Comedy Bang Bang: Best of 2025 Pt. 2 (December 25, 2025)
Host: Scott Aukerman
Co-host: Paul F. Tompkins
Episode Overview
This festive holiday episode is the second installment of Comedy Bang Bang’s annual “Best of” series for 2025. Host Scott Aukerman and frequent guest/co-host Paul F. Tompkins guide listeners through highlights of the year, counting down the audience-selected top episodes (#10 through #7). Along the way, the duo engage in classic tangents, playful banter, game-playing, and behind-the-scenes reflections, with a particular focus on Comedy Bang Bang's unique blend of improvisational comedy and character work.
The episode balances recaps, fresh commentary, and live reactions with excerpts from standout podcast episodes. It also features recurring themes like novelty gifts, Christmas traditions, and the ever-escalating “ground beefing” inside joke.
Table of Contents
- Holiday Banter & Running Jokes
- Best of Countdown: Episodes #10–#7
- Classic CBB Gifts and Bits
- Memorable Quotes & Moments
- Snowman Game & Christmas Traditions
- Notable Timestamps
Holiday Banter & Running Jokes
From the beginning (ads aside), Scott and Paul lean into the Christmas spirit—riffing on carols, antics with their families, odd presents, and the perennial question of secular versus religious holiday music.
- The duo dissect favorite and “dramatic” carols (“What Child Is This?,” “O Holy Night”), with Scott’s daughter believing that carolers “invented” classic songs (05:00).
- Paul invents alternative carols (“Whose mans is this?”) and points out the “Satan/Santa” letter-mix connection.
- “Church Lady” and the origins of SNL sketches are debated, continuing CBB’s tradition of pop culture deep-diving.
Banter about dissecting worms in biology (Scott’s 40-year “anniversary”), novelty mugs, donut holes, scale in online sales, and ambiguous chip brands (“all mixed up” flavor, Community Snacks' vague philanthropy) reflect the show’s free-associative tone.
Memorable Early Exchange
“I like hearing about the things. You like reading the transcripts? I do like—I love reading. First of all, you know I'm a Burrell's bitch from way back. Of course, I'm always sending away for transcripts.” —Paul (17:36)
Best of Countdown: Episodes #10–#7
#10 “Group Soup” (Episode 932, Sep 8, 2025)
Cast: Asif Ali, Lily Sullivan, Tim Baltz, Greg Hess
Summary:
- Asif Ali returns as promised, revealing whether he told Scott first about his show’s renewal (“Deli Boys”).
- Lily Sullivan and Tim Baltz reprise their roles as “The Boat Boys”—laidback, vaguely homoerotic dock-dwellers hosting a barbecue on the dock, with wonderfully silly banter about relationships and weird family names.
- Greg Hess debuts on the Best Of, as folk singer Glenn Plappinger, offering a satirical “folk” song about environmental destruction for AI, capping the segment in typical CBB fashion.
[Key Segment: 54:45–1:19:55]
“I feel like there's a lack of trust now... I surfed the net a little bit... and I found out it was picked up for season two, and Fred Armisen is in the cast. I can't help but feel like this is a bit of a betrayal.” —Scott to Asif (57:05)
[Boat Boys Memorable Bit]
“Are they nose to nose?”
“No, they’re ass to ass.”—Lily/Tim (1:01:21)
[Greg Hess as Glenn Plappinger Song]
“Take the water, drain it out, and build a gorgeous dam / have it power an AI thing that can tell up all the land…” (1:15:40)
#9 “Shout Out Shaboozi” (Episode 901, Feb 3, 2025)
Cast: Mo Welch, Carl Tart, Greg Hess
Summary:
- Mo Welch appears for the first time to discuss her standup and writer stints.
- Carl Tart’s “Coach Prime” character steals the episode, furiously “recruiting dogs” (players) for his team—as in, “I need dogs!”—in a high-energy bit riffing on Deion Sanders’ persona, sports eligibility, and over-the-top athlete-isms.
- The show’s “shout out Shaboozi” motif (an invented superstar who “wins” the Grammys) becomes instantly iconic.
[Key Segment: 1:49:28–2:20:00]
“Shout out to Shaboozi, man. Of course. He a dog on that microphone. Shout out—who else? Who else won last night, man?” —Carl Tart as Coach Prime (1:52:00)
[Scott tries out for the “dogs” team]
“Am I doing well on the test?”
“That was question one.” —Coach Prime (2:04:10)
[In-episode Reflection]
“If you call the episode that, a lot of people are going to vote for it because they go, ‘Oh yeah, shout out Shaboozi,’ because they've been saying ‘shout out Shaboozi’ for months.” —Scott (2:29:53)
#8 “Skinny Chess” (Episode 909, Mar 31, 2025)
Cast: Jon Hamm, Seth Morris (Bob Ducca), Sean Diston
Summary:
- Jon Hamm recaps his Comedy Bang Bang appearances, anchoring the show in classic guest nostalgia (3:06:05).
- Seth Morris, as Bob Ducca, delivers yet another bizarre, exhaustive monologue listing his “men’s vitality” and wellness routine—a multipart supplement-and-exercise regimen featuring “liquefied weightlifter magazines” and “mammoth chili” (3:11:00).
- Sean Diston’s no-stank plumber character details his 11-step, increasingly surreal, and paranoid plumber-cleaning process, including decoys, levitation, and possibly being the source of California wildfires.
[Key Segment: 3:06:05–3:38:30]
“I need you to adopt me—for love, sure, but also for… for medical insurance.” —Bob Ducca/Seth Morris (3:12:10)
“Have you cleared the bathroom though at this point?”
“No, no, I don't even want to see what's in there. So my eyes are closed when I walk in.” —Mike Ruby, the no-stank plumber (3:28:40)
#7 “Pollywallycule” (Episode 933, Sep 15, 2025)
Cast: Lisa Gilroy, Jacob Wysocki, Charlie McCracken
Summary:
- The “CBB Roundtable” format: all three absurd characters (LA radio DJ Whiz Bang, snake-throated cowboy Rusty Hawkeyes Tutherford, and “reimagined” AI-powered folk singer Burlesque Ives) join instantly, riffing on topical “issues of the day” drunk on chaotic energy (3:45:05).
- Topics include: DJ loss (“Frizz” killed by a helicopter), cowboy existentialism, the origins of “Burlesque Ives,” most-used emojis, the lore of Kushtopia, and bizarre animated-character crushes (the tree with “giant tits” from The Last Unicorn).
- Charlie McCracken’s “I’m a big cocked Randy Mounds Man” parody song is a showstopper (3:54:40).
[Key Segment: 3:45:05–4:10:10]
“Who is your most used emoji?”
“For me, it's the sunset, because that's what I'm walking off into.” —Jacob Wysocki as Rusty Hawkeyes (3:49:30)
“Easy. It’s the tree with tits in The Last Unicorn.” —Lisa Gilroy as Whiz Bang (3:56:10)
Classic CBB Gifts and Bits
- Scott gives Paul a Werner Herzog action figure, alluding to Paul’s acclaimed Herzog impression—then launches into detailed packaging critique and memorabilia jokes (23:45).
- Novelty mug lore: “Don’t be a thunder cunt”—with philosophical musings about novelty products and “world’s largest coffee mug” debacles (27:50).
- Digressive but hilarious, these exchanges showcase the CBB love of oddball gifts, callback humor, and affectionate ribbing.
Memorable Quotes & Moments
Gift-Giving & Herzog (23:45)
“He has several—what do you call that when an action figure comes with accessories, my dear boy?”
“A tiny purse. It’s a little much. And then, of course, he’s got these squares. Very important for the Client.” —Scott & Paul
On the show’s format (Narration, 47:00)
“Comedy Bang Bang… Sometimes we have celebrity guests, and then we also have comedians on who are improvisers, improvising characters… It means they're making it all up as they go along.”
Coach Prime’s “Dogs” test (2:01:54)
“You got to take a test.”
“Okay, what’s—can you test me right now?”—Scott & Carl Tart as Coach Prime
Mike Ruby’s 11 Steps (3:25:00)
“Of course, step seven, I will lock myself into the bathroom, Scott. This is where I close my eyes and take a load off, because I’m safe… Have you cleared the bathroom though at this point? No, no, I don't even want to see what's in there. So my eyes are closed…” —Sean Diston as Mike Ruby
Song Parody, “Randy Mounds Man” (3:54:40)
“Give it up for the B’s, celebrate the C’s, double D’s are really something… I’m a big cocked Randy Mounds Man.”
Snowman Game & Christmas Traditions
In classic CBB holiday tradition, Scott and Paul close the episode (4:10:30–4:20:00) by playing the “Snowman Game.” This involves activating an animatronic snowman, which spins and sings “Let It Snow”; the object is for the snowman to face the player at the end, yielding “a feeling like nothing else.”
- Metaphysical discussions ensue about randomness, Christmas magic, and making “gentleman’s bets.”
- Even this simple game spawns elaborate jokework, as Paul and Scott muse on themes of friendship, tradition, and unavailable obscure holiday décor.
Notable Timestamps
- Holiday carol banter: 01:00–10:00
- Gifts (Herzog/mug): 23:45–32:00
- CBB “Best Of” format explained: 47:00–53:00
- Episode #10 (Group Soup) intro + clip: 54:45–1:19:55
- Episode #9 (Shaboozi) intro + clip: 1:49:28–2:20:00
- Coach Prime’s “dogs” test: 2:04:10
- Episode #8 (Skinny Chess) intro + clip: 3:06:05–3:38:30
- Mike Ruby’s 11 steps: 3:25:00–3:38:00
- Episode #7 (Pollywallycule) intro + clip: 3:45:05–4:10:10
- Burlesque Ives “Randy Mounds Man” song: 3:54:40
- Snowman Game explanation and play: 4:13:10–4:20:00
Tone & Language
- Playful, meta, and irreverent, with the hosts openly dissecting their own show’s traditions.
- Frequent callback jokes (ground beefing, "thunder cunt mug," “Congregs” pun, etc.).
- Affectionate ribbing between Scott and Paul, and self-deprecating humor regarding their gifts, memories, and the mechanics of the podcast.
- Occasionally raunchy (e.g., Boat Boys, novelty mug, “tree with tits”), but always in the established CBB comic spirit.
Concluding Remarks
“Best of 2025 Pt. 2” delivers on Comedy Bang Bang’s promise: chaotic, smart, meta, and heartwarming comedic nonsense. It’s both a rollicking holiday celebration and a showcase for the CBB extended family of talent. The episode is equally rewarding for devoted listeners—tracking inside jokes and annual traditions—as well as a showcase for newcomers curious about the show’s signature blend of character-driven improv, sketch, and genre parody.
Stay tuned for Part 3 and 4 for the thrilling conclusion of the countdown!