The Commercial Break – “Ayahuasca Day Camp”
Episode Date: December 5, 2024
Podcast Hosts: Bryan Green & Krissy Hoadley
Episode Overview
This episode of The Commercial Break delivers the usual brand of irreverent, improv comedy as Bryan and Krissy riff on topics ranging from college football chaos and the transformation of athlete compensation, to bizarre hallucinogenic trips with ayahuasca, rich people’s retreats, and a jaw-dropping story about a nudist doctor. The duo’s long-time friendship and throw-anything-at-the-wall banter amplify the sense that listeners are sharing drinks with two slightly unhinged, hilarious pals.
Tone: Chaotic, self-aware, and playfully skeptical.
Major Discussion Points & Insights
1. College Football: Chaos and Parity
Timestamp: 00:55 – 13:45
- Bryan admits he’s becoming like his dad, chatting about football, weather, and traffic, and watches college football mostly for the pageantry and excitement.
- Explains the shift in college football: With the introduction of a 12-team playoff, “parity” has hit the sport—big-name schools used to always dominate, but now, upsets abound and more teams have a shot.
- The NIL Revolution:
- Players now legally get paid for their name, image, and likeness (NIL).
- “You could literally go to Virginia Fart University...and get paid $200,000 for doing a Doritos commercial.” (Bryan, 07:12)
- Both hosts agree it was always happening under the table—now it’s transparent and more fair.
- Sports culture: Krissy shares that women enjoy college football, too, especially if they went to a big school.
- NFL vs. college: College feels purer for Bryan, with players “leaving it on the field,” vs. the NFL.
Notable Quote:
“Now it doesn’t fucking matter anymore. The NCAA, after years of doing the wrong thing, did the right thing... We should give some of that money to the people who make it so popular—which is the guys that are fucking cracking their heads every Saturday afternoon.”
— Bryan, 07:59
2. Modern Media, Pat McAfee & Loosened TV Standards
Timestamp: 11:06 – 15:39
- Pat McAfee’s rise: Former football player turned “loose cannon” host on ESPN, known for pushing boundaries and requiring a live disclaimer ticker on Disney-owned ESPN.
- Loosened standards: Swearing on live TV at 1pm is now possible; Bryan finds this hilarious and emblematic of changing sensibilities in media.
- McAfee’s on-air quirks: Wearing two rings—leads to a running gag about him being a polygamist in a “throuple.”
Notable Moment:
“Please excuse us in advance for anything Pat McAfee may say. This is ESPN, owned by Disney... Man, how things have changed.”
— Bryan, 13:04
3. Pagentry of College Athletics & The Toll on Student-Athletes
Timestamp: 15:40 – 18:51
- Krissy: She only got into football at college—big games are “part of the culture.”
- Bryan: Wonders aloud if players actually get their degrees given their schedules; only a minority will go pro.
- Joking about the academic “overachiever” that’s always spotlighted.
4. Chess is Back? (Comic Interlude)
Timestamp: 20:23 – 23:11
- Chess is supposedly “making a comeback,” with new chess variants emerging; Bryan self-deprecates his online loss to a Swiss five-year-old, “Davios,” in hilarious fashion.
5. Ayahuasca: The Experience, Myths & Commodification
Timestamp: 24:50 – 41:11
- Aaron Rodgers labeled an “Ayahuasca Enthusiast” on ESPN’s title card prompts Bryan’s deep-dive.
- Bryan’s own experiences:
- Attended two ceremonies (both in the U.S.), surrounded by a cast of old hippies, professionals, and a shaman who was presented as Jerry Garcia-esque.
- Humorous retelling of the “pitch” for ayahuasca: “We’ve rented a room at the Holiday Inn. Light hors d’oeuvres, champagne in plastic cups... then you’re gonna die a million deaths and throw up on yourself. It’s gonna be so much fun!” (Bryan, 33:23)
- Warns: “Don’t do this recreationally, like on a Tuesday night... Have a guide. Be prepared.” (Bryan, 26:24)
- Fasting beforehand was part of the preparation (“Only drink liquids...to increase your chances it’ll be a powerful journey. Why it needed to be any more powerful, I don’t know!” – Bryan, 36:34)
- What Ayahuasca is like:
- Most likely to experience ego death, separation from body, intense visions, vomiting, and “incomprehensible” connectedness with universe.
- Shaman guidance is essential; process involves multiple “trips” in/out of the wormhole.
- “I also saw myself as a child and as a dying human being and as reborn again, going through the birth canal... I felt it.” (Bryan, 40:21)
- Jokingly wonders if he saw Aaron Rodgers in the multiverse.
Memorable Quote:
“It’s like being invited to the most exclusive party in the world, but there’s a good chance you’re gonna die.”
— Bryan, 36:29
Comic Tangent:
“’Till 2024, when Aaron Rodgers sets up an ayahuasca day camp for rich kids...”
— Bryan, mocking wellness commercialization, 31:41
6. News Story: The Case of Dr. Naked Dave
Timestamp: 42:28 – 56:09
- Bryan plays a local news clip about an Arkansas doctor, “Dr. Dave,” who practiced medicine naked, posted videos as a naturist, and was caught on camera performing sex acts at work (including ejaculating on an employee).
- Staff casually ignored his nudity, which shocks both hosts.
- Bryan: “If you want to be a nudist, cool... but a family practice? That’s... that’s not what I bargained for. I didn’t come here to see your penis, I came in here to show you mine.” (Bryan, 47:46)
- Krissy questions how no one stopped this sooner.
Notable Quote:
“There are places where that’s appropriate and places where that’s not appropriate... Nudists sometimes take it to the extreme... Family naturists? That, to me, just seems like a recipe for disaster.”
— Bryan, 46:03
7. Closing Banter & Plugs
Timestamp: 56:09 – End
- A swirl of recap and “best of” the episode.
- Teasers for upcoming live recordings and community engagement—Twitch, YouTube, TikTok, Instagram.
- Bryan to Chrissy: “I love you.” Krissy: “I love you.” (58:45)
Notable Quotes & Moments with Timestamps
-
“You could literally go to Virginia Fart University...and get paid $200,000 for doing a Doritos commercial.”
— Bryan, 07:12 -
“Please excuse us in advance for anything Pat McAfee may say. This is ESPN, owned by Disney.”
— Bryan, 13:04 -
“You’ve never done this before? We’ve rented a room at the Holiday Inn... Then you’re gonna die a million deaths and throw up on yourself. It’s gonna be so much fun.”
— Bryan, 33:23 -
“It’s like being invited to the most exclusive party in the world, but there’s a good chance you’re gonna die.”
— Bryan, 36:29 -
“I didn’t come here to see your penis, I came in here to show you mine.”
— Bryan, 48:31 -
“Don’t ever let somebody see your penis on purpose... that’s just weird.”
— Bryan, 51:39
Segment Timestamps
- College Football and Parity: 00:55 – 13:45
- Pat McAfee & Live TV Looseness: 11:06 – 15:39
- College Pageantry & Athletes’ Burden: 15:40 – 18:51
- Chess Comic Relief: 20:23 – 23:11
- Ayahuasca Deep Dive: 24:50 – 41:11
- Dr. Dave/News Oddity: 42:28 – 56:09
- Wrap-up & Plugs: 56:09 – End
Episode Highlights
- Bryan’s vivid, tightly wound rant about the perils and highs of ayahuasca ceremonies—equal parts cautionary tale and spiritual rebirth.
- Baffled, comedic horror at “Dr. Naked Dave”—the naked Arkansas family doctor, and the bizarre normalization among his office staff.
- Running gags about Aaron Rodgers’ mystical branding, Pat McAfee’s two left-hand rings, and Bryan’s “doctor friend” who was never a doctor.
Final Thoughts
This episode showcases everything that makes The Commercial Break a cult favorite: wide-ranging topics, self-aware and shamelessly winding stories, and deadpan reactions to the weirdness of modern American life. Whether it’s philosophical musings on interconnectedness after puking one’s guts out on shamanic tea, or lampooning small-town medical ethics, Bryan and Krissy keep things just unhinged enough to make you feel at home.
For listeners new and old:
- You’ll laugh, groan, and possibly question ever drinking tea at someone’s “wellness retreat.”
- Stay for the ayahuasca story—don’t get scared off by the college football!