Creating Your Own Luck & Opportunity
On this week’s Level Up! With Shay, I am so excited to introduce you to Carl Tart, writer, actor, performer, and DJ. Carl is a lead on NBC’s Grand Crew and can be seen on Miracle Workers, The Good Place, Arrested Development, and more. He’s written for Kenan, MadTV, Brooklyn Nine Nine, just to name a few. In our conversation, Carl shares how he got into comedy, how he deals with criticism on social media, his writing style and how he rewards himself, the fun he has working with his friends, and where he fits in with the grind and hustle mentality of our culture.
I hope you enjoy our conversation and if anything that Carl says resonates with you, please share this episode on Instagram and tag me @levelupwithshay and Carl @dammitcarl.
Thank you so much for being here. It’s time to level up.
Subscribe to Level Up! With Shay wherever you get your podcasts.
Carl Tart’s links:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dammitcarl
Watch NBC’s Grand Crew: https://www.nbc.com/grand-crew
The Flagrant Ones: https://www.instagram.com/theflagrantones/
XOXO Gossip Kings: https://www.instagram.com/xoxogossipkings_podcast/
Level Up! With Shay Links
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/levelupwithshay/
Sign up for my weekly email: https://bit.ly/3ClYM8t
Follow Level Up! WIth Shay
Timestamps
2:33 - Carl shares his childhood realizations about what he wanted to do and also being afraid to talk about his dreams.
13:34 - Why Carl stopped stand-up
16:25 - Most valuable lesson that Carl learned in his work.
20:00 - Carl shares what he feels about making stuff with his friends
23:50 - Handling criticism on social media
29:24 - Staying focused when writing
36:38 - How to balance working hard and playing hard?
39:47 - Learning new skills and doing something else that he loves
41:49 - Carl talks about his secret to success
44:36 - How Carl is leveling up by exploring ways to expand on things
46:56 - Advice from Carl for anyone who wants to work on Network TV and work with their friends.
Transcription
Shay 0:00
(Intro) Hello and welcome to Level Up! With Shay. I am a comedian, entrepreneur, and lover of personal growth here to share my stories on my level of journey bring other fascinating and inspirational artists and creatives to share their story, and to help you realize your potential take action and fulfill your biggest dreams. I am delighted to bring you today's guest Carl Tart. Carl is a writer-performer and one of the leads in NBC’s Grand Crew. He can also be seen in Miracle Workers, The Good Place, Arrested Development, Transparent, Disney’s Girl Meets World, Comedy Bang Bang, and more. He has written for Kenan, MADtv, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and Ghosted, just to name a few. Carl has traveled all over the country with the sketch and improv team, The Big Team, formerly known as White Women. He is also the co-host of the basketball-centric podcast The Flagrant Ones and XOXO Gossip Kings, a rewatch podcast of Gossip Girls. After spending a little time in college and realizing he wasn't going to make it to the NBA, Carl decided to dip his toe into the comedy world. Starting out in stand-up but not really liking it, he was introduced to improv and fell in love. He completed programs at Second City and the Upright Citizens Brigade, both in Los Angeles, and was selected for the CBS Diversity Showcase where he worked with other performers and sketch writers to put on a show in front of the top agents and managers in the business. Carl still loves to learn and challenge himself so he started DJing right before the pandemic, and now uses it as a cool party trick. I met Carl at UCB in Los Angeles and he was always so welcoming and kind and on top of that, hilarious. So let's get into it. Please welcome to Level Up! With Shay, Carl Tart.
Shay 1:51
Hello, everyone, and welcome to Level Up! With Shay. I am so excited about today's guest, Carl Tart.
Carl Tart 1:59
Hey, what's going on?
Shay 2:01
A comedian, improviser, writer, actor, DJ, we're gonna talk about that a little bit, hopefully, but you do so many things. So many cool things I see you have you know, from the outside looking in having so much fun doing a lot of it with your friends, which is really cool. And I kind of just wants to start in your childhood. What made you want to be a comedian, actor, entertainer? And did you always have kind of this vision or this dream to you know, do what you're doing now?
Carl Tart 2:33
You know, I didn't always have the dream to do what I'm doing now. Not technically. It started to come a little bit later but I was always very scared to talk about it. Because when you tell somebody, you want to be a comedian, the first thing they say is you're not funny, even if you are, you know, even if you have, you know, made them laugh a ton. When it comes to actually being a comedian, they go, no, no, you can't do that, that's different. So I, as a kid, what inspired me to want to do was making my family laugh at events, it helped me kind of stay. I have an older cousin who's like my oldest sister, she's like, 10 years older than me, like nine years older than me, and she would babysit me a lot. And I noticed she was frustrated by that, because she just wanted to be with her teenage friends, you know, they just want to do with it. And so in order for me to justify myself being around, I had to make these people laugh. And how I did that, at a really young age are just repeating stuff I had seen on TV. And you know, so when I was really little Martin Lawrence show was, you know, my favorite thing ever. And then there was ComicView and Def Comedy Jam, which I shouldn't have been watching at that age. But my cousin, you know, let me watch it and stuff like that I got really young parents too. So my mom never really stressed over profanity and stuff like that, because I think she saw that I was watching it from a different, like type of place. And so, I just loved doing that and then once I got to school, it was kind of how I, you know, again, like how I use disability to fit in like it was humor. And then when I moved to LA, I was kind of an outcast, because, you know, I was a little kid coming from Mississippi and an accent and stuff like that, and to make myself fit in with this new culture that I was so unfamiliar with. Moving from a small town to a huge city, gang issues, and, you know, just trying to make friends stuff like that. I think being funny was something that I realized I could do, like, make making people laugh. So I realized I could do pretty early on and it was something that you recognize. You go, wow, this hasn't changed through any situation I've been in, that when I'm really located Mississippi, I can make my family and friends and adults laugh and stuff like that. And then when I moved to LA, it's kind of the same thing. I make my teachers laugh and make the other kids laugh these people who are different to me, so I just kind of was like, man, I think this is like a thing that I can do and you know, kind of got used to and enjoy being known as the funny kid. And it just kind of stuck with me my whole life.
Shay 4:58
Yeah, I mean most of the comedians that I talked to. They're like, I use humor as kind of this not defensive mechanism necessarily, but to fit in, and to make everybody else happy. Like you said, your babysitter, you saw that she was frustrated, you're like, how can I help this situation?
Carl Tart 5:18
Yeah.
Shay 5:19
And that was with your humor. So I think that's maybe how a lot of comedians get their start is just using that while they're young.
Carl Tart 5:27
Yeah, a lot of people say it comes from like a trauma thing. I don't really have a ton of that. Like, I mean, have we all got traumas, but I don't have like, there wasn't nothing in my, in my childhood. I could be like, that's when I started being funny, because it kind of was like, there the whole time. It was more just like, I was really shy kid. And that was how I could kind of break through that shyness, was making people laugh. And so yeah, that's how I came along.
Shay 5:52
Yeah, totally. And so when did you move from Mississippi to LA?
Carl Tart 5:56
When I was eight years old.
Shay 5:58
Okay, eight. And then what area in LA? You were like South LA?
Carl Tart 6:02
Yeah. So when I first moved out here, we lived in an area in the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw area, which is called, like, locally known as the jungles. And you know, in the neighborhood that has a nickname like that. Probably ain't too good. Yeah. So that's where we lived at first. And then we moved into the area, and then go work on the bottoms. And then we moved over by USC, which is just like, you know, South Central Los Angeles. But my mom always wanted me to go to school in better areas. So I always went to school. I claim West LA, like that is where I when people ask me Oh, are you Where'd you grow up? In Western, I always say West LA, because I've spent so much time in that area. So the Venice, La Cienega Pico area in that, you know, right before you get to Culver City, which is just known as West Los Angeles. I grew up right there. Because I spent the most time I lived on the other side of town, but school and then after school programs, I was there pretty much all day, every day. I got to this place called Robertson park at a park, you know, rec center. And yeah, so that's where I claim that's where all my friends lived in that area. We never lived over there. Until like later in my life. But yeah, I spent the most time over there.
Shay 7:12
Okay, from high school. Where did you go?
Carl Tart 7:16
After high school was over, I started at a school in Ohio called Wilberforce University. It was a historically black college. And I left there after half a year to go play basketball at the school called New Mexico Highlands University. And then, I got cut from the team, because we had a really bad team. And they like the coach got fired. And there was a new coach came in and brought in his own guys, and I didn't make the cut. So I came home. And at that point, I had never been the best student. I was always like class clownish. I did my work, I was smart, but I never was like a good student, I was lazy as hell. Which I still can be, and, which is why this virtual background is on you can't see back here. But I, when I left the school, I kind of was lost a little bit, you know, you're in that weird age where you're too old to be with high schoolers, but you're too young to do anything adultish just like that 1920. Like, kind of purgatory that you're in. And I started being like, you know, kind of figuring out like, Okay, what do I want to do? I know, I don't want to go back to school. I was going like community colleges just to like, Please, my mom, taking like two classes a week, you know, not on any type of path of getting a college degree. And then I started thinking more and more about comedy, I started looking it up googling stuff. And I was just like, man, this has been the most consistent thing in my life. I've loved sports. I wish I could have been a professional athlete, but that wasn't in the cards for me, because I wasn't good enough. And so I was like, well, what's something that I have been good enough? Good at my whole life? I've always had the ability to make people that, well, why don't I just try to do it? And people were like, I didn't tell too many people to close friends and stuff. And they did exactly what I thought they were gonna do. You can't do that. Nobody, like who do you think you are Katt Williams, Kevin Hart? You know, you can't do that, because they don't understand the process that it takes those guys. You know, everybody had to start somewhere. Everybody stepped on the stage and bombed before everybody took that leap. And they had to work at their craft, because they probably thought the same thing. Well, I've been funny my whole life. I'll get up here and I'll just kill. And and that ain't the case. But when we're seeing them, we're seeing them after years of effort and work and stuff. But they do it so well, that it looks like I'm just coming up here to talk. And so people think, well, you can't do that. You're not definitely, you're funny but you ain't like that funny. And so I just started doing it secretly started doing open mics and coming up to the Comedy Store and I'm like, 19 or 20 years old, and I'm just like, man, and then it was really hard. And then the lazy streak kind of said no, but it's also it wasn't just laziness. It was like a fear to was like, I was afraid to write jokes. I was afraid that I'm gonna write this joke, and nobody's gonna laugh at it. And I'm gonna be up here stuff. And so I will make up a lot of stuff. And I would, you know, find stuff to talk about and do characters and, you know, talk about my family come and tell stories, almost. And somebody came up to me one time and was like, Yo, you, you do improv. Improv? What does improv? What is that? And I didn't know what it was. Anyway, you know, like, Whose Line Is It Anyway? Oh, like Wayne Brady? Yeah, I don't do that. Like, wait, because you know, Wayne Brady's got like, a bit of a joke at that time, you know? And so I was like, no, I never actually. You should check it out. Like, I think you'd be good because I can clearly tell you don't write anything up. They're talking, and you're like making this stuff up off the top of your head. And I go, all right, I'll look into it. And then one thing, I did have secret when I was a kid, I secretly wanted to be on all that shit, like most of us did. But I love that. Yeah. But I also was too scared to ever audition, they will talk about like, we're having auditions at Universal Studios in Orlando. And that wasn't super far away from where I was in Mississippi or like my mom, we moved here because my mom's an actress.
Shay 11:04
Okay.
Carl Tart 11:04
So, if I had told her I want to do that, because I always made her laugh. If I had told her I want to do that she would have 100% put the effort in. But I was too scared. I was way too scared. And then Kenan got on SNL when I was in like eighth grade. And that's when that started to be like a dream. Like, man, I'd like to be on this show. I'd like to be on this one day. And finally, that crazy kid has been on the show since I was in the eighth grade.
Shay 11:05
That’s wild! Wow.
Carl Tart 11:06
But uh, I remember he got on I was like, all that like quinoa, kale. And I started to secretly want to do it at that point. That was when it was like something in the back of my head. But I was like, nah, basketball is more realistic. People can win in this, absolutely not. But like, I stopped, you know, I wouldn't say that stuff out loud. But then once I lost sports once, I was like, um, it's over for me. And I was like, maybe I can still make a run at this. And I started googling how people got on the show. And I kept seeing Second City grounds, this before like the UCB crew kind of took over the shoulder like, Second City grounds, The Second City grounds, okay, keep seeing these two names pop up. Let me see if they are, like I've heard saying that people like, oh, the second season in Chicago was not out here in LA. And I was like, oh, let me just look it up. And it was one in LA. I went to Grandma's website. And there were like, not many black people on their alumni list. And the classes were like, super expensive, and there was no way I was gonna be able to afford that. And then I went to The Second City website, and it was like a college brochure. And like, black people popped up immediately on the front page. And I'm like, oh, so black people are at this one. And they have one in LA. And the classes were like, $200, cheaper. And I said, I called and I was like, hey, how do I sign up for one of these classes? Like, is there one, and it was right around the time on my birthday, almost my birthday. My mom was gonna ask me like, oh, what do you want for your birthday? You gotta be 21. What do you want for your birthday? And I told her, I wanted to take that class. Like, if you could just help me out with that class. And she was like, really? Like, now you want to do it? Like, it took you long enough, blah, blah. And she kind of understood it. And so that's when I signed up. So I was like, 20 years old. And I called. And I was like, hey, I want to sign up. Do I need it? What like, what level do I need to take? And he told me level. And they were like the classes starting in two weeks? Like cool. I mean.
Shay 13:25
Yeah. 20 years old. That's pretty young. I love that. So you stopped stand up?
Carl Tart 13:34
Yeah. Because, that was a hard thing. Because I didn't know that there was another option. So in my mind, I'm like, damn, man, if I can't do stand up, and maybe everybody was right, maybe I'm not funny, as I thought I was. But I really wasn't putting in no effort, to be honest. Because I didn't know the path that was before like podcasting was a real thing. So you can hear other people tell you how they did it and how they grinded it out. And I was shy, I wasn't making like that many friends over there. And I wasn't really like grinding it out. Like being at every open mic writing jokes, give putting in the effort, because it was out of fear. It was like ma'am, I'm afraid that people are not going to laugh. And so that kind of, like kind of put me in a little a little like depressive mood, because I didn't know what I wanted to do in my life. Like, at that point, it was like a 16 year crisis. You know, like, like, I didn't know a one-sixteenth like life crisis, like how they say, midlife crisis. It's like, this is a beginning of my life, but I I don't know, because I didn't do any like aptitude type stuff. And I knew I didn't want to go back to college. I knew, I didn't want to go back. If I wasn't playing sports, I didn't just want to be just a student at the school. Like, that doesn't give you any status. Alright, I guess I'll try this and then when that person told me, if that person hadn't told me to try improv, I got no telling what I would have been doing right now. And when I found it, day one, class one I fell in love with. Oh My God, this is so fun. And another thing was from class one, so many people were coming up to me being like, oh, you're really good at this, you must have done this before I said, I'd never heard of this. Wow. And I was, you know, I probably wasn't good. I was good for a person who has, you know, personal one on one, you know, one, level one. And that just gave me the, because in sports, positive reinforcement is very few and far between, if you're not like the absolute best player on your team. So I had never been in a situation where I had heard like, hey, man, you're really good at this. And that immediately made me go. I mean, because if they think I'm good now, imagine what I'm gonna be when I get better at it, that's kind of what made me stay. And I stayed concurrently. I finished that program, went through the whole year and eight month process of that, stayed around there for a little while. And you know, did the house teams and stuff like that. And then I got cast in the CBS Diversity Showcase, and that probably pushed me like five years ahead of what I would have been if I didn't do it. Because that immediately put me in front of half of Hollywood at 23.
Shay 16:09
Yeah, and I want to ask you about that showcase. What do you think was the most valuable lesson you learned, going through that? Was it, not even less than but what was the most valuable thing you got through that? Was it relationships? Was it writing? Working with other people?
Carl Tart 16:25
Relationships? Definitely. Relationships are a big part of it. I'm still friends with a lot of people that I did that show with like, still good friends like Nicole Byer was in that year with me, John Millheiser Allison Rich, John Bartels, Leland Bowden. It was a real heavy UCB year, Jeff Hillary was a New York guy. Like, it was dope. It was a it was a really cool experience. And then after that, besides that, I learned how to code read really well, because the way the process works, like we're doing sketch all day, every day, when we're coming in, the writers give you the sketch, like 10 minutes before you got to do it, because they just finished writing and you get it and you got to skim over it. And you can have the paper in your hand, but it's like, it gives you great audition skills, because it's like, okay, I just got this thing. I gotta hit my jokes. Every time I do, I have to hit my jokes. The other lines don't matter as much. But as long as I'm hitting these jokes, as long as I'm making this writer look good. As long as I'm making, my classmates look good. And so that gave me like a skill to be, I'm able to like learn lines really quick, and do them correctly. And then like, I kind of just forget them after that. But like, that wasn't another valuable skill. And just kind of seeing how the Hollywood casting process works. It wasn't the best experience for everybody. And I met when we were in it, it wasn't the best experience for us. But now we look back on it as like, like, it's like a fond memory. But it's up at times for sure.
Shay 17:49
Yeah, it was just a lot of hard work.
Carl Tart 17:51
Yeah, a lot of hard work and a lot of like, you know, dealing with Hollywood types that are shitty. Yeah. What are you getting better now? As as the times are changing, but back then it was like, damn, here's what it's gonna be like. Yeah.
Shay 18:05
Stereotypes, which that was in 2013. And you watch good trouble?
Carl Tart 18:10
Yeah.
Shay 18:10
They have that like showcase in there. And they're still dealing with stereotypes. You know, it's nine years later, still dealing with that issue. Yeah, that's, that's an awesome experience. And so that was at 23. So that was three years after you had started improv and really performing. And so with improv, were you not nervous to perform that? Like your stand up? No, you were just in it?
Carl Tart 18:38
I think it was the freedom, A, it was the comfort of having other people on stage with you, that could pick up the slack for you. And B, the freedom of making everything up. Like not having to write something down and go, this has this formula has to work. Like, that's, that's scary to me. And they look at us and they go oh, man, it's scary. You got it. You up there with nothing. Oh, man, please. Like, that's it is easy. You got a brain. You can talk. You talk all day.
Shay 19:07
Right? Yeah, I started doing stand up, my first stand up when I moved out to Atlanta, so a year and a half ago, because I was so scared. You know, had done improv because I had other people on stage. And so I was comfortable with it, but writing and doing stand up. It's still terrifying to me. As my mind just goes blank. I mean, you said you talk about stuff. Me, I'm like, my mind just is blank. If I forget a joke or a joke doesn't land and yeah, it's very scary. I love improv. I was good with improv. So we talked about people that you met in the diversity showcase, and then also people from UCB. Now you're making stuff with those people and your friends. And I just want to know, what does that feel like?
Carl Tart 19:59
Is the absolute best
Shay 20:00
Yeah.
Carl Tart 20:00
So a lot of people think. So I'm on a show called Grand Cru. And a lot of people think that it was nepotism me getting his part. And in a kind of way it may have been. But there was still a process that I had to go through my dad audition a bunch of times, I still had to keep coming back to the network, and they had to prove me, like there was definitely a chance that I didn't get the job. You know, I mean, it wasn't a I wont call now, and he can. The character itself, maybe was based a little bit loosely off of me. And so I probably had the best grasp on the vision. But I still had to put in the work to audition and stuff like that. But being all set with people who you literally watched come up, like I had known Echo since day one. I had known Phil and Nicole, since they came out during the 2012-2013 era. And it was surreal. It was like, it's surreal bit like Lamar is a writer on the show. And because of COVID stipulations, he was the main writer, the main set writer, the whole time we were shooting. Usually the writer of the episode comes in for their episode, but because of COVID stuff they didn't, he was already you know, vetted in contest every day and stuff like that. So he was there every day on set. So it was great having him there. We have friends come in and act on the show. Like one of the best moments was making to do a scene with Ronnie, and Lamar is kind of directing the scene. That was crazy. And we've worked together so much over the past 10 years that you don't really, you sit back and go, wait a minute, we're working on something right now that is going to be on network television. This ain't just for Funny or Die, this ain't just for some UCB spank. This is going to be on network television. We're getting paid a lot of money to do this. And it's just really cool, is the best feeling it's the best, right? It's gonna be hard. If and when that next job comes in, I don't have them there. Because I'm gonna have to make new friends and meet new people. And it wasn't I just did another job up in Canada. And I know the people behind the scenes. I didn't know any of the people in the show. But even doing that, it was like, okay, I gotta make friends with these people. And I'm just a guest star on the show. And they don't know that. I got my own show. And, you know, like, and so it's wild. It's wild. It's such a wild experience to be doing it.
Shay 22:20
Yeah, that's awesome. And grand crew is hilarious. Yeah, it's so good. One thing you know, you said when you were younger, you were scared to talk about your dreams, your goals, whatever they were. Did you talk about those things with the people we're talking about now with? You know, Ronnie or Lamar or Echo? Like, did you talk about those things with each other?
Carl Tart 22:44
Yeah, yeah, we talk about our personal lives and goals and stuff a lot, quite a bit. They are a great support system. Those are my brothers. Like they. That's why the show I feel like comes off so naturally. And people don't understand because like, we're real friends, like, people don't get that. And so it's definitely a pleasure having them around. And that I can talk to them about stuff like that I was able to because they're going through the same thing. It's hard to talk, it's hard to talk to people that ain't going through the same thing. You know, so, yeah, we talked about this stuff all done.
Shay 23:15
Yeah, that's awesome. I mean, cause you need that support system. And you need that, just community around you where you can vocalize. Because that's how you that's how you realize things I think is you vocalize them. Yeah, I do have a question about criticism. You You had spoke earlier about people telling you you can't be a comedian. Have you ever faced criticism, you know about your acting or about your writing? Maybe on social media? Or publicly?
Carl Tart 23:44
Yes.
Shay 23:45
Yeah? What do you do in those situations? Like mentally? How do you deal with that? How do you process that?
Carl Tart 23:50
You know, it's crazy. I'm still learning because I still get hurt by some of that stuff. And you know, it's always just like, Lady Gaga says, like, you're hunting like, it could be 100 people in a room, 99 people tell you great, but the one person who don't like you. Just uh, wait a minute, what did I do to you? You know, that's the that's the person whose opinion you care about. Yep. Like, I still go through that. Like, I do all these podcasts on these comedy podcasts and stuff like that. And I used to I stopped doing over the pandemic, because it just wasn't good for my mental state in that crazy time that we were living in. So I stopped doing it then. But the people who will get on Reddit or something like that, after you do an episode of Comedy Bang Bang, you're making all your favorite comedians crack up and they're all keel over with laughter and we're all having such a good time. And it's such a fun showing and they're telling you how great you are stuff and then you go on Reddit and you want to see like oh man I want to see if they caught that joke. I want to see if they liked that. Then this guy like everytime calls on alternative stuff I don't like and you have to learn about and like I said, it's still a work in progress for me. I still do get affected by it sometime. Because it just it's just something I would never do. So it's hard for me to grasp the the the reason that somebody would criticize. Like, if something I don't, there's art that I don't like. But for me to get online and talk about it, I'd never do that. Alright, so like, and to have such like vitriolic things to say about somebody like, that's crazy. And so, I think you have to look at it in a way of like, if the majority of the people are telling you it's good, then it's probably good. So rest in that and you believe in yourself. Believe in yourself that you have put out a good product. And also know that that person calling you out in that situation is not calling you out. They're calling themselves out, they're saying, I wish I could have done what he did. And when, especially when that person is easy target, like Comedy Bang Bang, historically has been majority white. So when I come in, and I'm taking up what they claim as their space. Some of these fans who aren't used to have different voice on the show. And not only am I a different voice, but I present in a cool way. You know, I'm not like, nerdy out here with it, what they like about a lot of the other people show, and I'm also coming in and their favorite people and being like, no, that guy's great. And that person is at home like no, no, he's invading my space. And I'm an easy target when you're a minority when you're a woman when you're, you know, sexual orientation. When you're an easy target for somebody to be like, I don't like that person. So, it is what it is. I think we all just got to remember that people are hurting. And, that's kind of how I look at it. When I receive criticism. People are hurting. And that's not the case every time, sometimes I put out some shit, that's bad. But I think, I know when it's bad when I look at something, hmm, that's not that's not good.
Shay 26:43
Yep, yeah, I appreciate that. Thank you for sharing. Because I think I go through that. I know many other people go through that. And it is a practice it is a learning of, okay, it triggers me and then let me kind of decompress from that, you know, and then you can be quicker on the turnaround, right? You don't like sit in it for hours, you can go quicker to come back.
Carl Tart 27:09
And take certain things out of your life. For me, I got deleted Twitter, over the pandemic, like I watched a social dilemma and was like, Yeah, I'm out. I'm out on this.
Shay 27:16
Yeah/
Carl Tart 27:17
This shit is weak. I don't want the discourse with these people. I don't want. I don't want to say something that gets people, you know, in a mood to talk at me. Like, no, I'm done. I'm gonna cut this out of my life.
Shay 27:28
That's a great idea..(laughs)
Carl Tart 27:30
Yes.
Shay 27:31
Especially now, I go on Twitter. And all the talk is Will Smith and Chris Rock? Yeah. And it's just, it's not good for my mental health. So honestly, I might leave Twitter.
Carl Tart 27:43
You really don't need it. You don't need it people. That's a myth that people need Twitter.
Shay 27:48
Yeah.
Carl Tart 27:48
You need to be in contact with you can be in contact with other ways. Yeah, got phone numbers, emails, people who can connect you Twitter is not a place for connection anymore. Really, I don't believe, it's just a place for people to vomit. And when word form and other people too get upset, and what this like I've seen, there could be stuff so trivial, like always talked about, like the day I deleted the date, like I was like, I'm done with this. Like, I woke up and immediately grabbed my phone as soon as I woke up, which is something that you shouldn't do. Media grabbed my phone, went on Twitter, and the first thing I saw was hotdogs are bullshit. You don't have to like hotdogs. You don't have to. I personally love hotdogs. You don't have to buy hotdogs. But for me to wake up and see that the first day that has now taken up space in my brain. That stupid take, in my opinion, like very dumb take. And now I'm thinking about that for the rest of the day. And I still have not forgotten about it. And this has been over a year ago. Like, I can't believe that person got up and said that. I don't need to be seeing shit like this every single day. Especially when I just wake up. I don't need to be seen. So that was when I, it's time for this to go. Yeah, I just gotta go.
Shay 29:00
I love that cold hotdog, cold turkey. So I want to talk about your writing career. You know, I've written some stuff. Yeah, I've written some stuff. And I find myself you know, when I'm really enjoying it, I'm getting in flow and getting focused is like very important. Do you feel that when you're writing? Do you write alone? Quite a bit?
Carl Tart 29:24
Yeah, write alone. Because if I don't, I'm not gonna be focused. I turn to a family guy, and I just knock it out. I write scripts, just like I used to write term papers in high school. I just get down and do it. Last minute. I set a deadline for myself. And I probably don't finish until the end of that deadline. So like every script that I've written 30 minute pilots and stuff like that. I will literally just on a Saturday and a Sunday on a weekend. I'll give myself when I know I don't have anything to do during the day, both days when I know I want to go out at night, you know? So I'll sit down. I'll turn off Family Guy. When I wake up in the morning, I go and make myself a big ol nasty breakfast. You know, some unhealthy or whatever, get that poppin, turn on Family Guy, grab me a soda or something like that sit down and just type type type type all day long. Hopefully, if I start at 11am, I'll be done with at least half the script by 8pm. When the homies are making plans to hit the street, so I will feel accomplished, that I did that, go out, wake up the next day, do the same thing over again. And then I got my night to work for whatever I want to do. And now I finished the script. Once I get the finished product, that's it's still not ready. It's not ready to be sent off. But I can put it aside for a day, and then come back to it and read it the next day, fix little errors, fix little things that go away. That doesn't make sense. Wait, okay, all right, change that, rearrange that, punch that up. And then it's ready to be sent off, to get notes to be changed again, you know, a saying that I grew up with, ain't nothin to it, but to do it. People just don't be doing it. It don't have to be perfect when you first do it, you're gonna proofread it, the next person you send to is gonna proof it and tell you this don't make sense this plot point or make sense. I think you'd do better with this. And then even send it to you can fix those things, send it to another person, they're gonna give you their opinion. Don't fix those things. Send it to another person. Hopefully by that person. They're like, yeah, now this is in shape. And then you send it to whoever you need to send it to. I'm blessed to have a bunch of friends who are great writers too, who are willing to read scripts.
Shay 31:32
Have you taken a class for script writing?
Carl Tart 31:34
No, never took a class, never took a class.
Shay 31:40
I'm literally had the first one on Sunday.
Carl Tart 31:43
Oh, nice. How was it?
Shay 31:44
Great. So, like so much information. I usually just start writing a script, then I kind of stopped because I'm like, wait, what's happening? But having the all the information that he asks for? Yeah, has really helped so far. So I enjoy it.
Carl Tart 32:02
He's basically helping you break the script. Yeah. So my first script that I ever wrote, which I got lucky on, I did not break it. I sat down and I vomited it out. And it happened to be good enough for me to send off. And that's how I got my first jobs from that script.
Shay 32:19
Wow.
Carl Tart 32:20
That's luck. But also keep in mind, that script don't have a B or C story. It's just like one long A story. And that's the biggest criticism of that's great. People love to read it. But then they go with it doesn't have any of the stories, which is you know, it's a pilot. So, you know, doesn't really have to. The second script, I was like, okay, I'm gonna do this the traditional way. Wednesday was bought a cork board bought flashcards, broke the story. At one, break hmm. My friends read it and go, Oh, that's really funny, but makes no sense. And so kind of scrapped it. And to write another script, went back to that script, and kind of tried to fix it a little bit. But yeah, it's a process. I think, there is finding middle ground within those two, maybe doing a loose, whatever process works for you that you feel like you've done a complete...I don't think story breaking is the best for me. I think me sitting down, like me having a loose outline of what it is. Like, I think that's what is best for me writing an outline whereby my style and figuring out okay, this could go here, go here, just go here. And then turning that into script for because then I'm just improvising. What would this person if this person says this, what would this person say?
Shay 33:31
Yeah, and I love that because you know, all of it, like, you have the knowledge of all of the pieces. So if you want to do it this way, you can if you want to do it the other way. You can, but yeah, it is. Whatever works for you. If you can bust out that script, I'm sure you know, Ben can do that as well, as well as your other writing friends. You know, so that was your usual Okay, Saturday, Sunday, I'm going to write I mean, like you said, what is it? Ain't nothing...wait
Carl Tart 34:03
Ain't nothin to it but to do it.
Shay 34:01
Ain't nothin to it but to do it. So, you know, Were there ever times where you didn't feel like writing?
Carl Tart 34:07
Hell yeah! every day! I should be working on a script right now. And I'm not! This morning. I like, I just got to Peloton. So like, I got up this morning I had to like run an errand do some, like send some emails off and stuff like that. And I was like, uh, you get on the Peloton before you depart. And then I didn't do it anyway. And then I'm like, I should be well, if you're not gonna do that, then you should do something. And I just said want you to video and had a meeting and then you know, had to do this. And I got another pod later. I am gonna get on the Peloton after we get done here. But like, yeah, it people don't like, I don't know anybody who just loves to sit down and write. And like I'm sure there are people out there who do it. I don't know those people. I think we all kind of work on deadlines, you know. So I set a deadline for myself. I have to get this script because staffing season is Here, I'm getting meetings I'm getting people are asking for my sample, and I don't have one. So now I have to have one. So I got to do it if I want to get these jobs. Let's sit down. Let's take these two days, and let's knock it out. And then once you're done, you feel accomplished, especially like, really after that first day after last Saturday, that sad day of me being at home all day, just knocking that script out. And then, you know, a script is usually 35 pages, and I'm at page 17, or 18. And it's now seven o'clock, eight o'clock time to get in the tub. Like, I've rewarded myself with this night of debauchery. Yeah, but I definitely know I don't, I don't feel like writing ever. Yeah, I could rock and roll 10 pages before we did this. And I just sat around, and I justified in my head like, well, I just worked hard. You know, what I mean.
Shay 35:51
Yeah, it goes up and down, I'm sure. Probably more down than up. But I read on one of your Instagram posts go hard or don't go. That's always been the motto. Yeah. And so I'm just curious. So I think this kind of goes along with what we were talking about of like the grind hustle mentality. Like, it seems like, what you do is when something needs to be done, you do it. Like I think, even with myself at the very beginning of being in LA, like, I was always doing something. But it was never for something you know, it was just doing to be doing. So how do you balance that, that really working hard and playing hard. I guess.
Carl Tart 36:38
For me, it's just like you just said like, when something needs to be done, I do it. That's something I learned from my mom and dad, you know, like, you got to get when work has to be done. It just has to be done, unfortunately. So that is what it's like right now I have to like, go through my closet. And my friend's mom is doing a big clothes, donation clothes donation to Mexico, and I got a ton of stuff in there that I need to get rid of. So I just need to go through my closet and do it. And um, and I've waited to the last minute, I'm going out of town tomorrow for like four days. So when I get back, I'm gonna have to take the whole day and just do that. I'm gonna get it done eventually. But it is a thing where it's like, I want time to chill. Like, I don't want to constantly be, you know, bombarded with stuff. I want time to chill. I want time to myself, I want time to just kick it just eat a bag of popcorn and watch YouTube. And in order for me to do that, in good faith. I have to have put in some sort of work, you know, yeah, about the Peloton to hold myself accountable. I don't be feeling like going to the gym. But if I got this in my house, I gotta get on it. I gotta use least 30 minutes and you taking the time and that you can reward yourself. I reward myself. Okay, I just did 30 minutes. You know what that does? 30 minutes. I just don't find that 30 minutes, do an hour. And once the hour is over, take a hot shower, come back and plop my eyes on a couch and don't do shit. Because I put in the work.
Shay 38:05
Yeah, I love that. I think I've always kind of been afraid this past two years with the pandemic. I've learned how to chill. But before then, I was like, I can't chill. I have to be grinding. I have to be hustling and working. And I've realized that I'm like, worthy of chilling. So like, that is an important part of life that you have to do. You have to take care of yourself.
Carl Tart 38:31
Yeah.
Shay 38:31
Mentally, physically. All of it. Yeah. What is.... okay, I want to know, before that question, I want to know you DJ.. Now is that a new thing?
Carl Tart 38:44
Sort of semi new. Yeah, basically a new thing. I started taking the class right before the pandemic habit, because I was just like, exhausting myself at UCB. There's nothing I need to be doing over here anymore. I don't need to be kicking it over here. In any type of way. I need to find a new hobby. I need to learn how to do something new. I've kind of like, of course, you can always learn stuff in improv in a in a kind of a amorphous format. That is improv you can always be learning stuff, you can always get better. But I'm not taking away improv classes. No more, you know, I mean, I will learn how to do something new. And I love music to death. I know you're a big music fan, too. You do music and stuff. Me and Ronnie designed our little secret for you. Me and Ronnie. always joke about having a record label. Always we get a regular label, it's gonna be lit. And then you'll pop up with a rap video and we'd be like, Jay, let's go sign up. Go get it. Go get her side show tonight.
Shay 39:43
Let's go we're talking about it. Yeah, okay.
Carl Tart 39:47
But I always loved music. I always felt like a good curator of music. And I wanted to learn new skill and I went to my buddy, my buddy had taken the class and I went to his graduation show and he was so good at it and it wasn't just like playing music. It wasn't just like somebody just being like, I mean, mix this song into this song, you mix this song to this song, he was like scratching and doing cool techniques and stuff like that really like turntablism. I said, I want to learn how to do that. Heavy a cool thing and know how to do it right, started taking the class at two classes, and they were like, We're shutting down. I was like, damn. And then like, I would say, like seven months later, six or seven months later, they were like, where it's safe enough now for us to come back. You spread it all out, we can wear a mask, like air ventilation, you got to wash your hands, and you know, do the temperature check. And it became like, an outlet for me over this time where I couldn't really do much else. It became this fun outlet. And I was able to complete this program and make new friends and join a new community and be just like the Emperor communities the same way like you see the same people at each event. Like, oh, this person is spinning at this place tonight. And you go there and you see like 10 people, you know, and then we're gonna walk over to this other spot and this person is spinning. Like, it's really cool culture. Like, really cool culture behind it just like you know, just kind of like improv kind of like comedy. And now I just got this new party trick. Your scale I have, like, I can use Scratch. I can do kickbox I can do manual loops. You know, I know how to use turntables.
Shay 41:20
Yeah, I love how you just constantly learning, you know, improv, okay, I'm kind of tapped out there. But I want to learn something else that I love. And also you had a song featured in Grand Crew, right?
Carl Tart 41:32
Not me. Oh, Lamar. I wasn't on that. So cool to see. Right?
Shay 41:37
Yeah. Yeah, that's awesome. I have a few more questions. This one is a big one. What is your secret to success?
Carl Tart 41:46
(laughs)
Shay 41:48
The secret... Give it to us!
Carl Tart 41:49
I wish I knew what my secrets of success was. I don't know what the hell it is. I've gotten so lucky Shay, honestly. I've been in the right place at the right time. And I think, I've been just like treating people well, and kind of, you know, making good relationships and being prepared when it's time to be prepared. Like preparation plus time equals look. I don't think there is no secret like I didn't. I don't think I like some people get on here and be like, I every morning I wake up at five o'clock, and I eat a spoonful of yogurt and I can on my computer, not type. I don't do that. I'm not gonna say my way is the best way. Though some people might try to do this and they never accomplish anything. I wish I could tell you what the secret was. I wish I could tell you what success means. Like, who knows? Like, I still haven't made all the money yet. You know? I'm not hosting the Oscars. I'm not getting slapped to the Oscars. Yeah, when I, when I get there, when I get slapped with the eyes glaze. That's when I be like, here's how I got here. But I'm just like, going with the flow really. And I mean, a lot of times, I didn't say no to any projects for a long time. And that helped me, you know, stay afloat for a while, just like doing everything I could, everything I could. And now I get a little bit more freedom to say no, I don't think I want to do that. But for the most part, like not saying no to stuff, and just kind of going with the flow. And then just being prepared when it's time to be prepared. Because you never know who you're gonna meet. You never know who you're gonna run into. You just got to have like, I had that calling card. I when I wrote that script, now I got my calling card. So I meet somebody somewhere and they go, Oh, you're funny guy. If I'm at the clipper game, and I'm like sitting next to a dude. And he's like, oh, so what do you do? I'm a comedian. Right, Rob? Oh, yeah, I'm producer. You got anything? He wants me? Yeah, actually, I didn't. Boom. Like I sent it over to you know, it could happen that easily. And I think UCB has helped me a ton, being visible. Putting my best foot forward and being good at the art form, is what when people came to see the shows, and they go, Oh, that guy's good. Like, let's figure out how to get in contact with him. And you know, I still got a long way to go. I'm very thankful and very grateful for where I'm at. And this could be the ceiling. But if this is the ceiling, that's pretty cool. Because I'm able to take care of my family. I'm able to, you know, it feels good to be out in Vegas, and people walk by you and go. Like, that's like, that's pretty cool. And also still, you'd live in a seemingly normal life, you know? Yeah. Like, it's regular. I eat my bologna on the left piece of bread just like everybody else does.
Shay 44:22
Yeah, I love that. The whole luck thing, the whole being prepared, plus time or whatever it is. It's, I love that. So we've kind of talked about this a little bit. But what have you been doing lately to level up?
Carl Tart 44:36
I think DJ. And also, you know, putting my best foot forward as far as like, finding out what those next steps are, you know, I got new agent recently. And it's given me a couple more opportunities, continuing to do podcasting and things like that. exploring ways to expand on that, like just exploring. Yeah, basically, like just like exploring ways to expand on things I'm already doing. Now the DJ thing cuz like, it's a small thing. It's a hobby. But for me, it's like, this is something, this is a skill that I have now, but I did not have before. So that's a level up. And so I think that's the biggest like current level of like, DJ.
Shay 45:12
I love that. Because it's just seems like you really you believe in yourself? Like, I mean, I think that is one of the secrets to success. So just believing in yourself like, oh, yeah, I can learn this new thing. I can expand on this thing. Whatever it is. So I love that. It seems like it's pretty steady with you as far as believing in yourself. So thank you for sharing that. I have one more question. But before that, where can people find you online? And you know, how can people support you?
Carl Tart 45:41
You can find me on my I'm on Instagram at @dammitcarl. And you can listen to my many podcasts. I have a podcast called XOXO. Gossip kings, the host my buddy Lamar Woods. It's a Gossip Girl. Rewatch podcasts, watch podcasts for me, because I never saw that show. And so I'm watching it real time. And there's also The Flagrant Ones, which is my basketball pod that I have on. That's on Patreon, https://www.patreon.com/theflagrantones. And please, please, please, please, please go on your Peacock and Hulu apps and watch Grand Crew. You can binge it on now. 10 episodes, all in their glory. Please watch it. That's where you, if you want to support, do that, because we need that I need to show NBC that they should give us a second season. Yeah, so sure.
Shay 46:31
Yes, please. It's hilarious. Like I said, and yeah, I think I'm like six episodes. And so I'm excited to finish it up. Yeah, of course. All right. So last question. What advice do you have for someone who wants to be on the big screen on network TV and wants to work with their friends and realize their dreams? So they want to live your life? Okay. in their own way, what's some advice that you give to them?
Carl Tart 46:56
Stay steady state, of course, do the work. Put in the time that you need to. Don't turn stuff down. Unless it's really something that you need to be turning down and I'll do everything. But do most things. Do your friends shorts? Do your friends, projects, you put on shorts that you gave your friends in? You will work with your friends like, nobody stopped me from working with your friends. And nobody stopped me from doing that. Find your friends that are hungry, just like you are. We don't have that well of community that we used to. But back in the day, when UCB was like pop and bobbin there were times we used to literally just be like, Oh, that dude wants to direct. Oh, I do want to do sound. Oh, that girl wants to do makeup. Oh, that like, you know, I'm saying like, and then we all now we got a crew. And we could just put some stuff out and then just put it out. But our sketches and stuff like that work with your friends and nobody stopped me from working with friends. Yeah, maybe stop me from getting paid or which friends. But nobody's stopping you from that because that eventually will turn into you getting opportunities. Like that's what I think and be prepared. So what would you need if you if a producer walked in your house right now? I was like, what do you got to show me? Have a full script of ideas for your next script. Have a short to show, have a you know, TikTok video even, like you know I'm saying like, have that stuff. Have just be prepared. Preparation plus time equals luck. Everybody who's doing this now has all gotten lucky in a way. I hope that's enough.
Shay 48:28
Yes. Oh, I love it. I love everything that you've shared today. So happy for your success. So fun to watch you, to see on your Instagram and see you pointing at a billboard with your face on it. Like that gives me chills, like that's so dope.
Carl Tart 48:45
Thank you so much Shay.
Shay 48:46
Yeah, for sure.
Shay 48:47
Thank you again Carl for being here. Thank you everybody for listening to Level Up! with Shay, we will see you next week.
Shay 48:54
(Outro) Thank you so much for listening to today's episode with Carl tart if anything that Carl said today resonated with you please share this episode on Instagram and tag me @levelupwithshay and tag Carl @dammitcarl. All of his social media links are in the show notes. So go and connect with him and go watch Grand Crew on Peacock, it's hilarious. Subscribe to Level Up! with Shay wherever you get your podcast. Again, thank you so much for being here. It's time to level up.
