Podcasts about Harris Wittels

Starting this episode with our Partridge park ranger, Clark Freeman! Thank you so much for talking about your original audition (not a park ranger!), getting the call the NIGHT BEFORE and how sweet Adam Scott is! Plus, keep an eye out for his project! IMDBInstagramBut we MUST talk about how amazing Adam Scott is and how nice he was to respond to my fan theory on Severance, omg! Peep 9:14 minute mark!!!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vztTLzRXCSwThen I start the Animal Control episode paying homage to our hero Harris Wittels for being such a huge backbone of Parks and we are so lucky he left his mark with us. Truly an icon. Thank you Harris for being who are. :) His mom's article is listed here:https://www.huffpost.com/entry/the-loss-of-my-son-harris-wittels-to-heroin_b_5819fc80e4b01f610e394766We then dive into Animal Control, which is such a phenom episode of laughs and growth! Tom donates to charity?! April comes up with an efficient government solution?! RON EATS A BANANA?! AMAZING! Each of these one liners or bits are truly something to behold

#1 ACS #948 (feat. Harris Wittels, Alison Rosen and Bryan Bishop) (2012) #2 ACS #3100 (feat. Zuby, Peter North, Gina Grad and Bryan Bishop) (2021) #3 ACS #3356 (feat. Big Jay Oakerson, Louis J. Gomez and Dave Smith) (2022) Hosted by Superfan Giovanni Request clips: Classics@adamcarolla.com Subscribe and Watch Clips on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AdamCarollaCorner

#1 ACS #948 (feat. Harris Wittels, Alison Rosen and Bryan Bishop) (2012) #2 ACS #3100 (feat. Zuby, Peter North, Gina Grad and Bryan Bishop) (2021) #3 ACS #3356 (feat. Big Jay Oakerson, Louis J. Gomez and Dave Smith) (2022) Hosted by Superfan Giovanni Request clips: Classics@adamcarolla.com Subscribe and Watch Clips on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AdamCarollaCorner

Below is a brief video snippet from our conversation. Full videos of all Ground Truths podcasts can be seen on YouTube here. The current one is here. If you like the YouTube format, please subscribe! This one has embedded one of my favorite TikTok's from Will. There are several links to others in the transcript. The audios are also available on Apple and Spotify.Transcript with links to both audio and videos, commencement addresses, NEJM article coverageEric Topol (00:06):Hi, it's Eric Topol from Ground Truths, and I've got an amazing couple with me today. It's Will Flanary and Kristin Flanary, the Glaucomfleckens. I've had the chance to get to know them a bit through Knock Knock, Hi! which is their podcast. And of course, everyone knows Dr. Glaucomflecken from his TikTok world and his other about 4 million followers on Instagram and Twitter and all these other social media, and YouTube. So welcome.Will Flanary (00:43):Thanks for having us.Kristin Flanary (00:44):Thank you. Happy to be here.By Way of BackgroundEric Topol (00:45):Yeah. Well, this is going to be fun because I'm going to go a quick background so we can go fast forward because we did an interview back in early 2022.Kristin Flanary (00:56):Yes.Eric Topol (00:57):And what you've been doing since then is rocking it. You're like a meteoric, right. And it was predictable, like rarefied talent and who couldn't love humor, medical humor, but by way of background, just for those who are not up to speed. I guess you got your start, Will, as a class clown when your mother was a teacher in the sixth grade.Will Flanary (01:22):Yep, yep. I misbehaved a little bit. It helped that I still made good grades, but I cut up a bit in class.Eric Topol (01:32):And then you were already in the comedy club circuits doing standup in Houston as an 18-year-old.Will Flanary (01:40):It was all amateur stuff, nothing, just dabble in it and trying to get better. I was always kind of naturally funny just with my friend group and everything. I loved making people laugh, but doing standups is a whole different ball game. And so, I started doing that around Houston as a high school senior and kept that going through college and a little bit into med school.Kristin Flanary (02:02):Houston was a good training ground, right? That where Harris Wittels was also coming up.Will Flanary (02:07):Yeah. A lot of famous comedians have come through Houston. Even going back to Bill Hicks back in the, was that the 80s, I think? Or 90s?Eric Topol (02:17):Well, and then of course, it was I think in 2020 when you launched Dr. Glaucomflecken, I think. Is that right?Will Flanary (02:28):That's when it really started to take off. I was on Twitter telling jokes back in 2016.Kristin Flanary (02:39):GomerBlog before that, that's actually where it was born.Will Flanary (02:41):I was doing satire writing. I basically do what I'm doing now, but in article form, trying to be The Onion of medicine. And then the pandemic hit, started doing video content and that's really with lockdown. That's when, because everybody was on social media, nobody had anything else to do. So it was right place, right time for me and branching out into video content.On to Medical School Commencement AddressesEric Topol (03:11):Alright, so that's the background of some incredible foundation for humor. But since we last got together, I'll link the Medicine and the Machine interview we did back then. What has been happening with you two is nothing short of incredible. I saw your graduation speeches, Will. Yale in 2022, I watched the UCSF in 2023 and then the University of Michigan in 2024. Maybe there's other ones I don't even know.Kristin Flanary (03:45):There's a few others.Will Flanary (03:45):There's a few. But I feel like you've done, I'm sure your fair share of commencement addresses as well. It's kind of hard to come up with different ways to be inspirational to the next generation. So fortunately, we have together, we have some life experiences and learned a thing or two by doing all of this social media stuff and just the things we've been through that I guess I have enough things to say to entertain an interest.Eric Topol (04:18):Well, you're being humble as usual, but having watched those commencement addresses, they were the best medical commencement addresses I've ever seen. And even though you might have told us some of the same jokes, they were so great that it was all right. Yeah, and you know what is great about it is you've got these, not the students, they all love you of course, because they're probably addicted to when's your next video going to get posted.(04:44):But even the old professors, all the family members, it's great. But one of the things I wanted to get at. Well, I'll start with the graduation speeches, because you were such an inspiration, not just with humor, but your message. And this gets back to you as a couple and the tragedies you've been through. So you really, I think, got into this co-survivor story and maybe Kristin, since you are the co-survivor of two bouts of Will's testicular cancer, and then the sudden cardiac death. I mean, people don't talk about this much, so maybe you could help enlighten us.Tragedies and Being a Co-SurvivorKristin Flanary (05:26):Yeah, it's funny because the experience of being a co-survivor is nothing new. It's as long as we've had human beings, we've had co-survivors. But the concept around it and giving it a name and a label, a framework to be able to think about it, that is what I think is new and what people haven't talked about before. So co-survivor is just this idea that when a medical trauma happens to a patient, the patient has their experience and if they survive it, they are a survivor and they have a survivor experience. And also, most people are closely attached to at least one other person, if not many. And those people are co-surviving the medical event along with the survivor. That event is happening in their lives as was happening to them too. If someone comes in with a patient to the hospital, that person, you can just assume by default that their lives are pretty intimately or profoundly intertwined or else why would that person be there? And so, thinking of it as there's the patient and then there's also a co-patient, that family members in the past have only been thought of as caregivers if they've been thought of at all. And that is certainly one aspect of the role, but it's important to remember that whatever it is that's happening to the patient is also affecting the family members' lives in a really deep and profound way.Eric Topol (07:04):That's really helpful. Now, the fact that you recognize that in your graduation speech, Will, I think is somewhat unique. And of course, some of the other things that you touched on like playing to your creativity and the human factors, I mean, these are so important messages.Will Flanary (07:23):Well, in the discussion about co-survivorship and because I talk about that whenever I do my keynotes and when I do the commencement addresses, but all credit goes to Kristin for really being the driving force of this idea for me and for many others because as a physician, we take care of patients. Our focus is always on the patient. And it really wasn't until this happened to me and my family and Kristin in particular that I started to understand exactly what she's talking about and this idea. And so, Kristin gets a lot of credit for just really bringing that term and that idea to the forefront.Eric Topol (08:09):Yeah, well, you saved his life. It's just not many have that bond. And then the other thing I just want to mention now, you've been recognized by the American Heart Association and a whole bunch of other organizations awarded because of your advocacy for CPR. And you even mentioned that I think in one of your commencement addresses.Will Flanary (08:31):Yeah, I tried to get the crowd to do CPR. Like team up, partner up, and it kind of fell flat. It wasn't quite the right time, I think, to try to do a mass class on CPR. So maybe next time.Eric Topol (08:47):Right. Well, so you had this foundation with the Glaucomflecken General Hospital and taking on 37 specialties and all these incredible people that became part of the family, if you will, of spoof on medicine and your alter ego and these videos that you would do. And sometimes you have three or four different alter egos in there playing out, but now you've branched into new things. So one which is an outgrowth of what we were just talking about. You've been on this country tour, Wife & Death.“Wife and Death,” A Nationwide TourKristin Flanary (09:28):Yes.Eric Topol (09:29):Wife and death. I mean, yeah, I guess we can make the connect of how you named it that, but what is it you've been selling out in cities all over the country, and by the way, I'm really upset you haven't come to San Diego, but tell us about wife and death.Will Flanary (09:44):Yeah. Well, we have this amazing story and all these medical challenges we've been through, and then developing the Glaucomflecken brand and universe, and we've done keynotes together for years, and then we thought, let's have more fun with it. Let's do keynotes. They're great. We can get our message out, but sometimes they're just a bit stuffy. It's an academic environment.Kristin Flanary (10:15):They're usually at seven in the morning also, so that's the downside.Will Flanary (10:21):So we thought, let's just put together our own live show. Let's put together something that we could just creatively, we can do whatever we want with it. I could dress up as characters, Kristin, who has these beautiful writing and monologues that she's put together around her experience and just to create something that people can come into a theater and just experience this wide range of emotions from just laughter to tears of all kinds, and just have them feel the story and enjoy this story. Fortunately, it has a happy ending because I'm still alive and it's been so much fun. The audiences have been incredible. Mostly healthcare, but even some non-healthcare people show up, and we've been blown away by the response. Honestly, we should have done bigger theaters. That's our lesson for the first go round.Eric Topol (11:21):I saw you had to do a second show in Pittsburgh.Will Flanary (11:24):We did.Kristin Flanary (11:26):That one sold out too. Something about Pittsburgh, that was a good crowd, and there was a lot of them.Will Flanary (11:33):It was almost like in Pittsburgh, they rarely ever get any internet comedian ophthalmologists that come through. I don't know.Eric Topol (11:41):Well, I see you got some still to come in Denver and Chicago. This is amazing. And I wondered who was coming and I mean, it's not at all surprising that there'd be this phenomenal popularity. So that's one thing you've done that's new, which is amazing. And of course, it's a multidimensional story. The one that shocked me, I have to tell you, shocked me, was the New England Journal partnership. The New England Journal is the most stodgy, arrogant, I mean so difficult. And not only that.Kristin Flanary (12:17):You said that. Not us.Partnering with the New England Journal of Medicine!Eric Topol (12:19):Yeah, yeah. They'll get this too. They know we don't get along that well, but that's okay. You even made fun of journals. And now you're partnering with the New England Journal, God's greatest medical journal, or whatever. Tell us about that.Will Flanary (12:39):Well, so one thing that I really enjoy doing, and I've done it with my US healthcare system content is almost like tricking people into learning things. And so, if you make something funny, then people will actually sit there and listen to what you have to say about deductibles and physician-owned hospitals and all these inner workings. DIR fees and pharmacy, all these things that are really dry topics. But if you can make them funny, all of a sudden people will actually learn and listen to it. And the New England Journal of Medicine, they approached me with an idea. Basically just to take one or two of their trials per month. And I just make a skit out of that trial with the idea being to help disseminate some of the research findings that are out there, because I guess it's getting harder and harder for people to actually read, to sit down and read a journal article.(13:43):And so, I have to credit them for having this idea and thinking outside the box of a different way to get medical information and knowledge out to the masses. And you're absolutely right, that I have been critical of journals, and particularly I've been critical of the predatory nature of some of the larger journals out there, like Elsevier. I've specifically named Elsevier, Springer, these journals that have a 40% profit margin. And I certainly thought about that whenever I was looking into this partnership. And the reason I was okay with doing it with the New England Journal is because they're a nonprofit, first of all, so they're run by the Massachusetts Medical Society. That's the publisher for that journal. And so, I feel okay partnering with them because I feel like they're doing it in a much better way than some of the bigger journal corporations out there.Kristin Flanary (14:54):Well, and also part of the deal that we negotiated was that those articles that you make skits about those will be available open access.Will Flanary (15:03):Oh yeah. That was a prerequisite. Yes. It was like, if I'm going to do this, the articles that I'm talking about need to be free and readily available. That's part of it.Eric Topol (15:14):I think you've done about five already, something like that. And I watched them, and I just was blown away. I mean, the one that got me where I was just rolling on the floor, this one, the Belantamab Mafodotin for Multiple Myeloma. And when you were going on about the Bortezomib, Dexamethasone. We'll link to this. I said, oh my God.Will Flanary (15:40):Yeah. The joke there is, you don't have any idea how long it took me to say those things that quickly. And so, I was writing this skit and I'm like, wouldn't it be funny if somehow that triggered a code stroke in the hospital because this person is saying all these random words that don't have any meaning to anybody. Man, I tell you, I am learning. Why would I ever need to know any of this information as an ophthalmologist? So it's great. I know all this random stuff about multiple myeloma that I probably would never have learned otherwise.Kristin Flanary (16:21):It's the only way, you won't read a journal either.Eric Topol (16:23):Well, and if you read the comments on the post. These doctors saying, this is the only way they want to get journal information from now on.Will Flanary (16:33):Which is double-edged sword, maybe a little bit. Obviously, in a 90 second skit, there's no way I'm going to cover the ins and outs of a major trial. So it's really, in a lot of ways, it's basically like, I call it a comedy abstract. I'm not going much further than an abstract, but hopefully people that are actually interested in the topic can have their interest piqued and want to read more about it. That's kind of the idea.Eric Topol (17:06):Yeah. Well, they're phenomenal. We'll link to them. People will enjoy them. I know, because I sure did. And tenecteplase for stroke and all that you've done. Oh, they're just phenomenal.Will Flanary (17:20):Every two weeks we come out with a new one.Eric Topol (17:24):And that is basically between the fact that you are now on the commencement circuit of the top medical schools and doing New England Journal videos on their articles. You've crossed a line from just making fun of insurance companies and doctors of specialties.Kristin Flanary (17:44):Oh, he has crossed many lines, Dr. Topol.Eric Topol (17:46):Yeah. Oh yeah. Now you've done it, really. Back two years ago when we convened, actually it's almost three, but you said, when's it going to be your Netflix special?Will Flanary (18:02):Oh, gosh.Eric Topol (18:02):Is that in the works now?Will Flanary (18:04):Well, I'll tell you what's in the works now.Kristin Flanary (18:06):Do you know anyone at Netflix?Will Flanary (18:09):A New Animated SeriesNo. We're working on an animated series.Eric Topol (18:12):Oh, wow. Wow.Will Flanary (18:13):Yeah. All these characters. It's basically just this fictional hospital and all these characters are very cartoonish, the emergency physician that wears the bike helmet and everything. So it's like, well, what do we have together? What do we, Kristin and I have time for? And it wasn't like moving to LA and trying to make a live action with actors and do all, which is something we probably could have tried to do. So instead, we were like, let's just do an animated series.Kristin Flanary (18:48):Let's have someone else do the work and draw us.Will Flanary (18:51):So we've worked with a writer for the first time, which was a fun process, and putting together a few scripts and then also an animator. We learned a lot about that process. Kristin and I are doing the voiceovers. And yeah, it's in process.Kristin Flanary (19:10):We're the only actors we could afford.Will Flanary (19:12):Right, exactly.Eric Topol (19:13):I can't wait to see it. Now when will it get out there?Will Flanary (19:17):Well, we're hoping to be able to put it out on our YouTube channel sometime early next year. So January, February, somewhere around there. And then we can't fund the whole thing ourselves. So the idea is that we do this, we do this pilot episode, and then we'll see what kind of interest we can generate.Eric Topol (19:37):Well, there will be interest. I am absolutely assured of that. Wow.Will Flanary (19:42):Let us know if you know anybody at the Cartoon Network.Kristin and Will Flanary (19:45):Yeah, we're open to possibilities. Whatever, Discovery channel. I don't know.Eric Topol (19:51):You've gotten to a point now where you're ready for bigger things even because you're the funniest physician couple in medicine today.Kristin Flanary (20:05):Well, that's a very low bar, but thank you.Will Flanary (20:08):There are some funny ones out there, but yeah, I appreciate that.Eric Topol (20:11):Well, I'm a really big comedy fan. Every night I watch the night before, since I'm old now, but of Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel, just to hear the monologues. Trevor Noah, too. And I can appreciate humor. I'll go to see Sebastian Maniscalco or Jim Gaffigan. That's one of the things I was going to ask you about, because when you do these videos, you don't have an audience.Will Flanary (20:39):Oh yeah.Eric Topol (20:40):You're making it as opposed to when you are doing your live shows, commencement addresses and things like that. What's the difference when you're trying to be humorous, and you have no audience there?Will Flanary (20:55):Well, whenever I'm filming a skit, it's just all production. In fact, I feel like it's funny. I think it's funny, but it's really not until I see the response to it, or I show Kristin, or what I have is where I really know if it's going to work. It's great to put the content out there and see the responses, but there's nothing like live interaction. And that's why I keep coming back to performing. And Kristin's been a performer too in her life. And I think we both really enjoy just the personal interaction, the close interaction, the response from people to our story.Kristin Flanary (21:36):We do most of our work alone in this room. I do a lot of writing. He does a lot of playing.Will Flanary (21:44):Dress up.Kristin Flanary (21:44):All the people in his head, and we do that very isolated. And so, it's very lovely to be able to actually put names to faces or just see human bodies instead of just comments on YouTube.Will Flanary (21:59):Meet people.Kristin Flanary (21:59):It's really nice.Will Flanary (22:01):We've been doing meet and greets at the live shows and seeing people come up wearing their costumes.Eric Topol (22:07):Oh, wow.Will Flanary (22:11):Some of them talk about how they tell us their own stories about their own healthcare and talk about how the videos help them get through certain parts of the pandemic or a difficult time in their life. And so, it reinforces that this means something to a lot of people.Kristin Flanary (22:29):It's been really fun for me, and probably you too, but to get to see the joy that he has brought so many people. That's really fun to see in person especially.Eric Topol (22:42):No question. Now, when you're producing it together, do you ever just start breaking into laughter because it's you know how funny this is? Or is it just you're on kind of a mission to get it done?Will Flanary (22:54):Well, the skits I do by myself. And sometimes when I'm writing out the skit, when I'm writing the skit itself, I will laugh at myself sometimes. Not often, but sometimes they're like, oh, I know that's really funny. I just wrote a skit that I'm actually going to be debuting. I'm speaking at the American Academy of PM&R, so the big PM&R conference. I'm writing a skit, it's How to Ace your PM&R residency interview.Will Flanary (23:28):I was writing up that skit today and kind of chuckling to myself. So sometimes that happens, but whenever we do our podcast together, we definitely have outtakes.Kristin Flanary (23:38):Oh yeah, we've got some.Will Flanary (23:40):We crack each other up.Kristin Flanary (23:41):We do.Will Flanary (23:42):Sometimes we're getting a little punchy toward the end of the day.Eric Topol (23:47):And how is the Knock Knock, Hi! podcast going?Will Flanary (23:51):It's awesome. Yeah.Kristin Flanary (23:52):Yeah. It's a really fun project.Will Flanary (23:54):We still enjoy. You can work with your spouse and in close proximity and still be happily married. So it's doable everyone.Kristin Flanary (24:06):That's right. And we're in that phase of life that's really busy. We've got kids, we've got a gazillion jobs. House, my parents are around, and so it's like the only time all week that we actually get to sit down and talk to each other. So it's actually kind of like a part of our marriage at this point.Will Flanary (24:28):We're happy to involve the public in our conversations, but we couldn't do it because we have all these things going on, all our hands and all these little places. We can't do it without a team.Kristin Flanary (24:41):Yeah, absolutely.Will Flanary (24:41):And that's the thing that I've learned, because I've always been a very loner type content creator. I just wanted to do it all myself. It's in my head and I have trouble telling others, describing what's in my head. And Kristin and our producers have helped me to be able to give a little bit of control to others who are really good at what they do. And that's really the only way that we've been able to venture out into all these different things we've talked about.Eric Topol (25:12):Well, I think it comes down to, besides your ability to get to people in terms of their laughter receptors, you have this incisive observer capability. And that's one of the things I don't, I can't fathom because when you can understand the nuances of each specialty or of each part of healthcare, and you haven't necessarily interacted with these specialists or at least in recent years, but you nail it every time. I don't know how you do it, really that observational, is that a central quality of a comedian, you think?Will Flanary (25:52):There's definitely a big part of that. You got to get the content from somewhere. But for the specialties, it's really first about just getting the personalities down. And that doesn't change over time.Kristin Flanary (26:08):Or around the world.Will Flanary (26:09):Or around the world. We hear from people from all over the world about, oh, it's the same in Guatemala as it is in the US.Kristin Flanary (26:18):Surgeons are the same.Will Flanary (26:19):Yeah.Kristin Flanary (26:20):Emergency is the same.Will Flanary (26:21):Which has been really cool to see. But so, I draw on my experience interacting with all these specialties back in my med school and intern days. You're right, as an ophthalmologist, we don't get out very much.Eric Topol (26:33):No.Will Flanary (26:35):So very few people have ever seen an ophthalmologist. We do exist. But then beyond that, I do have to include some actual medical things. And so, I actually, I do a lot of research. I find myself learning more about other fields sometimes than I do in my own field. So especially the further out I get from med school, I know less and less.Eric Topol (27:00):Yeah, that's what I was thinking. But you're always spot on. It's interesting to get that global perspective from both of you. Now you're still doing surgery and practicing ophthalmology. Have you reduced it because this has just been taking off so much more over the recent years or keeping it the same?Will and Kristin Flanary (27:21):Nope, I'm still. Do you know how many years I had to come along on all of this medical training? He is not allowed to give this up.Will Flanary (27:29):I know there's something called a sunk cost fallacy, but this is no fallacy. There's enough of a sunk cost. I got to stick with it. No, I still enjoy it. That's the thing. It actually, it informs my comedy, it grounds me. All of the social media stuff is built upon this medical foundation that I have. And if I stopped practicing, I guess I could maybe cut back. But I'm not planning on doing that. If I stop practicing medicine, I feel like it would make my content less.Kristin Flanary (28:07):Authentic.Will Flanary (28:08):Less authentic, yeah. That's a good way to put it.Eric Topol (28:09):Yeah, no, that makes a lot of sense. That's great you can get that balance with all the things you're doing.Will Flanary (28:17):And if I stop practicing medicine, they're not going to invite me to any more commencement addresses, Dr. Topol. So I got to draw the line somewhere.Eric Topol (28:28):One of the statements you made at some point earlier was, it was easier to go to become a doctor than to try to be a comedian. And yeah, I mean you proven that.Will Flanary (28:38):A lot of ways. That's true.Eric Topol (28:40):Wow. I am pretty awestruck about the rarefied talent that you bring and what you both have done for medicine today. And the thing is, you're so young, you have so much time ahead to have an impact.Will Flanary (28:57):You hear that Kristin, we're young. Look at that.Kristin Flanary (29:00):That's getting less and less true.Will Flanary (29:01):Kristin, she just turned 40. It's right around the corner for me. So I don't know.Will Flanary (29:11):We got some years left.Eric Topol (29:12):You're like young puppies. Are you kidding? You're just getting started. But no, I think that what you brought to medicine in terms of comedy, there's no other entity, no person or people like you have done. And just the last thing I want to ask you about is, you have a platform for advocacy. You've been doing that. We talked about co-survivor. We talked about nurturing the human qualities in physicians like creativity and also taking on the insurance companies, which are just monstrous. I'll link a couple of those, but the brain MRI one or the Texaco.Will Flanary (29:54):Texaco Mike.Eric Topol (29:55):Yeah, that one is amazing. But there is so many. I mean, you've just taken them apart and they deserve every bit of it. Do you have any other targets for advocacy or does that just kind of come up as things go?Will Flanary (30:08):It kind of comes up as things go. There's things I keep harping on. The prior authorization reform, which I've helped in a couple of different states. There's a lot of good people around the country doing really good work on prior authorization and reforming that whole process. And I've been able to just play a small part in that in a couple of different ways. And it's been really fun to do that. And so, I do plan on continuing that crusade as it were. There's certain things I'd like to see. I've been learning more about what pharmacists are dealing with as well as a physician. Unfortunately, we are very separate in a lot of ways and just how we come up in medicine. And so, I have had my eyes opened a lot to what community pharmacists are dealing with. For all the terrible things that we have to deal with as physicians in the healthcare system. Pharmacists have just as much, if not more of the things that they're doing that are threatening their livelihoods. And so, I had love to see some more reform on the PBM side of things, pharmacy benefit managers, Caremark, Optum, all of them. They're causing lots of problems.Eric Topol (31:24):I couldn't agree with you more. In fact, I'm going to have Mark Cuban on in a few weeks and we're going to get into that. But the pharmacists get abused by these chains.Will Flanary (31:33):Oh, it's bad. It's really bad.Eric Topol (31:35):Horrible, horrible. I feel, and every time I am in a drugstore working with one of them, I just think what a tough life they have to deal with.Will Flanary (31:45):I guess from an advocacy standpoint, the good news is that there's never a shortage of terrible injustices that are being foisted upon the public and physicians and healthcare workers.Kristin Flanary (31:59):Yes. The US healthcare system is ripe for advocacy.Will Flanary (32:01):Yes. And that's a lesson that I tell people too, and especially the med students coming up, is like, there's work to be done and get in touch with your state societies and there's always work to be done.Eric Topol (32:18):Now you've stayed clear of politics. Totally clear, right?Will Flanary (32:24):For the most part, yeah. Yeah. It depends on what you consider politics. It depends on what you consider politics.Eric Topol (32:32):It being election day, you haven't made any endorsements.Will Flanary (32:36):I haven't. And I don't know. I can only handle so much. I've got my things that I really care about. Of course I'm voting, but I want to talk on the things that I feel like I have the expertise to talk about. And I think there's nothing wrong with that. Everybody can't have an opinion on everything, and it means something. So I am happy to discuss the things that I have expertise about, and I'm always on the side of the patient and wanting to make life better for our patients. And that's the side I'm on.Kristin Flanary (33:25):I think also he never comes out and explicitly touches on certain topics, but it's not hard to tell where he falls.Will Flanary (33:34):If you really want read into it all.Kristin Flanary (33:38):It's not like it's a big secret.Eric Topol (33:40):I thought that too. I'm glad you mentioned it, Kristin. But it doesn't come out wide open. But yeah, it's inferred for sure.Eric Topol (33:49):I think the point being there is that because you have a reach, I think there's no reach that it has 4 million plus people by your posts and no less the tours and keynotes and everything else. So you could go anywhere but sticking to where you're well grounded, it makes a lot of sense. And anyway, I am going to be staying tuned. This is our two-year checkup. I'm hoping you're going to come to San Diego on your next tour.Kristin Flanary (34:21):We're working on 2025 plans.Will Flanary (34:23):Oh, we got more shows coming up. And we'll hit up other parts of the country too.Eric Topol (34:28):I feel like I got to meet you in person, give you a hug or something. I just feel like I'm missing out there. But it's just a joy to have had a chance to work with you on your podcast. And thanks for coming back on one of mine. There's lots of podcasts out there, but having you and joining you is such fun. So thank you.Will Flanary (34:54):This has been great. Thank you for having us.Kristin Flanary (34:55):Yeah, thank you.*****************************************Thank you for reading, listening and and subscribing to Ground Truths.If you found this fun and informative please share it! Yes, laughter is the best medicine.All content on Ground Truths—its newsletters, analyses, and podcasts, are free, open-access.Paid subscriptions are voluntary. All proceeds from them go to support Scripps Research. Many thanks to those who have contributed—they have greatly helped fund our summer internship programs for the past two years.Thanks to my producer Jessica Nguyen and to Sinjun Balabanoff for audio and video support at Scripps Research.Note on Exodus from X/twitter:Many of you have abandoned the X platform for reasons that I understand. While I intend to continue to post there because of its reach to the biomedical community, I will post anything material here in the Notes section of Ground Truths on a daily basis and cover important topics in the newsletter/analyses. Get full access to Ground Truths at erictopol.substack.com/subscribe

This week, I'm pausing from the usual WAYN routine to pay loving tribute to the following students/friends who are no longer with us but remain present in my memory and heart: Mike Barrett, Karen Bull, Miriam Goldman, Nicole Hurst, Paul Hussman, Ryan Maidenberg, Ryan Mendeloff, Jeff Nathan, Kevin Penn, Greg Potylchansky, Shalonda Price, Leslie Robins, Daniel Rosen. Zak Rosen, AlexSacks, Adam Shney, Jeremy Tucker, Scott Wilson, and Harris Wittels.

From 2011 to 2014 there was an amazing Phish podcast called Analyze Phish hosted by Scott Aukerman and Harris Wittels. Once it ended, Tom Marshall, saw an opportunity for another Phish podcast and launched Under the Scales in 2016. In this episode, Tom interviews one of the Analyze Phish hosts, Scott Aukerman. This episode contains clips from the Analyze Phish podcast: https://www.earwolf.com/episode/a-different-angle/ https://www.earwolf.com/episode/phish-live-in-ny/ Special thanks to Scott Aukerman, RJ Bee and Earwolf's friendly staff. Thanks to producers Nick Ruffini and Kirsten Cluthe of RevoiceMedia.com. Originally released in 2019. Please support our work by visiting OsirisPod.com/Premium.

We did it, y'all. We reached the end of our countdown, which leads us back to where it all began: the very first episode of Last Day, the first-ever Lemonada Media podcast launch. This week, we're revisiting “Meet Stephanie, Meet Harris (with Sarah Silverman & Aziz Ansari).” Five years later (to the day!), Stephanie returns to the mic to reflect on what we learned that first season and where we're headed next. Walk with us down memory lane, and have your tissues handy. ALSO: Some cool news announced, so be sure to tune in!  In this inaugural episode, meet Stephanie Wittels Wachs, host of Last Day, and sister of the late Harris Wittels, comedian-writer-producer-actor, who died in 2015 of a heroin overdose. Harris' close friends, Sarah Silverman and Aziz Ansari, also join Stephanie as she introduces the concept of the show and why it's critical that it exists.  Last Day contains strong language, mature themes, and may not be appropriate for all listeners. Everything Is Horrible and Wonderful: A Tragicomic Memoir of Genius, Heroin, Love, and Loss, by Stephanie Wittels Wachs Humblebrag: The Art of False Modesty, by Harris Wittels  You Made It Weird with Pete Holmes: Harris Returns (Parks and Rec! Comedy! Don't Stop or We'll Die!) returns to make it weirder!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Okay, look. Let's face facts. The series is ending. This wonderful, beloved sitcom, full of equal parts laughs and heart, is coming to a close. No doubt, it's a hard thing to contemplate for anyone, but it's just POSSIBLE that one of the guys is having a harder time than the other. Look, you have to understand, this isn't just a silly little hobby ... this gig has generated monetary kickbacks, medical benefits, travel opportunities, being asked to speak at conventions, movie deals ... and that's just the tip of the iceberg. We're not even mentioning all of the other fringe benefits, such as working with world class scientists and engineers to build what is frighteningly close to a sentient AI, or even (slightly flawed) time travel! I mean ... wow. It's so much, that it's ALMOST like we're just making this up. To imagine all that suddenly ending, well ... It's a little scary. But fans of the show deserve the truth. So, ugly or not, we're going to give you a peek into what has been going on, as well as our sincere assurance that the finale review is COMING!  We promise.  No, really ... we pinky promise.  Just like Leslie.  And if you can't believe a pinky promise ... well, then I guess the world is in worse shape than we ever imagined.  So bear with us just a few more weeks.  You won't be disappointed, and it'll be worth the wait.  We pinky promise.

This week Mark and Allen break down the Episode where Ron first learns April and Andy will be moving away to Washington DC!  With the Harvest Festival once again in full swing, Ben's busy congressional campaign continues, and he and Leslie make the call to skip a few Festival-related things, one of which is the "Pie-Mary", a Southern Indiana tradition where the wives of congressional candidates face off in a pie-baking contest ... something which Leslie would have refused to participate in anyway due to its antiquated and retrogressive nature. Unfortunately, several reporters pounce on this, which, combined with the yellow journalism of Mike Patterson, quickly makes this a point of controversy. Not wanting to make things harder for Ben, Leslie decides to reverse her position and participate in the Pie-Mary ... but unfortunately, THIS gets the attention of the Indiana Organization of Women, who threaten to protest both Leslie and Ben at the event. Scrambling to figure out the right move, Ben comes up with an idea that would sidestep the controversy, refocus the campaign on the candidate, and flip the antiquated tradition on its head ... HE'S going to enter the Pie-Mary instead of Leslie.  Meanwhile, April informs Ron that she is about to move to Washington with Andy to take on a new job. Ron tells her that she has to return the key to his house. April realises that she has changed the hiding place of the key, and that she left a trail of clues, the first being 4 human teeth and a Twilight ticket stub. She and Andy tell Ron, but Ron is very excited to solve this mystery. They first visit Donna, who informs them that she and April watched that movie together years ago, when April removed her wisdom teeth. Donna also informs them that April also visited the shoeshine stand that day. The trio runs to the shoeshine stand, only to find that it was removed during the remodeling of the city hall.  Finally, during the search for Ron's key, Andy finds a small brown box where April used to hide things outside in the City Hall courtyard. The box did NOT contain Ron's key, but it DID contain Jerry's wedding ring that he lost down the sewer grate 6 years ago. Jerry is overjoyed to have it again, but then in typical Jerry Gergich fashion ... drops it in the sewer grate  ... AGAIN. As Jerry attempts to fish the ring out, Donna notices him, and chooses to stay with him and keep him company. Donna and Jerry enjoy each other's company, reminiscing with each other about the old days. As Jerry ends up losing more and more things down the grate, Donna keeps things light by laughing about it and ordering them dinner.  As always, we tackle the tough questions, such as ... Does Ben have any ideas about redefining what a pie is? Are there more clues to find, or is this a dead end? How does Donna feel about hanging out with Jerry all day? Can Ben entering the Pie-Mary instead of Leslie prevent the IoW from protesting? Will Ron ever get his key back? Does Jerry get an earful when he returns home? Will any other protestors rise up to complain about anything political or pie related? Will April ever get satisfying closure from Ron? Will Jerry ever get his wedding ring back?  Loyal viewers, this looks like a great episode with a lot of nice callbacks, but will it live up to the hype? Could it be a perfect 10? Stay tuned to find out! Many thanks to our wonderful sponsor ... The Calzone Zone.

Have you ever danced to Single Ladies by yourself at your exes wedding bc his new spouse told you to? Leslie has.... This week Madi comes on for the first half of the episode and we talk about what a pregnancy princess she is, how you cannot ask certain questions to pregnant people and to let us know this will be the last time in a while for her to join us live because sweet baby Park Pal is coming so soon!!!! After, Kris Carr and Holly dive into the episode discussing Leslie's almost unsolvable scavenger hunt, Ann's bachelors, Donn'a sadly cut scenes and Kris Kross! Oh and chocolate fondue of course!Here are all the links we talk about! Also rest in peace to Oxnard Inn, Chris Kelly, and Harris Wittels. :)Follow Kris Carr!Follow Kris's Podast!Jump by Kris Kross! I Am Not A Stalker Blog about The BulgeSweet "Oxnard Inn" (The Bulge) ClosesSupport the showRate and review us on Apple Podcasts!Follow us @parkpalspodcast on Instagram! Or email us at parkpalspodcast@gmail.com

Join us for a  message from the man we all love (especially Mark), the mustachioed legend...Ron Swanson himself! We drug Ron out of the Swanson cabin (geo-location undisclosed) just in time for our Live from Pawnee exclusive to kick off your 2024 with panache! We hope you will take a few minutes to relax, listen, and take in some of the greatest advice ever given!From Mark, Allen, and Ron and all of us at Live from Pawnee and the LFP Worldwide Headquarters, we wish all of you, our viewers, a very Happy and Safe New Year!

Released for a limited time for free! Get more content just like this on improv4humans.comSTOLEN IDEA is a comedy punk rock musical that covers the theft of intellectual property in the worlds of music and comedy. The story follows a standup comedian and a rock musician who are both approaching 40 and are fearful their time to “make it” is running out. One has his idea stolen, the other steals an idea. Only the ghosts of Elisha Gray and Alexander Graham Bell can help them now!Starring: Matt Besser, Bobby Matthews, James Adomian, John Gemberling, Virginia Matthews, Paul Rust, Scott Aukerman, Harris Wittels, Mike Cassady, Mike Still and Danielle Schneider.Original music by Bobby Matthews. Performed by Bobby Matthews, Brett Morris and Sean Whalen. Produced, mixed and edited by Brett Morris.Listen to this and the other premium series from Besser and Brett, the entire ad-free i4h archive and brand new bonus podcasts every week at improv4humans.com. Gift a subscription or an exclusive scene to a friend!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As per the oh-so-descriptive name, this week Mark and Allen are going on a grabbing frenzy ... a little viewer feedback ... some score analysis ... episode reviews ... a location guide or two ... even a teaser from a certain interview. As always, we tackle the tough questions, such as ... Who did we interview? What did our viewer feedback have to say? Is there any further news regarding our acquisition of MARBUCKS? Will our score analysis be interesting? What the hell is a location guide? Yep, all this, and EVEN MORE coming right up! Stick around, true believers. C'mon. You know you wanna. Did we mention there are snacks? Special thanks to our sponsor Pawnee 311 and to Production Designer extraordinaire Ian Phillips for being our guest. Hang out until the end for a sneak peek at our upcoming full interview! 

The hilarious Chelsea Peretti (Netflix, Brooklyn Nine-Nine) joins Jim O'Heir (Jerry Gergich himself!) and writer Greg Levine to discuss the best writer's room snacks, an important moment in Ben and Leslie's relationship, working with the brilliant Harris Wittels, and much more. It's Season 4, Episode 8 (directed by the brilliant Nicole Holofcener): “Smallest Park!” Chelsea also discusses her upcoming feature directorial debut, “First Time Female Director" - co-starring and produced by Amy Poehler! It's another great episode of Parks & Recollection - give it a listen and treat yo' self!

If the opportunity presented itself, Nikki would design the perfect dressing room. Julie, Nikki's mom, is back on the pod. Everyone is surprised to learn the stories of her multiple concussions. We learn the Glaser family motto: "who's to blame?" as Julie talks about the nightmare travel she endured on the way to Family Feud. Brian believes that life is a farce. Nikki and Julie visited Harris Wittels' grave and Nikki left him something that she got back at the Taylor Swift concert. Watching her videos back, Nikki is mortified to hear what she was screaming towards Taylor on stage from the front row. ------ Watch this episode on our Youtube Channel: The Nikki Glaser Podcast Follow the pod on Instagram for bonus content: @NikkiGlaserPod Leave us your voicemail: Click Here To Record Nikki's Tour Dates: nikkiglaser.com/tour Anya's Patreon: patreon.com/anyamarina Brian Frange: brianfrange.com More Nikki: IG More Anya: IG More Brian: IG More producer Noa: IGSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Mark and Allen break down the remainder of S06E02 - London Part 2! This is the episode where we get introduced to the bromance between Andy and Lord Covington (aka Lord Fancyface), Diane informs Ron that she is pregnant, Ron proposes to Diane, April goes to Vet School Orientation with Ann, Tom and Donna sleuth out the owner of Tommy Closet (the store trying to put Rent-A-Swag out of business, and Leslie accepts an award in London while creating havoc back at home....damn it Jerry...and, oh yeah, Ann is pregnant!(DEEP BREATH)As always, we tackle the tough questions, such as ... Will Leslie's speech go off without a hitch, or could she encounter some turbulence? Can Andy convince Lord Covington to choose Ben's proposal? Does Ron take pictures of London like Diane asked him to? What is the REAL reason Dr. Saperstein is going so hard after Tom? Will Ann and Chris decide to start telling people? Can Leslie's award change how the citizens of Pawnee see her, or will they continue to be "pee-pee-heads"? Is there anything Andy can otherwise do to help clinch the deal with Lord Fancyface? Is Ron able to talk Leslie down out of the crazy tree? Can Jean-Ralphio and Mona-Lisa help to diffuse the situation between Tom and their father? Can Ann and Chris predict how Leslie will react when she hears their news? Does Leslie's award change how SHE feels, or does she need a boost from another source? Who exactly came up with the nickname "Lord Fancyface"? Where exactly is Leslie's itinerary sending Ron? Does Tom close Rent-A-Swag, or will he continue to fight? Is all this making Ann and Chris feel overwhelmed, and if so, how do they deal with it? Loyal podcast viewers, here we go ... let's wrap up the Season 6 premiere! Can it live up to the legacy Season 5 left us with? Tune in and find out! Many thanks to our non-sponsor, 'Lagavulin Offerman Edition Scotch'! That's right this ad is on us Lagavulin! DM us for our address if you want to send us a sample bottle!

This week Mark and Allen break down the Episode where we get introduced to Lord Fancyface! Picking up immediately where the Season 5 finale left off, Diane informs Ron that she is pregnant. Overwhelmed with joy and love, Ron proposes to Diane. Both wanting as small and quick a wedding as possible, they head to the 4th floor of City Hall to get married immediately. They pick up Leslie and April on their way, and with them as witnesses, Ron and Diane are pronounced husband and wife. One month later, Leslie is STILL being attacked by the "Recall Knope" campaign. Leslie attempts to fight back, but so far nothing she does is creating awareness or making a difference. Trying to think outside the box, April recently nominated Leslie for an award from the International Coalition of Women in Government, and announces some much needed good news to the gang: Leslie was one of five winners, and the awards ceremony is being held in London!  One month later ... Leslie and April are in London for the awards ceremony, with Ben, Andy, and Ron also present. As Leslie prepares for the ceremony, she discovers her personal London pictures are being used by those from the "Recall Knope" campaign to insinuate she'd rather be in Europe than work through her problems in Pawnee. With the help of Ron, Leslie works past her initial instinct to fly back to Pawnee immediately. Meanwhile, Ben and Andy are in London to meet with a wealthy potential benefactor for the Sweetums Foundation. Ben and Andy meet with Lord Edgar Covington, a wealthy man from a distinguished family with lots of money and property. Ben attempts to discuss terms with Lord Covington, but it quickly becomes clear he is easily distracted and is interested in childish, trivial things ... much like Andy. In fact, Andy and Lord Covington get along very, VERY well, both having similar work ethics and mannerisms. When Ben finally gets the chance to put forward his proposal, Covington admits he has no idea what he is doing. He started the charity to do something good with his family's money but he has heard hundreds of charity pitches and isn't sure who to choose. Also meanwhile, we learn from Ron that Diane originally wanted this London trip to be their honeymoon, but when a huge wave of morning sickness took her out of the equation, she stayed home and insisted Ron go take pictures for her and try to enjoy himself. Ron grumpily agrees, but is not having a great time there. Despite this, he manages to support Leslie, and even tries to mentor her when she finds out Pawnee is still raking her over the coals at home. Leslie also gives Ron what she considers a "proper" wedding gift ... an itinerary taking him to a mystery location that she swears he'll be glad he went to. Back in Pawnee, Tom is peeved at Tommy's Closet being established across the street from Rent-A-Swag, and asks Donna to help him find out information on the unknown owner. Finding only an address, Tom drives there to find Ann and Chris entering the building - what the what? Tom races in after them and finds the pair in a room in the middle of a sonogram. At this point, Tom realizes two very important things: [a] Ann is pregnant, and [b] the person trying to ruin his business is their doctor, Dr. Saperstein ... the father of both Jean-Ralphio and Mona-Lisa. Dr. Saperstein tells Tom he is only doing it to get back at him for ruining his children's lives. Even after hearing this, Tom doesn't really get Dr. Saperstein's reasoning for going after him. Finally, Ann and Chris are together, and doing great - their relationship is better than it ever has been. As things progress, we (and Tom) end up learning one more very interesting fact ... Ann is pregnant! They're trying to keep this just their secret for now, but they're getting a little antsy to let everyone know ... As always, we tackle the tough questions, such as ... Will Leslie's speech go off without a hitch, or could she encounter some turbulence? Can Andy convince Lord Covington to choose Ben's proposal? Does Ron take pictures of London like Diane asked him to? What is the REAL reason Dr. Saperstein is going so hard after Tom? Will Ann and Chris decide to start telling people? Can Leslie's award change how the citizens of Pawnee see her, or will they continue to be "pee-pee-heads"? Is there anything Andy can otherwise do to help clinch the deal with Lord Fancyface? Is Ron able to talk Leslie down out of the crazy tree? Can Jean-Ralphio and Mona-Lisa help to diffuse the situation between Tom and their father? Can Ann and Chris predict how Leslie will react when she hears their news? Does Leslie's award change how SHE feels, or does she need a boost from another source? Who exactly came up with the nickname "Lord Fancyface"? Where exactly is Leslie's itinerary sending Ron? Does Tom close Rent-A-Swag, or will he continue to fight? Is all this making Ann and Chris feel overwhelmed, and if so, how do they deal with it? Loyal podcast viewers, here we go ... Season 6 is here! Can it live up to the legacy Season 5 left us with? Tune in and find out! Many thanks to our amazing sponsor, 'Flags R Us'!

This week Mark and Allen break down the Episode where we see the triumphant return of Bert Macklin, FBI! Founder's Week is a yearly celebration of all things Pawnee, and to prepare for the momentous day, Leslie brings her entire staff to Ron's cabin in the woods for a brainstorming session. As Leslie encourages everyone to focus and rid themselves of distractions, Tom is still dealing with the train wreck that is his girlfriend Mona-Lisa. Leslie hosts a Founder's Week public forum to help celebrate her first year in office as a Pawnee city councilwoman. To kick things off, Leslie posits the question, "Are you better off now than you were a year ago?" Immediately, however, there is hostility with Pawnee Restaurant Association spokeswoman Kathryn Pinewood speaking up against many of Leslie's changes which she feels restricts citizen's basic personal freedoms. (Or because the Restaurant Association was angry about the soda tax, so they are lashing out against Leslie for it.) Many more stand up against Leslie, and overall, the forum does not go well. Leslie finds the Founder's Week Parade to be a perfect distraction from the drama surrounding her humiliating forum. Meanwhile, while searching through the trash for his sweatshirt at Ron's cabin, Andy comes across a positive pregnancy test, which propels him to reassume his alter ego as Burt Macklin, FBI. There were five women at the cabin over the weekend, and Andy vows to figure out which one is pregnant. Andy confronts Ann first, but it's not her. She is a little annoyed that someone else got pregnant before her, though. Ann hops on board as Macklin's partner, and the two set out to find the woman behind the test. Andy and Ann rule out Donna and Leslie, leaving only Mona-Lisa ... Finally, business is booming at Rent-A-Swag, and a lawyer representing an anonymous client approaches Tom about buying the company. Tom reports back to his investors – Donna, April, Jerry, and Ron – about the opportunity, and Donna is all over the idea, but Ron thinks Tom should continue growing his business as he is clearly doing something right if he is being offered to sell. As always, we tackle the tough questions, such as ... Are there any Pawnee citizens that are pro-Leslie, or are they all against her? Is this actually Bert Macklin, or is he back from the dead as some sort of zombie-Macklin? Will Tom sell out? Will the parade go smoothly for Leslie, or will there be a twist? Will Special Agent Perkins make a good partner for Macklin, or is he truly a lone wolf? Who is the mystery client? How many Lerpisses are in this episode? Is Mona-Lisa pregnant, and if so, what has Tom done to humanity? Loyal viewers, this is it ... the Season 5 finale! Season 5 has been a non-stop action ride, and it's coming to a close here. Tune in to see how things turn out! Many thanks to our incredible sponsor, the one, the only, often imitated but never duplicated, JJ's Diner.

This week Mark and Allen break down the Episode where we first visit the office of Dennis Feinstein! When Leslie and Chris visit Animal Control, they find a mis-managed department building and ineffective staff. After Chris accidentally steps on a coyote trap in the middle of the floor, he fires Harris and Brett, the stoners working there. Soon afterwards, Leslie begins discussions at a city council meeting regarding who they should hire as Director of Animal Control, but finds out the councilmen usually just take turns appointing department heads. This does not go over well with Leslie, who insists they all find suitable candidates and bring them in for consideration. This proves challenging, as the list of candidates is short (Harris and Brett even show up just hours after being fired). After throwing out numerous candidates of her own, and seeing what poor candidates the councilmen bring in, Leslie has an idea ... and surprises April by asking her to take the position. Meanwhile, Ben is in the process of getting more big companies to donate to the Sweetums Foundation, and he gets his chance after Tom organizes a meeting with Dennis Feinstein, Pawnee's premiere manufacturer of perfumes and colognes. It becomes clear quickly though that Feinstein is very shallow and has no compassion for anyone or anything. Ben feels uncomfortable with the situation, but could really use Feinstein's money to help needy people. Ben finds it difficult to discuss anything specific with Feinstein, as he rudely insults and rebuffs any attempts to come to a deal. Feinstein takes Ben, Tom and Andy Dwyer to the Pawnee Smokehouse where he continues to be rude and arrogant. Peeved at the way Feinstein is treating Ben and Tom, Andy loses his cool and calls Feinstein "a dick". Finally, after spending the night watching a movie with Diane and the kids, Ron catches whatever Zoe and Ivy had, becoming sick. Ron is determined to get past this in his own Swanson way, but Ann isn't having it, and manages to coerce Ron into going to the hospital, at this point he is examined by the curmudgeonly Dr. Harris, who tells him he has strep throat. Ann also offers the results of his blood tests, but Ron tells her he's not interested, takes Dr. Harris' prescription for penicillin, says "good day", and walks out. As always, we tackle the tough questions, such as ... Can Leslie maneuver April into getting the Animal Control job? Can Andy salvage the rest of their meeting with Dennis Feinstein? How does Ron's bloodwork look? Does April even WANT the Animal Control job? Will Ben manage to secure a donation from Dennis Feinstein? Will Ron be able to Swanson his way past this bout of illness? Is there another, better solution out there to the Animal Control situation? If Dennis Feinstein turns them down, are there any other donation paths to victory here? Are there any changes Ron needs to make to his life? Loyal viewers, with Harris, Brett, Dennis Feinstein, and Councilman Jamm to add to the hilarity, how can this episode go wrong? Many thanks to our wonderful sponsor, the Pawnee Restaurant Association.

This week Mark and Allen break down the Episode where Ann wants to be a mother! Empowered by her newfound independence, Ann decides to date herself for a while instead of getting swept up in a new boyfriend's personality. Six weeks into the experiment, she comes to a realization: she's ready to be a mom. It's a big decision, but she tells Leslie she's ready to go to the sperm bank and look into having a child on her own. Leslie tries to be supportive, but is quietly convinced that Ann is making a huge mistake. At the sperm bank, they run into Sewage Joe, who claims to be a frequent donor, and his patronage is enough to scare Ann off. Leslie inadvertently helps Ann realize that her ideal sperm donor should be someone she knows. With a new wave of enthusiasm, Ann narrows it down to three potential sperm donors and brings them into the office, pretending she's interviewing them for a blog. Meanwhile, Ben tries to make headway on his task for the wedding: finding a caterer. He arranges a taste testing of the three best catering companies in Pawnee, and has invited his own personal panel of experts: Chris (the veggie lover), Ron (the meat lover), and Tom (the foodie who takes photos of food instead of eating it). Ben breaks the three-way tie with his own input, deciding on the caterer who served an appetizer of "mini calzones." The day after the taste testing, Chris, Ben and Ron are all completely crippled by horrible food poisoning, and they haven't even seen Tom yet - god knows what this is doing to that poor little bird-like man. Finally, while Leslie is busy with her councilwoman duties, April is tasked with her worst nightmare: leading a public forum for the Pawnee Commons every day that week. She decides the best way to survive the ordeal is to imitate Leslie; she even dons one of Leslie's famous pantsuits to tackle the task. But Leslie's chipper methods just aren't suitable for April, and the first meeting quickly spirals out of her control. April tries to persist, continuing to channel Leslie, but with little or no success. As always, we tackle the tough questions, such as ... Will Leslie try to take control of the situation? What ended up happening to Tom? How does April get along with the crazy Pawnee residents? Who are Ann's three potential sperm donors? Do they ever figure out the exact source of the food poisoning? Can April figure out how to effectively handle the public forum? Does Ann end up picking a winner? Who does Ben end up selecting as the wedding caterer? What is Andy's mistake that stresses out April, but provides great snacks? Loyal viewers, whip yourself up a tasty dish, tune your podcast dial, and come along on our journey! Have we ever let you down before? Many thanks to our fantastic sponsor, often imitated but never duplicated ... JJ's Diner. 

1. Teresa Strasser (2011) 2. Harris Wittels (2012) Hosted by Chris Laxamana and Giovanni Giorgio Support the show: Visit BlindsGalore.com Visit Geico.com Request clips: Classics@adamcarolla.com TWITTER: https://twitter.com/chrislaxamana INSTAGRAM: http://instagram.com/chris_laxamana https://instagram.com/giovannigiorgio Website: https://www.podcastone.com/carolla-classics

1. Teresa Strasser (2011) 2. Harris Wittels (2012) Hosted by Chris Laxamana and Giovanni Giorgio Support the show: Visit BlindsGalore.com Visit Geico.com Request clips: Classics@adamcarolla.com TWITTER: https://twitter.com/chrislaxamana INSTAGRAM: http://instagram.com/chris_laxamana https://instagram.com/giovannigiorgio Website: https://www.podcastone.com/carolla-classics

For most of us, our mental health took a hit during the pandemic. Gary Gulman knows a little something about severe depression. His HBO special, “The Great Depresh,” goes deep into his experience being hospitalized, getting treatment, and the ongoing road called recovery. Guest host Stephanie Wittels Wachs talks with Gary about her own bout of severe depression after losing her brother Harris Wittels, making art out of struggles with mental health, and what specific treatments helped Gary find hope and joy again. Keep up with Stephanie on Twitter @wittelstephanie. Follow Gary Gulman on Twitter @GaryGulman. Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium.    Support the show by checking out our sponsors! CVS Health helps people navigate the healthcare system and their personal healthcare by improving access, lowering costs and being a trusted partner for every meaningful moment of health. At CVS Health, healthier happens together. Learn more at cvshealth.com. Click this link for a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this show and all Lemonada shows: https://lemonadamedia.com/sponsors/    Check out these resources from today's episode:  Watch Gary's HBO special, “The Great Depresh”: https://www.hbo.com/movies/gary-gulman-the-great-depresh Check out Gary's upcoming live shows: https://garygulman.com/ Find vaccines, masks, testing, treatments, and other resources in your community: https://www.covid.gov/ Order Andy's book, “Preventable: The Inside Story of How Leadership Failures, Politics, and Selfishness Doomed the U.S. Coronavirus Response”: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250770165  Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia.  For additional resources, information, and a transcript of the episode, visit lemonadamedia.com/show/inthebubble.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Cariad talks to actor, writer and co-founder of Lemonada Media, and host of the Last Day podcast. Stephanie spoke to me about her brother, writer-producer-comedian, Harris Wittels, who died of an overdose in 2015. As ever we talk grief, therapy + the shittest club with the best members. You can follow Stephanie on twitter @wittelstephanie. Her book, Everything is Horrible and Wonderful, is available to buy now. You can find more about Lemonade media here, https://lemonadamedia.com . For more information on the Last Day podcast, please click here, https://link.chtbl.com/lastday You can follow the Griefcast on Twitter + Instagram @thegriefcastGriefcast is hosted by Cariad Lloyd, edited by Kate Holland, recorded remotely in Cariad's living room, artwork is by Jayde Perkin and the music is provided by The Glue Ensemble. And remember, you are not alone.Rose D'or Nominee 2019, Podcast of the Year 2018, Best Podcast ARIA's 2018.Apple Podcast Spotlight choice for October 2021"the pandemic's most important podcast" TelegraphCariad's book, You Are Not Alone, is published by Bloomsbury Tonic and available for pre-order now.https://www.waterstones.com/book/you-are-not-alone/cariad-lloyd/9781526621832Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/griefcast. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Mother's Day has great intentions behind it: taking a day out of the year to celebrate our moms and all the things they do for us. But for many people, for many reasons, that can be a painful proposition. Mother's Day became extremely difficult for Stephanie Wittels Wachs and Maureen Wittels when Harris Wittels, Maureen's son and Stephanie's brother, died of a heroin overdose in 2015. In the years since, Stephanie and Maureen have learned to redefine this holiday so they can simultaneously honor Harris's life and celebrate their family as it exists today. They tell Claire the various ways they've gotten through Mother's Day over the years and share advice for those in similar situations.   Resources from the show Read Stephanie's memoir, “Everything Is Horrible and Wonderful: A Tragicomic Memoir of Genius, Heroin, Love, and Loss” Read Claire's memoir, “The Rules of Inheritance”    Do you have a question about grief or other ways you can take care of your mental health? Send Claire a question to be featured on an upcoming episode www.bit.ly/newdayask   Want to connect? Join the New Day Facebook Group!  https://www.facebook.com/groups/newdaypod   Click this link for a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this show and all Lemonada shows go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors.   Did you try one of these weekly practices? We want to hear about it! Call 833-4-LEMONADA (833-453-6662) or email us newday@lemonadamedia.com.    To follow along with a transcript and/or take notes for friends and family, go to lemonadamedia.com/show/newday/ shortly after the air date.   Follow Claire on IG and FB @clairebidwellsmith or Twitter @clairebidwell and visit her website: www.clairebidwellsmith.com.   Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia.    Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Call animal control! Today Rob and Alan are talking about the 18th episode of season two. In "The Possum" Leslie puts together a task force to catch a famous town-possum. In this episode you will hear all the similarities between animal control and classic clowning, who Harris Wittels was originally cast as, and the Parks seed that grew into Oscar nominee Paul Raci's incredible career! All of this, and some pretty darn interesting facts about our animal friends the possum. Got a question for the Pawnee Town Hall? Send us an email: ParksandRecollectionTownHall@gmail.com Or leave a 30-Second voicemail at: (310) 893-6992 After the infamous possum "Fairway Frank" bites Mayor Gunderson's dog at a golf course, mayoral representative Evelyn (Judith Moreland) asks Leslie to form a task force to capture it. Leslie, Tom, Andy and two incompetent animal control workers, Harris (Harris Wittels) and Brett go to the golf course and quickly find the animal. The animal control workers are useless and Tom immediately runs away, but Andy dives toward the animal and captures it. Evelyn is impressed with Leslie and promises her a special favor from the mayor's office. However, Leslie sees a second opossum and fears they have captured the wrong animal. She later finds out that the mayor doesn't care about catching Fairway Frank, but rather about securing a trophy animal for his bathroom.Back at the department office, reporter Shauna Malwae-Tweep (Alison Becker) interviews Andy for a newspaper article. After he brags about the capture, the reporter suggests his heroics might win him back the affections of Ann, his ex-girlfriend, much to Andy's excitement. April , who has romantic feelings for Andy, overhears this and leaves. Evelyn demands delivery of Fairway Frank. Leslie responds that there is uncertainty about the identity of Fairway Frank. She refuses to hand over the captured opossum and creates a ketchup-blood diversion so that April can escape with the caged animal.Leslie and April take the opossum to Ann's home, where April has been paid $50 to housesit. April lets the opossum out of its cage, and it causes havoc and minor damage. While hiding from the animal, April reveals her feelings about Andy to Leslie for the first time. When Leslie refuses to hand over the opossum, Evelyn angrily takes back her promise of a favor from the mayor's office. Andy, still oblivious to the reasons behind April's jealousy, delivers coffee to April, as well as the day's newspaper, containing a story which credits April for providing moral support to Andy. It is later revealed that Leslie has donated the opossum to the Pawnee zoo.Meanwhile, Ron plans a woodshop expansion in his home and seeks the approval of city planner Mark. Mark informs Ron that an inspection is needed to ensure that the facility meets all current zoning code standards, and an obviously lying Ron claims it does, clearly underscoring his vexation with governmental regulations. During the inspection, Mark finds numerous code violations, including oily rags placed above a wood-burning fireplace and a long-outdated fire extinguisher. Later, Mark takes a half-day off so that he can help his friend's woodshop meet city code. Ron thanks Mark by building a wooden canoe and leaving it in his office.

when harris wittels died in 2015, i improvised this song afterward to commemorate the terrible day. recorded 2015-02-28. first release: 2022-01-08. transcript from the very beginning of this songyour light would shine through the darknesswhen i thought of all the ways we’ve connectedi know that it was truly astonishing i wouldn’t have to wake upContinue reading "siren song of opiates (ode to harris wittels)"

1. Harris Wittels (2012) 2. 2010 Ace Awards 3. Brian Huskey (2012) Hosted by Chris Laxamana and Giovanni Giorgio Support the show: TommyJohn.com/Classics Geico.com Request clips: Classics@adamcarolla.com TWITTER: https://twitter.com/chrislaxamana INSTAGRAM: http://instagram.com/chrislaxamana1 https://instagram.com/giovannigiorgio Website: https://www.podcastone.com/carolla-classics

1. Harris Wittels (2012) 2. 2010 Ace Awards 3. Brian Huskey (2012) Hosted by Chris Laxamana and Giovanni Giorgio Support the show: TommyJohn.com/Classics Geico.com Request clips: Classics@adamcarolla.com TWITTER: https://twitter.com/chrislaxamana INSTAGRAM: http://instagram.com/chrislaxamana1 https://instagram.com/giovannigiorgio Website: https://www.podcastone.com/carolla-classics

Pawnee is a gift to us all and today Rob Lowe and Alan Yang dive into the 4th episode of  the second season of Parks and Recreation! In "Practice Date" a nervous Leslie gets ready for her first date with Dave, by going on a test date with Ann. In today's episode Find out how nervous Duke Silver made the writer's room, the amazing Perd Hapley audition, and how Greg Daniels would deal with the stress of ending The Office—all on Harris Wittels first writing credit of Parks!Got a question for the Pawnee Town Hall? Send us an email: ParksandRecollectionTownHall@gmail.com Or leave a 30-Second voicemail at: (310) 893-6992

Another Effin' Podcast About Sitcom is four friends, Mo Laikowski, Stan Laikowski, Luke Ward and Dan McInerney, watching sitcoms and carefully pulling all the joy out of them.  This week, they're watching the "Andy and April's Fancy Party" episode from Parks & Rec.

Hi, folks. John Moe here. I knew about Stephanie Wittels Wachs for quite a while before I met her but correctly figured I'd get to know her one of these days. That's because our stories have an awful lot of overlap. We're both writer, we both host podcasts, I live in the Twin Cities and her company, Lemonada, is based here, and most importantly, we both lost our brothers. Lost them twice, really. First to addiction, at which they became different people. Someone in the grip of an addiction exists to get more of the substance and their personal relationships are secondary to that. From there, I lost my brother Rick to suicide, Steph lost her brother, the well-known and successful comedy writer Harris Wittels to an overdose. Looking back on it, I think I was nervous to read what she had written about Harris because I'd be overwhelmed.  And yes, we finally did meet up and became instant friends. And I read what she wrote, of course, and I was comforted by the similarities and the differences. Mostly, I was comforted that in this hell of grief and loss, I was able to find someone in the same kind of hell. Someone who could say, “Man, it's so hot!”Listen to Last Day here or wherever podcasts are found. Get your copy of Everything is Horrible and Wonderful: A Tragicomic Memoir of Genius, Heroin, Love and Loss here or wherever books are sold. Follow Stephanie on Twitter @wittelstephanie and on Instagram @wittelstephanie. Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun. Hey, remember, you're part of Depresh Mode and we want to hear what you want to hear about. What guests and issues would you like to have covered in a future episode? Write us at depreshmode@maximumfun.org.Help is available right away.The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALKCrisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlinesThe Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here. https://read.macmillan.com/lp/the-hilarious-world-of-depression/Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.John is on Twitter @johnmoe. 

Stephanie Wittels Wachs is the co-founder of Lemonada Media, host of Last Day and author of best-selling memoir Everything Is Horrible and Wonderful: A Tragicomic Memoir of Genius, Heroin, Love, and Loss. Harris Wittels (April 20, 1984 – February 19, 2015) was an American comedian, writer and podcast. His book is Humblebrag: The Art of False Modesty. TRANSCRIPT: ZAK: Whoa, I just realized this. Today is the one -year anniversary of The Best Advice Show. We are more than 250 episodes in. Here's to another at least 250. In honor of this one-year celebration I would love to your advice. Give me a call on the hotline at 844-935-BEST. Ok, lets get to today's show. I never met Harris Wittels but in my mind, we were dear friends. I get the feeling he had the effect on people. Even if you've never heard his name before, you've you've probably laughed at Harris' jokes. He was a writer on Parks and Rec. and the Sarah Silverman Program, Master of None and Eastbound and Down. He also hosted one of my all time favorite podcasts, Analyze Phish, in which harris, who loved Phish more than most things, spends hours and hours trying to get his co-host, Scott Aukerman, to like Phish too. The band Phish I'm talking about. Harris also invented a word. Before harris, we didn't have a word for an ostensibly modest or self-deprecating statement whose actual purpose is to draw attention to something of which one is proud. Yes, the humblebrag. We have harris to thank for that.  Today is 4-20. Harris' birthday. Harris Wittels was born on 4-20. That this is a fact makes the world worth living. Harris died in February of 2015 when he was just 30.  Since that time, Harris' sister, Stephanie, has flown her younger brothers flag. In the wake of his overdose, she started a podcast, Last Day in his honor and subsequently she co-founded a media company called Lemonada which recons with the messy, ugly, hilarious, painful parts of living so very well. And so, today, on Harris' bday, I'm here to talk to Stephanie about just one of the many pieces of advice Harris left us.  STEPHANIE: He used to say quit future-tripping. And one of our dear friends from high school got that tattooed on his arm. And its become this kind of mantra for a bunch of very high strung, anxious, neurotic people. And I think what it means is that very cliched, like, live in the moment and you can't control what happens tomorrow. So I love that advice and I have internalized and tried to abide by that as much as possible. There's been a lot of things that have happened to me in the past 5 years, 6 years that, you know, pre-COVID, that would have caused me to future-trip...have caused me to future-trip. ZAK: What does your future-tripping look like? STEPHANIE: Oh, it's movies in mind. I direct them. Star in them. Produce them. Sound-design them. Edit them. They are sprawling. There are multiple sequels and I can just really get caught up in anxiety. I have very intense anxiety. I'm medicated for it. God bless medication. But, I can seriously spiral out on if this, then this and it's not real. It's not steeped in reality. It's steeped in my version of reality. It's steeped in a lot of fear and for me fear is about everything that we can't control. Everything that's unknown. And the thing about life is, it's all unknown! It is all unknown. I am talking to you right now...in five minutes, I have no idea what's gonna happen. I can predict based on prior experience living my life everyday but I truly do not know. So, that's what it looks like for me. ZAK: Next time you're getting ahead of yourself. Directing movies in your mind. Just think of Harris and his advice. Quit future-trippin'. If you don't know Harris' work, give him a Goog. He was one of the greats. You can listen to Stephanie's podcast, Last Day, wherever you hear The Best Advice Show. Thanks, Stephanie.

For more information about Stephanie Wittels Wachs, click here. For more information about “Everything Is Horrible and Wonderful,” click here. For more information about Lemonada Media, click here. For more information about Harris Wittels, click here. To contact Henry's Uncle, please email: info@henrysuncle.org. Follow Henry’s Uncle on Instagram: @henrys_uncle. For more information about Henry's Uncle, please visit www.henrysuncle.org.

Debuting their new weekly podcast, “SONG-A-WEEK” (out now), we spoke with Paul Rust and Michael Cassady of Don't Stop Or We'll Die! For those unfamiliar with the work of the band, this Los Angeles based piano-pop-weirdo group have been churning out catchy tunes since the early 2010's. Originally made up of Paul Rust, Michael Cassady, and Harris Wittels, the band has brought on super musicians, Emeen Zarookian and Tony Thaxton to help sharpen up the final sound. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/wewriteaboutmusic/support

Jessica Cordova Kramer and Stephanie Wittels Wachs are the co-creators of Lemonada Media, a podcast network that shares the unfiltered version of the human experience. In 2015, Steph lost her brother, beloved comedian Harris Wittels, to a heroin overdose. And in 2017, Jess lost her newly-married brother Stefano Cordova, Jr. to a fentanyl overdose. In this episode we talk about creating Last Day, how Stephanie produces their narrative shows, how Jessica’s intuition led to creating Lemonada Media, and why creativity can help us express grief. Transcript and show notes can be found here If you or someone you know is struggling emotionally or feeling hopeless, it’s important to talk to someone about it now. In the show notes I’ve included resources for free, confidential conversations with a trained counselor anytime. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 Crisis Text line: Text “Connect” to 741-741 Try Podia and save 15% for life as a Creative Elements listener Earn money by sharing this show Join our community on Facebook Want to support this show? Click here to buy me a coffee. Brought to you by The Podglomerate Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stephanie Wittels Wachs is a writer, advocate and podcaster. She’s the cofounder and chief creative officer of the critically acclaimed and widely respected Lemonada Media podcast network and hosts Last Day, a podcast that in its first season took a look at the opioid crisis in America and in its second season, airing now, is exploring suicide. She’s also the author of Everything is Horrible and Wonderful, a searing memoir about losing her brother Harris Wittels to a heroin overdose. She recently relocated from Houston, Texas to Monterrey, California. We talked about her new Northern California lifestyle, sharing a well with neighbors, nosy Cheryl, parenthood, her parents moving in, patient husbands, the differences between hosting the first and second seasons of Last Day, hearing loss, media guidelines surrounding discussions of suicide, grief and so much more. We also did a round of HGFY and Just Me Or Everyone! Full episode available at youtube.com/alisonrosen Check us out on Patreon: http://patreon.com/alisonrosen   Buy Alison's Book: Tropical Attire Encouraged (and Other Phrases That Scare Me)  https://amzn.to/2JuOqcd This episode is brought to you by: BETTER HELP:  http://BetterHelp.com/BESTFRIEND (use code BESTFRIEND for 10% off)  BOMBAS: http://Bombas.com/BESTFRIEND (to save 20%) ROTHYS: http://rothys.com/alison You probably need to buy the HGFY ringtone! https://www.alisonrosen.com/store/ Try Amazon Prime Free 30 Day Trial  

Happy Thanksgiving! This week, we’re re-airing our very first episode of Last Day from Season One. In it, we meet host Stephanie Wittels Wachs, sister of the late Harris Wittels, comedian-writer-producer-actor, who died in 2015 of a heroin overdose. Harris’ close friends, Sarah Silverman and Aziz Ansari, also join Stephanie as she introduces the concept of the show and why it’s critical that it exists.    If you enjoy this episode, make sure to also check out:  Everything Is Horrible and Wonderful: A Tragicomic Memoir of Genius, Heroin, Love, and Loss, by Stephanie Wittels Wachs Humblebrag: The Art of False Modesty, by Harris Wittels  You Made It Weird with Pete Holmes: Harris Returns (Parks and Rec! Comedy! Don't Stop or We'll Die!) returns to make it weirder!   If you suspect someone you know is overdosing, call 911 - it’s important they get medical attention immediately. You can also contact SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP for a free, confidential conversation with a trained substance use counselor anytime.    To follow along with a transcript and/or take notes for friends and family, go to https://www.lemonadamedia.com/show/last-day shortly after the air date.   Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We introduce a collection of podcasts about Newts and things interesting to Newt fans all while you drift away on a slow slow-moving river of sky blue dreams. This episode is dedicated to Harris Wittels Please support the Harris Wittels fund https://hspvafriends.org/support/harriswittels/ Analyze Phish- https://www.earwolf.com/show/analyze-phish/ U Talkin U2 to Me- https://www.earwolf.com/show/u-talkin-u2-to-me/ Black Lives Matter. I cannot create a safe place for everyone without stopping to pause and look at what changes I need to make to support that fact. When I say “you deserve a good night’s sleep” it means black lives matter. I have a lot more work to do to back up my words with my body, mind, heart, and spirit. I am trying to gather more resources here- https://linktr.ee/dearestscooter Here is a list of Anti-racism resources- http://bit.ly/ANTIRACISMRESOURCES Here is one place you can find support during this or any crisis. If you have more please share them! https://www.crisistextline.org/ There are more global helplines and rescues here https://linktr.ee/creatorselfcare I support Ruth King- check out her book Mindful of Race Support Jacob Blake’s family here- https://www.gofundme.com/f/justiceforjacobblake?utm_source=customer&utm_campaign=m_pd+share-sheet&utm_medium=copy_link_all Support the Milwaukee Freedom Fund here- https://supportwomenshealth.salsalabs.org/mkefreedomfund/index.html Support the Bail Project here- https://bailproject.org/ There are more global helplines and crisis lines here https://linktr.ee/creatorselfcare (Become a patron https://www.patreon.com/sleepwithme - the story starts at about 20:00) Commission a song from the Mystery Bard or check out his podcast “As It Happens: A Song a Day” over at http://www.jonathanmann.net You can find all of our sponsors on our website http://www.sleepwithmepodcast.com This week’s podcast is sponsored by- Sweaty Betty- For over 20 years,  Sweaty Betty’s 5 star rated Power Leggings have helped women crush their workouts. Quick-drying and pocket equipped, these leggings are high waisted performers. Take their quiz at Sweaty Betty dot com to find your perfect style and choose from a wide selection of strategically cut patterns. Now through *November 1st* get 20% OFF your ENTIRE purchase when you visit sweatybetty.com/sleep. Helix Sleep- makes personalized mattresses made right here in America, shipped straight to your door with free no-contact delivery, free returns, and a 100-night sleep trial. Just go to helixsleep.com/sleep, take their two-minute sleep quiz, and they’ll match you to a customized mattress that will give you the best sleep of your life. Quip- The sensitive sonic toothbrush I have been using for over two years (not over and over! Changing out the brush heads every three months!) Quip starts at just $25 and if you go to http://www.getquip.com/sleep, you get your first refill pack for FREE with a quip electric toothbrush. PlushCare- knows your mental health is just as important as your physical health. Their primary care physicians are here for you 7 days a week, to help you start feeling better as soon as possible. PlushCare makes it easier than ever to take care of yourself, inside and out. Start your membership today. Go to www.plushcare.com/sleep to start your FREE 30-day trial.

On this episode I talk with Jeff about Queer Eye, his dog, Earwolf podcasts, Harris Wittels, drug addiction, mental illness, and other fun stuff too! Find Jeff on Instagram @MrTheStray

So many fantastic guest appearances in this episode. Harris Wittels and Colton Dunn are here as Harris and Brad from Animal Control, AND we get Dennis Feinstein, played masterfully by Jason Mantzoukas. Even Eric Isenhower shows up as Orin – with a speaking part!Ben, Tom, and Andy have some mighty sucking up to do to raise money for charities, while Chris injures one of his running feet. Leslie, Chris, and Ann interview potential new Animal Control candidates, and Jerry negotiates a lower salary for his current job. Magnificent.Ron is also very sick and has to eat a banana. Who will emerge from this royal rumble showdown?!Plus, Sean tries to play ultimate frisbee for the first time in a hot minute and struggles mightily, we dive into railway workers and the phrase “Gandy dancer,” and we talk about having to dress up during game days in high school. Oh, and please visit the Wikipedia page for high fives.EPISODES5, E18: Animal ControlDRINK OF THE EPISODECoastal Conservation Ale from Karbach Brewing CompanyTOP 5 OF THE EPISODETop 5 FragrancesCATEGORIESU.S. Presidents

Stephanie Wittels Wachs is an absolute joy to connect with and she has a brilliant way (perhaps much like her late brother Harris Wittels, renowned comedian/writer/actor) of making the most uncomfortable topic oddly comfortable. Rachael and Stephanie both hope to humanize the epidemic of substance abuse disorder and inspire you to want to help make a well-deserved change. Her podcast "Last Day" started as a journey to discover "what happened, and what could we have done differently" in the tragic loss of her brother to a heroin overdose.  She's a brilliant comedic mind in her own right, one tough cookie, an author, and a guiding light of how one can find purpose and love in the most tragic of life circumstances.  Staying in shape just got easier w Sports Research Sweet Sweat and Waist Trimmer And if you go to www.sportsresearch.com and use the code BEHERE at checkout RIGHT NOW, you’ll get 20% off your order!! Experience the HempLand USA Difference today by going to www.hemplandusa.com/behere and using offer code “BEHERE” at checkout for 20% off.  Check out FAM: For All Moms wherever you're listening right now! 

Ann is looking to have a child, so she starts interviewing potential sperm donors. And boy oh boy are the pickings slim. As a result, Leslie is doing her best to stop everything, as is her MO. Meanwhile, Ben, Ron, Chris, and Tom taste test food for the wedding, but the calzones treat them incredibly poorly. How dare they. But this leads to one of the best scenes in the entire series, so we’ll take it.For some reason, Leslie can’t attend ANY town hall meetings this week. That means April and Andy are in charge. They also get to deal with a very delightful cameo from Harris Wittels.Plus, we’re chatting Disneyland, how Vice Presidents used to openly duel people, flip cup challenges, and the life advice that has served Sean well throughout his entire life.EPISODES5, E12: Ann’s DecisionDRINK OF THE EPISODECoffee Porter from Last Stand BrewingMinute Maid Fruit Punch (with low sugar!) mixed with Malibu Coconut RumTOP 5 OF THE EPISODEMajor Decisions Sean Has MadeCATEGORIESBreakfast Cereals

Emmy-award winning writer, director, and producer Alan Yang (Parks and Recreation, Master of None, Forever) joins Scott and his nephew Todd to talk about his Netflix directorial debut Tigertail being the opposite of Tiger King, working with a Mandarin translator on the film, and shares a Harris Wittels story from his time at Parks and Rec. Plus, salesman Gigantic Dan drops by to talk about selling self-made doors door-to-door.

We have an update on a past episode! Harris Wittels was the executive producer of "Parks and Recreation," the coiner of the word "humblebrag," a Phish enthusiast, and the funniest person in any room he walked into. He died of a heroin overdose in 2015, leaving behind his mother, his sister, and a lifetime of talent and potential. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis. TTFA is public media. Which means we are supported by you. You can join us with a contribution at ttfa.org/donate. And check out our sponsors this week: Rothy's - rothys.com/terrible KiwiCo - kiwico.com/ttfa Grove Collaborative - grove.co/thanks

Harris Wittels was the executive producer of Parks and Recreation, the coiner of the word "humblebrag," a Phish enthusiast, and the funniest person in any room he walked into. He died of a heroin overdose in 2015, leaving behind his mother, his sister, and a lifetime of talent and potential.

Kenn Edwards joins me to reflect on the passing of comedy writer, Harris Wittels.Music on this podcast:Artist: Don't Stop or We'll DieSong: I Got a Perm for Our Camping TripCopyrights are owned by the artists and their labels. No money is made from this podcast.

How do you do? This week's episode of HOW WAS YOUR WEEK features HARRIS WITTELS, a funny person you enjoy from his work on Parks & Recreation and on his Phish-themed Earwolf podcast. Harris and Julie have a good time meeting each other for the first time in person and talking about drugs and why Harris does them and how, masturbating at a slumber party with friends in a room, and the folly of rivalry with a man who is basically your comedy brother. Then, author BENJAMIN NUGENT joins us to talk about his fascinating non-fiction book, AMERICAN NERD, and his new novel, GOOD KIDS. This is an interesting conversation, I swear! Topics covered include: the time people in Wiliamsburg thought it was a good idea to snort VCR head cleaner, the subconscious racism of our perception of nerds in this country, the history of the Boy Scouts, and whether it's a better goal to think more about the parent you do not necessarily identify with. Also! Some strong feelings about Neil LaBute, some Tony Award fashion observations, a celebration of Panera Bread's cookies, concern and appreciation for Millennial sex attitudes, a command concerning women and eyeliner in the summer months, and a bold taking of sides in the Franzen versus Cats debacle. Hooray, hooray, a podcast for you today!

Chelsea Peretti takes calls from a variety of Americans discussing: dog injuries, trailmix, generous laughter, vinyasa yoga, Girl Scout cookies, etc. Also! A lengthy call from Hollywood resident and probable multi-millionaire Harris Wittels.

Doug is joined by Sarah Silverman and writer/comedian Harris Wittels.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.