Comedy Bang Bang: 2020 Holiday Spectacular

Episode Overview
Release Date: December 18, 2025 (originally Dec 13, 2020 as Ep. 686)
Host: Scott Aukerman
Guests: Jason Mantzoukas, Paul F. Tompkins, Lauren Lapkus, Andy Daly, Jon Gabrus, Ego Nwodim, Carl Tart, Lily Sullivan, Tim Baltz, Shaun Diston, Dan Lippert

A star-studded and character-packed Holiday Spectacular, this Bonus Bang pulls one of the fan-favorite 2020 Christmas episodes out from behind the paywall to celebrate the holidays. With Scott Aukerman joined by an ensemble of returning guest comedy heavyweights, the episode delivers a parade of absurd bits, wild improvisation, and heartfelt (and deranged) holiday cheer. From the open-door policy of the show, beloved characters (Santa, Ho Ho, Chief, etc.), and surreal holiday stories, the CBB tradition continues: blending nostalgia, meta-jokes, pop culture riffs, and unhinged character work.

Main Themes & Purpose

• Holiday Absurdity and Escapism: Uses familiar holiday characters and traditions—Santa, elves, misfit toys—as vehicles to satirize both Christmas itself and core elements of 2020.
• Meta-Comedy and Inside Jokes: Recurring CBB gags (e.g., Comedy Bang Bang ornaments, TMNT tangents), affectionate lampooning of podcasting, and self-referential humor abound.
• Improvised Character Parade: Nearly every big guest from the CBB universe appears as an original or returning holiday character—the show’s “extended universe.”
• Pandemic Satire: Multiple jokes and stories reference COVID's effect on holiday plans, productivity, and morale (e.g., Santa on lockdown, the “cancelled Christmas” premise).
• Good-Natured Chaos: Bit after bit goes off the rails, with characters riffing, haranguing each other, and breaking form to the delight of fans.

Key Discussion Points & Memorable Bits

1. Scott & Jason Set the Holiday Tone (Starts ~08:30)

• Banter about fake sponsor intros, week-speak, comic book talks, and classic CBB traditions.
• They discuss Christmas plans, Comedy Bang Bang-themed ornaments, and meta-merchandise ideas.
  • Quote:
    “What would you like to see, what Comedy Bang Bang catchphrases or ideas or bits would you like turned into a Christmas ornament?” – Scott (13:20)

2. Santa Claus Appears with Bad News (Paul F. Tompkins, ~14:30)

• Santa, sounding world-weary, announces that due to the pandemic, he didn’t make any toys this year (“I have nothing...I didn’t do anything this year.” – Santa, 16:06)

• Explains his “grace period” after Christmas during which kids’ naughty/niceness isn’t tracked.

• Talks about his surreal 16-foot-deep saltwater hot tub, feeble attempts at regifting, and struggles with elf management.

• The panel riffs on Santa’s defensive attitude, his apathy during 2020, and the statistical analysis of the “nice list.”

  • Quote:
    “I have to tell everyone—and this is really hard for me to say...I didn’t do anything this year.” – Santa (16:06)
    “I got to know the elves in a way that I haven’t before. ...as friends.” – Santa (24:50)

3. August Lindt, Salt Inspector (Andy Daly, ~31:15)

• August joins from the Island of Misfit Toys, lamenting a tough year—only 11 months of vacation.

• Explains his salt-inspector job and bizarre vacation stories (e.g., working at an “Islands” burger restaurant, visiting the Isle of Dr. Moreau and the titular Island of Misfit Toys).

• Paints the island as a cold, sad place run by a tyrannical lion; toys are deeply depressed.

  • Quote:
    “When you’re on a holiday like this, are you...looking around at new salts?” – Scott
    “No, forget it. I try to put the salt out of my mind altogether.” – August (46:15)

4. Gino Lombardo, Disgruntled Podcaster (Jon Gabrus, ~49:30)

• Gino bursts in with complaints about his podcast’s wrong kind of success:
  “I’m neck deep, I’m pussy deep in cryptocurrency...my fans just keep...” (54:00)
• Rails against cancel culture, parlor invites, and the woes of right-wing podcasting.
• Spends the segment “checking levels” and misidentifying the runtime, joining from the wrong timezone.

5. Ho Ho, the Naughty Elf (Lauren Lapkus, ~01:02:00)

• Ho Ho arrives, depressed by the pandemic and inability to deliver gifts to naughty children.
• Describes plans to make “a big old pot of hot cocoa...sit in it...like it’s an above-ground hot tub,” (01:10:05) possibly to end it all.
• Riffs with Santa and the gang about PPE, cancelled Christmas, and being ignored.

6. The Kid Who Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus (Ego Nwodim, ~01:26:00)

• The “Kid”—now elderly—shares the trauma of catching his mom and Santa, describing awkward intimate details.

• The panel runs with the “trauma for the holidays” theme, grilling him on the specifics and providing group therapy (then repeatedly and absurdly comparing him to various Black celebrities, which becomes a running and intentionally misguided gag).

  • Quote:
    “I saw too much of something Santa Claus...I was 17 when that happened.” – The Kid (01:33:21)

7. Chief Season’s Greetings, Inspector on the Hunt (Carl Tart, ~01:39:00)

• Chief, the legendary hunter of Carmen Sandiego, pops in “pussy deep in clues.”

• Jokes about Carmen hiding out for the holidays, blending with the snow due to her “milky” features.

• Comic confusion as other characters seek Chief’s help for their own hunts (Yakuza, PS5s, etc.)

  • Quote:
    “Her milky white thighs and supple, milky breasts blend in with the snow.” – Chief (01:41:35)

8. Nookie and Tootie, Cowboy Shadow Entrepreneurs (Lily Sullivan & Tim Baltz, ~01:55:00)

• The pair run a surreal “general store” in Hurricane, Utah, specializing in custom wooden/magnetic cowboy silhouette “shadows,” which they describe in painstaking and increasingly bizarre detail.
• Share their grim belief this is “the last Christmas”—the community agrees, “the polygs agree,” and obsessive vigil about end-of-times signs in their shadow cutouts.

9. Sprague the Whisperer, Hustling Agent (Shaun Diston, ~02:09:00)

• Table-turns as Scott’s agent/roommate Sprague brings tales of eBay scams, selling nonexistent PS5s to the Yakuza, and prepping for Patreon content.
• Sprague and Chief reveal unresolved “Chief Beef” from a failed versus rap battle.

10. Frankenstein (Dan Lippert, ~02:28:00)

• Hank Frankenstein, laid-back and deeply chill, reflects on his ageless existence.

• Discusses his “OnlyFans” accounts (“rate my cocks”—all built from different donors), his monster poly-lifestyle, and swapping out body parts for those of famous people—including Beethoven’s ears and Mary Lou Retton’s inner ear.

• Fields absurd questions about monster holiday gatherings and life with the Bride (“she changed back to her original last name”).

  • Quote:
    “To me, I am ageless, but I would say those two eras sound good to me.” – Frankenstein (02:28:40)

Notable Running Gags & Recurring Motifs

• Perpetual Confusion Over Names & Identities:
  Continual mix-ups (Nookie/Nukie, Tootie, Chief Beef, Siskel & Roper’s thumbs), constant mispronunciations, and confused or overlapping character bits.

• Meta-Podcasting & Merchandising Satire:
  Jokes about how to turn CBB in-jokes into holiday ornaments and Patreon hustles (e.g., “The Future is Female – Splinter” shirts).

• COVID & “Cancelled Christmas”:
  Lampooning 2020’s pandemic malaise—Santa’s productivity drop, ho-hum holiday plans, Zoom fatigue, and the idea of Christmas being called off.

• Over-elaborate Character Backstories:
  Guests and regulars alike invent increasingly convoluted histories (e.g., the kid’s two-bedroom house, August Lindt’s vacations, the shadow business’s wood procurement).

Timestamps for Major Segments

• 08:30 – Show proper starts, Scott & Jason open holiday banter
• 14:30 – Santa Claus enters, pressures of a pandemic Christmas
• 31:15 – August Lindt, salt inspector on vacation
• 49:30 – Gino with a podcast meltdown (“pussy deep in crypto”)
• 01:02:00 – Ho Ho the elf, the naughtiest Christmas yet
• 01:26:00 – The traumatized “I saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus” boy
• 01:39:00 – Chief’s Clues: Carmen Sandiego and “milky” jokes
• 01:55:00 – Nookie & Tootie: Cowboy Shadow Entrepreneurs
• 02:09:00 – Sprague the Whisperer/Yakuza drama
• 02:28:00 – Hank Frankenstein: Monster pride & OnlyFans
• 02:50:00 – Plugs!

Standout Quotes (with Attribution & Timestamps)

• Santa (Paul F. Tompkins):
  “I have to tell everyone—and this is really hard for me to say...I didn’t do anything this year.” (16:06)

• August Lindt (Andy Daly):
  “When I see the salt, it is not on the pretzel yet. I am determining whether the salt belongs on the pretzel or not.” (38:55)

• Gino Lombardo (Jon Gabrus):
  “I’m neck deep, I’m pussy deep in cryptocurrency...” (54:00)
  “Are you neck deep, back deep, pussy deep, crack deep?” – Scott

• Ho Ho (Lauren Lapkus):
  “The only presents I’ve been able to make is putting another fire on the log. On the fire. I should say. Putting one more fire on that log.” (01:10:05)

• The Kid Who Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus (Ego Nwodim):
  “I saw too much of something Santa Claus...I was 17 when that happened.” (01:33:21)

• Chief (Carl Tart):
  “Her milky white thighs and supple, milky breasts blend in with the snow.” (01:41:35)

• Nookie & Tootie (Lily Sullivan & Tim Baltz):
  “Pick a cowboy, any cowboy...we can make a shadow of it.” (01:57:50)

• Sprague the Whisperer (Shaun Diston):
  “Look, I'm in a lot of trouble, Scott, and I need yours and Jason's help. I’m upside down on some PS5s.” (02:11:13)

• Frankenstein (Dan Lippert):
  “My dad got me a standard with foreskin, and then I was circumcised at my bris. So we did the whole experience...” (02:31:00)
  “I'm proud of my koozie cock. It does what you need. It's a good team player. It’s supportive.” (02:32:00)

Overall Tone & Style

• High-Energy, Meta-Comedy: The hallmark CBB tone—self-aware, rapid-fire, replete with callbacks, genre-skewering, and deeply silly yet intricately structured improv.
• Heartfelt Absurdity: Even in its most farcical moments, the episode captures the spirit of found-family and end-of-year reflection, with cast and characters both lampooning and celebrating holiday rituals.
• Relentless, Spiraling Chaos: Each new guest/pop-in amplifies the mania, with recurring interruptions, stacked gags, and overlapping character arcs that never resolve but always entertain.

Final Thoughts

For fans, this episode is wall-to-wall with callbacks, celebrated bit-players, and improvisational brilliance. For first-timers, while the sheer density of in-jokes and character lore can be dizzying, the episode’s warmth and freewheeling pace make it a boisterous CBB holiday classic.

For the full holiday hilarity—including CBB’s trademark plugs and the show’s epic-scale closing—listen to the episode at cbbworld.com.