Ep. 186 – Scent Has Mass

Links

• Who is Jack Smith, the special counsel behind the Trump classified documents indictment? (CNN)
• “If Even Half of It Is True, He’s Toast”: Bill Barr on Trump Indictment (Vanity Fair)
• Silvio Berlusconi (Wikipedia)
• Cormac McCarthy (Wikipedia)

Summary

• 00:00:00 The hosts joke around about their bad jokes and discuss their recently published seven-book deal with a Chinese company. They joke about a cartoon of a man shoveling in one of the books and how the pronunciation of "shovel" needs to be "sha" or "shah." They also discuss their newly recorded solo episodes, with one of the hosts referring to it as "Erik talks to the wall" and the other jokingly mentioning that it's practice for when the other host is dead. The section ends with the hosts playfully introducing themselves with different names.
• 00:05:00 The conversation turns to Robin Williams and the incredible comedic talent he possessed. Dennis speaks about Williams' ability to turn a valve on in his brain and let the material spill out, a phenomenon apparent in his stand-up shows and performances. They also touch on his preparation for shows, with one account stating that before Carnegie Hall, he had 45 minutes to an hour of material but ended up doing over two hours. Dana Carvey, in a separate discussion, talks about how Williams wanted to guest on his Church Lady skit on SNL, but Carvey declined because he was worried it would go to places he didn't want it to.
• 00:10:00 The hosts discuss the documentary about Robin Williams and his improvisational comedy style. They talk about the chaos and energy Williams brought into his performances and how the set of Mork and Mindy was adapted to keep up with him. They also briefly discuss tattoos and why neither of them have any.
• 00:15:00 The speakers discuss the idea of getting a tattoo to commemorate something, like being a father, and how it could become a legacy issue. They also touch on the concept of scent and how it has mass, with molecules of a scent being inhaled and absorbed by the body, much like how we breathe in our own feces. They draw a parallel between this and how people become comfortable in their own environment, like in a political bubble, and become desensitized to certain things.
• 00:20:00 The hosts discuss a federal indictment involving Donald Trump and his Mar-a-Lago estate. The indictment includes Trump's words and pictures and is a simple and easy read. The hosts point out that while other politicians may have been caught with classified documents, they reported it and returned them, whereas Trump never attempted to keep them secret and gave them back. They also mention how Trump's lawyer ended up having to turn states witness after Trump asked him to participate in a crime, which goes against attorney-client privilege.
• 00:25:00 The speaker discusses how Trump was told he couldn't have certain documents, and instead of complying, he became defensive and refused to give them up. A judge in the federal district court system was also involved in this case and was reproached by a panel of three judges, two of which were appointed by Trump. Later on, a judge was randomly selected to handle the trial, and the same judge who had ruled in Trump's favor before was selected. The speaker suggests that Trump may have figured out how to ensure that this judge was selected to handle the trial.
• 00:30:00 Dennis berates his "employee" for not being funny enough during the pre-show segment. Despite having an extra day to prepare, there were no jokes, except for a lame cat joke that didn't get any laughs. The host is aggravated at his lack of effort and tells him that his evaluation will reflect this. He also brings up the former US Attorney General's quote about Trump, stating that if even half of what was true, he's toast. The discussion shifts to a politician who recently died, who was a Trump-like figure, breaking all the rules but never really facing any consequences. The host concludes that Trump is similar in that he will never regret or apologize for anything he's done, as he's incapable of self-assessment in that way.
• 00:35:00 The hosts of the podcast discuss their podcast icon and the work they do for the show. They then transition to talk about the weather and their gardening projects, with one of the hosts sharing his accomplishment of planting 10 trees and 8 starts of day lilies in pots. The hosts then discuss the survival rates of the trees and the importance of preparing them for winter before planting them in the ground. The discussion leads to a metaphor for parenting and the long-term commitment involved in raising children.
• 00:40:00 The conversation jumps from tattoos to trees to books, specifically the works of author McCarthy who recently passed away at age 86. While McCarthy was known for his Western literature, his books also often contained Spanish storylines and dialogue. The hosts discuss some of his most famous works, including "The Road" and "No Country for Old Men", as well as his use of cannibalism as a plot point. The topic then shifts to the real-life murder that inspired "No Country for Old Men", which involved a unique compression gun that one host's wife had experience with from working in a slaughterhouse.
• 00:45:00 Erik shares his experience with doing taxes in Spain and how it can be a frustrating process due to the complicated regulations. He talks about his double taxation treaty with the US and the long process of inputting his income and taxes paid to determine how much he owes. The speaker then mentions that he was surprised to find out that instead of owing taxes, he was owed over a lot of money by the Spanish government, which he doubts is accurate but is unsure if it's just an accounting issue.
• 00:50:00 This section discusses the challenges and complexities of filing taxes as an American citizen living in Spain. The speaker explains that filing taxes jointly with his wife would result in the government owing them $X, whereas filing separately means the government owes him $2X and his wife must pay $0.05X. However, the speaker notes that he does not want to raise any red flags or raise suspicions, as the tax officials he has consulted with have not dealt with this kind of case before. Despite the challenges, the speaker has learned to guess what to put in the tax boxes each year and has considered hiring a tax lawyer who specializes in international tax law.
• 00:55:00 The two hosts of the podcast engage in casual conversation about various topics, such as taxes, whiskey bottles, and the usefulness of a bottle of Scotch in helping one get through the day. They also briefly mention their Patreon members and encourage listeners to join at the general martinis level to gain access to videos of their conversations.