RANDOM RAVEN: Great to talk to you. I'm a big fan. I think I'm probably part of your core demographic as a guy who watched Loveline on MTV as a teenager, then graduated right into The Man Show, who now listens to your podcast every day and all of your books in the car.

I was reflecting on all this in preparation for today and started wondering, how much of your career success do you attribute to your sheer drive and work ethic? It's not like you had the big national TV show or starred in the $500 million movie franchise. But you seem to have at least seven things going on when most can barely handle one, and you keep in the public eye, and generate revenue, with so many different projects.

ADAM CAROLLA: "Well, you know, I like to say that the more stuff you do, the easier doing more stuff gets. I get up every day like it's my first day in the business.

For much of my adult life, I worked in the blue-collar world. I know what real work is. I did it for a long time. So sitting in a green room waiting to go on a talk show or doing an hour of stand-up with a beer in my hand, this stuff isn't work to me.

But also, as one gets to a certain age, you start to look in the rearview and think about how nice it would be to have some of those things in your credits. Like a best-selling book. Then you think, well, if I'd like to see that, I better start making it happen."

RR: You certainly do. And between your podcasts, stand-up, books, and more, you have generated so much material. Which reminded me, years ago I tried to send you a photo of a newly designed ketchup packet I came across. You had a bit in one of your books that was like, "Who designed this and said, 'Perfect, we nailed it. Never change the design again.' You have to rip it open with your teeth, it goes all over the place..."

Then I thought, you know, someone could literally read an interview I did with, say, the bass player for the Spin Doctors in 1994, and I won't remember it all. Would Carolla even get the reference if I sent this?

AC: "The ketchup packet thing sounds about right. It's not that I can or can't remember all of these rants. But I know I never change my opinion, and this definitely tracks. I was re-bothered just listening to it.

What has really become weaponized since then is soy sauce. This should never be served in packets. You know those small bottles they put hot sauce in? They should make a law that that's the only way to distribute small amounts of soy sauce.

Ketchup is viscous, too, whereas soy sauce is a straight liquid guaranteed to stain anything it touches. It's like opening a little sack of squid ink."

RR: Interesting you mentioned that you never change your opinions. Because you really don't. Nor do you apologize. You are very opinionated, and you, rightly so, in my opinion, believe everyone is entitled to a point of view. And you always seem able to support your opinions with pragmatic reasoning.

But it seems like in the last several years, many others have been cancelled for saying less offensive things. As evidenced by the recent Roast of Kevin Hart on Netflix, it now appears almost anything goes in terms of topics. But somehow, through these proverbial choppy seas of comedy, the S.S. Carolla seems to keep chugging right through, unscathed?

AC: "Well, I don't know about that. I have detractors. But I have also kind of insulated myself because I own my businesses. What are they going to do, get me fired from my own podcast? But, you know, if I wanted to get a gig like hosting a game show or something, I'd definitely be more vulnerable to that kind of stuff."

RR: True, never thought of it that way. But even though it felt like you were "untouchable" from others, I also feel like you are your own harshest critic at times. Particularly in your books, you, or at least perhaps the early ones, sort of downplay your intelligence in terms of reading abilities, education, not really caring about school. And I'm thinking, this is a guy who, on a dime, talks about the difference between karma and Schadenfreude and references pangolins?

AC: "When I say I didn't have much formal education; I'm just being accurate. And I am not a strong reader or fast typer. But I have been educating myself as an adult because I realized if I am going to be on talk radio and do stand-up, verbiage and word selection are important. I also like to observe, study the origins of things and how they work, and stay on top of current news while also boning up on history. It amazes me, actually that many young comedians have no interest in history or anything that occurred before their time, for that matter.

But more than that, I'm inquisitive. Just five minutes before this call I was walked to a rare construction site in the Palisades. I find the jefe and say, 'Whatchya doin' here?'

Then they recognize I know the language, and they're happy to tell me the process they have to follow to do whatever they are doing, code and such. By the way, even though I said jefe, I don't mean Spanish when I say 'language.' I mean I know what things like caissons and #5 rebar are."

RR: Thanks for clarifying. You've made it this far. Would hate to see you get cancelled now.

AC: (Laughs).

RR: And an even bigger thanks for the California segue. Seems that between the Palisades, Gavin Newsom, Spencer Pratt, homelessness, taxes, the Golden State is mentioned in the national news more than the Strait of Hormuz. And you're a lifelong Angeleno who worked construction there, built (and gone through the permitting process for) several businesses. I mean, really, you practically have a doctorate in L.A. But whenever a media outlet comes to you for a comment, it's always through the lens of, like, "Here's funnyman Adam Carolla's take." Which is true, but they'd also be hard-pressed to get a more educated, credible take than you, too.

AC: "Yeah, I lived it, seen it, known it, did construction all around Hollywood. Seen it from all sides, and been boots on the ground. But for me, when I reference California on stage, my goal is just to make whatever absurdity I am talking about as funny as possible. When I'm on the podcast, I try to not only bring what I think is important news to the fore, I do work in a little humor, and I also try and do it in layman's terms. I want everyone to be able to understand it...find metaphors and common examples of it."

RR: So I know that you started your career on L.A.'s influential KROQ-FM and were the West Coast successor to Howard Stern in terms of terrestrial radio. So with the prior question, I was wondering if, like Stern, who has abandoned some of his shock-jock schtick for lengthy, thoughtful celebrity interviews, you ever considered shifting into more of a reporter/journalist proper with respect to your California credentials. You both covered that and opened a new question. The mission to unearth the news you feel folks need to know and deliver it in plain language everyone can understand, with a twist of humor, sounds very Rush Limbaugh-esque. Were you a Dittohead?

AC: "I was aware of Rush, he was certainly in the zeitgeist. But back then the media sort of cast him as an extreme conservative, right-wing fanatic. Since then I have caught on to the grift that mainstream media paints anyone who does not agree with them as some sort of zealot. So I would have given him a listen, but he's gone, and no, I did not listen to him then."

RR: Zeitgeist and zealot. Two more great words I should have used in the earlier question. But alas, time for my parting shot. For decades, you have railed against the L.A. traffic, airport, crime, taxes...in one book you said something like, "And the only place you can't find graffiti are the potholes."

So now that your children are grown, any plans to follow the suit of so many celebs who relocate from California?

AC: "I'm planning my escape. I have a few places in mind, but right now, Nevada is looking like the front-runner."

Tickets for Adam's Mohegan Sun show in the intimate Cabaret Theatre can be found at Mohegan Sun.