Bobby Tisdale is a Southern comedic transplant here in New York who has made a name for himself both as co-host of Rififi's now defunct "Invite Them Up" and as a featured member on the soon to ex-Superdeluxe.com. Some might see this as an end of an era, but for the former housemate of Zach Galifinakis and A.D. Miles, it is only the beginning. Here we talk to Bobby about farting, fiberoptics, and his plans for the future of comedy.

Chief Magazine: Hey Bobby! How you doing?

Bobby Tisdale: I'm doing well. Thank you.

I was just watching your cat chiropractor videos by the way they were hilarious. Especially the AIDS cat one.

Thank you so much!

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I  wanted to ask you  the "beginning of any interview" question: What was it like growing up on the hard streets?

Before New York? Because the hard streets were in New York.

So tell me about the streets that were probably less hard than New York Streets.

Well, the hard streets of North Carolina are in Willmington. I went to a little technical college and tried to get a degree in fiberoptics... right when fiberoptics were first coming out. That was the new rage, "The Future with Fiberoptics!"

So what made you do the uh, natural progression from fiberoptics to comedy?

Well I was always wanted to be a performer, always wanted to do stand-up, but I thought I should get a trade just in case things didn't work out.

Wait, is fiberoptic technology kind of moot now that everyone has cell phones?

Pretty much, now that everything's digital. When I did it we had a satellite feed. But then my ADD kicked in and I moved to New York to do comedy. I used to live with A.D. Miles (from Wet Hot American Summer and Horrible People fame) on Ludlow and Stanton. Actually Zach Galifinakis used to live in the apartment first and then we all moved in together. And our rent was something around five-forty.

Jesus Christ that's cheap. Was that the funnest apartment ever to live in, with three comedians?

Oh it was amazing. That was when I first moved in, you know? It was so cheap, a totally illegal sublet, you know? But finally they kicked us out and Zach moved to L.A., and then my girlfriend at the time, another comedian, we broke up and it was terrible. So I moved to L.A. for a year with Zach, then I moved back.

So what's it like to be friends and live, with all these famously funny people? Does it ever get competitive between you guys? "I'm funnier," "No I'm funnier!" Or do you all have different styles of comedy?

Oh well I finally feel like I'm funnier than all my friends. No, I mean it used to be competitive. But no, I'm a Libra. I'm never really that competitive. There is competition, but you always pull for your friends. You got to be supportive, because they are the ones who are going to hire you one day.

Well that leads me to my next question, how did you end up working with Eugene for Rififi's now defunct Wednesday night show, "Invite Them Up"?

Well Eugene got that spot for Wednesday. He had been doing it for about two months before I came on. I think it was the first full-running show they had at Rififi. I was on as a guest a couple times, and had decided I wanted to have my own show, on a Tuesday night. And Eugene said, "Why don't we just partner up?"

So was that your first gig as a regular performer/host/MC whatever?

Actually Miles and I did sketch comedy for a few years. Then we kind of branched off and did our own thing.

That's funny, because when I think of you, I think of more of a performer than a stand-up comedian with punchlines. You more tell stories.

Most definitely I am a performer. I mean, I do jokey-jokes, but mainly I'm just crazy. People don't know what I am.  I mean performer, that's a good definition.