In 2019, Dane Cook is heading out for his first full national tour in six years, and he’s calling it his Tell It Like It Is tour, playing venues such as the Wang Theater in his hometown of Boston and Radio City Music Hall in New York City. How is it now for Dane Cook? Cook sat down with me in The Comedy Store’s podcast studio this month to talk through his comedy and personal demons, as well as go back with me to his historic and pioneering rise through social media in the mid 2000s, culminating in HBO specials, double-platinum records, selling out Madison Square Garden, hosting Saturday Night Live twice and starring in major motion pictures. He was the comedy star of the late 2000s. Dane Cook has been through a lot since then and come out the other side. And he’s ready to talk all about it. So let’s get to it!

Here’s a moment captured by my colleague at the Boston Herald at the time, Tim Correira, backstage with Dane on April 15, 2006, in a dressing room at the Garden before Cook went on to film back-to-back shows before a combined crowd of more than 40,000 for his HBO special, Vicious Circle.

Cook’s 2019 tour kicks off Feb. 20 in Huntington, NY, and ends Nov. 16 in Los Angeles.

This episode was co-produced by Jenny at The Comedy Store.