Alternative Comedy Comes to Bend with Tom Achilles

In this episode of Nighttime Benders, Julia Reed Nichols is joined by local comedian Laura B. Wright to chat about her comedy career, adventures on the Oregon Coast, and what it's like living in Sisters, Oregon.

We also sit down with Tom Achilles, a Brooklyn-based comedian who will be bringing his unique brand of alternative comedy to Bend over Labor Day Weekend. Tom shares his journey from high school improv to the stand-up stage, discusses the development of his distinctive comedic voice, and talks about his excitement for performing in Bend for the very first time.

Whether you're interested in comedy, storytelling, or hearing from some truly original performers, this episode delivers plenty of laughs and insight. And if you're a fan of Adult Swim-style humor, you'll definitely want to check out Tom Achilles.

LINKS: 

Tom Achilles' Website - https://tomachilles.com
Mindbender Comedy Special on YouTube - https://youtube.com/tomachilles1
Tom Achilles on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tomachilles

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:00

That's what I have got going on. This buffalo is in the water.

SPEAKER_01 0:04

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 0:04

Oh. Great. Do you like the soda tree?

SPEAKER_01 0:08

I do. I'm super lazy though. So we also buy canned.

SPEAKER_04 0:15

Do you put your canned bottle of water into your if I'm going somewhere?

SPEAKER_02 0:19

Yes. Because then I then I top it up with regular water.

SPEAKER_04 0:23

I have a whole system. And then why the more water to take down the bubbles?

SPEAKER_02 0:27

Just to take down the bubbles a little bit, because you gotta get the exact bubble ratio.

SPEAKER_04 0:31

Perfect. Now that we know that. I love that for us. Okay. Well, welcome to this week's episode of Nighttime Thunders, powered by the Source, your favorite place to catch up with Central Oregon's favorite funny faces. We are here this week. The Dudes did not show up for today's podcast recording, which is totally fine because I have the amazing Laura B. Wright with me. Laura, if you want to introduce yourself for people who might not be familiar with you.

SPEAKER_02 1:09

So like all the weird things that are happening in a metaplausal body is what I end up talking about often on stage.

SPEAKER_04 1:16

Yeah. I feel like you're very, I feel like your comedy is very thought-oriented. Like it's it's your it's your thoughts about existing and experiencing existing. That's how I would describe it as it's a very thoughtful comedy. It's intelligent comedy.

SPEAKER_02 1:33

Oh, thank you.

SPEAKER_04 1:34

Yes, I think it's intelligent.

SPEAKER_02 1:35

It's very, it's it tends to be very introspective. If I go to too far away from myself, then I'm like, well, I'm not sure what the truth is or what but introspective, narcissistic.

SPEAKER_04 1:49

Egocentric. Egocentric. Give me a mic. Give me a mic. A mic and seat. I'm ready. Pretty much. No, I love watching you perform. Um, and I'm glad to have you back on the podcast. So thank you for showing up, even though the dudes can't. We won't name the dudes, but the dudes who were supposed to show up did not show up. All of you have some of them in your life, I'm sure. Everyone knows a man who doesn't show up. Some people, it's their father.

SPEAKER_02 2:17

A lot of comics at the last.

SPEAKER_04 2:20

It's like the original wound that that makes them funny. Um, but I just got back into town. I was traveling, family vacations. I went to the Oregon Coast. Are you a fan of the Oregon Coast?

SPEAKER_02 2:33

I love the Oregon Coast.

SPEAKER_04 2:34

Where's your favorite place on the Oregon Coast?

SPEAKER_02 2:37

Oh, you know what? I don't think I have a favorite, actually. I really just love being out there. I mean, Cannon Beach is amazing, of course. Um, Lincoln City. I mean, there's so many.

SPEAKER_04 2:47

Cannon Beach, that's the Goonies Beach, right?

SPEAKER_02 2:50

I think so. That's the one with the haystack thing. Like the most pictured.

SPEAKER_04 2:54

The most pictured rock.

SPEAKER_02 2:55

Yes.

SPEAKER_04 2:56

It's a big rock.

SPEAKER_02 2:56

And it's really close to Portland. So I think it's like the beach that a lot of people associate with the Oregon. Um, and it's amazing. But I've only been there in the off-season, so I think maybe during the height of the season, it may not be.

SPEAKER_04 3:08

It might be less pleasant with people crowding the street. Might be a little busy, I guess. We we did the whole thing. So we went down to Gold Beach, which is practically California. Yes, yes, right. Uh Turtle Rock is the rock.

SPEAKER_02 3:21

There's rocks on our it's a rugged course line. So this is Turtle Rock.

SPEAKER_04 3:26

And then we went up to like Depot Bay Otter. Oh, yes, yes. And we went to Florence. Yes. Which is lovely. I went to Florence for the first time in 2016 when I went there to perform. Um it is such a cute town.

SPEAKER_01 3:41

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 3:41

And I'm so jealous of whoever has the job of running that event center in Florence. They they do like four events. It's great. It's like I'm like, I don't know, it's ran by a city. I'm pretty sure that person gets a pension. Oh. Sweet gig if you can get it.

SPEAKER_02 3:57

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 3:58

Yeah. Um, but though I like being near the water.

SPEAKER_02 4:01

I know. It's amazing. It's always even if the weather's bad, it's like it's always great, I think. Yeah. Even if you're rainy and you have to be inside or you're kind of like have to bundle up to go. I mean, you kind of need to bring all the clothes. Yeah. Right? Because you don't know if it's gonna be cool or hot. But it's moody. It's a moody coastline.

SPEAKER_04 4:20

Yeah, and we did it, we did it both ways. So we stayed at like state campsites. Very affordable. Like state campsites in Oregon are great. They're like $35 a night. Pay five extra dollars for your dog or something. Yeah. It's just the best. $40 and you have a great night on the beach. Yes. And then we went to this place, I think it's called Shallishhan. Oh, Shallish. Yeah, I've heard of it. That was not the $35. Yes. And I did not put that bill. That was a very generous gift by my in-laws. But there are I what I realized is you kind of get the same experience whether you're paying $35 or like $400 a night. Okay. Seafood, fresh air, trees. Right.

SPEAKER_02 5:03

Walk the beach, walk out and do the hike. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 5:05

Yeah. Like take in those sunsets.

SPEAKER_02 5:08

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 5:09

It's the same. You don't need a lot of money to have a great time out there. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 5:13

Yeah. I agree. I mean, it's it is nice sometimes to come back and have a fireplace in the in the room and a tub in the room. That's true. That's true. Yes. Yes. Good point.

SPEAKER_03 5:27

Yes, on that side of the mountain, they don't have fire bands.

SPEAKER_04 5:30

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 5:30

I'll come camp with you and you can build the fire.

SPEAKER_04 5:32

Yeah. Also, I have an RV and a fire bit with a propane thing. Much easier. Easier. Yeah. All about ease. Ease.

SPEAKER_02 5:40

Oh my gosh. Family vacations. Isn't that what you did you said? Yeah. I think you said you were with your family. I think you said it was a vacation.

SPEAKER_04 5:46

So it started, so it started as a vacation with me and my husband, and then we joined our family. Got it. Which is also a vacation, but it's a different energy than when you're vacationing with your partner.

SPEAKER_02 5:59

I feel like it needs to be a different word.

SPEAKER_04 6:01

Should we come up with a different word?

SPEAKER_02 6:02

It needs to be called something else.

SPEAKER_04 6:04

Vocation.

SPEAKER_02 6:07

It's close. We're getting close. Yeah. Vocation. I'm not sure. Because like there's more, there's more, there's more there, right? It's not just if it's you and your partner, you guys kind of know how to like, you know how you work, right? You know, you know what you think is fun. You know what you enjoy together. When you're with family, and kind of when you add probably any more than like five people anyway. Yeah. Everybody has their opinions. Everybody thinks different things are fun. It's a lot.

SPEAKER_04 6:36

Time for us, it was timing of the day. So some of us got up early morning. Oh yeah. Some of us like to sleep in till maybe a little closer to lunchtime. But by that time, some of us have already had breakfast in yoga in a sound bath class, right? Yeah. So it's just like aligning people's schedules and it but it's important to do.

SPEAKER_02 6:55

Yes, it is really important to do. But I think the best the the to me, the most the best way to do those sorts of things, if it works out, is like a situation where people can kind of come and go. So like, not that I have the funds for this, but if like you could all be in the same beach house, you know, or something. So everybody can kind of come and go. Or I think this is why cruise ships sometimes are really good solutions, because then everybody can meet for dinner. So every night you're gonna have dinner together, and everything else is kind of flexible.

SPEAKER_04 7:22

I tried to propose that for a family trip recently, a cruise ship. I was like, whoa, we all get our own rooms, space, yes, privacy, doors. Yes, love it. Yeah, but then and there's scheduled times where we have to be together, dinner, entertainment. Yep. And then there's times where we're not supposed to be together. And I think those kind of schedules are great for family relationships. I agree completely. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 7:47

We are not sponsored by the cruise ship industry.

SPEAKER_04 7:49

No, but if you guys want to kick something this way, if you do, we will take a sponsorship for our podcast. Absolutely. Um, speaking of well, I guess this isn't really family related, but it's about Texas, where my family's from, your family's from. Yeah. I saw a video of a teacher in Texas. I know you're pouting because I know where you're going. So sad. So sad. So as a teacher, first day of classes, senior students, 17, 18-year-old students, assigned them a paragraph and a sentence to write, and they couldn't complete the assignment. And these are people set to graduate within nine months, right? And broke down crime because he realized that they just were never taught to read and write.

SPEAKER_02 8:35

Right, right, right, right. And when you described this the the the assignment too, it sounded like a much younger word.

SPEAKER_04 8:42

So these it was the assignment, the way he described the assignment was it was a paragraph they had to read.

SPEAKER_02 8:46

Which is not that you know, that's a paragraph.

SPEAKER_04 8:48

Like it's not like yeah, I would assume a paragraph seven to eight sentences, max, right? Yep. And then there was a sentence that had four words missing, and they had to fill in the four words.

SPEAKER_02 8:58

Like to me, that sounds more like uh like elementary school work, not uh not 17, 18-year-old work, and then they still couldn't complete it. Yeah, terrifying.

SPEAKER_04 9:08

And and this teacher is in Houston ISD, which in their school is primarily uh a school, it has a lot of minorities in it. Um minority is the majority in Houston, right? Like that's just okay, there's a lot of black and brown kids, and and he he feels like they're being sh short chained in their education. 100%. And and I agree, you know, my sister was educated by the Texas school system, and while she is a very bright girl, lots of street smarts, love her very much. We miss some key things like cursive.

SPEAKER_02 9:45

She's like, I don't know what that is. She can't read it. It's a mystery.

SPEAKER_04 9:49

Can't read it. It's literally like hieroglyphics to me, right? Um, and word problems are tough for her because nobody taught her how to break down paragraphs. She can read, she can read not an idiot, she can read, but it's just that was a skill that was never and and then I wonder why are our school systems not educating uh children?

SPEAKER_02 10:13

Not like I'm just the basics of education. Why are we not doing this? Reading, just like basic. So I I didn't know how to read until I was maybe 11 or 12. Um, I was educated by the Mississippi school system.

SPEAKER_04 10:28

Oh, how that was the Mississippi school system.

SPEAKER_02 10:32

Do you tell me? Deep Deep South, right? Yeah. And uh yeah, I and I didn't know I didn't know how to read. Um, but it was discovered because I wrote a very nasty um letter to the principal saying that I was failing every spelling test and because the teacher wasn't teaching me those words. Yeah. And so I they figured it out somehow from this nasty letter that I wrote to the principal. I typed it out in the library.

unknown 10:58

I love it.

SPEAKER_02 10:59

Full nerd. Full nerd who doesn't know how to read. So I don't know how the all that works, but um I only knew how to sight read the Dick and Jane method.

SPEAKER_05 11:06

Wow, right? Those books, right?

SPEAKER_02 11:08

Dick Jane, and it was her dog named Dot, I think. Yeah. And like, so I can only sight read. And so if it was a word I'd never seen before, I had no idea how to spell it out. I had um like I didn't know how to do phonics.

SPEAKER_04 11:20

Phonics. I hooked on phonics, didn't work for me.

SPEAKER_02 11:23

I didn't, well, I didn't I never got it. I never got any phonics until then. And I spent the whole summer with a private tutor to figure out how to read.

SPEAKER_04 11:32

Wow.

SPEAKER_02 11:33

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 11:33

So I does spelling still make you anxious?

SPEAKER_02 11:37

Super anxious.

SPEAKER_04 11:38

Me too. Me too.

SPEAKER_02 11:39

And I was actually going to um, I was thinking about this recently. Uh I wanted to do maybe something in in with comedy with like words, and Houston's a great example. Yeah. So you say Houston, I say Houston. If you see that same word in New York, in the city, you know, New York City, it's Houston. Houston? And I'm like, well, no wonder I couldn't read.

SPEAKER_04 11:59

You guys are this isn't my fault. This is the English language problem.

SPEAKER_01 12:04

It's much too confusing.

SPEAKER_04 12:06

There, there, there, it's very confusing. I agree. And I one of my mom actually put me in a special ed class for reading because they thought I couldn't read. And it turned out I could read just fine. It's that I was getting bored while I was reading, and I was thinking about other things. So I wasn't focusing on, so they had to teach me comprehension.

SPEAKER_02 12:29

Okay.

SPEAKER_04 12:30

But I could read.

SPEAKER_02 12:31

Okay.

SPEAKER_04 12:31

I just had to learn to pay attention.

SPEAKER_02 12:34

Maybe read faster, right? So to keep yourself.

SPEAKER_04 12:36

Yeah, like to stay like engaged and to remember it's part of a story. Like overall, it's not just words.

SPEAKER_02 12:42

You're like, yes, I got that word. Yes, I got that word.

SPEAKER_04 12:45

I was like, it's fine. I got the words. It's fine. It doesn't matter what they mean.

SPEAKER_02 12:50

That's how I used to feel about all the characters' names. Like I would just like be like, oh yeah, the main character. And they're like, What's his name? I'm like, I have no idea. And of course, that's always the questions on the test. Yeah. Or like the main character's name was Frank. And I was like, I don't know. Was it Frank?

SPEAKER_04 13:04

About Frank.

SPEAKER_02 13:05

I'm like, I could tell you a story. I don't remember his name.

SPEAKER_04 13:08

Well, I I feel awful because we were talking about like names and things. When I meet new people, I fret so much about remembering their name and saying it wrong. Oh, it's terrible. Even if it's like a Smith, I'll be like, Is it Smith? Yes. T is is the H hard? Is it Smith? I'm like, there's no other way to say Smith, but I'll make up other things in my head.

SPEAKER_02 13:31

I will too. I will too. And then I'll ask them how to say it. Yes. And then I'm screaming so loud in my head to pay attention. Pay attention, pay attention, pay attention. So you I get it. And it's so much that when they say it, I miss it. So then I still don't know how to say their stupid name. Like not their stupid name.

SPEAKER_04 13:47

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 13:48

I don't know how to say it. And it's very frustrating.

SPEAKER_04 13:50

So this is us with our education. And if it's what our kids, oh no.

SPEAKER_02 13:55

I mean, we barely scraped through, really. We barely scraped by. I know that I it's it is they sh that's terrifying. That's terrifying. I mean, I think I feel like the world of misinformation is gonna change. We haven't seen the worst of it yet, maybe.

SPEAKER_04 14:09

I don't think we have. I don't think we have. I think that's I was listening to a doomsday. Uh it was my and Bay Alex podcast. It wasn't a doomsday podcast. It's lost podcast. Like we were talking about how uh AI is gonna lead to the end of civilization in 10 to 20 years. And I was like, oh wow. Oh, even if that's true, I can't hear that. Do you know what I mean? Like, even if it's true, I don't need to know. I don't need to know these things.

SPEAKER_02 14:40

Okay, but you know what? We can use this information for good in a way. Okay. So if this, if we if we think for a moment this might be true. Yes. What have we been not doing that we want to do? Because go do it. Go do it. Go do it. Like, and I don't mean I don't mean terrible things. Like, I'm not talking about like the purge or anything like that. I'm just saying, like, you know, if someone wants to like try Stamp Comedy, like go to an open mic. If someone wants to like sing, try that too. Yes.

SPEAKER_04 15:10

I mean But I would still encourage you to keep paying your mortgage. Oh, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 15:14

Oh, definitely. Like, don't think the world's gonna end like No, yeah, no, no, no. Don't don't spend, don't max out all your credit cards. Don't like, don't be irresponsible. Yeah. But just whatever you've been holding back in your life. Like, I think there's a lot of perfectionist people out there who like, I don't want to do it until I got it right. I don't want to do it until I have TikTok. You know, like now is better than never.

SPEAKER_04 15:36

Well, TikTok doesn't even, I can't even tell you. Oh, I know. No, I meant I was like, what do you mean?

SPEAKER_02 15:40

Like time's going by. TikTok. I meant the old school TikTok is like not current.

SPEAKER_04 15:47

You're showing your age. TikTok, like a watch with pants. Yeah. And it used to make that noise. TikTok.

unknown 15:56

Oh gosh.

SPEAKER_04 15:57

Oh, yeah. Moving on, you saw a horrific thing. So we both live in Sisters. Yes. Which, for people that might not be familiar, uh, Sisters is the cutest little town. So sweet. So sweet, just about 25 minutes away from Bend. But you've been seeing something very scary in our area. What did what did the Nugget have to say?

SPEAKER_02 16:16

So the Nugget's our local news.

SPEAKER_04 16:18

It has its own building. I don't know how it has its own building.

SPEAKER_02 16:21

I think it's still funded. I really do.

unknown 16:25

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 16:25

We don't know this for facts. I don't know. I don't know.

SPEAKER_02 16:28

And my suspicions are, yes. And and yeah, and yes. So in there there was an article about bats having rabies and about how no, here we're here we're gonna put my comprehension skills to the test. Yes. I'm pretty sure it said You read this. I did read it. Now did I comprehend it? Um I it did say something about Oregon's bat population has like there's more cases of rabies this year than there have been in past years. And people are going out into their yards and finding like multiple dead bats in their yards, which is horrible. Yeah, yeah. And like if you're you know, you don't want your dog accidentally taking a bite out of it. And I don't know.

SPEAKER_04 17:08

Yeah, well, I mean your dog, I don't know how rabies and rabies shots work, but I know that you don't want your dog to get rabies.

SPEAKER_02 17:14

No, and you don't want to accidentally also be exposed because if they don't know for sure if you were exposed, then they have to give you these shots, which are excruciating, I think. So yeah.

SPEAKER_04 17:25

So do you have bats at your property?

SPEAKER_02 17:27

I haven't seen, well, we don't have property.

SPEAKER_04 17:30

Do you have bats at your house? Is there bats at the tree on your land?

SPEAKER_02 17:36

Um, we have hummingbirds. I don't think I've seen, I haven't seen bats.

SPEAKER_05 17:40

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 17:40

Um, I think there are bats around. Um, I mean, clearly there are because the it's written in the paper. Um I love them. I think they're beautiful. They're kind of like barn swallows as far as like how aerodynamic they are, and they're beautiful.

SPEAKER_04 17:54

Fly, you know, it just on our deck.

SPEAKER_02 17:56

Yeah. Yeah. And they're eating all the bugs, so it's fantastic.

SPEAKER_04 18:00

Exactly.

SPEAKER_02 18:00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 18:01

But I don't love the idea of them having rain. No. Is there any I'm I'm asking you like your event, is there anything we can do with them that's with all my expertise knowledge?

SPEAKER_02 18:10

My um, as an expert, let me tell you, as a bat rabies expert, um, if you do see them acting any strangely, like if they're flying, one of the people said that it was like during the day it was flying, which sometimes they fly during the day. So I don't think that in and of itself is bad, but that it was like dive bombing their dog. And they're like, that was really weird. Like most bats go on about their business. They're not too so they were like, that was acting strange. Yeah. Um, and that if you see, I guess if you see dead bats on your property, you could um like scoop them, don't touch them, right? But with a bag or something, scoop them up and get them tested.

SPEAKER_04 18:44

Don't touch them.

SPEAKER_02 18:44

Don't touch them.

SPEAKER_04 18:45

That's our advice. Just don't touch, and if they're alive, like really don't touch them.

SPEAKER_02 18:49

I mean, pretty much that's the advice for everybody. Just don't touch them. Don't touch, don't touch it, don't touch plants. Don't touch if you don't know what it is, don't touch it.

SPEAKER_04 18:55

Just don't touch it.

SPEAKER_02 18:56

Don't touch it.

SPEAKER_04 18:56

It's a good rule for the backstage at theater or all the time.

SPEAKER_02 19:00

If it's not yours, don't touch it.

SPEAKER_04 19:03

I know. Well, as a child, I have some trauma with a bat. Yes. So I I grew up in Michigan and we grew up in a house that was very old, like 100 years old. And we had baths in our attic, which we knew about, but we never really thought about what would happen if they made it into another part of our house. Well, one night they made it into my bedroom. Terrifying terrifying. I'm probably 11, 12, pull the covers over my head, start screaming, bloody Mary, bloody Mary. And no one in my family comes to my rescue. And my two, they're all home. Like they're all home, and I've never screamed louder in my life. Like I'm screaming like as if I'm getting murdered.

SPEAKER_02 19:44

This is a seminal moment right here about why you became a comedian. Exactly. And I'm excited, nobody's listening to me, right?

SPEAKER_04 19:50

And I and I finally muster up the courage to run out of my room and run downstairs. And I found my parents and I was like, Diddy, you hear me? And they blew up to me and they're like, Yeah, you were being really loud. We turned up the TV. You were bothering our show. You were bothering our show. You couldn't hear. We had to turn you up because law and order can't. And it's really hard to hear the rapist over you. I'm sorry. And then like the bat flies downstairs. My stepdad grabs a tennis racket and kills it. But it was like it was a moment in my life where I was like, wow, I'm a distress, and my family's responses did do me out.

SPEAKER_02 20:23

It's like double trauma. It is really, it's it's not often they say that. It's not the first thing that's about. It's usually the knock-on effect. Oh, no one's coming to help us.

SPEAKER_04 20:35

No one's coming to help us.

SPEAKER_02 20:37

I know that was almost kind of that's a hard lesson to learn at 11 or 12.

SPEAKER_04 20:42

It is. You know what we're lucky for in sisters? Is that the firemen do come and help us?

SPEAKER_02 20:46

Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_04 20:48

Because we've been having some fires lately. Yes. Luckily they are finally called Aqua Butte or whatever it was called.

SPEAKER_02 20:54

Oh, they mean. It's like we said, we're not great at the reading.

SPEAKER_04 21:02

But it's like Aqua Butte or something. We name every fire.

SPEAKER_02 21:04

Yes.

SPEAKER_04 21:05

And we had this big fire near your sister's. You were on level one evacuation. It was.

SPEAKER_02 21:09

It was scary. It was really scary.

SPEAKER_04 21:10

It came all the way into town, the evacuations. The evacuations.

SPEAKER_02 21:14

Half the town was on level one. Yeah. Yeah. It came fast too.

SPEAKER_04 21:18

Yeah. And you were saying out of everything, only two properties in our area burned, though, right?

SPEAKER_02 21:23

That's true. That's my understanding. Yeah. Only two.

SPEAKER_04 21:25

So explain to me what what you because you breathe more of the news.

SPEAKER_02 21:29

So what oh the nugget.

SPEAKER_04 21:31

You follow the nugget more than I.

SPEAKER_02 21:33

I usually read the nugget. I'm up on all of the things. Um, yeah. So the so one of the properties that burned was um an old stone house that I guess was built in like the 1970s um and a land called Wild Haven, I believe it's called on the Stevens Canyon. And the article walked through that the it was a couple a couple people bought the property a hundred. Acres in the 70s, they built this structure. I believe that maybe at their death, I'm not sure, they gifted it to the nature conservancy. And then the nature conservancy had it from like the uh early 80s, and then in 2022, they gifted it to um sister school district. And the very first thing I thought when I read that was I don't know that all gifts should be accepted. I think that a lot of people think if someone wants to give you something for free, there can't be any bad to that, any downside to that. And I'm not specifically talking about this situation because I have no idea what thought process the school district went through of accepting this gift. Um, I, you know, I don't know. This might be a perfectly wonderful gift to accept. Um but I did, I used to work for a nonprofit, and someone tried to gift the nonprofit a house. And we were not in the business of oh the nonprofit was not in the business of owning houses. We didn't know what to do with this. And I remember saying, and there were people on the board who were very excited about the gift. Yeah, of course. And then yeah, and then I was like, whoa, whoa, wait a minute. Like, we don't want to own a house. Like, this is not, we don't know how to, we don't know how to own a house as an entity. Um, why can't they sell it and give us the money if they wanted to donate to the organization? Um, and for some reason they couldn't.

SPEAKER_04 23:24

Because the house is unsellable. I think so. Somebody died in it or something, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 23:29

Or it's got some kind of chemical something going. I don't know. There's something going on. And so I was like, I we really don't want to be saddled with this unsellable house. Yeah. So I just think I I think it's an interesting concept of like not all gifts are are and you shouldn't accept all gifts. Well, yeah, we should think about it. Like if you want to accept that gift.

SPEAKER_04 23:49

Well, and I think that comes with gifts. Anything that has value also has cost.

SPEAKER_01 23:54

Yes.

SPEAKER_04 23:54

Yes. And that's just in life.

SPEAKER_01 23:56

Yes.

SPEAKER_04 23:56

Me and my husband talk about this a lot about wealth and building wealth. And we're like, it's not about like collecting stuff because everything you buy, you have to take care of.

SPEAKER_01 24:06

Yes. Yes.

SPEAKER_04 24:07

Or if you don't take care of it, then it it's value is cost. Yeah, no, no, yeah. So true.

SPEAKER_02 24:11

It's absolutely true. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 24:13

I'm I'm not a I'm not great at maintenance. Are you good at maintenance?

SPEAKER_02 24:17

Um it's tough though, right? Because I was thinking about so I um it I I live with two cats. And so I think too, it's like especially when you think about it.

SPEAKER_04 24:27

I like how it's not you have two cats, you live with two cats.

SPEAKER_02 24:30

Oh, yeah, no. I know they let me live there. Yes. Kind of how that goes. Yeah. Because yeah, they don't they don't care what my rules are. They don't care that I don't want them to put, you know, their claws in leather things that I've owned before. You know, and so then I think about like, okay, well, how much life do you want to have and have room for the relationships and for maybe cats and also some people who aren't going to be precious with your things? Do you want those relationships or do you want to have things that you have to be precious with? Um, and so I think there's some lines there to think through, right? Of how do you actually want to live and what's important. And like you were saying, do you don't want to have this valuable thing? I always thought, like, I don't want to own um like too nice of a car because I I'm going, it's going to be.

SPEAKER_04 25:22

It's gonna be intense, and then you're gonna care.

SPEAKER_02 25:25

I don't, I don't need that stress. I don't need it. No, and so I buy my cars pre-deemed now. Yeah, because I just it just makes me feel better.

SPEAKER_04 25:32

I'm like, it's it's honestly why I would never like go to the street, like I would never want to have like a perfect face. Oh, because you couldn't maintain it.

SPEAKER_02 25:39

It's gonna things are gonna change. Kings are gonna change. Well, so I don't know if you noticed I have itty bitty titties, and um if notes are smaller than mine, they're very they're very small. And I have thought throughout the years if I wanted to get a boob job, but you know, you can't just get one and be done. That thing requires maintenance every 10 years, every 10 years. And I think most people don't know that.

SPEAKER_04 26:01

Do you want to hear a crazy thing? Okay, so I've worked with a lot of female veterans. Yeah, and trick, if you are a female in the military, if you would like a boob job on Uncle Sam, you can claim that your military service makes you feel less feminine, get a boob job installed while you're active duty, and because they install them active duty, they have to replace them every 10 years at the VA for you. I have friends that have boobies on Uncle Sam.

SPEAKER_02 26:28

I'm pretty sure they don't cover abortion care, but you're telling me they get boobs?

SPEAKER_04 26:32

We yes, we're in America. Boobs are in America. I've I've you've heard me say this over and over again. I've toured this whole country. I know the only value I can find in every state, the love of the Titty. And it's it's yeah, it's just isn't that crazy? I can't that's crazy. Because well, in the I mean come on, it's true. I know multiple female Marines who have boob jobs on Uncle Sam.

SPEAKER_02 27:02

Okay. I mean, well, like on one hand, good for them to do.

SPEAKER_04 27:06

Get what you can do. For sure.

SPEAKER_02 27:09

But also, can we have people who read?

SPEAKER_04 27:17

I feel like we're putting our money in the wrong place.

SPEAKER_02 27:20

I just want to go out on a limb and say, I think maybe we should re-evaluate where the dollars are going. Nobody asked us. So now you can get testosterone and boobs.

SPEAKER_04 27:32

Yeah, and you know, I was I was reading now the new thing is like peptides, obviously. Oh, yeah. So I think it's just like they'll just shoot you up, hormones, testosterone.

SPEAKER_02 27:41

Oh, but meanwhile, there's an estrogen shortage. Do you know this? No, the estrogen patch. Yes. Yeah, when I take, yeah. I'm on HRT, you know, hormone replacement therapy, gender-affirming care. Yeah. And there's a shortage, a national shortage of the city.

SPEAKER_04 27:57

Nobody bet there wouldn't be a shortage of testosterone. Right? There would never be a shortage.

SPEAKER_02 28:03

There's plenty. Now there's like handing it out, like, you know.

SPEAKER_04 28:07

Do you think we need to like the military now? Yes. Like everybody has to take it.

SPEAKER_02 28:11

Well, I don't think they have to. I just think they can. They can. They can, yes. Yeah. But no, I can't get an estrogen patch. Yeah. Isn't that iron? Things are about to get quite saucy, I guess.

SPEAKER_04 28:22

You're like, my life is gonna change. And everyone's around me.

SPEAKER_02 28:25

So I don't think you guys want, like, as a society, we don't know.

SPEAKER_04 28:29

We don't want all of our uh medicated women the most possible women losing their hormoner.

SPEAKER_02 28:36

All at once. The rage, we've just been really unpleasant.

SPEAKER_04 28:39

They'll become unpleasant, and then we'll have to deal with a world full of parents.

SPEAKER_02 28:43

We've been barely containing our rage.

SPEAKER_04 28:46

But is it justifiable? Oh, yeah. Yes, especially if you can't get your drugs, like yes. That'll send you in the end.

SPEAKER_02 28:56

It'll go from Epstein files to Epstein trials real quick. We're about to yeah, unleash.

unknown 29:01

Yes.

SPEAKER_04 29:02

Uh on a completely separate note. Um, because as pleasant as, you know, murdering people because of menopauses. Um, we are in Best of CEO week here at the Source. Um this is where the best of Central Oreg businesses are honored. And there was not a podcast category this year, but we've decided that we have earned the best comedy podcast potential in Central Oregon. Yes. Yes. I think we might be able to do that. It's the only one. But we are also the best. If you get enough qualifiers, you can be the best at anything. And that's really what you know, being the best is finding out how niched down you have to get. So we are the best comedy podcast in Central Oregon. And I have the sign to prove it because I stole it from my neighbors next door. There we go. Yeah, thank you, the source.

SPEAKER_02 29:56

Yeah. I mean, I think I'm the best panelist right now, right? Because I'm the only one. You're the only one. You're the host. You're the best, you're the best host. I'm the best host this week.

SPEAKER_04 30:07

Exactly. Exactly. You just have to get enough qualifiers. But do you know who I don't need a qualifier for? That's our guest this week. I was able to sit down with Tom Achilles, like Achilles heel. Uh-huh. That's why I remembered his name. We're talking about phonics earlier. I had to remember it. Like connected to something else. Connected to something else. Um, so Tom Achilles, he's a Brooklyn-based alternative comic. He's going to be coming to town Labor Day weekend with his shows. And I would love for you guys to get to know his quirky sense of humor a little bit more. Welcome to the podcast, Tom. If you can introduce yourself for people that might not be familiar with you and your comedy.

SPEAKER_00 30:45

Yeah, absolutely. Uh, my name is Tom McKilly's. I'm a comedian from Brooklyn, New York. And uh I've been living in New York for a little over 10 years now. And uh I'm excited to do the comedy festival. I've never been to Bend before. I've done a little bit of comedy in Portland and Seattle, but I'm really excited to check out the scene there.

SPEAKER_04 31:08

Yeah, we're a great little community, and we're very different from Portland. I think you will see the contrast when you're on this side of a mountain. We're and we're a resort town, so it's the slowest pace of life. I've I've lived in New York, LA, Vegas, and life is like 10 times slower here. I think you'll very much enjoy your time in our city.

SPEAKER_00 31:31

I'm looking forward to it.

SPEAKER_04 31:33

And what do you like about working in New York? Why do you choose to make that your home base?

SPEAKER_00 31:38

Yeah, so I'm originally from uh Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. So I've always been a Northeast kid. Um and after high school, I went to college in Washington, D.C. They have a great comedy scene. I did a lot of improv down there and also dabbled in stand-up. Um and after college, wanted to go to New York just because it always was a dream of mine to do comedy in, you know, the biggest city. Uh and um really found that there were just so many opportunities to get on stage in New York. So I love the stage time. And then specifically in Brooklyn, I feel like there's a vibrant comedy scene of, you know, there are comedy clubs in Brooklyn. There's also alternative rooms, there's a lot of improv and clowning, which is kind of a newer scene that's cropped up. So you really get a good cross-section of all different types of comedy. Um, and I see myself sort of as like a variety act. So um, I feel like it's a great place for me to thrive, you know.

SPEAKER_04 32:47

I love that you see yourself as a variety act. So I guess you would be like, you it's odd what you do if somebody hasn't seen your comedy before. It's not a typical stand-up. How would how would it how would you describe it to somebody who has never seen your work before?

SPEAKER_00 33:04

Yeah, absolutely. It is definitely more offbeat. I would say a more alternative. Um it is a combination of uh, I would say musicality and rhythm, along with um like tightly written comedy that is somewhat uh fast-paced. Um I also incorporate um props as well as like characters. So it's a uh I would say a cavalcade of different styles mixed together to hopefully keep the audience on their feet. I think a lot of that comes from like an improv background and then transitioning into stand-up comedy. Um I've really kept that as an influence. Um and I've always really enjoyed, I grew up on like adult swim comedy and you know, Tim and Eric and Reggie Watts, and um comedians that are a little bit more off the beaten path, but I've always identified with um absurdity and physicality. Uh so I hope to bring you know a different disaster, a different flavor to the lineup. Um and I'm so stoked that they uh are including, you know, alternative acts. So um really excited to to perform.

SPEAKER_04 34:21

Yeah, you're definitely a unique voice, but I love that. I we love a good, unique human being here in Central Oregon.

SPEAKER_03 34:27

So I think you're gonna go over very well here. Can you tell us your comedy origins story? Do you remember the first time you stepped up to a mic as a stand-up?

SPEAKER_00 34:37

Yeah, the first time was actually my high school talent show. I did a set, I think I was a sophomore in high school. And at that time it was a lot of jokes about just like being at high school and being, you know, in class. And um, I remember it going really well. So I kind of got that rush from getting an audience response and was hooked. I was also like a big fan of Whose Line Is It Anyway? That was like a big introduction to me when I was like in middle school and was fascinated by uh that show. So that was the first time I ever did stand-up. And then improv, they actually had a team at my high school that was founded by um someone a couple years older than me. And I joined that and just loved it. Um so that that was sort of like the origin I started in high school and sort of have been hooked ever since.

SPEAKER_04 35:38

Wow, that's like I mean, that's pretty impressive that your school had an improv group. I've heard of some colleges having them, but I don't know if I've ever heard of a high school having it.

SPEAKER_03 35:49

So a very progressive high school you went to.

SPEAKER_00 35:52

I think so, yeah. I've I've been told as well that it's like pretty rare. Like not many, uh, not many people had like high school improv teams. So I feel like I got I kind of got lucky in that sense where there was a robust theater program. I also did a lot of theater um in high school, so that's also a big influence for me. Um, just being being physical and being, you know, projecting. I'm quite loud.

SPEAKER_04 36:17

Yeah, we talked to a lot of stand-ups who have like a background basically as like a music theater kid. You know what I mean? I think there's something about that energy that translates to stand-up very well.

SPEAKER_00 36:30

Yes. Right? Yes.

SPEAKER_04 36:32

And when you're touring around, what do you like to do when you're not doing shows? Do you are you an outdoors person? Do you go to museums? What kind of stuff do you like to do as you travel around?

SPEAKER_00 36:43

Yeah, absolutely. Well, I I enjoy hiking a lot. And I know that Oregon is great for that. So I'm hoping to get in a hike or two while I'm out there. Um, I also love running. Um, and yeah, I'm quite outdoorsy. I'm a big movie fan as well. So if there's any like local theaters, I'm sure I might like check out, you know, uh a movie one night if I don't, if there's time. Um and I also I'm a I'm a sports fan. So I'm you know, um, when I was in Seattle, I went to a Mariners game, which was a good time. Um, but yeah, love being outdoors and uh love seeing nature, love being in nature.

SPEAKER_04 37:22

Well, we definitely have a lot of nature in Bend. And we also have a cute little independent theater called Tinpan that um is owned. Well, it's the Bend Film, the Bend Film Festival. I don't know if it's it's their nonprofit runs it, and they bring in all kinds of interesting stuff. And I I think the theater maybe holds 30 people. It's very small, but it's quite the experience if you have the time.

SPEAKER_00 37:46

Ooh, I will definitely check that out. Thanks for the tip.

SPEAKER_04 37:50

Yeah, of course, of course. And if people want to check out your comedy and see more of your work to get a feel for you, where would you direct them?

SPEAKER_03 37:59

Where's the best place to go and look for some of your work?

SPEAKER_00 38:02

Yeah, absolutely. Um, I would say my website, TomAchilles.com. Uh, it has a good cross-section of all of my work. And last year I actually put out um an hour comedy special called Mindbender, and that is living on my YouTube account right now, and that's at TomAchilles1. So if you're looking to get like a flavor of what is to come at the comedy festival, I think that would be a great one to check out. Um, I also have an audio album on Spotify from a couple years ago called Guillotine, which uh was about a half hour. Um, so I would I would direct people there. I'm also on Instagram at Tom McKilly's. So for like more short-term kind of like short-form content like clips or stand-up reels, um, you can get like a little bit of just like a little shot of me there as well.

SPEAKER_03 38:53

Perfect. Well, thank you so much, Tom. Is there anything else you would like to share with the podcast listeners before we say goodbye today?

SPEAKER_00 39:00

Um no, that's been great. I'm I'm just I'm super excited to be included in the comedy festival, and I'm I'm really looking forward to experiencing Ben and to meeting all the great comedians that are booked on the lineup. I'm really grateful.

SPEAKER_04 39:13

We look forward to having you in town. I I'm really excited for you all to experience our sweet little scene. It's a lovely community, and we appreciate you making the trip here. Well, that was Tom. If you would like to check out where he's going to be here in Central Oregon, his website has the shows he's gonna be at. I know he has shows at Mr. Canick, at Capital, at Open Space. So be sure to check out where you can catch his comedy while he is in town. There's also a ton of other great shows this week. We have Big Deck Energy at Silver Moon.

SPEAKER_02 39:45

I'm hosting that tomorrow.

SPEAKER_04 39:46

Okay, can you explain this show to me? It's a little, it's a little different.

SPEAKER_02 39:49

Yeah, it's a little different. It is a great lineup of comedians giving their hot takes via slideshow. And I think I said something to my sister about it and I called it a PowerPoint. And she's like, Why are they using PowerPoint? And I was like, I just mean that in a general sense. So a slideshow. I think they're actually using Google slides, but you you know, people can use whatever. Um, and so they've they're gonna have visuals with their yeah, they're educating people, right? I mean, I think some of it will be educational.

SPEAKER_04 40:16

It's not over.

SPEAKER_02 40:17

Um there are some very um some of the comics are uh more on the intellectual side, and some of them are on the much more goofy side. So I think it's gonna be a little bit of something for everyone. Yes.

SPEAKER_04 40:30

So Big Deck Energy at Silver Moon, August 19th. You can get tickets for that at Ben Ticket. Then there is the Summer Laugh and Tour, which is Jamon's show. Yep. I don't have two, do you know? I don't know who's on that show. I know Jamon, this is Jamon. I think it might be one of his first productions he's produced in town. Okay. He just officially moved here from Northern California. We're happy to have him. Yeah, so we're happy to have him a part of the scene. His show is going to be at Craft on Saturday, August 22nd. And his tickets are also at N Ticket. Um, and those are our big shows for the week. Of course, people are gearing out for Matt Rice next week at Made at Home Amphitheater. And I think any other shows? I think that's what's going on. If you want to go out and see live comedy, please do. We have great local comics to support. Also, if you want to get on a mic, we have mics in town. Yes, Monday nights at Silver Moon Beer Town Comedy.

SPEAKER_01 41:25

Yep.

SPEAKER_04 41:26

It was the runner-up, Imbest of Central Oregon for Best Open Mike.

SPEAKER_02 41:30

Okay.

SPEAKER_04 41:30

So earned honorable mention.

SPEAKER_02 41:32

Fantastic.

SPEAKER_04 41:33

For sure. And then Wednesday night craft.

SPEAKER_02 41:36

So always fun nights.

SPEAKER_04 41:38

Always fun nights.

SPEAKER_02 41:39

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 41:39

I always say if if there's less of a line at craft. Because if you kind of want to like see everybody, it's a little bit easier to stay through the night. It's usually about 20 comments, I think, a beer town. Like it's a lot of people go up and you get to see like a whole range of people trying out their stuff. And I think it's a great place to kind of get introduced to the scene if you just want to see who's happening.

SPEAKER_02 42:01

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_04 42:02

But that's it. That's it for this week's episode of Nighttime Vendors. We will be back next week with more essential organs. Favorite funny faces. Laura, if people want to find you online, where's the best place to connect?

SPEAKER_02 42:13

Sure. Um, I'm on Instagram, uh Laura B. Wright underscore uh comedian.

SPEAKER_04 42:19

Very simple. Laura B. Wright, underscore comedian. Find the lady there. I love it. And I'm Julia Reid Nichols. We are nighttime vendors. Be sure to like us where you like us, click all the buttons, share. I don't know. There's so many options to support, but it all really does help. We are a new podcast. So please do all the button things, and we will be back next week with more funny faces. Till next time.