plan— that's Plan F. Yeah, I'm still on Plan A. Good, good, good. Just keep it. So I think, yeah, I feel like Plan F is so far removed from where I am right now. I think I'm good.

Josh: Well, because there's so many people who like move to LA with the idea of making it. Yeah. Is that like— is that just a dream that's not worthwhile, or is it?

Candice: It depends. Like, for me, I can't say that it hasn't been for me because like I'm living my dream. Like, I'm doing what I love, and I'm like, I'm able to support myself just from stand-up writing gigs and acting. Um, but I think you have— this is where delusion comes into play, because you have to be self-aware. And I saw myself, I knew, I knew that I had— I was funny from I was a kid. Like, when I was a kid, I got offered my first stand-up job when I was 8 years old. And I'm not even lying. Like, we were at a restaurant for my mom's birthday, and I don't remember what I was saying, but the whole room was laughing at things I was saying. And the owner came out and was like, "Do you wanna work here on Sunday nights doing stand-up?" And of course my parents were like, "No, she's 8." Unpaid as a fake comedian, right? And I was like, "Well, can I do—" And my parents, of course, were like, "No, she's 8. That's ridiculous." So I did know that I— I knew that I was funny all my life. Like, as a kid, it was the one thing I could do without even, like, trying. Like, I could make people— I could break tension and make people laugh. And so I went to college in Ohio, Miami University, and I studied sci— I was a science major. I studied dietetics and health.. And right before I graduated, I was like, I don't think I want to pursue this as a career. I said, I'm too goofy. Like, I'm so silly. I was— I was like, I have to work in a hospital for a year and I have to do an unpaid internship for a year. Like, kind of like you guys for me. I would have to do that for a year. I'd have to pass an exam. And I was like, I don't want to work in a hospital.

Tommy: You mean there's an exam for us? Yes. Oh, wait, just wait.

Candice: I'll have that drawn up. I'll have my other intern draw that up for you guys by the time we're done with this podcast. Um, but yeah, so I was like, I don't see my— it's such a sterile environment to be in a hospital. And I was like, that's so sad and depressing. I was like, that's the opposite of what I am. So I was like, you know what, what's the one thing I've always been able to do? I was like, I've always made people laugh. I was like, I'm silly. I think I can write. I was like, I think I can. And I've always— I used to take acting classes when I was in school, and like, um, I always performed. I'd always— I used to sing in a cover band when I was in Cincinnati. Like, I was— I was always very like active and in front of people. People all the time, and I felt like that's something I can do. I feel like I can do that with confidence. So I was like, Mom, Dad, I think I want to move to LA and, uh, pursue entertainment. And they were 100% supportive, which is insane. My parents are amazing.

Tommy: Both of them. They still don't think you have a job?

Candice: Oh, they still— they don't— like, they, they— I don't know how they think I fully pay rent. Like, I know they're probably thinking, oh, she's probably still living off The Tonight Show money. I'm like, no, I blew through that in a week, right? Like, it's like It's not like that. But yeah, the average person has no idea how we— if they're not on television, they're just like, you must be living in a dump and like you're probably living in your car and eating McDonald's. And I'm like, no, like, not all the time. That's Friday, right? So like, people don't understand that you can make a living like doing things behind the scenes. Like they don't know that where I'm performing every— that I'm performing like most nights of the week in like bars and clubs and getting paid because they don't live here and they don't see it. So yeah, they think all of us are struggling, but no, you can totally make a living off, but it is difficult. Wait, what was the original question? I got so—

Josh: It was about your parents, like what they thought. That's what Tommy was asking. But what I've been thinking about is, you know, you're talking about safety as a female on the road and all that sort of thing. What can dudes do with all, you know, to be supportive without being weird with all of this shit? Like how can— Yeah, like, just care.

Candice: Yeah, like, just ask. Like, just ask if you're— if you see that there's a woman who, like, was on stage and now she's done, and you're like, you know, I have to walk through the parking lot to get to my car, let— can I walk you to your car just to make sure you're safe?

Josh: What about beyond security and all that sort of thing? Like, just to be supportive? Because, like, what if— like, being a bloke who recognises that there's a long way to go. Yeah, well, you know, What do we do?

Candice: I mean, listening is the best thing you could do. Like, don't— like, I know a lot of guys are just like, you start complaining about stuff we have to deal with as a woman, and it's like, eye roll. You'll just see it, or you can feel that they're just like, sigh, another woman complaining out how hard it is to be a woman. I'm like, and you're not even being open and open to what we're saying. Yeah. So it's like, just listen, I think, is the most important. Um, and believe us most of the time. You know, it's, it's crazy, the problem with like the MeToo thing and the hashtag believe women is like, a lot of women lie, right? A lot of people lie. People are humans, you know, we're flawed people. So to say you can believe every woman when we've obviously seen women that have lied about rape charges and lied about, for whatever reason, attention purposes or whatever. But know that that is the minority, that when most women come to you and say, this is what happened to me, or this is something I'm dealing with, it's probably true. Yeah. Unless that person is a crazy person. I mean, and that does happen, that can happen. But, you know, Trust your judgment. Like, if you know someone or have known them for a while and it's like they've never shown any weird behavior, no reason to distrust them before, then maybe I should listen to what she's saying. Yeah, yeah. But listening, I think, is the most important thing.

Tommy: There's a lot of creeps. They can just stay behind the keyboard. Yeah, and just do that Zoom thing, right?

Josh: The people are getting a live pinch in Zoom. Hopefully they hurt themselves doing it.

Tommy: Repetitive strain injury on their fingers. Nipple Nipple, nipple.

Candice: Right? That didn't just give it— like how you're having me on today as a woman, you know, just support women like you guys are doing it. Like you had me on and that's fantastic. A lot— there's so many people. I still see lineups today. It's like I did a show, I won't say what club it was, maybe a month or so ago. They had 3 shows in a row and they just— they have like a rollover audience. So if you're there for the first show, they don't really tell you that the first show is over because they want that audience to stay and they'll start the second show and they'll do the same thing through the third show because they just don't want to be honest and be like, the show's over because they think they might not have anybody left over for the last show. So they'll trick people. And so there was three shows.

Tommy: What'd you say? Great business model.

Candice: Tricking people. Tricking people. Deception always works, right? So I was on the very last show, the third show, and I was second to last from the end. I was like, it was like me, one other comic, and then all the shows were done. I was the only woman from— I think the show started at 7:30. It's going on 11 o'clock. So these people hadn't seen a woman, and I felt it when I got on stage. I was talking for like 3 minutes and hadn't gotten one laugh, and I was like, why are you guys staring at me? And I was like, am I the first woman you've seen tonight? And they were like, yeah. Oh, you said that? I said, I— because I felt it. You can— I've gotten to this stage where you can go on stage and if people are looking at you like you're a fucking unicorn, but the word— and you're like, why are you looking? Oh, let me guess, I'm the first woman. Imagine if it had been all women up until that point and then one man comes on. And you haven't seen a man for 3 hours, you'd be like, what's happened? This is weird. The energy just changed and I don't know what it is. This is a person, but like, you'd be like, this is bizarre. So it changed the whole energy of the show. And I had to then make an announcement. And then once I addressed it and called out the elephant in the room, then we could carry on. You made a lot of dick jokes. Naturally, about my own dick, of course.

Tommy: And what did they say when you did? What's the— did you see a shift in energy?

Candice: Oh, I did. Absolutely. Because that's what— and that's one thing I've learned in stand-up is that if something awkward's happening, you have to call it out, address it, and then you can move on. Which is what Louis did not do. Yeah. Before he went— when he goes, you know, he started performing again. Yeah. So he went and popped up in the Cellar, but then did a regular set as if nothing happened. Didn't address what he had been called out for and then also did a rape joke in his set. Oh yeah. Probably not. Probably not the best. So it's just like if you had just called out and made fun of yourself and been honest, we would not be having this problem. Or— and just apologize, like, in a way that we feel like you're remorseful for what you did. But he didn't do any of that. And you wonder why we have a problem with you?

Josh: How did the set go?

Candice: Um, it actually went— I heard it went well. Um, it's Louie, so he's always gonna have fans regardless. Um, but it pissed a lot of people off and made a lot of women uncomfortable. And, uh, so now the Cellar, which is where he popped up, is like, they're under some— a lot of scrutiny right now for letting him up. And the owner's like, well, I didn't know, he just— he just went up and didn't tell anybody. I'm like, oh, you mean Louie didn't ask for consent? Interesting. So, but like, so now that club is catching a lot of heat because because it's like, are you now setting the precedent for the rest of these clubs? Should we all let Louis come back? And it's like, Louis doesn't need to perform in clubs anymore. All right? Louis— and everyone's like, well, what about his career? Louis don't need to perform in clubs anymore. Louis is at the level where he can produce his own stuff, just like he has been doing. You can shoot a special and you can put it up on your own website, and guess what? You're gonna make— you're gonna have millions of people going to watch it because you're Louis. Yeah, you're fine. What you— what— who's not fine are people who are now triggered by your presence because enabling that as well, that whole Exactly, that culture and knowing that I've got to sit in a green room with you and I'm uncomfortable now because you're sitting next to me.

Tommy: So as a female comic, I mean, look at Joe Rogan's special, his latest one. Yeah, all about shit that triggers people. Right, right, right, right, right, right. Have you seen this, the style that you're doing? Have you held back on stuff because you're like, I'm a woman and I need to be on their side, if you will?

Candice: Right.

Tommy: Um, or it can't seem to be you know, going hard against this thing that's happening?

Candice: I'm, I'm one of those people that's not one of these extreme liberals that thinks that everyone is triggered by or should be triggered by everything. Like, I'm also a comic, right? So it's like I'm not here for that cause. I'm not here for censoring what people say, because even if things are said that hurt, that, that hurt somebody, something comes from that. Someone learns something or, you know, you change what you do now because you realise you said something. But if I didn't say it, then I wouldn't know. And I just have that inside and no one learned anything from it. So it's like, I'm a huge fan and proponent of people just saying how they feel when they feel it, and that's fine. If it hurts somebody, then that's what happens in that moment, and that person can apologize. But to stop somebody from saying something just because it might trigger somebody is crazy. So like, I don't let that affect— like, yeah, of course there's certain things I won't say on stage just for just to not be irresponsible, like, you know, referring to gay people as the F-word. I will not say that. Then again, I never— correct. I never, like, said that. I never used that word before. So that wasn't hard. But the one that— and I talked about this on Rogan's— for me was the word tranny, because I didn't know, I didn't understand that it was such a diminutive word to use towards— I didn't, I didn't realise that. I just thought it was like a cute way to refer to transgender people.

Tommy: I mean, me too. Yeah, growing up, right?

Candice: That's what I think. And we grew up with it, so it's just been that past shift over the past like 4 or 5 years that we've been learning that we can't. And I'm fine with that. Like, I'm not going to fight to continue to use this word. It's so stupid. It's a waste of energy.

Tommy: Yeah, I think you feel when something isn't quite right, but then it's like we're living in this world where it's like gauging whether that feeling's coming from this external pressure, right? Or it's just a legit feeling, right? I know that you can't use the F word. You can't use— I can say fuck, but the F word, but a whole bunch of other words. I just know. I feel it.

Candice: You feel like it, and it's like, why do I feel the need to use this word?

Josh: Well, it changes too. I remember in '08, everything was a "that's what she said" moment, and then it just slowly moves away. I was in the Netherlands catching up with a relative who I hadn't seen in 7 years, and he was like, "That's what she said." He's like, "Oh, you taught me that, remember?" I was like, "Oh no, bro." That was like, I was fucking, I was like, like 18, and that was like weeks ago. Yeah, exactly.

Tommy: There's a school of thought around let the racists be racist because then you'll know who the racist is. And when does it blend between free speech? And in America, I think the, the term free speech in America is a lot more loud than Australia. We don't really have that. It's not— oh really? Well, yeah, I think it's starting to—

Josh: the conversation around amendment stuff, like it's all the So I think that becomes a big part of it, right, as well.

Tommy: When does free speech come into it for you?

Candice: Um, well, like, it's all free speech for us, you know. Our work is having the freedom to say what we want. Like, there have been comics that have gotten fined in other countries for saying things. Like, I forget who was this comic who was performing in Canada, and he got fined for saying something.

Josh: And I'm like, you do put down Putin or something? What was that? Right, who did it?

Candice: Right, he had some bit, negative bit about Putin, right? Or Justin Bieber. Yeah, I don't remember what he said, but it's like, I'm always going to be a— say, you have— we have to embrace freedom of speech. Like, we have to. Like, at what point— we're going backwards at this point if we're saying you can't say this and you can't say that. So, you know, what about the Trump stuff?

Tommy: Can you go there? Like, do you think twice before going there? Uh, because you gotta think about audience as well, right? It's like, who am I talking to right now?

Candice: What's crazy is that there are Trump people everywhere undercover.

Josh: It's like North Korea, little fucking spies. It's true.

Candice: Like, you would never— you would think, like, we're in LA. Yeah. Like with the most liberal melting pot? No, there are Trump supporters.

Josh: It's entertainment, baby. It's like The Apprentice. They voted for Trump. Yeah. Same spray tan lady. That's why.

Candice: Right, exactly. The tan mom. Yeah. So like it's— and but I don't— I personally do not talk about politics that much on stage right now because—

Tommy: But that's your next special.

Candice: Yes. All politics with my two interns behind me. Security guards. Holding flags behind me. I stay away from it just because it was exhausting. Because it was never, never has it been as polarising as it is now. Like before you could talk about politics, you could joke about Republicans and Democrats and everyone would just laugh. 'Cause it's like, oh yeah, we get it. You could make fun of George W. Bush and it's like, oh yeah, he is not the smartest president. Like you could laugh. But now it's like, It's gotten so far beyond that. We're not just talking about a president who's not just the brightest president. You can't deny at this point that he is a racist and that he is a misogynist and that, you know, he's a xenophobe. Like, all of these things, and he's— we've seen this, he showed us. So it's like, I can't— to argue that, you have so many— it's just heated on both sides, and I cannot— I don't feel like fighting like that on stage right now. I don't have the energy to try, and you're not gonna change anybody's mind. Like, you're just gonna get heckled. Fighting with audience members. And it's like, I don't want— now that changes the whole energy of the show.

Josh: It's no longer comedy, it's just some fucking debate.

Candice: It's a debate. And right. And some comics are fine. Like Rick Ingram is one of my friends, a very funny comic who's always at the Comedy Store. He does a lot of crowd work and a lot of it is like making fun of Trump. But he also, he doesn't just make fun of Trump. He'll make fun of like the Democrats and he like covers all sides. To me, it's kind of like South Park where it's like they're not just picking on one, which is why it's so brilliant and how you can get everybody to like be on the same page. Yeah, right. He finds a smart way to do it. But for me, it's just like, I don't even feel like being bothered right now. Maybe when it cools off a little bit.

Josh: But when you were talking about like the YouTubers or, you know, people who have come from a different area and started doing stand-up, did you ever feel, say, doing Jimmy Fallon or going on Joe Rogan, that it does something to your career that is out of your control? Yes. But then you get that same vibe from other people where it's like, ah, well, she just is getting this bit because she was on this show. Of course. And like, what's the— how is that, uh, how's that change the way you approach things or think about the whole scene?

Candice: Well, like, getting those things and like getting past to the store, getting my name on the wall, like, those are all things that validate that I'm not crazy, right? That I'm like doing something that other people have now have recognised I'm also good at. So it's given me the confidence, more confidence, um, to know that I'm doing the right thing and I'm moving in the right direction. I need to just keep staying with and be persistent. And as far as the other people, like, I definitely got pure respect from that, but of course there are people hating and people talking like, oh, she probably got this because she's a woman, she's a woman of color, she probably— but I've been doing stand-up for a decade now, so it's like— and these things are just now starting to happen. So like, you can say that shit to me if I had been doing this for 2 years. Yeah, absolutely. But I've been grinding, I've been busting my ass, I've been doing, you know, driving to road gigs and doing whatever to not get get paid any, just to get stage time. So like, you can say that, but that's not a valid argument. Like, I didn't— I've not gotten anything. Yeah, because I'm just a woman. Yeah, maybe that would be the case if I was like sleeping with a bunch of like bookers of shows and whatever, or flirting with— but nah, like, you know, you can look at me and it's just like, you can hear the way that I carry myself. It's like, guys aren't like coming at her like that because I chop dudes down. I do. We don't let dudes live. Me and my friend panda seals, we talk about this all the time. Like, we just, like, are— we have, we have a very tough exterior. So it's like, you can tell what people are genuine, and you can tell what people are like manipulating the system to get things because they're a woman. And we're not those type of chicks. Like, we want to get this— the— if we want to be treated like men, then we need to be out here working in these streets like men do. And we're out here hustling, not blowing— giving blowjobs to get spots. Like, I'm getting this because I'm funny. Is that happening? It always happens. Yeah, always happens. Yeah. Oh, that's net— that's something that's never gonna go away.

Josh: Maybe we could be comedians. Tommy's like, how much coffee?

Candice: Well, that could be the one. That's how I can pay you, is in blowjob lessons. It's not unpaid internship after all, guys.

Josh: Yeah, if there's any education, like, I feel like Tommy's already sorted.

Tommy: I'd still have to do the comedy.

Josh: That's the problem, guys. Exactly.

Tommy: I get my name up on the fucking wall. Yeah, I'd be scared shitless. I like— I, to be honest, I see from the time you're on Rogan, just following you on social media, I kind of seen you like putting up stuff with your name up there. Yeah, yeah. Is that the result of—

Candice: yeah, I mean, yeah, but— and it's one of those things where it's like, it's timing, it's preparation meets opportunity, right? That's exactly what it is. So it's like, this stuff is all gonna— that stuff was gonna happen eventually. And yes, maybe doing like Rogan Wynn's thing, you know, catapulted a little bit. Yes, of course. It's like, but I have complete faith that was going to happen anyway. Like, my name is on— like, I, I tweeted when my name got on— they put my name on the marquee of the Comedy Store, and everyone's like, that's, that's fantastic, congratulations. And I was very excited to see that, but those people who were congrat— don't know that my name is already like on the wall right next to like Judd Apatow and like all these other comedians, like Seinfeld's name, Pryor. Like, it's on the wall which means more than getting your name on the marquee. But at the same time, like, that was my first— it was just my first time on the marquee. So to me, that was a very special moment for me because I was like, oh, like, people can really see my name up here now. So like, it was— that was definitely a moment where it's just like, again, like, this is all— everything I'm envisioning for myself is happening because I believe in manifestation. I believe in like— I meditate every morning. So it's like, I visualise things and things that I'm visualising are actually like coming to fruition. As long as you're not visualising a guy just, you know, pinching the screen. I don't have to visualise that, man. It's happening on its own. It's already, it's been happening.

Josh: These nipples, man. The podcast, the podcast, you know, where do you see that playing in the sense, is that just like a fun thing for you to do? Is it actually, could you imagine that one day that you're like, you're just doing podcasting or you're doing like broadcast as a thing?

Candice: Oh yeah, absolutely. Like it started out being another outlet for me to just be funny and tell jokes and entertain people. And then, but then I, yeah, you see people making a living off of their podcast and I'm not there with mine by any means yet. But you know, I got a bunch of followers after doing Rogan's podcast and like he said he'd have me back. So it's like, oh good, I'll be back. So it's like, that's even more people are gonna come. So it's like—

Josh: I'm gonna get t-shirts made. Absolutely.

Candice: I'm gonna, I'm gonna, I'm gonna take full advantage of this opportunity and just get shirts with nipples, giant nipples on them that I sell as merch afterwards.

Josh: Hashtag on a hat and shit.

Candice: My daddy's nipples. My daddy gave me these nipples. And so, yeah, so I do eventually see it. I want it because we, we do take video of it as well, but we're releasing that separately. So it's like if you want to pay like a little every month, you can see the video of it as well.

Josh: It's like on Patreon or how you do it?

Candice: It's Patreon. Yeah. Yep, so we're starting to do that, and I don't ever wanna stop doing stand-up and other, like, I don't wanna get to the point where my podcast is the only thing that I do, but I always, I would like to have it there, of course, just as like, 'cause it's fun, and I get to talk to people that I don't necessarily know that well, or people who feel like necessarily can't talk about certain things. Even comics, we get weird about talking about certain things. Like, I had comics come on my podcast, and they're like, I have never talked about this before. Yeah, but for some reason I feel like it's okay in this, in this setting to talk about this. So then, and then they'll say it, and it's like, so I'm giving people an outlet to now come up with potential new material for them to take to the stage because now they feel comfortable that they've talked about this weird thing that they're dealing with, and now they can, you know, make jokes about it.

Tommy: It's momentum. Like, this— us doing, you know, nearly 200 episodes now, we're talking every day and it's stimulating the creative side, and ideas are flowing. So I could imagine It's the same. It's the same.

Josh: Like pre-production for you for onstage? Like, do you find that you're actually— Absolutely.

Candice: I'll say something in a riff just to Mal or to whoever the guest is, and I'm like, oh, that was funny, let me write this down. And then so I'll take it and I'll try it out on stage. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes it's just not ready yet. It'll say something, I'll keep it in my phone, and I'll revisit it like a year from now. I was like, oh, now I know where to go with this. So yeah.

Josh: What does the writing process look like for you?

Candice: Um, it's interesting because it's changed, it's evolved. Uh, it used to be me sitting in front of my computer just forcing things to come out. Like, that's how when I first started, I'd be like, this is weird, and I'd write it down, and then I would try to work on a bit about it. Or this thing happened to me, let me write this down and then try to make a bit that's funny from it. And now it's— I find my— it's weird, and I know it's going to change. Even now, from where I am right now, it's going to change. It could change like 6 months from now. But the place I find myself right now, doing it Yes, you guys are my unpaid writers now.

Josh: Are we fake writers?

Candice: I'll give you, I'll give you a real writer credit.

Josh: You dictate to us and we'll run it. Yeah, like fucking Siri. Hands to the sky. As long as you don't call us Siri, I'm cool with it. You're fine with it? Yeah, cool. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Candice: Um, so yeah, I find myself getting inspired now while I'm in the club. Club when I'm in the comedy clubs. Not the club. Look at those nipples. No, I, I find myself in the comedy club. Like, it's very bizarre, and it's kind of frustrating because I'm only in the clubs at night. Yeah. So it's like when I try to get stuff done during the day writing-wise, it's been tough for me in this particular— at present moment. But I'll go to the club, and then I'll like be looking at my set list, and then— and I don't know if it's just the energy from other creatives just being around me, but an idea for something will come, and then I'll just try out like while I'm on stage. And it's perfect in that, in that I can like have this— I thought— and then I'll just go out there and try it. But because then I'll get an immediate reaction, I'll know whether or not immediately if it works or if it doesn't. But it's frustrating again because it's like I'm not always in the club. Like, as you can see, I'm here right now. So it's like pressure.

Josh: It's the pressure of it. Like, I can relate to that where it's like you procrastinate until the very last second to try and create that moment.

Candice: And there— but there— and then in that, there is some inspiration that does It does come, not all the time, but it's come for me for some weird reason. It's been happening a lot now. Like, I'll just be sitting there, like, in the back listening to another comic, and I'll be looking at trying to figure out what jokes I wanna do, and then I'll just be like, oh, shit. And then it'll— something will click. And it's very bizarre, and I don't know why it's been happening, but I wanna get back to the part— the point where I'm getting inspired just in my daily life, but for some reason that's been stunted for some reason. I don't know why. Is there—

Tommy: is it snarky at all, like the, the scene here? Like, yes, it is.

Candice: Oh, it's awful. Yeah, comedians are trash people. Uh, it's— why is it insecurities? Insecurities. It's competition. Everyone thinks, especially when you're a woman and you're like competing for so many few spots, it's like they think that there's— because you're a woman and you're doing this, like, if that weren't for her, that could be me. Me. And it's like, even if it wasn't me, who knows? It would be you. We don't know.

Josh: So it's like, can we— seems like a losing mindset though, right? Like, long term for them to actually like think that way. Of course.

Candice: And like I said, I told— I believe 100% in manifestation. So it's like, if you keep thinking that, that's what you're gonna get. So it's like, you have to change that mind thought to, uh, to, to grow and to become more successful. Um, but yeah, no, a lot of like— it's just a lot of pettiness. I don't— I'm— I keep to myself. I'm a comic that definitely keeps to myself more than, uh, hanging out with a bunch of other comedians. I have got certain comics that I consider my friends, and there's most comics that I consider acquaintances, people that I work with and that— who I will never get close to because you're a toxic person. And that's— there's so many toxic people.

Josh: Is it clear in your mind, friend? Like, I've always struggled to understand when someone's— oh, it's a struggle. I've gone into this. It's evolved into my podcast.

Tommy: You can take this episode and post it if you want.

Josh: The struggle is understanding when, like where someone fits in the sense of friendship. Like when I hang out with someone, like I might meet someone at a coffee shop, they'll take my order. And then I'll then say, "Oh, my mate just gave me my co—" Like they're already my friend.

Tommy: Oh, Facebook mates?

Josh: Yeah, yeah, we're on Facebook. Like I'm poking them already on Facebook type of deal. Hilarious, yeah. And do you have an actual structure? Like a vetting process? Yeah, in your mind where it's like, like, okay, this is my friend versus this is someone who I work with.

Tommy: What he's saying is, are we friends yet? Are we friends yet? Or are we just—

Josh: I just want to know why you haven't accepted me on Facebook. Have I not? No, he hasn't added you yet. No, I've gotten so gun-shy over the years.

Candice: Don't cheque Facebook very often.

Josh: Yeah, fuck, you've already got the line ready for me.

Candice: You know I'm not on Facebook, right? Yeah, yeah. Um, yeah, no, Facebook, I hate Facebook. Well, that's how we got you on the show because I know, I know, but I just, I hate it because it's gotten so— first of all, I just feel like it's like for old people, you know? I feel like the younger people are on Instagram and Twitter, and even Twitter is getting so annoying now because of, you know, it's just turned all political and like no one's telling— I used to be on there and just tell jokes. Now I can't.

Josh: It was like, what does that mean? Not even— yeah, what is it?

Candice: This is making me laugh. What is this feeling I'm having? This joyful feeling?

Tommy: I did like about Kavanaugh having resting rape face.

Candice: Oh, thank you. Very topical. And yet he's appointed to our Supreme Court.

Tommy: Yeah, yeah, yeah. So social media is complicating the friendship things. What about in real life?

Candice: What does a friend do? Yeah. In real life, so my friends, they— it is kind of like I know immediately whether people can— I cry. Yeah, go on. I can feel it. Yeah, you feel it. You need to calm down because I'm hearing you smiling so big right now. I was like, she struggles, right?

Josh: Because I'm feeling it too. So this is really— this is fucking great. I love you.

Tommy: I mean, what did you—

Candice: but to be fair, I do get really cool vibes from you guys, just FYI. Because I'll meet somebody and I've gotten to the point now where I like— I feel like energies of people. I think we all do, but I think we ignore it a lot of the time. Um, but like, I— and I also think it's because I'm surrounded by so many crazy people from being in this industry is that I can— I can— if I'm uncomfortable around somebody, that's not a mistake. Like, if I feel like I'm walking on eggshells around you, there's a reason for that. It's like something about you, your energy is weird, you're a little crazy. And so I immediately— I can tell that. Yeah, immediately. Like, there is a person, I'm not gonna say their name, but I met her probably 2 years ago, and I never felt comfortable around her. Never felt comfortable. But then And some of my other friends were telling me, "Oh, no, no, she's cool. She's cool. You could— no, no, she's dope." So I started hanging around this person. Here we are, 2— like a year after me being cool with her. Like I met her 2 years ago. I started being cool with her probably a year ago. And she showed her true colours like a couple weeks ago. Yeah. She did something and like to me and didn't acknowledge it, didn't apologise when it was like called for.. And I was just like, oh, so my gut was right. Like, I knew, I knew. This showed her character. And I was like, I knew this the whole entire time. And I'm never gonna not trust myself just because my friend said, oh, you can be cool with this person. So it's like, unfortunately, like, it takes time to see whether or not you can be cool with someone or not. Because, you know, like I said, people show their— I know a friend who just stopped being friends with a friend she's known for 30 years. They were like best friends. Friends, and now they're not friends anymore because she showed her cards. And it was like, wow. So it's like, I think it's one of those things where it's like you don't ever fully know if someone's really your friend because you don't know how they're gonna behave until certain circumstances happen. But my friends that I've had in my life are my friends that I've had for like years. Like, the people that I call friends have not been my friends for under 3 years.

Josh: And have they fucked up and then you've forgiven them because it's more than that? Or is it one of those like Or are they consistent? Do you think that if someone in your life has created drama, is it time to shut the door? Or do we— I worry sometimes that maybe we shut the door too quickly on people who might just have fucking mental health issues.

Candice: Issues, right. So what I do, and I have one of my best friends had mental problem, mental health issues, and now she's much better now.

Josh: Mental health issue sounds way better than mental problem. Mental problem. Bitch was crazy.

Candice: Crazy. And so, like— and she had many, many moments where it's like, it was heavy for me. Like, ugh, I don't know if I can deal with this person because, like, she has so many mental issues. But because she meant so much to me from our previous history, I was like, I'm not just gonna dispose of this person because we're having a rough patch right now. We're gonna stick it through. And she's gotten much better. And still, to this day, one of my best friends. But I think it's not so much in the action. Of whether or not you should cut off a person. It's in the reaction to that action. So like, if that— if a person, for example, the person that I was talking about that I kind of am like cool on now because she showed me her true colors, she— if she had— she did this one thing, but if she had reacted to that properly, I would have forgiven her. But she didn't even do that. You did this thing and then you didn't even follow up with a correct response. Yeah. Of acknowledging what this did to me and how this made me feel. So it's like, now I know that, yeah, I don't matter to you. You. Yeah. So I can put you— and I don't think that's— again, I think it's in the reaction. So it's like, you'll know if you— if the person does something and they fucked up and then they apologise and you feel it's genuine. Yeah, we can move forward. I was wrong, right? We can move forward. But if, if they can't even do that, what are we—

Tommy: what are we salvaging? Yeah, my, my longest friends— I've got probably 3 that are super, super long, like 20-year friends, and and they're not the best friends at times, but they're consistent in the way they are, and I love them for who they are, right? It's like, you know, one's always late and one, you know—

Candice: They're consistent in their shittiness. Yeah, but this—

Tommy: and I don't hold it on them. And I think like new friendships can be volatile because you're looking and holding things on them, expectations. Yeah, and you don't have the time, you don't have that consistency yet played out.

Candice: Like, I don't have time for this right now. Like, I've got these other friends friends that are fuck-ups that are already occupied by most of my time, which maybe it is like I have nothing else to give. Yeah, that's how I feel.

Tommy: I've got no more energy. Having long-term friends is hard because it takes time, right? And so maybe there is like— it's weird, as I've got older, my friends have usually been around work, it's been around the shit that I do. Yeah, I mean, that makes sense. And so just, it's a different dynamic. Yeah, I get the struggle.

Candice: It's, it's interesting. Um, communication is very important. Important. Like, it's key in every relationship, whether it's a friendship relationship, someone you're dating, or a family member, you know, even coworkers. You're all in relationships. So it's just important to make sure that you're communicating. That's all that it is. Um, I— speaking of, like, talking about crazy people, like, and LA attracts the worst kinds of people, but, like, there was a dude who I was, like, dating who I— it ended terribly. It ended terribly. If you listen to the podcast, you probably heard the story. But, um, and then when I tried to talk to him not that long ago, he was like, no, I don't do that. I'm like, talk? And he was like, yes. And he was like, no, I don't do that. Talk? Well, I was like, well, okay, so you're gonna be lonely for the rest of your life. I was like, you have to communicate with people and you have to be able to have conversations to, to— I want to talk to you because I want to make sure we're okay because we were friends first and now we dated and now we're done. And I want to go back to being friends, but I don't know if I can with this person because because he don't know how to communicate and he's just immature. And it— sadly, it ended. And it's just like, it didn't have to be this way. But, but that's the person I had to cut out of my life because you don't know how to behave. Like, you don't know how to act like an adult and have a conversation. Like, he literally said, I don't want to—

Josh: not being able to have a conversation is sort of— makes it very difficult.

Candice: That's everything.

Josh: Yeah. With being a host of a podcast, what have you learned about communication?

Candice: Um, I would say that, like I said, I mean, it's, it's obviously necessary in every, every entire relationship, but that it's so easily— it's so easy to, uh, misconstrue something. Um, you can say one thing and then it gets interpreted to somebody else just based upon how they grew up or whatever. It could mean something completely different to somebody. So it's like the— so many things can get lost in translation because I've had people hit me up up and send me a message about something I said on the podcast, and it's like, now I gotta clarify. So it's just like, it's really interesting how people interpret things. We think we're saying one thing and we assume that everyone's absorbing it in the same way, but they're not. So it's just good to be clear.

Josh: Do you get gun-shy then? No, double down.

Tommy: Yeah, yeah, this guy.

Candice: Yeah, like I said, like I said, you know, it just— you, you took it in a way that I didn't intend. Yeah, so it's, it's intention is what matters. Like, it's not the word or whatever we say necessarily. It's how we meant it. And that's what's getting so, you know, uh, clouded with this PC and the ultra-liberals saying we can't say this and this and this. It's like, it's not the word. Why are we so focused on the word? It's the intent behind the word. Yeah, absolutely.

Josh: Candace Thompson, thank you so much for like hanging out with us. And now you've got to come to Australia.

Candice: And then I would love to.

Josh: Yeah, have you actually ever thought about doing it? Absolutely. Okay, great.

Candice: Yeah, no, Australia's on Vision Board.

Tommy: International Comedy Festival. Yeah, Melbourne.

Josh: Yeah, that's like the big one.

Tommy: Yeah, well then I gotta do that. Yeah, perfect. You've got roadies.

Josh: Yeah, exactly. Well, you've got us. Yeah, we can drive you around, we can— we'll learn to fly a plane. Fantastic!

Candice: I always wanted to do a private jet thing. You can do that?

Josh: Not private jet, more of a plane, like more sort of— I'm not interested anymore, guys.

Candice: When I come there, you have somehow better manifested a private jet for me because otherwise you guys are fired.

Josh: It's The Daily Talk Show, jokes by Candace. Yes, that's my, my social media, socials. Have a good one, guys.