Matt and Shane's Secret Podcast

Episode 579: Crumb & The Hutt (feat. Joe DeRosa & Lemaire Lee)
Date: October 1, 2025
Guests: Joe DeRosa, Lemaire Lee

Episode Overview

This episode of Matt and Shane’s Secret Podcast gives listeners a wild, fast-moving train of jokes and heated, often hilarious, debates between comedians Shane Gillis, Joe DeRosa (filling in for Matt McCusker, who’s away), and Lemaire Lee. From riffing on American history, documentaries, and sports meltdowns, to deep dives into Star Wars lore and superhero morality, the trio delivers a classic blend of insight and absurdity. Expect quick jabs, affectionate roasting, and a flow that hops from personal stories to national trivia, pop culture, and the struggle to be a responsible adult comedian.

Main Themes and Key Discussion Points

The Origin of "United States of America" and Early American History

• Shane, fresh from a Revolutionary War doc, quizzes the crew on how America got its name, revealing it was named by an anonymous letter writer using the pseudonym “Republicus.”
  • Notable Quote: "Writing into the paper and going, we should call this country United States of America. Also my name’s Republicus and the whole country was like, yo, United States of America is sick, dude." — Shane Gillis [03:23]
• The group explores and humorously debates the history behind “America” not being from Amerigo Vespucci, the Columbus ‘Indians’ myth, and the oddness of naming places, riffing on the confusion of European names.
  • Memorable Moment: Lemaire speculates if Republicus was actually Vespucci’s “Voltaire.” [04:45]

Ken Burns Documentaries & Documentary Culture

• Shane, fueled by a sneak preview of a new Ken Burns Revolutionary War doc, waxes about the power of history docs, the Burns brothers, and his love for Louis Theroux’s documentaries.
  • Notable Quote: "Ken Burns' Civil War. Ken Burns, baseball is nice. Yeah, I heard baseball is a big one. And then his brother puts out docs, too." — Shane Gillis [10:08]
• Joe and Lemaire poke fun at Ken and his brother as “the boring brothers,” but admit the impact of these docs, especially Jazz and the Civil War.
• Tangents into Theroux’s documentaries on prisons, Israel-Palestine, and Scientology.

Brutality in American History (Tar and Feathering)

• Discussion on how tar and feathering is often seen as ‘cartoonish’ but was actually horrific.
  • Notable Quote: "That was, like, a brutal... Scolding hot tar, like, killed people." — Shane Gillis [08:24]

Documentaries and Unusual Recs

• Joe recommends “The Quilters” (HBO), about level 5 convicts making quilts in a prison, describing its emotional impact.
  • Memorable Moment: "These guys are like, this is the only way I can give back to society for what I did. And it’s crazy. I cried during it. Yeah." — Joe DeRosa [14:47]

Sports Pop Culture: Spazzes, Meltdowns & Halftime Shows

Halftime Shows & Cultural Outrage

• They riff on outrage about Super Bowl halftime shows, Bad Bunny’s booking, and revisit the Janet Jackson/Justin Timberlake nipplegate.
  • Notable Quote: “That was a pivotal moment in, like, American history. Like, for TV and stuff.” — Lemaire [22:30]
• Debate why some acts “outrage” certain political groups, and the absurdity of the uproar.

Epic Sports Meltdowns

• They reminisce about epic baseball, football, and basketball coach outbursts—Tommy Lasorda, Bobby Knight, Jim Belushi's SNL chess coach, and why baseball has the best 'spaz' moments.

  • Notable Quote: "Bobby Knight basketball. Tossing a chair across the court. Hilarious. Choking a player, white guy. It’s basically white boy spazzes. True white boy rage." — Shane Gillis [42:49]

• Transition to gamer meltdowns and memories of making Dan Soder angry over video games.

  • Memorable Moment: "I got Dan so mad when we were. They were playing nc... I beat him the first couple. I was just killing him... my minion comes in... He blew a 14 or 17 point lead and missed an extra point and lost." — Shane Gillis [50:51]

Star Wars Lore and Group Nicknames [26:27–32:30]

• Joe and Shane assign themselves and their comedy compatriots Star Wars character analogues:

  • Joe is "Salacious Crumb" and Shane is "The Hut."
  • "Tell me it’s not me and Shane. Hanging out at a bar. I’ll happily sit at this man’s legs." — Joe DeRosa [27:33]

• They debate which friend matches which Jabba’s palace denizen, with Lemaire suggested as the Gamorrean (pig) guard and Tony as C-3PO.

• Extended riff on why nobody gets to be a cool character like Boba Fett and the hierarchy of Star Wars character assignments among their friend group.

Fandoms, Pop Culture, and Personal Taste

Star Wars Prequels vs. Originals Debate

• Lemaire argues the prequels are a better set than the original Star Wars trilogy:
  • “The second one, episode I, II, and III — better set of movies than the first, IV, V, VI. I stand on that.” — Lemaire [65:50]
• Joe supports ‘Sith’ as top three, but admits Attack of the Clones had too much CGI.

Batman, Superman & The ‘Morality’ of Superheroes

• Lemaire holds a surprising position: Batman Begins “ruined society”, blaming it for sparking immoral, billionaire-worship culture.
  • Standout Exchange:
    • Lemaire: "Batman Begins started immorality. Culturally." [56:33]
    • Joe: "Batman is the most selfless man on earth... he’s given himself to the city." [57:47]
    • Shane: "He sacrifices himself, dude, that means he doesn’t care." [56:49]
• Extended riffing on Batman versus Superman’s ethos, the impact of superhero movies on society and pop culture.

Friendship, Roasting, and Interpersonal Dynamics

Joe and Shane’s Relationship “Ceasefire”

• The pair jokes about their pattern of roasting each other, how it sometimes leads to post-hang check-ins, and propose a “ceasefire” to not criticize until the other does.
  • "Ceasefire. But if you’re doing something slimy or gay, I do get to say that." — Shane Gillis [72:09]
  • "We've gotten ourselves into a corner... every time we'd go out, we'd have to talk on the phone two days later. 'We good, dude? Yeah, I just, you know... fuck off, dude.'" — Joe DeRosa [75:15]

Reflections on the Comedy Road & Group Drinking Habits

• Tales of comedian “drinking teams,” stories about comics like “the Pope,” and drunken antics on the road.
• They joke about a song DeRosa and Tony sing when drinking: “We Got a Problem,” reflecting on the hilarity and camaraderie in their boozy routines.
• Shane reflects on opening for huge stadium crowds:
  • "It's probably like 85,000. Not ideal for stand up, but... probably the coolest thing I’ve ever done." — Shane Gillis [61:13]

Society, Alcohol & Prohibition [85:10–91:17]

• Shane brings up the PBS/Ken Burns Prohibition doc, exploring why women were the push behind the movement – since there were no laws against domestic abuse and alcohol exacerbated family violence.
  • "Turns out there’s no laws back then about beating the shit out of your family or raping your wife...” — Shane Gillis [86:48]
  • They analyze the powder keg nature of immigrant life, bar brawls, and the “bootlegger” origins.

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• "Once you get clean and sober like me..." — Shane Gillis [00:44]
• "Tar and feathering—scolding hot tar, like, killed people." — Shane Gillis [08:24]
• "Ken Burns Civil War, that’s the one for me." — Shane Gillis [10:08]
• "That was a pivotal moment in American history—Janet Jackson, live TV titty drop." — Lemaire [22:30]
• "You remind me of Timberlake—just like a smooth operator." — Shane Gillis to Joe DeRosa [24:07]
• “Ceasefire. But if you’re doing something slimy or gay, I do get to say that.” — Shane Gillis [72:09]
• "The second one, ep 1-3, better than the original trilogy—I stand on that." — Lemaire [65:51]
• “Guess who just got back today...” (trailing into Thin Lizzy’s “The Boys Are Back In Town”) — Closing musical joke [85:46]
• “Turns out these guys would come home, no laws, just beating shit out of your family...I always thought, ugh, just ruining a good time—nah, it’s darker than that.” — Shane Gillis [86:48]

Memorable Moments

• Nicknaming and character assignments from Star Wars lore for comedian friend group
• Joe and Shane’s heartfelt, if roast-heavy, “relationship summit”
• Epic tales of sports and gamer meltdowns, especially making Dan Soder rage-quit
• Joe’s prison quilting doc rec and sincere tears shed over rehabilitated criminals
• The ongoing, loving riff about boozing, hangovers, and why comedians struggle to give up the party lifestyle

Pop Culture and History Deep Cuts

• Dissections on American, European, and comic book lore
• Riffs on why the “liberals struck back” and “ruined Star Wars” (in jest)
• Superhero debates: Batman’s damage to society vs. Superman’s wholesome morality

For Listeners Who Missed the Episode

Prepare for a relentless pace, inside baseball with the NY/Philly comedy scene, a ton of affectionate ball-busting, and genuine musings on history, masculinity, pop culture, and why drinking never seems to get old. Joe DeRosa, stepping in for Matt, provides the perfect foil for Shane’s historical nerdery and Lemaire’s wild-card theorizing. It’s an episode packed with laughs, lore, and real talk.

Note:

• Timestamps correspond to the transcript above (MM:SS format).
• Ads, intros, and outros were omitted from this summary.
• Content reflects the language and tone of the speakers: irreverent, honest, and routinely hilarious.