We Might Be Drunk – Ari Shaffir w/ Mark Normand & Sam Morril
Episode Date: April 20, 2026
Guests: Ari Shaffir (with hosts Mark Normand & Sam Morril)
Episode Overview
In this lively, globe-trotting episode, Sam and Mark welcome their comedian friend Ari Shaffir for an unfiltered hang centering on Ari’s recent 8-month South American odyssey. The crew dives into travel tales, comedy philosophy, drinks from across the Americas, and the ever-present grind of modern stand-up life. It’s a raucous mix of heartfelt stories, sharp bits, practical drinking hacks, and comedic insights.
Key Discussion Points & Highlights
1. Setting the Stage: Guy Fieri Cancellation & Ari Steps In
- The show opens with playful banter about YouTube awards and confusion over set decor. Guy Fieri was supposed to be the guest, but bailed (“I guess he shook Andrew Tate’s hand and we didn’t have him.” – Sam, 01:17). Instead, Ari steps in, “dressed like a pregnant woman” (01:40).
- “I guess this isn’t the image rehabilitation pod.” – Sam (01:29)
2. Travel, Drinking Cultures, and Storytelling
Ari’s South American Adventure
- Ari recently returned from 8 months backpacking and living across Mexico, Brazil, Guatemala, Ecuador, and more.
- Details on coping with travel illness, dietary mishaps, and adjusting back to American comforts.
- “I ate some street meat in Brazil, like, day before I left... I've had lingering two logs since I've been home.” – Mark (03:40)
- On following American news while abroad:
- “I realized after about five days... I'm checking two to three times per game updates. This is dragging me back to America mentally. So I was like, I'm gonna check in once 10 days before the playoffs.” – Ari (11:58)
Local Sports & Community in Latin America
- Mark describes the passion and chaos of attending Oaxaca Guerreros baseball playoffs: “Every time they hit a home run, they put this elephant Ganesh mask on them and then knight them with a sword.” (15:34)
- “I became a supporter. I’m a Guerrero until I die.” – Mark (15:50)
- Discussion on the authenticity and lack of regulation at Latin-American games: 12-year-olds selling beer, burrito plates instead of hot dogs, and hometown pride.
- “What's great about those areas—and what's horrible—is there's no regulation.” – Ari (15:53)
National Identity: How Are Americans Seen Abroad?
- “Other parts of the world, you just say you're American, and they're just pissed.” – Sam (13:29)
- Ari on being American in the '90s in the UK: “American novelty accent. And this voice has never helped me with women. It was the only time.” (14:08)
- Mark on American confidence: “We are confident where no confidence is warranted. We’ll talk about anything, claim to know it all.” (47:31)
3. Drinks, Cocktails & Travel Hacks
Sampling Latin Spirits & Their Stories
- The gang tries Club Colombia (beer), caipirinhas (Brazil), pisco sours (Peru/Chile), and mezcalitas (Mexico).
- Cocktails become a vehicle for cultural anecdotes and shrewd bar advice:
- “The classiest outsider drink you can get is a Boulevardier. Bartenders go, oh, yeah—coming right up.” – Mark (07:41)
- Capirinha logistics: “It takes a while... They cut the limes, start smashing them down.” – Mark (10:07)
- On American tipping habits in Latin America: “The bill was 10. Why would you give me 12? That doesn't make sense.” – Mark (14:33)
Travel Booze Hack: “Keistering” Booze into Stadiums (34:05)
- Mark shares how to smuggle alcohol into sporting events: pour liquor into small plastic bags (like local "Capri Suns"), hide them in your waistband.
- “This is the thing—they teach you, this will get you booze into any place, anywhere... It feels like what your balls feel like.” – Mark (34:35)
- “TSA is about to get so much worse after this video.” – Sam (35:02)
4. Reverse Culture Shock
- Ari and Mark riff on what’s weird about coming home—flushing toilet paper, brushing your teeth with tap water, and the relentless chatter about politics.
- “It's just tacky, the amount that we talk about politics here.” – Mark (41:06)
- Sam: “I try not to weigh in unless I got a good joke.” (41:44)
5. Comedy: Taking in vs. Putting Out & the Modern Stand-Up Grind
- Extended, thoughtful discussion on how much comedians create (“put out”) versus how much life experience and inspiration they take in.
- “Comedians in this day and age are putting out more than they're taking in—unsustainable levels... What are we taking in to draw from? I think it's a real problem.” – Mark (92:12)
- “I need more stories. And you don't get them by just going to the same bar every night and getting shit-faced. You gotta go on some adventures.” – Sam (93:57)
On Storytelling: American vs. International Styles
- “Edinburgh comics do stories. How do I say this without being rude? ...Boring.” – Mark (98:10)
- “American stand-ups will just naturally punch it up...out of survival.” – Ari (98:45)
- Analysis of how best to construct and punch up a story—emphasize the ending, make it count.
- “The ending of a story—so important, so hard. That takes a whole…” – Ari (96:39)
6. Comedy Life, Plugs, & Community
- Reflections on the NYC comedy scene, late nights at the Cellar, evolution of the crew, and nostalgia for old “booze bag” times.
- Mark’s “the End” storytelling show and the importance of comedians owning their material and releasing projects directly to fans.
- “The money is going to the comedians. Every purchase you make of episode 5 of the End puts $2 in the pocket of Mark Norman.” – Mark (110:37)
Notable Quotes & Moments
-
On American Confidence Abroad:
“We are so fucking confident. Blindly and just, like, carry conversations. We’re great at a party. We bring attitude. Australians bring, ‘I’ll find the coke in the city.’”
– Mark Normand (47:41)
-
On Getting Back in Touch with Friends:
“I missed you guys...I'd be in a bar and think, specifically, you two would love these places. If I could just say, ‘come down!’”
– Mark Normand (68:14)
-
On Loneliness and Human Trust While Travelling:
“There’s moments of extreme, soul-crushing loneliness. But they’re just moments...Most people are cool. The story isn't Jordan missed three shots, the story is Jordan went 23 of 26.”
– Mark Normand (46:46 & 32:03)
-
On Creating Comedy Out of Real Experience:
“We're constantly putting things out. What are we taking in?...If you don't have anything to say, that's not gonna be good.”
– Mark Normand (92:15)
-
On Owning Your Content:
“The money's going to the comedians...it's me taking my show back from corporate overlords.”
– Mark Normand (111:05)
Key Timestamps
- Guy Fieri cancelled, Ari steps in: 01:08–01:33
- Travel stories begin: 10:39
- Oaxaca baseball playoff adventure: 15:14–15:50
- American reception abroad & humility: 47:21–48:22
- Sports, drinking, and smuggling hacks: 34:05–36:54
- Drinks and their stories: 07:41, 22:13, 44:48, 62:17, 86:52
- Reverse culture shock, USA politics obsession: 41:05–42:58
- Tips on storytelling & standup philosophy: 93:05–98:45
- Plug for “the End” storytelling show (and direct-to-fan media): 110:12–111:43
Summary Table: Drinks Sampled & Their Stories
| Drink | Country | Cultural Context / Anecdote |
|--------------|------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Club Colombia| Colombia | Classic beer in social settings—"love a brown bottle" (11:02) |
| Caipirinha | Brazil | Beach party staple; made with care; dangerous in street bars (22:13, 22:36) |
| Pisco Sour | Peru / Chile | National pride, many flavors, a matter of cultural dispute (44:48, 62:17) |
| Mezcalita | Mexico | “Margarita is low class…mezcalita is way better—smokier” (87:05) |
| Godfather | US/Italy | Mark’s favorite “house” drink—scotch and amaretto |
| Boulevardier | France/Italy/US | “Classiest outsider drink”—bartender respect |
Tone & Language Notes
- The episode is casual, ribald, quick-witted, and filled with inside-joke camaraderie—classic for three well-traveled comics.
- Mark, Sam, and Ari riff hard, trade generous barbs, and move seamlessly from sincerity to savagely funny bits.
- Candid talk of bodily functions, travel mishaps, and drinking blends with real insight into the comedy grind and creative process.
If You Only Listen To...
- 34:05–36:54 – How to “keister” booze into stadiums. A hilarious, practical, and all-too-relatable travel/drinking hack.
- 44:48–47:31 – On American attitudes abroad and the dangers of Dunning-Kruger confidence.
- 92:12–98:45 – Deep dive into the tension between content creation and living enough to have new stories; advice for comics and creatives.
Resources & Plugs
- Mark Normand’s The End (Storytelling Show): “It’s me taking my show back from the corporate overlords.” (110:37)
- Ari Shaffir’s Pushing Boulder (Barcumentary): “It’s me building up to the special...special now on Netflix.” (109:11)
- Tour dates & comedy recommendations are scattered in the final 15 minutes.
Final Word
This episode is a masterclass in guys-trip storytelling, a paean to the joys and risks of travel, self-deprecation, comedic craft, and the bonds of friendship that hold road-worn comics together. Frequent asides about craft, culture, and commerce make it a must for comedy fans and anyone chasing inspiration—or just a better drink.
