Podcast Summary: Jeff Lewis Has Issues

Episode: Bob the Drag Queen & Zach Noe Towers: Twink Death & Teeth

Date: November 21, 2025
Host: Jeff Lewis (SiriusXM)
Guests: Bob the Drag Queen (aka Caldwell), Zach Noe Towers, Shane Douglas

Episode Overview

This episode is a fast-paced, candid, and comedic conversation where Jeff Lewis is joined by comedians Bob the Drag Queen and Zach Noe Towers, along with Shane Douglas. They riff about their personal lives, careers, memorable encounters with reality TV celebs (particularly the Housewives), the pitfalls of the vending machine business, home renovations, and dental mishaps abroad. True to form, Jeff’s no-filter approach leads to plenty of playful jabs, hot takes, and behind-the-scenes stories from the worlds of comedy and home design.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Bob the Drag Queen’s Name and BravoCon Fallout

• [01:42] Introduction of Bob the Drag Queen, whose real name is Caldwell ("Everyone calls me Bob, but a few people call me Caldwell. My partner calls me Caldwell.").
• Bob describes how, within drag circles, everyone consistently uses their stage names, even in serious contexts:
  • “You can be in a serious meeting or in a serious argument, and you’d be like, ‘Listen, Bubbles, I’ve had it with your shit.’” – Caldwell [02:17]
• [02:43] Discussion of Bob's appearance on the show Traitors and his lack of popularity among Housewives fans, especially after orchestrating the early elimination of Dorinda Medley:
  • “Because I kind of led a charge to murder her.” – Caldwell [03:04]

2. Reality Competition Politics

• [03:15] Bob shares that Housewives contestants usually act as a united front on reality shows, while Survivor contestants are always at odds:
  • “With Survivor, this person is the reason why this person didn’t win a million dollars. The Housewives are just, like, there to be unified.” – Caldwell [03:15]
• Caldwell reflects on the apparent producer neutrality on Traitors, questioning why he, as the only Drag Race contestant, didn’t get the same in-group support as other reality show factions.
• Notable Moment: Caldwell admits to knowing very few Housewives by their real names, referring only to the most iconic ones. [16:42]

3. Origin Story: Bob and Zach’s Friendship & Comic Bombing

• [08:05] The comedians reminisce about meeting as young performers on a gay cruise. Zach bombed with a joke that didn’t land with the older crowd:
  • “They were calling you a foul-mouthed twink... they wanted to drown you or throw me over.” – Jeff Lewis and Bob [08:40; 08:54]
• Bob was a star of the ship, doing 13 shows before competing on Drag Race, while Zach’s first set bombed — but he later won everyone over.
• Shared fandom for Kesha ("Animals") was the bonding moment for their friendship.

4. Comedy World: Specials, Laugh Tracks, and Socialite Status

• [11:56] Bob is producing Zach’s upcoming comedy special, which awaits streaming deals. The special is called Yeah, So Love.
• Jeff praises Zach as a “comedy socialite” who surrounds himself with top talent:
  • “Everyone, everyone in the business knows Zach… it's just a no-brainer if you get a chance to go see Zach.” – Caldwell [13:22]
• Jokes fly about the use of laugh tracks and audience reactions, with everyone poking fun at each other’s comic styles and histories of bombing:
  • “The cruise was the sound of people getting up and walking out.” – Bob [15:46]

5. Housewives Culture Clashes & Celebrity Feuds

• Recap of Caldwell’s Housewife run-ins, including a dramatic onstage spat with Brandi Glanville:
  • “She came in, wasted...We’re standing there toe to toe, like, you know, tits to eyes… ‘You seem to have a lot of expertise [about plastic surgery].’ ... She stormed off and went to the manager.” – Caldwell [17:57]
• Caldwell notes he often doesn't know who Housewives are, making his beefs with them somewhat comically accidental.

6. Body Image, Diet, and Audience Interaction

• [18:37] Jeff shares that his listeners have become aggressive in their “support” of his Bravocon crash diet, with comically mean DMs:
  • “Hey, fat. Make everyone chuckle. Keep shoving those salty…yummy, yummy for your jiggly tummy. Idiot.”— listener message [19:00]
• The crew laughs about increasingly inventive "reads" and the culture of public weight loss shaming.

7. Real Estate, Frugality, & Home Renovations

• Bob (Caldwell) and Zach joke about the struggles and milestones of buying property in LA. Zach is applauded for living frugally in a rent-controlled West Hollywood apartment:
  • “I’m in golden handcuffs because my rent is so cheap…$1930 for a two bedroom, one bath.” – Bob [20:11]
• Chat about renovation budgeting, and clients pushing for add-ons despite tight timelines. Classic client-vs-contractor stories:
  • “You’ve got $100,000 to spend on this kitchen…You can either increase your budget and get the cabinets you want, or you can stick to your budget and get something you’re not gonna love.” – Jeff [22:16]
• Caldwell admits to rookie contractor mistakes—paying in full upfront and getting ghosted. [23:49]

8. Vending Machine Adventures

• [30:46] Caldwell shares a hilarious failed business venture: buying a vending machine with a friend:
  • “It was in my friend’s living room for two months because I couldn’t…make a lot of money. I think I made, like, 40 bucks.” – Caldwell [32:20; 33:36]
• Discussion of snack preferences, favorite Pop-Tart flavors, and why vending machines are cut-throat business in NYC.
• Advice from real-life vending moguls: Go where kids are; honey buns are bestsellers in Atlanta; and never get high on your own supply.

9. Dental Drama Abroad

• [39:03] Caldwell recounts a scary wisdom tooth emergency while in Tel Aviv—where he almost got a tooth pulled in a dentist’s chair set up in someone’s apartment:
  • “I remember, like, panicking…I have to get out of this country. I have to get out of this dentist chair. I have to get out of here. Like, I was like, I'm gonna be trafficked.” – Caldwell [40:23]
• He eventually gets proper oral surgery back in New York—with a much more handsome (and qualified) doctor.

10. Aging, Hair Transplants, and the End of the "Twink" Era

• [44:19] Zach and Caldwell both discuss recent hair transplants:
  • “Going from looking like you have no hair to looking like you’re wearing a wig…That’s a good problem.” – Caldwell & Bob [44:27; 44:33]
• Bob cracks, “We can’t call you twink anymore, now that you’re 40.” [44:47]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On drag queen names:
  “You can be in a serious meeting or in a serious argument, and you’d be like, ‘Listen, Bubbles, I’ve had it with your shit.’” — Caldwell [02:17]

• On reality TV alliances:
  “The Housewives are just…there to be unified. I was a dragon, and they…could give a shit about the money.” — Caldwell [03:15]

• On comedy bombing:
  “They didn’t like me. They wanted to drown me...throw me over.” — Bob [08:54]
  “We connected and we bonded over our love for Kesha...and then we just hit it off.” — Caldwell [10:26]

• On the vending business:
  “The vending machine business is kind of like the mafia. It's like drug turf. Like, get off my turf.” — Caldwell [32:20]

• On home renovations:
  “You can either increase your budget and get the cabinets you want…or you can stick to your budget and get something that you’re not gonna love.” — Jeff [22:16]

• On pop culture divides:
  “White people don’t eat honey buns…Black people love honey buns. We love them.” — Caldwell [50:53]

Important Timestamps (MM:SS)

• 01:42 – Bob’s real name, drag queen naming conventions
• 02:43 – Traitors/Housewives reality show strategy
• 08:05 – Origin story: Bob and Zach meet on gay cruise
• 13:22 – Zach as a “comedy socialite”; producing his special
• 15:46 – Reminiscing about Comedy Cruise bombing ("chairs falling")
• 17:57 – Caldwell’s feud with Brandi Glanville
• 18:37 – Jeff’s aggressive listener DMs about his weight
• 20:11 – Bob’s rent-controlled LA apartment (“golden handcuffs”)
• 22:16 – Jeff on renovation budgeting and client expectations
• 30:46 – Caldwell’s vending machine saga
• 39:03 – Caldwell’s wisdom tooth misadventure in Tel Aviv
• 44:47 – “Twink Death,” hair transplant stories
• 50:53 – Honey buns as cultural snack; vending business tips

Upcoming Shows & Promotions

• Zach Noe Towers:

  • Zanies Chicago (Nov 28–30)
  • Desert Ridge Improv, Phoenix (Dec 29)
  • Orlando (Jan 22)
  • Info: zachnoetowers.com [47:55]

• Bob the Drag Queen (Caldwell):

  • Brookville, WI (Nov 21–22)
  • Madison, WI—Comedy on State (Nov 23)
  • The Comedy Store, LA (Dec 2)
  • Eugene, OR (Dec 4–6)
  • Info: seethedragqueen.com [48:20]

Tone & Language

The episode is irreverent, sharp-witted, and playful—loaded with inside jokes from the comedy circuit and reality TV world, honest (sometimes biting) banter about fame, friendship, and failures, and a back-and-forth rhythm that feels equal parts roast, therapy session, and industry roundtable.

For New Listeners

This episode delivers classic Jeff Lewis candor paired with whip-smart, offbeat comedy guests. It’s a must-listen for reality TV fans, comedy nerds, and anyone curious about the behind-the-scenes reality of queer fame, showbiz hustles, and surviving (or bombing) in both.

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