Transcript

Dan Soder (0:00)

Hey, guys. Golden Retriever of Comedy tour is starting back up in February. February 13th. We kick back off in Orlando, but we're coming to Tampa, Buffalo, New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Oklahoma City. The. The list goes on and on. Go to dansoder.com and see all announced dates. All dates are up and the tickets are on sale. Go buy tickets right now. I really appreciate it and I hope you're here doing okay. I think we'll go comedy first half and then I really want to talk about McDaniel, but McDaniel, my buddy.

Mark Normand (0:38)

Oh, the dolphin.

Dan Soder (0:39)

The former dolphin.

Mark Normand (0:40)

Oh, sorry.

Dan Soder (0:41)

Now he's a porpoise. You know, he no longer has a porpoise. Out of all the comics that we came up with, you have consistently done the funniest in late night situations.

Mark Normand (0:55)

Oh, that I know.

Dan Soder (0:56)

No one else we're friends with would ever do. I'm Kevin Hart closing the set with I'm Kevin Hart.

Mark Normand (1:02)

Sure.

Dan Soder (1:03)

Though. Wiping your.

Mark Normand (1:04)

The Conan tie.

Dan Soder (1:05)

Was he mad about that?

Mark Normand (1:06)

He didn't love it because his mic was on his tie. So he was like, what are you doing? This could ruin the whole show. But I had to do it. I just got like a weird.

Dan Soder (1:14)

Did he calm down?

Mark Normand (1:15)

Yeah, he was cool. It wasn't the end of the world. But I asked to do his pod and he was like, we're good.

Dan Soder (1:20)

So. So I can't get on there either.

Mark Normand (1:23)

Oh, really? Okay. Okay.

Dan Soder (1:24)

I think it's level of fame.

Mark Normand (1:26)

Okay. All right.

Summary

Soder Podcast EP 116: "Internet Booze" with Mark Normand

Date: January 13, 2026
Host: Dan Soder
Guest: Mark Normand

Overview

In this candid, hilarious, and occasionally poignant episode, Dan Soder sits down with longtime friend and fellow comedian Mark Normand. They dive deep into the intertwined worlds of comedy and the internet, discuss the emotional toll and absurdities of online life, late night TV, sports fandom, parenting in a digital age, therapy, and, of course, busting each other’s chops. You'll find witty banter about the hidden pitfalls of success, the evolving landscape of stand-up, social media’s impact on well-being, and heartfelt insights about friendship and family.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Late Night Comedy & Conan Experiences

[00:41 - 06:06]

Dan praises Mark as consistently the funniest in late night situations, referencing bits like Mark's "Conan tie" gag.
Conan O'Brien anecdotes: Both comics recount how significant it is when Conan, still a comic at heart, supports guests after less-than-ideal sets.
- Notable quote:
  - Dan: "At the end of the show, he went, ‘They sucked!’ — made me feel so much better." [02:21]
- The importance of the warm-up act for studio audiences; Mark notes how a change in Conan’s opener dramatically affected crowd energy.
Discussion of the unsung difficulty and "trap" of being a warm-up comic: daily grind, decent pay, but a potential career rut.

Navigating Internet Criticism & Reddit

[07:28 - 14:39]

The duo bond over the unique hell of reading about yourself on Reddit — Dan likens it to "touching a hot stove," Mark admits to deleting videos after criticism.
Empathy and online fame: Soder riffs on how everyone should "walk around with 500,000 followers" or have a subreddit post about them, to understand public scrutiny.
- Quote:
  - Dan: "I feel like everyone should have a subreddit post about them." [08:17]
The torch-passing dynamic of internet love turning to hate, referencing the Opie and Anthony subreddit’s volatility.

Internet & Empathy

[10:46 - 11:18]

The comics mourn the loss of empathy online — how anonymous comments cut deep and "kill off" necessary social compassion.
Quote:
- Dan: “What the Internet kills off that we need to fight for is empathy.” [10:55]

Online Dating Realities

[14:39 - 16:22]

Mark shares his Tinder and Bumble experiences — comedic women using lackluster lines, the awkwardness of online dating as a comic.
- Quote:
  - Mark: "They're trying to bust balls and be neggy...but it's weird, like, what if I was like, my tits are bigger?" [16:09]

Social Media, Mental Health, and Parenting

[17:12 - 41:08]

They riff on studies and societal shifts: increased suicide rates, Australia’s social media experiments, the shift of hip hop from the charts.
Internet exposure for children: both express skepticism about letting their (or future) kids near social media, with Mark sharing his child’s tech-free upbringing and discussing how boredom and off-screen play are more valuable than stimulation by screens.
- Quote:
  - Mark: "I’m trying because it you up. It us up. I think I'm...remember how joyous life was. We just walk around and look at things." [33:15]
Dan compares first using social media to early cigarettes or alcohol — a form of “social lube” that quickly becomes habit.

The Internet's Impact on Real Life

[41:09 - 61:13]

Extended riff on how internet exposure — including to violence and shocking content — is rewiring brains.
- Anecdotes about the shock value of old VHS tapes like "Faces of Death" compared to today's constant exposure.
- Quote:
  - Dan: “It’s crazy when you think that the Internet is just that [Faces of Death] in your pocket. All the time you’re waking up.” [44:46]
The permanence of angry online outbursts ("This you?") versus the fleeting nature of real-world emotion.

Stand-up, Scene Rivalries & Comic Habits

[48:08 - 65:17]

The duo reflect on legends (Chris Rock, Chappelle), the recycled physical tics and cadences among comics, and the territorialism of comedy cities (NY vs LA vs Austin).
- Impressions and “honest corrections” comics give each other:
  - Dan: “Honesty needs to have a resurgence. Bargetsy one time...was like, 'Hey, you’re doing the Burr shifting.'” [63:37]
- They laugh about learning to spot their own and each other’s borrowed performance quirks.
Final notes on community, real-life kindness, and how internet life can stifle or distort authentic connection.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Late Night & Conan

Dan, on Conan’s empathy after a rough set:
“He just looks at the crowd, he goes, ‘They sucked!’ — and it made me feel so much better.” [02:21]
Mark, summarizing Conan:
“You think they’re just robots...but they feel it. They’re still comics.” [02:27]

Reading Internet Hate

Dan: “It’s touching a hot stove. The second you do go and you look and it’s bad, it’ll your shit up.” [07:45]
Mark: “I just deleted two videos the other day because I read some shit...” [07:54]

Social Media, Fame, and Empathy

Dan: “Everyone should have a subreddit post about them...because you read that...and you see the amount of punches you’re gonna take.” [08:22]

Parenting & Devices

Mark: “I'm trying...because it you up, it us up. Remember how joyous life was. We just walk around and look at things.” [33:15]
Dan: “We gotta bring boredom back.” [35:52]

On Therapy and Family

Mark: “Divorce is very healthy. I think if you get a divorce, it’s usually for the best.” [47:57]
Dan: “Having a two parent household in that balance versus having phone or no phone...that’s going to make a big diff.” [46:44]

The Internet as ‘Permanent First Reaction’

Dan: “What I don’t like about the Internet is...when I get riled up about stuff and then you calm down, you go, well, I feel different now. The Internet’s permanent. And it’s very first reaction.” [60:05]

Stand-up Comedy Habits & Honesty

Dan: “Honesty needs to have a resurgence. Bargetsy one time...was like, hey, you’re doing the Burr shifting.” [63:36]
Mark: “Somebody told me I was doing norms over here...and I had to drop the over.” [64:12]

Timestamps for Key Segments

[00:41 - 06:06] — Conan, Late Night Comedy, Warm-up Comics
[07:28 - 14:39] — Navigating Reddit, Internet Criticism, Empathy
[14:39 - 16:22] — Online Dating as a Comic
[17:12 - 41:08] — Social Media Impact, Kids & Tech, Parenting Philosophy
[41:09 - 49:08] — Internet Violence, Faces of Death, Exposure to Disturbing Content
[48:08 - 61:13] — Therapy, Divorce, Family, Comic Rivalries, Stand-up Mannerisms
[63:36 - 65:28] — Self-Policing in Comedy, Final Jokes and Outtakes

Closing Vibe

The episode is equal parts irreverent and sincere, cracking open the weird, often contradictory feelings that come with making people laugh and living online. Soder and Normand’s rapport is warm, brutally honest, and constantly self-aware: two comics who love their craft, love their friends, and worry just enough about the strange world that digital life has made for themselves—and for the next generation.

Host: Dan Soder
Guest: Mark Normand
Podcast: Soder | Episode 116: "Internet Booze"

wavePod

116: Internet Booze with Mark Normand | Soder Podcast | EP 114