WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.660 Welcome back to the Deep Dive. Today we're really 00:00:02.660 --> 00:00:05.839 digging into, well, kind of a blueprint for creative 00:00:05.839 --> 00:00:08.060 success in the modern age. Yeah, that's fascinating. 00:00:08.140 --> 00:00:09.980 We're looking at someone who didn't just stick 00:00:09.980 --> 00:00:13.460 to one thing. He, uh... mastered stand -up comedy, 00:00:13.640 --> 00:00:16.920 then created and starred in his own sitcom, and 00:00:16.920 --> 00:00:18.879 then moved behind the camera as a successful 00:00:18.879 --> 00:00:22.199 director. The trajectory. Exactly. So our mission 00:00:22.199 --> 00:00:24.879 today is to trace the path of Steve Byrne. We 00:00:24.879 --> 00:00:26.820 want to understand how he took that raw stage 00:00:26.820 --> 00:00:30.820 talent, turned it into huge TV success, and then 00:00:30.820 --> 00:00:33.859 made that final pivot to directing. Where you 00:00:33.859 --> 00:00:36.060 have the ultimate creative control. Right. This 00:00:36.060 --> 00:00:38.340 isn't just his life story. It's kind of a lesson, 00:00:38.439 --> 00:00:41.100 really. A lesson in how you build a career across 00:00:41.100 --> 00:00:43.299 different... And when you look at the sources, 00:00:43.579 --> 00:00:45.880 it's clear this wasn't just luck. It feels very 00:00:45.880 --> 00:00:48.420 strategic, very deliberate. Momentum. Yeah, strategic 00:00:48.420 --> 00:00:50.939 momentum. He's the definition of a multi -hyphenate. 00:00:51.079 --> 00:00:53.219 That term gets thrown around a lot, maybe too 00:00:53.219 --> 00:00:58.280 much. But for Byrne, born July 21, 1974, it absolutely 00:00:58.280 --> 00:01:00.859 fits. He starts with stand -up, that really pure 00:01:00.859 --> 00:01:04.280 solo art form, and then he scales it. He brings 00:01:04.280 --> 00:01:07.040 in collaboration writing, acting in TV and film, 00:01:07.159 --> 00:01:09.519 and finally he takes the lead, directing, shaping 00:01:09.519 --> 00:01:11.810 the whole vision. so we're tracking this evolution 00:01:11.810 --> 00:01:15.349 how he used that stage persona really as currency 00:01:15.349 --> 00:01:19.370 in hollywood and well beyond precisely a meticulous 00:01:19.370 --> 00:01:21.909 path okay let's dive in to really get his voice 00:01:21.909 --> 00:01:23.969 we've got to start at the beginning right the 00:01:23.969 --> 00:01:27.590 roots the early life and that initial um hustle 00:01:28.329 --> 00:01:32.010 The New York comic grind. Let's start with geography 00:01:32.010 --> 00:01:34.670 and culture, because those seem absolutely crucial 00:01:34.670 --> 00:01:37.409 to his material later on. They really are the 00:01:37.409 --> 00:01:39.730 twin engines, as you put it. So, born in Freehold, 00:01:39.849 --> 00:01:42.560 New Jersey, that's Monmouth County. But he didn't 00:01:42.560 --> 00:01:44.700 stay there long, did he? No, the formative years 00:01:44.700 --> 00:01:46.780 were elsewhere. He actually grew up mostly in 00:01:46.780 --> 00:01:49.000 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Yeah. Went to Hampton 00:01:49.000 --> 00:01:50.459 High School there. So you get this interesting 00:01:50.459 --> 00:01:52.719 mix, that East Coast start, but then this like 00:01:52.719 --> 00:01:56.120 Pittsburgh, maybe more Midwest sensibility. Right. 00:01:56.180 --> 00:01:58.140 And that geographic blend is interesting, sure. 00:01:58.500 --> 00:02:01.200 But the real core of his comedy, the thing that 00:02:01.200 --> 00:02:03.840 makes his perspective unique, is that bicultural 00:02:03.840 --> 00:02:06.340 background. The heritage. Exactly. The sources 00:02:06.340 --> 00:02:09.340 all point to this. His mother is Korean and his 00:02:09.340 --> 00:02:11.860 father is Irish. Which is... Pretty foundational 00:02:11.860 --> 00:02:14.539 for his act. Profoundly important. It gives him 00:02:14.539 --> 00:02:16.719 this immediate way to talk about stereotypes, 00:02:17.060 --> 00:02:20.560 race, you know, all that stuff from a place that's 00:02:20.560 --> 00:02:23.360 both inside and outside at the same time. He 00:02:23.360 --> 00:02:25.259 has a younger brother too, William. He does. 00:02:25.379 --> 00:02:28.919 But it's really that specific Korean -Irish mix 00:02:28.919 --> 00:02:31.759 that fueled so much of his observational stuff. 00:02:32.080 --> 00:02:34.860 Taking these two, you know, distinct cultural 00:02:34.860 --> 00:02:37.719 histories, often loaded with stereotypes. And 00:02:37.719 --> 00:02:40.800 merging them. into one, like, American story. 00:02:41.039 --> 00:02:43.000 Yeah, a relatable one. And before he even hit 00:02:43.000 --> 00:02:45.000 the stage, he did the college thing, Kent State 00:02:45.000 --> 00:02:47.860 University in Ohio. Right. I find that interesting. 00:02:48.039 --> 00:02:51.199 It suggests maybe a certain discipline, a structured 00:02:51.199 --> 00:02:54.099 approach that seems almost opposite to the chaos 00:02:54.099 --> 00:02:56.479 of starting out in comedy in New York City. It 00:02:56.479 --> 00:02:58.639 does suggest a methodical side, doesn't it? Yeah. 00:02:58.699 --> 00:03:00.840 And maybe he needed that structure because, yeah, 00:03:00.879 --> 00:03:02.960 jumping into the NYC comedy scene back then. 00:03:03.039 --> 00:03:05.139 Pure chaos. So how did he get his first taste? 00:03:05.460 --> 00:03:08.110 He was working at Caroline's Comedy Club. In 00:03:08.110 --> 00:03:13.229 New York. Ah, Caroline's legend. Right. So he's 00:03:13.229 --> 00:03:15.509 not just working. He's absorbing everything. 00:03:16.030 --> 00:03:18.969 Watching the pros, the newcomers, night after 00:03:18.969 --> 00:03:20.870 night. It's like an apprenticeship by immersion. 00:03:21.150 --> 00:03:23.569 And we know the exact date he started performing. 00:03:23.689 --> 00:03:27.449 We do. September 30, 1997. Stand -up New York. 00:03:27.770 --> 00:03:29.870 That's when the clock started ticking on his 00:03:29.870 --> 00:03:32.789 stage career. Okay. And this is where that discipline 00:03:32.789 --> 00:03:37.469 maybe meets just sheer hard work. We have to 00:03:37.469 --> 00:03:40.689 talk about the 13 or bust challenge, 2003. Oh, 00:03:40.689 --> 00:03:42.469 yeah. This wasn't just doing a bunch of sets. 00:03:42.930 --> 00:03:45.789 It felt like a stunt, like a self -made marketing 00:03:45.789 --> 00:03:48.490 campaign. It absolutely was. And it was crucial. 00:03:48.610 --> 00:03:51.289 It helped him stand out from, I mean, the huge 00:03:51.289 --> 00:03:53.090 number of comics trying to make it in New York 00:03:53.090 --> 00:03:54.810 then. So the challenge became a documentary, 00:03:55.229 --> 00:03:58.650 13 or bust. Yep. And he broke the record. Most 00:03:58.650 --> 00:04:02.199 sets by a comedian in one night. 13 shows. 13 00:04:02.199 --> 00:04:05.639 across Manhattan. Every single viable comedy 00:04:05.639 --> 00:04:07.520 club in Manhattan. Just think about the logistics 00:04:07.520 --> 00:04:09.439 for a second. It's insane. It's not just performing 00:04:09.439 --> 00:04:12.400 13 times. It's getting across town, dealing with 00:04:12.400 --> 00:04:14.759 traffic, maybe rush hour. Different crowds every 00:04:14.759 --> 00:04:17.860 time. Totally different crowds. Drunk, sober, 00:04:18.199 --> 00:04:22.620 tourists, industry people. 13 different sound 00:04:22.620 --> 00:04:25.500 checks maybe. Adapting your material on the fly. 00:04:25.639 --> 00:04:28.339 All running on, what, adrenaline and... Probably 00:04:28.339 --> 00:04:31.279 terrible coffee. So what's the point? Beyond 00:04:31.279 --> 00:04:34.160 just, you know, saying you did it, it sounds 00:04:34.160 --> 00:04:36.540 exhausting. Well, it serves a few purposes strategically. 00:04:36.899 --> 00:04:39.079 First, it's like proof to bookers. Look, I'm 00:04:39.079 --> 00:04:41.139 relentless. I show up. I can handle any room. 00:04:41.240 --> 00:04:44.019 Okay. Reliability. And second. it creates this 00:04:44.019 --> 00:04:46.240 instant story for a documentary. Yeah. Gives 00:04:46.240 --> 00:04:48.439 them a product, something tangible. It screams 00:04:48.439 --> 00:04:50.680 dedication, right? Willingness to do the absolute 00:04:50.680 --> 00:04:53.160 most. Punishing links, yeah. That kind of stunt, 00:04:53.339 --> 00:04:55.360 it's how you go from being just another local 00:04:55.360 --> 00:04:57.740 comic to someone people naturally start talking 00:04:57.740 --> 00:05:00.399 about. And it worked because that buzz translated 00:05:00.399 --> 00:05:03.439 pretty quickly into like real cable TV milestones. 00:05:04.079 --> 00:05:07.040 Comedy Central took notice. Immediately. In 2006, 00:05:07.279 --> 00:05:09.240 he gets the Comedy Central Presents half hour 00:05:09.240 --> 00:05:11.879 special. That's a huge deal for a comic back 00:05:11.879 --> 00:05:14.220 then. And it did well, right? Fans voted it, 00:05:14.279 --> 00:05:17.220 what, 17th most popular in some showdown? Yeah, 00:05:17.259 --> 00:05:20.920 so it connected. And 2006 was a big year. Besides 00:05:20.920 --> 00:05:23.759 the special, he also did a show for Comedy Central 00:05:23.759 --> 00:05:27.040 and the Troops out of Fort Irwin. Ah, okay. So 00:05:27.040 --> 00:05:29.579 showing versatility early on. Exactly. Two tracks, 00:05:29.779 --> 00:05:33.199 connects with the audience, and the network trusts 00:05:33.199 --> 00:05:35.569 him enough. To send him out to represent them. 00:05:35.649 --> 00:05:37.730 He wasn't just hot. He was becoming reliable. 00:05:38.110 --> 00:05:40.069 And the specials kept coming after that. Yeah. 00:05:40.209 --> 00:05:41.870 Confirming he was a headliner. You got the one 00:05:41.870 --> 00:05:44.189 hour special, Steve Burns happy hour. That was 00:05:44.189 --> 00:05:47.269 2008. Then the burn identity in 2010. And then 00:05:47.269 --> 00:05:49.769 crucially, he adapted as the market changed. 00:05:50.149 --> 00:05:53.949 His third hour champion that went to Netflix 00:05:53.949 --> 00:05:56.920 in 2014. Right. That seems like a really smart 00:05:56.920 --> 00:05:59.579 move. Reading the room, basically. Why stick 00:05:59.579 --> 00:06:01.439 with cable if everyone's moving to streaming? 00:06:01.600 --> 00:06:03.839 Exactly. Making that jump from Comedy Central, 00:06:04.060 --> 00:06:06.040 which was like the traditional home for stand 00:06:06.040 --> 00:06:09.240 -up, to Netflix in 2014. That was a major strategic 00:06:09.240 --> 00:06:11.439 play. Because Netflix was blowing up for comedy 00:06:11.439 --> 00:06:13.420 specials then. Totally. It was becoming the platform. 00:06:13.639 --> 00:06:16.379 Global reach. Often better production. It showed 00:06:16.379 --> 00:06:18.259 he wasn't stuck in the old ways. He was putting 00:06:18.259 --> 00:06:20.540 himself where the eyeballs were shifting. And 00:06:20.540 --> 00:06:24.980 that wider streaming audience. That probably 00:06:24.980 --> 00:06:27.519 helped lay the groundwork for his later stuff, 00:06:27.620 --> 00:06:29.920 right? Directing and all that. Absolutely. It 00:06:29.920 --> 00:06:31.779 kept him relevant on the platform that was defining 00:06:31.779 --> 00:06:34.199 careers in the mid -2010s and beyond. Okay, so 00:06:34.199 --> 00:06:36.360 we've got the delivery system, the specials, 00:06:36.360 --> 00:06:38.860 the platforms. Let's talk about the actual comedy, 00:06:39.019 --> 00:06:41.100 his style. It seems pretty versatile, but how 00:06:41.100 --> 00:06:43.379 does he cover so much ground and still sound 00:06:43.379 --> 00:06:46.160 like, well, Steve Byrne? That's the key, isn't 00:06:46.160 --> 00:06:49.120 it? The sources label his stuff as observational 00:06:49.120 --> 00:06:52.310 character comedy and also black comedy. OK, let's 00:06:52.310 --> 00:06:55.189 pause on black comedy because that term, especially 00:06:55.189 --> 00:06:57.050 given his background, we need to be specific 00:06:57.050 --> 00:06:59.209 about what that means here. Right. Critical distinction. 00:06:59.269 --> 00:07:01.870 When we say black comedy here, it's not about 00:07:01.870 --> 00:07:04.569 race in the performer sense. It's the genre definition. 00:07:05.050 --> 00:07:09.310 Finding humor in difficult, disturbing, morbid 00:07:09.310 --> 00:07:11.569 subjects. Like death, war. Or in Byrne's case, 00:07:11.670 --> 00:07:13.730 things like racism, prejudice, social tension. 00:07:14.069 --> 00:07:16.389 He's good at it because he uses that unique Korean 00:07:16.389 --> 00:07:18.930 -Irish lens to kind of dissect these really sensitive 00:07:18.930 --> 00:07:22.829 topics. Gotcha. So observational is the stuff 00:07:22.829 --> 00:07:26.769 rooted in his life family relationships the usual 00:07:26.769 --> 00:07:30.269 suspects but through his specific filter. Character 00:07:30.269 --> 00:07:32.829 comedy lets him play with personas maybe comment 00:07:32.829 --> 00:07:36.149 on pop culture stereotypes. But the black comedy 00:07:36.149 --> 00:07:38.709 part that's where maybe the heavier more thoughtful 00:07:38.709 --> 00:07:41.800 stuff comes in. Precisely. His range of subjects 00:07:41.800 --> 00:07:44.860 is huge, but it always seems to come back to 00:07:44.860 --> 00:07:47.399 insights drawn from his specific background. 00:07:47.600 --> 00:07:50.199 Yeah. Korean American culture, Irish American 00:07:50.199 --> 00:07:54.060 culture. He uses that intersection to talk about 00:07:54.060 --> 00:07:56.300 race more broadly. It lets him tackle stereotypes 00:07:56.300 --> 00:07:58.620 without maybe being preachy. Yeah. Often with 00:07:58.620 --> 00:08:00.560 self -deprecation because it's his experience. 00:08:00.660 --> 00:08:02.500 Right. So when he talks about relationships or 00:08:02.500 --> 00:08:04.839 sex or whatever, it feels authentic. It's filtered 00:08:04.839 --> 00:08:07.639 through this experience of juggling two big cultural 00:08:07.639 --> 00:08:10.220 identities in America today. And that makes the 00:08:10.220 --> 00:08:13.139 really specific stuff feel universal somehow. 00:08:13.319 --> 00:08:15.199 Yeah. Because everyone deals with identity navigation. 00:08:15.339 --> 00:08:17.379 Exactly. That tension is relatable. And this 00:08:17.379 --> 00:08:19.959 successful comedy formula fueled a lot of touring. 00:08:20.139 --> 00:08:22.139 We should definitely. I like the USO tours. That 00:08:22.139 --> 00:08:24.259 feels like a different level of commitment. It 00:08:24.259 --> 00:08:26.600 really does. It's not just another gig. He went 00:08:26.600 --> 00:08:29.500 to Afghanistan in June 2008 and then again in 00:08:29.500 --> 00:08:34.000 2010. Wow, twice. And Japan and Guam in July 00:08:34.000 --> 00:08:37.639 2009. That's a serious undertaking, logistically 00:08:37.639 --> 00:08:40.620 and emotionally, I imagine. It shows a consistent 00:08:40.620 --> 00:08:43.320 commitment beyond just, you know, career moves. 00:08:43.620 --> 00:08:45.659 Yeah, it feels like a sign of maturity, maybe, 00:08:45.799 --> 00:08:48.710 character. I think so. Performing for troops, 00:08:48.909 --> 00:08:51.269 especially in tough spots, needs a certain kind 00:08:51.269 --> 00:08:53.789 of material. It has to be pretty clean, universal, 00:08:53.929 --> 00:08:56.110 uplifting. You can't just do your edgy club set. 00:08:56.250 --> 00:08:58.809 Forces you to connect differently. Right. Sharpens 00:08:58.809 --> 00:09:01.950 your tools. Meanwhile, back home, he was chasing 00:09:01.950 --> 00:09:05.049 the big commercial tours, too. Summer 2011, he's 00:09:05.049 --> 00:09:07.190 on the New Majority Tour. With some huge names. 00:09:07.549 --> 00:09:10.370 Massive names. Lisa Lampanelli, Gabriel Iglesias, 00:09:10.429 --> 00:09:12.250 Russell Peters. That puts him right in the arena 00:09:12.250 --> 00:09:14.879 circuit. Big time. OK, let's talk strategy again. 00:09:14.940 --> 00:09:17.240 These tours weren't always just about stand up, 00:09:17.259 --> 00:09:19.440 were they? Sometimes they were promotional. Definitely. 00:09:19.600 --> 00:09:22.179 Integration into the Hollywood machine. Like 00:09:22.179 --> 00:09:25.000 early 2011, he tours with Vince Vaughn and Kevin 00:09:25.000 --> 00:09:27.639 James. Right. The Comedy Roadshow. Yeah. And 00:09:27.639 --> 00:09:29.779 it was explicitly to promote their movie, The 00:09:29.779 --> 00:09:32.500 Dilemma. So you see this blending. The purity 00:09:32.500 --> 00:09:35.240 of the road comic meets the transactional nature 00:09:35.240 --> 00:09:37.460 of Hollywood promotion. That's a huge leverage 00:09:37.460 --> 00:09:40.139 point, right? Being on a tour promoted by a movie 00:09:40.139 --> 00:09:43.169 star? Oh, yeah. An endorsement opens doors. It 00:09:43.169 --> 00:09:45.789 signals he's not just a funny comic. He's marketable, 00:09:45.809 --> 00:09:49.230 reliable, someone producers notice. So he's maintaining 00:09:49.230 --> 00:09:51.090 the stand -up cred while getting on the radar 00:09:51.090 --> 00:09:53.570 of the big players. Exactly. And he was collaborating 00:09:53.570 --> 00:09:56.370 with peers, too. Toured with the Kims of Comedy, 00:09:56.570 --> 00:10:00.129 Bobby Lee, Ken Jeong, supporting Asian -American 00:10:00.129 --> 00:10:02.950 talent. And later he toured with his Sullivan 00:10:02.950 --> 00:10:06.110 & Son co -stars, Owen Benjamin, Ahmed Ahmed, 00:10:06.250 --> 00:10:09.399 Roy Wood Jr. Using the show's success to fuel 00:10:09.399 --> 00:10:12.980 more live gigs in 2015. Smart synergy. But the 00:10:12.980 --> 00:10:15.480 thing that really blows my mind flexibility -wise 00:10:15.480 --> 00:10:18.120 is who he opened for musically. Oh, the list 00:10:18.120 --> 00:10:20.759 is wild. It's stunning. Like, there's no obvious 00:10:20.759 --> 00:10:22.779 connection between these acts. He opened for 00:10:22.779 --> 00:10:25.600 Kanye West. Right. And Mariah Carey on her Charm 00:10:25.600 --> 00:10:28.200 Racelet tour. Okay, huge pop acts. Then, completely 00:10:28.200 --> 00:10:31.059 different vibe. Modest Mouse, Puddle of Mud, 00:10:31.340 --> 00:10:35.259 Spoon, Reverend Horton Heat, Kings of Leon. It's 00:10:35.259 --> 00:10:38.070 incredible. What a professional flex, like you 00:10:38.070 --> 00:10:39.850 said. Think about the challenge there. Totally 00:10:39.850 --> 00:10:42.409 different crowds. Completely. Opening for Kanye, 00:10:42.629 --> 00:10:46.149 high energy audience, expecting pop culture savvy, 00:10:46.389 --> 00:10:49.850 maybe some swagger, loud, excited, probably pretty 00:10:49.850 --> 00:10:52.100 affluent. Okay. Now put them in front of Modest 00:10:52.100 --> 00:10:54.120 Mouse fans. Totally different world. Younger 00:10:54.120 --> 00:10:57.679 maybe, more cynical, way more into irony, indie 00:10:57.679 --> 00:11:01.259 cred, probably way less patient with broad mainstream 00:11:01.259 --> 00:11:04.460 jokes. You absolutely cannot do the same five 00:11:04.460 --> 00:11:06.019 minutes for both. How do you even adapt that 00:11:06.019 --> 00:11:09.159 quickly? It demands this like mastery of observational 00:11:09.159 --> 00:11:11.460 stuff that's fundamentally relatable but still 00:11:11.460 --> 00:11:14.440 sharp. For the pop acts, maybe go bigger, more 00:11:14.440 --> 00:11:17.659 universal topics, relationships, travel. Okay. 00:11:17.700 --> 00:11:20.139 For the indie crowds like Modest Mouse or Spoon. 00:11:20.759 --> 00:11:23.240 You probably lean into the slightly subversive 00:11:23.240 --> 00:11:26.240 stuff, the black comedy elements, cultural commentary 00:11:26.240 --> 00:11:28.659 with an ironic edge, maybe self -deprecating. 00:11:28.659 --> 00:11:31.279 That kind of clicks with their outside the mainstream 00:11:31.279 --> 00:11:33.299 vibe. So the fact he could pull this off with 00:11:33.299 --> 00:11:35.759 such different artists. It proves his core skill, 00:11:35.960 --> 00:11:39.559 connecting with any crowd. That's his most valuable 00:11:39.559 --> 00:11:42.860 asset, really. Universal appeal wrapped in a 00:11:42.860 --> 00:11:45.779 very specific personal package. Okay, so Burns 00:11:45.779 --> 00:11:48.600 established himself. One of the most reliable, 00:11:48.779 --> 00:11:51.220 versatile touring comics out there. The Logical 00:11:51.220 --> 00:11:54.080 Next Step leveraged that road cred into, well, 00:11:54.100 --> 00:11:58.240 Hollywood proper structured success. And he started 00:11:58.240 --> 00:12:01.759 with film roles. Small parts, maybe, but instantly 00:12:01.759 --> 00:12:04.059 working within that established A -list comedy 00:12:04.059 --> 00:12:06.080 network. Yeah, he jumped right in with people 00:12:06.080 --> 00:12:07.759 who could actually make things happen. He was 00:12:07.759 --> 00:12:10.299 in The Goods, Live Hard, Sell Hard. That starred 00:12:10.299 --> 00:12:13.799 Jeremy Piven. And produced by Will Ferrell. Huge. 00:12:13.799 --> 00:12:16.120 That puts him right on the radar of the big comedy 00:12:16.120 --> 00:12:18.559 production houses. Then quickly after, more big 00:12:18.559 --> 00:12:21.159 movies. Four Christmases. That was Vince Vaughn 00:12:21.159 --> 00:12:23.220 and Reese Witherspoon. Right. And Couples Retreat, 00:12:23.220 --> 00:12:25.820 again with Vince Vaughn and Jon Favreau. That 00:12:25.820 --> 00:12:27.500 Vince Vaughn connection seems really important 00:12:27.500 --> 00:12:29.879 here. Definitely. Vaughn's known for having a 00:12:29.879 --> 00:12:32.500 tight circle, right? Was the strategy just be 00:12:32.500 --> 00:12:34.899 reliable, be available in that circle? I think 00:12:34.899 --> 00:12:37.940 absolutely. Vaughn was super influential in comedy 00:12:37.940 --> 00:12:41.000 around that time, late 2000s, touring with him, 00:12:41.059 --> 00:12:43.779 being in his movies that builds trust, rapport. 00:12:44.179 --> 00:12:47.240 It's more than just acting gigs. It's high -level 00:12:47.240 --> 00:12:50.539 networking. Exactly. These roles cemented him 00:12:50.539 --> 00:12:53.019 as someone who could handle scripted stuff, hold 00:12:53.019 --> 00:12:55.379 his own with movie stars. It wasn't just stand 00:12:55.379 --> 00:12:58.220 -up anymore. And that exposure, that trust, that 00:12:58.220 --> 00:13:01.000 was basically the runway for his biggest move 00:13:01.000 --> 00:13:03.779 yet, Sullivan and Son. Yeah, the defining transition 00:13:03.779 --> 00:13:07.100 moment. He goes from comic and actor to essentially 00:13:07.100 --> 00:13:10.019 a creative executive. Because he created, wrote, 00:13:10.080 --> 00:13:12.500 and starred in it for TBS. Right, working with 00:13:12.500 --> 00:13:14.919 Rob Long, a veteran producer. From Cheers, right. 00:13:15.120 --> 00:13:17.179 Yeah, and that partnership tells you a lot. It 00:13:17.179 --> 00:13:19.840 was super strategic. Byrne brings the unique 00:13:19.840 --> 00:13:22.720 concept, the Korean mom, Irish dad, taking over 00:13:22.720 --> 00:13:25.340 the family bar in Pittsburgh. His specific voice. 00:13:25.559 --> 00:13:27.720 And Long brings the sitcom mechanics. Exactly. 00:13:27.720 --> 00:13:29.559 The structure, the know -how to actually run 00:13:29.559 --> 00:13:32.360 a multicam show week after week burns the vision. 00:13:32.559 --> 00:13:35.080 Long's the experienced hand on the wheel. You 00:13:35.080 --> 00:13:37.220 need both for a network sitcom. And it worked. 00:13:37.320 --> 00:13:40.240 It leaned into a familiar format but felt fresh. 00:13:40.700 --> 00:13:43.879 Premiered summer 2012. Ran three seasons. Finished 00:13:43.879 --> 00:13:46.700 up after the summer 2014 run. Let's talk numbers. 00:13:47.080 --> 00:13:49.879 Averaging 2 .4 million viewers an episode on 00:13:49.879 --> 00:13:53.179 TBS back then. What does that really mean? Strategically. 00:13:53.600 --> 00:13:57.059 That's a huge win for cable in 2012, 2013. Broadcast 00:13:57.059 --> 00:13:59.759 ratings were already sliding. Cable nets like 00:13:59.759 --> 00:14:02.279 TVS needed stable, maybe slightly traditional 00:14:02.279 --> 00:14:04.379 comedies to anchor their nights. And Sullivan 00:14:04.379 --> 00:14:07.500 & Son fit the bill. Perfectly. It had that comfy, 00:14:07.620 --> 00:14:10.220 multicam feel viewers recognize, like Cheers 00:14:10.220 --> 00:14:13.220 or Seinfeld, but infused with Burns' specific, 00:14:13.340 --> 00:14:16.899 modern, biracial humor, familiar and fresh. And 00:14:16.899 --> 00:14:19.100 its success proved he could do more than just 00:14:19.100 --> 00:14:21.509 a stand -up hour. Right. It proved he could translate 00:14:21.509 --> 00:14:23.409 his voice into that collaborative, structured 00:14:23.409 --> 00:14:26.149 22 -minute format, which is a totally different 00:14:26.149 --> 00:14:28.549 and arguably much harder skill set. And while 00:14:28.549 --> 00:14:30.190 he was running the show, he was still everywhere 00:14:30.190 --> 00:14:33.289 on TV, right? Maintaining visibility. Like the 00:14:33.289 --> 00:14:36.090 Tonight Show appearances. Ten times. Remarkable, 00:14:36.090 --> 00:14:39.029 isn't it? Ten times on the biggest late -night 00:14:39.029 --> 00:14:42.370 show. That signals incredible trust and reliability. 00:14:43.009 --> 00:14:45.730 You know he's going to deliver a solid set every 00:14:45.730 --> 00:14:48.500 time. fitting that broadcast structure. So even 00:14:48.500 --> 00:14:50.320 as a showrunner, people didn't forget he was 00:14:50.320 --> 00:14:53.080 a top touring comic. Exactly. Kept that primary 00:14:53.080 --> 00:14:55.639 identity strong. And his other TV appearances 00:14:55.639 --> 00:14:58.679 were just all over the map, which seems smart. 00:14:58.860 --> 00:15:01.039 Totally. Targeting different audiences. You see 00:15:01.039 --> 00:15:04.220 him on like the iconic Chappelle show. Then the 00:15:04.220 --> 00:15:06.340 more intellectual panel on Tough Crowd with Colin 00:15:06.340 --> 00:15:08.059 Quinn. Then later the game show at midnight. 00:15:08.320 --> 00:15:10.870 Yeah. It's a saturation strategy. Yeah. Being 00:15:10.870 --> 00:15:13.029 on tough crowd shows, he can handle sharp, witty 00:15:13.029 --> 00:15:15.830 debate. Being on B .T. Tai's Comic View or Mad 00:15:15.830 --> 00:15:18.570 TV hits diverse comedy fans. History of the Joke 00:15:18.570 --> 00:15:20.429 on the History Channel shows he knows the craft's 00:15:20.429 --> 00:15:23.129 background. And he was trying new things, too. 00:15:23.250 --> 00:15:26.169 Shot a pilot for G4, Drunken Businessman, based 00:15:26.169 --> 00:15:28.809 on a Japanese game show, won that Myspace stand 00:15:28.809 --> 00:15:32.250 -up contest on TBS. Ah, Myspace. Right. It shows 00:15:32.250 --> 00:15:33.649 he was putting himself out there everywhere. 00:15:33.750 --> 00:15:35.649 People were watching broadcasts, cable, early 00:15:35.649 --> 00:15:39.039 online stuff. Platform diversification 101. Okay, 00:15:39.100 --> 00:15:41.679 so he's kind of maxed out his potential as a 00:15:41.679 --> 00:15:45.000 performer, writer within that sitcom world. The 00:15:45.000 --> 00:15:48.120 final pivot, maybe the most ambitious, getting 00:15:48.120 --> 00:15:50.700 behind the camera, directing. We carry the whole 00:15:50.700 --> 00:15:52.860 vision, yeah. His first big directing project 00:15:52.860 --> 00:15:56.460 was that documentary Always Amazing in early 00:15:56.460 --> 00:15:59.840 2018. And that's a huge shift, directing a doc, 00:16:00.019 --> 00:16:01.980 especially about another performer, the amazing 00:16:01.980 --> 00:16:04.450 Jonathan. The Magician Comedian. The biggest 00:16:04.450 --> 00:16:08.309 legend, right. It shows a real interest in narrative 00:16:08.309 --> 00:16:11.210 structure beyond his own life. He had to craft 00:16:11.210 --> 00:16:14.309 a story around someone else's complex kind of 00:16:14.309 --> 00:16:17.470 wildlife. He goes from being the subject to the 00:16:17.470 --> 00:16:19.990 interpreter. A doc seems like a smart first step 00:16:19.990 --> 00:16:22.350 into directing film. Maybe more manageable budget 00:16:22.350 --> 00:16:26.110 -wise, more intimate. But the big question, did 00:16:26.110 --> 00:16:28.389 it work? Did it get noticed outside the comedy 00:16:28.389 --> 00:16:31.129 bubble? It absolutely did. Which really validated 00:16:31.129 --> 00:16:33.289 that pivot. It wasn't just a little side project. 00:16:33.490 --> 00:16:35.870 It got critical recognition on the festival circuit. 00:16:36.009 --> 00:16:38.389 Oh, really? Like what? It won Best Documentary 00:16:38.389 --> 00:16:40.570 Film at the Sydney Liftoff Festival. Got a special 00:16:40.570 --> 00:16:42.850 mention at the L .A. Liftoff Festival. Screened 00:16:42.850 --> 00:16:44.909 at places like Vancouver just for Lax Film Fest. 00:16:45.129 --> 00:16:48.330 All Things Comedy Fest. Okay, so legit festivals. 00:16:48.649 --> 00:16:51.269 Yeah. That kind of recognition is key. It tells 00:16:51.269 --> 00:16:54.509 the industry, hey, his skills translate. He gets 00:16:54.509 --> 00:16:58.200 pacing. visuals, emotional arcs. It proves he 00:16:58.200 --> 00:17:00.259 can connect with critics and audiences, not just 00:17:00.259 --> 00:17:02.279 stand -up crowds. And then he released it for 00:17:02.279 --> 00:17:05.299 free on YouTube in 2019. Smart move. Maximum 00:17:05.299 --> 00:17:07.619 eyeballs. Gets his directing credit out there 00:17:07.619 --> 00:17:10.160 widely. So building on that success, he moves 00:17:10.160 --> 00:17:12.640 to a narrative feature film, The Opening Act. 00:17:12.859 --> 00:17:14.980 And what's interesting here is he goes back to 00:17:14.980 --> 00:17:17.579 his roots for the story. Right, but applying 00:17:17.579 --> 00:17:20.019 these new skills. He wrote the script while he 00:17:20.019 --> 00:17:22.960 was still touring heavily, 2017 -2018. Yeah, 00:17:23.000 --> 00:17:25.619 translating those raw, early stand -up experiences, 00:17:25.759 --> 00:17:28.099 the stuff we talked about earlier, into a proper 00:17:28.099 --> 00:17:31.519 three -act movie structure. It's semi -autobiographical 00:17:31.519 --> 00:17:33.700 about those first struggles. Released October 00:17:33.700 --> 00:17:37.099 16, 2020. And he didn't just write it. He did 00:17:37.099 --> 00:17:39.259 the whole multi -hyphenate thing again. Writer, 00:17:39.299 --> 00:17:42.019 director. Was he acting in it too? Yep. Writer, 00:17:42.019 --> 00:17:44.420 director, actor, full creative control. Okay. 00:17:44.460 --> 00:17:46.359 What's the challenge there? Directing a film 00:17:46.359 --> 00:17:48.440 based on your own life. And what is that signal 00:17:48.440 --> 00:17:50.900 about where he was creatively? I think the challenge 00:17:50.900 --> 00:17:53.880 is detachment, right? When it's that personal, 00:17:54.059 --> 00:17:56.680 you might be too precious with it. Directing 00:17:56.680 --> 00:17:58.980 yourself means you have to step back, look at 00:17:58.980 --> 00:18:01.579 your own story, your performance. Objectively. 00:18:01.900 --> 00:18:04.559 Make sure the film language serves the story, 00:18:04.680 --> 00:18:06.920 not just your memory. And what it signals. I 00:18:06.920 --> 00:18:08.779 think it signals a real desire for autonomy. 00:18:09.319 --> 00:18:11.819 After doing a network sitcom like Sullivan and 00:18:11.819 --> 00:18:14.440 Son, with all the collaboration, the notes, the 00:18:14.440 --> 00:18:17.539 compromises. Yeah, the realities of TV. Directing 00:18:17.539 --> 00:18:21.079 the opening act, let him completely control the 00:18:21.079 --> 00:18:24.660 tone, the pace, the final product. Yeah. It feels 00:18:24.660 --> 00:18:27.019 like the ultimate independent artistic statement. 00:18:27.349 --> 00:18:29.950 But even while he's deep in filmmaking, he still 00:18:29.950 --> 00:18:32.470 kept touring, right? Like opening for the Tenderloins, 00:18:32.509 --> 00:18:36.130 the Impractical Jokers guys in 2017. That's strategically 00:18:36.130 --> 00:18:37.849 brilliant. You can't just disappear into the 00:18:37.849 --> 00:18:39.630 editing room for years. You need to stay connected. 00:18:39.950 --> 00:18:42.049 The touring circuit is that constant feedback 00:18:42.049 --> 00:18:44.609 loop. It's where you test ideas, sharpen timing. 00:18:45.089 --> 00:18:47.410 And honestly, it probably helps pay the bills 00:18:47.410 --> 00:18:49.529 for independent projects like the opening act. 00:18:49.569 --> 00:18:51.910 Being able to switch from directing a scene in 00:18:51.910 --> 00:18:55.210 a dark room to telling jokes in a huge arena. 00:18:55.849 --> 00:18:59.009 It just shows mastery of both worlds, the structured 00:18:59.009 --> 00:19:02.190 film world and the immediate high energy live 00:19:02.190 --> 00:19:05.529 world. The Rhodes, his like creative gym keeps 00:19:05.529 --> 00:19:07.410 him sharp. Let's just quickly touch on the personal 00:19:07.410 --> 00:19:09.390 side, because balancing all this professional 00:19:09.390 --> 00:19:13.130 intensity, you need some stability, right? The 00:19:13.130 --> 00:19:16.329 sources say. He's married, has two kids. Yeah. 00:19:16.410 --> 00:19:18.890 And that family anchor feels pretty crucial context 00:19:18.890 --> 00:19:20.930 for some of these moves. Like the move to California 00:19:20.930 --> 00:19:23.890 initially in 2016. Right. That was obviously 00:19:23.890 --> 00:19:26.809 partly a career move closer to the action. But 00:19:26.809 --> 00:19:28.890 the sources hint that being closer to family 00:19:28.890 --> 00:19:31.690 was a big motivator to balancing Hollywood demands 00:19:31.690 --> 00:19:34.250 with family life. And then a really interesting 00:19:34.250 --> 00:19:37.970 shift in 2020. He moves the family again from 00:19:37.970 --> 00:19:40.769 L .A. all the way to Nashville. Which is not 00:19:40.769 --> 00:19:43.109 the traditional path for someone. established 00:19:43.109 --> 00:19:45.910 in Hollywood. No. It feels like a strategic step 00:19:45.910 --> 00:19:48.029 away from the center. It's a very modern choice 00:19:48.029 --> 00:19:49.890 though, isn't it? Yeah. Especially post -2020. 00:19:50.430 --> 00:19:52.509 Nashville's become this hub for creatives. You 00:19:52.509 --> 00:19:55.109 get good flight access for touring, maybe better 00:19:55.109 --> 00:19:57.849 quality of life, less of that daily LA pressure 00:19:57.849 --> 00:20:01.130 cooker. So for a director, writer, whose projects 00:20:01.130 --> 00:20:04.650 might be indie financed or streamed, you don't 00:20:04.650 --> 00:20:06.490 need to be in LA every day. Not necessarily. 00:20:06.809 --> 00:20:08.890 Being in Nashville could offer more creative 00:20:08.890 --> 00:20:11.150 breathing room. It might signal he's focusing 00:20:11.150 --> 00:20:14.420 more on writing. touring maybe directing or producing 00:20:14.420 --> 00:20:17.640 remotely using tech instead of chasing that traditional 00:20:17.640 --> 00:20:20.640 network development cycle in la exactly it feels 00:20:20.640 --> 00:20:22.900 like the move of someone established thinking 00:20:22.900 --> 00:20:25.220 about long -term sustainability and maybe lifestyle 00:20:25.220 --> 00:20:29.380 rather than constant industry proximity hashtag 00:20:29.380 --> 00:20:32.160 tag outro so when you wrap it all up what does 00:20:32.160 --> 00:20:35.160 this whole journey tell us about building a career 00:20:35.160 --> 00:20:37.799 staying relevant in entertainment today we started 00:20:37.799 --> 00:20:40.859 with that raw physical proof the 13 or bus thing 00:20:40.859 --> 00:20:43.900 proving stage mastery the foundation that led 00:20:43.900 --> 00:20:46.319 to the disciplined structured success of sullivan 00:20:46.319 --> 00:20:49.140 and son a real cable hit three seasons proving 00:20:49.140 --> 00:20:50.799 he could work within the system and then the 00:20:50.799 --> 00:20:54.259 final pivot to directing always amazing the opening 00:20:54.259 --> 00:20:57.619 act taking full control creative autonomy Steve 00:20:57.619 --> 00:21:00.279 Byrne's career, it's not just a list of jobs. 00:21:00.460 --> 00:21:03.759 It feels like an instruction manual. How a comic 00:21:03.759 --> 00:21:06.660 can take a really unique voice, that Korean -Irish 00:21:06.660 --> 00:21:08.920 background, and apply it successfully across 00:21:08.920 --> 00:21:11.960 incredibly different demanding fields. Yeah, 00:21:11.980 --> 00:21:14.440 what really stands out is how he used the specifics 00:21:14.440 --> 00:21:16.859 of his background, the tension in it, to create 00:21:16.859 --> 00:21:19.680 something universally relatable. That creative 00:21:19.680 --> 00:21:22.819 core stayed solid no matter the medium. Whether 00:21:22.819 --> 00:21:24.980 it was stand -up or directing a film. Right. 00:21:25.240 --> 00:21:28.069 The goal seemed consistent. Tells stories about 00:21:28.069 --> 00:21:31.069 identity, culture, making the deeply personal 00:21:31.069 --> 00:21:33.630 connect widely. He understood that his specific 00:21:33.630 --> 00:21:36.789 story was his strength. Great points. Okay, so 00:21:36.789 --> 00:21:38.170 we'll leave you, the listener, with something 00:21:38.170 --> 00:21:40.569 to chew on. I think about creative sustainability. 00:21:40.750 --> 00:21:43.750 When you see a career like this, constant reinvention, 00:21:43.829 --> 00:21:46.660 stand -up to showrunner to director. It makes 00:21:46.660 --> 00:21:48.460 you wonder about creative energy, doesn't it? 00:21:48.680 --> 00:21:51.460 What's ultimately more demanding? Is it the pressure 00:21:51.460 --> 00:21:54.279 on a top comedian to constantly generate brand 00:21:54.279 --> 00:21:57.099 new material year after year, a whole fresh hour 00:21:57.099 --> 00:21:59.480 for the stage? That's the relentless demand of 00:21:59.480 --> 00:22:02.720 standup. Which is intense. Or is the bigger challenge 00:22:02.720 --> 00:22:05.559 taking those ideas and successfully translating 00:22:05.559 --> 00:22:08.000 them into these structured, collaborative, long 00:22:08.000 --> 00:22:10.559 haul projects, show running, directing feature 00:22:10.559 --> 00:22:12.920 films, which requires totally different muscles, 00:22:13.079 --> 00:22:15.880 leadership, technical skills. Right. So that 00:22:15.880 --> 00:22:19.440 pivot, is it like an escape valve from the unique 00:22:19.440 --> 00:22:21.640 pressure cooker of stand -up? Or is it just swapping 00:22:21.640 --> 00:22:23.500 one kind of creative fire for another, maybe 00:22:23.500 --> 00:22:26.180 equally intense? Different? Something to think 00:22:26.180 --> 00:22:26.380 about?