Podcast Summary: Nadie Sabe Nada | El regreso de Buenamente y Tarás Bulba

Date: September 11, 2021
Hosts: Andreu Buenafuente & Berto Romero
Platform: SER Podcast

Overview

This episode marks the return of "Nadie Sabe Nada" to live recording with an in-person audience after the pandemic hiatus. Andreu Buenafuente and Berto Romero dive into their signature unscripted, observational, and self-referential humor, reflecting on the changes since their last live show, sharing anecdotes from their summers (including animal adventures and health mishaps), and riffing on the absurdities of daily life and language. The dynamic interplay with their small but energetic audience adds a lively backdrop to an episode centered on the joys and awkwardness of returning to "normal," the randomness of human experience, and the inherent comedy of not knowing anything—true to the show’s title.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Welcome Back: The Joy (and Odor) of a Live Audience

• The hosts playfully exaggerate the audience's applause and discuss how even a small group can feel like a crowd after so long apart.
• Running joke about the "smell" of humanity returning ("Huele fuerte. Pero eso no quita que se os quiera igual." – Andreu, 01:37).
• Both hosts reflect on how audiences shape the energy of the show, joking about the dependency and the awkwardness of reacclimating to having people react in real-time.

2. Summer Notes: Personal Anecdotes and Philosophical Musings

Berto Presents: "Notas del verano" (06:21–17:13)

• Berto reads surreal and self-deprecating notes he made during the summer, leading to digressions about astronomy, gallinas (chickens), and the end of the world.
• Memorable Quote: "Hay gente que parece gilipollas a simple vista. Luego hablan y efectivamente lo confirman. Y escribo esto mirándome al espejo." (Berto, 06:42)
• They riff on astronomical trivia ("el sol se extinguirá en 5.000 años"), the futility of making long-term plans, and the sheer number of chickens on earth—blending factual information with absurdity.
• Meandering into discussions about aging and male health, Berto details his frequent urination issues on a road trip ("esa urgencia que nos coge a los de 50...," 12:10), prompting Andreu to share similar medical tales and jokes about the indignities of age.
• Quote: "Hay que saber lo que vas a buscar… A lo mejor también para el proctólogo es lúdico." (Berto & Andreu, 13:03)

3. Animal Affairs: Lost Conejos and Sick Gatos

(27:03–39:01)

• Berto shares his family's adoption of a stray kitten ("Jarpo") in Mallorca and a harrowing adventure when the kitten develops bronchopneumonia. The saga includes veterinary heroics, emotional turmoil, and much money spent—underscored by the contrast between the cuteness of the new pet and the gross reality of feline parasitic infection.
• Andreu reveals his family’s pet rabbit, Miguel Ángel, escaped and never returned, speculating humorously on its probable fate among local predators.
• Quote: "El gato era una piñata de mascotas… lleno de millones de pequeñas mascotas propias de él." (Andreu, 38:04)
• The segment spotlights the emotional investment families place in animals, the logistics of pet transport, and the black comedy in animal misfortunes.

4. Language, Absurdity, and Running Gags

• Ongoing wordplay on foreign pronunciations: "Podcast" vs "Posca," "Movistar" pronounced as "Moviestar," and the synthesized-sounding Miami podcast review of Andreu’s new show "Todo pasa."
• Quote: "A mí me gustaría que me llamaras Andreu Buenamente. De la fuente a la mente." (Andreu, 47:20)
• Introducing new alter egos (Buenamente y Tarás Bulba) derived from language mix-ups and literary references, culminating in a comic reflection on Russian novels and their lack of concrete memory.
• The hosts explore their customary theme: that nobody really knows anything (including themselves), gleefully embracing their ignorance about historical facts, scientific data, and even the origins of common Spanish expressions (“camisa de once varas,” 41:19).

5. Listener Interaction: Questions & Live Banter

(40:17–51:58)

• With time running out, audience participation is finally sampled as a man named Jan is briefly interviewed about his experience during lockdown, leading to deadpan humor around his reticence ("Callao." – Jan, 50:17).
• A listener's letter from New York (41:04) asks about the meaning of "camisa de once varas," prompting the hosts to improvise a semi-plausible, semi-invented historical answer.
• Discussing pandemic-induced changes and the longing for trivial, meaningless conversations—fully embracing their show’s anti-purpose posture.
• Audience presence is both welcomed and teased: "Queremos oírle su voz… Bueno, para tres minutos no." (49:00)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On returning to live audience:
  "Han aplaudido como 100. No, acojonante." (Berto, 01:20)

• On animal-related loss:
  "Miguel Ángel ha vuelto. Back to the forest, back to the wild." (Andreu, 27:26)
  "Yo creo que Miguel Ángel ya está en el cielo de los conejos." (Berto, 28:43)

• On summer health misadventures:
  "Tienes que meterte el dedo y saber lo que vas a buscar." (Andreu, 13:03)
  "Me cambió el carácter, pero una gotica y otra vez y otra vez." (Andreu, 19:32)
  (With comical Italian doctor nickname:) "Enrico Palazzo" — ongoing medical comedy (20:17–21:43)

• On animal transport companies:
  "Animal Bus. Hola, buenos días, Animal Bus." (Berto, 33:56)

• On their own ignorance:
  "Últimos minutos del programa Nadie Sabe Nada… la gran apoteosis de la ignorancia." (Berto, 48:17)

Key Timestamps for Memorable Segments

• [02:10] – Start of the ninth season and emotional return to live audience
• [06:21] – "Notas del verano" begins; Berto’s absurd summer notes
• [11:02] – The “futility of collecting things if the sun will explode”
• [12:10]–[17:13] – Bathroom misadventures and indignities of middle age
• [27:03] – Gato adoption story begins
• [31:02] – Decision not to immediately bring the cat home
• [34:41]–[39:01] – The kitten's illness, hospital saga, and ultimate recovery
• [41:04] – Audience letter from New York; origin of “camisa de once varas”
• [47:20] – Invented alter egos: Buenamente and Tarás Bulba
• [49:00]–[51:58] – Quick interview with audience member Jan; meta-commentary on show and audience

Tone & Style

The entire episode maintains the comedic, improvisational, and slightly anarchic tone characteristic of the show. The interplay between Berto and Andreu combines affectionate ribbing, absurd word association, and a willingness to be vulnerable (sharing personal stories) that makes their banter both relatable and riotous. The inclusion of the audience is woven seamlessly with playful teasing about their role and the practicalities of live performance after so long remote.

Summary:
"El regreso de Buenamente y Tarás Bulba" is equal parts joyous reunion, surreal riffing, confessional storytelling, and comic bravado—epitomizing the "nadie sabe nada" ethos. From failed urine streams to philosophical talks about chickens, from Miami podcasts to sick kittens, Andreu and Berto reaffirm their genius at turning banality into gold for the listener’s ears.