Pablo Torre Finds Out – "Share & Tell & Feel Bill Walton"

With Ian Karmel and Katie Nolan
June 13, 2024 – Le Batard & Friends

Episode Overview

This episode serves as a heartfelt and whimsical tribute to the legendary basketball player and broadcaster Bill Walton, blending personal stories, mystical conversations, Pacific Northwest eccentricities, and broader reflections on identity and comedy. Pablo Torre is joined by comedian Ian Karmel and sports personality Katie Nolan, who, through humor and openness, explore Walton’s distinct persona, the nature of existence (as understood by Walton and his friend Jeb Barton), and the complexities of growing up "different"—whether as an Oregonian, a sports-loving oddball, or a "fat kid" in America.

Key Topics & Insights

1. The Mystique of Bill Walton (03:53–04:45; 05:55–07:36)

• Field Recordings & Walton’s Legacy: Pablo sets the table for a Walton remembrance by sharing a clip from a previous interview, showcasing Walton’s wandering, storybook monologues.
• Walton’s Oregon Connection: Ian explains how Walton epitomized the spirit of the Portland Trail Blazers and the state of Oregon more than any other player.

Notable Quote:
"I don’t know if he’s the greatest Blazer ever… but I do believe he’s the most Blazer-est Blazer ever. There’s no one who more epitomizes the Blazers or sports played in Oregon than Bill Walton."
—Ian Karmel (04:11)

2. An Encounter with Jeb Barton — Mysticism & Reality (08:36–12:15)

• Jeb’s Background: Walton’s friend Jeb Barton, who runs tp.com and has studied human consciousness for 55 years, shares how he and Walton bonded over conversations on mysticism and reality’s "invisible realm."
• Life Beyond the Ego: Jeb explains that Walton’s exuberance and unique presence came from living "grounded in this deeper invisible realm" beyond personality or ego.

Notable Quote:
"The exuberant personality… the aliveness… was a result of being grounded in this deeper place… Bill didn’t hang out in the ego."
—Jeb Barton (09:22)

3. Pacific Northwest Vibes & Walton’s Influence (11:17–14:08)

• The Oregon Coast: The trio fondly discuss the wild beauty and weirdness of the Oregon coast, touching on everything from bonfire beaches and marionberries to elk and, comically, geoducks (giant Pacific clams).
• Bill Walton’s Sense of Place: Reflections on how Walton and his friends felt at home and in tune with this magical, liminal landscape.

4. Social Media & Remembering Bill Walton (16:28–18:37)

• A Unique Kind of Mourning: Both Ian and Katie share that Walton’s death felt like the earth missing out on his vibrant energy, but also found comfort and rare "algorithmically heartwarming" moments as the sports world celebrated his life online.

Notable Quote:
"He represented for me… the whimsy that sports should be embracing more and that we don’t…"
—Katie Nolan (17:30)

• Walton’s Whimsical Gravitas: Pablo reflects on how Walton could simultaneously imbue sports with high seriousness and complete absurdity, often referencing historic artistic greats (like Beethoven), and how this duality made him irreplaceable.

5. Death, Consciousness, and Continuity (19:45–23:14)

• Jeb Barton on Death: Pablo plays a moving voicemail from Jeb about how Walton viewed death not as an end, but as a transition to a new "email address"—a metaphor for changing forms without true annihilation.

Notable Quote:
"You simply change email addresses. No one dies. Your essence cannot be annihilated… Bill knew that, so I’m sure he was looking forward to a new adventure."
—Jeb Barton (20:10)

• The "X of X" Concept: Katie jokes about being scared by the idea that "The Pablo of Pablo" will always continue, as Jeb asserts everyone carries an untouchable inner essence—the "Bill of Bill," the "Pablo of Pablo," etc.

6. Nature, Perspective & Grounding (23:31–25:25)

• A Pacific Northwest Worldview: The group rhapsodizes about the grounding effect of ancient trees, wide beaches, and a natural world that puts human concerns into perspective, echoing the mysticism Walton and Jeb espoused.
• Urban Disconnection: Katie laments the difficulty of "touching grass" in a big city, contrasting her own environment with the Oregon landscape.

7. Sharing & Telling: Ian’s Book & Growing Up Fat (28:11–32:47)

• Ian’s Story: Pablo congratulates Ian on the release of his memoir T-Shirt Swim Club: Stories from Being Fat in a World of Thin People. Ian shares how representations like Fat Bastard (from Austin Powers) and "Truffle Shuffle" jokes deeply affected him growing up—and how his own comedy often became a kind of defense.

Notable Quote:
"You walk on stage… you want to demonstrate some level of self-knowledge… One of my first jokes was… my name should be Shlomo Pudding Tits."
—Ian Carmel (34:16)

• Media Representation: Together, they analyze how fat characters in media are so often defined solely by their size and rarely given roles where weight is incidental rather than essential.

8. The Complexity and Pain in Comedy (39:01–41:16)

• Comedy from Pain: The panel discusses how jokes about fatness, while undeniably funny at times, often come from genuine pain—and how social attitudes are (slowly) evolving.

Notable Quote:
"If the world didn’t suck so much for fat people, I think it’d be easier to make fun of fat people… but the pain is still there.”
—Ian Carmel (40:47)

• Moving Forward: Suggestions include writing roles for fat actors not centered on weight, and naming them before deciding their body type.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Bill Walton's Whimsical Nature:
  "You ask one question and suddenly you’re in Narnia."
  —Pablo Torre (04:31)

• Reflections on Death:
  "Now you can live uninhibited. Because Bill knows… no one dies. You simply change email addresses.”
  —Jeb Barton (19:55)

• Comedy’s Double-Edged Sword:
  "I eat because I’m sad and I’m sad because I eat… and then two seconds later he farts."
  —Ian Carmel (40:47)

• On Being Remembered:
  "I want to continue to cultivate friendships with people that I will carry literally forever—whatever is beyond space and time.”
  —Pablo Torre (44:58)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Bill Walton Stories: 03:53–07:36
• Jeb Barton & Mystical Conversations: 08:36–12:15
• Oregon Coast & Pacific Northwest Eccentricities: 13:01–14:08
• Social Media Tribute & Sports Whimsy: 16:28–18:37
• Jeb on Death & The “X of X”: 19:45–23:14
• Nature and Perspective: 23:31–25:25
• Ian’s Memoir & Growing Up Fat: 28:11–32:47
• Media Analysis & Representation: 32:47–38:16
• Comedy, Representation, and Pain: 39:01–41:16
• Final Reflections: 42:53–End

Tone

Warm, witty, deeply human and occasionally mystical—this episode weaves high-spirited banter with genuine reflection and a bit of Pacific Northwest psychedelic energy. The panel’s mutual affection and openness allow them to tackle big questions (death, identity, comedy, nature) through both humor and vulnerability.

For Listeners

Whether or not you knew Bill Walton beyond his basketball career, this episode invites you to consider the multidimensional lives we all lead, how we’re remembered, and what it means to truly inhabit the world—in Portland or Peoria, as a "fat kid" or a sports legend, as "the Pablo of Pablo" or as a friend.

For further exploration:

• Ian Karmel’s book: T-Shirt Swim Club
• Jeb Barton’s site: tp.com
• Previous Bill Walton interviews on Pablo Torre Finds Out and ESPN.