Comedy Bang Bang Podcast: "Skids+"

Episode Overview (August 25, 2025)
Host: Scott Aukerman
Guests: Adam Scott (Severance), Dan Gregor, Doug Mand, and “Bob PBS” (character)
Episode Theme:
This episode is emblematic Comedy Bang Bang: part showbiz gabfest, part absurdist improv. Star guest Adam Scott is grilled about acting, producing, and the Emmy-nominated Severance, but things spiral gloriously off the rails into elaborate comic detours—including a wild send-up of PBS, a desperate “Jumbotron Jim,” and recurring in-jokes. The main arc revolves not just around Hollywood and TV—but parodies streaming wars, children’s programming scandals, and the agony and ecstasy of showbiz itself.

I. Main Guests & Episode Introduction

[00:00–04:00]

• Scott Aukerman welcomes listeners and celebrates the return of “stars” to Comedy Bang Bang as Hollywood’s twin strikes have passed.
• Adam Scott is re-introduced: movie star ("Madame Web"), TV star (Severance), podcaster, comedian, and soon-to-be author. Banter pokes fun at Hollywood’s “star ranking” (movies > TV > comedians > authors > podcasters).
• Scott teases guest line-up with characterful ambiguity: a "concerned citizen" and "an heir (H-E-I-R)."

Notable Quotes:

• "[Adam] has straddled at least four [Hollywood ranks]... five among other things." —Scott & Adam, [03:18]

II. Adam Scott’s Hollywood & Comedy Bang Bang Deep Dive

[04:00–11:00]

• Madame Web: Adam jokes about being Uncle Ben—a meta-nod to Spider-Man lore and MCU/Sony confusion.
  • "I'm worried you did that whole movie thinking Spider-Man has claws." —Scott, [03:54]
• Stage Mishaps: Tangent about seeing "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark" and its dangerous reputation.
  • Mix-up about which acts of Broadway shows Adam “half-watched,” leading to math jokes about show attendance.
• Comedy Specials: Adam brags about his unique “two two-hour specials” format, featuring a repeated, “dramatic” second hour and reading credits aloud for runtime padding.
  • "If it's a two-hour special, you get paid buco dolores." —Adam, [11:20]
• Podcast/Talk-Show Dynamics: Recap of a missed guest appearance due to L.A. fires and miscommunications with Zach Cherry. Scott and Adam playfully conspire to keep Zach off CBB.
  • "I don't want Zach to achieve any of his dreams." —Adam, [10:13]

III. Severance, Emmy Noms, & Apple TV+ Parody

[11:00–20:00]

• Severance—The Emmy Push:

  • Adam is nominated for Best Lead Actor and as an executive producer.
  • Comic riff about the job of executive producer: Adam “cleaning the set” before acting, so Zach Cherry (“America’s dream”) won’t find dust.
    • "If it's not spic and span, you know you're in deep shit." —Adam, [16:39]

• Scott’s Admission:

  • He finally watches “two episodes”—the first…and the last, but reveals much of it was in a dream state (“my mom…turned into a hairy ogre”). Adam gently points out he probably fell asleep.
  • "Why isn't my mom nominated for all these Emmys? Because she was great in your dreams, she was phenomenal!" —Scott, [23:19]

• Voting for the Emmys:

  • Satirical confusion about how “Joe the Plumber” can vote for the Emmys. Adam jokes the Emmys are “America’s Choice Awards.”
    • "How does just the dumbest asshole listening to this show vote for you?" —Scott, [24:54]

• Apple TV+ Satire:

  • Riff on the cost of streaming services—Scott claims some pay "$5,000/month," Adam corrects him to about $9–10/month.
  • The absurd economics of streaming, with Scott’s “friend” Rod Rochester (one of the Jerky Boys) acting as a tech fixer.

IV. The State of Severance and Showbiz Sadness

[20:00–32:00]

• When is Severance Season 3 coming?

  • Adam: still “writing.”
  • Scott presses for details—leads to a running gag about “filming yourself at home counts as starting season 3.”
  • They joke about streaming schedules conflicting with “early bird at Denny’s,” ultimately scheduling a Binge at Denny’s on a projector.

• The Friendship Test:

  • Scott confronts the hypocrisy of supporting Adam’s movie vs. TV work (“Was in Madame Web for 1hr 45min, now you ask 19 hours for Severance?”).

Notable Banter:

• "It's quite a time commitment. Like, hey, my buddy has a show, want to go watch 19 hours?" —Scott, [31:09]

V. Bob PBS, The PBS Parody (Doug Mand)

[39:00–58:00]

Timestamps: [39:43–58:00]

• Intro:
  • “Bob PBS,” purported heir to the PBS fortune, is in crisis: "thirty-seven dollars" left, government funding cut, tasked with relaunching PBS Kids as “S Kids Plus” (a.k.a. “Skids Plus”).
  • Absurd streaming plan: buy a hot dog, get a free subscription to Skids Plus.

Notable Gags:

• "Anywhere you get a hot dog, that's part of the gig." —Bob PBS, [42:10]

• Sinister Origin Story:

  • Wild, satirical narrative about PBS funding being denied by the Trump administration, involving a White House basement, puppet soul transfers, and “relinquishing parental rights” over Sesame Street puppets.
  • Eric Trump—dons the Snuffleupagus suit, assaults Bob. Meanwhile, Baron Trump (in a Big Bird suit) menaces Bob’s wife in Delaware via Facetime.
  • Overtly dark, grotesque improv about puppet abuse and PBS being co-opted for diamond mining, labor exploitation, and sultans’ furry fetishes.

• Future of PBS/Skids Plus:

  • “Curious George” now laboring in a diamond mine, “Elmo” repurposed for adult entertainment. Adam’s giddy at the puppet spirits gag; Scott is revolted/entertained.

Notable Quotes:

• “Monkey lifespan is actually perfectly designed for the lifespan of a diamond mine…” —Bob, [54:38]
• “Elmo will be the sex slave of sultans... you can turn Elmo out, turn him inside out...” —Bob, [57:01]

VI. Jumbotron Jim (Dan Gregor): The Concerned Citizen

[72:41–91:31]

Timestamps: [72:41–91:42]

• Introduction:
  • “Jim Del Monte” (a.k.a. Jumbotron Jim or Jimbotron), is obsessed with appearing on the Wells Fargo Center jumbotron. After a disastrous dance-cam incident (that resulted in a child’s injury and much bloodshed), he’s been banned from the arena.
• Backstory:
  • History of parental kidnapping, a life shaped by needing to be seen, possible connection to Dr. J (“my real father?”) or other Sixers.
  • Scott plays therapist, piecing together his family history and neuroses.
• Resolution:
  • Scott gifts Jim a jumbotron and suggests he drive around with it in Philadelphia, eventually hoping his real mother—a Sixers fan—will see him.

Notable Quotes:

• “You really helped this citizen here—now I’m no longer concerned.” —Jim, [91:29]
• “That’s what we do here at Comedy Bang Bang: we care.” —Scott, [91:38]

VII. Additional Bits, Ongoing Gags & Memorable Moments

• Recurring In-Jokes:
  • Scott’s “everything in my house is up for grabs” policy—each guest on the show gets to take something home (culminating in Bob PBS stealing Scott’s safe full of gold and blackmail material).
• Friendship & Resentment:
  • Adam and Scott’s running push-pull about genuine support, voting, and the vacuum left by showbiz.
• The Plugs Bag:
  • Plugs for Skids Plus, Severance, and a new Naked Gun movie. Adam and Scott plug their required-yet-perpetual podcast-in-lieu-of-traffic-school.

VIII. Notable Quotes & Moments

| Time | Speaker | Quote / Moment | |--------|----------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 03:54 | Scott | "I'm worried you did that whole movie thinking Spider-Man has claws." | | 10:13 | Adam | "I don't want Zach to achieve any of his dreams." | | 16:39 | Adam | "If it's not spic and span, you know you're in deep shit." | | 23:19 | Scott | "Why isn't my mom nominated for all these Emmys? Because she was great in your dreams!" | | 24:54 | Scott | "How does just the dumbest asshole listening to this show vote for you?" | | 42:10 | Bob PBS | "Anywhere you get a hot dog, that's part of the gig." | | 54:38 | Bob PBS | "Monkey lifespan is actually perfectly designed for the lifespan of a diamond mine..." | | 57:01 | Bob PBS | "Elmo will be the sex slave of sultans... you can turn Elmo out, turn him inside out..." | | 91:29 | Jim | "You really helped this citizen here—now I’m no longer concerned." |

IX. Episode Flow & Utility

• This episode is a quintessential Comedy Bang Bang blend: real showbiz chat, erudite goofing, wild scenes, and recurring “lore.”
• Listeners will enjoy the show’s rhythm: start with real(ish) interviews, then spiral into surreal bits—never staying on track for long.
• Adam Scott, always game, matches Scott Aukerman’s deadpan for deadpan—whether it’s about Emmy voting, childhood trauma, or skits about a dystopian PBS.
• The “Skids Plus” segment is an extended highlight, showcasing the guest improv’s escalation from silly to deranged (puppet spirits, political debauchery, and industry parody).
• The emotional throughline—craving recognition and validation, longing for lost family, starved for awards—gets satirized and then sneakily humanized by episode’s end.

For Listeners New and Old:

• You’ll get a taste of the recurring CBB universe, its improvisational energy, its Hollywood-adjacent play, and its facility for morphing a simple premise into multilayered absurdity.
• The episode is dense with jokes but also rewarding in callbacks and thematic cohesion: the emptiness at the center of stardom, the reinvention mania of media, the pain and joy of attention.

TL;DR:

Adam Scott returns to Comedy Bang Bang, gets roasted on Severance, Hollywood, and friendship; “PBS” becomes a darkly funny parody of American decline; “Jumbotron Jim” longs for parental and public attention. The show is a meta, spiraling joke machine—with just enough pathos under the surface.

Recommended Segments/Quotes:

• Opening banter and Scott's “rankings” monologue [00:00–04:00]
• Apple TV+ pricing and Severance watching [17:50–20:00]
• Bob PBS’s “Skids Plus” debacle [39:43–58:00]
• Jim Del Monte’s Jumbotron saga [72:41–91:42]

Most Memorable Line:
"How does just the dumbest asshole listening to this show vote for you?" —Scott Aukerman, [24:54]