Comedy Bang Bang: "Bones Are Important"

Host: Scott Aukerman
Guests: Kumail Nanjiani, Will Hines (as Inspector Jack Cates), Charlie McCrackin (as Wyatt Malibu)
Release Date: December 1, 2025

Episode Overview

This energetic and zany episode of Comedy Bang Bang gathers Scott Aukerman, comedian/actor Kumail Nanjiani, and returning character guests Inspector Jack Cates and Wyatt Malibu. The episode is a classic CBB blend: part earnest interview with Kumail about his upcoming special Night Thoughts (Hulu, Dec 19), part absurd improv with new and familiar characters, and part parody of the very idea of charity, heroism, and narrative coherence.

The hosts and guests discuss everything from the ever-expanding world of standup and podcasting, Kumail’s television and movie work, and the logistics (and ethics) of pop-up charities. Later, a convoluted, action-movie-inspired law enforcement saga unwinds, dominated by Will Hines’ Inspector Jack Cates and his quest to avoid his nemesis. The episode is peppered with CBB's signature meta-commentary, quick-paced wit, and running jokes about bones, racism, and reality resets.

Key Discussion Points & Notable Segments

Kumail Nanjiani Joins the Eight-Timers Club

[01:25 - 05:00]

• Scott welcomes Kumail and teases him about the number of times he’s appeared (“You are joining the exclusive Eight Timers Club.”)
• Kumail jokes about never having perfected comedy:

  “On my deathbed, I'll be like, aha...and then I'll die.” (02:10, Kumail)

• Light ribbing about podcasting schedules and who “games the charts,” referencing Marc Maron and himself dropping podcasting just before it became lucrative.

Standup Comedy, Streaming Specials, and Comedy’s Changing Landscape

[05:34 - 10:00]

• Kumail discusses his new Hulu special, Night Thoughts; the pros and cons of venue sizes for comedy; comedic arena tours vs. personal theaters.
• Scott & Kumail lament not knowing the latest YouTubers or podcasters selling out arenas:

  “There's probably, like, 10 people my mom has never heard of who are selling out arenas.” (05:53, Kumail)

• On filming the special and the illusion of spontaneity vs. reality in standup:

  “When you said it in different cities, it just makes you feel like, oh, this guy, like, sat down and wrote all these jokes and memorized them. It just highlights how, at its core, f***ing lame standup comedy is.” (17:25, Kumail)

Kumail’s Career: Hollywood, Superheroes, Movies, and TV

[10:10 - 21:00]

• Scott lists Kumail’s recent successes (The Big Sick, Marvel’s Eternals), jokes about Marvel’s proliferation and asks about obscure plot threads:

  “Are those guys coming back? … They’re not. They’re gone. The name was very ir—they named it wrong.” (08:27, Kumail, on "Eternals")

• The two banter over Marvel cinematic “rankings,” Edge of Tomorrow's changing title, and Kumail’s role in James L. Brooks’ new film, Ella McKay.
• Kumail on working with Albert Brooks:

  “He knows every single comedy thing. ... [He was] talking to me about Matt Rife. I was like, you should not know who Matt Rife is.” (20:06, Kumail)

Pop Up Charity Parody: The Wyatt Malibu Interview

[34:13 - 52:00]

• Wyatt Malibu, “charity organizer,” claims to run a one-man operation for short-term, ultra-specific causes—almost exclusively repairing church roofs.
• The sketch pokes fun at the lack of oversight in charities and the “pop-up” trend, with Wyatt’s defenses getting increasingly threadbare:

  “You hand the money to me, I pass it on to the churches, the roof is fixed, no problems, move on.” (41:17, Wyatt Malibu)

• Kumail and Scott interrogate charitable percentages, “salaries” versus “bonuses,” and how none of the money goes to “Texas” (a Freudian slip on “taxes”).
• Running joke: Over 40% of the churches Wyatt’s supposedly fixed have subsequently had their roofs blow off.

Memorable Exchange:

• On curing racism:

  Scott: “Why don’t you have a charity that cures racism?”
  Wyatt: “I mean, I would love to.”
  Scott: “Do you think it's not a problem?”
  Kumail: “Do you think it's fine?”
  (50:21–50:51)

Pitching a Charity to Cure Racism (and Blowing the Budget)

[51:04 - 56:12]

• Wyatt is “funded,” on-air, with $5 million from Scott and Kumail to “fix racism” in 12 months, with priorities determined (“start with racism against Asians.”)
• The logistics immediately spiral, with nonsense about regional prioritization.

Inspector Jack Cates Returns: Law Enforcement and Wild Plotting

[59:33 - 76:54]

• Will Hines’ Inspector Jack Cates (a parody “San Francisco cop”) returns with a convoluted history involving missing guns, family reunions gone wrong, and impersonators.
• The conversation lampoons the ever-more-complicated lore in media franchises and police procedurals:

  “Can we do a reboot or something like that? ... It’s just too complicated. Just reboot everything.” (68:11, Scott)

• Running gags include Cates’ penchant for unnecessary violence (“I pistol-whipped my entire family”) and odd legal logic.
• Wyatt proposes “rebooting” personal continuity by poking people with a paperclip behind the left ear—mocking both computer and human resets, leading to an in-character “reboot” complete with language and region selection prompts.

CBB-Style Absurdity: Reality Resets and Identities

[76:00 - 79:37]

• Characters reboot and swap identities, referencing robot logic, with Scott, Kumail, and the rest roleplaying their acceptance of bizarre tech support prompts.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On life’s complexity & reboots:

  “I just think that this is getting too complicated… Just reboot everything.” (68:11, Scott)

• On fixing racism:

  “I want to go one by one. I want Asia first to zero. Once you get to zero, then you can move on to other races.” (55:47, Kumail)

• On bones:

  “Bones are important. That is so true. You know, I’ve never heard it, but sometimes you hear something and you’re like, that is so true. I can’t believe that’s the first time I’m hearing it.” (26:02, Kumail)

• On standup comedy’s artifice:

  “When you said it in different cities… it just highlights how, at its core, f***ing lame standup comedy is.” (17:25, Kumail)

• On Albert Brooks’ comedy knowledge:

  “He was talking to me about Matt Rife. I was like, you should not know who Matt Rife is.” (20:06, Kumail)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [01:25] Kumail joins the show, Eight Timers Club banter
• [03:52–10:00] Comedy special talk, arena-size debates, Marvel discussion
• [13:02–15:13] Podcasting and X-Files talk
• [17:09–18:52] Special taping logistics and standup “authenticity”
• [34:13–52:00] Wyatt Malibu’s pop-up charity interrogation
• [52:00–56:12] Pitch and “funding” a pop-up charity to fix racism
• [59:33–76:54] Inspector Jack Cates’ saga—pistol-whipping family, reboots, and complex continuity
• [79:59–83:00] Plugs (Night Thoughts, Ella McKay, podcasts, CBB World)
• [83:18–84:58] Chaos wrap-up: Jack Cates promising to turn himself in; $5 million for racism gone
• [84:58–end] Outro banter and teasers for next episodes

Episode Tone & Summary

Zany, fast-paced, irreverent, and very meta. The episode gleefully satirizes the contrivances of show business, the self-importance of both superheroes and cops, and the absurdity of “pop-up” philanthropy. Kumail Nanjiani contributes both deadpan honesty and sharp comic timing, while the character work by Will Hines and Charlie McCrackin (especially the pop-up charity scam and Cates’ spiraling continuity) pushes the show into full parody territory. Running motifs (bones, reboots, fixing racism, “Eight Timers Club”) keep things lively and connected.

Listeners are left equally entertained and mock-bewildered—perfect for longtime Comedy Bang Bang fans.

Final Plugs

• Kumail Nanjiani: Night Thoughts (Hulu, Dec 19), Ella McKay (theaters), Fallout Season 2 (Amazon)
• Inspector Jack Cates (Will Hines): Podcast: Screw It, We're Just Gonna Talk About the Beatles
• Show/Jokes: Comedy Bang Bang store (podswag.com), CBB World subscriptions

For fans of high-energy improv, surreal character work, and meta-comedy, this episode is packed with laughs, running jokes, and classic CBB chaos.