Disgraceful with Grace O’Malley — “Zach Zucker Zoomies” (Rerun Special)

Host: Grace O’Malley (Unwell)
Guest: Zach Zucker (comedian, performer behind Jack Tucker)
Original Air Date: August 21, 2025
Special Note: Rerun of previously broadcast episode
Context: Each episode, Grace auditions fellow comedians as potential co-hosts, aided by her sister Nora (HR head). This episode is a lively, rapid-fire comedy hangout with Zach Zucker, whose clown-inflected career and “smooch guy” persona prompt both absurdist bits and honest discussion about gig-life, family, and the pains and victories of comedy.

Episode Overview

In this high-energy rerun, Grace O’Malley welcomes comedian and clown Zach Zucker for a bit-soaked, deeply irreverent, and surprisingly heartfelt audition to become the next Disgraceful co-host. The two riff about time zones, the perils of showbiz schedules (“silly clown time”), life on the road, and the wild ups and downs of gigging as a character comedian—focusing especially on Zach’s chaotic alter ego, Jack Tucker. From accidental brushes with royalty to Fringe Festival war stories, the episode is a rolling showcase of absurd stories, bits, unexpected sincerity, and a lot of mouth sounds, all filtered through absurdist, self-skewering humor. Grace keeps the pace rapid and unpredictable, in her trademark style.

Key Themes and Segments

1. Meet the Guest: Zach Zucker, The "Smooch Guy"

[01:32–04:53]

• Grace introduces Zach Zucker (initially tongue-twisted as “Jack Tucker”).
• The opening dynamic is established: chaotic, self-deprecating banter, with lots of crowd-improv bits.
• Zach’s “comedy partners” and the camaraderie (and boundaries) of comedy troupes.
• “Silly clown time” — comedians’ notoriously unreliable schedules.
• “[We] run on silly clown time. If we say we’ll be there in an hour, it’s three to eight hours. If at all.” — Zach (02:22)
• Zach riffs on “smooching” as an actor, on/off-screen.
• Involvement in the movie “Sweethearts,” his reputation as “the smooch guy” and the pride (and embarrassment) that comes with it.

2. Showbiz Odd Jobs: Gigs for Royalty & the Baja Men

[06:10–12:27]

• Zach’s comedy collaborators include Britain’s Got Talent-winning clown Viggo Venn.
• Hilarious stories about performing for royalty—a Saudi prince (“I never signed the NDA!”) and the weird, surreal glamour (and discomfort) of those gigs.
• “Down with the Queen, up with the clown.” — Zach (06:21)
• Reflections on audience taboo subjects: religion, background, and bookers’ bizarre caveats (“Don’t mention you’re Jewish… they just don’t know when to laugh.” — Booker, 07:56)
• Dream of meeting and performing with the Baja Men; discussion of turning “Who Let The Dogs Out” into a feminist anthem.
• “Who let the dogs out is a feminist anthem… It’s the men who are making the women feel uncomfortable. Who let these fucking dogs in the room?” — Zach (12:06)
• Social media interactions with admired figures (“I want to be the 20th Baja Man.”)

3. The Biz of Comedy: Auditions, Agents, and Self-Promotion

[13:02–19:55]

• Grace references Zach’s appearance on “The Joe Schmo Show” and the blurring of real/character (“I am a struggling actor—anyone who wants to sign me, please do.”).
• Zach recounts giving his real phone number (“My grandma texted me about that…”).
• Both share stories of family reactions to their careers and odd gigs—awkward family gatherings, supportive but confused relatives.
• A mutual love for dancing (“Dance is the only thing I do earnestly”).
• Discussion about using social media and performing as a “bit,” surprised when people take it seriously.

4. Comedy Philosophy: Hecklers, Bombs, & Fringe Fest

[29:14–46:01]

• Segment “Bombs”: Grace asks about Zach’s worst heckling experiences.
• Zach details a rough show in Tempe, AZ, where an unsuspecting audience (including white supremacists) did not realize his act was a character, making tension in the room and leading to self-doubt.
• “It was what we call a booking error in the biz… The first time I did the Baha Men joke in years and not a single person laughed.” — Zach (29:46)
• Discussing being openly queer in a room full of MAGA types.
• Surviving hecklers, walkouts, and why sometimes “killing off one” (tough crowd members) for the benefit of the show is worth it.
• Segment on the Edinburgh Fringe: stress, humility, constant adjustment, importance for the development of a comedy act.
• “It’s the ultimate humbler… If you’re not good, it will not work.” — Zach (45:46)
• How bombing can be transformed into a performance asset (“The whole show was built off of flops that became staples”).

5. The Audition: Bit Battles and Hypotheticals

[18:41–22:13, 49:12–52:12]

• Grace quizzing Zach with “co-host interview” questions:
  • Favourite soundboard sounds, mouth tricks, and in-jokes (“That’s our trick! That’s the sauce!” — 20:49)
  • Swapping catchphrases: “If you ain’t got the sauce, you lost” (Grace) vs. “You steal that from me?!”
  • Discussing the necessity (or not) of dance ability for a comedian.
• Zach on lying for entertainment (“Should I expect you to constantly lie in my face as a co-host?”)
  • “If that’s what you need from me: yes. And if the crowd wants it: yes.” — Zach (23:50)
  • “At the end of the day, you are a showman.” — Grace (23:55)

6. Clown School, Nicknames & the SNL Dream

[56:09–51:35]

• Zach’s path through clown school in rural France (“The best experience of my life”), learning via immersive, multicultural absurdity.
• “Etampes” → Stamp Town (“My company and show are named after clown school.”)
• Stories of childhood jackass groups: “SOS—Save Our Souls.”
• Reflections on SNL: old audition stories, writing packets, recurring “failed audition” bits, and showbiz pipe dreams.
  • “I think I started bad, picked up steam, then threw in that guy and petered out at the end.” — Zach on his SNL audition (50:02)
  • Both agree: “Matter of fact, you need both of us. It’s a two-for-one deal.” — Grace (51:27)

7. Lightning Segments & Final Bits

Shout Outs (52:27–54:06):

• A rapid-fire minute of personal shout outs, from friends and family to clown teachers and “the big man.”
• “I love giving a nickname, but you can’t give yourself a nickname.” — Grace (59:49)

Green Room/Bombs (25:07–29:14, 29:14–37:32):

• Discussing performer “riders,” favorite green room snacks, striving for the weirdest orders, and stories of carrying odd props through airport security.
• “Job interviews” as characters; tales of barely making flights, and the humiliation and comedy of airport pat downs.

Celeb Encounters & Flirting Fails (34:55–37:23):

• Grace’s run-in with Pete Davidson: “He had kind eyes...I felt bad for him.”
• Flirtation stories, including accidental weirdness with Shane Gillis.

8. Endgame: New York, Roommates, and Sweethearts

[65:13–68:10]

• Grace asks about Zach’s living situation—his roommate is, improbably, Richard Kind.
• “He’s basically my momager, but dad style.” — Zach (66:32)
• Final bits: Zach’s dance ambitions for the Super Bowl halftime show, plugging “Sweethearts” on Max, and wrap-up with more shout outs and thanks.

Memorable Quotes & Sound Bites

• “We run on silly clown time.” — Zach Zucker (02:22)
• “Down with the Queen, up with the clown.” — Zach Zucker (06:21)
• “Who let the dogs out is a feminist anthem... it’s the men who are making the women feel uncomfortable.” — Zach Zucker (12:06)
• “If you ain’t got the sauce, you lost, but you got the sauce.” — Grace O’Malley (19:04)
• “If that’s what you need from me: yes. And if the crowd wants it: yes.” — Zach Zucker (23:50)
• “It’s the ultimate humbler… if you’re not good, it will not work.” — Zach Zucker on Edinburgh Fringe (45:46)
• “You idiot. I’ve been playing you.” — Grace O’Malley (62:31)
• “He’s my momager, but dad style.” — Zach Zucker on Richard Kind (66:32)
• “I want to be the first standup halftime.” — Grace O’Malley (67:01)

Notable Moments (Timestamps)

• Silly Clown Time Explained: 02:22
• Performing for a Saudi Prince: 06:26–08:09
• On the Baja Men & Feminist Anthems: 11:32–12:27
• Joe Schmo and Oversharing: 13:02–13:27
• Family Dynamics / Thanksgiving TV Release: 14:23–15:31
• Soundboard/Mouth Sounds Challenge: 20:14–21:13
• Bombing in Tempe, AZ: 29:14–32:21
• Surviving Hecklers/Walkouts: 33:31–40:44
• Fringe Festival Wisdom: 45:12–46:14
• Co-Host Interview Qs (“Should I expect you to lie?”): 23:43–24:07
• SNL Audition/Bit: 49:12–51:35
• Shout Outs Segment: 52:27–54:06
• Clown School, SOS Group: 56:13–59:14
• Living With Richard Kind: 65:29–66:46
• Super Bowl Dance Aspirations: 67:01–67:45

Podcast Tone and Style

Expect relentless, bit-driven comic pacing, digressive storytelling, affectionate cynicism, and the constant threat of sincere emotion being punctured by a clown horn or ridiculous phrase. Both Grace and Zach excel at making each other laugh hard while admitting to very real vulnerabilities—the self-doubt of bombing, the awkwardness of “making it,” and craving family (or celebrity) approval. The episode is equally irreverent and warm-hearted, making the case that the line between earnestness and irony in comedy is often paper thin.

For New Listeners

This episode is a showcase not only for Zach Zucker’s clowny, character-driven brand of disruptive comedy, but also for Grace’s hyperactive, no-boundaries, but deeply empathetic hosting style. If you enjoy madcap comedian stories, inside baseball on the business of weird gigs and character work, and two performers actively pushing and supporting each other in real time, it’s essential listening. The episode is as much a crash course in modern alt-comedy camaraderie as it is an ongoing audition, and at its heart, it’s about finding your crew—even if it’s on “silly clown time.”

End of Summary