Lex Fridman - Bert Kreischer

1) Bert Kreischer discusses his famous story of partying with the Russian mafia and getting involuntarily drafted into their robbery scheme, as well as the possibility that Russian President Vladimir Putin knows who he is because of the story. He also talks about the reach of the internet and how it has led to him meeting interesting people, such as rapper and podcaster N.O.R.E. He then delves into his admiration for Winston Churchill and his daily routine, which included drinking champagne every day and taking a three-hour bath, making Churchill the world leader he would choose to drink with if given the chance.

2) Bert discusses several topics related to drinking, including his thoughts on drinking with powerful people, his preference for whiskey on the rocks when drinking with Joe Rogan, and his appreciation for different contexts in which he drinks. While he shares his interest in drinking with Kim Jong-un, Bert admits that the atrocities associated with the dictator might make it challenging to overlook. He also talks about how he enjoys spending one-on-one time with friends during podcasts but doesn't necessarily enjoy parties that revolve around getting drunk. Overall, Bert Kreischer's candid responses provide insight into his drinking habits and preferences.

3) Bert talks about his love for Campari Spritz, a drink made with Campari, Prosecco, and soda water. He describes it as an enjoyable drink with bitterness, sweetness, and fizziness. He also shares different scenarios where he drinks alone, such as at a bar, on a train, in an empty home, or a hotel room. Bert even admits to secretly drinking behind someone's back while Christmas shopping. However, he shares that he tries to avoid drinking when there are strong emotions such as depression or anxiety involved.

4) Bert talks about how he deals with anxiety and depression, and how he tries to avoid drinking when he is in a depressive state. He reflects on how he dealt with heartbreak in the past and how he wonders whether he will turn to alcohol to cope when his dad passes away. Kreischer discusses how he learned the importance of humility from his father, who gave him a harsh lesson at his 26th birthday and how he applied this lesson throughout his career. Kreischer talks about how he continues to apply this lesson in different ways, such as when he became a paid regular at The Comedy Store and when he tries to sell his shows and projects to his fans.

5) Bert talks about his love for being shirtless and his discomfort with wearing shirts due to tactile issues. He also shares about feeling betrayed in his professional life a couple of times by close friends and how he deals with it. Bert says that every time he has been betrayed, he asks if the person thinks he is weak and forgets about them. Even when people betrayed him, he never held grudges, and he once had to forgive Ari for drugging him. Bert admits that he's not as apt to trust people now and that his managers pit him and Tom Segura against each other subtly.

6) Bert talks with Lex about his friendship with Tom Segura, including a funny moment involving a gay couple and an instance where Segura showed his deep understanding of Kreischer's personality. The conversation then shifts to Joe Rogan, with Kreischer expressing his admiration for Rogan's selflessness and generosity towards his friends and guests on his podcast. Kreischer credits Rogan with helping to launch the careers of many comedians and giving them platforms to shine. Kreischer also praises Rogan for his impact on his own life, including teaching him how to trust people again and inspiring him to start his own podcasts.

7) Bert shares his advice on finding love and dating to find the love of your life. According to Kreischer, men shouldn't waste their time with temporary and unsatisfactory relationships with "little shrimp." Instead, one should focus on finding someone who truly understands them. He emphasizes that when you find that person, you'll know it. Kreischer also shares his experiences of falling in love with his wife, Leanne, and how he knew she was the "lobster" he was searching for. Additionally, he discusses the importance of being available for love and finding someone who thinks about you before themselves.

8) Bert talks about the importance of not being afraid to fail when it comes to content creation. He shares an anecdote about Sean Patton who failed to post his Instagram story about a cup of tea being made despite the fact that it would have garnered 145,000 views. Kreischer emphasizes the idea that you should just turn on the camera and start filming because the idea will come. He encourages taking multiple takes but warns that you shouldn't take it too seriously as it takes away from the fun of content creation.

9) Bert discusses the inspiration he draws from Joe Rogan, who doesn't usually do the kind of promotional stuff that can be exhausting for content creators. He admires Rogan's ability to do stories in one take, even when the shot is framed poorly or the audio isn't great. Bert also draws inspiration from other men, like David Goggins, Cam Hanes, Andrew Huberman, and Jocko Willink, who are very different from him. He appreciates how they tackle life and enjoys integrating their way of being into his life.

10) Bert Kreischer shares his interest in history and how he got into it late in life. He mentions his love for learning something new every day and his podcasts he listens to for an accessible yet insightful take on history, such as Dan Carlin's Hardcore History. Bert talks about his experience talking with Dan and how they get along, bonding over history. He also mentions a college road trip where he and his friends found burnt-up alcohol and drove from Tallahassee to West Virginia, enjoying chaos and debauchery along the way.

11) Bert talks about a road trip he took during the pandemic where he created a drive-in movie theater tour with his crew. They began by isolating themselves and creating a bubble before living in a tour bus and traveling across the country, playing pickleball and disc golf and rediscovering basic human connections and camaraderie. Kreischer expressed gratitude in not making an excessive amount of money because it allowed him to ensure everyone that worked for him could pay their bills. They eventually isolated again in an Airbnb to protect themselves and their families, but discovered that Kreischer's wife, Leanne, had the virus after the trip, which led to a comedic conversation with his daughter that ended in him getting the virus too.

12) Bert talks about his preference for pilsners, particularly ice cold ones. He describes an afternoon beer buzz as especially pretty and different from a night beer buzz. He shares a story of throwing up an IPA in a bathtub and not touching the drink for ten years afterward. He also discusses his favorite drink, double Jack on the Rocks with lots of rocks. Meanwhile, Lex Fridman associates vodka with celebrations and camaraderie but prefers whiskey neat or an ice cold beer.

13) Bert talks about his love for running, and how he builds himself up gradually to run at higher levels. He also talks about playing games with himself during his workout routine, including what he calls "fartlets," which involve practicing regimented running and sprinting at different levels. Additionally, he talks about listening to music and watching foreign language cooking shows on mute while working out, and how he loves hiking the Fryman Canyon and other great parks.

14) Bert describes how he discovered his love for joy and laughter, which came from a deep desire to have a good time. Kreischer revealed his serious side while in college, aspiring to be taken seriously like Eddie Vedder, being wanted by girls, and respected by boys. He, however, discovered that he was funny and slowly leaned towards that, telling jokes that even amazed him and doing stand-up for hours on bus trips to Clemson. The passion for fun grew during his trip to Russia and backpacking in Europe, where he used tricks to make people laugh.

15) Bert shares some stories of drunk experiences, including riding a Vespa in Italy with his family while lightly intoxicated and singing with his daughters in the rain, as well as getting drunk with Joe Rogan and doing push-ups with David Goggins. He also discusses the gift of vulnerability and intimacy that comes with getting drunk with someone and allowing them to see the real you, even at your worst. Kreischer believes that this is a valuable experience that should be appreciated and cherished.

16) Bert discusses how drinking allows people to drop their guards and connect with others more freely. He also shares how he appreciates when people show vulnerability while drunk, and how Whitney Cummings is particularly good at being both nurturing and honest without being critical. Kreischer also jokes about Cummings' robot and how it could be used for porn, and talks about a promotion he's most proud of, which was taking hip-hop dance lessons even when his friends declined to participate.