CHAPTERS
- 0:00 – 2:00
Austin comedy weekend and a new club opening downtown
Joe welcomes Lara Beitz and they start with light travel talk: her being in Austin for the opening weekend of a new comedy venue. They compare notes on food, walking around town, and the lineup she’s working with.
- •Lara is in Austin for opening weekend of a new comedy club
- •Finding the club’s location and size; browsing its page
- •Mention of other comics on the bill (Fahim Anwar, Amir K, etc.)
- •Early thoughts on Austin’s growing comedy ecosystem
- 2:00 – 5:43
LA vs Austin: crime, policing, and safety in shutdown-era cities
The conversation pivots from comedy logistics to how the pandemic changed city life—especially in Los Angeles. They discuss policing, rising anxiety about street crime, and how “danger” feels different in Austin versus LA.
- •Claims about changes to gang taskforces and policing culture
- •Personal stories about near-robbery and feeling unsafe after shows
- •Austin’s homeless areas vs LA’s more threatening street crime
- •How lockdowns and enforcement shifts affect public safety
- 5:43 – 8:16
Lockdowns, rent pressure, and the politics of reopening
Lara describes the financial strain of being shut out of work in LA and relying on unemployment that doesn’t cover rent. Joe argues that policies should balance safety with keeping businesses alive and critiques state-by-state approaches.
- •Unemployment and LA rent: the math doesn’t work for many
- •Crime and desperation as downstream effects of economic shutdowns
- •Comparisons between California and open states like Florida
- •Debate over what ‘safe reopening’ should look like
- 8:16 – 11:32
Vaccines, ‘fear porn,’ and changing rules as new data arrives
They debate how public messaging lagged behind emerging information and how that created entrenched fear and social shaming. They discuss vaccines, risk perception, and the tension between caution and returning to normal life.
- •Vaccination rollout and who gets prioritized
- •Criticism of ongoing strictness after vaccines become available
- •‘Comics shouldn’t do shows’ vs practical realities of earning a living
- •Outdoor transmission, masks indoors, and evolving guidance
- 11:32 – 13:40
Health optimization: vitamins, zinc/quercetin, and Lara’s pandemic weight loss
Joe asks about Lara’s supplement routine and recommends vitamin D, zinc, and quercetin as supportive measures. Lara shares how COVID risk messaging pushed her to lose weight and take health more seriously.
- •Joe’s supplement stack suggestions (D3, zinc, quercetin)
- •Obesity risk discussion and Lara’s motivation to get healthier
- •Humor about eligibility rules (obesity/vaccine priority) and ‘food worker’ loophole
- •Link between health, immunity, and personal agency
- 13:40 – 16:33
Comedy as mental health: returning to stage after months away
They talk about what it felt like to stop performing and then return, describing standup as psychologically essential. Both share how quickly the ‘comedian’s joy’ returns once you’re back onstage.
- •First post-shutdown sets and the awkward ‘legs atrophied’ feeling
- •Joe’s return via shows with Chappelle; Lara’s return in LA
- •Comedy as a mood-altering, community experience
- •Mental health costs of isolation and ignoring non-COVID harms
- 16:33 – 20:37
Hidden pandemic harms: suicide, alcoholism, AA access, and broken systems
The discussion turns to overlooked consequences of lockdowns: suicides, overdoses, and alcoholism. Lara shares a nurse friend’s account from Chicago and how support systems like AA became less effective online.
- •Anecdotes about increased suicides and law enforcement exposure to it
- •Alcoholism spikes and severe DTs in hospitals
- •Zoom AA barriers (access, ‘not the same’ community effect)
- •Long-term question: how fast can LA economically rebound?
- 20:37 – 22:38
Disneyland losses and fear amplification: how numbers distort decision-making
They use Disneyland closure losses as a mini case study in how people estimate and exaggerate risk and cost. The conversation becomes a metaphor for COVID fear escalation and policy overreaction.
- •Attempting to estimate Disneyland’s daily losses; looking up figures
- •Real numbers vs inflated guesses and what that reveals about perception
- •Economic impact on workers vs massive corporate scale
- •Analogy to exaggerated COVID fatality beliefs and runaway fear
- 22:38 – 38:56
Touch, boundaries, and being a woman comic: handshakes, fans, and harassment
Lara explains why she dislikes handshakes and shares uncomfortable post-show encounters, including a forced kiss. Joe contrasts men’s and women’s experiences with physical safety and social boundaries.
- •Pre-COVID disgust with handshakes and germ transfer
- •Audience boundary violations (touching, grabbing, kissing)
- •Different threat calculus for women vs men after shows
- •How COVID changed attitudes toward meet-and-greets
- 38:56 – 55:19
Work ethic and craft: writing habits, bombing, and what makes a real comedian
They praise disciplined comedy practice—writing, reviewing material, and performing consistently. Joe and Lara discuss preparation rituals, how bad openers can derail a show, and how creativity needs structure.
- •Joe’s prep routines (index cards, going over sets, arenas vs clubs)
- •Lara’s daily writing quota and the ‘one-twentieth usable’ rule
- •Bad openers and the psychological contagion of terrible comedy
- •Advice: be undeniable; no shortcuts, just reps and quality
- 55:19 – 1:04:08
Addiction and recovery: Lara’s sobriety story and genetic vulnerability
Lara recounts heavy drinking from her teens, blackouts, and finally getting sober in 2014. They discuss genetic predispositions, how addiction manifests, and the relief and identity shift that sobriety can bring.
- •Lara’s timeline: daily drinking from ~17, sobriety date Jan 21, 2014
- •Blackout behavior and missed opportunities while drinking
- •Genetic risk factors and ‘shark eyes’ transformation when drinking starts
- •How sobriety changed her relationship to standup and anxiety
- 1:04:08 – 1:31:05
Cannabis extremes, edibles, and airport chaos stories
They trade stories about cannabis potency, Joey Diaz’s infamous ‘stars of death’ dosing, and why airports are a terrible place to be high. Joe tells a missed-flight story with Duncan that spirals into a CDC filming day.
- •Joey Diaz’s huge-dose edibles and misleading labels
- •Pros/cons of being high while traveling; ‘adventure’ vs panic
- •Missing a flight while stoned and filming at CDC in Galveston
- •Weed effects vary widely across individuals
- 1:31:05 – 1:49:39
Getting drugged at a club: Lara’s suspected roofie incident and what it could have been
Lara describes being unexpectedly dosed while sober at a comedy club and the aftermath, including a long hangover and feeling violated. They look up Rohypnol effects, discuss other substances like GHB, and the risks for performers.
- •Incident details: sudden onset, no clear perpetrator, no useful camera footage
- •Uncertainty about substance: painkiller-like vs classic Rohypnol amnesia
- •Discussing Rohypnol and GHB side effects and timing
- •How sobriety changes response: boundaries, calling a ride, safety planning
- 1:49:39 – 1:57:14
Meditation, breathing, and nervous-system control (plus fainting stories)
They explore what helps Lara stay grounded—basic meditation and body scans—while Joe explains box breathing and sauna breath work. Lara shares multiple fainting episodes and how stage fright still spikes her heart rate.
- •Body-scan meditation and perfectionism around ‘doing it right’
- •Joe’s breathing protocols (box breathing, 6-in/6-out) and sauna practice
- •Lara’s stage fright metrics (Fitbit spikes) and pre/post-set ‘highs’
- •Fainting history: nerves, heat, low blood sugar, drugs
- 1:57:14 – 2:04:49
Identity and branding: ‘Laura Bytes,’ nails, cats, and the name-change debate
They detour into comic banter about Lara’s long nails, cat ownership stereotypes, and her often-mispronounced name. Joe suggests dropping the last name, they check Instagram handles, and riff on branding and searchability.
- •Miscommunication leading to comically long, pointy nails
- •Cats as quarantine companionship and the ‘single woman with cats’ trope
- •‘Beitz’ vs ‘Bytes’ confusion and the SEO problem
- •Exploring stage-name options and finding @Lara already taken
- 2:04:49 – 2:10:43
Purpose, relationships, and being ‘Unstoppable’ after the pandemic
Lara explains why comedy feels like destiny and why she prioritizes it over relationships. They discuss dating challenges for comics, pandemic clarity about what matters, and the mindset needed to survive the industry.
- •‘Unstoppable’ as a special title and a personal thesis
- •Dating conflicts: partners vs the demands of a standup schedule
- •Comedy couples that work; why it’s hard to find compatibility
- •Career resilience: rejection, bombing, and incremental progress
- 2:10:43 – 2:36:17
Comedy career realities: who makes it, why shortcuts fail, and post-COVID rebuilding
They close this segment by talking about the tiny number of true working comics and how the pandemic ‘weeded out’ hobbyists. Lara shares messages from young aspiring comedians and emphasizes process, persistence, and being undeniable.
- •Estimates of how few comedians make a living; even fewer sell theaters/arenas
- •Pandemic as a filter for commitment and seriousness
- •Advice to beginners: open mics, reps, and consistent writing
- •Rebuilding momentum after shutdowns and staying mentally tough
