Podcast Summary: Nadie Sabe Nada — "Chascantretos, bescaramillos y carlingas" (23/03/2019)

Overview

In this episode, Andreu Buenafuente and Berto Romero, acclaimed Spanish comedians, deliver their signature blend of improvisational humor, observational wit, and surreal banter in front of a live audience at the Teatro Lara in Madrid. As always, "Nadie Sabe Nada" is a playground of improvised sections, spontaneous audience interactions, and comedic explorations of the mundane and the absurd. The episode dives into quirky reflections on childhood songs, radio broadcasting anecdotes, bizarre animal encounters, and a spirited audience discussion on nuts and chufas.

Main Themes & Discussion Points

1. Improvisational Opening & Deconstruction of "Hola Don Pepito"

• [00:39–02:21]
• The hosts humorously dissect the classic children's song "Hola Don Pepito, hola Don José", raising questions about the underlying story—who are these people, why does Don Pepito visit houses when no one is home, and what is his relationship with the grandmother?
• Berto: "El típico tío que va a merodear por tu casa cuando no estás."
• Andreu: Suggests the song hides dark undertones, muses about a gerontophile Don Pepito.
• They riff on the idea of sequels to children's songs, adding absurd adult content.

2. The Russian Doll of Locations & Backstage Anecdotes

• [02:21–04:54]
• The duo sets the scene: broadcasting from Teatro Lara’s Sala Lola Membrives in Madrid—each space nested like "una muñeca rusa."
• Berto shares an observation about a squalid staff bathroom with a lone unopened Freixenet bottle, representing hope amid misery.
• Berto: "Hay un choque de conceptos muy bonito en ese baño. Por un lado la miseria y por el otro la promesa de una celebración."

3. Radio and the Art of the Fragmented Format

• [05:05–09:10]
• Humorous critique of how constant advertisements fracture Spanish radio and disrupt coherent discussions, lampooning presenters trying to keep a thread.
• Andreu and Berto share stories about their early days in radio—flashbacks, tight schedules, and making gags on the clock.
• Andreu: "Mira que los locutores lo intentan, pero está un tío desarrollando una cosa... Un momentito, un momentito."
• Berto: "Es un estrés hacer humor bajo mucha presión."

4. Vivécdotas & Nested Anecdotes: High-Flying "Carlingas"

• [09:31–20:07]
• A meta-comedy segment arises: their stories recursively spiral—programa > vivécdotas (life anecdotes) > "Carlingas" (cockpit tales) > multiple storytelling tangents ("como Origen, la peli de Nolan").
• Extended, hilarious stories about being invited into airplane cockpits, the rituals and language of pilots ("Miami Sound Machine, John Secada"), and misunderstandings whereby fellow passengers think Berto or Andreu themselves are flying the plane.
  • [14:13] Andreu: "La primera te hace ilusión porque, joder, aquello es un videojuego real. La segunda, bueno, la tercera, el asiento te hace daño."
  • [17:12] Berto: "¿Quieres que lo ponga otra vez en la pista o aterrizamos sobre la hierba?"
• Both have had almost identical cockpit experiences, comedically underlining the uncanny overlap in their lives.

5. Animal Encounters — "Animales graciosos/vivos"

• [25:24–35:05]
• Berto shares a field recording of him attempting to communicate ("hablar su idioma") with a pig at a petting farm in Ibiza, leading to a surreal audio exchange and much laughter.
  • [29:47] Berto: "El morro, eso era como un enchufe industrial, exacto. Dos agujeros."
  • [30:34] Berto: "Tengo una aspiración en la vida, que es llegarme a comunicar con un animal, hablar su idioma."
• The segment develops into a "soundscape" comparison between Peruvian and Catalan frogs, courtesy of an international listener. Comparison of frog “accents” and a playful rivalry ("la NBA de los sapos").

6. The Great Nut Debate: Audience Participation

• [41:21–51:10]
• A key moment where audience members join the discussion about "frutos secos" (nuts), the health benefits of soaking almonds, and the use of the Chufamix for homemade nut milks.
• [46:30] Marta: "Tengo que decir que yo los frutos secos los pongo a remojo."
• Fierce, humorous debate about culinary traditions, the border between wisdom and eccentricity, and regional pride (Valencian chufa, oranges). Includes live gift-giving from the audience (oranges, snacks).
• [49:01] Andreu: "Es verdad, que suena a ciencia ficción, pero puede ser."

7. Potpourri: Listener Questions & Cultural Tangents

• [38:27–44:44]
• Quickfire responses to questions from the urn, riffing on why urine isn't white if one only drinks milk, Pompeii and the supposed invention of the Mannequin Challenge, and Roman fascination with phallic drawings.
• Extended riff on how ancient and modern obsessions (e.g., Marvel superheroes replacing the Bible as cultural mythology) reflect human nature.
  • [45:23] Berto: "Marvel es el nuevo catecismo."
  • [45:39] Andreu: "De momento no hay iglesias Marvel, pero bueno, todo se andará."

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Song Deconstruction

  • "[Sobre Don Pepito] El gerontófilo. ¿Quién es Don José?" — Berto ([01:14])
  • "Molaría la segunda parte… enfermedad de transmisión sexual de don Pepito" — Berto ([01:53])

• Nested Anecdotes

  • "Esto es como Origen, la peli de Nolan. Sueño dentro de sueño. Aquí es anécdota dentro de anécdota." — C, Berto ([12:05])
  • "La ilusión en los ojos de un piloto." — Andreu ([14:29])

• Animal Communication

  • "El cerdo, como erróneamente se ha dicho, no hace oink. No, vamos a eliminar eso… el cerdo hace uno, hace [sonido]" — Berto ([30:05])
  • "Un sapo cuando habla dice conejo en inglés, porque dice ‘rabbit’." — Berto ([30:48])

• Nuts, Chufas, & Audience Interactions

  • "Eso no es controlar, eso es un francotirador del fruto seco. Ha pillado una vía de servicio y está por ahí." — Berto, about a listener's nut-soaking habits ([47:18])
  • "Se habla poco, injustamente, de la chufa." — Andreu ([49:47])
  • [Valencian pride] "He traído unas cuantas naranjas de Villa Marchand." — Isabel ([51:27])

Timestamps: Important Segments

| Time | Segment | |------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:39 | Deconstruction of "Hola Don Pepito" song | | 02:21 | Location as 'matrioshka', backstage bathroom story | | 05:05 | Parody of radio ad breaks, early radio anecdotes | | 09:31 | Nested vivécdotas: radio then cockpit stories ("Carlingas") | | 14:13 | The "glamour" (and discomfort) of cockpit invitations | | 25:24 | Arrival of 'Animales graciosos': farm stories, pig communication | | 30:48 | Sapo joke: 'rabbit' | | 33:04 | Listener frog sounds from Peru and Catalonia | | 38:27 | First audience questions from the urn | | 41:21 | Nut-narratives and the rise of "Rey de los Frutos Secos" | | 46:30 | Marta’s nut-soaking confession | | 49:47 | The chufa, Chufamix, and homemade nut milks with Isabel | | 51:27 | Gift of Valencian oranges and audience banter |

Tone & Style

Berto and Andreu keep the conversation lively, self-referential, and joyously anarchic—their improvisational chemistry allows topics to mutate organically, with layered in-jokes and callbacks (e.g., "Carlingas" inside vivécdotas). They enthusiastically riff on language, traditions, and the quirks of everyday life, always keeping the audience involved and the humor light, ironic, and affectionate.

In Short

This episode is a quintessential "Nadie Sabe Nada": a comic riff on life where no topic—be it nursery rhymes, ancient Roman penises, or proper almond hydration—is too insignificant not to be explored and celebrated for its comedic potential. Audience participation, sound effects, and virtuosic improvisation abound, providing endless laughs and a charming portrait of the hosts’ unique world.