Are you ready to go? I'm ready to go. OK, we're about to get into it. This is Don't Ask Tig. I'm Tig Notaro, we are not. Nobody, so everybody goes. Yeah. Here to help me today is Oscar Okhotsk. Is that right? That's right. Hi. Yes, thank you.

Yeah, it's thank you so much.

My husband just brought me energy fields, water, energy, pills.

Is that just straight up drug?

Yeah, right. Just quote unquote, energy pill, energy pills.

It's like a Japanese pill that my grandma just like smuggled gold back one time. And yeah, I think it's supposed to be vitamin B stuff, but we have that here in the States.

Just regular vitamin B. Yeah, we have vitamins. That's the thing.

I think maybe there's like another ingredient in it that I just can't read.

Oh, OK. You know, I say, you know what I'm saying? I know exactly what they're saying. Well, I'd say, yes, you're a stand up and you're the host of Let's Go Oscar Atsuko at. OK. Otsego, yeah, yeah, that was good, you know, I actually named the show Let's Go Yatsko so that people would hopefully see the pattern, not me.

All right, you're a stand up and the host of Let's Go, Let's Go. So your show, it includes your version of Japanese game shows.

Mm hmm. Do you have a favorite game show.

Yeah, some classics. There's this Japanese game show that you maybe you've seen clips of. It's just people like taking bites of what looks like just regular objects. And they have to they don't know until they bite into it whether it's a food or not. Yeah.

Do you know about that? I just learned about it just a second.

It's called candy or not Candy. So like, for example, like your microphone, you know, before you start recording this podcast, you know, the producers will be like, OK, Tig, in three seconds, three, two, we're going to count down and then you're going to take a bite of that microphone. And it might be just a microphone or it might be cake. That's that's it.

And where can I see this on YouTube?

Yeah, it's just called candy or not Candy. I can see you thriving on that show, honestly.

Yeah, I that actually feels like if I were to watch a game show. Yeah. That's what I would watch when I was little, I was very generically into the prices. Right. And my brother and I used to play prices right when we were about three and four.

So you would just hold up objects and guess how much it cost to each other? Nope. Oh, one of us would go to the end of the hall and the other one would go to the opposite end of the hall. Oh. And then my brother would yell, Tig Notaro, come on down.

I would raise my arms and scream and run down the hallway of my house. And then I would yell for my brother to come on down and we would do that over and over and over. That's amazing.

You were practicing for, like being a star. You were being called down and it was your moment, you know, game shows. I also love watching, like, the weird things that go wrong or like the happy accidents, you know? Huh. My friend who actually was on Price is right. She's a comedian. She's she's in a wheelchair. And she got called up. She got the price. Right. And guess what? She she won a wheelchair.

A treadmill. George, what we got for a couple of prizes.

Danielle, we have got a treadmill and new sort of I kid you not.

And what did they say when this happened?

I think cut to commercial. What else would could you do? That is insanity. Yeah. They should have backup stuff for sure.

For sure. Like they would need to produce this show.

You'd be so good. I mean, you seem to know it.

I'm a real hard ass and I feel like I could really make it right. Yeah.

Make the price right. Make the price right. Yeah.

May make the price right. Wow. That's what I was looking for. I'm so glad you had me on. I'm glad we figured out a lot of stuff already. We really have.

Now, you know, what I figured out is that you were doing a standup set during an earthquake. Is this true? It happened.

It was that I don't know if you remember last year, July Fourth, there was an earthquake and then the fifth, there was another one just back to back. I was just I was just at the ice house and in Pasadena and I, I went up on the comedy club, which is a comedy club. I got called in and I went up on stage dancing.

That's when the audience started screaming and then people started screaming, earthquake, earthquake.

But see, I would have thought they were chanting for the comedian earthquake. You know him. I do. I do that. Would you really that's that would be really that would be kind of sucky to go up and and they're like, we want another comedian specifically had that happen.

What's the worst thing that's happened to during a set? Is it an earthquake or is it something where an entire audience requests a different comedian?

I mean, that would be worse for sure, because an earthquake, you can maneuver, but, you know, people's feelings about you when you are the person there to entertain, that's really bad. Yeah. No one's done that, have they? Do you to be like what? What they.

Well, they haven't named they haven't named specific comedians, but they've wish that I was not the one that was chosen.

Well, on the stage, you know, I was actually in a similar situation when I when I actually had to replace you on a lineup. When I replaced you on a lineup in Vegas, it was for the Believer Fest.

Did you tell me this one time? I did, yeah. It was. Yeah, Joey Sulloway. And they were like, yes, they were like to cancel. You're going to have to replace her. And I said, OK, as long as everyone everyone else knows, like in the audience, that would be cool. And Joey had forgotten to tell them.

So I, I just went on stage and I was like, hi, it's me. Like not not Tig. Like it's.

Yeah. And were you doing standup. Yes. Yeah, yeah. I was just doing standup. Yeah, I was doing standup. Yeah. As not Tig as Otsego Casca. And how did that show go.

I think I did really great, you know.

I mean it's not they're going to be they're not going to be necessarily pissed. They were maybe disappointed because it said it was going. No, they were pissed.

I heard about this. Now, the more you talk about it, I do remember. You're right.

You just said you didn't know what you were. You were just you didn't know what I was talking about. Now you suddenly remember.

I do. The people are very upset with people were very upset that I was not there and that you were there.

I enjoy you tremendously. I think you're so funny here.

You have a very, very exciting way of looking at things and your comedy. It's all of that in your comedy, too. And as much as I'm teasing you, it's because I love you now. Well, should we should we get into this question?

Yes. You people that are waiting for us to help them. You're right.

This first question, Jane writes, How do I get over someone who I dumped but now realize was my soul mate?

He wants nothing to do with me. It's been three years and I'm still sad.

Oh, my goodness. Wow.

I think maybe she should look and see if if she has a pattern of push and pull in her in her life, because a lot of times that can happen. When when. Even if you're the one that breaks up with somebody, if somebody moves on. That's what might be making Jane think that it's her soul mate. It's not that that's the actual soul mate, it's that it's kind of an ego blow. No, that makes sense.

Yeah. It's just don't you know, it is don't it always seem to go you don't know what you have till it's gone. Is that the same kind of theory or the kind of concept concept.

I, I think so. But it doesn't mean that that was your soul mate.

True. True, true.

Because if it is your soul mate, I think when you're with that person, it should reveal itself. So clearly not when they're gone. Right. I don't know if I believe in soul mates.

Yeah, I for sure don't. Yeah. And I yeah. And I'm married but. Right.

I am too. And I figure I was just saying to Stephanie the other day that there's probably a handful of other people that I would be equally as or maybe even more compatible with and than I am with you. But the fact that we connected and we are so compatible, we make each other laugh so hard and we live similarly and move about the world very similarly. I am thrilled beyond belief that I'm stuck with you.

You know, that's what it is. And it's also being appreciative of the present. And that is pretty cool the way you said it, which is it could have been anybody.

Well, no, that's not what I know. I know I'm really bad at summarizing things.

But I'm saying if there is 20 quid zillion people. Yes. In the world, there's probably like five that I would be connect with. Yes. As deeply and as well as I do with Stephanie. Right. But I'm thrilled that it's Stephanie.

Yeah. You know, you're better at words than me because I try to say something like that to my husband once, and it came off more like, well, you know, we just happened to be like live pretty close to each other, like these, you know, like, oh, yeah, I could have there's probably like. Yes, something like that, you know, like three other people in the world maybe that I could have been compatible with.

But they just like live in Australia or something and I would have never met them. I said it's something more like that.

All the love of your life live in Australia. Australia, probably like who knows, right? Paris. Isn't that a romantic place? You know? And I feel like I need to say something to help. This is this was Jane out.

This is Jane. This is Jane.

You know, don't listen to me. But if the person's not contacting you back and doesn't want anything to do with you to save yourself more heartache. Yeah, I mean, for me, it's always helped to move on if I just. Find a new person, but that's maybe that's terrible. Well, no, it's true because nothing helps get over a love like a new love. Yeah. Jane, good luck. I truly know how hard heartache and the heartbreaks heart destruction can be.

Yeah, we both do. We you've you've been sad before, right? Yes. You've had your heart stomped on. Yes.

Yeah. And yeah, again, you know, that's why I looked elsewhere. And it's not just distraction, but it's kind of, you know, sometimes when, like, someone's pet dies and, you know, they're like, I'm not ready for another one because it's going to remind me of. Yeah, whatever the dog's name was, you know, Dr. Becky Hines, it's going to remind me of Dr. Becky Hines. And I'm going to always be comparing this new dog to Dr.

Becky Hines. But the truth is, unless you're, like, truly incapable of feeling feelings, you're not going to be seeing this new dog acting so cute and and be like you're nothing like, you know what I mean? When I want a dog in front of you, you know, wagging its tail and being cute and playing fetch with you, you're going to appreciate that dog and maybe start falling in love with that dog. So it's kind of like that, I think.

Well, let's not fall in love with dogs, but hang in there, Jane. And we have more questions coming up. We'll be right back after this.

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Big news, we're doing a don't ask BTIG live show and you can stream it, it's happening Thursday, December 17th. You might even get your question answered. Live tickets or pay what you can, starting at twelve dollars proceeds support this public media podcast. Get your tickets today at Don't Ask Tiggy tickets.

Let's go to our next question is about traveling. All right, it's an old fashioned thing we did before the pandemic, right?

Yes. Let's go somewhere. Let's go somewhere with our second question. Naomi writes, My partner and I have been together for two years and we both love traveling. My problem is that when they bring up the places they want to go, it's usually places they've already been with their ex. I can't help but feel like they're trying to relive something from a past relationship. Is it weird that I just want to go to new places? Neither of us have gone?

Well, I sound insecure if I bring this up. Oh, wow.

Wow. I don't think so. Well, also, you did bring it up on air and assuming maybe sometimes your partner asks, what are you listening to on your podcast? They might hear this question.

Best way to handle that situation, though, is to go, oh, nothing. That's what you're saying is the best way. Just a big cough. Well, yeah.

If somebody if somebody asks what you're listening to, it's good to just go nothing take that is classically like kind of the way you sound guilty.

Oh. Then I don't know. I've been using that for years and people fall for it.

They go, oh yeah. She really is up to nothing I guess. I thought so. But I could be wrong. No, you know, I would be like, wow, you sound sick. Are you OK or something. If you, if you try it, ask me.

Take what are you doing. Nothing. Say I would just follow it up with that.

Then I'm going to ask again. I'm going to ask again. Tig, what is it that you're trying not to tell me. What.

Nothing. You're hiding something from me. That's how I would react, you know. See, that's not more natural than no, no.

I love them nothing because it's just like it's. Yeah, it's a classic. It's a cold something. But but the question at hand here, right. Yeah.

I personally feel like there is nothing wrong than saying I want to go someplace and make our special memories together. I agree. You know, there's only so many cities and towns on this planet. Right. But. Why not go where your own relationship is, is drawing you to expectorant current relationship?

Yeah, and that includes you, the person who wants to go places that, you know, weren't with your ex. And that's something that, you know, I think should be heard and respected.

Absolutely. Absolutely. Couldn't have said it better. Wow. Safe travels now, mate. Safe travels in one to five years, depending on the pandemic. Right, right, right, right. OK, our next question came from someone who just signed their name as frazzled. OK. Yeah, frazzled writes, my principal regularly mispronounced my name and spells it wrong. I don't want to vex her since she has the power to make my work life unhappy.

But her disrespect is starting to get annoying. How can I best deal with this issue? Well, this is a perfect question for a show that began with the discussion of mispronunciations.

Yeah, it's you know, in the past I didn't make a big deal about it. I still don't. But I do like correct people now only because in the past I didn't want to offend people. I used to be more of a people pleaser and more and more people talked about their experience.

I was like, you know what it's OK to be like? Yeah, it's pronounced this way. And actually more and more, as more and more people came out talking about their frustrations. Right. Other people would ask how to pronounce my name like you did, you know, like before you introduced me or something. That wasn't always the thing with the last name Notaro.

People say Notaro or no Torro or notario or whatever, whatever they say. What I do, as I say. Think of somebody saying. Is there tar and then is saying no tar and then the other person says, oh, that's correct. No tar o. So now I love that. Thank you. A performance artist did this kind of thing for me because I was like, I don't know how to explain my last name without it just being boring, just like, oh, it's blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.

And they were like, oh, just yeah, it's OK. And then like cats, literally cats and then scar. Like the music genre, and I was like, OK, that's great, but it's more Okhotsk, so I don't know. OK, so like a cot. Oh yes, more cot. Not a cat. Like a like like lying down on a cot. Yeah.

Casca, there it is. Yeah it's that. Yeah. So maybe. Yeah that's a great that's great advice actually. Make it fun for the principal.

Well yeah. And you can you get a fun visual that comes along with it because now I'll picture somebody lying on a cot listening to Skar. Oh Koutsky. Right. So that's what that's my advice is come up with a fun way to say your name and be direct with the conversation and present it with. Oh, here's a funny way that people have learned my name. I bet, I bet you'll get a better reaction instead of just just you're fired or.

Yeah. Or like don't talk to me ever again. Exactly.

I bet it'll be better than that. I think so. To get the respect you deserve. I mean, your name is frazzled. How hard is it to hassle. All right.

We have one final listener question. Do you consider yourself outdoorsy?

Not at all. Know actually. Well, this last question comes from and how funny to follow up our last question with this. I don't know how to pronounce your name. Oh, Ilina Ally and a A-L I and a oh, man.

I'm going to guess. Allena, let's go with Ilina.

OK, all right. My friends are very outdoorsy and like going on long strenuous hikes. I really struggle to keep up with them sometimes, but don't want to slow down the pace. What should I do when I'm all tuckered out on these hikes? I'm going to throw it to you, my friend. That sounds like your wheelhouse, Tig.

Is it because I said I'm not an outdoorsy person? That's exactly why.

Yeah, it's it's you people have learned to go with my pace, and that's maybe what your friends have to do, is realize the kind of friend you are, the kind of hiker you are. And they have to go with your pace or they should do their own fast hike. And then when they hang with you, they do a slower pace stroll. Is this crazy, BTIG? I do know.

Here's the thing is I'm always confused when people say that they're scared to say certain things or hurt someone's feelings or I think. These are your friends. They're not going to want you to be. Panting and struggling and or left behind, yeah, right, and they're not going to want a bear to you know what happened to Elena? Well, Bear later, you know, we weren't going to slow down. Yeah. And getting our steps in at a certain pace was more important.

So, you know, yeah, nobody's going to be like that. And my style is if somebody is saying, let's go on a hike, I'm very quick to say things like, hey, I like a leisurely stroll if you guys are fast hikers. I'll meet you at the picnic table at the bottom of the hill. Don't put so much on a conversation like that. People will understand. Yeah.

And who are these people that are so into a fast paced hike that they're cutting friends off left and right? Yeah, you can't keep up.

That's what I say. I'm sure there are people like that. And maybe that is why Elena is scared. But I would say that's the psychotic thing to do, to go extreme hiking every single time, you know. Yeah, it's just take a take a second. Don't you want to look at a tree?

Yeah, look at a tree. Look at you. All right. Stop and look at a tree.

What do you in a rush for? We're in this pandemic for another problem. Two more years ticks. All right. Enjoy the outdoors at your own pace before we go. What is the best advice you've ever gotten in your life? The best advice I've ever gotten in my life. I do remember the advice you gave me one time, oh, what did I tell you? You just said, don't ever say recently when you're about to start a joke.

And it's actually very true.

And like, it's it's worked well, instead of being. I'm so glad. Yeah. Like recently. I did this recently. And I'll just say you did this or you say you did that, say you saw something and said, well, recently I saw. Yeah. Oh yeah. That was pretty cool. All right. Well, I can't tell you how much I appreciate you coming on this, the silly, silly show. And do you have anything you'd like to to plug now?

People just can find me at Otsego Comedy if they wanted to see what I'm up to. And that's it. And thank you so much for having me. This is so fun.

Of course, listeners out there, you can send in your own questions at Don't Ask Tig and we might try to answer them on a future episode or we have a brand new option to send us questions. You can now call eight three three two seven five eight four four four. That's eight three three. Ask BTIG four and leave me a voicemail again. Don't ask Tig to reach us with your questions. Yeah, and thanks so much. That's where Joe.

Don't ask, BTIG is hosted by me, Tig Notaro. It's produced by Thomas Willette, Mary North and Tracey Mumford. Our editor is Phyllis Fletcher, executive producer Lauren D. Engineering and Sound mixing by Eric Rachmani, digital production by Christina Lopez. Talent Booking by Marianne Wei's Production Assistants by Nancy. Our theme music is Friend in Tig by Edie Brickell and Kyle Crush Them and Listen To Your Heart by Edie Brickell. Special thanks to Hunter sideman Lily Kim and Alex Shaffer.

Our executive consultant is Dean Cappello and Gobsmacked Studios. You can always ask for advice on Don't Ask Tig. Just write in with your problem or send us a voice memo. You can also follow us on social media at Don't Ask BTIG Don't Ask. TIG is a production of American Public Media. And as always, thanks, Dana. And I'll tell Becky this week. If you happen to be looking for another podcast, check out BTIG and Cheryl, true story, where my friend Cheryl Hines and I talk about different documentaries every week.

Here's us talking about the queen of Hersi.

I was Teekay because I we have a dog door here so the dogs can go out. But I mean, if maybe if the house is so big you just call them dogs because people call them doggie doors.

Well, because I was going to say, I meant to say doggy door and I said dog door. And I just wanted to make it clear that that you had dogs.

I know that it's I know that they're usually called doggy doggy doers. I feel like what age do do people abandon dogs?

But you still say doggy door. I know.

That's also like when you go out to eat and you get a doggy bag, you still say dog.

You don't get your dog back.

Yeah, yeah. You get your doggy bag and then you come home and crawl through the doggy door and you do.

Oh, excuse me. Can I get a dog bag. Thank you.

Because that sounds like you're going to pick up poop doesn't it. Like a dog bag. A doggy bag. Sounds disgusting.

Find Tig and Cheryl, true story on your favorite podcast player.