Who is Andrew Schulz?
Andrew Schulz is a stand-up comic, actor, and podcaster. He's the host of the "Flagrant" podcast with Akaash Singh, and the "Brilliant Idiots" podcast with Charlamagne Tha God. His latest special, "Infamous," is available on YouTube.
TLDR — Key Topics and Moments
- 01Andrew Schulz discusses his comedy career trajectory and the evolution of his podcasts Flagrant and Brilliant Idiots
- 02Conversation covers the state of stand-up comedy and how social media has changed what comedians can and cannot say
- 03Schulz shares insights about podcast dynamics and the creative process behind developing comedy content
- 04Discussion explores the relationship between comedy, cancel culture, and free speech in modern entertainment
- 05Schulz talks about his YouTube special Infamous and the platform shift away from traditional comedy outlets
- 06The conversation touches on personal growth, dealing with criticism, and staying relevant in comedy
The Show
Joe brings on Andrew Schulz, one of the most prolific voices in modern comedy and podcasting, to discuss his journey from club comic to multi-platform personality. Schulz runs two successful podcasts with different co-hosts and different vibes: Flagrant with Akaash Singh and Brilliant Idiots with Charlamagne Tha God, each bringing their own flavor to comedy and commentary.
The conversation quickly gets into how comedy has fundamentally changed in the last decade. Schulz discusses the tightrope comedians walk between pushing boundaries and dealing with the consequences of a hyper-connected audience that can amplify jokes into controversies overnight. He's candid about how social media has weaponized comedy clips and how context gets stripped away when a three-minute segment goes viral without the setup or premise that made it work in the room.
Schulz breaks down the podcast space and why podcasting has become more important than traditional comedy outlets. He explains how having your own platform means you're not beholden to network notes or censorship, and you can build a genuine relationship with your audience. The Flagrant podcast has become a space where he and Akaash can talk about anything without corporate overlords deciding what's acceptable. This freedom has become essential for comedians who want to maintain creative integrity.
The discussion touches on how Schulz has built his brand across multiple platforms and audiences. YouTube specials like Infamous represent a different era where comedians bypass traditional distribution. He's aware that his audience is segmented across different platforms, each consuming different versions of his content, and that requires a specific strategy for each space.
Schulz is also candid about the criticism he's faced and how he processes it. Rather than getting defensive, he treats it as feedback and continues to evolve his material. He acknowledges that not everyone will like his comedy, and that's okay. What matters is that he's genuine in what he's putting out and that he has loyal people who get what he's doing.
The conversation reflects on how the comedy landscape has shifted from gatekeepers controlling who gets a platform to comedians building their own audiences directly. This democratization has pros and cons, but Schulz sees it as ultimately positive for comedy because it means funnier voices can break through without needing approval from traditional institutions.
Key Moments
Best Quotes
"The podcast space allowed me to build something without anybody telling me what I can or cannot say"
"Comedy used to be about the full performance, now it's about the 30-second clip that goes viral"
"You have to understand your audience is different on every platform, that changes how you communicate"
"Cancel culture is real, but it's also overblown depending on how you respond to it"
"The best thing about having your own platform is you answer directly to your audience, not a network"
Related Episodes
Full Transcript (click to expand)
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