HATE TO BREAK IT TO YA with Jamie Kennedy

This week on Hate To Break It To Ya I sat down with Paul Rodriguez — comedian, actor, Air Force veteran, and one of the original Latin Kings of Comedy — and I have to tell you, this one hit different. Paul is someone I've known for years, seen work rooms that would humble most people, and watched stay out there grinding long after most guys his age would have cashed out. We got into everything: his family's immigration story, his unfiltered take on ICE and the border, the Comedy Store golden age, and what it was actually like living in the same building as Sam Kinison. We went deep on Paul's father — a man who stood in a physical line outside the American Embassy in Tijuana for four months straight to get a lottery number for citizenship in 1958. That story alone will stop you cold. From there we traced the whole arc: growing up in Compton during the '68 riots, getting drafted into the Air Force, nearly becoming a personal injury lawyer, landing DC Cab on his third audition for sixty thousand dollars, and then Norman Lear writing him a check for three million. We talked about driving Richard Pryor around for six months, what Rodney Dangerfield was like in a hospital bed still asking for party favors, Jim Carrey getting standing ovations the first time anyone ever saw him, and why Paul and Sam Kinison genuinely could not stand each other. He also broke news on me — he's currently suing the Burbank Police Department for fourteen million dollars, and the story behind it is something else. Paul Rodriguez is the real thing. He came from nothing, built something that mattered, raised a son who became a global superstar on his own terms, and he's still out there performing because he can't not do it. The laughs that come out of this man are earned. Every single one of them. ⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻ About Paul Rodriguez: Paul Rodriguez is a Mexican-American stand-up comedian and actor born in Culiacán, Sinaloa, and raised in Compton, California. He broke through as the star of the Norman Lear-produced ABC sitcom a.k.a. Pablo — the first television show about a Mexican-American family on mainstream American television — and went on to appear in films including D.C. Cab, Born in East L.A., Rat Race, Blood Work, and Ali. He is a part-owner of the Laugh Factory comedy club in Hollywood, chairman of the California Latino Water Coalition, and a U.S. Air Force veteran. His son, professional skateboarder Paul Rodriguez Jr. ("P-Rod"), is one of the most decorated street skaters in X Games history and the founder of Primitive Skateboards. Follow Paul Rodriguez Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thepaulrodriguez/ Website: https://www.paulrodriguez.com ⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻ Timestamps: 00:00:00 – Wild Donkeys, Moreno Valley, and Paul's New Life 00:05:00 – Quadruple Bypass, COVID, and Getting a New Lease on Life 00:08:15 – How Paul Sees Jamie's Comedy Style 00:09:46 – The Ranch in Fresno, Brother George the Ginger, and Family Chaos 00:13:37 – Youngest of 12: Born in Sinaloa, Raised in America 00:16:26 – Paul's Father and the Bracero Program 00:17:27 – The El Chapo Connection 00:19:04 – Immigration, ICE, and Paul's Unpopular Opinion 00:26:51 – The Comedian's Dark Side and What Drives the Laughs 00:31:35 – Rodriguez Lemons and the Family Farm 00:35:43 – Getting Drafted, the Air Force, and Almost Re-Enlisting 00:37:40 – DC Cab, Joel Schumacher, and the $60,000 Audition 00:44:49 – The Comedy Store Golden Age: The Lineup Nobody Could Believe 00:56:47 – Driving Richard Pryor and What Paul Learned Watching Him Work 01:00:19 – Rodney Dangerfield: Partying to the End 01:01:18 – Sam Kinison: Brilliant Comic, Piece of Shit Human Being 01:07:55 – Norman Lear, Three Million Dollars, and Going Flat Broke 01:11:23 – The Burbank Police, the Bentley, and a $14 Million Lawsuit 01:26:55 – Paul Rodriguez Jr.: The Skateboarder Who Made It on His Own 01:34:03 – Current Projects: Roxy and the Man, Our Lady of the Barrio, and the Dos Pablos Tour ⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻ Support the Pod: 💥 Patreon: patreon.com/thejamiekennedy 🎟️ Tour Dates: jamiekennedy.com 👕 Merch: jamiekennedy.com/merch 📺 Subscribe: youtube.com/@jamiekennedycomedy ⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻ Paul Rodriguez, Paul Rodriguez comedian, Jamie Kennedy podcast, Hate To Break It To Ya, Comedy Store golden age, Sam Kinison, Richard Pryor, DC Cab cast, a.k.a. Pablo, Mexican American immigration story, Latin Kings of Comedy, Paul Rodriguez interview 2026 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Spencer Charnas joins me for a conversation about horror movies, heavy music, fandom culture, and how Ice Nine Kills evolved from a metal band into a full cinematic universe. We talk about the band’s obsession with horror films, creating music inspired by iconic slashers, building collectible merch fans actually care about, and why horror audiences are some of the most loyal fans in entertainment. Spencer also breaks down the storytelling behind Ice Nine Kills, balancing theatrics with music, and how the band turned niche concepts into a massive brand. We also get into what it’s actually like performing this kind of music live night after night, the physical side of screaming on stage, and why horror and heavy music seem to attract such passionate fans. The conversation drifts into horror nostalgia, growing up on classic movies, and how comedy, film, and metal all tap into the same instinct to shock people, entertain them, and give them an escape from reality. ⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻ About Spencer: Spencer Charnas is the lead vocalist and creative force behind Ice Nine Kills, the horror-inspired metal band known for blending heavy music with cinematic storytelling. Over the last several years, Ice Nine Kills has built a massive cult following through concept albums inspired by classic horror films, including The Silver Scream and Welcome to Horrorwood. Known for elaborate live shows, theatrical music videos, and collectible merch culture, Spencer has helped turn Ice Nine Kills into more than just a band — creating a full horror-themed universe that connects music, film, comedy, and fandom culture. The group has toured internationally, collaborated with major names in horror, and become one of the most recognizable modern acts in heavy music. Follow Spencer Charnas / Ice Nine Kills: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/@spencerink Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/@iceninekills Website: https://iceninekills.com ⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻ Timestamps:  00:00 – Spencer Charnas brings horror-themed gifts and explains the Ice Nine Kills universe 08:15 – Growing up obsessed with horror movies and discovering heavy music 17:40 – The origins of Ice Nine Kills and where the band name came from 27:10 – Turning horror films into songs and building a cinematic identity 36:45 – Why horror fans and metal fans are so loyal to their fandoms 46:20 – Stage performance, screaming techniques, and surviving long tours 56:35 – Collectible merch culture and creating items fans actually want to keep 01:05:10 – Scream, slashers, and the influence of classic horror franchises 01:14:40 – The crossover between comedy, horror, and shocking an audience 01:24:05 – Music videos, storytelling, and creating the Ice Nine Kills cinematic universe 01:33:30 – Touring stories, fan reactions, and balancing theatrics with music 01:42:15 – Horror nostalgia, cult movies, and the future of the genre ⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻ Support the Pod: 💥Patreon: patreon.com/thejamiekennedy  🎟️ Tour Dates: jamiekennedy.com  👕 Merch: jamiekennedy.com/merch  📺 Subscribe: youtube.com/@jamiekennedycomedy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week on Hate To Break It To Ya I sat down with Jerry O'Connell — actor, TV host, husband, dad, and one of my genuinely old friends from the Hollywood trenches — and we went for almost two hours without coming up for air. That's always a good sign. Jerry and I go way back to the Scream 2 days, and we've never really told this story in public before. So we did. All of it. Growing up as a child actor after Stand By Me, what it actually felt like to step into the Scream universe, how that cast became a real family, and why Hollywood friendships drift even when they shouldn't. We talk marriage, kids, L.A. loyalty, gender, social media, getting older, and what it means to still be working and still be standing after decades in this industry. Jerry's one of the most naturally funny, disarmingly honest guys I know. He's also not afraid to go there. This one's got some real moments. About Jerry O'Connell Jerry O'Connell is an actor, producer, and television host whose career spans four decades. He broke out as a child actor in Rob Reiner's Stand By Me alongside River Phoenix, went on to star in Scream 2, Sliders, and Kangaroo Jack, and has remained a working force in Hollywood ever since. He currently co-hosts The Talk on CBS and is married to model and actress Rebecca Romijn, with whom he has twin daughters. Follow Jerry O'Connell  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrjerryoc X:https://x.com/MrJerryOC Timestamps: 00:00:00 – Reuniting after the Scream 2 years and how they bonded on set 00:10:00 – Growing up as a child actor, Stand By Me, and River Phoenix 00:20:00 – Stepping into the Scream franchise and trying to fit in with an established cast 00:35:00 – Scream 3, the sequels, and what the cast thinks of them now 00:45:00 – The Scream 7 premiere invite situation and Paramount years 00:55:00 – Hollywood friendships, dating in L.A., and the single years 01:05:00 – Rebecca Romijn, marriage, and life in the Valley 01:20:00 – Getting older, social media, and why Jerry doesn't post 01:32:00 – Stand By Me memories and being recognized by sanitation workers 01:37:00 – A debate on gender, speech, and saying what you think 01:45:00 – Never leaving Los Angeles and the state of the city 01:52:00 – Jerry's new movie Last Resort and the wrap-up Support the Pod 💥 Patreon: patreon.com/thejamiekennedy  🎟️ Tour Dates: jamiekennedy.com  👕 Merch: jamiekennedy.com/merch  📺 Subscribe: youtube.com/@jamiekennedycomedy Jerry O'Connell, Hate To Break It To Ya, Jamie Kennedy podcast, Scream 2 cast, Stand By Me, Hollywood friendships, The Talk CBS, child actors Hollywood, Rebecca Romijn, Los Angeles podcast, 90s actors, Jerry O'Connell interview 2025 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices