The Commercial Break: TCB Infomercial w. Paul Scheer
Date: April 2, 2024
Hosts: Bryan Green & Kristen Joy Hoadley
Guest: Paul Scheer
Overview
In this lively, unfiltered episode of The Commercial Break, hosts Bryan Green and Kristen Joy Hoadley welcome prolific actor, comedian, and podcaster Paul Scheer. The three dive into a whirlwind conversation about nostalgia for commercials, children’s TV, podcasting as a creative lifeline, absurd pop culture (including a fair Cheesecake Factory roast), podcast therapy, the evolution of adult humor in animation, Paul’s new book "Joyful Recollections of Trauma," and plenty of outlandish tangents in classic TCB style. The tone is self-deprecating and warmly irreverent, celebrating mediocrity, secondhand celebrity, and the joy of making stuff up with friends.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Celebrity Guests and the “Just Fine” Vibe
- Bryan and Kristen reflect on how their show, once expecting only fledgling guests, now lands “heavy hitters” like Paul Scheer.
- Bryan: “What we got…is the exact opposite. We're getting some heavy hitters.” [02:00]
- Running theme: TCB as the “Cheesecake Factory of comedy podcasts”—embracing mediocrity, variety, and a sprawling, surprising guest list.
2. Cheesecake Factory Rant & Pop Culture Tangents
- Extended riff about Kanye West and Bianca Censori’s viral Cheesecake Factory visit (and outfits) segues into a meditation on the odd social status of Cheesecake Factory.
- Bryan: “Cheesecake Factory, fine. It’s fine. It is a food hall. That's what it is.” [05:02]
- Nostalgic defense of chain restaurants as spaces of chaos, comfort, and unexceptional food.
- TCB’s self-mocking adoption of the Cheesecake Factory analogy is a through-line.
3. Commercials, Childhood, and Changing Media
- Paul expresses real nostalgia for commercials, now missing in the age of streaming.
- “Commercials are the original TikTok.” – Paul [13:15]
- His son, like Bryan’s, is fascinated with TV ads and demands “GEICO commercial” compilations.
- Fond reminiscence on 80s/90s commercials for kids' stuff—how they shaped childhood, culture, and even bad habits (candy cigarettes, Joe Camel tie-ins).
4. Parenting, Bed-making, and Yeti Cup Chaos
- Humorous debate about bed-making habits at home.
- Paul: “No, I'm an active, not maker of the bed. My wife is a maker of the bed.” [17:03]
- The hassle of managing kids’ water bottles and losing Yetis leads to jokes about living amid constant low-level chaos.
5. Children’s Cartoons: Grown-up Fans & Adult Jokes
- Paul voices Chip Whistler in Disney’s “Big City Greens,” which gets high praise from Bryan’s child.
- “My character’s a straight up bastard…They let me do some insane things.” – Paul [20:02]
- Discussion of "Bluey" as a beautifully-written, cross-generational cartoon that genuinely moves parents.
- Bryan tears up recalling a poignant "Bluey" episode about saying goodbye. [21:02]
- The hosts and Paul appreciate modern kids’ shows for blending adult and child humor, thanks to a generation raised on old-school cartoons.
6. Theme Parks, Family Trips, and “Disney Adults”
- Paul admits: “I definitely am [a Disney adult]. And, you know, every now and then I meet a real Disney adult and I'm like, well, I guess I'm not…” [24:40]
- Fond memories of family vacations focused solely on Disney parks; the strange concept (as a kid) of vacationing somewhere without a theme park.
- Nostalgia for road trips in 80s conversion vans—pre-iPad, with antenna TVs you could barely watch—noting the upgraded, more comfortable road trips for today’s families.
7. Podcasting as a Creative Lifeline
- Paul discusses how starting podcasts (“How Did This Get Made?” & “Unspooled”) over a decade ago provided creative freedom and continuity as the entertainment industry changed.
- “I’m so thankful…that you have this podcast because it allows you to make up your own rules, do what you want to do when you want to do it.” [29:27]
- Bryan and Kristen describe TCB as “podcast therapy,” a way to stay grounded during turbulent times.
- Jokes about families never listening (“We learned…families don’t give a sh*t”) and building a real audience from scratch.
8. Making Fun of Bad Movies & Good-Natured Critique
- Paul describes “How Did This Get Made?" as loving ribbing, never snark for snark’s sake.
- “We try very hard to not just come off snarky or, like, mean…we could do this show about There Will Be Blood, but it won’t be funny.” [32:51]
- The show is modeled after late-night Denny’s post-movie hangouts—fun, freewheeling, with a focus on what’s weird, entertaining, or unintentionally meaningful in “bad” films.
- “It’s a dinner table conversation—just this kind of free-flowing conversation.” [34:23]
- Memorable callback to his favorite movie to cover, Neil Breen’s “Fateful Findings.”
9. New Book: Joyful Recollections of Trauma
- Paul unveils his upcoming book, a memoir mixing his absurd, awkward, sometimes dark childhood stories with adult insights.
- “It’s…looking back into my childhood, a little bit darker, and then trying to figure out how to make that darkness a little bit lighter.” [36:50]
- Notable blurbs by Jane Fonda, Amy Poehler, Phoebe Robinson, Patton Oswalt, and more.
- His audiobook includes special features, old clips, and personal touches—Paul wants to “give something extra” for fans willing to pre-order or buy.
- “If people are spending money, I’m giving them something.” [39:55]
10. Making Art, Letting Go, and the Value of Collaboration
- Insightful exchange about the unpredictable evolution of both podcasts and books:
- “You don’t know what it looks like until it all unfolds, and then you go, oh, now it’s that thing.” – Bryan [43:20]
- Paul’s advice to creators: Work with people you love, let the project become what it wants to be, and don’t cling too tightly to the original concept.
- “Just do something that you love with people that you want to be doing it with. And that’s across the board.” – Paul [44:14]
- Referencing Rick Rubin: “Once people interpret it their way, they’re going to do with it whatever. You can just feel like, I did it the way I wanted.” [45:14]
11. Acting, Family Expectations & The League
- Paul recounts how his family viewed mainstream benchmarks (like SNL or Kelly Ripa) as “success”—regardless of his huge offbeat career (“...biggest success will be when I get on the Kelly Ripa Show.” [47:43])
- Talks fantasy leagues:
- “I am in a fantasy basketball and football league. Multiple fantasy football leagues. … We had the best time [on The League].” [48:20]
12. Naked Attraction, Sex Box, & Absurd TV
- Trip down the rabbit hole of bizarre dating reality TV, namely “Naked Attraction” and “Sex Box.”
- “And you're seeing stuff in ways that are not sexy. It's horrifying.” – Paul [52:47]
- “Sex Box…they have a box, people go in there, they have sex, and then they come out, and it's like a color commentary on what just happened inside the box.” – Paul [53:04]
- Laughs about parents unwittingly traumatizing their kids by taking them to see "Alien" in 1979.
Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments
-
"Commercials are the original TikTok.”
– Paul Scheer [13:15] -
"Cheesecake Factory, fine. It’s fine…It is a food hall. That's what it is."
– Bryan Green [05:02] -
“My character's a straight up bastard…They let me do some insane things. I'm like, really? I can go attack their house with a machine gun. Okay, sure.”
– Paul Scheer on "Big City Greens" [20:02] -
"I definitely am [a Disney adult]. And, you know, every now and then I meet a real Disney adult and I'm like, well, I guess I'm not…”
– Paul Scheer [24:40] -
“No, I'm an active, not maker of the bed. My wife is a maker of the bed.”
– Paul Scheer [17:03] -
“If people are spending money, I’m giving them something.”
– Paul Scheer on his audiobook [39:55] -
"Just do something that you love with people that you want to be doing it with."
– Paul Scheer’s advice for creators [44:14] -
“Families don’t give a sh*t.”
– Bryan Green, about family support for podcasts [31:00] -
“We try very hard to not just come off snarky or, like, mean…we could do this show about There Will Be Blood, but it won’t be funny.”
– Paul Scheer on the spirit of "How Did This Get Made" [32:51] -
"We are the Cheesecake Factory of podcasts."
– Bryan Green [63:34]
Important Timestamps
- [02:00]: Reflection on landing high-profile podcast guests.
- [05:02]: Cheesecake Factory riff.
- [13:15]: Paul: “Commercials are the original TikTok.”
- [17:03]: Bed-making debate—Paul’s family habits.
- [20:02]: Paul discusses "Big City Greens" and adult jokes in children's animation.
- [24:40]: Paul admits to being a “Disney adult.”
- [29:27]: Podcasting as lifeline, creative freedom, pandemic survival.
- [34:23]: How Did This Get Made’s style—modeled after post-movie Denny’s chats.
- [36:50]: Overview of Paul’s new book, Joyful Recollections of Trauma.
- [39:55]: Paul on enriching his audiobook and connecting with fans.
- [44:14]: Paul’s creative advice for podcasts and art.
- [52:47]: Naked Attraction and the horror of not-sexy naked reality TV.
- [53:04]: Recommendation of “Sex Box”—another wild reality format.
- [63:34]: TCB’s new tagline: “We are the Cheesecake Factory of podcasts.”
Episode Vibe and Takeaways
- Loose, Self-deprecating, Inclusive: TCB’s signature casual chaos is on full display. Paul’s openness and humor blend perfectly with Bryan and Kristen’s offbeat energy.
- Nostalgia & Absurdity: A through-line of warm, sometimes dark nostalgia for the excesses and weirdness of growing up in the 80s/90s, and how that shapes today’s pop/comedy landscape.
- Art & Friendship: The joy, comfort, and accidental brilliance that come from just making stuff up with people you click with.
- Celebration of the “Just Fine”: Whether it’s the food, a podcast, or a kids’ cartoon, the true value is in community, not perfection.
Listen Further If…
- You want behind-the-scenes stories about podcasting, acting, and the modern comedy scene.
- You love candid discussions about parenting, nostalgia, and the power of cartoons.
- You can hang with tangents, ribbing, self-mockery, and the search for joy (and cheesecake) in the ordinary.
For info on Paul’s book "Joyful Recollections of Trauma," podcast links, and how to join the TCB community, check the show notes or visit tcbpodcast.com!