Comedy Bang Bang: "Group Soup" (Asif Ali, Lily Sullivan, Tim Baltz, Greg Hess)
Date: September 8, 2025
Host: Scott Aukerman
Guests/Characters: Asif Ali, Boat Boys (Greg Hess, Tim Baltz), Glenn Plappinger (folk singer, Lily Sullivan)
Overview
This riotous episode of Comedy Bang Bang features Scott Aukerman navigating promise renegotiations and character chaos with standup actor Asif Ali (star of FX/Hulu’s "Deli Boys"), the return of beloved perverse nautical duo the Boat Boys, and a folk-song-styled descent into madness led by Glenn Plappinger. With recurring bits about broken promises, South Carolina low-country debauchery, and surreal takes on American culture, the show is a blend of meta-comedy, improv insanity, and affectionate self-roasting.
Key Discussion Points and Segments
1. Asif Ali’s Promise & "Deli Boys" Season Two Drama
[02:01 – 28:10, 31:20 – 32:33]
- Scott recalls Asif’s previous (first-timer) appearance and the ironclad on-air promise that, if "Deli Boys" were renewed, Scott would be the first call before anyone—even family or agents.
- Comedic tension: Asif missed this promise, and Scott only learned of season two via internet headlines (“Deli Boys is not ankled” in Variety).
- Their back-and-forth drips with irony and fake hurt:
- Scott, deadpan: “I waited 48 hours. I wanted to be your first call.” [11:49]
- Asif’s defense: Studio kept cast in limbo with contract extensions; the news was a true surprise, leading to a canceled Dave & Buster’s party. [14:06]
- Resolution: Asif ultimately apologizes and promises fan redemption:
- If fans visit the Chicago set in December, say "You owe me an apology," you’ll get a handshake and selfie. First ten get “a little extra.” [22:01]
- Show News:
- Season two will have fewer episodes but “more concise” storylines, Fred Armisen as a series regular, and Asif joins the TED animated series. Litigation jokes abound: “Litigation is very much on the horizon.” [20:10]
- Meta-bit: Scott reminds listeners about show business absurdity, referencing Adam Scott’s fake Oscar speech promise. [08:11]
2. The Boat Boys Return: Sham (Shim) Creek Eroticism
[32:33 – 57:02]
- Boat Boys (McGarth Darby & Harris Teeter): Southern-fried boat dwellers from “Sham Creek” (SC), obsessed with group sex, Southern culture, and coded double entendre.
- Their dynamic: ambiguous relationship, dockside sexual ritual, and a recurring “name a more iconic duo” game.
- Dockside Barbecue:
- Upcoming “annual” BBQ on date redacted (bit crescendos on the January 6th joke) with a limited but intense menu: ribs, beans, chili, and “group soup” (barbecue sauce as a soup).
- Games include “Find the Clinton” (liberal-themed Twister parody) and a heavily sexualized party motif.
- Surreal Digs at Southern Heritage:
- Boat Boys’ family backgrounds include grocery magnate money (Harris Teeter) and plantation house tours, with dark “activity redacted” asides parodying Southern legacies.
- Notable Quotes:
- Boat Boys on their ritual: “Until that urge hits us hard enough that we race across our boats onto the dock, slam into each other in the heat of sexual congress.” [35:41]
- On family legacy: “Centuries ago it was used for activities redacted.” [51:24]
3. Glenn Plappinger, Folk Singer: Satirical Songs of Americana
[64:20 – 84:37]
- Character entrance: Glenn (Lily Sullivan) is an aging folkie spinning off-kilter odes about AI, nature, and policing, parodying folk tradition.
- Songs:
- "The Fish": Advocates draining nature for AI development—satire of tech-optimism. [67:03]
- "Could You Put Tits on a Whippoorwill": Celebrates digital image manipulation and the internet’s obsession with “putting tits on anything”; features a chorus about an eight-breasted bird. [70:02]
- "Wake Up and Nut": An up-tempo call to “wake up and nut,” lampooning simple folk song structure and American morning routines. [73:20]
- "Rookie Cop": From a “colorblind” police officer perspective, mocking “all lives matter” cliches and ending in farce. [78:06]
- "District Attorney": Even the justice system song is sarcastically skewed—the “innocent” is revealed to be the officer. [82:41]
- Layered Satire: Throughout, Scott and the crew push Glenn’s contradictions—his supposed radicalism, affluence, and tech-bro sympathies—until the character’s bottom collapses under the weight of his contradictions.
- Notable Quotes:
- Glenn (on new tech): “Technology’s magic. You can use AI to put tits on anything, Scott.” [70:02]
- On his police song: “Draw your guns, shoot ’em in the air, let’s have a little fun.” [80:44]
4. Rapid-Fire Bits, Running Jokes, and Callbacks
- The “iconic duo/trio” meta-game—e.g., “Ones and zeros—name a more iconic duo.” [46:00]
- “Scott hasn’t seen” joke, turning unseen life experiences into recurring podcast content. [40:01]
- Sexual and bodily fluid humor continually increases in surreality (“shoot your ropes at Scott,” “put a fish in your ass,” “painting a portrait with jizz”). [46:45], [47:01], [55:02]
- The line between guest and host is blurry—everyone is performing, playing off Scott’s intentionally square affect.
Notable Quotes & Moments With Timestamps
- Asif on showrunner chaos:
- “Honestly, I would have liked a little more in the 6pm range.” [12:56]
- Scott, deadpan on his own technical prowess:
- “The minute I learned how to press record, I told the team to hit the bricks.” [16:04]
- Boat Boys on lifestyle:
- “We’re layabouts. We come from money. … I never walked in my family’s store and I never will.” [50:13]
- Barbecue as orgy:
- “We’re going to paint your portrait with jizz.” —Boat Boys [46:45]
- Glenn on AI:
- “I’m blowing like the wind, my friend. A cool G on AI putting tits on everything I can imagine.” [71:48]
- Scott summarizes the episode vibe:
- “Comedy Bang Bang: we care for all this year, but throw some tits on it.” [91:19]
Important Segments
| Timestamp | Segment Description | |--------------|------------------------------------------| | 03:20–13:00 | Asif’s broken promise and Deli Boys S2 fallout | | 32:47–43:12 | Boat Boys’ sexual dock ritual/barbecue planning | | 64:20–73:14 | Glenn Plappinger folk singer introduction & songs | | 85:29–90:00 | Plugs: Deli Boys, Boat Boys BBQ, Glenn’s podcast | | 91:27–91:55 | Scott's closing motto and mutual farewells |
Tone & Language
The episode leans heavily into absurdist, meta, and blue comedy. The language is playful, irreverent, and at times graphically sexual in the context of parody. The guests (and Scott) riff off each other in a way that blurs the line between character and performer, embodying the “comic revelry” that CBB is celebrated for. Even when parodying touchy topics (policing, Southern heritage, AI, bodily fluids), the tone remains in the register of farce — inviting the audience to laugh at the surreality of it all.
Summary
This Comedy Bang Bang episode “Group Soup” is a stacked, freewheeling ensemble of in-joke callbacks and new heights of improv absurdity. At its core is Scott Aukerman holding Asif Ali to past promises, leading to an exaggerated but emotionally astute bit on Hollywood relationships and fan connection. The episode erupts into Southern-tinged lunacy with the Boat Boys, who weave sexual farce, parody, and regional lampooning into every exchange. The arrival of folk singer Glenn Plappinger offers a musical parody that lampoons American contradictions, from technophilia to law enforcement. Throughout, the “name a more iconic duo” meta-joke threads the chaos together. The episode features promises, apologies, and invitations that tease the boundary between audience and show, with surreal humor balancing affectionate satire with social commentary. A must-listen for CBB fans and a wild ride for any podcast comedy connoisseur.
For listeners:
If you’re coming to this episode cold, prepare for a barrage of inside jokes, character improv, meta discussions about podcasting and promises, prominent sexual/bodily humor, and a carnival of absurd, satirical folk songs and Southern parody. Promises are broken and remade, barbecues are planned, and not a single thing is ever fully resolved—and that, of course, is the joke.