00:00In our country, around the world, has become a little edgier, certainly.
00:08I don't really agree with you.
00:10Tell me why you don't agree. I'm talking about how not so much politics, but opinions on governments.
00:18I think that comedy took a hit in the last decade.
00:22There's been a cancel culture, but I think the pendulum has swung back.
00:29Some of the edgiest comics are selling out arenas, multi-nights, so some of the biggest comics are incredibly edgy.
00:34But comedy now is bigger than it has ever been, and I think the reason it is bigger than it
00:39has ever been,
00:40because they say that laughter is the best medicine, and I think we need more medicine now than we have
00:44ever needed on this globe.
00:47And that's why I want to give comedy as good a chance as it could possibly have on America's Got
00:52Talent.
00:52I would love to see a winner.
00:53And part of that is tonight showcasing comedians who want to be on season 21 in the best possible showcase
01:01arena,
01:01and that's a comedy club, rather than a rickety tape that they might send in
01:05or having to stand in a room without an audience and explain to a producer what their act is.
01:11They get to see them here.
01:12And it's not whether the producer or the person reacts to them.
01:16It's like, let's see how an audience reacts.
01:18And ultimately, that's what this is about.
01:20That's what our whole show is about, is really about the audience.
01:24America ends up choosing at the end.
01:26It has nothing to do with what I or Simon or anybody on the panel thinks.
01:31It's always about you, the audience.
01:33And it's interesting, because obviously, as a man that's seen many comedians,
01:37and you yourself, you stay in your, I think in a polite way, brilliant lane of appealing to everybody.
01:45There are comics out there that say, nothing's off-limits.
01:49Nothing is not funny.
01:51I just wonder what you think of that approach.
01:55I don't mind that approach.
01:56I don't think anything is off-limits.
01:58I don't think, I think nothing is not funny.
02:01I don't think there's such a thing as too soon.
02:03I just believe in responsible broadcasting.
02:07So, you know, AGT happens to be a network show, which is supported by advertisers,
02:12and they have a right to sell their product in a lane that they believe their audience is.
02:18So I wouldn't, I'm responsible enough not to go there,
02:22or we're responsible enough not to allow comics or anybody on that stage
02:26to go where they shouldn't go that wouldn't be supported by the people who support the show.
02:31So that being said, if you come and see me in a comedy club,
02:34or you listen to me on my podcast,
02:36I'll go a lot further than I do on AGT,
02:39or than any of the comics that you will ever see on AGT do.
02:42But the most interesting thing is,
02:43is that you've maintained a strong career at the top,
02:49doing many different hosting gigs,
02:52and many different kind of, I guess, developing you as a person.
02:56You're not just stuck in, like, I'm a host.
02:57What do you think has been the key to continuing to develop,
03:01continuing to get the gigs,
03:03meanwhile balancing, as you say,
03:05the day-to-day stage gigs being a different you in clubs?
03:11I just say yes.
03:13I don't say no.
03:14I'm so afraid of missing anything.
03:16I have FOMO, fear of missing out.
03:18I won't say no to anything.
03:19I'll do it all.
03:20And, you know, sometimes things don't work out great,
03:23and I do fail a lot, but I will do it.
03:25I love sitting on the judging panel of AGT.
03:29I also love being on stage and touring
03:31and doing the kind of comedy that would not be on AGT.
03:36I enjoy podcasting with my daughter.
03:39I enjoy hosting game shows.
03:40I enjoy doing it all, you know,
03:43and as long as somebody will ask me to show up,
03:45I'm there.
03:46I enjoy doing it all, you know,
03:47I enjoy doing it all, you know,
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