The Pete and Sebastian Show - EP 677: J.J. Watt Calls In!
Release Date: October 21, 2025
Hosts: Pete Correale & Sebastian Maniscalco
Special Guest: J.J. Watt (NFL All-Pro, TV personality)
Episode Overview
In a lively and freewheeling installment (#677), comedians Pete and Sebastian blend their unique comedic perspectives with sports talk, social commentary, and their signature personal anecdotes. The episode’s big highlight is a surprise call-in from NFL superstar J.J. Watt, leading to an unscripted, hilarious exchange on fashion faux pas, the science of modern NFL kicking, and the evolution of their own lives. As always, the show delivers its trademark blend of nostalgia, observational humor, and candid discussions—offering listeners both big laughs and genuinely relatable moments.
Main Discussion Topics & Key Segments
1. Social Media Woes & Hiatus Plans
Timestamps: 01:28–02:20, 06:00–07:38
- Pete considers quitting social media due to the negative feelings it brings ("If you had a meter and the meter is ten positive, ten negative after coming off social media, are you positively affected or negatively affected?").
- Sebastian laments never feeling better after scrolling, instead comparing the emotional impact unfavorably to real-life interactions and meaningful reading.
- Both reflect on how the algorithm seems to feed them stuff they didn’t ask for, prompting consideration of a digital detox.
2. The Evolution of NFL Kickers
Timestamps: 07:38–12:14, 43:51–52:20
- Pete voices amazement at how field goal distances have ballooned:
“When did a 70-yarder become a chip shot? What the fuck is going on with these kickers?” - Nostalgia for the ‘80s and ‘90s: kickers were less athletic, sometimes barefoot, and long-range kicks were rare and dramatic.
- J.J. Watt (after calling in) explains how specialized kicker training, changes in ball preparation rules, and advances in equipment have transformed the kicking game. Kickers now ‘doctor’ their own footballs to suit their preferences, resulting in longer and more accurate kicks.
3. Real Estate Agents Have Changed!
Timestamps: 15:27–26:55
- Pete skewers the modern, glamorized real estate industry:
“Now they got a girl spread eagle on a kitchen countertop… Are we selling a house or is this a Playboy shoot?” - Sebastian jokes: “Attractive real estate agent—the house is nicer… But generally speaking, these model types, men and women, they don’t know nothing about the house.”
- Laments about “Scorsese-level” video tours, drones, and advertising over substance, versus the old-school approach where agents actually knew details and gave personal tours.
4. Moving Stories, New Houses, & The Value of Stuff
Timestamps: 26:55–34:18, 32:06–34:58
- Pete describes his recent move and sentimental feelings about leaving Fredonia, but finds himself quickly adapting and loving the new home.
- Discussion of what’s worth keeping and moving—highlighted by Pete hauling a mini-fridge and a 1941 war vehicle—despite Sebastian’s protests (“We could have left the fridge and I feel new. I feel how. Listen, I feel new house, new things!”).
- Reflects on the working-class mentality: wringing value from every item and the humility of showing the unglamorous parts of their lives on social media.
5. J.J. Watt Joins the Show: The Eyewear Roast & NFL Insider Talk
Timestamps: 33:30, 38:29–54:30
- Eyewear Roast:
- Pete and Sebastian mercilessly tease J.J. about his new on-air glasses (“Looks like he just finished weed whacking…It’s a windshield from a Datsun.” – Sebastian, 02:42).
- J.J. fires back: “Pete looks like a skeleton. Do you eat food, bro?” (38:50)
- The glasses prompt a discussion about the public’s reaction to changing looks post-NFL, with J.J. revealing his longer hair is an experiment now he’s out of a helmet.
- NFL Ball Science:
- J.J. details how NFL teams now bring their own balls, work the leather to precise softness, and how “K balls” (for kicking) are specifically doctored to benefit kickers.
- Surprising insight: long snappers can control the number of ball rotations so laces face the right way for the kicker—“How nuts is that?” (50:28, Watt).
- Replay of Pete’s thesis: recruiting freakishly tall men just to block field goals, with J.J. pondering if that would work but noting kickers now launch the ball so high it’s almost impossible.
- Personal Insults & Jokes: The three riff on each other’s physiques, with Sebastian accused of “disintegrating,” and J.J. of losing his “Hulk” build:
- J.J.: “If you take a tumble down the stairs, a hip is gone and you’re having one of those chairs that takes you up the stairs for the rest of your life.” (53:05)
- Sebastian, on J.J.’s changing physique: “You’re kinda pedestrian now, you’re a little… gotta run his body.” (52:47)
6. Parenting, Names, and Middle Name Revelations
Timestamps: 55:48–60:16
- After J.J. signs off, Pete & Sebastian try and (fail) to recall his children’s names, prompting jokes about uncommon names and family traditions.
- A playful riff on the difference between “Tony” and “Anthony” as an Italian-American rite of passage (“You know who calls you Anthony? Your mother. Until you’re 18.” – Sebastian, 58:26).
- Both reveal their own middle names for the first time after 15 years of friendship, marveling at how little they actually know about each other despite their close professional relationship.
Notable Quotes & Moments
-
On NFL Kicking:
“When did a 70-yarder become a chip shot? What the fuck is going on with these kickers?”
— Pete Correale [08:25] -
On Eyewear:
“It’s a windshield from a Datsun. I don’t even know what the fuck I’m looking at.”
— Sebastian Maniscalco [02:42] -
From J.J. Watt:
“You look like the skeletons that you called white trash that people put in their yard.”
— J.J. Watt to Pete [39:02]
“They throw this ball out of bounds. And then the refs throw in a K ball, kicking ball, and they kick the kicking ball.”
— J.J. Watt on NFL kicking procedures [46:56]
“If I tried to put that [shirt] on, it would rip. Like the Hulk. Looks good, though.”
— J.J. Watt to Sebastian [53:33] -
On Real Estate Agents:
“We're selling a house or we are we doing a strip piece?”
— Pete Correale [16:32] -
On Authenticity in Comedy:
“They want to see authentic you how you are real. And moving the refrigerator from Fredonia to Rochester…they ain't looking for this fancy shit.”
— Sebastian Maniscalco [33:34]
Memorable Moments
- Pete’s Fridge Relocation: Listeners get insight into Pete's old-school, working-class approach—hauling an ancient fridge to a new home, rather than throwing it away.
- J.J.'s Eyewear Explanation: The debate on J.J.’s “Datsun windshield” glasses ends when he explains the look was for a 1975 NFL Today throwback broadcast (41:03).
- Rapid-Fire Football Science: J.J.’s concise but in-depth info-dump on kicking and equipment rules is both fascinating and funny, spiced with asides and inside jokes.
- Unfiltered Banter: Real friendship vibes shine as the recurring mockery and self-deprecation (“You don’t even eat food, bro!”) creates a genuinely warm, hilarious dynamic.
Tone & Style
- Conversational, Warm, and Rambunctiously Honest: Pete and Sebastian keep it loose and unscripted, with plenty of give-and-take, quick-witted ribbing, and honest reflections on everything from sports to family to the minutiae of daily life.
- Accessible for Non-Football Fans: While the NFL segments bring fun behind-the-scenes insight, the focus is always on the people and the laughs, making it enjoyable even if you aren’t a die-hard sports fan.
Final Thoughts
This episode is a classic example of what makes The Pete and Sebastian Show special: authentic camaraderie, relatable humor, and dynamite guest interaction. The surprise J.J. Watt segment is both informative and hysterical, while the running commentary on social trends and generational changes keeps things fresh and grounded.
Recommended Listening Timestamps:
- 01:28 – Social media, Pete’s algorithm gripes
- 07:38 – NFL kicker evolution rant
- 15:27 – Real estate agent change-ups
- 38:30 – J.J. Watt call-in, eyewear debate
- 43:51 – Detailed NFL ball/kicker science
- 55:48 – Names, parenting, and sentimental banter
For newcomers: If you’ve never listened before, this episode is a perfect jumping-on point—funny, revealing, and full of classic Pete and Sebastian charm, with a sports legend thrown in for good measure.
