VIDEO: David Spade on Golfing With Tiger Woods, Stand-Up with Nikki Glaser, and Spending $3.5 Million of His Own Money to Make His New Comedy 'Busboys'

Beloved actor, stand-up, “Saturday Night Live” star, podcast host, and longtime friend of the Stern Show David Spade returned to the studio on Tuesday to catch up with Howard about his life, career, and two new movies. “Outcome,” debuting Friday on Apple TV, is a star-studded dark comedy directed by Jonah Hill. It features Spade and Hill alongside a robust cast of A-listers like Keanu Reeves, Cameron Diaz, and Drew Barrymore. “Busboys,” meanwhile, hitting theaters on April 17, is a raunchy, ‘90s-style throwback comedy that Spade and his co-star Theo Von wrote together on a whim.

“We were both busboys,” Spade recalled for Howard on Tuesday morning. “I said, ‘I could never become a waiter, man. I never made it.’ He said, ‘Me neither.’ And I’m like, ‘Would it be funny if [we made] a little shitty movie where it’s two busboys who want to be waiters, but they can’t and it’s like their life goal?”

Spade said he and Von, a reality star turned podcaster and stand-up comedian, met and became friends at the infamous Comedy Store in West Hollywood, California: “I hadn’t even seen his act yet. I just thought he was very interesting to talk to — Southern, he had a mullet — but he’s very like a genuinely nice person. Then I watched his act and I was like, ‘This is pretty funny.’”

Not only did the duo write and star in “Busboys,” which Spade describes as a big “Dumb and Dumber”-esque adventure, they also financed most of it themselves. “It was about $3 [or] $3.5 million,” David said of his investment.

Howard imagined being on set for a movie you’re paying for is a lot different than being on one you’re just there to act in. “Are you like, ‘Hey, who’s eating that sandwich over there? That’s wasteful!’” he asked with a laugh.

“Craft services was basically five Triscuits and a Slim Jim,” Spade jokingly replied.

The comedian’s free-flowing conversation with Howard touched upon a variety of different subjects, from how excited he and podcast co-host Dana Carvey were to interview Beatles’ legend Ringo Starr and why he enjoys goofing on Jason Statham in “The Beekeeper” to how much he dreads long flights without seat-back TVs.

David also opened up about what it was like to impress Tiger Woods with a golf shot, which happened in 2021 while the two were filming an episode of the reality show “A Round With Tiger.”

“He goes, ‘Let’s go take a few practice shots,’” David recalled. “There are 35 golf carts of cameras. There are two drones. Peter Berg’s the director, [going] ‘Rolling on the chip shot!’ It was terrifying.”

Terrifying or not, Spade’s first swing — a 135-yard chip shot — put his ball close to the pin. “[Woods] goes, ‘Oh shit, are you good?’” David remembered with a laugh. “I go, ‘No, I’m not good. I don’t know what’s going on’ … Golf is weird. Some days you play a little better than others.”

Just hours after Spade’s golf lesson, Tiger was seriously injured in a car accident. “I wake up and see his car on TV. I go, ‘He might not golf again,’” David recalled. “I thought, if I’m the last guy to golf with [him] he’s going to put my headshot up just to give him motivation to go, ‘I have to golf with one more person.’”

“And then one day he’s better than me again. I’m like, ‘Fuckin’-A, when did that happen?’” he added with a laugh.

Las Vegas Residency With Nikki Glaser

In addition to his upcoming films and solo stand-up comedy tour, Spade also has an ongoing Las Vegas residency with comedian Nikki Glaser, which returns with more dates in May and September.

“She’s so lovely, and she [keeps] blowing up bigger and bigger,” David said of working with Nikki.

Considering they’re two of the biggest names in comedy right now, Howard was curious how Nikki and David decide which comedian goes on first each night.

“She would prefer me go second, even though she’s a killer. It’s just harder to follow someone good,” Spade said, adding, “But I think what Nikki and I will do when we go back is flip a coin at the beginning. We’re gonna go out together and then we’re gonna say whoever [wins the coin toss and] goes on first will just stay out here.’’

“Really? That’s how you’re going to do it?” Howard asked.

“Yeah, I think it’s gonna be scary though,” Spade laughed.