Transcript
Speaking Comedian with Courtney Cronin (Hour 3)
Nite Lite with Pete Schwaba and Greg Bach · Tue Nov 25, 2025
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ladies and gentlemen.
It is time for Act 3 on this Tuesday before Thanksgiving episode, version, whatever you want to call it, of Night Light.
I am Pete Schwabba and it is so...
I just love that you're here.
We're building up to Thanksgiving.
What is more fun than a major holiday right around the corner?
We have the anticipation sometimes of children.
If you're hurting this holiday season, though, I hate to hear that.
And please reach out to a loved one and try to find something to be grateful for if nothing else that there are people in your life who love you.
So I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving.
I will be off Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and back live on the air on Monday, again, with Mr. Aaron Sommers.
How are you, sir?
Dude, it is awesome having you.
And thank you for filling in for the K-man who is on vacation in Florida.
We've had a great show so far.
It's been a lot of fun talking to our pal Stuart J. Waddles, the Civic Media Newsman.
We talked about the Edmund Fitzgerald a little bit with Stuart.
And then my pal Lance Barber came on of Young Sheldon Fame and The Comeback.
And season three of The Comeback will be on shortly.
Check your local listings.
Actually, did he say one that's coming on?
I don't
know if I asked what he
did.
I don't remember if he did.
Yeah.
But I think it's worth a Google.
Great show.
Very funny show, and Lance can be seen in the Godfather of Green Bay, which we are screening next week in Madison.
I'll give you some more information on that.
How are we doing on the free tickets?
Do we, I know we had quite a few texts.
I hope they're, are they gone?
Give them that screen name, please, my friend.
name, I mean the keyword, if you will.
Yeah, if you got if any of you are listening and you can make it next week, Thursday to the screening of the Godfather in Green Bay, the Godfather of Green Bay, the screening is not in Green Bay.
The screening is in Madison at Atwood Music Hall, doors open at six, movie starts at seven.
You can hang out with Pete Schwabba or at least ask him some questions.
And the key word to text in on the Civic Media app for four tickets is actor, A-C-T-O-R.
actor for your chance to win four tickets to the screening next week.
Otherwise, they're not too expensive tickets.
If you don't win, you should still show up.
It's 10 bucks, I believe.
10 bucks and part of the proceeds go to the Dane County Humane Society.
So it's for a great cause.
John and Gordy will be there.
My civic media, older brothers, they're going to introduce me.
They're going to host a Q&A afterwards.
The music was by the Bo Deans.
This is a total Wisconsin movie.
We shot it in Northeast Wisconsin.
Years and years ago 20 years ago now a little over 20 years and the film came out and was in blockbuster and all the video stores We had a great run It's kind of a cult classic I would say that's what other people tell me it is so I can live with that but Lauren Holly Tony Goldman Lance Barbara Tom Lennon me Eric Price from Milwaukee Rob Martin from Milwaukee Steve seager Mike Siegel Jimmy part of great cast
And a really fun feel-good movie the perfect way to kick off the holidays and music by the Baudin's it should be a really fun evening in Madison next Thursday night So we've got people will give the tickets to if you want to text in the keyword is actor a Ct or as Zommer's just told you and It was really fun to talk to Lance Barbara Courtney Cronin doled will be coming up in about 10 minutes She's a very funny comedian and I was part of a staff with her a writing staff at sports soup on Comcast years ago.
We had a lot of fun
Working on that show together Matt Isman was the host Courtney's a very funny comic as well.
So that will be fun to catch up with Courtney and What am I missing Zomers?
Am I missing something?
I feel like I've got more information for the people I do next Tuesday folks is giving Tuesday.
Well, Civic Media believes this is a special impactful and essential day.
Our stations across the state will be highlighting and raising money for local organizations.
It's all about local folks and making a difference.
Listen to civic media throughout the day on December 2nd and learn how you can support your community that is next Tuesday We also have a text-to-win contest coming up here at civic media one of our really fun multi-state text-to-win Contests that starts Monday December 1st.
So we'll have all kinds of information Great prizes went up to $200 a day and some big they were calling them adult prizes And I didn't know what to make of that at the meeting summers.
It sounded like it was sort of an adult
Weird thing, but it's not they're just like prizes for big people, right?
Right.
Yeah, that's that's my understanding at least nothing weird The only thing is you have to have the civic media app to play so make sure you have that by Monday folks and we will be off to the races Our question of the night still got an hour of show left here before we take our little Thanksgiving break is what is your favorite Steve Martin movie planes trains and automobiles was released on this day in 1987 Tyler in the 608 says the dentist
In the movie, the little shop of horrors.
Bill Murray loved his gentle touch.
That is such a great movie.
Another one of the great Steve Martin roles you kind of forget about.
Rick Moranis was hilarious in it.
Jim from Kenosha in the 262 says, I think it was called the sign where he talked to the road sign.
The sign where he talked to the road sign.
Did I miss part of this text, Somers?
I want to get it right.
I don't know.
Yeah, a text back, Jim, if you want to clarify.
But thank you for the text.
Story, yeah.
Did he already text that?
Did I miss that?
Sorry about that, Jim.
LA Story is a great satire about living in LA.
It's kind of funny.
Sarah Jessica Parker is in it and I do remember there was one line where Steve Martin They were kind of starting to kiss and get it on a little bit and he says your breasts feel really strange and she says oh, they're real Oh, it's a nice poke Pokes fun at LA very nice.
Good movie Harry from Tosa in the 414 says all of me with Lily Tomlin great one That's the second time we've heard all of me.
I think tonight
Jim from the 920 here in Appleton says, favorite movie.
Hmm.
Well, my favorite part was Maxwell of Silver Hammer fame and Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club band.
The movie is probably Roxanne.
Okay.
Roxanne is another one I forgot about.
And I just rewatched that like three years ago.
That's a really funny Steve Martin movie.
And it kind of holds up.
It's slightly dated, but Daryl Hanna plays his love interest.
And it's a satire of Cyrano de Bergerac.
Great movie.
And a really great 1980s movie.
Chris Casper.
Oh, I wish I had seen this earlier.
He says some Gordon Lightfoot.
I cannot tell you how much I love that song.
It makes me cry every damn time.
So thanks for making me cry, Pete.
It's nice to make Casper cry for something that does not have to do with engineering because I pester the living daylights out of him.
I'm sure he's cried himself to sleep with Schwabba requests.
So I'm happy to make you cry in a different way, Chris.
Great to hear from you, buddy.
Um, where are we here?
Janet from Madison, uh, LA story.
Probably because I was living in LA at the time.
It came out and it was enjoyable to actually get all of the inside jokes totally with you.
That was before I moved to LA, Janet.
And I, you're right.
Once I moved out there, so much more about that made sense.
Same thing with the Big Lebowski sort of.
You still have time folks if you want to text in what is your favorite Steve Martin movie?
That is our question of the night here Melissa from the 608 says dirty rotten scoundrels totally with you Melissa love that movie as I said before it's probably my second favorite Steve Martin movie.
Thank you for the text From the 818 our pal Bridget says planes trains and automobiles such a great story Great holiday movie love the music and acting of course Zomers.
That's the second time you played a couple songs
from that soundtrack and it has a very underrated soundtrack.
It does.
them.
That's a great point and you're absolutely right.
I remember the first time I saw that movie I was in my dorm room at DePaul University and I laughed hysterically.
John from the 608 RPEL John Murray says, hate to say it and it won't be popular but it's time for Wisconsin to adopt the DUI test.
that doctor, the doctor, ol melma hay went through in the man with two brains, no more getting 11 of them in a lifetime.
That's hilarious.
And you're very right.
And I thought Lance Barber said the man with two brains and he was joking, but I love that movie.
And there are some great lines in it.
And I don't know if you remember this, John, his name was doctor.
No, his name was Dr. Michael afar afar.
You had to say it like that.
And then when the interviewer said, how's that spelled?
And he's like, just like it sounds F-A-F-U-H-U-H-U-H-U-R.
And his love interest was An-O-L-Melmahey.
That's so goofy and so Steve Martin.
Maybe that movie captures the essence of Steve Martin better than any other, whether it's the best movie or not, who knows.
Do we have Oli, Erin?
Yeah, we do have Oli.
Oh, we have Ollie from the Northwoods.
Hello, Ollie.
Good evening.
Hi Pete.
I actually don't know anything about Steve Martin's movies.
Oh, wow.
I worked all my life, so I didn't get to really watch movies.
And I don't have TV, so I still don't get to watch movies.
After I talked to you last night, then you got to talking about the Sputnik and I thought, oh, I wish I would have known you were gonna say something about that.
I wanted to let you know that we lived in Germany when Russia put Sputnik up and my sister made a mural on our front window
and she put Sputnik there in tin foil, and she won a prize from the Stars and Stripes.
So I thought that might be interesting.
That's awesome.
I love
that.
Ollie, you just said you've worked your whole life and good for you, and I love that you listened to the show.
I almost don't want to encourage you to watch TV because I feel like it would take you away from Nightlight, and I certainly don't want that, but I think you've earned a few movies.
I don't have a TV, so I guess no movies for me, but I do.
Oh, man.
I do listen to my civic radio all the time, so.
Well, we are very lucky to have you.
Thank you so much for the phone call tonight, Ollie.
Have a great Thanksgiving.
And I want to tell you guys both to have a nice Thanksgiving too.
Well, thank you.
Thank you too.
So much, Ollie.
Have a great Thanksgiving yourself, and have a great night.
Thank you,
Ollie.
Okay,
bye-bye.
Oh, love, Ollie.
Summers do we have time to play what any of your board game stuff?
I you went to all that trouble and I feel like sometimes I just keep yackin and
okay
taking it.
Are they not taking a break?
break.
Oh, I gotcha
OK, so for those of you listening, what it is is I had a board game night with my some of my friends last week and recorded asking them, you know, what's your favorite board or card game to play in the holidays?
And why?
And they had some great answers, all very different games, all for very different reasons.
And it was so great because like you mentioned, that was one of our questions of the night.
I think it was last week.
What is your favorite board game?
Because it was National Monopoly Day.
So it was perfect timing.
But maybe we can squeeze some of that in the in the last segment or after we talk to Courtney a little bit.
This is Night Light with Pete Schwabba.
It is great to have you here, folks.
We have our final guest of the evening is right around the corner.
She's a very talented comedian and writer, and her name is Courtney Cronindold, and she's coming up after this very short break.
It's Night Light with Pete Schwabba.
You're listening to Civic Media.
Stay up to date on the latest news and information for your local community and Wisconsin by signing up for our free email newsletter.
Visit civicmedia.us slash email to get
started.
Hey, it's Night Light with Pete Schwab.
It's so fun to have you with me, folks.
This is my last show before a quick Thanksgiving break, and I appreciate you spending your evening with me on this gorgeous rainy night here in the beautiful state of Wisconsin, wherever you're joining me from in Wisconsin or beyond.
Thank you so much for being here and helping us go into the break, our little holiday break here in style.
We had a great time with...
Lance Barber earlier and Stuart Waddles.
And now I'm very excited to welcome this next guest as well.
She and I had the pleasure, it was my pleasure anyway, of working with her on a show called Sports Soup, a funny look at sports.
And she was there for me day one and I got to know her in the writer's room.
It was just great.
She's a very funny comedian and a very talented writer.
Miss Courtney Cronin Dold.
Hello, Courtney.
Hi, hi, Pete.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
You look great.
Look at you.
So I'm
in my little office.
I don't want to brag, but I share it with a washer and dryer.
It's all right.
You can do a lot worse.
Just don't open the lid when you do something that where sound is
affected.
I'm like smushed up against the wall so you can't see it.
You could have a gentle cycle in right now and I would have no idea because your
microphone has been
good.
True.
Hey, this is fun.
I want to tell you before we start, well, first I have to ask you, do you have a favorite, our question of the night, we do this every night here.
Do you have a favorite Steve Martin movie?
Yes.
Steve Martin is like one of my favorites.
When I saw that that was your question of the night, I was like, oh my God, I got a.
Narrow it down.
Okay.
So his most endearing like where you love him the most parenthood He's so great and then the most silly and ridiculous.
I'm a lonely guy fan Why don't you just grow it long in the back and swoop it over?
I think that's what the swoop it over conversation in that movie is one of the funniest scenes I've ever seen
I
totally forgot about the lonely guy.
Like he's got such a body of work.
I've forgotten some of his great roles, like in a
little
shop of horrors and, you know, the jerk and dirty rotten scoundrels and dead men
don't
work flat.
Wasn't Charles Groden in the lonely guy too?
It's
him and Charles Groden and Judith Ivy.
They have a scene where guys that eat by themselves, they put cardboard cutouts around them so that they don't feel like losers.
The lonely guys store.
They have cardboard cutouts to put in their house to look like they have company.
That is so great.
Oh, great choice, Courtney.
And you know what's interesting is I do remember the director of that film was Arthur Hiller, who was
the guy you
would always see at the Oscars with the crazy white hair.
And you go, who is that guy?
Like you just thought he was like an Oscar hanger on, but no, he was like a real director and he directed the lonely guy.
Rachel.
Okay, cool.
Yeah, it's, it's, I feel like I need to watch it tonight now.
Yeah.
I feel like I've got a whole, a whole bunch of them I need to watch here, thanks to our listeners.
But I want to ask you this too.
This is funny because we have, I have a very good friend here at Civic Media named Terry Barr.
who does all these great features here.
We have a segment every Friday night called Bar Band Friday, because she's tied into the music scene and she brings new
music.
She is awesome.
And she said, please ask Courtney about the Kiss Cruise landlocked in Vegas.
We were both there.
I met her at one in Nashville.
So how do you like that?
Oh, wait.
OK.
So then if we were in Nashville at a Kiss thing, then we met at Creatures Fest.
OK.
Terry, does that sound
right?
Let us know.
As soon as you said her name, I'm like, why do I know her?
As soon as you said her name.
OK.
Well, I didn't actually work the actual event.
I hosted the pre-party, which featured a Spraley's band.
And in the process of planning that evening, he passed away.
Oh, Mike.
So that was really
recently.
Oh, wow.
Yeah.
Oh, okay.
October 16th.
So it ended up becoming a life celebration for Ace and his band playing together for the first time since he passed.
Wow.
So it was, and those guys are my good friends.
I've gone to see, I think I've gone to see Ace.
Ace and Trickster probably more than anyone in the last five, six years.
No
kidding.
I'm friendly with them all, and so wherever I am, if I'm anywhere near them, I'll go.
And Ace's band was my favorite thing.
They're so great.
Ace was smart.
He always surrounded himself with incredible musicians, and
his shows
were always such a highlight, always so much fun.
That's what the evening became.
So I hosted that and I was supposed to do stand up, but it was now became a cancer benefit and a life celebration for Ace.
So we can't be like Ace tribute video, donate to cancer and now comedy.
So we
didn't
really do it that way, but I knew most of the people, I knew everyone in it and I knew most of the people that were there.
So I was just like a friendly voice, you know, helping move things along.
you know more
than anything
and and just you know really just tastefully moving things along bringing a little bit of humor where it was necessary one of those kind of things you know where i'm pretty good at making it not about me i should probably get a little worse at that maybe i wouldn't be next to the washing machine
but
remind
you what
you
just
said
about doing comedy at a life celebration and a cancer thing was when Homer Simpson had to do
Mr. Burns's roast and the Smithers introduces him and said, I just want to inform you all that a small puppy, not unlike Lassie, was killed in the parking lot.
And now it's time for the comedy stylings of Homer Simpson.
Do you know that that's happened
to me for real?
I believe
it.
The host went up before the show.
First of all, shut off the game.
That's death right there.
Shut off sports.
And then I'm sorry I'm late.
My dog killed my other dog by accident in the middle of the night with a leash.
Here's your host, Courtney Cronin.
Oh man, is that funny.
Oh my gosh.
That's gorgeous.
All right, Courtney Cronin.
Do you use doled?
I didn't know how to.
I got rid of it.
Oh,
because you know when I was sitting next to you in the office is when I met my husband and I'll never forget it.
You offered me a piece of chocolate.
You go Courtney, do you want some chocolate?
And I remember I was like starving myself before I went to visit him in Germany.
I was eating a tomato soup.
Let's pick up
right there.
We're going to get caught up.
Let's pick up right there.
I forgot about that.
I'm just going to assume that that is a kiss or a fraily song.
Who is it?
Both.
Oh, it's both.
OK.
That is the voice of Courtney Cronin, my guest here at Nightlight Tonight.
Courtney and I go way back.
We met in the writer's room of sports soup.
And before the break, Courtney, I
Hated to cut you off, but we have really hard outs where the computer just takes over and I want you to get cut off So I would love it if you continued that story about the chocolate
Okay, so I remember you were like I had met my husband while working on the show like I'm at this guy and
I
kind of fell in love by the way This was 17 years ago.
We're still together For
you nice
married 15 years two weeks ago
So yeah, so I was going to meet him.
Um, I was going to Germany to visit him and just, you know, see what happens.
So I was like on this massive diet, like at work, I was eating like, like watery tomato soup, like nothing.
And, and you have these little chocolates and you go, Hey Courtney, do you want a chocolate?
And I went, no Pete, I can't eat chocolate.
And you said,
This is what you said, you go, Courtney, I'm pretty sure this little piece of chocolate is not going to determine how, whether or not you look better or worse than the negligee when you go to Germany.
Something like that.
Like this chocolate is not going to affect how you look in your negligee in Germany.
And I was like, okay.
It was so funny and it was so true.
needed to calm down i was like starving myself
did you eat the chocolate did you take it
i don't remember
i was so hungry i probably passed out right after that happens
oh that is so funny i i have to tell you that was my first uh you know writing job with a staff that i i i did like this other bad clip show uh it was on country music tv about
Smokies and bandits just awful, but that was a fun job because you were so awesome and Roger and Andrew Ganser and Trevor
and
Roger Yeah, I know and you guys I've had some of those guys on too, but the last time I was gonna reach out to you I thought I gotta get Courtney on the show, but Becky pedago had just passed away
And she was on the show, uh, probably a year ago and I knew
you guys were
good friends.
So I thought I'm going to sit this one out for a little bit, give you a chance.
Cause
I know you guys were tight and I'm sorry to hear about her passing.
She was
great.
Yeah, that was tough.
You know, and Mike Segal are, you know, you guys are very close.
I know.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Mike and Becky were real close and that was tough.
Becky was a fantastic comedian.
She was so funny.
She was so intelligent.
Um,
And I saw her all the time because she worked down the street for me.
So I walk my dog at night.
And if it was, uh, if she wasn't too busy, you know, she'd let us in and my dog thought it was the greatest thing ever that we could go inside the restaurant.
Becky wasn't really an animal person, but she liked my dog because he loved her so
much.
She'd be like, Hey, Rainey, hi, how are you?
Are you doing Rainey?
And it was so funny.
Yeah.
Yeah, that was yucky.
No,
yeah, I really was but I'm glad you know you guys all seem like you're doing I didn't know her as well as Mike certainly I met her at a couple of Mike's parties and I just thought she's a very nice person and she was fun to have on the show and I know you guys were tight You you've had a lot of writing gigs.
I'm kind of amazed that people go from gig to gig and you do stand-up What do you prefer writing when it comes to comedy?
Do you like the stand-up world or writing on a show?
I would prefer to write on a show because it pays more.
But I always try to work with comedians because I always tell like producers or like when I go in on an interview or something like, I speak comedian, we really have our own language and understanding.
You
know, that people that don't like haven't been through what we've been through, we're, you know, done, you know, do what we do.
We just, there's like a certain.
Attachment we have for each other even if we're not friends with people you kind of still have to
respect
that person like you know what they're doing and how insane what we do is And
we
just kind of got each other, you know, and there's like a way to talk to each other that I think sometimes People don't understand, you know
It's so funny you say that you just made me remember something about the way I feel about comics I haven't done stand up as a job in years and years, but you always do have that bond
Yeah, that's not true.
But we do have that.
Like when you start out, everything is competitive.
Oh, I'm
working
that room.
He's working that room.
Oh my God.
And as you get older, it's just like, if I meet someone who I know is a comedian, I instantly just have affection for them now.
It's like, I don't know if that's maturity or what, but it's like, because you're right.
It's like such a unique thing that we have in common.
And it's kind of fun that we can all share that at this point in our lives.
I think so.
I think the longer.
We're around the more we understand like how petty some of the things that we were upset about 25 years ago were.
And
you know, like what's really important now, you know,
like
I'll say, like Becky's passing, you know, awful.
And then something wonderful that came out of it is brought like, you know, Gary and Kristen and Mike and Piper and stuff like that.
We, we hang out a lot now.
It's brought
us
closer and we, you know, we've kind of got like a nice, you know, a nice little hang going.
We're having a.
a good time we're low you know the local redondo comics
yeah
together and and that's really nice you know and you know always like hey have you heard about this thing hey oh hey have you heard about that you know and just kind of like helping each other out like gary and i did a pizza place a couple weeks ago and it was on my wedding anniversary and oh wow but the guy said hey are you free next thursday i'm like yes because i'm 50 i don't know what next thursday is i don't know the date
I have no idea.
So I come home, my husband's like, you know, that's our anniversary.
I was like, oh God, well, you know, it pays and there's food.
I'll take
you out to dinner after.
I'm on the street and he goes, all right, let's go.
So they asked who I wanted to work with me.
I go, how about Gary?
Gary and Kristen came and the four of us, we had a blast.
Oh, that's
so great.
That's so great.
What are you, what clubs do you go up at Courtney in LA and do you have clubs you still travel to?
It'd be so great if you came to Wisconsin.
You know, well, you know, I was supposed to be there.
I was actually supposed to be in your neck of the woods and it kind of fell apart But but we're working on it.
We're working on coming back I'm touring a lot with Don Jameson.
He lives in New Jersey and From that metal show and we do this like rock and roll show together on like on the monsters of rock crews and around music festivals and stuff called punchlines and backlines Excuse me and I've been touring with red beach from winger and white snake.
We're doing like
as many shows as we can that are like driving distance for him.
Like you can't really pull him away too too much.
But uh he's gonna he's about to get real busy again because both the bands he was in forever both retired.
So um he had a little free time so we kind of swooped in on him when he had a little free time where we're like come on do some more stand-up with this because he's so funny at it.
Really?
He's
so funny.
Oh my god.
He's so hilarious and and you know he kind of tells stories but he's got jokes you know because I always
Tell them everyone who does our show.
It's rock stars doing comedy for the first time.
Oh,
I
love that.
We've been doing it so long.
Yeah, that we had people, all stars, and we had people come back.
Todd Lettori from Queens, right?
Britt Lightning from Vixen.
They've come back and done it twice.
Rebs done it like four times.
PJ Farley from Tricksters done it twice.
Chad Stewart from Faster Pussy.
Get Patrick Kenneson who plays with Lita Ford and his band Heaven Below.
They've all done it a few times because they had so much fun.
They came back.
Wow.
Yeah.
So we're like, well, let's keep going, going.
You know, we talked to Reb and he's like, sure.
So we've done like five road shows with Reb Beach.
And he's like, you would never know he was not a comic.
If you didn't tell people that didn't know who he was, like coming up next, Reb Beach, I mean, his act reveals who he is and, you know, what he's done for work.
Cause that's most, most of his act is stories from the road and all the things that have happened.
And cause you can't believe it, the stuff that's happened to him.
My guess is a comedian Courtney Cron and she is also a fabulous writer and we're talking about the show She does punch lines and back lines with red beach from White Snake and what was it winger?
Okay, you were a fan of all that music, right?
Like you like the the metal and stuff like that I kind of remember that about you and so I'm not surprised that you and Terry Connected at some point because she's a huge fan as well, but are you just like in heaven like LA has so many
uh, people that live there that used to be big time rock stars and you meet them now and it's kind of fun like they're just like regular people again, right?
Sort of.
Yeah, sort of.
That'll never go away.
But the fact that I'm like, I was such a hair metal fan and like I was called soft metal, but like, you know, I'm like, I'm not like into Iron Maiden, you know, but like I love poison and winger, you know, and like more of like extreme like bands that like
you know we're a little more I don't want to say pop but like just you know little tamer not not so like right but like you know they write great songs they you know they're great performers they're great musicians they're fun to watch still you know like kicks they just retired and man I can't I mean up until the last seconds like one of the most fun bands to see ever and like I love all that stuff so to be around them and work with them such a big deal for me
It's like, it was like a dream.
It's, I can't believe I'm doing this.
Like it feels so neat.
Like it's still exciting.
Yeah.
Um, where did you start doing stand up and who are your influences, Courtney?
Like when you got into it at first, was there someone you tried to emulate or someone you thought, oh, I just want to be as funny as them?
Like, who are your influences?
Um, well, Cara Leifer was, has always been my favorite.
I remember seeing her the first time I saw her.
I'm like, God.
She's so smart and the jokes and I
was like, yeah,
I want to be like her.
I still want to be her Yeah, she's like got the most awesome career and I guess I saw her and that got me into like wanting to kind of be a stand-up But I started in Boston.
I started in college I was in theater school and I just didn't really fit in to kind of the theater school thing I never really found my place,
you know
with them until like me and
Mikaela Watkins, who's now doing extremely well.
She was on SNL and she's in a ton of movies.
She's a big actress and Mickey.
And she and I were always kind of goofy, funny.
Sorry.
And we put together this like weird sketch improv show called, Oh Boy, That's Good Cheese.
And Bob's Chicken House presents, Oh Boy, That's Good Cheese.
And we did this show and it was the most fun I had in school.
That's when she and I did
that show together.
Yeah, it was really fun.
And I'm like, I want to do comedy.
So like I started doing stand-up while I was still in theater school.
I love that.
Um, and you talk about Carol Liefer, obviously, who is the inspiration for Elaine and Seinfeld.
And it
was a tremendous standup comedian.
Um, can, can people see your stuff anywhere?
Courtney, like, should I direct them online or to this, uh, the show you've been doing punchlines and backlines?
Will that be coming through Wisconsin at all?
Well, we're trying.
Yeah.
Definitely.
We're starting to like move.
We're starting in the East and starting to move West.
We're doing the Monsters of Rock Cruise and the Mountain Music Festival both in Tennessee next year, but we'll be in Columbus, Ohio on February 15th, Don and I with Rev, and
February
12th in Pittsburgh, and then we've got some other stuff coming.
But pickpunchlinesandbacklines.com is the website, and there's
some
video up there of our most recent show.
And I have video scattered.
I'm finally putting...
Myself on screen.
That's the other thing.
I love about being a writer.
No camera.
I hate being on camera I've been hiding
from
the camera for 30 years as long as I've been doing stand-up I hate it and I'm finally starting to post my stuff online I have just been against it.
I don't know why it's dumb I just send private links to bookers and stuff.
I don't I never I
think that's no I think
That's not uncommon, I think.
I couldn't talk about myself, but you kind of have to sell yourself to some of these people.
Courtney Cronin is here, a very funny stand-up comedian and writer.
We'll have a couple minutes with Courtney when we come back after this very short break.
Don't go anywhere, folks.
We're coming back to close things down.
And Courtney's here.
It's Pete Schwabba and Night Light on the Civic Media Radio Network.
You're listening to Civic Media.
Find the latest news, information, and archives of all your favorite shows on the Civic Media website,
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It's nothing
but a good time.
Dream guest for me, for my show, C.C.
DeVille.
Wait, who's that, Courtney?
The guitar player for Poison.
Oh,
okay.
That's nothing but a good time, right?
Mm-hmm.
Okay, got it.
I hung in there long enough.
Hey, folks, on Monday, we'll be off after tonight, taking a short break for Thanksgiving.
But on Monday, Betsy Gaspar from Old World Wisconsin, great museum will be here.
Jane Wells, the leader of the Marinette, Wisconsin West Shore Corral, Dobie Maxwell, comedian Dobie Maxwell will be here and Milwaukee film critic Matt Miller.
Next week we've got great shows also.
Bill Leff, who is the host of the nationally syndicated show, Tune In With Me, will be here.
He was our first guest and it will be our two-year anniversary.
So Bill comes back every year on our anniversary and sometimes in between.
And then lauren holly will be here on wednesday night talking about uh the godfather of green bay screening in madison a week from Thursday So that'll be fun another fun week of guests and of course terry bar for barbie on friday night uh next week My guest is courtney cronin she and i go way back.
We've uh been a part of a writing staff together courtney is a very funny stand-up comedian and writer um courtney before i let you go i have to ask you
Two things.
Who makes you laugh these days?
Who do you find truly hilarious?
Stand up?
Anything.
Stand up, sketch, actor, whatever.
Oh, God.
There's this girl, Steph, to love.
Have you ever seen her?
I
probably have,
but probably don't know her name.
I'm
sure she
comes up on Reels.
She is so funny.
Every time she comes up, I start falling all her stuff.
She is like every time she opens her mouth.
I'm like laughing hard She's just killing me.
I've just kind of gotten into her and I don't know like I Don't know what makes me laugh.
Sometimes I need to laugh like so bad You know and it's weird like comedians for us to take a break.
We watch murder Like you are so
right
It's true.
We need a break.
We watch murder, you know, true crime, dramas, horror.
We don't watch comedy.
Exactly.
No, I'm with you.
And I, unless something's very like anti-comedy, like the chair company or something like, I just, I can't get too into it unless it's like almost like subversively comedic, if that
makes any
sense at all, you know?
Yeah.
One more question for you.
And again, I can't, it's so great to reconnect with you and I'm so glad you're on the show.
What are you watching on TV?
Anything you can binge watch, speaking of murder and true crime and all that kind of stuff.
Best show I think I've seen in like 20 years was Wednesday because I love the Adams family and I love all of the stuff that goes with it and the way the story developed and the way it all came together.
I thought was so brilliant and so much fun to watch.
Nice.
I loved it.
I was so bummed.
Like when it was over, like I was sad, but but the ending, I mean, everything about it was so great.
And then my husband and I just finished the second or third.
Is it third season of Tulsa King?
I think it's third.
It was pretty good.
I watched the first season.
Yeah.
Yeah, it was pretty good.
I mean, I liked it.
Um, I mean, I, I'm not kidding.
I, when I want to unwind, I watch reruns of the love boat.
Oh, that's so great.
And I'm actually building a TikTok channel where I announce the guest stars as they do their hero shots and read them off by what they're known for.
Oh, that
is awesome.
Known for.
No one steal it.
I'll kill you.
I'm putting it out soon, but I watch it so much and I'm so into it.
It's the best way to just sort of
just dumb your whole world down and just, and some of it's so offensive.
It's like, Oh my God, you could never do that today.
Oh my God.
But also some of it's so ahead of its time.
Yeah.
And like, man, Captain Stubing, he's just the greatest.
And how is Doc the ladies?
I mean, like, it was so weird.
Like, he's the ladies guy.
I don't
know.
Yeah, you know, he was like a vaudeville actor.
I think and he was funny and charming.
Yeah.
Oh, wow.
And that I think he just like nailed.
I think he just blew everybody else out of the auditions.
You know, he's cute with his hairpin.
Sure.
And he's a doctor.
He's, you know, he's an
educated guy.
Got the intellect.
He can, uh, who is your favorite character on the love boat?
Mine was probably gopher, but now I don't like him anymore.
Isaac.
Yeah.
Isaac.
There you go.
The most likable character on the show.
He always had the best storylines.
Yeah.
And
I just, and if you look at the actor, Ted Lange, he's the only one from the original cast that actually looks the same.
He looks great.
Yes, he looks fantastic.
Is that how you say his name, Lange?
Lange.
Oh, I always call him Ted Lange.
Everyone did.
Okay.
Hey, my friend, this was so much fun.
Thank you for being on the show tonight, Courtney.
And I'm so glad things are going well for you.
I'm glad you're so married.
Whether you took the chocolate or not, I don't care.
I'm glad you found love and keep bringing the funny.
Good luck with your show.
And please come back soon.
Thank you.
This was this show is great.
Thank you so much.
I had such a good time.
Thanks.
You're very welcome.
You could start the dryer now, by the way.
Oh,
Courtney Cronin.
Thank you so much.
Have a great night and happy Thanksgiving.
Happy Thanksgiving.
All right.
Man, that was fun.
Thank you to Courtney, thank you to Lance Barber, and thank you to Stuart J. Waddles.
Thank you for all your texts and calls.
Did I get everything Zomers?
I think so, at least last that I saw.
Yeah, and the 608, we got one more text here, Steve.
Steve Martin was hilarious in the Spanish prisoner, which was a thriller.
That's very funny, 608.
I love it.
Thank you for all your calls and texts.
Everybody have a great Thanksgiving.
We will be back Monday.
with another all-star cast of guests and a fun question and hopefully great interaction from you guys.
Thank you to Aaron Zommers.
Much appreciated, my friend.
I will see you Monday.
We'll see you Monday.
Happy Thanksgiving, everybody.
Good night, Wisconsin.
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