The Adam Carolla Show – August 26, 2025 Episode Summary: Rampage Jackson’s Son Brutally Attacks Opponent + Zohran Mamdani’s Bench Press Fail + Avi Liberman & Chef Brad Kilgore

Overview

In this lively, freewheeling episode, Adam Carolla is joined by comedian Avi Liberman, chef Brad Kilgore, and news correspondent Alicia Krause. The show covers a wide range of topics: Avi’s stories from a life in stand-up, the viral story of Rampage Jackson’s son’s violent outburst at a wrestling event, New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani’s gym fail, shifting trends in comedy, and a deep dive into the craft of pizza with chef Brad Kilgore. Adam and his guests blend humor and insight with personal anecdotes and topical takes, creating an engaging and fast-paced discussion.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Stand-Up Comedy War Stories with Avi Liberman

[01:46 – 32:13]

• Avi’s Book & Career

  • Avi discusses his new book, "Strange Gigs," chronicling 30 years of performing comedy worldwide, including Iraq, Afghanistan, cruise ships, and more.
  • He shares how not all “strange” gigs are negative—some of his most meaningful moments happened far from glitzy clubs.

• Memorable Gigs for the Military

  • Describes performing at a Special Forces base in Afghanistan with Butch Bradley:

    “They set up some chairs and a couch, throw us a broomstick and go, 'here’s your mic.' The lead pilot’s like, 'I gotta go in ten minutes.' He goes, 'we’ll do five minutes each.' We did that. They laughed. We laughed. They thanked us, we thanked them. I wouldn’t trade that experience for any TV appearance.” – Avi ([03:10])

  • On the impact of comedy on morale:

    “One guy after a show in Iraq comes up... Congratulations, you just saved some lives today.” – Avi ([04:36])

• Open Mic and Club Culture

  • Adam and Avi reminisce about brutal and strange open mics at LA institutions, the dynamics of “pop-ins” (famous comics bumping the lineup), and the anxiety and learning involved.
  • On famous comedians bumping young comics:

    “Who wants to follow this? ...He’s gonna be up there for 35, 40 minutes... Thank God I’m done.” – Avi ([15:25])

  • Ray Romano praised as uniquely gracious:

    “The only guy I ever saw who really felt, Ray Romano comes in, 'If you have some time for me, it’s ok but if not, I don’t want to bump.' He was so gracious.” – Avi ([15:46])

2. The State of Modern Comedy

[20:30 – 32:13]

• Trends: Crowd Work & Roasts

  • Avi points out the explosion of crowd work and roasting, often replacing crafted material:

    “Crowd work can vault your career... You have one organic moment that can become a big deal. It’s social media. It’s changed it.” – Avi ([21:26])
    “Writing jokes sucks. It’s hard. But to really get it right can be a huge pain... But to write really good jokes is something I think any comic is more proud of.” – Avi ([25:08])

• Developing Authenticity

  • Avi embraces his identity, moving from resisting Jewish material to owning his niche:

    “…I realized if my own agent views me that way, I might as well embrace it. And then all of a sudden, I became the Israel guy…” – Avi ([27:12])

• Impact of Social Media

  • They discuss how YouTubers and social stars often fill clubs even if their live acts are weak, reflecting how much the business has changed.

3. Memorable Moments: Mark Levin Impression & Radio Stories

[35:18 – 47:56]

• Avi’s Spot-On Mark Levin Impression

  “There’s no middle ground with him. It’s 0 to 100… These people, they have not read the Constitution because if they did, they’d have a stroke…” – Avi ([35:53])

• Behind-the-Scenes Tales

  • Adam and Alicia swap stories of radio guest etiquette—or lack thereof—recalling times they were left on hold or verbally burned by other hosts (notably Man Cow).
  • On unpleasant radio games:

    “That was a game he’d play to see if he could get celebrities to just sit there...” – Angie (Man Cow’s producer, as recalled by Adam) ([44:26])

4. News with Alicia Krause: Viral Mayhem and Social Role Models

[47:56 – 73:11]

A. Rampage Jackson’s Son’s Wrestling Attack

[47:56 – 61:50]

• Incident Overview

  • Rajah Jackson, son of UFC’s Rampage Jackson, viciously attacks an opponent at a wrestling event; what was scripted goes too far.
  • Details include off-camera beef, in-ring revenge, and a severe beating resulting in a concussion and missing teeth for the victim.

• Discussion: “The Switch”

  • Adam and crew analyze the “switch” that flips in violent moments, when a person loses control—Adam relates it to being attacked by a police dog on "The Man Show":

    “Once the dog hits me and takes me down... I said, so how do we unthrow this switch? He goes, ‘I kick him in the ribs as hard as I can.’ It’s a switch. When I saw Rajah Jackson on top of that guy, I was like, oh, the switch has been thrown.” – Adam ([60:36])

  • Alicia presses moral questions, Adam and Avi doubt that “I’m an MMA fighter, not a pro wrestler” is much of a defense.

B. Zohran Mamdani’s Bench Press Fail

[65:26 – 71:14]

• The Video

  • Socialist NYC mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani struggles (and fails) to bench press 135 lbs at a public event; his spotter never lets go.
  • Adam and Avi joke about standards of strength for men and the optics of candidates doing public physical feats.

  “Any able-bodied man in his 30s… can do 135. That’s not a spot-worthy amount.” – Adam ([69:09])

• Social Media Optics & Hypocrisy

  • The group pokes fun at Mamdani’s designer boots and the tendency for virtue-signaling politicians to be out of touch with regular people.

5. Chef Brad Kilgore on the Science and Art of Pizza

[82:42 – 107:41]

• Background and Craft

  • Chef Brad tells of starting out at a diner at 12, learning the business, and gravitating toward pizza as a passion project, not just high-end food.
  • Explains the reinvention of frozen pizza: blast-chilling tech, sourcing, and why his “Pizza Freak Co” stands above traditional frozen pies.

• Best Pizza Practices & Toppings

  • The optimal style depends on tastes: Brad likes Neapolitan for freshness, but his own frozen line draws on Sicilian, Detroit, and Nona styles.
  • Meatballs, sausage, and “the kicker”—zesty ingredients like olives and capers—get top mention.
  • On pineaple controversy (Hawaiian pizza):

    “The addition of pineapple cannot be a disqualifier... pineapple’s pieces and parts are added to, like, barbecue and stuff like that. And it’s good." – Adam ([76:19])

• Restaurant Industry Realities

  • Brad discusses the current strain on restaurants: rising costs, over-saturation post-Covid, labor shortages, and changing worker attitudes.
  • Adam blames “work-life balance” mania:

    "Not when you're 26. You're supposed to be working and thinking about your hump. Later on you can think about the balance.” – Adam ([101:11])

6. Food Culture: Satisfying Classics vs. Trendy Fads

[88:10 – 107:41]

• Deconstructing the Restaurant Scene

  • Discussion about the era of over-inventive, “reconstructed” dishes giving way to respect for classics.
  • Adam’s pet peeve: calling everything by a familiar name but then serving something else entirely (e.g., huevos rancheros as a burrito).

• Regional Sandwiches & Comfort Food

  • Kansas City’s “Z Man” sandwich gets several approving nods.
  • The joys of classic spaghetti and meatballs, Chicago dogs, and the ideal burger are also explored.

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• On Gigs That Matter:

  • “I wouldn’t trade that experience [with troops in Farah] for any TV appearance.” – Avi ([03:36])

• On Open Mics:

  • “I would literally stand under those signs… I’m not dyslexic, but I can’t read and my comprehension is bad. And I would just stare at it and go, I have a permit 27B…” – Adam ([10:09])

• On Young Comics Copying Trends:

  • “You need to stay in your lane. If it’s not your style, that doesn’t mean you need to have this arsenal ready to just insult somebody.” – Avi ([26:04])

• On Pop-Ins by Superstar Comics:

  • “I don’t want to pop in because there’s other people waiting all day… I can go in front at Disneyland too, but it feels weird to walk in front of everybody.” – Adam ([14:08])

• On the ‘Switch’ in Fights (Jackson Incident):

  • “It’s a switch that gets thrown… When I saw Rajah Jackson on top of that guy, I was like, oh, the switch has been thrown.” – Adam ([60:36])

• On Trends in Food:

  • “You make your own sandwich, but don’t call it this… All that shit was out of San Francisco. They started fucking everything up.” – Adam ([88:58])

Segment Timestamps

| Section | Timestamp | |---------------------------------------|--------------| | Avi Liberman Stand-Up Stories | 01:46–32:13 | | State of Comedy / Roast & Crowd Work | 20:30–32:13 | | Mark Levin Impression & Radio Stories | 35:18–47:56 | | News - Rampage Jackson’s Son | 47:56–61:50 | | News - Bench Press Fail | 65:26–71:14 | | Broader News & Commentary | 71:14–75:06 | | Pizza & Food with Brad Kilgore | 82:42–107:41 | | Restaurant/Retail Food Insights | 99:31–107:41 |

Conclusion

This episode delivers a classic blend of Adam Carolla’s unfiltered comedy, personal anecdotes, and cultural commentary. From the grind of stand-up to viral sports brawls and foodie deep dives, listeners get both laughs and sharp insights. The guests—Avi Liberman, Alicia Krause, and Brad Kilgore—bring humor, expertise, and personality. The episode’s highlights are the candid comic war stories, Adam’s take on social “switches” in violence, trenchant jabs at public figures’ physical failings, and a mouth-watering, nerdy look at pizza’s evolution.