Episode

#602: Legendary Comedian Bill Burr — Fear{less} with Tim Ferriss
listen on SpotifyListen on Youtube
59:54
Published: Thu Jun 23 2022
Description

Welcome to another episode of The Tim Ferriss Show, where it is my job to deconstruct world-class performers to tease out the routines, habits, et cetera that you can apply to your own life.You’ll get plenty of that in this special episode, which features my interview with Bill Burr from my 2017 TV Show Fear{less}. The “less” is in parentheses because the objective is to teach you to fear less, not to be fearless.Fear{less} features in-depth, long-form conversations with top performers, focusing on how they’ve overcome fears and made hard decisions, embracing discomfort and thinking big.It was produced by Wild West Productions, and I worked with them to make both the video and audio available to you for free, my dear listeners. You can find the video of this episode on YouTube.com/TimFerriss, and eventually you’ll be able to see all episodes for free at YouTube.com/TimFerriss.Spearheaded by actor/producer and past podcast guest Vince Vaughn, Wild West Productions has produced a string of hit movies including The Internship, Couples Retreat, Four Christmases, and The Break-Up.In 2020, Wild West produced the comedy The Opening Act, starring Jimmy O. Yang and Cedric The Entertainer. In addition to Fear{less}, their television credits include Undeniable with Joe Buck, ESPN’s 30 for 30 episode about the ’85 Bears, and the Netflix animated show F is for Family.Please enjoy!*This episode is brought to you by “5-Bullet Friday,” my very own email newsletter that every Friday features five bullet points highlighting cool things I’ve found that week, including apps, books, documentaries, gadgets, albums, articles, TV shows, new hacks or tricks, and—of course—all sorts of weird stuff I’ve dug up from around the world.It’s free, it’s always going to be free, and you can subscribe now at tim.blog/friday.*[05:39] 12 magic minutes in Philadelphia[11:39] Bill grew up in Massachusetts, but he lived a Wild West lifestyle.[13:04] How comedy entered the picture and who Bill admired most[15:24] As a kid, what did Bill think he’d be when he grew up?[21:43] Bill’s first time getting on stage[24:49] As a comedian, you never forget the first time you bomb[28:23] Clean Bill Burr vs. Post-Clean Bill Burr[33:39] The comedian’s comedian[35:44] Are Bill’s podcast ads reads — or roasts?[40:10] How Netflix’s F Is for Family came about[47:03] Bill’s idea generation process[50:14] Spotting when young comic talent has “it”[51:37] Dealing with the humorless or otherwise unbearable[54:14] Madison Square Garden[57:33] Bill’s board and parting thoughts*For show notes and past guests, please visit tim.blog/podcast.For deals from sponsors of The Tim Ferriss Show, please visit tim.blog/podcast-sponsors.Sign up for Tim’s email newsletter (“5-Bullet Friday”) at tim.blog/friday.For transcripts of episodes, go to tim.blog/transcripts.Discover Tim’s books: tim.blog/books.Follow Tim:Twitter: twitter.com/tferriss Instagram: instagram.com/timferrissFacebook: facebook.com/timferriss YouTube: youtube.com/timferrissPast guests on The Tim Ferriss Show include Jerry Seinfeld, Hugh Jackman, Dr. Jane Goodall, LeBron James, Kevin Hart, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Jamie Foxx, Matthew McConaughey, Esther Perel, Elizabeth Gilbert, Terry Crews, Sia, Yuval Noah Harari, Malcolm Gladwell, Madeleine Albright, Cheryl Strayed, Jim Collins, Mary Karr, Maria Popova, Sam Harris, Michael Phelps, Bob Iger, Edward Norton, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Neil Strauss, Ken Burns, Maria Sharapova, Marc Andreessen, Neil Gaiman, Neil de Grasse Tyson, Jocko Willink, Daniel Ek, Kelly Slater, Dr. Peter Attia, Seth Godin, Howard Marks, Dr. Brené Brown, Eric Schmidt, Michael Lewis, Joe Gebbia, Michael Pollan, Dr. Jordan Peterson, Vince Vaughn, Brian Koppelman, Ramit Sethi, Dax Shepard, Tony Robbins, Jim Dethmer, Dan Harris, Ray Dalio, Naval Ravikant, Vitalik Buterin, Elizabeth Lesser, Amanda Palmer, Katie Haun, Sir Richard Branson, Chuck Palahniuk, Arianna Huffington, Reid Hoffman, Bill Burr, Whitney Cummings, Rick Rubin, Dr. Vivek Murthy, Darren Aronofsky, and many more.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Chapters
Every Friday, Tim Ferriss sends out five bullet points containing the coolest things he's found that week, which often include apps, books, and documentaries.
00:00 - 01:37 (01:37)
listen on SpotifyListen on Youtube
Newsletter
Summary

Every Friday, Tim Ferriss sends out five bullet points containing the coolest things he's found that week, which often include apps, books, and documentaries. It's a short, action-packed newsletter that subscribers get early access to special deals and beta testing.

Episode
#602: Legendary Comedian Bill Burr — Fear{less} with Tim Ferriss
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
Fearless is a podcast that features interviews with top performers discussing how they've overcome fear and made tough decisions, while The Tim Ferriss Show deconstructs world class performers to find the specific tactics they've used to succeed.
01:37 - 05:40 (04:02)
listen on SpotifyListen on Youtube
Fearlessness
Summary

Fearless is a podcast that features interviews with top performers discussing how they've overcome fear and made tough decisions, while The Tim Ferriss Show deconstructs world class performers to find the specific tactics they've used to succeed. This episode includes a brief mention of Wild West, a production company headed by actor Vince Vaughn.

Episode
#602: Legendary Comedian Bill Burr — Fear{less} with Tim Ferriss
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
A person reflects on their experience standing backstage for three hours waiting to perform at a comedy show, feeling frustrated by a perceived lack of respect from the headliner.
05:40 - 09:20 (03:39)
listen on SpotifyListen on Youtube
Comedy
Summary

A person reflects on their experience standing backstage for three hours waiting to perform at a comedy show, feeling frustrated by a perceived lack of respect from the headliner.

Episode
#602: Legendary Comedian Bill Burr — Fear{less} with Tim Ferriss
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
A comedian reflects on a time when he was booed off stage and discusses his thoughts and feelings about the experience.
09:20 - 14:19 (04:59)
listen on SpotifyListen on Youtube
Comedy
Summary

A comedian reflects on a time when he was booed off stage and discusses his thoughts and feelings about the experience.

Episode
#602: Legendary Comedian Bill Burr — Fear{less} with Tim Ferriss
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
A comedian recounts his initial exposure to Richard Pryor and the impact Pryor had on his decision to become a comedian.
14:20 - 18:10 (03:50)
listen on SpotifyListen on Youtube
Comedy
Summary

A comedian recounts his initial exposure to Richard Pryor and the impact Pryor had on his decision to become a comedian.

Episode
#602: Legendary Comedian Bill Burr — Fear{less} with Tim Ferriss
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The speaker recalls his transition from performing comedy live to doing radio as a "baby step" towards a live crowd.
18:10 - 21:02 (02:51)
listen on SpotifyListen on Youtube
Performing, Radio
Summary

The speaker recalls his transition from performing comedy live to doing radio as a "baby step" towards a live crowd. He remembers feeling like a "nerd," but saw it as a necessary step in his career.

Episode
#602: Legendary Comedian Bill Burr — Fear{less} with Tim Ferriss
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
Comedian Marc Maron shares his experience of dealing with moments of embarrassment and unexpected fame through his podcast and his own personality.
21:02 - 27:25 (06:23)
listen on SpotifyListen on Youtube
Comedy
Summary

Comedian Marc Maron shares his experience of dealing with moments of embarrassment and unexpected fame through his podcast and his own personality.

Episode
#602: Legendary Comedian Bill Burr — Fear{less} with Tim Ferriss
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The speaker talks about the idea of selling multiple products and services to cater to people's different needs, including selling shirts, candles and nail services.
27:25 - 31:05 (03:40)
listen on SpotifyListen on Youtube
Entrepreneurship
Summary

The speaker talks about the idea of selling multiple products and services to cater to people's different needs, including selling shirts, candles and nail services.

Episode
#602: Legendary Comedian Bill Burr — Fear{less} with Tim Ferriss
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The speaker values the authenticity of rawness in comedy, as opposed to the over-polished versions, and believes that it is vital to bring the laughter from the green room to the stage, even when dealing with a tough audience.
31:05 - 37:35 (06:29)
listen on SpotifyListen on Youtube
Comedy
Summary

The speaker values the authenticity of rawness in comedy, as opposed to the over-polished versions, and believes that it is vital to bring the laughter from the green room to the stage, even when dealing with a tough audience.

Episode
#602: Legendary Comedian Bill Burr — Fear{less} with Tim Ferriss
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
A podcaster discusses the challenges of incorporating advertisements into their show and staying true to their brand.
37:35 - 41:30 (03:54)
listen on SpotifyListen on Youtube
Podcasting
Summary

A podcaster discusses the challenges of incorporating advertisements into their show and staying true to their brand. He also mentions living within his means and being hesitant to take on debt.

Episode
#602: Legendary Comedian Bill Burr — Fear{less} with Tim Ferriss
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The comedian talks about how he started to come up with ideas for his cartoons as the world changed into a new generation of parenting, which included play dates and helmets on kids' bikes.
41:30 - 43:43 (02:12)
listen on SpotifyListen on Youtube
Parenting
Summary

The comedian talks about how he started to come up with ideas for his cartoons as the world changed into a new generation of parenting, which included play dates and helmets on kids' bikes.

Episode
#602: Legendary Comedian Bill Burr — Fear{less} with Tim Ferriss
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The speaker shares a story about a TV show writer's attempt to sensor sex scenes from the show to make it appropriate to watch for her family, including sketching different designs of genitals.
43:43 - 47:03 (03:20)
listen on SpotifyListen on Youtube
TV Show, Censorship
Summary

The speaker shares a story about a TV show writer's attempt to sensor sex scenes from the show to make it appropriate to watch for her family, including sketching different designs of genitals.

Episode
#602: Legendary Comedian Bill Burr — Fear{less} with Tim Ferriss
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The speaker explains how he simplifies the process of stand-up comedy writing, treating it as a casual conversation rather than something to be rehearsed.
47:03 - 49:51 (02:47)
listen on SpotifyListen on Youtube
Stand-up Comedy
Summary

The speaker explains how he simplifies the process of stand-up comedy writing, treating it as a casual conversation rather than something to be rehearsed.

Episode
#602: Legendary Comedian Bill Burr — Fear{less} with Tim Ferriss
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The way a comedian handles a situation on stage with a low-energy audience can make or break their performance, and it's important to read the room and adjust accordingly.
49:51 - 54:30 (04:39)
listen on SpotifyListen on Youtube
Comedy
Summary

The way a comedian handles a situation on stage with a low-energy audience can make or break their performance, and it's important to read the room and adjust accordingly.

Episode
#602: Legendary Comedian Bill Burr — Fear{less} with Tim Ferriss
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
Comedians Joe DeRosa, Paul Verzi and Joe DeRosa opened for someone at a stand-up comedy show.
54:30 - 58:46 (04:15)
listen on SpotifyListen on Youtube
Comedy
Summary

Comedians Joe DeRosa, Paul Verzi and Joe DeRosa opened for someone at a stand-up comedy show. The speaker discussed the concept of pretending to be "fine" until something is actually wrong.

Episode
#602: Legendary Comedian Bill Burr — Fear{less} with Tim Ferriss
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
Tim Ferriss sends a super short newsletter called Five Bullet Friday every week to share the coolest things he's found throughout the week, including articles, books, gadgets, and tech tricks.
58:46 - 59:47 (01:00)
listen on SpotifyListen on Youtube
Newsletter
Summary

Tim Ferriss sends a super short newsletter called Five Bullet Friday every week to share the coolest things he's found throughout the week, including articles, books, gadgets, and tech tricks. Subscribe to it on his website Tim.blog.friday for a little bit of goodness before the weekend.

Episode
#602: Legendary Comedian Bill Burr — Fear{less} with Tim Ferriss
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show