Feb. 10, 2026

Episode 10: Serving Up Laughs - Comedy Club Chaos from Behind the Tray with Scott Edwards

Episode 10: Serving Up Laughs - Comedy Club Chaos from Behind the Tray with Scott Edwards

What happens when you're trying to serve drinks and dinner while a comedian is absolutely crushing it on stage? In this episode, I'm chatting with Scott Edwards, a man who has spent over 40 years on the fringe of show business producing live stage shows, concerts, and TV with acts like Jay Leno, Bob Saget, Dana Carvey, Willie Tyler & Lester, and so many more. But today we're talking about the unsung heroes of his comedy clubs, the serving staff :) The people balancing trays in the d...

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Season 1

What happens when you're trying to serve drinks and dinner while a comedian is absolutely crushing it on stage?

In this episode, I'm chatting with Scott Edwards, a man who has spent over 40 years on the fringe of show business producing live stage shows, concerts, and TV with acts like Jay Leno, Bob Saget, Dana Carvey, Willie Tyler & Lester, and so many more. 

But today we're talking about the unsung heroes of his comedy clubs, the serving staff :) The people balancing trays in the dark, navigating hecklers, dodging punchlines, and somehow keeping a straight face while the room breaks out in laughter around them. Scott shares the funniest, wildest, and most unforgettable moments his servers experienced while working the floor.

We'll cover:

  • What it's really like serving tables at a live comedy show
  • The hilarious moments when servers became part of the act
  • Dealing with audiences who forget you're a person, not a prop
  • The unique challenges of hospitality in an entertainment venue
  • Scott's wildest stories from decades of running comedy clubs

If you've ever worked in a restaurant and thought YOUR job was chaotic, wait until you hear what comedy club servers go through. This one is packed with laughs.

Check out Scott Edwards: 

🌐 Website — http://www.scottscomedystuff.com 

🎙️ Scott's podcast is available on Spotify — https://open.spotify.com/show/7eZ0sIyArgkDD9FxOeHM3X?si=ebf4767c6f6545eb 

You can also find his podcast on Stitcher, iHeart, Pandora, Apple, Google, Podchaser, and more!

Don't forget to tip your favorite waitress!

Click on the link to help out the podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/bitterwaitress

Support the show (https://buymeacoffee.com/bitterwaitress)

Support the show

WEBVTT

00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:05.759
Don't forget to tip your waitress, a famous line that's used by many stand-up comics.

00:00:06.000 --> 00:00:10.400
So, what goes on in the wild world of serving tables at a comedy club?

00:00:10.640 --> 00:00:17.679
Today we have Scott Edwards, who owned a chain of comedy clubs in the 80s and 90s, to tell us all about it.

00:00:17.920 --> 00:00:23.440
So today's guest is uh gonna be Scott Edwards.

00:00:23.679 --> 00:00:27.440
He's been on the fringe of show business for over 40 years.

00:00:27.679 --> 00:00:35.520
At just 24 years old in 1980, Scott opened Laughs Unlimited, the 12th full-time comedy club in the United States.

00:00:35.679 --> 00:00:45.200
He fell in with comedy legends like Bob Sagitt, Dave Coulier, Gary Shanling, and helped develop talents like Paula Poundstone and Dana Carvey, to name a few.

00:00:45.359 --> 00:00:55.679
Scott worked with icons like Graham Chapman from Monty Python, Soupy Sales, Tommy Chong, love him, and even had Tom Hanks work on his live comedy stage.

00:00:55.759 --> 00:01:01.359
He's produced three TV series, countless concerts, and thousands of live comedy shows.

00:01:01.600 --> 00:01:07.439
This man is an expert in all things comedy, and I'm so excited to have him here with us today.

00:01:07.599 --> 00:01:09.040
Hey Scott, how's it going?

00:01:09.519 --> 00:01:15.200
Yasmin, I'm so excited to be talking to all the waitresses and audience people you have out there.

00:01:15.280 --> 00:01:16.000
It's incredible.

00:01:16.159 --> 00:01:17.439
And yes, I'm R.

00:01:17.760 --> 00:01:19.200
Scott Edwards.

00:01:19.680 --> 00:01:20.480
Thank you.

00:01:21.760 --> 00:01:23.680
Set it down, down and back.

00:01:24.000 --> 00:01:24.799
Here we go.

00:01:24.959 --> 00:01:27.200
We're here to have a good time on the podcast.

00:01:27.280 --> 00:01:28.879
I'm so excited, Yasmin.

00:01:29.200 --> 00:01:30.879
And I've been checking out your podcast.

00:01:30.959 --> 00:01:32.079
You're doing a great job.

00:01:32.239 --> 00:01:33.120
Congratulations.

00:01:33.439 --> 00:01:33.840
Thank you.

00:01:34.000 --> 00:01:34.319
Thank you.

00:01:34.480 --> 00:01:40.640
I mean, there's nothing like talking about the absurd behavior of customers when they come out to dine and to eat.

00:01:40.719 --> 00:01:43.760
They just have there's some great stories, always, always.

00:01:44.319 --> 00:01:48.799
There's nothing like the uh paying public to uh brighten up your day.

00:01:49.040 --> 00:01:52.879
I gotta tell you, first off, let's make it clear I'm not a stand-up comic.

00:01:52.959 --> 00:01:54.159
I am a producer.

00:01:54.480 --> 00:02:03.200
I did produce some TV series, I did several large concerts, and of course, I had three comedy clubs and ran those for about 21 years.

00:02:03.359 --> 00:02:07.040
Uh I'm out of the business now, but I do comedy podcasts now.

00:02:07.200 --> 00:02:09.520
So I love stand-up comedy.

00:02:09.599 --> 00:02:26.479
I've been a part of it for uh most of my life, and uh part of the success I've had is the quality of waitresses that have worked for me over the years, not only in my comedy clubs, but I owned uh a few restaurants, a jazz club, and and a few other things.

00:02:26.639 --> 00:02:30.000
And waitresses are the backbone of any service operation.

00:02:30.240 --> 00:02:40.639
I love that I love hearing that because it's one of these one of these positions that almost feels like an invisible job role to most.

00:02:40.960 --> 00:02:54.240
Um, and what is um I think super interesting is that comedy clubs in specific, I had one shift, one shift at a comedy club, and then I was out of there because it's actually really hard.

00:02:54.400 --> 00:02:59.280
Like serving drinks in the dark, there were stairs to where the the customers were.

00:02:59.439 --> 00:03:04.080
I almost ate shit a few times, like just trying to serve these beverages.

00:03:04.319 --> 00:03:05.840
It is not easy.

00:03:06.000 --> 00:03:10.240
So I'm so interested in some of these cool stories that you have to share with us.

00:03:10.639 --> 00:03:25.680
Well, and yeah, let's educate the uh listening audience because being a cocktail waitress is hard enough uh in a bar and a nightclub, uh, you know, trying to deal with the noise and and the obnoxious customers and the exchange of uh money.

00:03:25.919 --> 00:03:29.120
But a comedy club is like a step above.

00:03:29.439 --> 00:04:05.599
It's like the Mount Everest of waitressing, because for those that weren't aware, when there's a live show going on, you have to make you do have to kind of become invisible, which means whether they're sitting in the front row, which is m where it's mostly important, but even in the back rows, uh my waitresses would have to crouch down to uh deal with in uh you know, do the financial transaction and deal with customers, and then you'd have to whisper so you didn't interrupt the show, so you would whisper and the audience or the customers would hopefully whisper back, and that means you have to hear it over the din of the club.

00:04:05.840 --> 00:04:20.000
And uh the strength it took in the arms and legs to go down at every table and get the order, bring the drinks, it it was uh such a challenging situation.

00:04:20.160 --> 00:04:24.639
And then Yasmin, I come my clubs, uh I'm an old guy, see the gray hair.

00:04:25.120 --> 00:04:28.000
Uh my clubs, I had them in the eighties and nineties.

00:04:28.560 --> 00:04:37.759
So this was before um massive use of credit cards, and so all my waitresses were cash business people.

00:04:38.160 --> 00:04:40.319
They had to provide their own hundred dollar bank.

00:04:40.560 --> 00:04:40.879
Yeah.

00:04:41.120 --> 00:04:47.439
They actually purchased the drinks at the waitress window, and then they would go out and sell them.

00:04:47.519 --> 00:04:47.759
Uh-huh.

00:04:48.079 --> 00:04:48.240
Right?

00:04:48.720 --> 00:04:48.879
Okay.

00:04:49.360 --> 00:04:57.839
So they would go to the table and then say, Hey, you owe me eight bucks or nine bucks or whatever, and they would do the cash transaction right there at the table.

00:04:58.160 --> 00:05:05.279
Again, in the dark, trying not to interrupt the show and trying to make it all, you know, work.

00:05:05.439 --> 00:05:16.240
And then the way you know they got tipped was at the end of the night, uh, they had already purchased their drinks, so anything in their bank over$100 was their money.

00:05:16.399 --> 00:05:16.560
Yeah.

00:05:16.879 --> 00:05:22.240
And my girls uh were making, you know, anywhere from$80 to$150 a night.

00:05:22.480 --> 00:05:22.639
Yeah.

00:05:22.800 --> 00:05:25.279
No, it's 1980s money.

00:05:25.360 --> 00:05:26.000
It was a lot of money.

00:05:26.160 --> 00:05:27.279
It was a lot of money back then.

00:05:27.360 --> 00:05:27.519
Yeah.

00:05:27.600 --> 00:05:32.959
I grew up in like the 80s and 90s, and I I remember that being no, yeah, it's true.

00:05:34.399 --> 00:05:35.519
Oh, I appreciate that.

00:05:35.759 --> 00:05:36.560
Thank you.

00:05:37.199 --> 00:05:42.000
But definitely, like back in the day, like that amount of money was was really, really good.

00:05:42.160 --> 00:05:45.519
Even, I mean, even now, like it's nothing to scoff at.

00:05:46.319 --> 00:05:46.720
Yeah.

00:05:47.199 --> 00:05:51.759
And my young ladies, and and I have to admit, it's a sexist industry.

00:05:52.079 --> 00:06:02.000
I know there's male waitress waiters out there, but in the most nightclubs and especially comedy clubs, it's 100% uh female waitresses.

00:06:02.240 --> 00:06:10.639
I don't, I think it's because they can make more money and and they're very adept at uh the job, uh, to be honest.

00:06:10.720 --> 00:06:14.720
I never had uh a male employee ask to be a waitress.

00:06:14.959 --> 00:06:20.480
I think it's not, as you said, it's a difficult and sometimes a thankless job.

00:06:20.720 --> 00:06:32.800
And uh uh anyway, uh just so excited to share the information because they don't get a lot of attention, and especially my waitresses, which were like family.

00:06:32.879 --> 00:06:37.199
We we always had a kind of a family atmosphere in my club.

00:06:37.519 --> 00:06:41.839
Uh they were such an important part, uh big cog of the machine.

00:06:42.000 --> 00:06:42.160
Yeah.

00:06:42.480 --> 00:06:53.199
Uh I and I don't mean to extrapolate, but as a producer, uh I have to pay the entertainers and I have to pay the staff and I have to pay for rent and lease and pay for all the product.

00:06:53.360 --> 00:06:57.600
So I'm collecting the door money, and I have to make money off the drinks.

00:06:57.920 --> 00:07:01.439
It's a very important part of the operation.

00:07:02.160 --> 00:07:13.600
And uh I would say, you know, 30 to 40 percent of the income comes from uh drink sales, and then you have some food sales, and then of course you have the door.

00:07:14.079 --> 00:07:27.920
But the waitresses really always stepped up, and what was great was because uh they were getting paid minimum wage, but back then it was like$1.75 an hour, I don't know,$2.50 an hour, it wasn't much.

00:07:28.240 --> 00:07:37.920
Their real income came from the tips, so they never lounged around or goofed off because they were losing money if they were not selling drinks.

00:07:38.079 --> 00:07:42.160
Uh now a lot of clubs these days have a what's called a two-drink minimum, Yasmin.

00:07:42.399 --> 00:07:44.319
Have you been out and had to deal with that?

00:07:44.639 --> 00:07:45.439
Oh, definitely.

00:07:45.600 --> 00:07:53.920
Like you just um because a lot of businesses are afraid of the liability if somebody jumps in their car and like oh, two drink minimum.

00:07:54.079 --> 00:07:56.000
Like you have to purchase the two drinks.

00:07:56.240 --> 00:08:01.519
Oh, I work at a casual dining restaurant, so ours, ours is like a two-drink maximum.

00:08:01.600 --> 00:08:12.560
We don't want people drinking, we don't want we don't want grandpa joe being like all over the place, so it's a little bit different with with uh with my restaurant, but the two drink minimum, go ahead.

00:08:12.879 --> 00:08:18.480
I was just gonna make the point that as a uh family man, I didn't believe in the two drink minimum.

00:08:18.639 --> 00:08:21.120
You know, if people wanted to buy a drink, go for it.

00:08:21.279 --> 00:08:23.279
If they didn't want to buy a drink, no problem.

00:08:23.519 --> 00:08:31.040
In fact, we had a situation where if we had a designated driver in a group, they got free sodas and coffee through the uh evening.

00:08:31.279 --> 00:08:35.679
Um, I was lucky because I was doing comedy shows in my nightclubs.

00:08:35.840 --> 00:08:39.679
People would come in, sit down, see an hour and a half show, and leave.

00:08:39.759 --> 00:08:45.200
So they weren't hanging around like a regular bar and where they could get too intoxicated.

00:08:45.360 --> 00:08:50.879
However, of course, people would go and drink before the show and come in.

00:08:51.039 --> 00:09:06.159
And so the waitresses not only were doing financial transactions, trying to make a living, and trying to do it quietly and while crouching in the front row to not interrupt the show, they were also basically the drink police.

00:09:06.480 --> 00:09:20.480
If they had somebody that was uh um uh you know getting a little loud or they could tell was intoxicated, I put it on them to one, let me know, because I not only was the club owner, but I was the bouncer.

00:09:20.559 --> 00:09:25.679
Yeah, but also you know, to limit how much they would serve them.

00:09:25.840 --> 00:09:34.080
You know, like if you had a table that was already somewhat intoxicated, you might not go to them two or three times in the in an hour and a half.

00:09:34.159 --> 00:09:38.639
You might go to them once and then or recommend, hey, would you like some free coffee or water?

00:09:39.120 --> 00:09:40.240
Water, yeah, definitely.

00:09:40.320 --> 00:09:53.360
That's uh industry sort of known when you feel like someone's had too much to drink, you sort of dodge the table so that they don't they don't ask you and you don't have to feel that uncomfortable conversation of telling them like, hey, hey, buddy, you've had too much.

00:09:53.440 --> 00:09:53.919
Yeah.

00:09:54.320 --> 00:09:54.639
Right.

00:09:54.799 --> 00:10:10.799
And then as me as the boss, if I found that the table was a little extra obnoxious or something, I would tell the waitress, hey, give those people low service or um stay away from them, and and then I would deal with them as the bouncer to tell them that it was time to be quiet or leave.

00:10:11.279 --> 00:10:28.720
But uh still the waitresses had a tough job because they were kind of caught between me, uh I won't say me, management of any operation, uh, manager, owner, whatever, the management and the customer that bridge was the waitresses, and then in the front bar to be the bartenders.

00:10:29.200 --> 00:10:40.320
And um it's so important for a business owner or a show producer as I am to trust the people that you're putting in that responsible position.

00:10:40.559 --> 00:10:42.399
Now, you may know Yasmin.

00:10:42.639 --> 00:10:45.039
What type of waitressing were you doing?

00:10:45.360 --> 00:11:00.320
Um, so uh I still still doing it, and it's at a at a casual dining restaurant, it's um a high volume restaurant, it's more families and um retired folks, and that's the the typical clientele that we get.

00:11:00.480 --> 00:11:10.559
But like I said, I did uh I did a shift at a well-known comedy chain, and it's uh it's it's not it's not easy.

00:11:10.799 --> 00:11:29.519
So um uh any sort of nightclub, sort of evening event where there is a lot of alcohol being served, that's an even bigger challenge because, like you said, you have to be that police, but it has to, you also have to make a living, like you gotta keep the lights on at home, you know what I mean?

00:11:29.840 --> 00:11:30.320
Right, right.

00:11:30.480 --> 00:11:45.840
No, no, and that's why I always showed a lot of respect to my waitresses because they were in that delicate position between management and customers, and they had these other jobs where they had to stay quiet, not interrupt the show, and this and that.

00:11:46.000 --> 00:11:50.799
Now, there are some pluses to being a cocktail waitress in a comedy club.

00:11:50.960 --> 00:11:52.559
One, they made really good money.

00:11:52.639 --> 00:11:54.960
I mean, the people were in and out in an hour and a half.

00:11:55.279 --> 00:11:59.600
We would have two shows each night on the weekends, so they could make bank.

00:11:59.759 --> 00:12:04.240
Um, you know, during the week it's quieter, maybe 20, 50, 80 people.

00:12:04.320 --> 00:12:09.840
They don't make as much, but on the weekends, uh, just like the club, they were they were making some good money.

00:12:10.080 --> 00:12:30.480
The other thing was um, one, we treated them like family, so everybody uh would do a lot of uh after show event, you know, we would have some fun, or on uh days off, we would take uh groups of staff out for uh parties or picnics or uh river rafting or whatever, you know, there was a lot of side stuff.

00:12:30.639 --> 00:12:43.120
But I wanted to lead to that one of the things that you probably don't get in a dining restaurant, Yasmin, is that the waitresses were seeing some of the best stand-up comics in the country.

00:12:43.679 --> 00:12:44.559
We're coming through.

00:12:44.639 --> 00:12:48.399
I was in A-list room, much like the improv or the comedy store.

00:12:48.480 --> 00:12:52.799
Yeah, so some of the best, you mentioned some names in the beginning, were coming through the club.

00:12:52.879 --> 00:13:04.399
So the waitresses were also enjoying the show when they weren't working, yeah, and it was so funny because it by the end of the week they could almost do the guy's act.

00:13:04.559 --> 00:13:14.240
Yeah, if you hear the same act over and over for six or seven nights, I didn't memorize yeah, it's not quite as funny, but you have the act down.

00:13:15.200 --> 00:13:33.120
I love it, and that was like a really special time in comedy 80s and 90s stand-up is where a lot of these legends were born, like that's where they were starting really their careers, like your, you know, like Jerry Seinfeld, and um, you know, we have all like Dana Carvey.

00:13:33.200 --> 00:13:42.559
I mean, like, you know, just huge names, and so it must have been so incredible to just be able to see that in you know, in the beginning of their careers.

00:13:42.720 --> 00:13:49.440
Was there anybody that came through that you're like, wow, that was I I can't believe I had that opportunity?

00:13:50.000 --> 00:14:02.799
Well, you know, what's interesting is I've been in show business on the fringe of show business for uh so many decades that uh I don't get wowed like uh an average person, but and as a producer, I was paying them.

00:14:02.960 --> 00:14:12.960
So I was their boss, you know, Ray Romano and and Gary Shangling and some of these guys, Harry Anderson, that were um, you know, really famous.

00:14:13.120 --> 00:14:14.559
Well, not all really famous.

00:14:14.799 --> 00:14:17.120
What's interesting, you named uh dropped a lot of people.

00:14:17.200 --> 00:14:18.720
Paula Poundstone, for example.

00:14:18.799 --> 00:14:30.720
Yeah, we were one of the first clubs that she worked when she left uh Boston, and she was only the only comic I ever let work three weeks in a row so she could find her comedy and find her act.

00:14:31.120 --> 00:14:42.080
And then we introduced her to Gary Sandling, who introduced her to Robin Williams, and they both kind of took her under their wings and helped her develop because she was as she she still is kind of a bizarre entertainer.

00:14:42.399 --> 00:14:44.799
Uh she was much, much more when she was young.

00:14:44.960 --> 00:14:56.399
But my point of the story is um my club is a stepping stone to TV shows like Ray Romano's show or or Bob Sagitt, Dave Coulier with Full House.

00:14:56.720 --> 00:15:02.480
And so they weren't always famous when they were working in the early days, right?

00:15:02.639 --> 00:15:04.159
But some of them became very famous.

00:15:04.320 --> 00:15:13.440
Jay Leno worked for me many, many times, and uh they would come back because they their roots were in my club, so they would come back after their fame.

00:15:13.600 --> 00:15:18.320
Uh, for example, Bob Sagant, Dave Collier co-headline for my 10th anniversary.

00:15:18.559 --> 00:15:18.799
Wow.

00:15:19.120 --> 00:15:37.600
So um it was really uh exciting, not only for me as a producer, but for the staff to have people not only really funny and talented in their youth, but when they became famous or got a TV show that they respected where they came from and would come back and visit.

00:15:37.679 --> 00:15:51.600
And then, of course, we had people kind of drop in and out, like you you mentioned, uh Graham Chapman from Monty Python, Super Sales, Pat Paulson became one of our favorite regulars from uh the Rowan and Martin uh show.

00:15:51.840 --> 00:16:05.919
And so all these people coming through not only were entertaining the audiences, but the wait staff became um able to not only see all these acts, but they became friends with some of the acts.

00:16:06.000 --> 00:16:09.519
Now I do want to mention this is very important, yeah.

00:16:09.759 --> 00:16:18.000
Waitresses out there listen to this, young male comics on the road might be a little lustful.

00:16:18.240 --> 00:16:18.879
Yes.

00:16:19.600 --> 00:16:34.720
So I established and actually had posted in the green room a set of rules, and the famous one was rule number eight, and that was don't mess with my waitresses or I'll mess with you.

00:16:35.120 --> 00:16:38.639
Oh well, it didn't work all the time.

00:16:38.960 --> 00:17:13.359
Oh, it didn't work, but uh I did here after the fact, but it it was you know, these comics come through and they change every week, and a lot of them are uh anywhere from uh you know 20 to 26 and single on the road, so they're trying to live their life um each and every week, and waitresses are right there in the middle of it, and a lot of waitresses are uh beautiful young ladies, and so they uh there was a kind of a natural opportunity for may I say sex?

00:17:13.920 --> 00:17:17.920
And so I took on the role, even though I was 24.

00:17:18.079 --> 00:17:28.799
So I mean I was young when I started this, but still I took my responsibility as the owner manager and bouncer to protect the ladies that work for me.

00:17:28.960 --> 00:17:37.519
And so even though it didn't work all the time, rule number eight did establish a uh kind of a red line that don't pass it.

00:17:37.599 --> 00:17:47.519
You can, you know, hang out with the girls after the show in the club, you can, you can, you know, whatever, go we would go play football, flag football, or volleyball.

00:17:47.759 --> 00:18:04.240
We would do activities together, but I tried to maintain a uh wall, um a personal wall because between the waitresses and the comics, because you really can't build a lifelong relationship in a week.

00:18:04.559 --> 00:18:06.960
Yeah, oh no, you can't.

00:18:07.119 --> 00:18:07.359
Right.

00:18:07.519 --> 00:18:11.759
I mean, they may say, Oh, I love that gal, and I go, Well, it's been four days.

00:18:11.839 --> 00:18:13.680
I don't know how much we really know her.

00:18:14.079 --> 00:18:15.839
Maybe we'll re-evaluate that.

00:18:15.920 --> 00:18:16.960
But exactly.

00:18:17.279 --> 00:18:38.720
But what I I I really resonate with is the fact that you guys were like a family, like the staff was a family, and I think that's so important in the restaurant industry, in the serving industry, where you have people that have your back because sometimes you have, you know, maybe uh not so great interactions.

00:18:38.960 --> 00:18:49.440
Um, and you want, you know, to have that um confidence where you know that your boss or the owner or um is looking out for you.

00:18:49.519 --> 00:18:52.240
Like at one time I had some guy, I cut him off.

00:18:52.400 --> 00:18:54.319
I was like, listen, this is a family restaurant.

00:18:54.400 --> 00:18:56.799
I can't, I can't, I can't give you any more drinks.

00:18:56.880 --> 00:19:00.160
And he was swearing at me, and the owner was like, he's banned.

00:19:00.319 --> 00:19:05.359
Like he absolutely can't be swearing at my servers, that is unacceptable.

00:19:05.599 --> 00:19:09.839
So just having that family dynamic is really, really crucial.

00:19:09.920 --> 00:19:19.519
And I love that one of your rules was you know, what it was, don't mess with the servers, because it does set the tone that hey, like we're a family.

00:19:19.680 --> 00:19:22.960
If you mess with us, we are gonna talk behind your back.

00:19:23.200 --> 00:19:29.920
But well, I would do more, I would uh fire a comic at midweek if I needed to.

00:19:30.319 --> 00:19:30.559
Wow.

00:19:30.960 --> 00:19:33.359
Thankfully, it didn't really happen very often.

00:19:33.440 --> 00:19:42.640
I in fact, I don't know if uh it ever happened because of rule number eight, because when rule number eight was broken, the boss is probably the last one to figure it out.

00:19:42.960 --> 00:19:48.480
Um the other thing was, and I I should mention this, um, I also had food staff.

00:19:48.559 --> 00:19:52.319
You know, when you own a comedy club, it's interesting, Yasmin.

00:19:52.480 --> 00:19:56.480
You're not just producing a comedy show, you have to run a bar.

00:19:56.559 --> 00:20:00.720
Yeah, and there's a whole different set of uh aspects to running a bar.

00:20:00.880 --> 00:20:06.400
Well, in California, you have to sell food to sell drinks, and so I would have to have a kitchen.

00:20:06.480 --> 00:20:12.319
So I'm also a restaurant, and I didn't run it like a restaurant, it was a lot of bar food and and stuff like that.

00:20:12.559 --> 00:20:17.680
But the staff in the kitchen were even younger, you know, 18 and older.

00:20:18.319 --> 00:20:26.160
And uh and when my kids I broke all the child uh labor laws, my kids worked there when they were even under 18, uh 12.

00:20:26.400 --> 00:20:33.200
Um, but uh but the point was um so I was also protecting them.

00:20:33.519 --> 00:20:49.920
In fact, there's a funny story where a comic out of LA uh was and was kind of a horned dog, and and we knew that everybody kind of knew that, and he was in the kitchen and he was kind of getting close to this young lady that worked for me.

00:20:51.039 --> 00:20:58.480
And I was dating um well, I don't want to I'm trying to throw off the story, but anyway, he was hitting on her pretty good.

00:20:59.200 --> 00:21:05.200
And you know, hey babe, you know, you're sure good looking, and what's your name?

00:21:05.359 --> 00:21:11.759
And uh and sh she stopped and she looked at him and she goes, You don't know who I am.

00:21:11.920 --> 00:21:14.799
And he goes, Well, no, you just told me Kelly.

00:21:15.119 --> 00:21:18.160
He goes, Yeah, I'm Jill's little sister.

00:21:18.559 --> 00:21:24.400
Well, Jill was my girlfriend, but also like one of the managers.

00:21:24.640 --> 00:21:25.039
Oh my god.

00:21:25.279 --> 00:21:28.640
And he realized he was like, Oh shit, oh god, yeah.

00:21:30.319 --> 00:21:39.599
And ran away because he realized the one person he was being uh a little bit in uh too direct with was real family.

00:21:39.839 --> 00:21:43.119
Yeah, yeah, not the right person to be saying that to.

00:21:43.839 --> 00:21:52.079
And I think she was, you know, 17, 18 at the time, and you know, she was just a uh uh food server, uh hostess.

00:21:52.240 --> 00:21:56.480
We had hostesses that were also food servers, and they could, you know, they were even younger.

00:21:56.640 --> 00:21:59.200
So yeah, my job as the uh show.

00:22:00.240 --> 00:22:04.720
Producer and club owner was to try to watch out and protect the all the staff.

00:22:04.799 --> 00:22:12.319
But the waitresses, as you mentioned, Yasmin, you understand that uh and everybody listening that's in the industry, that it's pretty transient.

00:22:12.480 --> 00:22:13.839
There's a lot of job changes.

00:22:14.079 --> 00:22:14.400
Of course.

00:22:14.799 --> 00:22:30.960
And because we treated our waitresses the way we did, I had a couple that were with me for over 10 years, and several that were with me over five years, and those are really long job uh stretches in that industry.

00:22:31.200 --> 00:22:31.839
Oh, for two years.

00:22:32.000 --> 00:22:36.799
In fact, we even created uh awards when they made five years and ten years.

00:22:36.880 --> 00:22:37.119
Yeah.

00:22:37.359 --> 00:22:42.160
They all got pendants and and like a uh you know,$500 bonus or something.

00:22:42.480 --> 00:22:52.960
So it, you know, we really respected the work they did and they enjoyed the environment of my club so much that they stayed around for many years, which is unusual.

00:22:53.200 --> 00:22:54.720
Yeah, no, it's fantastic.

00:22:54.880 --> 00:23:00.799
I mean, like you said, it's just such a um like a quick turnover with serving staff.

00:23:00.960 --> 00:23:13.759
Sometimes you get people who just need um are students and they're just doing it temporarily until they get their degree or until they get their diploma, or sometimes somebody just needs some like extra cash temporarily.

00:23:13.920 --> 00:23:17.680
So you don't really have people sticking around long, long term.

00:23:17.839 --> 00:23:24.799
So it's really admirable that that that your staff like hung in with you, and then you have like that, like that mutual respect.

00:23:24.960 --> 00:23:27.119
You're like, you know, they're loyal, they're loyal.

00:23:27.519 --> 00:23:29.519
And I think that makes a big difference, yeah.

00:23:29.839 --> 00:23:30.960
Yeah, they were loyal to me.

00:23:31.119 --> 00:23:32.400
I was loyal right back.

00:23:32.480 --> 00:23:41.920
And as you mentioned, uh waitressing, which is a great career for men and women, because it's usually part-time and you can work around your schedule.

00:23:42.000 --> 00:23:45.200
Now I know nightclubs, so there was no day work.

00:23:45.519 --> 00:23:55.039
So um they could go to school and then come, but it was great because even those that would go away to school when they would come home for the summer, they'd come back and work for me.

00:23:55.359 --> 00:24:01.440
Because they they knew they could make money, they knew the system, they knew me, and I would gratefully take them back every time.

00:24:01.759 --> 00:24:06.720
But it was uh one of the jobs that you could work around someone's schedule.

00:24:07.200 --> 00:24:24.319
And the other thing was, as you know, Yasmin, is that there has to be a little bit of family amongst the employees, because I know the ladies, I call them girls, they were they were young women, and they would uh coordinate, hey, I need Saturday off.

00:24:24.480 --> 00:24:28.000
Okay, I'll cover your shift if you cover my shift, right?

00:24:28.160 --> 00:24:35.279
And when they would come to me, I would say, no, talk to your brethren, your your your fellow employees first.

00:24:35.359 --> 00:24:41.279
Yeah, and then if you absolutely can't swap out something or do something, let me know and I'll see what I can do.

00:24:41.599 --> 00:24:45.359
But I was also the boss, so sometimes I didn't make them happy.

00:24:45.519 --> 00:24:54.319
Yeah, well at the end of the day, you know, it is a business, you gotta run it, gotta make money, gotta have, you know, the proper amount of staff.

00:24:54.400 --> 00:24:56.079
So, you know, it's understandable.

00:24:56.160 --> 00:25:00.160
Sometimes you're like, man, I just wanted the Saturday off, but it's all good.

00:25:00.400 --> 00:25:01.119
It's all good.

00:25:01.839 --> 00:25:06.160
It was uh, you know, it's funny because I I'm a workaholic.

00:25:06.240 --> 00:25:13.200
I went through an early quick marriage because of it, and I I believe in a strong work ethic.

00:25:13.440 --> 00:25:21.119
And so somebody would say, Well, I want Saturday off because it's my birthday, and I go, Well, hey, have a good time on Friday or Sunday because you're not getting Saturday off.

00:25:21.200 --> 00:25:22.480
That's our meet night, right?

00:25:22.640 --> 00:25:22.960
Yeah.

00:25:23.200 --> 00:25:25.680
But you know, it it is part of the business.

00:25:25.759 --> 00:25:31.519
And if you're, you know, one of the things I tried to instill in all my employees is a sense of ownership.

00:25:32.079 --> 00:25:40.319
And so, uh, for example, for employees listening out there, uh, there's no such thing as, oh, that's his job or that's her job.

00:25:40.400 --> 00:25:40.559
Yeah.

00:25:40.799 --> 00:25:44.240
Uh in my business life, there's no wasted trips.

00:25:44.799 --> 00:25:52.480
So if a waitress was going through somebody else's section and they saw something on the floor or an empty glass, pick it up.

00:25:52.880 --> 00:25:54.400
You're on your way back to the bar.

00:25:54.640 --> 00:25:58.240
Do your fellow coworker some help and pick up that thing.

00:25:58.480 --> 00:26:06.559
And if everybody does that, it all really works much better and you have a cleaner operation, everybody's supporting everybody.

00:26:06.960 --> 00:26:10.160
Um, for example, you know, somebody'd say, Oh, the restroom's a mess.

00:26:10.319 --> 00:26:12.160
I go, Well, you clean it up, right?

00:26:12.720 --> 00:26:15.839
Because you saw it, you should you know fix it.

00:26:16.079 --> 00:26:17.759
You live here too, right?

00:26:18.160 --> 00:26:25.599
You know, when you're when you're invested in in a business and you're spending many of your hours there, it's like your second home.

00:26:25.759 --> 00:26:26.720
So treat it like that.

00:26:26.960 --> 00:26:27.279
Of course.

00:26:27.519 --> 00:26:41.839
I'm sorry, I'm throwing out some uh um entrepreneurial tips, but uh these lessons, it's funny at Yasmin, because I run into uh old staff people all the time, and they often thank me.

00:26:41.920 --> 00:26:52.000
Uh some have cursed me, but often thank me because I taught them basic uh skills that they were able to carry through the rest of their careers.

00:26:52.400 --> 00:27:14.319
Uh in fact, uh four of the young ladies that worked for me ended up in law enforcement, and they were saying they were saying that the the ability to be firm with customers without losing it and without interrupting the show helped them along with all the other tools I taught them as employees.

00:27:14.480 --> 00:27:19.920
So, anyway, it it there's you know, waitressing can be a really tough job.

00:27:20.400 --> 00:27:28.000
Uh as you said, it's usually thankless, and uh you have abusive customers and you have to deal with that.

00:27:28.240 --> 00:27:33.440
And but it's important for the business owner to also back them up and kind of work together as a team.

00:27:33.680 --> 00:27:35.279
Uh Yasmin, I I don't know.

00:27:35.359 --> 00:27:42.079
This is so exciting to be on your show because if I could, I would hug all the waitresses out there and say, you know, good job.

00:27:42.240 --> 00:27:47.920
Um you know, you're taking care of yourself, taking care of your family, but you're also taking care of your business.

00:27:48.000 --> 00:27:50.000
And remember, they're the ones that pay you.

00:27:50.240 --> 00:28:01.119
You know, so it's important to have some loyalty and like skin in the game when it comes to the quality of the service and the and that you're bringing to your customers, right, Yasmin?

00:28:01.519 --> 00:28:02.799
Absolutely, absolutely.

00:28:03.039 --> 00:28:18.319
The thing is that if it's uh like you said, when it's when it's um a tight-knit group of of workers, of staff that have um, you know, it not only enhances the customer service, but it enhances the tips.

00:28:18.480 --> 00:28:19.279
Let's be honest.

00:28:19.519 --> 00:28:20.079
Oh, yeah.

00:28:20.319 --> 00:28:40.640
Because if people are if if I'm going through, you know, my dining section and I pass by someone else's section and their meal is done and I pick up their plate to help out my fellow server, then you know, her her um, you know, they're happier, maybe they tip her more, they feel like, oh, like uh the people are attentive here.

00:28:40.880 --> 00:28:44.880
So it really makes a big difference when everybody works together.

00:28:45.039 --> 00:28:49.519
Like it's it enhances the whole uh evening for everybody.

00:28:49.759 --> 00:28:50.079
Exactly.

00:28:50.319 --> 00:29:05.359
Uh for the employees, for the customers, and even the entertainers appreciated uh I mean it ha it happened rarely, but there were times when the comic would come off stage and say, Hey, you know, you're I can't talk over your waitress, and I've got a microphone.

00:29:05.440 --> 00:29:07.440
She's got a you know, they gotta hold it down.

00:29:07.599 --> 00:29:07.759
Yeah.

00:29:08.160 --> 00:29:22.640
Um or you know, if you have a newbie and she and she's standing by the table, and it, you know, when the the comic's like trying to see the audience because she's standing there, you know, you you have to be aware of your surroundings, right?

00:29:22.799 --> 00:29:23.920
Read the room.

00:29:24.160 --> 00:29:33.119
And uh, but there was uh uh always uh I gotta give you guys ladies listening, ladies out there that are in the waitress business.

00:29:33.440 --> 00:29:46.640
If you get pregnant, work as long as you can because my girls scored big financially, and many of them worked all the way up till their water broke.

00:29:46.720 --> 00:29:54.079
I mean, they were holy, wow because one, it it kept them busy, kept the you know, kept and it's healthy.

00:29:54.240 --> 00:29:57.839
The doctor will tell you when you're pregnant, keep moving, keep doing everything.

00:29:58.079 --> 00:29:58.319
Yeah.

00:29:58.640 --> 00:30:04.400
The boy, as the MC, I'd go up and go, Hey, there's Mary, uh, your waitress, take care of her.

00:30:04.559 --> 00:30:05.359
She's pregnant.

00:30:05.680 --> 00:30:10.400
Boom, the money was flowing in every night she worked.

00:30:10.559 --> 00:30:16.079
So for nine months, she would press that baby, you know, and and make bank.

00:30:16.240 --> 00:30:17.599
And I didn't care.

00:30:17.759 --> 00:30:19.039
And the audience loved it.

00:30:19.119 --> 00:30:21.279
They felt like they're, hey, wow, that's great.

00:30:21.359 --> 00:30:26.799
Yeah, and you know, congratulations flying all over, and you can get eight, nine months of that.

00:30:26.960 --> 00:30:28.079
So I love that.

00:30:28.480 --> 00:30:31.759
If you're in the waitress world and you get pregnant, don't quit.

00:30:31.920 --> 00:30:36.880
Yeah, keep working because people will uh find out and and uh want to help you.

00:30:37.200 --> 00:30:38.000
Oh, definitely.

00:30:38.160 --> 00:30:53.440
I think it's just everyone's natural inclination, um, whether or not that person is a server, to be kind and generous, open doors, you know, make things accommodate them because it is difficult being pregnant.

00:30:53.519 --> 00:31:00.319
So I can only imagine because everybody knows you're on foot like all day long, so not easy, not easy.

00:31:00.559 --> 00:31:05.119
But yes, my lady servers, feel feel free to to use what you got.

00:31:05.279 --> 00:31:08.480
If you're pregnant, do what you gotta do, ladies.

00:31:09.279 --> 00:31:10.960
Oh, you bring up another point.

00:31:11.119 --> 00:31:15.920
Uh, when you say use what you got, and I don't want to get indelicate on your show, Yasmin.

00:31:16.079 --> 00:31:27.039
We didn't talk about any barriers, but um, I didn't mind if the ladies um shared a little to enhance their tips.

00:31:27.440 --> 00:31:35.359
Um but I also drew a line that if somebody came in looking too slutty, I would say, hey, that's not this place.

00:31:35.519 --> 00:31:42.079
You know, you want to dress like that, there's a strip club up the street, or you know, go over to Bob's bar where they don't care.

00:31:42.720 --> 00:31:47.680
This, you know, it wasn't it was I wouldn't say it was a family atmosphere like you work in.

00:31:48.000 --> 00:31:58.319
It but and so a little cleavage and a little uh short outfit to a point was okay, but I did feel that you had to draw the line.

00:31:58.400 --> 00:32:05.119
And what's interesting is uh all women have a different level of um what would you call it?

00:32:05.200 --> 00:32:13.680
Uh yeah, how much they want to you know take advantage of who they are physically to maybe make more money or not.

00:32:13.839 --> 00:32:14.000
Yeah.

00:32:14.319 --> 00:32:28.160
And I would say that the majority of the women that work for me were part of the family and and understood that it's more about the service and the friendliness and the and being on top of it than it was what they dress like.

00:32:28.480 --> 00:32:37.039
But at the same time, if if you have something to share within reason and it makes you money, I I think it's okay to utilize that.

00:32:37.200 --> 00:32:38.480
What do you think, Jasmine?

00:32:38.799 --> 00:32:44.000
Um, I think for me, like personally, I would um I'm more of a conservative person.

00:32:44.160 --> 00:32:46.640
So typically I wouldn't go down that avenue.

00:32:46.720 --> 00:32:53.920
But I think for other people, if you're comfortable doing that, then um, you know, quite honestly, money's hard to come by.

00:32:54.079 --> 00:32:57.519
Like, and life is expensive, and whatever.

00:32:57.680 --> 00:33:02.720
If it's gonna get you, if it's gonna get you an extra ten dollars here and there, why not?

00:33:02.960 --> 00:33:03.680
Why not?

00:33:04.160 --> 00:33:14.640
Well, again, and I wanted to bring it up because it is a topic that that uh every uh restaurant and every bar should or is dealing with.

00:33:14.799 --> 00:33:18.559
You know, if you're working at Hooters, there's a certain expectation.

00:33:18.720 --> 00:33:23.519
If you're working at Applebee's, it's a whole different exp, you know, expectation.

00:33:23.920 --> 00:33:24.559
Yeah, right?

00:33:24.880 --> 00:33:27.920
Whereas at a comedy club, it was somewhere in the middle.

00:33:28.319 --> 00:33:42.880
I didn't want it um uh too crazy, um, but at the same time, I understood that uh they're trying to make a living, and if you have attributes you you want to utilize who and what you are.

00:33:43.200 --> 00:33:52.480
For example, if somebody came in and their hair wasn't washed or good, or if their clothes weren't, you know, clean and crisp, you know.

00:33:52.559 --> 00:33:53.920
I mean, you have to be a professional.

00:33:54.559 --> 00:33:55.920
Hygiene is important, of course.

00:33:56.160 --> 00:33:56.640
Right, right.

00:33:56.720 --> 00:33:57.200
There you go.

00:33:57.359 --> 00:33:58.480
That's the way to put it.

00:33:58.720 --> 00:34:09.199
I would say something, or if if it was a delicate situation, I want to have Jill, who's now my wife, but back then was uh my manager, uh, she worked her way to the top.

00:34:09.599 --> 00:34:12.320
Uh was a bartender, as a matter of fact.

00:34:12.400 --> 00:34:16.159
Yeah, but um, I would have Jill, you know, talk to him.

00:34:16.480 --> 00:34:22.719
Or the now, I always had a head waitress, and you know, somebody in charge, you know, it's so funny, and this is so important.

00:34:22.800 --> 00:34:36.079
I don't know, Yasmin, if you do this in restaurants, but in the nightclub industry, and I own three of them, so I had to have I had to trust and give um uh balance to who was in charge.

00:34:36.239 --> 00:34:43.199
And so the waitresses had a head waitress, and the bartenders had a head bartender, and the kitchen had a kitchen manager, right?

00:34:43.440 --> 00:34:43.599
Right.

00:34:43.920 --> 00:34:51.679
So that that person was the first level of management before because I'm trying to deal with everything, I'm the the big picture person.

00:34:51.920 --> 00:35:02.639
Yeah, so when it came to schedules or or how somebody looked in hygiene or problems with the comics or the customers, it would start with uh mid-level management.

00:35:02.800 --> 00:35:09.760
So I think those are key people, and I always paid them better, you know, an extra 50 cents an hour, an extra dollar an hour.

00:35:09.920 --> 00:35:12.400
I mean, again, back in the 80s, that was a lot.

00:35:13.119 --> 00:35:16.559
And um oh, that reminds me.

00:35:16.719 --> 00:35:20.480
You know the other thing that's interesting, Yasmid, about working at a comedy club?

00:35:20.719 --> 00:35:21.360
What's that?

00:35:22.000 --> 00:35:25.840
The waitresses sometimes become part of the show.

00:35:26.239 --> 00:35:27.119
Oh, really?

00:35:27.679 --> 00:35:29.280
Well, that's embarrassing.

00:35:31.280 --> 00:35:43.920
Um, the comics, of course, every now and then would make reference to a waitress, and and and a lot of comics would say, Hey, make sure to tip your staff and take care of them because they're taking care of you.

00:35:44.079 --> 00:35:46.239
And you know, hey, let's give them some applause.

00:35:46.400 --> 00:35:54.320
You know, I mean, they got a lot of respect in the club, uh, not only from me and the other employees, but from the comics.

00:35:54.639 --> 00:36:09.760
However, there is the other side where there was is I was an MC, so I was not a stand-up comic, but I did MC all my shows seven nights uh or six or seven nights a week for 21 years.

00:36:09.840 --> 00:36:11.280
So I had a lot of stage time.

00:36:11.440 --> 00:36:24.000
Yeah, and part of my job as the MC is to talk about drink specials and uh food specials, and uh, and if the timing was right, I didn't do it every night, but it happened a lot.

00:36:24.239 --> 00:36:30.000
Uh, if somebody came up and uh was serving a drink, hey, make sure you tip your waitresses.

00:36:30.320 --> 00:36:38.400
Oh, what the hell, push them all the way over, you know, and the audience and you know would get a giggle out of that.

00:36:38.559 --> 00:36:38.800
Yeah.

00:36:38.960 --> 00:36:49.119
Uh the other one was uh now this in a in a if I said in the waitress, hey, make sure you take care of Mary, she's the head waitress, they go, Oh, you know, very nice, very nice.

00:36:49.199 --> 00:36:54.000
Yeah, well, in a comedy club, being the head waitress can have a whole different connotation.

00:36:54.239 --> 00:37:00.960
So if a certain waitress came up and was serving it, said, Hey, ladies and gentlemen, this is Mary, be sure to tip her well.

00:37:01.199 --> 00:37:02.639
She's the head waitress.

00:37:03.039 --> 00:37:04.239
That's all in how you say it.

00:37:04.800 --> 00:37:08.639
Oh, they go, they go, oh yeah, she earned the title.

00:37:09.519 --> 00:37:12.000
Uh yeah, right, right.

00:37:12.079 --> 00:37:12.800
But um bum.

00:37:13.440 --> 00:37:21.599
So there was that aspect of it, which I think, and I'm uh I only had well, this kind of funny side story.

00:37:21.840 --> 00:37:24.960
Um, my wife said to mention this to you.

00:37:25.280 --> 00:37:27.039
There was one waitress.

00:37:27.199 --> 00:37:35.039
I was on stage at one of my other clubs, and I'm doing my normal MC stuff, and the waitress came up, and I did the head waitress joke.

00:37:35.119 --> 00:37:36.960
Hey, ladies and gentlemen, this is Susan.

00:37:37.039 --> 00:37:39.039
Be sure to take extra good care of her.

00:37:39.280 --> 00:37:40.639
She's the head waitress.

00:37:41.039 --> 00:37:46.960
Yeah, you know, she threw down her tray and stomped out of the club.

00:37:47.119 --> 00:37:47.440
Uh-oh.

00:37:47.920 --> 00:37:52.480
She'd been working there for I don't know, uh, maybe three weeks.

00:37:52.639 --> 00:38:02.239
Not she was a newbie, but she had been there and she knew that, you know, as a waitress, you're it's possible that you'll be talked about by the comics or the MC.

00:38:02.400 --> 00:38:04.000
And it's always to get them tips.

00:38:04.079 --> 00:38:05.199
It's it's never rude.

00:38:05.360 --> 00:38:07.599
If it was ever rude, I'd fire their ass, right?

00:38:07.760 --> 00:38:07.920
Right.

00:38:08.159 --> 00:38:14.239
It was always just a way to uh, yeah, it's a little sexual innuendo, but it's meant to get them more tips.

00:38:14.480 --> 00:38:14.960
Right, right.

00:38:15.119 --> 00:38:17.679
Because the customers would say, Oh, he's picking on you.

00:38:17.760 --> 00:38:19.440
Here's an extra couple bucks, right?

00:38:19.519 --> 00:38:23.199
You know, yeah, or that was funny and give her money.

00:38:23.360 --> 00:38:23.760
Yeah.

00:38:24.000 --> 00:38:32.320
Well, this waitress wanted nothing to do with the jokes, stomped out, walked out, quit right there, left her tray at the table.

00:38:33.119 --> 00:38:35.440
We were all like that much offense to it.

00:38:35.599 --> 00:38:37.679
Yeah, just left on the spot.

00:38:38.320 --> 00:38:38.639
Right.

00:38:39.440 --> 00:38:46.320
She was so incensed, she sued me for sexual harassment.

00:38:46.880 --> 00:38:47.360
What?

00:38:47.840 --> 00:38:48.239
Yeah.

00:38:48.400 --> 00:38:53.679
And we got to the court, we went to court like you know, I don't know, three or four months later.

00:38:53.760 --> 00:39:03.440
We go to court, and she tells the story that you know that he was calling me the head waitress and making sexual in your you know, blah, blah.

00:39:04.000 --> 00:39:09.679
And and and I got up and I said, uh, you know, Your Honor, it's a comedy club.

00:39:09.840 --> 00:39:11.119
Yeah, comedy club.

00:39:11.679 --> 00:39:13.920
It's meant to get them tips.

00:39:14.079 --> 00:39:16.000
There's no personal offense.

00:39:16.079 --> 00:39:30.079
It wasn't, you know, like anything more than a generalization for the waitresses, and yeah, at that moment she was the focus, but it wasn't personal, you know, hey, here's Susie and here's her address, here's her phone number, and she's a slut.

00:39:30.480 --> 00:39:31.360
It wasn't like that.

00:39:31.519 --> 00:39:33.440
It was like a just a joke to make her money.

00:39:33.599 --> 00:39:37.039
And the judge said, What are you even doing here?

00:39:37.199 --> 00:39:38.320
It's a comedy club.

00:39:38.480 --> 00:39:39.760
Lady, what did you expect?

00:39:42.000 --> 00:39:43.039
As he should have.

00:39:43.199 --> 00:39:43.440
Yes.

00:39:43.760 --> 00:39:45.280
Because that happened.

00:39:45.360 --> 00:39:47.920
I mean, for me as an MC, as I said, it happened.

00:39:48.000 --> 00:39:50.559
I did it a lot to try to get the waitress's tips.

00:39:50.639 --> 00:39:59.119
But even the comics would occasionally work the waitresses into a routine or or talk to a waitress, you know, uh, you know, hey, how's that customer doing?

00:39:59.199 --> 00:40:02.559
Hey, is he treating you well, you know, and and right?

00:40:02.639 --> 00:40:05.840
And the girls had to be pretty quick and and play along.

00:40:06.159 --> 00:40:07.280
Of course, yeah.

00:40:07.519 --> 00:40:22.000
I mean, even like just the comedy club alone, you know, you're sort of like, especially if you're in the front row and you're a customer, like there's the potential to get, you know, thrown into the yeah, exactly, into a routine.

00:40:22.159 --> 00:40:29.039
So Yeah, you don't want to if you can't take a little conversation, don't sit in the front row of a comedy club.

00:40:29.280 --> 00:40:33.119
I mean, you're an idiot if you don't figure that out ahead of time.

00:40:33.360 --> 00:40:39.519
And we had customers that a comic might pick on, and sometimes comics go over the top.

00:40:39.599 --> 00:40:43.199
I mean, I can't say they have it in 21 years of seeing shows.

00:40:43.360 --> 00:40:46.000
There's comics that have taken things too far.

00:40:46.400 --> 00:40:55.280
But most of the time it's all in fun and it's all in comedy, and it's not too personal, it's meant to make the whole room laugh.

00:40:55.360 --> 00:41:05.679
Now, sure, it might be at your expense, yeah, you know, but uh you you just never know how an audience member is gonna take it.

00:41:05.920 --> 00:41:08.880
But a waitress needed to know, yeah, right?

00:41:08.960 --> 00:41:10.400
Again, it's read the room.

00:41:10.480 --> 00:41:18.079
If you're working a comedy club, have a thick skin and understand it's all part of the business and it makes you more money.

00:41:18.400 --> 00:41:18.960
Exactly.

00:41:19.119 --> 00:41:26.559
And I think just serving in itself, not even just at a comedy club, you do need a thick skin.

00:41:26.639 --> 00:41:46.079
Like you just you don't know what someone's gonna say, someone's gonna crack a joke with you, and I mean you can't get frustrated at every little thing because it will um it's not a it's not worth it, and B, you know, you're just you're dealing with the public, so sometimes you you don't know what to expect.

00:41:46.320 --> 00:41:50.000
So I think just serving in itself requires a thick skin.

00:41:50.079 --> 00:41:54.480
So I'm really surprised that she would just just leave like that, it's so unprofessional.

00:41:54.719 --> 00:42:03.519
Well, it happened with one person in one show on one night in 21 years of six nights a week, thousands of shows, yeah.

00:42:03.840 --> 00:42:10.800
And it was uh um, you know, some people are just a little sensitive, a little sensitive, yeah.

00:42:11.199 --> 00:42:19.679
But if you're sensitive, don't go to a comedy club, don't work there, don't visit that's that's very, very true.

00:42:20.639 --> 00:42:21.920
That's unbelievable.

00:42:22.079 --> 00:42:28.880
So has there been so any server you ask will have one horror story?

00:42:29.039 --> 00:42:30.079
They'll have just one.

00:42:30.159 --> 00:42:31.760
If you're like, what was the worst table?

00:42:31.840 --> 00:42:36.400
And you just know you're just like that's the one because they've traumatized me so much.

00:42:36.639 --> 00:42:48.639
Was there just one customer or group of customers in the time that you owned your clubs where the serving staff was like, that that was like just a nightmare.

00:42:48.800 --> 00:42:54.880
Like I can't, I I I I I'm just gonna go home and crack open a bottle of wine because that was awful.

00:42:56.800 --> 00:43:06.880
Well, um, it's funny you mentioned that because um, by the way, a side rule what at the club was you can't drink during while you're on shift.

00:43:07.039 --> 00:43:08.800
That's a common rule in every restaurant.

00:43:09.039 --> 00:43:09.440
Of course.

00:43:09.679 --> 00:43:17.599
However, we had one uh in particular that was an alcoholic that uh um we caught her a couple times.

00:43:17.760 --> 00:43:22.320
She would buy a wine and stash it and be sipping it uh on her shift.

00:43:22.480 --> 00:43:29.679
But uh ladies and gentlemen, if you're a waiter, uh no alcohol until you're done with your shift, and then who cares?

00:43:29.920 --> 00:43:43.360
But yeah, there's a great story that uh I've told a few times that uh I think um you know is about what you're talking about, and that was we're doing a Saturday night show.

00:43:43.599 --> 00:43:51.599
Um it was the early show, we were sold out, and we had a party of I think it was a big party.

00:43:51.679 --> 00:43:59.519
It was about 16 people, and they show up, and it turns out it's all young men uh right around.

00:44:00.239 --> 00:44:09.199
21, um 20 to 23, with um one adult, uh adult meaning, you know, somebody in their forties or whatever.

00:44:09.440 --> 00:44:09.599
Yep.

00:44:10.079 --> 00:44:15.360
And we're like, you know, the people at the door didn't know any different.

00:44:15.599 --> 00:44:25.440
They came up, they paid their way in, you know, 14, 16 people at, you know, uh$10 a head, I think was the price at the time, so a decent amount of money.

00:44:25.840 --> 00:44:32.000
And we had set aside tables for them, not too close because we don't want the big groups too close, but we set them down.

00:44:32.400 --> 00:44:41.440
Well, the waitress goes over to take their first order, and she comes running back and she goes, Hey, these guys are drunk.

00:44:41.599 --> 00:44:46.559
They're this, you know, I can't I can't, I'm not comfortable serving them.

00:44:46.639 --> 00:44:48.400
And they had just sat down.

00:44:48.480 --> 00:44:52.559
You know, it was a good uh, I don't know, 15-20 minutes until showtime.

00:44:52.719 --> 00:44:53.119
Yeah.

00:44:53.440 --> 00:45:06.559
And uh, so I went out and took a look at the situation, and it turned out, and I I found the one adult and I said, Hey, uh, it seems like these guys have already had too much to drink.

00:45:06.719 --> 00:45:11.679
Because, well, it's my son's 21st birthday, and you know, I'm I'm taking care of him.

00:45:11.840 --> 00:45:18.719
And the guy was like a football player, so it's all big guys that are like 21, 20, 21, 22.

00:45:19.119 --> 00:45:25.280
And I said, uh, I said, you know, this is a comedy show, and I have to think about my showroom held 200 people.

00:45:25.360 --> 00:45:36.880
And I said, Look, there's a lot of other people here, and you know, I have to make sure that uh uh they don't interrupt the show and it goes, oh, don't worry, I'll take care of them.

00:45:37.199 --> 00:45:44.480
Well, not you know, three minutes later, and we're not even into the show, and they're yelling at the waitresses, and they're they're hooping and hollering.

00:45:44.800 --> 00:45:46.719
And we're we weren't that kind of club.

00:45:46.880 --> 00:45:58.880
You might be able to do that at Bob's Bar or you know, Hooters or something, but it this is a showroom where people are paying to be entertained in a live showroom entertain uh format.

00:45:59.199 --> 00:46:01.599
So I it's so funny.

00:46:01.760 --> 00:46:05.280
I'm the bouncer, so I'm like I'm also smart.

00:46:05.360 --> 00:46:10.320
I'm not gonna kick out 16, you know, young drunk men by myself.

00:46:10.480 --> 00:46:10.559
Right.

00:46:10.800 --> 00:46:13.199
I didn't have any backup except maybe a bartender.

00:46:13.360 --> 00:46:13.599
Yeah.

00:46:13.840 --> 00:46:18.000
And so I called the cops, and I rarely did that.

00:46:18.159 --> 00:46:20.960
In fact, I'd been in my bus, you know, I was there over 20.

00:46:21.360 --> 00:46:22.800
By the way, the club is still there.

00:46:22.880 --> 00:46:24.239
It's 45 years old.

00:46:24.320 --> 00:46:27.360
It's it's one of the first clubs in the country, it's still going.

00:46:27.599 --> 00:46:29.360
But I sold it after 21 years.

00:46:29.440 --> 00:46:36.079
But this is back in the mid-80s, and the police knew that I was a good business owner.

00:46:36.639 --> 00:46:41.360
So when I called and said, Hey, I've got a problem, yeah, they knew this was unusual.

00:46:41.440 --> 00:46:43.119
It wasn't like one or two people.

00:46:43.360 --> 00:46:43.519
Right.

00:46:43.679 --> 00:46:47.760
And I, of course, told them it was 16 drunk football players, you know.

00:46:48.159 --> 00:46:48.719
Come help me.

00:46:49.119 --> 00:46:56.480
And so not one, not two, but uh 12 officers showed up.

00:46:56.800 --> 00:46:57.039
What?

00:46:58.159 --> 00:46:58.719
Yeah.

00:46:59.119 --> 00:47:09.360
And one of them went in to the group, and especially the with the one adult with them, and said, Look, uh, this isn't gonna work.

00:47:09.519 --> 00:47:13.440
We're gonna give you, you know, we'll make sure you get a refund, but you're gonna have to leave.

00:47:14.800 --> 00:47:19.280
You know, you know, we're not and they thought it was just the one officer, right?

00:47:19.519 --> 00:47:19.760
Right.

00:47:19.920 --> 00:47:23.679
And they're like being all testosterone and you know, F you and blah blah blah.

00:47:23.920 --> 00:47:28.159
And he goes, you know, leave now or you'll be arrested.

00:47:28.480 --> 00:47:28.960
Right?

00:47:29.280 --> 00:47:36.320
Well, the other 12 or 13 cops lined up two by two all the way out the door.

00:47:36.639 --> 00:47:37.519
Are you serious?

00:47:37.679 --> 00:47:47.519
So when these young people came out, they go, Holy crap, they were paraded through a line of police officers out of the club.

00:47:47.840 --> 00:47:48.880
Isn't that crazy?

00:47:49.119 --> 00:47:56.800
Now there's a great so the staff, and first off, the audience is like, Yeah, that was so good, right?

00:47:56.960 --> 00:48:06.079
We had to delay the show, of course, about 15 minutes, and the waitresses are all going, yeah, high five, yeah, you know, we didn't have to deal with those drunk A-holes.

00:48:06.320 --> 00:48:06.800
Yeah.

00:48:07.039 --> 00:48:16.320
And uh these young guys, and they were still drunk and stupid, and they're making comments as they're leaving, even through this parade of police.

00:48:16.639 --> 00:48:26.639
And the the funniest part of the story for me was that they the police walked them all the way out of my business out into the alley.

00:48:26.719 --> 00:48:37.599
I was off an alley into the alley, and uh and said, uh, you know, uh, this isn't acceptable, and you can't be doing this, and you know, be on your way.

00:48:37.920 --> 00:48:48.239
Well, most of the officers went back on duty wherever they're they were posted, but they a couple of them followed these guys.

00:48:48.400 --> 00:48:57.760
It turned out the father had rented a motor home and had all 16 of these football players in a motor home drinking.

00:48:57.840 --> 00:48:59.039
That's why they were so drunk.

00:48:59.119 --> 00:49:02.400
They'd been drinking since who knows when, right?

00:49:02.960 --> 00:49:08.000
So they get in the drunk and they knew the dad had been drinking with the kids.

00:49:08.239 --> 00:49:11.280
They let them get in this you uh this motor home.

00:49:11.519 --> 00:49:17.599
They drove about one block and busted them for DUI.

00:49:18.079 --> 00:49:21.840
Wow, that is crazy.

00:49:22.079 --> 00:49:24.400
Yeah, I lost some money, you know.

00:49:24.480 --> 00:49:29.360
I had to pay back the the you know$160 door, which is a lot to me.

00:49:29.840 --> 00:49:35.840
But I felt like, you know, and everybody thought we were the heroes because nobody wanted to deal with these guys.

00:49:36.079 --> 00:49:39.199
And uh, and they learn hopefully learned a valuable lesson.

00:49:39.280 --> 00:49:42.000
They never came back, but uh, at least not as a group.

00:49:42.159 --> 00:49:48.800
So, but that's you know, that's that kind of story where sometimes you have to preempt a problem.

00:49:49.119 --> 00:49:50.320
Yeah, no, of course.

00:49:50.480 --> 00:50:03.599
And I'm so glad that it turned out um that your staff and your business didn't have and the customers didn't have to deal with that because that would have been so disruptive to the show, it would have been a big headache.

00:50:03.760 --> 00:50:10.000
Um, and then that you know, the the the police officers of the community had your back like that.

00:50:10.079 --> 00:50:10.559
That's great.

00:50:10.639 --> 00:50:13.039
It's like the SWAT team came in and took that out.

00:50:13.119 --> 00:50:14.320
It's wonderful.

00:50:14.719 --> 00:50:29.039
It was, you know, it it and the and the officers, you know, respected how I ran my business, and they knew that if I was calling for help, that it was not a normal situation, which it wasn't, and uh uh I was so thankful for for their support.

00:50:29.199 --> 00:50:32.559
But uh yeah, that was kind of an interesting night and story.

00:50:32.719 --> 00:50:37.920
Um, Yasmin, did you have any questions about uh what's it like to employ waitresses?

00:50:38.000 --> 00:50:39.760
Or I don't know how much time we have.

00:50:40.079 --> 00:50:41.280
I saved it.

00:50:41.440 --> 00:50:53.280
Yeah, we're we're at the tail end of it, but if you um I would have I would love to hear about employing waitresses, what that was like over the years, and yeah, tell me your thoughts on that.

00:50:53.679 --> 00:50:55.760
First off, may I plug my podcast?

00:50:56.079 --> 00:50:56.800
Of course you can.

00:50:57.119 --> 00:51:02.320
If anybody out there likes comedy, I have a audio podcast, Stand Up Comedy, your host and MC.

00:51:02.639 --> 00:51:08.159
It's been out for six years and just hit uh um like 700,000 downloads.

00:51:08.239 --> 00:51:08.880
I'm very excited.

00:51:08.960 --> 00:51:11.840
I've been and all the best comics are interviewed and on there.

00:51:11.920 --> 00:51:13.599
If you like stand-up comedy, you love it.

00:51:13.760 --> 00:51:21.760
And then the new exciting thing, Yasmin, is I just did my first video podcast, started last March called the Tag Team Talent Podcast.

00:51:21.920 --> 00:51:25.199
It's a video podcast, which was unusual for me.

00:51:25.280 --> 00:51:27.920
You you're a pro at it, but it was new for me.

00:51:28.079 --> 00:51:32.639
I am excited to say, as of last weekend, I hit one million views.

00:51:33.119 --> 00:51:35.039
Hey, congratulations.

00:51:35.440 --> 00:51:35.760
Yes.

00:51:36.320 --> 00:51:37.360
Very excited about that.

00:51:37.519 --> 00:51:44.960
Yeah, but uh um is your audience um extra sensitive uh when it comes to sexual ideas?

00:51:45.280 --> 00:51:47.599
Um nope, you can go ahead and talk about that.

00:51:47.840 --> 00:51:50.000
I wouldn't I wouldn't offend anybody, I don't think.

00:51:50.239 --> 00:51:52.880
I have a really funny story if you guys are up for it.

00:51:53.119 --> 00:51:53.440
Absolutely.

00:51:54.159 --> 00:51:56.000
I told you we're like family, right?

00:51:56.239 --> 00:52:03.920
So that meant that on holidays we'd have big celebrations, and Christmas was one of those where we got done with our regular shows.

00:52:04.000 --> 00:52:09.519
It was after the show, and we threw a big Christmas party for all of our employees.

00:52:09.679 --> 00:52:17.280
And when we do that, we open the bar, you know, they're all over 21, they can drink, and and we're making sure people have rides.

00:52:17.440 --> 00:52:19.760
So if you get a little intoxicated, that's fine.

00:52:19.840 --> 00:52:22.000
It's you know, we're all young at that point.

00:52:22.559 --> 00:52:29.199
And one of the waitresses, you know, so I do things, I'm a producer, so I do things a little bit bigger than average people.

00:52:29.280 --> 00:52:34.639
So besides decorating in an open bar, I had brought in a Santa Claus.

00:52:35.760 --> 00:52:39.280
And of course, all the staff got Christmas bonuses.

00:52:39.599 --> 00:52:39.760
Yeah.

00:52:40.000 --> 00:52:46.480
So instead of uh just handing them out, I had Santa give them their Christmas bonuses.

00:52:46.719 --> 00:52:47.840
So I love that.

00:52:48.239 --> 00:53:04.880
Santa had a seat, and one by one, the staff would go up, uh, men and women, and sit in his lap, and he would say, you know, ho ho ho, Merry Christmas, and here's your bonus, and you know, what do you want for Christmas, little boy, right?

00:53:05.199 --> 00:53:10.800
And it was funny, we're getting pictures, we're all a little tipsy, we're all having fun.

00:53:11.199 --> 00:53:22.480
And one of the waitresses goes up, sits in Santa's lap, and says, and Santa says, Well, ho, ho, ho, uh, Merry Christmas.

00:53:22.719 --> 00:53:25.599
What would you like for Christmas, little girl?

00:53:25.920 --> 00:53:32.800
And she goes, she whispers in Santa's ear, I like a big black cock.

00:53:33.280 --> 00:53:34.159
Oh my god.

00:53:34.880 --> 00:53:36.400
And starts laughing, right?

00:53:36.800 --> 00:53:41.039
And Santa goes, ho ho ho, well, here's your bonus, right?

00:53:41.119 --> 00:53:43.599
I can't, I can't get you the rest, right?

00:53:44.000 --> 00:53:54.400
So she gets up and she's laughing, and she goes over to the other waitresses and she goes, I just told Santa, I want a big black cop for Christmas.

00:53:54.639 --> 00:53:56.400
And they all went, What?

00:53:56.880 --> 00:53:59.119
He goes don't you know who that is?

00:53:59.360 --> 00:54:03.039
She goes, No, Santa was my father.

00:54:03.280 --> 00:54:05.599
Oh no.

00:54:08.159 --> 00:54:13.519
And she was like, Oh, I'm so fired.

00:54:14.239 --> 00:54:17.440
Oh my gosh, that is so embarrassing.

00:54:17.679 --> 00:54:20.800
Oh, it was so funny.

00:54:21.360 --> 00:54:27.039
Now, the the great part of the story is my dad is the reason I have a good sense of humor.

00:54:27.199 --> 00:54:29.039
He is a very funny guy.

00:54:29.360 --> 00:54:32.320
He was a traveling salesman, he could tell jokes forever.

00:54:32.400 --> 00:54:36.000
Yeah, and he was all dressed up as Santa, nobody recognized him.

00:54:36.320 --> 00:54:40.719
And he thought it was like the funniest thing that ever happened.

00:54:40.960 --> 00:54:42.800
So he, of course, wasn't offended.

00:54:43.440 --> 00:54:49.519
But boy, this waitress was almost in tears because she thought, Merry Christmas! I'm fired.

00:54:49.760 --> 00:54:50.639
I'm fired, yeah.

00:54:50.719 --> 00:54:54.000
I just got my bonus, that's the last payment I'll be getting from there.

00:54:55.119 --> 00:55:00.079
It's it's just it's so it's such a great comedy club waitress story.

00:55:00.239 --> 00:55:00.480
Yeah.

00:55:00.800 --> 00:55:06.639
Because uh being a waitress is tough, it's thankless, but you can make some money.

00:55:06.880 --> 00:55:16.079
You have to read the room and know the customers, you have to know that the business has your back, but it's also family and fun.

00:55:16.400 --> 00:55:27.840
Yeah, and we were all having a great time, and that she took it a little too far, but it's a comedy club, and so everybody managed it well, and uh just one of the great waitress stories.

00:55:28.079 --> 00:55:28.880
I love that.

00:55:29.039 --> 00:55:34.320
I love that is that is the best way to close off the podcast.

00:55:35.519 --> 00:55:41.840
I feel so bad for her because she probably thought it was just this hilarious little joke and it in the rear end.

00:55:42.239 --> 00:55:42.719
Yeah.

00:55:44.079 --> 00:55:45.440
I love it, I love it.

00:55:45.599 --> 00:56:05.199
Yeah, well, yes, man, it's been such an honor and thank you so much because uh as a business owner, and I've owned several businesses, uh uh, but many of them are restaurants and nightclubs and a jazz club and all this stuff, and I employed many, many weight people, and I just think they're the backbone of any service business.

00:56:05.440 --> 00:56:12.559
And uh I it's my way of saying thank you uh for having me on and to all the people that do this very difficult job.

00:56:12.719 --> 00:56:13.760
Thank you for what you do.

00:56:13.840 --> 00:56:22.719
And just remember to the you know the customer comes first, but you matter, and if you do a good job and give good customer service, uh you'll win out.

00:56:22.960 --> 00:56:24.559
Yeah, great words of wisdom.

00:56:24.719 --> 00:56:27.199
Thank you so much for being on here with me, Scott.

00:56:27.360 --> 00:56:32.960
Um, I will post um the link to your website, link to your podcast in the description below.

00:56:33.199 --> 00:56:37.760
Listeners, have check it out, and as always, don't forget to tip your waitress.

00:56:37.840 --> 00:56:39.360
I'll see you guys in the next episode.

00:56:39.519 --> 00:56:40.559
Take care, guys.

00:56:40.880 --> 00:56:41.360
Bye.