Adam Carolla Show – Romany Malco + Jerry Ferrara (Carolla Classics)
Date: September 26, 2025
Episode Focus: Highlights from the Adam Carolla Show episodes featuring Romany Malco (actor, “40 Year Old Virgin”, “Weeds”, “Think Like a Man”) and Jerry Ferrara (actor, “Entourage”) with discussions spanning viral headlines, celebrity interviews, and comedic takes on pop culture and society.
Overview
This “Carolla Classics” episode serves up remixed best-of discussions and interviews archived from two 2014 Adam Carolla Show episodes. The first segment spotlights Romany Malco as he shares his unique path from music to acting, reflects on "40 Year Old Virgin," and banters with the crew about race, pop culture, and Hollywood authenticity. The second major segment brings in Jerry Ferrara, who discusses his acting journey, the making of "Entourage," and the realities of playing Arturo Gatti in a biopic. Throughout, Adam, “Bald” Bryan, and Allison Rosen chime in with unfiltered, witty takes on current events and classic Carolla rants.
Key Segments & Discussion Points
1. Viral “Poo Plane” Story (00:59–24:49)
- Summary: The show offers a deep dive into a much-tweeted news event: an emotional support dog making a mess mid-flight, forcing an emergency landing. Chris Law, producer for the Rich Eisen Podcast and a first-hand witness, calls in with details.
- Highlights:
- Dog Incident Coverage (02:10–03:58): Adam and crew discuss the escalation of allowing dogs on flights. Adam likens society to a burning “rope bridge” while everyone’s “just drinking beer.”
- “There’s going to be dogs dying in the air.” – Adam (02:58)
- Chris Law Call-In (13:00–24:49): Chris recounts witnessing the dog’s multiple accidents, dry heaving passengers, biohazard response, and the owner’s “walk of shame” off the flight.
- “By the time she got to about row 4, there was some clapping that started happening when she was going off.” – Chris Law (22:14)
- Dog Incident Coverage (02:10–03:58): Adam and crew discuss the escalation of allowing dogs on flights. Adam likens society to a burning “rope bridge” while everyone’s “just drinking beer.”
2. Riffing on Celebrity and Pop Culture
- Fake Service Dogs & Social Contracts (24:40–27:56): Adam laments the eroding “social contract” and entitlement culture.
- “All we have as a society is this sort of unspoken agreement to act a certain way... it’s kind of floating out the window.” – Adam (26:00)
- Movie Critiques & “A Million Ways to Die in the West” Review (30:46–39:06): In signature ‘Baldiwood’ style, Bryan reviews Seth McFarlane’s movie, scoring it a “C” and examining comedy, plot, and Hollywood sequels.
- “It is not a disaster… there’s some good jokes in here, but nowhere near as funny as ‘Ted’.” – Adam (33:54)
3. FEATURE INTERVIEW: Romany Malco (43:07–66:56)
- Music/Acting Origin Story (43:07–49:44): Malco talks Paul Abdul’s “Scat Cat,” meeting John Leguizamo, and his accidental entry into acting.
- “Before 40 Year Old Virgin, my name was Romany Malaco. After, I was the black guy from 40 Year Old Virgin.” – Romany (48:05)
- Behind the Scenes on “40-Year-Old Virgin” (49:34–51:14): About 50% improv, strong group chemistry, and Seth Rogen’s precocious talent.
- Industry Banter & Cultural Commentary:
- On the flood of sequels, overseas movie markets, and the shift away from witty, dialogue-based American comedies.
- “Movies are more picturesque… you want to make movies they can understand. American comedy doesn’t translate.” – Romany (65:58)
- Candid talk on societal and racial attitudes (83:36–96:42):
- “I got called ‘nigger’ so much... there was like a numbing where it didn’t really have the same effect.” – Romany (88:08)
- On the flood of sequels, overseas movie markets, and the shift away from witty, dialogue-based American comedies.
- Notable Banter:
- “Let me tell you what I would do if I were black…” – (91:04–95:51, Adam’s classic, provocative humor)
4. FEATURE INTERVIEW: Jerry Ferrara (165:35–179:00)
- Podcast & Project Plugs: Talks “Bad for Business” podcast, “Entourage” movie (set for summer release), and biopic on boxer Arturo Gatti.
- Casting & Backstory for Gatti Role (167:49–175:13): Insights into how he got the role, the mysterious circumstances regarding Gatti’s death, and honoring his story.
- “If I get into this and I truly feel like I can’t do a good job, I promised Pat Lynch, I’ll walk away before I do a disservice.” – Jerry Ferrara (173:26)
- “Entourage”:
- Early adopters of the show, Johnny Drama’s fictional IMDb, and the fantasy of “big house, whole crew, Hollywood living.”
- “There’s some sort of fantasy about guys all living in the same big house up in the hills and having fun.” – Adam (166:35)
- Food Biz: Jerry’s involvement in Fat Sal’s Deli, making over-the-top sandwiches.
- Bathroom Etiquette and Workplace Rant: Hilarious discussion of bathroom policy, labor disputes, and shitting at work vs. home (180:49–193:18).
5. Carolla Show Signature Tangents & News
- Hollywood Authenticity (59:41–61:48):
- Romany on actors who pretend to be experts on screen:
“It’s one of my pet peeves ... someone rambles off stuff as if they really, really know it...”
- Romany on actors who pretend to be experts on screen:
- Justin Bieber “Chainsaw” Joke Scandal (81:57–86:54):
- Bieber’s racist joke tape, differing standards for public outrage, and whether apologies suffice.
- Classic Carolla:
- Rants about adult “yummy phase” behavior, people who blast music from cars, workplace toilet tracking, and the invention of the “Nerf toilet” (69:03–71:24).
- Frequent call-in bits, including a mock interview for Big Brother with Adam’s signature edgy humor (158:06–161:22).
Notable Quotes & Moments w/ Timestamps
- “There’s going to be dogs dying. There’s going to be dogs shitting. There’s going to be dogs biting people and fucking and fighting…” – Brian Bishop (04:05)
- “We have a society where everyone thinks they’re fucking special, then … bring your dog everywhere. When you have 320 million special people, you live in a shitty society.” – Adam (25:00)
- “Before 40 Year Old Virgin, my name was Romany Malco. After, I was the black guy from 40 Year Old Virgin.” – Romany Malco (48:05)
- “Movies are more picturesque…because most of the money is made overseas. American comedy doesn’t translate.” – Romany Malco (65:58)
- “I would love to shit into a Nerf toilet. I’d like to lean back into a Nerf toilet.” – Brian Bishop (70:54)
- “People have predetermined notions of what I am and what I could do. And that’s fine, I actually enjoy that at times.” – Jerry Ferrara (174:07)
- “We’re kind of done with our folks…by 19, if everyone just moves off.” – Adam Carolla on cultural differences (93:06)
Format/Tone
- Style: Unfiltered, rapid-fire, digressive, consistently sprinkled with Carolla’s signature sarcasm and pop culture savvy.
- Vibe: Lively group banter, real-talk about show business, and thought-provoking comedy. Frequent asides and running gags.
Quick Reference – Important Segments
| Timestamp | Topic | |-------------|----------------------------------------------| | 00:59–24:49 | Poo Plane – Viral headline and eyewitness | | 43:07–66:56 | Romany Malco: career, comedy, race, Hollywood| | 165:35–179:00| Jerry Ferrara: Entourage, Gatti, sandwiches | | 180:49–193:18| Bathroom policy, workplace etiquette | | 81:57–86:54 | Bieber joke scandal, race in media |
Final Thoughts
This episode encapsulates the Carolla formula: irreverent takes on modern culture, authentic Hollywood stories, and incisive social commentary, all delivered with the epic flow of returning guests whose candor brings substance and hilarity in equal measure. Whether you want stories about viral messes on planes, a masterclass in improvisational acting, a primer on why American comedies struggle overseas, or just a rant about work bathrooms, you’ll find it here—Carolla-style.
