The Bill Bert Podcast · All Things Comedy

The Bill Bert Podcast | Episode 54 w. Doug Stanhope - PART ONE

·1 hr 2 min·1 clip

The month I unplugged from news revealed the pandemic's real psychological shift

This episode features hosts Bill Burr and Bert Kreischer welcoming legendary comedian Doug Stanhope for a candid conversation. The three veteran comics, known for their unfiltered and often dark humor, reconnect after a long pandemic-induced separation. They immediately dive into the awkwardness of re-emerging into society after prolonged isolation. Stanhope describes his first venture back into traffic after a year as terrifying, comparing himself to a "little old lady from Pasadena." He reveals he spent the pandemic in Arizona, starting his drinking earlier in the day and going to bed by 4 AM. Burr shares that he became completely sober in 2018, a decision reinforced by a mushroom trip that made him confront his insecurities. Stanhope admits he hasn't performed stand-up in over a year and questions if he even remembers how to write a joke. Burr recounts doing drive-in shows at the Rose Bowl for 750 cars, where the silence was so profound he felt like he was in a sci-fi movie pleading for his life. Stanhope reflects that the pandemic year was one of his favorite as an adult, enjoying the peace and not missing the travel. Burr explains he had a baby boy during the pandemic and has been home for almost every day of his son's life. The conversation shifts to the cultural differences in drinking, with Stanhope praising the UK's "professional level" pub culture while recalling a grotesque public vomiting incident in New Orleans. Burr and Stanhope share a deep, nostalgic appreciation for the art of day drinking, from dive bars in Chattanooga to hotel lounges. They agree that a perfect day buzz at a baseball game, like Burr experienced at Coors Field, is a heavenly experience that's hard to top. Stanhope humorously describes the meticulous planning that goes into choosing the first daytime drink. The tone is deeply conversational, relaxed, and filled with the camaraderie of old friends who share the same cynical worldview. The style is anecdotal, profane, and introspective, as they explore the comedians' lifestyle without glamorizing it. Fans of raw, meandering comedic conversations about vice, sobriety, and the absurdities of show business will love this episode. Listeners seeking structured interviews or who are offended by graphic stories and frequent profanity might want to skip it.

As heard by us

A rough hangout that gets stronger when it leans into awkward stories and drunken honesty.

The episode lets Doug Stanhope turn a Bill and Bert hang into a rough, loose conversation, and that is where it works best. It sits inside awkward friendship energy, quarantine drift, and the easy fun of two curmudgeons needling each other and the guest.

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Why you'd press play

Doug Stanhope brings the hangout chaos, the drinking stories, and the darkest laugh in the room.

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