If you know Bill Burr only from his scattered appearances on shows like “Breaking Bad” and “Chappelle’s Show,” you don’t really know Bill Burr.
Like most stand-up comedians, the 38-year-old Massachusetts native’s real home is on stage, and Burr has proved a smashing presence on it the past few years, in addition to taping hundreds of episodes of his weekly .”
We caught up with the L.A.- based writer and stand-up via e-mail in advance of his nearly sold-out dates this weekend for our .
Q: You’ve recently sold out Carnegie Hall and won the Comedian of the Year Award from the Boston Comedy Festival. How do you keep that stuff from going to your head?
A: My ego was already out of control. So it didn’t affect me at all other than to reinforce the fantasy world that I’ve been living in since the third grade.
Q: Is podcasting, as some folks have said, the new ’80s comedy boom — and potential bust?
A: I don’t think it will crash. I do think some successful podcasts will be bought by some of the same people that ruined most of the quality radio. And then that awful cycle will start over again because some (expletive) at the top wants a bigger yacht. Podcasting is great. Total freedom. There’s no reason to go back to the plantation.
Q: What’s your favorite part of podcasting? Least favorite?
A: My favorite part of podcasting is running my mouth for an hour. The only time I don’t like it is when I’m off. Then that hour feels like a day and a half.
Q: What’s a joke you used to love to tell but now can’t stand?
A: Anything in my act that is more than a year old. After a year, I’ve had it.
Q: When is the last time you laughed so hard you cried?
A: I was watching (wrestler) Ric Flair videos on YouTube. Ric Flair is one of the funniest human beings who ever lived. When he held up that purple loafer with the gold inlays and told that toothless audience member, “My shoes cost more than your house,” it killed me.
John Wenzel: 303-954-1642 or jwenzel@denverpost.com
BILL BURR. Stand-up comedy. Various times, today-Sunday. Comedy Works at Larimer Square, 1226 15th St. $35. 303-595-3637 or
