Ike Barinholtz

Barinholtz said he invests only in friends' businesses and holds no market investments or retirement accounts.

“I only invest in my friends' companies. We have no money in the market, no mutual funds, no Roth IRA”

SmartLess: "Ike Barinholtz" (Jul 6, 2026) · Listen from 49:31

Barinholtz said meeting fans at the Broadway stage door, signing autographs and taking selfies, moved him.

“you go out and you schmooze and you sign autographs and take selfies. And that really touched me”

SmartLess: "Ike Barinholtz" (Jul 6, 2026) · Listen from 9:51

Barinholtz described his podcast concept as interviewing funny friends and quizzing them on subjects they know.

“I want to do a podcast where I interview friends of mine who are like funny or cool and then ask them trivia questions”

SmartLess: "Ike Barinholtz" (Jul 6, 2026) · Listen from 41:10

Barinholtz said he believed Jerry Lewis himself, rather than the financiers, kept The Day the Clown Cried from being released.

“I think Jerry Lewis himself was like, no, no, no, we can't”

SmartLess: "Ike Barinholtz" (Jul 6, 2026) · Listen from 23:07

Barinholtz predicted that season two of The Studio would be released the following March, in 2027.

“That's going to come out next March, I believe”

SmartLess: "Ike Barinholtz" (Jul 6, 2026) · Listen from 48:59

Barinholtz contrasted today's complaints about 10-episode seasons with the 22-episode seasons of The Mindy Project era.

“We complain about 10-episode shows, and it's like, we used to do 22 episodes”

SmartLess: "Ike Barinholtz" (Jul 6, 2026) · Listen from 31:39

Barinholtz credited Danny McBride with casting him on Eastbound & Down during a period when he was not working.

“Danny McBride did cast me on Eastbound and Down. at a time when I just was not working”

SmartLess: "Ike Barinholtz" (Jul 6, 2026) · Listen from 29:58

Barinholtz said that after leaving MADtv to pursue sitcoms, he went roughly three and a half years without work.

“And then I left Mad TV and they literally did not work for like three and a half”

SmartLess: "Ike Barinholtz" (Jul 6, 2026) · Listen from 29:16

Barinholtz argued that SNL's 2002–2008 cast was the best ever, which made MADtv's constant comparisons difficult.

“It was tough at the time because SNL, I think that's the best SNL show. cast ever, that like 2002 to 2008-ish”

SmartLess: "Ike Barinholtz" (Jul 6, 2026) · Listen from 28:24

Barinholtz described Boom Chicago as a job where performing was his full-time work with no day job needed.

“that is where your job is acting. You don't have to have another day job”

SmartLess: "Ike Barinholtz" (Jul 6, 2026) · Listen from 26:18

Barinholtz recounted learning on the way to the airport that Boston University was expelling him after his first year.

“I just got a letter from BU. They're kicking him out”

SmartLess: "Ike Barinholtz" (Jul 6, 2026) · Listen from 25:19

Barinholtz said seeing Tim Meadows at the ImprovOlympic anniversary show convinced him to sign up for improv classes.

“Tim Meadows in particular was so, so funny that I was like, I'm going to sign up for improv classes”

SmartLess: "Ike Barinholtz" (Jul 6, 2026) · Listen from 18:48