Soder Podcast #127: “PCP with Eric André”

Host: Dan Soder
Guest: Eric Andre
Date: March 31, 2026
Total Duration: ~70 min

Episode Overview

This episode is a loose, energetic hang between comedians Dan Soder and Eric André, built around candid stories from their careers and lives. The conversation dives into comedy bombing, growing up with different family and friend dynamics, substance use and its social perceptions, the history (and weirdness) of alcohol, punk music, insomnia and sleep, and the sometimes-absurd nature of show business. The tone is unguarded, personal, and often hilarious, with both comics riffing freely from childhood traumas to modern addiction. There’s also discussion of drugs (notably PCP and its reputation), conspiracy thinking around substance legality, the cocaine/crack era, and how all of these intersect with race, class, and media narratives.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Comfort with Nudity, Childhood, and Comedy Beginnings

• Nakedness & Joke Origins:
  • Eric discusses how being naked was part of his friend group’s humor growing up, inspired by Red Hot Chili Peppers and punk shows. Dan describes his group as more about eating gross things for money.
  • “You're the comedy of your friend group. And then just one of you decides to do it professionally." (Eric, 03:24)
  • Light early banter about sports teams, with Dan’s split Denver/San Francisco loyalty due to family.

Parenting, Family Trauma, and the Decision Not to Have Kids

• On Not Wanting Kids:
  • Both comics have discussed vasectomies and a mutual decision with their partners not to have children, sharing concerns about anxiety, selfishness, and not wanting to mess up a kid’s life.
  • "We have aunt and uncle energy. I'm a great uncle." (Dan, 06:57)
  • "I'm being selfish if I have the kid." (Eric, 07:27)
• Family & Addiction:
  • Dan shares his father died of cirrhosis at 14 and reflects on a lineage of alcoholism.
  • Eric’s Florida friends, drugs, and avoiding hard stuff like opiates; he credits moderation and a lack of family addiction.

Stand-Up Comedy: Bombing, Early Days & The Road

• Bombing Stories:
  • Eric recounts bombing at New York Comedy Club recently (“Butt ass naked. Jerking off into the audience... That might be a problem.” 09:09–09:14), describes burning out post-Netflix special, and returning to stand-up after focusing on “The Eric Andre Show.”
  • Louis CK’s advice: Open with a tried-and-true joke, then take risks ("So the audience can put their shoulders down and go, okay, this guy has jokes that work." 11:31)
  • Discussion of the rough, deeply unglamorous nature of open mics in NYC and Boston, and the intimidating but formative Brooklyn/Rafifi scenes.
• Touring & Isolation:
  • Dan and Eric talk about the loneliness of the road, bringing friends to open, and why touring together matters (30:01–30:14).

Substance Use, Drugs & Social Narratives

• Alcohol & American History:
  • In-depth riffs about how contaminated water led Europeans to become “bred” for alcohol (24:28–25:00), and how Native Americans and others were devastated by colonial alcohol trade.
  • Debates about the roots of addiction, why liquor hit society so hard, and alcohol’s place in culture.
• PCP, Ketamine, and Drug Myths:
  • Eric (to Dan’s surprise) says he recently tried PCP (43:28–44:01), debunking the “super strength” myth and explaining its similarity to ketamine.
  • They discuss how drug narratives ("junk journalism") vary by race and class: meth/Adderall, crack/cocaine, PCP/ketamine (42:29–46:45).
  • "If poor white people or poor black people do it, then it's going to have a bunch of junk journalism about it. So he goes: crystal meth and Adderall—almost exactly the same molecularly." (Eric, 42:33)
• Conspiracy Thinking & Corporate Interests:
  • Speculation about whether scare campaigns over drugs like GHB were pushed by Big Alcohol (Anheuser-Busch), and if more recent anti-weed narratives are commerce-driven.
  • "I wonder if that's a hit job mob from someone, like bubble bath companies being like: 'yo, these bath salts are f---ing us up.'" (Dan, 49:40)

Generational Change: Kids, Alcohol, and Screen Addiction

• Young People & Drinking:
  • Dan and Eric both note Gen Z and younger aren’t drinking alcohol as much; both see this as a health-positive shift, but recognize cultural marketing’s power.
• Smartphones as the New Cigarettes:
  • Both admit to phone addiction and predict future generations will look back on phone use the way we do on 20th-century smoking.
  • "We're gonna look back on iPhones like cigarettes." (Eric, 52:33)

Sleep, Health & the Modern Condition

• Insomnia & Sleep Tech:
  • Both comedians discuss struggling with sleep, psychiatry, CPAPs, and the consequences of screen time before bed.
  • Dan swears by white noise machines for travel (56:24–56:55).

Wrestling, Punk, and Pop Culture “Deep Cuts”

• Wrestling Fandom:
  • Nostalgia for 80s/90s wrestling (Junkyard Dog, Hulk Hogan, Macho Man), WWE’s corporate takeovers, and the continued draw of wrestling for comedians.
• Punk Roots & Personal Identity:
  • Eric’s love of Bad Brains and the punk scene, connecting how punk’s d.i.y. energy informed his comedy and career.
• Media & Success:
  • Dan admires Eric for his authenticity—how “The Eric Andre Show” directly channels his stand-up voice and persona.

Notable Quotes & Moments (w/ Timestamps)

• On Open Mics:
  • “Everyone imagines an open mic is a sold-out theater... It's one of the saddest experiences of your life." (Dan, 15:40)
• On the “Junk Journalism” of Drugs:
  • "Poor white people do crystal meth... and suburban rich white people do Adderall. And it's almost the same drug." (Eric, 42:33)
• On PCP Myths:
  • “I did it recently... Not only did I not feel super strength, which is like, I wish, that'd be rad... I felt great.” (Eric, 43:28)
• On Comedy Bombing:
  • “I bombed at Stand Up New York one time doing a check spot so bad ... I don't know if I want to do this anymore.” (Dan, 61:16)
• On Standup Translating to TV:
  • “I've never seen somebody's stand up translate directly into their TV show... more directly than what you were doing in New York before you did the show.” (Big Jay, quoted by Eric Andre, 67:41)
• Dan on "The Eric Andre Show":
  • "One of the first things that someone I knew made... that I was like, 'Oh, I f--k with this not just because I know them, but because I genuinely like it.'" (Dan, 67:18)
• On Premise-less Podcasts:
  • "What's the premise of your podcast? Nothing. It's this. It's premiseless." (Dan, 61:58)

Timestamps for Major Segments

| Time | Segment/Topic | |-------------|------------------------------------------------------| | 03:00-04:30 | Childhood, nudity, humor, and friend dynamics | | 06:00-07:30 | Reasons not to have kids, family influence | | 09:00-11:30 | Bombing stories, stand-up after TV success | | 14:30-18:00 | First open mics, NYC/Boston comedy scene reminiscence | | 24:00-26:00 | Alcohol’s history, genetics, impact on society | | 42:14-47:03 | PCP, ketamine, drug myths, class/race perceptions | | 49:40-50:30 | “Bath salts” and the media, misinformation | | 52:33-55:30 | Phones as new cigarettes, sleep struggles, CPAP | | 56:24-58:59| Road sleep, tour bus stories, accidents | | 61:00-65:30 | Bombing podcast premise, media appearances | | 67:18-68:55 | Authenticity in comedy, creative legacy |

Memorable Closing

• Dan expresses genuine admiration for Eric’s work and roots, tying his unique comedic style to punk and his willingness to be totally himself—on stage, on TV, or even dabbling in PCP. The episode ends with mutual gratitude and inside jokes, encapsulating the camaraderie and honesty that define the best comic conversations.

Recommended: For fans of unfiltered comedy, inside-industry stories, and the messy, real side of creative life.