Byron Bowers | Spiritual Comedy

I mean, I always was, like, this guy who, I

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guess, said inappropriate shit.

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So my friends was like, you

should go to the comedy club.

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So we drove up there one time on

amateur night, and I got on stage,

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and I got booed by like 300 people.

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Announcer: Welcome to Story Craft.

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Now, here's your host, Marc Preston.

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Marc Preston: All right, here we go.

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Another episode of Story Craft.

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And as the lovely young lady

said, My name is Marc Preston.

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If this is your first episode, thank

you so much for checking out the show.

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Uh, and if you've been

here before, welcome back.

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Uh, glad to have you.

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All right.

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Today is going to be a fun episode.

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Really enjoy this conversation with

actor and comedian Byron Bowers.

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You may have seen him

in the TV show, the shy.

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You can see him now in the

Apple TV plus show called.

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Lady in the Lake with Natalie

Portman, a great performance.

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Really enjoyed his work and also

he's going to be in the upcoming

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Marvel show called Wonder Man.

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A great conversation.

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Really enjoyed this opportunity

to sit down with Byron.

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Such a cool, candid guy, really kind

of put it out there, how he got to be

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a comedian, how he got into acting.

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And I really enjoyed just his vibe.

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He's a cool dude.

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Sometimes you can just sum up a

guy by saying he's a cool dude.

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And, uh, this dude is going to be

on momentarily, but I just want

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to let you know real quick that I

would greatly appreciate you running

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over to your podcast app, pick up

your phone, and follow Story Craft.

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That way, you get notified every

time we have a new episode.

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And, of course, everything Story Craft.

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You can go to storyandcraftpod.

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com.

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You can find out about

past guests, past episodes.

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Just pretty much everything

about the show is great.

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Right there.

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And, uh, by the way, when you are on

your podcast app, make sure to like

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do a little quick review rating,

you know, just show a little love

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it's always greatly appreciated.

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So let's jump right into it.

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Today is Byron Bower's day

right now on story and craft.

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Thank you so much for

joining me today, man.

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Uh, how are you doing?

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Byron Bowers: Not bad, man.

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Not bad.

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Very relaxed.

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Just came from a very.

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Uh, intense drive

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Marc Preston: road trip drive

or were you like driving in L.

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A.

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Kind of intense drive.

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Byron Bowers: It's uh, both.

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But yeah, I went to the mountains.

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I drove to the mountains.

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Marc Preston: Oh really?

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Today.

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Okay.

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Byron Bowers: Yeah.

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Marc Preston: Now, was

this just like a little R.

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N.

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R.

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Or were you like shooting

like on location somewhere?

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Byron Bowers: It's a little R.

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N.

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R.

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R.

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N.

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R.

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Marc Preston: Are you in L.

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A.

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Or?

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Yeah, I'm in

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Byron Bowers: L.

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A.

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I'm in L.

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A.

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I don't even know if it's R and R because

you definitely not relaxed at all.

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It's uh, you're doing probably 80 miles

an hour at around a 25 mile an hour curve.

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Marc Preston: So was this like, were

you hiking up there or was this just

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uh, was it just a drive kind of a thing?

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Byron Bowers: No, you

go, you go for the drive.

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It's a very intense drive.

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It's like performing.

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Oh.

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For those who don't,

yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

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I don't do cocaine so this is a way

to get, I guess the, uh, Kind of

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Marc Preston: adrenaline

thing going on, I guess.

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Byron Bowers: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

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Marc Preston: The kind of vehicle

we're talking about, it was

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just like a sports car drive.

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Yep.

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Byron Bowers: Yep.

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Yep.

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Very spiritual, very spiritual

car for a spiritual drive.

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You know,

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Marc Preston: very nice.

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So no, we are, you're originally from LA

or you, uh, did you move out that way?

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Byron Bowers: I grew up in

Atlanta, Georgia, you know, um,

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I was born in Athens, raised in

Atlanta, very flat, very flat land.

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Um, And, uh, yes, uh,

Athens is a smaller town.

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Um, I think they say it got

90 churches in that one town.

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Marc Preston: Well, like I grew

up in Dallas, so it's sort of like

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Georgia's Dallas, you know, every

time I go up there, I'm like, this

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is sort of like familiar Athens.

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I'm trying to think Athens.

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Isn't that where, uh, I can be wrong.

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Is that where REM is from?

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Are they from Athens?

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Byron Bowers: Yep.

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Yep.

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That's the interesting part.

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It's also a hippie part of,

of, uh, of the South, right?

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You got the B 52s from there.

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You got REM from there.

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Um, so it does have a little artsy, you

know, you know, uh, scene to it that I

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never got to experience, but it's also

home of the, uh, you know, Confederate,

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uh, Constitution of the United States.

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Marc Preston: Oh, okay.

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Okay.

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Actually, you know, is it kind of like,

uh, Kind of like Austin, you know,

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in Texas where it's a little artsy,

but it's kind of the, uh, phrase they

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have in Austin is keep Austin weird.

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So it's Austin weird.

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Yeah,

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Byron Bowers: no, it's definitely less.

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It's definitely less,

uh, artsy than Austin.

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Um, but if as conservative as it is,

it's a little bit more, you know,

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less a fair than like, uh, you know,

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I

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Marc Preston: gotcha.

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I gotcha.

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So, I've been trying to remember

in Georgia, where I took my

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kids, uh, I'm sorry, in Atlanta.

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What's that big drive in

that everybody goes to?

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Is it the Varsity?

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Is that what it's called?

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The one that has the chili dogs

and the orange, the orange drink.

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That's the one thing I remember

is that orange drink, you know?

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And then there was a little,

there was a little dance party.

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You know, the next day I

remembered it pretty well.

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You know, it was, it was, uh, it was

a, uh, it was really, really good.

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I was like, if I was in college, that's,

that's what I would be hitting that place.

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Yeah.

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But as the years have gone by,

I'm like, yeah, my body's like,

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no, you can't do this a bunch.

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No,

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Byron Bowers: I had someone,

but recently, maybe like a year

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or two ago, I rediscovered it.

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And I was just like, What are you doing?

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Marc Preston: You know, isn't that

a sobering thought when you go, you

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know, I used to do this thing when

I was a kid, like I've got all three

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of my kids are now in college, but I

would take them to thing and do things

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that like, I was like, Oh, I did this

when I was a kid and ate this thing.

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And like the time has expired for me to be

able to do this without it causing issues.

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Byron Bowers: Yeah.

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Mine was dumb cause I'm in the airport

and uh, I had to go to a whole different

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terminal to get to the varsity.

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Right.

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Cause Atlanta airport is big.

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So I'm going from like terminal

D to terminal, B or something

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to get just to have a chili dog

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Marc Preston: you I will say this if

you're in the airport I'm assuming

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you're going to be on an airplane

and that's a really brave move man.

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That's oh, yeah You usually keep it bland

when I'm flying, you know by the way,

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I talked to Dylan Arnold a few weeks

ago for Lady in the Lake and Great.

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I really I really enjoyed it.

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His character was out there.

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It was

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Byron Bowers: oh, yeah, it's crazy

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Marc Preston: They're, they're,

uh, weed eating right outside

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my door here right now.

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So if you hear anything, it's momentary.

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Um, so the, uh, you know, the

groundskeeper here was like,

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uh, it's, it's his day to trim

things and make them look nice.

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Um, so I'm just trying

to get our shoulders to

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Byron Bowers: match.

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Oh, there we go.

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Marc Preston: Yeah.

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All right.

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You know, so you're looking, you're

looking more casual and relaxed than I am.

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I like that.

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I shoulda, shoulda shoulda gone

t shirt, but you know, I was

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curious the, the lady in the lake.

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Your background is comedy and you played.

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A comedian, but there weren't a

lot of really funny scenes for you.

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That was kind of the irony of that, you

know, for folks that haven't seen it

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yet, which is, I, I, I really enjoyed it.

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It was one of the few shows I've seen

where I didn't know where it was going.

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You know, I, oh wow.

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You know, it's a thing where you

watching and you're like, okay, I'd

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kind of, you know, break it down.

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I see.

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It's kind of, I had no clue, you know?

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I had no idea.

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Wow.

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Thank you, man.

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But it was, was, it was great.

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And you were kind of a, you

were kind of that backbone.

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You were, you were there, you were like,

you know, talking about comedy and.

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In that era, that was supposed

to be, I guess, early sixties.

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Is that roughly when it was

supposed to be taking place?

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Late sixties, late sixties, late sixties.

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Was comedy to your, to your mind,

was it segregated to a degree?

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Like in black comedians, we're just

going to be doing black clubs because

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before prior showed up, was comedy

kind of like had its own individual

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camps and audiences kind of like that?

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Byron Bowers: Well, I mean,

it's still like that, really.

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You know, um, and I think,

you know, prior was to divide.

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He was actually the divide, um, before,

you know, the goal was to do Vegas and

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you had comedians like Dick Gregory.

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Yeah.

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Oh yeah.

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One of the first right to get on and

people didn't have beards and they

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were shaved, clean shaved, and they

told very like polished street jokes.

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And then Lenny Bruce came

out and then he just.

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started talking about, you know,

the inner thoughts and stuff that my

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comedy really spawns from, like stuff

you really shouldn't tell nobody.

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Um, so I think that was, and then

my character is a version of that.

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Um, you know, at, during the time,

late 60, 67, 68, when he just saying

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whatever he wants, he wants to say, and

it's consequences with that, you know?

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So.

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And then Pryor came out and really

like, you know, uh, that's when things

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became like black audiences and like

white audiences, you know, you have the

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chitlin circuit, but it wasn't like,

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Marc Preston: was that what they call it?

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Chitlin circuit?

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Is that what it was called?

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Yeah.

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Byron Bowers: That's what,

that's what it's, that's what

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it's still called actually.

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Really?

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I

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Marc Preston: remember another

one's red Fox and I remember, uh,

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watching him on Sanford and son.

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And then, uh, My parents had one

of his albums and they were out

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one night and I had to babysit her.

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I was like, Oh, I'm going to put

on a Red Fox album, not realizing.

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Not really what I was experienced.

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You know, I was a little kid and it was

not what was I saw in Sanford and Son

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It was it exposed me to some new ideas.

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00:09:21,650 --> 00:09:26,280

I will put it like that Yeah, but uh,

but I didn't know that was uh, that was

244

00:09:26,280 --> 00:09:29,370

a thing I thought it was just kind of

after prior with just things kind of

245

00:09:29,400 --> 00:09:33,550

Byron Bowers: well, you know Fred Sanford

entertained all even though he was dirty.

246

00:09:33,550 --> 00:09:40,009

He's the first comedian with the

Triple x label on a comedy album.

247

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So he entertained all but Uh Yeah,

uh, Pryor was the first comic to

248

00:09:45,885 --> 00:09:47,575

really talk about white people.

249

00:09:48,045 --> 00:09:50,745

Marc Preston: I think he got white

people to laugh at themselves a little

250

00:09:50,745 --> 00:09:54,405

bit, you know, or got a chance to see

the humor, you know, his, he was, he

251

00:09:54,405 --> 00:09:57,454

was the first, it seemed like that was

a transition point, you know, Pryor

252

00:09:57,455 --> 00:10:00,734

came on the scene and it was just

like, Something changed, you know?

253

00:10:00,784 --> 00:10:01,224

Yeah.

254

00:10:01,264 --> 00:10:04,814

But I mean, he's on my Mount Rushmore, you

know, along with like George Carlin and.

255

00:10:04,925 --> 00:10:05,784

Byron Bowers: Carlin's another one.

256

00:10:05,795 --> 00:10:06,264

Yep.

257

00:10:06,504 --> 00:10:08,214

They, they both spawned together.

258

00:10:08,284 --> 00:10:10,404

They both to me are

descendants of Lenny Bruce.

259

00:10:10,474 --> 00:10:12,784

Marc Preston: Lenny Bruce is really

the one that had to take those chances

260

00:10:12,784 --> 00:10:14,175

and get himself into trouble before.

261

00:10:14,175 --> 00:10:14,654

Yeah.

262

00:10:14,834 --> 00:10:16,834

Did you kick off your comedy in Atlanta?

263

00:10:16,884 --> 00:10:17,394

In Atlanta

264

00:10:17,394 --> 00:10:18,354

Byron Bowers: in two, yeah.

265

00:10:18,354 --> 00:10:23,504

In 2005, I dabbled in 2000

and it just wasn't clicking.

266

00:10:24,094 --> 00:10:27,994

Uh, like I was going to college and I

had like a bunch of like things going on.

267

00:10:27,995 --> 00:10:28,069

So.

268

00:10:28,479 --> 00:10:33,140

So I think by the time I hit

like 2005 or probably 2003, I

269

00:10:33,140 --> 00:10:34,229

was like, this is what I want to

270

00:10:34,229 --> 00:10:34,459

Marc Preston: do.

271

00:10:34,540 --> 00:10:36,099

What was that first open mic night?

272

00:10:36,099 --> 00:10:38,760

Like, uh, I assume you started

off on like an open mic night.

273

00:10:38,800 --> 00:10:43,189

Byron Bowers: Well, I didn't, I

started with a, uh, actually like,

274

00:10:43,629 --> 00:10:47,780

I mean, I always was like this guy

who I guess say inappropriate shit.

275

00:10:48,379 --> 00:10:50,880

So my friends was like, you

should go to the comedy club.

276

00:10:51,280 --> 00:10:53,869

So we drove up there one

time on amateur night.

277

00:10:54,650 --> 00:11:00,020

Uh, and we, they wouldn't let us in unless

we signed to get on stage and I got on

278

00:11:00,020 --> 00:11:02,739

stage and I got booed by like 300 people.

279

00:11:02,870 --> 00:11:04,049

Marc Preston: What was

the thought in your mind?

280

00:11:04,060 --> 00:11:07,739

Like, I gotta go work on my stuff or I'm

like, I need to stay away from clubs or

281

00:11:07,739 --> 00:11:09,599

what was, what was your next thought?

282

00:11:09,620 --> 00:11:09,760

Oh,

283

00:11:09,760 --> 00:11:10,349

Byron Bowers: I left.

284

00:11:10,969 --> 00:11:12,630

I think I left for like a year and a half.

285

00:11:13,750 --> 00:11:16,859

Because there was no, um, I

never been to a comedy club.

286

00:11:16,859 --> 00:11:18,180

So it was no stuff to work on.

287

00:11:18,329 --> 00:11:18,939

Marc Preston (2): Oh, really?

288

00:11:19,359 --> 00:11:19,589

Byron Bowers: Yeah.

289

00:11:19,589 --> 00:11:22,279

I didn't know that you posted the

right jokes and you supposed to

290

00:11:22,279 --> 00:11:26,439

like go work them out and test

these things on the audience.

291

00:11:27,000 --> 00:11:31,559

You know, I was lunchroom funny or,

you know, uh, water fountain funny.

292

00:11:31,559 --> 00:11:36,540

So, uh, and the things I said, nobody

could really relate to at the time either.

293

00:11:37,579 --> 00:11:39,479

So it just was, it just was bad.

294

00:11:39,640 --> 00:11:40,310

And then.

295

00:11:41,585 --> 00:11:45,335

I came back like a year and a half

later with I wrote two jokes and I

296

00:11:45,335 --> 00:11:50,465

came back a year and a half later and

it and the joke killed and I think I

297

00:11:50,465 --> 00:11:52,184

did three minutes and got off stage.

298

00:11:52,245 --> 00:11:56,995

And then after that night, I think

it bombed for like six months.

299

00:11:58,164 --> 00:11:59,125

And then I quit again.

300

00:11:59,740 --> 00:12:03,819

Marc Preston: I've never done comedy, but

I can't imagine a more naked feeling than

301

00:12:03,819 --> 00:12:05,280

being on stage and going, you know what?

302

00:12:05,630 --> 00:12:06,480

If you bomb, you're bombing.

303

00:12:06,480 --> 00:12:07,220

It's all you.

304

00:12:07,350 --> 00:12:09,889

Uh, but I've heard some comedians

talk that they actually like to work

305

00:12:09,890 --> 00:12:13,119

themselves out of that hole, you know,

and they feel the crowd disappearing

306

00:12:13,119 --> 00:12:14,489

and like that invigorates them.

307

00:12:14,489 --> 00:12:16,699

Other people just

paralyzes them, you know?

308

00:12:17,149 --> 00:12:17,619

Yeah.

309

00:12:17,790 --> 00:12:19,100

But when did it kick in for you?

310

00:12:19,100 --> 00:12:22,079

When were you starting to kind

of feel your flow and you kind

311

00:12:22,079 --> 00:12:23,790

of got your feet underneath you?

312

00:12:23,800 --> 00:12:23,810

Uh,

313

00:12:25,360 --> 00:12:27,439

Byron Bowers: probably 2000 and

314

00:12:29,480 --> 00:12:31,480

And 11, I think.

315

00:12:31,610 --> 00:12:32,260

How long?

316

00:12:32,260 --> 00:12:33,949

12, 2012.

317

00:12:33,970 --> 00:12:34,340

Yep.

318

00:12:34,610 --> 00:12:35,640

Seven years in.

319

00:12:36,000 --> 00:12:37,660

Marc Preston: What were you

watching or listening to?

320

00:12:38,600 --> 00:12:40,360

Or were you listening to any comedians?

321

00:12:40,360 --> 00:12:41,859

Like, I don't know, that

guy really turns me on.

322

00:12:41,860 --> 00:12:43,199

I like that idea, what he's doing.

323

00:12:43,199 --> 00:12:44,069

I want to do that thing.

324

00:12:44,120 --> 00:12:47,640

Byron Bowers: When I was like getting into

high school, my mom dropped a CD in my,

325

00:12:47,730 --> 00:12:51,540

in my room and it was Martin Lawrence CD.

326

00:12:51,970 --> 00:12:53,939

And I never heard

nothing like this before.

327

00:12:54,819 --> 00:12:59,579

Uh, and I remember, like, I didn't

know Aiden Murphy was a comedian.

328

00:13:00,515 --> 00:13:01,564

Marc Preston: you're killing me over here.

329

00:13:01,655 --> 00:13:02,645

Uh, you, yeah.

330

00:13:02,645 --> 00:13:06,755

You had, my big epiphany was Eddie

Murphy Raw, you know, and I saw that.

331

00:13:06,785 --> 00:13:06,965

Yeah.

332

00:13:06,965 --> 00:13:08,824

I, I mean, I was watching that

like, I think it was seventh grade.

333

00:13:08,824 --> 00:13:12,035

I'm a little older than you, but I

saw Eddie Murphy raw and in, uh, there

334

00:13:12,035 --> 00:13:14,105

was one other one he was wearing.

335

00:13:14,194 --> 00:13:18,455

I, I remember he was wearing red

leather pants and a, and like a jacket.

336

00:13:18,515 --> 00:13:18,785

You know.

337

00:13:18,845 --> 00:13:19,625

Delirious.

338

00:13:19,805 --> 00:13:20,255

Delirious.

339

00:13:20,255 --> 00:13:20,375

Yeah.

340

00:13:20,375 --> 00:13:23,105

My friend, uh, Chris and

I, we were in junior high.

341

00:13:23,105 --> 00:13:23,689

We were watching, I was like.

342

00:13:24,175 --> 00:13:27,555

The conversation he said he had

with Bill Cosby and Bill Cosby is

343

00:13:27,555 --> 00:13:30,014

like, you know, you got to watch

what you're saying and you know,

344

00:13:30,034 --> 00:13:31,415

you, you cuss too much or whatever.

345

00:13:31,415 --> 00:13:35,154

And then he calls up Richard Pryor and

asking Richard Pryor, you know, Bill

346

00:13:35,154 --> 00:13:36,675

Cosby is telling, telling me to do this.

347

00:13:36,675 --> 00:13:38,494

And you know, Richard Pryor

is like, you know, hell with

348

00:13:38,494 --> 00:13:39,514

him, man, go do your thing.

349

00:13:39,515 --> 00:13:40,254

Yeah.

350

00:13:40,254 --> 00:13:42,194

He said it in other ways, you

know, but it seems like an

351

00:13:42,194 --> 00:13:43,704

evolution and he was kind of the.

352

00:13:43,884 --> 00:13:48,474

Spawning out of that kind of post

Richard Pryor thing and yeah, you know,

353

00:13:48,474 --> 00:13:51,904

that was a great time for comedy Like

when I was growing up, yeah, like you

354

00:13:51,904 --> 00:13:55,904

had like Sam Kinnis and Andrew Dice

clay I mean that's back when HBO was

355

00:13:55,904 --> 00:13:59,675

doing a lot of their comedian features

So I was real in a comedy when I was

356

00:13:59,685 --> 00:14:02,904

like it probably shouldn't have been

watching it I was a little young but

357

00:14:03,064 --> 00:14:05,425

Byron Bowers: that's the best

that's the best times man.

358

00:14:05,435 --> 00:14:07,904

That was those was the best years, right?

359

00:14:08,569 --> 00:14:12,369

The comedy boom and the way people

described it was just like, even

360

00:14:12,369 --> 00:14:17,969

comedians got paid, paid, you know,

uh, and the sitcoms came out of that.

361

00:14:17,979 --> 00:14:20,050

So it was just a, it was a crazy time.

362

00:14:20,709 --> 00:14:24,139

Um, and yeah, man, I remember, yeah.

363

00:14:24,139 --> 00:14:26,669

I didn't know Eddie was like a comedian.

364

00:14:26,669 --> 00:14:31,479

I remember seeing them in movies, uh,

and then I was three years in and I

365

00:14:31,479 --> 00:14:32,969

was like, let me study this thing.

366

00:14:33,779 --> 00:14:37,149

And I found out about Richard Pryor,

I never saw Richard Pryor do stand up.

367

00:14:38,084 --> 00:14:39,915

I just knew of Martin

Lawrence and Def Jam.

368

00:14:39,944 --> 00:14:43,415

To me that was the

beginning of comedy, right?

369

00:14:43,964 --> 00:14:49,574

And when I saw Richard Pryor's stand

up and Robin Harris and all these

370

00:14:49,574 --> 00:14:54,284

guys that are like, all these black

comedians, I started crying, I think.

371

00:14:56,045 --> 00:14:58,555

That's when I started

crying, uh, that day.

372

00:14:59,155 --> 00:15:03,484

Uh, cause at that moment I realized

that everything I saw from Def

373

00:15:03,484 --> 00:15:06,634

Jam and in the clubs was stolen.

374

00:15:07,675 --> 00:15:08,805

from these guys.

375

00:15:08,904 --> 00:15:09,764

Marc Preston: Oh, really?

376

00:15:10,324 --> 00:15:10,644

Byron Bowers: Yeah.

377

00:15:10,814 --> 00:15:13,984

Marc Preston: Were there like

the stories or they're the

378

00:15:13,984 --> 00:15:15,604

way they, they told the jokes?

379

00:15:15,884 --> 00:15:21,734

Byron Bowers: I mean, I, you know, prior

created the genre of just urban comedy.

380

00:15:22,555 --> 00:15:25,464

He created that, that genre of

talking about what's going on in the

381

00:15:25,464 --> 00:15:31,194

neighborhood, you know, um, the sixties

was political, you know, Dick Gregor and

382

00:15:31,314 --> 00:15:33,035

these guys, they had political jokes.

383

00:15:34,234 --> 00:15:36,875

Marc Preston: Before that, it

was just, Uh, comedians are more

384

00:15:36,875 --> 00:15:38,345

just like joke tellers, right?

385

00:15:38,345 --> 00:15:39,765

They want to like, you know, pretty much.

386

00:15:39,765 --> 00:15:40,075

Yeah.

387

00:15:40,135 --> 00:15:40,475

Yeah.

388

00:15:40,505 --> 00:15:42,945

Not that there's anything wrong with

it, but it's just a different style.

389

00:15:42,965 --> 00:15:43,705

Byron Bowers: It's not.

390

00:15:43,715 --> 00:15:43,935

Yeah.

391

00:15:43,935 --> 00:15:44,864

It's a different style.

392

00:15:44,865 --> 00:15:50,654

And, um, uh, you know, uh, Dick Gregory

worked at, uh, the playboy club.

393

00:15:51,405 --> 00:15:52,955

So that's how he blew up.

394

00:15:53,475 --> 00:15:56,055

He was the first millionaire,

uh, black comedian.

395

00:15:56,565 --> 00:15:58,345

And then one night he

couldn't make it to a show.

396

00:15:58,345 --> 00:16:00,225

He was like, it's a

young comedian in Philly.

397

00:16:00,975 --> 00:16:02,304

Um, that's up and coming.

398

00:16:02,304 --> 00:16:05,475

Um, and I let him do the

playboy club instead of me.

399

00:16:05,765 --> 00:16:06,805

And that was Bill Cosby.

400

00:16:07,465 --> 00:16:09,965

So that's one lineage right here.

401

00:16:09,965 --> 00:16:10,525

Okay.

402

00:16:11,265 --> 00:16:14,055

Marc Preston: You know, Bill Cosby, we

all know what ended up happening with

403

00:16:14,055 --> 00:16:18,605

him, but for the time, for the time,

let's, let's, I just isolate as like a

404

00:16:18,605 --> 00:16:22,525

little pocket of time when, when he was

doing his thing, he was a, he was a great

405

00:16:22,525 --> 00:16:27,119

storyteller, you know, had this whole,

his jokes took, there was a big arc, but.

406

00:16:27,690 --> 00:16:30,080

My favorite comedians were like, uh, okay.

407

00:16:30,080 --> 00:16:32,930

I'm trying to think like, uh, well,

Robin Williams was in there as well

408

00:16:32,980 --> 00:16:34,190

He would be on my mail rush more.

409

00:16:34,190 --> 00:16:39,719

It'd be Robin Williams and Eddie

Murphy and Richard Pryor and and Carl

410

00:16:39,799 --> 00:16:41,669

Carlin was just the guy I love story.

411

00:16:41,669 --> 00:16:44,079

Yeah Would you how would

you define your style?

412

00:16:44,169 --> 00:16:46,639

Are you more kind of more

of a storyteller you?

413

00:16:47,490 --> 00:16:50,260

Quick observations, you know,

where, how would you define what

414

00:16:50,260 --> 00:16:51,710

you, what feels good for you?

415

00:16:51,840 --> 00:16:53,220

Byron Bowers: I'm a, I'm

a blend of everything.

416

00:16:53,220 --> 00:16:59,020

I started with jokey jokes and then

I started to grow as a comedian

417

00:16:59,020 --> 00:17:04,050

and, and, and I reached a point

where I wasn't relatable to anybody.

418

00:17:04,910 --> 00:17:11,670

Um, you know, my lady left, you know,

I was, I was married before she left.

419

00:17:11,750 --> 00:17:16,489

I'm sleeping on couches and you

know, Kevin Hart is doing his thing.

420

00:17:17,275 --> 00:17:20,675

And I'm like, I just

can't relate to people.

421

00:17:21,095 --> 00:17:23,105

Uh, I had a dark moment, you know?

422

00:17:23,195 --> 00:17:26,144

And, uh, I just started

saying like, fuck it.

423

00:17:26,164 --> 00:17:31,575

If I can't relate to anybody, then I'm

just going to talk about some of my stuff.

424

00:17:31,595 --> 00:17:35,085

And then I did a joke about the day

I found out my dad smoked crack.

425

00:17:35,085 --> 00:17:39,475

I just told the story and people

just came out of the woodworks.

426

00:17:39,535 --> 00:17:40,785

Like that happened to me too.

427

00:17:41,265 --> 00:17:42,235

This happened to me too.

428

00:17:42,235 --> 00:17:47,270

And I was like, Oh, Oh, I found

something, you know, so it's just

429

00:17:47,280 --> 00:17:49,970

been that brutal, unapologetic or

430

00:17:49,970 --> 00:17:52,529

Marc Preston: maybe, or maybe they

didn't have the exact same experience,

431

00:17:52,530 --> 00:17:56,409

but they had an experience of

learning something that was maybe a

432

00:17:56,410 --> 00:17:58,089

surprising disappointment or something.

433

00:17:58,089 --> 00:18:00,640

You know, there was, there's

a commonality, even though the

434

00:18:00,650 --> 00:18:03,630

story's not exactly the same kind

of the emotional response to it.

435

00:18:03,640 --> 00:18:03,950

Yeah.

436

00:18:04,260 --> 00:18:08,410

Byron Bowers: And you know, one guy

was on heroin when he saw it and he,

437

00:18:08,440 --> 00:18:11,350

he got kids himself and he stopped.

438

00:18:12,005 --> 00:18:14,065

He stopped that after

seeing that, you know?

439

00:18:15,145 --> 00:18:19,665

Uh, so it definitely affected

the more traumatic people, right?

440

00:18:20,625 --> 00:18:21,875

So it's not a black thing.

441

00:18:21,875 --> 00:18:22,975

It's not a white thing.

442

00:18:23,045 --> 00:18:26,205

It's just, I found my people,

which are those who have these

443

00:18:26,205 --> 00:18:27,655

Marc Preston: kind of a

human experience thing.

444

00:18:27,774 --> 00:18:28,194

Yeah.

445

00:18:28,245 --> 00:18:28,635

Byron Bowers: Yeah.

446

00:18:29,274 --> 00:18:29,554

Yeah.

447

00:18:29,554 --> 00:18:33,685

So I mean, that's when stuff

started to shift and then I, I

448

00:18:33,715 --> 00:18:38,974

stopped doing comedies because I

didn't find them relatable to me.

449

00:18:39,585 --> 00:18:40,415

And it's funny.

450

00:18:40,485 --> 00:18:44,955

And I ended up in dramas because my

sense of humor is just, it's just the

451

00:18:44,955 --> 00:18:46,815

dramatic stuff is just funny to me.

452

00:18:48,494 --> 00:18:48,895

If that makes sense.

453

00:18:49,295 --> 00:18:51,104

Marc Preston: You're playing,

did you find when you're playing

454

00:18:51,115 --> 00:18:52,824

Slappy, it was Slappy, right?

455

00:18:52,824 --> 00:18:54,225

That sort of, in Lady and the Lamp.

456

00:18:54,225 --> 00:18:54,445

Yep.

457

00:18:54,945 --> 00:18:59,895

Uh, Did you find like, okay, I've

been in this place before, you

458

00:18:59,895 --> 00:19:01,495

know, I I'm about to bust out.

459

00:19:01,495 --> 00:19:02,295

I'm a guy.

460

00:19:02,455 --> 00:19:05,725

It's been a few weeks since I've seen

the show, but I are seeing the series,

461

00:19:05,754 --> 00:19:09,754

but, uh, it was more like he was about

to bust out and he was, it was that

462

00:19:09,754 --> 00:19:13,354

feeling of, you can feel it there.

463

00:19:13,504 --> 00:19:16,425

Was it hard to reach that character,

like to find some, you know,

464

00:19:16,435 --> 00:19:18,845

some stuff to really tap into?

465

00:19:19,245 --> 00:19:20,695

Byron Bowers: Cause I

consulted on the show.

466

00:19:20,695 --> 00:19:23,665

So that's my part of my

real story, you know?

467

00:19:24,270 --> 00:19:28,770

of somebody who follows their dream and

the support you don't get uh sometimes

468

00:19:28,770 --> 00:19:32,770

or you know that's how you look at it

if you follow your dream but to other

469

00:19:32,770 --> 00:19:37,020

people the reality is you just probably

that dude just sitting on the couch

470

00:19:38,380 --> 00:19:45,360

so um it was it was easy for me to get

into character because I lived it but

471

00:19:45,360 --> 00:19:48,910

now I get to see it through everybody

else's eyes and they really don't like

472

00:19:48,910 --> 00:19:52,290

that especially women who date have to

date these type of characters you know.

473

00:19:52,980 --> 00:19:56,800

Marc Preston: I can't imagine

it would be Real easy.

474

00:19:56,810 --> 00:19:59,860

It'd be like, you got to really love

and believe in the person you're with.

475

00:19:59,860 --> 00:20:04,159

Cause it's a, I think anybody that does

a creative thing for a living, that's

476

00:20:04,159 --> 00:20:07,290

a little bit different of a path than

somebody that's done their four years and

477

00:20:07,290 --> 00:20:09,000

maybe then gone on and gotten a master's.

478

00:20:09,010 --> 00:20:09,770

Now they got the career.

479

00:20:09,880 --> 00:20:12,399

You know, if you're with somebody

who's doing something creative, it's

480

00:20:12,399 --> 00:20:16,379

kind of, if it's a different arc of

experience, I'd say more, more interesting

481

00:20:16,379 --> 00:20:17,829

people though, but that's just mine.

482

00:20:18,029 --> 00:20:19,039

That's why I'm doing this.

483

00:20:20,299 --> 00:20:20,859

I met people

484

00:20:20,859 --> 00:20:24,020

Byron Bowers: with businesses that

had to go through the same thing, you

485

00:20:24,020 --> 00:20:28,065

know, um, They might not have had their

college or nothing, but they definitely

486

00:20:28,065 --> 00:20:30,995

got a business or two off the ground.

487

00:20:30,995 --> 00:20:33,245

And you know, it took years.

488

00:20:33,245 --> 00:20:35,024

These things take years,

which you don't know.

489

00:20:35,605 --> 00:20:35,785

Marc Preston: Yeah.

490

00:20:35,785 --> 00:20:38,794

They say it takes 10 years to be an

overnight success or something like that.

491

00:20:38,794 --> 00:20:38,995

I don't know.

492

00:20:38,995 --> 00:20:42,334

Maybe it's more even, but, um, but

you said you consulted on the show.

493

00:20:42,334 --> 00:20:43,754

Is it just kind of like

for your character?

494

00:20:43,754 --> 00:20:48,325

Was it more like how to have that

part of, uh, your experience with a

495

00:20:48,335 --> 00:20:53,075

lady in the lake come along is did the

producer say, Hey, I need some input on.

496

00:20:53,135 --> 00:20:54,785

Uh, you know, fill in the blank.

497

00:20:55,715 --> 00:20:58,805

Byron Bowers: Uh, that, and then

my girlfriend wrote the show and,

498

00:20:58,805 --> 00:21:01,175

and Oh, I did not even know that.

499

00:21:01,175 --> 00:21:01,355

Yeah.

500

00:21:01,355 --> 00:21:02,315

How did I not know that?

501

00:21:02,375 --> 00:21:02,945

Marc Preston: Okay.

502

00:21:02,950 --> 00:21:03,030

Okay.

503

00:21:03,030 --> 00:21:03,310

I don't

504

00:21:03,310 --> 00:21:06,905

Byron Bowers: know, you know, but it's,

uh, yeah, it was a thing of just being

505

00:21:06,905 --> 00:21:13,355

an in-house, uh, type production, you

know, so it was, uh, you know, you

506

00:21:13,355 --> 00:21:17,615

help to shape the story and you want

some of the nuances to be correct.

507

00:21:18,395 --> 00:21:18,935

Um.

508

00:21:20,135 --> 00:21:23,325

And without getting into the whole

race thing, when you talk about

509

00:21:23,325 --> 00:21:29,104

certain races, and it might be written

by or shot by somebody else, you

510

00:21:29,104 --> 00:21:30,675

want certain nuances to be there.

511

00:21:31,184 --> 00:21:34,264

So, you have people consult from both.

512

00:21:35,050 --> 00:21:38,480

You know, groups of people, the Jewish

group and well, my girl is Jewish.

513

00:21:38,490 --> 00:21:38,830

So,

514

00:21:39,220 --> 00:21:39,620

Marc Preston: okay.

515

00:21:39,890 --> 00:21:41,950

You see, that's one thing I'm

Jewish and I noticed that.

516

00:21:41,960 --> 00:21:42,260

Yeah.

517

00:21:42,310 --> 00:21:44,760

I kind of felt like somebody knew

what they were doing when they put

518

00:21:44,760 --> 00:21:47,899

some of these things in there, you

know, it was such an interesting show.

519

00:21:47,899 --> 00:21:49,389

It's something I want

to go back and rewatch.

520

00:21:49,389 --> 00:21:49,649

Yeah.

521

00:21:49,649 --> 00:21:52,370

I was watching it with, um,

my son and his girlfriend.

522

00:21:52,690 --> 00:21:55,480

And I was just going to watch a

show or two, one or two episodes.

523

00:21:55,510 --> 00:21:57,680

And we ended up like power

watching it over two days.

524

00:21:57,690 --> 00:21:59,190

You know, it was such a good show.

525

00:21:59,200 --> 00:22:00,799

So no, well done, man.

526

00:22:00,800 --> 00:22:04,510

I will say that was, uh, your character

was, as some people to stand out

527

00:22:04,510 --> 00:22:08,775

and other, you know, Dylan, his, uh,

Dylan Arnold was, It was out there.

528

00:22:08,775 --> 00:22:09,115

Oh yeah.

529

00:22:09,115 --> 00:22:12,395

What he did was just kind

of, it was, it was rich.

530

00:22:12,395 --> 00:22:13,575

There was a lot going on.

531

00:22:13,575 --> 00:22:15,035

There was a lot of cultural stuff.

532

00:22:15,035 --> 00:22:18,825

It was a little, it felt like kind of

like a, a little time capsule in a way.

533

00:22:18,835 --> 00:22:21,445

If you mixed some things together,

how it, how would it come out?

534

00:22:21,455 --> 00:22:22,894

You know, but it was a great story, man.

535

00:22:22,895 --> 00:22:23,514

It was really wonderful.

536

00:22:23,515 --> 00:22:24,494

It's just

537

00:22:24,494 --> 00:22:28,914

Byron Bowers: a bunch of genres that we

managed to, uh, and more for the other

538

00:22:28,914 --> 00:22:32,925

writers, cause I just sprinkled some

salt on it, but they were able to, to,

539

00:22:33,075 --> 00:22:35,225

to bend these genres together in a.

540

00:22:36,400 --> 00:22:40,110

Way that, like you said, you

couldn't tell what was coming.

541

00:22:40,130 --> 00:22:44,355

Like it's not predictable, which

is You know, I think it'd be

542

00:22:44,355 --> 00:22:45,835

challenging for audiences now.

543

00:22:45,985 --> 00:22:47,345

Marc Preston: I think

it's very challenging.

544

00:22:47,345 --> 00:22:50,775

Yeah, because everything you know all

You know a lot of well Then you get a

545

00:22:50,775 --> 00:22:54,264

lot of shows that are just or movies

that are remade and remade remade and

546

00:22:54,324 --> 00:22:58,085

and then you have certain story structure

and all this kind of stuff and You you

547

00:22:58,085 --> 00:23:01,685

know, you can kind of subconsciously pick

up like most rom coms You kind of know

548

00:23:01,685 --> 00:23:03,955

where they're going to go fundamentally,

but you're there for the ride.

549

00:23:03,965 --> 00:23:05,945

You enjoy it Yeah, but

with this it was different.

550

00:23:05,945 --> 00:23:06,925

It was really enjoyable.

551

00:23:06,935 --> 00:23:10,135

Byron Bowers: Y'all gotta put

your phones down It can't be you

552

00:23:10,135 --> 00:23:11,960

can't cook You know what I mean?

553

00:23:11,990 --> 00:23:14,720

You probably barely can eat,

eat while you watch this.

554

00:23:21,580 --> 00:23:24,759

Marc Preston: You said that you were

doing the comedy thing, but kind of the

555

00:23:24,769 --> 00:23:28,379

nature of your stories and where you

find yourself, you started doing more,

556

00:23:28,560 --> 00:23:30,310

as far as acting goes, more drama stuff.

557

00:23:31,049 --> 00:23:33,110

When did you start kind of

getting into the acting thing?

558

00:23:33,549 --> 00:23:40,139

Byron Bowers: Um, when I met, uh, Doug,

this casting director, um, Carmen Cuba.

559

00:23:41,165 --> 00:23:45,675

She brought me in in 2016 for

this show called The Shy, uh,

560

00:23:45,675 --> 00:23:46,804

which is still on by the way.

561

00:23:46,845 --> 00:23:51,004

It's a drama and I auditioned

and I tested for it.

562

00:23:51,064 --> 00:23:56,115

Like I mean, I went through seven or

eight auditions and, uh, I didn't get it,

563

00:23:56,155 --> 00:24:01,455

but I got one, uh, part as a day player

and it turned into like seven episodes.

564

00:24:02,865 --> 00:24:05,439

And uh, That's, you know,

to me, the universe.

565

00:24:05,439 --> 00:24:06,179

Wait, so you came in as

566

00:24:06,179 --> 00:24:08,050

Marc Preston: a day player and

they got you into seven episodes.

567

00:24:08,060 --> 00:24:10,739

That's, that's, uh, that's gotta

be kind of a cool heady thing.

568

00:24:10,739 --> 00:24:12,790

Like you show up and you think

it's just working a few hours.

569

00:24:12,809 --> 00:24:13,759

Now you're on the show.

570

00:24:14,129 --> 00:24:16,409

Byron Bowers: Yeah, you're on the

show and you still don't really know.

571

00:24:16,800 --> 00:24:18,620

Like everything is new to you, right?

572

00:24:19,030 --> 00:24:23,050

So you, you're figuring it

out as you, as you, as you go.

573

00:24:23,810 --> 00:24:29,360

But, um, I do notice like, I was like,

I'm getting more lines each episode.

574

00:24:30,659 --> 00:24:33,370

So I was like, somebody like me and

I gotta be doing something right.

575

00:24:34,145 --> 00:24:37,945

And then, um, after that I got

the next thing, which was a drama.

576

00:24:38,054 --> 00:24:42,695

I went to, uh, I tried to take a comedy

class, a comedy intensive acting class.

577

00:24:42,975 --> 00:24:46,345

And I remember the teacher was like,

uh, she was like, name a comedy.

578

00:24:46,815 --> 00:24:48,665

And I was like, uh, Breaking Bad.

579

00:24:49,274 --> 00:24:52,335

And she was like, that's

not, that's not a comedy.

580

00:24:52,425 --> 00:24:54,065

It's a funny show, but it's not a comedy.

581

00:24:54,375 --> 00:24:55,544

And she was like, name another one.

582

00:24:55,544 --> 00:24:57,175

And I said, Handmaid's Tale.

583

00:24:58,774 --> 00:24:59,115

Marc Preston (2): Comedy.

584

00:24:59,115 --> 00:24:59,340

Okay.

585

00:24:59,340 --> 00:24:59,564

Okay.

586

00:25:00,044 --> 00:25:00,414

Byron Bowers: Yeah.

587

00:25:00,414 --> 00:25:03,034

And she was like, you know, everybody

laughing and she was like, how the

588

00:25:03,034 --> 00:25:04,914

fuck, you know, that's what she said.

589

00:25:04,914 --> 00:25:06,705

This lady, why you say it's a comedy.

590

00:25:07,094 --> 00:25:11,834

And I started breaking down the scene

of this lady having this, you know,

591

00:25:11,854 --> 00:25:15,195

having to watch this other lady sleep

with her husband to try to have a baby

592

00:25:15,874 --> 00:25:17,244

and what I thought was funny about it.

593

00:25:17,634 --> 00:25:19,774

And she was like, so you kind of dialed

594

00:25:19,774 --> 00:25:22,955

Marc Preston: into the situational

comedy of like how that's just

595

00:25:22,985 --> 00:25:25,049

the absurdity of a moment.

596

00:25:25,310 --> 00:25:26,200

You know, that's it.

597

00:25:26,210 --> 00:25:27,129

So that's kind of what you're thinking.

598

00:25:27,129 --> 00:25:27,560

It's funny.

599

00:25:27,919 --> 00:25:28,340

Byron Bowers: Yeah.

600

00:25:28,490 --> 00:25:31,000

And I think cause the attention

is, is always funny to me.

601

00:25:31,060 --> 00:25:34,760

And, um, you know, I'm, like I said,

I'm the son of a schizophrenic and been

602

00:25:34,760 --> 00:25:38,659

in like, you know, crazy situations,

young mother and stuff like that.

603

00:25:39,320 --> 00:25:43,409

And you have to find humor

in it or don't or not.

604

00:25:43,790 --> 00:25:44,649

Marc Preston: That's survival, man.

605

00:25:44,649 --> 00:25:44,970

Yeah.

606

00:25:45,010 --> 00:25:45,370

Yeah.

607

00:25:45,649 --> 00:25:51,629

So you had this experience in these,

these mechanisms, uh, Was comedy kind

608

00:25:51,629 --> 00:25:54,270

of an escape for you at some point in

time when you kind of discovered it?

609

00:25:54,399 --> 00:25:57,790

Uh, was it kind of a cathartic for

lack of a better way of putting it?

610

00:25:57,790 --> 00:25:59,449

Or what kind of things were you consuming?

611

00:25:59,449 --> 00:26:02,989

Like, this is your kind of like,

uh, comfort food, if you will.

612

00:26:03,090 --> 00:26:06,790

Byron Bowers: I mean, like I said, I

started with Def Jam and, and you know,

613

00:26:06,790 --> 00:26:11,389

I was getting bullied in school and

then I realized this became a weapon

614

00:26:11,389 --> 00:26:13,219

for me, like a defense mechanism.

615

00:26:13,870 --> 00:26:16,050

So I could easily like

make fun of somebody.

616

00:26:16,745 --> 00:26:20,044

Three people at a time, football

players, it didn't matter, and they

617

00:26:20,044 --> 00:26:22,024

were like, people would be afraid of me.

618

00:26:22,674 --> 00:26:23,154

Marc Preston: Really?

619

00:26:23,364 --> 00:26:26,205

Byron Bowers: You know, so

then you become this bully.

620

00:26:26,284 --> 00:26:30,914

You know, it's the, you know, as Natalie

Portman said, they are the oppressed

621

00:26:30,914 --> 00:26:32,354

becoming the oppressor, you know.

622

00:26:33,274 --> 00:26:39,745

Um, so, it's, it's, uh, that's when

I realized I had this thing, but, uh,

623

00:26:40,990 --> 00:26:45,000

And then on this level, on this, the

drama, man, it's like, how do I find it?

624

00:26:45,040 --> 00:26:50,949

It's just the tenseness of it, you know,

like life is, we take certain things in

625

00:26:50,949 --> 00:26:55,009

life serious, but at the end of the day,

you know, we're going to die, you know?

626

00:26:55,010 --> 00:26:59,570

So it's the, it's, it's knowing

those things, you know, the spirit,

627

00:26:59,570 --> 00:27:02,300

the spirituality part of, of life.

628

00:27:02,330 --> 00:27:06,449

And then how serious we take, like, you

know, you, you put in the, you can't

629

00:27:06,459 --> 00:27:08,260

mix the cheese with the, with the meat.

630

00:27:09,284 --> 00:27:13,705

You know, or my first Shabbat dinner

is a part where you got to be quiet

631

00:27:13,894 --> 00:27:17,985

until they wash their hands, which is

hilarious, you know, cause I didn't

632

00:27:17,985 --> 00:27:19,114

even know how to work the sink.

633

00:27:20,944 --> 00:27:21,584

So,

634

00:27:21,864 --> 00:27:24,294

Marc Preston: well, wait a minute, but,

but if it's, but okay, if it's Shabbat

635

00:27:24,304 --> 00:27:28,384

though, and you're not Jewish, you're the

one having to turn everything on and off.

636

00:27:28,394 --> 00:27:31,914

You were the, you were the, uh,

you were the Shabbat, uh, Shabbos

637

00:27:31,914 --> 00:27:33,884

Goy, as they say, you know, okay.

638

00:27:34,904 --> 00:27:36,054

Byron Bowers: They were

pointing to the light switch.

639

00:27:36,745 --> 00:27:37,585

They're like, you thirsty?

640

00:27:37,585 --> 00:27:37,945

Yeah.

641

00:27:37,995 --> 00:27:41,395

And they walk into the alcohol

closet and be like, I can show you

642

00:27:41,395 --> 00:27:43,805

a bottle and they would like hint

at the lights and stuff like that.

643

00:27:45,035 --> 00:27:47,725

And I'm like, man, it's a lot,

it's a lot of rules here, you know?

644

00:27:47,775 --> 00:27:49,865

Marc Preston: You know, uh, I

didn't grow up Orthodox at all and

645

00:27:49,865 --> 00:27:53,224

definitely far away from that, but

uh, but I kind of appreciate it.

646

00:27:53,225 --> 00:27:55,625

But then again, some of it,

it's, you look at it and go.

647

00:27:56,009 --> 00:27:59,659

And I think this is any faith or

any kind of practice or anything

648

00:27:59,659 --> 00:28:03,529

like that, shot through the prism of

somebody else's perspective, it can

649

00:28:03,529 --> 00:28:06,929

be kind of humorous, but it's like,

Hey, it's where people find their joy.

650

00:28:06,939 --> 00:28:10,370

And you kind of, I think as you all get

older and mature, you find, Hey, that's

651

00:28:10,370 --> 00:28:11,689

where they find their joy and happiness.

652

00:28:11,709 --> 00:28:14,850

You know, that's how, who am I to

say that's, you know, whatever.

653

00:28:14,850 --> 00:28:18,889

But, uh, but yeah, and that one scene

with, um, Oh God, I forgot his name.

654

00:28:18,889 --> 00:28:23,919

I love, um, He's comedian also, uh,

uh, um, Brett, um, Oh, Brett Gilman.

655

00:28:24,030 --> 00:28:25,060

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

656

00:28:25,270 --> 00:28:27,129

And that was, that was

a great role for him.

657

00:28:27,139 --> 00:28:31,509

Cause he usually plays kind of a

absurd kind of adult, you know, the

658

00:28:31,509 --> 00:28:34,449

moments of tension and he, there was

a lot of heart and there was this,

659

00:28:34,489 --> 00:28:38,020

like these moments when they're kind

of, Trying to relate to one another

660

00:28:38,030 --> 00:28:41,190

with, I don't wanna give anything

away, but he does stand up, doesn't he?

661

00:28:41,190 --> 00:28:42,350

Or he just, I don't.

662

00:28:42,500 --> 00:28:45,270

Byron Bowers: Yeah, he do show,

he does shows occasionally,

663

00:28:45,409 --> 00:28:46,670

occasionally, you know what I mean?

664

00:28:46,690 --> 00:28:50,760

Uh, you can catch him probably at

the Dynasty Typewriter in LA and

665

00:28:50,760 --> 00:28:54,679

stuff like that, when he makes an

appearance, um, which is hilarious.

666

00:28:55,250 --> 00:28:58,190

Marc Preston: But you, but you were

saying that, uh, that we were, I

667

00:28:58,190 --> 00:28:59,290

didn't mean to cut you off before, but.

668

00:28:59,300 --> 00:28:59,610

I think,

669

00:28:59,670 --> 00:29:04,100

Byron Bowers: I think what

dialed it in for me is, um, I

670

00:29:04,100 --> 00:29:05,519

was in college my freshman year.

671

00:29:05,954 --> 00:29:10,124

And I was, I was depressed to

where I wanted to kill myself.

672

00:29:11,074 --> 00:29:14,934

And, you know, I'm a poor

kid in this strange town.

673

00:29:15,624 --> 00:29:17,964

And just thinking of how

could I kill myself with no

674

00:29:17,964 --> 00:29:21,164

resources just became funny.

675

00:29:22,254 --> 00:29:26,524

And it was a very spiritual moment

for me, you know what I mean?

676

00:29:27,254 --> 00:29:31,709

But it was a thing of like, you know,

How you gonna jump out the window?

677

00:29:31,709 --> 00:29:32,709

You on the first floor.

678

00:29:32,780 --> 00:29:35,239

You're going to be at the club

fucked up in a wheelchair.

679

00:29:35,510 --> 00:29:38,909

People got to put straws in

my, like all the funny things.

680

00:29:38,909 --> 00:29:42,319

And I felt like spiritually, I was

talking to the universe at the time.

681

00:29:42,320 --> 00:29:43,989

It was just going over these scenarios.

682

00:29:44,050 --> 00:29:44,949

Cause he was like, do it.

683

00:29:44,969 --> 00:29:46,080

This is going to happen to you.

684

00:29:46,489 --> 00:29:48,090

And if you do that, that's

going to happen to you.

685

00:29:48,520 --> 00:29:49,979

He's like, you can't hang yourself.

686

00:29:50,050 --> 00:29:53,120

Cause you know, that means you got to

tie a noose and you black, black people

687

00:29:53,120 --> 00:29:57,050

don't tie nooses, you know, and all this,

all these thoughts, you know what I mean?

688

00:29:57,050 --> 00:29:59,325

And we just became, it just became funny.

689

00:29:59,945 --> 00:30:01,845

Marc Preston: So was the

finding the humor in it?

690

00:30:01,865 --> 00:30:05,625

Or did you, did you have a chance

to talk with someone or what kind

691

00:30:05,625 --> 00:30:07,645

of pulled you through that funk?

692

00:30:07,645 --> 00:30:09,665

And I don't mean to sound reductive

when I say funk, but I mean,

693

00:30:09,665 --> 00:30:11,145

it's like that, that thing of.

694

00:30:11,205 --> 00:30:12,385

Byron Bowers: But no, that's what it is.

695

00:30:12,435 --> 00:30:19,055

What you have to, you have to really, I

think, understand, you know, some, some,

696

00:30:19,065 --> 00:30:25,495

for some of us, we have to get to those

lows and work ourselves out, um, you

697

00:30:25,495 --> 00:30:28,515

know, for, for us to really appreciate.

698

00:30:29,590 --> 00:30:31,910

Um, you know, life.

699

00:30:32,270 --> 00:30:36,410

So I didn't, I didn't talk to nobody

about it, but I definitely, you know,

700

00:30:36,410 --> 00:30:40,630

it happened a few more times and I

definitely got a Cedar pattern and

701

00:30:40,630 --> 00:30:42,830

realized that it's a very selfish thing.

702

00:30:42,840 --> 00:30:46,190

You're in a very selfish state because

you're thinking about yourself.

703

00:30:46,220 --> 00:30:50,030

And if I changed the scope, like by

the time I got to LA and I would feed

704

00:30:50,050 --> 00:30:54,300

homeless during the holidays, cause

I didn't, my family wasn't here.

705

00:30:54,310 --> 00:30:54,700

And.

706

00:30:55,170 --> 00:30:56,730

You know, I'm sleeping

on couches and stuff.

707

00:30:56,730 --> 00:30:59,110

And so I became a

service to somebody else.

708

00:30:59,630 --> 00:31:02,610

Then those things kind of

go away and you realize that

709

00:31:02,610 --> 00:31:03,630

Marc Preston: crazy how that works.

710

00:31:03,660 --> 00:31:06,250

When you pay it forward, even if you

feel like you don't have anything

711

00:31:06,250 --> 00:31:10,590

to pay forward, but when you do it,

it, it, there's, there's something

712

00:31:10,590 --> 00:31:13,940

transformative and kind of happen at

least a little shift in your perspective.

713

00:31:13,980 --> 00:31:16,360

Uh, the empathy I think helps a lot.

714

00:31:17,450 --> 00:31:21,440

When you realize other people are probably

dealing with the exact same thing, um,

715

00:31:22,020 --> 00:31:25,140

And, you know, and I think that all

the great comedians, unfortunately,

716

00:31:25,140 --> 00:31:29,930

you know, I think they've all had

moments like that, you know, I mean,

717

00:31:29,940 --> 00:31:32,160

certainly like, you know, Robin Williams.

718

00:31:32,190 --> 00:31:35,400

I mean, you know, you look at him and

you go, do you think that comedians

719

00:31:35,400 --> 00:31:37,620

have a different kind of DNA makeup?

720

00:31:37,620 --> 00:31:40,290

I don't mean literally DNA, but I

mean a little bit of a different,

721

00:31:40,850 --> 00:31:43,820

the way you perceive the world,

like you're finding humor.

722

00:31:44,210 --> 00:31:48,350

In the methodology of suicide, not being

able to find the right one that would

723

00:31:48,350 --> 00:31:53,630

actually would be effective, you know, but

do you think that that's part of the all

724

00:31:53,650 --> 00:31:57,630

comedians cut from a similar cloth in that

regard, being able to find the absurdity

725

00:31:57,630 --> 00:31:59,160

and the humor and things like that?

726

00:31:59,710 --> 00:32:02,900

Byron Bowers: I think so, but

I think so, but some comedians

727

00:32:02,900 --> 00:32:05,280

won't even go there, right?

728

00:32:06,380 --> 00:32:09,460

It takes a certain person

to see the duality of life.

729

00:32:10,085 --> 00:32:11,815

To be able to straddle both sides.

730

00:32:12,115 --> 00:32:12,495

Marc Preston (2): Oh, yeah.

731

00:32:12,595 --> 00:32:13,005

Oh, yeah,

732

00:32:13,075 --> 00:32:18,685

Byron Bowers: right And yeah, I know

some comedians they don't like silence

733

00:32:19,895 --> 00:32:21,245

They want everybody to like him.

734

00:32:21,615 --> 00:32:26,220

I'm just not I'm just happy to be not

one of those comedians So it lends my

735

00:32:26,220 --> 00:32:28,600

comedy to be more serious at times.

736

00:32:28,710 --> 00:32:31,900

Marc Preston: When you say that duality,

there is a, there is a, a philosopher,

737

00:32:31,950 --> 00:32:35,830

uh, named Alan Watts from back in the

day, you know, I heard of Alan Watts.

738

00:32:35,910 --> 00:32:36,330

Byron Bowers: Yeah.

739

00:32:36,380 --> 00:32:36,670

Marc Preston: Yeah.

740

00:32:36,670 --> 00:32:36,820

Yeah.

741

00:32:36,820 --> 00:32:39,450

He taught, you know, it talks about

that duality a lot and the human

742

00:32:39,450 --> 00:32:43,640

experience and, And how humans, how

we just take it all too serious.

743

00:32:43,650 --> 00:32:45,150

So kind of like what you

were saying before, you know,

744

00:32:45,190 --> 00:32:46,840

taking it all too seriously.

745

00:32:46,950 --> 00:32:50,010

Just, uh, when he talks about that

duality, it's like, you know, it's,

746

00:32:50,290 --> 00:32:53,150

you start getting to a certain age, you

realize life is a ride, you know, and

747

00:32:53,150 --> 00:32:54,360

you can have you up and ups and downs.

748

00:32:54,360 --> 00:32:56,900

You start, like you said, you

saw patterns and when you start

749

00:32:56,900 --> 00:32:58,020

seeing it, keep coming back.

750

00:32:58,030 --> 00:32:59,640

It's like, okay, it's just a wave.

751

00:32:59,640 --> 00:33:00,463

I'm surfing here.

752

00:33:00,463 --> 00:33:01,380

Kind of, you know?

753

00:33:01,650 --> 00:33:03,860

Byron Bowers: So I think that's

the thing that can't be taught is

754

00:33:03,860 --> 00:33:09,340

like, um, getting in tune with your

spiritual side, understanding your

755

00:33:09,410 --> 00:33:14,010

instincts, Like how, what's the

difference between fear and your voice

756

00:33:14,020 --> 00:33:15,580

saying like, this is what you do.

757

00:33:16,400 --> 00:33:20,130

And then going with that, having faith

to go with that because nobody else is.

758

00:33:21,025 --> 00:33:22,045

Doing that thing

759

00:33:22,855 --> 00:33:25,975

Marc Preston: as you were

working, uh, in Lady in the Lake?

760

00:33:26,035 --> 00:33:28,405

Um, I just adored Natalie Portman.

761

00:33:28,465 --> 00:33:31,135

I mean, I think she was just an, I'm

very, she's an alien, I think, you

762

00:33:31,135 --> 00:33:34,255

know, 'cause to, to watch her in the

professional and think she was only

763

00:33:34,255 --> 00:33:39,745

12 and just have that kind of presence

and just to the def to, I don't think

764

00:33:39,745 --> 00:33:41,035

she had really had any training at all.

765

00:33:41,035 --> 00:33:42,265

I was like, how does, that's alien?

766

00:33:42,265 --> 00:33:44,815

How does she get to, you know,

my kids know her more as, you

767

00:33:44,815 --> 00:33:47,665

know, princess s Leia and Luke

Skywalker's mother, you know.

768

00:33:48,025 --> 00:33:49,466

Um, but , that's hilarious.

769

00:33:49,735 --> 00:33:54,635

What was it like working with her

and, and something like this, which is

770

00:33:54,645 --> 00:33:56,225

something I haven't seen her do before.

771

00:33:56,235 --> 00:33:57,815

And, uh, which is fantastic.

772

00:33:57,865 --> 00:33:59,365

Byron Bowers: Um, I thought it was cool.

773

00:33:59,375 --> 00:34:07,295

You know, I mean, she definitely allowed

me in to like be fluid and like, you

774

00:34:07,295 --> 00:34:09,015

know, dance with her doing the scenes.

775

00:34:09,085 --> 00:34:13,095

Um, which was very helpful to me

working with somebody as such a,

776

00:34:13,175 --> 00:34:16,405

you know, high level of craft.

777

00:34:16,900 --> 00:34:19,850

You know, her craft level

is way higher than mine.

778

00:34:20,420 --> 00:34:24,760

Um, so, you know, she

allowed me to step up.

779

00:34:25,080 --> 00:34:25,850

That makes sense.

780

00:34:25,960 --> 00:34:27,150

Marc Preston: Oh, I

spoke with Dylan Arnold.

781

00:34:27,150 --> 00:34:28,570

He said something pretty similar.

782

00:34:28,570 --> 00:34:30,160

You know, she was, she was fully open.

783

00:34:30,230 --> 00:34:32,580

You know, there wasn't like, you know,

here comes the big star on the set.

784

00:34:32,580 --> 00:34:34,950

It was, she's mixing with everybody.

785

00:34:34,950 --> 00:34:37,190

Like she's on the same level, you know,

786

00:34:37,210 --> 00:34:38,260

Byron Bowers: she's very chill.

787

00:34:38,260 --> 00:34:42,300

And when it's, and even though, you

know, she's in producer mode, but

788

00:34:42,300 --> 00:34:44,160

she also in professional acting mode.

789

00:34:44,860 --> 00:34:49,030

And she came, she would come, she would

hit up Marcs, but during the scene,

790

00:34:49,100 --> 00:34:53,120

you know, sometimes when you do scenes

with people that you could tell they

791

00:34:53,120 --> 00:34:59,085

closed off, but you know, soulfully she

She was there with, you know, it makes

792

00:34:59,085 --> 00:35:00,785

Marc Preston: a lot easier

to react, doesn't it?

793

00:35:00,785 --> 00:35:04,005

Like when you're with somebody and they're

there, you can just bounce off them.

794

00:35:04,005 --> 00:35:05,115

It makes your job easier.

795

00:35:05,145 --> 00:35:05,675

Yeah.

796

00:35:06,095 --> 00:35:09,225

Um, well, no, I was curious by the way,

kind of going back to the origin story

797

00:35:09,225 --> 00:35:11,745

now, what kind of work did your folks do?

798

00:35:12,185 --> 00:35:15,615

Uh, would it was anybody in

your family and comedy or acting

799

00:35:15,615 --> 00:35:16,805

or anything performance wise?

800

00:35:16,805 --> 00:35:17,035

No,

801

00:35:17,035 --> 00:35:18,745

Byron Bowers: no, no, no, no, no, no, no.

802

00:35:18,755 --> 00:35:24,155

My, my mother, uh, you know, she worked

at a company called Certain Teed and

803

00:35:24,155 --> 00:35:26,460

they would make like, uh, What is it?

804

00:35:26,460 --> 00:35:29,100

Fiber stuff that goes into

the walls in the roof.

805

00:35:30,120 --> 00:35:32,230

Uh, and she will waitress when I was born.

806

00:35:32,260 --> 00:35:36,640

And my dad was a Navy guy who ended

up working for the power company.

807

00:35:37,780 --> 00:35:41,710

But, uh, in Athens, a lot of people end

up working at the, uh, you know, the

808

00:35:41,770 --> 00:35:45,940

chicken factory, the chicken plant, you

know, yeah, it's one of those towns.

809

00:35:45,950 --> 00:35:50,520

My granddaddy did that and he hauled

chickens and then my grandmother, uh, I

810

00:35:50,560 --> 00:35:55,420

think clean, like the universities, uh,

You know, dorm rooms and stuff like that.

811

00:35:56,020 --> 00:35:58,500

And then my other grandma

worked in the, in like the,

812

00:35:58,790 --> 00:36:01,080

the hood at the daycare center.

813

00:36:02,150 --> 00:36:05,760

Um, and she was like a nanny type

situation, but before that they all

814

00:36:05,770 --> 00:36:09,020

formed, you know, when they was, they

had to drop out of school and like

815

00:36:09,030 --> 00:36:13,150

form and pick cotton and whatever,

you know, forming they had to do.

816

00:36:13,935 --> 00:36:18,015

Marc Preston: So like when here you are

departing into this creative endeavor, you

817

00:36:18,015 --> 00:36:21,295

know, you're not getting your hands dirty,

you know You're not coming home Well,

818

00:36:21,295 --> 00:36:24,875

like a Bernie's Bernie Sanders said is

like, you know There were some people take

819

00:36:24,875 --> 00:36:27,435

the shower in the morning and at night

These are all people taking the shower

820

00:36:27,435 --> 00:36:30,115

at night because they've been getting

dirty all day Oh, yeah, you are doing

821

00:36:30,115 --> 00:36:31,855

the comedy or the the creative thing.

822

00:36:31,855 --> 00:36:33,915

How was that received by by the family?

823

00:36:33,915 --> 00:36:35,345

Byron Bowers: Oh, they didn't like it.

824

00:36:35,905 --> 00:36:36,805

They didn't like it at all.

825

00:36:37,105 --> 00:36:42,354

It's very disappointing actually Because

I never I never would talk as a kid You

826

00:36:42,835 --> 00:36:44,245

So they didn't even know me to be funny.

827

00:36:45,415 --> 00:36:46,735

So they were shocked.

828

00:36:46,735 --> 00:36:47,665

I mean, were you an only

829

00:36:47,665 --> 00:36:50,005

Marc Preston: child or did

you, did you have siblings or?

830

00:36:50,065 --> 00:36:50,935

Byron Bowers: No, I had a little sister.

831

00:36:50,935 --> 00:36:52,375

I had a younger sister, um

832

00:36:52,885 --> 00:36:52,915

Marc Preston: Oh,

833

00:36:53,395 --> 00:36:53,455

Byron Bowers: okay.

834

00:36:53,455 --> 00:36:59,245

Who probably had more personality than

me, but, uh, it's just shocking, man.

835

00:36:59,245 --> 00:37:03,535

I was also one of the first graduate from

college also, you know, I went to school

836

00:37:03,535 --> 00:37:06,805

for engineering and uh, I got a Bachelor

of Science in business Management.

837

00:37:07,735 --> 00:37:10,115

So, you know, they stress education a lot.

838

00:37:10,235 --> 00:37:13,615

And then at the day I graduated,

that's when I dropped the bomb.

839

00:37:13,625 --> 00:37:14,845

Like, I'm just going to do stand up.

840

00:37:15,415 --> 00:37:16,395

Marc Preston: It's kind

of like one for you.

841

00:37:16,415 --> 00:37:17,145

Not one for me.

842

00:37:17,325 --> 00:37:18,825

You know, yeah, it was one of those.

843

00:37:18,845 --> 00:37:19,215

Byron Bowers: Yeah.

844

00:37:19,215 --> 00:37:22,155

So, uh, that added to the disappointment.

845

00:37:22,835 --> 00:37:24,375

My grandmother definitely didn't like it.

846

00:37:24,555 --> 00:37:26,855

Like the silliness and all those things.

847

00:37:26,925 --> 00:37:27,465

Well, fast

848

00:37:27,465 --> 00:37:30,125

Marc Preston: forward, you're

finding success in doing this thing.

849

00:37:30,265 --> 00:37:32,775

Um, what's their perception now?

850

00:37:32,815 --> 00:37:36,720

Kind of like, are they like,

you know, Are they getting it?

851

00:37:36,890 --> 00:37:39,930

Have they got, I mean, like, okay, this

is a thing he does and he does well.

852

00:37:39,940 --> 00:37:41,900

Or is it still like, I don't know, man.

853

00:37:41,900 --> 00:37:43,520

And when he's in one of these

days, he'll get a real job.

854

00:37:44,290 --> 00:37:45,160

Byron Bowers: Here's the thing.

855

00:37:45,230 --> 00:37:48,790

My, uh, my grandmother don't

believe people should fly.

856

00:37:49,360 --> 00:37:50,920

Marc Preston: Like an, an airplane flyer.

857

00:37:50,960 --> 00:37:51,500

Byron Bowers: Yeah.

858

00:37:51,570 --> 00:37:52,140

Marc Preston: Okay.

859

00:37:52,140 --> 00:37:58,220

Byron Bowers: So this is way, and that's

way more successful than what I do.

860

00:37:58,650 --> 00:38:02,280

So I can imagine she's just

like, you know, Oh, okay.

861

00:38:03,230 --> 00:38:06,875

You know, When they, when they be

like, how, how was your little gig?

862

00:38:07,035 --> 00:38:12,075

Then that just let me know like, okay,

but she's definitely happy that it

863

00:38:12,575 --> 00:38:14,095

I think it took me around the world.

864

00:38:14,095 --> 00:38:17,215

I think it's something shocking

to people when something like