Why Comedian Tom Segura Opened His Own Bakery

Tom Segura has lost 70 pounds from his heaviest weight. He still feels fat in his soul. That, more or less, is the origin story of his bakery.

Segura, in studio with Rich to promote the May 24 return of his Netflix series 'Bad Thoughts,' walked through how a comedian ends up running a pastry business in Austin. 'Being fat and loving food is kind of how it started,' he said. The actual catalyst was a croissant. When Segura lived in Los Angeles, a stranger told him about a place that made the best croissants in town. Segura is a pastry person. He went, ate one, agreed, and stayed in touch with the baker.

The baker's shop was in Pacific Palisades. After the fires in that area, the two of them started talking about what was next. 'I was like, well, you know, if you ever would consider coming to Austin, where I live now, I would do something with you,' Segura recalled. 'And he was like, I'll do it. And that was like, I was like, really? And then I just had to really do it.'

The couple behind the food, Segura said, are Giamba and Marlo. 'They're the really the story. They're the ones who make it.' His role, he said, is to be the guy talking about it. The shop is named Cicciobomba, which Segura translated as Italian slang for a little fat kid. 'So somebody in Italian walking down past your bakery,' Rich offered, 'they think Oh, the fat the ass.' Pretty much, Segura confirmed. Pastries, pasta, pizza, all homemade. 'It's been selling out every day.'

Three locations are open in Austin. A small fairground booth, a spot in the lobby of the Scarborough building, and a flagship on South Lamar. Rich asked about Los Angeles. Segura did not commit, but did not rule it out. 'You never know what people would want,' he said. 'I know I would love to expand.'

The Netflix relationship, in his telling, is enviable. Season two of 'Bad Thoughts' began as short films he shot to put on his own pay-per-view platform at YMH Studios. His agents told him to shop it. Netflix bought it. The notes have been minimal. 'They give us no notes,' Segura said. 'They're basically like, don't say the N-word. That's basically their note. Dial it back on racial slurs and you can do what you want.'

Before the segment ended, Rich circled to running. Segura is training for a 5K at the Rose Bowl. Three miles a day. He has been told by actual runners that this is a warm-up. 'It's not my warm-up,' he said. 'It's my marathon.' The bakery, in fairness, is most of the reason he is training at all. 'I got 12,000 calories to go now,' he said of his typical post-run math. 'I've got some room. So you got to replenish.'