From Janitor to The Righteous Gemstones: Tony Cavalero’s Insane Rise!
November 10, 2026 · 47 min
Why listen
A janitor who swept Groundlings floors ended up stealing scenes on HBO, and this is how he did it.
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In this episode
- The audition moment that broke Danny McBride and changed everything
- How 16 and a half years of sobriety shaped his approach to the craft
- What nine rounds of IVF taught him about patience and heartbreak
- Why taking the hardest path kept landing him the most memorable roles
Topics in this episode
- tony cavalero
- righteous gemstones
- school of rock
- actor career
- sobriety
- ivf and fertility
About this episode
He's played a rock-and-roll teacher, a Satanist with a heart of gold, and Ozzy Osbourne. Now Tony Cavalero is playing his biggest role yet: Dad.
School of Rock star and Righteous Gemstones scene-stealer Tony Cavalero sits down with his old boss Jay Kogen for a hilarious and surprisingly raw conversation. Tony's path ran from military school cadet to Groundlings janitor to HBO's favorite weirdo. Along the way you'll hear:
- How he found out his Nickelodeon show was canceled, by phone, seconds before a director called "action" on another set
- The mullet that wouldn't die, and the casting director who begged him not to cut it
- The one-titty bounce that broke Danny McBride in his audition
- Why he's been asked to keep his clothes on, a lot.
Then it gets real. Tony opens up about 16½ years of sobriety and about seven years and nine rounds of IVF with his wife, Annie. Their son Rowdy came from the very last embryo. He says he "cried for a lifetime," and that the heartbreak unlocked a side of him he never knew existed.
Tony is the guy who always picks the hardest path, and Jay is the guy who always takes the shortcut. Funny, heartfelt, and full of real advice on discipline, auditions, and swinging for the fences.
Bio: Tony Cavalero starred in THE RIGHTEOUS GEMSTONES, the Danny McBride series for HBO as well as in ABC's THE CONNERS. Other credits include Nickelodeon's SCHOOL OF ROCK, MODERN FAMILY, NEW GIRL, ARCHER, THE BINGE and MIRACLE WORKERS to name a few. Cavalero can be seen in the memorable role of rock icon Ozzy Osbourne in the Mötley Crüe biopic, THE DIRT. He's an Eagle Scout and a Black Belt. Tony is crazy in love with his wife, Annie, their baby son Rowdy (born March 2026), and their rescue pups, Tippi and Farley!
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About Don't Be Alone with Jay Kogen
Don’t Be Alone with Jay Kogen is a comedy/advice podcast trying to fight the isolation of modern life. Each episode, Award winning TV writer/comedian/philosopher Jay Kogen has a conversation with a friend about how to solve the problems on Jay’s mind.
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