Episode 48 with Patton Oswalt!

Patton Oswalt drops in to get philosophical about comedy with the gang, in a good way. And we name him the Dali Lama of Comedy because of it.

This is an episode of Comedy and Everything Else, a comedy podcast featuring Todd Glass, Jimmy Dore, and Stefane Zamorano. For more of our comedy and even more of everything else, subscribe with iTunes.

Comments

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I think you're trying to

by Admin - 2009-08-02 17:46
    I think you're trying to think of George Lutz. Maybe someone thought of it before the end of the episode. I saw him interviewed on a CBC or PBS documentary where he was no longer a global warming skeptic and he was seeking forgiveness for coming up with the term "Climate Change" as a way to soften the image of global warming. Such a douche.

    posted by: Matthew Harper on Fri, 6/19 04:47 PM EDT

    Oops, sorry it's Frank Luntz. George Lutz was the father from The Amityville Horror.

    posted by: Matthew Harper on Fri, 6/19 04:56 PM EDT

    such a great show. But Todd's right, it's starting to get distracting with the "I don't want to name names" and the "marty flipman" thing. These guys are all great comedians, why not be honest? Every story ends in "I won't say the name on the air". What are these people going to do that you are so afraid of naming? Beat you up after school? Not to be negative, I love the rest of the show

    posted by: Keith Thomas on Fri, 6/19 06:20 PM EDT

    I did listen to your show. But now I won't. Why? If you think that ANYONE that thinks differently than you is a Cro-Magnon, which is what I gather from your healthcare debate, I'm afraid you are sorely mistaken. Here is a quick summary of me: I have a B.S. and M.S. in Mechanical Engineering (Suma Cum Laude) from one of the best Engineering schools in the country. I am a Christian, I do believe in evolution, and gay marriage. I think pot should be legal, everywhere. I also work as an Engineer for a Nuclear Power Plant (I perform design and calculations for Safety Related systems). I love comedy and I love to hear other viewpoints on things. I am a life long Conservative (with a capital C, look up Bill Buckley to get that defintion) and I have never not voted for Republicans (please, please call me close minded). I think you guys are hilarious, but when you start spitting venom and having absolutely no candor with regards to people who think from other viewpoints, you show your true intelligence, or ignorance. The problem with my nation lately is that people who think differently can't just concede that someone else may have a valid point however inconvenient or different. I will be unsubscribing from your podcast on these grounds, not that you will give a shit, and so all these opportunities that are out there to reach a smart american with a disposable income like me is closed to all of you. Looks like I will just listen to Jimmy Pardo. I know he's a liberal, but he's funny ALL THE TIME, and I don't have to wipe the venom out of my eye. Good luck with your self congratulatory mediocre careers, just keep telling yourselfs how you're happy in the moment, and just satisfied to do this or that. Whatever, I'll go back to my mundane job, keeping a nuclear reactor in a safe condition.

    posted by: Glen on Sun, 6/21 03:30 PM EDT

    Hey Glen,
    With all your big talk you pretty much said nothing. First who gives a shit how smart you think you are and what you do for a living that proves nothing to anyone. And as far as the guys being ignorant. All they do on the show is talk candidly about topics and explore the ins and outs of the issue. Ofetn askig viewers to write in with opposing views so they can have a more thorough discussion. They make arguements that support their views. Is that why they may come off as insensitive to you? because they come off right. You are the one whho showed that you are unintelligent with your message. First you bragged, then you talked about how you vote solely on th party line, which is amazingly stupid. Also I notice you never backed any of what you were saying about health care with an actual valid arguement. You say they wont listen to anyones valid point if it is different, well if your gonna say that then maybe you should make a valid point first and see how that goes over. On top of all that you end your post by insulting their careers. What are you a kid on the school yard. You talk a big talk about being a smart reasonable person and maybe just maybe that is true but you showed none of that here. I can't say how the guys and Steph will feel about you not listening to the show anymore, but I for one am glad you have stopped listening because you don't deserve the greatness that is this podcast.

    posted by: Joe on Mon, 6/22 05:29 PM EDT

    Keeping a nuclear reactor in safe condition? Isn't that Homer Simpson's job?

    posted by: dap on Mon, 6/22 10:58 PM EDT

    Hey Joe settle down. Don't spill your microwave burrito on your keyboard. Sober up and buy something with a spell checker. Reading your post it took me all of a couple sentences to know you're a douche (and you don't have to back that up). I love to fire up Ass Clowns like you.

    posted by: Glen on Tue, 6/23 01:55 PM EDT

    Fantastic episode. Best yet. Patton was great and you didn't get mired down in one particular topic.

    posted by: Alex on Tue, 6/23 10:48 PM EDT

    Once again you guys have put out another great podcast. As a gay person I love your views on gay marriage, and I love how you guys talk about the issue so often. Its one of the reasons why I listen to the podcast (the main reason being that you guys are hilarious). One thing I have noticed though, and I could be wrong about this since I haven't had the chance to listen to all the podcasts, but it seems you haven't had a gay comic on the show as a guest. This is not meant to be a complaint, just an observation. The podcast is great as it is. I just think it would be cool if you had a gay comic on as a guest. There are a bunch of really talented ones out there. Anyway, that's my 2 cents.

    posted by: Morgan on Wed, 6/24 01:47 PM EDT

    Hey Guys,
    First, I think this is a great podcast! I just wanted to let you know that this episode was amazing. It really did make me rethink what I am doing with my life and to make some changes to find a job that I love.

    I also wanted to answer the question about why headphone jacks are not at the movies...pirates! One reason those bootleg DVD's aren't great is because of the sound quality. If you gave someone a place to plug in right at the movies it would make the bootlegs crazy good.

    Keep up the good work.

    posted by: Kraig on Fri, 6/26 11:08 AM EDT

    Hey Glen
    I really don't wish to get into a big fight on here. So unless your next post actually makes some valid points I can respond to I will not be responding to any more of your posts. Essentially I am giving you the last word, that is if your last word is a string af meaningless insults like the post I am responding to now. Lets say I concede that I am a bad speller, does that change the fact that the points I made in my post were well put and concise? Do yu knw wat ths sas? Thn yu wre exgrtng abt hw hrd it ws to rd my pst. What I find funny is that you read it and instead of coming back on here and making your point on the healthcare issue, like I called you out on not doing, you decided it would be more productive to make fun of my spelling, insinuate I'm a fat drunk, and call me an ass clown. Come on, then you have the nerve to say I'M the douche.

    On another note, Jimmy, Todd, and Steph... I got your back.

    posted by: Joe on Fri, 6/26 04:51 PM EDT

    Oh god, if you guys do have a gay comic on (NOT gay comic-con), please make it someone like Tig Notaro and not someone like Ant.

    Ooh, and I love the capitalization of "Ass Clowns". You are truly a gentleman's gentleman.

    posted by: Valerie on Fri, 6/26 05:29 PM EDT

    Thanks for all the comments and thank you to glen for providing us with his report card. Hey glen, overcompensate much? I haven't seen a post that desperate of pathetic since forever.

    Here is a tip, When you try to brag about yourself to total strangers and it is completely unprovoked it doesn't impress anyone, in only serves to highlight the very obvious cracks in your personality.

    I'm sure our listeners find it hilarious that you hate our show so much you not only listened to it, but then made a trip to our website, and then took the time to write a post, and then you continued to monitor this page to see if anyone responded to you. Must not be to busy over at the nuke plant huh.

    I look forward to your response on your third trip back to the website for the show you think sucks.

    How's my spelling?


    posted by: jimmyjimmy on Tue, 6/30 09:41 PM EDT

    I did come back the third time to see if anyone responded and you didn't disappoint. One of my favorite, fun things to do when I'm bored is to go to forums like here or Craigslist and flame people up in the most immature, pompous, gradeschool fashion I can. The icing on the cake is that I can read Jimmy's post while imagining his voice reading it to me, now that does make it better. The neat thing too is that you can really tell when you've hit a nerve, even over just a post in a forum. I mean come on Joe, I read your post after drinking a few beers myself and just had this funny image of the Comic Book Guy at his computer eating a microwave burrito saying to himself that he'll show this guy. So I replied in the most infantile way possible, which is crude insult. I know nothing about you, I'm just throwing crap against the wall and seeing what sticks. My goal is to make people mad, I can sit around with my glasses in my hand pondering an even handed argument about anything, but what fun is that? I would rather taunt and see who bites, honestly most people that are like me, ignore me, I act like an idiot (or I am a bonafide idiot, which I'm comfortable with) and that's cool, I'm just fishing. Plus you guys are frothing at the mouth so much you did't even point out where I mis-spelled in my original post, but maybe you ignored it to show me that doesn't matter to you (and that shows your cool). I'm so happy Jimmy responded too, so I will respond: Yes I overcompensate much (my penis is microscopic, I drive a Hummer and carry two revolvers and wear a ten gallon hat, I'm a younger version of George W. if that makes it more clear). I am also glad that you have not seen a post that "desperate of pathetic since forever" (Sic). As to bragging to total strangers, I agree, totally weak and lame. Of course in this forum I can just say whoever I want to be and work wherever I want and it could be all fiction, who would ever know? Also "in also serves" should be "it also serves." Your listeners find it hilarious, but not as out loud hilarious as I do when I get people fired up enough to respond. Here is my third response, and I still listen to your show (I lied) you guys are funny, but don't you like to see some controversy (sp?) in here? Not just "atta boys (girls)." Your spelling is fine, but you did not proof read very well. To Valerie, I capitalize Ass Clowns because I consider it a profession, maybe not a profession but a title, like Jack Johnson, Ass Clown.

    I will post at a later date in another episode if I feel the inclination.

    BTW Joe, you were the only one that REALLY addressed the serious comments in my first post. Thanks.

    posted by: Glen on Wed, 7/1 01:20 AM EDT

    Despite the flamewar above, I can point out that there is a coherent argument against government health care. I don't support it, but still.

    A lot of economists think the government should only get involved in regulating private actors when they create negative externalities, like pollution. People should not be free to impose costs on others or on society at large.

    Related to this is the point that the government should actively invest in things where there are large positive externalities. There are huge benefits to things like roads, in terms of the dollar amount of economic activity they allow, but there is little way for a private investor to capitalize on them. It is thought that when there are situations where there is massive public benefit but little private benefit (at least by comparison) the government ought to invest.

    Within that framework, though, there's a lot of room for debate as to whether particular investments actually cause positive externalities or prevent negative ones. A lot of people just view health care like iPods or something: sure, it would be nice if everyone had one, and maybe even more "just" in a way, but we don't give a shit about fairness. Government is in the social benefit business. If there is no public benefit to free health care, if it's just a "product," then no, government should not provide it.

    If, on the other hand, if you view it as more like a utility or infrastructure, something that, though really beneficial, won't happen without the government, you will tend to think that government should provide it.

    Part of this is the issue of whether the good is underprovided. The market does a fine job at distributing iPods. But not at healthcare, since healthcare is not a normal "product."

    Look at it this way. Healthcare is something that depends on healthy people paying for sick people. You can't allow healthy people to opt out of this or the system collapses. We skirt around this today by having large employee health plans, which are encouraged by the government. But in a true free market in health care, which we don't have, all the healthy people would get together in their own plan with their own insurers and pay lower rates, leaving sick people to pay for the full cost of their care.

    Added on to this is the fact that medical technology is getting better, so that we have a better idea of who is going to be sick. If you know a boat has an 80% chance of sinking, insurance on it is going to cost 80% of the price of the boat. So basically, due to "adverse selection" in a free market sick people are screwed.

    So, we know that in a free market sick people are not going to be able to afford insurance. That's enough for some people to think that the government should provide it. But, who gives a fuck about them necessarily? It's not automatic that we should buy people something they need or want just because they can't afford it.

    So, if you have that harsh view, you're only going to be convinced that the government should buy health care for people who can't afford it in a free market if you can someone show that the benefit to health care outweighs the cost. Arguments about fairness just aren't going to move you. I happen to think that with a single payer system, the economy would run more smoothly as your average joe has less to worry about and can move more freely from job to job--but I can see how you might not think so. But at this point it's an empirical question, not a philosophical one.

    posted by: jhn on Wed, 7/1 05:16 PM EDT

    I don't like this Glen guy. He complains about venom but has no problem with spitting his own. My God, those were ugly posts. I don't know what to say except to remind everyone that political talk shows are provocative--all of them. It's built into the format. Hardline opinions (and some occasional name calling) are what keep them compelling.

    For Glen to both declare he's unsubscribing and make personal attacks--in his first post--leads me to think there was a moment in the show that got him. I'd love to find out what it was.

    Come on, Glen, you came this far.


    posted by: Peter on Wed, 7/1 10:44 PM EDT

    Regarding the "Nova-No Va" thing, I am surprised you guys, as smart as you usually are, and Patton, did not know that has long ago been debunked. I heard that years ago too, but I thought it was well-known it was not really true. See link to Snopes.com

    http://www.snopes.com/business/misxlate/nova.asp

    posted by: Tony on Sat, 7/18 01:50 AM EDT

    Hey there, just started listening after hearing about the podcast on Never Not Funny and Jordan, Jesse Go. I’m a big Patton Oswalt fan, so I was drawn to this episode for my first listen. I am also a Christian. I get some flack from Christians and non-Christians alike for listening to someone who is a professed Atheist. (The Christians think it’s a bad influence and the non-Christians don’t think I have the right sense of humor to “appreciate” his comedy) But frankly, I just find him hilarious. I think he has great viewpoints, he often finds the most perfect and funniest way to articulate something.
    Now , in the interest of full disclosure, having never listened to the show before, I didn’t realize how deep and how frank the discussions would get. And I was, I wouldn’t say offended, maybe “taken aback” a little bit, by the comments on Christianity and the Bible being dated and “a book of fables that someone turns to for comfort.” I wouldn’t be surprised if this was the comment that someone else here was wondering about being what pushed Glen over the edge. If so, I can sympathize. But I think both sides are missing some points. The only thing I object to those comments about , is the idea that Christianity is a crutch, I may be wrong, but that kind of feels like the implication there. But please here me out.
    I will concede that for many, Christianity is indeed a crutch. But the teachings of Christ and the Bible were not meant to be a “comfort.” Much of it is a comfort for me. But the rest is hard, challenging stuff that would be much easier to forget about than to actually follow. That’s the stuff that tells me to love the worst of my enemies. The book is thousands of years old, yes, but when studied in-depth, and when put into context (something many Christians FAMOUSLY neglect to do) it can be just as relevant today as when it was written. Now, my feelings on gay marriage and homosexuality are, complicated at best, but I believe that neither we as fellow humans, nor the government has any right to tell anyone how to live their life. Even God gives us free will. And if we are truly trying follow Christ, then we are instructed to love everyone equally.
    Anyways, I know I’m rambling , and I’m sure I’m probably creeping somebody out. I’m nobody special, just wanted to throw my two cents in. I still respect everyone involved with the podcast, and I still think they are some of the funniest people going. And I can’t wait to listen to more episodes. Thanks.

    posted by: christian on Thu, 7/23 08:40 PM EDT

Hey Guys! Love the podcast.

by Eric Nigg (not verified) - 2010-01-26 23:55

Hey Guys!

Love the podcast.  This episode especially is thee best podcast on comedy I have ever heard.  Ever.  I have shared it with so many comic friends!  There is years of knowledge in this episode and I can't thank you enough for doing this.  Please don't stop.  Its so nice to know that comics in your position are open about your experiece and share your wisdom.  Thank you.

 

Respectfully,

Eric Nigg

ericnigg.com

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