Comedian Todd Glass returns to the Take Your Shoes Off (TYSO) podcast for his third appearance, resulting in a highly discursive and meta-analytical conversation with host Rick Glassman. The episode delves into the mechanics of their personal and professional dynamic, exploring topics such as Todd’s personality quirks (including his tendency to arrive early and wait in his car to avoid inconveniencing Rick), the structural "pillars" of comedy (connection, surprise, and the absurd), and the philosophical nature of joke creation.
Throughout the episode, the conversation frequently breaks the fourth wall, analyzing their own interactions, ad-read deliveries, and editing choices. Key segments include discussions of Todd’s multi-piece-band comedy show, Rick's touring schedule, and Todd’s attempt at a humorous (but exposed) "plugola" segment for his dentist, which leads to a debate about the transactional nature of favors and comedy. The episode highlights the unique chemistry between the two comics, characterized by Rick’s analytical processing and Todd’s high-energy, stream-of-consciousness humor.
Todd Glass 3.0 on TYSO - #326: Summary
1:02 Early Arrival Quirk: Todd Glass explains he arrived an hour early but waited in his car to avoid stressing Rick out, leading to Rick expressing that Todd is not responsible for Rick's feelings.
4:18 Discussion on Feelings and Boundaries: Rick emphasizes boundaries, leading to a joke about Todd needing therapy, which becomes a running gag.
7:03 Tour Promotions: Rick promotes his "Ricky's on the Loose" tour dates in New York, Brooklyn, Las Vegas, Phoenix, and Cleveland.
13:00 Manscaping Bit: Todd recalls an old, branded comedy bit involving shaving pubic hair to make his penis look larger.
16:07 Comedian Community Value: Todd expresses that hanging out with comedians and funny people "saved his life" and makes him happy, comparing the interaction to a pickup basketball game.
22:16 Todd’s Comedy Show: Todd promotes his upcoming New York Comedy Festival show (Nov 7-16) which is a hybrid stand-up and sketch performance featuring a seven-piece band.
39:52 Aging and Wellness: Todd discusses feeling mentally 20, but maintaining physical health by hiring a professional stretcher once a week, stressing that the benefit is huge even without doing "homework."
49:04 Host-Guest Dynamic: Rick acknowledges that Todd’s presence is extremely valuable, stating that when Todd visits, Rick feels like the podcast is "taken care of" and he can just "sit there and watch."
50:18 Philosophical Car Question: Todd asks a serious, non-comedic question about why car companies (like Ford) don't simply remake classic cars (e.g., a 1969 Mustang) exactly as they were, with minimal modern modification.
1:07:03 The Three Pillars of Laughter: The comedians discuss their hypothesis that all jokes succeed because they tap into three pillars: connection/relatability, surprise/left turn, or absurdism/wordplay.
1:10:47 Joke Creation Philosophy: Rick presents his view that all jokes are invisible "bricks" that already exist; the comedian's job is simply to "see" them and build a structure.
1:32:44 Transactional Friendships: Rick discusses his perspective that all friendships should be valuable and “not boring,” stating he only hangs out with people who offer him something (laughter, learning, or interesting perspective).
1:46:58 Conflict Avoidance (Comedian Anecdote): Todd shares an anecdote about a comedian shutting down his playful heckle by accusing him of attention-seeking, leading to a discussion about whether Todd waited too long (6 months) to address the issue.
1:51:32 Differing Communication Styles: Rick uses the previous anecdotes (car wait, delayed confrontation) to suggest Todd assumes others’ feelings, while Todd defends his instinct-based approach as authentic and effective for him.
2:16:34 Exposing "Plugola": Todd attempts an unsolicited and completely fabricated plug for his dentist (Dr. Cellar Studio Smiles), claiming Rick complimented his teeth (which Rick denies). Rick calls him out for asking the editor to do free work for a sponsored plug.
2:18:30 Resolution on Editing: Todd, realizing his "plugola" deception was exposed, offers $1,000 for the editor (John Michael) to create the requested custom dental advertisement bit.
2:19:05 Conclusion and Length: The episode wraps up after an estimated three hours, with Rick affirming that despite the tangents, Todd's contributions were excellent.