Transcript

A (0:00)

You made it weird. You made it weird.

B (0:03)

You made it weird.

A (0:04)

Oh, yeah.

B (0:06)

You made it weird. Yes, you did. You made it weird with Pete Holmes.

A (0:15)

What's happening, weirdos? I gotta go run and get our kid real fast.

B (0:19)

This is an epic. This is a great episode. I love this one. We're gonna listen to this song.

A (0:24)

It's a musical episode.

B (0:25)

The first one where I had a guitar. I'm on tour. Please come see me in New York City, in Connecticut. That's coming up. I think there's a few tickets left, I don't know. And that's all@petehomes.com I'm also going other places. Denver, St. Louis. It's all going to be on petehomes.com Please come and see me. Means a lot. And also once a month I'm at Largo in Los angeles. Go to largo-la.com the next one is August 5th. These are the highlights. I'm working on my new hours. It's all new material. Hope to see you there. Largo-la.com for tickets to those and the show supported by you guys and you trying the things that I actually use and actually love. So Katie, roll those ads and if you like this show, the way that it works is if you want to support it. We don't have a Patreon or any way to, like donate, but if you want to try things that I actually use and actually love, try a Pete's Pick. It helps support the show. This episode is brought to us by my new favorite, best looking, best feeling shorts I've ever owned by Bird Dogs. I've never been bird dogs. I've never been a huge short guy. I love swimming. I hate swim trunks. But Bird Dogs has changed all of that, especially now that it's summer. I love liberating my legs and getting in the water as often as possible. And now, thanks to my dogs, I can do that while feeling totally comfortable and looking really good. Bird dogs make you look good. They even have stretch khaki shorts, which I love, that are designed to fit slimmer through the thigh and give your leg a truly sculpted look. Bird dog shorts do the exact same thing as Lululemon, but fit way better. And let's be honest, they look better and they're not Lululemon. So that's a plus. That's a plus. Come on, get in it, get into it. They're not stiff, restricting cotton. Bird Dogs have fixed this issue by inventing cloud knit fabric that looks just like khaki but stretches so you Get a way slimmer fit without having to sacrifice movement. And bird dogs use anti stiff distinct sweat wicking fabric that keeps you cool and dry all day long. And they're the best feeling, quickest drying, best looking swim trunks that I've ever owned. I've actually been giving them to guests and giving them away to friends. So go to birddogs.com weird you will get a free yeti style tumbler with your order. That's birddogs.com weird for a free yeti style tumbler with your order, you won't want to take your bird dogs off. We promise you. Birddogs.com weird all right everybody. I fucking love this episode. I can't wait for you to hear it. I'm gonna listen to this one with you in the car.

Summary

You Made It Weird with Pete Holmes

Episode: We Made It Weird #143
Date: July 14, 2023
Theme: Musical Mischief, Vulnerability, and the Weirdness of Everyday Life

Episode Overview

This special episode of "We Made It Weird" features Pete Holmes and his wife, Val, in a meandering, music-filled, and highly candid conversation. The pair riff on everything from the secret “uncoolness” of rock stars to parenting fails, all while frequently bursting into song—and spontaneous fits of laughter. The main thread through their discussion is the joy (and self-consciousness) of being vulnerably weird in front of each other and the audience, a theme made literal with Pete’s guitar in hand for much of the episode.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Music as Comedy, Comfort, and Competition

Improv Songs: Pete repeatedly improvises songs with absurd lyrics, e.g., “Have you ever seen a donkey with a dick the size of the moon?” (03:04), turning the random into musical stylings reminiscent of Neil Young or folk storytellers.
The Hidden Vulnerability of Musicians:
- They discuss how artists (like Guns N’ Roses and Bob Dylan) project “cool,” but in reality, musical proficiency usually comes from obsessive, nerdy practice—not the devil-may-care persona often assumed.
- “Those are a bunch of dorks that practiced for hours every day... You can’t play that unless you’re doing scales.” (22:54, Pete)
Rock vs. Punk:
- The pair explore the music culture clash: earnest, technically skilled rock bands vs. punk’s proud DIY and anti-perfection ethos. Val observes punk’s anti-effort attitude as antithetical to Pete's nature, sparking discussion about inclusion and “carving out a space for yourself” even with limited skill.
- “It’s so against your fundamental nature...you’re very like: work at your craft, hone your craft.” (33:32, Val)
Music vs. Comedy:
- Pete admits to a creative envy, noting the unmatched collective power of music:
- “Music wins. When Childish Gambino is playing to tens of thousands of people...it beats movie star. Music wins.” (17:31, Pete)
- Reflects on how rap (especially artists like Lil Dicky) blends honesty, speed, and theatricality, making it both intimidating and moving for him as a stand-up (19:09–20:41).

2. The Brave Art of Being “Uncool” & Honest

On Coolness:
- They debate what defines “cool” in artists—the mysterious aloofness of Bob Dylan, the vulnerability of Lil Dicky. Pete admits he struggles to relate to those who maintain an inscrutable persona:
- “Cool people, I have a harder time...I project my values onto them and imagine they like it. But with cool people, I just can’t imagine we’d get along.” (15:14, Pete)
Personal Honesty as a Superpower:
- Val encourages Pete by comparing his stand-up’s self-aware openness to Lil Dicky’s raps; both use radical honesty as their signature.

3. Parenthood, Sugar, and the Shame Spiral

Cobbler Incident:
- Pete recounts how a night of “honking down” on peach cobbler and graham crackers triggered a wave of rage and impatience the next morning, leading to a rough patch with their daughter, Lila (49:50–53:32).
- He discusses the shame and vulnerability of parental frustration, and how it cracks him open for deeper empathy and spiritual growth.
- “One of my biggest fears is that there’s this rage monster in me...I realized...if I were me, I’d be me.” (53:13 & 54:56, Pete)
Letting Go of Shame:
- The story ends with Pete finding grace in his own flaws: he realizes he can be compassionate with himself, not just others, reframing his anger as a temporary “weather system” rather than a failing (56:00).

4. Life Lessons from Cold Plunges and Chaos

Cold Plunge Metaphor:
- Drawing comparisons to the discomfort of ice baths, Pete suggests that full immersion—whether in cold water or the loud, silly chaos of podcasting—can be calming (28:21–29:58).
- “If I put my whole body in there...your brain just goes like...it leaves its post, so there is no pain.” (29:11, Pete)

5. Riffing, Jokes, and Inside Humor

Song Parodies:
- Throughout, Pete and Val parody classic songs and signature sounds, poking fun at folk lyrics, Guns N’ Roses’ tough imagery paired with gentle melodies, and oddball covers.
Memorable Playful Exchanges:
- Playful banter on “splish splash, I was taking a bath”—building absurd bridges (“I open the door and my big socky dick...was out, and everyone saw it.” (12:12, Pete))
- Imagined British-accented rockers, riffing on “garage bands” and Apple’s GarageBand (22:44).

6. TV Obsessions and Everyday Observations

Alone on TV:
- Both admit to a recent obsession with the survival show "Alone," prompting fits of laughter at how contestants always leave behind families—Pete joking, “Every single one of them deserves to be cheated on. Like, that is—you’ve broken the covenant.” (44:41)
Baking Show Letdown:
- Pete describes the near-miss of almost being cast on Celebrity Great British Bake Off, lamenting, “Guess who they didn’t pick? So when you’re watching it...just imagine if I was there.” (47:33)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

[07:19] Pete: “God’s pronouns are thy, thou.”
[13:05] Val (joking about Bob Dylan): “Your vagina means democracy.”
[16:25] Pete: “Music wins... there’s no Bonnaroo for comedy. There’s a tent, like carnies. And you go in there when you’re having a bad trip, and then I’m in there being like, ‘You ever wipe your ass?’ and then they’re like, ‘Oh, this is worse!’ and they run back out.”
[20:41] Pete: “It’s this impossible feat... marrying the music. There’s collaboration. The person who made the beat and the person who writes the song come together.”
[22:54] Pete: “Those are a bunch of dorks that practiced for hours every day... You don’t play—that—unless you’re doing scales.”
[25:22] Pete: “Your boy is the most at-odds-with-himself person you’ll ever know.”
[33:32] Val (on punk music): “It’s so against your fundamental nature... you’re very like: work at your craft, hone your craft.”
[53:13] Pete (on parenting shame): “My biggest fear is there’s this rage monster in me. And I certainly didn’t rage, but I was overwhelmed and exasperated and wasn’t hiding it.”
[54:56] Pete: “If I were me, I’d be me.”
[57:14] Pete (on spiritual brokenness): “When I’m broken and I turn to something... it gets in, like liquid metal, pouring through all of the cracks, getting right into me...”

Timestamps for Key Segments

03:04 – Improvised “Donkey” song, folk music parodies
06:11 – Guns N’ Roses, coolness vs. vulnerability in music
13:01 – Bob Dylan, rap, and projecting values onto artists
16:25 – “Music Wins” discussion, envy of musical influence
25:22 – Pete reflects on his contradictory nature & sugar highs
28:20 – The cold plunge metaphor for emotional overwhelm
33:24 – Punk music vs. perfectionism, personal taste and inclusion
43:27 – Obsession with the TV show Alone, parenthood, and reality TV
49:50 – Sugar “binge,” the peach cobbler incident, the morning hangover
53:13 – Parenting fail, shame, and self-compassion revelation
54:56 – “If I were me, I’d be me” – applying grace internally
57:14 – Brokenness as the gateway for receiving meaning

Tone and Style

Throughout, Pete and Val keep things playful, honest, and irreverent. Pete’s willingness to look foolish (“I’m a donkey with a dick the size of the moon!”) is balanced by genuine self-analysis and a strong thread of empathy (for others and eventually, himself). Their dynamic is affectionate, quick-witted, and deeply “weird”—in the sense of embracing the quirky, raw, and imperfect parts of life.

Summary

This episode embodies the spirit of “weirdness” as both silliness and radical authenticity. Listeners are treated to musical goofing, real talk about the anxieties of parenthood, and the often-overlooked realities behind “cool” art and artists. As always, there’s a lesson hidden in the hilarity: letting ourselves get a little “crispy” (and weird) can open us up to transformation, kindness, and maybe even a song or two about donkeys and the moon.

“Keep it crispy!” (58:49, Val)