Bad Friends – "Adam Friedland & The Wolverine"

Hosts: Bobby Lee & Andrew Santino
Guest: Adam Friedland
Date: February 9, 2026

Episode Overview

In this lively episode, Bobby and Andrew are joined by comedian and podcaster Adam Friedland for a freewheeling, joke-heavy conversation packed with tangents, playful roasting, and absurd hypotheticals. They riff on everything from the differences between animal species and human evolution to the ins and outs of comedy, famous friends, and their uniquely strange statistics. Expect plenty of classic "Bad Friends" energy—offbeat, irreverent, and full of surprising insights amidst the chaos.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Water and Seasons (00:12–01:46)

• A running bit opens the show, with the trio joking about "spring water" versus other seasonal waters (e.g., winter, summer, fall).
• Bobby: "It's a season thing. You've never had winter water?" (00:20)
• Adam spins this into playful encouragement about Bobby's potential "summer love," to which Bobby pessimistically quips about catching "the shaky one" (01:01)—a riff on disease jokes.

2. Animal Battles and Fun Facts (01:54–05:40)

• They debate which would win in a fight: wolverine vs. honey badger, and detour into animal aggression (wolverine wins for size, per AI Overview at 03:51).
• Bobby: "X-Men should have had ‘Honey Badger’—doesn’t sound threatening." (03:40)
• Adam provides facts about the Tasmanian devil: their name's origin, blind nature, and impressive bite force ("500–1200 psi, compared to a human’s 150 psi") (05:05).
• Memorable quote: Adam, on alligators' bite force, "That's why all those idiots in Florida ... I'll wrestle that gator, see what happens." (05:30)

3. Hippos, Evolution, and Walking Upright (05:36–08:54)

• Hippos are crowned the real animal to fear due to aggressiveness and "blood sweat" secretion, explained as a type of sunscreen ("It protects their skin from sun and bacteria") (07:51).
• Bobby muses about human evolution, speculating that "food up high" is why we walk upright, and Adam agrees ("Me big. You small.") (09:08).
• Quick tangent about extreme climber Alex Honnold, his family, and fearlessness: "If your dad was doing that, would you watch?" (10:42)

4. Nature of Risk, Relationships, and TV Stunts (10:02–13:04)

• They discuss what it's like to date someone with dangerous hobbies (deep-sea diving, climbing), calculating there's more risk swimming with sharks than being an expert climber—according to Adam.
• "He was never going to fall. There's no way." – Adam, on Honnold (12:35)

5. Comedy Industry & Regional Bonds (13:04–15:44)

• Shout-outs to "Tires" (Bobby’s upcoming role) and Chicago comics’ supportiveness versus San Diego’s (14:51):
  • Bobby: "You Chicago guys help each other. San Diego guys don’t do that ... Cuz there’s not a lot."

6. Celebrity Run-Downs & Dinner with Robin Wright (15:44–18:00)

• Bobby lists celebrities from San Diego, culminating with a story about having dinner with Robin Wright:
  • "She was very funny ... It’s the long face—she likes a long face. Like a president." (16:52)
• Brief ranking of classic actresses: Robin Wright, Sharon Stone, Cate Blanchett.

7. The Lottery, Wealth, and Ominous Statistics (18:42–22:25)

• Adam and Bobby riff on lottery winners' lives unraveling, with Bobby claiming, "People in car accidents who are paralyzed are happier than lottery winners," citing gratitude for small victories post-injury (19:02).
• Adam: "The lottery is the worst thing—they say statistically these people end up killing themselves, going broke." (18:51)

8. The (Literal) Pepsi Challenge (22:25–24:47)

• A running quasi-ad segment with a blind taste test between Pepsi and Coke Zero, which the guys play up with theatrics, improv as "Alango" the alien, and plenty of good-natured ribbing.
• Bobby: "If I had an option based on the test, I'm going with the rising star." (23:12)

9. Absurd and Fake Statistics Bit (25:10–29:01)

• Running gag: Each host invents increasingly ridiculous statistics (e.g., "78% of people who got the J&J vaccine drive Dodge Chargers" or "people who float in China have no bone marrow").
• Bobby, earnestly: "I got hung up on it … you know those people in China who can float when they dance? They don’t have bone marrow." (28:44)
• The trio gleefully dissect each other’s bad fact-making.

10. New York Anecdotes & Underground Bars (30:01–32:02)

• Andrew describes being snowed in, visiting the Met, and discovering a hidden bar above a Five Guys
• Adam: "The original Five Guys is in DC. ... The chow mein survived the fire at Panda Inn." (32:18)

11. Novelty Architecture & Urban Aesthetics (33:03–35:47)

• Bobby laments bland modern design, missing quirky architectural landmarks ("Randy's Donuts"), and the decline of vibrant car colors:
  • "God, it just made our society look ... land." (35:06)
• Adam: "The highest colors that sell are white, black, and gray ... they’re cheap and poorly built." (34:24)

12. "Moving to Texas" Rumors & Regional Comedy Talk (36:25–37:18)

• Andrew clarifies he owns property with his sister in Austin but isn’t moving, sharing local color about South Congress and pizza at Home Slice.

13. Racial Power Rankings & Cultural Observations (52:53–55:05)

• They riff on “power-ranking” races for humor’s sake (Bobby: "Korean, Filipino, Mexican, ... black") and joke about subcultures like goth Mexicans and Smiths-loving Chicanos.
• Adam: "Smiths Mexicans are the best!"

14. Comedy, Fame, and Community (62:01–65:17)

• The guys muse on what it means to be a "bad boy" in comedy (Bobby alternately denies and accepts his wild reputation).
• They compare contact lists, swapping notes about who’s the most famous person in their phones, with lots of playful insecurity.
• They also touch on the realities of fame, the pitfalls of social media, and connecting to celebrities.

15. Standup, Antidepressants & King of Comedy Admiration (68:39–74:49)

• Andrew shares what it's like returning to stand-up after a hiatus; Bobby admits he bailed on a recent spot.
• Candid discussion about being on antidepressants, with jokes about side effects.
• Bit about depression being a universal human experience ("You die—so that's really sad.").
• Andrew raves about the original "Kings of Comedy" special, breaking down Steve Harvey’s iconic Titanic bit at (71:28).

16. Closing: Story of Mad TV & Reflections on Comedy (81:23–end)

• Bobby recalls his Mad TV days, offering behind-the-scenes lore ("Get off the show as quickly as you can"—advice from Alex Borstein).
• Discussion about comedy camaraderie, unionization, and generational divides over Leno vs. Letterman vs. Conan.
• Ends with audience and gender breakdowns at their shows, playful gratitude to their fans, and the classic closing line:
  • Adam: "Thank you for being a bad friend." (86:38)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• (03:13) Adam (on MS): "Say that five times. They can't."
• (07:29) Adam (on hippo facts): "Hippos secrete a thick, oily, reddish substance called blood sweat."
• (19:02) Bobby: "People in a car accident and paralyzed from the neck down are happier than lottery winners."
• (22:59) Adam & Bobby take the Pepsi Challenge: "On the count of three—A!" "No—let me see. Pepsi did [win]."
• (28:44) Bobby: "You know those people in China who float when they dance? They don’t have bone marrow."
• (35:06) Bobby: "God, it just made our society and our culture look ... land."
• (52:53) Bobby's top races: "Korean ... Filipino ... Mexican ... any kind of black."
• (71:28) Andrew: "You never hear about 3,000 black people dying at the same time ... the band kept playing as the ship went down."

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:12 – Spring water and "season" water riff
• 01:54 – Animal battles: Wolverine vs. honey badger
• 05:05 – Tasmanian devil’s bite force compared to humans
• 07:29 – Hippos and their "blood sweat" sunscreen
• 12:35 – Is rock climbing less dangerous than deep-sea diving?
• 14:51 – Chicago vs. San Diego comedian camaraderie
• 18:42 – Lottery winners’ misery and happiness
• 22:59 – The Pepsi Challenge taste test
• 28:44 – Bonkers/fake China "bone marrow" stat
• 30:01 – Five Guys secret bar & Panda Inn
• 33:03 – Novelty buildings and bland modern designs
• 36:25 – Andrew denies moving to Austin, TX
• 52:53 – Power ranking races (absurdist and intentionally playful)
• 62:01 – Bobby’s “bad boy” comedy persona
• 68:39 – Reflections on stand-up, anxiety, and antidepressants
• 71:28 – "Kings of Comedy" Steve Harvey’s Titanic bit
• 81:23 – Bobby’s Mad TV years and Borstein’s advice
• 86:38 – "Thank you for being a bad friend" (Episode closing)

Tone & Takeaways

The hosts and guest keep the episode unpredictable, bouncing between silly debates (animal battles and evolution), real-life anecdotes (industry talk, family, travel stories), personal revelations, and meta-commentary on comedy, culture, and fame. Their chemistry is loose, playful, and sometimes intentionally confrontational—a blend of affectionate ball-busting and genuine curiosity. The episode is a snapshot of modern, anarchic comedy podcasting, reflecting the trio’s knack for finding laughs in both the profound and the absurd.