Adam Carolla Show – “Dan Soder + Gilbert Gottfried” (Carolla Classics) January 9, 2026
PodcastOne / Carolla Digital

Overview:

This “Carolla Classics” episode features two of the Adam Carolla Show’s most memorable guest segments: an in-studio chat with comedian Dan Soder, and a rare, insightful Gilbert Gottfried interview. Host Adam Carolla is joined by longtime collaborators Gina Grad and Brian Bishop, along with fitness expert Vinny Tortorich in the Dan Soder section. The episode is marked by Carolla’s signature blend of irreverent humor, cultural commentary, personal anecdotes, and unfiltered conversations about comedy, health, and the absurdities of modern social sensibilities.

Episode Structure & Timestamps

Part 1: Dan Soder + Vinny Tortorich Segment
(02:13 – 63:03)

Part 2: Gilbert Gottfried Segment
(95:30 – 150:53)

Note: Timestamps below are MM:SS as per the transcript.

Key Discussions and Insights

Part 1: Dan Soder + Vinny Tortorich

Opening Banter & Handball

(02:13 – 02:51)

• Adam and the crew greet Vinny Tortorich, with playful ribbing about his non-comedic credentials.
• Vinny talks about his supplement routine and his shift to working almost exclusively with high-profile clients via phone consultations.

The Paradox of Howie Mandel's Germaphobia

(03:20 – 07:35)

• Hilarious recounting of Howie Mandel’s inconsistent germaphobia: won’t shake hands, but shares communal popcorn with everyone.
  • “He looked at me and I said, ‘Howie, I don’t get it...’ He said, ‘You don’t get it. I’m crazy.’ And I just thought—nah, I do. I get it now.” — Adam Carolla (07:27)

Diet Calls, Food Addictions, and the Truth About Fruit

(07:44 – 14:41)

• Vinny discusses his “no sugars, no grains” (NSNG) consulting, stories about callers who insist they’re “doing it perfectly” while ignoring hidden sugars, especially in fruit.
• Rankings and myth-busting about healthy vs. unhealthy fruits.
  • “It should be vegetables, and fruit is the way we should look at life.” — Vinny (10:37)
  • Stone fruits, bananas, tropical fruits: worse for glycemic impact.
  • Avocados, olives, berries, and cherries: best options.

Adam’s Reflections on Generational Drinking & Therapy

(14:41 – 19:08)

• Adam muses about his grandmother’s red wine habit and his mother’s penchant for self-help meetings, reflecting on family psychology and motivations.

Arm Wrestling, Over-the-Top Movie, and Ref Stereotypes

(20:38 – 23:51)

• Gina cues up a memory from the Stallone film “Over the Top,” leading to a long riff on arm-wrestling apparatus, fitness, and the “scariest” referees: “Arm wrestling ref is the scariest guy on the planet.” (23:51)

Screen Time, Youth Motivation, and Gardening Games

(23:51 – 30:56)

• Call-in about kids’ lack of interest in driving, Adam’s theory about overstimulation.
• Adam pitches (satirically) the idea of a gardener’s Olympics, poking fun at landscaping and blue-collar competitions.

Noise Pollution: Leaf Blowers & First-World Problems

(30:56 – 32:29)

• Rant on environmental and auditory nuisances of leaf blowers, dust, and motorbike maintenance.

Profiling Motorcyclists & Safety Over “Cool”

(32:29 – 41:22)

• Stories about motorcycle culture and safety, the psychology of helmet/vest color vs. machismo, and Vinny’s decision to quit riding due to distracted drivers and texting.

Quick Nutrition Quiz: “Fit or Bullshit” with Vinny

(41:43 – 52:15)

• Vinny hosts a quiz on omega-3 sources (best: salmon), diet best practices (“low-calorie diets don’t work long-term”), and protein quality (egg is “the perfect food”).
  • “The egg is one of the few foods where you get every amino acid that man has actually discovered at this point.” — Vinny Tortorich (52:03)

Eggs, Nutrition Science & Public Illusions

(52:15 – 59:09)

• Extended riff on how the public gets misled about egg and fat consumption, with Adam launching into a signature tirade about feelings vs. facts in food and science.
  • “Could people stop weighing in with their horrible thoughts?” — Adam Carolla (55:44)

The War on French Fries: Tallow vs. Vegetable Oil

(59:09 – 61:00)

• Vinny and Adam blame the “weaponized” French fry epidemic on misguided health policy and the removal of beef tallow from fast food.

Dan Soder Joins – Comedy Origin Story

(63:04 – 76:33)

• Dan details growing up in Aurora, Colorado, being part of the “Comedy Central generation,” and sneaking into clubs at 16 to see Dave Chappelle.

  • “Was Chappelle magical?”
    “Yeah, it was insane. He shut down two hecklers… I was like, that’s insane that he was that quick.” — Dan Soder (66:51, 66:55)

• Reflections on the terror and humiliation of open mic nights and the hard edge of open mic organizers (67:39–69:23).

Culture Rants: Subways, Brown-Bag Beers & Energy Drinks

(71:21 – 74:50)

• Adam and Dan riff on New York subways, public drinking, and how beverage container variety today helps drinkers fly under the radar.

Jamie Foxx and the Hierarchy of Male Talent

(84:05 – 85:19)

• “Is Jamie Foxx the most talented man on the planet?”
  “He’s up there... Timberlake can do singing and dancing better, but Jamie has a wider array of weapons. Timberlake could never do standup.” — Dan Soder / Adam / Brian (84:18–85:14)

Cultural Observations: Bachelor Parties in Space & the Perils of Delegating

(85:33 – 91:00)

• Fantasies and logistics of space tourism (Drunk Bachelor Parties in the Stratosphere).
• Hilarious anecdote about Lee Majors entrusting Ryan O’Neal with Farrah Fawcett’s fidelity.

Boxing Fandom & The Canelo-Triple G Hype

(91:00 – 93:06)

• Dan and Adam geek out over anticipation for the Canelo Alvarez vs. Gennady “Triple G” Golovkin fight.

Part 2: Gilbert Gottfried Interview

Life in Comedy & The Reluctant Documentary Subject

(95:30 – 99:41)

• Gilbert discusses how he inadvertently agreed to a documentary and jokes about being a letdown for the filmmaker.
  • “He said, ‘I’ve always dreamt of doing a Gilbert Gottfried documentary,’ and I said, ‘Well, you should set your dreams higher.’” — Gilbert Gottfried (97:16)

Gilbert’s MTV & Hefner Roast Memories

(99:41 – 101:16)

• Looking back at MTV’s golden era and the post-9/11 Hugh Hefner roast.
  • “Who here dare do a 9/11 [joke]?” — (100:54)

Infamy over the Aflac Scandal & Misunderstood Comedy

(101:23 – 115:13)

• Adam and Gilbert revisit the tweets that got him fired from Aflac.
  • Whoopi Goldberg and “The View” reading his jokes on air—audience members reflexively laugh even after being warned it’s “inappropriate.”
  • “People have forgotten the term… a fcking joke.”* — Gilbert Gottfried (104:36)
  • Discussion of the economics of stand-up vs. “Kush gigs” like advertising voice-overs.

Family, Siblings & The Roots of Showbiz

(115:13 – 119:20)

• Gilbert talks about losing his older sister, her influence on his comedy career, and their upbringing in Brooklyn.

Childhood Bullying & the Changing Culture of Masculinity

(119:20 – 128:59)

• Jokes about being the “muse” for bullying.
• Adam’s and Gilbert’s hilariously “anti-evolution” take on how men have become gossipers: “We’re just still going [towards the feminine]. Eventually we’ll be one sex: no sex.” (128:59)

Gossip, Social Outrage & Modern Lynch Mobs

(130:38 – 132:09)

• Gilbert: “The Internet makes me feel sentimental for old time lynch mobs. Because they had to go out and get their hands dirty.” (130:56)
• Adam riffs on Twitter activism and the ease of public shaming.

The Blurring Line Between Real Villains and Social "Villains"

(133:36 – 134:21)

• Gottfried: “If someone does something really bad, it just fades in with everybody else who’s a villain.”

The Paradox of Outrage for Others

(135:26 – 136:06)

• “No one who was victimized by the tsunami was outraged. People were outraged for them.” — Brian Bishop

Comedy, Context & the Ever-Moving Line

(139:35 – 143:29)

• The catch-22 of hiring “shock jocks” and punishing them for saying shocking things.
  • “They’ll never tell you what the line is. They’ll just know it when they hear it.” — Gina Grad (143:56)
• Speculation on culture shifting back toward irreverence in response to enforced politeness.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Adam on Howie Mandel’s quirks:
  “He won’t shake anyone’s hand, but he’s offering everyone popcorn. He said, ‘You don’t get it. I’m crazy.’” (07:27)
• Dan Soder’s open mic horror recall:
  “I kept apologizing… I just bailed. It’s the most defeated I’ve ever been in my life.” (68:14)
• Adam on Jamie Foxx’s talents:
  “I feel like nobody can touch him because who would be able to… who’s the only other person that could cuckle Tom Cruise? Jamie Foxx.” (85:11)
• Gilbert on why jokes go over the line:
  “People have forgotten the term… a fcking joke.”* (104:36)
• Gilbert on internet outrage and lynch mobs:
  “The Internet makes me feel sentimental for old time lynch mobs. At least they had to get their hands dirty.” (130:56)

Highlighted Timestamps

• [07:27] — Adam’s punchline on Howie Mandel’s logic: “I’m crazy.”
• [23:51] — Adam: “Arm wrestling ref is the scariest guy on the planet.”
• [41:43] — On nutrition trends: “Is that health advice making you fit or fat?”
• [55:44 / 104:36] — Adam/Gilbert: Rants on feelings-vs-facts; “People have forgotten the term… a f*cking joke.”
• [66:55] — Dan Soder: “Chappelle... shut down two hecklers... he was that quick.”
• [84:52] — Jamie Foxx v. Timberlake debate.
• [97:16] — Gilbert: “You should set your dreams higher.”
• [130:56] — Gilbert: “Sentimental for old lynch mobs... they had to burn calories.”

Tone & Style

• Energetic, caustically observant, peppered with irreverent asides and fast-paced riffing.
• Adam’s rants swing between personal stories, pop culture theorizing, and protest against modern cultural trends.
• Guest segments draw out candid, humorous vulnerability—Dan Soder’s comedy origin story and Gilbert Gottfried’s exposing the contradictions in “cancel culture.”

Summary

For listeners seeking a classic dose of the Adam Carolla Show’s long-form, freewheeling style, this episode delivers: from food myth-busting and fruit rankings to deep dives on comedy, public shaming, and the shifting boundaries of what can be joked about in America. Dan Soder and Gilbert Gottfried bring contrasting comedic styles, but together with the regulars, they create an episode at once hilarious, insightful, and a genuine time-capsule of comedy culture in the 2010s and 2020s.

Useful For:

• Fans of comedy, stand-up culture, and media debate.
• Anyone curious about the intersection of nutrition trends and pop culture.
• Listeners interested in the psychology behind laughter, outrage, and American social mores.

End of Summary