Having Fun in a Police Station with Lisa David Olson

It just doesn't, no matter if you are a performer or not.

So when that happens, you go to a party and they're like, oh, you know, my husband is Todd.

Todd, do that thing that that made us laugh last week.

And and he'll turn and say, Well, uh, you're an accountant, why don't you do my taxes quick?

We'll trade.

Let's trade.

Trade Ze.

SPEAKER_04: Hey, I'm Kevin Lowe, the host of The Lowdown with Kevin Lowe.

Here on the podcast, my aim is to show you the world through blind eyes.

And my hope is that you leave feeling inspired, motivated, and excited to take on the day.

Hey, welcome back to the podcast.

I'm your host, Kevin Lowe, and you are tuning in to episode number 45 here on the Lowdown with Kevin Lowe.

If you've not been here before, well, welcome.

And I just want you to know, this is the kind of place that I hope you leave feeling better than you did when you came.

Because my overall mission is to provide you with a sense of hope, a sense of inspiration, some motivation to take action in your own life.

And, you know, maybe if nothing else, I at least hope that any episode I produce here on the podcast that you uh just feel good inside and maybe uh it puts a smile on your face and maybe makes your day a little bit better.

So today's guest, well, she's definitely gonna help me accomplish that.

Her name is Lisa David Old.

And at first glance, you're gonna think, oh my gosh, this lady is crazy.

She's hysterical.

And well, she is all of that and more.

But what's cool about the podcast is it gives me an opportunity to really get to dive in deep with somebody, to really get to know them more than just face level.

And well, that's where I let you see the world like I do.

Show you the world through the eyes of the blind.

A world that is not interfered by us getting to form these immediate opinions about somebody based on what they look like.

No, because with a podcast, you're just like me.

And the only way that you get to know who somebody is is to talk to them, to listen to them.

And that's exactly what we're doing today with Lisa.

Lisa, she's a fellow podcaster, but she's also an author and public speaker who believes strongly that humor is what saved her life.

Because you're about to find out that everything in Lisa's world has always been laughs and giggles.

She's had hard times, just like all of us.

But she just discovered that laughter is what got her through it.

So, without further ado, I'm about to introduce you to Lisa David Olson.

As she begins to catch us up on the role comedy, laughter, humor, has played in her life from the very beginning.

SPEAKER_03: Comedy, humor, laughter.

That's my life.

I started when I was a kid, and I was not the class clown, actually, but I grew up in a traumatic home where my mother being an alcoholic and physically abusing us, dragging us out of bed at the n in the night.

Doesn't sound funny, but humor was our release.

You know, she would have these rage-filled moments.

And I know now as an adult that it was definitely that she was treating her mental imbalances with alcohol.

And as a kid, you just knew that, oh, geez, mom's got the the glass with the ice, I can hear it.

And you kind of panic and try and disappear.

But she would drag us out of bed, maybe say, Who threw away the mushrooms?

Or the time I I was home late and I got beat with the buckle end of a belt.

And I can say that now because it's it's just a story I tell, but it's it's real.

So with my three siblings, oftentimes humor is what would help heal after a rough night.

We would do impressions of our parents' friends or put on little shows for each other, or sometimes humor might break mother's bad mode and kind of lighten the moment.

It didn't always work, but if mother was laughing, she wasn't beating us.

We learned that.

SPEAKER_04: Wow.

So basically you you got into the the thing of humor and comedy as as both a coping mechanism and a tool.

SPEAKER_03: Yes.

Yes, it was.

And later in life, facing how all all of that was so hard to deal with and it's so scary in the night.

And you know, shows like Carol Burnett's show.

I don't know if you're old enough to know that show.

Yeah, yeah, no, I know, yes.

With with sketches and and improv moments and singing, that was my escape.

Humor definitely remains an escape for me.

Everybody has something, and it's a great veil that we can put on.

And for me, I pretended Carol Burnett raised me.

That was almost the name of my book.

I was gonna say I was raised by Carol Burnett, and I'm still trying to get a call with her.

Yes.

Eight minutes, Carol.

That's all I need.

Eight minutes.

I used to say ten, but I was thinking eight sounded more manageable.

Yes.

Yes.

Still Cricketville on Carol.

SPEAKER_04: Yes, yes.

Whatever.

Oh my goodness.

Well, so I mean, so that that's pretty powerful.

Uh, you know, listening to your story of of how how you became, you know, to get to get into comedy.

I mean, goodness gracious, that's that's definitely not an easy childhood.

But but I love the fact that coming from from my point of view of somebody who, you know, going blind and everything, humor has been a huge part of I think, I think more than making like making it easier on me, it's a way that I can make it easier for other people around me to feel comfortable.

SPEAKER_03: Right.

SPEAKER_04: You know, and so that's that's what, you know, me, I always, you know, when I meet somebody and I can tell if they're they're maybe nervous, I can tell they're they're afraid they're gonna say the wrong thing or whatever.

You know, I'm always the first one to be like, you know, hey, listen, don't cringe every time you say see or you know, or watch.

I said, I'm like, you know, I always tell them, I said, listen, I said, I don't talk like I'm blind.

I said, I still, I still watch TV.

I'm gonna say see you later, you know.

I'm like, you know, so so yeah, so so I totally understand that.

And I think that's that's a very powerful, powerful beginning for you.

Now, now, but you took you really got into comedy and humor because you ended up spending what two decades working on a what is it called a comedy troupe?

SPEAKER_03: I did.

And it was, I was in a singing group where if you won a contest, really cheesy.

I mean, think any cheesy 80s movie where everybody's wearing red dresses because we all had matching, um, not matching dresses, but we all wore red because we were called the Apple Annies.

Okay.

And that's yes, because the city in which it was based is the Apple Capital of Minnesota.

Okay.

And we were ambassadors of goodwill and song.

Cheesy as hell.

They poofy sleeves and many cocktails and uncomfortable flirting kind of stuff happening.

So it was all kind of that.

But I won the singing contest because I I rewrote Hello Dolly using apples, and I passed out apples.

I mean, it could not get cheesier than that.

My how I'm not famous is still a wonderment.

So I was in this this uh singing troupe, and one of the ladies said to me, You know, this comedy troupe I'm in is going to join another, you know, add another member, and you should try out.

And I'm like, I know that I can sing, and gosh, I'm funny and I'm swell looking.

I should oughta try that.

And then she turns to me and she said, Yeah, we need another female.

Yeah.

Oh, oh, oh, come down from the cloud, Lisa.

They need another one with girl parts.

All right, I've got this.

So I auditioned and I was scared as heck because it's people I didn't know and it's it was improv.

I'm like, no, no, no, I I I was gonna do like performing because I know I can do stage work.

I I I I'm not doing this improv thing.

No, no, no, no, no.

I can't make up stuff on the spot.

Well, there's my life.

I did get in.

I end up running the troupe and producing, performing, all the stuff.

Loved it.

It it shaped my life.

It was my true family, it was my comedy team.

And yes, I can do improv very much, and I love to teach others how to do it.

SPEAKER_04: That's awesome.

So now what what exactly is a comedy troupe?

I've never heard that term before.

SPEAKER_03: We were a gaggle of giggles.

I just made that up.

Oh, that's I'm on a cheesy roll with you, Kev.

It's the gaggle of giggles.

We are the fun kids in in bright t-shirts.

SPEAKER_04: Yeah, I was gonna say, is anybody anybody got a little wine that you can pass around with all this cheesiness we got going?

SPEAKER_03: Well, I am right next to Wisconsin, so I'll bring the cheese.

You you bring the you bring the boons farm in the bag.

Perfect, perfect.

Yeah, it's a a troupe is just this gathered group.

So we had.

When I joined, I think we had six.

And when you have this cohesive circle of people, you try not to, in our in our realm, we tried not to switch characters or people very often.

And it was not easy to get in the troupe because you don't want to keep switching people out because you build this repo.

Is that how you say it?

Report, report?

Yes.

You build this cohesive brain together where you're writing sketches and you learn to put ego aside.

I wrote this great sketch about a cat dog, and we acted it out.

And, you know, the dog is, you know, so happy to see you at the end of the day.

And, you know, a dog on a walk is is checking his Facebook posts, and if he tinkles on something, he's leaving a comment, and if he goes poo, then he's, you know, being a troll.

You know, these kinds of things I thought that was funny, and the cat couldn't care less.

Right?

The cat was like, Oh, you're home, feed me, human.

That kind of stuff.

We called it cat dog.

And it was so awful that from then on, any sketch that stunk was called a cat dog.

SPEAKER_04: That's so funny.

SPEAKER_03: You have to be able to take that.

You have to be able to say, Yeah, that did suck, actually.

In my mind, it was hilarious.

Yeah.

Just like anybody saying anything anytime.

In my head, that made sense, and now I wish I could go hide.

Yes.

But you could write a sketch and set it on the table, and it could end up being that that did not work.

But in two years, it might be the punchline for somebody else's sketch.

And this is the reason why staying together and building the trust and the the group think really worked for us.

We were award-winning, and the troupe was together since 85.

I took it over in the 2000s and stayed in it.

I wrapped it up in January of 2020 because for me that was my 20 years of being in it.

And I've been a speaker the whole time, still doing speaking, but I thought two decades is a cool number to say I did that.

Because it was kind of becoming a lot for me.

And I did not know about the pandemic, what it, you know, who did, duh.

But you know, it the timing worked great for me to say I'm sunsetting the group.

SPEAKER_04: Yeah, so so did you guys travel all over the country?

SPEAKER_03: Tri-state area.

I was in Iowa one time.

SPEAKER_04: Okay.

Okay, okay.

Wow, well, but that's super cool though.

And I mean, so I mean, what what is life like on in a comedy troupe?

I mean, it is it as crazy sounding?

I mean, it sounds like a a funny version of being a rock.

SPEAKER_03: We did not have groupies, but yeah, giggle groupies, right?

But like I work in a police department by day, and and there's there's females that chase officers and they're called badge bunnies.

I didn't know that before I started there.

I was like, what did you just say?

What?

Oh, that's a thing?

Oh, good for you.

That's so funny.

Yeah, they're they're never ones that you'd want.

But anyways, it's it's the for me, it was my family.

And it was those people who like you said, you yourself, you can make fun of yourself first to lighten it for the other person.

And these people knew me inside and out, and and I knew them.

And if you had a bad day, we would know it and make it better, but nobody wanted to get into it.

So I was in my second marriage, going through separation.

He had to be the director of the troop at that time.

We didn't tell anyone in that in our troupe that we were going through separation or divorcing, because you don't do that.

So when you come in the theater, that was your safe place, that was your place to make comedy and make a show.

All your crap is at the door.

You can go ahead and pick it back up on your way out, but you don't bring it to this circle.

And it turned out another member of the troupe who I knew for 30 years, I talked him into joining the troupe.

He's a funny guy.

I used to work for him in a DJ company that he owned.

And he ends up, you know, he is he can do any voices, any characters.

Great addition to the troupe.

He was also going through divorce, and we knew each other's kids through all this time.

We didn't know each other was going through divorce until after the show, when my then husband announced, just so you guys know, it was like after the last show, he told everybody that we were we were done as a couple, and that way we we had the run of the show without any drama in your head.

You could just do the show.

So I'm now married to the other guy.

SPEAKER_04: Wow, but but honestly, I mean that's pretty powerful.

I mean, because I can it had to be so hard to to go do this every day and in it's almost it's almost like living two different lives.

You know what I mean?

You have your life in in real life and then your life on with comedy, you know?

So that that's that's wild to me.

SPEAKER_03: Yes, and it's not something I've heard many other people talk about, but it's it is that's it was the safe zone, you know, almost a therapy when you think about it.

And when you look at comics, let's just say Robin Williams, look at how many people had tragedy going on that on stage they could run away from.

Because on stage you're not you're not Kevin, you're Kevin, you're whoever you want to be.

You could be not a cat or a dog, because that doesn't work out, but you could be you know the CEO of the best company that makes soap, and and you everybody loves you.

And why not?

And if I'm on stage with you, that's who I see you as because that's that's what we're doing, that is our scene.

And so there's that trust and that playfulness, and together we find the the situation that we have to come out of.

We have to find this conflict to make the scene, and together we find the solution and bonus if it's funny for the ending, knowing when to stop a scene.

SPEAKER_04: Yes.

That's that's the big deal.

Absolutely, absolutely.

Wow.

I mean, that that's really that's really pretty powerful stuff because it is though.

I think I think exactly what you touched on.

When we see somebody like you mentioned Robin Williams, you wonder, oh my gosh, he seemed so funny.

How how could that have happened?

But like you said, it literally, that's the character that you're seeing.

Right.

It's what he's allowing you to see.

Not the person.

Exactly.

Exactly.

Wow, that's that's very interesting.

Now, now, besides for for being on this this comedy tour, obviously at some point you you decided to get into writing because I know you've you've published a memoir, a book, and and even uh which I can't wait to talk to you more about this, even some type of audio album about uh prank uh telemarketer calls.

So um, like I said, you you are quite the lady.

And I ain't no lady, so that's right.

Oh, sorry.

Sorry, sorry.

Excuse me.

So so tell me, tell me about tell me about your your memoir.

Let's start there.

SPEAKER_03: Yes, I produced a uh self-published a book called Laughs on Rye, and that's spelled W-R-Y, and the cover has a piece of rye bread with a little rubber chicken on it.

I'm proud of that picture.

I took that picture with my dang cell phone.

I'm so proud of my little chicken on rye bread.

And it's cut jaggedly like a broken heart.

My gosh, I'm so deep.

Yes.

So Laughs on Rye is an improviser's memoir, and the tag on it is finding humor through childhood abuse, failed marriages, and other hurdles.

But the the sentence that is my life is a life made of choices instead of excuses.

And it talks about the tumultuous relationship with my mother, that there was good, there was horrid, there was in-between.

But it it might talk about me pranking the cops I work with, and then it talks about my appointment at my OB appointment where I pranked the doc.

I do love pranks.

And I was just on a podcast last night, and it was 17-year-old kids, three of them from Singapore.

And in talking about pranks, she said, Can you share a recent one with me?

And luckily I had one.

And it was the sergeant who was speaking with the chief at work, and his back was to me, and I had a spray bottle of water.

Everything's labeled very clearly in the PD.

And I walked up behind him and I made a sneeze sound as I sprayed the back of his neck.

I still think that's funny.

And he turned around slowly with his arms crossed and gave me the side eye, and he said, You really want to go there?

And I'm laughing.

And he said one word that made me run away.

Spider.

And I was gone.

Oh no.

Never share your weakness with a kind.

SPEAKER_04: No, no, no.

So it goes.

What I think is so funny about that is we obviously share a very similar personality because I still and I do it every time just because I love the fact that I get her every time is my grandmother, my Nana.

Every time I go to her house and I wash my hands, I then turn around where she's not facing me.

I flick my fingers and knack like I sneeze.

And I get her every time.

Every time I get her.

Oh my gosh.

Yeah.

So that that's so funny that you just shoot back.

SPEAKER_03: Couldn't Grandma get you back by like putting a chair in the way or something?

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04: Well, that's yeah, that's kind of mean.

But yeah, I mean, I guess she could.

SPEAKER_03: So you're lucky.

You better take grandma flowers next time.

SPEAKER_04: Yeah, I've I've been messing with I've been messing with Nana for for basically my entire life.

So so yeah.

That's so sweet.

Well, there's just certain people who are a little bit more gullible than others.

And so, so yeah, so so I I'm totally in line with you with this whole prank thing and stuff.

So yeah.

Yes.

SPEAKER_03: Heck yes.

SPEAKER_04: Oh my goodness.

SPEAKER_03: And yeah, my my album is on iTunes and it's called Fun on the Phone, and it's spelled PH for fun.

Fun on the phone.

Okay.

And when I was married to my first husband, we had the old cassette player record answering device that was so helpful in movies that you could hear the incoming call in movies, you know.

Janet, I'm still at the bar, where are you?

You know.

And so we would record incoming and outgoing calls.

And if you got a scam call or a telemarketer, it was great because we would mess with them and record it.

So that was our our fun because we worked opposite shifts.

SPEAKER_04: Yes.

SPEAKER_03: So then we saved all the calls.

SPEAKER_04: Oh, that's so funny.

SPEAKER_03: I could play one for you.

SPEAKER_04: Oh, you got one?

Oh, yeah.

Let's hear it.

SPEAKER_03: This one is I I titled it M I A and N-R A.

And I'm just gonna play it off myself when I'll hold it up to my mic, so just say yes if you can hear it when I do it.

And he, this guy, picture working in cubby land, you know, everybody's side by side making all these outgoing calls for the NRA.

And this guy cracks me up because he repeated everything I said so that Frank next to him knew that he had this cuckoo on the phone.

That's what I take out of this.

So can you hear it?

SPEAKER_04: Yeah.

SPEAKER_00: Okay, I think we'll have him call you.

SPEAKER_04: Oh my gosh, that's hysterical.

If I see him, I'll have him call you.

Yes, yes.

Oh my gosh.

So so so that's what this album on iTunes is just all of those type things?

SPEAKER_03: Yeah, 21 of those.

SPEAKER_04: Oh, that's hysterical.

And and and what's so funny about it is because that is my grandfather, my papa, Nana's husband.

That is Papa's favorite thing is telemarketers who call him.

And that he can mess with them.

Yes.

Yes, that is just that makes his day.

But it upsets him now because half the time I tell him, Papa, you realize anymore, they're just recordings.

SPEAKER_03: I know.

I know.

You remind me, and I'll I'll send this for you to share with Papa.

Okay.

We'll share the album because you know it's Father's Day coming up, or maybe not during this show.

But I'll make a note to send that to you because I want to gift that to Papa and Nana.

SPEAKER_04: Oh, well they they will love it.

So that's so awesome.

Oh my gosh.

Oh my God.

That is just so funny.

Now, so now uh so we we touched on that.

Now, do you have another book also?

SPEAKER_03: I have a journal I created out of journal, that's what it is.

Yeah, yeah.

Creative Tips, and it's what ifs and why nots.

That's only available through me because during all of this going on, I decided to locally print it, and I am very obsessive and I wanted a spiral bound, and it was a lot cheaper to do that locally.

And so on the pages are tips from my experiences from the stage to how to add that into your day, to your project, to your work team.

Different creative tips, thinking in the improv world of what if, why not?

You know, there's a great exercise in how to get your butt fired.

I love to play that game with teams.

And we think enormously, you know, and find all the great ideas.

SPEAKER_04: That's awesome.

So, at what point did you go from comedy to then helping people, like with improv?

SPEAKER_03: I've been speaking along the way of performing, and I found from the more you do, the more you learn, and that's in anything.

So, like, oh, and that's why you have more than one kid.

Well, screw that one up.

Let me try again with this other one.

SPEAKER_04: That's exactly what I tell my mom all the time about my older sister.

SPEAKER_03: Oh, yeah.

Okay.

Perfect little Kevin.

Oh my gosh, that's great.

But you know, you learn as you go from each audience that you speak with, as you and I learn as podcasters, the questions we get back are like, oh, I didn't think about that.

I mean, even when I'm guesting, like right now, I'm making notes because the things you ask me are different, and I love that.

We the exchange of ideas is what really pumps my blood.

And that's why laughter is just the best thing.

It's it's a great way to end your day.

I my saying is more punchlines, less headlines, you know, just find the fun.

Find find your favorite TV show from way back and listen to that, or listen to a comedy album, or something like that, to lighten your day.

Get your adrenaline going, scare a coworker, feel that bright spot, unless they threaten you, and feel that great bright spot because laughter releases nature's antidepressant, which is serotonin, and it lowers blood pressure and it connects us even as strangers.

There's just so many benefits, and it's right there.

You can't say, Well, I don't have any laughter, we ran out.

You know, okay, make more.

Call that friend who's a goofball and just say, send me a send me a joke.

I'm I'm feeling great.

Send me some stuff.

Be stupid with me for a second.

Exactly.

SPEAKER_04: It it kind of it kind of goes to, I always tell people about the power of just smiling.

SPEAKER_02: Heck yeah.

SPEAKER_04: And how and and it kind of and it definitely goes right in line with that, you know.

Of I always tell people if if if you can just make yourself smile, you'll notice a change in you.

Because it's real hard to smile, and it's even harder to start laughing and telling jokes if you're upset.

Yes.

And angry, you know.

SPEAKER_03: So and so yes, everyone listening right now should do that smile because your body doesn't know the difference.

So let's smile.

One, two, three.

SPEAKER_04: Ooh, looking good.

Looking real good.

SPEAKER_03: Your body doesn't know the difference.

We just, you know, same as with laughter.

There's those that teach laughter yoga where you laugh twice, then you laugh three times, and and so on.

And and your body doesn't know the difference.

You can make yourself exactly.

SPEAKER_04: That's awesome.

That's awesome.

Now, you you've also given yourself a title of of the icebreaker queen.

That's one of my titles, yes.

Uh yeah, I know.

Well, trust me, I'm getting to my notes.

We got some more queen titles in there.

But but but I I saw this icebreaker queen.

What's the icebreaker queen?

SPEAKER_03: I adore getting people connected through humor.

I'm when I speak, I'm interactive.

And I found a way to even do it online.

So I'm very happy that that happened.

Well, nothing just happens, right?

I'm very fortunate that I made the connection of how to be interactive, even on a Zoom meeting.

So it's that is my one of my thrills is to find out people's stories.

We all have story, and that is really what is the thing that makes podcasts so fabulous is to learn we're all nosy.

That's what we are.

You're not a podcast audience, you're nosy and I love it and I appreciate it.

So being an icebreaker queen is the way to get a work team, for example, to loosen up and lighten up, but not feel put on the spot.

I am outgoing, but don't put me on the spot.

Oh, Lisa's here.

Do something funny.

Do the thing that's funny.

No, I came here for your crab salad.

I I really wasn't here to perform, but certainly if you want to fill out this W9, I'm gonna go for it.

So the the thing is, is I have this tagline of, but I won't scare your introverts because I have a way of working with a team, but not calling people out.

You can be part of the group without leaving your seat, without even speaking loudly, and be a part of it and feel it.

So I learned that along the way, that it's very important to not just go, you red shirt, come up here.

Oh my gosh, that would make me almost cry.

I don't that doesn't feel good.

It just doesn't.

Of course.

No matter if you are a performer or not.

Yeah, no, no, it totally, totally.

So when that happens, you go to a party and they're like, oh, you know, my husband is Todd.

Todd, do that thing that that made us laugh last week.

And and he'll turn and say, Well, uh, you're an accountant, why don't you do my taxes quick?

We'll trade.

SPEAKER_04: Yeah.

Let's trade.

Trade these.

Yep.

Because I I I think that I think that's one of the worst things is is I can think of it for from for my dad.

So my dad is a big storyteller.

Nice.

And everybody loves to hear Steve tell tell a story because he's hysterical.

Nice.

But he always gets, I can't tell you how many times we've we've been somewhere and they're like, Steve, come on.

You know, I've been telling so-and-so all about you.

You know, be funny.

Tell one of your funny, you know.

So and it's like um be funny.

Dance, dance.

Exactly.

Exactly.

Oh my goodness.

So now on the opposite kind of queen spectrum, where we were just talking about you being so kind and not and not calling out the introverts and being respectful, you're also the queen of pranks and dayers.

Dun dun dun.

Yes, now we get to the opposite side of her.

SPEAKER_03: I have just something in my brain that is probably dented, and I have this passion for scaring people.

And years ago, with my first hubby, we ran a karate studio together.

And he remains one of my best friends.

We made two beautiful humans, and then we said, eh, that's good.

And he and I um in running a karate studio together, it was it worked well.

And I just have this passion for from way back.

So even though I'm a black belt, I always say former black belt, because I'm 55 now, I got my black belt when I was like 23 or something.

When you scare me, you would expect me to take a Chuck Norris-esque stance and nearly give you the one-inch punch from Bruce Lee, but stop just before your sternum because I'm a black belt.

And no, I am ugly when I'm scared.

And it has become a thing at work at the police department.

The bathroom is so handily located right next to my desk, you.

And when you come out, people find it a joy to just pop out from a corner.

And I asked for it because I started it.

Okay, I own that.

So when I'm scared, it is gerbil hands.

I have tiny little fists that just kind of droop and go forward, and it's really embarrassing.

It's like a really tired T-Rex.

Okay.

And the the freeze of the body, but the little gerbil hands kind of go forward.

And it's it's really the other day.

I came out and I did, if anybody knows Elaine from Seinfeld, she did a dance and it was really awkward.

And she, her elbows came out and one leg kicked forward, but the toes went one way and the heel went another way, almost like she was being twisted in a windstorm.

And then I came out of the bathroom kind of Elaine-like, and it was really hilarious.

And I'm like, if you guys are gonna do this, at least record it, please.

My gosh.

Let's do a compilation of how embarrassing I am.

But I laugh, and you know, I came came into the office the other day, and the investigator was around the corner and I saw Chief way ahead, so I said, good morning, and woof, a shirt just flew in my face.

He had one of the reserve shirts and he whipped it at me, and I caught it at because it connected with my head, and it's not like I was a ninja, believe me.

And I start laughing right away, and looking at my chief's face was so joyful for me because he had this look of shock like their previous secretary would have left.

And instead, I laugh and congratulate him on getting me.

And I'm just like, that was awesome.

Because now I'm just woo, I feel alive, you know?

Yeah, I'm like, that is so funny.

It's so dumb.

And so I have all my kids, all five shared sons, have been through this, and to this day I'll I'll never stop.

And I hid in a closet when my stepson was, I knew his laundry was almost done.

And I waited in the closet over 20 minutes.

I mean, always bring a snack if if you're taking notes.

Always bring a quiet granola bar, not the crunchy ones.

And be patient because the payoff is worth it.

When you jump out of a closet when a man is bent over pulling t-shirts out of a dryer, oh, the joy.

Oh my gosh.

It's like getting a splinter out after three days of having a splinter.

That's what it's like.

SPEAKER_04: Oh my gosh, that is so funny.

So now, those are pranks, but what about dayers?

You're into you're into dayers.

I am.

And you're so cute.

SPEAKER_03: When you say dare, it's like two syllables.

Dayers.

That's cute.

Yeah, well, I think I think that's how us southern people say it.

Y'all southern us.

Yeah.

Well, I'll tell you about a day, Mr.

Kevin.

My kids were smaller, and this was the thing I came up with, and it's probably on on the edge of not being legal.

But we would be at the mall and I would see someone I knew.

So I would hide behind a kiosk and just it went like this.

Trevan, Trevan, see that guy over there in the striped shirt?

Go over and ask him for five bucks.

And they would.

They just knew that this was our little gig.

They knew that I knew the person.

So let me preface it by that.

But and I knew the person didn't absolutely know my kids.

Maybe it was somebody I knew at the office or something like that.

So I sent my boys over and I hid behind a kiosk.

And my boys, back back then he had a lisp, so he was so damn cute.

He's still cute.

Hey Mythta, can I have five bucks?

You know.

And my friend Scott is like looking around, and I'm peering through, you know, some crappy ceramic figurines or whatever.

I'm no, I'm sure they were gorgeous and wonderful.

And of course.

And I'm I'm watching him, and he's looking around for another human, and he's like, uh, I think you should find your parents.

And it was the best.

Mr.

Mitra, can I have five bucks?

No, I'm sorry.

You need to find your parents.

And then I'd pop out, and for years after that, that's all Scott and I would just always bring that up.

And it was so funny.

And then my kids were like way taller than him, and we would still talk about it.

It was just the best.

Some things like that.

But I was hired once as, and this is one I've been hired many times to do what I call embarrassograms.

Okay.

And this particular party, a realtor friend invited me to her party, which was including new realtors into her business.

And we're talking lakeshore home.

I'm talking, don't move, because if you bump something, it's probably thousands of dollars kind of a thing.

I've got elbows that won't quit.

So that's how I think.

But it was a wonderful meet and greet for people.

She hires me to be the entertainment.

And what that looked like was I was a new realtor and obviously fake.

And I was horrible.

So I went to each person, kind of judged what they were eating loudly.

Oh, that's a lot of cheese.

That's probably gonna clog you.

Or you know, they you know, they're so kind.

How did you get into realty?

Well, I've been selling Mary Kay makeup for like 18 months.

I figure if I can sell makeup to ugly people, I can sell a house to somebody, right?

You know, chew the gum, chew the gum.

So what's your um so you know, and they're just trying to sip their wine and not think, oh my gosh, why did Mary invite this woman?

You know, my thing is I like to try and stay in a house for a couple days, stay in the basement and see if I can feel it.

Feel what?

See if I can feel like an entity.

Feel that I can feel if the house has any living spirits at this whole thing.

No offense to those who can, because I know people can, but I'm not one.

So here I am trying to make sure I don't offend this imaginary person.

I mean, what's this world coming to?

So it's and so then towards the end, so I would go from group to group, and it was funny how shoulders kind of connected and you kind of weren't really in there so much.

I end up in the kitchen and saying, Let's turn up the music, it's a dance party, and there was no room.

It was like, you know, it was so bad.

So finally Mary's making her announcements, and and then she said, Well, if everyone has met, let's just say I was going by Linda, if everyone's met Linda, I just want to let you know.

And they were quiet.

She was our hired comedy entertainment for the night, and it was uh just a blast.

Just a blast once they figured it out.

Because they were just trying to be kind and and stuff, and that's the kind of dare kind of thing.

You know, that's just one example of turn people upside down.

And what came of that?

A story, a story to share, a great story, how people handled it.

Uh there's so many lessons out of that one example.

SPEAKER_04: Wow, that is that is just that's so awesome.

Now, now I know though, and and I don't know if we've already touched on this, but that you have a dare for yourself.

SPEAKER_03: I did, and I do, and I just did it recently.

Okay.

I dare myself to approach a stranger and ask for a selfie.

And that alone can kind of get your heart going a little bit because you're intrusive in their space for the moment.

I don't mean I go up close nose to nose.

That would be weird, but I mean you're you're impinging on their moment.

Maybe they're standing there waiting for their husband to pull up for a ride or something.

Okay.

So I approach them and I just say, hey, could we get a selfie together?

And that is a scary moment, even for somebody as outgoing as myself.

And I I have always been told yes, except the one guy that I think was wanted.

That guy was out.

He was out.

He grabbed his guitar, he was outie, baby.

Respect, respect.

That is respect for the felon.

That is okay, felon.

That's right.

Just me and a picture of a guy running away.

But you probably thought I was sent there.

So, yeah, and what the the caveat of the selfie is we can't smile.

And that's just unconventional.

It is so I don't tell them until I raise my camera.

Oh, by the way, don't smile.

Don't smile.

We're doing a serious selfie with strangers.

And I started putting those on my Facebook page with a hashtag.

And I did put a section of those in my book.

My most recent one was two days ago at the grocery store in my town.

Two guys were up on the cherry picker lift in reinstalling a sign at the grocery store.

And I came out of the store and I looked up and I said, You know, I really look up to you guys.

And they looked down at me, and then they got the joke.

Yeah.

And then they laughed and I said, Hey, can we do a selfie together?

And they're like, uh, they look at each other, okay.

I mean, it's all so weird, so random.

And then, right as I raised my camera, I said, Don't smile.

And so it's a picture of two guys in bright neon work shirts, hard hats, on a lift way up high over me, crossed arms looking really pissy, and it was great.

Yeah.

That's so awesome.

Because you laugh beforehand at trying not to smile.

We've been trained since birth that a camera, I'm telling you, Kev, my and now I'm now it's Kev.

My dog even knows when I pull my camera out.

unknown: Yeah.

SPEAKER_03: She will pose.

We always cheese, you know, smile.

So it's different, it's random.

And again, it's a story for down the road.

It's a story.

SPEAKER_04: That is so awesome.

That is so I absolutely just love, I love your whole spirit on the way you to me, it's it it's a whole like the way you look at life and stuff.

And and I just love it.

Thank you.

Absolutely love.

Yeah.

Because I just I feel like like doing just silly stuff like that.

Not only is it just silly, it's funny, but you know what?

Like it's uh it's I don't know, it gets you interaction with people.

I think so many times, especially, you know, after you know, last year and the pandemic and stuff, it's okay, keep our space and you know, don't talk to anybody.

They might breathe on you.

You know what I mean?

And so I think like everything that you say, it's just like this kind of breath of fresh air, of of a reminder, you know, lighten up, have fun, say hello to people, and do a selfie with strangers and don't smile.

So I love it.

SPEAKER_03: Yes, yes.

And that's the thing is to to remember that whatever you think happens after this realm of this rock we're spinning on, whatever you think happens after, we we only know this moment, this spot right here, and why not make the most of it?

So do the thing, write the book, try the food, jump out of the airplane, but don't forget the backpack thingy.

Do it.

Do the stuff, dare yourself daily, whether it's put on your shoes and get the mail or waving at someone or reach out to a friend.

Hey, I thought of you today.

That's one of the most beautiful messages a person can get, and you will see they will say, I needed that just then.

So do the stuff.

SPEAKER_04: That's awesome.

That's awesome.

SPEAKER_03: Now, but most of all, stay weird because it becomes a story.

SPEAKER_04: That's right, that's right.

I love it.

So I think it kind of falls.

In line with with this whole thing that I see with you of using humor to make connections with people and helping people.

And I know that you say somehow that you you like to help people get unstuck with a problem or something they're facing.

Tell me about that.

SPEAKER_03: I am so excited to work with people as a partner, a creative partner, or some people that want to get into speaking.

I help shape the message.

There's one gal I'm working with on her TEDx.

There's a different gal who didn't have her message fine-tuned, and she she wants to motivate and she's great at it.

And she's pint size.

She is, I call her fun size.

And her message is so extraordinary that I made a tag for her that was the fun size speaker with an extra large message.

You know, it's just I'd like to play with that.

And she is incredible.

And she lost sight of what her message, her story is, and it's an incredible one.

She was so she started a business, and that's great.

Your business is great.

And she she learned how to manage her mornings, you know, get up, meditate.

And I know you've got something on your website about mornings.

Yeah.

And I'm joining that.

And I loved what you said on your show that, yeah, you can get up, you can journal, you can meditate, and all that.

But really, that's not for everybody.

That's not me.

I'm not gonna get up and do that.

I'm gonna get up and get my damn coffee.

But for her, this works.

And so that's her one of her things she loves to promote, and it's great.

But here's the story that I wanted.

She was under so much stress before her starting her own business, she lost her memory.

Okay, so maybe, Kevin, you forget where you put your shoes.

That sucks.

You gotta look for your shoes.

Maybe I got out of the store and every car happens to look like mine, and I have no clue where I parked because I had other stuff on my mind.

That's a panic moment because there's no way to look cool looking for your car.

Exactly.

And so that's that's bad.

She forgot she had children.

Wow.

Okay.

Let me just sit with that sentence a second.

Isn't that the story you want to hear?

Yep.

And so this is the kind of uh training I'm doing.

I'm getting the story.

And that's one example of when I work with somebody.

So yeah, she's motivational.

It's beautiful.

We want to know the thing about you forgot you had kids, lady.

I want to hear that.

I want to hear how you fix that.

Don't just tell me what to do in the morning.

Tell me why.

Tell me what worked for you.

So that's one example.

I'm helping another guy shape up his book.

I'm coaching him to get better on doing lives on Facebook.

And he just did one and it was very successful.

And it's not earth-shattering things, it's just getting out of your own head.

And every time I work with someone, I get my own ideas back.

So how could you lose?

Yeah.

You know, and I trade my training.

I I'm trading with the gal who's doing media and how to get better and getting into the media.

We're trading, and I'm gonna work with her on getting her TEDx rolling.

So not everything has to be about this is my business, although that's helpful.

But also, I think in this life, if we could barter more, yeah, I would love that.

SPEAKER_04: Wow, that's so powerful.

You know, I I think it kind of goes back to this theme of of us talking earlier about comedians and and actors and stuff.

And like you, when somebody first meets you and I first met you, all I see is this absolutely just hysterical, hysterical person who just is is amazing.

But then once you get to know you and you get to understand your purpose and your why, I just think it makes you even more just absolutely incredible.

Wow.

And thank you.

Yeah, you're just, I mean, honestly, I mean, it's just, and I think that's what is so special, I think, about podcasting is the fact that it gives you an opportunity, you know, if you're listening to a podcast, you're getting to know people, as I like to say, is getting to know people in a more meaningful way.

And, you know, and I think that's what's just so awesome.

And I I just I love, I love everything about like your, like I said, your why, like why you do this and and how it helps.

And I just think it's phenomenal.

SPEAKER_03: That's so sweet.

I love your show as well.

I've been catching some of the the shows, and they are just so upbeat, and your stories are interesting.

The people you have found and your questions are almost always like, oh, good, he asked that.

I was thinking that.

So you're great.

SPEAKER_04: So thank you for your show.

I love it.

Uh of course, of course.

Now, tell me about something that I saw when I was when I was researching you, stalking you for podcasts.

Something about a project in bravery.

SPEAKER_03: That is those photos.

And so by by daring myself to do the serious selfies, it's what made me sweat in the weird places when I was approaching the people, and it made me facing the possibility to be turned down.

So that made me brave in that moment.

And that's why I call it my project in bravery, because I'm putting myself out there even a couple days ago with the guys on the lift.

You know, it was like, they could say no, they're working.

You know, why should they talk to a lady coming out of the store?

And so every time it gets my heart fluttering, and I'm daring myself to approach a stranger.

And during the pandemic, I even got a few of people far away from me safely, but it makes for a great story.

And when these pictures came out in my book, one of them was two girls at the ice cream store came out and they were in the alleyway, and it's beautiful historic downtown area with the brick wall.

And of course, they're doing selfies.

They're young.

We're beautiful, we're gonna live forever.

We got this best ice cream.

Let's do selfies.

Okay, ready, go.

We're cute.

And I they were my first serious selfie.

I, my husband and I were gonna go eat, and I said, I'll be right back.

And in the moment, I just went to get a selfie.

And as I raised my camera, I said, Let's be serious because it was so not with that moment of happy young beauties with ice cream.

I'm like, let's be serious because it that's random.

And so then that's how it all started.

And when that picture came out in my book, one of their moms knew me from doing shows.

SPEAKER_04: Oh, that's funny.

SPEAKER_03: Oh, that's so awesome.

And we got together and we all had a coffee date, and then we ended up going shopping together and singing ABBA together in the store.

And the lady said, Are you guys in a show?

And we all said, Yes, dancing queen.

You know, it's just uh that's and so all that happened because I dared myself, because I acted on that.

I I got extra friendships and a great story and a boost of energy.

SPEAKER_04: That's it.

That's it.

That's awesome.

Well, I have to say I have I have one last question for you, but but before I even say that, I have to say is I think if if you're listening to this podcast today and you want a one takeaway, I feel as though it's to step outside of what's comfortable and get into the uncomfortable, the unknown.

And that's where you're gonna really experience life.

And I feel like that kind of summarizes to me your dare for yourself.

SPEAKER_03: Right.

SPEAKER_04: Is is getting outside of that comfort zone and and opening up and and and not being afraid and and and not being afraid of of of rejection.

If if if the people say, no, I don't want your photo, you know.

I mean, I think I think it just it it touches on something that all of us feel.

And I don't know, I feel like it I think all of us could could live a little bit better life if if we we stepped outside of that, we stopped worrying about the possibility of of what somebody might say or what somebody might think and just enjoy life.

SPEAKER_03: Right.

Because it might also boost their day.

SPEAKER_04: Exactly, exactly.

So the last thing I want to ask you is where you're at now in your life, looking back at that little girl who was having a rough time with with life, what would you tell her today?

SPEAKER_03: I would tell younger me, you are smart and you will matter, and you do need to stick around.

And you're gonna make really funny babies.

And that you know, school was a struggle for me, and I quit school in tenth grade because I missed so much school due to everything going on at home.

I was sick a lot.

Being pulled out of bed in the night doesn't make for a great morning at school.

And unfortunately, teachers didn't notice that stuff back then.

So I applaud today's teachers that can be that voice for a kid who is wearing the same clothes day after day or, you know, is not eating.

And there's so much more to teachers than we realize.

And so everybody thank a teacher today.

But back then you stayed out of people's business.

And I left school in 10th grade and I never felt smart.

I always struggled.

And I did go on to get my degree and all that, you know, as as far as high school degree, but I I didn't write my book forever because I thought I wasn't smart enough.

There was no initials after my name.

And it was a friend at a coffee house.

He is a mailman that, a mail carrier that came by and had seen my shows and saw me at my laptop, and he goes, You writing your book?

And that started it.

Somebody cared.

And he was at my book signing, and that was one of the best moments I've ever had.

SPEAKER_04: That's awesome.

That's so awesome.

Wow.

Well, listen, I want to thank you for not just normally I tell people thank you for coming on my podcast.

That that's not what I want to tell you.

What I want to tell you is thank you for for giving life to laughter, to, to, to letting people realize that, you know what, maybe it's time to be a little bit goofy, have a little bit of fun in life.

And I just I appreciate you uh, you know, bringing that to light and and bringing attention to the importance of humor in in our everyday lives.

SPEAKER_03: Oh, thank you so much.

I I love your show, and I think the the message you pulled from our time together is very meaningful to me.

I really appreciate that.

Thank you so much, Kevin.

SPEAKER_04: Awesome.

To everyone in listening, do yourself a favor, go laugh.

Maybe even pull a prank on somebody, give yourself a dare, do something, step outside of what's normal, and for goodness sake, don't hesitate to just start laughing.

And that's the lowdown with Kevin Lowe.

I hope today's episode inspired you, motivated you, and excited you to get out and enjoy life, no matter what obstacles may be standing in the way.