Tosh Show - My Favorite Pit Boss - Josh

Episode Date: February 6, 2024

Daniel hits the jackpot with today’s guest Josh, his favorite high-limit pit boss from the once beautiful Mirage Casino (future Seminole Hard Rock) in Las Vegas.See omnystudio.com/listener for priva...cy information.

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Starting point is 00:00:34 Hey, this is Dana Schwartz. You may know my voice from Nobleblood, Haley Wood, or Stealing Superman. I'm hosting a new podcast, and we're calling it Very Special Episodes. A Very Special Episode is stranger than fiction. I don't think it should be the next season of True Detective.
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Starting point is 00:01:40 Is there still any mob fingers in the business at all? You know, if there is some guys that are attached, they're not really doing mob things. Is there still any mob fingers in the business at all? You know, if there is some guys that are attached, they're not really doing mob things. They just have family that, and now it's just legit because of corporations, but I mean, my two biggest bosses were Paul, Sam Pugnero, and Richie Amafatano.
Starting point is 00:01:59 Okay, so they both sound like they've done things. Yeah, so they both sound like they've done things. Yeah, so. Ta-show. Ta-show. Ta-show, ta-show. If it's Tuesday at six AM, you know what time it is, it's Ta-show. Oh. Sorry, been watching a lot of Pat McAfee lately. How you doing, Eddie? I'm doing good. How are you doing?
Starting point is 00:02:27 Good. I missed you this past weekend. You didn't show up to my daughter's first birthday. Oh man. Sorry. That's all right. Just send a check. It's a big week. Super Bowl's coming up. I'm excited. I think I honestly feel This will be the year that the Buffalo Bills finish the job. Oh the bills were eliminated You serious? Oh, yeah, you tell me that the Buffalo Bills are no longer in the playoffs not in the playoffs That's crazy because they get to pick what day they play on. You know, when is the weather gonna be best for us?
Starting point is 00:03:10 Josh Allen is just the future of everything. Hmm. Well, maybe we can at least reuse that graphic now that they lost that you misspelled Eddie. The two and a half years that this current Buffalo Bills team had potential. And then you misspelled potential. Here's the problem with our show when we put graphics up is that I'm the worst speller in the world and the second worst speller in the world is Eddie. So now you've got two people that can't spell and things slip through the crack when there's only a three person team.
Starting point is 00:03:51 Anyway, all right, so the Buffalo Bill's Laws, well that's too bad, but I am looking forward to the Super Bowl. Now, normally this time of the year I'm in Vegas. For over 15 years, I've had a residency at the Mirage, and I always perform the weekend before the Super Bowl so that I can place all my bets. So now I'm not at the Mirage anymore, because the Mirage, as some of you may know, was bought by the Seminole Casino,
Starting point is 00:04:26 and it's gonna be a hard rock. And they're gonna tear down the volcano. From the ashes of the volcano, a guitar will rise. A new beacon on the strip. Now, I may go back when they finish that switchover, because I've got a great relationship with the Seminoles, but now I'm jumping ship for the time being. I'm performing at a new casino for the first time in 15 years, and I'm going to make that
Starting point is 00:04:56 announcement, but not today. Oh, that's what you call a tease. All right, Super Bowl 58 is this weekend against the San Francisco 49ers versus the Kansas City Chiefs. The 49ers are favored by two points. I will be betting on the Kansas City Chiefs. Why, you ask Eddie? Because Taylor Swift doesn't lose.
Starting point is 00:05:27 She just doesn't lose. You know, last time I brought her up on the show, I said something to the effect of that I love everything about her. And, you know, I teased one of her lyrics that I took too literally or something like that. But people were like, oh, you like everything about Taylor Swift? And the answer is I do. I'm a fan. You know, is her music meant for me, a 48 year old? No. But I mean, I can still listen to some of it. I get why it's hits. That one song with Bonavar. I like that one where he's just like, I don't know what he does. You know, howls in a weird voice.
Starting point is 00:06:04 I like a lot of her songs. That's fine. It is what it is. He just, you know, howls in a weird voice. I like a lot of her songs. That's fine. It is what it is. It's not, again, it's not meant for me. I can appreciate it still. But here's where she won me over. This is why I am a, a, a a Swifty for life. Because when
Starting point is 00:06:20 that radio DJ grabbed her ass, groped her, and then she says, well, I'm gonna sue you. He's like, I didn't do anything. She's like, I'm gonna sue you for a buck. $1. She goes to court, flies back and forth to Denver
Starting point is 00:06:34 over and over, destroying the environment with her beautiful jet, and wins a dollar. Oh, I love it, because radio DJs are creeps, and I guarantee he did exactly what she said he did. I think that's baller. Then when she wanted to own all her music and the record label's like, eh, we'd rather fuck you over. And she's like, well, I'll just re-record everything.
Starting point is 00:06:57 And I'll tell my fans, just listen to my version. And they're like, okay, and they do it. That's crazy. So yeah, good. Good for her. I got no problem with her. Oh, quit panning the camera over to her during the game. Why? She's the biggest star in the game. But who's doing the halftime? Usher? Oh, she could just walk out there mid-performance, tap him on the shoulder and say, I'll do it from here. And then all of a sudden it's like, oh, that was a great show. I mean, Usher's big thing was that he could dance
Starting point is 00:07:32 like Michael Jackson. But now, whenever I think of Michael Jackson, I just think of the people on the corner of the bed having to stare at the, whatever that horrible scene from the documentary was Trying to get through all the padlocks in the secret attic bedroom. Okay, sorry. That was too long of a tangent But that's why I like the chiefs Um all this gambling talk has got me really excited Do you know what today is?
Starting point is 00:08:06 What's today? Pit boss day. Oh yes. Pit boss day. Now, I'll probably talk about this in the interview, but when I worked at the Mirage for the past 15 years, I would gamble after dinner. I have a show on Friday, 10 o'clock, show goes till midnight. I have dinner, scarf that down,
Starting point is 00:08:27 usually get a surf and surf, that's crab legs and lobster. And then we go gamble, and he was always the pit boss that we enjoyed seeing the most. Probably because he would turn a blind eye and let us steal chips. No. He didn't let us do that, but it was always fun to see him. Hope you guys enjoy. of Curb Your Enthusiasm podcast. We're gonna watch every single episode. It's 122, including the pilot, and we're gonna break them down.
Starting point is 00:09:09 And by the way, most of these episodes I have not seen for 20 years. Yeah, me too. We're gonna have guest stars and people that are very important to the show, like Larry David. I did once try and stop a woman who was about to get hit by a car.
Starting point is 00:09:20 I screamed out, watch out! And she said, don't you tell me what to do! And Cheryl Hines. Why can't you just lighten up and have a good time? And Richard Lewis. How am I going to tell him I'm going to leave now? Can you do it on the phone? Do you have to do it in person?
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Starting point is 00:11:53 Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Pasha! Hi, if you've ever seen me perform in Vegas, know that a couple hours later, this guy watched me gamble your hard earned money away. My favorite pit boss from the beautiful Mirage Resort in Casino in Las Vegas, Josh! How you doing?
Starting point is 00:12:15 Good. Life is good? Yeah, I cannot complain. Oh, I don't, I never understand people can't complain. I could complain constantly, all day long. I just don't wanna hear it. Oh, you don't hear it? Yeah.
Starting point is 00:12:26 Not for me. Just people, like everyone got their things. Do you hate people? No. You don't get sick of people in your line of work? I actually don't. I think it's a different job and I don't know if I just have been doing it so long
Starting point is 00:12:39 that I'm immune to it, but it doesn't bother me at all. Like some people get frustrated with the noise or people yelling and I don't know but it doesn't bother me at all. Like some people get frustrated with the noise or people yelling and I don't know, it doesn't bother me. Does the sound of slot machines make, do you think it's done some permanent brain damage? No, but I hate cigarette smoke. So that's the only part that sucks, but. I mean, it's been nice.
Starting point is 00:12:58 It's obviously getting less and less cigarette smoke. Like all you have to do is go into a casino or hotel and Reno and be like, oh, this is what it used to be like. The beautiful yellowish tint on the inside of the walls. Yeah. That's rough. First question that I ask all my guests, do you believe in ghosts?
Starting point is 00:13:16 No. See, let me tell you something right now. This is why I know that you're like a normal human. That's the only answer. Everybody, anytime I talk to people and they say that they believe in ghosts, I'm like, I'm getting ready to have a conversation with an absolute fucking lunatic.
Starting point is 00:13:33 All right, Josh, where are you from originally? Well, I was born in Virginia, but then I lived in Washington state for a few years and then I moved to Vegas in 1987 as a kid. But you basically grew up in Vegas. Yeah, that's pretty much all I know Do you like Vegas? You know I do I mean, I would love to live like in a small town somewhere
Starting point is 00:13:51 But then you always want to go back to like the city so we gotta get like a vacation home and maybe a small town Yeah, I still work for a living. I hear you but you can get oh you can get away You know like a little slide and then you rent it out or something like that. I know how people live. We're the same age, yes, we are, right? Yeah, within a few months, I think. Oh, when's your birthday? June 25th, 75. We're less than a month apart.
Starting point is 00:14:16 Oh, less than a month, okay. I'm May 29th. Oh, yeah. Look at that. We both just ended up in casinos. Yeah. Was your father, did he work at the casinos or no? He did as a gambler and alcoholic.
Starting point is 00:14:31 So yeah, he was a, yeah, he put in his hours for free there. Did that, that had an impact on you? I think only in a good way. Like I just saw, like, don't do that. You don't gamble at all. Very rare. Well, if you, if you, what are you interested in if you were gonna give?
Starting point is 00:14:46 I would rather make a $20 sports bet and stay home and watch the game. Fair enough. Cause when I go back to the casino, if I'm at the table, I would love to hit someone with a chair sometimes because then I'm not at work. And when they do the annoying stuff,
Starting point is 00:14:58 then like this guy's gotta go. Isn't it crazy that your job really only exist because people are inherently bad or like looking to do something bad? Like, isn't that what your job really is? To like make sure when something bad is going to happen, you are there to make sure that it doesn't happen? That's what I always say, like people,
Starting point is 00:15:22 like sometimes at work it frustrates people making noise. I'm like, you asked them to come here, make bad decisions, spend money, go to strip clubs, stay up all night. But then you want them to be calm and quiet. Yeah. Yeah, I do. I want them to be calm and quiet, act like goddamn normal people. I once saw a guy like saying horrible things, but he was losing tons of money and he was tipping regardless,
Starting point is 00:15:47 win or lose, huge amounts of money and they were just letting it go. They were just letting it go. The biggest example I ever have of that is Rick Rosolo. He used to own the Crazy Horse. And complete mob guy. Complete mob guy. Yeah, yeah. Like there was times where he would lose a couple hundred thousand and his mob guys on
Starting point is 00:16:04 the side, he would just tell them hundred thousand and his mob guys on the side He would just tell him go to the car and get the money And they would literally come back with a black trash bag full of cash and dump it on the bar crowd table And three dealers would count it for 30 plus minutes. Uh-huh like 200,000 dollars cash and loose bills So yes, those those people did exist more, but they're still around Yes, those those people did exist more, but they're still around. Uh-huh. Did you have to be a dealer before you can become like a floor Supervisor or any of that pretty much unless you got some uh, Old mafia ties where they might try to slip you through the cracks. So everyone that support was once a dealer Yeah, unless like I said
Starting point is 00:16:39 There's been a couple times where people show up and they don't really have the greatest background story Sure, you can tell they just were juiced in as a floorman and they're like learning on the go. Okay. So is there still any mob fingers in the business at all at a... You know, if there is some guys that are attached, they're not really doing mob things. They just have family that... Now it's just legit because of corporations, but I two biggest bosses were Paul, Sam Pugnero,
Starting point is 00:17:06 and Richie Amafetano. Okay, so they both sound like they've done things. Yeah, so, but they're retired now a couple of years ago, but definitely there's still people floating around. Do you want people to try to steal or cheat? Does that make it interesting? I could care less if they robbed that place blind. Right, but have you ever seen someone almost...
Starting point is 00:17:29 I mean, is there any way to pull it off or no? I mean, yeah, if you have like a dealer in on it and they're like, you know, painy, like you could be putting... They could be pained with like a green chip underneath like some red chips and small stuff. I've seen dealers arrested on the game. Oh, that's nice.
Starting point is 00:17:43 So they do watch and sometimes they cheat and they let them cheat for a while so that they can learn every little thing about it and how they're doing it and how they're getting away with it so they can use it for the future. You ever bust any MIT autistic kids? We see them and we know they're counting so but most of the time we just call surveillance
Starting point is 00:18:03 and they do their thing. Counting cards Do you guys really give a shit? Don't you want people to try counting cards only increases your odds? Right, so again the the casinos they're I guess they're worried that uh They're not gonna make a billion dollars this quarter. So they I hate anybody that says that they go I brought 200 and I don't care if I win or lose. I think What do you mean? You don't care. I win or lose. I think, what do you mean you don't care? Give me that $200.
Starting point is 00:18:27 There you lost. You ever choke somebody out on the floor? It's been a while, but I have swung some hands a few times. Ballpark, how many cameras are in the casino? It's gotta be thousands. You ever go into that room? Yeah. Is it neat? It's just a bunch of monitors and ever go into that room? Yeah. Is it neat?
Starting point is 00:18:45 It's just a bunch of monitors and big desks. Is their job fun? I don't think so. They sit in a room and they just randomly watch TVs unless we call for them to watch something specific. What type of, what type of, is it a certain type of person that takes that job in general?
Starting point is 00:19:00 Usually it's like security people. They just, it's like a lateral move. They go from like security over to surveillance. Who's, who, what's the weirdest group that works at casinos? That you're like, ah, they're famously bizarro. Probably hard count. Hard count? Yeah, they're the ones that come through
Starting point is 00:19:17 and like change the boxes in the middle of the night. Ah, yeah. I just hate when they just like slow me down. What's the best event in Vegas to bring in a good crowd? It's either gotta be Super Bowl or March Madness. I always work all of the main sporting events. I've noticed that. Do you remember that I found a $1,000 chip on the floor?
Starting point is 00:19:38 I found it on the floor, I picked it up. You know what I did? Didn't even hesitate. Picked a thousand chip, go, oh, look at this. Here's Dealer, somebody dropped a thousand I did? Didn't even hesitate. Picked a thousand chips, go, oh, look at this. Here's Dealer, somebody dropped a thousand dollar chip. Didn't even hesitate. I feel like they should have just shut down the casino and had a parade in my honor of just,
Starting point is 00:19:54 they didn't give a fuck. They were like, oh yeah, that was some rich guy last night that pissed away, you know, six figures. Yeah, we have some people that throw chips or rip cards. Do all kinds of crazy stuff. Am I the only person you know that's ever doubled down on Blackjack? No. Oh, okay.
Starting point is 00:20:10 We have plenty of drunk people. Yeah, but I don't even do it when I'm drunk. I think it's a solid strategy. You're doing it for kicks and they think it's a good investment. I also like to double down on hard 12s, 13s, and 14s just because it makes me so angry when I lose. By the way, are we supposed to tip you,
Starting point is 00:20:31 the pit bosses, the floor managers? What's the rule on that? No, we're not allowed. You're not allowed to? No. Okay, thank God. If you were gonna say that we're supposed to, I was gonna be like, Pete,
Starting point is 00:20:40 it's been a long time, we haven't done shit. How much should you tip a dealer? You know, it depends on the dealer, I guess, but, you know, it's easier to tip when you're winning. If you're just putting them up in action, I think they appreciate that, you know, on a, you know, semi-regular basis for, you know, proportion to what you're playing. Is that better than, than just at the end tipping them? I think so, because I think halfway through somebody some of these sissies get their feelings hurt. They start thinking they're not gonna get tipped.
Starting point is 00:21:09 Oh. So then they kinda... I got you. Yeah. I don't wanna ever be considered like a great tipper, but I just don't want anybody to ever think he was a horrible tipper. That's bad, I gotta tip more. We tip all the people back state The what's my goal those security guys and then the butler you guys tip while you play sure sometimes
Starting point is 00:21:33 But it's not like real dollars because we're betting such shitty amounts. Who was up my butler? Eric did you did you know Eric? No, I like this guy because he would come into my room immediately and be like, listen, are you looking at Eastern Tennessee Tech College this weekend and softball? And I'm like, what? No, I'm not fucking, he's like, they're favored by two and a half runs. I'm just saying. And then he'd walk out of the room. And I was like supposed to do something with that. He would always have the most absurd tips and think, oh, I'm just saying, and then you'd walk out of the room. And I was like supposed to do something with that.
Starting point is 00:22:10 He would always have the most absurd tips and think, oh, I never acted on anything he ever said. Do you guys still have the authority to comp breakfast? I have some coupons that I can hand out with a signature. I one time when I was in Vegas really young and I was probably playing blackjack or something at a decent amount of money and this guy was like really vested in me. He was like oh he was like really getting excited for every time I won and then I noticed his like his hand was on me a lot. I was like oh he thinks I'm a hooker.
Starting point is 00:22:38 Like he thought I was a hooker. He thought I was like some young boy that was just in a casino. I was like, oh, and I was kind of flattered in a weird way. Anyway, well, let me tell people why we actually have a relationship because my whole goal, I always loved gambling. I loved gambling for probably a similar reason that you don't gamble. My father was a pastor and we weren't allowed to do anything ever. Like it was like you can't listen to rock music, you can't dance, you can't gambling.
Starting point is 00:23:13 That's like you're trying to win money for no reason. That's against whatever the Bible says. I don't know. Anyway, so I immediately loved gambling, but I learned quickly, I thought the only way I'm ever gonna win at gambling, because I'm not smart enough to actually be a good gambler, is I've gotta become a performer, because that's the only way I can walk out positive. But, no, anyway, get into this.
Starting point is 00:23:39 So many performers, they get huge credits, they blow the ton of money at casinos. I talked to the Mirage when I first started there and I said, hey, I want to gamble, but I don't like to gamble a lot of money. And that you guys were nice enough to let me every night after my show have a blackjack table in the high limit room with me and my friends and let me play for any denomination, like $5 a hand, which I always thought was kind of the coolest perk that I could get in a casino
Starting point is 00:24:14 was allowed to gamble for no money because any time my friends come or work and they're blown away that I'm allowed to gamble for five bucks a hand. My favorite thing to do with my friends, which you guys allow me to do, which is really absurd that you allow, is when they go to the bathroom,
Starting point is 00:24:29 I like to take all their chips and put it in play. And then I just tell the dealer to wait until they walk out of the bathroom and then deal. And it's just so funny how it enrages them, but then immediately if their hand is remotely good, they're like, oh, this is exciting. Now you've watched me for a long time. What's the most you think you've ever seen me lose in a night? I'm going to say 4,000. You've seen me lose 4,000? I can't even say 2,000 or 4,000, but somewhere in there, nothing crazy.
Starting point is 00:25:01 That's crazy. I didn't even want to hear that. I used to have a safety deposit box there and I put 500 bucks in it when I started and I never touched it for like a decade and it was like I think at one point it got to $20,000. Really? Yeah but then it went away completely. What's the most you've ever seen someone win? Millions. Millions. Yeah, we have $100,000 chips that we bring out. The most that are property, they play $300,000 per hand. It's so scary, isn't it? I mean, when you-
Starting point is 00:25:35 Do you feel it just watching it? I don't anymore, I really don't. I'm so numb to it that- Are you angry that they're doing it? I can care less. Like, it's just amazing I could care less. Yeah. I think I would make me, I mean, I just always would hope for them.
Starting point is 00:25:51 I don't know why, I would hope for them to get like, just like a hard 14 and the dealer to show an ace. Deal with that. Are you allowed to, like when the dealer tries to take your cards, just put your hand on top of her hand softly. Only if you're making eye contact. Hey, tell the story about the homeless guy. Oh, they had a homeless guy. Details could be a little bit off
Starting point is 00:26:15 because it's been over 20 years, but I still like the story. Came in with a Social Security check and I want to say it was somewhere between $750,000 and over days and days, this guy ran it up close to a million dollars, just playing as stupid as he possibly can. 750 to $1,000 and he brought it to $1 million,
Starting point is 00:26:34 playing insane. Yeah, just playing completely asinine, really stupid. And again, he was a homeless guy, so he's constantly taking his shoes off and trying to put his feet up. And he's wandering and doing stuff he's not supposed to. And then he moved into the casino? He was literally, well, they're comping him.
Starting point is 00:26:50 Right. So they want you to put the money back in action. So they're comping him, he's staying there and it's dragging on for weeks. But as he started to lose the money back, Steve Wynne just got tired of it and just wanted him to leave with something in his pocket. So I believe with $50,000 left, he kicked him out of the casino. Oh, that's nice. I didn't think there was going to be a Steve Wynn nice story, but that's a, that's at least, I mean, $50,000. I wish he would have kicked him out when he was at a half a million, but fine, $50,000.
Starting point is 00:27:21 I'm sure he turned his life around. Yeah. What do you have to do to'm sure he turned his life around. Yeah. What do you have to do to get free stuff? What's the actual, what's the minimum you have to do to get a free night stay in Las Vegas? I've heard like it's like $100 a hand for like four hours. Oh, that's awful. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:27:39 It's horrible. Way too much money. Are there actual coolers? Do you guys actually hire coolers? No. No. Do you agree that hire coolers? No. Do you agree that magic is stupid? Yeah.
Starting point is 00:27:48 Good. It's the right answer. It's the right answer. What is that magician kid? Shin. Shin Lim? Shin Lim. He's not allowed on the floor.
Starting point is 00:28:00 Is that real or is it like you guys are just... I've never seen any type of memo or anything like that. But he's amazing at magic. Yeah, I've heard, I haven't seen it. What's the best show to see in Vegas? I'm joking, I know it's mine. Yeah, I know. No, I, what's the best show?
Starting point is 00:28:16 I do love my comedy, so I like to go to all the comedy shows, but the Cirque shows, they're cool. That guy's crazy that invented those. Yeah. That French Canadian guy? Guy, guy, something, guy, he used to come in and play. Yeah, he plays big amount, big amounts. Yeah. He's a real degenerate.
Starting point is 00:28:31 I mean, I haven't seen him for quite a while. It's been a while, but yeah. I think he said, it doesn't matter. He's still printing money. Yeah. What about athletes? You see a lot of athletes? Oh, yeah.
Starting point is 00:28:39 Who are the dumbest athletes? Well, I mean, Rodney Mews to getting a lot of trouble and try to grab the crotch of the dealers and stuff and goof around. Oh, that's got to upset a few of those guys. The most boring disappointing was Michael Jordan. Oh, really? Yeah. Not a lot of enthusiasm? No. It's almost like we're nonexistent in the room. You ever seen Phil Mickelson? No. Oh, bitch, tits. Oh, bitch tits. Um, Sorry. You shouldn't, you shouldn't call Phil Mickelson bitch tits.
Starting point is 00:29:10 Barkley, you seen Barkley again? Yeah. He seems like a great guy. Really cool. Down to earth, always just, let's say two guys just hanging out, bullshit. But he, but he, does he lose? I assume he loses.
Starting point is 00:29:21 He doesn't, he hasn't played a lot at the Mirage. Okay. But he comes in there and hangs out with a couple guys and plays a few dollars All right, you know what though the one that used to always depress me or I thought was resin was a Ben Affleck Yeah, and you know there's like a photo of him. I've seen like gambling or it's just like he looks just sad and then he's trying to Beat the game, which is really stupid married to Jennifer Lopez. Is that good? I'd be stressed out and sad too. No, no, no, no. That's that would be exciting.
Starting point is 00:29:48 Jeff, that this is like, she seems like a headache. I wouldn't argue that. She's definitely probably a lot. Yeah. But anyway, he always, he thinks he's a card counter or he is a card counter. And he takes pride in that, which is always just weird to me. They just want to sit there. Like you've already, you've already hit the takes pride in that, which is always just weird to me. He just wants to sit there.
Starting point is 00:30:05 Like you've already hit the jackpot in life, Ben. You're really excited about taking this casino for a couple grand. Who's a big gambler that I should? I mean, most of our biggest gamblers there, people you would never recognize the names there. No, I like watching them walk down the Villa Hallway. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:30:23 Like I can tell, like it's like, oh, look at this old, old Asian man. And look at these two girls that are clearly in the business. And then there's like, like four security guys with a briefcase. Yeah. All this is exciting. I don't like to walk behind them too closely because sometimes the perfume is strong. Makes me sneeze.
Starting point is 00:30:42 I used to think the when I was when I first went to the strip and I, the van- The van- The van- The van- The van- The van- The van- The van-
Starting point is 00:30:53 The van- The van- The van- The van- The van- The van- The van- The van-
Starting point is 00:31:01 The van- The van- The van- The van- The van- The van- The van- The van- what villa I stay in, but I will, because I stay in Villa Two. I've stayed in the same room for over a decade. Do you know why I stay in that room? I do now. You heard the story? Yeah.
Starting point is 00:31:12 Okay, that's true. So one time I was in a lanai, which is a tier less than, let me tell you something about the Mirage Hotel, beautiful hotel, whatever, there's like your normal hotel, but then there's this other area where it's like the, the big wigsigs the whales or whoever But anyway, so one time I'm in the the lanai
Starting point is 00:31:32 with a girl and We wake up in the morning I look out my window and there's a man Naked on my patio furniture and And I start freaking out. I'm like, what is happening? So I call security and I guess I had left the front door dead bolted and so they couldn't get in. And I'm like, but there's a door in the back
Starting point is 00:31:56 to get in the back way. I'm like, get this naked dude out of here. And there was a lot of back and I was screaming, I was freaking out. And then they finally got into the room. They went into my backyard there and they said, sir, what are you doing here? And he's like, I don't know.
Starting point is 00:32:12 And they're like, well, you know, you're being arrested or whatever. And he's like, well, should I take this bathing suit? And they're like, is it your bathing suit? And he's like, I don't know. I don't know. And I don't think it was, but he ended up putting it on. So anyway, it turns out he got drunk the night before
Starting point is 00:32:30 and he climbed the wall and he just fell asleep. Tried to get into the room, but thankfully didn't. And this is me early on in my career as somebody that was successful, because it's like I wasn't successful at all for a long time. And now I was like oh this is exciting so I was a little bit more maybe an asshole I was calling my agent like what are you what are you guys naked guy but and they're like they're offering me like what are they gonna give
Starting point is 00:32:56 me they already give me a free hotel and food so they said we are gonna always put you in this villa in the back. It's a very nice one. It's a two bedroom. It's beautiful. And it's right. It backs up against the, uh, the tigers. So, or whatever it is, just tigers.
Starting point is 00:33:15 Yeah. Yeah. And they're like, so nobody will ever climb your wall again. It was what basically why I got that room. You eat in the, do you eat in the uh... Like the employee dynamics? Yes. You eat down there?
Starting point is 00:33:30 Yeah. What's that like? Uh... I used to do it at the Riviera. It's like a low budget buffet. Is it below deck or no? No, it's on the casino floor level. Okay.
Starting point is 00:33:39 I did, yeah. It can be rough. Oh, the Riviera used to be horrible. Sometimes things are sorted by colors. What? I'm not letting that stand How come they've never made a Chip with with me on it. I'm just curious. Did you ask him to know? No, no, I've never asked I just didn't know I mean they they boys to men fry. I still have some boys to men fives
Starting point is 00:34:03 I just think they should do a chip for me, maybe before they officially go over to the hard rock. When is the date? We don't know when the date for the hard rock is. No, they already took over. But it's a sign? Is it called hard rock? No, they have the rights to use the name Mirage,
Starting point is 00:34:17 but they bought it in December. Do you guys have, is there like a sensitivity class that you guys have to take? Like make sure you don't say anything inappropriately about the tribe or anything like that? No, but I did think it was weird that they bought the casino and they rented the land back. Oh.
Starting point is 00:34:31 Thought that was kind of a... Well, I don't... I'm not even gonna get involved in that, okay? I think we're all just renting the land. Do you know that I've never been off... Like I don't ever leave the mirage in like 14 years? I had a feeling never never left. What's life like off the strip? It's pretty normal schools churches neighborhood stores Talk to me about your church. I
Starting point is 00:34:57 Don't go Your brother is a dealer Yeah, and they shift and I switch my days Thursday, Friday, and you always come in Friday nights. Right, and your wife works there too. And the casino, with all their high tech security, still thinks that a husband and wife can't work together without oceans and 11, and robbing the whole place?
Starting point is 00:35:20 What's the reason? I don't know, but once she got promoted, I was a bigger boss than what I am now. I was a pit manager and they just said, you have to go to another shift and I go, and they shift the graveyard, I go, well, you guys didn't think it through very much because my brother's a dealer on day shift
Starting point is 00:35:36 and I can for sure can steal. Right, you'd probably steal quicker with your brother than you would your wife. Be easier, yeah, so. So I just took the demotion back down to my old position. Oh, really? Yeah. What about they still give you the same pay though?
Starting point is 00:35:49 No. No? So now I'm just a floor person. I don't get this at all. What a sacrifice you made for your wife. Yeah, it's usually how it works. I would hold that over her head every day. You met your wife at the mirage.
Starting point is 00:36:05 Yes. Are you allowed to fraternize with employees? Is there a rule against her now? It's frowned upon, like a lot of things. I met my wife at work. Yeah. You're like not supposed to date people at work. I don't get that.
Starting point is 00:36:15 It's like, well, this is the only place I'm at. How am I not gonna date someone here? It's like anything. It's all those reality shows. Like, oh, like, can you believe they actually fell in love? It's like, yeah, I can. You put me in a room with six people. I'm having sex with one of them.
Starting point is 00:36:28 Yeah. Right? Open this curtain. You ever seen Gambling change someone's life for the better? I would have to argue, like, all the employees. It definitely changed their life for the better. Creates all those jobs. Is it a good line of work?
Starting point is 00:36:44 Oh, yeah. Especially for when I get paid, I didn't go to college. And I better, creates all those jobs. Is it a good line of work? Oh yeah, especially for what I get paid, I didn't go to college and I mean, again. College is fucking useless. Well, I'm just saying that I didn't have. I have a degree in marketing. You wanna talk about it? All I did was wasted $50,000 in my parents' money. No offense, UCF, it's a great honor
Starting point is 00:37:01 to have graduated from your school. How long do you think you'll do it for the rest of your life? It's a great honor to have graduated from your school. How long do you think you'll do it for the rest of your life at some level? Yeah, because I mean, it's what I've been doing my whole life. So I mean, I am in the trucking business because of my brother-in-law. I wanna talk about that. Side hustle during the pandemic.
Starting point is 00:37:18 Pandemic shuts down. You say to yourself, you know what I'm gonna do? I'm gonna buy two semi trucks. Well, not quite. Okay. My wife's brother, he's an owner operator. And he just said, I know you, you drive stick shift, you fix everything yourself.
Starting point is 00:37:32 Can you drive a truck? I go, I'll figure it out. So we went with, bought a truck, was going good. Then the casino opened back up. So now he's like, well, we can just put a driver in it. Did you watch the movie over the top first? You get inspiration? Well, no, but that is my password driver in it. On our own. Did you watch the movie over the top first? You get inspiration? Well, no, but that is my password for everything now.
Starting point is 00:37:47 I do use Lincoln Hawk for everything. Oh man. You turn that hat around and make sure you're like, by the way, did you have to take go to school to learn how to drive it? Yeah, I went to school, got my license. How long was that? One week, one on one.
Starting point is 00:37:59 I paid extra so I could just get it over with. Well, congratulations. That's better than college. Yeah. Thank you. Did you have like a whole ceremony and everything for when you graduated? No, no, no.
Starting point is 00:38:11 No. Is there a full sleeper in the back of it? Yeah, yeah. What size bed does it hold? I fit and I'm six five, so. Six five? Yeah. Ah, what do you weigh?
Starting point is 00:38:22 295. Do you really? Yeah. And Trump weighs, so Trump weighs 85 pounds less than you. That doesn't seem correct. No, it's not. It is not. It is not correct. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:38:33 So you bought a truck, and now you're renting it out to somebody to drive for? We have a driver, so we do a split. They drive full time, and we do a 50-50 split. And the first truck went so well that we ended up buying a second truck. All right, so now you're running a trucking business. I'm getting there.
Starting point is 00:38:48 Like her brother, they manage like 17 trucks and they own a few and it seems to be... You know, Carmelone? Yes. You know, he had sex with like a child. Yeah. Yeah, anyway. But you bring that up
Starting point is 00:39:00 because he also drives a semi truck. Yeah. I know why I brought it up, but then I didn't care about the truck part because I remember that he had sex with a child at one point. Is there an actual vault? There is like in the cage, there's like vault back in the cage.
Starting point is 00:39:13 I've been back there. What's the code? I had that, they don't tell me that. I don't understand how anybody steals anything from, because they're so, it's just obnoxious. You can't even cash a thousand dollar chip without 20 people looking at it first. Yeah, if you're gonna steal there,
Starting point is 00:39:27 you're stealing like nickels and dimes because everything else, they watch. Uh-huh, so that's, I hear what you're saying. You're telling me. Go ahead and start printing fives. Start printing fives, guys. Let's go. No one's checking the fives.
Starting point is 00:39:41 Do you gamble $20 on sports betting. Do you use an app to do it or do you place it in person? No, an app. So I have the Bet MGM Sports app, guys. I'm not sponsored. Let me just, I wanna know how much money I have in my account currently. You guess, if you can guess how much money
Starting point is 00:39:59 I have in my account, I'll give you $100, that's all. No, you have to guess, what's within $500 of what's in my account, I'll give you the $100, that's all. No, you have to guess. What's within $500 of what's in my account? Let's see if you can guess. Go ahead, you take your time thinking about it. I am going to say... You know my family. I'm going to say $1,700.
Starting point is 00:40:16 Oh, fuck. How much did I say? $500. I have to give him $500? $100. I'll give him $100. What is it? Can you read it?
Starting point is 00:40:28 Yeah, that was 1824. God damn it! See that's why you're good. You know exactly how much money I have. 1824 hours. You gotta be ashamed of yourself. Bet MGM. Juice my account.
Starting point is 00:40:44 You want to go double or nothing on how much money I cash I carry? No. No, good for you. I'm not a gambling guy, I'll take my 100 bucks. Fuck, I don't have 100 on me. We're going to get it. I'll make good before I wind up dead in the back of a fucking semi truck. I've never been to a strip club in Vegas.
Starting point is 00:41:04 No? No. Is that surprising? I figured you'd wander truck. I've never been to a strip club in Vegas. No? No. Is that, is that surprising? I figured you'd wander off. I've never been. From the time in your 20s when you're... I've never been to strip club in Vegas. If my wife ever dies, like, and I'm still, you know...
Starting point is 00:41:16 Not in jail. ...in fighting shape, right. Things are gonna get real wild. Were you at the casino when Roy was attacked? Yes. I'm not smiling because I think it's funny. I'm just like, what a weird day in history that you were a part of.
Starting point is 00:41:32 Yeah, it was weird. Everyone was coming out, I didn't think it was like, thought everyone was like seeing things wrong on the show or something, but it... That was probably some bad, I have no follow up question. Except for the fact that I know that you were there. I mean, it was his fault though, right? In general, I think that's the consensus.
Starting point is 00:41:49 I mean, anytime you're around wild animals, I feel like it's your fault, so yeah. You ever wanted to own a big cat? No. You have any pets? I do, a couple little dogs. What do you have? I'm not sure the exact breed,
Starting point is 00:42:00 because we adopted them from like the animal shelter, but we're such a hero. When they're playing in the house, I always hope the one of them will kill the other one because they're annoying. Oh! Yeah. You know, I found my little dog. I have a medium sized dog and then a little dog.
Starting point is 00:42:16 And the other day, I couldn't find her. I'm walking through the yard and then I just glance over here and there's like an overflow area in my pool, which I always pull rabbits and rats out of from time to time. Don't worry, the filter system cleans all that up. Anyway, and I just see my dog has been in, is in there. She's stuck in there, swimming back and forth, trying to get out. Could have been in there for 15 minutes, could have been in there for six hours. Don't really know, should have been dead, but she survives again. Anyway, I know she, my point is she always irritated me. And then I almost lost her
Starting point is 00:42:50 last week. And I was like, Oh, that had been a shitty way to lose her. So you don't want your dogs to eat each other. The rat pack. Did you care about the rat pack at all? I think it was a little bit before my time. Of course it was before your time. Well, it seems like fun, but, but did you like, did you, do you have any, like a soft spot for the heyday, the Frank Sinatra world? Do you look at that as like something neat? I like it. I think the old days were better. I think you can get rid of some of the bad employees and,
Starting point is 00:43:17 you know, spend some time digging some dirt in the desert. Uh-huh. Yeah. I don't agree. I think the new world... You haven't worked in the casino with some of the employees. No, I've been in the desert. Uh-huh. Yeah. I don't, I don't agree. I think the new, you haven't worked in the casino with some of the employees. No, I've, I've, I've been in casinos. I've a way, a lot more than your average, uh, degenerate. I went to a wedding once at Bally's and this is how gross this Vegas wedding was. As the bride was walking down the aisle multiple men that were sitting on the aisle gave her a good slap on the ass and I just remember going this is insanity like this is crazy it was so I mean they were we were heckling the whole time this was like
Starting point is 00:44:02 and it was because the person that was getting married, he owned a comedy club, but the woman that he was marrying was not in the business and she had a real family and they had to just watch this. And I was just like, this is horrific. You were not at that concert? No, no, but I did work that night. Uh-huh, yeah. And the whole city going lockdown?
Starting point is 00:44:28 Yeah, yeah, they emptied out the whole casino and it was kind of chaotic when they did and people running through. My wife got stampeded down the hallway. Everyone, you know, kind of left in a hurry, like chaotic. And she got pushed towards the hallway and ended up in a room with like 50 other people like on the you know 20th floor. Cause I was a weird stampede that brought her to the 20th floor. Yeah, there's stories not checking out right now. It's very suspicious. The most bizarre stampede up the elevator. Somebody pressed 20. And up the elevator, somebody pressed 20. No, that's, I'm sure it was terrifying and I'm glad that that obviously didn't end.
Starting point is 00:45:10 I mean, it was as bad as it could be, whatever. Were you working the night Tupac was shot? No, I was just at a high school. I was what, 98? I don't know. Yeah. But you were there in Vegas? Yeah.
Starting point is 00:45:24 You didn't care? No, I didn't boy you biggie guy the fuck I do love do like my biggie more than two you. Oh wow battle lines here. Yeah, okay fair enough Agree to disagree. Well, listen Josh. I appreciate you stopping by. Thank you and Thank you. I'll see you in two weeks. Yeah, I'll be there. Hi, I'm Suzy Esmond. And I am Jeff Garland. Yes, you are. And we are the hosts of the history
Starting point is 00:45:53 of Curb Your Enthusiasm podcast. We're gonna watch every single episode. It's 122, including the pilot, and we're gonna break them down. And by the way, most of these episodes I have not seen for 20 years. Yeah, me too. We're gonna have guest stars
Starting point is 00:46:07 and people that are very important to the show, like Larry David. I did once try and stop a woman who's about to get hit by a car, I screamed out, watch out! And she said, don't you tell me what to do! And Cheryl Hines. Why can't you just lighten up and have a good time?
Starting point is 00:46:21 And Richard Lewis. How am I gonna tell him I'm gonna leave now? Can you do it on the phone? Do you have to do it in person? What's the deal? Not just on cable, you have to go and these are human beings helped you. And then we're gonna have behind the scenes information. Tidbits.
Starting point is 00:46:32 Yes, tidbits is a great word. Anyway, we're both a wealth of knowledge about this show, cause we've been doing it for 23 years. So subscribe now and you could listen to the history of Kerber enthusiasm on iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you happen to get your podcasts. One week, we'll be on the case with special agents from NASA as they crack down on black market moon rocks.
Starting point is 00:47:06 H. Ross Perot is on the other side and he goes, Hello Joe, how can I help you? I said, Mr. Perot, what we need is $5 million to get back a moon rock. Another week, we'll unravel a 90s Hollywood mystery. It sounds like it should be the next season of True Detective or something. These Canadian cops trying to solve this 25-year-old mystery of who spiked the chowder on the Titanic set. A very special episode is stranger than fiction.
Starting point is 00:47:31 It's normal people plop down in extraordinary circumstances. It's a story where you say, this should be a movie. Listen to very special episodes on the iHeart Radio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. 911, what's your emergency? You have to send someone. What's going on? Whatever it is, that's our entire emergency force
Starting point is 00:47:55 on the way somewhere. They're saying there's a body in the woods. Excuse me, I don't seem to recognize you. Um, that's because I'm not from here. A small town stuck in the past. There's only one cell tower and currently it's out of order. With secrets hidden for centuries.
Starting point is 00:48:12 We hear things, you know, when they whisper or when they think they're alone. And a curious stranger who may be their only chance for survival. I'm talking about the murder and disappearance in small town New Hampshire. What do you think? Sorry, have you ever listened to a single true crime podcast?
Starting point is 00:48:28 You turn up in Donville just as the town sees its first real crime in decades? This is Consumed, an all-new supernatural audio thriller inspired by the novel by Aaron Mankey. I did not wake up this morning preparing to deal with forces beyond my understanding. Please, I call that breakfast. Listen to consumed on the iHeart radio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Tasha! Well, did you enjoy that, Carl?
Starting point is 00:49:01 Josh, I appreciate you being on the show. And I sent you the $100 for losing that bet during the interview. I also sent him a stack of scratchers, a whole stack of them, and he won $7. Now why did I send him a stack of scratchers? I'll tell you why. Because my in-laws, I hate to go on another tangent about my in-laws, but every Christmas they like to pretend like, oh well we've got this tradition of putting a scratcher on everybody's plate for the Christmas dinner. And I'm like, that's not unique. Everyone does that. That's why the scratchers has all these stupid Christmas themed thing.
Starting point is 00:49:46 And there's nothing more... You know, the only thing more embarrassing than buying scratchers is redeeming a scratcher. Ugh! A one! That's just so stupid. Anyway, I get an... I host this holiday dinner and then everybody gets a scratcher and then what do they do, Carl? They scratch. Oh, now I get all this shit, you know, shavings all over our nice table and what does everybody do? Oh, I'm sure somebody will clean that up.
Starting point is 00:50:23 Now, if that's not enough to infuriate me, listen to this, Carl, for two years, two years in a row, everyone has forgotten to lift their plate up and grab the scratcher. So for two years, I just collected the scratchers and put them back in the drawer. I don't even know if they're valid anymore, but Josh
Starting point is 00:50:50 I'll happy to tell my family they would have won seven dollars All right on some plugs boys where pink comm check that out Purchase something for your friends kid. That's a good idea Reminder it's charitable the goat coming out on Freebie and Prime in a few months, getting excited about that. May 4th, the Netflix comedy festival in Los Angeles at the Dolby. I'll be performing. And next week, ready for this big announcement. I will be performing at a new casino for the first time in 15 years in Las Vegas. What's it going to be? I hope it's pet friendly. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:51:37 So we're going to go to a new casino. All right. But before we go, another one of my son's bedtime stories, one of his three, people that are just listening to this know that the people that watch it on YouTube, not only are you getting the animation of Eddie Gosling, you're also getting subtitles so you can figure out what the fuck he's talking about. See you next week The helicopter didn't know that under the boat was a boat. But the salt didn't know that the boat was going
Starting point is 00:52:30 on a big, big wave. And the big, big wave, the boat was posted on all the way and then the salt, and then the salt sailed off the bottom of the boat. And then, and then it, the, and then it went sats, so and then there was an hour later popped it up and ate the whole boat, the end. Wow.
Starting point is 00:53:00 Hey guys, I have to remind you, wherever you're listening to this podcast, to make sure that you rate it. But rate it five stars. If you're going to rate it four stars, you know what? Don't even bother. Five stars, please. Also subscribe, that matters.
Starting point is 00:53:16 Subscribe and rate, but rate high. Hey, this is Dana Schwartz. You may know my voice from Noble Blood, Haley Wood or stealing Superman. I'm hosting a new podcast and recalling it very special episodes. A very special episode is stranger than fiction. I sound like it should be the next season of True Detective these Canadian cops trying to solve this mystery of who spiked the Chowder on the Titanic set. Listen to very
Starting point is 00:53:42 special episodes on the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hello, this is Susie Esmond and Jeff Garland. I'm here. And we are the hosts of the history of Curb Your Enthusiasm podcast. Now we're gonna be rewatching and talking about every single episode,
Starting point is 00:54:00 and we're gonna break it down and give behind the scenes knowledge that a lot of people don't know when we're going to be joined by special guests including Larry David and Cheryl Hines, Richard Lewis, Bob Otenkirk and so many more and we're going to have clips and it's just going to be a lot of fun so listen to the history of curfew enthusiasm on iHeart Radio app, Apple podcast or wherever you happen to get your podcasts. Hi it's Jenna Ashquitz.
Starting point is 00:54:25 And Kevin McHale. Hosts of And That's What You Really Miss podcast. We're reliving the magic of McKinley High by watching all six seasons of Glee. We have exclusive interviews with some of your favorite Glee cast members like Chris Colfer, Amber Riley, Darren Criss, Heather Morris, Alex Newell, and so many more. Meet us in the choir room while we reveal our greatest memories and untold stories. Listen to and that's what you really miss podcast on the I Heart Radio app, Apple podcasts,
Starting point is 00:54:52 or wherever you get your podcasts.

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