The Basement Yard podcast is currently on a generational run. From dominating your TikTok FYP to appearing on late-night TV and touring a city near you, co-hosts Frank Alvarez and Joe Santagato are undeniably on a roll. Their hit show brings laughter to millions of listeners and viewers every week. The secret to their viral success? Authenticity, lifelong friendship, and a massive dose of determination.

The Basement Yard / Via youtube.com

Frank joined The Basement Yard as Joe’s permanent co-host in the summer of 2020. While the show already boasted a loyal fanbase, the hilarious, electric chemistry between these two lifelong best friends catapulted the podcast into global stardom. Now, this dynamic duo continues to take The Basement Yard to unprecedented new heights in the digital creator space.

Zach Pelletier / Outta Focus Media

We recently sat down with Frank Alvarez to discuss the evolution of his career, finding a work-life balance, and some of the podcast’s most recent major achievements.

1. For those who may be unfamiliar, talk a little about what you were doing prior to joining The Basement Yard as a permanent co-host, and what that transition looked like.

Frank: I was working a full-time job. I went to college and earned my degree while Joey stayed back and pursued what we now call content creation. After graduation, I was pretty gung-ho about a traditional career path. I was building a life for myself while podcasting on the side for fun about pro wrestling, movies, and video games. Then Joey approached me about joining the show full-time. I was terrified at first because I thought, “Oh my god, I need to be a comedian. I need to punch up every moment to make it whimsical.” But my wife told me, “You guys have known each other forever. You don’t need to be anyone else.” That put me at ease.

So we just did what felt natural to our chemistry and a friendship that is going on 30 years. We focused on being authentic and real. We figured if people liked it, they’d come along for the ride. And here we are today.

The Basement Yard / Via youtube.com

2. Give me three words to describe The Basement Yard.

Frank: “Chaotic” is definitely a good one. “Fun” is another—I like to think we’re fun, without tooting our own horn too much. I also think there is a deep sense of relatability. We hear from so many listeners who say, “It feels like my own friends chopping it up.” We take a lot of pride in that. So I’d say “relatable” is the third word.

The Basement Yard / Via youtube.com

3. You work alongside Joe Santagato, your best friend since early childhood. You two have incredible chemistry and banter. How does your dynamic differ when you’re recording vs. when you’re hanging out? Do you save topics for the podcast?

Frank: There is so much we talk about off-camera where we say, “We need to save this for the show,” but we often never get to it. The show is so rapid-fire that topics just fly by. We have great conversations off-camera that never make it to the feed, but the dynamic is always there.

When the cameras are on, it’s just a bit more polished and digestible for a general audience. Imagine sitting with your closest friends; you have hilarious, goofy conversations, but they might not always translate to a podcast. But our energy is consistent. What you see on the show is who we’ve been for 30 years. We aren’t hiding under desks when the cameras stop; we are the same people.

Santagato Studios / Via youtube.com

4. When you joined the show full-time as a “content creator,” what did you envision for your future as an online personality? What were your initial goals?

Frank: I didn’t really have specific goals. My main objective was just to have fun with my best friend. Our parents always said, “If you enjoy what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.” I viewed it as a break from my “normal” job during a chaotic time.

The show had a following before I joined, and as it grew, we just decided to keep being ourselves. In pop culture, fans often worry that when something gets big, it loses its soul. We’ve kept the same approach so we don’t alienate the people who liked us in the first place. I watched Joe handle the business side while I was just living it. I had a young family and two kids in diapers while still working my regular job for the first few years of the podcast. Looking back at the growth now is surreal.

Frank: It comes down to my manager, Robin Hellmann. I’ve worked with her for less than a year, but her impact has been massive. She is incredibly intuitive and straight-up with me. When she moved to Reign Maker Talent with more resources, it was a no-brainer. I immediately asked if I could go with her.

Zach Pelletier / Outta Focus Media

5. You’re a personality and a brand, not an actor. How do you balance your personal and professional lives? What keeps you grounded?

Frank: My family keeps me grounded. I have three kids and an incredible wife. It’s a bit weird to get attention just for being yourself; you can’t really escape it when you’re out in public. People want to see the person they know from social media. It can be anxiety-inducing, so I am very protective of my home life. I want to be a normal husband and a normal father.

Coming home is a recharge. There’s definitely whiplash moving between those worlds, but it keeps me feeling human. It’s a blessing that this is happening, and I’m just trying to find a balance where I can do it all without losing my mind.

Frank: Both things are true at once: Joe and I are incredibly lucky, but sometimes you just want a down day where you aren’t “on.” Traditional celebrities like Jack Nicholson were only seen in movies or at games. Now, everyone has 24/7 access via phones. It’s a whirlwind. But then I go home, and my youngest daughter asks me for a carrot, and it immediately keeps me humble and on my toes.

Astrida Valigorsky / Getty Images

6. You’ve mentioned dreaming of SNL, and you’re getting closer! You and Joe recently appeared on Late Night with Seth Meyers. What was it like stepping onto that iconic stage?

Frank: Our team heard from them in January, but every step felt like, “Whoa, is this really happening?” Joe and I grew up idolizing Saturday Night Live and comedy. We used to analyze every sketch and guest host. Seeing Seth Meyers—who had an legendary run on SNL—in a studio so close to where they tape was nuts.

I try to temper my expectations, but going into that building was special. The team at Late Night with Seth Meyers was so kind, and Seth himself took time to talk to us. You grow up idolizing these people, and then you’re on their stage thinking, “Do I even deserve to be here?” It was heartwarming. People say “don’t meet your heroes,” but meeting him felt validating. On the ride home, I got emotional. You have these childhood dreams of hitting a grand slam, and when it actually happens, you realize you weren’t crazy for believing in yourself.

NBC / Lloyd Bishop/NBC via Getty Images

7. You’ve toured internationally, sold out Radio City twice, and headlined the New York Comedy Festival at MSG. What was the transition like from recorded content to live shows?

Frank: It’s a wild concept that people will pay to see in person what they can watch for free. Our team—Joe, myself, Greg, Mikey, Zach, and Ahmed—decided the live show had to be more than just a recorded podcast. We wanted to give them the format they love but add interactive elements like Flip Cup or karaoke.

We used the stage to be experimental. I had tried open mic standup years ago and felt it wasn’t for me, but we tried it again as a duo and then as solos. We wanted each show to be a unique, memorable experience. Each night truly felt individual because we were constantly working out new material.

Frank: Our fanbase is incredible. For a long time, it was just Joe and me in a room, and now we have our producer Ant. You don’t always know what will resonate until you get in front of a crowd. Every show, we are amazed by the energy people bring. I think it’s because they know they are getting real, authentic people on stage.

The Basement Yard / Via youtube.com

8. Speaking of karaoke, you and Joe often burst into song. What are three songs you absolutely nail at karaoke?

Frank: “Fat Bottomed Girls” by Queen is our go-to; we ended our Radio City show with it. If we’re doing Hamilton, I’ll do “My Shot”—I love the performance aspect of that one. Then I’d slow it down with some yacht rock. I love “Brandy” by Looking Glass. It’s a song everyone knows and sets a great mood at a karaoke spot.

Santagato Studios / Via youtube.com

9. You’ve had massive collaborations recently with Good Mythical Morning and Dr. Mike. Who are your dream guests for The Basement Yard?

Frank: Anyone from the SNL cast. We grew up idolizing people like Amy Poehler, Tina Fey, Maya Rudolph, and Ana Gasteyer. The Lonely Island guys would also be incredible guests. I think we’d also get along great with Kevin Hart or Jack Black—people who have that same goofy sense of humor we grew up watching.

Good Mythical Morning / Via youtube.com

10. What is a memorable fan interaction or a time you were starstruck by a celebrity fan?

Frank: Meeting Rhett and Link from Good Mythical Morning and Dr. Mike was cool because they are the gold standard for social media creators. Realizing they knew who we were was a “whoa” moment. We also get some really cool follows online.

Regarding fans, we get letters at our shows explaining how much the podcast means to them. One person wrote that they were supposed to attend with their brother who passed away, but they still came and brought his ashes. It’s sobering to realize we are a connection for people like that. We try to handle it by being ourselves—giving them a little bit of a joke to keep it from getting too heavy, which is what they usually want from us anyway.

The Basement Yard / Via youtube.com

11. What content do you consume in your downtime? What brings you joy?

Frank: My wife and I love lying in bed while she watches her shows and I play video games on my Switch. I’m a huge Nintendo fan and a big baseball fan. I’ve been playing a lot of Pokémon for the 30th anniversary and MLB: The Show.

I also rewatch comfort shows like The Office, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and all the Jackass movies. It’s weird to get comfort from people putting themselves through bodily harm, but it’s just fun, lighthearted stuff. With the world being a bit scary lately, I try to stay off my phone and focus on things that keep it light when I’m at home.

The Basement Yard / Via youtube.com

12. If you and Joe lived in a sitcom universe, which would it be and what would you be doing?

Frank: I’m a huge fan of Arrested Development. I’d like to think Joe and I would have a podcast where we just talk smack about the Bluth family. Michael would try to fix the family image with us, Gob would try to sabotage us, and Buster would probably accidentally get us into a seal tank where we’d get our arms bitten off.

The Basement Yard / Via youtube.com

13. The Basement Yard just won “Best Ensemble” at the 2026 iHeartPodcast Awards. What went through your mind during that win?

Frank: The award was presented by Hannah and Paige from Giggly Squad—talk about a dream collaboration! People call us the gender-swapped versions of each other. Winning that award, especially after losing a previous category to Amy Poehler, was a moment of pure validation.

I went in pessimistic, thinking we wouldn’t win anything. When they called our names, I just kissed my wife and blacked out. I think I said I was going to piss my pants on stage, which maybe wasn’t the best move in hindsight! But being awarded for our dynamic against so many other great shows was sobering. It made me realize we are doing something right.

Mat Hayward / Getty Images for iHeartPodcasts

14. You’re married to Becca, who is also a creator. How do you support each other?

Frank: She is my ultimate source of comfort. I go do the show and be goofy, but I need to come back to reality. I’m lucky to have married someone who makes me feel like my true self; I don’t have to be a character for her. We have the same riffing dynamic at home that I have with Joe.

Becca is the one who motivates me to step out of my comfort zone. I’m naturally a scaredy-cat with big life decisions, but marrying her was the one thing I never doubted. She gave me the reassuring hand I needed to leave my job and do the podcast full-time. I love love; I’m a fan of it. Everything we’ve achieved is because she holds down the fort at home with such grace. Solo parenting while having a husband with online notoriety is a struggle, and she handles it all. She’s made every dream of mine come true.

Frank Alvarez

15. If you could give advice to your 13-year-old self, what would it be?

Frank: Honestly, I wouldn’t say anything to steer myself differently. Every mistake led me to where I am today. I’m an overthinker, so if I told my 13-year-old self something, he’d probably find a way to screw it up.

I’d just say: Continue to live with positivity, joy, and humor. Allow yourself to make those mistakes, because everything that happened between then and now—all twenty years of it—was necessary to get here.

The Basement Yard / Via youtube.com

16. What are your creative goals for the remainder of 2026?

Frank: I want to strike while the iron is hot. We have a lot of momentum as a group and as individuals. I want to explore new skills and see where they take me. Joe and I have an interesting story to tell, and we want to figure out the best way to convey those themes. The world of social media brings a lot of challenges, but I want to flex some creative muscles and see what we can really do this year.

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