The Commercial Break: TCB Infomercial with Reggie Watts

Podcast: The Commercial Break
Episode: TCB Infomercial: Reggie Watts
Date: October 12, 2024
Guests: Bryan Green, Krissy Hoadley (hosts), Reggie Watts (guest)

Overview:

This episode of The Commercial Break features a return appearance by the multi-talented comedian, musician, and improviser Reggie Watts. The conversation is equal parts absurdist humor and heartfelt depth, ranging from discussion about Reggie’s burgeoning romantic relationship, reflections on intimacy and traditional partnership dynamics, to an exploration of polyamory and the metaphysical aspects of connection, music, and intuition. The episode balances the podcast’s signature playful chaos with genuine insights about love, creativity, and the human experience.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Reggie’s Return and New Brew Care Package

• Bryan and Krissy joke about how rare it is for a guest to voluntarily return, setting the self-effacing, irreverent tone.
  • “Of all the people we've interviewed, 99% of them said, 'Sure, we’ll come back.' But only one actually did it and that is our good friend Reggie Watts.” (Brian, 00:50)
• Reggie gifted the hosts a case of "New Brew," a kratom and kava-based non-alcoholic seltzer.
  • Discussion of flavors, effects, and a warning for those with addictive tendencies.
  • “He’s got two feathers in his cap: Number one, he came back... Number two, he sent us something to get us fucked up while we're talking to him.” (Brian, 06:44)

2. Reggie’s Summer: Travels, Romance, and Shows

• Reggie discusses touring through Europe, especially Berlin and the UK, performing at festivals.
  • “For the longest stint we were in Berlin ... an amazing time. I was there with my girlfriend.” (Reggie, 11:29)
  • He speaks fondly of Houghton Festival, curated by club pioneer Craig Richards, and describes it as “a festival for people who hate festivals” with a sustainable, dreamy vibe. (12:37)
• The conversation turns to Reggie’s new relationship:
  • The progression from dating to seriousness: “Met on February 16... became official in early May.” (Reggie, 15:10)
  • Reggie reflects on feeling true intimacy for the first time, crediting therapy and his partner’s emotional intelligence.
    • “I’ve had girlfriends, but I've never been in an actual relationship where you feel like you're vulnerable to each other... and you're listening to one another.” (Reggie, 16:01)

3. Vulnerability, Love, and Healthy Relationships

• All three discuss what it’s like to find "your person" and the experience of immediate, deep connection in relationships and friendships.
  • Bryan: “If you find that in a human being... that is the magic, that's the jam. That's when you're blinged out and you should try your best to make it work.” (18:53)
  • Reggie: “She would be definitely someone that my mom would have been like, 'Yeah, okay, I’m glad you're with her.'” (17:59)
  • Krissy: “The first month we were kind of like, 'Wow, this is something neither one of us had before.'” (33:16)
• Honest talk about working through jealousy, routines, and differences (e.g., his partner starting a 9-to-5 law career, Reggie’s freelance artist lifestyle).

4. Polyamory, Solo Poly, and Communication

• Reggie delves into his polyamorous past:
  • “Solo poly is closer to being single... but it's just much more mindful with the people that you're seeing.” (Reggie, 22:40)
• He contrasts healthy, highly communicative poly relationships with the "don’t ask, don’t tell" style he used to practice—and how important open dialogue is.
  • “Being with all those different people and being communicative and saying, 'I'm doing this with this person, I'm doing this with this person,' is something that I didn't used to do.” (Reggie, 24:30)
• The conversation covers the spectrum of poly types, concluding that trust and communication are universal challenges/invitations, regardless of relationship structure.

5. Sensual Friendships and Trust

• Reggie describes his Berlin friend group, where sensual, non-sexual touch is normal, and how his girlfriend practices trust:
  • “For Kathyrn, she had to admit... I had to kind of relax and just trust there’s nothing going on.” (Reggie, 30:37)
• Brian: “Jealousy... it’s really difficult to shake that because I think it is so genetically baked in... as a younger man, it was much louder.” (31:25)
• Consensus that true security comes from emotional connection and open communication.

6. Metaphysical Musings: Synchronicity, Music, and Flow

• The group discusses the feeling of instant friend/partner connection (“past lives,” “soul recognition,” “vibrational compatibility”).
  • “We are all living in the memories of our future selves.” (Reggie, 47:09)
• Reggie on music/the creative process:
  • Compares deep friendships and romantic bonds to musical “sympathetic vibrations.”
  • Talks about a recent “shamanic” performance at a charity event, describing the experience of creative flow as collective transcendence:
    • “In that moment... now you're in this paradoxical zone where a new, a third space opens up. That's not either here nor there and we're all experiencing it collectively.” (45:39)
• Reggie’s take on intuition/time:
  • “I think when you tap into intuition... you’re accessing an aspect of yourself that can either calculate the probabilities... or you already know the outcome of a certain action if you perform it now.” (50:19)

7. Upcoming Projects and Plugs

• Reggie’s new comedy special, Nevermind, is available on Veeps. Details about tour dates coming soon.
• His memoir, Great Falls, Montana: Fast Times, Post Punk Weirdos, and a Tale of Coming Home Again, is praised as accessible and enjoyable.
• New Brew is discussed—but not sponsored.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On polyamory and trust:
  • “It’s more like an openness to sensuality that is not stifled by some quasi puritanical element... They know that line, you know?” (Reggie Watts, 29:23)
• On true intimacy:
  • “I've had girlfriends, but I've never been in an actual relationship where you feel like you're vulnerable to each other and... you're listening to one another.” (Reggie Watts, 16:01)
• On instincts and jealousy:
  • “Jealousy... it's really difficult to shake because it’s so genetically baked in.” (Brian Green, 31:25)
• On the instant, deep bond:
  • “It feels like there is no time... as long as we keep the communication, and if I tell her that I have fears, we can talk about it.” (Reggie Watts, 34:37)
• On the creative process as spiritual transmission:
  • “We amplify and we create... and when it catches and everyone kind of comes along for it, it’s like now you’re in this paradoxical zone where a new, a third space opens up.” (Reggie Watts, 45:39)
• On intuition and time:
  • “When you tap into intuition... it’s just you’re accessing an aspect of yourself that can either, like, calculate the probabilities quick enough... or you’re tapping into—you already know the outcome.” (Reggie Watts, 50:19)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:50 – Setting the scene: Reggie's return, New Brew, and banter
• 11:09 – Where has Reggie been? Touring, travel, new romance
• 15:10 – Details about his new relationship, vulnerability, and therapy
• 22:34 – Discussion of polyamory, solo poly, and relationship evolution
• 29:17 – On the spectrum of poly relationships and trust
• 31:25 – Jealousy and traditional relationship challenges
• 35:22 – Instant friendship/relationship "soul recognition"
• 39:43 – Reggie’s musical career, fusion of comedy and music
• 42:54 – Charity party story and “musical shaman” performance
• 45:39 – On flow, spirituality and the collective creative moment
• 47:09 – Metaphysics: “living in the memories of our future selves”
• 50:19 – Intuition, time, and self-communication
• 52:35 – Upcoming special and fall tour info
• 54:42 – Closing: Invitations, future appearances, and gratitude

Tone and Style

Staying true to TCB’s “chaotic, unpolished charm,” this conversation weaves sharp, silly humor with authentic, open-hearted dialogue—often shifting rapidly between the two. The vibe throughout is warm, accepting, and laced with the oddball musings that fans of the show expect.

Summary for New Listeners

This episode is a captivating mix of candid relationship talk, philosophical ruminations, and comedic detours. It’s a window into Reggie Watts’s unique mind—a mind equally at home discussing “euphoric seltzers” and unpacking human intimacy. Whether you’re a TCB regular or new to the show, this is a prime example of why the podcast calls itself the “Cheesecake Factory of Comedy”: sprawling, unexpected, a little ridiculous, and always entertaining.

Suggested Listening:

• If you’re interested in relationship insights: 15:10–23:00
• Curious about polyamory and friendship philosophy: 22:34–35:22
• For Reggie’s creative process metaphysics: 39:43–50:53
• Show highlights and announcements: 52:35–end

TL;DR:
A funny, probing, and vulnerable deep-dive: Come for the laughs and Reggie’s off-the-wall stories; stay for the genuine talk about love, intimacy, polyamory, creativity, and metaphysics, all laced with TCB’s signature goofy energy.