Staying Alive with Jon Gabrus & Adam Pally

Episode: "Blood Type: Marinara" (Will Arnett, Part 1)

Release Date: February 26, 2026
Podcast Network: SmartLess Media

Episode Overview

In this candid and hilarious episode, comedians Jon Gabrus and Adam Pally welcome their friend, actor-comedian Will Arnett, for an unfiltered discussion about health, wellness, and navigating middle age after a life of excess. The trio dives into Arnett's recent forays into dramatic acting, his diet and exercise changes, struggles (and jokes) with vices, and the oddities of public perception in the age of podcasts and social media. The mood is a freewheeling mix of self-deprecating comedy, heartfelt admissions, and genuine insight, maintaining the show's signature blend of honesty and irreverence.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Will Arnett’s Public Persona & Podcast Controversies

• On a recent joke about tattoos:
  • Arnett recaps how his satirical comment on another podcast—"the more tattoos you have, the more boring you are"—went viral and was misunderstood by listeners.
    • Quote: "It's something that I've said to my friends with tattoos for years. And it's basically a bit... But people are insulted by it. It's insanity." (02:39 – 03:15)
  • The trio laughs about how minor podcast bits can be spun into internet news, often missing context.
    • Quote: "It's crazy when you realize that bullsht is news... Who is this matter to?"* – Jon (03:15)

2. Health, Aging & Body Image in Showbiz

• Discussion of diets, health, and changes with age:
  • Will reveals that an agent prompted him to see a nutritionist after age 50, which led to cutting sugar, most carbs, and scheduling cheat meals.
    • Quote: "I think I always was able to stay thin. And then I got over 50. And as you know... it just gets hard." (08:13)
  • Adam and Jon share personal milestones: Jon has lost 20 pounds, now under 300 lbs for the first time in a decade.
    • Jon: "I'm like down 20 pounds... under 300 for the first time in like 10 years. It feels amazing." (05:56)
• The reality of doctor check-ins and health humility:
  • The group jokes about lying to doctors and how even “watered down” admissions get called out, especially around alcohol and smoking.
    • Quote: "The worst with those kind of situations is when you downplay what you're doing, and they still say it's bad..." – Jon (09:26)

3. Wellness Routines & Will’s Actual Regimen

• Diet specifics:
  • Arnett details his nutritionist’s plan: mostly protein and veggies, with strictly limited carbs and a solitary cheat meal per week.
    • Quote: "I don't have a cheat day. I have a cheat meal. Once a week, every seven days, I have one cheat meal. Jesus." (14:00)
    • Emphasis on desserts with "no preservatives" even for cheat meals.
• Exercise routine:
  • Will: boxing-inspired workouts with "Fight Camp" (a Peloton-style home boxing system), walking, hiking, kettlebell work—generally light but consistent, done solo.
    • Quote: "I just do, you know, street fighting, mainly a lot of street fighting." (14:23 — joking, then describes real routine)
• Sleep hack from nutritionist:
  • Pre-bed: a cup of berries or specific sorbet for a natural sugar spike that aids sleep.
    • Quote: "40 minutes before you go to bed... eat a cup of berries or a sorbet... you get that spike of natural sugar, and then you'll crash and you'll go to sleep better, and... he was right." (15:16)

4. Jokes & Jabs about Addiction and Vice

• Cigarettes and nicotine:
  • Will and Adam commiserate over struggles to quit smoking, the prevalence of nicotine pouches ("zinning"), and the idea (half-joking) that nicotine is a nootropic.
    • Quote: "They've never let me down. They've never lied to me. They always told me what they were going to do." – Will, on cigarettes (11:29)
    • Quote: "I don't drink. I'm so happy that I don't for myriad reasons..." – Will (16:38)
    • Discussion: Huberman's research on nicotine pops up, and both hosts highlight the trend of using nicotine as a supposed "performance enhancer" (17:47)
• Banter about "OnlyFans" and personal boundaries:
  • The comedians riff on their physical quirks (and kinkiness), wrapping health talk in R-rated jokes.
    • Jon: "Much like my OnlyFans, I prefer a little more than two fingers." (16:24)

5. Showbusiness: Public Perception, Serious Roles, and ‘The Hanks Run’

• On Tom Hanks’s career:
  • The group marvels at Hanks’s decades-long seamless switch from comedy to drama.
    • Discussion segues into Will’s own shift toward dramatic work and accompanying press tours.
    • Quote: "Hanks also did like 10 years of dominating comedy and then switched to drama and then was the go to drama guy for like another decade." – Jon (22:27)
• Will’s recent press and the surreal aspect of "being serious":
  • Arnett reflects on how being earnest about art can feel "corny" after a career of self-deprecation.
    • Quote: "For me, I feel like, man, it's hard for me to be that earnest in a way." (26:29)
    • On public expectations: "My instinct is to like undercut myself for the sake of comedy and to not come across as a guy who's serious." – Jon (28:46)
  • Arnett recounts encouragement from his 15-year-old son:
    • Quote: "Don’t let the fact that that happened ruin what you think about this great movie that you made, Dad." (30:53)

6. Stand-Up Comedy Preparation & Method

• Getting into character for a dramatic role as a standup:
  • Will describes performing under a character’s name at real clubs as research for a film.
    • Quote: "I would go down... being introduced as Alex Novak. And people did, like... think I was losing my mind." (32:09)
  • Discussion around the impulse to be funny even in serious settings, and how working with trusted collaborators (e.g., Bradley Cooper) enabled deeper vulnerability and risk-taking on camera.
    • Quote: "He's a foot from me with the camera in my face... 'we gotta go deep on this... throw it all away.' It was dope, man. It was scary as that is." (40:30)
• Improv vs Stand-Up:
  • Adam and Jon reminisce about coming up through improv, emphasizing how it creates a different relationship to the stage and comedy than stand-up (36:32)

7. Future Projects and the Value of "Choice"

• On choosing projects at 55:
  • Will reflects on finally doing work that truly interests him, working with Tony Gilroy, Pedro Pascal, and others.
    • Quote: "I only want to do stuff that I respond to... it's gotta be something that feels valuable." (42:10)
  • States that while comedy will always be appealing, he’s driven now by "what resonates," not obligation or routine.
• The luxury of riffing in podcasts keeping creative fulfillment high:
  • Quote: "That scratches a lot of itch, oddly enough." (44:16)

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• On virality and comedy out of context:
  • "If you're insulted by it, then you're proving my point. But the truth is I don't have a point. I didn't even mean it." – Will Arnett (02:54)
• On hitting health milestones:
  • "I'm under 300 for the first time in 10 years. It feels amazing." – Jon Gabris (05:56)
• Joking about "old school" weight loss:
  • "I start by not eating. Then I smoke a couple butts, repeat every day." – Will (06:28, recalling a text to Adam)
• Reflecting on aging in showbiz:
  • "You can't do it as you get older, too. Like, you just can't. Your body can't do it." – Will (17:02)
• Will’s son on handling disappointment:
  • "Don’t let the fact that that happened ruin what you think about this great movie that you made, Dad." (30:53)
• On the appeal of stand-up research for film:
  • "And so when I started doing stand up... I wanted to have that experience, truly what it was like to be this dude." – Will (32:04)
• On collaborating with a trusted director:
  • "Trust is just built, built, built… There can be no bullshit here." – Will (39:21, 40:30)
• Outlook on new opportunities:
  • "I'm not precious about it... I only want to do stuff that I respond to." – Will (42:10)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Podcast/joke controversies & tattoos: 02:13 – 04:10
• Physical health and doctor stories: 05:20 – 10:50
• Diet/exercise specifics: 11:03 – 16:01
• Substances & "performance enhancers": 16:08 – 18:28
• Discussing Tom Hanks and acting transitions: 21:40 – 23:55
• Will Arnett on Oscar press runs: 24:06 – 28:46
• Lessons from Will’s son about perspective: 30:31 – 31:29
• Stand-up preparation and improv vs. stand-up: 32:04 – 38:45
• Art of collaboration & personal/professional trust: 39:21 – 41:05
• Outlook for future projects: 42:04 – 44:16

Episode Tone & Final Thoughts

The episode is a seamless blend of honest reflection and signature raunchy banter, staying true to "Staying Alive’s" mission: making health and midlife not just approachable, but entertaining. Will Arnett’s mix of self-deprecation and candor pairs perfectly with Gabrus and Pally’s comedic vulnerability. For those who care about how comedy intersects with well-being, creative evolution, and the hilarity of midlife, this episode is essential listening.

Next Episode Tease:
The conversation continues in Part 2, where the trio will dive into Will's morning routine, fatherhood, and a deep-dive into Benicio Del Toro stories.