justEricson

No one who knows me would ever know how much I adore Blair. He's not a guy I talk to often and often not someone I talk about. He's kind of just a guy I use to work with who I often kept company as we made trips to Ikea in an attempt to furnish his new house but he's also one of the most natural funny and passionate people I know. Just an all around good guy with a chip on his shoulder. You know, someone just like me. He introduced me to Todd Barry, gave me a lot of shit for being tactless and cruel, and shared a lot of my grievances with modern day customer service.

In this interview we talk about how I use to be really mean to people I didn't like, how I've come a long way since my days of being estranged from my family, and my weakest bit so far.

I've never had an easy time believing Chris actually likes me. I always felt like he just kind of endures me the way Catholics endure the poor (my limited knowledge of Catholics makes me certain that's a apt simile). Regardless, however little he may have to say on the matter, Chris swears he not only enjoys me but remembers me fondly and even slightly envies me.

In this conversation we glaze over our rivalry at Apple Retail, our time working on a 48 Hour Film Festival project, and the aggravation that comes with choosing to be my mentor.

If Dan Kelly was the leader and Lu Garcia the Brute than Pearce Muncy was the Brains. Pearce was the first person at Apple Retail to buy into me as a promising salesman at the store and was a dependable neighbor when it came to sharing the profits of a home cooked meal. It wasn't until this recording that I realized Pearce and I never really had any grievances with each other, despite some people having grievances with him.

In this interview we talk about my brief death on facebook, my attitude as a groomsman, and explore the reasons why Lu Garcia was replaced with a poor duplicate at Pearce's wedding.

I shouldn't have done this... not the podcast but just this episode. It's late. I'm emotional. I just had a series of dry sets. I don't think I was in the right headspace for this but I wanted to do something special to celebrate a year in podcasting.

I'll be honest, I didn't imagine I'd actually find 52 people to interview. I didn't think I could muster that many people. But sure enough here we are and who better to reflect on a year of interviewing people about myself with other than myself.

In this ramble I talk about my initial reasons for starting the podcast, where I want to direct the podcast in the new year, and foolishly try too hard to give deep answers to some simple questions.

I don't know what to say at this point. Part of me wants to talk about how great a guy Felix is. Part of me just wants to plug his Twitch stream. Another part of me just want's to leave this description blank and let the episode speak for itself. That's kinda how Felix is. Any description will kind of mislead you from really getting to know him since everyone's perception of his is a little different. Kind of like a walking koan.

In this conversation we talk about how I helped Felix meet his still (at the posting of this episode -- how sad is it we need to say stuff like this?) current girlfriend, my hidden sincerity, and find a recording of an even younger, more motormouthed, idealistic and self-important version of myself that I will probably regret publicizing.

Crazy we went this long without this title.

Every episode I try to take a risk and do something different and this one I decided to break form and add a ten minute tag to the episode. But that's kind of how conversations go with Jon and I: I always expect it to be light and short but it always ends up being way deeper and longer than I could anticipate. Like me, Jon enjoys getting to hear how people tick and having not sat down with each other in half a decade he was very interested in finding out how I've changed from the person he once worked with in a store that will remain known in this episode as "The Fruit Stand".

In this interview we talk about my duplicitous behavior in the workplace, my futile attempts at giving people the power to choose their own feelings, and if you stay after the credits: three of the most impactful events I experience in my last five years in Los Angeles that changed me into who I am now.

Like I said: kind of a deep episode.

This one caught me off guard in a number of ways. Walburt and I haven't talked for almost ten years and what I thought might be a simple argument of personalities between best friends who'd become almost strangers turned out to be a much deeper story of betrayal on both sides. A conflict of interests and some petty aggravations.

I don't know if this is going to be your vibe. In a way so many episodes and storylines this past year come to a head but in a lot of ways this starts off as an awkward conversations between two dudes over a girl.

In this conversation we talk about the last time Walburt and I saw each other, what I was like in High-school when we first met, and of course: Esther.

It's kind of a month of strangers as I continue to talk with people I've only met one or two times on very brief but meaningful occasions. Lauren is no exception. We had only seen each other on three occasions up until this point: at an audition, at her birthday, and at her latest comedy set at the Haha Club in North Hollywood. That's not to say we're not fond of each other. If there's one thing I love about Lauren (and let's be real, there is plenty to love about her) it's her work ethic. In Hollywood you meet a lot of girls who are as gorgeous as Lauren, but few who are as ambitious and headstrong.

In this interview we talk about how I'm "going to make it", how I don't care what I look like, and the hands down best metaphor ever made to explain my overall brand of person.

Last week was a stranger, this week is a date.

I've been wanting to do an episode with someone after a first date since I started this podcast. That's just the kind of freak I am. Jessica seemed more than excited by the prospect but she also brought a bottle of rosé and demanded we start drinking it immediately so I think it's safe to say she was a little nervous at first but that didn't stop her from being honest about a great many things.

In this conversation we talk about my attitude towards dressing for first dates, the version of me that my podcast presents, and my dismissive and disturbing texting habits.

So this is one of those unusual episodes that ends up being a personal favorite of mine even though it's a bit long and unconventional. This episode was a hard edit. So much actually ended up on the cutting room floor and I probably could have trimmed it even more ruthlessly but I really enjoyed the topics we covered and the places our conversation went.

I literally met Rae for the first time the night before we recorded this episode when my friend Joe Wasson (who guested on a previous episode) brought her with him to one of my shows. I'd always wanted to interview someone who had just met me and after hanging out for two hours Rae was more than excited to come on.

In this interview we try to cut deep and talk about the one that got away, what I think the world owes me, and why I belong in ACA.