You Made It Weird with Pete Holmes

Guest: Abbi Jacobson
Date: September 28, 2022

EPISODE OVERVIEW

This episode of You Made It Weird features actor/writer/comedian Abbi Jacobson (of Broad City and Amazon's A League of Their Own). Pete and Abbi dig into the “secret weirdness” of showbiz, creativity, self-care, and identity with an easy, sleepover-like intimacy. Their conversation weaves through childcare, social media angst, self-care, growing up with artist parents, breaking into comedy, the making of Broad City, and Abbi's late discovery of her queer identity. The tone is casual, sincere, and brimming with both silly riffs and serious self-reflection.

KEY DISCUSSION POINTS & INSIGHTS

1. Sleepovers, Parenting, and Instinct ([08:23]–[12:33])

• Sleepover Vibes: Pete compares the podcast vibe to a sleepover for instant comfort.
• Parenting Instincts: Discussion of biology-focused parenting vs modern “sleep training.”
• Decision Fatigue: Abbi expresses uncertainty about future parenting choices, relating pet training decisions to the pressures of parental “correctness.”

“[Parenting advice]...it’s insane.” — Pete Holmes ([12:33])

2. Art of the Reimagining: A League of Their Own ([15:59]–[20:19])

• Reimagining vs. Reboot: Abbi insists the show is a “reimagining,” not a simple reboot.
• Fan Resistance: Pete and Abbi reflect on internet backlash to reboots, and the emotional stakes behind beloved cultural properties.

“People get really upset when you’re going to reboot their thing. Well, you’re rebooting a memory.” — Pete Holmes ([17:01])

3. Navigating Internet & Social Media Pressure ([20:19]–[24:23])

• Social Media Dilemma: Abbi isn’t on Twitter, only Instagram, and only for promo—she finds feedback cycles addictive and poisonous.
• Binary Reality: Pete describes how the internet traumatizes our brains into “Velcro for negative” feedback, and both discuss the self-destructive pull of reading criticism.

“It’s as close as I can come to understanding...cutting...it is self...yeah, you’re hurting yourself.” — Abbi Jacobson ([24:02])

4. Making TV: Process, Craft, and Aesthetics ([25:07]–[31:57])

• Intentional Filmmaking: Comparing the improv/lo-fi energy of Broad City and Crashing to the careful, storyboarded look of A League of Their Own.
• Coverage and Comedy: Abbi notes that the single-camera, non-cross coverage style limited comedy but enhanced drama and visuals.

“I felt like it limited the comedy for me, but enhanced everything else.” — Abbi Jacobson ([29:09])

• Writing in a Pre-tech Era: The constraints of 1940s letters as a storytelling tool—how lack of immediate tech communication raises emotional stakes.

5. Social Media, Community, and Modern Disconnection ([32:33]–[36:46])

• Phone Sabbaths: Pete advocates for “phone sabbath” to experience pre-internet connectedness, the need for low-stimulus, high-necessity asking from others.
• A Richer Day: They note how life feels deeper and slower without constant phone use.

6. Creativity Fuel: Coffee, Anxiety, & Magic Mind ([36:47]–[39:10])

• Caffeine and Productivity: Abbi shares her (significant) coffee habit and anxiety management.
• Productivity Drinks: Pete introduces Abbi to Magic Mind live, discussing adaptogens and nootropics.

7. Self-Care, Travel, and Recovery ([44:55]–[54:36])

• Self-Care Routines: Abbi discusses how her habits collapse outside routine, but how her recent two-week Italian/Spanish vacation (with minimal phone) provided her best self-care in years.

8. Family, Divorce, and Creative Roots ([54:36]–[66:13])

• Parental Influence: Both Abbi’s parents are artists; their divorce led to a unique double-home dynamic and a lingering preference for chaos or “un-settled” routines.
• Childhood Observations: Abbi remarks how familial unpredictability tuned her for creative, sensitive work (mimicry, observant humor, affinity for art).

“My life now can be directly pinned to that. I like split my time between New York and LA...I thrive in chaos.” — Abbi Jacobson ([59:20])

9. The Comedy Hustle: UCB, Improv, and Broad City ([71:29]–[105:17])

• Early Comedy Days: Abbi found classical acting school stifling, discovering her voice in UCB's improv where she met Alana Glazer.
• Practice, Rejection, DIY: Rejected by mainstream improv teams, Abbi and Alana started Broad City for autonomy and inclusion—relying on their network and hustling for every ounce of production value.
• Gatekeepers: They discuss the value and curse of comedy “gatekeeping”—inspiring some to make their own “gate.”

“If you don’t like the gatekeepers, build your own gate.” — Pete Holmes ([105:17])

10. Identity, Queerness, and Community ([125:26]–[133:09])

• Uniform Moments: Abbi describes the emotional impact of donning the Peaches uniform (“felt bizarre... made it feel very real”).
• Queer Storytelling: Her coming out occurred in her 30s, and she channels this in her work (Broad City, A League of Their Own)—valuing narratives about outsiders forming authentic community.
• Historical Accuracy: The all-women’s league was indeed very queer and racially diverse (facts the new show foregrounds).

11. Spirituality, Nature, and Connectivity ([114:06]–[124:52])

• Spiritual Ambivalence: Abbi identifies as culturally Jewish, but not religious—finding her deepest connection to “origin” or the divine in nature and synchronicity.
• Synchronicity: Mutual stories of meaningful “coincidences” and feeling most spiritually aligned in nature.

“Nature is beautiful and asks nothing from you.” — Pete Holmes ([119:49])

MEMORABLE MOMENTS & NOTABLE QUOTES

• On Reboots:
  “You’re rebooting a memory.” — Pete Holmes ([17:01])

• On Social Media:
  “I feel like it is self...Yeah, you’re hurting yourself.” — Abbi Jacobson ([24:03])

• On TV Craft:
  “I felt like it limited the comedy for me, but enhanced everything else.” — Abbi Jacobson ([29:09])

• On Queer Identity:
  “I think that any story that's about a group of people that are like outsiders and they find each other...is very queer.” — Abbi Jacobson ([129:32])

• On Childhood/Divorce Influence:
  “I thrive in chaos.” — Abbi Jacobson ([59:20])

• On Gatekeepers:
  “If you don’t like the gatekeepers, build your own gate.” — Pete Holmes ([105:17])

• On Spirituality in Nature:
  “Nature is beautiful and asks nothing from you.” — Pete Holmes ([119:49])

TIMESTAMPS FOR IMPORTANT SEGMENTS

• 08:23 – Podcast “sleepover” energy, parenting philosophy, and instincts
• 15:59 – Reboot vs. reimagining, stakes of redoing beloved works
• 20:19 – Internet outrage culture and social media addiction
• 29:09 – TV making: constraints, process, visual choices
• 31:00 – Writing challenges in period drama; the importance of letters
• 36:47 – Reflection on phone-sabbaths and richer days
• 39:10 – Magic Mind productivity and coffee talk
• 44:55 – Abbi on self-care, travel to Spain/Italy
• 54:36 – Artist parents, growing up amidst divorce and its impact
• 71:29 – Quitting acting conservatory, finding UCB, meeting Alana Glazer
• 83:46 – Not "fitting in" at the UCB house teams, genesis of Broad City
• 101:16 – Navigating success, survivor’s guilt, including community in later work
• 125:26 – Wearing the Peaches uniform for A League of Their Own
• 127:20 – Coming out, queer identity, authentic stories
• 114:06 – Religion, meaning, spirituality: nature and synchronicity

FINAL SEGMENTS

• Abbi’s Funniest Memory ([133:58]):
  High school, running away from a haunted trail volunteering gig, tripping face-first in the parking lot with friends—laughing hysterically at the absurdity and injury.

• Engagement & Weddings ([109:04]–[112:49]):
  Abbi shares, in brief, her recent engagement and her approach to savoring the period of being engaged without rushing into stressful wedding planning.

TONE & ATMOSPHERE

The conversation is playful, intimate, and often deeply candid—balancing Pete's boisterous warmth with Abbi's thoughtful, sometimes self-effacing observations. It's peppered with callbacks, wordplay, and a recurring appreciation of both the absurd and the profound.

CLOSING

The show wraps with signature warmth and wit. Abbi delivers the catchphrase “keep it crispy!” and Pete thanks her for a spirited, thought-provoking conversation.

Recommended for listeners eager for behind-the-scenes comedy stories, reflections on creativity and self-acceptance, and anyone curious about the personal journeys of artists who build their own gates.