Check out our interview with comedian, writer, and podcast host Mike Glazer, who has a talent for turning life’s complexities into humor.
Known for the beloved Weed + Grub Podcast and his work on HBO’s “Night of Too Many Stars,” Mike just launched his new “Life Rules! The Show” podcast on March 18th. This new podcast series promises a weekly dose of inspiration, exploring how to live life to the fullest with guests from all walks of life. Alongside, Mike also released his debut comedy special, “Life Rules! Mixtape Vol. 1,” earlier last month.
Mike found strength and solace in making people laugh while growing up in a difficult environment where mental health issues were prevalent. This journey inspired him to promote mental health awareness. His varied achievements—from winning a Gold Medal in roller hockey to performing with Dave Chapelle and cooking with Gordon Ramsay—highlight his dynamic range and relentless curiosity.
Join us as we get to know Mike Glazer, his journey, and the lessons he’s learned along the way to a fulfilling life.
Follow Mike @GlazerBooHooHoo
Describe yourself in three words.
Chill, Hungry, Horny.
Growing up in a challenging environment, you found a way to bring laughter into your household. Can you share a bit more about how these early experiences shaped your approach to comedy and your desire to perform?
The best armor I know of is comedy. It protects, deflects, and is my survival mode. The biggest problem with being funny as protection is that I’d be so consumed with cracking jokes that I’d avoid my own feelings. I didn’t know who I was. Now, my comedy comes from a deeper place and is way funnier because I’m a more well-rounded human being. And I’m no longer quoting Ace Ventura non-stop. I think people got tired of that.
With the wealth of experience you’ve accumulated, what advice would you give to aspiring comedians, especially those looking to make their mark in today’s digital landscape?
Outsource what you don’t want to do. Whether that’s editing clips, posting on socials, or making ticketing websites, outsource it. That frees you up to focus on the aspects of comedy you love. If you need to sell drugs to afford to hire social media pros, do it – but do it on Signal.
Over the years, you’ve had the opportunity to perform with a variety of comedians. Can you share one or two standout moments from your shows that have had a lasting impact on you?
One of the most impactful was when Dave Chappelle dropped in on my show, Glazed. I created the hottest show in LA, Glazed, and one night Chappelle loved the vibe so much that we ended up co-hosting for four hours and sang Radiohead’s Creep with my live band to close out the night.
The next show, Jerry Seinfeld, dropped in. At the time, he was working on a joke about Pop-Tarts. In May 2024, his feature-length Pop-Tart film Unfrosted will drop on Netflix, but I’m not bitter that I didn’t get the call to make a strawberry-frosted Pop-Tart cameo.
With the launch of your new limited podcast series, “Life Rules! The Show”, what inspired you to focus on the theme of celebrating life, and how do you select your guests?
Life is fucking awesome. The more you figure out what makes life special and how to maximize those feelings, the more amazing it gets. Discipline, thoughtfulness, honesty, and saying “yes” have made my life dope so far. The only thing missing from my life right now is the Nike Air Force 1 Low Colette x Busy P’s in size 11.
HMU on IG if you want to share why your life rules and what your life rules are, or if you got the plug on the Busy P’s…
Can you give us a sneak peek of your comedy special “Life Rules! Mixtape Vol. 1,” and what audiences can expect from both the special and the tour?
No need! It’s free and available on YouTube. Just give it a shot. Watch it, share it, and tell a pal.
Being open about your diagnosis and mental health journey is incredibly brave. How has speaking publicly about these topics influenced your life and career, and what message do you hope to convey to others, especially men, about seeking help?
I don’t think it’s brave. I’m just done being ashamed of who I am.
You’ve had the chance to cook alongside legends like chef Bobby Flay and chef Gordon Ramsay. Can you share a memorable story from these experiences?
Being on Food Network’s Worst Cooks in America changed my life. I think it’s streaming on Hulu if you’d like to see me light a kitchen on fire. Bobby Flay would teach us techniques when we weren’t filming. He truly wanted us to get better at cooking, and I fell in love with it.
After the show, I went to culinary school on the weekends and was then hired to cook and improvise on The F Word with Gordon Ramsay. Gordon watched me cook perfect medium-rare fillet mignon steaks and told me, “Great job.” It felt better than being yelled at with my head between two pieces of white bread.
Winning a Gold Medal with Team USA as a roller hockey goalie is quite an achievement. How has your athletic background influenced your work ethic and creativity in the entertainment industry?
I’m the most competitive person I know. I want to win. Winning rules. I wish the world worked like sports – it’s so simple. When I was a goalie, if I saved every puck, we would win. If I was perfect, we’d win. In life, I can be perfect, and it still may not work out. People are not sports, and that’s been a difficult adjustment. Being a goalie and a stand-up comic is the same, though. I’m alone in a crease, or alone on stage amongst a team or crowd, trying to be perfect, win, and having a ball doing it.
Having navigated through personal and professional challenges, what advice would you give to someone starting in the comedy or entertainment industry, particularly those who might be dealing with their own mental health struggles?
Drink water. Exercise. Orgasm. Be honest. Say what you want to others, but don’t be weird about it. Being chill is a virtue. Give others orgasms.
Your career spans various creative fields, from comedy to podcasting and beyond. Can you describe your creative process? How do you keep your ideas fresh and continue to innovate?
I live. I go outside, watch movies, eat new sandwiches, and push myself to do uncomfortable things like introduce myself to people and start a conversation.
I remember when I almost left LA. I was working the door at a comedy club, making no money, and feeling overlooked for my skills. One night I said, “Fuck it.” and went up to Ron White, asking if I could give him a tag for his joke. He looked at me very skeptically and said, “Go for it.” I told him the tag. He said nothing. Instead, he pulled a wad of cash out of his pocket, peeled off two $100 bills, handed them to me, and said, “I’m gonna do that all over the world.” Ron White’s generosity and validation got me to stay in LA.
How many hours do you dedicate to this? From ideas, recording, editing, etc.
All the time. Even in my brain’s background. I owe a lot to my subconscious and imagination for bringing my conscious mind fully formed ideas that whip. Like my Taylor Swift joke
Which fictional character would be the most exciting to meet in real life?
John Wick. We’d just pet dogs and sip tea in silence.
How would your best friend describe you?
From my BFF Joel Hadley: “Exceptionally kind and generous. A world-class listener and thinker. Hilarious and cheeky. Darkly funny yet full of more light than stadiums at night.”
If you were a book, what would be the title of the book and why?
I know I’m supposed to say, Life Rules! A series of stories about why life rules and rules for life. I think it would actually be called Glazer! How a weird kid who picked his nose became an adult who still picks in traffic sometimes, but that’s ok because a lot of people do it, and sometimes we make eye contact and have an embarrassing laugh because we’re all just people doing the best we can, and now we have to find a place to wipe that booger because the car in front of us is moving again. Part 1.
What book should every entrepreneur read?
Phil Jackson’s Eleven Rings.
What’s next for Mike Glazer in 2024?
Netflix is a Joke Fest presents: Mike Glazer. May 9th! Tickets are on sale now!
What is your own definition of happiness?
All I know is not drinking and going to Al-Anon (a neighbor of AA) is helping me get closer to figuring it out.
If you could meet someone living or dead, who would it be and why?
I’ve met almost all my heroes, and they’ve all been incredible to meet. Maybe the caveman who invented fire. It’d be pretty cool to high-five them when that happened.
Best advice ever given?
The Serenity Prayer.
Do you support any charities?
Best Friends Animal Society. I love older animals. My goal is to make enough money to have a bunch of old guys roaming around my house and give them awesome final years of their lives.
Where do you see yourself and your career in 5 years?
In my house in the Hollywood Hills with three old cats and a girlfriend who I cook for in an open-concept kitchen when I’m not on tour selling-out theaters around the world.
Favorite song? Why?
Future – March Madness. Because I love to “spend a day to get my mind blown” and “wake up and smoke us a blunt and fuck.”
What do you think of social media?
I think I want 2M followers so I can travel the world doing standup and be a panelist on Top Chef and Chopped.
Where can we follow you?
@GlazerBooHooHoo everywhere, and Lemon Party dot org is a website.
Book: I’m reading Chain Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
Quote: Life Rules!
Movie: John Wick: Chapter 3
TV Series: Top Chef
Favorite Food: A large sandwich with perfect ratios.
Travel Destination: Chef Massimo Bottura’s Osteria Francescana in Modena, Italy.
Sports Team: St. Louis Blues