TBTL WITH LUKE BURBANK

Mr. Bean Goes To The Next Caller

Nov 21, 2014, 12:42 PM | Updated: Nov 28, 2014, 8:53 am

During my nine months as a fugitive in 1993 I lived in San Diego. I couldn’t have contact with people I already knew so I started calling an LA based sports radio talk show nightly. I made a few jokes and got to know the hosts of Too Much Show, Steve Mason and Rick Schwartz. They gave me the studio line so I could call whenever I had a “bit.” I met them at a Padres game listener event and we hit it off. So much so that when one of them had to take a night off on late notice they called me in to cohost the show.

hockey fight

As a broadcast major and sports fan this should have been a dream come true. But given the circumstances it was actually sad. I was using a fake name and backstory, doing drugs at a life threatening level, and still robbing banks all over the southwest. When the show was over I decided to get clean and turn myself in. Nothing good and real in my life could happen until I did this. The decision wasn’t hard, but the process would be formidable.

Seven years later, in 2000, I had done my time and was still on probation when a friend called me from LA. He said that Kevin & Bean were auditioning for a new “sports correspondent.” Dave had somehow gotten word to them about me and they were interested in giving me one of the audition slots. I got in touch with the producer who asked me to fax the LA sports and media articles about my role on XTRA-AM from back in 1993. I did and got word that they would be calling me to do my thing the next morning.

I stayed up all night and wrote jokes about everything that happened in sports. I had at least six or seven minutes of material I thought showed that I had the chops to do comedy. They called right on time and we talked for 10-15 minutes, all about my criminal past. They could not have been a nicer pair of gentlemen, but we didn’t do any sports talk. There was no callback. Just my friend Dave telling me a couple weeks later that someone else was doing the job.

The lesson here is follow your dream. And if it doesn’t work out after a few days just disappear into the restaurant industry for the rest of your life.

My “government” is Mike Frizzell. Friend me on Facebook where I post pictures of my elaborate tattoos paid for with your child support money. Follow me @drewmcfrizz on Twitter. Check out Takedown Podcast’s Facebook page where Bill Cosby faces stunning new rap allegations.

TBTL with Luke Burbank

No Author

Some Soggy Pastrami

We love Andrew. And like the rest of our loved ones he drives us crazy sometimes.

9 years ago

No Author

A Few Dollarinis More

Queue up the Green Day backed montage of all the great times we had at KIRO.

9 years ago

No Author

Just One More Thing

New York Times columnist David Carr died on Thursday night. The guys did a great job eulogizing him and there's little praise I could add.

9 years ago

No Author

Papa Don’t Snitch

Luke's answer to the "Other People's Problems" segment Wednesday troubled me.

9 years ago

No Author

Harper “Buddy” Lee: You Can’t Bust Her!

I spent a blog "week off" mourning the Sea-Yuks loss but I was still listening to the show. There are so many issues it feels like time for my first USA Today/Larry King style post.

9 years ago

No Author

Touched “a” Verve… or “The” Verve?

On the morning of January 23rd, 2006 my phone rang while I was eating breakfast. I had a sore throat so my "hello" was weak and hoarse.

9 years ago

Mr. Bean Goes To The Next Caller